Tropical Heat (1991–1993): Season 1, Episode 5 - Roll of the Dice - full transcript
A businessman is opening a casino with his shady partners. Sylvie falls in love with him and leaves her detective job to work for him. What she doesn't realize is that she's just a chip in a deadly game.
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- Whether you like it
or not, in three days
the city of Key Mariah is going to issue
its first gambling license.
- Are you suggesting this is my fault?
- Somebody took a shot at Winston right
after you spooked Renfrew.
You're the detective, you figure it out.
- I didn't shoot anybody, but when I do,
I don't miss.
- I ain't kiddin'.
This is my tea party.
I do the talkin'.
- He's a cheat.
He don't play by the rules.
- Honey, have you ever heard
the words conflict of interest?
- I've got it, you wanna nail Drake.
- To the wall.
- What do you mean?
- I get his partner, he gets money.
- Hurt the girl in any way,
I'll kill you.
Sylvie!
- Place your bets.
- All bets are off.
- One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, one.
- Ian.
What are ya doin'?
- Practicing, squire.
- For what, Australian football?
- Putting in a chorus line.
You know, showgirls
like they have in Vegas.
I figure since Key Mariah's
getting it's first casino,
we oughtta keep up with the competition.
Stop, stop, stop.
- Uh, Ian, excuse me, ladies.
In the first place, you can't have
a chorus line without music.
- I thought of that.
- You did?
In the second place, in
Vegas, the girls dance naked.
- I thought of that, too.
- No.
Show time.
Whatta ya think of that, Nick?
- I think they're gonna
need another dancer.
And one, two, three.
I'm going to lunch.
- Remember, Mr. Renfrew,
you have a 2 o'clock meeting
with the State Gambling Commission.
- I know all about it, Glory.
- And don't forget about
dinner tonight at eight.
- Hey!
- Gimme that!
I said give it to me, and I meant it!
Give me one
good reason why I should
put on that monkey suit.
- Because if you don't,
they're never gonna
let you into the zoo.
Now get dressed.
Feeding hours have already started.
- What zoo are we goin' to anyway?
- Winston Drake's charity barbecue.
- A formal barbecue,
great, so what do they do,
put a top hat on the roast pig?
- There's gonna be a mock casino,
and Winston's going to
donate all the profits
to the orthopedic hospital.
- Which is filled with all the people
he had beaten because they
couldn't pay their markers
at his Las Vegas casino.
- No, no, Winston isn't like that.
In the month that I've known him,
he's been nothing but
a warm and caring man.
- We're talkin' about Winston Drake, here,
not Winston Churchill.
- You're just jealous that's
all, just plain jealous.
- Me?
Jealous of a guy with 200
mil, don't be ridiculous.
- Winston Drake is a visionary.
When he looks at a place like Key Mariah,
he doesn't see a sleepy
island off the beaten track.
He sees a major tourist destination,
complete with luxurious
hotels and gambling casinos.
- What he sees is a way to turn paradise
into a vacuum cleaner that sucks nickels
out of paper cups carried by little
old ladies with blue hair.
- Well, well, well, meet
Nick Slaughter the moralist.
How do you feel about
bringing back Prohibition?
- It's got nothing to do with morality.
- That's great because neither do you.
- Here, iron these, will you?
- Do your own dirty work.
- Fine, I'll wear them like this.
- Whether you like it
or not, in three days
the city of Key Mariah is going to issue
its first gambling license, and the odds
are better than even money that
Winston is going to get it.
- So what, now you're a bookmaker?
- There are only two
other players in the game,
Michael Trask and Bruno Gateaux.
- Trask, isn't that oilman from Texas who
gets off on killing elephants on safaris?
- That's right, and
rumor has it that Gateaux
was Brando's role model for the Godfather.
- Nice to know your friend Drake travels
in such high circles.
- Don't you understand what this can mean?
If Winston gets the
license, he is going to be
the biggest single investor on the Key.
He is going to be an
empire, and he's going
to need help running it.
- In case you haven't
noticed, I already have a job.
- You're right, I haven't noticed.
I talked to Winston about
you, and he's seriously
thinking about you running
his security division.
- Since when did you open
an employment agency?
- Look, the worse thing that can happen
at the barbecue is that you have fun.
- Hi ya, girls.
Hey, George, I gotta
talk to you about that...
- Sixteen red.
- Well, lucky for me it's just pretend.
- You could always change the rules.
- Winston, this is Nick Slaughter.
Nick, this is Winston Drake.
- Hi.
- I've heard a lot about you from Sylvie.
- Yeah well, I've heard a lot
about me from Sylvie, too.
Fortunately, I don't believe her.
- Well, it seems you and
I have a lot in common.
- Don't worry, there's
enough of me to go around.
- Not for long.
Once I nail that gambling license,
I'm gonna turn her into
the busiest little lady
this side of Key Mariah.
- What are you gonna do,
make her a meter maid?
- I think what Winston's trying to say is
that after the casino opens at the hotel,
there'll be plenty of work for everyone.
- We may even be able to
find something for you.
- How thoughtful.
- Place your bets.
- Eh,
let it ride.
- A man who's not afraid to take a chance.
I like that.
Two black.
- Well, your credit's good.
Croupier, more chips for my friend.
- Thanks, I can pay for my own chips.
- No, no, save your money for
when the real casino opens.
Then I'll be more than happy to take it.
Come on, Sylvie, let's
go grease some wheels.
- Okay, Nick, I'll see you later.
Any bets, sir?
- No.
All bets are off.
Ribs, wonderful.
- Well I'll be damned.
- Don't sweat it, pal.
The ribs were no good anyway,
but I can recommend the tequila.
- Isn't that Renfrew, the
licensing commissioner?
- You know what these
municipal officials are like,
they just can't resist a
free drunk, I mean lunch.
Hey, speakin' of lunch, haven't I seen you
at Benito's Surf and Turf.
- I don't think so.
- I could've sworn I saw
you havin' lunch there.
It's a great place, Benito's.
I'm there every afternoon.
- Food must be good.
- I don't know, I never get
past the bar.
- I can't help wondering
what the licensing
commissioner is doing at a private party
of a casino owner.
- Eating.
- I wonder what else
he's taking besides food.
- Well whatever it is, he's taking plenty.
- Yeah, whatta ya mean?
- Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing.
It's a party, right, a party.
- Sure, but I'm interested
in local government.
What my elected officials
are doing, and uh, to whom.
- Well, if you really want to know,
Bixby's the name, real estate's my game.
- Roulette's mine, or was anyway.
- Aw, anyway, about two weeks ago,
his truly comes to see me.
Wants me to find him some
real estate on the mainland.
- For what, a new lot for his mobile home?
- Oh no, no, no, no more
mobile home for old Renfrew.
The spread he's lookin'
for has to be on the water,
beachfront with a dock and
maybe a grapefruit orchard.
I mean we're talkin' close
to a million bucks here.
Now that's a neat trick
for a public official, huh?
- Yeah, he's a regular Houdini.
That's good.
- Why don't you ask Nick to join us?
Is something wrong?
- Excuse me for one second.
Nick?
Why don't you join the party?
- What party?
- You just refuse to enjoy yourself.
- Who says I'm not enjoying myself?
You know how I love watching
you make a food of yourself.
- I happen to be working
very hard with Winston
trying to get the community to back us
in the licensing process.
- Winston doesn't need the community.
All he needs is to put some
money in the right pockets.
- What are you talking about?
