Born to Kill Page #2

And, Sam, in the meantime,|no dames, understand?

I've got a dame on my mind,|and she's dead.

And that's plenty for me.

I'll take those for you.

Well, that's very kind of you.

- What's your Pullman number?|- I haven't one. They're sold out.

- That's too bad. Have you got a ticket?|- Yes.

Well, good. Let's go.

- Which car, sir?|- This is it.

There must be some mistake.|There's no room.

Don't worry. Which way's the club car?

- It's the next car, but it's closed, sir.|- Well, right now it's opening again.

Well, now at least we won't get|thrown off till the next stop.

Don't worry. Nobody's gonna|throw us off.

What an assured man.

Know what you want, be sure you'll get it,|and you can't miss.

I found that out early.

Most people don't know|what they want out of life.

- I'll bet you do.|- Do I?

Yes.

Yes, I do. Exactly. Don't you?

I know what I want when I see it.

- Smoke?|- No, thank you.

I saw you once before this evening.

- Remember?|- Yes.

You didn't play long.

No. I don't like gambling very much.

I don't like being at the mercy|of white squares...

...that decide whether you win or lose.|I like to have the say-so myself.

You're not a turnip, are you?

- A turnip?|- Yes. We were saying...

...Mrs. Kraft, where I roomed,|and Laury, a friend of hers...

...that most men are turnips.

You may have noticed Mrs. Palmer.

She spoke to me at the dice table|this evening.

Yes, I believe I did notice her.

Anyhow, you're not.

- Not what?|- A turnip.

- Do you like that?|- Yes.

I like that very much.

- Do you live in San Francisco?|- Yes.

Good.

Why good?

Because that's where I'm gonna be|for some time.

Well, when am I gonna see you again?

Let me call you|when I get straightened around.

I don't know where I'm gonna be.|Better give me your number.

Well, you'll be staying at a hotel,|won't you?

Look, if you don't wanna see me again,|just say so.

If I didn't want to, I'd tell you.

That's what I thought.

Why not stay at the Terrace Hotel?

I'm sure you can get a room there,|and it's a nice, quiet place.

Do you like it?

- Yes.|- Then it's the Terrace.

Somebody meeting you|when we get off the ferry?

- No. I'm going to pick up a cab.|- Swell. We'll share one.

I'm afraid not.|We go in different directions.

That's where you're wrong.

We're going in the same direction,|you and I.

- Here's your laundry, Mrs. Perth.|- Okay.

That coffee smells good. Funny how coffee|never tastes as good as it smells.

As you grow older, you'll discover|that life is very much like coffee:

The aroma is always better|than the actuality.

- May that be your thought for the day.|- Yeah, sure.

Telephone.

Hello?

Mr. Arnett?

Who's calling? No, he's not here.

I don't know when he'll be back.

- A debtor, I take it.|- Yep.

Speaking of debt, you ain't paid your share|of the phone for three months, Arnett.

Et tu, Brutus?

I ain't talking about what you "et."|That's on the house.

But I want $8.55 for the phone.

That would leave me|embarrassingly short.

- Now, look...|- But...

...I have a prospective client.

The one that called here on Tuesday.

I am meeting her|in exactly three minutes.

And I shall extract a sizable retainer,|have no fear.

What does this one want?

Is her husband stepping out on her,|or what?

Murder.

- Mrs. Kraft?|- Obviously. Who'd you expect?

Quite so. It distresses me|that we must meet here...

...but they are redecorating my suite,|and I cannot tolerate the smell of paint.

- I hope you're a good detective.|- Didn't someone refer you to me?

No. Your name just came first|in the classified phone book.

Well, I've been in this business|some 20 years.

Being still alive, the deduction is|I have not starved at my trade.

- That beer.|- Does it every time.

Well, Mrs. Kraft, how can I serve you?

You can serve me by finding the rat|who killed poor Laury.

She had the best time of anybody|I ever knew, that Laury Palmer.

Just hearing her tell about her doings|was all the fun I had left in life.

So now whoever did her in|is gonna get his. I'll see to that.

You realize, of course, Mrs. Kraft, that|this will be a particularly difficult case.

I have had no opportunity to inspect|the scene of the crime or evidence.

I have none of the advantages|enjoyed by the police.

- I know all that.|- So under these circumstances...

...I cannot promise you anything|but effort.

- That is, if I'm retained.|- You're retained, so hop to it.

First, there is a slight|monetary transaction.

How much?

Five hundred dollars|should retain me nicely.

Five hundred?|You think I'm a millionaire?

Laury Palmer left you her house|and quite a nice bit of money.

How do you know?

I'm a detective. Remember?

- What about the Fifty-Two Club?|- Remember the New Year's we spent there?

- I certainly do.|- You had order after order of crepe suzette.

That was my New Year's resolution,|to have my fill of crepe suzette.

The poor little man, he almost burned|the bottom out of the chafing dish.

A gentlemen to see you, Mrs. Brent.|A Mr. Wild.

Oh, ask him to come in, please.

- Hello.|- Hello there.

I didn't expect you.

- I was at loose ends, thought I'd drop by.|- How very nice.

This is my sister.|Georgia Staples, Sam Wild.

- How do you do?|- How do you do?

And Fred Grover, my fiance.

- Hello.|- Hiya.

Mr. Wild and I came down from Reno|on the same train.

- Won't you sit down?|- No, thanks. I see you're going out.

- There's no hurry.|- Except that I'm so hungry...

...I can hardly stagger around.|- No matter what, Fred has to eat.

You know, I think that indicates|a deterioration of the moral fiber.

Perhaps it's a compensatory thing.|You know, lack of emotional satisfaction.

I'll be running along. Nice to meet you.

Why don't you ask Mr. Wild|to come with us, Helen.

- Thanks. I don't wanna barge in on a party.|- It's just the three of us.

As a matter of fact,|I'm the, quote, "extra woman," unquote.

You'd be saving me|from that hideous fate.

Mr. Wild undoubtedly has other things|to do, Georgia.

Why, no. Strangely enough, I haven't.

Well, then, let's go.|Get your paraphernalia, girls.

Well, Helen, you just missed|a thing in Reno.

- Quite a horrible murder.|- Close to where you were staying.

- Have they any idea who did it?|- No. No, not yet.

- It's a gruesome picture.|- That's what sells papers.

Go on and get your things. You can|lap up the juicy details when you get home.

Wonder why women|are so fascinated by murder.

Much more so than men.|You ever noticed?

No, I haven't.

That murder happened|the night before you left.

- Didn't you hear anything about it?|- No. I left early the next morning.

- Were both their pictures in the paper?|- Yes, she was quite a good-Iook...

How did you know|two people were murdered?

- You didn't even look at the paper.|- I... Well, I...

As a matter of fact,|I discovered the bodies.

- What?|- I'd rather you not mention it.

Didn't you scream?

- Why didn't you call the police?|- On account of Fred.

You know he loathes anything|bordering on sensationalism.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes