Crime Wave Page #2

Here's some more.

Here's another one who lives near there.

Bannerman, safecracker.

He used to be the best box-man

on the West Coast.

He did time with our three upstate.

No, they'd never contact him.

He's become a hopeless drunk.

They'd know they couldn't trust him.

Here's a prospect.

Fordyce. You'd better keep abreast

of the times, Kelly.

They've got this guy in the county jail.

Yeah, now here's one.

If I was on the run and needed a cover,

I might contact a lad like this.

Steve Lacey, did five in Quentin,

paroled two years ago.

He'd have known those three up there.

Lacey's kept pretty straight

since he got out.

Yeah, I know.

Sober, industrious,

expert mechanic on airplane engines.

A pilot before they sent him up.

Now works at a private airport

in Sunland, right?

- Right.

- Call him.

Don't answer it, Steve. Let it ring.

He'll just want what they all want.

Let him think you're away

and that you're not here

and he'll leave you alone.

Once you've done a bit,

nobody leaves you alone.

- Somebody's always on your back.

- Steve.

No answer.

There, you see.

I told you.

Doesn't look so good for Mr. Lacey.

Who's there?

- Who is it?

- Open up, Lacey.

- Morgan?

- Steve.

What are you doing here?

- Is the Doc here?

- Doc who? Penny?

No. Otto Hessler.

Otto Hessler. Remember?

He was in the pen with us.

He's a real doctor, he used to be.

He'll patch me up.

I called him. I gave him your address.

Where'd you get it?

Never mind. I told him to come here.

I don't want him here or you, either.

I'm clean and I mean to stay that way.

Get out, Morgan.

I can't move, Steve. I'm hurt bad.

Don't touch him, Steve. Call the police.

No! Stay where you are.

Where are the others,

Penny and Hastings?

They coming here?

No. We had to break up.

They'll get you, Morgan.

They'll find you here.

Not if you help me.

Look, I walked a mile

so I wouldn't park a hot car on you.

I've got to get patched up.

Do me a favor. Call the Doc again.

Here's his...

On your feet, Morgan.

You're getting out of here.

Morgan.

Come on, get up. You hear me?

Come on. Come on. Wake up.

Stop it. Call the police now. Don't wait.

Yeah, sure, call the police, easy.

With Penny and Hastings loose?

If I turn him in, I'll be running till I'm dead.

Get up, Morgan. Come on, wake up.

Come on, Morgan, come on.

Wake up. Wake up!

You sent for me?

He did. Get him out of here quick, Hessler.

Has he got any money?

I won't touch him if he hasn't.

I don't know. Ask him.

He's dead.

No, no. He was just talking a minute ago.

Where's the money? He must have some.

He knew I wouldn't come unless I got it.

There's only $100 here.

From the way he spoke, he had more.

What happened to it?

I told you, I don't know. Put it back.

I'm entitled to it. I took a chance coming...

I said put it back.

Don't, Steve. Let him go. Let him have it.

All right, take it, take it all.

But you take him with you.

How can I? What would I do with him?

No. This is no affair of mine.

Absolutely not.

I'll have to do it myself.

I gotta get rid of him somehow.

No, you can't. Don't touch him.

Call your parole officer.

I call O'Keefe, he calls the police.

But you haven't done anything.

You're innocent.

Once you do a stretch,

you're never clean again.

You're never free.

They've always got a string on you

and they tug, tug, tug.

Before you know it, you're back again.

You've got to call him. Do it for me.

For you, yeah.

They can't do anything to you.

Can't they? You wait and see.

Just one thing,

he died before we could help him.

He didn't talk

and we didn't see Hessler. Nothing.

He was dying when he got here. That's all.

All right.

All right, anything you say.

Hello.

Hello. This is O'Keefe.

Who?

Oh, Steve Lacey.

What? Trouble? What kind of trouble?

Here, put these on.

You'll catch cold again. Who is it?

It's one of my boys, he's in trouble.

Oh, trouble? They're always in trouble.

They call you day and night.

Sometimes I wonder why you just don't...

This is bad, Steve.

He was shot and he came to me for help.

- I tried to get rid of him, but it was...

- Did you call the police?

No, sir. I called you first.

Then I'll be calling them myself.

No need for that, Mr. O'Keefe.

They're here now.

Then I'll be right over.

Must you go there?

Well, it's my job.

I'll see you at breakfast, maybe.

Come in, O'Keefe.

There's always room for one more.

All right, I'll go over it again

for your benefit.

Morgan staggered into the room

and held a gun on him, this gun.

Begged him to call a doctor.

Then what did you say, Lacey?

Tell it better this time or O'Keefe

won't be anymore impressed than I was.

At least he'll give me a chance,

he won't try to tie me up in knots.

What did you say?

I refused to help him,

told him to get out of here.

- Then what, Mrs. Lacey?

- I told you, he...

Let her speak. And remember, if you lie,

you can be held as an accessory.

Now, answer me.

He rolled out of the chair

and he fell on the floor.

And what did your husband do?

He tried to rouse him.

The man didn't answer

so then he examined him.

- Went through this pockets?

- No.

- I could see he wasn't breathing...

- Shut up.

I want the rest of it.

What about the other men

who were with him,

Hastings and Doc Penny?

I don't know what you mean.

There wasn't anybody with him.

Now, Mrs. Lacey,

how could the guy get here alone

if he was dying?

He would have had to walk a full mile

from where they left the car.

I know that. That's what he said.

You learned it by heart, didn't you?

Coached her good, Lacey.

I suppose you're gonna give him

a gold star for this.

I believe they're telling the truth.

I investigated this girl when Steve

asked permission to marry her.

She's straight as a string.

A woman who'd marry an ex-con

would lie for him.

She couldn't help herself.

Where's Hastings and Doc Penny?

If I knew, I couldn't tell you

and you know why. My wife...

Don't give me that.

You'd cover for them, wife or no wife.

- They've been in touch with you.

- No.

Then how could Morgan know

where you live?

I'm in the phone book.

- Check that.

- He's in there. I can tell you that.

You can, huh?

Three men stuck up a gas station tonight.

They slugged the attendant,

took 130 bucks and killed an officer.

When we got here, why,

Morgan was clean, not a nickel on him.

Now tell me about that.

- Where's the money, Lacey?

- I don't know.

- Come on. What did you do with it?

- I told you, I didn't touch his money.

How do you know

Morgan had any money on him?

Standard operating procedure.

They ditch the guy who gets hurt,

but they stake him for repairs.

Lacey knows that.

It's here somewhere.

I don't believe it.

Look, O'Keefe,

you stay on your side of the fence.

I'm looking for a cop killer.

I'm on my side.

I don't take things for granted.

I check and recheck.

Lacey's made good with me.

I have faith in him.

Once a crook, always a crook.

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