- I just had some spareribs
practically yanked
from my hands by our friend Renfrew,
the licensing commissioner.
- So what, I invited him.
- You invited him?
- Winston asked me to,
what's the big deal?
- Honey, have you ever heard
the words conflict of interest?
- It just so happens that
Renfrew is on the board
of the hospital this
entire benefit is for.
That's why he's here.
- And what's the benefit
for, so he can buy
a grapefruit orchard?
- Look, I don't have time to
play games with you, Nick.
I have to get back.
Winston needs me.
- Doing what?
Keeping track of his
manicure appointments?
- You're just scared.
- Scared of what?
- Being on your own
again if I take the job.
- Here's a flash, honey, I was flyin' solo
before the Wright Brothers.
- Be sure to give my love
to Wilbur and Orville.
- You are crazy.
If Renfrew finds out, he'll take away
my business license and yours too.
- Look, he won't find out.
All you gotta do is keep his secretary
away from her desk for five minutes.
- That's like tryin'
to keep a baby pit bull
from its mother.
- It's five minutes.
That's all I need.
- Why are you checking out Renfrew?
- Who says I'm checking out Renfrew?
- I've got it.
You wanna nail Drake.
- To the wall.
- Hell hath no fury like
Nick Slaughter scorned.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- All you've got against this Drake bloke
is that you're jealous, if you ask me.
- It's a good thing no one asked ya.
The big triple.
I was wondering when
you were going to show up.
- Yeah, well, I'm here.
- The trouble is, you're a day late.
- A day late for what?
- For the renewal of your pistol license.
- Oh, you mean today isn't yesterday?
- It's lucky for you
your partner remembered.
- My partner?
- Yeah, she came over last week
and filled out the paperwork.
You know, if it wasn't for her,
you would be out of business.
- Well, that's called
delegation of authority,
which makes me the great
executive that I am.
Look, as long as I'm here, do you mind if
I ask you a question about Winston Drake?
- What about Winston Drake?
- Is he on the level?
- I am the licensing commissioner.
Survey office is two doors down.
- What I mean is, my
partner, as you call her,
is thinking about going to work for him.
- Well then she's brighter
than I thought she was.
- In other words, you think he's clean?
- What I think is none of your business.
Now will ya get the hell outta here?
- Just one more thing.
- What, what, what?
- Just so you know, there's
some talk in the streets.
- What kind of talk?
- Talk that could get a fellow
in trouble with his pension.
- Just what is it that
you're trying to say?
- Now on Tuesday morning last week,
you had breakfast on Gateaux's boat,
and you went back there
again on Wednesday night.
That night, you brought your bathing suit.
You didn't stay for long,
though, because the next
morning you had a meeting with Trask.
You've been
checkin' me out, huh?
- I hear what I hear.
I'm a street guy, and
that's what's out there.
- All right, all right.
Thanks, thanks for the information.
From now on, I'll be more
careful about appearances.
- Yeah, you do that.
- Casino with day care.
That's a wonderful idea.
Makes us more human, doesn't it?
- Hmm, it also means that
during the off-season,
we can pull in people with families.
- You're terrific, you know that?
- I bet you say that to
all the girls who give
you million dollar ideas.
- You're right, I do.
Only with you, I mean it.
We're going places, you and me.
All the way to the top.
- I thought you were at the top already.
- So did I, then I met you.
So, have you decided yet?
- On what?
- On coming to work with me full time?
- Why don't we wait and see how I perform
at tomorrow's meeting?
- I don't care about tomorrow's meeting.
I care about you.
To us.
- Ching ching.
- You all right?
- This is a 30-odd-six.
Whoever it was, he wasn't kidding.
- We'll send it to Miami.
Have them take a look at it.
- Miami?
That'll take a week!
How can we run a police department if we
don't even have a lab?
- We don't run it, Sergeant, I do,
and if you don't like it, you
can go back to Philly, okay?
- Don't worry, Lieutenant,
as soon as I get
reinstated medically, that's
exactly what I plan to do.
- Mr. Drake?
The casino's not even open,
and it's already bad news.
You had any death threats lately?
- None that I took seriously.
- How are your relations
with Michael Trask
and Bruno Gateaux?
- Now come on, you don't
think that either of them
would be stupid enough to pull
a stunt like this, do you?
- Well, you're all after the same
casino license, aren't you?
- That's exactly what I'm saying.
Was for?
- Don't ask me about
my business.
What did
you go see Renfrew for?
- 'Cause I wanted to check him out.
- Who asked you to?
- Last time I looked, I
still had a mind of my own.
- Well, I hope you're happy.
- What are you suggesting
this is my fault?
- Somebody took a shot at Winston right
after you spooked Renfrew.
You're the detective, you figure it out!
- If I were you, I'd keep a low profile.
- I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I'm just not your
low-profile kind of guy.
- If you don't watch out, you
might end up a dead kinda guy.
- Sylvie,
I think it might be best if you
stayed away from me for a while.
Whoever shot at me might
try something else.
I don't want to put you at risk.
- But they weren't shooting at me.
- No, but you could get
caught in the crossfire.
- I'll take my chances.
- Just take a few days off.
At least until we find
out who's gunning for me.
- Hey, Silvie!
Let's go before whoever did this decides
to take another shot at you.
- Yeah, you're right.
- We were just leaving.
- We?
- I think it's best if Sylvie
stays with me for a while.
After all, I have my own security.
- Yeah, so do I.
- You understand what
I mean, Mr. Slaughter,
I think it would be best.
- Yeah, so why don't we
ask Sylvie what she thinks?
- Nick, I'll call ya later at the office.
- Yeah, you do that.
- You, uh, hunt, Mr. Slaughter?
- I prefer to call it dating.
- Well let me tell ya,
there's nothing like it.
The thrill of the chase.
The challenge of the
jungle, and that final
moment of truth when it's
just you and the beast,
apple to apple.
- And you're the only
one with a 30-odd-six.
- Ha, I take it you disapprove.
- Hey, I like chicken
as much as the next guy.
I just like to have it
plucked before I get it.
- Then let's get down to business.
- Okay, business.
- Drake sent you to see me.
Wondering when he'd be
comin' around to make a deal.
I guess he figured since he
wasn't gettin' the license,
he might just come around and
try and buy a piece of mine.
- I don't think that's
what he figured at all.
- Then what the hell are you doin' here?
- Drake sent me to give you a message.
You missed.
Too bad he wasn't so lucky.
- You don't think I took a shot at Drake?
- I don't think, that's
Mr. Drake's department.
I'm a delivery boy, and what
I've come to deliver is this.
You hurt Drake or any of
the people around him,
and the next animal to be stuffed is you.
- You're crazy.
- That's right, I'm crazy.
That's why Drake pays me.
- I didn't shoot anybody, but when I do,
I don't miss.
- All these guns loaded?
- Hell, a gun's just a club
if it ain't loaded, boy.
- Mm hmm, so you don't mind if the police
come in here and check them out?
- As long as they bring a warrant.
- What happened to the one that goes here?
- Oh, my 30-odd-six.
It's out bein' serviced.
- Five thousand killing tune-up?
You're too
clever to be working
for scum like Drake.
- Oh, you mwan I should be
working for scum like you?
- I'm the one that's gettin' the license,
and when I do, boy, I'm gonna be lookin'
for men like you.
- Well in the meantime,
what do I tell Drake?
- Tell him the truth.
At least not this time.
- The airlines will come
in with a guaranteed
rate for all of our guests.
