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Texas Cotton (2018)
(pensive music)
- Morning, Kurt. - Del. - I thought y'all weren't moving till next week? - Yeah, well, what's the point? Unless you got some magic beans that'll grow 10 acres of cotton by morning we're leaving. No reason for us to stay here. - I'm truly sorry to hear about that. - Del. - Margaret. - Rufus, come on, boy. Let's go! - Rufus is pretty torn up. This is the only place he's ever known. - I don't know. You ever feel like your life's been cursed, Del? - Come on, Kurt, it ain't no curse. - (laughing) What is it then? We've re-soiled, replanted, sprayed everything we know to spray. The same thing, year after year. Just dust. Marge even tried the church. Not just on Sundays neither. She said the plague is biblical, Kurt. It might help to be humble. (laughing) I'm humbled alright. I'm done, Del. (laughing) At least the mayor took it off our hands. - That right? - Yep. Gave us enough for a fresh start and helped us clear it at the bank. I left my good moonshine in the shed over there for him. It was the least I could do. Get you a jug if you want it. We'll see ya, Del. (truck engine rumbling) (car engine rumbling) (upbeat country music) Was born in this town when it still seemed like heaven But the devil's got a way of moving in and settin' stakes I've seen his poison slowly seep into the purist I know the look of a good man when he breaks I've seen the sunrise kiss this land every mornin' I've watched the land slowly withering away I've spoken to deaf ears who would not heed the warnin' And I've wondered all these years Why the hell it is I stay Once when you could trust a man You met his eyes and shook his hand But all the honor left this land a long long time ago And all the earth is dry and bare And no one has a thing to spare And the only one who seems to care Is the devil that you know The devil that you know (police siren wailing) (people applauding) (people applauding) - Delmore! Hey, I really do appreciate that escort. Thank you so much. - It wasn't an escort, Mayor Kane. I guess you knew you were speeding. - Well, of course I was speeding. I had to get to the big lamppost reveal! They're gonna throw a fit if I don't get over there, so. - Also didn't pull over for five miles, which is another violation. - Are you serious right now? As God is my witness, Delmore, I had no idea you were trying to pull me over. Hell, I saw you in the rear view and I thought, look at that, Sarge is going to the reveal. Biggest thing in town since the bench reveal. - The law's the law. - What do you say we take of this ticket right here between the two of us, hmm? - [Man] Hey Mayor, are you comin'? - I'll be right there. - Sarge? - Mayor. - Well, why don't we just call it a warning? No? Well, I have just got to be on my way, but it has been a pleasure doing business with you. (laughing) Hey everybody! Thank you so much for coming out today. Isn't this something else? Would you look at that beautiful thing? I haven't seen anything so well-constructed since the Statue of Liberty, and that is saying something, cause that thing was made out of copper and sent over from France. (melancholy western music) - Mornin', handsome. - Maybeleen, you are a vision, as usual. - I'm gonna leave my husband any second. You just say the word, Del. - You know I have to mind my Ps and Qs so he don't fire me. - Well, the least you can do is come to dinner on Thursday night. I'm as bored as a cat can be. - Maybeleen I'd have to get back to you about that. - Come on, Del! Salisbury steak, gravy, and I make real cornbread, none of that store-bought junk! - I appreciate the invite, but. - Del, we're like family! You can just drop by anytime! - How could anybody say no to that face. - (laughing) Ooh, I'm so glad to see you still got some good sense! Ah, Mayor's security boy's over there. He's over there flirtin' with Boozer. - You should see if the mayor would hire you too, Boozer. - Ugh. - I get private sick benefits! The money's good. The mayor gave me a free pistol. - Mm. - The best part, check it. Kane Rock Security. It's a special unit. - Oh, yeah, the mayor's always trying to get me to see his special unit. - 'Cause it's a great unit! I'm telling ya! - I'll bet. - Mhmm. - Hey Del. - Mornin'. - Mornin', Sarge. Sir, I came in early today hopin' you'd share some of your wisdom if that's okay with you. - That'll come. Nice hat. - Thanks, sir. The mayor gave it to me yesterday. Said I need to wear it as a way to show our forces have merged. Kind of like, cowboys and Indians working together. - Well, who's the cowboys and who's the Indians? - Well, I didn't look into it that deep, but I can ask him if you want. (door clicking) - Del! Really? Into the office. - He was going 72 in a 25. - Del, that man's charity is the only thing keeping this town alive! - He ran the light too. - Have you seen that stoplight recently? Del? - It's working again. - [Chief] Did you notice the new sign? - I don't think so. - Oh, hell, you notice my ear hair when it's too long. - The adopt-a-stoplight sign? - Yes! And who has adopted this town's only stoplight? Who pays for it's maintenance, it's power? - Kane Rock. - Exactly. So do you see how