“On the

Border”
Meaner than a Del Rio dog fight.

by Steven Donnini

Library of Congress

Copyright Steven Donnini 2007

Steven Donnini

407-645-4705

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sdonninifilms@aol.com

Today, the West Texas town of Del Rio on the Rio

Grande, just across the Mexican border from Ciudad
Acuna, is a place where the locals must endure nightly
incursions into the U.S. by Mexicans crossing the
desert and the Rio Grande River. Here the pressure to
deal with prejudice against Mexicans has a long
history even among Hispanic Americans. However, the
people of Del Rio are good and simple people, quickly
being drawn into the 21st Century by drug cowboys,
illegal aliens lost in the desert and Washington
Politicians.

Characters
Henry Kyle: 40 year old Sheriff
He is a strong willed, 40 year old, elected official.
His skin has the look of a well worn pair of Tony Lama
leather boots. He beat the old Sheriff, Buford Betts
in the last election. Buford called Henry a “half-
breed” during a radio debate. So it was sweet when
Henry won the election. But there are still people
that don’t want Henry to do well. His father is a
direct descendent of one of the “Buffalo Soldiers,” an
all black Civil War Union Army Unit. His Mother is a
Mexican woman from Lubbock. He enlisted in the Marine
Corps and was on the front line at the road from
Kuwait City to Basra, Iraq. The Road of Death as it
became known, because of the thousands of Iraqi

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solders that met their hellish end at the hands of the
U.S. made Daisy Cutter Bombs. Henry is a small town
guy, his family lives in Eagle Pass just down the Rio
Grande. Now it’s a hot bed of anti-American activists
that want Texas to secede from the union. In the
Texas Constitution, there’s a clause (a compromise
with the U.S. Government) that states, if the people
of Texas decide they don’t want to be part of the
U.S.A., they can vote to secede. It’s been tried
several times in recent years.

Brenda Kyle: Henry’s 35 year old wife.

Brenda is a loving and caring wife with a thick New
England accent. Her family back in Boston is a tight
nit group who’s linage goes back to the first New
England settlers. She met Henry in US Army stationed
in Saudi Arabia during the Kuwait War. There they
became quick friends and married as soon as they got
back state side. She has become a real Texan and has a
keen interest in all the southwestern Indian customs.

Alice Grandbary: 35 year old Sheriff’s Office

Manager. Alice is a country girl with long black hair
and country manners. She lives with her husband and
elderly mother. Men seem to die early in these parts.
But she has always loved her family. They have been
there for her when the two kids were born and husband
Andy was in Midland working at an EXXON natural gas
processing plant.

Sam Peets: 26 year old Sheriff Deputy

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At 6’3 and 350 lbs., Texas A&M in College Station
wanted him for the football team. But, his Dad was
sick and he couldn’t leave the ranch, so he stayed
around to help. It’s real hard out there with falling
beef prices, rising fuel prices and the everlasting
poor local economy.

Judge Dolby: 65 year old Val Verde County Judge

Judge Dolby is out at his ranch in Post, Texas near
Lubbock (original home of Post Cereal), where his son
and family live. He won’t be back until Monday
afternoon. Judge Dolby is one man you don’t want to
offend. He keeps an office that is small, efficient
and clean. His courtroom is stately, worthy of his
reputation for strict procedures and composure. With
20 years on the bench, there never has been an over
turned ruling. Texas is unique in the way the County
seats are geographically drawn on the Texas map same
sized boxes are drawn all across the state. Texas
State law requires that counties be drawn based on how
long it takes to ride on horseback to the county seat.
It can’t be any further than a one-day ride. Judge
Dolby, at 65 has no intention of retiring anytime
soon. He has important friends in Austin that protect
him from criticism. He’s known as “King Dolby” to his
friends or Judge Roy Bean the "Law West of the Pecos”
by his detractors.

Nanci Jo Anderson: 45 year old housewife.

Nanci Jo has been a native of Del Rio since child
hood. The Anderson’s are well known across the area
as good folks. Her dad Captain Anderson is a retired

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Marine Corps Vet. All his 5 brothers were decorated
in the Vat Nam War. But he was the only one to come
back alive. He and she love the Harley Davidson
motorcycle rides they take across the desert.

Lt. Jim Fielding: 45 year old Texas Rangers

Fielding is the best example of a Texas Ranger, tall,
thin, gray hair and a handle bar mustache. A Sam
Elliot type. Lt. Jim Fielding comes from a family of
Texas Rangers going back to the their inception. He
is a graduate of West Point Navel Academy and was a
Commissioned Officer on the nuclear-powered U.S.S.
Theodore Roosevelt.
They sailed from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf when
hostilities began with Iraq. That fact carries a lot
of weight in these parts.

Mayor Robert Stevens: The oldest sun of a oil lease

operator and the 60 year old Del Rio, Town Mayor.
Mayor Stevens didn’t support Henry during his
election. He is an opportunist when it comes to
politics. A fast food franchisee mogul with over 25
restaurants all over west Texas. They include Dairy
Queens, Pizza Huts and Mc Donald’s. He is best known
as an Arabian Horse owner and race horse racer. He
also owns a GMC Truck Dealership.

