"I'll see you." "Okay." "Good job, you guys." "See you all back at the house." "So he says to me, "I'd just soon they cut the state off just north of Orlando... and let the bottom half float right out into the gulf."" "It didn't sound like such a bad idea." "Fair enough on the bakery grade." "I want 92 for the tupelo." " Ulee." " I could sell it myself." "Fact is, I've been thinking of doing just that." "Can you extract by next Thursday?" "I can give you 30 barrels." "I'll keep the rest." "You're not working as many bees these days." " Can you deliver?" " I said 30." "I meant it." "Well, it's gonna be a good year." "At least as long as they can keep the Chinese from dumping their honey." "Chinese don't have anything like our tupelo." "Ulee, most folks don't seem to care anymore." "Cheap honey floods the market." "The bees and I have an understanding." "I take care of them, they take care of me." "We'll both just have to work a little harder, that's all." "Time to go." "If all my suppliers were like you..." "Well, then I would worry about the competition." " What do you hear from Jimmy?" " We don't keep in touch." "It's almost two years, ain't it?" "Hey, Ulee." "Wait up." "I can't do that, Sheriff." "Why, Ulee, it has been a long time." " Can we go back to the way things were?" " No, Bill, I don't think we can." "Mary's always wanting you over for supper." "Look, you can't stay cut off forever." "It's a busy time, Bill." "Tell Mary thanks for asking though." "Hey, Ulee." "How you been?" "Fine, Penny." "How are you doing?" "Just fine." "What you got there?" "It's a bunny for Easter." "Don't look like much." "Of course it ain't, Gramps." "It's just pretend." " Off to work again, Connie?" " Afraid so, Penny." " How was your math test?" " I got an 85." "That's good." "Did you get the rent check, Mr. Jackson?" "Yes, I certainly did, Miss Hope." "Is everything okay with the house?" "Everything's fine." " Take care." " Bye." "I'm glad Connie's our new renter." "Aren't you, Ulee?" "I like her lots better than old Mrs. Pritchard." "Well, we hardly know her, Penny." "It takes more than a couple of months to know someone." "But she's a nurse, Ulee." "All nurses are nice." " Is that right?" " Come on, Buckshot." "Come on." "Casey." "In here." " Y'all have a good day?" " Not bad." "Aren't you starting all this a little early?" "It's Friday." "I already asked you about tonight." "You said it was okay." "I know what I said." " Is it that Mitchell kid?" " That's right." " Where are you going?" " A movie." "Where else?" "That's all, you hear." "To tell you the truth... we were kind of thinking of going to Mexico and robbing a couple of banks." "After all, it runs in the blood." "Shouldn't be any trouble at all going wild." "Don't even kid about it." "Buckshot?" "I gotta pay the guys." " Thank you, Charley." " Thanks, Mr. Jackson." " You boys did good." " Thank you." "A couple of us were wondering if we can stay on through extracting and the move." "Thanks, but I don't think so." "But it's mighty hard work, sir." "I mean, especially a man your age." " Couldn't you use some help?" " I've gotten used to going it alone." "Thanks anyway." "Maybe next year." "Yes, sir." "I just thought I'd ask." "You be home by 11:30." " We'll try." " No tryin' to it." "Be here." "Yeah?" "And you just try to figure out a way to make me." "You'll pay the rest of your life for being a jackass." "Yeah?" "Anything'd be better than dying of boredom." "Let's get the fuck out of here, Markie." "You're supposed to be getting ready for bed." "It's Friday night, Ulee." "I can stay up a little bit." "And they're all dead?" "Every last one?" "Except for you." "All dead?" "That's right." "Had they been bad?" " Did they deserve to die?" " No." "No, Penny, they did not." "Why then?" "Those were good guys." "Your grandpa was tricky." "Lucky." "That's why I made it out." "Maybe only the tricky made it out." "And I shouldn't be talking to a little kid... about terrible stuff that happened a long time before she was born." "But it's so sad, Ulee." "You like sad?" "But sometimes, inside... it makes you quiet." "Hello, Dad?" "Jimmy." "I need to see you." "Next week, maybe." "We just brought in the tupelo." "That could be too late." "It's