"NURSE BETTY" Screenplay by John C. Richards and James Flamberg Based on a story by John C. Richards Shooting Script (FINAL) 3/9/99 FADE IN: INT. OPERATING ROOM - DAY A tense surgery in progress. Meters flicker, instruments flash in the bright overhead light. In the midst of it all stands DR. DAVID RAVELL, 35. The master of his domain. Ravell leans forward so a NURSE can mop the sweat from his brow as he completes a last, delicate procedure. His co workers sigh collectively with relief. DAVID (to Asst. Surgeon) Close her up, will you? INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - DAY Dr. Ravell comes out of surgery, clearly exhausted. Without his surgical mask he is ruggedly handsome. TWO NURSES follow, attending him like a fighter fresh from the ring: CHLOE, 25, Raven-haired and striking, and JASMINE, 24, an exotic mix of African-American and Asian. BLAKE DANIELS, 58, the silver-haired Chief Surgeon, rushes up the corridor. On his heels is DR. LONNIE WALSH, 33. Lonnie is also conspicuously handsome, but he'll always be second to David. In everything. The look on Blake's face stops David in his tracks. BLAKE There's been a train crash near Santa Barbara. They're flying an aortal trauma here now. How can I ask you this, David... David rubs his eyes. Thinks about it. DAVID I can do it, Blake. His bravery isn't lost on the two nurses, although Chloe exchanges a quick, covert glance with Lonnie. CHLOE Is he crazy, Jasmine? He's been on his feet for fourteen hours. JASMINE Chloe, it's been this way since Leslie died. Losing himself in his work, poor thing... YOUNGER MAN'S VOICE (O.S.) ...I'll give you something to lose yourself in... OLDER MAN'S VOICE (O.S.) Excuse me, miss? PULL BACK TO REVEAL: WE ARE LOOKING AT A TELEVISION SCREEN BEHIND THE COUNTER OF A SMALL-TOWN DINER. INSERT: FAIR OAKS, KANSAS INT. TIP TOP DINER - DAY Quaint, Midwestern eatery. Knick-knacks and photos abound. The booths and counter are packed with LOCALS. A family dining section off in one corner. TWO GUYS sitting at the counter in team jackets. The older of the two holds up his empty coffee cup. But his WAITRESS, standing a couple seats down from him, doesn't move. She's completely absorbed in watching the soap opera that plays on two battered, fuzzy TV sets. BETTY SIZEMORE, 30, has a wholesome attractiveness that competes with a bit too much makeup and a cheesy white waitress uniform. TWO OTHER WAITRESSES attend to customers behind her. The younger of the two guys is involved in the soap opera. But the older one, still wants coffee. He gestures toward Betty. OLDER MAN Miss? Betty leans forward, grabs the coffee pot and moves in front of him. Without taking her eyes from the TV, she pours the java, which somehow lands in his cup without spilling a drop. OLDER MAN Very impressive. That is very... (turning to others) Did anybody see that? The LOCAL GUYS around him don't even bother to look up. Of course, they've seen it before. Betty smiles. OLDER MAN Thank you. Could I bother you for a little more...? Before he can even finish, Betty is topping him off with milk. BETTY Skim, right? (tears open an Equal) And half a pack, if I remember correct... The older gentleman's mouth works a bit but nothing comes out. He is flabbergasted by her attention to detail. She looks at the younger man, who is still following the show and gobbling down a huge bacon burger. BETTY You know, you're never too young to start on a lean meat substitute... (BEAT) You wanna try some turkey bacon on that? YOUNGER MAN You want a tip when I'm through? BETTY It's your body... Betty turns back to change pots. The older man watches her intently as the younger of the two mumbles to himself. YOUNGER MAN (to himself) That's right, so why don't you get up off it... OLDER MAN Wesley... (to Betty) I've told him the same thing. Thanks for the suggestion. BETTY No problem. Betty flashes the men a winning smile and moves off, one eye always on the TV as she approaches two local types. SHERIFF ELDEN BALLARD, 32, a short, tightly wound little man, sitting at his own booth. Ballard is spit and polish all the way: creases in his shirt, a glossy shine on his shoes. Badge proudly displayed. He sits with ROY OSTREY, 31, a gangly, bookish local reporter. Betty drops five ketchup packets and four mayonnaise packets on the table for him. Another smile. ROY Hi, Betty. You're looking good... BETTY Thanks, Roy, you're sweet... a big liar, but sweet. I liked your editorial this morning... ROY Oh, appreciate it. I was trying to, ahh, give a sense of history to... BALLARD (interrupting) Yeah, it was great. Really put the whole idea of "church bake sales" in perspective... ROY You know, Elden, some people actually read more than just the Classifieds... BALLARD Why don't you go back to doing something you're good at... like that Lonelyhearts column? (chuckles to himself) I'll take a refill there, Betty... His cup is full before he can even finish the sentence. BETTY Hey, Sheriff. How's everything? BALLARD Oh, you know, the usual... keeping the world safe. BETTY ...I meant your food. BALLARD Oh, right... 's fine. Thanks. ROY I thought you said the eggs weren't... BALLARD It's fine. Mind your own meal... ROY You should get the order you want. BALLARD And you should keep your nose out of another man's omelette... (to Betty) It's no big deal, Betty. BETTY There's yolks in there, huh? It's no prob'... gotta keep you on track. Betty grabs Ballard's plate without another word, gives him a reassuring rub on the shoulders and moves off. He smiles appreciatively after her, then turns on Roy. BALLARD Why you always gotta embarrass me? I been eating lunch with you since grade school and you always gotta embarrass me! ROY They're just eggs, Elden, how embarrassing can eggs be? BALLARD ...plenty ROY Who eats eggs for lunch, anyhow? BALLARD Mind your own business. You just said that shit so you could look at her a little longer, anyway... Still carrying Ballard's plate, she returns to the counter. BETTY Come on, guys, I told you it's egg whites only for the Sheriff... (quietly) ...I put him in that 'zone' thing. COOK #1 Well, it better be a pretty good size zone if he's in it... Betty and the cooks share a quick laugh. They move to change his order while Betty glances up at the TV. INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - RETURN TO TV SCREEN Lonnie catches up to Blake in the corridor. LONNIE Blake, I can handle that transplant! BLAKE We need someone with the right kind of experience, Lonnie. LONNIE Even if he's falling asleep on his feet? BLAKE Lonnie, it's a complex procedure. Why don't you observe? LONNIE I'm not some snot-nosed resident fresh out of medical school, Blake. BLAKE No, you're not. You're a good doctor, Lonnie, but you're not David Ravell. I've made my decision. Now, if you'll excuse me... Blake exits. The camera moves in to hold on a CLOSEUP of Lonnie's face as he simmers in anger. Music soars. INT. TIP TOP DINER - DAY Plates of food are piling up on the shelf in front of the COOKS. One of them turns the TV off by remote. BETTY Hey! We were watching that! COOK #1 The other girls've got orders up... we're not one 'a them goddamn Nelson families, y'know. Betty snatches up several plates to help out. Ballard's food appears with A CLATTER of porcelain. BETTY It's "Nielson"... COOK #1 Yeah, well, we ain't one 'a them, neither. (BEAT) Go on now... DARLENE When you gonna get those things fixed, anyhow? COOK #1 When you all quit watching 'em for a living... Frustrated, Betty delivers several plates and drops them at tables where the people know her by name. She moves off toward FOUR LOCAL GUYS in a booth jangling their empty cups. Betty weaves her way over to them and pours refills. When a hand strays around to touch her ass, she pushes it away with her foot and keeps right on pouring. Absently, Betty takes a look around the restaurant. The other waitresses are gone and no one is behind the grill. Alarmed, she pushes through the double doors into the kitchen. INT. TIP TOP DINER - KITCHEN - SAME TIME THREE WAITRESSES, along with the DISHWASHER and TWO COOKS are standing in a row waiting for her. BETTY ...alright, I get it, no more TV. Sorry. No one moves, then DARLENE leads them in a huge SURPRISE! They produce a life-size cardboard cut-out of Dr. David Ravell, who looks dashing in his green hospital scrubs. Betty backs up in disbelief. BETTY Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing! Where did you ever find this? DARLENE On the goddamn internet, where else? BETTY You're joking... WAITRESS #1 ...nope, got him at "T.V. Hunks with Sweet Little Asses.Com." WAITRESS #2 Seventy-five dollars... COOK #1 ...Seventy-eight fifty. (everyone looks at him) Well, I paid for the damn thing, I oughta know. WAITRESS #2 C'mon, Betty! Pose with him! Betty laughs and puts her arm around the cardboard man. A flash photo is taken. A cupcake with a single candle is placed in her hands. DARLENE One candle... uh-oh, you're getting up there! Doesn't David like 'em young? BETTY I'm over the hill, what can I say? Darlene gives Betty an envelope with cash showing. WAITRESS #1 A little something for those nursing classes you've been wanting to take... DARLENE ...but keep putting off thanks to a certain husband we won't mention... BETTY Oh, guys, you didn't have to do that! DARLENE So how you gonna celebrate? Del takin' you into Wichita for a big fancy dinner? The others laugh; they know better. So does Betty. BETTY Yeah, Dairy Queen, maybe... Oh, I should probably call him. Thanks, you guys... COOK #1 Alright, alright, come on... I'm not running no bed & breakfast, we got customers. Let's go... Smiling, Betty grabs a wall phone as the others mingle about. INT. SIZEMORE MOTORS - DEL'S OFFICE - DAY The trailer/office of a small-time car dealership. As the PHONE RINGS, the CAMERA PANS across pictures of DEL SIZEMORE, 35, dressed as Napoleon, Caesar and Abe Lincoln, arms raised in a high-energy sales pitch. The PHONE RINGS again. We see a framed certificate of achievement from General Motors, dated 1986. After the THIRD RING an ANSWERING MACHINE clicks on. It's loud. ANSWERING MACHINE (Del's voice) Hello there! You've reached Sizemore Motors, home of the best selection of used General Motors cars in the Big Springs -- Fair Oaks area. We can't come to the phone right now 'cause we're out making a sale, so leave us a message; better yet, come on down and steal one 'a these beauties right out from under us! Coffee's always on! BETTY (V.O.) Hi Del, it's me. I guess you're busy. INT. SIZEMORE MOTORS - TRAILER/OFFICE - DAY Del's very busy. He's on the rented sofa in the trailer's lounge, screwing his secretary, JOYCE. But as he rocks the couch, he's listening to Betty's message. BETTY (V.O.) I know you want the Oldsmobile back tonight, so... I was wondering if I could take one of the new Buicks. Del pulls out and lurches across the room. He reaches for the desk phone but misses, spilling down onto the carpet. He gathers himself and his pants up in disgust, pawing around the desktop until he finds the phone. BETTY (V.O.) So, call me when you -- DEL Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on a second there, baby. Why do you need one of the new Buicks? BETTY (V.O.) Oh, you're there. You sound out of breath. DEL I ran back in to get the phone. The answering machine is on, so their VOICES are BOOMING. The phone cord is stretched across the trailer as he tries to get back to Joyce. He motions for her to join him but she remains where she is, fuming. BETTY (V.O.) I don't need one, but it's kind of a special night, and -- DEL What's so special about it? LONG PAUSE. Joyce looks at Del, incredulous. Then pissed off. He signals to hold on. BETTY (V.O.) Sue Ann's taking me out and I thought it might be fun to go in a nice car... Joyce wriggles to a sitting position and begins to pull up her panties. Del shoots her a look that says 'I'm not finished yet!' They pantomime frantically back and forth until Joyce throws him the finger and SLAMS out the door. BETTY (V.O.) What was that? DEL Nothing... it's, ahh, busy here. Look, you don't need a LeSabre to go out with Sue Ann. Take the blue Corsica. I'll see you when I get home. He throws the phone onto the cradle, then bangs on a window to get Joyce's attention as she fires up a smoke. DEL (through the pane) Shit! Joyce, open the damn gate, will you?! As Del zips up his pants Joyce trudges across the lot to bring in the "Closed For Lunch" sign and open the gate. Del silently studies the much nicer car lot next door for a moment. He takes in the banners, the signs, etc. DEL ...that's what we need, some goddamn flags. INT. OFFICE/TRAILER - LATER Betty enters the office. Joyce is on the phone. She looks up, irritated, and says something under her breath to the caller. JOYCE Uhh, no, we haven't picked a date yet... well, once he dumps her we will. (to Betty) He's out pricing banners... I don't expect him back. BETTY "Banners?" JOYCE You know, flags and shit... he said "for a livelier look" or something. Betty nods and swaps her car keys for a set Joyce gives her. JOYCE 'S too bad about the LeSabres... they're a really sweet ride. As Joyce prattles on, Betty notices the Buick LeSabre keys on a rack behind her. She sidles around Joyce, deftly removes a set from the hook and drops them in her purse. She smiles and starts to wave goodbye as Joyce puts her call on hold. JOYCE Need something else? BETTY No, I was just... How you doing? JOYCE Great. Good. Content... BETTY Oh. How come? JOYCE I dunno. Job satisfaction, I guess... (BEAT) How's things at the Tip Top? BETTY They're fine... you miss it? JOYCE You must be joking. BETTY Hmm. (BEAT) So, Del get that car he sold you up and running yet? JOYCE Oh, yeah, he's got things up and running, alright... BETTY 'Kay, good. Bye, then... JOYCE Uh-huh. (back to phone) Anyway, I'm thinking Easter, 'cause I just fucking love pastels. She whispers, then laughs loudly as Betty leaves. EXT. SIZEMORE MOTORS - DAY The cardboard doctor is standing next to Betty's Olds. She thinks about leaving him, but picks him up and tosses him into a blue Corsica. He lands with his face against the passenger window. She stands for a moment by the Corsica, dangling the LeSabre keys before her eyes. Suddenly, she jumps inside the Chevrolet and slams the door. EXT. SIZEMORE MOTORS/TRAILER PARK - DAY The blue Corsica leaves the parking lot and pulls onto the street. The car makes an abrupt turn into a trailer park directly behind the car lot and glides to a halt behind a row of battered airstreams. Betty gets outs of the Chevy and looks back: the handsome face of Doctor David Ravell is staring at her from the car. BETTY Oh, Christ, what am I gonna do with you? She goes back to pick him up, then starts off. EXT. TRAILER PARK - SAME TIME A row of cheap trailers on both sides of a crumbling driveway. Betty appears with her cardboard man tucked under one arm and then disappears behind a pickup truck. EXT. SIZEMORE MOTORS - SAME TIME She tosses the cardboard "David" over a concrete slab wall, climbs over herself and walks straight to the LeSabres. Her key opens the last one -- maroon. She puts the doctor on the passenger seat, gets in the car and inhales the new car smell. Joyce can be seen inside the trailer, still talking on the phone. She misses the whole scene as she works on her nails. BETTY We deserve this. INT. LESABRE - DRIVING - DAY Betty has the car at 75 m.p.h., on the rural Kansas roads, wheat fields for miles on both sides of her. The RADIO is blasting Bonnie Raitt and she's singing along. She sees her speed and punches the accelerator... 80 m.p.h.... 85... 90 m.p.h. She turns the radio up louder. When she approaches a sign saying "You are leaving Kansas" Betty suddenly becomes self-conscious. She eases up on the gas... slows down... does a U-turn and heads back toward Fair Oaks. She glances wistfully in her rear view mirror at the billboard that quickly fades into the distance. EXT. BETTY'S NEIGHBORHOOD - LATER Betty enters a modest residential neighborhood and pulls into a driveway. She parks in a detached garage and looks over at the cardboard David. There's no way he's going in the house. She puts him in the trunk and closes the garage door. EXT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - SAME TIME She walks several houses down. On her way to the door we hear a DOG BARKING, CHILDREN and GENERAL COMMOTION from inside. SUE ANN ROGERS answers Betty's knock. Her hair is matted with sweat as she struggles with CHILDREN, ages 4, 3 and 6 months. Suddenly, Sue Ann is hit by an errant rubber ball. SUE ANN Hey, darling... oww! Sorry, got my own little Gulf War going on here. Betty takes the baby as Sue Ann pulls a videotape from a shelf. It's all one move; they do this every day. BETTY Did you watch it yet? SUE ANN Sure did. I'll tell you, if that man was any better looking it'd be a crime 'a some sort... BETTY Yep. Hey, I got a surprise for tonight. We're going to the Starlite in style! SUE ANN Oh, Betty -- BETTY I'll give you a hint. If you scrunch up your eyes a bit it looks just like a Jaguar... SUE ANN Honey, I'm really sorry, I was gonna call you about tonight. Larry's got a lodge meeting. There's no way I can get a sitter this fast. BETTY (disappointed) No... what about your sister? SUE ANN I can't ask her again -- Nathan, stop it! Jesse, don't take that, hit back! -- I feel terrible, hon. After a beat... BETTY It's all right. SUE ANN You sure? Maybe next week we could... BETTY Uh-huh. No, we'll do it later. 