Nadine (1987) - full transcript

- Yeah?
- Mr. Escobar?

Hi, it's me, Nadine Hightower.

I really hate to bother you.
I just want to ask a favour of you.

- Listen, if it's money, I can't help you.
- No, sir. No, sir.

It's not. Could I come in
and talk to you for just a minute?

I'd love to, but I got an important client
on his way over.

This'll only take a minute.

- It's about the photos you took of me.
- Art studies. Those were art studies.

Yes, sir. But to tell you the truth...

they were lots more artistic
than I bargained for.

And the thing is, I'd like to have
those photos back.



- Did you get paid?
- Yes, sir, $22.

- Did I touch you? Lay a hand on you?
- Well, no, sir.

Then you got no gripe with me.
Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go.

Mr. Escobar!

That day at the five-and-dime,
when you come up...

and told me you was
a personal friend of Hugh Hefner...

and you asked me
to take those photos...

I mean, art studies...

the only reason I said yes
was because you told me...

that Playboy was bound to pay me.

I'll pay you back
however much you're out.

I'll give your wife free manicures.

How about that? I'll do anything.
I mean, almost anything.

- Will you quit that...?
- I'm not leaving till I get those photos!



Okay, come on in, then!
Come on, damn it!

Lucky for you,
I'm about to become a rich man.

Damn. You wait in the back.
Don't come out till I holler.

- Okay?
- In the back?

All right, I'm coming! I'm coming.

Lady, I got...

Oh, my God.

Mr. Escobar.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Mr. Escobar?

It's Charley Draper,
photo supply house.

I got that carton of developer
you asked for.

I'm real sorry about this.

Mr. Escobar?

- You the janitor?
- Yeah. What's the problem?

I got this package for Mr. Escobar,
and I can't get nobody to answer.

Hang on. I got the key.
You can leave it inside.

Hey, hey! Call the police!
There's been a murder up here!

- What's going on?
- Hey! Somebody call the police!

- There's been a murder up here!
- Right up there?

Hey! He's upstairs!

And now, Search for Tomorrow.

I think Roger's gonna have
an affair with Vanessa.

Are you crazy?
Vanessa's got the hots for Brett.

You're late, Nadine.

You got about umpteen calls
from Vernon.

- Well?
- Well what?

Are you gonna tell Vernon
you're pregnant?

Vera, I don't want
to talk about this right now.

He is the daddy.

That just happens to be
a biological accident, that's all.

- Hon, that man is your husband.
- Ex-husband.

That's just as much your fault
as it is his.

Vernon loves you.

Vernon don't love nothing but himself
and that damn Blue Bonnet Bar of his.

That man is irresponsible, and I do not
intend on letting Doris Isabelle...

Doris Isabelle?

I'm naming her after Mama's
favourite sisters. What do you think?

Nadine, I love you like you was
my own flesh and blood.

But I do not intend to stand around and
see that baby get born without a daddy.

You better rustle up somebody
real fast...

on account it ain't gonna be
Vernon Hightower.

- You won't forget about the garbage?
- Of course not.

- You sure you don't mind closing?
- Get out. Have a good time.

- Bye-bye.
- Bye-bye.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
The top story on the news tonight...

inv olves the brutal slaying of Austin
photographer Raymond Escobar.

Mr. Escobar was stabbed
to death in his studio...

on East 6th Street this afternoon.

The studio seems to have served
as a love nest for Mr. Escobar...

and the woman who killed him.

Our reporter talk ed to Deputy Sheriff
Leon Rusk at the scene of the crime.

What mak es you suspect
the killer is a woman?

We have leads that point to the fact
that the killer's undoubtedly a woman.

For one thing, we found traces
of lipstick and cheap perfume...

on the collar of the deceased.
We now tak e you back to the studio.

I knew sooner or later
you'd have to come out of there.

- What do you want?
- Did you or did you not...

sign them divorce papers?

- You gotta be kidding.
- If not, I'll strangle you on the spot.

Don't provoke me, Vernon.

Damn it, woman, I'm trying to get
the Blue Bonnet refinanced.

- If you ask me, the Blue Bonnet's...
- I didn't ask.

There is no way they're gonna
let me have that money...

unless you agree to the divorce...

and promise to make no claim
on the Bonnet.

Do you see the keys to a new Buick
convertible with white sidewall tires...

a radio and air conditioner?

When you see the keys in my hand...

you'll see my name on those papers.

Now you got that, slick?

- Come here.
- Don't mess with me.

- Come here for a minute.
- I'm warning you!

- I'm much stronger than you are!
- You see that Chevy?

You see that busted headlight?
You see that baling wire?

You think I'd be driving in that
if I could afford a new Buick?

