95 INTERIOR: THE ANDERSON HALL, WITH MOLLY AND RALPHIE.


[Through the rest of this conversation, the director will cut back and forth as he/she chooses, but we should see MOLLY almost unconsciously censoring her end, not asking all the questions she'd like to ask, because little pitchers have big ears.]


MOLLY


I've mostly been out on the porch, handing kids over to their parents. I sent them home early.

What's up, Katrina?


CAT

Well ... I don't want you to be scared or anything, but we got word that there's been a murder on the island. Old Martha Clarendon. Mike and Hatch have gone over there.


MOLLY What?! Are you sure?

CAT

I'm not sure of anything right now this place has been a madhouse all day except that they 63

went over there and Mike asked me to call you and say everything's under control.


MOLLY Is it?


CAT


How do I know? Yeah, probably . . . anyway, he wanted me to call before anyone else did it. If you see Melinda Hatcher


MOLLY


She just left here with Angie Carver. They're carpooling. You can get her at home in fifteen minutes or so.


Outside, the WIND RISES IN A SHRIEK. MOLLY looks toward the sound.


MOLLY Better give her twenty.


CAT

Okay.


MOLLY


There's no chance it's a ... I don't know, a joke? A prank?


CAT Robbie Beals called it in. He doesn't do humor, you know?


MOLLY Yeah. I know.


CAT

He said that the person who did it might still be there. I don't know if Mike would want me to tell you that or not, but I thought you had a right to know.


MOLLY closes her eyes for a moment, as if in pain. Probably she is in pain.

CAT Molly?


MOLLY


64

I'm coming down to the store. If Mike gets there before I do, tell him to stay put.


CAT

I'm not sure he'd want


MOLLY Thanks, Cat.


She hangs up before CAT can say any more. She turns to RALPHIE, who is still examining his birthmark in the mirror. He's so close to the glass that his eyes are rather charmingly crossed. She gives him a big smile that only a four-year-old could believe in; her eyes are clouded with worry.


MOLLY

Let's go down to the store and see your daddy, big boy . . . what do you say?


RALPHIE Daddy, yay!


He jumps down from his chair, then pauses, looking at her dubiously.


RALPHIE


What about the storm? We've only got the car. It slides around in the snow.


MOLLY grabs his coat off the tree by the door and starts getting him into it at superspeed. That big, false smile never leaves her face.


MOLLY

Hey, it's only a quarter of a mile. And we'll come back with Daddy in the truck, because I bet he's going to close the market early. How's that? Sound good?


RALPHIE Yeah, excellent!


She zips his jacket up. As she does, we see she is terribly worried.

96 EXTERIOR: IN FRONT OF MARTHA CLARENDON'S HOUSE.


The storm is still getting worse by degrees; people are now having some trouble standing their 65

ground against the wind-driven snow . . . but no one has left. ROBBIE BEALS has joined MIKE and HATCH. His gun is still in his hand, but with the prisoner cuffed, he looks a little more at ease and has pointed the little pistol at the ground.


MIKE has opened the back of the Island Services vehicle. It has been outfitted to transport stray and sick animals. The floor is bare steel. There's a mesh barrier between this storage compartment and the backseat. Mounted on the wall is a plastic water reservoir with a tube.


HATCH You going to put him in there?


MIKE

Unless you want to sit in the backseat with him and baby-sit.


HATCH


(takes the point) Get in.


LINOGE doesn't, at least not immediately. He looks around at ROBBIE, instead. ROBBIE doesn't care for that.


LINOGE Remember what I said, Robbie: hell is repetition.


He smiles at ROBBIE. A private smile, like the one he gave MIKE. Then he gets into the back of the Island Services vehicle.


ROBBIE


(nervous) He talks a lot of nonsense. I think he's crazy LINOGE has to sit with his legs crossed and his head ducked, but this really doesn't seem to put him out in the least. He is still smiling, his handcuffed hands clasped in his lap, as MIKE swings the doors shut.

MIKE How does he know your name? Did you tell him?


ROBBIE


(drops his eyes)


I don't know. All I do know is that no sane person would want to kill Martha Clarendon. I'll come down to the store with you. Help you clear this up. We'll have to get in touch with the state police 66

MIKE

Robbie, I know this goes against your grain, but you have to let me handle this.


ROBBIE

(bristles)


I'm the town manager here, in case you forgot. I have a responsibility MIKE


So do I, and our responsibilities are clearly divided in the town charter. Right now Ursula needs you over at the town hall a lot more than I need you at the constable's. Come on, Hatch.


MIKE turns away from the furious town manager.


ROBBIE Listen here !


He starts to chase them up the side the Island Services vehicle, then realizes he's being undignified in front of a dozen of his constituents. MRS. KINGSBURY stands nearby, with her arm around the shoulders of a frightened-looking DAVEY HOPEWELL. Behind them, ROBERTA COIGN and her husband, DICK, look at ROBBIE with poker faces that can't quite mask their contempt.


ROBBIE stops chasing MIKE. He sticks his gun in his topcoat pocket.


ROBBIE

(still furious) You're getting too big for your britches, Anderson!

MIKE takes no notice. He opens the driver's side door of the Island Services vehicle. ROBBIE, seeing them about to make their getaway, fires the only other arrow in his quiver.


ROBBIE

And get the sign off that damned dummy on your porch! It's not funny!


MRS. KINGSBURY puts a hand over her mouth to hide a snicker. ROBBIE doesn't see probably lucky for her. The Island Services vehicle starts up, and its lights come on. It heads upstreet, bound for the market and the constable's office contained therein.


ROBBIE stands, slump-shouldered and fuming, then looks around at the cluster of people in the snowy street.


67


ROBBIE

What are you standing here for? Go on home! Show's over!


He stalks back to his Lincoln.


97 EXTERIOR: LOWER MAIN STREET, IN THE SNOW.


Headlights appear in the SCREAMING WHITE, and a car eventually materializes behind them. It's small, light, and two-wheel drive. It's going slow and slipping back and forth; already there are at least four inches of fresh snow on the road.


98 INTERIOR: THE CAR, WITH MOLLY AND RALPHIE.


Up ahead, we see lights looming out of the snow on the left, plus the long porch and the hanging lobster traps.


RALPHIE It's the store! Yay!


MOLLY


Yay is right.


She turns into the parking area in front. Now that she's here, MOLLY realizes that coming out was dangerous . . . but who could have guessed the snow would pile up so fast? She turns off the engine and allows herself a small slump over the wheel.


RALPHIE

Mom? You okay?


MOLLY Fine.


RALPHIE Get me out of my car seat, 'kay? I want to see Daddy!


MOLLY You bet.


68

She opens her door.


99 EXTERIOR: THE ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE.


It turns left at the blinker and heads toward the market through the thickening snow.


100 INTERIOR: THE ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE, WITH MIKE AND HATCH.


HATCH

What are we gonna do with him, Mike?


MIKE (sotto voce) Keep your voice down.


(HATCH looks guilty)


We'll have to call the state police barracks in Machias Robbie was right about that much but what are the chances they'll be able to take him off our hands in this?


HATCH looks doubtfully out the window at the pelting snow. This situation keeps complicating itself, and HATCH isn't a very complicated guy. They continue to talk in low voices, so LINOGE won't overhear.


MIKE

Robbie said the TV was on, and I heard it when we were in the hall. Did you?

HATCH At first, yeah. The weather. Then the guy must have . . .


He trails away, remembering.


HATCH


It was busted. Busted all to hell and gone. He didn't do it while we were in the hall, either. You bust a TV picture tube, it makes a noise, like Boof! We would have heard.

(MIKE nods) It must have been the radio . . .


It's almost a question. MIKE doesn't reply. Both of them know it wasn't the radio.


101 INTERIOR: LINOGE, IN THE ANIMAL TRANSPORT COMPARTMENT.


69


Smiling. We just see the tips of the fangs in his mouth. LINOGE knows what they know . . . and in spite of their low tones, he hears them.

102 EXTERIOR: ANGLE ON THE MARKET IN THE SNOW AFTERNOON.


The Island Services four-wheel drive rolls past the parking lot in the snow (the little car MOLLY

and RALPHIE came in is already wearing a

fresh coat) and then pulls into an alley that runs down the side of the store and around to the back.


103 EXTERIOR: THE ALLEY, FROM THE FAR END.


The Island Services vehicle comes toiling toward us out of the snow, HEADLIGHTS GLARING. THE

CAMERA PULLS BACK as it reaches the snowy yard at the rear. There is a loading dock at the back of the market, with a sign that says DELIVERIES ONLY GO THRU MARKET FOR CONSTABLE

BUSINESS. The vehicle pulls up here, backing into place. For this sort of deal, the dock is mighty convenient and MIKE and HATCH do have a delivery to make.


They get out and walk around to the back. HATCH is as nervous as before, but MIKE has got his own nerves under control. As they reach the rear of the vehicle: MIKE Safety off?


HATCH looks first surprised, then guilty. He pushes the shotgun's safety off. MIKE, who has his own gun in his hand, nods in satisfaction.


MIKE You're up top.


There are stairs at one end of the loading dock. HATCH climbs them and stands with his shotgun at port arms. MIKE unlocks the back doors of the vehicle, then stands back.


MIKE

Step out on the dock. Don't approach my . . . partner.


Sounding like a guy on Adam 12 makes MIKE uncomfortable, but under the circumstances,

"partner" is the right word.


LINOGE steps out, still awkwardly bent over but graceful. And still smiling that faint, corners-of-


70

the-mouth smile. HATCH takes a step back to give him room as LINOGE mounts the steps. Their prisoner is cuffed and they have the guns, but HATCH is still scared of LINOGE.

LINOGE stands in the driving snow, as comfortable as a man in his own living room. MIKE climbs the stairs to the loading dock, searching in his pants pocket. He brings out a ring of keys, separates out the one that opens the back door, and gives it to HATCH. MIKE keeps his pistol pointed slightly down but in LINOGE'S direction.


104 EXTERIOR: HATCH, AT THE LOADING DOOR.


He bends and slides the key into the lock.