All we have to do is
take over from touchdown
at the airport, and
deliver them for take off.
The good part is, we
get a cut of the bundled
services: car rentals,
fishing trips, diving,
daycare, everything,
from the time they land
until the time they go home.
We'll pack the hotel in
high and low seasons.
It's as simple as that.
We're not just running a casino.
What I suggest we're offering
is a complete family resort.
Thank you.
- You certainly wowed them,
and me.
You Nick Slaughter?
- What?
Get in.
Hey!
- Well, well, well, Nick
Slaughter, what a surprise.
- Yeah, I'll bet.
- Name's Gateaux.
Sit down.
We did some business a few years back,
but we never actually met face to face.
- We did business?
- Back when you were with the DEA.
You ran a bust on a warehouse in Atlanta.
You found some cash that belonged to me.
- How 'bout the drugs?
They belong to you too?
- Are you kiddin'?
I'm a legitimate business man,
chairman of the board,
Alabaster Enterprises.
We're a multinational trading company.
- Yeah, I saw what you
trade when I made that bust.
- I've been a big fan of yours ever since.
- It's nice to know
your work's appreciated.
- I hear you been hard
at work askin' questions.
- Asking questions is easy, it's getting
answers that's hard.
- The answers could also be dangerous.
- I don't suppose that's a threat.
- I don't make threats, Mr. Slaughter.
I got people to do that for me.
- Yeah, it's nice to have good
help these days, isn't it?
- I could always use some more once I get
that gambling license.
- I don't get it.
You know, two days ago, I
couldn't get myself arrested.
Now all of a sudden, I'm Mr. Popularity.
- It's your personality.
- Is that what it is?
- I wouldn't rule out gettin' arrested.
- That's good advice for all of us.
- I want you to help me out.
- Help doin' what?
- Gettin' Drake.
- What've you got against Drake?
- He's a cheat!
He don't play by the rules.
- I didn't know you guys had any rules.
- We got rules, all
right, plenty of rules,
and we got penalties if you break 'em.
- So nobody cheats.
- Why cheat if you already own a casino?
No matter what happens, you win.
- And you're sure you're
gonna own the casino?
- I got reason to believe
Renfrew's on the take.
- Wow, what some people'll do for money.
- I want you to find out for me if Drake's
makin' the payoffs.
- And what if he is?
- Well, that's what's
so nice about workin'
for a large organization,
you got a problem,
you shuffle it out to another department.
I'll see ya later.
I've got some fish to catch.
- Yeah, me too.
Drake thinks I'm workin' for him.
Trask things I'm workin' for him,
and Gateaux thinks I'm workin' for him.
- Since you're so busy, how about payin'
your bar tab, eh?
- The truth is, I'm not
workin' for anybody.
The only stake I have in this is Sylvie.
Was Sylvie.
- You know, for a guy who says he's not
interested in a girl,
you're doin' a pretty good
impression of someone who is.
- This is strictly business.
I thought we had a plan
working, an agency to grow,
and instead she runs off with
this two-bit Donald Trump.
- Two bits is all Winston
Drake has got these days.
- Yeah?
How'd you find that out?
- Everything you wanted to
know about high finance.
- Roseanne Barr's new
diet thrown in for free.
- Apparently, Trask had a spot of domestic
trouble last year.
His wife got a $20 million
divorce settlement.
- What did she do, catch
him sleeping with a rhino?
- Gateaux is losing his hold on the mob,
lotta young Turks tryin'
to challenge his authority.
- At what age, I wonder, does a young Turk
become an old Turk?
- And as for Drake, he's losing
his shirt in real estate.
All three of these gentlemen
need that license badly.
- Thanks for the insight.
Now if you don't mind, I think
I'll read Roseanne's diet.
- Oh babe, am I glad to see you.
I really needed you.
- Well, you've got me, Mr. Trask.
- I've had a hell of a day.
- You just lay there and relax.
- Okay.
- And I'll take care of everything.
- I'm countin' on that.
Oh, that's good.
Oh, that's so good.
This is ridiculous.
Have some tea.
- You have no right to hold us here.
- I said, have some tea.
- Nice work, Sergeant,
it's about time somebody
taught this upstart to
behave like a gentleman.
- Shut up.
- You know, I've been wanting
to say that to him for years?
- I ain't kiddin'!
This is my tea party, I do the talkin'.
So far, everything's nice and legal,
just three guys shootin'
the breeze, and you can
leave anytime you want, right?
I said, right?
- I think you have our
attention there, Sergeant.
- Good.
- I'm gonna make life simple.
I'm buying a life insurance
policy for the both of yous.
- What is that supposed to mean?
- It means, if either
one of you turns up dead,
the other one gets
busted, which should buy
me enough time to convince the licensing
commissioner to put
this whole thing on hold
while we figure out which
one of you slime balls
really did waste Trask.
- You can't do this.
- And you can't commit murder.
- It's a pleasure having
you gentlemen here.
Come back anytime, you hear?
- It was a pleasure
- Sho' 'nough, homey.
- Well, it's nice to
know how much I'm missed.
- What were you expecting, a shrine?
- This is as difficult
for me as it is for you.
- Nothing difficult about it.
The day I can't make 400,000 is the day
I hang up my flipper fingers.
- Okay, I'll just come out and ask it.
I need a favor.
- I'm way ahead of you, partner.
I already changed the
message on the machine
and left your number at Drakes.
- I need a real favor, Nick.
- For you doll, anything.
- I want you to help Winston.
- Do what, decorate your new office?
- The cops are coming down hard on him.
Ollie's even implying that
Winston might've killed Trask.
- That Ollie, what an imagination.
- They're talking about
delaying any decision
on the gambling license until this whole
mess is cleared up.
Do you realize how much a
delay would cost Winston?
- Yup.
- Look, I know you
don't like him, but that
has nothing to do with us.
We were good together
you and me, I know that.
I mean, nothing was ever perfect,
but we did get things done.
We even had some fun,
but we both knew that
this was never gonna be permanent.
We are not permanent people, so let's just
not end it this way.
- How do you want to end it?
- The way that it started,
helping each other.
Look, the hit on Trask was typical mob,
and that's Gateaux's bread and butter.
Now, if there's one more shred of evidence
out there on Gateaux, one more shadow we
could throw on him.
- And that's what you want me to find?
- I'm trusting you with Winston's future,
and mine.
- Sure you don't want a better detective?
- Well, you always said you were the best,
at everything.
I guess now I'm just gonna
have to take your word for it.
- All right, I'll help Winston.
What the hell?
Think of it as an engagement gift.
- Huh, do you know something I don't know?
- All the time.
- Where are you going?
- I think it's time for some lunch.
- Nick?
- What?
- Be careful.
- Why?
- Who knows, I may need
someone around to say
I told ya so.
- Well, Mr. Bixby, what a surprise.
- Oh hi, do I know you?
- Yeah, we met the other day at the party.
- What party?
- The party Drake threw.
- Drake?
I was at a party at Drake's?
- Yeah.
- Did I have a good time?
- You must've.
You told me to check
this place out, remember?
- Oh yeah, yeah.
What else did I tell ya?
- We talked about real estate.
You mentioned a beachfront
property on the mainland,
the one with the grapefruit orchard.
You tweaked my interest.
- I what?
- It just so happens, my
daddy left me all of his
hard-earned cash, and I was wondering if
this property is still available?
- What property?
- The beachfront property
with the grapefruit orchard.
- Who told you about that?
