"Stroke!" "Stroke!" "Pick him up, pick him up!" "Son of a bitch!" "I mean, Your Honour, good shot." "I'm currently doing an externship for extra credits as a clerk for Judge Hookstratten." "BJ Hookstratten?" "That's more impressive than being in the top 5%." "I don't know offers you've had from Wall Street..." "The top 5 in my class, not the top 5%." "I'm sorry..." "Mr McDeere, we're offering you 68,000 a year from the leading law firm in Chicago." " Where else do you have to be?" " My job. I'm on lunch break." "I know you've had a lot of offers, but we have 1 27 clients that are Fortune 500 companies!" "We'll offer you 7 4,000... ..requirement for a first-year associate is only 2,000 hours, not more." "We want you to have a life outside the office." "If you're a Lakers fan, we have a box at the Forum." "I know other firms have been offering you everything." "But with your ability and ambition, the place for you is our firm." "Let's not talk about the package, let's talk about what's in the package." "One partner is an ex-governor, two are congressmen." "One is a former secretary of agriculture..." "May I take your coat, sir?" " Mitchell McDeere?" " Yes." "Lamar Quinn." "Come on in." "I'd like you to meet Oliver Lambert - our senior partner." "This is Royce McKnight, our managing partner." " Welcome." "Care for a drink?" " l'm fine." "Take a seat, Mitch." "Tired of interviews?" "No, sir. I don't quite know what to say." "Unusual for a lawyer." "I can get tongue-tied in many situations, sir, but it's usually with my wife." "Would you mind describing one..." "with your wife?" "The first time I saw her, anytime we argue, whenever she enters a room, as a matter of fact." "Might we ask about the rest of your family?" "My father was killed in the coal mines, and my mother remarried and lives in Florida." "Brothers and sisters?" "None." "Mitch, I hope you don't think us intrusive but stability in the family has a special importance for us." "Bendini, Lambert  Locke is just a small Memphis firm, 41 lawyers." "But we're a large family, so we're careful." "Now, sir..." "Do you have any questions?" "Do you have an offer in mind?" "It includes a bonus schedule, a low-interest mortgage so you can buy a home, country club membership, and we'll lease you a new Mercedes." "You pick the colour, Mitch." "Lamar, you haven't been paying attention." "His wife picks the colour." " Do I...do I open it here?" " Of course." "Unless you can tell us what's in it." "A lawyer worth that offer shouldn't have to open the envelope." "Mr McKnight, you are the managing partner at Bendini, Lambert  Locke?" "Did Mr Lambert as senior partner give you instructions regarding my employment?" "He did." "Mr McKnight, do you follow Mr Lambert's instructions?" "Objection - vague, ambiguous." "Sustained." "What precisely were those instructions?" "That you were in great demand and I should make certain that we obtain your services before a bidding situation developed." "How did you go about making certain?" "I bribed a clerk in the Harvard Law placement office for the exact amount of the highest offer and then added 20%." "Mitch, the letter you got from Bendini, Lambert  Locke was the only one sent out." "We want you." "OK." "You'll have to leave now." "I'm expecting my husband." "To hell with him." "Come here." "Moo shoo pork, Szechwan beef, Mandarin duck... from Wong Boys." " lt's even got a cork." " What's going on?" "You remember the letter l got from that firm in Memphis?" "Memphis?" "That's what I thought until their offer." " What was the offer?" " They didn't say. lt's there." " lt's sealed." " l guessed." " What?" " Yeah, but I'm a good guesser." "Plus a 5% increase the second year." " Why?" " "Why"?" " Whose side are you on anyway?" " Yours." "Plus bonuses, a low-interest mortgage." "A home with grass around it?" "They want to fly us down to Memphis for a visit." "Been in one limo, you've been in them all." "Bye." "See you later, Your Honour." "Hey, Mitch." "Come on." "Associates first, then lunch with the partners in our private dining room." "He's our number-one draft pick, so to speak, and he's being romanced by the big boys from New York and Chicago and everywhere else, so we have to sell him on our little firm in Memphis." "Meanwhile, he's going to try not to be embarrassed while I tell you he's graduating from Harvard with honours." "No one's divorced in the firm?" " No one's divorced in the firm." " lmpossible." "No bachelors, either." " What about women?" " They had one once." "Only one?" "Yeah, Alice Krauss." "Wobbled around on high heels." "Affirmative action on stilts." "All white, all male, all married, huh?" " What's this?" " There he goes." "It's different from the Northeast." "The pace, we're almost stately by comparison." "Courteous..." "And not as gossipy." " We keep each other's secrets." " l like that." "What do you like about it?" "All of it. lt's a family." "Just the way you said." "I've been teaching in Boston at a private school." "Do you work?" "Not since I put Lamar through law school." " But working isn't forbidden." " Forbidden?" " Working." "By the firm." " How could it be forbidden?" "It isn't." "Anyway, two babies in 1 4 months, was all the work I could handle." " You plan to start a family?" " Maybe in a few years." " The firm encourages children." " How do they do that?" " Hey." "How about it?" " How about it!" "OK." "The "Love Boat" band, the secret recipe ribs - they're a little square, but... I don't mind square." "I like square." "Weird, I mind." "What do you mean, weird?" "Here's a quote." "The firm doesn't "forbid" me to take a job, and they "encourage" children." "Ask me why." "Because they love kids." "Because children promote stability." " Want to hear more?" " No." "You're right." "I'm just going to throw myself over the rail." " My will is self-explanatory." " OK, OK, OK." "These are nice people, Abby." "OK, I'm more impressed than you are - you grew up with it." "96,000 a year here is like 150 in New York." "Did you ever think I'd make a six-figure salary?" "Absolutely." "You did?" "Well...your folks are only a few hours away, too." "If we fight, I don't have far to drive?" "Exactly." "She made two phone calls from the hotel... one to her parents and one to the Memphis school board." "She seemed a little reluctant." "I'd hate to lose this young man." "I think she'll come around." "What about Kozinski and Hodges?" "Have you spoken to Chicago?" "I have." "It's not good." "We'll have to do something." "I drew the happy face, Mrs McDeere." "Where is Memphis?" " ls that it?" " lt looks different." "It's prettier than the pictures they sent." ""Mitch and Abby, we've taken the liberty" ""of furnishing the house temporarily." ""Just a few things to make you feel at home."" "Abby!" "Not bad, huh?" "Where's yours?" " Don't get up." " Don't worry." " Mitchell McDeere." " Tad eager, are we, Mr McDeere?" "What are you doing?" "Dutch says you've been here since 6:30." "I'm starting the bar exam work." "No associate's ever failed it." "I'll show you your office." "Wally Hudson, contracts." "Here to help with the exam." " Thanks, Wally." " No associate's ever failed it." "First day's a four-hour multiple choice on ethics." "Look at the first six chapters." "I'll see you Wednesday, 8:45." " No associate has ever failed." " No kidding!" "Ken Curry, domestic relations." "Mike Hill, wills and estates." "Nina." "Fuck!" "Please." "Sorry." "Can I help you?" "Actually, I think I'm here to help you." "I'm Avery Tolar, your designated mentor." "Let's go to lunch." "Lunch?" "But it's not even..." "Not even noon." "It'll be a working lunch." "Come to my office while I drop this off." "Billing includes how long