" If I was going, I'd go as a..." " A princess!" "Yeah." " Judy Baumer's going as a twirler." " But she's so fat." "I'd rather go as Cinderella or Peter Pan." "Peter Pan's a boy." "Tinkerbell's a girl." " Phillip could go as Peter Pan." " Phillip could go as a bump on a log." " Why can't we just go once?" " Because we just can't, okay?" "Our personal beliefs lift us to a higher place." " I'll get it." " You got it last time!" "Trick or treat!" "I'm sorry, we don't take no part in Halloween." "Excuse me?" "We're Jehovah's Witness." " Hey, Phillip Perry." " Hey, Billy Reeves." "How'd you know it was me?" "Come on, go eat your supper." "Come on, kids, let's go to the next house." "Sorry for the bother." " Evening, Larry." "Forget something?" " Need to take some work." " When are we gonna grab a cold one?" " Sooner the better!" " Hey, daddy!" " Yeah?" " You sure this goes on up to the vents?" " It used to, in the old days." "Because if it don't, I'm gonna rip your tongue out." "You punk thief." "Move." "Damn if that old man ain't right." "Here's your trick!" "Bombs away!" "Oh, good one!" "We really got him." "You and me must be living right, Butchie-boy." "Let's get something straight." "I don't like you." "As soon as we're on our way that's it." "Who said I liked you?" "Keep your mouth shut." "God, I'd love to blow your brains out." "Good night, Larry." "Good night, Larry." "Come on, wake up." "I like that one." "You sure are picky." "Wrong neighborhood for a Lincoln." "Hey, there's a Buick." "I don't want a Buick." "I want a Ford." "Fords leak oil." "Besides, daddy, a car's a car." "Take the Buick." "As soon as we cross the state line, I'll do just that." "I'm tired of waiting around." "I'm gonna go check down the block for a Ford." "Go wake up your sisters." "I take mine fried." "A little on the bland side." "Give me some of that ketchup, would you?" "Now." "Please?" "You haven't got a man around here, now, do you?" "No!" "We got a fighter here now!" "No!" "Oh, lookie here." "Look, you got a little man in the house." "No!" "No!" "I'm bleeding!" "You happy?" "What's your name, boy?" "Phillip." "Okay, Phillip, reach down and pick up that pistola for me." " Give it to me." " Shut your mouth!" "Pick it up and bring it over to me." "Point it at me." "Point it." "Now say "Stick 'em up."" "Stick 'em up." "Perfect." "Put the gun down, old timer." "Put it down." "You couldn't hit me anyway." "Probably shoot the boy." "Leave her be." " Mama?" " It's all right." "It's all right." " Are you deaf?" " Set it on the ground." "Put it down." "Set it down!" "Down." "Shut up!" " I vote we take her." " No." "Then how are we gonna get out of here?" "The whole neighborhood's awake!" " We'll take the boy." " No!" "Ain't you folks ever heard of sleeping in?" "I got it, sir." "Press has been waiting almost an hour, Red." "I hear you." "Yeah, I hear you." "I understand." "I understand." "Yeah." "No, I'm here." "I'm just listening." "Yeah, okay." "What'd he say?" " Who?" " The governor, Red." "Well, he reminded me that it's an election year." " Hi." " Hi." "I hope you don't drink before noon." "Oh, no, I don't." "The last one we had here, seemed like she was on a liquid diet." " Last what?" " Secretary." "Penny Monroe." "I believe you have me confused." "See, I'm from Huntsville." "I was assigned by the governor." "Adler, what is this?" "It rings a bell." "I think they sent something over about her this morning." " Who did?" " The governor, Red." "I'm Sally Gerber, criminologist with the state prison system." " Tom Adler, Texas Rangers." " Hi." "Well, it's a new procedure." "I was assigned by the governor to work" ""Work with state law officials in all affairs of penal matters with the police." This doesn't say anything" "It includes parole, as well as penal escape situations." "We'll be right there, Marge." "They're getting antsy, Red." "You scheduled it." "The idea is that an understanding of case history should, in parole situations, help the subject to avoid habitual traps." "And in penal escape situations could identify those selfsame traps as an aid to apprehension." " Let me tell you, Miss Gerber..." " Sally is fine." "Let me tell you, Sally this is not an escape." "This happens to be a manhunt." "And no talking around in circles is gonna fix that." " And what will?" " Us having a nose like a blue tick that's a medulla with an antenna, and a lot of coffee." "We got a handful of caps, and you're shooting water tanks." "He's a smart guy, huh, Phillip?" "Goddamn!" "Okay, boys, that's enough!" "The chief's got work to do!" "Did the kid say anything?" " Good morning, Red." " Good morning." " So, what do you think?" " Looks good." "We're very proud of this baby." "Governor ordered it for the parade in Dallas." " You know President Kennedy's coming?" " Yeah, so I heard." "Latest technology." "Got an oversized engine full kitchen, sleeping quarters." "Got room for gun racks." "Stove, fridge, even got a phone to the governor's office." " Fine piece of machinery." " And once it's back, it'll be at your disposal." "It's perfect for lots of situations." "It's a headquarters on wheels." "We'll take it." "Chief?" "Stop taking pictures!" "It's just not possible." " Governor's gotta ride in it tomorrow." " He gave this manhunt top priority." "But, Red- Listen, you gotta believe me." "Red?" " What's your name?" " Dick Suttle, the driver." " Not anymore." "Bradley?" " This man stays with his vehicle." " You know how to work all the gadgets?" " Oh, yes, sir." "Okay, take a seat." "Excuse