Helen." "Helen's in trouble." "I could care less, and you know it." "Please, Dad, this is different." " Hours still 10:00 to 1:00?" " That's right." "I'll be there at noon." " How are the kids?" " Fine." "Great." "What the hell do you think?" " I'll see you tomorrow." " Yeah." "Who was that?" "Man wants to sell me some hives." "I guess I'll go give them a look-see." "You go and brush your teeth." "I'll be in and read you good night." "Good night." "Your daddy called tonight." "Something's come up." "Is he getting out?" "I have to go see him tomorrow." "You'll need to take care of Penny." " I'll be home before supper." " Get somebody else." "Like Connie Hope next door." "I got things to do." "We don't ask outsiders for help, Casey." "You know that." "Yeah, well, just tell my dad... he might answer some of my letters sometime." "Casey would like to hear from you." "She claims you've been giving her a hard time." "Just trying to keep a lid on her hormones." "At this rate, she'll be starting a baby even before you and Helen did." "One round of fools is enough, don't you think?" "Helen is in Orlando." "She's been working as a waitress or something." "Next time you talk to her... ask her to send something home to her kids." "She hasn't been in touch." "Remember Eddie Flowers and Ferris Dooley?" " They still robbing mini-marts?" " Eddie called yesterday." "They were in a bar down in the trail two nights ago." "She stumbles in, strung out on something." "She's acting so crazy, someone's gonna call the cops." "So somehow Eddie and Ferris managed to get her out and took her home." "I wouldn't trust those two bastards any further than I could spit." "Neither would I." "That's why you gotta go get her right now, while we know where she is..." " before Eddie or Ferris do something." " Get her?" "And then what?" "She left her kids, your kids." "Remember?" "This is my busiest time." "I'm supposed to risk everything to go bring back a god..." "As far as I'm concerned, she can just stay gone." "She's sick, Dad." "I don't know nothing about dealing with scum like Eddie and Ferris." "Besides... you think she's gonna let me go in there... take her off just like that?" "You're all we got, Pop." " How you doing?" " Where are you?" "Casey, you're gonna have to take care of things for a while longer." "There's food there." "Get Penny to help." "I've been taking care of her all day." "I'm about ready to kill the creep." "Tell her everything's okay." "And, Casey..." "I may be bringing your mom home." " Why bother?" " That was my feeling exactly." "But your dad..." "Your dad's real worried about her." "How is he?" "Okay, I guess." "Where are you now?" "Outside Orlando." "I've only got a phone number." "So far I haven't been able to get through." "It's typical." "Yeah." "You all take care of yourself, okay?" "Yeah, no sweat." "See you tomorrow." "Speak to me." "I'm trying to reach Eddie Flowers or Ferris Dooley." "Mr. Jackson." "When do you want to get together?" "The sooner, the better." "Meet us at the Orange Blossom on the trail in an hour." "We'll be shooting pool in back." "Nice to see you again, Mr. Jackson." "It's been a while." "Not long enough, Eddie." "I guess some things can't be helped." "Ferris has been sleeping on the floor in here, Mr. Jackson." "It's not the most comfortable situation, right?" "She was walking in her sleep." "We had to tie her up sometimes." "Yes, sir, it's booming down here, with that mouse and all." "This is where all those smart guys are setting up." "Yeah?" "You wouldn't believe the opportunities." "Ferris and me?" "Man, we got it made." " Too bad Jimmy can't be here with us." " What's she on?" " What?" " What's she on?" "Oh." "Well, down here they call them rufies." "When you mix them with a beer or two, God knows... you can go wild and crazy and not remember a thing in the morning." "That ain't for me." "No way." "Where's she been staying?" "We ran into her, she was working at a Waffle House a couple weeks ago." "Something bad had happened." "I think she split up with some guy." "She asked us to look out for her." "Thought you met her just a couple of days ago." "No." "I told Jimmy she surprised us then." "You know, when she showed up like that, all messed up at the bar, I