Overlooked

SCENE 1 — INT. NATHANIEL'S HOUSE - STUDY - DAY

NATHANIEL (late 50s) is cleaning up his study. Several boxes partly filled with files and paperwork. There is a calendar on the wall. The previous days are marked/crossed off and the current date has a note 'Return Work Materials', exactly a week from it says 'Family Fishing Trip'.

Packed with files and paperwork the study is neat and tidy. He moves boxes out of the study. He is cleaning his desk, at first placing things gently but as the boxes fill up, he begins throwing things in, more aggressively. He picks up a worn picture, the back says 'first case'.

NATHANIEL: Can't believe that's what I looked like. Astrid was right, that tie did look silly.

He picks up an award/trophy which says 'In recognition of outstanding service'.

NATHANIEL: First time they recognized my talent. Didn't take them long to put it to work. More hours, more cases, more slipping through the cracks.

He smiles as he packs 'thank-you' letters. He comes across newspaper clippings and becomes more aggressive packing. Family photos, souvenirs and a mug are left on his desk. He tries to carry multiple boxes, stacking them so high he can't look down. But trips on a child's toy scattering the boxes.

NATHANIEL: (angry) Fucking hell! I told her to... (sadly) ...put it away later. Then later I had to leave.

He sets the toy aside and cleans up his mess. A picture catches his eye. He picks it up gingerly and scans it.

NATHANIEL: (excitedly) This is the missing link!

He reorganizes the documents he packed away, revealing a folder labeled 'The Red Angel: CLOSED' but the word 'closed' is circled with a question mark at the end in pen.

SCENE 2 — INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Checking the date on the calendar he dials a number.

NATHANIEL: (into phone) Hey Luke, how's it going?

LUKE: Nate. Not bad, not bad. Slow day in archives today.

NATHANIEL: Hey you know how I promised Leica that I'd drop off the case files yesterday.

LUKE: That you had to do a week ago.

NATHANIEL: Yeah well something's come up. I uh — forgot about a fishing trip.

LUKE: Really Nate? Your time management skills outside work is terrible.

NATHANIEL: Yeah you're right. So about that...

LUKE: (sighs) You want me to lie to Leica and tell her you dropped it off? Sure I guess I could.

NATHANIEL: Thanks Luke.

Nathaniel returns to his work after brewing a pot of coffee.

SCENE 3 — TIME LAPSE - MONTAGE

Nathaniel moves back and forth from his desk to the coffee pot depleting it with each trip.

SCENE 4 — INT. STUDY - DAY

The room is messy and Nathaniel is asleep at his desk, his coffee mug empty. Sunlight gradually shines through an open window, illuminating newspaper clippings: "Detective cracks case but breaks law".

SCENE 5 — FLASHBACK - INT. OFFICE - DAY

LEICA (early 30s) Nathaniel's superior reprimands a younger NATHANIEL.

LEICA: Nathaniel! Keep this up and you'll set a whole new record!

NATHANIEL: That bastard is using loopholes to —

LEICA: Use that prodigious brain of yours and think of the consequences. (sighs) Just... go home. Spend time with your family.

SCENE 6 — END FLASHBACK

MONTAGE SEQUENCE OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES AND PHOTOS:
1. "Detective captures suspect but not before roughing him up first"
2. "Once famous Detective can't solve family issues, Wife claims Divorce and full custody of son."
3. "Red Angel Killer shot to death? Foul play? A cover up?"

SCENE 7 — INT. STUDY - MORNING

Sunlight hits Nathaniel's face and wakes him up.

NATHANIEL: Ugh damn sun.

He checks the calendar and marks off the previous day — now 5 days until fishing trip.

NATHANIEL: Gotta get this done before Amy's Birthday. Can't believe she said she wanted to catch a shark.

SCENE 8 — INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

The kitchen has dishes piled up. He investigates the fridge but it's empty. He orders food. He puts on another pot of coffee, pouring it into a different 'grandpa' labeled mug.

NATHANIEL: How many of these did they get?

SCENE 9 — INT. KITCHEN - LATER

The kitchen has more dishes and a lot of food boxes. Nathaniel checks for coffee, but the pot is empty.

NATHANIEL: How much... has that been?

SCENE 10 — INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Nathaniel drops on the couch and falls asleep. Date on the calendar shows 3 days until the trip. On his computer a decoding program is running, time until completion: unknown.

SCENE 11 — INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Sunlight wakes Nathaniel.

NATHANIEL: (tiredly) God fucking dammit.

He makes coffee and orders breakfast. He searches for a mug and finds one far back in his cupboard. It says 'awesome dad'. It's old, discolored, handmade with a crude design.

SCENE 12 — FLASHBACK - INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Nathaniel receives the 'awesome dad' mug from young boy, his son MAX (9), as a birthday gift.

SCENE 13 — END FLASHBACK

NATHANIEL: Can't believe this was still in the house. Thought it was lost. Ah right it had a hole. That's why I never used it and hid it away.

He sets it aside and returns to his desk. There's a flashing alert on his computer screen: 'Cipher Decoded'.