me, Red." "This here's Bobby Lee." "He's a specialist with the feds." "They want him to tag along." "Red, what am I supposed to tell the governor?" "Well, you tell him that Miss Sally Gerber over there from his office, checked me out on this." "Oh, hell." "Hey!" "Hello?" "You coming or aren't you?" "Not a scratch!" "You hear me, Suttle?" "On the truck!" "On the trailer!" "And you call me!" "You call me!" "Why the hell we stopping?" " You said you had a cousin near here." " So?" "So call him." "See if we can shack there till things cool down." "Why'd he take the keys?" "So I won't leave him." "Would you leave him?" "Oh, yeah." "He must've moved." "Probably couldn't have heard him anyways, my ear's still bleeding." " You ever try that shit again" " What?" "What?" "You were starting to threaten me." "It ain't a threat." "It's a fact." "Here, kid, take the wheel." "In two seconds, I'm gonna break your nose." "That's a threat." "And that's a fact." "I'm gonna kill you for that." "And that's a threat." "Beginning to understand the difference?" "Phillip, listen up." "I'm gonna run in and get some smokes." " Get beer." " Here, hold this." " Point it right between his eyes." " What the hell?" "If he so much as moves, you pull the trigger." "Right here, see?" "Put your finger on it." "You're a fucking crazy man." "That's a fact." "You're getting the hang of this." "How do?" "Where's your sodas?" "The hot ones are there." "The cold ones are in the back, in the cooler." "You ever shot a gun before, boy?" "Pow!" " Knock you on your ass." " Quiet, mister." "No..." "You ain't never shot no gun before." "Living with three split-tails." "No daddy around." "You'll probably grow up queer, you know that?" "Now I'm gonna lean up here real slow and easy." "Okay?" "Just so that we can talk." "There we go." "Now we can have a real man-to-man." "You are a man, now, ain't you?" " Will this do it for you?" " This and a carton of Lucky Strikes." "Those are some real cute little underwears you got on there." "Your mama sew your name in them?" "Initials or anything?" "Let's see what you got down there." "Kind of puny, ain't it?" "The hand is quicker than the eye." "Son of a bitch." "Hell's bells, no shells." "Come on up here a little closer, boy." " Those .38 shells you got up there?" " Yeah." "Why don't you give me a box?" "Goddamn!" "Jesus!" "Jesus!" "Here, boy." "All is forgiven, boy." "You best come here, boy." "You know I'm gonna find you." "Hey, boy, you best hope I don't find you." "What're you gonna do?" "Hit me with it?" "But you and me are friends." "You got a phone?" "No." "Go inside, lie down till we're gone." "Well, you coming?" "Get in." "Red, I got a spot on them." "A store outside of Ben Hur, 50 miles from here." "Yeah." "Well, move that roadblock on 28850 miles north." " Figure they got that far?" " I don't know." "But they don't either." "They're just glad to be out." "This is a Sunday drive for them." "Sunday drive, I like that." "I never heard you use that one before." "Is something bothering you?" "It's perhaps premature, but do you have an auxiliary roadblock plan for when they split up?" "What makes you so sure they'll split up?" "If you got something in your craw, spit it out." "Their situation is an accommodation." "I don't think they'll be together long." "Haynes and Pugh are opposites, right?" "Haynes is a criminal's criminal." "Robbery, man-on-man confrontation." "Pugh has a rap sheet littered with manslaughter, you name it." " They'll split soon." " What about the hostages?" "What are they gonna do?" "Flip a coin?" "It's happened before." "It's a dilemma they'll address soon." "That's why we gotta address it now." "We don't have a dilemma." "Neither do they." "They'll get rid of one hostage and keep the other." "If they haven't already." "Command, put your roadblock on 288, north about 50 miles." "That's right, 50 miles." "Uh-huh." "We need to talk, Chief Garnett." "You can call me Red." "Red why are you so hell-bent on embarrassing me?" "I'm only hell-bent on one thing." "You get to know me you'll find having a sense of humor will get you a lot." "I have a fine sense of humor." "But I won't be your straight man so you can play hero to morons who think you're Sherlock Holmes." "Oh, shit!" "Damn." "Arthur Godfrey said this stuff keeps you young." "I'm not sure it's worth it." "So that's my answer?" "This is your first time in the field?" "I thought so." "What was you expecting anyway?" "You think I'm some dumb schoolgirl who's wandered into the boys' locker room?" "You're wrong." "I don't mean to boast but I happen to be one of the two most intelligent people in this fiasco." "I didn't ask that." "I asked what you're expecting." "I expected to be allowed to do the job assigned to me by the governor." "I like the governor." "He and I go quail hunting at least once a year." "But he knows that win, lose or draw, this is my ship." "Understand?" "Yeah, I got that." "You know what that is?" "That's anarchy." "And I call that horseshit, to use a cowboy colloquialism." "No, I'll tell you what's horseshit." "Horseshit is responsibility." "That's the guy who has sleepless nights and ulcers." "If this thing goes bloody, the governor, he loses a few votes." "Me, I'm the one who..." "I'll tell you what." "You see me making a wrong move, go ahead and speak up." "I might not agree, but I'll listen." "As for wounded pride, I'll buy all the drinks when this is over but right now I got better things to think about." "That fair?" "Yeah." " Good." "So who's