CASTLE FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Written by Stephen Ribuffo
Creative Writing Workshop 2: Television 831.402.8367
ACT ONE 1
EXT. BROOKLYN RESIDENTIAL AREA, STREET - DAY
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A row of tightly packed two story homes have American flags on poles by their doors. 2
INT. HANK’S HOME, LIVING ROOM - MORNING
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HANK PALIMETTO, 70, tall, disheveled white hair with haggard features sleeps on a couch. Several bottles of medications are on open with a half empty bottle of whiskey on a coffee table. Hank stirs and GRUMBLES. His eyes blink and he sits up. He yawns, scratches the side of his face and stands. He glances at his watch. Eleanor!
HANK
He waits a moment, then walks to the kitchen. 3
INT. HANK’S HOME, KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
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Hank saunters by a shelf with sports trophies; golf, baseball, and bowling. HANK Eleanor! You go grocery shopping? He goes to the refrigerator and makes a sandwich and takes a carton of orange juice. He pours himself a glass, takes a drink, then spits it out. HANK (CONT’D) Christ! Eleanor! The OJ’s spoiled again! Eleanor! 4
INT. HANK’S HOME, STAIRWAY - CONTINUOUS Hank walks up the stairs. HANK Can’t even get a shopping list right. He cringes, covers his nose and mouth, and coughs.
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2. 5
INT. HANK’S HOME, HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
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Hank closes a closet door. HANK Eleanor, did you crap yourself again? 6
INT. HANK’S HOME, BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
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ELEANOR PALIMETTO, 68, short, bloated and decomposing, with a serve head injury lies on the floor beside the bed. A pool of blood stains the carpet around her head. A bloody baseball bat lies beside her. Hank shakes his head. He coughs. He walks to Eleanor and looks shocked. 7
INT. CASTLE’S APARTMENT, KITCHEN - DAY
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CASTLE eats a bowl of cereal. His jacket rests on the back of the chair. He stares at an engagement ring and sighs. MARTHA enters, and makes a rueful expression. MARTHA What has you so deep in thought? Castle flinches and hides the ring in his pocket. CASTLE I don’t know what Tripotassium Phosphate is, but it’s delicious. He raises a spoonful of cereal. Martha sits in a chair across from Castle. Richard... Mother...
MARTHA CASTLE
MARTHA I know when something is bother you. Castle stuffs a mouthful of cereal. I’m fine.
CASTLE
3. Martha raises an eyebrow. MARTHA I also know when you’re lying. What were you really looking at? Castle hesitates then shows the ring to Martha. Is that..?
MARTHA (CONT’D)
CASTLE I asked Kate to marry me. Martha shakes her head. CASTLE (CONT’D) This is why I didn’t want to tell you! You’re gonna turn it into a thing. Martha scoffs. A thing?
MARTHA
Castle stands and takes the bowel to the sink. CASTLE Yes. A thing. I knew you wouldn’t approve. MARTHA Proposing to Kate wasn’t what I was talking about, Richard. Marriage isn’t a quick fix. Castle spreads his hands. CASTLE And there it is. Martha sighs. MARTHA There what is? CASTLE A thing. A thing? The thing? What’s the proper usage? Martha crosses her arms.
4. MARTHA That’s part of it there. This is serious, Richard. CASTLE I’m well aware, Mother. I’ve done this before. This time I plan on doing it right. MARTHA You’re off to a hell of a start. CASTLE What’s your problem with Kate? MARTHA It’s not Kate. It’s you. Castle blinks. He goes to talk, but his cellphone RINGS. CASTLE (Into Cellphone) Richard Castle, problem solver and maker. Martha rolls her eyes and leans her head against her hand. CASTLE (CONT’D) When?... Okay. Yeah, I know where it is, I’ll be right there. A body?
MARTHA
Castle ends the call and puts his jacket on. CASTLE Looks like I’m not the only one with relationship issues. 8
EXT. HANK’S HOME - DAY Police vehicles cordon off the street around Hank’s home. LAINE, PARAMEDIC#1, 25, and PARAMEDIC#2, 25, wheel a gurney with Eleanor in a body bag into an ambulance. RYAN speaks with NEIGHBOR MALE, 30, and NEIGHBOR FEMALE, 30. CASTLE Guess the honeymoon is over.
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5. ESOPSITO Honeymoon’s been over for thirty years. A bat to the head tends to end a marriage. CASTLE Sounds like he struck out. Esposito gives Castle a tired look. Too soon?
CASTLE (CONT’D)
LAINE If you’re done, Castle you wanna listen up? Castle looks to Esopsito. CASTLE Strike one. Laine glares at Castle. LAINE Strike two. ESOPSITO Whatcha got Laine? Laine unzips the body bag and Castle and Esposito crane their necks. Laine gestures over the body. LAINE Eleanor Palimetto, 68, time of death was approximately two and a half to three days agoCASTLE Cause of death? Laine gives Castle an incredulous look. Esposito tires to hide his grin. LAINE Cause of death, blunt force trauma to the top right of the skull. CASTLE And the bat was the murder weapon? ESOPSITO I’m not falling for that.
6.
