"Bert..." "Tough chase right?" " Grinder, all the way." " I'm sorry, Bert." " What I did, I had to." " Where is she?" "I don't know." "Bert, please listen." "I've gotta have help." "Yours." "I never ask a favor before." " From anybody." " You don't rate." "Figured that." "But If going down on my knees and begging you mean anything..." "As far as I'm concerned, not a thing." "You have every right in the world to spit in my eye." "I know what the department means to you." "If you did know, you wouldnt be here." "You know what you've done?" "To yourself?" "To me?" "And for what?" "Shes nothing you think." "Never was." "Yet you let her play you for the biggest sucker... who ever fell for the oldest picture dame could make." "You, Ray Patrick, a cop." "A level-headed on the job, no fancy frills, straight-shootin cop." "Enough to make a man vomit." "Forget it." "Not making any more trouble for you." "Twenty four hours, Bert." "That's all I ask." "Just 24 hours." "Might wipe out the smell back home at the same time." " Twenty four hours." " Couldn't give you one hour." "I'm not compounding any felony." "Do you know what I've had to put up with?" "I don't think Ill ever get clean again." "The Mayor, the Chief, the newspapers." "Even the governor." "I'm sorry, Bert." " I couldn't help it." " You were one of my men." "Best of them." "That's why I took this assignment personally." "Were going back together or I'm not going back either." "They've no right blaming you for what I did." " Were you crazy?" " You tell me." "What made you do it?" "That day... you assigned me... to the Frank Dean case." "At the outset it didn't sound like anything special." "The usual routine assignment tossed in my lap." "Just as I was ready to call it a day." "Homicides got a lot in common with the fire department." "The alarm starts ringing and were off whether we want to or not." "Day or night, rain or shine." " Whats the deal, doc?" " Not pretty." "Face first." "Right in the fire." "When it happened, it was burning." "Fire kill him?" "Nope considerable." "There's a fracture at the base of the skull." "The usual blunt instrument." "Probably that." " Ted?" " Yeah?" " That figurine?" " Its cool." " Take off anything?" " Some beauties." "Whoever used it got a pretty tight grip." "Almost etched those prints in." " His?" " He hasn't got any." "See the position of the hands?" "Fire did a good job on him." "Charred to the wrists." "No skin left to take finger prints." " Who found the body?" " I did." "Now, who would wanna kill a nice gentleman like Mr. Dean?" "Here to find out, lady." "Names Sparrow." "Tell me, Mrs. Sparrow." "Spinster." "Excuse me." "How do you happen to find the body?" "Smell of smoke." "Something awful." "Like meat scorching." "That's exactly what it was, like meat scorching." "You ever see a man lying with his face in the fire like that?" "I never did." "How did you get into the apartment?" "Door wasn't locked." "What sort of a man was this Dean?" "Nobody knew anything about him." "He only used this apartment about once a month." " For a couple of days." " Friends ever visit him?" "Only one I ever saw." "Young woman." "Wore tight clothes." "Indecent the way it showed her shape." "Wonder it wasn't her that got killed." "More the type working in a night club and all." "Night club, which?" "Place called "The Spotlight"." "I heard him talk about it one time." "Thin walls." "This girl, what was she like?" "Wore tight clothes." "Name was Eden." "At least that's what I've heard Mr. Dean call her." "Silly name for a girl." "Reminds you of original sin." "Garden of Eden, I mean." "Works at the Spotlight, huh?" "Over on Risdale street." "See you fellas later." "Thank you." "9:45 PM." "Check with head quarters and reported that things... were shaping up fine and I was stringing along on the lead the old lady had given me on the girlfriend of the dead man in the fireplace." "I was told to go ahead and lost no time getting down to the Spotlight." "It wasn't a night club in the proper sense." "Mostly a bar." "The usual types hanging around." "I went over to the bartender and asked him if he had a girl working there named Eden." " He said..." " Eden, Eden Lane." "She wont be until around ten." "Shes singer." "Working for you long?" "So and so." "Mr. Art Dean... you know him?" "Whats the picture?" "You're a cop or something?" "Yeah, a cop." "Look..." "I own a straight place." "No monkey business either sides of the bar." "Don't figure those girls there is Herschels either." "Ones a picture snatcher." "The red head..." "Okay, park the jitters." "I'm not on the vice squad." "Oh." "Sanitary