"Buzz off." "Willie. 6:30." "Willie?" "Right." "Stage fright, Willie?" "Come on." "Move it." "Coming out." "Right." "Your last address was 77 A Eton Grove, South Norwood?" "Yes, sir." "And would it be true to say, Mr. Parker, that for a good many years now you have made your living solely as a hardened professional criminal?" "Yes, sir, I regret to say." "Afternoon of the 23rd of September, 1971." "Barclays Bank branch in Beavers Road, East Dulwich." " You participated in that raid, Mr. Parker?" " Yes, sir." "And who were your confederates on that occasion?" "Hopwood, Riordan, Fellows, Mr. Corrigan." " Who did what?" " What?" "Oh!" "I stayed with the car, and..." "Lenny, Jimmy and Jeff went in the bank." " And Corrigan?" " He got the money." " All of it?" " No." " You shared it out, didn't you?" " Yeah." " But Corrigan got the lions share." " Right." " 'Cause he was the mastermind behind the operation." " Yeah." "See, Mr. Corrigan..." "Yeah, mastermind." "Morning of the 25th of October, 1972, the Securicor van in Peckham High Road, a guard was wounded." " You took part?" " Yes, sir." "And Riordan, Fellows and Mr. Corrigan." " Not Hopwood." " No, sir." "I think..." "I think Lenny had flu that day." "Or cold feet." " Who fired at the guard?" " That was Riordan." "Finally, Mr. Parker, I will ask you this:" "In agreeing to give your evidence, have you been influenced by any promises of immunity from prosecution" "or special treatment at the hands of the police or of the court?" "No, sir." "I'm here, and I'm saying this because I think I should." " I think it's right." " Very well, Parker." "You may stand down." "Thank you, milord." "We'll meet again." "Don't know where." "Don't know when." "But I know we'll meet again some sunny day." "Keep smiling through." "Just like you used to do." "'Cause I know we'll meet again some sunny day." "We'll meet again." "Don't know where." "Don't know when." "But I know we'll meet again some sunny day." " Hey." "How are you?" " Hi, mate." " Hi." "What can I do for you?" " Just a coffee." " I'll lie down a minute." " Look how this guy lives." "Who knows what surprise is in store." "Dead!" "It's all rubbish." " Hi, Willie." " Hey." " How are you?" " Okay." "Mr. Juan." " Really elegant, huh?" " Yes, really elegant." "How do you say in Spanish?" ""Life's business"." "Mr. Parker!" "Mr. Parker!" "Mr. Parker!" "Juan!" "Go." " Money!" " We are rich!" " Come on." " Can I open the window?" " Enough." " Ta." "Sorry, Mr. Braddock." "Mr. Braddock." " What you grinning at, asshole?" " Sorry." "Got nothing to smile about, mate, if you knew." "If I knew?" "He thinks I don't know." "If I knew!" "Where's Mr. Corrigan?" "London?" "Have you fellas got a boat stashed away somewhere?" "No." "Can't see it." "And we're traveling north." "No." "I'd say a quick run up through France and then over the drink." "That's your only problem, seems to me... getting me over the water." "Yeah, well, Corrigan ain't in London." "He's in Paris." " Myron." " Sorry, Mr. Braddock." "Myron." "That's an unusual name." "Myron." "Well, Paris." "So..." "Cross the frontier at..." "Where?" "Somewhere quiet, eh?" "Up through France, should get to Paris, 5:00, 6:00 in the morning." "Quick word with Mr. Corrigan and then... lights out, Willie." "The executioner." "And his assistant." " Well, if you know, it ain't funny, is it?" " Isn't it?" " I'll tell you something I read once, Myron." " You..." "Parker, Mr. Braddock." "Willie Parker." "You." " Shut your mouth." " Get some practice in, eh?" "This morning in Santa Elena, the English citizen, William Parker, was kidnapped..." "Hey." "Fame." "...by three or four armed men." "Police officer Juan Velàsquez was injured..." "Ah." "Poor old Juan." "Seems those fellas who picked me up swiped him on the way out." "I thought we hit something..." "somebody." " Swiped who?" " Juan." "Juan Velàsquez." "He's a cop." "They ran away in a brown car with license 330021." "Ah." "Got the car number." "We hope to arrest them as soon as possible." "They expect to make arrests at any moment, and there's a reward for information." " Turn it off." "What cop?" " Nobody said nothing to us about no filth." "A new addition, when they heard Mr. Corrigan was getting out." " Spanish cop?" " Favor from the Guardia Civil." "He's lying, Mr. Braddock." "You fuck!" "You're lying!" " Why would I do that?" " He's shitting us." "He's winding us up." " Turn off the road, next exit." " Mr. Braddock..." " Do it." "There's no bloody exits." "We got no problem, Mr. Braddock." "It's