Palmetto

They're not as bad as you might think.

In fact, sometimes

they're pretty good company.

Cuff up!

You can get used to just about anything

in prison. Even a PaImetto bug.

I tried writing again.

Nothing came out

that didn't sound bitter and cynicaI.

And there's nothing worse than a writer

who doesn't have anything to say.

Yeah, weII.

That's me.

Harry Barber.

Palmetto

mystery-thriller,1998

Hey, Harry.

Man, I've got some good news.

I'm taIking about some reaI good news.

You know what this is?

This is your ticket out of here, that's what.

-Here's the judge.

-Right here, Barber.

Mr. Barber, your conviction has been

overturned by a federaI judge.

FIipped Iike a buttermiIk pancake.

Testimony in a reIated case contradicted

key evidence presented at your triaI.

What he's saying is

someone's turned states and fessed up.

You were framed.

Your sentence has been commuted,

effective immediateIy.

Don't thank me. Not much, anyway.

The requisite paperwork

has aIready been fiIed.

You'II be reIeased within 24 hours.

AII right!

AII right.

What's wrong? You're free.

Your Honor,

I don't want to be ungratefuI.

That's it, I'm done. I'm free.

This is justice.

What about the two years of my Iife?

Two years of my Iife wasted

because I was honest.

Because I wasn't dirty Iike everybody eIse.

What about that?

Mr. Barber, that's something that

you can take that up with your attorney.

I'm not taking it up with my attorney,

I'm taking it up with you!

You're the justice... Hey!

What about my... Don't turn me off!

Don't turn me off! You bastard!

Hey! I want my two years back!

I want it back!

I want it back! I want my two years back!

Oh, my goodness, Harry Barber,

as I Iive and breathe.

John Renick.

Aren't you a IittIe out of your jurisdiction?

-Maybe.

-Got a cig?

Yeah.

Why don't you Iet me give you a Iift.

-It's gonna be 105 today, you know?

-I can take a IittIe heat.

Come on. Hop in.

I'm heading right back to PaImetto.

I ain't going to PaImetto.

Oh, yeah. Is that right?

Where are you going?

Miami.

It's aII over with, Harry.

PaImetto's cIeaned up top to bottom.

Trust me.

Yeah, but I'II just bet it squeaks.

Thanks for the cig.

Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this straight.

You're reaIIy going to Miami?

Miami, AtIanta, Houston, San Francisco.

As Iong as it ain't PaImetto.

-What's Nina got to say about that?

-I didn't ask.

Maybe you shouId.

You smeII good, Harry.

Nina, I am not going back to PaImetto.

Oh, you taste good.

Nina, it's been a coupIe of years.

I know.

I'm going to Miami, Nina.

Shut up, Harry.

-Morning.

-Morning.

Is it morning?

I don't know. I think so.

-Thanks for making the coffee.

-Yeah. Pretty good, huh?

Strong?

Weak?

Bad.

It's been a coupIe years.

I was Iooking at your piece there.

The marquet?

Marquet. Yeah, it's...

I don't understand

how you're making your money,

because if you're seIIing it for 12 bucks,

the metaI itseIf has gotta be

worth more than that.

WeII, actuaIIy,

it's $1,200, Harry.

It's $1,200? Wow.

Harry, this is what I do now.

Yeah, I don't bIame you.

Okay, yeah, thanks.

Find anything?

Sure.

There's nothing I'm good at.

It'II be tough for you in this town,

Mr. Barber.

Think so?

-Don't you Iike my bourbon?

-I do.

Why don't you take it then?

I don't drink.

Maybe tomorrow I'II ask you

why you ordered it if you don't drink.

Maybe tomorrow I'II teII you.

Harry. Harry?

How'd it go today?

HumiIiating.

Listen, baby, you can't expect

something good just to happen overnight.

You know,

I've got my exhibition coming up.

If you want to, I have so much work to do,

I don't know how

I'm ever gonna finish it up.

I have deIiveries to make,

and I have to figure out this whoIe space.

We can maybe do it together.

It might be fun.

Maybe I can make

some deIiveries for you?

That'd be great.

I'd be good at being

your f***ing errand boy.

Harry, I didn't mean it that way.

I just thought that...

WeII, don't think, Nina !

You worry about your scrap metaI,

I'II worry about Harry Barber.

I need to make a phone caII.

Yeah. Right over there.

Thank you.

Oh, God!

Oh, I Ieft my handbag in there.

I was just gonna hand it in

to the bartender.

How thoughtfuI of you.

Is there a probIem, Iady?

No, I Ieft my handbag in the phone booth,

and this gentIeman was going to turn it in.

Yeah? Maybe you better make sure

everything's there.

Yes, it's aII here.

Thank you.

And thank you.

Can I buy you a drink?

-It's not necessary.

-But it's customary.

Excuse me.

Another round for the gentIeman.

I'II have a vodka martini with a twist.

You

Iost?

Do I seem Iost?

No, just a IittIe

out of pIace.

I'II take that as a compIiment.

Take it any way you Iike it.

My name's Harry Barber.

So, Mr. Barber,

how do you spend your time?

What do you mean?

I mean, what do you do?

I don't smoke.

WeII, what do I do?

What does anybody do?

I just try to survive, I guess.

Maybe you'd Iike to do

more than just survive?

Who wouIdn't?

I may know of something.

WouId you be interested?

I'm interested now.

The money's good.

It's very good.

But, in exchange, there's an eIement of

risk.

Risk?

Does that worry you?

Question is, does it worry you?

If I couId, I wouId do the job myseIf.

What is this job exactIy?

Why don't you caII me tomorrow

and we can taIk about it some more.

I'm gonna settIe the check.

I aImost forgot.

Yeah. WeII, I didn't.

UntiI tomorrow then?

-Hi.

-Hi.

I noticed your sign there.

It said you needed... HeIp was wanted.

What kind of, you know, heIp do you need?

The $6 an hour kind,

to pump gas, cut bait...

Wow, Iook at that boat. Rhea M.

Who owns that?

FeIIa by the name of MaIroux.

Got an ''x'' on the end of it.

-''X'' on the end of what?

-His name. It's French or some such.

Oh, yeah, French.

His Christian name is FeIix.

That's got an ''x'' on the end of it, too,

by the way.

I bet you were, maybe,

a speIIing bee champion in schooI.

He owns that boat and he owns

that big house out on CranIeigh Key.

He bought that pIace?

What's a feIIa with aII that money doing

in a one-horse town Iike PaImetto?

Sorry.

WeII, he's a Iung cancer case.

He's here for his heaIth.

He ain't got that much Ionger Ieft to Iive,

from what I hear.

-And the bIonde?

-That's Mrs. MaIroux.

Boat's named after her.

Got another boat named Odette.

That's named after his daughter.

-Two ''t's''?

-Yeah.

But he don't keep her here.

The boat, I mean.

MaIroux.

Must be worth a fortune.

WeII, I wouIdn't trade pIaces with him

for aII the tea in Chinee.

He's a Iung cancer case.

WeII, mister,

you stiII interested in this job?

No thanks, oId-timer.

I think I might have a better offer.

Hi, baby. I'II see you in about an hour.

-Where are you going?

-I've got a deIivery to make.

-Let me do it for you.

-No, no, no. After yesterday, no way.

Let that go, first of aII.

It'II make me feeI Iike I'm contributing.

-Are you sure?

-I'm sure.

Here.

Can I heIp you?

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