Fargo (1996) - full transcript
Jerry works in his father-in-law's car dealership and has gotten himself in financial problems. He tries various schemes to come up with money needed for a reason that is never really explained. It has to be assumed that his huge embezzlement of money from the dealership is about to be discovered by father-in-law. When all else falls through, plans he set in motion earlier for two men to kidnap his wife for ransom to be paid by her wealthy father (who doesn't seem to have the time of day for son-in-law). From the moment of the kidnapping, things go wrong and what was supposed to be a non-violent affair turns bloody with more blood added by the minute. Jerry is upset at the bloodshed, which turns loose a pregnant sheriff from Brainerd, MN who is tenacious in attempting to solve the three murders in her jurisdiction.
And keep your retirement
And your so-called
social security
Big city, turn me loose
and set me free...
I'm Jerry Lundegaard.
You're Jerry Lundegaard?
Yeah.
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.
I'm sure sorry.
Shep told me 8:30.
It was a mix-up,
I guess.
You got the car?
Yeah. You bet.
It's out in the lot there,
brand-new,
burnt umber Cierra.
Yeah, okay.
Well, sit down, then.
I'm Carl Showalter.
This is my associate,
Gaear Grimsrud.
Yeah. How you doing?
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.
Huh?
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 you.
Shep didn't
tell us much, Jerry.
We'll, 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 lot of 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...
I'm not gonna get 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 fucking 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?
Yeah, personal matters
that needn't...
Okay, Jerry.
You're tasking us
to perform this mission,
but you won't...
You won't...
Fuck it.
Let's take a look
at that Cierra.
Hon?
Hi, hon!
Welcome back!
How was Fargo?
Yeah, real good.
Dad's here.
...leads
the Badgers in goal production
with five this year.
How you doing, Wade?
Yeah, pretty good.
What you
watching there?
Gophers.
Who they playing?
Ooh!
Is he staying
for supper, then?
Yeah. I think so.
- Dad?
- What?
Are you staying
for supper?
Yeah.
May I be
excused?
You done there?
Uh-huh.
I'm going out.
Where are you going?
Just out.
Just McDonald's.
Back at 9:30.
Okay.
He just ate.
He didn't finish.
Going to McDonald's
instead of finishing here.
He sees 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 you.
It's okay, Dad.
Wade, have you had
a chance to think about
that deal I was
talking about,
those 40 acres there,
in Wayzata?
You told me about it.
Yeah, 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 did you say
you were gonna put there?
A lot. It's a...
I know it's a lot.
I mean a parking lot.
Well, 750,000 is a lot.
Yeah, well,
it's a chunk, but...
I had a couple lots,
late 503.
Lost a lot of money.
A lot of money.
Yeah. 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 asking 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 a steak, maybe.
Not more fucking pancakes.
Come on.
Oh, come on, man.
Okay. Here's an idea.
We can stop
outside of Brainerd.
I know a place there
where we can get laid.
What do you think?
I'm fucking
hungry now, you know.
Yeah, yeah, Jesus.
I'm saying we can stop,
get pancakes,
and then we'll
get laid, all right?
Lou Diamond, line one.
We sat
right here in this room
and went over
this and over this.
Yeah, but that TruCoat...
I sat right here
and said I didn't
want any TruCoat.
Yeah, but I'm saying
that TruCoat.
You don't get it,
you get oxidation problems.
It'll cost you
a heck of a lot
more than $500.
You're sitting there.
You're talking
in circles.
You're talking like
we didn't go over
this already.
Yeah, but this TruCoat...
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 saying I didn't.
You called me
20 minutes ago and said
you had it ready
to make delivery.
You says,
"Come on down
and get it."
And here you are,
and you're wasting
my time and my wife's time,
and I'm paying 19,500
for this vehicle here.
All right.
I'll talk to my boss.
See.
they Install that TruCoat
at the factory.
There's nothing we can do,
but I'll talk to my boss.
These guys here.
These guys.
It's always the same.
It's always more.
You going to
the Gophers on Sunday?
Oh, you betcha.
You wouldn't have
an extra ticket?
You kidding?
Well,
he never
done this before,
but seeing as
It's special circumstances
and all.
He says I can knock
$100 off that TruCoat.
100?
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, starring...
I am talking
about your potential.
Mmm-hmm.
You're not a C student.
Yeah.
Yet you're getting
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
going 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?
Yeah, hiya, hon.
Oh. hi. Dad.
Is Jerry around?
Yeah. Hon!
Yeah, he's here.
Yeah, I'll catch him
for you.
- Hon!
- Yeah?
Okay.
It's Dad.
Look, Dad,
there's no fucking way...
Scotty!
Hey, let's watch
that language there.
How you doing there, Wade?
What's going on there?
Nothing, Wade.
How you doing there?
Stan Grossman
looked at your proposal.
He says
it's pretty sweet.
No kidding?
Might be interested.
No kidding?
I'd need the cash
pretty quick there,
in order to
close the deal.
Come by at 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.
Yeah. Okay.
Say, Shep,
how you doing there?
Say, you know
those two fellas
you put me
in touch with
up there in Fargo?
I put you in
touch with Grimsrud.
Yeah, well, he had
a buddy there.
Then I don't vouch for him.
Well, that's okay.
I vouch for Grimsrud.
Who's his buddy?
Carl something.
Never heard of him.
Don't vouch for him.
Well, that's okay.
He's a buddy of
the guy you vouched for,
so I'm not worried.
I just...
I was wondering,
see, I got to get
in touch with him.
See, this deal I needed
him for, I may not
need it anymore.
Something's happening. see.
Call him up.
Yeah, well, see, I did that,
and I haven't
been able to get him,
so I thought maybe you'd
know an alternate number,
or what have you.
Nope.
Okay. Well...
Real good, then.
Can you crack
a fucking
window open, man?
You know, it's proven
that secondhand smoke is...
You know, a cancer agent.
Hey, look at that.
Twin Cities.
That's the IDS Building,
the big glass one.
Tallest skyscraper
in the Midwest after
the Sears in Chicago,
or John Hancock building,
whatever.
You ever been
to Minneapolis?
No.
Would it kill you
to say something?
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 sitting here driving.
I'm doing
all the driving, man,
whole fucking way
from Brainerd, driving.
Just trying to chat.
You know,
keep our spirits up,
fight the boredom
of the road,
and you can't say
one fucking 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 fucking 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 GMAC.
How are you this morning?
Real good.
How you doing?
Pretty good,
Mr. Lundegaard.
You're damn hard
to get on the phone.
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...
What? The...
Yeah, 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.
[just can't read
the serial numbers
on your application.
Maybe if you
could just read...
Yeah, but the deal's
already done.
I already got the money.
Yes, but if we have
an audit here,
[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...
Yeah, but... See...
I don't have
them in front of me.
Why don't I just
fax you over a copy?
No, well, no,
fax is no good.
That's what I have,
and I can't read
the darn thing.
Yeah, 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 got to
call back that money.
Yeah, how much
money was that?
320,000.
I got to correlate
that money
with the cars
it's being lent on.
Yeah. Okay. no problem.
I'll just fax
that right over.
No, no, no. Fax...
I mean, send it over.
I'll shoot it
right over to you, then.
Okay, okay. Fine.
Okay. Real good, then.
We're back with Katie Carlson.
Hi.
Now, before
we get going here,
we just want to 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,
for those of you
that just joined us,
Katie here, this morning,
is going to show us
how to make
Holidazzle eggs
ourselves, at home.
What?
Now. Katie. I gotta admit...
I was a little bit surprised
when I first picked this up.
Right.
This is an empty egg.
That's right, Dale.
