Laura Page #8

Yes. Rather than let you blacken

her name with suspicions and rumors.

Try to prove her guilty. Get on the witness

stand with your poor shreds of evidence.

I'll expose your cheap methods

you used on her.

- Thank you, Bessie.

- Laura, I told you to watch out for this fella.

- Can we go now?

- I warned you.

It's too bad you didn't

open that door Friday night, Carpenter.

- Wait a minute.

- Shelby.!

Oh, did he hurt you, darling?

Darling.

Ann.

Come in.

Sit down.

- That'll be all, Gallagher.

- Yes, sir.

All right. Let's have it.

Look at me.

What are you trying to do,

force a confession out of me?

You've been holding out,

and I want to know why.

It'll be easier for you

if you tell the truth.

What difference

does it make what I say?

You've made up your mind

I'm guilty.

- Are you?

- Don't tell me you have any doubts.

Since you-

Oh, I can't.

Please. Do I have to have

those lights in my face?

Thanks. No, I didn't

kill Diane Redfern...

or anyone else.

Then why-

Why did you tell me the radio

at your country place was broken?

- Because it was broken.

- Not when I tried it.

Just as I was leaving the village,

I asked the local handyman to fix it.

- How did he get in?

- I always leave a key under the flowerpot on the porch.

You're too intelligent to make up

something I could check so easily...

but you're intelligent enough to have

broken it yourself to strengthen your story.

The main thing I want to know is why you

pulled that switch on me about Carpenter.

You told me last night

you decided not to marry him.

- Yes, I guess I did.

- But today it was on again. Why?

Well, I-

I changed my mind.

What are you trying to hide? Don't you

realize you're involved in a murder?

You've got yourself in a jam it's not

going to be easy to get out of...

unless you're on the level

with me.

This is no time for secrets.

Now, did you really decide

to call it off...

or did you just tell me that because

you knew I wanted to hear it?

What went on between you and Carpenter

when you saw him last night?

Did he persuade you to make up?

Or did you agree

to pretend you had?

- Was that it?

- Well, we- That is, both of us thought-

He convinced you that if you

broke the engagement now...

people would think

you believed he was guilty.

Yes, but now I know it was only

because he thought I was.

- Did you believe he was guilty?

- No. I'm sure he isn't.

But he'd gotten himself

into an awfully suspicious position...

and he's the sort of man that people are

always ready to believe the worst about.

Are you in love with him?

I don't see how

I ever could have been.

Come on.

You're going home.

- But I thought I was-

- That's- That's what I wanted you to think.

You and a few others.

I didn't even book you.

You mean this was

some sort of a game?

I was 99% certain

about you...

but I had to get rid of

that one percent doubt.

Wasn't there

an easier way to make sure?

I'd... reached a point

where I needed official surroundings.

Then it was worth it, Mark.

I'll call a cab for you.

Good night.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Good night, Mark.

I'm going over

to Lydecker's apartment.

It still doesn't

make sense to me, Laura.

He's playing some sort

of a game with you.

- I don't think so.

- I don't deny that he's infatuated with you...

in some warped way

of his own.

But he isn't capable of any normal,

warm human relationship.

He's been dealing

with criminals too long.

When you were unattainable-

when he thought you were dead-

that's when

he wanted you most.

But he was glad

when I came back...

as if he were

waiting for me.

Do you know what

he calls women? "Dames.''

A "dame'' in Washington Heights

got a fox fur out of him.

- His very words.

- That doesn't mean anything.

He isn't like that.

Laura, you have

one tragic weakness.

With you, a lean, strong body

is the measure of a man...

and you always get hurt.

No man is ever

going to hurt me again.

No one, not even you.

I? Hurt you?

Laura, look at me.

When a man has everything

in the world that he wants...

except what he wants most...

he loses his self-respect.

It makes him bitter, Laura.

He wants to hurt someone

as he's been hurt.

You were a long time

in finding out about Shelby...

but... that's over now.

We'll be back together again.

Haven't you heard of science's

newest triumph- the doorbell?

I don't like to remind her.

- That was the murderer's signal.

- Did you eavesdrop too? I hope.

I thought you'd like to know. We

tested your shotgun. It isn't the one.

Now, that's what I call

a typical move-

a real key

to the man's character.

First he tells you that

he thinks you're innocent...

then proceeds

to check up on you.

When I report that I think

she's innocent...

that's my own personal opinion.

When I submit proof, it becomes

the opinion of the department.

This entire maneuver could be a trick

to get you off your guard.

It could be, but it isn't.

- I believe you, Mark.

- It's the same obvious pattern, Laura.

If McPherson weren't muscular and

handsome in a cheap sort of way...

you'd see through him

in a second.

Waldo, I mean to be

as kind about this as I know how...

but I must tell you-you're the one who

follows the same obvious pattern.

First it was Jacoby, then Shelby.

And now I suppose-

- Laura, I- - I don't think

we should see each other again.

- You're not yourself, darling.

- Yes, I am.

For the first time in ages,

I know what I'm doing.

Very well.

I hope you'll never regret

what promises to be...

a disgustingly

earthy relationship.

My congratulations, McPherson.

Listen to my broadcast

in 15 minutes.

I'm discussing

great lovers of history.

- It was the most difficult thing

I ever had to do in my life.

All I need is the gun.

- What are you doing?

- Do you know the combination to this thing?

- I never knew it had one.

- It must be somewhere. Oh.

- Have you ever seen this before?

- No.

Waldo gave you that clock,

didn't he?

Yes.

The doorbell rang...

and Diane Redfern

went to the door in your negligee.

She opened the door.

The room was dark.

Waldo saw a girl standing there,

and he assumed it was you.

He figured that if

he couldn't have you himself...

he was gonna make sure

that nobody else did.

So he let her have it...

with both barrels,

right in the face.

She fell here.

Waldo heard Shelby running

from the next room...

so he hid

in the stairway outside.

Shelby was scared,

so he ran out as fast as he could.

Then Waldo came back

and placed the gun in that clock.

I knew it.

I've felt it

ever since I came back...

but I didn't want

to believe it.

I couldn't make myself

believe that...

Waldo was a murderer.

- Well, he is.

- He didn't really kill Diane Redfern.

- I killed her.

- What are you talking about?

But I did, Mark. I did as surely

as if I'd pulled the trigger myself.

That's nonsense.

Forget it.

No, Mark, I can't.

I'm as guilty as he is-

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