All language subtitles for The.Firm.1993

Stroke! Stroke!

Stroke! Stroke!

Stroke! Stroke!

Come on, come on.

Pick him up, pick him up.

Son of a bitch!

I mean, Your Honor,
that was a hell of a shot.

Well, I'm currently doing an
externship for two extra credits

as a clerk for Judge Hookstratten.

B.J. Hookstratten?

That's more impressive
than being in the top 5%.

Look, I don't know what kind of offers
you've had from Wall Street...

The top five, sir. In my class.

Not the top 5%.
I'm sorry, I just...

Mr. McDeere, we've just
offered you $68,000 a year

from arguably the leading
law firm in Chicago.

Is there somewhere else
you have to be?

Yes, sir. I have a job.
I'm just on lunch break.

I know you've
had a lot of offers.

Did you know, for example,
that we have 127 clients

that are Fortune 500 companies?
Now, look, we'll offer you $74, 000...

...our billing requirement for a
first-year associate is only 2,000 hours,

not the usual 25 or 26 or 2,700.

We want you to have a
life outside the office, Mitch.

And if you're a Lakers fan,
we have a fabulous box at the Forum.

I know there are firms
from all over the country

that have been up here
offering you everything.

But with your ability and ambition,
there is only one place for you,

and that's with our
firm in Washington...

Let's stop talking
about the ribbon on the package,

and start talking about
what's in the package.

One of our partners is an
ex-governor, two are congressmen

and one's a former
Senator of Agriculture.

May I take your coat, sir?

- Mitchell McDeere, right?
- Yes.

Lamar Quinn. Come on in.

I'd like you to meet

- Oliver Lambert, our senior partner.
- Mitch. Mitch.

- How do you do, sir?
- This is Royce McKnight,

- our managing partner.
- How do you do, sir?

- Welcome.
- Care for a drink?

- No, I'm fine.
- Take a seat, Mitch.

Tired of interviews?

No, sir. I just don't
quite know what to say.

Unusual for a lawyer.

I can get tongue-tied in any
number of situations, sir,

but it's usually with my wife.

Would you mind describing one,
with your wife?

The first time I saw her.

Any time we argue.

Whenever she walks into a room,
as a matter of fact.

Might we ask
about the rest of your family?

My father was killed
in the coal mines

and my mother remarried
and lives in Florida.

Brothers and sisters?

None.

Mitch, I hope you don't
think us intrusive,

but stability in the family
has a special importance for us.

Bendini, Lambert & Locke
is just a small Memphis firm,

41 lawyers.

But we're a large family.
So we're careful.

Now, sir, do you have
any questions for us?

Do you have an offer in mind?

It includes a bonus schedule,

a low-interest mortgage
so you can buy a home,

country club membership,
and we'll lease you a new Mercedes.

You pick the color, Mitch.

Lamar, you haven't been
paying attention.

His wife picks the color.

- Do I... Do I open it here?
- Of course.

Unless you can tell us what's in it.

A lawyer worth that offer
shouldn't have to open the envelope.

Mr. McKnight, you are
the managing partner

at Bendini, Lambert & Locke,
is that correct?

Yes.

Did Mr. Lambert, as senior partner,

give you any instructions
regarding my employment?

He did.

And, Mr. McKnight, do you usually
follow Mr. Lambert's instructions?

Objection.
Vague. Ambiguous.

Sustained.

What precisely were
those instructions?

That you were in great demand,
and I should make certain

that we obtained your services before
a bidding situation developed.

How did you go about making certain?

I bribed a clerk in the Harvard
Law placement office

for the exact amount
of the highest offer,

and then added 20%.

Mitch, the letter you got
from Bendini, Lambert & Locke

was the only one sent out.
We want you.

Okay.

You're gonna have to leave now.
I'm expecting my husband.

The hell with him.

Come here.

Moo shu pork, Szechwan beef,
mandarin duck from Wong Boys.

It's even got a cork.

What's going on?

You remember the letter I got
from that firm in Memphis?

Memphis?

That's what I thought,
until their offer.

What was the offer?

They didn't say.
It's in there.

It's sealed.

I guessed.

What?

Yeah, but I'm a good guesser.

Plus a 5% increase the second year.

Why?

"Why?"
Whose side are you on anyway?

Yours.

Plus bonuses, plus
a low interest mortgage...

As in a home,
with grass around it?

They want to fly us down
to Memphis for a little visit.

If you've been in one limo,
you've been in them all.

Bye. See you later, Your Honor.

Sir.

Hey, Mitch.

Come on, associates first,

then lunch with the partners
in our private dining room.

He's our number one
draft pick, so to speak,

and he's being romanced
by the big boys

from New York and Chicago
and everywhere else,

so we have to sell him on
our little firm here in Memphis.

Meanwhile, he's gonna try
not to be embarrassed

while I remind you that he's about to
graduate from Harvard with honors.

Hear, hear.

No one's divorced in the Firm?

No one's divorced in the Firm.

- Impossible.
- No bachelors either.

What about women?

- They had one once.
- Only one?

Alice Krauss,
wobbled around on 4" heels.

Affirmative action on stilts.

All white, all male,
all married, huh?

- What the hell is this?
- There he goes.

Hey!

It's different from the northeast.

The pace, we're almost stately
by comparison.

Courteous and not as gossipy.

We keep each other's secrets.

I like that.

What do you like about it?

All of it. It's a family.
Just the way you said.

For the last three years,

I've been teaching in the Boston
area at a private school.

Do you work?

Well, not since
I put Lamar through law school.

But, you know,
working isn't forbidden.

- Forbidden?
- Working, by the Firm, you know.

- How could it be forbidden?
- It isn't.

Anyway, two babies in 14 months
and I had all the work I could handle.

- Do you plan to start a family?
- Maybe in a couple of years.

The Firm encourages children.

How do they do that exactly?

Hey, how about it?

How about it.

Okay, okay. The Love Boat band,
the secret recipe ribs,

they're a little square maybe...

I don't mind square.
I like square. Weird, I mind.

What do you mean, "weird"?

Well, here's a quote.

"The Firm does not forbid me to take
a job, and they encourage children."

Ask me why.

Because they love kids.

Because children promote stability.

Want to hear more?

No, you're right.

Don't pay any attention. I'm just gonna
throw myself over the rail.

- I think my will is self-explanatory.
- Okay, okay, okay.

These are nice people, Abby.

These are nice people.
Okay.

I'm more impressed with it than you are.
You grew up with it.

Do you know what
$96,000 a year is here?

It's like 150 in New York.

Did you ever think
I'd make a six-figure salary?

Absolutely.

You did?

Well, your folks! Your folks
are only a few hours away, too.

You mean, if we fight,
I don't have far to drive.

Exactly.

She made two
phone calls from the hotel,

one to her parents
and one to the Memphis School Board.

She seemed a little reluctant.

I'd hate to lose this young man.

I think she'll come around.

What about Kozinski and Hodges?

Have you spoken to Chicago?

I have.

It's not good.

We're gonna have to do something.

I drew the happy face.

Where's Memphis?

Is that it?

- Yeah?
- It looks different.

It's prettier than the
pictures they sent.

"Mitch and Abby, we've taken the liberty
of furnishing the house temporarily.

"Just a few things
to make you feel at home.

"Hope you don't mind."

Abby!

Not bad, huh?

Where's yours?

- Don't get up.
- Don't worry.

Mitchell McDeere.

Tad eager are we, Mr. McDeere?

What are you doing?

Dutch says you've been
here since 6:30.

I thought I'd jump start
the bar exam work.

Good. No associate has ever
failed the bar exam, you know.

Come on.
I'll show you your new office.

Wally Hudson, Contracts.

- Here to help with the bar exam.
- Thanks, Wally.

No associate of the Firm
has ever failed the bar exam.

The first day is a four-hour
multiple choice on ethics.

Look at the first six chapters.
I'll see you Wednesday, 8:45.

Oh, no associate of this firm
has ever failed the bar exam.

No kidding.

- Ken Curry. Domestic Relations.
- Mike Allen. Wills and Estates.

Nina.

Fuck! Please.

I'm sorry. Can I help you?

Actually,
I think I'm here to help you.

