This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. 
This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express 
written permission of the author.

                                                      













SINNERS PATH 

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

BY

KEVIN DARNELL PETTY











       


                             

 

                                FIRST DRAFT
                                (2/18/2004)
                               (4/9/2004)







FADE IN: 

EXT- OUTSIDE- NIGHT 

Sounds of thunder and lighting echo through the night sky like a raging 
explosion, the streets are filled with utter darkness due to the storm, 
a car pulls in front of the screen inside we see a young woman about 
twenty-one and an older man who's maybe in his late twenty's. 

INT-CAR

YOUNG MAN 
Wow! Would you look at this storm?

YOUNG WOMAN
Yeah I know, the weatherman said 
It's suppose to be like this for the
rest of the week.

For a brief moment there is silence 

YOUNG MAN
I had a good time tonight. 

YOUNG WOMAN 
Me too…

YOUNG MAN 
So what are my chances of seeing you again?

YOUNG WOMAN 
I don't know it all depends 

The sound of the woman's words are interrupted by the sound of thunder 
and rain which is now falling down heavily
 
YOUNG MAN
Depends on what?

YOUNG WOMAN
If you kiss me.

The man and woman embrace each other in a long passionate kiss.

YOUNG MAN
I take it this means Ill be seeing you tomorrow.

YOUNG WOMAN 
Call me. 

She gives him one last peck on the lips and starts to exit the car when 
she notices something.






YOUNG WOMAN
That's strange?

YOUNG MAN
What's wrong?

YOUNG WOMAN
I could have sworn I left
the front porch light on.

The young man peers towards the window to get a better view. He looks 
down the street and notices other houses on the block with power

YOUNG MAN 
Storm probably shorted out your fuse box,
if you got any tools can get those light back
on for you. I'm pretty handy around the house.

YOUNG WOMAN
Hold on a minute Mr. Handyman if you think
I'm going to just let you in my house.

YOUNG MAN
 (Interrupting)
No! No! No!!!!!
That's not what I mean't at all, I just want to
make sure you're going to be fine.

YOUNG WOMAN
Don't worry I'll be ok!

YOUNG MAN
At least let me walk you
to the front door.

The young man looks on as the young woman exits the car and runs into 
the house; once inside she gives the signal that she's ok and watches 
as the car pulls away.

INTER-LIVING ROOM-DARK

The whole house is pitch black the woman uses the light from the storm 
to guide her through to the kitchen.
CUT TO 

INTER-KITCHEN

The young woman makes her way to the kitchen and starts ramping through 
several drawers looking for a source of light. 

YOUNG WOMAN
Shit! Where did I put that
flashlight?



After searching through several more drawers she comes across a small 
candle disposal lighter

YOUNG WOMAN
I guess this will have to do.

The woman continues to make her way towards the door that leads into 
the basement, the narrow stairs that leads downwards just seem to 
disappear into the darkness as the young woman hesitates for moment.

YOUNG WOMAN 
(Under her breath)
Why did I buy a house with basement?

The woman starts to carefully make her way down the stairs, lighting 
from outside flickers the lower level compartment. 

INT-HOUSE-BASEMENT

The basement is tiny with storage boxes cluttered all around room. A 
small break in the window provides an eerie gust of wind, which makes 
the young woman more uncomfortable around her setting. 

The woman slowly looks around for the circuit box, stumbling over small 
boxes that are in her way.  She finally finds the circuit box, which is 
blocked by two large boxes.

YOUNG WOMAN
(To herself)
Great another challenge.

The boxes are moved with slightest bit of effort although not 
completely out of the way, but just enough for her to get to the box. 
The just as the woman is about to open the circuit box a slight gust of 
air extinguishes her flame on her candle and the screen goes black.

YOUNG WOMAN 
Shit!

Through the darkness we hear the young woman struggling to find her 
lighter she put in her pocket, the sound of the rain echoes through the 
entire house as we hear her vigorously trying to rekindle her light.

YOUNG WOMAN 
(Flicking lighter)
 Come on! You son of bitch light!

At this moment a strong clap of lighting from outside lights up the 
basement giving the woman a split second of light (CAMERA ANGLES-FRONT) 
in the background we see the contours of someone else in the room. 