105 EXTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


He's watching HATCH very closely . . . and now we see A FLICKER OF BLACKNESS in his eyes.


106 EXTERIOR: MIKE, CLOSE-UP.


He frowns. Did he see something? It was too quick to tell.


107 EXTERIOR: THE LOADING DOCK DOOR, CLOSE-UP.


HATCH twists the key. SOUND: A SNAP. And now HATCH'S hand is holding nothing but the head of the key.


108 EXTERIOR: RESUME LOADING DOCK.


HATCH


Aw, sugar! Snapped right off! Must have been the cold!


He begins to HAMMER ON THE DOOR with a gloved fist.


109 INTERIOR: THE ISLAND CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.


This was once part of the market's storage area. Now it boasts a desk, a few filing cabinets, a fax, a CB radio, and a bulletin board on the wall. There is also a jail cell in the corner. The cell looks sturdy enough, but homemade a kind of do-it-yourself project. It's a strictly temporary facility for 71

weekend drunks and part-time hell-raisers.


SOUND: HAMMERING ON THE DOOR.


HATCH (voice-over) Hey! Anybody in there? Anybody?


110 EXTERIOR: RESUME LOADING DOCK.


MIKE

Forget it. Go around and open it from the inside.


HATCH


You want me to leave you out here alone with him?


MIKE


(stress breaking through)

Unless you happen to see Lois or Superman hanging around in the alley.


HATCH We could take him


MIKE


Through the market? With half the island doing their storm shopping? I don't think so. Go on, now.


HATCH gives him a doubtful look, then starts back down the stairs.


111 EXTERIOR: IN FRONT OF THE MARKET.


In snow that's thicker than ever, ROBBIE BEALS'S Lincoln comes SPINNING AND SLEWING into the parking area, almost broadsiding MOLLY'S little car. ROBBIE gets out and goes up the porch steps just as PETER GODSOE comes out of the market. PETER is a ruggedly handsome man in his early forties, father of SALLY, the little girl with the jam on her shirt.


PETER GODSOE


What happened, Beals? Is Martha really dead?


72


ROBBIE


She's dead, all right.


ROBBIE sees the mannequin with the sign around its neck GENUINE "ROBBIE BEALS BRAND"

LOBSTERIN' GEAH and yanks the sign off with a snarl. He SCOWLS at it. HATCH has slogged around from the back just in time to see and react to this. PETER GODSOE follows ROBBIE back inside, to monitor developments. HATCH follows them both.


112 INTERIOR: THE MARKET AFTERNOON.


Lots of people milling around. Prominent among them is MOLLY ANDERSON, talking to CAT but mostly worrying about MIKE. We see RALPHIE halfway down one of the aisles and mooning over the sugary cereals.


MOLLY

(as HATCH enters) Where's Mike? Is he all right?


HATCH Fine. Out back with the prisoner. I just have to let him in.


Other people move in on him.


PETER GODSOE Is he a local?


HATCH I never saw him before in my life.


Lots of relief at this. Others try to grab HATCH'S attention and ask questions, but MOLLY isn't among them the sooner HATCH does his job, the sooner she'll have her husband back. HATCH

fights his way up the center aisle, pausing to ruffle RALPHIE'S hair. RALPHIE gives him an AFFECTIONATE GRIN.


ROBBIE still has the sign; is tapping it angrily against his thigh. MOLLY sees it and winces a little.


113 EXTERIOR: ON THE LOADING DOCK, WITH MIKE AND LINOGE.


They stand facing each other in the DRIVING SNOW. There are several beats of silence. Then: 73

LINOGE


Give me what I want, and I'll go away.


MIKE


What is it you want?


That smile shakes MIKE in spite of himself.

114 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WITH HATCH.


He comes bustling in and hurries to the loading door. He turns the dead-bolt knob and tries to open it. The door still won't open. He pushes hard, then harder. No luck. As a last resort, he SLAMS

HIS SHOULDER against the door. Nothing. The door might as well be dipped in concrete.


HATCH


Mike?


MIKE (voice-over) Come on, hurry up! It's freezing out here!


HATCH It won't open! It's stuck!


115 EXTERIOR: RESUME LOADING DOCK, WITH MIKE AND LINOGE.


MIKE is totally EXASPERATED everything has gone wrong with this piece of work; it's a complete Russian fire drill. LINOGE is still smiling his faint little smile. For him, everything's right on track.


MIKE Did you unlock it?


HATCH


(rather hurt by this) Course I did, Mike!


MIKE Then whale on it! There's probably ice in the jamb.


116 INTERIOR: RESUME CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WITH HATCH.


74

ROBBIE is standing in the door behind HATCH, observing all this with HEAVY CONTEMPT. HATCH

rolls his eyes, knowing perfectly well the door isn't frozen; he already whaled on it. Nevertheless, he hits the door another couple of good shots. ROBBIE crosses the room, stopping on the way to drop the joke sign on MIKE'S constable's desk. HATCH turns toward him, startled. ROBBIE (who is a physically bigger man) moves HATCH aside, none too gently.

ROBBIE

Let me.


He hits the door several more good shots, his look of confidence gradually subsiding. HATCH

watches with subtle but understandable satisfaction. ROBBIE gives up, rubbing his shoulder.


ROBBIE


Anderson! You'll have to come around and take him through the store.


117 EXTERIOR: RESUME LOADING DOCK, WITH MIKE AND LINOGE.


MIKE ROLLS HIS EYES IN ANNOYANCE SEALS in the constable's office, still meddling. Oh, goody, better and better.


MIKE Hatch!


HATCH (voice-over) Yeah!


MIKE Come around. (pointedly) Alone.


HATCH (voice-over) Right there!


MIKE turns his attention back to LINOGE.


MIKE Be a little bit longer. Just stand quiet.


LINOGE

Remember what I said, Mr. Anderson. And when the time comes . . . we'll talk.


He smiles.


75


118 EXTERIOR: MAIN STREET, LITTLE TALL ISLAND LATE AFTERNOON.


The houses and storefronts are graying out, starting to look like mirages, as THE STORM

INTENSIFIES.


119 EXTERIOR: BREAKWATER AND LIGHTHOUSE.


HUGE WAVES CRASH THE ROCKS. FOAM LEAPS INTO THE AIR. On this image, we: FADE TO BLACK. THIS ENDS ACT 4.


Act 5


120 EXTERIOR: THE ISLAND MARKET LATE AFTERNOON.


In worsening conditions that now make moving a serious problem, MIKE, HATCH, and LINOGE

come out of the alley and struggle toward the steps of the market. LINOGE has been made to walk in front of them, and now he LOOKS UPWARD, SMILING.


121 EXTERIOR: ISLAND MARKET'S ROOF.


Here is a little nest of radio antennas that serve the various two-ways inside the store. The tallest of these radio antennas SNAPS OFF and goes rolling down the backslant of the roof.


122 EXTERIOR: FOOT OF THE MARKET STEPS, WITH MIKE, HATCH, LINOGE.


HATCH


(with a flinch) What was that?


MIKE Antenna, I think. Never mind now. Go on.


HATCH heads up the steps, giving LINOGE a healthy berth.


123 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL.

SOUND: That same TWANGING SNAP.


76


124 INTERIOR: TOWN OFFICE, WITH URSULA.


She's at her radio, which is on a table below the STORM EMERGENCY/TAKE SHELTER poster.

From the RADIO comes the LOUD SOUND OF STATIC.


URSULA Come back? Rodney, are you there? Come back, Rodney!

Nothing. After another moment or two of twiddling, URSULA racks the mike and looks at the useless radio with disgust.


125 INTERIOR: THE MARKET.


HATCH, coated with snow, steps in. The SHOPPERS react to the shotgun. Before, it was under his arm and pointed at the floor. Now he's holding it up against his shoulder and pointed at the ceiling, like Steve McQueen in Wanted: Dead or Alive. HATCH looks around at the SHOPPERS.


HATCH


Mike wants all you folks to move back on both sides, okay? No one in Aisle 2. We've got us a bad guy, and we can't use the back door to bring him in like we'd like to, so just move back. Give us some room.


PETER GODSOE

Why'd he kill her?


HATCH

Just move back, Pete, okay? Mike's standing out in the snow, and his feet must be pretty cold by now. Also, we're all gonna feel better when this guy's locked up. Move back, folks, give 'em a clear way up that second aisle.


The customers move aside in two groups, leaving the center of the market clear. PETER GODSOE

and ROBBIE BEALS are with one group (the one on the left, as you look toward the back of the market); MOLLY is in the other, standing with CAT and TESS MARCHANT, who has moved away from the cash register.


HATCH surveys this and decides it'll do it'll have to. He goes to the door and opens it. He beckons.


126 EXTERIOR: THE PORCH, WITH MIKE AND LINOGE.


77


LINOGE walks ahead, cuffed hands at his waist. MIKE is alert for anything ... or so he no doubt hopes.


MIKE Not one wrong move, Mr. Linoge. You mind me, now.


127 INTERIOR: THE MARKET, FEATURES HATCH.


He lowers the shotgun to port arms, one hand on the barrel and the other wrapped around the trigger. LINOGE, coated with snow, eyebrows crusted white, comes in. MIKE follows closely, the gun now raised and pointed at LINOGE'S back.


MIKE Right down Aisle 2. Nowhere else.


But MARTHA'S killer stops for a moment and surveys the clusters of frightened islanders. Here is an enormously important moment. LINOGE is like a tiger that has been let out of its cage. The trainer is there (two of them, counting HATCH), but when it comes to tigers only bars lots of them, strong and thick are safe. And LINOGE doesn't look like a prisoner, or act like one. He stares at the residents of Little Tall with shining eyes. The residents look back at him with fear and fascination.


MIKE

(prods him with the gun) Come on. Let's go.


LINOGE starts, then stops. He looks at PETER.


LINOGE


Peter Godsoe! My favorite seafood wholesaler standing shoulder to shoulder with my favorite politician!


PETER flinches at being addressed by name.


MIKE


(prodding with the gun) Come on. Andale. Let's just


LINOGE (ignores him)

How's the fish business? Not so good, is it? Lucky you've got the marijuana business to fall back on. How many bales have you got in the back of the warehouse right now? Ten? Twenty? Forty?


