"That's the game." " Nice shooting, Toledo." " Thanks." "If you don't mind." "Toledo was lucky tonight." "Let's go." " Thanks." " Let's go get some eggs." "I'd like to stick around." "I wasn't too happy with my game tonight." "What are you talking about?" "Toledo, you were great." "If he wants to practise, let him practise." " You'll lock up?" " Sure." "Let's go." " Looking for something?" " Oh, Dutch." "I was just gonna borrow some money." "I got trouble with a girl." "Won't do, Toledo." "You're a fed." "We knew there was leak." "We just didn't know who." " Get rid of the body." " Sure, Dutch." "Too bad." "He was one sweet pool player." "These sketches for sale?" "Sometimes." "I have an artist friend in Chicago who has a similar style." "What's his name?" "Frederick Barrington." "Good morning, Mr. Phelps." "This man, Dutch Krebbs, controls the largest illegal gambling empire in the southeast." "Conventional law-enforcement agencies are certain that undercover agent Fred Stenrock, known as "Toledo, "" "who was gathering information that would have led to a government indictment, was murdered by Krebbs and his longtime lieutenant, Press Allen." "At the time of his death, Toledo was wearing a wristwatch camera which we believe contained enough microfilmed information to smash Krebbs' empire." "Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to locate Toledo's body and recover that watch before the exposed film deteriorates." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "Stick Hudson couldn't make this shot once in a hundred times." "Fourteen ball, side pocket." " That's terrific, Jim." " Yeah, thanks to Barney." "and deduct 5 percent from your opponent." "Of course, if you weren't a pretty fair pool shooter yourself, we wouldn't have a chance." "A two-way radio." "Good." "Be implanted in my ear tonight." "How does this work?" "This is an inertial guidance system, Mimi." "The same kind that's used to keep missiles on course." "Our missile, one cue ball." "With the circuitry inside." "The other balls will be radioactively marked so they'll show up on the control screen." "And the guidance plate is self-adhering." "It's designed to vaporise by a radio signal." "Good." "Willy, how about your letter of introduction?" "It was mailed yesterday and will have a Chicago postmark." "Now, Mork's parole officer will be cooperating with us." "And we have a line on Press Allen's collection schedule." "We can take them tomorrow night." "When's the last time you saw Press?" "Four years." "Never bothered to visit me in prison." "And now that I'm out on parole, nothing." "How much longer do you have to go on parole?" "Two years." "Press will be surprised to see me." "Is he as big a pool freak as Krebbs?" "He's whatever Krebbs wants him to be." "Collects money for him, enforces for him." "Even kills for him." "You know Tim Sharkey?" "Sharkey and Krebbs are longtime rivals." "Not only in the pool game, in the rackets as well." "Yes, and our whole plan depends on that rivalry." "Mimi, I wanna warn you, this is going to be dangerous." "You've been a great help already." "You can back out now, no questions asked." "Thanks for caring, Jim." "But I care too." "And I wanna see Krebbs and Press Allen put away for good." "Right on schedule." "We'll take the bag." "In the front." "Turn around and put your hands on the car." "Press Allen's in trouble." "Thirty thousand dollars." "A week's take from one of the biggest books in the city." "What am I paying you for, Press?" "Dutch, we didn't have a chance." "Somebody was tipped." "And it's my bet that Sharkey was behind it." "Maybe so, maybe not." "But I'll tell you this, don't let it happen again." "Are you looking for somebody?" " Yeah, I'd like to see Dutch Krebbs." " Does he know you?" "He got a letter about me, name's Jim Saunders." "Wait here." "In here." "Hi, Saunders." "I'm Press Allen." "It's nice to meet you, but I came here to see Dutch Krebbs." "I handle security for Dutch." "I gave him that letter about you from Chicago." "We're not hiring any muscle right now." "Well, I can also double as a bartender, waiter, ball racker." "I need a job, man." "Sorry." "Look, at least let me talk to Krebbs." "Mork." "Now do I get to see Krebbs?" "You've seen him." "And he's seen you." "First opening you get, put him on." "Okay, Dutch." "Thank