Farewell, My Lovely Page #4

I could feel in my hip pocket.'

This is my husband,

Judge Grayle, Mr Marlowe.

Please sit down, Mr Marlowe.

Mix Mr Marlowe a drink, Nelson.

Yes, ma'am.

- You're not what I expected.

- In what way?

The last person to see poor Lindsay,

I thought would be a friend.

- If you know what I mean.

- He just asked me to tag along.

He had to ransom a Fei Tsui jade

necklace stolen from a friend.

- Thank you.

- That'll be all, Nelson.

I'm a private detective.

I understand you, ah...collect

Fei Tsui jade, Mr Grayle?

I have a very fine collection,

but nothing's been stolen.

(Marlowe ) He said

it was from a woman.

I wonder what he had in mind.

We only have one necklace.

- Oh, priceless?

- Mm-hm.

You don't have to bother with this,

honey. You should get some rest.

I think I will go lie down a while.

Glad to have met you,

Mr Marlowe.

Thank you, sir.

Mr Grayle hasn't been feeling well

for some time. He tires easily.

Hell, I like drinking.

Was he an old friend, Mr Marriott?

Sort of.

He accompanied me places.

Well, Lindsay had to tell me

something to get me to go along.

You're a very good-looking man

to be in this kinda business.

Well, I hope

you don't hold that against me.

Poor Lin.

He was rather a heel,

but to die like that is terrible.

- Did you trust him?

- Yes.

Why?

I don't know, I trust some people.

I trust you.

Why don't you come here

and sit beside me?

I've been thinking about that

for some time.

Ever since you first

crossed your legs, to be exact.

These damn things

are always up around your neck.

Do you do this sort of thing often?

No, I'm usually pretty busy...

at the monastery, praying

with the other monks.

How long did you know Marriott?

Oh, years. I liked him.

I'd like to know who killed him.

Would you find out?

I'll pay you, of course. A lot.

- A lot?

- Mm-hm.

Marriott lived like he had a lot. He

wasn't borrowing from you, was he?

You're a little old-fashioned,

aren't you?

Your name's Phil, isn't it?

Philip, what's yours?

Helen, kiss me.

(Door opens )

Who was that?

- That was Mr Grayle.

- Forget him.

I'm trying to.

He understands.

What the hell can he expect?

I know, he tires easily.

I tell you, it's all right.

He's a sick man.

You'd never know from the muscle

he carries in this town.

That kind of muscle

you can use from a wheelchair.

- Where can I call you?

- I'm in the telephone book.

- What's wrong?

- There's nothing wrong.

Oh, jeez, you are old-fashioned,

aren't you?

From the waist up.

'After I'd parked my car

and started for my office,

'I realised

I'd forgotten to tune in the news.

'The Yankees were in Washington

against the Senators.

'DiMaggio would break the record

if he hit in both games.

'I couldn't wait

to get to my radio.'

Howdy.

Howdy.

'I thought I recognised the smile,

'but I knew there was nothing

I could do about it.

'This phone kept ringing.

It was driving me nuts.

'I prayed someone would answer it.

'I didn't realise

it was ringing inside my head.'

Where you want him?

Sit him down, sit him over there.

'I'd once seen a photo of Francis

Amthor, LA's famous madam.

'And there she was...in the flesh.'

Hey. Did I deliver, huh?

Go on, honey.

OK, girls.

Nice to meet you, Mr Marlowe.

I'm so glad you could make it.

Nice to have a night out

with the boys.

Please, don't smoke, Mr Marlowe.

I don't like it.

Honey, go on to your room.

I just wanna speak to Moose Malloy.

I'm only gonna ask you once.

I told you. I don't like smoke.

Who told you to get up?

I think you're a very stupid person.

You look stupid,

you're in a stupid business

and you're on a stupid case.

I get it, I'm stupid.

You shouldn't have done that,

Marlowe.

(Evil cackling)

(Cackling echoes )

'The room was full of smoke.

'The smoke hung straight up

in the air in thin lines.

'Straight up and down like a curtain

of small, clear beads.

'It didn't dissolve, didn't float

off, didn't move.

'It was a grey web,

woven by a thousand spiders.

'I wondered how they'd got them

to work together.

'''OK, Marlowe'', I said. ''You're

a tough guy. Six feet of iron man.

'''190 pounds stripped

and with your face washed.

'''Hard muscles and no glass jaw.

You can take it.

'''You've been sat down twice.

'''You've been shot full of hop

'''until you're as crazy

as two waltzing mice.

'''Now what does all that amount to?

Routine.

'''Now let's see you do something

really tough, like gettin' up.''

'I crawled along the floor,

thinking:

'''How the hell

can I get under that door?''

'I sensed somebody else in the room.

'I wished it was part

of my nightmare, but it wasn't.

'It was Tommy Ray.

He'd never blow another horn.

'I was torn between

making myself walk

'and wanting to lie down on the bed.

'It was a lovely bed.

It was made of rose leaves.

'It was the most

beautiful bed in the world.

'They'd got it from Carole Lombard.

It was too soft for her.

'I was still fighting it,

though, still walking.

'Then some footsteps I heard

made up my mind for me.

'I had to get back into bed,

like it or not.

'I decided to play dead. I didn't

have to be a hell of an actor.'

(Keys rattle )

Come on, hillbilly, rise and shine.

Come on, Amthor wants you.

Hey, you ain't croaked, are you?

'If I had any sense, I would've

tried to get out of there.

'But sometimes I'm short on sense.

'All I could think of was

getting my hands on Francis Amthor.

'It was an old house,

'built as they don't build them

any more.

'Fitting and proper

for housing the oldest profession.'

(Sobbing)

(Girl laughs )

Uh-huh. No, no.

That buzzer's no good tonight.

I put one of your boys to sleep.

You've been a very sick man, sir.

I can't recommend you

being up and around yet.

I may look sick,

but don't let that fool you.

I'm in a rare mood tonight.

I can hear the banshees calling.

I haven't shot anybody in a month.

Whisky?

Nah, you first.

I've run out of trust in this joint.

To your health, sir.

What remains of it.

I had a nightmare.

Silly idea, I dreamt I was shot full

of dope and locked up in a room.

They knocked me on the head

and took me some place

where they did that to me.

I vaguely remember somebody

asking about Moose Malloy.

You were saying?

I made no remark.

What's so important about Malloy?

Why was Marriott killed?

What's the matter?

Cathouse got your tongue?

What the hell is it about Malloy?

Look, this is a gun.

(Laughs )

When you got a gun on you, you're

supposed to do what you're told.

Not when you're

about ready to collapse.

(Evil laugh)

What is it? What?

Tell me, come on. What do you want?

Johnny's with your Doris.

Wait a minute,

where do you think... Stop!

You goddamned tramp!

(Girl screams )

What have you done to me!

(Doris screaming)

(Girl) Move it, move it. Let's go!

(2nd girl) Where's my robe?

'I had only one place to go, Nulty.

'And I prayed to God

that I could make it.

(Knocking)

(Marlowe knocks ) Georgie!

Jeez!

You look like you went 10 rounds

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