"Answer the phone." "This is Wendy." "Leave a message." "They put up a cross." "They put up a cross." "Jesus fuck..." "I'm going to the Youngs'." "If you are satisfied with your message..." "Shut the fuck up." "Hi." " Yeah." "I know it." "I know it." "I know it." " They put up a cross, Mr. Byrde." " We told you, not a single nail." " Yeah." "I heard every word." "I'm gonna take the cross down." "I'm gonna keep him on the water." "Okay?" " Hey, there." "How's it going?" " Hi." "Um, how you doing, pastor?" "You know the Snells?" "Of course." "Jacob, Darlene." "How's it going?" "You know, I was, uh..." "I told the Snells that, um, you know..." "I'm building you that church because, um..." " You know, 'cause I invest." "And, um..." " Mm-hmm." "And I told them that I would also invest a very generous sum, um... into their farm." "And so, just like anyone, they wanted to talk to a reliable reference." "Well, uh, Marty's been nothing but a man of his word." " Oh, thank you." " Thus far." "Thank you." "We'll get the permits worked out." " Hey, Grace." " Hi." "Honey..." "What are you doing?" "You should be in bed with your feet up." "Oh, I'm all right, thank you." "What, uh..." "What's going on?" "The Snells are thinking about getting into business with Marty here." "How much you planning on investing in our little homestead?" "How much?" "Boy, I don't know." "It's, uh..." "You got a..." "You got an agricultural business that's looking for reliable distribution," " sustain you all year long." " Mm-hmm." "I'm thinking $100,000." "I don't think that'd be worth your while." "Why don't we leave the Youngs for now and go negotiate?" "Thank you for your reference, pastor." "Darlene, would you mind taking the truck?" " Bye-bye." " Bye." " This gets done now." " Mm-hmm." "Great." "Y'all have a nice day." "Good day." "You understand punitive interest, don't you, Marty?" "$200,000." "$724,000 is all I've got and it's earmarked." "All you got sounds about right." "You been here when the dam's let out?" "No, I haven't." "Algae behind those gates comes pouring through the sluices down to the spillway." "Water temperature in the riverine goes back to its natural state." "Fish swim happy." "They opened the control room to the public when I was ten." "Got on my bike, just about broke my chain to get there." "Heard the sirens, saw the cranes open the spill gates." "A miracle of modern engineering." "I got back home, my dad was ready to beat me." "I had forgotten my chores." "Managed to talk my way out of it by sheer enthusiasm for science." "Well... he sounds like he was a reasonable man." "Mm-hmm." "Said he'd break my nose, I did it again." "One year later, they opened the dam again." "I skipped my chores again." "Shirked my responsibilities." "You know what my dad did?" "Did he break your nose?" "Invasive species wreak havoc on our ecosystem, none worse than the European starling." "In 1890, a Bronx-born theater enthusiast named Eugene Schieffelin took it upon himself to introduce all aviary species mentioned in Shakespeare's plays to the American continent." "He began by releasing 100 starlings into New York's Central Park." "The starlings proliferated monumentally." "They devoured entire orchards, costing farmers millions each year." "Today, over 200 million starlings in North America consume nearly all the eggs of the nearly-extinct eastern bluebird." "More strange, and perhaps, tragic, starlings are attracted to airplane engines and can incapacitate in the blink of an eye." "Caitlin and Ava got into Mr. Hundley's drama class." "You'll find your people, sweetie." "Just give it time." "Please don't say, "Just give it time."" "Can I kill starlings?" "What?" "If I get a hunting license this semester?" "Honey, I don't want you shooting anything." "You're supposed to kill starlings." "They're invaders." "They steal nests and peck unhatched eggs." " Please stop talking." " Charlotte." "If you kill one female, you've stopped the production of 11 birds." "Okay." "I'll be back later." " I love you." " Love you." "It's just a school." "You're good at school." " Did you brush your teeth?" " I got gum." "I can't pick your asses up after school today." "I gotta see my dad." "Sure you don't wanna let that bruise heal first?" "He said today, so today it is." "They're gonna be fuckin' late on the first day again." "School's a waste anyway." "They read all the wrong shit." "Oh, that'll play great in a job interview." "Meet me in the truck." "I wanna talk to Ruth a sec." "Hey, wait." "In case you guys get hungry." "Thanks." "You seeing' Cade today?" "If you didn't wanna worry, you shouldn't have fuckin' hit me." "I reacted fast, without thinking." "They're gonna be late." "An