Before The Law

EXT. OUTSIDE- DAY

Overhead shot of Hank driving down a road..

CUT TO. SOLVERSONE RESIDENCE- KITCHEN

Betsy opens a pot of sugar for her coffee.

CUT TO. BUD'S MEATS

Close-up shot of a slab of meat tied in a string. Cut to a butcher ripping off a piece of plastic wrap.

CUT TO. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- DAY

Ed is sitting outside the garage looking gloomy, while Peggy is inside the dressing room brushing her hair.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- DAY

A car is driving down a road, consisting of the Kitchen Brothers in the front while Mike and Joe are in the back.

CUT TO. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- KITCHEN

Floyd is wrapping a rubberband around a stack of money.

CUT TO. CLOSE-UP SHOT OF MEAT

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- DAY

Overhead shot of the car owned by the Kansas City mafia driving down the road. Cut to them pulling up to the Gerhardt family compound.

EXT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- DAY

All four exit the car. Joe and Mike walk towards the house and are patted down by guards. A man opens the front door, where we see two children running upstairs. Further ahead, a man with a duffle bag opens a door and leaves. Inside the room is Otto sitting in a wheelchair.

INT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- DINING ROOM

Floyd takes a bundle of cash copied from the printing machine on the table. She puts it with the other bundles of cash. Charlie is looking and reading aloud "Get Well" cards sent to Otto.

CHARLIE: Jeremy Kleiner up in Winnipeg writes "Feel better, boss man." That's nice.

Charlie opens another envelope with a postcard.

CHARLIE: And then, uh Carter Bunch says, "Keep fighting, you old cuss. You'll outlive us all.”

Charlie opens another envelope. A picture of a naked woman posing in a seductive manner slips out of the postcard.

CHARLIE: Indian Joe sent porn.

Floyd glances at the picture and gives a slightly resigned smirk. She packs all the money in a large bag

FLOYD: Get these to the Chinamen— the usual disbursement.

Floyd hands over the large bag of cash to a man, who leaves. The man with the duffle bag walks over and whispers in her ear. He also leaves.

FLOYD: Get your dad and uncles… We need to talk.

EXT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- DAY

Charlie finds Bear grinding an axe

BEAR: You finish your chores?

CHARLIE: Yes, sir, I've been helping grandma with the bank. Uh, she sent me to get you. Wants us all together up in the house.

BEAR: Dodd's inside.

INT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- BARN

Camera slowly zooms in on Dodd conversing to a sitting man, with Hanze in tow holding a knife..

DODD: Fought in the trenches in France-- World War I. He was an artillerieschuetzen, my granddad, a gunner. Blasted mustard gas at the Allies. (Chuckles) Had them dancing like poisoned rats. Brits caught him in a raid, hung him by his thumbs for six days straight. So this, what we're doing, this is nothing. Are you listening to me? Is he listening to me?

HANZEE: Cut off his ears.

The camera shows the man’s ears in a bucket.

DODD: Wake him up.

Hanzee taps the man’s shoulder

HANZEE: He's dead, I think.

DODD: Weak!

Barn door creaks open

CHARLIE: Uh, Uncle Dodd? Doc's finished. Grandma wants us.

Dodd gets up and leaves. Hanzee wipes the knife on the dead man’s jacket and follows. The barn door closes. A sled dog eats the ears in the bucket.

EXT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- DAY

Dodd, Bear, Charlie, and Hanzee head to the house. The Kitchen Brothers stare at them as they walk. Dodd flings the cigar he was smoking at the brothers. The front door opens. The four Gerhardt family members head up the steps while Joe and Mike head down, eying one another. Dodd glares at Mike, who enthusiastically smiles at Dodd. Bear stops to stare at their visitors as they leave. We hear the sound of car doors close and an engine starting.

INT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- KITCHEN

Floyd is wiping off the counter while Simone is sitting atop the sink using a nail filer on her finger nails. Dodd, Bear, Charlie, and Hanzee enter. Bear goes straight to the fridge, grabbing food and a small carton of milk.

DODD: Who were the goons?

FLOYD: Kansas City. They want to buy us out.

Dodd takes off his gloves.

DODD: So they came to you, then?

FLOYD: They came to see your father, but he's not well. So they talked to me as his surrogate.

Dodd takes his hat off.

DODD: I should've been there.

SIMONE: Geez, dad. Don't be such a baby.

DODD: Shut up. She shouldn't be in here.

Dodd takes off his jacket. He gives it and his hat to Hanzee.

FLOYD: She's old enough. I told her to stay. She's a girl. And girls grow up to be women and change boys' diapers.

