"You're awfully quiet tonight, Janey." "I've been trying to think of just the right way to ask you to turn around and go back." "On this road?" "Can't do it, sweetie." "I mean it, Alan." "I'd like you to turn around, please." "What's the matter, Jane?" "I..." "I tried to tell you before we left home." "I..." "I just don't like being patronized, that's all." "I..." "I don't think I can take another evening of it." "Patronized?" "Oh, sweetheart, Ralph is one of the nicest guys I..." "You know it isn't Ralph." "It's his diamond-studded wife, looking down her nose at me like... like her big ugly house up there looks down on Hollywood." "Please." "I'm just not going." "Slow down and find a place to turn." "Oh, Jane, you're crazy." "Alice likes you." "Please, Alan." "I mean it." "I'm just not going." "What are you trying to do?" "Send us off the edge?" "All right." "We'll turn around." "We told 'em we'd be there, but we'll turn around." "That guy almost hit us!" "Alan, he threw something." "It's in the back." "Feels like there's paper in it." " Paper?" " Yeah, feels like it." "Open it." " They threw it in?" " Yes." " Maybe it fell in." " Alan, open it." "Quick, Alan, get in." "Alan, get in!" "He's after us, Jane." "The bag was intended for him." "Jane, what are you trying to do?" "We've lost him." "Slow down." "I'll take the wheel." "Well, you almost killed us doing it, but we got away from him." " Now what happens?" " It hasn't hit you yet, Alan?" "The money was literally thrown in our laps." "No one in the world knows we have it." "Get a hold of yourself, Jane, will you?" "It's a bag of dynamite." "That was a payoff." "Probably blackmail." "We turn that bag over to the police so they..." "Don't stop, Alan." "He's almost a block behind." " What are you two so scared about?" " Who's scared?" "You are." "Didn't you ever get a ticket before?" "Ha-ha!" "It's supposed to be a big secret, Officer." "But we're on our way to Las Vegas." "We're the old-fashioned kind." "We're eloping." "You're still gonna get a ticket." "The next time you make a turn, signal." "You think you can remember that?" "I..." "I'm afraid my mind wasn't on my driving." "You're nervous, Mac." "It's the bride that's supposed to be jittery." " Get going." " All right." "What's the matter with you, Jane?" "What were you planning on doing with that?" "I don't know." "You had a chance to give up the money." "Why didn't you take it?" "I was just asking myself that same question." "We'll take it up to the apartment." "I want to look at it." "I don't see him, Alan." "What about Kathy?" "I wonder if she came home yet." "I think she went to a show." "Hurry." "Just call me Dracula." " I'm afraid you did startle us a little." " Did my sister come in yet, Pete?" "Uh... no, I don't think so." "Hey, uh... you folks been away?" "Oh, no." "Just some things Mr. Palmer had in storage." " Did you lock the door?" " Yes." "Well, that wasn't very smart." "Be a great time for Kathy or someone to come in now, wouldn't it?" "You said you wanted to look at it, Alan." "Look at it." "Fifties and twenties." "There must be thousands here." "Yeah, probably 100,000." "It's old money." "The numbers are different." "You could make it work for us for the rest of our lives." "Stop it, Janey." "If we don't report this, it's a felony, the same as stealing it." "It's a blind alley with a big barred gate at the end." "Let's not try to use it, darling." "Let's just hide it some place, and then not touch it until we know it's safe." "It'll never be safe." "It just won't work." "What is it, Jane?" "I just don't understand you." "I've tried to give you everything you wanted, everything I could." "Yes, you've given me a dozen down payments and instalments for the rest of our lives." "We won't touch it, Alan." "We'll simply leave it where we..." "Hide it." "Hide it, quick." " Hi." " Hello, Kathy." "Pete said you were asking about me." "Oh, yes." "Alan was wondering if you were home." "Well, I am." "And since you're twisting my arm, I'll come in." " Where's my dear brother?" " Oh, he'll be out in a moment." "How are things at the office?" "Well, they gave my boss a promotion the other day." "Maybe they'll get around to giving me a raise later." "You sound as if you're going to make a life's work out of it." "You sound as if you haven't heard of the man shortage." "On second thought, maybe you haven't." " Greetings, Kathy." " Hi." "How are you?" "Now don't say fine, 'cause you look awful." "That's why I love to come here." "Everyone is so gay, so buoyant." "I did get the impression from Pete that you wanted to see me about something." "Oh, er... we were thinking of running up to Rimoli's for a snack, but we changed our minds." "Alan doesn't feel well." " Well, what is it, Alan?" " Oh, nothing." "It's just a headache." "Well, I hope you both feel better in the morning." "Good night." " Good night, Jane." " Good night, Kathy." "That did it." "I ought to have my head examined." "I was almost sold for a minute." "But we've got as much right to that money as if we went into a bank and lifted a bagful off the counter." "My little sister drops in, and pays us a visit, and scares us to death." "Of course we were frightened, because the money's right here." "But once it's hidden and out of our hands, there's nothing to be afraid of." " Nobody knows we have it." " Nobody knows?" "How about that banshee that chased us down the mountainside?" "If he can read, he's got our license number." "He wasn't close enough to see our license." "Listen to me, Alan." "I love you, darling, and if you decide we should never touch the money, we won't." "But do we have to make up our minds now?" "Can't we just hide it some place where it can't be traced to us and give ourselves time to think it out?" "Please help me hide it." "I'll leave the rest to you." "If you don't think we should ever touch it, we won't." "You mean that, Jane?" "There'll be no more talk about it?" "No bitterness?" "I mean it, Alan." "We'll keep it a week." "'Last call for the Santa Fe" "San Bernadino local." "'Train number 42 leaves at 10:10, entering through gate M." "'This is the last call." "'The Union Pacific City of Los Angeles train 103 is now arriving.'" "It's done." "Everything's all right now, isn't it, darling?" "Yeah, I..." "I guess so." "Where's the ticket?" "It's all right." "It's here down in the lining." "There's a hole in the pocket." "It's safe there." "What did you say to the man at the counter?" "I didn't say anything to the man at the counter." "But you did." "I saw you." "Oh." "Oh, yes." "I told him I was going to the hospital and wouldn't be picking up the bag for a while." "He said it was all right." "Fuller." "Detective Bureau." "Yes?" "Does an Alan Palmer live here?" "Yes, my husband's at work." "Well, this is just a routine check, Mrs. Palmer." "We