" Can I help you?" " I'd like to see the man in charge." "In here." " I want to report a murder." " Sit down." " Where was this murder committed?" " San Francisco, last night." "Who was murdered?" "I was." "Do you want to hear me out or don't you, Captain?" "I don't have very much time." "Your name Bigelow, Frank Bigelow?" "That's right." "Answer this San Francisco APB, send it direct to inspector Banner at Homicide, tell him we've found Frank Bigelow." "Go ahead, Mr. Bigelow." "This involves some other people, Captain," " a number of other people." " You tell it any way you like." "I live in a little town called Banning, out on the desert, it's on the way to Palm Springs." "I have a small business there..." "Paula!" " Yes, Mr. Bigelow?" " Get me a copy of Miss Hollis' '48 tax return, will you?" "Oh, you better get the '47 too." " Yes, Mr. Bigelow." " I don't think we took any depreciation on that new equipment last year." " No, we didn't." "I remember you said we could include it all this year." " Sure we can." " Hey Frank." " Yeah, Will?" "Peterson says he wants a financial statement before he can give me my loan." " Hello, Kitty." " Hi, Will." "Well, I'm leaving for San Francisco today, but I'll be back in about a week and I'll take care of it for you then." " Sure is a scorcher, isn't it." " Well, I've seen 'em worse." " Well, have a nice time Frank." " Yeah, thanks Will." "Paula, why don't you come down to the place and let me give you another permanent?" "Makes your hair so much easier to manage in all this heat." "I can't afford it right now, maybe next month." "Yeah, here it is." "No, we didn't take it." "Well, we can do it this year." "You work it out any way you think best." " Have a nice trip, Frank." " Sure Kitty, see you when I get back." "Bon voyage!" "Why don't you come down anyway, Paula?" "We'll, uh, work out a deal on that permanent." "Thanks, maybe I will." "Hello?" "Oh hello Mr. Hawkins, just a moment." "You want him to send your ticket over?" " No, I'll pick it up myself." " No, Mr. Bigelow will get it at the station." "Bye." "I want to go with you, Frank." "Now Paula, I'm just going on a little vacation, you know that." " You want to go without me don't you?" " Be gone just a week." "And I suppose you just made up your mind to take" " this vacation at nine o'clock this morning?" " No, Paula, I meant to tell you" " about it a few days ago, I guess I forgot." " Oh, you forgot!" " Paula, don't be like that." " Don't be like what?" "You just drop a little anouncement that you're going away not tomorrow, or next week, or next month, but today." "No explanations, nothing." "And I'm supposed to swallow the excuse that you need a little vacation." "I just want to get away from town for a few days, that's all." "Get away from this town, or get away from me?" " Oh, Paula, please try to understand." " How can you ask me to understand anything like this?" "No, I'm sorry, but I don't understand." "Go to San Francisco, but don't expect me to be waiting for you when you get back!" "Paula." "Please, Paula." "Come on, turn around." "Look at me." "Come here." "Why do you do this to me, Frank?" "Why can't you be honest with me?" "As honest as I am with you?" " Do you have to go?" " I have to go, Paula." "I know what I'm doing." "All right, go!" "Go anywhere you like." "You can go to blazes for all I care!" "Paula!" "Paula." "Yes, I know, I'm..." " I'm being foolish." " Come here." "Come on." "Fix you face." "We'll go down to Eddie's and have a drink." "Alright, why not." " Hiya, Boss" " Hi, Eddie." " Give us a couple of cold beers, will you?" " Coming up." "Oh, what a relief!" "This air conditioning feels good." "I sure wish we had it in the office, it would make working a pleasure." "If it stays this hot, don't bother going in for the rest of the week." " I won on two races today." " How many did you lose?" "And you would have to ask that!" " Kind of early for you two, ain't it?" " It's too hot to work!" "That's what I like to hear!" "Frank..." "You'll take me with you, won't you?" "You will, won't you?" "Or am I crowding you?" "What do you mean, crowding me?" "Maybe you do need this week away alone." "Maybe we both do." "I know what's going on inside of you, Frank." "You're just like any other man, only a little more so." "You have a feeling of being trapped, hemmed in, and you don't know whether or not you like it." "Look, Paula, I'm going to be honest with you." "I care too much for you not to be honest with you." "I'm as much concerned for your happiness as I am for my own." "I know you've had one bad experience, Frank, I know all about it." "But you don't know what it can do to two people, Paula." "And the woman always gets hurt more than the man." "I don't want you to get hurt, darling." "More than anything in the world, I don't want you to get hurt." " Want to hear some music?" " Alright, Frank." " Got a couple of nickels, Eddie?" " Yep." " This won't bother you, will it?" " No, next result doesn't come in for half an hour." "I thought that by now we'd be married." "No, I'm not going to crowd you any more, Frank." "Go to San Francisco." "I don't like it, but I'm convinced that you must go." "I want you to be very sure, Frank." "If it's right, and I believe it is, we'll have something really wonderful together." "If it isn't, we should both know it as soon as possible." "So you see, even if I could stop you, I wouldn't do it now." " Yes Sir." " My name's Bigelow, I have a reservation." "Yes Sir." " Here we are, Sir." " My name's Bigelow, I have a reservation." "I have it sir." "It's a very nice room on the sixth floor, facing the Bay." "Boy!" "This might help you enjoy your stay, Mr. Bigelow." "It's a little booklet on how to have... "fun" in San Francisco." " Oh, thank you!" "." " You're very welcome Sir." " Say is it always like this around here?" " No, this is market week, the last day." "Boy!" "Always around until you need them." "Here's a message for you, Mr. Bigelow." "Long distance call came in about an hour ago, from Banning," " from a Paula Gibson." " Oh, thank you." " You're very welcome." " Show Mr. Bigelow to 618." " Right this way, Sir." "Right