01x04 - Eating The Blame

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Fargo". Aired: April 2014 to current.*
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A drifter named Lorne Malvo arrives in small-town Minnesota and influences the population with his malice and v*olence, including put-upon insurance salesman Lester Nygaard.
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01x04 - Eating The Blame

Post by bunniefuu »

(Man)

Erstwhile on Fargo...

[Grunts]

(Auerbach)

So you think this is the one k*lled all those people over in Bemidji?


Could be.

I mean, you're saying this is all some... some big coincidence

that suddenly we got four victims... in 24 hours, yourself included?

My wife is dead, and you're harassing me.

Just leave poor Lester alone, will ya?

Found this on my windshield last week.

You got bronzer on your blackmail note.

I'm taking over.

(Gus) I ran his plates, and it turns out that the car was registered to one of your victims.

30 milligrams.

Don't take two of these and think you're gonna nap... it's basically speed.

[Stavros screaming]

[Melancholy orchestration]

♪ ♪

It's like a nightmare.

I told you.

I know a guy.

You know a guy.

A guy?

Better be some guy, Stavros.

For this... we gave up everything.

Gave up?

What did we have?

Debts, screaming phone calls, bill collectors at the door.

At least it was warm.

[Engine sputtering]

sh*t.

What?

Out of gas.

You bought gas.

$5.00.

It was all I had.

Idiot!

The boy's gonna freeze!

We can't stay here.


I know.

I'll think of something.

Think of what?

Gasoline?

Yeah, from your brain into...

Would you shut up?

I got to think.

[Car buzzing]

[Panting]

Oh, hey!

Here!

Here!


[Chuckles]

Hey!

Here!

Here!

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, slow down.

[Horn blaring]

Hey! No, no, stop!

Stop!

Wait!

Hey!

Come on, come on!

[Grunts]

Oh!

[Panting]

All right.

Lord, let me get through this.

Let us find gas and a... and a warm bed.

Let us prosper even in the... in the smallest of ways, and I'll be your humble servant for the rest of my days.

Yeah.

[Grunting]

[Chuckles]

Oh, God.

My God.

Oh, God.

My God.

Thank you, God.

All right.

[Car buzzing]

[Grunts]

I can't believe he wouldn't stop...

A family vehicle, a baby in a car.

Who doesn't stop for a baby in a car?

God is real.

We're gonna freeze to death

because a man that hasn't showered since the '70s couldn't be bothered to apply the brakes.

God is real.

God is real.

Well... there's nothing here.

[Chuckles]

No wildlife in your pipes.

Water heater's clean.

I'm not sure how you got blood in your shower.

Are you sure it wasn't rust?

'Cause...

Listen to me.

It's not like a band-aid fell out, okay?

It was buckets, literally buckets of blood.

Whoa.

Making a horror film, huh?

And with the dead dog you mentioned too... uffda.

Sounds like a bad day.

Did you see any signs of tampering?

Tam... tampering?

Yeah.

Screws loosened recently or holes that blood could've been injected.

Injected?

What the heck are you thinking happened here?

Nothing.

Thanks for your time.

Yeah.

You know, I, uh... I seen your commercials on TV...

July in January.

[Chuckles]

You got any, like, gift certificates?

The wife, she...

Get the hell out of here.

Sure, okay.

Yeah.

Uh, say... you ever read the Bible?

What?

The Bi... Bible... you know, The Big Book.

All that blood made me think of it, you know, Moses and the like.

"And God sent a plague of blood upon the land."

Better get right with the Lord.

You know what I'm...

What'd you say?

[Stammers]

Nothing.

Say it again.

Well, no...

What did you say to me?

Say it again!

Boss, let him go.

What did you say?

Boss, he's just a damn plumber.

Let him go.

[Gasping]

Jeez.

[Wheezing]

He's crazy.

You're crazy!

Jeez.

(Woman)

Car 39, this is Dispatch.

Come in.


Ah, hold your horses.

Car 39, this is Dispatch.

Come in.


Yeah, this is 3-9.

Over.

Car 39, need you to follow up on a report... m*rder*d canine at 1301 Bird Lane.

Over.


Is that a... Can you call it a m*rder if it's a...

Anyhoo, that's Animal Control's purview.

Yeah, Joe's sick.

Was supposed to respond yesterday.

Claimant's super PO'd.

Over.


Jeez, come on, that guy is always sick.

What's he got, the cancer?

Over.

Yeah, leukemia.

Over.


Jeez, that is... that's awful.

Okay, well, uh...

3-9, car 3-9 responding.

Over and out.

