Cold in July

Richard. Richard.

Yeah?

I think I heard something.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Stay here.

(SNORING SOFTLY)

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

- Richard? - God...

Ah!

Damn it.

(GASPING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

How you feeling, son?

(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)

- Peachy, aside from almost shitting myself.

- Yeah, must have been a scary thing

for a man like you.

A civilian, I mean.

His name was, uh, Freddy Russel.

You know him?

- I know shit when I step in it.

I'm gonna have to ask you to come down to the station,

make out a formal statement, okay?

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

Okay-

Now what?

It'll go to the grand jury.

They'll look over your statement,

your wife's, mine, and they'll no bill you.

What about the courts?

It'll never get that far.

It was self-defense.

He was unarmed.

Well, you didn't know that.

It's called "fear of life."

Uh, legally,

he might as well have been pointing a gun at you.

Look...

He's a wanted felon.

You're an upstanding citizen without a record.

Sometimes the good guy wins.

Hmm.

- We're gonna have to keep that awhile, okay?

Belonged to my dad.

He was a good man.

He'd have been proud.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

Of what? My finger slipped.

You Okay?

Uh-uh.

- Come on, bud. Let's go back to bed.

Jordan, son, stop jiggling.

Now, you can't take that to school with you.

- Why? - Just because.

Because why?

- Because I'm your father and I said so.

- Bang! - Hey.

You dead!

Don't you say that to me.

I don't want to snap at you, son,

but I don't like that game.

Come on. Let's go.

(DOOR CREAKS, BELL TINKLES)

Dane's Frames.

For you, Mr. Dane.

Morning.

Morning.

Hello?

It's me.

Just a minute.

Richard...

it's all over the school.

The students keep asking me about it.

Shit.

Maybe you should go home.

I can't.

I have to talk with the police later.

What the hell for?

- Uh... I don't know.

They-they want a statement from me.

How are you feeling?

Fine.

I'll see you later tonight', okay?

Oh, man.

That air conditioner feels good.

Whew.

I hear you got you one last night.

Back at the paper, they told me.

I couldn't believe it was you at first.

I didn't think you had it in you.

Hey, take it easy, Jack.

It's not something I'm proud of.

- Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

Some son of a bitch breaks into my house,

he better be ready to pick his teeth out of his ass.

Shoot, man, if it was me-

It wasn't you.

It was me.

Now, Jack, if you got mail, leave it.

Otherwise, I'm busy.

Here you go, y'all.

Y'all need anything else right now'?

Uh, beer.

Little early, isn't it?

Not today.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

Right this way.