Original subtitles

Thank you

Well, back to the sweatshop, honey.

Mr.

Griffin's office.

Edna, this is Jeff Dillon. I'm back. If I had a finger setter that cares.

I'll ring him.

How is Africa?

Oh, dark, sweetheart.

Very dark.

Jeff? Hi, Griff.

Big Bird, come. Take man away. I just got in.

What are you doing right now?

Changing my shirt.

I'm a little bushed.

Be right over.

All righty.

Mr. Howard's office.

Hi, Margie. This is Jeff Dillon. Is he there?

It's Thursday, Jeff.

Oh, yeah.

Editorial board meeting. I forgot.

Well, listen. Tell him I received his cable in London about the Chumby

And Ev is saying they had to write hard on the color plates. They should be in

over the weekend.

Okay. Get your new assignment yet? Come on, Margie. What new assignment?

I just got off the plane.

Oops. Bye now.

Margie. Hey.

Margie. You're elected, Jeff.

Hey,

Griff. What's this about a new assignment?

We'll get to that.

This is Peggy Chan.

Hi. Hi.

Peggy, this naked man is Jeff Dillon.

A top editorial writer, and for my money, one of the best political

since Walter Lipp. Never mind the oil job.

Now, what about... Rights like Brisbane and things like Reston. It's getting

higher and higher.

What's it for, Griff?

Peggy, here's your new editorial assistant.

What happened to Ruth? Promoted.

That's what you get for teaching them how to write.

Mr. Dillon, I brought you my personnel profile in case you're interested in

studying my qualifications.

Oh, I don't have to study them, Peggy. You graduated from the Columbia School

Journalism. You're 23, going on 24.

Barbra Streisand is king of the world.

You take guitar lessons three times a week, and you just love a plate of

and good talk.

Daddy is paying for your psychoanalysis, and your uncle something or other owns

10 ,000 shares of Janus Enterprises.

20 ,000.

Actually, Jeff, she can write.

She's been doing copy and byline on Now for nearly a year.

Well, then what are you doing over here?

I asked to be assigned to you, Mr. Dillon.

I happen to think you're the top pizza writer in the country, not just here.

At least I did think so until about a minute ago.

How do you like them apples?

Listen, I'm sorry, Peggy, I really am.

It's just that I don't like surprises, that's all.

Now, look, Griffith.

Oh, that's your corner over there. Don't make waves, please.

Now, Griff, what's all this nonsense about a new assignment?

You've already got the job, so don't bleed on the rug.

Personal request from our senior editor.

He wants you to do an in -depth man -of -the -year type profile on Aristide

Larkin. What, that tycoon that makes a million dollars a week or something

like that? Yeah, he's here for some big oil thing at the Ritz Plaza.

He'll see you between 10 .30 and 11 .30. More later. He can't wait.

I think he wants to run for Congress.

I'll never get past the primary convention, not with his track record.

not the reason why.

Hey, can I quote you on that?

He's a great hitter, Peggy.

Beware the clenches.

This joker's reputation isn't just for writing.

You know, I didn't always want to be a writer. I used to really want to be a

model. And I was so gawky when I get out of college.

Didn't look half as good as I look right now.

So I put all these rollers into my hair, and I walked into the biggest agency in

New York, and I said, listen, I want to be a model.

You know, you wouldn't be handling that so casually if you knew what it was.

Well, it's a bachanga fertility finish, probably about 1870.

Probably bachanga. The nails identify it. If you want something very much to

drive a lot of metal into it, And then you wish and you wish. A lot of magic.

Man, it's called.

If there's anything I hate, it's a nudge who's intelligent.

I like them dumb and happy.

I speak four languages, not including English. My doctoral thesis was in

archaeology, and I majored in poli -sci. Poli -sci?

How do you look in a bathing suit, Peggy?

You will probably never know.

And moreover, I am an excellent runner.

I always get the fast ones.

We'll go down to the camera shop and get a reflex camera with a 90mm lens.

For portrait work with Synchro Flash, I've already arranged it with Eddie

He's going to go with us. And I told him to bring a studio tape recorder just in

case. He's downstairs waiting for us.

Shall we go?

If there's anything I hate, it's an efficient dame.

Haven't you heard that a woman's place is in the home?

Oh, come on. Don't you believe in the equality of man and woman?

Not only believe in it, I'm going to fight to get it back.

She's dead.

Murdered or something. She's lying in there dead.

This is our floor. No, we wanted... Oh, yes, this is our floor.

You're not going to do anything silly like fainting, are you?

Who, me?

Well, take some pictures.

It'll give you something else to think about.

Miss Blaser, room 10A, Miss Ellen.

Usually in Smith.

No, that could be your right name. It says E .B. on the luggage.

How many pictures do you want?

A couple is enough.

I don't know what we'll do with them anyway.

We're a very high -class magazine.

Just a moment there. I've sent for the hotel manager.

No one goes in until he gets here. I'm the manager.

Oh, I didn't realize that. Well, please go right in.

Be careful not to touch anything. The police don't like that.

Yes, well, thank you.

You're welcome.

Going up?

Well, now, I'll tell you, Mr. Dillon, or maybe I ought to call you Jeff, since

they tell me you're the wonder boy of the publishing world.

I read that piece you did on the General. They ought to give him the

Heart for it.

Now, let's see. We were, yeah, we were talking about money, what I call the

numbers racket.

You ever see a million dollars?

No.

Oh, it's not very impressive.

A million and ten dollar bills make a stack only two feet high.

Now, a billion dollars.

That's something else again.

That is really something else.

You know, a lot of us forget how much money a billion dollars really is.

Now, a billion dollars and ten dollar bills, that would make a stack higher

the Empire State Building.

I'd like you to visualize that, Jet.

You visualizing it?

Yes, sir. It's a pile, all right.

Somehow I don't feel I've got your complete attention.

I said I didn't want any... Oh, yes, of course. Put him on. Wait till I get in

the other room.

You two finish up here. I'll meet you back at the office. Are you going back

downstairs? Something tells me there's a story down there.

What about him?

Tell him I'm at the bank measuring a billion dollars.

Hold it.

You here before?

Mm -hmm. Jeff Dillon, Fame Magazine.

Oh. What are you poking around for?

I don't know. A story, maybe.

I started on a newspaper. I haven't gotten over it yet.

Any information on her?

Yeah.

Checked in three days ago under the name of Ellen Brown.

Obviously a phony.

Got a prescription from the hotel doctor for some sleeping pills and then had

her hair done. In our beauty shop?

And she charged it.

She had her hair done and then this?

That's what a name will do. Listen, I've seen it happen a dozen times.

Seems like they want to look pretty in the morgue or something.

I've had them hold freight elevators so you won't have to go through the lobby.

Why don't you just drop her down the chute and let the post office mail her

of town?

Hello there.

Marsha Davenport?

Mm -hmm.

Who's this?

I guess you wouldn't know if I told you, honey child.

This is Gantry.

Call me Gant from Oveldway, Texas.

I'm up for the big oil convention.