I'm Avery Tolar,
your designated mentor.

Let's go to lunch.

Lunch? But it's not even...

Not even noon, I know.
It will be a working lunch.

Come on up to my office
while I drop this off.

Everything depends on billing.

How many hours you spend
even thinking about a client.

I don't care if you're stuck in traffic
or shaving or sitting on a park bench.

Now, my particular field...

Is forming limited partnerships
for offshore corporations,

mainly in the Cayman Islands.

Good. I want you to review the last one
I did for a client named Sonny Capps.

He made over 14 million last year,

paid less than 4% in taxes
and resents every buck of it.

But he paid us $400,000 in fees,
so I don't want to make him unhappy.

Take a look at the deal,
see if you can come up with anything.

Madge, tell him
I'll call him in the morning, please.

Yes, Mr. Tolar.
Should I save these for later?

- Could you, please?
- What do you mean by "anything"?

What do you think I mean?

I don't know, you're the risk taker.

Do you think I'm talking
about breaking the law?

No, I'm just trying to figure out
how far you want it bent.

As far as you can
without breaking it.

In other words,
don't risk an IRS audit.

I don't give a damn about an audit.
They just better not win.

Yes, Mr. Tolar?

Something before lunch?

I should warn you the Firm frowns
on drinking during office hours.

Iced tea, please.

Bombay martini on the rocks,
Ellis, three olives.

On the way.

Senator.

I'm allowed a few minor rebellions.

- Put that in the bedroom, please.
- Hey, hon, I made you some tea.

Kay, please. I've never had so many
people trying to do things for me.

It's the South, Abby.
We encumber you with hospitality.

Would you like to have your phone
programmed for speed dialing, ma'am?

Other than my husband's office number,
let's see, that's...

We have it, Mrs. McDeere. We do all
the installations for the Firm.

Oh.

What led you to law school?

- I can't remember, really.
- Sure you can, Counselor.

I was a delivery boy
for a pizza parlor.

One day the owner
got a notice from the IRS.

He was an immigrant,
didn't know much English,

even less about withholding tax.

He went bankrupt.
Lost his store.

That was the first time
I thought of being a lawyer.

In other words, you're an idealist.

I don't know any tax lawyer
who's an idealist.

When he lost his store, I lost my job,
and it scared me.

- Being out of work?
- No.

What the government
can do to anybody.

What about you?
What led you to law school?

It's so far back
I don't think I can remember.

Sure you can, Counselor.

I used to caddie for young lawyers
off from work on weekdays

and their wives.

I'd look at those long tan legs
and just knew I had to be a lawyer.

The wives had long tan legs, too.

Ellis, another martini, please.

So we're not a couple of idealists.

Heaven forbid.

- Hi.
- Hi.

I'll let Mrs. Quinn know you're here.

- Are you sure it's today?
- That's what he told me.

Kay?

There's been...

Marty Kozinski and
Joe Hodges were killed.

We just got word
about 20 minutes ago.

Did you meet them at the barbecue?

What happened, Kay?

We're not sure.

They were diving off a boat
on Grand Cayman,

and then there was some
kind of explosion on the boat.

Lamar?

Marty was...

His twin girls are a month
older than our son.

I'm very sorry, Lamar.

Oh.

By the way, Oliver
wanted me to tell you,

you shouldn't be burdened
with a student loan.

Excuse me?

If you bring the papers by tomorrow,
the Firm will repay it for you.

Kay was scared.

What? No, she was upset.

There is a difference between
being upset and being scared.

She was scared.

Of what?
What, do you know her that well?

Maybe not.

But I've spent
a lot of time with her lately.

They have their own horses.

Two of them. Quarter Horses.

Does that make half a horse?

Sorry. I...

...and gently wipe away
every tear from our eyes.

In the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let us pray.

Lord our God, you are always faithful
and quick to show mercy.

Our brother Marty was suddenly
and violently taken from us.

Come swiftly to his aid.

Have mercy on him,

and comfort his family and friends

by the power
and protection of the cross.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us go in the peace of Christ.

I'm just gonna
go say goodbye to Oliver.

- Okay?
- Okay.

- I'll catch up with you.
- All right.

Mrs. McDeere, I'm Avery Tolar.

Oh!

You're the reason I see so little
of my husband these days.

He must be the most
ambitious man in the world.

One of them.

No, I mean leaving you every
day just to go off to work.

I'm sure you could manage.

Just tell me how.

Did you know them well?
The men who died?

Yes.

You must be overwhelmed with grief.

People grieve in different
ways, Mrs. McDeere.

Abby!

Hey, Hearsay, come here.

Shit.

- Is he in?
- Yes, Mr. Tolar.

Hell of a proposal, kiddo.

Just redraft this section
on repatriation of offshore funds.

I need it tomorrow.

- Tomorrow? I need another week!
- Can't have it, pal.

You and I are flying to the Caymans
tomorrow morning

to take on Mr. Sonny Capps
personally.

But the bar exam!

It will be here when
you get back, kiddo.

Shall I stay, Mr. McDeere?

Would you like me
to pick you up a sandwich?

No, I'm fine, Nina. Thank you.
You go on home.

- Good night.
- Good night.

- So what's good here?
- I'm just having coffee.

I'm going with the steak sandwich.

Two steak sandwiches on rolls,
please.

Two steak sandwiches on rolls.

You with Bendini,
Lambert & Locke?

Yeah. How did you...

Ah! Sorry, I'm just a little...

It looks like
they're working you to death.

They do that with new associates,
I guess.

- I've just been with them now...
- Eight weeks.

Sorry, guys.
I'm just a little punchy.

That firm looks like
a health hazard.

- Hours they make you keep.
- Kind of work they make you do.

Kozinski and Hodges.

Bob Lamm and Alice Krauss.

That's four dead lawyers out of 41
in less than 10 years.

And none of them
over the age of what, 45?

I mean, that beats the hell out of any life
insurance tables I've ever heard about.

Who are you guys?

Could we get those
sandwiches to go, please?

We'll probably see each other again.

The car wouldn't start.

I got

caught in this incredible accident,
12 cars, maybe 13.

There was a pregnant woman
in one of them.

I had to help deliver the baby.

It was a girl.

They said they're gonna
name her Abigail.

Come on, Abby. Why do you think
I'm working like this, huh?

- 'Cause I want you to have all the stuff...
- Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

I never asked for anything, Mitch,
except for us to be together.

But I want to give it to you.

I want to give you everything
you gave up to marry me.

Stop it.

It's sweet. I know.

It's some kind of courtship,
but I don't need all that.

Just bring me flowers sometime.

What were you working on all night?

Just, you know, it's...

It's just this stuff Avery's got
me doing for the Cayman trip.

Hey, want to have some eggs?

I had some eggs.

Want to have some naked?

You don't even know
what moves me about you, do you?

Mitch, I know what you want,
but it's not for me.

It's not even for you.
And you know it.

It's easy for somebody rich
to talk about being poor

like it's some fly that's bothering
you and you just wave it away.

This isn't about rich or poor.

This is about trying to fix something
that won't get fixed with 10 Mercedes.

Hey, that's not fair, Abby!
That's not fair!

This is about a mother
in a trailer park.

And a brother you
pretend you don't have.

Have a nice trip.

Just follow me,
and don't over-breathe.

What about Sonny Capps?

I thought we were under
a lot of pressure.

We're under
tremendous pressure.

If we don't get this dive in
before the bank, we can't do it.

You can't dive and then
fly within 24 hours.

I don't see how you can dive
so soon after the accident.

We don't even know what happened
to Kozinski and Hodges.

Hey, there was a
plane crash last week.

We didn't take a boat
to the Caymans, did we?

That's ridiculous, Sonny.

Let us sit down with you
for five minutes. Thank you.

Son of a bitch pays less than 5% tax
and wants to fire us. The Hyatt!

This new plan
is very aggressive, Sonny,

and it defers all your tax liability for
years. And you could start right away.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.
I can't talk right now.

These taxes are only deferred, right?

The future value of the tax dollars will
be less than half their present value.

- Who says?
- After the election...

Are you telling me who's gonna be in
the White House the next four years,

'cause that would be
valuable information.

- Well...
- Mr. Tolar has a plan that...

