"Up we go." "Good Morning." "Costello Real Estate." "How may I helpyou?" "Mr. Costello's offiice." "Good morning." "You are not gonna believe whatjust came up." "Eeny, meeny, miney" " Lucy." "Howdy, race fans." "How'sithangin'?" "It's hangin'just fline, thanks." "Theboss wantsa word." "Itseems wehave alittle domesticon ourhands." "Can you stall for me?" "I'm a little busy." "That'sallright." "I'llsetitup on-line." "Godforbidyouactuallyhave to come out ofyourholeandtalk likeahuman." "Itmakesme wonder whaty'all did before computers, Detective." "Anyway, it's all very hush-hush." "I'm going to lay my money on Hugo brat shacking up with yet another bimbo." "Very embarrassing." "National disgrace." "Sono cops, gotit?" "Speak ofthe devil... here's Hugo." "Okay, we're about to go live." " Hilary." " Mr. Hugo, one moment, please." "Putting you through now, sir." "You fat fuck." "You're on-line." " Morning." "Sir." "Apersonalproblem has developedathome thatl'dlikeyou to takealookat." " Yes, sir." " Nothingserious, really." "Nothing thatagoodkick in thepants wouldn'tsortout." "Thepants in questionbeing worn bymy22-year-oldson Paul." "Isuspecthe'sbeenstealingmoney from a trustaccount." "I wantyou to fiindout whathe's up to." "Yes, sir." "Thankyou." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Beauty is in the eye ofthe beholder." "Hil?" "He walks." "He talks." "He's alive!" "I'll call you from the trenches." "Here, I got you something." "" Portland, Oregon."" " It's the same one as Cincinnati." " Nonsense." " It's the same buildings." " It's not." " Is too." " It's not." "Doyou always park in front offiire hydrants, sir?" "Yes." "Are you gonna stop parking in front offiire hydrants?" " No." " And why's that?" "My apologies, sir." "You have a nice day, now." "Who is he?" "Some embassy brat, forged Daddy's signature." "He's making a cash withdrawal for someone." " And who is she?" " I don't know." "We've never seen her." "I bet she's pretty." "I bet she's not." " Which one?" " There." " This one?" " No." "No?" "Not this one?" " The other one." " Yes?" "The guy behind him." "Not the bum." "God bless America." "Can you spare any change?" "Anyone." "You got a dollar for me, please?" "Please." "Please, help me out." "One, three, three, four." "Why don'tyou take any pictures ofme, Daddy?" "Sweetheart, I never go anywhere withoutyour picture." "You know that." "I mean other pictures." "Sure, I used to take lots." "Doyou remember Sea World?" "The dolphins and the clowns on skis." "Doyou remember?" "You werejust a baby at the time." "No." "Where are they?" "Your mother has them, along with everything else with your name on it." "At least she was there when I got home from school." "She didn't spend herwhole life staring at dumb computer screens." "Lucy!" "Stephen, Stephen, Stephen." " Where's themoney, Paul?" " What?" " Themoney." " It's in mybag, safeandsound." "Good." "This isnice, hmm?" "Doyoulikeit?" "Nobody cansee us foramillionmiles." "Everbroughtany womenhere?" " Ihavebeenknown to on occasion." " Ididn't thinkso." "Ibroughtyou." "I'm notother women." " Passmemy Gitanes." " Your what?" " Gitanes." "Cigarettes." " Gitanes cigarettes." " Whatis this?" "A shark?" "A fiish?" " Oh, no." "It'sa Pisces." "A Pisces!" "How '70s." "What, youactuallyinto thatcrap?" "Asamatteroffact, lam." " Well, I'm a Leo." "Hey, whatdoyou think ofthat?" "A sharkandalion." "So doyou-- So tellme." "Doyouswim around all dayeatingplankton... ordoyoubite theheads offlittle fiish?" "Oh, Piscesarebroad-minded, artistic... andsensitive." "We'realso extremelyselfiish... manic-depressivesubstanceabusers." "All depends on whatside ofthebedlgetup on." "Don'tforgetabout who's inbedwithyou, huh?" " Wait." " Wait?" "What?" "What?" " Now we'regoing toplayagame." "A game?" "Baby!" "Whatareyoudoing?" " Getdownnow." " Down, yes." "How?" " Getdown