Lost Highway Page #15

WARDEN:

Pete, can you tell us now, anything

about this?

CLAIRE:

Pete, what happened to you?

Pete has a dazed look on his face. He starts to speak, then

stops.

CLAIRE:

It's okay. Take your time, honey.

Pete's gaze drifts from his mother's face around the room

and back to her face.

PETE:

(afraid - quiet)

Where... am I?

The Warden and Captain Henderson look to Dr. Rogoff.

DR. ROGOFF

You're in the state penitentiary.

You were found in a cell on death

row.

PETE:

My head hurts.

Pete rubs his head like it's about to explode with pain.

WARDEN:

A man named Fred Madison was occupying

that cell. He's missing. We're trying

to find out how it is you were in

there and not him.

PETE:

I... I don't know.

CAPTAIN HENDERSON

Do you know Fred Madison?

PETE:

(straining)

No.

There is a silence in the room, as Pete massages his throbbing

temples.

CLAIRE:

(worried)

Warden, can we take him home?

The Warden looks at Dr. Rogoff.

DR. ROGOFF

(to Warden)

From a medical standpoint, I don't

see why not.

CAPTAIN HENDERSON

We need to find out what happened

here.

BILL:

(standing up)

Have you made any charges against

him?

WARDEN:

No.

BILL:

Then he's coming home with his mother

and me.

WARDEN:

All right... but you see our

predicament... Legally we can't hold

him, but he may be able to help us...

perhaps later. For now, he's free

to leave.

Bill and Claire help Pete up and carefully escort him out of

the warden's office. With a nod from the Warden, the guard

accompanies them out of the room. The Warden, Captain

Henderson and Dr. Rogoff stand but remain in the office.

CAPTAIN HENDERSON

(to warden)

You just gonna let him go?

WARDEN:

We'll get a tail put on him.

CUT TO:

EXT. DAYTON HOUSE - SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - DAY

Bill, Claire and Pete pull into the driveway of a bleached

out, 60's ranch-style house on a street lined with many more

of the same.

Bill and Claire get out of the car first, then help Pete out

and up into the house.

CUT TO:

INT. DAYTON HOUSE - DAY

Bill and Claire take Pete to his room, which has a bed, desk,

two chairs and a sea of disassembled motorcycle parts

belonging to a classic Indian motorbike which Pete is

rebuilding. Each part is shiny and clean.

Pete sits down on his bed and looks up at his parents -

shaking his head with confusion and embarrassment.

BILL:

Just rest easy, Pete. You're gonna

be okay.

CLAIRE:

Are you hungry, honey? I'll fix you

something.

PETE:

No... I don't feel so good. I would

like some aspirin.

CLAIRE:

Coming up.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. DAYTON HOUSE - NIGHT

Pete sleeps.

In the living room, Bill is drinking a beer and watching

television.

In the kitchen, Claire is finishing the dishes. She goes

into the living room and leans down and whispers something

in Bill's ear. Bill nods and Claire walks quietly down the

hallway and opens Pete's door.

She looks in on him sleeping.

CUT TO:

EXT. DAYTON HOUSE - DAY

An unmarked police car pulls up across the street from the

Dayton house. In the front seat are the Detectives, Ed and

Al. Al, who is on the passenger side, is holding two styrofoam

cups filled with coffee. Ed removes from his inside jacket

pocket a 5" x 7" photo of Pete Dayton, which he props up on

the dashboard so that it is visible for both himself and Al.

Al hands one of the cups to Ed.

ED:

Thanks, Al.

Al studies Pete Dayton's face in the photo.

AL:

Now we'll see what this son of a

b*tch is up to.

ED:

Yeah.

Ed and Al sip their coffee and stare at the house.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. DAYTON HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY

Pete Dayton is lying on a chaise lounge. His forehead is

still swollen, but his eyes are less red. He stares up into

the sky - a hot breeze blows over him.

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