That meets all your needs,
whoever's in the White House.

- Let him tell me.
- He's been trying to.

Hey, who the fuck are you?
His lawyer or mine?

- Neither one, sir.
- What the fuck are you doing here?

Sonny, you're not the Firm's
only concern here.

We put you into deals
with other clients

where they may be very sensitive

about exposing their relationships
to outside attorneys.

You hear that, Counselor?
That's a veiled threat.

If you're talking about our friends
in Chicago,

they don't make money
when I pay you fees.

You make money when I pay you fees.

They make money
being in business with me.

And as long as
they're making money,

they don't give a flying fuck
who does my taxes.

Hey, you don't know me.
I'm a nice guy.

You lose a million bucks for me,

I'm not gonna hurt you.
I'm not gonna break your legs.

Sonny, let's don't get carried
away here, all right?

What did I say?

Maybe it's what you didn't say.

- "What I didn't say." What didn't I say?
- Thank you.

Mr. Tolar handed you a schedule

that virtually guarantees you
zero tax with zero risk.

The basis of your stock would be the
face amount of the installment note,

but the stock would have no value.

Even so, it's deducted
in offsets income.

You defer your tax in full
even though you have a bankable LC.

- Deferred till when?
- What do you care?

Whenever it is, it's still the best
interest free loan you'll ever get.

So the worst is, I pay my
taxes much, much later.

No.

The worst thing is next year
they're going to close the loophole,

change the regs and if
you haven't grabbed this proposal,

you're gonna feel like
you were fucked

with a dick big enough
for an elephant to feel it.

You know that for a fact?

Hey, you like the word "protege"?
I never had one. You ever been one?

I'm A, you're B, right next door.

Avery, who's in Chicago?

We'll get to all that.

The hell with it.

Clean up and come on over.

You earned a good dinner
and a night out.

Hey.

I lost my son.

Don't you think I would have
screamed bloody murder

if I thought something was wrong?

You're right, Mr. Abanks, I'm sorry.
Okay? You're right. I'm sorry.

Nothing to bury even.
Just a stone.

They never did find him
or the other two.

What other two?

The other two who split the charter.

Your friends and two other guys.

- Lawyers?
- They were in swim suits.

They paid cash.

Were they American?

Could have been anything.
One was, I don't know, squat, heavy.

Other guy had long blond hair,
almost white, with weird blue eyes.

- Mitch?
- Yeah.

Grab a Red Stripe out of the fridge.

I'm a little slow.

Take your time.

I'm trying to look as pretty as you,
which I'm convinced I can.

It just takes me a little longer.

You got anything to munch on?

Yeah, there's a thing full of
stuff next to the fridge.

It's got a lock on it. Use that key
from the ring I gave you.

Do you see it?

Yeah, sure.

You find something?

Listen, Capps is a tough guy,
but he's also a blowhard.

He loves to give the impression
that he's connected.

Thinks it's glamorous.

He said a couple of things.

Hey, you're about to
take the bar exam.

Here's a multiple choice.

The difference between tax
avoidance and tax evasion is...

A, whatever the IRS says.

B, a smart lawyer.

C, 10 years in prison.

D, all of the above.

Being a tax lawyer's
got nothing to do with the law.

It's a game.

We teach the rich how to play it,

so they can stay rich.

The IRS keeps changing the rules

so we can keep getting rich
teaching them.

It's a game. One you just
played very, very well.

Where's your beer?

I decided to wait for the rum.
I hear it's good down here.

Everything's good down here.
You deserve a taste of all of it.

I think that since we're
here on this island,

there's things we can do on it,
you know, primitive things.

Come on, you deserve it.

Look, I don't mean to hurt your
feelings, but this isn't gonna happen.

Would you tell my friend
I went back to the condo?

You don't know what you're missing.

Thanks anyway.

- Leave me alone!
- Listen to me.

Are you all right?

It's okay.
Just wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Can I look at this?

You're not a doctor.

No, but I've

sprained a lot of ankles.

Mostly mine.

You should ice this.

You should also report that guy.

That was your boyfriend.

That was for money.

Oh.

- Aren't you gonna finish?
- I'm sorry.

- You think that's...
- Got nothing to do with me.

- Is this too tight?
- No.

I work in a travel agency.

I wanted to feel like
all those people

with first class tickets
and pretty clothes.

I guess I wanted to feel...

Rich.

How much would it
take to feel rich?

I don't know.

How much would it take to feel safe?

You did that.

You made me feel safe.

Hey...

Will you stay with me for a while?

Why don't you take the afternoon off?
You deserve it.

Spend it with that
pretty wife of yours.

Oh, shit, I forgot,
she phoned last night.

What'd you tell her?

That you were probably
walking on the beach.

I was.

I guessed right then, didn't I?

Okay, Mr. McDeere.
If you'll sign where the "X" is

and initial where it's marked.

Well, well. The man from
Gentleman's Quarterly.

How you doing, Ray?

Pretty fair. How's yourself?

It's a long time, huh?

It's okay.
I've become a patient man.

Don't beat yourself up, kid.

If I wasn't here,
I wouldn't want to be here either.

- Do you ever talk to Ma?
- A few months ago.

- Still with the same guy?
- They're all the same guy.

So, you finish law school?

Yeah.

That suit's a dead give-away.

What, you get a job on Wall Street?

- You always said...
- No, I'm not. I just...

I went with a firm across
the river in Memphis.

Memphis?

Hey, Ray,

wouldn't it be funny
if I went to Harvard and you went to jail

and we both ended up
surrounded by crooks?

Sonny Capps is thrilled.
McDeere was dazzling.

I think we ought to pull Lamar
out of that tax seminar in Washington

and send Mitch instead.

Let him take the jet.
Any problem with that, Bill?

No. No, no problem.

So far the kid's been
real predictable.

If you're even half right, you're gonna
need some help. What does Abby think?

I haven't told her.

I guess...

I guess I don't want it to be real.

Nothing's real until
I tell it to Abby.

How did you ever land a job
with a brother in the joint?

That's okay. I'd have done
the same thing myself.

You were always around for me, Ray.
All those years after Dad died.

I'd have done the same.

You think I'd ever tell guys around
here I got a brother in Harvard?

Jesus, Ray.

Hey, listen. I want you
to see a friend of mine.

His name is Eddie Lomax. He's a
private investigator in Little Rock.

Ex-cop.

Anything I can do for you?

Sure. Get me out of here.

Where to?

Anywhere I can see a
whole lot of sky.

I can get through the days,
I even eat the food.

It's amazing how much
you miss the sky.

Ever plug one of these in
only you forgot to put the water in?

No.

- Do you know what happens?
- No.

The lights go out.

He's been dying to see you
since you called.

That's what I saw.
Tammy!

Mr. Lomax will see you now.

- Mr. McDeere.
- Yes.

I practically went to
law school with you.

Ray talked about you every
stinking day for three years.

I was his cellmate,
he must have told you.

Did he tell you,
by the way, it was statutory rape?

She was 17. Looked 25.
I got one to four.

Sit down. Sit down. Come on. Sit down,
sit down. You want some Sweet'N Low?

- You want some dairy cream?
- No.

You want some sugar?
You want some...

Eddie, I've got some business

- I'd like to go over with you here.
- Good. Good. Good.

I owe your brother my life.

- I'm leaving.
- Thank you, dear.

That's my secretary.
She is terrific.

But she's got a nutcase for
a husband. He's a truck driver.

He moved here
to be close to Graceland.

The reason why,
he thinks he's Elvis.

What do you think his name is?
It's Elvis. Elvis Aaron Hemphill.

I run across some strange
things in this job.

Some things I'd never
spray-paint on an overpass.

Now, what can I do for you?

- What a nice surprise.
- Avery.

They didn't have to disturb you.
You didn't have to come down.

Believe me, it's no bother.

I was just looking for Mitch.

Nina says he hasn't
been in all afternoon.

I didn't mean for her to call you.

Didn't he come back with you?

I'll be honest with you.
This is not my area of expertise.

- But you think it's possible?
- Anything's possible.

I'll tell you one thing, if those guys
at the steak joint were feds,

you better watch out for them.

'Cause they don't give
a damn about you.

I get some pretty pissed
off husbands in here.

On the other hand, the lawyers at your
firm sure as hell seem accident prone.

Okay.

I'll see what I can find out.

You better let me call you.

You sure remind me of your brother.

Ray comes up for parole in a while.

Says that he can last it.

What do you think?

There's guys that can do all the
hard time the State gives them.

Whatever Ray had,
he used up to get this far.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- I didn't think you were home.
- Why not?

- No car.
- I took it in for service.

Avery brought me home.

I went to the office
looking for you.

I wasn't there.

Apparently not.
I even looked under your desk.

- Yeah, I went...
- Avery told me you were at MSU,

at the law library.

- Avery did.
- Avery did.

But when I happened to spot
your car in the parking lot,

it made him kind of edgy.

Yeah, well, Avery didn't
exactly know where I was.

Oh.

Probably thought you were
with another woman.

I went to see Ray.

Ray?

- Yeah.
- Just like that, after all this time?

You were right.
I've been stupid.

I would have gone
with you on Saturday.

I know. God, I just wasn't...
I wasn't thinking.

How'd it go?

It was...

It was...

God, he...
He tried to make it easy for me.

Is he okay?

He's gotta get that parole.

You want to try something?

Let's put the books away,

pretend we're back in our
old beat-up apartment, broke,

and we find some money
we forgot in pockets.

- We'll send out for pizza and drink beer.
- Drink beer.

And watch Star Search.

Who knows where it will lead.

Your wife?

- She's in Cleveland.
- She lies.

Don't you answer your phone?

Don't you knock?

Where's your secretary?

Out.

- She left a cigarette burning.
- She does that.

Why don't you come back in one hour,
and make an appointment?

Why bother? We're here.

I'm busy.

Doing what?

I'm getting a pedicure.

What's it to you?

Now this is gonna turn
out badly for you,

but we can make it
relatively painless.

Why are you asking questions
about dead lawyers?

What dead lawyers?

Who hired you to do that?

Okay! Okay.

Just let me think.

His name was Julio Iglesias.

No! No!

Great!

Just great.

You want to ask him
a few questions now?

I think this is a carefully
balanced proposal.

I think it's high-minded
and I think it's fair-minded.

In other words, it's got something
in it to offend everyone.

If you want to follow
along with me,

we'll begin on page "I"
of the introduction.

We'll revue sections 704-B
of the IRS code of 1986

and the treasury regulations
amended under Section 1/704-1.

Quote,
"The distribution provisions

"in limited and general
partnership agreements."

These regulations permit the IRS
to disregard allocations

which are not made in accordance

with partners' interests
in the partnership

unless those allocations
satisfy the economic effect

most easily satisfied

by taking advantage of the safe
harbor provisions set forth therein.

In other words, in an
ever-changing sea of tax laws...

Hey, brother.

Brother, go down the steps
towards the pool.

Here you go, brother.

- Voices from the Wall.
- Thanks a lot.

Oh, yeah.

Mister.

Who killed Eddie Lomax?

Go over and sit next to
the man on the bench.

I appreciate your coming,
Mr. McDeere.

I'll call you Mitch, if I may?

My name is Voyles.
Denton Voyles.

I'm with the Department of Justice.

What happened to Eddie Lomax?

We've been investigating Bendini,
Lambert & Locke for four years.

No lawyer has ever
left your law firm alive.

Two tried to leave,
they were killed.

Two were about to try,
you know what happened.

Now, we have reason to believe
that your house is bugged.

Your phones are tapped,
your office is wired.

They may follow you, they may be here
in Washington as we speak.

Are you saying my life is in danger?

I'm saying that
your life as you know it is over.

Your law firm is the sole
legal representative

of the Morolto crime
family in Chicago.

Known as the Mafia.
The Mob.

I don't believe it.

They set up legitimate businesses

with dirty money from drugs,
gambling, prostitution.

All cash, all moved
offshore. You believe it.

That's why you talked
to Thomas Abanks in the Caymans.

That's why you got
this private investigator

asking questions that
got him killed.

Maybe 30% of their
clients are legitimate.

They bring in a new rookie,

throw money at him,
buy the car, the house.

After a couple of years,
and your kids are in private schools,

you're used to the good life,
they tell you the truth.

You mean every partner
in the Firm is...

Every partner knows.

We suspect most of the associates.

Why don't you get indictments
and bust it all up?

We have to have
somebody on the inside.

We need to see copies of contracts,
clients' bank records,

- articles of incorporation.
- Wait a minute.

- You think I'm...
- You can say no.

But we're gonna break this firm.

And when that happens, you're gonna
go to jail along with the rest.

It will happen, son, believe me.

Why can't I just leave?

That's what Kozinski and
Hodges were trying to do.

You have to think this over.

Meanwhile, you and your wife have to
behave as though everything is normal.

Now don't discuss this with anyone,

but make a decision.

If you help us,
we'll make it worth your while.

Worth my while?

You can still have a
pretty good life.

You mean
in a witness protection program?

How?
I live somebody else's life?

In some nowhere place, and one day
I'm backing out of my driveway

and my car explodes?

Doesn't have to be that way.

I don't need much of a life,
Mr. Voyles, but it has to be mine.

Is that what you've got now, son?

You ought to get
back to the seminar.

Tarrance has full authority
to negotiate on our behalf.

Why don't you wander back
past the memorial?

You can call me in Memphis anytime,
day or night.

The second one's a mobile number.

Let me get this straight.

I steal files from the Firm
and turn them over to the FBI.

Testify against my colleagues,
send them to jail.

They suckered you into this.

Reveal privileged information that
violates attorney-client confidences,

get me disbarred, and then testify
in open court against the Mafia.

- Well, unfortunately, Mitch...
- Let me ask you something.

Are you out of your fucking mind?

How long before they
find out Lomax's cellmate

was a guy named Ray McDeere?

And when they do,
what do you think they'll do to him?

They can get to anyone, anywhere.

What can you do?

Your brother comes up for
parole soon, doesn't he?

You cooperate with us, I'll
guarantee the board will be grateful.

Otherwise... Well, you know what
those parole hearings are like.

It could go either way.

Forget about home, driver.
Take me to the Firm.

- The employer will have...
- Mr. McDeere, you can't go in there!

Call everybody. Right now!

- I'm on overseas and I've got two...
- Right now!

I just had a little
chat with the FBI.

- And they didn't try to coerce you?
- No.

- They didn't offer you money?
- Nope.

Did they ask you to
contact them again?

What for?

Exactly what did they want?

The secret files.

Who had those secret files last?

You have them, Royce?

- I gave them to you.
- No.

They also suggested that Hodges
and Kozinski were murdered.

Those sons of bitches!

Now, we ought to build a case
and sue. This is pure harassment.

And that was it?

That was everything that was said?

Well, I mean,
as far as I can remember.

It wasn't exactly
a sequential conversation.

There was a lot of yelling,
mostly by me.

Mitch, we're always doing
battle with the government.

If it isn't the Justice Department,
it's the IRS, and you know what?

We beat them every time.

And they hate us for it.

They can't get to us
so they pick on somebody new.

They invite you to break the law.

Doesn't cost them anything,
but it costs you everything.

Now, I don't want you
to worry about this.

It's gotten serious enough.
We'll have to get into it legally.

I guess the only other question is,
who do we bill this hour to?

How about the FBI?

I can't believe that.
That is so weird.

I was just thinking about you.

Somebody's burning leaves
outside, did you smell it?

It reminded me of the time...

Hey!

If you're afraid you'll wake the kids,
we don't have any.

Abby!

Abby!

Abby!

- Abby!
- Don't say anything! Don't say anything!

Don't tell me any more!

Everything.

Every single thing we've said or
done since we've been in that house,

nothing has been between us.

Can't we just get in our own car
and drive back to Boston, tonight?

- We'll just leave everything.
- They'd find us.

How do you go to work tomorrow?
How do you look at Avery?

What do you say to him?

I talk about work.

- That's insane!
- I have thought of every possible way.

Here, in the Caymans, in
Washington, that's all I've done.

Try to think of a way out. if we run,
they'd find us, and it gets Ray killed.