you, Mr. Krebbs." " Looking for some action." " This is big league." "This look like bush league?" " Who are you?" " Name's Danny Jordan and I'm ready." " Who's the best man you got?" " Endicott." "Danny Jordan, he wants to give away his money." "Fine, my pleasure." "Jim, 9 ball, side pocket." "Fourteen off the 8." "Nine in the side." "Yeah, Willard?" "Yeah." "Okay, thanks." "Willard says he's got a phenom down there." "Willard gets carried away, Dutch." "I don't know, he says this guy's really doing a number on Endicott." "Check him out." "If he's that good, bring him out here." "Okay, Dutch." "Seven ball, corner pocket." "Use the 4." "Seven." "Four ball in the side." "Eight ball." "Well, well, it's a long time." "Hello, Press." "Mimi, when did you get out?" "In June." "I'm on parole." "You're looking great." "I guess I've got a lot of explaining to do." "Forget it." "I don't hold grudges." "What's past is past." "You're all right, Mimi." "Of course, you always were." "Hey, what are you doing in a dump like this?" "I'm with Danny." "Three." " How long you been with him?" " Four months." "Oh, yeah?" " Is he always that good?" " He's usually better." "Call all three balls." "Eleven in the side, 9 and 15 in each corner." "Eleven, 15, 9." "You've got the game, why blow it now?" " Anybody for two on the side?" " You're covered." "That's the man that holds the money." "It's a tough shot." "Relax." "I'll control the English." " I'll get you a drink." " Yeah." "Danny?" "I'm Press Allen." " I'm Dutch Krebbs's man." " Yeah, so?" "So he likes to see his pool players get rich." "A lot richer than that." "I heard about Dutch." "I'm not interested." "Danny, you know, in big-time pool, to get ahead you need a big-time manager." "I got a manager." "I'll see you around, huh?" "Mimi?" "How'd you like to do me a favour for old times' sake?" "Like what?" "We'd like your boy to play for Dutch." "That's up to Danny." "I got a feeling Danny will do whatever you want him to do." " Well, I can try." " Good." "We'd like to see him at our place around 8:00." "He'll be there." "You know, if this works out, Mimi, your boy's gonna be awful busy." "Be a lot of time for us to be alone." "Like in the old days." "A lot of fun." "A lot of games." "I'll see you, Mimi." " Hi." " Hi." " Where's Mork?" " He's gone." "His parole officer called and said they'd hold him in violation if he kept on working here." "Saunders is taking his place." "It's all right with me." " You start tonight." " Thank you, Mr. Krebbs." "What about the pool player?" "He's sharp, Dutch." "He's got a lot of finesse." "He's a little too wild for me but he makes what he calls." "Be here at 8:00 tonight." "Fifteen ball, side pocket." "Fifteen in the side pocket." " What do you think?" " Great." "I got the rundown on him." "He's from the Reno area." "He's hung up on ponies and broads." "Did some hard time in Nevada." "Second-degree murder, poolroom brawl." " Five ball in the corner pocket." " Promising." "Quite a coincidence, him and Mimi." "Yeah, but I don't mind." "Is she around?" "Just like old times." "Trying to drink up the joint." "Vodka tonic, no lime, huh?" " You mind?" " Sit down." " Hey." "Your boy's doing all right." " Hallelujah." " What's the matter?" " Nine ball, corner pocket." "Nothing." "Except, tell me something." "Are all you guys phoney?" "Or is there one real man left in this world?" "Thanks, honey." ""Thanks, honey." That's just what I mean." "Would you believe that Danny's already on the make for her?" " Well, boys will be boys." " Well, this girl's sick of it." "We did have some fun times, didn't we, Press?" "We sure did, Mimi." "We're still friends?" "Close friends." "And we could even improve on that." "Who knows?" "Okay, one in each corner." " Not bad." " Yeah, not too bad, huh?" "Okay, here's the proposition." "Starting now, I put you on three bills a week plus 50 percent of our winnings." "I pay all expenses, give you a class buildup so we can go after the big money." "I don't know, Dutch." "I'm kind of happy where I am, I'm making good dough." "Don't be stupid, Danny." "I'm talking about six figures." "Sharkey money." "Or maybe you don't think you're good enough to take Stick Hudson." "Are you kidding?" "I can take Stick." "I can take anybody." "Mr. Krebbs." " Danny." " Thank