this way, Mr. Bigelow." " Is there anything else, Mr. Bigelow?" " Oh, yes." "You can get me a dry Manhattan, and a packet of razor blades." " Yes, Sir." " Thank you." "Oh, and you can leave that door open." "Hello operator, I want to speak to Miss Paula Gibson in Banning, California." "Yeah, that's right..." "No, I'll wait." " Hello?" " Hello, Paula." " Oh, hello Frank." "How is the trip?" " Fine, just fine." " Having a miserable time, I hope." " Well I don't know," "I just got in." " What was that?" " Ah..." "Market week." "The place is crawling with travelling salesmen." "You know, Charlie Anderson found out that you went away" " and he asked me to go out with him." " Oh really?" "How did he make out?" " I'm considering it." " Is that what you called to tell me?" "I'll have you know that this call is strictly business, Mr. Bigelow." "Did a Mr. Phillips phone you, a Eugene Phillips, of Los Angeles?" " No." " He will, he phoned the office three times today." "Said that he wanted to get in touch with you immediately." "He said it's most urgent and imperative that he reach you at once." " What did he want?" " I don't know." "But he sounded deep dark and mysterious, and quite agitated about something." "Phillips, Phillips." "Have we... have we ever done any business with him?" "Not unless you've been keeping it a secret from me." "I looked through all the accounts." "Why did you tell him he could reach me here?" "You know I'm supposed to be on vacation." "So you told me, and so I told him, dear heart." "But the gentleman didn't seem to respect your temperamental moods the way I do." "He was very insistent that he speak to you "before it's too late", as he put it." "Well tell him you tried to get in touch with me, and I changed my plans and you can't reach me." "He won't talk to me, I told him I was your confidential secretary, but I guess I don't sound confidential enough." "So I told him that he could reach you there this evening." "Well call him back." "If it's as important as he says it is, he'll talk to you.." "otherwise he'll just have to wait until I get home." "My, aren't we adamant this evening!" "All right, shall do." " And Frank.." " Yeah?" "I.." "I don't quite know how to say this..." "Say what?" "But what I want to say is that there's nothing you can do that you ever have to feel guilty about." "Oh..." "Sure." "Thanks, Paula." "I'll..." "I'll call you tomorrow." "Right." "Oh..." "Just put it there, please." " You can keep the change." " Thanks very much." " Say, how long has this been going on?" " Oh, it's been a madhouse all week." "But they check out tomorrow." "I thought you were with them." "No, I'm just here on a vacation." "Why does everybody come to San Francisco and tear loose?" "Excuse me." "Say, I'm awfully sorry to bother you, but would you mind if I use your telephone?" " No." "No, go right ahead." " I'm just across the hall here." "One of the boys is using my phone, and he's been on it for half an hour!" "I just want to call downstairs." " Yeah." " Thank you." "Room service, please." "Yeah, things really picked up the last few days, didn't they." " You done much business?" " I'm not here on business." "Hello, room service?" "It's Mr.Haskell, in 617." "Would you send up three more bottles of Bourbon and two Scotch." "Yes, oh, and some more ice too." "Thank you." "You here all alone?" " Yes, I just got into town." " Well, why don't you join us for a drink?" " Well, I don't want to barge in on your party." " Oh, nonsense." "It's not a party." "It's just a few of the boys entertaining some buyers." "You know, the usual thing, a few drinks, and some laughs!" "It's no party." "Come on!" " Well..." " Come on." "Come on." " All right." "I know what it's like to be all alone in a strange city." " I'm Sam Haskell." " I'm Frank..." "Frank Bigelow." "You'd think some of these guys have never been away from home before!" "Yeah!" "Hey, quiet down a bit, will you quiet down a second." " I want you to meet Frank Bigelow." " Hello!" " This is Jane Carlyle." " Hello." " Bill Welch." " How are ya, Mr. Welch?" " Glad to know you, Bigelow." "Jane is the prettiest buyer in San Francisco." " Hey, I resent that." " You don't think I believe him, Elaine?" "Why, he's spread that from coast to coast." " It's good for my morale, anyway." " I'm George Cantwell," " glad to know you, Mr..." " Bigelow." " Done much business?" " He's not here on business." " Oh?" "Well!" " Why don't you get the man a drink..." " ...before he dies of thirst?" " How about a little Bourbon?" " Oh, that's fine." " Bourbon it is." "Of course Mr. Wallace." "In fact, yes, Mr. Wallace." "But Mr. Wallace, I'll need at least a week in Cleveland to visit all my accounts." "I can't think about being in Philadelphia until the 17th." "Eddie, will you get off the phone?" "I want you to meet Frank Bigelow." " How are you?" " That's his boss." "He's been trying for an" " hour to get his expense account boosted." " Yes, the way this guy holds onto a dollar you'd think they weren't printing them anymore." "Yes, Mr. Wallace!" "I'm leaving here the first thing in the morning." "Yes, Sir." "Oh, keep your hips loose, Harry, like this." "Oh, yes!" "How's he doing?" "Oh, there's nothing wrong with Harry that two years in a dance school wouldn't cure." "I was doing all right." "This is Sue and Harry Brandon." " Hello." " Hello, good to meet you." " How are you." "Where'd you find her, Sam?" "On a dance marathon?" " Bourbon!" " Say I bet you could do the Rumba?" " Well, a little, but I'm kinda rusty." "Anything would be an improvement after Harry!" " Well how do you like that?" " Well here goes!" "Hey, you're good." "My wife, she's a good dancer, isn't she Bigelow?" "Oh..., yeah!" "Fellas, I thought you were going to show us a good time tonight, is this doing the town?" "That's right, we practically bankrupt our stores to buy everything you've got then you keep us in this hotel room!" "I agree." "This is my last night to howl before I go back to being a dutiful housewife." "Well, it looks like we're stuck, boys." "This is where we blow all our commission in one night." " And you're coming with us, Bigelow." " No, thanks... you