the other one?" " Other one?" "You're one of the two brains." "Who's the other?" "Haynes." "We tested him in prison." "Thank you." "Are you gonna shoot me?" "No!" "Hell, no." "Me and you are friends." "If I was choosing a running buddy, I'd take you over him any day of the week." " We got a positive I.D.?" " Yes, sir." "Only the boy is hostage." "Not five minutes ago, we found this here." "Yeah." "At least now we know who's in charge." "You ever ridden in a time machine before?" " You have." "What do you think this is?" " A car." "You're looking at this bass-ackwards." "This is a 20th century time machine." "I'm the captain and you're the navigator." "Out there, that's the future." "And back there, well, that's the past." "If life's moving too slow, to project yourself into the future you step on the gas right here." "See?" "And if you want to slow her down, you just step on the brake here and you slow her down." "This is the present, Phillip." "Enjoy it while it lasts." "Yes, sir, we're time-traveling through Texas." "We gotta find us a Ford." "My daddy always drove Fords, you know that?" "That's an intercom system." "Now, you can get and give information to and from the rear vehicle." " How's it work?" " Well, you press the power button." "But if you've got the volume turned up..." "Bradley, dang it!" "You will blow the speakers." "My God..." "There." "That should put his pecker in a sling." "Sorry, ma'am." "Dick humor, unique." "Shouldn't these be roadblocked?" "Now, in a perfect world we'd lock arms and thrash the bushes until he turned up." "In a perfect world, things like this wouldn't happen." "Adler, we're proceeding on FM 1491." "Our locals are heading out." "You want to follow them?" "No, we'll just keep cruising." "He'll turn up eventually." "Okay, we're gonna do some car shopping." "You ever play cowboys and Indians?" "See that Ford sedan?" "I want you to sneak over there like an Indian and take a peek." "See if the keys is in it." "Don't have to if you don't want to." "But I'd appreciate it, you being the navigator and all." "Hey, Phillip!" "Phillip!" "Check for a radio too." "It's got keys and a radio." "I checked." "Good man." "Can we stop at the filling station?" " What for?" " Number one." "This here's nature, Phillip." "You just pee over by the tree." " That's my car!" " Start, you son of a bitch!" "Get in the car, Phillip!" "Phillip, get in the car!" "Jump!" " Goddamn, how many RCs did you drink?" " Four." "Adler, if we get a clean shot, can we take it?" "Red, if they get a clean shot, should they take it?" "No." "I don't want any half-ass sergeant taking a potshot with a deer rifle." " Right thing to do, he's got the boy." " You figure he'll just give up." " Maybe, maybe not." " Well, now, there's a safe bet." "Well, he's better off now than he was." "That third eye Pugh is sporting in the morgue speaks otherwise." "Then why not just shoot to kill?" "Now, there's a brainstorm." "The roadblock's got the stolen vehicle's license." " You still want to go to the farm?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I got a hunch." "Never met a brown-eyed Phillip before." " Who are you named after?" " My daddy." " You and your old man get along?" " Yes, sir." "Toss the ball around, play grab-ass in the yard?" "No, sir." "Why the hell not?" "He ain't around, really." "Well, he is or he ain't." "When's the last time you saw him?" "Me and you got a lot in common, Phillip." "The both of us is handsome devils." "We both like RC Cola." "And neither one of us got an old man worth a damn." "My mama says he'll come back." "Probably when I'm 10 or so." "Well, she's lying to you, pure and simple." "All right?" "He ain't ever coming back." "Guys like us, Phillip we gotta be on our own." "Seek foolish destiny." "That sort of thing." "You responsible for the maintenance on that?" "That's right." "I'm the full-time driver." " What?" " It's slipping a bit going into second." "Seems like somebody's been heavy-footed with the clutch." "I'd put that on a list if I was you." "Well ain't no bodies here, thank God." " You got the keys to this vehicle?" " No." " See if we got a pry bar in the car." " Yes, sir." "Here you go, Red." " You might want to wait in the boat." " Please." "Well, there's our bureaucrat." "Nice to know the boy's in good hands." "Here." " I don't want" " Gallows humor, Sally." "Without it, we'd all be losing our lunch." " Want some water?" " No." "You ready to get into some britches?" "All right, then, let's go." "First, we gotta come up with some a.k.a.'s." "You know, fake identities." "Names to call each other when we're around other folks." "You go ahead and you think one up." " Whatever name you want." " Any name I want?" "Any name you want." "Well, hello there, and welcome to Friendly's." "Looks like he needs some pants." "As a matter of fact, shoes and new skivvies too." "He'll tell you his size." "Go with the lady, Buzz." " Buzz." " Buzz." "Go with the lady." "Buzz, what a cute little name." "Like a bee." "Oh, look, a friendly ghost." "Say "Boo."" "Boo." "Not very scary." "But you'll have a whole year to work on it." "It's a good price too." "What did you go as this year?" "A bandit." "Oh, shit!" " Pete." " Yeah?" "This is Terrance." "I think I got it." " What do you think?" " Look good." "Will that be all for you today, sir?" "You folks are about the grinningest bunch I ever seen." "Mr. Willits holds a contest every month." "The friendliest employee gets a $20 bonus." "Pete, I'm all set down here." "You?" "Copacetic." "Let's