Big Jim McLain Page #2

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You are, aren't you?

Yes.

I attend a course of lectures

at the university on Saturdays.

If you have a car, you could meet me

on the makai side at noon.

I have a car. Makai side, noon.

It's a date.

I should know your name.

Marshall. Jim Marshall.

Nancy Vallon. Mrs.

- Mrs?

- I'm a widow.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I didn't...

Of course you didn't.

Saturday.

- Good morning.

- I'm a patient of a Dr. Neill of New York.

Will you come in, sir?

No. Ask Dr. Gelster to step out here.

I can just barely recognize

the name Dr. Neill.

And I don't recognize his name at all.

A courier from San Francisco last week

advised you of my impending arrival.

I haven't the faintest idea

what you're speaking of.

Let us dispense with the mumbo jumbo.

We are proud

to have you with us, Comrade.

Your illustrious services

in many parts of the world...

Enough of that.

And for security reasons,

don't call me Comrade.

I'm sorry.

What is wrong with the Party in Hawaii?

Wrong? Nothing.

As ordered,

all top echelons are underground.

Of course, the United States government

has indicted the known Party heads,

who are merely window-dressing, anyway.

But you knew that.

Of course I knew.

I'm not referring to anything so obvious.

But what would cause

the House of Representatives Committee

to send another team of investigators here

so soon after the last investigation?

I'm sure I don't know.

And not one that is just

an open fact-fishing expedition.

No, no. This one is important,

because, for once,

it is adequately financed, unfortunately.

What are they looking for?

I can't imagine.

We must find out.

What of a Party functionary

called Nomaka?

He has just been relieved

as local Party treasurer.

I had a report that he was talking

in a strange manner.

Well, he's a sick man,

severe nervous trauma.

Get rid of him.

He's not dangerous. I'm treating him.

I can assure you

I have his psychic dependency.

I can control the man.

Get rid of him.

Have him confined in an asylum.

Give him an overdose of something.

Don't bother me with the details,

but get rid of him.

I'll attend to it first thing tomorrow.

Why not today?

Very well.

- Hello?

- NancY, this is Dr. Gelster.

Would You please look up

Nomaka 's home address?

Yes, of course, Doctor.

- It's 477 Front Street.

- Thank You.

Good-bye, Doctor.

As I was telling you before,

nearly every union in the Islands

is represented here,

and we'll all be glad to cooperate.

I'm sure your investigation

will be a success.

Thank you.

That's all, men.

Top labor leader Max VentabY,

former Communist.

Got hep to them after 10 Years.

Started fighting back.

IncidentallY, that's how he got

that broken nose. Fighting Commies.

The weekdaYs were real dull,

but not the weekends.

I want to ask you something.

Ask.

Why me?

You'll have to explain that.

Special job like you,

no guys hanging around.

A few have tried.

I don't go out with men, I...

Fine remark. I thought I qualified.

You're different.

Nobody noticed that before.

You remind me of a tall, ugly fellow

that didn't make it back to his carrier

after a raid on Saipan.

I'm sorry, Nancy.

That you remind me? I'm not.

For a long, long time,

I thought I'd never want my heart

to get that tangled with any man again.

It hurts too much.

I've changed my mind.

I'm too old to believe in miracles.

I never thought it could happen

to anyone twice.

And it did.

I wonder if it's chemistry

that makes two people understand

each other without a word being said.

Stop going to those lectures.

Don't try to analyze it.

- Okay.

- Just let it be.

- One thing, Jim.

- Yes?

Do you want to tell me

why you lied to me?

Credit Investigator

for the Downtown Credit Association.

Of course, they told me

that you were an employee when I called.

But you drive in a rented car

and you're living from week to week

in an expensive bungalow.

It just doesn't fit with the job you claim.

Now, those are facts, but more than fact,

there's chemistry.

I know you lied.

You don't have to tell me

if you don't want to.

It won't make any difference.

I don't make much money.

Bum job, but it has to be done.

But I never needed money before,

but now, with a wife,

- if I wanted to give her mink coats...

- James McLain.

I like that better than James Marshall.

Are you proposing?

Yes.

May I plan the evening, Jim?

I wanted to walk. I don't know why.

It seemed better somehow.

And if you don't mind a supposed

hard-minded scientist going on this way,

I want to go in.

I feel so thankful.

All the jillions of people in the world,

and we two met.

What odds against it?

It shows there's a plan.

So if you'll wait here,

I want to go in and give thanks

the lightning...

The good lightning struck me.

Hey.

Why can't I go in?

The same lightning struck me.

Yeah, I'll send him over to Grey.

Hey, gents!

Ventaby!

Hey, honey, come here.

- This is Jim McLain and Mal Baxter.

- Hi.

- This is my wife.

- How do you do?

- How about bringing us out some coffee?

- Sure.

Say, I forgot to tell you guys

something important.

Remember the name I gave you

of a guy that was Party treasurer

when I was a member, Willie Nomaka?

Yeah.

Well, I've been seeing this guy lately

in all the grog shops

down on River Street.

Boy, he's jugging it up good.

You know,

drinking's strictly against Party rules.

When you got a big-wheel job,

drunks is a very bad security risk.

Anyway, I figure this guy's ready to crack.

I've been through this.

After a while, you get it through your skull

that all this Party line is a lot of con,

and, sort of in self-defense,

you give the bug juice a whirl.

If you could get this guy to talk,

he'd give you a lot of names.

Any idea how we could

get in touch with him?

Not exactly. He had a cover spot

up on 16 River Street,

but I don't think he lived there.

Well, thanks. We'll see if we can find him,

give him the once-over.

I wonder where the house is.

The odd numbers are on the other side.

What's the matter with you?

I told you to put the ashcans on the left.

I can't keep opening the door every five...

Well, you couldn't have come

at a better time, mister.

I haven't had a vacancy

since I don't know when.

I was looking for a fellow named Nomaka.

He doesn't happen to be home?

Now, wouldn't that beat you?

This was his room.

Four years he had it.

Do you know his new address?

The people I work for are a little anxious

to get in touch with him.

Oh, I'm afraid Mr. Nomaka

won't be looking for work

for quite a spell, poor man.

If you ask me, he's had it.

What happened to him?

He's had a complete nervous breakdown,

that's what.

And no wonder.

The way he's been

the last couple of months,

couldn't work, couldn't do anything.

That's too bad.

Not an hour ago his doctor himself was

in this very room, packing all his stuff.

Who's his doctor?

He didn't say what his name was,

but I can tell a nut doctor when I see one.

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