onyourknees." " Youkinkylittle" "I" " Oh!" "Oh, my." "Oh, yes." "Where'dyougo?" "Comehere." "Merry Christmas, Daddy!" "Merry Christmas." "Fuckin' phone." "Don'tleaveher, Daddy." "She'sjustalittle girl." "Don'tleaveheralone." "Doyou wantyour change?" " Where's the phone." " Out back, past the cash registers." "Oh, come on." "Doyou have another phone?" "It's an emergency." " Doyou have another phone?" " Nah." "Cash registers kept smashing' 'em to pieces lookin' for quarters." " Here." "I oweyou ten bucks." " Come on." "Come on!" "I want to come home." "It's Christmas, for Christ's sake." "Youdon'treallyhave to comehome anymore, dear, doyou?" "Youcan e-mailme, or we can talk on this thingyou've givenme." "I gotta go, Mother." "I'll call you back." "Hilary" " You're in the pool." " Hi, Hil." "Well, well, well." "Lucky legs." "Nice to seeyour smiling face." "Loveyour work, let's do lunch andwheneveryou're ready." "The eye which is reflected to the external world... is also the mirror to the soul within." "Ident, ifyou please." "Beautyis in the eye ofthebeholder." "I'm alittle outofmy depthhere." "We'regonnahave to callabreach3." "I got a breach 3." "What thehell areyoudoingonhard-line?" "My cell phone and GPS went down." "I had an accident." "I'm runninga trace." "Pittsburgh, correct?" " Correct, train station." " Okay, gotit." " Whatdoyouneed?" " State police, federal, whoever's near." "Suspect's about to board a train to New York City... and may be traveling under the alias of" " Lucy." " Underthealias of?" "." " Underthealias of?" "." " Lucy?" "Talk tome, Lucky." "Lucky?" "Underthealias of?" "." " Lucky, what'sgoingon?" " Don't tell, don't tell, don't tell." "Detective!" "Wilson, what the hell'sgoingon out there?" " Wait a minute." " What'shappening?" " Wait a minute." " Don't tell, don't tell, don't tell." "Look, you're wasting timehere." "I'msending in the troopers." "Don'tleaveher." "She'sjustalittle girl." " No, don't do that." " Well, you have a breach 3." "Then suddenlyyou don't." "What's up?" "What's the matter?" "Nothing, nothing." "I'llhave togo." "I'll calling." " Lucky!" " Here we go again." "He's gotten a lot worse since his wife and kid went AWOL." "Well, why don'tyou stickyour business where the sun don't shine?" " How'd it go?" " Nothing." "No match, no fiingerprints." "Nothing." " Is she real?" " She's real, all right." "A real pro." "Acid wash would burn her fiingerprints right off." " Can I getyou something to drink?" " Scotch, rocks with some bitters." "Thankyou." " Can I getyou something to drink?" " I'll have a vodka and orange." "Happy New Year." " Doyou mind ifl flirt with you?" " Seeing how timing is everything... why don'tyou wait until I'm done reading my stars?" "MickeyArgyle." " Dorothy Bishop." " Pleasure." "Excuse me." "I don't mean to interrupt, butyou're not from Cleveland, areyou?" " No." " Your name isn't Gail Fleming?" " No, it isn't." " I'm sorry." "A friend from Cleveland used to go out with a girl who lookedjust like" "But that was a while back." "I have never been to Cleveland, and everybody looks like somebody else." "I'll drink to that, toots." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "May I please have my cognac?" "I've been waiting 20 minutes." "Oh, yeah." "Sorry." "Would you mind, please, sir?" "The cognac?" "So she says to me... it's her or thejewels." "I chose to keep thejewels." "Myjewels." "You know, you have beautiful eyes." "Unalloyed, unblemished black opal." "Almost perfect." "An expert." "How fortunate." "Absolutely-tutely." "Voila." "Impressive." "Larry!" "My minkwas right here." "Oh, my God." "Somebody has taken my mink coat!" "Very nice." "And this opal would retail for approximatelywhat?" " Five thousand." " Pisces." " Could you give me possibly" " It'sallin thehands ofthegods." "Maybe we should have