SYNOPSIS:

CIRCUMSTANTIAL Mystery/Thriller Four story lines follow characters who need to make changes in their lives and do just that. We see what truly happens yet the circumstantial evidence left behind shows something very different. GINA – Days before her fully paid $50,000 wedding Gina discovers her fiancé has been having an affair with her best friend. MARY – Her abusive husband of 30 years has kept her in the country secluded from everyone. Looking at the reflection of her bruises she becomes inspired to be free. CALVIN – Psychopath that works in an office next to an annoying co-worker he decides to “play with”. JASMINE – 16 year old whose mother marries a real estate developer that abuses her. Jasmine’s mother threatens her to keep the abuse hidden. At 18 Jasmine repays them both. We begin with the first sequence for each character then cycle through to the next with four per character: FADE TO GINA GINA sits outside on the patio of her favorite Bistro having lunch with her best friend and Maid of Honor STEPHANIE. The two chat about old times and college as STEVEN, GINA’S fiancé walks out on the patio to join them. He greets them and kisses GINA on the neck yet as he passes behind her he exchanges looks with STEPHANIE showing the chemistry hidden between them. The next day GINA is running errands in her car and talking to her mother on her Bluetooth explaining that she had been trying to get in touch with STEPHANIE to take STEVEN’s ring to the cleaner and was unable to reach her. GINA arrives at STEPHANIE’s unannounced to find the front door locked. She goes around the side to look through the slats in the privacy fence revealing STEVEN in a lounge chair with STEPHANIE on top of him discussing their affair. After only a few moments GINA turns from the fence with her hand over her mouth. As she makes her way to her car she fights nausea, fear and hatred. FADE TO MARY MARY stands in the kitchen of her trailer cooking dinner. She can see the TV from the stove and the newscast catches her attention. She watches the top story coming through about a woman who had been found guilty of poisoning her husband with Ethylene Glycol. MARY then hears the sizzling of the pork chops that she is cooking and looks down to see that the bottom of the chops were a dark brown. Although they’re not burnt MARY begins to shake and the fear that begins to wash over her becomes apparent. MARY has dinner on the table when she hears the sound of her husband GEORGE’s truck roaring up the dirt road towards their trailer. MARY walks to the front door and stands a few feet inside of it waiting for GEORGE to walk in. MARY says a prayer as she always does and stops just before he gets close enough to hear her. GEORGE walks in the door shoving beer and his lunch box at MARY cursing the day as he takes off his coat and boots. MARY walks to the kitchen puts everything in its place then gets a beer and sets it at his place at the table then stands quietly waiting. GEORGE loudly plops himself into his chair and begins inhaling his food. MARY sits only after he has started to eat. After a few bites GEORGE stops chewing long enough to turn the pork chop over and look at the bottom of it. When he notices that it is more done than he prefers he curses at her then looks to the TV. When GEORGE looks back to MARY he slaps her so hard that she has to steady herself to keep from falling out of the chair. MARY keeps her head down trying not to cry. GEORGE stands up pushing his chair back and walks towards the TV. MARY watches him and begins to shake furiously. She knows that she can do nothing but brace herself for pain. GEORGE yanks the cord from the TV and wall then comes back to the kitchen cursing and pulls MARY from her chair then begins beating her with the cord. FADE TO CALVIN CALVIN stands in the break room using the hot water spout on the coffee machine to fill his cup with water for his tea. His back is to his coworkers and he’s trying to drown out the sound of JASON and JAMES laughing and bragging out their weekly Wednesday night escapades. CALVIN unable to hold back the resenting sigh that comes from him begins to get taunted by JASON which was common place. CALVIN slowly turns around and looks at them both holding his mug of steeping hot tea with the tag hanging and having no expression at all. After staring at them momentarily CALVIN walks out of the break room leaving JASON and JAMES behind him laughing like idiots. The following Wednesday CALVIN sits in his car across from the employee parking lot and follows JASON to his mistresses loft and through the evening. CALVIN ends the night a few houses down from JASON’s noting that he returns home around 9 p.m. FADE TO JASMINE JASMINE looks out the window of the limo as it winds up the side of the mountain overlooking the ocean. Her mother PRISCILLA has just married HENRY who is the real estate developer of the area they are in. Once inside the 15,000 square foot residence HENRY gives them the tour ending with