"Good morning." "Hi." "Morning." "Hey." "Solid 16 months in the black, ron." "Did you notice that balance?" "How's everybody?" "Fine." "How are you?" "My man!" "Oh, that's really nice." "~ and roses ~" "~ or blankets of snow ~" "~ my love for you will grow ~" "~ and i'll be nearer, my love, to you ~" "~ wherever i go ~" "~ whatever i do... ~ well, what are we hanging around for?" "Let's get on with the inventory." "Ok." "I'll see you guys." "Ok." "Take care, now." "~ nearer, my love ~" "~ to you ~ oh, the key changes." "~ la la la ~" "~ in treetops ~" "~ or cold autumn storms ~" "~ i'll hold you ~" "~ and kiss you ~" "~ and keep you... ~ starlite." "One minute, please." "Long distance." "Dallas." "Mr. Stoner." "God damn it!" "Hello, a.j." "Yeah." "How are you?" "Sure, i'll be able to come." "I don't know if i can get a flight out this afternoon or not, though." "Oh, really?" "Well, tell them to pick me up at the smyrna airport." "What time they leave new york?" "Ok." "I'll see you for dinner, buddy." "Thank you." "Bye-bye." "Ha ha." "There's going to be a big game in dallas tonight." "A bunch of turkeys coming down from new york to go duck hunting." "Been waiting for months for a game like this one." "Ron, what do you need that for?" "What do you mean, what do i need that for?" "I'm a gambler." "Rich today and poor tomorrow." "Come on, partner." "But, ron, those stakes!" "Yeah, and you win some, and they lose some." "I knew that was coming next." "I thought we were going to make the last payment on the club this month." "Let's just don't rush things." "Ron, i got a thousand ain't working." "Can i have a small piece of the action?" "Anytime, jeremiah." "Me, too, ron." "I got 1,500." "Where?" "Right here, man." "Look at that!" "I told you he been ripping us off behind that bar." "Man, i ain't been eatin' apple behind the barn on you!" "That's my money!" "Ok, i tell you what." "Let's stash this here for a stake in case i bust out." "Meantime, we all got a piece of the action." "Ok?" "All right." "I got to go to the bank, and then i got to catch the airplane, and then i got to pick up a change of clothes on the way." "Come on." "Go get 'em, tiger!" "Go get 'em." "See that?" "Picking up your partner in a little old private plane." "Oh, ron, i wish you weren't going." "I'll win you a bundle." "I don't want you to win me a bundle." "That's not im... ohh!" "Look at... get this off of me!" "A bird!" "Please, get it off!" "Get it off, ron." "Give me a second." "No." "Oh, i knew it." "This is a bad omen." "It's no bad omen." "It is too!" "Didn't happen to me." "Oh, ron!" "200." "Hmm." "See you 2 and raise you 2." "I call." "I'm out." "I'll call." "You run me out." "Me, too." "I'll call." "Now, what do i got?" "Jacks over 6s." "Beats my little straight." "My best hand tonight." "Don't worry, gentlemen." "I'll buy the coffee." "Ha ha ha!" "Hey, fellas, what do you say we break for something to eat?" "That's great." "~ i got a thing for him ~" "~ and i've got it bad ~" "~ his way of makin' love ~" "~ is the best i've had ~" "~ his lips are gentle, and his arms are strong ~" "~ he sure can turn this woman on ~" "~ and best of all ~" "~ he's my lover ~" "~ oh, best of all ~" "~ he's my lover ~" "~ ooh, best of all ~" "~ he's my lover ~" "written by him." "Have a good time." "Y'all have a good time, now." "Ron!" "I didn't expect you to be back so soon." "Well, they brought me in their little old lear jet." "Hmm." "My, my." "Haven't we come up in the world?" "Well, isn't that what it's all about... coming up?" "Oh, here." "I brought you my laundry." "I knew it." "I just knew it." "Well, aren't you going to open it?" "No good, ron?" "You better get me that envelope." "Hey, emmett." "Come here." "Just take a peek in there, will you?" "Man, oh, man!" "Ha ha ha!" "Emmett, i want you to bring me a drink just like that, only make mine a double." "For you?" "For me." "Quit, ron." "Hmm?" "Why don't you just quit while you're way out in front for once?" "Yeah?" "You know, put it in a savings account, municipal bonds." "Yeah." "The interest alone... and we've got this place." "Well, what would i do?" "I mean, i'm still a gambler." "Yeah, but you see, this is not gambling money anymore." "No?" "No." "This is high finance." "You bet it is, honey." "Ohh." "Besides, i already spent it." "Oh, i should have known that." "I should have guessed that." "Ok, on what?" "Well, i bought 1,000 shares of the caravan hotel." "Never heard of it." "Well, it's being built in las vegas." "That, i've heard of." "Yeah." "Well, a.j. Stoner offered me the job of managing the casino." "See, from now on, we gamble, but we gamble with other people's money." "Hey, you know any talented young little girlie singers who want to hit the big time, better give me a break, old girl." "That'll be the day." "Yeah?" "Yeah?" "I am it." "oh, boy." "This i've got to see with my own eyes." "Ok." "When do we have to leave?" "We'll leave soon as we can." "See you." "Hello?" "Need any help?" "What the hell you doing?" "!" "Lewis." "What?" "Put your hands on the car." "Haskins." "Put your hands on top of the car." "What the hell's going on here?" "You know who was shooting at you on talbot road?" "No." "Do you?" "Don't get smart." "Did you report it to the sheriff's office?" "Not yet, but somebody must have." "How else did you find out?" "Radar, lewis." "Now get in that car, real nice and easy like." "Why, haskins?" "Because i said to!" "Where we going?" "To the morgue, you son of a bitch, if you don't get in the car." "Get in!" "Damn son of a bitch!" "Aah!" "Aaahh!" "Yah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Move back." "Out of the way." "Come on." "Reed!" "Smith!" "Come on." "Help me with these people." "Move out." "That vehicle's going to be moving." "Take care of this." "Oh, my... you know, armed or unarmed, i can't imagine anybody taking haskins like that." "Me, i'd have shot first and fought later." "Yeah." "You know, this is gambling money." "Gambling's illegal in this state." "Therefore, this money doesn't legally exist." "Now, isn't that so?" "I just came from mr." "Ney's law office." "Yeah." "And he is getting absolutely nowhere." "Yeah." "The police insist there was never a shooting out on talbot road." "Now, the dispatcher's log shows that haskins did call in." "He was in pursuit of an erratic driver." "He gave the description of your car and license plate." "Oh, that's a lie." "He knows about the shooting." "He was