"NEWSCASTER:" "And now for the news on the local front." "Notorious mobster Jerome Galt, who was sent to prison five years ago for income tax evasion, will be released on Wednesday morning." "Galt has somehow been able to run his hoodlum empire from his cellblock, and law enforcement agencies have been unsuccessful in their attempts to uncover his enormous source of income and power." "(radio clicks off) We're gonna do it, Rose." "Well, you heard, your brother's getting out... and soon." "It's got to be now." "Bernie!" "Bernie, what are you doing to us?" "Do you want to die?" "I'm dead already." "Bernie!" "Bernie, We don't have a chance!" "It belongs to him!" "I know what I'm doing!" "Bernie!" "I know what I'm doing." "Oh, Bernie, Bernie, don't." "BERNIE:" "He's getting out." "I have this feeling." "It keeps saying, "Do it." "Do it."" "(metal clinking)" "Bernie!" "Bernie, he'll kill us!" "You're his sister!" "No!" "Five dollars was his mother, ten his father." "That's the only family he knows." "No, no." "Bernie, he'll come here." "He'll see this." "In an hour, we'll be on a plane." "Paris, Venice..." "Money is power." "He said so." "And now we'll be strong." "We'll be safe from everything, Rose-- from him, hard times..." "(theme music playing)" "¶ ¶" "Uh..." "I'm not in." "(typing)" "Excuse me, miss." "I'm Mr. Farmer." "Yes?" "I guess Mr. Wickersham is very busy." "He's always busy, Mr...?" "Farmer." "It's not an easy name." "Miss, I'm in a lot of trouble." "Is there still a Mr. Mannix?" "MANNIX (over speaker):" "Not today, Lou." "Not Bernie Farmer." "You said he was a nice guy." "That's his problem." "(knock at door)" "Bernie Farmer!" "That's right, Mr. Mannix." "Come in." "Sit down." "I don't smoke." "You all right?" "Yeah, I'm all right." "No, I'm not all right." "I stole a million dollars." "You like it?" "Six years old." "You've been to my mansion on the hill." "Great, huh?" "A palace, right?" "A rich man's home, huh?" "Where's the money now?" "Where the smoke go." "(door opens)" "Mr. Wickersham." "Bernie." "They said you were very busy." "How are you feeling?" "Jerome Gault have anything to do with this?" "He's been in five years." "I figured things change." "Well, when Jerome Gault knew he was going to be convicted for income tax evasion, he gave us a box." "Now, this box-- with all of that money" "I sat in that flat and I smelled it at night." "I couldn't stand it." "And then when I found he was suddenly going to be paroled," "I ran into the basement, and I dug up the box... and it was empty!" "You said a million dollars." "And I thought maybe you could help me find it before he came to us." "Bernie, did you ever see what was in that box before he buried it?" "No." "Then you don't know there ever was anything in it?" "No." "Hey, Bernie, Bernie, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "This is Intertect." "We'll find what was in that box." "(computer clacking loudly)" "(click)" "(clacking stops)" "All the people" "Gault had contact with before he went to prison." "Hey, wait a minute, this is a directory of the whole underworld." "Can I tell Rose we're in good hands?" "Bernie, who else knows you came here?" "Nobody." "Good." "Keep it that way, huh?" "I appreciate this." "I passed Accounting on the way in." "And I've had it in my mind to study computer programming nights." "You know, I was sure he had one more exit line left in him." "Just so I know what to put in the records." "You are going to look for something a racketeer hid." "Something that isn't there anymore, and you don't know what it was?" "Someone knew it was there." "Sure." "One of them." "But which one?" "Lou... suppose Joe Mannix had the box, and you wanted it." "What would you do?" "Come after you." "Well, that's how we find it." "Now, if people think that I've got the box, they'll contact me." "And while they're asking me for it, maybe they'll let slip what was in it." "Joe, look again." "Those people don't ask." "(knock at door)" "Well, who'd you expect?" "The bill collector?" "Got a phone call." "Maybe it's the lucky jackpot." "Hello." "What?" "Can you see me?" "Yes, I can see you." "All right, when I hang up, wait a few minutes and then call the police." "What?" "!" "BERNIE:" "Why should I?" "But that sounds very danger..." "All right." "Whatever you say." "(glass breaking)" "The last race was over hours ago." "Excuse me, I've got to make a phone call." "Could I borrow a dime?" "Cost you a quarter." "(coin clinks in slot)" "Get me the police." "File this for me, will you, Casey?" "You still want to know about anything connected with Jerome Gault?" "Yeah, what is it?" "Prowler at his brother-in-law's house." "Let's go." "(clanking)" "(window creaking)" "(can clattering loudly)" "(brakes screeching)" "Monsieur?" "Yes." "I'd like to see about a room for a party." "Just a small one." "Our