insane it might be to try to ticket Mayor Kane for runnin' the stoplight that he's paying for in the first place. (coughing) We've been runnin' a tight ship for a long time. The town's happy. No need to start trouble here. We've got plenty of that as it is. - I hear you, Chief. Just following the law. - Oh, hell, I know. You don't have to tell me that. Did you see Mayor Kane's security guard this morning? Keeps saying how happy he is to work with you. - Shanks? He needs to learn how to listen. It's the best tool a cop can have. He's a decent security guard. - Oh, I know what you're saying, Del. But we need Kane Rock security and the local PD to work together now. This town is broke. We don't do this, hell, we might both be out of a job. Now, that being said, I've decided to give Kane Rock Security a walkie today. - What? - Just a test run. (faint country music) - Well, the Abelman's left town this mornin'. - Really? I thought they weren't leaving until next week. - I know. - The Abelman's are the best cotton farmers we had in this town since I was a kid. Well, now it makes sense why you look so down. - Well, I just hate to see good people leaving this town. - I could have sworn they would have outlasted everybody. Shit, I gotta go. - I got it. - [Alexa] I'm not gonna argue that. - Order for Joe! - [Clerk] He was here first, sir. - Who? - [Clerk] He was here before you. - Oh. - It's okay, sir. It's alright. Go ahead. - Thanks, man. Appreciate that. Put his coffee on my tab. How much? (cash register beeping) - That'll be 5.80, sir. - One, two. Three. That's one dollar. Two, four dollars. 25, 50. Five dollars. Five? - 5.80, sir. - Sir, do you have? - [Clerk] That'll be fine. - No, no, I wanna pay my bill. Sir, do you have a nickel? Thank you. 5.80. Thank you, Miss. - Thank you. - [Joe] Officer. (cash register beeping) And darlin', don't leave (police radio squawking) - [Shanks] Dispatch, this is Shanks, do you read me? - [Maybeleen] Shanks, this is dispatch, I hear you loud and clear. - [Shanks] I had a weird buzzing comin' from the speaker. Just double checking. - [Maybeleen] It's working fine, son. I know we've had bad times (radar beeping) - [Shanks] Dispatch, I gotta tip said there's a trespasser over here. Uh, I'm heading through town now. - Shanks, this is Sergeant Delmore, over. - [Shanks] I'm gonna need immediate backup for a 10-38. - Shanks, take your hand off of-- - [Shanks] I'm gonna be 10-99, repeat, immediate backup! - Shanks, take your hand off the mic! - [Shanks] I repeat, send the Sarge, send the Sarge. I know I'm gonna go put my-- - Shanks! - [Shanks] But I need you to-- - Shanks, take your hand off the mic! (police siren wailing) - Hey. Hey! Hey! Hey! - What? - Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Put that down, put that down! What are you doing out here trespassin'? - I'm working. - No, no, no, let me search your truck. - Man, I know my rights! I'm not doin' nothing wrong! (police siren chirping) - No, no, you got the right to remain silent, and that's about it right now. - [Joe] Oh, come on, man! That's ridiculous! - Yeah. - Let me see your search warrant then, rent-a-cop! - Whoa, whoa, gentlemen. What's going on here? - I gotta tip said somebody's trespassing, and look who I found over here. - I'm not trespassing, man! - Yeah, yeah, I spot this weirdo. - Shanks. - oh, man. - Yeah. - Come on, that's not cool. - This weirdo with this apparatus, and he's spraying things! - Spraying things? - Yeah. And how do you explain that, mister? - That's my work material, man. That's what I use. - What'd you say you do, sir? - I'm a horticulturalist. - Is he making that up? - I work with plants, guys. - Oh, so a horticalisist works with plants. But what are you doing in this town? - I was hired to save your farmland, man! You got real problems with your pH levels in soil formations. The numbers are off the charts! Sergeant, if I don't get busy spraying, this place is gonna be a desolated wasteland. I'm trying to save your crops, man! And this rent-a-cop is holding me up! - Oh, so I'm holding you up? - Yeah. - Oh, so you got better things to do? - Yeah. - Oh, so you got more important things to do than talkin' to us? - I definitely got more important things to do than talking to you! Sergeant, I'm trying to help this town. - Hey, where do you think you're going? - Shanks. - Hey, hey! - Shanks! - Where do you think you're going? - Hold on, Shanks! Shanks, hold on! - Stop right there! - Whoa! Get off me, man! (dramatic music) Whoa! (pistol booming) (explosion booming) (dramatic music) (Shanks groaning) - Shanks, Shanks, are you okay? Are you alright? - Yeah, yeah. He's gettin' away! - Okay! This little tour is over now. - [Joe] You guys are both crazy! I'm tellin' ya, I didn't do nothin'! - I'm not so sure about that. Whatever's in those barrels, we're gonna find out! My guess is the stuff's not legal. - [Joe] I was just doin' my job, man! You gotta believe me. I never seen nothin' like that! You can't arrest me if I didn't do anything. - We'll figure all that out down at the station. Now come on out! (metal door banging) (dramatic music) (pistol booming) - Oh! (pistol booming) Shit! (engine clunking) Come on! (engine clunking) (pistol