"I'm, uh, Jerry Lundegaard." "You're Jerry Lundegaard ?" "Yah." "Shep Proudfoot said-- Shep said you'd be here at 7:30." "What gives, man ?" "Shep said 8:30." "We've been sitting here an hour?" "He's peed three times already." "Oh, I'm sure sorry." "Shep told me 8:30." "It was a mix-up, I guess?" "You got the car ?" "Yah, you bet." "It's out in the lot there." "Brand-new burnt umber Ciera." "Yeah, okay?" "Well, sit down, then." "I'm Carl Showalter." "This is my associate Gaear Grimsrud." "Yeah, how you doin' ?" "So" "We all set on this thing, then ?" "Sure, Jerry." "We're all set?" "Why wouldn't we be ?" "Yeah-- no, I'm sure you are." "Shep vouched for you and all." "I got every confidence here in you fellas." "I guess that's it, then?" "Here are the keys." "No, that's not it, Jerry?" "Hah ?" "The new vehicle plus $40,000." "Yeah, but the deal was the car first, then the 40,000, like as if it was the ransom." "I thought Shep told ya." "Shep didn't tell us much, Jerry?" "Well, okay." "Except that you were gonna be here at 7:30." "Yeah, well, that was a mix-up, then?" "Yeah, you already said that." "Yeah, but it's not a whole pay-in-advance deal." "See, I give you a brand-new vehicle in advance, and then-- I'm not gonna debate you, Jerry." " Okay." " I'm not gonna sit here and debate." "I will say this, though." "What Shep told us didn't make a whole lotta sense." "Oh, no." "It's real sound?" "It's all worked out." "You want your own wife kidnapped." "Yeah." "You" "My point is, you pay the ransom-- what, 80,000 bucks ?" "I mean, you give us half the ransom, 40,000." "You keep half." "It's like robbing' Peter to pay Paul." "It doesn't make any sense." "Okay." "See, it's not me paying' the ransom." "The thing is, my wife, she's wealthy." "Her dad, he's real well-off?" "Now, I'm in a bit of trouble." "What kind of trouble you in, Jerry ?" "Well, that's-- that's-- I'm not gonna get into, into" "See, I just need the money?" "Now, her dad, he's real well-off." "So ?" "Why don't you just ask him for the money ?" "Or your fuckin' wife, you know?" "Or your fucking wife, Jerry." "Well, it's all part of this" "They don't know I need it, see." "Okay, so there's that?" "And even if they did, I wouldn't get it." "So there's that on top, then?" "See, these are personal matters." " Personal matters ?" " Yah, personal matters that needn't, uh" "Okay, Jerry." "You're tasking us to perform this mission, but you won't, uh" "You won't" "Aw, fuck it?" "Let's take a look at that Ciera." "Hon ?" "Hi, Hon. Welcome back." "How was Fargo ?" "Yah?" "Real good." "Dad's here." "...number 25 leads the badgers..." "In goal production with five this year." "How you doin', Wade ?" "Yah, pretty good." "What you watchin' there ?" "Gophers." "Who they playin' ?" "Ooh !" "Is he staying' for supper, then ?" "Yeah, I think so." "Dad, are you stayin' for supper ?" "What ?" "Yeah." "May I be excused ?" "Huh ?" "You done there ?" "Uh-huh." "I'm goin' out." "Where you going ?" "Just McDonald's." "Back at 9:30?" "Okay." "He just ate?" "He didn't finish." "Goin' to McDonald's instead of finishing' here." "He see his friends there." "It's okay?" "It's okay, McDonald's ?" "What do you think they do there ?" "They don't drink milk shakes, I assure ya." "It's okay, dad." "Wade, have you had a chance to think about that deal I was talkin' about ?" "Those 40 acres there in Wayzata ?" "You told me about it." "Yah." "You said you'd have to think about it." "I understand it's a lot of money?" "It's a heck of a lot." "What'd you say you were gonna put there ?" "A lot." "It's a limited-- I know it's a lot." "I mean a parking lot?" "Ah, well, 750,000 is a lot." "Yeah, well, it's a chunk, but, I think-- I had a couple lots, late '50s." "Lost a lot of money?" "A lot of money." "But the difference" " I thought you were gonna show it to Stan Grossman." "He passes on this stuff before it gets kicked up to me." "Well, Stan'll say no dice?" "That's why you pay him." "I'm askin' you here, Wade." "This could work out real good for me and Jean and Scotty." "Jean and Scotty never have to worry." " Where is pancakes house ?" " What ?" "We stop at pancakes house." "What, are you nuts ?" "We had pancakes for breakfast." "Gotta go to a place where I can get a shot and a beer and steak, maybe." "Not more fuckin' pancakes?" "Come on." "Oh, come on, man !" "Okay, here's an idea?" "We could stop outside of Brainerd." "I know a place there we can get laid." "What do you think ?" "I'm fuckin' hungry now, you know?" "Yeah, yeah." "Jesus !" "I'm sayin' we can stop, get pancakes and then we'll get laid, all right ?" "Lou Knight, line one." "We sat right here in this room..." "And went over this and over this?" "Yeah, but that true coat" "I sat right here and said I didn't want any true coat." "Yeah, but I'm sayin' that true coat, you don't get it, you get oxidation problems." "It'll cost you a heck of a lot more than $500." "You're sittin' there, you're talkin' in circles." "You're talkin' like we didn't go over this already." " Yeah, but this true coat" " We had a deal here for 19,500." "You sat there and darned if you didn't tell me you'd get me this car, these options without the sealant for 19,500." "All right, I'm not sayin' I didn't." "You called me 20 minutes ago and said you had it, ready to make delivery !" "He says, "Come on down, get it. "" "And here you are, and you're wastin' my time and my wife's time and" "And I'm payin' 19,500 for this vehicle here." "All right." "I'll talk to my boss." "See, they install that true coat at the factory." "There's nothin' we can do." "But I'll-- I'll talk to my boss." "These guys here, these guys" "It's always the same?" "It's always more." "You goin' to the gophers on sunday ?" "Oh, you betcha." "You wouldn't