Robert “Robby” Steven Jr.: 30 year old son of the

Mayor. A spoiled only child, he’s had all the
privileges that come with royalty. Unfortunately he
has never shown and interest in helping people who are
less fortunate. He spends any assets available to

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give him an appearance of nobility. He’s known as
Prince Robby by the local folks. Jr. has always been
looking for an opportunity to place himself into a
political position in Austin. Even in High School, he
was always grand standing in one way or another. Once
he had a girl friend say that he had defended her from
a Mexican who was trying to rape her. Later, when
they had a falling out she told everyone it wasn’t
true and then she was paid $100 to make up the story.
In the mean time, there were a lot of Mexican migrant
workers that were needlessly hassled.

William Rohas: 30 year old INS Special Agent.

William is an experienced Border Patrol Policeman with
years on the job he has seen it all from the poor
Mexicans coming across the border to drug smugglers.
He knows every square foot of the Val Verde County
along the Rio Grande. He knows the current drug lords
by name and site. He tracks them like watching
rattle snakes.

Harold Fine: 60 year old Val Verde County Coroner

Harold moved here several years ago from the Dallas
County Medical Examiner’s Office at Parkland Hospital.
Parkland is famous, because President John F. Kennedy
was taken there after he was shot and later pronounced
dead.
Harold was a little too sensitive from the 200+
murders, suicides, and accidental shootings a year,
especially when the victims were children.

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FADE IN

EXTEROUR DAY:
The West Texas town of Del Rio, Texas.

The West Texas town of Del Rio was suffering the

afternoon desert winds.
Sheriff Henry Kyle opens the door of his Dodge SUV,
Del Rio Sheriff Department’s Cruiser. Hanging on to
his Resistol hat, Henry fights the wind across the
street to the front door of the Del Rio Sheriff’s
office. A “Blue Norther” is blowing in from Colorado
and the temperature will drop 30 degrees in 2 hours.

INTERIOR DAY: DEL RIO SHERIFF DEPARTMENT OFFICE

He opens the office door and is greeted by Alice
Grandbary, a kind woman with big hair and heavy Merle
Norman pancake make-up, no match for the West Texas
wind.
ALICE
“Hey, Henry!”
HENRY
“Hey, Alice.”
ALICE
“Nothin happing around here.

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 It’s been quiet. Do you mind
if I listen to some tunes.”

HENRY
“Knock yourself out, girl.”

She plays a Garth Brooks CD, No Fences. He walks into

his small office. It has half wooden walls, with
glass to the ceiling, so there’s no privacy, but it’s
somewhat quite except for on the weekend nights when
he has to book drunk cowboys and Air Force servicemen
into jail.

INTEROUR DAY: HENRY’S OFFICE

Henry is going over his messages at the front desk.

HENRY
“Alice, are you going to the
Rodeo this weekend?”

ALICE
“No I need to stay home with
Clifton.”

Henry stuffs a handful of messages in his coat pocket.

INTEROUR DAY: SHERIFF’S OUTER OFFICE

HENRY
“Can you find me a gal that can
type for that night.

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 I’m sure there is going to be
some business coming through this
office and Sam can’t spell
worth a damn. It’s a real pain
in the butt to fix all those
typing mistakes.”

ALICE
“I know, Judge Dolby is unforgiving
on that point. I’ll ask my niece
Pammy to sit in. She graduated
high school and her husband is
out of work, so she needs the money.”

HENRY
“Does she speak Spanish?”

ALICE
“Enough to get by.”

Henry knows that this weekend is going to be hell,

because the rodeo is in town and they’ll be lots of
illegal cowboy’s coming across the Rio Grande from the
Mexican border town of Ciudad Acuna. They’ll come
over the bridge here for the rodeo and get a bus ride
to Dallas, Austin or Houston. The INS and Border
Patrol will need help handling the Mexicans that come
across and run. After 2 years, of providing security
for the Annual Del Rio Rodeo, Henry and Sam have
learned the hard way that it takes lot of attention to
handle 10,000 fans and 75 riders, ropers, clowns,
drunken cowboys, servicemen from Laughlin Air Force

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Base and the Mexicans. The Sheriff’s Department is
responsible for what happens in all of Val Verde
County, outside of the city limits of Del Rio, which
includes the county fair grounds.
Plus, the INS and Border Patrol is always under-
powered and playing cops and robbers.

HENRY
“Can your brother Leland come
in for Friday night?”

ALICE
“I’ll call him. But, I’m sure
he’ll be OK with it.”

HENRY
“I’ll put him with Sam down at
the Fair grounds.”

The office phone rings. Alice answers.

ALICE
“Sheriff’s office, how can I
help ya?.”

INTERIOR DAY: ANDERSON FAMILY FARMHOUSE KITCHEN

NANCI JO ANDERSON
“I found a young girl in my back
yard. She isn’t breathing.

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 Please send the Sheriff,
I think she is dead!”

ALICE
“Stay on the phone. What’s your name?

NANCI JO ANDERSON
“Nanci Jo Anderson.”