run along." "I've got to get unpacked and have dinner." "oh, no, you're not going to get away from me." "Now that I've found a man who can dance, I'm going to hang on to him!" " Man, am I hip!" " You're from nowhere, nowhere!" "Blow it!" "Blow up a storm, Fisherman!" "Stay with it!" "Go, go on, get it, Fisherman!" " Have a little bit of my drink, Frank." " No, thank you." " Excuse me a moment." " Where are you going?" "Sue..." "I think you've had enough." " What'll it be?" " Bourbon and water, no ice." "Nice quiet place you've got here!" "Wait about an hour, that's when they really go out of their minds." "Who's the blonde?" "Oh, she's one of the chicks that hangs around here, she's jive crazy." " Come again?" " Oh, you ain't hip pal." ""Jive crazy" means that she goes for this stuff." "Just between you and me, I don't get it either, but I got to listen to it." "They're all connoisseurs, music lovers." "Me, I like..." "Guy Lombardo." " What's the matter with him?" " He's flipped, the music's driving him crazy." "Come down, Jack!" "Oh, don't bug me man!" "I'm being enlightened." " Is the blonde alone?" " Oh sure, "Society"." "She always comes in alone." "Drives a big convertible, wears a mink coat, knows everybody." "But she always comes in alone." "Thank you." "Give me another blast, Leo." " What's your story, Jeannie?" " Easy." " Hello." " Easy." "Dig the Fisherman." " That's really silk, isn't it?" " Can I buy you a drink?" "Sure, thanks." "Give me a blast, Leo." "Leo, I left my "blast" at the other end of the bar." "My name's Jeannie, what's yours?" " Frank." " I've never seen you here before, Frank." "Well I've never been here before." " This isn't mine, mine was Bourbon." " Well sure it is, you saw me pour it." " Gimme a fresh drink." " Anything you say." "Listen to that piano, feel those vibrations." " You don't get your kicks outta this, do you?" " I can live without it!" " Why do you stay here?" " I don't know." "I bet I know, you're lonely in a big city." "You don't have to go into a routine with me." "I like good company too." "Say, there's some people there that I want to avoid." "Couldn't we get out of here?" " Let me think about it." " Come on, how about going somewhere else?" "Why don't you meet me later?" "OK." "Where?" "Call me at that number later, it's my next stop." "They got a band there that'll really send you." " See you, Jeannie." " Easy." "Never mind, operator." "Room service, please." "Come in." " Be right with you, waiter." " Yes Sir." " Was this all, Sir?" " Yeah, sure." " May I?" " Go ahead." " I've signed there for you." " Thank you Sir." " Would you like anything else?" " No thank you, that's all." " Waiter!" " Yes Sir?" "Take this away." " Is there anything wrong, Sir?" " No, just take it away." "I don't want to even look at it." " Are you alright, Sir?" " Yes, sure." "Alright, I just had too big a night I guess, that's all." " I need some fresh air." " Of course." "Thank you, Sir." "Lungs in good condition, blood pressure normal... heart fine." "Well, it's a good thing that everybody isn't like you, Mr. Bigelow," " put us doctors out of business!" " Glad to hear it, Doctor, I was worried." "Don't let a little bellyache worry you, could be just the change in climate." "Well it isn't exactly an ache, Doctor, it's kind of hard to describe the feeling." "Maybe it was the drinks I had last night, I might have mixed them too much, eh?" "Let's have another look at that throat." "You may finish dressing now, Mr. Bigelow I want to get the results of those tests." "Thank you, Doctor." "Mr. Bigelow, this is Dr. Schaefer." " Hello Doctor, how are you?" " Sit down, Mr. Bigelow." "According to the information you gave Miss Wilson, you're not married Mr. Bigelow." " That's right." " Do you have any relatives, family, anyone in San Francisico?" " No one." "I don't know a soul in San Francisco." " Where is your home?" " What is this, Doctor?" "Why all the questions?" " You're a very sick man, Mr. Bigelow." " Sick!" "?" "But you told me I was in good shape!" "Yes, I know, but my preliminary examination didn't reveal your true condition." " You sound as if it's pretty serious, Doctor." " It's extremely serious." "I want you to understand that we wouldn't tell you something like this unless we were absolutely certain." " Well of course, of course." " You must steel yourself for a shock, Mr. Bigelow." "Well go on, Doctor, what is it you're trying to tell me?" "Our tests reveal the presence in your body of a luminous toxic matter." " What is that, exactly?" " A poison that attacks the vital organs." " Poison?" " There is no alternative but to tell you this." "Your system has already absorbed sufficient toxin to prove fatal." "I wish there was something that we could do." " What do you mean wish...?" " There is nothing ANYONE can do." "This is one of the few poisons of its type for which there is no antidote." "This is fantastic!" "This is the most ridiculous thing..." "Mr. Bigelow, you don't have very long." " What do you mean?" " A day, possibly a week, two weeks at the outside." "It's hard to say exactly." "This is impossible, I don't believe it!" "You've made a mistake." "That's it, it could be a mistake, couldn't it?" "You have made a mistake, haven't you?" "Answer me!" "Dr. Schaefer is an authority on toxicology." "There's been no mistake, Mr. Bigelow." "Do you realise what you're saying?" "You're telling me that I'm DEAD." "Do you think you can explain my life away in just a few words?" "Why, I don't even know who you are!" "Why should I believe you?" "You must calm yourself, Mr. Bigelow." "We want to offer you every assistance that..." "Assistance?" "Who wants assistance?" "Who wants anything from you?" "You're nothing but a couple of phoneys." "I think you're crazy, both of you, you're crazy!" " Where's the Doctor?" " You can't come in here!" "Come on, tell me!" "What's the trouble here?" "What's the matter with you?" "Doctor, I want you to examine me for luminous poison." "Come right in here." "Yeah, you've got it alright." "Your system has already absorbed it." "Are you sure, Doctor?" "Are you absolutely certain?" "Couldn't there be some