have an extra ticket ?" "You kiddin' ?" "Well" "He never done this before, but seein' as it's special circumstances and all, he says I can knock $100 off that true coat." "One hundred ?" "You lied to me, Mr. Lundegaard." "You're a bald-faced liar." "Bucky, please." "A..." "Fucking liar !" "Bucky, please." "Where's my goddamn checkbook ?" "Let's get this over with." "Where is it ?" "From Hollywood, the tonight show starr" "I am talking about your potential." "Mm-hmm?" "You're not a "C" student." "Yeah?" "Yet you're gettin' "C" grades." "It's that disparity there that concerns your dad and me." "Uh-huh." "You know what a disparity is ?" "Yeah !" "Okay, well, that's why we" "We don't want you goin' out for hockey." "Oh, man !" "Come on, what's the big deal ?" "It's just an hour" "Hold on." "What's the big deal ?" "Hello." "Hiya, Hon?" "Oh, hi, dad." "Is Jerry around ?" "Yah." "Hon ?" "Yah, he's here, yah." "I'll catch him for ya." "Hon ?" "Yah ?" " It's dad." " Look, dad, there's no fuckin' way that" "Scotty !" "Hey, let's watch that language there." "How you doin' there, Wade ?" "What's goin' on there ?" "Uh, nothin', Wade?" "How you doin' there ?" "Stan Grossman looked at your proposal." "He says it's pretty sweet?" "No kiddin'." "Might be interested." "No kiddin' !" "I" " I need the cash pretty quick there in order to close the deal." "Come by 2:30?" "We'll talk about it." "If your numbers are right, Stan says it's pretty sweet." "Stan, you know, Grossman?" "Yeah." "2:30?" "Yah." "Okay." "Say, Shep, how you doin' there ?" "Say, uh, you know those two fellas..." "You put me in touch with up there in Fargo ?" "Put you in touch with Grimsrud." "Yeah, well, he had a buddy there." "He, uh" "Well, I don't vouch for him?" "Well, that's okay." "I vouch for Grimsrud?" "Who's his buddy ?" "Uh, Carl something?" "Never heard of him." "Don't vouch for him." "Well, that's okay?" "He's a buddy of the guy you vouch for." "So I'm not worryin'." "I just" "I was wonderin', see, I gotta get in touch with 'em." "See, this deal I needed 'em for, I may not need it anymore." "Something's happenin', see?" "Call 'em up." "Well, see, I did that, and I haven't been able to get 'em, so I thought maybe you'd know an alternate number..." "Or what have you?" "Nope." "Okay." "Well, real good, then." "Can you crack a fuckin' window open, man ?" "You know, it's proven that secondhand smoke is carcinog" "Uh, you know, a cancer agent." "Hey, look at that:" "twin cities." "That's the I.D.S. Building, the big glass one." "Tallest skyscraper in the midwest after the, uh," "Sears and, uh, Chicago, or John Hancock building, whatever." "You ever been to Minneapolis ?" "Nope." "Would it kill you to say somethin' ?" "I did." "No." "That's the first thing you've said in the last four hours." "That's a" "That's a fountain of conversation, man." "That's a geyser." "I mean, whoa, daddy, stand back, man." "Shit." "I'm sittin' here drivin'." "I'm doing all the driving', man." "Whole fuckin' way from Brainerd driving', just tryin' to." ".. Chat." "You know, keep our spirits up, fight the boredom of the road, and you can't say one fuckin' thing just in the way of conversation ?" "Oh, fuck it." "I don't have to talk, either, man." "See how you like it." "Just total fuckin' silence." "Two could play at that game, smart guy." "We'll just see how you like it." "Total silence." "Mr. Lundegaard, this is Reilly Diefenbach from G.M.A.C." "How are you this morning ?" "Real good." "How you doin' ?" "Pretty good, Mr. Lundegaard?" "You're damn hard to get on the phone." "Yah." "It's pretty darn busy here, but that's the way we like it." "Well, that's for sure?" "Now, I just need on these last, these financing documents that you sent us," "I can't read the serial numbers of the vehicles" "Yeah, but I already got the-- it's okay." "The loans are in place." "I already got the-- the what ?" "The" "The 320,000?" "You got the money last month." "Yeah." "So we're all set then?" "Yeah, but the vehicles that you're borrowing on," "I just can't read the serial numbers on your application." "Maybe if you can just read them to me." "Yeah, but the deal's already done." "I already got the money." "We have an audit here." "I just have to know that these vehicles..." "You're financing with this money, that they really exist." "Yeah, well, they exist, all right." "I'm sure they do, but I can't read the serial numbers here." "So if you could read me some-- yah, but, uh" "See, um-- I don't have them in front of me." "Why don't I just fax you over a copy ?" "No." "Fax is no good?" "That's what I have, and I" " I can't read the darn thing?" "Yah, okay." "I'll have my girl send you a copy, then." "Okay, because if I can't correlate this note with the specific vehicles, then I gotta call back that money." "Yah." "How much money was that ?" "320,000." "I gotta correlate that money with the cars it's being lent on." "Yah, okay." "No problem." "I'll just fax that right over." "No, no, no." "Fax is-- I mean send it right over." "I'll shoot it right over to you?" "Okay." "Okay, fine." "Okay." "Real good, then." "We're back with Katie Carlson?" "Hi." "Now, before we get going here, we just wanna remind all of our viewers at home..." "That this march, for the second year in a row," "Katie and I, along with twin city travel, will be leading a two-week riverboat trip down the nile." "It's a terrific time." "I know you've heard about it." "We want all of you to come with." "And that's the truth." "Okay, now, those of you that just joined us," "Katie here this morning is gonna show us how to make..." "Holidazzle eggs ourselves at home." "Now, Katie, I gotta admit?" "What ?" "I was a little bit surprised when I first picked this up." "This is an empty egg?" "That's