Cookie's Fortune (1999) - full transcript

I oughta be bottom fishing tonight, Billy.
It's nice and breeze.

I don't understand it, Lester.

Fish be moving?

How men spend all that time
and money try to outsmart fish?

Cause it's fun.

My old buddy Lou, he buys a boat...

Lester!

One of them big purple ones, you know?

Two hours, you'd be dead as a dog without it.

Thank you, Wanda.

He put on a football helmet instead of goggles.



No life jacket.

Looks like a bullfrog the morning after.

Oh, Billy.

Says he's going fishing.

Hey, now.

- Here's to Good Friday.
- Good and getting better.

I think it's prissy.

I always thought that fishing was for prissies.

You, could you tell a bear? You ever see a bear fish?

Damn thing.

Damn! Damn!

- Hey, Willy!
- Huh?

You back for more?

No, I came back because I need
a big drink of water before I head out.



- Ah yeah, that's perfect.
- All right.

- All right, I'm gone again.
- All right.

- Check you later.
- Oh, yeah.

Ok, the only jug fish I know about is jug in your pocket.

I mean, what-what do you think the IQ of a fish is?

You know, I mean...

- Rejoice not, oh land of Palestine...
- I like to think somebody your size is

- too heavy out there.
- Yeah, alright.

The rod of him who smote thee is broken.

The seed of the serpent shall come a basilisk...

- Patrick, no.
- That...

Patrick, please.

This is not Carnegie Hall.

This is the First Presbyterian Church
that only seats 250 people.

Could you try a little more intimate for me?

Intimate?

- Bring it down.
- I know what she means.

Like, like this. Like Shakespeare guy.

Rejoice not, oh land of Palestine.

- The rod who smote thee is broken.
- Jason!

Excuse me. I think you just
better worry about your own lines.

Now, I think the two of you seem
to keep forgetting this is ancient Galilee.

And you in particular, Patrick,

you're playing a character of 200% moral structure.

A man with no pretence, no facade, no tricks.

All right?

Maybe it's the words themselves.

It needs more blood around the neck, ok?
Be real generous with it.

"Smote" means hit across the face.

"Basilisk" is a monster with fatal breath.

Okay, Patrick.

Aah!

Hey, Emma?

You in there?

Okay, everybody! Let's um...

Let's pick it up again with the scene where
the soldiers gathered around the cistern.

Just before Salome's entrance, all right?

Oh, Patrick, I want you to stay down.

I don't want to see your head over the rim, all right?

Never.

- Uh, Cory, are you ready?
- Uh-huh.

All right.

Okay?

Begin.

Look, the princess Salome!

- She is getting up to leave...
- Okay, cross over, please.

- Remember to cross over...
- She's getting up to leave the table!

- Cross over behind you.
- She's coming towards...

I wanna see your face out there
in the audience. All right?

She's coming toward us!

Don't look at her! It's bad luck to look at the princess.

It will bring harm.

Why does King Herod look at me with mole eyes?

- Jason, you'll step on her costume.
- It is strange the husband among other

should look at me that way.

- Princess, you have left the feast.
- How sweet the air is here.

I can breathe here,

away from the barbarians
that drink and drink and spill their wine.

Oh, how I loathe the Romans,
the Greeks, the Egyptians and the Jews.

Not a whole lot has changed since those days, huh?

Do not stay here, Princess.

I beg of thee. Go back in to the Palace at once.

You must not look at her.
It's dangerous to thyself and myself.

John, it is thy mouth I desire.

Hold it! Hold it!

Everybody just hold it! Cora, what were we working on?

About your transition from despair to relief.

I will say that next. When I look at
the moon and say is a virgin?

No, no, I think it should come here.
I think it should come right away.

- What does she expect?
- Let's go again.

Casting her half-wit sister as Salome...

Come on, I want you to be organic, Cora.

I want you to realise the moment, all right?

- Okay, I'm sorry.
- The air, the air, the air.

Willis, goddamnit!

You scared the living daylight out of me.

What the hell you doing down there?

Playing Easter bunny? Hiding eggs?

I promised Jewel I'd clean these guns tonight.

Oh yeah, I know.

Of course, it's almost one O'Clock in the morning.

Meaning, it's not tonight any more. It's tomorrow.

So, you lied!

Cookie: 846.

Willis: 712.

Where've you been?

Uh, I was on...

- I had to go over to Manny's to help...
- Uuh, bullshit, Willis.

You've been to Theo's.
I can smell you all the way over here.

Cookie: 847.

I'm gonna make you some coffee.

No, that's all right. Go on back to bed, Cookie.

I can do this real quiet light.

Oh, forget it. I can't sleep anyway.

I've been laying up there
staring at the ceiling for three hours.

Now listen, Willis.

Why don't you go on out back and go to bed.

These guns can wait till tomorrow.

Nope. I said I'd clean them tonight,

and I'm gonna clean them tonight.

Now, I need a new line.

- Has anybody seen my script?
- Yeah.

What's this? Notes?

This time of night?

Man, this is the pits.

I only wanted to sign up for this thing
to suck up to Emma's mom and her aunt.

And then she left town on you. Women.

Maybe, John the Baptist had the right idea.

Beware when the moon becomes blood

and the stars fall on the earth like unripe figs!

Sleep well.

Good night, Ms Dixon. See you tomorrow.

- Camille?
- Huh?

Tell me about motivation again.

I am so tired. I can not talk.

Oh, okay.

Eighteen down. Author of "The Lottery".

- Starts with a...
- Jackson.

Shirley Jackson.

Greek Sun God.

Six letters.

- Last one is an "S".
- Helios.

H-E-L-I-O-S. God of the Sun.

He had a great big old palace up on the hill.

Every night when the sun went down...

he rode up to it in a golden boat...

with golden wings.

Golden boat.

Golden wings.

Cookie.

Why do you keep all these guns?

Oh...

Those guns were Buck's, Willis.

And you know, I'll never get rid of
anything that belonged to Buck's.

Now, that one came here with him all the way from Texas.

Along with that rifle there.

Nineteen hundred and twenty nine.

When Buck rode into Holly Springs...

all he had to his name were those two guns.

I thought he got this off
that gambler "One-eyed" Jackson.

No.

Buck got that Peacemaker there off Jackson.

Buck said that Peacemaker's no damn good.

It's all bend and crooked or something.
It wouldn't shoot straight.

Story goes that Jackson's wife tried
to shoot herself with it.

Held it out front of her face,
closed her eyes, squeezed the trigger...

and completely missed her head altogether.

Where is Jackson now? He still alive?

Oh, no, no...

He passed away two years after Buck.

Yeah, oh yeah. I remember that all right.

I went to Detroit and you had
to drive yourself to the funeral.

You wrecked my Chrysler.

Willis: 713.

Now, you can't count that again.

- You already counted it once!
- I count it again.

I've gotta fix this thing.

- I'll do it tomorrow.
- Uh-huh.

Tomorrow.

Okay, then. Goodnight, Cookie.

Have a good one.

Damn you, old door.

If Buck were here, he'd fix you in half a minute.

Oh, goddamn you, Buck.

I miss you so much.

My God!

You're all Peacemakers, aren't you?

A golden boat...

with golden wings.

Finders keepers,

losers weepers.

Willis will never find this one.

Now let me see, where else will I hide 'em?

Oh yeah. Let me see now.

Shit.

I'm gonna shoot that bunny if it eats those flowers.

Cora!

Did you lock the door?

Oh.

I swear, if it wasn't for me,
you'd never get out the front door.

I'm sorry. I'm so dumb when it comes to time.

I wasn't talking about time, Cora.
I was talking about locking the door.

Here, Marlene. Come take this from me.

- I'm running a little late.
- Good morning.

Good morning.

- Cora, where are you going?
- In here.

I hate to keep people waiting.

Ohh, that little bugger!

- Jesus, Manny! You scared me!
- Morning, Emma.

I brought you some coffee.

