"What could I do?" "I had a jive referee, and I had bad breaks." "Bull." "You were beaten." "Pete Novick is a better fighter, that's all." "I'll start the shower." "Now, you guys own Novick." "All right." "Now, you own me through a dummy manager." "That's okay." "But you promised me that this fight would be a soft one." "Now, look at me." "Just to make your new boy look good?" " You got paid." " Not enough." "I want out." "I want my contract back." " Sorry, Gunner." "Not a chance." " I'm not asking you, I'm telling you." "If I don't get my contract back, I'm going right to the DA's office." "I don't have much of a voice, but, baby, I'm gonna sing." " Okay, it's ready." " Thanks, C." "Tell you what, Gunner, you win." "I get the contract back?" "That's right." "We have no choice." "That's great." "Thanks." "Yeah." "Go get your shower, Gunner." "Jay." "Jay, I don't like it." "He's a loser." "He's not gonna make us any more money." "Just trouble." "He's in the shower." "Make it look hit-and-run." "I can handle it." "Good morning, Mr. Phelps." "The syndicate operation in the boxing game is handled by Jay Braddock." "He has corrupted Paul Mitchell, once an honest promoter, now his partner." "Braddock and Mitchell own a number of promising fighters, whose careers they are manipulating for illegal profits at public expense." "Middleweight James Loomis recently defied them and was brutally murdered in a phoney accident." "Conventional law-enforcement agencies have been unable to act." "Your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to expose Braddock and Mitchell and to destroy their criminal operation." "Paul Mitchell loves his daughter, Susan, but he tries to dominate her." "She, in turn, hates the business he's in, but she's fallen in love with one of his fighters, top contender Pete Novick." "Her father's trying to break up the romance, so we're gonna use that emotional triangle against Mitchell and Jay Braddock." "We've run taps into both their phones, Jim." "And I've set up an appointment with Peter Novick as an interviewer from News View Magazine." " Willy?" " The motorcycles are ready, and Casey's been checked out on the car." "And the firebomb's all set." "The mask is ready." "And this drug formula will produce a receptive half-sleep for exactly two minutes, and then unconsciousness." "Now, my police record's been planted and Barney's." "Special investigator, Jim, out of the state attorney general's office." "Fine." "Now, our plan will make Mitchell think that Braddock is trying to kill him, so that we'll use Mitchell to destroy Braddock." "We have to remember there are two innocent people involved." "We have to protect Susan Mitchell and Pete Novick." "Yeah, Pete!" "Come on, Pete!" "Hi, honey." "Jim?" "Barney?" "The syndicate truck just arrived." "Right, Willy." "Against the wall, hands flat." "What's the work-order code for tonight?" "Come on." "Hit him harder now." "Come on, come on." "Thattaboy." "Let him have it." "Come on, come on." "Come on, now." "Come on, come on." "Come on." "Come on, Pete." "All right." "Come on, Pete!" " It's all rigged." " Good." "Jim and Barney?" " Due out in six minutes." " Great." "Who is it?" "Dispatch Number 411." "Work order:" "Able 7." "All right, move." "Nobody moves, nobody yells, nobody gets hurt." "Everybody down on the floor, face down." "We'll be right outside the door." "Anybody moves gets their head blown off." " three, four, five, six," " seven, eight, nine, ten." " Come on, get up!" " Oh, Pete." "Pete, you were..." " Only the greatest, right?" "I thought so too, Pete." "Diana Barron, News View." " How did you get in here?" " Quietly, dear." "Very quietly." "I'm really anxious to do an interview in depth." " Why not?" " Pete, we have a date." "You go ahead, sweet stuff." "I'll meet you there in..." "An hour?" "Fine." "I'll get your shower started." " Fire away." " Great." "How do you feel about underworld control of the boxing game?" "What?" "Hey, come on, now." " What do your friends call you?" " Diane." "Di." "How do you feel about the