HEARTS OF DARKNESS

*****

Now, remember....Ellen, Monica and Jacqueline are all the same person....

LaCroix: Let us peal back the layers, let us strip away the last vestiges of decorum and civility and reveal our inner selves. Oui, mes amies, it is amateur night at the Raven, and tonight our amateurs will reveal their inner selves by getting naked!

Vachon: If she's an amateur, I'm a vegetarian. Do you know her? Urs? Hey, what's wrong?

Urs: That man, the one you're dancing for, he'll hurt you.
Monica: Sure.
Urs: No, no, no. You're frightened. You're making a mistake.
Monica: No, you're frightened. I'm hungry.
Vachon: Hey, if she wants him, she's got him. Let it go, Urs.
Urs: She wants him to hurt her. I gotta get some air.

Ellen: It's not mine. I don't own anything like that.
Tracy: You've never seen this before? So, where are your clothes?
Ellen: I don't know.
Tracy: Miss Simmons, this is a police investigation, you understand? We need your full cooperation.
Ellen: I'm sorry, I-I don't know.
Nick: How do you know Eckhart? The deceased, the man who rents this apartment.
Ellen: I can't remember.

Nick: She's probably in shock. We should give her some rest. (Tracy leaves) She admits to calling the police, but that's it. The rest is a blank. You get anything?
Natalie: Oh, yeah, I'm taking an informal poll. What would you expect from a gaping knife wound, arterial lacerations and organ trauma?
Nick: Lots of blood?
Natalie: So...where is it? A vampire stops over for a bite, stabs the host, and leaves our suspect behind to make his apologies. But first he erases a few pesky gray cells.
Nick: Okay, but why?
Natalie: I don't know, that's your department, I'm afraid.
Tracy: Size six. I have friends that would kill to fit into something like this--and Miss Simmons fits it like a glove.
Natalie: Well she uh, she could be in shock.
Nick: Or she could be telling the truth.
Tracy: Guys, do we really believe she came to a place like this expecting flowers and poetry?

Nick: She looks tired.
Tracy: Yeah, they've been at it for over two hours. She swears she never met Eckhart, and the machine backs her up.
Nick: That's strange.
Tracy: Yeah. She has the psychiatrists stumped.
Nick: And her family?
Tracy: None surviving, so she says. Her mother died before she was ten. No brothers and sisters. She toured the foster home circuit, and was living on the streets by the time she was twelve.
Nick: What about her father?
Tracy: That's not pretty, either. Seems that he hung around long enough to steal all of Mummy's money, then just up and left. Last Ellen heard, he was killed in a bar fight in Victoria. We're checking on it.
Nick: Listen, last night, you said uh, you thought she killed Eckhart. Something happen?
Tracy: Yeah. I believe her now.

Lawyer: This is ridiculous. If there was a problem, my client's wife would not have dropped the charges.
Reese: What seems to be the problem here, officer?
Cop: His wife dialed 911 screaming for help. Claimed he was beating her.
Lawyer: Do you know who my client is?
Reese: Tom 'Hammerhead' Marnecki. Majors, Kings, Fliers, Leafs 1983-88. Twenty-seven points in five years. Known for his fists, and little else.
Marnecki: You're a fan. You want an autograph?
Reese: Did you get a victim's statement from Mrs. Marnecki?
Lawyer: What victim statement? She dropped the charges, and she's coming here to take him back.
Reese: Will you keep him out of my hair 'til she gets here.
Marnecki: Hey, it was 29 points.

Reese: That clown almost single-handedly ruined hockey and he wants me to get him a break! All right, what do we got? Three different psych profiles on Ellen all with the same preliminary diagnosis: suppressed memory.
Nick: Yeah, that squares with the polygraph as well.
Reese: So, what, uh? She sees something so horrible her mind can't cope?
Tracy: It's not uncommon.
Reese: What do we have on the victim?
Tracy: If you ask me, Eckhart got what he deserved. He almost killed his fiancé in San Francisco. Ran away to Toronto, sets up a sex den in his living room. Something out of the Marquis de Sade. What a nightmare! And all it takes is a smile at a stranger.
Nick: Maybe they weren't strangers.
Reese: Isn't Ellen from the coast as well?
Tracy: Vancouver. But she's only been here a week.
Nick: Yeah, but according to the sheet, Eckhart's been here eight days.
Reese: Coincidence?
Nick: Well, but...maybe Tracy's right. Ellen could be a victim here as well. I mean, if she is blocking something out, that is a defense mechanism.
Reese: All right--self defense. Maybe a third party was in the room. Any evidence of that?
Nick: Nothing yet.
Reese: All right, then we have to do what we can to get past a suppressed memory.

