"I'm talkin'about friendship." "I'm talkin'about character." "I'm talkin'about-- Hell, Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word." "I'm talkin' about ethics." "You know I'm a sporting' man." "I like to lay the occasional bet." "But I ain't that sporting'." "When I fix a fight-- Say I pay a three to one favorite... to throw a goddamned fight." "I figure I got the right to expect that fight to go off at three to one." "But every time I lay in bed with this son of a bitch Bernie Bernbaum, before I know it, the odds is even up." "Or worse, I'm bettin' on the short money." "The sheeny knows I like sure things." "He's sellin' the information I fixed the fight." "Out of town money comes pouring in." "The odds go straight to hell." "I don't know who he's sellin' to-- maybe the Los Angeles combine." "I don't know." "The point is," "Bernie ain't satisfied with the honest dollar he can make off the vig." "He ain't satisfied with the business I do on his book." "He is sellin' tips on how I bet." "And that means part of the payoff that should be riding on my hip... is riding on someone else's." "So, back we go to these questions-- friendship, character, ethics." "So, it's clear what I'm saying?" "As mud." "It's gettin' so a businessman can't expect no return from a fixed fight." "Now, if you can't trust a fix, what can you trust?" "For a good return,you gotta go betting'on chance, and then you're back with anarchy." "Right back in the jungle." "That's why ethics is important-- what separates us from the animals, the beasts of burden, the beasts of prey." "Ethics." "Whereas, uh, Bernie Bernbaum is a horse of a different color, ethics-wise, as in he ain't got any." " You sure it's Bernie selling you out?" " It ain't elves." " No one else knows about the fix?" " No one that ain't got ethics." "What about the fighters you pay to tank out?" "We only pick fighters we know we can put the fear of God in." "Any other bookies know?" "You play anyone else's book?" "I-I lay an occasional bet with Mink Larouie." " But it ain't Mink." "I'll vouch for that." "How do you know?" "It ain't Mink." "Mink is Eddie Dane's boy." "Of course the Dane always knows about the fix." "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" "Let it drift." "All it means is a lot of people know." "I guess you ain't been listenin'." "Sure, other people know." "That's why we gotta go to this question of character... to determine just who, exactly, is chiselin' in on my fix." "And that's how we know that it's Bernie Bernbaum, the shmatte kid-- 'cause ethically, he's kinda shaky." " So you want to kill him." " For starters." "Sorry, Caspar." "Bernie pays for protection." "Listen, Leo, I ain't asking' you for permission." "I'm tellin' you as a courtesy." "I need to do this thing, so it's gonna get done." "And I'm tellin' you, as a courtesy, you'll have trouble." "You came here to see if I'd kick if you killed Bernie." "Well, there's your answer." "I pay off to you every month like a greengrocer a lot more than the shmatte, and I'm sick of gettin' the high hat." "You pay off for protection just like everyone else." "As far as I know, and what I don't know in this town ain't worth knowing, the cops haven't closed any of your dives... and the D.A. hasn't touched any of your rackets." "You haven't bought any license to kill bookies, and today I ain't selling'any." "So take your flunky and dangle." "You think I'm some guinea fresh off the boat, and you can kick me." "But I'm too big for that now." "I'm sick of takin' the strap from you, Leo." "I'm sick of marching into this goddamn office... to kiss your Irish ass, and I'm sick of the high hat!" "You's fancy pants, all of youse." "Johnny?" "You're exactly as big as I let you be and no bigger, and don't forget it, ever." "That's right, Leo." "You're the big shot around here, and I'm just some schnook likes to get slapped around." "Twist a pig's ear, watch him squeal." " Bad play, Leo." " Who got up the wrong side, huh?" "Same side as always." " That's what I mean." "Still owe money to" "Who is your bookie, Lazarre?" "I could put it right for you." " Thanks, Leo." "I don't need it." " In a pig's eye." "You haven't played a winner in six weeks." "People will speak ill of me if I let him break your legs." " People will say I had it coming." "And they'll be right, but that ain't the point." "Call me a bighearted slob, but I'm gonna square it for you, yeah." "I think I'll do that this very same night." "Lookin' at you moping' around takes away all my" "What do you call it?" ""Joy de veever"?" "Joie de vivre." " Well, if you're gonna laugh at me, the hell with ya." "The hell with you." "I'll square myself with Lazarre, if you don't mind." "That's why God invented cards." " There is one thing you can do for me." " Name it." "Think about what protecting Bernie gets us." "Think about what offending Caspar loses us." "Oh, come on, Tommy." "You know I don't like to think." "Yeah." "Well, think about whether you should start." "Wake up, Tommy." " I am awake." " Your eyes are shut." "Who you gonna believe?" " How'd I do?" " What do you think?" "You are a millionaire." "You gonna remember your friends?" " Where's me hat?" " You bet it, mug." "Good thing the game broke up before you bet your trousers." " Who made off with me hat?" "Verna." "Verna and Mink." " Who?" " Mink and Verna." "Is Thunderclap running tonight?" "Thunderclap?" "Yeah." "What's she leaving at?" "Three to one, more than likely." "Lay off, Tom." "You shouldn't go deeper in the hole." "Tell Lazarre..." "I want 500 on the nose." "You would have it." "I want me hat." "Is that all you came for?" "Yeah." "I want me hat." "It's mine." "I won it." " What are you gonna do with it?" " Drop dead." "I need a drink." "Why didn't you say so?" "Hello, Tommy." "Sorry about the hour." " I'll live." "What's the rumpus?" "Can I come in?" "Sure." " Drink?" " I wouldn't mind." "I tried callin' earlier." "I got home late." " Well, uh, I'm sorry about the hour." " Uh-huh." " Not bad." " Better than the paint we sell at the club." "That it is." "That it is." " You thought about cutting Bernie loose?" " Can't do it, Tommy." "Can't do it." "That's sort of why I'm, uh" "Tommy, I don't know where Verna is." " Uh-huh." " I know what you're thinkin', what else is new?" "But the situation now-- I'm worried." "Verna can take care of herself, maybe better than you can." " What does that mean?" " Want another one?" "No." "What does that mean?" "How far she got her hooks into you?" "That's a hell of a question." "It's a grift." "If she didn't need you to protect her brother from Johnny Caspar, you think she'd still be going on slow carriage rides with you through the park?" "That's the deal, isn't it?" "You keep Bernie under wraps till Caspar cools down?" "Jesus, you're a prickly pear." "What's wrong with her wanting her brother taken care of?" "Nothing." "I don't blame her." "She sees the angle, which is you, she plays it." "She's a grifter, just like her brother." "Probably had grifter parents and grifter grandparents... and someday they're each gonna spawn little grifter kids." "Stop it, Tommy." "I don't like to hear my friends run down, even by other friends." " Friendship's got nothing to do with it." " The hell you say." "You'd do anything to help your friends, like you'd do anything to kick your enemies." " Wrong, Leo." "You do things for a reason." " Okay, Tom." " Wrong, Leo." "You do things for a reason." " Okay, Tom." "You know all the angles, Christ, better than anybody." "But maybe you're wrong about this." "You don't know what's in Verna's heart." "Leo, if she's such an angel, why