accessory." "That is what she's gonna make you." "An accessory to murder." "I mean, tell me you understand that." "We'd be opening a bait shop in fuckin' BoraBora by the time the Cops came looking for me." "Russ..." "I'm gonna get Byrde to invest in our shop." "Yours and mine." "Because he's alive and he can give us exactly what we need now." "Not whatever tidbit your niece decides to throw at you 'cause he's dead." "Why..." "Why are you doing this?" "'Cause you're better than you think you are." "You are better than you think you are." "I mean, I don't know how you don't see it." "Promise me that you won't try to kill Martin Byrde again." "Mm-mm, mm-mm." "I need the words." "I won't try to kill Marty Byrde again." "Okay." "It's a terrific new fund, you know." "It's a bunch of real healthy new tech that I know that you're gonna like, you know?" "Yeah, well, listen..." "Uh, I get it." "Nygard is a..." "He's a great guy." "Are you kidding me, Don?" "We gave you 18%." "No one ever even gave you guys 12." "Right." "Well, uh, Bruce brought you guys in, so..." "Yeah." "Uh..." "I'll tell him if I see him." "Thanks." "Well, uh, listen, is there a better time for us to talk?" "'Cause I definitely think it's worth a couple of minutes of your time." "It's a..." "It's a great fund." "Okay." "Yeah." "Give my best to Sheri." "Bye." "Fifteen years, I look after their money, I do a great job of it, and all they want is Bruce." "They trusted you with their lives." "You shut down on a moment's notice." "They feel betrayed." "So is this new fund gonna fix our Snell problem?" "I sure hope so." "I mean, I gotta replace every single cent that he took." "$724,000." "I figure I siphon off $800,000 from the new fund, I give it to Del." "Soon as he gives me the new batch to launder, I replace what I took." "Unless one of the investors dies in the next month or so, they won't even notice it was ever gone." "You're all dressed up." "Not really." "Just work." "What?" "Let her have this one." "It looks like a zombie mermaid pissing in the ocean." "It's gonna be the first thing someone sees when they walk in." " Wendy..." " Sam." "Hi." "Sorry to bother you." "Are you showing this house today?" " No, I'm sorry." "Not till Tuesday." " Oh." "My bad, then." "I'll just come back then." "Okay." "Actually... would you happen to have any other property similar to this?" "Same price range?" " Why, yes, we do." " Oh, that would be great." " Are you showing them?" " We are." "My wife and I just moved in from Boston last week." "If she has to stay in a motel any longer, she's gonna divorce me." " Sam, I'm gonna..." "Okay?" " Oh." "Yeah." " Come with me." "I can take you." " Oh, that's great." "Thank you." "Sure." " Just follow me." "I'm Wendy, by the way." " Nice to meet you." "Thanks." "You came at the perfect time." "Off-season just started, so we have this influx of good properties." "So, I'm gonna take you to see a place at the Four Seasons, and then we'll head over to Cedar Crest." "And we'll swing by the main strip." "So it's a five-star tour." "When did you stop being Wendy Byrde?" "Excuse me, have we met before?" "You know how easy it is to find information on people nowadays." "Is that Lakeside High School?" "I thought you said you weren't from the area." "Where Jonah and Charlotte go, right?" " Okay, what do you want?" " We've been clear." " Eight million, clean." " At the end of the summer." "Didn't you just say it's an off-season?" "September 21st." "And we still have time." "We're practically finished." "Deposits have slowed." "Marty hasn't been to the Blue Cat in a while." "Something's off." "You should just accept that our eyes are on you and yours, Ms. Byrde." "Davis." "Whoever the fuck you are." "Jesus, Marty, he knows the kids' names." " What'd he sound like?" " Like a scary motherfucker!" "Like this is some kind of game to him." "You say you know who this is?" " I might." " Oh, God." "Oh, what should we..." "Oh, God!" "What can we do?" "No, don't." "Listen." "We'll get the money." "Jesus." "Fuck." "How?" "Doesn't sound like your old clients are much help." "We'll see." "But I'm gonna bulldoze the church." " We'll start something new." " It'll take time." " I'll get it." "I promise." " Promises aren't gonna save our lives." "Yeah." "No shit, Wendy." "Do you have any suggestions?" "I just might." "You expect me to believe that you've never wanted to do anything else?" "Well, I mean, after my father died, there was no way my mother could handle the business on her own." "Listen, I hate to see someone with so much potential just..." "Well, we probably just shouldn't talk about it." "How would I do anything different at this point in my life?" "Well, I mean..." "How about all