Philip Ahlm

[Arthur Keats enters, closes the door]

Cora Smith: If it's the last thing I do, I'll put you out of business. There must be a law, even for lawyers.

Arthur Keats: Of course you know the district attorney fooled you into that confession, don't you? And you fell for it, both of you.

[small hrmph]

Arthur Keats: He planned to get you working against each other. Don't you see?

Cora Smith: You bet I see.

[turning to Frank]

Cora Smith: So when Sackett couldn't get anything out of me, he started in on you, and right away you turned yellow.

Arthur Keats: Yellow? Yellow is a color you figure on in a murder, and nobody figures it better than Kyle Sackett.

[to Frank]

Arthur Keats: That was Sackett's trump card. Once he tricked you into signing that complaint against her, he knew no power on earth could keep you

[to Cora]

Arthur Keats: from turning on him.

[back to Frank]

Arthur Keats: That way he gets you both.

Cora Smith: If you knew all that, why didn't you stop me from confessing?

Arthur Keats: Oh, I tried. I tried, but nobody could've stopped you. However, now that you've got it off your chest...

[moving to door, opening it]

Arthur Keats: Kennedy?

Ezra Liam Kennedy: Yes, sir?

[enters]

Arthur Keats: [closes door] That confession Mrs. Smith signed. What did you do with it?

Ezra Liam Kennedy: I gave it to Jimmy White to lock up in your safe like you told me to.

Arthur Keats: [opening door] That's all.

[Kennedy leaves, he closes door]

Cora Smith: You mean he's not from the D.A.'s office?

Frank Chambers: He's a plainclothes dick if I ever saw one.

Arthur Keats: He used to be a dick, but he's not a dick anymore. He works for me now. He's my gumshoe man. With the district attorney using high-pressure tactics, I had to fight fire with fire. Since you were due to spill the beans anyway, I figured you better do it to my man rather than to Sackett's.

Cora Smith: Why, you...

Arthur Keats: That's why I said we'd plead guilty, so as to stop everything cold in that courtroom before you blew your topper right there and then.

Frank Chambers: Then the district attorney's got nothing against me.

Arthur Keats: No, Frank, you're not even under arrest.

Cora Smith: Oh, sure, he goes free, and I get tossed in for murder and attempt.

Arthur Keats: Unless... unless you let me handle it.

Cora Smith: Ha!

Arthur Keats: Listen, my girl, you're still in plenty of trouble, 'cause we don't know exactly what evidence Sackett's got against us. From now on, you speak only when you're spoken to, and in that court tomorrow try to look as young and innocent as possible under the circumstances. And remember I'm the only hope you've got.

[last lines]

Frank Chambers: You know, there's something about this that's like... well, it's like you're expecting a letter that you're just crazy to get, and you hang around the front door for fear you might not hear him ring. You never realize that he always rings twice.

Father McConnell: What's that?

Frank Chambers: Well, he rang twice for Cora... and now he's ringing twice for me, isn't he? That's about it. The truth is, you always hear him ring the second time... even if you're way out in the backyard. Father, you were right. It all works out. I guess God knows more about these things than we do. Somehow or other Cora paid for Nick's life with hers. And now I'm going to. Father, would you send up a prayer for me and Cora? And if you could find it in your heart... make it that we're together, wherever it is.