are you looking for her at 4:00 in the morning?" "I put a tail on her this afternoon." " Uh-huh." " I asked Rug Daniels to follow her around, just, you know, to keep her out of trouble." "I was worried." "After that meeting with Caspar, you can't be too careful." " So what did Rug say that has you scurrying over here?" " That's just it." " Nothing." "He's disappeared." " So you lost your lady friend and the tail you put on her?" "I guess it does sound pretty sorry at that." "Help me out, Tom." "I wouldn't know where to start lookin'." "You know Rug's crowd." "You know the people Verna runs with." "It's just I'm worried now with things the way they are between me and Caspar." "You shouldn't be confronting Johnny Caspar." "That's what I've been trying to tell you." "You can't trade body blows with him." "He's gotten too strong." "I reckon I can still trade body blows with any man in this town." "Except you, Tom." "And Verna." "Okay." "Give me the needle." "I am a sap." "I deserve it." "Thanks for the drink." "Let me know if you hear anything." " Who was that?" " Leo." "He's lookin' for you." "Did you tell him I was here?" "No." "Did you put in a good word for my brother?" "No." " You said you would." " I said I'd think about it." "What did you tell him?" "Did you see Rug Daniels last night?" "No." "What did you tell Leo?" "I told him you were a tramp and he should dump you." "You're a son of a bitch, Tom." " Hello, Tom." "What's the rumpus?" " Mink." " I see you got your hat back." " Yeah, what of it?" "Not a thing." "Look, if it ain't my business, I got not a thing to say." "Listen, Bernie wants to see you." "It's important." "Yeah, well, I'm right here." "I'm not made of glass." "He's nervous walking' around in public." "He's a right guy, but he's very nervous." "I mean, who wouldn't be?" "In the spot he's in, who wouldn't be?" "He asked me to ask you to ask Leo to take care of him." "Leo listens to you." "Not that Leo wouldn't help a shmatte anyway." "A guy like Bernie?" "A straight shooter like him?" " I don't get it, Mink." " What's to get?" "It's as plain as the nose on your face." " I thought you were Eddie Dane's sycophant." " Yeah, Tom, that's right, but a guy can have more than one friend, can't he?" "Not that I want the Dane to know about it, but the shmatte, he's a right guy, Tommy." "He's got a mixed reputation, but for a sheeny, he's got a lot of good qualities." " What's goin' on between you and Bernie?" " Nothin', Tom." "We're just..." "friends, you know, amigos." "You're a fickle boy, Mink." "If Eddie Dane finds out that you got another "amigo"" " Well, I don't peg him for the understanding type." " Find out?" "How's he gonna find out?" "Damn it, you and me ain't even been talkin'!" "Jesus, Tom!" "Damn it!" "Jesus!" "Hello, Tommy." " You know O'Doole and the mayor?" "I oughta." "Voted for him six times last May." "And that ain't the record, either." "Oh, Verna turned up." "She's downstairs." " She say where she'd been?" " No." "I didn't want to press her." " You hear about Rug?" " Yeah." "R.I.P." "They took his hair, Tommy." "Jesus, that's strange." "Why would they do that?" " Maybe it was injuns." " "Eye-ties," more like it." "Giovanni Gasparo." "So you figure Caspar bumped Rug." " Well, it's pretty obvious, ain't it?" " Yeah?" " So what's the plan?" " Well, we'll jump on the guinea hard with both feet." " Give him the lowdown, Dale." " Yes." "Well, um," "Leo here just reminded us that Mr. Caspar operates... several clubs in our city, wherein the patrons imbibe of rum and play at games of chance." "And we're supposed to stop the party." " They don't look to happy about it, Leo." " Oh, no, it ain't that, Tom." "Jesus, Tom, we do as we're told." " Maybe they're right not to like it." "Stirring up this hornet's nest won't be good for anyone, and it'll mean killing." "I'm not thrilled about it either, but I can't just lay down to Caspar." "You could do worse." "You might not like it, but giving up Bernie Bernbaum... is a pretty small price to pay for peace." "Business is business, and a war is going to hurt everybody." "Bernie plays with fire, he's got to deal with the consequences." "even if that means he gets bumped off." "SweetJesus, Tom, that ain't even the point anymore." "Caspar pooped Rug." "The day I back down from a fight, Caspar's welcome to the rackets, this town and my place at the table." " I didn't start this thing, but" " You did start it." " You and Verna." " We can dangle, Leo, if you'd prefer." "Sit down, Dale!" "We're all friends here." "And Caspar hasn't broken the rules, Bernie has, and you, too, by helping him." "And if that isn't enough, consider that if you make this a war, you have more to lose than Caspar." "Okay, but more to beat him with." "Jesus, Tom, the two of us have faced worse odds." "Never without reason." "It helps to have one." "Well, it's your call." "My opinion used to count for something around here." "But it's always yours to take or leave." "Come on, Tommy." "It's not like that." "Goddamn it!" "Goddamn kid's just like a twist." "Get me a stiff one." "No small talk, huh?" " They shoot your horse?" " If there's any justice." " Verna around?" " She stepped into the ladies' room." " You got Lazarre's 500?" " You'll have to carry me for a few days." "He ain't gonna like that." "Couldn't you get it from Leo?" "It's not Leo's debt." "I'll pay me own way." "I admire a man of principle." "Does this go on the tab?" "" " Close your eyes, ladies." "I'm coming through." " Who's the war paint for?" " Go home and dry out." "You don't need it for Leo, believe me." "He already thinks you're the original Miss Jesus." " What the hel"s the matter with you?" " What's the matter with you?" " Afraid people might get the right idea?" " Leo's got the right idea." "I like him." "He's honest and he's got a heart." "Then it's true what they say-- opposites attract." " Do me a favor." "Mind your own business." " This is my business." "Intimidating helpless women is part of what I do." " Then find one and intimidate her." "Leo's upstairs... getting ready to shoot himself in the foot on your account." "I don't know what you're talkin'about." " He's gonna go to the mat... for your brother, and it's gonna hurt him." "I don't know Leo's business, but he's a big boy." " He used to be." " Look, what do you want, Tom?" "You want me to pretend I don't care what happens to Bernie?" "Well, I do." "He's my brother." "I don't want to see him get hurt." "If Leo wants to help out, I'll step out with him, show him a good time in return." " There's no harm in that." " There's a name for that kind of business arrangement." "Look, I'll do what I have to do to protect Bernie." "There's no reason for you to try and queer that." "Regardless of what you think about me, Bernie's a decent guy." " A straight shooter, huh?" "A square "G."" " Yeah." "Sneer at him like everyone else, just because he's different." "People think he's a degenerate." "People think he's scum." " Well, he's not." "Poor misunderstood Bernie." "What is this about, Tom?" "You want me to stop seeing Leo?" "Why don't you just say so?" "I want you to quit spinning Leo in circles and pointing him where to go." " I forgot." "That's your job." " I'll do what I have to do to protect Leo." "I'm asking you politely." "Leave him alone." "I don't have to ask." "If I told him about our little dance last night, your pool would pretty soon dry up." "So would yours." "I don't like being threatened." "I don't like being taken for a sucker." "That might work with Leo, but it don't work with me." "Do you think last night was just more campaigning for my brother?" "I