Now you remember me, don't you?

I never forget anybody in oil, sweetie.

I met you with Ellen one time, just passing by.

Yeah, that's right, Ellen.

Now you remember?

She gave me this number, said you'd know where to reach her.

Ellen?

Oh, you must mean Ellen Baldwin.

That's who I mean, honey child, Ellen Baldwin.

You know where I can reach her, maybe? I've got a little old shiny bracelet I

promised her last time.

Well, I haven't even seen her in six months.

I thought she was out of town or something.

Must be rough on you, coming all this way to strike out.

Yeah.

New.

Now.

Hi. How did the interview go?

He's still talking.

Mm -hmm.

Oh, he followed my mic around like a puppy dog until I finally ran out of

Ah, here we are.

TLC.

477 -6599.

What are you doing?

Playing games.

Fine.

The phone's ringing.

Answer it.

Well, hello there.

This is Jeff Dillon, Fame Magazine.

Dillon, that's right.

Fame.

How'd you get my private number, Mr. Dillon?

Well, if you answer a few questions, I'll tell you.

Griffin wants to know if you're back yet.

We're trying to get some information about a Miss Ellen Bowen.

I said her name was... I heard you.

Why are you asking?

She was found dead this morning.

Suicide.

Hello?

Mr. Dillon, if either you or your magazine try to connect me in any way

that young woman, I'll sue you both for everything you've got.

I don't know anybody named Ellen Bowen. In that case, how did you know she was a

young woman?

So?

What did Griffin want?

Oh, he said he'd be right up, not to go away. Uh -huh.

Who's a big shot with the initials TLC and a private phone in his office?

He nearly faints when he's asked about a dead girl named Ellen Bowen.

He might have been involved with her.

He's the right sex for it.

Now, why didn't I think of that?

Look, Dickie Bird, go down to the circulation department and let them run

initials through the cherry picker. See what they come up with, huh?

Gotcha. Right.

That was a little fast for me.

Circulation department.

They've got big card machines that go zip.

and answer questions.

See if there's a subscriber with the initials T -L -C.

Hiya, Griff.

Miss Bell Lamar, please.

That's a nice tie you've got.

Hello? Uh, hello, Miss Lamar.

This is Jeff Dillon calling of Fame Magazine.

I'm a friend of Ellen Bowen.

That's right.

Do you know her?

I'm not sure.

Where does she live?

She doesn't anymore. She was found dead this morning. Suicide.

That's why I'm calling.

Oh, no.

Listen, I'm going out. I can't talk to you now anyway.

I don't know her. I never heard of anybody that name. Just leave me alone.

Hello? Hello?

Hello? Are you through talking to Miss Lamar?

Yeah, I guess I... This is the desk of the Biscayne Apartments, isn't it?

When I look, there's... Ten bucks in it for you if you can tell me where Miss

Lamar goes when she leaves.

I'll be over later, okay?

Make it 20 and I'll follow her.

That's a deal.

What are you doing?

I don't know yet.

So far I'm just making people drop their teeth.

Speaking of that, what did you do to Larkin? I heard you walked out on him.

Well, he was talking about money, and you know how that makes me feel, Griff.

Anyway, Peggy got his whole life story on tape.

Didn't you, Peg?

And nothing will ever use it.

That's what I came in to tell you about.

The state convention just threw Larkin's name out of the primary, so we scrubbed

him. If he isn't good enough for the voters, he isn't good enough for us.

Good thinking. Right, Peggy?

Did you get anything?

Thomas L. Cruikshank, Vice President of Cyrus Mutual Fund. Cable address Osmufu.

All -American halfback, 1948.

He married that tobacco heir. They have two children. They live in Bel Air.

The only other TLC ran a hand laundry.

Uh -uh.

Is this the office number?

Yeah.

Hey, wait a minute, Griff. I think we have something here.

Osiris Mutual Fund. Good morning.

Mr. Cruikshank, please.

Peggy Philgriff in.

Mr. Cruikshank's office.

Is he there, please?

This is the district attorney's office calling.

Yes, this is Mr. Cruikshank. What can I do for you?

Mr. Cruikshank, we're checking into the death of Miss Ellen Bowen.

Well... Now we know, don't we?

What's there to know?

Some girl kills herself in a plush hotel and nobody wants to admit that they

know her.

I wouldn't either.

There's a story in this, Griff. I can feel it. Why don't you write about three

inches of Ain't It a Shame and Forget It?

We'd need pictures to get any more out of it. Oh.

Peggy knows somebody in the police department in charge of file pictures.

Don't you, Peggy?

Yeah,

I do.

Very well.

He's mad about me.

Cost you $100, though.

$50 is the most it would cost, Peggy.

Oh, this is not our kind of a story.

Human interest? It's more of a newspaper.

Well, how often do we get a chance at human interest?

Now, look, Griff, with lock and scratch, we've got the space in two days before

we lock up the phones.

Now, let me take a crack at it. I'm hooked on this, Griff.

Please.

All right.

All right, but if you go dry, just get out from under quick.

Right, right. If you didn't have this, you wouldn't have anything at all.

And by the way, I never saw this.

Please catch you with it.

You eat it, not me.

Regular prints.

Oh, let me try one.

All right, all right. Try the one on Purdy. P -U -R -D -Y. Purdy.

Yeah. Uh -huh, this is he.

Who wants to see me?

Ben Wilkham?

Well, who's Ben Wilkham?

What's the address?

Uh -huh.

Yeah.

I've got it.

What does he want to see me about?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello, may I speak to Mr. Purdy, please?

Well, Miss Purdy, then.

Research?

This is Jeff Dillon.

Will you do me a favor? Look up Ben Welcome for me.

I think he was before some congressional committee a couple of years back, if I

remember correctly.

Yeah, I'll hang on.

It's a Miss Purdy. She isn't in yet, but some kind of a big party going on.

That's the address.

Oh, and while you're at it, get the address of the Biscayne Apartments for

Gotcha.

Yeah.

Yeah. Ben Welcome, that's right.

Gambling syndicate?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's him. That's him.

Is that big potatoes or small?

That big?

Mm -hmm. Yeah.

Okay, thanks.

Mm -hmm. Thank you very much.

Biscayne Apartments is only three blocks across town.

Mm -hmm.

That's where I'll go first, then Miss Purdy's party.

I hope her name is Polly and she's pretty, and I'll be at Pretty Polly

party. Eating pickled peppers, I presume.

There it is. I knew I saw it. Ben W.

Ben Welcome, that is.

Real no -no, huh?

He's a very bad boy.

A very bad boy.

And he wants to see me.

I wonder how he knows he wants to see me.

I guess I'll have to ask him.

Hey, what am I supposed to be doing while you're out having all the fun?

Well, check the morgue. See if anybody takes an interest in the body.

Oh. And print up those $50 photos from your friend in the police department.

My friend can use the extra money.

Mm -hmm.

For a new hat.

That one makes my eyes water.

Biscayne apartment.

I'll ring.

Yeah.

I spoke to you about Miss Lamar, remember?

