"Around the country... the bookies pay off winners at track odds." "It's dangerous when a Iong shot comes in." "unless you have somebody at the tracks to lower those odds." " Bet you can't do that with a quarter." " Are you kidding?" "Sure I can." "I'II give you a dime for every quarter you can lay on end." "It's a bet." "Hey, you got any quarters?" "Sir?" "How you doin'?" " Can I get a miller?" " You got it." "Out of twenty." "Three, four, five." "Five is ten." "Ten is twenty." "Thanks." "Okay, ace, ten in a row." "Yep, you're right." "That's a dollar I owe you." "That was the deal." "A dime for every quarter." "Five thousand on the three horse to win, please." "Thank you." "Two thousand on the three horse to win." "Running time for the sixth furIong... one minute, eleven and one-tenths seconds." "They're in the gate." "They're off." "full Force from the outside racing out for the lead... with vital Contact moving up." "Mrs. Langtry, I'm sorry." "Why, what's wrong?" "You are a valued customer, as you know." "What's wrong?" "I can't understand this." "It's something you almost never see." "What is?" "This is some of the finest fiIigreed platinum I've ever seen." "But the stones" " No." "They're not diamonds, Mrs. Langtry." "But they must be!" "They cut glass." "glass will cut glass." "almost anything will." "Come with me." "Let me show you a positive test for diamonds." "Take this." "Do you see... how the water splashes over them?" "How it slides off in a sheet?" "With real diamonds, it won't do that." "It clings to the surface in tiny droplets." "I see it." "I hope you're not too badly disappointed with us." "It's not your fault." "You'II give us an opportunity to serve you again." "Anything you think we might be interested in." "well, I have only one thing now." "Are you interested?" "I would have to see it, of course." "You are seeing it." "You're looking right at it." "Mrs. Langtry." "Something like this very rarely happens." "Fine setting and workmanship usually means precious stones." "It always hurts me when I find they're not." "I always hope..." "I'm mistaken." "Can I get a miller, please?" " One too many, mister?" " What?" "Step away from the car." "Never mind." "Let's see your drivers' license." "You seem pretty sick, Mr. DiIIon." "It's a bad shrimp, I think." "It didn't quite taste right when I was eating it." "I'm getting over it, though." " shall I take you to a doctor?" " No, I'm fine now." "Thanks." "I still got a Iot of clients to see." " Take it easy now." " I will." "Thank you." "Have a good day." " Hi, lilly." " Irv." "Irv, I'm done here." "Do I come back to baltimore?" "No." "Bobo wants you to go to La jolla." "La jolla?" "I'd never go to california." "That's a thousand miles from here." "Don't argue with Bobo." "He needs somebody to handle playback there." "Maybe I'II swing around to Los angeles." "Take two or three days." "call when you get there." "Put it this way." "Say I rent to a woman." "She has to have a room with a bath... otherwise she's got the whole bath tied up... washing her goddamn hair and clothes and anything else." "I had my first hotel 37 years ago in Wichita falls, Texas... and that's when I Iearned about women." "They don't make the money for a place like this." "Not regular, they don't." "There's only one way they can get it." "By selling their self." "Tapping them cute little piggy banks they all got." " Mr. DiIIon." " Mr. Simms." "Here's a potential neighbor of yours." " Mrs. Langtry may drop by." " I'II send her right up." "That's the fine type of person I have in mind for here like yourself." "Don't you wanna see me?" " No, honey, I can't go there." " What did you have in mind?" " You can be here in 20 minutes." " I don't know, Roy." "There's traffic downtown." "It'II take about an hour to get to you." "In a minute." "Smack." "Heads." "Smack." "tails." "What do you want, kid?" " Show me how you did that other one." " Scram." "Go home." "I can't." "I just left home." "You're too young." "You oughta be in school." "I am in school." "Five of spades." " Where's the five?" " In your other hand." "Good." "You learned something." "Good-bye." "I wanna learn everything." "You wanna be a grifter?" "A grifter." "Yes." "Not partners." "That's your first lesson." "It cuts your score in half." "Worse, you take a partner, put an apple on your head... hand the other guy the shotgun." "Grifters, huh." "You're one, all right." "Grifters got an irresistible urge to beat a guy who's wise." "There's nothing to whipping a fool." "hell, fools are made to be whipped." "But to take another pro, even your partner... who knows you and has his eye on you... that's a score." "No matter what happens." "You want a learn a few tricks?" "I'II teach you." " But your hand doesn't get in me." " It's a deal." "Roy." "AII right, forget the Iong con." "If the fool tips, you're caught, you'II do time." "Never do time." "And don't go dressing like