have a license number, but we're not absolutely sure of the accuracy of it." "May I come in?" " Mind if I look around a bit?" " Why?" "You haven't anything to hide, have you?" "No, I can see you haven't." "What's this all about, Mr. Fuller?" "I told you, a routine check." "Like to look your place over." "Looking for what?" "I didn't bring a warrant with me, Mrs. Palmer." "Maybe I should go get one." "If I let you look around without one, will you promise to tell me what it's all about?" "Perhaps it'll give me something interesting to talk about at bridge tonight." "Sure, Mrs. Palmer." "Thanks." "Leave them alone." "Those are presents." "So, you've already started spending it, huh?" " Spending it?" " Yes, honey, spending it." "I don't think I like that." "I'm sorry, but you're not making sense." "If you were an innocent housewife with nothing to hide but the iceman, you'd never let me in here." "You'd be screaming for that warrant and sending wires to your congressman, so let's cut the small talk." " Where's my dough?" " Then you're not a policeman?" "Only on my mother's side, honey." "Where's the dough?" "Those things in the kitchen happen to belong to my sister-in-law." "And I let you in because well, housewives can get awfully bored sometimes." "But believe me, I've no idea what you're talking about." "You're too smooth, honey." "You're much too smooth." "Where's the dough?" " Where's that money?" " We sent it to the police." "You're a liar." "You would have told me that before now." " I was afraid to." " You should be." "It was mine." "Why would anyone give up that much hard cash?" "I don't get it." " In fact, I don't believe it." " It's the truth." "I swear it is." "And I'm supposed to get up now and walk out?" "Is that it?" "Well, maybe I will." "But if you turned that money over to the cops, it'll be in the paper." "If you didn't..." "It will be." "We sent it back last evening." "All right, I can wait a few more hours and I doubt that you or your husband will try a copper." "I'm going to buy an evening paper, and there'd better be something in it about money or I'll be around again." "And I'm afraid I'll be awfully peeved at you, honey." "Bye now." "Alan, you're... you're home early." "Fitzsimmons called me from the bank today." "It seems as if your checks have started coming through." "He thought I might like to know that our account's down a couple of hundred dollars." "I was going to tell you tonight." "There were things I needed, Alan." "Five hundred and eight dollars' worth of necessities?" "That was yesterday." "How much today?" "How much have you spent all together?" "Seven hundred and ninety dollars." "About one tenth of one per cent of the money we have." "So, you're counting the money in the bag." "We weren't going to touch it, just leave it there and forget about it." "Now you're spending it like mad and keeping books on it." "Because the money's ours." "If anyone knew we had it, they would have been around by now." "I'm sending the claim check to the district attorney's office right now, tonight." "Don't I have something to say about that?" "I won't let you do it." "I'll take the money and go off by myself before I let you give it away." "And that's something I won't let you do." "I'm in this now." "If you're caught, I'm caught." "But I wouldn't want you to do it anyway, Jane." "The money won't buy you anything." "It'll only make you miserable and unhappy." "Let me be the judge of that." "Were you happy when you married Blanchard?" "I'm sorry, Jane." "I..." "I didn't mean that." "Jane, Jane." "What's happening to us?" "What's happening?" "The money sits down there in an old leather bag and yet it's tearing us apart." "It's poison, Jane." "It's changing you." "It's changing both of us." "I wish it were that simple, Alan." "But I haven't changed." "It's the way I am." "You've got to let me keep that money." " Don't." "Don't, Jane." " No, Alan." "I won't let you just give it away." "Chances like this are never offered twice." "This is it." "I've been waiting for it, dreaming of it all my life, even when I was a kid, and it wasn't because we were poor, not hungry poor, at least." "I suppose in a way it was far worse." "We were white-collar poor, middle-class poor, the kind of people who can't quite keep up with the Joneses and die a little every day because they can't." "That's why I married Blanchard." "I married the first man who asked me because I..." "I thought he had money." "It's... it's true, Alan." "And you're right, I wasn't happy." "I was almost glad when he..." "Jane." "But things have changed now, Alan." "This is different." "We'll be happier than we ever dreamed we could be." "Sure we will, Jane." "But the money won't help." "There'll always be Joneses with a little more." "The only thing worth having is peace of mind," " ...and money can't buy that." " But you agreed to wait for one week." "All right, we'll wait." "But we're not going to keep it." "It's almost wrecked us, sweetheart." "But I think it would take more than 100 grand to do that." "How about it?" "Hm?" "I got an idea." "We'll go on a date." "Not tonight." "I've got to see old man Barrett tonight." "But tomorrow night we'll do the same things we did on our first date." "Remember?" "We'll have dinner at Rimoli's, then we'll go down to the lake, and get one of those fancy little boats and go for a ride." "How about it?" "Is it a date?" "It's a date, Alan." "You got a good lock." "I don't usually have so much trouble." "Did you think of knocking?" "Yeah, but then I thought about the dull reading I found in the newspapers." "Nothing at all about a bagful of dough turning up at police headquarters." "Would you care for a drink, Mr. Fuller?" "You know, honey, you got quite a flair." "I like you." "Too bad you're a chiseler." "At the risk of seeming tedious, just where did you stash my cash?" "You didn't tell me if you wanted that drink." "And you didn't tell me where you put my dough." "I don't have your dough." " Let us not haggle." " We're not going to." "My husband has the money, and two days from now he's going to turn it over to the police." "You don't tell me?" "Nice story." "Better than yesterday." "I like that trick with your eyes too." "I'm just taking my cue, like a little gentleman." " You're taking it a little too fast." " Isn't that what you wanted?" "Did you notice where the liquor was when you went through my kitchen?" " Sure." " Go make us a drink." " Stalling, honey?" " What do I call you besides stupid?" "Ha-ha." "Stupid will do, if you don't bruise easily." "Otherwise you might try Danny." "If you're not stalling, get to the point." "What's on that lovely blonde mind?" "I told you." "My husband is going to give the money up." " I don't intend to let him give it up." " Neither do I." "I swear, if you go near him, neither