just keep him tied up till the state boys get here." "The hunt continues for Butch Haynes who escaped from the security unit over in Huntsville." "Haynes, 6'1", 185 pounds with brown hair, is armed and dangerous." " He was last seen in..." " Here are the clothes." "Buzz has his heart set on a Halloween costume for next year." "It's half off." " four miles south of Desdemona." "Complicating attempts to catch him Haynes has an 8-year-old boy with him as hostage." "Authorities have found the slain body..." "We'll get it next time." "Go wait in the car, son." " hostage taken by Haynes and his fellow escapee, Terry Pugh." "Billings ' body was found in the trunk of his car." "The car, used in the prison escape was discarded near a farm where another car was stolen this morning." "The stolen car is a yellow Ford sedan." "Anyone who spots it should contact law enforcement offiicials." "As we reported earlier, the body of Terry Pugh..." "You're truly the friendliest clerk I ever met." "Thank you for shopping Friendly's." "Copy, 149, hold your 20." "Damn!" "What the- What the hell?" "!" "He's coming back!" "Get out of there!" "We can't lose both vehicles!" "I knew something was wrong from the get-go." "Look, he left his little boy!" "He's got the Casper costume!" "He stole it!" "Buzz, you little shit!" "Shoplifting is a crime!" "Up to you, Buzz!" "You'll never get away with this, you little mister!" "You ain't so friendly." "Take them nasty skivvies off, put these jeans on." " What do you got there?" " A ghost suit." "From the store?" "You kiped it?" "Well, hell, Phillip, put it on." "You ain't mad?" "Let's understand each other." "Stealing's wrong, okay?" "But if there's something you need bad and you ain't got the money it's okay to take a loaner on the item." "It's what you call an exception to the rule." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "You don't want to get undressed in front of me?" "You embarrassed because I might see your pecker?" "It's puny." " What?" " It's puny." "Who told you that?" "Let me see." "Go on, I'll shoot you straight." "Hell, no, Phillip." "It's a good size for a boy your age." "Here they come." "He bought some tape, rope, and clothes for the kid." "The kid could have gotten away, but he didn't." " Probably scared to death." " Well, one more thing." " The kid stole a Halloween outfit." " So they're a team." "With a pit stop in Noodle, they're heading for the Panhandle." " There's more roads than people there." " How?" "Poor counties." "They half-finish a road, start another." "If anybody knows them back roads, it's Red." "Okay so I'm Robert Haynes." "Everybody calls me Butch." "I was born in Amarillo but grew up in the French Quarter in New Orleans." "What's she doing, Red?" "I killed a man when I was 8." "How did you kill him?" "Shot him with a .38." "There was always one lying around the dance hall." "That's what they called it, but it was a brothel." "We lived there." " What did the authorities do?" " Victim was wanted by the locals so the whole thing got swept under the carpet, Cajun-style." "They didn't even send him to the juvie?" "Put me in school." "I was three years behind, but I catch up." " Things are going pretty good now." " Yeah, they are for a while." " And when I'm 12, Mama dies." " What happened?" "Delilah Jane Haynes hung herself in the bathroom of the whorehouse." "Post-mortem check uncovered last-stage syphilis." " Where's your father?" " Nobody knows where he is." "Ditched when I was 6." "He was a small-time felon." "Popped back up after Mama died." "He'd just been put on parole, so he moves us back to Amarillo." " A year later, I'm back in trouble." " Kill somebody else?" "Saw a Ford coupe I couldn't resist." "So I took her for a spin." " Hell, that ain't no big deal." " That's what I thought." "But the judge didn't." "I got four years in Gatesville, toughest juvie in Texas." "That's where he learned to be a criminal." "We've seen that before." "Butch, why don't you tell us where you're headed and save us some trouble." "See, you missed it." "Because where I'm going isn't near as important as why I'm going there." "Shit!" "Because I'm running, they're chasing I'd just as soon go north, as south, as east, as west." "It's a fun little game but right now, Haynes doesn't have any idea where he's headed." "Hold your pointing finger along the line of the road, okay?" "Okay, you got three lines on a finger, don't you?" "Each one's an inch." "So how many inches to Childress?" "One two..." "Six." "You're a hell of a navigator, Phillip!" "A lot smarter than Terry." "Of course, who you gonna brag to about that?" "Lookie there!" " What is it?" " It's kind of like a silver whale." "And there's people inside, just like old Jonah in the Bible." "Go like this, maybe they'll honk back at us." " What do you think?" " Well, okay, do it." "The boy stole a Halloween costume?" " Which one?" " It was Casper the Friendly Ghost." " That was them passing us!" " What?" "!" " That was them!" " Turn around!" "Bradley, turn around!" "It's not safe to do more than 65 with this much load." "They're coming fast." "Get down in the seat and lay down." " Why?" " Hell, I don't know." "Because I said so." "You're burning her up!" "Hold on." " Come on!" " Take that wide!" " What're you doing?" " I'm following the fugitive, fool!" "What are you doing now?" "Uh, Red..." "Shit." "Red?" "Red's gonna be pissed now." "Oh, God!" "Are you trying to kill us?" "!" "Shit." "Yeah." " Oh, my God." " Idiot!" "Red, they wanna know if