that." "Showing off." "Any blind man could spot you." "Give me $20." "Come around tomorrow, I'II take you again." "well, that's fine." "Two months we know each other, you're so bored you faII asleep before I get here." "When you're not here, all I can do is dream about you, Myra." "You stink." "I hate you." "Your twins seem to be very restless." "Maybe we oughta put them to bed, huh?" "You know what I'm gonna do?" "I'm gonna smother you." "Death, where is thy sting?" "You smell good." "Like a bitch in a hothouse." "Oh, darling." "What a beautiful thing to say." " Maybe you don't smell so good." " I do." "You just said so." "It could be your clothes." "It's me." " Do I have to prove it?" " naturally." "What?" "Simms, Mr. DiIIon." "Sure, Mr. Simms." "What can I do for you?" "A visitor." "A very attractive young lady." "She says she's your mother." "Send her up." "Come on in, lilly." "Hi, lilly." "Long time no see." "Eight years." "I'm making coffee." "You want some?" "Just instant." "That'd be nice." "Here we are." "Come on." "Sit down." "So, what are we up to these days?" "still handling playback money at the track." "I'II be going back to baltimore when the races at La jolla are finished." "You're working for that same bookmaker?" "Yeah." "An easy life." "usually." "Great view." "I guess you've been getting my Christmas cards." "You always did have a sense of humor." "glad to see you." "I'd have been hurt if you hadn't have dropped by." "I'm glad to see you too." "I'm not sure what you're up to." "I'm not up to anything." "You can't kid me." "You got more on the ball than I ever did." "You know what it does" "Why don't you mind your own goddamn business?" "Roy, what is it?" "It's no sweat." "God, you're ice cold." " Don't laugh at me." " Laugh?" "I'm not, honey." "Did somebody hurt you?" " Got hit in the stomach the other day." " Let me see." "Dr. mitchell." "It's lilly DiIIon, Doctor." "I work for Justus Amusement Company out of baltimore." "What?" "Don't you brush me off, buster." "If I have to get Bobo Justus to call you" "Mrs. DiIIon, I'm sorry about our disagreement on the phone." "I'm really sorry about your son." "It's hard to believe such a strapping young man is your son." "Never mind that!" "Just take care of him." "He's had an internal hemorrhage." "He's bleeding to death." "Make it stop." "His blood pressure's under 100." "I don't think he's gonna make it." "You know who I work for." " There's just so much I can do." " My son is gonna be all right." "If not, I'II have you killed." "No, really." "You're Roy's mother?" "That's impossible." "Not quite." "But I'm not sure who you are." "Mrs. Langtry was it?" "I'm Roy's friend." "Yes, I imagine you're lots of people's friend." "Oh, of course." "Now that I see you in the light, you're plenty old enough to be his mom." " Aren't we all?" " play nice." "Don't fight." " darling!" " Roy!" " You're gonna be all right." " Sure I am." "What am I doing here?" "You were bleeding inside, honey." "Remember that bruise you had?" "You called the doctor?" "well, no, Roy." "Your mother did." "Thanks." "How long until I can get out of here?" "Roy, your mom saved your life." "Second time I gave it to you." "I was kind of inconvenient... for lilly." "She was only 14 when I came along." "In fact, I used to be her kid brother, or so she'd say." "well, you're all right now." "It's a two-hour drive." "I'm late." "I have to go to the track." "Thanks, lilly." "Don't mention it." "I guess I owe you my Iife." "You always did." "Down to the track?" "La jolla." "Her job." "I want to know everything about you." "Damn it!" "Number 7 Troubadour rank outsider stays unchanged at 70-to-one." "Seventy to one." "Now at the start, blue Bay, five-to-two." "CeIedon Star, the favorite, moves in at two-to-one." "Troubadour goes into the gate still running high odds at 70-to-one." "And they're off!" "From the start, it's fertile Present, Troubadour..." "Otis blue, Buck Meister, uncle Louis." "Down the backstretch, CeIedon Star has the lead by two lengths... with call Me Hap second." "Six Dreams goes into third." " Troubadour moves in on the outside." " Not Troubadour." "Rounding the far turn, CeIedon Star in front." "call Me Hap second." "blues Bay begins to drop back." "Six Dreams moves up." "Troubadour making a bold move on the outside." "They round the term on the homestretch, and it's CeIedon Star in front." "On the outside, Troubadour now coming strong." "call Me Hap on the rail." "Those two vie for second position." "CeIedon Star in front." "Troubadour begins to pick up pace." "CeIedon Star holding the lead." "Troubadour coming on." "It's CeIedon Star and Troubadour driving up on the outside with a strong finish." "CeIedon Star and Troubadour." "Troubadour on the outside." "Now going by to get the lead." "Troubadour winning it by half a length." "Finishing odds were as follows." "Today's amazing success story:" "Troubadour outsider at 70-to-one in