After several more attempts she finally gets the lighter to spark she 
then walks towards the circuit box and starts to examine each fuse one 
by one.




YOUNG WOMAN 
(To herself)
Ok!
Fuse number one…….. good! Fuse number two………good!!
Fuse number three..……good!, Four…… good! And now last but not l
least Five……..  Where the hell is the fifth fuse.

At this moment a cold chill of terror start to run through her body as 
she realizes that she may not be alone in the house. The CAMERA moves 
in quickly from the back the woman turns around with terror in her eyes 
she drops the lighter and the screen goes black.

All we hear are the sounds of the woman being brutally killed.

INSERT-TITLE CARD-SINNERS PATH 
   
INT-APARTMENT-DAY 

Rays of sunlight shine through the window blinds of a small one bedroom 
apartment. MICHAEL SEERS-35 lays in bed staring at the crackling paint 
on the ceiling , he reaches over and checks the clock it reads 6:01, he 
gets up and walks into the bathroom and shuts the door.
  
CUT TO 

INT-APARTMENT-BATHROOM

He turns on the shower and gets undressed and sets into the running 
shower, the water feels refreshing as he lets the it just rain down all 
over his body once he's done walks over to the sink and starts brushing 
his teeth. 

Steam from the shower fill the whole bathroom as Seers wipes off the 
excess fog from the mirror he catches reflection the of a man that 
looks like him only ten years younger and for a moment they both just 
focus on each other, then reality comes back into focus and his younger 
reflection of himself is no longer there, only the man he is now. 

EXT-APARTMENT–BATHROOM

CUT TO: 

INT- APARTMENT- BEDROOM

Seers walks to the nightstand and reaches down and picks up a set of 
red rosary beads with a cross attached to them. He neatly wraps the 
beads in one and positions himself in the middle of the room kneeling 
down on both knees drops his head and begins to pray. 








SEARS
(Praying Quietly)
"Father, we thank you hearing our prayer and ask
that you protect them from the Evil One and keep
them in your perfect love always. Let your kingdom come,
fill, and possess each of these, so that your will may be done
in, with and through them. Amen"

In a moment of silence Seers meditates until the ringing sound of the 
telephone breaks his mediation. He gets up and walks over to the phone 
but he hesitates to pick up the receiver.
RING ! RING! 

On the third ring he picks up the receiver. 

SEERS
(on phone)
Detective Seers.

VOICE ON PHONE 
(to Seers)
Detective Seers it's Officer Dennis we met a week ago at the Mayor's 
benefits luncheon.  

SEERS
Oh yes Officer Dennis what can I do for you?

OFFICER DENNIS
(v.o. phone)
I'm sorry to call you so early in the morning, but I was calling to let 
you know that another body was found this morning.  

Seers picks up the telephone and notices that the RING TONE BUTTON was 
set on the OFF postion.

SEERS
Where?

OFFICER DENNIS
Floating in the MacCormick River, The body was discovered by some guy 
walking his dog or something, but I thought since you were one of the 
investigating officer's assigned to the CRUCIFIX KILLER case you might 
want to come down and snoop around before the reporter's get here.

Seers looks at the CLOCK on the wall, it says 0633.

SEERS
I appreciate the tip Officer Dennis, but how did you get my number?

Without another word CLICK the phone goes dead.

SEERS
Hello! Hello! Hello!




Seers hits the receiver several more time before hanging up and walks 
over to the nightstand with rosary beads in hand he places them down 
along side his firearm.

INT-PRECINCT HOUSE- CAPTAIN GORMAN OFFICE-DAY

The captain's office is filled with lots of old pictures of the then 
much younger captain along with books and mug shots of convicts 
plastered all over the wall. Piles of paperwork stacked on top of 
cabinets.

CAPTAIN GORMAN 65 sits at his small but very conservative office desk. 
He is wearing a short sleeve shirt with a non-conservative tie. He's a 
calm man not really much of a talker but more of a listener if anything 
else. 

