Merle opened the drapes. It was also Merle who killed the would-be assasins.

He was really pissed that Michael wouldn't give Connie the cash they needed for passage on 'The Queen'.

During a visit to the bathroom, he bumped into Johnny Ola who said there would be something in it for him if he helped out a little.

Note that we do not see Merle again for the remainder of the film. He probably got his own passage to 'The Queen'...courtesy of Hyman Roth.

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