And who might that be?

That happens to be Renee Lomax.

She's the Uvalde High School
Pecan Queen of 1947.

Vernon, darling?

I'm not in the "Vernon, darling"
business anymore.

- Remember?
- Vernon, darling...

what if I was to sign those papers?

I told you before, I'm not paying
for any brand-new Buick.

What if I was to forget
about the Buick altogether?

All right, what's the deal?

I'd just like you to run
a little errand with me, that's all.

What kind of little errand?

Well, a couple of weeks ago,
Vera asked me to pick up this stuff...

that she keeps in a storeroom
on 6th Street...

and I keep forgetting...

and if it ain't there by morning,
she's gonna have a real shit fit.

And, well, you know what
a fraidy-cat I am of the dark.

Nadine, it's me, Vernon. Remember?

Your almost ex-husband?

I know how you are
when you get set on something.

You're not gonna give up on that Buick
out of the goodness of your heart.

Vernon, be honest with me.

Are you ever truly
gonna give me that Buick?

Hell, no!

Then what am I losing?

Sug, I'm pretty sure that I got her
convinced to sign that paper.

The thing is, though...

Sug, the problem is...

that she's got some kind of deal
going here.

I'm gonna have to help her.

So I want you to take the pickup,
go to your place, and I'll call you later.

Vernon, just think.

As soon as she signs those papers,
we can get married.

Yeah.

Honey, go on now.

Vernon's gotta go.

Nighty-night.

Goddamn it, woman.

What, are you trying to get me killed?

When was the last time you cleaned
the sparks in this thing?

You know me, Vernon.
Live and let live.

They don't bother me,
I don't bother them.

Hey, slow down.

Slow down.

- What?
- Look at that.

What's that son of a bitch doing
in there? Giving away free beer?

How's the old Blue Bonnet
getting along anyway?

Fine. It's doing just fine.

- I heard you was about to go bust.
- Heard wrong.

Blue Bonnet's about
to turn the corner.

It's just gonna take a little longer
than I expected, that's all.

That jukebox you bought
with my money...

just ain't doing the trick for you,
is it?

I told you before, that was a loan.
I'll pay you back.

I've got big plans for the Blue Bonnet.
It's gonna be the showplace of Austin.

The first thing I'm gonna do
is get me a new sign.

I'm gonna get the dance floor fixed up,
get me a name band.

Not those low-rent bands.
I'm talking bigtime.

The Blue Bonnet Lounge
ain't ever gonna be anything.

First, it's in the worst location
in all of Austin.

- I told you many times...
- I know. You was wrong.

- I told you...
- Wrong. I don't want to talk about it.

- But I...
- Period!

Fine.

- We'll talk about something else.
- Fine.

Okay.

Ain't she a little on the cheap side?

- Who?
- Miss Low-Rent Lust back there.

Renee? Are you kidding?

She's got a good job
with the Lone Star Beer Company.

She don't look that smart to me.

Well, she's smart enough to work
in Accounts Receivable.

I don't know, Vernon.

She looks a little on the chubby side
to be a pecan queen.

Well, at least she doesn't spend
all her time finding fault with me.

Here we are.

- Why are we going in the back door?
- It's lots quicker this way.

I can't believe this.

I left the keys at the shop.

We're gonna have to go back
and get them.

We came all the way out here, and you
don't even have the keys with you?

If you hadn't been so obnoxious,
I might've remembered.

Hold on, hold on. I'm not ruining
mine and Renee's evening...

because you ain't
completely put together.

Now, did you bring a nail file?

I don't have the time to play games
with you.

It's gonna take half the night as it is.
Let's go.

You forgot the night we was in Tulsa...

we locked ourselves
out of the motel room.

Remember, I did that little trick
with the lock?

Vernon, aren't you the smart one?

There's no need to do that.

You know, Nadine,
I'm way ahead of you on this deal.

You always have been, Vernon.

There ain't no beauty supplies
in here, is there?

Not exactly.

And this place don't belong
to Vera, does it?

You know what kind of trouble
that we can get in...?

You wanna wake up everybody
between here and El Paso?

Do you have the least idea
what could happen to us...

if the owner walked in
and found us like this?

I'm talking breaking and entering.
I'm talking three to seven in Huntsville.

Not to mention losing
my liquor license.

That ain't gonna happen. I swear.

You want to explain
why you're so sure?

Well, if you have to know, he's dead.

Dead?

You mean, "dead" dead?

Hey, hold on.

I... I don't know what's going on here,
but I'm not getting mixed up.

Nadine, we're getting out of here right
now, and that's an order. You coming?

Okay.

Well, I'll visit you in the jailhouse.

You know what'd go down
real good right now?

