Get Carter

Bare-ass naked with his socks still on?

Yeah, they do it like that up north.

What for? Protective purposes.

Ask me. Ask Jack.

It's his old stamping ground.

Must be a bloody contortionist.

Oh, not suede boots.

Knock it off, Gerald. What, and get the clap?

We don't want you to go up the north, Jack.

No?

You work for us, Jack.

You know we're connected with the Newcastle mob.

I'd hate you to screw it up.

What's that, a python?

What you going for?

To find out what happened.

Look, your brother's dead and gone.

They're hard nuts up there, Jack.

They won't take kindly to someone from London poking his nose in.

Too bad.

Remember, they're killers just like you.

The police seem satisfied.

Since when was that good enough?

Think again, Jack.

I will.

Pint of bitter.

In a thin glass.

Mr. Carter?

Is there a Mr. Carter in the room?

Yeah.

Hello? Margaret?

Why the hell aren't you here?

What time?

Is Doreen at the house?

Who's with him, then?

When can I see you? Will you be there tomorrow?

Now listen, Mar...

I won't be using the room tonight. I see.

I'm staying with a friend.

- Her husband docks tomorrow, does he? - It's not like that, love.

It never is.

- Are you a traveler? - Definitely.

- Will this do? - Yes.

Very nice. Very nice.

- I'll pay you for tonight as well. - Don't be bloody silly.

You're the first since Monday.

- You sure? - Ta.

I bet this has seen some action, hasn't it?

I'll give you the key when you come down.

Was he in bad shape?

They come worse.

Doreen. All right, are you?

Been staying with a friend?

I'm sorry about your father.

Tell me, Doreen...

did the police say anything?

They said he was drunk.

- How's school? - I left last year.

- Oh. What are you doing now? - Working at Woolworths.

- That must be very interesting. - Yes.

What are you gonna do? Live with Margaret?

Well, why won't you come with us to South America?

My fiancée wouldn't mind.

And that's how your dad would have liked it.

Get Hubert up, will you?

We're ready now, sir.

We weren't sure where it was taking place, you know.

- Nice of you to come. - Oh, Frank was a good bloke.

- He was that. One of the best.

- I couldn't believe it when I heard. - What?

I mean, I was surprised when he didn't turn up for work.

He was always on time.

- Did you work with him, Keith? - At the Half Moon.

It's a bloody funny thing, you know.

You work with a bloke for six bloody years...

and all the time he's as calm as gentle Jesus.

Then he goes and does a thing like that. Bloody funny thing.

Yeah, a bloody funny thing.

Will you all stand up, please?

For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy...

to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed...

we therefore commit his body to be consumed by fire...

in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life...

through our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Who shall change the body of our low estate.

- Is that Margaret? - Yes.

Who shall change the body of our low estate...

that it may be like unto his glorious body...

according to the mighty working...

whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

Margaret?

- I thought you weren't coming. - Changed my mind.

- Everything go off all right, then? - Fine.

I wanna talk to you.

- What about? - Doreen.

She's nothing to do with me.

What do you mean?

You've been Frank's bird ever since her mother cleared off.

- You're closer to her than anyone. - No, no, it's not like that.

I've got a husband, you know.

Hold it. Hold it.

Who killed Frank, Margaret?

Killed?

I don't know anything about it.

- Really? - I must go. I'm in a hurry.

I wanna talk to you later.

- I can't. - Tomorrow morning, then.

Well, all right, then, 12:00 on the Iron Bridge.

Dinner.

Well, absent friends.

You don't suppose he might have done it on purpose.

- What? You mean like kill himself? - Hmm.

No, Frank kill himself? Get away.

- I mean, what for? That's what I was wondering.

Oh, come off it. Frank was, well, straight.

He had no worries I know of. It would have showed.

Why would it?

Just would. That's all.

- Frank was always the same. Since when?

- Did Frank drink whiskey? I don't know.

No, nobody seems to know.

He was a bloody good bloke. One of the best.

How would you know, or you, or you?

None of you knew! I knew! He was my dad!

Okay, okay, okay. Let her go. Let her go.

- I'm sorry about that. - No, don't worry.

She's bound to be upset.

- Let's have another drink. - No, I must be off. I should be at work.

Well, look, look.

Get your suit cleaned.

- That's all right. - Oh, come on.

- Thanks for coming, Eddie. - Frank was a good bloke.

It's the least I could have done.

- Do you work here, Keith? - Yeah.

If anyone comes in and asks for me, you let me know, right?

- Yeah, all right. - I'm at the Las Vegas behind the dance hall.

Do you know a man called Albert Swift?

Yeah, he comes in here a bit.

- Where would I find him? - Today? At the races. He always goes.

- How come you know Albert? - I went to school with him.

He'll know what's going on in this town.

Gray suits you, Eric.

- Good God. - Is he?

- Jack, Jack Carter. - Eric, Eric Paice.

What you doing around here, then?

- Didn't you know this is my hometown? - No, I didn't know that.

Funny that, isn't it?

Thanks.

So, what you doing, then? On your holidays?

- No, I'm visiting relatives. - Well, that's nice.

It would be if they were still living.

- Meaning what? - Bereavement, death in the family.

- Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. - That's all right, Eric.

- Oh, well, small world, isn't it? - Very.

So who are you working for these days, Eric?

Oh, I'm straight. Respectable.

- What are you doing? - Hmm?

Advertising martini?

- Oh, you've been watching television? - Yeah.

Come off it, Eric. Who is it?

- Brumby? - You're serious? Heh.

Kinnear?

What's it to you, anyway?

Well, I've always had your welfare at heart, Eric.

Besides which, I'm nosy.

Well, that's not always a healthy way to be, is it?

- And you should know... - Hmm?

If I remember rightly.

Heh, oh, yeah.

So you're doing all right, then, Eric?

You're making good?

- Making a living. - Yeah.

Good prospects for advancement, is there, huh?

A pension?

Do you know, I'd almost forgotten what your eyes looked like.

They're still the same. Piss-holes in the snow.

- Still got a sense of humor. - Yeah.

Yes, I retained that, Eric.

Do you know a man called Albert Swift, Eric?

Can't say I do.

Don't miss the start on my account.

MAN (ON RADIO): Pine Lodge, 9-to-4 favorite. Seventeen, Treasure Quest, 14-to-1.

Sixteen, Sure Arrow, 20-to-1.

Number six, Country Lad, 13-to-2. Five...