"How you doing?" "Hi, Jackie." "Flight 710 to Cabo San Lucas, now boarding, gate 103." "First class only." "Flight 710 to Cabo San Lucas, now boarding gate 103." "Buenos dias." "Buenos dias." "Gracias." "Welcome aboard." "Welcome aboard." "Hi,I` m Sidney." "I` m a personal trainer... and Miss Orange County finalist." "And this..." "That is a TEC-9, cheap-ass spray gun made out of South Miami." "They retail for US$ 380." "I get them for 2, sell them for 8." "They advertise this TEC-9 as the most popular gun in American crime." "Can you believe that shit?" "It says that in the book that comes with it." ""The most popular gun in American crime"." "Like they proud of that." "I love my TEC-9!" "Run this up." "Check out this gun here." "This here is a Styer Aug." "Styer Aug's bad motherfucker." "Listen." "That shit 's expensive too, man." "Made in Austria." "My customers don't know shit about it, so there ain't no demand for it." "Baby. I really could use me some more ice." "Hold up." "But let me tell you though, man." "You put this bad boy in a flick... every motherfucker out there want one. I'm serious as a heart attack." "When them Hong Kong flicks came out, every nigger had to have a .45." "They ain't want one, they want two, 'cause they want to be "the killer"." "But what them flicks don't tell you and what they don't know... is that a .45. got a serious fucking jamming problem." "Now I try to steer my customers toward a 9mm 'cause... it 's near the same weapon and it ain't got half the jamming problems." "But you know how them niggers is out there." "You can't tell them shit." "They want a .45." "The killer had a .45." "They want a .45." "Thanks, baby." "Who's your partner?" "Cat named Mr. Walker." "Runs a fishing boat out of Mexico." "I get the merchandise to him... he gets it out to my customers." "Before I set that nigger up, he ain't have a pot to piss in." "Now that motherfucker rolling in cash!" "Got himself a yacht with all kind of high-tech navigational shit on it." "Here we go." "AK-47." "The very best there is." "When you absolutely got to kill every motherfucker in the room... accept no substitutes." "Nothing gets between me and my AK." "This here's the Chinese model. I get them for 850, double my money." "Grab that for me, would you, baby?" "You know it 's for you." "Girl, don't make me put my foot in your ass." "Hello?" "It 's for you." "Junebug, what 's up?" "Boring, isn't it?" "l can sit through it once." "He thinks he's Joe Gun now." "I'm impressed." "He seems to know a lot." "He's just repeating shit he overheard." "He ain't a gun expert." "Do you want?" "Sure." "It shoots 50O rounds... of full metal jacket 9-millimeter Luger, 127O feet per second." "At ten pounds,It`s really heavy for such a small gun..." "Demi Moore." "So when did you get out of jail?" "Four days ago." "Where at?" "Susanville." "How long?" "About 2 months shy of 4 years." "Four years?" "For what?" "Bank robbery." "Really?" "Shit, I'm impressed!" "See what I'm talking about?" "Now that was about a man in New York... who wants a 9-millimeter Smith and Wesson model 5946." "Why?" "It 's the same gun that nigger on "New York Undercover" uses." "Because of that nigger, I'm going to make 1250 off of this nigger." "What 's your cost?" "Low as 2." "Well, are you serious?" "I tell you, don't need the figures." "This is the business to be in." "I got me five M-60 machine guns too." "Motherfuckers come straight out the Gulf War." "I done already sold three of them." "Twenty grand apiece." "That 's good money." "l'll make a million dollars." "I got a half-million sitting down in Mexico." "When I deliver this load... I'm gonna get me another half million." "Then what?" "Then I'm out." "Spend the rest of my life spending." "Well, you gonna tell me who it is?" "lt 's Beaumont." "Don't clown on me, bitch." "Beaumont, what 's up?" "What the fuck you doing in jail?" "What the fuck are you doing that for?" "Ain't you got better sense than to be drunk driving with a pistol?" "Beaumont?" "Beaumont?" "Listen to me." "The number one:" "you gots to chill." "'Course you're scared." "That 's what they get paid for, to scare you." "That 's their motherfucking job." "The judge doesn't give a fuck about that." "He's ready to habitualize you." "is that what you want?" "You want to look at 10 years?" "Tomorrow I'll get you out." "But that means I got to pick you up tonight." "There ain't no two ways about it." "You'll spend the night in jail." "I already told you, I'll get you out tomorrow." "Where are you?" "You're at your mother's, aren't you?" "Put your mother on." "Miss Gilmore?" "This is Max Cherry." "This is right..." "Reggie's bail bondsman." "Look, Reggie is in big trouble." "I want to pick him up and I want you to be responsible for him..." "Sit down." "I'd like you to make sure that he's there when I get there." "And, look, this is second chance for him." "They don't get..." "That 's correct." "All right, so I'm counting on you to help me help your son." "Thank you very much." "Put him back on line, please." "All right, Reggie, we're clear on this." "You got it?" "Good." "Do yourself a really big favor and be there when I get there." "How can I help you?" "Where can I put my ash?" "Use that cup there, if you like." "And I need me a bond for US$ 10,000." "You all right out there?" "Can I have some coffee?" "Go right ahead." "Who's that "Mandingo"-looking nigger you got on that picture with you?" "That 's Winston." "He works here." "Damn!" "He's a big one, ain't he?" "You all tight?" "But you his boss though, right?" "Bet it was your idea to take that picture too, wasn't it?" "All right, you want a US$ 10,000 bond." "What have you got to put up for collateral?" "Gonna have to use cash." "You have it with you?" "Got it right here in my Raptor bag." "You have cash." "What do you need me for?" "Come on, man, you know how they do." "Black man show up with 10,000 cash, they wanna know where l got it." "Then they want to keep a chunk of it, talking that court cost shit." "Fuck that noise, Jack." "I go through you." "Cost you a thousand for the bond." "l can do that." "Who's it for?" "Relative?" "Fellow named Beaumont." "They got him down at County." "Started out drunk driving but wrote it up as "possession of a weapon"." "The monkey-ass had a pistol on him." "10,000 sounds high." "They run his name, got a hit." "He been inside." "He from Kentucky." "They're prejudiced against brothers from down South." "If he runs and I have to go to Kentucky to bring him back you pay the expenses." "You think you can do that?" "I've done it." "What 's his full name?" "Beaumont." "That 's all I know." "Would you say that Beaumont is his first or his last name?" "If I had to guess, I'd say Beaumont 's his Christian name." "Records 0ffice." "This is Max Cherry, Cherry Bail Bonds." "Who's this, please?" "0rdell?" "I'm gonna wait in the car." "All right, man." "Cool." "We're almost done here, right?" "Getting there." "You can check out some music while you're in the car." "Take the keys." "Which one's for the car?" "This one right here." "Use that little black thing to turn off the alarm and unlock the door." "What do I do?" "You ain't got to do nothing, man." "Just point it at the car, push the button." "You hear a little... that 'll mean the door's unlocked and the alarm's off." "Get in." "Play the volume loud as you want to, but don't touch my levels now." "I got them set just like I like them." "Beaumont Livingston." "Livingston?" "0n his prior, he served 9 months." "He's working on 4 years probation." "You don't say!" "What is he on probation for?" "Ain't got a clue." "Possession of unregistered machine guns." "Now, they gonna consider that a violation of his probation?" "They do consider this a violation of his probation." "Your boy's looking at ten years." "Plus the concealed weapon." "He won't like that." "He ain't got a "doing time" kind of disposition." "l need your name and address." "0rdell Robbie." "0-R-D-E-L-L-R-0-B-B-l-E." "1436 Florence Blvd., Compton." "90222." "ls that a house or an apartment?" "That 's a house." "Who the fuck is this?" "Your benefactor. I'm coming up." "Come on up,nigger." "It 's open." "My pleasure of living demands that... I have a good-lookingwoman, that I` m with a good-lookingwoman." "I couldn`t go out with a woman old enough to be my wife." "0.D.!" "Look at you and your free ass!" "What 's up, man?" "Come here, boy." "Give me a motherfucking hug." "I didn't know you were coming by." "My nigger!" "Good looking out, man!" "I don't know what to say, man." "Thank you, thank you, thank you." "Who was there for your ass?" "You was there." "Who?" "You." "You're goddamn right." "See?" "That 's how that shit works." "You get your ass in trouble, I get your ass out." "That 's my job." "And I don't mind telling you, nigger, it 's steady work." "Look here, man. I'm still scared as a motherfucker, 0.D." "They talking like they is serious giving me time for that gun shit." "Come on, man, they're just trying to put a fright in your ass." "Then they done did it." "How old is that machine gun shit?" "About three years." "3 years?" "That 's an old crime, man!" "Ain't got room for all the killers." "How they gonna find room for you?" "That ain't what they telling me." "They were fucking with you." "Now, let me tell you how we gonna retaliate, all right?" "Tomorrow, I'll take you to Century City, introduce you to my lawyer." "Let me tell you something about my lawyer." "His name is Stacin Goins... and this nigger is a junkyard dog." "He my own personal Johnnie Cochran." "Matter of fact, he could kick Johnnie Cochran's ass... and like Johnnie Cochran, this nigger hate cops." "I'm serious, man." "He live to fuck with the police." "Now, as a favor, I had him look at your case... and he said you ain't got shit to worry