can see the angles." "You know, if there was a market for little old ladies, you'd have Grandma Bernbaum first in line." " You're a pathetic rumhead." " And I love you, angel." "I suppose you think you raised hell." "Sister, when I've raised hell, you'll know it." " Yeah." " Lazarre wants his money." "He wants it now." " I need a couple of days." " Yeah?" "How come is that?" " Because I don't have it." " All right, welsher, how do I know you ain't got it?" " Because I say so." " That ain't gonna be good enough." " What would be good enough?" " Lazarre ain't gonna like it one bit." "Tell Lazarre if he's not happy, he can send someone over to break my legs." "I won't squawk." " Hello, Bernie." " Hello, Tom." " What's the rumpus?" "Come on in." "Make yourself at home." "Yeah, you weren't here, so I thought I'd do that." "I didn't want to answer the phone, though." "I figured... it wasn't for me." "I get it." "Get to the point, huh?" "Okay." "The point is, I'm a good guy." "I've heard that from a lot of people today." "Good guy, lots of friends." "That's the way it works." "Maybe if you appreciated me a little more, you wouldn't be making waves with Leo." "It's a bad time to be doing that." "Right now, we're both in a jam." "I hear you're on a bad streak." "Short of funds." "Well, I got that crazy dago mad at me." "Don't ask me why." "I'm just a small-timer... trying to get by like everyone else." "I need help from my friends like Leo and you." "Leo gets your sister." "What are you sellin' me?" "Come on, Tom." "It's not like that at all." "It wasn't my idea." "She'll sleep with anyone." "You know that." "She even tried to teach me a thing or two about bed artistry." "Can you believe that?" "My own sister." "Some crackpot idea about saving me from my friends." "She's a sick twist, all right." " She speaks highly of you." " Yeah, well, you stick by your family." "The point is, I can help you with your debts if that would make us friends." "My motto is, "A guy can't have too many."" "Big payday Saturday, Tom." "You could be in on it." "Another fix?" "Which fight?" "That's confidential at the moment." "But it doesn't have to stay that way." "How come you know so much about it?" "Caspar isn't laying any more bets with you." "You really must have Mink jumping through hoops." "Like I say, you can't have too many." " We got a deal?" " I'll think about it." "I wouldn't want it any other way." "Hey, Adolph." " My credit still good with you?" " Mmm." "Give me a hundred across on Tailor Made in the third tonight." " Lazarre won't like it." " Try 50 across." "I'll try." "It's another 1 50 you'll owe him." " Only if I lose, Adolph." " Tommy, the way you're goin'" " Hey, horses got knees?" " I don't know." "Fetlocks." "Well, if I was a horse, I'd be down on my fetlocks praying you don't bet on me." " Drift, small guy." " Drop dead, ape." "Come on, Tom." "Boss wants to see ya." "He didn't have time to engrave nothin' formal." "What you mean, he's eatin' too much?" "What's the goddamn doctor know?" " What you eat for lunch?" " A hot dog." "Just a hot dog?" " A hot dog and mustard." "A hot dog and mustard." "A hot dog and mustard!" "You hear that, Dane?" "My kid is as smart as a whip." "Even Uncle Eddie thinks that's funny." "Okay." "Go ahead." "Which hand is the penny in?" "Choose again." "Okay." "Here you go." "Take the penny." "Shiny new penny." "Take the kid, wait in the car." "Give him a penny, boys!" " I ain't got a penny, boss." " That's a penny you owe him." "Hello, Tom." "What's the rumpus?" "You like kids?" " No." " Have a seat." "Go ahead." "Well, you're missin' out on a complete life." "I know, kids, big deal." "Still, I'm telling you." "Anyways, thanks for comin' by." "I just wrote this check out to your bookmaker Lazarre." "It's for an even 1,500, which is more than I hear you owe him, but I figured you could always use some money on the cuff, a high roller such as yourself." " What do you say?" " Thanks." "Always the yapper, huh?" "Well, you're welcome." "You wanna know why I'm puttin' you square with Lazarre?" " Not particularly." " I want everybody to be friends." "I do this, you're friends with Lazarre, he's friends with you, you're friends with me." "All you gotta do to show you're a friend is give me Bernie Bernbaum." "You know it's the right thing anyway." "The shmatte steals from me." "I can't have Leo giving him a shiny new penny." "So the deal is, I give you Bernie, smooth it over with Leo and you bail me out with Lazarre." "Yeah." "Then we're all friends again." "You, me, Leo, the Dane." " We can maybe have tea sometime." " Come on, Eddie." "Friends is a mental state." " What do you say, kid?" " I'll think about it." "You'll think about it." "You hear that, Dane?" "The kid's a thinker." "That's terrific." " Does he want a pillow for his head?" " Okay, kid." "Think about it." "It's a mental state." "If it'll help you think, you should know that if you don't do this thing, you're not gonna be in any shape to walk out of here." "Would that be physically, or just a mental state?" "That ain't friendly, kid." "I make you a nice offer, you give me the high hat." "Hold it." "Jesus, Tom." "Just in the nick of time, huh?" "Well, no harm done." "Unless your friend broke his foot." " Where am I?" " Where are you?" "Johnny Caspar's pleasure dome." "Same as when you left us about ten seconds ago." "Hello, Tom." "How are ya?" "Care to scrape a knuckle on your playmate here?" " No." "Thanks though, Andy." " Well, if you change your mind, we'll be interrogating for a while." " What was that party about, anyway?" " We do this every weekend." "Jesus, what is the matter with you people?" "Well, they said make it hurt, so we make it hurt." "Drink, O'Doole?" "I'm on duty." "To Volstead." "" " Any news about Rug?" "Still dead, far as I know." " Get a slug out of him?" " Yeah, .22." "Listen, Tom, I'm just the chief around here, so don't bother telling' me if you don't happen to feel like it, but what the hell is Leo doin'?" "Make him listen to you, Tom." "It ain't right, all this fuss over one sheeny." "Let Caspar have Bernie." "What's one Hebrew more or less?" "We're burnin' our meal ticket here." "Leo will do what suits him, and you'll do what he tells you." "Last I heard, Leo was still running this town." "Yeah, well, he won't be for long if this keeps up." "It's no good for anyone." "You said as much yourself." "First off, O'Doole, I can say what I please to Leo and about him." "You can't." "Second, once Leo decides, that's that." "If that sticks going down, there are plenty of coppers I know... who wouldn't mind bein' chief and could swallow it clean." "Jesus, Tom, I was just speculatin' about a hypothesis." "I know I don't know nothin'." "It's just a-- just a damn mess, is all." "Hello, Officer." "I'd like to report an intruder... at 346 West Lewis" "Who's this?" "Hello, Shad." "Tom Reagan here." " You need the booze?" " No, we won't be needing any today." " False alarm, huh?" " Yeah." "My mother." "She didn't recognize me." "Let me talk to Mulveany." "Miss me?" "Drop dead." " Mulveany here." " Sean?" "Tell O'Doole to get a car over to Leo's tonight." "If we're banging away at Caspar, we oughta be ready for him to bang back." "" " What do you want?" "I was in the neighborhood, feeling a bit daffy, so I thought I'd drop in for an aperitif." " Rug Daniels is dead." " Gee, that's tough." "Don't get hysterical." "I've had enough excitement for one night without a dame going all weepy on me." " I barely knew the gentleman." "Rug?" "A bit of a shakedown artist, not above the occasional grift." "Bet you'd understand that." "All in all, not