- You did.
You don't remember?
- Oh, right, right.
The one I was showing Renfrew?
- There we go.
The fog is lifting.
- I sold it.
- You sold it?
- Yeah, I closed the deal yesterday.
I got the check,
right here.
- You mean Renfrew bought it?
Even
Renfrew couldn't embezzle
that much money.
- How much is that much?
- Seven hundred thousand.
- Sounds like a steal.
- No, all cash, they paid cash.
- Even I don't have that much cash,
at least not on me.
- Well, it's a large corporation.
They bought it for one
of their executives.
- Tell me the name of that corporation,
so I can sell my stocks in it.
- Uh, Alabaster Enterprises.
You know 'em?
- Me, uh, no.
- Listen, I'll keep my eyes open,
and the minute anything
comes on the market
that I think'd be right
for you, I'll let you know.
- Yeah, you do that.
You let me know, and uh,
don't eat too much, huh?
- Ugh.
- I just wanted to say thanks.
- I'll lay even money
that that orange thing
in the sky'll be back again tomorrow.
- Winston said they heard
they pulled in Gateaux.
- On the other hand, the
way my luck's been going,
tomorrow will probably be an eclipse.
- I know how hard it was for you to help
Winston like that.
- Winston wasn't the one I was helping.
- I um, wrote out some
checks for next month's
bills, rent, phone, medical.
All you have to do is sign 'em.
- It's okay, I already did it.
- Oh.
Ah, maybe the three of us can get together
for dinner sometime this week.
- Love to, unfortunately,
I'm fasting for the decade.
If you'll excuse me, I
have a phone call to make.
- Sure.
Hello?
- Just 'cause you're off the
hook with the police, pal,
doesn't mean you're off the hook with me.
I'm gonna be all over you.
I'm gonna be waiting.
I'm gonna be watching.
One day you'll screw
up 'cause guys like you
always screw up, and
when you do, I'm gonna
be there to take you down.
And one other thing,
hurt the girl in any way,
I'll kill ya.
- George, hand me the phone, please.
You got
something for me, George?
- Renfrew, how ya doin'?
- Slaughter, whatta you want?
- Did you have a nice talk with Drake?
- Ha ha, you gotta lot of
nerve followin' me around.
- I wasn't following you.
I was following Drake, and you showed up.
What a surprise, huh?
- As soon as I get back to the office,
I'm gonna call Carillo and
have him come and pick you up.
- Well why don't we go
down and see him now?
You can lodge a complaint against me,
and you can show him what's
inside that briefcase.
- You really think you're
cute, don't you, Slaughter?
- Maybe just a little cute.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Something wrong?
- I saw Nick yesterday.
- You're feeling bad about
leaving him, aren't you?
- Yeah, I am.
- Well, then maybe we should
treat this like business.
Pay him off.
- Whatta you mean?
- I get his partner, he gets money.
- Ah, are you serious?
- I'm deadly serious.
I think it's a fair deal.
- How much money's in there?
- Not much, $25,000.
- To Nick, that's a lot of money.
- Then it's a good deal all around,
especially for me.
Listen, if you're gonna work for me,
I want your full attention.
I don't want you having second
thoughts about leaving Nick.
Admit it.
You have had misgivings about
leaving Nick on his own.
- He really is a sweet man, under it all.
- He must be if you like him.
- So, when are you gonna
offer him the money?
- Today.
But I thought that you
might deliver it to him.
Nick and I started off on the wrong foot,
so this will help set things straight.
- Nick's not gonna believe this.
I can't wait to see the
expression on his face
when he opens the case.
- Uh huh, I wish I could be there, too.
You can buy me dinner later.
- Anywhere in particular?
- How 'bout your suite?
- Sounds good to me.
What would you like?
- Caviar will do, Russian caviar,
and a dozen raw oysters and
a bottle of Dom Perignon.
- Why not?
I'll tell room service to
start shucking the oysters.
- Okay, I'll see you later.
Oh, Winston, make that
two dozen raw oysters.
- Jackpot.
- What did you find?
- Ah, 30-odd-six.
Ten to one that slug that just missed
Sylvie and Drake came from this rifle.
- You just couldn't
mind your own business,
could you, Slaughter?
- You can't kill both of us.
- Oh no?
Just try me.
- What are you gonna tell the cops?
- The truth, that I came
in, I saw two burglars
and shot before I discovered who it was.
Don't
move,
until I tell you what I want you to do.
I need your fingerprints
all over this place.
- How about on your face?
- Somehow I just don't think
that's going to happen.
You, you can start with
that cupboard there.
Don't break anything!
Number of messages, one.
Nick? You there?
It's me.
- That's enough.
Move closer together.
I said move closer together.
- We will.
We will, but before I die, can
you just tell me one thing?
Was it Gateaux that paid
you to take a shot at Drake?
- Gateaux paid all right but not for that.
- So then it was Trask.
- Trask was stingy.
He paid for information
but not for murder.
- You mean that Drake paid
you to take a shot at him?
- Wasn't a bad plan, was it?
It threw you right off.
- So you were on the take
from all three of them?
- Well you gotta cover all your bets.
- Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
- Stop moving!
- You had your shot.
You missed.
Who killed Trask?
I said, who killed Trask?
- It wasn't my idea.
It was Drake's.
He sent one of his men to do it.
- What was in the briefcase
you exchanged with him?
- You go down this time,
you may not come up again.
- No, he was gonna kill ya.
- Who, another one of his men?
- No, Drake.
- How? How?
- The briefcase that I gave him today
was filled with plastique.
- Well where is it?
- He said Sylvie's got it.
- What?
- She was supposed to give it to you,
but you showed up here!
- Well where is she?
- I don't know.
That's all I know.
I don't know!
- What time is it going off?
What time?
- It's not timed.
- What do you mean it's not timed?
- It's not timed.
There's a detonating trigger
that's set to explode
three seconds after you open the case.
- Call Carillo, get him
over here right away.
If he moves, shoot him.
Sylvie!
Sylvie!
- What are you doing?
- You okay?
- He tried to kill you.
- He tried to kill us.
- I can't believe it.
How could I be so wrong?
- It's not called being wrong.
It's called being human.
- Oh, Nick.
I almost got you...
- That's the nice thing about this game.
It almost doesn't count.
Come on, kid.
Let's go find a cop.
Good morning, staff.
- Hmm, I really am back.
- See the paper?
- Yes, I saw the paper.
- Nice picture of Drake.
Of course, you can't see much with that
raincoat covering his head.
- Well at least it's over with.
It'll be a long time
before they try to bring
gambling to Key Mariah again.
- Yup, about 10 to 20
years, which is exactly
how long it should take
Renfrew to get outta jail.
- Okay, let's get it over with.
- Let's get what over with?
- I don't want it hanging over my head.
- What are you talkin' about?
- My punishment for acting so dumb.
- No punishment.
- Come on, come on, I can't stand it.
I'll do anything.
I just wanna get it over with.
- It's okay.
- No, it's not okay, and you know it.
You're gonna hang it out
there until one day, bam,
outta nowhere, I'm gonna get it.
- Would I do that?
- Yes, you would do that.
That's why, whatever you're gonna do,
do it to me now.
- You mean punish you?
- Yes, punish me, please.
- Okay, let's see now.
What would you do to you if you were me?
- Don't worry, I'm sure
you'll think of something.
- You're right.
Now, close your eyes.
Now, you were wrong about Drake.
- I was wrong about Drake.