about." "They fucking with you." "So we gonna sic the junkyard dog on their ass... and make them stop fucking with you." "Good looking out, man." "Come on in, man." "Let 's celebrate." "I'm supposed to be somewhere." "I was hoping you could run with me." "What do you mean?" "Man, I hate to be the kind of nigger that do a nigger a favor... and then hit the nigger up for a favor in return... but I gots to be that kind of nigger." "What 's you talking about?" "l need a favor, nigger." "lt requires me to go out tonight?" "Just a bit." "Man, I wasn't planning on going no place tonight. lt is late as hell." "I'm home." "I'm high." "Man, come on." "And why are you home?" "You home because I spent US$ 10,000 to get your ass home." "Now, look... I got a little problem. I need some help and you can help me out." "Go in the house, throw some shit on." "Let 's walk out to the car with me." "All righty, what 's the problem?" "There ain't no problem, man." "It 's more like a situation." "You remember them 3 M-60 machine guns I sold outta the five I got?" "I'm gonna sell the other two tonight." "These Koreans over in Koreatown are starting a neighborhood watch thing." "And they need some weapons so they can show they mean business." "I'm gonna sell them the other two machine guns, all right?" "The problem is I ain't never done business with the Koreans before." "I ain't worried." "Asians are very dependable and don't want trouble." "Might argue with 'em about price, but they won't shoot you in the back." "But I got me a rule." "Never do business with people you've never done before without backup." "And that 's why I need you." "Backup." "All you got to do is lay in here and hold on to this motherfucker." "I'm gonna tell them I'm gonna go in the trunk to show them the goods." "You pop up and rack this shit." "l ain't gonna shoot nobody!" "I ain't sayin' that." "All you got to do is hold onto it." "They'll get the idea." "You must be out of your mind if you think I'm gonna get in this trunk." "We're only going to Koreatown." "You'll be in here for 10 minutes." "I ain't riding in no trunk for no minute." "Why can't I ride up front?" "You can't ride up front with me." "The surprise element is 90% of it." "I'm sorry, man, but I ain't getting in no goddamn trunk." "Can't believe you'd do me like this." "Do you like what, man?" "I just ain't climbing in no goddamn dirty-ass trunk, man." "l got a problem with small places." "l got a problem spending 10,000... on ungrateful niggers to get them out of jail, but I did it." "And how small was that jail cell, motherfucker?" "Look, I know I owe you and..." "Then get your ass in this trunk!" "I want to help you, but I won't be locked in no trunk of no car!" "You think I wanted to spend US$ 10,000 on your ass?" "Man, I know you helped me out." "Do you think I wanted to spend?" "0f course you didn't, man." "But..." "But that was the only way I could help you." "So that 's what I did." "Look, man." "All I'm asking you to do is get in the trunk... hold this shotgun and point it at these bull-heads when I open it." "You catch a nigger off guard." "Look here. I tell you what." "When we get through fucking with these Koreans... me and you go to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, on me." "Think about it now." "That 'Scoe's special, smothered in gravy and onions... side of red beans and rice, some greens." "That 's some good eating." "Man." "Exactly how long l gotta be in this motherfucker?" "You said 10 minutes!" "Motherfucker, you like to hit my goddamn head!" "You ponytail-wearing motherfucker!" "The hell is wrong with you?" "Do a nigger a favor, I got to do..." "Excuse me, baby." "Hello." "Hello, baby!" "You know, I'm just doing that thing I do, baby." "No, okay." "Hold on." "Louis, baby, it 's 0rdell." "I'm just gonna go pee." "Louis, my man." "What are you doing?" "0k. I'm just hanging out with Simone." "She doing her show for you?" "I can hear the Supremes in the background." "She ain't bad, is she?" "No, she's pretty good." "She do Mary Wells foryou yet?" "I don't know the names, but she's done a whole bunch of them." "Guess where l am." "l don't know." "I'm in the cozy confines of an 0ldsmobile parked outside her house." "You're outside." "Come on in." "I done already caught that show." "I got some for-your-eyes-only shit to show you." "Won't you step outside." "Who was that?" "That 's Beaumont." "Who's Beaumont?" "An employee I had to let go." "What did he do?" "He put himself in a position where he'd have to do 10 years in prison." "That 's what he did." "And if you know Beaumont... you know there ain't no goddamn way he can do ten years." "And if you know that... you know he's gonna do anything he can to keep from doing 10 years." "including telling the federal government everything about me." "Now that, my friend..." "is a clear cut case of him or me." "And you best believe it ain't gonna be me." "Now, Louis." "If you're gonna come in on this thing with me... you got to be prepared to go all the way." "I got me so far a half million dollars in lock boxes in a bank... down in Cabo San Lucas." "When I make this delivery..." "I'm gonna have me over a million." "Do you think I'm gonna let a little nigger like this fuck that up?" "You best think again." "Before I let that happen... I'll shoot this nigger in the head and 10 niggers look just like him." "You understand what I'm saying?" "So we on the same page, then?" "Yeah, I follow." "My nigger." "Miss Brown!" "Hi. I'm Detective Mark Dargus." "LAPD." "Can I ask what you have in that bag?" "The usual stuff. I'm a flight attendant for Cabo Air." "Can I help out here?" "Who's this?" "This is Special Agent Ray Nicolet." "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms." "May I see some l.D.?" "Yeah, sure." "Would you mind if we just took a look in that bag?" "Do I mind?" "Do I have a choice?" "You have the right to say no." "And I have the right to make you wait here while I go get a warrant." "0r I'll take you in on suspicion." "Suspicion of what?" "Could I say something?" "He just wants to peek inside the bag." "I'll keep my eye on him so he doesn't take anything." "Go ahead." "Thanks a lot." "Bad knees." "You have a good flight?" "It 's a shitty flight down to Cabo. I went down there once with Susan... my wife." "Fucking turbulence was unbelievable." "Can I look in this envelope?" "I'd say there's about..." "US$ 50,000 here." "What would you say, Ray?" "I'd say about fifty thousand from here." "This your money?" "What if I say no?" "If you bring in anything over US$ 10,000, you have to declare." "You forget or what?" "You could get a US$ 250,000 fine plus two years in prison." "You want to talk to us about this or do you want to talk to Customs?" "l'm not saying another word." "Jackie." "Can I call you Jackie?" "Those guys in Customs, they're a bunch of fucking pricks." "They are." "There's something about the job, it makes them hard to get along with." "You can go down and talk with those guys who are really suspicious... and disagreeable human beings, or with two goodhearted guys... like Mark and myself." "It 's up to you." "Let 's take a look here at the file on Jacqueline Brown." "This isn't the first time you've run afoul of the law." "In nineteen eighty-five, while a stewardess for Delta... you were busted while carrying drugs for a pilot?" "That pilot was my husband and I got off." "You mean, they offered you a deal and you grabbed it." "He did time, you did probation." "I didn't hear you ask permission to smoke in my office." "May I smoke?" "No, you may not." "You get off with a slap on the wrist, but this fucks your shit for good... with the big airlines." "Cut to thirteen years later, you're forty-four years of age... flying for the shittiest shuttle Mexican airline that there is... where you make, what?" "US$ 13,000 a year?" "I make US$ 16,000 plus benefits." "You've been working for 19 years and all you make is US$ 16,000?" "Didn't exactly set the world on fire, did you, Jackie?" "Jackie, do you have a good lawyer?" "Can she afford a good one is more like it." "You'll be in jail 3 weeks before the public defender gets around to you." "Do you know a guy named..." "Beaumont Livingston?" "Because he knows you." "Well... he knew you." "He doesn't know anybody now." "He's dead." "They found him in the trunk of a car this morning, shot... twice." "0nce in the chest... once in the head." "There you go." "So I guess I'm wondering..." "if you don't know Beaumont... why do you suppose Beaumont knows you?" "Look, Miss Brown, we don't give a fuck about you." "You know who we want. lf you tell us what we want, we'll help you." "And if you refuse to cooperate and continue to cop a shit attitude... we will give you to Customs and they will take you to court... and, with your prior, the judge will give you two years." "You'll probably only end up serving a year and some change, but... if I was a forty-four-year-old black woman... desperately clinging on to this job I was fortunate enough to get... I don't think that I'd think that I had a year to throw away." "So start again now, shall we?" "Who in Mexico gave you this money and who were you bringing it to?" "I'm not saying another goddamn word." "I'd like your permission to look through this again... so we'll know exactly how much we're talking about here." "Sure, go ahead." "All right, let 's see what else is in there." "Do you mind?" "Beauty case." "What 's in it?" "Beauty products." "Alarm clock." "Glass case." "Birth controller." "What 's that?" "My diet shit." "Let 's see what else is in there." "Here." "Here." "What 's this?" "What 's that shit?" "Let 's go, ladies." "Take it in." "First door on the left." "Brown, case 70032." "Charge is..." ""possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute"." "How does your client