only those Spanish geezers could finger us, and we took care of them." "Didn't we?" "Let's do him here." "It's as good a place as any." "Get the fuck out of this country." "We'll get another car." "Yeah." " Can't be too careful." " Shut up!" "Risky, isn't it, boss?" " We'll go to Madrid." " Madrid?" " Madrid." "Fuck this!" "I've had enough." "I'll get back in the car then, eh?" " He's up to something." " What did you do?" "Yeah, I know." "He's up to something!" "Is he?" "Is he?" " Where to, Mr. Braddock?" " Left." "It's ages since I've been to Madrid." "Beauty." "Ripper!" "Hello, sweetheart?" "Oh, fuck." "I know you, don't I?" "It's Mr. Mitchell, isn't it?" " No." " Sure it is." "Tony Mitchell." "Mitch." "You remember me, Mitch?" "Harry." "Rome." "You remember me." "Harry." " What you doing here?" " Well, sort of borrowing the place." "It's all right though, Mitch." "Bruno knows." "Well, no, he don't, actually." "He gave me the keys a couple of years ago and I had to leave where I was in a hurry." "And I thought that Bruno wouldn't mind." " I wasn't expecting to find anybody here." " Well, why should you?" " Yeah." "That's why the gun." " Yeah, I can see that." "I mean, it's a social call, isn't it?" "I mean, you drop in on a friend, and you know the flat should be empty." "And you find this bugger installed here." "Naturally you're gonna..." "I mean, if you're carrying one." "Means nothing, eh?" "That's clear." "Australian rules." "I get 'em sent over every week." "My name's Harry." "I know Mitch." "I don't know you though, mate, do I?" "No." "I don't know you either." "But, what's in a name?" "Three friends of Bruno's." "All friends of Bruno's." "Good old Bruno." " How's it been, Mitch?" " My name's Willie Parker." "You've probably read about me in the paper." "You bastard." "I didn't hear that, Mitch." "He's a joker, right?" "He's a bloody clown." " I swear to you." "I never heard his name." " Willie Parker." "Shut up!" "What are you trying to do to me?" "Not trying to do anything to you, Harry." "I don't know you're on a job." "I don't know nothing." "I haven't read the paper." "I'll burn the fucking paper." "No, look." "Don't." "Maggie, I want you to meet some friends." "Amigos, okay?" "They are my friends." "My dear friend Mr. Mitchell." " And these are some other friends." " Hi." "Won't be for us." "I don't take calls here." "Why don't we..." "Why don't we have a beer, eh?" "Nice, cold beer all around." "Talk this thing out." " I could do with a beer, Mr. Braddock." " Great." "That's what we need." "And we can sort it all out." " Nothing for him." " Let bygones be bygones." "A beer, a chat." "Maggie, three beers." "Okay?" "Sit, sit." "Get comfy." " She's called Maggie?" " Magdalena Maria Victoria Morales." "Beautiful, isn't it?" "But a mouthful." "I call her Maggie." "She's been with me for a year." "Best year I ever had." " How old would you say she was?" " I don't give a toss how old she is." " Nineteen?" " How about 16?" "How about 15?" "Not bad for an old fart, is it?" "I suppose you're wondering what she sees in me." "Money obviously, but it's more than that." "It's a real bond." "She was in bad shape when I met her." "Beautiful little kid running wild in the streets." "Comes from an excellent family." "So she tells me." "Brother's a priest." "All that." "But, you know, death, disaster, unfortunate investments." "One minute she's a little princess up in the hill, next she's down there working the bars, doing the best she can." " This is Spain." " Why don't you shut up?" "I can't!" "Did you know I'd moved to Madrid, Mitch?" "Mitch and me are old mates from Rome." "He helped some associates of mine with a problem they were having." "You know how it is." "A few greedy buggers messing it up for everybody else." "Old Mitch come in one weekend..." "sorted it out." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "I'll just leave it here." "Whenever you're ready, Mitch." " Car keys?" " The garage has got 'em, Mitch." "I've been using the car a little bit." "I thought Bruno would be glad to have the motor turned over once in a while." "If you want the car, have to phone down for it." " Tell them to bring it round." " Right." "Sure." "Bringing it straight round, Mitch." "It's a white Mercedes." "I know what it is." "Carburetor's a bit dicey." "I was gonna have it serviced, but I didn't." "You leaving straightaway?" "That's too bad." "Madrid's a fabulous city, and the..." "Go on." "Hey." "I don't deserve this, Mitch." "Do you like..." " the girl?" " Maggie?