a couple ofkids." "What doyou think?" "Lay offme." "Please?" "Hey, lady, I think it's timeyou went home." "Merry Christmas, Daddy." "Merry fucking Christmas." "I wishyoubluebirds" "In thespring" "To giveyourheartasong tosing" " Lucy." " Andthenakiss" "Butmore than this" "I wishyoulove" "AndinJuly" "A lemonade to coolyou with" " Lucy, be quiet." " Someleafyglade" "I wishyouhealth" "Butmore than wealth" "I wishyoulove" " Mybreakingheart" " Stop sing" "Andlagree" "Thatyouandl" "Couldneverbe" "So with mybest My verybest" "Isetyoufree" " I wishyou" " Lucy, be quiet!" "I'm sorry." "I wishyouhealth" "Butmore than wealth" "I wishyou" "I wishyoubluebirds in thespring" "Harry, can'tyou read the sign that says "no pets"?" " This place doesn't allow goldfiish." " They don't make noise." "Debra." "A gentle reminder, darling." "Take outyour own trash on Tuesday and Thursday." " Ofcourse." " And don't throw it in the street." "Throw it in a bin." " Tell your boyfriend to do the same." " Which one?" "The one who's been following you around all week." "You know the one." "The one who waits outside foryou... and follows you around like a lost dog." " You know." " Describe him." "Oh, so-so." "Average height." "Normal looking." "At my age, they all look the same." "Haveanice day." "Yo, taxi!" "Hey, holdup!" "Yo, babe." " Come on." "Don't be so antisocial." " You gotta gimme some ofthat." " Nuts!" " You ain't gettin' none ofthat." "Howthe fuck didyougetinhere?" "Guy downstairs gave me the key." "Your name Debra Yates?" "Detective Crocker, NYPD." "What can I do foryou, Detective?" "You, uh... droppedyour Pisces." " I've never seen it before." " Oh, yes, you have." "Theguy downstairssays you're from SaltLake City." "That's right." "Isn't it against the law to walk away from the scene ofan accident... in Salt Lake City?" "It's against the law here in New York." "What can I do foryou, Detective?" "Come again?" "How much is this gonna cost me?" " Areyou bribing me?" " Yes, I am." "How much?" "Okay." "A thousand dollars and a shot ofsome ofthat... whatever it is." "It's cognac." " Whatdoyoudo foraliving?" " I'm a wigmaker." "I'm here drumming upsomebusiness." "You sureyou got a thousand dollars?" "No." "But I'm sure we can come to some kind ofan arrangement." "I'm sureyou're right." "Don't touch that." "Lady, can I get that foryou?" "Sir." "Sir!" "Taxi!" "I'm tired, Daddy." "I want to go home." "Soon, sweetheart." "What are we doing here?" "It's late." "I'm sorry, baby." "We can't goyet." "Notyet." "Ifl blink, I might lose her." "So?" "So the last time I blinked, I lostyou..." "I lost mywife and I nearly lost my mind." "I can't lose her." "I'll be with you in a minute, ma'am." "Sorry about the wait." "Your brandy, sir." "That's six dollars, please." "Oh, thankyou." "Hereyou are." " I'm sorry, sir." "That's a fiive." " Pardon?" "No, isn't." "It's a ten, you snake." "Oh, gosh, so it is." "Your drink, sir." " And your change." " Keep the change." "Thankyou very much." "Happens all the time." "Waiters, taxi drivers, they all try it on." "I fiind it quite amusing." "You see, I can tell the difference between a fiive and a ten." " How?" " I fold them differently." "Short for a fiive and long for a ten." "Cheers." "What areyou reading?" "Numerology." "Areyou amateur or a professional?" "Oh, I might be professional someday." " When wereyou born, Mr." " Leonard." "Alexander Leonard." "Pleased to makeyour acquaintance." "Vincent, Charlotte." "How doyou do?" "So, the fox in the mink?" "Cool as a cucumber." "She's gonna take the poor bastard for everything he's got." "Well, that's my flight, Charlotte." "Thanks again." "It's my flight too." " Oh." " May I giveyou a hand?" "You want to help me?" "What's the procedure?" "Verywell." "I takeyour arm and you lead." "Your heart is beating so fast." "Why is that?" "Oh, I was