Mississippi Murder Page #2

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Hey, Ms. Wallace.

I got my stuff out back.

Great, go give him a hand.

I'll be right out.

Good to see you.

We're all looking

forward to your show.

Thank you.

These are just wonderful.

Yes, ma'am.

They just wash up

on the shore and I find them.

Maybe you could come with

me sometime, I'll show you.

I would love that.

Thank you.

- They're, uh, so crude.

- Austin!

Well, I mean look at them.

They're just completely

lacking in sophistication.

It's precisely

the lack of sophistication

that makes his

work so appealing.

There's a rawness, a certain

primal quality to them.

You cannot be serious.

You...

You're the only gallery in town that

has the balls to showcase real work.

- Yeah.

- Not this crap.

This...

That's why I work for you.

Not for your f***in'

15 bucks an hour.

- That's enough, Austin.

- And how do you think I feel?

You don't look at my

photographs for what, ever?

And then this guy comes in off the

street with some driftwood sh*t

and you just can't

wait to showcase him.

Yeah, thanks.

F***!

You are an artist.

You are an artist.

You are an artist.

You are an artist.

See, wood's got to be strong

and have just the

right amount of twist.

So that there's

a head or tail...

Or even a wing.

Now what kind of animal

do you think that is?

Look at the eye.

You got to find the eye.

I'm sorry, I just don't see it.

That's 'cause you ain't

used to seeing the world

that exists between

ours and the next.

It's a place that can

only be seen in here.

And you just ain't been

taught how to look yet.

Now, looka here.

See? There's the body,

right there.

And over here,

coming up out the sea.

- That's his head.

- Yes.

It's a shark!

And he's right there

that whole time.

All you need to do to see it

was to start using this.

Come on, sit down over there.

Oh, this is nice, Mayo.

There's a certain crowd

on the coast.

A men's only set.

Money, connections,

real, real private.

Like to throw quiet gatherings.

Parties with young,

creative guys.

Well, the boy was

with them sometimes.

Wasn't no women at

these parties, ma'am.

Are you trying to say

David was gay?

All I know for sure was that the

boy was with a lot heavy hitters.

One in particular is from

the governor's office.

His name is James Travers.

You go to these parties, Mayo?

No, ma'am.

I'm afraid I wouldn't

be invited.

But I know somebody who would.

I'll take you to meet him

when the time is right.

What's the surprise?

Come here, come here.

I want to show you something.

I want you to just take a look.

These yours?

Nice composition.

I like the lighting in this one.

Okay, listen, listen. I know that I

have a long way to go as an artist.

All right, but I think

that these can be shown.

They're wonderful, really.

So you'll exhibit them?

I'll give it

serious consideration.

Don't knock yourself out

with compliments, Rosey.

Austin, I do think

your work is good.

I just don't know if you're

breaking any new ground.

Yes, I am!

I mean, are you blind?

This is unique,

this is original.

That's enough.

Why don't you clean this up

and we'll discuss it later?

Once you've calmed down

and I'm a bit less preoccupied.

- No, really, Austin.

- I'm sorry.

You need to free your mind

of all this turmoil.

Why don't you peruse my

portfolio for awhile?

It always cheers me up

to look at pictures of men.

Oh, Bernard.

In suits, plus,

a good stiff one

never hurt either.

- You are no lady.

- And you are no gentleman.

- Chin.

- Chin.

Mm, that is good, honey.

Mm-hmm, my one true talent.

Bernard, who is this?

Signet ring,

I've seen it someplace before.

No, you don't want to

bother with that.

Why, who is he?

James Travers, one of those

government big wigs.

In love with himself,

just like the rest of them.

Yeah, well?

I mean, he sat with you for the

length of an entire portrait.

Surely you can tell me a

little bit more about him.

Well, he squirmed

the whole time.

Just like a wriggly

little snake.

Now I hardly find it necessary

to remember those who are

not well-mannered, nor fun.

Introduce me to him.

Well, unfortunately Mr. Travers

and I have lost contact.

Oh.

Oh, well fine, I will be

using your name though

when I call his office.

Oh, thank you.

You've just killed my buzz.

Good, since I've got you

in a lucid moment.

Hmm?

What do you know about high

roller soirees here on the coast?

The kind I wouldn't

be invited to.

Why, because

you're an art dealer?

- Because you're a democrat?

- Because I am an adult woman.

Honey, you can't be serious

about meeting that man.

Oh, I'm serious as sin, honey.

Make it happen.

This is hopeless.

Excuse me, what are you doing?

I came to get some things.

There's nothing of yours

here, so please leave

'cause I got to open up soon.

Look, I know you don't

think much of me.

But I loved David,

and I did everything for him.

Connie Lee,

this is not the time.

Things I'm sure

you wouldn't approve of.

Look, I'm sorry. I'm sure his

death was very painful for you.

You can't stand the idea

that someone was as important

to him as you were.

He was like a son to me.

David could never be happy.

He only wanted attention

from one person

and that was his mother.

Okay, I think

you've said enough.

Would you please leave?

David didn't kill himself.

He had too much to prove.

Austin, honey.

Rosey, listen I'm so

sorry about yesterday.

I just really wanted

to show you my art,

and my passion

got the better of me.

No, no, no, don't

even worry about it.

I wanted to talk, you know we...

We never even talked

about what happened.

You okay?

About David,

it's a terrible thing.

Yeah.

But, I mean, it's not

completely unexpected, right?

Excuse me, what?

- I mean, you had to know.

- Know?

He was coked out of his mind

like all the time.

That girlfriend

of his, Connie Lee...

That's no way to

talk about David.

My god, you didn't know.

You didn't...

You people, you look at David...

You know what, you're right.

We shouldn't talk about it.

Life goes on.

Well, I'm not going to stop until I

found out what happened that night.

You know, it's a suicide, right?

No, it was not.

Leave the police work

to the police, Rosey.

Yeah, well the police aren't

doing a god damn freakin' thing.

Hi.

Ms. Wallace, you okay?

Yeah, I want to talk to

you about David's murderer.

Yeah, I know he was murdered.

- What are you doing about it?

- My job.

Look me in the eyes

and tell me you're doing

everything you can

to find David's killer.

Ms. Wallace, we don't even know

yet if there is a David's killer.

The investigation

will prove that.

- Then I guess I'm on my own.

- Ms. Wallace, please.

Why don't you stay

and have a drink?

We can talk about it.

Thank you.

Like a drink?

I'm fine, thanks.

So I know you run the gallery.

Tell me something

about yourself.

You first.

You're not going to

make this easy, are you?

Okay, uh, I'm a local boy.

I was a prom king,

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