there." "He said so." "Hey... you hire... private detectives." "Check talbot road." "2 cars... footprints, shells." "Just... use the money i won to pay for it." "Ron." "Ron." "The sheriff said there was no money in your car." "What?" "Now, stay where you are." "No!" "Now, look." "I'll hire 6 private detectives if i have to, but will you please just lay here and rest so those ribs can heal?" "Now, look." "I've got to go now, but i'm going to keep on digging, all right?" "Aah!" "You gonna keep your mouth shut, hear?" "Ok." "Shh, shh, shh." "You're not gonna scream." "You're not gonna talk." "You're just gonna listen, you hear?" "Aah!" "No!" "Shh." "Ow, my breast!" "Please!" "Hush now." "Hush." "You're not gonna need no private detectives, hear?" "Uh-uh." "What you need... what you need is a couple of bodyguards to protect you till this whole thing blows over, hear?" "Yes." "One of our favorite jobs is protecting bodies... especially one like yours." "Oh, no!" "Oh, god!" "Please." "Ohh!" "No!" "Oh... oh... god... help me." "Help me." "Aah!" "I talked to the district attorney." "There's an outside chance we can make some type of a deal and plead to a lesser charge." "Let's just wait till all the evidence comes in, huh?" "Then we'll decide how we want to plead." "My investigators haven't been able to find any evidence to substantiate your version of what happened." "Haven't my private detectives come up with anything yet about that yellow chevy, that other car?" "Any footprints?" "Anything?" "What private detectives?" "Didn't susan tell you to hire them?" "No." "What in the hell's going on here?" "I haven't been able to reach susan for over a week." "She hasn't been at the club, and a maid at the house says she's ill." "Oh, that's crap." "Look, you go out." "You hire them." "You go to the club, and you talk to emmett or the bookkeeper." "They'll give you the money to pay for them." "I'll do what i can." "What we've got right now, we've got no chance." "Believe me, ron..." "no chance at all." "private detectives!" "We have to hire a couple of private detectives." "So you hire a couple of private detectives." "Tell you what i'll do." "I'll give you a couple of names." "Ha ha ha!" "Hey... hey." "Hey, why didn't you hire private detectives?" "I tried." "I just couldn't find anybody." "You want to run that by me again?" "Hmm?" "Hey." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "I'm just discouraged, that's all, and i'm frightened, ron." "Hey." "What does that mean?" "Please... what's happening here?" "Come on." "What's wrong?" "I did all i could." "You'll have to believe me, ron." "I did all i could." "Susan." "Feeling better?" "Private detectives turned up nothing... not a shred of evidence to substantiate your story." "Ron, we have to decide today how we plead." "Susan?" "Susan!" "This isn't an ordinary crime, ron." "You killed a police officer." "Sheriff morello is pressing for a quick trial and first-degree murder." "Now, in view of your war record, i don't know, but i might be able to accept a lesser plea and get you off with a 2-to-10." "It was self-defense." "Don't you understand that it was self-defense?" "I'm not going to plead guilty to something i didn't do." "They want you to fight them." "Go ahead." "Egg them on." "They'll nail you to the cross..." "life without clemency." "Make your own choice." "Look, i'll fight them to the last ditch." "I'm innocent." "I'm not a cop-out." "Go find the evidence." "Yeah." "You go ahead." "You fight them." "I can't do you any good, lewis." "I'd like to withdraw from the case." "For christ's sake, be... let me talk to you, at least?" "I've been in enough poker games to know when i'm up against a cold deck." "Talk to your prosecutor." "See what kind of deal you can come up with." "Damn it!" "Why me?" "Ney, goddamn it, why me?" "Take your clothes off and throw them over here." "Now, what have we got here..." "another victim of society?" "Killed a deputy sheriff." "Uh-oh." "That's a no-no." "171/2." "33. 36." "Vince." "Yeah, what?" "Give him anything." "This bastard might not live long enough to break them in." "You can't bury a man without shoes." "Ok." "Your 3 minutes are up." "I got some busted ribs." "Do you mind?" "We live by the rules around here." "If you don't like it... hey!" "What's wrong?" "What's going on up there?" "Ok." "It's ok." "I just slipped on the wet floor." "What the hell happened to the mop?" "Half of it's down here." "I tripped on it." "It busted when i fell." "That's all." "I'm a little wet but ok." "Ok." "Get in." "You had your fun, lewis." "Everything you do here has a price!" "Get me the squad up here with masks." "Quick!" "Hurry it up!" "All right, you big bastard." "You either come out of that cell and walk to isolation, or we'll come in and carry you out." "I don't give a damn which." "All right!" "I'll walk!" "Come on out of that cell." "Come on out, boy." "You're just making it hard on yourself." "They got his door locked!" "They're gassing him!" "They're gassing him with his door locked!" "Shut your goddamn mouth!" "Keep your goddamn mouth shut!" "All right." "We gave you a chance." "Now we're coming in." "Hey, ritz, eh?" "Well, ain't you something?" "Like it?" "Want me to order you a half a dozen?" "I'll stick with my number." "Still with numerology, huh?" "This is it." "Oh, lewis." "You know, normally they'd have just thrown you right into isolation for the next 6 months, but you got yourself a powerful friend right here in the population." "Who?" "Sal viccarrone, no less." "What's he doing here?