"This is Macao, a fabulous speck on the earth´s surface, just off the south coast of China, a 35-mile boat trip from Hong Kong." "It is an ancient Portuguese colony, quaint and bizarre." "The crossroads of the Far East." "Its population, a mixture of all races and nationalities, mostly Chinese." "Macao, often called the Monte Carlo of the Orient, has two faces, one calm and open, the other veiled and secret." "Here, millions in gold and diamonds change hands." "Some across the gambling tables, some mysteriously in the night." "Macao is a fugitive´s haven, for at the three-mile limit the authority of the lnternational Police comes to an end." "This is all we found on the body, sir." "Commander Stewart´s office." "What?" "Oh, yes." "They have the police commissioner in New York, sir." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Commissioner?" "Commander Stewart here, lnternational Police, Hong Kong." "I´m afraid I have bad news for you." "Your man, Lombardy..." "Detective Lieutenant Daniel Lombardy?" "He´s been murdered." "Body found in our waters with a knife in his back." "lt´s too hot." "Here, this´ll cool you off." "No, no more of that." "Now take it easy." "That wasn´t the way you talked in Hong Kong this morning." "Buy you a ticket, you said, "We´ll have a few laughs."" "If it´s laughs you want, you just sit there." "I´ll tell you a few jokes." "Did you ever hear the one about the man..." "Now, don´t get physical." "Which one of you is Cinderella?" "Get out of here." "Stick around." "Beat it!" "l´m the one that´s getting out of here." "When I´m ready." "Will you get out of here and close that door?" "Would you mind giving me a hand?" "Don´t think I wouldn´t enjoy that." "Let me go!" "l´ll slug you, so help me, I´ll slug you." "Now, now, fold up your tent." "Why, you stupid..." "What´s your rush?" "Stick around." "Music, whiskey, privacy." "Stick around." "Looks like a party." "Come on." "Don´t tell me you´re that exclusive." "One side, Clyde." "Some girls don´t think I´m so bad." "lt´s all a matter of taste." "Okay, buster, now we´re even." "We´ll be in soon." "Only about 15 minutes late." "Your first trip to Macao?" "From what I hear, once is once too often." "Yeah, so I´ve heard." "But when you´re in business, like I am, you have to go where they send you." "Why are you making the trip?" "You got any small questions?" "Like the wife says, I talk too much." "That´s all right." "I just don´t warm up to questions when I don´t know the answers myself." "I saw you when you got on at Hong Kong." "I´d like to introduce myself." "My name´s Trumble." "Lawrence C. Trumble." "Dealer in coconut oil, pearl buttons, fertilizer and nylon hose." "Well, no sale on your other lines, Mr. Trumble, but did I hear you mention nylons?" "Size nine?" "Size nine." "Wait a minute." "Not so fast." "How much?" "For free." "No strings attached." "Well, the price is right." "Our special for today." "I´ll never believe another traveling salesman story." "Oh, excuse me." "Oh, yes." "Enjoy the view?" "Well, it´s not the Taj Mahal or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, but it´s not bad." "Did anyone ever tell you what big blue eyes you have, Grandma?" "My name´s Trumble, Mr..." "Cochrane." "I want you to meet an old friend of mine, Miss..." "Miss..." "Your old friend´s name is Julie Benton, and thanks again, Mr. Trumble." "Looks like you made a big hit." "My fatal charm." "Never misses, except with women." "Excuse me." "Yeah." "Those two are mine." "One, two, three, four, five, six." "Chop, chop!" "Hey." "You got a match?" "This is one of those days when the customs will make us sweat." "Every time you enter port around these parts they go through your bags as though they have nothing else to do." "They haven´t." "You´re not smuggling anything in, are you?" "The way I hear it, you smuggle things out of here, not in." "Your passport, please." "How long do you plan to be here?" "Your guess is as good as mine." "How long were you in Hong Kong?" "Three weeks." "What were you doing there?" "You don´t really want me to tell you, do you?" "Where were you before you came to Hong Kong?" "Saigon." "How long were you in Saigon?" "What are you, a cop?" "If you´re all through throwing my stuff around, I´d like to get out of here." "Maybe you don´t mind baking in this oven, but I do." "How much money are you bringing with you, señora?" "$29 Mex and a handful of Hong Kong paper." "Hardly enough for an extended