Is that what you sleep in?

Must get awful hot in all those clothes.

Hey, Cookie!

Hey, Cookie.

Oh, Willis.

That little Freeman boy next door
borrowed the blue croquet ball.

I bet he thought it was a bigger egg.

Look here, look here, Cookie.

Tomorrow's Easter.

Have you talked to Camille?

No.

Well, I thought you might have called Camille and Cora.

No.

They're not my family any more.

Hey.

Have you heard from Emma?

No!

She was supposed to be back by now.

I hope she didn't break down somewhere on the road.

Oh, she's back.

- Is she?
- Yeah.

Her van's parked out there at Manny's catfish shed.

Now, Cookie.

I'm gonna have to have a little talk with her.

No, you'll be gentle with Emma. She's a good girl.

Look here, Cookie.

I thought I might make some
catfish enchiladas for tomorrow.

Now, what you think?

Willis...

that Hi-Fi in the den...

some-sometimes, you-you have
to jiggle the knob to get it to play right.

I'm fixing to run some errands.
You want anything from the store?

Under my bed is Buck's watches...

and his old piccolo.

You want me to get them for you?

No.

All right.

All right, I'm going now.

Bye.

Good-bye.

I think Nadine's cherry pie is better than Dolores,

but I'm... I'm not gonna tell her.

Well, it is.

Now that was an impressive illegal turn.

Hey, guys!

Is all right if I go off duty
a little bit this afternoon?

Ms Dixon wants me to come down
to the church for my costume fitting.

Ask the boss.

- Go on.
- Thank you, Billy.

Hey, Flash?

Did you hear that Emma Duvall's back in town?

Are you on top of that?

I hadn't heard that.

Marlene, make a note. There's rift we need to fix.

And I think is much too long, Jack.

Hhh.

Make it a little short.
Give 'em a little leg for their money.

A free play, Jack. It's the church paly, remember?

Nothing in life is free, Camille.

Sooner or later, everything has a price.

Any lawyer will tell you that.

The seed of the serpent...

Rejoice not, oh land of Palestine because the rod...

because the rod of him who smote thee is broken!

- Hey, neighbor!
- Yeah, what does "smote" mean?

Ah...

I forgot.

What can I get you?

Gimme half a pint of bourbon. Make it Wild Turkey.

- Daddy, look!
- Here you go, Willis.

Shall I put it on thy account?

No, it's cash on this one. What you got there, son?

Emma.

Willis.

And...

And...

And love.

I love you.

Sign...

Cookie.

- Hey, Josie, baby!
- Willis!

- What's going on, baby?
- How you doing?

- Ain't nothing but a party.
- Yeah.

- Wanna drink?
- No. Never before Tom Brokaw.

- Oh, Lord knows.
- You looking good as ever.

- Thank you, sugar.
- Yes, sir.

Yes.

Hey, there. Theo! How you doing?

What's going on, Willis?

- All right.
- How you been?

Look here.

I came by 'cause I...

I lost my pocket knife last night. I just thought I...

might have dropped it back here somewhere.

It was little something you came by here mighty early.

Yeah, yeah. I was back here
last night getting some water.

I felt it in my pocket, so I must have dropped it...

right around here somewhere.

Uh-huh.

If you find it, hold onto it for me, will you?

I-I-I'll do that for you.

- All right. I'll see you.
- Okay.

- Hey, Josie?
- Yeah?

Willis is even again.

Hey, Willis.

- Need some fish?
- I catch my own fish.

I'm looking for Emma. She around here?

She's working.

That little girl is something.

I sure am glad she is back.

- Catfish!
- Oh, God!

Damn you, Willis!

You scared the holy piss out of me!

Hey, the kid is back. Emma Duvall's back in town.

Yes, she is back and she can't
even seem to get her feet wet

before certain people start snooping around

trying to check up on her.

Hey, I'm not checking up on you. I just happened by.

Well, I'd love to stay and chat,
but I got a bunch of deliveries to make.

At least, 30 pounds to clean before dark.

Hey, listen Emma.

I'm worried about Cookie.

Why? What's wrong with her?

- She's old.
- Yeah?

- She's old and she needs you.
- Me?

Why would she probably need me? Nobody needs me.

I'm a worthless tramp, remember?

- Oh, come on, Emma. Don't say that.
- Why not? Mother did.

- No, she didn't. Your Aunt Camille did.
- Same difference.

So, what's all this about Cookie?
I mean, she's been old for a long time.

Exactly.

That's why I worry because
she's got no family to take care of her.

To look after when she's not able
to go up those stairs by herself anymore.

And believe me...

that day is not long away if you know what I am saying.

I know. But, she's got you.

Yeah, well...

I'm not exactly family, you know?

Yes, you are. To Aunt Cookie, you are.

To me and her, you are always family.

You know that.

I keep working on the caboose. It's coming out real nice.

What does he mean, "working on the caboose"?

My new house.

What? Oh, come on!

- You can't live in no caboose!
- I can't?

No, you can't. It ain't safe.

Willis, you worry too much. Just relax!

You listen to me, Emma Duvall.

I can't let you do this. You got family here.

Now, why don't you just come on over
to Cookie's and stay for a while.

She got more than enough room
and she'd like it. A whole lot.

Willis, I mean, uh. I just... Maybe later. Not now.

All right. Look, do me a favour.

Drop me off at the square, all right?

Manny will look after me.

And besides, he said he's got a lot extra furnitures.

Yeah, I've seen the bed.

- You smell like fish.
- Yeah, you smell like turkey.

How long you've been sleeping in that van?

That ain't safe, you know?

I know.

I found that out in Biloxi.

That's why you came back?

Yep. You take that for me?

What happens down there?

Nothing.

You tried going home yet?

Yeah, I tried.

It lasted about an hour before Aunt Camille
kicked me out of the house again, for good.

Camille?

What about your mother? What she had to say about it?

What do you think she had to say?

- Emma, is that you?
- Yeah.

You and Manny going to have
to get my catfish over earlier.

A lot of people are here earlier.

I know, Camille, you're right. You're always right.

Hey, Jason.

No, that's... Jason, that's my hat.

Jason, where have you been? You're late.

Your stuff is on the rack over there.
Go get it, put it on.

- This is a real pretty.
- Uh-huh. It's shiny too.

- It's really nicely done.
- Yeah.

- Ms Duvall?
- Uh-huh.

Uh, I heard Emma is back in town. Is that right?

Oh yes, she is. She just got back...

Jason, just because you're a policeman,

that doesn't mean you can stroll your feet and legs

make us all wait and stand around
ask questions that don't concern you.

Now, hurry up and get dressed.

Wanna go home.

That's simple, you know.

I already got one.

Oh, Buck.

I love you.

All-All I'm saying is this here.

Cookie, she been talking a lot of weird shit lately.

Saying stuff just doesn't make any sense.

Now, I think she's starting to lose it.

I'm not asking anything major here, Emma.
I'm just asking you to do one thing.

What's that?

Come over and have Easter dinner
with me and Cookie tomorrow.

Come on. It's just for an afternoon, please.

For Cookie. Come on. She misses you.

You're the only person left means anything to her.

We're having catfish enchiladas.

All right, all right, I'll come.

Ha-ha, hot dog! Look, come on about noon, okay?

Cookie gonna be in heaven!
Oh, man! She gonna be in heaven.

Yeah, I got your heaven, Willis!

Here I come, Buck.

I'm gonna be in a golden boat with golden wings.

Thou rejectest me. Thou speak evil words against me...

Cora?

Cora, I didn't cut out that speech
'cause I thought we'd do it a justice.

But now, I'm not too sure.

You're gonna get more, more vitality in your voice.

- Sexuality.
- As to a harlot.

- As to a woman that is long...
- Wait here. I'll be right back.

No, no. Don't. I'll be right back. I'll be just a second.

As to a harlot.

As to a woman that is long to me, Salome.

Well, I still live, but thou are dead.