ALICE
“Where are you?”

NANCI JO ANDERSON
“Off state road 377 just after the
Amistad Dam turn off. Please hurry,
I’m very scared.”

ALICE
“Stay on the phone.”

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Alice calls out across the office.

ALICE
“Henry we have an emergency call
out at on 377. A child is down
and not breathing.”

HENRY
“Give me the address.”

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He grabs his hat and coat and rushes out the door.
Alice calls the Del Rio Emergency Response.

EXTERIOR DAY: ANDERSON HOUSE IN DESERT.

Henry arrives at the Anderson house. It lays on 66

acres of sand, pair cactus and brush. There’s a long
driveway from the highway to the 1920’s ranch house
that is surrounded by tall poplar trees. Now, the
ranch has been abandoned but the small wooden house
still stands in a cluster of wind break trees. Henry
spots the EMT truck backing down the long drive
kicking up a plume of dust into the wind. He stops
and joins the EMT team working on the girl.

EMT Steve Campbell is working to get an airway.

HENRY
“Where did she come from?”

STEVE
“Beats me, ask Nanci Jo.”

Henry walks over to Nanci Jo standing in the screened

porch doorway, dressed in an well worn housedress
smoking a hand rolled cigarette.

HENRY
“When did you find her?”

NANCI JO ANDERSON
“I came out to hang clothes on

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 the line and there she was.”

HENRY
“Do you recognize her?”

Nanci Jo wiping tears away from her eyes with her

fingers.

NANCI JO ANDERSON
“No. In a way I feel better that
I don’t. This is horrible.
That’s all I know.”

Henry hands her his card.

HENRY
“Well, if you remember anything,
just call me at this number.”

STEVE
“Henry, come here.”

Henry joins him over the girl’s lifeless body.

STEVE
“She may have died of exposure
overnight. I’ll turn her over
to the coroner. This is one of
those times when I hate this job.”

HENRY
“There has been a lot of people

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 that get lost in this vast desert
wilderness over the years.
It is very unforgiving of the weak
and the young.”

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Later that day, in the Sheriff’s office, Henry and
Alice filed a report.

HENRY
“I’m going to have to get some
help on this one.”

Alice opens the case file gazes at the crime scene

photos.

ALICE
“By the looks of her, she’s
about 10 years old, but I don’t
think she is from around here.”

HENRY
“Could be, but how the hell did
she wind up at the Anderson’s
place? That’s way off the
beaten path.”

ALICE
“I’ll call the Texas Rangers to
see if there’s a girl with this
description whose gone missing.”

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EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE
7:00AM Friday morning, Henry and Sam arrive at the
Sheriff’s office at the same time meeting each other
at the door.

SAM
“I’ll tell you something, I don’t
feel good about this little
girl thing.”

HENRY
“Yeah, my wife won’t let the kids
out. It’s all over all over town.”

Sam looking out the window.

SAM
“I swear, they know about things
faster than a dose of salts going
through a widow woman.”

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Del Rio News reporter Jane Goodwin walks in from
across the street. She was an award winning reporter
for the Austin American Statesmen’s office in Lubbock
for 3 years and returned to her hometown as an expert
investigative reporter. If you don’t believe it, just
ask her. Her friends say that she is really a
sweetheart.
Henry is talking with Sam.

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 SAM
Sam interrupts.
“Here comes trouble.”

Jane walks in.

JANE
“Sheriff, what’s happening with
the little girl who was discovered
out by the dam?”

HENRY
“Well, at this point we’re trying
to identify her. We’re searching
for people that might know who
she is.”

JANE
“Do you have any evidence of
fowl play?”

HENRY
“I can’t comment on evidence,
you know that.”

He opens the office door to find his office teaming

with Texas Ranger Deputies. He looks at Alice as he
passes the front desk.

HENRY
“Good morning Alice. So, did you

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 round up the posse?”

ALICE
“You may want to read the note
on you’re desk.”

He walks directly to the office and shuts the door.

He sits down reads the note she left for him and lifts
the phone and pushes the intercom button.

ALICE
“Yes sir.”

HENRY
“Yes, I do believe we need some
more deputies. Get on the horn.”

ALICE
“I’ll go down the list.”

A Texas Ranger Lt. Fielding taps on the glass window.

Henry waves him in.

FIELDING
“Hi, I’m Lt. Jim Fielding and we’re
here to help you.”

HENRY
“Good, we need your help.”

FIELDING
“I suggest we do an evidence

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 search of the Anderson property
today.”
HENRY
“How fast can we get to it.”

Henry hands Fielding directions.

FIELDING
“There’s no time like the present.”

HENRY
“You go on, I’ll catch up in a
few minutes.”

Fielding goes for the door.

HENRY
“Thank you.”

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Fielding and 12 Deputies load up in three white Chevy

Suburban SUV’s and drive out to the Anderson house.

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Henry talks with INS Special Agent William Rohas over

the phone.

HENRY
“Bill, I’m hoping you can shed
some light on this girl.”