pleasure, monsieur." "Would you come this way?" "What is the name?" "Mannix." "Bernie Farmer recommended you." "You know, the fellow that comes around here a couple of times a week to take care of your books." "Tell me." "Was he conning me, or does his brother-in-law really own this place?" "He does." "The Jerome Gault?" "Hmm." "What is the occasion, monsieur?" "A homecoming." "May I suggest a cake, appropriately decorated?" "Yeah." "That would be fine." "The name is G-A-U-L-T." "You can put a ribbon around this." "That your silver convertible outside?" "I didn't notice any fire hydrant." "Joe Mannix?" "That's the name on the registration." "You're under arrest." "MANNIX:" "All right." "MAN:" "All right, come on!" "Any craps!" "Craparoni!" "(laughs)" "(overlapping chatter)" "Here we go." "Uh-huh." "Come on, baby!" "(dice rolling)" "All right, six is the number." "Come on, baby!" "Come on!" "MANNIX:" "Coming up." "MAN:" "One time." "(laughter and chatter)" "All right, let's go again." "We don't give credit here." "Don't need it." "There you are, boys, covered-- $500." "Well, what do you know?" "A private detective with five Cs." "Yeah, very private." "Let's go." "Am I covered?" "Let's go." "Cover it, baby." "Here we are." "Coming up." "Hey, baby!" "Ha, ha!" "Uh-huh." "(whistles)" "(keys jangling)" "Mannix." "(lock opening)" "(keys jangling)" "What the devil kept you?" "I was in the middle of dinner." "I called you over three hours ago." "You were told to stay away from Bernie Farmer." "If I had any sense, I wouldn't have bothered coming up here." "What do you want me to do, beg you to sign it?" "Some children never grow up." "Daddy." "(telephone clatters loudly)" "Coming up here," "I tried to count the number of times" "I've bailed you out." "You know, I couldn't." "You want to sign a complaint, Mr. Wickersham?" "When I walked in, I wasn't going to fire you." "Yeah, what changed your mind?" "Good-bye, Joe." ""Thanks for getting me out of trouble, Lou."" "Captain Welles." "Is this the man you called about," "Mr. Wickersham?" "Now, wait a minute." "What were you doing in back of Bernie Farmer's house?" "MANNIX:" "Are you the D.A.?" "WELLES:" "He's going to ask you the same question tomorrow." "Yeah, well, when he does, you ask him, then you'll both know." "Captain Welles, from here on out, he's on his own." "Don't even bother to call me." "(door slams)" "COKIE:" "I would deeply appreciate it" "(cocks gun) if you would turn on your radio." "But don't pull out." "(music plays on radio)" "(car engine starts)" "(music continues on radio)" "You're draining my battery." "We can go now." "Which way?" "Please, no questions." "I'm not earning enough for this bit of effort to dillydally." "(car engine starts)" "He was well-heeled." "It didn't bother him a minute to lose that $500." "Did he say where he got it?" "That's all I know." "When Wickersham fired him, he didn't bat an eye." "Well, he's got a rich girlfriend or found oil." "In Bernie Farmer's basement?" "Hey, you got any idea what that car cost?" "Where is it?" "Where is what?" "I said it's just a day's pay." "Why don't you believe me?" "I don't want to have to kill you." "Really, I don't." "You won't kill me." "Not while I've got the box." "Please talk." "I deplore impractical stubbornness." "Listen to me, you foolish nut, you." "He's too big." "What you have is important to him." "(distant siren wails)" "Samuel!" "(siren grows louder) Shh." "We'd better continue this back at his place." "He probably has it hidden there." "Samuel, you drive his car back." "And please, don't speed." "(gunshots)" "(tires screeching)" "(tires screeching)" "(tires screeching)" "(cocks gun)" "Now put the hands on the chair." "You know, upholstery won't stop a bullet." "Now, the face, slowly." "Step back." "Gun?" "I'm sorry." "I, uh, don't usually pull a gun on my cleaning ladies, but, uh, you've got to admit you're doing a sloppy job." "Uh, I got bored waiting for you." "We had a date?" "Why not?" "You're a swinger." "And you came to play in my yard." "Can we have a drink first?" "You're as good-looking as they said." "Who said?" "Oh, you don't need that drink." "You're flying high enough already." "You're not nice at all." "What are those?" "Pin cushions?" "You're a mainliner." "If you came here to get a fix, you had a bad tip." "But that's not what you're really after, is it?" "Is it?" "(crying)" "Please." "Keep the box." "There's enough there." "You can have all the rest." "Just mine." "That's all I want." "Just mine." "You were just a kid when Gault went to prison." "How important can he be to you?" "How important is my salvation?" "(sobbing)" "All right, so you're sick and you're in trouble." "Now, you could have walked in that door and said, "Please, will you help me?"" "Give it to me." "Now you're not going to use that on me." "Not you, Mr. Mannix." "Me!" "Now, tell