Floyd wipes the crumbs on the counter into her hand and dumps them in the sink.

FLOYD: Where's your little brother?

BEAR: Rye? Haven't seen him.

DODD: Who knows with that kid? Probably neck deep in some pussy.

The sound of silverware chinks in the sink as Floyd quickly turns to gaze at Dodd in annoyance.

DODD: With a girl, you know.

BEAR (to Floyd): What's the offer?

FLOYD (to Simone): He talks to you. Where is he?

SIMONE: Said he had things to do out of town. I saw him yesterday.

FLOYD: What things?

BEAR (to Floyd again): What's the offer?

Floyd walks back to the counter.

FLOYD: The world's becoming more corporate-- this was their pitch to me. And in this new world, there's no room for family business.

DODD: So war.

FLOYD: They're offering to buy the whole operation, then pay us to run it.

BEAR: Bottom line.

FLOYD: Bottom line-- very little changes on the ground. We may actually earn more. But instead of running it, we report to them.

CHARLIE: To who?

FLOYD: Kansas City.

DODD: Balls. What'd you say?

FLOYD: I said, "Thank you very much. I'll consult with my partners.”

CHARLIE: Meaning grandpa.

FLOYD: No. The stroke. Your father's not in a lucid state. Nor will he be… possibly ever.

CHARLIE: What are you saying?

FLOYD: I'm saying your grandpa built this business, but he's no longer capable of running it.

CHARLIE: We should have a moment of silence, maybe.

DODD: As new boss, I say we tell these Kansas City schvantzes to go to hell in the fast lane.

BEAR: Now, hold on.

DODD: What? You think it should be you?

BEAR: No, stupid. Mom.

DODD: Boss can't be a woman.

FLOYD: Who says?

BEAR: Think about it—(Bear tosses away what he was eating) Mom's the one with ties to Winnipeg. History with Carter B and the Solkerk crew. Suppliers trust her. Should be mom.

SIMONE: Hell, yes. I vote for grandma.

DODD: Shut up. We're not voting. I'm oldest. I'm boss. End of story.

FLOYD: Give us a minute.

Everyone leaves the kitchen.

DODD (to Hanzee): Not you.

Hanzee stays behind.

FLOYD: Sit. Eat something.

They head for the dining table. Floyd brings over bread. She sits at one end of the table, while Dodd sits at the other end

FLOYD: This moment How things go in the next few weeks-- will decide—

DODD: That's why I—

FLOYD:- Let me finish.

Dodd sighs.

FLOYD: Your grandfather left the ashes of the Weimar Republic and came to this country to build a name for himself. He built an empire from a shoe-shine box. And then, and only then, did he send for your father.

DODD: Ma, I know the story.

FLOYD: No, you don't. 'Cause if you did, you'd know that you are just a small part of it. That's what an empire is. It's bigger than any son or daughter.Eat.

Floyd shoves the bread to Rye.

DODD: I'm not hungry.

FLOYD: I'm your mother. You will eat with me.

Dodd sighs. He rips off a piece of bread and eats it.

FLOYD: Your time will come. It will, but this isn't it. And if you stand by me now, I promise you that as soon as this crisis is over, I'll hand you your legacy, and I'll turn my thoughts to the grave.

Dodd begrudgingly chews the bread.

FLOYD (to Hanzee): Now, we need to find Rye. Can you do that for me?

HANZEE: Yes, ma'am.

FLOYD: Wherever he is, whatever he's doing, bring him home.

CUT TO. OVERHEAD SHOT OF A CAR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

INT. CAR- DAY

MIKE: If you're a betting man, I'm saying.

JOE: Well, I think history's proven people of the Germanic persuasion don't surrender easy. But you can kill them.

MIKE: Unless the woman, being a woman-- maybe we can scare her.

JOE: No. I think we cut a deal with one of the sons.

MIKE: The youngest maybe-- Rye. The olders are-- Well, you know, how a lobster's got a pincher claw and a crusher claw?

JOE: Which one's which?

MIKE: Pardon?

JOE: Which son is which claw? You know what? Forget it. I don't want anything to do with your facacta metaphor. Management says acquire the territory, we acquire it. Whether that's cash down or sending bodies to the morgue, that's up to the Krauts. First Gerhardt to switch sides gets a shiny, red apple.

EXT. LUVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT- DAY

Shot of the station from the outside.

INT. LUVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT- COUNTER

The dispatcher is talking on the phone. There is the sound of a typewriter clacking. Further ahead is Hank in his office.

DENISE (on the phone): No, I know. I know, uh-huh. No. No, Sheriff says it's a local matter. Yeah. Okay, then. Yeah.