stay." "I´m gonna get a job." "Do you mind?" "What sort of a job?" "l´m a singer." "l wish you luck, señora." "Thanks." "Your passport, please." "That´s me, Lawrence C. Trumble, Manila." "Dealer in coconut oil, pearl buttons, nylon hose, fertilizer and cigars." "Any contraband?" "Best in the world." "Try some." "Thank you." "Any currency?" "500 greenbacks printed in the USA." "Hope to have a lot more if the dice get as hot as the weather." "In Macao everything is a gamble." "Good luck." "Your passport, señor." "Your passport, señor!" "You look like the kind of a man who admires frankness, so I´m gonna tell you the truth. I lost it." "I´m afraid, señor, you´ll have to report to the police at once." "Don´t let me drag you away from the line of duty, but I was told to report to you." "I´m Lieutenant Jose Felizardo Espirito Sebastian, at your service." "My wallet was in my pocket when I boarded that tub at Hong Kong, but somebody lifted it." "That is most unfortunate, señor." "Well, what happens now?" "Do I get deported or thrown in the clink?" "Neither, señor." "This is a Portuguese colony." "Always friendly and hospitable." "Have you any other means of identification?" "Yeah." "This took me three years, five months and 26 days to get." "You served as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps of the United States." "Unfortunately, Señor Cochrane, this finely engraved document does not grant you the privilege of traveling free as a bird" "throughout the Orient." "l was afraid of that." "I suggest you contact your consulate in Hong Kong." "How long did you intend to remain in our city?" "That depends." "On what?" "On a certain female." "Lady luck." "I wish you well." "It is our fond hope that all visitors to Macao should feel as untroubled here as Adam in the garden of Eden." "Untroubled?" "That ain´t the way I heard it." "This is the Rua da Felicidade." "Mucho fun." "Win plenty money." "Fan Tan, dice, big gambling." "Here come biggest gambling house." "lt´s run by American gentleman." "Yeah?" "What´s his name?" "Mr. Vincent Halloran." "Very important man." "Big boss." "What´s he boss of?" "What he is boss of?" "Most of Macao." "This his place." "Ling Tan the merchant wants chips for this." "Claims it is worth 2,000." "Offer him 700." "Did your cousin arrive on the noon ferry?" "If he had, he would be here by now." "It shouldn´t take five days to sell a $100,000 necklace in Hong Kong and come back, if he´s coming back." "He´s always returned before." "That´s what I mean." "You don´t want that junk." "Diamonds would only cheapen you." "Yeah." "But what a way to be cheapened." "As I anticipated, my connections in Hong Kong were right." "No uniform, no badge, no credentials but I spotted him like that." "Stop taking bows and let´s see what he looks like." "These passengers we already know." "These three are newcomers." "Doesn´t a murder charge ever get outlawed?" "He will not be as easy as the last one." "He looks easy enough." "Oh, this is just a salesman, Trumble of Manila." "This is the New York detective." "Where is he now?" "Headquarters?" "No." "Nor do I think he will ever visit the police." "He calls himself Nick Cochrane." "He´s at the Portugueza, pretending to be without money or passport." "Did you talk to him at all?" "He insisted on concealing his identity, so I played his little game." "Obviously he has a plan to take you back to New York illegally." "This will happen over my dead body." "That´s what I like about you, Sebastian." "Your unselfishness." "Think she´s hooked up with him?" "Why?" "Where´s she staying?" "At his hotel." "Did they seem to know each other?" "l don´t think so." "What does she say she´s here for?" "Besides her obvious talents, she also sings." "I happen to need a singer." "Are you an American?" "Yeah, what´s on your mind?" "is this really American money?" "Where did you get this?" "From an American lady down the hall." "Yeah it´s the McCoy, all right, but you do me a favor and hang on to it, will you?" "I´d like to buy it back from you." "There isn´t enough for both of us." "My sentiments exactly." "Now what about the wallet, honey?" "l don´t know what you´re talking about." "You just gave the bellboy a $2 bill that was part of a short snorter that I carried all through the war." "Get out of my room." "Look, honey, I´ve had a hard day." "Now just give me the wallet and we´ll forget the whole thing." "I´ve already forgotten it." "Shove." "Señora..." "Señor