78

PETER GODSOE reacts violently. The shot has gone home. ROBBIE BEALS moves away from his friend, as if afraid of catching a flu germ. And for a moment, MIKE is too shocked to shut LINOGE

up.


LINOGE


Better make sure you've got it wrapped up good, Pete there's gonna be a hell of a storm surge tonight when the tide comes high.


MIKE reaches out and shoves LINOGE'S shoulder, good and hard. LINOGE stumbles forward, but keeps his balance easily. This time it is CAT WITHERS that his bright eye fixes upon.


LINOGE


(as if greeting an old friend) Cat Withers!


She flinches as if struck. MOLLY puts an arm around her and looks at LINOGE with fear and mistrust.


LINOGE


You're looking well . . . but why not? It's just an in-office procedure these days, nothing to it.


CAT


(real agony) Mike, make him stop!


MIKE pushes LINOGE again, but this time LINOGE won't budge; he's as firm as ... well, as firm as that troublesome stuck door out back.


LINOGE

Went up to Deny to have it taken care of, didn't you? Don't suppose you've told your folks about it yet? ... or Billy? No? My advice would be to go ahead. What's a little scrape among friends these days?


CAT puts her hands to her face and begins to CRY. Any number of townspeople are looking at her with shock, wonder, and horror. One looks absolutely stunned. BILLY SOAMES, about twenty-three, is wearing a red apron. He's BETTY SOAMES'S son, also the market's produce man and janitor. He's CAT'S steady guy, and this is the first he knows of how CAT got rid of their child.


MIKE places the barrel of his gun against the back of LINOGE'S head and thumbs back the 79

hammer.


MIKE Move, or I'll move you.


LINOGE starts up the center aisle. He's not afraid of the gun to his head; he's simply finished with this bit of business.


128 INTERIOR: BY THE CHECKOUT, WITH MOLLY AND CAT.


CAT is SOBBING HYSTERICALLY, and MOLLY has her arms around her. TESS MARCHANT is dividing her attention between the sobbing girl and the incredulous BILLY SOAMES. All at once, MOLLY wakes up to a very important consideration.


MOLLY

Where's Ralphie?


129 INTERIOR: AISLE 2, WITH LINOGE AND MIKE, HATCH IN BACKGROUND.


As they approach the end of the aisle, RALPHIE comes tearing around it from the other side with a box of the sweet cereal in his hands.


RALPHIE Mom! Mommy! Can I have this one?


With absolutely no hesitation at all, LINOGE bends, picks RALPHIE up by the shoulders, and swings him around. All at once, MIKE'S son is between LINOGE and MIKE'S gun. The kid's a hostage. MIKE reacts first with shock and then with sickening, agonized fear.


MIKE Put him down! Or


LINOGE

(smiling; almost laughing) Or what?

130 INTERIOR: BY THE COUNTER, WITH MOLLY.


She loses all interest in CAT and hurries toward the head of Aisle 2 so she can see what's happening. One of the ISLAND RESIDENTS, KIRK FREEMAN, tries to stop her.


MOLLY


80

Let me go, Kirk!


She gives a good, hard yank, and he does. When she sees that LINOGE has her son, she GASPS

LOUDLY and her hands go to her mouth.


MIKE gestures her to stay where she is without ever taking his eyes from LINOGE. Behind MOLLY, the MARKET CUSTOMERS begin to gather, staring tensely at the confrontation.


131 INTERIOR: AISLE 2, WITH LINOGE AND RALPHIE, CLOSE-UP.


LINOGE puts his forehead to RALPHIE'S, so the two of them can look intimately into each other's eyes. RALPHIE is too young to be scared. He looks into that shining, smiling, interested tiger's gaze with a kind of breathless interest.


LINOGE I know you.

RALPHIE You do?


LINOGE You're Ralph Emerick Anderson. And I know something else.


RALPHIE is fascinated, unaware of HATCH RACKING A SHELL into the shotgun, unaware that the market has turned into a powder keg of which he is the fuse. He is fascinated, almost hypnotized, by LINOGE.


RALPHIE

What?


LINOGE plants a quick, light kiss on the bridge of RALPHIE'S nose.


LINOGE


You have a fairy saddle!


RALPHIE

(smiling, delighted) That's what my daddy calls it!


LINOGE

(returns the smile) You bet! And speaking of Daddy


81


He sets RALPHIE down, but for a moment he's leaning so close that RALPHIE is still, in effect, his hostage. RALPHIE sees the handcuffs.


RALPHIE


Why're you wearing those?


LINOGE

Because I choose to. Go on. See your dad.


He turns RALPHIE around and gives him a light swat on the butt. RALPHIE sees his father and lights up in a smile. Before he can take more than a step or two, MIKE grabs him and pulls the boy into his arms. RALPHIE sees the pistol.


RALPHIE


Daddy, why have you got

MOLLY

Ralphie!


She sprints for him, brushing past HATCH and knocking a bunch of canned goods to the floor. The cans roll everywhere. She pulls RALPHIE out of MIKE'S arms and hugs him frantically. MIKE, flustered and rocky (who wouldn't be?), returns his focus to the faintly smiling LINOGE, who has now had about nine billion chances to get away.


RALPHIE

Why's Daddy pointing a gun at that man?


MIKE Moll, get him out of here.


MOLLY What are you


MIKE

Get him out of here!


She FLINCHES at the unaccustomed shout and begins to retreat with RALPHIE in her arms, 82

toward the other people clustering timidly at the foot of the aisle. She steps on a can and it rolls out from under her. Before she can fall, KIRK FREEMAN catches and steadies her. RALPHIE, looking over her shoulder at his daddy, is finally upset.


RALPHIE Don't shoot him, Daddy, he knows about the fairy saddle.


MIKE

(more to LINOGE than RALPHIE)

I'm not going to shoot him. Not if he goes where he's supposed to.


He looks toward the end of the aisle. LINOGE smiles and nods, as if to say, "Of course, since you insist," and starts that way, hands in front of him again. HATCH catches up to MIKE.


HATCH

What are we going to ?

MIKE Lock him up! What else?


He's terrified, ashamed, relieved . . . you name it, MIKE is feeling it. HATCH sees enough of MIKE'S emotions to be abashed and retires a bit into the background as MIKE shadows LINOGE to the upper end of the aisle.


132 INTERIOR: ANGLE ON MEAT COUNTER AND CONSTABLE'S OFFICE DOOR.


As LINOGE and MIKE get to the head of the aisle, LINOGE turns left, toward the constable's office, as if he knows where it is. HATCH follows after. And then, from Aisle 1, comes BILLY

SOAMES. He's too angry to be scared, and before MIKE can stop him, he grabs LINOGE and THROWS HIM against the meat counter.


BILLY SOAMES What do you know about Katrina? And how do you know it?


MIKE has had enough. He grabs BILLY by the back of his shirt and HEAVES HIM against a rack of powdered herbs and fish fixin's. BILLY hits it hard and goes spawling.


MIKE

What are you, crazy? This guy's a killer! Stay out of his way! And stay out of mine, Billy Soames!


LINOGE


83

Also, clean yourself up.


We glimpse that STRANGE, BLACKISH WAVERING in his eyes again.


133 INTERIOR: BILLY, CLOSE-UP.


At first he sits there where he landed, looking question marks at LINOGE. Then his nose GUSHES

BLOOD. He feels it, reaches up to catch the flow, and looks unbelievingly at the blood on his palms.


CAT runs up Aisle 1 to where he is and kneels beside him. She wants to help him; she wants to do anything, really, that will take away the awful look of surprise and hurt anger on his face. But BILLY is having none of it. He shoves her back.


BILLY SOAMES Leave me alone!


He lurches to his feet.


134 INTERIOR: BY THE MEAT COUNTER, WIDER.


LINOGE

Before he gets too self-righteous, Katrina, ask him how well he knows Jenna Freeman.


BILLY flinches, stunned.


135 INTERIOR: KIRK FREEMAN, IN AISLE 2.


KIRK FREEMAN

What do you know about my sister?


136 INTERIOR: RESUME MEAT COUNTER.


LINOGE


That horses aren't all she enjoys riding when the weather's hot. Right, Billy?


84

CAT looks at BILLY, stricken. He wipes at his BLEEDING NOSE with the back of his hand and looks anywhere but at her. His self-righteous, wounded anger has dissolved into a kind of slinking furtiveness. His face says, "lemme outta here." MIKE still looks like he can't believe how screwed up this whole thing has gotten.


MIKE Move away from this man, Cat. You too, Billy.


She doesn't move. Perhaps doesn't hear. There are tears on her cheeks. HATCH uses one hand to push her gently away from the door marked CONSTABLE'S OFFICE. He inadvertantly pushes her in BILLY'S direction, and they both shrink back.


HATCH


(kindly) Got to get out of his grabbin' range, darlin'.


This time she goes blundering past BILLY (who makes no move to stop her) toward the front of the store. MIKE, meanwhile, steps forward


and picks a package of plastic bags the kind you use to save leftovers off a display. Then he puts the muzzle of his gun between LINOGE'S shoulder blades.


MIKE Come on. Move.


137 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.


The WIND is VERY LOUD, SCARY shrieking like a train whistle. We can hear SHINGLES

CLAPPING and BOARDS CREAKING.


The door opens. LINOGE conies in, followed by MIKE and HATCH. LINOGE moves toward the cell, then stops as a PARTICULARLY HARD GUST OF WIND strikes the building and makes it shudder.

Snow puffs in under the loading dock door.


HATCH I don't like the sound of that.


MIKE

Move, Mr. Linoge.


As they pass the desk, MIKE puts down the box of plastic bags and picks up a large combination padlock. From his pocket he takes his key ring, looking ruefully at the busted-off loading door key for a second. He hands the keys and the combination lock to HATCH. He also swaps weapons, giving HATCH his pistol and taking the shotgun. As they reach the cell: 85

MIKE Put your hands up and grab a couple of bars.

(LINOGE does) Now spread your legs.

(LINOGE does) Wider.

