Dennis W. Murphy

C.J. Nicholas: How far would you go for the story of your lifetime?

Corey Finley: I mean, you know me, farther than far.

C.J. Nicholas: Would you risk everything?

Corey Finley: Depends on what you mean by everything.

C.J. Nicholas: Aw, everything means everything, including going to prison.

Corey Finley: You're kidding.

C.J. Nicholas: Never been more serious in my entire life.

[He sips his beer]

Corey Finley: Jesus. I mean, I don't know.

C.J. Nicholas: I'm talking about the biggest story we've ever dreamed of. I'm talking about the Pulitzer Prize!

Corey Finley: You're also talking about prison.

C.J. Nicholas: Just hear me out. Okay, when I'm done, you say no, we don't do it. Your choice. Of course, it will mean you will spend the rest of your numbered days producing tookie tidbits from a minor league field. And it'll also mean you have no scrotal sack.

Corey Finley: We gonna cut to commercial before we do Final Jeopardy?

C.J. Nicholas: Right, cut to the chase. We both know that Hunter is bringing in fake DNA to get those convictions.

Corey Finley: Right.

C.J. Nicholas: We don't know exactly how, but we know that he's doing it.

Corey Finley: Mm-hmm.

C.J. Nicholas: You with me?

Corey Finley: So far, yeah.

C.J. Nicholas: Well, there's one way we can prove it.

Corey Finley: And is this the risky part?

C.J. Nicholas: Not yet. First we have to wait for the right murder.

[beat]

Corey Finley: What do you- The right murder?

C.J. Nicholas: The murder of some anonymous person, okay? Some junkie or hooker where the cops have no suspect and they really don't give a shit. And there's gotta be some vague physical evidence, like, uh, like a tire track or a footprint. Not a lot. And it's gotta happen when I have no alibi.

Corey Finley: Right, who needs an ali- Why can't you have one?

C.J. Nicholas: I can't have an alibi because that's when we plant the circumstantial evidence.

Corey Finley: We what?

C.J. Nicholas: We plant enough circumstantial evidence that points it to me.

Corey Finley: You're shitting me.

C.J. Nicholas: I shit you not. We not only plant it, you document us planting it. You tape me doing it, each time with the day's newspaper in the shot. That way we can prove that the evidence came after the fact.

Corey Finley: [worried] Aren't there laws against this kind of thing?

C.J. Nicholas: More than one. Anyway, enough circumstantial evidence, and District Attorney Mark S. Hunter won't be able to resist. He'll arrest me, he'll indict me and he'll put me on trial. And not only will he have a high profile case, he will have a truly sexy, juicy, front page lead story that'll tie up the nomination for governor. And he'll have a white defendant. That, he won't be able to resist.

Manager: [walking around his store with Ella] The till is linked directly to my inventory. When I scan the barcode, it logs the product and it's manufacturer's number.

Ella Crystal: Right, so you can match any receipt with an item that's been purchased?

Manager: Yep, as long as it has the manufacturer's label. But I already told you guys this.

Ella Crystal: [surprised] You spoke to someone from my office?

Manager: Yeah.

Ella Crystal: Do you remember who?

Manager: Yes, he said he was the DA.