you spend thinking about a client." "I don't care if you're in traffic, or shaving, or sitting in a park." "My particular field... ls forming limited partnerships through offshore corporations." "I want you to review the last one I did for a client named Sonny Capps." "Made 1 4 million last year." "Paid 4% in taxes and resents every buck." "But he paid us 400,000, so keep him happy." "Look at the deal." "Try coming up with something." "I'll call him in the morning." " Mr Tolar, should I save these?" " Please." " What do you mean "anything"?" " What do you think?" "You're the risk taker." "You think I'm talking about breaking the law?" " How far do you want it bent?" " As far as you can." "So don't risk an irs audit?" "I don't care." "They just better not win." " Yes, Mr Tolar?" " Something before lunch?" "I should warn you, the firm frowns on drinking" " during office hours." " Iced tea, please." "Bombay martini on the rocks, Ellis, three olives." "On the way." "Senator." "I'm allowed a few minor rebellions." " Put that in the bedroom." " l made some tea." "I've never had so many people doing things for me." "This is Southern hospitality." "Would you like speed dialling?" "My husband's office number..." " Let's see, that's..." " We have it, Mrs McDeere." "We do all the installations for the firm." " What led you to law school?" " l can't remember." "Sure you can, counsellor." "I was a delivery boy for a pizza parlour." "One day the owner got a notice from the irs." "He didn't know much English, even less about withholding tax." "He went bankrupt, lost his store." "That was when I thought of being a lawyer." "In other words, you're an idealist." "No tax lawyer's an idealist." "I lost my job. lt scared me." "Being out of work?" "No." "What the government can do to anybody." "What about you?" "What led you to law school?" "It's so far back, I don't think I can remember." "Sure you can, counsellor." "I used to caddie for young lawyers off from work on weekdays..." "and their wives." "I'd look at those long tan legs and knew I had to be a lawyer." "The wives had long tan legs, too." "Ellis, another martini, please." "So we're not a couple of idealists?" "Heaven forbid." " Hi." " Hi." "I'll let Mrs Quinn know you're here." " Are you sure it's today?" " That's what he told me." "Kay?" "There's been..." "Marty Kozinski and Joe Hodges were killed." "We just got word about 20 minutes ago." "Did you meet them at the barbecue?" " What happened, Kay?" " We're not sure." "They were diving off a boat on Grand Cayman, and then there was some kind of explosion on the boat." "Lamar?" "Marty was..." "His twin girls are a month older than our son." "I'm very sorry, Lamar." "By the way..." "Oliver wanted me to tell you..." "You shouldn't be burdened with a student loan." "Excuse me?" "If you bring the papers by tomorrow, the firm will repay it for you." "Kay was scared." "What?" "She was upset." "There's a difference between being upset and being scared." " She was scared." " Of what?" " Do you know her that well?" " Maybe not." "But I have spent a lot of time with her lately." "They have their own horses." "Two of them." "Quarter horses." "Does that make half a horse?" "Sorry." "..and wipe away tears from our eyes." "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen." "Let us pray." "Lord, our God, you are always faithful and quick to show mercy." "Our brother Marty was suddenly and violently taken from us." "Come swiftly to his aid." "Have mercy on him and comfort his family and friends by the power and protection of the cross." "We ask this through Christ, our Lord." "Amen." "Let us go in the peace of Christ." "I'm just going to say goodbye to Oliver." "I'll catch up with you." "Mrs McDeere. I'm Avery Tolar." "You're the reason I see so little of my husband these days." "He must be the most ambitious man in the world." "One of them." "I mean..." "leaving you every day just to go off to work." " l'm sure you could manage." " Just tell me how." "Did you know them well, the men who died?" "Yes." "You must be overwhelmed with grief." "People grieve in different ways, Mrs McDeere." "Abby!" "Hearsay." "Oh, shit." " ls he in?" " Yes, Mr Tolar." "Hell of a proposal, kiddo." "Just redraft this section on repatriation of offshore funds." " l need it tomorrow." " Tomorrow?" "I need another week." "Can't have it, pal." "We are flying to the Caymans tomorrow" " to take on Sonny Capps." " But the bar exam... lt'll be here when you get back, kiddo." "Shall I stay, Mr McDeere?" "Would you like a sandwich?" "No, I'm fine, Nina." "You go on home." " Good night." " Good night." " So what's good here?" " l'm just having coffee." "I'm going with the steak sandwich." "Two steak sandwiches on rolls, please." "Two steak sandwiches on rolls." "You with Bendini, Lambert  Locke?" "Yeah." "How did you..." "Ah." "Sorry. I'm just a little..." "Looks like they're working you to death." "They do that with new associates, I guess." " l've just been with them..." " Eight weeks." "Sorry, guys, I'm just a little punchy." "That firm looks like a health hazard." " The hours they make you keep." " The work they make you do." "Kozinski and..." "Hodges." "Bob Lamm and Alice Krauss." "That's 4 dead lawyers out of 41 in less than 10 years." "None of them over the age of 45." "Beats any life insurance tables I've ever heard about." "Who are you guys?" "Could we get those sandwiches to go, please?" "We'll probably see each other again." "The car wouldn't start." "I got...caught in this incredible accident... 1 2 cars..." "Maybe 1 3." "And there was a..." "pregnant woman in one of them." "I helped deliver the baby." "It was a..." "It was a girl." "They said they're going to name her Abigail." "Come on, Abby." "Why do you think I'm working like this?" " l want you to have..." " Wait a minute." "I never asked for anything except for us to be together." "I wanna give you everything you gave up to marry me." "Stop it." "It's sweet." "It's some kind of courtship, but I don't need all that." "Just bring me flowers sometime." "What were you working on all night?" "Just...you know, it's...just this stuff..." "Avery's got me doing for the Cayman trip." " Want to have some eggs?" " l had some eggs." "Want to have some naked?" "You don't even know what moves me about you, do you?" "Mitch, I know what you want, but it's not for me." "It's not even for you, and you know it." "It's easy for somebody rich to talk about being poor like it's some bothersome fly you just wave away." "This isn't about rich or poor." "It's something that won't get fixed with 10 Mercedes." "Hey, that's not fair, Abby." "That's not fair!" "This is about a mother in a trailer park and a brother you pretend you don't have." "Have a nice trip." "Just follow me and don't over breathe." "What about Sonny Capps?" "Aren't we under pressure?" "Tremendous pressure. lf we don't dive before the bank, we can't do it." "You can't dive and then fly within 24 hours." "How can you dive so soon after the accident?" "We don't know what happened to Kozinski and Hodges." "There was a plane crash last week." "We didn't take a boat to the Caymans, did we?" "That's ridiculous." "Let us sit down for five minutes." "Thank you." "Son of a bitch pays less than 5% tax and wants to fire us." "The Hyatt." "This new plan is very aggressive, and it defers all your tax liability for years." "You could start right away." "I'm sorry, sweetheart." "I can't talk right now." "These taxes are only deferred, right?" "The future tax value is less than half their present value." " Who says?" " After the election..." "Are you telling me who's going to be president next?" "That would be valuable information." "Mr Tolar has a