Well, how do you
get the egg...
Yeah.
Theme was an egg
in here. right?
Okay, 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...
Unguent
What?
I need unguent.
No.
No...
You want to do it?
Push.
How are you, Stan?
How you doing, Wade?
Good to see you
again, Jerry.
If these numbers
are right,
this looks pretty sweet.
Those numbers
are right, all right.
Believe me.
This is doable.
Congratulations, Jer.
Yeah, thanks, Stan.
Well, it's a pretty...
What kind of finder's fee
were you looking 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 talking about?
Stan and I are okay.
Yeah.
We're good to load In.
Yeah.
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.
Yeah. Right.
You're saying...
What are you saying?
You're saying
we put in all the money,
and you collect
when it pays off.
No, no. See... But I'd...
I'd pay you back
the principal
and interest.
Heck, 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 North Star.
He's at...
No, no. See, Lu
I don't need a finder's fee.
I need...
Finder's fee is,
what, 10%?
Heck, that's not
gonna do it for me.
I need the principal.
Well, Jerry, we're not gonna
just give you $750,000.
What the heck
were you thinking?
If I'm only
getting bank interest,
I want complete security.
Heck, FDIC.
I don't see nothing
like that here.
Yeah, but I...
Okay. I...
I guarantee you
your money back.
I'm not talking about
your damn word, Jerry.
Jeez!
What the heck are you...
We're not a bank, Jerry.
Well, look.
I don't want to 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 on it
independenfly.
Damn it!
Hon?
I 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.
I don't know what to do.
It's Jean.
Yeah, Wade, I...
It's Jerry. I...
Wade, it's Jerry.
I... We gotta talk.
It's something...
Jeez. It's terrible.
Yeah, Wade Gustafson, please.
Shut the fuck up,
or I'll throw you
back into the trunk,
you know.
Jesus, that's more than
I've heard you say all week.
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 is a new car,
then, sir?
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, please?
Certainly.
Yeah, I was gonna
tape up those...
The tag.
You know,
to be in full compliance,
but it must have...
It must have
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 want to 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 smooth,
smooth, you know?
Oh, daddy.
Just clear him
off the road.
Yeah.
No!
Oh, jeez.
Hi. It's Marge.
Oh, my. Where?
Yeah?
Oh, jeez.
Okay. There in a jiff.
Real good, then.
You can sleep.
It's early yet.
Got to go?
Yeah.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
It's okay, hon.
I gotta run.
You got to eat
a breakfast, Marge.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
Hon, you can sleep.
You gotta
eat a breakfast.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
Norm.
Thanks, hon.
Time to shove off.
Love you, Margie.
Love you, hon.
Hon?
Yeah?
Prowler needs a jump.
Hiya, Lou.
What you 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 them
are over here.
Where is everybody?
Well, it's cold, Margie.
Watch your step, Margie.
Jeez.Sou.
Jeez!
Here's the second one!
It's in the head
and the hand there.
I guess that's
a defensive wound.
Oh, yeah?
Where's the
state trooper?
Back there a good piece,
in the ditch
next to his prowler.
Okay.
So we got a trooper
pulls someone over.
We got a shooting.
These folks drive by.
There's
a high-speed pursuit.
ends here.
And then this
execution-type deal.
Yeah.
I'd be very surprised
if our suspect
was from Brainerd.
Yeah.
And I'll tell you what.
From his footprint,
he looks like
a big fella.
You see something
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.
Yeah?
Yeah. Now
I'm hungry again.
You have breakfast
yet, Margie?
Oh, yeah.
Norm made some eggs.
Yeah?
Well...
What now, do you think?
Let's go take
a look at that trooper.
There's different
footprints here, Lou.
Yeah?
Yeah. This guy's
smaller than his buddy.
Oh, yeah?
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.
It's a real shame.
Yeah.
Didn't monkey
with his car there,
did you?
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 have
been cold out here.
Heck, yeah.
You think is Dave
open yet?
Dave?
You don't think
he's mixed up in...
Oh, no, no. I just
want to get Norm
some night crawlers.
Did you look
in his citation book?
Yeah. Last vehicle
he wrote in was
a tan Cierra at 2:18 am.
Under plate
number he put "DLR."
I figure they stopped him
or shot him
before he could finish
filling out the tag number.
So, I got the State
looking for a Cierra
with a tag starting "DLR."
They don't got
no match yet.
I'm not sure that
I agree with you 100%
on your police
work there, Lou.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I think that vehicle there
probably had dealer plates.
"DLR."
Oh.
Jeez.
Say, Lou,
did you hear
the one about the guy
who couldn't afford
personalized plates,
So he went and changed
his name to J3L-2404?
Yeah. That's a good one.
Look, all's 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.
If 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...
There they are.
They got my daughter.
Think this thing
through here, Wade.
You give them what they want,
why won't they let her go?
You got to
listen to me
on this one, Wade.
Heck, you don't know.
You're just whistling
Dixie here.
I'm saying the cops,
they can
advise us on this.
I'm saying
call a professional.
No. No cops.
That's final.
This is my deal
here, Wade.
Yeah.
Jean is my wife here.
I gotta tell you, Wade,
I'm leaning to
Jerry's viewpoint here.
Well...
We got to
protect Jean.
These”.
We're not holding
any cards here, Wade.
They got them all.
So they call the shots.
You're darn tooting.
Oh, damn it.
I'm telling you.
Well, why don't we...
Stan, I'm thinking
we should offer them
a half a million.
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, well,
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?
Yeah. Real good, now.
How you doing?
Okay.
Now, we'll get
the money together.
Don't worry
about it, Jerry.
Now, do you want anyone
at home with you
till they call?
No. I...
They don't...
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 watching.
You know,
maybe it's all bull,
but like you said, Stan,
they're calling the shots.
Okay.
Now, is Scotty
gonna be all right?
Yeah. Jeez. Scotty.
Yeah. I'll go
talk to him.
How you doing
there, Scotty?
Dad...
What are they doing?
What do you think
they're doing with Mom?
It's okay, Scotty.
They're not gonna
wanna hurt her any.
These men,
they just want money.
Yeah, well,
what if something
goes wrong, Dad?
No, no.
Nothing's going
wrong here.
Granddad and I,
we're, we're making 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 you,
but we gotta play ball.
You know?
That's the deal here.
So 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.
No!
No!
Oh, God.
Lunchtime.
Thanks,
Margaret.
Hi. Hey.
Willy. Carol.
Janie, two more of those
Skin 80 Soft, please.
Sure thing.
Hiya, hon.
I brought you
some lunch, Margie.
What are those?
Night crawlers?
Yeah.
Oh, thanks, hon.
You bet.
Thanks for lunch.
Yeah.
Looks pretty good.
What do we
got here, Amy's?
How's the painting going?
Pretty good.
Found out the Hautmans
are entering
a painting this year.
Hon, you're better
than them.
They're real good.
They're good, Norm,
but you're
better than them.
You think so?
Hey, you got Arby's
all over me.
Hiya, Norm.
How's the painting going?
Not too bad.
You know.
How we doing
on that vehicle?
Well, no motels registered
any tan Cierra last night,
but the night before,
two men checked
into the Blue Ox,
registering a Cierra
and leaving
the tag space blank.
Jeez, that's
a good lead.
Yeah.
Blue Ox, that's
that truckers' joint
out there on I-35?
Yeah. Owner was
on the desk then.
Said these two
had company.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
Yeah, we both did.
She went to college, too.
I went to
Normandale for about
a year and a half.
Yeah, that's where
we met.
But I dropped out,
though.
Yeah.
She dropped.
Yeah.
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
fellows looked like.