- But if you testify...
- The FBI says they'll help Ray

- and protect us.
- Protect what?

What are you going to do?

Go in tomorrow and
start to copy files.

I don't have a choice.

Mitch,

what are you saying?

You'll be revealing
clients' secrets.

- You'll be disbarred.
- Abby, don't...

You'll never be able to practice
law again for the rest of your life.

Everything you've worked for!
They can't ask you to do that!

They are not asking!

We have to behave
exactly as we have been.

We have to go to work
and come home every day

and never wonder about the
walls and the wires...

And do nothing we want to do.

Szechwan beef from Wong Boys.

That was the last time
I remember laughing.

- Come on! Every single day we got...
- Oh, not you again, man.

...one of your trucks out here,
blocking this alley.

- Hey, leave me alone.
- What's it gonna take, huh?

Hey, would you leave
me alone, buddy?

You're using
this place as a parking lot!

What the hell are you doing?

Jesus, I was just trying
to make a copy of...

They just started this. You have to
have the billing code for each client.

You mean every time
I copy a piece of paper, it's recorded?

What are you trying to do,
kill yourself?

Come on.
Nina should do that anyway.

Come down for one night, can't you?

Well, it used to be worth it.

Okay.
Yeah, maybe next time.

Bye, Cordelia.

That was Cordelia.

Yeah. Your wife.

From the song of the same name.

Avery, I have a couple of ideas
about those Capps LCs.

When's the next Cayman trip?

For me? Next week.

If you think I'm gonna let Sonny Capps
get another look at you, you're crazy.

But you write down
every single thought you have.

I'll be happy to take credit.

Mr. McDeere! Mr. Mulholland's
called twice about his bills again.

Tell Mr. Mulholland
to take his bill and...

No, wait a minute, wait a minute.
Isn't he just up the street?

- Yes. In the Cotton Exchange.
- Cotton Exchange.

Tell him I'll see him later.

Did you order a fried egg sandwich
from the Front Street Deli?

A fried egg...

Yes, I did. I did.

Come in.

It's $2.65.
The receipt's in the bag.

The receipt's in the bag.

How did you see them,
and they didn't see you?

I was under the desk.

I was vacuuming the rug.
You want me to draw you a diagram?

I loved him.

I'm sorry, Tammy.

They wanted to know who hired him

and why he was asking questions
about dead lawyers.

You actually saw them?

One guy was stocky,
looked like a wrestler.

He's gonna limp the rest of his life

'cause Eddie hit him in the knee
with that cannon under his desk.

And the other guy
was like an albino.

Long thin hair,
almost white.

Dead blue eyes.

My landlady said
they came looking for me yesterday,

so I checked into the Motel 6
on River Street.

I couldn't think of
anywhere else to go.

Listen, they're gonna put Eddie
together with Ray, and when they do,

it'll lead to you.

I don't want anything
bad to happen to you.

Eddie wouldn't like it.

So, you're in as much
trouble as I am.

Listen, there's a building around
the corner called the Cotton Exchange.

Maybe you can help, Tammy.

Hi there, Mitch.

Bill Devasher, Firm Security.

Mr. Locke and Mr. Lambert were telling
me about your little run in with the FBI.

I wonder if we could
have a little talk.

Actually, I told them everything.

I'm sure you did.
This won't take a minute.

Hop in.

So, Mitch,
this is a debriefing.

I know pretty much
what you told the fellows,

so I kind of got the picture.

Now it's my job to
give you the picture.

What I'm concerned about,
son, is this.

The FBI wouldn't have come after you
if they didn't figure they'd get to you.

What do you suppose
made them think that?

I have no idea.

Well, see, it's my job
to have an idea about that.

For example, they might know how
important your young wife is to you.

They might use that.

How?

Avery says last Friday
you took the afternoon off.

He figures you might have been
with another woman.

- Why would Avery think...
- How do you know

you weren't followed?

Picture Abby one day
walking to the mail box,

anticipating the arrival of her Redbook,
her Sharper Image catalog.

What does she find instead?

She finds heartache, Mitch.

The death of love and trust.

Imagine her one day opening that.

Go ahead.
Take a look.

Devastating.

Not just screwing, Mitch.

But the kind of intimate acts,
oral and whatnot,

that can be particularly hard
for a trusting young wife to forgive

and impossible to forget.

That's just the kind of stuff the
FBI could use for coercion, Mitch.

So you watch yourself.

I'll do the best I can
to protect you,

and I know you will do your best
to protect the Firm.

So if the FBI so much
as spits in your direction,

you'll let me know before
it hits the ground, won't you?

Won't you, Mitch?

Oliver wants to see you right now
in the library. Where you been?

Let me just put my coat away.

Right now.
He's been waiting.

You think you're pretty smart,
don't you?

Well, we've been informed
there's somebody smarter.

You didn't get the highest score
on the bar exam,

you got the second-highest score.

Cheers!

Nice one.

Congratulations.

They called you, huh?

Guilty, Your Honor.

I did it.

Well, it's your moment of glory.

You know, my wife missed mine,
and she never forgave herself.

I wouldn't want that
to happen to you.

- That's very considerate, Avery.
- Well, I thought so.

Well done. Well done.

- Quite an achievement, Mitch.
- Abby.

Well, the space is just great.
I'll take it.

And the lease would be under...

Greenwood Secretarial Services.

And you are...

- Doris Greenwood. I like that suit a lot.
- Well, thank you.

They're gonna deliver
a copier tomorrow.

- I'll make sure the office is open.
- All right.

I will employ such means only as are
consistent with truth and honor.

I will employ such means only as
are consistent with truth and honor.

I will maintain the confidence
and preserve inviolate

the secrets of my client.

I will maintain the confidence
and preserve inviolate

the secrets of my client.

I will truly and honestly conduct myself
in the practice of my profession

to the best of my skill and ability,
so help me God.

"I will maintain the confidence
and preserve inviolate

"the secrets of my client"?

The first thing I'm gonna do
is violate the secrets of my clients.

Do you see any other way?

Okay, then. Aren't we
doing the best we can?

No.

What do you mean?

I can't.

What?

That...

That night...

That night in the Caymans
when you telephoned...

You were on the beach.

What?

What did you do?

No.

You didn't...

Who was she?

- I don't know.
- You don't know?

I don't even know her name.

It didn't mean anything.

Like hell it didn't.
It means everything.

What did you do?

Why did you fuck some stranger
on a beach one night away from me?

Who does that?

- Abby, I promise you...
- What?

You can't promise anything.
Not ever. Not anymore.

Why did you tell me?

Because I couldn't stand not to.

I couldn't stand your not knowing.

Well, now I know.

Give me the keys.

Sorry, I...

Just give me the keys.

I thought
there were only two Brothers Grimm.

Sit down, Avery.

Anthony and Joey
are coming down next week.

- What for?
- Works out your protégé's got a brother.

So?

He didn't mention him
at the interview in Boston.

I've got a brother
I might not mention either

- in polite conversation.
- This brother's doing time.

How did you find that out?

What do you think I am here,
a fucking night watchman?

I get confused sometimes.

- Well, don't!
- All right, Avery.

We got a prison guard in
Arkansas. He's on the arm.

He tells us about a Ray McDeere
doing time for manslaughter.

The Moroltos have been edgy ever
since the Kozinski and Hodges mess.

They're concerned that we
might be misreading McDeere.

And the Moroltos are
coming for what?

- To personally take over?
- Are we misreading him?

I don't think so.

Wouldn't you lie if you had a felon
in the family to get a job like this?

I still think we ought to
keep him on a pretty tight leash.

Why? You've got nothing to be
suspicious about.

I get paid to be suspicious when
I got nothing to be suspicious about.

Excuse me.

You're not listening,
Mr. McDeere.

I'm sorry.
You were talking about hours?

Listen, I know I'm not Bendini-Lambert's
most valuable client,

but I've got a legitimate
complaint here.

You never spent 33 hours
last month on my account.

Is that what you were billed?

You don't see your own bills?

No, I just submit my time sheet.

Where is it?

It's on file with
the office manager.

You know, this overbilling's
gotten so common

nobody gives it another thought.

It's kind of like tipping.

Well, it's not policy,
Mr. Mulholland.