mistake?" "There it is." "The toxin is actually luminous in the dark." "No, there' no doubt about it, Bigelow." "I don't feel sick, my stomach is just a little bit upset." "Maybe it's not as bad as you think, Doctor." "That's characteristic." "With a heavy jolt you go suddenly, in a matter of hours... but if the stuff is taken in a lesser degree, you last a while... and then... and then?" " Give it to me straight, Doctor!" " Well, a number of things are involved," " the systemic condition of the individual, the amount consumed," " Yes - you won't feel too badly for a while, then it will happen suddenly, a day, two days, a week at the most." "A day!" " Two days!" " There's nothing that can be done, now." "If it had been caught in time, your stomach could have been washed out." "But you've had it in you for some time now for at least twelve hours , haven't you?" "I don't know!" " You don't know?" " No!" "Don't you know how you got it?" "This is no accident, somebody knew how to handle that stuff." "That wax is tasteless and odourless." "From the amount of alcohol in your body you must have got it in liquor." " I was drinking last night." " Arrange for your admission to the hospital immediately." "Of course I'll have to notify the police." " This is a case for Homicide." " Homicide?" "I don't think you fully understand, Bigelow." "You've been murdered." "Get me Police Headquarters please." "Homicide Bureau." ""A day, two days, a week at the most"" ""You've been murdered."" ""This is no accident." "Somebody knew how to handle that stuff."" ""From the amount of alcohol in your body, you must have got it from liquor."" ""There's nothing that can be done now."" ""You've been murdered."" ""You've been murdered." Open up!" "Open this door, I tell you!" "Open up or I'll break it down!" "Where are those men?" "Where are those men who were here last night?" "I don't know, there are no men here." "Please go away..." " Don't lie to me!" "Where are they?" " Mister, this lady just checked in." "Those men aren't here no longer." "They checked out early this morning." " Checked out?" " Please go away." "I'm sorry." "I'm terribly sorry." " Hello?" " Please, Mr. Bigelow, my eardrums!" " Hello, Paula." " Your enthusiasm overwhelms me." "Why haven't you phoned me?" "Or is there a quota on telephone calls up there?" "I'm sorry, I, I've been busy." "I'll bet you have, visiting the museums no doubt." "What's happening up there that's exciting or different?" " Nothing, not a thing." " I'll bet you miss me, but you're too stubborn to admit it." "You know, if you'd like me to come up, I could pack a toothbrush right away." " No!" " Well you don't have to snap my head off!" "You could at least make a pretence of missing me." "I'm sorry, Paula." "Of course I miss you." "Listen, Paula, I..." "Paula, it's just that I don't feel like talking now," " I'll call you later." " Don't strain yourself." "You phone me sometime when you feel more like talking." " By the way, I called that Mr. Phillips back." " Phillips?" "Yes, you know, the man that tried to reach you." "Well I'm afraid that you'll never know why it was so important that he speak to you." "His office said he died yesterday." "Frank, are you there?" "Did you hear me?" "Die?" " When?" " Yesterday." "So you won't have to bother your little head about him any more, you can just go ahead and have fun." "Paula, what did he die from, do you know?" "I suppose he died from whatever people usually die from." "Well didn't they tell you, don't you know?" "What are you getting so excited about, you said you didn't even know the man." " Listen, where's his office located?" " What difference does it make?" "You can't talk to him now, I told you the man's dead." "Paula will you stop talking so much, and tell me where his office is!" "Well alright." "It's the Phillips Importing and Exporting Company," "Bradbury Building, Los Angeles." " Bradbury Building, Los Angeles." " That's right." "Say, this is really a switch!" "Listen,if you want to reach me, I'll be in Los Angeles." " Are you out of your mind?" " I'm sorry, Paula, I've got to hurry!" "Wait a minute, where in Los Angeles?" "The Allison, The Allison Hotel." "Goodbye, Paula." " I'd like to see someone in charge here." " What does it regard to?" " It's a personal matter, it's quite urgent." " Perhaps Mr. Halliday can help you." " Who's he?" " He's our controller." " Your name, please?" " Bigelow." " Mr. Bigelow to see you." " Send him in." "Go right in, please." "That door." " Mr. Bigelow." " How are you, Mr. Halliday?" " What can I do for you?" " Well Mr. Phillips phoned my office several times yesterday." " I'd like to find out what it's all about." " You know Mr. Phillips died yesterday?" " Yes, I know." " Well I don't understand." "If he phoned you, didn't he tell you what it was about?" "Well he didn't speak to me, I wasn't in my office at the time," " and he wouldn't tell my secretary." " Well I'm afraid I can't be of much help." "I've no idea why Mr. Phillips tried to reach you." "I'm sorry you had to make the trip for nothing." "How do you know I made a trip?" "I didn't say anything about making a trip," "I merely said he phoned my office." "My office could be here in Los Angeles." "Miss Foster!" " Yes?" " Didn't you mention something yesterday about Mr. Phillips speaking with Mr. Bigelow in San Francisco?" "I said that he had phoned Mr. Bigelow's office in Banning, but that Mr. Bigelow was staying at the St. Francis hotel in San Francisco." " I'm sorry you misunderstood me." " Do you know why Mr. Phillips called?" " No, I don't." " Alright." "Thank you, Miss Foster." "You can understand that we've been somewhat upset around here, now if you don't mind..." "Did Mr. Phillips have a wife, family, anyone that could help me?" "You can't intrude on people at a time like this" " just to satisfy some curiosity." " It isn't just curiosity!" " Then I suggest you wait a week or so!" " I can't wait." " Well I'm sorry, you'll have to!" " Well, there's always a phone book." "You're a pretty aggressive fellow, Bigelow." "Are you quite sure that this is as important as you make it appear to be?" "It's important." "Mrs. Phillips