inspector huh?" "Homicide." "Uh?" "Ill bat out the questions." "You just field them." "This Eden Lane, know her well?" "Just from coming around here." "That dame there, the picture snatcher, Patsy Flint." "Shes her room mate." "Might as well have a drink as we talk." "Name it." "Thanks for nothing." "I don't come with the bar." "Thought it would make the talk easier if you had one with me." "Talk?" "Talk about what?" "Eden Lane." "Two beers, Louie." "You must be kidding if you've got something cooking on Eden." "Why, that girls a honey." "Bartender said you two room together." " I tried." " When did you see her last?" "Oh, tonight, before I came to work." "Don't come on the job together?" "No." "No, you see." "She comes in around 10 o'clock." "That's for sure." " Anyway she had a date tonight." " Who with?" "Some guy who's got a crush on her." "Phone, Pat." "Excuse me." "Hello..." "Thanks for the beer." "Gotta get back on the job now." " Have another one." " Fattening." "Sit down, watch me finish mine." "Look, I really gotta get back on the job." "You see I just..." "I don't wanna embarrass you, sister." "Sit down." "Sit down." "This man Eden had a date with tonight, you know him?" " Uh-uh." " Eden never talk about him?" " Uh-uh." " You ever seen him?" "What did you learn on that phone a new word?" "Look, I don't have to sit here and be insulted..." "Don't be so sensitive." "Doesn't look good on you." "Thanks for the company." "Now, we take a little ride." " Who do you think you are?" " Showed you before." "Look, I don't have to go to the station with you because I haven't done anything." "Anyway, if this is an arrest... where is your warrant?" "Just asked you to take a little ride with me." "By the time we got to the apartment I had no illusions about Patsy Flint." "A hard little package with a cunning brain sharpened by constant grinding against the world." "Pretty free with my apartment, aren't you?" "Do I have to buy a ticket?" "One of your accomplishments?" "Could be." "I've got a few." "Don't doubt it." "Who's gonna clean up this mess?" "Both of us, I hope." "Each in his own way." " Your handwriting?" " Could be." "Lets make sure." "Write the same words." "I don't feel like it." "Number of Greyhound bus depot, please." "Thanks." "Information." "7:50 bus, this evening, heading where?" "Okay." "Thanks a lot." " Eden Lane?" " Um-hm." " Recent photo?" " Took it myself, six weeks ago." "One female suspect named Eden Lang taking off North bound Greyhound bus." "Departed 7:50." "Bound San Francisco." "Blonde, 54", very attractive, shapely, blue eyes." "Carrying a single suitcase, light-airplane type." "Yeap, send out, right away." "Whats Eden done?" "Whats all this prying and snooping about?" " Could be murder." " Murder?" "Frank Dean." "Who said Dean was the victim?" "You." "You were the one that was talking about him all evening." "Jumped to a quick conclusion, didn't you?" "Why?" "Look, I've answered all the questions, I'm going to answer." "Figured that." "That's the reason, I'm not gonna ask you any more." "Goodnight." "Putting the sordid bit of foul play to rights was gonna be a walk." "And wasn't gonna put any kinks in my record." "Nine convictions in the past year out of 11 suspects I brought in." "I took a lot of pride in my work and I knew I was in line for a top spot." "The upstate police had worked fast." "There was report on the suspect Eden Lane coming up the teletype..." "As I came into the room." "Alright, lets have it." "Just came in on the Dean suspect." "Got off near Merced." "Checked at the bus station coming over." "Ticket man remembered her." "Bought her through ticket to San Francisco." " Jumped the bus panicking?" " Why not?" "Suspect as hot as you think?" " Looks good." " What you gonna do?" " Bring her back." " That sure you can find her?" "Just take a little digging." "Merced, where could she hang out around there?" "Sure no dough and a face that stand out in heaven." "Lead pipe cinch." "Okay." "All yours." "Run it down, wrap it up, mark it paid." " And take the bows." " Thanks." " Keep in touch." " Right." "I was on my at the crack of dawn." "I figured it would take about five and half hours to get up north." "Which it did almost exactly." "Hitting an even 60 miles per, I entered the city limits of Merced at lunch time." "And tray the gas station nearest the bus depot for a lead on Eden Lane." "Yeap." "Night before last." "Darn pretty gal." "She got off the San Francisco bus." " Any idea where she went?" " Yeap." " Mountain." " How do you know?" "Well, she asked about hiring a car and a driver." "I rented her mine." "George drove