Cochrane." "You save me the need for a visit." "It has become necessary to enforce our laws against vagrancy." "Since you are without funds you will leave Macao at the first opportunity." "My regrets, señor." "What´s that got to do with your barging in here?" "You will let me explain, señora." "I am not here to see you in my official capacity." "I ought to make you apologize." "Haven´t you lost a little weight since I saw you last?" "Now will you get out of here?" "ln a moment, señora." "But first, please allow me to be of some small service to you." "l´ve heard that one before." "Oh, you misunderstand." "Okay, what is it?" "I was at the dock when I heard you say that you are a singer." ""Felizardo", I said to myself," ""Here is a beautiful young lady to grace the dull existence of Macao."" "So being a man with a practical side to my nature, I hurried to Señor Vincent Halloran, owner of the largest gambling establishment on the island." ""Vincent," l said, "our friendship is at an end," ""unless you give this young lady a chance."" "Does that mean you´ve got a job for me?" "Precisely." "Why didn´t you say so?" "Your pardon, señora, how soon can you be at his office?" "As soon as you get out of here, I can get dressed." "Goodbye, Miss Benton." "It is indeed a pleasure to welcome a young lady graced with such beauty of..." "Yeah, yeah, officer, me too." "Where can I get a shave?" "Our hotel has the finest barber in the Orient." "This way." "I didn´t see any phone in my room." "How do you call Hong Kong?" "There is no telephone connection with Hong Kong." "If you wish to cable, the phone at my desk is at your disposal." "I was just curious." "What time do the gambling halls open?" "They never close." "Me wants a shavey, easy side, chop, chop." "Who do you like this year?" "The Giants or the Dodgers?" "Where´ll l find Mr. Halloran?" "He sent for me." "You´ll find him in his office up those stairs." "Thanks." "is Mr. Halloran in?" "Hello." "That policeman friend of yours said you might have a job for me." "l might." "Miss Benton, isn´t it?" "Yeah." "I´ve heard that all roads lead to Macao." "But why did you wanna come here?" "I was left a legacy and I wanted to see the world." "Cigarette?" "No, thanks." "You must meet a great number of people on your travels." "This fellow, for instance?" "Sure." "Who is he?" "My grandfather." "My mother won´t let me go anywhere without a chaperone." "I thought maybe he was part of your "seeing the world."" "I just met him on the boat." "Now that your legacy has been used up, you need a job?" "Listen, you sent for me." "This wasn´t my idea." "We´ll get along better if you take that chip off your shoulder." "It won´t do you any good here." "Never did me any good any place." "Where have you been singing?" "Everywhere." "l mean, recently." "Hong Kong, till the boss got ideas." "I can easily see why." "Shall we say 100 a week?" "I could sing better for 150." "My patrons come here to gamble." "I´ll pay you 100." "Think it over." "I just did." "When do I start?" "Call Gimpy." "How about two weeks´ salary in advance?" "This is one time I won´t say no." "This fellow you met on the boat, what does he do for a living?" "I wouldn´t know." "Why don´t you ask him?" "Gimpy, Miss Benton´s gonna sing here." "That is fine, Miss Benton." "Glad to know you." "What´s your real name?" "Gimpy." "Everyone calls him that." "Don´t they, Gimpy?" "Yes, sir." "See that she gets something to wear that does her justice." "Yes, sir." "Thanks, Mr. Halloran." "Try calling me Vince." "Okay, Boss." "You got a match, lady?" "Hi." "What´re you doing here?" "Oh, just looking around." "Don´t tell me you´ve landed a job." "There´s my piano player." "Come into my room when you´re ready, Miss Benton." "Come in." "This man wants to see you." "Anything I can do for you, Mr. Cochrane?" "How about a light?" "Go ahead." "What´s your problem?" "Need a check cashed?" "I need a bank account." "What´s my picture doing on your desk?" "I like to keep posted on every potential customer." "I´d like to work on the other side of the table." "I don´t suppose you´d have a job for me?" "What kind of training have you had for a job around here?" "Well, I worked in a gambling house in Singapore." "Why´d you quit?" "Broke a house rule." "l let a heavy bettor win." "The same house rule applies here." "After Singapore?" "After Singapore, I nursemaided a shipment of machine guns to Iraq." "Then I went on to Cairo, got