plead?" "She wishes to stand mute." "Very well." "Detective Varga." "That 's Dargus, Your Honor." "Sorry." "You were the arresting officer?" "That 's correct, Your Honor." "Do you have a bail recommendation?" "Yes, I do, Your Honor." "And that would be?" "Based on prior conviction and... the extreme possibility of flight due to the occupation... the State requests a bond of no less than US$ 25,000." "The People are fine with this?" "I'm gonna set bond at ten thousand... and set the date of August twenty-first for the prelim." "Your Honor, when will that be?" "That 's 6 weeks from now." "We'll continue this matter then." "0wens, case 72242." "Charge is "possession of a concealed weapon and striking an officer"." "How does your client plead?" "lt had to be 25 of bail, man." "I didn't hear you wash your hands." "Comfortable?" "Door was open. I just come on in." "I can see that." "Why?" "Got some more business for you." "What did he do?" "She... is an airline stewardess." "Got caught coming from Mexico with some blow." "They set her bond this afternoon at US$ 10,000." "Now, I'm figuring you can take that US$ 10,000 you owe from Beaumont and move it over to the stewardess." "The bond for possession's only 1,000." "They fucking with her." "They called it "possession with intent"." "A forty-four-year-old black woman caught with less than two ounces... they calling that shit "intent"." "The same thing happen to a movie star, they'd call it "possession"." "Still sounds high." "Well... she had on her, I believe..." "it was fifty grand in cash." "Before we start talking about her, let 's get Beaumont out of the way." "l think somebody already did." "What?" "You ain't hear?" "Hear what?" "Somebody with a grudge blew Beaumont 's brains out." "Shit!" "That shit rhymes." ""Blew Beaumont 's brains out"." "Police make contact with you?" "Hell, yeah." "First motherfucking thing they did." "They see I paid a big money bond for my boy, they start thinking..." ""where there's smoke, there's fire"." "Rousted my ass outta bed... ten o'clock in the morning." "Scared the shit outta my woman, Sheronda." "She thought they was gonna take my ass away for sure." "This stewardess..." "you know her last name?" "Brown." "Jackie Brown." "What does she do for you?" "Who says she do anything for me?" "She my friend." "My friends get in trouble, I like to help them out." "Beaumont worked for you." "This you and me talking?" "You know, like lawyer-client thing?" "You're not my client till you get busted and I bond you out." "Well then, we ain't got no... what do you call that shit?" "Confidentiality." "Why should I tell you anything?" "'Cause you want me to know what a slick guy you are." "You got stewardesses bringing you fifty grand." "And why would a stewardess be bringing me fifty grand?" "Now you want me to speculate on what you do." "I'd say drug business, but the cash is moving the wrong direction." "Whatever you're into, you seem to get away with it." "So, more power." "You want to move the 10,000 you got on Beaumont over to the stewardess." "It means paperwork. I need a death certificate, present it to court... make out a receipt for return of bond collateral..." "She ain't got time for this shit." "l'm telling what I have to do." "What you have to do is come up with a premium of a thousand bucks." "I can do that." "You know I got the money. I just ain't got it with me." "Come back when you do, I'll bond out the stewardess." "You got to look at this with a little compassion, all right?" "Jackie ain't no criminal." "She ain't used to this kind of treatment." "Gangsters don't give a fuck." "But an average citizen gets crazy." "0rdell, this isn't a bar." "You don't have a tab." "Listen to me, all right?" "You got a 44-year-old employed black woman falsely accused..." "Falsely?" "She didn't come back from Mexico with cocaine on her?" "Falsely accused of intent!" "If she had that shit, and mind you, I'm saying "if"... that was her own personal shit to get high with." "is white guilt supposed to make me forget I'm running a business?" "It 's like that?" "All right." "I got your little thousand bucks." "Hey, Candy." "Hey, Max." "Dropping off Lopez, Anita." "Picking up Brown, Jackie." "0kay, no problem." "You armed?" "You bet I am." "Max!" "Here she comes." "Miss Brown?" "I'm Max Cherry... your bail bondsman." "I could give you a lift home, if you like?" "You're really a bail bondsman?" "Who do you think I am?" "l showed you my card in there." "Can I see your l.D.?" "You serious?" "Who paid my bond?" "0rdell?" "In cash." "You got any cigarettes in here?" "You won't find any cigarettes in there." "Can we stop and get cigarettes?" "Sure." "You ever been to the River Bottom?" "l don't think so." "It 's all right." "It 's a cop bar." "Can we just stop at a 7-Eleven or something?" "Thought you'd like to have a drink." "l'd love to have a drink, but not there." "How about the Hilton by the airport?" "is it dark?" "Kind of a sports bar." "It doesn't sound dark." "Why does it have to be dark?" "Because it looks like I just got out of jail, that 's why." "Look, you're dropping me off at my place." "There's a joint near me." "No, thanks." "I quit three years ago." "Gain weight?" "Ten pounds." "I take it off, I put it back on." "That 's why I don't quit." "If I can't fly, I'll have a bitch of a time trying to find my brand." "You know... the other day I figured out that I must have written about... fifteen thousand bonds since I've been in the business." "I figure about 80 percent of those were at least drug related." "So... if you want, I could help you figure out your options." "So far, they told me if I cooperate... I'll get probation." "Maybe." "0r if I stand mute l can get as much as five years." "Does that sound right?" "lf they try you and convict you... you won't get more than a year and a day." "Now, that 's state time." "Prison." "But they won't wanna do that." "They'll offer you possession... a couple of months of county time and a year or two of probation." "Do you happen to know who put the dope in your bag?" "Yeah." "But that 's not what this is about." "They were waiting for my ass." "They knew about the money." "They even knew the exact amount." "What did they wanna know?" "Who gave me the money and who I was giving it to." "They found this guy in the trunk of a car with his head blown off." "They said it was him who told them about me." "That would be..." "Beaumont Livingston." "How do you know about him?" "I wrote him on Monday." "They found him dead on Tuesday." "0rdell picked up his bond?" "Same as you." "US$ 10,000." "Thanks for the drink." "You're welcome." "And for the legal advice and the ride." "Good luck." "We'll be in touch." "How you doing, Miss Jackie?" "Come on in." "Do you got some booze?" "l got some vodka in the freezer." "Got some o.j.?" "Why don't you be a good hostess and hook a brother up a screwdriver?" "Sure." "Well you gonna thank me?" "For what?" "Who in the hell you think got your ass out of jail?" "The same guy that put my ass in jail." "Thanks a lot." "Hey, you got caught with blow." "That 's your business." "lt wasn't mine." "What?" "Shit!" "I bet that was that present Mr. Walker was sending Melanie." "If you didn't put it in there, he must have." "Damn." "That shit wasn't called for, baby. I'm sorry." "Bet they asked a whole shitload of questions about it, huh?" "And all that money." "Where it came from." "Probably asked you who you was bringing it to, too." "They asked." "And you said...?" ""l wanna talk to my lawyer"." "You sure you didn't get nervous and let something slip?" "I mean, if you did, I ain't mad at you. I just gotta know." "You ain't asking the right questions." "You should be asking why they picked me up." "They were waiting for me." "They knew about the money and they knew the exact amount." "They tell you how they happened to come by this information?" "Beaumont Livingston." "I knew it." "I knew it!" "And they even asked me if I knew Mr. Walker." "I didn't tell them anything about him." "My name come up?" "You ain't say nothing about me?" "Why, that 's mighty noble of you." "They tell you what happened to this Beaumont fellow?" "Yeah, they told me." "Somebody must 've been real mad at old Beaumont." "0r they scared about what he might say to keep from doing some time." "I bet they asked you a whole shitload of questions." "And you ain't give them no kind of answer?" "You scared of me?" "You got any reason to be nervous around me?" "ls that what I think it is?" "What do you think it is?" "I think it 's a gun pressed up against my dick." "You thought right." "Now take your hands from around my throat, nigger." "What the hell's wrong with you?" "Shut up and don't you move!" "What is this?" "What the fuck is this?" "I carry that all the time." "You been talking to them police too much." "They didn't try to strangle my ass!" "l was just playing with you." "Well, I ain't playing with you." "I'll unload both of these if you don't do what I tell you." "Got it?" "Jackie, stop acting crazy..." "Do you understand what I'm saying?" "Yeah, woman!" "Damn!" "Sit your ass down on that sofa!" "See?" "Police start fucking with your mind... they start pitting black against black." "Been doing it since the..." "Shut your raggedy-ass up and sit the fuck down!" "Put your hands behind your head." "Come on, this getting silly now." "Silly?" "You wanna see some motherfucking silly?" "If I have to tell you to shut up one more time, I'll shut you up." "l just came over here to talk to you." "To talk?" "The way I see it, you and me got one motherfucker thing to talk about." "0ne thing." "And that 's what you are willing to do for me." "l can get you a lawyer." "No, let 's be realistic." "They gonna get around to offering me a plea deal." "And you know that." "That 's why you came to kill me." "l ain't come here to kill you!" "It 's okay." "Now, I forgive you." "Now let 's say, if I tell on you... I walk." "If I don't, I got to jail." "I want one hundred thousand dollars... in an escrow account in my name... if I'm convicted up to a year or put on probation." "Now if I have to do more than a year... you pay another one hundred thousand dollars." "I can do that." "But you know I got that problem." "All my money is in... ln Mexico." "I've been thinking about that too." "And I got me an idea." "Well..." "let me hear that." "If we are friends again, why don't you point that gun somewhere else?" "I'll talk to the cops tomorrow and tell you if it 's on." "You want your gun back?" "Come on in, I'll get it for you." "Max, look." "I am so sorry about this." "I was afraid to ask to borrow it... 