me where it is or I'll spoil your pretty carpet, just like I do everything." "I don't have it." "The word's around, you have it." "Now wait." "Maybe we can help each other." "Now tell me what you want." "I need a lead." "Get away!" "(ice pick clatters)" "Now wait a minute!" "So, anyway, good or bad it must be a relief to have your brother getting out of prison." "Uh, I bid a spade." "Two hearts." "I thought you said Mannix was coming." "Two spades." "He said he'd call." "Three spades." "(knocking on door)" "Jerry!" "Gault, it's good to see you." "Out!" "Uh, Harry, uh, come on." "It's late." "Jerry..." "ROSE:" "No, Jerry!" "Jerry, don't!" "It's all right, Rose." "He's just excited." "No talk." "In my hands now." "I don't have it." "No, Jerry, don't!" "It's true." "We went down into the..." "I went down into the basement and I dug up the box." "And it was empty." "You know what it means to be locked in a cage five years?" "Mannix will find the box." "Who says he doesn't have it now?" "(knocking on door)" "(insistent knocking)" "Next time we put on a show," "I get to hit first." "Winner's choice." "I'm sure you realize, of course, that that killer thought you were driving the car." "(phone rings) Yeah." "Mannix." "Yeah, thanks." "It's the lab." "That wall plaster in the basement wasn't five years old." "It was fresh." "Well, what do you know?" "Listen, uh, you get anything out of the boys who worked you over?" "You know, it's strange." "Someone big wouldn't care if that box disappeared forever." "Some people would like what's in the box, and some people would just like to see me dead." "Hmm." "Well, then it isn't money." "Mm." "Now, Joe, I know you don't dig the laws of probability, but the computer did come up with some interesting suggestions." "(knocking on door)" "Mr. Wickersham." "I called Intertect." "They said you were fired." "Come in, Bernie." "Tell them." "Rose, please." "ROSE:" "Tell them or I will, Bernie." "My brother came home tonight." "They, they let him go early to avoid reporters." "And he knows we haven't got the box." "We can arrange to have you two stay somewhere safe." "Oh, running away never solved anything." "You know what he is, Bernie." "It's your only hope, Rose." "It won't matter that you're his sister." "Where could we go?" "Bernie..." "WICKERSHAM:" "What happens when you go back to Gault?" "(snaps fingers)" "Our next-door neighbor, Harry-- he's got a relative, owns a cabin up near San Remo." "Well, go there, and don't go home at all." "Thanks for everything." "You were saying about suggestions?" "Yeah." "Actually, the box may have contained nothing of value." "Gault may want people to believe that he's still a man of some means." "Now, the box could have contained jewelry, negotiable bonds and something else, something you'll feel comfortable with." "Gault had a girlfriend." "(doorbell buzzing)" "Taxi?" "MAN:" "Yes, ma'am." "Oh." "Come on in." "I'll just be a minute." "Take your time." "Oh, if I had known you were leaving," "I'd have brought a steamer ticket." "Hey, you're not the taxi driver." "A lot of things." "But that, I'm not." "Well, who are you?" "A messenger?" "Yeah." "See now, I had it here someplace." "Well, I could sing it." "No?" "Well, why don't you just tell him." "Say, "Gault," "Joe Mannix won't talk to your flunkies."" "Gault!" "Yeah, you know that ex-convict, uh, number 619 some..." "Well, uh, aren't you going to write down the message?" "Hey, look, I have a diamond bracelet." "It's yours." "I-I just don't think that'll look very well on me." "Oh, look," "I knew Jerry Gault seven years." "And five of those he spent in prison." "Those were the happy years for me." "Honestly." "Really." "Please, please let me go." "Give me a few minutes and a few answers." "Oh yes, anything, anything." "I'll use my own." "(sniffles)" "Hey, you all right?" "Yes, thank you." "I'm just fine now." "(slapping face)" "(loud slapping)" "I hate to be up all night." "It puts me in a terrible mood all day." "Are you hungry, Mr. Mannix?" "I'm tied up for breakfast." "Borscht, a boiled potato and frankfurters for the American way." "Not a very attractive last meal for a man who's about to die." "Aw, you'd give me your blood to keep me alive." "You have an optimism, Mr. Mannix." "Just the box." "All right." "You have advertised to make a deal." "This is good thinking." "The stuff is too much for a man without an organization." "I'll tell you what, you tell us where it is, and we'll be partners." "How is that?" "I advertised for Gault." "This is a wonderful, wonderful country to get rich." "You break a few arms, smash a few faces, and you have a day's pay to go to the races." "They don't do this sort of thing where you come from, huh?" "What I am trying to explain in the simplest of terms is that I wish to procure the contents of that box." "Box?" "What box?" "Box of