Well, the little guy,
he was kind of
funny-looking.
In what way?
I don't know.
Just funny-looking.
Can you be
any more specific?
I couldn't really say.
He wasn't circumcised.
Was he funny-looking
apart from that?
Yeah.
So, you were having 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-looking.
More than
most people, even.
What about
the other fella?
He was a little older.
You know,
he looked like
the Marlboro Man.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
But maybe I'm saying
that, you know,
'cause he smoked
a lot of Marlboros.
You know,
like a subconscious
type of thing.
Oh, yeah,
that can happen.
Yeah.
Hey, they said
they were going to
the Twin Cities.
Oh. yeah?
Yeah!
Yeah, is that
useful to you?
You betcha. Yeah.
Yeah
Yeah.
Come on!
Goddamn it!
Jesus Christ.
Fucking shitbox.
Been here for days.
Damn it.
Nothing to do.
Fucking TV
doesn't even...
Damn it, come on!
Plug me in, man.
Give me a fucking 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 turning in, Norm.
Oh, yeah?
Here it is, throwing
off the larval envelope.
Hello?
Yeah.
Is this Marge?
Yeah.
Margie Olmstead?
Yeah. Who's this?
This is Mike Yanagita!
You know, Mike Yanagita.
Remember me?
Mike Yanagita?
Yeah!
Well, yeah!
Course I remember you.
How are you doing?
What time is it?
Oh, jeez.
It's 10:45.
I hope
I didn't wake you.
No. That's okay.
Yeah, 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.
Yeah.
I thought,
"Jeez, is that
Margie Olmstead?"
I can't believe it.
Yeah, that's me.
Well, how the heck
are you?
Okay. You know.
Okay.
Yeah?
Yeah.
How you doing?
Pretty good.
Well, heck.
It's been such
a longtime, Mike.
It's great to
hear from you.
Yeah, you got your...
This is loaded here.
This has
your independent...
Your front-wheel drive,
rack-and-pinion steering,
antilock brakes,
alarm, radar,
and I can give it to you
with a heck of a sealant.
This TruCoat stuff,
it'll keep the salt off.
Yeah, I don't need
no sealant, though.
Yeah.
You don't need that.
Now, were you thinking
of financing here?
You ought to be aware
of this GMAC 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 Cierra
working out for you?
Circumstances
have changed, Jerry.
Well...
What do you mean?
Things have changed.
Circumstances, Jerry,
beyond the acts of God.
Force majeure.
What the...
How's Jean?
Who's Jean?
My wife. What the...
She's all right,
but there's three people
up in Brainerd
who aren't so okay,
I'll tell you that.
What the heck
are you talking 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 talking 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...
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 coming 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 them!
The heck do you mean?
"The heck do you mean?"
I'll see you tomorrow.
Yeah?
Jerome Lundegaard?
Yeah.
This is Reilly Diefenbach
at GMAC.
Sir, I've not received
those vehicle IDs
you promised.
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 doing, Margie?
How's the fricassee?
Pretty darn good.
You want some?
Oh, no. I got...
Hey, Norm, I thought
you was going ice fishing
up at Mille Lacs.
Yeah. After lunch.
What you got there?
The 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.
A What?
Shep Proudfoot.
That's a name.
Yeah.
Okay. Yeah.
Think I'll take
a drive
down there, then.
Oh, yeah?
Twin Cities.
Oh, yeah?
Damn it, I want to 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 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 going to
a professional.
No. see...
There's $1 million here.
No. See...
Look, Jerry,
you're not selling me
a damn car!
It's my show here.
That's that!
It's the way we'd prefer
to handle it, Jerry.
Hi. How you doing?
Real good.
How are you doing
today, ma'am?
I'm doing really
super there. Thanks.
I'm Mrs. Gunderson.
I have a reservation.
Yep.
You sure do,
Mrs. Gunderson.
Is there a phone
down here, you think?
Detective Sibert?
Yeah, 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 USFI search
on Shep Proudfoot.
Oh, yeah?
Well, maybe
I'll go visit with him
if I have...
No. I can find that.
Yeah. Well,
thanks a bunch.
Say, say, would you
happen to know
a good place for lunch
in the downtown area?
The Radisson.
Oh, yeah?
Is it reasonable?
Hi. How you doing?
Yeah. I decided
not to park here.
Well, 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...
Yeah, I decided
not to... I...
You know, I'm not...
I decided
not to take the trip,
as it turns out, so...
Well, I'm sorry, sir,
we still got to
charge you the $4.
I just pulled in here.
I just fucking
pulled in here.
Well, but...
See, there's a minimum
charge of $4.
Long-term parking
charges by the day.
I guess you think
you're, you know,
like an authority figure.
That stupid
fucking uniform,
huh, buddy?
King clip-on tie there.
Big fucking man, huh?
You know, these are
the limits
of your life, man.
Ruler of your
little fucking gate here.
Here. There's your $4,
you pathetic piece of shit.
Where's Shep?
Talking 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?
Yep.
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 want
to be an accessory
to something like that.
So, you think
you might remember
who those folks
were who called you?
Mr. Lundegaard?
Yeah.
Could I take just a minute
of your time here?
What is it all about?
Do you mind
if I sit down?
Carrying quite
a load here.
You're the owner here,
Mr. Lundegaard?
No. 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 Cierra.
Mr. Lundegaard.
Brainerd.
Yeah, yeah.
Home of Paul Bunyan,
Babe, the Blue Ox.
Babe, the Blue Ox.
Yeah, you know,
we got that
big statue up there.
So, you haven't had
any vehicles
go missing, then?
Nope. No, ma'am.
Okey-dokey.
Thanks a bunch.
I'll let you get back
to your paperwork, then.
Service.
Yeah. get me Shep.
He's not here
right now.
What the heck
do you mean?
He stepped out.
Where'd he go? It's only...
I'll get you Artie.
No. I don't need
a mechanic. I need a...
Jeez. I gotta talk
to a friend of his,
so...
Have him...
What?
Oh, jeez.
Mike?
Marge?
Jeez! Oh, you look great!
Yeah. 80 do you.
Easy there. Easy...
Easy there.
Easy there.
You do, too.
I'm expecting now.
I see that.
That's great.
What can I get you?
Just a Diet Coke, please.
Great.
This is a nice place.
Yeah. You know,
it's the Radisson,
so it's pretty good.
Yeah.
So...
You're living
in Edina, then?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
A couple of years now.
It's actually
Eden Prairie.
That school district.
80, Chief Gunderson, then!
So, you went and married
Norm son-of-a-Gunderson.
Oh, yeah.
Long time ago.
Great, great.
So, what brings you down?
Are you down here
on that homicide,
if you're allowed,
you know,
to discuss that?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
But there's not
a heck of
a lot to discuss.
Okay.
Well, what about you, Mike?
Are you married?
You got kids?
Yeah, yeah. Well...
I was married.
I was married to...
You mind
if I sit over here?
I was married
to Linda Cooksey.
No. Why don't
you sit over there?
I prefer that.
Okay.
Sorry.
No. no.
Just so I can see you.
Don't have to turn my neck.
Sure, sure. I understand.
I didn't mean to...
No, no. That's fine.
Yeah, sorry. Sorry.
So, 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!
So, it didn't
work out, huh?
And then I've been
working for Honeywell
for a few years now.
Well, they're
a good outfit.
Yeah, if you're
an engineer, yeah,
you could do a lot worse.
But it's not...
It's nothing like
your achievement.
Well, it sounds like
you're doing really super.
It's not that...
It's not that things
didn't work out. It's...
Linda had leukemia,
you know.
She was...
She passed away.
No.
It was tough.
There you go.
It was long...
She fought
real hard, Marge.
You know...
So, what can you say?
Better times, huh?
Better times.
And then I saw you on the TV
and I remembered, you know?
I always liked you.
Well, I always
liked you...
I always
liked you so much.
So, Mike, should
we get together
another time, you think?
NOH...
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 tonight.
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 you
from around here?
Just in town on business.
Just in and out.
Just a little
of the old in-and-out.
What do you do?
I...
You been to
the Celebrity Room
before?
With other clients?
I don't think so.
It's nice.
Yeah, well,
depends on the artist.
You know, Jose Feliciano,
you got no complaints.
Waiter!
What is he, deaf?
So...
How long you work
for the escort service?
I don't know.
A few months.
Find that work
interesting, do you?
What are you
talking about?
Right.
Come on.
I'm hearing bells.
Come on.
All right.
Where were you?
Shep, what the hell
are you doing?
I'm banging that girl.
Fucking asshole.
Get the fuck
out of here.
Put me back in Stillwater,
you little
fucking shithead.
Get the fuck out of here.
Yo!
Cut that shit out, man.
Trying to get some
goddamn sleep here.
Come on, brother...
Fuck you!
Fuck you.
Animals!
Stay away from me, man.
Hey, smoke
a fucking peace pipe!
Don't you dare
fucking hit me!
Fucking little weasel!
Fuck you. man.
Stop it!
You fucking, motherfucking,
son-of-a-bitching,
fucking cock!
Jesus Christ! You fucking
shitbag motherfucker!
Yeah?
All right, Jerry,
I'm through
fucking around.
You got
the fucking money?
Yeah, I got
the money, but...
Don't you fucking
but me, Jerry.
I want you to put this money
in the Dayton Radisson
parking ramp, top level,
30 minutes, Jerry,
we wrap this thing up.
Okay. But...
Hey, 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 your little
fucking children
and I shoot them 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 going?
I'll be back
in a minute.
If Stan calls,
you just tell him
I went to Embers.
Okay.
Here's your damn money.
Now, where's my daughter?
Yeah.
You goddamn punk!
Who the fuck are you?
Who the fuck are you?
I got your damn money.
Now, where's my daughter?
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?
You fucking imbeciles!
You fucking shot me!
May I have your ticket,
please?
Open the fucking gate!
Oh, jeez.
Dad?
Yeah?
Stan Grossman called.
Yeah. Okay.
Twice.
Okay.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Are you calling Stan?
Well, I'm...
I'm going to bed now.
How you doing?
Mr. Mohra?
Yeah?
Officer Olson.
Yeah. Righto.
Well...
So I'm tending bar
down there at Ecklund and
Swedlin's last Tuesday,
and this little
guy's drinking,
and he says,
"Where can a guy
find some action?
"I'm going 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 going crazy
out there at the lake."
And I says,
"Yeah, but this ain't
that kind of place.”
He says, "Oh, so I get it.
So you think I'm some
kind of jerk for asking."
Only he don't use
the word "jerk."
I understand.
Then he calls me a jerk.
Says the last guy
thought he's a jerk
is dead now.
So, I don't
say nothing.
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.
Yeah, he says,
"Yeah,
that guy's dead,
"and I don't mean
of old age."
And then he says,
"Jeez, I'm going 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.
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-looking.
In what way?
Just in a general
kind of way.
Okay.
Well. thanks a bunch,
Mr. Mohra.
You're right.
It's probably nothing,
but thanks
for calling her in.
Sure.
Looks like she's gonna
turn cold tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Got a front coming in.
Yeah.
You got that right.
Jesus Christ.
Valerie,
I'm leaving this morning,
back up to Brainerd.
Well, I'm sorry
I won't see you.
But you think
he's all right?
I saw him
last night and...
What did he say?
Well, it's nothing
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 was bothering Linda
for about...
For a good year.
Really pestering her,
wouldn't
leave her alone.
So...
He didn't...
He never...
No! No,
they never married.
Mike's had
psychiatric problems.
Oh, my.
Yeah, 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?
Yeah... No.
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?
Carrying a bit
of a load here.
No, I...
Yeah, it's this vehicle
I asked about yesterday.
I was just wondering...
Yeah, like I told you,
we haven't had
any vehicles go missing.
Okay. Are you sure?
'Cause I mean,
how do you 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.
Yeah, 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 doing a...
Well, I would know.
I'm the Executive
Sales Manager.
Yeah, but I understand...
We run a pretty tight
ship here.
I know, but...
Well, how do
they establish that, sir?
I mean.
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's no...
Sir, you have no call
to get snippy with me.
I'm just doing
my job here.
I'm...
I'm not...
I'm not arguing here.
I'm cooperating,
and there's no...
We're doing 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 working with you
on this thing here, but...
Okay!
I'll do a damn
lot count!
Sir, right now?
Yeah! Right now.
You're darn tooting!
If it's so damned
important to you.
Well, I'm sorry, sir.
What the Christ! Jeez!
Bob Elcorona, line two.
For Pete's sake.
For Pete's sake,
he's fleeing
the interview.
He's fleeing
the interview!
How do I get
an outside line here?
All right.
Yeah.
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.
I'm pregnant.
I've had a doctor's test,
I've got the certificate,
and there's no
doubt about it.
I'm gonna have your baby.
Now, look here.
I can explain this.
See, Robin was...
Is a student of mine.
You should see
the other guy.
No, no, no.
It wasn't anything
like that.
You don't understand!
I read that letter
that she wrote.
I think I understand
all there is...
What happened to her?
She started shrieking,
you know.
Jeez.
Well, I got the money.
All of it, all 80 grand.
That's 40 for you,
40 for me.
That's it, then.
You can have my truck.
I'm taking the Cierra.
We split that.
How the fuck do
you split a fucking car,
you dummy?
With a fucking chain saw?
One of us pays
the other for half.
Hold on.
No fucking way.
Did you fucking
notice this?
I got fucking shot!
I got fucking
shot in the face!
I went and got
the fucking money!
I got shot
fucking picking it up!
I've been up
for 36 fucking hours!
I'm taking
that fucking car!
That fuck is mine,
you fucking asshole.
You know, I've been
listening to your
fucking bullshit all week!
Are we square?
Are we square?
Yeah, you fucking mute!
And if you see your friend,
Shep Proudfoot,
tell him I'm gonna
nail his fucking ass.
I'll call you...
Later.
His wife.
This guy says she was
kidnapped last Wednesday.
The day of
our homicides.
Yeah.
And this guy was who?
Lundegaard's
father-in-law's
accountant.
Gustafson's accountant.
Yeah.
But we still
haven't found Gustafson?
...looking...
Sorry. Didn't copy, Lou.
Still missing.
We're looking.
Copy.
And Lundegaard. too?
Yeah.
Where are you. Margie?
I'm almost back.
I'm taking a drive
around Moose Lake.
Gary's loudmouth.
Yeah, the loudmouth.
So the whole state
has it, huh?
Gustafson and Lundegaard?
Yeah.
It's over the wire.
It's everywhere.
They'll find them.
Copy.
Yeah, we got
a lead on this...
There's the car!
There's the car!
Whose car?
My car! My car!
Tan Cierra! Tan Cierra!
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.
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?
Yeah, yeah,
just a sec.
Just a sec.
- Dale!
- My leg!
No!
They announced it.
They announced it?
Yeah.
So?
Three-cent stamp.
Your mallard?
Yeah.
That's terrific.
It's just
a three-cent.
It's terrific.
Hautman's
blue-winged teal
got the 29-Cent.
People don't much
use the three-cent.
Oh, for Pete's...
Of course they do.
