Pushover (1954) - full transcript
A bank heist yields $210,000. Soon, sultry Lona McLane, girlfriend of one of the robbers, meets Paul Sheridan and has a torrid affair. When she finds out Paul's a cop, to save herself she sets out to corrupt him. He's a pushover. But it won't be easy for Paul to get his hands on the money when he's part of a complex, peeping-tom stakeout. Soon, he's in much deeper than he'd planned, amid atmospheric night scenes.
(WOMEN CHATTERING)
(GUN FIRING)
(ENGINE STALLING)
PAUL: Need some help?
Maybe you've got the motor flooded.
What do I do about it?
Want me to try?
All right.
Shove over.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Did you like the show?
Yeah.
How did you know I was there?
I saw you. Wondered why you were alone.
I wondered the same thing about you.
(ENGINE STALLING)
It doesn't seem to be flooded.
I'll take a look under the hood.
I don't know. I don't think
you're getting any spark.
I'm not?
Not enough to start the car.
Any suggestions?
Yeah, I think you ought to
have a mechanic look at it.
There's an all-night garage on Normandie.
You could call them from a bar over here.
All right.
I'd feel much better if you went with me.
That was the idea.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
Another drink?
You could play the record again, though.
Okay.
Oh. Did you get it started?
Have to tow it in to the shop, ma'am.
I can't seem to locate the trouble.
How long will that take?
It's hard to say.
Could I call you here?
Bartender, what time do you close?
BARTENDER: 12:00.
We don't get much late trade.
All right. I guess we'll have to call you.
Okay.
Well...
You like to take me home?
Now?
Sure.
Your place or mine?
Surprise me.
Yeah.
Well, there's no particular hurry.
Well, why don't you check with
the mechanic and call me back?
Hollywood 33-449.
Right.
Mind?
No, help yourself.
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
That was with plain water, wasn't it?
LONA: Uh-huh.
Sorry?
Sorry? For what?
Picking me up.
PAUL: Is that what you call it,
a pick-up?
Don't you?
Do you get picked up often?
Would you care?
If I said yes, it wouldn't
make much sense, would it?
No.
I guess it wouldn't.
The answer's yes.
Would it make any sense if I told
you it's never happened before?
Maybe.
Funny.
When I saw you come into
the theater tonight, I...
I thought how awful it was.
The two of us there all alone.
It doesn't make sense, a girl like you.
New car, mink coat.
- Perfume, $50 an ounce.
- It's $100.
Still alone. Why?
Uh-uh.
No questions. Don't spoil it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
How long will it take?
Wait a minute.
He says the distributor's shot.
Take a couple of hours,
maybe longer, to fix it.
He wants to know where to deliver it.
You tell him.
You can deliver it here. 3916
Crescent Way, apartment D.
Right.
We're doing the best we can.
After all, identifying Harry
Wheeler as one of the men
who knocked off the bank
was no break, it was...
Yes, sir.
All right, sir, as soon as I get it.
What about you, Rick?
Anything from St. Louis?
Wheeler was there till five
weeks ago. That's all we got.
Nothing on who he left with? Why he left?
They're working on it.
ECKSTROM: About time you showed.
Have you got anything for us?
Well, nothing definite, no.
What do you want? Another
three days with her?
I didn't ask for the first three.
Okay, Paul. We've been
drawing blanks here, too.
You can have more time
with her if you need it.
I'm satisfied she's Wheeler's girl.
Oh? Why?
Well, it seems to add up. We
spend a lot of time at my place,
never at hers.
She obviously has a generous friend
who's not around at the moment.
Last night, when I tried to
take her to the Lombardy Club,
she backed off.
PADDY: What's the connection?
It's one of Wheeler's hangouts.
You think that's enough to go on?
Don't you?
It'll have to do.
Harris, bring in that layout.
Oh, what about the girl?
I told her I was going to
be out of town for a while.
Oh, I got this from the bank
yesterday. It's the official count.
$210,000, and no record
of the serial numbers.
This is a layout of the
building the girl lives in.
This is her apartment here.
We'll take over this one across the way.
Be sure you avoid contact
with the rest of the tenants.
There'll be two men in
this room at all times,
one on the phone tap,
the other at the window.
Another man will be in the
lookout car out in front.
If Wheeler shows, the man in
the lookout car phones upstairs
and the other two will be ready for him
when he steps out of the elevator.
- Sounds real simple.
- It is.
If you ask me, Wheeler's
halfway to Peru right now.
All that dough and a
murder rap hanging over him.
Look, get it out of your
head that Wheeler won't show.
This is all we've got to go on,
and I want you expecting him.
Did you ever read the
statistics on bank jobs, Paddy?
Ever hear of a heist man being picked up
afterward on a highway
or international border?
They find them holed up in the big city.
How about it, Paul?
Think Wheeler will be around?
Yeah, he'll be around.
Everything straight then?
How about those back doors? They kept locked?
They can't be opened from the outside.
You'll be in charge of the stakeout, Paul.
And you know what I want.
You want Wheeler. I want him alive.
Remember that, all of you.
Dead, he can't tell us where the
money is or who his partner was.
Alive, he can save us a lot of dirty work.
What watch shall we take?
The important one.
I'm putting Briggs, Fine
and Corrick on the day watch.
Doesn't figure that Wheeler'll
show up in broad daylight.
Well, I guess that's everything.
Pick yourself up a copy of this from Harris.
Paul...
Keep your eye on Paddy.
I'd like to see him get his pension.
And he won't if he slips again.
Find Briggs and send him in to me.
Paul, Rick. Hiya, boys.
BRIGGS: Been a long afternoon.
Anything doing?
She went out once. Briggs tailed her.
BRIGGS: She took her car
around for a lube job.
- Might mean something.
- She's waiting for someone all right.
Doesn't know what to do with herself.
Smoked a pack of cigarettes
in the past two hours.
Coffee if you want it. Thanks.
All the comforts of home. She get any calls?
Nope. Everything's in the log there.
- BRIGGS: Have fun.
- RICK: See you.
At 7.00 a.m. Yeah.
2:46, called in for...
(CHUCKLES) For nothing.
- PAUL: Have you got her?
- Uh-huh.
PAUL: What do you think?
You're right. He'll be around.
To me she's still a babe,
like 30 million others.
Want me to take the phone?
No, I'll take it.
She's going to make a call.
(PHONE DIALING)
New car, mink coat, and
no clocks in the joint.
Probably the story of her life.
You just don't like women, Rick.
What keeps you single?
Maybe I like them too much.
We've seen all kinds
since we joined the force.
B-girls, hustlers, blackmailers,
shoplifters, drunks.
You know I think I'd still get married,
if I could find a half-honest woman.
Must be a few around.
Watch yourself. Those
few might just be smarter.
I don't know what makes a dame like
that tie up with a guy like Wheeler.
Money. What else?
She's scared. Scared of being
hungry and scared of being alone.
You can wrap up her whole
life in that one word.
Money? Hmm.
It's nice, but it doesn't
make the world go round.
Doesn't it?
Do you know anybody that's happily married
that hasn't got plenty of it?
My old man was. And he had to
stand the wolf off all his life.
Yeah, my folks hated each other.
Fighting all the time.
It's about the only thing
I can remember about them.
One long, endless quarrel.
And always about money.
Never about anything but money.
When I was a kid, I promised
myself that when I grew up,
I'd have plenty of dough.
Plenty of it.
I'm doing all right.
I owe the China-man $2.30
on last week's laundry bill.
How'd we get on to this?
I think I made a nasty crack about women.
Paul, she's going out.
I'll take it.
Change your mind about going out of town?
Yeah.
I took my car to have it serviced today.
Happened to mention the
trouble I had with it,
so the mechanic looked at the distributor.
He said it hasn't been touched in months.
My car didn't start the other night
because you did something to it.
Why?
Can't think of a fast answer?
Yeah, I can think of an answer.
I saw you walk into the theater.
I liked the way you walked.
As simple as that?
Sure, why not?
You're a liar.
You're also a cop.
You need a drink.
What do the police want from me?
I wouldn't know.
Harry wanted me to keep an eye on you.
Harry? Wheeler.
He's a friend of mine.
Harry Wheeler has no friends.
He did me a favor once.
And you returned it.
He didn't do me that big a favor.
So you're a friend of Harry's?
That's right.
From St. Louis.
He dreamed up a pet name for me.
He did that for a lot of girls.
He never called me anything else.
What was it?
He was kind of nervous when
I talked to him on the phone.