[Sighs]

[Engine turning over]

1-2-5.

1-2-7.

Okay.

Oh, jeez.

It's him.

It's him.

Oh!

[Phone dialing]

Freeze!

Don't...

Put your hands where I can see... where I can see 'em.

I'm just on a call.

Drop... drop it.

Yeah, just as soon as I finish.

This is Duluth.

Package requested.

Frank Peterson.

Okay, all good.

See?

Put it down.

It's a new phone.

Now!

Okay.

Okay, um... uh, turn around and put your hands on your head.

What... what's this all about, Officer?

You know what this is about.

Okay, um... put your, uh... your left hand around your, uh... the back of your...

Yeah.

Okay.

[Handcuffs clicking]

Now the other one.

Slowly.

Am I under arrest?

[Handcuffs clicking]

You're handcuffed.

Of course you're under arrest.

On what charge?

It... um...

We'll figure that out at the station.

Okay.

All right.

Back... back to the car.

Dang it.

Dang it.

[Car locks open]

All right, uh, butt first.

Watch your head.

[Exhales deeply]

You're making a mistake.

Be quiet.

You're making a mistake.

I said quiet!

That's what you're gonna say a couple hours from now...

"You're making a mistake."

Got one.

What was he, mean to a cat?

m*rder and car thievery, all right?

This fella's wanted for the triple homicide in Bemidji.

Oh, now, hold on a sec.

It's like I told this young fella.

This is a boondoggle, plain and simple.

Save it, Cochise.

Now, I'm gonna ink your right hand and press each finger individually against a book.

If you try anything, I can't promise your fingers won't get broke.

Okay, message received, young fella.

You won't get no pushback from me.

[Indistinct chatter]

[Mouse clicks]

What the heck?

[Computer beeps]

[Sighs] _

Son of a...

(Woman)

Molly, call on two.


Yeah, Solverson.

Yeah, hey, it's Gus.

I got him.


Who's this, then?

Uh, yeah, Gus Grimly, from over Duluth.

You know, we had the milkshakes the other...

Oh, yeah, hey.

How's it going?

Yeah, uh, real good.

Um, so, uh, I was on patrol earlier, responding to a 613, and, uh...

What's that, then?

A-a dead dog, foul play suspected.

And I see this fella, and he's standing by a van.

And it was him.

Him who?

The fella from Mr. Nygaard's car.

The driver?

Yeah, yeah.

The, um... the one I let go.

But there he was.

I mean, you know, just standing there making a call on his, uh...

So... so... what did you...

I stopped and arrested him, of course.

Arrested him?

Yeah.

For the murders.

I'm looking at the guy right now.

The Lieutenant's gonna have a chat with him.

I thought you might want to...

Yeah, yep.

Okay, I'm getting in my car.

Great.

Yeah.

Uh, I'll be there just as soon as I...

Okay, then. Yeah, I'll tell the Lieutenant to wait for you.

Thanks.

Yeah.

You're welcome.


Yeah, okay.

So we've been putting in a lot of hours on the Chief, but the weather service is tracking a big storm.

Okay, they're looking at Wednesday night, Thursday early AM... high winds, blizzard, the whole shebang.

So, if you want to make extra money plowing, see Cindy.

Same goes for traffic duty, et cetera.

I don't want this impacting everyday doings.

So don't sign up

unless your workload is cleared.

Chief, they got him.

Who?

Duluth PD.

No, who'd they get?

Oh, yeah, uh, fella driving Lester's stolen car.

Deputy pulled him in an hour ago.

How come they called you?

Pardon?

Well, you're not even on the case.

How come they called you?

I just...

Well, the other day a deputy drove down from Duluth, and, you know, he and I... he and I talked is all.

Well, that's irregular.

They should talk to the officer in charge.

Yeah, yeah, so I's thinking I'd drive up there, you know, talk to the suspect, on account of, you know, I think he's the fella put the naked guy in the trunk.

Nah, should be me.

You said he was driving Lester's car.

That's my case.

Plus, Vern takes precedence.

Okay, but, Chief...

Knutson, you're in charge till I get back.

Okeydokey, Chief.

Ten-four.

Got to pick up a few things.

You could have waited in the car.

No, Kitty said I should...

I mean, I want to be here for you, so...

Oh, jeez.

They just... they leave it like that?

All the blood?

Yeah, it's, uh... you know, they gi... they give you a number to call, a service.

Lester, I...

I got to...

Jeez.

[Seethes]

Oh, yeah... oh, my... oh, yeah.

Ah, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

Oh, God.

Oh.

What's...