mean." "Cream?" "I suppose you had to keep her drugged." "Well, we didn't know how to stop her." "Most folks would've just called the police." " Jimmy's lucky to have good friends." " Yeah, that's right." "But she's too much for us, Mr. Jackson." " That's why we had to call Jimmy." " Yeah." "That and something else." "What does that mean?" "There are some things you don't want to discuss on the phone." "You know, especially to somebody in jail." "Why don't you go there then and talk to Jimmy personal?" "Well, me and Ferris, you know, we seem pretty blessed with luck... as far as the law is concerned, but... we're not gonna do something as dumb as actually go inside... where folks could check us out and such." "So?" "So, telling someone that his wife is sick..." "Well, that's safe enough on the phone." "You know, that brings a messenger... someone who can deliver more special, private information." "Don't get me and Ferris wrong here, Mr. Jackson." "We're real glad to have found Helen here... and to be a part of getting her to her home and her kin." "Yeah, she's a sweet piece of ass... even if she is a mother." "Shut up, Ferris." "This goes back to that last job the three of us did together." "Now, the laws claim that there was an extra shipment, 100 grand." "You might remember that Jimmy said he knew nothing about it." "Well, we believed him." "We figured the laws were just setting up some sort of insurance scam." "Ancient history, Eddie." "You should get on with your life." "You tell Jimmy... that a little bird told us otherwise." "Since he's gonna be in there for a while yet... we figure we could make good use of that money." "Invest it and such till he gets out." "I won't have anything to do with Jimmy's crap, Eddie." "You want to give me Helen, fine." "Eddie, what do we..." "Shut up, Ferris." " I don't think you quite understand." " Save it, Eddie." "I think I better get going." "Call him off, Eddie." "This isn't helping anything." "Are we listening now, Mr. Jackson?" "You want a message delivered." "We want the money." "Helen's gonna take some time." "I've got a lot of work to do before I get back to Jimmy." "I don't care what you say." "Take a week." "You have that money back here in one week." "You tell Jimmy we don't fancy going back to "Wewa"... but we will." "And we'll come after all y'all." "Do you understand?" "You bet." "Where are her things?" "I got a long drive ahead, and I'd just as soon do it while she's out of it." "Ferris, grab her other arm." "Tell Jimmy hi for us." "Right." "And the two little girls..." "I bet they've grown." "Shoes." "I gotta go." "Where did you put my shoes?" " Helen!" "Calm down." " No!" "What are you looking at?" "No!" "What are you looking at?" " Don't you look at me!" " This is not the place." "Now, Helen." "Damn it, Helen." "Let's get in the house." " Casey, open the door." " What for?" "I'm not going in there." " Casey doesn't mean it." " I'm not going in this fucking house!" "Why'd you bring her back?" "You're looking great, Mom." "So where you been anyway?" "Taking care of things?" "Fixing things up like you said you would?" " Get her out of here." "She stinks." " Shut up, Casey, or I'll slap you." "You and who else?" "Just hit her, knock her out." "It's the only way you'll get her attention." "You bastard." " Penny, look..." " Please." "Excuse me." "Penny asked me to come over." " I should call for help." " No." "No, we just need some time." " We should call the paramedics." " No, please." "Is there anything you can do?" "It's okay." "Can you get her..." "Hold her while I get..." "Never mind." "Casey, go to my house... get the bag in the chair by my front door, and hurry." "Casey!" "Go!" "Find some sheets, I need three or four of them." "I'm going to have to restrain her." "Nobody is going to hurt you." "Oh, please." "We have to hold you down so you won't hurt yourself." " You don't even know me." " I'm so sorry." "Put the sheets down." "Can you hold her?" "Yeah." "Thanks, Casey." "Is this just a bad day, or is she coming down off something?" "Rufies." "I don't know what it is." "It's Rohypnol." "Probably some other stuff along the way." "Could be worse." "What is that stuff?" "What are you gonna give her?" "Something to calm her down." "Hold her