The Rainmaker Page #5

the street. I'll be there in 30 minutes.

Cliff wants me to have a baby.

You have a decision to make.

He's obsessed with sex.

He thinks it'll keep us together.

I don't want to talk about that.

I just wanted to see you.

I think I can smell her perfume

all the way to Cleveland.

It's hard keeping my mind on

Leo Drummond and his people.

They'll be flying in first class, and after

dinner, they'll discuss my destruction.

When I check in to Motel Six, they'll

be sleeping soundly in their suites.

They'll wake up fresh and rested

and ready for war.

It's my deposition, but it's their turf.

Young Rudy Baylor.

And just on time, too.

- Get this boy some coffee.

- Jack Underhall.

A young lawyer's

always a hungry lawyer.

There must be a hundred years of

experience gathered around the table.

- My staff flunked the bar six times.

- Rudy, don't be intimidated.

You get them on the golf course,

they fold like a cheap suit.

Let's see what we got here...

I think it's appropriate to start with the

corporate designee, Jack Underhall.

- I don't think so.

- I beg your pardon?

I wanted to start with Jackie

Lemanczyk, the claims handler.

It's best we start with Mr Underhall.

It's my deposition, I'll call the witnesses

in the order in which I see fit.

I'd like to start with Jackie Lemanczyk.

Maybe we should just call the judge.

We don't have to get pugilistic

this time of the morning.

I don't mean to be pugilistic.

We're just having a little problem with

Jackie Lemanczyk, this Polish woman.

What sort of problem?

- She doesn't work here anymore.

- Was she fired?

She resigned.

- Where is she now?

- She no longer works for our client.

We can't produce her as a witness,

so let's move along.

All right. Russell Krokit. Anybody

in the room named Russell Krokit?

He's gone, too.

Downsized.

- What a coincidence.

- My client's going through downsizing.

How about Everett Lufkin?

Has he been downsized, too?

No, he's here.

You're Everett Lufkin?

My congratulations, Mr Lufkin...

...on your survival of the carnage

of late here at Great Benefit.

I may not be 100% today,

but I'm here in spirit.

- I'm curious.

- About what?

I'm just wondering, do you even

remember when you first sold out?

You're an arrogant little pissant,

aren't you?

I advise you to mind your manners.

Mind my manners?

I come from Memphis to depose

four people, two of whom are not here.

- And you tell me to mind my manners?

- It's your dime. What's your call, son?

I'm going to depose Mr Lufkin,

then I'm going to go back to Memphis.

This is how the uninsured die.

In a society filled with brilliant doctors

and state-of-the-art technology, -

- it's obscene to let this boy

wither away and die.

He had an insurance policy

that his mother paid good money for.

Not big money, but good money.

I'm alone in this trial.

I'm seriously outgunned and scared.

But I'm right.

I sit with this poor, suffering kid,

and I swear revenge.

Hello?

What's wrong?

- I need your help.

- Where are you?

- I'm at the store.

- Don't move, I'll be right there.

Rudy Baylor.

She's in here.

Thanks for coming.

- What happened?

- Let's show him.

- I got you, it's all right.

- Rudy, I'm so glad you called.

You poor child.

I'm going to take care of you now.

Don't worry, we'll manage just fine.

You know where I'll be if you need me.

I'll do whatever I have to do

to get her out of this.

Because this guy will never stop

until he's killed her. Never.

Now it's a wrongful death suit.

Gazillions!

I'm so sorry, Dot.

Thank you so much for coming.

You'll be okay.

For bugs?

This bugging device has got

medium-grade circuitry.

It's a weak transmitter.

Probably manufactured

in Czechoslovakia.

I don't think the cops or the Feds

have placed this.

- Somebody else is listening.

- Who else would be listening?

I got a pretty good idea.

Rudy, I'm just checking in.

You need anything from downtown?

Guess who wants to settle.

Dot Black.

- Dot Black!

- I went over today with a fruitcake.

She said she just doesn't have

the willpower to withstand a long trial.

- How much?

- She'd take 175,000.

- I think we should take it.

- We'll sleep on it. See you tomorrow.

- I say we take it.

- I'll think about it.

Son, this family has been through

a hell of a lot.

- I feel this woman wants to settle.

- I'll talk to her.

You call her.

I'll wait here one more hour.

I'll get back to you.

I'm sorry about the boy.

My client wants to settle, Rudy.

Let's say, to put numbers on the board,

that the claim was covered...

My client should have paid out

somewhere around 150,000- 175,000.

- If you say so.

- They bugged our phones.

- We should tell Judge Kipler.

- I don't think so.

Why not?

I have an idea.

Kind of a crazy idea.

Jury tampering. I love it... I love it!

Who's our biggest nightmare?

The judge gave us the names

of 92 potential jurors.

We checked them out and rated them

with plus or minus numbers.

Any direct contact would, of course,

be a serious offence.

- What are we doing?

- Just do what I say.

- Rudy Baylor, please.

- This is Rudy Baylor.

This is Billy Porter.

You stopped by the shop today.

- Thank you for calling back.

- What do you want?

It's about the trial you got a jury

summons for. I'm one of the lawyers.

- Is this legal?

- Of course, just don't tell anybody.

My client's son died of leukaemia

because Great Benefit wouldn't pay.

That sounds awful. I had an aunt

who had that same disease...

- I'll do what I can.

- Thank you, Mr Porter. Have a fine day.

- Where did the aunt come from?

- You told me to be sympathetic.

I know, but don't elaborate.

Get your coffee, let's go back up there.

- I'm just trying to help.

- Come on.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm about to ask

the most important question of the day.

It can be answered yes or no.

Listen carefully. Have any of you

been contacted about this case?

- This is serious business.

- Bingo.

We need to know.

Let me ask it another way.

Did any of you have a conversation

with Rudy Baylor or Deck Shifflet?

- Objection! This is an outrage.

- Mr Drummond?

- I believe they've been tampered with.

- He's accusing me!

- I don't understand what you're doing.

- Neither do I!

Approach the bench.

- This panel's been tampered with.

- I want proof.

I can't say without divulging

confidential information.

- You're out of your mind.

- I can prove it.

You accuse us of something like that?

It's ridiculous.

Allow me to finish questioning them.

The truth will come forth.

- Any objection, Mr Baylor?

- No objection.

Very well, proceed.

- What the hell is going on?

- It's just lawyer stuff.

Mr Porter, I want to ask you

a direct question.

I'd appreciate an honest response.

Ask an honest question,

I'll give you an honest answer.

Fair enough.

Did you or did you not -

- have a phone conversation

a few days ago with Rudy Baylor?

Hell, no.

I thought you'd give me

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