Fargo Page #8

PEARL:

Whatcha doin’, hon?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Trying ta fix the darn thing.

Looks like the motor mount broke.

PEARL:

Ya sure ya know what yer doin’?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Seems pretty straight forward.

He puts the screwdriver down.

LESTER NYGAARD (CONT’D)

Okay. Give that a try.

PEARL:

But there’s nothing in it.

LESTER NYGAARD:

I’m sayin’ just fer a test.

Pearl turns the machine on. Beat. It fills with water, then

the agitator kicks in. A harsh shriek fills the air.

LESTER NYGAARD (CONT’D)

(panicked)

Turn it off.

Pearl tries to turn it off. The shriek worsens. SMOKE

starts to pour out of the back of the washing machine.

Lester finally pulls the plug. The shriek fades slowly, as

the engine cycles down.

They stare at the now dead washing machine.

LESTER NYGAARD (CONT’D)

Well --

PEARL:

You killed it.

LESTER NYGAARD:

I, uh --

PEARL:

You killed my washing machine.

51.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

LESTER NYGAARD:

It’s -- I was -- ya know, the tide.

I was standing up to the -- I was

bein’ a man.

PEARL:

But yer not a man, Lester. Yer not

even half a man.

Lester stares at her, his nuts cut once again.

PEARL (CONT’D)

Honestly. I don’t know what got

into me, marrying you. My mom

said, don’t do it, Pearl. She

said, he’s the kind of boy who

loses all the time. And you know

what those boys grow up ta be,

don’t ya? Losers.

LESTER:

Looks at his tools.

ANGLE ON A CLAW HAMMER

Resting on top of the tool box.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Take it back.

PEARL:

Or what? What are you gonna do?

Ya can’t even face me when we’re

having sex.

LESTER NYGAARD:

What? It’s you not facin’ me.

PEARL:

Well, yah. So I can picture a real

man.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Now that’s not very nice.

PEARL:

Loser.

Lester picks up the claw hammer. He walks towards Pearl.

PEARL (CONT’D)

What are you doon? You gonna hit

me with a hammer? That’s a laugh.

52.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

The first blow catches her by surprise. The pain of it, the

blood that runs down her face. The moment hangs there. Then

Lester BEATS HER TO DEATH with the hammer. Each blow is a

release. Eventually, he stops. Stands there panting.

Slowly the red haze lifts. He looks down at his blood

spattered clothes.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Aw geez.

He is about to panic, when he looks up.

CLOSE UP ON AN INSPIRATIONAL POSTER

taped to a bare concrete wall. On it a school of yellow fish

all face the same direction, except one. The poster reads

There’s Always One. Be the One.

LESTER:

Stares at it. As he does, an idea hits him. A brilliant,

dangerous plan. Could he really do it? As we watch, Lester

strips off his clothes, shoves them in a garbage bag.

Carefully Lester wipes the handle of the claw hammer to

remove his finger prints. Over this we hear:

LESTER NYGAARD (O.S.) (CONT’D)

(pre-lap, distraught)

Ya, it’s me. I -- you need ta -- I

need help.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN. NYGAARD HOUSE. SAINT CLOUD, MIN - NIGHT

Lester, dressed in new clothing, stands with his back to us.

We move towards him as he practices for his phone call.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya, it’s me. I can’t talk long.

She’s -- I did something --

(beat)

Ya, it’s -- there’s been an

accident and I --

Beat. He picks up the phone, dials.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. FARMDALE MOTEL. SAINT CLOUD, MN - SAME TIME

Malvo sits on his bed, watching tv. The phone rings, which

is strange, because no one has this number.

53.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

MALVO:

(answers)

Yes?

LESTER NYGAARD:

(worked up)

Ya, it’s me -- Lester -- she’s --

my wife, she’s -- aw hell -- she’s

in the basement, and --

MALVO:

How did you get this number?

LESTER NYGAARD:

What? I was -- I saw you this

morning on my way ta -- look, I’m

freakin’ out here -- I don’t know

what ta do.

MALVO:

Lester, have you been a bad boy?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Aw geez. I just -- can you come

over? It’s -- I’m on Willow Creek

Drive. Number six thirteen.

MALVO:

(beat, thinking)

Sure, Lester. I’ll be right there.

Lester hangs up. Beat. He thinks about his next step.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM. NYGAARD HOUSE. SAINT CLOUD, MN - NIGHT

Lester pulls a chair over to the armoire. He climbs up,

roots around on top, pulls down a SHOTGUN. He finds some

shells, loads it. Malvo will be here soon and Lester plans

to kill him and frame him for his wife’s murder.

CUT TO:

INT. FRONT HALLWAY. NYGAARD HOUSE - NIGHT

Lester holds the gun in one hand. Practices opening the door

with the other, raising the gun. It’s too clunky. Plus he

needs to lure Malvo inside the house before he shoots him.

LESTER NYGAARD:

(practicing)

What did you do? You killed her.

You killed her.

54.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

Lester looks around. He decides to hide the shotgun against

the LIVING ROOM WALL, just on the other side of the doorway.

Looking around, Lester loses his nerve a little. But no. He

has a plan. This will work. He sets the shotgun in its

hiding place, looks around. Has he forgotten anything?

THERE IS A KNOCK ON THE FRONT DOOR

Lester panics, tries to calm down.

LESTER NYGAARD (CONT’D)

(under his breath)

You killed her. You killed her.

Lester goes to the front door, takes a deep breath, opens it.

VERN THURMAN stands outside.

VERN:

Evenin’, Lester.

LESTER NYGAARD:

(nervous)

What -- what do ya want?

VERN:

Well, I suppose first I’d like ta

come in.

Lester looks behind him.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Uh, ya. Well -- it’s just -- now’s

not a good --

VERN:

Just take a second.

Vern steps forward and Lester, by instinct, steps back. Now

Vern is in the house. He takes off his gloves and hat.

VERN (CONT’D)

Supposed ta get down to negative

ten tonight, I hear.

Lester is a mass of nerves. Vern steps towards the kitchen.

VERN (CONT’D)

Pearl home?

Lester moves to block him, putting his back to the kitchen

doorway.

55.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

LESTER NYGAARD:

Uh -- no -- she’s, uh -- at my

brother’s.

VERN:

Okay then. How’s the nose?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Huh? Oh, hurts.

VERN:

How’d that happen anyway?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Slipped. Over at the fire station.

VERN:

Ouch. Go to the hospital?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya. They, uh, set it.

VERN:

Talk to anyone while you were

there?

LESTER NYGAARD:

What do ya mean?

VERN:

Well, the reason I’m here -- not

sure if ya heard -- but Sam Hess

got himself killed last night over

at the Lucky Penny. Nasty business.

And, well, I heard you were talkin’

to another fella about Hess before

he died. Over at the hospital.

LESTER NYGAARD:

(pale)

No. I don’t think --

VERN:

What was his name again? The other

fella?

Lester tries to decide what to say. Then the cuckoo clock

chimes from the living room. 8 o’clock. Lester jumps,

startled.

VERN (CONT’D)

Ya okay there, Lester? Ya seem a

bit jumpy.

56.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya, I’m, uh -- it’s just Pearl’s

gonna be home soon and --

Looking past Lester, Vern sees the basement door is open. He

notices something on the floor. A BLOODY FOOTPRINT.

Alarmed, Vern DRAWS HIS GUN.

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