still." "It'll just take a few minutes." "Everyone's life you ever touched is fucked." "You know that, Ulee?" "Pop." "What's her name?" "Helen." "Helen." "She's my daughter-in-law." " Helen should be in a hospital." " No." "Then we should try to clean her up." "You got a bowl and a washcloth?" "Some plastic sheeting?" "I have some bee screening." "That'll do." "Here, I'll..." "How was Dad?" "Okay." "Worried." "I have to go back and see him in a few days." "Can I come?" "It'd be in the middle of the week." "I have to start moving bees and extracting too." " Can I come?" " No, Casey, you can't." "Your daddy and I have some serious talking to do." "Sure you do." "Finish your soup, Penny." "Is Mom gonna be all right?" "I hope so." "Would you like some tea or something?" "Thanks, no." "I'm just gonna head on." "She should rest tonight." "Tomorrow I'll check by in the morning before work." "Thanks, Miss Hope." "We couldn't have done..." "Mr. Jackson, this is something I know how to do." "Well, I'm sorry you had to hear all that." "Please, you don't need to explain." "I'll see you tomorrow." "Bye, Penny." ""Ice, the terror of captains and crews of the late fall runs... had made her a shapeless mass." "The ship wallowed and rolled and seemed to be out of control." "Then in the darkness ahead, a star flickered and flashed." "A light..."" "Why don't we save the story?" "All right, Ulee." " Good night." " Good night, Penny." "Good morning, Helen." "How are you feeling?" "I'm gonna untie your hand... and check your pulse." "Is that okay?" "Mr. Jackson!" "Hold her still." "Clear her arm." "We can't keep replacing one drug with another." "If Helen can't settle soon, we have got to get more help." "You two better get breakfast." "Casey can handle this for a few hours." "You should get some sleep." "I don't have time." "I've got to move bees up to a farmer's watermelon field." "I could be back here at noon." "You go." "We'll see you later." "Casey, come on over here." "I want to show you how to check these restraints." "Reckon you could miss school a day and help me move some bees?" "They wouldn't mind." "How many places you keep bees?" "Three, four... five at a time." "Changes during the year." "Did you ever lose any?" "You mean, forget where they were?" "No, I don't think so." "That's good." "What happened?" "Bear had himself a snack." " Is he coming back?" " Not likely." "But you never can tell." "And the bees, are they hurt?" "Some got scared off... but if we look around careful, we might find a few." "Put these gloves and this hat on, okay?" "Just to be safe." "Aren't you afraid of getting stung?" "Ah, you got to keep your calm around bees." "They can sense fear right off." "It makes them panic." "Now, you stay back here, just to be safe." "You're very good." "Sometimes." "You know, I thought I'd remember my ma... but I can't." "You will, Penny." "Just be patient is all." "My goodness, Penny." "You haven't grown up on us, now, have you?" "Still hitting up on the tourists, Bill?" "These local bribes and kickbacks are not enough anymore." "I gotta earn my salary." "You gotta do all kinds of disgusting things when you work for the government." "Now, Ulee... you know I didn't have anything to do with Jimmy needing to be put away." "He did that all on his own." "Well, that's one thing you and I can agree on." "Damn it, Ulee." "Six years is long enough to mourn anyone, even Penelope." " She wouldn't have wanted it." " Penny, get in the truck." "How's Helen?" "Miss Hope told you?" "You can't figure something like that is gonna stay secret." "It's a Jackson mess, and Jacksons are the ones who gotta take care of it." "I know, Ulee." "You might try taking just a little help from someone once in a..." "Consider it a bribe." "Thanks." "They're always welcome." "Helen's settled." "For her, this will be the hardest part." "It's all turned inward now." "You should have left me alone in Orlando." "I was doing fine." "Jimmy asked me." "Once you're better, I don't care what you do." "But you're not moving until all that poison's out of your body." " Even if only for a day." " Oh, man." "You always think you know, don't you?" "I know better than to run from responsibility." " Is that right?" " Right." "There's all