It sure seems like policy. It's
been going on over there for years.

People forget something else, too.

When somebody over there
put a stamp on this and mailed it,

you know what happened?

- It became a federal offense.
- It became a federal offense.

You're damn right.

Each instance punishable by...

$10,000 fine.

Three to five years each instance.

Nina, I'm going over to Mulholland's
for a half hour or so.

All righty.

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.
- I got the beeper.

I think there might be
a way of doing this

without getting disbarred
and without breaking the law.

Is that our chief concern here?

Tear those up.
I might not have to use them.

But I got to get to
that stuff in the Caymans.

What, for the FBI?

No. For me.

They won't let you go, you said.

Somebody's gonna have
to get to it another way.

It has to happen fast.

I got to figure out what
to do about Ray.

What?

In Eddie's stuff, is there some
kind of wireless recording device?

Yes. Yes!

You know how to use it?

Whenever Eddie said,
"My associate"? Yours truly.

Did he have any high-speed
camera equipment?

Sure.

I want you to get
hold of a van, Tammy.

Hey, Tammy, did Elvis
ever find out about Eddie?

Oh, man. He loved Eddie.
Are you kidding?

Hell, that stuff was over
between me and Elvis when I was 18.

We'd been married two years,

and one morning at breakfast
I just turned too old for him.

But I tell you, everybody loves Elvis.
The man's a panda.

And he'd do anything for me.

They're off,
and Say Something comes away on top

and Right There is
stepping over on the inside.

Champagne Now rushes up...

Doesn't a dog ever get the bone?

Yeah, I hear it happens once in a while.
It's a disaster.

They can never get that
dog to run again.

Listen, Mitch,

Mr. Voyles wants me to tell you
how much the Bureau appreciates...

A million dollars in a numbered
account in Switzerland.

IBG Bank International in Zurich.

Well, you sure as hell
turned greedy overnight.

And my brother out.
Now.

Your brother is a
convicted felon, Mitch.

Then get yourself another snitch.

He's in for manslaughter.

It was a brawl in a bar.

If he hadn't done any boxing,
it would have been self-defense.

It's still a felony, Mitch.

You heard me, Tarrance.
My brother out now.

And make it a million and a half.

How about you get down on your knees
and kiss my ass

for not indicting you
as a co-conspirator right now,

you chickenshit
little Harvard cocksucker!

I haven't done anything,
and you know it!

Who gives a fuck?
I'm a federal agent.

You know what that means,
you low life motherfucker?

You got no rights.
Your life is mine.

I could kick your teeth down your throat,
yank them out your asshole

and I'm not even
violating your civil rights.

- You are Agent Wayne Tarrance.
- Yeah, you're goddamn right I am!

Maybe local cops can't...

- Yeah.
- Is this Wayne Tarrance?

- Who is this?
- Is this Wayne Tarrance?

Yeah, this is Wayne Tarrance.

So is this.

...cocksucker!

I haven't done anything,
and you know it!

Who gives a fuck?
I'm a federal agent.

You know what that means,
you low life motherfucker?

You got no rights.
Your life is mine.

I could kick your teeth down your
throat, yank them out your asshole

and I'm not even
violating your civil rights.

Now,
I think you ought to reconsider.

I think I might have
found a way out.

Not out, exactly.
It's more like a way through.

It's a long shot, but it's...
Well, it's legal.

I know it's weird, but if we follow
the law, it just might save us.

You don't want to hear the plan.

Would it change anything between us?

It's just a plan.

I can't do this anymore.

I can't help you here.
I can't help myself.

I've given notice at the school.
I'll leave after the break Wednesday.

You're right.
It's better if you go, safer.

- You have no idea...
- Don't!

- I love you, Abby.
- Don't you dare, you son of a bitch!

You want to tell me your plan?

Tomorrow.

Abby, where are you gonna go?

To my parents, first.
After that, I don't know.

It might not be safe for you to leave,
unless they know why...

I know. I know.

Somewhere inside,

in the dark,

a Firm is listening.

Shall we go in now
and do this for the record?

I've made a decision.

My mother hasn't been well,
she's having some tests.

I want to be there.
We never see each other, anyway.

And I need some time to think.

Call Devasher.
She's leaving him.

Knock, knock.

Bad times, huh?

Abby called Kay.

Listen, all the wives
go a little nuts the first year.

She'll be back.

Probably want to get pregnant.

Big help, huh?

You think I'm gonna let this kid

tell us how to run the penal system
in this country?

Sir, it's the only way
he'll give us the files.

Then stall on the money.

Get the brother out
with a federal subpoena.

Follow him and the minute
we get the files, yank him back.

Abanks' Dive Lodge.

Mr. Thomas Abanks, please.
This is Mitch McDeere.

Sorry, Dutch, but I've got to justify a
client's bill before a breakfast meeting

and all the time sheets and bills are
locked up in the office manager's office.

I don't know if I'm really
supposed to do this for you.

Hey, you want to wake up Avery?

I'm just trying to head off
a legal action against us.

I promise, I'll have everything back
in the drawer before the office opens.

You're taller than I thought.

That's nice to hear.

There's been a change of plan.

I didn't know there was a plan.

Good, because it's been changed.

Who are you, sweetheart?

Abanks' Diving Lodge.

What time has Avery
chartered the boat for?

2:30.

Okay, now, you got to keep him out long
enough to copy everything in that closet.

Don't worry. My friends are taking him
to Trinity Caves.

- It should be a good six hours.
- Okay.

Tammy's coming down tomorrow
to set things up.

I can...
I can whip us up some eggs.

Last day, I don't want
to be late for school.

Has Tammy left to meet Abanks?

Not until this evening.

You're running a real 3-ring circus,
aren't you?

- I hope it goes well.
- It has to.

You know, isn't it amazing?

You did the cheating,
and I'm the one who feels guilty.

Don't.

Take care of yourself.

Hey! Hey! Stop that!

Where are your gloves?

Get back to the dodge ball game.
You, too, Sheila.

Boys and girls together,
rehearsing for later life.

What are you doing here?

Would you believe I just happened
to be in the neighborhood?

No.

I heard this was your last day.

Was I misinformed?

I'll be gone for a while.

I just stopped off to say goodbye.

- Just in case.
- In case what?

In case it's more than a while.

I'm going to the Caymans tomorrow,
and I would miss saying goodbye.

Well, thank you.
Have a nice trip.

Want to come?

I know.
I know, it sounds outrageous,

but think about it.

We could grab some sun, take a dip,
drink some Havana Club.

I could give you marital advice
and hit on you,

and whatever happens,
I promise I take rejection well.

What makes you think
I need marital advice?

Okay, you give me marital advice.

I couldn't possibly.

- I don't scuba dive.
- Perfect. I can't scuba dive either.

Really?

I'd heard that you
don't miss a chance to...

Not this time.

I had to shorten the trip,
clients coming into town.

I can't dive and fly in the
same 24 hours. So, you see?

How about it?

My mother isn't well.

They're doing some tests.

That's why I'm going home.

I'm sorry. I didn't know.

How could you possibly?

I hope she feels better,
and if she does, bring her with you.

Goodbye, Avery.
Have a good flight.

Greenwood Secretarial Services.

Tammy, this is Abby McDeere.

I think you've got
a serious problem.

Avery's not going diving.

We're dead.

Well, how do we...

How am I gonna tell Mitch?
How am I gonna let him know?

I'm going anyway.
I've got to try to do something.

My flight's in three hours.

Mr. McDeere's office.

I'm sorry, he's not in.
May I take a message?

Tammy, don't tell Mitch anything.

I'll just be a sec.

A prescription for Abigail McDeere.

One!

Well, you want to go,
or do you want to stay here?

- Aren't you gonna cuff him?
- I'll take care of it.

Yeah?

Guess what I'm looking at?

Tell me.

My first sunset in six years.

- You made it.
- Yeah.

Yeah, I did.

Lowe you, little brother.

No, you don't.

- Anything from Abanks?
- Last I heard, everything was set.

It's gonna be fine.

It already is.

I'll be seeing you, Ray.

Okay, you spoke to him.
Now, where are the files?

Where's the money?

Not until I get the files.

You send half now.

