Once A Thief

OPENING

rNT. STUDY - NTGHT

A torchlight shines across the carpeted floor

Marty, jacket hood up, rrralks slowly, placi-ng one foot in

front of the other. His shoes are enclosed in plastic

bags. Hj-s ho1da1l is on his back. I'larty swings his torch.

The light picks up -

Glass-topped desk with a large computer and a rnass of

computer kit. A bookcase with one book.

Marty moves closer and shines his torch on the walI. He

scrutinj-ses a PICTURE of the Algarve, The picture is

fastened to the waII and IIINGED. Marty swings the

picture. It reveals the BLACK MASS DOOR OF A SAFE.

Marty holds hi-s breath, Ii-stening.

The muffled sound of a DOG barking in the distance is

heard.

Marty swings hie holdall to the floor. He adjusts his

glasses and gets to work opening the safe.

LATER

Marty locks the safe and replaces the picture. He hoists

the holdaIl on his back and retraces his steps to the

door.

TIALL.

Marty walks briskly towards the front door. Staj-rs curve

upwards to his right. He reaches out to open the door,

when -

The door flies open.

The tall fi.gure of GEORGE GODI{IN fills the doonaay. He is

outlined against light flooding j-n from an overhead lamp

outside. George's shoulder bag slips off and falls to the

f1oor.

Marty freezes in shock.

2.

INT. GROUND FLOOR, APPARTMENT FLAT - DAY

TRACY (20 ) stands with folded arms and a res.i-gned look

on her face watching her mother, DIEDRE (42).

Diedre is applying lipstick, holding a sma1l folding

mirror. She snaps the mirror shut and stuffs it into a

shoulder bag. She is smartly dressed to go out. She

glances at TracY.

DIEDRE

Seen enough?

rRACY

Do you have to go? You were out

last night.

DIEDRE

It's mY daY offl

Diedre gives her a hard stare.

DIEDRE

Do something about Your hair,

Tracy. You look a mess. No

wonder you got the sack again.

TRACY

Excuseme*Ileft!

DIEDRE

I'm not putting uP with this much

longer, TracY. You need to start

paying your way. And be nice to

Roddy. He'lI be here in a minute.

TRACY

What happened to Pete?

DIEDRE

He didn't renew his club

subscriptj-on.

She moves cIose, confiding.

DTEDRE

Roddy's got a jag. And we're off

to Richmond.

Tracy smirks.

( CoNTTNUED )

3.

CONTINUED:

DIEDRE

At least I'Il get a decent meal

out of him!

Tracy smirks again.

Dledre rounds on her, angry.

DIEDRE

He's not a waste of space like

your my girll

They glare at each other.

The doorbell rj-ngs.

Diedre hurries from the room. Tracy follows her.

INT. NAP.ROW HALLWAY

Dj-edre opens the front door, beaming. RODDY (29) enters.

He kisses Diedre on the cheek, Iooki-ng beyond her at

Tracy.

Tracy pulls a face.

Diedre bundles Roddy out again. She turns and blows Tracy

a mock klss.

DIEDRE

Bye, darling.

The door closes behind them.

Trace stares hard at the closed door and sighs. She

straightens up and gives herself a shake.

rNT. APPARTMENT FLAT.

Tracy comes into the room and sj-ts at a tab1e. She

unfolds a LOCAL PAPER and turns to the back pages.

She runs a finger down the JOB ADVERTS. Her finger stops

at a SUPER}iIARKET advert.

INT. SUPERMARKET * DAY - TLASHBACK

In an isLe at the back of the store, Tracy is breaking up

CARDBOARD BOXES used for displaying produce etc. She

throws a wedge of cardboard into a -

(coNTTNUED)

L.

CONTINUED:

WASTE BIN some way down the isle and - misses'

Tracy giggles.

The MANAGER appears looking furious. He wags a finger at

Tracy and points at the store exit door.

Tracy shrugs, she removes her tabard and throws it down.

She walks passed the manager and out of the store'

INT. HAIRDRESSER SA],ON _ DAY - FLASHBACK

Tracy is sweeping haj-r off the floor. She Stops and helps

a CUSTOMER unwind a curler from her hair' It gets

entangled.