'S only a birthday, right? I'll have another one next year... Betty forces a smile, kisses the baby and hands it back to Sue Ann, who hands her the videotape. SUE ANN Aahhh... (BEAT) So what color is it? BETTY What? SUE ANN The LeSabre! BETTY Maroon. (BEAT) I stole it. SUE ANN What? BETTY He wasn't going to let us use it, so I just took it. SUE ANN Oh, I wish we could just get in it and drive, and drive, and drive! BETTY Yeah, me too. SUE ANN Sorry, hon. Happy Birthday... BETTY I gotta go make dinner. Betty throws her a look as Sue Ann closes the door. Betty turns around, frustrated. She starts yanking her apron off as she crosses the street. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DAY A low-end ranch. A worn-out sofa and loveseat form an 'L' that dominates the living room. Romance novels line a small bookcase. SIX CANARIES in cages chatter away in the kitchen. Del sits at the dining room table, agitated. He is presently attacking a pork chop, baked beans and a loaf of Wonderbread. All we hear is A FORK CLICKING and BIRDS CHIRPING. Betty stands at the breakfast counter, barefoot, still in her uniform and quietly eating a salad. BETTY Sure you don't want any salad? DEL No, I do not want any goddamn... what was all that shit on the phone about the new Buicks? BETTY I told you. Sue Ann was gonna take me out tonight, but... DEL She's not comfortable in a Corsica? 'S got air and leather... BETTY I took the blue Corsica, Del. Relax. DEL All right, then. Actually, I'm glad you're going out. I got something going on tonight. Some serious clients, with real potential. Del BELCHES, smiles, then CLUCKS at the birds nearby. BETTY ...like the water purifiers? DEL What? BETTY Or the vitamins? Or the...? Del almost comes out of his chair, pointing his finger at her. DEL Hey, the FDA screwed me on that when they changed the law, and you know it! (BEAT) Anyway, 'least I try shit, still got some dreams left... you're a goddamn waitress, what do you got? BETTY I got you, Del... DEL ...well, then you ain't got much. BETTY Oh, I know. (BEAT) So, who're these clients? DEL Couple 'a guys in from outta town. They want to see the new LeSabres. Betty hides her reaction. DEL And I don't need Sue Ann's fat ass around to fuck it up... BETTY Just knock it off, 'kay? Anyhow, they're 97's, they're not even new. DEL They're new to us... Truce for a moment. Del plucks a copy of Soap Opera Guide from Betty's purse while absently taking a bite from Betty's cupcake. He narrowly misses the candle. DEL Jesus... you know these actors are mainly models, which are mainly fags. They've done studies. The rest're assholes. But you know what bugs me most about these soaps? She silently mimics him as he says... DEL It's people with no lives watching other people's fake lives. BETTY Yeah, I guess there's nothing like watching those tenpins fall, huh, Del? DEL That is a skill! Del lurches to his feet and crosses to the bird cages as the canaries CHIRP and SING EXCITEDLY at his approach. DEL Daddy's here, babies... daddy's here. (to Betty) Be back later... clean up. He exits. She collects his dirty dishes, puts them in the sink and starts to wash them. Then she stops. BETTY What the hell am I doing? She drops the dishes with a clatter, pours herself a glass of wine, lights the candle on her deflowered cupcake and opens the one card on the table. CLOSE ON a traditional greeting from her grandparents. Red hearts and lace. A color photo of them enclosed. Betty smiles at this. After moment, she quietly sings a quick refrain of "Happy Birthday" to herself. INT. LONNIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) Standing wrapped only in a towel, Lonnie speaks into the phone. LONNIE Tell me something good, Sugar. INT. CHLOE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) The beautiful nurse Chloe is curled up seductively on her sofa with her phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. CHLOE We're all set. I told him my car's in the shop. He said he'd be happy to give me a ride home. LONNIE (V.O.) You're beautiful. CHLOE Tell me something I don't know... Betty hits FAST FORWARD. Characters flit on and off the screen at top speed until David Ravell appears. INT. WOODED ROADSIDE - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) Chloe's magnificent legs are folded into the seat of David's 560 SL. She struggles with her seatbelt, so he helps her. She makes sure their hands touch. CHLOE Thanks for pulling over, David... I can't go that fast without taking a breather. DAVID Sorry... it's nice to see what this little beauty can do, though. I guess, somehow, all that speed helps me forget the past... CHLOE I'm sure it does... (touching the seats) Mmm, leather. How far do they recline? David smiles, a little uncomfortable. CHLOE Listen, David, I know I've said it before, but I want to tell you again how sorry I am about your wife. (BEAT) It must make you scared to get close to someone again. She puts her hand over his on the gear shift. A moment. Finally, he has to move her fingers to start the car. CHLOE Let's not go... not yet. BETTY sits on an old couch in the den and watches, eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, she hears the sound of TIRES ON GRAVEL. HEADLIGHTS sweep across the window. BETTY Damn! She hits PAUSE and crosses to look out. EXT. BETTY'S HOUSE - NIGHT Del gets out of a black Lincoln Town Car, followed by CHARLIE and WESLEY -- the guys in the team jackets from the diner. Charlie is 63 years old. He wears a dress shirt, slacks and docksiders. The suburban father look. Wesley is 28. He's in jeans, T-shirt and white Reeboks. Clean cut; the kid who used to mow your parents' lawn. Betty quickly snaps out the light and closes the door until it is open only a crack. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - NIGHT Del swaggers into the house. The two men follow politely. DEL ...you can have the best damn running backs in the world, somebody's still gotta block for 'em. CHARLIE You're a hundred percent right. They rely on what's-his-name's arm too much... Del stops and looks around, deflated by the mess. The den is only a short flight of steps from the living room and the kitchen. Betty has a clean view of both from where she sits on the couch. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT She hears Del come in, but doesn't take her eyes off the TV screen. DEL (O.S.) My apologies, gentlemen. I asked my wife to straighten this shit up before she went out. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Del crosses to an old stereo and puts on an LP. He smiles as the music overtakes the room. Charlie and Wesley stand nearby, appreciating the quaintness of the surroundings. DEL Now, what can I get you gentlemen to drink? Del crosses to the cupboard. Charlie and Wesley stand leisurely in the living room. CHARLIE Bourbon, little water, thank you. WESLEY Beer, please. DEL You got it. Wesley looks at a wedding portrait of Del and Betty. WESLEY Hey... you got a fine one right here! CHARLIE Wesley... (to Del) Your wife's a very lovely woman. Have I seen her before? DEL If you ate at the Tip Top you did. CHARLIE Oh, yes, with the coffee... DEL Yep, Betty pours a pretty mean cup. Del reaches into the fridge and produces a Miller for Wesley, then mixes two drinks and walks into the dining room and Charlie and Wesley follow to the table and sit down. CHARLIE I like this. I like doing business in the home. It's cozy... (noticing the card and cupcake) Who's birthday? DEL Ahh... my wife's. WESLEY What'd you get her? DEL Huh? Oh, umm, a car. (BEAT) So, to a successful transaction... They raise their glasses and drink. Del tosses back his drink in one gulp. INT. DAVID'S CAR - WOODED ROADSIDE - (ON TV SCREEN) Chloe is on top of David, kissing him on the mouth as he resists. He finally has to push her away forcibly, and we hear a TEARING SOUND. Chloe's blouse has been ripped. DAVID I'm sorry, Chloe. She starts to cry. David reaches out to comfort her. DAVID It's not that I don't find you attractive. I'm just not ready... David looks up to find her lips on his. In spite of himself, he gives in to the warmth of her kiss and responds hungrily. Betty is mesmerized. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT The men have retired into the dining room, sitting or standing around a worn wooded table. Charlie and Wesley are just finishing their drinks. DEL All right gentlemen, let's get down to it. I need to know if you're for real. CHARLIE If we're for real? DEL You don't exactly look like drug dealers. WESLEY Isn't that the point? DEL Yeah, well, I don't have time to screw around. I got buyers in Dallas, Houston and Vegas who are ready to snap this stuff up. CHARLIE We appreciate that. But you just poured me a drink, I'd like to enjoy your hospitality for a few minutes. DEL Fine. You got five... CHARLIE It's a nice place you got here. Real comfortable. Sweet little town, Fair Oaks. You like it here? DEL (laughs) Are you kidding me? What's to like? WESLEY Seems like a nice place. DEL It is, if you like idiots... CHARLIE What do you mean? DEL It's a small town, man. I never should have left Omaha. People here think small. They act small. They're a bunch of dumb fucks. WESLEY Really? DEL You better believe it. CHARLIE Could you give us an example? DEL Of what? CHARLIE I'm asking you for an example of one of these dumb fucks being a dumb fuck. DEL I don't follow... CHARLIE You're not a dumb fuck, are you, Del? DEL (warily) No... CHARLIE I didn't think so. So, give me an example of a stupid person doing a stupid thing. Not being stupid, you're equipped to recognize it. DEL Are we gonna do business here, or not? WESLEY Relax, we brought the cash. CHARLIE I'm just curious. Can't you give me an example? DEL (annoyed) All right... lemme see... okay, new Burger King opens up. These assholes get excited and start lining up. Like it's some five star restaurant. The place is mobbed. Right? CHARLIE Hmmmm. "Five Stars," huh? (BEAT) Is that stupid, Wesley? WESLEY No, that's ignorant. They just don't know any better. CHARLIE That's what I thought. (to Del) You better give me another example. DEL This is bullshit, can we get down to business here, please? Off a look from Charlie, Wesley produces a pistol and gently nudges the barrel into Del's ear. DEL Jesus Christ! WESLEY He's waiting... DEL Okay, uh... the, umm, Injuns're stupid. WESLEY "Injuns?" CHARLIE You did not just say "Injuns," Del. DEL The Indians, Injuns, whatever. They're always drunk and doing stupid things. CHARLIE Like what? DEL Driving their cars into trees... puking on the sidewalk... stupid shit! CHARLIE Let's see... around here that would be Kiowa, Kickapoo or Osage, if I'm not mistaken. DEL I... I don't know... CHARLIE Well, my idea of stupid is very different from yours. (BEAT) So here's how this is gonna work. Would you take your socks off, please? DEL My socks? WESLEY You heard the man. Del slowly takes his shoes and socks off. He's sweating, trembling. CHARLIE I'm gonna talk to you and when I'm finished, you can answer. But I don't like being interrupted. Now roll them into a ball... Del does it. DEL Oh, Jesus, please... Please, God. CHARLIE ...and put them in your mouth. At a sharp look from Charlie, Del obediently stuffs the socks into his mouth and starts to cry. Wesley produces a roll of duct tape and fastens Del's hands to the back of his chair. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT Betty is glued to the TV, oblivious to the men. Chloe and David are still talking in his car. She continues to cry. DAVID (V.O.) You're wonderful, Chloe, you are... But I just know there's something special out there for me. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT CHARLIE Now I'm gonna tell you what stupid is. Stupid is taking something that doesn't belong to you. Right Wesley? WESLEY That's right. CHARLIE Stupid is trying to sell it to other people who are, by their very nature, untrustworthy. WESLEY That is so right. CHARLIE Stupid is calling people in Kansas City who are affiliated with the rightful owners of the thing you stole, and trying to sell it to them. Right Wesley? WESLEY Now, that's really stupid. CHARLIE So you see, we have totally different ideas of what's stupid and what's not. Don't we? Del nods; crying, sweating. CHARLIE Good. Now we're getting somewhere. You agree that you were stupid? Del nods again. Wesley collects Charlie's glass and mixes him another drink. He gets a beer for himself and stands behind Del. Charlie sips his drink slowly, savoring it. CHARLIE You know, a hundred and fifty years ago you'd have been scalped for that remark about Native Americans. Right here where your house is -- you'd have been scalped. WESLEY Hell of a way to die. CHARLIE It wasn't always fatal, Wesley. We could scalp Del right now, and he'd be plenty alive to tell us how it feels. Del's eyes get huge. CHARLIE It's pretty simple, too. (BEAT) First you take a knife and just draw a mark right across the hairline. Wesley produces a long knife and traces a line across the very top of Del's forehead. Trickles of blood wind their way down his brow. Del is MOANING and PANTING through his socks. CHARLIE Hold still, Del, we're just talking here... (pointing to a spot) Then you grab a big handful of hair and pull as you cut. It's amazing how easily the scalp comes off. WESLEY A mark, huh? Wesley takes a jab at Del's forehead with his knife, leaving a small cut. Del starts twitching, rocking back and forth as Wesley grabs a fistful of his hair. WESLEY Shut the fuck up! I bleed more than that when I shave... Del stops moving. He breathes furiously through his nostrils. CHARLIE Now. I want to know the particulars of your stupid act: how you got what doesn't belong to you, who helped you get it, and of course, where it is now. Charlie pulls the socks out of Del's mouth. Del splutters, gasping for air. DEL It's in the Buick! I swear to God it's all there! INT. BLAKE DANIELS' OFFICE - DAY (ON TV SCREEN) David enters. Blake nods to him grimly. DAVID You wanted to see me, Blake? BLAKE I wish I could say I had good news. (off David's look) David, I'll get right to the point. Chloe Jensen has filed charges of sexual assault against you. (BEAT) You can continue to practice at L.A. County, but I'm afraid I have to revoke your privileges here at Loma Vista until this is resolved. HOLD on David's shocked expression... MUSIC UP AS DEL (O.S.) PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! Betty's not sure what Del said, but the panic in his voice got through. She hits PAUSE and takes a look. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT Del is facing her, tiny rivulets of blood running into his terrified eyes. Wesley stands at his shoulder, still holding a handful of his hair, still poised with the knife. DEL I got it from a truck driver named Duane Cooley, out of Amarillo. He brings my cars down from Detroit. But I haven't touched it, I swear to you... Please! Please! Please! Annoyed, Charlie stuffs the socks back in Del's mouth. Betty stares. Her gaze shifts from Del to Wesley, drawn by Wesley's demonic expression. CHARLIE Consider yourself lucky. Luckier than those 'Injuns' you have such contempt for. Wesley stares at the top of Del's head. Betty stares at Wesley. Charlie walks into the kitchen for another drink. CHARLIE I'll tell you, if anyone got a raw deal it's the American Indian. This country has a black mark on its soul for what was done to them. Wesley's nostrils flare. Betty leans forward. CHARLIE I'm all for them owning casinos, getting rich off the white man's greed. It's a beautiful piece of irony, isn't it, Wesley? WESLEY IT SURE IS!! And with a long SCREAM, Wesley rips Del's scalp from his head. It makes a sickening sound like fabric tearing. For a long moment, there is only silence. An eerie silence. Suddenly, Del SCREAMS into his socks and thrashes in his seat, blood pouring down his head on all sides. Somehow, he manages to get to his feet, the chair still taped to him, and begins smashing into whatever is near. Blood flies and curios shatter as Del thunders through the room. A dying bull, only messier. It's quite a show. CHARLIE JESUS CHRIST!!! Wesley steps back, staring at the dripping scalp in his hand, as if wondering how it got there. Betty is transfixed, horrified. Charlie re-enters. The two men look at each other over Del's MUFFLED SCREAMS as he plows headlong into wooden paneling, a china cabinet, and finally, back toward them near the breakfast counter. Del bashes blindly into it. CHARLIE (to Wesley) What the fuck is the matter with you?! Wesley is practically foaming at the mouth, still rushing on what he did. Charlie draws a silenced pistol and mercifully SHOOTS Del through the head. The big man stops suddenly, blinks once or twice, topples over. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT Betty points her remote at the dining room and clicks it, as if trying to make the image disappear. Finally, she gives up, slowly turning away from the carnage and aims at the TV. "A Reason to Love" pauses on the face of David Ravell and Betty sits in absolute silence. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT Charlie quickly begins to hide their tracks, producing a plastic baggie and collecting the beer cans and his own glass. He also wipes down the fridge as Wesley watches. CHARLIE Are you out of your mind? You scalped him! WESLEY You told me how to do it! CHARLIE That was to get him to talk! (BEAT) Get rid of that thing, will you? Wesley crosses to the garbage can, steps on the lever. He looks at the scalp one more time before dropping it in. CHARLIE This is great -- just great! Now we don't know where the goddamn stuff is. WESLEY He told us it's in the Buick. CHARLIE We don't know which Buick, do we? WESLEY Well, why'd you shoot him? CHARLIE I had to shoot him! It was the only decent thing to do. They exit the house. CHARLIE This is very unprofessional, Wesley. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT Betty is still in the family room, staring at the TV. She pushes 'play' again and David Ravell begins to speak. EXT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - STREET - LATER Sue Ann comes out of her house, balancing a homemade cake in front of her. The candles give off an unearthly glow as she picks her way up the Sizemore's gravel drive. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - SAME TIME Betty is catatonic, staring at the frozen image of David Ravell on her TV. Downstairs, Sue Ann comes in. SUE ANN (O.S.) Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear -- A terrified SCREAM as the cake lands unceremoniously on the entryway. ON BETTY As she hits 'Play': DAVID ...you're wonderful, Chloe, you are... But I just know there's something special out there for me. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - FOYER - LATER THAT NIGHT Roy enters the foyer and looks around, carrying a pad and pen in hand. He hears VOICES from the kitchen, sees FLASHBULBS going off. He sneaks down the hall when A VOICE stops him. DEPUTY Hang on there, Roy. Nobody comes in. ROY Elden called me. He wants to, ahh, make a statement for the paper... The deputy nods him through and Roy moves off toward the sewing room where he has spotted Betty. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - SEWING ROOM - SAME TIME Betty is packing an overnight bag on her bed when Roy enters and quietly closes the door behind him. She is working with a purpose, almost like a different person from the woman we first met. Still bright and cheerful, but with a willful glint in her eye. Determined. ROY Hey, Betty. Are you okay? BETTY I'm great, good, content. (stopping) What happened to your arm, Roy? ROY Oh, nothing, it's fine. I just need to keep it wrapped for a few... BETTY Make sure it's elevated... ROY Uh-huh. BETTY You want me to make you a sling? It's no problem... Betty starts whipping a T-shirt into place but stops abruptly. She turns curiously to Roy. BETTY What're you doing here, Roy? ROY Well, I was worried about you and I wanted to make sure you were alright... and I guess I was sort of hoping I could ask you about what happened... BETTY Oh, that... Sure, I saw the whole thing. It was disgusting! ROY My God... did you get a look at who did it? BETTY Yes. ROY You did? Was it anyone that you...? BETTY It was Chloe... Sheriff Ballard enters the house, surveys the scene of the crime where one deputy wipes blood off his boot with a paper towel, and erupts when he sees Roy. BALLARD Hey, you guys wanna try not stepping directly in the evidence, please? (to Roy) Ostrey, you and your goddamn police scanner! I leave for ten minutes and... Betty, I'm sorry about this. He motions to a female officer. BALLARD Why don't you take her down to the station? We'll be along in a bit... She leads Betty out the kitchen door. BETTY 'Night, guys... INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT As Ballard leads Roy into the next room... BALLARD Okay, let's go... I got nothing for the record yet. ROY Oww! My arm, careful! BALLARD Ahh, what'd you do now... fall off your bike again? ROY No, it's nothing, I... my piranha just mauled me a little when I layed their food out. BALLARD Good God... they're meat eaters, Roy, just drop the shit in there! ROY I can't... they prefer a more formal presentation. I don't usually go so close to the surface, but I was... BALLARD ...you are so goddamn weird. (BEAT) Oh, and by the way, get the hell outta here! ROY No, Elden, I need to... BALLARD You need to get yourself gone from my crime scene. And leave Betty alone, she's... ROY She knows who killed Del. Elden, she said it was a woman. BALLARD It wasn't a woman. ROY Yes it was. Betty saw the whole thing! Your killer's name is Chloe... BALLARD I'm tellin' you it wasn't no woman, Roy! INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Ballard drags Roy into the living room, where he sees Del. He has been turned upright and is being carefully examined. ROY Jesus... BALLARD You think a woman did that?! Roy runs into the kitchen, covering his mouth. INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT Ballard and his cronies delight in watching Roy struggle with the dry heaves. Roy runs to the kitchen sink, almost loses it, then wipes his mouth with a paper towel. BALLARD Kinda' looks like a burnt out roman candle, don't he? (BEAT) Del must've sold a lemon to the wrong Indian, and got paid back the old fashioned way. Them Kickapoos get pretty mean when they drink... Roy sees Del's scalp in the garbage can as he goes to drop his crumpled towel inside. ROY So, you think you're gonna find his scalp hanging in some tepee? BALLARD They no longer live in tepees, Mr. College Graduate. ROY Did you send anyone out there? BALLARD You bet I did. I got a squad car on the way to the reservation right now. ROY Bad idea... BALLARD You just go write your little story, Roy. I'll handle the police work... ROY You better handle what's in this garbage can first. EXT. SIZEMORE MOTORS - NIGHT Every car on the lot has its trunk open and spare tire on the ground behind it. Charlie and Wesley are at the last car. WESLEY I still don't understand how you knew Del was telling the truth. CHARLIE I saw his soul Wesley. He was face to face with his God, and no one lies in that situation. But your Geronimo act rattled me, and I abandoned my instincts. (BEAT) Never abandon you instincts. WESLEY I didn't. You gave me a look! CHARLIE What 'look'? WESLEY That one look you got! I thought you were done, so I took him out... CHARLIE I wasn't done, I was just sick of hearing him whine. And you didn't take him out, you scalped him. Christ, I almost puked, did I tell you that? WESLEY Well, why'd you have to tell that Indian story? CHARLIE What the hell does that mean? If I'd told a Ty Cobb story would you have clubbed him to death with a bat? Wesley is stung. Charlie slams the last trunk in disgust. The rest remain where they are; open. CHARLIE It's not here. Let's go. WESLEY You just gonna leave these cars sitting here like this? CHARLIE Why not, it'll confuse 'em... gotta do something, now that you fucked it up. WESLEY I wanted to make a statement. CHARLIE Let me tell you something. In our business you can't put food on the table if your phone doesn't ring. The guys who get the calls are good -- not flashy, just good. They get in, they get out. Nobody knows a goddamn thing. Understand? Boom, boom, boom. Three in the head and you know they're dead. WESLEY ...that's a good motto. CHARLIE Fine, I'll get you a bumpersticker, but you better start believing it! It's the only statement you need to make. INT. POLICE STATION / OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT Betty is questioned in a holding room by a POLICE OFFICER and a DOCTOR. Ballard and Roy watch through a window. DOCTOR And did your husband know these people? BETTY Sort of... but he ignored them. DOCTOR And how did that make you feel, Betty? BETTY I felt all cold inside. And angry. Ballard looks both ways to make sure he won't be overheard. BALLARD I questioned Joyce about all this... ROY Yeah? BALLARD Seems she was pretty familiar with 'ol Del. On a regular basis, if you get my drift... ROY ...and half the other guys in this town. Including you, I believe... BALLARD Junior year! ROY Anyway, so what? BALLARD So? ...Suppose Betty found out about them? ROY You said a woman couldn't have done it. BALLARD A woman can write a check. ROY So you're saying Betty Sizemore -- our Betty Sizemore -- who you were in swing choir with -- has now hired somebody to scalp her husband in her own kitchen while she watched? You're amazing. BALLARD 'S just a theory... just 'cause I'm thinking it don't mean I like it. The doctor comes out of the holding room. BALLARD How