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Penance." "I'll take your hand." "Go get lewis." "Man wants to talk to you... personally." "Listen, buster brown, you owe him." "He's the one that kept you out of isolation." "I got a blitz going." "Now, don't blow it." "Well, i hear you're a fair-to-middling gambler." "Won a few hands now and then." "Ray, get up." "I want to try out a new act here." "You got a visitor... again." "Susan barrett." "Tell her i'm still out to lunch." "Why don't you see the broad?" "You're every bit as good as i heard." "I'm going to back you in the game." "You and vince are going to play for me exclusively." "I think i'll back myself." "I have some money on deposit." "So your girlfriend sent you 500 bucks." "Big deal." "I pick up dinner checks for more scratch than that." "You know, that gin game is 10 cents a point." "We just took in 2,000 bucks." "I'll give you 50% of the winnings." "Look, between you and vince, i can own this whole goddamn prison and sell it back to the state." "I'm telling you, vince, he's got fast fingers, no mouth." "My kind of people." "You know, vince, i still think i could do better playing against you and sal." "Uh-uh." "Sal has got to win..." "at everything." "With all his so-called influence and power, what in the hell is he doing in here?" "It's ironic, isn't it?" "Well, he comes down south here to open memphis, and he falls in with some big-mouth blonde." "She drops a dime on him, and he winds up in here on some stupid bribery charge." "Ha ha ha ha!" "And what's your sad story?" "Hmm... 15 arrests, 4 suspicion of murder;" "one conviction, burglary." "Actually, i'm... quite embarrassed at the conviction." "Well, no wonder they step aside when you walk through the yard." "Oh, you noticed that, huh?" "You know something?" "To tell you the truth, i wouldn't hurt a fly." "You really noticed that?" "150 on red." "You got to help me, mr." "Viccarrone." "Let go, junkie." "Hey!" "Aah!" "Vince, let's get him to the infirmary." "Aw, kick him again!" "Hi, kenny." "How ya doing, sal?" "Hey, did you get that bundle the boys dropped off?" "It was 5,800." "Yeah." "Say, how's the slot machine deal working out in biloxi?" "Cleaned up." "I took care of that matter in cleveland you talked about." "Didn't get it in full, though." "Wanted 3 months on the balance." "Well, give it to him." "Say, kenny, i want a fresh order of meat." "I want you to handle it exactly the way you did the last one." "I'll call you early part of the week." "Ok, sal." "Let the man eat his food." "You heard the signal." "Pick up your tray, and pick it up fast." "Eat your food." "Don't crap me, lewis." "You pick up your tray, too." "Springer, he's on again." "Ok, you ugly bastard." "We're gonna pick it up for you." "We're gonna pick you up with it." "Ok." "The whole world's never been able to wipe you out." "What's your secret, huh?" "Indifference?" "Or do you hate back just enough to balance the scales?" "You want to teach me?" "Yeah." "Come on, teach me." "How'd it go?" "Look, i never really had a chance to thank you." "But they moved those 2 jerks to another prison in a meat wagon... alive, i think." "I'm going to go play cards." "Listen to me, punk, when i'm talking to you." "I don't waste my time with just anybody." "If i could have gotten you when you were young, i'd have made you as big as me." "I don't want to be you, sal." "No." "Why don't you wise up?" "Nobody gives a good goddamn whether you take a shower in 4 minutes or whether you leave the dinner table before you finish your meal." "You're in the can..." "out of sight, out of mind." "The only time... when you get out that gate, that's when you get even." "But as long as you're in here, you stop swimming upstream, and that's an order." "You live your life here like you gamble." "Now go on out there and play cards and win." "You hear me?" "Lewis." "You're the coldest-assed son of a bitch i've ever met... except me." "Gin." "That's a thousand." "Havana?" "Naturally." "That's your limit, jerry." "Next." "No." "Just a minute, shitbird." "I told you last week you don't get back in the game until you square your debt." "Come on." "You know the money will be here for me any day now." "Any day you pay your tab, you can get back in the line." "Now beat it." "Aw, just a minute." "You, too, mr." "Bank president." "Out." "You're a crook." "Hey, ron, vince is leaving us in a day and a half." "Why don't you do something to keep you here?" "Then you can keep me company." "I'll keep you company." "I'll run for senator." "Don't worry, sal." "You and i are going to win this whole damn prison, and vince, he's going to be sorry he left us." "You're not interested in winning this whole damn prison." "You just want to get out of here to kill somebody." "Now play cards." "If you worked that hard putting muscles in your head, you'd be better off." "Aw... 31/2 years together, friend, and you don't even come down and say good-bye to me." "Guess i forgot, sal." "You didn't forget." "You were burned up." "You were jealous." "That's no crime." "It's a normal reaction for an honest man." "But you almost missed the big news by not coming down to see me." "What?" "I don't know if i ought to tell you." "Oh, come on, sal." "Heh." "In 60 days, you're coming before the parole board." "They're going to pass you." "Sal, did you... shut up!" "Sentiment is for weddings and births." "Come and see me when you get out." "I'll bankroll your game." "Here's a number." "When you call, you tell them it's the dealer, and then i'll know." "This game i'm going to play, i don't think you want to be a partner." "Well, have it your own way, but you got the number." "You got any problems, call." "Remember what i told you." "Don't be a schmuck." "Play the odds." "Here." "I'll bankroll your game." "Sal!" "Mr. Lewis?" "Yeah." "If you intend to stay here, you got 24 hours to register at the sheriff's office as a parolee felon." "Gee, thanks a lot." "Of course, on the other hand, you might save everybody a lot of trouble if you just get back on the bus." "Well, thanks again, but there's just no other place i'd rather be." "Are you coming?" "Now you want to tell me why?" "Why no detectives?" "Hmm... why no help?" "Why no search?" "Why the hell did you of all people throw me to the wolves?" "What's the matter?" "You trying to think of the right lie?" "No." "I... they came." "Who's they?" "2 men." "I don't know who they were." "I still don't." "They came, and they used me." "What do you mean, they used you?" "I mean they used me." "They told me it was the first lesson." "If i did one thing to help you, they'd kill us both." "They put me in the hospital for a week." "I believed them." "And i understand them, because that's the way they are, but..." "but you, ron... i don't understand you." "I promise you, i'll get them." "I don't want you to get them." "You listen, susan." "Somebody i don't even know took everything i had away from me." "I'm going to make him pay... double... 