Denise hangs up the telephone.

INT. LUVERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT- SHERRIFF’S OFFICE

Hank is looking over the evidence left behind at the Waffle Hut crime scene. He examines Rye’s shoe in particular. The telephone starts ringing in the distance.

EXT. SOLVERSONE RESIDENCE

Hank pulls up to the Solversone residence. Up-tempo cartoon music plays is playing.

INT. SOLVERSONE RESIDENCE- DINING AREA

Hank and Molly are sitting at the dining table, the former reading a newspaper. Betsy is in the kitchen.

MOLLY: Papa!

HANK: That's me.

MOLLY: Papa!

BETSY: Did you get some sleep?

Hank puts down the newspaper.

HANK: Oh, a couple hours. You know, went pretty late.

MOLLY: Papa, papa!

HANK: What? What?

Betsy pours some sugar in the coffee.

BETSY: What can I make ya?

HANK: Uh, eggs would be good. Not a bother.

BETSY: I--- could do oatmeal, maybe. Something about the smell of eggs right now

MOLLY: Tell me a story.

HANK: Okay, coffee's fine.

HANK: Uh, okay, uh (sighs) Once upon a time, there was, uh, an oyster.

MOLLY: What's an oyster?

HANK: It's a shellfish.

MOLLY: Fish?

HANK: Yeah, close enough. (To Betsy) Lou sleeping?
Betsy prepares her own cup of coffee.

BETSY: Uh, he had a call with the brass. Should be down soon. Apparently, one of your victims was a judge.

HANK: A judge, huh?

BETSY: Uh-huh.

HANK: The older woman.

BETSY: Out of North Dakota.

HANK: Huh.

Hank flips over his newspaper.

MOLLY: Papa!

HANK: Hello. Yes?

MOLLY: What's the story?

HANK: What story?

MOLLY: About the oyster.

HANK: Oh, uh, yeah.

Lou enters.

LOU: Sorry, Lieutenant called.

HANK: Judge, huh?

LOU: Ah, Betsy told ya?

HANK: Yeah.

LOU: Yeah, a municipal judge up in Fargo.

HANK: Huh. (To Molly) Oh, yeah. One day, the, uh (sighs) The oyster got caught in the net. Fisherman pulled him up, all set to eat him. Uh, except, he happened to have his-- his daughter in the boat, and she said—

Betsy walks over to the table.

BETSY: "Daddy, how would you feel if I peeled the roof of your house and ate you?"

Lou chuckles. Molly looks up at Betsy.

MOLLY: Was that you?

BETSY: It was.

HANK: That's the story of how your mom and me came to eat hot dogs for dinner once again.

LOU: Hey, so, knowing she's a judge, that change anything?

HANK: Well, you know, I guess we got to ask ourselves, was this judge just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was this whole mess about her?

Hank eats a waffle off his plate.

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE

Camera slowly zooms away from Peggy and Ed’s car in the garage. It then stops on Ed, who is sitting outside the garage. He has a wallet and looks at Rye’s I.D inside. Ed flashbacks to when he found Rye the night before. Split-screen shows Peggy doing her hair in the dressing room. Cut to Peggy sitting on the steps in the basement, looking concerned. Flashback to Ed and Peggy dumping Rye’s body in the freezer. Ed slips Rye’s I.D back in the wallet. Peggy walks over to
Ed.

PEGGY: Gonna be late for work, huh?

ED: Oh. Yeah, I don't think I'm going in today.

PEGGY: Well, got to keep up appearances, though, right? You said.

Peggy puts on her gloves.

ED: Geez, hon, your eye.

PEGGY: Aw, no, it doesn't hurt. It just-- it looks bad. Well, maybe I should stay home, too.

ED: No, you should go. Just tell them you hit your head or something. I got to There's to much stuff to do here. I-I-- The car's got to be cleaned, the floors.

Peggy pats Ed’s shoulder.

ED: I mean Yeah.

Ed goes back in the garage.

INT. GERHARDT RESIDENCE- DINING ROOM

Dodd is still at the table. Cut to him walking out the kitchen door, meeting Hanzee.

DODD: Are you with me?

Hanzee slightly nods.

DODD: Good. Bear's thrown in with mom, and that's his loss. Distributors will stand with me if I press, but we need Rye. So, when you find him, you bring him to me first. You understand? Not her-- me.

Hanzee glances at Dodd and walks away.

EXT. OUTSIDE- DAY

Peggy gets off a bus. She is wearing sunglasses. Across
the street from her is the butcher shop. She walks there.

INT. BUD’S MEATS- DAY

Bud gives a customer his change.