you, sweetheart." "You know, Dutch, if you had nothing to offer but this living doll, that just might be enough." "Stick with me, you'll be able to buy a hundred like her." "You start in Detroit next week." "I've matched you with Benny Green." "Then Houston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago." "Hey, you." "One more stunt like that with Danny and you're gonna get it right between the eyes." "Your breath smells, baby." "I don't care what you call it, Tim." "You're moving in on my territory." "I don't want any fights with you, Dutch." "All I wanna do is take your money at the pool table." "Dutch, it's past closing time." "You're gonna lose your licence." "Oh, Danny, this is Tim Sharkey." " How are you, Danny?" " Mr. Sharkey, I heard a lot about you." "I heard you cleaned up the Midwest the last two weeks." "Yeah, we did all right." "When do I get a chance against your boy, Stick Hudson?" "As soon as Dutch says so." "The trouble with Dutch is he's super cautious." "You know who he's got my playing tomorrow night?" "Jerry Cross." "I could beat Jerry Cross with two broken elbows." " Right, sweetheart?" " Whatever you say, honey." " Let's get out of here." " All right." "See you later." "Oh, you crumb." "I've been waiting for you at the hotel." "I've been practising, Mimi." "Yeah, but what?" "Get lost." "Look, I've had just about all I'm gonna take from you." " I said, get lost." " Mimi, I'm sick of you." "And I'm sick of your jealousy." "Leave me alone, will you?" "Come on." "Hey, Mimi." "He's not worth it, Mimi." "Why don't you come to my place, have a drink?" "You'll feel better." "Thanks, Press, I'd like to." "But not tonight." "Hey, Mimi." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry about not visiting you those four years you were in the joint." "I didn't even write." " That's all right." " No." "No, it wasn't." "But, you know, if I had visited you, with my reputation and all, it wouldn't have helped you any." "Mimi, I'm trouble for you." "No." "It was a nice thing, Press." "I mean, you were thinking of me." "A lot." "Now listen, Mimi." "If you need anything, anything at all, I'm right here." "Thanks." "Eight in the side pocket." "Three in the corner." "He's a big investment for us, Mimi." "We don't want any trouble." "It'd be bad for us and worse for you." "Seven ball in the side pocket." "I don't wanna make any trouble, Mr. Krebbs." " How'd you like a sure thing?" " Great." "Except I don't believe in Santa Claus or the good tooth fairy anymore." "And I don't believe in Danny Jordan anymore." "What's that mean, Mimi?" "If I offer you a sure thing, do I get a percentage?" "If it's worth it, you've got it." "Okay, come with me." "Fourteen in the corner." "Six ball." "Wait here." "Watch." "Okay, Danny, he's had it long enough." "Let's make him miss one." "Ten ball." "Don't know how I blew that shot." "All right, now study this one." "Make it look hard." "Then bank the fifteen ball across corner." "Go take a look." "Bill, you've gotta help me." "You've gotta straighten Danny out." "Fifteen ball, corner." "Unless he cools it with that chick in there," "I'm gonna blow this whole deal." "I tell you what, Mimi, you mess this up and you'll end up in the river." "Now split!" "Well, did I deliver?" "So the table's rigged." "Where'd they get the machine?" "Bill made it." "He's an engineer, some kind of genius." "He was working for a government missile-tracking station." "Then he got into some trouble." "Fifteen ball in the corner, just like the man said." "Hold it." "Guns." "Come on." "Open it." "Here." "Another 20 G's?" "They were laying for us, Dutch." "We were set up." "Ask Saunders." " That's right." " I've warned you, Press." "This time it comes out of your pocket." "The next time, out of your hide." " What are you gonna do about it?" " I don't know yet." "Press." "I wanna talk to you." "I got a plan to make us both rich." "You interested?" "What's the pitch?" "Well, the pitch is that I'm tired of the bones that Danny throws me." " And what are you getting at?" " What am I getting at?" "You see, Danny's a very special kind of pool shark." "I know all about it." "Rigged table, controls, the works." "Mimi?" "Okay, let's do something about it." "See, we can both be winners." "Only I've got a problem." "I can't get to the big money." "You