Ow!

God damn it!

Christ!

[Panting]

[Exhaling sharply]

Oh, my God.

There, that's...

[Telephone rings]

Hello?

(Mr. Numbers)

Was it worth it?


Who's this?

The Widow Hess... her husband nice and cozy in the ground, insurance money on the way, every night she puts her kitty in your face.

[Chuckles]

Guy like you, Lester, small town, small time,

I think you won the lottery.

But I think that you need to ask yourself... was it worth it?


Worth what?

Your life.

[Phone clicks]

[Exhales deeply, sniffs]

Freshen you up?

No, we're good. Just the check, please.

Everything okay?

He's just not very hungry.

Thanks.

Thanks.

[Sniffs, sighs]

For Christ sakes, man!

Seriously?

[Door opens]

(Mr. Numbers)

I'm not looking at you!

I'm not looking at you.

[Door closes]

You got two minutes.

Okeydokey.

Thanks a lot, sir.

[Coin clinks, bell dings]

[Line trilling]

[Cricket chirping, telephone ringing]

[Chirping stops, animals chattering]

Sir?

Are you Don Chumph?

Uh... yeah.

There's a phone call for you.

A what now?

Telephone.

You can take it right here at the counter.

[Chuckles]

Hello?

(Malvo)

Do they have 'em?


Who is this?

Well, let's figure this out together.

Who knows you're at the pet store right now?

My mom.

Do I sound like your mom?

Uh, no.

Hold on.

Does your mom know why you're at the pet store right now?

She thinks I'm getting a cat.

Okay, I don't have time for this.

Do they have 'em, yes or no?

Yeah, but only a hundred.

Okay, well, there are three other pet stores in the city, so hit 'em all.

I'm in jail.

I'll be out in a few hours.

Wait. What?

Time's up.

Okay, two hours.

Come get me.

And this is the deputy who effected the arrest.

Yeah, nice work there.

He give you much of a fight?

Uh, no, sir.

Bill Oswalt's the Chief over Bemidji.

Ah.

Molly come?

Who?

Deputy over in my office.

Sounds like your man's got a thing for her.

Lock that sh*t down, Grimly.

This is a m*rder case.

Yes, sir.

So we got a name on the guy?

Yes, sir, driver's license says Frank Peterson... and an address up in Baudette.

Peterson, eh?

I knew a Jay Peterson once.

Had a dwarf arm.

[Chuckles]

What about evidence?

Sir?

Yeah, proof of his connection to the crime.

You say you stopped him driving Lester's car.

Yes, sir, but I didn't know that it was stolen.

Why I let him go.


Yeah, but you pulled prints from the impounded vehicle?

No, sir.

Tech said it was wiped clean.

Yeah.

Well, we got a photo, though, right?

I mean, dashboard camera from the car stop?

You know, proof he's our guy.

No, sir, my camera hasn't worked for weeks.

But Molly's got a picture.

It's in the file.

She showed me.

Yeah.

She did?

Yeah.

There.

Yeah, this fella.

It's kind of hard to see, though.

It's grainy.

You sure this is our guy?

Yeah... yeah, no.

That's our guy.

I-I'm positive.
Yeah, I'm Lieutenant Schmidt.

This is Bill Oswalt, Chief over Bemidji.

Yeah, Frank Peterson.

I'm the minister up in Baudette.

Go, Bears.

Minister?

Yeah, Baudette Lutheran, six years now...

Frank Peterson.

Before that, Aberdeen.

So, you know, I'm not used to having a firearm stuck in my face,... which I know the Lord tests you in all kinds of ways, but, oh, partner, that's a heart-stopper.

(Schmidt)

Cut the sh*t.


You were pulled over Tuesday night driving a stolen car.

No, sir.

I think I'd remember that.

Plus, Tuesday's bingo night at the church.

We had a full house.

Florence Nightgarden won the entire pot, if I'm not mistaken.

And we can check on that?

Oh, sure, yes, sir.

You could call Florence herself.

Or Jim Avery... he's our alderman.

[Clears throat]

Deputy Grimly...

Oh, that's the fella, Deputy Grimly.

Pulled his p*stol, pointed it right at me.

Thought I was gonna have a heart att*ck.

But, you know, after he told me about those homicides over Bemidji, I thought, "Frank, I mean, you can't blame the guy for being a little jumpy, a horror show like that."

That son of a bitch.

So you're saying you weren't in Bemidji last week?

If I show your picture around, no one would recognize you?

Me?

No, sir.

I have a cousin lived in Bemidji back in the '90s, out near Leech Lake, but he moved to Anchorage in '03.