He sits with his back facing the door watching the news THE TELEVISION 
IS BEING HEARD:

ANCHOR  ( v.o)
(from television)
Police are on the manhunt for a suspected hate crime group who's
been targeting gay communities although out the city. Many people
speculate the reason for most of these crime is the fact that
Gay Right activist Arch-Bishop Harold Fremond will be campaigning
in the next two weeks for a seat in the mayors office…

CLICK! He changes the channel

ANCHOR (V.O.)
Proceedings for the trial of Satanist Robert Beckman starts today as 
both parties prepare to start jury selection. Robert Beckman who's 
beening charged with first-degree murder of 31 year old Kate Kozman.
Beckman who's maintained his innocence claim's that this is just 
another attempt to discredit the Church of Satan. I had the chance to 
speak with Robert Beckman's defense attorney. 

CLICK! the television goes off and the captain tosses the remote on the 
desk, at that moment DETECTIVE CARL MORRIN- 27 walks in the door and 
hand him a folder. 

CAPTAIN GORMAN
What's this?

DET MORRIN
(to Captain)
The forensic report on the Beckman killing.

The captain examines the reports and crime scene pictures. 

DET MORRIN
Forensic is saying that the blood splatter stains found on the wall 
don't match the blood found on the murder weapon at the crime scene. 




DET MORRIN
Their also saying that the blood on the murder weapon wasn't her blood 
at all.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
What about the blood on the walls and the blood on him?
I guess that didn't belong to her either.

DET MORRIN
Turn to page 14

Captain Gorman eagerly does as he says and heads for the page
Morrin suggested and starts reading.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
This can't be right.. This isn't right

DET MORRIN
Even forensic's was confused, but they assured me that the findings
in that report were accurate.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
Have we gotten an autopsy report back yet?

DET MORRIN 
Not yet, we're still waiting.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
(rubbing his head)
Well the jury selection proceedings start today and who 
Knows how long that's going to take
Has Beckman's lawyer's seen this report yet?

DET MORRIN
No sir! You're the first to view it. 

Captain Gorman closes the report and slides the report across his desk 
back at Morrin .  

CAPTAIN GORMAN
(to Morrin)
I want you to sit on this until we get an autopsy report. The last 
thing this department needs is a wrongful arrest suite filed. If anyone 
questions you just inform them that no comment can be made while the 
Beckman case is still under investigation.  
Understand?

MORRIN
Yes sir !

Morrin picks up the report and makes his way towards the door. 

CAPTAIN GORMAN
Detective!



MORRIN
Sir!

CAPTAIN GORMAN
You're to tell no one about this report.

CUT TO: 
                                                                                                                                    
EXT-HOUSE- MORNING 

A large crowd is gathered around the entrance of the house. Along with 
several police car's and news vans blocking the entrance.    

INT-HOUSE-FRONTROOM 

The CAMERA moves through the house into the front where several police 
officers and detectives are standing around. Several officers are 
holding handkerchief over their noses. 

The young man we saw the night before is sitting on the couch with his 
head down, at his side a blond female officer is taking his statement. 
.  

FEMALE OFFICER
So you dropped her off around ten-thirty right!

YOUNG MAN
(crying)
Yes! for the third fucking time
We sat in the car for awhile and she went into the house
and I left and went home.

FEMALE OFFICER    
You didn't walk her to her door?

YOUNG MAN
(crying)
No!… But maybe I should have.  

INT- HOUSE-BASEMENT 

The light of a CAMERA FLASH spills out from the room every few seconds. 
Excessive amounts of blood lies over the basement floor. The CAMERA 
follows the blood smear along the floor until it reaches the wall and 
continues up the wall until we see the back of the young woman's body 
BLOODIED, NAKED and NAILED to the wall of the basement.

CUT TO: 

INT-HOUSE-FRONTROOM 

DETECTIVE AUTUNM KIILGORE-27 enters the house and makes her way through 
frontroom, she glances at the young man who is still on the couch 
crying she doesn't stop she slowly makes her way towards the kitchen 
area. 



CUT TO: 
INT-HOUSE- KITCHEN

Uniformed officer's are standing around shoot the breeze joking and 
laughing. One young officer is going through the dead woman's 
refrigerator and grabs a beer.  Kilgore approaches the officer.

KILGORE
(to officer)
Excuse Me ! What are you doing?
 
The laughing and joking ceases, as the officer closes the refrigerator 
door. Kilgore repeats the question. 

KILGORE
I said what are you doing?