2 for 1." "Oh, please, ron, no." "Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "Ron lewis." "I'm here to register as an ex-con." "Yes, sir." "Would you please... wilson, christ almighty." "Never say please or call a cop killer "sir."" "Would you come in?" "Don't ask him." "Tell him." "Lewis, first i want to ask you some questions." "Later i'm going to fingerprint you." "And after i'm finished with you, i think sheriff bundy wants to talk with you." "Bundy's sheriff now?" "Mr. Morello is mayor." "Your full name." "Ronald s." "Lewis." ""S" for stinks." "Age." "35." "Born." "In some kennel." "Winston-salem, north carolina." "I knew a broad from winston-salem when i was a marine at cherry point." "Great lay." "Couldn't get enough." "Hmm." "Funny." "Her name was lewis, too." "Maybe, uh..." "maybe your sister?" "Or your mother?" "Who are you?" "Nate bickford." "And remember it." "How could i forget it?" "First time i ever saw a tub of shit in a suit." "Huh?" "What?" "Bickford!" "Lewis, come into my office." "Sit down, lewis." "I'm sheriff bundy." "I was morello's deputy when you had your trouble." "Warden notified us last week that you made bus arrangements to come here." "Why?" "Find out some answers." "That's why." "Look, i just spent 4 years in that can because i wouldn't lie down and die." "Now i want to know who sicked haskins on me, who took a shot at me on talbot road, things like that." "Does that answer your question, bundy?" "I suppose it does." "But if you find answers, what then?" "Then my curiosity will be satisfied, won't it?" "What the hell do you expect me to say?" "I'm going to go out and kill somebody?" "What can you tell me that will help me?" "Absolutely nothing." "Excuse my impertinence, but that's pure crap." "Haskins will be a long time dead..." "longer than 4 years... so if i'm wrong, i'll apologize!" "Here's a little advice." "Don't you lean on anybody here." "I mean, if you cause any trouble, any trouble at all, i'll have you back in the can in 15 minutes." "Thanks for the advice." "Just a minute." "I think you should know that sergeant bickford outside is haskins' cousin." "He's only one aspect of the trouble you're likely to stir up." "Understand?" "I understand." "By the way, one thing." "Who was the dispatcher the night that haskins called in?" "Pop jameson." "Like to talk to him." "Buy a shovel." "His remains are in crestview cemetery." "He died of a heart attack, at home, in bed." "~ and i'll do all i know ~" "~ to satisfy ~" "~ and i'll try to make it easy ~" "~ for you to say you love me ~" "~ but i'll never make it easy ~" "~ for you to say good-bye ~" "~ dim the light ~" "~ anytime you feel the need to ~" "~ and let my love ~" "~ make it easy on your mind ~" "~ and, babe, in the night ~" "~ if you should wake... ~" "get in." "Why should i?" "'Cause i got some things to tell you." "Why should you want to tell me anything?" "Your piano player jeremiah, he's a friend of mine." "He asked me to." "Now, i don't have much time." "You want to get killed just like that?" "Not especially." "You hang around bucking the system, something no man can handle alone, and you just might." "Well, thanks for the threat." "Tell sheriff bundy that i just don't buy it." "God damn it." "I didn't come from sheriff bundy." "I'm here for me and jeremiah... and you." "Go ahead." "Play hero." "At least i tried." "Ok." "So tell me." "I'm hoping we can do each other some good." "How's that?" "Let's begin with the dispatcher's log the night you killed haskins." "I usually make a point of checking entries before going off duty." "When i checked that night, there was no entry of haskins pursuing a reckless driver, but 2 nights later there was... 2 nights after he was dead." "Somebody just added a call from haskins." "The handwriting was even different." "Well, who do you think did it?" "Could have been anybody, but sheriff morello made a point to ask me to check the logs 2 nights before." "Something about the way he asked me made me say no." "Well, did me a hell of a lot of good for you to keep quiet." "The day i cut my throat, i want a hell of a lot better reason." "There is one more thing that might help you." "There was a yellow chevy in town that night, just like you claimed..." "vanished into thin air along with all the motor vehicle records on it." "Well, didn't somebody get a make on it?" "Did they?" "This is the hard part, the part you better understand clear." "The car belonged to a kid named dean tatum." "Means nothing." "His father is the senior state senator." "Did you question the kid?" "No." "Figures." "You're damn right it figures." "Well, i'll take it from here." "You'll have to." "I've given you all the help i can afford to give." "Hey... you, uh... you got plans on being the next sheriff or something, sergeant?" "In a way." "You know, lewis, you're lucky." "Somebody had the key to unlock your cell door." "Most of my people up there, they're doing life." "Well, being sheriff might help." "Hey, um... was there anything on that other car, the plymouth?" "I heard about it, but i don't know anything about it." "You think you could dig around, find something on it?" "Maybe." "Now let's split before this gets in the society columns." "Hey, i appreciate it, sergeant... sam." "Without the "bo."" "Drink, ron?" "No." "You look like a kid who just lost his ball." "Oh, yeah..." "both of them." "Do you know... that one of those 2 cars out there that night out on talbot road... it just might have belonged to the son of a senator tatum?" "Can you dig it?" "Well, then that just about settles things, doesn't it?" "Say what?" "Ron, use your head." "What are you going to do?" "He has just been mentioned as a candidate for governor." "Ffffft!" "You want to go campaign for him next or something?" "Mr. Ney, your old lawyer... the one that got me 4 years?" "Him, i remember." "Well, he is district attorney now... mayor morello's man." "You ever notice these guys are real team players, you know?" "Look, ney called and said to tell you that if you'd just mind your own business, they'll forget they ever heard of you." "Oh, that's white of them." "You playing with a full deck, girl?" "Maybe i better go do some thinking." "Well, you can't think dead!" "You're dead." "Vince?" "Oh, god." "Vince, what the hell you... ha ha ha!" "Ohh!" "How did you get here?" "Through the same door you did, only my credit card works faster." "Guess i must have jammed the tumbler." "You glad to see me?" "Yeah." "I got a girl lives here with me." "She wouldn't be too excited if she came in and found you." "I saw you." "I saw you drive up alone." "I knew you were alone." "Besides, when i tell you why i came here, you're going to be real glad i came." "Well?" "Tell me what's going to make me so happy." "Come on." "If they'd sent anybody else but me, you'd be dead by