The Postman Always Rings Twice

After having sex in the car, Frank and Cora discuss their next step. Frank warns Cora that she might be convicted of manslaughter and have to spend a year in jail. He is convinced that he won’t have to face any charges because people will assume that he is just a drunk. Frank insists, “I’ll say stuff that’s cock-eyed. That’s to cross them up, so when I’m sober and tell it my way, they’ll believe it” (42). Following their plan, Cora goes up to the road to ask for help, and Frank jumps into the car, which rolls over with him in it.

After the car rolls over, Frank is injured and blacks out. He wakes up while people are trying to help him, and he has “sense enough to roll around and kick” (43). An ambulance picks him up. On the way to the hospital, he realizes that his arm is broken and that Nick is on the other bunk in the ambulance. At a stop, Nick is removed from the ambulance, which lets Frank know that Nick is really dead. Frank is taken to the hospital alone.

Eventually, Frank is taken to Nick’s inquest. During the inquest, Cora identifies Nick’s body, and several witnesses testify about the accident.