"My God, it's hot." "I stepped out of the shower and started sweating again." "Still burning?" "Jesus, it's bigger." "What is it?" "It's the Seawater Inn." "My family used to eat dinner there 25 years ago." "Now somebody's torched it to clear the lot." " It's a shame." " Probably one of my clients." "I'm leaving." "What do you care?" "You're watching the fire." "You're done with me." "You've had your fun." "You're spent." "My history is burning up out there." "I don't mind." "I'm leaving." "I'm just getting into my uniform here." "Why do they make these damn skirts so hard to zip?" ""You're spent"?" "Where did you hear that?" "Mr. Racine, I no longer care whether these alleged toilets... were ever actually en route from Indiana or not." "I think we're wasting our time here." "Now, it's pretty clear that your client has attempted to defraud the county... in a not-very-ingenious manner." "The assistant prosecutor has made what I consider a generous offer." "Given you failed to offer the semblance of a def..." "Judge, perhaps when I have presented all the evidence..." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Listen, if I were you..." "I would recommend to your client that he quickly do as Mr. Lowenstein's suggested." "Plead nolo contendere, file chapter 11... and agree to never do business with Okeelanta County again." "You'd look favorably on that?" "He could walk." "But don't test my patience for even five more minutes." "If he hesitates, I'll nail him." "I'll talk to him." "And Mr. Racine... the next time you come into my courtroom..." "I hope you've got either get a better defense... or a better class of client." "Thank you, Your Honor." "I think I've underestimated you." "Don't know why it took me so long." "You use your incompetence as a weapon." "My defense was evolving and you guys got scared." "Costanza doesn't like me." "What did I ever do to him?" "He's an unhappy man, thinks he should be in circuit court." "Here he is in a state with top-notch corruption... and he's stuck with the county toilets." "Surprised you weren't in on that toilet caper." "Could have been that quick score." "Or maybe Costanza was in on it." "That's why he was so mad." "What's the good word from the halls of justice?" "Anything juicy?" "Maybe Stella was in on it." "When are you gonna get a real air conditioner?" "You don't like it, there are lots of other places." "They don't have you." "I gotta go." "You can't buy me." "I don't come cheap." "Lowenstein, you're a fag." " Why does he do that?" " He's pretty good." "That's the weird part." " You hear about Dr. Block?" " No." "Do I want to?" "Agnes Marshall." "Must've been Mrs. Block's idea of some kind of punishment." "You know, that's right." "How did you know that?" "You are better plugged in than I am." "I suppose you know about Mrs. Block's friend over in Ocean Grove." "This is beneath even you." "Things must be slow." "It's the heat." "You can stand here with me... but you'll have to agree not to talk about the heat." "I'm a married woman." " Meaning what?" " Meaning I'm not looking for company." "You should've said "I'm a happily married woman."" "That's my business." "What?" " How happy I am." " And how happy is that?" "You're not too smart, are you?" "I like that in a man." "What else do you like?" "Lazy?" "Ugly?" "Horny?" "I got them all." "You don't look lazy." "Tell me, does chat like this work with most women?" "Some, if they haven't been around much." "I wondered." "I thought maybe I was out of touch." " Let me buy you a drink." " I told you, I've got a husband." " I'll buy him one too." " He's out of town." "My favorite kind." "We'll drink to him." "He only comes up on weekends." "I'm liking him better all the time." "Better take me up on this quick." "In 45 minutes, I'm gonna get up and go." "You want to buy me something?" "I'll take one of those." " What kind?" " Cherry." "Cherry." "Wkuo*st two." "You're not staying in Miranda Beach." " I would have noticed you." " Is this town that small?" "Pinehaven?" "You're staying down in Pinehaven." "On the waterway." " You have a house." " How do you know that?" "You look like Pinehaven." "How does Pinehaven look?" " Well-tended." " I'm well-tended, all right." "Well-tended." "What about you?" "Me?" "I need tending." "I need someone to take care of me... someone to rub my tired muscles, smooth out my sheets." "Get married." "I just need it for tonight." "Oh, nice move, Matty." "Matty?" "I like it." "It's right over your heart." " At least it's cool." "I was burning up." " I asked you not to talk about the heat." "Would you get me a paper towel or something, dip it in cold water?" "Right away." "I'll even wipe it off for you." "You don't wanna lick it?" "Look who's here." "Isn't this a coincidence?" "I know you." "You're the one who doesn't like to talk about the heat." " Too bad." "I'd tell you about my chimes." " What about them?" "The wind chimes on my porch." "They keep ringing, and I go out there expecting a cool breeze." "That's what they have always meant." "But not this year." "This year, it's just hot air." "Do I remind you of hot air?" "Bourbon, any kind, on the rocks." "Do you want another?" " What are you doing in Pinehaven?" " I'm no yokel." "I was all the way to Miami once." "Some men, once they get a whiff of it, they trail you like a hound." "I'm not that eager." " What's your name, anyway?" " Ned Racine." "Matty Walker." " You all right?" " Yes, I'm fine." "My temperature runs a couple of degrees high, around a hundred." "I don't mind." "It's the engine or something." "Maybe you need a tune-up." "Don't tell me." "You have just the right tool." "I don't talk like that." "How did you find me, Ned?" "This is the only joint in Pinehaven." "You shouldn't have come." "You're going to be disappointed." "What did I do?" "A lot of them have tried that seat." "You're the first I've let stay." "You must come here a lot." " Most men are little boys." " Maybe you should drink at home." " Too quiet." " Maybe you shouldn't dress like that." "This is a blouse and skirt." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Then you shouldn't wear that body." "Sometimes, I don't know..." "I just get so sick of everything, I'm not sure I care anymore." "Do you know what I mean, Ned?" "I know that sometimes the shit comes down so heavy I feel like I should wear a hat." "Yeah." "That's what I mean." "I gotta get out of here, get home." " I'll take you." " I have a car." "I'll follow you." "I wanna see the chimes." "You wanna see the chimes." "I wanna hear them." "That's all." "If I let you, then that's all." "I'm not looking for trouble." "This is my community bar." "I might have to come here with my husband sometime." "Would you mind leaving before me?" "Waiting in your car?" "I know it seems silly." "I don't know who you think we're gonna fool." "You've been pretty friendly." "Now leave me alone." "Jesus." "It's just like my place." "No help?" "She goes home nights." "You're not nervous here alone?" "No." "You do have chimes." "What's that?" " A gazebo." " No, no." "Out there." "A boathouse." "What's in it?" "A boat." "It's a mess, really." "It's..." "There's an old row boat and some lounge chairs, things like that." "I think you should go now." "I just got here." "You've seen them." "Please go." "Thank you." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have let you come." " You're not so tough after all, are you?" " No, I'm weak." "Yes." "Yes." "It's so right." "Please, Ned." "Do it." "How are you doing?" "Good walk." "Mrs. Singer." "Mrs. Singer." " I would have gladly come to your house." " Oh, no." "The doctor said I should walk and I did have some shopping." "Not that the quack knows what he's talking about." "Mr. Racine, I'm just not sure that his testimony is going to be useful." "Don't worry about it, we'll find a doctor who's more understanding." "Can we do that?" " Is it bad today?" " You just can't imagine." "Nobody can repay me for the pain I've been through." "How well I know." "We'll sue those reckless bastards dry." "Excuse my language." "Oh, no, don't apologize." "You have to have an attitude like that these days." "I like this place." "It's got a nice feel." " You were on top." " I could use a better mattress." " See to it, will you?" " Yes, sir." "Give me a break here." "It takes a little while." "It's your own fault." "I've never wanted it like this before." "It throws everything else out of whack." "It takes me a good 30 seconds." "Are you sure?" "I just wanna be sure." "What are you doing?" "I have to wash these." "Afraid of your maid?" "That's right." "My mother told me, "Knowledge is power."" "This is an interesting interpretation." "Is that why you've started smoking my brand?" "No one must know, Ned." "Promise me." "No one." "Take it easy." "All right?" "Boy, you look terrible." "Don't you sleep?" "I had a dream last night so boring it woke me up." "I was afraid to go back to sleep." " Where the hell have you been?" " Around." "I've barely seen you for a month." "Wait a minute, some new quiff, isn't it?" "What's wrong with me?" "You've never been shy about this before." "Oscar." "You weren't at the Y last week." "We lost." "He's getting discreet." "I can't believe it." "What you got in pie today, Stella?" "There's cherry, cherry and cherry." " What do you recommend?" " I like the cherry." "Bring it on." "And a gigantic Coca-Cola." "I'm disappointed in you, Racine." "I've been living vicariously off you for years." " If you shut up now, I only have my wife." " Nothing to tell, I lead a lonely life." "Right, and it's gonna snow later today." "And people are basically decent." "Probably somebody in uniform." " Oh, come on." " No army personnel around." "Waitress?" "Could it be?" "I know, I know." "You finally got to Glenda." "How was it?" "Did she let you into the no-parking zone?" "I know that Glenda is seriously involved with a narc from Palm Beach." " There." " A narc from Palm Beach." " What is that, his hobby?" " How's the cop business?" "Real good." "Always starts hopping in weather like this." "When it gets hot, people try to kill each other." "That's right." "I know some people who'll be dead if we don't get a break soon." "We got more of everything bad since the wave started." "It's that crisis atmosphere, you know?" "People dress different, feel different, sweat more... wake up cranky and never recover." "Look at Lowenstein." "Everything is just a little askew." "Pretty soon, people think the old rules are not in effect... and break them, figuring nobody'll care because it's emergency time." "Time out." "I can't figure out how you can be doing advanced theoretical thinking like that... and be stuck in our town." "Lowenstein dreams of bigger things." "Assistant county prosecutor isn't the end." "Someday, deputy county prosecutor." "When the truth comes out about dirt I've been involved in... my future in this state will be unlimited." "Hi, Ned." "Hi, Glenda." "You all right?" "Don't stop." "You are killing me." "I'm red, I'm sore." "You're sore?" "You've got nerve." "Look at it." "It's about to fall off." "Is there any more ice?" "I'm burning up." "He's coming up tomorrow." "I can't stand the thought of him." "He's small... and mean... and weak." "Hey, lady, you wanna fuck?" "Gee, I don't know." "Maybe." " This sure is a friendly town." " I'm sorry." "You are?" "You mean, the offer is no good?" "I feel like a jerk." "Well, maybe you were supposed to deliver it next door." "You must be looking for the lady of the house." "Ned, this is Mary Ann." "We were just meeting." "Ned made me feel very welcome." "I am an idiot." "How are you?" "Are you staying in town?" "No, no, just passing through." "Nice area." "A little hot for my tastes." "It's unusual." "We're famous for our cool breezes." "Wanna stay for dinner?" "I've gotta go." "Got to go." "Bye." "You two have fun now." "I didn't see her car." "I'm sorry." "I gotta be more careful." "Mary Ann is an old friend." "She's like a sister to me." "She wants me to be happy." "How do you know?" "I saw the will once." "He showed it to me." "He was trying to prove how much he loved