the boy looked okay." " He was laughing and waving." " Don't tell them that." "No." " They said the boy looked A-Okay." " Well, that's great." "He'll be fine, Mrs. Perry." "This'll be over before you know it." "You'll be home with your boy." "I promise." "I want you to know that I've okayed the use of a new high-tech mobile home from which to conduct this manhunt." "It's an amazingly futuristic piece of law enforcement equipment." "Started this road 20 years ago." "Still ain't finished." "It appears to me we got a decision to make." "It's up to you." "We can backtrack to the highway or we can try it on foot." "Where are we going?" "It's Alaska, Phillip." "Last of the wild frontier." " It's pretty." " It's beautiful." " You ever been there?" " No." "I just got the one postcard." "But anyhoo, back to our present dilemma." " You feel like a hike?" " How far?" "Can't be more than, say 1500 miles." "You're probably right." "Go give our supplies a check." " What's it look like?" " A soda, some gum, and half a moonpie." "Rations for one, at best." "Come on." "Red!" "The governor insists on having the trailer back for the parade tomorrow." "Tell him to come get it." "Yes, sir." " Where are we going?" " We're going trick-or-treating." " What's the matter?" " We're not allowed to trick-or-treat." "Huh?" "My mama doesn't allow it." " Trick-or-treating?" "Why not?" " Against our religion." "It's against your- What kind of foolishness is that?" "Jehovah's Witness." "Now, Phillip, I'm asking you." "I ain't asking your mother or Jehovah." "You wanna go trick-or-treating or not?" "Okay, all you gotta do is knock on the door." "And when they answer it, you say, "Trick or treat." Got it?" "Now, wait till they come." "Now, Phillip." "Trick or treat." "If you ain't the cutest little ghost I ever did see." " Say it again." " Trick or treat, ma'am." "Since Halloween was yesterday, you're gonna have to trick me." "And you missed them caramel popcorn balls I made up special." "Just wait right here." "Perfect." " What do you say, Phillip?" " Thank you." "Never underestimate the kindness of the common man, Phillip." "You sure there's no meat in there?" "Spam maybe?" "Vienna sausage, anything like that?" "Nothing." " Can you make some mustard sandwiches?" " Yes, sir." "Well, go to it." "Here, you can spread it with that." "Yeah, that one's mine." "Be right back." "Don't be stingy with that mustard, now." "Hold it right there." "You can go." "Butch!" "Butch!" " Phillip!" " Butch, help!" " Grab the kids." "Quick!" "Run!" " Phillip!" "Forget the car, Bob." "It's only got 1000 miles on it!" " Phillip, hit the brake!" " Butch!" "Oh, my!" " Bad brakes." " That was close." "Bob Fielder." "Edgar Poe." "That scared me silly." "You know, I just had her a couple months." " Yeah, she's a beaut, all right." " Yeah?" "Bob, what with my brake problem, I'd appreciate a lift." "Me and my boy live about five miles up the road." " I could pick up the car when I" " Butch!" "The brake, Phillip!" "Step on the brake!" "Hell of a job, Phillip!" "Never had a doubt!" "You all right?" "I'd be happy to move the kids there." "No trouble at all, Bob." "No trouble at all." "Thank you, sir." "All right, thank you." "Can I see your license, sir?" "All right, thank you very much." "Bye, now." " Can I see your license, please?" " What's the problem, officer?" "We got an escaped convict." "Have a nice trip." "Okay, thanks." " We got two cars at your disposal." " They got two cars they can give us." "Have them hold tight." "I think we got the best seat in the house right here." "Tell those roadblocks to call in dogs and move north." "We'll check every road and every farm between San Angelo and Sweetwater." "There's my Geritol." " Patsy, look at what you're doing." " Oh, no." "Here." "Look at what you did!" "What is wrong with you?" "I told you!" "Look at me." "I told you twice not to jump up and down, didn't I?" "Now, didn't I?" "It's all over your father's new car!" "Just get your bottom there and stay, both of you!" "It's okay, sugar." "Daddy still loves you." " So much for the new car smell." " All right!" "This'll be fine right here, Bob." "But I do have one more favor to ask." "Just a loaner, Bob." "Not to worry." "You'll get her back." "It's new, so if you'd keep it under 45 for 500 miles, I'd appreciate it." "You know I will, Bob." " They look funny." " Maybe." "But Bob did the right thing." "What if he'd put up a fight?" "I might've had to shoot him." "Where would that family be then?" "No, Bob's a fine family man." "That's about the best thing a fella can hope to be." "Hold on, we're almost there." "Keep together." "Got through at Aspermont." "Coerced a motorist." "Damn." "Call Amarillo and tell them we got a notion they're headed that way." "Okay, Red." "Tell you the truth, I hope they make it over the border." "Let the feds take it." "I got things I could be doing." "I'm hungry." "We got any food?" " I don't know." "Let me look." " Sir...?" " Red, they got T-bones in the fridge." " Those were ordered special for" " And Tater Tots!" " He might not approve of this." "That so?" "I do like Tater Tots." "Can't find a coon-ass waltz to save my ass." "That stuff you told me about not trick-or-treating because of Jehovah was you pulling my leg?" "No, sir." " What else ain't you supposed to do?" " We don't get Christmas." " You're shitting me." " No birthdays, nor parties neither." "You've never been to a carnival neither, have you?" "No." " Cotton candy?" " Seen that once." "It's red." "No, it's not, it's