rid of a handful of stones for a couple of refugees who wanted visas." "That dough I blew on slow horses." "Worked my way back to China on a freighter." "Here I am, broke, ready to go on the payroll." "Doing what?" "Maybe you could use a skipper on your trips to Hong Kong?" "I can sail anything that floats." "You must have heard, I never go beyond the three-mile limit." "Didn´t they tell you in New York?" "l left New York five years ago." "Really, Lieutenant?" "Why the Lieutenant?" "My friend Lieutenant Sebastian of the police told me of your commission in the army." "Now there´s a job you might have talent for, on the police force." "I´m not partial to the law." "As a matter of fact, that´s why I left the States." "l got into a little jam back there." "How long ago was that?" "I just told you." "Five years ago in New York." "What kind of a jam?" "Kill someone?" "No." "You´d probably call it smalltime stuff." "Smuggling arms, getting rid of hot jewelry?" "That´s too bigtime for me." "Sorry I can´t do anything for you, Lieutenant." "I´ll try one of the spots down the street." "You can´t get a job in this town." "Why don´t you be smart and grab the next boat back to Hong Kong?" "Who´s gonna provide the finances?" "I´ll be glad to give that some thought." "You fabulous character, you I don´t know what it is that you do" "But you have the power to make me laugh" "And the power to break my heart in half" "You kill me" "You knock me out" "You had me the moment you smiled" "You kill me" "No, there´s no doubt" "You´re certainly driving me wild" "You´ve got that ´"oh how I need you´" expression" "What a confession that is" "Baby I´m on the spot" "Tell me you´re not" "Giving me the business I´m certain" "I´m positive I´m sure that my love will survive" "Because you kill me" "And keep me so alive" "You´ve got that ´"oh how I need you´" expression" "What a confession that is" "Baby I´m on the spot Tell me you´re not" "Giving me the business I´m certain" "I´m positive I´m so sure that my love will survive" "Because you thrill me" "Baby, you kill me" "And keep me so alive" "Are they always that enthusiastic?" "Always." "Try again, Mr. Trumble?" "Sure." "The night´s young and I´ve got plenty of cabbage." "Come on, Nick." "This Chinese three-dice game is a pushover." "All you do is bet on high, low or the number of points that come up." "No, thanks." "Seventeen high!" "Well, easy come, easy go." "Are you sure you won´t try your luck?" "Not the way it´s running." "Why not, Mr. Cochrane?" "I have a feeling this is your night." "Bet on three of a kind, you get 35 to one." "Three sixes for instance." "How often does that come up?" "l have a hunch it might happen right now." "Three sixes." "Shoot the works." "Would you like some fresh dice?" "You know them better than I do." "Three sixes." "My, lady luck didn´t just smile at you, brother, she got hysterical!" "Pay Mr. Cochrane $350." "350." "Let it ride, Lieutenant." "On the triple six." "The man says let it ride." "Same dice?" "Same dice, if you don´t mind." "Three sixes." "I see it, but don´t believe it." "Six sixes in a row." "Thirty-five times 350." "Pay the man $12,250." "Why stop now?" "Don´t tell me to let it all ride." "Why not?" "Triple-six and you´re rich." "Don´t look at me." "Here´s the $20 I owe you." "Let the rest of it ride." "Two sixes and a two." "You owe me $20." "That´s what happens when you press your luck." "Would you like these for a souvenir?" "Any other ideas to liven up the evening?" "Possibly." "Mala, 50 cents on three sixes." "What can I lose?" "Aren´t you taking the advice I gave you this afternoon?" "About going back to Hong Kong?" "What do I use for money?" "lf you´d won that last throw of the dice..." "lf is the story of my life, Mr. Halloran." "You know, you could have kept $12,000." "Half of that ought to interest you." "lt does." "The money and your ticket to Hong Kong will be here in my office tomorrow." "In time to take the noon ferry." "Alone." "Rickshaw!" "Hi." "Hey." "How did you do?" "l don´t know yet." "Did you catch my act?" "I didn´t exactly fracture the people, did I?" "Oh, I´d say you were doing all right for yourself." "How about a lift?" "Hop in." "Now what would Mr. Halloran say?" "Look, I´ll choose my own friends, if you don´t mind." "All right, I apologize." "Skip it." "Why don´t you take that chip off your shoulder?" "Every time I do somebody hits me over the head with it." "I said I was sorry." "I never