Alias Nick Beal Page #7

Alright.

I promise.

Thank you.

Mr. Foster?

- Oh, It's you, Beal.

I was just going to write you a note

but now that you're here

Save it for later.

You're in quite a bit of trouble.

I don't quite understand you.

You remember Hanson's bookkeeper

and the coroner's verdict on his death?

Yes, accidental.

They put a new tag on him

a couple of weeks ago that reads murder.

Murder?

Why didn't I hear about this?

You'd be the last one they'd tell.

Seems like whoever tipped them off

mentioned your name.

But I only saw the man once in my life

here in this house.

They know him.

They also know from your maid

that you had an argument with him.

And from some bridge

playing friends of yours

that you left the house

shortly before ten

which is when he got it.

Where did you hear this?

A friend in the bureau.

I'll tell you it's a very flimsy case.

Sure, only they don't think so.

They'll be here any minute now

to pick you up.

On circumstantial evidence like that?

Oh, I forgot. They found something

on the body.

A pipe with a silver band

around its stem

and three silver dots on the bowl.

And traced back to a set you got

two or three years ago.

That's impossible.

How many pipes in the set?

Seven.

- Count them.

There's one missing.

Did you have it with you that night?

You don't think that I

- I wouldn't know.

But I got a feeling it's going

to interfere

with you becoming governor.

For weeks something inside me has been

saying I wouldn't make it.

I guess it's been telling me the truth.

Not necessarily.

Because I can pull you clear.

How?

I've been sticking my neck out for you.

Hanson's evidence, Faulkner,

angles in your campaign.

Cost me a lot of money too.

And now this.

I'd like some protection.

And I'd like it

in writing.

Joseph.

What's Mr. Beal doing here?

We're discussing business.

But you said

What did he say, Mrs. Foster?

Martha, can't you see

you're interrupting?

But you promised you'd never

have anything more to do with him.

Maybe I didn't put it clearly.

I wish you'd leave.

You'd better read it over.

It includes a small reward

for services rendered.

Keeper of the state seal?

That doesn't mean anything. It doesn't

even pay a salary.

Maybe I like state seals.

Oh, and there's sort of a default clause

you ought to read too.

In case I fail to make

the above appointment

I do hereby agree to accompany

the aforesaid Nicholas Beal

To the Island of Almas Perdidas.

What island is that?

Owned by some friends of mine.

They need new personnel.

At what kind of work?

Why worry?

The clause will never take effect.

You can give me the state job

the minute you become governor.

Yes, that's right but

I don't like this anyway.

It's too ambiguous.

It might mean anything.

Then you want to face the music?

Mr. Foster.

Mr. Foster.

There's a detective at the door.

He says he has to see you.

Have him come in, Eileen.

Mr. Foster will see you in the library.

May I take your hat?

-No, thank you.

Come in.

Mr. Foster?

- Hello, Lieutenant.

This is Mr. Beal.

Lieutenant Dodds and Sergeant

- Sergeant Harold.

What brings you up here?

We're working on the death

of a man named Henry Finch.

Finch?

That isn't the man who was

Hanson's bookkeeper, is it?

Yes, that's him.

It's kind of an odd story.

Don't mind Beal.

It seems the harbor detail made

a mistake a few months ago.

They figured this Finch fell

from the pier down to the bay

and hit his head on some rocks.

No water in his lungs.

Then we began to hear rumors.

So we took a look at the tide tables

for that night.

High water at 10 o'clock.

The closest rocks were eight feet under.

So he got knocked in the head

before he fell.

Murder.

That's what the rumor said.

They found this pipe by his body.

Ever see it before?

I don't know.

Looks familiar. Looks like

one of the pipes

that was given to me in a set.

This set.

Seven.

One, two, three, four

five, six, seven. they're all there.

Almost a perfect match, though.

You weren't thinking of hanging it on

Mr. Foster were you, Lieutenant?

No, Mr. Beal, we never really thought

Don't apologize, Dodds.

It's your job to run down clues

wherever they lead.

I guess we're both glad this was a dud.

We must be running along. We have

a lineup at ten.

Good night, Mr. Beal.

Mr. Foster

- Good night, Lieutenant.

Eileen.

Would you see these gentlemen out?

Your handwriting is

very legible, Governor.

Good, clear signature.

There's all but the last page.

Take it down to the hotel stenographer.

Yes, sir.

And rush it.

I'll need it in a half hour.

Good morning, Governor.

Not much of a day for the inauguration.

No.

You didn't eat much.

I wasn't hungry.

Nerves.

I've been talking to the boys.

They'd like a couple of things more.

Two members on the power commission,

two more in the marshlands committee and

chairman of the liquor control board.

That's practically every key post.

I wouldn't say that.

You'd still have

the fish and game commission

and me as the keeper of the state seal.

You didn't forget that, did you?

No.

I'm sure you wouldn't want

that forfeit clause to go into effect.

The fellows think you ought to drop that

two hundred thousand for boy's clubs.

The budget's oversized now.

Alright.

The car will be downstairs

in twenty minutes.

I better get at the inaugural address.

Address?

Didn't I tell you?

You wrote that last night.

A really first rate job.

Good morning, Governor.

How about a picture for the Globe?

Your new home, Governor.

Think you'll like it?

Joseph.

Donna.

I had to say goodbye.

Goodbye? But why?

Just a moment, miss.

It's alright, officer.

Yes, sir.

What are you doing in those clothes?

Everything else belongs to Nick.

To Nick?

I'm so frightened of him.

Something terrible is happening.

Something he's planned.

Joseph, watch out. He's a

a devil.

He doesn't care about anything

or anybody.

Better come inside, Governor.

Can't have you getting your feet wet.

You might catch cold.

Park here, Governor,

until the ceremony starts.

I think you ought to look at these.

Might interest you to see how far

you've come in the past eight months.

Foster inaugural today.

Foster elected governor.

This one goes back to the time

when you were district attorney.

Foster promises clean city

with Hanson conviction.

I think you can read the rest yourself.

I'll let you know

when they're ready for you.

Mr. Foster?

Mr. Foster.

They're ready for you, sir.

And that I will faithfully

discharge the duties

of the office of governor

According to the best of my ability.

According to the best of my ability.

Justice Fisk,

distinguished guests,

ladies and gentlemen,

A few weeks ago the Independent Party

whose candidate for governor I was

issued a statement

renouncing me for certain

political commitments

I am supposed to have made

prior to election.

I never answered that statement

because it is absolutely true.

Through greed, avarice

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