a little nervous... that someone might show up at the airport." "Oh, don't worry." "On the arms ofa blind man... is the safest place for a beautiful woman to be." "Sir, sir!" "You forgot this!" "The eye which is reflected to the external world... is also the mirror to the soul within." " Ident." " Beautyis in the eye ofthebeholder." "Where the hell haveyou been?" "You go shitting through a tea towel." " You'vegot tospeak to theboss." " Stall for me." "Look, tell him Paul Hugo now goes under the name of Barry Grible." "He spent a week in Montreal, and then he went to Seattle with a girl." "He's on his way to Rome now." "I'm on him, but the plane's about to board." "I'm gonna send you a sample, Hil." "I wantyou torun a fulIDNA testonitforme." " It'sapubichair." " Not until you tell me what's going on." "Nothing'sgoingon." "I'm close, that'sall." "Don't do this." "I'm not putting my ass on the line again." "Look, this is not about the kid." "Hilary, look, this is legit." "Hil." "Hilary." " You son ofa bitch." " That's my girl." "So I'll send this toyou today." "It should reach you byThursday." "I have to go, Hil." "Well, well, whatis this?" "Mr. Leonard." "I tell you, it wasn't me." "I don't know whatyou're talking about." "Even so, it's lovely." "Step." "Here, let me feel it." " Is thatit?" "It'samere trinket." " It's verysweet." " Ihaveamuchbiggersurprise foryou." " Oh, my." "An oldfriendpassedaway leavingme with this eyesore... andl'vebeenscratching myhead wondering what to do withit." "Andwhatdoyou intendto do withit?" "Doyou want tobean amateurallyourlife?" "Whatcan Isay?" "It's fantastic." "So do we consider ourselvespartners?" "Ifyouinsist." "Like I said, ifyou like her so much, why don'tyou talk to her?" " I don't talk to anyone." " You talk to me." " You're not real." " Oops." "Time." "He loves her... and he's going to take her away from you." "Not ifshe does him in fiirst." "You'rejealous, Daddy." "And you're not!" "Ihereby declare Charlotte's den ofastrologyandnumerology... offiicially open." " Did I get it, darling?" " It was perfect." "Okay, this isit." "This is thelast lcan do." "Thenyoufiile thereport." "Soitlooks likeyour sweetlittlehair came through." " What?" " The DNA test." "She'sgotarecord." " When did this come through?" " Yesterday." " Yesterday?" " Hey, I'm on the line as it is." " So cut the crap." " I'msorry." "Just pipe this one through." "I'll wrap it up and oweyou my life." "Just nameyour price." "That'smore likeit." "Thankyou." "Okay, sohere comes." " There." "How'dyougo?" " Oh, Hil, marry me." "I'll need everything you've got on this probation report." "Was thataproposalthatlheard justpass throughyourlips?" "Next ofkin." "Joanna Eris." " Charlotte." " Good morning, Mr. Leonard." " You're early as usual." " Good morning toyou, Miss Vincent." "Now areyou ready to be dazzled by my fline wines?" "I can hardlywait." "Dazzle away." "DearHilary, this willprobably be thelaste-maill'llever write... so lguess thatmeans lquit." "My wife was right." "Ispentmy whole lifehiding behindcomputerscreens... anditcostmemy daughter." "Butit's time toletgo, because..." "Imetan extraordinary woman andsheneeds myhelp." "I won'tmake thesamemistake twice." "Godblessyouandthanks forbeing myguardianangel." "You're leaving." " I'll be back in a few days." " No, you're not." "You're leaving me again, just like last time." "I didn't leave anybody." "Your mother left me." "Then take me with you." "No, I can't." "It's too important." "You're running away again." " I'm not running away." " Me and Mommy, you hate us." " Oh, for God's sake." " You're abandoning me." "I didn't abandon anyone!" "She tookyou away from me." "She took everything away from me." "Ifyou don't take me with you, I won't ever come back." "I have to go." "Dreams ofstrikinggold." "But, ofcourse, thatdidn'thappen." "The