me or something." "How did he get so fat?" "Stock market, real estate, investments." "He doesn't tell me much, but I've picked up a little." " I know they own a lot of land along shore." " Who's "they"?" "He's never introduced me to anyone." "I'm not sure if they're all legitimate." "I wonder what they call themselves." "Maybe I've heard of them." "I know they own that old place near Miranda Beach, The Breakers." "The Breakers?" "I thought Morrie Fisher owned that land." "Edmund mentioned it once." "Ned, it scares me to talk about these things." "Why?" " You know." " No, I don't." "Let's just not." "Let's just not think about all he's got." "Wait a minute." "Tell me exactly what it is that frightens you." "I'm afraid because... when I think about it..." "I wish he'd die." "That's really what I want." "It's horrible and it's ugly... and it's what I most want." " That's where we're at, isn't it?" " What do you mean?" "That's what we're thinking." "How good it would be... if he was gone." "It would be real sweet." "No, Ned, please." "Don't." "Don't talk about it." "Talk is dangerous, it makes things happen." " It makes them real." " Don't let it scare you." "Because he's not gonna die." "Nothing wrong with him, is there?" "No reason to think he's gonna die?" " No." " That's right." "So we might as well forget about it." "It's not gonna just happen to make things nice for us." "It won't just happen." "If you leave him, you'll come out all right." " Of a divorce?" " Yeah, he's ripe." "No." "I signed a prenuptial agreement." " What?" " He insisted." "He blamed it on his sister Roz." "She's always hated me, but I know he wanted it too." " How is it?" " It's bad." "I get some money for a year, not much." "That's it." "Does it matter, Ned?" "Tell me the truth, please." "The truth." "I had wished you were gonna be loaded." "Does it matter?" "No." "No." "God, you make me happy." "It's time for your present." "From now on, when it starts coming down on you, I'll be there to protect you." "Try it on." "I bet I guessed the size right." "I love it." " I wanna see." " Here." "Hello, sweetheart." "Have I got a nice present for you." "Hi, Aunt Matty." "Heather." " What is it again?" "What?" " Rover." " It's between first and second." " Rover." "That's not a shortstop?" "No." "The shortstop is between second and third." "Good, that's the way I remember it." "You have a good time." "You don't really mind, do you?" "Roz will pick her up Thursday." "Don't worry." "Roz won't stay overnight." "She can do whatever she wants." "Oh, my God." "You scared me." "You shouldn't be here." "Heather's upstairs." "Asleep." "And I know what I want." "I know." "I know." "I missed you so badly, but it's too dangerous." " She won't wake up now." " You're so wet." "I've been waiting out there for two hours." "You're so salty." "Let me." "Lie back." "Aunt Matty?" "What do you say?" " I did." " She did." "Thank you, Aunt Matty." " Thanks, Matty." "We appreciate it." " A pleasure, Roz." "Anytime." " Hi, Ned." " It's just me tonight, Filomena." " Okay." "Just one minute." "All right?" " Yeah." "Well, hello to you." "Hello." "Darling, this is Mr. Racine." "I'm sorry, I don't know your first name." "Ned." "Edmund Walker." "Nice to meet you." "Mr. Racine is the lawyer I told you about." "You remember, darling." "He had a client who wanted to buy the house." " I told him we weren't selling." " Right." "That hasn't changed, has it?" "No." "No, we're very happy with it." "I can understand that." "It's a terrific place." " Are you going in?" " I was gonna grab a bite, yeah." "Well, join us." " No." "Thanks, I don't want to interfere." " No." "Don't be silly." "No." "We have room for three, don't we?" "This place is great, but you can't get near it on weekends." " I don't get down during the week much." " Is that right?" "I was a lawyer." "I still am, I guess, but I don't practice." " I went to Columbia." "And you?" " F.S.U." "A good school." "I got bored with it quick." "I guess I didn't have the temperament for it." "I wanted to make the money faster." "Is there a living in it here?" "I can afford to send out my shirts... and eat here once a month if I don't order an appetizer." "Yeah." "Yeah, I figured that honest lawyers didn't make very much... and the other kind were too slimy for me." "Now, I'd rather be up-front about shafting somebody." "Edmund, really." " It's Mr. Racine's profession." " That's all right." "I don't like it much." "Call me Ned, will you?" "What's to like?" "That's the way of the world." "Most people despise their jobs." "Do you?" "No." "No, I love it." "But it's not a job." "What is it exactly?" "Well, various things." "This and that." " Here and there." " You don't have to be specific." "Finance, basically." "Venture capital... real estate investments." "We're into a few things." " Around here?" " Some." " We own some things here." " Edmund's company owns The Breakers." " Really?" " It's not that simple, really." "We have an interest in a few places along the shore." "For the land, someday." "Don't try explaining that to her." "I'm too dumb." "A woman, you know." "Well, I'll be right back." "Then maybe we can talk about pantyhose or something interesting." "She's something, isn't she?" " She is a lovely lady." " Yeah." "Yes, she is." "And I'm crazy about her." "If I thought she was seeing another guy..." "I don't know." "I could understand how it could happen, her being the way she is." "I could understand it... but I think I'd kill the guy with my bare hands." "That's understanding." "Please." "You'd never believe the dorkus she was with when I met her." "The guy came to us with a business proposition." "We're always looking for opportunities." "We're willing to take an occasional risk... if the downside isn't too steep, if the conditions are right." "But this guy, he hadn't done his homework." "He didn't know the bottom line." "That's how I knew he was full of shit." "Gotta know the bottom line." "That's all that counts." "But he didn't have the goods, this guy." "He's like a lot of guys you run