How could I forget a memorable occasion like that?

What'd she do to our little Belle? She went out of here like an astronaut.

Where did she go?

She didn't say.

You gave her fifth.

What'd you say to her?

Why? She checked out.

Bag and baggage. Didn't even leave a boarding address.

That mean anything?

You must be dynamite.

I'm loaded.

Yes.

He just left.

Oh, he believed me, all right. Twenty dollars worth.

I tell you, he believed me. He won't come back.

Oh, if I'd known how pretty he was, I might not have arranged this.

Hey, why don't you want him to know you're here?

Oh, if it was me, I'd... Hello?

Hello?

Those are George.

George. Good old George.

Oh, you just missed it. They just cut the cake.

What a shame.

Stay right here. I'll get you a piece.

No glass?

Hmm?

No glass?

Oh, I just came in.

Why don't I just cut my hand?

Hold still.

Looks like everybody showed.

Nobody could believe it until they thought.

I still can't believe it. Hazel and George.

What do you know?

I wonder what they'll call the baby.

Boy, you don't fool around with chit chat, do you?

Party like this, there's a lot more chit than chat.

All right, delicious.

Who are you?

Jeff. Jeff Dillon. Hi, Jeff.

Hi.

Leona. You like?

Mm -hmm. I like.

And who's little friend are you?

George. Good old George.

Uh -uh.

George is too square to have any friends like you. George is in the market.

Who do you know?

Marsha Davenport.

It would be Marsha.

Want me to get it? Heck no, no.

Just for that, you can have more champagne.

In fact, you can have the whole bottle. My hand is getting cold. Well, we don't

want that to happen, now do we?

Would you give this to George? He needs it right away.

It's empty.

Well, you know, George, it has something to do with taxes.

Quite suddenly, I hate Marcia Davenport.

I'll give her up, if you ask me nicely.

Leona Purdy, darling.

Beat it, sweetie.

I saw him first.

Purdy.

Leona Purdy.

Where can we go and talk, Leona Purdy?

I thought you'd never ask.

You might as well know right away.

I'm very affectionate. Oh, well, we have to take the bitter with the sweet.

Good kisser.

Lots of practice, you think, right?

Bugle lessons, Boy Scout camp.

I bet you got a merit badge.

Trying to guess my weight?

Handkerchief.

I got it.

Lipstick? No, I think I bit you.

Oh. What kind of toothpaste do you like?

Leona, it says in the book that I'm supposed to do the pursuing, remember?

Well, I haven't read it. I'm waiting till they make it into a movie.

Oh. Well, besides, there's something I have to ask you.

Yes, whatever it is.

It's about Ellen Bowen.

Are you going to make love to me?

Oh, you're going to talk a lot about other women.

Well... Play

nice, children, but don't fight.

Well, the magic seems to be leaving.

That was one of your very dearest friends, Marcia Davenport.

She was either in a... terrible hurry or she doesn't know you from a hot rock.

Any comment?

Would talking fast make a difference?

I didn't think so. Well, there you are.

I'm a big fat liar and I speak with crooked tongue, Tonto.

Don't bother to show me to the door or I'll throw myself out.

Not so fast, Buster.

I can get used to your being a stinker. I just won't tune you in all the way,

that's all.

No matter what.

Now, fill me in.

I'm a writer, features, fame magazine.

I'm getting material for a story on Ellen Bowen.

What makes Ellen Bowen worth a story?

She killed herself sometime last night.

Men.

I didn't mean to hit you with it so hard, but I had to know.

For a lot of reasons, I had to know right away.

I'm all right.

I didn't know her very well, but I liked her.

It's such a surprise.

Shall I?

Oh, yeah.

Hello?

Who?

Oh, no. All right, just a minute.

It happens to be for me, sorry.

Go ahead, Peggy, but someday I'll tell you what bad timing is.

Do you want the good news first or the bad?

What kind of good news? Somebody named Eddie's been calling the morgue to

identify the body.

He'll be there after work, he said.

Next, another call from Ben Welcome's office, asking where you are.

You go there next, gotcha.

Better make it fast, here's the bad news.

You've got a five o 'clock meeting upstairs with His Majesty, our managing

editor. Tell him the rest of it.

It seems that your friend and mine, Thomas L. Cruikshank, will be there, and

police. They are, it seems, interested in having your heart on a plate.

Tell them what?

How do you spell it?

Okay, I'll make a note.

I have to leave.

I'm not sure I care anymore.

I don't blame you.

But just in case a kind thought creeps in after I'm gone, where shall I find

you?

Right here.

I am your hostess.

Shall I send you a bread and butter note?

No.

Bring it.

Would this evening be too soon?

Take a chance.

All righty.

Hey, you know, anything that starts this badly can't get worse.

We'll see.

I'm really a good -hearted, clean -living, completely harmless guy.

In that case, don't come back.

Mr. Welcome is dressing.

He'll be right down.

He does know you're here.

No, no, don't do that. Mr. Welcome doesn't like daylight.

Breakfast at 4 .30.

Mr. Welcome forget to wind his alarm clock.

I'm on the night shift, Mr. Dillon.

Nobody in my business makes a buck in daylight.

I get up on the feature race at San Francisco.

I've been doing my homework on you.

You're a good writer. A lot of style, easy to reach.

Which finger do you use?

I guess that's the way you guys work.

Cut up the customers, see what comes up. Hey, you want some coffee?

No, thanks.

I'm in a hurry.

Mind if I tell you something?

A nice young fellow like yourself.

Never go out of your way to make an enemy.

You get enough just moving around.

You said you wanted to see me. You said it twice.

As a matter of fact, I did.

See, I need a good writer.

Somebody with a little zing. Hey, that sounds like you, doesn't it?

Why, you see, I got these hotels here over there at the theater store. Cash

flow, they call it.

Lots of bookkeeping.

I pay my taxes, Mr. Dillon.

Very careful about that.

I pay my taxes.

Mm -hmm. Are you going to let me talk?

Or do you want to tell me about things I know more about than you?

Sorry. I got carried away.

I like you.

You know that?

Really? Yeah, I like you.

You jump a little salty.

But you don't come all unglued talking to the big fat grifter.

You understand that kind of talk, Mr. Dillon?

Cheap, ain't it?

The talk, I mean.

You're lying in prison.

I'm listening.

Well, I got this publicity department.

I mean, it's a public relationship.

And they write these stories, only they come out soft.

They block you.

Now, if I had a guy that could write like you wanted to... How much does it

Five hundred a week.

How many weeks?

Ten.

I like you. Twenty weeks.

That much.

And I suppose I could even keep the job I've got now. Just taught something all

for you every once in a while, huh?

As long as I was nice about this and that, right?

She's my secretary.

She can hear.

Well, how did you call her? I didn't see you make a move.

What's it do? I got a button on the floor. Come on, Mr. Dillon. Yes, you

know you won't. What is it? What? You know already.

I'm going to keep right on digging up facts about Ellen Bowen.

Is that why he called you to take notes?

Could be. Well, then get the name right.

