"Honey, have you seen my wallet?" "Isn't it on the bedside table?" "Now listen, we're running a little late." "I know." "How do I look?" "Perfect." "Is my hair okay?" "It's great." "You're not even looking at it." "It's beautiful." "You always look beautiful." "Did you give Roz the phone and pager numbers?" "Yeah, I put it on the fridge." "Let's go." "Coming." "All right." "I'm ready." "What's the babysitter's name?" "Roz." "Okay, Roz, we're going now." "You look amazing, Mrs. Harford." "Thank you." "Helena, are you ready for bed?" "Yes, Mommy." "Can I stay up and watch The nutcracker?" " What time's it on?" " 9:00." " You can watch that." " Can I stay up until you get home?" " No, darling." " It'll be a little late for that." "The phone number is on the fridge and there's food in there, so help yourself." "We shouldn't be later than 1:00." " I'll hold our cab to take you home." " Thanks, Dr. Harford." "You be good, baby." " Good night, sweetheart." " See you in the morning." " Victor, Illona." " Bill, Alice." " Merry Christmas." " Thank you for coming." " Thanks so much for coming." " We wouldn't miss it for the world." "Alice, look at you." "God, you're absolutely stunning!" "I don't say that to all the women." "Do I?" " Yes, he does." " He does?" "That osteopath you sent me to, the guy that worked on my arm?" " You ought to see my serve now." " He's the top man in New York." "I could have told you that, looking at his bill." "Go inside, have a drink, enjoy the party." "I'll see you in a little bit." "Thanks for coming." "Do you know anyone here?" "Not a soul." "Why do you think Ziegler invites us to these things every year?" "This is what you get for making house calls." "You see that guy at the piano?" "I went to medical school with him." "Really?" "He plays pretty good for a doctor." "He's not a doctor." "He dropped out." "Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're enjoying yourselves." "The band's going to take a break." "We'll be back in 10 minutes." "Thank you." "Let's go over and say hello." "I desperately need to go to the bathroom." "You go and say hello, and I'll meet you where?" "At the bar?" "Good." "Nightingale." "Nick Nightingale!" "Oh, my God!" "Bill." "Bill Harford!" "How the hell are you, buddy?" " How long has it been?" " I don't know. 10 years?" "And a couple." " Do you have time for a drink?" " Sure." "You haven't changed a bit." "Thanks, I think." "So how you doing?" "Not too bad, you know." "Not too bad." "I see you've become a pianist." "Oh, yes, well, my friends call me that." "How about you?" "You still in the doctor business?" "You know what they say:" ""Once a doctor, always a doctor."" "Yes, or in my case:" ""Never a doctor, never a doctor."" "I never did understand why you walked away." "It's a nice feeling." "I do it a lot." "Cheers." "Excuse me." "Nick, I need you a minute." "Be right with you." "I gotta go do something." "If I don't catch you later I'll be down at the Village for two weeks at the Sonata Café." " Stop by if you get a chance." " I'll be there." " It's great seeing you." " Good seeing you too, man." "I think that's my glass." "I'm absolutely certain of it." "My name is Sandor Szavost." "I'm Hungarian." "My name is Alice Harford." "I'm American." "Delighted to meet you, Alice." "Did you ever read the Latin poet Ovid on The Art of Love?" "Didn't he wind up all by himself crying his eyes out in some place with a very bad climate?" "But he also had a good time first." "A very good time." "Are you here with anyone tonight, Alice?" "With my husband." "Oh, how sad." "But then I'm sure he's the sort of man who wouldn't mind if we danced." "What do you do, Alice?" "Well, at the moment I'm looking for a job." "I used to manage an art gallery in SoHo." "But it went broke." "What a shame." "I have some friends in the art game." "Perhaps I can be of some help." "Thank you." "Someone you know?" "My husband." "Don't you think one of the charms of marriage is that it makes deception a necessity for both parties?" "May I ask why a beautiful woman who could have any man in this room, wants to be married?" "Why wouldn't she?" "Is it as bad as that?" "As good as that." "Do you know Nuala Windsor?" "No, and it's very lovely to meet you both." "How do you spell Nuala?" "N-U-A-L-A." "You don't remember me, do you?" "You were very kind to me once." "Only once?" "That sounds like a terrible oversight!" "I was doing a photo session in Rockefeller Plaza on a very windy day...?" " And you got something in your eye." " Just about half of Fifth Avenue." "You were such a gentleman!" "You gave me your handkerchief which was also clean." "That is the kind of hero I can be sometimes." "You know why women used to get married, don't you?" "Why don't you tell me?" "It was the only way they could lose their virginity and be free to do what they wanted with other men." "The ones they really wanted." "Fascinating." "Do you know what's so nice about doctors?" "Usually a lot less than people imagine." "They always seem so knowledgeable." "Oh, they are very knowledgeable about all sorts of things." "But I bet they work too hard." "Just think of all they miss." "You're probably right." "Ladies, where exactly are we going?" "Exactly?" "Where the rainbow ends." "Where the rainbow ends?" "Don't you want to go where the rainbow ends?" "Now that