Whenever they
raise the postage,
people need
the little stamps.
Yeah?
When they're stuck
with a bunch
of the old ones.
Yeah.
I guess.
That's terrific.
I'm so proud
of you, Norm.
Heck, Norm, you know,
we're doing pretty good.
I love you, Margie.
I love you, Norm.
Two more months.
Two more months.
And your so-called
social security
Big city, turn me loose
and set me free...
I'm Jerry Lundegaard.
You're Jerry Lundegaard?
Yeah.
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.
I'm sure sorry.
Shep told me 8:30.
It was a mix-up,
I guess.
You got the car?
Yeah. You bet.
It's out in the lot there,
brand-new,
burnt umber Cierra.
Yeah, okay.
Well, sit down, then.
I'm Carl Showalter.
This is my associate,
Gaear Grimsrud.
Yeah. How you doing?
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.
Huh?
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 you.
Shep didn't
tell us much, Jerry.
We'll, 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 lot of 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...
I'm not gonna get 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 fucking 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?
Yeah, personal matters
that needn't...
Okay, Jerry.
You're tasking us
to perform this mission,
but you won't...
You won't...
Fuck it.
Let's take a look
at that Cierra.
Hon?
Hi, hon!
Welcome back!
How was Fargo?
Yeah, real good.
Dad's here.
...leads
the Badgers in goal production
with five this year.
How you doing, Wade?
Yeah, pretty good.
What you
watching there?
Gophers.
Who they playing?
Ooh!
Is he staying
for supper, then?
Yeah. I think so.
- Dad?
- What?
Are you staying
for supper?
Yeah.
May I be
excused?
You done there?
Uh-huh.
I'm going out.
Where are you going?
Just out.
Just McDonald's.
Back at 9:30.
Okay.
He just ate.
He didn't finish.
Going to McDonald's
instead of finishing here.
He sees 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 you.
It's okay, Dad.
Wade, have you had
a chance to think about
that deal I was
talking about,
those 40 acres there,
in Wayzata?
You told me about it.
Yeah, 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 did you say
you were gonna put there?
A lot. It's a...
I know it's a lot.
I mean a parking lot.
Well, 750,000 is a lot.
Yeah, well,
it's a chunk, but...
I had a couple lots,
late 503.
Lost a lot of money.
A lot of money.
Yeah. 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 asking 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 a steak, maybe.
Not more fucking pancakes.
Come on.
Oh, come on, man.
Okay. Here's an idea.
We can stop
outside of Brainerd.
I know a place there
where we can get laid.
What do you think?
I'm fucking
hungry now, you know.
Yeah, yeah, Jesus.
I'm saying we can stop,
get pancakes,
and then we'll
get laid, all right?
Lou Diamond, line one.
We sat
right here in this room
and went over
this and over this.
Yeah, but that TruCoat...
I sat right here
and said I didn't
want any TruCoat.
Yeah, but I'm saying
that TruCoat.
You don't get it,
you get oxidation problems.
It'll cost you
a heck of a lot
more than $500.
You're sitting there.
You're talking
in circles.
You're talking like
we didn't go over
this already.
Yeah, but this TruCoat...
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 saying I didn't.
You called me
20 minutes ago and said
you had it ready
to make delivery.
You says,
"Come on down
and get it."
And here you are,
and you're wasting
my time and my wife's time,
and I'm paying 19,500
for this vehicle here.
All right.
I'll talk to my boss.
See.
they Install that TruCoat
at the factory.
There's nothing we can do,
but I'll talk to my boss.
These guys here.
These guys.
It's always the same.
It's always more.
You going to
the Gophers on Sunday?
Oh, you betcha.
You wouldn't have
an extra ticket?
You kidding?
Well,
he never
done this before,
but seeing as
It's special circumstances
and all.
He says I can knock
$100 off that TruCoat.
100?
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, starring...
I am talking
about your potential.
Mmm-hmm.
You're not a C student.
Yeah.
Yet you're getting
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
going 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?
Yeah, hiya, hon.
Oh. hi. Dad.
Is Jerry around?
Yeah. Hon!
Yeah, he's here.
Yeah, I'll catch him
for you.
- Hon!
- Yeah?
Okay.
It's Dad.
Look, Dad,
there's no fucking way...
Scotty!
Hey, let's watch
that language there.
How you doing there, Wade?
What's going on there?
Nothing, Wade.
How you doing there?
Stan Grossman
looked at your proposal.
He says
it's pretty sweet.
No kidding?
Might be interested.
No kidding?
I'd need the cash
pretty quick there,
in order to
close the deal.
Come by at 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.
Yeah. Okay.
Say, Shep,
how you doing there?
Say, you know
those two fellas
you put me
in touch with
up there in Fargo?
I put you in
touch with Grimsrud.
Yeah, well, he had
a buddy there.
Then I don't vouch for him.
Well, that's okay.
I vouch for Grimsrud.
Who's his buddy?
Carl something.
Never heard of him.
Don't vouch for him.
Well, that's okay.
He's a buddy of
the guy you vouched for,
so I'm not worried.
I just...
I was wondering,
see, I got to get
in touch with him.
See, this deal I needed
him for, I may not
need it anymore.
Something's happening. see.
Call him up.
Yeah, well, see, I did that,
and I haven't
been able to get him,
so I thought maybe you'd
know an alternate number,
or what have you.
Nope.
Okay. Well...
Real good, then.
Can you crack
a fucking
window open, man?
You know, it's proven
that secondhand smoke is...
You know, a cancer agent.
Hey, look at that.
Twin Cities.
That's the IDS Building,
the big glass one.
Tallest skyscraper
in the Midwest after
the Sears in Chicago,
or John Hancock building,
whatever.
You ever been
to Minneapolis?
No.
Would it kill you
to say something?
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 sitting here driving.
I'm doing
all the driving, man,
whole fucking way
from Brainerd, driving.
Just trying to chat.
You know,
keep our spirits up,
fight the boredom
of the road,
and you can't say
one fucking 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 fucking 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 GMAC.
How are you this morning?
Real good.
How you doing?
Pretty good,
Mr. Lundegaard.
You're damn hard
to get on the phone.
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...
What? The...
Yeah, 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.
[just can't read
the serial numbers
on your application.
Maybe if you
could just read...
Yeah, but the deal's
already done.
I already got the money.
Yes, but if we have
an audit here,
[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...
Yeah, but... See...
I don't have
them in front of me.
Why don't I just
fax you over a copy?
No, well, no,
fax is no good.
That's what I have,
and I can't read
the darn thing.
Yeah, 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 got to
call back that money.
Yeah, how much
money was that?
320,000.
I got to correlate
that money
with the cars
it's being lent on.
Yeah. Okay. no problem.
I'll just fax
that right over.
No, no, no. Fax...
I mean, send it over.
I'll shoot it
right over to you, then.
Okay, okay. Fine.
Okay. Real good, then.
We're back with Katie Carlson.
Hi.
Now, before
we get going here,
we just want to 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,
for those of you
that just joined us,
Katie here, this morning,
is going to show us
how to make
Holidazzle eggs
ourselves, at home.
What?
Now. Katie. I gotta admit...
I was a little bit surprised
when I first picked this up.
Right.
This is an empty egg.
That's right, Dale.
Well, how do you
get the egg...
Yeah.
Theme was an egg
in here. right?
Okay, 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...
Unguent
What?
I need unguent.
No.
No...
You want to do it?
Push.
How are you, Stan?
How you doing, Wade?
Good to see you
again, Jerry.
If these numbers
are right,
this looks pretty sweet.
Those numbers
are right, all right.
Believe me.
This is doable.
Congratulations, Jer.