tapping) - You gotta treat things with kindness or you'll get nowhere. - You ain't even gonna check out my leg? - Your leg's not broken! - [Shanks] Come on, man! Look at it! I heard it bend backwards! (Shanks banging) Hey! The mayor's benefits better kick in. - My God, what kind of explosive does all that? - It's hard to tell, sir. I'm gonna have to call the crime lab. - No! Uh, best keep it local for now. Can't afford them tests anyway. Let's try to crack the sprayer first. - Chief, the sprayer said he didn't do anything. - Well, what would you say? (engine rumbling) - Sir. Oh, we haven't processed-- - This looks worse than a one-legged calf at a rodeo. What do you know? - All under control, Mayor. Uh, we had a scroungy lookin' fella sprayin' things. - Sprayin' things? - Yes, your man, Shanks, caught him trespassin', and then he started yellin' and blew up one of these blue barrels. - Damn. Looks like I owe Shanks a little lunch. Where is this sprayer of yours? Yeah, looks about right. Ah, what do you all think was in these barrels, hmm? - Oh, we're not sure, sir. But we're working on it. - Alright, well you all are the experts. So, you, uh, keep me in the loop and let me know if you learn anything else. - Mayor. - Thank you so much for your service. - I'm not shaking your hand because if I squeeze too hard you'll try to give me a ticket. (Kane laughing) The tickets, you know! (laughing) (Kane laughing) - Del, take the sprayer in and see if you can get him to talk. - What is it with you guys, man? I mean, is it my hair, my accent? - What? No. - You just like harassing new people in town, is that it? - Look you were trespassin', you fled the scene, you assaulted an officer, and you broke the law. - Law, law, you cops, you're all the same. You probably get a big kick out of busting an innocent guy like me, just out trying to make an honest living. You should look at yourself in the mirror once, man. - You might wanna stop talkin'. - Yes, sir. - The guy's cold mean. - Fertilizer does blow up. Maybe our guy's innocent after all. Shanks was just way outta line. - Well, it doesn't explain the fact that that liquid killed everything it touched overnight. It wasn't fertilizer, Del. The sprayer say anything to you on his way back? Well, maybe he will today. After a night in jail, people seem to talk. If anybody can get him to say anything, it's you. (soft pensive music) - Man, what now? - Got a few questions. You're Joe , right? - Yeah. - Mind if I shoot? - Why would I give you answers? You're the one who put me in here for nothin', after all. - Nothin'? Whatever you were sprayin' killed everything it touched. - What are you talkin' about? - Who hired you to come down here, anyway? - I just go where they send me, man. I've been all over workin' with plants, helpin' people. - Well, what was in those barrels? - I know what was supposed to be in those barrels. But if what you're sayin' is true, it must have been somethin' else. - Like what? - I don't know. Maybe a paraquat. - Paraquat? - I'm not sayin' it is, and I don't know how it would have gotten into those barrels of fertilizer, but it would make sense too why they exploded. - But you're the horticulturalist, you should know what's in those barrels. - Well, like I said, man, I just go where they send me. I ain't tryin' to poison anybody's plants. - Well, who supplied those chemicals? - I don't know. You're the detective. - Hey, I think this STC is a company called South Texas Chemical. Want to follow up? - I'll take this and all the other evidence down to the crime lab in Hondo. I'll be back. - The chief said not to spend any money. - The chief says a lot of things. You should call me. Hey, Chief. - You okay? - Still have a little ringing in my ears from all this, I guess. - Go home, you need to get some Zs. - Well, that'd do me some good. But first, Chief, you mind if I ask you some questions about this sprayer case? - There's no need! The mayor just muscled a full confession out of him. - A full confession? That's strange. - Guess he caved. Definitely a lone sprayer situation. Acted alone, case closed. - You believe all that? - I sure do. It saves us a lot of work. - What happens to him now? - The mayor's callin' in a federal judge on Friday instead of that perv Jennings. We ain't never switched a judge before, but the mayor thinks a fed judge closin' this thing out right will take away the worry in the town. I think it's a damn fine idea. That plague has really had it's toll on us. Well, take the day off, go home, get yourself right, and don't forget dinner Thursday. You promised Maybeleen. If you don't show, it's my ass. - Thank you. (uneasy music) (dog barking) Dispatch, this is Delmore, over. - [Maybeleen] This is dispatch, go ahead. - The prisoner's escaped. - [Maybeleen] What now? - The sprayer ain't in his cell. - [Maybeleen] Oh no, honey. Terry moved him to Kane Rock. The town folk were threatenin' to harm him. The sprayer's locked up tight now in the mayor's panic room. Keep him safe until the trial. - Copy. Just checkin' in, over. (police radio squawking) (train rumbling) - Mornin', Sarge. - Hey, Shanks. Is the mayor around? - No, he's out for the day. Said he had to get everything ready for that big