her." "That's my son." "Drove her where?" "Trust Haven village." "You cant get beyond there in a car." "Too much snow." "Whats the country like?" " Pretty wild." " Any houses?" " Mighty few." " People living in'em?" "Sometimes on a weekend but none right now." "You know who owns em?" "Well... they keep a list of the property owners at Trust Haven tavern." " Okay, thanks." " Sign right there, please." "The weather was fierce and getting worse by the minute." "Eight years with homicide taught me that little things like blizzards must be taken in stride as occupational hazards." "While keeping ones sight on the main objective." "The record had shown Frank Dean was the owner of a cabin four miles up from the village," "Right on the ridge." "Four miles on foot." "At the 5000 foot level what there was of a trail petered out." "At 6000, I was having a terrible time struggling through the drifts." "At 7000, I had only a few 100 yards to the ridge." "It was anybody's guess if Id make it." "But I was on the trail of a killer." "I hate the wanton destruction of human life." "Id seen too much killing in the Pacific." "A killer, man or woman, no matter which." "Is the enemy and deserves no mercy." "Was the Lane woman still in the cabin or had she flown the coop before I got here?" "You're Eden Lane." "Names Ray Patrick." " Why would I come with you now?" " No rush." "Why'd you do it?" "Don't have to tell me, of course." "Come out in the wash." "Sure cant tell a book by its covers." "All sweetness, huh?" "Most dangerous type at that." " Don't suppose is a phone here." " No." "Can wait till we get down to the general store in Crust Haven." "Drop it." "I was just going to fix the fire." "Drop it." "Pay attention, lady." "Whether the tax payers get stuck for the cost of your trial is not my business." "I've just about finished mine right now." "Try pulling a fast one... and maybe those poor tax payers will have something to thank me for." "Plain?" "I cant help what you think." "Try." "Because if I happen to think wrong..." "Please, don't threaten me." "I don't intend doing anything." "I don't wanna do anything." "I'm ready to leave with you right now." "It was stupid of me to run away like I did." "Wont improve things to try a repeat." "Make em a lot worse in fact." "Excuse me." "May I rest while you're drying your feet?" "I haven't had much sleep." "Go ahead." "Park it there." "Power lines must be down." "Ill light the candles." " Cigarette?" " Thanks." " Le Bon?" " No thanks." "I only drink when I'm happy." " Does that sound funny to you?" " I've heard funnier." "Don't laugh easy." "Occupational defect." "Seen too much to cry about I guess." "Got any tears for me?" "You got any coming?" "You know everything." "Probably more than I do." "Finding me that quickly." "Few minor points need clearing up." "Why, for instance." "And how." "Talking about it only means re-living it." "Self defense, he came at you." "You were forced to." "That right?" "Maybe... you don't know as much as I thought." "Willing to learn." "Maybe this is a new angle." "There was no struggle." "Wasn't self defense?" "No." "Skip the details then." "Must tell you anything you say can be held against you." " You asked to hear it." " Told you." "Skip it." "I don't like the idea helping people put themselves behind the eight-ball." "Even if it is to their own taste." "What are you aiming to be, a martyr?" "Cant start down the mountain tonight." "Time enough in the morning." "Its getting late." "Tired." "The only way I can wake up from this nightmare is to go to sleep." "Better turn in then." "Were due for an early start." "Night." "Cant sleep?" "Who was it that found him?" "Was it Mike?" "Mike?" "Mike, Deans bodyguard and chauffeur." "Never knew Dean had one." "A little old lady in the next apartment smelled smoke." "Hope I didn't hurt him too much." "Hes a strong man and I couldn't have hurt him too badly." "Frank Dean?" " Hes dead." " Dead?" "I'm here to bring you back." "To answer for his murder." "What is this, news to you?" "You're saying that I killed him." "What did you think?" "Yes." "Could be." "Figurine was heavy and I struck him hard." "Should be no surprise then... should it?" "We got out that morning." "Some line men came up to repair the fallen wires." "They helped us down the mountain side to Crest Haven." "And all along on the way back, Eden Lane was gentle, resigned and cooperative." "There was a loose end to this Dean case that nagged at me." "That's the way I like to package these cases." "Quick arrest, fast trial, clean verdict." "And close the box." "The way the District Attorney hammered at her." "And