BUD: There you go.

CUSTOMER: Thanks

BUD: Remember to cook them all the way through this time.

The customer opens the door for Peggy.

PEGGY: Oh, thank you.

BUD: Hey, there, Peggy.

Noreen is shown sitting and reading a book next to
Bud.

PEGGY: Hey.

BUD: Expecting your husband.

The customer walks out.

PEGGY: Yeah, he had-- at dinner last night-- I think it was some
bad clams. You know, from a can.

Bud folds his arms.

BUD: Never trust anything comes from the sea.

NOREEN: We came from the sea.

PEGGY: Tomorrow, for sure.

Peggy leaves.

BUD: Okay. Bye.

PEGGY: Bye.

Door closes.

INT. SALON- DAY

GLORIA: A desperado, I heard. The Sheriff thinks a pair of them gunned down those poor people at The Waffle Hut one after another in cold blood. I mean, first Watergate, and now this? What's the world coming to?

Peggy enters..

PEGGY (sighing): Sorry, Mrs. Colson. The car wouldn't start. I'll ditch the coat and get you squared away, okay?

Peggy takes off her gloves. She goes to the coat hanger. Her boss, Constance, is sitting at her desk nearby smoking a cigarette.

CONSTANCE: Big night?

PEGGY: Huh?

CONSTANCE: Got a hangover?

PEGGY: Oh, no, it's, uh, just a migraine.

As Peggy turns to put her purse and coat on the coat hanger, Constance checks out Peggy.

CONSTANCE: You talk to Ed?

PEGGY: Did I?...

CONSTANCE: About the seminar-- next weekend. Got us a room at the Southnik Hotel.

PEGGY: Oh, yeah. I don't know. It's a lot of money, and we're saving up right now so Ed can buy the butcher shop.

CONSTANCE: What I'm hearing is you think your husband's more important than you-- his needs.

PEGGY: No, I just We got a plan, you know?

CONSTANCE: The word "we" is a castle, hon, with a moat and a drawbridge. And you know what gets locked up in castles?

PEGGY: Dragons?

CONSTANCE: Princesses. Don't be a prisoner of "we." Take the seminar. It'll give you a key to the castle.

PEGGY: Yeah.

CONSTANCE: Oh, hey, you don't know what happened to all the TP, do ya?

PEGGY: The what's that?

CONSTANCE: Had a case of TP in the back last week. Somebody took it.

Peggy shrugs then walks away.

INT. POLICE STATION- OFFICE

Lou is speaking on the telephone.

LOU: Yes, sir, I know I said it was a local matter last night, but I slept on it, you know? And, uh, given the level of violence and with no apparent suspects and, uh and the fact that one of the victims was a judge Right, in North Dakota, which means you're gonna have all kinds of interstate issues. So, my thought is, uh, you know, all-- all the more reason for me Yes, sir.

Lou clicks his pen.

LOU: - Thank you, sir. Well, I'll coordinate with Sheriff Larsson and head up to Fargo first thing tomorrow. Yep.

Lou stands and takes his jacket off his chair. He walks away.

EXT. CARRIAGE TYPEWRITERS- DAY

Mike Milligan and the Kitchen Brothers exit the car and walk to the store.

INT. CARRIAGE TYPEWRITERS- DAY

Skip is on the telephone.

SKIP: Yeah, I know. We-- You said all that, but my point-- What I'm trying to I've got the money, see? I've got…

Mike Milligan and the Kitchen Brothers enter.

SKIP: uh I-- I mean, I will have. So you just need to hold the Selectrics for me until, uh-- So just hold them, okay? Don't-- And I'll call you back.

Skip hangs up. Mike is in front of the counter. Skip exhales sharply.

SKIP: Hi, there.

MIKE: Money troubles?

SKIP: What? Oh, no. He double-billed me for something is all. Just straightening things out.

MIKE: I see.

SKIP: Yeah, we're not really open is the thing. Uh, waiting for the-- for new models to come in. So closed-- temporarily.

MIKE: That's okay. We're not really customers.

SKIP: Okay, well…

Skip lowers his eyes and turns his head.

MIKE: Rye Gerhardt.

Skip looks back to Mike in surprise.

SKIP: Is that your name, or?

The Kitchen Brothers slowly take a threatening step forward.

SKIP: I mean, geez, I-- I met the guy, of course, uh, once or twice. Are ya-- Did you need a character reference, or?

MIKE (chuckling): That's good. I like that-- "a character reference."

Mike moves closer and puts his hands on the counter..