into." "They wanna get rich, they wanna do it quick." "They wanna be there with one score." "But they're not willing to do what's necessary." "You know what I mean?" "I'm not sure." "You mean, do the groundwork?" "Earn it?" "No." "No, I mean, do what's necessary." "Whatever is necessary." "Yeah." "I know that kind of guy." "I hate that." "It makes me sick." "Me too." "I'm a lot like that." "Some messages are on your desk." "I'll be back in an hour." "Jesus." "Did Beverly see you?" "I waited until I saw her leave." "Please, don't be angry." "Angry?" "I'm not angry." "How did you get in?" "It didn't lock." "Ned, hold me." "Please." "Just hold me." "Oh, God, I love you." "He left this morning." "I had to see you." "I couldn't call." "I was afraid to." "I was afraid you wouldn't let me come." "That's right." "You mustn't call." "Never call." "Be very careful." "The phone company keeps records." "I am careful." "Ned, I hated it." "I hated sitting there with the two of you." "I thought I'd scream." "You called my apartment from the house." " No, never." " Those two times?" "I went to phone booths." "I'm afraid of him..." "That's good." "Be very careful now about the phones." " Why do you say this now?" " We can account for some calls." "We've had some contact." "It'd make sense." "Why, Ned?" "What's happened?" "Because we're gonna kill him." "We both know that." "It's what you want, isn't it?" "We knew it was coming." "It's the only way we can have everything we want." "That man is going to die... for no reason but we want him dead." "He doesn't deserve it." "Let's not ever say that." "We're doing it for us." "You'll inherit half of everything he owns." "That's what the will says, right?" "That's it, then." "That's it." "We're gonna kill him." "And I think I know how." " It's real, then?" " It's real, all right." "And if we're not careful, it's gonna be the last real thing we do." "Her mother works plenty hard to keep Heather on Edmund's mind." "Always bringing her around... always reporting on everything she does in school." "That Roz is a smart one." "And, you know, anything Heather inherits goes to Roz." "Heather won't even get a look." "That's the part I can't stand, what seems so wrong, that half of it should go to her." "That's the way it is." "There's nothing we can do about it." "Are you sure?" "I was thinking that maybe there is." "The will is with Edmund's lawyer in Miami." "I know that." "What if I could get him to bring it home?" "And couldn't we rewrite it?" "Change it?" "Every little change would mean a lot for us, Ned." "And you're a lawyer." "You know how to write it." "It wouldn't seem so odd." "I could say that he brought it home and we decided to make some changes up here." " And I knew you already..." " No." "Forget it." " I don't see why Heather should take half." " Listen." "Nothing strange can happen in his life now." "Not one thing out of the ordinary." "That's vital, the most important thing." "If it does, the chances double that we get caught." "You'll get half of everything." "It'll be plenty." "No matter what it is, we'll be satisfied." "We're not gonna get greedy." "If we do, we'll get burned." "You're right, darling." "I'm sorry." "I know you're right." "I know where he is." "It's not far from here." " I don't want you with me." " I thought we settled that." "Look, I'll wait in the car... but I wanna take the risk with you." "We're both doing this." "What's the matter?" "You can't think with a little music?" "It's like this, I said." "It's fast, it's hot, it's simple." "That's it?" "Yeah, you can use the clock or rig it to something that moves." "It starts big." "It will go with just the mag chips." "You want a little more, splash a little accelerator around." "Is it just regular gasoline?" "Yeah." "Regular, unleaded, supreme." "Whatever you like, counselor." "I got to tell you, though, this mama's got a big drawback to her." " What?" " It's easy to spot." "Even after the meltdown, they're gonna know it's arson." "I don't care about that." "That's all there is to it?" "No." "No, that ain't all there is to it." "You've got to get in, you've got to get out." "You've got to pick the right spot, the right time... and you've gotta try not to get famous while you're in the act." "If that's all there was to it, any idiot could do it." "I'm sorry." "Hey, now, I want to ask you something." "Are you listening to me, asshole?" "Because I like you." "I got a serious question for you." "What the fuck are you doing?" "This is not shit for you to be messing with." "You ready to hear something?" "I want you to see if this sounds familiar." "Any time you try a decent crime, you've got 50 ways you can fuck up." "If you think of 25 of them, then you're a genius." "And you ain't no genius." "Remember who told me that?" "No smoking in here." "Look, why don't you let me do it for you?" "Gratis." "I'll do it." "I wouldn't be on the street if it wasn't for you." "Thanks." "I sure hope you know what you're doing." "You better be damn sure, because if you ain't sure, then don't do it." "Of course, that's my recommendation anyway." "Don't do it." "Because I'll tell you something, counselor." "This arson is serious crime." "And?" " You'll be downstairs." " And?" "Three-thirty, I send him down." "We won't talk again after I leave here tonight." "I'll be in Miami by noon, Friday." "You won't be able to reach me." "When I see you again, he'll be dead." "I'm frightened." "Jesus, take it easy." " I thought I was tense." " Where are you going?" "I can't sleep." "I'm gonna go down and get something to drink." "Edmund." "I can't sleep either." "Come back to bed, darling." "No." "Don't stop." "Are you trying to kill me?" "What's wrong?" "I think someone's downstairs." "I heard something." "Are you sure?" "Want me to call the police?" "You be quiet." "I'm gonna nail this bastard." " Edmund, what's that?" " Quiet." " I've never seen that." " I've got a surprise for this fucker." " He has a gun!" " Where?" "The car's at the end of the drive." "Clean up, then come." "You have to be careful driving in