Natalie: Her fingerprints are all over, silverware included. You couldn't frame a Picasso any better than this.
Nick: Why would a vampire set up Ellen?
Natalie: You're asking me?
Nick: Maybe he wanted Eckhart, and Ellen just got in the way?
Natalie: Maybe, but I think you're wrong about one little thing. Open your mouth.
Nick: What are you doing?
Natalie: Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit. Just open your mouth. Ha! Just as I thought, 3.5 centimeters canine to canine. The killer's bite is 2.9.
Nick: Well, let's me off the hook.
Natalie: You, and almost every other male vampire.
Nick: A woman.
Natalie: She's cunning. She gets hungry and she kills.

Vachon: Your kind of guy?
Tracy: Uh, no, not really.
Vachon: Good answer.
Tracy: A man was killed last night. Stabbed in the heart. This woman was with him, when he died. A vampi-- A vampire killed him. I saw the bite marks.
Vachon: Maybe she's the vampire.
Tracy: Unh-uh. Can't be. I saw her in the daylight. She says she doesn't remember a thing.
Vachon: You said the guy was stabbed?
Tracy: Yeah. It's like he was framing her for the murder, or something. Or maybe he was protecting her.
Vachon: Unlikely.
Tracy: But not impossible. Look, if a vampi.... If a vampire is involved, could her life be in danger?
Vachon: I honestly don't know.

LaCroix: Nicholas, how thoughtful of you, to bring your own coaster. If only all of my clients were as environmentally conscious.
Nick: I found it at a murder scene.
LaCroix: Really? Hmmm. You know, of all that I dislike what you do, it does appear to have some advantages. Murder scenes and all that....

Nick: What did Tracy want?
Vachon: She still hasn't gotten over the new wrinkle in her reality. She sees vampires under every rock.
Nick: Name's Eckhart--know him? You do.
Vachon: Been here on and off all week.
Nick: Well, now he's dead. By one of us. A female.
Vachon: Really? This Eckhart guy split with a stripper--an amateur, but real hot. Called herself Monica.
Nick: Is Monica one of us?
Vachon: No.
Nick: Did Urs see Eckhart? If she's out of control, somebody has to answer, and that somebody is you.
Vachon: Okay, okay, I hear you. I've been watching her myself the last couple of weeks. She's like she was when I first saw her.

New Orleans: c. 1890

Lemieux: (to Urs) I don't like you looking at other men. (Vachon approaches) What can I do for you?
Vachon: Bother her again and you die--compris?
Lemieux: Oui.
Vachon: Bon.

Vachon: Pas touche.
Screed: Whatever you say.
Urs: He meant me no harm. He's a friend.
Vachon: Indeed.
Urs: But you don't know him. He's been kind to me. But thank you anyway. You're a true gentleman.
Vachon: I'll take my leave.

Vachon: Urs was mortal then. Vulnerable.
Nick: And she sees herself in Monica, and wants to protect her? From what?
Vachon: Her fate maybe? I don't know.
Nick: Why kill Eckhart?
Vachon: Maybe it was a mistake. Things could have gotten out of hand. Urs doesn't know her own strength.

Marnecki: Now hold on, and I'll answer all your questions.
Reporter: Are you and your wife getting back together?

Nick: What's that all about?
Reese: Marnecki's lawyer called the press.
Nick: His wife dropped the charges?
Reese: You know, some people's lives make no sense to me. Marnecki's probably going to throw a big party back at his club. Treat his groupies to victory laps in the hot tub....
Tracy: (Coming in with a big bag) I'm all set, Captain.
Reese: Where's Ellen?
Tracy: Oh, she's waiting in the bullpen.
Reese: Well, Tracy thinks Ellen might respond if we get her home. Something familiar, to trigger her memory. Who knows? Got to be worth a shot.
Tracy: Yeah, I stay with her a couple of days. Just see what happens.
Nick: Sounds like a plan. Let's go.
Tracy: Uh, you don't have to go.
Nick: Sure, I do. (Reese nods) What's in the bag?
Tracy: Oh...you know, overnight stuff.
Cop: (sticking his head in the office) Excuse me, sir. Mrs. Marnecki's here to take her husband home.
Reese: What do you want me to do about it?

Nick: All that for two nights?
Tracy: Plus a few extras, you know. What, something wrong?
Nick: No.... No it's fine. Come on.

Ellen: Um...I don't really have much to offer, you want a coffee or something?
Nick: No thank you.
Tracy: I'd love one.
Ellen: Um...instant?
Tracy: Great.
Elle: Okay. Excuse me.
Nick: Stay with her, I'll look around.

Tracy: So, Ellen, what kind of work do you do?
Ellen: Well, you know, um, mostly secretarial stuff. I'm trying to get in at a few law firms, you know.