MIKE: How about you just tell us where he is? Seeing as he works for you and all. Well, isn't that what you told Big Jim Suggs? Over at the Pig 'N Poke yesterday. Had a few drinks. Told him you had a Gerhardt in your pocket.

SKIP: I never—

Mike grabs Skip’s tie and puts it in a typewriter.

SKIP: Ow!

MIKE (sighing): Kids today love to talk on the phone, but I'm a big believer in correspondence, friendly or otherwise. If you've got a complaint-- it's my motto-- put it in writing. For instance, last week, I bought one of those new automatic coffee makers at Sears. You know, the one with the clock inside. And the thing is-- pardon my French-- a real piece of shit. So what do I do?

Mike cracks his knuckles. He types on the typewriter with Skip’s tie still stuck in it.

MIKE: Dear General Electric, the coffee maker that I bought at Sears on 11 March makes a noise when it's brewing that sounds like a fat man having a heart attack.

SKIP (gagging) Stop!

Mike stops typing.

MIKE: And it forces me to ask the question-- Is this why our once-great nation is going down the crapper?

Mike clanks the typewriter. Skip grunts.

MIKE: Yours in peace and harmony, Mike Milligan.

Typewriter dings.

SKIP: The judge.

MIKE: Go on.

SKIP: All I said was, "Talk to her."

MIKE: What judge?

Mike grabs Skip’s fingers and threatens to break them.

SKIP: Mundt. Judge Mundt!

Mike sighs. He turns his head to Wayne Kitchen, who walks up and whispers something to Mike. Skip is grimacing.

MIKE: Mm. "Talk to her"-- That's what you said?

SKIP: Yeah.

Mike and the Kitchen Brothers walk out.

SKIP: Why? What happened?

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- GARAGE

Ed rolls up his sleeve. Cut to Ed brushing glass off of the hood. Cut to Ed scrubbing the blood off it. Cut to Ed vacuuming the broken glass off the ground. Cut to Ed bleaching the blood on the floor, then scrubbing it. He breathes heavily. Cut to Ed opening the freezer, where he stares at Rye’s corpse and moves to pick it up.

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- LIVING ROOM

Ed is standing at the fireplace wearing only his underwear. He picks up some slacks on the floor and throws it in the fire. Ed watches it burn. He then takes off his underwear. A close-up shot in the fire shows Rye’s belt buckle.

INT. HOSPITAL- DAY

Betsy is sleeping in a chair covered in a blanket. A nurse passes by. Betsy wakes up. A vertical split-screen appears, where on the other side we see Lou driving.

CUT TO. INT. POLICE CAR- DAY

Lou is driving Betsy and Molly.

BETSY: You said to remind ya I got that specialist appointment Tuesday. Dad said he'd watch Molly.

LOU: I'll drive ya.

BETSY: Ya sure? - Ya got the case.

LOU: - I'll drive ya.

Betsy turns to look at Molly in the back.

BETSY: We feel so special, don't we, getting daddy for lunch.
Lou and Betsy chuckle.

MOLLY: Daddy!

LOU: Uh, Captain said wait on going up to Fargo. He needs to work out some kind of chain-of-command BS, so…

EXT. WAFFLE HUT- DAY

Lou turns into the Waffle Hut.

BETSY: Hon?

Lou parks the car.

BETSY: Hon?

LOU (sighing): Sorry. I got a wild hair.

Lou gets out.

LOU: Something's not adding up. Stay here, okay?

BETSY: Mm-hmm.

Lou closes his door.

MOLLY: What's daddy doing?

BETSY: Work stuff.

BETSY: You want to build a snowman?

INT. WAFFLE HUT- DINING AREA

Lou enters and inspects the area. Through a window, we see Betsy and Molly get out of the car.

CUT TO. EXT. WAFFLE HUT- DAY

Indistinct conversation between Molly and Betsy as they pick a spot to build a snowman.

CUT TO. INT. WAFFLE HUY- DINING AREA

Lou continues inspecting.

CUT TO. EXT. WAFFLE HUT- DAY

Betsy and Molly are building the snowman..

BETSY: What are you gonna call this snowman, Molly?

MOLLY: Maybe Bob.

CUT TO. INT. WAFFLE HUY- DINING AREA

Lou inspects the bloody table where the judge was seated. He especially takes notice of the bug spray. He puts his small notebook away inside his jacket.

LOU: Yeah.

CUT TO. EXT. WAFFLE HUT- DAY

BETSY: All right, we got the bottom. Next, we need to make the body. I need you to find me some sticks for the arms. Okay?

MOLLY: Yeah.

BETSY: Thank you.

Molly walks away.

CUT TO. INT. WAFFLE HUY- DINING AREA

Lou walks with the bug spray in hand.