Hesitating to respond the officer looks around at his peers. Who at 
this point are standing with their heads down.

OFFICER
Getting a beer.

KILGORE
Getting a beer huh! Are you on duty?

OFFICER
Yes I am 

KILGORE
Well I kind of figured that.
How long have you been on the force.

OFFICER
Three months

KILGORE
Wow! Three months in the field and you're already helping
the killer's lawyer out. What type of shit are they teaching 
in the academy now these days, Hand me the beer.

The officer hands the beer to Kilgore who then starts shaking the can 
in front of the officer's face and then hands it back to the officer. 

KILGORE 
(to officer)
Go ahead open it and take a drink.

The officer looks at the beer can and then looks at Kilgore who's 
giving him total eye to eye. At this moment all eyes in the kitchen are 
fixed on the officer.  There is complete silent.





OFFICER
nervous)
I can't 

KILGORE
(sarcastic)
Oh! I think you can.
you just need a little help.

Kilgore reaches over and pulls the tab off the beer can. And GUSH! Beer 
shoots out all over the officer's face and all over his uniform. The 
officer just stands in place in total shock as beer foam runs down his 
face.

KILGORE
(to the officer)
Don't you ever let me fucking catch you
contaminating a crime scene again.
You got me. 


CUT TO: 
INT- HOUSE-BASEMENT-DAY

Photographers and Fingerprint technicians are all over the woman's 
body. One forensic expert uses a drill to undo the nail through her 
hand and the concrete wall.

Kilgore enters the basement and then suddenly turns away at the site of 
the dead woman.

KILGORE
(breathing hard)
Oh! My God!

DETECTIVE MOREHOUSE-53 the on scene officer in charge, makes his way 
towards Kilgore. 

MOREHOUSE
(to Kilgore)
You ok?

KILGORE 
(catching her breath)
Yeah I'm fine it's just
that.. you know  

Morehouse turns and looks at the grisly scene.

MOREHOUSE
Yeah I know, they don't seem to 
get any prettier.

KILGORE 
Who is she?





Morehouse pulls out a small notebook from his inner jacket pocket and 
flips through the pages

MOREHOUSE
Victims name is Karen Flosser, twenty-six years of age, She worked at 
Klapman Medical University as a pre-med intern, and no relatives, we 
did a sweep of the house no sign of forced entry nothing taken that we 
can tell.

KILGORE 
What about time of death?

MOREHOUSE
Time of death is determined to have been between the 
hours of mid-night and one forty-five a. m.

KILGORE
Cause of death?

MOREHOUSE
Can't be determined yet. 
We interviewed some people in the neighborhood and as 
far they knew she was a nice person, quiet, pretty much
kept to herself.

Morehouse flips the pad and places it back in his pocket.

KILGORE
Who found the body?

MOREHOUSE
Victims boyfriend, he's up-stairs now giving his statement. But from 
the little information we did get from him he states that he and the 
victim went out to eat at BILL'S BEER AND CHICKEN BARGRILL at about 
nine o'clock, it started raining and they called it a night and he drop 
her off and went home. 

KILGORE
What time did he bring her home?

MOREHOUSE 
He says around ten-thirty.
I've already sent a couple of men over to the restaurant, so hopefully
we'll have something to compliate his story.

KILGORE
Let me borrow some gloves

MOREHOUSE
Oh! yeah 




Morehouse reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pair of orange latex 
gloves and hands them to Kilgore.

KILGORE
We're kidding right? 

MOREHOUSE
Hey! it's the only color they had. 

Kilgore pulls out a mini tape recorder and makes her way towards the 
body nailed to the wall and then presses PLAY on the recorder.

KILGORE
(into tape recorder)
Jane Doe Report# 27, Victim is approximately between the age of twenty-
five to thirty, with dark red hair and…

Kilgore lifts up one of the dead girls eyes.

KILGORE
(into tape recorder)
Pretty sky-blue eyes, victims been dead for about six hours victims 
mouth is bound by duck-tape that has been applied from front to back. I 
have small embrassion along the inner right bicep, the victims hands 
are mounted to A CONCRETE wall by what appears to be large nails. 

Kilgore turns off the tape recorder.

KILGORE
This is disgusting.

