Black Friday Page #2

Oh, no, I couldn't do that.

New York's too big,

too noisy.

I never have wanted

to go there. And yet...

The very thing

you need, George.

You've had your fill

of peace and quiet.

You'll find New York exciting,

stimulating.

Just the thing to lift you

out of the doldrums.

As my doctor,

do you prescribe it?

As your doctor,

I insist on it.

Very well.

I'll tell Margaret to pack.

Oh, no, George.

Let's go alone.

Alone?

In New York, without Margaret?

What you need

is a radical change.

Well, perhaps you're right,

Ernest.

I've been like a bear,

lately.

I'm quite sure she'd be glad

to be rid of me for a time.

New York.

New York. I wonder...

I am taking Kingsley

to Red's old environment.

In fact, to the Midtown Hotel

which Cannon used

as his hideout.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

Uh, we'd like

adjoining rooms.

Uh, yes, yes.

Uh, 505 and 506, if

they're available. Are they?

Well, yes, they're available.

Thank you.

Uh, you've been

with us before, sir?

Why?

No, of course not.

But I... I like a corner room

with three windows

and a fire escape.

This way, gentlemen.

Well? Well?

Uh, I'm... I'm in

the next room, Ernest.

Uh, will you bring the

black bag in here, please?

You sure picked a room

with a history, Mr. Kingsley.

Oh, really?

But you see,

history is not my subject.

I don't mean that.

I'm talkin' about Red Cannon.

He hid out in these rooms

for nearly six months,

from cops, G-men

and his own gang.

Nobody in the hotel

suspected him.

But his gang got wise

and Red tried to run out.

They caught up to him in

some small town in the sticks.

Imagine when we found out

who he was.

And him with nearly a

million bucks hidden away.

Say, the manager locked himself

in here and took these rooms apart.

Yes, yes.

But he's still the manager,

so I guess he didn't find it.

Anyway, I made plenty

out of Cannon.

I was the only one

he allowed up here.

I had a special way

of knockin'.

Yes, sir. That's it.

Thanks.

A talkative youngster.

Babbles on

like Tennyson's brook.

Ernest, I'm going

to freshen up a bit.

And then let's go out.

Let's, uh, do the town.

You know what I mean.

A good dinner,

and perhaps

a bottle of wine.

Splendid, George.

I'll get changed

and then we'll go.

"I chatter, chatter as I flow

"To join the brimming river

"For men may come

and men may go

But I go on forever. "

The Cannon brain

remembers this hotel.

Will it also remember

Red's friends?

Miller, Kane,

Devore and Marnay.

I'm taking Kingsley

to the Club Royale

where he'll see Sunny Rogers,

Cannon's former sweetheart.

An old fashioned.

George?

I'm ready for anything.

Two.

Yes, sir.

I find the singer rather

interesting, don't you, George?

Yeah. Who is she, Ernest?

I seem to know her.

Could she be

one of my former students?

I really am surprised,

George,

at your pretending

to know the singer.

Well, come, come,

come now, Ernest.

I'm a college professor,

not a college boy.

All these people here

on pleasure bent.

"And pleasure brings

as surely in her train

Remorse and sorrow

and vindictive pain"

as William Kelper says.

Oh, pardon me.

Sure.

Why, what's wrong, George?

My head hurts.

That pain again.

I can't stand it.

We'll leave instantly.

Yes. Yes, the next train

leaves at noon.

You wish me

to make a reservation?

Yes, please.

And send up a boy

to help me pack, will you?

Well, good morning, George.

You slept late.

But my sleep

doesn't seem to refresh me.

Ernst,

we're old enough friends that we

don't have to deceive each other.

Why do you say that?

Then tell me,

what is the matter with me?

My sleep

only seems to tire me.

And I am haunted

by the most horrible dreams.

A perfectly normal reaction to

the shock of your accident, George.

Come in.

What do you mean

by that ridiculous

tap, tap, tap-tap-tapping?

Why don't you knock the door

like anybody else?

Anything you say, sir.

You wanted me to pack?

Yes.

I don't know

what I'm doing here, anyway.

Ernest, I'm going home.

I need Margaret.

I don't think I'd try

to leave today, George.

Now, you can stop the packing.

Yes, sir.

I don't think

you're well enough to travel.

Now, let's wait and see

how you feel tomorrow.

Red. Red Cannon.

You were the leader of a gang.

They tried to kill you.

You came back to get revenge.

Red.

Do you remember the name,

Marnay?

Marnay.

He's the one

who took your place.

Marnay, Miller, Kane, Devore.

Why did they try

to kill you, Red?

Uh, to get your money?

But they didn't find it,

did they?

It's safe

just where you hid it.

Where is it, Red?

Marnay.

Miller.

Kane.

Devore.

You've been ill, Red.

I remember that...

that hick town.

You're the doc, ain't you?

Yes.

Say,

my back's better.

You cured me?

Yes.

You're perfectly well now.

Thanks, Doc.

I won't forget it either.

Midtown Hotel, huh?

How did I get here?

You asked me to bring you.

I must have been

out of my head.

Every copper in town

will be lookin' for me.

I've got something

to tell you, Red.

Oh, yeah? What?

You were smashed up

in an accident, you remember?

I had to operate

to give you another body.

You had to do what?

What are you talking about?

Why did you do this to me?

It was the only way

to keep you alive.

Oh.

Why, Doc, you're a genius,

but you could have given me

a better chassis.

I never saw plastic surgery

like that before.

I used the body of the

other man, who was dead.

It was the only way

to save you.

Hey, wait a minute.

Nobody will know me

like this.

Why, I can do anything.

Who was the other guy?

He was a professor

of English Literature.

English Literature?

Well, how are you, Prof?

You're now

Prof. George Kingsley,

and you teach in the

university at Newcastle.

What a disguise.

What a break for Red Cannon.

Come in.

Telegram, sir.

Thank you.

Hey, what is...

Next time, you do

as you're told.

When you come to my room,

knock like this.

Now scram.

Yes, sir.

Next time.

Red, I think...

Good morning, sir.

I'll take them.

And, uh, here's

the morning paper, sir.

Compliments of the house.

Thank you.

You sure get around,

mister.

From the looks

of those clothes,

seems like you fell

into a cement mixer.

That will be all.

Yes, sir.

Morning?

Yes.

How do you feel?

Not very well.

I'm afraid coming to New York

was too exciting. I...

I feel as if...

as if the life

were drained out of me.

You will be all right as soon

as you've had a little rest.

Well, perhaps so.

Here's a curious thing,

George.

It seems that Louis Devore,

one of the Red Cannon gang,

was found early this morning

in a deserted building

dying from the effects

of a brutal beating.

His back had been broken.

Good heavens, Ernest.

Why on earth bother me

with that gruesome stuff?

Sorry, George.

Things have taken

a dangerous turn.

Kingsley has killed Devore.

While in this environment

I never know

when the murderous brain

of Red Cannon

may take possession

of Kingsley.

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