a bad guy, if looks, brains and personality don't count." " You better hope they don't." " Yeah, well" "We're none of us the saint I hear your brother is." " Who killed him?" " Leo thinks Caspar did." " But you know better." " I do now." "You see, Caspar just tried to buy me into fixing his tiff with Leo, which he'd hardly do if he was waging war." "So I figure you killed him, angel." "You or St. Bernard." "Why would I or my brother kill Rug Daniels or anybody else?" "Rug was following you." "He knew about you and me, and that wouldn't help your play with Leo, would it?" "You think I murdered someone?" "Come on, Tom." "You know me a little." "Nobody knows anybody." "Not that well." "You know, or you wouldn't be here." "Not at all, sugar." "I came to hear your side of the story." "How horrible Rug was, how he goaded you into it, how he tried to shake you down." " That's not why you came either." " Tell me why I came." " The oldest reason there is." " There are friendlier places to drink." " Why can't you admit it?" " Admit what?" "That you don't like me seeing Leo 'cause you're jealous." "Admit that you've got a heart, even though it may be small and feeble... and you can't remember the last time you used it." "If I'd known we were gonna cast our feelings into words," "I'd have memorized the Song of Solomon." "Maybe that's why I like you, Tom." "I never knew anybody that made being a son of a bitch... such a point of pride." "Though one day you'll pay the price for it." "Okay, Verna." "But until then, let's get stinko." "Let's do something else first." "Yeah." "Let's do plenty." " Who's winning?" " We are, for the nonce." " What's the "disposish"?" " Last night, four to one." "Dana Cudahy went up with the house." " And theirs?" " One burned." " The other three?" " Lead." " Whose?" " Leo's." "The old man's still an artist with a Thompson." "Yeah, do that." "Well, find him, goddamn it!" "Go and see if he fell in the john." "Son of a bitch." "No chief." " Who's minding' the goddamn store?" "Can't raise O'Doole?" "No, nor the mayor either." " That's not good." "They're running." " They wouldn't dare!" "I don't know, Leo." "I warned you not to hit Caspar's club." " I'm still here, ain't I?" "Caspar's play hurt you anyway." "That sorry son of a bitch just slit his own throat." "Listen to me, Leo." "Last night made you look vulnerable." "You don't hold elected office in this town." "You run it because people think you run it." "Once they stop thinking it, you stop running it." "Jesus, Tom." "It sounds like a bad break for me I wasn't killed!" "I mean it, Leo." "Start taking Caspar seriously." "I know, I know." "Retreat to win, give up Bernie." "That'll solve all our problems." "Won't anymore, I'll grant you that." "But going toe-to-toe with a psychopath will get you nowhere." "It'll force people to choose sides just when you're looking shaky." " The hell I do!" " Then where's the mayor?" "Why aren't there any police here?" "Why weren't there any police at your place last night?" " I didn't ask for any." " I did." "Mother hen, huh?" "What's the matter, Tommy?" " Don't you think I can take care of myself?" " I know you can't." "Here's the smart play, Leo." "You lay back, you give Bernie up, you let Caspar think he's made his point." " Then you wait for him to show a weakness." " Please, Tom." "You're sticking on Bernie." "You're sticking your neck out... for a guy who'd chop you off at the heels if there was two bits in it." "Tom, things aren't as, uh, clear-cut as you make it." "Bernie's-- Well, hell,you know about me and Verna." "Things now are, uh" "Not that I haven't been a gentleman, but" "I plan to ask her to marry me, Tom." "I guess you think that's a bonehead play." " You think she wants you to?" " How the hell do I know?" "I think she does." "Yeah, of course she does." "I know you think different, but, well, we just, uh" "We just differ on that." "Leo, Caspar didn't kill Rug." " Course he did." " No." "Think about it just this one time." " Who was Rug following?" " Huh?" "It needn't have been that sinister." "Strange man follows her down a dark alleyway." " I told you she can look after herself." " Verna wouldn't panic, shoot someone just because he was following her." "Nah, it wouldn't have happened like that, and if it had she would have told me." "They pulled a .22 slug out of him." "A pop gun, Leo, a woman's gun." "I know you don't like her, Tom, but I trust Verna as much as I trust you." "Okay, Leo." "Maybe it wasn't that innocent." "Maybe Rug knew something she didn't like him knowing and wouldn't want you to know." "Rug was following her." "Maybe he knew where she was sleeping, and who with." "Maybes don't make it so." "There's more than maybes." "You've trusted me before, you've never lost anything by it." "Trust me on this." " This is too important." " I don't ask much, and I don't ask often." "Trust me on this." " Tommy." " Trust me on this, or to hell with you." "You don't mean that." "She was with me... the night Rug was following her, the night you dropped by." "Oh." "Okay, Leo." "Okay." "I'll throw him out." "Yeah, do that." "It's the kiss-off." "If I never see him again, it'll be soon enough." " Hello?" " Hello, Frankie." "It's Tom." "How's the flunky business?" "I've had worse." "Your ventilator mending?" "" " Tell Caspar it's forgotten." " I'd like to see him." "Ah." "All right, let me know." "It worked, whatever you did." "Leo says we're quits." "But you know I didn't have anything to do with Rug." "Maybe not." "Anyway, that isn't what soured him on you." "Oh, you and me, huh?" "You always take the long way around to get what you want, don't you, Tom?" "You could have just asked." "What did I want?" "Me." "Yeah?" "Yeah, yeah." "When?" "Okay." "You still up?" "Yeah." "What are you chewing' over?" "Dream I had once." "I was walking in the woods." "I don't know why." "Wind came whipping'." "Blew me hat off." "And you chased it, right?" "You ran and ran." "You finally caught up to it." "And you picked it up, but it wasn't a hat anymore." "It had changed into something else, something wonderful." "No, it stayed a hat." "And no, I didn't chase it." "Nothing more foolish than a man chasing' his hat." "Where are you going?" "Just have to do a few things." " You and Leo might still be able to patch things up." " Me and Leo are finished." "Nothing's gonna change that." " You never know." " He's got a big heart." " We're quits as far as I'm concerned, never mind him." "And if Leo did want me back, he's an even bigger sap than I thought." "Then why don't we just pick up and leave town?" "There's nothing keeping you here." "I know there's nothing keeping me." " What about Bernie?" " He could go with us." "You, me and Bernie?" "Where would we go, Verna?" "Niagara Falls?" "Why do you hate him?" " I don't hate anyone." "Or like anyone." "Where is Bernie?" " Why?" " Leo can't protect him anymore." "I oughta tell him to skip." "The Royale, room 302." "I guess we both double-crossed Leo, huh?" "There's no gettin' around that." "I guess he's well rid of both of us." "The two of us, we're about bad enough to deserve each other." "Are we?" "We're a couple of heels, Tom." "Yes, we are." "So he says, "Screw him." "Give him a dollar." "This was my idea. "" "Hello, Tom." "Uh, you know O'Doole and the mayor." " Hello, boys." " Tom's a big booster." "Always has been." "That's fine, that's fine." "Well, Tom and I got the proverbial fat to chew." "Just let us know if you need anything." " Yeah." "Happy days." "Have a seat, kid." "Yeah, that's it." "So,you had enough time to think about things?" " Yeah, well, uh, circumstances have