PERMANENT INTERESTS - EPISODE 4

Your morning episode:

EXT. CARLETON HOTEL - CANNES, FRANCE - DAY

It's not "the season", but the best hotel on the Cote d'Azur is always beautiful. A Peugeot taxi pulls into the drive.

A swarthy young DOORMAN meets the cab on the double. He appreciatively eyes the foxy lady who gets out - Anne Hamilton, completely different in a white linen pants suit.

The CABBY opens the trunk.

ANNE

Be careful with my carry-on. The handle's loose.

She leaves the doorman to deal with her luggage.

INT. LOBBY - CARLETON HOTEL

The FRONT DESK CLERK, "Simone" by her name badge, looks up from the computer and smiles.

SIMONE

Ah, bienvenu, Mademoiselle Hamilton, welcome back.

ANNE

Bonjour, Simone. I'm afraid I'm a trifle early.

SIMONE

If you will allow thirty minutes, I will have the chambermaid prepare your suite immediately.

ANNE

I'll wait on the patio. The doorman has my bags.

Anne turns and heads toward the patio. Behind her, Simone gestures to a BELLMAN...

SIMONE

René.

Before Anne has gone far, she turns her head at the SOUND OF THE OPENING ELEVATOR, then stops cold.

ANNE'S POV

CHARLES WILLIAM SIMS III steps out. Late 40s, impeccable, he could easily re-qualify for the Olympic Biathlon Team. He freezes in mid stride as...

ANNE

Charlie! Charlie Sims!

(rushes over)

Long time, no see, Captain.

He stares, unrecognizing. She's crestfallen, then hears the Kennedyesque accent...

SIMS

Anne...Hamilton?

ANNE

(all smiles)

The last time I saw you, I was stuffing you onto a dustoff with a sucking chest wound.

SIMS

I'm sorry, Anne. It's been...

ANNE

1983. Let me buy you a drink and catch up.

He doesn't want to, but she won't hear "no."

ANNE

"It's afternoon someplace in the world."

He recognizes the old code.

SIMS

What the hell, why not?

EXT. PATIO - CARLETON HOTEL - DAY

The WAITER fills their champagne glasses, places the bottle in the ice bucket, departs.

BOTH OF THEM

So, what the hell've you been doing?

Laughter. She takes a sip and eyes him. He's very gracious and his smile is infectious.

SIMS

The last I remember, you were the only reporter who would wear fatigues and hang out at the fire bases in Morelo Province. "One of the boys."

ANNE

This "boy" just got out of Nagorno-Karabakh...

SIMS

Ouch! Couldn't you leave that one for someone else?

He laughs, but she flinches as his rhetorical question hits too close to home.

SIMS

Something wrong?

ANNE

I just really need this R & R.

SIMS

You were a hit down in "the tank" during Desert Storm.

Gas mask on, staring over the rooftops of Riyadh at the night sky, watching for the Scuds.

She likes that kind of compliment, smiles.

ANNE

Could've been worse. Could've been back in D.C.

(a moment)

As I remember, your wife had a baby, or was going to, or...

He meets her look, nods.

SIMS

John. Marie's bringing him to Paris with her next week.

ANNE

Paris! I'm taking over the bureau there. The home office finally decided to evacuate me from the middle of the Turd World Wars.

(laughs, another sip)

But enough about me...

SIMS

I'm still working for our favorite rich uncle.

Before she can respond, HOWARD LEWIS, a big jovial guy who looks like a gone-to-seed linebacker, comes over.

HOWARD

(Oklahoma twang)

Charlie, guess what? They're showing the Jets game - live at five - A.M.!!

SIMS

Anne, this is Howard Lewis.

Howard APPROVES of Anne.

SIMS (Cont)

We're here for the trade conference.

ANNE

(laughs)

Serious research on the effects of champagne and rich food on the Type A personality, right?

HOWARD

Not true, Miss...

SIMS

Anne's with CNS, Howard.

Her approval rating with him plummets. He turns to Sims.

HOWARD

We are fifteen minutes away from the secretary's office...

Sims takes the hint and turns to Anne...

SIMS

Duty calls.

The Waiter reappears with the check. Anne takes out her Gold Card, but Sims scribbles his name on the bill, smiles at her and rises.

SIMS

How about dinner? I have an 8:30 reservation at Henri's.

ANNE

I'm not exactly alone...

SIMS

(smiles)

David?

(she nods)

Bring him along.

ANNE

Okay. I mean, maybe...

Sims leaves with Howard. The Waiter glances at the bill and calls after.

WAITER

Monsieur! S'il vous plaît - votre numéro de chambre?

SIMS

Eleven-twenty-four.

INT. LOBBY - CARLETON HOTEL

Howard is serious as he and Sims cross to the elevators.

HOWARD

She's the last thing we need.

SIMS

(terrible Southern drawl)

Mah momma always said, y'all catch more bears with honey, heah?

The elevator opens. As Sims steps inside...

HOWARD

Just make sure she doesn't stick to your fingers.

(serious, then smiles)

That accent really sucks.

They laugh - comrades in arms - as the DOORS CLOSE.

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