Armored Car Robbery Page #4

That somebody is our fourth man.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

But he's a complete blank.

Yeah. He's liable to remain

one, unless we get lucky.

Start with Benny.

- Local boy, huh?

- Yes, sir.

Let's check some of these addresses.

Aged in the glass bourbon.

- These friends, how many would

you say? PAGE:
Couldn't say.

Just last week, the place was full of

them. Talking and drinking until all hours.

RYAN:
Hey, lieutenant, can you

step in here a minute, please?

Looks like Benny really was living.

- "Your loving baby."

- Nice, huh?

Ever see her around here?

No. I've never seen any women here.

- Theatrical photo. Should be easy to trace.

- Give me. That's my department.

Give it a rundown with casting

officers, booking agencies.

RYAN:
I guarantee good results.

Wait a minute.

Yes, sir?

Put in a call for the fingerprint

crew. Get them up here.

Yes, sir.

What happened to the shade? It's gone.

Well, that's funny.

He never told me it was busted.

He never told you a lot of

things, Mrs. Page. I wish he had.

Well, I asked him what

he had done for living...

...but he never told me. He was

awful private about his business.

I'm sorry, lieutenant,

the place is so untidy.

He wouldn't let me in lately

or I would've cleaned it up.

Cleaned it? Ha, ha.

Mrs. Page, I'm glad you didn't.

MAN [OVER PHONE]: valley Motor court.

Valley Motor Court?

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[CAR HORN HONKING]

I think he's in.

I didn't see him go out anyhow.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

MAN:
Mr. Bell?

Mr. Bell, are you in?

There's a gentleman out

here, wants to see you.

- Use your pass key.

- Yes.

This guy just checking

in or just checking out?

Neither. He's been here about three

days and he's paid up for a week.

Did he have a car?

No. Said he didn't drive. Always used cabs.

He checked in about three days ago?

- I think. I can look it up.

- Do that. I wanna look at the register.

- Get that while I'm looking the room over.

- Yes, sir.

The man who wore this stuff is

about 5 feet, 10 or 11 inches tall...

...blond curly hair,

weighs around 175 pounds...

...wears a size-9C shoe.

Pretty good dresser.

Doesn't mind putting out for

shirts and socks at any rate.

What about this lipstick smear?

From its grease content,

looks like a theatrical brand.

[PHONE RINGS]

There are only a few makes. I'll

try to identify the manufacturer.

Marshall speaking.

Yes, he's here. For you, lieutenant.

CORDELL:
Thanks.

- This is Cordell.

- We hit pay dirt, lieutenant.

The gal is Yvonne Le

Doux, a burlesque queen...

...working out of the Bijou

Theater. But that's not all.

She is also the widow of

the late Benny McBride.

- Benny's wife, huh?

- You should see her in her working clothes.

Imagine a dish like this married

to a mug like Benny McBride.

- The naked and the dead.

- very funny.

Okay, Marshall, I guess that's it.

- You think it's theatrical

lipstick, huh? - Mm-hm.

You know, that's an interesting idea.

- See you later. MARSHALL: All right.

[WHISTLES CATCALL]

[BAND PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC]

[MAN WHISTLING CATCALL]

[MEN HOWLING]

Well, there she is, with bells on.

And very few bells.

That's a lot of woman.

She'll be on another five

minutes. Wanna kill time?

You're twisting my arm, lieutenant.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AND WHISTLING]

- Danny.

- Yeah?

Isn't that Al Mapes?

Where?

- Yeah.

- Easy. Take it easy.

Don't move until I get to

the other end of the aisle.

- Excuse me.

- You got the time, mac?

Yeah, five minutes...

- Hello, Mapes. MAPES: You're

making a mistake, mister.

You make one sound and I'll break your arm.

MAPES:
Take it easy.

CORDELL:
Come on. Let's go.

RYAN:
Let's move him.

The penalty in this

state for murder is death.

When you kill a cop, they cut a few corners

to see that you get there in a hurry.

How many times do I have to

tell you I didn't kill anybody?

CORDELL:
This cop that was killed was knee

- deep in friends.

It just so happens I was one of his best.

I made myself a promise...

...that I'd go all out to see

that the murderer get paid off.

This face familiar?

Yeah. He's the guy that

drove the getaway car.

- Are you sure?

- Positive.

The other fellas were

wearing painters' outfits.

Thanks.

Well, that does it, Mapes.

His identification, plus your fingerprints

in Benny's apartment is all we need.

You took your first step to that gas chamber.

Why don't you knock it

off and stop saying that?

What do you want? You want me to

say I was in on the holdup? I was.

That you can pin on me,

but I didn't kill the cop.

Well, who did?

Who killed him?

Purvis.

Dave Purvis.

- Purvis? Did he ever go by the name of Bell?

- He could've had a million handles.

I know him by the name

of Purvis. He's the guy.

Where is he?

I don't know. Think I'd have been

hanging around that theater if I did?

I was looking for his dame,

hoping maybe she can tell me.

- You mean Benny's wife, don't you?

- Listen, cop, let me tell you something.

Maybe it was Benny's wife, but there was

plenty going on between her and Purvis.

Why did he wanna give her

Benny's cut of the dough?

- How do you know he did?

- I don't, but that's what he said.

Look, that's the only line I had on Purvis.

I thought maybe I'd introduce myself and

beat the truth out of her, where he was.

I earned that dough fair and square.

There's some question of that, Mapes,

but I see your point. Take him out, boys.

That's the truth. If I knew

where he was, I'd tell you.

Get him out of here.

RYAN:
What's our next move, lieutenant?

Anybody here know Purvis?

The girl does, that's for sure.

- You wanna pick her up?

- No. No good.

She'd never crack, not if it involved Purvis.

We gotta catch her off base.

- Johnson. JOHNSON: Yes, sir?

Send the dictograph crew

up here ready to work.

- I want her followed day and night.

- Right.

[TAPPING OVER RADIO]

It's okay.

Testing, testing.

Mobile Unit 12 to relay car.

[OVER RADIO] Picking us up okay?

You're coming in strong.

We're a block away on

Flower Street, moving south.

You got your microphone covered?

I'll put it behind the fabric.

- Now, how do I sound?

- Great.

We'll be right back. Stand by.

[BAND PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC]

I won't ask you what's new. I can tell.

She comes in, hangs up her

coat, puts on her makeup...

...takes off her clothes.

- How do you know that?

- The zipper makes the noise.

[ZIPPER ZIPS OVER RADIO]

She's back.

She just finished the show.

[RUSTLING]

She's taking off her headdress now.

There comes the beads.

[BEADS CLATTER]

[CLICK]

Clicking sound is her bracelet on the table.

Now, she's gonna put on her street clothes.

This is the kind of stuff you televise.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

KIMBALL:
Open up, Yvonne. It's me, Kimball.

Can you wait a minute?

What's this I hear about

you quitting the show?

Nobody told me about it. What's the idea?

I'm quitting, that's all, as of tonight.

can't a girl quit if she wants to?

Now, wait a minute, Yvonne. Take it easy.

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