Farewell, My Lovely Page #3

Or any that come before me?

I liked your name best.

Really, I did. It's strong.

(Sighs ) OK, go ahead.

Have you heard of Fei Tsui jade?

- No.

- It's the only kind of real value.

A few nights ago, a friend

was wearing a necklace of it...

and she was held up.

- What's it worth?

- Well over a hundred thousand.

What's the plan?

Go where I'm told,

hand over the package of money

and receive the necklace back.

How much?

$15,000, that's why I decided

to have you with me.

And I'm willing to pay you

a hundred dollars.

Now, wait a minute,

You want to go off

and park in some dark petting place.

There's only one problem.

By now this thing's

been very well planned.

There's not much likelihood

of them roughing you up,

as long as you play ball.

But I don't think they'll like

the idea of twins,

one of us might get hurt.

Not much I can do, Mr Marriott.

However, I will take your $100

and tag along for the ride.

I'll carry the shopping money.

That means you'll come.

What the hell,

you're goofy about my name.

Speaking of names, this friend

of yours, what's her name?

I'd prefer not to mention it.

- Meet me at Beach Road at eight.

- Check.

At eight, then.

Hey!

I like your name too.

Been judging a flower show

in here, Marlowe?

That the winning daffodil

that just walked out?

I'd a hunch you'd be around,

so I sprayed.

You said Malloy would come see me

when he called.

Just pretend you're a detective

and figure out what happened.

Can we talk alone?

He makes me nervous.

I feel I should be

slippin' him a Finn.

I don't have to take

that sh*t from you, Marlowe.

Wait outside. Come on, wait outside!

And don't steal the doorknobs.

I need Malloy. I gotta bring him in.

The heat's on from upstairs.

What happens if you don't?

They gonna take that new suit?

Why do you care about him?

Since King Kong, I've been a sucker

for any gorilla who falls in love.

I'll nail you

for aiding and abetting.

Aiding what? You've got a dead

Negro. Nobody cares. What's changed?

Who tried to kill Malloy?

We're working on it.

Who's in charge, Billy Rolfe?

What's that mean?

Malloy's girl is in the booby hatch.

My nose is twitching, that's what.

An ex-con kills a coloured fella in

self-defence, you wash your hands.

Suddenly you want to get him.

Come on, Nulty, level with me.

I don't expect that crooked

son of a b*tch to level, but you!

We're police

and you're a private dick.

We could take your license.

Remember that!

I'll tie a string around my finger.

Oh, jeez, Marlowe.

Call me when he gets in touch.

'I started to think of ways

I could tell Moose about Velma,

'but none of them were any good.

'I forced myself to think

of my new client, Marriott.

'And I knew one thing: as soon as

someone says you didn't need a gun,

'you'd better take one along

that worked.

'I was having some Chinese food when

a dark shadow fell on my chop suey.'

You found my Velma yet?

Yeah, I found her.

Where is she?

Moose, I'm sorry,

I really am, but...

She's dead?

She might as well be.

She's in Camarillo...

and she ain't coming out.

- You're lying.

- I wish I was.

It's somebody else.

It's Velma.

I told you it was somebody else.

I want you to find my Velma.

You mean that's not her?

No more funny stuff, huh?

Hey Moose, wait a minute...

Is there something...

'Why had Tommy Ray given me a phoney

picture? I wanted to find out.'

He ain't been here all day.

It's just not like him.

Is my daddy comin' back?

'I was bailing out

some rich dame's necklace.

'but I couldn't get that kid's face

out of my mind.

'I stopped twice to find out

if Tommy Ray had returned.

'He hadn't.'

Here's your fee

and the 15,000 we discussed.

Right.

We're to make the exchange at the

barrier at the bottom of the canyon.

OK.

You hop in the back.

Get down out of sight.

They may be watching all the way.

This car sticks out like spats

at an Iowa picnic.

Well, there's the barrier.

Aren't they here?

Shh! Get down. Keep quiet.

Looks like a try-out

to see if you'll obey orders.

That can't be.

- I'm going to take a look around.

- No!

Don't you want your $100's worth?

- They said stay near the car.

- I'm not going far.

(Rolling waves )

(Thump )

(Thump )

(Rolfe ) Why'd he come to you?

He got my name

out of the telephone book.

- Think we believe that?

- Found your card on him.

They're free with bubble gum.

You left your car on Beach Road?

Why was it at Marriott's?

- Obviously somebody drove it there.

- What happened to the $15,000?

I bought Defence Bonds.

Let's start again, huh?

From the beginning.

Why don't I make it easy on us

and tell you what you want?

This fairy hired me to exchange

a necklace for cash.

We drove to the woods,

I shot him, buried the $15,000,

drove to his place, walked 15 miles

back, knocked myself out

and called the police.

- We could book you now.

- Go ahead.

What do you THINK happened?

Marriott wanted the money and

figured me for the fall guy.

(Rolfe ) Yeah, then killed himself.

He had an accomplice who was to

knock us out and take the money.

Instead, he killed Marriott,

not me, cos he figured

you'd fit me into the frame.

It fits the facts.

It's a theory, anyway.

Lieutenant,

the Commissioner wants to see you.

Bring him in my office.

You're in over your head

this time, Marlowe.

Maybe so. If I am, what are you

going to charge me to fix it?

I don't think I can, Marlowe.

Even if I wanted to.

You can go now. We'll find out more

about Marriott before we need you.

And forget about Malloy.

What do you mean?

He's lammed to Mexico.

- Who says?

- The Commissioner.

Well, now...

I said lay off the case!

That's a little more like it.

Right on the line. No more

of that lammed to Mexico bullshit.

How come Nulty? Why?

Get outta here, Marlowe.

And remember, I warned you.

'It didn't matter you were going to

look into Marriott's murder, Nulty.

'I still had a job to do.

'Marriott hired me to protect him,

I let him down.

'As far as I was concerned,

I was still working for him.

'Most of the fences I knew

'wanted to smell my breath

when I mentioned Fei Tsui jade,

'but one sent me

to a joint in Chinatown.'

(Speaks Chinese )

Yes?

Fei Tsui jade.

- You got?

- No.

I no got. I want.

- Everybody want.

- Who got?

Only big collector got.

- Who?

- Grayle.

Baxter Wilson Grayle?

He got.

Thanks.

'Judge Baxter Wilson Grayle,

'the most powerful political figure

in LA for a quarter of a century.

'His butler kept saying

the judge was unavailable,

'until I said I was the last person

to see Lindsay Marriott alive.

'The house wasn't much, it was

smaller than Buckingham Palace

'and had fewer windows

than the Chrysler Building.'

Mr Marlowe. Come this way, please.

Thank you.

Hello, Mr Marlowe.

Hello.

'Her hair was the colour of gold

in old paintings.

'She had a full set of curves which

nobody had been able to improve on.

'She was giving me the kinda look

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