Laura Page #6

I'm merely trying to get at the truth.

I see you have been trying

to get at the truth.

You've read things I never meant

anyone else to look at.

Strictly routine.

I'm sorry. Really.

I'd better be going. I'll see you

in the morning, Miss Hunt.

Oh, I must ask you not to leave

the house or use the phone.

But- But I've got

to let my friends know I'm alive.

Sorry, Miss Hunt,

but I must insist you do as I say.

- Am I under arrest?

- No.

But if anything should happen

to you this time, I wouldn't like it.

All right.

I promise.

There's one more thing.

You may as well know what I know-

some of it, at any rate.

It'll save time and a lot

of unnecessary fencing.

I know that you went away

to make up your mind...

whether you'd marry

Shelby Carpenter or- or not.

What did you decide?

I want the truth.

I decided

not to marry him.

I'll see you in the morning.

Good night.

Good night.

Really?

Does McPherson know that?

Uh-huh. Well, okay.

Good-bye.

Say, Mark, that was

the medical examiner's report.

It wasn't Laura Hunt. It was Diane

Redfern that was bumped off upstairs.

- Kinda balls things up, doesn't it?

- Yeah.

Say, you're not taking it too hard.

Wait a minute.

- Hello?

- This is Laura. I've-

Don't say anything on the phone.

Meet me right away.

I'll wait for you in my car

in front of Bullitt's.

- Was that-

- Yeah.

Dames are always

pulling a switch on you.

Stand by.

You follow her.

I'm gonna tail him.

Are you taking it down

or putting it away, Carpenter?

- It's been fired lately.

- Yes. I killed some rabbits with it.

- When?

- Oh, a while back. I don't know exactly.

You know about guns,

don't you?

- Yes.

- How come you didn't clean it afterward?

I don't know.

I forgot, I suppose.

- Your initials?

- Yes. I gave it to Laura for protection.

She didn't want it,

but I insisted.

This house is rather isolated,

as you see.

- Did you teach her how to use it?

- No.

- Does she know how?

- I don't know. It didn't occur to me to ask.

You're a vague sort of a fellow,

aren't you, Carpenter?

I've spent very little time in observing

my own character, Mr. McPherson.

You haven't borrowed it lately?

You didn't just bring it back tonight?

You followed me here.

You saw me come in. You ought to know.

You, uh, realize

the spot you're in, Carpenter?

You took that poor girl

to Miss Hunt's apartment.

You knew all along

it was she who was murdered.

Didn't you know Laura Hunt would come

back any day and spill the whole thing?

Or did you plan

to kill her too...

hide the body someplace

and cover up your first crime?

You're being fantastic,

McPherson.

You took a bottle of Black Pony

to her house Friday night.

I took it there

over a week ago.

Bessie said it wasn't there Friday

night. It was Saturday morning.

I can't help what Bessie said.

- Where's the key to her apartment?

- I haven't got it.

- What did you do with it, give it back to her tonight?

- I never had one.

You didn't take the bottle

of scotch to her house Friday night.

You haven't got a key to her apartment.

How did you get in?

- Well, I-

- You had a key, and I know it.

- Now, come on, Carpenter. Spill it.

- I-

Laura kept a duplicate key

at her office. I went over and got it.

I'd asked Diane to dine with me. I wanted

to have it out with her once and for all.

You know, she thought- Well,

she thought she was in love with me.

Well, we couldn't go on talking

in public places. She was too upset.

I couldn't go to her room, and I didn't

want to take her to my hotel.

- So we went to Laura's.

- Yeah?

We talked there

for about three hours...

- and then the doorbell rang and-

- Go on.

Diane was frightened.

But knowing Laura as I've known her...

I've learned to be

surprised at nothing.

- What do you mean by that?

- Her friends would come to her with their troubles...

at all hours

of the day or night.

I asked Diane

to answer the door.

- Why didn't you go yourself?

- Supposing one of Laura's friends had found me there.

- Why open the door at all?

- They must have seen the light.

What about the girl? Diane-

what about her reputation?

I asked her to tell them Laura had let

her the apartment while she was away.

Anybody that knew Laura

would have believed that.

- Yeah. Go on.

- Well, then the doorbell rang again.

I could hear Diane's mules-

Laura's they were-

clattering across the bare boards

between the rugs.

Then there was a moment's silence

and then a shot.

It was an awful explosion.

By the time I reached her,

the door was closed.

- She lay there on the floor.

- Did you go out to see who it was?

No. I was too confused, too horrified,

incapable of doing anything.

The room was dark. I saw only

a vague heap lying on the floor.

I- I don't think

I fully grasped the situation.

I think I called her name,

but I'm not sure. I-

I remember kneeling on the floor,

feeling her heart.

My first instinct

was to call the police.

- Why didn't you?

- I don't know.

Or rather, I was afraid-

not only for myself, but for Laura.

In a panicky sort of way, I felt I must

keep out of this to keep Laura out of it.

I know now how foolish

and hopeless it was...

but there was only

one thing on my mind-

the safety of a person whose life

was dearer to me than my own.

Don't you understand that?

Did you think

Laura had done it?

- Did you?

- I don't remember what I thought.

- Do you think so now?

- No.

- But you didn't?

- No.

On Saturday, when our men went to the

hotel to tell you that Laura was dead...

- you seemed sincerely shocked.

- I was. I hadn't expected that mistake.

But you had your alibi ready

no matter who was dead.

Yet you knew the minute

Laura got back it wouldn't stick.

Don't you see? I was incapable

of thinking that far ahead.

I was incapable

of thinking at all.

I was groping for some way

to keep Laura's name out of it.

I was heartbroken about Diane

and panic-stricken about Laura.

I haven't slept a full two hours

since this thing happened.

Let's get back to the present. What did

you and Laura talk about tonight?

I told her the whole story,

just as I've told you.

She phoned you after she promised me

she wouldn't call anybody.

- What did she want?

- It's perfectly natural she should want to see me...

especially

after what's happened.

Why don't you tell the truth? She sent

you here to get rid of this gun.

She did not. It was my own idea.

She doesn't even know I'm here.

- It works fine, doesn't it?

- Yes. Did you think it wouldn't?

I hoped it wouldn't.

All right. Let's go.

- Well, am I under arrest?

- No, but you're not to leave town...

and it would be

foolish of you to try it.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- What's that?

- Breakfast.

You didn't buy any food

when you went out last night.

I'll fix some bacon and eggs.

Can you make coffee?

Suppose you set the table

while I get breakfast.

Do you always sound like this

in the morning?

Don't tell me

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