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I do." "She's got a hell of a temper sometimes, but we get along." "I think I finally struck it lucky." "Gonna have to take her, Harry." "Best I can do for you." "Well, it'll shut me up." "That's for sure." "Not that I'd... you know." "I appreciate it, Mitch." "How long will you keep her?" "She'll be all right." "She's a good kid." "I guess I was just in the wrong place, wrong time." "Yeah." "Get the girl." "We're taking her with us." " Is that gonna work, Mr. Braddock?" " Get the girl!" "You, the bags." "Harry." "Harry!" " Harry!" " You." "Tell this whore that we're just about to go out and if she doesn't behave herself, then I'm gonna get very angry." "I don't think I need to tell her." "Good." "I'm sure true love will see us through." "Even with a reward." "Wait." " Mr. Braddock." " Wait." "I didn't talk to 'em, Mitch." "Didn't have time." "Fair old reward though, isn't it?" "Have to be careful." "Want a drink?" "Shall we watch the game?" "That's my team, Mitch." "Hawthorn." "They're losing." "Everything all right, Mr. Braddock?" "Look." "She's terrified." "Don't worry." "You're in safe hands." "She doesn't understand a word I'm saying." " Do you want me to translate?" " No." "She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?" "She's wasted on that Aussie." "Now you'd have thought he'd taught her a bit of English." " Do you speak any English?" " What?" " English." "Do you speak any English?" " Oh." "Yes." "English." "Fair dinkum." "Jesus." "I'm horny." "It's coming along." "I think she's taken a fancy to me." "Wait here." "Out." "Come on." "Out." "What's happening?" "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I'm doing?" "We can't take her with us, and we can't let her go." " Listen, Margarita." " Why!" " That's life." " Why!" "But what about Harry?" "He'll talk as soon as he finds out." " Harry's dead." " What?" "So we don't need her." "You." "Get away from her." "No." "No." "No!" "Take 'em both to the car." "He should have killed them both together in the flat." "I don't know." "It's supposed to be quick, clean work." "Look at him now." "Australians, women." "It's not his fault." "It's an accident." "Yeah, but he's not meant to have accidents." "Perhaps he's slipping." " Well, I ain't slipping." " I'm counting on that, son." "Get inside." "You all right, Mr. Braddock?" "The grass was trying to wind me up." "I told him." "Shut him up." "We'll take care of her later, eh?" "When it's dark." "You sure we gotta take care of her?" "We can't just find somewhere quiet, let her go?" " I ain't going soft or nothing." " She's seen me." "It's gonna be all right, isn't it, Mr. Braddock?" "Sure." "I don't understand what she's saying." "She wants to stop, do some shopping." " What?" " She needs to get some new clothes." " What for?" " She had a bit of an accident back there." "Christ." "How about it, Mr. Braddock?" "It can't be very comfortable." "Well, I don't want to sit next to it." "I think we should stop." "Size 10, mate." "Hope they fit." " It's the best I could find." " These are fine." "Think we should find a rubbish dump or something." "That could have been a mistake, Mr. Braddock." "Could have been a clue or something." "I don't know what's wrong with it." "I know I said I knew about cars, but I don't really." "Well, not a lot." " Shall I give it a try?" " You know about cars then?" "Well, I was a driver, wasn't I?" " Shut up." " Give it a try." "And again." "Okay." "Give us a tick." "Couple of minutes, Mr. Braddock." "So far, so good, hey?" "Right, Myron." "Nice one, fearless." "It'd kill him to thank me, wouldn't it?" "No lip, you." "I don't half fancy a beer, Mr. Braddock." "All right, beers all around then." "You all right?" " Four beers, please, mate." " What?" " Four beers." " Four." "Four beers." " Beers?" " That's it." "Four." " Four beers." " Yeah." "All right." "Mister." "Mister!" "Four beers." "Oh, Christ!" "That felt good." "This country goes on and on forever, don't it?" "There's another one." "How comes they got so many castles then, hey?" "It's the route of the invaders." "They came through these mountains." "Romans, Gauls," "Napoléon." "The Pass of Roncesvalles." " What?" " They fought the Saracens here." " Who did?" " Roland and Oliver." "Knights of old, Myron." "Great warriors, great chiefs." "Great friends." "They fought together, and they died together... at Roncesvalles." "Why'd you do it, Willie?" "Why'd you grass?" "I couldn't go back to nick." "Couldn't." "Then