Last Dance Page #2

I mean, there is really no good

reason for you not to cooperate.

Just give us something we can work with

here. There's gotta be a...

I'm very, very proud of my 17-year-old

'cause she works and goes to school...

What'd you say your name was?

Rick?

- Right.

- What's that short for?

- Eric? Richard?

- Richard, yeah.

- Mm-hmm. So, what's wrong

with Richard?

- What's wrong with Rick?

Every Rick I ever knew was a slick,

two-faced motherf***er.

- I know quite a few.

- Well, you just met one who isn't.

That's the first thing every slick,

two-faced motherf***er tells you.

All right, Miss Liggett.

Frances.

Wanna know what the second

thing they say is?

What do you got to lose?

- You should really think about this.

- I have.

For about 12 years.

You take care of yourself, Rick.

Gotta bust out some cash, anything.

I don't care what it is.

- What kind of presents do you get?

- Gold.

I got a bedroom set,

a TV, stereo...

- You got a bedroom set?

- Mm-hmm.

- Did your mom ask you where

it came from?

- No.

Well, we don't need

her cooperation anyway.

- What do you mean?

- The report's required, with or without it.

Oh, man, she is a pisser.

- Sounds like she sure as hell

had your number.

- Yeah.

- Rick, come on.

- Hey, John.

- Hey, Emerson. How are you?

- Hi.

- Lobbyist.

- For what?

- Oil companies.

Oh.

- The Brothers Hayes.

- Governor.

- John.

- My brother Rick.

- How are you, sir?

- Rick. Of course.

- Yes.

- Mrs Governor.

- Tom.

- Nice to meet you.

In the governor's business

we call this a "meet and greet."

Well, it wouldn't be hard

to get used to.

Bart, stay right where you are.

Don't have too much fun now, fellas.

The guy's in perpetual motion.

He's incredible.

Hey, you know, I've been glancing at the

files. He's never granted clemency, huh?

- No, not true. No. We've granted

15 pardons since I've been here...

- Yeah?

- And scores of sentence reductions.

- Never in a capital case.

No, not in a state where 76 percent of

the voters favour the death penalty.

Well, then why the hell did you

put me in a goddam useless job?

Oh, I figured if you messed up,

you couldn't do much damage.

Well, you're just a condescending

son of a b*tch. Why is that?

- Oh, relax. Listen.

- No, no, I'm...

- If things work out...

- Hi there, you guys.

- There's an opening in the press office,

the first of the year.

- Ladies, ladies!

- Rick, this is my friend Jill Venable.

- And Jill, you know John, of course.

- Everyone knows John, of course.

- Hi, Jill.

- Hey, yeah, I know you.

- You used to live down the street from us

on Oakmont, right?

- That's right.

- She's almost the girl next door.

- That's sounds terrible.

- I don't remember you being so cute.

- Oh, well, thanks.

- I've been working on it.

- Well, it sure makes my job a lot easier.

- Your job, huh?

- Yeah, I'm supposed to take you around...

and introduce you to people

of power and influence.

Oh, I see. Big brother's

looking out for me again?

Oh, we can start with a few corrupt

committee chairmen,

work our way down.

Ah, none of that. Let's get a couple

of drinks and have a chat.

- Do you think your parking space

could've been further away?

- That's what I said. The...

- Is this it?

- Yeah, it's right here.

- Ohh. John must have found

this place for you.

- How could you possibly guess?

'Cause he's been here seven years

and still rents his furniture.

- We used to go out.

- Oh?

We're just friends now.

My decision.

I haven't had a chance to stock the bar

or unpack glasses, but I got some beer.

Great.

Haven't even had a chance to unpack

the stereo, unfortunately.

No drinks, no music.

How do you expect to make

any progress?

Well, l-I don't know. I guess I'll, uh, just

have to rely on some personal charm.

You might be in trouble.

Well, I could hum something.

What would you like to hear?

How about Beethoven's Ninth?

- That's a lot to ask on a first date.

- Well, I expect a lot.

Sorry.

My God, what is that?

I'm sorry. This is a case

I'm working on.

What's the matter, you don't come across

stuff like that in Consumer Affairs?

Uh, no.

- You got that?

- Okay, go on.

Write him I'm looking forward to when

he's on leave from the Marines...

so he can take me to that club

he wrote me about...

that Waikiki bar

in Honolulu, Hawaii.

- Hey, slow down.

- Honolulu?

- Child, what you talkin' about?

- Your pen pal said he's gonna

take you to Hawaii?

He's stationed in Korea, girl.

It ain't that far to go.

He said he gonna marry me

and have a big party there,

cause he know the owner.

Oh, yeah?

You're so full of sh*t.

- Did you tell him about

your other husband?

- B*tch, shut up.

Meet... you... in...

Honolu...

Is that two O's and two U's?

- I'm right here for you, girl.

- Let's just finish the letter.

Go on!

- Sam, good morning.

- Good morning.

Um, look, l-I've been

looking at this Liggett file.

L-I'd like to go back and see if

I can get her to work with us.

Oh. So now it's

a matter of pride, huh?

No, no, no, I just... I think it's the only way

we're gonna get anything new.

You're wasting your time, Rick.

You've got two dozen people

to reinterview for the update.

But they're all gonna say

the same thing, no?

You're not gonna get anything

out of Liggett.

She's making her stand.

I've been through this before.

Well, Sam, I'd at least

like to try.

Of course you would.

Everyone does the first time.

It's called

the rescuer syndrome.

That's great. I'm on the job three days,

I got a syndrome.

She won't deal with you. They served

her death warrant last night.

Execution's in 30 days.

- I got five more minutes.

- Visitor.

- Today?

- Someone from Clemency.

- Tell him I don't wanna see him.

- Hey, I'm not your social secretary.

Come on.

You know you are.

This is your last clemency report.

Open it up, take a look.

No, huh? I'll do it for you.

You just look at the cover page, okay?

That's all. Just the cover page.

You see what it says under

"recommendation"? "Deny clemency."

- I can read.

- Yeah? Well, that might as

well read "Let's kill her."

Now, you know why it says that?

Because you ain't give 'em anything.

- They had nothing to work with.

- How long you had this job?

Four days.

So basically,

you don't know jack sh*t.

That's right. I don't know why you're not

a good candidate for clemency.

Now, maybe if I had more experience

I'd just give up and write you off as well.

You probably think you know

everything about me.

I know what's in that file.

Look, even if I get clemency...

it means life in here with no parole,

and that's no life.

I'm not beggin' for mercy

I'm not gonna get.

You think I wanna die?

I do not wanna die. Okay?

- Well...

- But if I do, it's gonna be on my terms.

You got that? My terms.

That's all I got.

Frances!

They know how to harness Negroes

down south too, I hear.

With a strap across their back.

Come on.

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