Yeah, thanks, Stan.
Well, it's a pretty...
What kind of finder's fee
were you looking 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 talking about?
Stan and I are okay.
Yeah.
We're good to load In.
Yeah.
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.
Yeah. Right.
You're saying...
What are you saying?
You're saying
we put in all the money,
and you collect
when it pays off.
No, no. See... But I'd...
I'd pay you back
the principal
and interest.
Heck, 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 North Star.
He's at...
No, no. See, Lu
I don't need a finder's fee.
I need...
Finder's fee is,
what, 10%?
Heck, that's not
gonna do it for me.
I need the principal.
Well, Jerry, we're not gonna
just give you $750,000.
What the heck
were you thinking?
If I'm only
getting bank interest,
I want complete security.
Heck, FDIC.
I don't see nothing
like that here.
Yeah, but I...
Okay. I...
I guarantee you
your money back.
I'm not talking about
your damn word, Jerry.
Jeez!
What the heck are you...
We're not a bank, Jerry.
Well, look.
I don't want to 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 on it
independenfly.
Damn it!
Hon?
I 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.
I don't know what to do.
It's Jean.
Yeah, Wade, I...
It's Jerry. I...
Wade, it's Jerry.
I... We gotta talk.
It's something...
Jeez. It's terrible.
Yeah, Wade Gustafson, please.
Shut the fuck up,
or I'll throw you
back into the trunk,
you know.
Jesus, that's more than
I've heard you say all week.
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 is a new car,
then, sir?
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, please?
Certainly.
Yeah, I was gonna
tape up those...
The tag.
You know,
to be in full compliance,
but it must have...
It must have
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 want to 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 smooth,
smooth, you know?
Oh, daddy.
Just clear him
off the road.
Yeah.
No!
Oh, jeez.
Hi. It's Marge.
Oh, my. Where?
Yeah?
Oh, jeez.
Okay. There in a jiff.
Real good, then.
You can sleep.
It's early yet.
Got to go?
Yeah.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
It's okay, hon.
I gotta run.
You got to eat
a breakfast, Marge.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
Hon, you can sleep.
You gotta
eat a breakfast.
I'll fix you
some eggs.
Norm.
Thanks, hon.
Time to shove off.
Love you, Margie.
Love you, hon.
Hon?
Yeah?
Prowler needs a jump.
Hiya, Lou.
What you 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 them
are over here.
Where is everybody?
Well, it's cold, Margie.
Watch your step, Margie.
Jeez.Sou.
Jeez!
Here's the second one!
It's in the head
and the hand there.
I guess that's
a defensive wound.
Oh, yeah?
Where's the
state trooper?
Back there a good piece,
in the ditch
next to his prowler.
Okay.
So we got a trooper
pulls someone over.
We got a shooting.
These folks drive by.
There's
a high-speed pursuit.
ends here.
And then this
execution-type deal.
Yeah.
I'd be very surprised
if our suspect
was from Brainerd.
Yeah.
And I'll tell you what.
From his footprint,
he looks like
a big fella.
You see something
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.
Yeah?
Yeah. Now
I'm hungry again.
You have breakfast
yet, Margie?
Oh, yeah.
Norm made some eggs.
Yeah?
Well...
What now, do you think?
Let's go take
a look at that trooper.
There's different
footprints here, Lou.
Yeah?
Yeah. This guy's
smaller than his buddy.
Oh, yeah?
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.
It's a real shame.
Yeah.
Didn't monkey
with his car there,
did you?
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 have
been cold out here.
Heck, yeah.
You think is Dave
open yet?
Dave?
You don't think
he's mixed up in...
Oh, no, no. I just
want to get Norm
some night crawlers.
Did you look
in his citation book?
Yeah. Last vehicle
he wrote in was
a tan Cierra at 2:18 am.
Under plate
number he put "DLR."
I figure they stopped him
or shot him
before he could finish
filling out the tag number.
So, I got the State
looking for a Cierra
with a tag starting "DLR."
They don't got
no match yet.
I'm not sure that
I agree with you 100%
on your police
work there, Lou.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I think that vehicle there
probably had dealer plates.
"DLR."
Oh.
Jeez.
Say, Lou,
did you hear
the one about the guy
who couldn't afford
personalized plates,
So he went and changed
his name to J3L-2404?
Yeah. That's a good one.
Look, all's 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.
If 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...
There they are.
They got my daughter.
Think this thing
through here, Wade.
You give them what they want,
why won't they let her go?
You got to
listen to me
on this one, Wade.
Heck, you don't know.
You're just whistling
Dixie here.
I'm saying the cops,
they can
advise us on this.
I'm saying
call a professional.
No. No cops.
That's final.
This is my deal
here, Wade.
Yeah.
Jean is my wife here.
I gotta tell you, Wade,
I'm leaning to
Jerry's viewpoint here.
Well...
We got to
protect Jean.
These”.
We're not holding
any cards here, Wade.
They got them all.
So they call the shots.
You're darn tooting.
Oh, damn it.
I'm telling you.
Well, why don't we...
Stan, I'm thinking
we should offer them
a half a million.
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, well,
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?
Yeah. Real good, now.
How you doing?
Okay.
Now, we'll get
the money together.
Don't worry
about it, Jerry.
Now, do you want anyone
at home with you
till they call?
No. I...
They don't...
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 watching.
You know,
maybe it's all bull,
but like you said, Stan,
they're calling the shots.
Okay.
Now, is Scotty
gonna be all right?
Yeah. Jeez. Scotty.
Yeah. I'll go
talk to him.
How you doing
there, Scotty?
Dad...
What are they doing?
What do you think
they're doing with Mom?
It's okay, Scotty.
They're not gonna
wanna hurt her any.
These men,
they just want money.
Yeah, well,
what if something
goes wrong, Dad?
No, no.
Nothing's going
wrong here.
Granddad and I,
we're, we're making 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 you,
but we gotta play ball.
You know?
That's the deal here.
So 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.
No!
No!
Oh, God.
Lunchtime.
Thanks,
Margaret.
Hi. Hey.
Willy. Carol.
Janie, two more of those
Skin 80 Soft, please.
Sure thing.
Hiya, hon.
I brought you
some lunch, Margie.
What are those?
Night crawlers?
Yeah.
Oh, thanks, hon.
You bet.
Thanks for lunch.
Yeah.
Looks pretty good.
What do we
got here, Amy's?
How's the painting going?
Pretty good.
Found out the Hautmans
are entering
a painting this year.
Hon, you're better
than them.
They're real good.
They're good, Norm,
but you're
better than them.
You think so?
Hey, you got Arby's
all over me.
Hiya, Norm.
How's the painting going?
Not too bad.
You know.
How we doing
on that vehicle?
Well, no motels registered
any tan Cierra last night,
but the night before,
two men checked
into the Blue Ox,
registering a Cierra
and leaving
the tag space blank.
Jeez, that's
a good lead.
Yeah.
Blue Ox, that's
that truckers' joint
out there on I-35?
Yeah. Owner was
on the desk then.
Said these two
had company.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
Yeah, we both did.
She went to college, too.
I went to
Normandale for about
a year and a half.
Yeah, that's where
we met.
But I dropped out,
though.
Yeah.
She dropped.
Yeah.
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
fellows looked like.
Well, the little guy,
he was kind of
funny-looking.
In what way?
I don't know.
Just funny-looking.
Can you be
any more specific?
I couldn't really say.
He wasn't circumcised.
Was he funny-looking
apart from that?
Yeah.
So, you were having 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-looking.
More than
most people, even.
What about
the other fella?
He was a little older.
You know,
he looked like
the Marlboro Man.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
But maybe I'm saying
that, you know,
'cause he smoked
a lot of Marlboros.
