Before the Fall Page #2

two weeks there, but Bob had to come

back early, because we had

to oversee the construction

of the lake house.

So...

Oh, that's great,

will you excuse me?

Sure.

Still trying to figure

out where I've seen you.

Everyone please hold your

cards for a possible bingo.

Who is that?

Let me introduce you

to my friends.

This is Kittner Frost.

Hey, pleasure to meet you.

I'm the vice president

at old dominion bank.

Welcome to Abingdon.

If you need anything, please,

please, let me know.

Kittner. And this

is Lyle Jennings.

Lyle is...

Busy spending his inheritance.

This is Lee Darcy.

It's nice to meet you,

what do you do?

Um, work at Eastgate.

Oh.

What do you do there?

I'm...

I'm a welder.

Oh.

It was nice meeting

you, guys. Excuse me.

Sir, would you like a drink?

No, no, thank you.

Oh? Really?

I think you must be right.

Um, excuse me.

Sure.

Hey man, I gotta go.

Okay, no problem.

No, you stay here,

I'm gonna go for a walk.

Give me a call when you're done.

You sure?

Yeah.

I'm fine, man.

I've just realized where

I've seen him before.

I saw him get charged with

a felony a few months ago.

He thinks I'm the biggest a**hole

on the face of the planet.

Chuck?

Hope you weren't

waiting too long.

Hey, no problem, uh...

I just got here.

Uh, besides, Ben from the party called.

He and his girlfriend

are coming, so,

we gotta wait on them.

All right.

I hope that's okay,

I guess I should've asked you.

That's cool.

Who's coming?

Well, the couple that

had the party for me?

Oh, the party you

went to without me.

I don't know them.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Oh, I hate hiking.

What do you mean?

It's such a waste of time.

I really don't see

what the big deal is.

I only do it to make Lee happy.

I don't mind hiking alone.

Why don't we head up this Ridge?

So... how long have you

and Ben been together?

Jane, how long has it been?

Since kindergarten?

Oh, you mean, together?

Yeah, we're not together.

Ben and I are just friends.

Oh, well, Chuck said

you were a couple.

Oh, I suppose I just

assumed you were together.

So, do you have a boyfriend?

No.

What about you? Do you

have a girlfriend, Ben?

No, I'm gay.

But I don't have a boyfriend.

You don't act like you're gay.

How do gays act?

Oh, come on, you know.

No, I don't.

Hey, I don't have

a problem with gays.

We had one where I worked. I

treated him like he was normal.

Come on, Cathy.

Ever since, Lee's gone to aa,

he's Saint Lee the tolerant.

Not all gays

are flamboyant.

I didn't think you b*tches

would ever stop.

Let's do this.

All right, anything else?

Sit down, son.

It will be over soon.

Glad we were

able to work this one out.

Well, I don't know. It rubs me the

wrong way to allow junior over there

to plead to anything

less than a felony.

But...

You've managed

to trash our only witness.

Besides,

judge Jackson doesn't know

squat about criminal law.

You know he was a real estate

attorney before his political buddies

slipped him on the bench?

All rise.

Please be seated.

Is the commonwealth

ready to proceed?

Yes, your honor.

Is the defense council

ready to proceed?

Yes, your honor.

Gentlemen, looks like we have a

plead ring that's been reached.

Yes, subject to your approval...

Uh, the defendant will plead no

contest to the lesser charges

of assault and battery...

With the recommended

sentence of one year probation.

Well...

I've, uh, reviewed the record.

Stipulation indicates that,

the defendant's girlfriend suffered

a concussion and broken arm.

Seems like an extremely light

sentence under such circumstances.

Your honor, the commonwealth has serious

problems with its only witness.

Also, Mr. Carol just indicated he has concerns

regarding the court's lack of experience

in handling criminal cases.

Your honor,

we would like

to ask that the, uh...

Defendant be allowed to leave

the state despite probation

to attend Notre dame this fall.

No objection.

Very well.

Let's take a short recess.

Mr. Carol, see me

in chambers.

All rise.

Thank you very much.

Hey, what are you

doing here, handsome?

Had a hearing,

I am too.

Just finishing up.

That was John Altman.

Senator?

Son had too much to drink, got

a little rough with the date.

What was the charge?

Aggravated malicious wounding.

How did she get

a domestic abuse felony

reduced to a simple misdemeanor?

The kind of money

the Altman's have,

my entire staff's been working

on this case for two months.

All they had to do was dig

up enough dirt on the girl,

to blow holes

in her credibility.

And you're not above

a cheap trick?

Telling the judge that Wayne said he

didn't know how to try a criminal case?

Hey, I didn't make it up.

Besides,

it's my job

to represent my client,

if that means making the prosecutor

look bad, to finalize a plea bargain,

then I'm doing it.

How long you tied up here?

Forty five minutes.

Good, I should be done by then.

Why don't you meet me

at the tavern for a drink?

I shouldn't. I'm

covered up with work.

I might count on you

changing your mind.

It'd mean a lot to me.

Shouldn't have

to celebrate alone.

Just a drink.

How'd it go?

Good.

Fantastic.

You have anymore

commitments this afternoon?

Actually, no, I don't.

Great, let's celebrate,

let's get that drink.

Yeah.

I... can't.

I'm sorry if I've misread

the situation, all right?

I don't wanna

make you uncomfortable.

Misread the situation?

A drink sounds good.

Great, come on.

She hasn't done anything to make you

think there's a problem, has she?

She's probably not going to be too excited

about me living up here in the sticks.

What about you?

Is it hard not to drink?

Sometimes.

What makes it worse?

I think too much.

Thinking about what?

It's kind of hard to explain.

You don't know what

I'm really like.

So...

What are you really like?

I'm, uh...

Screwed up.

That's not what

you were gonna say.

You know...

Why don't you stay over tonight?

Go hiking in the morning?

Oh, I wish I could.

I have to get up early and

hit the office, I got a...

Big hearing on Monday.

Yeah, I should

probably work, too.

But, we'll do this.

No hiking.

Just stay over tonight, we'll

leave first thing in the morning.

I never really can sleep

well except in my own bed.

Do you remember, Lee Darcy?

You were representing

him when I met you.

Yeah, I guess so.

He was there, uh...

Went hiking

with a friend of mine.

Why would a friend of yours

know someone like that?

Funny, you should mention them.

The neighbor came into

my office a while back,

tried to change her story.

Apparently he didn't say he was

going to kill his girlfriend,

but he split her head open.

Probably banging

the neighbor now.

No, he's still with

the girlfriend.

She was on our hike, too.

Her name is Cathy.

Cathy, yeah, yeah,

I remember her.

Huh, doesn't surprise me,

that kind always goes back

in for more abuse.

Worthless as a witness too.

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