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 ROHAS
“We’ve been looking for people
that may have some information
about her. If she is indeed
Mexican, she was traveling with
someone else. We need to find
out what happen to the others.”

HENRY
“Along this point on the River
we have seen a lot of people
coming across. It’s safe to
cross here, because of the
dam up stream.”

ROHAS
“We have seen a lot of activity
here as well. When will you get
a complete coroners report?

HENRY
“Before the end of business today.”

ROHAS
“Great, I’ll bet that she died
of exposure and dehydration.
We’ve seen more of this lately.
I need a photo of the girl.”

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Henry picks up the intercom.

HENRY
“Alice, fax Rohas a photo of our
girl and the Coroner’s report
when it comes in.”

ALICE
“Roger that.”

EXRERIOR DAY: ANDERSON FARM

At the Anderson place, the Rangers are walking in a

grid pattern searching across their back yard. Jim
Fielding is collecting evidence into plastic baggies.
There are cigarette butts, a quart sized beer bottle,
a pocketknife and a small backpack containing empty
food containers.

EXTERIOR DAY: ANDERSON FARM

Henry arrives back at the Anderson yard to meet

Fielding.

HENRY
“Got anything interesting?”

Fielding holds up the baggie with the pocketknife.

FIELDING

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 “This is something that a man
would not want to leave behind.”

HENRY
“Prints maybe?”

FIELDING
“Hopefully, if this guy has been
picked up in the last few years,
we could have a match and name
in the computer in Lubbock.”

HENRY
“I need to get with the Annual
Del Rio Rodeo people for a briefing.”

FIELDING
“I’ll meet you at the office later.
An army travels on its stomach
you know.”

HENRY
“Take your crew to the Cripple Creek
Restaurant. Tell your boys to
stay away from the chili. We have an
account there. So, use it.”

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

5:30 PM, the County Coroner, Harold Fine arrives with

his report at the sheriff’s office. The Texas Rangers

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and Sheriff Deputies are laughing and talking on cell
phones. Henry opens his office door to greet Harold.

HENRY (shouts)
“Keep it down boys, I can’t hear.”

HAROLD
“Sorry, I’m so late getting this
to you, but I needed to spend
some extra time on it.
I don’t like being found wrong in
these high profile cases.”

HENRY
“Harold, you smell. Don’t you
wash your hands?”

HAROLD
“I was in a hurry. You sound like
my wife.”

HENRY
“What do you have?

Harold peers over his half round reading glasses.

HAROLD
“The girl is about 9 to 11 years old.
There’s no food in the stomach.
She was dehydrated. There are
bruises around her neck that
are consistent with strangulation.”

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 HENRY
“What’s the time of death?”

HAROLD
“About 2:30 AM, give or take an hour.”

HENRY
“So, we’ve got a murder.”

HAROLD
“That’s my opinion.”

HENRY
“Oh, shit.”

Henry calls Mayor Stevens at home to inform him.

HENRY
“Sorry to interrupt you at home
Mayor, but we have a situation.”

MAYOR
“I hear there was a young girl
found out near the dam.”

HENRY
“Yes sir. Harold from the
coroner’s office is here with
me and it’s his opinion that
we have a murder here.”

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 MAYOR
“What can I do?”

HENRY
“Just sit tight and we’ll have
a News Conference in the morning.
I’ll copy what I have and get
it sent over to you.”

MAYOR
“I don’t want to talk about this
too much until the Rodeo is over.”

Henry,
“I understand. But we know that
telling the public is important,
because they provide leads for our
investigation.”

Mayor,
“My son Robby is here he can handle
the Press.”

He hands the phone to Robby.

ROBBY STEVENS
“Henry, this is Robby Stevens.
I have been in touch with the
Coroners office.
I don’t want some little girl
to ruin the Annual Rodeo Weekend.”

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 HENRY
“Robby, you don’t understand.”

ROBBY STEVENS
“I understand perfectly. Keep a
lid on it until Sunday night.”

HENRY
“I don’t think I can do that.”

ROBBY STEVENS
“If I were in you’re boots,
I would remember that there’s an
election coming up next November
and you’ll need friends.”

Robby hangs up.

HAROLD
“What the hell was that?”

Henry frowns.
HAROLD
(with a crooked smile)
“So, you got a dose of salts from
Jr. right?”

HENRY
“I guess so.”

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Henry’s wife, Brenda, calls on his cell phone.

HENRY
“Hi Honey, what up?”

BRENDA
“Should I wait on dinner for you.”

HENRY
“No, go ahead and eat. This is
going to be a long one.”

BRENDA
“I’ll be happy when the Rodeo
is over.”
HENRY
“Me too. But now, we’ve got a
murder investigation to deal with.”

BRENDA
“Oh my, who?”

HENRY
“I’ll try to call you later
and explain. But, don’t wait up.
I love you.”

INTERIOR DAY: RIVER GRANDE MOTEL LOBBY

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The Texas Rangers are at the River Grande Motel lobby
laying out the evidence that they have collected. The
motel is crowded with rodeo cowboys, unpacking riding
tackle and checking it for their ride. One of them
stops to talk to a Texas Ranger and asks what all the
fuss is about.

