Oct. 1974 – Boca Grande

The Hotel Caribe lobby is empty, abandoned. A television on a chair shows a Boca Grande flag while military music plays. Charlotte sits at a table sipping tea. Grace enters, “You enjoying that program? That's a sign it's time to get out.” Grace tells Charlotte that Leonard came to her house, said he’d found Marin, and that Warren had died. But at least Charlotte can finally reach Marin. Charlotte’s reply: “She’s always known how to reach me. And she didn’t.” Grace says the last planes are leaving. She insists that Charlotte come to New Orleans with her. But Charlotte says she wants to “see what happens.” Grace tells her that they will kill anyone connected to Victor or Gerardo. Charlotte doesn’t listen.

Later, at Grace’s house, her luggage is loaded into her car. A cab pulls up and Charlotte gets out. Grace is relieved. But Charlotte just came to see Grace off. Grace hugs her tightly, afraid this is the last time she will see her. It is.

“TILL THE NEXT GOODBYE” by THE ROLLING STONES plays over the following:

The Boca Grande airport is pandemonium. Grace walks calmly through the chaos.

That evening, Charlotte turns a corner and sees a barricade manned by teenage soldiers. She thinks about turning back but stops herself. No backward glances. She proffers her passport, saying, “Soy una norteamericana. Soy una turista.” The oldest solder (19) says, “Take her for interrogation.” Charlotte is roughly loaded into a rusty white van.

The National Stadium is an ad hoc army base. It’s nighttime. Inside the stadium the lights are blazing. Sporadic gunfire can be heard. The van screeches into the parking lot. Soldiers pull Charlotte out. A child soldier leads her to a holding area, pushes her down on the ground. She looks up at the soldier, who has a triangular scar on her face. It’s the girl Charlotte tried to save from the swimming pool. The one who stole her purse. Charlotte closes her eyes.

Inside the last plane out, Grace moves in slow-motion through the chaos of people frantically stuffing luggage in overhead bins. Grace sits and places her bag under the seat. She looks at the empty seat next to her and closes her eyes.

A young Latina -- Marin’s age (18) -- is forced to sit on the ground next to Charlotte. She’s scared and crying. Charlotte comforts her with words we cannot hear. The girl soldier with the scar returns and grabs Charlotte. The young Latina screams as Charlotte is pulled away. SLOW-MOTION: The girl soldier leads Charlotte by the arm, into the stadium. In the tunnel, they are silhouettes against the bright stadium lights. A blast of light from inside the stadium burns out the silhouettes. When they return, Charlotte is holding Marin’s hand, and inside the stadium are the lights of Tivoli Garden. They turn and look back over their shoulders at us. The loud report of a revolver, another flash of light – the stadium lights are back, the tunnel is empty.

“TILL THE NEXT GOODBYE” ENDS. FADE TO BLACK.

Days later, Grace walks through the calm Boca Grande airport. GRACE VO: “On the day Antonio finally managed to take over Victor’s office, the October Violence ended.”

The American Embassy is locked, deserted, Charlotte’s body lies face-down on the lawn. GRACE VO: “And Charlotte Douglas’s body was found on the lawn of the American Embassy.”

Tuck Bradley gives Grace a box of Charlotte’s personal effects. The emerald ring isn’t there. Tuck shrugs, “If I had to guess, I’d say it has either been ‘nationalized,’ or it’s gracing the finger of some army colonel’s wife. Sorry, Grace.”

Gerardo visits Grace’s house. Grace tries to elicit some sort of emotional response to Charlotte’s death. She can’t. She tells him that she has revised her will. He will get nothing when she dies. She is leaving it all to the Frente Popular, Quintana’s party. Gerardo scoffs and says the family will never allow it. Grace smiles, “Well, they better have a good lawyer. I know I do.”

Nov. 1974

Grace is on an airplane.

GRACE VO: “Among Charlotte’s effects was an envelope with Marin’s name on it. And so, I did something I thought I would never do. I went to Buffalo.”

Buffalo, New York

Marin is hiding out in a depressing apartment. She is sullen -- resentful of Charlotte, hostile toward Grace. She doesn’t care about the envelope. Grace can’t seem to reach her. Then she asks about Tivoli Gardens. Marin avoids the question, so Grace asks again. Marin breaks down in tears.

Nov. 1975 – Boca Grande

Grace’s presentation is jammed. The rebel leader, Qintana is there. Antonio enters with secret police. Grace tells the audience that Charlotte’s story is important to her, but what’s important to them is their own story. They must tell it, remember it. Looking straight at Antonio, she says that for too long Boca Grande has been governed by weak, narcissists obsessed with power, men who don’t understand that their power derives from the people. She says it’s time for that to change and introduces Quintana, who jumps on stage to a standing ovation. She raises her fist. Almost everyone follows suit. “Armas!” she shouts. “Armas!” they yell back. She points to her temple. “Mentes!” They scream it back to her. She places her hand over her heart. “Corazones!” The response is explosive. Realizing they are outnumbered; Antonio and his secret police slink out.

Dec. 1975 – Boca Grande

Grace is at home, looking old, tired, and unwell. Her nurse brings a box of mail that had been lost since the violence, over a year before. Amongst the old mail, Grace finds a small pink box. Inside is Charlotte’s large, square emerald, given to Leonard  Douglas by Edgar, in exchange for an “operation” in 1959.  Grace’s eyes fill with bitter tears.

Oct. 1974 – Boca Grande

Charlotte walks out of the hotel on the last day of her life. She sees soldiers setting up a barricade. She looks at the emerald on her finger. She walks into the Post Office. GRACE (V.O.) “I am less and less certain that this has been a story of delusion.”

Dec. 1975 – Boca Grande

Grace looks down at the emerald, “Unless the delusion was mine.” She looks up at us: “I have not been the witness I wanted to be.”

“BLACK DIAMOND BAY” by BOB DYLAN PLAYS as we…

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF SERIES.

Photos are intended to represent approximate ages and physical types only.

No actors are involved with, or attached to this project at this time.