You know,
like a subconscious
type of thing.
Oh, yeah,
that can happen.
Yeah.
Hey, they said
they were going to
the Twin Cities.
Oh. yeah?
Yeah!
Yeah, is that
useful to you?
You betcha. Yeah.
Yeah
Yeah.
Come on!
Goddamn it!
Jesus Christ.
Fucking shitbox.
Been here for days.
Damn it.
Nothing to do.
Fucking TV
doesn't even...
Damn it, come on!
Plug me in, man.
Give me a fucking 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 turning in, Norm.
Oh, yeah?
Here it is, throwing
off the larval envelope.
Hello?
Yeah.
Is this Marge?
Yeah.
Margie Olmstead?
Yeah. Who's this?
This is Mike Yanagita!
You know, Mike Yanagita.
Remember me?
Mike Yanagita?
Yeah!
Well, yeah!
Course I remember you.
How are you doing?
What time is it?
Oh, jeez.
It's 10:45.
I hope
I didn't wake you.
No. That's okay.
Yeah, 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.
Yeah.
I thought,
"Jeez, is that
Margie Olmstead?"
I can't believe it.
Yeah, that's me.
Well, how the heck
are you?
Okay. You know.
Okay.
Yeah?
Yeah.
How you doing?
Pretty good.
Well, heck.
It's been such
a longtime, Mike.
It's great to
hear from you.
Yeah, you got your...
This is loaded here.
This has
your independent...
Your front-wheel drive,
rack-and-pinion steering,
antilock brakes,
alarm, radar,
and I can give it to you
with a heck of a sealant.
This TruCoat stuff,
it'll keep the salt off.
Yeah, I don't need
no sealant, though.
Yeah.
You don't need that.
Now, were you thinking
of financing here?
You ought to be aware
of this GMAC 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 Cierra
working out for you?
Circumstances
have changed, Jerry.
Well...
What do you mean?
Things have changed.
Circumstances, Jerry,
beyond the acts of God.
Force majeure.
What the...
How's Jean?
Who's Jean?
My wife. What the...
She's all right,
but there's three people
up in Brainerd
who aren't so okay,
I'll tell you that.
What the heck
are you talking 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 talking 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...
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 coming 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 them!
The heck do you mean?
"The heck do you mean?"
I'll see you tomorrow.
Yeah?
Jerome Lundegaard?
Yeah.
This is Reilly Diefenbach
at GMAC.
Sir, I've not received
those vehicle IDs
you promised.
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 doing, Margie?
How's the fricassee?
Pretty darn good.
You want some?
Oh, no. I got...
Hey, Norm, I thought
you was going ice fishing
up at Mille Lacs.
Yeah. After lunch.
What you got there?
The 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.
A What?
Shep Proudfoot.
That's a name.
Yeah.
Okay. Yeah.
Think I'll take
a drive
down there, then.
Oh, yeah?
Twin Cities.
Oh, yeah?
Damn it, I want to 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 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 going to
a professional.
No. see...
There's $1 million here.
No. See...
Look, Jerry,
you're not selling me
a damn car!
It's my show here.
That's that!
It's the way we'd prefer
to handle it, Jerry.
Hi. How you doing?
Real good.
How are you doing
today, ma'am?
I'm doing really
super there. Thanks.
I'm Mrs. Gunderson.
I have a reservation.
Yep.
You sure do,
Mrs. Gunderson.
Is there a phone
down here, you think?
Detective Sibert?
Yeah, 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 USFI search
on Shep Proudfoot.
Oh, yeah?
Well, maybe
I'll go visit with him
if I have...
No. I can find that.
Yeah. Well,
thanks a bunch.
Say, say, would you
happen to know
a good place for lunch
in the downtown area?
The Radisson.
Oh, yeah?
Is it reasonable?
Hi. How you doing?
Yeah. I decided
not to park here.
Well, 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...
Yeah, I decided
not to... I...
You know, I'm not...
I decided
not to take the trip,
as it turns out, so...
Well, I'm sorry, sir,
we still got to
charge you the $4.
I just pulled in here.
I just fucking
pulled in here.
Well, but...
See, there's a minimum
charge of $4.
Long-term parking
charges by the day.
I guess you think
you're, you know,
like an authority figure.
That stupid
fucking uniform,
huh, buddy?
King clip-on tie there.
Big fucking man, huh?
You know, these are
the limits
of your life, man.
Ruler of your
little fucking gate here.
Here. There's your $4,
you pathetic piece of shit.
Where's Shep?
Talking 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?
Yep.
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 want
to be an accessory
to something like that.
So, you think
you might remember
who those folks
were who called you?
Mr. Lundegaard?
Yeah.
Could I take just a minute
of your time here?
What is it all about?
Do you mind
if I sit down?
Carrying quite
a load here.
You're the owner here,
Mr. Lundegaard?
No. 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 Cierra.
Mr. Lundegaard.
Brainerd.
Yeah, yeah.
Home of Paul Bunyan,
Babe, the Blue Ox.
Babe, the Blue Ox.
Yeah, you know,
we got that
big statue up there.
So, you haven't had
any vehicles
go missing, then?
Nope. No, ma'am.
Okey-dokey.
Thanks a bunch.
I'll let you get back
to your paperwork, then.
Service.
Yeah. get me Shep.
He's not here
right now.
What the heck
do you mean?
He stepped out.
Where'd he go? It's only...
I'll get you Artie.
No. I don't need
a mechanic. I need a...
Jeez. I gotta talk
to a friend of his,
so...
Have him...
What?
Oh, jeez.
Mike?
Marge?
Jeez! Oh, you look great!
Yeah. 80 do you.
Easy there. Easy...
Easy there.
Easy there.
You do, too.
I'm expecting now.
I see that.
That's great.
What can I get you?
Just a Diet Coke, please.
Great.
This is a nice place.
Yeah. You know,
it's the Radisson,
so it's pretty good.
Yeah.
So...
You're living
in Edina, then?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
A couple of years now.
It's actually
Eden Prairie.
That school district.
80, Chief Gunderson, then!
So, you went and married
Norm son-of-a-Gunderson.
Oh, yeah.
Long time ago.
Great, great.
So, what brings you down?
Are you down here
on that homicide,
if you're allowed,
you know,
to discuss that?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
But there's not
a heck of
a lot to discuss.
Okay.
Well, what about you, Mike?
Are you married?
You got kids?
Yeah, yeah. Well...
I was married.
I was married to...
You mind
if I sit over here?
I was married
to Linda Cooksey.
No. Why don't
you sit over there?
I prefer that.
Okay.
Sorry.
No. no.
Just so I can see you.
Don't have to turn my neck.
Sure, sure. I understand.
I didn't mean to...
No, no. That's fine.
Yeah, sorry. Sorry.
So, 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!
So, it didn't
work out, huh?
And then I've been
working for Honeywell
for a few years now.
Well, they're
a good outfit.
Yeah, if you're
an engineer, yeah,
you could do a lot worse.
But it's not...
It's nothing like
your achievement.
Well, it sounds like
you're doing really super.
It's not that...
It's not that things
didn't work out. It's...
Linda had leukemia,
you know.
She was...
She passed away.
No.
It was tough.
There you go.
It was long...
She fought
real hard, Marge.
You know...
So, what can you say?
Better times, huh?
Better times.
And then I saw you on the TV
and I remembered, you know?
I always liked you.
Well, I always
liked you...
I always
liked you so much.
So, Mike, should
we get together
another time, you think?
NOH...
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 tonight.
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 you
from around here?
Just in town on business.
Just in and out.
Just a little
of the old in-and-out.