pink." "Never ate none though." " Roller coasters?" " Seen pictures." "You have a goddamn American right to eat cotton candy, ride roller coasters." "I do?" "Hell yes, you do." "Faster, Butch!" "Faster!" "Faster!" "Yeah!" "Come on, Butch, faster!" "Yes, sir." " You fellas dig in now." " All right." "It's hot." "You think you're pretty smart, now, don't you?" "Excuse me?" "Well, you ain't smart, but, goddamn, you are pretty." "Please." "I think business and pleasure should just naturally mix, don't you?" "I mean, take me." "I love my work." "So did Hitler." "Goddamn, you got a mouth on you." "How do you like your steak, Sally?" "Rare." "Good." "I'll wipe its ass, herd it through, and you can tear off a slab." "On second thought, medium rare." "I don't care who you work for." "You're here for one reason only." "You hear me?" "Anything else, chief?" "Yeah." "You're in my office." "Get out." "Here you go." "Thank you, Father, for your bountiful nature and goodness." "Amen." "Now, dig in, Buzz." "We call him that because he eats like a buzzard." "If it's dead, he'll swoop and chow." "You Dottie?" "Eileen." "Dottie died." "Her son runs the place, but he ain't never here." "Never?" "He leaves around 4." "You know, not much traffic after lunch." "If you need me, I'll be right over here." "Eat your food." " Buzz, you can eat mine if you want." " No, thank you." "Very polite." "Well, I try hard but, you know, since his mama died..." "My mama's not dead." "Okay, Buzz, go on out in the parking lot and chuck some rocks." "So is she dead or not?" "Well, his biological mother is alive." "She gave him up for adoption to me and my wife." "My dead wife, that is." "She is... was Phil" "Buzz's stepmother." "So she's his mom." "Was his mom." "Stepmom." "But she's dead." "I am so sorry." "Nosy little fella." "Get in the car." "You mad at me?" "No." "You kissed her, huh?" "Just barely." "Why?" "Because it feels good." " Ain't you seen your mama kiss a man?" " No." "You kissed her backside, huh?" "Well, it's kind of hard to explain, I" "I know how it must've looked." " Hell, I don't know how it looked." " Do you love her?" " Who?" " The lady who cooked the hamburger." "Yeah, Phillip." "Yeah, I love her." "I kissed her butt, didn't I?" "If things go our way we'll be in Alaska in four or five days." "Get the jump on winter." "What's wrong?" "I want to go home." " Then why didn't you stay at the store?" " Because." " Because why?" " Because I stole." "They'll put me in jail." "I'll probably go to hell." "Same difference, Phillip." "Same difference." "We'll get you home soon." "I swear, okay?" " Butch?" " Yeah." "I can drive." "Done proved that, ain't you?" "There's lots and lots of stuff you can do." "Lots and lots of stuff." "Reach in that glove box there." "See if Bob's got a notepad or something." "Good old Bob." " Can you write?" " I can print." "Good enough." "Make a list of everything you ever wanted to do but wasn't allowed to." "Like what?" "Like cotton candy." "Cotton candy." "Hell, I don't know, it's your list." " Butch?" " Yeah." "How do you spell "rocket ship"?" "I'll let those fellas get a little more shut-eye." "A few more hours of it, anyway." "We'll get the patrol cars in the morning and head up the Panhandle." "Does that bring back any memories?" "You got a file on me too?" "Hey, it's the '60s, Red." "They got a file on everybody, right?" "Just because it's written down, that don't mean it's true." "True, absolutely." "But you did work as county sheriff in Amarillo and Austin before you became a Ranger." "Right so far?" "Haynes' juvenile court record lists you as amicus curiae:" "Evidence given by a non-party with the intention of swaying the judge." "Usually it comes in written form, but there was no copy attached." "Silence." "Okay." "At least tell me why Haynes did four years for a joyride, huh?" "What about probation?" "The boy had a home, a father." "What do your files say about him?" "It says he was a thief who did some time, got out and stayed pretty clean." "Your precious files are wrong." "Okay." "So tell me the truth." "Haynes' old man, he was a career criminal with a soft spot for whores." "One thing's for sure he beat the hell out of anything he ever came across, screwed or fathered." "If I" "If the judge had let the boy go with him he'd have a rap sheet as long as your arm within a year." "Gatesville isn't so bad." "I've known kids there who straightened up." "One even became a priest." "I don't get it." "Well, you don't get it." "In Texas, the bottom line is who you know and what they owe you." "That's how I do my job." "It's how you got your job." "You are tough, aren't you?" "I bought that judge a T-bone, and I told him to send the boy up." "I told him it was the right thing to do." "The judge went with me, right down the line." "Butch." "Come on, Butch." "Butch, wake up!" "Butch." "I didn't mean to scare you." "I work at night." "Cooler." "Your car break down?" "No, me and my boy was just catching some shut-eye in your field." "Oh, I don't own it." "I just work it for Mr. Andrews." "Where you all from?" "Drove from Texarkana yesterday." " Long haul." " You said a mouthful there." "No sense sleeping in the car when I got a foldout couch in there." "Don't wanna put you out." "Gotta get on the road." "No trouble." "I'll wake you at first light." "Fill your belly with some food." "Send you on your way." "All right." "He wake you all up?" "Now, I told you not to do that." "No." "It's no harm, ma'am." "I'm Lottie, Mack's wife." "This here's