He gave me your name and address, that's all.
A cop! A dirty, lying cop!
Wait a minute, baby, take
it easy. Take it easy.
These last few days,
they weren't all just cop, were they, Paul?
No.
No, I learned everything I
wanted to know that first night.
I went on seeing you because I wanted to.
But it's over.
What happens now?
I'm taking you downtown.
A man named Eckstrom wants
to ask you some questions.
Well,
it's been weird knowing you.
Not that it matters, Paul,
but I didn't know that Harry was
what he is.
He told me he owned
apartment houses in St. Louis.
He buy you that coat?
Yes.
Who was his partner?
Partner? Yeah, there
were two on that bank job.
We only identified Wheeler.
I told you he didn't have any friends.
I met him at a nightclub on
the Strip. He came in alone.
He was always alone if he wasn't with me.
And you let him set up house for you?
All right.
He bought me my clothes and my car
and a lease on a decent place to live in.
Things I've never had in my whole life.
If you'd known where his dough came from,
would you still have taken it?
Money isn't dirty. Just people.
How's he getting in touch with you?
He'd be crazy to try and you know it. Why?
It was just a lucky break
that we got a line on you.
He probably figures you're clear.
Maybe he will try.
I suppose my phone's tapped.
What happens to Harry if he's caught?
He killed a man.
And the $200,000?
What do you think?
I think it's a lot of money.
And right now Harry's got it.
That's right.
Paul...
Go on home.
Why? I wouldn't know.
Go on before I start thinking about it.
I don't want to go, Paul.
Not yet.
We could have that money, Paul, you and I.
Look, Harry's going to
die no matter what we do.
So what difference will it make
if he shows up and he's killed?
Be a perfect set-up for a cop, wouldn't it?
I could knock him off, hide the
money and call the meat wagon.
No questions asked.
Think what that money could mean to us, Paul.
To you and me.
And I thought I was using you.
Get out.
Get out!
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
RICK: Where'd she go?
Just drove around, going no place.
Might have been trying to
make a contact or something.
She looks a little frustrated at that.
Should one of us go down and relieve Paddy?
Hey, you with me? What?
I thought one of us ought
to go down and relieve Paddy.
Yeah, yeah, I'll do it.
What's she doing?
Hanging drapes. Oh, you mean Wheeler's dame.
She's sitting over there staring at the wall.
There's a little nurse
next door. Always busy.
Hasn't stopped moving for a minute.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PHONE RINGING)
- Hello.
- RICK: What's holding you up?
Where are you?
At the bowling alley. Where else?
Don't tell me you forgot about it?
I'm sorry, Rick, I did forget about it.
I woke up this morning with a fat headache.
I think I'd better skip it today, huh?
Sure.
Brew yourself some thick black
coffee. I'll see you tonight.
Right.
PADDY: Why don't you sit down?
Give your feet a rest.
I'm all right.
Are you?
What do you mean by that?
You've been looking kind of
bad the last couple of nights.
Trouble sleeping daytimes?
Yeah, yeah, the... So many
kids in the neighborhood.
The minute I get home, take a big
double shot, and wham, I'm asleep.
I'll have to try that.
Why don't you go down and relieve Rick?
Right.
MAN: But why can't I go up to the...
Please. Thanks a lot for the ride
home, but I've got to get upstairs.
MAN: But what's your hurry?
It's early yet.
I'm awfully tired. Uh, thanks anyway.
Now wait a minute.
Look, why don't you go up
and get out of that uniform,
and we'll go out and have a drink some place.
Some other time. Good night. No.
Now just a minute. Give me back my purse.
I'll give it to you when you come down. Okay?
Now you're being very childish. Give it back.
No, you're not going to get it. Hey.
No, I said.
Forget it. It's not worth
it. Now wait a minute.
You're going to come down...
The lady said good night.
I guess you didn't hear.
Why don't you mind your own business, buddy?
Now give the lady back
her purse and take a walk.
Look, chum, I don't think it's any of your...
Be a nice fellow and catch yourself some air.
Thank you. Very much.
It was a pleasure.
You did that like... As if
you'd done it before a few times.
I was a bouncer once, a long time ago.
Maybe I should learn how it's done.
It might come in handy.
Wouldn't it be simpler
just to avoid that type?
I really am grateful for what you did.
Never know for sure.
Some women like that kind.
Oh, well I don't.
Not that it matters, but I
didn't have a date with him.
I'm a nurse, and he goes with a
friend of mine at the hospital.
He offered me a lift home, and
I made a mistake and accepted it.
You don't have to explain it to me.
Oh, no, it's just that I...
I guess I didn't want you
to have a bad opinion of me.
Don't ask me why.
All right, I won't.
Shouldn't I offer you a
cup of coffee or something?
It seems the least I could do.
After you learn that hammer lock.
I won't need it. My roommate hasn't left yet.
She's a nurse, too. Night shift.
Maybe some other time.
Oh. All right. Well, good night.
Good night.
This is Paul. I may have to hang up fast.
Take the stairs and go up on
the roof. I want to talk to you.
Right now. Don't even
bother to finish that drink.
Sorry for the delay. I got tied up.
It's all right. The girl's
going out. I'll take her.
LONA: Over here, Paul.
You win.
Couldn't have taken much more,
wondering what was happening,
waiting for the phone to
ring and scared it might.
Thinking of you, wanting to
see you, wanting you to call me.
I know.
This isn't going to be easy.
We've got to keep our heads every second.
Your phone's tapped and there are
three men watching you day and night.
Harry's coming here. Maybe tomorrow.
Tomorrow? That soon?
You've got to stop him.
How? I don't know where he is.
Well, he'll call first, won't he?
Yes, but he... Well then, stall him.
And don't answer your
phone unless I'm on the tap.
Paul, will you listen to me?
It doesn't matter if anyone hears.
Harry told me exactly
what to say when he calls.
And if I say anything else, he won't...
(METALLIC RATTLING)
What did he tell you to say?
When he calls, he'll ask me
what TV program I'm looking at.
If everything is clear, I'll
say I'm not looking at TV.
You're not looking at TV.
Yes, and that's it.
He'll show up here 10 or 15 minutes later.
Here? Do you think he'll
have the money with him?
Yes.
Can't you tell him to
meet you someplace else?
No! If I say anything but what he
told me to say, it's a signal to run.
He'll show up right after he calls?
10 or 15 minutes later.
All right.
All right. Now remember,
you're not to answer your
phone until after 7:00
when I'm on the tap.
When Wheeler calls, you give him the all
- clear.
Then you leave, fast.
One man will tail you and I'll
change places with the man outside.
Have you got an extra key to your apartment?
No, but maybe... Never mind.
When you go, leave the
door open so I can get in.
- How long do I stay away?
- You don't come back until you call me first.
If it's all over, I'll
be there to take the call.
If you don't get an answer, stay away.
Have you got it all straight?
Yes. You sure?
Uh-huh. All right.
Now go down in your car
and drive around for a
while and then come back.
I'll be right behind you.
Couldn't I drive to your place?
No.
No, we can't take any
more chances. Now, go on.
Be careful, Paul.
(EXCLAIMS) Man!
The redhead on the third floor?
Isn't that the most...
Well, you only get out of a sweater
what you put into it, I always say.
Yeah. You said it twice this morning.
Let me have a look. (PHONE RINGING)
(PHONE RINGING)
Answer your phone, Blondie.
What's going on?
Still in the bedroom.
She's not going to answer it.
That's funny.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
You just missed something.
What happened? Her phone rang,
half a dozen times.
FINE: She just ignored it.
- How'd she react?
- Couldn't tell. She was in the bedroom.
Maybe she knows her phone is tapped.
You're sure she wasn't in
the shower or something?
Just stood in the bedroom
and stared at the phone.
Almost hate to leave.
This may be the big night.
Yeah. I can hardly tear myself away.
Well, enjoy the view.
We'll see you. Good night.
If that call was supposed to mean something,
she isn't showing it.
RICK: Probably her roommate's party.
Must be her night off or something.
PAUL: How do you know it isn't her party?
She's tired.
I saw her come home
tonight, and she was beat.
You'd never know it to look at her now.
Well, this thing will
probably go on all night.
What do you care?
I don't.
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe I do. I find myself watching
her like I was her father or something.
I wait for her to come home.
When she's late, I worry about her,
wonder what she's doing.
And, uh, who she's doing
it with. Is that the idea?
Yeah, something like that.
At least I feel I know her well enough to...
(PHONE RINGING)
She's going to answer it.