got around to thanking you for giving Sebastian that body block." "You don´t have to thank me." "l know I don´t." "It was my money in the first place." "Thanks, anyway." "What made you do it?" "I don´t know." "When he started throwing his weight around, I guess I felt sorry for you." "I´ve been in jams like that myself." "You got anything special to do tonight?" "Why don´t we go for a ride around the harbor in a sampan?" "Why not?" "So then you decided to become a singer?" "No." "No, I didn´t start singing professionally until after I quit being a fortune teller." "Fortune teller?" "You´re kidding." "No." "I worked in the night clubs in Miami." "First as a photographer and then as a cigarette girl." "You know, long black mesh stockings and a short velvet skirt." "Then they told me I could make more money as a fortune teller, so..." "What did you know about telling fortunes?" "Nothing." "Here, give me your hand." "I see that you´ve been very lonely and that you´re worried about money and there´s something in your past that you regret very much and you´ve been looking for something for a long, long time." "Guilty." "Not just you, everybody." "Everybody´s lonely and worried and sorry." "Everybody´s looking for something." "You, too?" "Sure." "Yeah." "Yeah, when I´m in action, I manage to push it out of my mind." "But every now and then, like right now I..." "What are you looking for?" "l don´t know." "I don´t know whether it´s a person or a place," "but I go right on looking." "Well, there are lots of places." "I found one on an island called Rangdavi in the Melanesians." "Did you ever hear of it?" "No." "Great." "Clean white beach, beautiful bay, green hills." "Friend of mine owns a plantation there." "He offered me a job as manager." "And you turned him down?" "I´ve been lonely in Times Square on New Year´s Eve." "Being on an island all by myself, I figured I´d go crazy." "I´d have taken it." "You mean, you´d go for a life like that?" "Like a shot." "Julie." "l´m listening." "Look, I know this is..." "I know this is a little abrupt." "I don´t carry a lot of credentials around with me but I´m fairly honest." "I´ve done a lot of things in my life..." "Running a plantation´s hard work." "l´m not afraid of hard work." "You´re not kidding, are you?" "No." "When, Nick?" "When?" "When?" "I can leave tomorrow." "There´s another Rangdavi. I´ll find it." "As soon as I get there, I´ll send for you." "We can meet in a month." "Thirty days." "What´s the matter?" "Take me back to the hotel, will you?" "It´s getting cold." "Why?" "l wanna get off this yacht, now." "Turn this thing around, will you?" "Come in." "Greetings!" "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." "Who´s been sending you posies?" "The only time I´ll ever get flowers will be at my funeral." "I´ll bet you the 20 I owe you you´ll never guess who sent these." "No bet." "I should have left with you last night." "Went to the cleaners, huh?" "Yeah, and how." "Too bad you didn´t hit that last triple six." "I can still pick up half the dough I won on that second roll." "Yeah?" "How?" "All I have to do is collect $6,000 from Halloran and take the noon boat." "All I have to do is believe you." "No, I´m serious." "You mean to tell me Halloran is willing to give you all that moolah just to get out of town?" "That´s what the man says." "For that kind of dough, I´d swim back to Hong Kong." "What´s his angle?" "He wants a clear field with Julie, I guess." "Figures he´ll make a big man out of himself with her by riding me out of town on a golden rail." "What time are you leaving?" "l´m not." "As long as you´re gonna stay, you and I can go into business together." "What are we gonna use for capital?" "Would that do?" "Belongs to a necklace of 14-carat stones." "Twenty of them." "All perfect." "Where´d you get it?" "Sideline." "The necklace is in Hong Kong in a safe at The Grand Hotel." "Sizzles like a fried egg." "lt´s cool enough to be sold." "It´s worth a 100,000. I´ll take 40,000." "Why do you want a middleman?" "I don´t wanna mix it up with my legitimate business." "Now where am I going to find some sweet old dowager who´ll just hand me $40,000 and no questions asked?" "l figure Halloran." "l´m listening." "Tell him where the rest of the necklace is." "If he wants to make a deal, it´s got to be cash, in your hands, in Hong Kong." "How do you know I won´t run out on you?" "l don´t." "The lady of the loaded dice." "You´re up early for a