depends where that is." "Well, let's find out." "Excuse me, ladies." "Sorry, Dr. Harford." "Could you come with me for a moment?" "Something for Mr. Ziegler." "Fine." "To be continued?" "Bill, thanks for coming." "We had a little accident here." "What happened?" "Well, she was..." "She was shooting up and she had a bad reaction." "What did she take?" "A speedball or a snowball or whatever the hell they call it." "It's heroin and coke." "Heroin and coke?" "Anything else?" "We had a couple of drinks, some champagne." "That was it." "How long has she been like this?" "Maybe five minutes, six minutes, something like that." "What's her name?" "Mandy." "Can you hear me, Mandy?" "Can you hear me?" "Move your head if you can hear me." "Move your head if you can hear me, Mandy." "There you go." "You can hear me." "Can you open your eyes for me?" "Mandy, can you do that?" "Let me see you open your eyes." "There you go, come on." "Come on, look at me." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Look at me." "Look at me, Mandy." "Good." "Good." "I love Victor's art collection, don't you?" "It's wonderful." "Have you ever seen his sculpture gallery?" "I haven't." "He has a wonderful collection of Renaissance bronzes." "Do you like the period?" "I do." "I adore it." "The sculpture gallery is upstairs." "Would you like to see it?" "I can show it to you." "We won't be gone long." "Maybe not just now." "That was really one hell of a scare you gave us, kiddo." "Sorry." "How are you feeling now, Mandy?" "Better." "You are a very, very lucky girl." "You know that?" "I know." "You're gonna be okay this time." "But you can't keep doing this." "You understand?" "You're going to need some rehab." "You know that, don't you?" "I know." "Well, Victor I'll leave the rest to you." "Is it okay if I dress her and get her out of here?" "No, I'd keep her here for another hour." "Another hour?" "Then I'd have someone take her home." "Good night, Mandy." "I can't thank you enough for this." " You saved my ass." " I'm glad I was here." "Bill, I probably..." "I know I don't have to mention this but this is just between us." "Of course." "Thanks." "I think I've had a little too much champagne." "I think I have to go and find my husband now." "But I'm sure he'll be all right on his own a little longer." "Yes but will I?" "Of course you will." "I really have to go." "I have to go." "You don't, you know." "Yes, I do." "I must see you again." " That's impossible." " Why?" "Because I'm married." "Good morning, Lisa." "Good morning, doctor." "Your mail." "Good." "Please ask Janelle to bring me my coffee." " Sure." " Thank you." " Good morning, Sarah." " Good morning, doctor." ""'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."" "Okay." "That's fine." "You can put your gown on." "Hold this for Mommy." "Looking forward to Christmas?" "Does this hurt?" "Right there?" "Daddy's gonna like that." "Very good choice." ""...before me when I jump into my bed."" "We should call the Zieglers and thank them for the party." "I've taken care of that." "Good." "So how do you feel about wrapping the rest of the presents?" "Let's do that tomorrow." "Tell me something." "Those two girls at the party last night..." "Did you by any chance happen to fuck them?" "What?" "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about the two girls that you were so blatantly hitting on." "I wasn't hitting on anybody." "Who were they?" "They were just a couple of models." "And where did you disappear to with them for so long?" "Wait a minute." "I didn't disappear with anybody." "Ziegler wasn't feeling too well and I got called upstairs to see him." "Anyway, who was the guy you were dancing with?" "A friend of the Zieglers." "What did he want?" "What did he want?" "Sex upstairs." "Then and there." "Is that all?" "Yeah, that was all." "Just wanted to fuck my wife." "That's right." "Well, I guess that's understandable." "Understandable?" "Because you are a very very beautiful woman." "Wait." "Because I'm a beautiful woman the only reason any man ever wants to talk to me is because he wants to fuck me." "Is that what you're saying?" "Well, I don't think it's quite that black and white but I think we both know what men are like." "So on that basis I should conclude that you wanted to fuck those two models." "There are exceptions." "And what makes you an exception?" "What makes me an exception is that I happen to be in love with you." "And because we're married and because I would never lie to you or hurt you." "Do you realize that what you're saying is that the only reason you wouldn't fuck those models is out of consideration for me?" "Not because you really wouldn't want to." "Let's just relax, Alice." "This pot is making you aggressive." "No!" "It's not the pot." "It's you!" "Why can't you ever give me a straight fucking answer?" "I was under the impression that's what I was doing." "I don't even know what we're arguing about here." "I'm not arguing." "I'm just trying to find out where you're coming from." "Where I'm coming from?" "Let's say, for example, you have some gorgeous woman standing in your office naked and you're feeling her fucking tits." "Now, what I want to know..." "I want to know what you're thinking about when you're squeezing them." "Alice, I happen to be a doctor." "It's all very impersonal and you know