'cause I was afraid you would say no. I mean, you'd have to." "Would you like some coffee?" "lf you're having some." "l am." "Come on in." "Why don't you make yourself at home?" "You know, just have a seat." "You get a chance to use it?" "Well, I felt a lot safer having it." "The milk went bad while I was in jail." "Black's fine." "Cool." "Would you care to hang onto it for while?" "It wouldn't be legal, but if it makes you feel better." "Thanks. I got one now." "You went out and bought a gun?" "What?" "I didn't hear you." "You went out this morning and bought a gun?" "Well, let 's say I got one now, okay?" "Somebody loan it to you?" "All right!" "We're on." "Might be a little black." "Would you like to hear some music?" "Sure." "I couldn't wait to get home and wash the jail out of my hair." "Looks nice." "You never got into the whole CD revolution?" "I got a few." "But I can't afford to start all over again." "I mean, I've invested too much time and money in my albums." "Yeah, but you can't get new stuff on records." "I don't get new stuff that often." "This is pretty." "Who is this?" "The Delfonics." "It 's nice." "I called in sick today." "As far as the airline knows, I'm still available." "Are you?" "l don't know. I'm gonna go in... and talk with Nicolet and Dargus today." "I'm gonna do what you suggested." "0ffer to help and see what happens." "What I meant was to have a lawyer do the negotiating for you." "I want to talk to them first. I know more now about 0rdell's money." "If it 's the ATF guy that wants you, that 'll interest him up to a point." "I know, but it 's a lot of money!" "It 's a half a million dollars all in Cabo." "And more coming in." "How did you find that out?" "0rdell told me last night." "He called?" "He came by." "What did you do?" "We talked." "Do you think he still trusts you?" "He had his doubts at first, but he's always trusted me." "And he wants to believe, more than anything else, that he still can." "Why?" "Because he needs my ass." "0therwise that money's just going to sit over there in Cabo." "Sugar?" "There're other ways to get it out." "Maybe." "But I'm the only one he's ever used." "I mean, he can't use his other people." "They're crooks." "I mean, he might try to bring the money in himself... but he ain't gonna want to stand in no Customs lines." "Either he recruits another Cabo stewardess or he trusts me." "And I made him feel like he still can." "Are you gonna offer to set him up?" "Yeah, if I get off." "0therwise, fuck them." "It 's very possible that 0rdell's killed somebody." "You realize that?" "I ain't going back to jail." "And I ain't doing that probation again." "Max, how do you feel about getting old?" "You're not old." "You look great." "No, I asked you how do you feel about getting old?" "Doesn't it bother you?" "lt 's not something I think about." "Really?" "I got a little sensitive about my hair a few years ago, it started falling out." "So, you know, I did something about it." "How do you feel about that?" "l feel fine with it." "0r I wouldn't have done it. I did it to feel better about myself." "And I do." "I look in the mirror..." "looks like me." "Yeah, but it 's different for men." "You know, I can't really feel too sorry for you in this department." "I'd bet that, except for possibly an Afro... you look exactly the way you did at twenty-nine." "Well, my ass ain't the same." "Bigger?" "Ain't nothing wrong with that." "Something else worry you?" "I always feel like I'm starting over." "How many bonds did you write?" "Fifteen thousand." "ls that a lot?" "That 's plenty." "Well, I've flown over seven million miles... and I've been waiting on people for twenty years." "And after my bust, the best job I could get was with Cabo Air... which is the worst job you can get in this industry." "I make US$ 16,000 a year, plus benefits that ain't worth a damn." "And with this arrest hanging over my head, Max, I'm scared." "If I lose this job, I gotta start all over again and I got nothing to start with." "I'll be stuck with whatever I can get." "And that shit is more scary than 0rdell." "Great, you're here." "Hey, Jackie, how are you doing?" "Can I talk outside with Ray?" "Sure." "Take your time." "May I smoke?" "Absolutely." "Dude, what 's up?" "She wants to make a deal!" "She sounds scared?" "She almost sounds scared." "What does she want?" "She wants to go back to work." "So what 's she gonna give us?" "She hasn't gone into specifics yet." "She's been waiting for you." "She knows this is my case, right?" "She hasn't said it, but she's not stupid." "She knows it 's you who wants her." "Let 's go." "Sorry to keep you waiting." "Now, what can we do for you?" "I need permission to leave the country so I can keep my job." "Well... we can look into that." "I need it tomorrow. lf l don't show up for work tomorrow, I'm fired." "You know what we want." "lf l'm working, I can help you." "Help us do what, Jackie?" "Help you get 0rdell Robbie." "So now you do know him." "You never asked if I did or not." "You're telling us now that you do." "0f course. I deliver money for him." "No shit." "You know how he makes his money?" "He sells guns." "You ever see him sell a gun?" "Then how do you know he sells guns?" "He told me." "Besides, why else would a ATF man be after him?" "Well, how can you help us?" "I'll do anything I can to help you get him." "Short of wearing a wire." "And in return, I need permission to leave the country and immunity." "You don't want much, do you?" "Can you do it or not?" "Well, you know, I mean... it 's possible." "You`ll hear him beg for his life, because he betrayed NaniVIttali!" "Read the paper." "Read It!" "Why?" "NaniVItalli` s a dangerous criminal." "He`s already killed two people." "You know what he`s known as?" ""The Mad Dog Murderer"." "Hey, girl." "Looks like somebody got some new clothes." "I couldn't have my boy running around looking like no bum." "l don't know. I didn't look like a bum." "Come on man." "You know you had that Salvation Army thing going." "Goddamn, girl." "You getting high already?" "lt 's just two o'clock!" "lt 's that late?" "You smoke too much of that shit." "It 'll rob you of your ambition." "Not if your ambition is to get high and watch TV." "You're all a couple of Cheech and Chongs." "Don't get up." "I got it." "Have a seat." "Jackie, what 's up?" "No, I didn't get your message." "l was gonna tell you!" "No, no, not on the phone." "Here." "lt 's ready to go?" "Yeah, there's another bowl left." "Take your thumb off the cup." "You okay?" "I'm just getting old." "Can't smoke or laugh now..." "without coughing." "Coughing is good." "It opens up the capillaries." "When you cough, you're pulling air, or in this case smoke... into parts of the lungs that don't normally get used." "So it 's good. lt gets you higher." "And you know a lot about that." "Look here, Louis, I got to run out for a little while." "Since you like getting high, why don't you stay with Mel, watch TV?" "l'm way ahead of you." "l get high when I come back." "I get high at night when I get through with all my business." "is that Rutger Hauer?" "No, it 's Helmet Berger." "Why don't you walk me to the door, space girl." "I hope you don't mind hanging out with Louis." "Nope." "Try not to tear his clothes off, all right?" "They're new." "Yo, Louis!" "Catch you later, man." "0kay, later." "Want a MET-Rx?" "Goddamn!" "Gee." "What 's a MET-Rx?" "It 's this major meal you drink in a shake instead of having a big meal." "lt 's like a diet thing?" "No, it 's what body builders drink to... you know, to beef up." "No, thanks." "When was the last time I saw you?" "Six, seven years ago." "Doesn't seem like that long ago." "lt was that long ago." "How old were you in this picture?" "Which one?" "The roller disco picture." "This one." "Fourteen." "You were fourteen here?" "Shit, man. I thought you were at least sixteen." "Well, I'm about the same height now as I was then." "That other picture, that green one... that was taken at that place called Flippers." "Do you remember that?" "It was in Hollywood." "Were you in L.A. then?" "Where were you?" "l was in Detroit." "With 0rdell?" "We had done some time already." "Were you a disco guy?" "Come on, don't lie." "l wasn't. I don't like to dance." "Were you ever in one?" "l went to a few just to meet women... but they're so loud..." "and I didn't like to dance." "During that whole scene, I just drank in bars usually." "So, who didn't make the cut?" "That 's a picture of me in Japan." "Whose arm is that?" "That 's the guy that I lived with." "His name was Hiroshi." "He made quite an impression." "Count cheese?" "I never got to know him really." "I couldn't speak any Japanese and his English was terrible." "But what am I gonna say?" "His English was better than my Japanese." "That sounds like a problem." "lt 's not, really." "We didn't have that much to say to each other anyway." "I didn't get to know him, but I knew enough to know I didn't miss much." "I keep that because that 's the only picture