loser." "You can´t make a dishonest dollar lying in bed." "is Halloran around?" "Mr. Halloran is busy counting out your dowry." "You ready to leave?" "Unless you´ve got a better offer." "It won´t buy a ticket to Hong Kong." "You suppose you could tear yourself away from me" "long enough to tell the boss I´m here?" "What´s your hurry?" "This has been burning a hole in my pocket." "How long have you had that?" "lt´s part of the old family fortune." "My calling card." "I hear you´ve come into money." "You mean this little trinket?" "It´s nothing, really." "This usually hangs on for dear life to a necklace of 20 flawless 14-carat diamonds." "Where did you pick it up?" "ln a silk hat." "I use diamonds instead of rabbits." "How much for the works?" "l´ll let them find a new home for $40,000." "I´m always in the market for first-rate stuff." "Like it?" "I always have." "Where´s the rest of the necklace?" "l left it in Hong Kong." "Careless of me, wasn´t it?" "lt all depends." "We might make a deal." "Why don´t you pick up the necklace and bring it back here?" "The deal has to be made in Hong Kong." "ltzumi, you feel like a trip?" "The boat´s in order, sir." "Do you think that´s such a good idea, going off on a blind date with a hatchet-man?" "Oh, you want me to go with you?" "lf you want the necklace." "Come in." "How´d you make out?" "We´re in business." "Price okay, huh?" "No argument." "I´m meeting Halloran at the dock at 9:30 tonight and we´re taking his boat." "Be careful." "His crew might jump you." "There won´t be any crew." "The two of us are going alone." "Nice work." "I was just going to ask you where l could borrow one." "Sideline." "Here´s the key to my box in the safe at The Grand Hotel." "Ask for Mr. Stewart." "I´ll cable him you´re coming." "I ought to be back by morning." "By the way, ever think of going home?" "I can´t go home any more than you can, even if I wanted to." "Why not?" "Little hassle over a redhead." "Somebody fired a shot." "It turned out to be me." "The other guy get killed?" "No." "But I got all the way to China before I found that out." "Then I just kept on going." "A smart guy would go home and face the music." "That´s great advice coming from you." "I don´t see you trying to clear up your own record." "I´ll go back one of these days or my name isn´t Lawrence C. Trumble." "What does the C stand for?" "Cicero." "But keep it under your hat." "What else would I do with it?" "Thanks for the flowers." "l couldn´t afford a wreath." "What happened with you last night?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "You mean you just turn it on, turn it off." "And nothing, eh?" "l´m a creature of moods." "What did I do?" "Look at him." "He´s only a boy." "Now wait a minute." "Tell me what I did." "Well, you´re registered, that´s all." "I thought you were something special and suddenly you´re registered." "I said to myself, "Oh, that kind." ""l´ve got a whole cigar box full of that kind."" "You know, you´re wrong." "I´ll see you in a month." "Listen to me, will you?" "Oh, come now." "It won´t be a month." "I wasn´t trying any routine last night, believe me." "I wish I could believe you." "Sometimes I get so tired just remembering to keep my guard up." "Let´s go someplace where we can sit down and cool off and talk." "I can´t." "Gimpy´s waiting." "I have to rehearse." "Maybe after the show." "l´m going to Hong Kong tonight." "I´ll be back tomorrow." "How come?" "Deal." "If it works out, we´ll have all the money we need." "Are you sure you have to rehearse right now?" "Pretty sure." "When are you leaving?" "ln a couple of hours." "Will I see you tomorrow?" "You try not to and see what happens." "In the meantime, see if you can manage to stay away from Halloran." "Never touch the stuff." "Quick Reward." "Ahoy there!" "Are they biting today?" "I heard there were sharks out here but I´m willing to settle for a sardine." "Careful of the sun." "How about coming on board for a drink and some shade?" "You don´t have to ask me twice." "Here we are." "Gentlemen, this is Lieutenant Bryan of the New York police department." "Mr." "Chang." "Mr." "Chang." "Mr." "Alvaris of the lnternational Police." "Mr." "Alvaris." "How about a drink?" "Why not?" "We have been watching for you for two days." "First chance I´ve had to get away." "You fellows from the States don´t care how far you sling your nets to catch one fish." "Well, this one´s a whopper." "We´ve been after him for two years." "How