there's always a nurse present." "So when you're feeling tits, it's nothing more than your professionalism?" "Exactly." "Sex is the last thing on my mind when I'm with a patient." "Now, when she is having her little titties squeezed do you think she ever has fantasies about what handsome Dr. Bill's dickie might be like?" "Come on, I can assure you sex is the last thing on this fucking hypothetical woman patient's mind." "And what makes you so sure?" "If for no better reason because she's afraid of what I might find." "So after you tell her that everything's fine, what then?" "What then?" "I don't know, Alice..." "What then?" "Women don't..." "They basically just don't think like that." "Millions of years of evolution, right?" "Men have to stick it every place they can but for women, it is just about security and commitment and whatever the fuck else!" "A little oversimplified, Alice." "But yes, something like that." "If you men only knew." "What I do know is you got stoned, you tried to pick a fight and now you're trying to make me jealous." "But you're not the jealous type, are you?" "No, I'm not." "You've never been jealous about me, have you?" "No, I haven't." "And why haven't you ever been jealous about me?" "Well, I don't know, Alice." "Maybe because you're my wife." "Maybe because you're the mother of my child and I know you would never be unfaithful to me." "You are very, very sure of yourself aren't you?" "No." "I'm sure of you." "Do you think that's funny?" "All right." "Fuck it." "Now we get the fucking laughing fit, right?" "Do you..." "Do you remember last summer at Cape Cod?" "Do you remember one night in the dining room there was this young naval officer and he was sitting near our table with two other officers?" "No." "The waiter brought him a message, at which point he left." "Nothing rings a bell?" "Well I first saw him that morning in the lobby." "He was checking into the hotel and he was following the bellboy with his luggage to the elevator." "He glanced at me as he walked past." "Just a glance." "Nothing more." "But I could hardly move." "That afternoon Helena went to the movies with her friend and you and I made love." "And we made plans about our future and we talked about Helena." "And yet at no time was he ever out of my mind." "And I thought if he wanted me even if it was only for one night I was ready to give up everything." "You." "Helena." "My whole fucking future." "Everything." "And yet it was weird, because at the same time you were dearer to me than ever." "And at that moment, my love for you was both tender and sad." "I barely slept that night and I woke up the next morning in a panic." "I didn't know whether I was afraid that he had left or that he might still be there." "But by dinner I realized he was gone and I was relieved." "Yes, this is Dr. Harford." "When did it happen?" "I have the address." "Thank you." "Lou Nathanson just died." "I think I have to go over there and show my face." " Hello, Rosa." " Good evening, Dr. Harford." " How is Miss Nathanson?" " Not so good." "She's in the bedroom." "Thank you." "Come in." "Marion..." "Oh, Dr. Harford..." "How good of you to come." "I came as soon as I got the message." "Thank you." " I'm so sorry." " Thank you." "Your father was..." "He was a very brave man." "Oh, thank you." "How are you holding up?" "I'm a bit numb." "I don't think it's really sunk in yet." "Would you like to sit down?" "It's so unreal." "Daddy had such a good day." "His mind was clear, and he remembered so many things." "Then he had a little dinner and he said he felt like taking a nap." "I went into the kitchen and talked to Rosa for half an hour at most and when I went to see how he was I just thought he was asleep." "Then I realized he wasn't breathing." "From what you've said I'm sure your father died peacefully in his sleep." "Oh, God, I hope so." "I think I've been more afraid of the way it was going to happen than his death itself." "Have you had a chance to phone any of your relatives?" "I tried to call my stepmother in London, but she was out." "My boyfriend, Carl, is making some calls and he'll be coming over soon." "I think you've met Carl here a few times." "Yes, I remember him." "He's a teacher, isn't he?" "A math professor." "We're going to get married in May." "Well, that's wonderful news." "Congratulations." "Thank you." "Carl has a new teaching appointment at the University of Michigan." "We'll be moving out there soon." "Michigan's a beautiful state." "I think you'll like it a lot." "It really could be a wonderful change for you, Marion." "Oh, my God, no..." "I love you." "I love you." "I love you, I love you, I love you." "I don't want to go away with Carl." "Marion, I don't think you realize..." "I do." "Even if I'm never to see you again, I want at least to live near you." "Marion, listen to me." "Listen to me." "You're very upset, and I don't think you realize what you're saying." "I love you." "We barely know each other." "We haven't had a single conversation about anything except your father." "I love you." "That's probably Carl." "Please don't despise me." " Hello, Rosa." " Hello, Mr. Thomas." " Is she in the bedroom?" " Yes, she is." "Thank you." "Come in." "Darling." "I'm so very sorry." "Are you all right?" "I'm okay." " Dr. Harford, good evening." " Good evening, Carl." "Thank