now." "Well, that makes me happy." "If who sent anybody else?" "Come on." "What kind of a host are you?" "Come on." "Give me a drink, will you?" "Yeah." "Vince?" "Yeah?" "If who sent somebody else?" "Well, let's say there's some people in cleveland that i do a little business for." "They..." "they phoned me." "They asked me to make a little business trip down here." "Seemed they want some dude to disappear..." "completely." "Ha ha ha ha!" "Completely." "Ha ha ha!" "And then they gave me your name and your address, and i didn't have to ask for a description." "When did they call you?" "Today." "What time?" "Let's see." "I was having lunch." "Uh... about 1:00." "We played softball this morning." "Our team won." "Mm-hmm." "Well, good." "Congratulations." "Mm-hmm." "Who hired your people to hit me?" "Aw, come on, ron." "I don't ask questions." "Bad business policy, you know?" "Oh, you jive-ass." "You're kidding me." "You're not... you're not going to kill me." "Well, they gave me 24 hours." "The question is, how do we both get out of this alive, right?" "'Cause if one of us has got to go, well, it ain't gonna be me, because, you know, i got a selfish streak in me." "I appreciate the warning." "I'll stay on my toes." "For christ sake, you're a sitting duck, ron." "Bet you're not even carrying a piece." "No." "Hey." "Hmm?" "Could sal's people be connected in any way with these people?" "Well, i wouldn't be surprised." "Got to make a phone call." "He gave me a number." "He gave you his number?" "Yep." "He never gave me his number to call if i got in a jam." "I know guys who'd give their right nut to get that number." "If it makes you any happier, i'll give you the frigging number." "Ok?" "Ron, now, who's doing who the favor here?" "Uh, hello." "Is sal there?" "Oh." "It's the dealer calling." "What?" "Well, what time in the morning?" "Ok, look." "This is important." "Have him call the dealer at 615-213-2096... as soon as he can." "It's important." "Thank you." "Want another drink?" "No." "Take me somewhere, huh?" "I don't like to drink in a broad's apartment when she's not home." "Makes me feel like an impatient pimp." "Come on." "We'll take your car." "Are you walking?" "No." "Mine's stolen, but it's all right." "It's parked around the corner." "Plates are cool." "Come on." "2 bourbons, doubles." "Ron... you're getting as cold-ass as i am." "The only difference is, you haven't learned how to smile." "We all got our own game, vince." "I heard that." "Play it the best we can." "2 bourbons, doubles?" "Mm-hmm." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Sure." "Here's to sal..." "i hope." "Here's to vince." "salute." "excuse me." "Got to hit the john." "My kidneys need a little tune-up." "Uh, 2 more, please." "Saw your car parked down the street, lewis." "Figured you would be in here." "Since you didn't think the office was the right place, what about here?" "Well, there must be a better time." "I mean, there's too many witnesses here, lard-ass." "Listen, you son of a bitch!" "There was no witnesses in the alley." "You claimed you took my cousin with your bare hands." "You take me that way, and i'll believe you." "Oh ho ho!" "Doubles." "Ho ho ho!" "Oh, that's nice." "That's going to make it twice as easy." "How's your wind, tubby?" "You'll find out." "Let's go." "You mind if i finish my drinks, roly-poly?" "Ok, ok, finish them." "When you get your nerve up, i'll be at the bar... waiting!" "Excuse me." "cop?" "Yeah." "You want to take him on?" "No!" "Hell, i'd lose no matter what happened." "I'll take care of it." "You just give me a couple of minutes, you walk out that front door." "When you get out there, don't stand too close to him, and i'll handle it." "Are you crazy?" "You can't kill a cop in the middle of town." "Leave it to me, huh?" "Vin... lewis." "Let's take a walk." "Follow me." "Oh, man!" "Oh!" "Ohh!" "Oh!" "Just another drunken policeman." "Ha ha ha ha!" "Goddamn you, lewis!" "Call an ambulance." "I'll call one from home." "I can save a dime that way." "You bastard, lewis!" "You won't get..." "you won't get away with it!" "Ron." "Ron, wake up." "Sheriff bundy's here to see you." "Oh... ron, wake up." "He is really steaming." "Oh... will you, please?" "Good morning." "Lewis, spit it out." "What the hell happened to bickford?" "Oh... something fell on him, i guess." "He's in the hospital with a cast from head to foot... broken clavicle, dislocated shoulder, broken arm, broken ribs!" "They have to call a plastering contractor?" "My men checked that building." "That roofing paper didn't accidentally fall on bickford." "Those rolls were stacked 2 buildings away." "They couldn't have fallen from there." "I don't know." "Well, the bar waitress said you were drinking with someone else." "Who was it?" "Aren't you ever going to light that cigarette?" "Not if i can help it." "All right, who was it?" "Insurance salesman." "What's his name?" "I don't know." "I lost his card." "He didn't think i was a very good insurance risk." "He may be right." "What were you doing outside that bar with bickford?" "He tried to pick a fight with me that i didn't want." "You know what i think, sheriff?" "I think he was setting me up." "I think that tarpaper was meant for me, not him." "He's not that clever." "I warned you about leaning on anyone in this town." "That goes especially for my men." "You cause them any more trouble, and i'm going to bury you personally, you understand?" "Yeah." "Ok." "It was that vince character you brought in the club last night, wasn't it?" "Oh." "Get rid of him, ron." "What's for breakfast?" "I don't know." "The menu didn't come down from the mafia yet." "Now, who is he?" "Vince?" "Vince is an old buddy of mine from prison." "He came here to kill me." "Oh, come on!" "No jokes." "What is going on?" "There's a contract out on me." "Vince drew it." "That's one of his specialties." "Oh, my god!" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Hello." "This is the dealer." "Have you been able to reach sal yet?" "He's due back today." "I'll tell him... hang on a minute." "There's a guy on the phone, called a couple of times." "Says he's the dealer." "Oh, hey, ron, baby!" "How goes it?" "Sal, i got a problem here." "Well, what's your problem?" "Well, some contractors in cleveland are trying to kill my business." "I was wondering if you might know them and could put a stop to it." "They sent vince down here to take care of it." "Vince?" "Yep." "Ha ha ha ha!" "Sal?