Blood Simple Page #22

EXT. MEURICE'S APARTMENT DAY

OVER ABBY'S SHOULDER

As she pounds frantically on the door--the sound continuing

over the cut. After a moment the door edges open.

Meurice is standing in the doorway in a long bathrobe. A

sleeper's blindfold is pushed up over his forehead.

MEURICE:

Abby. What's the matter?

ABBY:

I... I'm sorry, Meurice. I gotta

talk to you... Can I come in?

He looks at her hard.

MEURICE:

Yeah... yeah, come in...

He steps aside to let her pass.

MEURICE:

...but I gotta tell ya...

INT. MEURICE'S APARTMENT

As Abby enters.

MEURICE:

...I'm retired.

Meurice switches on a table lamp; the curtains are drawn

against the sun. Abby follows Meurice over to the bar.

MEURICE:

Jesus, I got a hangover. Want a drink?

ABBY:

No, I--

MEURICE:

Well I do...

He pours himself a drink.

MEURICE:

...For you I answer the door. If you

wanna stay here, that's fine. But

I'm retired.

ABBY:

Something happened with Marty and

Ray--

MEURICE:

(sharply)

Abby...

He glares at her.

MEURICE:

...Let me ask you one question...

He slams back the drink.

MEURICE:

...Why do you think I'm retired.

He grimaces.

MEURICE:

...Ray stole a shitload of money

from Marty. Until both of 'em calm

down I'm not getting involved.

ABBY:

No Meurice, it's worse than that.

Something really happened, I think

Marty's dead--

MEURICE:

What?! Did Ray tell you that?

ABBY:

Sort of...

Meurice sits her down on the sofa.

MEURICE:

That's total bullshit. Marty called

me after he was jacked up...

He tries to coax her into lying down.

MEURICE:

...I mean, I don't know where he is,

but he ain't dead.

ABBY:

Meurice--

MEURICE:

You don't look too good. You sleep

last night?

Her head meets an end cushion.

ABBY:

Meurice, you gotta help me...

Meurice rises from the sofa, sighs.

MEURICE:

All right. Just sit tight. Try to

get some sleep...

He leans down to the table next to the sofa.

MEURICE:

...I'll find Marty, find out what's

going on.

CLOSE SHOT ABBY:

Her head on the cushion. We hear engine rumble. Abby twists

her head back, following Meurice. As we hear the table lamp

being switched off we:

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY NIGHT

POV FROM A CAR:

The engine rumble continues over the cut. There is no other

traffic on the highway. A light fog covers the road. A green

highway sign says: "San Antonio 73 mi." We hear a car radio

playing softly.

CLOSE SHOT RAY:

Driving. He is gently lit by the light from the dashboard.

He reaches forward to turn off the radio. The only sound now

is the hum of the engine and the rhythmic clomping of tires

on pavement. The look and sound of the scene are close to

those of the first scene of the movie.

Ray takes a cigarette out of his pocket and puts it in his

mouth, but leaves it unlit.

RAY'S POV

The headlights of an approaching car materialize in the fog.

The car passes with a roar.

Up ahead a traffic light is turning amber.

BACK TO RAY:

The engine hum drops as he slows. We hear the low engine

rumble and the squeaking brakes of another car. Ray is now

stopped in front of the deserted intersection. He looks up

in his rearview mirror.

RAY'S POV

Another car is stopped just behind him, the fog floating up

past its headlights. The headlights halate in the fog; none

of the rest of the car is visible.

BACK TO RAY:

The unlit cigarette still in his mouth. He looks down from

the rearview mirror to the intersection ahead of him. There

is a long pause, during which we hear only the steady purr

of Ray's car and the knocking rumble of the car behind him.

Ray looks up at the traffic light.

RAY'S POV

The light is just turning from red to green.

CLOSE SHOT RAY'S FOOT ON BRAKE

He takes his foot off the brake, hesitates for a moment, the

replaces it on the brake.

CLOSE SHOT RAY:

He looks up in his rearview mirror.

RAY'S POV

The headlights of the other car remain motionless behind

him. The car makes no move to pass.

BACK TO RAY:

He slowly takes the cigarette from his mouth and drops it

onto the seat next to him. His eyes shift from the rearview

mirror to the traffic light.

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