kinds of running." "Your body might have stuck around and that lousy bully part of your mind... but your heart took off a long time ago." "No, you can't say that." "That's not true." "Maybe you're right." "Maybe you never cared anything about anybody." "Year after year, nothing touches Ulee." "It was you and Jimmy wanted too many shortcuts." "I told Jimmy if he went down that road, I wouldn't lift a finger to help him." "And you both managed major fuckups!" "Who the hell are you, Mrs. Helen Jackson?" "A mother?" "Wife?" " No, you're nothing." " Come on." "And we don't need the whole damn world knowing what's going on in our house." "Have some tea?" "Thanks." "Looks like quite a load." "I don't usually bring a truckload of bees home." "But, as you know, things haven't been too normal around here lately." "What's the word for beekeeper?" "Apiary?" "Apiarist?" "Beekeeper is easier." "Somebody told me they used to make a lot of honey around here." "I learned from my dad... and he learned from his." "Tupelo is premium grade." "But the bloom only lasts two, maybe three weeks." "We make most of our money working that bloom." "Then we move the bees up to honeydew melons and such." "That's for bakery grade." "That's what the load outside's for." "And in January, we move the bees to winter clover." "What with the extracting and worrying about diseases... it's pretty hard work." "Most young folks... can't be bothered." "Best not to get me going on bees." "May I ask about your wife?" "Penelope died six years ago." "We grew up together." "What did she do?" "Kept house... looked after folks." "She had a lot to put up with." "My hitch in Nam... the V.A. Hospital for my knee... raising Jimmy without a dad around... and me working to build the hives back up... while I wasn't sure anything made... made sense anymore." "And just when it..." "And just when it all..." "I guess there's... there's never a good time to lose anybody." "It hit Jimmy and Helen hard." "I pretty much fell off the planet." "You must have loved her very much." "If it hadn't been for Casey and Penny... and the bees..." "Maybe you can be too close." "I'll always wonder if she was ever really happy." "Pardon me." "I'm just all worn out." "And now me." "I'm divorced." "Twice, actually." "No kids, fortunately." "I guess, fortunately." "This time I got away as far as I could." "I like the country... and being near water." "So here I am." "You don't approve, do you?" "I didn't say anything." "I can tell." "You're an old-fashioned, "ties that bind" kind of guy." "Whatever happens, you stay the course." "Isn't that right?" "Miss Hope, I'm just realizing..." "I don't know enough about anything to say nothing." "It's Connie." "I'm sorry about the sheriff." "He said that folks had seen you and Helen coming into town." "This is my number at the hospital, the clinic, my beeper." "Keep me posted." "Why can't I come see you?" "There are a lot of things going on." "I need to work 'em out." "I know." "Soon, then?" "Yeah." "Know where Ulee is?" "He just came in." "I need to speak to him." " I miss you, Dad." " I miss you." "Take care." "Hello, Jimmy." "I've been meaning to call you." "I've been going crazy." "How is she?" "What the hell's going on?" "Helen is okay, we think." "Eddie called, said you have something important to give me." " So why haven't you called?" " I plan to come day after tomorrow." "What do you mean?" "I need to see you." "I'm moving bees, Jimmy." "My back's killing me." "Day after tomorrow, if I'm still standing." "I need to see..." "Has Connie come by?" "She checked in." "Said she figured we'd be okay without her today." "She also took Penny to school." "And Helen?" "Out like a light." "Connie said she's making up for lost time." "Yeah, good for her." "Is my dad in trouble?" "I don't know." "Might be." "I'll know for sure when I see him." " I can make up the sofa." " No." "With my back, the floor is better." "I'll only be a minute." "Wake me up in time to get Penny." "What you got today?" "Nothing." "It's for my mom." "Yeah?" "Uh-uh." "No, I can't tonight, Markie." "Of course." "I miss you too." "I'm really busy right now." "All right." "Talk to you later." "Bye." "How is she?" "And see, sometimes the bees get confused... and run away." "That's them there on the tree." "But they don't really wanna be gone... and they're happy when someone helps 'em back into their home." "But you gotta keep calm... and don't panic when they sting... 