CARTER: Wait a second. Wait a second, Vinnie. This thing’s bound to pass. I just need a little recovery time.

VINNIE: Time’s up, partner.

CARTER: Let me stay here with you, Vinnie.

VINNIE: There’s only one bed. And that’s mine.

CARTER: I’ll get a cot. A mattress, or something.

VINNIE: There’s no room.

CARTER: I’ll stay out of your way. I promise. I’ll keep to myself. I’ll stay completely—separate. If—If you have a girlfriend come over or something—If that Cecilia girl comes over, I’ll—I’ll go out on the lawn. I’ll sleep out there. On the front lawn. I promise, Vinnie. I’ll disappear. It’ll be like—you won’t even know I’m around.

VINNIE has all his detective gear on by now. He moves to CARTER and stops, standing over him. Pause.

VINNIE: I’ll know.

CARTER: You’re not gonna go out now, are you? I thought you were tired.

VINNIE: I’m suddenly inspired.

CARTER: What’re you gonna do out there?

VINNIE: Surveillance. I’m working on a new case. It’s a great feeling to embark on a case. It fills me with purpose. I’m my own man again. I move wherever I want to. I answer to no one. I cut through backyards and they never even know I’m there. I see it all, Carter. I’m a witness to it all. I see it through their windows. I see how helpless they all are. How they’re all in the grips of something. And the great thing about this business is there’s no end to it. It’s bottomless. Just imagine that. Right now, right this very second, someone is cutting someone else’s throat. It’s amazing.

CARTER: Let me stay here just for a little while, Vinnie.

VINNIE: Go back home, Carter. The kids are waiting. It’s Halloween.

VINNIE exits, leaving CARTER alone on the floor. Pause as CARTER looks around the space. His chills intensify. He scrambles toward the blanket and wraps it around his shoulders. He holds himself across the chest and rocks slowly back and forth.

CECILIA enters from stage right with her purse still stuffed with CARTER’s money and VINNIE’s laundry all clean and folded. She’s still wearing her Derby dress. She stops and stares at CARTER. He turns quickly toward her, shaking. Pause.

CECILIA crosses to the bed and sets VINNIE’s clean laundry on it. She turns towards CARTER with purse. She goes to CARTER and begins to take fistfuls of money out of purse and drops the money in front of CARTER in a pile.