People Live Here

by George F. Walker

  ANNIE: Maybe I’m just exploring options for you. For example, it’s possible that, with a little help, it could be determined that Tim was driving. If that turned out to be the case then no one would go to jail and no one would be held financially responsible. I’m assuming Tim had no assets?

  LACEY: He had a new pair of Adidas. (off her look) No, I get it. You mean I wouldn’t go to jail and there’d be no reason to come after me or my mother for money. Okay … so here’s hoping it goes my way. I mean, so what that my brother is fucking dead? And so what if that prick in the SUV might be lying about who had the green light? Because that doesn’t matter, does it?

  ANNIE: It does to me. But it might not to anyone else. And that includes a judge or a jury.

  LACEY: Really? So what should I do?

  ANNIE: You should remember. You should remember that Tim was driving.

  LACEY: (looking at her) You want me to lie.

  ANNIE: I want you to remember.

  LACEY: Remember that Tim was driving. Just that?

  ANNIE: Nothing else matters, Lacey.

  LACEY: I’m not going to blame my brother, my dead brother, for something I don’t know he did. Fuck you!

  ANNIE: Come on, don’t be stupid! You want to take a chance on making your life even worse than it is? Look hard at your situation, for God’s sake. Look at this place. You’ve got nothing! You hear me? Nothing!

  LACEY: Okay. Shut the fuck up.

  ANNIE: What’s wrong with you people?

  LACEY: “You people”?

  ANNIE: Yeah, you fucking ridiculous people. I don’t know how or why it turned out for you like this. No money, no options, no future to speak of.

  LACEY: Holy fuck. Listen to yourself!

  ANNIE: It’s just a goddamn mess, isn’t it? Maybe you were born into it. Maybe shit just happened. But it’s time to get real, okay? And try to make this one sensible choice, for Chrissake!

  LACEY: You gotta go.

  ANNIE: Really? You think that’s your best move here? Kicking me out when maybe I should be allowed to wait for your husband to get home. He might be able to understand what I’m offering here. Nothing I’ve observed about him leads me to believe that, but I live in hope.

  LACEY: We don’t do that.

  ANNIE: Do what? Live in hope?

  LACEY: We don’t disagree about things like this.

  ANNIE: Really? Where is he anyway? He can’t still be at work at 10 p.m.

  LACEY: What are you getting at?

  ANNIE: Just ask him who he’s been hanging with when he gets home.

  LACEY: Sure …

  ANNIE: No, I mean it. Because just maybe he’s been out doing something you might not agree with.

  ANNIE is on her way out.

  LACEY: Like what?

  ANNIE: Just ask him.

  LACEY: Like what?!

  ANNIE is gone.

  LACEY: (sitting) Fuck!

  Blackout.

  SCENE 5

  LACEY is in the chair. She is holding three zip-lock baggies, one containing a white powder, one some pink pills, and the third some small chunks of crack.

  Sound of the door opening. She puts the baggies under her. JAKE comes in. She looks at him.

  JAKE: Hey …

  LACEY: Yeah. Hey.

  JAKE: How you doing?

  LACEY: Not so good.

  JAKE: How come? The pain bad today?

  LACEY: No, that’s under control.

  JAKE: So, what’s the –

  LACEY: The cops know. (no response) Did you hear me? The cops know what you’re doing.

  JAKE: I’m not doing anything.

  LACEY: You’re dealing again.

  JAKE: No way!

  LACEY: That detective was here.

  JAKE: And she told you that?

  LACEY: Pretty much, yeah.

  JAKE: Well, she’s wrong. I mean, they might have suspicions but –

  LACEY: Why? Why would they have suspicions?

  JAKE: Well, the cops could’ve seen me with Daryl, I guess.

  LACEY: Daryl?

  JAKE: (gesturing) Yeah. You know … from down the hall.

  LACEY: Oh, you’re working for that genius?

  JAKE: No.

  LACEY: No? Then what’s this?

  She produces the baggies. No response.

  LACEY: Don’t. Don’t … Don’t fry your brain trying to come up with an excuse. We’re way past that. That’s us ten years ago. All I want to hear from you now is the fucking truth.

