"Ah, dice." "Kiss 'em, baby." "Kiss 'em for me." "Come on, now." "A report came into the precinct." "A girl named Phillips." "Oh, how are ya, Boothe?" "Joan Phillips." "They found her slugged in an alley." "Here's everything that come in tonight." "What you got there?" "They pay me to push 'em." "I don't have to read about 'em." "What'll I do about that lush in 731, Doc?" "Oh, I don't know." "Tell Jacobson to handle it." "My coffee's getting cold." "Yes, sir." "Roll her along to the room." "I'll be down later." "Yeah." "Hey, wait a minute." "Aren't you going to do something for her?" "Who are you?" "Boothe." "Morning Herald." "Yeah?" "Well, I got news for you, Boothe." "I'm gonna finish my lunch." "Now, just a minute, Doc." "What gives?" "You've gotta do something for that girl." "She'll keep." "But you can't just shove her into a room and let it go at that!" "You gonna get out of here or you want to get thrown out?" "But, Doc..." "Hey, Murph!" "Now, just a minute, Doc..." "What're you in such a sweat about?" "Anything wrong?" "She's my wife." "Never mind, Murph." "Who slugged her?" "You?" "I haven't seen her in over a year." "How soon can I take her home?" "Hard to say." "There's a hold on her." "Soon as she's patched up, we'll have to turn her back to the police." "The police?" "What for?" ""Vagrancy, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, suspicion of... "" "Look, Boothe, this isn't my department." "Why don't you go talk to the lieutenant?" "Let me see that." "Are they kidding?" "Why, she'll be sent up for a couple of years." "Oh, I don't think so." "Few months, maybe, that's all." "That's all?" "Why, that'll kill her." "That girl's sick." "By tomorrow she won't be so sick." "That isn't what I mean." "I mean..." "I mean, sick." "She needs help." "Not..." "Not punishment." "Sure, I know." "Every tramp that's brought in here is a psycho." "She's not a tramp." "She's a clean, warm, intelligent human being." "At least, she was." "Meat-ax Mary was probably a blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked youngster too, once." "I mean, just two years ago." "Last year." "Have you ever been in Las Vegas?" "Where?" "Right in the middle of the Nevada desert, you bump into this cockeyed oasis." "It's a wide-open, 24-hour-a-day carnival that lives off three things, quick marriages, quick divorces, quick money." "Won and lost." "$3 billion changed hands across the gambling tables in Nevada last year." "3 billion." "Those are the state's official figures." "And why not?" "Everybody likes to gamble." "It's fun for most people." "But for some people, it's a trap." "It grabs down deep and won't let go." "But when you're there, you don't notice that." "You see everybody having a fine time." "That's the kind of place it is." "But it was just about the worst place in the world for Joan to be." "Only who could have known that to look at her?" "A package of cigarettes, please." "Well, what brand?" "Oh, it doesn't matter." "Any kind." "Thank you." "Madam, if you're not playing, would you step back and make room for someone else?" "Oh, I'm sorry." "May I have some chips?" "Yes, ma'am." "I'll take..." "Can I have a dollar's worth?" "Certainly." "Twenty-two, black." "Single 0." "Wait, I had chips on..." "Well, I thought it had to be either red or black." "The number is zero, madam." "It's green." "Excuse me, lady." "There's a telephone call for you." "For me?" "How could there be?" "In the office." "It's probably a long-distance call or something." "From Chicago?" "Hmm." "Great town, Chicago. "Hog butcher of the world," like the poet says." "It's a snap lock." "Why don't you come up?" "What's this all about?" "Hmm." "I'm not sure I know myself yet." "Sit down." "Yes." "Yes." "This is that flat-faced number that showed you in." "His name is Barky." "He rounds up undesirables and deports aliens." "Yeah." "No." "Which of your friend's categories do I fall into?" "Well, you don't sound like an alien, and I'll have to admit you don't look undesirable." "Well, in that case, if you don't mind..." "Barky's from Detroit, and he just can't seem to get it through his head that gambling's legal in Nevada." "It seems you made him nervous." "I can't think how." "He said you were playing black and red at the same time." "Is that some system?" "Is that illegal in Nevada?" "Oh, no." "We love people with systems." "But people with cameras, we wonder about them." "Hey, that's a tricky little number." "Don't!" "Don't open it." "You'll ruin the film!" "Well, exactly." "I've a funny feeling about people sneaking pictures of my patrons." "It might so easily turn into blackmail." "What?" "Or hadn't that occurred to you?" "It so happens I'm a tourist." "I like to take pictures." "Hmm." "Now, me, I like to take tourists, but strictly on the up and up." "Without any camouflage." "All right." "I used to work for a magazine." "I thought that while I was out here," "I could work up some sort of a feature they'd buy." "Candid shots of this sink of iniquity." "Well, why didn't you say so?" "I like the idea fine." "Just be sure you spell our name right, Miss, uh..." "Mrs. Boothe." "Now, may I have my camera back?" "My apologies, Mrs. Boothe." "Thank you." "Incidentally, just for the record, we don't force people to gamble here." "You can use these." "Oh, no, thank you." "I couldn't possibly..." "Go ahead." "They're house chips." "They're not worth anything." "You don't win and you don't lose." "But keep it under your hat." "It doesn't look nice in front of the paying customers." "This makes me feel like a real conspirator." "The professional word is "shill," Mrs. Boothe." "This is very kind of you, Mr..." "Mr. Corrigan." "Mr. Corrigan." "If you're here for the cure, maybe you and I could get together for dinner." "If I'm here for the what?" "The cure." "Six weeks in the Nevada sunshine and you rid yourself of whatever ails you." "You know, lumbago, matrimony, the common cold." "Your kindness overwhelms me." "Oh, good." "How about this evening?" "I'm afraid not, thank you." "My husband hates to eat alone." "Then he gave me this stack of chips." "But for a moment there, I expected him to produce a length of hose and go to work on me." "Well, compared to your day," "I'm afraid Boulder Dam's gonna make pretty dull copy." "No such thing." "I'm dying to hear about it." "Here, now, cut it out." "I'll give you a full report at dinner." "Why don't you phone down for a table?" "David, it's 7:30 in Chicago." "Don't you think we ought to call Ruth?" "Now, look, Joan, we went all through that yesterday." "You're a big girl now and so is your sister." "Yes, I know, but this is the first time we've left her home alone." "Well, it's not going to be the last." "She shouldn't be living with us in the first place." "Oh, that's not fair, David." "After all, living together wasn't her idea." "Wasn't it?" "Anyhow, didn't you send her a wire the minute we got here?" "Yes, but I wouldn't want her to think that we..." "Oh, well, you know how she is." "Yeah." "I have an idea she'll manage to survive without us for these few days." "And I'm sure I'll survive without her." "Dining room, please." "Operator?" "Operator, I want to call Chicago." "Elmwood 06321." "And operator, reverse the charges, please." "Mrs. David Boothe." "No, no, I'll hold on." "Hello?" "Hello, Ruth." "How are