do you like my boat?" "Looks okay." "l didn´t keep you waiting?" "No, no, I just got here myself." "If you´re looking for your girlfriend, she won´t be with you tonight." "You know about last night, huh?" "That´s the trouble with women." "They talk too much." "How do you suppose I´m making out with her?" "Let´s go aboard." "What a cheap police trick." "Thought I wouldn´t recognize the stuff I sent to Hong Kong only a week ago." "Risk the three-mile limit?" "Not me." "You sent for me, O Genghis Khan?" "You don´t mind, do you?" "Sit down." "What are you celebrating tonight?" "We´ll have a drink, then go on my boat and I´ll tell you all about it." "I´ll take a rain check for that boat ride." "Maybe you prefer a sampan." "Maybe, Mr. Halloran." "How long did it take you to call him Nick, last night?" "Look, Julie, I like you." "So let me set you straight on Mr. Nick Cochrane." "He´s a detective lieutenant sent out from New York with orders to bring me back." "He was making a play for you so you´d help him get close to me." "l don´t believe you." "What makes you think I´m a liar?" "I wanna hear what Nick has to say when he gets back tomorrow." "It ought to be very interesting." "When you´ve made up your mind about him, let me know." "I´ll be waiting." "Aren´t you afraid of falling in the water?" "l live in a sampan like the others." "You didn´t hear a boat leave here in the last hour or so?" "A motorboat?" "You didn´t hear anything?" "l heard a fight." "Where?" "Something went wrong." "Who´s been chasing you?" "Who´s been chasing me?" "Did you ever hear of the United States Marines?" "Assume that I have." "What is it?" ""To the Commissioner of Police," ""you are advised Mr. Nick Cochrane, an American, has been" ""reported missing as of last night." ""We would appreciate your cooperation regarding his whereabouts."" "Signed by the American Consul in Hong Kong." "When did it arrive?" "Fifteen minutes ago." "How did the consul find out about Cochrane?" "All I know, the commissioner called us all in, gave me this cable, told me to find Cochrane or resign." "Get on the phone." "Find out who cabled the consulate." "This is Lieutenant Felizardo Jose Espirito Sebastian." "Take off the gold braid." "This is Lieutenant Sebastian." "I want the cable office." "This is Lieutenant Sebastian." "I want the list of everyone who sent a cable in the past 24 hours." "A list!" "The entire list!" "Don´t tell me not to scream !" "I´ll scream as much as I please!" "How many went out, who sent them !" "Every single name!" "No cables went out in the past 24 hours." "Aren´t you afraid someone might hear you?" "I brought you some breakfast." "It´s the first time I ever saw a warden dolled up in a negligée." "Who was it that tapped me into dreamland last night and rolled me for the diamond and the gun?" "Rice cakes?" "Delicious." "All they left me was that set of loaded dice." "You do remember these, don´t you?" "How come they dragged me up here instead of dumping me in the bay?" "You know, you remind me of an old Egyptian girlfriend of mine." "The sphinx." "Are you partial to females made of stone?" "Good morning, Miss Benton." "Did you sleep well?" "Who slept?" "Mr." "Cochrane hasn´t returned yet, has he?" "Not to my knowledge." "Rickshaw!" "Rickshaw!" "What is it?" "Are we alone?" "is anyone listening?" "Why?" "Are you a friend of the young American?" "Nick?" "Where is he?" "He´s in trouble." "What trouble?" "I´ll tell you as we walk." "Are you sure this is the place?" "Up those stairs, first door to your right." "If you´re looking for your friend." "What´s he doing here?" "Ever hear of the word privacy?" "Well, you certainly do get around, don´t you?" "I just wanted to know if you were all right." "Why don´t you ask Margie?" "He was afraid to go home in the fog and my guest room was handy." "You left out a few details, honey." "Did you find him?" "Yes, I found him all right." "Thanks." "It´s quarter to three" "There´s no one in the place except you and me" "So, set ´em up, Joe I got a little story you ought to know" "We´re drinking, my friend" "To the end of a brief episode" "Make it one for my baby" "One more for the road" "You know the routine" "So put another nickel in the machine" "I´m feeling so bad I hope you make the music dreamy and sad" "Could tell you a lot" "But you´ve gotta be true to your code" "Make it one for my baby" "One more for the road" "You never know it" "But, buddy, I´m a kind of poet" "And