right, dale." "Well, how do you get the-- there was an egg in here?" "Yeah." "Well, I don't-- how do you" "I mean, you don't have an empty chicken somewhere that lays empty eggs." "No, no." "I guarantee this was an honest to goodness, great" "Unguent?" "What ?" "I need unguent." "No." "You wanna do it ?" "Okay." "Shit." "No !" "Oh, no !" "How are you, Stan ?" "How you doin', Wade ?" "Good to see you again, Jerry." "If these numbers are right, this looks pretty sweet." "Oh, those numbers are right, all right." "Believe me." "This is doable?" "Congratulations, jer." "Yah, thanks, Stan?" "It's a pretty, uh" "What kind of finder's fee were you lookin' for ?" " Huh ?" " The financials are pretty thorough, so..." "The only thing we don't know is your fee." "My fee ?" "Wade, what the heck are you talkin' about ?" "Stan and I are okay?" "Yah ?" "We're good to load in?" "Yah." "But we never talked about your fee for bringing it to us." "No !" "But, Wade, see, I was bringing you this deal..." "For you to loan me the money to put in." "It's my deal here, see." "Jerry, we thought you were bringing us an investment." " Yah, right." " You're sayin'" "What are you sayin' ?" "You're sayin' we put in all the money, and you collect when it pays off." "No, no?" "But I" " I'd" "I'd pay you back the principal and interest." "Heck, I'd" " I'd go..?" "One over prime ?" "We're not a bank, Jerry?" "If I wanted bank interest on 750,000," "I'd go to midwest federal, talk to old Bill Diehl." "He's at norstar?" "He's at" "No, no !" "But, see, I" "I don't need a finder's fee." "I need" "A finder's fee's, what, ten percent ?" "Heck, that's not gonna do it for me." "I need the principal." "Well, Jerry, we're not just gonna give ya $750,000." "What the heck were you thinkin' ?" "If I'm only gettin' bank interest, I want complete security." "Heck, F.D.I.C. I don't see nothin' like that here." "Yeah, but I" "Okay, I-- I guarantee you your money back." "I'm not talkin' about your damn word, Jerry." "Jeez !" "What the heck" "We're not a bank, Jerry." "Well, look, I don't wanna cut you out of the loop, but this here's a good deal." "I assume, if you're not interested, you won't mind if we move in on it..." "Independently." "Damn it !" "Hon !" "Got the groceries !" "Yeah, Wade, hi?" "It's Jerry." "I" "Wade, it's Jerry." "I don't know what to do." "It's Jean." "I don't know what to do." "It's my wife." "Yeah, Wade, I" "It's Jerry." "I" "Wade, it's Jerry." "I" "We gotta talk?" "It's something-- oh, jeez." "It's terrible." "Hello." "Uh, uh-- Wade Gustafson, please." "Shut the fuck up, or I'll throw you back into the trunk, you know." "Jesus." "More than I've heard you say all week." "Ah, shit." "Oh, the tags." "All right, it's just the tags." "I never put my tags on the car." "All right, don't worry." "I'll take care of this." "All right, just keep it still back there, lady, or else we're gonna have to, you know, to shoot you." "Hey, I'll take care of this." "How can I help you, officer ?" "This a new car, then, sir ?" "Oh, it certainly is, officer?" "Still got that smell." "You're required to display temporary tags..." "Either in the plate area or taped to the inside of the back window." "Certainly?" "Can I see your license and registration ?" "Certainly." "Yeah, I was gonna tape up those-- the tag." "You know, to be in full compliance, but, uh" "It must've, uh-- must've slipped my mind." "So maybe the best thing to do..." "Would be to take care of that right here in Brainerd." "What's this, sir ?" "My license and registration." "Yeah, I wanna be in compliance." "I was just thinking we could take care of it right here..." "In Brainerd." "Put that back in your pocket, please, and step out of the car, please, sir." "Shut the fuck up !" "Whoa." "Whoa, daddy." "You'll take care of it." "You are a smooth-smooth, you know." "Oh, daddy." "Just clear him off the road." "Yeah." "Oh, jeez." "Hi." "It's Marge." "Oh, my?" "Where ?" "Yeah ?" "Oh, jeez." "Okay?" "There in a jiff." "Real good, then." "Okay." "You can sleep?" "It's early yet." "Gotta go ?" "Yeah." "I'll fix ya some eggs." "That's okay, Hon. I gotta run." "Ya gotta eat a breakfast, Marge." "I'll fix ya some eggs." "Aw, Hon, you can sleep." "Gotta eat a breakfast." "I'll fix ya some eggs." "Aw, Norm." "Thanks, Hon?" "Time to shove off." "Love ya, Margie?" "Love ya, Hon." "Hon ?" "Yah ?" "Prowler needs a jump." "Hiya, Lou." "Whoo !" "Whatcha got there ?" "Margie, thought you might need a little warm-up." "Thanks a bunch?" "So what's the deal now ?" "Gary says triple homicide ?" "Yeah." "Looks pretty bad." "Two of 'em are over here." "Where is everybody ?" "Well-- it's cold, Margie." "Watch your step, Margie." "Ah, jeez." "So" "Ah, jeez !" "Here's the second one !" "It's in the head and the hand there." "I guess that's a defensive wound?" "Oh, yah ?" "Where's the state trooper ?" "Back there a good piece in the ditch next to his prowler." "Okay." "So we got a trooper pull someone over, we got a shooting, these folks drive by, there's a high-speed pursuit, ends here, and then this execution-type deal." "Yah." "I'd be very surprised if our suspect was from Brainerd." "Yah." "And I'll tell ya what." "From his footprint, he looks like a big fella." "You see somethin' down there, chief ?" "No." "I just think I'm gonna barf." "Jeez." "You okay, Margie ?