changed." " Don't I know it." "Last night I know the Dane was disappointed the bulls showed up... before Frankie and Tic-Tac really pinned your ears back, but I said, "Relax, Eddie." "I got a feeling about this kid." "The kid and Leo are gonna go bust-o." "Matter of time."" "I said, "The kid is too smart for Leo." That's what I said." "Like a psychic." "Ask the Dane if I did." "Like a goddamn psychic." "Go ahead, ask him." " You vouch for that psychic business?" " That's right, smart guy." "I know you knew... protecting the shmatte was a dumb idea." "I know you've been wise to all of Leo's dumb ideas lately." "Only a matter of time-- bust-o." "That's why last night we didn't put the arm on you, only Leo." "Seeing how you squiffed your play on Leo, I can only be so grateful." " Oh, that's real brave coming from Little Miss Punching Bag." " Okay, Eddie." " Friends now, huh?" " Nuts." "So, I guess you'll be looking for a job, eh, kid?" "I might be." "You got references?" "You been to college?" "We only take yeggs what's been to college." "Ain't that right, Dane?" "I'm joking, of course." "We all know you could be useful to us, a smart kid such as yourself." "The man who walks behind the man, who whispers in his ear." " I guess you could be useful in spades." " Yeah, I can do plenty for you." " Can you get Leo off me?" " I'm tellin' you not to worry about Leo." " We got plans for him." " Oh,yeah?" " Like what?" " Not so fast there, "kaputnik."" "I-I think what the Dane is trying to say is, there'll be time to talk about that." "We can table that for a later date." "See, last time we jawed, you gave me the high hat." "See, last time we jawed, you gave me the high hat." "I guess I'm sayin'... you gotta put something on the table first." " Ante up." " Fair enough." "Where do we start?" "Hear that, Dane?" "All business." "I told you he was a good kid." ""Where do we start?" All business." "Well, we can start, for instance, with the shmatte." "Like, where's the shmatte?" "You could maybe tell us that." "The Royale, room 302." "And you might find Mink with him." "The hell you say." "Sure." "Bernie and Mink are cozy as lice." " And it ain't just business." " This guy is lying." " Why would I?" " This guy is wrong." "This guy is all wrong." "Mink is clean and this clown is a smart guy." "It's easy enough to find out, ain't it?" "You find Mink, you bring him back here." "Go to the car." "I'm gonna send Frankie and Tic-Tac with you to the Royale." "If Bernie's there," "Frankie and Tic-Tac'll take care of him." "And if he's not there?" "I'll sit facing the corner in a funny hat." " Get your little hebe ass in the car." " Let's go." "Come on,you skel." "What are you doing to me?" " We're going to Miller's Crossing." "I didn't do" " Tom!" "Tom!" " Lock him up." "Jesus!" "Are you part of this?" " Sit still, hymie." " You can't be part of this." "I think these guys are gonna whack me!" "Tom,you gotta talk to 'em!" " You're giving me a headache, you little sheeny." "Let's go!" " Talk to 'em!" "Get me outta here!" "Oh, Tommy.!" "Get him outta here!" " Frankie!" " Come on!" "Come on!" " Tic-Tac!" " Quiet him down!" "Uuh!" " Get up, you skel!" " Come on." " Frankie, no!" " Get up, you son of a bitch." " Frank" " Aah!" " Oh, Frankie!" " Get up, you kike!" "Okay, take him in the woods and whack him." " What?" " That's right." "The boss wants you to do it." "Make sure you're with the good guys." " You know how to do this, right?" " You little yid!" "Get up!" "Ya gotta remember to put one in his brain." "Your first shot puts him down." "Then you put one in his brain." "Then he's dead." "Then we go home." "Get up and walk." "I can't get up." "I can't get up." " Get up and walk, you pissing little yid!" " Let's go!" "Tommy, you can't do this." "You don't bump guys." "You're not like those animals back there." "It's not right, Tom." "They can't make us do this." "It's a wrong situation." "They can't make us different people than we are." "We're not muscle." "I never killed anybody." "I used a little information for a chisel, that's all." "It's my nature, Tom." "I can't help it." "Somebody hands me an angle, I play it." "I don't deserve to die for that." "Do you think I do?" "I'm just a grifter." "Huh, Tom?" "I'm a nobody!" "But I tell you what-- I never crossed a friend." "I never killed anybody, I never crossed a friend." "We're not like those animals." "This is not us." "This is a dream!" "It's a dream, Tommy!" "I'm praying to you!" "I can't die. out here in the woods like a dumb animal." "In the woods like a dumb animal!" "Like a-- Like a dumb animal!" "I can't-- I can't" " I can't die out here in the woods... like a dumb animal." "I can't... die!" "I'm praying to you." "Look in your heart." "I'm praying to you." "Look in your heart." "I'm praying to you." "Look in your heart." "I'm praying to you!" "Look in your heart!" "I'm praying to you!" "Look in your heart." "I'm praying to you!" "Look in your heart!" "Look in your heart!" "You can't kill me." " Look in your heart." " Tommy" " Shut up." "You're dead." "Get me?" "I understand." "I'm dead." " God bless you." "Shut up." "You have to disappear for good." "No one can see you." "No one can know." " God bless you." "Go somewhere no one knows you." "Anyone sees you, you really are dead." "You're not my problem anymore." "Of course not." "You've done your share." "Thank you." " Don't worry." "I understand." "Shut up." "Shut up." " Thank you." " Shut up." "Get out of here before I change my mind." "God bless you." "Put one in his brain?" " Yeah." "Atta boy." "Mink?" "Tom Reagan." "Where you been?" "Will you look?" "Eddie Dane's been looking for you." " Bernie's dead." "Jesus Christ!" "Stop wailing and listen to me." "Caspar knows you were in on selling out his fix." " Who the hell gave him that idea?" " Heh!" " I guess I gave him that idea." "Sorry." "It just slipped out." " What are you trying to do?" "Shut up and let me talk." "You lay low till Caspar cools off." "Then tell him the Dane was in on the sellout, and I'll make Caspar go easy on you." " You got me into this mess." " That's right, I got you into this." "Just remember, Mink, I'm the only one who can get you out." " Wait a minute, Tom." "Waah!" "Uuh!" "Hello, Terry." "Getting out the vote?" "A message from Leo." "Leo says if you're smart you'll sit this one out, not that he cares one way or the other." "Leo says if you're on the wrong side you take your chances like anybody else." "Leo says he gives no special favors, that's all." "Tell Leo he's not God on the throne." "He's just a cheap political boss with more hair tonic than brains." "Uhh!" "Did Leo say that as well?" "No, I said that." "Cross Leo, next time I'll say plenty." "When you're right,you're right." "But you never say, "I told you so."" "So what am I right about?" "Well, I'll tell you." "But first you gotta promise not to say I told you so." "I never say that, and I don't like people who do." "Mink was robbing me right along with the shmatte." "What convinced you of that?" "Mink took a powder." "We can't find him." "The Dane, he's making excuses for him." "But personally, I think you was right." "I think that Mink and Bernie was in it together." "I think Mink heard that you bumped the shmatte and lit out." "Lousy son of a bitch." " I told you so." " What?" "You got a lip on you." "That's all right." "I don't generally care for it, but that's all right." "You was a good sport to bump the shmatte." "How do you know Mink skipped?" " Because the Dane can't find him." " So he says." " Meaning what exactly?" "Maybe nothing." "I didn't give it much thought, 'cause a guy'll say anything