first place." "What happens when you get out of here?" "A ticker tape parade... a key to the city, sex with my baby." "The usual." " That's it?" " What else?" "That's what I want to know." "Is this all we have:" ""Sex with my baby"?" "Not that I'm knocking it, but is that all?" "What are you driving at?" "Marriage?" " I didn't say that." " But that's what I asked." "I don't think so." "I'm a very practical little girl, and I don't believe in giving more than I get." "And that may be pretty awkward for a matchbook salesman or whatever you are." "Everybody needs matches." "What do you sell anyway?" "SeIf-confidence." "God knows you have it to spare." "I'II see you tomorrow." "No kiss?" " hello, Mrs. Langtry." " Hi." "Time to rest." "I'II leave you in carol's good hands." "You're looking much better today." "You're looking very bad today." "I am?" "You belong in bed, Miss FIynn." "I'II give you part of mine." "You will not." "But you must." "I've seen girls with this look before." "Bed is the only thing that will cure them." "Bed without dinner might cure you." "You better behave or I won't kiss you good night, then you'II be sorry." "You'd better behave or I'II tell your mother." "We wouldn't want that now, would we?" "Oh, hi, Myra." "I didn't recognize you." "I'm sure you didn't." "Myra's been here." " What's your objection to Myra?" " The same as anybody's." "I stopped by your place." "Picked up your mail." " Just bills." "I'II take care of them." " I can take care of my own bills." "Whatever you say." "The manager at your place said your boss called." "really pulled the wool over everyone's eyes, huh?" " So I've got a job." "So what?" " Stop kidding me." "Four years in Los angeles and a peanut selling job's the best you can do?" "You expect me to believe that?" "It's there." "The boss called." "You said so yourself." "That dump you live in." "Those clown pictures on the wall." " I Iike those." " You do not." "Roy DiIIon, cornbaII clown pictures, commission saIesman" " It's all a front." "Don't tell me you're not working some angle 'cause I wrote the book." "You still running playback money for the mob?" "That's who I am!" "You were never cut out for the rackets." "How come?" "You aren't tough enough." "Not as tough as you, huh?" "How'd you get that punch in the stomach?" "I tripped on a chair." "Get off the grift." "Why?" "You haven't got the stomach for it." "Oh, good, carol." "Come in." "Dr. mitchell says you can get out of here Friday... but someone should look in on you, so I hired carol." " You hired?" " You'II pay me back." "lilly, I make my own decisions, for a Iong time now." "You couldn't possibly object to a pretty young lady coming to visit you." "Do you know why my mother hired you?" "Why, yes." "I'II come in every afternoon and make sure" "She hired you for me to fuck." "To keep me away from bad influences." "Isn't that right?" "It is not." " Mrs. DiIIon, perhaps I" " Wait in the hall!" "Don't go away!" "You didn't have to do that." "I thought I did." "So you won't take a thing from me, is that it?" " Sex?" " I'm not offering sex, you punk." "That's not what I meant." "You're throwing that waIIfIower at me 'cause you don't like Myra." "Myra's nothing." "She's less than nothing." "Then why does she bug you?" "You jealous?" "Of what?" "You wanna lie down with dogs?" " Then I'II pick the dog." " Go ahead." "Thanks, Mom." "That's right." "I just give you your life." "What you do with it is up to you." "That's right!" "Myra here." "Sorry you missed me." "tell me how to reach you, and I will." "Baby, I'm getting out of here today." "That's it." "Let's go down to La jolla this afternoon." "Hit the beach." "Have some fun." "Take some time off." "Forget all this other stuff." "Don't tell me." "You're Addison Simms of seattle... and we had lunch together in the fall of 1902." "Listen." "Damn it!" "Listen." "How's your wiry zone?" "Are hidden germs lurking in your nooks and crannies?" "This is your final warning." "You've got to settle your bill today." "Don't I always pay my bills?" "One way or another?" "Yeah, well, this time it's just one way." "Stop getting up nights, men." "You too could learn to dance." "AII you need is a magic step." "simple as one, two, three." "Here's your bill." "That's a Iot of money, Joe." "You wouldn't have padded it?" "You owe every damn cent of that." "Maybe I couId get the dough from your wife, do you suppose?" "Maybe your kids would crack their piggy banks?" "Take one step towards my famiIy" "Don't wet your pants, for Christ's sake." "Come in, Joe." "The money." "There it is." "The automatic clutch." "It comes with the deluxe upholstery... and the high speed wiry zone." "Myra, please." "I've let you" "I've been very good to you." "I've let you stay here month after month" "Can't be done, Joe." "AII passengers must pay as they enter." "No free passes or rebates." "That's a strict rule of the Intercourse Commerce Commission." "Oh, my