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "It's just morning sickness." "Well, that passed." "Yah ?" "Yeah." "Now I'm hungry again." "You have breakfast yet, Margie ?" "Oh, yah." "Norm made some eggs?" "Yah ?" "Well" "What now do you think ?" "Let's go take a look at that trooper." "There's different footprints here, Lou?" "Yah ?" "Yah." "This guy's smaller than his buddy." "Oh, yah ?" "For Pete's sake?" "How's it look, Marge ?" "Well, he's got his gun on his hip there, and..." "He looks like a nice enough guy." "Tsk?" "It's a real shame." "Yah." " Didn't monkey with his car there, did ya ?" " No way." "Well, somebody shut his lights." "I guess the little guy sat in there, waiting for his buddy to come back." "Yeah, it would've been cold out here." "Heck, yeah?" "You think is Dave open yet ?" "Dave ?" "Oh, you don't think he's mixed up in" "Oh, no, no." "I just wanna get Norm some night crawlers." "Did you look in his citation book ?" "Yeah." "Last vehicle he wrote in..." "Was a tan Ciera at 2:18 a.m." "Under plate number, he put "D.L.R."" "I figure they stopped him or..." "Shot him before he could finish filling out the tag number?" "Uh-huh." "So I got the state looking for a Ciera with a tag starting' D.L.R." "They don't got no match yet." "I'm not sure that I agree with you 100%..." "On your police work there, Lou." "Yah ?" "Yah." "I think that vehicle there probably had dealer plates." "D.L.R. ?" "Oh." "Jeez." "Say, Lou." "D'you hear the one about the guy couldn't afford personalized plates..." "So he went and changed his name to "j3l 2404" ?" "Yah?" "That's a good one." "Look, alls I know is, you got a problem, you call a professional !" "No !" "They said no cops?" "They were darn clear on that, Wade." "They said, "you call your cops, and we're gonna shoot-- "" "Of course they're gonna say that !" "Where's my protection ?" "They got Jean here." "I give these sons of bitches $1 million, where's my guarantee they're gonna let her go ?" "Well, they-- $1 million is a lot of damn money." "Yeah, but think this-- there they are." "They got my daughter." "Think this thing through here, Wade." "You give 'em what they want, why won't they let her go ?" "You gotta listen to me on this one, Wade." "Ah, heck?" "You don't know." "You're just whistling dixie here." "I'm sayin' the cops, they can advise us on this." "I'm sayin' call a professional?" "No !" "No cops !" "That's final." "This is my deal here, Wade." "Jean is my wife here." "I gotta tell you, Wade." "I'm leaning to Jerry's viewpoint here." "Well-- we gotta protect Jean." "These" "We're not holding any cards here, Wade." "They got 'em all, so they call the shots." "You're darn tootin'?" "Ah, damn it !" "I'm tellin' ya?" "Well, why-- why don't we" "Stan, I'm thinkin' we should offer 'em a half-million, okay ?" "Now, come on here !" "No way, Wade !" "No way !" "We're not horse trading' here, Wade?" "Yeah." "We gotta just bite the bullet on this thing?" "Yeah." "So, uh, what's the next step here, Jerry ?" "They're gonna call me up and give me instructions for a drop." "I'm supposed to have the money ready tomorrow?" "Damn it !" "How was everything today ?" "Yah." "Real good, now." "How you doin' ?" "Okay." "Now, we'll get the money together." "Don't worry about it, Jerry." "Now, do you want anyone at home with ya till they call ?" "No." "I-- they don't want" "They were just supposed to be dealing with me." "They were real clear." "Yeah?" "You know, they said no one listening' in." "They'll be watchin', you know." "Maybe it's all bull, but like you said, Stan, they're callin' the shots." "Okay." "Now, is, uh, is Scotty gonna be all right ?" "Yeah, jeez, Scotty." "Yeah." "I'll go talk to him." "How you doin' there, Scotty ?" "Dad, what are they doin' ?" "What do you think they're doin' with mom ?" "It's okay, Scotty." "They're not gonna wanna hurt her any." "These men, they-- they just want money." "Yeah, what if somethin' goes wrong, dad, and then-- no, no." "Nothing's goin' wrong here?" "Granddad and I, we're, um" "We're makin' sure this gets handled right." "I really think we should call the cops here." "No, no." "No one can know about this thing." "We gotta play ball with these guys." "You ask Stan Grossman, he'll tell you the same thing." "Yeah, but, dad-- we're gonna get mom back for ya, but we gotta play ball, you know ?" "That's the deal here." "So if-- if Lorraine calls or Sylvia, you just say mom's down in Florida with Pearl and Marty." "That's the best we can do here." " Whoa." "Oops !" "Lunchtime !" "This came in for you, Marge." "Ron, hi?" "Ward, carol." "Oh, Janie, two more of those skin so soft, please?" "Sure thing." "Hiya, Hon. I brought you some lunch, Margie." "What are those, night crawlers ?" "Yah." "Aw, thanks, Hon?" "You bet." "Thanks for lunch." "Oh, yah?" "Looks pretty good." "What do we got here, Arby's ?" "Uh-huh." "How's the painting' goin' ?" "Pretty good." "Found out the Hauptmanns are entering a painting this year." "Aw, Hon, you're better than them." "They're real good." "They're good, Norm, but you're better than them." "Nah?" "You think so ?" "You got Arby's all over me." "Hey ya, Norm." "How's the painting' goin' ?" "Not too bad, you know." "How we doin' on that vehicle ?" "Well, no motels registered any tan Ciera last night, but the night before, two men checked into the Blue Ox, registering a Ciera and leaving the tag space blank." "Jeez, that's a good lead?" "Yah." "Blue ox?" "That's that truckers' joint out there on I-35 ?" "Yah." "Owner was on the desk then." "Said these two had company." " Oh, yeah ?" " Yah." "Yeah, we both did." "She went to college too." "I went to normandale for about a year and a half." " Yah." "That's where we met." " But I dropped out, though." "Yah, she dropped?" "So where you girls from ?" "Chaska?" "Le Sueur." "But I went to high school in white bear lake." "Go bears." "Okay." "I want you to tell me what these fellas looked like." "Well, the little guy, he was kinda funny-lookin'?" "In what way ?" "I don't know?" "Just funny-lookin'." "Can you be any more specific ?" "I couldn't really say?" "He wasn't circumcised." "Was he funny-lookin' apart from that ?" "Yah." "So, you