Account number 6194408S.
You got that?

Yeah. 6194408S, yeah.

When I get confirmation it's there,
I'll send the files.

Here's some pocket money.

You're free, McDeere.
There's a bus stop a quarter mile.

Follow the yellow line.
You're used to that.

Excuse me.

You don't seem that surprised.

I'm deeply surprised.

So am I.

Stephanie, could we have
two Havana Club, please?

Yes, Mr. Tolar.

How'd the test turn out?

We were worried for no reason.

Good.

I didn't think we'd got on that well
in the school yard.

Maybe I've grown up since then.

I'd love to believe that.

- It's delicious.
- Isn't it?

It's like cognac.

You know,
I have a very bad reputation.

- What do you do?
- I run around.

Why do you do that?

I think it's because
my wife understands me.

The fact is, I love my wife.

But she's... Well,
I guess she's lost interest in me.

I know I have.

And I haven't cared
for anyone since.

I'd like to, though.

I miss it.

My, you lay a lot on a
girl for a first date.

Is that what this is?

This is Unit B.

We'll be pulling into Five Points
at 11:15 for a 20-minute rest stop.

Mrs. Sunderland, I'm sorry
to call you at home so late,

but I need to speak to you
about something that's, well,

it's really quite embarrassing.

Let me preface this by saying you're
not the only client at the Firm

that I've had to call about this.

I'd like a big steak, medium rare,
three fried eggs over,

French fries and coffee, please.

I'll see you, darling.

Fuck!

What the hell is going on?
We lost your brother.

Why, were you following him?

Are you trying to fuck with me?

Where are you?
Where are those files?

Are you trying to fuck with me?
You want the files, you wire the money.

I want those files now.

Got to go, Wayne.

He knows exactly
where his brother is.

Have them check
all the credit cards

of everybody that got fuel outside
that diner between 11:00 and 11:45,

whenever we lost Ray.

There couldn't be
more than a dozen or so.

He's got to be on one of them.

And get me a map of Louisiana.

Get me a map of Louisiana!

It hasn't even begun to melt.

The staff was chosen for its timing.

I would do that,
but I could never do that.

The buttons are too small.

It requires terrible...

Dexterity.

Amazing.

What are you doing here?

What do you mean?

I mean, exactly what
did you come here for?

I thought I was invited.

You're not being truthful.

Why are you doing this?

Because I'm sick and I want
you to tell me the truth.

I came here to punish Mitch
for letting the Firm ruin our lives.

I came because when Mitch was here
with you he slept with someone else.

Is that what you want to hear?

That's better than the alternative.

What alternative?

That you came here to see me.

Avery?

It came in about
three hours ago.

You sure he'll be all right?

What the hell you want to do? Call 911?

Get the key, grab the
stuff and get over here.

Keep calling him.

Wake the son of a bitch up. When you
get him on the phone, find me.

I want that girl.

The account number is 6194408S.

And can you confirm
that it is $750,000?

Absolutely. I'm fixing
to get out of here now.

You got all the information I need?

Yeah, but, Mitch...

I've been looking at this stuff
and there's no numbers listed.

There's no numbers?
No amounts?

No, I got papers for bank
accounts everywhere

from the Caymans to Hong Kong,
but there's no amounts.

I can't play the poker game
I'm gonna play and bluff.

I gotta know how much
they have and where.

There's a note on
each one that says,

"Info held by client and
my Mac. Signed A.T."

Is there any other information?
Is there a password?

Some kind of password?
Just look on the paper, Tammy.

Wait a minute.

On the side of one,
in parenthesis it says,

"R-E-F," then a colon,
then, "Cordelia."

Okay, okay, I've got to get to Avery's
computer in the morning before I leave.

Well, listen, be careful.

We don't know how this is
all gonna look in the morning.

I should be able to get
through the morning fine.

By the time they notice I'm not
back from lunch, I'll be in Chicago.

Okay. We're finished. That's it.
I gotta get these out to the boat.

The boat?

- What boat?
- Oh, man.

Later on there's some stuff I gotta
tell you about what Mitch is doing.

Tell me now, Tammy.
What?

Get the damn keys back in his pants and
get out of there before he wakes up.

Hello?

You have to repeat that.

That's not possible.

She stole your keys
and God knows what else.

Now who the hell is she?

You know me,

just somebody I met last night.

Then how the hell does she know
to go after your keys?

The guys will be landing in about
10 minutes and she better be there.

Don't.

They heard you on the phone.

Mitch sent you.

I knew he was a closet idealist.

He doesn't know I'm here.

But I did do it for him.

That's even better
than getting even with him.

You gotta get out of here.

What are you going to do?

Abby, the girl was a set-up.

On the beach, she was a set-up.

They do things like that.

Just in case the usual
inducements don't work.

What's going to happen?
What are they going to do to you?

Whatever it is...

They did it a long time ago.

Get this thing
out of here, will you?

Look, this ain't your cotton
truck, and this ain't your alley!

I'm calling in to the
Department of Traffic right now!

They call?

Not yet.

Madge, I just talked to Avery
in the Caymans.

He needs some work done
on the Kemmer papers before 10:00.

I'll just get it off his computer.

What the hell's the
matter with you guys?

This thing's out of paper.

McDeere in yet?

Check every goddamn
floor and find him.

That son of a bitch cut a deal.

Natisin, Earlywine, Hemphill.

Hemphill?

Wait a minute.
That's Lomax's secretary.

Wayne, it's Warden Dynehart
from Wrightsville prison.

Wayne, we've got a problem
here. I've just been questioning a guard

who sent an unauthorized fax
to a law firm in Memphis

and I think it was in
regard to your prisoner.

No! No, no, no, no!

No, he's not in his office, Your Honor.
I'll see if he's in the building.

- Thank you, Madge.
- You're welcome.

Mitch...

We've just been looking for you.

Can you step in here, please?

Mr. Tolar's office. Yes, he's right here.
Nina, transfer him.

Mr. McDeere,
a Judge Tarrance for you.

One moment please.

Hello?

Get out of there.
They know. Get out.

Did you hear what I said?
Get out of there and get over here now.

Can you?

I understand.

Come on.

He ain't going nowhere.
Rudy, get to the front door.

Mitch, what can I do you for?
Have a seat.

Okay, Rudy,
he's headed east up the alley.

Get him and hold him.

God damn it.
I knew they wouldn't find her.

Now, I need him here now,
so you get him back on that plane.

If we don't get McDeere before
he gives what he got to the feds...

Well, what direction was he running?

- Wayne...
- Just a minute.

It's McDeere!

Where are you?

Never mind.
What happened?

Look. It's okay.
I'll send you a car.

You just come on in.
I'll tell you when you get here.

No, you tell me now!

Mitch, it was a prison guard.

You just come on in.

Come on in and we'll place you
in protective custody.

Somehow you don't
make me feel protected.

Are you looking to get whacked?
Do you know what's going on here?

The Moroltos are arriving today.

- From Chicago.
- What?

I got their itinerary
right in front of me.

The Moroltos are coming here,
Memphis, this afternoon.

I got the itinerary right in front of me.
Northwest, arrives 2:16 p.m.

Straight to the Peabody.

Now, listen to me, the whole goddamn
world is gonna be looking for you.

You can't go home, you can't go
back there, so get in here. Now!

I've got to get lost
for a few hours.

There's something I gotta do.

Where the hell are
the files, Mitch?

You'll get instructions.

- After.
- After what?

He's withholding evidence.

He's got three quarters of a
million dollars of our money.

He's a fugitive.
I want him brought in.

Use the Memphis police if
you have to, but get him.

It's a red KW 10-ton registered
to a Farley's Catfish Farm.

Get its routes and find that truck.

And issue APBs on Ray
and Mitchell McDeere.

During the great steamboat era,
which was at its height in the 1870s,

these great floating palaces,
like the Robert E. Lee,

whose model you see here,
numbered by the hundreds

on the Mississippi River.

The Robert E. Lee was actually
designed specifically

to travel on the Mississippi River,
which is a shallow river...

Follow me now to the
main deck of the boat

where the cargo would be carried

as well as the deck passengers.

The great rollers that
powered the steam engine

were situated here
on the main deck of the boat.