plan that... that meets all your needs, whoever's in the White House." " Let him tell me." " He's trying to." " Are you his lawyer or mine?" " Neither one, sir." " Why the fuck are you here?" " Sonny..." "You're not the firm's only concern here." "We put you into deals with other clients who may be sensitive about exposing their relationships to outside attorneys." "You hear that, counsellor?" "That's a veiled threat." "If you're talking about our friends in Chicago, they don't make money when I pay you fees." "You do." "They make money being in business with me." "As long as they're making money, they don't care who does my taxes." "You don't know me." "I'm a nice guy." "Lose me a million bucks, I won't break your leg." "Sonny..." "Let's not get carried away." "What did I say?" " What did I say?" " lt's what you didn't say." "What I didn't say?" "What didn't I say?" ""Thank you."" "Mr Tolar's schedule virtually guarantees you zero tax with zero risk." "Your stock would be the face amount of the instalment." "The stock has no value but it's offset against income." "You defer your tax in full, even with a bankable LC." " Deferred till when?" " What do you care?" "It's the best interest-free loan you'll ever get." "So the worst is I pay my taxes much, much later?" "No." "Next year they're closing this loophole." "If you haven't grabbed this proposal, you'll feel you've been fucked with a dick big enough for an elephant to feel it." "Do you know that for a fact?" "Hey, you like the word "protege"?" "I never had one." "You ever been one?" "I'm "A", you're "B"." "Right next door." " Avery, who's in Chicago?" " We'll get to all that." "To hell with it." "Clean up and come over." "You earned a good night out." "Mr Abanks, I don't believe it was an accident." "Just think about it." "I lost my son." "I'd have screamed bloody murder if something was wrong." " You're right. I'm sorry." " Nothing to bury, even." "Just a stone." "They never did find him or the other two." "What other two?" "The other two who split the charter." "Your friends and two other guys." "Lawyers?" "They were in swimsuits." "They paid cash." " Were they American?" " Could have been anything." "One was..." "I don't know, squat, heavy." "Other guy had long, blond hair...almost white, with weird blue eyes." " Mitch?" " Yeah." "Grab a Red Stripe." "I'm a little slow." "Take your time." "I'm trying to look as pretty as you, which I'm convinced I can." "It just takes me a little longer." "Anything to munch on?" "Yeah." "There's some stuff next to the fridge." "It's got a lock on it." "Use that key I gave you." " Do you see it?" " Yeah, sure." "Did you find something?" "Listen, Capps is a tough guy, but he's also a blowhard." "He loves to give the impression that he's connected." "He thinks it's glamorous." "He said a couple of things." "You're about to take the bar exam." "Here's a multiple choice..." "The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is:" ""A", whatever the irs says," ""B", a smart lawyer," ""C", 10 years in prison," ""D"...all of the above!" "Being a tax lawyer's got nothing to do with the law." "It's a game." "We teach the rich how to play it so they can stay rich." "The Irs keeps changing the rules so we can keep getting rich teaching them." "It's a game..." "One you just played very, very well." "Where's your beer?" "I decided to wait for the rum." " l hear it's good down here." " Everything is." "Taste it all." "I think that since we're here on this island, there's things we can do on it...primitive things." "Come on, you deserve it." "Look, this isn't going to happen." "Tell my friend I went back to the condo." "You don't know what you're missing." "Thanks, anyway." "Are you all right?" "It's OK." "Just wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "Can I look at this?" " You're not a doctor." " No, but I've... I've sprained a lot of..." "I've sprained a lot of ankles." "Mostly mine." "You should..." "You should ice this." "You should also report that guy." "That was your boyfriend." "That was for money." " Aren't you going to finish?" " l'm sorry." " You think that's..." " lt's nothing to do with me." " ls this too tight?" " No." "I work in a travel agency." "I wanted to feel like all those people... with first-class tickets and pretty clothes." "I guess..." "I wanted to feel... rich." "How much would it take to feel rich?" "I don't know." "How much would it take to feel safe?" "You did that." "You made me feel safe." "Will you stay with me for a while?" "Why don't you take the afternoon off?" "You deserve it." "Spend it with that pretty wife of yours." "Oh, shit, I forgot." "She phoned last night." "What did you tell her?" "That you were probably walking on the beach." "I was." "I guessed right, then, didn't I?" "OK, Mr McDeere." "Just sign where the "X" is, and initial where it's marked." "The man from "Gentlemen's Quarterly"." "How you doing, Ray?" "Pretty fair." "How's yourself?" "It's a long time, huh?" "It's OK." "I've become a patient man." "Don't beat yourself up, kid." "If I wasn't here, I wouldn't want to be here, either." " You ever talk to Ma?" " A few months ago." " Still with the same guy?" " They're all the same guy." "So..." "You finish law school?" "Yeah." "That suit's a dead giveaway." "You get a job on Wall Street?" "You always said..." "No, I'm not. I just... I went with a firm across the river in Memphis." " Memphis?" " Hey, Ray..." "Wouldn't it be funny if I went to Harvard, you went to jail, and we both ended up surrounded by crooks?" "Sonny Capps is thrilled." "McDeere was dazzling." "We should pull Lamar out of that tax seminar and send Mitch instead." "Let him take the jet." " Any problem with that, Bill?" " No, no." "No problem." "So far the kid's been real predictable." "If you're even half right, you'll need help." " What does Abby think?" " l haven't told her." "I guess... I guess I don't want it to be real." "Nothing's real until I tell it to Abby." "How'd you ever land the job with a brother in the joint?" "That's OK. I'd have done the same thing myself." "You were always around for me, Ray... all those years after Dad died." "I'd have done the same." "You think I tell guys around here my brother's in Harvard?" "Jesus, Ray." "listen, I want you to see a friend of mine." "His name's Eddie Lomax." "He's a private investigator in Little Rock." "Ex-cop." "Anything I can do for you?" "Sure." "Get me out of here." "Where to?" "Anywhere I can see a whole lot of sky." "I can get through the days - l even eat the food." "It's amazing how much you miss the sky." "Ever plug one of these in, and forgot to put the water in?" "No." " You know what happens?" " No." "The lights go out." "He's been dying to see you." " Tammy!" " Mr Lomax will see you now." "Mitch McDeere. I practically went to law school with you." "Ray talked about you every day for three years." "I was his cellmate." "Did he tell you it was statutory rape?" "She was 1 7, looked 25." "I got one to four." "Sit down." "Come on, sit down." "Want some Sweet 'n'Low?" "Dairy cream?" "No. I... I've got some business I'd like to go over with you." " l'm leavin'." " Thank you, dear." "That's my secretary." "She is terrific." "Her husband's a nut case." "He's a truck driver." "He moved here to be close to Graceland." "He thinks he's Elvis." "His name is Elvis." "Elvis Aaron Hemphill." "I've run across some strange things, some things I would never spray-paint on an overpass." "Now..." "What can I do for you?" " What a nice surprise." " Avery." "They didn't have to disturb you." " Believe me, it's no bother." " l was just looking for Mitch." "Nina says he hasn't been in all afternoon." "I didn't mean for her to call you." "Didn't