lives at the Sunset Arms apartments." " Thank you." " I needn't tell you she's under a strain." "I suppose you're capable of using a little more tact than you demonstrated with me?" "I can handle it." "By the way, what was the cause of Mr. Phillips' death?" "Suicide, he leaped from the balcony of his apartment." "Thank you." "Come in, Mr. Bigelow." "I'm Stanley Phillips, Eugene's brother." "Halliday phoned that you were coming." "This is my sister-in-law, Mrs. Phillips." "I'll try to make this as brief as possible, Mrs. Phillips." "I'm afraid I can't be of any help to you, Mr. Bigelow" "I haven't the slightest idea why my husband wanted to speak to you." "Well I guess Halliday covered just about everything." "Did your husband ever mention anything about me, Mrs. Phillips, anything at all?" "No, I can't recall Eugene ever having mentioned your name." "I hate to ask you this, Mrs. Phillips, but it's of vital importance to me." "Do you know why your husband committed suicide?" "You're certainly not the most diplomatic person in the world, are you, Bigelow?" " Were you a friend of my brother's?" " I never met him." "My brother was in a jam, a pretty bad jam." "He was arrested two days ago." "He sold some iridium to a dealer by the name of Majak." "It's a very rare metal, very costly" "Anyway, the iridium turned out to be stolen." "He was released on bail yesterday, but he faced a pretty stiff prison term." " Men have committed suicide for less." " Yes, I know, that's how the police see it." "What puzzles me, though, is this crooked deal." "Knowing Eugene, you wouldn't say he was the type of man to be mixed up in that, would you?" " I told you, I never met him." " That's right, so you did." " Now what's this all got to do with you?" " I don't know." "Let's come clean." "Surely you must have some idea why my brother wanted to speak to you." " I have NO idea." " That's odd." "Then how can it be of such vital importance to you?" "You seem to know the answer to everything else," "Maybe you know the answer to that one, too." "There's a message here for you to call operator 82 at Banning." " Thank you." " Show Mr. Bigelow to room 821." "Say, would you have the operator to put this call through to my room right away?" "Yes, right away." "Hello operator?" " Here." "I'll call you if I need anything." " Thank you, Sir." " Hello, Paula?" " Well, Sinbad." "I'd just about given you up for lost." "Now do you mind telling me just why you rushed down to Los Angeles?" "I can't explain it to you just now, Paula, I..." " I just can't explain it." " What's going on, Frank," " you don't even sound like yourself?" " Well I....." "I'm just a little tired, Paula, that's all." "But I miss you." "Oh, Frank." "I can't tell you how good it is to hear you say that." "And here I was worrying that I'd lost my charm." "When are you coming home, Frank?" "Soon, Paula." "I'll be home soon." "I'll go right out and get myself a permanent, so I'll be pretty when you see me." "Hey, guess what?" "I found that Phillips name in your notarial ledger." " Notarial ledger?" " Yes, of all places." "I remember now, I made the entry myself." "You had notarised a paper one morning, before I came to work." " What kind of paper was it?" " A Bill of Sale, for a George Reynolds, made out to Eugene Phillips, of Los Angeles." "So you see I was right, we hadn't done any business with Phillips, only indirectly." " What was the Bill of Sale for?" " A shipment of iridium, whatever that is." " Iridium?" " You mentioned at the time that this fellow Reynolds had made some kind of a deal in Palm Springs, and he stopped in your office early in the morning on his way north to have it notarised." "Wait a minute!" "Wait a minute, George Reynolds." "That was about six months ago, wasn't it?" " That's right." "Six months ago." " Thanks, Pau..." "Oh!" "Goodbye." "Goodbye?" "." "Hello, operator." "Get that number back for me." "I've got to talk to you, Mrs. Phillips." "Please, go away, I want to be left alone." "But I found out why your husband wanted to see me, it was about a Bill of Sale." " Come in." " Thank you." "What do you know about a man named George Reynolds?" " George Reynolds?" " Yes." "Why that's the man my husband claims sold him the iridium." " And what does Reynolds claim?" " Reynolds disappeared." "About two months ago, my husband grew suspicious that something was wrong, since then he tried in every way to locate Reynolds," " but could find no trace of him." " I don't get it, your husband could have proved he made a legitimate deal by showing" " the Bill of Sale he got from Reynolds." " Then there was a Bill of Sale?" " yes, yes of course there was." " My husband swore there was, but at the time of his arrest, he couldn't find it," " it was mysteriously missing." " if your husband could have shown proof, it would have been George Reynolds who would have faced the prison term." "Eugene was convinced that Reynolds had stolen the Bill of Sale." "He was the only one who had reason to eliminate evidence of the transaction." "Thank you Mrs. Phillips, thank you very much, you've been very helpful." "Oh, if only you'd come sooner, Mr. Bigelow, my husband might be alive today." "I know." "The only thing that puzzles me, Mrs. Phillips, is that you haven't asked how I knew there was a Bill of Sale." "Mr. Halliday isn't in, he should be back shortly." "I think you're the one who can help me, Miss Foster," "Mr. Phillips tried to reach someone else before he called me yesterday, didn't he." " Why don't you ask Mr. Halliday." " Obviously Mr. Halliday wasn't here yesterday, or he wouldn't have had to learn from you that Phillips called me, and you're the logical person to know who else Phillips called." " I don't think that's any of your business." " Don't think you're revealing anything confidential, I know that he tried to reach somebody else, Mrs. Phillips told me." "You're bluffing, Mr. Bigelow." "I don't know what you're after, but you're trying to trick me." "Mrs. Phillips didn't tell you a thing." " How do you know that?" " Mrs. Phillips knows nothing about it." "She doesn't?" "Why wouldn't she...?" "Wait a minute." "I was