Jewel Mae?!

Jewel Mae?

Jewel Mae, I've been calling you all day.

Where are you? Why don't you answer your telephone?

I know you're here!

If you just pick up the telephone like a normal person.

Jewel Mae!

I need Mother's fruit salad bowl!

Why does she have to act this way?

It was Mother's bowl, you know.

I need it for Easter dinner with
the Tippetts and Hendersons are coming.

And I need the fruit-salad bowl.

Fine.

You want to act like a child? Fine.

I'll just find the thing myself.

Oh.

Oh!

Oh, it's disgraceful!

Disgusting!

If I ever...

Jewel Mae?

Well, okay.

Whatever.

I'm taking your... I mean, Mother's fruit salad bowl!

Jewel Mae?

Jewel Mae?

Are you up here?

Thy voice with the sense of scattered strange perfumes

and when I look on me, I heard strange music.

Oh, wherefore didst thou, now look at me, Jo...

Yo...

Camille...

Jokana...

Darn it.

Camille!

Dear Willis,

Buck needs me. And I need him.

By the time you read this, I'll be with him.

Camille!

Now don't be sad, Willis, and tell Emma not to be sad...

because I'm happy.

Camille!

By the way, the final score is Cookie: 849...

Willis: 712.

Catch you later, Cookie.

Camille! You broke the fruit salad bowl!

Darn! How can we have fruit salad now?

Cora! Cora, come here.

I'll tell you here, I got...

Stop it.

Cora...

- Cora, wait. What are you doing?
- I'm gonna call the police!

No, you can't do that. You can't call anybody, not yet.

Get back to our salad...

God! Look at what you've done, Cora.

I'm bleeding!

Cora, sit down!

Oh, this is awful. This is terrible.

- We have to do something!
- Keep your voice down, Cora.

- You're gonna disturb the neighbors!
- But Camille, Aunt Jewel shot herself!

We don't know that. We don't know that.
Aunt Jewel shot herself!

What do you mean?

All we know was Aunt Jewel was shot. Period.

But the gun was in her hand. She must...

Don't always go for the obvious, Cora. Just think!

What are you eating?

Nothing.

Now...

You just listen to me, alright?

Aunt Jewel did not commit suicide.

Nobody in this family commits suicide.
Suicide is a disgrace.

Only crazy people commit suicide.

So, that's what some... some robber,

some murderer is trying to make this look like.

Well, they ain't gonna get away with this.

So, you just forget that you saw that gun in her hand.

You hear me?

It was not there. Aunt Jewel did not commit suicide.

Now, Cora.

Look at me.

Look at me, Cora. All right? Now...

Aunt Jewel did not commit suicide.

Aunt Jewel did not commit suicide.

- Suicide...
- is a disgrace.

- Only crazy people...
- Only crazy people...

- commit...
- suicide.

- Hey.
- Hey, Emma.

Manny?

Manny, what's going on?

I'm getting some light in here for you.

Can't have you dress and undress in the dark.

- Hey there, Nel.
- Hey, Willis.

I heard Cookie is had the flu. Is that true?

Yeah, it's true. She's alright though.

I can't believe this.

I just can't believe it!

Of all the selfish...

disgraceful...

disgusting...

I'll get all of this out of here once and for all.

You here was given everything...

and look what you did with it?

I'll tell you one thing. You're just lucky that I'm here.

Lucky for you I can think so fast on my feet.

Yeah.

Now.

Get it out of your hand.

Let go!

How dare you do this to me, you crazy old lady!

Now, how they get out?

Who?

See, he'd come in?

I think he would come in the back door.

Then he comes over here...

from there...

run and run...

Cora.

Now...

I ant you to tell me what happened, all right?

Pretend I'm the law.

Now, Miss Duvall.

Can you tell me what happened here?

Some robber, some murderer
killed Aunt Jewel, murdered her.

Good girl. All right. Now we got to call the police.

- You call them. Okay?
- What's the number?

You know what to say.

But, he's not fishing.

I mean, he's just buzzing around the lake.

Yeah, but you still...

You have 1500 pounds of boat, 200 pounds of motor...

six fishing poles...

- 40 pounds of lead.
- Holly Springs Sheriff's Office.

- This is Wanda speaking.
- To pull up 3 pounds of fish.

- It is.
- You know, you can tell

a whole lot about the man
just by the color of his fishing rod.

I don't know. I worry about how...

Ok, just a minute. You said 411 Van Buren?

Yes ma'am. 411 Van Buren.

It's my Aunt Jewel. She's... she's dead.

She's been murdered.

She's upstairs in the bedroom. And she's... she's white

like lilies in the field that the mower had never mowed.

And there's blood everywhere.
Red like coral the fish have found

in the twilight of the sea.

Ah, yes ma'am.

Hold on just a minute.

Well...

- Fancy seeing you here in Holly Springs.
- Why are you wearing that for?

My uniform? I'm an officer of
the sheriff's department now.

The sheriff's department? You're a cop now?

Sure am.

Great. Congratulations.

I'm still a criminal and you're the law.
Our timing continues to suck.

Oh, hey, I am not the one who took off

in the middle of the night without even a phone call.

What you expect me to do?
Stay around here looking at the horizon

waiting for you to come back?

Hey.

- What happened to your face?
- I fell.

Jason, you there? Jason, it's Wanda.

We got a 10-47. Subject is possibly 10-7.

Jason, respond ASAP. Stand by for location.

Hey, Cookie...

So, I came in and I saw glass
all over the floor in the kitchen.

And then there the gun case, and...

and I knew immediately that something was wrong.

I called out for her. She didn't answer me.

That's when I ran straight up
to her bedroom and found her.

Mrs Duvall, were you present with your sister

when she's discovered Cookie's body?

Jewel Mae, officer.

Jewel Mae Orcutt. Her name is Jewel Mae.

Cookie?

Cookie, what's going on here?

My-my sister heard a scream,
came running. I mean she's here.

Somebody broke in and shot her.

She's... she's dead, officer.

I think whoever it was,

maybe they, they, they broke in the door
and they, they smashed the gun case,

they got one of guns to, to rob her. I, I guess.

Aunt Jewel had a lot of valuable jewellery we ever know.

She had a diamond and ruby necklace
that was worth a fortune.

At least two or three hours.

Jason, put that damn thing the hell away.

Wanda said there's been a robbery and murder over here.

Go on in and find Lester.

Don't do anything he don't tell you to do.

Yes, sir.

And where's Lester?

- Who are you?
- Who are you?

Batesville forensics.

I'm supposed to report to Lester Boyle.

He's upstairs.

- Hey, Jason.
- Hi. Excuse me.

Lester! I'm here!

Jesus! Get... Watch... Watch... Back up. Back out.

All right, son. You come in...

That's evidence. Just...
You be careful what you're doing, okay?

You just be careful what you're doing.

Jesus!

- What happened?
- Ms Orcutt, shot in the head.

Died instantly. Go figure.

- We hope...
- Those are brains?

Don't know. We haven't found the weapon yet.

Just looks like the robbery here.

This is bad.

This is bad.

Emma...

Who's gonna tell Emma?

Do we know who did it yet?

You smell fish in here?

- How's it going, Eddie?
- No shortage of prints here.

Got a real nice set off the outside kitchen window.

Maybe, the point of entry.

I'm going on back to check for footprints.

You stay here and don't move.

Don't say anything to anybody. Not one word.

Officer Cox...

I just think this is how the robber left the house.

- Ms Dixon!
- I think he probably...

Ms Dixon, please don't come out here.

Then he broke that door.

- You know, to get in.
- Ms Dixon!

- So, he must come back out...
- You can't be out here like this.

- I just...
- You can't be out here.

You're gonna be stepping all over the evidence.

Oh, oh, footprints!

Now, the wall is all messup now.

- But then...
- Ms Dixon...

this is a crime scene now.

- I know you're in shock.
- I just think...

- I completely understand.
- He jumped across that fence there.