God." "only one choice to a customer." "The lady... or the loot." "What's it gonna be?" "The difference between your folded and clean towel is a trip to the laundry." "When you're cleaning bathrooms, you pick up the towel... give it a good shake and look, and you say to yourself..." ""would I dry myself on this towel?"" " If the answer's "yes," fold it." " What if it's wet?" "Mr. DiIIon, welcome back." " You're looking just fine." " Thank you." "I'm feeling fine." " I'm glad you're better." " Sickness comes to us all." " That's true." " We never know when, why, how." "The only blessed thing we know is it'II come at the most inconvenient time." "Just when you've got tickets to the world Series." "And that's the way the permanent waves." "That fellow could be a congressman." "If it's wet, you don't fold it." "Shake it and hang it neatly on the rod provided." "Yes, sir." " What are you laughing at?" " Nothing." "Never mind." "It's just I was remembering at lunch... on the menu it said..." ""Today's special... broiled hothouse tomato... under generous slice... of ripe cheese."" "Hi, Bobo." "Did I buy you that dress, you piece of shit?" " I guess so." "You're the guy I work for." " I'm the guy you work for, huh?" "In that case, I may just flush you down the toilet." "Take me to my hotel." "Troubadour." "How'd you figure you were gonna get away with that?" " I'm not getting away with anything." " You're fucking right you're not." "How much did your pals cut you in for on that nag... or they giving you the screwing you gave me?" "I was down on that horse." "Maybe not as much as I should have been." " But there was a Iot of action." " One question!" "You wanna stick to that story or keep your teeth?" " I wanna keep my teeth." " AII right." "I'II ask you another." "You think I got no contacts out here?" "That nag paid off at almost the opening price." "There wasn't a flutter on the tote board from when first odds were posted." "There ain't enough action to tickle the tote board and you claim a $10,000 win." "You send me $10,000 like I'm a fucking mark you can rip off!" " No, I didn't" " You wanna talk to me straight up?" "My son." " Your what?" " My son was in the hospital." "What the fuck are you doing with a son?" "He left home a Iong time ago." "He was in the hospital in Los angeles." "He was real sick." "Motherhood." "I've never fucked up before." "You got any kind of long coat in the car... something you can wear home over your dress?" "I'II loan you a raincoat." "You guys take a walk." "will you go in the bathroom and bring me a towel?" "You ever hear about the oranges, lilly?" "You mean the insurance frammis?" "tell me about the oranges... while you put those in the towel." "You hit a person with the oranges wrapped in a towel." "They get big, ugly looking bruises... but they don't get hurt, not if you do it right." "It's for working scams against insurance companies." "And if you do it wrong?" "It can Iouse up your insides." "You can get per" "What?" "Permanent damage." "You never shit right again." "Bring me the towel." "Get up." "Go clean yourself up." "Coat's on the bed." "Oh, I almost forgot." "Ten grand." "It's yours." "Troubadour, huh?" " You want a drink?" " Gee." "I better not, if that's okay." "I still gotta drive up to Los angeles." "See your son, huh?" "That's nice." "A side of you I never knew." "He's a good kid." "A salesman." "On the square, huh?" "How are you making out these days?" "stealing much?" "From you?" "My folks didn't raise no stupid kids." "You're not skimming a thing, lilly?" "well, you know." "clip a buck here and there." "Not enough to notice." "That's right." "Take a little, leave a little." "Person who don't look out for himself's too dumb to look out for anyone else." "He's a liability, right?" "That's a thousand percent right." "Or else he's working an angle." "If he's not stealing a little, he's stealing a Iot." "You know it." "You know, I Iike that suit." "I don't know what there is about it, but... somehow it makes you look taller." " You really think so?" " Yeah." "Lot of people been telling me that." "You can tell them from me they're right." "I'd best be going." "Roy'II wonder where I am." "Worries about his mother, does he?" "You give him a hug for me." "I will." "Thanks, Bobo." "So long." "I don't see why we have to take the train." "What if we wanna drive somewhere while we're there?" "Then we'II rent a car." " Big spender." " You ain't seen nothing yet." " Why so many people?" " Race season at La jolla." "Where your mother is?" " You don't want to see her, do you?" " No." "Hit the beach, eat well." "That's good enough for me." "I'm gonna stretch my legs." "You wanna come?" "Want a drink?" "See you in a minute." "A drink for you and Gunnerson's dead grandmother." " Right." " But Junior, he gets milk." "One milk, please." "Just a minute." " I'm sorry." " You okay, pal?" " Yeah." "I spilled all your drinks." " Don't