The Pelican Brief Page #2

But I think it would be appropriate

to quote him now.

He said, "The campaign waged

by the president was so ruthless...

...in its manipulation of the

middle-class fears of minorities...

...had been so exploitive and divisive

that it created a climate of distrust. "

You know, that Grantham's

a man after my own heart.

Everyone wants to know

when you're starting classes again.

That includes me.

You know what they say:

Drinking makes depression worse.

What do they recommend for anguish?

Where've you been?

The library. I studied a printout

of the Supreme Court docket.

I even made a list of possible suspects.

And then threw it away

because they'd be obvious to everyone.

Then you looked for areas

Jensen and Rosenberg had in common.

Exactly.

Jensen generally protected the rights

of criminal defendants.

Some notable exceptions.

He wrote 3 majority opinions

protective of the environment.

And almost always supported

tax protestors.

So they might have been assassinated

by an insatiable tax collector?

As yet, I rule no one out.

Everyone is assuming the motive

is hatred or revenge.

Or an attempt to influence

the social agenda of the court.

What if the issue involved

old-fashioned material greed?

A case that involves

a great deal of money?

- Can I help you?

- I'd like to see this file, please.

Why?

It's public record, isn't it?

Semi-public.

Are you familiar with

the Freedom of Information Act?

This file has the pleading...

...and correspondence.

The rest is discovery and the trial.

When was the trial?

Last summer.

Went on for 2 months.

Where's the appeal?

Not perfected yet.

I think the deadline is August 1st.

So, who done it?

You have some obscure suspect unknown

to the FBI and the CIA and...

...Secret Service

and 10,000 police departments?

I had one...

...which I have now discarded.

You skipped class, ignored me for a

week, just to throw it away?

Let me see it.

Don't laugh. It was ludicrous of me

to think I could solve it.

Hubris of the young, huh?

Don't knock the hubris that I love.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

I'm going up to Rosenberg's memorial

in Washington.

I went through Rosenberg's decisions

the other night...

...and in the back of my mind

there's an idea...

...to do a book on him.

No one could do it better.

I started making notes...

...about what he meant to me:

surrogate father, mentor, you know.

I started to get very thirsty.

I deserted you this week.

Not the greatest timing.

You're here to study law,

not keep me sober.

It's Alice.

Want to come out with me for a burger?

No, thanks.

It might do you good to get out.

I'm fine, thanks.

You sure?

Yes.

Okay, bye.

Hey, Sarge.

Hey, son.

Dark coffee, three sugars.

So how's the president?

Which one?

Not Coal, the real one.

Cool and mellow.

Would you believe he's all tore up

about Rosenberg?

And all fired up about...

...restructuring the court.

Thinks it'll make his place in history.

Sounds like Coal.

What'd you get me?

There's a short list of nominees.

The original had 20 or so names,

then they cut it to 8. I gave you 2.

What about the investigation?

I haven't heard much...

...but I'll keep my ears open.

- I know you will. Thanks.

- I got that.

I'll see you later.

Mellow, mellow, mellow.

Martini, please.

Good day.

Good to see you.

Another coffee, please.

You read the Grantham article.

It had me running around all day.

Coal blasted the director, saying the

judges' names were leaked by the FBI.

The director said Coal had leaked them

himself to test the waters.

Coal ran the most divisive campaign

in 20 years...

...and the president did nothing.

I'd like to have seen your name

on this list of judges.

We all voted you

most likely to make the court.

These days, it's hard enough

just to make my class.

How old is she, this time?

Twenty-four. But she's...

...extremely mature.

At 24, she's mature.

I don't know if I believe that.

Do you have a photo?

No, I don't. She's not a puppy dog

or a grandchild.

Thank God.

Who killed them, Gavin?

I'm just a lawyer with the Bureau,

I'm not an agent.

But, as I recall, you have great ears.

To be honest, we don't have a clue.

My girlfriend wrote

a very interesting essay...

...on who might have ordered

the assassinations.

Your girlfriend has a theory?

Here, take a look at it. You'll get

a kick out of the way her mind works.

Is this Gray Grantham?

- Yes, it is.

Sorry to call at such a crazy hour.

I'm at a pay phone on my way to work.

I can't call from home or the office.

What kind of office?

I'm an attorney.

Private or government?

I'd rather not say.

I may know something

about Rosenberg and Jensen.

Are you recording this?

Can this call be traced?

I'm not recording it or tracing it.

I promise you.

I may know who killed them.

What's your name?

Garcia.

That's not your real name.

I think I saw something at the office

I wasn't supposed to see.

Do you have a copy?

I need to think about this.

- I understand.

- I'm not thinking rationally.

Listen, I promise you...

...I will protect you

as a confidential source.

Hello.

Got you.

Mr. Grantham's not here,

but he left his car number for you.

It's Garcia.

I still don't know what to do.

Mr. Garcia...

...I've gone to jail

rather than reveal a source.

I know what kind of hell

this must be for you.

You're clearly a decent human being,

a good citizen.

But could you live with yourself

if you don't reveal what you know?

MORGAN:

I'll get back to you.

Taxi!

French authorities reviewed footage

from the airport cameras in Paris...

...and think they recognized a face

that might be Khamel's, the terrorist.

He may have arrived here on a flight

Anything else?

Maybe a small new wrinkle.

What's the wrinkle?

It's a theory that surfaced

in the last 24 hours.

Voyles is really intrigued by it.

He's afraid it might be damaging

to the president.

How's that?

It's all there in the brief.

It's amateur stuff...

...but how often does something make

Coal sweat and run for cover?

He didn't exactly sweat in front of us.

But his stone face showed

he wasn't happy.

Did he have any symptoms?

As I told you, the president

is here for his annual checkup.

I wish I was in as good shape.

Was this timed to counter

the age issue in the next election?

Why didn't I think of that?

He hasn't decided whether to run again.

When will he decide?

Do you really expect me to answer that?

One rumor I can deny is

that he checked in to get away from you.

Although could you blame him?

Thank you again.

Commander, go downstairs and tell them

I have a date for golf this afternoon.

Yes, sir!

It's killing the press

you're so healthy.

Good.

Now, what's so important?

This is...

...a brief...

...written by an eager-beaver

law student.

It's a theory about the assassinations.

And indirectly...

...it implicates the White House.

The premise is so far-fetched

it's absurd.

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