Lost Lake Read Online Free PDF Page A

negotiates a “compromise” that just happens to produce the outcome she’s wanted all these years, which is to get the place all to herself? It’s ridiculous! It’ll never stand up in a court of law. I’ll appeal. I’ll appeal this all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to.
    VERONICA : What are you talking about? You’re not even in court.
    HOGAN : Vacate . She is just completely out of control.
    VERONICA : Maybe if you asked her before you rented she wouldn’t be so upset.
    HOGAN : I don’t have to ask her permission.
    VERONICA : Maybe you do. If you co-own the place. And they pay the utilities—she must have paid the phone bill. And you didn’t even ask them before you put it online. You didn’t even tell them until a few days ago.
    HOGAN : She told you that?
    VERONICA : Yes.
    HOGAN : Why are you on her side all of a sudden?
    VERONICA : I ain’t on anybody’s side. But it seems like maybe she’s got a point. Especially if you’re keeping all the rental money for yourself.
    HOGAN : What? She told you that , too?
    VERONICA : No. That I just figured.
    ( Beat .)
    HOGAN : Look, here’s the thing. She comes here—they all come here to use the lake in the summer, right? Her and my brother and their kids. I have my own kid I’d like to bring up here! But I can’t, right? I can’t , and they act like they’re the only one with any right to it. They just show up whenever they want. Sometimes they want to have cookouts with other families. Parties … The girls—they got twin girls, my nieces—they both drive now, they show up on their own, bring their boyfriends— I’m living here.
    VERONICA : So don’t live here.
    HOGAN : Where the hell am I supposed to go?
    VERONICA : How do I know? God, I’m sick of listening to you complain. I got problems of my own.
    HOGAN : Oh, boo-fuckin’-hoo.
    VERONICA : You don’t even know.
    HOGAN : At least you got your kids with you, you know? Count your fucking blessings. And a fancy job —
    VERONICA : I lost my job.
    ( Beat .)
    HOGAN : The nursing job?
    VERONICA : Yes.
    HOGAN : When?
    VERONICA : Week before I came up here.
    ( Beat .)
    HOGAN : That why you never paid me the last third of the rent?
    ( VERONICA makes a dismissive gesture .)
    You should have just told me.
    ( Beat .)
    Look, it happens.
    VERONICA : Not to me.
    HOGAN : It’s happened to me maybe twenty, thirty times.
    VERONICA : Yeah, well, you’re a loser.
    ( Beat .)
    HOGAN : You didn’t have to say that.
    VERONICA : Sorry.
    HOGAN : Not just losers who get laid off.
    VERONICA : I didn’t just get laid off.
    HOGAN : You got fired?
    ( She makes a “bingo” gesture .)
    Still doesn’t mean it was your fault.
    VERONICA : Oh, it was, there’s no doubt about that.
    HOGAN : Come on.
    VERONICA : It was.
    HOGAN : What’d you do, poison somebody? Give ’em the wrong injection?
    VERONICA : No.
    HOGAN : What?
    VERONICA : It doesn’t matter.
    HOGAN : Did you—
    VERONICA : I really don’t want to talk about this anymore, if you don’t mind.
    ( She sits down, visibly upset . Beat .)
    HOGAN : Look. Finish the week.
     I’ll stay out of the way. I’ll go in town during the day and at night I’ll park at the far end of the property and be gone again at daybreak, you won’t see or hear me. I’ll clear up all the stuff with my family, it won’t affect you.
     Those kids are having a good time. You don’t want to disappoint them and you don’t want a hassle from that girl’s dad for bringing her back early. You don’t want to waste your car rental. And the weather’s supposed to be terrific next few days. I’ll even spring for the inner tubes. Okay? Now, you’re never gonna get a better deal than that.
    ( He puts out his hand . Beat . Then VERONICA reluctantly takes it .)
    All right.
    (