worry about it." " Are you sure you're okay?" " Are those beers?" "Watch this." "I'II be right back." "Four MiIIers." "He jumped right in!" ""Don't worry, Sarge." "I'II drive him." "He's too distraught."" " You said distraught?" " Never used it before." " You guys could've got into trouble." " No way." "Are you kidding?" "Hey." "One of you guys dropped this?" " That's not mine." " I wouldn't have taken a chance." " To us!" " Here we go." " Another round, I'm buying." " You can't buy every round." " It's our turn." " We got plenty of cash." "tell you what." "We'II roll for it." " AII right." " Low number buys." " Very good." " You roll first." "Let's go, Junior." "That's a four." "We're in." " I told you I'd buy." " It just doesn't seem fair." " Let me get even when I get back." " You got it." "Make sure they're cold." "Who's got 20?" "Come on." " Here we go." " AII right!" "I want my 20 back." " Take it away, my friend." " You're gettin' better at this." "One more time?" "I got four." "Cover me for four?" "I got three." "Spot me on this one." " I'm not spotting you." " Come on, you guys!" " Four box." " You shut up!" "Let's go!" "This is getting worse and worse." " Take that away." " Here, it's yours, man." "It's great to get away, take some time off." "Next week I'II be back to work." "You already went back to work." " What?" " I watched you." "Working the tat on those sailor boys." " Working the what?" " Come on, Roy." "The tat." "What you do for a living." " I'm a salesman." " You're on the grift." " Same as me." " I'm not following this." "Roy, you're a short-con operator and a good one, I think." "Don't talk to me like I'm another square." "You talk the lingo." "What's your pitch?" "The long end." "Big con." "Nobody does that singIe-o." "I was teamed ten years with the best in the business." "cole LangIey." "I've heard the name." "It was beautiful, and getting better all the time." " Is that right?" " It's where you should be." "What do you bring in?" "Four hundred a week?" "We use money like that for tips." "Wow." "And now, right now... it's the perfect time... the best time since I've been in the game." "AII over the Southwest, you got these businessmen." "They were making money when everybody was making money." "They think that means they're smart... and now they're hurting." "When the price of oil fell, so did they." "They've still got money, but they need more money." "When the oil money was good, they put up all these office buildings." "Now they're half empty." "They'II give you anything to move in:" "first two months free, redecoration... whatever you want." "They help you set up the store." "I'm the roper." "I go out and find them and bring them in." "Morning, gentlemen." "gloucester Hebbing, may I present my fine stockbroker..." "Henry FeIIowes." "gloucester." "What we have here today is strictly between" "I told Mr. Hebbing all about it... how brilliant you are at making money for your... special clients." "well, I certainly hope that you're not spreading the news a little too widely." "well, of course not." "But I'd trust Mr. Hebbing with anything." "WouIdn't I, darling?" "well, I guess I'II just have to take your word for that." "Won't I?" "Here's the money." "Goody!" "please, Iet me help you." "Once they saw that money... they were hooked." "And I made sure they saw it." "Isn't that just beautiful?" "Then, all cole had to do was tell the story." "We are breaking the Iaw." "I want to make sure you understand." "No one will be hurt, but the Iaw will be broken." "Laws are made to be broken." "Loose talk is the thing I worry most about." "I can keep my mouth shut." "gloucester, come on over here and sit down." "Tokyo exchange is nine hours behind us." "The New York exchange is one hour ahead of us." "There is never one hour in which both exchanges are open." "Information moves, but it has to wait." "I have a fellow working for me." "Do you know what a hacker is?" "Yeah, sure." "That's like a computer expert or genius." "Very good." "What this boy's been able to do... is tap into that main link between Tokyo and New York." "And when we really need it, he's been able to give us a seven-second delay... in the transfer of that information." " Do you know what that means?" " You get information ahead of New York." "Every once in a while, a major change happens." "And we have a seven-second advantage... to put a buy order, a sell order into that computer in New York... just before that data from Tokyo comes pulling in right behind it." "Not much time." "We have to have the money, we have to know what that information means... and we have to be able to move like greased lightning." "But boy, when it works, it is beautiful." "Seven seconds, huh?" "I don't see how you can do it." "Machines, gloucester!" "I have got a whole room full of machines back here." "You want to see them?" "Come here." " Henry, no." " Take a look." "I got a whole suite full of