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Sal, it ain't all that funny." "Ha ha ha!" "Listen, ron, tell vince to call me, will you?" "Sure, it's ok to give him my number." "Of course." "I'll get the word out immediately." "I'll call everybody off so you can go about your business." "Thank you, sal." "Now, remember, ron, we're not the only wholesalers of this... merchandise, you know, so be careful." "Thank you." "There's one more thing." "There's a state senator down here named tatum." "I was wondering if you could give me some sort of a rundown on his son dean." "Now, wait a minute, ron." "Don't fool around with politicians." "They're a bunch of shitbirds." "You'll get burned." "Yep." "Well, ok." "Ok, i'll try, ron." "Hey, thank you, sal." "Thank you." "Bye-bye." "Ha ha ha!" "Vince?" "Get down!" "Stay in the car!" "Back the car down the driveway, block the street, and get out of it, quick!" "Susan!" "Susan?" "You all right?" "They're both dead." "Who were they?" "No idea." "I spotted this car with 2 guys in it parked down the street." "The second time around, there was only one." "Then i saw this guy go in the apartment, so i went around and came in the garage through the back." "I was just deciding how to play it when you drove up." "How do you want to handle this?" "Sheriff bundy's finest are going to be swarming this area in a few minutes." "I thought they were just plain house burglars." "Didn't you?" "Ow!" "Burglars?" "They were... shh!" "Deputy perry's a trained observer." "You, ronald lewis, understand that you can consult with an attorney at any time, that you don't have to speak other than of your own free will, and any incriminating admissions you may make may be held against you in a court of law?" "My name is ronald lewis, and i do want an attorney now, providing there's an honest one still left in this city." "I've been held incommunicado in a room for over 3 hours with my hands chained behind my back." "According to the supreme court's ruling of the miranda case... ok." "Take the cuffs off of him." "God damn it!" "Will somebody take the goddamn cuffs off of him!" "Lewis." "Look, lewis." "I got to establish what happened out there." "I've already got sergeant perry's version." "Now, if you got nothing to hide, you should be willing to tell me yours." "I know you want to get some sleep." "Come on." "Let's get it over with, huh, ron?" "Well, tad, i haven't had my breakfast yet." "What?" "Breakfast, tad." "I haven't had any yet." "Well, god damn it, neither have i!" "None of us have!" "We've been out there cleaning up that mess and trying to find out what the hell happened!" "Prisoners upstairs had theirs yet?" "Of course they have." "Then i want mine." "You ain't no goddamn prisoner." "Well, that's good." "Then i'll leave." "You get your ass back in that chair until you tell me what the hell happened out there!" "Now, get down there!" "You want to turn that tape recorder back on and record that?" "Damn it, you con!" "Sit your ass in that chair!" "Let me talk to him." "I believe i'm hungry, too." "Why don't you go get some breakfast for mr." "Lewis and me?" "And bring coffee for everybody." "We can solve this, can't we, ron, like gentlemen?" "Like we solved the last one, hmm?" "I spent 4 years in prison for something i didn't do." "This is different." "Sergeant perry has signed a complete statement concerning the deaths of 2 burglars." "We'd like a simple corroborating statement from you, nothing more." "This story will make page one, and sergeant perry most likely will receive a citation for his bravery." "Now, you can understand why mayor morello would appreciate your cooperation, can't you?" "I'm beginning to." "Stop treating him like a v.i. P!" "He's a convicted killer!" "Sheriff bundy, mr." "Lewis is a human being with the same rights you have." "As district attorney, i will not tolerate any more of it!" "Heh heh!" "Ah!" "Get your goddamn feet off my desk!" "Tell his honor i'm deeply touched by his concern." "You damn well better be, you understand?" "Give his honor the mayor a message for me, will you?" "Tell him to go fuck himself." "Well, welcome, hero." "Hand me your driver's license." "Anybody could be watching." "What do you hear about those burglars?" "Yeah." "Pardon the expression, they're 2 ex-cons." "Been nosing around again." "I checked on reports about the time of your trouble." "There was a missing person's report filed by a drug pusher's wife." "He drove a '64 plymouth." "Both he and the car disappeared completely the same night." "Things are beginning to fall in place." "Thank you, sam." "Oh, by the way, the mayor pulled a couple of deputies off duty to protect his house." "Claims there was a phone call threatening his life." "Would you know anything about it?" "No." "He's probably scared somebody's going to steal his stamp collection or something." "Ok." "Never mind." "I won't be in town long enough for the raffle." "Take it." "My compliments." "Thank you, sam." "May i present myself... dr." "Brimson, sir, physician/surgeon, at your service." "I'll have you know, i am one of the few left in my profession who make house calls." "Oh, by the way, i got a call from our friend sal this morning." "He said for me to tell you that senator tatum's son died from an overdose of narcotics" "3 days before you killed the sheriff." "Oh, how about that sal?" "For 4 years, everywhere i turned just led to a brick wall." "He said for you to sit tight." "Senator tatum's got to have the answers." "I mean, his son's addiction, the dope pusher." "Both of their cars, they disappeared the same night." "If the senator's son wasn't driving the car, who was?" "Oh, i got to... i got to go to the state capital, see senator tatum." "What the hell do i got to lose, huh?" "Your ass." "What?" "Now, look." "Come on." "About those attacks you've been having, son." "Yeah." "We got to take strong preventive measures." "Come here." "Still in the original wrappings." "Comes from a small town in canada... so small the mounties can't even find it." "Take about a year to trace." "Now, i want you to take 6 of these at a time." "Just 6. an overdose may be fatal." "Understand?" "You know what i found out today?" "What?" "Mayor morello has put a guard on his house." "Uh-huh." "Now, that is interesting, huh?" "Why would a tough ex-sheriff be needing a guard?" "I don't buy that." "You?" "There's something... well, dr." "Brimson will examine the patient and will give you a diagnosis