CUT TO. EXT. WAFFLE HUT- DAY

Molly walks to the bushes to get sticks. She gasps when
sees something in the ground. She grabs it.

MOLLY: Mama!

BETSY: Yeah?

MOLLY: Look what I found.

Molly is holding a popped hot-air balloon with the words “GET WELL SOON.” Betsy gets up and brushes the snow off her clothes. Molly gives Betsy the balloon.

MOLLY: Can I keep it?

Betsy looks at it, then crumples it.

BETSY: No, hon, that's got a rip. That's trash now, okay?

Betsy spots something in the ground. She moves to pick it up. Lou exits the Waffle Hut. Betsy picks up a gun.

BETSY: Okay, okay. Hon! Look at this!

Lou heads over to Betsy and Molly. Molly holds up the balloon she found.

MOLLY: Look what I found.

LOU: Oh, that's great, hon.

BETSY: I just-- I found it in the bushes.

Betsy hands over the gun to Lou.

LOU: Fingerprints.

BETSY: Yeah, I know. Geez. I got it by the barrel.

MOLLY: What's that?

LOU: Well, mama's doing daddy's job again.

MOLLY: Go, mama!

Betsy laughs. She stands up, but pauses as she feels a slight pain.

BETSY: Oh.

LOU: You okay, hon?

BETSY: Yeah, I stood up too fast is all.

Lou and Betsy turn to see Mike and the Kitchen Brothers drive by.

INT. CAR- DAY

Mike and the Kitchen Brothers see Hank blocking the road. They stop.

EXT. OUTSIDE- DAY

Hank approaches their car. He knocks on the driver’s window. Mike rolls down his window in the back.

MIKE: Help you, Officer?

HANK: Sir, please roll up your window.

Hank continues knocking on the driver’s side.

MIKE: My friend up front doesn't like to talk to strangers.

HANK: Well, he's gonna talk to me.

MIKE: Rock County. It's like, "What's that town on The Flintstones?" Is that where we are? (singsong voice “On The Flintstones?”

HANK: All right, that's it. Out of the car-- all of ya.

Mike leans forward to say something to the brothers. He get out of the car.

HANK: Your friends, too.

Mike bangs on the top of the car. The Kitchen Brothers get out as well, hands up.

HANK (to Wayne): Come around the driver's side here.

Wayne walks to the driver’s side.

HANK: Okay Let me see some IDs.

MIKE: I'm gonna reach in my pocket.

Mike reaches in his jacket for his wallet. He pulls out his ID and gives it to Hank.

HANK: Now them.

Both the brothers pull out their IDs from their jackets and give them to Hank. Hank puts on his reading glasses and looks at the IDs.

HANK: Mike Milligan. And two named Kitchen. Brothers, yeah?

MIKE: Yes, sir, that's us.

HANK: Kansas City.

MIKE: What's this about, Sheriff, if I'm okay to ask?

Hank puts away his glasses and gives the IDs back.

HANK: Now, if I were to search you three, would I find weapons?

MIKE (chuckling): Well, sir, you have nothing to fear from us. We're just passing though town on our way to points south. Thought we'd stop for some waffles. Gale's idea. Heard you had some real good ones around here. So you can imagine our surprise when we find the place closed and, apparently, the scene of a crime.

HANK: What size shoes you boys wear?

MIKE: Now, that is a truly odd question. Last time I checked, I was a 10. Boys?

Gale and Wayne look at each other and nod. They look back to Hank and simultaneously flip him off.

MIKE: Now, I'm gonna go ahead and guess the boys are an 11 and not a 2, which would make them toddlers. Now, unless there's some law been broken, think it's time for us to be on our way. I promised the boys' wives I'd have them home for supper, and I am, if nothing else, a man of my word.

HANK: Okay. I got your names and your plate number. I'm gonna radio ahead and make sure you make it out of State. If not, I'm gonna put out an APB and have you boys rounded up. And then we'll talk again. You understand?

MIKE: I do.

Mike and the brothers go back to the car.

MIKE: And isn't that a minor miracle? The state of the world today and the level of conflict and misunderstanding, that two men could stand on a lonely road in winter and talk calmly and rationally while all around them, people are losing their mind.

Mike gets in the car..

MIKE: You have a nice day.

Mike rolls his window up. Gale and Wayne get in. The car
turns on. Hank walks back to his car, exhaling.

EXT. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Ed parks his truck on the street and waits inside. On the other side of the street, he sees Bud and Noreen leave the shop.

BUD: Good night, Noreen.

NOREEN: Okay, then.