death of Gunner Loomis?" "I'm sorry about it." "I'm very sorry." "Well, there's been some talk that he was killed because he wanted to break away from syndicate control." "All ready, kid." "Come on before you get cold." "Thanks, Denver." "Look, Di, you just don't ask questions like that." "Because you don't wanna know the answers." "Just take the money?" "That's the way the world goes." "You're smart, you go along with it." "If you're dumb, it runs right over you." "Now, I'm smart enough to stay cool, and I'm gonna be the champion." "Okay?" "Terrific." "But I'd still like an interview." " A nice, friendly interview?" " I guarantee it." "Is there some place that we could relax and talk privately?" "I got kind of a freaky pad up in the hills." " What about your date?" " Oh, she'll wait." "Then you're on." " Ten minutes." " Ten minutes." "I'm on the way." "Willy?" " Yes, Jim?" " They'll be leaving in ten minutes." "Right." "The whole gate?" " All of it?" " Every cent, Mr. Braddock." "But how was I to know?" "They had the procedure right." "All right." "How much did we get taken for?" "Thirty-seven thousand, eight hundred, Mr. Mitchell." "Did you get any kind of a make on the men that pulled it?" " They wore masks, Mr. Mitchell." "We..." " Shut up." "I don't want any talk about this." "As far as you're concerned, it's over." "I'll handle it." "Out." "It was a pro job all the way." "Yeah, but what kind of pros are going to take us on?" "Buck the organisation?" "It makes no sense." "Not now." " You deaf, man?" " Not at all, Mr. Mitchell." "The name is Spanner." "Associated Public Enterprises." "We're interested in your fighter, Pete Novick." "We'd like to buy his contract." "Why don't you get out of here, clown?" "As I said before, the name is Spanner, Mr. Braddock." "And I think you should consider our offer." "Associated Public Enterprises?" "I never heard of you." "Oh, we're new, but we have solid backing." "We can do things for Novick." "And we are prepared to pay a good price for his contract." "Like how much?" "Like $37,800 cash." "See, as I said, we have special resources." "Now, you'll save yourselves a lot of trouble by dealing with us." " I'll keep in touch." " Jay." "Jay." "You're a smart man, Mr. Mitchell." "I'll be in touch." " Hey." " What's the matter with you?" "You think he just waltzed in here to play pigeon?" "He's got enough behind him to take us on and the organisation." "He hit us in the head with that, all right." "I'll check him out." "What about Pete Novick?" " You think Spanner will work on him?" " Wouldn't you?" "Let him try." "We got Pete Novick nailed down in every way." "Giordana?" "Jay Braddock." "Got a name for you to check out." "Pete won't give us any trouble." "Because he knows that if he does, I'll have him crippled for life." "They're on their way, Willy." "Right, Jim." "Then when I won the Golden Gloves, I guess I knew I had it." "Pete, hold still, there's a bug on your neck." " There." "I got it." " Thanks." "Willy, Casey just gave Novick the drug." "One minute, 56 seconds." "Check." "Pete, you were telling me about the Golden Gloves." "Oh, yeah." "I feel dizzy." "Something's wrong." "Well, maybe you should pull over and stop the car." "Yeah." "Pete, look out." "Okay, let's get him to bed." "I'll have these developed right away, Jim." "Good morning." "Boy, you must've been exhausted." "You've been out for ten and a half hours now." "Maybe it was the reaction." "From what?" "Di, what happened last night?" "You don't remember?" "I remember feeling lousy." "Dizzy." "Hey, did we smack up the car or something?" "We?" "Darling, you hit a man on a motorcycle." "Oh, no." "Was he hurt?" "Pete, you'd better brace yourself." "He's dead." "Dead?" "No." "No, that ain't possible." "Oh, my God." " How...?" " I always carry a camera, Pete." "A girl never knows nowadays when she'll run into a chance to make some money." "Out of my hide." "Darling, a very nice man named Spanner hired me to get something heavy on you." "Well, last night, I lucked out." "I got a lot more than I