The Clearing Page #3

That woman?

I told you I know all about you.

I followed you there once.

I sat outside.

- You followed me?

- They asked me to.

I'd say that's a whopper, Wayne.

Isn't that a whopper?

- We should get going.

- This is a beautiful spot, Arnold.

You picked a great day for it.

I didn't pick it. Let's go, Wayne.

I love my wife, Arnold.

We have two beautiful kids.

And I'm just getting to know them.

For most of their lives

I've been working.

I missed a lot.

I'm not suggesting you

didn't love them.

Come on. Let's go.

No.

- Come on.

- No, this'll do just fine.

- Tell me where we're going.

- Let's go.

Look at yourself.

You've lost your job,

you put people in trunks...

- Get up.

- What if everybody did that?

You goddamn lunatic.

How many times have you

fired that gun, Arnold?

There's a hunting

cabin near the top.

I'm gonna drop you off,

then I go. That's it.

There's some guys waiting for you.

I work for them. They're okay.

I wish I'd paid better

attention, you know,

but I was mowing the lawn.

All I remember is,

he wasn't a gardener.

He was white, middle-aged, I guess.

He was wearing a suit, I think.

And he was standing at the side of

the car, talking to Mr. Hayes.

A driver from one of the local bus routes

remembers a man of similar description.

We've come up with a composite sketch

based on those descriptions. Here you go.

Does that resemble

anyone you might know?

Yeah, it resembles a million

people I might know.

What about the personal ad?

There's still no response.

As they have so far refused

to make phone contact,

I'd like to demand an assurance

of Mr. Hayes' safety.

I think this organization

would expect such a demand.

Wait a minute. Mr. Fuller,

at your suggestion we threatened to

give their money to someone else.

Since then, they haven't contacted us.

They've made no demand.

We're further from resolving this

than we were to begin with.

What difference does it

make who was on the bus?

I think you don't have the faintest

f***ing idea who those people are!

So, what would you

consider an assurance?

A phone conversation.

If they won't confirm

your husband's safety,

we should consider the

negotiation over.

Come here.

Mrs. Hayes, if they can

make you desperate,

they know you'll give

them anything they want.

I want to apologize for my son.

Well, that's not necessary.

- Please, sit down.

- You know, it's strange.

You've never met my husband,

but you know all about him.

Yeah, I'm used to it.

You'd like him.

He inspires confidence.

It's his great talent.

A man like that needs

to be appreciated.

It gets worse as they get older.

They feel themselves being forgotten.

You don't have to

explain anything...

I'm trying to explain

my husband, Mr. Fuller.

Did you tell my son

about that woman?

I asked him to look over

some phone records.

- I don't know...

- You said you wouldn't.

- I said that I understood.

- What if I looked into your marriage?

It wouldn't look very

good at the moment.

What are you doing?

I was thinking about Dad.

I'm afraid I'm never

gonna see him again.

What would you say

to him if you could?

That I love him.

You know,

when I told him that I

was pregnant with you

that's the only time

I've ever seen him cry.

He knows you love him.

These guys waiting for us,

have I done something to them?

No.

And you. You seem to

know a lot about me.

Have I done something to you?

No, you haven't done

anything to me.

You're good with names.

You're famous for it, you know?

I read somebody can meet you once

and you see them again 10 years later,

and you greet them as if you

saw them every day of your life.

That way you manage to make each

and every person feel important.

Fortune magazine.

To be honest, I'm not surprised

you don't remember me.

Give me a minute.

I started at Hadley a few

months before you left.

One day we crossed

paths in the hallway.

The man I was with pointed you out

and said, "That's the guy to watch."

We met in the cafeteria

a few days later.

I introduced myself.

We talked for a while, actually.

I wanted to see what

the hotshot was like.

That was a stressful

period in my life.

- Can't blame me for not remembering.

- You were very gracious, don't worry.

You bought me a cup of

coffee, and we talked.

I think actually we saw eye to

eye on quite a few things.

I think you might have enjoyed talking

to someone of like mind for once.

And you kept up with me?

In the papers?

Like the man said, I watched you.

Like the man said.

And that's it?

That's why it's me?

- Let's go, Wayne.

- I worked hard my whole life.

Everything I've got, I've earned.

Nobody handed it to me.

I don't deserve this.

What...

You all right?

I think that was my wife.

I have something for that.

I'm sorry. I didn't

mean to hurt you.

So, what's the plan

when you're done here?

I'm going away.

- Someplace hot?

- That's right.

I'm taking my wife away from here.

Get back to the way you were.

That's right.

I see.

- So she'll go with you?

- Of course she will.

And give up everything for you?

Leave her father behind,

and the kids?

They'll be all right.

She'll miss them.

You can't go back, Arnold.

My wife doesn't look at me the

way she did 30 years ago.

Nothing you can do about that.

Is there...

...any news about Wayne?

No.

You know, the FBI came to, um...

To speak to me.

- How can anyone be so cruel?

- When did you see him last?

It was a while ago.

I didn't... I didn't know he'd

started seeing you again.

I'm sorry.

I mean, what was it like

when he was here?

I want to know.

Did he bring you things?

Were you in bed?

Sometimes he'd bring me things.

What things?

He brought me that book.

He hates New York.

Um... I've never been.

You know, when I left the company,

he helped me with this place.

And then he just started

coming around now and then,

you know, to see how I was.

We were here for each other.

I think I'd prefer if you'd

been f***ing in hotels.

You know, Eileen...

I don't know what I would

have done without him.

He's a great man.

I went to see her.

I know.

You know, I never talked to him

about it. I never asked him why.

I just told him to get rid of her,

and we got on with our life.

I didn't want to know.

I love him, and she admires him.

They may allow your husband

to watch the news.

Hey!

What are you doing?

I'm tired, Arnold.

There's a stream up ahead.

You can soak your feet in

the water. It'll feel good.

How long you been married?

24 years.

She stood by you.

Yes.

You're a lucky man.

Would you do something for me?

Would you mail a letter for me?

To my wife?

You could mail it when you go home.

I might not get along too well

with the guys at the cabin

and I'd like to tell her something.

You can do that for me.

Sh*t. Would you...

Please, could you cut me free?

You can read what I write.

I won't say anything about

you or where we are.

Be careful where you mail it,

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