NATHANIEL: (excitedly) This... This is it!

He grabs The Red Angel murders file folder and enters the information he has.

NATHANIEL: If I'm right about this.

The program shows a date, time and location.

NATHANIEL: That egocentric bastard kept leaving clues.

He matches it with the second case and finds that they are identical. He types in information from the second case and it points to the third. He's on the 7th case but the program says invalid.

NATHANIEL: Fuck! Was this planned! No. No. Calm down. Everything else fell into place. Then what? The data?

Nathaniel calls Luke.

NATHANIEL: Hey Luke.

LUKE: Nate, are you —

NATHANIEL: The autopsy for the last Red Angel case, was there an updated version?

LUKE: Huh? Uh. (sound of typing) Yeah, looks like there was an updated version.

NATHANIEL: Can you send it to me?

LUKE: ...I thought that you were done with all this. Weren't you?

NATHANIEL: Yeah, of course I just wanted to make sure everything was correct. For archives. I'll be by soon.

At his computer he brings up the database. He scrolls over a program labeled 'last resort'.

NATHANIEL: Dammit. If this gets out, it's not just losing my pension but criminal charges. But if — No. I am right.

He runs the program, it hacks into the database and he copies the file he needs and quickly closes the program. He runs the decoder again and gets a proper result, a date that coincides with his fishing trip.

NATHANIEL: Yes! But wait that's —

The doorbell RINGS. Nathaniel looks through the peephole first. Surprised, he ignores the door, runs into the living room and grabs his work documents hiding them under the couch, in cabinets, behind any furniture he can.

SCENE 14 — EXT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

A woman ASTRID (late 50s) stands there looking at her watch. She pulls out her phone and calls a number.

SCENE 15 — INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Nathaniel's house phone RINGS unanswered and then his cell phone VIBRATES. He is still hiding documents quietly.

SCENE 16 — EXT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Astrid KNOCKS loudly. No response. She finds a fake rock hidden nearby and a key falls out. She unlocks the door.

SCENE 17 — INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

ASTRID: Nate. Where've you been? (pauses and stares) You look awful. When was the last time you slept on a bed?

NATHANIEL: Hi Astrid. Um. Last... week? It's just been a hectic couple of days.

ASTRID: In that case this trip came at the perfect time. Rose told me that Max has been working so much Amy's always asking "When's daddy coming home?" Said she doesn't know where he gets the endurance for it. (sigh) Didn't have the heart to tell her I knew... or that it gets easier.

NATHANIEL: Huh that's...

ASTRID: Familiar? Right? Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. But there's no reason for them to make the same choices we did. For Amy's sake.

Nathaniel's phone VIBRATES. Caller ID says 'The Boss'.

NATHANIEL: Sorry. Need to take this.

SCENE 18 — INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

NATHANIEL: (into phone) Leica, about the files —

LEICA: Save it. I got a call from cyber division. Guess what it was about?

NATHANIEL: Now hear me out. I found something. I think the angel killer is still alive and he's planning another murder. And I know where... Leica?

LEICA: Nate. You're in a... delicate situation. Say you're right. You broke a half a dozen laws in the process. Only way you get out of it is rescinding your retirement. Which breaks more laws but is doable.

NATHANIEL: Then just do that and —

LEICA: (interrupting) But if you're wrong that's a whole lot of time and resources wasted. It's gonna make a lot of people angry. People will be unhappy, and when people are unhappy they make other people unhappy. Get where I'm going? If things turn out the way you think, people might ask questions anyway. There's only so much I can do. That I have done. I can give your work to one of your colleagues, Jim. He's smart and I trust him, he won't ask unnecessary questions. But it means you won't get any recognition. You might even get more bad press if this happens right after you leave the office. Think it through and make your decision. And think about everyone you'll affect.

SCENE 19 — INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Nathaniel returns to the room. Astrid isn't there and the study door is open.

SCENE 20 — INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS

Nathaniel dashes to the room. Astrid is examining his work.

NATHANIEL: I can explain, this is —

ASTRID: You figured it out didn't you? That's the only thing important enough to make you go back.

NATHANIEL: It's... not... yeah. I think — no I know I did.

ASTRID: I hope it's worth it. Because if you can't stop now, I'm not sure what will be enough. I'll let Rose know. I'm sure Max will want to go back to work if he finds out.

Astrid leaves. Nathaniel stares at his work, research, the articles, and returns to his desk. He dials Leica's number.

SCENE 21 — EXT. FISHING BOAT - DAY

Nathaniel is standing on a fishing boat. AMY (8) calls out. She runs up to him. Behind her are MAX (early 30s), ROSE (early 30s), and Astrid.

AMY: Grandpa! Is this the boat you and daddy use to catch sharks! Can I have a shark for my birthday!

NATHANIEL: Hey kiddo. Yeah we're gonna catch us some big sharks even if it takes us all summer.

AMY: (gasp) But don't you have work on Mondays. You're always working.

NATHANIEL: (laughs) Not anymore. Not anymore.

The whole family smiles.