A nice cold bottle of beer.

You planning on us driving up
to a 7-Eleven in a police car...

and asking the cashier
for a six-pack?

It so happens I hid a couple of Lone
Stars up there in that stiff's icebox.

You hold down the fort.
I'll be right back.

Hell, Cecil, you're not as dumb
as the captain said.

Nadine? I mean it now.
This is your last chance.

Forgive me.

That woman is dumb as a post.

I swear, if she thinks
I'm going to prison...

on account of some dimwit idea of
hers, she's got another thing coming.

Being around, get her out of trouble,
there's no telling.

Of course.

Nadine?

Damn it all, will you let me in?

Nadine?

Nadine, I mean it now.

I know you're in there.
I can hear you moving around.

She don't have the sense
that God gave a goose.

Wait a minute.

We break into the place
in the middle of the night...

the poor son of a bitch who owns it
turns out to be dead.

For all I know,
she probably killed him herself.

Lord knows, she's mean enough.

Officer, am I glad to see you.

There's a suspicious-looking character
running around.

I was on my way to tell my wife
to call the police.

I must have gone
into the wrong place.

Honey, don't do that.

- Run for it.
- Now why did you have to do that?

I was doing just...

Give me the keys!

- Step on it, Vernon. Step on it!
- Watch out.

You picked a hell of a time to stop!

Hang on, darling.

You mind telling me what the hell
was going on back there?

Well, it's sort of like this.

One of the girls down at the shop...

And don't ask who it is,
because I ain't gonna tell you.

Anyway, this guy Escobar
took some pic...

I mean, some art studies of her.

What you mean is this old boy
talked her into posing bare-ass...

for a bunch of pictures.
And I'll bet you that's not all he done.

Vernon Hightower,
you got a dirty mind.

Mr. Escobar was in the Army
with Hugh Hefner...

of Playboy fame. How about that?

- He pulled that one?
- He didn't pull nothing.

I knew those gals
wasn't the smartest...

but I did give them
more credit than that.

I'll bet you that she's got a husband
that's even dumber than she is.

You're telling me we nearly
got ourselves killed...

I swear, I never saw anything like the
way you drove that car tonight. Never.

Mostly luck.

You went 90 miles an hour backwards
without getting us killed.

Then you stopped the damn car.
I couldn't believe it.

"Goddamn, what a hell
of a time to stop!"

- I didn't say it like that.
- Yeah, you did.

I did not.

Here I am, sitting around
like we was still...

Listen, you can't drive a Ford
on account of...

the police will be looking for it.

Oh, no, okay, I won't.

I know this old boy
who owes me a favour.

I'll take it over and have him paint it.

That'd be real nice.

I guess I'd better go on.

You're looking real good.

No, I mean, you know,
it looks like you're eating real good.

- Not too much or anything.
- No, I know...

What I mean is that...
That you look real good.

You look... You look real good too.

Real good.

Well, I better get on my horse.
Renee's gonna be starting to worry.

Well, here.
Let me get you some ice, okay?

I'll be right back.

Oh, boy.

It don't do no good to cry whatsoever,
so you might as well quit.

Don't do no good
to talk to yourself either.

Reverend, I told you the last time you
were in this place that I would not...

I repeat, not tolerate any handling
of snakes on this premises.

What the holy hell is this?

Sir, we'd surely be grateful
if you wasn't to make them mad.

What I mean is, that way they ain't
gonna be no use to anybody.

Listen to me, you pinhead.

I'm gonna keep this box right here
under lock and key...

until you pissants are out of town.
Now get outta here!

Mrs. Hightower, I'm Buford Pope.

Won't you please come in?

I want to apologise for bringing you
here in this crude and vulgar way.

How come a girl like you would let
a lowlife like Ray Escobar...

take some indecent pictures of her?

Believe me, I'm starting to regret it.

Nadine...

You don't mind if I call you Nadine,
do you?

Nadine, I've got reason to believe
that you were at Ray Escobar's today...

looking for these photographs.

I've also got reason to believe...

that you've come across
something else while you were there.

And I'm just about positive...

that whatever it was that you found,
it belongs to me.

Now, is it possible...

that you have that something else
we're talking about on you?

Well, I might.

Floyd?

Nadine, we've got ourselves
a little problem.

Why, you miserable
son of a bitch.

You got some nerve
showing up here.

If I wasn't otherwise occupied...

I'd come out there
and I'd whip your butt.

I swear, Dwight...

I don't see why you're so hot
under the collar there.

You owe me $450, not counting
legal fees of $370 and change.

You're lucky I don't
get the sheriff on you.

Yeah, Dwight?

I'm your own family.
Don't that count for something?

We are third cousins
once removed, period.

