The Clearing Page #2

- You mind telling me where that is?

- I'm sorry, I can't.

Were there disagreements

you can remember?

With former employees?

Any unpleasant departures, grudges?

Someone who may feel they were

owed something? Anything like that?

No, not that I know of.

I hear there was anger over your

husband's use of foreign automobiles?

No, there was just a few letters.

That was all.

About a year after he sold primary

control in the car-rental business,

he resigned and formed

a new company, right?

- Right.

- A consulting firm?

- Yes.

- But it wasn't successful.

No.

So he's been advisory director at

Lennox-Stuart for the two years

- since closing the consulting firm?

- That's right.

Do you know a Ms. Louise Miller,

formerly in the employment

of your husband at Lennox-Stuart?

Yes, my husband had

an affair with her.

And she left your husband's

employment in June of 2001?

I told him to let her go.

Ah.

And as far as you know, that was

the end of the relationship?

Yes, as far as I know.

Your husband's phone

records indicate they were

in regular contact

beyond that date.

Is that all?

Sure. That's it for now. Thank you.

My children don't know about this.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them.

I understand.

Ham or tuna?

Ham.

We'll split it.

Thank you.

You know, Arnold, I think

you may have the wrong man.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

You want my neighbor,

Mr. Shipley. He's loaded.

You think I made a mistake?

Happens all the time.

Perfectly intelligent people,

pick up a wrong bag

at the airport...

I know all about you.

"The man Hertz and

Avis are afraid of."

Oh.

- I see...

- You grew up in Altoona.

You married your high

school sweetheart.

You won a scholarship

to Penn State.

You had a good job, but you quit

to start a car-rental business.

Didn't make sense at the time,

but you made it work.

In those days the greatest challenge

was keeping your marriage together.

- They wrote that. I didn't.

- You like to watch the Pirates.

You have a house on

a lake in the woods.

A boat in which you like to float on

summer afternoons to clear your mind.

And two children,

a son and daughter,

all grown up now.

That about sums it up.

So when did you lose your job?

I guess it's obvious, huh?

Eight years ago, November.

And what did you do?

I was a manager of sorts.

And you thought if you were hardworking

and loyal you'd be safe, right?

I worked there 17 years.

Out of their hands, they said.

- Well, it probably was.

- That's what they said.

Changing economy.

Gotta keep things profitable.

- I've heard it all.

- Nothing personal.

- Yeah, right.

- It's a terrible thing.

A lot of good people

lost their jobs.

I'd say 30 percent of our work force

at one point was from Hadley.

You could have come work for us.

I'd appreciate it if you didn't

condescend me, Wayne.

I know how the world works.

That's why I'm out here with you.

So, what does your wife

think about this plan?

- My wife?

- Yeah. Those are her cigarettes.

You can keep things from your wife.

- I don't know.

- What?

You've never deceived your wife?

Well, there are levels of deception,

Arnold. I mean, this is a whopper.

Oh.

Well, how about you?

- Me?

- You know everything about me.

Tell me about yourself.

All right. Um...

I have a wife and two daughters.

One of my daughters supposedly lives

with us. She's got some boyfriend.

I think he's a mute. Can't tell

you the last time I saw her.

My wife

is trying to kill herself

with cigarettes.

We live with her father.

He sleeps in the den.

He has his own TV,

but he's hard of hearing,

and he doesn't like to wear

his hearing aids at night

so he lies in bed and plays it so loud,

we can hear it in our room.

Sometimes he leaves it on all night.

But what can I say? It's his house.

I don't say anything

much at all, Wayne.

It's a household of...

...disappointed people.

But...

We have our health,

and we have each other, so...

Ah.

Everybody suffers,

isn't that right?

Yeah, everybody suffers.

Did you always have that moustache?

So long as I could grow one.

This is Wayne.

Eileen, I'm fine.

Our profilers believe the letters are

probably being written by one person.

Male, some college education,

white, over 30.

But we do believe we're

dealing with a group.

To keep a hostage for a prolonged

period requires multiple participants.

Why haven't they

asked for anything?

They're showing you

who's in control.

I'd like to suggest a

different approach.

They haven't acknowledged our

request to communicate by phone,

so we should place a personal ad

confirming you received

the recording,

but we also claim you

got a ransom demand.

You're willing to pay. You just

want to pay the right people.

If they think you'll give

their money to someone else,

they usually call within 24 hours.

Okay, so we're agreed.

We do what Fuller says.

Well, I'm not gonna make

this decision alone.

You're not alone, sweetheart.

Where are you going?

I'm going to get

something for Oscar.

You're going shopping?

It's his first birthday.

It's important we celebrate it.

Are you coming?

Happy birthday dear Oscar

Happy birthday to you

- Is he asleep?

- Finally.

He woke up the minute

I put him down.

Wayne will be sorry

to have missed it.

Yeah, he loves birthdays.

You know, Lane, for my first birthday

after Wayne and I were married,

he wanted to surprise me, so we

drove to a hotel in the mountains.

We could not afford it,

but he insisted, as usual.

Anyway, when we got there,

they'd never heard of us.

I don't know, he messed up the

reservations or something.

Anyway, he was devastated,

so he pleaded and then he

tried to sound important.

- But they took no pity on us.

- Poor Dad.

We finished up at an all-night diner,

because there were no hotel rooms.

But he made them put candles

on everything we ate.

In the rice pudding,

in the hamburgers...

And they all sang "Happy

Birthday." it was great.

I remember once he convinced me

it was a special birthday treat

to go to work with him

and help clean cars.

I fell for that too.

You loved it. Both of you.

He really made you feel like you

were the center of the world.

I hope Oscar gets to feel that.

He will.

Hold it.

This is where we meet the others?

- No.

- What then?

Just a break.

You can sit over there.

May I see the pictures of my wife?

What for?

May I see them?

She'd hate the idea

of being watched.

She's self-conscious. Even with me.

She's beautiful.

You know what I think?

What?

I don't think there's

anybody watching my wife.

And do you know what that means?

No.

It means I'm gonna have

to give you the slip.

You wouldn't want to do that.

You'd get me into a world of trouble.

- I'd be sorry about that.

- Anyway,

your wife'll pay and

then you can go home.

If she wants you back.

Have you done anything terrible?

I've never pointed a gun at anyone.

Does your wife know about

the company you keep?

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