the set of suites for JASMINE. He gallantly shows them through the suite then they end the evening with a movie in the media room. PRISCILLA is passed out from pills and wine so HENRY offers to walk JASMINE to her suite. Once inside HENRY gives JASMINE a gown then has her get into bed telling her that she is part of a package that he has just purchased and that he always gets what he wants. The next morning JASMINE finds her mother PRISCILLA at the pool and tells her of the events from the night before. Instead of having the reaction of a concerned mother PRISCILLA slaps JASMINE and talks down to her playing off the incident as that of a teenager upset that she had to move from her friends. JASMINE becomes devastated as she listens to her mother tell her to keep her mouth shut and enjoy their new lifestyle. FADE TO GINA GINA sits at the wedding table with STEVEN to her right and STEPHANIE to her left staring out at the over 400 people in attendance. Her ears are ringing from thoughts of their affair as the best man ends his toast resulting in roars all around her. As GINA smiles and toasts STEPHANIE taps her glass to give a toast as well. GINA uses every ounce of strength she has to act normal as she watches STEPHANIE act the part of best friend and Maid of Honor. As the night is ending GINA searches for STEVEN to tell him the limo is ready. Unable to find him she searches through the kitchen area and finds STEVEN and STEPHANIE together in a compromising manner. When they notice GINA the two act as if all is normal and part ways. GINA’s hatred builds as she can no longer tell herself she imaged what she heard or saw behind the fence. FADE TO MARY MARY sits at her kitchen table with a black eye and bruises and lightly touches the bald spot on her head where her hair had been ripped out. MARY is sorting through the mail and comes to a renewal for her life insurance policy. Beyond that we see her focus on the newspaper. The front page has the sentencing for the woman that had been found guilty of poisoning her husband. MARY finds the courage to walk to the shed behind their trailer then walks to a turned over container of anti-freeze in the corner. Without touching it she reads the label and her breath catches in her throat as the words “Ethylene Glycol” stare at her as if they are winking. That evening MARY shows GEORGE the renewal policy for her life insurance policy which he chooses to increase. As MARY goes to get the checkbook for GEORGE she is fighting the smile that wants to play at her lips. FADE TO CALVIN CALVIN sits outside their building once again waiting on Jason to go in search of his weekly strange. After following JASON to a downtown luxury hotel CALVIN makes his way back to JASON’s house. On this evening his goal is to make note of JASON’s wife’s routine. Once darkness has fallen CALVIN walks through the alley to JASON’s house to evaluate access points. CALVIN makes quick work to know that they leave their back door unlocked, there is an expensive knife set on the counter, and his wife likes to drink tea and watch TV in an oversized chair in the living room. FADE TO JASMINE It’s a week before JASMINE’s 18th birthday and she is wearing two years of abuse heavily. She stands in HENRY’s study staring at the gun case in front of her. JASMINE is wearing her long black gloves that go with the ball gown HENRY had gotten for her the previous year. JASMINE takes her mother’s gun and a clip from the case then returns to her room. JASMINE sits down at her desk placing the gun inside of it then after taking off her gloves she removes her stationary and writes her mother a letter telling her of the abuse as if it is the first time she is telling her. FADE TO GINA GINA wakes the morning of her honeymoon to find STEVEN’s side of the bed empty. She searches for him to find him on the far side of the honeymoon condo in the bathroom with the door closed talking to STEPHANIE. After a few moments of hearing his words to STEPHANIE from the other side of the door, GINA clearly has heard enough. She wipes her tears and turns from the door heading back to the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later STEVEN bounds through the door coffee in hand to find GINA sitting in a chair by the window writing in a journal. STEVEN attempts small talk about their planned morning hike along the cliff to which GINA ignores him. She finishes her writing then closes the journal, places it in the nightstand, and goes in the bathroom to change. Once the two reach the two mile mark on the trail they stop to rest. When STEVEN explodes from GINA’s silent treatment she confronts him about STEPHANIE. STEVEN tries to deny it which leads GINA to state that she is smarter than he is. Her statement causes STEVEN’s ego to get the best of him and he begins to disclose not only his relationship with STEPHANIE but with several other women, at the behest of her father whom he works for. STEVEN ends by saying that what he does is what he will continue to do