Tracy: It must be scary, coming to a new city with no firm job offer. Not a lot of people would take that leap of faith.
Ellen: I have a little money saved.
Nick: Everything checks out.
Ellen: Are you sure you don't want any coffee? Um...you want some chips?
Nick: No thank you. I've gotta get going.
Ellen: Okay.

Nick: Thanks for coming.
Vachon: Yeah, but I'm not sure why I'm here. Tracy's a big girl. She can protect herself while you're gone.
Nick: Against one of us?
Vachon: You really think Urs is involved?
Nick: I don't know. But there's a vampire tailing us, and it could be her.
Vachon: She wouldn't have any reason.
Nick: Yeah, well you don't know that for sure. I'll be back as soon as I can.

Natalie: The hair looks like a match. I'd say it's Ellen's all right. Very risque, but hardly what I'd call an effective disguise, if that's what you're thinking.
Nick: Well, if Ellen was stalking Eckhart, she might have thought he'd recognize her from out west. This could be part of it. Different hair. Different make-up. It still doesn't answer why.
Natalie: Even if you can connect Ellen and Eckhart, Ellen didn't kill him. That was a vampire, as your partner knows only too well.
Nick: Well, her closet was full of this stuff. But Ellen, well, you saw her. She just isn't the type.
Natalie: I don't know. Grandparents get busted for mail order porn these days. You just don't know.
Nick: It's as if we're talking about two different people.
Natalie: Wait a minute, wait a minute, what if we are? Two people, but one body.

Tracy: So today during questioning, you talked about your father a lot. When he left you, it must have hit you pretty hard.... Sorry. I didn't mean to pry.
Ellen: That's okay.

Ellen: Are you close to your father?
Tracy: Actually, yeah... Just one of the lucky ones, I guess.
Ellen: I came home from school one day, and he was a gone. And there was a note, with the number to call Social Services. He signed it, um, 'Love, Dad.'
Tracy: You must have felt so hurt.
Ellen: Worse than that. I felt like I wanted to die.

Urs: Why are you doing this? I've never denied you!

Vachon: Don't be afraid.
Urs: Stay away from me!
Vachon: I've scared you. I'm sorry. But I couldn't allow him to hurt you.
Urs: What are you? You killed him.
Vachon: Yes. I'll leave if you want me to.
Urs: I've heard people around here, talking about a group of men. They say these men live to kill. Afraid of nothing. Is that you and your friends?
Vachon: We don't live to kill. We kill to live.
Urs: Vampires?

Vachon: Let me take you away from this. Someone of your beauty, dancing for fools and thieves.
Urs: I can't leave. I've tried, but I always come back.
Vachon: Why?
Urs: I don't know. I make them happy. I want to thank you, and I want you to help me die.

Ellen: Haven't you ever wanted to die?
Tracy: No.

Nick: The psych report stopped with suppressed memory.
Natalie: Yes, but suppressed memory is a result of shock. They assumed that it was an isolate incident. What if it's not? What if it's part of an ingrained behavior? What if Ellen has developed this other, tougher persona to help her handle situations that she can't? Like Eckhart's murder.
Nick: So, Monica, the amateur stripper, Vachon said left with Eckhart....
Natalie: ....is actually Ellen. And if it really is a case of multiple personalities, Ellen doesn't know what happened to Eckhart, because Ellen wasn't there. Physically, yeah, she was in the room, but mentally it was Monica.
Nick: All right, say Ellen is Monica. What's the connection to the killer?
Natalie: And where's the vampire?
Nick: No. It can't be Ellen, I would sense it.
Natalie: Are you sure?
Nick: Well, I've got Vachon on guard outside the apartment. But Tracy's inside with Ellen.
Natalie: With Ellen...or Monica?

Vachon: Urs? What are you doing here? That man at the club, you killed him, didn't you?
Urs: No. Why would you think that?
Vachon: Because of what he represented to you.
Urs: I don't treat death as lightly as you do, Javier.

Urs: Death is nothing to you.
Vachon: No.
Urs: It comes so easily.
Vachon: No.
Urs: Please, feed and then let me die. Please. Please. Kill me.

Monica: Tracy.
Tracy: Ellen.
Monica: Sorry, Ellen doesn't want to talk to you anymore.
Tracy: Well, if I'm not talking to Ellen, then who am I talking to?
Monica: I'm Monica.

Urs: That women, Monica. She's as trapped as I was. As I am. There was only one way out for me....

Urs: What is this?
Vachon: What you asked for. An end. A beginning.

Urs: I asked you to kill me, not to bring me across. Not to bear for eternity what I couldn't bear for another second. I asked for death and you gave me forever. Forever.
Vachon: How could I kill you?
Urs: I know, but...I'm the product of your desires, this is what you wanted. You didn't save me...anymore that I can save Ellen, and her only way of escaping is to become somebody else, and I can't do that.