MOREHOUSE
Well maybe you need to change departments.
I hear the k-9 unit is less intense. 

KILGORE 
I hate dogs.

MEDICAL EXAMINER ROBERT CHASTAIN-44 enters the room carrying a large
briefcase. 

CHASTAIN
(to Morehouse)
Think we could get more light down here. 

MOREHOUSE
(to Chastain)
Sorry this is the best we could do, Robert I want you to meet
Detective Autumn Kilgore, Detective Kilgore Medical Examiner Robert
Chastain.

Both exchange hand-shakes





CHASTAIN
(To Kilgore)
Nice to meet you

KILGORE
(To Chastain)
Pleasure is all mine. 

MOREHOUSE
(to Kilgore)
Me and Rob go way back to the Academy days, worked on a
lot of cases together.

CHASTAIN
Those were the days
Oh! I almost forgot that's Chief Medical Examiner to you.

MOREHOUSE
(surprised)
You're kidding me!

CHASTAIN
No, I'm not kidding, just found out last week
while I was away in Rome. You can imagine how excited the 
Carol was when we heard the message.   

MOREHOUSE
(to Chastain)
I can just imagine, That's great this calls for a celebration.

CHASTAIN
Well let's not break out the champagne just yet I still
have to wait for the official announcement. 

Kilgore focuses her attention away as the two men exchange stories she 
starts to take a particular interest in the SCENE TECHNICIANS hover 
over the dead woman.

CHASTAIN
(to Kilgore)
So, Detective Kilgore I hear you're one 
hell of a detective. 

KILGORE
Don't believe everything you hear.

MOREHOUSE
(to Chastain)
She just being modest.. In fact she's in the process of completing her 
master degree.

CHASTAIN
Oh! really may I ask in what?





KILGORE
It's nothing really.

CHASTAIN
Detective, people do-not receive Master degrees in nothing.

KILGORE
I know but it's a very touchy subject and I feel a little embarresed 
talking about it now.

CHASTAIN 
There is no need to be embarresed especially in our line 
of work.

KILGORE
Religious Psychology

CHASTAIN
Religious Psychology, sounds enlighten 

MOREHOUSE
(Looking at his watch)
Excuse me, but she's not going hang around all day waiting for you.  

CHASTAIN
Shame, it's always the pretty ones
If you would be kind enough to excuse me.

Kilgore and Chastain watches as Chastain places his bag beside the 
corpses and begins to sort through the bag we hear surgical tools 
clinking together. He pulls out a pair of latex gloves and starts
running them through the victims hair.
 
MOREHOUSE
(to Kilgore)
There's a good man, 

KILGORE
He seems pretty nice

MOREHOUSE
He's married you know.

Kilgore gives Morehouse an astonished look.

MOREHOUSE
Just checking. 










INT-PRECINCT HOUSE- CAPTAIN GORMAN OFFICE-DAY

HOSTILE PRISONER
(screaming)
Get the fuck off me !!!! …. Fucking cocksuckers!!!!

UNIFORMED OFFICER #1
Will you just calm down

HOSTILE PRISONER
Fuck you pig!!!!!

Both Uniformed Officers struggle as they try and attempt to handcuff 
one of the prisoner's arms to desk.  Detective Lemans walks over 
towards the officers. 

LEMANS
(to officers)
What do we got here?

UNIFORMED OFFICER #1 
We caught this piece of shit hanging around the school talking to
some kids. When he saw us approaching he made a break.

HOSTILE PRISONER
(yelling) 
Hey Fuck You!!!!
I ain't done shit !!!!

UNIFORMED OFFICER # 2
(to prisoner)
Oh yeah! dirty bag then why
did you run?

LEMAN
(officer # 1)
Was there anything on him?

OFFICER #1
(Speaking softly)
We didn't find anything.

HOSTILE PRISONER
(v.o)
See motherfuckers you got 
nothing on me , I know my rights!

LEMAN
(yelling)
Would you shut the hell up!!

HOSTILE PRISONER
(to Leman)
Come over here and make me bitch!!!


Leman does the right thing by not responding to the invitation. And 
continues his conversation with the officer.

OFFICER # 1
(whispering)
Detective, this guy has a wrap sheet as long
as my arm, but we really don't have anything
to hold him on..I mean nothing that will get him
off the streets.