fact was, he wasaloser." "Probably themostadorable loser to ever walk the face ofthe Earth." "So Mom left." "In December, aguy cameand... had the power shut off." "I was nineyears old." "It was Christmas." "We wentfora walk... roaming thestreets like a couple ofhomelesspeople... watchingothersshop, lookingat thelights." "Hesang tome." "I wishyoubluebirds in thespring" "Wesatsomewhere torestfora while." "I wasn'tstupid." "Iknewl wasgonnasee Christmas... from thebackalley ofashoestore." "Butstill, I was totally caughtup in spiritofthings." "I wantedtogethimsomething, givehimsomethingspecial." "But when lgotback... he wasgone." "It was Christmas Day." "Ineversawmy daddyagain." "Ineversawhim again." "Ineversawmy daddyagain." "I'llalwaysbehere." "Iloveyou." "Iloveyou." "Iloveyou, Charlotte." "Don'tleaveher." "Don'tleaveheralone." "First weareprocessed." "First weareprocessed." "They take everything away." "We lose our personal possessions." "Everything except our own shoes." "Theywant us to wear our own shoes... just to feel a little bit at home." "Then we make ourway out into theyard... where we will meet our fellow inmates... and the fiirst thing they're going to do?" "They're going to take our shoes." "So, come on then." "Take offyour shoes." "I mean it." "Take offyour shoes." "Take offyour shoes!" " Dr. Brault." " Can I helpyou?" "You were in charge ofthe probation exchange scheme during the early '80s?" "Ifyou would contact my offiice" "I'm investigating a former resident." "Could you spare me a few moments?" "Who areyou investigating?" "Eris,Joanna." " Cognac?" " Please." "She did fline with the foster homes." "The theft was nothing more than a youthful dare-- thereyou go-- that certainly didn't amount to 1 2 months' detention." "That's where the real damage was done." "She tried to kill herself several times." "Stuck her hand right through a plate glass window... and attempted to hack it off." "Did you know that?" "Cigarette?" "And after her release she came straight toyou." "They all came to me." "I was federal probation chief at the time." "The whole exchange program was my idea." "Remove the girls from their familiar environments... unearth them, probate them where they had no roots." "Well, it didn't work." "Itjust didn't work." "After a couple ofyears it became a very costly blur." "The girls were all unmanageable... ignorant, demented female hoods." "All, that is, but..." "Joanna, number 8773." "Joanna Eris." "She was unique." "I had her immediately transferred to Boston." " Foryour own personal supervision." " Mm-hmm." "Forgive me for asking, Dr. Brault." "Areyou wearing a wig?" "Does she still wearwigs?" "One ofthe little tricks I taught her." "Never reveal yourselfto any man who doesn't need to know." "Nowyou need to know." "And what other little tricks did you teach her?" "I taught her to survive, to flight and never let the motherfuckers in." "Survival ofthe fiittest,Joanna." "Kill or be killed." "Was she ever sexually molested by a man?" " Not to my knowledge." " Wereyou?" "All right." "That's enough." "Get out." " Detective, my ass." "Who areyou?" " Miss Eris is in a lot oftrouble." " I'm someone that's trying to help." " What?" "To fiind out where the trouble started?" "Nowyou thinkyou've got a pretty good idea, is that it?" "Who the hell doyou people thinkyou are?" "This girl came to me a weak, pathetic little fileid mouse." "You hand me the problems, never the solutions." "Get out." "Jan?" " Yes." "Come on in, girls." "God bless you foryour time, Doctor." "Keep up the good work." " Get out." "What is it?" " Areyou all right?" "Ofcourse." "Ofcourse I'm all right." "Pisces." "Familiaritybreeds contempt." "Time to endtheholiday andgetback to work... remembering to tie upall loose endsbeforeyoumove on." "Yoursearch is farfrom over... asyour true companionstill