- You got to let us do our work here.
- Hid in those bushes here.

And then... Oh!

What's wrong? What is it?

Look.

You specialise in being in the way?

I'm sorry, Ms Duvall.

This is awful.

I just saw Emma a little bit ago.

She's gonna be...

you know, freaked about this.

She really cared about that old lady.

Who's gonna tell Emma?

Ms Duvall?

Willis?

I sure am sorry about this.

I can't believe it, Lester.

Cookie's dead. Shot.

It's a tough one.

Willis?

- Hhh?
- Oh...

Were you around here most of today?

Except when I had to run some errands and uh...

buy groceries.

What time was that?

I don't know. 1:00.

1:30 maybe.

Anybody go with you?

No. No.

Well, I was with Emma for while.

Willis, I'm sorry to ask this.

But, would you mind coming down to the station with us?

Don't worry. It's a routine.

We need all the clues we can get.

Since you live here, I can damn sure use some help.

Here, well, let, let me put your groceries away for you.

Oh, you, you got your shirt all wet, Willis.

Willis! What you doing?

Willis! What're you going up there for?

What's going on? What did you do?

What happened to your shirt?

What's wrong?

- It's Cookie.
- What about her?

She's dead.

Aunt Cookie? What you mean?

- It's worse. She was shot.
- Shot?

What do you mean shot?

I don't know. They found her at the house.

She was shot at the house.

Somebody shot her at the house.

Oh, God!

Look, what more can I say?

His prints are the only ones
on the gun beside the victims.

They're all over the gun case,

the back door knob and the outside kitchen window.

I think that's easy to explain.

Look, I'm not saying there's enough
evidence to substantiate guilt, Lester.

But in my expert opinion,
we ought to hold him on suspicion.

At least, till we establish
the time of death and get some alibis.

Yeah, he lives in this house.
He cared for that old woman.

Now, your house in Batesville,

do you clean things up, move things round sometimes?

- It's more complicated than that, Lester.
- Yeah, you still live with your momma?

He had nothing to do with it, all right?

He's innocent.

You can trust me on that.

And what makes you so sure of that, Lester?

Because...

I fished with him.

Willis?

Uh, yes, yes, sir.

I got good news, I got bad news.

The good news is, Lester is almost
always right, 9 times out of 10.

The bad news is, we got to
detain you for suspicion of murder

of Ms. Jewel Mae Orcutt.

Oh, come on. Y'all, y'all got this thing all wrong now.

I was coming from the supermarket.

I didn't have nothing to do with that, Billy.

I know it's a damn mess, but...

you know, we'll get everybody in here
all at the one time and square this away.

Yeah, but we, we planned our Easter
dinner, Cookie and I, for tomorrow.

Look at this mess.

Camille, maybe we're not supposed to be here.

Cora...

Hey, you think the police could, at least,

take their stupid crime tape
with them when they were leaving.

All right, nobody's right here. So, it's ok.

Freeze!

Oh, Jason, put that thing away. You scared us to death!

Ms Dixon, what are you all doing over here?

We're going into our house, that's what.
What are you doing here?

Chief Deputy Cox told me to stay here
and make sure no-one came in. I...

I don't think I can let you all in right now.

Jason, if I were you, I'd go home and study the lines.

We'll take it from here.

Would you open the door?

Goodnight.

Goodnight, Jason. Thank you.

Jason to Wanda. Jason to Wanda.

Go ahead, Jason.

I got a B and E over here...

at the crime house.

Uh...

I'm a, I'm a 10-23 requesting uh 10-34.

10-23 for 10-34.

I got two 10-82s J-I...

Possible 10-30...

Could you just ask Billy to come on down here, please?

I knew it. I knew this'd happen.

You should have left someone there beside that kid.

Slow down, Eddie. We're not
talking about Jack the Ripper.

- Really?
- It's just a couple of women.

But, the integrity of the crime scene
has been compromised.

Some smart-assed lawyer could have
a hay-day with me at the witness stand.

I don't want to look like some fool.

There's little debate for this, okay?

Miss Dixon? What the hell is this?

Oh, it's just stupid crime tape. Right Camille?

Miss Dixon, I told you before and I'm telling you again.

This house is off limits. Nobody can stay in here.

Billy, you know this house is ours now, you know that.

Now, Cora and I, you see, are Aunt Jewel's nieces.

- We are her only relatives.
- Well, except Emma.

- Don't forget Emma.
- Oh yes, Emma Duvall.

- That's Cora's daughter.
- Everyone in our sheriff"s office

- knows Emma.
- Uh-huh.

Miss Dixon, for the time being...

this house is owned by nobody.

And you possibly destroy crucial evidence.

We're holding a man down the station
for questioning in this murder.

- You're holding somebody?
- Yes, ma'am.

We're holding Mr. Willis Richland.

- Willis? You're holding Willis?
- Yes, ma'am.

- His prints were all over the gun.
- No!

Not to mention a few other things.

Well, nothing's official now.

We're waiting for confirmation
on the alleged murder weapon.

- O.. Officer.
- We're checking alibis.

I, I don't think you have the right man.

- Honestly...
- Billy, I, I think we're just

in a little bit of state of shock here.

I mean, I just think we need a little bit of time.

This news about Willis Richland is most disturbing.

Well, I can hardly believe it either,
but he's only lead we got.

Well, Billy. Maybe, you made a mistake...

Damn right, someone made a mistake.

Oh, Emma. Oh, honey.

- Baby, let Momma give you a hug.
- You just stay away from me, Momma.

Don't touch me.

All you people are nuts!

Willis did not shoot Aunt Cookie, Billy.
There's no way that Willis did this.

He loved her.

And he's probably the only person besides me

that will even go to her damn funeral!

Watch what you say in this house young lady.

Oh, this house!

What? Llike it's your house all of a sudden, huh?

Well, I will say whatever I please in this house,

because this is Cookie's house!

Emma, honey. It's ok.

Cora, enough!

Leave her alone.

As far as the funeral goes,

I just hope you find something
a little more tasteful than that.

I hate you, you stupid insensitive bitch!

Alright, ladies. Let's go home.

They read you your rights, didn't they? - Yeah.

They gave me coffee...

and a field of string magazine,
but I can't concentrate too good right now.

That's understandable.

Okay, let's talk about your whereabouts today.

Start with this morning.

Uh, look here, Jack.

You been assigned to my case or something?

Assigned? Willis, what are you talking about?

I'm your lawyer.

- I'm gonna need a lawyer?
- Everybody needs a lawyer.

Uh-uh-huh.

Listen, Willis.

Did Cookie ever show you a copy of her will?

I don't know anything about that.

She had a cookie jar where she kept all of her...

important papers and stuff like that. So, uh...

if she had a will, I reckon that's where it would be.

She had a will alright. I drew it up for her myself.

I'm sorry, Willis.

We're gonna work this out quick. I promise.

- Did you hear?
- What?

Old Jessie hooked a 14 pounder large one.

- Lost it.
- No shit!

Hi, Emma. Welcome back to town.

I don't suppose you came back
to pay those parking tickets now?

Um, well, I was gonna talk to you about that.

- But...
- What happened to your face?

Nothing. Mainly, I'm here to bring this shirt to Willis.

D on the double is 13. Read 'em and weep.

- Ah, go ahead, Lester.
- Jack, pass that letter, will you?

Okay, I'm taking the last two here.

Willis! I can't believe this.

I can not believe you're in the cell!

- Lester, what are you doing with Willis?
- Calm down, all right.

And you're playing Scrabble at a time like this?

- Yes, we keep our minds occupied.
- Oh, yeah?

Yes, until somebody comes back here
and straightens this thing out.

- You got it, right Willis?
- I brought your shirt.

Yeah, everything's gonna be alright.

Well, as long as you got Willis is in this cell,

you can just count me in too because I'm not leaving.

They can't kick me out of here, can they?

Well... That ought to work without the script.