one of us will ever see a cent of it." " I'll take my chances." " I'm telling you the truth now." "You won't be able to beat it out of him or scare it out of him." "If I told him you were here yesterday the police would have the money now." "And I..." "I don't think I could take it if I lost it." "Let's get something straight, honey." "That's my dough you're talking about." "Only half of it." "You haven't a chance of getting it without my help." "And how do you get it?" "I don't know." "I'll work out something." "I have to." "When I think of losing it, I get deathly sick inside." "You know, I think you're levelling with me." "Maybe I'll string along." "I'll think it over." "I've thought it over." " What's your name, honey?" " Jane." "One thing." "When you get that dough, I've got to be in on it." "Right at the time." "Otherwise, I might make a nuisance of myself." "I..." "I may need your help." "How can I get a hold of you, say... say about five o'clock?" "Call that number." "For your sake, beautiful, I hope you're not trying to soft-soap me." "I wouldn't take kindly to it." "What's the matter with you?" "That's just to remind you, honey, you're in a tough racket now." "Hello?" "Sadie, that you?" "I'll take that, Mac." "Hello?" "Danny." "It's all worked out." "We'll get it tonight." "But I've got to know something first." "How do I know you'll be fair with me?" "Listen, this is very important." "How do I know?" "You don't." "But I'll tell you something." "You've got ten times the chance to get a straight deal from me as I've got from you." "Now, what's the layout?" "Well, be at Westlake Park at nine o'clock tonight." "There's a big palm tree at the west end of the lake." "A palm tree." "Be there." "I'll come alongshore in one of those boats and signal you with a flashlight." "Be watching." "I don't want to have to do it more than once." "Yes, yes." "I'll have the money." "Then why all the complications?" "Why can't you just meet me somewhere?" "I don't think I like your setup." "It sounds like a snipe hunt." "It's not a trap or whatever you're thinking, Danny." "I..." "I had to choose a place where you'd have to play fair with me." "Danny?" "Are you still there?" "Yeah." "All right, I'll be there." "West end of the lake under the palm tree." "Nine o'clock." "Alan, let's get one of the big ones like we used to." "Them's for four people, lady." "Here, lady wants one of the big ones." "Like I said." "Here comes one now." "What's the matter, sweetie?" "You seem all tied up tonight." "There's nothing the matter." "I..." "I feel fine." "Remember what we used to call these rides?" "Cruises into nowhere." "Seems a long time ago, doesn't it?" "It was." "Long time ago." "We haven't changed a bit, Jane." "Not a bit." "Alan, I..." "I want to go back to shore." "Why, Jane?" "We just got started." "Please, darling." "I'd like to go back." "Something's wrong." "What is it?" "Maybe you're right." "Maybe something is wrong." "I feel... chilly." "Let's go back." "Alan, let's put the claim check in an envelope and put it in the mailbox." "I don't want to keep it any more." "So, that's it." "The money again." "Look, sweetheart, let's forget it." "I have." "Now that we're here, let's..." "let's relax and have a..." "Oh, doggone it!" "I must have left my cigarettes at Rimoli's." "Do you have a..." "No." "What have you got in the bag?" "It weighs a ton." "There are no cigarettes in there, Alan." " Did you hear something then?" " Uh-uh." "Stop hearing things and kiss me." "You're ten minutes late." "What's the id..." "What happened?" "It's Alan, my husband." "He's dead." "Don't move, Danny." "So, that's what I heard?" "A shot, not a backfire." "Yes, and I need your help." "Some other time." "I don't want the money that bad." "Can you take me back to shore, or do I swim?" "If you move, I'll shoot you and tell them you killed my husband." "If I go along with you, I get the gas chamber." "I wonder how good a shot you are." "There'll be no gas chamber for either one of us, Danny." "They saw me get on this boat with my husband." "They're going to see me get off with him." "You'll be wearing his hat and coat." "You've got nothing to worry about." "Until his body comes floating up." "We're going to see that it doesn't." "You're quite a gal, Mrs. Palmer." "That's for being so sweet." " Thanks." "Come again." " We intend to." "This is the stuff from his pockets." "Take it." "I don't like frisking stiffs." " What are you going to do with it?" " Never mind." "Let's go, quick." " Sure." "Let's go get the dough." " Listen, we're not in the clear yet." "They've got to see you." "They've got to think Alan brought me home." "I'll meet you at quarter to 12 at 6th and Beachway." "Then we'll go get the money." "Where?" "Coldwater Canyon." "It's hidden there." "Yeah, this afternoon you said you'd have it in the boat with you." "You're in no position to pull another cross-up, honey." " You know that, don't you?" " Yes, I know it." "Danny, please hurry." "Pete, uh..." "Mr. Palmer would like to have the car washed tonight." " Could you do it?" " Sure thing, Mr. Palmer." "Oh, Alan!" "Get me some cigarettes while you're there, will you?" " Did I get you up?" " No, I was reading." "I..." "I guess I must have dozed." "Alan's gone down to the corner to get a bottle." "Why don't you come in and have a nightcap with us?" "I'd love to." "I was beginning to think you were miffed with me or something." "I can't see why." "You mean to say Mr. Palmer didn't come in there at all?" "Oh, thank you." "I don't understand it." "Pete says he hasn't seen him since he drove out of here a half-hour ago, and the people at the drugstore say he hasn't been there at all." "Well, don't worry about it." "Maybe he went over to the drive-in for some hamburgers." "Yes, I suppose so." "I don't understand it." "What could have happened to him?" "It's over an hour." "If nothing's happened, why doesn't he call?" "I don't know, Jane." "Let me fix you a drink." "Will you connect me with police headquarters, please?" "Yes, it's an emergency." "Hello?" "I'd like to check on automobile accidents." "It's my husband." "He's missing and..." "Lady, the Missing Persons detail closes at 5pm." "You mean you can't do anything for me tonight?" "How long has he been missing?" "Lady, we can't do anything tonight." "If he doesn't show up by tomorrow, you come down here and make a report in person and we'll go to work on it." "Yes, ma'am." "OK." "Jane, here's your..." "Jane, you have a whole shelf of whiskey out there." "You told me Alan had gone to get a bottle." "That's right." "That proves it." "He never intended to go to the drugstore at all." "There... there's something I haven't told you, Kathy." "I've known it for a long time." "Alan doesn't love me anymore." "He's beginning to get tired of me." "That's ridiculous