RANGER
“We’re here to investigate the
homicide of a girl who was found out
by the dam.”

COWBOY
“You know that if you need help,
these boys will get it done.”

RANGER
“I’ll keep that in mind.”

EXTERIOR DAY: OUTSIDE SHERIFF’S OFFICE

6:30PM, Media from all over the world has setup camp
across the street from Sheriff’s office. There are
CNN Stringers, NBC, ABC, CBS affiliates and a Japanese
News crew, who are known for their aggressive and
unethical practices.
They’re fighting the ever present wind, putting up
satellite dishes and white pop up tents.

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

27
There’s no room in the office, so officers and
deputies are on the sidewalk.
Henry asks Sam to put up police tape around the office
and close the street to traffic.
Henry looks over at all the reporters.

HENRY
“Here’s our 24 hours of fame.”

Sam walks over to Henry. Henry looks up at him.

HENRY
“Damn Sam, you’re a tall glass
of water.”

Sam stands by the open car door.

SAM
“Sometimes it’s hard on the
head getting in these cruisers.”

HENRY
“Lighten up on those tacos.”

SAM
“Yeah, but then I wouldn’t have
anything to put my hot sauce on.
I’ve got to have my hot sauce.”

HENRY
“Look…stay loose, I’m thinking

28
 things can only get worse
around here.”

That night Henry calls a meeting with Stevens Jr. He

knows that the press conference in the morning will be
proceeded by a sleepless night.

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

11:30 PM, Stevens Jr. arrives with his girlfriend
Ginger, she’s dressed in an elegant strapless evening
gown, high heels and a blonde full length mink coat.
Jr. is confident and eager to deal with the tough
questions that are going to be asked. He enters
Henry’s office with a swagger. Ginger is smoking a
cigarette. Henry greets them coolly.

HENRY
“Have a seat. As you can see,
we’ve got just a few things
happening.”

Henry is on the phone with the Chairman of the Rodeo

Committee.

HENRY
“Look Bill, I’m up to my butt
in rattle snakes. You’re going
the have to figure this one
out yourself.”

29
STEVENS JR. is posturing in his seat. Ginger’s is in
the office window with an air of pretentiousness for
all to see. The Rangers take note of her.

STEVENS JR.
“I don’t have a lot of time
for this.”

HENRY
“Well, too bad, you better sit
back in the saddle and brace up
for a long ride.”

STEVENS JR.
“I don’t like your attitude.”

HENRY
“You just wait till those gorillas
from the media circus get their
paws on you, then see what you like.”

STEVENS JR.
(boasting)
“I studied media relations at the
University of Texas in Austin.”

Henry
“Here’s your chance to use it then.”

STEVENS JR. opens a black portfolio with a pad in it.

30
 STEVENS JR.
“Here’s a list of questions we
need to answer in the morning.”

HENRY
“It’s not a we problem.
You’re gonna be doing all
the talking.”

STEVENS JR. almost slides out of his chair.

STEVENS JR.
“I’ve never done this before.”

HENRY
“That makes two of us. I’ll see
you in the morning. Don’t make
the circus wait, they’ll be very
hungry by then and they don’t
like biscuits and gravy.”

Henry gets out of his chair and goes to the bathroom

and shuts the door with a loud slam. Everyone looks
around to see Jr. and Ginger standing in the office
door. Someone gives a cat whistle. Jr. and Ginger
hurry out to the street to a waiting limo.

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

2:15AM, Fielding walks into Henry’s office to report

what they have found out about the girl.

31
 FIELDING
“Henry, I don’t have a lot on
the girl. But, we know who she
was traveling with, one Pablo
Martinez. We got his name in
the database off his fingerprints
on the pocketknife we found.
This guy has been on the DEA radar
for about 16 months. Drug dealing,
smuggling, murder and sexual
assault, he is smart and resourceful.
This thing looks like a kidnap
and murder. We need to look for
her Mom and Dad in Mexico.”

HENRY
“Don’t talk to Jr. about this.
He’s an unbridled blabber mouth.”

Fielding,
“OK, you’re the boss man.”

HENRY
“I want you guys at the fair
grounds looking for him.”

Fielding,
“I’m way ahead of you. They started
search 30 minutes ago.”

HENRY

32
 “Stay close.”

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

7:00 AM Friday. The street in front of the Sheriff’s

Office is alive with reporters and camera crews. The
Rangers help setup a make shift platform and
microphone stand for the news conference. Henry waits
for Jr. to arrive. There’s a bone chilling wind
blowing up the street.

It’s 7:30 AM, and still no, Stevens Jr. Henry calls
the Mayor’s office. No one is in yet. He calls the
Mayor’s home.

MAYOR STEVENS
“Hey, Henry.”

HENRY
“We have a press conference here.
Where’s Jr.?”

Mayor,
“Call him on the cell. You got
his number?”

HENRY
“Yeah.” Henry calls the number
he has on a card in his pocket.

33
He gets no answer.

EXTERIOR DAY: FRONT OF SHERIFF’S OFFICE

7:45AM, Henry walks up to the “TREE” of microphones.