(LINOGE does)

I'm going to pat you down, and if you move, my good friend Alton Hatcher is going to save us all a lot of wear and tear.


HATCH gulps, but points the pistol. MIKE sets the shotgun aside.

MIKE

Don't even twitch, Mr. Linoge. You had your filthy hands on my son, so don't you so much as twitch.


MIKE reaches into the pockets of LINOGE'S pea coat and brings out the YELLOW GLOVES. They are BLOTCHED AND STAINED with MARTHA'S blood. MIKE grimaces with distaste and tosses them onto the desk. He rummages in the jacket pockets some more and finds nothing. He reaches into the front pockets of LINOGE'S jeans and pulls them inside out. They're empty. Checks the back pockets. Nothing but a few lint balls. He takes off LINOGE'S watch cap and looks inside it. Nothing.

He tosses it on the desk with the gloves.


MIKE Where's your wallet?

(nothing from LINOGE) Where's your wallet, huh?


MIKE slaps LINOGE twice on the shoulder, first time sorta friendly, second time sorta hard. Still no response.


MIKE Huh?


HATCH


(uneasy) Mike, take it easy.


MIKE


Guy had his hands on my son, had his face right down in my son's face; guy kissed my son's nose don't tell me to take it easy. Where's your wallet, sir?


MIKE shoves LINOGE, hard. LINOGE crashes into the bars of the cell, but keeps his high grip on the home-welded bars and his legs spread.


86

MIKE

Where's your wallet? Where's your bank card? Where's your blood-donor card? Where's your discount card from ValuMart? What sewer did you crawl through to get here? Huh? Answer me!


All his frustration, anger, fear, and humiliation are on the verge of coming out. He grabs LINOGE

by the hair and SLAMS HIS FACE INTO THE BARS.


MIKE


Where's your wallet?


HATCH


Mike


MIKE SLAMS LINOGE'S FACE INTO THE BARS AGAIN. He'd do it again, too, but HATCH reaches out and grabs his arm.


HATCH

Mike, stop it!


MIKE stops, takes a deep breath, and somehow gets hold of himself. Outside the WIND GUSTS, and we hear the FAINT SOUND OF CRASHING WAVES.


MIKE

(he's breathing hard) Take off your boots.


LINOGE


I'll have to let go of the bars to do that. They lace up.


MIKE kneels. He grabs the shotgun. He props the stock against the floor and plants the barrels dead center in the seat of LINOGE'S jeans.


MIKE


If you move, sir, you'll never have to worry about constipation again.


HATCH looks more and more scared. This is a side of MIKE he's never seen (and could have done without). MIKE, meanwhile, unties LINOGE'S boots and loosens the laces. Then he stands up, takes 87

the shotgun, and stands back.


MIKE


Kick them off.


LINOGE kicks them off. MIKE nods to HATCH, who bends down (keeping a skittery eye on LINOGE as he does) and picks them up. HATCH feels inside them, then shakes them.


HATCH


Nothing.


MIKE Toss them over by the desk.


HATCH does.


MIKE


Step into the cell, Mr. Linoge. Move slowly and keep your hands where I can see them.


LINOGE opens the door of the cell and swings it back and forth a time or two before going in. The door SQUEAKS, and doesn't hang quite true when it's all the way open. LINOGE touches a couple of the home welds with the ball of one finger, and smiles.


MIKE You think it won't hold you? It'll hold you.


Yet MIKE doesn't look entirely sure, and HATCH looks even more doubtful. LINOGE steps in, crosses the cell, and sits down facing the door. He draws his legs up so that the heels of his stocking feet (white athletic socks) are on the edge of the cot and he is looking at us from between his bent knees. We will see him in this same posture for some little time, now. His hands dangle limply. He wears a trace of a smile. If we saw a guy looking at us this way, we'd probably run. It's that caged-tiger look very still and watchful, but full of pent-up violence.


MIKE closes the cell door, and HATCH uses a key from the ring to lock it. With that done, he shakes the door. It's locked, but he and MIKE share an unhappy glance, just the same. That door is as rattly the last tooth in an old man's jaw. The cell is for the likes of SONNY BRAUTIGAN, who has a nasty habit of getting drunk and breaking the windows in his ex-wife's house with stones . . . not for a stranger with no ID who beat an old widow to death.


MIKE crosses to the loading dock door, looks at the dead bolt, then tries the knob. The door opens easily, letting in a FRIGID GASP OF WIND and a SWIRL OF SNOW. HATCH'S mouth drops open.


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HATCH Mike, I swear it wouldn't budge.


MIKE closes the door. As he finishes doing that, ROBBIE BEALS comes in. He crosses to the desk and reaches for one of the gloves.


MIKE Don't touch that!


ROBBIE


(draws his hand back) Does he have any ID on him?


MIKE I want you out of here.


ROBBIE picks up the joke sign and shakes it at MIKE.


ROBBIE


I want to tell you something, Anderson: your sense of humor is entirely HATCH, who actually put that sign around the dummy's neck, looks embarrassed. Neither of the other men notice. MIKE snatches the damned thing out of ROBBIE'S hand and dumps it in the wastebasket.


MIKE

I don't have the time or the patience for this. Get out or I'll throw you out.


ROBBIE looks at him and sees that MIKE absolutely means it. ROBBIE backs toward the door.


ROBBIE


Come town meeting, there's maybe going to be a change in law enforcement on Little Tall.


MIKE


Town meeting's in March. This is February. Now get the hell out.


ROBBIE leaves. MIKE and HATCH hold their positions for a moment, and then MIKE lets out his breath in a long WHOOSH. HATCH looks


relieved.


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MIKE I think I handled that pretty well, don't you?


HATCH Like a diplomat.


MIKE takes another long, steadying breath. He opens the sandwich bags. As he and HATCH finish talking, he puts the bloody gloves in two bags, and the cap in a third.


MIKE I have to go out and


HATCH You're going to leave me alone with him?


MIKE

Try to raise the state police barracks in Machias. And stay away from him.


HATCH I should say you can count on that.


138 INTERIOR: THE REAR OF THE MARKET, BY THE MEAT COUNTER.


Perhaps two dozen TOWNSFOLK have clogged the aisles, looking hopefully and fearfully toward the constable's office door. To one side, glowering like a banked furnace, is ROBBIE. ROBBIE has now been joined by the other two members of his family . . . wife SANDRA and the charming DON, from day care. In the forefront of the TOWNSFOLK is MOLLY, with RALPHIE in her arms. When the door opens and she sees MIKE, she hurries forward. MIKE puts a reassuring arm around her.

RALPHIE

You didn't hurt him, Daddy, did you?


MIKE No, honey, just put him safe.


RALPHIE In the jail? Did you put him in the jail? What did he do?


MIKE Not now, Ralph.


He kisses the fairy saddle on RALPHIE'S nose and turns to the gathered people.


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MIKE

Peter! Peter Godsoe!


People look around, MURMURING. After a moment or two, PETER GODSOE shoulders forward, looking embarrassed and blustery (also a little frightened).


PETER GODSOE

Mike, about what that fellow said that's the biggest crock of MIKE


Uh-huh. Go on back there with Hatch. We're gonna watch this guy, and it's gonna be by the buddy system.


PETER GODSOE

(immensely relieved) Okay. You bet.


He goes through the door to the constable's office. MIKE, his arm still around MOLLY, faces his neighbors.


MIKE I feel like I have to have to close the store, folks.


(murmurs of reaction)


You're welcome to take what you've got; I trust you to settle up when the storm's over. Right now, I've got a prisoner to deal with.

A worried-looking middle-aged woman, BELLA BISSONETTE, pushes forward.


DELLA


Did that man really kill poor old Martha?


More murmurs this time FRIGHTENED, UNBELIEVING. MOLLY is looking at her husband tensely.

She also looks as if she wishes she could strike RALPHIE temporarily deaf.


MIKE


In time you'll have the whole story, but not now. Please, Delia all of you help me do my job.

Grab your stuff and go home before the storm gets any worse. I want a few of you men to stick around a minute or two longer. Kirk Freeman . . . Jack Carver . . . Sonny Brautigan . . . Billy Soames

. . . Johnny Harriman . . . Robbie . . . that'll do for a start.


91


The men move forward as the others turn and start to go. ROBBIE looks typically puffed up with self-importance. BILLY has a wad of paper towels pressed to his nose.


139 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.


HATCH is at the desk, trying to use the radio. PETER looks at the cell, with nervous fascination.

LINOGE, sitting on the bunk, looks back from between his spread knees and cocked feet.


HATCH


Machias, this is Alton Hatcher on Little Tall. We have a police emergency here. Do you read, Machias? Come on back, if you read.


Lets go of the button. There's nothing but STATIC.


HATCH Machias, this is Alton Hatcher on channel 19. If you read PETER GODSOE

They don't. You've lost your good antenna off your roof.

HATCH sighs. He knows it, too. He turns down the SOUND, muting the STATIC.


PETER GODSOE Try the phone.


HATCH gives him a startled look, then picks up the phone. He listens, pushes a few buttons at random, then hangs up.


PETER GODSOE


No, huh? Well, it was a long shot.


PETER looks back toward LINOGE, who is staring at him. HATCH, meanwhile, is looking at PETER

with some fascination.


HATCH


You don't really have a load of Panama Red out there behind your lobster traps, do you?


92


PETER looks at him . . . and says nothing.


140 INTERIOR: THE REAR OF THE MARKET, FEATURING MOLLY, RALPHIE, MIKE.


The townspeople are on the move (except for the little group of men MIKE has singled out), draining toward the front of the market and the outside world. There's a STEADY JINGLING from the bell over the door as folks leave.


MOLLY

You going to be all right?


MIKE Coss.


MOLLY When will you be home?


MIKE

When I can. Take the truck you won't get three hundred yards in the car. I've never seen it come down s'hard 'n' fast.


I'll use the Island Services truck, or get someone to drop me off when this is squared away. I have to go back to Martha's house long enough to secure it.


There are a thousand questions she'd like to ask, but really can't. Little pitchers have big ears.

She kisses him on the corner of the mouth and turns to go.