because that is the life and the lifestyle that they lead. GINA’s response is to walk to the edge of the cliff, dig in her heal, then tell him that his lifestyle isn’t something she can live with. GINA then holds her arms out and falls backwards over the cliff as STEVEN screams for her. FADE TO MARY A month later MARY stands in her kitchen holding her lemonade glass in her hand. She looks into the reflection of the microwave in front of her and lightly touches the black eye that is hot to the touch and still spreading. MARY looks out the window to the shed and slowly get the courage to walk to it, glass in hand. MARY goes into the shed and picks up one of the dozens of filthy rags covering the floor then walks to the wooden bench where the half full bottle of anti-freeze is kept and uses the rag to take off the lid and put a splash in her glass. MARY returns quickly to the trailer and sits at the kitchen table trying to calm her nerves. MARY finally raises the glass to her lips anticipating the taste of poison or liquor and her face softens as a sweet taste hits her tongue. MARY tries to contain her excitement as the thought of freedom wells up inside of her. Two weeks later we see a weakened MARY repeating the same steps for putting a splash of anti-freeze in her lemonade glass. A month later MARY is so weak she is sitting at the kitchen table with labored breathing watching the clock. She finds the strength to get dinner on the table yet when MARY hears the sound of GEORGE’s truck she grabs her glass holding it as if her life depends on it. Her intention is to get GEORGE’s fingerprints on the glass. MARY finally lets herself go and falls to the ground vomiting blood. As her head hits the floor her eyes try to focus on her hand staying wrapped around her glass. GEORGE stamps in the house belting for MARY and when she doesn’t respond he walks through the trailer to find her on the kitchen floor. GEORGE kicks MARY in the back as he screams at her and yanks the glass out of her hand slamming it on the table then he picks her up by her hair screaming in her face yet getting nothing from MARY. As he slams her back to the floor he curses her again then notices the food on the table, steps over MARY, then sits down and starts eating. MARY wakes in the hospital to a Marshall that discloses to her that she has been poisoned and that they’re aware that she has had extensive physical abuse. He’s more than ready to take her statement and submit it for a search warrant to get GEORGE for attempted murder and domestic violence. FADE TO CALVIN The following Wednesday at work CALVIN waits for JASON and JAMES to go in for their “meeting” then he goes to the parking lot and makes quick work of unlocking JASON’s car, stealing his gym back, then securing it in his own trunk. CALVIN then casually returns to the office confident he hasn’t been seen. As the end of day rolls around CALVIN overhears JASON telling JAMES that he’ll be with the female at the downtown loft. CALVIN smiles satisfied that he wouldn’t have to waste time trying to find him since he was letting JASON leave before him today. Later that evening CALVIN makes sure that JASON’s car is at the downtown loft then drives directly to JASON’s house making sure that his wife is home and in her usual place. At 8:30 p.m. CALVIN parks blocks from JASON’s home then backtracks taking JASON’s gym bag with him. Once he reaches the alley behind JASON’s house he pulls on a mask and gloves, then opens JASON’s bag and puts on his sweats and hoodie over his own clothing, then puts on JASON’s gym shoes. CALVIN then places the gym bag and his own shoes behind a dumpster and heads down the alley to JASON’s house. CALVIN makes quick work of entering the backyard, going around the side to verify the wife is in her chair, goes to the backdoor which is again unlocked, quietly yet quickly goes inside shutting the door quietly behind him, he floats like a cat to the knife set, pulls out the 8 in. carving knife then walks through to the living area where he can see the back of JASON’s wife’s head. She’s sitting in the chair with her tea watching her favorite show. CALVIN smiles under his mask taking in the moment before quickly closes the gap between them. In an instant CALVIN brings the knife down hard burying it in her chest as her tea cup goes flying. She falls to the floor as he had sealed her fate with the first blow. In seconds CALVIN delivers another 27 blows to her body being sure to use full range of motion to get the best blood spatter possible. CALVIN stands to admire his work then walks towards the dining room, rubs his shoes on the rug under the table until they’re dry, then goes into the kitchen and makes a clumsy job of cleaning the knife then puts it back in its holder wet. CALVIN then takes off through the back door. Reaching the dumpster CALVIN quickly strips off the hoodie, sweats, and shoes putting them all back in the gym bag then zips it throwing it into the dumpster. He pulls off his mask and