HENRY
“Hello, I’m Sheriff Henry Kyle
and I’ll answer your questions.
However, I can’t answer any
questions about evidence.”

He points to one reporter from CNN.

CNN Reporter,
“Sheriff Kyle, we understand
that you have an investigation
underway into the murder of a
young Mexican girl.
What can you tell us?”

HENRY
“I can’t tell you the details
of the case, because we don’t
know a lot.
But, we are looking for this man.”

He holds up a photo of Pablo Martinez.

HENRY

34
 (continues)
“We have copies for you.”

CBS REPORTER
“What’s his name?”

HENRY
“Pablo Martinez. He is wanted
by the FBI, INS, and DEA and
by the Mexican authorities.”

BBC REPORTER
“I have a question for the
Texas Ranger representative.”

Henry leans over to Fielding.

HENRY
“Fielding, you silver tongued devil,
it’s your turn in the barrel.”

FIELDING
“Let’s give these good folks
what they CAME FOR.”

HENRY
“I’m going home for some shut eye,
you handle it.”

Fielding steps into the lights.

35
 FIELDING
“My name is Texas Rangers Lt.
Fielding and I would like to
tell you about the Texas Rangers.
The Texas Legislature authorized
the creation of the Unsolved Crimes
Investigation Team on September
1, 2000. The UCIT is led by a
Ranger Lieutenant and staffed
by eight Ranger Sergeants whose
mission is to provide Texas
Law Enforcement Agencies with a
process for investigating
unsolved murders or what appears
to be serial or linked criminal
transactions.
Since there is no statue of
limitations on the offense of
murder, the state has the
moral and statutory obligation
to pursue these cases to a
successful resolution or until
no other leads are viable.
Law enforcement must devote
every effort to investigate
these crimes to the fullest
extent for the state, the victims,
and their families.”

36
The news reporters are so enthralled with Fielding and
his story that they all but forget what the news
conference was about.

INTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

2:45 PM, Henry returns to the office. The media crews

have moved to the Rodeo arena at the fair grounds.

In the office, Alice has been replaced by her niece

Pammy.
She knows her way around the office and has been
around cowboys all of her life so she can hold her
own.
Henry walks through the door.

HENRY
“Hey, Pammy.”

PAMMY
“Hey, Henry. I have all your
messages here on the desk.”

HENRY
“Thanks, I won’t be here long.”

He grabs a handful of sticky notes messages and stuffs

them in his coat pocket. A couple of sticky notes fall
to the floor.

37
 HENRY
“I’ll be at the Rodeo. Call me
on the cell if you need me.”

PAMMY
“Yes sir.”

EXTERIOR DAY: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Henry walks out the office door to the street. It has

warmed up to 50 degrees.
The sunlight feels good to his skin. As he drives to
the fairgrounds his cell rings.
Fielding is at the Rodeo and has his men working the
crowd for Pablo Martinez.

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS

FIELDING
“Henry, no luck yet with Pablo.
But rest assured that if he is
here, we will find him.”

HENRY
“Don’t you ever sleep?”

FIELDING
“Never with both eyes closed.”

HENRY
“I’ll be there in a few.”

38
 FIELDING
“One thing, we think, we found
the Mother of the girl in Ciudad
Acuna. She reported the girl
missing Wednesday afternoon when
she didn’t make it home from school.
She’s coming over with a homicide
detective. I know him.”

HENRY
“He must have snatched her off
the street.”

FIELDING
“Sounds right. I’m in the
announcers box. Come up and meet
with me. It’s a birds eye view.”

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS PARKING LOT

3:15 PM, Henry walks from the parking lot to the

entrance gates.
The crowd is arriving for the opening part of the
show. He navigates his way through the crowd and
glances at a man that looks like Pablo. But, he
disappears into a mass of men wearing western hats.

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS CATTLE SHOOT AREA

Pablo Martinez is walking through the crowded cattle

shoot area. He is paranoid. He knows that his

39
impulsive murder of young Rose was a huge mistake.
Now he has the police on both sides of the border
looking for him. The Mexican Police are more flexible
with how they handle things if they get money, US
dollars that is.
Pablo’s cell phone rings.

PABLO
“Yeah.”
CALLER
(in Spanish)
“You fucking ass hole. You’re
dead Mother fucker.”

PABLO
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”

CALLER
“I know that you have my money.”

PABLO
“If you want it you better show
some respect.”

CALLER
“You stupid fucker, you have
every policeman in the United
States looking for you.”

PABLO
“So what?”

40
 CALLER
“Now we are in the shit with you.
The DEA is all over us. We can’t
move any product.”

PABLO
“Then it helps to protect me,
right?”

CALLER
“We want the money back.
Where is it?”

Pablo walks around a cattle shoot into a crowd of

Sheriff Deputies and knocks a cup of hot coffee out of
Sam’s hand.

SAM
“Hot momma.”

Everyone looks at Sam. Pablo quickly disappears into

the crowd.

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS ANNOUNCERS BOX

Henry arrives at the announcers box. Fielding is

looking at the crowd through field glasses.

