Farewell, My Lovely Page #5

with Joe Louis.

- Did DiMaggio do it?

- Sure.

Thanks, Georgie.

Ha! Ha!

Thanks, Georgie.

So long, Mr Marlowe.

'I went back to my office

after a week,

'after the toughest

few minutes of my life,

'telling Tommy Ray's wife

she was a widow,

'and the kid

that his daddy was gone forever.

'But DiMaggio was still going

strong...on his own record, now.

'Would he hit safely in every game

forever? It seemed that way.

'And why not? He was only 26 and

playing baseball in the sunshine.

'He heard little boys cheer...

not cry.'

(Phone rings )

Hello.

It's me.

I began to think you'd won

the Irish sweepstakes and took off.

Ha! What else were you thinking?

- Thinking about tonight.

- What about tonight?

The White Orchid. There's a

private party honouring my husband.

This is an election year.

I can't very well get out of it.

Why don't you meet me there

around nine?

You're on. Nine o'clock. Bye.

(Slow cabaret music)

(Inaudible )

A bourbon on the rocks

and a scotch on the rocks.

You're right on time.

Your husband has a lot of friends.

Well, everyone in politics does...

enemies too.

What about Burnette?

Is he friend or foe?

Friend.

He owns this club.

- Do you know Laird?

- Yeah.

A lot of us in the DA's office

thought of him as a hood.

- And the DA?

- He thought I oughta leave.

How did you meet?

He owns a top-rate gambling boat

off-limits.

I think Baxter helped him straighten

out a problem with the water taxis.

Mr Burnette would like a word with

you, Mr Marlowe. It's important.

Go on, Philip. I'll be back.

Nice to see you, Marlowe.

You look good.

You're cute, too.

We go back a long way. To the time

you wanted to see me spanked.

- I still do.

- What for?

All I do is run towns, elect judges

and mayors, corrupt police,

peddle dope,

ice old ladies with pearls.

Well, you're mixing with some

pretty fancy people now, aren't you?

Well, yeah...

You're not doing so bad yourself.

You're the first guy I've seen with

Judge Grayle's wife who wasn't...

About that guy, Marriott,

did you know him well?.

She's the one who gambles,

he just tagged along.

OK, what's so important?

I need a little help. You ever

do a job, no questions asked?

There's always one question.

How much?

Fine.

Two grand.

Two grand! What for?

I wanna talk to Moose Malloy.

Hah! I don't blame you.

He's so gay, witty and charming.

What's the matter?

Can't your boys find him?

No. The police can't either.

I have friends, Marlowe.

That's how I know

Moose is your client.

I've only seen him twice.

That's more than anybody else.

Two thousand dollars?

It's gotta be some talk.

If you're worried about his health,

you can be there.

How nice. As a mediator,

or to stop the bleeding?

Buy yourself a new suit, Marlowe.

- Mrs Grayle.

- Hello, Laird.

I'll be on my boat.

- I'll see you...

- Sooner the better, Marlowe.

Where to?

- To my place?

- What for?

We've got everything

we need with you.

'She was incredibly beautiful.

And she was something, Nulty,

'really something.

'I had no intention of letting Moose

in a room with Burnette,

'but there was something going on.

What?

'Taking the money was

the best way to keep in.'

(Gunshot)

(Squealing tyres and another shot)

'Two close misses.

He had to be real good to do that.

'Good enough to hit...

if you wanted to.

'Somebody put a show on for me.

'Why?

'My car was being fixed when

I got the call from Mrs Florian.

'It was Sunday and I'd been hanging

around hoping to hear from Moose.

'I suggested we talk

on the phone... Stupid!

'You can't pour bourbon

on the phone.'

Thanks.

Where you been? I've been

tryin' to reach you for days.

I've been sick.

In a hospital?.

Yeah. Pet hospital.

Hey, take it easy on me, will you?

Your friend, ah...Tommy Ray...

he got killed.

What?! My God!

Why?

You know...he gave me

a phoney picture of Velma.

I been in touch with Velma.

How'd you find her?

Through the grapevine.

Sure it was her?

Honey, I never forget a voice.

OK, the next time you talk...

She won't talk to no one but Moose.

I'd like to talk to him.

It's been two weeks.

What'll I tell her?

(Sighs ) She call every day?

Same time?

Don't let on to the Moose

it was me tipped you off.

No, no. Look...

the next time he gets in touch,

I'll call you, give you his number.

So she can call him direct, right?

- Don't go so soon.

- I've got to, honey.

Let me have a rain check.

'I was followed for the next couple

of days, but it didn't bother me.

'I knew I was safe

while nobody found the Moose.

'As long as he breathed,

I breathed.'

Hey, Georgie. Keep an eye on that

car. Tell me if you see it again.

(Ringing, door slams )

- Hello?

- This is Moose Malloy. Remember?

Remember(? ) Yeah, somewhat(!)

Where you been hiding?

Where nobody found me.

Those are the best places.

Listen, Velma wants to talk to you.

You found my Velma?

Almost... She'll only talk to you.

We have to wait for her call.

Where?

I could come to you.

I wouldn't like that.

Well... OK, I'll think of something.

Listen, how well do you know

Laird Brunette?

Never heard of him.

How about Baxter Wilson Grayle?

- How many people is that?

- One.

I never heard of him.

I just thought of a place.

'I called Mrs Florian,

left Georgie's number,

'now it was up to Velma.

'I had lots of questions for Moose,

but he had one thing on his mind.'

Why don't she call?.

How the hell do I know?

You said my Velma would call.

I've been slapped, scratched,

punched, knocked unconscious,

drugged and shot at

looking for Velma...

so quit tryin' to make a milkshake

out of my insides.

Stop it!

(Phone )

Hello?

'It only took a second

to know who it was,

'you could see the seven years

inside melting off him.'

Hiya, babe.

(Sighs ) It's been a long time.

I got it.

Yeah.

Here.

Pay me back when you can.

Come on, I'll drop you off.

Thanks.

See you later, Georgie.

So long, Mr Marlowe.

'It was one of those

transient motels,

'something between

a fleabag and a dive.

'I felt like seeing Velma myself,

'but this was

a real moment for the big guy,

'and three would be a crowd.

'If ever anything didn't belong...

'that car in the alley was it.'

(Marlowe ) Moose! Get down!

Phew!

'I'd hit them, but I didn't know

if they were dead or alive.

'But that didn't stop Moose.

He was checking for his Velma.'

You were set up, Moose.

Don't you understand?

She said she'd be here.

Who's tryin' to get to you, Moose?

What's goin' on?

Was there somebody else

in the robbery?

Are they tryin' to shut you up,

or what?

They must have my Velma somewhere.

Who? Moose, tell me, WHO?

'He showed his appreciation

in his usual, gentle manner.'

Supposed to call me

when he got in touch, remember?

The Commissioner told me

lay off, remember?

Don't be such a wise-ass. We could

charge you with three murders.

Recognise him?

No, why don't you ask Marlowe?

I bet there's not a state

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