and you know it." "It's true, Kathy." "We've been quarrelling a lot lately about little unimportant things." "I..." "I bought some clothes the other day and it made him terribly angry." "Please, Jane." "Alan will be home soon." "I think I'll go to bed now." "Good night." "Good night, Kathy." "All right, tiger, let's have that gun you were waving around down at the lake and I'll take it butt first." "Danny, the gun was Alan's." "It'd be a bit silly of me not to put it back where it belonged, wouldn't it?" "And you don't have a gun either." "If you did, you wouldn't be hiding it in your pocket like that, would you?" "You know, tiger," "I didn't know they made 'em as beautiful as you are, and as smart or as hard." "Here." "You can have the gun." "Take it easy, will you?" "You're not on Sunset now." "I can't take a chance on being found missing." "You know that." "Don't tell me you buried the dough." " What else?" " Almost anything else." "Where did that money come from, Danny?" "Why was it being paid to you like that?" "I'll tell you when I see the dough, maybe." "I hope you're not planning to pull a fastie." "It won't pay off." "Don't quarrel with me, Danny." "We're not out of trouble until I get back to my apartment." "Well, slow down or you'll never get back." "Look out!" "Not this time, tiger." "You didn't bury that dough and I know it." "I'll see you some time when there's daylight and a million people around." "Danny!" "Danny, come back!" "The... the ticket's in that coat." "Danny!" " Nobody here." " Yeah." "Keys in it too." " Your feet hurt?" " You kidding?" "What are we waiting for?" "Hello." "Jane, Alan's home, isn't he?" " 'No.'" " But I'm sure I heard the elevator." "No one came in, Kathy." "It... it must have been someone across the hall." "Oh." "Well, I'm sorry I disturbed you, Jane." "Good night." " Who is it?" " It's Jane, Danny." "Like you said, honey, this should have been put back." "What did you do with the coat?" "Alan's coat." " How did you get here?" " In a cab." "You know what I mean." "How did you find me?" "I found the place where you eat." "You can guess the rest." "What did you do with Alan's coat?" "Forget it, tiger." "I took care of the coat." "Let's talk about the money." "Isn't that why you're here?" "How?" "Just how did you take care of it?" "Don't you see?" "If the coat turns up in the wrong way, we're lost." "What did you do with it?" "Why just the coat, tiger?" "Why not the hat too?" "It had his initials in it." "Yes, and the hat too." "What did you do with them?" "Not a thing, angel." "I'll let you get rid of 'em." "All I did was take the labels out of the coat and the hatband out of the hat." " You want to take 'em, huh?" " Yes." "Sit down, honey." "Sit down, honey, on the bed." "Sorry it isn't tidy." "I didn't know you were going to drop by." " Please, we haven't a minute to lose." " I know." "All I want is time to look the coat over." "Time to find out what's so special about it." "Sit down, honey." "There's a hole in that first pocket." "Maybe there's something in the lining." "Shall we look, tiger?" "Yeah, what do you know?" "Something is in the lining, tiger." "There's no one home." "Well, that's hard to believe." "Could I just touch you, to make sure?" "I mean, were you looking for anyone in particular?" "A man named Palmer." "But I can hardly remember why." "Are you a friend of Mr. Palmer's?" " Are you?" " Well, I asked you first." "We flew together in England." "In a weak moment, he asked me to drop by if I ever got to Hollywood." "Oh." "I live across the hall." "I'm Alan's sister." "I was pretty sure you weren't Jane." " Oh, you've met Jane?" " Well, I've seen pictures of her." "Mother told me there'd be times like this." " I don't know what to say." " Well, why say anything?" "We could wait until they're gone and I could just leave, maybe." " They?" " Or whoever it is we're avoiding." "Jane, I gather." "What's it all about?" " It's Alan." "He's missing." " Missing?" "Since when?" "Last night, about ten o'clock." "What did you expect to find with your passkey?" "I suppose I had to expect that question." "That's why I pulled you in here." "I didn't want Jane to know where you ran into me." "I gathered that." "I had ten days coming to me, and I looked forward to going into a happy coma on one of your beaches." " But if there's anything I can do..." " I don't know." "I just don't know." "Where is Jane?" "She went down to the Missing Persons bureau." "She hasn't come back." "Why the passkey?" "Why couldn't Jane know what you were looking for?" "You didn't tell me your name." "Ha." "Don Blake." "Do you know my name?" "Well, Alan mentioned it a few times but I'm not quite sure." "Elizabeth?" "No, it's Katherine." "I know what you're thinking." "I can almost hear that mind of yours churning." "You're wondering why I'm so eager to help." "Or maybe you're wondering why I'm so willing to believe the worst of Jane." "Well, I..." "I never met Jane, but I never liked her either." "You know her first husband killed himself?" "Jane had nothing to do with it." "The man had had money once and he just couldn't stand being broke." "Uh-huh." "Well, anyway, getting back to Alan, you obviously think there's something wrong." "And I wouldn't like to feel I walked out on him." "So, if there's anything I can do, or anything that ought to be done," "I'd appreciate you telling me about it." "All right, Mr. Blake." "Better?" "Feel like talking now?" "It's cold in here." "I'll turn on the oven." "Maybe I shouldn't bother to light it, huh, tiger?" "So, hubby pulled a cross-up, is that it?" "The dough is checked somewhere, I gather?" "Yes." "Where?" "Is it possible to get the bag without the ticket?" "I know exactly what it looks like." "Sure, all you got to do is describe the contents, then the cops come and take you away." "The ticket's some place in the apartment." "I know it." "I've got to get back." " And I've got to have that gun." " Sure, I'll give you your gun." "All you got to do is ask and Danny give." "Remember the ride we took last night, tiger?" "The money was buried up in the hill." "You were taking me up there to give me my half, remember?" "You were taking me up there to kill me, tiger." "You were going to kill me." "And now I give you back the gun?" "Sure, I'll give it to you." "But first I'm going to get to know you better." "I think probably some day you will kill me." "And I wouldn't want that to happen unless we were good friends." "Go ahead, scream." "Get the cops in here." "That's all we need." "Where have you been, Jane?" "Is there any news?" "No." "Why aren't you at work?" "Work?" "With Alan just swallowed up someplace?" "Where have you been?" "Walking." "Thinking." "Trying to figure this thing out." "Jane, I thought of something this morning." "If Alan just... well, just went away, don't