I said, "What, Minnesota's not could enough for you?"

[Laughing]

We had a good laugh about that.

Also, you're saying you weren't pulled over for speeding?

No, sir.

I'm a cautious driver by nature, on account of my eyesight.

Glaucoma, they say it is.

Only in the one eye, but you can't be too careful.

That's what I tell my parishioners.

Deputy Grimly...

Forgiveness--... that's the heart of the Good Book.

Turn the other cheek, second chances, Amen.

So, no, I don't hold a grudge against the Deputy, though I'm lucky I had my nitroglycerine pills with me, I tell you, uffda.

Okay, well, sit tight.

We're gonna make some calls, check your story.

Oh, you just... just pick a name out of the phone book.

Everybody up there knows me.

Yeah.

So, uh, looks like a call was placed to your motel from the victim's house the night Pearl Nygaard was k*lled.

You said that on the phone.

Right.

So, uh, you remember any seedy types checking in last week?

Possible with a head injury?

I thought on it on the way over.

There was a fella checked in around then, had a bump on his head.

Gave me guff when I asked him if he had any pets.

Oh, yeah?

Was it, uh, this fella maybe?

Yeah.

That's him.

[Chuckles] You don't sound too happy about it.

Well, he just wasn't very nice is all.

Brought my book like you asked.

Fella paid cash, I think.

But I make everyone put their name in the ledger.

There ya go.

Okay.

Yeah.

"Lorne Malvo."

Say, uh...
... you remember finding anything odd when you cleaned his room?

What do you mean odd?

Like out of the ordinary, memorable, I guess.

Well, he had some tokens from over the Lucky Penny.

You don't say.

Okay.

All right.


Thank you.

All right, then, well, it looks like he's a pretty well respected member of the community up there.

We just had to call and verify.

Thanks for your time.


[Telephone rings]

Grimly.

Where you been?

I've been trying to call you all day.


Thought you were coming.

Yeah, I tried.

Are you in the room?

Yeah, they just talked to him.

Why not you?

Me?

No, I do Animal Control mostly.

Listen, I got a name for the suspect--

Lorne Malvo.

He used it to check into a motel.

Lorne Malvo, huh?

Oh, they're... they're coming out.

I'll call you back.

(Bill) Sorry again for the confusion, Pastor.

Oh, just glad nobody got hurt.

You're letting him go?

Desk duty, two weeks.

Now, just a...

Three weeks.

For Pete...

You're making a mistake.

Grimly, with me, now.

You pointed your service w*apon at a civilian... no, a damn minister on a public street.

No evidence, no fingerprints, nothing.

What about the picture?

Oh, that Zapruder film in the file?

Hell, son, that could be a photo of my mama, for all I know.

No, it's him.

I know it's him.

Negatory.

We checked his story.

It tracks.

He's lying!

You have a blessed day.

How can you do that?

What's that, son?

Just... just lie like that.

I sure hope you catch that fella k*lled all those people.

I'll be praying on it.

Lorne Malvo.

Did you know the human eye can see more shades of green than any other color?

What?

I said, "Did you know that the human eye can see more shades of green than any other color?"

My question for you is, why?

No, no, no, just h-hold on.

When you figure out... the answer to my question, then you'll have the answer to yours.

[Crickets chirping]

Where are they?

In the back.

Can't you hear?

It's driving me crazy.

[Cell phone ringing]

Yeah?

Yeah, Mr. Nygaard?

This is Dave from Duluth Impound.


Oh, oh, yeah, I'm gonna pick her up probably Friday.

No, sir, I'm supposed to tell you your car's not ready yet.

What do you mean?

It's, uh... well, forensic team's looking at it.

Forensic?

Yes, sir.

Just routine, but I can't release the car to you till they release it to me, so I'll just call you when it's done, okay?

Bye, now.

Hey, Lester.


[Grunts]

Aah!

[Cell phone beeps]

[Line trilling]

[Woman moaning on computer, cell phone ringing]

[Line trilling]

[Breathing heavily]

[Woman moans, ringing continues]

I'm in a meeting.

Chazz?

Oh, I said, "I'm in a meeting."

Chazz, it's Lester.

Look, I think I might be in a bit of trouble here.

When are you not in...

What kind of trouble?

Well, uh, I'm...

I'm in the trunk of a car.


What?

A car.

In... in... in the trunk.

You're in the trunk of your car?

No!

N-not my car.

It's... it's these two fellas.

You see, the thing...

I think I may have been kidnapped, is the thing.

What?

Yeah, they got me, uh, in the trunk.