can." "Without me, Danny's just another tank-town hustler." "This guy can throw the game any way he wants." "It's fantastic." "It's like Cape Kennedy." "Without my guidance, that's just another ordinary cue ball." "I had a feeling this Danny Jordan came out of nowhere too fast." "Dutch know how this works?" "Yeah." "He thinks he's got a lock on the game with your boy, Stick Hudson." "We've got the lock." "Get Miami on the closed line." "We start running some bets." "Another 50 G's from Miami?" "It's covered." "Yeah, thanks." "That was Stedley." "We just got 30 grand from Kansas City." " But he says it's Sharkey's money." " Good." "This is our big move." "We'll break him." "It's a lot sweeter than that Pier 1 brawl we were headed for." "This is the 150-point game." "Nine ball in the corner." "Hit it firm." "I'll handle the English." "Nine ball in the corner pocket." "Eleven ball in the corner pocket." "Four ball, side pocket." "Four ball in the side." "Don't give him too big of a lead." "I could give him a 149 points, our guy would still win." "Six ball in the corner." "Okay, Danny." "Fifteen ball, side pocket, off the 4." "No English." "Fifteen, side pocket." "Time for Danny's bummer." "Fourteen, corner pocket." "Ten, side pocket." "Fifteen in the side." "Five, corner pocket." "One, side." "Four, corner pocket." "Three ball in the corner, combination." "Hudson, 137." "Three, corner." "Five, corner pocket." " Nice shot, Stick." " Twelve, side pocket." "My hero." "Always the gentleman." "Cool it." "Stone cold." "Or cold and stoned." "When do I get my money?" "When you've earned it." "Now, shut up." "Fourteen in the corner" "Hudson, 147." "Jordan, 146." "That puts us ahead." "Three balls to go." "So let's don't have any last-minute accidents, huh?" "Two, corner pocket." "Eight ball in the corner." " What's the matter?" " Not now, Mimi." "Jim, the guidance plate vaporises in ten seconds." "Eleven ball in the corner." "Thirteen in the corner." "Five ball in the corner pocket." "Jordan, 150." "Game to Danny Jordan." "Everybody up front." "I'm throwing a wake for Sharkey." " Congratulations, Danny." " We did Dutch." "Let's have a drink." " Dutch." " Yeah?" "I'm not paying off, the game's rigged." "You're nuts." "That cue ball acted like it had eyes." "You're dead." " What the devil did you do?" " I switched them." "How did Sharkey get wise to the cue ball?" "I've been watching Press." "I think he tipped Sharkey." "Congratulations, Press." "You just bought yourself a contract." "You got troubles, pal." "I think you were set up." "I think Krebbs wanted to buy Sharkey some trouble." "So he spent you like a phoney dollar bill." "Maybe." "Maybe not." "Either way, I've got no way out." "I'm boxed in." "I could maybe break that box open for you." "Yeah?" "How?" "We can talk better upstairs." "How are you gonna help me, big man?" "I've got some friends who are interested in buying a camera." "Toledo's camera." "What?" "That's right." "Toledo was wearing a watch-camera." "And it's worth a lot of money." "Enough to buy you out of your troubles." "Who's doing the buying?" "You?" "I can arrange it if you can get that watch." "Maybe, maybe not." "I don't do business in the dark." "My friends don't like publicity." "But they'll pay a lot of money for Dutch Krebbs." "Let me tell you something." "No chance." "No chance." " Press?" " Beat it, Mimi." "I gotta talk to you." "It wasn't my fault, what happened with Danny." " Get out of here." " Honey, you gotta believe me," " I'm with you all the way." " I said, get out of here." "What's going on?" "Maybe nothing." "Maybe it's payoff time." " What body's buried where?" " Toledo's." "He was wearing one of those watch-cameras when he got it." "And the film in there fits Dutch like a noose around his neck." "You expect me to buy that?" "You wanna move in on Dutch's operation?" "Sharkey, we could own the whole thing." " I'm getting close." " You better be." "Here it is." " It's in perfect condition." " Good." "Now we won't need you anymore, will we?" "Hold it, Sharkey." "Drop it." " Get it?" " Got it." "I'm off parole." "I'm a free lady." "Thanks, Jim." "Listen, Mimi." "I just had word from the secretary." "Casey's gonna be on some special assignments in Europe." "Would you like to work with us from time to time?" "I'd love to." "That's great."