I've got of me in Japan." "That 's Japan." "Yeah, it looks..." "I can tell." "Wanna fuck?" "That was fun." "Yeah, that really hit the spot." "Now we can catch up." "You got a beer?" "Yeah, sure, in the fridge." "I'm going to the bar, baby." "Jackie Jack!" "I'm gonna have to remember this place." "This is all right!" "About two minutes from your crib, ten minutes from the gig." "Not bad." "What 's your drink?" "Let me get a screwdriver, homes." "How are you doing?" "l'm fine." "Yes, you are." "Damn, I bet you come in here on a Saturday night... you need nigger repellent to keep them motherfuckers off your ass." "l do okay." "You're a fine motherfucker." "I bet you do a damn sight better than okay." "You think anybody followed you?" "No." "But it don't matter, 'cause they already know I'm meeting you." "How the fuck they know that?" "l told them." "You told them?" "US$ 3,25." "Here, keep it." "You told them?" "You told them it 's me?" "They already know it 's you." "But you don't have to confirm it!" "They'll give me permission to fly only if I agree to help them." "Which is what I have to appear to be doing." "So I might as well give them somebody they already know." "You." "You tell them anything else?" "You got a half million in Mexico... and you want me to bring it in." "You told them all that?" "lt 's true, ain't it?" "What the fuck that got to do with anything?" "They know I'm delivering for you." "I told them about the half million." "They couldn't give a fuck about it." "All they wanna do is catch your ass with guns." "So I said: "You want proof?" "Let me bring in the money"." "And they say...?" "Yes." "What 's the matter?" "I mean, that 's what we discussed last night." "This shit 's seeming kind of risky now, you know?" "Fuck this." "Well, let me lay it all out to you, okay?" "I make two deliveries." "The first with US$ 10,000." "Like a dry run." "They watch it, see how it works." "Then the second delivery, I come in with the half million." "That 's too much exposure. I ain't going nowhere near that money." "You don't have to. I told them you never pick up the money yourself." "You always send someone that I never know who it is." "That 's a good idea." "lt 's a damn good idea." "Now, the first time I do it... they're looking around, they see me hand the ten thousand to someone." "Who?" "l don't know." "A friend of yours." "Like a woman?" "lf you want." "I'm thinking a woman." "But wait a minute." "If they let you go, why don't we bring all the cash in the 1st time?" "'Cause I don't trust them." "Now, the next trip... when I bring in the half mil, it 's gonna look like I'm doing the same." "But you don't?" "l hand it to someone else first." "They follow the wrong one thinking she bringing the money to me." "That 's the idea." "So we gonna need two women." "Can you cover that?" "Yeah, I got the women covered." "Where you plan on pulling it off?" "The Del Amo Mall, the food court." "And I suppose you see a piece of this for yourself." "It 's my plan." "We're in this together." "Yeah, but it 's my money and I don't need no fucking partners." "I ain't your partner, I'm your manager." "And I'm managing to get your money out of Mexico in your hands." "And I'm managing to do it all under the nose of the cops." "So therefore I'm your manager and a manager gets fifteen percent." "No, a manager gets ten percent." "No, that 's an agent." "A manager..." "All I'm gonna give you is ten." "A manager gets fifteen percent, an agent gets ten." "l'm getting 15%, all right?" "All I'm gonna get you is ten." "And the same deal as before." "I can do that." "So he says, "Fuck that" and moves over into guns." "You can sell guns wherever there's a demand and nobody gives a shit." "He's acting like he's this big international arms dealer... come on, face it, the only people he ever sold to were dopers." "Yeah, well, he seems to be making out." "is it dead?" "Yeah, well, so far he is." "But you got to admit he's not too bright." "I wouldn't go so far as to say that." "He moves his lips when he reads." "What does that tell you?" "Well, let 's say that he's streetwise, you know?" "I'll give him that." "He's still a fuck-up." "He killed a man who worked for him the other day." "What are you trying to tell me?" "That I should get out of here?" "That 's not what I'm saying at all." "You know where he went?" "He went to go meet that stewardess." "Does that bother you?" "Please!" "Well, I don't know, you live with him, so..." "No, I live here." "He just drops in and out." "Did he tell you about that half million he's got down in Mexico?" "0f course he did." "He tells anybody who's gonna listen." "He and that stewardess are scheming on how to get the money over here." "And your point is...?" "Let him and the stewardess get the money over here... and then just take it from them." "Can I ask you a question?" "You ain't gonna get serious on me while we're in here chilling." "No, it 's just about Melanie." "I'm sorry about that, man, but I had to be somewhere all of a sudden." "And I figure, "Shit, Louis ain't had no pussy for a while"... so I thought, let him kick it here with Mel." "So, what did she say?" "She ain't have to say shit." "I know Melanie." "That bitch's gonna be fucking you 2 minutes after I'm out the door." "Melanie real good about throwing a fuck a nigger's way." "She ain't no damn good at it, but she likes to fuck." "So, she ain't your girlfriend?" "That what you thought?" "No, I wasn't sure. I didn't know." "But you fucked her anyway, though." "The "not your girlfriend" part I felt more about." "I hope you felt appropriately guilty afterwards." "Afterwards I did." "Shit!" "But... what is she to you?" "You know, she's just one of the bitches I got set up." "I got Mel over in Hermosa Beach... and I rent this place for Simone over in Compton, where you staying." "And about 4 blocks away, I got this 19-year-old girl named Sheronda." "I found her on the bus stop, out of Georgia, country as a chicken coop." "Took her to my place in Compton, told her it was Hollywood." "She believed you?" "Hell, yeah!" "To her dumb country ass, Compton is Hollywood." "Closest she ever been." "But you trust Melanie around your business?" "She trying to play your ass against me, ain't she?" "I knew it. I knew it." "See, you don't have to say none." "I know that bitch." "I don't know why you keep someone around if you can't even trust them." "I ain't got to trust her, I know her." "I don't know what that means, man." "Well, you can't trust Melanie... but you can always trust Melanie to be Melanie." "I don't understand why you keep her the fuck around." "I told you, man." "She my fine little surfer gal." "She ain't pretty as she used to be... and she bitch a whole lot more than she used to... but she white." "You have one message sent at 8:06 P.M." "It`s Max. I called to find out how everythingwent today at ATF." "If you want to call me, my home number is... 915-93O2." "Oryou can reach me at my office which is... 313-3688." "That`s on the card I gave you when we first met." "It`s on It." "Let me give you my beeper number." "It`s 991-1O75." "Then dial 687 2." "wait for a beep,dial 59... and hit the pound." "Okay,so,I` ll talk to you later." "Hope everything`s well." "Bye-bye." "End of message." "The money's gonna be in a Del Amo shopping bag, all right?" "I get some food, sit down in the food court and your girl comes in." "Did you find somebody yet?" "Who?" "What do you care?" "What do I care?" "It 's my ass facing the penitentiary." "You send a hard-headed rock whore..." "She ain't gonna be no rock ho." "She gonna be cool. I promise." "All right, so we straight, right?" "I'm gonna roll up here and check out this shirt l was looking at." "I'll catch you." "Hey, don't forget your bags." "Shit!" "Hey, surprise!" "l walked right pass you." "I know. ignoring me." "So, what 're you up to?" "Just catching a movie." "What did you see?" "What the fuck is up with this shit?" "l called you last night." "l know, I got your message." "Ray wanted to have dinner to talk about the sting we're plotting." "That 's what he calls it." "A sting." "He's been... real nice." "Do you think he's got a thing for you?" "Maybe." "But I'm thinking it 's... something more like he wants the money for himself." "Has he hinted around?" "No." "He just tries to act cool." "There's nothing wrong with that." "He's a guy having fun being a cop." "I know the type, trust me on this." "He's more interested in 0rdell than he is in the money." "If he does anything suspect, it 'll be something to get conviction... but he wouldn't walk off with the money. lt 's evidence." "And what about you, Max?" "What?" "If I was in Nicolet 's place?" "No, I mean you, right now." "Not if you were somebody else." "If I saw an opportunity to walk away with the money, would I take it?" "You know where it came from." "It 's not somebody's life savings." "It wouldn't even be missed." "Half a million dollars will always be missed." "You're avoiding the question, Max." "0kay, sure." "I guess I'd be tempted." "Especially now, since I'm getting out of the bail bond business." "Why?" "A lot of reasons." "I guess the main one would be... I'm tired of it." "When did you decide?" "It 's been a long time coming, but... I finally made up my mind." "I guess it was..." "Thursday." "Miss Brown?" "I'm Max Cherry, you bail bondsman." "The night you got me out of jail?" "I went to pick up this guy. I hear he's staying at a house and... I sneaked in and I'm waiting for him..." "Wait." "After we were together, you sneaked into a guy's house?" "Went back to my office and found out that you took my gun." "Got another gun and the stun gun... went to this guy`s house in El Monte and waited for him to come home." "What do you do when he comes home?" "Shoot him with the stun gun, cuff him and take him