As Mayor Napolitano leaves the Brentwood party with Celeste, her husband is gagging on an unwanted mouth full of gnarly Scottish peat in the men's room of a North Hollywood topless bar. Bagpipes play in the background. And so it goes in Right of Way, the L.A. noir screenplay being written by LA Observed readers.

Every Wednesday, story editor Eric Estrin selects new pages from the stack of submissions. This week's plot turn springs from the mind of Alex Austin, the West Hills novelist, teacher and playwright. Among his plays are "The Amazing Brenda Strider," a Backstage West Critic's Pick; "Mimosa," published by Playscripts Inc.; and "Dupe," which will be produced in June/July 2008 at the Two Roads Theater in Studio City. Austin's critically acclaimed first novel, "The Perfume Factory," a gritty coming-of-age story set on the Jersey Shore, was published in 2005. He is currently finishing the sequel, "The Dark Ride of Asbury Park." Black Clock, the CalArts literary magazine, ran an excerpt in its winter 2008 edition.

Read what Austin was thinking in Eric's scipt notes:

Austin’s pages bring us to a critical juncture, hinting at a complex back-story packed tight with potential menace. What went wrong on Scotland’s East Highland Line, and how was Celeste’s industrialist husband Larry involved? Was Larry just forced to pay the ultimate price? And how does it all tie in with the mayor’s quest to build his subway?

The questions are in place. Let’s start digging up some answers.

Runner-up this week was Londoner Maria Paola Chironi, the first international contributor to the LA Observed Script Project. "Colorful description and vivid visuals," Eric writes.

OK, the next twist is up to you. Read the new pages here, start from the beginning, or see how to get started in the fun. As always, each week's winner takes home a very nice and exclusive t-shirt.