is she? DOCTOR She's in a kind of shock. I see all the signs of a post-traumatic reaction with possible dissociative symptoms. BALLARD Could I have that in American? DOCTOR It's a type of altered state... it allows a traumatized person to continue functioning. BALLARD So she did witness it? ROY Oh, you're sharp as a tack, Elden. BALLARD That's it! YOU'RE GONE! He spins Roy around and marches him toward the door, one arm bent behind his back. ROY Oww, the arm, the arm! BALLARD You just don't know when to quit, Roy! You were jealous of me when I got hall monitor in seventh grade, and you're still jealous now!!! ROY One question, Doctor, please! (outside the door) You can't do this! I'm the press, I have rights!! BALLARD That's right, you have the right to remain silent. Ballard pushes Roy out the door. As he returns, Roy reappears behind him, leaning in to listen. Ballard doesn't see him. BALLARD Sorry you had to see that. You were saying? DOCTOR I was saying that it seems probable that she witnessed the murder, but her memory of it is gone, at least for the time being. I also think you ought to have her stay with someone tonight. (BEAT) Any idea who Chloe or Lonnie are? BALLARD No... Friends from the diner maybe? DOCTOR Well, you should find out. She keeps talking about them... Ballard nods, sure he's got a clue here. He looks in at Betty again, just as she begins repacking her travel bag. He frowns at this, his suspicions fueled all the more. EXT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - NIGHT A police car pulls up to Sue Ann's house. Betty gets out, carrying her overnight bag. Sue Ann appears, embraces her and leads her inside. INT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATER Betty lies down in a bright red race car bed. Sue Ann tucks her in and turns out the light. SUE ANN Let me know if you need anything, okay? BETTY Are you and Larry happy? SUE ANN Oh, I dunno... enough, I s'pose. BETTY Then you should treasure that... you gotta hold on to whatever you got that's any good, even if it's only a little bit. SUE ANN All you been through... I ever tell you what a good friend you are? BETTY All the time... SUE ANN Well, you are. After a beat... BETTY Something bad happened to Del and me, didn't it? SUE ANN Yeah, hon. Real bad. You just get some sleep, everything's gonna be fine. BETTY Sue Ann, I'm sorry about all this, but I just know there's something special out there for me... Sue Ann looks down at her friend, troubled. She strokes Betty's hair gently and kisses her. After she leaves, Betty lies awake, staring at the ceiling. A mobile dangles overhead. LATER The Mickey Mouse clock on the wall reads 3:30. Beneath it, Betty is sitting up in bed, wide awake. INT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Betty comes down the stairs without a sound. She finds a pen and paper near the phone and writes a note. INSERT: Dear Del: This is the hardest thing I've ever done and I can't even face you. But I need to be honest. We haven't been happy for a long time. You always say people need their space, and now you'll have some. I'm sorry. BETTY She takes off her wedding band and puts it on the table. EXT. BETTY'S HOUSE/GARAGE - NIGHT Betty raises the garage door, tosses her overnight bag and birthday money envelope into the LeSabre, and gets in. She drives through Fair Oaks, past the town limits. She keeps on driving until her car recedes into the moonlit prairie horizon. EXT./INT. LESABRE - DRIVING - NIGHT She comes to a sudden halt in front of the "You are Leaving Kansas" billboard. She stares hard at it through the windshield. Suddenly, she hits the gas and bolts off along the Oklahoma blacktop. She never looks back. INT. BETTY'S LESABRE - THE NEXT DAY Betty yawns, looks at her watch and increases her speed. When she sees a sign for a MOTEL ahead, she pulls off the highway. EXT. TRUCK STOP/MOTEL - DAY She parks at a truck stop/restaurant/motel complex, hops out and runs to the motel office window. INT. TRUCK STOP - MOTEL ROOM - DAY Betty enters her room, immediately turns on the TV, and plops down on the bed. VOICE (V.O.) And now we return to "A Reason to Love." EXT. TRUCK STOP/MOTEL PARKING LOT - SAME TIME A crowded truck stop in the Texas flatlands. THREE TRUCK DRIVERS in jeans, flannel shirts and denim jackets walk across the parking lot. One is an old, grizzled veteran with a salt-and-pepper stubble and a greasy CAT cap on his head. It's CHARLIE. Next to him is DUANE, a burly young driver in fancy cowboy boots. Flanking Duane is WESLEY. WESLEY So you got Asian women? DUANE (Southern accent) Sure, I got Asian. Got black, white, any color you like, video and magazine. Got fat chicks and animals too, if you want 'em. They're extra... CHARLIE Mmmm. Well, it was a piece of luck running into you, Duane. I thought I was gonna have to take Wesley out and hose him down. All he talks about is those Japanese gals. WESLEY I like 'em small. When you're inside a little Asian chick, it's like your dick is the axle that holds her body together. DUANE That's nicely put. You outta get yourself to Thailand... They reach Duane's truck, an empty car-carrier with Michigan plates, and climb up into the cab. INT. DUANE'S TRUCK - DAY Two Confederate flags criss-cross over Duane's CB unit. On the dashboard is a Rebel flag pin, a bumper sticker that says "The South Will Rise Again" and a dozen country music tapes. Duane gets in the sleeper cab, where stacks of porno tapes and magazines reach the ceiling. Wesley takes the driver's seat, Charlie, the passenger seat. CHARLIE What part of Dixie are you from, Duane? DUANE Georgia. In case I didn't tell you, it's cash only, gentlemen. WESLEY We can live with that. CHARLIE I'm a Yankee, myself. Massachusetts. Duane passes two videos to Wesley. DUANE Here's Ghengis Kunt and The Demilitarized Zone. Get it? (laughs) They're Korean, so they're pretty hot. CHARLIE You know, it's interesting. The South lost the Civil War, but they still seem to get all the glory. DUANE Huh? CHARLIE Jeb Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis -- they're all losers in my book. Charlie smiles. Duane stops digging through the videotapes. DUANE The fuck you talking about? CHARLIE Even Robert E. Lee was a loser. DUANE (to Wesley) He goin' crazy on us, or what? CHARLIE Did you know the most brutal, inhumane prison of the entire war was in Georgia? DUANE Really. And where was that, old man? CHARLIE Andersonville. (BEAT) They did horrible things to men there... INT. CHLOE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - (ON TV SCREEN) Chloe is curled up on her white leather sofa, cowering as Lonnie hovers over her accusingly. LONNIE I think you better tell me what's going on here, Chloe. CHLOE I just feel... funny about what we did. LONNIE (laughs) You feel guilty? Let me remind you of something, sweetheart. You're in this up to those fabulous eyes of yours. Understand? The camera holds on her face for a melodramatic beat... Chloe's trapped, and she knows it. PULL BACK to reveal Betty lying on the bed in her motel room, out cold. INT. DUANE'S TRUCK - LATER The flag poles over the CB unit are bare. Duane is in the sleeper cab, his forearms bound to his thighs with duct tape. A telltale piece of Confederate red fabric hangs out of his mouth. There is a purplish bruise on his forehead. He's quiet, but glowering at his captors. CHARLIE ...So, at a rest stop outside Logansport you noticed that two guys were slipping something extra in one of your cars, and you decided to see what it was. Then you figured you'd take this valuable commodity and go into business yourself, even though it didn't belong to you. But you needed a crackerjack salesman to move it, so you made the biggest mistake of your short life and chose Del. Sound right so far? Duane nods. CHARLIE Del's dead, by the way. I sent him to the Great Beyond. WESLEY Actually, I scalped him, and then you killed him. Duane narrows his eyes in disbelief. CHARLIE Exactly. (BEAT) Now, the one thing I don't get is that we checked all the Buicks on that lot. Four '97 LeSabres and nothing in 'em. Duane smiles mockingly. CHARLIE Ohhh... There weren't four, were there? Charlie reaches up above the visor and pulls down a rumpled manifest. He leafs through it. CHARLIE There were five, damn it! I should have known!! Goddamn... (BEAT) So, what happened to the fifth car? Duane shrugs his shoulders. CHARLIE You know you're going to die, don't you, Duane? (Duane nods) And you really don't know where that other LeSabre is, do you? Duane shakes his head. Charlie sighs, resigned. CHARLIE He's telling the truth. He doesn't know. WESLEY Should I kill him now? CHARLIE Wait. Any