LONA: Hello.
HARRY: Good evening:
This is the RTV Rating Service:
Would you tell me what program
you're watching right now?
TV program, that is:
LONA: I'm not watching TV:
HARRY: I see: Thank you:
Did you ever hear of an RTV Rating Service?
No.
See what she's doing.
She's gone into the bedroom.
She's going out, Paul. This may be it.
Like me to take her this time?
I'd give my right arm to nail
that babe and her boyfriend.
Okay, Rick. Go ahead. Good luck.
- WOMAN 1: Operator.
- Mobile operator.
One moment, please:
WOMAN 2: Mobile operator:
Give me WJ
8-2-3-1-1.
Your name and number?
Sheridan.
Hollywood 9-5-2-6-4.
Hurry it up, please.
Yes, sir:
(PHONE RINGING)
There's no answer, sir:
No answer?
There's got to be an answer. Try it again.
Yes, sir:
WJ 8-2-3-1-1:
(PHONE RINGING)
What's up, Paul? Your job, that's what's up.
The effects from... I'm sorry,
Paul, but all I did was...
I know. We'll talk about it later.
I'll take over in the car. You go upstairs.
Sure, Paul, but I...
What is it? Wheeler.
He's gone in. We've got to call Rick.
No! No, Rick's not up there.
The girl went out. He's tailing her.
Then what'll we do?
Well?
When he finds out she's not up there,
he may get scared and run.
If he doesn't, we'll go up
and take him there. Come on.
Eckstrom don't need to know
about what happened, does he?
What? Eckstrom.
Does he have to know about...
If nothing goes wrong, no.
I don't want to lose my pension, Paul.
But I
guess you'll do what you got to do.
I'll give you every break I can.
If you'd been on the job, I'd
have taken him at the elevator,
the way Eckstrom wanted it.
You better hope nothing goes wrong.
Hold it, Wheeler! I got him!
Now, let's go.
Where? Downtown.
But first we'll pick up the money, huh?
You got it in your car?
Let's go find out, huh?
This it? Yeah.
Locked? Yeah.
Let's have the keys.
Looks like the whole bundle.
What'd you do with your
partner, Wheeler? Kill him?
Okay, Paddy, close the satchel.
PADDY: What happened?
He jumped you. What else?
Why'd you shoot him? I
could have handled him.
Why, you're half-drunk. For
all I knew he had your gun.
Well, what now? I don't know.
Eckstrom will crucify
us. He wanted him alive.
There'll only be one goat.
Me.
No.
No, there's a way out. Give me a hand, Paddy.
What're you doing? I'm saving your skin.
Tomorrow, I'll drive the
car someplace and leave it.
They'll find it and we'll be in the clear.
All we have to do is keep our mouths shut.
What's the gimmick?
Gimmick? You doing all this for me?
Why not?
I don't know.
But I'd rather lose my pension than...
When they find Wheeler, will
they find that money, too?
What kind of a crack is that?
Maybe I'd better call Eckstrom right now?
I gotta know, Paul.
I gotta know the money will be there.
Sure, it will be there!
Then give me the keys.
We'll both drive the car away tomorrow.
Okay, Paddy.
You keep them.
We'd better get back.
- What'll it be?
- Same as hers.
(PHONE RINGING)
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Hello.
I'm afraid I gave you the wrong impression.
I doubt it.
No really, you remind me of someone.
(CHUCKLES) Haven't you ever met me before?
Hundreds of times.
I don't get it.
And you won't, so try someplace else.
No. You've got the wrong idea.
I'm not just fresh, I'm sure
that I've met you someplace.
What...
Uh, will there be anything else, sir?
- PAUL: Hello.
- It's me, Paul.
It's done:
Is everything all right?
There's a complication, but I can handle it.
Get back here.
What happened? I'll talk to you later.
Oh, I'm sorry.
We're having a little party next
door and ran out of ice cubes.
Could I borrow some? I'm
sorry. I can't help you.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(DOOR OPENING)
How'd it go, Rick?
Another dry run. I think she spotted me.
Why?
She made a call from the Twilight
Room and came right back here.
It means she spotted me or
knows her phone's tapped.
Or both.
Or neither. Maybe.
Hey, you're up kind of late, Lieutenant.
- Something break?
- Our man's in town.
Spotted in a drug store on the
east side earlier this evening.
I'd hoped you might have him here for me.
Well, we'd hoped the same thing.
I'm afraid I haven't.
Why not?
The dame acts like she
knows her phone's tapped.
Made a call from a bar tonight.
Probably touted him off.
Then you've been here alone.
For the last hour, yeah.
All quiet?
Her phone rang once. That's all.
Check the neighborhood, Sheridan.
Parked cars, alleys.
I'll wait here a while.
Right.
What time did you leave
tonight, Rick, to tail her?
About 10:30.
What time did you get back?
A minute ago. Why?
I phoned here a half dozen
times between 10:50 and 11:15.
No answer.
Some thing from the car parked outside.
I gave him a chance to
explain. Why didn't he?
Talk to Paddy?
He had nothing to offer either.
But he's scared to death.
You and Sheridan are
fairly close, aren't you?
That's right.
But I'm not trying to cover for him.
Maybe Paul's trying to do it for Dolan.
Why?
Why not ask Dolan?
I'm asking you. And I want an answer.
When I followed her I
drove past the lookout car.
Paddy wasn't in it.
When I got to the intersection,
I saw him go into a bar.
I guess that bar was just a little too close.
Paul, we... Shut up and get back in the car.
Eckstrom talk to you?
He knows something's up. What'd you tell him?
Nothing I didn't have to. He knew.
He doesn't know anything.
He just thinks he does.
He gave me a phony job
to get me out of the room.
Give me the keys to Wheeler's car.
I'll get it out of here while
we've still got a chance.
Come on! Give me the keys!
We're only making things worse, Paul.
I'm goin' up and tell Eckstrom
just the way it happened.
You're not going to tell him anything.
I'm in this, too, remember?
Why?
You were just coverin' for me.
Isn't that right? And
Eckstrom'll throw the book at me.
- Who do you think you're kiddin'?
- You'll come out sweet as a rose.
A hero for trying to protect a buddy.
Look, Paddy, Eckstrom can't prove a thing.
Why throw away your pension?
Because I spent 25 years
being a dumb, honest cop.
And I'm stuck with it. Wait a minute.
What's the idea?
You didn't do anything for me.
You're after that dough.
That's why you came down looking for me.
You knew Wheeler was going to show.
Now wait a minute, Paddy.
Nope. We're both going up
and tell it just like it...
(PHONE RINGING)
(GUN FIRING)
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Doesn't answer. Come on.
Tell 'em to get here as fast
as they can, but no sirens.
And keep this from the press boys!
I heard a shot!
Paddy?
Dead?
Rick, get those people back to bed.
We don't want a crowd around here.
RICK: All right, folks,
back on the sidewalk.
What's going on, officer? We heard the shot.
Just a slight accident.
Back on the sidewalk, please.
What do you think? I don't know.
Powder burns, his own gun.
Why would he kill himself?
I didn't say that.
Then you think he didn't?
Where were you tonight around 11:00?
- I was upstairs. Why?
- No, you weren't.
We know where Dolan was. Where were you?
You know where Dolan was?
McAllister saw him.
I told him I'd cover for him.
I tried to get him on the car
phone about 10:30, he didn't answer.
I know.
The operator gave me the message just now.
I came down to see what had happened to him.
Found he'd gone over to the bar.
He was scared. He kept
talking about his pension.
I brought him back here.
I tried to make him understand
I wouldn't say anything,
but I guess he wasn't listening.
Well, you'd better get back upstairs.
We've still got a job to do here.
Yeah.
There's not much point keeping
a stakeout now, is there?
You got any better ideas?
Yeah, right away.
(WOMEN CHATTERING)
WOMAN: Oh, look, there's been an accident.
Wonder what happened?
- Wanna go over? Maybe you can help.
- No, they don't need us.
- They'd be the first to say so.
- Oh, it's so late.
Come on.
Are you sure you won't change
your mind and come with us, Ann?
- No, you all go on.
- All right. And have fun.
You know the Crockett's
number if you need me.
Oh, don't worry.
- WOMAN: Give us a call.
- All right. Bye.
Nighty night. Bye.
He's dead. I shot him.
What do you mean? Paddy Dolan.
What happened? I killed him.
The poor, dumb, harmless...
He pulled a gun on me.
It went off. It was an accident. I...
Are they after you? No.