Well, if they try, we can just remind them
that I'm an actual criminal.

I've got 234 dollars-worth
of outstanding parking tickets.

That's a Marshall County record.

Not to mention a few other things
they didn't catch me for.

And I've been on the lam.

I'm a fugitive from justice. So, arrest me.

- I knew I smelled catfish in here.
- Ha ha.

You all got a Coke machine around here?

Yeah, it's right down this hallway to the right. Hold on!

Bring me another Dr Pepper.

You're way behind.

Go on in and find Lester.

Tell him investigator Tucker's due
over here any minute from Batesville.

Leaving the damn lights on. Turn the damn lights off.

Sorry about your Aunt Cookie.

And about that stuff back there
with your Mom and your Aunt Camille.

Sorry about Willis.

I bet he didn't do it.

Didn't do it?

Of course, he didn't do it. Jesus!

Put another notch on your gun for that one.

Now, I got "demote" here. That's 3,7,9, that's 18.

- That's my original Scrabble.
- I've brought you some coffee, Willis.

No, thanks.

Oh, go ahead. Coffee is real good
for you in time of stress.

- I don't want it.
- Yes, you do. It's the fresh pot.

- Let's see what I got.
- Mmm!

You, you're right, Emma.

I can use a little fresh coffee. Help clear my head.

Too bad Aunt Cookie can't be clearing her head tonight.

Right now, she'd be sitting there at the kitchen table

smoking a pipe, wouldn't she?

- Mrs Orcutt smoked a pipe?
- Oh, yeah.

She had racks and racks of 'em all over the house.

And there on the metal, and in the kitchen.

You know, them little dainty ones for ladies.

Mother and Aunt Camille hated it too, didn't they?

Uh-huh.

They thought it was a disgrace.

Mainly Aunt Camille.

What an idiot she is!

I got it.

C... E... that's ten.

- What ten?
- What's that?

Look, look, look, look here, Lester.

What all did you say you found my fingerprints on?

Because I can tell you right now...

I cleaned everyone of them guns last night,

so, my prints must be on all of them all of them.

Anybody see you clean them?

- I did.
- You did not!

And why would I smash a gun case that doesn't even lock?

- Latch doesn't even work.
- He's right. I've seen it a million times.

It sort os hangs there. A million times maybe even more.

I've been meaning to fix it.

Willis, in your best interests, it'd be good idea just.

- My best interests?
- To remains silent.

Hey, look here. My best interests
is right here sitting in this room,

ain't that right?

What? Now, now look...

What? The gun case latch doesn't work,
can't even lock it?

No.

Eddie, the expert from Batesville, strikes again.

What about the jewel box? Any prints on that?

Only Mrs Orcutt's.

You know what? I'd like to know
what she kept in that jewel box.

Well, Miss Dixons says she had a valuable
diamond and ruby necklace in there.

Oh... Oh, Cookie had this one necklace
Buck had given her for Christmas.

Oh Buck, he got taken every time he turned around.

Buck was the biggest sucker ever lived.

He won that necklace off somebody in a poker game.

It had a big old C on it. And he thought it was fate...

as his wife's name was Cookie and all.

He sneaked the thing out of the house one day.

And I drove up with him to Memphis to get it value.

And what do you know?

If that necklace weren't enough fake,
worth about 50 dollars!

- You're kidding?
- Buck, he never told Cookie though.

And she died thinking,
he'd given her diamonds and rubies.

Ohh, wow, wow, wow, wow!

We have a triple letter there, that's 12, that's 14...

and that's A-W-E. Huh, I'm out, give it up.

- Awe?
- Give it up. Come on.

- Awe?
- Come on.

"Awe" is not a word!

Awe, Lester. Awe.

Derived from old Norse

which goes back to the reconstructed
Indo-European base "agh".

A mixture of reverence, fear, wonder.

Excuse me, folks. I don't mean to be interrupting.

But, is this story hour at the Rec. Centre?

Or is this supposed to be the sheriff's station?

I'm confused. Lester, who are all these people?

I'm Jack Palmer, sir. Attorney at Law.

I represent Mr Richland here.

Uh-huh.

- I'm Emma Duvall, his cell mate.
- Uh-huh.

And I'm Willis Richland. I guess I'm your suspect, sir.

Uh-huh.

Nice hat you got there.

Our most dear gracious loving kind heavenly father...

we thank you so much for seeing
us through yet another day.

We thank you for the simple yet plentiful
bounty you've seen fit to bestow on us.

Your ways are not always ours to understand.

But, we are comforted in knowing

that all will be made clear to us in the end.

Amen.

We pray for strength to get through
these dark and difficult days.

We pray for Willis Richland.

May God rest his soul if
he committed this terrible crime.

And may God rest his soul if he didn't.

We pray for Emma.

We pray that some day she shapes up and sees the light.

And abandon her shameful, disgraceful and common ways.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Psss...

Emma!

Emma!

- Wait for Mama.
- Let's go get some pie kids.

Come on.

- Marlene.
- Hello.

It seems like every Easter we get a downpour.

Irvin and I, we were just talking about
how, how brave you two have been

in the face of this, this terrible tragedy.

Yes. Hmm.

Well, thank you. But, I think Aunt Jewel would want this.

Yeah. The show must go on.

- Who made this stuff?
- Lester's wife.

Thank you, Emma.

- You want some tea?
- Uh-huh.

Jason! What are you doing here?

Nothing.

Well, Wanda's showing me how to run the front desk.

Did you eat it?

Yeah.

Want some seconds?

Now, tell me why would they put a brave cop like yourself

up at the boring old front desk?

Well, Wanda's gonna be tied up tomorrow.
Something to do with "administration".

Uh-huh.

That gives us the run of the place.
If you know what I mean.

You want a Coke?

Ms Dixons, uh what exactly do you do
with these church plays?

Just about everything.

I do the casting...

I create the set,
I coordinate in making of the costumes...

and, of course, I direct all the plays.

Now this Monday night, we're putting on a wonderful play.

Oh, it's called Salome and you all should come.

It's gonna be a real hit.

I play Salome. And I get to dance.

And ask King Herod for the head
of John, the Baptist, on a silver platter.

Boy, wait till you see that head.

It looks so real, the blood coming down the plate...

Well um, that sounds like
a great idea for an Easter play.

I'm partial to Oscar Wilde's version.
Of course, I did revise it a little.

Sorry, we don't have any fruit salad. We broke the bowl.

Thank you for taking the time
to talk to us today, Mr. Johnson.

As you know, we're holding a man down
at the station on suspicion of murder

based on a whole lot of question marks. And...

I'd like to get some answers
as soon as possible. You understand?

- Yeah, I understand.
- Hold it just a minute.

I almost forgot. Josie... uh...

Look, while we talking to Theo,
you gonna have to wear these.

This is strictly confidential.

So, you can't hear any of this. So, put these on.

All right.

- Mr Johnson?
- Too loud?

You promise to tell the truth, whole truth
and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

No, I don't.

- I sure do!
- Uh-huh. Thank you, Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Johnson, we mainly try to confirm.

Mr Richland's account of his whereabouts on Saturday.

Now, did Willis Richland, at any point
on that afternoon, come into the bar?

- Yeah, he did.
- Uh-huh.

Now, what time would that be?

About 1:30 thereabout.

See there? Now that's exactly what Willis told you.

He said he went out to run some errands
at around 1:30 in the afternoon.

- Everything the man had told you.
- Lester! Sit down.

Wanda, strike Lester's statement, please.

Well, I can't exactly strike it because I'm recording it.

- Wanda.
- Not writing it down.

- Wanda.
- But, when we get back to...

I'd love to.

So, Mr. Johnson, you said Willis Richland
came into the bar at 1:30 that afternoon?

- That's right.
- Uh-huh.

Uh, did, did he stay for a while and have a drink?

- Uh, no. No, he didn't.
- Uh-huh.

You see, Willis is a responsible man.

Uh-huh.