You were dumb about me.
- I was dumb about you.
What else?
Just one more thing.
Iron my pants.
Nick Slaughter, private investigator.
---
- Whether you like it
or not, in three days
the city of Key Mariah is going to issue
its first gambling license.
- Are you suggesting this is my fault?
- Somebody took a shot at Winston right
after you spooked Renfrew.
You're the detective, you figure it out.
- I didn't shoot anybody, but when I do,
I don't miss.
- I ain't kiddin'.
This is my tea party.
I do the talkin'.
- He's a cheat.
He don't play by the rules.
- Honey, have you ever heard
the words conflict of interest?
- I've got it, you wanna nail Drake.
- To the wall.
- What do you mean?
- I get his partner, he gets money.
- Hurt the girl in any way,
I'll kill you.
Sylvie!
- Place your bets.
- All bets are off.
- One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, one.
- Ian.
What are ya doin'?
- Practicing, squire.
- For what, Australian football?
- Putting in a chorus line.
You know, showgirls
like they have in Vegas.
I figure since Key Mariah's
getting it's first casino,
we oughtta keep up with the competition.
Stop, stop, stop.
- Uh, Ian, excuse me, ladies.
In the first place, you can't have
a chorus line without music.
- I thought of that.
- You did?
In the second place, in
Vegas, the girls dance naked.
- I thought of that, too.
- No.
Show time.
Whatta ya think of that, Nick?
- I think they're gonna
need another dancer.
And one, two, three.
I'm going to lunch.
- Remember, Mr. Renfrew,
you have a 2 o'clock meeting
with the State Gambling Commission.
- I know all about it, Glory.
- And don't forget about
dinner tonight at eight.
- Hey!
- Gimme that!
I said give it to me, and I meant it!
Give me one
good reason why I should
put on that monkey suit.
- Because if you don't,
they're never gonna
let you into the zoo.
Now get dressed.
Feeding hours have already started.
- What zoo are we goin' to anyway?
- Winston Drake's charity barbecue.
- A formal barbecue,
great, so what do they do,
put a top hat on the roast pig?
- There's gonna be a mock casino,
and Winston's going to
donate all the profits
to the orthopedic hospital.
- Which is filled with all the people
he had beaten because they
couldn't pay their markers
at his Las Vegas casino.
- No, no, Winston isn't like that.
In the month that I've known him,
he's been nothing but
a warm and caring man.
- We're talkin' about Winston Drake, here,
not Winston Churchill.
- You're just jealous that's
all, just plain jealous.
- Me?
Jealous of a guy with 200
mil, don't be ridiculous.
- Winston Drake is a visionary.
When he looks at a place like Key Mariah,
he doesn't see a sleepy
island off the beaten track.
He sees a major tourist destination,
complete with luxurious
hotels and gambling casinos.
- What he sees is a way to turn paradise
into a vacuum cleaner that sucks nickels
out of paper cups carried by little
old ladies with blue hair.
- Well, well, well, meet
Nick Slaughter the moralist.
How do you feel about
bringing back Prohibition?
- It's got nothing to do with morality.
- That's great because neither do you.
- Here, iron these, will you?
- Do your own dirty work.
- Fine, I'll wear them like this.
- Whether you like it
or not, in three days
the city of Key Mariah is going to issue
its first gambling license, and the odds
are better than even money that
Winston is going to get it.
- So what, now you're a bookmaker?
- There are only two
other players in the game,
Michael Trask and Bruno Gateaux.
- Trask, isn't that oilman from Texas who
gets off on killing elephants on safaris?
- That's right, and
rumor has it that Gateaux
was Brando's role model for the Godfather.
- Nice to know your friend Drake travels
in such high circles.
- Don't you understand what this can mean?
If Winston gets the
license, he is going to be
the biggest single investor on the Key.
He is going to be an
empire, and he's going
to need help running it.
- In case you haven't
noticed, I already have a job.
- You're right, I haven't noticed.
I talked to Winston about
you, and he's seriously
thinking about you running
his security division.
- Since when did you open
an employment agency?
- Look, the worse thing that can happen
at the barbecue is that you have fun.
- Hi ya, girls.
Hey, George, I gotta
talk to you about that...
- Sixteen red.
- Well, lucky for me it's just pretend.
- You could always change the rules.
- Winston, this is Nick Slaughter.
Nick, this is Winston Drake.
- Hi.
- I've heard a lot about you from Sylvie.
- Yeah well, I've heard a lot
about me from Sylvie, too.
Fortunately, I don't believe her.
- Well, it seems you and
I have a lot in common.
- Don't worry, there's
enough of me to go around.
- Not for long.
Once I nail that gambling license,
I'm gonna turn her into
the busiest little lady
this side of Key Mariah.
- What are you gonna do,
make her a meter maid?
- I think what Winston's trying to say is
that after the casino opens at the hotel,
there'll be plenty of work for everyone.
- We may even be able to
find something for you.
- How thoughtful.
- Place your bets.
- Eh,
let it ride.
- A man who's not afraid to take a chance.
I like that.
Two black.
- Well, your credit's good.
Croupier, more chips for my friend.
- Thanks, I can pay for my own chips.
- No, no, save your money for
when the real casino opens.
Then I'll be more than happy to take it.
Come on, Sylvie, let's
go grease some wheels.
- Okay, Nick, I'll see you later.
Any bets, sir?
- No.
All bets are off.
Ribs, wonderful.
- Well I'll be damned.
- Don't sweat it, pal.
The ribs were no good anyway,
but I can recommend the tequila.
- Isn't that Renfrew, the
licensing commissioner?
- You know what these
municipal officials are like,
they just can't resist a
free drunk, I mean lunch.
Hey, speakin' of lunch, haven't I seen you
at Benito's Surf and Turf.
- I don't think so.
- I could've sworn I saw
you havin' lunch there.
It's a great place, Benito's.
I'm there every afternoon.
- Food must be good.
- I don't know, I never get
past the bar.
- I can't help wondering
what the licensing
commissioner is doing at a private party
of a casino owner.
- Eating.
- I wonder what else
he's taking besides food.
- Well whatever it is, he's taking plenty.
- Yeah, whatta ya mean?
- Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing.
It's a party, right, a party.
- Sure, but I'm interested
in local government.
What my elected officials
are doing, and uh, to whom.
- Well, if you really want to know,
Bixby's the name, real estate's my game.
- Roulette's mine, or was anyway.
- Aw, anyway, about two weeks ago,
his truly comes to see me.
Wants me to find him some
real estate on the mainland.
- For what, a new lot for his mobile home?
- Oh no, no, no, no more
mobile home for old Renfrew.
The spread he's lookin'
for has to be on the water,
beachfront with a dock and
maybe a grapefruit orchard.
I mean we're talkin' close
to a million bucks here.
Now that's a neat trick
for a public official, huh?
- Yeah, he's a regular Houdini.
That's good.
- Why don't you ask Nick to join us?
Is something wrong?
- Excuse me for one second.
Nick?
Why don't you join the party?
- What party?
- You just refuse to enjoy yourself.
- Who says I'm not enjoying myself?
You know how I love watching
you make a food of yourself.
- I happen to be working
very hard with Winston
trying to get the community to back us
in the licensing process.
- Winston doesn't need the community.
All he needs is to put some
money in the right pockets.
- What are you talking about?
- I just had some spareribs
practically yanked
from my hands by our friend Renfrew,
the licensing commissioner.
- So what, I invited him.
- You invited him?