you, darling?" "Oh, fine, thanks." "What?" "But, Ruth, we've only been here two days." "What?" "I can't under..." "What's wrong, darling?" "Why are you crying?" "Yes, you are." "I can hear you." "Oh, no." "No, of course not." "It had nothing to do with you." "You know David has to do that series on the dam." "Well, just a few more days." "Oh, Ruth, that's absurd." "But I just told you that..." "Well, do you want to come all the way out here?" "Ruth, Ruth, I've got to hang up." "Somebody's at the door." "Goodbye, darling..." "Yes." "Yes, yes, goodbye." "Line's busy." "Well, looks like you picked up a little sunburn today." "Well, it's quite a place, that dam." "Wait till you see it tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" "Sure." "You're coming out with me, aren't you?" "I've lined up some camera angles that'll take your breath away." "Dining room, please." "Does it make any sense, actually?" "They must have files packed with shots." "Oh, thank you." "I'll call again." "Still busy." "Wait till you see what I'm getting down at the casino." "Candid shots you won't find anywhere." "You do as you like." "Only I thought..." "Well, we don't have to decide right this minute, do we?" "Why don't we see how we feel in the morning?" "Mrs. Boothe?" "Now?" "That would seem to be the general idea." "I'm sorry to spoil your fun, Mrs. Boothe, but poker is out." "Strictly out." "Really?" "Why?" "Well, when you lose at that table, you're not losing to the house." "Those boys pick up the chips." "But I'm not losing." "Don't tell me you're ahead." "Uh-huh." "About $200." "In stud poker?" "With those boys?" "Oh, they were very patient with me." "They said I caught on to the game real quick." "So it seems." "And of course, I had a big advantage." "They were playing for real money and I wasn't." "Huh?" "Especially when it came to bluffing." "Sometimes I can't figure out who's kidding who around here." "No, really, I..." "Now, you just do what papa tells you." "Pick up your chips and stick to the house games like you did yesterday." "Okay." "And people kept following me from one table to the next." "I didn't count it, but I'm sure I gave Barky over 1,000 in chips." "If you keep that up, you're going to get your picture in the paper." "I'll tell you a secret, David." "It's pretty exciting." "What is?" "Your picture in the paper?" "No, silly." "Gambling." "Hey, Jonnie." "Mmm?" "Stop leading." "I'm not leading." "You are, too." "Anyway, it's a good thing we're getting out of here before you get spoiled." "Oh?" "When are we leaving?" "Tomorrow afternoon sometime." "Tomorrow?" "Yeah." "I'll write up all my notes tonight, and then clean up the rest of the details at the dam in the morning." "Why don't we drive into town after dinner and look around?" "We've never really seen it at night." "Oh, it's just the same at night as it is in the daytime." "Everything's wide open." "Gambling casinos, wedding chapels, pawn shops, lawyers' offices." "There's no difference, Joan." "No difference at all." "But you owe yourself an evening off." "You haven't had one..." "I've gotta work." "But there are 100 things you can do." "The floor show, movie in town..." "All by myself?" "...the casino." "You want me to really get my picture in the paper, don't you?" "Hello." "Well, put your husband to bed already?" "Uh-huh." "I'd like to take a few more pictures." "Could you arrange for some chips?" "I could." "Come on, have a drink." "No, thanks." "I'd appreciate it." "Why don't we go out and sit on the patio and talk it over?" "Well, you've spent hours at the tables already." "Yes, I suppose I have." "Still, you want more pictures, huh?" "Well, if you don't want to give me the house chips, it's perfectly simple to say so." "Let's see that camera of yours a minute." "Oh, that's funny." "It certainly is." "Here you are panting to take pictures and you haven't got your camera." "Why?" "Well, I must have..." "When I changed..." "Because the truth is you don't want pictures of gambling." "You want gambling." "Be honest about it." "But that's ridiculous!" "Did you ever meet the kind of a woman that likes to dance and won't pay the piper?" "Meaning me?" "I'd say either use your own money or stay away from the tables." "Well, of all the..." "I'll do as I please." "I still say it would be better on the patio." "After all, you can control me." "But that wheel's liable to get out of hand." "May I help you?" "I'm Mrs. Boothe." "We left an envelope with you in your safe." "Certainly, Mrs. Boothe." "Boothe 416?" "Yes, that's right." "Would you sign right here, please?" "Oh, I'm not taking the whole envelope." "I just want $50 out of it." "I see." "Well, just sign one of these vouchers for 50 then." "Thank you." "Oh, Ms. Boothe!" "Squeeze in here by me." "I've been waiting for you." "Thank you." "Well, how shall we play 'em tonight, right or wrong?" "Chips, please." "The table's been pretty cold tonight." "I want to play against the house." "It's all right with me." "Yes, sir. 7:00 a. m." "Good night, sir." "Yes, Mrs. Boothe?" "Can I..." "I'd like to have my envelope again, please." "Well, he crapped the line away." "Better double up after a crap." "Yes, of course." "...likes another crap after that big 12." "Comin' up." "He threw a six." "Well, come in, come in." "Don't you ever go to sleep?" "Do you know what time it is?" "Say, a little rest wouldn't do you any harm." "I've seen you looking better." "I need $100 till tomorrow." "It was nice and restful out on the patio." "My husband will write you out a check in the morning, unless I could..." "What?" "Win it back in half an hour?" "Mmm-mmm." "How much did you drop?" "Hmm?" "$600." "Mmm." "Not so good." "And it wasn't even mine or David's." "It was expense money from the paper for this trip." "Hmm, well, not so bad." "Think how much worse you'd feel if it'd been your own." "Please, Mr. Corrigan, would you let me have the money?" "Why don't you wait till morning?" "You'll be fresher and you'll have a..." "No, I can't, I can't." "Why?" "Afraid of what David will say?" "He'll understand, won't he?" "I don't even understand myself." "I sat there watching it happen, swearing I would stop when I lost the chips in front of me." "Then, back to the desk for more money and back to the table, back to the desk, over and over." "It was..." "It was like seeing myself on a..." "On a screen or in a dream." "Like..." "Like watching a different person who couldn't see me or hear me." "How could David understand that?" "I understand it." "I've seen it happen before." "Go to bed, Mrs. Boothe." "If you have to have bad dreams, have them there." "They do less damage." "You won't let me have the money?" "What for?" "Why throw away another 100?" "50, then." "Let me have 50." "I'll pay you back, I promise." "Oh, no, you won't." "Take the word of an expert." "I will, Mr. Corrigan." "Please." "Go to bed, Mrs. Boothe." "25, then." "You've got to give me a chance!" "Stop making me feel like a heel." "I won't lend you a dime!" "It's bad policy and it won't do any good." "If you want money that bad, I'll give you 50." "But I won't lend you a plugged nickel!" "Wait a minute." "I'll get it for you." "How much?" "I'd like to get $100." "Sorry." "But it's worth more than three times that much." "A fine Swiss camera like that, of course it is." "Well, how much will you let me have?" "Oh, what difference does it make?" "$300 or $30?" "Six blue chips or six yellow chips?" "But when you want the camera back, then it's a big difference." "Maybe next week you could pay back $30." "But $300, that's a different story." "Do yourself a favor." "Take the camera home." "I can't." "I've got to get some money." "In the morning, everything will look different." "You'll see." "Why do you keep jabbering at me?" "It's a perfectly simple thing." "I bring in the camera and I want to borrow some money on it." "$100, $50..." "I don't care!" "I didn't steal the camera." "I've got a right to pawn it if I wanted or sell it or throw it away!" "Only, I've got to get some money before tomorrow morning!" "All right, lady, all right." "Take it easy." "If you're in that much of a spot," "I guess you could do worse than hock a camera." "Come over here." "I'll give you a ticket." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Don't thank me." "When you get the camera back, it'll be time enough to thank me." "And I hope I live to see the day." "Bet on the line." "Get your bets down." "Here it comes now for a new point." "Watch your hands." "Five!" "Five is the number." "$30 the lady's got here." "Get your come bets in their field." "Get 'em down before the dice comes out." "Four!" "Four left to field." "Field is the winner." "Four the hard way." "The man wants five." "Five is the number." "Five." "Seven!" "Seven!" "Pay the last come bet." "Well, we have a new shooter." "Your dice, lady." "Put your bets down." "I never..." "Just pick 'em up and heave 'em, lady." "Pick 'em up and heave 'em." "Couldn't I play without..." "Why, of course." "Next shooter." "We got a new shooter." "Place your bets down, folks." "Be good to me, baby." "Be good to me." "Come on, number seven." "Seven!" "Seven!" "Let's double up this time, Hoyt." "Double up." "One more time." "Just one more time." "Kiss 'em, lady." "Kiss 'em first." "Think natural." "Be there, boy." "Be there!" "Seven!" "The winner!" "Oh, good morning, Mrs. Boothe." "Good morning." "I want to put that money back." "Five 100s and two 50s, just the way it was." "Okay." "Here's an envelope." "Just fill it out the way you did last time." "Oh." "Can't I use the old one?" "I've got it right here." "Well, I guess so." "Oh, good." "And those things I signed, I can have them back, too, can't I?" "Sure thing, Mrs. Boothe." "There." "There." "Now, it never happened at all, did it?" "Did it?" "What's your name?" "Me?" "Jack Harris." "It never happened at all, did it, Jack?" "No, Mrs. Boothe, it never did." "Hey." "Hey." "Hmm?" "Good morning, darling." "I'm glad you haven't gone." "I want to go out with you today." "When you hear the tone, the time will be exactly 1:00 p. m." "I'm back." "Oh, no." "Oh, David, you shouldn't have let me sleep like that." "Well, you've gotta sleep sometime." "Goodness knows you didn't last night." "I did an awful thing, David." "I wanted to try my luck just once." "With real money, I mean." "I just had to get it out of my system, and, well, before I knew it, it was 3:00." "Everybody stays up all night around here." "It's amazing." "How did you make out?" "Uh, ahead a few dollars." "Was it fun?" "Uh-huh." "Hello?" "Mrs. Boothe?" "Yeah, just a moment, please." "It's for you, Joan." "For me?" "Who is it?" "I don't know." "It's the operator." "Hello?" "Yes?" "Hello?" "Ruth!" "How are you, darling?" "Where are you?" "Are you calling from work?" "She's here." "No, no, I was just surprised, that's all." "Oh, don't be silly." "Of course I'm glad." "Ruth, uh, I'm just getting dressed." "You wait in the lobby..." "Yes, yes, I know it's late." "I got to bed late." "We'll be down in a few minutes." "Okay." "Oh, David." "Why didn't you tell me you asked her to come?" "I didn't, David." "I swear I didn't." "Oh, yes, I did phone her." "After we agreed not to?" "But only to say hello and ask how she was." "I had to, David." "You don't know what it's like being in the middle like this." "You on one side and Ruth on the other." "I'm always doing something wrong to one of you." "Okay, Joan." "You better get dressed." "We'll just have time to say hello and goodbye." "You want to stay on with her, don't you?" "Couldn't you stay, too, just for a day or so?" "No, Joan, I can't." "Well, will it be awful, darling, driving back by yourself?" "What do you think?" "When will you be home?" "Probably before you, if we fly." "Well, see you." "You understand, don't you, Davie?" "Sure." "Shall I come and help you pack?" "No, it's okay." "I'm practically finished." "You better go tell Ruth the good news." "It isn't as if you were staying on alone." "After all, I'm here with you." "Oh, it's just that I hate to think of David driving back all by himself." "Well, if I know David, he's enjoying it." "Do you think I look funny and overdressed in this?" "Don't be silly, darling." "It looks better on you than it does on me." "Good evening." "For a man who hates to eat alone, your husband certainly seems to do a lot of it." "Ruth, this is Mr. Corrigan." "My sister, Ms. Phillips." "How about that, Ms. Phillips?" "Why does she keep the guy under wraps?" "We'd like to meet him." "I'm afraid you can't now." "David drove home this afternoon." "Oh." "And how are you enjoying Las Vegas, Ms. Phillips?" "Well, I just got here today." "It seems very interesting." "Yeah, well, I'll take that as a personal compliment." "You seem pretty quiet." "Not holding a grudge, are you?" "Should I be?" "Well, I'm afraid I was a little bad mannered last night." "Your manners seem much the same as usual." "I'd like to make it up to you." "That's hardly necessary or possible." "More coffee, Ruth?" "Well, let me get you some fresh." "Waiter." "Let me have more coffee and..." "If you're free this evening, there's going to be a private game at my place." "No-limit stud." "What an idea." "Joan doesn't play cards." "It is peculiar, your inviting me." "Three of four gentlemen from Dallas." "Very middle-aged, very refined, and very wealthy." "I thought you might dress up the game." "How?" "Oh, by playing, of course." "And what would I use for money?" "Money?" "Mine." "Naturally, I'd stake you." "You get 20% of anything you've won." "Think it over." "You don't have to decide this minute." "Thank you, Mr. Corrigan." "I find I don't care for gambling." "It's noisy and confusing and just a little dirty." "Ah!" "Here we are." "In honor of your arrival today, Ruth." "May I call you Ruth, Ruth?" "If you like." "To two very charming ladies, Ruth and Joan." "It's hard to call Ruth, Ruth, and not call Joan, Joan." "That's very kind of you..." "You'll have to forgive me, Ruth, but I never allow anyone to use my first name." "That's very strange, I must say." "Oh, no, it isn't." "The name is Horace." "Joan, please, don't be rude." "I'm sorry." "I'm terribly sorry." "After all, there's nothing very funny about the name." "Thank you, Ruth." "I knew you were sweet the minute I saw you." "Shall we have this dance?" "I'd love it." "That is if..." "Oh, I'm sure Joan won't mind." "Will you, Joan?" "No." "Of course not." "Are you sure?" "Certainly." "Isn't this funny?" "I stayed out here to chaperone Joan, and here she is chaperoning me." "Not funny at all." "It's exactly as it should be." "Oh, that's nonsense, just plain nonsense." "Why?" "What