- And he never...
- Uh-huh.

- Never drinks...
- Uh-huh.

Before Tom Brokaw.

Then what did he come in for?

Mr. Johnson?

- Nothing but the truth, Mr. Johnson.
- Eddie.

- Wanda.
- I know: Strike Eddie.

Mr. Johnson? What did he come
to the bar that afternoon for?

Umm...

He came to return something.

What exactly did he come to return?

A half pint of Wild Turkey.

- Wild Turkey?
- Wild Turkey.

Why would he be returning
a half pint of Wild Turkey to your bar?

Well, he took it the night before.

Took it. What do you mean?

- Took it!
- Took it?

- Took it!
- Took it!

- Without asking?
- Took it.

That's what I mean. Took it.

- You mean he stole it?
- No.

No, no, no.

I think you misconstrued the matter. You see.

- He borrowed it.
- Uh-huh.

But, he brought the bottle back full next day.

- Like he usually does.
- Ohhh.

So, you saying this ain't
the first time that Willis Richland

took something from your bar without asking.

Is that what you're saying Mr. Johnson?

Well uh, uh, it, it, it's not like you think it is.

- Mr. Johnson.
- I'm trying to tell you...

- Mr Johnson.
- I...

Thank you for your time. You been very helpful.

Man, if the electric chair doesn't kill me...

this jail food will.

Ain't no telling what my last meal's gonna be.

That's not funny.

Willis, was your family as crazy as mine?

Yeah, some of them.

Every family got a few loose screws here and there.

But, there's always some keepers too.

- You have a favourite relative?
- Oh, yeah.

My granddaddy. Yes, sir.

He's the one who taught me to fish.

He used to take me to Possum Kingdom every summer.

We camped out.

I'd live all year for that one week.

You know, I was the youngest of his 34 grandkids.

34?

Isn't that something? One man, 34 grandkids.

How did they tell you all apart?

Well...

16 of them was girls...

18 boys. That helped.

And then 20 of us was black, the other 14 white.

What you mean white?

White like you.

How'd that happen?

My granddaddy was white.

My Gog!

Yeah, we was all mixed up colorwise,
but I came out the blackest.

Wow!

- Hi, y'all.
- Hey, there.

Wanda and them are still out,
so I thought I'd stop by and...

see if you wanted coffee or something?

Yeah, matter of fact, I do.

Emma, uh, would you get it for me?
I sure do like the way you make my coffee.

Would you like a little cream in it this time?

Yeah, heavy on the cream.

So, Miss... Miss Martin...

You can call me Josie.

Uh... J... Josie. Yeah.

Uh...

Josie...

So, you say that Willis Richland...

came into the bar Saturday afternoon
while you were on duty...

Prox... Prox... Proximately,
what, what time would that be?

- Uh, I guess 2:30 or so.
- Uh-huh.

- I really can't remember.
- 2:30?

Theo said 1:30. Looks like
we've got the discrepancy here already.

Eddie, if you say one more word...

Mister...

I don't know who the hell you think you are?

I was told that I only had to answer
to one investigator here.

And I really don't appreciate your interruptions.

And I don't appreciate you messing
with my train of thought!

- And furthermore...
- Why do I have to listen to this?

How much time do you spend in a drinking establishment?

- Ms Martin...
- My guess would be not much...

We folks of the nightlife don't spend
much time looking at a clock on the wall.

We do what we do best is drink and bury the blues.

- And wild women don't get the blues.
- Ha-ha, you got that right, sister.

Wanda...

Oh, yes.

T... Ten minutes recess, please.

Cora, get your fingers out of there!

Keep this thing closed.

How unsociable!

All these guns just sitting right here in the foyer.

What'll we do with all these things?

- We could learn to shoot.
- Shoot? Shoot what?

You always said someone ought
to shoot old Jessie, didn't you?

That was a big big mouth in its day...

Mr. Freeman, can you tell me approximately

what time Willis came into the store on Saturday?

- It was in the afternoon.
- Uh-huh.

About 1:30, I think.

He bought a half pint of Wild Turkey.

Half pint of Wild Turkey?

Well, the same as Theo said: Wild Turkey.

- Daddy?
- Not now. Daddy's busy.

Now, did he specifically ask for Wild Turkey?

Yes, sir.

Probably for Easter Sunday.

I sell almost as much Turkey
at Easter as I do at Thanksgiving.

Get it? Turkey? Thanksgiving?

Ah-Ha... Whoa!

Thank you.

Daddy, I saw something in Ms. Orcutt's yard.

Now Ronnie, you got to stop interrupting us now.

Whatever you got to tell me can wait.

Go outside and play.

Kids...

I like this room best.

I think facing East is good luck...

for the sunrise. Don't you?

But if you want this one, that's okay.
I can take this one instead.

It has the best view of trees, the magnolia trees.

Trees that bloom like the blasts
of trumpets heralding the approach of kings

and make afraid the enemy!

Now Cora, when you say: "make afraid the enemy",

you have to have in your head: "make the enemy afraid".

Because, unless you have that in your head,

the audience won't even want to know
what you're talking about.

Turn out stack of catfish here today.

Hey, Manny.

Hey, Billy.

- You got a couple of minutes?
- Yes, sir.

Hey.

Hey, Lester.

Listen, my health department permit
that Frank Chapman framed...

I'm gonna try to get by there
this afternoon and pick it up.

- Excuse me, uh... Mr. uh...
- Hood.

- Mr. Hood.
- Manny Hood...

Mr. Hood. Uh, I'm an investigator Tucker from Batesville.

And we're not interested in any permit or anything. We...

- We just want to ask you a few...
- Want to swear him in?

No, I don't want to swear him in, Eddie. Thank you.

- You get my coffee?
- Oh shit. I'm sorry, I forgot...

No, no, that's, that's all right.
It can wait, wait until later.

- You know what, Emma?
- What?

You don't smell much like catfish anymore.

For some reasons, you start to smell
more like that sweet crab salad.

Cookie used to make.

I'm gonna get your coffee.

I sterilise these pliers every half hour.

And that boxcar's over there,

I'm getting it hooked up with
the electric company tomorrow.

Okay. Mr. Hood, tell me something.

Now, did Willis Richland ever come
on these premises this past Saturday?

- Willis?
- Uh-huh.

He came by here. He was looking for Emma Duvall.

He did?

What time would that be?

1:30, maybe.

How is it possible that one man can be

at so many different places at the exact same time?

I never like this chair in the den.

I always thought she's gonna sit the room.

Camille. Um...

- Camille.
- Hold, hold.

Oh, Jack.

- I tried to tell you.
- You scared me.

- Sorry. Not my intention.
- Come on, Cora.

What's all this? You wouldn't
be spring-cleaning, would you?

Oh, no. We are turning this place upside-down.

Um, Camille said that Aunt Jewel
had the worst sense of style

in rich in space and motif.

Cora, we're just reorganising
a few things, tidying up a bit.

I thought the place was still a crime scene.

Sheriff Cox sees this.
He's awful picky about his yellow tape.

Well, Jack. The police have already
had their fair share of time here.

So, if you don't mind,
Cora and I still have a lot of work to do

before we have to get over to the church.

We are putting on a play tonight, remember?

No sweat. I'll be out of here in no time.

I just dropped by to pick up
the original copy of Ms. Orcutt's will.

Will? What will?

It's in the cookie jar.

Jack, I don't think you're gonna find anything here.

Aunt Jewel didn't even have
a cookie jar that I can remember.

Oh yes she did. It's in that top cupboard up there.

Camille said it was so ugly, it should
be somewhere so no-one had to look at it.

- Well thank you, Cora.
- You're welcome.

Cora?

Listen. Why don't you just go out the front porch

to practice some dance steps.

The play's in four hours.
You haven't got the fifth veil right.

Why don't you just go out there and practice.

Okay.

Oh, here we are.

Jack, is that what you were looking for?

Not to worry. I'll read it out loud

just as soon as I get everybody in the same room.

