The Dirt

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Monday. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 27 of RIDGEWAY, Dixie Mob boss Big Boy takes screenwriter Cate Salinger to a remote cabin in the woods, where he pays her five thousand dollars in cash ... to shoot someone in the head ...


EXT. OZARK MOUNTAINS - GRAVEL ROAD - DUSK
A brand-new red double-dually
PICKUP TRUCK comes BARRELING
up the road in a CRUNCH of gravel.

An ARMADILLO lazily
skitters across the gravel.

The truck ROARS by and SQUISHES it,
CRACKING its shell with a CRUNCH.

EXT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - DUSK
A shack that looks like it’d
fall over if you sneezed on it.

The gravel road runs by it,
then disappears into a tunnel
of trees across the mountain ridge.

Dim light spills out
from behind dingy curtains.

The truck’s doors OPEN.
Out steps Big Boy and Cate.

INT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - NIGHT
Dimly lit by a kerosene lantern.
We see Hoyt, Jib -- and the Kid
tied to a chair. Badly beaten.

Covered in blood.
Mouth a ruined mess.

Teeth litter the floor.
Softly whimpering.

Big Boy and Cate walk in.
Jib looks at Big Boy. Grins.

JIB
Finally told us.

Hoyt stares at Cate.
Smacks his lips.

HOYT
Who’s the cunt.

BIG BOY
New business associate.

Big Boy pulls a thick, banded wad
of bills from his pocket.
Holds it in front of Cate’s face.

BIG BOY
Five grand.
Like I promised.

Her eyes light up.
She reaches for it --
but he SNATCHES it away.

Pulls out a GUN.
Offers it to her.

BIG BOY
First you gotta shoot this
piece of shit in the head.

CATE
But what about --

BIG BOY
This man stole from me.
Now he needs to pay the piper.
Do you want the fucking money
or not?
(off her look)
You want to write my movie,
you gotta be IN my movie.
(holds up the cash)
Go a long way round here --

She looks at the Kid.
Then at Jib and Hoyt.

Then the money.
Takes the gun in trembling hands.

BIG BOY
Atta girl.

Walks over to the Kid.
Slowly raises it. Pauses.

Looks at Big Boy. He nods.
She takes a deep breath --

Takes aim -- and BANG,
SHOOTS him in the head.

Brains, skull and blood
SPRAY the wall.

Big Boy TOSSES
her the cash.

BIG BOY
She shoots, she scores.
(off her look)
Londell sent you to
get the dirt on me.
Now the dirt’s on you.
(big grin)
You just did a hit
for the Dixie mob.

A SIREN starts WAILING
in the distance.

BIG BOY
Whoops. Gotta go.
(winks)
Don’t spend it all in
once place now, ya hear?