if I did only meet him tonight?" "I like him very much." "And he liked me." "Oh, Ruth." "Don't "Oh, Ruth" me." "Heaven knows you've got no need to be jealous." "You've got David." "You're not making very much sense, darling." "You drank too much brandy." "I wanted to go, and now look at us." "Instead of a wonderful boat ride on Lake Mead, we have to go to bed at 9:30." "Oh, cut it out, Ruth." "You can't stand it, can you, if a man shows the slightest interest in me, can you?" "Shall I tell you what he said to me while we were dancing?" "No, please." "He said I danced beautifully." "And he refused to believe that I was eight years older than you." "And that I raised you from when you were a baby because mother died when you were born..." "Stop it, Ruth." "Stop it." "And I won't tell you the other things he said." "'Cause I don't think I should." "I don't remember when I've had a lovelier evening." "Ruthie..." "You're not getting a crush on Mr. Corrigan, are you?" "What if I am?" "What business is it of yours?" "Oh, believe me, darling." "I'm not being jealous." "It's just that I..." "Well, I don't want you to get hurt again." "I knew it." "I knew that's what you were thinking." "What makes you so sure I'll be hurt?" "Maybe he does find me attractive." "Is that so impossible?" "Is it?" "Is it?" "I didn't say that." "Just because I never got married." "You think I didn't have any chances?" "What about Joe Matthews?" "He was dying to marry me, and I was only 18 years old." "Yes." "I know." "I know." "But I had you on my hands, a nasty, skinny little brat." "If I'd had any sense, I would have put you in a home somewhere." "Please, darling..." "Then I wouldn't have to stand here like a fool and be laughed at by my own sister." "Ruth, open the door." "I want to talk to you." "Ruth, please." "Answer me." "Deal me out." "Well, slumming, Mrs. Boothe?" "May I come in?" "How far in?" "I'm accepting your invitation." "Can you afford it?" "It's a pretty steep buy-in." "That's your problem, isn't it?" "Think you can stand the noise, confusion and dirt?" "I apologize." "Hmm." "Put these in your purse." "Hello?" "Hello, Ruth." "It's David." "Just outside Salt Lake." "Spent the night here." "Say, wake up Joan, will you?" "I want to talk to her." "All right." "She's not here, David." "I don't know where she is." "Now, look, Ruth, don't start up that stuff again." "I want to talk to her." "No, it's true." "Her bed hasn't been slept in." "What time is it?" "Hello?" "David?" "Hello?" "Your deal." "Daylight." "I didn't realize." "Your deal, Mrs. Boothe." "I'm sorry." "I'm too tired to even see the cards." "Now, wait a minute..." "Listen, fellas." "It's 5:30 and I'm a working man." "You gentlemen know where to find me if you want another session." "But I have dropped over 10,000." "And if you keep playing, you'll drop another 10." "I'm sorry." "I can't oblige you." "I hate to do this while you still got some money left." "425." "425." "The lady's ready to fall." "640." "640." "Wait a minute, Mrs. Boothe." "I'll settle up with you as soon as I show the boys out." "You're a great little poker player, Joan." "Anytime you want to work it full-time, let me know." "The cards did seem to come my way, didn't they?" "Tired?" "Mmm-hmm." "A little." "But nice tired." "Here's your cut." "You came out nearly 4 grand ahead." "We'll make it an even 800." "Not a bad night's work." "Care for a drink?" "At 5:45 in the morning?" "What kind of a girl do you think I am?" "Why don't you stop sparring with me, Joan?" "I haven't been sparring." "You're nicer like this." "Look at you now." "Easy, relaxed, tired, but like you say, nice tired." "This is a pleasant room in the morning." "It's a lot more than that." "It's what's in the room." "The game, the fight, the fear." "And the peace that comes after you've licked that fear." "When you win." "Nah, even when you lose." "It's different, but there's a kind of peace in that, too." "Like when you were a kid and you took your punishment, you knew it was over." "I never thought of it that way." "You may be right." "I'm right, all right." "I'm right about a lot of things." "I know you, Joan." "I know what you need." "You'll get them with me." "I'm right for you and you're right for me." "I think I'd better go." "Don't..." "Don't fight me, Joan." "This is where you belong." "I'm not fighting you." "It's just that..." "Well..." "It's my own fault." "I'm sorry." "I really am." "Okay, Joan." "Skip it." "How about that drink later?" "Like this afternoon?" "If you like." "It's a date then?" "It's a date." "Quitting, Mrs. Boothe?" "Yes." "Write it down, Joe." "Dames." "Oh, David, why doesn't he look up?" "That man's working down there." "He won't look up." "Hey!" "Well, he ought to." "He ought to know how I feel." "Why?" "What's wrong, David?" "They tell me there's never been a single suicide off here." "Yet, back in Chicago, they drop off those high buildings like flies." "Something's been wrong ever since you came back." "Where were you at 5:00 this morning?" "5:00 this morning?" "Yeah, when I called." "I didn't know you called." "Didn't Ruth tell you?" "She didn't say a word." "Well, I'm saying it now." "Where were you?" "In the casino." "Now, put your arm around me." "Don't you believe me, David?" "I believe you." "Then what..." "What's the matter?" "A fellow could spit pretty near half a mile." "It's quite a feeling." "What's a roulette wheel got can compare to that?" "What do you mean?" "What is all this with the casino, anyway?" "All night last night and the night before." "Most of the days, too." "Nothing." "It's nothing." "Just lack of something better to do." "Spitting half a mile's better." "Lying in the sun's better." "So is a two-inch steak." "Last week, you would have thought so, too." "I think so now." "Darling, are you worried about me?" "A little." "Yes." "Well, don't be." "Oh, the casino was exciting, of course, but let's face it, I'm just a hick from Chicago who found a bright, new shiny toy." "It's the deep end, Joan, for people with no talent for living." "They're not big enough to take the plunge here, so they do it back in the gambling joints." "That's your bright, new shiny toy?" "Well, it's not new anymore and it's not shiny." "I can take it or leave it alone." "I'll leave it alone." "And if I ever go near one of those joints again, you can take away my two-inch steaks for one solid year." "Scout's honor." "Speaking of steaks, what time is it getting to be?" "There's no time like the present, to coin a phrase." "Hey, Joan." "Mmm?" "That man's looking up here." "Don't you want to wave?" "Do you know what I really want to do?" "What?" "Spit half a mile." "Ruth, look what I..." "Ruth." "Ruth." "Well, what do you know?" "What?" "She's gone home." "Why does she do things like this?" "Don't ask a gift horse too many questions." "I should have phoned her." "I've got a better idea." "I'll phone the boss and tell him I'm gonna take a week off." "We'll have ourselves a real vacation." "How about that?" "Hey, lady." "Come here, Jonnie." "Look up at me." "Do you remember me?" "I'm the fellow you married." "David, I think we should..." "Now, do you remember?" "Uh-huh." "Oh!" "Lake Mead is beautiful, but cold." "Like my wife." "A crack like that, sweetheart, is grounds for divorce." "In Nevada." "We are on the Arizona