- Who's everybody?
- See you in Galilee!

Damn! A will!

I can't believe it. Why didn't I look in here?

What else she put in here?

Camille! We've got company.

This man's looking for his tape.

Come on in fellows.

I think I left a bunch of it in the washing machine.

Oh, my God! That's it.

Hhh-Hhh!

Batesville is B.A.T.E, not B.A.I.T.

I tell you what?

If I find Miss Dixon over at that house again,

I'm gonna tape my cattle prod to her.

Hay, guys. You just missed Batesville.

- They called a minute ago.
- Wait, wait till you hear this one.

There, there were two types of blood
on the gun. Not one, two.

They, they found a whole bunch of O-positive,

you know, which is the most
common type of blood. All right.

But then, they found a second type too, ok?

You ready for this?

Traces of ABC negative.

- ABC?
- He means AB negative, sir.

That's what I said, AB negative.
It's like the least common type.

It's rare. It's like hardly anyone alive with it.

And they found more of it on the broken fruit salad bowl.

Son...

When does your play start?

Geez, I almost forget. Shoot, I have to go.

- You guys do without me?
- We'll manage.

- Get out.
- All right.

Break an arm.

What you doing? You'd better get down to the church.

I'll be there in a minute.

My son, he really did see something.

Ronnie, you want to tell these guys what you told me.

Hurry up, Cora. We're gonna be late again!

There's already a couple of cars over there!

Camille, did my veils come back from the cleaners?

Yeah, I told you. Marlene picked them up!

Ms. Orcutt's blood type is O-positive.

They're checking the medical record for Willis' type now.

Then they say they're gonna go through the whole family.

ABCDEFG. They don't have it.

I bet the family of Willis Richland
doesn't have AB-negative blood.

- And just how do you know that?
- Cos I fished with him.

Suffer me to kiss thy mouth.

Never, I embrace the law of God.

Suffer me to kiss thy mouth! Suffer me to kiss thy mouth!

But Salome, what about me?

Never, daughter of adultery! Never!

Suffer me to kiss thy mouth!

Turn off your blues, man. You don't need 'em.

- I can't turn 'em off.
- Ah, don't matter.

- Just shut the whole thing off.
- It kills the engine...

I'm getting my coffee break here.

O there thou art, fair Salome! I have been seeking thee.

Well stop seeking her a husband, damn it!

She is my daughter!

Daughter of the wanton one! The harlot!

Bid him be silent!

Wherefore is this blood here?

Whose body is this?

Our captain, sire. He slew himself.

Aye.

I thought none but Roman philosophers slew themselves.

The Stoics do it too, sire.

- They are ridiculous people.
- Yes, it is ridiculous to kill oneself.

Bear him away.

Dance for me, Salome. I pray thee.

Dance the dance of the seven veils for me.

I have no desire to dance my king. I am of no mood.

Dance for me, and thou may ask of me...

anything thou pleases.
Anything up to half of all my kingdom!

Wait a minute!

Do I hear right, my king?

You will give me anything I desire
if I would dance for you?

- No!
- Yes!

Sworn an oath.

Camille, the veil! The veil!

So, be it.

I will dance for you.

Is all this stuff used in the play?
Is this Ms Dixon's purse?

Where's Ms. Dixon?

Why don't you go have a seat in the front?

I'll fix you a row at the front, okay?

It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be fine.

Wonder if Jason's killed himself over mother yet.

He said that he's playing this young Syrian
soldier who is in love with a princess,

who just happens to be my mother and well...

she ignores him and so he stabbed himself in the heart.

Oh, poor Jason.

Serves him right. Sniffing up the wrong tree.

It's just acting, Emma.

I bet he's good in that death scene.

Maybe, he knows what it's like
to feel that way about a woman.

I know what it's like to feel that way about a man.

Ohh.

Most wonderful Salome!

Speak to me that I may give thee a royal fee.

On a silver platter, my king?

On a silver platter?

And what was thou desire on
this silver platter, my sweet and fair?

I want... I want...

I want the head of John.

- Ms. Dixon.
- The Baptist.

- Yes!
- No!

You want the head of Willis Richland
in a cut glass fruit salad bowl.

No, no. That's not what thou dost desire.

Suffer me to render this unto you. I have news.

It's good. It's bad!

There's nothing common about you, Ms Dixon.

Ah-ah, very rare.

You have AB negative blood.

One of a few.

For the head of the Baptist.

And this means that we're gonna
have to take you down to the station.

We're gonna have to detained you
on suspicion of murder...

of Ms. Jewel Mae Cookie Orcutt.

- Oh Lester...
- Yes.

Ask of me anything.

One other piece of news, you know,

I'm willing to bet you that Willis
is willing to let you keep this.

- Come on, ma'am. Come on, ma'am.
- Oh, oh, Aunt Jewel Mae gave it to me.

- No, I can't.
- You have to come with us now.

My play is still on stage. No, they can't...

The head of the Baptist, and I want it now.

Is that you, Lester? Is that your cologne?

I don't know, Ms Dixon.
Ms. Dixon, when we get in the car...

Does your wife approve of this? Bet she buys it.

I got it. Just slide in, ma'am. Watch your head.

- Lester, keep her quiet.
- Yes, sir.

- I'll see you over there.
- All right.

- Eddie!
- All right, settle back down, please.

Lester, can I come?

You got to give us some space.

Hold on, Edmond. I'm coming with you guys.

No, you're not. Get out of here.

We don't even know you. Who are you?

She's AB negative, you know.

Does anybody know anything?

Come on back.

Again, she's not a director.

They're bringing in your Aunt Camille. She's AB negative.

- What does that mean?
- She's got negative blood!

- Negative blood?
- AB.

Wow!

Right this way, Ms. Dixon.

Straight ahead.

This way, Ms. Dixon.

- I can't.
- Right through here, ma'am.

Ms. Dixon, you have a right to make a phone call.

Make it short if you will.
I am not sure about the battery.

May I please have some privacy?

If you wait about 5 minutes,
you'll have all the privacy you want.

We're fixing to release these two as I speak.

All right. We're alright!

If you all come on out front,

we'll start getting this paperwork out of the way.

Pick up the phone, Cora.

That ring, it means you should pick it up.

- Billy.
- Jack.

- I thought you slew yourself.
- Oh, Jack.

I'm trying to call Cora,

- she's not picking up the phone.
- Keep calm, Camille.

Lester, I need to confer with my client.

Sit down, Camille.

Listen, uh...

If it's all right with you guys, since
I've got everybody here in one place,

I'd like to make an announcement.
That is, if I'm not interrupting anything.

No, not at all. Go ahead.

What I have here is the original document...

duty signed and witnessed, it is Ms. Orcutt's will.

And I'd like to read it.

It should be a scroll, I guess.

Sorry about that.

Last will and testament and it says, I quote...

The entire estate...

of Joseph Ray Buck Orcutt and Jewel Mae Cookie Orcutt...

is here by willed to the closest living relative.

Of course it is. I knew it.

I knew it. I told you, Billy. I told you.

To the closest living relative
of Joseph Ray Buck Orcutt...

- his nephew.
- Nephew?

His nephew. Willis Richland.

- Willis?
- Unquote.

Willis?

Yes, of course.

Well, we would never, never
ask you to give up your place, Willis.

No, our... I mean, Aunt Jewel's estate
just wouldn't be the same without you.

So, you mustn't think for a minute that
Cora and I would want it any other way.

- May I please see the will, Jack?
- Willis?

- Thank you.
- This for a real?

- You're, you're kin to me?
- Yeah, yeah, sort of...

- Your granddaddy? The white guy?
- And here, it is her signature...

Yeah. Uh, he was Buck's daddy.

Buck and Momma was sister and brother.

Thank you.

Oh, it's so great.

So you and I, we're like cousins or something?

Yeah.

Which means I'm part black?

Well, not really, Emma.