But everything's gone wrong.
Paddy and...
And that girl downstairs,
she saw me in your apartment. What girl?
The one that lives next to you. The nurse.
Does she know who you are? I don't think so.
But she'll remember me.
She'll remember me good.
Paul, look, we've got the
money. Why don't we get out now?
We haven't got the money! The car's gone.
How? Paddy must have moved it.
He couldn't have moved it far.
It must be around here someplace close.
Maybe we could spot it from up here.
McAllister's still down there.
You take that side. I'll look over here.
Go on upstairs, Rick.
Who tells Paddy's wife?
That goes with my job.
What are you going to say? He killed himself?
What else can I say?
Get those people out of there.
Anything serious?
No.
You know, you're a bitter
disappointment to me.
Oh?
The other night.
You were just doing your job.
You are a policeman, aren't you?
Paul!
PAUL: That's it.
Go down to your apartment, stay
there a few minutes, and then leave.
I want the man that follows
you kept out at least an hour.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to put Wheeler's body
where it'll be found tonight.
Why? Why take any chance now?
Tomorrow we... I can't do
it in the broad daylight.
And if that girl sees me again, I'm through.
When they find the body, the stakeout
will be over and I'll be away from here.
Everything's going to
be all right? Sure. Sure.
You have a wonderful way
of sidestepping questions.
Shall I just stop asking them?
Right now, yes.
But save them for next week.
Next week?
You wouldn't be asking for a date?
I can't even answer that for sure.
Is your name in the book?
Ann Stewart, with a "W."
But you'd better call me at the hospital.
After our party tonight, we may be evicted.
Was it that bad?
I didn't think so, but the
people next door apparently did.
People next door.
You don't mean 423?
Yes. Why not? What happened?
Well, nothing, really. I went over
to borrow some ice cubes from him.
Him? You mean her, don't you?
No, I mean him.
What time was it?
Well, about 11:00.
Is he important?
He may have killed a man
last week and another tonight.
Do you think you could recognize
him if you saw him again?
Yes. I think I could.
Then you'll be hearing from
me sooner than I thought.
Good night.
Wheeler was here. In her apartment.
When? When you were out looking for Paddy.
How'd you find out about it?
The nurse. She tried to
borrow some ice cubes.
He gave her a fast brush-off.
223 please.
Mitchell?
When Eckstrom gets in, have him call me.
McAllister. Right.
Could she identify him?
Well, who else could it be?
What's the blonde doing?
The usual things.
If there's anybody in there
with her, she doesn't know it.
Do you think the nurse scared him off?
I don't know.
She said he opened the
door before she knocked,
as if he was leaving.
Well, then when he found
out his girl wasn't up there,
he probably got nervous
and... That's just it.
Why wasn't she?
I can't spot it, but
something's wrong somewhere.
And what happened to Paddy,
that doesn't fit either.
Eckstrom must have scared
him out of his mind.
Do you really think Paddy killed himself?
If you were going to check out,
would you put a.38 slug in your belly?
Nobody kills himself like that.
Least of all a cop.
I know Paddy like I know my own self.
He wouldn't have done it. Not
that way, or any other way.
And he certainly wouldn't have
let Wheeler get that close.
Maybe he did.
No.
You know what I think, Paul.
I think whoever killed Paddy was
right there in the car with him.
Sitting right there beside him.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
All right, give him a message.
Wheeler paid us a visit about 11:00 tonight.
The lady in apartment 426.
Yeah, she went over to borrow some ice cubes.
(ENGINE STARTING)
She there?
She just came in. Where'd she go?
Nowhere. Anything happen over there?
No, it's all quiet.
Know where she went?
To the beach.
Looked at the water exactly three minutes,
came right back here.
- Why?
- It doesn't make sense.
Well, she probably figured
there's only one man
watching her place, wanted to draw him off.
Why? Nothing happened over there,
and Schaeffer didn't see anything outside.
Rick, you'd better come with me.
We've got work to do.
Wheeler's dead. What happened?
Two.38 slugs in the back.
Where? When?
Dumped out of a car on Third and
Wilmer, about a half an hour ago.
Doesn't she ever go to bed?
We're going over there and get a few answers.
You stay here Paul.
It'll go smoother if she
doesn't see you just now.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello. This is Paul.
Now, listen.
McAllister and Eckstrom are
on their way over to see you.
They'll be there in a minute.
They'll ask you a lot of questions,
but they don't know a thing.
So don't let them scare you.
No, I'll be over here.
But in case you do see me,
you know me. Remember that?
All right, Paul.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
- Who is it?
- ECKSTROM: Police.
Where does he think he's going?
What is this anyway? Routine check.
We'd like to ask you a few
questions about Harry Wheeler.
Get him out of my bedroom.
All right.
Won't you sit down, Miss McLane?
May I?
When was the last time you heard from him?
Who? Harry Wheeler.
Who's Harry Wheeler?
He's been getting some
space in this week's papers.
I'm afraid I don't read the paper.
And I don't know anyone named Harry.
Don't you have to know a man to
give him a key to your apartment?
What's that supposed to mean?
Harry Wheeler was in this
apartment tonight at 11:00.
I wasn't even here at 11:00.
No, you were at the Twilight Room.
But there was a man here.
If it wasn't Wheeler, who was it?
If there was anyone here, he broke in.
What did Wheeler come up here for?
Maybe it wasn't Wheeler.
You knew his partner, too, didn't you?
No sale.
You didn't find what you were looking for,
so why don't you let me go to bed?
I'm afraid I have some
bad news for you, Lona.
Wheeler's partner double-crossed him,
which means he double-crossed you, too.
He shot Wheeler tonight and
dumped his body into the street.
Which means nothing to me.
If I didn't know better, I'd
think we were on the wrong track.
Call the stakeout. Have
him bring over the log.
We've been keeping a score sheet on you.
We'll go over it together, point by point.
(PHONE RINGING)
Sheridan.
Rick. Eckstrom wants the log brought over.
I'll be right over.
Hello, Lona.
I might've known.
You're just the type.
You want me to stick around?
Afraid she doesn't like you, Paul?
Better wait for us. Right.
Operator? Give me the police.
Hurry!
POLICEMAN ON RADIO: Cars 49 and 60,
Park Crest Hotel, 322
French Street: Code Three:
(RINGS)
Sheridan. Eckstrom there?
Well, you'd better go over and give him this.
A woman in the building,
an Ann Stewart, apartment 421.
She just called in.
Says she saw the man we're
after. Whatever that means.
Oh, and... Yeah, two more cars.
She mentioned McAllister,
so it may be a break.
Yeah, you never know.
Okay.
(DOORBELL BUZZING)
Who's there?
PAUL: Miss Ann Stewart?
Yes?
The police. Did you put in a call?
...no reason. When I can't sleep, I drive.
Who pays your rent?
I do! How?
What about the call you got from RTV?
I don't know what you're talking about.
It wasn't the rating service
that called. We checked on it.
Who was it?
If there was a call, I don't remember it.
Now, if you do as you're
told, you won't get hurt.
What are you going to do?
(DOOR OPENS)
Well, think it over.
You've got until tomorrow.
But don't try to leave unless
you want to be picked up
and booked for vagrancy.
Get your coat.
Come on! Come on!
Sheridan?
I guess he went downstairs.
Yeah.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Yes? It's Paul. Open up.
Turn the lights out first.
Get dressed, we're getting out of here.
Go on, hurry!
Where's Sheridan? Upstairs.
If he was upstairs I wouldn't
be asking you about him.
Didn't he just give you a message?
What are you talking about? What message?
A woman called. Said she saw
the guy we're looking for.
What was her name?
Stewart. 421...
RICK: Ann!
All right. All right, now
go out... Hold on a second.
Sheridan, the blonde, the girl who
just called in, they're all missing!
You and Schaeffer search
the building, top to bottom.
Who are we after?
Maybe Paul Sheridan. Take a
prowl car and cover the back.
What's wrong? A prowl car
right behind Wheeler's.
Do you think they know it's Harry's car?
I don't know.
Maybe they just happened to park there.
There's one way to find out. Here,
that car over there,
here's the key to the trunk.
Open it. You'll find a bag, bring it here.
Take it!
Be smart.
Don't turn around.
When I fire, get behind the car.
Duck!
It's clear that way. Go to Western
and Wilshire, wait for me there.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to get that car.
Now go on hurry! No, wait!
You can't get that money!
Will you go, Lona?
Please, don't try to get...
Go on!
Hold it, Sheridan!