FIELDING
“Henry, there’s Rohas over there.

41
 He looks like a Mexican tourist,
with a taco in one hand an a
Lone Star Beer in the other.”

HENRY
“I thought I saw Pablo in the
crowd over by the cattle shoots.”

FIELDING
“This guy wouldn’t miss the rodeo.
So, we have him trapped.
He can’t get out.”

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS

4:00 PM, Henry switches on his hand radio. He listens

as the rodeo begins.

THE ANNOUNCER
“Welcome to the 25th Annual
Del Rio Rodeo, we hope you enjoy
all the fun and excitement that
comes with a real West Texas
style rodeo. On behalf of all
the cowboys and cowgirls we want
you to just sit back and watch
the action brought to you this
year by Lee Western Wear,
Resistol Hats and Dr Pepper.
But first, let’s sing the
National Anthem.”

42
Henry can hear the chatter of all the agents on his
radio.

RANGER
“I think I’ve spotted him behind
the concessions stand sitting
at a picnic table eating.

FIELDING
“Move in like a you had good sense.”

RANGER
“10-4.”

A few seconds pass, then the suspect is in cuffs.

FIELDING
“I’m coming down.”

They ask the suspect for his ID. Before he can get it
out of his pocket, his wife and 4 kids come up and
want to know what he has done.

FIELDING
“Let him go.”

HENRY
“Close, but no cigar.”

EXTERIOR DAY: FAIRGOUNDS PARKING LOT

43
Pablo sits down beside a horse trailer. He pulls his
straw hat down over his face.

INTERIOR DAY: ARENA SECURITY OFFICE

4:30 PM, in the arena security office Henry and

Fielding agree that the Mother of the dead girl may
know Pablo Martinez or may have seen him. They radio
the Mexican detective that is bringing her across the
bridge. They ask him to see if by chance she could
identify him.
They know that it’s a lot to ask a grieving mother to
do anything, but it’s worth a try.

EXTERIOR DUSK: CROWED ARENA

5:15 PM, Henry is impatiently walking through the

crowed arena looking at everyone. He gets a call on
his cell phone. It’s Fielding.

MEXICAN DETECTIVE
“Yes. We have an ID on the girl.
Her name is Rose Hernandez.
She disappeared Wednesday
about 4:00 PM. The girls mother,
Lea Hernandez identified
Pablo Martinez as a neighbor
going by the name Felix Montaro.”

FIELDING
“Is she sure this is our guy?”

44
 HENRY
“Yeah. Take her to the office
and make her comfortable.”

Fielding and Henry agree it’s time to flush him out.

The plan is to force him out in the open before the
rodeo is over so that he can’t get use the crowd to
hide in as they leave the fairgrounds.

INTERIOR EVENING: PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT BOOTH

6:00 PM, Fielding asks to make a public announcement

on the PA system.

FIELDING
“Would Pablo Martinez please
report to the front gate and
speak to Texas Ranger Fielding,
we have a lost item for you.”

They repeat it in Spanish. All the Rangers are

stationed at different gates. They wait.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: ARENA

Pablo is listening. He knows it’s just a matter of
time before the Rangers catch him. He slowly walks
around the trucks looking for one with the keys in it.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: MEDIA CAMP

The CNN, NBC and the rest of the media are currently
at the main entrance to the building. They are all
waiting for a break in the story and are filling in

45
with local color segments about the rodeo riders and
some local personalities like Jim Branch, a famous
Cowboy Poet and songwriter.
During intermission Jim provides entertainment. He
walks out to the center of the arena and Sings a song
for the audience.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: PARKING LOT

7:20 PM, a black, GMC pickup races toward the back
entrance of the fairgrounds. It crashes through the
closed chain link gate and races across the grounds.

INTERIOR NIGHT: GMC PICK UP TRUCK

Pablo calls his girlfriend in Mexico on his cell
phone.

PABLO
“Nina, I’m coming home tonight.”

NINA
“Where are you?”

PABLO
“Don’t ask a bunch of stupid
questions.”

NINA
“OK, Jesus!”

PABLO
“I’m in Del Rio. I’ll be at the

46
 crossing at El Moral.”

NINA
“What time?”

PABLO
“Just be waiting there in 30
minutes, and bring my gun.”

NINA
“Did you kill that little girl?”

PABLO
“It was her fault, I couldn’t
shut her up.”

NINA
“You dumb fucker, this is very bad.”

PABLO
“If you’re not there, I kill you
and all of your family. Got it?”

He tosses the cell phone at the windshield.

PABLO
“Fucking bitch.”

INTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S CRUISER

The Sheriff cruisers give chase. Henry and Fielding
jump in Henry’s SUV Cruiser and follow. They race
south on 277 toward Eagle Pass weaving around tractor-

47
trailer rigs. The sun is setting. They believe that
Pablo is running for a safe haven in Mexico.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: DESERT HIGHWAY

8:00 PM, The Highway Patrol cruisers can’t catch up
so, they decide to try and intercept it with spike
strips at the town of Quemado, they call ahead.

INTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S CRUISER

Henry calls the Laughlin Air Force Base for a chopper
to aid in the chase.