'cause... they don't mean nothing by it." "And you made this all by yourself?" "No sweat." "I can make you a new one tomorrow, if you want." "That'd be real nice." "That's the tupelo swamp." "And that's what Ulee does... when he goes out to those bees." "Okay, so what do I do?" " Go to bed." " Give me a break, Ulee." "This side, then." "Put the empties back into the supers and... stack 'em against the wall." "Damn, Jimmy." "You said you never saw the bank money." "That's what I told everybody... except Helen." "How could you have gotten your hands on all that cash... without Eddie and Ferris knowing?" "It was one of them armored vans." "They don't usually carry bank deliveries." "Eddie and Ferris looked in the usual places and found what they expected." "While they were dealing with the guards..." "I spotted an unmarked bag and threw it in my trunk." "I didn't really mean to keep it all, but when we got split up and..." "I got caught..." "Damn." "How could she tell 'em?" "How could she be such an idiot?" "She was in terrible shape, Jimmy." "I can't even think about what she might've been through." "There's supposed to be payment for this." "You've got to tell the law, son." "There's gotta be some way." "Not all this time, this shit." "Eddie meant it." "Eddie's a coward." "Not with Ferris around, he's not." "They'll come after the girls." " They'll come after all of us." " You gotta get rid of 'em." "You're a big jungle fighter, for God's sake." "They ain't worth shit." "Kill 'em." "You'll be doing the world a big favor." "I didn't hear that, Jimmy." "When Eddie called, I..." "I had an idea this was what it was about." "Oh, fuck!" "You know your yard near Blood Springs?" "Right under your nose the whole time." "It's in a cooler... under the old truck cab out in the swamp." "I used silicon, duct tape." "Should be bone-dry." "Look under a board wedged under the driver's side door." "What a mess." "You gonna be okay?" "Save us all." "Wish us luck." " Speak to me." " Eddie, this is Ulee Jackson." "Jimmy told me I should let you know we had our conversation... and delivery's under way." "I knew it!" "Goddamn fantastic!" "Hello?" "Hello, Ulee?" "You still there?" "Yeah, I'm afraid so, Eddie." "I'm still gonna need a couple of days." "I can be down there Saturday, like we said." "No funny stuff, all right, Mr. Jackson?" "No, Eddie, no funny stuff." "I gotta go." "We'll see you Saturday with the money?" "You bet." "How are you feeling?" "Not so good." "Do you need some food or something to eat?" "A glass of water would be nice, just out of the faucet." "Jimmy used to drink like that." "How's he doing?" "He's holding." "Thanks." "Thank you... for getting me out of Orlando... bringing me home." "I'm afraid we're not over Orlando yet." " What do you mean?" " The money from the holdup." "Eddie and Ferris have found out that Jimmy had it after all." "I'm supposed to bring it to them this weekend." "This is my fault, isn't it?" "They got me thinking they knew about it all along." "They acted like they knew the money was hid." "They knew Jimmy didn't tell me where." "They talked about how when Jimmy got out, we'd all go to Mexico together." "God, I'm so stupid." "If they hadn't found me, they would never have known." "God, Ulee, I'm sorry." "Don't fret, Helen." "That's no kind of secret to have to keep." "What are you gonna do?" "Give them the money." "Eddie and Ferris are crazy... and there's no telling what the law might make of Jimmy and all that cash." "Damn it, Ulee, I was counting on 30 drums of tupelo." "Eighteen's all I can manage." "At least you got the bakery grade." "I can get that anytime." "You've never let me down before, Ulee." "Stuff's come up, Chance." "If you still want it, the rest of the tupelo will be ready next week." " I'll let you know." " You do that, Chance." "I'll be damned." "In all these years." "Don't you want a receipt?" "Oh, yeah." "Where is it?" "You okay?" "Why?" "No reason." "I'll call." "Thanks for this." " How's it going?" "Can I help?" " What's that?" "Carry