were havin' sex with the little fella, then." "Uh-huh." "Is there anything else you can tell me about him ?" "No." "Like I say, he was funny-lookin'." "More than most people, even?" "What about the other fella ?" "He was a little older?" "You know, he looked like the Marlboro man." "Oh, yah ?" "Yah, but maybe I'm sayin' that, you know, 'cause he smoked a lot of Marlboros?" "Uh-huh." "Like a subconscious type of thing?" "Oh, yah, that can happen." "Yah?" "Hey, they said they were going to the twin cities." "Oh, yah ?" "Yah." "Is that useful to you ?" "Oh, you betcha, yah." "Yah?" "Yah." "Come on !" "Goddamn it !" "Jesus christ." "Come on, you fuckin' shit box." "Be here for days." "Goddamn it !" "Nothin' to do !" "Fuckin' tv doesn't even" "Damn it !" "Come on !" "Plug me in, man !" "Gimme a fuckin' signal !" "Goddamn it !" "Unbelievable !" "Come on !" "God !" "Fuck !" "Come on !" "Plug me into the ozone, baby !" "Come on !" "Come on !" "Fuck !" "Fuck !" "Fuck !" "Fuck !" "The bark beetle carries the worm to its nest, where it will feed its young for up to six months." "In the spring, the larvae hatch, and the cycle begins again." "Well" "I'm turnin' in, Norm." "Oh, yah ?" "Here it is throwing off the larval envelope." "Hello." "Yah." "Is this Marge ?" "Yah." "Margie Olmstead ?" "Who's this ?" "This is Mike Yanagita !" "You know, Mike Yanagita?" "Remember me ?" "M" " Mike Yanagita ?" "Yah !" "Well, yah." "'course I remember you." "How-- how you doin' ?" "What time is it ?" "It's a quarter to 11:00." "I hope I didn't wake you." "No?" "That's okay." "Yah." "I'm down in the twin cities, and I was just watching on tv about these shootings up in Brainerd, and I saw you on the news there?" "Yah." "I thought, "jeez, is that Margie Olmstead ?"" "I can't believe it !" "Yah." "That's me." "Well, how the heck are ya ?" "Okay, you know." "Okay?" "Yah ?" "Yah?" "How are you doin' ?" "Oh, pretty good." "Aw, heck." "It's been such a long time, Mike." "It's great to hear from ya." "Yah, you got your, um-- this is loaded here." "This has your independent" "Your, uh, front-wheel drive, rack and pinion steering, antilock brakes, alarm, radar." "And I can give it to ya with a heck of a sealant." "This true coat stuff, it'll keep the salt off." "Yeah, I don't need no sealant, though." "Yeah, you don't need that." "Now, were you thinkin' of financing here ?" "You oughta be aware of this G.M.A.C. plan they have now." "It's really super." "Got a call for you, Jerry." "Yeah, okay." "Jerry Lundegaard." "All right, Jerry, you got the phone to yourself ?" "Well, yeah?" "You know who this is ?" "Well, yeah, I got an idea." "How's that Ciera workin' out for ya ?" "Circumstances have changed, Jerry." "Well, what do you mean ?" "Things have changed?" "Circumstances, Jerry, beyond the, uh, acts of god, force Majeure." "What the-- how's Jean ?" "Who's Jean ?" "My wife.'" "Oh." "She's all right?" "What the" "But there's three people up in Brainerd who aren't so okay, I'll tell you that." "What are you talkin' about ?" "Let's just finish this deal up here." "Blood has been shed, Jerry." "What the heck do you mean ?" "Three people in Brainerd." "Oh, jeez?" "That's right." "And we need more money." "What the heck are you talkin' about ?" "What do you fellas got yourself mixed up in ?" "We need more money?" "This was supposed to be a no rough stuff-type deal." "Don't ever interrupt me, Jerry !" "Just shut the fuck up !" "Well, I'm sorry, but I just" " I don't" "I'm not gonna debate you, Jerry." "I'm not gonna debate !" "We now want the entire 80,000." "Oh, for christ's sake, here." "Blood has been shed?" "We've incurred risk, Jerry." "I'm comin' into town tomorrow?" "You have the money ready." "Now, we had a deal here." "A deal's a deal?" "Is it, Jerry ?" "You ask those three poor souls up in Brainerd if a deal's a deal." "Go ahead." "Ask 'em !" "The heck do you mean ?" "The heck you mean ?" "I'll see you tomorrow." "Yeah." "Jerome Lundegaard ?" "Yeah?" "This is Reilly Diefenbach at G.M.A.C." "Sir, I've not received those vehicle I.D.'s you promised me." "Yeah, I-- those are in the mail." "That very well may be." "I must inform you, however, that absent the receipt of those numbers by tomorrow afternoon," "I will have to refer this matter to our legal department." "Yeah?" "My patience is at an end." "Yeah?" "Good day, sir." "Yeah." "Hi, Norm." "How you doin', Margie ?" "How's the fricassee ?" "Pretty darn good." "You want some ?" "Oh, no." "I got" "Hey, Norm, I thought you was goin' ice fishin' up at mille lacs." "Yeah, after lunch." "Ah." "What you got there ?" "Oh, them numbers you asked for." "Calls made from the lobby pay phone at the Blue Ox." "Two to Minneapolis that night?" "First one's a trucking company, and second one's a private residence, a Shep Proudfoot." "Uh-huh?" "A what ?" "Shep Proudfoot?" "That's a name." "Uh-huh?" "Yeah." "Okay." "Yeah." "Think I'll take a drive down there, then." "Oh, yah ?" "Twin cities ?" "Oh, yah ?" "Hmm." "Damn it." "I wanna be a part of this thing." "No." "Wade, they were real clear." "They said they'd call tomorrow with instructions, and it's gotta be delivered by me alone." "It's my money." "I'll deliver it." "What do they care ?" "Wade's got a point there." "I'll handle the call if you want, Jerry." "No, no." "See, they-- no?" "See, they only deal with me." "You feel this-- this nervousness on the phone there." "They're very-- these guys are dangerous?" "All the more reason." "I don't want you-- with all due respect, Jerry" "I don't want you mucking' this up." "What the heck do you mean ?" "They want my money, they can deal with me." "Otherwise, I'm goin' to a professional." "No, see-- there's $1 million here !" "Look, Jerry, you're not selling me a damn car !" "It's my