the quiet way she sat there taking it." "She had it coming." "She killed her middle-aged admirer because he wanted to shake loose." "That story of hers about running out of the apartment after tapping him on the head." "And not knowing he was dead and fell in the fire place." "They were trying the cheap backgrounds she worked in." "Her crummy friends, her way of life." "She had a good lawyer." " Public defender." " She got a fair trial." "This Frank Dean," "I never believed a man could live in a city and nobody know anything about him." "And that bodyguard of his." "Mike, the fellow who chauffeured him around." "He could've thrown some light on the case." "You ever consider maybe that there was no Mike?" "No chauffeur." "Ever consider that?" "Maybe just an attempt on part of that girl to throw a red-herring of doubt and confusion." "Homicide, Patrick here." "Oh, yeah, Doris." "Rawley here." "Oh, put him on." "Yes." "Yes, Ill tell him." "Thanks, very grateful." "Upstairs... says hes very proud of the way you handled the case." " Wants me to give you a commendation." " Thanks." "Got a lot publicity to the department." "Might as well milk it." "They're moving Lane to upstate tomorrow." "I'm assigning you to accompany the matron." "Well, I'm going out to get something to eat." "I don't know what it is about trains but the minute I set foot on one I get hungry." " Alright with you, Ray?" " Go ahead." "Ill bring you something back from the diner?" "Not right now." " And you, honey?" " No, thank you." "Ill be back soon." "Don't give up." "He could've fallen in the fire when I struck him." "I could be responsible." "That missing chauffeur of his..." "You never saw him?" "No." "When we were out together, Frank drove." "Lindaville." "Three minute stop." "No..." "Whats wrong?" "Eden, what is it?" "I saw Frank Dean." "What are you talking about?" "I saw Frank Dean." "The man on the platform underneath the light." "That was Frank Dean, I saw him, he was there." "Eden?" "I did, I saw him." "It was!" "It was!" "Get hold of yourself." "You don't believe me?" "Imagination fools people, eyes plays tricks, must been something like that." "No, I saw him, I swear." "Didn't you see that man on the platform?" "No, I wasn't looking out the window." "That was him, I saw him." "How can you believe me?" "I know I'm upset but I'm not insane." "That was him, he was there." "Easy, easy." "Ill remember that train ride as long as I live." "Not because I was taking a prisoner to her desserts." "I've done that before." "But because for the first time, I began to doubt." "And when a man begins to doubt what he represents is right..." "Must be right." "Hes coming apart at the seams." "This Frank Dean..." "What did he look like?" "You heard at the trial." "There never was a picture of him." "I heard a composite description by several people." "You tell me now." "He was a strong man, carried himself well, Grey hair." "Had money, could talk to head waiters and they'd listen to him, that type." "That was Frank Dean at the station." "What can I do to make you believe in me?" "What can I say, what can I do?" "They'll put me in jail for something I didn't do." "My life is at your mercy." "Even though what I saw sounds impossible, unbelievable." "Will you let this happen to me, let them do this to me?" "I ask you, beg you, believe me It was Frank Dean, hes alive." "I beg you, Ray, believe me." "Well..." "Now, I feel better." "You poor boy, you must be famished, Ray." "And you, honey, you've got to eat something." "They'll be closing the diner soon." "Edens hungry now." "Would you go back to the diner and get some coffee and sandwiches, Mrs. Thomas?" "I'm sorry, I should've asked you before." "No trouble." "Glad you found your appetite, my dear." "But I..." " Shes starved." " Be right back." "I'm not the least hungry." "Even the thought of food upsets me." "Wanted to get her out of here, had to..." " Put on your coat." " My coat?" "Were getting off the train." "We?" "I've got to know if it was Frank Dean you saw." "I couldn't live with the thought that..." "Maybe we were wrong, that everybody was wrong." "That you're heading for a payoff, not coming to you." "To live with that thought for the rest of my life..." "It was Frank Dean." "It was Frank Dean." "The matron wont be gone longer than ten minutes." "That bell..." "Its a crossing along the Highway 24." "Get into your coat." "The trains doing about 65 miles an hour right now." "At the pass the River Cover bridge slow will down to 10 miles/hour for 3 minutes." " If we time it, we can jump." " Jump?" "Its the only chance there is, you afraid?" "Only