waitspatientlyin the wings." "Oh, no, no, no." "Why don'tyoujust take out a fucking advertisement?" "I've always wondered what it took to contain a large family, and now I know." "Stamina." " I'm exhausted." " That'sjust one side ofthe family." " Look!" " Ineverlook." "Whatisit?" "It's a skunk." "That's about the best sign ofgood luckyou'll ever have." "Only when thestarsare right andthemoonis full." "How's the moon?" "It's full as a bull, old-timer." "So how will we celebrate our good fortune?" "A simple ceremony... here or St. Boniface." "Nothing too elaborate." "Quaint and charming... for, say... 800 ofyour closest friends." "Now, call me old-fashioned, but... isn't it I who should pop that question?" "Well, technically, yes." "But whywould you think a lovelyyoung thing such as myself... would want to tie the knot with a blind old coot... who's rapidly approaching his "use by" date." "Not to mention the fact that you're a Virgo, Mr. Leonard... and I knowyou better than you knowyourself." "And ofcourse, there's always your fortune that I'm after." "Why, Charlotte?" "Why me?" "Becauseyou can't see who I really am... and I think it's in the stars." "Verywell, Miss Vincent." "I do." "Until tomorrow, then, my darling." "I loveyou, Mr. Leonard." "You know, I never did buyyou that pendant." "Ofcourseyou didn't." "Take care ofher, Roy." "I knowyou're there." "What doyou want?" "Open your eyes, you stupid blind bastard!" "She's gonna kill ya!" "She's gonna kill ya!" "Come on!" "I'm taking you away!" "What areyou doing here?" "It's early." "Come on!" "We're gonna get married!" " What?" " We're gonna get married!" "Now?" "Mr. Leonard, I think I have something to tell you." "Congratulations." "You'rekiddingme." "That's fantastic." "I'mgonnabea father?" "Congratulations, Daddy." "Stop." "Please stop." "Stop." "Stop." "Please fucking stop." "Everybody stay back." "Back!" "Let me go!" "Get offme!" "Get offofme!" "Yea, though I walk through the valley the shadow ofdeath..." "I will fear no evil... forHe is withme." "Looks likeyour cigarette lighter's run out ofgas, princess." "Hey, how areyou?" " How areyou?" " A little car trouble." "Can you help me?" "I sure thinkwe can take care ofthat." "I'm sure every man and his dog has tried a line on you." "Has anyone ever told you you have very sad eyes?" "Yes, they have, Gary." "Has anyone ever told you you need a shower?" "That's a pretty mean-looking shark you got there, princess." "It's a fiish." "Pisces." "Looks like a shark to me." "You like sharks?" "I like the myths." "They have a limited memory." "Maybe only a minute or two." "Sounds like a pretty good life to me." "Ofcourse, the down side is... they can never stop swimming." "Even when they're asleep... they have to keep moving forward." "'Cause ifthey stop for even a moment... they'll die." " Fuck me dead." " What?" "Nothing." "I wasjust" "I wasjust saying you could lay your dentures on my bedside table... any day ofthe week, princess." " What areyou talking about?" " Nothing." "Forget it." "Stupid bitch." "What areyou doing in there, princess?" "You haven't started without me, haveyou?" "Princess is in the middle ofher ablutions." "Fuckwad." "I wishyoubluebirds in thespring" "A little surprise on the dresser nearyour purse, princess." "Just foryou." "A little dart action, you know?" "You see, there's this barjust off the one-fiive out of Baker... where they have these English dart championships." "And there's this guy." "And I bend over... to pick up his girlfriend who's sprawled on the floor... completely fucking smashed... and the fucker hits me in the ass with this yellow featherweight dart... right between the cheeks." "Can you believe it?" "So what do I do?" "I nail him to the bar... and use his head for a fucking dart competition." "What's all this stuff?" "That'sjust a little something