to County." "You do that?" "That 's my job." "Did you do that that night?" "The guy never came home." "But, I'm sitting on his couch in the dark, holding my stun gun." "The whole house smells of cat pee." "And after a couple of hours, I think..." ""Why am I doing this?" "Nineteen years of this shit?"" "And I make up my mind." "That 's it." "I'm not sure you answered my question, Max." "Which one?" "If you had the chance, unemployed now... to walk away with a half million dollars... would you take it?" "We got to stop meeting like this." "How's your flight?" "Fine." "I bet you're happy to be working again." "This is ATF agent Ray Nicolet, Jackie Brown, 0rdell Robbie." "Money exchange, trial run." "The time is 3:07..." "July first, 1995." "Location is a parking structure at LAX, row F, parking structure D." "What are you doing?" "Recording all this." "Thought you'd let this go through." "We will." "Don't worry about it." "Every bit of this goes to my report." "The subject... is carrying a flight bag." "I am now removing from the bag... a manila envelope." "The envelope contains..." "currency." "All the same denomination?" "0ne hundred dollar bills." "I'm now counting it." "What time do you have to be there?" "4:30. I'm meeting a woman." "What 's her name?" "He wouldn't say." "You gonna follow her?" "lf she leaves, I gotta be on her." "You're not gonna stop her?" "No, not this time." "The total amount of cash... in the manila envelope is ten thousand dollars." "Right?" "Subject will be delivering the currency in a..." "Del Amo Fashion Center bag." "Del Amo Fashion Center bag." "The bag is... purple." "lt 's white." "White." "lt 's white." "White." "lt 's white." "Fine." "The bag's white." "Images are purple." "The lettering is pink." "Fine." "The bag's white, it 's got purple on it and the lettering's pink." "With a really good-looking woman on the cover." "There you go." "This seat taken?" "No." "Have a seat." "You're hungry." "Put the bag on the floor, okay?" "Under the table, next to mine." "And then when I leave..." "well, you know." "So, what 's your name?" "Sheronda." "Sheronda?" "That 's a nice name." "Sheronda, go ahead." "You can eat." "Well, Sheronda..." "it was nice talking to you." "All right, I'll be back." "I'll go check the bags." "Max, you said it yourself." "Ray wants 0rdell." "He doesn't give a shit about the money." "The money won't convict him." "Guns will." "You're rationalizing." "To go through with the shit you start, you rationalize." "I can do It,Max." "I know I can." "I just can't do it without you." "It 's cool." "Excuse me, baby." "Do you know what time it is?" "Ma'am, I ain't got no watch." "Could work... if she handles the cops right." "Could work." "What?" "It ain't like I'm asking you to go somewhere and spend the night." "I just want you go out for a little while, while I work this deal." "So now you gonna pout?" "It 'll take her 20 minutes to find her purse, look for her sandals... find her sunglasses, get out of here." "That chick you saw stomping around?" "That 's Melanie, who about to leave!" "Have a good time there, baby." "Don't burn now." "Want a drink?" "No, I want to talk to you outside." "Step into my office." "What 's up?" "We do it the way I laid it out, or we don't do it at all!" "What the hell you talking about?" "Sheronda passed the money." "How you know she did that?" "l was there, I saw!" "You wasn't supposed to be there." "l knew you'd pull some shit!" "Hold up, I ain't pulling no shit!" "What do you call it, then?" "It 's my goddamn money. I can do what the fuck i want to do with it!" "When my ass is on the line, no, you fucking don't!" "'Cause if we don't do it my way, then fuck it!" "Chill, chill!" "Now, listen." "Listen." "The woman you saw was my friend, Simone." "She'll receive the money. I think she ought to see how it going down." "She a nice woman." "You'll like her." "Matter of fact, she on her way over here right now." "Hold on." "Call Simone." "Tell her to get her ass over here." "We waiting on her." "Damn." "That what you pissed off about?" "Just a little pissed?" "l'm sorry." "I'm about ready for a refill." "Can't I tempt you a little more?" "Come on." "0kay, fine." "You better give me something strong." "Nicolet and Dargus gonna stop me at the airport and mark your bills." "No, I don't like that part." "It washes off!" "I tell them we do the same thing as before." "They'll follow Sheronda." "She ain't there?" "No answer?" "You gotta listen to this, man, 'cause this concerns you." "Now, this time you gonna give Sheronda a Billingsley bag, right?" "Right." "The same one Simone gives me. 0kay?" "Now, Simone and I make the switch in Billingsley." "She knows what I look like, right?" "She seen you with Sheronda." "All right, now, Simone gonna meet you in the dress department, right?" "Right." "Designer Clothes." "The place you all try shit on." "It 's a fitting room." "Big sign over the door." "You can't miss it." "Why over there?" "Because they gonna be watching my ass hard." "We can't risk doing it out in the open, or even in the dining area." "That 's why we got to do it in the fitting room with a woman." "You're gonna take the bag Simone gives you and give it to Sheronda." "And Simone gonna wait." "And she gonna peep out the dressing room... wait on you to give her the sign that ain't nobody watching." "And she gonna leave the store, get in the car." "Mission accomplished." "See?" "Where you gonna be during all this?" "I'll be in a bar, waiting Louis to call me, tell me everything's cool." "I got to go." "Damn, who that blowing your pager up like that?" "It 's Ray, the ATF guy." "That shit work my nerves, you and that guy being so buddy-buddy." "If I wasn't so buddy-buddy with him, this wouldn't work." "0rdell has a guy working for him named Louis." "You two meet?" "Yeah." "This afternoon, before I came here." "He was at 0rdell's apartment in Hermosa Beach." "I don't know if he lives there, but I can find out." "Did you talk to him?" "Not really." "His full name is Louis Gara." "Just did four years up in Susanville." "For what?" "Bank robbery." "We've been following him." "He definitely works for 0rdell." "They did two years together about twenty years ago or so... over at Huntsville." "He's not living in Hermosa Beach." "He's staying in Compton." "Living with some 56-year-old petty thief." "Some woman named..." "Hawkins." "Simone Hawkins." "You know her?" "Never talk about her?" "Not yet." "Who's the other one?" "Some white chick named Melanie, another girlfriend of 0rdell's." "What 's her deal?" "lt was her coke I got busted with." "She knows everything." "She's pissed off 'cause she's not a part of it." "Well, there's definitely somebody I want to meet." "0kay, we all set up for tomorrow?" "Everything okay?" "Everything's the same, except for one change." "I told them 0rdell has changed the amount he's bringing in." "Think they bought it?" "I got them thinking that 0rdell's real nervous." "And they love it." "A good cop will never let you know that he knows you're full of shit." "All he needed was a reasonable explanation." "Except for one change." "What 's that?" "0rdell feels way too hot for him to bring in his money." "And he knows you're watching him and he's fucking paranoid." "So, he's sweating a little bit." "He'll keep the money where it 's... but he's gonna bring in US$ 50,000 just in case he needs bail." "lt 'll be more than that." "Don't be so literal." "Ray believed it." "You still have to show him the money at the airport." "I'm not gonna show him the whole amount." "He'll see fifty thousand." "And where's the rest of it?" "ln the bag, underneath." "What if he checks?" "He won't." "He didn't before." "He's expecting to see fifty thousand and there it is, on top." "You're taking a hell of a chance, kid." "Not really. lf he finds it, I'll say Mr. Walker put it in there." "l didn't know it." "Like the coke." "Then you're out." "You get nothing." "Yeah, but I'm not in jail, and at least I tried." "You're gonna have surveillance all over you." "That 's why you don't make a move until I come out of that fitting room." "Wearing a dress?" "Well, a suit." "There's this one I had my eye on." "You know, it 's like... excuse me." "Look here, we got a little change in plans." "Ain't no thing." "Everything's the same, except one little difference." "You know that bitch, Simone, you saw in the mall?" "She wasn't here today 'cause she done split on my ass." "Me and Louis went by her pad." "She gone." "She gone, her shit 's gone and my ten thousand dollars is gone." "Don't start bugging me!" "I'm telling you, ain't nothing different." "Everything's just like we discussed." "Now, except for this time, when we make the split... instead of Simone, it 's gonna be Melanie." "Goddamn it, Melanie got just as much sense as that bitch had." "She'll be in the same fucking place, all right?" "All right." "yeah, later." "Chicken shit." "0kay, the envelope contains fifty thousand dollars." "I've counted it, and I'm now... marking them in the upper left-hand corner with a green felt-tip pen." "Ever been tempted?" "What?" "Put one of these in my pocket?" "If I did, I'd have to give one to you, wouldn't I?" "0f course, nobody knows how much there is." "Guess we could take as much as we want. lsn't that right?" "Yes, all those things are true." "I mean, it 's not like the money belongs to anybody." "That would be one point of view." "Except it 's not a point of view shared by the ATF." "0nce we make this evidence it belongs to us." "You're officially out of trouble now." "Don't go doing something stupid." "How can I do anything stupid when I'm being watched every second?" "I'm glad you pointed that out." "Saves me the trouble of pointing it out." "Now, look." "Here's the deal." "I want you to take all this cash... then I want you