to stay on the train." "Take that bag." "Throw it now!" "As soon as I give the word, jump." "Jump!" " You alright?" " Yes." "You cold?" "Just nervous." "I'm giving us one week." "Its a long chance." "And I'm giving it to myself more than you." "For my own sake I must try to solve this mystery of Frank Dean." "No, I haven't finished." "When this weeks out and ends with nothing..." "You've got a date in prison and I'm gonna see you keep it." "If you got any other ideas get rid of them." "Because if anything stops me from delivering you there." "Ill treat you as an escaping prisoner." "And that'll be that." "Now lets go!" "We registered in this collection of dog kennels as Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell." "I told the old man who runs the place that our car was being fixed in town." "I asked him if he'd rent me his... he said..." "Sure, anytime." "I sell groceries and things too." "All these cabins got electric plates." "Well order for some as soon as I get cleaned up." "Fine." "Here's your key." "I'm going into town." "If that old guy next door wants to come in and clean up." "Don't let him." "Tell him you did it yourself." "Don't get any ideas about taking a walk." "Its too dangerous." "Don't worry, I wont." "I was cruising down the main street of Lindaville when I saw her." "I parked the car, got out, and followed Patsy Flint." "Yes, sir." "I was supposed to meet a friend here." "I'm a little late." "I wonder if you've seen her." "About 54", red hair, quite attractive." "You must mean room 204, Miss Smith." "She just went out." "Well, that's too bad, Ill try later." " Thanks." " You're welcome." "Not a blessed word..." "About the loss of that girls money." "She hasn't gone to the police." " Maybe she hasn't found out that its gone." " Not likely." "I bet she checks that money six times a day." "Must have a smell to it." "She mustn't want it known shes in town, why?" " Whats she doin here?" " I told you." "Lindaville is her hometown, there's nothing unusual about her visiting." "The timing, I don't like it anyway you answer it." "And that goes with this load she was hauling too." "Whats she taking aboard?" "I wish I could tell you." "Ever known her to flash this kinda money before?" "A $100 in the bank is all I've known her to have." "No use losing sleep." "Goodnight." "I was getting desperate." "Everyday I put behind us drawing nothing but blanks." "Was a day thrown to into the ash can and hauled to the city dump." "Wed never get it back." "Receipt." "Hope your wife is feeling better this morning." "Shell be alright." "How long do you expect to stay?" "Garage says it will take a few more days to fix our car." " Alright if I keep using yours?" " Sure." "I don't get to town very often." "Too much to keep me here." " Thanks." " You're welcome." " Cute number." " The figurine?" "Biggest industry out here, them ceramics." " Made here in Lindaville?" " Right at the north edge of town." "Very interesting place." "You oughta take a look at it." "Lots of tourist too." "Thanks, I will." " So long." " So long." " Anything I can do for you?" " Just passing by." "The sign outside says visitors are welcome." "Yes, were always happy to show folks around." "Step in, my name is Dunlap." "I'm the foreman here." "Could I buy one of these figurines?" "Well, ours is a wholesale business but I guess its okay." " Ill wrap it up for you." " Thanks." "Here we are." "Ill give you the wholesale price on that, $7." " Oh, hello, Mrs. Abbott." " Its nice to see you, Dunlap." "Shall I tell Mr. Abbott you're here?" "Oh, no, don't disturb him." "I know he must be busy." "I heard about a new design and just stopped by to look at it." "Yes, Mr. Abbott brought it from the city, its still in the baking ovens." "Oh, excuse me, this is Mrs. Abbott." "Her husband owns this plant," " Mr. uh..." " Caldwell, how are you?" "Glad to know, Mr. Caldwell." "Bye." "Nice woman, comes from the oldest family in town." "High society." " Oh, thanks for everything." " Don't mention it." "That group photo on the wall..." "I had to get my hands on it." "I had to figure a way to stick around." "Until they'd closed up the shop for the night and everybody went home." "I had all the taste of solitary confinement I ever want in the hours I spent in that closet." "Finally, the coast was clear." "It must've been the night watchman." "Strength of a bull." "I couldn't run the risk of fighting it out." "Got him a lucky punch and ran." "Well, here..." "Study these faces." "Tell me if any of them looks like or resembles Frank Dean." "Well..." "None of these men is Frank Dean." "Cockeyed idea I had." "And