The HAIR STYLIST notices and throws her hands up, irate.

Tracy storms out.

EXT. - CARPARK BOOTH - DAY - FLASHBACK

Tracy is j-n the ticket booth.

A MAN stands outside. He waves a parking ticket at Tracy

and shouts obscenities -

Tracy puts her hands over her ears. The man's face

disaiplars as she slams down the booth opening hatch.

FLASHBACK ENDS.

APPARTI{ENT FLAT _ SAME

Trace's screws up the paper and gets up from the table.

TRACY

AlI rubbish jobs!

HALLWAY

Tracy takes a very short summer jacket from a coat rack

on tire watl, and Efips it on over her orange tee-shirt.

Her jeans are ripped and she wears short brown boots.

Tracie opens the front door and leaves the flat.

5.

EXT. MARKET - DAY

A typical bustling (permanent) North London market with a

variety of stalls. Tracy walks through the market,

looking disgruntled.

VEGETABLE STA],L

JIM {24) sta}l seller assistant, oodles Tracy as she

passes. She does not notice hj-m.

SMALL SHOPS

Tracy passes a row of sma1l shops. She stops at a

LOCKSMITH SHOP.

In the window, a NOTICE reads: APPRENTICE WANTED.

Tracy stands for a while pondering. She glances up and

sees above the doorway: HOLMES & SON.

Tracy pushes the door open.

INT. SHOP _ DAY

The door be1I pings as Tracy comes j-nto the shop.

MARTY HOLI\'1ES(65) is sitting on a stool behind a counter.

He looks neat 1n a sports jacket and green tie. His large

horned-rimmed glasses are perched above his forehead on

his bolding head. Behind him are rows of keys on hooks.

He smiles benignly at Tracy as she approaches.

TRACY

Can f have a word about your sign -

the apprentj-ce thing, that is?

T,IARTY

Are you j-nterested?

Yes, r anr, ,"rlTtlhink r am. '

Marty lowered his glasses and looked her up and down.

}4ARTY

What's your narne then?

Tracy shifts from leg to leg, aware of his scruti-ny.

(coNTTNUED)

6.

CONTINUED:

TRACY

Tracy, Tracy Hines. Sorry I'm not

Iooking very smart. I usually have

an overall on over all this.

MARTY

Well not-very-smart Tracy Hines,

do you fancy a cuppar w€ could go

to the cafe and have a chat?

EXT. MARKET - DAY

Popular Marty is greeted by sta1l-holders as he walks

through the market wj-th Tracy following hlm.

Jim is twisting a RUBIC CUBE behind the sta1l. He stops

and looks up as tracy passes.

Tracy has a half-smile on her face, but does not

acknowledge him.

CONSTABLE STRONG (in police uni-form) stands slightly

apart from the stalls glowering at his mobile phone.

INT. CAFE - DAY

The popular market caf6 is crowded and noisy. Marty is

sj-tting opposite Tracy at a small table. He leans forward

to hear her. They talk as they drink their coffee.

MARTY

So, Tracy, teIl me about yourself.

TRACY

( shrugs ) Won't take long.

Marty surreptitiously glances around at -

Two tough-looking MEN sitting a few tables behind them.

Marty turns back. i{e sips his coffee and looks at Tracy,

wai-ting.

Tracy takes a deep breath.

TRACEY

f live with my Mum in a flat in

Islington. Dad left when f was

eleven.

(MORE )

(coNTrNuED)

7.

CONTTNUED:

TRACEY (CONT'D)

He was a carpenter, and he went

off with a female Ameri-can c1i-ent

to the States. (beat) O.K. I'11 be

honest with you. I've just left

some of the woret jobs in the

world. And I need something

interesting or I'11 die of

boredom.

MARTY

So you think you want to become a

locksmi-th? I'm not after someone just to serve customers at the

counter you know, I want someone

to learn the trade, to help with

everything.

TRACY

Yes, yes, it sounds j-nteresting

and I want to learn. And f like

making things. f'm good with my

fingers.

}4ARTY f guess that means you are

manually dexterous. What I do 1s

quj-te technical in a way, you know

i-t, s

TRACY

Mr Holmes, is that right?