that money she's always talking about?" "I always want my kids to feel like they can invade their inheritance if it's to further a life's goal." "Yeah, but my mom, she lives off that money." "Well, not all of it, surely." "No, I..." "I mean, I guess not." "Do you know how much there is?" "Or, you know, if she's doing everything she can to maximize returns?" "Marty says that's key." "Uh, $906,000." "I mean, according to the last statement." "Well..." "I mean, that's plenty." "I mean, if she's investing it properly." "Do..." " What are you..." "What?" " No, never mind." " You were gonna say something." " No." "I'm sorry." "I..." " Come on." " I really shouldn't." "I..." "You know, Marty's a financial advisor, and... he's starting an exclusive fund here on the lake." "He's investing private clients' money of a million and up." "Which is, you know, more than you have, but... maybe I could talk to him." "See if he'd make an exception." "I don't think..." "No, she won't wanna..." "Sam, come on, you're a grown man." "What?" "Are you gonna be strong-armed by your mommy for the rest of your life?" "Talk to Eugenia." "I mean, have her put your inheritance in Marty's hands." "I mean, with his connections, he could turn 906 into 1.5 in two years, easy." "She can't ever know that you two are related, though." "She won't." "I mean, I go by Wendy Davis, professionally." "Marty's last name is Byrde." "All right." "I'll talk to her." " Good." "Good." " Okay?" "'Cause then you'll be able to do whatever it is you want to do." "Motivational speaker." "I..." "I can't believe that I just said that out loud." "I've never told anybody that before." "Just so you know." " That's amazing." "Amazing." " Yeah?" "Joey, thank you." "Go ahead." " Take it down." " Thanks." " I..." "I don't understand." " Yeah." "Well, it's the zoning issues that we were talking about." "I'm pissed off, too." "Well, what exactly is the issue?" " The specific issue?" "Yeah, it's a..." " Exactly." "Boy, it's complicated." "It's a..." "You know..." "The circumference of the sewage lines, they're just not big enough for a church." "It's code or something." "Gonna figure it out." "Don't worry." "How long is that gonna take?" " I'm not sure." " Peter came to me last night in a dream and told me that this community wants a church." " Peter?" " Peter, the apostle." "The rock on which the church was built." "Right." "Well..." "Sewage was so different back then, you know?" "I'm gonna keep you up-to-date." "Hang in there." "I'm not gonna call it a service, then." " What's that?" " I'm not gonna call it a service, then." "No altar, no pulpit..." "Everyone will sit in a circle." "We have a constitutional right to practice our faith." " Stop, just stop." " We do, Marty." "We're not gonna let bureaucrats get in the way of our God-given right." "You're not gonna do anything on this property." "Period." " Yes, I will." " No, you are not!" " Why?" " Because there is no fucking zoning issue." "The Snells are drug dealers." "They're running heroin on the water every Sunday when you preach, through hymnals that are passed to their dealers from your boat." "They're farmers." "They're poppy farmers." "Their barns are drying houses for poppy gum." "They don't want us building a church." "They want you on the water every Sunday, so they can they distribute." "Who told you this?" "Ever notice your hymn books are two different colors?" "Ever wonder why that is?" "The blue ones are hollow." "They're filled with heroin in heat-sealed bags." " Oh, my God." " I wanted to build you a church." "Honest to God." "I had no idea I was disrupting a trafficking ring." "You're saying that all my parishioners are drug dealers?" "No..." "There's no way to know." "It's probably just a few of them." " "Probably just a few of them."" " Yeah." "Preach to the other ones." "Talk about the scourge of drugs or give the forgiveness sermon." "Or just keep saying whatever you've been saying." "Just keep saying it." "Otherwise they're gonna come after you, and you, and then my family is next." "Tell me you're gonna stay on the water." "Mason?" "Hey." "Grace?" "He will." "I won't try to kill Marty Byrde again." "That was fast." "I got lucky, I guess." "Humble." "Not much like you." "He'll turn easy." " I'll scare him." " And Byrde?" "Once we get Ruth, the niece." "What about her?" "She'll turn, too." "He'll make her." "He's fucked." " Protocol calls for backup." " Oh, fuck protocol." " You can't fuck protocol, Roy." " Look, we only got to this point 'cause me and him have developed goodwill." "So let's not bring in a gaggle of feds and fuck it all up." "I'm not saying a gaggle." "Just me." "And I'm saying... wait." "He needs a handler that can approach