Since, I'm from Buck's side of the family, see?

- My Daddy dies in a...
- So who witnessed this?

- Patrol the land...
- Old Jessie and Tucker Trace.

- In a Bomark.
- Trick-or-treat.

And uh my Mama, she couldn't
support us without him. So...

Well Buck, he sent for me and
I've been up here ever since.

And I think it's time everybody know this.

Oh, this is the best thing that ever happens to me.

Hey, Brutus, you're out of uniform.

Well, there you have it.

There you have it.

Willis, cross my heart.

- I wish I could take it all back.
- I know.

Well, this was the easy part. Now starts the hard part.

I gotta go home...

and face that big old house all alone.

But, no Cookie.

You got me.

Yeah, I know.

Well...

If anybody's hungry...

live got stuff at home for catfish enchiladas.

- Scrabble!
- Fine with me.

H... Hold on a minute. Mr. Tucker.
We just got some here from Batesville.

It says: Urgent.

- Let me have it.
- Please, be aware...

of the following information we found
in Camille Dixon's medical records.

- Give me here.
- In checking for blood types,

we discovered she had a condition...

Yeah, I'll tell you what her condition is. She's nuts.

What you doing, ABC?

Go on.

A condition which under certain situation
of extreme stress, her blood won't clot.

If she injures herself, she could bleed to death.

Please take necessary precautions.

- Emma, is Ms. Dixon your aunt?
- Unfortunately.

You ever see her suffer from this kind of condition here?

Unfortunately not.

Well, this paper here says that
she almost died giving birth.

- Birth?
- Uh-huh.

- Aunt Camille?
- Uh-huh.

Well, that's impossible, cos
she's never even gotten laid!

- Hhh!
- Really?

You mean, you ain't got a cousin somewhere?

Just Willis, as far as I know.

That's interesting.

These official insurance company records say that...

Camille Dixon gave birth in New Orleans Memorial Hospital

and had there a massive blood
transfusion to save everybody.

Her sister, Cora Dixon Duvall was the donor.

I guess that was Camille's lucky day.

April 1, 1979.

- What's wrong?
- Emma, what's wrong?

That's my birthday.

- My uncle is my daddy?
- Well, uh...

So, for, for the past 20 years
his missing guy has been my daddy.

And then for the last twelve hours

he was my uncle and now he's my daddy again?

I'm afraid so, Emma.

Cora's husband, Donny, he was your father.

- Willis, did you know anything about this?
- No, I didn't.

I honestly don't believe anybody knew but me.

I'm sorry, I just couldn't tell you earlier.

Curse of a one-lawyer town, I guess.

- So, you found another place to stay?
- Yeah, Manny. With me.

You know, I can always put you up
in the big house if you don't like this.

So Jack, then tell me exactly how this happened.

Well, old Donny...

he was a good-looking hunk, but...

he was not much of a provider, to say the least.

So, he and Cora moved in with Camille
right after they were married, and...

Camille ended up taking care of both of them.

I guess, there were times that got
pretty tight in that little house.

Boy, I bet that's right.

Of course, nobody knows what happened
behind those walls, not even me.

But a few months later,
old Donny just up and disappeared.

And shortly thereafter,
Cora and Camille leave town on an...

extended vacation.

And when they got back, little Emma belonged to Cora.

What do you mean "disappeared"?

I was told that, that, that he,
he went to Africa on a church mission

and gave his life saving children during the famine.

Well, not exactly what happened.

He died all right about four years later
somewhere down in Alabama.

In a button factory accident.

- The button factory?
- Yep.

Seems the hole poker machine broke loose and fell on him.

They said he had 273 holes in him
before they could get it off him.

- Willis?
- Huh?

What's wrong with all these people?

Pride, officer. Family pride.

My Aunt Jewel had a lot of pride,
and she was a very proud woman.

So, yes.

That is why I tried to cover up her suicide.

To save her the embarrassment of it.
I feel she would have wanted that.

I see, I see. Let me try to understand this.

So, you went to Ms. Orcutt's house Saturday afternoon

to borrow her fruit salad bowl for Easter dinner.

Well actually, to, to get it back.
The bowl did belong to my mother, you see.

But, yes.

I went into the house and I couldn't find Aunt Jewel.

She didn't answer when I called out.
So I went upstairs to her bedroom...

and it's been that I found her on the bed
with a gun in a her hand.

And that's when you dropped
the fruit salad bowl and broke it.

Later downstairs, I cut my finger and
I used my hanky to stop the bleeding.

I guess I used the same hanky to take the gun.

And that would explain why your blood was on the gun.

- Yes, sir.
- Uh-huh.

And then you went outside and
threw the gun into the bushes.

- Yes.
- Uh-huh.

Now Ms. Dixon, what would inspire you to do that?

- Well...
- Uh-huh.

I have had extensive experience in theatre staging.

Oh, of course.

I organically put myself in the shoes of the robber...

and then I just let the moment happened.

Did Cookie leave a suicide note?

- Yes.
- Uh-huh.

Yes, she did. She left a note to Willis.

Where is it?

Well...

- I ate it.
- You what?

She ate it.

- She said what?
- She said she ate it.

- Ms. Duvall is on her way up.
- Cora!

Oh, my God. Cora! Cora!

- I've never seen that letter.
- - Inspector?

Yes, ma'am.

Inspector, my sister was there at the house with me.

She saw everything. She can back me up.

I swear. Mr. Tucker?

Let us know if you pass that suicide note, okay?

Your sister says your Aunt Jewel shot herself.

Oh, no, officer.

My Aunt Jewel didn't shoot herself.

- Hey, Jason. How are you?
- She didn't.

No, sir, she did not shoot herself.

Well, didn't you have a gun?

Didn't you and your sister find a gun in her hand?

I, I never saw a gun in her hand, ever.

Well, what about a note?
I, I know she did leave a suicide note.

Oh no, there was no suicide note.
My Aunt Jewel did not commit suicide.

My Aunt Jewel was murdered.

- Can I have a Coke?
- Yes.

Oh well, you need... need a quarter here.

I got one.

Let me push that button.

You seem awful sure of yourself there Ms. Duvall.

I am positive, sir, as positive as
I ever been of anything in my entire life.

My Aunt Jewel was murdered. Just ask Camille.

She knows.

Where is she?

Right there.

Cora?

Where have you been?

I've been tried to call you all night all day.

Where were you?

Ohh, that was you. Silly me.

Why are you still dressed like that?

You had the key, I couldn't get in.

Oh.

All right. So, okay.

Did you tell them? About Aunt Jewel?

Did you tell them what happened?

I told them the whole truth and nothing but.

Oh!

So, what did they say?

When are they gonna let me out of here?

I told them exactly how it happened.

Like you and me know how it happened.

Remember?

Cora.

What you mean like: You and me know how it happened?

That Aunt Jewel was murdered.

They asked me if there was a suicide note?

If she had a gun in her hand?

And I said absolutely not. And never ever...

I mean nobody in our family commits suicide, right?

Only crazy people commit suicide.

I told them Aunt Jewel was definitely murdered.

I did good, didn't I?

How sweet is the air!

I can breathe here.

Away from the barbarians
who drink and drink and spill their wine.

Oh, how I loathe the Romans,
the Greeks, the Egyptians, and the Jews.

How fair the princess is.

She's hiding her face...

and her little white hands...

flutter like dogs.

They are like white butterflies.

Wherefore is this blood here?

Whose body is that?

It is our captain, sire. He slew himself.

Strange. I only thought that
Roman philosophers slew themselves.

Yes, it is ridiculous to kill oneself!

Ahh!

- Nice out here today, isn't it?
- Mmm.

Where you going?

Swimming with Jason.

All right. Watch out for snakes now, you hear?

- I'll see you all later.
- Uh-huh.

That was good, Willis.

- Come on, give it up.
- What?

Don't "what" me. Give it up.

Mr. Smarty-pants.

I'm Willis: Two, Emma: Zero!