Tracy: You don't by any chance know a Don Eckhart, do you?
Monica: Yeah, I know Donnie. He's a very bad boy. You see, I like men like that. I know how to handle them.
Tracy: Don Eckhart was murdered last night. We found Ellen in his apartment.
Monica: Yeah, so he's dead. We didn't kill him.
Tracy: Where are you going?
Monica: I don't know. Thought maybe I'd drop by Marnecki's. Maybe get his autograph.
Tracy: No, I can't let you go anywhere. No-
Monica: Out of my way!

Vachon: She's alive.
Nick: What the hell happened?
Vachon: Ellen attacked her. She got away, and uh, I think she flew. Urs showed up outside. She distracted me. I didn't expect this anymore than you did, Knight!
Nick: Where's Urs now?
Vachon: I don't know.
Nick: Get out of here! (Tracy's starts to wake up) Tracy are you okay? C'mon. Take it easy, c'mon.
Tracy: Ellen!
Nick: No, no it's okay. Just take it...take your time.
Tracy: Ellen, she said her name was Monica. And, she was different. She admitted to being with Eckhart last night, but she didn't kill him. Although I find that hard to believe.
Nick: Do you have any idea where she is now?
Tracy: Yeah.... Marnecki's.
Nick: No, no--stay here. Tracy, stay here. I'll send for help.
Tracy: Okay.

Nick: (To Vachon) Wait for the paramedics. Nothing else happens to her. I mean it! Don't let her see you.

Marnecki: Who the hell are you?
Jacqueline: Good question.
Marnecki: How the hell did you get up here?
Jacqueline: Why, I flew.
Marnecki: You flew? (To the woman with him) Go call the cops.
Jacqueline: I didn't mean to spoil your fun....

Marnecki: Forget it. Maybe I should tell my friend to forget that call. The three of us can play.

Jacqueline: By the way, I'm Jacqueline....
Marnecki: Whatever....

Jacqueline: Why, the dancer.... I wondered about you. You don't approve? But you dance for the approval of men like him and like Eckhart every night. No matter how they treat you, you always come back for more, am I right? And I bet you don't even know why.
Urs: I don't, but you do, don't you?
Jacqueline: I am three. First, there is Ellen. Sweet, innocent Ellen. A born victim. A lot like you, I would imagine. Alone in the world seeking the affection and approval of men to replace the father who deserted her no matter how much abuse and pain it cost her. It was too much for Ellen, so Monica appeared to deal with the abuse.
Urs: How?
Jacqueline: She fought fire with fire. She used them.
Urs: But you don't use, you kill.
Jacqueline: Yes. Call me Jacqueline. Monica's indiscretions led her to a vampire, he brought her across, and then I emerged. It was the best thing that ever happened to us. The pain is Ellen's, the anger is Monica's, and I am the revenge. I give it to Ellen and Monica. You should try it.
Urs: But what has revenge brought them? Nothing but more pain and anger. Maybe you don't feel it, but they do. I know they do. You're lying to them.

Nick: Ellen?
Ellen: I killed him. Did I? Did I!
Nick: Ellen you didn't do this!
Ellen: It has to stop.
Nick: Ellen!

Nick: I could have saved her.
Urs: Nothing could have saved her. She was like me. Nothing could have saved her except death. She's lucky.

Urs: Somehow she knew. In so many ways we were the same. My father abandoned my family when I was twelve. But we told ourselves we wouldn't let it destroy us. Growing up, I thought I'd forgotten him. And then something Jacqueline said made me remember. And I realized, I've spent my life searching for my father in every man I've met. Someone to approve of me, to tell me I was a good girl, and maybe even love me. And I did whatever it took. But I don't know if just knowing that is enough.
Vachon: To change?
Urs: Uhhm.
Vachon: I can't say.
Urs: When I met you, more than anything else in the world, I wanted to die.
Vachon: I know. I haven't had the chance to say I'm sorry for what I did.
Urs: You don't have to. It's done.
Vachon: So, now.... Do you still want to die, Urs?
Urs: I understand more than I did yesterday, but has it changed my mind? Hmm.

Natalie: Ellen got as far as a pre-trial in '87. Attempted murder of a pimp in Vancouver. Looks like all the charges were dismissed for lack of evidence. I guess that's why nothing showed up in the background check.
Nick: We only know of two of her murders. There could be more.
Natalie: Hey, maybe there's a clue here. Oh, c'mon, don't tell me you haven't considered the consequences of her situation. She was a vampire who functioned as a human. Sunlight, food, sex.
Nick: But she wasn't whole.
Natalie: That's not the point. In Ellen's mind, she was not a vampire. And that belief was so certain, that it allowed her to live as a human. It just show the incredible power that the mind can have over the body.
Nick: And you think there's something in it for me?
Natalie: I don't know. But it's something to think about.