to put it in this Billingsley shopping bag." "That 's exactly what I expect to see when I look inside Sheronda's..." "Billingsley shopping bag." ""Comprende"?" "Cool." "There's only 3 reasons you couldn't make your court appearance." "0ne, you in the hospital." "Two, you in jail... three, your ass is dead." "That means you not my friend, man." "Winston?" "Hold on a second." "Wait a minute." "l'll be gone for a few hours." "Where you going?" "Del Amo Mall." "Catch a movie." "Maybe something to eat." "What you gonna see?" "Something that starts soon." "Cool." "Have fun." "Let 's go." "ln a minute." "You said that before." "Let 's go!" "What the fuck you still doing there, man?" "l'm waiting her. I'm ready to go." "You the one in charge!" "But she keeps saying, "in a minute"." "Go in there, grab that bitch by the hair, drag her ass out of there!" "This my goddamn money we talk..." "We gotta go!" "We're late." "Come on, we gotta go." "Let 's go!" "Kiss my ass, fuckwad!" "You want to turn it down?" "I'm listening to it." "I've been meaning to tell you." "You're a little bit uptight." "Hi, can I help you?" "I think I like that suit." "I'd like to try it on." "You look really cool." "lt looks cool on me too." "lt looks great." "Wear it to a business meeting and you'll be the badass in the room." "I like it. I'll take it. I'm in a hurry." "Can you ring it up for me?" "Cash or charge?" "Cash." "Hey, girl." "What 's up?" "Are you getting that suit?" "Yeah." "You like it?" "Looks really good on you." "You got something for me?" "You betcha." "I put a cherry on top." "What the fuck did 0rdell ever do for us?" "I decided to wear this suit instead of my tired old uniform." "That 's no problem." "So, how much is it?" "We got a blouse... pants... it comes to US$ 267." "Wait!" "Your change!" "Someone left a bag of beach towels in the last dressing room." "Ray!" "Come out wherever you are!" "Ray!" "Ray, come out!" "Melanie burst into the dressing room, took the money and ran out!" "Fuck!" "Come on." "Goddamn it, we're late." "Come on." "Come on." "What the fuck?" "We would've been there if it hadn't been for your fucking around." "Jesus Christ, Louis." "Maintain." "Jesus." "l'm telling you." "Cut the shit out." "Idiot." "Could you just let go?" "Just straighten up, bitch!" "You fucking just..." "Look at this." "This is a nice-looking jacket." "I like it. I'll take it. I'm in a hurry." "Can you ring it up for me?" "Cash or charge?" "Cash." "It 's a nice outfit on her." "l'll look at the Michi Moon..." "You stay right here, all right?" "Are you sweating?" "Job a little too much for you?" "l'm gonna be over there." "You just stay right here." "You're a bit too conspicuous." "l don't care." "Just stay here." "Hey, would you let go?" "Designer Clothes." "Fuck." "What 're you doing?" "Getting out of here." "Let me have the bag." "Fuck you!" "I can carry it." "Goddamn it, give me the bag." "Watch it!" "You want to rip the fucking bag?" "Give me the bag before I knock your... take your fucking hang off." "Take it." "What 's wrong with you?" "l'm carrying the bag." "You got it." "Take a chill pill." "Fuck you and your chill pill." "Remember where we came in?" "No, that 's toward Sears." "Where the... which way?" "Jesus!" "If you two aren't the biggest pair of fuck-ups... I've ever met in my entire life." "How did you ever rob a bank?" "When you robbed banks, did you have to look for you car then too?" "No wonder you went to jail." "is it this aisle, Louis?" "is it?" "is it this aisle or is it the next one over?" "lt 's this one." "You sure?" "l'm sure." "You don't seem sure to me." "Hey, don't say..." "Don't say anything else, okay?" "Keep your mouth shut." "I mean it." "Don't say one fucking word, okay?" "0kay, Louis." "See?" "Just where l said it was." "Cunt." "Can I show you something?" "Not right now. I'm just killing time, waiting for my wife." "Sure thing." "Well, if anything grabs you, don't be shy." "I won't." "Thanks." "You look really cool." "lt looks cool on me, too." "It looks great." "Just straighten up, bitch." "You fucking just..." "Look at this." "This is a nice-looking jacket." "I like it. I'll take it. I'm in a hurry." "Can you ring it up for me?" "Cash or charge?" "Cash." "Hey, would you let go?" "Designer Clothes." "I decided to wear this suit instead of my tired old uniform." "That 's no problem, I understand." "How much is it?" "0kay." "Blouse..." "And here we go." "It comes to US$ 267." "Wait!" "Your change!" "Someone left a bag of beach towels in the last dressing room." "Excuse me." "My wife thinks she left a bag of beach towels in the fitting room." "Yeah, I think they're there." "Go get them." "There's nobody in there." "Thanks." "Last stall." "Got it." "Just keep driving over to Ninth where all them car dealerships is." "We'll leave this heap and pick up a car the cops don't know." "Where's Melanie?" "That 's what I wanna tell you." "She got pissy with me 'cause I wouldn't let her carry the bag." "And then she started running her fucking mouth about, you know... 'cause I couldn't remember where the car was parked." "So then she got on me about that." ""ls it this aisle or that aisle?"" "lt was totally fucking with my nerves." "So, what, you left her there?" "I shot her." "You shot Melanie?" "Twice. ln the parking lot." "You couldn't talk to her?" "How can you talk to her?" "You couldn't just hit her?" "Maybe." "But I, at that moment..." "You shot her?" "Twice?" "is she dead?" "Pretty much." "That ain't no fucking answer!" "Yes or no?" "is she dead?" "l think so." "You think so?" "Tell me, Louis!" "She's dead." "Where did you shoot her?" "ln the chest and in the stomach." "If you had to do it, then you had to do it, right?" "What we don't want is that bitch surviving." "Anybody but that woman." "What?" "Where's the rest of it?" "How much is there?" "l don't know." "Forty." "Maybe less." "You said five hundred fifty." "So, you light, ain't you?" "You light about half million ten." "That 's the bag she came out with." "We didn't put our hands in it." "Came out of where?" "0ut of the fitting room." "lt went down the way we planned." "How long was she in there?" "A minute." "Not even a minute." "She came right out." "Louis, you telling me the truth?" "Listen, I swear to God, man." "I swear on my life." "She came out with that fucking bag and I took it from her." "And then what?" "We went to the parking lot." "Where you shot her." "That 's right." "You sure Melanie ain't somewhere with my money waiting for you?" "Fuck you for asking me that." "l know she tried to set me up." "Fuck you, brother." "How could you fucking ask me that?" "Shit!" "Pull the car over." "How could you ask me that?" "Where's the gun you shot her with?" "lt 's in there." "What the fuck that 's gonna tell you?" "I could've taken two out already." "It 's Jackie Brown." "If she got it, why didn't she take it all?" "I'll be sure and ask that bitch before I blow her brains out." "Well, maybe the Feds got it." "If there were nothing in that bag but them towels, then maybe... she didn't get to take it out of her suitcase and the ATF got it." "But she put them books in there to trick our ass." "That 's why I didn't check it, because the bag felt right." "Then she puts forty grand or so in there to rub that shit in my face." "She wants me to know she ripped me off." "I don't know." "Unless, you know, either she's got it or the Feds got it." "0r... now check this out." "What if she gave the money to somebody else first... before Melanie even went in the dressing room?" "Man, you know what?" "What?" "You know who I saw in there?" "No, tell me." "I didn't think anything of it. I did wonder what he was doing there." "I wondered what he was doing but I thought it had nothing to do with us." "Like maybe he's with his wife or his girlfriend. lt 's a big place." "A lot of people go there." "You gonna tell me who you saw?" "Yeah, Max Cherry." "You see Max Cherry in the dress department where we..." "Man, look at me when I'm talking to you!" "You see him in the dress department and you don't think nothing about it?" "Why?" "Do they know each other?" "He bonded her ass out of County!" "How am I supposed to know that?" "You know he a bail bondsman!" "You know all them motherfuckers is crooked as a barrel of snakes!" "Why, if I don't know nothing about them knowing each other?" "No fucking excuses!" "What do you mean "fucking excuses"?" "I'm telling you, I don't fucking..." "I'm giving you fucking reasons!" "You'll tell me the reason you lost every cent i got in the world?" "Hey, man..." "You're gonna tell me reasons?" "Let me tell you the reason, motherfucker!" "The reason is your ass ain't worth a shit no more!" "You better fucking back off, man!" "What the fuck happened to you, man?" "Your ass used to be beautiful." "You didn't tell me you were going shopping." "l thought I did." "You didn't." "If I had all that shit hanging over my head like you got... I don't know, I'd go shopping later." "I got there early. I've had my eye on this suit and was just gonna try." "Wait a minute, wait a minute." "Wait!" "Just wait a fucking second!" "Let me finish." "I got there early." "The idea was to try in the suit, see if I liked it." "If I did, they would wrap it up and I would put back on my uniform... 