Post by Danielle Basch on May 9, 2017 0:05:48 GMT -5
Albertsons
Oceanside, CA
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
As the scene opens, we find WCG superstar Danni LeBlanc approaching the meat department. As she pushes a shopping cart partially filled with produce, along with some high-end Extra Virgin Olive Oil and vinegar. As she brings the cart to a stop, she looks over the various selections of seafood, pulling up her phone and reading off the screen.
Danni: Okay... so I’m going to need some crab meat, and a couple of lobster tails... SHIT! I forgot to grab the lemons!
Voice: Can I help you, Miss?
Danni turns toward the sound of the voice, coming face to face with a man of moderate height, with short-cropped sandy blond hair and a graying moustache. He’s sporting a fairly well-built, if not stocky frame, despite his face showing that he has to be at least in his mid to upper 50’s. He looks at her with his bright, sky blue eyes, offering a friendly smile as she glances down at his nametag...
“Harry – Store Manager”
Harry: Hey, you’re Danni LeBlanc, right? I watched you on Hype the other night!
Danni blushes mildly at the recognition.
This guy’s a wrestling fan? Who knew?
Danni: I take it you’re a wrestling fan?
Harry: Actually, one of my nieces used to wrestle, but she retired some time ago.
Danni: Ah, so it’s in the blood. Lucky for them. No one in my family wrestles, so I’m the odd one out.
Harry: Well, your boyfriend’s a pretty big deal around here, so at least you have someone you know in the business.
Danni: You know Donovan?
Harry: I know OF him. You’d have to be living under a rock not to know who he is.
Danni: Yeah, well for a while, I guess you could count me as living under said rock. I only met him a few months ago, when we both signed on at West Coast Genesis. Next thing I know, I’m spending more time here than I am in my own place. Same with my dogs!
Harry: Practically moved in, are you? Eh, I don’t blame you. From what I hear, Mr. Basch’s house has one of the best views on the west coast.
You have no idea...
Danni simply smiles and nods her head. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but she is cut off by the sound of feedback shrieking over the store’s PA system.
PA: Would the owner of a silver Hyundai Tiburon please report to the front of the store? You left your lights on. Again, a silver Hyundai Tiburon... your lights are on.
Danni blushes from embarrassment as she smiles sheepishly at Harry.
Danni: Would you mind horribly if I left this cart here? I’ll only be a few minutes. Hopefully I didn’t completely drain my car battery.
Harry: Not a problem. And if you did, I hope you have AAA. If not, I’d be more than happy to give you a jump if you need it...
Danni: That’s very kind of you, Harry. I’ll be right back.
Danni leaves the cart behind and heads straight for the exit. As she passes through the automatic doors, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
Good thing I parked right up front. It’ll just be a quick trip out to the car to shut off the headlights, and then I’ll...
Danni: WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO MY CAR!
As Danni makes it outside to where her car was parked, she stands wide-eyed, a horrified look on her face when she finds her car nowhere near the state she was expecting it to be in. Instead of merely the headlights being left on, they were completely shattered, along with several dents pounded into the hood. The windshield was completely destroyed, the glass resembling a crystalline spider web that stretched from one edge to the other.
She steps even closer, only to find her tires had been slashed, and the words “Gold Digger” scratched into the driver’s side door. By now, Danni is in hysterics as she holds her cell phone shakily in her hand, taking pictures of the damage.
Woman 1: Oh, my... who would do such a thing?
Woman 2: The poor thing... I hope that girl’s got good insurance.
Woman 1: Hey, wait a minute! Isn’t she the one that’s dating Donovan Basch, the city’s most eligible bachelor?
At the mention of Donovan’s name, the gossiping women are met by Danni’s harsh gaze as she quickly turns her head to face them, teeth bared in clear aggravation at her current situation.
Really? My car has just been deliberately totaled, and THIS is what you want to talk about?
Woman 2: I really do hope you can get it fixed...
Danni continues to glare at the women as she watches them walk away, then goes back to surveying the damage, using her phone to take pictures of the wreckage that had once been her favorite mode of transportation. Once she’s done, she pulls up the phone’s keypad and starts to dial...
In the distance, an Oceanside PD cruiser rolls through the parking lot, stopping as the cart gatherer flags the vehicle down, pointing in Danni’s general direction. As the employee nods his head, the cruiser continues its approach, coming to a stop in front of a distraught Danni. Once she spots the police car, she breathes a sigh of relief, though she’s still shaking.
Danni: Well, that saves me the trouble of having to call you...
Officer: What seems to be the problem, Miss?
Danni gestures toward the mangled mess that used to be her car.
Danni: I was inside the Albertsons, doing some grocery shopping. There was an announcement telling me to come outside because my lights were on, but when I came out, I found my car... like THIS! It’s completely TOTALED!
Officer: Alright... if you’d like to file a police report, you’ll have to come down to the station.
Danni: Oh believe me... I plan on it...
The officer pulls out his radio, calling for backup as Danni stares at her ruined car.