a bag." "No, that's okay." "I can manage." "Tough Man Jackson carries his own groceries." "No." "Really, Connie, I can do it." "Are you a pure chauvinist gentleman, or are you afraid I'll expect a tip?" "No, Connie." "I'm so turned around, I've forgotten how to deal with new things... new feelings... new people." "You are almost a good man, Ulee Jackson, but you try too hard." "Tell Helen if she needs anything, call me." " You don't have a TV?" " It broke." "No TV... and no guns." "I thought I had till Saturday." "I was supposed to meet you downstate." "We thought we'd pay you a visit instead." "Who's the lady?" "No one." "She rents from us across the street." "Actually, Eddie, it's a relief to see you." "Now we can get this whole thing over with." "Where's your car?" " Didn't notice it outside." " It's out behind Cy's Garage." "We thought it'd be safer there." "Don't tell 'em anything." "They're full of crap." "Ain't she a peach, Eddie?" "Just like her mom." "You're assholes for what you did to my mom!" "We didn't do it all, honey, but we do know a thing or two." "Ferris, hurt any one of them... and you won't get a damn thing." "Leave it alone, Ferris." "Now, Mr. Jackson... you can see that we have got to get Ferris's mind out of the gutter." " Where's the money?" " One of my beeyards." "I'll have to take you in my pickup." "You couldn't find it." "And to think we owe it all to Helen." "Gracias, Helen, for letting the cat out of the bag." "You're a shit." "I had to find out." "I had a right." "And now, Mr. Jackson, let's go." " Ferris, stay put." "We'll be back soon." " Can't do it, Eddie." " What do you mean, you can't do it?" " Like you said..." "Ferris needs distracting." "He comes with us." "Let me just beat it out of him." "I don't like his uppity attitude." "What the hell?" "We'll all go." "Ferris, take care of the phone." "You got any duct tape, Mr. Jackson?" "You bet." "I'm sorry about this, Helen." "I'm sorry about a whole lot of things." "Let's go, Mr. Jackson." "Get that light." "Dumb dog." "Let us right in." "He has a trusting soul." " I'll get a flashlight in the shop." " I got one in my car." " What the fuck are you doing?" " Faulty return spring." "Don't worry, Eddie." "You're not getting any trouble from me." "I fucking sure hope not." "What's going on, Buckshot?" "Where are the bees?" "Their summer site." "This here's for tupelo." "Always seemed like a stupid business, messing with bees." "Shine the light down there." "That's it." "Jimmy says it's hidden behind the board wedged under the driver's side door." "Ya-hoo." "Get down there and see what we got." "This is disgusting." "Then be quick about it." "Watch out for water moccasins." "No shit." "You serious?" " Maybe we should wait." " Don't go trying to spook us." "I'm in charge here." "Ferris, just get the damn thing!" "All right." "I wouldn't lift a finger to protect that money." "That's real good, Mr. Jackson." "How're we doing, Ferris?" "Hang on." " Seems like an old cooler." " That'd be it." "It's wedged in mighty tight, though." "Yeah." "Jesus." " Is it all twenties?" " Yeah." "Well, I ain't complaining, man." "Yeah!" "Oh, man!" "New Orleans, Las Vegas." "Maybe Acapulco." "Fuck!" "You want me to cut him, Eddie?" " Just tell me where." " Neither of us needed that gun, Eddie." "You got the money." "Just get on back." "No, Ferris." "We need him to get the fuck outta here." "Let's pack this up." "Let's move it." "Come on!" "You're chicken, that's it." "That's what?" "Why you didn't just take the gun." "Ulysses Jackson." "You haven't done much with your life, have you, Mr. Jackson?" "Meeting someone like you, Eddie, has done me a world of good." "I don't get it." "It reminds me that there's all kinds of weakness in the world." "Not all of it is evil." "I forget that from time to time." "Yeah?" "You're full of crap." "Eddie, you got the keys?" "You take care now, Mr. Jackson." "Later, Ulee." "That's for that stunt back there at the swamp." "Thanks for your help." "I hope you're still glad you ran into me." "Yes!" "Crap!" "Eddie, what do we do?" "Just stay calm." "The gun!" " Why'd you let Ulee lose the gun?" " Ferris, just stay calm." "Evening, Sheriff." "How you doing?" "Eddie." "Eddie Flowers." "And Ferris