The Green Mile

At lunch with Brutal, Dean, and Harry, Paul asserts that Coffey is innocent by describing what happened when he asked the inmate to tie his unlaced shoe. Coffey struggles for a bit and admits that he used to know how to tie a knot but cannot remember anymore. Paul says that in the trial, the prosecution had claimed that Coffey undid the knot of his lunch pouch to lure the Detterick family’s dog out. If Coffey did have sausages in his lunch pouch and used them to lure the dog, he would not be able to tie the pouch back up, nor would he have time to do so. As additional evidence, Paul remarks that the bloodhounds used to sniff out the Detterick twins’ location were initially confused. Some of the pack wanted to go upstream while others wanted to go in the opposite direction.

Paul reasons that it is likely some of the hounds detected where the Detterick twins were, while the others caught the scent of the true killer, who was elsewhere. Finally, Paul explains that Coffey’s initial cries when he was found with the Detterick twins (“I couldn’t help it. I tried to take it back, but it was too late”) were not an admission of murder, but of his failure to revive the girls.

Paul reasons it’s likely that Coffey found the girls, lamented his inability to heal them, and walked off from his initial location out of despair. Brutal, Dean, and Harry are stunned but believe Paul’s explanations. They plot to get Coffey out of Cold Mountain long enough to heal Melinda. They agree that Dean should stay behind, in case anything goes wrong, so that he can avoid accountability and not jeopardize his job, being the guard with the most to lose.  

Before Paul leaves the house for Cold Mountain, and to carry out on his plan, Janice inquires as to whether his plotting involves Melinda or not. Paul nods. Janice encourages him to do what he needs to do.

Paul arrives at Cold Mountain for the night shift with Brutal, Dean, and Harry following soon after. They confirm that Harry’s truck is ready. Percy shows up complaining. They try to act normal around him so he won’t detect their plot. Paul assigns Percy to mop duty and then to write a report on the night before, tasks that he accepts without trouble, as he is relieved to be away from the rest of the guards. Paul talks to Wharton for some time, pleasing the inmate by calling him “the Kid,” after Billy the Kid, his hero. Paul checks in on Coffey who seems to know intuitively what is about to happen. Without being asked, Coffey says, “I’d like a ride” (362).