Black Widow Page #4

the theater still speaking to her...

but nobody's actually

clobbered her yet.

- Poor Brian.

- If he doesn't like that sort of thing...

he should never have said yes.

Oh, for heaven's sakes.

You haven't let Lottie put on some

frightful homecoming production, have you?

No, I'm afraid we've still got

Miss Ordway with us.

Who's Miss Ordway?

You remember I told you I took this kid

out to dinner the day you left?

- Oh, yes.

- Well, I've been letting her work here during the day.

She's a writer.

She's supposed to be gone.

I'II, uh-

I'll tell you about it later.

What does she do,

write in the dark?

She's a nut about that piece.

She must be a nut

about other things too.

"The secret of love is greater than

the secret of death. "

Maybe she's in the kitchen.

- She must be in the bathroom.

- I'll get her.

What is it?

What's the matter, honey?

Hey, what's the matter? Can't you

pull that sheet back off her face?

Hold it. Hold it. Hold it.

Hold it now. Hold it.

Thank you.

How did she happen to be here

in this apartment?

I gave her a key.

She said where she lived

wasn't very cheerful for writing...

so when she asked if she could work here

during the day, I said okay.

- How long ago was that?

- Something like two weeks ago.

And how long had you known her?

Two, three weeks before that.

He met herJune 6,

the day I left for New Orleans.

He told me about it

on the phone that night.

Where did you

meet her, Mr. Denver?

- Upstairs, at a party at Carlotta Marin's.

- The actress?

That's right.

She's in a show of mine.

Was she a friend

of Miss Marin's?

No, she came to the party

with another girl.

I don't know who the other girl was.

I never met her.

- Did you see much of her after that?

- Not a great deal, no.

We had dinner together that night

and a couple of other nights.

Now and then

I'd talk to her on the phone.

Did you know anything

about her family?

All I know is that she said she came

from Savannah, Georgia...

and that her mother and father

were both dead.

What do you make of this?

That's a quotation

from the opera Salome.

She was writing a story

around that theme, I believe.

Why the drawing?

I don't know...

except that she often left

drawings like that around...

with some kind

of a facetious comment on them.

I don't know what

to make of that one.

You think it was meant

as a suicide note?

I suppose so, if you want

to take it that way.

- But how else could you take it?

- I don't know.

I don't know what

she might have meant by it.

Well, if we take it for the moment

as a suicide note...

wouldn't that suggest

something else to you?

- What?

- Wouldn't that suggest that there was something more...

than a casual relationship

between you?

I don't care what

it suggests to you.

The fact remains that I had no romantic

interest in Miss Ordway...

nor the slightest reason

to suspect that she had any in me.

And in case there's any

doubt about it, Lieutenant...

I think you ought to know

that Mr. Denver and I...

are not members

of a giddy nightclub set...

who run around having casual affairs

with other members of the group.

We've been married

for seven years...

and if you'll forgive

an old-fashioned expression...

we're still in love

with each other.

I'll try and keep that

in mind, Mrs. Denver.

You said there were other

drawings like this.

- Where are they?

- I threw 'em out, I suppose.

I can't remember.

Oh, wait a minute.

Yes, here's one.

This is the first one

I ever got from her.

That's how she reminded me

of her phone number.

I'll keep this one

for the time being.

Now, if we dismiss the idea

of a romance between you...

what other motive can you think of

for what she did?

Well, she was almost unbelievably serious

about her writing.

She might have been

discouraged about that.

- But why in your apartment?

- I don't know.

- You can't even suggest a possibility?

- No, I can't.

Did she ever strike you

as a neurotic?

Not much more than

the rest of us, no.

- Reasonably normal?

- So she seemed to me.

- Then if you can't think

of anything else at the moment-

Will you stop this silly imitation

of Dragnet...

and let me in?

Let her in.

What is it, Peter?

Miss Ordway killed herself here

this afternoon.

Do you mean that child

you met at my party?

That's the one.

Oh, good heavens.

Iris, you poor thing.

Well, how did she do it?

She hanged herself.

- She was insane.

- Why do you say that?

To hang herself when she could

have used pills. Who are you?

Lieutenant Bruce is a detective.

- Miss Carlotta Marin, Lieutenant.

- I recognize Miss Marin.

How do you do?

We won't stay, darling.

I know this is no time for that.

- But may I say one thing to you?

- Of course.

Without knowing

anything else about the case...

I can just imagine

the first thought...

that came into your mind when you heard

what had happened.

But it's not true.

Not possibly.

To put the kindest face

possible on it...

the girl was a little horror-

a transparent, syrupy little phony...

with about as much to offer a man

as Cuckoo the Bird Girl.

Not even Peter, with all of his radiant

innocence about women...

could have been stirred for one instant

by that dingy little creep.

Lottie, the girl is dead.

I know...

and that's precisely why

I refuse to speak harshly of her.

But you and Iris are my friends...

and I refuse also to remain silent...

when a thoroughly tragic

misunderstanding is possible here.

Well, isn't that so, Officer?

I hope not, of course.

Well, then believe

what I'm telling you.

I know exactly what's in your mind,

and it's utter nonsense.

Stick to it, and you can only wind up...

by making a public

spectacle of yourself.

- Thanks for the tip, ma'am.

- And don't you worry either, darling.

I'll explain the whole thing to Iris.

Call me the minute

these people are out of here.

Come along, darling.

A very forceful woman.

One more thing, Mr. Denver.

I wonder if you could tell me

where you were this afternoon...

before you went to meet Mrs. Denver.

- I went to a movie.

- Which one?

It was an old picture at the Star Theater

on 42nd Street.

I'm casting a play now. There was

a Hollywood actor in it I wanted to see.

What was the name of it?

The Girl in the Window.

- Anybody with you?

- No, I went alone.

Did you see anybody that you knew,

or might know you?

No.

Thanks.

- Good night, Mrs. Denver.

- Good night.

Come here, dear.

Sit here.

Was that the truth?

That was the truth, all right...

but I'm beginning to wonder

who's going to believe it.

Well, I am, for one.

Do you mind

Mrs. Denver being here?

Not if you don't.

Come in, Mrs. Denver.

- Thank you.

- Sit down.

We were just wondering

if you had anything to add...

from what you told us last night.

No, not that I can think of.

Too bad about the fuss

it's kicking up in the papers.

But that's one of the penalties

of fame, I suppose.

Send in Miss Colletti.

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