local law enforcement." "You're still undercover." "Is there something about this Langmore I don't understand?" "No." "No." "He's yours." "Oh." "Jackpot, brother." "Omega." "Damn." "Every fucking year... they come... we pick through their trash when they leave." "Rinse, repeat." "That's a grand, easy." "You worried about Cade, that it?" "No." "He wouldn't do nothing to his own blood." "Even if you did hit his kid." "He knows what she's like." "Marty Byrde?" "That it?" "We'll get another shot at him." "I've been thinking about doing something different." "I don't know, like... bait and tackle or some shit." "Higher end." "Makin' people come to me for a change." "By yourself?" "I don't know." "Maybe." "Beer?" "I know people think I'm stupid." " What are you talking about?" " It's okay." "I know what they say." "But I see things, perception-wise." "Okay." "What I'm saying is... we're all different than what people think, in some ways." "Nothing wrong with it." "What's your point?" "All I'm sayin'..." "You wanna do something else, be something else," "I got your back, that's all." "Yeah, you're right." "I'm just worried about Cade." "These people are drug dealers, Mason." "What don't you understand about that?" "They profit from addiction, overdose, death." "They're not gonna let our faith or my pregnancy stand in their way." "So if you refuse to go back out on that water..." "I'm not gonna traffic in the name of God." "Then start packing." "We're not the kind of people who run from something like this." " We have a child to worry about now." " That God will protect." "Just like he did in St. Louis." " Mason..." " That bullet was three-tenths of an inch from rupturing my aorta." "But it went clean through." "That is not a coincidence." "God wasn't protecting you." "The kid had shitty aim." "If you won't leave, just... please, go back out on the water." "I'm begging you." "At least until the baby's born." "And then... then we can figure out what to do after that." "Where are you going?" "To fuckin' pray." "A commitment is something we take so seriously, we vow never to break it." "This pledge is a particularly important commitment, because drugs are the most destructive force affecting America today." "You can sign your papers now." "Signing this is essential in early adolescence, since we're developing and cementing our personal moral code while peer pressure is at its peak." "Oh, Jonah, you haven't signed?" "Can I think about it?" "What could you possibly have to think about?" "Well, it..." "It's complicated." "I mean, the economics of it all." "Um, I need the paper, Jonah." "Signed." "You wouldn't want me to sign something I don't completely believe in, would you?" "Quiet." "Uh, you don't think it's important to say no to drugs and alcohol?" "Well, it's just not that simple." "How is it not that simple?" "Drugs are addictive." " They cause crime and death." " And they also prop up the US economy." "I said quiet." "What are you talking about?" "Are you familiar with gross domestic product?" "It's the total of all the money spent..." "I know what gross domestic product is." "I mean, I'd definitely sign something that says," ""It'd be great if people didn't get addicted to drugs."" "But... people are addicted to drugs." "And in order to get the drugs, they have to buy them, right?" "And that drug dealer has to feed his family." "They're innocent." "They can't starve, can they?" " Jonah, how about we just..." " They need a house and clothes." "And the family needs a car." "There's even this theory that says drug money was the only thing that prevented the collapse of the global economy in 2008." "You know, when real estate went bust." "Because drug money was the only cash available to prop up big banks." "Not to mention the 350 million narco-dollars that paid for bridges and roads and health care... probably even education." "Maybe even part of this school." "Jonah, would you step outside for a minute, please?" "You gotta admit he's right, economically speaking." " I mean, it's not easy to hear, but..." " This was not an intellectual exercise." "All right?" "This was a promise not to use drugs or to pressure others." "Some of his classmates ripped up their pledges after he spoke." " I assure you that was not his intent." " Oh, so you say." "But still, not a particularly auspicious start for either of your kids at Lakeside." "What does that mean?" "First, Charlotte doesn't show up to school, then this." "No, I dropped her off myself." " I'll call her." " When were you gonna tell us?" "School policy is to send out a text and an e-mail at the end of the day." "That's a stupid fucking policy!" "This is a large public school, Mrs. Byrde." "Voicemail." "Hey, Jonah?" "Have