- Winston asked me to,
what's the big deal?
- Honey, have you ever heard
the words conflict of interest?
- It just so happens that
Renfrew is on the board
of the hospital this
entire benefit is for.
That's why he's here.
- And what's the benefit
for, so he can buy
a grapefruit orchard?
- Look, I don't have time to
play games with you, Nick.
I have to get back.
Winston needs me.
- Doing what?
Keeping track of his
manicure appointments?
- You're just scared.
- Scared of what?
- Being on your own
again if I take the job.
- Here's a flash, honey, I was flyin' solo
before the Wright Brothers.
- Be sure to give my love
to Wilbur and Orville.
- You are crazy.
If Renfrew finds out, he'll take away
my business license and yours too.
- Look, he won't find out.
All you gotta do is keep his secretary
away from her desk for five minutes.
- That's like tryin'
to keep a baby pit bull
from its mother.
- It's five minutes.
That's all I need.
- Why are you checking out Renfrew?
- Who says I'm checking out Renfrew?
- I've got it.
You wanna nail Drake.
- To the wall.
- Hell hath no fury like
Nick Slaughter scorned.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- All you've got against this Drake bloke
is that you're jealous, if you ask me.
- It's a good thing no one asked ya.
The big triple.
I was wondering when
you were going to show up.
- Yeah, well, I'm here.
- The trouble is, you're a day late.
- A day late for what?
- For the renewal of your pistol license.
- Oh, you mean today isn't yesterday?
- It's lucky for you
your partner remembered.
- My partner?
- Yeah, she came over last week
and filled out the paperwork.
You know, if it wasn't for her,
you would be out of business.
- Well, that's called
delegation of authority,
which makes me the great
executive that I am.
Look, as long as I'm here, do you mind if
I ask you a question about Winston Drake?
- What about Winston Drake?
- Is he on the level?
- I am the licensing commissioner.
Survey office is two doors down.
- What I mean is, my
partner, as you call her,
is thinking about going to work for him.
- Well then she's brighter
than I thought she was.
- In other words, you think he's clean?
- What I think is none of your business.
Now will ya get the hell outta here?
- Just one more thing.
- What, what, what?
- Just so you know, there's
some talk in the streets.
- What kind of talk?
- Talk that could get a fellow
in trouble with his pension.
- Just what is it that
you're trying to say?
- Now on Tuesday morning last week,
you had breakfast on Gateaux's boat,
and you went back there
again on Wednesday night.
That night, you brought your bathing suit.
You didn't stay for long,
though, because the next
morning you had a meeting with Trask.
You've been
checkin' me out, huh?
- I hear what I hear.
I'm a street guy, and
that's what's out there.
- All right, all right.
Thanks, thanks for the information.
From now on, I'll be more
careful about appearances.
- Yeah, you do that.
- Casino with day care.
That's a wonderful idea.
Makes us more human, doesn't it?
- Hmm, it also means that
during the off-season,
we can pull in people with families.
- You're terrific, you know that?
- I bet you say that to
all the girls who give
you million dollar ideas.
- You're right, I do.
Only with you, I mean it.
We're going places, you and me.
All the way to the top.
- I thought you were at the top already.
- So did I, then I met you.
So, have you decided yet?
- On what?
- On coming to work with me full time?
- Why don't we wait and see how I perform
at tomorrow's meeting?
- I don't care about tomorrow's meeting.
I care about you.
To us.
- Ching ching.
- You all right?
- This is a 30-odd-six.
Whoever it was, he wasn't kidding.
- We'll send it to Miami.
Have them take a look at it.
- Miami?
That'll take a week!
How can we run a police department if we
don't even have a lab?
- We don't run it, Sergeant, I do,
and if you don't like it, you
can go back to Philly, okay?
- Don't worry, Lieutenant,
as soon as I get
reinstated medically, that's
exactly what I plan to do.
- Mr. Drake?
The casino's not even open,
and it's already bad news.
You had any death threats lately?
- None that I took seriously.
- How are your relations
with Michael Trask
and Bruno Gateaux?
- Now come on, you don't
think that either of them
would be stupid enough to pull
a stunt like this, do you?
- Well, you're all after the same
casino license, aren't you?
- That's exactly what I'm saying.
Was for?
- Don't ask me about
my business.
What did
you go see Renfrew for?
- 'Cause I wanted to check him out.
- Who asked you to?
- Last time I looked, I
still had a mind of my own.
- Well, I hope you're happy.
- What are you suggesting
this is my fault?
- Somebody took a shot at Winston right
after you spooked Renfrew.
You're the detective, you figure it out!
- If I were you, I'd keep a low profile.
- I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I'm just not your
low-profile kind of guy.
- If you don't watch out, you
might end up a dead kinda guy.
- Sylvie,
I think it might be best if you
stayed away from me for a while.
Whoever shot at me might
try something else.
I don't want to put you at risk.
- But they weren't shooting at me.
- No, but you could get
caught in the crossfire.
- I'll take my chances.
- Just take a few days off.
At least until we find
out who's gunning for me.
- Hey, Silvie!
Let's go before whoever did this decides
to take another shot at you.
- Yeah, you're right.
- We were just leaving.
- We?
- I think it's best if Sylvie
stays with me for a while.
After all, I have my own security.
- Yeah, so do I.
- You understand what
I mean, Mr. Slaughter,
I think it would be best.
- Yeah, so why don't we
ask Sylvie what she thinks?
- Nick, I'll call ya later at the office.
- Yeah, you do that.
- You, uh, hunt, Mr. Slaughter?
- I prefer to call it dating.
- Well let me tell ya,
there's nothing like it.
The thrill of the chase.
The challenge of the
jungle, and that final
moment of truth when it's
just you and the beast,
apple to apple.
- And you're the only
one with a 30-odd-six.
- Ha, I take it you disapprove.
- Hey, I like chicken
as much as the next guy.
I just like to have it
plucked before I get it.
- Then let's get down to business.
- Okay, business.
- Drake sent you to see me.
Wondering when he'd be
comin' around to make a deal.
I guess he figured since he
wasn't gettin' the license,
he might just come around and
try and buy a piece of mine.
- I don't think that's
what he figured at all.
- Then what the hell are you doin' here?
- Drake sent me to give you a message.
You missed.
Too bad he wasn't so lucky.
- You don't think I took a shot at Drake?
- I don't think, that's
Mr. Drake's department.
I'm a delivery boy, and what
I've come to deliver is this.
You hurt Drake or any of
the people around him,
and the next animal to be stuffed is you.
- You're crazy.
- That's right, I'm crazy.
That's why Drake pays me.
- I didn't shoot anybody, but when I do,
I don't miss.
- All these guns loaded?
- Hell, a gun's just a club
if it ain't loaded, boy.
- Mm hmm, so you don't mind if the police
come in here and check them out?
- As long as they bring a warrant.
- What happened to the one that goes here?
- Oh, my 30-odd-six.
It's out bein' serviced.
- Five thousand killing tune-up?
You're too
clever to be working
for scum like Drake.
- Oh, you mwan I should be
working for scum like you?
- I'm the one that's gettin' the license,
and when I do, boy, I'm gonna be lookin'
for men like you.
- Well in the meantime,
what do I tell Drake?
- Tell him the truth.
At least not this time.
- The airlines will come
in with a guaranteed
rate for all of our guests.
All we have to do is
take over from touchdown
at the airport, and
deliver them for take off.