Ellen Bowen. B -O -W -E -N.

Bowen. Who's she?

Who phoned you and said I was asking questions?

TLC? Bell?

I don't know them.

You don't know them?

You knew Ellen Bowen.

Who said so? She did.

What'd she say?

She said if anything happens to me, tell Ben.

He'll know what to do.

What'd she say that to?

Me? You're a liar.

How do you know?

Try again, kid.

Okay, I'll level. There wasn't anything to connect you with and nothing at all.

Except that I got your message a little too soon after I started digging.

Listen, Ben, give me a little background on her. Help identify her. She'll be

buried and that's the end of it.

You know, if she isn't identified and nobody claims the body, the police will

have to keep looking. They're looking now, Ben.

How'd she die? The bye -bye pills.

Is that straight?

Crossed my heart.

How long did you know her?

A couple of years, maybe. What was she then?

21, 22 years old?

She must have really been something in those days.

A fuzzy pink peach right off the tree, huh?

Beautiful, young, full of juice.

She had the prettiest hair and the whitest skin I ever saw.

Just seeing her lying there on that moldy carpet all alone.

Stone cold.

Her wrist was cold when I touched it.

Who drove it to the wall, Ben?

Ah, Clow, that's enough. He gets the idea.

Now you know why I called him.

A little high -class secretarial work.

I used to have a bodyguard.

One of those guys with his nose right next to his ear. You know, one of these

guys.

Every place we went, people used to stare and look at him because he was so

tough looking.

He had no class at all.

She threw him out.

What, you believe her?

She threw him out by herself.

Like an audition, see?

I think you better go now.

She's not going to throw you out. It's embarrassing for a fella.

One more thing.

This dame you're bleeding about, any connection with me is only in your head

right now.

Be a good kid. Keep it there.

Medicare will love your foot.

You, huh?

Couldn't wake me up and ask me about it, huh?

No.

Yeah, they're gonna call them, and then you wake me up when it's too late.

You'll have to do that.

Shock me.

Afternoon, girl.

Hi, Margie. Hi.

They're all here. Maybe you wish you stayed in Africa.

What happened to your forehead?

I shaved too high.

Any steam coming out?

Oh, just an occasional scream of agony.

What did you do to the police?

I don't know. They like to pick on me.

Well, wish me luck.

Look, hold this for me. If I come out running, hand it to me as I come by.

Okay, Jeff.

I call it criminal intimidation, posing as the district attorney.

I think you know the cast of characters.

Yes, sir.

They want to hang you by the thumbs.

I don't care what you do with them. I just got a few questions I want to ask.

Correction. Mr.

Cruikshank wants you strung up.

Maybe we will.

Now, who's first?

I am.

Tell him.

How did you find out this girl's real name?

I mean, we couldn't make it until we heard from him.

And how did you get his name in connection with her?

I told you there was no connection.

I suddenly remembered that I met her once at an after -theater party, and

was all.

Dylan, please.

Where are you getting your stuff?

I don't think I have to tell you that.

That's privileged information.

You know, like doctors and lawyers.

Anyway, there's no crime involved in this case.

As of now.

You better be right, Dylan. You better be clean, because you're up to here in

our business.

It's my business, too.

Now, your job, as I understand it, is to write factual material, not

irresponsible insinuations.

Here you are, Lieutenant.

Oh, thank you, Annie. I haven't written anything yet, Mr. Cruikshank. When you

do, do you intend to connect me with this girl? There was a connection. You

admitted it.

Which is more than you did when I phoned you this morning.

And you're obviously wetting your shirt, or you wouldn't be here. Jeff, that's

enough. You're way off base.

What? I...

Told you faith to faith to lay off the story.

You remember that, don't you?

Well, do you?

Sure, sure, I remember.

So long, friend.

Dylan, what's got you so hooked on this dame? What?

Mostly it's because every time I mention her name to people, they suddenly leave

town or start pounding on a desk.

Or me. And where do you get the names of all these nervous people? Where?

Uh, crystal ball I keep in my desk.

All right, all right.

We're just making the same circles.

Lewis, do you want to put the arm on him?

Not yet.

Well, I guess that takes care of you.

Mr. Cruikshank, how much blood do you want? I want him stopped cold.

If you won't do it, I'm very close to your board chairman, Mr. Carl Janus.

Nice fella, our chairman of the board.

Would it cool you off if I fired Dillon?

Guess that's it.

You're fired.

Thanks for your time.

I enjoyed it.

Well, you don't need me anymore.

I'll say when. Howard, you can take this job.

I've been told before what I can do with a job.

Where these pictures come from? Police files.

I've got a pipeline.

Man inside.

He really believes that, doesn't he?

Who took them? Peggy Chan, a girl in my office.

She's my new editorial assistant.

She gets a bonus.

It's already taken care of.

New hat.

Is she right?

If she's right, the way she talks is a genius.

I remember that.

Tell me, Jeff, which one of these pictures do you think would... I like

where she looks...

She looks very young, like a little girl.

Next week's cover. It's got a good feel to it.

Spend what you have to, if you have to, but don't go crazy.

Hey, I couldn't be happier, but I thought... You know, Griff,

I once had a boss like you.

I couldn't do a thing about him at the time.

How much money are we paying you here?

Thirty... thousand?

Thirty thousand.

That's an awful lot of money to pay for an old meal.

Now you leave.

Busy day.

How did you get involved with this dead floozy?

I don't know.

She looked young, unused.

And everybody was so anxious to just sweep her under the nearest rug.

Bad case of indignation, I guess.

Bleeding hearts are out of style this year.

Hit me with a stick. I just may do that.

Now back to work. Want to know where I'm getting my information?

No.

No, if anyone goes to jail for withholding evidence, it's you,

Griff learned how to get out from under by watching me.

You know, you're not so tough.

Eat it.

With pleasure.

I got your message. He's still here?

Yeah, he's in there now with the body.

Did you get his name?

Eddie Francho, 1438 Bank Street. Oh, good.

What are you doing? You got a story going?

Well, let's hear it.

Are you ready?

Mm -hmm.

This week in a luxury city hotel, died a girl nobody knew. Knew.

Lovely, even in death, star -tossed on the city heap was she.

Oh, hey, that's something. Love that German syntax.

Brings a lump.

I'm supposed to be your editorial assistant.

We call you that instead of giving you a raise.

I was only trying my wings.

Hey, you want to rough out this story?

Okay. But you'll use ten -word sentences and no commas.

Oh, listen, break this down.

Bring it back to the office. Call every name, every number, anything you can

get. I'll chase people down and keep phoning in.

Where will you be later if anything comes up? You're too young.

Hey, action.

Let's go.

The name we got.

Oh, yeah.

A relationship to the thief.

Hi, Jeff. Hi. What involvement did you have?

Ex -hunting.

We were divorced three years ago.

Next of kin, you know, family.

No family except me.

Her brother's dead.

You have to have all this? Late this afternoon, somebody put up $500 for a

funeral for her.

If it wasn't family, who was it? You?

Do I look like it was me?