you seen Charlotte?" "Charlotte came into school with you, didn't she?" "Yeah, what's the matter?" " She never went to class." " When did you last see her?" "Well, she was over there by the lockers." "Then Wyatt came over and talked to her." "They went down the hall and I had to go to class." "Wyatt!" "Charlotte is missing." "She was at school today, but not in class." "Apparently, she was with Wyatt." " Where is he?" " Wyatt!" " Wyatt!" " Fuck!" "What?" "Where's Charlotte?" "Tell these people where their daughter is." "I don't know, honestly." "You talked to her in the hallway." "What'd she say?" "I will kick your sorry, ditching ass." "This is not just about skipping school." "She said that she's going to Chicago." "I walked her to the station." " That's just what she said." " Chicago?" " I don't know." " Jesus." " She has to transfer in St. Louis." " Well, let's go to St. Louis." "Come on." " You have Sam's mom." " Oh, I'll put that off, Wendy." "No, you can't." "We can't." "I can't?" "What about Charlotte?" " I'll go." " You're gonna go?" "What'll I do?" "Just walk to Sam's?" "I'm visiting my dad near St. Louis." "I was gonna leave an hour ago." "But I can show you near the station." " Okay." "Let's go." " Oh, and you can borrow the beast." "Oh, it's running again, huh?" "Uh, yeah, I got it fixed." "Here." "I'll text you." " Okay." "Yeah." "Be careful, please." " Got it?" "Dad!" " Hey, buddy." " You forgot I was here." "I did not forget you were here." " Jump in." " It's okay." "There's a lot going on." "Yeah, a lot going on." "Nothing more important than you, though." "♪ Sometimes I lose my way ♪" "♪ I forget the words that I say... ♪" "Darlene." "Look who I found." " Well, hello there." " Hi." "Good to see you." "Likewise." "It's quite a party y'all throwing here." "Mm-hmm." " How's Grace?" " She's good." "She's getting close." " That's good to hear." " Mm-hmm." "What is it you said you do for a living?" "Well, we got bees, flowers..." "livestock." "That's our piglet on a spit." " Just working farm." " And I make soap." " Flowers." "What kind of flowers?" " Poppies, mainly." "What kind of poppies?" "Now, why do I get the feeling that, right in the middle of my employee soirée, I'm being interrogated?" "I can't preach on the water for you anymore." " For me?" " I'm gonna get you boys some lemonade." " Just stay right here." " I know what you're doing." "I'm not here to judge you for it, but I can't participate in it either." "We're not sure what you're talking about." "I know that you've been dealing heroin off of my boat on Sunday mornings, in the blue hymnals, somewhere between the psalm and the sermon." "I'm not calling the police." "But you're gonna have to figure out some other way to traffic your drugs, and it can't be through me." "Why?" "I'm sorry. "Why?"" "When you preach and you look out over all those souls... are none of them lost?" "Or do you just preach to the choir?" "You know the Four Soils?" "Yeah, I know the parable." "Cold, hard ground, stony, shallow ground, the weeds, the rich earth." "Which am I?" "Hmm?" "I run one of the biggest farms in the county." "I employ scores of families, I..." "cherish them, fete them, and my wife does... untold kindnesses you'll never see." "What about our souls?" "Can they be saved?" "Or maybe they ain't lost." "I think you've had a hard life." "I can see that." "I get your struggle." "God sent you his teachings, but are you listening?" "I want my church, Sir." "You have your church." "On the water." "Darlene, stay and listen." " I'm through listening." " Stay and listen." "Now, Jesus, he preached the Four Soils from the water to those gathered on the beach." "Did he not?" "Mm-hmm." "And did they deal drugs while Jesus was giving his sermons?" "What do you think?" "You think they were all pure as driven snow?" "Are you that innocent?" "Don't you mean naive?" "You have your church." "Why would you want another?" "Marty Byrde." "Marty Byrde wants to build us a church." " That what he wants?" " Yes." "Because he's a religious man?" "Because he's an angel?" "Why would Martin Byrde want a church?" "You ever think about that?" "He's a money launderer, son." "He wants to build, and build, and build, inflate construction costs, and run money through a building that's never gonna get built." " Drug money." " I don't believe that." "Check his books, son." "See how much building he pays for in cash." "Now, I don't know if Marty's a good man or a bad man." "I think we're all good and bad." "But I think you should consider what it is you do best." "Which is standing on the bow of a boat... bringing God to those whose hearts you might open." "If I go back on the water..." "I am going