when his number is up." "But, uh,just before I bumped Bernie, he swore to me that Eddie Dane and Mink were setting him up-- that they were the ones who sold out your fix." "Well, uh" "Well, like you say, uh, a guy'll say anything." "So why isn't Eddie Dane here?" "Well, he don't care for you, kid." "Maybe it's only fair to tell you." "After you left us, he tried to sell me on a double-cross." "He says to me, why don't we double-cross you and give you the bump... after we get the shmatte." "Well, I figure a dea"s a deal." "You're square with me." "You bump the shmatte, I hold up my end." "It's a question of ethics." "Everything above board so everybody knows who's a friend, who's an enemy." "So the Dane doesn't like you, but he wouldn't cross me." "We go back." "Of course there's always that wild card when, uh, love is involved." "I know Mink is Eddie Dane's boy." "Still, I-- I don't make it that way." " Then there's nothing to worry about." " Yeah." "Papa, Papa, I got a prize from the sister!" "Papa, Papa, I got a prize from the sister!" " Papa, Papa, I got a prize from the sister!" " Yeah.Just a minute." " Of course, then, there's no reason" " Shut up!" " Papa, Papa, I got" "You take a page out of this guy's book." " A little less you talk, a little more you think!" "Kids." "You gotta be firm." "Anyways, there's no reason not to check things out." "If Mink is around, I want you to find him." "He can tell us what's what." "What's the matter?" "Somebody hit you?" "What's the matter?" "Aren't we friends anymore?" "If you find him, I wanna talk to him alone." "That's the way you get the straight dope--man to man." "Just me, Mink..." "and my friend Roscoe." "You understand what I'm saying?" " It ain't complicated." "You should leave town for a few days." "Things are gonna heat up around here." "Go to the Palisades." "I'll join you soon as I'm done." "I can't find Bernie." "Did you find him?" "Yeah." "Is he leaving?" "He, uh" " He left." " He say where to?" " He didn't say." " You" " Thanks." " What's that potato-eater up to?" " Beats me." " That's Bernie's sister, ain't it?" " Beats me." " What's he seeing her for?" " Beats me." "Maybe" "Shut up." "Get lost." "I'll see where the twist flops." "You know who I am?" "Yeah,Johnny Caspar's shadow." "What, did he stay in bed today?" "Jesus." "I open my mouth, the whole world turns smart." " You're Leo's twist, right?" " Me and Leo are through." "Yeah?" "So you're sluttin' around with Tom now, huh?" "You get outta here." "Okay." "See you later." "Before I go, what's your boyfriend up to?" " Nothing I know about." " Yeah?" "That doesn't figure for me-- you dumping' Leo for the guy who put a bullet in your brother." "He didn't tell you." "Aww." "Spin her, Eddie." "Ooh!" " You Leo's?" " Yeah." "He wanted her looked-out for." "Well,you did a bang-upjob." "I'll be sure to tell him." " Where's Leo?" " If I tell you, how do I know you won't kill me?" "Because if you told me and I killed you and you were lying, I wouldn't get to kill you then." " Where's Leo?" " He's moving around." " He's getting his mob together tomorrow at Whiskey Nick's." " You sure?" "Check it." "It's gold." "You know what,yegg?" "I believe you." "Go ahead and run, sweetie." "I'll track down all of you whores." "Hello, Bernie." "Come on in." "Make yourself at home." "Hello, Tom." "I thought I'd do that, since you didn't seem to be in." "Figured it was a bad idea to wait in the hall, seeing as I'm supposed to be dead." "How'd you know it was me?" "You're the only one I know who'd knock and then break in." "Your other friends wouldn't break in?" "My other friends want to kill me, so they wouldn't knock." "What's on your mind." "Bernie?" "Things." "I guess you must be angry." "I'm supposed to be gone far away." "I guess it seems sort of irresponsible, my being here." "And I was gonna leave." "Honest, I was." "But then I started thinking... if I stuck around, that would not be good for you." "Then I started thinking that-- that might not be bad for me." "You didn't see the play you gave me." "I mean, what am I gonna do?" "If I leave, I got nothing." "No money, no friends, nothing." "If I stay, I got you." "Anyone finds out I'm alive, you're dead, so..." "I got" " I got you, Tommy." "What's the matter?" "You got nothing to crack wise about?" "Bernie ain't so funny anymore?" "I guess I made kind of a fool of myself out there... bawling away like a twist." "I guess" "I guess I turned yellow." " You didn't tell anyone about that?" " No." "Of course, you know about it." "It's a painful memory... and I can't help remembering that you put the finger on me, and you took me out there to whack me." "I know... you didn't." "I know." " You didn't shoot me, but" " But what have I done for you lately?" "Don't smart me." "See, I want to watch you squirm." "I want to see you sweat a little." "And when you smart me... it ruins it." "There's one other thing I want." "I want to seeJohnny Caspar cold and stiff." "That's what you'll do for your friend Bernie." "In the meantime, I'll stay out of sight." "But if Caspar ain't stiff in a couple of days..." "I start eating in restaurants." "Oof!" "." "Uuh!" "You make me laugh, Tommy." "You're gonna catch cold." "Then you're no good to me." "What were you gonna do if you caught me?" "I'd just squirt a few, and then you'd let me go again." "Hello, Tad." "How's the club holding up?" "We're managing to squeak by without you." "Got Lazarre's money?" " No." " You're not supposed to be here since you turned rat." "Relax, Tad." "Leo isn't around, is he?" "Last couple of days you booked any heavy bets on a long shot at Saturday's fights?" "Why the hell should I tell you?" "The truth is, Tad, no reason on Earth." "Saturday's fights?" "DropJohnson put two grand on one yesterday-- on Sailor Reese, an undercard bum." "DropJohnson." "He play your book much?" " Are you kidding?" "I didn't even know he could count." "Jesus." "You bring them with you?" "Hello, Brian." "Still fighting the good fight?" "Hello, Tom." "Neither rain nor wind nor snow." "That's the mailman." "O'Doole here?" "Hello, O'Doole." "You don't look happy." "Look at this mess." "Guttin' the golden calf again." "I don't know whether to laugh or cry." "Yeah, it's awful confusing." "You know a yegg named DropJohnson?" " We spanked him a couple of times." " Where does he flop?" " Terminal Hotel, Bay Street." "Jesus!" "Look, don't nobody ask me since I'm just the chief around here, but I'll tell you my opinion." "Caspar is just as crazy as Leo, and an "eye-tie" into the bargain." "What's the matter, O'Doole?" "Doesn't anything ever suit you?" "Hop in, Tom." "We been lookin'for you." " I'm busy." " Hop in anyway." "You can't hijack me, Tic-Tac." "We're on the same side now." "Or didn't you get that far in school?" "How'd you get the fat lip?" " Old war wound." "Acts up around morons." " Very smart." "What were you doing at the club, talking things over with Leo?" "Don't think so hard, Eddie." "You might sprain something." "You are so goddamn smart." "Except you ain't." "I get you, smart guy." "I know what you are." "Straight as a corkscrew." "Mr. Inside Out-ski, like some goddamn Bolshevik picking up his orders from Yegg Central." "You think you're so goddamn smart." "You join upJohnny Caspar, you bump Bernie Bernbaum." "Up is down." "Black is white." "Well, I think you're half smart." "I think you were straight with your frail," "I think you were queer with Johnny Caspar... and I think you'd sooner join a ladies' league than gun a guy down." "Then I hear from these two geniuses they never even saw this rub-out take place." " Boss said to have him