  JAKE: Okay. Okay … but I’m just doing it until …

  LACEY: I told you I don’t want to hear any excuses.

  JAKE: Well, what about a reason? A reason isn’t an excuse, it’s a … fucking reason. And mine is that we need to get money for Tim’s funeral.

  LACEY: Not by doing this. What is all this shit anyway? That’s crack but –

  JAKE: And that’s meth. And the other one is Apache powder –

  LACEY: What?

  JAKE: Fentanyl.

  LACEY: Jesus. No fucking way. Fentanyl? That kills people.

  JAKE: I don’t fucking care.

  LACEY: What?!

  JAKE: I don’t mean I don’t fucking care. I just … Okay, I’ll give that one back to him.

  LACEY: You’ll give them all back to him.

  JAKE: No. We need to get your brother out of the morgue and into the ground. That funeral home wants a deposit of fifteen hundred to even get started. And you made me not cash that cheque!

  LACEY: Our lawyer said we shouldn’t.

  JAKE: You mean Harry? He was dis–, dis– …

  LACEY: –barred! Disbarred!

  JAKE: Right. So he’s not really a lawyer then, is he?

  LACEY: Sure he is. Just like you’re really a drug dealer. I mean, neither of you have forgotten how to do it, so –

  JAKE: Please don’t get yourself upset.

  LACEY: Right. You wouldn’t want that. You love me too much to see me upset, don’t you?

  JAKE: I love you more than anything. You’re my whole life.

  LACEY: Right. Okay. So why would you (off the baggie) leave this here so I could find it?

  JAKE: Why would I want you to find it?

  LACEY: Because you need to get me involved.

  JAKE: Involved in what way?

  LACEY: Could be a lot of different ways. Maybe you want me to talk you out of it.

  JAKE: I don’t.

  LACEY: Well, maybe it’s something else then. You do this shit all the time. You try to drag me into things for all kinds of reasons. You wanted me to take that mechanics course with you.

  JAKE: I thought you’d like it.

  LACEY: You thought I’d be good to have around in case there was any math involved.

  JAKE: Come on.

  LACEY: It took me five minutes. (off his look) To find this stuff.

  JAKE: Really?

  LACEY: Five minutes, tops.

  JAKE: (looking at her) Well, I guess I forgot how good you are at it. You know, from all those years you spent trying to find where your mother hid her booze?

  LACEY: And you’re bringing my mother into this because …?

  JAKE: Because I think she’s why you’re not always very trusting. I mean, you were searching for the drugs, right?

  LACEY: Because that lady cop gave me a tip.

  JAKE: Which you could have ignored. And I’m saying your mother’s drinking is why you got sucked right into that problem we have with trust.

  LACEY: You know, I thought we made a deal not to bring our parents into whatever goes wrong for us.

  JAKE: Yeah, that’s right. But you can’t always ignore –

  LACEY: My mum, your dad. We don’t blame them, okay? We don’t look back and find excuses. And we don’t repeat. We don’t do the stupid things they used to do just because they look easy.

  JAKE: Unless we don’t have a fucking choice.

  LACEY: Oh. So we can make exceptions? You can sell meth and fentanyl, and I can get smashed and turn
a few tricks?

  She throws him the bag.

  LACEY: Take it all back.

  JAKE: That’s not a good idea.

  LACEY: I mean it. Take it the fuck back or I will.

  JAKE: It won’t matter who takes it back. The deal was made. “When you take it, you got it.” That’s a thing Daryl takes very seriously.

  LACEY: The hell with what he takes seriously. That’s some bullshit dealer code or something?

  JAKE: No, it’s all about business. He took what he gave me off the market, without cash up front, just on my say-so. And also he knows where I live so that was added security for him, right?

  LACEY: Which means he can get to you.

  JAKE: If he has to.

  LACEY: And slit your throat.

  JAKE: It won’t be like that. I’m just responsible for his losses if I don’t move it in a reasonable amount of time. He’ll just add interest to what I owe him until I get it done. No big deal. Daryl says it’s based on the rules of commerce. Sort of like a bank.

  LACEY: What a load of crap. Interest. Security. You gotta give it back. Blame me. Tell him it freaks me out.