they came up with this deal." "Was this a deal?" "This wasn't no ticket to Canada and good-bye." "This was a lifetime." "Nobody ever got a deal like that." "I was sorry I did it though..." " for the fellas." " This ain't no better than the nick, is it?" "This?" "This is nothing." "The boss seems to be holding up all right, don't you think?" "A moody sod." "That's for sure." "Well, 700 miles to go to Paris, frontier to cross." "Can't say I blame him really." "I wonder if he's up to it." "I think so." "I think he is." " All right." "I want to know!" " Know what?" "You've had something going from the start." " You've got a plan." "I want to know now!" " I haven't got any plan." " What you so happy about?" "What's going on?" " Nothing's going on." " You silly sod!" "You're gonna die!" " So are you, sooner or later." "You're gonna die fucking soon!" "I'll tell you something I read once, Myron." "Apparently what happens to you after death is not all that much different from what happens to you before death." "Physically speaking." "All part of the same process." "You know?" "So if it's all the same, really, what's there to worry about?" "You're barmy." "Don't worry about me, Myron." "Worry about you." " Are you really up to this?" " I ain't worried about me." "Good." "Then worry about your boss." "Is this job getting him down?" "Is he making the right decisions?" "Are you gonna have to take over at some time or another?" "Think about it." "We don't want anything going wrong." "You got bird shit in your hair." "Well, well." "You're no 15-year-old." "What are you?" "You think my little friend Myrors gonna save you?" "Mr. Braddock?" "Do you think we could stop for something to eat soon?" "I ain't had nothing all day, and I'm really hungry." "Expect I'm not the only one." "Her too." "She's probably hungry and all." "She's already eaten." "I'm gonna stop soon." "We'll stay off the road till after dark." " Sort of a lot of hanging about, innit?" " Yeah." "I had hoped to cross the frontier this evening." "Bit safer." "They like to stay in their huts when it's dark." "Had to make a few diversions." "You would have your fun and games, Myron." " You're not eating, Mr. Braddock." " I'm going to get some petrol." "We've got enough petrol to get to France, haven't we?" "I want to get well inside France." " I'll take her along." " What for?" "So I can watch her." "And you can watch him." "Why don't you take him along?" "I'll watch her." "Because, I think she might distract you from your job." "Come on." "Mr. Braddock, I've been thinking." "I don't think anything should happen to her." "Now's as good a time as any, Myron." "It's not fair." "It's not fair?" "No, Mr. Braddock, it isn't." "He's a fucking grass." "He put his mates inside." "But she ain't done nothing." "You're just not thinking right." "The job's got you down." "I mean, I'm game for anything, but, Christ, there's a limit." "You're just not thinking right." "Here." "Make you feel safer, won't it, Myron?" "Here." "Put her in the car, Myron." "Well, go on then!" "Now, Mr. Braddock." "Here you are." "You!" " Spanish for "Fill the tank."" " Lleno, por favor." "I'm sorry, Mr. Braddock." "Well, eat your food then!" "He'll kill you if you hurt me." "Who, Myron?" "What an idea." "Hey." " Where you going?" " Look at the water." "Hey." " Let's have a look at your cosh." " Feel this." "Razor blades." "What for?" "I still got a gun, you know." " Guns." " Right." " Leather?" " Yeah." " What's it filled with?" " Sand." "That's enough." "Had it since I was at school, for years." "Made it in handicrafts." "Never lets me down." "Nice place." "I tell you what." "I think you're crazy, but I admire your attitude." "This whole thing... it's not turning out like I thought it would." "It's my first time." "It's like a test, Mr. Braddock said if I do well on this one, he'll take me along on his other jobs." " And if you don't?" " Don't what?" " Do well." "At least I got a grand for this one, ain't I?" "I want you to know, when you get the chop..." "When it happens, I'm not going to be enjoying myself." "That's a comfort." " I wouldn't worry." " I ain't worried." "I mean, he needs you to drive and to watch me." "So you're safe till Paris at least." "Well, we're both safe till Paris." "You did take a bit of a risk though." "Do you think she's worth it?" "I mean, we don't want anything going wrong, and... she is in the way." "You're no different from him, are you?" "I don't see how you reckon that." "She's got nothing to fear from me." "I