last words, General Lee? Duane nods emphatically. Wesley pulls the Confederate flags out of his mouth. DUANE Suck my dick, you Yankee piece of shit. He spits in Wesley's face. Charlie has to restrain Wesley. CHARLIE God, I admire that. Ya see that, Wesley? That's why they get all the glory. Charlie climbs down from the big rig and heads across the parking lot. The Town Car is parked near the adjacent motel, just a few spaces away from Betty's LeSabre. With a furious calm Wesley wipes his face, then takes out a can of lighter fluid, sets it on the dash and looks at Duane. WESLEY ...why'd you spit on me? EXT. TRUCK STOP/MOTEL PARKING LOT - DUSK Charlie pulls the Town Car alongside Duane's rig and drums the steering wheel impatiently. It begins to rain. There are flashes of LIGHTNING in the distance. CHARLIE Come on, Wesley, three shots. A FLASH OF ORANGE FLAME ignites inside Duane's cab. Charlie sighs. Finally, THREE DULL THUDS reverberate from inside. Wesley climbs down clutching a videotape and gets in the car. CHARLIE What the hell was that, another statement? WESLEY Well, no one ever spit in my face before. Especially some cracker fuck. CHARLIE You have to rise above it. The professionals rise above that kind of thing... As they drive away FLAMES are beginning to dance inside the cab. INT. TRUCK STOP/MOTEL ROOM - EVENING The FLICKERING LIGHT of the TV screen is the only light. Betty lies asleep on the bed. The NEWS comes on and she starts to stir as ... NEWSCASTER ...small town of Fair Oaks... has left people shaken... owner-manager of Sizemore Motors... Betty sits up. On the TV screen is a shot of Del as Julius Caesar from one of his commercials. NEWSCASTER ...police are still investigating. She blinks at the screen, confused, as the next story comes on. Betty reaches for the phone. INT. POLICE STATION - EVENING Ballard is doing paperwork. Roy is asleep on a nearby bench. A DEPUTY picks up a ringing phone and hands it to Ballard. DEPUTY Sheriff, it's Betty Sizemore, on two! BALLARD SHHH!... (Whispering) BETTY? WHERE ARE YOU? INT. TRUCK STOP/MOTEL ROOM - ON BETTY BETTY I'm in a motel. Has something happened to Del? Did he do something stupid? BALLARD (V.O.) BETTY, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU... IN PERSON! WHERE'RE YOU AT? BETTY IF THIS IS ABOUT DEL, FORGET IT! I'M NOT COMING BACK! BALLARD (V.O.) GODAMMIT, BETTY!... WHO'S CHLOE? BETTY I'M THROUGH TALKING NOW! GOODBYE! She hangs up. HEADLIGHTS sweep across the curtains, startling her. INT. BETTY'S LESABRE - MOVING - DAY Betty crosses the border from Texas into New Mexico. She grips the wheel intently, driving for all she's worth. EXT. FAIR OAKS TRAILER PARK - LATE AFTERNOON Betty's blue Corsica sits surrounded by yellow police tape. Half a dozen COPS mill around. To one side are several REPORTERS and PHOTOGRAPHERS, Roy included. A FEW RESIDENTS mill around in the background. A stack of pictures of Betty sit on a makeshift table. REPORTER #1 Who witnessed Ms. Sizemore driving here? BALLARD The Assistant Manager, Mr. Wylie. REPORTER #2 But he couldn't identify the male passenger? BALLARD Only to say he was wearing green. ROY What if the killers didn't see her? You published her picture -- you're gonna get her killed! BALLARD No, we're bringing the community into the effort to find her. ROY You're lying! BALLARD I spoke to Betty Sizemore yesterday. (the reporters hush) That's right. There's no doubt in my mind, folks... she's on the run. Whether or not she's mixed up in all this remains to be seen... ROY That's bullshit, Sheriff! You think she's a suspect! BALLARD I'd like to apologize for our local boy. He's been in love with Betty since the fifth grade, y'see. He means well, but he's in over his head on this. INT. TIP TOP DINER - NEXT MORNING CLOSE SHOT of a headline in the Wichita Eagle: "EYE WITNESS TO BRUTAL MURDER MISSING" over a picture of Betty. Charlie is one of MANY CUSTOMERS reading a copy. Wesley is plowing through a stack of pancakes. WESLEY So how do we know that car's still in Fair Oaks? CHARLIE We don't. But a '97 Le Sabre'll be easy to find if it's here, town this size... (BEAT) He said he gave his wife some car as a gift, remember? Charlie turns the page for emphasis and studies Betty's features. CHARLIE This is bad, Wesley. Very, very bad. Wesley happily adds three strips of bacon brought by A WAITRESS, who wears a button with the word "Missing" over Betty's face. CHARLIE ...extremely bad. Wesley finally looks up, directly at the picture of Betty. CHARLIE Did you hear what I said? Wesley nods, his mouth stuffed with food. CHARLIE Maybe you don't appreciate the gravity of this situation. It's bad enough that we don't have what we came here for. It's worse that we don't know where it is. And now this. (points at the headline) This was supposed to be my last job. I already put the deposit down on my boat. (BEAT) How can you eat at a time like this? I get nauseous just watching you... WESLEY I can eat because I know we didn't kidnap that woman. I can eat because they aren't looking for us. And I can eat 'cause I'm fucking hungry... (off Charlie's look) ...relax. She's gonna end up on a milk carton and that's about it. CHARLIE I hope you're right... WESLEY ...I know I am. Let's just do what we gotta do here, and get the fuck gone. They sit for a moment in silence. Wesley swallowing without chewing and Charlie studying Betty's photo. CHARLIE She got out of town awfully fast. And wasn't she quiet in that house? I think most women would have screamed, don't you? I know they would've... (BEAT) We could be dealing with a cunning, ruthless woman... INT./EXT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - DAY Sue Ann opens her front door to find Wesley standing before her. It's a new Wesley: glasses, conservative suit, and a convincingly humble manner. WESLEY Mrs. Rogers? I'm Dwight Campbell, with Neighborly Life Insurance. I'm looking for Betty Sizemore. SUE ANN I wish I could help you, but I can't. Wesley is hit by a flying action figure. He doesn't flinch. Kids run by. WESLEY Aren't they precious? (BEAT) Ma'am, she has a substantial death benefit coming to her from the tragic loss of her husband. Does she have any relatives in the area? SUE ANN No. (BEAT) Well, her grandparents are down in Oklahoma, but that's it... WESLEY I see. And are you in touch with Mrs. Sizemore? SUE ANN No. But I'm taping her show every day so she can watch it when she comes back. WESLEY Her show? SUE ANN "A Reason to Love." Wesley's eyes light up. He can't help himself. WESLEY I see. (BEAT) Did Chloe testify? SUE ANN (reassuring) I don't think she will. She's a slut, but I just don't think she's that mean. Jasmine'll bring her around... WESLEY Jasmine... Do you have yesterday's show on tape, by any chance? Sue Ann holds the door open, smiling, and Wesley enters. INT. TIP TOP DINER - KANSAS - DAY Charlie nurses a cup of coffee at the counter while talking to Darlene. His Federal Marshall's badge rests on the counter. Shehands him two photos of Betty taken at her birthday celebration. In one she's holding the cardboard David Ravell. The other, a closeup shot. CHARLIE ...and how long did she work here? DARLENE Oh, five years, give or take. CHARLIE Hmm... you two in high school together? DARLENE Aren't you a sweetheart... no, not quite. Anyway, she's been with us awhile. CHARLIE But she wanted more out of life, right? DARLENE No... she just wanted something outta life. Anything. And with Del, she wasn't getting nothing. That's her husband, Del. I'm sorry about what happened and all, but that's the way I feel about all of this... CHARLIE I see. (holding up photos) May I? DARLENE If it helps bring her back, be my guest... CHARLIE Thank you for your cooperation. (BEAT) Just one more thing... did she ever talk about getting rich? DARLENE ...who doesn't? Darlene tries to smile and returns to the kitchen. Charlie studies the snapshots, comparing them. INT. APARTMENT/BEDROOM - DAY Wesley is in bed on top of Joyce, humping her slowly. WESLEY ...and what kind of car does she drive? JOYCE Well, she wanted a LeSabre, but Del made her use that blue Corsica... (BEAT) So, is this what you boys'd call 'pumping me for information?' Joyce GIGGLES as Wesley stops moving. WESLEY Did you say LeSabre? JOYCE Look, she didn't kill Del over no car if that's what you're thinking. WESLEY But she could have taken one, right? With her knees, Joyce prods him into humping her again. JOYCE Maybe, but I don't think she had the nerve. I know her. And I'm a pretty good judge of character... Joyce reaches for a cigarette on the nightstand and takes a deep drag. Wesley closes his eyes and turns away, offended. WESLEY ...yeah, I can see that. EXT. DESERT ROAD - WILLIAMS, ARIZONA - DAY Betty drives along a lonely stretch of highway that slowly reveals a desert town in the distance. INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - DAY Big ol' place. Lots of wood and red leather. Betty rushes in as the clock on the wall reads 2:58. The Town Drunk, MERLE, is alone at the bar watching "Bass Masters" on a huge TV screen. In front of him is a remote control. A FEW OTHERS at tables. Betty sidles up to the bar and sits down. She looks at Merle, at the clock, at the remote. BETTY Would you mind very much if I changed the channel at three o'clock? MERLE Yes. He BURPS, then finally looks at her with bleary eyes. BETTY Please? It's very important to me. "A Reason to Love" comes on at three around here. He ignores her. Betty puts her wallet on the bar. BETTY I'll give you money. Merle SLAMS his hand down on the bar, scaring her. MERLE ARE YOU DEAF?!! It's 3:01. ELLEN DRABER, 40's, appears behind the bar, looks at the clock and takes the remote from Merle. She changes the channel to "A Reason to Love" as the opening titles end. Betty can't believe it. Merle smiles at her wickedly. MERLE Please keep it down, it's time for "A Reason to Love..." BETTY That's real funny. Why don't you have another drink? ELLEN What's the matter here? BETTY I begged him to let me put that on! ELLEN He's a prick. Merle?... You're a prick. MERLE grunts in reply. Ellen turns back to Betty. ELLEN So you're into "Reason," too? Finally, someone civilized! I'm Ellen, what can I get you? BETTY Hi, I'm Betty. I'll take a Miller, if you got it... INT. CHLOE'S APARTMENT - DAY (ON TV SCREEN) Chloe paces in front of her white sofa, a matching white telephone in her hand. She looks worried. ELLEN (O.S.) What's that bitch up to now? We hear the BEEP TONE of an answering machine. CHLOE Lonnie? It's Chloe. We need to talk... I don't think I can go through with this. She hangs up. The camera stays on her for a melodramatic beat of introspection as we GO TO COMMERCIAL. INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - RETURN TO BAR BETTY Do you have a phone? Ellen swings a phone up onto the bar. ELLEN If it's long distance you can leave me a buck when you're done. Betty dials... BETTY Sue Ann? It's Betty. I just wanted to let you know I'm okay... Huh? I'm at the Canyon Ranch Bar in... (looks at Ellen) MERLE Phoenix... ELLEN Shut up, Merle... Williams. BETTY Williams, Arizona. About halfway there, I guess. INT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - DAY Sue Ann is in her kitchen, ignoring the pleas of all three children. SUE ANN Halfway where? You've gotta come home. We've been worried sick about you. Are you alright? BETTY (V.O.) Sue Ann, I thought you of all people would back me up on this, you know what Del's like. How did he take my note? SUE ANN Betty, honey, listen to me. A man came by from Mutual Life Insurance. He says you've got money comin' to you from Del's policy. (BEAT) Del's life insurance policy -- Are you with me? BETTY (V.O.) What are you talking about? INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - DAY "A REASON TO LOVE" comes back on the TV. BETTY Tell Del I'm sorry. I left so quick, but I need to do this. SUE ANN (V.O.) Do what? BETTY I gotta go. SUE ANN (V.O.) Betty! Listen to me! Del is ... Betty hangs up. INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) David is at a bar staring into his drink. Lonnie is with him. LONNIE How you holding up, amigo? DAVID I just wish I knew why she's doing it. LONNIE Yeah. Women are an unsolved mystery. ELLEN (O.S.) If that little weasel ever walked in here I wouldn't serve him. BETTY (O.S.) I'd slap his face. ELLEN (O.S.) I'd kick him in the nuts, if I thought he had any. DISSOLVE TO: INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - LATER There are two empty beer bottles in front of Betty. The THEME MUSIC and CLOSING CREDITS of "A Reason to Love" are playing. Betty pushes the phone back across the bar. ELLEN Where you headed, Betty? BETTY Los Angeles, California. ELLEN And you called your friend, and she's telling you not to go? (Betty nods) When I went to Europe my friends told me I was crazy. BETTY Europe? The Europe? (laughs) This is my first time out of Kansas. ELLEN I should call you Dorothy. (BEAT) When I left here I went straight to Italy. Everybody told me not to go. But I wanted to go to Rome ever since I saw Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday," and goddamnit, I went. BETTY Did you love it? ELLEN Sure I loved it! It was great. Ellen rinses a few glasses as she talks to Betty. ELLEN Let me tell you something. I got groped by these Tunisian guys who thought I was a slut for wearing shorts, it was hotter than stink the whole time, and I got some kind of weird gum disease from the water. Plus, it ended my marriage -- BETTY That's horrible! ELLEN No, he was a toad. Even more of a toad than Merle... I just wear the ring to keep the flies away. Rome was the best thing I ever did, because I DID IT! And I swear to you, it changed me. I've been to Rome, Italy! I sat every morning at the Cafe Sistina and had my cappuccino, and watched the pilgrims walk to mass, and no one can ever take that away from me. Betty leans across the bar conspiratorially. She looks at Merle to make sure he won't hear her. BETTY I left my husband two days ago. ELLEN Really? BETTY I'm getting back with my ex-fianc. He proposed to me right around here, so I guess this is just sort of a sentimental stop... ELLEN Wait, I thought you said you'd never been outta Kansas... BETTY Oh. I mean, except for that. (BEAT) Yep. I'm trading in a car dealer for a heart specialist, so that's pretty good... ELLEN Nice move. Cedars Sinai? BETTY No. Loma Vista. ELLEN (laughs) I s'pose his name's David Ravell. BETTY (truly shocked) How did you know? ELLEN What's his real name? BETTY Dr. David Ravell. ELLEN You mean... George McCord, the actor? BETTY No, I mean David Ravell. He's a surgeon. Ellen looks at Betty. ELLEN Yeah, I know, we just watched him together, remember? Up there on the TV. (off Betty's earnest look) Good God Almighty... You're serious. I've heard about people like you. Ellen whistles, wipes the bar down to buy a few seconds. Merle looks over at Betty, then catches Ellen's eye. ELLEN Piss off, Merle. (to Betty) So how you gonna find him, Betty? BETTY I'll go to the Hospital. ELLEN What if you can't find him? What if you get out there, and nothing's the way you thought it was gonna be? BETTY Like Rome? ELLEN Worse. BETTY You made out alright. ELLEN Yeah, but at least I knew Rome was gonna be there when I arrived... Ellen walks to the end of the bar and starts rinsing glasses. After a beat, Betty gets up and moves down close to her. BETTY Ellen, this is the biggest thing I've ever done, but I've gotta do it. ELLEN You take care of yourself then, Betty, and don't let anybody stop you... BETTY To tell you the truth, I can't believe I've made it this far. It may not be Europe, but I just know there's something special out there for me... Ellen looks into Betty's eyes -- sees the innocence, the hope and enthusiasm -- and has to look away. Betty takes it as her cue to leave. She smiles, puts two dollars on the bar near the phone and leaves. Ellen stands perfectly still, watching the door. MERLE What planet is she from? INT. BETTY'S LESABRE - GRAND CANYON - MOVING - DAY Betty approaches the GRAND CANYON, driving slowly along the South Rim, searching for a specific spot. Finally, she pulls over abruptly. This is it. We can tell by the joy in her expression. EXT. GRAND CANYON - DAY Betty walks to the rail and gazes out at the canyon. Turning her head slowly, as if expecting it, she sees DAVID RAVELL leaning on the rail about twenty feet away, clutching a bouquet of roses. Betty starts toward him... he starts toward her... A magic moment... Shattered when a black sedan appears, inching its way along. She freezes. David vanishes, and... An ELDERLY MAN helps his wife out of the car and snaps her picture in front of the canyon. Betty moves away. INT. LINCOLN TOWN CAR - KANSAS - MOVING - NIGHT Charlie and Wesley drive across Kansas farm country. CHARLIE So she gets rid of the asshole and is set for life in the same day. WESLEY You think so? Joyce says she's timid. CHARLIE Joyce was screwing Del. WESLEY ...among others. CHARLIE I'd say that about torches her credibility, wouldn't you? WESLEY Yeah, well, if the wife's trying to sell it she'll fuck up. She's an amateur, just like Del was. The CAR PHONE RINGS. Charlie answers. CHARLIE Maybe... (into phone) Yes? SUE ANN (V.O.) Is this Neighborly Life Insurance? CHARLIE