Who was it then?

Jeff Dillon, Fame Magazine. I'm doing a story on her.

What for? Who cares when somebody dies? Everybody dies. So what?

Don't you think a little attention ought to be paid to her?

You were married to her.

I imagine you must have been in love with her, more or less.

I never stopped, not for a minute even, not even now.

Okay, okay. You loved her, she loved you.

Then what happened?

Mind your own business.

It's over, isn't it? I mean, there it is in black and white.

You fall down dead, he types it out nice and neat, all the traffic lights turn

green.

And everything goes right on like before, so let it go, let it go, it's

We just can't let her die like that without anybody caring.

I can't do it, and I didn't even know her.

Is there money in it?

I mean, for me.

You're the sensitive type, I can see that.

For me, I'm hungry, one of the all -time great losers.

You want to know anything about her, it'll cost you something. It cost me

plenty. It smells in here. You'd think I wouldn't mind.

Listen, I didn't ask to be born. If you had, you'd have been turned down.

What about that

$500 for the funeral money?

Oh, a plain money order. Messenger brought it in an envelope.

Is there anything on the envelope?

Like Osiris Mutual Fund, maybe?

Just a plain envelope.

You on to something?

Just an idea.

Thanks. Drop around.

Always glad to see a live one.

Okay, Lazarus.

Well, you get around, don't you?

Get in.

Why not?

Not here.

Certainly.

I have a date. I'd hate to need medical attention beforehand.

Where are you heading?

Downtown.

Tell Marty the address.

Oh, no thanks.

I'll be able to get there somehow.

You didn't get there somehow.

I'm sorry about you losing your job.

That's the way it goes.

Today a hero, tomorrow a bum.

I just got the feeling I lost a couple of points.

He did get fired, didn't he?

All right, shake him.

Do me a favor. Get cute.

What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you out fresh.

No, we got to look under his lapels.

I always used to keep my bookie sheets under my lapels.

That's where I always keep them.

You know, this is a waste of time.

I ditched it.

You ditched what?

Whatever you're looking for.

You know, nobody likes to hurt newswriters. Now you know that, huh?

I know that.

And I'm counting on it.

Next time, don't.

Ta -da.

I gave you up long ago.

What time is it?

Uh, three diamonds after Ruby.

Were you getting ready for bed?

Not yet.

Come on in. I've got something hot waiting for you in the kitchen.

Have

you

eaten? No, I thought we'd go out somewhere. You thought wrong.

I decided to impress you with my cooking right away. Well, I'm impressed.

That's beautiful.

Hey, aren't you going to kiss me or something?

I'm afraid of taking up too much of your time.

Uh -uh.

I'll have you know my psychoanalyst approves of you.

Incidentally, she's all paid up.

My mother is never sick.

I already have a mink coat and my teeth are absolutely magnificent.

Does that suggest anything to you?

Terror. Quivering terror.

Don't fight it. You haven't got a chance. You're captured.

Hey, would you like to pose in the nude for me?

No, no, I would not like to pose in the nude for you. I've thought it over very

carefully and the answer is no.

I would not like to pose in the nude for you. But I'm an artist. There's nothing

wrong with it. It's strictly professional, like a doctor or a lawyer.

Lawyer? Well, anyway, how about it? No, Leona, N -O. No.

What are you against?

Posing or nudity?

Neither. I catch cold easily.

Leona, I can't make up my mind about you.

You're not exactly the girl -next -door type. You need something.

Either a spanking or some Doris Day lessons.

Now, look, if we're going to make big circles together, and it looks as though

we are, you'll have to quit bumping into me on the turn, okay?

Yes, almighty Lord and Master.

You say, me do.

Phone ring.

Miko?

Hello?

Don't tell me. Is that for me?

It's for me.

And it's a girl, too, just in case of time.

Is this you, Peggy? No, no, don't answer. It has to be you. Now, listen.

Did I tell you I'd be a fish number?

How many places did you try before you called me here?

Now, what is it you want, you dynamite?

I'm supposed to be a fish, aren't I?

I mean, you told me to keep track of things while you're out somewhere doing

whatever it is you're doing out somewhere that you're so mad about that

called.

I did not. I got straight A's in English.

All right.

Eddie Franchot called. Wanted to talk to you. Said it was urgent.

Also, I tracked down that messenger service that delivered the money order

the morgue.

The money came from Dizzy Shainer.

Yeah, that's him. He...

Yeah, the one that played shortstop for the Red Sox a couple of years ago.

No, I don't know his address. You can look it up for yourself.

I'm going home.

Don't you get any time off for bad behavior?

I'll have to ask.

What happened to the girl I was with?

I thought you might prefer brunettes. There must be some way of getting gear

with you.

Well, don't blow any fuses.

I have to go see an ex -ball player named Dizzy Sheena.

Maybe he likes girls.

He's a little before your time, or I take you with me.

Then I have to go see a man named Franchot.

Does he mean anything to you?

Eddie Franchot?

Mm -hmm.

He used to be married to Ellen for about 20 minutes.

Did you know her then or after?

After.

She used to model for me. I was doing fashion ads then.

I remember I had a lot of trouble making her look shapeless.

Did Ellen ever talk about Franchot? Why they got divorced, for instance?

He was some kind of a promoter.

He got financing together for Broadway shows and summer theater like that.

Then something happened, and he lost all of his money, if he ever had any.

Did Ellen ever say what happened?

Well, I kind of got the impression that... What?

Well, he was in some kind of trouble.

He got beaten up, hurt, I mean really bad. It did something to him.

She said whenever the phone rang, he'd shake all over.

Finally, he made her give him a divorce.

She used to call me off and on, about work usually.

Then about a year ago, she didn't need a job anymore.

She became the mistress of Mr. Thomas L.

Cruikshank of Bel Air.

You don't miss much, do you?

Except me.

Have you any idea what you are doing to my ego?

If you pat me, Buster, I am going to break a few of your most useful bones.

believe me.

Someday we'll look back on all this and we'll chuckle.

I'll start without you.

I'll see you tomorrow?

Breakfast? Lunch.

I'll feed you with raisins and I'll ply you with wine.

I'll loosen you up.

If I were any looser, I'd come apart.

Are you worth all this trouble?

Yeah.

Bits and pieces.

Bits and pieces.

Put them together, you got something.

People and watches, they're all the same.

What do you want?

You sent a money order for $500 to pay for Ellen Bowen's funeral.

We'll start with that.

Do you smoke cigars, Mr. Dillon?

Uh -uh.

Sure, they're good cigars.

I'm not allowed.

Stupid doctors think I care whether they bother to keep me alive or not.

Look, I don't want to blow another man's baton average, so I don't smoke.

But if you should light up and happen to puff my way, I wouldn't mind it a whole

lot.

You see this thing I'm in?

This body?

It used to be something.

I mean, I was glad to live in it.

Move it up all night, fill it full of booze, chase it around like an alley

and get it to play first -class baseball every day of the week and twice on

Sunday.

Left of it.

For the doctors to practice on.