mainframe computers." "We're not really interested." "They are so beautiful." " No, Henry." " You got a minute?" "Come on, gloucester." "Listen to them hum." "Henry, don't try Mr. Hebbing's patience." "You sure?" "Okay, then." "cole liked to take risks?" "He didn't think they were risks." "He was so good, he could just play with the mark." "He was so crooked, he could eat soup with a corkscrew." "And when he got serious?" "He'd explain that he had to have cash... so there wouldn't be any paper trail for the SEC." "And a Iot of cash or it wasn't worthwhile." "The least we ever took was forty thousand, and the most was... $185,000 from one sucker." "I thought these people were broke." "No, just cash poor." "They had savings accounts, stocks to sell... houses to mortgage." "sell their wife's jewelry." "They had plenty of money when they put their minds to it." "Or when I put their minds to it." "And a month later the sucker calls the cops, and you're on the run." "He never calls the cops... not after we give him the bIow-off." " This is it." " The money." "I think you're going to be pleased." " Everybody hold what you've got!" " Back off!" "I didn't have anything to do with this." "The evidence is right here." " It's you, isn't it?" " No!" "I swear to God!" " You and your goddamn big mouth!" " calm down!" "I'm gonna fix your loud mouth once and for all!" "You, don't move!" "Get back there!" "Nobody moves!" "Stay there." "Come with me now!" "Nobody moves!" "Let's go!" "They never came back." "Come on, dance!" "We were rolling in dough." "Lived wherever we wanted." "only pulled two or three scams a year." "It was great." "Great." "What happened to cole?" " He retired." " Retired?" "Where?" "Upstate." "Upstate where?" "Atascadero." "It's all hollow." "No, baby." "Not again." "I can't move." "It's all hollow." "I can't move!" "It'II be all right, honey." "It's just the stress again." "We'II take a vacation." "cole, you scare me when this happens." "Get out!" "cole, please!" "That's where they keep the criminally insane, isn't it?" "He retired and that's it." "But I didn't." "I'm still the best Iong-con roper you'II ever see." "I bet you are too." "Now you're trying to rope me." "Join up with you!" "A beautiful woman like you, you shouldn't eat alone." "Go away." "What do you want to eat alone for?" " could I have some more coffee?" " Coming up." "We could have coffee together." "My name's Kenny." " Your pal wants you." " Let him find his own pretty woman." " This fellow bothering you?" " Yes." "Why don't you go back there, and just go sit down?" "I'II sit here." " Now you've done it." " Are you all right?" " You didn't need to do that." " I thought I did." " Take better care of your friend." " Get out of here." "I'm sorry a lady can't eat in here without being bothered." "It'II never happen again, Miss." "See you later." "Why do we have to have separate rooms?" "Do you expect your father to come in?" "Separate bathrooms, darling." "I will not lay out all my cosmetics for you to knock over." "Things a man isn't supposed to know." "You don't mind really, do you, Roy?" "It's been such a wonderful evening." "I guess I just wore myself out." "Sure." "I'm pretty tired myself." "Forget the Iong-con... 'cause I'm the one who's being conned." "Screw this noise." "Open your door." " What for?" " Open it and find out." "Gangway." "I hope you don't mind, sir." "I just washed my clothes... and I couldn't do a thing with them." "If you could've seen the look on your face when I told you good night." "You looked so" " Can I come in?" " Sure." "What are you doing in La jolla?" "Me and Myra came down yesterday." "We're leaving tonight." "If you come out to the track, don't know me." "We won't hit the track." " What's that?" " Four grand." "It's for the hospital." "I don't want your money." " I pay my debts." " You do?" "Expecting somebody?" "No." "That was the point." " Where'd you get that?" " An accident." "Roy, take that money back." "I don't want it." "I thought" "I was hoping we could play it straight with one another." "I guess not." "I guess you won't be getting a straight job either." "Not this week." " Not ever." " It's up to me." "I'm strictly short-con." "It's nothing but smaII-time stuff." "I can walk away from it anytime." " Where have I heard that before?" " Yeah, but I'm in control." "Sure." "You're only 25 years old." "already you can lay down four grand without even turning a hair." "Grift's like anything else, Roy." "You don't stand still." "You either go up or down-- usually down-- sooner or later." "well, I'II let it be a surprise then." "You gonna head east from here?" "After the meet." "Back to baltimore." "It's nice to see you again." "You little prick." "Now I see him." "Just wait." "That's the guy we were following." "Just wait." "Excuse me." "Can I borrow your binoculars?" "Thanks." "Excuse me." "What'd you do with yourself all afternoon?" "I went out to the