ol' trial. - Might if I have a tour? - It'd be an honor. Hell, I ain't even seen it, only been on the driveway. But I'd have to get permission from the mayor first, and he isn't here. I told you that, right? - Hey, how's your ankle? - Oh, you mean the leg? Well, the doc says it's just a bruise, but I figure I'm double-jointed or somethin'. - Hey, Shanks, if you see anything strange around here, you'd let me know, wouldn't you? - Oh, I swear on my life, sir. - Thanks, Shanks. - Yeah. - Have a good day. - You too. Be careful. (pensive music) - Need some help? - Yes, ma'am. Could you tell me, is this the right address here? - Yes, sir, Mission San Jose. - Are you sure? - Yes, sir. Do you need any more help today, sir? - No, thanks, ma'am. Thank you. - You have a good day. (uneasy music) (gravel rustling) (footsteps thumping) (gate clanging) (phone ringing) - [Alexa] La Coste Police, Officer Boozer. - Boozer, it's Del. - [Alexa] Where the hell are you? I'm cracking this thing here all by myself. - What do you mean? - [Alexa] The Hondo lab said the sprayer's poison was something called paraquat, a herbicide that kills plants instantly. - Damn. - [Alexa] Del, it's been banned for over 10 years. It's definitely a poison. - Boozer, I think someone's following me. - [Alexa] What the hell are you talkin' about? - Have you seen Shanks? - [Alexa] Not yet, why? - Just keep tabs. - [Alexa] Do you want back up? I can be there in an hour tops. - No. I'll be fine. - [Alexa] You better be, you hear me, Del? - I hear you. Bye. (pensive music) - Y'all need to hire more people if you can't handle the rush times. I've been waitin' in line 40 minutes. No one told me to fill out this form. Y'all see any signage about forms? - I'm sorry, sir, unless you fill out this form, I can't do anything about it. - Alright, give me, give me my stuff. - I just need you to fill out that form. - Give me my stuff, all of it! This whole place oughta be shut down and turned over to somebody who knows how to run an actual business! (electronic beeping) - May I help you, sir? - Goodness, that's a pretty green color you have on their, ma'am. It just brightens up the whole room. - May I help you? - Yes, ma'am, I'm trying to find the address to this company. Somebody gave me the wrong information. - Some big case, like on TV? - No ma'am, it's for a small case. I'm about the only one that cares about it in my little town. - And where would that be? - La Coste, Texas. - There's nothing in the system. That just means that the digital file might have expired. - Mhmm. - Might be in handwritten notes somewhere in the archive, but the city clerk is in charge of that and I'd need permission from her. - I understand. - Is there anything else? - Well, yes ma'am, there is. Since I'm here and all, could I ask you one more thing? How do you manage to keep this place so calm when everybody around here's blaming you for things you can't control? I couldn't do this, ma'am. I don't know how you do it. - Let me see what I can do. - Thank you, ma'am. (peaceful western music) - So this is our records warehouse. How is it that I can help you? - I'm looking for this company right here. - That would be our records of deeds. Follow me. Rebecca. Property tax books give us information such as name, address, the legal description, as well as information on the property value. Rebecca, I need these too. Here it is. (train horn wailing) (pensive music) (knocking on door) - Hola. - Hola, Senora. - Gracias. - Gracias. (speaking in foreign language) - Mr. Van Bibble. Sir, I'm Sergeant Delmore from La Coste, Texas. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind. Sir? Are you the owner of South Texas Chemical? (gunshot booming) (glass shattering) (Maria screaming) - Get down! (uneasy music) (wood creaking) (bullet thumping) (Maria screaming) (bullet whining) (pottery shattering) (bullet thumping) (Maria screaming) (pistol booming) (Maria screaming) (bullet thumping) (Maria screaming) (bullets thumping) (Maria screaming) (guns booming) (pistol booming) (bullets thumping) (engine rumbling) (gun booming) (engine rumbling) - [Alexa] Go for Boozer. - Boozer, I'm heading back. - [Alexa] Great, well, what happened? - I was just shot at. - [Alexa] Jesus, are you alright? - Don't tell anyone, just watch your back. - [Alexa] Yeah, I copy. Where are you going now? - [Terry] Maybeleen, I have known Del for 20 years, I don't have to wear a coat when he comes to dinner. - [Maybeleen] Oh, just put the coat on! - He has seen me in my underwear down at the station. I don't have to wear a coat in my own house. - [Maybeleen] You are stubborn as an old mule! - No thanks, Terry. - You look like you need it. More for me, then. Are you hungry? - You bet. - Whatcha been doin' all day? - Just gettin' my ears checked, like you said. - Good, good, good. Well, what's the verdict? - Come again? - 'bout your ears? Did you find a good doctor? - Yep, best guys in San Antonio. That's where I've been all day. Ears seem to be just fine. - Good to hear that. I need you right as rain at the trial tomorrow. - No more work talk tonight, boys. Del, come on! Sit down, sit down. - Oh, well, let's get to it. (Maybeleen clearing throat) - We thank you Father for this food and bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. And we thank sweet Delmore for being here tonight, and for puttin' his life on the line every day defending the people of our town. And please continue to watch over these fine men as they protect us from any evil that may come our way. And let's all rejoice together in the service of our Lord. Amen! - Now where was I? - Hey, Chief, have you ever heard of a outfit called South Texas Chemical? - [Maybeleen] I said no work talk! - See what you're missin' in a wife? - Oh, Del don't need no wife! He just plays us all. - Well, not a lot to choose from around here. Did you ever try a service? - [Maybeleen] Terry, that's personal! - Oh, I'm just curious. That's a grown man, honey. He can have a different woman in his house every night. - Terry! You know my hairdresser tried one of those services up in Johnson City. She met a man on the phone, if you can believe that. She was married in three weeks. - [Del] Is that right? - Of course, she was divorced in another three weeks. - Here it comes. - The reason it took that long is because they couldn't find a lawyer. (laughing) - Well, one wife was enough for me. Hey, Chief, about tomorrow. Why are we prosecutin' this guy so quickly? - The sprayer confessed, why wait? - Well, this South Texas Chemical is run by a Wallace Van Bibble. Have you ever heard of him? - No! And if I ever did I don't think I'd forget it! Del, what are you doin' diggin' when there's nothin' left to find! - Because I believe the sprayer's innocent! Are you sure you have never heard of a Wallace Van Bibble? He says he's your cousin. - Dammit, Delmore! Will you just drop it? Now I don't know exactly what your beef is, but that sprayer's gonna get his tomorrow good! The mayor's not an idiot, and we best come together on this. So unless you're ready for a permanent retirement-- - Terry! You know what I forgot? The pie. Terry, honey, why don't you go get the pie out of the oven. We don't want it to burn! - Funny coincidence, ain't it? - Terry, the pie! (table thumping) You know, at the office he works for the people, but in this house, he works for me, bless his heart. (Maybeleen chuckling) - Miss Maybeleen, if he's hiding somethin' you gotta tell me. - Del, he would never do nothin' to hurt this town. Hell, you have known him for 20 years! And I thought we agreed there'd be no work talk tonight! (dish crashing) Well, heaven's sakes, Terry, what are you doin'? Terry's not feelin' well, so we're gonna just have to call it a night. - Miss Maybeleen, I really need to speak to him. - [Maybeleen] I will fix you a plate. - No, that's okay. I'm fine. Thank you for the invite. - Now, I have told you before there ain't no need for an invitation. Del, Terry's stressed out over all this responsibility. I mean, he's never had a court case like this before. I don't know what all y'all were talkin' about, but, well, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say nothin'. As a gentleman, well, and as a special personal favor to me. We're family, Del. Always will be. (uneasy music) (train rumbling) - Boozer! - Shit, Del! What the hell happened to you? - I think Shanks was the one that shot at me. - Shanks? In San Antonio? - Yeah. - Del, that doesn't make any sense. Shanks was as the diner all day today with the mayor. - The mayor? - Yeah, you asked me to track them. I stayed there all day. They were going over their case for tomorrow. - Damn! - What, what is going on? - Where are they now? - I don't know, Arens? We go there, we go find out what the hell's going on. - No, stay here! - Why? - Figure out a way to get the sprayer outta Kane Rock. He's an innocent man. - Oh God, Del, are you sure about this, this time? - I'd bet my life on it. - Del! Don't do anything stupid! Holy shit. You run out of money, babe You can have my last dime If you run of lovin' You can mine for free You can run out of anything But you can't run out on me Bring us down - Two shots of your finest whiskey. - Sergeant! - Mayor. - You're lookin' a little under the weather tonight, Sergeant. You alright? Thank you, Sergeant. If you run out of liquor You can have my homemade wine If you run out of money - Well, alright. - You've had enough shots today already. - There's always room for one more. - They don't serve liquor in jail. You can run out of anything But you can't run out on me (door creaking) - Sergeant, you gotta be kiddin' me. You gotta see this talkin' deer head they got in the bathroom. Shit, I've been in there an hour watchin' that thing. I, uh, I miss somethin'? - Shanks, the Sergeant and I need a minute to discuss somethin'. Just one. - Yes, sir. Uh, do you want me to stand in the corner? If you run out of liquor - Outside? Shoot, I can go back in the bathroom if you want. - Shanks, just get the hell out! - Oh, well, alright. If you run out of lovin' You can have mine for free - You got somethin' to say? - Give a full confession, and you can let that sprayer go. (Kane chuckling) Now why would I do a thing like that? - You're going to jail either way. - Says who? - The law. - Would you be makin' a false accusation against your mayor? - There's nothin' false about it. - Looks like I've got a live wire on my town's police