Hey, Mitch. Mitch!

The end of the great steam era
and the advent of the railway.

The next gallery detailing...

We have here the working
steam engine off the US Army

Corps of Engineers

snag boat, the Arkansas II.

Now a steam engine works

by lighting a fire underneath the boilers
where the water is contained.

This heats the water
and turns it into steam.

Because the kids wanted me
to bring them by.

Why, what's the matter?

Okay. Oh, Lamar, I just saw
Mitch at Mud Island Museum.

He was zipping through
like a tourist.

I waved to him but he didn't see me.

Northwest Airlines
Flight 264 arriving from Chicago,

Gate B-1, main concourse.

- Devasher.
- Sir,

they spotted McDeere on Mud Island.

Get the boys
over there, right away!

I'm on my way.

Okay. Let's get these below
with the rest of them.

- Abanks' Diving Lodge.
- How are my friends?

Okay.

Your brother's on the plane and
Tammy's loading the ship now.

It worked out.

Your lawyer friend is dead.

He never was on the boat.
He canceled the charter.

- Well, how did...
- He drowned.

In his bathtub.
After the lady left.

Didn't Tammy tell you?

What lady?

- How did you get...
- I don't know.

A lady friend of Tammy's slipped
him some kind of Mickey Finn.

I think it was somebody he knew.

What are you talking about?
What lady friend?

Wait a minute.

Mitch is asking about your friend Abby.
Isn't that her name?

Hey!

Excuse me.

Come here.

He's in that first door.
I'm going around the front.

You sick son of a bitch!

Well, of course I can talk.
Why, isn't that what I'm doing?

I mean, if it's something else,
please advise me, Maury.

I always like to learn something
I don't know at $500 an hour.

I swear to you, Joey, every fucking
lawyer on the face of the earth

ought to be killed.

You want to what?
You want to meet with McDeere?

For what? So the two of you can get
together and charge me $1,000 an hour

while they send me to Joliet
for 30 years?

Stay in Chicago, Maury.

This kid's cut a deal
and I bet it's a beaut.

If I get my hands on this fucking kid,
Joey, if I get my hands on this kid...

- Excuse me.
- Not now, Ruthie.

I think it's urgent, Mr. Morolto.

Ruthie thinks it's urgent.
What do you think, Joey?

It's a Mr. McDeere.

Mr. Mitchell McDeere.

He's waiting to see you.

I think Ruth is right.

I'm Mitch McDeere.

I'm your attorney.

One of them, anyway.

I assume you knew, but I thought
I'd mention it, in case.

- Would you care to sit down?
- Not really.

I want to try and...

This is just...
This is very awkward.

I'm afraid my firm has behaved

in an unethical manner.

It seems that we,
Bendini, Lambert & Locke,

the entire firm,
has been engaged in a...

Well, a conspiracy.

We've been

overbilling our clients.

In some cases, massive overbilling.

I assure you I had no idea any of this
was going on when I joined the Firm.

Well, I feel I have to report
this criminal behavior.

But I can't use...

I can't use your invoices
without your written authorization.

- Our invoices?
- Tony, please.

Listen.

Yes, sir. Your bills.

You see, it's an important part of
the proof that we've overbilled you.

That's it?

Pretty much.

Well, most of our clients have
already agreed, pretty much all.

Except for you.
Which is why I'm here.

And this is what
you've been talking to the FBI about?

You want us to let
you turn our bills...

What we charged you,
I should say overcharged you.

- ...over to the government.
- Yes, sir.

- Now, does that in any way...
- No, sir.

It does not in any way waive your rights
to full and complete confidentiality

in any other area of the
attorney-client relationship.

I'm your lawyer, gentlemen.

Whether I like it or not, I can't talk
to the government about you

even when I'm no longer your lawyer.

That would be breaking
my word, my oath.

All right, Mitch.

So what was this
stealing of the files?

What the fuck was this all about?

The files haven't been stolen.

They're in exactly the
same place they were.

I just felt it was important for me
to be thoroughly familiar

with the precise make-up
and whereabouts

of all your holdings and activities.

So I prepared copies of everything.

That way you and I
can communicate perfectly,

and, of course, if we ever
have to talk to a third party,

then I know everything,

right down to the penny, pound,
franc and deutsche mark.

I know everything you know.

As I should, as your attorney.

And what if the Firm
should desire at some point

to terminate your employment?

Whatever I know, wherever I go, I am
bound by the attorney-client privilege.

I am very much like...

I would say I am exactly like

a ship carrying a cargo
that will never reach any port.

And as long as I am alive, that ship
will always be at sea, so to speak.

Like Yasir-fucking-Arafat, huh?

Never a night in the same place.

In any case, I need
your written authorization,

so I can release your bills,
like every other client has given.

You have this
authorization with you?

I do.

- Anything in there?
- Nothing.

Fuck!

You got the account number?
You know how to access it?

Mitch has verified
that the money's there.

$750,000.

I love your crooked little mouth.

Well, it's not my best feature.

Wow!

Well, what is?

Where the hell are you?

What is this supposed to be?
Huh?

- You let the Moroltos off the hook?
- They're my clients.

They're the crooks.
You're letting the Mafia get away.

- What the hell are you doing?
- You guys are always one villain

behind the times, you know that?

You gave me a bunch of pencil
pushers who padded their bills.

You think if they don't pull guns,
they aren't the bad guys.

Ask the Moroltos who's
harder to find,

the killer or the lawyer
who hides their money.

Don't give me that shit!

That's a bunch of double talk
and you know it.

You want the Mafia?
Get their lawyers.

Without the Firm, the only way
the Moroltos can launder money

is in a washing machine.

You are so naive.

There'll be a thousand other
Bendini-Lamberts

fighting for the chance
to launder money tomorrow.

How the hell you gonna
get all of them?

One at a time.

I'm a lawyer and I got mine.

You're the cop, Tarrance,
you get the rest of them.

Get them with what?

Overbilling? Mail fraud?
That's exciting.

It's not sexy, but it's got teeth,
$10,000 and five years in prison.

That's 10 and five for each act.

Have you really looked at that?

You've got every partner
in the Firm on overbilling.

There's 250 acts of
documented mail fraud there.

That's racketeering.

That's a minimum
of 1,250 years in prison

and two and a half
million dollars in fines.

That's more than you had on Capone.

You twist this into whatever you want.
You made a deal to save your ass.

You got our money, three
quarters of a million dollars of it,

you're still a hot-shot lawyer
and you're out of this.

I didn't keep a
nickel of your money.

It was always for somebody else.

And, yeah,

I'm still a lawyer with references
from Bendini, Lambert & Locke.

You want to put that
on your resume?

You think I'm ever gonna
turn on the ignition in my car again

without sweating?

Then I don't understand you.
What did you do it for?

You didn't win a thing.

Oh, yeah, I did. I won my life back.
You don't run me and they don't run me-.

You want to know something weird?

I discovered the law again.
You actually made me think about it.

I managed to get through three years
of law school without doing that.

It's you at the dog track.
I could've gone public with it.

- Why didn't you?
- It's against the law.

Okay.

How in the hell did you ever
come up with mail fraud?

It was on the bar exam.

They made me study like hell for it.

Well, you've had a busy day.

So did you.

Why didn't you tell me the
truth about your plan?

All of it?
The Moroltos.

Because I knew you'd worry,
and that might make you stay.

And I knew you needed to leave.

I like what you've
done to the place.

- I thought you were going to your folks'.
- I was.

Some detour.

Where are you going?

To look for you.

I guess I didn't feel I could leave
you without trying to help you.

Do you want to tell
me what happened?

Someday.

I think you should know
that Avery was pretty decent.

He was decent, and corrupt,

and ruined, and so unhappy...

Listen, Abby...

And it could have happened
to you, all of it.

You were on your way.

Did I lose you?

You look tired.

Did I?

I've loved you all my life.

Even before we met.

Part of it wasn't even you,
it was just a promise of you.

But these last days,
you kept your promise.

How could you lose me?

- You think it will make it?
- Make it where?

Boston.

What's in Boston?

We are.

And the Wong Boys, and my kids.

And a very small
unknown law firm.

With a lot of potential.

Yeah.