LEMAN
Well I guess we can charge him with resisting 
arrest, but the charge won't stick long. I mean
he'll be out in twenty-four hours, 

HOSTILE PRISONER
(whispering softly)
Hey Pig!!

Officer # 2 doesn't respond

HOSTILE PRISONER
(to Officer # 2)
Hey you with that pretty red hair,
don't I know you from somewhere?

OFFICER # 2
Shut the fuck up!

HOSTILE PRISONER
Naw!! you ain't the one but you 
sure do look like him..

You can literally heard the sound of the officers heatbeat as the 
prisoner taunts him.

HOSTILE PRISONER 
Man I tell you that was one pretty
ass boy, He had to be one of the 
best cocksuckers on the strip.

At the blink of and eye the officer lashes at the prisoner only to be 
held back by Detective Lemans .

LEMANS
(to officer # 2)
Don't 
It's what he wants.

HOSTILE PRISONER
Oh! you need your boyfriend to fight your battles!
Fuckin bitches….!!!!!!!!!!






LEMAN
(to officer #1)
Ok! Fourty-eight hours take him down to lock-up and
I'll find someone to process him later. 

Lemans has calmed the officer down starts to walk back towards his desk 
as Officer # 1 heads towards the prisoner to escort to lock-up.

OFFICER #1
I want you to relax now alright 
I'm going to uncuff you and take you 
down to processing ,if you cooperate
you'll be able to make your phone call. 
Ok.

The CAMERA focuses on the HOSTILE PRISONERS eyes as they move down the 
side of the officers body until the thing he desires most comes into 
view, the officers GUN. The young officer not paying attention as the 
prisoner quickly becomes more cooperative. 

A click of the handcuff's an the officer is caught off guard as the 
prisoner hits him with a powerful right hand and falls to the floor. At 
the blink of and eye every officer and detective have drawn there 
weapons with the exception of Seers. 

Yelling and Screaming echo throughout the precinct as the prisoner 
grabs for the officers gun.

LEMAN
(yelling)
Don't shoot!

Leaman quickly jumps in the line of fire between the hostile prisoner 
and the whole police department. 

Officers from all sides of the room continue screaming and yelling as 
the prisoner grabs Lemans gun and puts it to his head.

HOSTILE PRISONER
(yelling to everyone)
Back the fuck off or I'll 
splatter this mutherfucker!!!!!

Captain Gorman exits his office with his revolver drawn.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
(to everyone)
Everybody be quite!!!! 
And put your guns away.

Confusion echos throughout the office as officers hesitate to put down 
there weapons.





CAPTAIN GORMAN
(to everyone)
That's an order!
We don't want to make things anymore
worst than they already are I want everybody
nice and calm

All the officers slowly lower their guns until the only thing visible 
is the gun he is holding to Seers head.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
Ok You're in control here, all the guns are put away
so me and you can talk, nobody's gonna shoot nobody ,
so again what can I help you with?

HOSTILE PRISONER
Fuck you cop!!! I don't want a damn thing
from you cocksuckers!!!!!

The Hostile prisoner presses the gun harder into Seers temple.

CAPTAIN GORMAN
(to prisoner)
Are you sure you don't want anything cause I swear that
that's a gun pointed at my detective's head.

HOSTILE PRISONER
Are you fucking with me !!!
I'll kill this motherfucker !!!!!

LEMAN
What the hell is he doing 

CAPTAIN GORMAN
If you pull that trigger you will
regret it for the rest of your life.
It's that simple… so do yourself a favor
And let my officer go.

The prisoner tries to keep his composer as the words spoken cut through 
his body like a fine edged blade, the situation is hopeless and he 
knows it , even if he were to make it out of the  princinct he would be 
a marked man. The pressure and the odds are against him, he hates law 
enforcement with a passion and normally wouldn't think twice about 
taking this cops life, but this is different he can't explain it but 
whatever he's feeling it's not enough to make him feel otherwise, so he 
does what any other person in his situation would do.

HOSTILE PRISONER
(Whispering to Leaman)
He's coming for you.
I'll see you in hell!!!!

END OF PART 1

Return to Simply Scripts