What do you do?
I...
You been to
the Celebrity Room
before?
With other clients?
I don't think so.
It's nice.
Yeah, well,
depends on the artist.
You know, Jose Feliciano,
you got no complaints.
Waiter!
What is he, deaf?
So...
How long you work
for the escort service?
I don't know.
A few months.
Find that work
interesting, do you?
What are you
talking about?
Right.
Come on.
I'm hearing bells.
Come on.
All right.
Where were you?
Shep, what the hell
are you doing?
I'm banging that girl.
Fucking asshole.
Get the fuck
out of here.
Put me back in Stillwater,
you little
fucking shithead.
Get the fuck out of here.
Yo!
Cut that shit out, man.
Trying to get some
goddamn sleep here.
Come on, brother...
Fuck you!
Fuck you.
Animals!
Stay away from me, man.
Hey, smoke
a fucking peace pipe!
Don't you dare
fucking hit me!
Fucking little weasel!
Fuck you. man.
Stop it!
You fucking, motherfucking,
son-of-a-bitching,
fucking cock!
Jesus Christ! You fucking
shitbag motherfucker!
Yeah?
All right, Jerry,
I'm through
fucking around.
You got
the fucking money?
Yeah, I got
the money, but...
Don't you fucking
but me, Jerry.
I want you to put this money
in the Dayton Radisson
parking ramp, top level,
30 minutes, Jerry,
we wrap this thing up.
Okay. But...
Hey, 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 your little
fucking children
and I shoot them 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 going?
I'll be back
in a minute.
If Stan calls,
you just tell him
I went to Embers.
Okay.
Here's your damn money.
Now, where's my daughter?
Yeah.
You goddamn punk!
Who the fuck are you?
Who the fuck are you?
I got your damn money.
Now, where's my daughter?
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?
You fucking imbeciles!
You fucking shot me!
May I have your ticket,
please?
Open the fucking gate!
Oh, jeez.
Dad?
Yeah?
Stan Grossman called.
Yeah. Okay.
Twice.
Okay.
Is everything okay?
Yeah.
Are you calling Stan?
Well, I'm...
I'm going to bed now.
How you doing?
Mr. Mohra?
Yeah?
Officer Olson.
Yeah. Righto.
Well...
So I'm tending bar
down there at Ecklund and
Swedlin's last Tuesday,
and this little
guy's drinking,
and he says,
"Where can a guy
find some action?
"I'm going 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 going crazy
out there at the lake."
And I says,
"Yeah, but this ain't
that kind of place.”
He says, "Oh, so I get it.
So you think I'm some
kind of jerk for asking."
Only he don't use
the word "jerk."
I understand.
Then he calls me a jerk.
Says the last guy
thought he's a jerk
is dead now.
So, I don't
say nothing.
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.
Yeah, he says,
"Yeah,
that guy's dead,
"and I don't mean
of old age."
And then he says,
"Jeez, I'm going 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.
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-looking.
In what way?
Just in a general
kind of way.
Okay.
Well. thanks a bunch,
Mr. Mohra.
You're right.
It's probably nothing,
but thanks
for calling her in.
Sure.
Looks like she's gonna
turn cold tomorrow.
Oh, yeah.
Got a front coming in.
Yeah.
You got that right.
Jesus Christ.
Valerie,
I'm leaving this morning,
back up to Brainerd.
Well, I'm sorry
I won't see you.
But you think
he's all right?
I saw him
last night and...
What did he say?
Well, it's nothing
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 was bothering Linda
for about...
For a good year.
Really pestering her,
wouldn't
leave her alone.
So...
He didn't...
He never...
No! No,
they never married.
Mike's had
psychiatric problems.
Oh, my.
Yeah, 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?
Yeah... No.
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?
Carrying a bit
of a load here.
No, I...
Yeah, it's this vehicle
I asked about yesterday.
I was just wondering...
Yeah, like I told you,
we haven't had
any vehicles go missing.
Okay. Are you sure?
'Cause I mean,
how do you 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.
Yeah, 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 doing a...
Well, I would know.
I'm the Executive
Sales Manager.
Yeah, but I understand...
We run a pretty tight
ship here.
I know, but...
Well, how do
they establish that, sir?
I mean.
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's no...
Sir, you have no call
to get snippy with me.
I'm just doing
my job here.
I'm...
I'm not...
I'm not arguing here.
I'm cooperating,
and there's no...
We're doing 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 working with you
on this thing here, but...
Okay!
I'll do a damn
lot count!
Sir, right now?
Yeah! Right now.
You're darn tooting!
If it's so damned
important to you.
Well, I'm sorry, sir.
What the Christ! Jeez!
Bob Elcorona, line two.
For Pete's sake.
For Pete's sake,
he's fleeing
the interview.
He's fleeing
the interview!
How do I get
an outside line here?
All right.
Yeah.
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.
I'm pregnant.
I've had a doctor's test,
I've got the certificate,
and there's no
doubt about it.
I'm gonna have your baby.
Now, look here.
I can explain this.
See, Robin was...
Is a student of mine.
You should see
the other guy.
No, no, no.
It wasn't anything
like that.
You don't understand!
I read that letter
that she wrote.
I think I understand
all there is...
What happened to her?
She started shrieking,
you know.
Jeez.
Well, I got the money.
All of it, all 80 grand.
That's 40 for you,
40 for me.
That's it, then.
You can have my truck.
I'm taking the Cierra.
We split that.
How the fuck do
you split a fucking car,
you dummy?
With a fucking chain saw?
One of us pays
the other for half.
Hold on.
No fucking way.
Did you fucking
notice this?
I got fucking shot!
I got fucking
shot in the face!
I went and got
the fucking money!
I got shot
fucking picking it up!
I've been up
for 36 fucking hours!
I'm taking
that fucking car!
That fuck is mine,
you fucking asshole.
You know, I've been
listening to your
fucking bullshit all week!
Are we square?
Are we square?
Yeah, you fucking mute!
And if you see your friend,
Shep Proudfoot,
tell him I'm gonna
nail his fucking ass.
I'll call you...
Later.
His wife.
This guy says she was
kidnapped last Wednesday.
The day of
our homicides.
Yeah.
And this guy was who?
Lundegaard's
father-in-law's
accountant.
Gustafson's accountant.
Yeah.
But we still
haven't found Gustafson?
...looking...
Sorry. Didn't copy, Lou.
Still missing.
We're looking.
Copy.
And Lundegaard. too?
Yeah.
Where are you. Margie?
I'm almost back.
I'm taking a drive
around Moose Lake.
Gary's loudmouth.
Yeah, the loudmouth.
So the whole state
has it, huh?
Gustafson and Lundegaard?
Yeah.
It's over the wire.
It's everywhere.
They'll find them.
Copy.
Yeah, we got
a lead on this...
There's the car!
There's the car!
Whose car?
My car! My car!
Tan Cierra! Tan Cierra!
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.
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?
Yeah, yeah,
just a sec.
Just a sec.
- Dale!
- My leg!
No!
They announced it.
They announced it?
Yeah.
So?
Three-cent stamp.
Your mallard?
Yeah.
That's terrific.
It's just
a three-cent.
It's terrific.
Hautman's
blue-winged teal
got the 29-Cent.
People don't much
use the three-cent.
Oh, for Pete's...
Of course they do.
Whenever they
raise the postage,
people need
the little stamps.
Yeah?
When they're stuck
with a bunch
of the old ones.
Yeah.
I guess.
That's terrific.
I'm so proud
of you, Norm.
Heck, Norm, you know,
we're doing pretty good.
I love you, Margie.
I love you, Norm.
Two more months.
Two more months.