Radio George Street, emergency.
I'm sorry, Rick.
So am I, Paul. So am I.
(PANTING) I thought I told you to go.
We really didn't need that money, did we?
Come on, I'll walk you home.
(GUN FIRING)
(ENGINE STALLING)
PAUL: Need some help?
Maybe you've got the motor flooded.
What do I do about it?
Want me to try?
All right.
Shove over.
(ENGINE STALLING)
Did you like the show?
Yeah.
How did you know I was there?
I saw you. Wondered why you were alone.
I wondered the same thing about you.
(ENGINE STALLING)
It doesn't seem to be flooded.
I'll take a look under the hood.
I don't know. I don't think
you're getting any spark.
I'm not?
Not enough to start the car.
Any suggestions?
Yeah, I think you ought to
have a mechanic look at it.
There's an all-night garage on Normandie.
You could call them from a bar over here.
All right.
I'd feel much better if you went with me.
That was the idea.
(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)
Another drink?
You could play the record again, though.
Okay.
Oh. Did you get it started?
Have to tow it in to the shop, ma'am.
I can't seem to locate the trouble.
How long will that take?
It's hard to say.
Could I call you here?
Bartender, what time do you close?
BARTENDER: 12:00.
We don't get much late trade.
All right. I guess we'll have to call you.
Okay.
Well...
You like to take me home?
Now?
Sure.
Your place or mine?
Surprise me.
Yeah.
Well, there's no particular hurry.
Well, why don't you check with
the mechanic and call me back?
Hollywood 33-449.
Right.
Mind?
No, help yourself.
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
That was with plain water, wasn't it?
LONA: Uh-huh.
Sorry?
Sorry? For what?
Picking me up.
PAUL: Is that what you call it,
a pick-up?
Don't you?
Do you get picked up often?
Would you care?
If I said yes, it wouldn't
make much sense, would it?
No.
I guess it wouldn't.
The answer's yes.
Would it make any sense if I told
you it's never happened before?
Maybe.
Funny.
When I saw you come into
the theater tonight, I...
I thought how awful it was.
The two of us there all alone.
It doesn't make sense, a girl like you.
New car, mink coat.
- Perfume, $50 an ounce.
- It's $100.
Still alone. Why?
Uh-uh.
No questions. Don't spoil it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
How long will it take?
Wait a minute.
He says the distributor's shot.
Take a couple of hours,
maybe longer, to fix it.
He wants to know where to deliver it.
You tell him.
You can deliver it here. 3916
Crescent Way, apartment D.
Right.
We're doing the best we can.
After all, identifying Harry
Wheeler as one of the men
who knocked off the bank
was no break, it was...
Yes, sir.
All right, sir, as soon as I get it.
What about you, Rick?
Anything from St. Louis?
Wheeler was there till five
weeks ago. That's all we got.
Nothing on who he left with? Why he left?
They're working on it.
ECKSTROM: About time you showed.
Have you got anything for us?
Well, nothing definite, no.
What do you want? Another
three days with her?
I didn't ask for the first three.
Okay, Paul. We've been
drawing blanks here, too.
You can have more time
with her if you need it.
I'm satisfied she's Wheeler's girl.
Oh? Why?
Well, it seems to add up. We
spend a lot of time at my place,
never at hers.
She obviously has a generous friend
who's not around at the moment.
Last night, when I tried to
take her to the Lombardy Club,
she backed off.
PADDY: What's the connection?
It's one of Wheeler's hangouts.
You think that's enough to go on?
Don't you?
It'll have to do.
Harris, bring in that layout.
Oh, what about the girl?
I told her I was going to
be out of town for a while.
Oh, I got this from the bank
yesterday. It's the official count.
$210,000, and no record
of the serial numbers.
This is a layout of the
building the girl lives in.
This is her apartment here.
We'll take over this one across the way.
Be sure you avoid contact
with the rest of the tenants.
There'll be two men in
this room at all times,
one on the phone tap,
the other at the window.
Another man will be in the
lookout car out in front.
If Wheeler shows, the man in
the lookout car phones upstairs
and the other two will be ready for him
when he steps out of the elevator.
- Sounds real simple.
- It is.
If you ask me, Wheeler's
halfway to Peru right now.
All that dough and a
murder rap hanging over him.
Look, get it out of your
head that Wheeler won't show.
This is all we've got to go on,
and I want you expecting him.
Did you ever read the
statistics on bank jobs, Paddy?
Ever hear of a heist man being picked up
afterward on a highway
or international border?
They find them holed up in the big city.
How about it, Paul?
Think Wheeler will be around?
Yeah, he'll be around.
Everything straight then?
How about those back doors? They kept locked?
They can't be opened from the outside.
You'll be in charge of the stakeout, Paul.
And you know what I want.
You want Wheeler. I want him alive.
Remember that, all of you.
Dead, he can't tell us where the
money is or who his partner was.
Alive, he can save us a lot of dirty work.
What watch shall we take?
The important one.
I'm putting Briggs, Fine
and Corrick on the day watch.
Doesn't figure that Wheeler'll
show up in broad daylight.
Well, I guess that's everything.
Pick yourself up a copy of this from Harris.
Paul...
Keep your eye on Paddy.
I'd like to see him get his pension.
And he won't if he slips again.
Find Briggs and send him in to me.
Paul, Rick. Hiya, boys.
BRIGGS: Been a long afternoon.
Anything doing?
She went out once. Briggs tailed her.
BRIGGS: She took her car
around for a lube job.
- Might mean something.
- She's waiting for someone all right.
Doesn't know what to do with herself.
Smoked a pack of cigarettes
in the past two hours.
Coffee if you want it. Thanks.
All the comforts of home. She get any calls?
Nope. Everything's in the log there.
- BRIGGS: Have fun.
- RICK: See you.
At 7.00 a.m. Yeah.
2:46, called in for...
(CHUCKLES) For nothing.
- PAUL: Have you got her?
- Uh-huh.
PAUL: What do you think?
You're right. He'll be around.
To me she's still a babe,
like 30 million others.
Want me to take the phone?
No, I'll take it.
She's going to make a call.
(PHONE DIALING)
New car, mink coat, and
no clocks in the joint.
Probably the story of her life.
You just don't like women, Rick.
What keeps you single?
Maybe I like them too much.
We've seen all kinds
since we joined the force.
B-girls, hustlers, blackmailers,
shoplifters, drunks.
You know I think I'd still get married,
if I could find a half-honest woman.
Must be a few around.
Watch yourself. Those
few might just be smarter.
I don't know what makes a dame like
that tie up with a guy like Wheeler.
Money. What else?
She's scared. Scared of being
hungry and scared of being alone.
You can wrap up her whole
life in that one word.
Money? Hmm.
It's nice, but it doesn't
make the world go round.
Doesn't it?
Do you know anybody that's happily married
that hasn't got plenty of it?
My old man was. And he had to
stand the wolf off all his life.
Yeah, my folks hated each other.
Fighting all the time.
It's about the only thing
I can remember about them.
One long, endless quarrel.
And always about money.
Never about anything but money.
When I was a kid, I promised
myself that when I grew up,
I'd have plenty of dough.
Plenty of it.
I'm doing all right.
I owe the China-man $2.30
on last week's laundry bill.
How'd we get on to this?
I think I made a nasty crack about women.
Paul, she's going out.
I'll take it.
Change your mind about going out of town?
Yeah.
I took my car to have it serviced today.
Happened to mention the
trouble I had with it,
so the mechanic looked at the distributor.
He said it hasn't been touched in months.
My car didn't start the other night
because you did something to it.
Why?
Can't think of a fast answer?
Yeah, I can think of an answer.
I saw you walk into the theater.
I liked the way you walked.
As simple as that?
Sure, why not?
You're a liar.
You're also a cop.
You need a drink.
What do the police want from me?
I wouldn't know.
Harry wanted me to keep an eye on you.
Harry? Wheeler.
He's a friend of mine.
Harry Wheeler has no friends.
He did me a favor once.
And you returned it.
He didn't do me that big a favor.
So you're a friend of Harry's?
That's right.
From St. Louis.
He dreamed up a pet name for me.
He did that for a lot of girls.
He never called me anything else.
What was it?
He was kind of nervous when
I talked to him on the phone.
He gave me your name and address, that's all.
A cop! A dirty, lying cop!
Wait a minute, baby, take
it easy. Take it easy.
These last few days,
they weren't all just cop, were they, Paul?
No.
No, I learned everything I
wanted to know that first night.