my grandbaby, Cleveland." "Name's Cleve." "I'm 6." "I'm 8." "Mine's Phil" "Buzz." "We got us a creek down the way." "Wanna go?" "Sure thing." " Morning to you." " Morning." " Rest done you all good, huh?" " Want a plate?" "No." "Hey, boy, run out there and get my the" "Hey, you can't hear me or something?" "Boy ain't got sense God give a chicken." "You want me to stay on Highway 70?" "No, head on up towards Amarillo." "We'll either cross him down there, or wave goodbye at the border." "Again." "Do it again." "Where's the boy's mother?" "We left her at home this time." "Boys' night out kind of thing." "Say, lookie here." "Lookie here!" "Mr. Andrews gave it to us when he got himself a newfangled one." "Jesus." "Now, this is music." "You know how long it's been since I heard this?" "Oh, that's an oldie, all right." "Mrs. Andrews' maiden name was Bourgeois." "Half Creole herself, she is." "Mr. Andrews, he don't like nobody to know." "I suppose that's why he give them to us." " all-you-can-eat fiish fry on Thursday at 7:00 in the school cafeteria." "Tickets are 3.50 each." "You can stuff your kids for half that." "Dance, Lottie?" " Me?" "Goodness, no." " Here." "Just follow me." " Mr. Poe, you sure can move." " Well, I ought to be able to." "I was raised in a dime-a-dance whorehouse." " You're fooling me." " No, ma'am." "My mama would dance out of the frying pan and into the back room fire." "Get on your feet, Buzz." " You and Cleve shake a leg." " Okay." "Well, go on." "Go on!" "Dance, boys." "Spin me!" "Night before last, a man escaped from maximum security with another convict:" "Terry James Pugh, who was found dead near Ben Hur, Texas." "Shot through the head at close range." "Haynes took a hostage, a young boy" "We'll be leaving soon enough." "I'll kill all of you, you try anything stupid." "What's wrong, Mack?" "You look like you seen a ghost." "Come on, Buzz." " Time to hit the road." " Do me again." "Get back over here, now." " Come on." " Come on, now!" " Come on, mister." "Do me again." " Come on!" "What'd you wanna go and hit Cleve for?" "He didn't move fast enough for you?" "Is that it?" "Maybe he gets excited sometimes." "He don't hear everything you say!" "You make me sick to my stomach." "Point it at him." " I don't wanna." " Point it!" "Now, you wanna flip, son?" "Sure you do." "Just put your hands between your legs." "I'm not gonna hurt you." "He don't trust you no more." "You gotta earn that, you know." "Go ahead, put your hands between your legs." "Buzz, go out to the car, get that rope." "Phillip!" "Now, you hold that boy, and you tell him you love him." "Cleve, I love you." "No, old man!" "Say it like you mean it." " This boy knows I love him." " Say it!" "Please, mister." "I got a sense about you." "I know you a good man." "No, I ain't a good man." "I ain't the worst neither." "Just a breed apart." "Now, say it, Mack." "Say it!" "It don't cost nothing." "Cleve I love you." "God that's beautiful." "Get on your knees." "Put your hands behind your back." "You can go wait in the car or you can watch." "You're old enough to think for yourself." "Close your eyes, Cleve." "Lottie, you hold the boy tight." "You shut your eyes too." "Please ain't no use in it." "Mister, I'll give you everything we got." "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." "Mack, Cleve, say it with me." "Give us this day our daily bread." "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "For thine is the kingdom and the power and" "Forever and ever." "Amen." "Phillip?" "Thanks for your hospitality." "Phillip?" "What the hell?" "That was a hell of a thing to do, Phillip!" "You're a hero!" "Probably be in all the papers tomorrow how you saved those folks." "Truth is I don't think I'd have killed them though." "Only killed two people in my whole life." "One hurt my mama one hurt you." "What say we talk this over?" "Settle things man-to-man." "Then we can be on our way." "I'll even" "I'll even let you drive." "Knock that right off your list." "How would that be?" "That's his car." "He's afoot." "And he's got a pistol." "Mack says it looks like a .38." "Alaska, Phillip." "Wild and woolly." "Man against nature." "Me personally, I like them odds." "I tell you my daddy lives there?" "He's a..." "He's the one sent the picture postcard." "Listen here what he says about it." ""Dear Robert:" "Just wanted to tell you that me leaving has nothing to do with you." "Alaska is a very beautiful place, colder than hell most all the time." "Someday you can come and visit and we'll maybe get to know each other better."" "Short and sweet." "That's the old man's style." "We'll just rest a while." "Then you make up your mind." "How's that, Phillip?" "Town called Happy over in Swisher County." "Radio ahead so whoever gets there takes it nice and easy." "Governor's having the mother flown in." "You want her on standby?" " Good idea." " Yeah, have her helicoptered in." "Well, one thing's for sure now." "I definitely believe in ghosts." "Never been shot before." "I'm sorry." "I know you are." "Truth is, if it had to happen, I'm" "I'm glad it was you." "As opposed to someone I don't know, I mean." "All things considered I feel pretty good." "Listen up, boys!" "You better run." "No, Phillip." "I need me a time machine with a loud radio to take me where I'm going." "Walking's for squares." "Hand me that shotgun." " You don't think he'll hurt the boy?" " No, he won't." "Garnett." "Tom Hendricks, fbi." " You have one of our men with you?" " We do." " We cordoned off the