this fog." "Are you all right?" " Yeah." " Okay." "Thank God." "I thought..." "They're right on time and I'm running late." "We won't talk for a long time." "Mr. Racine's office." "Just a moment, please." "Ned." "Miles Hardin." "Do you want him?" " Who is he?" " She says he's a lawyer from Miami." "Hello." " Mr. Racine?" " Yes?" " Miles Hardin of Morris and Dale in Miami." " Yes." "As you know, we represented Edmund Walker." "Yes." "Yeah." "Well, Mrs. Walker has submitted the new will you wrote up there." "I see." "And frankly, Mr. Racine, I think we may have a problem." "Yeah, what problem is that?" "I'd rather discuss it in person." "In fact, I think it might be best if we could all get together up there." "That is, if you wouldn't object." "No." "No, that would be all right." "Good." "We have a relationship with a firm in West Palm, Shiller Hastings." "Yes, I know them." "I've arranged to have the use of their offices." "I thought we might try to make it tomorrow, say 10:00." "Would that be possible for you?" " Yes, I think so." " Good." "Mrs. Walker told me she'd be back up there by then... and I've asked Mrs. Kraft, Mr. Walker's sister, to join us also." " I'll see you then." " Right." " Goodbye." " Bye." "I don't have her." "Should I?" "I thought the temporary put her in." "She came while you were on vacation." "Look her up." "They were in Pinehaven, I think." "Get no answer at the Pinehaven number." "Okay, try again later." " Miles Hardin, Mr. Racine." " How are you?" "I don't think you know Mrs. Kraft." "No, I don't." "My condolences." "Thank you." "Mrs. Walker, I am very sorry about your husband." "Thank you, Mr. Racine." "You know Mr. Lowenstein." " Hello, Peter." " Hi." "I've asked Mr. Lowenstein to join us... because he's handling the inquiry into Edmund Walker's death... for the county prosecutor's office." "He and I have discussed this matter... and he has made it possible for us to speak very frankly here." "Off the record, so to speak." "As I've told Mrs. Walker, I was surprised at the existence of this new will." "Edmund hadn't mentioned anything about it to me." "Mrs. Walker explained that when she and her husband decided to make changes... they took care of it up here for simplicity's sake." "As you know, the new will is almost identical to the old... but for the disposition of a few items." "At the risk of oversimplifying... the thrust of the will is to divide the estate in almost equal parts... between Heather Kraft and Mrs. Walker." "Would you agree with that assessment, Mr. Racine?" "Yes, well, you witnessed Edmund Walker's signature... along with this Miss Mary Ann Simpson." "Apparently, it will be impossible for us to contact Miss Simpson." "Mary Ann is a lifelong friend of mine." "She was visiting on her way to Europe." "When she returns, she'll be in touch." "Although it's really not required." "Witnesses of the signing are not commonly available... when the will is entered into probate." "It's not standard, by any means." "Edmund Walker's death was not standard." "Pardon me, I'm confused." "Is there some question as to the authenticity of the will?" "I'm confused too." "You have a problem with the witnessing or the signatures?" "What are you getting at?" "No." "I'm afraid the problem lies elsewhere." "Would anybody mind if I smoked?" "No, I don't need my own." "I'll just breathe the air." "Everything's in order up to there." "The problem comes in the language of the bequest to Heather." "It's a technical matter." "In writing the will, I'm afraid Mr. Racine violated... what's known as "the rule against perpetuities."" "It forbids an inheritance to be passed down indefinitely for generations." "I knew that a probate judge in Miami would spot the mistake right away... so I thought I'd bring it up here to Okeelanta County... since Edmund had the residence here... and see if I could get lucky with a judge who didn't know estate law quite so well." "Perhaps find one with the same kind of training as Mr. Racine." "Unfortunately, my plan backfired." "I ran into a judge who had had other dealings with Mr. Racine... a Judge Costanza." "It seems there were problems with an estate in a case four years ago." "Very different problems, it's true... but on a will that Mr. Racine prepared." "It was quite a mess." "Accusations of carelessness, a malpractice suit." "I think he called it the Gourson case." "Gourson." "Once again, Mr. Hardin, you've lost me." "Yes, what does this all mean?" "It means, I'm afraid, that Edmund's will is invalid." "Edmund Walker died intestate, as though there were no will at all." "So, what happens now?" "You don't know?" "No, I don't." "Perhaps Mr. Racine would like to tell you." "In Florida, when a person dies without a will... and there are no children or surviving parents... then the spouse inherits everything." "My God." "You mean, it's all mine?" "Though that was clearly not your husband's intention." "My God." "He intended Heather to benefit." "Of course." "Of course, I understand." "Of course." "You look good in black." "I've missed you so badly." "I need you." "I couldn't figure out how you got my stationery." "Then it came to me." "Edmund's signature must have been a snap." "I wouldn't challenge mine." "Please stop." "I don't blame you for hating me right now." "You have really done it, Matty." "You really have." "Will you come to the house tonight?" "I want you more right now than I ever have." "I know how you must feel, but please come tonight." "I hope you haven't done us in." "Hi, guys." "Just come on in." "Make yourself at home." " Sorry about that." " Not me." "Door was unlocked, inviting illegal entry." "Behavior like that makes Oscar's job hard." "Sorry, Oscar." "You guys want a beer?" "No, thank you." "I already had one." "Ned, how in the fuck did you ever get involved with this Matty Walker?" " What do you mean?" " I mean, she's poison." "Tell me what you know about his death." "What I read." "He died in the fire." "Looks like arson." "Was arson." "Okay, it was arson." "Don't know if he was setting it and fucked up... or