INT. NOVELIST'S HOME OFFICE - DAY
Old wooden desk near open door to hallway faces big window view to the up-close Organ Mountains east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. World War Two U.S. Navy beret, old-school California Angels baseball cap and sombrero on hat rack near doorway.
World map on wall behind desk. Printer adjacent to the desk populated by lamp, computer, pens and pencils in a coffee mug near a stack of yellow legal pads, hardcover copy of Evan S. Connell's book Son of the Morning Star, a brown-old baseball, and a framed photograph of a 16-year-old girl in a pink one-piece swimsuit smiling at the camera from where she is "tubed" in the jade-green wave she is surfing. The computer's screensaver features the same girl seated next to a 50-year-old man in the front seat of a roller-coaster in steep descent in the selfie she has taken.
The wall on the left between desk and window is shelving loaded with books. On the opposite wall a framed Ad Reinhardt Red Painting print hangs above an old leather sofa attended by a coffee table. Navajo rug on hardwood. Rocking chair and lampstand between shelves and window, stool and telescope between window and sofa.
HUNTER, 50, the man in the roller coaster picture, in running shoes, jeans, untucked long-sleeve button-up, enters from hallway, opens text file on computer, saves the changes, turns computer off, leaves into hallway.
INT. KITCHEN - A MOMENT LATER
State of the art appliances, handsome cabinets and cupboards, stone counters and center island, view into adjacent dining room and, through the window above the sink, to the covered patio - grill, table and chairs - and smallish xeriscaped yard fenced by a low stone wall, beyond which stretches open land to the mountains.
Door to patio. Bananas in a bowl on center island near keys, half-emopty plastic water bottle, stack of mail. Calendar on refrigerator turned to July - accompanying picture tbd - with "Chloe" written in the box for the 7th. Hunter enters from hall, drinks the water, crumples the bottle, adds it to other recyclables in a plastic bag he pulls from a closet, ties off the bag.
EXT. HUNTER'S HOUSE - MOMENT LATER
Southwest in flavor like the other handsome homes widely spaced along the hardpack dirt road lined by recycling and trash bins at each driveway. Garage door open, newish Range Rover with New Mexico plates. Tom's truck slowly nears from down the road, stops in front of the house.
INT. TOM'S TRUCK
Tom idles and stares at the house, finally raises phone to take a picture. The moment he has it framed Hunter enters the garage through door to house, plastic bag in hand. He notices the truck, stops, Tom takes the picture, drives away, eyes on Hunter in the rearview mirror.
EXT. DRIVEWAY
Hunter walks to the bins, keeping his eyes on the truck as it turns onto another street, eclipsed by by the house near that corner. Hunter waits for the truck to reappear. He finally drops the bag into one of the bins, walks back to the driveway, watches for the truck. He stops at the garage, waits, finally continues into house.
INT. TOM'S TRUCK
Tom, idling and pondering in front of the house he has used to conceal himself from Hunter's view, finally makes the U-turn, turns the corner back toward Hunter's house.