I'm not... don't really know where we're going.

Did you say you got kidnapped?

Lester, where are you?

I'll call the cops.

No, no, no, no.

Don't... don't... don't call the...

[Taser crackling]

Yeah, I'm just, uh...

I'm pranking you.

What?

Yeah, remember how we used to... you know, practical jokes and all?

Well, uh, you're it.


You're an assh*le.

[Woman screaming happily on computer]

[Loud clatter]

[Groans]

[Grunts, breathing heavily]

[Car stops]

Come on.

There you go.

Come on, let's go.

[Auger whirs]

You're gonna say it.

"I, Lester Nygaard..."

You're gonna say it.

"I, Lester Nygaard..."

[Softly]

I, Lester Nygaard...

Louder.

Louder!

I, Lester Nygaard...

"k*lled!"

No, no, you see, I did not k*ll...

Lester, you're gonna say... one way or the other, okay?

Mm-hmm.

All right?

Mm-hmm.

"k*lled Sam Hess."

That's not true.

I didn't k*ll him.

Yes, you did.

No, I didn't.

Okay, then who was it?

The man.

Who's the man?

The man.

Who?

Who's him?

Who... who is him?

It was the guy.

Was... What... Who?

What guy?

[Screams]

[Taser crackles]

[Auger continues whirring in the distance]

I need...

Hi, I need...

Is this your car, sir?

What?

Is this your car?

No, no.

I need a ride back to town.

I'm not a taxi service, sir.

What?

I said we're not a taxi service.

Please, I just...

I just need...

Just give me a damn ride.

Oh.

Heck, sir.

Well, now I got to arrest you.

Well, good, good.

Let's go.

[Breathing heavily]

[Groans]

[Handcuffs clicking]

Oh, jeez.

Thanks.

Okay.

[Groans]

Yeah, this is car 3108.

I'm coming in with a 3-1-3.

(Man)

Copy, 3108.


Yeah, guy punched me.

[Car beeping]

[Clock ticks loudly]

[Teeth grinding]

[Knock at door]

Knock, for Christ's sake!

How many times?

Not now.

Not now!

Look, I want to talk about mom.

I said, "Not now."

Dad, you're not being very nice.

"Nice"?

You think you go down to a car dealership, buy a car with nice?

You think the girls at titty bar care about nice?

It's k*ll or be k*lled, son.

[Whimpering]

[Inhales deeply, whimpers]

Are you crying?

No.

[Cries softly]

[Cricket chirps]

[Chirping]

No, don't.

[Whimpers]

k*ll or be k*lled.

[Crickets chirping]

[Woman screams]

[People screaming]

[Screaming continues]

[Overlapping shouting]

[Crickets chirping]

Dad, what's happening?

[Cell phone ringing]

(Man, deep voice) We demand one million in unmarked bills.

We'll call tomorrow at 10:00 AM with the drop instructions.

Do you understand?


Yeah.

Remember, God is watching.

[Phone clicks]

Is that him?

God is real.

[Woman screaming]

[Hockey announcer speaking indistinctly on TV]

Bartender,

I tend...

Hmm.

...to have a, uh, beer and then a little tequila guy.

Looks like you already had a few.

Well, then they're working, right?

What are you looking at?

You know, I'll tell you something.

[Hockey announcer continues speaking indistinctly on TV]

I will put your eye out.

[Woman screams]

I was about to send a search party.

Yeah, sorry.

Cindy said Bill's on his way back.

What happened?

Well, they, uh... they let him go, Malvo.

Yeah, he had an alibi, it checked out, but it's him.

How do you know?

'Cause I said the name Lorne Malvo, and he stopped, and he looked at me real funny.

And then he said, like, a riddle.

What's that about a riddle?

Like, um, how come the human eye can see more shades of green than any other color?

'Cause of predators.

Uh...

Used to be, we were monkeys, right?

And in the woods, in the jungle, everything's green.

So, in order to not get eaten by panthers and bears and the like, we had to be able to see them, you know, in the grass and trees and such.

Predators.

So what do we do now?

Lester.

[Buzzer sounds, door opens]

[Coughs]

Oh, okay.


Can I get, uh, like, a phone call?

And a...

Oh, a chicken pot pie?


Sleep it off, rummies.

[Suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

[Upbeat funk music]

♪ ♪
♪ all over this country ♪
♪ have you ever mistreated anybody ♪
♪ in order to advance yourself? ♪
♪ if you have, it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪

[Vocalizing]

♪ ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
♪ say it loud ♪
♪ it's coming up again ♪
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