My mother does not remember
ever laying eyes on your daddy.

I just thought I'd come by
to tell you...

that your third cousin
is gonna be a "jillionaire."

I thought you might want to know that.

Vernon, you don't have diddlysquat.

You owe me $820 plus interest...

the bank is about to foreclose
on that bar of yours...

and now you're talking about
being a jillionaire.

- Where'd you get this thing?
- You have a cold beer in the icebox?

You didn't get ahold of this by
legal means. I ought to call the police.

- You do that, pard.
- Sweetheart?

Hey. Good for you, cousin.

How much you figure land
along that highway's gonna be worth?

- A lot.
- That sounds reasonable.

I figure, right now it can't be worth
more than $600 an acre.

A few thousand dollars in the right
place, I might have enough money...

to get the Blue Bonnet on her feet.
Then watch my dust.

Can I have my picture back, please?

That isn't gonna do you good
unless you can afford to buy the land.

- You don't have a pot to piss in.
- Well, that's why I've come to see you.

I figured with you being
a fancy lawyer...

you might have some designs
in that direction.

Tell you what. You let me
have the rest of those maps...

I'll see how much I can raise...

and whatever profit I make,
I'll cut you in for sure. How about that?

No.

No, I don't think so.

Let's try this on for size.

You're a lawyer.

You call up some of your rich friends
and raise, let's say, $50,000.

Then I'll let you have these photos.

- Dwight, hon.
- I'll be right in, darling.

This better not be one
of your swindles.

Dwight, I swear, this time
everything's strictly on the up and up.

No, sir. I ain't telling you
where Vernon is.

You can break my arms, my legs.
Won't do a bit of good.

The only Hightower I know...

runs a dump out on South Lamar
called the Blue Bonnet Lounge.

- He ain't the one.
- You boys...

go out there and pick him up.

Don't shoot him...
unless you have to.

Good evening there, Boyd.
Sorry I'm late. How's business?

Not so hot, Mr. Hightower.

We only took in $6 and change
so far tonight.

Well, that's all right.

Got a feeling we're about to turn
a financial corner any minute.

You want a beer?

Sure.

I've been thinking.

You know what we need
around this place?

A new sign.

Something in neon:

"Vernon Hightower's
Famous Blue Bonnet Bar and Lounge."

- Then...
- Mr. High... Mr. Hightower, sir?

I ought to tell you,
the Lone Star people called.

They said if you don't pay them
what you owe them...

they're gonna stop
any more deliveries.

Why is nothing ever easy?

Give me a nickel.

Renee? It's me, Vernon.

Way it works out, I'm not
able to see you tonight, hon.

No, nothing's the matter.
It's... It's just that...

I'm in the middle
of a big financial transaction...

and I got these details
I gotta take care of.

You know how it is. Listen, I'll tell you,
you could do me a little favour.

Remember how you said that...

you could get your boss
to do just about anything you wanted?

If you could get him to fix it...

so the Lone Star people don't pester
me for a few weeks, I'd appreciate it.

I mean, I'm good for it
and everything.

It's just that
all my money's tied up in...

you know, assets, that kind of stuff.

Yeah?

Sug, I knew I could count on you.

Yeah. Sug? Sug, I gotta go now.

I miss you too.

Me too.

Toodle-oo now.

Tell me something, Boyd. When
was the last time you had a raise?

A raise?

Mr. Hightower, I ain't even been paid
in the last two months.

Oh, hell, boy.

I'm sorry about that.

Hey, I'll tell you what,
starting next week...

I'm gonna double your salary.

Evening, friends.
Came to the right place.

First drink's on Vernon Hightower...

soon to be one of the richest
sons of bitches you ever saw.

Vernon!

What did you do to him?

Don't worry, hon.
I fought like a tiger.

Mr. Hightower...

my name is Pope.

I've good reason to believe
you possess...

something I want a whole lot.

I might have, I might not.

Do yourself a favour, son.
Don't get smart with me.

Listen to the man.
He's real serious about this.

I paid a bunch of money
for some information...

and the son of a bitch I was dealing
with tried to double-cross me.

And the short of it is that you've
got something belongs to me.

Now then...

I'm asking you nicely...
hand it over.

I can't do that.
I'll tell you what I will do...

Mr. Hightower, if you think
you can deal yourself into this...

forget it.
You're a two-bit loser, son...

and you haven't got the brains
or balls for this.

First, I won't have you
talk like that in front of my wife.

Stop. Stop it!

Look, can I talk
to my husband in private?

Floyd, the woman wants to talk
to her husband.

Now, hon, this is not the time
to start one of your stubborn streaks.

Don't worry, darling.
I'm on a roll.