force. I'll have to take care of that first thing in the mornin' before that trial starts. Or you could just turn in your badge right now, leave it on the bar on your way out, and save us all a lot of trouble. - I'll turn it in when you rip it from my dead body. - I'd just as soon bury you with it on. - You might wanna get some rest. You gotta long day tomorrow. - Enjoy your last day as our town sergeant, cause you ain't got nothin' going on-- (bullet thumping) - [Maybeleen] Dispatch for Sarge, you got your ears on, over? - Go for Delmore, over. - [Maybeleen] I know the Chief's got you on traffic again, but Boozer just called. She needs your help over at Kane Rock taking the sprayer to court. Shanks' car won't start. - I'm on my way, over. (police siren wailing) - Sorry, Sergeant. Can't start my car on the biggest day of my whole life. Come on, man. (shackles jingling) Thank you, sir, for comin' to help me out. - Don't worry about it, Shanks, you're a good man. I'm sorry we didn't work closer together. When the chips are down, I know you'll do the right thing. (dramatic music) Look, I'm sorry I got you in the middle of all this. You were right from the get-go. Someone's tryin' to frame you, and I know who it is. - Who? - Don't worry about that right now. I got get you away from here. - No, no, no, no. Thanks, but no. No, just, just go to the courthouse and let's just be done with this, please. - Look, the mayor's got everybody in his pocket around here. It's not right! - Why are you on my side all of a sudden? - Because I think you're innocent! - [Joe] Really? And why is that? - I was shot at in San Antonio yesterday. - You're tellin' me someone shot at you? Oh, great! - Yes. - How's that gonna go for me, then? - I can protect you, and the law will protect you. - It's the law that got me into this mess. No thanks, just get me to the courthouse. - Look, if they forced a confession on you, I feel responsible. I gotta make it right. - What do you mean, right? You don't understand this world. Hey, hey, hey, hey! What are you, what are you doin'? - You gotta help me. The mayor framed you, right? - Yeah, right! - Maybe someone's helpin' him. - It's none of my business, man. - But why would anybody wanna poison their own town? - Look, I'm just the plant guy, okay? Happened to be the wrong place at the wrong time. You wanna know about soil, I'll tell ya. Otherwise I got one chance of gettin' out of this thing alive, and that's takin' the plea! Guilty as charged! Now please, get me back to the courthouse before I get shot! - You sure you wanna do this, Joe? - [Joe] Please! - Trickin' the mayor's boy. That's crossin' the line, Del. - Yeah, I know. - The mayor also told me what you said last night. Sorry, Del, gonna need that badge. You're fired. - Chief, that ain't right. The mayor's playin' us. I know about Van Bibble. - What are you talkin' about? You're losin' your mind! - I was shot at! - By who, me? By the mayor? You think the mayor's gonna shoot his own damn police force? It makes no sense. Keys. (keys jingling) - I really thought you cared about this town. (melancholy music) - [Alexa] Watch your head. - Nice party. Hello, idiot. - Shut up! - [Shanks] Sprayer. - [Alexa] Come on! Guys, back up! - [Woman] Shame! You oughta be ashamed of yourself! (people chattering) - [Woman] Come on! - [Alexa] Hey, three steps down! - [Man] Sure, come on! (people chattering faintly) - So Mr. Shanks, you're tellin' me and the fine people of La Coste here that you saw this man trespassin'? - Yeah, yeah, it was that man. - Mr. Shanks, when you saw this man trespassin', what was he doin' when you observed him? - Sprayin' things. - Can you repeat that one more time for the entire courtroom to hear? - Sprayin' things. - Sprayin' things. Mr. Shanks, I'd like you to recall that dreadful day in question. When you were in pursuit of this menace and finally caught up to him, was he threatening you? - Well, to be honest, I was more the threat. - Well, thank you for your modesty, Mr. Shanks. But in your official police report, you stated that this man was evading arrest. Is that correct? - Yes, yes, sir. He, he, he fled like a spring chicken. - (hands slapping) Fled like a spring chicken. Ladies and gentlemen, those of us in the legal profession consider that to be fleeing. - Sir, can I, can I say something? - Of course, Mr. Shanks. - They gave me a walkie that day, and I wanted to do good for the Sarge, and there was a lot of emotion and hostility. - Emotion and hostility. - I thought he had a weapon, and it was one of those sprayer things, and I shot, and there was an explosion. I think it was more my fault. - Thank you, Mr. Shanks. No further questions, Your Honor. - You want me to tell you about-- - No, Shanks! That'll be all for today. - You may step down, sir. - Ladies and gentlemen, Your Honor, at this time I would like to call to the stand the sprayer. (melancholy music) (door clicking) - Hey, Shanks. - Hey, Sarge. - How's it goin' in there? - He's done. He ain't even got a damn defense attorney. - You gotta be kiddin' me. - Mm. - Hey, Shanks, I'm really sorry what we did to your car this mornin'. - It's alright. It's more the mayor's car anyway. He's been borrowin' it all week. - Why