about as bright as the others I've come up with." "Ray..." "I don't want you to feel that I..." "I expect..." "Don't let it get you down." "We both knew it was a terribly long chance and..." "And if it doesn't come off, then there's no more than we really thought." "There must be somebody somewhere!" "I wish I had the words to tell you how I really feel." "For all you know, I'm as guilty as they say." "But you believed in me..." "And I'm grateful." "Every side a blank wall..." "Only one lead, Patsy Flint." "And what she means to it..." " Tomorrows another day." " Yeah, if you believe in it." "You don't owe me anything." "Are we kidding ourselves hoping for a miracle?" "Suppose I was wrong." "Suppose that man at the railroad station wasn't Frank Dean." "You said imagination can trick people." "Suppose I made a mistake." "You saw him." "I believe in it." "You cant start doubting yourself now." "You've got to believe." "Its the only thing we have to hang on to." "You saw him." "Its got to be." "Its got to." " Its almost dawn." " Yeah." "Another day." "I don't feel unhappy." "I don't think Ill feel unhappy again no matter what happens." "Does that sound foolish to you?" "Eden..." "About what I said, that night at the culvert." "That if I didn't find anything..." "Lets wait before it passed." "What I said about delivering you to prison..." "I've got $5000." "Well go to San Francisco." "We can make it." "Ships are going to all parts of the world." "Two more days left." "Lets use them." " Not get tired talking like this." " Two days..." "They way it shapes up Ill need two years." "How long can we hope to duck the police?" "And that Flint girl... shes dynamite for us." "Are there any words in the language for a roughneck like me?" "Without making a modeling fool of himself." "To tell the woman he loves how much he loves her." "At least, tell her that he'd lay down his life if it'd help her." "Try saying any of it and shed think you'd flipped your lid." "And be really scared." "I cant afford to overlook a thing." "Cant afford shooting the works on a wrong hunch." "I've got to keep grabbing for the breaks." " Ray?" " Hm?" "Take care." "Promise." "You go along for years applauding yourself for being a smart cop." "An asset to the police department." "A guy who knows all the answers and methods." "What a joke." "On your own, and without the precision team work of thousands of men on the force to fall back on at every step..." "You aren't such a mastermind, are you now?" "Better go home and tell that girl of yours." "Who trusts you... that you're up a tree." "Same as any other lawbreaker the police are hunting..." "That you'll never find Frank Dean for her..." "That your both line of disgrace and in prison for your stupid conceit." "Even though shes innocent." "Eden?" "Honey?" " Steven." " Have you seen my wife?" " Ain't she in your cabin?" " Did you see her leave?" "I've been here the past few hours going over my books." "There ain't the money in the motel business folks think there is." " You haven't seen her?" " Oh, maybe she went for a walk." "Gets boring being inside so long." " Wanna use my telephone?" " No, thanks." "What now?" "Now I know who I was licked." "Now I know Id better give up and not even try to think." "And then you came." "Bert, how did you find me?" "Encasing every motel within a 20 mile radius that pass the river crossing." "I figured it dope or real smart cookie." "Would be hiding out close to where he jumped from the train." "So I happen to stick close to Lindaville." "When hes trying to be smart." "I've gotta take you back, Ray." "I guess you do." "Word of honor you wont try anything?" "Word of honor..." "still mean something to you?" "Could be." " Okay?" " Yeah." "What about something to eat?" "Ill fix it." " Sure you wont eat?" " Not hungry." " Bert..." " Hm?" " Tell me something..." " What?" "In my place, what would you have done?" " That girl?" " No, not her." "The way I tried working this case here." "The things I did, the angles I formed." "Were they what you would have done?" "Just about." "Then the two of us should be twice as good." "I've got to take you back, Ray." "Twenty four hours, Bert." "Just twenty four hours." "Would it make that much difference?" "I don't ask it in the name friendship." "You've done me too many favors in the years we known each other." "And I've repaid you in a lousy way." "I don't even ask you for Eden Lane." "I ask you for Frank Dean." "Lets put that ghost to rest one way or another, tie up this case clear." "You've never been a sloppy worker." "You've got your 24 hours and you've got my help." "After that