Now then...

whenever you're ready
to get serious...

I'm ready to do business.
You want serious?

All right, I'll get serious.

Unless you hand over the goddamn
map, I'll kill the both of you.

Well, if you was to kill us...

I expect you'd never get your hands
on that map.

That's a fact.

But I think I can fix it
so you'll be real anxious to talk...

unless, of course, you've got
a fondness for rattlesnakes.

Hon, he's not kidding around.

Where do you get
a bunch of rattlesnakes?

Well, by a strange coincidence...

I happen to have
about five or six rattlers...

right inside this box here.

He's telling the truth. I swear.

You gonna hand over that map?

No. No, sir, I'm afraid not.

Well, you sure you're not
gonna change your mind?

Mountain?

- Oh, God! I'm snake bit!
- All right, let me see.

All right! Let's see.

- Let me see.
- It's right there.

Oh, hell, you ain't snake bit.
That's a splinter.

Hold that box right there. Floyd?

Put something over these
sons of bitches so they don't get out.

First one comes close gets
a face full of rattlesnake.

Oh, goddamn it, man.
You lost your mind?

You let them snakes out of there,
they'll go after you as well as us.

All right, you. Get your car keys out,
put them on the desk.

Get against the wall.

You do that, boy, you'll be wrestling
duck shit come Thursday night.

Floyd, you don't
get those car keys out here...

you're gonna be wrestling
a diamondback in about one minute.

You're gonna pay for this.

Darling, find the car, start the motor
and honk the horn. I'll be right along.

Okay.

Well, Mr. Hightower, let's us have
a little talk here.

I know you're in what they call
financial straits.

So why don't you let my boys here
set fire to that dump of yours?

That way, at least you'll collect
on the fire insurance.

All you have to do
is hand over the map.

I appreciate that,
but that won't do me no good now.

See, I let the insurance lapse
about a month ago.

All right, boys, if I was you,
I'd head for high ground.

Let me out of here!

- Get away!
- They're all over me!

Do you know what my problem
has been all this time?

I've been undercapitalised,
that's all.

You wait and see. We pull this deal off,
I'm home free.

Yeah, I don't know.

Buford Pope seems like
the real determined type to me.

Don't you worry about Pope now.
I'm on top of that whole situation.

Hey, wait a minute.

You don't believe what that
son of a bitch said, do you?

You don't think I'm some sort
of two-bit loser, do you?

No, hon. I've known you
a real long time.

You can pretty much do anything
you want once you set your mind on it.

You mean that?

You know, it's funny
how you forget things.

Like what?

Oh, like sitting in the kitchen...

drinking beer, shooting the shit
with you. Forgot how much I loved that.

Vernon, I think there's
something you should know.

Sure.

- I'm...
- With your looks...

you could have married
just about anybody.

That's why I've been busting my butt
at the Blue Bonnet...

so you wouldn't feel
you made a mistake.

You know, so you'd feel that
you had something to be proud about.

People like you and me,
we never get the breaks.

This time, it'll be different.
This is the one chance I'll ever get...

and I swear, I'm letting
nothing get in my way.

Anyway, I was running off at the mouth
again. What was it you was gonna say?

Nothing. Wasn't important.

You fixing your hair
different these days?

Yeah, I copied it from a picture
in Modern Screen.

You like it?

Yeah, it looks real nice.

What's that perfume you're wearing?

Evening in Paris. Why?

No reason.

I remember the first time
I set eyes on you.

It was a Friday night...

over at the Dairy Queen.

You was wearing a pink sweater.

Vernon, don't do this to me.

I saw you standing there...

and I said to myself,
"Vernon Hightower, you are a goner."

Vernon.

Vernon.

Sug, it's me, Renee Lomax.

Soon to be Mrs. Vernon Hightower.

What the hell...?

What are you doing here
this early?

- I got a surprise for you.
- All right. I'll be right there.

- I talked to my boss.
- Damn it.

- Is something the matter, honey?
- No, no, everything's fine.

Well, hurry up, sug.
I got to be to the office by 9:00.

- Vernon Hightower.
- Don't worry.

I'm on top of this whole situation.

- Morning, morning.
- Good morning.

Oh, darling, what happened?

Oh, it's a long story.
So, what'd your boss say?

Oh, Mr. Schmidt? He said no.

He says, as far as he was concerned,
you were no-good white trash...

and you were getting
what you deserved.

So this morning,
I went to his office real early...

and I snuck this bill
that shows all what you owe...

out of his filing cabinet.
I think I'll keep it.

Just to be sure you behave yourself.

Unless, of course,
you want to come looking for it.

Honey, now, come on.
You got to be at work by 9:00, now.

I guess you're right.