141 INTERIOR: BY THE CASH REGISTER, WITH CAT AND TESS MARCHANT.


CAT is still SOBBING. TESS holds her and rocks her, but we can see she (TESS) is pretty blown away by what LINOGE said. MOLLY gives TESS a questioning look as she carries RALPHIE toward the door. TESS nods, as if to say she's go it under control. MOLLY nods back and goes on out.


142 EXTERIOR: IN FRONT OF THE MARKET.


MOLLY carries RALPHIE carefully down the steps in what has become a BLINDING SNOWSTORM.

She walks toward THE CAMERA, having to brace against the wind with every step . . . and this baby is just getting warmed up.


93

RALPHIE

(shouting to be heard) The island won't blow away, will it?


MOLLY

No, honey, of course not.


But MOLLY doesn't look so sure.


143 EXTERIOR: THE CENTER OF TOWN, HIGH ANGLE.


The snow is coming down furiously. There are a few vehicles moving on Main and Atlantic, but they won't be moving much longer. Little Tall Island is effectively cut off from the outside world. The WIND SHRIEKS; the SNOW SHEETS; and we:


FADE TO BLACK. THIS ENDS ACT 5.


Act 6


144 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN, A HIGH ANGLE LATE AFTERNOON.


This is the same shot we went out on, but it's later, now there isn't much daylight left. The WIND SHRIEKS.


145 EXTERIOR: THE WOODED AREA SOUTH OF TOWN LATE AFTERNOON.


We're looking down at the SURGING OCEAN through a power-line cut. There's a CRACKING

SOUND and a HUGE OLD PINE topples on the lines. They go down in a SHOWER OF SPARKS.


146 EXTERIOR: MAIN STREET LATE AFTERNOON.


In a reprise of the first scene, all the lights, including the blinker at the intersection, GO OUT.


147 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WITH HATCH AND PETER.


The LIGHTS GO OUT.


94

HATCH

Aw, damn!


PETER makes no response. He's looking at:


148 INTERIOR: THE JAIL CELL, FROM PETER'S POINT OF VIEW.


LINOGE is just a dark hump . . . except for his eyes. They GLOW with a TROUBLED RED LIGHT . .

. like wolf's eyes.


149 INTERIOR: RESUME HATCH AND PETER.


HATCH is rummaging in the desk drawer. As he pulls out a flashlight, PETER seizes his arm.


PETER GODSOE Look at him!

HATCH, startled, wheels to look at LINOGE. The prisoner is still sitting just as before, but there's no WEIRD LIGHT shining out of his eyes. HATCH turns on the flashlight and hits LINOGE in the face with the beam. LINOGE looks back calmly.


HATCH (to PETER) What?


PETER GODSOE I ... nothing.


He looks back toward LINOGE, perplexed and a little afraid.


HATCH

Maybe you've been smokin' too much of what you're selling.


PETER GODSOE


(mixed shame and anger) Shut up, Hatch. Don't talk about what you don't understand.


150 INTERIOR: THE MARKET'S COUNTER, WITH MIKE AND TESS MARCHANT.


95

Looks like they're the only two left, now, and with the lights out, the market is very dim the front windows are big, but the light coming through them has started to fail. MIKE comes behind the counter and opens a UTILITY BOX built into the wall. Inside are circuit breakers and one larger switch. He flicks this one.


151 EXTERIOR: BEHIND THE MARKET LATE DAY.


There's a little shed marked GENERATOR to the left of the loading dock. An ENGINE STARTS UP

inside it, and blue smoke, immediately ripped away by the WIND, starts to chug from the exhaust stack.


152 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.


The lights come back on. HATCH SIGHS WITH RELIEF.


HATCH Hey . . . Pete.

He wants to apologize, and he wants PETER to help him with it a little, but PETER'S not in the mood. He walks away and looks at the bulletin board on the wall.


HATCH I was out of line.


PETER Yeah, way out.


PETER turns and gives LINOGE a look. LINOGE looks back at him, SMILING FAINTLY.


PETER


What are you looking at?


LINOGE doesn't reply, just goes on looking at PETER with that FAINT SMILE. PETER turns back to the bulletin board, troubled. HATCH looks at PETER, wishing he could take back his smart-ass comment.


153 EXTERIOR: THE STORE'S PORCH, WITH MIKE AND TESS.


TESS is wearing a parka, gloves, and a pair of high gum-rubber boots. Still, the WIND rocks her on her feet, and MIKE has to steady her before going to the display window on one side of the door.

Here, on either side of the window at the bottom, there are crank handles. MIKE grabs one, and TESS makes her way to the other. They crank as they talk (SHOUTING to be heard over the wind) 96

and lower the slatted wooden STORM SHUTTER over the glass.


MIKE Will you be all right? Because I can give you a lift TESS


It's the wrong direction! And I'm only six houses down ... as you well know. Don't baby me!


He nods and gives her a smile. They move to the window on the other side of the door and lower the other storm shutter.


TESS


Mike? Do you have any idea why he came here, or why he'd want to kill Martha?


MIKE No. Go on home, Tess. Make yourself a fire. I'll lock up.


They finish with the shutter and move to the steps. TESS winces and tightens her hood as another gust slams into them.


TESS

You mind him careful. We don't want him out and prowling around with this (lifts her chin into the blizzard) going on.


MIKE Don't worry.


She looks at him a moment longer and is reasonably comforted by what she sees. She nods and clumps down the snow-laden steps, holding tight to the railing as she goes. With her back to him, MIKE allows his face to show how worried he really is. Then he heads back inside and shuts the door. He turns the OPEN sign to CLOSED and pulls down the shade.


154 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.


MIKE comes in, still stamping the snow off his boots, and looks around. HATCH has found a second flashlight and has set out some candles, as well. PETER is still studying the litter of notices on the bulletin board. MIKE goes over to the bulletin board, taking a paper from his back pocket.


MIKE Everything okay back here?


97

HATCH

Reasonably okay, but I can't raise the state police in Machias. I can't raise anybody.

MIKE Doesn't really surprise me.


He thumbtacks the scribbled duty roster to the bulletin board, where PETER immediately begins studying it. MIKE walks over to the desk and opens a bottom drawer.


MIKE (to HATCH)

You and Peter until eight, Kirk Freeman and Jack Carver from eight till midnight, Robbie Beals and Sonny Brautigan from midnight until four, Billy Soames and Johnny Harriman from four until eight tomorrow morning. After that, we'll figure some more.


MIKE finds a small attache case and a Polaroid camera. He takes them, shuts the drawer, and looks at the two men for comments. He gets only an awkward silence.


MIKE


You guys all right with this?


HATCH


(too hearty) Fine.


PETER Yeah, fine.


MIKE looks at them more closely and gets an idea of which way the wind is blowing. He opens the case we catch a glimpse of various items that might come in handy if you're a small-town police officer (big flashlight, bandages, first aid kit, etc.). He puts the Polaroid inside.


MIKE Stay alert. Both of you. Understand?


No reply. HATCH is embarrassed, PETER is sulky. MIKE looks back at LINOGE, who looks at him with that faint smile.


MIKE Later on we're going to have that talk you wanted, sir.


He closes the case and starts for the door. A HUGE GUST OF WIND hits the building, making it CREAK. Out back, something falls over with a CRASH. HATCH winces.


98

HATCH

What do we do with him if Robbie and Ursula decide to blow the town whistle and bring everybody in? We can't very well sit him in a corner of the town hall basement with a blanket and a cup of chowder.


MIKE I don't know. Stay right here with him, I guess.


PETER And blow away if he blows away?


MIKE


You want to go home, Pete?


PETER

No.


MIKE nods and leaves.


155 EXTERIOR: MARTHA CLARENDON'S HOUSE DUSK.


The Island Services vehicle comes out of the growing gloom, crunching through drifts and driving over fallen limbs in the street. It stops by MARTHA'S gate. MIKE gets out, carrying the little case, and goes up the walk. The storm is worse than ever; the GUSTS OF WIND push MIKE around. He struggles up the snow-laden porch steps.


156 EXTERIOR: THE PORCH, WITH MIKE DUSK.


He opens his case, takes out the flashlight and the cased Polaroid. He hangs the camera around his neck on its strap. The WIND MOANS. Branches CLACK against the porch. MIKE looks around, a little nervous, then returns his attention to the case. He takes out a roll of white adhesive tape and a Sharpie-type pen. Holding the flashlight (now turned on) between his chest and his arm, MIKE tears off a strip of the tape and puts it on MARTHA'S door. He uncaps the pen, thinks, then prints: "CRIME

SCENE DO NOT ENTER MICHAEL ANDERSON


CONSTABLE." Then he puts the roll of tape on his arm like a bracelet and opens the door.


He picks up MARTHA'S walker, holding the grips in his gloved hands, and sets it in the hall. Then he closes his case, picks it up, and steps inside himself.


157 INTERIOR: THE HALLWAY DARK.


99


MIKE puts his flashlight, turned on, in his coat pocket. The beam SHINES UPWARD at the ceiling.

MIKE himself is little more than a MOVING SHAPE in the dark as he readies the Polaroid and raises it to his face.


FLASH! and we see:


158 INTERIOR: MARTHA CLARENDON.


Her battered, bloody face. Just for a moment. Then it FADES. This picture and those that follow have the stark quality of crime-scene photos ... of evidence . . . which is just what they will be in a courtroom someday. Or so MIKE hopes.


159 INTERIOR: THE HALLWAY DARK.


MIKE turns, putting the first photo in his coat pocket, then triggers the Polaroid again.


FLASH! and we see:


160 INTERIOR: PICTURES ON THE HALLWAY WALL.


Boats at sea. The town dock in 1920. Old Fords chugging up Atlantic Street Hill in 1928. Girls having a picnic by the lighthouse. The pictures are stippled with BLOOD. Between them, on the wallpaper, are THICKER SPRAYS OF BLOOD. FADES.


161 INTERIOR: THE HALLWAY DARK.


The shape that is MIKE ANDERSON bends a little.


FLASH! and we see:


163 INTERIOR: THE HALLWAY DARK.


MIKE moves up the hall toward the living room.