you very much for coming over here tonight." " It's the least I could do." " It means a lot to us." "Thank you." "I was actually on my way out." "Marion your father was very proud of you and I know you gave him great comfort these last months." "Thank you." "I'll show you out." "Good night." "Listen to this." "She had a red rose in her mouth." "She was doing a Mexican lap dance right in my face." "I'm serious!" "I got scars on the back of my neck." "What team's this switch hitter playing for?" " Looks like the pink team." " Look at this faggot!" "Hey, watch it, you faggot!" "Merry Christmas, Mary!" " Your butt-brothers are back there!" " Prime cut of meat!" "You want to take a ride in this fudge-tunnel, you stupid faggot?" "You should have tits, you're standing so close!" " I got dumps that are bigger than you!" " Come on, macho man!" " You want a piece of this, baby?" " Exit only, honey." "Go back to San Francisco where you belong, man!" "Excuse me." "Do you know what time it is?" "Ten past 12." "Going anywhere special?" "No, I'm just taking a walk." "How'd you like to have a little fun?" "I'm sorry?" "Have a little fun?" "I just live right down there." "Would you like to come inside with me?" "Come inside with you?" "It's a lot nicer in there than it is out here." "You live in there?" "By yourself?" "No." "I have a roommate, but she's not home." "Hey, it's okay." "Listen, no one will bother us." "It's okay." "Come on." "Come on." "This is it." "That's a nice tree." "Sorry about the mess." "Maid's day off." "It's cozy." "It's a cozy place." "It's okay." "Do you suppose we should talk about money?" "Yeah, I guess so." "That depends on what you want to do." "What do you want to do?" "What do you recommend?" "What do I recommend?" "I'd rather not put it into words." "How about you just leave it up to me?" "I'm in your hands." "And how does 150 sound?" "Sounds wonderful." "Don't worry." "I don't keep track of the time." "Thank yoU." "Prego, prego." " Grazie." " you're welcome." "If I was Italian, he'd have answered me in Italian." "Shall we?" "Excuse me." "Is everything all right?" "I was just wondering if you were going to be much longer?" "Listen, it's a little difficult to talk right now." "It could be awhile." "Any idea how long?" "No, I don't really know." "We're still waiting for some relatives to arrive." "Well, I'm gonna go to bed now." "Was that Mrs. Dr. Bill?" "Do you have to go?" "Do I have to go?" "I think I do." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm afraid so." "But listen, I want to pay you anyway." "How much did you say it was?" "Hundred and fifty?" "But you know what?" "You don't have to bother about that." "No, it's all right." " No, really." "You don't have to." " No, I want to." "Really?" "Well, thank you very much." "Thank you." "Would you like a table, or would you like to sit at the bar?" " I'd like a table." " Please follow me." " Can I take your coat?" " Thank you." "Could I get you anything to drink?" " I'd like a beer." " Certainly." "One, two, one-two-three-four." "That's it for tonight, ladies and gentlemen." "On the bass, Mr. Larry McVey." "On the drums, Kip Fleming." "And on the guitar, the one, the only, Mr. Bobby Berman." "We'll be here for the next two weeks, so please do stop by." "I'm Nick Nightingale." "Good night." " Nick, that was great." " Thanks." " Nightingale." " Hey, Bill, you made it." "I'm sorry, I got here just as you were finishing your last set." "That's all right." "The band sucked tonight anyway." " What are you drinking?" " A vodka and tonic, please." "Thank you." "So what brings you out at this hour?" " I have a patient in the neighborhood." " You live in the Village?" "No, we have an apartment on Central Park West." "You're married?" "Nine years." " Any kids?" " Yes, we have a 7-year-old daughter." "How about you?" "I've got a wife and four boys in Seattle." "You're a long way from home." "Well, you gotta go where the work is." "Thank you." " Is this your band?" " No, it's a pick-up band." " Who do you normally play with?" " Anybody, anywhere." "I got another gig later tonight." "You're playing somewhere else tonight?" "They only get started around 2." "In the Village?" "Believe it or not, I don't actually know the address yet." "You don't?" "No." "It may sound ridiculous, but it's in a different place every time and I only get it an hour or so before." " A different place every time?" " So far." "What's the big mystery?" "Hey, man, I just play the piano." "Nick, I'm sorry." "Is there something I'm missing here?" "I play blindfolded." "What?" "I play blindfolded." "You're putting me on." "No, it's the truth." "And the last time, the blindfold wasn't on so well." "Oh, man." "Bill, I have seen one or two things in my life but never never anything like this and never such women." "Excuse me." "Yes, sir." "Yes, sir, this is Nick." "I know where that is." "Right." "Well, I'm on my way right now." "Okay, sir." "Thank you." "What is this?" "It's the name of a Beethoven opera, isn't it?" "It's the password." "The password?" "Yeah." "Look, I'm really sorry to do this to you, Bill." "I gotta get going." "I gotta go." "You know there is no way on earth that you are going to leave here without taking me with you." " Come on, buddy, give me a break." " Nick, I'll tell you what." "I've already got the password." "Just