you..." "What do you mean, if he just went away?" "What else could have happened?" "I don't know." "Nothing seems to make any sense." "Does it ever?" "I thought of a way we might be able to tell." "Alan's gun." "He loved that gun." "It was the only thing he saved from his army days." "If he'd known he was going away," "I think he'd have taken it with him, don't you?" "We can easily find out." " What's the matter with you?" " Nothing, I..." "I think I know who it is, Jane." "It's a friend of Alan's." "I ran into him in the hall." "He said he'd be back." "Are you Mrs. Palmer?" "Lieutenant Breach, Homicide Division." "May I come in?" "You don't seem to have expected me." " Should I have?" " Well, didn't you report a..." "Oh, my apologies, Mrs. Palmer." "I see what's wrong now." "The Missing Persons detail is part of the Homicide Division." "I've been assigned to the case you reported." "Oh, I'm afraid you frightened me for a minute, Lieutenant." "I was afraid something had happened." "I'm sorry." "Oh, Lieutenant Breach, my sister-in-law, Miss Palmer." "Won't you sit down?" "I've been trying to get you by phone, Mrs. Palmer." "I have some information for you you might prefer to discuss privately." "Miss Palmer's my husband's sister." "Go ahead." "Is there anything you would like to add?" "Something you didn't put into your report?" "No, not a thing." "Mrs. Palmer, there's nothing illegal about being missing." "We only work on a missing person's case if it's a juvenile or if there's some evidence of foul play or a suicide or an accident." "When we get evidence that it is something else, and it usually is, we don't touch it." "I see." "So, you see, Mrs. Palmer, it isn't exactly playing ball with us to hold anything back." "Hold what back, Lieutenant?" "The other woman, Mrs. Palmer." "What... what do you know about her?" "Well, it's the only thing we've uncovered so far." "A Bel Air resident... he's vice president of a furniture plant out in Vernon... was pulling out of his driveway last night, when this car... uh, your car, driven by a woman, almost crashed into him." "A man dressed like you described your husband, same size, everything, gets out of the car." "Apparently, they'd had a quarrel." "Well, that's about all our informant saw." "All he did was spot the license number." "It might have been foul play." "I doubt it." "I..." "I suspect they patched it up." "Do you know anything about this woman, Mrs. Palmer?" "Not very much, I'm afraid." "I..." "I've only seen her once or twice." "She... she's a little taller than I am." "Hair a little darker." "Brown eyes, I think, but I don't know her name or where she lives." "Jane, you never told me." "Why?" "Because I didn't think it meant..." "Hello?" "Yes." "It's for you." "Oh, I told the Bureau I'd be here." "Thank you." "Hello?" "Yes." "Uh-huh." "OK." "Thanks." "Goodbye." "I'm afraid that wraps it up." "If you really want some action on your husband, Mrs. Palmer," "I'd suggest you bring in some private help." "Your car was located 12 miles south of San Diego, just this side of the Mexican border." "Your husband wasn't in some kind of trouble, was he, Mrs. Palmer?" "No, or... or not that I know of." "Are... are you sure it was our car?" "Yes." "I'll see that it's sent back." "Good luck." "And thank you, Lieutenant." "Goodbye." "I know Alan wasn't seeing another woman, and so do you." "Where Alan's concerned, my dear, you're blind." "It's time you knew it." "Your description of this other woman, Jane, it sounded very much like you." "What do you mean by that?" "What are you trying to imply?" "I'm not quite sure." "Well, hello again!" "We always seem to be colliding in hallways, don't we?" "Yes, we seem to." "Jane, this is the man I mentioned to you." "He flew with Alan." "Mr. Blake, my sister-in-law." " How do you do, Mrs. Palmer?" " How do you do?" "I'm sorry to hear about Al, but I'm sure he'll turn up soon." "Thank you." "Will you excuse me, Jane?" "Mr. Blake." "Well, she seems to be a bit upset." "Has there been some news about Alan?" "No, but they were very close, you know." "Oh, I know." "Did you want to see Alan about anything special?" "Oh, no, we were just very good friends." "I see." " Would you like to come in?" " All right." "Kathy didn't tell me much about you, Mr. Blake." "Did you know Alan well?" "Well, I thought I did." "It'd be hard to believe Al took after some wild geese." "He was always an advocate of the home and hearth." "I..." "I always thought so." "Won't you sit down?" "All right." "Uh... go ahead." "Well, I was about to say I'm here on a vacation, and I was wondering if I might help in any way." "I think the police are doing all that can be done." "What did Alan usually call you, Mr. Blake?" "Don." "When there were ladies present." "Which wasn't often, I hope." "What squadron were you flying with?" "The same as Alan's, Mrs. Palmer." "Wouldn't you rather call me Jane?" "All right." " Would you like a drink?" " I didn't think it was that noticeable." " What?" " The thirsty look." "Come on, let me help." "Or let me watch." "Where were you stationed in England?" " Don't you know?" " Of course." "I keep forgetting." "Stonehurst or something like that, wasn't it?" "Yeah, something like that." "Ipswich." "I didn't know we had any operations in Stonehurst." "Well, all those places in England used to sound alike to me." "I seem to worry you, Mrs. Palmer." "Why?" "Why do you say that?" "I don't know." "I..." "I sense a third-degree quality in this conversation." "Could I be wrong?" "Yes, you're wrong." "I'm just curious about you, Mr. Blake." "No, you don't worry me." "But it's possible you're beginning to intrigue me." "Oh, let's wait till we're sure Al isn't coming back, hm?" "You made quite a bit out of that remark of mine, didn't you?" "Well, I didn't think I made any more out of it than I found there." "I'm afraid you did." "If I should hear from Alan, where can he get in touch with you?" "I'm staying at the Villa Vista Hotel." "Oh, by the way, uh... on my way out, shall I take the guy in the plaid suit off your back?" "What did you say?" "Looks a little pale." "I think I can handle him all right." " What are you talking about?" " The guy in the plaid suit." "He was lurking around the dark end of the hall, making like a tenant trying to find a key." "I watched him for a while as I got off the elevator." "Made him nervous." "He must be from the police." "Sure." "That's right." "They're looking for Al." "They probably figure the best place to find him is where he lives." "Thanks for the drink..." "Mrs. Palmer." "Sharber." "Sharber." "Hello, Mr. Jack Sharber, please." "Mr. Sharber, this is Jane Palmer, Alan's wife." "Yes, I'm fine." "Mr. Sharber, you were at Ipswich with Alan, weren't you?" "Do you remember a Don Blake?" "No, Blake." "You don't?" "Mr. Sharber, could you