Ill take you in." "A deal?" "What now?" "Patsy Flint." "Shes number one on our list." "That's something new." "Must be getting religion." "Its Sunday morning." "Lets go to church." "You stick here." "She knows you." "Page 32." " Page 32." " Thank you." "Get anything out of it?" "Only the conviction I should attend church more regularly." " Wanna talk to Patsy?" " Lets get some lunch." "Give her time to get back to her room." "This is it." "Exit Patsy Flint and only about an hour ago too." "Afraid to ask who gave her the cue?" "It wasn't Eden." "Maybe there was more between these two girls than you caught on to." "Even ran out on you, didn't she?" "You don't know her, Bert." "Shes no murderess." "A book from the church." "She must've walked off with it." "Well, there is nothing we can do here now." "Ill tip off the local authorities, they know I'm here." " In the meantime..." " What are you gonna do?" " Lets go." " Where?" "To pay a social visit to the Abbotts." "Whats Abbott doing at the factory on a Sunday morning?" "Butler said he was going over some accounts." "His wife is gonna pick him up after church." "Id like to talk to her also." "Who are you?" "What are you doing here?" "Police?" " That's right." " What may I do for you?" "You can tell me why you beat up my friend the other night." "I..." "I beg your pardon." "You should beg his." "He took the punishment." "I don't understand." "You should." "Since you left your signature on his face." "Well, the man was a trespasser." "You usually hang around the plant at night?" " Sometimes." " Why?" "Oh, various reasons." "Could one of them to meet Patsy Flint?" " Who?" " The girl who blackmailing you." " What fantastic?" " Nothing fantastic about the $5000 you gave her, real solid." "Of all the incredible..." "Patsy Flint told you that shed been robbed." "And she wanted a replacement." "Still in their diapers." "My friend checked at the bank." "The only sum of that amount drawn out in the last few days was by you." "I run a large business." "I have substantial cash expenditures." "I, uh, I mean, uh..." " Yeah?" "What do you mean?" " I..." "I refuse to discuss such a preposterous idea." "Then, lets discuss the appointment Patsy Flint had with you early this morning, she couldn't keep because you killed her in a hotel room." "Are you insane?" "I was no where near the Tower Hotel this morning." "I beg your pardon." "The Tower Hotel." "Yes, yes." "That's where she was staying." "Now just hold on." "Don't regard this statement to self-incriminatory." "Most everybody that comes to town stops at the Tower Hotel." "Its the only one here." "Then where were you this morning?" "My chauffeur dropped me off here and then took my wife to church." "I had some important work to do." "I expect them shortly to pick me up." "And I will not be badgered by these offensive, criminal inferences." "Then talk straight or you'll be badgered a whole lot more." "Is your chauffeur Japanese?" "Yes, yes, Sam's been with me for years." "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were busy, dear." "Were just leaving." "Mrs. Abbott, these gentlemen are police officers." "Some woman has been killed at the Tower Hotel." "Oh, what could that possibly have to do with us?" "A girl named Patsy Flint." " Really?" "But why..." " Routine check." "We've met before." "Few days ago." "Right here." "Oh, yes." "Well, good afternoon." "After all these years, my family the most respected and oldest in town." "You're dragging our good name through the filth." "I swear, Beatrice, I had nothing to do with that girl they're talking about." "And also this preposterous lie that I killed her." " How can you ever think..." " No need to defend yourself," "I know you didn't kill her that girl.." "Well then, why?" "Why all these uncalled for insults?" "The dirt you've strewn over our family name." "What you've done to me." "You're overwrought, my dear, you..." "You never speak to me in this manner." "Come home." " Whats the play?" " I heard them taking." "She was whooping out a terrific lacing." " Tip off anything?" " Just a feeling." "Abbotts alibi stands up." "He had no time to finish Patsy in the hotel and get back there without a car." "Could've used a taxi." "He wouldnt risk having the driver finger him." "Abbott could be Fred Dean." "But that Japanese chauffeur couldn't be Mike." "Your investigation in the city, never a whisper about" "Dean running around with an oriental?" "Never a whisper about him running around with anybody." "Except Eden Lane." "The chauffeur is clear." "Abbott wouldnt take him away from home, he stand out like a sore thumb." "He wouldnt