What do you care if I chip in for somebody's funeral?

Well, why shouldn't I?

Ellen Bowen was important to a lot of people. Why you?

She worked for me.

Kept house.

Cooked. Looked after me.

Even kept me clean.

Imagine a girl like that with such a lousy job.

She didn't seem to mind.

I never heard a gripe out of her.

She never even left the house except to go to the store or something.

How long was she here?

About a year.

Until last August.

I'm surprised she stayed that long.

Such a lousy job.

Well, how did you meet her?

I mean, how did it happen that she was working for you?

My nephew fixed it.

He knew I needed somebody, so he brought her around.

I told her it was a lousy job.

She just smiled.

She liked baseball.

Of course, she was a Yankee fan.

Women.

They're all Yankee fans.

Who knows why?

You know, there's some words a man my age don't use anymore because

they don't sound right.

But about her, you loved her?

Come on, you going to smoke that heater or just let it burn down?

When she... Was there any pain?

I wouldn't like to think there was any pain.

She looked very peaceful.

She couldn't have been very peaceful.

what you did.

But I could write a book about hurting.

I just wouldn't like to think it hurt her.

Blow on me, will you? Blow on me. Sure.

Why did she leave?

I don't know.

It's such a lousy job, I guess.

Was there anything unusual just before she left?

Like phone calls or visitors, maybe?

Yeah, she did get some phone calls.

A dame with a funny name, I remember. Like a stripper.

Belle Lamar?

That could be her.

She fixed lunch that day, like always.

Then I found a note under the plate with the cottage cheese.

She knew I hated cottage cheese. I always put it off to last.

Don't look for me.

You're a good person.

A good person, she says.

Signed, Ellen.

Sheena, could it be that she was sort of hiding out here? What I mean is hiding

from killers.

What would a girl like that know about killers?

You've got a lot of nerve.

Come in, it's open.

I ought to take that cigar away from you. And besides, I got no respect for

somebody who puts the knock on somebody who's dead and can't defend themselves.

Sorry, sorry.

And besides, you smoke like a Boy Scout.

And how did you get here, pray tell?

Another vision in your crystal ball?

He sent funeral money to the morgue for Ellen Bowen.

Listen, I got a theory about you and your crystal ball. Want to hear it?

Well, I'm going to tell you anyway, so listen.

There's only one way you could have got such a big lead on us. One way only.

Back there at that hotel, you picked up something.

An address book, a notebook, a diary, something.

That's what it says in my crystal ball.

Want to search me?

Not if you don't care.

But I'll tell you what I'm going to do.

I'm going to book you on suspicion right as soon as I get through here.

Shana, I'm Lieutenant Lewis, police. This is my partner, Flaherty. Hi.

Gee, dizzy Shana.

You know, I used to get a sore throat yelling for you at Ebbetsville.

You smoke cigars?

No, the stomach.

Eddie, who was it?

I don't know.

Did it have anything to do with Ellen?

Eddie, try hard.

Was it about Ellen?

I loved her.

I always did.

Even after.

worked me over.

I had no guts after that.

Call

the

police. There's been a murder.

There's been a murder. Call the police. Don't you care?

Don't you care?

Where's the phone? Can I use the phone?

Sorry, mister, but I thought she was dead.

Wait.

Sorry, buddy.

Better luck next time.

There you go.

Is that you, Peg?

Oh, don't you ever send me down to that fashion department again, because I

won't go.

They're freaky down there. Did you get the makeup all right?

They wanted to put it on me.

When I finally told them it was for a man, three of them followed me back up

here just to get a look at you.

Ah, ah, boy.

I wish I wouldn't smile.

I know something that'll prevent it.

There's a warrant out for your arrest.

Lieutenant Lewis has called here five times this morning for you, frothing at

the mouth.

Well, if you're going to froth, that's the place to do it.

One of them must have kicked me.

A golfer, it looks like.

What's the matter? Am I bleeding or something?

You look like your living bra just died.

Do you have to joke about everything?

Mm -hmm. Think I'm used to passing up men that have been kicked around and

practically killed?

Mm -hmm.

Oh, you'd think I'd had a lot of practice at doing this.

Hold on.

Feel good?

Not friendly. Not friendly at all.

More? No, no, no, no, no, thanks.

No, thanks.

It's Lieutenant Lewis again. He's really after you. I don't blame him.

Every time I ask questions about Ellen Bowen, somebody gets murdered.

At least he has to figure I know something.

What do you know?

A lot, but there are one or two missing pieces.

I wish I knew why Eddie Francho got killed. Who done it? Who?

Welcome did it, but I can't prove it, not yet anyway. But I will, because now

I'm mad.

Where'd my story go? I left it here for you to read.

I read it.

Well?

Come on, give.

There's one thing I loathe and detest.

It's an ambitious 23 -year -old kid with a lot of talent.

It's a good story, Peg.

I cut out a half inch of G. Willikers and sent it in. To print?

Me in Fame magazine?

To print?

You're not going to cry, are you?

Oh, Jeff.

Oh, Peg.

In your story, you quoted a woman who worked for Ellen.

Hazel Phillips, the housemaid? How did you get on to her? She was in the book,

Hazel. I went to see her last night. She worked for Ellen and that guy that was

keeping her crookshank, I guess.

Mm -hmm.

The maid said there was some kind of fight, didn't she?

Yeah. He beat her up.

Drunk. Jealous, I guess.

Something about Ellen giving money to Franchot.

Anyway, the maid heard the whole thing.

It was very violent, she said, and then Cruikshank came ripping out of the

bedroom and sent her home.

But she did hear a conversation that Cruikshank had on the phone with a man

named... Are you ready?

Been welcome?

The next day, the maid got two weeks' notice, right?

Yeah. But how?

From Ellen Bowen personally?

I mean, did the maid ever actually see Ellen after that?

No, she got a letter from Cruikshank a few days later with two weeks' salary in

it. She never did see Helen again.

Okay.

There had to be a favor in there somewhere.

It fits.

What does?

I'll tell you later.

First, I'm going to tell Cruikshank a few things.

And I want you to keep tabs on him. Find out where he goes and what he does.

As for me, I'm going to have lunch with a little girl.

Yeah?

Oh, yeah, lover. I'd love to have lunch.

I said, sure, I'd love lunch.

I'll even pay for it. That's what I think of you.

Right now, I'm painting my portrait.

You want to know what I have on?

I'm such a groovy model.

Oh, what time? I'll be there.

If it's a French restaurant, I might even come as I am.

Worry about that, lover.

How am I supposed to keep tabs on Cruikshank all day if he stays in his

after you leave?

Well, that's your problem, but do it.

We have others.

They'll be on every newsstand in the country day after tomorrow, about the

time as the funeral.

I warned you, you and that managing editor of yours.

There are laws against libel. Something that turns out to be true isn't libel

anymore, Mr. Cruikshank. Anything more you have to say can be said to my

attorney.

You thought you killed her, didn't you?

That's how Ben Welcome got such a hold on you.

You met her at a party and fell for her, a real flip.

