The Desperate Hours Page #3

Eight years and then you can't open it!

You're all right.

You're working your headpiece

overtime, but you're not a bad guy.

Your woman's waiting.

This guy ain't yellow. I taught him.

- You taught me everything.

- That's right.

Except how to live

in a house like this.

Darling, it's such a short time now,

Less than three hours.

All they'll have is the car.

That's insured. As soon as they've

gone, you'll pick up the phone.

- Sure.

- What are you thinking?

- Nothing, dear.

- What, Dan?

- You're right. It'll soon be over.

- There's something else.

They'll leave, you'll pick up...

They can't let you do that.

- How can he stop it?

- He can't.

He must have a plan.

- I know what you're thinking.

- Don't imagine things, Ellie.

They'll have to take someone.

Dad, don't let them take me.

Ralphy, I just explained

to your mother...

- Please don't let them take me!

- They're not taking you or anyone.

- I won't let them.

- How are you going to stop them?

I'll stop them. I'll find a way.

Get under the covers, darling.

Go back to sleep.

I just had a silly idea, that's all.

Those men

hadn't even thought of that.

Goodnight, Chuck.

You had me so balled up, Cindy.

But I know now.

- What? What do you know?

- It's your father.

I know how he feels about me.

Well, I'm going to

have it out with him.

- No!

- The lights are on. He must be up.

- I said no! It's not that at all.

- Well, what is it, then?

Have fun, sweetie?

What you been doing?

Get upstairs, miss.

- Ain't been searched yet.

- Where's Griffin?

- Stay there!

- We searched the old man.

- Come up, Cindy. Where's Griffin?

- Lift your arms, baby.

- Hold it, Kobish. Hold it, I said!

- What you think...?

- Where'd you get that?

- Go upstairs, miss.

- Where'd you get that gun?

- Hal, you fool!

- Go sleep it off, Kobish.

- Both of you. Both got guns, huh?

Only me. Should have known.

OK, you brothers, you wait.

You just wait!

- Get to bed.

- Just a minute, sis.

You don't get off that easy.

Close the curtains. Gimme that coat.

- Lift your arms.

- Griffin!

Shut up! Come on, get 'em up.

I gotta stop that fool.

Hold it right there.

Don't think I won't.

Kobish!

- Cindy!

- Don't move!

- Glenn!

- Hal, this girl is ill.

- If there's any decency in you...

- Glenn!

Miss, there's no cause to be scared.

Hold it!

Aah! Aah!

Open the door!

Lock the back door.

Turn off the lights. Go up to Ralphy.

Stay away from the windows.

They're all outside.

Operator... Operator...

Operator!

Dan, don't!

Dad!

Operator. Operator.

Is that...?

Your call, please?

They've got Ralphy.

This is the operator.

Your call, please.

Go upstairs. Get in our room,

both of you. Lock the door.

Ellie! If you hear a shot,

make the call.

Ralphy! Where are you?

Here, Dad...

Try something now, the brat gets his.

- Let the boy come in, Griffin.

- Gun first. Set the safety.

Now the lights. Back inside.

I tried anyway.

Go up to your mother, son.

Jumped off the roof.

Brave kid you got there, Hilliard.

Brave family. Going on midnight

and you couldn't wait.

You couldn't wait! You ain't learned

yet who's running this show.

Hands off, Griffin!

Glenn.

Get Kobish in here.

- Bard?

- Yeah.

Helen Miller's not coming.

She ran a red light in Columbus.

- What?

- A patrol car gave chase.

They arrested her

for a traffic violation?!

- She gave them the slip in Columbus.

- But they had orders.

It's been on every teletype between

here and Pittsburgh: Do not arrest!

Oh, those greedy crumbs! Trying to

pick her off on a lousy 15-buck fine.

- Take it easy, Bard.

- Don't tell me to take it easy!

If she's not coming,

she's got to call him.

Dutch, get me a court order.

I want every long-distance call

from Columbus, Ohio, to Indianapolis

as fast as they get 'em,

any number to any number.

- Got you, Chief.

- Names, addresses, numbers.

- Ralphy?

- Don't move, Dan.

- What time...?

- After one.

- Midnight! He said he...

- Dan, listen.

Close your eyes and listen to me,

darling.

You must never do anything

like that again. Ever.

- You might have been killed.

- Why haven't they gone?

Listen! Nobody knows anything

about what's happening here.

We're all alone in this.

Promise me...

Ellie, how long has it been

since I said I love you?

Hal, upstairs.

Lady, get that!

Hello?

I have a collect call for Mr James

from Mrs James.

- Put her on.

- You accept the charges?

Yeah, put her on.

- Get them inside.

- Inside and shut the door.

- Hello?

- Yeah?

- Is this you?

- Yeah. What's up?

I ran into trouble in Columbus.

I'm heading for Louisville.

- You know where.

- Yeah. Now, listen.

Put that stuff in a plain envelope

and take down this address.

- OK?

- Yeah.

As soon as I get it,

we'll make tracks.

- Watch out, see?

- I'll see.

Close them curtains.

- What if they trace that call?

- Ever hear of Circleville, Ohio?

It's 24 miles south of Columbus.

You think them cops will trace calls

from a jerk town like Circleville?

- But what if we get trapped here?

- It can't be nowhere else!

All that dough in this town, I can

have that copper put on ice for good.

Cindy, go to sleep, dear.

You, too.

You don't drink your milk, you ain't

gonna be a big strong man like Daddy.

- How much longer, Griffin?

- Is that any way to talk to a guest?

- How much longer?

- Till I get a certain envelope.

Everything goes on like before.

You and the spitfire go to work.

Junior here misses a day at school.

It won't hurt you, kid.

- I missed a few myself.

- And look at you!

Pass you on the street, you'd look

through us. You're seeing us now!

Hal!

- The morning paper.

- Get your kicks young, kid.

Hal, the paper. You're going to be

late for the office, Hilliard.

Why do you torture my husband?

You take pleasure in torturing people!

I'm attacked from all sides! I take

pleasure in looking out for my skin.

No, it's some sort of game with you.

Cruel! Inhuman!

- Filthy!

- Ellie!

Why don't you pick on someone

your own size?

The whole family's getting tough!

All right, Pop, get moving.

I'm not leaving this house today!

You stay and we stay. We ain't gonna

beat it until we get that dough.

That dough's in a letter

addressed to your office.

We don't want Federal men

tracing anything to our front door.

He'll go. I'm all right now.

I'll stay with Ralphy.

Cindy, get your coat.

Hey, Ralphy! Shake a leg!

- He's staying home. He hurt his leg.

- He did? The lucky stiff!

He's gonna miss the big game!

A- plus, Pop.

You heard me, Ralph. You're going

to stay with your mother all day.

Don't be hard on the kid.

He saved my neck.

It's all right. We'll be all right.

I don't see nothing so funny

you should break your neck laughing.

I laugh when I feel like it.

You ain't got nothing to say about it.

- That right, Hal?

- Yeah, that's right.

Get the dough and come back.

No mistakes.

That nick on your head.

Got a story ready?

It wouldn't take much of a slip,

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