The good part is, we
get a cut of the bundled
services: car rentals,
fishing trips, diving,
daycare, everything,
from the time they land
until the time they go home.
We'll pack the hotel in
high and low seasons.
It's as simple as that.
We're not just running a casino.
What I suggest we're offering
is a complete family resort.
Thank you.
- You certainly wowed them,
and me.
You Nick Slaughter?
- What?
Get in.
Hey!
- Well, well, well, Nick
Slaughter, what a surprise.
- Yeah, I'll bet.
- Name's Gateaux.
Sit down.
We did some business a few years back,
but we never actually met face to face.
- We did business?
- Back when you were with the DEA.
You ran a bust on a warehouse in Atlanta.
You found some cash that belonged to me.
- How 'bout the drugs?
They belong to you too?
- Are you kiddin'?
I'm a legitimate business man,
chairman of the board,
Alabaster Enterprises.
We're a multinational trading company.
- Yeah, I saw what you
trade when I made that bust.
- I've been a big fan of yours ever since.
- It's nice to know
your work's appreciated.
- I hear you been hard
at work askin' questions.
- Asking questions is easy, it's getting
answers that's hard.
- The answers could also be dangerous.
- I don't suppose that's a threat.
- I don't make threats, Mr. Slaughter.
I got people to do that for me.
- Yeah, it's nice to have good
help these days, isn't it?
- I could always use some more once I get
that gambling license.
- I don't get it.
You know, two days ago, I
couldn't get myself arrested.
Now all of a sudden, I'm Mr. Popularity.
- It's your personality.
- Is that what it is?
- I wouldn't rule out gettin' arrested.
- That's good advice for all of us.
- I want you to help me out.
- Help doin' what?
- Gettin' Drake.
- What've you got against Drake?
- He's a cheat!
He don't play by the rules.
- I didn't know you guys had any rules.
- We got rules, all
right, plenty of rules,
and we got penalties if you break 'em.
- So nobody cheats.
- Why cheat if you already own a casino?
No matter what happens, you win.
- And you're sure you're
gonna own the casino?
- I got reason to believe
Renfrew's on the take.
- Wow, what some people'll do for money.
- I want you to find out for me if Drake's
makin' the payoffs.
- And what if he is?
- Well, that's what's
so nice about workin'
for a large organization,
you got a problem,
you shuffle it out to another department.
I'll see ya later.
I've got some fish to catch.
- Yeah, me too.
Drake thinks I'm workin' for him.
Trask things I'm workin' for him,
and Gateaux thinks I'm workin' for him.
- Since you're so busy, how about payin'
your bar tab, eh?
- The truth is, I'm not
workin' for anybody.
The only stake I have in this is Sylvie.
Was Sylvie.
- You know, for a guy who says he's not
interested in a girl,
you're doin' a pretty good
impression of someone who is.
- This is strictly business.
I thought we had a plan
working, an agency to grow,
and instead she runs off with
this two-bit Donald Trump.
- Two bits is all Winston
Drake has got these days.
- Yeah?
How'd you find that out?
- Everything you wanted to
know about high finance.
- Roseanne Barr's new
diet thrown in for free.
- Apparently, Trask had a spot of domestic
trouble last year.
His wife got a $20 million
divorce settlement.
- What did she do, catch
him sleeping with a rhino?
- Gateaux is losing his hold on the mob,
lotta young Turks tryin'
to challenge his authority.
- At what age, I wonder, does a young Turk
become an old Turk?
- And as for Drake, he's losing
his shirt in real estate.
All three of these gentlemen
need that license badly.
- Thanks for the insight.
Now if you don't mind, I think
I'll read Roseanne's diet.
- Oh babe, am I glad to see you.
I really needed you.
- Well, you've got me, Mr. Trask.
- I've had a hell of a day.
- You just lay there and relax.
- Okay.
- And I'll take care of everything.
- I'm countin' on that.
Oh, that's good.
Oh, that's so good.
This is ridiculous.
Have some tea.
- You have no right to hold us here.
- I said, have some tea.
- Nice work, Sergeant,
it's about time somebody
taught this upstart to
behave like a gentleman.
- Shut up.
- You know, I've been wanting
to say that to him for years?
- I ain't kiddin'!
This is my tea party, I do the talkin'.
So far, everything's nice and legal,
just three guys shootin'
the breeze, and you can
leave anytime you want, right?
I said, right?
- I think you have our
attention there, Sergeant.
- Good.
- I'm gonna make life simple.
I'm buying a life insurance
policy for the both of yous.
- What is that supposed to mean?
- It means, if either
one of you turns up dead,
the other one gets
busted, which should buy
me enough time to convince the licensing
commissioner to put
this whole thing on hold
while we figure out which
one of you slime balls
really did waste Trask.
- You can't do this.
- And you can't commit murder.
- It's a pleasure having
you gentlemen here.
Come back anytime, you hear?
- It was a pleasure
- Sho' 'nough, homey.
- Well, it's nice to
know how much I'm missed.
- What were you expecting, a shrine?
- This is as difficult
for me as it is for you.
- Nothing difficult about it.
The day I can't make 400,000 is the day
I hang up my flipper fingers.
- Okay, I'll just come out and ask it.
I need a favor.
- I'm way ahead of you, partner.
I already changed the
message on the machine
and left your number at Drakes.
- I need a real favor, Nick.
- For you doll, anything.
- I want you to help Winston.
- Do what, decorate your new office?
- The cops are coming down hard on him.
Ollie's even implying that
Winston might've killed Trask.
- That Ollie, what an imagination.
- They're talking about
delaying any decision
on the gambling license until this whole
mess is cleared up.
Do you realize how much a
delay would cost Winston?
- Yup.
- Look, I know you
don't like him, but that
has nothing to do with us.
We were good together
you and me, I know that.
I mean, nothing was ever perfect,
but we did get things done.
We even had some fun,
but we both knew that
this was never gonna be permanent.
We are not permanent people, so let's just
not end it this way.
- How do you want to end it?
- The way that it started,
helping each other.
Look, the hit on Trask was typical mob,
and that's Gateaux's bread and butter.
Now, if there's one more shred of evidence
out there on Gateaux, one more shadow we
could throw on him.
- And that's what you want me to find?
- I'm trusting you with Winston's future,
and mine.
- Sure you don't want a better detective?
- Well, you always said you were the best,
at everything.
I guess now I'm just gonna
have to take your word for it.
- All right, I'll help Winston.
What the hell?
Think of it as an engagement gift.
- Huh, do you know something I don't know?
- All the time.
- Where are you going?
- I think it's time for some lunch.
- Nick?
- What?
- Be careful.
- Why?
- Who knows, I may need
someone around to say
I told ya so.
- Well, Mr. Bixby, what a surprise.
- Oh hi, do I know you?
- Yeah, we met the other day at the party.
- What party?
- The party Drake threw.
- Drake?
I was at a party at Drake's?
- Yeah.
- Did I have a good time?
- You must've.
You told me to check
this place out, remember?
- Oh yeah, yeah.
What else did I tell ya?
- We talked about real estate.
You mentioned a beachfront
property on the mainland,
the one with the grapefruit orchard.
You tweaked my interest.
- I what?
- It just so happens, my
daddy left me all of his
hard-earned cash, and I was wondering if
this property is still available?
- What property?
- The beachfront property
with the grapefruit orchard.
- Who told you about that?
- You did.
You don't remember?
- Oh, right, right.
The one I was showing Renfrew?
- There we go.
The fog is lifting.