if that's just what somebody wanted it to look like." "He didn't set it." "Somebody offed him." "His people owned the place, right?" "That's right." "And a very rough group of fellows too." "Possible they wanted to cut Edmund out, but it doesn't seem like... a very neat way to handle something like that." "No, it's not their style." "They're smooth." "They'd rather destroy you than kill you." "And they hate publicity." "I'm more interested in the grieving widow." "Her sister-in-law has ideas along that line." "She could barely contain herself today." "I noticed that." "But she wants to wait and see how Matty treats her on the estate." " Doesn't want to blow it." " How did you get involved?" "They asked me to redo the will." "I met with her and Edmund." "It was pretty simple." "Miss Mary Ann Simpson witnessed it with me." "Walker didn't seem to think it was any big deal." " That's it?" " That's it." " What was Simpson's story?" " I don't know." "She was just passing through." "Old friend of the family's." "Good-looking." "On her way to Europe?" "The passport people didn't have any record of it." "What do you think?" "About the wife." "I suppose it's possible." "I don't know much about her except what I've seen." "It wouldn't shock me anyway." "I have this feeling she's very bad news." "Take some incredibly intelligent advice." "Stay away from her." "He's right, for once." "Well, I'm sorry, guys." "I just can't do that." "Why not?" "Well, for one thing, did you get a look at her?" "That wouldn't be so meaningful, except today she started coming on to me... and that lady is about to come into a great deal of money." "Fact is, she invited me out there tonight and I'm going, and I'm gonna keep going... as many days or nights... or weekends as she'll have me." "Ned, someday your dick is gonna lead you into a very big hassle." "That lady may have killed her husband." "Peter, she's not gonna inherit anything by killing me." "Besides, maybe she'll try to fuck me to death." "You've messed up before and you'll mess up again." "It's your nature." "But they've always been small-time." "This might not be." "She's trouble, Ned." "The real thing, big-time, major-league trouble." "Watch yourself." "Mary Ann and I left Wheaton together and went to Chicago." "We didn't know what we were doing." "I got into bad trouble with drugs." "Speed." "Real bad." "I did things that..." "Worse than you can imagine." "I thought I would die." "I prayed I would." "And then a man helped me." "He got me clean." "He didn't want much in return, either." "He was a lawyer." "He put me to work in his office." "I learned a lot there." "That's where I picked up the business about making a will invalid." "It happened to him." "I swear I never would have used you if I had known about your case." "I was afraid to tell you." "I knew you wouldn't let me do it." "I'm greedy, like you said." "I wanted us to have it all." "I don't blame you... for thinking I'm bad." "I am." "I know it." "I'd understand if you cut me off right now." "If you never trusted me again, you'd probably be smart... but you must believe one thing." "I love you." "I love you and I need you." "And I want to be with you forever." "They already think you're involved." "I don't care." "Great." "There's nothing we can do about it now." "In a little while, we'll either have the money or we won't." "It's out of our hands." "I fired the housekeeper." "We can stay together as long as we want." "We're all alone now." "That's right, I've been going down there a lot lately." "Isn't that amazing?" "Miami." "Jesus." "I'm handling the purchases and property down there." "I'll be going back again in the future if that's okay... if it's still legal to go to Miami." " He's mad." " I'm not." "Why should I be mad... because my friend here wants to know my whereabouts the night of a recent murder?" "It's not so recent anymore." "Maybe he's feeling a bit of pressure." "You brought this on yourself." "I don't run this department." "There are people are watching this." "They hear you're out there banging the widow... it tends to call attention to you." "So don't give me that shit." "That is my business." "You mean, that's your fucking business." "This whole damn case is getting crazy." " You tell him about the glasses?" " No." "Seems that Walker always wore glasses." "Steel-rimmed glasses." "A real fanatic about them." "They were not on the scene." "Coroner says they should have been... that even after the fire, the frames would have been seared right into his..." "Ech." "You don't wanna hear the details." "So what?" "It's looking like he was killed somewhere else... and brought there in his own car." "Now, your honey, his wife, said he left the house in the night... driving himself to some mysterious meeting." "Is that vague enough for you?" "Look, what is this?" "What do you want?" "Am I supposed to be an undercover agent for you guys or something?" "Interesting choice of phrase." "Well, suppose tonight I ask her:" ""Say, did you kill your husband?" "My friends were just wondering."" "That's a great idea." "While you're at it, ask where the glasses are, where she did it..." "Am I forgetting anything, Oscar?" " That one thing." " Oh, yeah." "You're gonna love this, Ned, this latest development." "This is from the sister-in-law, the Kraft woman." "She's been driving me batty, convinced she ain't gonna be cut in on the will." "It seems a couple weeks before the murder..." "Walker's niece spent a while up here with your friend Matty." "One night, she wakes up, goes to see her aunt... and catches the lady with some guy." "You get it?" "In the act or some fucking thing." "We don't have all the details yet, but Mrs. Kraft... is bringing the little girl today to tell her story." "They're here." "I passed them on the way in." "They're waiting outside." "Christ." "I'm not sure I'm up to dealing with this scene." "Listen." "You probably don't want to see the Kraft woman right now." "She's pretty wild." "So why don't you just slip out the back way here?" "Are we done here?" "Yeah, I've