area." " Tight?" "Watertight." "Like a frog's pussy." "Sorry, ma'am." "No doubt an observation based on personal experience." "Where are they?" "By the pond, behind that dogleg tree." "Officers are in a circle around them 100 yards away." "You got no problem if I handle this?" "What say we both handle it?" " Bradley." " Sir?" "Get me a megaphone." " One other thing, chief." " Huh?" "Haynes is wounded." "The boy gut-shot him." "You're kidding?" "Red." "Megaphone." "Butch Haynes." "This is Red Garnett of the Texas Rangers." "I know you're hurt." "We got 20, 30 armed men up here." "I'm shooting you straight." "All this for me?" "I'm touched." "I'm afraid you'll have to back it up a step or two." "I'm headed to Mexico!" "You're headed the wrong direction." "Lying to them, of course." "I'll tell you what." "You let the boy go, you and I'll talk about it." "Well, I appreciate the offer, captain!" "But you know I can't do that!" "If you and your pals back out of here, well I'll drop the boy at the border!" "If you don't, I'll shoot him in the head!" "I mean it!" "Don't look at me like that." "I don't even have a gun." "What did you do with the pistola anyway?" "Dropped it in the well." "That's good thinking." "They get away, we're where we started." " He kills the boy, he'll get the chair." " He's killed two in two days." " We don't know he killed them." " Well, he wasn't sitting at home." " Besides, who killed Pugh?" "Casper?" " All right, knock it off!" "By the look of things, it won't make too much difference." " Concentrate on getting the boy." " Where do you want me, sir?" "Right here on the hood." "Can you handle that one?" "Yes, I can, sir." "Excuse me." "See, Phillip?" "Dreams do come true." " There's your rocket ship." " You think I'll get a ride in it?" "Today's the day." " That would be the boy's mother." " Go help her out, Adler." "All right, Butch." "We got the boy's mama here." " What's wrong?" " It's my mama." "Now that you got yourself a ghost suit think she'll let you trick-or-treat?" "I got to do one house." "Come here." "Put your" " Put your mask back on." "Turn around and scare them." "Hello?" "Please." "He's my only son." "I'll give you money, whatever I can." "Please!" "I just wanna take him home with me." "Goddamn this son of a bitch." " Let me see it, Red." " Here, Bradley." "You ready to go home?" "Yes, sir." "Hey, captain!" "You got any candy?" "What?" "Candy!" "You know, Halloween candy!" "Popcorn balls caramel apples, gum!" "Shit like that." "You all hungry?" "You find me some candy I'll deliver up a ghost!" " I got it." " Get candy." "Okay, everybody!" "Got any gum, candy?" "Any Juicy Fruit?" "Put it in there." "Let's go!" "Come on." "We ain't got any time." "She's gotta take him trick-or-treating every year!" " You all set?" " You say when, I'll say dead." " Give me your list." " Butch?" "Give me your list." "Come on." "Come on, come on." "One more thing!" "She's gotta promise to take him to the fair for roller coasters and cotton candy whenever he wants!" "I wanna go home." "My mama's not bad." "She gives me those things." "Don't kid a kidder, Phillip." "I know just- I know just how you feel, Phillip." "She promises!" "Make her say it!" "I promise!" " Can we trust her?" " She's a real good mama." "When you get home, you hide this." "You're not bad, are you, Butch?" "Yeah." "Now, listen, Buzz." "I want you" "All right, now I want you to step out there real slow keeping your paws in the air." "All right, now I want you to strut over to them cops and yell, "Trick or treat."" " What are you gonna do?" " Something will come to mind." "Bye, Phillip." "It's been one hell of a ride." "All right, captain!" "Make way for Casper the Friendly Ghost!" "Friendliest ghost I know." "Put your mask on." "Put your paws in the air." "Now go tell them like I told you to." "Red..." "Take a look at this." "Oh, it's him..." "Come on, boy." "Keep walking." "Keep walking, boy!" " Call your boy." " Run!" "Phillip, run!" "Phillip, honey, come on!" "Phillip!" " He thought better of releasing him." " It doesn't mean that." "Personally, I think we negotiated a pretty fair deal." "Unless there's something else you want?" "Do they want to shoot you?" " Stay on ready." " Yes, sir." "Well, I've seen it all now." " What's he up to?" " Damned if I know." "He's giving himself up." "Keep in mind, he still has a gun." "So I guess- I guess that's it for Alaska, Phillip." "Chief, we got an armed killer and an innocent boy out there." " You clean?" " As a whistle." "All right, you keep him locked down." "Don't squeeze till I say when." "Where the hell you going?" "I'm unarmed so throw your gun down." "If I had a pistola I'd be headed in the other direction." "My partner here, he got- He got rid of the evidence." "Do I know you, friend?" "No." "Not really." "Well, look, I wanna talk to the boy." "Then we can take care of business." "How's that?" "Only take a second." "Okay." "I wanna give you something." "Hold him." "If he makes a move..." "Give it a second." "Maybe someday you'll get to go" "He's going for his weapon!" "No!" " Oh, God, no!" " Keep everybody back!" "Butch!" "Damn, Buzz." "Shot twice in the same day." "No need to worry." "Can't hurt nobody now." "Oh, my God!" "Doesn't have a gun, chief." " Back off!" " Easy, Red!" " What the hell was that all about?" " I didn't say "when."" "Goddamn it!" "Red, I thought he had a gun too." "There was just no way of knowing." "You know you did everything you could don't you?" "I don't know nothing." "Not one damn thing."