drop by here tonight?" "It would only have to be for a minute or so." "Could you come by tomorrow, then?" "All right, fine." "It's the Chateau Michel, apartment 514." "Thank you, Mr. Sharber." "Tomorrow night, then." "Seven o'clock." "Goodbye." "You stupid fool." "You were seen out there." "For all I know, the man who saw you was a detective." "Relax, tiger." "There are other people on this floor, you know." "What do you want?" " Find the ticket?" " No." "Too bad." "I don't like to think what'll happen inside you if you don't." "I came up to tell you something, tiger." "If you get that dough and dust with it, it'll be very, very bad." " I don't intend to." " Fine." "But let me tell you why it'll be very, very bad." "You want to know about that, don't you?" "Listen, Danny, we can't be fighting each other now." " We've got to help each other." " Yeah?" "Why?" "Kathy, my sister-in-law, she's getting suspicious." "She's beginning to figure the whole thing out." " How?" "What's she got?" " She heard me come in last night." "I denied it, but I know she doesn't believe me." "She knows Alan wouldn't have gone out to get liquor, because there was plenty here." "She knows Alan's gun was gone." "I don't know how, but she does." "She... she's going to trip us up, Danny, I know it." "Maybe it's time to clear out." "Chalk it up to experience." "We can't." "We've got to stay here until we find that ticket." "You mean stay here till she tells her story to the cops?" "Is that it?" "She's not going to tell her story." "You're going to help me again, Danny." "Help you do what?" "You've got no other choice." "We can't just wait and let her kill us." "I didn't mean to kill Alan, but it's done and now it's our lives against hers." "We kill her, huh?" "Do you really think you can get away with that?" "Yes." "Kathy was all wrapped up in Alan." "She missed work today." "She's what the papers would call despondent." "She... she's going to take poison because of it." "You're going to get it for me." "Sorry, Mrs. Palmer." "I'd rather take my chances." "You don't think I want to do it?" "I couldn't kill Alan." "I tried to convince myself I could kill him, but when the time came, I couldn't do it." "How did he die?" "Pneumonia?" "It was an accident." "He opened my purse and the gun fell out." "I don't know what happened after that." "I killed him." "But I didn't know it then and I'm not going to die for it." "We've got to do it, Danny." "We've got no other choice." "Get me something, Danny." "You know how to get it." "I'll do the rest." "We can't put it off." "You are a tiger." "You got me in so deep, I can't get out." "I'll get the stuff for you." "But, like you say, you gotta do the rest." "Every bit of it." "When I get back, make sure she's not around." "I don't want to see her, not even for a second, and I don't want to talk about this or her again." "I'll..." "I'll get you some money." " Oh, hello." " Hello." " How did you make out with Jane?" " She's crazy about me." "You know where they went last night, before Alan disappeared?" "Yes." "Do you happen to have any pictures around of Jane and Alan?" "Why, yes." "Why?" "Well, the police won't do anything until they're convinced something's wrong." "We're going to find something to convince them." "How did you know that about the police?" "Did Jane..." "Get into your coat, Miss Palmer, honey." "We're going sleuthing." "You waiting for a boat, mister?" "Well, not right now." "But I would like to ask you a couple questions." "Look, I don't know what makes 'em run, mister." "I ain't no good with motors." "Well, maybe you're good at faces." "Remember the last time you saw him?" "Yeah, I seen him." "But I'll be darned if I remember when." "Maybe this'll help." "Yeah, last night." "They was here last night." "Hey, you a cop?" " Do I look like one?" " I never seen any that did." "I just happen to be a friend of his and he, uh... disappeared last night." "Do you remember anything about them, how they behaved?" "Or if they were quarrelling or anything?" "Uh... they acted like any corny people." "There you are, buddy." "Thanks very much." "Are you sure there isn't anything else you can tell us?" "They were pretty fast with a buck, too." "He give me one to get one of the big boats, and when they came back, she..." "You know, I just thought of something." "She paid." "He helped her out of the boat, real polite like, and he goes upstairs, and she goes over there and pays." " Hmph!" "Some guy." " Well, they're married, you know." "Oh, that explains everything." "Thanks." "You know, uh... the man usually pays for things, even when he's married to the girl." "Uh... did Alan happen to be an exception to that rule?" "He is rather absent-minded." "You must have noticed that." "Oh, sure." "Sure, that's right." "Well, I think we'd better say goodnight here." "I think it's better if Jane doesn't see us together too much." "All right." "Well, I sort of made saying goodnight sound like quite a project, didn't I?" "Yes, I thought so." "Oh, ten days in town." "I don't think you'd go for that kind of a deal, would you?" "I might." "But I see what you mean." "Good night, Miss Palmer, honey." "Did you really fly with Alan?" "Hey, what kind of a question is that?" "An honest one." "I hope you'll give me an honest answer." "You seem so terribly concerned about what happened to Alan, yet you never talk about him as though you really knew him." "Well, uh... maybe there's a reason, Kate." "Maybe I'm afraid if I did, I'd be talking about him in the past tense." "What makes you say that?" "Oh, I don't know." "Just a peculiar feeling I've had." "About Jane." "Now, look, let's get squared away on her first." "And then I'll talk about myself till you cry uncle." "You know, I'm one of my favorite topics." "All right, Don." "Goodnight." "Oh, wait, wait." "Just one other thing." "There's something going on here, Kathy, and it's not very pretty." "Don't ask me what it is or why I think so, but... bear with me, Kate, will you?" "I have to trust someone, Don." "I'd like it to be you." "Goodnight, Don." "Goodnight, Kathy." "Who is it?" "You really want me to answer that?" "Right out here in front of..." " You're drunk." " It takes one to spot one." "Did you get it?" "The best, Duchess." "Nothing but the best for you, Duchess." "I say let's kill these people in style." "There's enough there to kill most of the people you don't like." "Now, let me hold that little bottle while you go fix me a drink." "You'd had enough to drink." "Get out of here and get yourself sober." "I don't like you this way." "You know what the man said who sold me this?" "He said I didn't look like the type of guy he was used to dealing with." "I looked him right in the eye and I said, "You mean I don't look like a killer, huh?"" "You know what he said?" "He said, "No, you