  JAKE: He won’t care.

  LACEY: Sure it will. He likes me.

  JAKE: How do you know that?

  LACEY: From the way he looks at me, Jake. He looks at me like he really likes me, okay?

  JAKE: Yeah, but that’s … that. This is business. Anyway, if he “likes” you so much, he wouldn’t want to slit your throat, would he?

  LACEY: Not right away. He’d probably do shit to me first.

  JAKE: That’s not funny.

  LACEY: Oh, I know that. So you want me to take it back to him or –

  JAKE: No. I’ll do it. But tomorrow, okay?

  LACEY: Right now.

  JAKE: I can’t right now. He’s having a party.

  LACEY: A party. Are you saying you don’t wanna spoil his fun or something?

  JAKE: No, it’s not that. He’s just more reasonable when his crew’s not around. He thinks they’re always looking for signs of weakness in him. You know, in case he needs to be moved out.

  LACEY: Moved out? What’s that mean?

  JAKE: Killed. It means killed.

  LACEY: Really? Well, fuck him. And his crew. And whatever the fuck they do in their stupid druggy world. Get it out of here. I mean it.

  JAKE: Yeah. I know. I’m sorry.

  He starts off, then stops.

  JAKE: You all right?

  LACEY: I need to lie down.

  He approaches her.

  JAKE: Okay, but wait up for me, okay?

  LACEY: I’ll try, yeah.

  JAKE: No, don’t go to sleep. (getting closer) I mean, it’s been a while.

  LACEY: I know …

  JAKE: (cupping her breast) I miss you. Stay awake, okay? (kissing her) It’ll be good.

  He kisses her again and grabs her ass.

  LACEY: Take the drugs back.

  JAKE: Okay. But a little later.

  They kiss again. It gets intense. He is guiding her gently down onto the couch. He has his hand inside her shirt.

  JAKE: I think we should do this first.

  LACEY: Yeah … okay …

  She is undoing his jeans.

  JAKE: Yeah. Should I be gentle?

  LACEY: Fuck no …

  She pulls him in hard. They keep going …

  Blackout.

  SCENE 6

  Morning. LACEY, a little groggy, emerges from the bedroom.

  LACEY: Jake?

  Into the kitchen …

  LACEY: Jake? … What the …?

  A knock on the door and HARRY comes in.

  HARRY: Okay, seriously. You have to keep that damn door locked. Do you want me to give you a list of why you have to keep it locked? Do you want me to tell you what happened to people who live here when they didn’t keep it locked?

  LACEY: Some other time, okay? I’m a little upset right now.

  HARRY: Why? What happened? It better not be something that could have been avoided by locking that fucking door.

  LACEY: Jake’s not here.

  HARRY: Where is he?

  LACEY: I don’t know.

  HARRY: Is that bad?

  LACEY: Maybe.

  HARRY: Maybe how bad?

  LACEY: Well, I’m not worried he got lost if that’s what you mean.

  HARRY: Jesus. This not a good time to just disappear.

  LACEY: Is there ever?

  HARRY: Well, yeah. If things get truly hopeless. But not before you’ve at least put up a fight.

  JAKE comes in carrying a shopping bag.

  JAKE: Hi.

  LACEY: Where the hell have you been?

  JAKE: Went out for milk. And tea, just in case our lawyer wanted to pay us a visit. And here he is.

  LACEY: You didn’t come home last night.

  JAKE: Sure I did. You were asleep.

  LACEY: No way I’d go to sleep without hearing you come back.

  JAKE: I looked in on you. (to HARRY) She was out like a light. And I’d only been gone ten minutes.

  LACEY: Ten minutes?

  JAKE: Maybe less. He wasn’t there. I waited a little but –

  HARRY: Who wasn’t there?

  JAKE: No one.

  LACEY: No one he wants to talk about. (looking at HARRY) What are you doing here anyway?

  HARRY: We’ve got a witness.

  JAKE: Really?

  HARRY: Oh yeah. And she’s going to get on to Mr. SUV right away and ask for two hundred grand. I suggested one hundred, but she’s a keener.

  LACEY: Is she a communist?

