Fargo Page #3

MALVO:

No. That is the thing.

13.

LESTER NYGAARD (CONT'D)

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

LESTER NYGAARD:

(beat)

Well -- heck -- I mean, okay.

Okay. But what am I supposed ta do?

(beat)

Heck, you’re so sure about it,

maybe you should just kill him for

me.

MALVO:

(beat)

Are you asking me to kill this man?

LESTER NYGAARD:

No. That was -- I was joking.

The nurse walks up.

NURSE:

Mr. Nygaard.

Lester looks at Malvo.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya, that’s -- just a second.

(to Malvo)

We’re just two fellas talking,

right? Just blowing off steam?

Malvo studies him.

NURSE:

Sir, it’s real busy --

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya, like I said -- just a second.

MALVO:

Sam. Hess.

LESTER NYGAARD:

No. Now wait just a second --

that’s not --

NURSE:

Sir!

But Lester is focused on Malvo, like a mouse hypnotised by a

snake.

MALVO:

One word. Yes. Or no.

14.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

Lester looks at him, feeling a strange tickle down his spine.

All he has to do is say no, but he doesn’t.

NURSE:

Sir, I’m gonna give your spot to --

LESTER NYGAARD:

(stands)

Ya, I’m -- I’m coming for Pete

sake.

He shares one last moment of eye contact with Malvo, then

grabs his coat and hat, follows the nurse to an exam room.

Malvo watches him go.

CUT TO:

EXT. TWO LANE HIGHWAY. SAINT CLOUD, MN - DAY

The site of Malvo’s accident. The car is still there, its

trunk now closed. TWO POLICE CARS are parked nearby, lights

flashing. DEPUTY MOLLY SOLVERSON, 29 stands behind the

wreck, kicking her feet to stay warm.

A THIRD CAR pulls up. Police Chief VERN THURMAN (40s) gets

out. Molly comes over to greet him.

MOLLY:

Cold enough for ya, chief?

VERN:

Supposed to get down to negative

ten later.

MOLLY:

Heard that. Don’t much like the

sound of negative.

VERN:

Thought I might strip down to my

shorts. Work on my tan.

(nods)

So what’s this here then?

Molly shows him the scene.

MOLLY:

Chief, I arrived on the scene at

thirteen hundred hours, found this

late model Ford. Looks like she

rolled a few times. I found a set

of footprints leading away from the

car.

15.

(MORE) TV Calling - For educational purposes only

Possible our driver, injured, got

confused, wandered into the woods.

I was about to investigate.

Vern circles the car, crouches at the front grill.

VERN:

Blood here. Hair too.

MOLLY:

Saw that. I was thinkin’ maybe a

deer, but couldn’t find the

evidence.

Vern walks out into the road, looking for something. Fresh

snow covers everything. Vern does some mental calculations,

picks a spot and kicks the snow away.

VERN:

Here it is.

Molly looks down, sees the underlayer of snow is pink with

blood.

MOLLY:

Son of a gun.

Vern walks back to the car. The driver’s door is open.

VERN:

(leans in)

Windshield’s cracked. Blood there

too. Driver musta hit his head

MOLLY:

Or her head.

Vern hears something, straightens. It comes again louder.

THUMPING. From the trunk.

VERN:

You check the trunk?

MOLLY:

No, sir.

The thumping continues. Vern and Molly approach the trunk.

ANGLE ON THE TRUNK

Something is inside, banging.

16.

MOLLY (CONT'D)

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

VERN:

Thinks about opening it, the pros and cons.

MOLLY (CONT’D)

Should I unholster my sidearm?

VERN:

Not unless you think there’s a

ninja inside.

He reaches down and pops the trunk. It swings open,

revealing:

THE DEER:

Still alive, flailing weakly.

VERN AND MOLLY:

Look at the deer.

MOLLY:

Huh.

Vern takes out his gun, puts the deer out of its misery. They

stand for a moment in silence, breath misty.

MOLLY (CONT’D)

(beat)

So -- wanna take a look at those

footprints then?

VERN:

Sounds good.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS. SAINT CLOUD, MINNESOTA - DUSK

Vern and Molly, flashlights on, trudge through the deep snow.

MOLLY:

(beat, walking)

How’s Ida?

VERN:

Any day now.

MOLLY:

You got a name picked out?

17.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

VERN:

I can’t even get that woman to

decide what color to paint the

nursery.

MOLLY:

(beat, walking)

Can’t believe I missed that deer in

the trunk.

VERN:

Don’t be. I been doin this a long

time. Never checked for a deer in

the trunk. (Beat) Or any wildlife.

Molly sees something.

MOLLY:

Chief.

He looks where her flashlight is pointed. There, sitting in

the snow, is A MAN IN HIS UNDERWEAR, frozen to death.

VERN:

(beat)

Okay.

CUT TO:

INT. THURMAN HOUSE. SAINT CLOUD, MINNESOTA - NIGHT

Vern comes home. He hangs his heavy coat on the wall.

VERN:

Hiya, hon.

IDA (O.S.)

In the kitchen.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN. THURMAN HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Vern enters, kisses his wife. IDA (30s) is eight months

pregnant.

VERN:

Something smells good.

IDA:

(touches her belly)

Your boy wanted a hamburger.

18.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

VERN:

Sounds like my boy.

Vern goes into the

BEDROOM:

Takes off his holster, locks his gun in the safe. Heading

back to the kitchen, Vern stops outside the BABY’S ROOM. All

the furniture -- crib, changing table, etc -- has been pushed

to the center. We see a tarp, paint trays and clean rollers

on the floor.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN. THURMAN HOUSE - NIGHT

Vern and Ida eat dinner.

VERN:

(beat)

Molly found a wreck out one

thirteen. Looks like the driver

tried ta head out on foot, but got

lost, froze ta death in the woods.

IDA:

Oh my.

VERN:

Ya. Funny thing is, the fella was

just wearing underpants.

IDA:

That so?

VERN:

Ya. No ID. Nothin. Couldn’t find

his clothes anywhere.

IDA:

Maybe he ate ‘em.

Vern nods like that’s a real possibility, then smiles. They

eat for a bit.

IDA (CONT’D)

I was thinking maybe blue. For the

nursery.

VERN:

Ya?

19.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

IDA:

Earlier. I was thinking maybe

blue, but then I changed my mind.

VERN:

Blue’s nice.

IDA:

Maybe green.

Vern nods. We can tell they’ve been having this conversation

for months.

VERN:

Green’s possible.

(beat)

Well, I’m ready to get painting.

Soon as you decide.

IDA:

You’re a good man, Vern Thurman.

My sister was crazy telling me not

to marry you.

VERN:

(beat, chews)

Your sister is crazy.

They eat for a while in comfortable silence.

CUT TO:

INT. HESS TRUCKING COMPANY. SAINT CLOUD, MINNESOTA - DAY

A large garage housing a raised DISPATCH OFFICE. Through the

office window we see Sam talking to BRUCE GOLD (40s). Gold is

Sam’s lawyer. TWO BIG GUYS sit with them.

In the main garage there is a big rig parked along the far

wall. The logo on the trailer reads NARCOL. Sam Hess’s

truck is parked next to it.

Boxes of INFLATABLE WOMEN are stacked against the wall.

Mickey and Moe have one of them open. Mickey is using a high

pressure air hose to fill up one of the women. She gets

fatter and fatter, then explodes. They crack up.

MOE:

Dad said we should take turns.

MICKEY:

Dad told me he thinks you’re

retarded.

20.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

Moe attacks him. They wrestle. Mickey gets Moe in a

headlock. Lorne Malvo enters the garage, watches them.

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