got it all here." " Ned, I'm sorry I had to ask." " I'll go out this way." "I've had a lot of experience with disgruntled people." "I'll be at Stella's." "Hello, Mrs. Kraft." "Hello, Mr. Racine." "How are you making out?" "We're doing all right, I guess." "You must be Heather." "I'm Ned Racine." "I've heard a lot about you." "It's nice to meet you." "Thank you." "I'm sorry our town is so hot for your visit." "It sure is." "Well, goodbye." " Bye." " Bye." "Bye." " The usual, my sweet." " Two iced teas for Fred Astaire." "Hey, Rosemary, I'm going out for 10 minutes." " You ready to hear something wild?" " I don't know, I have had my share today." "No, no, this is right up your alley." "Little Heather... goes out on the porch and there's this dude with her aunt." "And the guy is turned around with his pants or shorts dropped... so he's mooning the little girl, right?" "He and your friend are going at something Heather can't quite figure out... but which sounds suspiciously to me like oral-genital contact... which, I'm proud to say, is no longer illegal in this state." "And the guy turns around to Heather." "Do you follow me so far?" " Guess what he looks like." " I don't know." "Well, he looks about seven or eight inches long, shiny and very, very bald." "Poor little Heather!" "She'd never seen one angry before." "Made quite an impression on her." "Yes, sirree." " That's the only thing she can remember." " That's it?" "No, no." "One other thing." "She said the guy had very greasy hair, wore it slicked back." ""Like a Cuban," she says." "I love that part." "Can you imagine poor little Heather?" "After getting a gander at that, she has to slip back to bed and..." "This is the capper, why she woke up in the first place:" "She had a nightmare." "Can you imagine the kind of dreams she had for the rest of the night?" "Don't say that." "Don't say you don't have them." "I swear to you I don't." "What's wrong with you?" "They had to be here that night when you cleaned up." "Think hard." "They've probably got my prints on them." "I wasn't looking for them." "I thought they were on Edmund." " Where could they have gone?" " I don't know." " Betty." " The housekeeper?" "Where would she have put them?" "You've been through his things." "She might have taken them." "Listen to me." "That's why I fired her." "Because after Edmund's death, she started acting strangely." "She was watching me, listening to my calls." "That is crazy." "You imagined it." "I know." "I've been imagining things too." "Plenty." "No." "No, I could tell there was a difference." "Maybe she knew about us." "Maybe she wants something." "Don't you think we would have heard from her by now?" "I don't know what to think." "I'm worried, Ned." "But it's not about the glasses or your friends." "It's us." "Your first reaction is to accuse me." " What's happening to you?" " I'm sorry." "Hardin called today." "He said that everything should be cleared up by next week." "I'll get the money." "He apologized for the delay." "They've been stalling." "They're dragging it out... hoping to find a way to implicate you." "But they haven't been able to." "Soon, it will be all ours." "That's why we've got to stay together, Ned." "It won't be long... and then we can get away from here, out from under all of this." "All we have is each other." "I'd kill myself if I thought this thing would destroy us." "I couldn't take it." "That's great." " Hi, Ned." " What are you doing here?" "I was looking for you." "Do you always run this late?" "No." "I'm going down to Miami tomorrow." "I won't have time." " What's in Miami?" " Closing a real estate deal I was working on." "You're some kind of health nut." "Matty Walker smokes that same brand, I noticed." "This gonna be one of those conversations?" "Maybe I should have my lawyer present." "Buddy, your lawyer is present." "You know, that Edmund Walker was a bad guy." "The more I find out, the happier I am he's dead." "I figure it's a positive thing for the world." "You're not known for being a hard-liner." "Well, I have my own standards." "I just try to keep them private." "As far as I'm concerned, I don't care who killed him... and I don't care who gets rich because of it." "But Oscar is not like that." "You know, his whole life is based on doing the right thing." "He's the only person I know like that." "Sometimes, it's a real pain in the ass." "Even for him." "Oscar's unhappy right now." "I mean, he is in pain." " Why is that?" " Because he likes you." "Even better than I do... that's why he's busting his butt trying to find this Mary Ann Simpson." "They found her place in Miami yesterday." "Yeah?" "But the woman herself was gone." "Seems like she left in a hurry." "Oscar thought any story she could tell might help." "He thinks you need help." "Oh, come on." "Someone is putting you into deep trouble, my friend." "From 3:30 to 5 a.m. the night Walker was killed... someone called your hotel room repeatedly." "The hotel didn't wanna put them through... but whoever it was convinced them that it was an emergency." "Your phone rang and rang, but you didn't answer." " That's easy." " Don't." "Don't say anything." "Just save it for some other time." "It gets worse." "Now someone's trying to give us Edmund's glasses." "We don't know who and we don't know what the glasses will tell us... but our negotiations are continuing." "I wish I knew what to tell you, Ned, but I don't have any good ideas." "I'll see you." "We know each other, don't we?" "Michael Glenn, with Bashford-Hillerman." "Ned Racine." "Oh, Christ, I've done it again." "I'm just here waiting for some people." "Okay, this is silly." "You're not still mad about that Gourson business?" "We had to do it." "Costanza practically insisted that we sue you." "Nobody at our place likes malpractice against other lawyers." "Forget it." "Well, hey, I tried to make it up to you." "You ever meet a lady named Matty Walker?" "You'd remember her." " A very hot number." " Matty Walker." "Yeah, I met her at a party." "She said she was going up there... and wanted to know about