I´ve got a lot of things to say" "And when I´m gloomy" "You simply gotta listen to me" "Until it´s tucked away" "Well, that´s how it goes" "And Joe, I know you´re getting anxious to close" "So thanks for the beer I hope you didn´t mind my bending´ your ear" "This torch that I´ve found" "Must be drowned or it soon will explode" "Make it one for baby" "One more for the road" "That long" "Long, long" "Road" "I took this town and choked it with my bare hands until it coughed up." "You have gone far, Mr. Halloran." "Far?" "I can´t go beyond the three-mile limit." "And even with Cochrane under lock and key, I can´t leave Macao until I know who´s working with him." "How did this diamond get away from my fence in Hong Kong?" "Who communicated with the American consul last night?" "What kind of a spy system have you got?" "It was I who discovered that someone had used the shortwave on your boat." "Congratulations." "But who used it?" "Not Trumble." "Not the girl." "We´ve got to make Cochrane talk." "I beg of you." "Nothing must happen to the American." "My job is at stake." "My life is at stake." "If it were anyone else, I´d say that you were frightened." "I´ll show you how frightened I am." "I send $100,000 necklace to Hong Kong and what do I get?" "I get Cochrane with a stone from my necklace." "Well, I´ve had enough of that." "I´m going to Hong Kong myself tonight." "Where are the Rover Boys?" "You´d better hurry." "They´re in the kitchen eating." "Maybe they´re down in the street eating." "Maybe you don´t want to leave." "Why you doing all this?" "When you leave Macao, don´t forget to take that canary with you." "Thanks, doll." "Cochrane?" "l sent him out for an airing." "l´ll go get help." "No, no good now." "Sorry." "Tried to get..." "Tried to use you to get Halloran out to the police boat at the three-mile limit." "I thought you could help." "Hide, or he´ll get you, too." "Go home." "I fixed it with police headquarters in New York." "Get out of here!" "Now, wait a minute, let me talk to you." "Blondes he wants." "Cut it out, will you!" "What are we?" "Delegates to a peace conference?" "I couldn´t help it." "She had a gun in your back." "Stand still." "There was a gun in my back." "You´re a liar!" "I´m not trying to lie to you." "They would´ve killed me." "They killed Trumble tonight." "Oh, yes." "Oh, no." "Isn´t there something you can do about it?" "What can I do?" "What´s the matter?" "Didn´t it happen on your beat?" "What do you mean?" "Stop it. I know you´re a cop." "Me?" "Yes, Halloran told me." "You´re a New York cop come to take him back to the States." "That was Trumble." "Trumble was the cop." "They got the right man tonight and they didn´t know it." "That knife they stuck in him was meant for me." "Come on, get dressed and let´s go." "Go where?" "Anywhere off this island." "Saigon." "I got a good connection in Saigon." "I´m so tired of running." "What else can we do?" "l don´t know." "I was never considered a brain, but..." "I want to go home." "I can´t." "Maybe you can, but I can´t." "Wouldn´t it wash off a lot of black marks if you could deliver Halloran?" "Trumble said something about that." "Oh, no, nothing would make Halloran leave Macao." "He´s leaving Macao tonight." "He´s going to Hong Kong on his boat." "Asked me to go with him." "Well, Julie Benton, girl companion." "And what did you say?" "l told him I´d think it over." "You did?" "Well, you annoyed me a little when you belted me with that blonde." "l won´t go." "l think you´d better." "Will it help you?" "l think it will." "Let´s go below." "What are you doing here?" "is your master leaving for Hong Kong tonight?" "Yes." "is he afraid of the detective?" "Not anymore. I took care of that." "And his friends?" "Did he lead you to them?" "You heard what I said!" "Cast off." "We must have passed the three-mile limit by now." "Why were they after you or shouldn´t l ask?" "Some day, when I get to know you better, I´ll tell you." "Ahoy there, need any help?" "l could have used you five minutes ago." "l presume that´s Halloran?" "What´s left of him." "Yeah." "I´m Stewart of the international police." "Where´s Lieutenant Bryan?" "Bryan?" "l think you knew him as Trumble." "He didn´t make it, Captain." "I see, come aboard and tell me about it." "Nick, are you all right?" "I´ve got some unfinished business." "You can make your report in Hong Kong." "But you´re all wet." "You´d better start getting used to me fresh out of the shower."