164 INTERIOR: THE LIVING ROOM DARK.


100


It's pretty spooky in here, with the furniture just dim shapes and the WIND HOWLING outside.

BRANCHES TAP and TREES GROAN.


MIKE moves forward, the flashlight beam still spraying up from his coat pocket. He inadvertently KICKS SOMETHING. A DARK SHAPE rolls across the floor, hits a leg of MARTHA'S chair, and ricochets out of frame. MIKE follows after, takes the flashlight out of his pocket, and shines it into the lens of THE CAMERA he's looking at the object he kicked, although we can't see it from where we are. He replaces the flashlight in his pocket, raises the Polaroid, and bends forward.


FLASH! and:


165 INTERIOR: DAVEY'S BASKETBALL.


Splotched and stained with blood. Looks like some weird planet. FADES.


166 INTERIOR: THE LIVING ROOM, WITH MIKE DARK.


He rips off a piece of the tape, prints "EVIDENCE" on it, and sticks it to the basketball. Then he walks around the chair and aims the Polaroid at the TV.

FLASH! and:


167 INTERIOR: THE TELEVISION.


The picture tube totally smashed. The electronic guts of the thing visible inside the ragged hole.

It's like a gouged-out eye. FADES.


168 INTERIOR: THE LIVING ROOM, WITH MIKE DARK.


He's frowning, puzzled, thinking about the TV. He and Hatch heard the damned thing. They really did. He moves carefully toward it, then turns and raises the POLAROID.


FLASH! and:


169 INTERIOR: MARTHA'S CHAIR.


101

Stark and bloodstained, as creepy as an instrument of torture. The cookie plate and bloodstained teacup are still on the table beside it.


170 INTERIOR: RESUME MIKE.


He wants a second one of this. He raises the Polaroid, then stops. He looks up at: 171 INTERIOR: ABOVE THE DOOR BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND THE HALL.


There's something up there, written on the wallpaper above the arch. We can see it, but it's too dark to read.


172 INTERIOR: RESUME MIKE.


He points the Polaroid up, aims, and


FLASH!


173 INTERIOR: ABOVE THE DOOR BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND THE HALL.


It's a message printed in MARTHA CLARENDON'S blood: "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO

AWAY." Above it is a drawing


We may or may not recognize it. FADES.

174 INTERIOR: RESUME MIKE.


He's shaken, and badly. Still, he's determined to do his job. He raises the Polaroid for that second shot of the chair.


FLASH!


175 INTERIOR: MARTHA'S CHAIR.


This time LINOGE'S cane lies across the arms of the chair, the bloodstained wolfs head snarling into the flash. If we didn't understand the significance of the drawing on the wall, we do now.


102

176 INTERIOR: RESUME MIKE.


The camera drops out of his hands; if not for the strap, it would fall to the floor. He is understandably freaked. The cane wasn't there before. The WIND GUSTS the strongest one yet.

Behind MIKE, the window facing the street EXPLODES INWARD. SNOW SWIRLS into the room, twisting in ghostly cyclones. The sheers billow like ghostly arms.


MIKE is startled (hopefully we will be, too) but recovers quickly. He pulls the drapes across the broken window. They BILLOW OUT, but he quickly moves a table into place to anchor them. Then he turns back to MARTHA'S chair . . . and that unexpected cane. He bends over it, then raises the Polaroid.


FLASH! and:


177 INTERIOR: THE WOLF'S HEAD CANE, CLOSE-UP.


It stares at us with its bloody teeth and eyes like a ghost wolf in a stroke of lightning, then FADES.


178 INTERIOR: RESUME MIKE.


He remains where he is for a moment, trying to get himself back together. Then he pockets the last picture, tears off another strip of white tape, and tags the cane. On it he prints "EVIDENCE" and

"POSS. MURDER WEAPON."


179 INTERIOR: MARTHA'S DINING ROOM DARK.


MIKE comes in, removes the pine-cone-and-candle centerpiece from the table, then removes the white linen tablecloth.


180 INTERIOR: THE HALL, WITH MIKE.


He comes out of the dining room and approaches the shape of MARTHA'S body. As he does, he notices something on the wall by the door. He trains the beam of his flashlight on it. It is a key rack, in the shape of a key. MIKE runs the light along it, and finds the set of keys he's looking for. He takes them off their peg.


181 INTERIOR: THE KEYS ON MIKE'S PALM, INSERT.


103

The tag on one reads "FRONT DOOR" in MARTHA'S spidery old-lady's writing.


182 INTERIOR: RESUME HALL, WITH MIKE.


He pockets the keys and sets his case and camera aside on the stairs for the moment.


MIKE I'm so sorry, old girl.


He billows the tablecloth over MARTHA, then takes up his gear again. He opens the door to the porch just enough to slip through and goes out into the SHRIEKING STORM. Night has fallen.


183 EXTERIOR: ON THE PORCH, WITH MIKE NIGHT


He uses MARTHA'S key to lock the door. Tries it to make sure it's locked. Then he goes down the steps and begins floundering back down the walk to the Island Services vehicle.


184 EXTERIOR: A HOUSE ON UPPER MAIN STREET NIGHT.


We can barely see it through the sheeting snow.


185 INTERIOR: THE CARVER KITCHEN, WITH JACK, ANGELA, AND BUSTER.


No generator here. The kitchen is lit with two Coleman gas lanterns, and there are big shadows in all the corners. The little family is eating

cold cuts and drinking soda. Each time the wind GUSTS and the house CREAKS, ANGELA looks around nervously. JACK is a lobsterman and less worried about weather (what's to worry about when you're on dry-back land, for gorry's sake?). He's playing airplane with BUSTER. The plane is a bologna sandwich; BUSTER'S open mouth is the hangar. JACK keeps approaching (making the appropriate airplane noises as he does), then pulling away. BUSTER is laughing heartily. Daddy is such a comedian.


There's a RENDING, SPLINTERING CRASH from outside. ANGELA grabs JACK'S arm.


ANGELA


What was that?


104

JACK CARVER


Tree. Robichaux's backyard, from the sound. Hope it didn't hit their porch.


He starts playing airplane again, this time landing the sandwich in BUSTER'S mouth. BUSTER

chomps off a bite and chews with gusto.


ANGELA


Jack, do you have to go back to the store?


JACK Ayuh.


BUSTER

Daddy's gonna guard the bad guy! Make sure he doesn't get away. In a PLAYYNE!


JACK That's right, big guy.


JACK dive-bombs another bite into BUSTER'S mouth and ruffles his hair, then looks seriously at ANGELA.


JACK


This is a bad situation, honey. Everybody's got to do his part. Besides, I'll be with Kirk. It's the buddy system.

BUSTER Don Beals is my buddy! He knows how to be a monkey!


JACK Ayuh. Trick he learned from his dad, most likely.


ANGIE laughs and covers her mouth. JACK smiles at her. BUSTER starts making monkey sounds and scratching at his pits. Typical five-year-old dinner behavior. The parents treat him with absentminded love.


JACK

If you hear the whistle, take Buster and go. Hell, go before then, if you get nervous bundle up and take the snowmobile.


ANGELA


105

Are you sure?


JACK


Ayuh. Fact is, the earlier you go, the better bed you and Buster are apt to have. People headed that way already. I seen the lights.

(lifts his chin toward the window)


You be here or there when my watch is over don't matter. I'll find you.


He smiles at her. She smiles back, reassured. The WIND SCREAMS. They listen, smiles fading.

FAINT, we hear the SOUND OF POUNDING WAVES.


JACK


Town hall basement's probably gonna be the safest place on the island for the next forty-eight hours. There's going to be one helluva storm surge tonight, tell you that.


ANGELA


Why did that man have to come today, of all days?


BUSTER What did the bad man do, Mommy?


Here we are again little pitchers and their big ears. ANGELA leans over and kisses him.


ANGELA

Stole the moon and brought the wind. How about another sandwich, big boy?


BUSTER Yeah! And Daddy can fly it!


186 EXTERIOR: GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER DARK.


The waves are crashing higher than ever.


187 EXTERIOR: THE LIGHTHOUSE DARK.


Now just a vague shape in the storm, illuminating a WILDERNESS OF SNOW each time the light comes around.


106

188 EXTERIOR: MAIN AND ATLANTIC INTERSECTION DARK.


The WIND tears the darkened blinker loose, and it goes flying to the end of its cord, like a yo-yo to the end of its string, before finally thumping down into the snowy street.


189 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE JAIL CELL, WITH LINOGE DARK.


LINOGE is sitting as before, with his feet up and his hungry face framed by his slightly spread knees. He's intent, focused, still wearing the shadow of a smile.


190 INTERIOR: ANGLE ON THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WITH HATCH AND PETER.


HATCH has got a PowerBook open; its glow shines on his rapt face. He's running a crossword puzzle program and is deep into it. He doesn't notice PETER, who is sitting below the bulletin board and staring back at LINOGE, slack-faced and wide-eyed. PETER is hypnotized.


191 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


His smile widens. His EYES DARKEN TO BLACK, and that red starts to roll into them again.

192 INTERIOR: RESUME HATCH AND PETER.


Without removing his gaze from LINOGE'S, PETER reaches behind him and pulls an old Department of Fisheries red-tide notice from the board. He turns it over. He has a ballpoint in his flap pocket. He now clicks the tip and puts pen to paper. He never looks down at what he's doing, though; his gaze never leaves LINOGE.


HATCH


(not looking up)


Say, Pete what do you s'pose this one is? "Yodeler's perch." Three letters.


193 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


Smiling, he mouths a word that looks like a gulp.


194 INTERIOR: RESUME HATCH AND PETER.


107

PETER

Alp.


HATCH Coss it is.

(types it into the grid) This is a great program. I'll let you try later, if you want.


PETER Sure.


He sounds okay, but never takes his eyes from LINOGE. His pen never stops moving, either.

Never even slows.


195 INTERIOR: THE BACK OF THE FISHERIES FLYER.


Written there over and over again in jagged capital letters is this: "GIVE ME GIVE ME GIVE ME

GIVE ME WHAT I WANT GIVE ME WHAT I WANT GIVE ME WHAT I WANT." Drawn around the words, like bizarre illuminations on a monk's manuscript, is the same shape we saw over MARTHA'S living room door. Canes.