HENRY
“Fielding, we need to get him
before he can get off the road
and crosses the river on foot.”

FIELDING
“Once he’s back in Mexico we’ll
have hell trying to find him.”

HENRY
“There’s a shallow sandbar at
Normandy and across the river
is El Moral. That’s where he’ll
try to make a crossing.
It’s well known to drug
traffickers.”

EXTERIOR NIGHT: DESERT HIGHWAY

48
8:45 PM, the Black GMC pickup is speeding at over 100
miles an hour. At that rate, he’ll be at Quemado
before the strips are put down. And the crossing is
only 3 miles from there. Fielding establishes radio
contact with the chopper. It will not be airborne in
time to intercept, so they ask for them to pick up
Henry and Fielding on 277.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: DESERT HIGHWAY

9:00 PM, Pablo cuts his lights on the pickup. It’s a
clear black sky with only starlight to see by. He
turns off the main road onto a sand path through the
dessert.
The trucks wheels spin to get just enough traction to
keep it moving ever closer to the rivers edge. The

EXTERIOR NIGHT: DESERT HIGHWAY

Highway Patrol cruisers slow when the lights go out on
the truck. It has vanished into the darkness. Only
the spotlights from the chopper illuminate the night
sky. The chopper flies back and forth along the
river.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: RIO GRANDE RIVER

Pablo sees the glistening river ahead.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S CRUISER

Finely they spot the faint lights coming from the open
door of the truck, which is half way submerged in
river mud.

EXTERIOR NIGHT:CHOPPER FLYING

49
In the chopper, Henry is angry.

HENRY
“Shit, we let him get away!”

FIELDING
“He’s back in Mexico and we’ll
have little chance to get at him.”

Off in the distance deep in Mexico, on the horizon a

thunderstorm sends chain lightening across the sky.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: CHOPPER FLYING RIO GRANDE SHERIFF’S

CRUISER
9:55 PM, They call the Mexican police and inform them
that Pablo Martinez has slipped across the border.
The flight back to the Sheriff’s Cruiser is quite,
except for the chatter coming over the chopper radio.

EXTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S CRUISER

They drive back to the empty fairgrounds to the
waiting Ranger Deputies.

11:00 PM, Henry drops Fielding off.

HENRY
“Well, we gave it our best shot.”

FIELDING
“That little girl was a hostage
and she suffered. I don’t think
I’m gonna forget her anytime soon.”

50
 HENRY
“Don’t blame yourself.”

FIELDING
“I screwed up and I know it.
I’ll see ya’ll later.”

HENRY
“Hey, don’t be too hard on
yourself, tomorrow is another
day.”

FIELDING
“Mama always said, life always
looks better after a good
night’s sleep.”

EXTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

11:30 PM, Henry arrives at the office. The street is
empty of all the media vehicles and patrol cars. The
wind is blowing white plastic cups, paper plates and
newspaper around like tidal waves beating on the
buildings.

INTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

The office lights are out. He picks up a stack of
messages and stuffs them in his coat pocket, then sits
back in his chair and puts his boots on the desk. He
pulls the brim on his hat down over his eyes.

51
3:30AM, Henry’s cell rings awakening him from a deep
sleep.
He answers.

HENRY
“Kyle here.”

FIELDING
“Henry, I just got a call from
the Mexican Detective in Ciudad
Acuna. Are you awake?”

HENRY
“Yeah, yeah.”

FIELDING
“Well if not, this will wake you up.
It seams that Pablo Martinez has
some drug running cowboys that
aren’t too happy with his
business ethics.”

HENRY
“Surprise, surprise.”

FIELDING
“These guys have better radio
equipment than we do. In fact,
they were listening in when he
came back across the border.
They caught up with him in Jimenez,
just north of where he crossed.

52
He has a girl friend there.”

HENRY
“So far, so good.”

FIELDING
“Mr. Pablo Martinez, apparently
made off with $6 million in small
bills that were supposed to be
laundered and the boys down there
are really pissed.”
It would appear that we ran him
into a fate worse that rotting
in a Texas Prison.”

HENRY
“Those drug cowboys will get
their money back and they’ll bury
him alive in the dessert.
The fire ants will take care of
the rest.”

FIELDING
“Another thing is that our
Mrs. Hernandez…”

HENRY

“The girls mother?”

FIELDING
“The same, has a brother that is

53
 a well know drug cowboy.”

HENRY

“Really?”

FIELDING
“So, I was right about one thing,
the girl was a hostage.
They were looking for him,
when he snatched the girl.
I can’t figure out why he killed her.”

INTERIOR NIGHT: SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Henry gets up and walks out into the dark west Texas
night.

HENRY
“He’s just plain mean and didn’t
want her talking. We ran him
straight into a hellish shallow
grave.”

FIELDING
“One thing I do know… Never mess
with God’s children.”

HENRY
“I hear that. Thanks for everything.”

FIELDING
“I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but

54
that wouldn’t seem quite right.”

HENRY
“I’m looking forward to some off
time.”

FIELDING
“Take care Henry.”

55