he come back with you?" "I'll be honest with you." "This is not my area of expertise." "But you think it's possible." "Anything's possible." "I'll tell you one thing." "If those guys were feds, you better watch out." "They don't give a damn about you." "I get some pretty pissed-off husbands in here." "On the other hand, the lawyers at your firm sure as hell seem accident-prone." "I'll see what I can find out." "You better let me call you." "You sure remind me of your brother." "Ray comes up for parole in a while." "He says that, he can last it." "What do you think?" "There's guys that can do all the hard time the state gives them." "Whatever Ray had, he used up to get this far." " Hi." " Hi." " l didn't think you were home." " Why not?" " No car." " Took it in for service." "Avery brought me home." "Went to the office looking for you." " l wasn't there." " Apparently not." "I even looked under your desk." "Avery told me you were at MSU law library." " Avery did." " Avery did." "I spotted your car in the parking lot. lt made him edgy." "Avery didn't exactly know where l was." "Probably thought you were with another woman." "I went to see Ray." "Just like that, after all this time." "You're right. I've been stupid." "I would have gone with you on Saturday." "God, I just wasn't..." "I wasn't thinking." " How'd it go?" " lt was... lt was..." "God, he..." "He tried to make it easy for me." "is he OK?" "He's got to get that parole." "You want to try something?" "Let's put the books away, pretend we're back in our old, beat-up apartment, broke, and we find some money we forgot in pockets." "We'll send out for pizza." "Drink beer." "And watch "Star Search"." "Who knows where it will lead?" " Your wife." " She's in Cleveland." "She lies." "Don't you answer your phone?" "Don't you knock?" "Where's your secretary?" "Out." " She left a cigarette burning." " She does that." "Come back in one hour and make an appointment." "Why bother?" "We're here." " l'm busy." " Doing what?" "I'm getting a pedicure." "What's it to you?" "This is going to turn out badly for you, but we can make it relatively painless." "Why are you asking questions about dead lawyers?" "What dead lawyers?" "Who hired you to do that?" "OK." "OK." "Just let me think." "His name..." "Was Julio Iglesias." "No!" "No!" "Great." "Just great." "You want to ask him a few questions now?" "This is a carefully balanced proposal." "I think it's high-minded, but I think it's fair-minded." "In other words, it's got something to offend everyone." "If you want to follow along, we'll begin on page "l."" "We'll review sections 704-B of the irs code of 1986..." ""..with partners' interests in the partnership " ""unless those allocations satisfy the economic effect" ""most easily satisfied by taking advantage" ""of the safe harbour provisions set forth therein."" "So, in an ever-changing sea of tax law..." "Watch your step, please." "Hey, brother." "Sister." "Brother, go down the steps towards the pool." "Here you go, brother." " Voices from the wall." " Thanks a lot." "Who killed Eddie Lomax?" "Go over and sit next to the man on the bench." "I appreciate your coming, Mr McDeere." "I'll call you Mitch if I may." "My name is Denton Voyles." "I'm with the Department of Justice." "What happened to Eddie Lomax?" "We've been investigating Bendini, Lambert  Locke for four years." "No lawyer has ever left your law firm alive." "Two tried to leave - they were killed." "Two were about to try - you know what happened." "We have reason to believe that your house is bugged... your phones are tapped, and your office is wired." "They may have followed you to Washington as we speak." "Are you saying that my life..." "Your life as you know it is over." "Your law firm is the representative of the Morolto crime family in Chicago, known as the Mafia, the Mob." "I don't believe it." "They set up legitimate businesses with money from drugs, prostitution..." "all cash moved offshore." "You believe it." "That's why you talked to Thomas Abanks." "That's why your private investigator got killed." "Maybe 30% of their clients are legitimate." "They bring in a new rookie, throw money at him, buy the car, the house." "Once your kids are in private schools, you're used to the good life, they tell you the truth." "You mean every partner in the firm..." "Every partner knows." "We suspect most of the associates." "Why don't you get indictments and bust it all up?" "We have to have somebody on the inside." "We need to see copies of contracts, clients' bank records, articles of incorporation." "Wait." "You think I'm..." "You can say no, but we're going to break this firm." "When that happens, you're going to jail along with the rest." "It'll happen." "Believe me." "Why can't I just leave?" "That's what Kozinski and Hodges were trying to do." "You have to think this over." "Meanwhile, you and your wife have to behave as though everything is normal." "Don't discuss this with anyone... but make a decision." "You help us, we'll make it worth your while." " Worth my while?" " You'll still have a good life." "You mean, in a witness protection programme?" "How?" "I live somebody else's life in some nowhere place, and one day, I'm backing out of the driveway and my car explodes?" "Doesn't have to be that way." "I don't need much of a life but it has to be mine." "You got that now?" "Get back to the seminar." "Tarrance will negotiate on our behalf." "Why don't you wander back past the Memorial?" "Call me anytime, day or night." "The second one's a mobile number." "Let me get this straight." "I steal files and turn them over to the fbi, testify against my colleagues, send them to jail." "Reveal privileged information that violates attorney/client confidences, get disbarred, then testify against the Mafia." " Unfortunately..." " Let me ask you something." "Are you out of your fucking mind?" "How long before they find out" "Lomax's cellmate was named Ray McDeere..." "And when they do, what will they do to him?" "They can get to anyone, anywhere." " What can you do?" " Your brother's up for parole." "You cooperate with us - the board will be grateful." "Otherwise..." "You know what parole hearings are like." "It could go either way." "Forget about home." "Take me to the firm." "I need to see everybody, now." " l'm on overseas, and..." " Right now." "I just had a chat with the fbi." " They didn't try to coerce you?" " No." " They didn't offer you money?" " Nope." "Did they ask you to contact them?" "What for?" "Exactly what did they want?" "The secret files." "Who had those secret files last?" "Did you, Royce?" "I gave them to you." "They also suggested that Hodges and Kozinski were murdered." "Those sons of bitches." "Now we ought to build a case and sue." "This is pure harassment." "And that was it?" "That was everything that was said?" "Well, as far as I can remember." "It wasn't exactly a sequential conversation." "There was a lot of yelling, mostly by me." "Mitch, we're always fighting the government." "If it isn't the Justice Department, it's the irs." "We've beat them every time, and they hate us for it." "They can't get to us, so they pick on somebody new." "They invite you to break the law." "It doesn't cost them anything, but it costs you everything." "I don't want you to worry about this." "It's gotten serious enough." "We'll have to get into it legally." "The only other question is who do we bill this hour to?" "How about the fbi?" "I can't believe that." "That is so weird." "I was just thinking about you." "Somebody's burning leaves outside." "Did you smell it?" "Reminded me of the time... lf you're afraid you'll wake the kids, we don't have any." "Don't say anything." "Don't tell me any