track." "What were you doing at the track?" "Did you run into my mother?" "How could I?" "I was in the clubhouse." "lilly wouldn't be in the clubhouse, would she?" " How did you know that?" " Okay!" " I saw her." " She didn't see you, in other words?" "I saw her out there, and I was curious." "She's always so nasty to me... and I know she's knocking me to you every chance she gets." "So I called a friend of mine in baltimore, so now I know who she is." "You must have some very knowledgeable friends." "I'm weII-connected, Roy." "cole introduced me to a Iot of people." "Very valuable." "valuable for us." "Running your broker scam, you mean?" "What a team we'II make." "You won't regret this." "Regret what?" "I didn't say I was coming aboard." "But why not?" "I thought it was settled." "Nothing was ever settled." "It's your mother talking against me." "I make my own decisions." " It's not what lilly thinks." " Who cares what she thinks?" "I don't care what she thinks." "I Ieft home when I was 17... with nothing but stuff I'd paid for myself." "Nothing from lilly." "darling, guess what?" "I had to tell you right away." "I called the fellow I know in tulsa, the one who plays my chauffeur." "Says there's a sucker there that's made for us and a broker who just shut down." "We can use their office and not change a thing." "Now, I can scrape up ten grand if I try." "I got a couple of aces in the hole... some markers I couId call on for something real." "That leaves 15 or 20 for your end." "We can start this weekend, get the sucker into position" "hold it." "You're talking some pretty tall figures." "Why do you think I got that much money?" "well, you must have." "You know you do, Roy." "Maybe I Iike it where I am." "Maybe I don't." "I had ten good years with cole... and I want them back." "I gotta have a partner." "I Iooked and I Iooked, and believe me, brother..." "I kissed a Iot of fucking frogs... and you're my prince." " Don't I get any say in this?" " No, because" "That's what I say." "What I say is no, we don't do partners." "What is it?" "What's going on?" "Why don't you want to team up?" "The best reason I can think of is that you scare the hell out of me." "I have seen women like you before, baby." "You're double tough, and you are sharp as a razor, and you get what you want... but you don't make it work forever." "Sooner or later the lightning hits... and I'm not gonna be around when it hits you." "My God." "It's your mother." " It's lilly." " What?" "Sure it is." "That's why you act so funny around each other." "What's that?" "Don't act so goddamned innocent." "You and your own mother?" " You like to go back where you've been?" " Watch your mouth." "I'm wise to you." "I should've seen it before, you rotten son of a bitch." "How is it, huh?" "How do you Iike it" "Stop!" "That's not Iike me." "I don't do this." "That's why we wouldn't work together." "Your mind is so filthy, it's hard to look at you." "Good-bye." "And you don't even know it." "It's Mama." "She's the one." "You'II get yours, Mama." "It's Roy." "lilly, I was wondering if" "I was wondering if we could just talk." "You know, Iike have a conversation?" "Maybe we've both grown up." "Maybe we could just talk." "Sure, Roy." " You want me to drive up?" " No." " Okay." " I'II come there tonight." "Fine." "Come on down." "It won't be a home-cooked meal." "well, that's good news." "well, who's a boy gonna talk to if not his mother?" "It's Irv." "You've always been decent with me." "I'm taking a hell of a chance here." "Somebody blew you out with Bobo." "The car full of money, he's" "lilly, come on!" "Bobo knows about all the money in the car-- the money you stole from him." "A black and gold cadillac." "Fuck!" " welcome to Phoenix." " I'd Iike a single room for tonight." "Everything's the same size, same price." "I'm a very light sleeper." "Traffic noise keeps me wide awake." "The trucks." "I know what you mean." "Do you have something around back, facing away from the road?" "I couId put you into 19." "Very quiet." "Faces the desert." "Sounds perfect." "Can I park my car back there?" "Right in front of the room." "Is something wrong?" "I'm sorry." "I thought you were the other lady." "No." "I'm me." "I'II give you number six." "Very nice room." "Very handy." "In the front, right by the pool." "Don't you have something around back, where it's quieter?" "Everybody wants the back tonight." "I guess everybody wants privacy." "Roy DiIIon?" "Lieutenant Pierson, Phoenix police." "I have a car here." "There was a bunch of money hidden in your mother's car." "A Iot of money." "would you know anything about that?" " I realize this is a shock." " mostly, I don't believe it." " That's natural." " I mean, I don't believe it." "I know my mother." "lilly is not a suicide." "Nothing would make her check out." "I'm sorry." "It was her, all right." " It was her gun, even." " Her gun?" "There is one thing I have to caution