expected." "It ought to earn me a bonus." "You cheap..." "That just cost you." "I can get you on a murder one." "Go ahead." "Go ahead, double your luck, baby." " The cops are already looking for you." " How do you know?" "Be my guest." "Well, I guess I don't have to tell you that you got troubles." "Because you hired that chick to blackmail me." "But I'm not playing." "Grow up, kid." "Those can get you a minimum of ten years." "And that will get you killed." "What do you want?" "Money?" "Relax, Pete." "We wanna make money for you." "We'll take care of you." "We'll give you the negatives, a notarised statement from Miss Barron that says the motorcycle ran into you, and money." "How?" "Simple." "You just cancel your contract with Braddock and Mitchell and sign with us." "Or else..." "Look, they got me in a box." "You gotta let me out." "Shut up, Pete." "We'll take care of it." "Yeah, but that guy Spanner, he's got the negatives." "That clown on the motorcycle, he was killed." " Hit-and-run." "That's murder." " All right, hold on, now, Pete." "Let us worry about it, huh?" "Tell you what you do." "You run along home." "Take it easy." "We've got the connections that can find the answers." "A little grease, a little pressure." "We'll handle Spanner." "That punchy moron." "I'd like to break both of his legs." "And Spanner..." "Yes?" "Who?" "I don't know any Manning." "Get rid of him." "What the...?" "I'm the Manning you don't know." "Now let me introduce myself, gentlemen." "State attorney general's office?" "We're not interested." "Yes, yes, Mr. Manning." "What seems to be the trouble?" "Robbery." "You had one and didn't report it." " I'm curious." " That's our business." "Now, blow." "It was just petty cash." "We didn't want the publicity." "Because Spanner and his people are muscling in on you?" "The same way you muscled into the fight business in the first place?" "Who is Spanner?" "Paul Spanner?" "You know, we're just now beginning to get a line on him." "But I can tell you this, he's got a new kind of organisation behind him, mean and hungry." "And he's out to rip you off." "Thanks for the rundown." "Now I'm tired of looking at your face." "Well, that's your constitutional right." "But let me warn you both, you're in trouble." "You're in big trouble." "And our office can help you if you're willing to cooperate." " How exactly?" " A little testimony." "Get out." "Think about it." "That's two kinds of trouble Spanner's caused us." " He's got to be wasted." " Now, now, come on, Jay." "Not that way." "Look, give me a chance to make a deal with him, huh?" "Please." "No deal." " Novick's contract." " And what if I say no?" "I release the pictures." "Pete goes to the slammer." "You and Jay lose anyway." "If we do make some kind of arrangement, how do I know that you won't pull this on one of our other boys?" "You don't." "Be reasonable, will you, Spanner?" "If you bust Pete Novick away from us, why, we'll be picked clean by breakfast." "You do have a problem, don't you, Paul?" "There has to be something you really want." "Pete Novick's contract." "Pete?" " What is it?" " Thanks a lot." "Remember me?" "I'm the girl you had a date with last night." "Lucky girl who stood around for two hours, waiting to see whether you'd been hurt in an accident, or you were just stiffing me." "Not now." "Oh, what's the matter?" "You got a big problem or something?" "Did you have a thrilling interview with that blond?" "Sue, it wasn't anything like that." "I've got troubles." "Now, please, just..." "Pete, tell me what's the matter." " You can tell me." " No, I can't." "Now, just leave me alone." "Sure." "I mean, you have your life and everything." "I guess I just don't fit in anymore." "I'll just see you around." "Sue..." "Oh, it's okay." "I know my way to the door." "Sue." "There was an accident last night, a bad one." "I ran into a guy on a motorcycle." "Ran head-on into him." "Was he hurt?" " Badly hurt?" " He died." "Pete." "Pete, that's awful." "I'm sorry." "I was so mad when I came in, I just..." "I didn't know." "I'm