show here?" "That's that !" "It's the way we prefer to handle it, Jerry." "Hi?" "How you doin' ?" "Real good?" "How you doin' today, ma'am ?" "I am doing really super there, thanks." "I'm Mrs. Gunderson." "I have a reservation." "Yeah, you sure do, Mrs. Gunderson." "Is there a phone down here, ya think ?" "Detective Sibert ?" "Yah, this is Marge Gunderson from up Brainerd." "We spoke." "Yeah, well, actually, I'm in town here." "I had to do a few things in the twin cities, so I thought I'd check in with you about that U.S.F.I. Search on Shep Proudfoot." "Oh, yah ?" "Well, maybe I'll go visit with him if I have a" "No." "I can find that." "Yeah, well, thanks a bunch?" "Oh, say, say, would you happen to know a good place for lunch in the downtown area ?" "The Radisson." "Oh, yah ?" "Is it reasonable ?" "Hi?" "How you doin' ?" "Yeah, I decided not to park here." "What do you mean ?" "You decided not to park here ?" "Yeah." "I just came in, and I decided not to park here, so" "But, well, I'm sorry, sir" "I decided not to-- I, uh" "You know, I'm not, uh-- I decided not to take the trip, as it turns out." "Well, I'm sorry, sir?" "We still gotta charge you the four dollars." "I just pulled in here." "I just fuckin' pulled in here." "Well, but-- see, there's a minimum charge of four dollars." "Long-term parking charges by the day." "I guess you think you're, you know, like an authority figure..." "With that stupid fucking uniform, huh, buddy ?" "King clip-on tie there?" "Big fucking man, huh ?" "You know, these are limits of your life, man." "Ruler of your little fucking gate here." "Here." "There's your four dollars, you pathetic piece of shit." "Where's Shep ?" "Talkin' to a cop." "Cop ?" "Said she was a cop." "So do you remember getting a call Wednesday night ?" "Nope." "You do reside there at 1425 Freemont terrace ?" "Yeah." "Anyone else residing there ?" "No?" "Well, Mr. Proudfoot, this call came in past 3:00 in the morning." "It's just hard for me to believe you don't remember anyone calling." "Now, I know you've had some problems" "Struggling with the narcotics, some other entanglements, currently on parole." " So ?" " Well, associating with criminals, if you're the one they talked to, that right there would be a violation of your parole." "Would end you up back in Stillwater." "Now, I saw some rough stuff on your priors, but nothing in the nature of a homicide." "I know you don't wanna be an accessory to something like that." "So, you think you might remember who those folks were who called ya ?" "Mr. Lundegaard ?" " Huh ?" "Yah." " Could I take just a minute of your time here ?" "What-- what is it all about ?" "Do you mind if I sit down ?" "Carrying quite a load here." "You're the owner here, Mr. Lundegaard ?" "Nah, I-- executive sales manager." "Well, you can help me?" "My name's Marge Gunderson." "My father-in-law, he's the owner." "Uh-huh." "Well, I'm a police officer from up Brainerd..." "Investigating some malfeasance, and I was just wondering if you'd had any new vehicles..." "Stolen off the lot in the past couple of weeks." "Specifically, a tan cutlass Ciera." "Mr. Lundegaard ?" "Brainerd." "Yah, yah." "Home of Paul Bunyan, babe the Blue Ox." "Babe the Blue Ox." "Yah, you know, we got that big statue up there." "So, you haven't had any vehicles go missing, then ?" "No." "No, ma'am." "Okey-Dokey?" "Thanks a bunch." "I'll let you get back to your paperwork, then." "Service?" "Yeah, uh, give me Shep." "He's not here right now?" "What the heck do you mean ?" "He stepped out?" "Where did he go ?" "It's only" "I can get you Artie?" "No, I don't need a mechanic." "I need a, uh" "Uh-- oh, jeez." "I gotta talk to a, a friend of his, so, um" "Have him, um" "What ?" "Oh, jeez." "Mike ?" "Marge ?" "Jeez !" "Oh, you look great !" "Yeah, so do you." "Oh, easy there." "Easy there?" "Easy there." "Easy there." "You do too." "I'm expecting now." "I see that?" "That's great." "Oh, what can I get ya ?" "Oh, just a diet coke, please." "Great." "This is a nice place.." "Yah." "You know, it's a Radisson, so it's pretty good, yah." "So, you're living in Edina, then ?" "Oh, yah, yah, yah?" "A couple years now." "Uh, it's actually Eden Prairie, that school district." "So, chief Gunderson, then !" "So you went and married Norm son-of-a-Gunderson." "Oh, yah?" "Long time ago." "Great, great." "So, uh, what brings you down ?" "Are you down here on that homicide, if you're allowed to, you know, to discuss that ?" "Oh, yah, yah, but there's not a heck of a lot to discuss." "Okay." "Well, what about you, Mike ?" "Are you married ?" "You got kids ?" "Yah." "Well, uh-- I was married." "Uh, I was married to-- you mind if I sit over here ?" "Uh, I was married to Linda Cooksey." "No." "Why don't you sit over there ?" "I prefer that." "Huh ?" "Oh?" "Oh, uh" "Okay." "Sorry." "I didn't-- oh, no, no." "Just so I can see you?" "Don't have to turn my neck." "Oh, sure, sure." "I understand." "I didn't mean to, uh" "No, no, that's fine." "Yah." "Sorry?" "Uh, sorry." "Um, so, uh, I was married to Linda Cooksey." "You remember Linda?" "She was a year behind us." "Yeah, I think I remember her, yeah." "She-- oh, yeah, yah?" "So it didn't work out, huh ?" "Oh, and then I've been workin' for Honeywell for a few years now." "Oh, well, they're a good outfit?" "Yah." "If you're an engineer, yah, you could do a lot worse." "Uh, but it's not" "It's nothing like your-- your achievement." "It sounds like you're doing really super." "It's not that, uh" "It's not that things didn't work out." "It's, uh-- uh" "Linda, uh, had leukemia, you know." "She was, uh-- she-- she passed away." "No !" "It was tough?" "There you go." "It was long, uh" "She fought real hard, Marge." "You know, uh-- wh-- what can you say ?" "Oh." "Better