side." "Lucky for you." "Hey, I thought you had that hair curled yesterday." "Oh, Marie was out sick, so I just skipped it." "Well, I wish you'd told me." "I wasted a whole afternoon with the local press." "Aw." "Well, not that he isn't a nice fellow." "Let's get back to the shore." "We'll have lunch at the inn." "They serve bass there five minutes after they're caught." "Oh, didn't I tell you, darling?" "That Mrs. Henniger, the one we met the other night, she asked me to lunch today." "Okay." "Back to the Pelican." "I'll take you both to lunch." "Oh, not today, darling." "She wants to have a real heart-to-heart talk." "About her divorce." "You know, girl talk." "This is her third, isn't it?" "I think so." "Well, don't let her give you any ideas." "Fat chance." "Hi, darling." "Are you starved?" "I am." "Oh, what a day." "I'm all out of breath." "What's that you're drinking?" "I think I'll have the same." "Pete." "Have you been waiting long?" "How was lunch with Mrs. Henniger?" "Oh, deadly, just deadly." "I couldn't get away." "She talked and talked and talked." "She did?" "All through the poker session?" "What?" "You were playing poker all afternoon, weren't you?" "I won a young fortune today, David." "We can stay here another month on what I've won today." "What about the money you won yesterday when you were supposed to be at the beauty parlor?" "And the day before that, when you wanted to go shopping by yourself?" "Don't be angry with me, David." "It's just that when you came back, I felt so lucky that I..." ""I'll never play again," you said. "Scout's honor. "" "I'll think I'll skip dinner, Joan." "I'm going back to the room." "I'll see you a little later." "You looking for someone?" "Yes." "My wife." "This is a terrible time for husbands." "Thanks, I'll try to remember." "Do you know where she is?" "Well, not exactly." "You know how they are." "She's gone table crawling to change her luck." "What do you mean, how they are?" "Well, gamblers." "The ones who've got it bad." "Like your wife." "When last seen, she was headed for The Blue Chip." "What's it all about, Joan?" "What are you doing here?" "I don't know." "Joan..." "I didn't want to come here." "Then why?" "I don't know." "I don't know why." "I was..." "I was all keyed up, so I went to the casino." "I thought I'd just watch for a few minutes." "Then, something made me bet once and I lost." "And then again and I lost." "And before I knew it, I had lost a lot." "So, I went across the street and kept on losing." "You don't know what it's like, David." "It's like being whipped and kicked then being stepped on, and all the time you..." "Oh, no, it's all right, Joan." "It's over now." "I'm scared, David." "Scared." "Something's happening to me and I don't know what it is." "It..." "It grabs hold of me and I can't shake it off." "I see it happening, but I can't stop it." "Oh, help me, David." "Take me away from here." "Okay, Joan." "It's all right, Joan." "A scared kid, groping in the dark, pleading for help." "She needed it then and she needs it now." "Who doesn't?" "Well, what's a stiff dose of jail going to accomplish?" "It'll keep her out of trouble, out of back alleys." "So, what do you do?" "Throw away the key?" "A year from now, two years, she gets out." "Then what?" "Look, Boothe." "I'm here to patch up drunks and bums with their bellies cut open, or dames with loaded dice and their ribs kicked in." "More than that, I can't do." "Why?" "Is a sick mind less serious?" "Less important?" "If there's anything wrong above the neck, I can't afford to notice it." "All we do here is give them the old one-two-three and hope they hold together with adhesive." "But I'm not asking you to cure her." "I'll take her to someone who can." "That's all I'm asking." "That when she can get up and walk, she gets up and walks to me." "How do I know she should walk to you?" "How do I know you're not the cause of what's wrong with her?" "Because it's her sister." "A blind man could see that." "That's your story." "The sister will have a different story." "I can guarantee that." "Oh, Murph." "What are you doing?" "Send for her, Doc." "Get her down here and see for yourself." "In the middle of the night?" "What difference does that make?" "Tell her Joan's here and she'll fly to get her hooks into her again." "What's up?" "How about it, Doc?" "Murph, get a hold of a girl named Ruth Phillips." "Elmwood 06321." "Okay." "Thanks." "If you're so sure Ruth was the cause of the trouble, why didn't you get the girl away from her?" "I did." "We didn't come back to Chicago." "I sent the paper my story and my resignation at the same time and we hit for Mexico." "I was trying to write a book about the Colorado River." "So, we rented a place at the edge of a village called San Crispin on the coast." "The next few months were like a second honeymoon." "Except for the fact that we never really had a first one." "We practically lived on the beach." "Fishing, swimming." "We even worked on my book down there." "Joan typing while I dictated to her." "But, for the most part, it was a wonderful vacation." "And even though the money I'd saved was kind of dwindling, it was worth it to see Joan really healthy and relaxed again." "Ah, the poor little sardine." "Poor nothing." "I'll bet he weighs 10 pounds." "Would you settle for five?" "Mmm." "Just for that, I'll tell everyone you caught him." "Davie..." "Mmm?" "How much longer will it take?" "Will what take?" "Finishing the book." "I don't know." "Two or three months, if our money holds out." "So soon?" "Hey, a fine thing." "I slave all day over a hot typewriter and look at the thanks I get." "That will mean leaving here, won't it?" "Not a chance." "If the book goes over, we'll buy this place." "And if it doesn't, well, we'll stay here and raise vegetables and about 10 kids." "Will you settle for five?" "Davie..." "Hmm?" "Don't you think you ought to get started?" "Now?" "You've got a long way to go." "San Diego." "I'd forgotten all about it." "Did you, darling?" "Oh, you say the sweetest things." "Oh, now, cut it out, Joan." "I've got to go." "You sure you don't want to go along?" "I'm sure I do." "Well, wonderful!" "But I won't." "You're going to the library to work and I'd only be in the way." "Well, bless your little heart." "I only know of one other person with such nobility." "Who?" "Your sister." "Who else?" "Why, you stinker!" "David!" "David, come back here!" "I'll be back first thing in the morning." "Do you have everything you need?" "Mmm-hmm." "Driver's license?" "Yep." "Identification?" "Yep." "Money?" "Uh-oh!" "It's a good thing one member of this family has some brains." "I was running off without a dime in my pocket." "Drive carefully, won't you, darling?" "Yes, Joan." "And don't forget to eat." "No, Joan." "I'll chew my food well, brush my teeth, and I'll shave in the morning." "Any other last-minute instructions?" "No." "Goodbye, darling." "Goodbye." "Oh, now, stop looking like that, Jonnie." "You're breaking my heart." "Oh, Davie, it's been months since you called me that." "Now, get out of here before I..." "Will you please go?" "See you tomorrow." "David." "David!" "Let me ride into town with you." "Sure." "I..." "I have some shopping to do." "Who are you kidding?" "Hello." "Hello." "Well, look who's here." "Mrs. Boothe, I do