don't."" "I wonder what he would have said if you'd bought the stuff, tiger." " Hi." " Hi." "Well!" "How did you know I was going to ask you out to dinner?" "I didn't." " Then why do you look so nice?" " Well, thank you, sir." "But I just got home from work." "I look a fright and you know it." "Oh, sure you do." "I know just the best place for us." "All the best frights go there." "And I was going to settle for a glass of milk." "Oh, no, it'll keep." "You go ahead." "I'll put it in the refrigerator." "Don, after dinner, I'd like you to take me down to Union Station." "Kind of sudden, isn't it?" "Plan to be gone long?" "I found..." "I found this yesterday." "It was hidden in the drawer where Alan keeps his gun." "What do you mean, after dinner?" "Maybe this is the answer?" "Oh, I..." "I was just about to knock." "What did you want, Jane?" "As a matter of fact, I..." "I wanted to get hold of you, Mr. Blake." "There's someone in my apartment I'd like you to meet, a man named Sharber." "Well, maybe some other time, Mrs. Palmer." "There won't be another time." "I'm leaving tomorrow, perhaps sooner." " Jane, did you hear from Alan?" " No." "They brought the car back today." "I..." "I found a note in it from Alan." "He's somewhere in Mexico and I intend to find him." "May I see it?" "What did he say?" "It... it was rather personal, Kathy." "He... he asked me to forgive him told me I could do whatever I wanted with his things." " That's all?" " That's all." "Won't you come, Mr. Blake?" "It's only for a minute." "All right." "You two don't seem to know each other." "Should we?" "Mr. Sharber, this is Don Blake." "He was stationed with you and Alan at Ipswich, he says." "Ha!" "I say that to all the girls." "Let's go, Kate." "You never flew at Ipswich, Jack." "What are you trying to pull?" "Not a thing, Mac." "I'm leaving, Kathy." "I'd like to have you come along with me." "No, and I'd like what I gave you a minute ago." "Well, let's talk about it outside." "I..." "I've already kept you too long, Mr. Sharber." "I found out what I wanted to know." "You sure you're all right?" "Quite all right." "Good night, Mr. Sharber." " Good night." " Thank you." "And now I'll take that ticket, please." "The ticket belongs to me, Mr. Blake." "If I have to shoot you to get it, I'll be quite within my rights." "I'm afraid you won't be." "You can have the ticket." "All you have to do is reach into my pocket and take it." "Turn around." "Get me the Hollywood police, quick." "It's an emergency." "Hello, I'm calling from the Chateau Michel." "You've got to send someone up here quickly." "514." "Hurry." "Katherine Palmer." "Hurry." "Dr. Adams?" "Katherine Palmer." "Could you come up to 514 right away?" "Hollywood police." "Emergency." "This is Katherine Palmer again." "You've got to send a patrol car to Union Station." "A woman will try to claim something there." "'The Union Pacific City of Los Angeles train 103 is now arriving." "'The Los Angeles Terminal." "'Union Pacific train number 1 is now arriving.'" " Hello." " Hello." "You by yourself?" "Not any more, if I can help it." "How would you like to go..." "How would you like to do a lady a big favor and earn five dollars?" "What kind of a favor?" "My... my ex-boyfriend's over there, waiting for me to claim my bag." "If you get it for me, I can avoid him." "If you like, I'll let you spend the five dollars on me." "Well, what are we waiting for?" " Here I am." " I'll, uh... take my fin now, lady." " What?" " My five bucks." "All right." "Ooh." "Ooph." " How long have I been out?" " You took quite a jolt." "Kathy, did you send the police down to the Union Station?" "I tried to." "They wouldn't go." "They said they couldn't hold anyone unless there was a crime committed." "Isn't cracking skulls a crime?" "Don't look at me." "I just drive a patrol car." "Do you want to file charges against somebody?" "Can you get an address from a license number, this time of night?" "Sure we can." "You got a homicide man at the Hollywood station?" "They didn't kill you." "You'll live." "Come on, let's go." "Am I coming?" "I seem to recall we had a date for dinner." "We did, but I guess you'll have to settle for that milk after all, Kathy." "Could I have two minutes before you go?" "We can cover it in ten seconds." "You were right, Kathy." "I don't know your brother from Adam." "Now, I could expand on that, but I think Janey still has some unfinished business." "Thanks, Doc." "I found the ticket, Danny." "I've found it." "It's all clear sailing now." "Go away." "Creep back out." "Lock the door, Danny." "Pull the blinds." "What's the matter?" "I'm worried." "I don't get it." "The money's in that bag, Danny." "We're leaving for Mexico with it." "Like I say, I don't get it." "Why we?" "I need you." "A woman travelling alone would attract too much attention." "And I've got to know about that money, where it came from." "That's better." "Don't ever change, tiger." "I don't think I'd like you with a heart." "Open the bag, Danny." "It's all ours." " Let's have a drink." " In a minute, Danny." "But first of all, I've got to know where the money came from and if we can use it safely." "There should be 60 grand in there, tiger." "60 grand." "I got to have a drink." "Wait, Danny." "Somebody threw that money into our car." "Why?" "Because you don't go into a guy's office in a blackmail payoff, sweet." "Besides, he didn't know what I look like and I wanted to keep it that way." " But... but who is it and why did..." " Never mind who it is, tiger." "But it's the kind of a thing you come across only once in a lifetime." "I stumbled onto a racket." "A big man in town." "Three floors of mahogany in the Monarch Building." "Big insurance agent." "Sells policies on bridges and aqueducts and stuff." "Whoever heard of anything happening to a bridge?" "So, the policies never went back to New York." "They're just pieces of paper my benefactor's been collecting premiums on for years." "I cut me a slice of last year's premiums." "That's it." "Then... then the money isn't marked." "We can spend it." "You said it, tiger." "Now... let's have that drink." "Wait, Danny." "We'll make it a toast." "I'll get some glasses." "They're right there on the sink." "Here's to crime." "It pays and pays." "Found this in his pocket." "Take a sniff." "The whiskey bottle wasn't spiked." "He took it like a good boy, right in his glass." "Go out and call the lab crew and the meat wagon." "Tell them it's a suicide." "It's no suicide." "Your friend Mrs. Palmer arranged this little tableau." " Any idea why?" " Yeah." "He helped her kill her husband." "If you've got something to tell me, let's have it." "I think you'll find her husband at the bottom of the lake at Westlake Park." "Ha-ha." "You don't say?" "You know, I'm only a cop." "When I checked the lake, I found they went there