gloves and rolls them blood side in then shoves them into the side pocket of his cargo pants. He pulls his shoes on staying on the pavement then he jogs in the direction of his car. CALVIN positions himself in his car down the block from the front of JASON’s house just before 9 p.m. CALVIN watches JASON pull around the corner then down the street and into his driveway, wait for the garage door before pulling in. CALVIN waits a few moments then rolls his passenger window down and rolls down the block passing in front of JASON’s house where he can now hear JASON screaming his wife’s name. FADE TO JASMINE JASMINE goes into PRISCILLA’s room at 11 p.m. to make sure that she’s had enough wine and pills to sleep through the part she needs her to. PRISCILLA wakes to find JASMINE sitting beside her on her bed. PRISCILLA is annoyed that she’s there yet takes two sleeping pills from JASMINE then tells her to take one for herself and go to bed. Close to 1 a.m. JASMINE sits in her suite with the window open and hears HENRY’s car coming through the front iron gate. After watching him pull into his garage she climbs out onto the roof and sits beside the arch of her window out of sight from anyone looking for her. Minutes later we hear HENRY stumbling around her room looking for her. JASMINE stays put and relaxes after she hears him leave yet she stays on the roof enjoying the moon and stars knowing she shouldn’t go inside too early. At 2:30 a.m. JASMINE gets off her bed, walks to her closet, then puts on her gloves, leggings, and hoodie pulling the strings. Walking to the mirror JASMINE looks at her reflection showing that she is dressed completely in black leaving only a small part of her face and her bare feet exposed. She turns and goes to her desk getting the gun and letter, then heads towards her door. JASMINE now stands in the doorway to the master bedroom staring at PRISCILLA sitting upright asleep on her pillows on the right side of the bed and HENRY on the left snoring loudly beside of her facing in the opposite direction. JASMINE has thought about this night for two years and although she was prepared for nerves, isn’t nervous at all. Calmly JASMINE walks over to PRISCILLA who is still in her alcohol and narcotic induced state and places the letter she had written in her lap then places the gun in PRISCILLA’s left hand then slowly turns her to her side. JASMINE gets down and shields herself behind PRISCILLA’s body, puts her own arm directly behind PRISCILLA’s, then wraps her fingers overtop of PRISCILLA’s and slips her finger onto the trigger. JASMINE brings the gun up to the back of HENRY’s head, checks that PRISCILLA is still shielding her from blood spatter, then she puts her finger on top of PRISCILLA’s on the trigger and gently applies pressure. As soon as the shot rings out JASMINE lets go of the gun and backs off as PRISCILLA tries to shake off her pills and determine what has just happened. JASMINE backs up to the doorway taking in the scene. PRISCILLA looks at JASMINE with disgust and hatred as the realization of the situation begins to sink in. As the two exchange pleasantries over “why” PRISCILLA turns the gun on JASMINE. JASMINE simply smiles and reminds her that she will then be tried for two murders as evidence for both will point directly to her. Knowing that what JASMINE has said is true and that the evidence for HENRY’s death will point directly to her, PRISCILLA raises the gun to her temple and takes her own life. After taking in the final scene for a few moments JASMINE turns to go to her bedroom to take her sleeping pill and go to sleep. FADE TO GINA STEVEN sits in the honeymoon condo waiting on the police to arrive. He had waited almost an hour before calling unsure of what to say. Two veteran detectives arrive at the condo to question STEVEN and look around. One finds the journal GINA had been writing in that morning and knows that it’s evidence. The detectives get STEVEN to take them to the cliff where GINA had went over. The two veterans notice the heal mark left by GINA indicating that her back was to the cliff when she went over and that it appeared she had been trying to stabilize herself before the fall. They take STEVEN in for questioning which also leads to the confiscation of his phone. They redial the number that was outgoing for early that morning. STEPHANIE answers her phone thinking its STEVEN calling and implicates herself as part of a plot as she brags about helping book the honeymoon trip, which is her explanation for the early morning call. With both detectives certain that STEVEN had pushed GINA off the cliff and that STEPHANIE had been an accomplice to the murder they conduct the rest of the questioning in that manner. After denying any wrong doing in GINA’s death STEVEN is asked to read a copy of the journal entry GINA had written that morning. STEVEN becomes irate as he hears his own voice reading that GINA feared for her life because she believed he and STEPHANIE were conspiring to kill her and