I went on seeing you because I wanted to.
But it's over.
What happens now?
I'm taking you downtown.
A man named Eckstrom wants
to ask you some questions.
Well,
it's been weird knowing you.
Not that it matters, Paul,
but I didn't know that Harry was
what he is.
He told me he owned
apartment houses in St. Louis.
He buy you that coat?
Yes.
Who was his partner?
Partner? Yeah, there
were two on that bank job.
We only identified Wheeler.
I told you he didn't have any friends.
I met him at a nightclub on
the Strip. He came in alone.
He was always alone if he wasn't with me.
And you let him set up house for you?
All right.
He bought me my clothes and my car
and a lease on a decent place to live in.
Things I've never had in my whole life.
If you'd known where his dough came from,
would you still have taken it?
Money isn't dirty. Just people.
How's he getting in touch with you?
He'd be crazy to try and you know it. Why?
It was just a lucky break
that we got a line on you.
He probably figures you're clear.
Maybe he will try.
I suppose my phone's tapped.
What happens to Harry if he's caught?
He killed a man.
And the $200,000?
What do you think?
I think it's a lot of money.
And right now Harry's got it.
That's right.
Paul...
Go on home.
Why? I wouldn't know.
Go on before I start thinking about it.
I don't want to go, Paul.
Not yet.
We could have that money, Paul, you and I.
Look, Harry's going to
die no matter what we do.
So what difference will it make
if he shows up and he's killed?
Be a perfect set-up for a cop, wouldn't it?
I could knock him off, hide the
money and call the meat wagon.
No questions asked.
Think what that money could mean to us, Paul.
To you and me.
And I thought I was using you.
Get out.
Get out!
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
RICK: Where'd she go?
Just drove around, going no place.
Might have been trying to
make a contact or something.
She looks a little frustrated at that.
Should one of us go down and relieve Paddy?
Hey, you with me? What?
I thought one of us ought
to go down and relieve Paddy.
Yeah, yeah, I'll do it.
What's she doing?
Hanging drapes. Oh, you mean Wheeler's dame.
She's sitting over there staring at the wall.
There's a little nurse
next door. Always busy.
Hasn't stopped moving for a minute.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PHONE RINGING)
- Hello.
- RICK: What's holding you up?
Where are you?
At the bowling alley. Where else?
Don't tell me you forgot about it?
I'm sorry, Rick, I did forget about it.
I woke up this morning with a fat headache.
I think I'd better skip it today, huh?
Sure.
Brew yourself some thick black
coffee. I'll see you tonight.
Right.
PADDY: Why don't you sit down?
Give your feet a rest.
I'm all right.
Are you?
What do you mean by that?
You've been looking kind of
bad the last couple of nights.
Trouble sleeping daytimes?
Yeah, yeah, the... So many
kids in the neighborhood.
The minute I get home, take a big
double shot, and wham, I'm asleep.
I'll have to try that.
Why don't you go down and relieve Rick?
Right.
MAN: But why can't I go up to the...
Please. Thanks a lot for the ride
home, but I've got to get upstairs.
MAN: But what's your hurry?
It's early yet.
I'm awfully tired. Uh, thanks anyway.
Now wait a minute.
Look, why don't you go up
and get out of that uniform,
and we'll go out and have a drink some place.
Some other time. Good night. No.
Now just a minute. Give me back my purse.
I'll give it to you when you come down. Okay?
Now you're being very childish. Give it back.
No, you're not going to get it. Hey.
No, I said.
Forget it. It's not worth
it. Now wait a minute.
You're going to come down...
The lady said good night.
I guess you didn't hear.
Why don't you mind your own business, buddy?
Now give the lady back
her purse and take a walk.
Look, chum, I don't think it's any of your...
Be a nice fellow and catch yourself some air.
Thank you. Very much.
It was a pleasure.
You did that like... As if
you'd done it before a few times.
I was a bouncer once, a long time ago.
Maybe I should learn how it's done.
It might come in handy.
Wouldn't it be simpler
just to avoid that type?
I really am grateful for what you did.
Never know for sure.
Some women like that kind.
Oh, well I don't.
Not that it matters, but I
didn't have a date with him.
I'm a nurse, and he goes with a
friend of mine at the hospital.
He offered me a lift home, and
I made a mistake and accepted it.
You don't have to explain it to me.
Oh, no, it's just that I...
I guess I didn't want you
to have a bad opinion of me.
Don't ask me why.
All right, I won't.
Shouldn't I offer you a
cup of coffee or something?
It seems the least I could do.
After you learn that hammer lock.
I won't need it. My roommate hasn't left yet.
She's a nurse, too. Night shift.
Maybe some other time.
Oh. All right. Well, good night.
Good night.
This is Paul. I may have to hang up fast.
Take the stairs and go up on
the roof. I want to talk to you.
Right now. Don't even
bother to finish that drink.
Sorry for the delay. I got tied up.
It's all right. The girl's
going out. I'll take her.
LONA: Over here, Paul.
You win.
Couldn't have taken much more,
wondering what was happening,
waiting for the phone to
ring and scared it might.
Thinking of you, wanting to
see you, wanting you to call me.
I know.
This isn't going to be easy.
We've got to keep our heads every second.
Your phone's tapped and there are
three men watching you day and night.
Harry's coming here. Maybe tomorrow.
Tomorrow? That soon?
You've got to stop him.
How? I don't know where he is.
Well, he'll call first, won't he?
Yes, but he... Well then, stall him.
And don't answer your
phone unless I'm on the tap.
Paul, will you listen to me?
It doesn't matter if anyone hears.
Harry told me exactly
what to say when he calls.
And if I say anything else, he won't...
(METALLIC RATTLING)
What did he tell you to say?
When he calls, he'll ask me
what TV program I'm looking at.
If everything is clear, I'll
say I'm not looking at TV.
You're not looking at TV.
Yes, and that's it.
He'll show up here 10 or 15 minutes later.
Here? Do you think he'll
have the money with him?
Yes.
Can't you tell him to
meet you someplace else?
No! If I say anything but what he
told me to say, it's a signal to run.
He'll show up right after he calls?
10 or 15 minutes later.
All right.
All right. Now remember,
you're not to answer your
phone until after 7:00
when I'm on the tap.
When Wheeler calls, you give him the all
- clear.
Then you leave, fast.
One man will tail you and I'll
change places with the man outside.
Have you got an extra key to your apartment?
No, but maybe... Never mind.
When you go, leave the
door open so I can get in.
- How long do I stay away?
- You don't come back until you call me first.
If it's all over, I'll
be there to take the call.
If you don't get an answer, stay away.
Have you got it all straight?
Yes. You sure?
Uh-huh. All right.
Now go down in your car
and drive around for a
while and then come back.
I'll be right behind you.
Couldn't I drive to your place?
No.
No, we can't take any
more chances. Now, go on.
Be careful, Paul.
(EXCLAIMS) Man!
The redhead on the third floor?
Isn't that the most...
Well, you only get out of a sweater
what you put into it, I always say.
Yeah. You said it twice this morning.
Let me have a look. (PHONE RINGING)
(PHONE RINGING)
Answer your phone, Blondie.
What's going on?
Still in the bedroom.
She's not going to answer it.
That's funny.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
You just missed something.
What happened? Her phone rang,
half a dozen times.
FINE: She just ignored it.
- How'd she react?
- Couldn't tell. She was in the bedroom.
Maybe she knows her phone is tapped.
You're sure she wasn't in
the shower or something?
Just stood in the bedroom
and stared at the phone.
Almost hate to leave.
This may be the big night.
Yeah. I can hardly tear myself away.
Well, enjoy the view.
We'll see you. Good night.
If that call was supposed to mean something,
she isn't showing it.
RICK: Probably her roommate's party.
Must be her night off or something.
PAUL: How do you know it isn't her party?
She's tired.
I saw her come home
tonight, and she was beat.
You'd never know it to look at her now.
Well, this thing will
probably go on all night.
What do you care?
I don't.
(CHUCKLES)
Maybe I do. I find myself watching
her like I was her father or something.
I wait for her to come home.
When she's late, I worry about her,
wonder what she's doing.
And, uh, who she's doing
it with. Is that the idea?
Yeah, something like that.
At least I feel I know her well enough to...
(PHONE RINGING)
She's going to answer it.
LONA: Hello.
HARRY: Good evening:
This is the RTV Rating Service:
Would you tell me what program
you're watching right now?
TV program, that is:
LONA: I'm not watching TV:
HARRY: I see: Thank you:
Did you ever hear of an RTV Rating Service?
No.
See what she's doing.
She's gone into the bedroom.
She's going out, Paul. This may be it.
Like me to take her this time?
I'd give my right arm to nail
that babe and her boyfriend.
Okay, Rick. Go ahead. Good luck.
- WOMAN 1: Operator.
- Mobile operator.
One moment, please:
WOMAN 2: Mobile operator:
Give me WJ
8-2-3-1-1.
Your name and number?
Sheridan.
Hollywood 9-5-2-6-4.
Hurry it up, please.
Yes, sir:
(PHONE RINGING)
There's no answer, sir:
No answer?
There's got to be an answer. Try it again.
Yes, sir:
WJ 8-2-3-1-1:
(PHONE RINGING)
What's up, Paul? Your job, that's what's up.
The effects from... I'm sorry,
Paul, but all I did was...
I know. We'll talk about it later.
I'll take over in the car. You go upstairs.
Sure, Paul, but I...
What is it? Wheeler.
He's gone in. We've got to call Rick.
No! No, Rick's not up there.
The girl went out. He's tailing her.
Then what'll we do?
Well?
When he finds out she's not up there,
he may get scared and run.
If he doesn't, we'll go up
and take him there. Come on.
Eckstrom don't need to know
about what happened, does he?
What? Eckstrom.
Does he have to know about...
If nothing goes wrong, no.
I don't want to lose my pension, Paul.
But I
guess you'll do what you got to do.
I'll give you every break I can.
If you'd been on the job, I'd
have taken him at the elevator,
the way Eckstrom wanted it.
You better hope nothing goes wrong.
Hold it, Wheeler! I got him!
Now, let's go.
Where? Downtown.
But first we'll pick up the money, huh?
You got it in your car?
Let's go find out, huh?
This it? Yeah.
Locked? Yeah.
Let's have the keys.
Looks like the whole bundle.
What'd you do with your
partner, Wheeler? Kill him?
Okay, Paddy, close the satchel.
PADDY: What happened?
He jumped you. What else?
Why'd you shoot him? I
could have handled him.
Why, you're half-drunk. For
all I knew he had your gun.
Well, what now? I don't know.
Eckstrom will crucify
us. He wanted him alive.
There'll only be one goat.
Me.
No.
No, there's a way out. Give me a hand, Paddy.
What're you doing? I'm saving your skin.
Tomorrow, I'll drive the
car someplace and leave it.
They'll find it and we'll be in the clear.
All we have to do is keep our mouths shut.
What's the gimmick?
Gimmick? You doing all this for me?
Why not?
I don't know.
But I'd rather lose my pension than...
When they find Wheeler, will
they find that money, too?
What kind of a crack is that?
Maybe I'd better call Eckstrom right now?
I gotta know, Paul.
I gotta know the money will be there.
Sure, it will be there!
Then give me the keys.
We'll both drive the car away tomorrow.
Okay, Paddy.
You keep them.
We'd better get back.
- What'll it be?
- Same as hers.
(PHONE RINGING)
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Hello.
I'm afraid I gave you the wrong impression.
I doubt it.
No really, you remind me of someone.
(CHUCKLES) Haven't you ever met me before?
Hundreds of times.
I don't get it.
And you won't, so try someplace else.
No. You've got the wrong idea.
I'm not just fresh, I'm sure
that I've met you someplace.
What...
Uh, will there be anything else, sir?
- PAUL: Hello.
- It's me, Paul.
It's done:
Is everything all right?
There's a complication, but I can handle it.
Get back here.
What happened? I'll talk to you later.
Oh, I'm sorry.
We're having a little party next
door and ran out of ice cubes.
Could I borrow some? I'm
sorry. I can't help you.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(DOOR OPENING)
How'd it go, Rick?
Another dry run. I think she spotted me.
Why?
She made a call from the Twilight
Room and came right back here.
It means she spotted me or
knows her phone's tapped.
Or both.
Or neither. Maybe.
Hey, you're up kind of late, Lieutenant.
- Something break?
- Our man's in town.
Spotted in a drug store on the
east side earlier this evening.
I'd hoped you might have him here for me.
Well, we'd hoped the same thing.
I'm afraid I haven't.
Why not?
The dame acts like she
knows her phone's tapped.
Made a call from a bar tonight.
Probably touted him off.
Then you've been here alone.
For the last hour, yeah.
All quiet?
Her phone rang once. That's all.
Check the neighborhood, Sheridan.
Parked cars, alleys.
I'll wait here a while.
Right.
What time did you leave
tonight, Rick, to tail her?
About 10:30.
What time did you get back?
A minute ago. Why?
I phoned here a half dozen
times between 10:50 and 11:15.
No answer.
Some thing from the car parked outside.
I gave him a chance to
explain. Why didn't he?
Talk to Paddy?
He had nothing to offer either.
But he's scared to death.
You and Sheridan are
fairly close, aren't you?
That's right.
But I'm not trying to cover for him.
Maybe Paul's trying to do it for Dolan.
Why?
Why not ask Dolan?
I'm asking you. And I want an answer.
When I followed her I
drove past the lookout car.
Paddy wasn't in it.
When I got to the intersection,
I saw him go into a bar.
I guess that bar was just a little too close.
Paul, we... Shut up and get back in the car.
Eckstrom talk to you?
He knows something's up. What'd you tell him?
Nothing I didn't have to. He knew.
He doesn't know anything.
He just thinks he does.
He gave me a phony job
to get me out of the room.
Give me the keys to Wheeler's car.
I'll get it out of here while
we've still got a chance.
Come on! Give me the keys!
We're only making things worse, Paul.
I'm goin' up and tell Eckstrom
just the way it happened.
You're not going to tell him anything.
I'm in this, too, remember?
Why?
You were just coverin' for me.
Isn't that right? And
Eckstrom'll throw the book at me.
- Who do you think you're kiddin'?
- You'll come out sweet as a rose.
A hero for trying to protect a buddy.
Look, Paddy, Eckstrom can't prove a thing.
Why throw away your pension?
Because I spent 25 years
being a dumb, honest cop.
And I'm stuck with it. Wait a minute.
What's the idea?
You didn't do anything for me.
You're after that dough.
That's why you came down looking for me.
You knew Wheeler was going to show.
Now wait a minute, Paddy.
Nope. We're both going up
and tell it just like it...
(PHONE RINGING)
(GUN FIRING)
(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)
Doesn't answer. Come on.
Tell 'em to get here as fast
as they can, but no sirens.
And keep this from the press boys!
I heard a shot!
Paddy?
Dead?
Rick, get those people back to bed.
We don't want a crowd around here.
RICK: All right, folks,
back on the sidewalk.
What's going on, officer? We heard the shot.
Just a slight accident.
Back on the sidewalk, please.
What do you think? I don't know.
Powder burns, his own gun.
Why would he kill himself?
I didn't say that.
Then you think he didn't?
Where were you tonight around 11:00?
- I was upstairs. Why?
- No, you weren't.
We know where Dolan was. Where were you?
You know where Dolan was?
McAllister saw him.
I told him I'd cover for him.
I tried to get him on the car
phone about 10:30, he didn't answer.
I know.
The operator gave me the message just now.
I came down to see what had happened to him.
Found he'd gone over to the bar.
He was scared. He kept
talking about his pension.
I brought him back here.
I tried to make him understand
I wouldn't say anything,
but I guess he wasn't listening.
Well, you'd better get back upstairs.
We've still got a job to do here.
Yeah.
There's not much point keeping
a stakeout now, is there?
You got any better ideas?
Yeah, right away.
(WOMEN CHATTERING)
WOMAN: Oh, look, there's been an accident.
Wonder what happened?
- Wanna go over? Maybe you can help.
- No, they don't need us.
- They'd be the first to say so.
- Oh, it's so late.
Come on.
Are you sure you won't change
your mind and come with us, Ann?
- No, you all go on.
- All right. And have fun.
You know the Crockett's
number if you need me.
Oh, don't worry.
- WOMAN: Give us a call.
- All right. Bye.
Nighty night. Bye.
He's dead. I shot him.
What do you mean? Paddy Dolan.
What happened? I killed him.
The poor, dumb, harmless...
He pulled a gun on me.
It went off. It was an accident. I...
Are they after you? No.
But everything's gone wrong.
Paddy and...
And that girl downstairs,
she saw me in your apartment. What girl?
The one that lives next to you. The nurse.
Does she know who you are? I don't think so.
But she'll remember me.