would the mayor be borrowin' your car when he's got one of his own? - He needs it to transport things to keep his vehicle clean. He's been fixing up his new property. - Over at the Abelman's place? - I think that's the one. Hell, he's got so many farms now I get mixed up where he goes. - You mind if I borrow your car? - Just bring it back in one piece. (dramatic music) (uneasy music) - Ladies in gentlemen, in closing, I'd like to remind you all that this is, this is about the 37 families whose lives are gone, destroyed by this man. And we call on the court to punish this man to the fullest extent of the law for trespassin'. The state rests. (shackles jingling) - Now, are there any witnesses for the defense? Sir, do you have anyone who'll speak for you. - No, Your Honor. The defense rests its case. - [Del] Hold on! (doors thumping) - What? What? - I'm sorry I'm late, but I'm here for the defense. - Yeah, objection, Your Honor, this man is not allowed to be here. He's not on the witness list, and he's also an officer of the law. - Negative, Your Honor. I used to be, but I was relieved of my duties less than an hour ago. And I stand here as free man in pursuit of the truth. Don't we all want that? - I'll allow it. - Alright. - Please! (faint speaking) - Del. - Your Honor, the defense calls Mayor Kane to the stand. - Oh! - Absolutely not! You stay here. (gavel thumping) - [Judge] Order! (gavel thumping) (Kane chuckling) - What can I do for you, Sergeant. I mean, Delmore. - Mayor, you've been running this little town for how long? - About 15 years, I believe, but who's counting? - And you've been here back when we're booming, and you've stayed on and now we're broke. - Well, my family settled this land over 100 years ago, so I'd say yes, I'm not planning on going anywhere. - How is it that you're staying the same, and some might even say you're looking even better, these days? - I have no idea what you're trying to ask me, Delmore, but I do seem to recall that it was my security guard that finally caught that sprayer. Now, what have you been doin' for the last 15 years? Maybe the town could have saved a little money on your salary. - Well then, how is it that you can afford all those charities? - Oh, objection! Uh, Your Honor, they're makin' a mockery of your courtroom at this point. This is completely irrelevant. - Hold your objections, Counselor. Let's go ahead and see this thing through, hmm? - So, I guess it's my success here that's on trial now, is that it? - No. Your land has the plague too, don't it? - You know it. My farm's a bigger bust than all y'alls. Hell, the plague started on my land, if I recall correctly. - Well, then how is it that you can afford all these donations, and all these charities, and sacrifices on our behalf? - Now you all know that my family was blessed with a couple of very productive wells up in Midland. Now I'm more than happy to be generous any way that I can. That's the Edward Kane way. Generosity and charity, in good times and in bad. - Edward Kane's your father, right? - It's my name too, Delmore. - Of course it is, Junior. He just didn't bankrupt this town. - Now look, I feel real bad for all these folks. That's why I've been buying their farms. - You just bought the Abelman's place too, right? - Yes, I did. Fine family, sorry to see 'em go. Look, folks, I pay very generously for all the farms that I buy. Farmland that's got the plague, alright? So it's worthless. Hell, it's worth less than nothin'. You add it all up, it's a, it's a net loss. So that's just some more charity right there from me to the town, free of charge. - Unless there's no plague now. - Judge, if this man's got no serious questions for me, I'm just gonna excuse myself right now so we can hang this son of a bitch. - Uh. - I have a piece of the barrel from the sprayer's explosion. And I just left the Abelman's farm, which you know the mayor now owns, and I saw plenty of barrels just like it that weren't there before. - Well, who's trespassin' now, Delmore? - I also have from the records down in San Antonio a deed from a company named South Texas Chemical, where I found the same barrels and poison. I believe a man named Wallace Van Bibble was hired to fix our farmland. But the mayor and Mr. Van Bibble swapped the barrels for poison, and then hired this man right here and framed him for the whole thing. This is an innocent man. Mayor Kane has killed our farmland, and if you wanna find out just follow me down to the Abelman farm and I'll prove it. - Oh, come on! - Okay, this is not a field trip, Your Honor! (gavel thumping) - Order! - Hush! - Order! (gavel thumping) Why don't we go and see if those barrels are truly there the way you claim they are, hmm? - Don't you! Del! - [Terry] Whoa! (pistol booming) - Oh, sweet Jesus! - [Woman] Help! (people exclaiming) (dramatic music) (people chattering) - [Man] Lord, help us! - You just killed this town, you idiot. (Alexa grunting) My family made this town. I own you, I own everybody in this room. Let's just see how well you all do without me around, huh? - It's okay. (Alexa grunting) (people shouting) - Oh no, what'd I do? What did I do? Oh, no! - Shit. - Get! - Oh no! - It's been real swell being your