declare." "Hello." "Ducky, you remember Mrs. Boothe from Las Vegas." "The Pelican?" "The lucky lady?" "I certainly do." "How do you do?" "Now, don't give yourself a headache trying to remember our names." "We're the Sutherlands." "Oh, yes, of course." "How are you enjoying your visit?" "Fine." "Fine." "For Dennis, Mexico is no different from anywhere else, just so long as he can smell out someplace to gamble." "He's a regular bloodhound." "Isn't she a scream?" "Of course, here, he managed to find that little undercover place behind the hotel." "So, naturally, we're stopping over." "Not much of a place at that with that one broken-down crap table, is it, Mrs. Boothe?" "To tell you the truth, I don't know anything about it." "You mean you haven't even been there?" "I'm afraid I can't afford it these days." "Oh, well, we'll take care of that." "You just come along." "You provide the luck and I'll provide the money." "No." "No, I don't think I'd better." "Oh, you can't let me down." "The biggest streak I ever had was riding with you in Vegas." "Well, I..." "I'm not really dressed." "Dice don't care how you're dressed." "The worst beating I ever took was one time in Cleveland, and I was wearing white tie and tails." "So, you come along." "We'll have cocktails, dinner, and a fine evening." "Will it be all right if I don't play?" "If I just watch?" "Oh, certainly." "Ducky never plays either." "She doesn't bring me the luck that you do." "Oh, come along, Ducky." "You've got to give me the magic word, Joan." "We've got to get warmed up." "Here, you roll it for me." "No." "No, I don't want to." "Oh, go on." "Just once." "No, please." "Okay." "Here we go." "Look at that!" "Snake eyes." "How about it, Joan?" "No." "No." "Why not?" "What are you afraid of?" "Attagirl!" "Attagirl!" "Okay, pay me." "Now, let this ride, let this ride." "Now, do it again." "Ah!" "See what I mean?" "See what I mean?" "Okay." "Okay." "Come on, give the dice." "Give me the dice." "Come on." "Let's have them." "Now let's roll..." "Joan." "Joan!" "All of it, Joan?" "All of it?" "You didn't gamble it away, did you, Joan?" "Tell me I'm wrong." "Tell me you did something else with it." "Anything." "No." "What else could it be?" "In one night." "A few short hours." "What else could swallow up a couple of lives so completely?" "You and me." "The book." "This place." "Kids." "Where have I failed you, Joan?" "Where?" "What's lacking in me?" "In us together that we can't fight off this..." "This poison?" "We've got" "$180 left." "Here's half." "It's not much." "It'll get me back to Chicago." "Find a job." "This will have to wait for a bit." "What you do with your half is something I can't decide for you." "It's up to you." "But if it brings you back home, well," "I'll be there." "Well, what do you want?" "You got a visitor outside." "Oh." "Name of Boothe." "Boothe?" "Big, heavyset guy with a moustache?" "No." "Cute little number." "No moustache." "Oh." "Anybody with her?" "Not at the moment." "May I come in?" "Ask a foolish question and you're liable to get a foolish answer." "What are you doing in Vegas?" "Staying a while or just passing through?" "That depends." "On what?" "On you, I'm afraid." "Oh, that's bad." "I'm not the dependable type." "You said once if I ever wanted full-time work to come around." "Well, I've come around." "I see." "Uh, what's with you and, uh..." "We separated." "It figured." "Didn't he leave you with any cash?" "The other way around." "I didn't leave him with any." "Oh." "You found a wheel, huh?" "A table." "So you see, I could really use a job right now." "Yeah." "The only trouble is it looks as if I'm going to be pulling out of Vegas in a week or so." "There isn't much I could really do for you around here." "Oh, you're..." "You're leaving?" "I got a little project of my own on the fire." "Well..." "Wait a minute." "It's crazy, but it might just..." "Get me Chuck Benson again." "The Los Angeles number." "I'll hold on." "It's a brainstorm, Joan, but I..." "I think maybe you got yourself a job." "Doing what?" "Well, a few of the boys and myself have got together a little syndicate, and we..." "Hello, Chuck?" "Corrigan." "I think I got the answer for us." "You sitting down?" "Well, sit down and hold on to your chair." "A woman." "No, you mug, a lady." "She's right here with me now." "Mrs. David Boothe of Chicago." "He wants to know if you got a record, a police record." "No, she's in the clear." "Absolutely." "My personal guarantee." "Isn't that good enough for you?" "Okay, you can get started." "Tell the boys." "Well, Joan, you're all set." "Here's the deal." "We've taken over a racing stable, but we couldn't move without a front." "You're the front." "You're about to become the owner of a string of horses." "But I don't know anything about horse racing." "Well, I do." "Just about everything." "Then why do you need me?" "Well, these state racing boys, they're a little on the stuffy side." "I could never get a license because of my past business connections." "So the stable will be in your name." "Well, don't look so scared." "This is strictly a legitimate enterprise." "No fixed races, no doping, no dirty work at all." "The job will pay your expenses and a small share of the profits." "Interested?" "Oh, yes." "It's a lifesaver." "Thank you." "But there's..." "There's one thing you ought to know before you decide." "That money I lost wasn't mine." "David had saved it nickel by nickel. $1400." "As soon as I can scrape together that much money," "I'm going to take it back to him." "And just how do you figure on scraping it together?" "Saving it nickel by nickel or gambling?" "Any way I can." "Fine." "I don't think you'll be walking out on us too soon." "Come on." "Let's go buy you some clothes." "All right, let's." "Never a doubt." "Nobody even near him." "Corrigan." "I need some more money." "What for?" "You just cashed a winner, didn't you?" "Let me see that ticket a minute." "Are you out of your head?" "I told you Hotfoot was going to win the race." "Yes, but I had a terrific hunch." "What goes with you, Joan?" "Do you like to lose?" "No, of course not." "You ought to know by this time that when I give you information, it's straight." "You can be wrong, you know." "Anyhow, what fun is it betting on a sure thing and giving the track odds?" "If you're looking for bargains, go to a department store." "Don't come to a track." "Unless you want to get hurt." "I wish you'd stop saying that." "That shouldn't bother you unless it's true." "What are you trying to do, punish yourself?" "I asked you for some money." "For another long shot?" "Nothing doing." "But I have a beauty in the next race." "No, Joan, you've had it for this week." "Payday's on Saturday." "Where are you going?" "Back to the hotel." "What's the point hanging around here?" "Do you have cab fare?" "No, I don't." "Here." "I'll see ya." "It's up to you." "Up 20." "I'm against waiting." "The odds will be good enough, and Johnny's having trouble holding her back." "One of these days she's gonna bust loose and win before we're ready." "Then where are we?" "Okay." "Okay." "What do you think we're running the time trial for?" "If she does what we think..." "Hold it, Chuck." "Hiya, Joan." "How's the weather out?" "Clear." "Will be a fast track tomorrow." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Nobody's gonna ask you to play, so you might as well powder." "Isn't my money any good?" "Poker and women don't mix, Ms. Boothe, honey." "While we're on the subject of mixing, how about you freshening up these drinks for us?" "Deal me in and I will." "There's a dice game over at the Eversham." "Why don't you give it a whirl?" "I just did." ""Isn't my money any good," she says." "I'll eat every cent over a dime she's got on her." "Come on." "Take this and try to make it last, will you?" "If you come back here, you'll start something." "That dame's beginning to get on my nerves, Corrigan." "She's worse than a lush." "I'd rather have a lush around anytime." "At least a lush will pass out once in a while." "Deal the cards." "Which reminds me." "I wouldn't like to see her at that track tomorrow morning." "The trainer can handle the trial without her." "We don't need any spectators." "Let me get this straight." "Are you giving me orders?" "No." "No, I just figured she can use the beauty sleep, that's all." "Brother!" "Did she do it?" "Let's see what Johnny has to say." "You really had her traveling, Johnny." "Just breezing, Mrs. Boothe." "Think she can win Saturday?" "She can run over the whole field." "You just give me the word." "I'll let you know." "Come on, we better hurry." "Cool her off, Johnny." "I'll see you later." "What's the good word?" "Say, that's good enough." "Saturday, Corrigan?" "Sure, why not?" "You can let her all the way out on Saturday." "Tell that to Johnny." "I'll van her over to the track today." "Yeah." "Okay, this is it." "What are we waiting for?" "Let's get started." "We start nothing." "Everything's on ice till Saturday." "Sure, Chuck." "I only thought..." "Don't think." "It can make you very sick." "What's so funny?" "Shut up!" "I told you what to do once." "I'll tell you again." "We make no bets till 20 minutes before post time, Saturday." "None." "And no bets with any of the local books." "And nobody goes to the track." "Nobody." "Is that clear?" "Yeah." "The odds ought to come in at 30-1." "If we play it smart, they'll stay there." "All right, let's play it smart." "Let's get out of here before somebody sees us who shouldn't." "Yeah, today's the day." "It's in the bag." "Remember, Charlie, place your bets as close to post time as you can." "Start slow and spread 'em thin." "See who that is, will you?" "Get me Hollywood, 7670, Los Angeles." "Person-to-person to John Evans." "Mrs. Boothe?" "Yes." "Desk thought this might be important." "Oh, just a minute." "Looks as if it followed you halfway across country." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Hello, Jack?" "Corrigan." "That's right." "Today." "Seventh race, number five." "Happy Girl." "Oh, probably about 30-1." "Seattle, Washington." "Uh, George Swan, Maine, 2479." "Well, keep trying and call me back." "Looks official." "It is." "Well..." "Give it back to me, Corrigan." "So he's decided he doesn't like playing husband after all, huh?" "That isn't the way I read it." "Hello, George?" "Well, hurry it up, will you?" "It's important." "How do you read it?" "Where are you going?" "Out." "Out where?" "What difference does it make?" "To the beauty parlor to get a manicure." "Well, stick around." "I'll look over those papers for you." "Hey, there goes that Boothe dame." "Are you sure?" "Sure I'm sure." "What do you think I am?" "Not sure?" "Let's see what she's gonna do." "Two on number five." "She's down for two C's on number five." "What number, please?" "Five." "That's Happy Girl." "That's her own nag." "Hey, that horse don't figure." "She ought to know that." "What number?" "Take it easy, bud." "You ain't going no place." "Yeah, but if it did figure, she ought to know that, too." "What are the odds?" "Thirty-to-one." "Thirty-to-one?" "You got any money?" "Are you kidding?" "But I know a couple of guys who have." "Come to think of it, so do I." "Hey, look at number five." "A drop like that couldn't be sucker money." "No, it's too fast." "You think it's worth buying in?" "It can't hurt." "Come on." "Number five." "What horse is that?" "Happy Girl." "Hasn't got a look in." "Well, somebody must know something." "There was some talk down at the paddock." "That's the kind of a long shot I like." "Now crossing the finish line, it's Happy Girl by a length." "Shelby second on the outside." "Extravagant, third, by two lengths, and Pick 'Em Up fourth by a head." "Happy Girl, the winner, closed at 8-5 after an unaccountable stampede of money pushed the odds from 30-1 in the morning line..." "Operator, I want to call Chicago." "The city room of the Morning Herald." "Person-to-person to David Boothe." "Thank you." "Hello?" "Yes." "Hello, David?" "It's Joan." "Yes, just today." "That's why I called." "It's been following me around and I couldn't let you think I'd ignored it." "No, not yet, but I will if that's what you want." "I'll sign them today." "Oh, no, David." "No, it's not what I want, but..." "Neither do I, darling." "What?" "No." "No, you mustn't." "Well, I can't come home, David." "Not yet." "No, it's not because I don't..." "No." "No, I'm still here." "David, I'll call..." "Where do you get your manicures?" "Very inferior work, honey." "Take it easy, Chuck." "I'll handle this." "Sure, you handled this great." "You were supposed to keep her away from the track, too." "200 bucks on Happy Girl." "To win." "All right." "All right." "That's enough." "This could make a very loud noise." "Go on, fellows." "Walk it off." "We'll settle this later." "Throw some things into a bag, Joan." "We better take a little trip." "You haven't said a word since we left the hotel." "What's there to say?" "I don't know what got into me." "I must have been out of my mind." "They might have killed you." "Skip it." "It's finished." "Why are we stopping?" "This is the end of the line." "So long, Joan." "What do you mean?" "I thought we..." "What did you think?" "I'd really like to know." "Well, I'll tell you what I think." "You're a lost cause, baby, and that's one thing a guy in my business can't afford." "It took a long time and a couple of hoods to beat that into my thick head." "But today was a big day all around." "So this is the kiss-off." "But where are we?" "Where can I go?" "Anywhere you like." "It's a big country." "Goodbye, Mrs. Boothe." "Mind your manners, honey." "The man said goodbye." "Goodbye, Corrigan." "When I couldn't get Joan back on the phone, I grabbed the first train." "She was gone, of course." "But Corrigan was still there." "He filled in the details for me." "So I spent the next few months trying to catch up with her." "I came close a few times, but my luck was as bad as hers." "She never stayed in once place long enough." "When she took a job, it only lasted till payday." "Just long enough to buy her into a game somewhere or a bookie joint." "She was like a drunk on a big binge." "She wouldn't waste her money on silly things like food or getting her shoes fixed." "So jobs became harder to get, and she became less particular about the kind of jobs she took." "The last place I traced her to was a trap down in Shreveport." "I was too late again." "But I got the rest of the story from the fellow who played the piano there." "Yes, indeed, sweetheart." "You're the kind of girl I always fall for." "What time is it, George?" "The name's