Laura Page #5

- I know.

Shelby's dropping me off

at the hairdresser's later...

- so I thought I might as well come along.

- My excuse is equally feeble.

I just popped in

to pay my dubious respects...

and inquire as to

the state of your health.

- Insipid, I trust.

- I was just going to pour myself a drink.

- Care to join me?

- A very nice idea. Shelby, wouldn't you like one?

- I'll get it.

- Never mind.

- Bessie, would you bring a couple more glasses?

- Yes, sir.

Hi, Bessie.

What are you doing here?

I'm paid up for the week,

and I'm working, regardless.

- Would you like one, Lydecker?

- I see no reason to exclude myself...

if the host provides scotch.

- This do?

- I presume it'll have to.

How about you, Carpenter?

It's cheap, but it's potent.

As a matter of fact, I don't think I care

for any. I'm not much of a daytime drinker.

- Uh-huh. That'll be all for you, Bessie.

You can go home now. - But I- Yes, sir.

I remember when Laura

bought these glasses.

She loved them.

She loved all her things so.

What are you going to do?

Sell them?

I don't know.

I suppose so. Thank you.

If I'm appointed administrator of the estate,

I shall probably just call in Corey.

You mean Lancaster Corey,

the art dealer?

Yes. He was

a friend of Laura's.

Let him dispose of everything.

It'll be less gruesome that way.

Not quite everything, Ann.

Two or three things in here

belong to me.

This vase, for instance...

and that, uh, clock,

of course...

and the antique fire screen.

- I only lent them to Laura, you know.

- Oh, really, Waldo.

Yes, really. This vase is the gem of my

collection. I intend to have it back.

And the clock and the screen too.

But they aren't yours. You gave them

to Laura. I won't permit it.

Does an alleged fiance

have any voice in this matter?

I'll take the vase with me now and send someone

to collect the other things this very day.

Nothing is leaving here

except you, Lydecker.

Is that your quaint way

of indicating dismissal?

We're all going anyway. I have to be

back at headquarters by noon.

Lieutenant, I don't understand.

You sent for me, didn't you?

- Yeah.

- Well, don't you want to see me?

- Don't you want to ask me some questions?

- I'll be seeing you.

- Well-

- I bid you good day.

- Come along, Shelby.

- Are you making any progress on the case, Lieutenant?

We're doing all right.

- Hello, Mark.

- Go get something to eat. I'll take over.

- Thanks.

- Take your time.

Fred?

- Yes?

- What's the matter? Did you go to sleep?

This is McPherson.

Any calls come through?

Well, keep listening.

No. Nothing new.

I happened to see

the lights on.

Have you sublet

this apartment?

You're here often enough

to pay rent.

- Any objections?

- Yes.

I object to you prying

into Laura's letters...

especially those from me.

- Why? Yours are the best in the bunch.

- Thanks.

But I didn't

write them to you.

Haven't you any sense

of privacy?

Murder victims have

no claim to privacy.

Have detectives who buy portraits

of murder victims a claim to privacy?

Lancaster Corey told me

that you've already put in a bid for it.

That's none of your business.

McPherson, did it ever strike you

that you're acting very strangely?

It's a wonder you don't come here like a

suitor, with roses and a box of candy-

drugstore candy, of course.

Have you ever dreamed

of Laura as your wife...

by your side at the policeman's ball,

or in the bleachers...

or listening to the heroic story of how

you got a silver shinbone...

from a gun battle

with a gangster?

- I see you have.

- Why don't you go home? I'm busy.

Perhaps we can

come to terms now.

You want the portrait.

Perfectly understandable.

I want my possessions-

my vase, my clock and my screen.

Also perfectly understandable.

Now, if you-

Get going.

You better watch out, McPherson,

or you'll end up in a psychiatric ward.

I don't think they've ever had a patient

who fell in love with a corpse.

What are you doing here?

You're alive.

If you don't get out at once,

I'm going to call the police.

You are Laura Hunt,

aren't you?

Aren't you?

- I'm going to call the police.

- Well, I am the police.

Mark McPherson.

What's this all about?

Don't you know?

- Don't you know what's happened?

- No.

Haven't you seen the papers?

Where have you been?

Up in the country.

I- I don't get a newspaper.

- Haven't you got a radio?

- It was broken.

What-

Somebody was murdered

in this room.

Do you have any idea

who it was?

No.

Who had a key

to your apartment?

Nobody.

Are you sure?

- When did it happen?

- Friday night.

What are you

going to do now?

Find out

who was murdered...

and then find the murderer.

You'd better take off those wet clothes.

You might catch cold.

Yeah.

I found this in my closet.

It's Diane Redfern's.

It wasn't here when I left.

She's one of our models.

Just about my size.

Beautiful, wasn't she?

Do you suppose-

Sit down, please.

This is Monday night.

You left on Friday.

- Rather a long weekend, isn't it?

- Yes.

What train did you take?

The 7:
26.

- See anybody you knew on the train?

- No.

- Then what?

- Then I got off the train at Norwalk.

- Saw nobody you knew at the station either?

- No.

- Go on.

- Then I went to the garage where I keep my car.

It's a private garage.

Nobody saw me there either.

Then I drove to my house.

You were there three days.

What did you do?

Work in my garden.

You didn't go out

in all that time?

No. I had everything

I needed in the house.

- Nobody came to see you?

- Nobody.

I went there to be alone.

Police were there on Saturday.

There was no one in the house.

Oh, yes. Saturday,

I took a long walk.

I walked for hours

in the woods.

Mm-hmm. You were going to

marry Shelby Carpenter this week.

Thursday, if I'm not mistaken.

Yes.

Yet you went away

just before your wedding...

for a long weekend

to be alone.

I was tired.

I'd been working hard.

You know Shelby Carpenter has a key to

this apartment. Why didn't you tell me?

I know nothing of the sort.

He hasn't.

How else did the girl

get into the apartment?

You knew she was in love with Carpenter,

that he'd given her your cigarette case.

You know all that,

don't you?

I knew that she was in love with him.

She told me so herself.

- When did she tell you?

- At lunch last Friday.

I also know she meant nothing to Shelby.

I understand him better than you do.

She was found in your

dressing gown and slippers.

That's hardly the regulation costume

for an impersonal chat...

between a man and woman

who mean nothing to each other.

Did you know or did you suspect he was

going to bring her here Friday night?

How could I? I don't know that he

brought her here. Neither do you.

- You merely assume it.

- What other assumption is possible?

Do you love Carpenter so much you'd risk

your own safety to protect him?

My own safety?

Do you suspect me?

I suspect nobody and everybody.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes