Bunny Lake Is Missing Page #7

Have you been out much since you arrived?

Steven was looking forward

to showing me the sights...

but Bunny had that cold.

But surely you could have found

someone to babysit for you.

Steven thought so, too, but I didn't.

She was in a strange house

in a strange country.

A strange babysitter

might have been too much.

You and your brother are pretty close,

arent you?

All of our lives.

I've been meaning to ask you...

did anyone try to stop you

having your baby?

You mean an abortion?

Steven offered to arrange one for me

if I wanted it.

I suppose it seemed

the most practical thing to do...

but I decided against it.

- What about the father?

- My father?

Bunny's father.

He was just a boy I went to school with...

or sometimes to a movie or a dance.

He wasn't really very important to me.

How did he take the news

of Bunny's impending arrival?

He came to the house

and he offered to marry me...

but Steven threw him out.

And that somewhat dampened his ardor?

No, he was still willing.

I was the one who said no.

- Why?

- I wasn't in love with him.

Steven said I'd already made one mistake.

Why complicate it with a second?

Your brother sounds

like a sensible young man.

Eat something, won't you?

- Yes, sir.

- Two brandies and soda, please.

That's better.

I'm not very good

at drinking on an empty stomach.

Did you ever have an imaginary friend

when you were a child?

Did Steven tell you that?

In a way. What sort of a friend was it?

A little girl. Didn't you ever have

an imaginary playmate when you were little?

I was raised amidst the strife and tumult

of nine male and female siblings.

It would have been madness

to invent a tenth.

Did Steven tell you my playmates name?

- No, he didn't.

- Bunny. Does that seem odd to you?

Compared to most oddities that fall

into my professional lap, it's commonplace.

Bunny was the name of a character

in a childs storybook.

She was a lovely character, so I named

my playmate after the girl in the book.

Then later, when my daughter was born,

I called her Bunny...

as a nickname.

Isn't that what

youre really questioning me about?

I'm not questioning you, Miss Lake.

I'm just trying to know you better.

What happened to the Bunny

in the storybook?

How did her story end?

I can't remember.

Well, what happened to the Bunny

you invented?

When I began to outgrow her,

we decided it would be better if she died.

- We?

- Steven and I.

He had read about

this Buddhist funeral ceremony...

they have each year in Japan

for broken dolls.

So we dug a grave in the garden...

and then we buried her

after burning all her things.

What things?

The imaginary things

an imaginary child would need.

What the hell

do you think youre doing, Newhouse?

While the Superintendent

was being so charming to you here...

his stooges have been searching

our apartment.

I assume you have a search warrant?

Are you making a complaint?

Why are you pouring liquor into my sister

when you know she's so upset?

Was he trying to brainwash you?

- No, Steven, of course not.

- What are you up to, Newhouse?

Trying to find the truth.

Isn't that what you were looking for

in our apartment?

I just want to find one simple thing...

one small, simple proof.

- Proof of what?

- That Bunny Lake exists.

You son of a...

Let him go.

we're not supposed to hit you, Mr. Lake.

In return, I must ask you not to hit me.

It doesn't prove anything.

Mr. Newhouse,

what are you going to do now?

Go home.

That's all, Superintendent.

Shall I keep her here...

until you return?

No, it all adds up. Compliment her

on her junket and let her go.

I'd like to talk to Supt. Newhouse, please.

This is Ann Lake.

Is it aBout your little girl?

Of course it's about my little girl.

What else would I be calling him about?

The Superintendents not here.

Im afraid he's gone home.

Ann, bring me another cigarette, will you?

Theyre in my coat pocket.

He did it. They said he'd gone home.

we'll find her ourselves.

I made an appointment

with the best private detective in London...

first thing in the morning.

By morning, she may be dead.

Ann, stop it.

Weve already been through that.

The one thing that absolutely can't happen

is that Bunny will be found dead.

Either she'll be found

with the people that took her...

or she won't be found at all.

That's the worst that could happen.

we'd never see her again,

but we'd know she's alive.

I'd rather die than never see her again.

Listen to me.

I was only trying to comfort you.

You said she might be dead,

and I wanted to show you...

that even if we never see her again,

she'll still be alive with people who love her.

- How could they hide her so well?

- I don't think they have.

I think we're gonna find her.

And the best thing you can do to help...

is to take a sleeping pill

and get a good nights sleep.

- I'll wait up for the phone.

- No, I don't want to.

Steven, the doll!

- What doll?

- Bunny's doll.

Heres the ticket from the repair shop.

You took it there yourself yesterday.

I forgot all about it.

- I'm gonna run right over there.

- It's too late. Theyll be closed.

I'll make them open up.

I'll break the door in.

If the ticket and the doll is real,

then theyll have to believe Bunny's real.

But nobody will be there at this time.

Keep moving, please.

Keep on the pavement.

Don't walk in the street, please.

Can't we take some other street?

Theyre all the same, maam.

It's the theater crowd.

- How much further is it to King St.?

- In this mess, could take hours.

- Could I walk it?

- Quicker than I can drive you.

Tell me where it is.

Turn left, go about 200 yards,

then ask again.

Keep moving, please.

- Is this all the passengers?

- The complete list.

- No stowaways?

- Not as far as we know.

Did you expect to find the child, sir?

It's not just the child. Neither of them came.

Neither one of them.

You know what that means,

don't you, Andrews?

You and I made them up.

We made up the whole family.

Go and ring the Lakes flat.

Hello, my dear.

What about a little drink and a dance?

You do dance, don't you?

No reply, sir, from the Lakes flat.

Four nights.

Four or five nights.

She said five. He said four.

- Lf it was five, theyd have come on...

- Wednesday.

Yes. Did any of your boats arrive

on Wednesday of last week?

Not ours, definitely.

Well, what did?

Something must have crossed the Atlantic.

- Well?

- From New York?

From America.

The Bremen, bound for Bremerhaven...

arrived Southampton, Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.

- Can you get me a passenger list?

- Tonight?

No, I don't mean tonight. I mean, now.

Come up. I've almost finished it.

- Good evening.

- Come in, my dear.

I thought it was someone else.

Yes, I've got a near fatality here...

and I told the char to leave the door

unfastened for its mother...

who lives next door.

She's only 6 years old, you see.

And at that age, theyre always alarmists

about their children.

But you look pale. Are you all right?

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