- I sold it.
- You sold it?
- Yeah, I closed the deal yesterday.
I got the check,
right here.
- You mean Renfrew bought it?
Even
Renfrew couldn't embezzle
that much money.
- How much is that much?
- Seven hundred thousand.
- Sounds like a steal.
- No, all cash, they paid cash.
- Even I don't have that much cash,
at least not on me.
- Well, it's a large corporation.
They bought it for one
of their executives.
- Tell me the name of that corporation,
so I can sell my stocks in it.
- Uh, Alabaster Enterprises.
You know 'em?
- Me, uh, no.
- Listen, I'll keep my eyes open,
and the minute anything
comes on the market
that I think'd be right
for you, I'll let you know.
- Yeah, you do that.
You let me know, and uh,
don't eat too much, huh?
- Ugh.
- I just wanted to say thanks.
- I'll lay even money
that that orange thing
in the sky'll be back again tomorrow.
- Winston said they heard
they pulled in Gateaux.
- On the other hand, the
way my luck's been going,
tomorrow will probably be an eclipse.
- I know how hard it was for you to help
Winston like that.
- Winston wasn't the one I was helping.
- I um, wrote out some
checks for next month's
bills, rent, phone, medical.
All you have to do is sign 'em.
- It's okay, I already did it.
- Oh.
Ah, maybe the three of us can get together
for dinner sometime this week.
- Love to, unfortunately,
I'm fasting for the decade.
If you'll excuse me, I
have a phone call to make.
- Sure.
Hello?
- Just 'cause you're off the
hook with the police, pal,
doesn't mean you're off the hook with me.
I'm gonna be all over you.
I'm gonna be waiting.
I'm gonna be watching.
One day you'll screw
up 'cause guys like you
always screw up, and
when you do, I'm gonna
be there to take you down.
And one other thing,
hurt the girl in any way,
I'll kill ya.
- George, hand me the phone, please.
You got
something for me, George?
- Renfrew, how ya doin'?
- Slaughter, whatta you want?
- Did you have a nice talk with Drake?
- Ha ha, you gotta lot of
nerve followin' me around.
- I wasn't following you.
I was following Drake, and you showed up.
What a surprise, huh?
- As soon as I get back to the office,
I'm gonna call Carillo and
have him come and pick you up.
- Well why don't we go
down and see him now?
You can lodge a complaint against me,
and you can show him what's
inside that briefcase.
- You really think you're
cute, don't you, Slaughter?
- Maybe just a little cute.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Something wrong?
- I saw Nick yesterday.
- You're feeling bad about
leaving him, aren't you?
- Yeah, I am.
- Well, then maybe we should
treat this like business.
Pay him off.
- Whatta you mean?
- I get his partner, he gets money.
- Ah, are you serious?
- I'm deadly serious.
I think it's a fair deal.
- How much money's in there?
- Not much, $25,000.
- To Nick, that's a lot of money.
- Then it's a good deal all around,
especially for me.
Listen, if you're gonna work for me,
I want your full attention.
I don't want you having second
thoughts about leaving Nick.
Admit it.
You have had misgivings about
leaving Nick on his own.
- He really is a sweet man, under it all.
- He must be if you like him.
- So, when are you gonna
offer him the money?
- Today.
But I thought that you
might deliver it to him.
Nick and I started off on the wrong foot,
so this will help set things straight.
- Nick's not gonna believe this.
I can't wait to see the
expression on his face
when he opens the case.
- Uh huh, I wish I could be there, too.
You can buy me dinner later.
- Anywhere in particular?
- How 'bout your suite?
- Sounds good to me.
What would you like?
- Caviar will do, Russian caviar,
and a dozen raw oysters and
a bottle of Dom Perignon.
- Why not?
I'll tell room service to
start shucking the oysters.
- Okay, I'll see you later.
Oh, Winston, make that
two dozen raw oysters.
- Jackpot.
- What did you find?
- Ah, 30-odd-six.
Ten to one that slug that just missed
Sylvie and Drake came from this rifle.
- You just couldn't
mind your own business,
could you, Slaughter?
- You can't kill both of us.
- Oh no?
Just try me.
- What are you gonna tell the cops?
- The truth, that I came
in, I saw two burglars
and shot before I discovered who it was.
Don't
move,
until I tell you what I want you to do.
I need your fingerprints
all over this place.
- How about on your face?
- Somehow I just don't think
that's going to happen.
You, you can start with
that cupboard there.
Don't break anything!
Number of messages, one.
Nick? You there?
It's me.
- That's enough.
Move closer together.
I said move closer together.
- We will.
We will, but before I die, can
you just tell me one thing?
Was it Gateaux that paid
you to take a shot at Drake?
- Gateaux paid all right but not for that.
- So then it was Trask.
- Trask was stingy.
He paid for information
but not for murder.
- You mean that Drake paid
you to take a shot at him?
- Wasn't a bad plan, was it?
It threw you right off.
- So you were on the take
from all three of them?
- Well you gotta cover all your bets.
- Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
- Stop moving!
- You had your shot.
You missed.
Who killed Trask?
I said, who killed Trask?
- It wasn't my idea.
It was Drake's.
He sent one of his men to do it.
- What was in the briefcase
you exchanged with him?
- You go down this time,
you may not come up again.
- No, he was gonna kill ya.
- Who, another one of his men?
- No, Drake.
- How? How?
- The briefcase that I gave him today
was filled with plastique.
- Well where is it?
- He said Sylvie's got it.
- What?
- She was supposed to give it to you,
but you showed up here!
- Well where is she?
- I don't know.
That's all I know.
I don't know!
- What time is it going off?
What time?
- It's not timed.
- What do you mean it's not timed?
- It's not timed.
There's a detonating trigger
that's set to explode
three seconds after you open the case.
- Call Carillo, get him
over here right away.
If he moves, shoot him.
Sylvie!
Sylvie!
- What are you doing?
- You okay?
- He tried to kill you.
- He tried to kill us.
- I can't believe it.
How could I be so wrong?
- It's not called being wrong.
It's called being human.
- Oh, Nick.
I almost got you...
- That's the nice thing about this game.
It almost doesn't count.
Come on, kid.
Let's go find a cop.
Good morning, staff.
- Hmm, I really am back.
- See the paper?
- Yes, I saw the paper.
- Nice picture of Drake.
Of course, you can't see much with that
raincoat covering his head.
- Well at least it's over with.
It'll be a long time
before they try to bring
gambling to Key Mariah again.
- Yup, about 10 to 20
years, which is exactly
how long it should take
Renfrew to get outta jail.
- Okay, let's get it over with.
- Let's get what over with?
- I don't want it hanging over my head.
- What are you talkin' about?
- My punishment for acting so dumb.
- No punishment.
- Come on, come on, I can't stand it.
I'll do anything.
I just wanna get it over with.
- It's okay.
- No, it's not okay, and you know it.
You're gonna hang it out
there until one day, bam,
outta nowhere, I'm gonna get it.
- Would I do that?
- Yes, you would do that.
That's why, whatever you're gonna do,
do it to me now.
- You mean punish you?
- Yes, punish me, please.
- Okay, let's see now.
What would you do to you if you were me?
- Don't worry, I'm sure
you'll think of something.
- You're right.
Now, close your eyes.
Now, you were wrong about Drake.
- I was wrong about Drake.
You were dumb about me.
- I was dumb about you.
What else?
Just one more thing.
Iron my pants.
Nick Slaughter, private investigator.