  HARRY: No, she’s a sociopath. I knew her in law school. A very smart woman. But her only source of pleasure is in fucking with people to the point of total ruin. She’s a truly sick but highly functioning individual. She’ll say things to him that will scare the shit out of him, and make him question not only her sanity but his own as well. For starters, she’ll say she saw him run the light and cause the accident. Which I’m willing to bet is true. That man giving you that cheque means he wants this thing to go away. And whether he did or didn’t cause the accident, she’s gonna freak him out so much he’ll be convinced he’s going to wind up in jail for killing your brother anyway.

  LACEY: Is she gonna tell him she’s a lawyer?

  HARRY: There’s no upside to that. She’ll suggest a public place for him to hand over the money. They’ll meet. She’ll disappear into the crowd. That’s it. Only downside is that she wants twenty percent of whatever she squeezes out of him.

  JAKE: How much are you taking?

  HARRY: Nothing. That’s not who I am now. I no longer profit from the misfortune of others.

  LACEY: You’re helping us profit from his. I mean, how come no one wants to think about him maybe being innocent?

  HARRY: Again, no upside. He pays. Or he doesn’t. If he’s guilty and has the money, he pays. If he’s innocent and has the money, he might still pay just because it’s easier. Like I said, I’m betting he is, and he does. And I’m betting that way so you people get something substantial out of this. (starting out) I’ll be in touch.

  He is gone.

  LACEY: That’s kind of what the detective said to me.

  JAKE: What is?

  LACEY: That we should try to get something out of this no matter what really happened. Maybe she was trying to set a trap. You know, get me to lie and then –

  JAKE: Or maybe she just wants to help us.

  LACEY: Yeah, but … well, what the fuck’s going on with these people? Why do they care about us all of a sudden? Did anyone care when we were homeless?

  JAKE: We were never homeless.

  LACEY: We were sleeping on my cousin Karen’s floor.

  JAKE: Yeah, but we were indoors. Being homeless means you’re –

  LACEY: Whatever. The point is –

  JAKE: No one cared?

  LACEY: Until now, yeah. Must be because of the accident.

  JAKE: You mean because it got us a lo
t of attention?

  LACEY: And a lot of pity too, I guess.

  JAKE: We hate pity.

  LACEY: Yes, we fucking do. But if that’s all we can get from some people, we should just take it?

  JAKE: Definitely.

  LACEY: Definitely?

  JAKE: Sort of.

  LACEY: (looking at him) So you actually expect me to believe you were only gone ten minutes last night?

  JAKE: It’s the truth.

  LACEY: Because Darryl wasn’t there?

  JAKE: He was there, but so was his crew and he wasn’t gonna take all that merchandise back from me in front of them.

  LACEY: Well, what about now?

  JAKE: I texted him. He hasn’t gotten back to me yet.

  LACEY: Okay. So where are they then?

  JAKE: The drugs?

  LACEY: Yes, Jake. The drugs.

  JAKE: I put them somewhere safe.

  LACEY: Where?

  JAKE: Doesn’t matter. You didn’t want them in the apartment, and they’re not.

  JAKE gets a text.

  LACEY: That Daryl?

  JAKE: No, it’s Clyde.

  LACEY: Who the fuck is Clyde?

  JAKE: He works for Daryl. He wants a meet-up. I gotta go.

  He rushes out.

  LACEY: Wait a minute …

  JAKE: Can’t.

  He is gone. LACEY picks up her cellphone and hits a key.

  LACEY: (on the phone) Hi, Mum. How you doing today? … Worried about what? … No, it’s okay. We’ll get the money for it somehow … Mum. He’s not gonna rot in the morgue, okay? … No, he’s not gonna get dumped somewhere either … Yeah, I promise. Please try not to worry about it. I’ll call you later. Bye.

  She disconnects and puts her head in her hands.

  Blackout.

  SCENE 7

  MR. DAVID and JAKE are both on the couch, fairly close together. MR. DAVID is manspreading with both legs and arms.

  JAKE: Do you want me to sit in the chair?

  MR. DAVID: No, this is good.

  JAKE: It’s just that you seem to need a lot of room.

  MR. DAVID: Where’s Lacey?

  JAKE: She’s out for a walk.