the night he disappeared and they also left it together." "Now, look, when they left the boat, Palmer was in a great big hurry." "He left the paying to his wife and dashed up the steps, and now I think I know why." "Palmer never got off that boat." "This guy did." "Then he drove Palmer's car to San Diego." "I could point out a dozen things wrong with that, but why bother?" "If you're right, the body will come up in a day or two." "Oh, no." "I'm afraid you'll have to drag the lake." "Jane's a pretty smart girl." "If she put him there, she put him there to stay." "Anyone besides you ever see them together?" "Look, what's the trouble?" "Don't you want to lick this thing?" "Do you know what it would cost the department to close that lake and drag it?" "We'd have to get an OK from the Police Commission, and the Bureau of Budget and Efficiency, and if the lake management raised enough of a hassle, we might even have to go to the City Council." "Hey, Chief." "Come here a minute." " What's the idea?" "I haven't done..." " All right, all right." "She starts up the walk and notices the door's open." "Then she sees our car and decides to go away." "I was just trying to ask her a polite question." "Polite, he says." "How does he act when he's being crude?" "Are you a friend of Fuller's?" " Friend of whose?" " Come on inside." "What happened?" "Did you ever see this before?" "Was it with that?" "You know anyone who would want to kill him?" "He killed himself." "Oh, God have mercy on him." "What makes you think he did it himself?" "You got any reason?" "He had a big deal on." "50 or 60 grand, he said." "But something went wrong." "I was with him when he got that stuff." "He didn't think I knew what he was getting, but I did." "Oh, I want to go home." "Parker, take her home, get her name, and find out where Fuller got that poison." "Right." "And as for you, brother, I'm going to let you off with a little friendly advice." "Don't ever try to involve the department in your private quarrels." "If you get any facts, bring them around." "But until you do, Palmer's a missing person and this guy killed himself." "Now get going." "Palmer's a corpse." "How much would it cost me to have the lake dragged and prove it to you?" "What did the lady do to you, Blake, besides sap you down?" "It must have been something big." "Sure, son, you can drag the lake." "A guy did it about four years ago, looking for his wife." "When he'd got through it, it had cost him 4,000 bucks, the park officials were suing him, and his wife turned up in Modesto with a truck driver." "Having trouble?" "All fixed now, thanks." "Had a flat." " Sure I can't help any?" " No, no." "Thanks very much." "It's a bad place to get stuck." "Blowout, huh?" "Yes." "This small fortune belong to you, ma'am?" "Yes, it... it must have dropped from my bag." "Suppose there's any more where that came from?" "All that money, lady, you ought to have some male protection." "Anything wrong, miss?" "No, I..." "I had a flat, but everything's all right now." " Goodnight." " Goodnight." "Goodnight." "It was so nice meeting you." "After dinner, we'll go to the frontón for the highlight game." "I'm sorry, Carlos." "No." " I'm rather tired." " Of course." "Mañana." "Well, nice place you have here, Mrs. Palmer." "Oh, excuse me." "It's Miss Petrie now, isn't it?" "That happens to be my maiden name." "I filed suit for divorce." "That's a nice touch, but, uh... widows don't need divorces, do they?" "I wasn't aware that I was a widow." "Doesn't matter." "I really came here to talk about money." "I'd like, say, half of what you brought down with you." "That would be about 200 dollars, Mr..." "What was your name?" "It was Blake when you knew me." "You brought down about 60 grand, according to Danny's girlfriend." "I don't know any Danny and I haven't got any money." "I think you'd better leave." "I swear I'll scream to wake the dead if you don't get out of here." "Well, it's too bad you can't wake the dead, Jane." "It might save you." "You see, I found your husband's body." "I told the Los Angeles police where I am." "If there was any news of Alan, I would have been notified." "Not about this, you wouldn't." "You see, I let him drop back in." "Drop back?" "Where?" "Where you put him, the lake." "Looking for something?" " My lipstick." " Colt?" "Or Smith  Wesson?" "Now... what's this about lakes?" "Just one lake." "And if we can't make a deal, I'm going back and drag him up again." "How... how much do you want?" "I told you, half." "It's in the hotel safe." "I'd have to go get it." "Go ahead." "Aren't you afraid I might not come back?" "You'll come back." "How do I know you won't take it all?" "Well, that would make me a cad, Jane." "I couldn't do that." "Get the money." "I'll be satisfied with half." "Has a nice cool look, hasn't it, Jane?" "It tempts me." " But this'll cover it." " What do you mean by that?" "I'm giving you a strict accounting of your funds, Mrs. Palmer." "I had to know for sure if your husband was really in that lake." "This is a price for having the lake dragged." "What do you mean?" "What are you trying to say?" "I'm trying to tell you, Jane, you're all washed up." "You can't take my money, and..." " You're not..." " The law?" "No." "No, just someone who couldn't let you get away with it, Jane." "A killjoy." "Here it is." "You want it, don't you?" "It's yours!" "All you have to do is take it!" "You can't see it, Mrs. Palmer, but I'm riding a big white horse." "This is a vendetta." "But it's over now." "Please page Teniente Rivera." "He's in the lobby." "Rivera, I'm in her apartment." "She has the money here." "All of it." "Yes, right away." "You'll have to forgive me, Jane, but I made formal charges that you stole that money from me." "Now, you can sue me later for false arrest, but I had to figure some way of keeping you in town until the LA police get here." " Why, Mr. Blake?" "Tell me why!" " Not Blake." "Blanchard." " Does it mean anything to you?" " I..." "I once married a man named Blanchard." "Yes, my brother." "I was overseas when it happened, but I never really believed Bob killed himself." " You killed him." " I swear I didn't kill him." "He found out I didn't love him, and he killed himself." "I swear it." "I swear I didn't kill him!" "There are many ways of killing a man, Jane." "And now that I know you, I can believe Bob probably did kill himself." "But then there's Alan Palmer and your friend Danny." "You're all through killing now, Jane." "Wait!" "He's lying!" "The money is mine!" "Please, señorita, we wish no trouble." "You come with us, eh?" "No!" "I tell you he's lying!" "Jane!" " Someone get a doctor." " No need." "She's dead." " How did it happen?" " She fell from the balcony." "Vamos, muchachos." "Well, it was a short honeymoon, Kathy." "We're going home now." "Jane?" "Yeah."