A Kiss Before Dying Page #5

But the perfect day.

It's all to show off this.

Gee. That's a pretty ring.

Congratulations.

Now I know I picked the wrong time.

- Suppose I give you a call tomorrow?

- Don't you dare go!

No, honestly. I think my business is just

a little out of tune with your festivities.

If you think I'm going to

spend the afternoon wondering...

- Can you spare a minute?

- Sure.

If I can spare a minute, so can you.

Well, it concerns your sister's friend -

the late disc jockey, Dwight Powell.

Seems that he was

quite a tennis player, too.

I helped my uncle wrap up that case.

I made the usual enquiries

to fill out the record.

There's one interesting fact

that just came straggling in.

It seems that on the day your sister died

Dwight Powell was playing tennis

in a tournament in Mexico City.

He'd been there almost a week.

I don't believe it.

Well, you'll have to.

His team-mates dug up a news picture.

There he was, and there was the date.

If he wasn't in Lupton,

he couldn't have killed her.

If he didn't kill her, why kill himself?

That's it.

So instead of murder and a suicide,

we have something else.

Two murders.

Do you want to go a step further?

The man who killed Dorothy is still free.

That's right.

Well, I guess the next time I say

I'd better go, you'd better let me.

Actually, I gambled.

I thought I saw enough happiness there

to override most anything.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned,

the case is just starting.

- I'll keep you posted.

- Gordon, you're not leaving.

I have to.

I think my minute's just about up.

Bud? I want you to meet somebody.

- Miss Ellen, I hate to bother you...

- Later, Bill.

This is the one.

Bud Corliss, Gordon Grant.

- How do you do?

- How are you, Bud?

- Congratulations. I've heard about you.

- In a certain amount of detail.

- Are you from here?

- No, I'm from Lupton.

- Lupton?

- Mm-hm.

And you beat all the local guests

to the party?

I'd say that rates

some kind of reward, Gordon.

I'm not exactly that kind of guest.

I'm unexpected, unprepared

and just on my way out.

- I really do have to go.

- Gordon dropped by with a message.

And to wish you both lots of happiness.

Nice meeting you, Bud.

- I'll be in touch, Ellen.

- Mr. Kingship's office called.

- Your father's on his way.

- Thank heaven!

Gives me a chance to get ready.

Ellen?

He's a nice fella.

Have you known him long?

I met him because of Dorothy.

He knew her at the university.

Oh. Well, that probably explains it.

I had a feeling something upset you.

On a day like this,

I'm not going to be upset by anything.

And I'm not going to let you be.

- I really must hurry now.

- Darling?

You know that whatever

concerns you concerns me.

That works both ways.

You'd better hurry too,

if you're going to change.

- Would you fill her up with ethyl, please?

- Right.

Hello, Operator?

I want to put in a collect call to

Chief of Police Howard Chesser in Lupton.

Yeah. 25427.

Right.

My name is Grant. Gordon Grant.

Would you check the oil?

I think it's a little low.

Hello, Charlie?

Is Uncle Howard there?

Uh, put in about a 30-weight too.

And check that left rear tire.

Hello, Howard? It's Gordon. Yeah.

Well, I just saw her.

I just met the guy she's gonna marry, too.

Well, what I wanted to tell you was

that I think I've seen him before.

There at the university.

I'll tell you the point. The point is that I

think I've seen him with Dorothy Kingship.

Yeah.

His name is Bud Corliss.

Yeah, that's right. C-O-R-L-I-S-S.

Now, look, let's be sure. You call

the registrar's office and check with her.

And then call me back.

I'll wait around for an answer.

I'll be at the Chapman Hotel.

You fellas in aluminum

are just as badly off as we are.

No more for me, thanks.

I can see the look in my wife's eye.

- We have to be leaving.

- So soon?

- Will you excuse me, Mr. Kingship?

- Congratulations, Bud.

Thank you, Mr. Cratchet.

Mr. Fairburn.

- Leo, he's a fine boy.

- Thank you.

There's a Mr. Grant to see you.

He says it's important.

- Excuse me, please.

- Hope we can see you later.

- How are you today?

- Mr. Kingship.

- When is it going to be, dear?

- This coming Sunday.

They just didn't want to wait.

I don't know, children seem

so impatient these days.

- In my time...

- Shall I tell them about your time?

- Better yet, shall I tell them about you?

- Bud, that isn't fair.

Mother eloped. No waiting at all.

Did he tell you

he went to the state university?

- That's a simple question.

- Preposterous! Your implication...

- He didn't tell you.

- Why should he?

A fella engaged to one of your daughters

not mentioning that he knew the other?

Knew her?!

- Your uncle discovered that?

- No, that part came from me.

- But he's checking on it right now.

- You had the gall to come here now,

on an occasion like this,

with no proof at all. Why?

To find out whether you knew

that Bud knew Dorothy.

- He didn't.

- How do you know?

Because he would have said so.

Thank you, sir.

That's all I wanted to hear you say.

If he did know her and didn't mention it,

he must have had a reason.

Unless he told Ellen and just happened

to bypass you. We can check on that.

- What do you mean?

- Ask her!

- No.

- Why not?

It's unthinkable, the whole thing.

I know that boy.

For how long?

- It's degrading to ask her such a thing.

- The police don't see it that way.

I'm not the police. I'm her father.

For that very reason,

please give it more serious consideration.

Mr. Grant, up until recently,

Ellen and I have...

Well, she's under the impression

that I'm trying to run her life.

I can't do it.

I won't do it.

Well, if you won't,

then I'll have to do it for you.

Gordon! You didn't have to get back

after all. I'm so glad.

I came looking for Dad,

to tell him everyone was leaving.

I see. You've told him about Powell.

You should have let me do that.

Ellen, did you know

that Bud knew Dorothy?

- Why are you asking me that?

- Did you? Did Bud ever tell you?

- Why are you asking?

- I started it.

I recognized Bud when you introduced us.

You could have reminded us

we went to the same university.

- You didn't because you didn't know.

- I didn't because it wasn't so.

No.

Because he didn't tell you.

If he started this, how eager

you must have been to join him.

How you must have searched

for just such a lie.

You ruined Dorothy's life,

and my mother's,

and now you want to do the same for me.

Well, it won't work.

Don't ever mention this to me again.

Not any part of it.

Not ever.

I'm sorry, Mr. Kingship.

But I'll see you again, sir.

Either to apologize humbly

for being wrong,

or else to prove that I was right.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye, and thanks again.

- It's been a pleasure meeting you.

- Thank you.

Well, that was the last.

It was a wonderful party, Ellen.

A real ball.

The things people do

when they see happiness.

Did you notice that, too?

They left glowing like Christmas trees.

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