But she was married and she wouldn't play games.

So you had a husband, Eddie Franchot, taken care of.

A couple of goons worked him over so bad he never really recovered from it.

And who would take care of a little chore like that and never think twice?

If you did him a favor or two, like financing him?

Why, Ben Welcome, that's who.

Get out of here. Not yet.

You're going to have the whole banana, brother.

Ellen started letting you pay the bills for her. What choice did she have?

But she gave most of the money to Eddie Franchot to keep him alive.

And when you heard about it, you beat on her. You had a fight with her.

The maid heard the whole thing.

It was an accident.

She fell down.

I didn't mean to hurt her.

You thought you killed her.

And who would get rid of the body for you? Why, your old friend, the favor

Ben Welcome.

Only you hadn't really killed her.

He just let you think you had.

Why cut down the money tree?

At least I didn't kill her.

There isn't any crime involved.

Well, there is now.

Eddie Francher was shot to death last night.

Ellen Bowen was the reason.

Boy, she must have been first class to hold you off so long, so hard.

I'm pretty desperate in the end to do what she finally did to herself.

Tell me something, Mr. Thomas L. Cruikshank.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Halot for the gentleman?

Oh, yes.

Pour it right over him, please.

No tip if you do.

Here's Halot. Thank you.

Tell me, lover.

What did you do for sleeping pills before you met me?

I'm sorry. Really, I am.

I was out all night. Really out. Where?

You wouldn't believe it. Oh, I decided not to believe anything you say.

You know, you're something really different. You're the first date I ever

who got makeup all over me.

Are you trying to tell me something?

I picked up a few bruises.

Underneath this fine pink bloom of skin, I look like somebody who did it and

ran. I noticed your eye right away.

Is it hanging out again?

Don't joke.

I really worry about you.

You're not doing anything dangerous, are you? Hey, I'm really getting to you,

aren't I?

Hmm?

Tell me.

Am I casting that magic spell?

Hmm?

As a matter of fact, you are.

I mean, there's one thing about us that really worries me.

What?

It's something we're both going to have to face together.

What if I get pregnant?

Oh, I am so sorry, sir. I don't know how that happened.

Is there anything the matter with the coffee? The coffee, sir?

Anything the matter with the coffee? No, I just... It's hot, the coffee. Hot,

hot, hot, hot, hot. Very hot. Hot coffee.

Hot. Hot. Coffee.

Hot. Hot. Hot. Hot.

Hot.

Pardon, monsieur.

I'll just be... Just a minute.

Hi.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. This is one too many. Now, look, bird girl, I thought I

told you that I... You told me to keep tabs on Cruikshank, and I did as long as

it meant anything.

I was in the outside office interviewing a secretary, pretending I was doing a

feature on Sex and the Career Girl. Mm -hmm. It'd be a good story,

Only, how would you get the pictures?

Ah. Crookshank. Well, Welcome arrived, and they went to the office, and he and

Crookshank yelled for about a half an hour until finally Welcome left. Then

Crookshank made a phone call.

I'm not so sure I want to work for you anymore.

Crookshank? He killed himself.

End of story.

And if I knew what that last phone call was...

But you wouldn't have known about that. Oh, wouldn't I? Look at this one. The

secretary ran it off. I stole this. A list of all the phone calls that he made

before he died. And this is the last one he made.

Whiskey and apartments, Miss Hill.

Bella Mar.

I knew you wouldn't be so mad if you knew what I interrupted you for.

Now, listen.

The girl you're interrupting, when she comes out, take her to the park and buy

her some peanuts to feed the pigeon.

Would you do that?

Tell her I got run over. It's the only thing she'll forgive me for.

Thanks, Peg.

Remember me? The $20 sucker?

Friend of Belle Lamar, who really didn't check out after all.

Well, um, she came back.

Well, I would have called you, but I didn't know who you are.

I've only been on this job a couple of weeks, and I don't know everybody.

Mm -hmm.

Well, I don't hardly know anybody.

Okay, okay, she came back. What's the apartment number?

7B?

A big girl like you.

What do you want?

Go away.

Please.

I can't. I've got no choice. I'm coming in.

Go away now.

I'm coming in.

Come on.

Come on, push.

Push your way in. I'm used to it. Come on.

Why don't you leave it open?

I mean, let the world come in, huh?

I'm used to it.

What do you want anyway?

Your ego massaged.

A mother? A little bit of love?

Well, I know all about love.

I'm here about Ellen Bowen.

You're some kind of key to all this.

Keys.

Oh, cheerfully supplied.

Any size, any shape, any form.

This is where Ellen Bowen came when she left as a shaman.

She got a phone call from you and came here.

Then something happened that made her decide to kill herself. What was that?

knows? I mean, she had everything.

What happened here with Ellen?

Listen, Mr.

I have been in this room for nearly a

week now.

I mean, staring at the wall.

Looking, thinking.

And there's one thing I think is... I don't answer it.

None. Because... Because this is my last cigarette.

Should I smoke it?

Oh, now, that's an important question, isn't it?

You know what I did this morning?

Do you know what I did?

I stole milk down the hall.

Isn't that really important?

It's suicide and murder.

Like Eddie Franchot, do you hear me?

You had to sniff around, huh?

You had to sniff around until you found out everything.

You think.

Well, there's still a couple of pieces missing, wise guy.

And one thing.

Why was Franchot killed?

Why him?

He was completely harmless.

You see, wise guy, you don't know everything.

No, you never will.

Hold it right where you are!

It got away right down the fire escape.

Put out a bullet.

Help me get out of this, will you?

Operator, how do you get the police?

A regular scientist.

That's probably the same gun Welcome used on Franchot. You lost one in your

little crystal ball.

Ellen Bowen!

No, she didn't commit suicide.

Post -mortem came in this morning.

Those pills she took were practically 100 % cyanide.

I was supposed to take it to Howard's office and let you okay it.

30 -30.

Marjorie, Jeff Dillon, I have to talk to him. It's urgent.

Take off the 30 -30.

It's finished. No, it isn't. Howard, listen.

I'm calling about the tag on the Ellen Bowen story.

Now, it's okay as far as it goes, but it isn't finished.

The forms have to be closed.

I know they're waiting to lock up the forms, but there's something wrong.

I don't know what's wrong. I just have a feeling there's more to it.

Welcome himself said there was, but it didn't mean anything what I knew.

He was kidding you alone.

Well, why would he kid me?

Just to make me feel bad while he was blowing my brains out the window? Look,

Howard. Howard, just give me one hour, okay?

Okay. And if I come up empty, I'll commit Harry Caray in your reception

You're way out on a limb.

I've been out on a limb so long, I feel like building a nest.

Why was Eddie Francho killed?

I know the rest of it, but why Eddie Francho?

The only thing I can think of just doesn't make sense.

Hey,

there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you, haven't I, Peggy?

Phone calls, messages.

I've been desperate.

Isn't that right, Peggy?

Where is she? I kept saying to myself, where can I find her? Where is she?

can she possibly be? Right, Peggy? I told you she were riding when you didn't

show up. I told you.