sorry." "I don't blame you, baby." "I had this big notion." "Pete Novick, right out of the gutter and onto the cover of News View." "Maybe I'll still make it, when they indict me." "Oh, no, Pete." "Listen, I'll get my father to help you." "No, you've got enough trouble with him over me now." "Well, then a little more can't hurt." "Oh, Pete, I love you." "No, we are not going to cancel his contract." "And why don't you just stay away from him, Susan, a cheap pug like that." " He's not." " Oh, damn it, girl." "Look around you." "Can't you see anything?" "The dirt, the stink, the sweat?" "The crooked angles, the rotten deals, the whole thing stinks." "Don't you understand that?" "Except for the money." "The good clean money that can buy you a nice life." "Sure, Dad, but I wanna spend that life with Pete." "Why?" "Why?" "Tell me." "What, because he's a fighter, is that it?" "Because he whips other men?" "What does that do, excite you?" "Is that sexy for you?" "Yeah, that's part of it." "But there's also a feeling." "I love him." "Go on home, will you?" "Just get rid of that punk." "He is in trouble, and he is trouble." "Just write him off!" "Now what the hell's going on?" "You were right, Jay." "Novick is nothing but trouble." "So let's just tell Spanner to go jump, huh?" "What do we care if he busts Novick wide open?" "Little Susan really got to you." "Now, cool it." "We can't let Novick go up." "He knows too much about our operation." "He'd talk." "And right after the Gunner Loomis bit, we can't take the risk." "So, what do we do?" "Go after Spanner?" "No." "The organisation doesn't want heavy trouble." "Spanner's a hard hit." "So we stop him the easy way, and we tie off all the loose ends." "We kill Pete Novick." "Four-three-two-seven." "Get me Steve Lawson." "Tell him it's Jay Braddock." " And tell him it's heavy." " Yes, sir." "Just a second, please." "You're only gonna have a few seconds to get Lawson's voice, Dave." "I'm a quick study, Jim." "Jay?" "Steve Lawson." "What's happening?" "Little trouble." "I need a good man for a hard contract." "I'd like the same one you sent me last time." " Train?" " That's right." "Sorry, Jay, Train's away on business." "What happened?" "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but your connection's been broken." "Would you like me to try your party again?" "Yeah, Mr. Jay Braddock." "Well, can you get to him?" "I've got a little job that's right down his alley." "It's quick and simple." "When will he be available?" "Not for a while." "But I can send you a reliable man." "First class." " Who?" " Ryker." "His name is Dave Ryker." " He comes high, but he's worth it." " Jay." "Jay, let's think about it, huh?" "Lawson, I'll take him." "Tell him to meet me tonight." " The Empress." " Right." " Jay, I've changed my mind." " It's too late." " No." "We could tell this Ryker that..." " I'm telling him, Paul, just like I'm telling you." "Pete Novick's dead." "Hello?" "Mr. Lawson, I have your party now." "Listen, forget it." "I'll talk to you in a couple of weeks." "Want me to tell Train you'll need him later?" " Yeah, but there's no rush." " Okay." "Take care, Jay." " Nice job, Dave." " Thanks, Jim." " Jim, how do you like Japanese food?" " Why?" "That's the speciality at the Empress." "It has to be an accident." "Thank you." " When do you want it done?" " Tonight." "I guess that's possible." "I'll have to case the place." "I want 5 big ones now, the balance on delivery." "I'll do better than that, Ryker." "You'll get it as soon as I see the action." "I'm going to be right there watching what I paid for." "Both of you?" " No, I..." " Yes." "I insist, partner." "Can do." "It'll take me about an hour to rig what I need." "Okay." "How do you feel about underworld control of the boxing game?" "What?" "Hey, come on, now." "What do your friends call you?" "How do you feel about the death of Gunner Loomis?" "I'm sorry about him." "I'm very sorry." "Well, there's been some talk that he was killed because he wanted to break..." " You ready?" " I think I have his