Hold on now.
I can explain everything.

It's from Scarborough's.

I swear, this has to be
the most beautiful thing...

I've ever set my eyes on.

- I'm gonna try it on right now.
- No, no.

Honey, you don't wanna
be late for work, do you?

Hey, I got an idea.
Why don't we leave this here?

- Come back later and try it on.
- I wanna take this with me.

I'm not gonna let this
out of my sight.

- Baby, wait out in the pickup...
- All right.

While I get my jacket.

Vernon Hightower,
I'm standing back here buck-naked.

If you let that dimwit take
my favourite nightgown...

Trust me. I got a plan.

Dwight? Yeah, it's me.
You got the money?

Great. I got this little errand to run,
then I'll get the map and be right there.

Oh, Dwight?
I swear, you won't regret this.

For the first time in your life, Vernon,
you're probably right.

He's on his way.
Shouldn't be long now.

Vera, I gotta ask a favour of you.

But you gotta promise me one thing.
No questions, okay?

Okay. I know payday...

ain't until tomorrow and everything,
but I gotta get out of town fast.

So can I have my money today?
Please?

Five, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18.

This have anything
to do with Vernon?

- As a matter of speaking.
- Did you tell him about the baby?

- Oh, Vera, please.
- All right. All right. Nineteen, 20, 21...

Nadine?

Where have you been?
I been looking all over town for you.

Inform Mr. Hightower
that how he spent...

his morning is no concern of mine.
That wasn't my fault.

Please tell my ex-husband...

I could care less.
He's trying to explain.

- If you'd just let him speak.
- "Trust me," he said.

- "I have a plan," he said.
- Hey, I said I'm sorry.

Sorry just don't get it done.

Damn it, that was nothing
but business back there.

No business I ever saw.

Well, whatever it was, I'm sure the man
has a perfectly good reason.

You hit the nail on the head.
Listen to...

- Where's my damn nightgown?
- This poor man's been traipsing...

all around town looking for you so he
can settle this little misunderstanding.

- It ain't no little misunderstanding.
- Nadine...

now, the least you can do is listen.

- All right, Vernon.
- Thank you, Vera.

Now, darling, I swear,
that woman don't mean a thing to me.

- What woman?
- His fiancée.

She is not my fiancée.

Vernon Hightower,
you got a hell of a lot of nerve.

Chasing around this town
with some floozy.

- You got a wife here that's pregnant.
- Vera!

- How come?
- I ain't ever talking to you again.

How come everyone in the world knows
I'm gonna be a daddy except me?

If you hadn't been so busy
with that nymphomaniac...

Damn it, I keep telling you...

Let me give you some advice,
purely as a friend.

When you do tie the knot with Renee...

don't spend your anniversary
at the bar. She won't appreciate it.

I keep on trying to tell you,
I am not gonna marry...

I am not the least interested
in your plans.

- Doris Isabelle and me are gonna...
- Doris Isabelle?

My daughter.

Don't I get a say in the matter?
I'm the daddy.

It's not the same.

Listen, you don't know
any more about being...

Go around back.
See if you can get in.

Come on, you little rat shit.
I want my car!

They didn't come out the back,
so they must be in here someplace.

All right, Hightower.

Might as well come on out.

Sooner or later,
we're gonna find you.

Ain't no sign of them down here.

Come on.

This is gonna be like
shooting fish in a barrel.

Come on.

- I'll be right back.
- Where you going?

I'm gonna find us a way out.

You coming?

Mountain, in here.

Watch out, now.

We can't go down that way.
It won't reach that far.

We ain't going down.

Then where?

I ain't getting on that thing. No.

No way. No way, Jose.

Vern, I can't. I'm afraid of heights.

- You know that?
- That'll do the trick.

I'd as soon you shot me
and be done with it...

than set foot on that thing.
You've got a baby to think about.

Now haul ass.

Doris Isabelle, this whole mother deal
ain't working out like I expected.

I got an idea.

Whatever you do, don't look down.

Oh, God, Vernon. Vernon!

You go first.

Come on. It was easy.

Doris Isabelle...

if we get out of this thing alive...

hon, whatever you do,
don't you ever fall in love...

with a man on account of his looks.

You learn from
your mama's mistakes.

Oh, my God.

My God.

Oh, God.

Darling, if I don't make it...

- Don't talk like that.
- If anything should happen...

Please don't talk like that.

I love you.

I always have, always will.

Damn it. If I'd known you was gonna
quit on me like this...

I wouldn't have fell in love with you
to start with.

If this is your idea
of getting out of this marriage...

you got another thing coming.

I ain't done with you yet,
Vernon Hightower.

We started off together...

and as long as I'm breathing,
you're gonna have me to deal with.

Now, you got that?

Okay.

Let me do it.

Well, lookie here.

All right, Hightower.
Now where's my car keys?

In my pocket.
Why don't you come and get them?

No.

I got a better idea.

- No!
- Now, you wanna keep on...

being a smartass...

you'll be picking your teeth with
wrought iron in about one minute.

Vernon!

Vernon! Vernon!

Vernon.

Are you okay?

Come on, darling.
We ain't got all day.

If you think I'm through
being mad about Renee...

All right, you first. Go on.

- What's she doing here?
- Thrilled to see you too, Dwight.

Come on, Dwight, we got business.

I swear, you two are living testimony
to the fact...

that it's better to be lucky
than smart.

Mr. Estes here has seen fit
to throw in with me.

He figures it's better to have
a small piece of a sure thing...

than half interest
in a cemetery plot.

That's right.

Me and Mr. Pope are partners now.
No hard feelings, Vernon...

but you'd have just
screwed this up somehow.

- I'll remember that.
- I don't suppose you happen...

to have that map on you?

- I didn't think you would.
- I'll make you a deal, all right?

You let my wife go, I'll see to it
you get that map back.

What about this?

You get me the map,
then I'll let your wife go.

You don't have a choice, Vernon.

All right.

- You go with him, Estes.
- Me? Why me?

Because I said so, that's why.

South of town, old Highway 91, there's
a salvage yard that belongs to me.

I'll leave the gate open.

Try not to be late.

You know what your problem is,
Vernon?

You don't ever look
at the big picture.

Now that map's
gotta be worth 5, $10 million.

That means raising
a lot of money fast.

So I went to Mr. Pope. I mean,
everybody knows he's a high roller.

You tell me, how much
do you expect to get?

Well, we haven't worked out
the exact figures yet.

I imagine about 500,000.

What makes you think Pope
will give you that?

Because we have an agreement.
Why wouldn't he?

Well, I guess half a million bucks
is reason enough.

I mean, once he's got
his hands on those photos...

what the hell's he need you for?
Vernon, Vernon.

Where is the map?

Suit yourself, pal. It's right here.

Yeah.

I saw that same TV show.

Now hand it over.

I'm warning you,
anything happens to Nadine...

you're as good as dead.

You got that?

Do you mind if I have a beer?

I usually don't drink this early,
but this is an exception.

Be my guest.

Vernon Hightower,
I'm so mad at you I could bust.

Renee, Dwight. Dwight, Renee.

I hope you are not in business
with Mr. Hightower...

because he is nothing
but a low-down skunk.

- Don't I know it.
- Do you see this? This is a size six.

I wear an eight. You'd think somebody
that's supposed to be my fiancée...

would know a thing like that.
But I'm such a trusting person.

I thought it was an honest mistake.

So, what do I do? I go down
to the store and try to exchange it.

What do they tell me?
They can't take it back...

because it is a used garment.

Used. Furthermore, they hadn't had
this particular style...

in the store in six months. I didn't
even know Vernon six months ago.

Oh, if you're trying to scare me
with that thing, it won't work.

You told me a dozen times
how you keep that gun...

in the chest for show. How the firing
pin's jammed, and it won't shoot. Here.

As far as I'm concerned,
we are no longer engaged.

It was nice to have met you.

I don't know, Vernon.

This just doesn't seem
to be your day.

Floyd? Any sign of them yet?

Not yet.

I gotta be frank with you.

I don't see you
getting away with this.

That's gonna be
the easiest part of it.

The hard part, the part
I'm not looking forward to...

Let me have that bottle.

The fact of the matter is
I've never killed a woman before.

Here they come.

- You got that map?
- It's right here.

- Now, I was wondering...
- Floyd?

- If we...
- Mountain.

Where's my damn car, huh?

And my pistol, goddamn it.

You and me are gonna have a talk
later on, you hear?

Now then, Mr. Pope, there's a couple
things that we never did work out.

Not that there's gonna be
any problem...

but I was wondering if we could get
it on paper. An informal agreement...

- Hey.
- I lived up to my end of the bargain.

Let her go.

This place looks like pure-D dog shit,
don't it?

You may not think it, but
there's enough explosives here...

if you put a little gasoline in the right
place, light a match at the wrong time...

this dump would go up
like a Roman candle.

There'd be no way
they'd ever find your bodies.

Take them on in and shoot them.

Hey, hey.
Now, he wasn't talking about me.

I was especially talking about you.

We had an agreement.
You can't back out...

Dwight. Dwight.

I guess this just ain't your day,
is it, cousin?

Son of a bitch.

Come on, move it. Come on.

Get in there.

Come on, go.

Move it.

Now go on over there
against that wall. Go on.

