Gene Baird writes

A Father's Love - Part 2

FADE IN

INT. FOSTER RESIDENCE - NIGHT

Start black and bring the sound of rain. Then fade into a rainy night, police cars sitting in front of enlisted housing on Ft. Campbell, KY with police lights flashing to the point where the viewers can initially only see the lights and hear rain. Then the focus becomes clear and moves in towards the door, beyond the cars, making lights seem behind camera so viewers cannot see them but can see their reflections on windows and walls. The raining sound dampens once the view reaches the dryness of the front stoop, and the camera seemingly runs into the trench coat of Detective Burnside. Many cops are about but clearly Burnside is supervising the scene, asking questions and taking notes on a small pad while walking carefully around the room. He steps over triangular shaped tags on the floor and avoids touching things so to not displace evidence.

DETECTIVE BURNSIDE

            Okay, what do we got?

A sole officer, with a pad and pen in hand, turns in the direction of Burnside.

OFFICER MALONE

Not much, Detective. We haven’t found any real evidence, with the exception of a set of fingerprints that were on the back bedroom window.

Malone extends a see thru bag that contains a piece of transparent film, depicting small circular fingerprints.

 It was the only thing that seemed out of place. The rest of the prints we got were all over, meaning they could belong to anybody who came in the house.

BURNSIDE

Pushing his lips out and moving his mouth to the right once and then tilting it left to show a dislike for the information.

Are you saying this was probably the work of someone they knew? I mean the mother was killed in her sleep.

MALONE

Yes sir, while her husband was deployed to a combat zone. Often, stay-behind family members make new friends.

BURNSIDE

I don’t think that hunch would fly but it’s always worth checking into. Hang on, the father has landed and his on his way here now. This could be trouble.

MALONE

   
          Why would the father be trouble?

BURNSIDE

He’s a member of 7^th group Special Forces Command, according to what we’ve found out. He’s actually led a few raids in Iraq. I don’t want him to become a vigilante here.

INT.  THE FRONT DOOR

SGT REGGIE FOSTER runs into the house soaking wet and breathing hard but does not appear tired because his eyes are focused while his chest rises high as if he is anxious, upset, and ready to get into a brawl.

FOSTER

          
          Where is she? Where is she? Where is my wife? Where is my daughter? Where??????

MALONE

            
          Sir, I have to ask you to come with me, so that I can ask you a few questions.

FOSTER

Fuck you! I ask the god damned questions here! Where the fuck is my family?

Two other police officers begin to turn in Foster’s direction and even take a hurried step or two toward him. Just then, Burnside extends his arm straight down, palm towards the officers, indicating that they should stop.

BURNSIDE

Sir, I’m afraid your daughter is missing, but your wife’s body is still in your bed. All we know is that she was killed while sleeping and then your daughter was taken.

FOSTER

            So you don’t know shit?

SGT Foster busts through cops and quickly moves into the bedroom to where his wife’s body still lies. He moves to her side and drops to his knees in utter emotion. As tears pour out, he cradles his wife’s hand and puts his head onto hers. He sits there for about an hour before the police try to move him, at which time, he speeds past them and out the door.

BURNSIDE

Shit! He’s gonna be a lot of trouble. Thank goodness we didn’t tell him about the fingerprints that were on the back window.

MALONE

          
         You want me to send a few guys after him sir?

BURNSIDE

Do you know what the difference is between a member of the Special Forces and a serial killer is?

MALONE

         
          Just that one is on our side. sir.

BURNSIDE

Well that, and the fact that one was trained how to kill at close range, long range, unseen, unheard, seen, heard, and with every damn weapon that is sold in the United States. You send cops after him right now and he will not be responsible for his irrational actions, but there will be actions. You might lose some men or possibly take him, but the damage isn’t something I care to initiate. Wrap this up, Malone, and get the body out of here. Have a unit tail him.

Malone immediately grabs a hand device pinned to his shoulder that is connected to his belt-mounted radio and asks for a unit outside to respond. One officer does so by grabbing his CB mounted inside of a police car sitting outside.

MALONE

        Make sure the husband is followed. We need to keep watch but do not approach him. He is currently irrational and well trained in counter surveillance and hand to hand combat.Please acknowledge.

.

INT. OUTSIDE TO OFFICER AT BARRICADE

OFFICER

   
         Sir, he’s already gone!

MALONE

        
    Then look for him, damn it!

A few officers begin circling the house and checking behind bushes while a unit heads around to the next street. They look in several yards before giving up and the officer in the car radios in that he is gone. Burnside frowns and shakes his head, places his hands on his hips, and tells his officers to keep at it, knowing that Foster is probably gone