mayor. - Help, help me! - Chief. - I didn't know, Delmore. (coughing) I swear. Oh. - [Maybeleen] (mumbling) call somebody! - Go get that bastard! - Go, I got him! - Del, let's go! (people shouting) (Joe grunting) - Whoa! - There's an innocent man in there! - Well, what can I do? - Take Chief to the hospital. - On it! - Let's go! (engine rumbling) (police siren wailing) (dramatic music) (police radio squawking) - Shanks, we need backup at the old circle maze. (static crackling) - Ready? (shotgun slide clicking) (gun booming) (Alexa gasping) (shotgun booming) (pistol booming) (dramatic music) (gun booming) - Oh, shit! (gun booming) (pistol booming) (gun booming) - [Alexa] (screaming) No, no! - Not another step! Drop the weapon. (Alexa crying) Now! (Alexa screaming) You just couldn't let things go, could you Delmore? - This is just between you and me, really. Now let 'em go! - (chuckling) Let 'em go? Why would I do that? Are you that stupid? None of y'all are going anywhere. See, I got what some folks like to call a lifeline. Anything happens to you two, I got this idiot right here. (foot thumping) (Joe grunting) You see, now all I've gotta do is take his cuffs off after I shoot you two, and I can frame him for everything. (chuckling) Hell, the people of this town are dumber than dirt. They'll believe anything I say. - No, they know the truth. - The truth is what I say it is! - So you're just gonna go back to the way it was? Hire another Joe, another Van Bibble, and keep gettin' richer? - I don't know! Hell, I hadn't thought it through that much! (Alexa screaming) And it if hadn't been for this idiot here, neither one of y'all would have had to die! - No! (gun booming) (Kane grunting) (Alexa whimpering) - You asshole! (shotgun booming) (Shanks grunting) - Shanks! - I've been waitin' a long time for this. - [Joe] Hey! (pistol booming) (explosion booming) - Shanks? - Yeah, yeah, I'm alright. (Shanks grunting) (Alexa whimpering) - What the fuck was that? - It looks bad. - Just get me outta here, Del. Get me outta here! - I need your help. (peaceful music) - Hey. - It's okay, it's okay. - There's Maybeleen. Hey, this is fun. - [Maybeleen] Are you okay? - Yeah. How's the chief? - Oh, he's, he's fine. He just had a little excitement. Oh my God! - [Alexa] Move over. (Shanks screaming) - It's alright, it's okay. - [Maybeleen] Del, what about the mayor? - He's been taken care of. (Shanks grunting) - [Maybeleen] Okay, come on, let's go. - Del, be careful. - [Shanks] I'm better. - I still don't trust him. (peaceful music) - [Joe] Ready, Sergeant? - Hop in the car. No one's gotten The Lord and his plans many times I've fought him, praise him (muffled singing) Any my toils (faint singing) - Oh, come on, man. How 'bout just drop me off at my truck? - A man's dead. I can't let that go. - Are you kiddin'? I just saved your life back there. Just let me go in, pay my trespass fine, be done with all this. I just wanna go home. - What about all the other charges? - There were no other charges. (door locks clicking) What are you doin', man? - I just don't want anybody else gettin' hurt today. - So what, you're gonna shoot me right here? Just let me go! - You're not fooling me anymore, Joe. A class C criminal trespassing is a misdemeanor in Texas. It's a $500 fine, and no jail time. I suppose you've always known that. How much extra did he pay you to take the fall? - Man, you don't understand nothin', do ya? - Then tell the truth. - The truth? - The truth is stupid people believe what I tell them. Gives the advantage to someone like me. - Well, that's not right. - I'm a horticulturalist, right? (Joe laughing) - You're the mayor's partner. - I'm not the mayors anything, for sure. But I got desperate people just like him wantin' to do land deals with me all over the place. - You put paraquat in the mayor's bulletproof vest. - I'm impressed, you really are a detective. - Is your name even Joe? (Joe laughing) - Yeah, sure. To some I'm Joe, to others I'm Terry. - Fellers. You were the one paying the bills for Van Bibble. - Scared you last night, didn't I? Got your monkey suit all dirty diving in the dirt, huh? I could have shot you in San Antonio last night, but I didn't. I chose not to! So here's what's gonna happen now. I'm gonna get out of this car and you and I are done. That's all I can do for you, cowboy. - No. I'm gonna give you one more chance. Turn yourself in and I'll give you a fair shake. I promise. (Joe laughing) - Alright, Sergeant. I got your fair shake right here. Hands up. - You don't wanna go down that road. - I said hands up! Nice and easy. Now don't you go foolin' me now. - I ain't the foolin' kind. - Good. The law's the law. (Joe laughing) Where's that got ya, Delmore? Any last words, Delmore? - Mind if I turn this up? - No, not at all. Boom! Darlin', don't leave Don't walk out on me - Man, I hate this Texas bullshit. (pistol booming) (pistol booming) (Del grunting) (pistols booming) Darlin', don't leave Don't walk out on me (Del grunting) If you would just come back I'll love you, you'll see I know we've had bad times And love's hurt is killin' me And darlin' don't leave (peaceful western music) (upbeat western music) |
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