tonight." "Sit." "Stay." "Hey, man, who are you?" "What in the hell do you think you're doing here?" "Well, i might ask the same thing of y'all, threatening a doctor called away from his dinner table on an emergency." "What emergency?" "Well, uh..." "let me check this." "Is this not 924 maple street?" "This here's the mayor's house." "This is oak." "Maple's 2 blocks over." "Oak." "Oak." "Well, i'm terribly sorry." "Well, that's all right." "It's a good thing you didn't try and get through this here gate." "You'd need every stitch you got in that there bag of yours." "Thank you kindly, sir." "You're most kind." "Hey, dewey, this... this... well, i'll drink another!" "Ha ha ha!" "Tell him." "Tell him about this whiskey." "Ain't it the best whiskey made?" "You want to get the hell off the car?" "Come on." "We'll do that, fella, but first... all right, gary." "Stick your hands through the wheel and lace your fingers together." "Check him out, gary." "All right." "Hit the highway and turn south." "Now, if you drive real careful like, we're going to let you take us all the way to kentucky, but if you even so much as turn a corner too sharp, we're going to get us a brand-new driver." "Just for the hell of it, what's your name?" "Lewis." "By god, i thought we had the wrong guy." "You know, they told us you was going to be tough to take." "Turn right here." "What do you think, dewey?" "This guy ain't so tough, is he?" "We might even have to give them some of their money back." "It don't seem hardly right, us taking all that money for nothing." "Don't cross no roads or nothing without making sure this car behind can stay with you." "Yeah." "Ain't no sense in you trying to run off from old frank." "That would just make him meaner." "So who hired you guys for the hit?" "I don't know." "Don't seem to matter none now, does it?" "You don't know?" "Frank makes all the arrangements." "You know, frank don't hardly even come out on no jobs no more." "Sure could have stayed home on this one, though... that is, unless you've got some kind of wild ideas." "No, not me." "No." "Turn right here." "You ever been here before?" "No, but dewey and frank have, though." "They had them one sweet job there once." "Yeah?" "Actually got paid for laying some singer." "Ha ha ha!" "I guess that makes you some kind of a male whore or something, don't it?" "Shut your mouth!" "Ooh!" "No, no!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Aah!" "Oh!" "Get up." "Get in the car." "Screw you!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "You want to get in that car like i told you?" "Huh?" "Come on!" "Uhh!" "Uhh!" "Come on." "Now, who hired you to kill me?" "Ain't gonna tell you nothin'!" "Get me to a hospital." "Frank, you're going to tell me everything i want to know." "Up your ass!" "What are you going to do?" "Oh, no." "Don't do me no more." "Please." "So you got paid for laying a girl singer, hey, frank?" "Oh, god... oh, god!" "Aah!" "Was she good, frank?" "Was she as good as this?" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "You want me to hook you up again, or you want to talk?" "I'd tell you if i knew." "I would." "Honest i would, but i don't." "There was just... there was just the boss on the phone." "He sent me 3,000." "He said... he said there'd be 3,000 more when i finished." "Here's the money." "No, no." "Take it." "Go on." "Take it, please." "Get your ass back to kentucky, frank, and if you ever think about coming back here to see me, just reach up there where that ear used to be." "It'll remind you that you don't owe me a damn thing." "We're even now, frank." "Even?" "We ain't even, lewis!" "I'm going to be back!" "You better be looking over your shoulder, lewis, and i'm gonna kill you!" "I'm going to kill you, lewis!" "I'm going to do it!" "You know, frank, i honestly believe you." "Yeah, i believe you, frank." "Yeah, yeah, but you screwed up, and that's $3,000 down the drain!" "What the hell are you doing here?" "Get out there and pass the word to your men." "Shoot that bastard on sight." "But, morello..." ""but, morello" shit!" "Do it!" "He killed 3 men!" "Yeah..." "that you hired!" "And who can prove it?" "Look, they're dead." "Now, don't miss." "Jesus christ, morello!" "This whole damn thing's getting out of hand!" "Tad, get going." "Now!" "Don't think we don't appreciate this, senator tatum." "Perfectly all right." "Senator tatum." "Yes?" "My name's ron lewis." "Oh, hi." "Get the hell away from me." "You make the wrong move, and i'll kill you." "Shut up." "Come on." "Come on." "You're going with me." "Come on." "You don't expect me to buy that crock of crap, do you?" "It's the truth." "It's the truth." "Why would i get mixed up in anything like that, huh?" "I mean, after all, i do have a sense of justice." "The man driving that plymouth was a pusher." "Who was he?" "Your son's connection?" "What's that got to do with this?" "My boy's dead." "Your son was a junkie." "That's no secret." "He died of an overdose of narcotics." "That's a goddamned lie!" "I'll tell you some damn lies." "You know who was driving that chevy that night." "That's a damn lie." "You know who took a shot at me." "That's a damn lie." "And your son was a junkie." "That's a damn lie." "I spent 4 years in jail." "That's a damn lie, too?" "Do you realize how utterly preposterous your accusations are, huh?" "Bullshit!" "Don't you know my record?" "Well, i'm considered from one end of the state to the other as an honorable, humane man!" "Ha ha ha!" "You just shut up." "You're not on a senate floor." "You know there's 6 men dead?" "Do you realize that?" "6 men?" "Why do you keep giving orders for those bastards to come and kill me?" "Why, i never gave anybody orders to kill." "Never." "Come here." "Look, you got secrets you want to take to the grave with you, that's your privilege." "This is the end of the line, baby." "What?" "Let's go take a walk in the lake." "Come on." "Let go of me, will you?" "Where do you think you're going, for crying out... what the hell's the matter with you?" "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" "Let go of me, you fool!" "What... huh?" "Huh?" "That pusher killed my son!" "What?" "He killed my boy!" "What else?" "Come on!" "That pusher threatened my life!" "I had to kill him!" "So?" "So what?" "I killed him!" "I can't believe it, but i killed him!" "I... i was driving my boy's car that night." "I was driving his car!" "More!" "What else?" "Huh?" "What