talking about George Reynolds..." "Who did you think I meant, just who is it that Mrs. Phillips doesn't know about?" " I told you, that's none of your business." " I'll give it to you straight, Phillips was murdered." " Murdered?" "I don't believe you." " He called because he needed me to clear him." "Phillips was innocent, innocent men don't have to jump out of windows!" " Murdered!" " Just who are you trying to protect?" " Why are you so afraid to tell the truth?" " I'm not protecting anybody!" " I haven't any more to say." " This thing is going to explode wide open." "If you've got nothing to hide, you'd better start talking." " Or maybe you are mixed up in this!" " No!" " Well then come on!" " Mr. Phillips called Marla Rakubian," " He went to see her yesterday morning." " Who is Marla Rakubian?" "She's a model." "She and Mr. Phillips used to be quite friendly, but he hadn't been seeing her for some time." "The last couple of months he's been trying to locate her." "He found out where she lived yesterday morning." "When he returned from seeing her, he was terribly upset and excited, that's when he had me to put in the calls for you." "When he couldn't reach you he went home." "The last time I saw him alive." "Give me Marla Rakubian's address." "I don't think Mr. Phillips realised I was aware of his friendship with Marla Rakubian, and out of respect for him I never intended to tell anybody." "I had no idea she had anything to do with the trouble he was in." "I admire your discretion, Miss Foster." "You know, you must be pretty friendly with Stanley, Miss Foster, he knew how desperately his brother tried to reach me yesterday, and he wasn't even here at the time." "And now you seem to know all about what happened in Mrs. Phillips apartment." " Miss Rakubian?" " Yes?" "What do you want?" "Get out of here or I'll call the police." "Go ahead, call them!" "Well go ahead, call them!" "Going on a trip, huh?" " Yes, going away for the weekend." " Sailing for Buenos Aires tomorrow," " some weekend!" " I'll send you a postcard, now get out!" " Who are you going with, George Reynolds?" " I've never heard of him." "I suppose you've never heard of Eugene Phillips, either?" " Just who are you, what do you want?" " Never mind who I am" " Where's Reynolds?" " I told you I don't know him now will you get out of here and leave me alone?" "So you've never heard of George Reynolds!" "Don't tell me this isn't him, because I've seen him!" "." " If you think you can scare me, you're crazy." " Look I know that Phillips came here yesterday." "And right after he left, he was pushed out of a sixth storey window." " Pushed?" "Phillips committed suicide." " Your playmate Reynolds murdered Phillips then he went up to San Francisco to get me because I knew about a certain Bill of Sale." " I don't know what you're talking about." " You're in this right up to your pretty neck." "I'm not mixed up in anything." "get your hands up!" "Drop that picture on the couch." "Turn around!" "Don't get any ideas, because I'm not afraid to use this." "Give me your wallet." "Frank Bigelow, hotel Alli..." " Alright, now where's Reynolds?" " I don't know where he is." " Is that what you told Phillips, yesterday?" " I told him exactly what I'm telling you.." "I haven't heard from him in months." "Yeah?" "You're mighty careful of the picture of a man you haven't heard from in months." " What does the "Ray" stand for?" " It was a pet name." "Do you mind?" "It all sounds very cosy, Miss Rakubian," "You and Reynolds call each other pet names while you make a sucker out of Phillips." "Phillips made the deal because he wanted it!" "Yeah?" "Well I bet you weren't above using what it takes to help MAKE him want it." " Who's paying for this trip?" " I am!" "Really?" "A first class trip to Buenos Aires on a model's salary." "Don't make me laugh! Since you and Reynolds aren't seeing each other any more, you don't mind if I keep this." "If I were a man I'd punch your dirty face in." "You know, I really believe you would." "Oh, I almost forgot." "Your tickets." "Don't be surprised if I'm there to see you off." "Angelo!" "Angelo!" "Oh, Angelo." "Do you remember taking this picture of a George Reynolds?" "I take so many pictures I can't remember them all." "This gentleman is a friend of his, and would like his address." " We have no card on him." " I don't think we ought to do that." "He's willing to pay twenty dollars for it." "That's the paper we used last year." "Of course you understand we usually don't give out information about our clients." " I know, you're a couple of high class fellas." " Thank you." "Revealing anything confidential is against the ethics of our establishment." " That's right, honesty is the best policy." " Of course." "But in your case, in as much you're a personal friend of Mr. Reynolds..." " Thanks, I knew you'd come through." " Got it." "Here it is." "We don't have his address, he must have called for the picture." "But he could not have been a very good friend of yours, Mister because his name is not George Reynolds." "It isn't?" "Then what is it?" " It's Ray..." " Huh....?" "Oh, here." " It's Raymond Rakubian." " Rakubian?" "what's so unusual about that?" "The picture's signed Ray, isn't it?" "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "Thanks!" "Bigelow!" "Are you alright?" " Can I get you anything?" " No, no thanks." " Do you know this man?" " No." "No, I don't think so." " Are you sure you've never seen him?" " I'm quite sure." "Does the name Raymond Rakubian mean anything to you?" " No, I never heard of him, why?" " He also uses the name George Reynolds." "This is Reynolds?" "Where can we find him?" "That's what I want to know." "Tell me something, Halliday." "You're the controller here, how come you didn't know about that Bill of Sale?" " Phillips made that deal before I came here." " Yeah, but you still keep records, don't you?" "For some reason, which is none of my business, Phillips kept that among his personal papers." "Now does that answer your question?" "You came in here today asking for information that you needed, and I tried to cooperate, but now you're beginning to annoy me." "So