The Insider Page #8

WIGAND:

So, what you are saying is: it isn't

enough that you fired me. For no good

reason! Now you question my integrity?

On top of the humiliation of being fired?

You threaten me?! You threaten my

family?!

(beat)

It never crossed my mind not to honor my

agreement...

(turning, to Sandefur)

But I will tell you, Mr. Sandefur, and

Brown & Williamson, too... F*** me?

(a beat)

Well, f*** you!!

And with that he gets up, and leaves... And it's quiet...

A LAWYER:

I'm not sure he got the message...

THOMAS SANDEFUR:

(with total confidence)

Oh, I think he did.

EXT. A PHONE BOOTH, LOUISVILLE - DAY

Wigand picks up the phone and dials.

INT. THE NEW YORK RESTAURANT - DAY

They've finished lunch. Wallace and Hewitt are turned to

talk to Sam Cohn and an older writer as suddenly Lowell's

cell phone rings.

LOWELL:

(answering)

Yeah...

WIGAND'S VOICE (OVER)

...you f***ed me!

LOWELL:

Who is this?

EXT. A PHONE BOOTH, LOUISVILLE - DAY

WIGAND:

(crazed)

...protect your sources...! You screwed

me! You sold me out!

INT. THE NEW YORK RESTAURANT - DAY

LOWELL:

What are you talking about? Where are

you?

EXT. THE PHONE BOOTH, LOUISVILLE - DAY

WIGAND:

F*** you, too!

And he slams down the phone.

INT. THE RESTAURANT, NEW YORK - DAY

Lowell, holding the dead phone in his hand...

EXT. A GOLF DRIVING RANGE, LOUISVILLE - NIGHT

We see a brightly lit, golf driving range, empty, the wet

grass under the lights vibrant, emerald green... A caged

cart, with one big yellow headlight, like some kind of

strange insect, drives across the range, picking up golf

balls. And we see Jeffrey hitting golf balls, driving one

after another, after another... His swing is powerful,

angry, a lone golfer, trying to chill out. He pauses, spent.

Settling down, he exhales. Then, he looks down the way...

And he slows... He sees in the far distance, spot-lit, one

other lone golfer, a Stocky Man, incongruously in a suit and

tie, watching him... And the Man in the suit right then,

with great power and a tremendous follow through drives a

golf ball... The ball slamming into the steel net. And the

lights SUDDENLY go out. The range closing for the night.

The "insect" comes to a stop. And it's quiet, dark. Jeffrey

gathers up his clubs. He crosses, his golf shoes, the metal

cleats, clicking on the pavement, toward the PARKING LOT.

And there's the sound of the clicking of golf shoes behind

him. He turns. And the stocky Man in the suit, carrying a

golf bag walking some distance behind him, staring at him.

Jeffrey comes to the parking lot. It's empty. Just

Jeffrey's car, and despite all the empty spaces, another car,

purposely or otherwise, parked right next to his. He crosses

to his car, getting in...

INT. WIGAND'S CAR - NIGHT

He drops the three clubs in the rear seat and settles behind

the wheel. He turns. And he sees the Man in the suit has

gotten in the car next to his. They look at each other. The

Man, in no hurry, lights a cigarette, relaxes. It's

malevolent as hell. And Jeffrey, suddenly, grabbing a golf

club, jumps out of his car...

EXT. THE PARKING LOT, DRIVING RANGE, LOUISVILLE - NIGHT

Golf club in hand at the driver side window...

WIGAND:

(motioning with the club,

threatening)

Stay away from me! You stay away from

me!

The Man starts his car, and drives off nonplussed. It's

still. And as Jeffrey with the golf club stands in the empty

parking lot, not knowing what's threatening him, something

real, something imaginary...

EXT. THE WIGAND HOUSE, LOUISVILLE - WIDE SHOT: WIGANDS'

HOUSE - EARLY MORNING

A violent rain's falling. And we see Jeffrey coming out of

the house holding an umbrella over his little Girls. They

start towards the car. There's the sound of a car door

shutting. Liane, carrying lunch boxes, comes after them...

LIANE:

Jeffrey, you forgot their lunches --

She slows, seeing someone. Jeffrey turns: it's Lowell.

He's surprised.

LOWELL:

Mrs. Wigand, how do you do?

WIGAND:

(to the girls, protectively)

Jump in, quick, c'mon...

LOWELL:

I'm Lowell Bergman. We spoke on the

phone, remember?

The Girls climb in the car. Lowell crosses behind the Audi

around the far side.

LOWELL (CONT'D)

C'mere. I want to talk to you.

WIGAND:

Good. I want to talk to you.

Jeff closes the door on his daughters and joins Lowell around

the far side of the car.

WIGAND (CONT'D)

(confronting him)

What do...

LOWELL:

(running over)

I did not burn you. I did not give you

up to anyone!

WIGAND:

(continuing)

This is my house... In front of my wife,

my kids?! What business do we have?

LOWELL:

To straighten something out with you.

Right here. Right now.

WIGAND:

So, you didn't mention my name? You

haven't talked to anybody about me?

LOWELL:

Why am I gonna mention your name?

WIGAND:

How did Brown & Williamson know I spoke

to you...?

LOWELL:

How the hell do I know about Brown &

Williamson?

WIGAND:

It happened after I talked to you. I do

not like coincidences!

LOWELL:

And I don't like paranoid accusations!

I'm a journalist. Think. Use your head.

How do I operate as a journalist by

screwing the people who could provide me

with information before they provided me

with it?

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