Backfire Page #7

Mr. Walsh find me.

He kill me too.

Where's the house, Quong?

Mr. Walsh's house?

Canyon.

In canyon.

Canyon? Which canyon?

Laurel? Coldwater?

Benedict Canyon?

Who was the doctor, Quong?

Tell me the name of the doctor.

Can't you help us, doc?

Can't you do something?

I'm afraid the next time he talks,

it'll be to his ancestors.

Well, that's that.

Quong have anyone

who might tell us where he worked?

We haven't found anybody so far.

We'll start checking

the employment agencies.

- You stick around just in case.

- Right.

Thanks, doc. Come on.

What can Garcia do?

There's 20,000 doctors in Los Angeles.

He can't ask each one if they're holding

onto their accident reports.

Bob, stop it.

You're just going around in circles.

What I can't understand is

why Lou Walsh...

...if he tried to kill Steve,

would call a doctor?

Yet Quong said he did call.

That was for Lisa's benefit.

She thought Steve had been

in an accident. She told you so.

Why would any doctor protect

a crook like Lou Walsh?

Oh, the ones you know wouldn't.

But crooks and gamblers

have their own clinics.

- The side door of the Biltmore be okay?

- Yes, fine.

- Promise me you'll go right home to bed.

- Sure, sure, I'll promise.

Blayne.

Blayne.

Your number, please.

- Orick 1-4-4-9.

Hello?

- Mrs. Blayne, this is Julie Benson again.

What was the name of the doctor

you called for Solly?

That was Dr. Anstead.

At the Mid-town Professional Building.

Anstead.

Mid-town Professional Building.

Thank you.

Anything wrong, miss?

Dr. Anstead sent me to get

some x-rays from his files.

I must have forgotten to get the key.

Could you possibly let me in?

I shouldn't do that

without the doctor being here.

It's all right. I'm a registered nurse

attending one of Dr. Anstead's patients.

Oh. I guess it's all right.

Thank you.

Ah.

Who's there?

Why, it's me, doctor, Homer, the janitor.

- I didn't know you were here.

- What do you want?

I've done this floor,

all excepting your office.

Will you and the nurse be leaving soon?

Nurse?

What nurse? What are you talking about?

A young lady attending

one of your patients.

Forgot to get the key from you

and asked me to let her in.

When was this?

Just a few moments ago.

Was that all right, doctor?

Oh, yes. Yes, of course.

I didn't understand you at first.

We'll be through in a little while.

You come back later.

Yes, sir.

All right, miss, come out.

I'll take those, miss.

I don't know you.

But you've broken in...

...stolen my records.

I could have you sent to prison.

Then why don't you call the police?

Give me that folder.

As a nurse you must know

a doctor's records are confidential.

The doctors I know

didn't have to burn theirs.

Where is Steve Connolly?

For the last time, give me that folder.

If I have to take it from you,

you may get hurt.

Go ahead, burn them.

That won't help you.

The police know about Steve Connolly,

that a doctor's been treating him.

What?

What's that?

They're at the county hospital,

with Lou Walsh's houseboy.

When he comes to, he'll tell them

where Steve is. They'll find out.

- You're lying.

- Am I?

Call Bob Corey at the Fremont Hotel.

He'll tell you.

Maybe you thought Steve Connolly

was in an accident. Well, he wasn't.

Lou tried to kill him.

If he dies, you'll be guilty of murder.

Stop it. Stop it.

Let me think.

Why don't you tell me where he is?

Get in that room.

Get in there.

Do as I tell you.

But I...

Let me speak to Bob Corey, please.

Hello?

Mr. Corey?

- Yeah?

Now, listen very carefully.

I know where your friend Connolly is.

What's that?

I'll tell you how to find him.

But you must protect me, Corey.

- Protect...? Say, who is this?

- I'm his doctor.

I didn't know

Lou Walsh tried to kill him.

We've got to get him to a hospital.

He needs an operation.

But you must protect me, Corey.

You must tell Connolly

I'm the one who saved him.

- Is it a deal?

- Sure, sure. Anything you say.

What do you want me to do?

One thing, Corey, come alone.

Don't tell the police,

you've got to promise me that.

Of course I promise.

What's the address?

1121 Canyon Road.

Got that? I'll meet you there.

But remember, Corey, don't tell anyone.

If you try to double-cross me...

...you'll never see your friend again.

Lou. Don't.

Don't, Lou. I had to tell him.

I'm a doctor. I can't stand by

and watch that boy die.

Taxi!

Do you know where Canyon Road is?

Canyon Road? Sure. Off Sunset.

Way out towards the beach.

That's where I want to go.

1121 Canyon Road.

- And step on it.

- Okay.

All right for me to start now, doctor?

I can do this room.

Dr. Anstead?

Doctor!

Dr. Anstead.

What's the matter, miss?

I was just talking to him a minute ago.

Operator, get me police headquarters

quickly.

- Ben.

- Ben lives over in Glendale, remember?

This is where Lou Walsh lives.

But I...

Why don't you use your head, chum?

You should've known Ben Arno's

no guy to settle down as an undertaker.

Ben.

You're Lou Walsh.

That's right.

I don't get it. Why?

Do you know what pushed me into it?

The Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Yeah, taxes.

Ben Arno settles down to being

a nice respectable mortician...

...with books the government can audit

any day in the year.

But Lou Walsh, he doesn't keep books.

Where's Steve? What have you done?

Relax. Who do you think you're kidding?

- You're not looking for Steve.

- What are you talking about?

Quite a girl, my Lisa, huh?

You saw her once in the hospital.

Yet you've been tearing the town apart

every since looking for her.

Beautiful, huh?

Ben, you must be...

You're crazy.

I don't like for you to say that, cowboy.

Like I was gonna tell you...

...you should've stuck to Julie.

You could've had a long and prosperous life.

But you weren't smart enough for that.

You had to go fall for Lisa,

the way Steve did.

That time I met him.

I thought to myself, brother,

finally one guy I can trust.

That's a laugh for you.

I told him about me being Lou Walsh.

I got him back in the game.

I was putting him on his feet.

What happens?

The minute my back is turned,

them two hugging and mugging...

...like a couple of high school kids

in the backseat of some jalopy.

Where are they, Ben?

Where are they?

What was it with her?

I gave her clothes.

I bought her this house.

And all I wanted was for her to say

just once, "I love you."

Doesn't that kill you?

Me, Ben Arno, begging like

some kid, like a cur dog.

Look at her.

My dream girl.

She's a tramp! She couldn't say it.

Not even once.

But you know something...

...I can't help myself.

I keep coming back here, to this house.

I sit in this dark room.

I smell her perfume.

Hear that song.

What did you do with her, Ben?

I never even knew

where she went to Christmas Eve.

Not till this morning in Garcia's office.

I thought she'd never get back.

For hours I'd been

sitting outside, waiting for her.

'Tis the season to be jolly

Somewhere down the street

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