get out before I throw you out!" "You know, you really frighten me." "Well, it's about time you showed up, Bigelow." "Go ahead, Dave." "Real cute, ain't you , Bigelow." "Just real cute." "Marla didn't lose much time in getting hold of you guys, did she?" "Shut up!" "Let's go, Bigelow!" "Look at him!" "He can't take it." "Soft in the belly." "You do that again and I'll kick your face in." " Lay off, Chester, cut it out." " Shut up!" "Who asked you?" "Better let him answer it, the clerk might know he's in." "Go ahead, Bigelow." " Hello?" " Frank!" "Frank, why did you hang up on me?" "I've been trying to get you for hours." "I'm sorry, Paula, I was in a hurry." "Well don't be in such a hurry this time, you didn't give me a chance to finish." " It's a dame." " McGowen was in hollering his head off" " because you didn't go over the books." " Tell McGowen to get another auditor." "Sure, I'll just do that little thing, and lose the best-paying account we've got." "Do as I tell you, Paula." "Frank, are you drunk?" "Paula, how much have we got in the bank?" "About $2200." "Draw it out tomorrow." "Sure!" "Then what do we do, skip town without paying our bills?" "Forget the bills." "You know that coat you always wanted?" "Buy it." "You are drunk." "You know, if I didn't have such a good character" "I'd be tempted to take advantage of your intoxicated state, Mr. Bigelow." "I'm not drunk, Paula." "Well don't tell me that one day away from me can affect you this way!" "Cut it short." " Paula." " Yes?" "I'm sorry..." "I left you." "I never realised how much I love you, but I know it now." "Oh Frank, Frank darling," "I love you too, so very much." "Please come home," "I miss you terribly." "I said cut it short!" "I'd just love to let you have it, Bigelow." "Let's go, Chester." "This guy's kept us waiting long enough now." "Walk in front, Bigelow." "And keep your mouth shut." "If you so much as look cross-eyed at anybody, I'll blow the back of your skull out." "This Bigelow is real cute," "He wanted to get tough with Chester." "He don't know Chester." "Did you get the picture?" "Don't I always get what Mr. Majak sends me after?" "Majak?" "That's right." "I'm the dealer who bought the iridium from Phillips." "I get it, you have Rakubian unload stolen stuff on Phillips, to help Marla here, and then you buy it back from him." "Oh, you certainly made a sucker out of Phillips." "What is it, Mr. Bigelow?" "Exactly what is on your mind?" " I'm looking for Raymond Rakubian." " Why?" "Why now Marla has told you everything else, I'm sure she must have told you that too." "You don't expect me to believe this, conversation?" "So what is on your mind, I mean , underneath?" "You forced your way into my affairs, and now I want to know why." "I just told you, I'm looking for Raymond Rakubian." "Don't get cute." "I'm just itching to work you over." "Soft in the belly, can't take it." "See, what'd I tell you?" "You can't do that to Chester." "I'm going to blow your guts out!" "Easy, lay off Chester, not now." "Look at him, he's so scared of Chester he'll talk now." "He's not afraid, Chester." "You can tell from a man's eyes when he is afraid." "Look at his eyes." "I'm telling you Majak, you'd better keep him away from me, or he'll have to use that gun." "Go away, Chester, please." "Do what I tell you, my boy, please." "And help Dave." "Ah, you're in pain." "He's an unfortunate boy." "He's psychopathic." "He's unhappy unless he gives pain." "He likes to see blood." "Come with me, Mr. Bigelow." "Raymond Rakubian was my nephew." "He could not possibly have tried to kill you." "He's been dead, five months." "I'm afraid you have been sidetracked, provided it is true that somebody made an attempt on your life?" "Somebody made an attempt again today." "I had no reason to kill you, believe me." "What do you mean, you had no reason." "I notarised a certain Bill of Sale." "You notarised a Bill of Sale for Reynolds, not Rakubian." "What I told you is true, I had no reason to kill you." "That's a closet Mr. Bigelow." "And under other circumstances you could go home now, but, now you present a problem." "You know too much, and I am in danger." "Chester!" "Suppose I were able to prove to you that I only want to find the person who tried to kill me, and I won't cause you any trouble?" "You know I can go to jail for ten years for this little business?" "Ten years!" "At my age that's my life, that means my entire life." "With my life I do not take chances, I am sorry, believe me." "You want Joe to go with you?" "No, just Bigelow and me," " and baby makes three." " But, Majak..." "Goodbye, Mr. Bigelow, and forgive me." "Let's go, Bigelow." "I guess you won't be there, to "see me off"." "You tried to make a boob out of me, in front of Majak." "Shouldn't have done that Bigelow, I don't like that." "I'm going to enjoy this, Bigelow." "I done jobs like this before." "I knocked off guys I could like." "But I don't like you, Bigelow." "I never liked that puss of yours from the minute I seen it." "Yeah." "I'm gonna enjoy this." "Ain't scared yet, are you Bigelow?" "But you'll be scared, good and scared." "I think I'll give it to you in the belly." "You don't like it in the belly." "Go ahead, try it." "I'd just love you to try it." "Why don't you try it?" "Go ahead." "Didn't have the nerve, did you Bigelow?" "Yeah, I think I'll give it to you right in the belly." "Takes longer when you get it in the belly, s'nice and slow..." "That's the way I want to see you go, Bigelow, nice and slow." "Frank!" " Frank, Are you alright?" " Yes, I'm alright, Paula, but what are you doing here?" " How did you get here?" " Freddie Ross ran me down, I had to see you." " You shouldn't have come Paula." " What is it Frank?" "You're in some kind of trouble, I know it." "Look at you, you're a sight!" "Your clothes look as if you slept in them." "Are you ill?" "You are, you're feverish." "I'm alright, Paula." "And I'm not in any trouble, believe me." "Right after I spoke to you, I got a phone call from the San Francisco police," " they asked if I knew where you were." " You didn't tell them anything, did you?" "Of course not." "It was the homicide