MARTY

Yes, but call me Marty.

TRACY

I didn't do weII at school but I'm

not stupid. Actually, I thJ-nk I'm

quite bright.

Marty sj-ts back and takes a long slow sip of his coffee,

contemplating.

MARTY I have to say I imagined that

anyone I took on would be a little

older - and have a technical

quallficatlon of some sort.

Marty's phone rings.

(coNTrNuED)

8.

CONTINUED: (2\

MARTY

Sorry, must take this... What'e

that, love?..Yes, I know. Yes. I'm

in the caf6 Dow. I'm actually

interviewing a possible

apprentic€. . .Later, yes. Bye.

Marty puts the phone down. IIe smiles at Tracy who looks

anxious.

MARTY

My wife, Mary. (beat) You know

what, Tracy, f think we mlght make j-t work. I like that you've been

honest and seem ready for a

challenEe. And I'm not getting any

younger.

Trace clasps her hands in front of her face and grins.

}4ARTY Start on Monday and I'11 give you

a week's money at the end of the

first week before going on a

monthly basis. Write down your

name and address and phone number

and f give you a formalconfirmation

when you come in on

Monday. Sharp mj-nd. On the dot.

That's rule one.

He smiles.

TRACY

O.K. Thanks for giving me a chance

Mr. . .Marty. Monday, 9 o'clock.

EXT. MARKET - DAY

Tracy walks back through the market again, talking into

her phone.

TRACY

You'll be pleased when you get

this Mum. I've got myself a proper

job. Wowee!

Tracy switches off. She flips her hand at Jim as she

passes.

Jim's rubric cube completed is on a chair behind the

sta11.

9.

rNT. SHOP - DAY

Monday morning. Tracy stands outside Marty's

at her watch. She is dressed conventionally

summer skj-rt and black ankle-length boote.

shop ina

looking

short

fracy jurnps when Marty suddenly addresses her,

},IARTY

Morning yout Riqht, on time, I see.

Good start, 1et's get my litt1e

emporium opened up shall we?

Marty inserts a key in the door.

CUT TO:

INT. SHOP

Tracy is sitting on a high stool- behind the counter

drinking a mug of coffee. Marty stands beside her.

MARTY

It's like this see, there's three

thi-ngs. First there's things you

can do immediately like selling an

item like a padloLk.

Marty points at a shelf of PADLOCKS on the opposite waI1.

TRACY

I can work a till. Mum showed me.

She works at a sport's c1ub.

Marty nods, pleased.

I4ARTY

Next there's things you'Il pick up pretty quickly like cutting keys.

Tracy leans forward looking past Marty at -

An intimidating-Iooking GRTNDING MACHINE.

rt's rea11y "ffill.forward. And

don't worry, f '11 show you. Then thirdly there is more complicated stuff, safes and so on.

Safes ?

TRACY

(CoNTTNUED)

10.

CONTTNUED:

MARTY

I'11 1et you come out with me.

There'll be a good bit of learning

and practice involved in that

area.

The door befl pings as an elderly LADY comes into the

shop with an wobblj-ng shopping trolley.

Marty goes to help her straightened the wheels.

MARTY

Morning Mrs Brj-ght. Lost your

front door key again have you?

MRS BRIGHT

(fumbling in her

pocket )

No Marty, not this time. I just

want a duplicate for my son,

please.

She hands l{arty a YALE KEY.

GRINDING MACHINE

Tracy stands close to Marty watching him gri-nd a

duplicate key.

She is sprayed with IiIETAILIC DUST and stands back.

MRS BRTGHT (V.O. ) You'll need an apron, Dearie.

FADE OUT.

BRING UP. A LARGE CLOCK on the wa1I shows the time

9.15am. FX. The IIANDS of the clock SPIN around the clockface

twice. They stop at 11.30am.

The shop door pings as Tracy comes in carrying two

packets of sandwiches.

Marty emerges from his stockroom/office holding two

prj-nted sheets of paper.

MARTY

Outside jobs now. Some poor soul

is sitting on the pavement locked

out of his house, and there's a

safe needs opening. You up for it?

( CoNTTNUED )