196 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


Grinning. Black, beastlike eyes full of ROILING RED. We can just see the tips of his fanglike teeth.

197 EXTERIOR: THE WOODS ON THE LITTLE TALL HEADLAND NIGHT.


The WIND SHRIEKS. The trees bend in the BLIZZARD, their branches CLATTERING.


198 EXTERIOR: LITTLE TALL, A HIGH SHOT NIGHT.


The buildings are already snow-covered; the two streets are snow-choked. There are only a few lights. This is a town cut off from the entire outside world. We HOLD ON THIS, then: FADE TO BLACK. THIS ENDS ACT 6.


Act 7


199 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.


108

JACK CARVER was right the islanders without woodstoves for heat, or those who live in the path of a possible storm surge at high tide, are already coming in for shelter. Some arrive in four-wheel drives, some come on snowmobiles or in Sno-Cats. Some are on snowshoes and skis. Even with the HOWL OF THE WIND, we can hear the BULL-THROATED ROAR OF THE TOWN HALL GENNIE.


Approaching along the sidewalk are JONAS STANHOPE and his wife, JOANNA. They aren't kids, but they're healthy, even athletic-looking like the actors in the Ensure commercials. They are on snowshoes, and each has a pull line. Behind them is a chair secured to a child's sled, making it into a kind of one-person sleigh. Sitting in the chair, bundled up in robes and an ENORMOUS FUR HAT, is CORA STANHOPE, JONAS'S mother. She's about eighty and looks as regal as Queen Victoria on her throne.


JONAS

You okay, Mom?


CORA Fine as the flowers in May.


JONAS


What about you, Jo?


JOANNA

(rather grim) I'll make it.


They turn into the parking lot beside the town hall. This lot is rapidly filling up with a variety of snow-friendly vehicles. Pairs of skis and snowshoes have been left upright in the snowbank in front of the building. The building itself is courtesy of its big generator lit up like an ocean liner on a stormy sea, an island of safety and relative

comfort on a wild night. Of course, the Titanic probably looked the same way before it hit the iceberg.


Folks walk toward the steps, talking and chatting with nervous excitement. We've built up a relatively large cast of characters, and here we get some payoff, recognizing old friends from the cluster at MARTHA'S house and the shoppers at the market.


We spy JILL and ANDY ROBICHAUX getting out of a four-wheel drive. As JILL undoes the straps holding five-year-old HARRY in his car seat (HARRY'S one of MOLLY'S day-care kids), ANDY slogs gamely over to the STANHOPE family.


ANDY How you doing, Stanhopes? Some wild night, huh?


109

JONAS


It sure is. We're fine, Andy.


But JOANNA, while far from death's door, is also a long way from fine. She's PANTING HARD and uses the break to bend over and clutch the legs of her snowpants.


ANDY


Let me spell you there, Joanna


CORA


(Her Imperial Majesty)

Joanna is fine, Mr. Robichaux. Just needs to get her breath. Don't you, Joanna?


JOANNA gives her elderly mother-in-law a smile that says, "Thanks, right, and, oh, how I'd like to stuff a parking meter up your scrawny old butt." ANDY sees it.


ANDY

Jilly could use some help with the baby, Jo. Would you? I got this. Really.


JOANNA


(very grateful) You bet.


ANDY grabs JOANNA'S half of the harness. As JOANNA goes to JILL (CORA gives her daughter-in-law a look as icy as the storm, one that says "Quitter" loud and clear), DAVEY HOPEWELL, his PARENTS, and MRS. KINGSBURY pile out of a big old Suburban.


JONAS Well, Andy, what do you say? Ready?


ANDY

(cheerily, God love him)

Mush!


They resume pulling the old lady toward the town hall. CORA rides with her blade-thin New England nose regally lifted. JILL and JOANNA walk along behind, CHATTING; HARRY, so bundled up he looks like the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man, trudges next to his mom, holding her hand.


110

200 INTERIOR: THE TOWN OFFICE NIGHT.


URSULA, TESS MARCHANT, and TAVIA GODSOE are checking people in by handing them clipboards and getting them to sign the names of family members who plan to spend the night in the lower level of the town hall. Behind the WOMEN are FOUR MEN, looking important but not doing much. There's ROBBIE BEALS, the town manager, plus the three town selectmen: GEORGE KIRBY, BURT SOAMES, and HENRY BRIGHT. HENRY is the husband of CARLA BRIGHT, and is currently holding his son, another day-care pupil, in his arms. FRANK is fast asleep.


Again, we see faces that we know coming in; an island is a small community. There are no kids older than day-care age; the big kids all got stranded on the mainland side of the reach.


URSULA (plenty harried)


Sign in, everybody! We have to know who's here, so please sign in before you go downstairs!


She casts an impatient look at the men, who are basically standing around and gossiping.


201 INTERIOR: ANGLE ON ROBBIE AND THE SELECTMEN.


BURT SOAMES So what'd he say?


ROBBIE

What could he say? Hell, everybody north of Casco Bay knows Peter Godsoe wholesales nine pounds of pot for every pound of lobster.


He casts an eye on URSULA and TAVIA the latter is rummaging in a supply cupboard for pillows, work ROBBIE wouldn't do unless you stuck a gun in his ear.


ROBBIE

I don't blame him hell, ain't he got a houseful of women to support?


BURT SOAMES CHORTLES. GEORGE KIRBY and HENRY BRIGHT exchange a more doubtful look.

They're not completely comfortable with the meanness of the gossip.


GEORGE KIRBY

Question is, Robbie, how'd that fella know?


ROBBIE rolls his eyes, as if to say, "What a dope."


111


ROBBIE

They're likely in business together. Why would a fella kill a harmless old lady like Martha Clarendon in the first place, 'less he was stoned? Tell me that, George Kirby!


HENRY BRIGHT

That doesn't explain how he could know Cat Withers 'us up in Deny for n'abortion.


WOMAN'S VOICE

Ursula! Are there more blankets?


URSULA


Robbie Beals! Henry Bright! You boys think you could go downstairs and bring some more blankets out of that back

storeroom? Or aren't you far enough along with your politician' yet?


ROBBIE and HENRY walk over, ROBBIE with a contemptuous grin, HENRY looking ashamed that he hasn't been more help already.


ROBBIE


What's the matter, Ursula that time of the month, dear?


She gives him a look of utter contempt and brushes hair back from her face.


TESS

Don't you think it's about time to blow the whistle and bring 'em in, Robbie?


ROBBIE

Looks like enough of 'em are coming in on their own. As for the rest, they'll ride it out just fine.

All this is a bunch of foolishness, far's I'm concerned. Do you think our grandmothers and grandfathers all got together in the town hall when it stormed, like a bunch of cave people scared of lightning?


URSULA

No they used the Methodist church. I've got a picture I could show you. Storm of '27. I can point 112

out your granddad in it, if you want. He looks like he's stirring a pot of soup. Nice to know there was at least one fellow in your family knew how to pitch in.


ROBBIE looks ready to come back on her, but before he can: HENRY BRIGHT Come on, Robbie.


HENRY, still holding his sleeping child, heads downstairs. GEORGE KIRBY follows. ROBBIE'S

effectively shut up. GEORGE is easily twenty years older than he is, and if he's not above getting blankets, ROBBIE will at least have to go along and look busy.


URSULA, TAVIA, and TESS look at each other and kind of roll their eyes as the men leave.

Meanwhile, people continue to come in by twos and threes, and the storm continues to ROAR

outside.


URSULA

Sign in before you go downstairs, folks! Please! There's room for everybody, but we have to know who we have!


MOLLY ANDERSON comes in, brushing snow from her hair and holding RALPHIE by the hand.


MOLLY

Ursula, have you seen Mike?


URSULA No, but I'll be able to catch his car radio if he calls in, I think.


(points at the CB)


It's not good for much else tonight. Take off your coat, pitch in.


MOLLY How's it going?


URSULA Oh, we're having a ball. Hi, Ralphie.


RALPHIE Hi.


MOLLY kneels on the wet floor and begins the job of peeling RALPHIE out of his snowsuit. People continue to come in as she does so. Outside, the SNOW SWIRLS and the WIND HOWLS.


113

202 EXTERIOR: THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT NIGHT.


The pumper we saw being washed at the top of the show has long since been put away, but now the fire station's side door opens and FERD ANDREWS struggles out, pulling up the hood of his coat.

He looks downhill at:


203 EXTERIOR: GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


The tide is almost high. The mainland has disappeared in a curtain of gray and black. The reach is running with waves so big they're nightmarish. These slosh rhythmically over the end of the dock, pelting the long shed with spray.


204 INTERIOR: GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


We're in a long, high storage area stacked with lobster traps, crates, and fishing gear. One entire wall is hung with slickers, waterproofs, high boots. The SOUND OF THE STORM is MUTED, but only a little. SPRAY PELTS THE WINDOWS.


THE CAMERA MOVES down an aisle of traps, then past a LONG TANK full of lobsters. THE CAMERA SWINGS around the end of the tank, and a few RATS scutter out of sight. Here, in a dusty little passage between the tank and the wall, is stored a LONG OBJECT covered with blankets.


THE WIND SHRIEKS. THE BUILDING CREAKS. A huge SPLASH OF SPRAY hits one of the windows and SHATTERS IT. Wind, water, and snow SWIRL IN. The wind strips the blanket back from the end of the long object, and we see STACKED BALES OF POT, all neatly wrapped in sheets of plastic.


The traps hung overhead CLACK BACK AND FORTH. SOUND of another window BREAKING.


205 EXTERIOR: THE LITTLE TALL MARKET.


We can hear the FAINT CHUG OF THE GENERATOR, and a few lights shine bravely. The only vehicles still parked in front are MOLLY'S little car and a snow-caked pickup with GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER on the side.


206 INTERIOR: CROSSWORD PUZZLE ON POWERBOOK SCREEN, CLOSE-UP.

It's mostly filled in. HATCH adds a word.


207 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.


