CAT Do you want me to call your wives?
MIKE Absolutely not.
Then he looks at the avidly watching islanders. If CAT doesn't, one of them will, as soon as he or she can reach the nearest phone.
MIKE
Yeah, I guess you better. But make sure they know the situation is under control.
71 EXTERIOR: ANDERSON'S MARKET.
MIKE and HATCH hurry down the steps, and THE CAMERA TRACKS THEM to the Island Services utility vehicle. The snow is still just flurrying, but we can see that it's thicker now.
50
HATCH Snow's early.
MIKE stops with one hand on the driver's side doorhandle. He takes a deep breath, preparing himself, then lets it out.
MIKE Yeah, it is. Let's go.
They get in and drive away. Meantime, people have been drifting out onto the porch, watching them.
72 EXTERIOR: THE ROBBIE BEALS MANNEQUIN.
The propeller on the beanie is now turning briskly.
73 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN DOCK.
The waves CRASH HIGH against the pilings, throwing spray. The work of securing the boats and getting loose gear undercover has progressed quite a bit. We FOCUS IN on GEORGE KIRBY (an older guy sixtyish), ALEX HABER (thirty-five), and CAL FREESE (a twenty-something). ALEX points west, toward the end of the docks and the reach beyond.
ALEX HABER
Looka there, at the mainland.
74 EXTERIOR: MAINLAND, FROM THE DOCK'S POINT OF VIEW.
The mainland is about two miles away, and quite clear gray-green woods, mostly.
75 EXTERIOR: RESUME DOCK, WITH SONNY, ALEX, AND CAL.
ALEX HABER
When you can't see over there no more, it's time to get in while you can. And when you can't even see the reach no more, it's time to head down to the town hall, whether you've heard the siren or not.
CAL FREESE (to GEORGE) How bad do you think it'll be, Unc?
51
GEORGE KIRBY
Maybe the worst we ever saw. Come on, help me with the last of these nets. (pause) I wonder if that fool Beals has any slight idear what he's doin up there?
76 EXTERIOR: ATLANTIC STREET, IN FRONT OF MARTHA'S HOUSE.
The fool BEALS is still being the good sentry, standing in front of his Lincoln with his .38 pointed at the open door of the CLARENDON house. Snow is coming down more thickly now; it's scattered across the shoulders of his topcoat like dandruff. He's been here for a while.
Down below, a little gathering of WATCHERS (MRS. KINGSBURY and DAVEY HOPEWELL are back among them) moves aside to allow the Island Services vehicle through. It pulls up beside the Lincoln. MIKE gets out from behind the wheel, HATCH from the passenger seat.
HATCH
You want the shotgun?
MIKE
I guess we better have it. You just make sure the safety's on, Alton Hatcher.
HATCH leans back into the truck, fumbles, and reappears with the shotgun that is ordinarily kept latched under the dash. HATCH ostentatiously checks the safety, and then they approach ROBBIE.
ROBBIE'S attitude toward MIKE all through this is one of confrontation and contempt. The history of these feelings will never be fully explored, but its basis is undoubtedly ROBBIE'S desire to keep all the reins of power in his own hands.
ROBBIE
It's about time.
MIKE Put that thing away, Robbie.
ROBBIE
No such thing, Constable Anderson. You do your job, I'll do mine.
MIKE
Your job is real estate. Would you at least lower it, please? (pause) Come on, Robbie it's in my face, and I know it's loaded.
52
ROBBIE grudgingly lowers the .38. HATCH, meanwhile, is looking nervously at the open door and the overturned walker.
MIKE
What happened?
ROBBIE
I was driving over to the town office when I saw Davey Hopewell running down the middle of the street.
(points toward DAVEY)
He said Martha Clarendon was dead murdered. I didn't believe him, but it's true. She's . . .
awful.
MIKE You said the person who did it was still inside.
ROBBIE He spoke to me.
HATCH
And said what?
ROBBIE (nervous, lying)
Told me to get out. I think he said for me to get out or he'd kill me, too. I don't know. And this hardly seems like the right time for an interrogation.
MIKE What did he look like?
ROBBIE starts to reply, then stops, puzzled.
ROBBIE I ... I barely got a look at him.
He got a pretty good one, actually . . . but he doesn't remember.
MIKE
(to HATCH)
53
Stay on my right. Keep the barrel of that scattergun pointed down, and keep the safety on unless I tell you to take it off.
(to ROBBIE) You stay exactly where you are, please.
ROBBIE You're the constable.
He watches MIKE and HATCH start for the gate, then calls.
ROBBIE
The TV's on. Tuned quite loud. If the guy starts moving around, I'm not sure you'll hear him.
MIKE nods, then goes through the gate with HATCH on his right. The TOWNSPEOPLE have crept closer yet; we now see them in the background. The SNOW SWIRLS around them in the HIGH
WIND. It's still light, but thickening up.
77 EXTERIOR: MIKE AND HATCH, FROM THE PORCH.
They come up the walk, MIKE tuned tightly (but in control), HATCH scared but trying not to show it.
HATCH
Even if there was a guy, he's probably gone out the back by now, don't you think? She ain't got but a five-foot garden fence
MIKE shakes his head to indicate he doesn't know, then taps his lips with a forefinger, indicating that HATCH should keep quiet. They stop at the foot of the steps. MIKE pulls gloves out of his coat pockets and puts them on. He also takes out his own pistol. He indicates for HATCH to put on gloves, and HATCH hands him the shotgun so he can comply. MIKE takes the opportunity to double-check the safety (still on), then hands it back.
They go up the steps and examine the walker. Then they cross the porch. They see the feet, clad in their old-lady shoes, poking out from the shadows of the hallway, and exchange a dismayed glance. They go in.
78 INTERIOR: THE HALL OF MARTHA'S HOUSE.
Behind them, the WEATHER LADY runs on endlessly.
WEATHER LADY (voice)
54
Conditions along the New England coast are expected to worsen dramatically toward sunset not that our Down East friends are going to see the sun go down tonight, I'm afraid.
We are expecting gale force winds along the Massachusetts and New Hampshire coasts, and hurricane-force wind gusts along the Maine coast and offshore islands. There's going to be significant beach erosion, and once the snow starts to fall, amounts will increase dramatically until .
. . well . . . until it's over. At this point it is literally impossible to talk about accumulations. Let's just say that the total fall is going to be enormous. Three feet? That's probable. Five feet? Even that is possible. You'll want to stay tuned for updates, and be assured we'll break into our programming if conditions warrant doing so.
The two men ignore her they have more immediate problems. They kneel on either side of the dead woman. MIKE ANDERSON is grim shocked, but holding it in. Already focusing on the job at hand and the ramifications to follow. HATCH, on the other hand, is close to losing it. He looks up at MIKE, face pale, eyes full of tears. He speaks in a BARE WHISPER.