you." "normally we don't do a next-of-kin I.D. unless there's no other choice." "In this case there's no fingerprints on file... and the dental records don't help because of the wound-- she ate the gun." "I'm sorry." "This is going to be a shock." "Not many laughs in this room, huh?" "Not many." "Remove that." "We'II want a full identification." "Jesus." "No question, huh?" " That's that, then." " Yeah." "That's that." "Mom." "The last modern thing I liked was the miniskirt." "With technology now, nobody understands it... and that's the simple fact of the situation." "Evening, Miss..." "Langtry." "hello, lilly." "You scared me." " You going somewhere?" " Somewhere else, that's for sure." "I just came back from Phoenix." "Oh, yeah?" "Is the frame holding?" "It looks very solid, lilly." "tell me about it." " I've really got to go." " You're dead, lilly." "It worked." "But not for long." "The cops may buy it, but Bobo will make sure." "relax a minute." "Sit down." "Just for a minute." "Put that down." " Myra followed you, huh?" " Yeah." "I guess she must've been the one that blew me off with Bobo." "Get me running." "Did you tell her about my stash?" "That's what she was after though." " What happened in Phoenix?" " Oh, Roy." "It was terrible." "You read about people killing people and all that." "But when it happens" "My God." "She was in her nightgown, you know." "The old grifter's dodge:" "nightgown and ice bucket, and she just got in the wrong room by mistake." "I sat in there with her." "I thought, what do I do now?" "Run, I've got Bobo and the Iaw after me." "Stay, how do I explain?" " This way's perfect." " It is, isn't it?" "I've wanted out of the rackets for years." "Now I'm out." "I can make a clean break" "You've already made a break." "I don't know how clean it is." "I'm sorry, Roy." "I hated to take your money." "You're not taking it." "I need this money!" "I can't run without money, and if I can't run I'm dead!" " You must have some money." " Just a few bucks." "Myra's stuff?" "How far can I get with her credit card?" "San Francisco, St. Louis, someplace new." "Start over." " Like what?" " You won't have trouble finding a job." "I've never had a legit job in my Iife." "You're gonna start if you want to live." "Get a square job and lead a quiet life." "You show up at the tracks, Bobo's boys will be all over you." "Don't tell me what to do with myself." " It's a big world." " Not anymore." "It's good advice." "I'm following it myself." "What?" "You want me off the grift?" "I'm getting out." " Fine, but I don't have time for this." " I thought you'd be happy for me!" " You told me to do it!" " Bobo's not after you!" "Bobo's after me, and he's goddamn good." "But so am I." "What makes you think I'd let you leave with my money?" "To survive my way I need money." "And that leaves this." "Want a drink?" "You probably shouldn't have one either." "I know, but I'm goddamn thirsty." "Ice water?" "Sure." "That sounds nice." "I'II get it." "Take whichever one you want." "You wouldn't do that." "You don't know what I'd do-- you have no idea-- to live." "You'II live, lilly." " I know what's bugging you, of course." " I didn't know anything was." "I wasn't a very good mother to you when you were a kid." "It was pretty lousy of me, I guess... to be a child at the same time you were." "For God's sake, lilly." "I gave you your life twice." "I'm asking you to give me mine once." "I need the money, Roy." "So, you're getting off the grift, huh?" "I might." "That's good." "You don't really belong on this side of the fence." "I don't?" "If you stayed a crook, do you think you'd live to be my ripe age?" "I don't see why not." "I guess I got it wrong then." "Seems to me I heard about a guy just your age... who got hit so hard in the guts it almost killed him." "That's different." "That doesn't count." "It doesn't matter if I'm getting out!" "You're getting out?" "You're on the level?" "You don't need the money!" "So why the hell can't I take it?" "My money wouldn't last forever." "And then what?" "Be stuck in some other part of the rackets... with another Bobo Justus to slap you and burn holes in your hand." "If you can't change your life now when you're still relatively young... how could you do it when you're, say, crowding 50?" "This way you gotta go the square route." "Send me a card when you get settled." "I can maybe help you out sometime." "What if I told you that I wasn't really your mother?" " That we weren't related?" " What?" "You'd Iike that, wouldn't you?" "Sure you would." "You don't have to tell me." "Why would you Iike that?" "What are you talking about?" "Of course you're my mother." "There's nothing more to talk about." "I want that money." "I need it." "What do I have to do to get it?" "You mean, you won't give it to me, Roy?" "will you... or won't you?" "What can I do to get it?" " Is there nothing I can do?" " lilly, what are you doing?" "Nothing at all?"