CHAPTER 12
| INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – NIGHT Tony and Jimmy sit at a table, cool as cucumbers. Howard and Ryan come in. HOWARD What can you tell us about the old man? TONY That he’s dead. HOWARD You know how he got dead? JIMMY A bomb. It was on Action News. RYAN Word on the street is one of you pushed the button. TONY You’re crazy. I loved that old man like a father. RYAN Then why did you run? TONY Run from what? HOWARD Us. Retaliation back east. JIMMY I’m not hiding from anything or anybody. RYAN Then why did we pick you up all the way across the country? TONY I’m out here to see my son. It’s his first starring role in a play. I wouldn’t miss it for anything. HOWARD I want you to listen to something. Ryan presses play on a recorder. We hear the Old Man talking to Vito. OLD MAN (V.O) Our friend is getting a little ahead of himself. VITO (V.O.) He’s always been like that. OLD MAN (V.O) But now he’s stepping on toes. And I don’t like that, especially by one of my guys. VITO (V.O.) I never liked him. I’ve been telling your for years he wanted to push you aside. OLD MAN (V.O.) I know. That’s why I leave it in your hands. But don’t mess it up. VITO (V.O.) I won’t. OLD MAN (V.O.) If you do, then it’s over for the both of us. Ryan stops the tape. HOWARD The old man was gonna take you out, but you got to him first. JIMMY You’re nuts! They could be talking about anybody! HOWARD They’re talking about you two. You know it and we know it. Cooperate now and maybe we can make a deal. You know the game Tony, the first one to flip gets the best deal. Ryan pushes the receipt across the table. RYAN We know you’re trying to make Vito take the fall. TONY (looks at receipt) According to this, it looks like Vito did it. You should be questioning him, not us. HOWARD We already did. TONY I’m on vacation visiting my son. So, if I’m not charged with any crimes, I’d like to go. RYAN You have anything to say for yourself, Jimmy? JIMMY Yeah, go fuck yourselves. HOWARD Do it the hard way. But remember, we’re the government. We’ll get you sooner or later. Play the rest. Ryan plays the tape again. VITO (V.O.) Don’t worry about anything. OLD MAN (V.O.) Just make sure you get it done, because if you fuck it up, he’ll have all the backing. We’ll have no one with us. VITO (V.O.) I have an ace up my sleeve. OLD MAN (V.O.) What ace? VITO (V.O.) His son lives out in Hollywood and works at a newsstand. Ryan stops the tape. Long beat. TONY You done? Can we go now? The agents look at each other. HOWARD Let them go. |