IN THE APARTMENT A plain clothes detective sits in front of Mathilda, who's crying on her couch. Evidently, the cop's waiting for her to stop crying, for interrogation. He looks at his wristwatch.
Another two cops calmly, sweetly check out the apartment.
Routine. They pass by the double bass without opening it. Leon gets in. She jumps in his arms. He's relieved. She cries with joy.
LEON(sweet) Come on, it's over, I'm here.
MATHILDA (in tears) You mustn't leave me, Leon... I do stupid things, when you're not here.
LEON:
I'm here, I'll never leave you again, Mathilda, never. I swear.
MATHILDA:
I love you so much, Leon.
LEON:
I love you too, and I don't want to lose you.
The cop is really stunned by Leon's arrival.
COP:
Can I have a word with you, Mister? Are you her father?
Leon signs him "stop". The cop is slightly annoyed by such an authority.
LEON(to Mathilda, sweetly) What did you do? What happened? Tell me.
He caresses her hair. She's calming down.
MATHILDA:
...Well... The kids. They didn't want me to play baseball. They said I'm a fearful gal.
The cop listens, interested.
LEON:
Poor darling, and then?
MATHILDA:
Well... I proposed them to play roulette... Like we played... (She resumes crying.) ...And I lost.
He takes her in his arms. The cop is stunned.
LEON:
Don't cry, Mathilda, please. Take.
(hanky) Prepare your case and we get away for a while, OK? We change neighborhoods! Come on, go, I wait, OK?