Chicago Deadline Page #7

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that lived at 3640 West Randolph Street.

Any good?

Rosita's icy fingers reached out from the morgue today

to bring death to...

He's a gruesome fellow, isn't he?

What's your assignment for tonight?

Keep you out of trouble.

You know how?

No.

Find Solly Wellman and stick to him.

Don't let him out of your sight.

That way you'll keep me in good health

and keep Temple home.

Temple? Why are you giving this to me, Ed?

What's wrong?

Just write it from a news angle. I won't.

I'm interested in another side of the story.

Oh, the dame, huh?

But why, Ed?

Maybe because she isn't here to tell me.

You know how it is, Pig. You meet a girl,

she starts to tell you all about herself.

Oh, I don't know.

About her family, what happened to her when she was a kid.

About some guy she was in love with.

Rosita's guy stole the book.

How she was kicked around.

If you care anything at all about her,

you start to see it all through her eyes.

We got a lot of seeing to do, brother.

She was as loose as ashes.

That's not true.

You see, Pig, you're tabbing on circumstantial evidence.

Okay, okay.

There's the story.

Not Gribbe's icy fingers from the morgue,

but the story of a girl who was kicked around because she had

an overdose of sympathy, loyalty or kindness.

Or something. You know, the problem to me is because

I haven't been drinking enough.

Do you mind if I know where we're going?

To the fight, see Bat versus somebody.

You mean you're going to watch a fight?

Yeah, come on.

See you later, Pig.

Ed, haven't you had enough?

Why do we have to go to fights?

I told you. To see Bat Bennett and his manager Cavanaugh,

If my hunch is right, they'll be the last link.

They should be. They're the last entry in the book.

Solo for an unlucky woman winds up.

Honey, what did you take as a sedative

before you met me?

Are you all right?

Sure.

Did it ever occur to you to get an honest job?

I see what you mean.

Take your seat. I'll be down later.

This way, please.

Bat Bennett?

This way.

Keep away from me or I'll kill you!

Let me talk to you, Bat, come on...

Lay off!

Bat, these guys are like this all the time.

Only one fight away from championship

and I thought I knew fighters.

What's the matter, Jerry? You read the paper?

I told every blockhead in the place

if he got hold of a paper before this fight...

Who are you?

Adams, from The Journal.

Get out of here.

I'd sit down if I were you, Jerry.

What's the idea? I don't talk to any reporters.

I gotta get out there. He'll get murdered.

He was pretty crazy about her, wasn't he?

Who?

Rosita.

I don't know what you mean.

Oh, yes you do.

You met her at Hotspur Shaner's.

What gives you that idea?

You wouldn't know about it,

but it's on the same line in the book.

What book?

I said you wouldn't know about it.

He knew her as Helen Ransom, didn't he?

That's why he didn't want him to see a picture of her

in the paper.

I don't know what you're talking about.

He'd get laughed out of every ring in the country.

A wonderful comic character.

You'd better give, Jerry.

I'm gonna get it out of you one way or another.

Look, is money any good in your racket?

No, not now, no.

Well, will you give us a break?

That all depends.

Okay. But now you gotta take care of me.

You know Shaner?

I spent the afternoon with him.

Well, we met the dame there all right.

I've known the guy a long while...

I used to drop in and play chess with him.

But he kept her as a kind of a mystery.

It never bothered me, but it did Bat.

He tried not to show it, but he's about as tough to read

as a circus poster.

Thank you, my dear.

Can I get you a glass of beer?

No, thanks.

Well, good night.

Good night.

Bat, please!

Do you want me to raise a racket?

Bat, this is unfair.

Sure it is. When do I see you?

You don't.

You don't.

Look, why can't I tell that old guy

so I can see you and take you out?

No, Bat.

What gives, anyway? What do you get out of living like this?

I told you before. It doesn't matter.

Look, honey, I don't care if you want to be

a mystery woman...

You can be Joe Sawlings niece, I don't care.

I figure it's easy. Bat's been giving me trouble with dames

and here it is on a platter.

The regular Blue-Plate Special.

He was really daffy about her.

He'd hang around afternoons

and drive her to the stores, just to talk to her.

Can you figure?

It's a perfect setup.

I could handle her. She wouldn't be suing us

or wanting us to marry her.

I'm a wise guy, all right.

So I tell her the story.

She was a funny dame. She didn't say a word.

Just put your hand in the same glove, baby, and believe me,

it'll be a chance glove.

They can't stop it.

And I guarantee it will be well worth your while.

Don't get any cute ideas, though.

I'm running the show.

Any time you forget it...

I talk to Shaner and a few other parties around town

who might want to know where you're hiding out.

Okay?

Okay.

And don't tell the old man we talked.

No.

I'll handle him. Trust Jerry Cavanaugh.

Sure.

So long.

She left Shaner. She wrote him a note that

didn't say much in blue.

It broke the old man all up.

And Bat... well, it worked okay.

But he finally tabbed her for a phony and got mad.

That's when he really started fighting.

Then tonight he reads about her in the paper, that's all.

He blamed himself and he blames me.

Can you figure?

Look! I gotta get outta here.

Look, Adams, you'll give us a break.

You'll fix it for us, won't ya?

Yeah, sure.

Come on, break it up, break it up.

One, two, three, four...

five, six, seven...

Journal.

Desk.

Hey, Ed, have you gone crazy?

Where are you?

Hello. It's Pig.

Cut him in.

Ed? Pig just called in. I got him here now.

Hello, Pig.

Hello, Ed?

Yeah, Pig.

You were right, Great Heart.

Pig, for crying out...

Will you shut up, George, and let me talk.

Look, Ed...

I found Solly and followed him.

He met Temple in the suite at the Maywood.

That's where I am now. They talked about 20 minutes.

Then Solly left down the stairs.

So I went for the elevator. While I'm waiting I hear a shot.

So I went back to the room, got in and found Temple...

on the floor with a bullet through his head.

DOA.

Pig, sit there. Don't let anyone in.

Lock the doors, stay by the phone.

Ed.

Yeah?

Where are you?

At the stadium.

What is it? What have you got on him?

Temple was financing Solly and his rackets.

Is it proved?

No, but we can blow it wide open now.

Give a tip for me, George.

Police are looking for Solly Wellman.

Last known address, 880, North State.

For the killings of Blacky Franchot and John Spingler.

Are they?

They will be when they read it.

Well, what about Rosita? What have you got on her?

And what was her angle on Temple?

Was Solly using her as a lever on Temple?

What about him?

I'll call you back.

Hey, what's the racket?

Is that him, lieutenant?

No siren. I don't want to catch him.

And keep out of sight.

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