that she overheard him on the phone saying that he planned on pushing her off the cliff during their trail walk for that day. Months later we see STEVEN on trial for First Degree Murder and STEPHANIE on trial for Conspiracy to Commit Murder to which they are both found Guilty. FADE TO MARY MARY’s property is searched revealing the abusive way that she had been treated for decades. Her lemonade glass was found by the Marshall and bagged for evidence. When GEORGE arrives to find them on his property and is told he’s under arrest for Attempted Murder he tries to either kill them or die. The Marshall refuses to let GEORGE take the easy way out and shoots him in the knee then walks to him and bends down to let GEORGE know that he has friends in prison that are waiting on GEORGE to get there. Months later we see a healthy MARY ready to testify against GEORGE in court. GEORGE becomes irate and has to be removed from the courtroom. The day of the verdict MARY stands in the courtroom. GEORGE turns and looks at her with so much hatred that MARY can feel it from where she stands. Instead of looking away she says a prayer and smiles at him as we hear the jury give a verdict of Guilty. FADE TO CALVIN Detectives arrive at JASON’s house to find that he had barely stepped foot towards his wife before running to the bedroom to call the police. JASON gets an attitude as he’s questioned as to why he didn’t check his wife’s vitals, why his clothes are so clean, and why he is being vague about where he had been that evening. A detective finds the knife in the kitchen that had been wiped but still had blood caked by the handle as a uniformed officer finds JASON’s gym bag in the dumpster at the end of the block. When questioned about the bag JASON states that it had been stolen from his car but that he hadn’t had time to report it missing. With the murder weapon, the clothes covered in the victim’s blood, and JASON being dishonest about the events of the evening he is booked and charged with First Degree Murder. JASON refuses to have a trial and not take the stand due to the fact that he knows he’s innocent. Upon taking the stand he is ripped to shreds by the ADA and his words only help to solidify the evidence against him. The day of the verdict CALVIN sits in the back of the courtroom looking at JASON laughing to himself. CALVIN loves the fact that he is such an insignificant human being to JASON that the thought of CALVIN killing his wife had never once crossed his mind. CALVIN loves playing games and he loves winning. He can’t contain his smile as he thinks about his stats. The thinks about the fact that he’s currently undefeated as we hear the jury give a verdict of Guilty. FADE TO JASMINE JASMINE is sleeping soundly in her bed when she’s awakened by the maid who is screaming for her to come with her to her mother. JASMINE shakes off sleep and gets out of bed in her nightshirt following the maid out of her suite. As they’re crossing the main foyer JASMINE sees lights to police cars pulling up and loves the timing so that she will have an audience for this instead of just the maid. JASMINE opens the door revealing two female detectives walking towards her. JASMINE knows at this point she isn’t supposed to know anything other than the maid wants her to go to her mother’s room. The detective states that they are there for a possible Homicide which causes JASMINE to look shocked and turn to take off running towards the master bedroom as if concerned for her mother as the detectives and maid run to follow her. Finally entering the master bedroom they see JASMINE hysterical grabbing onto PRISCILLA crying and screaming for her mother. JASMINE blinks to find herself in an ambulance on the way to the hospital having been sedated from the hysterics from seeing her mother dead. As both female detectives read the letter at the scene they know to call ahead to the hospital and request a rape kit for JASMINE. One detective feels a connection with JASMINE and visits her in the hospital to check on her stating that she’s aware that JASMINE turns 18 in a few days and is concerned about where she will go and who will care for her. JASMINE reveals that HENRY’s business partners had sent a representative to offer her 5 million dollars and a loft in exchange for her not releasing any details of his “indiscretions” to anyone. JASMINE had accepted. The detective tells JASMINE that she can always reach out to her if there is ever anything she needs. Days later we see JASMINE standing on the balcony of her loft overlooking the city lights with the ocean beyond. She walks back inside in time to hear the nightly news begin. On the coffee table is a birthday cake with an 18 on it and a cocktail that she has made for herself. The anchor starts the top story saying that the deaths at the Smith Mansion have now officially been ruled a Murder/Suicide. JASMINE lifts her glass to the TV in a toast and winks. Renee Lear WGA: 1772469 Denver, CO readreneelear@live.com

CIRCUMSTANTIAL