Ed is distracted by a woman laughing as she and a man walk by him. Up ahead, he sees Constance and Peggy coming out of the beauty salon.

CONSTANCE: Don't be silly.

PEGGY: I'll give ya a ride.

Peggy: Ya sure? I-I don't want to be a bother.

CONSTANCE: No bother. Come on, sexy. Get in.
The car turns on and drives away with music playing loudly. Ed turns on his truck and drives to the butcher shop. Ed goes to the back of the truck to untie a spread out tarp. He opens the back-end of the truck and drags something heavy into the shop. He locks the door.

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- NIGHT

Peggy and Constance walk in the house. Peggy turns on a light.

PEGGY: Right to the right.

CONSTANCE: Ooh, you're a lifesaver.

PEGGY: It's a real mess.

Constance walks into the bathroom.

CONSTANCE: Thanks, doll. Shouldn't have had all that ginger ale.

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- BATHROOM

Constance is on the toilet. She gets up and flushes.

Cut to Peggy waiting outside the bathroom. She slowly walks on ahead.

INT. BLUMQUIST RESIDENCE- BATHROOM

Constance washes her hands. She looks around the bathroom, then looks at the bottom cabinets. She opens them, finding many rolls of toilet paper.

Cut to Peggy looking around.

PEGGY: Ed? Ed.

She walks in the garage to find the radio there and sees the car cleaned up. Constance enters.

CONSTANCE: Geez! What happened to your car?

PEGGY: Oh, no, it's nothing. Uh, just a dust-up. Ed had a few too many last night and hit a tree.

Peggy walks Constance away from the garage.

PEGGY: Uh, he's fine, though. Just shook up.

CONSTANCE: What about you? Me? Oh, no.

PEGGY: I-I wasn't-- I was home. Those bills aren't gonna pay themselves.

Constance stops and leans against the wall.

CONSTANCE: You're kind of a bad girl, aren't you?

Peggy chuckles nervously.

CONSTANCE: Yeah, you are. I'm usually able to tell right away, but you had me fooled.

Constance brushes her fingers on Peggy’s head.

PEGGY: Oh, it's nothing. I just bumped it is all.

CONSTANCE: In the dust-up? Thought you weren't in the car, you said.

Peggy sighs.

CONSTANCE: It's okay. You don't have to tell the truth. I'm not even mad about the TP. Next time, just ask, though. Or maybe that's what you like. Huh? Breaking the rules.

Constance touches Peggy’s coat. Peggy blocks her.

PEGGY: Thanks for the ride, okay? I just-- I-I got a real bad headache, like I said before, and maybe I-I'll just see you at work tomorrow, okay?

Peggy sighs. She leads Constance out the door.

CONSTANCE: Sleep well, now.

Constance gets in her car and leaves.

EXT. WAFFLE HUT- NIGHT

Lou is sitting on the steps with a rope. Hank pulls up.

HANK: I didn't expect you'd still be here.

LOU: Yeah. Found possibly the murder weapon over in the bushes there.

Hank looks in the direction of the bushes.

LOU: Betsy did, I mean, if I'm being honest, which I try to be. So now I'm wondering what else I missed.

HANK: Ah.

LOU: Anything interesting on the car I called in?

HANK: Oh, those fellas were positively fascinating. Nothing actionable, though.

Hank sits next to Lou. Lou sighs.

LOU: Cook fell funny is the truth-- why I'm still here. Got stuck in my head-- a callback.

HANK: Heard it referred to once as a convergence. You know, one thing reminds you of another.

LOU: Yeah.

HANK: Want to talk about it?

LOU: Not especially.

LOU: We had a guy on the boat, liked to smoke cigars for breakfast. Picked up the habit from his granddad, he said. This was on the Bo De river, seventy four.

HANK: Ah.

LOU: So I'm on the wheel. This kid comes out. 'Cause what could he have been? 19? Lights his shit stick, and then… Never even saw it coming. Shot him right through the cigar. A one-in-a-million shot. And the look on his face when he fell-- just like the cook. Bafflement.

Silence for a moment.

HANK: Yeah. This German captain hung himself-- 1945. Found him in a bunker during the mop-up. Face all purple, eyes bugged out. Then, in '62, I'm responding to a suicide. Fella's in his bathroom, swinging from an electric cord.

Hank sighs

HANK: You never know.

LOU: Mm. War stories.

HANK (chuckling) Yeah. Different now, though. After WWII, we went six years without a-- without a murder here. Six years. And these days, well Sometimes wonder if you boys didn't bring that war home with ya.