lawyers." " So I gave her your name." "Oh, boy." " When was this?" "I don't know." "A long time." "Maybe last year sometime." " I gotta get going." " You tell her about the Gourson case?" "Hey, pal, I was trying to get you work." "Jesus." "Are you nuts?" "Did you tell her about Gourson?" "Maybe I told her how we met." "Yeah, maybe." "Is something wrong with your phone?" "It's just off the hook." "Why?" "Teddy Lewis is in County." "He's very anxious to talk to you." "I don't know." "It's a thing in Lauderdale, but they're not telling me." " I'm a little worried." " I'll find out." "No, that's not why I called you." "In fact, I got me another lawyer." "I think it would be better." " You know Schlisgal?" " Yeah, he's good." "This broad came to me last week." "A real looker." "She said that you told her how she could reach me... and I figured that you must have because she knew all about it." "She said that you wanted another one." "She had me show her how to rig it to a door with a little delay." "Does any of this mean anything to you?" "Then I'm glad I told you." "You better watch your step." "Thanks, Teddy." "Racine, man, don't thank me yet... because these guys have been asking me about The Breakers." "Hey, I ain't told them shit, but I don't like the look on their faces." "Mr. Racine's office." "Ned, Mrs. Walker." "Do you want her?" "Yeah." " Hello." " Hello, Ned." "Can we talk?" "Okay." " Where are you?" " I'm in Miami." "I've been running around like crazy and I couldn't reach you before I left." "Ned, everything is gonna be all right." " Tell me." " I've got the money." "I've taken it and sent it somewhere safe." "It's all ours now." " But that's not the best part." " What's the best part?" "The glasses." "I got them back." "That is, they should be ours by now." "Betty had them." "She wanted money." "That's why I had to come down here." "She made it all very difficult, but I think it worked out." " Do you have them?" " No." "She wouldn't do that." "She's putting them in the boathouse." "In the top drawer of the dresser in the boathouse." "They should be there now if she's kept up her end." "Yeah." "I think you'd better get them right away." "I don't trust her." " In the boathouse?" " That's right." "The top drawer of the dresser." "Oh, Ned, we're gonna be all right." "I'll leave here as soon as I can." "I should be there by 7:30." "I can't wait to see you, darling." "We've made it." " Are you all right?" " Yeah." "Goodbye, sweetheart." "I better go get him." " Hello, darling." " Hello, Matty." " Where's your car?" " It's out back with yours." " Why didn't you turn the lights on?" " I could see." "It's all ours now." "We could leave tonight if we wanted to." " It's all over." " Yes, it is." "Ned, what is that?" "It's Edmund's gun." "You remember it, don't you?" "What's happened?" " I think you know." " No, I swear I don't." "It's the glasses, Matty." "Weren't they there?" "Didn't she bring them?" "I didn't see them." "She promised me she would bring them." "Maybe I missed them." "The way you missed them that night." "Ned, I don't know what you're thinking, but you're wrong." "I'd never do anything to hurt you." " I love you, you've got to believe that." " Keep talking, Matty." "Experience shows I can be convinced of anything." "I did arrange to meet you, Ned, but that all changed." "You changed it." "I fell in love with you." "I didn't plan that." "You never quit, do you?" "You just keep on coming." "How can I prove it to you?" "What can I say?" "The glasses, Matty." "Why don't you go down there... and get them?" "You said they weren't there." "I said I didn't see them." "I'll go, Ned." "I'll go and look for them." "Ned, no matter what you think..." "I do love you." "No." "Matty!" "She's alive." "They found the body in the boathouse." "What if that was somebody else's body in the boathouse?" "What if it was already there when I got there, dead and waiting for me?" "Maybe her friend, Mary Ann." "Her teeth were left, man." "They were sent back to Illinois." "The identification was positive." "That was her." "That was Matty Tyler Walker." "That was her and she is dead." "You are not listening to me." "Maybe she was using this other girl's name... since she first met Walker three years ago... since she first spotted him and decided to take him one way or the other." "Maybe..." "Walker, or any of us, never knew her real name." "Why would she want to hide her identity?" "I don't know." "Maybe because there was something in her past, something so bad... that it would queer it with Walker if he found out... that he'd never marry her." "Let's say... that she's living as this other girl, this person from her past." "So there's only one person in the whole world... who knows who she really is." "And then, just when she's got me on the line... she's finally going to collect, that person shows up." "That girl finds her and threatens to expose her... so Matty starts paying her off." "Maybe she even promised to cut her in on Edmund's money." "Now she's got to share it with two people." "But then, Matty sees a way... to get rid of both of us at once." "At the boathouse." "A way to solve all her problems... and get clear with no one looking for her." "She was right too, because I would have never stopped looking for her." "Matty killed this other girl... and put her body in the boathouse." "It was so... perfect." "It was so... clean." "You find two bodies, me and this girl... two killers, dead." "Case closed." "You can't find the money, can you, Oscar?" "Doesn't that tell you something?" "It tells me she moved it and we can't find it, and that don't mean shit." "It could be sitting in a bank anywhere in the world... waiting for some dead lady to come for it." "Do you hear what you're saying?" "It's crazy." "Matty would have to be one quick, smart broad." "Oscar, don't you understand?" "That was her special gift." "She was relentless." "Matty was the kind of person who could do what was necessary." "Whatever was necessary." "Is that what you've been waiting for?" "What?" "It is hot." "Yes."