Charlie, sweetheart." "What do we care about time?" "You and me, we could make time stand still." "What time is it?" "11:30." "Why?" "You're sweet, but I'm afraid I'm not very good company tonight." "You see, it's my mother." "Your mother?" "Yeah, she's been very ill." "Maybe if I phoned her, she..." "No." "It's long distance." "Probably would cost more than I could scrape together." "How much do you need, sweetheart?" "Uh, 10, maybe." "5 might do it." "Here you are." "Call her." "I'll wait." "Thanks, I won't be long." "Nine." "Hey, you're short here." "You'll have to pay it down." "Now, get it down there." "Coming out again." "Here it comes." "Come on." "Watch your hand there." "And dice!" "Boxcars." "Twelve." "Make the front, pay the..." "Stick around, chick." "I had 10 bucks riding on that crap just now." "Maybe you brought some luck in with you, huh?" "I've got to get back to work." "In there?" "Oh, Mike." "Have somebody bring me another beer, will you?" "And the usual tea in a glass for the lady." "Now you're working." "Okay, let's go." "Kiss 'em for me, baby." "Come on, get 'em hot for me, huh?" "Coming out for a point, Frenchy." "Let's go." "All right." "Keep your shirt on." "Come on, baby." "Kiss 'em for me. 10%." "Bring me luck and you get 10%." "Kiss 'em for me, huh?" "Come on, dice!" "We clicked, baby." "Pretty crowded in here for a phone booth, isn't it?" "You're not getting away with it, honey." "Why, you..." "Just when I was getting hot, too." "What's the idea, Frenchy?" "Stand back." "Stay where you are." "Wait a minute..." "Stand back." "Howard, stay there." "Come on." "Come on, baby, we're getting out of here." "Stay where you are." "She tied up with Frenchy at 10%, and that's the last I heard of her till about a month ago, when one of the boys told me she'd turned up here in Chicago again." "Ever since that night, I've been looking for her, going through a million saloons and down a million alleys." "Checking with the police." "And tonight I found her." "So, there you have it." "What do you mean, I have it?" "Go down and talk to the lieutenant, Doc." "Tell him to release her over to me for medical reasons." "Why?" "What for?" "You got her away from the sister once." "What good did it do?" "All I can say is I'm smarter now." "Okay." "You're smart, I'm dumb." "But not dumb enough to go signing releases on this kind of evidence." "It's Dr. Rojac." "I'm expecting a Ruth Phillips." "Has she come in yet?" "When she does, send her right up to 736." "How is she, nurse?" "Here one minute and gone the next." "Seems to be gone right now." "Well, come in." "Jonnie." "Jonnie." "Doc, is she..." "You look a little green around the gills." "Come over and take a few deep breaths." "I'm scared, Doc." "The way she looks." "Joan, darling." "Darling, Joan." "What did they do to you?" "Poor little Joan." "Don't worry, baby." "Ruth's here now." "Everything's going to be all right." "We'll be together again, darling." "You'll see." "You'll see." "Take it easy, Ruth." "She can't hear you." "Doctor." "She's going to be all right, isn't she?" "Sure." "Right now it's shock more than anything else." "What are you doing here?" "Why did they call you?" "They must have thought she was my wife." "Your wife!" "Look at her lying there half dead." "Aren't you satisfied yet?" "Why don't you go away?" "That would make you really happy, wouldn't it?" "What more do you want?" "Wrecking my life wasn't enough for you, was it?" "You had to smash hers then kick her out, leave her without a cent to starve for all you knew or cared!" "Haven't you done enough?" "What are you here now for, to finish the job?" "To stick a knife in her and push her out of a window?" "You've done everything short of that." "All right, Ms. Phillips, try and get a hold of yourself." "I've got her back now." "Back with me where she belongs." "Finally." "Yes, finally." "And you'll never get your hands on her again." "I'll see to that." "This is what you've always wanted, isn't it?" "Yes, if you must know." "I always knew it would end up this way from the first day I saw you." "And you worked for it, didn't you?" "Day and night, you worked for it." "Not hard enough." "Not nearly enough." "Don't, David." "Don't make her talk like that." "Joan, darling." "My sweet baby." "Don't listen to him." "Don't listen to the things he said." "He's trying to come between us again." "But you won't let him, will you, Joan?" "Will you?" "Stop it, Ruth." "She's sick." "She's sick." "You know everything I ever did, everything I ever thought about was for you." "You know that, don't you, Joan?" "Say it, darling." "Let him hear it." "Send him away once and for all." "For what he did to you." "Tell him, Joan." "Doc, will you get her out of here?" "Not yet." "Why don't you answer me?" "Tell him, darling." "Tell him how much I've done for you." "Everything I've given you." "It's true, isn't it?" "My life, my whole life, didn't I?" "Say it, Joan." "I want to hear you say it." "Dave." "Okay, Ruth, that's enough for now." "Take your hands off me!" "Why do you call him back?" "To start the whole thing over again?" "To let him kick you into the gutter again?" "I won't let you." "Do you hear?" "I won't let you." "You'll have to kill me." "Ruth, please." "Yes, kill me the way you've always done from the very day you were born." "The way you killed your own mother." "Stop it, you idiot!" "Let her alone, David." "It's true." "It's true." "All right, Joan." "All right." "I did kill her." "I did." "I know it." "No, no, you didn't." "No, you didn't." "I've always known it." "Before I could even talk," "I remember hearing them say it." "Everything I ever touched, I destroyed." "Everyone." "My mother," "Ruth, David." "Here, drink this." "But no more." "I won't destroy anymore." "Of course you won't." "Okay." "Outside." "Both of you." "She's had about as much as she can take for now." "You can come back tomorrow, Boothe, after she's had some sleep." "What about me?" "No." "Tell her no, Doc." "Tell her to go away and stay away." "That's not for me to say." "That's up to Joan." "Why don't you stop stalling for once?" "You're the doctor." "But she's the patient." "No doctor can make her well if she doesn't want to get well." "She's got to make that choice herself." "What do you mean?" "I don't like that..." "Joan!" "Wait." "You'll make her jump for sure." "Go ahead, Joan." "Jump." "Kill yourself." "That's what you've always wanted, isn't it?" "You and Ruth." "The big punishment." "Your mother died giving life to you, so now you die and give that life back." "That's the only way to even the score, isn't it?" "Ask Ruth." "She'll tell you." "She's been telling you that for years." "So go ahead, destroy yourself." "You made a good start at the tables, now finish the job." "Ruth's waiting." "Here, take my hand, Jonnie." "Reach out to me." "Don't look down." "Look out at the lake." "Way out across the water." "Give me your hand, Jonnie." "Joan." "Joan." "It's not true." "It's not true what he said, darling." "You know that, don't you?" "Go away, Ruth." "Please go away." "You'd better go, Ruth." "It looks like she's made that choice." "Joan." "Joan." "Look, Joan, the sky's turning lighter." "Night's almost over." "David." "David." "Oh, in a little while you'll be well again." "Come to the window, darling." "Let's watch the day come in."