more." "Everything..." "Every single thing we've said or done since we've been in that house, nothing has been between us." "Can't we just drive back to Boston tonight?" " They'll find us." " How do you go to work?" " What do you say to Avery?" " l talk about work." "That's insane!" "I've thought of every way here, in the Caymans, in Washington - that's all I've done." "If we run, they'd find us, and it gets Ray killed." " But if you testify..." " The fbi will protect us." "Protect what?" "What are you going to do?" "Go in tomorrow and start to copy files." "I don't have a choice." "Mitch..." "What are you saying?" "You'll be revealing clients' secrets." "You'll be disbarred - unable to practice law again, everything you've worked for." " They can't ask you to do that." " They are not asking!" "We have to behave exactly as we have been." "We have to go to work and come home every day and never wonder about the walls and the wires..." "And do nothing we want to do." "Szechwan beef from Wong Boys." "That was the last time I remember laughing." "Come on." "Every single day you're blocking this alley." "Leave me alone." "You're using this place as a parking lot." "What the hell are you doing?" "Jesus, I was trying to make a copy." "Now you have to have the billing code for each client." "Every time I copy a piece of paper, it's recorded?" "Are you trying to kill yourself?" "Come on." "Nina should do that." "Come down for one night, can't you?" "Yeah, well, it used to be worth it." "OK." "Well..." "Yeah." "Maybe next time." "Bye, Cordelia." " That was Cordelia." " Your wife." "From the song of the same name." "Avery, about those Capps LCs..." "when's the next Cayman trip?" "For me?" "Next week." "If you think I'd let Sonny Capps see you again, you're crazy." "But write down your thoughts." "I'll be happy to take credit." "Mr Mulholland's called twice about his bills again." "Tell him to take it and..." "Wait a minute." " lsn't he just up the street?" " Yes. ln The Cotton Exchange." "I'll see him later." "Did you order a fried egg sandwich?" "A fried egg..." "Yes, I did. I did." "Come in." "It's 2.65." "The receipt's in the bag." "The receipt's in the bag." "How did you see them and they didn't see you?" "I was under the desk." "I was vacuuming." "You want me to draw you a diagram?" "I loved him." "I'm sorry, Tammy." "They wanted to know who hired him and why he was asking questions about them lawyers." "You actually saw them?" "One guy was stocky, looked like a wrestler." "He's going to limp the rest of his life 'cause Eddie hit him in the knee with that cannon under his desk." "Other guy was like an albino." "Long, thin hair...almost white." "Dead blue eyes." "My landlady said they came looking for me yesterday." "So I checked into a motel - couldn't think where else to go." "They're going to put Eddie together with Ray." "When they do, it'll lead to you." "I don't want anything bad to happen to you." "Eddie wouldn't like it." "You're in trouble like me." "There's a building nearby called The Cotton Exchange." "Maybe you can help." "Hi there, Mitch." "Bill Devasher...firm security." "Mr Locke and Mr Lambert told me about your run-in with the fbi." "Could we have a talk?" "Actually, I told them everything." "Sure." "This won't take a minute." "Hop in." "So, Mitch, this is a debriefing." "I know pretty much what you told the fellas, so I kind of got the picture." "It's my job to give you the picture." "What I'm concerned about, son, is this..." "The fbi figured they'd get to you." " What made them think that?" " l have no idea." "Well, see I have an idea that they know how important your wife is to you." " They might use that." " How?" "Avery says last Friday you took the afternoon off." "He figures you might have been with another woman." "Why would Avery think..." "How do you know you weren't followed?" "Here's your Abby, one day walking to the mailbox, anticipating the arrival of her "Redbook"" "or "Sharper Image" catalogue." "What does she find instead?" "She finds heartache, Mitch... the death of love and trust." "Imagine her one day opening that." "Go ahead." "Take a look." "Devastating." "Not just screwing, Mitch." "But the kind of intimate acts, oral and what not, that could be particularly hard for a trusting young wife to forgive and impossible to forget." "That's just the kind of stuff the fbi could use for coercion." "So you watch yourself." "I'll try to protect you, and I know you'll do your best to protect the firm." "So if the fbi so much as spits in your direction, let me know before it hits the ground, won't you?" "Won't you, Mitch?" "Oliver wants to see you in the library." "Where you been?" "Let me just put my coat away." "Right now." "He's been waiting." "You think you're smart, huh?" "We've been informed there's somebody smarter." "You didn't get the highest score on the bar exam." "You got the second highest score." "Cheers." "Nice going." "Congratulations." "They called you, huh?" "Guilty, Your Honour. I did it." "Well, it's your moment of glory." "You know, my wife missed mine, and... she never forgave herself." "I wouldn't want that to happen to you." "That's very considerate, Avery." "Well, I thought so." " Well done." " Quite an achievement, Mitch." "The space is great." "I'll take it." "And the lease would be under...?" "Greenwood Secretarial Services." " And you are?" " Doris Greenwood." "I like that suit a lot." "They're going to deliver a copier tomorrow." "I'll make sure the office is open." "I will employ such means only as are consistent with truth and honour." "I will employ such means only as are consistent with truth and honour." "I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my client." "I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my client." "I will truly and honestly conduct myself in the practice of my profession to the best of my skill and ability, so help me God." "I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my client?" "The first thing I'm going to do is violate the secrets of my clients." "Do you see any other way?" "OK, then." "Aren't we doing the best we can?" "No." "What do you mean?" "I can't..." "What?" "That..." "That night..." "That night in the Caymans when you telephoned..." "You were on the beach." "What?" "What did you do?" "No." "You didn't." " Who was she?" " l don't know." "You don't know?" "I don't even know her name." "It didn't mean anything." "Like hell it didn't." "It means everything." "What did you do?" "Why did you fuck some stranger on a beach one night away from me?" "Who does that?" " Abby, I promise you..." " What?" "You can't promise anything." "Not ever." "Not anymore." "Why did you tell me?" "Because I couldn't stand not to." "I couldn't stand... your not knowing." "Well, now I know." "Give me the keys." " Wait." " Give me the keys." "I thought there were only two brothers Grimm." "Sit down, Avery." "Anthony and Joey are coming down next week." " What for?" " Your protege's got a brother." "So?" "He didn't mention him at the interview in Boston." "I got a brother I might not mention either..." " This brother's doing time." " How do you know?" "What am I, a fucking watchman?" " l get confused." " Well, don't." "All right, Avery." "We got a prison guard in Arkansas." "He tells us about a Ray McDeere doing time for manslaughter." "The Moroltos been edgy since the Kozinski and Hodges mess." "They think we're misreading McDeere." "The Moroltos are coming to take over?" " Are we misreading him?" " l don't think so." "Wouldn't you lie to get a job like this?" "We ought to keep him on a tight leash." "Why?" "You've got nothing to be suspicious about." "I get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about." "Excuse