voice." " Hello?" " Honey?" "Pete." "Can you meet me right away in front of the Regal Hotel on Third?" " I've gotta talk to you." " Yes, of course." "I'll be right there." " Miss Mitchell?" " Yes?" "Come with us, please." "Looks great, Casey." "Susan's safe." "We've got 16 minutes." "I'm ready." "Ten minutes, and I'll meet you in your office afterwards for the rest of my money." "Right." "Do we have to stay and watch this?" "I wanna make sure." " Susan." " No." " Let go of me." " No." "Jay, that's Susan." " Hello, Pete." " Honey, what are you doing here?" "Pete, I just had to be with you." "Let go of me." "That's my daughter." "Look out." "Paul." "Paul!" "Susan!" "Paul!" "Susan!" "Susan!" "No." "Susan." "I don't wanna talk about it anymore." "I don't even wanna think about it anymore." "All I wanna do is get my stuff and clear out of here." "You're not going anywhere, Paul, not now." "Well, what is there to keep me, pray tell?" "Am I supposed to lay aside a little money for my daughter's dowry?" "Is that it?" "Damn it, Paul, it was an accident." " You arrange accidents." " This time it was." "And too bad about Susan." "But you've got to hang in there." "We've got problems." "There'll be a police investigation." "You can't just cut-and-run." "Now, if you ever do that again, I'll break both your hands!" "Come on!" "I'm going into my office." "Have a drink, get yourself together, and come on in." "We've got to talk." "You don't make much noise." "I don't like to attract attention." "You got my money ready?" "In my office." " Anything left of the house?" " Ashes." " Novick?" " More ashes." "They'll have to make an identification from his teeth if that's what you want." "No, I saw it happen." "It's okay." "Come into my office." "I'll pay you off." "I heard about your daughter." "The bodies have been identified." "I'm sorry." "Sure." "But I'm..." " I'm still not going to testify for you." " Well, why should you?" "I mean, look what the organisation's done for you already." "Okay?" "Fine." "Mr. Braddock, when do you want me to handle that other job?" "What job?" "I thought Lawson said he had two contracts for me." "No?" "Must be my mistake." "Always trying to hustle a little extra business, you know?" "Night." "Hey." " What other job is he talking about?" " How do I know?" "Some kind of mistake." "Jay." "Jay, I heard him." "What are you trying to do, kill the whole world?" "Who is it now?" "Nobody." "All right." "Jay, you killed Pete Novick, didn't you?" "You killed my daughter, didn't you?" "Who's next?" "I didn't do anything to Susan." "Ryker killed her." "Ryker huh?" "Yeah." "Well, Ryker should've killed me too." "Or is that what you have in mind?" " You're crazy." " Am I?" " You really think...?" " Yes." "Okay, Paul." "You think maybe I've put a contract on you." "I'll prove you're wrong." "And I'm going to wipe out any connection between us and what happened tonight." "I'm gonna kill Ryker." "What?" "We're both safer if he's dead." "And then maybe it'll make you feel a little better about Susan." " But..." " Go stop him." " I'll be right down." " All right." "As soon as Mitchell's convinced I'm gonna kill him on Braddock's orders," " you move in." " I'll be ready." "No sound, no trouble." "Don't worry, your friend Braddock won't interfere." " Am I the next contract?" " Bought and paid for." "You know, Ryker, my daughter was in Novick's house tonight." "She's dead." "Just keep moving." "Hold it." "Drop your gun and turn around." "I had an idea Braddock might want you dead, Mitchell." "His name is Ryker." "I'll tell you all about him." "I'll tell you all about anything you wanna know." "So your father's agreed to turn state's evidence, Susan." "He's told the attorney general enough to rip open the whole syndicate infiltration of the fight business." " But he'll still have to go to prison?" " Yes, he'll have to serve some time." "But I think it'll make it a lot easier on him, Susan, if he could see you." "We've arranged for you to meet with him, if you want." "Of course." "And I'll wait." "No, we'll wait."