INT. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Rye’s cut arms are laying on a table, with Ed at the meat grinder.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is driving down the street. Split-screen appears to show the Gerhardt syndicate: Dodd is sitting at the dining table looking lost in thought. Floyd is lying in bed with Otto. Hanzee is driving on the road.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Ed is grinding Rye’s foot down into the meat grinder.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is driving by when he sees lights on in the butcher shop. He parks the car. He gets out and is approaching the front door.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEATS- BACK

Ed is finishing up grinding the foot.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is still approaching.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Ed turns off the meat grinder. He looks at Rye’s body on another table.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is up close to the door seeing the closed sign. He checks to see if it is locked and peeks inside.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Ed walks up to one of Rye’s cut arms.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is still looking inside.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Ed is preparing to cleave the hand off Rye’s arm.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is about to knock.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- BACK

Ed lifts the cleaver in the air, but a knock on the door distracts him and he instead cuts off the fingers. They slam to the ground, and one of the fingers rolls under the door into the front. The knocking continues.

CUT TO. OUTSIDE- NIGHT

Lou is still waiting outside. He sees the door in the back creak open, with Ed’s peeping out. Lou waves at him. Ed comes out and waves back. He turns on the front light and takes off his apron. He goes to open the front door.

ED: Hi

LOU: Burning it at both ends, huh?

Ed looks back.

ED: Uh, y-yeah.

LOU: Yeah. Double shift for me. Yeah. Hear what happened?

Slight pause.

ED: At that Waffle Hut, yeah.

LOU: Yeah. Real mess.

ED: Yeah.

LOU: Mm.

ED: The killer still at large, they say?

LOU: Yeah, we think so.

Ed nods.

LOU: Anyway, saw your light on. You know, Molly loves bacon for breakfast. I seem to remember we're out. So, I thought, if you don't mind, I'd pick some up-- be there when she woke up.

Ed laughs.

ED: Yeah.

LOU: Yeah?

ED: Yeah, sure. Come on in.

Lou walks in and closes the door. Ed walks behind the
meat display.

ED: Um So, uh, you want fat back, or?

LOU: Well, lean, if you got it.

ED: Okay.

Ed takes out bacon and wraps it.

LOU: 1/3 of a pound.

ED: Mm.

LOU: So, how's Peggy?

ED: Yeah, she's, uh, she's doing good. Yeah, doing real, you know Work's good, she says.

Lou nods and smiles.

LOU: Yeah, I think Betsy's coming in this week for a trim, which, uh don't know why I know that.

Ed looks to the backroom where Rye’s dismembered limbs are.

Lou chuckles.

ED: Wives. They talk whether we're listening or not. Yeah.

LOU: Oh, yeah-- Oh.

Ed sees Rye’s dismembered finger under a counter a few feet away behind Lou. Lou reaches in his back pocket to pull out his wallet.

ED: No, it's, uh-- it's on the house.

Ed taps Lou’s shoulder.

LOU: Oh, no, no. Let me.

Lou pulls out his wallet, but a coin slips out and rolls on the floor, landing under a cabinet a few feet opposite from Rye’s finger.

ED: No, I-I-- I got it. I got it.

The telephone rings. Ed quickly moves to retrieve the coin and to block Lou’s view of the finger. Both of them bend down to look for the coin. The telephone continues ringing.

LOU: You gonna get that?

Ed looks at Lou for a while.

ED: Yeah.

Both get back up.

ED: Yeah.

Ed answers the phone. Peggy is on the other line.

PEGGY: Why is it taking so long?

ED: Yeah, it's just, uh...

Ed points at the phone and whispers to Lou “my wife”.

ED: Uh, I'm almost done.

LOU: Right.

PEGGY: Well, can ya hurry up? I don't like being here by myself.

CUT TO. BUD’S MEAT- NIGHT

LOU: Thanks.

Lou pays Ed the money and leaves.

PEGGY: Ed? Ed? Ed?

ED: Yeah? Yeah, I still got to You know, it takes time, grinding a whole—

PEGGY: No, I-I know. I-I just miss ya is all.

ED: No, I-I miss you, too, hon. It's just—

PEGGY: I'll make some oatmeal, okay? And we can have breakfast when you get home.

ED: Okay.

PEGGY: I love ya.

ED: Love you, too. Bye.

Ed hangs up. Peggy hears the dial tone. She hangs up as well. Ed picks up the finger off the floor. He turns off the front light and returns to the back.

NARRATOR: No one would have believed, in the last years of the 19th century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No one could have dreamed we were being scrutinized as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even consider the possibility of life on other planets. And yet, across the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this earth with envious eyes, and, slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us.

Camera pans away from the store and moves up towards the sky.

[End Credits]