to get the evening started, darling." "Thanks." "I'll pass." "No." "No, don't." "It'sjust for fun." "I don't want to have to blast alone." "It's not my thing." "You go right ahead." "I'll watch." "You'll fucking watch?" "Ladies and gentlemen... step right up and watch the freak show... and see for the fiirst time in this country the amazing pin cushion!" "Treatyourself, folks." "treatyourselfand watch the bearded lady... cut herselfto ribbons." "Come on, baby." "Baby fell down." "That's a good baby." "Here we go." "Welcome to heaven, princess." "No milk today, thanks." "Thankyou!" "Now piss offand mind your own fucking business!" "Yes?" "Don't leave her." "She'sjust a little girl." "Don't leave her alone." "I'll never ever leave her." "Ever." "Cross my heart." "Hope to die?" "Forever and ever." "Amen." "What the fuck is this?" "Jesus Christ!" "What the fuck?" "Get me the fuck out ofhere." "Motherfucker!" "Fuck it!" " The car!" "Where's the fucking car?" " Morning there, partner." "Sound likeyou had a little fun last night." "Where is she?" "I said, where is she?" "She went north about a halfhour ago." "You gonna pay for them rooms?" " Hil, honey?" " Yeah." "We've got our lost dog." "Better late than never." "Christ." "I'vegot twoguys in Boston pulling theplaceapart." "What thehellareyoudoing in Utah?" "I've lost the Hugokid, Hil, andlneedsomehelp." " Could you put an ASU out on all" " We'vebeen trying to tellyou." "Hugo and his wife bought it in a car accident a month ago." "So it's fiinished." "It's over." "You're coming home." "Theboss is dead." "Jesus, I'vebeen worriedsick." "Howthehellareyousurviving?" "You know me." "Lucky legs." "Could you put an ASU out on all hospitals for me?" "A womanmay trytoregister underthename" "For God's sake, listen to me." "Listen." "Hugohandedthe whole case overto the Fedsmonths ago." "So it's over." "You're coming home, and that's an order." "Will you do one last thing for me?" "I'm not authorized to." "Fuck authorization, Hil." "I'm in trouble here." "A woman may try and register into hospital under the name Eris or Leonard." "This isan emergency, andthelast thing lneednoware the fucking Feds." "Willyouhelpme, please?" "Look, I can't fuck this one up as well." "Please." "I'll see what I can do." "Hello, there." "Hello." "Yoo-hoo." "Hello." " Pardon?" " May I helpyou?" "Yes." "I'vejust flown in to visit a friend ofmine, missJoanna Eris." "Oh, good!" "I'm so glad somebody came, it being Christmas and everything." "She's down the hall in 36... although she's probably asleep by now." "You know she lost the baby, don'tyou?" "Who was he?" "He didn't say, dear." "But he asked for me by name?" "He saidJoanna Eris?" "Yes." "He said he was a friend." " What did he look like?" " Like a salesman." "They all look the same to me-- salesmen, reporters, photographers." "They getyour names from the registry and come to sell baby products." "That'saroger." "Will wait till furthernotice." "Standing by." "Got any change?" "Come on!" "Fucking come on!" "Come on!" "Buddy, you got a buck?" "Miss Eris?" "Federal police." "Would you mind coming with us, please?" " Why?" " We'll explain in the car." "In the car, please." "Two, three." "Morning, Nellie." " I'm readywhen you are, darling." " Get over it, pal." "It's not gonna happen." "I'd like the omelet with herbs, please." " The what?" " Omelet with herbs." "You shouldn't have to ask, Nell." "We're gonna install a bed here for him." "How areyou, Frank?" " I'm good, Lizzie." " Good." "Soyou come in a lot?" "Last couple ofweeks." "You?" "Haveyou been here long?" "I don't know." "Couple months." "Side dishes?" " Taurus?" " Yeah." " Doyou believe in the stars?" " Not anymore." "Pisces reads..." ""It may seem you have reached the end ofyour road... but all is about to change." "The sacrifiiceyou are about to make will