Double Indemnity Page #25

the other. They're stuck with each

other. They have to go on riding

clear to the end of the line. And

the last stop is the cemetery.

PHYLLIS:

Maybe he's got something there.

NEFF:

You bet he has, Two people are going

to ride to the end of the line, all

right. Only I'm not going to be one

of them. I've got another guy to

finish my ride for me.

PHYLLIS:

So you've got it all arranged, Walter.

NEFF:

You arranged it for me. I didn't

have to do a thing.

PHYLLIS:

Just who are you talking about?

NEFF:

An acquaintance of yours. A Mr.

Zachetti. Come on, baby, I just got

into this because I knew a little

something about insurance, didn't I?

I was just a sucker. I'd have been

brushed-off as soon as you got your

hands on the money.

PHYLLIS:

What are you talking about?

NEFF:

Save it. I'm telling this. It's been

you and that Zachetti guy all along,

hasn't it?

PHYLLIS:

That's not true.

NEFF:

It doesn't make any difference whether

it's true or not. The point is Keyes

believes Zachetti is the guy he's

been looking for. He'll have him in

that gas chamber before he knows

what happened to him.

PHYLLIS:

And what's happening to me all this

time?

NEFF:

Don't be silly. What do you expect

to happen to you? You helped him do

the murder, didn't you? That's what

Keyes thinks. And what's good enough

for Keyes is good enough for me.

PHYLLIS:

Maybe it's not good enough for me.

Walter. Maybe I don't go for the

idea. Maybe I'd rather talk.

NEFF:

Sometimes people are where they can't

talk. Under six feet of dirt, for

instance. And if it was you, they'd

just charge it up to Zachetti,

wouldn't they. One more item on his

account. Sure they would. That's

just what they're going to do.

Especially since he's coming here,

tonight... Oh, in about fifteen

minutes from now, baby. With the

cops right behind him. It's all taken

care of.

PHYLLIS:

And that'd make everything lovely

for you, wouldn't it?

NEFF:

Right. And it's got to be done before

that suit of yours comes to trial,

and Lola gets a chance to sound off,

and they trip you up on the stand,

and you start to fold up and drag me

down with you.

PHYLLIS:

Listen, Walter. Maybe I had Zachetti

here so they won't get a chance to

trip me up. So we can get that money

and be together.

NEFF:

That's cute. Say it again.

PHYLLIS:

He came here the first time just to

ask where Lola was. I made him come

back. I was working on him. He's

crazy sort of guy, quick-tempered. I

kept hammering into him that she was

with another man, so he'd get into

one of his jealous rages, and then

I'd tell him where she was. And you

know what he'd have done to her,

don't you, Walter.

NEFF:

Yeah, and for once I believe you.

Because it's just rotten enough.

PHYLLIS:

We're both rotten, Walter.

NEFF:

Only you're just a little more rotten.

You're rotten clear through. You got

me to take care of your husband, and

then you got Zachetti to take care

of Lola, and maybe take care of me

too, and then somebody else would

have come along to take care of

Zachetti for you. That's the way you

operate isn't it, baby.

PHYLLIS:

Suppose it is, Walter. Is what you've

cooked up for tonight any better?

Neff gets up from the davenport. He listens to the music for

a moment.

NEFF:

I don't like this music anymore.

It's too close. Do you mind if I

shut the window?

Phyllis just stares at him. He goes quietly over to the window

and shuts it and draws the curtain. Phyllis speaks to his

back:

PHYLLIS:

(Her voice low and

urgent)

Walter!

Neff turns, something changes in his face. There is the report

of a gun. He stands motionless for a moment, then very slowly

starts towards her. CAMERA IS SHOOTING OVER HIS SHOULDER at

Phyllis as she stands with the gun in her hand. Neff stops

after he has taken a few steps.

NEFF:

What's the matter? Why don't you

shoot again? Maybe if I came a little

closer?

Neff takes a few more steps towards her and stops again.

NEFF:

How's that. Do you think you can do

it now?

Phyllis is silent. She doesn't shoot. Her expression is

tortured. Neff goes on until he is close to her. Quietly he

takes the gun out of her unresisting hand.

NEFF:

Why didn't you shoot, baby?

Phyllis puts her arms around him in complete surrender.

NEFF:

Don't tell me it's because you've

been in love with me all this time.

PHYLLIS:

No. I never loved you, Walter. Not

you, or anybody else. I'm rotten to

the heart. I used you, just as you

said. That's all you ever meant to

me -- until a minute ago. I didn't

think anything like that could ever

happen to me.

NEFF:

I'm sorry, baby. I'm not buying.

PHYLLIS:

I'm not asking you to buy. Just hold

me close.

Neff draws her close to him. She reaches up to his face and

kisses him on the lips. As she comes out of the kiss there

is realization in her eyes that this is the final moment.

NEFF:

Goodbye, baby.

Out of the shot the gun explodes once, twice. Phyllis quivers

in his arms. Her eyes fill with tears. Her head falls limp

against his shoulder. Slowly he lifts her and carries her to

the davenport. He lays her down on it carefully, almost

tenderly. The moonlight coming in at the French doors shines

on the anklet. He looks at it for the last time and slowly

turns away. As he does so, he puts his hand inside his coat

and it comes out with blood on it. Only then is it apparent

that Phyllis' shot actually did hit him. He looks at the

blood on his fingers with a dazed expression and quickly

goes out of the room, the way he came.

D-21 EXT. DIETRICHSON HOME - (NIGHT)

Neff comes out of the house. He closes the front door with

his right hand. His left arm hangs limp. He takes a few steps

down the walk, then suddenly hears somebody approaching. He

moves behind the palm tree near the walk.

A man comes up the steps towards the front door -- Zachetti.

Just as he reaches the door, Neff calls to him.

NEFF:

Hey you. Come here a minute. I said

come here, Zachetti.

Zachetti turns and approaches him slowly.

NEFF:

The name is Neff.

ZACHETTI:

Yeah? And I still don't like it.

What do you want?

NEFF:

Look, kid, I want to give you a

present.

He takes some loose change out of his pocket and holds out a

coin.

NEFF:

Here's a nice new nickel.

ZACHETTI:

What's the gag?

NEFF:

Suppose you go back down the hill to

a drug store and make a phone call.

Neff starts to drop the nickel into Zachetti's handkerchief

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