Madame X Page #5

Absinthe is hard

to get and expensive.

What are the hidden costs?

I just want you

to listen to a little

business proposition.

I could use a woman like you

in my line of work.

What line of work

is that, Mr. Sullivan?

Investments, business counsel,

that sort of thing.

Here's to my new partner.

To the mud in your eye.

(CLEARS THROAT)

I'm not such bad company.

And you've been going it

alone for a long time.

You could use a friend.

God knows I could.

I'll buy you some new clothes,

fix that hair

a believable color.

You'll be respectable.

The road between me

and respectability is

strewn with broken bottles.

Respectable enough

for my purposes.

A shill?

A front.

A spade's a spade.

We can get a plane

out of here tomorrow.

Well, I can't leave

until my funds come.

Have them forward them

to you in New York.

New York?

Yes.

I have good connections there,

and it's a good place

to pick up a wardrobe.

New York.

I've already paid

your hotel bill here.

You take a lot for granted.

I just don't take no

for an answer.

All right, I'll go

a few rounds with you.

But I warn you,

if you're thinking of playing

against me, think again.

What makes you so suspicious?

Experience, friend.

Everything's fine, fine.

I like your hair.

I'm beat.

I haven't worked so hard

on myself for years.

I couldn't locate

any absinthe. You'll have

to settle for a whiskey.

I'd settle for

denatured alcohol.

Take it easy, honey,

I've got a friend coming up.

Weren't there any

New York papers today?

I thought you might

want to see some

Connecticut ones.

Why?

Auld lang syne.

I've never been

to Connecticut.

(WHISTLING)

Governor Clayton Anderson

is in New York,

and so's your kid.

I have no kid.

You told me you did.

Well, I was drunk.

Keep drinking, honey.

I like you better

drunk than sober.

I like the world better

drunk than sober. I can forget

that it's filled with vermin.

(DOORS SLAMS)

(WHISTLING)

DAN:
Harry, only one

witness actually saw her fall

overboard, the mother-in-law.

And she could have had

her own reasons for saying so.

CARTER:
The crew searched

the waters for 48 hours,

so did the Coast Guard.

That's right.

They never found the body.

If she didn't drown,

where was she?

Someone must

have picked her up.

Holly Anderson

was front-page news.

It would have been reported.

No, no.

Not if her disappearance

was planned.

Harry, those clippings

you dug up nailed her.

Everything ties in.

Governor Anderson's

all but got the presidential

nomination in his hip pocket.

He can't afford a scandal.

I told you I'd struck oil.

It'll take careful handling.

The Governor won't

be easy to get to.

That's why I came to you.

Here's the Duchess.

Duchess, I want you

to meet my friend, Mr. Carter.

How do you do?

It's nice to meet you.

Danny,

I'm all fuddled tonight.

I forgot what

I'm supposed to say

about falling overboard.

Did you fall overboard?

Well, how did you

tell me to say it happened?

I didn't tell you

to say it happened.

But you did, Danny.

Don't you remember?

I didn't tell you to say

anything. Don't you

try to get cute with me.

Well, shouldn't I have asked

it in front of Mr. Carter?

You wouldn't try

to con an old pal,

would you, Danny?

Don't pay any

attention to her.

She's tanked.

But I'm trying, Danny.

I need a little time

to get it down pat.

Rotten, lying...

Now, wait a minute.

Are you Holly Parker Anderson?

What do you want

me to say, Danny?

The truth.

Tell him who you are.

Betty Miller.

You drunken rip.

Listen, scavenger.

I crawl in the same gutter

but I'm not a beast of prey.

Look at me. Look at me!

Do you think

I could get in the

back door of a decent house?

He thought he could

put me in respectable

clothes, and I'd pull it off,

but I couldn't even fool you!

You liar!

Grave-picker!

Danny, I think I'll pass.

Listen, I'm cutting you in

on a good thing, Harry.

Thanks for the thought.

You know,

you're buying a snow job.

No, just not buying.

See you, Danny.

I've got a winner.

I've got a winner this time!

(LAUGHING)

You slut! You're

Holly Anderson.

Shut up. Shut up!

The brass ring again, Danny?

How could you possibly think

I was anything

but the brass ring?

You're Holly Anderson.

Why, you poor, pathetic

garbage-collector. You're a

bigger loser than I am.

Maybe Governor Anderson

won't agree with you.

You won't get near

Governor Anderson.

All right,

then I'll have a little

talk with Junior Anderson.

He's not hard to get to.

Would you want me

to go with you?

You wouldn't go.

You can't make a sale

without showing

your merchandise.

And this merchandise

wants a 50-50% cut.

Just you and me, no outsiders.

So that's it.

That's it, Danny.

Half the pie.

All right,

get your coat.

Yes, Danny.

When I walked in,

there she was with the stiff.

"Get the police," she said.

"I killed a man."

Okay, son, okay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

We'll let you know

when we need you.

My guess is

he's been dead two hours.

We'll know better

when the coroner gets here.

Are you gonna

tell us your name, lady?

Come on, lady.

Now let's have that name.

You find anything

that might tell us who she is?

Nothing. Best I can turn up

is an empty picture frame.

Something was

burned in this basket.

Looks like a passport folder.

Blood pressure, low.

No reaction to pain.

Doesn't respond

to oral command.

Give her 10 milligrams

of Nalline.

If she doesn't

come around in 15 minutes,

we'll try another five.

Well?

I think I'll send her over

to Psycho for observation.

No. I killed him.

I'll sign a confession.

I want to sign a confession.

Dr. Evans, will you witness

this signature, please?

Good morning.

I've been appointed

by the court to defend you.

I can understand

that you'd like someone

older, more experienced.

It isn't over.

There has to be a trial

in the interests of justice.

I'm here to help you.

No one's heard

your side of it, yet.

Your life is at stake.

Please, let me

do something for you.

Please, tell me

how it happened.

Please, let me help you.

I guess

that'll be all for today.

You know, you might

as well have stayed in

New York this weekend

for all the company

you've been.

I've never been

so conscious of my

monumental lack of knowledge.

Criminal law. Whatever

possessed an Anderson

to take up criminal law?

Probably his 50% Parker,

Grandma.

Probably.

You two

night owls still at it?

How did the meeting go, Dad?

Very promising. Joe thinks

we have enough pledges

to swing the nomination.

That's great!

I knew I would dance

at my son's inauguration ball.

Now, now,

it's all just straws in the

wind until the convention.

Many come but two are chosen.

Don't be negative.

I'm ordering my

inaugural gown in the morning.

Well, did you meet

the mysterious Madame X?

Yeah. Dad,

she breaks your heart.

She's just

completely withdrawn,

waiting to die.

She doesn't even

want a defense.

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