114

HATCH stretches, then stands. In the cell, LINOGE sits as before, back to the wall and looking out from between his knees.


HATCH Got to use the can. You want a coffee or a cold drink, Pete?


PETE doesn't respond at first. The sheet of paper he pulled from the bulletin board is in his lap, but turned over so the print side, with its red-tide warning, is faceup. PETER'S eyes are wide and blank.


HATCH Peter Earth to Peter.


HATCH waves a hand in front of PETER'S face. PETER blinks, and awareness or a semblance of it seeps back into his eyes. He looks up at HATCH.


PETER What?


HATCH


Just asked if you wanted a soda or a coffee.


PETER


No. Thanks, though.


HATCH

(starts toward the door, then turns) You all right?


PETER


(after a beat)


Yeah. Spent all day battening down for the storm, and now I guess I'm almost asleep with my eyes open. Sorry.


HATCH


Well, hang in there. Jack Carver and Kirk Freeman should be along in twenty minutes or so.


HATCH grabs a magazine to read in the can and leaves.


115

208 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


His eyes DARKEN. He looks at PETER. His lips move soundlessly.


209 INTERIOR: PETER, CLOSE-UP.


He's totally blank again. Hypnotized. Suddenly THE SHADOW OF LINOGE'S CANE appears on his face. PETER looks up at:


210 INTERIOR: AN OVERHEAD BEAM, FROM PETER'S POINT OF VIEW.


The cane is hooked over it. The bloody WOLF'S HEAD SNARLS.


211 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.


PETER gets up and slowly crosses the room, the notice he was writing on trailing from one hand.

He walks directly beneath the cane. LINOGE sits on the cell's cot, watching him, only his weird eyes moving. PETER stops at a wall-mounted cabinet and opens it. There are all sorts of tools inside.

There's also a COIL OF ROPE. He takes it.


212 EXTERIOR: GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


A GIGANTIC WAVE rolls out of the reach, smashes the end of the town dock, and chews off the end of Peter Godsoe's building. We can hear the SNAP OF WOOD even above the storm.


213 EXTERIOR: FERD ANDREWS, BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SIDE DOOR.


FERD ANDREWS


Oh . . . my . . . God! (raises his voice) Lloyd! Lloyd, you gotta see this!


214 INTERIOR: THE FIRE STATION GARAGE, WITH LLOYD WISHMAN NIGHT.


The two island pumpers are apple green. The passenger window of one is partly open. Hanging from it is the bloody wolfs head of LINOGE'S cane. Standing nearby, looking as blank as PETER

GODSOE, is LLOYD. In one hand he has a small can of red paint. In the other is a brush. He's working with the care of a Manet or van Gogh.


FERD ANDREWS (voice-over)


Lloyd! It's gonna take Godsoe's! It's gonna take the whole dock!


116


LLOYD WISHMAN pays no attention. Goes on painting.


215 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, A HIGH ANGLE.


The cane no longer hangs over the beam, but a coil of rope is flung up and over the place where it was. In the background, LINOGE sits in his cell, face predatory, eyes ROLLING WITH RED AND

BLACK.


216 EXTERIOR: GODSOE'S FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


Another HUGE WAVE smashes into the town dock, tearing a lot more of it away and capsizing a small boat someone foolishly left tied there. It also takes another huge bite out of the warehouse.


217 INTERIOR: GODSOE'S FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


We can see right outside through a RAGGED HOLE in the end of the building: the amputated dock and the heaving waves of the reach. Now another of these big ones ROLLS TOWARD THE CAMERA, inundating what's left of the dock and SMASHING INTO THE WAREHOUSE. Lobster traps are lifted and sucked away. The lobster tank is overturned, and lobsters are freed by the dozens, a sudden and unexpected commutation of their death sentence. And, as the big wave retreats, BALES OF POT

also float out of the hole at the end of the building.


218 EXTERIOR: OUTSIDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH FERD ANDREWS.


FERD ANDREWS


(shouting)


You better come, Lloyd, if you want to see sumpin' you ain't never gonna see again! She's a-goin'! She's a-goin'!


219 INTERIOR: THE FIRE STATION, WITH LLOYD WISHMAN.


LLOYD is also a-goin', as it happens. As he finishes painting, THE CAMERA MOVES around, showing us what is written in big red capitals up the side of the green pumper. Overlaying the gold letters that read LITTLE TALL ISLAND V.F.D. is this message: "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO

AWAY."


FERD ANDREWS (voice-over) Git out here, Lloyd! The whole shebang's gain' into the drink!


117

Taking no notice, LLOYD sets the paint can down on the running board of the pumper and puts the brush neatly across the top. As he does these things, we see that the cane that was hanging from the partly open window is gone ... or maybe it was never there in the first place. Maybe it was just in LLOYD WISHMAN'S mind.


LLOYD moves to the side of the pumper and opens one of the tool storage compartments. He takes out a fire axe.


220 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.


PETER GODSOE, eyes blank, is standing on a chair. The end of the rope he threw over the beam has been fashioned into a noose, and the noose is around his neck. Pinned to his shirt is his

"homework": the sheet with "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT" written all over it, plus the cane drawings.

Written in extra-big letters at the top, like a title, is "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY."


221 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


Lips moving. Chanting silently. Eyes BIG BLACK HOLES shot through with RED FIRE.


222 INTERIOR: THE FIRE STATION NIGHT.


LLOYD stands with the keen blade of the axe pointing at the center of his face. He's gripping the handle far up on the shaft, the kind of grip you want if you're going to chop kindling out back of the house ... or your own face in two.

223 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.


Lips moving faster now. Weird eyes wider. Hands clenched into fists in front of him.


224 EXTERIOR: THE OCEAN SIDE OF THE FIRE STATION, WITH FERD.


His face is filled with awe and terror. His mouth hangs open.


FERD ANDREWS


My sainted hat!


225 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN DOCK, WITH WHAT REMAINS OF GODSOE'S.


Bearing down on it through the HOWLING SNOW is a huge wave almost a tidal wave.


118


226 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WITH PETER'S FEET.


They kick away the chair with a CLATTER, then begin to JITTER.


227 EXTERIOR: THE ONCOMING WAVE NIGHT.


It dwarfs the dock and the warehouse.


228 INTERIOR: THE MARKET, WITH HATCH.


He stops pouring his coffee and turns toward the constable's office door, reacting to the CLATTER

OF THE CHAIR.


HATCH Peter?


229 INTERIOR: THE AXE, CLOSE-UP.


It swings out of the frame, and we hear an unpleasant SOUND it's like someone slapping mud with the flat of his hand. CHUMP!


230 INTERIOR: GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER NIGHT.


We're looking out at the reach . . . but suddenly the view is blotted out by the ONCOMING WAVE.

There's nothing to be seen through the broken-off stump of the warehouse but SURGING GRAY

WATER. It SMASHES INTO GODSOE'S, and suddenly THE CAMERA IS UNDERWATER. A SMASHED

TRAP, a BALE OF POT, and a LOBSTER with its claws still pegged go floating past in gusts of bubbles.


231 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN DOCK NIGHT.


What remains is inundated and torn completely away. The retreating wave carries off a tangle of boats, ropes, cleats, rubber boat-bumpers, and Godsoe's shingled roof. Maybe we see part of the sign GODSOE FISH & LOBSTER before it all disappears into the BELLOWING BLIZZARD.


232 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL, WITH URSULA, TAVIA, TESS, ETC.


119

All the bustle is momentarily silent. The CRACKLE AND HISS of the CB is very loud. Everyone has turned toward the door.


RALPHIE Mommy, what's wrong?


MOLLY

Nothing, hon.


JONAS

What in God's name was it?


CORA


The town dock, setting off to sea.


ROBBIE comes up the stairs, followed by GEORGE, HENRY BRIGHT, and BURT SOAMES. ROBBIE'S

bluster and swagger are gone.


ROBBIE Ursula. Blow the whistle.


233 EXTERIOR: OUTSIDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH FERD NIGHT.


He's as excited and dismayed as a man who has just seen Satan peering at him from around a tree trunk. He turns and runs back to the door of the firehouse.


234 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURING THE DOOR.

HATCH comes through the door, Styrofoam cup of joe in one hand.


HATCH Pete? You okay? I heard

His face fills with startled horror. His eyes go upward, presumably to the face of the man who has hung himself from the beam. The coffee drops from his hand, hits the floor, splashes his boots.


235 INTERIOR: THE FIREHOUSE, WITH FERD.


FERD ANDREWS Lloyd! Where the hell are you? Did you go to sleep, or wh 120


He starts around the rear of the closest pumper, then stops. There's a pair of boots sticking out.


FERD

Lloyd? Lloyd . . . ?


Slowly, not really wanting to, he goes the rest of the way around, to where he can see his partner. For a moment he's silent, so shocked he is unable to vocalize. Then FERD screams like a woman.


236 INTERIOR: HATCH, CLOSE-UP.


His face is frozen in an expression of utter horror.


237 INTERIOR: THE SIDE OF THE PUMPER.


"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY" painted in bloodred capital letters.


238 INTERIOR: THE SIGN AROUND PETER GODSOE'S NECK.


"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY."

Plus those creepy little dancing canes.


239 INTERIOR: THE SCREEN OF HATCH'S POWERBOOK, CLOSE-UP.


The answers he filled in are gone. Now, filling the crossword grid, are the words "GIVE ME WHAT

I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY." Across, down, interlocking at every point. And in the center of every black square is a little white cane-icon.


240 INTERIOR: LINOGE, EXTREME CLOSE-UP.


Grinning. The sharp tips of his teeth showing.


SLOW DISSOLVE TO:


241 EXTERIOR: THE CENTER OF TOWN, HIGH ANGLE NIGHT.


121


It's mostly dark, except for the town hall. And now the storm emergency signal begins to blow: two shorts, one long, a pause, and then once again. Take shelter.


The image of LINOGE LINGERS, superimposed over the snowy town and perhaps suggesting there will be no shelter for the inhabitants of Little Tall Island . . . not tonight, perhaps not ever again. At last LINOGE'S image FADES OUT . . . and we do the same.


THIS ENDS PART ONE.


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