to preach to those who have committed grievous sins... on your behalf." "I have to do that." "And I would expect nothing less." "Chicago." "Terminal six?" "Where the fuck is terminal six?" "I think it's over there." "Come on." "I'll look for her upstairs." "Charlotte!" "Charlotte!" "Mom?" "Charlotte." "You can never do this to me again." "Do you understand?" "I'm sorry." "What is wrong?" " What is going on?" " I want our old life back." "I'm so sorry." "It doesn't exist anymore, sweetheart." "We have to stay together as a family." "Do you understand?" " Yeah." " We have to." "Okay." "Let's go." "It all comes down to safety and trust." "'Cause we're constantly getting sold to or advertised to or... or promised to." "Um, I think half the reason that we cave sometimes is 'cause we have no idea what the other person's saying, right?" "Take your car to a mechanic, you pray to God what he's telling you is the truth." " It's crazy." " So what are you sellin' me?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "Straight to the point." "I appreciate that." "Uh, okay." "Eugenia, in a perfect world, a woman as smart as you would not need someone like me to help you with your money, but it's not a perfect world." "So here's what I offer my clients." "I offer two things." "Number one:" "I offer a safe but aggressive investment scheme that follows the... the way that economics are trending, right?" "'Cause I read the..." "There's this..." "uh, report." "I'm sure you don't read it 'cause it would bore you to death." "But I do." "I read them." "I like them." "God knows why." "Probably 'cause I'm a nerd, right?" "Son, is your dad a nerd?" " Total." " See?" "He knows." "The... the second thing, and I think this is more important than the first thing, it is that... that safety and trust thing." "Um, well, first let me ask you, has an advisor ever asked you what your financial goals are?" "First thing they say." "Very first thing." "Always, right?" "And I could be wrong here, but your goal is to make as much money as possible, right?" "Isn't that..." "That's gotta be the goal, right, Sam?" " Uh, yeah, yeah." "Only point I see." " Right." "So, what I do is I invest your money exactly the way I invest mine." "Safe." "You can trust me." "You do well, I do well." "And right here inside this folder is a detailed description of exactly how I do that." "In this pocket right here, that's a history of all the assets that I've had under my management." "The ROls of those funds." "What's to stop me from taking this to the guy I've worked with for years, and tell him, "Do what Marty Byrde does"?" "Nothing." "Nothing would stop you." "You know, I'm..." "I'm not begging for your business." "I would..." "I would love to have it." "However, if you would feel more comfortable with your current manager," "I'd recommend that you do that." "'Cause, as... as I was saying, I think that the most important thing, when it comes to your money, is feeling safe." " So, you think and I'm done." "That's it." " Mm-hmm." "Okay." "I appreciate meeting you, Eugenia." "And Sam, I appreciate the meeting." " Yeah." " Beautiful art, by the way, behind him." "Son, should we do it?" "Thank you, guys, very much." " Wait." "Wait." " Yeah." "Let's do this." " What?" " Let's do this right now." " Be done with it." " Yeah?" "Come on." "Come on back in." " Right now." " Okay." "Is it okay if I leave my phone here?" " Sure." " Thanks." "You wanna tell me why Marty Byrde's still alive?" "Someone messed with my rigging'." "You said no one was gonna be there." "In the half hour it took to pick him up and bring him back... the transformer was reconnected." "What happened to your face?" " I got into a fight with a stripper." " What's that?" "Speak up." "I got..." "I got into a fight with a stripper." "She had a ring on." "I meant the cheeks and the lips and the eye caps." "You look like a whore." "You know where the phrase "Don't stick your neck out" comes from?" "Fuckin' chickens." "When they feel their head on the chopping' block, they actually stick their fuckin' necks out." "Makes it easier to chop off their own heads." "Mmm." "Stupid, huh?" "Stupid chickens." "No." "Stupid you." "You had Marty Byrde and you let him go." " I told you..." " Don't come back here until he's dead." "What do you think her dad did to end up in there?" "Well, it's a transition from a maximum security prison, so..." "Something serious." "All day, I've seen versions of how I could end up and I hate them all." "I miss who I was." "I miss my friends." "Your friends are always gonna be your friends, no matter what." "You don't know that." "You made it so that I can't tell them anything." "I have to pretend like the worst, scariest, most