become another's salvation."" "And then it says, "You will never be forgotten."" " Doyou want some coffee?" " Yes, please." "I'm bustin' at the seams, Frank." "You don't mind sharing, doyou?" "All done, gentlemen?" " Who gets the check?" " I got it." "Coffee?" " What doyou think?" " Can't say for sure." " Worth a try, though." " Yeah." "Fucking cops." "What about them?" "You can always spot them." "Didn't notice." "I don't know what timeyou're fiinished, but I'm coming back later... and I wondered ifmaybe you would want a drink." "I'm working a double." "Thanks." "Watch the alarm." "Raccoons keep setting them off... and I sure ain't coming down here at 4:00 a.m. to reason with them again." "Night-night." "Night, Frank." "I said, night, Frank." "Night, Lizzie." "I'm in real estate in the valley." "That's why I can helpyou get a house." "Getting a house isn't a problem." "It's easy enough." "What doyou do in a house... when you wake up in it?" "What doyou do on Christmas... in a house?" "I'm supposed to be so... young, and not have anything to show for myself... except a big sense ofloss." "That hardly fiills up a house." "What haveyou lost?" "I've lost my childhood... myyouth... my father... my husband... my daughter." "She wasn't any bigger than a minute." "Barely had a name." "Now my mind's going too." "It plays tricks on me." "And spookiest ofall, I lost my angel." "I had a guardian who looked after me." "I think I miss him most." "My angel." "Maybe he'll come back someday." "Come back and bury me in my favorite graveyard in Valdez." "It's not up to us, though." "Is it?" "It's up to the gods." "The whole thing is." "What haveyou lost?" "It's only fair." "This one's my daughter..." "I think." "She was an embassy kid and was relocated-- or dislocated is, I think, the word that they used-- every ten months." "I simply came home one day and she wasn't there anymore." "And seven years later, I stopped looking for her." "The thing that gets me the most is that she had no choice." "She simplywoke up one morning... and didn't have a father anymore." "So I'm just a daddy who lost his little girl." "And I guess you're a little girl... who lost her daddy." "And that's it." "End ofstory." "Romeo, we're real crowded today." "You're gonna have to share." "What can I getyou?" "Coffee." "That's it?" "For the record, Lieutenant, I think this is a very sick scenario." "Nobody's accusing anybodyyet, Doctor." "Just tell us whatyou see." "Okay." "Here we go." "That's notJoanna Eris." "We have reason to believe it is." "Be very sure." "I'm telling you, it's not her." "I'd really like a chance to try again." "And I wouldn't wasteyour time." "I'd make it worth yourwhile." "It's not a waste ofmy time." "It's a waste ofyour time." "I don't know how much more ofthis place I can take." " I get offing two hours." " I can't wait." "I could drive the car around the back and we could go now." "I'll meetyou out back in fiive minutes." "Come on, come on, come on." "Have a seat." "What did you sayyou do?" "Real estate." "It's a pretty tough business up here." "It's a pretty mean business." "Snow means money, and I'm suspicious." "I think that's why I spotted the police so quickly." "I think they had the place staked." "I wonderwhat for." "They're probably gonna arrest somebody." "Probably one ofthe regulars... or one ofthe staff." "Would you like a drink?" "I only have cognac." "I never touch the stuff." "I've seen you someplace before." "I don't think so." "I've been around a long time, though." "Someplace else." "Haveyou ever been to Florida?" "Couple oftimes." "Everybody looks like somebody else, huh?" "Mywife was born in L.A." "What areyou doing?" "Don't do this to me." "Come on!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "I know whoyou are." "You took my picture... at the museum." "I wish you love."