what?" "Why do you endure such pain for nothing?" "This requires organization." "Planning." "It's for nothing;" "you can stop." "(blow lands, Mannix groans)" "If I only had an army of men like this," "I could conquer the world." "That man knows nothing." "Your brother-in--law was telling the truth." "Impossible." "He's looking to make a deal." "Do you know what that box is worth?" "I know what a good lawyer and two years retainer to get you out on parole cost me." "That's all I know." "We'll settle up." "Is this something you cooked up to grab it all?" "Or was there ever a box?" "(sawing)" "Come here, Gault." "I always say if a man wants to do something in a free economy, he should be entitled to do it." "Run, little rabbit." "You wanted to make yourself the bait." "Run." "And find the box real good, like a nice little rabbit should." "Excuse me, mister." "I wonder if you could lend me a dime." "Get a job!" "You all right?" "(panting)" "Yeah, it's just the air." "Come on, you'd better sit down." "Thanks." "(coughs)" "You get a bad bottle of sauce?" "Just a hose full." "Now, I wonder if you could lend me a dime for a phone call." "It's been that kind of night." "Your watch, sir... it appeals to me." "What about my dime?" "I'm being tailed." "By what, a turtle?" "Joe, forget this stupid case." "Oh, I can forget the case, Lou." "(sighs)" "It's that box that sticks in my craw." "You've done everything but hang yourself out on a nail." "You know that girl, uh, that Clarice Marshall Ames?" "She was Judge Ames' daughter." "A junkie." "She was." "It happens." "Come on, I'll drive you home." "Yeah, in a minute." "First, I want to say good-bye." "You want me to go with you?" "No, I don't think they'll bother me." "I'm their bird dog." "I'll be right alongside." "Hi, fellas, having trouble?" "Should be okay now." "Oh, I'm sorry, but this dance is his." "I'd like to see that hall again." "Monsieur, we are booked." "Of course." "Your friends hit hard." "You wanted me to deliver your message, didn't you?" "That's right." "You still want that party?" "And the red ribbon." "Who's coming?" "(door opens)" "Only you." "Nobody move until the music starts." "Who knows I was here?" "The police." "Gault." "Where is he now?" "I don't know." "Outside town." "A cabin his sister was at." "Where is he?" "I sent him for groceries." "There wasn't any food." "Okay." "Harry, I'm worried." "We never planned on murder." "They're going to blame your brother." "They're waiting for him to make another mistake." "Oh, but Harry..." "Now, look, we'll be rid of both of them and no one will suspect us." "All right." "The papers-- you have the papers?" "(whispering):" "Yeah." "You have to get away in a hurry now." "Yeah." "(brakes screeching)" "Hello, Jerome." "My sister called to see me." "What's it all about?" "(footsteps approaching)" "Harry." "Oh..." "let's get out of here." "(gunshot)" "Gault's in there... dead." "I'll go after him, you look after her." "Police." "Yeah, why?" "They probably followed Gault, but they're after whatever was in the box." "It isn't money and it isn't the jade elephant." "Pasikov said I couldn't handle it alone." "The girl-- she said it's her only salvation." "She's an addict." "She only wanted one." "One what?" "You'd better find Bernie." "Right." "(gunshot)" "(chamber clicking empty)" "(gunshot)" "Hold it." "Don't shoot, don't shoot!" "It's empty." "Listen, mister, you don't know what this is about." "You know what I have here?" "Millions!" "I swear." "Enough dirt on 20 big shots that'll pay forever to keep us quiet." "All this over a box full of dirt." "Listen to me." "I'll split with you." "Oh, please, mister." "(screaming)" "How did you get here?" "I spotted him from the road." "Oh?" "Are, uh, those Gault's papers?" "That's right." "Let me see." "Oh, yeah." "Dossiers on everybody that Gault has ever known, huh?" "Well... looks like he was going to retire on blackmail." "I'll see that your booking at the police department gets wiped off the record." "That's not good enough." "What?" "(gun cocks)" "I just got to the part where you took a payoff from the drug traffic when you were on the border patrol." "Well, that's a very old mistake." "Sorry, the smell hangs on." "Tell me, how many beatings did I take because of you?" "Only one." "Hmm." "Rose..." "Rose." "I'm sorry, Bernie." "I just wanted to... wanted to..." "(breathing heavily)" "Imagine." "My friend Harry..." "Why did he do this?" "He must have seen..." "Gault hide the box and he got hungry." "Buy why Rose?" "I'm sure he threatened her." "You know how scared she was." "Living so long with a brother like that..." "She deserved so much better than me." "MANNIX:" "Nobody ever deserved better than you, Bernie." "I, I want to thank you for everything." "I know how, how hard you tried and I appreciate it." "Rose did, too." "(theme music playing)"