What? 9
CASTLE
INT. HANK’S HOME, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
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FORENSIC FEMALE, 26, puts the last of Hank’s medications in evidence bags. Castle looks around the room. CASTLE With that amount of meds I’m surprised he wasn’t in a comma. ESOPSITO Washing it down with alcohol doesn’t help. CASTLE Well, you know what they say. Candy is dandy, but liquor... Esposito give Castle another look. Castle clears his throat. CASTLE (CONT’D) Right. Where’s Beckett? ESOPSITO Upstairs. Be careful, she’s moody today. CASTLE Just today? Esposito smirks. 10
INT. HANK’S HOME, BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
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Castle moves out of the way as FORENSIC MALE, 32, walks by with the baseball bat in an evidence bag. BECKETT squats over the blood stain. BECKETT This is odd. There’s no sign of spatter or trails of blood. CASTLE Maybe he cleaned it up? Beckett jerks and half turns toward Castle, and nods. Castle.
BECKETT
7. Castle blinks. CASTLE Nice to see you too. Beckett makes brief eye contact with Castle, and waits a moment. She stands. BECKETT No signs of chemicals. Besides, why clean up a small mess and leave the big mess alone? CASTLE He was pretty drugged up. Maybe he wasn’t thinking straight. BECKETT Yeah. There’s a lot of that going around. Castle blinks and opens his mouth to speak. Ryan enters. RYAN Beckett, got the statement from the neighbors... Oh, hey Castle. Castle looks at Beckett. CASTLE Hello Ryan, so nice to see you. Beckett rolls her eyes. And?
BECKETT
RYAN They said they heard Hank and Eleanor arguing a couple night ago, and that they saw Hank leave that night. But, they didn’t see or know when he came back to the house. BECKETT/CASTLE Did they know what they were arguing about? Jinx!
CASTLE
BECKETT Not now, Castle.
8. Castle blinks. Ryan looks between Castle and Beckett. RYAN No. They couldn’t make out what they were saying. BECKETT Looks like we’ll just have to ask Hank. Castle, ride with Ryan. Beckett walks between Castle and Ryan. But-
CASTLE
BECKETT (O.S.) I’m already gone, Castle. RYAN Did you two..? Castle shrugs and spreads his hands. 11
INT. PRECINCT, BULLPEN - DAY
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Castle sits in a chair between Beckett and Ryan at their desks. Beckett drums her fingers on her desk, Castle twiddles his thumbs while Ryan shifts glances between them. RYAN Uh, is everythingBECKETT/CASTLE We’re fine. A moment of silence. Esposito enters. ESOPSITO Everything’s ready. Ryan leaps from his chair. RYAN (Mutters) Thank God. BECKETT Hey. There’s something I have to tell you guys.
9. ESOPSITO What? You and Castle are getting married? Esposito and Ryan look at each other and chuckle. Beckett and Castle exchange looks. Beckett shakes her head. BECKETT That’s not it. Castle shifts in his chair. BECKETT (CONT’D) This is going to be my last case. Castle, Esposito, and Ryan exchange looks. RYAN You’re not... Quitting are you? BECKETT No, no! Nothing like that. Kinda. I was offered a job to work with a special task force in D.C. ESOPSITO What? That’s great! RYAN Wow! Congratulations! Isn’t that great, Castle? CASTLE ... Stupendous. Beckett exhales and smiles. BECKETT Got a little nervous there. 12
INT. PRECINCT, INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
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Hanks sits at the table with his hands in his lap. He glances at the two way glass and then toward the door as Beckett enters. Beckett sits at the table opposite of Hank. BECKETT Morning Mr. Palimetto. I’m Detective Beckett, I’m sorry we have to meet like this.
10. HANK Like I told the other cop. I didn’t kill my wife. BECKETT I’m not accusing you Mr. Palimeto, I just want to know what happened. HANK I don’t remember. BECKETT Then lets start with what you do remember. Walk me through what happened. INTERCUT: 12B
INT. PRECINCT, OBSERVATION ROOM - SAME TIME Castle, Esopsito, and Ryan watch the interrogation. RYAN Did you know about Beckett’s new job? Castle smiles at Ryan. Of course!
CASTLE
He looks at Beckett. CASTLE (CONT’D) She tells me everything. HANK I already told you. I woke up and I found Eleanor. BECKETT When you woke up was there anything out of place? Did you notice anything missing? Any sign that someone may have broken in? Hank shakes his head. BECKETT (CONT’D) Anyone who might have something against your wife, that might want to hurt her?
12B
11. HANK No. I mean, she could be a pain in the ass, but nothin’ like that. BECKETT Is that why you were asleep for three days? Because of something she did? Hank shrugs. HANK Probably. She was a nag and it was the only way to get some quite. Beckett glances to the observation window. BECKETT Mr. Palimetto, do you recall an argument you had with your wife several nights ago? Hank makes a puzzled look and shakes his head. HANK We never had an argument. BECKETT We have a statement from your neighbors who said you did. What did you argue about? HANK I don’t remember. BECKETT You’re not being consistent Mr. Palimetto. Do you remember, or don’t you? HANK I don’t know. BECKETT It must have been something if you medicated and drank yourself into a three day coma. HANK I can’t remember!
12. BECKETT Your wife was lying in your bedroom dead for three days. Don’t you think that’s odd? Hank stares at Beckett for a moment. HANK I want a lawyer. Hank rests his head in his hands. Around his wrists are black and blue bruises. Beckett sees Hank’s wrists, looks to the observation window and motions with her head. She stands. Castle, Esposito, and Ryan exchange looks. 13
INT. PRECINCT, BULLPEN - CONTINUOUS Castle, Esposito, and Ryan meet Beckett at her desk. CASTLE What’s going on? BECKETT Hank has bruises around his wrists. RYAN Those are defensives marks. That meansESOPSITO He was protecting himself? Against who? BECKETT I don’t know. But that means the killer is still out there. CASTLE So, you’ll be stick around then? Esposito and Ryan give Castle a look. END ACT ONE
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