Thanks, Peggy.

First of all, I do not take gifts from men.

And if I did, they wouldn't be peanuts.

Second, would you believe me if I told you I'm actually sought after by men?

They call me, pester me for dates.

But not you.

No, knowing you is a lot like being all alone in life.

So I have decided to give you up.

What little there is of you. Wait a minute. Now let me explain. Oh, talk,

I am sick of talk.

You want to fight?

Put him up. Come on, you yellow belly.

Fight. Put him up like a man. Come on.

Hey.

Now I know.

You love me.

She can stay.

No. Is there education?

Uh -uh.

She has to turn in the story on that girl.

Peggy, where did they take Bella Mar?

To jail. Protective custody.

Uh -huh.

How would you like to go to jail?

Like this?

You're not going to stay. It's just a visit.

Okay, I'll change.

All right. You can help me with the zipper.

Pleasure. I'll watch. It's educational.

That's good.

I still don't see what good it

does dragging me all the way down here just to meet somebody I've never even

before. Leona, I explained it to you in the cab.

Eddie Francho.

Why would he get... killed if all he did was go to the morgue and identify his

ex -wife? Why?

There was only one possible reason.

Only one.

The woman in the morgue wasn't Ellen.

Ellen Bowen. That's all.

You're Ellen Bowen.

It was Belle Lamar who died in the hotel, wasn't it? She guessed most of

story.

I didn't tell her anything.

She just kept after me all the time.

And then she... She takes my luggage, my clothes. I didn't have anything. I

couldn't go anywhere.

She had your address book with her when she died.

She went to the hotel so she wouldn't be found when she started to blackmail

Welcome. But he found her.

Then he started to look for you.

That's where I came in.

Lucky for me.

I was beginning to think I was running out of luck. Why did you go and stay

Bella Marr? Was she that good a friend of yours?

Irene said.

I would have told you sooner, but it just didn't seem to matter if Ellen was

dead.

I couldn't tell you the truth.

I was afraid of Ben.

I'm still afraid.

He'll be safe here until he's caught.

I like your guy.

You could have prepared me for her being alive.

I almost fainted.

I'm not sure I want to talk to you anymore.

And people said we wouldn't last.

Somebody following us.

I know.

Ten bucks if you lose me.

Hold on tight.

Here you go.

You stay with him and go for the police.

That street up ahead.

Cut in fast, hit the brakes, and I'll jump out.

Heavy.

This one.

Get in the back and stay down.

No matter what happens, stay down.

Whenever I say anything nice to anybody around here, it costs me a raise.

But I guess this time it's worth it.

I'm doing something that I don't very often do.

I'm making a personal trip to your office to congratulate you.

This is the first time on record that I remember a weekly magazine hitting the

streets with an up -to -the -minute news item before the dailies.

Well done. Well done, all of you.

Accolade. And you, young lady?

You write like an angel. How did you know that I wrote... I must have

to take your name off, Peg. And you, Jeff.

What can I say to you?

How about take a few weeks off, young man?

Oh, he wouldn't say that, would you? No.

See, I told you, he wouldn't say that.

Tell him you quit.

I quit.

Now, see here, young lady, I'd be grateful if you'd keep your pretty

out of my business. Jeff works for me.

Tell him the decision you made.

We're going away together.

We're going away together.

On a honeymoon.

On a honeymoon.

We might even get married.

You can't leave now. I need you here.

I've got a big story coming up and nobody to handle it. If you leave, I'll

you. You don't care.

I don't care. You'll never work again.

I'll see to it that you don't have a pot to put flowers in.

Wait a minute.

I really... I was only negotiating. I really do need you.

I might have to do some work myself if you don't stick around.

It's not that I'm against sentiment.

You wouldn't believe it, but I'm sentimental to a fault.

I'll do it. I like to do it.

Men wear such interesting clothes.

Does that sound terrible?

Doesn't bother me.

It'll get all rumpled.

No, it won't.

What's the matter?

Maybe I'm shy.

You need a drink, maybe.

I like your paintings.

Moulage, Archild Zaki, and that one at DeSalle.

I wish I could afford a DeSalle.

When I first came here, I thought they were copies.

I don't believe in imitations.

Neither do I.

I hate phonies.

Jeff.

I was going to tell you.

No, you weren't.

I've been giving you a chance at it, a long chance.

Ever since this afternoon.

When it turned out you were the reason Ellen went to stay with Bella Mar.

Is that so terrible?

Not if you told me about it.

I would have chewed it over a little and that would have been the end of it.

But you didn't tell me.

And there had to be a reason.

You were involved.

Up to your pretty ears.

You didn't know what was going on.

I know enough.

And I know the name of the game, Blackmail.

You were collecting from Ben Welcome.

Ever since he got Crookshank on the hook, probably. A long time.

Enough to start collecting art.

And diamonds.

I could have been... No more lies.

I've had enough.

Why does it matter?

Making a man like Welcome pay for what he'd done.

I didn't mean any harm.

I didn't know it was going to turn out that way. No?

You sold me out all along the way.

Did you think I'd never get around to wondering how Welcome always knew where

I'd be and what I was doing?

He was always ahead of me. At the mall, at Franchot's place, all the way.

Even at Bill Lamar's apartment. There he was.

Waiting. He had to be getting phone calls from you, who didn't mean any

was afraid of him. You had the best reason, sweetie baby. You were driving

up the wall.

And this afternoon at the garage, when you wouldn't stay in the taxi and go for

the police, you knew he wouldn't even stop to take care of me.

It was you he was after.

I was just an extra added attraction.

You were the target.

Jeff, it's over now.

Can't it be really over?

Oh, it is.

30 -30, doll girl.

End of story.

I'll miss you.

I don't think I'll ever quite forget you, but I'll try.

And there'll be time, about ten years is my guess.

Don't call me when you get out. I'll call you.

You're not going to... I already have.

Airmail, special delivery.

You better start thinking about lawyers and bail and what you'll wear in court.

Oh, I get it now.

It's just a joke.

You're just joking. I should have known you wouldn't really...

That girl at your office said you left a message for her to come here.

Pretty Polly Pretty here. She arranged things for money.

Blackmail.

Maybe she even had something to do with Belle Lamar getting a surprise among her

sleeping tablets.

Why don't you ask her the details?

The party is over for me.

You still don't know all of it.

You don't know one thing.

The most important part.

I fell in love with you. I would have changed for you.

I really would have changed.

If you'd only kept quiet.

That's the trouble.

I would have changed too, Leonid.

I got your message and I did what you asked.

What happened?

I don't want to talk about it right now. I won't want to talk about it tomorrow

either or the day after.

What did you do to yourself?

Why? I don't know. You look different.

Better.

Maybe I'm just getting used to you.

What are you sitting around for?

I have anything to do.

Well, find something to do.

As a matter of fact, you can get me some aspirin.

And stop hunching over the way you do.

Didn't they teach you anything at that idiotic school you went to?

Among other things, I happen to have had the best posture in the entire school.

I'll bet you did.