risk having the man drop a word in front of Mrs. Abbott about Eden Lane." "No, its too dangerous, all the way around." "Eden... she couldn't have done it." "Yeah?" "Its Buckley." "You got a Mr. Rawley in there?" " Yeah, what is it?" " Telephone call for him." "Okay." "Well, they got Eden." "She surrendered to the warden early this morning." "And she, Patsy..." "Eden couldn't do that/ She couldn't." "No, she couldn't." "She thought Id fail, so she gave herself up." "That's about it." "Bert, I gotta do something to help her." "Twenty four hours up pretty soon." "The answers in this somewhere." "And Abbott must know it." "Abbott didn't kill Patsy Flint." "But he must be Frank Dean." "Alright." "So hes Frank Dean." "Patsy Flint knew what he looked and shes dead." "Eden knew what he looked like, and shes in the pen." "There must be somebody who knows him." "Miss Sparrow." "The old lady who lived in the apartment next to him?" " She saw him a couple of times." " Yeah, but he's there and Abbotts here." "You think we can depend on her?" "She was excited about the trip." "Told me on the phone, shell take the next train." "Hey, look there." "Didn't know you were leaving town." "Mrs. Abbotts been planning this trip for some time." " Pleasant journey." " Very kind of you." "They must be taking the same train that's bringing the old lady." "O- oh!" "Oh, oh." "Yoo-hoo!" "Miss Sparrow, quick... that man in the window." "Is he the one you know as Frank Dean?" "Did you see him?" "Was it Frank Dean?" "Well, wait till I catch my breath." "Was it Frank Dean?" "Was it Frank Dean?" "I..." "I..." "I think I sprained my ankle." "Dean?" "Tell me was it he?" "Was it Frank Dean?" " Tell me was that man Frank Dean?" " Of course it was." "Id recognize him anywhere." " Hey, you." " Get aboard." "You stop." "That police recognized you." "Come on." "The woman who occupies the apartment next to yours identified you." "Why did you frame Eden Lane?" "I..." "I was forced to." "She was blackmailing me." " That's a lie." " Now take it easy." "Let him talk." "I met her on a bank trip to the city." "Stopped in for a drink en the place where she worked." "Gave her the phony name of Frank Dean." "I come from a small town." "The people there, well they don't look tolerantly on this sort of situation." "It flattered me to be seen with such a beautiful young woman." "Then I, uh, I received the letter... unsigned." "It demanded 2,000 dollars, with the threat if I didn't pay it." "My wife would be told." "I was panic stricken." "Accused Eden of trying to blackmail me." "She pretended innocence." "Then I... oh, I said some horrible things." "She struck me with a statue." "When I recovered consciousness, she was gone." "Who is this fellow Mike, who chauffeured you around the city?" "I was so infatuated with her that I gave this fellow a job." "Of keeping tabs on her while I was away." "And after Eden left your apartment, Mike came." "Yeah." "Yeah, he came." "Said he knew my right name and hinted not to subtly that he'd keep his mouth shut for a price." "And it was his body they found lying in the fireplace in your apartment and identified as yours." " You killed him." " Yeah." "Afterwards... when they accused and convicted Eden Lane for the crime..." "I felt secure." "Until I, I got a telephone call from Patsy Flint." "She told me that Mike had been her boyfriend." "And the price for her silence had now gone up." "Five thousand dollars." "I gave it to her." "I was at the Flint girls mercy." "You were right." "That night I fought with you in the factory" "I was there to meet her." "She said shed been robbed, and... demanded another equal sum." "I told her Id have it for her in a couple of days." "She was killed before we met again." "You recognize this hand writing?" " It was found in the Flint girls room." " Well, that..." "That girl was working both sides of the street." "Blackmailing my wife as well as me." "Then..." "Then Patsy Flint, the one who killed her was..." "Beatrice!" "I've agreed not to prosecute you, willing to consider the temporary blackout." "You know what this means." " More washed up as a police officer." " Couldn't be anything else." "What'll you do now?" "Thought Id go into the private investigation line." "Find any problems, I'm your friend." "Rawley." "Oh, yes, sure." "Send him in right away." "Just about time to make it before it closes for the day." " Make what?" " The marriage license bureau." "Had a little influence to expedite matters." "But the wardens a great guy with an understanding heart." "Thank you, captain." "Captain?" "Lady, you got me all wrong." "You mean, best man."