THE DOCUMENTS SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO SEE
HOOK
The moment Charlatoo tore Brooke’s documents in half,
the entire office went silent. Brooke stood frozen beside
the desk, staring at the ripped papers scattered across
the floor. Charlatoo’s face was red with anger.
INT. CHARLATOO’S OFFICE — MORNING
Soft morning light comes through the office windows.
Brooke sits across from Charlatoo, nervous but trying
to remain calm. Charlatoo flips through Brooke’s
documents one by one, carefully checking every page.
THE QUESTIONS
CHARLATOO
These are your employment documents?
BROOKE
Yes. I brought everything you asked for.
CHARLATOO
Your identification… employment history… references…
BROOKE SPEAKS
BROOKE
Charlatoo, you really don’t have to check all this.
CHARLATOO
Why not?
BROOKE
Because I’m not some stranger walking into your office.
I’m part of your family. You already know me.
FAMILY OR BUSINESS?
CHARLATOO
That doesn’t mean I can ignore the hiring process.
BROOKE
But you can hire me yourself. You know me. You know
what kind of person I am. You know I can do the work.
CHARLATOO
Because this is an office, Brooke. Not a family dinner.
THE OLD JOB
BROOKE
When I got hired in Newburgh, New York, did you check
everything like this?
CHARLATOO
What are you talking about?
BROOKE
Did you check all my documents then?
THE NAME — GREG
BROOKE
Or did you just look at me and decide I was good enough?
CHARLATOO
Brooke, drop it.
BROOKE
No, seriously. Did you check me then?
THE QUESTION
BROOKE
When I was hired in Newburgh, you didn’t sit there
checking every paper.
BROOKE
Greg saw me and hired me.
CHARLATOO
You have no idea what you’re talking about.
THE ARGUMENT
BROOKE
Then tell me I’m wrong. Did Greg check my documents?
CHARLATOO
I said drop it!
Charlatoo’s breathing becomes heavier. Brooke realizes
she has touched a nerve.
THE DOCUMENTS
Charlatoo suddenly grabs the stack of Brooke’s documents.
Brooke jumps to her feet.
BROOKE
Charlatoo, what are you—
RIP! She tears the first document in half.
Then another. The papers fall onto the floor.
GET OUT
BROOKE
Stop! What are you doing?
CHARLATOO
Enough!
CHARLATOO
You want to question how I run my office?
Then you don’t belong here.
BROOKE
You’re firing me?
CHARLATOO
I said get out.
THE WARNING
BROOKE
One day, Charlatoo, you’re going to have to tell me
why that name makes you so angry.
Charlatoo’s face suddenly becomes pale.
Brooke leaves the office.
THE SECRET
Charlatoo remains alone in the office. She looks down
at the torn documents. One piece of paper has landed
underneath her desk.
She bends down and picks it up.
Her eyes widen.
It is not Brooke’s employment document.
It is an old photocopy.
THE MESSAGE
At the bottom of the page is a handwritten note.
Charlatoo reads it. Her hands begin to shake.
CHARLATOO
No…
Her phone suddenly rings.
The caller’s name makes all the color drain from
her face.
GREG.
THE FINAL SHOCK
Charlatoo doesn’t answer. The phone keeps ringing.
Then a message appears.
GREG’S MESSAGE
“She finally asked you about Newburgh, didn’t she?”
Charlatoo slowly lowers the phone.
Outside the office, Brooke stops walking.
She has heard the phone ringing through the door.
Then another message arrives.
THE LAST LINE
“She still doesn’t know what really happened that day.”
Brooke’s hand freezes on the doorknob.
She slowly turns back toward Charlatoo’s office.
But before she can open the door, the screen fades
into darkness.
