I Wake Up Screaming Page #3

We've all gotten it. We may as well admit it.

- Surely you got some fun out of it.

- That's where you're wrong.

All I got was a handshake,

a smile and a promise.

I had to sit around with that sourpuss sister

of hers waiting for Vicky to come home.

- You're kidding.

- On the level. Night after night.

Didn't you even

get a souvenir?

Well, I... got this.

She gave it to me once

when she had an appointment.

She told me to go up

to her apartment and wait.

I waited,

and she came in with you.

I'll be darned.

There's another for the scrapbook.

I wonder if there could've been somebody

else in her life all the time.

Well, if there was,

he must've been a locksmith.

Was there anyone in her life

before this Frankie Christopher?

On your last visit to New York,

for instance, about a year ago?

Any little incident that you can remember

may be of enormous help.

She was working in the restaurant then

and working pretty hard.

She didn't have much time

for running around, and-

Now that you mention it, I-I do

remember a queer thing that happened.

I didn't think much of it

at the time, but, well...

I was sitting in the place one night, waiting

for her to finish so we could go home...

when-

- I'll be with you in a minute, sis.

- Okay.

Vicky?

You seem to have an admirer. There was some

guy looking through the window at you...

like the wolf looked

at the three little pigs.

I'm used to that.

With that plate-glass window...

I've got about as much privacy

as a lingerie mannequin.

It doesn't mean a thing.

That's the one.

- Gives me the creeps.

- You'll have to get used to that.

We've got more wolves in New York

than they have in Siberia.

I saw him several times

after that.

He never said anything, never accosted us

or bothered us in any way...

but he frightened me.

There was something strange

about him, the way he'd look at her...

the way he'd turn up

in the most unexpected places.

Perhaps if you could find that man,

you'd find the murderer.

Mysterious stranger, huh?

Young lady, you'll have to do better than that.

Me and my partner weren't born yesterday.

- Why are you trying to protect

Frankie Christopher?

- I'm not trying to protect him.

I just don't believe he did it.

Was there ever anything between you

and this Frankie Christopher?

- What are you saying?

- You were in love with him, weren't you?

- That's a lie!

- You were in love with him,

and he didn't give you a tumble...

so you put your sister

out of the way.

Let me out of here!

You have no right to talk to me like that.

- Who do you think you are?

- I'm a poor, underpaid detective

trying to get at the facts.

Well, I demand

to see somebody in authority!

- I wanna see the head man around here!

- Get Cornell.

- We don't wanna get tough with

you unless we have to.

- I told you I didn't do it.

[Detective]

Inspector, you're wanted inside.

All right, boys.

Keep him warm. I'll be right back.

- Here you are.

- Thanks.

All right, young lady.

Here's the head man.

That's him!

That's the man!

- What's this?

- She's crazy. She said she

saw a mysterious stranger...

peeking through the window

of the joint where her sister worked.

- Now she says it's Ed.

- What about it, Ed?

Do you peek through windows?

Sure. When it happens to be my district.

That's my job, Miss Lynn, to look at people.

I admit he looks

as if he'd do anything...

but at the time of the murder,

he happened to be in Albany with me.

Frankie Christopher took you and your sister

out for a ride the evening before the murder.

What happened on that ride?

There's nothing important about that.

Vicky was just imagining things.

- Like you?

- I'm not imagining anything! I did see you!

All right. I'm a Peeping Tom.

Now, about the ride-

- Well, it's really so silly. I hate to-

- Come on. Let's have it.

Christopher just told me all about it,

so you'd better not withhold anything.

Well, it was the night before

Vicky was to leave for Hollywood.

Frankie came by to pick us up

and take us for a ride.

We were driving along,

not thinking much of anything, when-

## [Humming]

We'll be sorry

to see you go, Vicky.

- No, you won't. You'll be glad.

- [Frankie] What?

You'll be glad

to get rid of me.

- Jill's in love with you. Haven't you noticed?

- Vicky, don't be silly.

I'm not silly.

I've known it a long time.

She's tried to cover it up,

but I've known.

You're crazy. Nothing like that's

ever entered my head.

I know.

It's much deeper than that.

That's why it's so dangerous.

Anything might happen.

Let's go back now,

shall we?

Now, she said to Christopher,

"You'll be glad to get rid of me."

- Is that it, word for word?

- Yes. But she didn't mean anything like that!

What she meant we'll never know.

It's what she said that counts.

Now tell us how

and when you found the body.

Well, it was about 5:30

in the afternoon.

I'd gotten away early

from the office.

Even as I came out of the elevator,

I had a feeling something was wrong.

I don't know quite how to explain it, but there

was music coming from the apartment, and-

##[Popular]

- Vicky!

- I just came in, just this second.

Is she?

Jill, you don't think

I did it, do you?

You don't, do you?

## [Radio Switches Off]

I'm not quite clear

on what happened after that.

The next thing I knew,

the room was filled with police.

Thank you very much, Miss Lynn.

You've been most helpful.

- I give up.

- Say, you fellas give up too easy.

How 'bout playing

a couple games of gin rummy?

Exactly what did Vicky mean when she said,

"You'll be glad to get rid of me"?

- Where did you get that?

- Never mind where I got it. What did she mean?

- I don't know.

- I'll tell you what she meant.

She knew you resented

her running out on you.

When you left those two fellas at the bar,

you started to get drunk.

You drank all that night and the next day.

Your mind became more and more inflamed...

until you were mad

with jealousy and hurt pride.

I say you went up there

and killed her in cold blood.

- That's not true!

- It is true!

I got a good mind

to kill you myself right now!

- Take it easy, Ed? Take it easy.

- [Panting]

That's all for today,

Frankie. Sorry to bother you.

How 'bout a couple

of tickets for the rodeo?

You don't need any seats

for the rodeo.

All you need's a couple more bulls in here,

and you can have one of your own.

The assistant D.A. wants to see Christopher

in his office right away.

There you are, Frankie. You see?

He probably wants to apologize.

[Chuckles]

Thanks.

- What's the idea of riding him so hard?

- I don't know.

I've had 15 years' experience

in this racket.

If that isn't the look of a guilty man,

I'll take the rap myself.

- Here he comes.

- What's the dope, Frankie?

- Give us a break, will ya?

- What'd he say?

- Sorry, boys. No statement.

- Allow me.

- What's the idea?

- I hear Ed Cornell is taking charge

of the investigation.

- That's right.

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