She'll remember me good.
Paul, look, we've got the
money. Why don't we get out now?
We haven't got the money! The car's gone.
How? Paddy must have moved it.
He couldn't have moved it far.
It must be around here someplace close.
Maybe we could spot it from up here.
McAllister's still down there.
You take that side. I'll look over here.
Go on upstairs, Rick.
Who tells Paddy's wife?
That goes with my job.
What are you going to say? He killed himself?
What else can I say?
Get those people out of there.
Anything serious?
No.
You know, you're a bitter
disappointment to me.
Oh?
The other night.
You were just doing your job.
You are a policeman, aren't you?
Paul!
PAUL: That's it.
Go down to your apartment, stay
there a few minutes, and then leave.
I want the man that follows
you kept out at least an hour.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to put Wheeler's body
where it'll be found tonight.
Why? Why take any chance now?
Tomorrow we... I can't do
it in the broad daylight.
And if that girl sees me again, I'm through.
When they find the body, the stakeout
will be over and I'll be away from here.
Everything's going to
be all right? Sure. Sure.
You have a wonderful way
of sidestepping questions.
Shall I just stop asking them?
Right now, yes.
But save them for next week.
Next week?
You wouldn't be asking for a date?
I can't even answer that for sure.
Is your name in the book?
Ann Stewart, with a "W."
But you'd better call me at the hospital.
After our party tonight, we may be evicted.
Was it that bad?
I didn't think so, but the
people next door apparently did.
People next door.
You don't mean 423?
Yes. Why not? What happened?
Well, nothing, really. I went over
to borrow some ice cubes from him.
Him? You mean her, don't you?
No, I mean him.
What time was it?
Well, about 11:00.
Is he important?
He may have killed a man
last week and another tonight.
Do you think you could recognize
him if you saw him again?
Yes. I think I could.
Then you'll be hearing from
me sooner than I thought.
Good night.
Wheeler was here. In her apartment.
When? When you were out looking for Paddy.
How'd you find out about it?
The nurse. She tried to
borrow some ice cubes.
He gave her a fast brush-off.
223 please.
Mitchell?
When Eckstrom gets in, have him call me.
McAllister. Right.
Could she identify him?
Well, who else could it be?
What's the blonde doing?
The usual things.
If there's anybody in there
with her, she doesn't know it.
Do you think the nurse scared him off?
I don't know.
She said he opened the
door before she knocked,
as if he was leaving.
Well, then when he found
out his girl wasn't up there,
he probably got nervous
and... That's just it.
Why wasn't she?
I can't spot it, but
something's wrong somewhere.
And what happened to Paddy,
that doesn't fit either.
Eckstrom must have scared
him out of his mind.
Do you really think Paddy killed himself?
If you were going to check out,
would you put a.38 slug in your belly?
Nobody kills himself like that.
Least of all a cop.
I know Paddy like I know my own self.
He wouldn't have done it. Not
that way, or any other way.
And he certainly wouldn't have
let Wheeler get that close.
Maybe he did.
No.
You know what I think, Paul.
I think whoever killed Paddy was
right there in the car with him.
Sitting right there beside him.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
All right, give him a message.
Wheeler paid us a visit about 11:00 tonight.
The lady in apartment 426.
Yeah, she went over to borrow some ice cubes.
(ENGINE STARTING)
She there?
She just came in. Where'd she go?
Nowhere. Anything happen over there?
No, it's all quiet.
Know where she went?
To the beach.
Looked at the water exactly three minutes,
came right back here.
- Why?
- It doesn't make sense.
Well, she probably figured
there's only one man
watching her place, wanted to draw him off.
Why? Nothing happened over there,
and Schaeffer didn't see anything outside.
Rick, you'd better come with me.
We've got work to do.
Wheeler's dead. What happened?
Two.38 slugs in the back.
Where? When?
Dumped out of a car on Third and
Wilmer, about a half an hour ago.
Doesn't she ever go to bed?
We're going over there and get a few answers.
You stay here Paul.
It'll go smoother if she
doesn't see you just now.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello. This is Paul.
Now, listen.
McAllister and Eckstrom are
on their way over to see you.
They'll be there in a minute.
They'll ask you a lot of questions,
but they don't know a thing.
So don't let them scare you.
No, I'll be over here.
But in case you do see me,
you know me. Remember that?
All right, Paul.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
- Who is it?
- ECKSTROM: Police.
Where does he think he's going?
What is this anyway? Routine check.
We'd like to ask you a few
questions about Harry Wheeler.
Get him out of my bedroom.
All right.
Won't you sit down, Miss McLane?
May I?
When was the last time you heard from him?
Who? Harry Wheeler.
Who's Harry Wheeler?
He's been getting some
space in this week's papers.
I'm afraid I don't read the paper.
And I don't know anyone named Harry.
Don't you have to know a man to
give him a key to your apartment?
What's that supposed to mean?
Harry Wheeler was in this
apartment tonight at 11:00.
I wasn't even here at 11:00.
No, you were at the Twilight Room.
But there was a man here.
If it wasn't Wheeler, who was it?
If there was anyone here, he broke in.
What did Wheeler come up here for?
Maybe it wasn't Wheeler.
You knew his partner, too, didn't you?
No sale.
You didn't find what you were looking for,
so why don't you let me go to bed?
I'm afraid I have some
bad news for you, Lona.
Wheeler's partner double-crossed him,
which means he double-crossed you, too.
He shot Wheeler tonight and
dumped his body into the street.
Which means nothing to me.
If I didn't know better, I'd
think we were on the wrong track.
Call the stakeout. Have
him bring over the log.
We've been keeping a score sheet on you.
We'll go over it together, point by point.
(PHONE RINGING)
Sheridan.
Rick. Eckstrom wants the log brought over.
I'll be right over.
Hello, Lona.
I might've known.
You're just the type.
You want me to stick around?
Afraid she doesn't like you, Paul?
Better wait for us. Right.
Operator? Give me the police.
Hurry!
POLICEMAN ON RADIO: Cars 49 and 60,
Park Crest Hotel, 322
French Street: Code Three:
(RINGS)
Sheridan. Eckstrom there?
Well, you'd better go over and give him this.
A woman in the building,
an Ann Stewart, apartment 421.
She just called in.
Says she saw the man we're
after. Whatever that means.
Oh, and... Yeah, two more cars.
She mentioned McAllister,
so it may be a break.
Yeah, you never know.
Okay.
(DOORBELL BUZZING)
Who's there?
PAUL: Miss Ann Stewart?
Yes?
The police. Did you put in a call?
...no reason. When I can't sleep, I drive.
Who pays your rent?
I do! How?
What about the call you got from RTV?
I don't know what you're talking about.
It wasn't the rating service
that called. We checked on it.
Who was it?
If there was a call, I don't remember it.
Now, if you do as you're
told, you won't get hurt.
What are you going to do?
(DOOR OPENS)
Well, think it over.
You've got until tomorrow.
But don't try to leave unless
you want to be picked up
and booked for vagrancy.
Get your coat.
Come on! Come on!
Sheridan?
I guess he went downstairs.
Yeah.
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Yes? It's Paul. Open up.
Turn the lights out first.
Get dressed, we're getting out of here.
Go on, hurry!
Where's Sheridan? Upstairs.
If he was upstairs I wouldn't
be asking you about him.
Didn't he just give you a message?
What are you talking about? What message?
A woman called. Said she saw
the guy we're looking for.
What was her name?
Stewart. 421...
RICK: Ann!
All right. All right, now
go out... Hold on a second.
Sheridan, the blonde, the girl who
just called in, they're all missing!
You and Schaeffer search
the building, top to bottom.
Who are we after?
Maybe Paul Sheridan. Take a
prowl car and cover the back.
What's wrong? A prowl car
right behind Wheeler's.
Do you think they know it's Harry's car?
I don't know.
Maybe they just happened to park there.
There's one way to find out. Here,
that car over there,
here's the key to the trunk.
Open it. You'll find a bag, bring it here.
Take it!
Be smart.
Don't turn around.
When I fire, get behind the car.
Duck!
It's clear that way. Go to Western
and Wilshire, wait for me there.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to get that car.
Now go on hurry! No, wait!
You can't get that money!
Will you go, Lona?
Please, don't try to get...
Go on!
Hold it, Sheridan!
Radio George Street, emergency.
I'm sorry, Rick.
So am I, Paul. So am I.
(PANTING) I thought I told you to go.
We really didn't need that money, did we?
Come on, I'll walk you home.