times, huh ?" "Better times." "Oh, and then I saw ya on the tv, and I remembered, you know ?" "I always liked you." "Well, I always liked you, Mike." "I always liked you so much." "So, Mike, uh, should we get together another time, you think ?" "No !" "I" " I" "I'm sorry." "It's-- you know-- I shouldn't have done this." "I shouldn't have done this." "I shouldn't" "I thought we'd have a really terrific time?" "It's okay, Mike." "You were such a super lady." "And then-- I've been so lonely." "It's okay, Mike." "Here's a song I dedicate to all the ladies out here." "Goes like this." "Let's find each other tonight" "Everything will be all right" "Don't hesitate now" "Let's find each other tonight" "So, are ya from around here ?" "Just in town on business." "Just in and out." "Just a little of the old in and out." "Let's find each other tonight" "What do you do ?" "Uh, I" "Um, have you been to the celebrity room before..." "With other, uh, clients ?" "I don't think so?" "It's nice." "Yeah, well, it depends on the artist." "You know, Jose Feliciano, you got no complaints." "Waiter !" "What is he, deaf ?" "So, uh" "How long you work for the escort service ?" "I don't know?" "A few months." "Find that work interesting, do you ?" "What are you talkin' about ?" "All right, come on." "I'm hearin' bells?" "Come on." "Huh ?" "All right." "Well, where are ya, huh ?" "Huh ?" "Shep, what the hell you doing ?" "I'm bangin' that girl !" "Oww !" "Fuckin' asshole !" "Get the fuck outta here !" "Put me back in Stillwater, you little fuckin' shithead !" "Get the fuck outta here !" "Yo !" "Cut that shit out, man !" "Tryin' to get some goddamn sleep here !" "Come on, brother?" "Fuck you !" "Fuck you !" "Animals !" "Animals !" "Animals !" "Stay away from me, man." "Hey, smoke a fuckin' peace pipe." "Don't you dare fuckin' hit me !" "Fuckin' little weasel !" "Fuck you, man !" "Stop it !" "You fuckin', motherfuckin', son of a bitchin', fuckin' cock !" "Jesus christ !" "You fuckin' shitbag motherfucker !" "Yah ?" "All right, Jerry, I'm through fuckin' around." "You got the fucking money ?" "Yah." "I got the money, but, uh" "Don't you fuckin' fuck me, Jerry." "I want you with this money in the Dayton Radisson parking ramp, top level." "Thirty minutes, Jerry." "We wrap this thing up?" "Okay, but, um" "You're there in 30 minutes, or I find you, Jerry, and I shoot you, and I shoot your fucking wife, and I shoot all of your little fucking children, and I shoot 'em all in the back of their little fucking heads, you got it ?" "Okay, now, you stay away from Scotty, now." "Got it ?" "Okay, real good, then." "Dad." "It's okay, Scotty?" "Where you goin' ?" "I" " I'll be back in a minute." "If Stan calls, you just tell him I went to Embers." "Oh, jeez." "Okay." "Here's your damn money." "Now where's my daughter ?" "You goddamn." ".. Punk !" "Who the fuck are you ?" "Who the fuck are you ?" "I got your damn money?" "Now where's my daughter ?" "Oh, I am through fucking around?" "Drop that fucking briefcase !" " Where's my daughter ?" " Fuck you, man !" "Where's Jerry ?" "I gave simple fucking instructions !" "Where's my damn daughter ?" "No Jean, no money !" "Drop that fucking money !" "No Jean, no money !" "Is this a fucking joke here ?" "Oh, jeez." "You happy now, asshole ?" "What's with you people ?" "Ya fucking imbeciles !" "Fucking shot me !" "God !" "May I have your ticket, please ?" "Open the fucking gate !" "Oh, jeez." "Dad ?" "Yah ?" "Stan Grossman called." "Yah, okay." "Twice?" "Okay." "Is-- is everything okay ?" "Yah." "Are you callin' Stan ?" "Well, I'm" "I'm goin' to bed now." "How you doin' ?" "Mr. Mohra ?" "Yah?" "Officer Olson." "Yah, right." "Well, so I'm tending' bar down there..." "At Ecklund and Swedlin's last tuesday, a little guy's drinkin' and he says," ""so where can a guy find some action ?" "I'm goin' crazy out there at the lake."" "And I says, "what kind of action ?"" "And he says, "woman action." "What do I look like ?"" "And I says, "well, what do I look like ?" "I don't arrange that kind of thing."" "And he says, "but I'm goin' crazy out there at the lake."" "And I says, "yah, but this ain't that kind of place."" "Uh-huh?" "He says, "oh, so I get it." "So you think I'm some kind of jerk for askin'."" "Only he don't use the word "jerk." I understand." "Then he calls me a jerk?" "Says last guy who thought he's a jerk is dead now." "So I don't say nothin'." "He says, "what do you think about that ?"" "And I says, "well, that don't sound like too good a deal for him, then."" "You got that right?" "Yah." "He says, "yeah, that guy's dead, and I don't mean of old age."" "And then he says, "Jeez, I'm goin' crazy out there at the lake."" "White bear lake ?" "Yeah." "Well, at Ecklund and Swedlin, that's closer to moose lake, so I made that assumption." "Oh, sure?" "Anyway, he's drinking at the bar, so I don't think a whole great deal of it." "But then Mrs. Mohra, she heard about the homicides down here..." "And thought I should call it in, so I called it in." "End of story." "Well, what'd this guy look like anyways ?" "Oh, he's a little guy, kind of funny-lookin'." "Uh-huh?" "In what way ?" "Oh, just in a general kind of way." "Okay." "Well, thanks a bunch, Mr. Mohra." "You're right?" "It's probably nothing'." "But thanks for callin' her in?" "Sure." "Looks like she's gonna turn cold tomorrow." "Oh, yah?" "Got a front comin' in." "Yah, you got that right." "Jesus christ." "Oh, Valerie, I'm leavin' this morning." "Back up to Brainerd?" "Well, I'm sorry I won't see ya." "Hmm." "But you think he's all right." "I saw him last night and-- what'd he say ?" "Well, it's nothin' specific he said." "It just seemed like it all hit him really hard, his wife dying'?" "His wife ?" "Linda?" "Who ?" "Linda