Oceanside Police Department – Property Crimes Unit
Oceanside, CA
We fade back in on the interior of an office, where Danni is seen pacing frantically back and forth, still shaking from the earlier incident. After what seems like an eternity, the door opens, and a uniformed woman with dark hair enters the room. She sees Danni pacing, and sighs.
Woman: Good afternoon; I’m Lieutenant Saadat, and I’ll be handling the investigation of your case. Can you tell me what happened?
You mean I have to relive this fucking nightmare... AGAIN!? This is getting old!
Danni: I was just out doing some grocery shopping, when I got called outside, thinking that I had left my headlights on. Only when I came out to go shut them off, I found out my car had been completely destroyed, and to top it off, they scratched “gold digger” into the side.
Lieutenant Saadat: Mm-hmm. Could someone have just given false information?
Danni shakes her head.
False information? How the hell do you confuse leaving the lights on with total obliteration of an entire vehicle???
Danni: No. Somebody WANTED me to come out and see what they did. This wasn’t just some random attack; I was singled out.
Lieutenant Saadat: Any idea who might be after you?
If I knew who it was, I would have said so by now...
Danni: Not a clue. I’m not even from here; I’m from El Segundo.
Lieutenant Saadat: I see. Now, you said the perpetrator scratched the words “gold digger” on the side... any idea what the reasoning for that would be?
Danni: The only thing I can think of is because I’m dating...
Before Danni can even finish her sentence, the door opens up again, and Donovan storms into the room, heading straight for Danni. He throws his arms around her, pulling her so close that she almost disappears. He turns his attention to the lieutenant, a look of barely-controlled rage in his eyes. The only thing holding him back from going ballistic is the fact that he’s inside a police station.
Donovan: Are you the officer that’s in charge of this case?
He releases his hold on Danni, and the pair make their way into the seats opposite the lieutenant’s desk. He glances first at his distraught girlfriend, then at the officer, his brow furrowed in anger.
Lieutenant Saadat: I am.
Donovan: Have you been able to gather ANY information as to what happened?
Lieutenant Saadat: Well, we’ve obtained the surveillance footage from the scene of the crime, plus some eyewitness accounts, and I think we have enough evidence to present to our sketch artist for a composite. We should have an idea of what the suspect…
Danni: Or more likely, suspects… I don’t think a single person could have done THAT much damage in such a short amount of time.
Donovan: I’m inclined to agree. But what I don’t understand is this… how would they have known which car was yours?
Lieutenant Saadat clears her throat, attracting the couple’s attention.
Lieutenant Saadat: Mr. Basch, if I may, it’s not uncommon for such high-profile individuals as yourself to be the target of such an act, usually due to a… shall we say… overzealous fan. Unfortunately, such acts often extend to an individual’s loved ones, as well.
Oh, don’t you DARE try to put this on him! He’s not the one that wrecked my car!
Donovan looks at the officer with an incredulous expression on his face.
Donovan: So, you’re trying to pin the blame for this on ME!?
Lieutenant Saadat: Of course not, Mr. Basch. What I AM saying is that whoever singled out your girlfriend is doing it to get at you. Tell me... have there been any... scorned ex-girlfriends that might have had a hand in this?
Donovan: I can’t even remember the last time I was in a serious relationship before Danni...
Lieutenant Saadat: So, it falls back to the overzealous fan theory.
Donovan: Regardless of who it may be, my lawyers will be in touch with you in regards to any civil suits. And we do intend on filing criminal charges, as well.
Danni nods her head in agreement.
Lieutenant Saadat: Understood. Mr. Basch, Ms. LeBlanc, we’ll be in touch. In the meantime, please be on your guard, and let us know if any other incidents take place.
Danni: Thank you, Lieutenant Saadat. Though I’m certainly not looking forward to anything else happening....
Donovan: Not if I have anything to say about it.
Danni and Donovan each shake hands with Lieutenant Saadat before heading out into the hallway. After a few steps, Danni stops in her tracks, a sullen look on her face.
Donovan: What’s wrong?
Danni: I told the store manager I’d only be a couple of minutes... I left everything right there in the meat department.
Donovan: I’m sure that by now, he knows what happened. Now come on; you’ve been through enough. I don’t want you worrying about anything else tonight.
Danni: But I was gonna surprise you with a...
Donovan gently puts a finger over Danni’s lips, shaking his head.
Donovan: Not another word... I’m taking you out to dinner. Your choice.
Danni: You’re amazing, you know that?
Donovan: No... YOU’RE amazing....
He drapes an arm around Danni as they walk out of the police station.
Donovan: Besides, this gives me an excuse to take you car shopping in the morning. What do you think about a... oh, I don’t know... Ferrari?
WHAT!? ARE YOU NUTS? I might as well drive around with a neon sign posted above the spoiler: “HERE I AM; PLEASE SMASH ME!”
Danni: DONOVAN!
Donovan: Alright, alright... but NO HYUNDAIS! And we’re putting a dashcam in there!
You know what? I’m not even gonna argue anymore....
As the couple walks out the station’s main entrance, Danni sighs and shakes her head.
*End*