Imaginary Crimes Page #4

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This is the address on the roster.

Don't have a cow.

Look at the plants.

Must be a woman in the house.

He doesn't wear a wedding band.

He's living with someone, living in sin.

What about the tricycle?

He's got an illegitimate son, a bastard.

I guess "still waters run deep. "

What are you doing?

Jesus!

I can't believe you did that!

He almost got you! Oh, my God!

I was this close.

This close.

He looked so different.

Yeah.

Anybody home?

Hello, girls.

Where's your pops?

He's away.

We don't know when he'll return.

How come every time I call or come by,

your pop is away on some big trip?

Ray Weiler is a very busy man who needs

to be away on business frequently.

Don't be smart with me.

Your pop owes me six months rent.

If he can't return my calls,

you two will be on the street.

Good afternoon, girls.

Mr. Garrity.

To what do we owe this honor?

What do you think? I'm here for the rent.

The money you owe me every month

that you haven't paid in six months.

There, that settles what I owe you.

And here's for the next two months,

in case I'm forced to travel again.

Don't bother my girls.

Pay the rent, I won't bother them.

Oh, boy!

Oh, boy!

Here it is!

Now do you believe all the things

I've been telling you all these years?

Our ship has come in.

The old Weilers...

...stuck together...

...and we made it.

I like it when your ships come in.

Why are we here?

Daddy is so sorry he has to take his girls

on this little detour.

But he has important business to discuss

with Uncle Eddie.

You mean a beer with Eddie.

After Valery's death,

my father fell into a profound despair...

...and lost all pretense of keeping up

with the rent on the new dream house.

We moved from place to place...

...finally landing

at a transient hotel downtown.

I tried to drive all thoughts

of my mother underground.

I filled the empty weekends taking

snapshots of Greta with an old camera.

She didn't like being ordered around.

But she couldn't protest...

...because I was all she had.

This is a snapshot.

A moment in time.

No one looking at it could know

that Greta had been deaf for three months.

She had also stopped talking.

Of course, Daddy and I noticed,

but we refused to discuss it.

We didn't go to a doctor.

We didn't want to hear something else

was wrong with someone we loved.

We didn't want to hear,

"Your little girl is deaf and dumb. "

Once or twice, we attempted to test her...

...by sneaking up behind her and yelling.

Fire!

But she never moved, turned around...

Can you hear me, sweetheart?

...or even changed expression.

She didn't respond in any way.

I knew Greta's deafness was my fault

and it put me in a chronic state of panic.

I was responsible for her,

but I couldn't take care of myself.

Where are your brains?

Playing so close to the edge

with your sister.

Can't close my eyes for a minute.

One day,

after several months had passed...

...the deafness disappeared

just as mysteriously as it had begun.

I need to go to the bathroom.

Daddy and I never talked about it...

...but a great weight seemed to lift

from his shoulders.

I was so relieved.

I stopped making Greta pose for me.

And I promised myself...

...she'd never feel that lonely again.

You see mine in there?

It's nice to see some of you ladies

actually listen to me when I speak.

You want to talk about your papers,

we can talk about them tomorrow.

You tell me to write about what I know

and then you tear it apart.

You only saw the criticism.

You didn't see the meaning of it.

That's all there is to see.

There's red marks everywhere.

Sonya, your story was beautiful.

I noticed you haven't signed up

for the college exams.

You do plan on going, don't you?

To college, I mean.

No, Mr. Webster. Actually, I don't.

You see, things are

just a little complicated at home.

I gathered that.

You can't let that stop you.

You don't know my father.

In a way...

...I do.

I have to get to class.

He's not home.

I don't know where he is.

I don't know when he'll be back.

I'll give him the message.

That was Mr. Jarvis again.

What, darling?

He said that if you want him to stay

involved in the deal...

...you'd better stop avoiding his calls.

Who's avoiding his calls?

Would you turn that goddamn noise off?

I want an explanation for this.

I want an explanation of what

this cheap crap is doing in your room.

Look at me, numbskull!

Where the hell are your brains?

Did you hear what I said?

It's just a book.

Don't play dumb with me.

I know trash...

...when I see it.

I've tried to bring you up.

To teach you culture and refinement.

And you...

Goddamn it!

I have forbidden you to read this trash!

I have tried to teach you to appreciate

the finer things of life.

But all you do...

...is read cheap crap!

Excuse me.

I'll fix you one of my pick-me-up specials.

No, sweetheart,

I just need a few moments of quiet.

And this cup of coffee.

Good morning.

So, I'll be back around 4:00.

Hold your horses. Where are you going?

You have to take Greta

to her dance recital.

Can't you take her just this once?

I've got to meet Eddie.

I have to go meet Margaret.

You have to call Margaret and tell her

you'll be there when you get there.

Go get dressed, and hurry up.

Let me see how you look. Turn around.

There's your friend.

You're sort of cute in your tutu.

Thanks.

I've got to go get changed.

I'll go get a seat.

No. You better go

or you'll be late for your test.

I love you.

You'll do great.

Good luck.

Okay, go.

Does everyone have a sharpened pencil?

Let me see it.

All right, everything's going to be fine.

Don't worry. She'll be okay.

Does anyone know her?

Do you know her?

God!

Did I faint again?

- Are you okay?

- I thought you'd never get here.

Remember Artie?

The guy from the Calverton deal?

Artie Skaggs.

Big talk, no underwear.

He stopped in the Dover last night

and we started talking.

I started talking about Greta and Sonya.

Not the girls, the claims.

How many times must I tell you

not to talk about business?

Jesus.

Anyway, he starts teling

me about couple of guys

he knows that got this great

deal around the same parts.

So what? It's a big mountain.

That's right. It's a big mountain.

So I ask him who these guys

got this deal from.

It's Miller.

He sold our land to someone else.

What does Skaggs know?

Miller said he wouldn't do anything

without telling me first.

That was a while ago.

I hope you're right.

Jarvis.

Just the man I wanted to see.

- I just told Eddie...

- Cut the crap.

You've avoided me for weeks

and I don't like it.

We've been up in the mountains

getting things set up.

What things?

You ever started up

a mining operation, Jarvis?

There's equipment to lease.

We got a great deal on a backhoe.

And there's men to hire.

These things take time.

And money, Jarvis.

I know, Ray. It's my money.

We've all got a lot tied up here.

We?

So far the only one I see putting up

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