Well, I guess this is it for us.
And I gotta get this said.

Now, I know I ain't been
the easiest person to get along with.

- I know I'm stubborn and selfish...
- That's far enough.

- Which one of y'all wants to go first?
- Hold on, Mountain.

I wanna talk
to that son of a bitch over there.

- But Mr. Pope told me...
- I don't give a shit what Mr. Pope says.

You finish up outside.
I'll take care of these two.

Now then, where's my damn car?

You got about as much chance
of getting that junk heap back...

Now, you look here, shit-face.

You don't tell me where that car is,
in about one second...

You even think about
trying anything...

you can wave goodbye
to your private parts.

All right.

We're going out that door...

and you tell your friends
to put down them guns...

you got that straight?
Yes, sir.

You mean to say to me
you had that thing all along...

and you didn't tell me about it?
We'll talk about this another time.

All the time I was just thinking
this is the end. I'd never see you again.

Here we go.

Mr. Pope?

- We got us a small problem.
- Floyd, goddamn it.

Come on.

Look at it this way. Your share
just got a whole lot bigger.

Get on out there.

Hon, if you wasn't to yell so much,
I'd sure appreciate it. Understand?

Here.

Come on.

He's over there
by that rusted-out Chevy.

This ought to keep them busy
long enough for us to get out of here.

- You got a match?
- Do I look like I have a match?

You know...

you could be a hell of a lot
more help sometimes.

Here's what we're gonna do.
I'm gonna start shooting.

You're gonna throw this
as close as you can to that car.

I'm gonna set it off from here.
You ready?

- Vernon, is this gonna work?
- No.

- You missed.
- Hell, I know that much.

Listen, this is not
the easiest thing in the world.

You didn't think I could do it,
did you?

All right, come on.
Let's get out of here.

All right.

Wait here. I'm gonna get the pickup.
I'll be right back.

Vernon, don't you leave me
all alone here...

Mr. Hightower, you're beginning
to get on my nerves.

Nadine?

That's right.

Why is it you work your butt off
all your life just to get ahead...

and it takes a couple of nitwits
about 10 minutes...

to screw the whole thing up?

Once I get that shuffleboard in,
I can enlarge the dance floor...

get a bandstand,
a crystal chandelier.

Aren't you counting your chickens
just a little early, sport?

Trust me, hon.
Now then, about the new sign.

- What new sign?
- You think 40 foot across is too small?

Forty foot across?
Have you lost your mind?

I guess you're right. Anything bigger
than that would look gaudy.

- If you think you'll throw away money...
- Trust me.

Vernon Hightower,
let's get one thing straight now.

The Blue Bonnet will never do squat,
I don't care how much you put in it.

I was thinking something in neon
that sort of revolves...

The sound of my voice don't seem
to be reaching your ears.

Hon, we gonna have us a baby.
And you know what that means?

That means we have to start
acting responsibly.

- And you know what that means?
- We'll put it high up.

So people can see it
for miles around.

"Nadine Hightower's World-Famous
Blue Bonnet Bar and Lounge."

- What colour neon?
- Royal blue.

Pink. Pink's my lucky colour.

Well, we'll talk about it.

Maybe we could paint
the outside a little.

Put up a big picture window,
something like that.

I could hire waitresses
with those short uniforms on...

you know,
with the bows in the back and...

Mr. Hightower, we've listened
to Mr. Dwight Estes...

and Ed "Mountain" Hayes.
They corroborate your story.

Furthermore, the prints found on the
weapon used to kill Floyd Simmons...

belong to Buford Pope.
We're formally charging him...

with the murders of Raymond
Escobar and Floyd Simmons.

If you'd listened to me in the first
place, we'd have saved lots of time.

Mr. Hightower, just about the only thing
you're not guilty of is murder.

First we have resisting arrest.

Then we have breaking and entering.
Then some more resisting arrest.

And we have something here we
haven't figured out what to call it yet.

And then, according to Mr. Hayes...

you entered into a conspiracy
to defraud the state of Texas...

by stealing a map from the Highway
Department for commercial gain.

Well, that is about the damnedest thing
that I've ever heard of.

Isn't that about the damnedest thing
you ever heard of?

Then you deny having said map
on your person?

You're damn well right we deny it.
Don't we, hon?

Then you won't mind
if we search you.

- Oh, hold on. I didn't say that.
- Good. Sam, Gerald.

Hey, now. Hey, wait a minute, now.
Hey, I know my rights.

I'm supposed to be able
to call my lawyer.

All right. You can do
what you want with me.

My wife didn't know anything
about this.

Do you know what the penalty is
for something like this?

Six to 12 in Huntsville.

Vernon, trust me.