Crime Wave Page #3

That's nonsense and you know it.

Sick men get well again.

Yeah. And you hate to lose a patient.

Well, you're gonna lose this one.

Mark, you stay here with a couple of men

and find that dough.

Don't worry about wrecking the joint.

Just find it.

Right.

All right, hot shot, put out your hands.

All right, turn around.

You don't like that, do you, Mrs. Lacey?

Well, just remember,

it can happen to you, too,

if you're covering up for this guy,

so don't try to walk out on us.

- You're a material witness.

She has a job.

- So what?

- Are you taking that away from her?

You can keep your job.

But when your day's work is finished,

I want you right here where I can find you.

He means he'll use this place as a trap

with you for the bait.

Morgan found us here.

Maybe the others will, too.

Don't stay here, Ellen.

Forget about me. Get out of town.

You finished, Mr. Lacey?

I'm sorry, Mrs. Lacey.

Such a shame, isn't it? It's so useless.

What will they do with him?

He has rights. I'll see that he gets them.

- Will those men really come here?

- I don't think so.

If they're in town,

they'll know the place is watched.

Good night, Mrs. Lacey.

You can call me anytime.

You like it here, Lacey?

Kind of takes you back to Quentin,

don't it?

Especially the nights,

the mutter and groan

of the men in the cell blocks,

the tramp of the walkers,

the block guards going their rounds.

You want to go back there?

You want to leave your wife?

I want to be left alone.

That's all, just leave me alone.

Two years I let you alone.

What do you want, Christmas every day?

I let you alone because I didn't need you.

Now I do.

- You've got me.

- You're no good to me in here.

This is just a reminder

of what could happen, for keeps.

Look, pigeon, I need you on the outside.

Hastings and Doc Penny,

they headed south for the border.

They didn't cross it. They stuck up

a couple of spots down San Diego way.

Now, if you were to drop down to Diego

and leave word around the right places

- that you had news for them...

- I'm no fink.

That's exactly it.

They know that and they trust you.

One day's work and I drop all charges.

A nice little trip, all expenses paid.

- Including my funeral?

- You're stubborn, but you're not afraid.

You're an ex-con

with a new beef around your neck

and I can hang you with it.

Hang me, then.

One job like that

and I'm your pet rat for the rest of my life,

walking the gutters,

listening to the whispers,

reporting everything I hear.

No.

Not me.

Send O'Keefe in.

You know,

it isn't what a man wants to do, Lacey,

but what he has to do.

Now, you take me.

I love to smoke cigarettes

but the doctors say I can't have them.

So what do I do?

I chew toothpicks, tons of them.

Lieutenant.

Come on, Steve. Let's go.

Come on, Steve.

You don't have to be ashamed.

I explained everything.

On my way back,

I'll stop by where your wife works

and tell her she can pick you up tonight.

Thanks.

Welcome back, Steve.

I'm sorry about what happened,

Mr. Sweeney.

Forget it. Mr. O'Keefe said you're clean.

It's okay with me.

Pick up where you left off, boy.

I won't complain

about getting this guy back on the job.

One of the best A and E mechanics

in these parts.

If it would be possible to marry an engine,

I'm sure he'd never have married

a woman.

I don't care, we have a right

to splurge just for tonight.

Charred and rare?

Charred and rare.

And that big baked potato smiling at me.

Well, that's the only hot potato

that can smile at you

without making me jealous.

And that's what I call a touching scene.

What's the matter?

Ain't you glad to see us?

Sure he's glad. So glad he can't talk.

Introduce us.

- Doc Penny.

- How do you do?

Ben Hastings, my wife.

Old friends from his alma mater.

- Steve sure picked himself a doll.

- Yeah.

Nice little home, cute little wife and a job.

Not a good job, maybe,

but one that puts beans on the table.

- What do you want?

- What do we want? That's a question.

Hospitality, a kip.

- A kip?

- Bed and board to you, Mrs. Lacey.

Fix some supper,

Stevie's friends are hungry.

You're crazy to come to this house.

Don't you know Morgan's dead?

- We can read.

- He died in that room.

- Who called the cops?

- I called my parole officer.

What could I do, drop him down the drain?

They tore this place to pieces

looking for the stickup money.

- And who got it?

- Hessler.

He came too late

but he grabbed his fee just the same.

We'll find out about that.

Can't you see what I'm trying to tell you?

This place is hot.

They had me down at the city jail

for three days.

What did you tell them

that they turned you loose?

I told them nothing.

But this place is being watched.

That's true.

The police warned me not to leave here.

Oh, don't worry, baby.

We won't let them get you.

They won't look for us here.

Why do you think I pulled that stickup

on the road to San Diego?

That was a red herring

so as we could double back

and shack up

with old Stevie and his missus.

We got no room, no place to sleep.

We'll make a place. One big happy family.

Yeah, and hey, look, steaks.

What's the idea, only two of them?

- Well, I'll go get some more.

- No, you won't. Nobody goes.

You boys can have the steaks.

We're not hungry.

Wait till I tell the boys

how Stevie invited us for home cooking.

"What's your hurry?" he says.

"Stick around for a couple of days and

we'll bat the breeze for old times' sake. "

- Hello, Hessler. You working overtime?

- Yes, sir.

What's the matter with him?

Malignant infection.

His master brought him here

and said, "Put him to sleep. "

Is that what you're doing?

No, I'm trying to save him

on my own time.

People.

They accept the love of a dog,

and then when it gets old and sick,

they say, "Put it to sleep. "

And do you know what they call it?

Mercy. That's what they call it.

You're a character, Hessler.

How many years

did it take to make you a doctor?

A doctor of humans, I mean.

Twelve, fourteen years.

Have a drink?

I was a specialist, you know,

post-graduate in Europe,

intern and then my practice.

And then the big mistake, the girl died.

Now you hate people and love dogs.

The walls do that.

Gets pretty lonely up there.

What do you want?

Remember, a couple of nights ago,

you were stopped in a roadblock?

Yes.

Where were you bound that night?

I was coming back to the hospital.

No. No, you weren't.

It took a little time

but we checked on that.

I believe you were on your way

to Steve Lacey's apartment.

- Lacey?

- Lacey.

You know him. Did time with him upstate.

Oh, yes, yes, Lacey.

But I don't even know where he lives.

Was Morgan dead when you got there?

What are you talking about?

You know all the ex-cons.

They all call you when they pass

through town on an emergency.

Come on, spill it.

Was Morgan dead when you got there?

I told you, I don't know

what you're talking about.

You're forgetting we had Lacey

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes