Miller's Crossing Page #19

He is handing Tom a briefcase. As Tom leans over the bar

to drop it behind:

Tom

Do me a favor--let me know if he finds anything.

Bert is pouring himself a drink.

Bert

Yeah, okay--

Whisper, gun drawn, calls from the back of the bar:

Whisper

I'm gonna put this one to sleep, wuddya think

Bert?

Bert shrugs into his overcoat.

Bert

Yeah, okay.

Tom

If you kill him he won't be able to think things

over.

Whisper

He don't seem like such a hot thinker.

Tom

You'll think about what you've learned here,

won't you Louie?

Round Man

You bet, Tom, I'll think plenty!

Bert shrugs.

Bert

Ah, what the hell. . .

The round man scrambles to his feet and runs out the back

door. Whisper puts away his gun and saunters over to Tom

and Bert.

As the three men head for the front door:

Bert

. . . If we can't trust a dago, the whole thing's

hopeless anyway.

47. EXT SPEAKEASY

As the three men emerge into the afternoon sun.

Tom

So, are we winning?

Bert gives a so-so flutter of his hand.

Bert

It's tough. Leo's still got some teeth left.

His men bushwhacked Tony Campisi last night, slit

his throat.

Whisper

Yeah? He die?

Bert

I said, they slit his throat.

Whisper

So what, genius? I had my t'roat slit once.

Tom

Sure Whisper, but normal people's brains need

oxygen--

BOOM!--Behind the three men the front of the speakeasy

blows--glass flying, flame licking out.

Though there is commotion among the passers-by, Tom, Bert

and Whisper don't even turn around to look.

Bert

Get the car, will ya Whisper?

As Whisper trots out into the street:

Tom

Don't tell Bluepoint I was asking about him.

Bert

Yeah yeah.

Tom

Caspar just wanted me to check up, make sure he's

doing everything he can--

There is a faint but distinct popping sound.

Tom looks into the street.

Whisper is staggering around, as if drunk. He turns to

face Tom and Bert.

He lurches toward them. A red stain is blossoming on his

chest.

The ambient hubbub fades to total silence; we hear only the

crisp staggering scuffle of Whisper's shoes as he stumbles

into the foreground, looking stunned.

He drops.

A woman screams.

Noise wells up.

Bert is unhoistering his gun, looking up.

Tom looks where Bert is looking.

FACING ROOFTOP:

A man with a distinctive shock of white hair--Dead Terry

McGill. He puts up his gun and starts running along the

roof.

BERT:

Starts running along the street to keep pace, firing up at

the facing roof.

A POLICE CAR:

Siren wailing, up on two wheels, taking a speeding turn

onto the street.

It is speeding towards Bert.

PULLING BERT:

Running, he is pointing, and bellowing at the car:

Bert

Leo's man! Up there!

POLICE CAR:

Cops with guns hang out every window. They start firing.

TRACKING TOWARDS BERT

Bert

. . . Up there! Leo's--

A hail of bullets cuts him to pieces. A limp rag, he hits

the road.

The police car squeals to a halt in front of his corpse. A

sergeant and his men pile out.

Tom is sauntering over, smoking a cigarette.

Sergeant

'Lo, Tom. Chalk one up for the good guys, huh?

Tom

Yeah, Caspar'll be thrilled. You just shot one

of his apes.

Sergeant

Bullshit!

Tom's attention is drawn by something down the street.

HIS POV:

About a block away, a man with white hair is crossing the

street, from the side where the sniper's shot came from.

Sergeant (off)

I'm tellin' you that's Two-Toe Jackson! He's

Leo's!

BACK TO TOM:

As he starts to leave.

Tom

It's Bert Sachetti, Caspar's bang-man.

Behind him the Sergeant bellows at another cop:

Sergeant

Bullshit! Take his shoes off. Count his goddamn

toes!

48. INT DINER

Dead Terry McGill sits at a stool looking angrily down at a

cup of coffee. Tom enters to sit next to him.

Through the windows behind them, we can see people running

back and forth on the street, a fire engine racing past--

furious activity, its noise muted inside the diner.

Tom

'Lo, Terry. You weren't aiming at me, were you?

Terry does not even look over at him. Sullenly:

Terry

In the first place, I don't know what you're

talking about. In the second place, if I had

been aiming at you I'd've hit you. In the third

place, I don't know what you're talking about in

the first place.

He tosses some coins onto the counter and gets up. We hold

on Tom as Terry talks to Tom's back:

. . . I'd like to have, believe me. Leo won't

let me--yet. But I'll bring him around.

He puts a hand on Tom's stoulder and swivels him around.

Terry clenches a fist and draws it back to throw a punch.

Tom and Terry look at each other, Tom making no movement to

defend himself.

After a long beat, Terry uncldnches his fist and sneers:

. . . I won't give you the satisfaction.

49. CUT TO:

DOORKNOB:

As--CRASH--a foot enters to kick it and the door in.

INT VERNA'S APARTMENT

Verna is backing away from the door--behind us--into the

apartment. Bluepoint strides into frame.

Bluepoint

Know who I am?

Verna continues to back away; Bluepoint continues to

advance.

Verna

Yeah, Johnny Caspar's shadow. Did he stay in bed

today?

Bluepoint

Jesus. I open my mouth, the whole world turns

smart. . .

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