Dooley." "I don't believe it." "Been a long time." "Yeah." " What you boys been doing?" " Nothing." "We were just passing through." "We thought we'd take a quick spin around for old time's sake." "You got a bad brake light, you know that?" "Gosh, no, I sure didn't." "We'll take care of that as soon as we can." " Here you go." " Thank you, sir." " Where'd you say you fellas are headed?" " Orlando." "Back to Orlando." "That your cooler?" " No." " Yeah." " What you been keeping in it?" " It's his." "Just snacks, you know, drinks for the road." "Looks like it's been in the water forever." "Do you mind if we... open it up, take a look inside?" "The fact is, we found it on the side of the road." "I was gonna report it, sir." "I swear." "There's a whole lot of money in it." "You'd be amazed." "Be still." "You're on my turf now." "I guess I'm not dead, then." "You're fooling a lot of folks, if you are." "Here." "Roll over." "I gotta check your bandage." "Come on." "Good thing you can't see that." "Does that feel better?" "How's the shoulder?" "My fault." "I got cocky." "Don't get him excited, Bill." "I'll be back in a minute." "You were cut pretty bad." "Why do you suppose Eddie and Ferris went after you?" "I haven't a clue." "I always knew those boys were trouble." "Now it turns out they're thieves as well." "They're the ones who ran with Jimmy." "Did you know that?" "I had my suspicions." "Jimmy sure put himself and us through a lot of extra grief... not ratting on those boys." "I could never figure if he was really standing up for his buddies... or whether he had some long-range plan in mind... like the bank money." "But now it turns out these guys had the money all along." "Well, they probably came back... figured enough time had gone by." "They told some wild story about... you giving it to 'em, that you were in on it all the time." "But I knew better." "It turns out there are three warrants out on those boys." "Now, you add grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon... that should be enough to put 'em away for a long while." "Let me know when they get out." "They're not friendly." "I still can't figure out... since they had all that money hidden away... why they bothered messing with you." "I didn't know anything until last week, Bill... and I wasn't sure exactly what to do." "Must've been they wanted some of your honey." "You get well now, you hear?" "We were on the pier." "Panama City, spring break." "He's a lot cuter than this." "I'm sure he is, but is he treating you right?" "I'm not taking any crap from him, if that's what you mean." "That's good." "You tell him your old man might be getting out next year." "He's gonna have an ex-con on his case if he ever messes up." " Is that true?" " As much as these things can be." "It's still a hell of a long time." "I know." "How are you feeling?" "Fine." "With my shoulder and all, I fell behind a spell, but..." "Charley Myers did a good job helping me get caught up." "And the bees?" "Hell, mites are choking 'em... insecticides are killing 'em... the drought's starving 'em." "They're fine." "Think there might be something for me to do back there?" "With you?" "I don't know, Jimmy." "The future of bees isn't too clear right now." "That stuff about the mites and all is true." "Anything would be grand compared to what I'll be coming from." "I'll start up an increase yard this summer." "I hope I can remember how to work." "Good job." "What's up?" "Nothing, Ulee." "It's just girl talk." "You wouldn't understand." "Looks good." "Yeah." "Hello, Buckshot." "Come on in." "Don't you ever stop?" "There's always something." "I usually..." "Thanks, Connie." "Thanks for everything." "Thank you, Ulee." "Sounds like everything's all right." "Helen and the girls are making up for lost time." " That's good." " And I feel like an old drone." "They don't need me now." "At least, not like before." "Poor Ulee." "Must be hard." "Sorry." "How about supper?" "Beats a TV dinner." "What's so special about this tupelo honey of yours, anyway?" "First, it's very... very rare... and it never crystallizes, no matter how long it's left out." "In the whole world... only the rivers and swamps along this area... allow the trees enough isolation... to give pure tupelo."