Cooksey?" "No !" "No, no." "They weren't" "He-- well, he was bothering Linda for about, oh, for a good year." "Really pestering her?" "Wouldn't leave her alone." "So, he didn't" "They never-- no!" "No, they never married." "Mike's had psychiatric problems." "Oh, my?" "Yah." "He's been struggling." "He's living with his parents now." "Oh, jeez." "Linda's fine?" "You should call her." "Jeez." "Well" "Jeez." "That's a surprise." "Hello !" "Mr. Lundegaard?" "Sorry to bother you again." "Can I come in ?" "Yah-- no." "I'm kind of" " I'm kind of busy here." "I understand." "I'll keep it real short, then." "I'm on my way out of town, but I was wondering" "Do you mind if I sit down ?" "Carryin' bit of a load here." "No, I-- yah, it's this vehicle I asked you about yesterday." "I was just wondering-- yah, like I told ya, we haven't had any vehicles go missing?" "Okay." "Are ya sure ?" "'cause I mean, how do ya know ?" "Because, see, the crime I'm investigating, the perpetrators were driving a car with dealer plates, and they called someone who works here, so it'd be quite a coincidence if they weren't, you know," "connected." "Yah, I see?" "So how do you" "Have you done any kind of inventory recently ?" "The car's not from our lot, ma'am." "But how do you know that for sure without doin' a" "Well, I would know." "I'm the executive sales manager." "Yah, but I understand-- we run a pretty tight ship here." "I know, but, well, how did they establish that, sir ?" "Are the cars counted daily or what kind of a routine here ?" "Ma'am, I answered your question." "I'm sorry, sir ?" "Ma'am, I answered your question." "I answered the darn-- I'm cooperating here." "And there-- there's no, uh" "Sir, you have no call to get snippy with me." "I'm just doing my job here." "I'm" "I'm not, uh" "I'm not arguin' here." "I'm cooperating." "And there's-- we're doin' all we can." "Sir, could I talk to Mr. Gustafson ?" "Mr. Lundegaard." "Well, heck !" "If you wanna-- if you wanna play games here" "I'm workin' with ya on this thing here, but-- okay !" "I'll do a damn lot count !" "Sir, right now ?" "Yeah, right now !" "You're darn tootin', if it's so damned important to ya !" "Well, I'm sorry, sir !" "Ah, what the christ !" "Jeez !" "Bob Valcrona, line two." "Oh, for Pete's sake." "Oh, for Pete's sake, he's fleeing' the interview." "He's fleeing' the interview !" "Uh, let's see." "How do I get an outside line here ?" "Uh" "Yah." "Detective Sibert, please." "I told you it was over, and I thought I made myself very clear." "Oh, you did." "You made yourself perfectly clear." "But something's come up." "What ?" "Well, it's something kind of small, but it might be a big problem." "I'm pregnant?" "Huh ?" "I'm pregnant." "I've had a doctor's test, I've got the certificates, and there's no doubt about it-- I'm gonna have your baby." "You should see the other guy." "The fuck happened to her ?" "Uh, she started shrieking, you know." "Jesus." "Well, I got the money." "All of it?" "All 80 grand." "That's 40 for you, 40 for me." "That's it, then." "You could have my truck." "I'm takin' the Ciera." "We split that." "How the fuck do you split a fuckin' car, ya dummy ?" "With a fuckin' chain saw ?" "One of us pays the other for half." "Hold on !" "No fuckin' way !" "You fuckin' notice this ?" "I got fuckin' shot !" "I got fuckin' shot in the face !" "I went and got the fuckin' money." "I got shot fuckin' picking' it up." "I've been up for 36 fuckin' hours !" "I'm takin' that fuckin' car !" "That fucker's mine, you fuckin' asshole !" "I've been listening to your fuckin' bullshit all week !" "Are we square ?" "Are we square ?" "Yeah, you fuckin' mute." "And if you see your friend Shep Proudfoot, tell him I'm gonna nail his fuckin' ass." "His wife, this guy says she was kidnapped last Wednesday." "The day of our homicides." "Yah?" "And this guy was who ?" "Lundegaard's father-in-law's accountant." "Gustafson's accountant?" "Yah.." "But we still haven't found Gustafson ?" "Looking." "Sorry?" "Didn't copy, Lou." "Still missing?" "We're looking." "Copy?" "And Lundegaard too ?" "Yah?" "Where are ya, Margie ?" "Oh, I'm almost back." "I'm taking a drive around moose lake." "Oh, Gary's loudmouth." "Yeah, the loudmouth?" "So the whole state has it, huh ?" "Gustafson and Lundegaard ?" "Yah." "It's over the wire?" "It's everywhere." "They'll find 'em?" "Copy." "Yah, we got a lead on-- there's the car !" "There's the car !" "Whose car ?" "My car !" "My car !" "Tan Ciera !" "Tan Ciera !" "Okay, careful, Margie." "I'll send a couple cars." "Police !" "." "Hands up !" "Police !" "Police !" "So that was Mrs. Lundegaard on the floor in there." "And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper." "Tsk." "And those three people in Brainerd." "And for what ?" "For a little bit of money." "There's more to life than a little money, you know." "Don't you know that ?" "And here you are." "And it's a beautiful day." "Well" "I just don't understand it." "Mr. Anderson ?" "Who ?" "Mr. Anderson, is this your Burgundy '98 out here ?" "Just a sec?" "Could you open the door, please ?" "Yah, yah, just a sec." "Just a sec." "No !" "Wait !" "No !" "Wait !" "They announced it." "They announced it ?" "Yah." "So ?" "Three-cent stamp." "Your mallard ?" "Yah." "That's terrific." "It's just a three-cent." "It's terrific." "Hauptmann's blue-winged teal got the 29-cent." "People don't much use the three-cent." "Oh, for Pete's sa-- of course they do." "Whenever they raise the postage, people need the little stamps." "Yah ?" "When they're stuck with a bunch of the old ones." "Yah." "I guess." "It's terrific." "I'm so proud of you, Norm." "Heck, Norm, you know, we're doin' pretty good." "I love you, Margie." "I love you, Norm." "Two more months." "Two more months."