In a Lonely Place Page #3

Good luck. I'll call you, Brub.

No, I'll call you.

I'll see that Miss Gray gets home.

Thank you, but I always go home with

the man who brought me.

- I'll drive you back too.

- No, thanks. I'll walk.

I haven't been up this early in years.

How would you feel if you were brought

in for questioning at 5:00 a.m.?

Not good.

How would you feel if you were told

the girl you took home was murdered?

- I'd come apart at the seams.

- Yes, and people usually do.

Would you say Steele was

especially perturbed?

It's hard to tell how Dix feels about

anything. We never figured him out.

But he was a good officer

and his men liked him.

I like him too. I don't think

he killed Mildred Atkinson.

He's hiding something. I doubt if it's

the proverbial heart of gold.

- Say, do me a favour, will you, pal?

- Yes, sir?

I want to send two dozen white roses

to a girl.

- Yes, sir. Do you want to write a card?

- No, there's no card.

- The name's Mildred Atkinson.

- Yes, sir. What's her address?

I don't know.

Look it up in the papers.

She was murdered last night.

Yes, sir.

I shouldn't have left you last night.

I knew something was going to happen.

- You were in one of those moods.

- Yeah, you look awful.

- There's nothing wrong.

- Nothing wrong?

You should've heard

the 7:
00 news:

" Checkroom Beauty Murdered...

...Distinguished Screenwriter Takes

Hatcheck Girl Home to Tell Him Story."

- Dix!

- Could have happened to anybody.

But somehow

it always happens to you.

What did you tell the police?

- You know a girl named Laurel Gray?

- Dix, what did you tell the police?

Let's make a deal. Look her up

in the casting directory...

...l'll tell you

what I told the police.

Laurel Gray? Oh, that's the girl that's

been going around with Baker.

- She lives across the patio.

- The real estate Baker.

She also likes my face.

She wants a part.

I know a part she'd be good for.

Call Brody and tell him

I didn't read his book.

What for? When he finds out what's

happened he'll call it off anyway.

Asking a checkroom girl

to tell you the story.

You couldn't have insulted him more.

Tell him it was an ex cuse

for the police.

That's not bad.

Oh, here she is. She's been

in a couple low- budget pictures.

Let me see.

That checkroom girl left without you,

didn't she? Tell me.

Wonderful face.

Tell me. What happened?

Well, what do you think happened?

Mildred Atkinson's glass.

Don't do things like that!

I don't think...

...I just wanna know

that you're in the clear.

Mel, for now, I think I am.

That's what Capt. Lochner said.

Smart fellow.

Couple times he almost had me.

It was his story against mine.

But of course I told my story better.

Notes on Dix on Steele, continued:

" February, 1946:

Beer parlour brawl

on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Brought to station for questioning.

Discharged with warning."

Next number:

" March, 1947.

While working as screenwriter,

had fistfight with his producer.

Fractured producer's jaw. Fired.

No charges preferred."

I was smart. I covered all the angles.

I have an airtight alibi.

Dix, if you had anything

to do with it, tell me!

- Why do you want me to confess?

- I'll have to get you a lawyer...

- ...maybe get you into Mexico.

- Lippman and his connections!

Next number:

"June 22nd, 11 p.m.

Frances Randolph screams for help.

Charges Steele beat her up.

Then denies having made the charge.

Alleges nose broken

by running into a door."

He plays rough.

So do I. What else have we got?

Oh, come in.

Mr. Lippman, my agent.

Miss Gray, my alibi.

- Hello.

- Good morning.

- He believes I killed Mildred Atkinson.

- Stop it.

- Want a cup of coffee?

- No, thanks. I came to ask...

...if you could keep my name out of

the papers. You have connections?

I don't, but Mel does.

If you want to go to Mexico.

Shut up.

It's easier to get names into papers

than to keep them out.

You've kept mine out a few times.

Go ahead, try.

Well, I'll try,

but I can't promise anything.

Miss Gray, did you really see him

after that girl left?

- Of course I did.

- Sometimes I wish I'd never met you.

But I'm very happy to have met you.

- The best straight man ever.

- You upset him.

When I told him I killed Mildred,

he had me across the border.

- Very funny.

- No, it's not very funny.

Good thing you like my face.

I'd be in trouble without you.

I told the police what I saw.

I have no idea what you did

after you closed your blinds.

You'd be surprised. I went to bed.

Perhaps I shouldn't have

closed my blinds.

You're one up on me.

You can see into my apartment...

- ...but I can't see into yours.

- I promise not to take advantage of it.

If it were the other way around, I'd

try to find out who you're hiding from.

Not hiding, avoiding.

It couldn't by any chance be

the real estate Mr. Baker?

- Could be.

- Picked up your little marbles, I hope?

We were getting married.

It wouldn't have worked.

You sneaked out the back door,

left no address.

That about covers it,

only it was my back door.

You know, you're out of your mind.

How could anybody

like a face like this?

- Look at it.

- I said I liked it...

...I didn't say I wanted to kiss it.

You're a quitter.

The "get out before you get hurt" type.

- ls that bad?

- You save yourself trouble that way.

I do. I think twice

before I get into something.

- You're getting into something now.

- No, I've only thought about it once.

- Are you a fast thinker?

- Not right now.

I didn't get much sleep last night.

A neighbour kept me awake.

Well, sleep.

We'll have dinner tonight.

We'll have dinner tonight,

but not together.

When you walked into

the police station, I said to myself:

"There she is, the one that's different.

She's not coy, or cute, or corny.

She's a good guy.

I'm glad she's on my side.

She knows what she wants."

Thank you, sir. But let me add...

...I also know what I don't want,

and I don't want to be rushed.

When you've made up your mind,

stop by. But not before noon.

Thank you, I will.

Your phone's ringing.

Hello?

Hello, Brub.

I can imagine a reunion

under better circumstances.

I just talked to Sylvia.

That's my wife.

She wants you to come

to dinner tomorrow night.

That's swell. And she said

to bring someone, if you like.

Well, maybe I will. But I won't know

till tomorrow, along about noon.

Okay.

Good.

Why didn't he dump her

- What difference does it make?

- lt'd be L.A.P.D.'s territory, not ours.

We know she was dumped

from a moving car.

No clues, motives or suspects.

Present company ex cepted.

What about Henry?

Who? Kesler?

Well, after she called him

and broke a date, he went to bed.

His mother brought him pie,

his father heard him snore.

First thing in the morning, he came

to the station. He was upset.

Substantial type,

eats pie before going to sleep.

You and Lochner don't see

enough whodunits.

We solve every murder

in less than two hours.

- You know who did it from the start.

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