Miller's Crossing Page #4

Tom turns to look at Leo, pauses, then decides to speak:

Tom

How far has she got her hooks into you?

Leo

That's a hell of a question.

Tom

It's a grift, Leo. If she didn't need you to

protect her brother from Johnny Caspar, d'you

think she'd still go with you on slow carriage

rides through the park? That is the deal, isn't

it? You keep Bernie under wraps 'till Caspar

cools down?

Leo

Jesus but you're a prickly pear. What's wrong

with her wanting her brother taken care of?

Tom

Not a thing. I don't blame her. She sees the

angle--which is you--and she plays it. She's a

grifter, just like her brother. They probably

had grifter parents and grifter grandparents and

someday they'll each spawn little grifter kids--

Leo

Stop it, Tommy. I don't like to hear my friends

run down. Even by other friends.

Tom shrugs.

Tom

Friendship's got nothing to do with it.

Leo

The hell you say. You do anything to help your

friends. Just like you do anything to kick your

enemies.

Tom

Wrong, Leo. You do things for a reason.

Leo

Okay, Tom, you know the angles--Christ, better

than anybody. But you're wrong about this. You

don't know what's in Verna's heart. . .

Tom stares down into his drink. There is an awkward pause.

Then finally, without looking up:

Tom

Leo, throw her down. And her brother, too. Dump

her.

Leo looks like he has just been stepped on.

Leo

Jesus, Tom. . . Verna's okay. . .

He nods to himself.

She's a little wild, but she's okay. I

like her.

Tom smiles.

Tom

Yeah, you like her. Like the Kaiser likes

cabbage. You're dizzy for her.

Leo scowls at Tom.

Leo

What of it? Jesus, Tom, ain't you ever been bit

by that bug?

Tom

Leo, if she's such an angel, why are you looking

for her at four in the morning?

Leo digs his hands into his pockets and slouches back,

profoundly embarassed.

Leo

I put a tail on her this afternoon.

Tom

Hah!

Leo

Yeah, I asked Rug Daniels to follow her around--

just, you know, just to keep her out of trouble.

Tom

And to tell you what trouble she was managing to

whip up herself.

Leo

It wasn't to spy, Tom; I was worried. After that

meeting with Caspar, well--you can't be too

careful.

Tom

Uh-huh. And what did Rug tell you that has you

scurrying over here?

Leo

That's just it. Nothing. He's disappeared.

Tom laughs humorlessly.

Tom

So you've lost your ladyfriend and the tail you

put an her.

Leo

I guess it does sound pretty sorry at that. . .

He looks from his empty glass up to Tom.

. . . Help me out, Tom. I wouldn't know where to

start looking. You know Rug's crowd, you know

the people Verna runs with. I'm just worried

now, with things the way they are between me and

Caspar--

Tom gives a wave of disgust.

Tom

You shouldn't be confronting Johnny Caspar, it's

what I've been trying to tell you. You can't

trade body blows with him. He's gotten too

strong.

For the first time Leo displays some testiness:

Leo

I reckon I can still trade body blows with any

man in this town. . .

He sighs, looks back down at his drink.

. . . Except you, Tom.

Tom

And Verna.

Leo smiles good-naturedly.

Leo

Okay, give me the needle. I am a sap, I deserve

it. . .

He stands and walks to the door.

Tom doesn't move. His eyes remain fixed on the chair Leo

has just vacated.

Leo pauses in the open doorway.

. . . Thanks for the drink. Let me know if you

hear anything. . .

The door closes and he is gone.

Tom grimaces and stands up. Sunlight is just starting to

come in through the windows, defining for the first time

the corners of the large semi-circular room as Tom walks

across it to the bedroom. Distant early-morning traffic

noise is filtering up from the street.

7. INT BEDROOM

As Tom opens the double oak doors and enters, leaving them

open.

He crosses to the bed and sits an its edge, hunched

forward, thinking. Behind him, a woman stirs.

Woman

(sleepily)

Who was that?

Tom

Leo. . .

He takes a cigarette from the nightstand and lights it.

. . . He's looking for you.

Verna stiffens.

Verna

Did you tell him I was here?

Tom

No.

Verna relaxes.

Verna

Did you put in a good word for my brother?

Tom

No.

Verna

You said you would.

Tom

. . . I said I'd think about it.

Verna

What did you tell him?

Tom is lost in thought. He exhales smoke.

Tom

. . . Did you see Rug Daniels last night?

Verna

No. What did you tell Leo?

Tom finally turns to face her. After looking at her for a

beat:

Tom

. . . I told him you were a tramp and he should

dump you.

A shoe flies past his head and hits the wall behind him.

Verna

You're a son of a b*tch, Tom.

7. EXT ALLEYWAY EARLY MORNING

We are on an extreme close shot of a small dog. Behind

him, in the distance, we can see the mouth of the alley.

The dog is on point, perfectly still, one front leg crooked

and raised off the ground, his ears pointed straight up,

his eyes in a fixed stare.

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