do it." "He didn't say nothing about" " Shut up!" "Or maybe you still got too many teeth." "Everyone is so goddamn smart." "Well, we'll go out to Miller's Crossing... and we'll see who's smart." "You understand if we don't find a stiff out here, we leave a fresh one." "Where are your friends when you need 'em, huh?" "Where's Leo now?" "Hey, Tic-Tac!" "You ever notice how the snappy dialogue dries up... once a guy starts soiling his union suit?" "Okay." "There's nothing out here." " Think about this... smart guy." "It's hanky time." " Birds have been at him." "Jesus Christ." "Told you to put one in his brain, not in his stinkin' face!" "I told you, Dane." "We heard two shots." "Hello, Drop." "How are the Katzenjammers?" "Hello, Tom." "What's the rumpus?" "Had any visitors?" "Uhh, no." "Not ever, Drop?" "Not lately." "Then you must be happy to see me." "So, uh... you didn't see Bernie Bernbaum before he was shown across." "Uh, no." "Seen him since?" "One last question, Drop." "You got a lot of money on tomorrow's fight." "That your bet, or, uh..." "you placing it for a friend?" "No, no, no, it's my bet." " I just have a good feeling about that fight." " A good feeling, huh?" "When did a feeling return to your head?" "You've outgrown that one." "Must be all the thinking you been doing." "Tell Bernie something's come up, he has to get in touch." "There'll be nothing stirring till I talk to him." "All right, anyone left in there, come on out grabbing air." "You know the drill." "Aah!" "Hello, Tom." "Where you been hiding?" "Hither and yon." "Is the mayor in?" " He's with Mr. Caspar." " That's who I'm looking for." " Scare me up some gargle, will you?" " Sure." "I'll announce you." "Don't bother." "I'm well-liked." "I can't do it." "I'll look ridiculous." "It simply isn't done." "Assistants, maybe." " For a mayor, you don't hear so hot." "I said head." "Head of the assessor's office." " But there are two of them." " I can count." "Co-heads." "Johnny, needless to say, this office will do anything in its power... to assist you and your cousins." "We did it for Leo, of course, on countless occasions." "We did it for Leo, of course, on countless occasions." "Damn right." "Had every potato-eater from County Cork on the public tit." "But there's a way we do things, hallowed by usage and consecrated by time." " When we put people on the pad when Leo was running things" " Leo ain't running' things!" "I ain't interested in ancient history!" "I'm runnin'things now!" "Nobody can appreciate it more than I." "I can give them jobs." "I can give them good jobs." "I can even give them jobs where they won't have to perform any work, where their lack of English will be no impediment, but I can't" "What is this, the high hat?" "Tom, can you explain it to him?" "I can put them in public works, but I can't" "You can do whatever the hell Caspar tells you." "I don't remember all this double talk when Leo gave you an order." " Tom.Jesus!" " Stop whimpering and do as you're told." " You can start by gettin'out of here." "Johnny, it's my office." "Get out of here!" "Take it on the heel and toe before I whack you one!" " You two beat it." "" " Yeah, go and keep the mayor company." "I'll take care of ya's later." " Runnin' things-- it ain't all gravy." " What's the fireworks?" "Knocking over one of Leo's clubs." "Son of a bitch won't go belly up." "I'm sorry, kid." "I heard about your little ride this morning." "Yeah, well, sorry don't fix things." "We could just as easily have missed Bernie's corpse, and I'd be dead now." "I know, I know, but that don't mean the Dane's up to anything." "So he hears a rumor that Bernie ain't dead." "These stories pop up." "Any stories about Bernie being alive the Dane's made up himself." "You don't know that." "It don't make sense." "Why would he?" "There could be a damn good reason... if you got a fixed fight coming up." " Do you?" " Maybe." "Okay, yeah, sure." "Tomorrow night." "The fix is in." "What of it?" " The Dane know about it?" " Yeah." "Okay, I get it." "If the Dane's been selling you out on these fights and means to again," " he's gonna have to have somebody else to point the finger at." " Yeah, I get it." "With Bernie dead, there ain't a hell of a lot of people he can point to." "Yeah, the Dane sells me out, makes pretend Bernie's still doing it." "That's real pretty." "Bernie leaked the fix, and you take the fall for not killing him." "But I don't know." "Why would Eddie cross me like that?" "Money?" "Okay, everybody likes money, but somehow it just don't seem like him." " And I know the Dane." " Nobody knows anybody." "Not that well." "Money don't mean that much to him." "Then it's not just the money he's after." " He's got a wart on his fanny." " Huh?" "A wart on his fanny giving him the fidgets." "Maybe he's sick of sitting on the couch." "Maybe behind your desk don't look like a bad place to move to." "Kid, you got a lip on you." "But you're honest." "That's something we can't get enough of in this business." "I'll admit since last we jawed... my stomach's been seizing up on me." "If the Dane's saying we should double-cross you" "You double-cross once, where's it all end?" "An interesting ethical question." "I'll find the Dane, talk to him, straighten things out." " Sure, talk to him." "Have a chat." " I'll take care of it." " Ask him if he's selling you out." "I'm sure he'll come clean." " I'll take care of it." " You're swimmin' in it." " I said I'd take care of it!" "Johnny." "My chin's hanging out right alongside yours." "I'd worry a lot less if I thought you were worrying enough." "But I am, kid." "Christ." "Running things." " Yeah?" "I got your message." "Oh, Bernie." "I had a dream about you the other day." " Yeah?" "A nightmare?" " On the contrary." "Very sweet." "I dreamt you were lying out at Miller's Crossing with your face blown off." "You get a kick out of that?" " I was in stitches." " It's Mink, isn't it?" " I came back." "He wasn't happy to see me." " Can you beat that?" " Some friend." "Yeah." "You know what a nervous boy he was." "I figured you're a friend, maybe you could use some insurance." "Did Mink have a .22?" "He already ditched it." "Why?" " After he shot Rug?" " Yeah." "How'd you know?" " Doesn't matter." " I've been thinking about our deal." "You can stick it in your ear." " Huh?" "You don't have anything on me that I don't have on you, so I'm calling your bluff." " Wait a minute." " I'm pulling out tomorrow morning." "You only have to decide whether or not I leave behind a message for Caspar... that you're still around." "If you want me to keep my mouth shut, it's gonna cost you some dough." "I figure a thousand bucks is reasonable, so I want two." " In a pig's eye!" " I'm going out." "I'll be back at 4:00 this morning." "If you're not here at my place, 4:00, with the dough," " Caspar's gonna be looking for you tomorrow." " Wait, wait, wait!" " Got any money?" " No." "Okay." "Third race tonight." "By the finish, Tailor Made had a view of the field." "You oughta lay off the ponies, Tom." "Okay." "Lazarre said he's sorry about this." "It's just getting out of hand." "Yeah." "He likes you, Tom." "He said we didn't have to break anything." "It's okay." "Tell him there's no hard feelings." "Heh!" "Christ, Tom..." "he knows that." "Take care now." " Tom Reagan." " Yes, sir." " Mr. Caspar's in the great room." " Swell." "Can you hold these?" "Kid, what's the rumpus?" "I got news." "Yeah." "News at this end too." "My stomach's been seizing up on me." " Mink just told me that he" " Eh?" " You talked to Mink?" " Yeah, on the phone." "The Dane wants you to think that he's disappeared so