me." "You're not listening." "I'm sorry." "You were talking about hours?" "Listen... I know I'm not Bendini-Lambert's most valuable client, but I've got a legitimate complaint." "You never spent 33 hours last month on my account." " That's what you were billed?" " You don't see your bills?" "No, I just..." "just submit my time sheet." "Where is it?" "It's on file with the office manager." "You know, this overbilling's gotten so common, nobody gives it a thought." "It's kind of like tipping." "Well..." "It's not policy, Mr Mulholland." "It sure seems like policy." "It's been going on over there for years." "People forget something else, too." "When somebody over there stamped this and mailed it, you know what happened?" "It became a federal offence." "You're damn right." "Each instance, punishable by... 10,000 fine." "Three to five years, each instance." "Nina, I'm going over to Mulholland's for a half hour or so." "All righty." " Wait a minute." " l got the beeper." "There's a way of doing this without getting disbarred" " or breaking the law." " ls that our chief concern?" "Tear those up." "I might not have to use them." "But I got to get that stuff in the Caymans." " What?" "For the fbi?" " No, for me." "They won't let you go, you said." "Somebody's going to have to get to it another way." "It has to happen fast." "I got to figure out what to do about Ray." "What?" "In...in Eddie's stuff, is there some kind of wireless recording device?" " Yes." " You can use it?" "Whenever Eddie said, "My associate" - yours truly." "Did he have any high-speed camera equipment?" " Sure." " And I want a van." "Tammy, did Elvis ever find out about Eddie?" "Oh, man." "He loved Eddie." "Are you kidding?" "Hell, it was over between me and Elvis when I was 18." "We'd been married two years, and one morning at breakfast, I just turned too old for him." "But everybody loves Elvis." "The man's a panda." "He'd do anything for me." "They're off." "Say Something comes away on top." "Right There's on the inside." "Champagne rushes up." "Doesn't the dog ever get the bone?" "Yeah." "When it happens they can never get that dog to run again." "Mr Voyles wants me to tell you how much the Bureau..." "A million dollars in an account in Switzerland." "lBG Bank International in Zurich." "You sure as hell turned greedy overnight." "And my brother out." "Now." "Your brother's a convict, Mitch." "Then get yourself another snitch." "He's in for manslaughter." "Bar brawl. lf he hadn't boxed, would've been self-defence." "It's still a felony, Mitch." "You heard me, Tarrance." "My brother out now." "And make it a million and a half." "How about you kissing my ass for not indicting you as a co-conspirator, you cocksucker?" "I haven't done anything." "Who cares?" "I'm a federal agent." "Your life is mine." "I could kick you in without even violating your civil rights." "You are agent Wayne Tarrance." "You're God damn right I am." "Maybe local cops can't..." " Yeah?" " Wayne Tarrance?" " Who is this?" " ls this Wayne Tarrance?" " Yeah, this is Wayne Tarrance." " So is this." ""You cocksucker."" ""l haven't done anything, and you know it."" ""Who cares?" "I'm a federal agent." ""Your life is mine." "I could kick you in" ""and I'm not even violating your civil rights."" "Now..." "I think you ought to reconsider." "I think I've found a way out." "Not out exactly." "It's more like a way through." "It's a long shot, but it's..." "Well..." "It's legal." "I know it's weird, but if we follow the law, it just might save us." "You don't want to hear the plan." "Would it change anything between us?" "It's just a plan." "I can't do this anymore." "I can't help you here." "I can't help myself." "I've given notice at the school." "I'll leave on Wednesday." "You're right. lt's better if you go. lt's safer." " You have no idea." " Don't!" " l love you, Abby." " Don't you dare, sonofabitch!" " Wanna tell me your plan?" " Tomorrow." "Abby, where are you going to go?" "To my parents." "Then I don't know." "It's not safe for you to leave unless they know why." "I know." "I know." "Somewhere...inside... in the dark... the firm is listening." "Shall we go and do this for the record?" "I've made a decision." "My mother hasn't been well." "She's having some tests." "I want to be there." "We never see each other anyway." "And I need some time to think." "Call Devasher." "She's leaving him." "Knock, knock." "Bad times, huh?" "Abby called Kay." "Listen..." "All the wives go a little nuts the first year." "She'll be back." "Probably want to get pregnant." "Big help, huh?" "You think I'll let this kid run the penal system?" "Sir, it's the only way he'll give us the files." "Then stall on the money, get the brother out with a subpoena, follow him, and when we get the files, yank him back." " Abanks' Dive Lodge." " Mr Abanks, this is McDeere." "I got to justify a client's bill before a breakfast meeting." "All the time sheets and bills are with the office manager." " l'm not supposed to do this." " You want to wake up Avery?" "I'm just trying to head off a legal action against us." "I promise. I'll have everything back in the drawer before the office opens." "You're taller than I thought." "That's nice to hear." "There's been a change of plan." "I didn't know there was a plan." "Good, 'cause it's been changed." "Who are you, sweetheart?" "Abanks' Diving Lodge." "What time has Avery chartered the boat for?" "2:30." "OK." "You got to keep him out long enough to copy everything." "My friends are taking him to Trinity Caves." "Should be a good six hours." "Tammy's coming down tomorrow." "I can..." "I can whip us up some eggs." "Last day. I don't want to be late for school." "Has Tammy left to meet Abanks?" "Not till this evening." "You're running a three-ring circus." " l hope it goes well." " lt has to." "You know, isn't it amazing?" "You cheated, and I'm the one who feels guilty." "Don't." "Take care." "There!" "Hey, hey, hey, hey." "Hey, stop that." "Get back to the ball game." "You, too, Sheila." "Boys and girls together rehearsing for later life." "What are you doing here?" "Would you believe I happened to be in the neighbourhood?" "No." "I heard this was your last day." "Was I misinformed?" "I'll be gone for a while." "I just stopped off to say goodbye." "Just in case." "In case what?" "In case it's more than a while." "I'm going to the Caymans tomorrow, and I would miss saying goodbye." "Well, thank you." "Have a nice trip." "Want to come?" "I know. lt sounds outrageous, but...think about it." "We could grab some sun, take a dip... drink some Havana Club." "I could give you marital advice and hit on you." "And whatever happens, I promise, I take rejection well." "What makes you think I need marital advice?" " OK." "You give me advice." " l couldn't possibly." " l don't scuba-dive." " l can't scuba-dive either." "Really?" "I'd heard that you don't miss a chance." "Not this time." "I've shortened the trip." "A client's coming into town." "I can't dive and fly in the same 24 hours." " So how about it?" " My mother isn't well." "They're doing some tests." "That's why I'm going home." " l'm sorry. I didn't know." " How could you possibly?" "I hope she feels better." "And if she does... bring her with you." "Goodbye, Avery." "Have a good flight." "Greenwood Secretarial Services." "Tammy, this is Abby McDeere." "You've got a problem." "Avery's not going diving." "We're dead." "Well..." "How do we..." "How am I gonna let Mitch know?" "I'm going anyway. I gotta try." "My flight's in three hours." "Mr McDeere's office." "May I take a message?" "Tammy, don't tell Mitch anything." "I'll just be a sec." "Prescription for Abigail McDeere." "One." "You want to go, or you want to stay here?" " Aren't you going to cuff him?" " l'll take care of it." "Yeah?" "Guess what I'm looking at?" "Tell me." "My first sunset in six years." " You made it?