detective that called." "What is it Frank?" "If you're in any kind of trouble you certainly can trust me." "Look I'm not in trouble with the police, believe me but you can't stay here, you've got to go back to Banning right away." "No I won't go Frank, I'm staying here with you." "Paula, it's better that you go back, believe me." "Why?" "What's this all about?" "What have you got to do with this Phillips and Reynolds?" " Phillips was murdered." " Murd..." "What could that have to do with you?" "All you did was notarise a paper, you've notarised hundreds of papers" "I know, all I did was notarise a paper, one little paper out of hundreds!" "Frank, you frighten me." "You don't even act like yourself." "I know that you're in trouble, that something is wrong, that you're in serious trouble." "You frighten me, Frank!" "Oh, don't be frightened, Paula." "Don't ever be frightened of anything again, will you promise me that?" "I love you so much darling, more than you seem able to understand." "I never really knew happiness until I loved you." "Sometimes when I was afraid that you weren't sure how you felt," "I tried to hold back, but I couldn't." "Losing you would be losing everything," " there would have been nothing left." " Don't, Paula, don't." "Now I'm afraid again." "Somehow I feel I'm going to lose you, but there's nothing I can do about it." "I feel so helpless." "You're leaving me out of something." "Tell me Frank, what is it?" "Give me a chance to fight back, just give me a chance, please." " You do love me?" " Oh yes, Paula, I love you." "I never was more certain of anything in my life." "I wasn't sure before, I was a little blind I guess, but believe me I'm sure now." " Can you understand that, Paula?" " I understand." "A man can be like that, Paula, something has to happen, a big thing or a little thing, but it can make him realise how much someone means to him, how much he really loves," "And I love you, Paula, more than I thought it possible, to love anyone in the world, I love you." "Then why won't you tell me about this trouble you're in?" "Why won't you let me help you?" " You can't help me, Paula." " You don't want my help." "Paula, there's nothing you can do, will you believe me?" "So will you please go home, please?" "No, Frank, I won't go." "I know you're in trouble, I can't leave you like this." "Alright Paula, wait for me in the lobby of the hotel and I'll be back for you soon." " You promise?" " Yes Paula, I promise." "Is that a new outfit?" " Yes." " It's beautiful." " You'll come back to me, won't you Frank?" " Yes, Paula, I'll come back, I promise." "Please hurry, darling." "I love you." "I love you, Paula." "Goodbye, Paula." " Is Stanley here?" " No." "You sure?" "Alright, get in there." "Get Stanley on the phone, tell him to come over right away." "Use any excuse you want." " What are you going to do?" " What was Stanley going to do when he used me for a clay pigeon today?" " I don't know what you're talking about." " Don't act innocent, I fell for that once." "I don't know what you mean, I told you everything you want to know this morning." "Yes, just enough so I got sidetracked and wouldn't know that Stanley was the one I was after." "Stanley?" " Oh no!" " You've been together on this from the start." "Now come on, get on that phone and call him." "And don't let him know I'm here." "You've been sidetracked alright, but it was the poor bereaved little widow who did it." "Miss." "Foster found this letter this afternoon." "In my brother's desk at the office, postmarked two years ago..." "It isn't exactly the kind of letter that a married woman gets from a casual friend." "I'm sure my brother wasn't aware they were so well acquainted when he hired Halliday." " What's the matter with him?" " He hasn't felt right since dinner." " Where did he have dinner?" " At Mrs. Phillips apartment." "Halliday was there too, and Stanley confronted them with that letter." " Did you have anything to drink?" " Yes, why?" " How long ago?" " Half an hour ago, just before I came here." "Miss Foster, get on the phone and call the emergency immediately, get an ambulance here." "Tell them to prepare a stomach wash for luminous poisoning." " Luminous poisoning?" " Go on, do what I tell you." "You may still have a chance to save his life." "Go on!" "I found George Reynolds, Mrs. Phillips." "He's been dead for five months." " Then he didn't steal the Bill of Sale." " No, he didn't, but you could have stolen it." "How dare you?" "You knew who I was when I came here today, but you were surprised to see me alive, weren't you?" "But I'm not alive, Mrs. Phillips, sure I can stand here and talk to you, I can breathe and I can move, but I'm not alive, because I did take that poison, and nothing can save me." " What are you going to do?" " If I kill you now, I have nothing to lose" "No, listen to me, you've got to give me a chance!" "But I didn't have a chance." "It was Halliday, believe me it was Halliday!" "He made me steal the Bill of Sale, he planned everything." "What about this letter?" "Your husband knew about you and Halliday!" "He found it only yesterday." "He accused Halliday, they fought, and Halliday pushed him over this balcony." "And why me?" "Why did he want to kill me?" "Because you could have proved there was a Bill of Sale." "That my husband had no reason to commit suicide." "Halliday was desperate." "After he killed my husband he found out about the phone calls to you, he thought you spoke to him, that you knew enough to involve him." "Where is Halliday?" "Where is he?" "He's in the office." "This time you don't warn him." "Majak!" "Come on, Mister, break it up." "Come on, come on!" "Come on, move along." "Come on, break it up, let's get going." "All I did was notarise a Bill of Sale." "But that piece of paper could have proven that.." "..Phillips didn't commit suicide." "He was murdered, and that's why Halliday poisoned me." "Would you...?" "Pau..." "Paula!" "Call the morgue." "Johnson, you go to the Allison hotel, find Paula Gibson, don't tell her anything." "I'll break it to her." "How shall I make out the report on him, Captain?" "Better make it "Dead on Arrival"."