give me the address." "I'll go there by myself and there won't be any connection between us whatsoever." "Listen, let's just say for one second that I was prepared to do that." "You couldn't get in anyway in those clothes." "Why not?" "Because everyone is always costumed and masked." "Where the hell are you gonna get a costume at this hour?" "Thanks." "Keep the change." "Yes?" "Who is it?" "Peter, this is Bill Harford." "I apologize for disturbing you at this hour, but I need your help." "Who is it that you want?" "I'm very sorry." "I'm looking for Peter Grenning the owner of Rainbow Fashions." "What's your name?" "My name is Bill Harford." "I'm Mr. Grenning's doctor." "You are Grenning's doctor?" "Okay." "Just a moment." "You are looking for Peter Grenning?" "Yes, I am." "He moved to Chicago over a year ago." "He moved to Chicago?" "I wasn't aware of that." "Then are you the present owner of Rainbow Fashions?" "Yes, I am." "Well, first of all please let me apologize again for disturbing you at this hour, Mr..." "Milich." "Mr. Milich." "Just to let you know that I really am Dr. Harford this is my New York State Medical Board card." "Okay, so you are Dr. Harford." "If I see Peter, I tell him you were looking for him." "Oh, no, wait." "Please, please..." "Listen, the reason that I came here tonight was..." "Basically, the reason is that I need a costume." "And I'd be happy to pay you $ 100 over the rental price for the inconvenience." "A hundred dollars?" "I don't think so." "How about $200?" "Two hundred dollars over the rental price?" "Come in." "Can't be too careful these days." "Please." "Is it any special costume you are looking for?" "I need a tux, a cloak with a hood and a mask." "A cloak with a hood and a mask?" "I think we'll find something for you." "Follow me, please." "Good." "Looks like alive, huh?" " It's wonderful." " Come." "So what color cloak?" "Red, brown, red?" "Black." "The good doctor wouldn't like something more colorful?" " I don't think so." " Clowns, officers, pirates?" "No, just the tux, the black cloak..." "With a hood and a mask." "May I take your coat?" " You are medicine doctor, yes?" " Yes, I am." " I have some problem with my hair." " Your hair?" "It's starting to fall down too fast." "I lost, in two weeks, a lot of hair." "Mostly here." "Look at this." "Here." "You see?" "And?" "I'm afraid this really isn't my field." "What?" "You can't help me?" "No." "You should see a trichologist." "It's a hair specialist." "Mr. Milich, I've obviously left things a bit late tonight." "So if you don't mind..." "I'm in hurry too, to get back to bed." "I understand." "So black cloak?" "Did you hear something?" "What is this?" "What is it?" "What is this?" "What on earth is going on here?" "!" "Milich, I can explain everything." "You!" "What are you doing here?" "I promise I'll kill you!" "And you!" "Have you no sense of decency?" "Gentlemen, have you no sense of decency?" "!" "Milich, are you crazy?" "We were invited here by the young lady." "Young lady?" "This is my daughter!" "Couldn't you see she's a child?" " You will have to explain to police!" " To the police?" "!" "You little whore!" "I kill you for this." "I promise, I'll kill you!" "I'll kill you!" "Hold on to that girl for me, please!" "Milich, this is preposterous." "The young lady invited us here." "Couldn't you see she is deranged?" "!" "Doctor, I'm sorry to keep you waiting." "Gentlemen, this is now a police matter." "You will please stay here until I return." "Let us out of here!" "That's out of the question." "Doctor, sorry." "What color did you say?" " Black?" " Black." "Gentlemen, please have the goodness to be quiet for the moment!" "Couldn't you see I try to serve my customer?" "Sorry." "And you, little whore, go to bed at once, you depraved creature." "I'll deal with you after I serve this gentleman." "You should have a cloak lined with ermine." "Okay, that's $74.50." "Seventy-four fifty." "All right." "There's 80." "I promised you 50 bucks over the meter, right?" "I'll make that a hundred, if you wait for me." "Just let the meter run." "I'll give you the other half plus the meter when I get back." " Okay?" " How long you gonna be?" "I don't know, maybe an hour or more." "But maybe only 10 minutes." "I'll leave my stuff here in the back." "Good evening, sir." "Good evening." "Can we be of any help?" "I suppose you'd like the password." "If you'd like, sir." "Fidelio." "Thank you, sir." "We'll run you up to the house." "Good evening, sir." "Good evening." "Password, sir?" "Fidelio." "Thank you, sir." "I'm not sure what you think you're doing." "But you don't belong here." "I'm sorry, but I think you've mistaken me for someone else." "Please!" "Don't be foolish." "You must go now." "Who are you?" "It doesn't matter who I am." "You are in great danger." "You must get away while there's still a chance." "Would you be so good as to excuse us for a moment?" "Have you been enjoying yourself?" "Well, I've had a very interesting look around." "Do you want to go somewhere a little more private?" "Private?" "That might be a good idea." "Here you are." "I've been looking all over for you." "May I borrow him for just a few minutes?" "I promise to bring him right back." "I don't think you realize the danger you're in now." "You can't fool them for much longer." "You've got to get away before it's too late." "Why are you telling me this?" "It doesn't matter." "Who are you?" "You don't want to know." "But you must go." "Now!" "Will you come with me?" "That's impossible." "Why?" "Because it would cost me my life and possibly yours." "Let me see your face." "Go!" "Excuse me, sir." "Are you the gentleman with the taxi waiting for him?" "Yes." "Your driver's at the front door and would urgently like a word with you." "Please, come forward." "May I have the password, please?" "Fidelio." "That's right, sir." "That is the password for admittance." "But may I ask, what is the password for the house?" "The password for the house?" "I'm sorry, I..." "I seem to have forgotten it." "That's unfortunate." "Because here, it doesn't matter whether you have forgotten it or if you never knew it." "You will kindly remove your mask." "Now get undressed." "Get undressed?" "Remove your clothes." "Gentlemen, please..." "Remove your clothes." "Or would you like us to do it for you?" "Stop!" "Let him go." "Take me!" "I am ready to redeem him." "You are ready to redeem him?" "Yes." "Are you sure you understand what you're taking upon yourself in doing this?" "Very well." "You are free." "But I warn you if you make any further inquiries or if you say a single word to anyone about what you have seen there will be the most dire consequences for you and your family." "Do you understand?" "What is going to happen to that woman?" "No one can change her fate now." "When a promise has been made here there is no turning back." "Go!" "It's okay." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry I woke you up, but I thought you were having a nightmare." "Oh, God." "I just had such a horrible dream." "What time is it?" "It's a little after 4." "Did you just get home?" "It took longer than I thought." "You must be exhausted." "Come on, lie down." "What were you dreaming?" "Just these weird things." "What was it?" "It was so weird." "Tell me." "We were in a deserted city and our clothes were gone." "We were naked and I was terrified and I felt ashamed." "Oh, God..." "And I was angry because I thought it was your fault." "You rushed away to go find clothes for us." "As soon as you were gone, it was completely different." "I felt wonderful." "Then I was lying in a beautiful garden stretched out naked in the sunlight and a man walked out of the woods." "He was the man from the hotel, the one I told you about." "The naval officer." "He stared at me and then he just laughed." "He just laughed at me." "But that's not the end is it?" "Why don't you tell me the rest of it?" "It's too awful." "It's only a dream." "He was kissing me and then we were making love." "Then there were all these other people around us hundreds of them, everywhere." "Everyone was fucking." "And then I..." "I was fucking other men." "So many I don't know how many I was with." "And I knew you could see me in the arms of all these men just fucking all these men." "I wanted to make fun of you to laugh in your face." "And so I laughed as loud as I could." "That must have been when you woke me up." "Shit!" "I'll just have a cup of coffee, please." "Anything else?" "No, thank you." "Excuse me." "Do you know when they get in next door at the Sonata Café?" "I think there's usually someone in the office around 2 or 3." "I don't suppose, by any chance, you know Nick Nightingale?" "He's playing piano over there right now." "Nick Nightingale?" "Sure, he comes in here." "Look, maybe you can help me because it's important that I get in touch with him." "Do you know where he's staying?" "I don't know if he'd want me to give out his address." "It's okay, I'm a doctor." "I'm actually an old friend of his." "Well, doctor he'll be playing there tonight." "Can't it wait until then?" "To be perfectly honest it's a medical matter." "Some tests." "I know he'll want to know about them as soon as possible." "Excuse me." "Hi!" "How can I help you?" "Can you please ring Mr. Nightingale's room for me?" "I'm sorry, sir, Mr. Nightingale has already checked out." "He checked out?" " Did he leave a forwarding address?" " No, I'm afraid not." "When did he check out?" "About 5:00 this morning." "5:00?" "That's an early checkout, isn't it?" "It is a little on the early side, yeah." "Did you notice anything I don't know unusual about him when he left?" "Unusual?" "Hey, you're not Five-O, are you?" "No, I'm an old friend of his." "Really?" "I'm a doctor." " Well, Bill...?" " Sure." "It's funny you should ask that question, Bill because there was something a little strange about the way Mr. Nightingale left." "Really?" "What was that?" "He came in this morning, about 4:30 a." "M with two men." "Big guys." "They were very well-dressed and very well-spoken." "But they weren't the kind of people you'd fool around with if you know what I mean." "Anyways I noticed Mr. Nightingale had a bruise on his cheek." "To be perfectly honest, I also thought he looked a little scared." "Scared?" "He said he wanted to check out." "And then he went upstairs to his room with one of the men." "The other guy stayed down in the lobby and settled his bill." "When they came back, Mr. Nightingale tried to pass me an envelope." "But they saw it and took it and said that any mail or messages for him would be collected by someone properly authorized to do so." "And then they