Following the events that led to his departure, it becomes clear that Andy Dufresne escaped the prison having tunnelled through the walls with the rock hammer given to him shortly after his arrival. Having chronicled the corruption within the prison, he sends his notes to a local newspaper, and walks away with Norton's fortunes, dressed as the man 'with the bank accounts'. Refusing to be arrested, Norton commits suicide. When Red is finally released from prison, he follows the instructions given to him by Andy to find a further note hidden beneath a tree, which eventually leads him to meet Andy on the coast of Mexico...