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I did." "I owe you, little brother." "No, you don't." "Anything from Abanks?" "Last I heard, everything was set." " lt's gonna be fine." " lt already is." "Be seeing you, Ray." "OK." "You've spoken." "Where are the files?" "Where's the money?" "When I get the files." "You send half now." "Account number 6194408-S." " You got that?" " Yeah. 6194408-S." "Yeah." "When it's there, I'll send the files." "Here's some money." "You're free, McDeere." "There's a bus stop a quarter mile." "Follow the yellow line." "You're used to that." "Excuse me." "You don't seem that surprised." "I'm deeply surprised." "So am I." "Stephanie, two Havana Clubs, please." "Yes, Mr Tolar." "How'd the tests turn out?" "We were worried for no reason." "Good." "I didn't think we got on in the schoolyard." "Maybe I've grown up since then." "I'd love to believe that." " lt's delicious." " lsn't it?" "It's like cognac." "You know, I have a bad reputation." " What do you do?" " l run around." "Why do you do that?" "It's because my wife understands me." "The fact is, I love my wife." "And she's..." "Well, I guess she's lost interest in me." "I know I have." "And..." "I haven't cared for anyone since." "I'd like to, though." "I miss it." "My, you lay a lot on a girl for a first date." "is that what this is?" "This is unit "B"." "We'll be pulling over at 1 1 :15 for a 20-minute rest stop." "Mrs Sunderland, I need to speak to you about something that's..." "Well, it's quite embarrassing." "You're not the only client I've called about this." "I'd like a steak, medium rare, three fried eggs over," "French fries, and coffee, please." "Well, I'll see ya, darling." "Fuck!" "What's going on?" "We lost your brother." "Were you following him?" "You trying to fuck with me?" "Where are you and those files?" "You want the files, wire the money." " l want them now." " l gotta go." "He knows exactly where his brother is." "Check the credit cards of every rig that got fuel outside that diner around 1 1 :45, whenever we lost Ray." "Couldn't be more than a dozen." "He'll be on one of them." "And get me a map of Louisiana." "Get me a map of Louisiana!" "Hasn't even begun to melt." "The staff was chosen for its timing." "I would do that, but I could never do that." "The buttons are too small." "It requires terrible desktermindy...dex..." "Dexterity." "Amazing." " What are you doing here?" " What do you mean?" "I mean, exactly what did you come here for?" "I was invited." "You're not being truthful." " Why are you doing this?" " Because I'm sick." "I want you to tell me the truth." "I came to punish Mitch for letting the firm run our lives." "I came...because Mitch slept with someone else here." "is that what you want to hear?" "It's better than the alternative." "What alternative?" "That you came here to see me." "Avery?" "Came in about three hours ago." " Sure he's all right?" " You want to call 91 1?" "Get the stuff, and get over here." "Keep calling him." "Wake the sonofabitch up." "When you do, find me." "I want that girl." "Account number 6194408-S." "Can you confirm that it's 750,000?" "Absolutely. I'm fixing to get out of here now." "You got all the information?" "Yeah, but, Mitch, I've been looking at this stuff, and there's no numbers listed." "There's no numbers?" "No amounts?" "I got paper from bank accounts from everywhere, but there's no amounts." "I can't play this poker game and bluff." "I got to know how much they have and where." "There's a note on each one that says..." ""info held by client and my Mac." Signed AT." "is there any other information?" "is there a password?" "Look on the paper, Tammy." "Wait." "On the side of one, in parentheses it says," ""R-e-f," then a colon, then "Cordelia."" "I got to get to Avery's computer in the morning before I leave." " How will this look tomorrow?" " The morning should be fine." "By the time they miss me, I'll be in Chicago." "OK, I'll get these to the boat." "The boat?" "What boat?" "Later on I'll tell you what Mitch is doing." "Tell me now, Tammy." "Get the keys back in his pants, before he wakes up." "Hello?" "You have to repeat that." "That's not possible." "She stole your keys and God knows what else." "Who the hell is she?" "You know me. I..." "Somebody I met last night." "How did she know to go after your keys?" "The guys land soon." "She'd better be there." "Don't." "They heard you on the phone." "Mitch sent you." "I knew he was a closet idealist." "He doesn't know I'm here... but I did do it for him." "That's even better than getting even with him." "You got to get out of here." "What are you going to do?" "Abby, the girl was a setup." "On the beach, she was a setup." "They do things like that... just in case the usual inducements don't work." "What's going to happen?" "What are they gonna do to you?" "Whatever it is..." "They did it a long time ago." " Get this thing out of here." " This ain't your alley." "I'm calling the Department of Traffic..." " He call?" " Not yet." "Madge, Avery needs work done on the Kemmer papers." "I'll just get it off his computer." "What's with you guys?" "It's out of paper." "Check every God damn floor for McDeere." "The sonofabitch cut a deal." "Natisin..." "Earlywine..." "Hemphill." "Hemphill..." "Wait a minute." "That's Lomax's secretary." "Wayne, it's Warden Dynehart from Wrightsville prison." "Wayne, I've been questioning a guard who sent a fax to a law firm in Memphis regarding your prisoner." "No, no, no, no!" "He's not in his office." "I'll check the building." " Thank you, Madge." " You're welcome." "Mitch?" "We've just been looking for you." "Can you step in here, please?" "Mr Tolar's office." "Yes, he's right here, Nina." "Transfer him." "Mr McDeere?" "Judge Tarrance for you." "One moment, please." "Hello?" "Get out of there." "They know." "Get out." "Did you hear what I said?" "Get out." "Get over here now." " Can you?" " l..." "I understand." "Come on." "Rudy, get to the front door." "Mitch." "What can I do you for?" "Have a seat." "OK, Rudy, he's headed east up the alley." "Get him." "This way..." "There!" "I knew they wouldn't find her." "I need him here." "Get him back on that plane." "If we don't get McDeere before he talks to the feds..." " What direction was he running?" " lt's McDeere." " Where are you?" " Never mind." "What happened?" "Look, I'll send you a car." "Just come on in." " l'll tell you then." " Tell me now." "Mitch, it was a prison guard." "Just come on in." "We'll place you in protective custody." " l wouldn't feel protected." " You'll get whacked?" "Do you know the Moroltos are arriving today from Chicago." "Their itinerary's in front of me." "They're coming to Memphis this afternoon." "I got their itinerary..." "Northwest arrives 2:16 pm, straight to the Peabody." "The whole world's looking for you, so get here now." "I got to get lost for a few hours." " Something I got to do." " Where are the files?" " You'll get instructions after." " After what?" "He's withholding evidence." "He's got 3/4 of a million dollars of our money." "He's a fugitive. I want him." "Use the Memphis police if you have to." "It's a red ten ton, registered to Farley's Catfish Farm." "Get its routes and find that truck." "And issue APBs on Ray and Mitchell McDeere." "During the steamboat era which was peaked in the 1870s, these great floating palaces like the Robert E. Lee, whose model you see here, filled the Mississippi River." "The Robert E. Lee was designed for the Mississippi River..." "Follow me now