damaging thing in my life is actually fucking awesome." "And watching their Snapchat stories is like FOMO 24/7." "I hear you." "I really do." "Animals mimic their parents' behavior, you know that?" "But I will not suffer in silence." "I am not you." " That's not fair." " Well, where are your friends?" "What do you tell them?" "I tell them what I believe to be true." "That this is a family sabbatical." "Return to simplicity." "You hate it here, too." "It's the first thing people see when they come in." "That's the point." "Did you not hear what Marty Byrde said about it?" "He complimented it." "So, he's a smart man." " He could teach you a few things." " I introduced you two." "Kid puts blacklight posters all over his room." "Now he lectures me about art?" "Okay." "Inherits a business, and now he's the last tycoon." "You're my employee, Mom." "You work for me, remember?" " Excuse me?" " You heard me." "All I heard were the mutterings of someone who lets the dog lick peanut butter off his feet." "Can I..." "Can I ask you a question?" "Why do you have to be such a constant, 24/7, nagging, incessant fucking bitch?" "My entire fucking adult life," "I've listened to your garbage that you tell me about myself." "Is this back to that college thing?" "You never would have survived out of state." "Where do you think Marty Byrde lives, Mom?" " What do I care?" " In Buddy Dieker's old house... with Wendy Davis." "Wendy Davis Byrde." "Yeah." "That's right, Mom." "Surprise!" "They're married." "You lied to me." "Call him." "I want those papers back." "I'm gonna rip them up." "Oh, you want 'em back?" "Why don't you call him yourself, okay?" "Oh, and you know what?" "You're fired." "Where are you going?" "To put the signs on the street side, where they belong." "See how long she stays by his side when he has no business." "Wendy Davis Byrde." "Woman can't even commit to one name." "Come back in the house, Mom, okay?" "Let's just talk it out, 'cause I don't wanna fight anymore." "All right?" "You think you'd even have a job if it wasn't for me?" "You think you'd sell any houses?" "And you know we don't put the signs on the street anymore." "We put 'em on the lake side now." "You know that." " "We"?" " Okay, me." "I don't put the signs on the street anymore." ""We don't put signs on the street."" "Boy, you can't even think for yourself." "Okay, that's enough. 'Cause I think you're being childish, how about that?" " Oh, I'm being childish?" " Yeah." "Well, I am not listening to your foolishness anymore." " La, la, la, la." " Oh, you're really doing this right now?" "Seriously?" "Mom?" "Mom, get out of the way." "Mom, get out of the road!" "Would you stop worrying?" "I'll call you when it's done." "He's here." "Coming." "Hey." "I have a surprise." "You ready?" " What is this?" " I made it." "Well, me and Kinko's." "For our place." "I called the place Fly Life." "I can change it if you want, but..." "I think it's a pretty cool name." ""Caters to the high-end spin fisherman who won't settle for anything but the best."" "We'll have Pflueger open face reels." "Simms lug sole waders." "Brass and nickel bodies and blades." "Turn it over." ""Co-founders Robert Powell and Russ Langmore."" "Your name should come first, you know." "Alphabetical order." "This whole thing was your idea." " Yeah." " Anyway, you wanted to talk." "What?" "You called me, remember?" "I just... wanted to see you, is all." "Preacher did the right thing." "Look at this guy here." "Ash said he sat there for a good, long time." "Then when Byrde left, he followed." "Someone's watching Byrde, Jacob." "I don't want to wait for someone else to kill him." "My hotheaded bride." "I mean, nothing's gone right for us since he's been here." " Now he's outed us to the preacher?" " Who will go back on the water." "Our lives are different, Jacob." "Starlings spread diseases in both humans and livestock and cost up to $800 million a year to treat." "They're on the list of the world's worst invaders." " Daddy?" " Charlotte?" " You okay?" " Yeah." "Hmm?" "I'm sorry I scared you." "Well, you're home." "That's all I care about." " You all right?" "You all right?" " Yeah, yeah." "Um..." "Can I go for a swim?" "I'll talk better after." "A swim?" "Isn't it freezing outside?" "I'll wear my suit." "I'll be fine." "All right, just out to the first buoy, that's it, okay?" " A short one." " Okay." "So, how is she?" "She's depressed, lonely and anxious." "We've really fucked up, Marty." "I think she just needs some familiar, sort of connective tissue, right?" "Maybe we can convince her to try the swim team again." "No, we are way past any point of assimilation here." "We took her life away." "Everything she thought was safe is