just took him off in a car." "Do you have any idea where they went?" "No, not a clue." "I certainly appreciate your help." "Anytime, Bill." "Oh, the good doctor!" " Was your outfit a success?" " Yes, it was." "Thank you." "Good, good." "Tuxedo." "Cloak." "Shoes." "I think you forgot the mask." "It's not there?" "Maybe you left it at the party?" "I don't think so." "I must have lost it." "Could you put it on the bill, please?" "Sure." "Here we are." "That was 150 for the rental, 200 you said for my trouble 25 for the mask." "Sorry..." "Three hundred seventy-five." "Yes, dear?" "Come, come." "Would you like to say hello to Dr. Harford?" "Thank you, Mr. Milich." "I'll call you soon." "Goodbye, gentlemen." " Merry Christmas and happy New Year!" " And you too." "Well, Dr. Harford here is your receipt." "I'm tearing up your deposits and thanks for the business." "Mr. Milich, last night you were going to call the police." "Things change." "We have come to another arrangement." "And by the way, if the good doctor should ever want anything again anything at all it needn't be a costume." "Come in." " Tuna salad and black coffee." " Thanks." "Listen, how's my afternoon looking?" "I think it's just Mrs. Akerly at 2:30 and Mrs. Kominski at 4." "Well, something's come up, and I'm not going to be able to see them." "Please ask Dr. Miller if he can fit them in." "Otherwise, just apologize and make new appointments." " Sure." "And please call the garage and have them get my car out in half an hour." "No problem." "Any calls for me?" "Dr. Sanders and Mrs. Shapiro." " Hey, gang." " Hi, Daddy." "Look, I got all these right." "You got all of those right?" "Every single one of them?" "That's good." "You hungry?" "Sort of." "Want to eat at 7?" "Seven?" "Listen, can we make that earlier?" "I have some appointments at the office." "You have to go out again tonight?" "I'm afraid so." "Daddy, am I gonna get a puppy for Christmas?" "We'll see about that, okay?" "He could be a watchdog..." "We'll see." "Come on, baby, let's finish this off." "All right, we have Joe." "And Joe has $2.50." "And Mike has $ 1.75." "Joe has how much more money than Mike?" "$0.75?" "So is it gonna be a subtraction or an addition?" ""How much more" means that it would be a subtraction." "Yeah, because you're going to be taking." "Right." "And there were all these other people around Us." "hundreds of them, everywhere." "Everyone was fucking." "And then I..." "I was fucking other men." "So many I don't know how many I was with." "Keep the change." "Merry Christmas." "What is it?" "Domino?" "No, she's not in." "Are you expecting her back soon?" "No, I'm not." "I have something for her." "Can I leave this with you?" "Just a minute." "Can I say who it's from?" "Well, just tell her it's from Bill." "You're Bill?" "The Bill?" "You're the doctor who was here last night?" "Well, I suppose I am." "Domino said how nice you were to her." "Did she?" "Why don't you come in for a second?" "Sure." "I'm Sally." "Hello, Sally." "So do you have any idea when you expect Domino back?" "I have no idea." "You have no idea?" "To be perfectly honest, she may not even be coming back." "She may not even be coming back?" "I..." "You...?" "I think there's something that I should tell you." "Really?" "But I just don't know." "I don't know." "You don't know?" "Well, what is it?" "I don't know whether to tell you this." "Why don't you have a seat?" "Let's sit down." " I don't quite know how to say this." " You don't quite know how?" "Well, considering that you were with Domino last night I think it would be only fair to you to let you know that she got the results of a blood test this morning and it was HIV-positive." "HIV-positive?" "I am very, very sorry to hear that." "I mean, it's absolutely devastating." "Listen, can I offer you anything?" "A cup of coffee maybe?" "No, thank you." "I think maybe I'd better be going." " Taxi!" " Off duty." "I'll just have a cappuccino, please." "I'll bring it over to you." "Thank you." " Good evening." " Good evening." "I'm Dr. Harford." "One of my patients was admitted this morning." "Miss Amanda Curran." "Could you please give me her room number?" "Certainly, doctor." "Her name again?" "Curran." "Amanda Curran." "C-U-R-R-A-N?" "Miss Amanda Curran?" "That's right." "I'm sorry, doctor." "Miss Curran died this afternoon." "She died this afternoon?" "Yes, at 3:45 p.m." "I'm sorry." "because it could cost me my life and possibly yours." "Yes, this is Dr. Harford." "Tonight?" "No, no, that's okay." "Please tell him I'll be there in about 20 minutes." "Come in." "Bill, I appreciate you coming." "Sorry to drag you out here." " Let me have your coat." " I was out anyway." "Thank you." "How about a drink?" " Are you having one?" " Sure." "What would you like?" "Just a little scotch." "Good." "How do you take it?" "Neat?" "Please." "That was a terrific party the other night." " Alice and I had a wonderful time." " Well, good." "It was great seeing you both." "Cheers." "Were you playing?" "No, I was just knocking a few balls around." " Beautiful scotch." " That's a 25-year-old." " I'll send you over a case." " No, please." "Why not?" "You feel like playing?" "No, thanks." "You go ahead, I'll watch." "I was just..." "Listen..." "The reason I asked you to come over is I need to talk to you about something." "Sure." "It's a little bit awkward." "And I have to be completely frank." "What kind of problem are you having?" "It isn't a medical problem." "Actually it concerns you." "I know what happened last night." "And I know what's been going on since then." "And I think you just might have the wrong idea about one or two things." "I'm sorry, Victor, I..." "What in the hell are you talking about?" "Please, Bill, no games." "I was there." "At the house." "I saw everything that went on." "What the hell did you think you were doing?" "I couldn't even begin to imagine how you'd heard about it let alone got yourself through the door." "Then I remembered seeing you with that prick piano player Nick whatever the fuck his name was, at my party." "And it didn't take much to figure out the rest." "It wasn't Nick's fault." "It was mine." "Of course it was Nick's fault." "If he hadn't mentioned it to you, none of this would've happened." "I recommended that cocksucker to those people and he's made me look like a complete asshole." "What can I say?" "I had absolutely no idea you were involved in any way." "I know you didn't, Bill." "But I also know that you..." "You went to Nick's hotel this morning and talked to the desk clerk." "How do you know that?" "Because I had you followed." "You had me followed?" "Okay, okay, I'm sorry." "All right?" "I owe you an apology." "This was for your own good, believe me." "I know what the desk clerk told you." "But what he didn't tell you is all they did was put Nick on a plane to Seattle." "By now he's probably back with his family banging Mrs. Nick." "The clerk said he had a bruise on his face." "Okay, he had a bruise on his face." "That's a hell of a lot less than he deserves." "I don't think you realize what kind of trouble you were in last night." "Who do you think those people were?" "Those were not just ordinary people there." "If I told you their names..." "I'm not gonna tell you their names but if I did, I don't think you'd sleep so well." "Was it the second password?" "Is that what gave me away?" "Yes, finally." "But not because you didn't know it." "It's because there was no second password." "Of course it didn't help a whole lot that those people arrive in limos and you showed up in a taxi." "Or that they found the receipt from the rental house in your coat made out to you-know-who." "There was a woman there who tried to warn me." "I know." "Do you know who she was?" "She was a hooker." "Sorry, but that's what she was." "A hooker." "Suppose I told you that everything that happened to you there the threats, the girl's warnings her last-minute intervention suppose I said that all of that was staged." "That it was a kind of charade." "That it was fake." "Fake?" "Yes." "Fake." "Why would they do that?" "Why?" "In plain words to scare the living shit out of you." "To keep you quiet about where you'd been and what you'd seen." "Have you seen this?" "Yes, I have." "I saw her body in the morgue." "Was she the woman at the party?" "She was." "The woman lying dead in the morgue was the woman at the party." "Well, Victor, maybe I'm missing something here." "You called it a fake, a charade." "Do you mind telling me what kind of fucking charade ends with somebody turning up dead?" "Okay, Bill, let's cut the bullshit." "All right?" "You've been way out of your depth for the last 24 hours." "You want to know what kind of charade?" "I'll tell you exactly what kind." "That whole play-acted, "take me" phony sacrifice that you've been jerking off with had nothing to do with her real death." "Nothing happened after you left that hadn't happened to her before." "She got her brains fucked out." "Period." "When they took her home, she was just fine and the rest is in the paper." "She was a junkie." "She OD'd." "There was nothing suspicious." "Her door was locked from the inside." "The police are happy." "End of story." "Come on." "It was always gonna be just a matter of time with her." "Remember, you told her so yourself." "You remember, the one with the great tits who OD'd in my bathroom?" "Listen, Bill, nobody killed anybody." "Someone died." "It happens all the time." "But life goes on." "It always does until it doesn't." "But you know that, don't you?" "I'll tell you everything." "I'll tell you everything." "Helena's gonna be up soon." "She's expecting us to take her Christmas shopping today." "That's nice." "I could put Sabrina in here." "It's really pretty." "It's old-fashioned." "He's big." "I hope Santa Claus gets me one of these for Christmas." "You do?" "Well, you're gonna have to wait and see." "What do you think we should do?" "What do I think we should do?" "Look, Mommy!" "What do I think?" "I don't know." "I mean, maybe..." "Maybe I think we should be grateful." "Grateful that we've managed to survive through all of our adventures whether they were real or only a dream." "Are you sure of that?" "Am I sure?" "Only as sure as I am that the reality of one night let alone that of a whole lifetime can ever be the whole truth." "And no dream is ever just a dream." "The important thing is we're awake now and hopefully for a long time to come." "Forever." "Forever?" "Forever." "Let's not use that word." "You know?" "It frightens me." "But I do love you and you know there is something very important that we need to do as soon as possible." "What's that?" "Fuck."