else?" "What?" "I shot at you!" "I shot at you, believe me." "I'm sorry, but it's... i... i can't believe... i didn't know what i was doing." "I wasn't thinking." "I wasn't thinking." "I wasn't... i wasn't thinking." "Let me go!" "What are you... let me go!" "Let me go!" "Go on!" "I wasn't thinking." "Uh!" "I wasn't thinking!" "I wasn't thinking." "Believe me, i..." "i just wasn't thinking." "I... i... senator, now that you're thinking, how come haskins grabbed me in that garage?" "I..." "i called morello." "Huh?" "He was the sheriff then." "I know." "And he promised to straighten everything out." "He handled the gun, got rid of the cars and the pusher's body and everything, including you!" "Including me?" "Yeah." "At what price?" "Signed confession." "This is one frame-up you're going to pay for, senator." "I know it ain't gonna be much consolation to you, but i've been thinking about you a thousand times in that jail." "I swear, we both been in jail for the last 4 years!" "No!" "Scum." "You know, 4 years ago, i would have torn that damn senator's head off." "Well, he's dead already." "He's been dead for 4 years." "Thank god it's all over." "Well, it will be soon." "You've got enough evidence to have the mayor and the senator arrested." "Ron, let's get this together, huh?" "You're going to morello." "Yep." "Ron... what happens there tonight just might be more than you can live with." "There's a right way and a wrong way to do things, and you and vince have reduced everything to an animal level." "Who else is going to pay me for the last 4 years of my life?" "For god sakes, what are the two of you trying to prove?" "Bundy, i'm not going to tell you again." "God damn it, you heard me!" "Alert the state police and put your men on double duty." "I want that bastard dead, and i mean now!" "Yes!" "Kill on sight." "Hi." "All right." "How much?" "How much you want?" "Make me an offer." "Well, when the banks open tomorrow morning... no, no." "Now." "Well, there's no more than a couple of thousand in the desk." "Open it!" "Now, if either of you two are holding, you'd better unload right now." "On the floor, quick." "Floor!" "Hands over your head." "Ok, not so quick, mr." "Mayor." "What's the alarm setup?" "Well, there's no alarm setup on a desk." "Ha ha ha!" "Now, if there is an alarm setup and it goes off and it causes any kind of a rumble, i'm gonna blow your honorable head off." "You understand?" "Well, there's no sense in trying to kid you guys." "Yeah, there is a pivot switch there on the corner of the desk." "You got to throw that to prevent the alarm from ringing downtown." "Do it." "All right." "I got to get the key out of the drawer, ok?" "Get the key." "All right." "Ok." "Ok, mr." "Mayor, now where's your stash with the real money in it, huh?" "What are you talking about?" "Come on." "Where's the real bread?" "Look, i told you, there was only $2,000 in the desk, and that's it." "You're wasting time!" "Hey, what the hell do you think you're going to do with that?" "I'm going to cut off your fingers one at a time." "There's a safe in the bookcase... bottom shelf, right-hand side, middle section." "You son of a bitch!" "You gutless son of a bitch!" "Ugh!" "Oh, you..." "The wires run into the paneling." "Have to rip the whole wall down to find the alarm." "No, you won't." "Pitch me your sticker." "His honor's going to tell us all about it." "Ow, you dirty son of a... shut up!" "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "Now, morello, if i ask you to explain einstein's theory of relativity, you better not wait more than 2 seconds before you start answering, or i'm going to cut you someplace else." "What's the combination?" "Come on." "Come on!" "2 to the left, 9 to the right... ah, you do it!" "Uh!" "All right, come on, come on." "Now, what's the alarm setup?" "There's no alarm setup on this one, believe me." "Open it!" "Come on!" "Come here, you... holy christ, ron, we found it!" "We did?" "We found it!" "Money!" "Money!" "Tapes, records, everything!" "Use this." "You want all these papers and files in here?" "Yeah, that's all i want." "Mr. Lewis, i know what you're after." "Give me the file on me, and i'll make any deal you want." "Oh, you ratfink bastard!" "Back up towards the desk!" "Drop that gun!" "Gun them down!" "Gun them down!" "Lewis, drop that gun!" "Ok, ron." "Do like he says." "Aah!" "It... it can't happen this way." "It... it..." "It wasn't me." "It wasn't me." "It was the deputy's gun." "Aah!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "Lewis, that dog will kill him." "You want to help him, you go ahead." "Uh-uh." "I just don't want that dog to get in." "What now?" "I'll make any deal you want, lewis." "Aah!" "I closed up early, sent everybody home." "I may never open up again here." "Go home." "Pack your things." "We got to get out of here tonight." "Where's vince?" "He's dead." "Oh." "Who else?" "Mayor morello." "The deputy sheriff." "Jesus christ." "Your business is really finished here now, isn't it?" "Ron... you're too much for me." "Pack up all that stuff and get it out of here." "Your clothes are in the back of my car." "Susan." "Disappear, ron." "Just disappear." "I can't live by your rules anymore." "What choice do i have?" "You have a choice." "When i get set up, i'll call for you." "Don't bother." "Just like that, huh?" "Not just like that." "I loved you, ron." "You want to get on the phone and have deputy perry come over here?" "Yes, yes!" "Oh, thank you for coming." "Good god." "You had a busy night tonight." "You could say that." "Susan, bring me another, only a double this time." "Make mine 2 of the same." "I know you got a pistol in your hand." "You know, ron, you're through with your fight." "You've killed all your dragons." "What about ney?" "Oh, he lucked out, considering." "He's just got a bump on his head, but it's one he'll remember for a long time." "Sam... sam, i want to ask you something." "So ask." "What would you do if you had documents and ledgers and tapes that would put about half of this state in the palm of your hand?" "What the hell do you think i'd do?" "I just want to be sure." "Power corrupts." "Oh, come off it." "Don't lecture me about power and corruption." "I've been on the dirty end of the stick all my life, and i still fight it every day, and i'm able to look in the mirror." "For openers." "Oh, excuse me!" "Senator tatum." "Morello." "Bundy." "Oh, no." "Not him." "The judge." "State's attorney." "Good god!"