Danny
Preston! Stay with me!
The back door is wide open.
And standing in the doorway…
Danny
Drop the weapon and come forward with your hands up!
Figure
Detective Hayes! It’s me!
Detective Jones
Yes! Please. Lower your gun.
Danny
What are you doing?! Where were you?
Detective Jones
I was at the side of the house, checking to see if any windows were open…
Detective Jones
When I heard the struggle.
Detective Jones
I looked inside and saw Preston on the ground.
Danny
Did you see who did it?
Detective Jones
No. Not from my angle.
Detective Jones
I ran around the house to the back door.
Detective Jones
It was wide open.
Detective Jones
I figured the perp made a run for it.
Detective Jones
I gave chase but…
Detective Jones
Well, there was nothing to chase.
Detective Jones
No tracks, no bits of glass to follow.
Detective Jones
Is he okay?
Detective Jones
I’m going to call an ambulance.
Detective Jones
Excuse me?
Danny
The killer is on to us…
Danny
And may be trying to speed up the process.
Detective Jones
He needs medical attention.
Danny
If Preston is in the hospital, he’ll be a sitting duck.
Detective Jones
He’s not moving! He could be—
Preston interrupts with a groan.
Preston
Wha…What happened?
Danny
You’re coming with me.
In the quiet of the safe house, Danny pores over her evidence files.
She studies the various clues left behind with each victim…
And the murder locations.
Looking for any connection.
Preston stirs from his slumber on a cot.
And sits up with a grimace.
Preston
So, do I look as good as I feel?
Danny
You’re pretty beat up.
Preston
Still as handsome as ever though, right?
Danny
Any idea who did it?
Preston
I wish…I don’t remember anything.
Danny
When I got to your place, the front door was locked.
Preston
He came up behind me.
Preston
Must’ve come through the back door.
Preston
I probably forgot to lock it.
She feels Preston’s eyes on her.
Preston
So…I didn’t think I’d ever see you again…
Preston
Seems like you’ve made something of yourself though.
Preston
The small-town girl who barely passed high school…
Preston
Now a big shot FBI agent.
Danny
Stop calling me a big shot.
Preston
How does it feel to be back?
Danny
How do you think it feels?
Preston
Oh, I couldn’t possibly imagine…
Danny’s caught off guard by his sarcasm.
But then realizes how harsh she’s been.
Danny
I know this is a weird, stressful thing for you too.
Danny
And you were just attacked.
Preston
I’m just — I’m glad to see you again is all.
Danny blushes and looks away…
Pretending to read through the case documents.
Preston
I’m sure I’m not the only one…
Danny
I doubt anyone missed me.
Preston
Why do you say that?
Danny
You know how it is…
Danny
People who grow up here usually stay here.
Danny
And the few that leave…
Danny
People just assume you’ll change.
Danny
And not for the better.
Danny
And the way I left…
Preston
You didn’t have to.
Preston
I get how you feel…
Preston
I’ve always been the black sheep of the town.
Preston
It only got worse after you took off…
Preston
Most everyone blamed me.
Danny’s old wounds feel like they’re being ripped back open.
She feels regret, pity, and shame all at the same time.
Preston
Why didn’t you call?
Preston
I know I didn’t treat you right…
Preston
But it’s been 11 years since you left…
Preston
12 tomorrow actually.
Danny
Wow…you remember that?
Preston
How could I forget?
Danny
I should’ve called.
Preston
That’s it? You run off for years and all I get is a “sorry”?
Danny
Preston…you know how much I hated it here.
Danny
I wanted to do big things. Go places.
Danny
But this town — I just felt trapped.
Danny
And when I would turn to you…
Danny
You’d shoot me down.
Danny
Tell me my dreams were stupid.
Danny
You made me feel worthless. So small.
Danny
I felt like running away was the only option.
Danny
I’m not sorry for leaving.
Danny
But for not giving you closure…
Visibly hurt by what she’s said.
Instantly, she wants to apologize for making him feel this way.
Preston
For how I treated you.
Preston
I said those things…
Preston
Because I was scared you would leave me.
Preston
I guess that just made you leave even faster.
Preston
I just — I’ve just always had this anger inside of me.
Preston
And I took it out on you.
He’s come a long way from the “bad boy” Danny had known…
The “bad boy” she almost married…
And this is the first time she’s ever heard him say “sorry.”
Danny impulsively reaches out and grabs Preston’s hand.
But when she realizes what she’s done…
She retracts her hand and blushes.
Preston blushes too, then chuckles.
Preston
I guess fate is playing a cruel trick on you…
Preston
Bringing you back here…
Preston
To face your demons.
Preston
In the form of a serial killer.
Danny
Guess I hadn’t thought about it that way…
Danny
But I should get back to work.
Danny
I only have about 4 hours before the killer makes his next move.
Preston
Right…well, what can I do to help?
Danny
This information is confidential—
Preston
Come on, two heads are better than one.
