Black Widow Page #9

to tell the truth.

But even if I had, Lottie would never have

gone for a deal like that...

in a thousand years,

and I knew it.

So I told her that even if

I was able to find a way out...

how was I going to support her?

I've never been able to make

a decent living, Peter.

I don't kid myself about that.

I'm a hitchhiker.

Without Lottie, I'd be

doing good not to starve.

You know that as well as I do.

So what did you do?

Are you sure you want me

to go on about this, Peter?

Why not?

Well, then she started

to threaten me.

She was going to tell Lottie.

That's when I really

began to get panicky.

- About the baby?

- Well, that's the strange part of it.

I didn't know anything about

the baby until that afternoon.

What afternoon?

That afternoon in your apartment.

What happened then?

Well, it was about 2:00

when she called me.

Lottie was out, thank heavens,

at the photographer's.

Are you alone?

Yes, but you shouldn't

call me in the daytime.

- I've asked you.

- I won't do it again, but I had to this time.

I've got something

very wonderful to tell you.

Will you come down here?

- Now look, dear-

- Please, darling.

This is very dangerous, you know.

Now stop worrying.

Lucia's gone and Peter

won't be back until 6:00.

This may be the very last time we'll have

to sneak around and be scared like this.

Because I've fixed it

so we can be married.

- You do love me, don't you?

- You know I do, darling, but I've told you how impossible it is.

Then it's got to be done, Brian,

because we're going to have a child.

I'd do anything on earth-

I'd give half my life if I could make you

as happy about it as I am.

Nanny, darling...

if only there was

some reasonable way for us-

- But there is now, if you love me enough.

- How?

Because I'm going to get

some money-

so much money that you'll

be able to leave that woman...

and then never have to worry

about that part of it again.

- Well, what do you mean?

- I'm going to get it from Peter.

I'm going to send a lawyer

to him about our child.

Are you joking?

Of course not.

Peter's rich.

Don't you think it would

be worth $50,000 to him...

to keep a story like that

out of the papers?

You must be joking.

Don't you want to marry me?

- I do, darling, but what you're saying is insane.

- Why is it?

Well, for one thing,

you'd never get away with it.

But it's already fixed, I tell you.

Claire Amberly knows it,

Uncle Gordon knows it...

and I've even written to his wife

and told her about it.

Well, this is really crazy.

Peter's my friend.

He's been your friend. How could you-

Do you mean you're more concerned

about him than you are about me?

Well, that's not it at all.

It's just that you simply can't do this...

to a perfectly decent,

innocent person.

- Then what would you say if I sent the

lawyer to you? - Now listen, darling-

How would you like that in the papers? "Carlotta

Marin's Husband Father's Girl's Child. "

- Think you'd like that better? - Don't

be a fool. All I'm trying to tell you-

All you're trying to tell me is you want

to leave me this way!

You want everyone

in the building to hear you?

You bet I do!

I want everybody in the world-

Very clever, Mr. Denver.

It's just too bad your wife

wasn't actress enough to carry it off.

What's he trying to pull over here?

Go on, tell her.

I couldn't help it, darling.

The girl was murdered.

I don't believe it.

It's true nevertheless, Miss Marin.

Then why don't you arrest him?

- Arrest who?

- Who do you think?

I think first I'd like to hear

the rest of Mr. Mullen's story.

Sergeant Welch, who has rather an old-fashioned

approach to criminal investigation...

was thoughtful enough to leave this

little mike here this afternoon...

so we were able to listen to the first

part of it in the office downstairs.

Can I persuade you

to continue with it now?

What's he talking about?

Mr. Mullen was tellin' us

about a discussion he had...

with Miss Ordway the other afternoon

in the Denver apartment.

According to this version, she wanted

to blame their baby on Mr. Denver-

an idea to which Mr. Mullen

said he objected.

It's not true.

Will you go on from there?

She quieted down then, but she

still insisted on that insane idea.

Whichever you wish.

I can send the lawyer to him or to you.

- I don't care which.

- But it can't be done that way, Nanny.

Either way, you'll bring the

whole house down on everybody.

Nobody wins. We've got to find

some sensible way out of this thing.

All right, then you suggest one.

That's impossible right this moment. You

have to give me time to think about it.

- How much time?

- How can I answer that either?

But don't you think it'd be better in any case

to wait until we're less upset emotionally...

and then try to find a way out calmly?

All right. I'll give you exactly

15 minutes- until 3:00.

And then you can tell me whom

you want the lawyer to go to.

Please, Nanny,

you're behaving like an idiot.

Let me in. Let me in.

- Yes?

- Well, are you going to answer me or not?

- Look, darling- - Look, Brian, I

don't want to argue anymore with you.

All I want to know is

if you're with me or not.

Yes, I'm with you.

Oh, darling, I'm so glad.

I can't tell you how glad I am.

You do love me, don't you?

I do.

And think what it'll

do for us, darling.

You'll be free. We'll have more money

than we can possibly need.

And we'll have a home together

with our child.

Doesn't that sound worth

anything we have to do to get it?

I suppose so, but-

But they can stand it, darling.

They're rich and famous

and important. We're not.

Oh, they've got other things

to make up for a little trouble.

Maybe it'll bother 'em for a week or two

or even a month...

but then it'll all be over for them.

They've got other interests.

Peter will make the money back.

Meantime, look what it'll do for us.

Can't you think of it that way

for just a little while?

I'll try.

Will you come down here now?

I can't now.

I'm expecting Lottie back about 3:30.

- Just for a few minutes.

- No. I'll call you tomorrow.

Please, darling.

All right then,

but just for a few minutes.

Just tap at the door.

All right.

Go on.

That's all there was to it.

- You mean that's all you're gonna tell us?

- Nothing more to tell.

While I was getting up enough courage

to go down and see her, Lottie came in.

I'm sorry, darling.

- It's a very extraordinary story, Mr. Mullen.

- It's the truth.

Downstairs all alone in an apartment

was a young woman...

who was threatening to expose you

to your wife as the father of her child.

A few hours later

she's found dead- murdered.

Do you know all you need

to establish a case for murder?

I didn't kill her, I tell you.

You only need two things-

a motive and an opportunity.

You're a man of intelligence,

so I invite you...

to examine your own story

in the light of those two facts.

I didn't do it. I don't know who did it,

but I didn't do it.

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