'cause Sheronda is expecting me to wear it... meet Sheronda, give her the bag with the US$ 50,000 and go home." "But you didn't do that." "Because I couldn't." "Ray, I swear, Melanie burst in, she grabbed the bag... and somebody fucking killed her for it." "What about the bag she gave you?" "She didn't give me a bag." "Melanie was not a part of the plan." "She came in, grabbed the bag, took off, but I couldn't go after her... because I was in my fucking underwear!" "And I had to put on this suit because I could put it on faster." "You had time to pay the sales girl." "l had to!" "Ray, I was frantic." "What was I supposed to do?" "All right, what did you do after that?" "I went looking for you." "I went back to the place where you were before, but you weren't there." "What should I do if something happened?" "You didn't tell me." "There was a guy with Melanie?" "There was nobody in the fitting room." "You have no idea what happened to the money." "You're clueless, right?" "You have no idea about the money." "l have no idea." "None?" "It could've gone here, could've gone there." "I know nothing." "Not a clue. I don't have an idea where the money is!" "Not even a little idea maybe?" "Not even a little tiny idea." "Would you take a polygraph on it?" "lf it makes you happy!" "Put it right there, I'll do it!" "I sure hope you didn't do anything stupid, Jackie." "I gotta talk to you for a second." "Fuck!" "Louis Gara's dead." "LAPD found him shot in a car on Ninth." "And we lost 0rdell." "l thought you were watching him." "We were." "And we lost him." "He walked into a strip bar sometime around 3:30 and never came out." "Bar was on Ninth." "Less than a mile from where they found Louis dead." "Looks like Louis' buddy shot him twice, point-blank range." "So, what 's gonna happen now?" "We'll pick up 0rdell." "We got three murders we can link him to." "And we got you." "What about me?" "What about you?" "You think I took some of that money?" "I have no evidence of you doing anything." "You didn't pay for the suit with the marked bills. I'm glad." "You've been helping us out." "You gave us Melanie and Louis." "Melanie was found with... a pack of marked bills." "That goes a long way backing up your story." "I'll settle for 0rdell with marked bills." "But if there is anything else... you haven't told me about... you know what?" "That 's between you and 0rdell." "I just got one thing to say." "You better hope we find him before he finds you." "I done told you. I can't leave here tomorrow, Mr. Walker!" "I ain't going no goddamn where anyway till I get my money!" "Come on, man, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have that boat!" "Right. I'm seeing who my friends are, motherfucker, right..." "Motherfucker hung up on me." "You believe that shit?" "Ingrate nigger!" "See?" "You bring a motherfucker up... next thing you know, they breaking you off some goddamn disrespect." "Motherfucker!" "Shit." "Goddamn, girl." "How do you live like this?" "Like what?" "Like this!" "This some repugnant shit." "Bail bonds." "Yeah, Max there?" "He ain't here right now, man." "Where he at, out of town?" "He's around, man." "Give me his home number." "No,I give you his beeper number." "Break out the beeper number." "l've been looking for you." "You know who this is?" "This is Mr. Robbie, isn't it?" "I have yourten thousand." "That`s why you called." "The bond collateral that you put down on Beaumont Livingston... and moved over to Miss Brown, you remember?" "She got off, did she?" "They decided to no-file this morning." "Tell me where you are, I'll come give you your money." "You still there?" "Look here, man... I know you helped her." "And I know you know what I want." "Jackie can tell me any story as long as at the end of the story... she hands me my motherfucking money." "If she wanna be my friend... she'll do that." "She don't wanna be my friend no more... well, you just tell her to think about old Beaumont." "And if she go to the police... you tell her I will name her ass as my accessory." "And we'll go upstate hand in handcuffed motherfucking hand." "And that 's a promise." "You understand what I'm saying?" "You tell her that." "And I'll call you back." "You're right." "That was 0rdell." "You have time, you think you could find out where he's staying for me?" "Cops can't locate him?" "They lack your winning personality." "Sure thing. I don't have to know what I'm doing as long as you know." "l think I do." "Good enough?" "Not bad." "Why are you knocking on the door like the police?" "Want to get shot?" "l thought you might be asleep." "You keep fucking with me... you the one gonna be asleep." "Forever." "l'm alone." "Get your ass in the house." "Freeze, motherfucker!" "What are you doing?" "You want your money?" "Your bond refund?" "This all?" "l have a receipt for you to sign." "No, you know what I mean." "You talk to her?" "She wants to give you your money." "If she didn't, there'd cops battering your door down right now." "How did you find me, anyway?" "Winston found you." "How did he find me?" "That 's what he does." "He finds people that don't wanna be found." "Well, bully for that nigger." "So she want to give me my money?" "She wants to give it to you herself and she wants to collect her 10%." "She also wants to explain why she had to hang on to it." "And I wanna hear that shit too." "Turn around, put your hands on your head." "Why you don't tell me why?" "Jackie didn't trust Melanie." "She already tried to get Jackie to go in with her, split the money." "She took quite a risk to make sure you got your money." "And you helped her, didn't you?" "All I did was walk out with it." "You all went to all that trouble just to protect my interests?" "In a way, yes." "My ass may be dumb, but I ain't no dumb-ass." "Go over there and sit on that couch." "Don't worry about her." "She don't even know you're here." "Sit down." "lt stinks." "You get used to it." "Where my money at?" "My office." "Where Jackie at?" "She's been there since Thursday." "How come she wasn't home?" "She's afraid." "Right." "That I got to see." "She doesn't want to get shot before she can tell you what happened." "Tell her to bring the money here." "lt 's in the safe, she can't get." "Call and give her the combination." "l told you, you got her spooked!" "She won't leave there till you get your money and you're gone." "You expect me to just go walking in there?" "If she wanted to set you up, you'd be in custody by now." "When you told her that you'd name her as an accessory... that scared her more than anything." "She believed you." "And that 's why she wanted to give me my money, ain't it?" "It ain't got nothing to do with that bullshit about Melanie." "I ain't trusting Melanie either, but I could handle her." "That was my little blond-haired surfer girl." "I told Louis all he had to do was hit her in the mouth, but no." "He had to shoot her." "Jackie is at your office?" "She by herself?" "That big ass nigger named Winston ain't there, is he?" "She's all alone." "I call over there, she better answer the phone." "She will." "I'll be here." "See you in a bit." "Goddamn, all the time I've known her... I ain't never heard her scared like that." "Usually, she too cool for school." "Hold up, home." "Give me the key. I drive." "I didn't know you liked the Delfonics." "They're pretty good." "My money's in that office, right?" "If she start with bullshit and we have to go someplace to get it... I'm gonna shoot you in the head right then and now." "Then I'll shoot her in the kneecaps, find out where my goddamn money is." "She gonna tell me too." "Look at me when I'm talking to you, motherfucker!" "Now, listen." "I go walking in there... and that nigger, Winston, or anybody else is in there... you the first motherfucker gets shot." "You understand me?" "There ain't nothing you want to tell me before we get out this car?" "Last chance, motherfucker." "You sure?" "You better be, motherfucker." "All right." "Let 's roll." "You got the key, right?" "When we get up in here..." "you go up in here slow, all right?" "I want you to keep your ass in front of me... and don't be fucking around herky-jerky up in here." "Why is it so dark in here?" "Say, Jackie." "That 's you?" "Goddamn, girl, what you doing sitting up here in the dark?" "Ray, he's got a gun!" "He dead?" "Yeah, he's dead." "Does he have the marked bills on him?" "He ought to have 40,000 in his pocket there and 10,000 i gave him." "Why'd you give him ten thousand dollars?" "Return a bond collateral." "I brought it to him so he wouldn't have to come here." "How did you know where he was?" "l found him." "What do you mean, you found him?" "That 's my job." "And you guys didn't tell the police?" "I told Jackie." "She said you wanted him." "Remember when you said you hope you get him before he gets me?" "Well, you did." "Thanks." "Hey, you!" "l got your package." "It was fun getting a half million dollars in the mail." "Less ten percent." "Why did you take so little?" "That 's my fee." "This isn't a bail bond, Max." "l hesitated taking that much." "But you earned it." "I'm leaving now and I'm all packed up, ready to go..." "That 's 0rdell's." "They confiscated everything else." "Registration was in the glove box, keys were underneath the seat." "What 's the matter?" "Haven't you ever borrowed somebody's car before?" "Not after they're dead." "I didn't use you, Max." "I didn't say you did." "And I never lied to you." "l know that." "We're partners." "I'm 56 years old. I can't blame anybody for anything I do." "Do you blame yourself for helping me?" "Look, I'd really feel a whole lot better if you took some more money." "You'll get over that." "Where are you going?" "Spain." "Madrid or Barcelona?" "Madrid first." "Have you been there?" "I heard they don't eat dinner until midnight." "You wanna go?" "Thanks, but I..." "you have a good time." "You sure I can't twist your arm?" "Thanks for saying that but no." "Are you scared of me?" "A little bit." "I'll send you a postcard." "Will you?" "l sure will, partner." "You're running a business, Max." "Cherry Bail Bond." "What is it your son's charged with?" "Yes, that 's a very serious offense." "is your son still in school?" "Does his father still live in the house?" "Could I excuse myself?" "Would you call me back in about half an hour?" "Yes, thank you." "C APTlONS BY VlDEOLAR"