Preston
And, I’m great at riddles, remember?
Danny
You used to come up with a new one every night.
Preston
And they stumped you most of the time.
Preston
Danny, my parents were the first victims…
Preston
I have a right to catch this bastard.
Danny
You’re right. You can help.
On the table, Danny spreads out the documents.
Preston looks at each of the victim’s faces…
Most of them unrecognizable.
But his eyes linger on a photo of an older couple…
Preston is about to say something…
But stops himself and just continues gazing at the photo.
Danny
I know you didn’t get along with them…
Danny
But we’ll find who did this. I promise.
Preston looks away from the photo…
And awkwardly clears his throat.
Preston
Any idea who it might be?
Danny
There’s no pattern to who’s being targeted.
Danny
No links between age, gender, ethnicity — even species.
Danny
It’s all fair game.
Danny
Random pets and livestock have been found dismembered.
Preston
That makes sense.
Preston
When my parents were murdered…
Preston
The field beside their house was littered with dead cattle and sheep.
Preston
Their stomachs were torn out and their intestines were spilled out onto the grass.
Preston picks up the detailed map of the town…
Which depicts the location of each of the murders.
They both stare at it for a moment.
Danny snatches the map from Preston…
Danny
I didn’t notice this before…
Danny
But do you see a pattern?
Preston
What are you talking about?
Danny
Your parents’ house…
Danny
It’s basically the northern most point of the town.
Danny
That’s where the killer went first.
Danny
The second victim. Jerry Cline. He lived in the north-east part of town.
Danny
Third victim. Reginald Barrow. Lived almost directly east.
Danny
Now keep following the victims in order.
Danny places the map on the table…
She marks all 11 murder locations, including today’s, one by one.
And a circular pattern emerges.
Danny
And not only that, but look at this.
Danny marks an “X” in the dead center of the circle.
Preston
Um…just an old bike trail.
Danny
Not just that. Think about it.
Danny
Where we used to meet up after curfew.
A smirk slips onto Preston’s lips.
Preston
So what are you implying?
Danny
Look at the distance from the shed to each of the murders.
Preston
They look the same.
Danny
Exactly! So let’s say the pattern continues…
Danny
If I trace a twelfth line from the center of the circle…
Danny draws as she speaks.
Danny
Using about the same distance between the shed and the other points—
Preston
You end up at your old house.
Danny
Right. But, my parents sold it after I left.
Danny
Who lives there now?
Preston
Some crotchety old couple.
Danny
And you don’t know them?
Danny
Then I’m not sure my theory makes sense.
Danny
If you’re the next victim, this twelfth line should lead to your house.
Danny
But it’s this random couple’s house.
Danny
And since you don’t know these people.
Danny
You can’t be the clue.
Preston
Maybe the clock is just a coincidence.
Danny
But the killer is so careful.
Danny
This is calculated.
Danny
And the shed has to be significant in some way.
Danny
I’m gonna check it out.
Danny
I don’t have much time.
Danny
Best case scenario, it’ll lead me closer to the murderer.
Danny
At worst, it’s nothing and this pattern is just a fluke.
Preston
No! At worst, the killer finds and murders you!
Danny
I’m not the same helpless girl I was before I left…
Danny
I can handle myself.
Preston
I’m going with you.
Danny
Nope. Not a chance.
Danny
Because you might be the next victim.
Danny
Maybe I’ll call Detective Jones—
Preston
No! Don’t bring him.
Preston
What’s he done so far?
Preston
He’s let 11 people die…
Preston
He was nowhere to be found when the killer tried to kidnap me…
Preston
And he doesn’t understand this town like we do.
Preston
He basically just moved here.
Preston
Actually…he moved here just before the killings started.
Preston
Guess he forgot to mention that little detail.
Danny
Well, he wouldn’t like me going to the shed anyway.
Danny
It’s probably against protocol or something.
Preston
See. He’ll only slow you down.
Danny
I’ll call him if I find something.
Danny
I don’t want to hear it! I’m going alone.
Outside the entrance to the shed, Danny shines her flashlight…
Except for the whistle of a slight breeze.
And the distant hoot of an owl.
She eases toward the door.
And her heart slams against her chest.
She’s about to walk into the shed…
When she hears a rustling behind her.
The hair on the back of her neck stands up.
She slowly unholsters her gun…
And without a second’s hesitation—
Preston stands out in the open, shielding his eyes against Danny’s flashlight.
Danny
What the hell are you doing?!
Danny
I could’ve shot you!
Preston
Good thing you didn’t…
Danny
I specifically told you to stay put!
Preston
I couldn’t let you go alone.
Danny
I can take care of myself, thank you!
Preston
But I was just sitting there…
Preston
Thinking about what might happen to you…
Preston
I just had to make sure you’re safe.
In some ways he hasn’t changed.
He’s still stubborn as hell.
But the gesture of wanting to make sure she’s safe…
Preston smiles and trots over to her.
And they walk toward the shed, together.