a lie." "We'll look deeper for what's here." "I know what's here." "Trust me." "It's the shit you run away from." "It's pickups and warm beer and low expectations." "It's grown men with bourbon on their breath, who lean in a little too close and say, "My, how you've grown."" "All right, do you have any suggestions what we might do?" "Yeah." "She needs to go back to Chicago." " Not an option." " Jonah needs to go with her." "Please." "We're not sending our kids away." "Marty, they need a life." "They need to stay with us." "Just forget it." "I've spoken to Coach Daniels and her spot is still available" " on the swim team, and Mr. Oakes..." " You what?" "He wants Jonah to be part of the science decathlon" " now that he's in middle..." " Hang on a sec." "You talked to both of them without talking to me first?" "I'm just trying to do what's right." "While excluding me from the process?" "What's the matter with you?" "You said that we're business partners, right?" " Yeah." " Right?" "Well, sometimes business partners disagree." "Caitlin's mom said that she would house them." "Hang on." "You trying to teach them your little trick?" "When shit gets hot, you pack up and run?" "Oh, fuck you, Marty!" "Let me tell you something." "Any of us run, we're dead." " So forget it." " Hey, Marty, look around!" "This place is death." "Jonah, he's dragging dead animals around with their guts falling out." "He wants to shoot birds out of the sky!" "There was a corpse that came up to our dock, and in our basement, right now, there is an old man dying as we speak." "Let me ask you a question." "How long before you follow them?" "To Chicago." "How long?" " We're not talking about me." " The fuck we're not." "This is another betrayal." "How long you been planning this?" " Tell me." " Hey, look." "I have done nothing since I've been here except support you, and I've been saving this family over and over again." "Great." "Wendy's here, everybody." " We're safe now." " Oh, great." "Shut up, Marty, before you say something you can't take back." "No." "Let's say exactly what we feel, Wendy." "Right now, let's be honest." "Let's do it." "Can you do it?" "Or are you just a deceitful bitch?" " Wow." " Let's have it." "You wanna..." "You wanna talk about betrayal?" "Really?" "You wanna go there?" "Okay." "You have a video on your computer of me." " Yeah." " Mm-hmm." "That's just a confirmation of exactly who you are." "You've been watching it for months." "There's a counter on that thing and you have watched it 27 times." "You think I wanted to see that even once, Wendy?" "If you knew, why didn't you confront me?" "And what would I say?" "Anything!" "Anything at all." "Instead of pushing all of those emotions down, distancing yourself" " from anything you feel." " Hang on..." "Do not change the subject to me 'cause we're talking about you." " We're talking about that." " You have walled me out!" " Wendy, we're talking about you..." " But Bruce?" " You've never talked to me..." " and how you lived a lie" " every goddamn night." " about how he betrayed you." "Every night you came home to this family, you were living a fuckin' lie." "How do you do that?" "I don't get it." "I don't understand how you did that." "Explain it to me." "You slapped my ass, Marty." "Yeah, I slapped your ass because I thought that you liked it." "Oh, that is such bullshit" " and you know it." "You are full of shit." " Why is it bullshit that I would want to do something you might like?" " My own wife." "But I was so confused..." " Just stop." "About what you might like, I ended up doing exactly what your lover did." " Stop it!" " That's fuckin' bullshit." "Do you know how many times you could've said no to that guy?" "You could've said no the first drink that he bought you." "Right?" " Stop." " You could've said no when he asked for your number, but you didn't." "You could've said no the first goddamn motel room that you booked." "Or the first time he stuck his fuckin' tongue down your throat." "Right?" "Or the fuckin' first time he slapped your ass." "Why would I say no, Marty?" "Why?" "Who was I saving myself for?" "Intimacy from you?" " I don't know." " Any affection from you?" " Well, you didn't, did you?" " You shut me out the minute we decided to launder the stupid fucking money." "Well, maybe I was trying to protect you." "I didn't want protection!" "I wanted you." "I wanted you, you idiot." "Why do you even want me here?" "Necessity." "Not desire." "Why didn't you let Del kill me when he had the chance?" "Oh, what?" "What?" "No dry, witty comeback?" "No more truth?" "Okay." "All right, Marty." "Why don't you just tell me the fuckin' truth?" "Just tell me the truth." "Oh, you broke my heart, Wendy."