to the deck where the cargo and passengers were carried." "The rollers that powered the steam engine were here on the main deck..." "Hey, Mitch." "Mitch." "..the end of the steam era and advent of the railway." "The next gallery detailing..." "We have the working steam engine off the US Army snag boat, the Arkansas ll." "You light a fire underneath the boilers" "The water is heated and turns it into steam." "The kids wanted me to bring them by." "Why, what's the matter?" "OK." "Lamar, I just saw Mitch at Mud Island Museum." "He was zipping through like a tourist." "He didn't see me." "Northwest Airlines flight 264 arriving from Chicago, gate B-1 , main concourse." " Devasher." " McDeere's on Mud Island." "Get the boys over there." "I'm coming." "OK, let's get these below with the rest of them." "Abanks' Diving Lodge." " How are my friends?" " OK." "Your brother's on the plane, and Tammy's loading the ship now." "It worked out." "Your lawyer friend is dead." "He never was on the boat." "He cancelled the charter." " How did..." " He drowned... in his bathtub after the lady left." "Didn't Tammy tell you?" "What...what lady?" "How did you get... I don't know." "Tammy's friend slipped him a Mickey Finn." "It was somebody he knew." "What are you talking about?" "What lady friend?" "Now, wait a minute." "Mitch is asking about Abby." "Isn't that her name?" "Excuse me." "He's in that door." "I'll go around the front." "Damn it." "Where's the..." "You sick sonofabitch!" "I can talk." "Isn't that what I'm doing?" "If it's something else, please advise me, Maury." "I like learning new things at 500 an hour!" "I swear, every fucking lawyer ought to be killed." "You want to meet McDeere?" "For what?" "So you can charge me 1 ,000 an hour while I'm in Joliet for 30 years?" "This kid's cut a deal, and I'll bet it's a beaut." " lf l find this fucking kid..." " Excuse me." " Not now, Ruthie." " lt's urgent, Mr Morolto." "Ruthie thinks it's urgent, Joey." "It's a Mr McDeere." "Mr Mitchell McDeere." "He's waiting to see you." "I think Ruth is right." "I'm Mitch McDeere." "I'm your attorney..." "one of them, anyway." "I assume you knew, but I thought I'd mention it...in case." "Would you care to sit down?" "Not really." "I want to try and..." "This is just..." "This is..." "This is very awkward." "I'm afraid my firm has behaved in an uneth..." "unethical manner." "It seems that we, Bendini, Lambert  Locke... the entire firm..." "has been engaged in a... well, a...conspiracy." "We've been..." "overbilling our clients." "In some cases, massive overbilling." "I assure you, I had no idea any of this was going on when I joined the firm." "I have to report this criminal behaviour." "But I can't use... I can't use your invoices without your written authorisation." " Our invoices?" " Tony, please, listen." "Yes, sir." "Your bills." "It's important to proove that we've overbilled you." "That's it?" "Pretty much." "Well, most of our clients have already agreed... well, pretty much all..." "except for you, which is why I'm here." "And this is what you've been talking to the fbi about?" "You want to turn our bills..." "What we charged you, I should say overcharged you." " ..over to the government." " Yes, sir." " Does that in any way..." " No, sir." "It does not waive your rights to complete confidentiality in any other area of the attorney/client relationship." "I'm your lawyer, gentlemen." "Whether I like it or not, I can't talk about you even when I'm no longer your lawyer." "That would be breaking my word, my oath." "All right, Mitch." "Then what was this stealing of the files all about?" "The files haven't been stolen." "They're in exactly the same place they were." "I just felt it was important for me to be thoroughly familiar with the precise makeup and whereabouts of all your activities... so I prepared copies of everything." "That way you and I can communicate perfectly." "And, of course...if we have to talk to a third party, then I know everything... right down to the penny, pound, franc, and Deutschmark." "I know everything you know..." "as I should as your attorney." "And what if the firm should desire at some point to terminate your employment?" "Whatever I know, wherever I go, I am bound by the attorney/client privilege." "I am very much like... I would say I am exactly like a ship carrying a cargo that will never reach any port." "And as long as I'm alive, that ship will always be at sea, so to speak." "Yasser fucking Arafat, huh?" "Never a night in the same place." "In any case, I need your written authorisation to release your bills, like every other client has given." "You have this authorisation with you?" "I do." " Anything in there?" " Nothing." "Fuck!" "You got the account number?" "Mitch says the money's there...750,000." "I love your mouth." "That's not my best feature." "What is?" "Where are you?" "What is this?" "You let the Moroltos off the hook!" " They're my clients." " The Mafia's getting away." " You're behind the times." " So?" "They padded their bills!" "You think if they don't kill, they aren't bad." "Who's hard to find... the killer or the lawyer who hides their money." "You want the Mafia?" "Get their lawyers." "Without the firm the Moroltos can't launder money." "You are so naive." "Other Bendini Lamberts will be laundering money tomorrow." " How will you get them?" " One at a time." "I'm a lawyer, and I got mine." "You're the cop, Tarrance." "You get the rest." "With what?" "Overbilling, mail fraud?" "That's exciting!" "It's not sexy, but it gets them 10,000 and five years in prison." "That's ten and five for each act." "Have you really looked at that?" "You've got every partner on overbilling." "There's 250 acts of mail fraud there." "That's racketeering." "That's minimum 1 ,250 years in prison and 2.5 million in fines." "That's more than you had on Capone." "Twist this how you want." "You made a deal to save your ass." "You got our 750,000, and you're still a hotshot lawyer." "That money was always for somebody else." "Yeah, I'm a lawyer with references from the firm." "You want that on your resume?" "You think I'll ever turn on my ignition again without sweating?" "Then I don't understand you." "What'd you do it for?" " You didn't win a thing." " l won my life back." "You don't run me, and they don't run me." "Wanna know something weird?" "I discovered the law again." "You made me think about it." "I got through law school without doing that." "It's you at the dog track." "I could've gone public with it." " Why didn't you?" " lt's against the law." "OK." "How the hell did you come up with mail fraud?" "It was on the bar exam." "They made me study like hell for it." "You've had a busy day." "So did you." "Why didn't you tell me the truth about your plan?" "All of it...the Moroltos." "I knew you'd worry and that might make you stay..." "You needed to leave." "I like what you've done to the place." " You were going to your folks." " l was." "Some detour." " Where are you going?" " To look for you." "I guess I couldn't leave you without trying to help you." "Wanna tell me what happened?" "Someday." "I think you should know that Avery was...pretty decent." "He was decent... and corrupt and ruined and so unhappy..." "Listen, Abby..." " lt could've happened to you." " Did I lose you?" " You look tired." " Did I?" "I've loved you all my life." "Even before we met." "Part of it wasn't even you." "It was just a promise of you." "But these last days..." "You kept your promise." "How could you lose me?" " You think it'll make it?" " Make it where?" " Boston." " What's in Boston?" "We are." "And the Wong Boys..." "and my kids... ..and a very small, unknown law firm... ..with a lot of potential."