you can't talk to him," " but he's been here in town." " You sure it was Mink?" "Yeah." "See for yourself." "He's coming to my place, 4:00 this morning." "He's afraid of a crossing with Dane." "He told me about the fix." "He says he'll sing for a couple of grand skip money, tell us everyone involved." "But you'd better take care of the Dane tonight." "Mink says he's coming after us tonight." "Leo's holed up at Whiskey Nick's dump." "What?" "How do you know?" "That ain't all we know, smart guy." "Recognize your playmate?" "You thought I'd quit, huh?" "Uh-uh." "I followed you this afternoon, and I wondered why Einstein would wanna talk to a gorilla." "So I grabbed the gorilla, and I beat it out of him." "You give me a big guy every time." "They break easy." "Not like you." "Is there a point, or are you just brushing up on your small talk?" "I like that." "Cool under fire." "I'm impressed." "The gorilla didn't know whose stiff we found, but I can fill that in." "You killed Mink, you son of a bitch!" "It was Mink, you son of a bitch." "It was Mink, and by God, I'll hear you say it." "Is this how you told Drop his story?" "Come here, bum." "I am gonna send you to a deep, dark place, and I am gonna have fun doing it." "Oof!" "." "You son of a bitch!" "Son of a bitch!" "You lousy son of a bitch!" "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a double-cross artist!" "I had a theory about this son of a bitch!" "Shut up, you lousy son of a bitch, or I'll give you something to holler about!" "Johnny, it's okay." "The Dane made him do it." "It's not important." "Then make him shut it!" "And we do the same to Mink this very same night!" "We can't double-cross Mink." "He wants to spill the whole setup." " I've never let a son of a bitch walk." " You've never crossed anyone." "4:00, my place." "Mink's coming in on his own hook, so I promised him the money." " Don't make me out to be a liar." "Look at this, kid." "Something I try to teach all my boys." "Always put one in the brain." "What's the rumpus?" "I was just in the neighborhood feeling a little daffy." " What are you doing?" " Walking." "Don't let on more than you have to." "In the rain." "Bernie's dead, isn't he?" " What makes you think that?" " That's no answer." "I can't tell you anything yet." "No one really cares, do they?" " His friends didn't really like him." " He didn't like his friends." "You're someone to talk." "You're a son of a bitch, Tom." "You got me to tell you where he was, and then you killed him." "I want to know why." " What was in it for you?" " Nothing for me." "Giving up Bernie was the only way I could see to straighten things out for Leo." "I thought you said you didn't care about Leo." "I said we were through." "It's not the same thing." "I don't understand." "I don't care." "I don't care what reasons you had or you thought you had." "He's still alive." "You expect me to believe you?" "No." "That's you all over, Tom." "A lie and no heart." "Oh" "It isn't easy, is it, Verna?" "But before you even think about doing that, you gotta towel down." "So you towel down first with a hot towel, as hot as you can stand." "Put the razor in cold water, not hot, because metal does what in cold?" " I don't know,Johnny." " That's why I'm telling you!" "It contracts." "That way you get a first-class shave every time." "Okay,Johnny." "Ain't it the life though?" "Hello, Sal." "You can dangle." "Hello, Tom." "You sure?" "You don't look so hot." "I'm okay." "I'll drive him home." "Mr. Reagan, there were shots." "Go down to the drug store and call the police." "You'd better stay there till the officers arrive." "Will my cats be all right?" "Yeah, they'll be fine." "I get it." "You set me up." "Anything to avoid a little dirty work yourself, huh?" "How'd you know he'd get it and not me?" "Or didn't you care?" "I figured you'd come early looking for blood." "He wouldn't, so you'd likely have the drop on him." "You're right." "The chump never knew what hit him." "But if you knew I'd come to kill you, how do you know I won't still?" "There's nothing in it for you now." "With him dead, you and me got nothing on each other." " Let me have the gun." " Why?" "Pin this on the Dane." "Neither of us want him walking around after this." "The cops'll be Leo's now." "They won't care what they hang the Dane for." "I guess that's true, if you don't mind keeping the gun that killed Caspar and Mink." "Why did Mink shoot Rug anyway?" "I don't know." "It was just a mix-up." "Here." " So you're gonna say the Dane did this?" " Sure." "Mink thought Rug was tailing him." "You know Mink." "Hysterical." "Skin full of hop, head full of boogeymen." "Comes home crying one day, saying he had to pop one of the Dane's spies." "Rug was tailing Verna, not Mink." "Mink just happened to be with her." "Funny, ain't it?" "Mink was terrified the Dane'd find out me and him were jungled up together." "I bet you kept him worried about that to keep him under your thumb." "Yeah, so what?" "Scratch, huh?" "A little bonus." " Why did Mink take Rug's hair?" " Beats me." "The kid was dizzy." "Fifty-fifty on the dough?" "Or maybe I should get more, since I did the deed." "Okay, you keep it." "I want you to have it." "Bernie... we can't pin this on the Dane." " Why not?" " Because the Dane's already dead halfway across town." " What the hell are you talking about?" " Eddie Dane is dead." "It's gotta be you." "I mean, it was your gun." "What is this?" "What the hell are you talking about?" "You" "You took my gun." "It's just your word against mine." "Not necessarily." "Are you crazy?" "We're square." "You said it yourself." "We got nothing on each other." "Yep." "So what's in it for you?" "There's no angle." "You can't just shoot me like that." "Jesus Christ, it don't make sense." "Tommy" "Tommy!" "Look in your heart." " Look in your heart." " What heart?" "Tad?" "It's Tom." "Tell Lazarre I got his money." "Yeah, all of it." "I wanna place a bet on tonight's fight." " They set you up downstairs?" " How's that?" "A little hooch, whatever?" "Thanks for coming, Tom." "Leo's real anxious to see you." "Yeah, I happened to be near." "Well, uh, actually this might not be the best time." " Who's he got in there?" " O'Doole and the mayor." " I'll try again." " They're planting the sheeny tomorrow." "You could stop by." " Big turnout." " Drop dead." "She's under a lot of strain." " Yeah, well, at least she didn't hit me." "Glad you came, Tommy." " I guess, uh" " Huh?" " She's taking the car." " I guess we're walkin'." " Guess we are." "We're, uh-- We're getting married." "Congratulations." "Funny thing is, she asked me to tie the knot." "I guess you're not supposed to say that." " It doesn't matter." "Congratulations." " Thanks." "Hell, Tom, why didn't you tell me what you were up to?" "I thought you'd really gone over." "Not that I didn't deserve it, but you could've told me." "Telling you would only have queered things if it" "There just wasn't any point." "I can see that." "It was a smart play all around." "I guess you know I'm grateful." "No need." "Heh!" "I guess you picked that fight with me... just to check yourself in with Caspar." "I don't know." "Do you always know why you do things, Leo?" "Sure I do." " It was a smart play." " Fine." "Jesus, Tom, I'd do anything if you'd work for me again." "I know I've made some bonehead plays, I know I can be pigheaded, but, damn it, so can you." "I need you." "Things can be the way they were." "I know it." "I just know it." "As for you and Verna, well, I understand." "You're both young." "Damn it, Tom, I forgive you." "I didn't ask for that, and I don't want it." "Good-bye, Leo."