think I'll have a lie-down." "Full." "Help!" "Help me!" "Help!" "The telephone!" "Murderer!" "Bastard!" "Son of a bitch!" "Human garbage!" "God!" "Let me go." "Please!" "Let me go." "Please." "Where is he?" "Jesus." "I don't know." "Watch her." "We're moving out." "Climb down." "Let's go down, now that he's not here." "We could run and nothing would happen." "He couldn't catch me." "What's she saying?" "She's saying, if we both jump the boss together," " one of us might live." " Why tell him?" " I've got a gun here." " Then use it on him." " We can..." " He's my partner." " Idiot!" " You're crazy." "Look, calm down." "Let's be sensible." "I'm gonna have a word with him about you anyway." "He'll see reason." "I know he will." "Willie, I don't know about you, as it's a job." "I tell you what." "I got a feeling about situations." "And I don't think anything's gonna happen, not really." "I just don't believe it." "Will you help me?" "Why didn't you make a run for it when you had the chance?" "What for?" "You'd have found me again." "Would've got the boy into trouble." "I'm not scared." " You've gotta be." " Why?" "'Cause everyone else is?" "'Cause you are?" "You don't know." " Death..." " Is just a stage in the journey." "We're all gonna get there." "No exceptions." "Me and you and..." "It's just a moment." "We're here." "Then we're not here." "We're somewhere else." "Maybe." "And it's as natural as breathing." "Why should we be scared?" "I was scared, at first." "I was dead scared." "I knew Corrigan would come after me one day, or send someone." "I've had 10 years to get ready for this." "I thought, and I read." "Must've read a whole library of things." "Amazing things." "Amazing." "In the end, the only thing that really worried me was that he'd send some rubbish after me." "And I thought, if I got somebody good, somebody who could do the job proper," "then I could do my bit." "Did you ever..." "Did you ever call yourself, something like Walsh, Wallace... something like that?" " Wallace maybe." " Yeah." "Thought so." "I met you once in the old days." "Well, we was in the same room together." "Yeah." "I remembered you." "You didn't remember me though." "What's your real name?" "Braddock." "Nothing I can do about this." "You know that." "I read this in a magazine when John Lennon died." ""Death, be not proud... though some have called thee mighty and dreadful... for thou art not so, for those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow... die not, poor Death... nor yet canst thou kill me."" "You gonna kill the girl?" "I don't think she's ready." "Ten miles to the border, Mr. Braddock." "We'll pull over soon." "I've locked him in." " He's still sleeping." "He's a brave man, ain't he?" " Seems so." "We'll do him here." "How about her?" " I'll do 'em both." " Thanks, Mr. Braddock." "I don't think I could've done it really." "It's my first time, isn't it?" "Won't be needing a gun then, will you?" "Don't suppose you could help me get them out of the car?" "Sure." "Do I still get my thousand?" "Come on then." "It's all right, love." "It's all right." "Come on, be strong." " I wish I could have made her understand." " And you too, Willie." "Ah. "Willie." Thanks." " Huh?" " I said you too." "What is it?" " I'm gonna do it now, Willie." " What?" "I'm gonna do it now." " Not me." " Yes." " Now?" " Right." "No, it's tomorrow." "You're doing it tomorrow." "It's tomorrow, Willie." "You've gotta take me to Corrigan." "You've gotta get me to Paris." "I'm gonna do it now." "That's not the job." "The job ends in Paris." " You're not doing the job." " Come on, Willie." "No." "You can't." "You've gotta get me to Paris." "Not till Paris." "You can't." "Not now." "Oh, God." "Myron." "Stop him." " Oh, God." "Please!" " Willie." "You mouth." "You can't." "Not now!" "God!" " Where you going?" " I don't want to see." "What's this?" "You're a very lucky girl." "Very lucky girl." " There's something down there." " They are three bodies, right?" "Yes, it looks like it." "Look, one seems to be moving." "It's the girl." "Yes, it's the girl." " It's him." " Are you sure?" " Yes." "Captain, give the order." "Mr. Braddock!" "Stand just where you are!" "The exit!" "Hey?" "Exit?" "Exit!" "Don't shoot!" "Don't move!" "You are Charles Kinnear, born in Dublin?" "Just nod if that is true." "You are Raymond John Baker, born in Newcastle?" "It's just a moment." "We're here." "Then we're not here." "We're somewhere else." "Maybe." "And it's as natural as breathing." "Why should we be scared?"