Man in the Dark Page #3

consider the money's in escrow.

Incidentally, how's Peg?

When we heard you'd been

moved to the clinic,

we decided we could take care

of you better than they could.

Look, you've tried everything

to make me remember.

I tell you nothing rings a bell.

Hey, Lefty.

Yeah?

Remember the suit Steve had on

when we pulled that job?

Sure. A dark-brown one.

Kind of nifty.

So, look here.

He's wearing a light one.

Yeah. So he must have changed

his clothes before he got pinched.

That means he went home.

So that's where

you hid the dough.

Look, I tell you I...

Don't tell us nothin'.

Let's go and get it.

Cookie, get the car. Right.

You don't mind joining us,

do you, pal?

And if I said no?

#[ Jukebox:
Big Band ]

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

Somebody pulled the plug.

Maybe I'd better get a hose.

Been reading the papers.

How's the stock market?

[ Chuckles ] Don't want

to talk about him, huh?

Why not?

He something sacred,

someone you put

a monument up to?

Let's get something straight,

Freddie.

He's no good.

He was never any good.

Remember what he did to me

the last night we were in here?

Oh, it was just a lovers' quarrel.

Don't make me laugh.

He never loved me.

I was just something

for him to hang presents on.

He gave you plenty of them.

That's a cinch.

Scalps, Freddie.

Just scalps.

Advertising.

He wanted to show off in front

of a bunch of cheap hoodlums.

Give me another one.

Aw, Peg, take it easy,

will you?

I'm gonna have to

carry you out of here.

Some Sir Galahad

I wound up with.

Oh, Fred, what do you do

when you hate yourself?

I usually take it out on my wife.

Big help you are.

Yeah. People always feel better

when they talk to me.

That's why I ain't got television.

Well, looks like Steve

didn't pay his rent.

Let's take a look inside anyway.

[ Arnie ]

Okay.

Hey, Lefty, this is easier.

- [ Bird Screeching ]

- [ Cookie ] Hey, look out!

[ Arnie ]

A bird.

Well, come on.

[ Tapping ]

Hey, what you

got here?

A piece of paper

with the number 1133 on it,

stuck on the bottom

of that drawer with tape.

Means something to you,

doesn't it, Steve?

1133, Steve.

And this place too, Steve.

The dames!

Remember the times

we had here?

Steve, there was a picture of

Peg in there once, wasn't it?

[ Arnie ] Remember the bar, the

four stools covered with leather?

Remember the wonderful parties?

Remember the fun?

[ Cookie ] And that crack in the ceiling.

You were always trying to get it fixed.

Remember?

[ Chuckles ]

Stop it. This guy understands

only one language. I speak it.

Is that your handwriting?

I don't know.

Give me a pencil.

Here.

Write those numbers

again.

[ Cookie ]

Well, I'd say that's it.

[ Lefty ] I don't know. Could be.

Hey! He's gone!

#[ Jukebox:
Big Band, Muffled ]

#[ Continues ]

What'll it be?

Give me a beer.

Remember me?

Should I?

Sure.

A year ago, you sold me

some blood... Steve Rawley's.

I was the guy

with 30 pieces of silver.

When you got around to payin' me,

it was only 15.

You want the rest?

Papers say he skipped.

I don't know where.

He had a girl.

Good-lookin' fellow like Steve

probably had a stable.

I'm being real nice, friend,

so don't stretch it out.

Some bars are horizontal,

others stand up straight.

- You got nothin' on me.

- Don't start me lookin'.

All right. She's a blonde, 5'6".

Something you wouldn't be ashamed

to walk down the street with.

Where does she live?

I don't know,

but she likes martinis.

That's bad if you don't

follow up with food.

That she gets

across the street.

Hey, ain't you

forgettin' somethin'?

Oh, sure.

Here's a quarter

for the beer.

[ Vehicles Passing,

Horns Honking ]

Exeter-1133.

Mean anything to you?

No.

Yeah.

Farmington-1133.

No. Now lay off me.

[ Door Opens ]

I never saw the paper before.

I'm getting fed up, and if you

don't come through pretty soon,

you're gonna need

new front teeth.

Wait a minute. Maybe it ain't

a telephone number.

Maybe it's a street number. It could

be a street number, couldn't it, Steve?

Or a social security number.

This is a waste of time.

What are you trying to do,

kill him?

It could happen.

Get a load of this.

He had it hid. It was stuck

under a drawer in his own house.

Hey. This could be

the combination of a safe.

Take him

and put him to bed.

Don't just stand there!

Right away, ma'am.

All right, ma'am.

Get the size

of that mouth, boys.

[ Peg ] And it's a mouth that

can yell, and don't you forget it.

How do you expect him to tell

you anything in that condition?

[ Lefty ]

Aw, get lost!

Okay. Take him inside.

He'll keep.

He's there, all right.

Room 204.

But he isn't having a

picnic. I don't get you.

There are some people with him as interested

to know where he hid the money as we are.

I don't think we should

stand in their way.

So, what do we do?

Wait. Watch.

I'll be back in a couple of hours

to relieve you.

If you don't mind, Slavin, look

at that building once in a while.

[ Shaver Buzzing ]

[ Knocking ]

All you have to do to open it

is turn the knob.

[ Shaver Stops ]

Well, if it isn't the man

who makes new heads.

Have a seat, Doctor.

[ Shaver Buzzing ]

Used one of these for years,

since somebody told me

to cut my throat.

Mr. Jawald.

Where is he?

Why don't you

ask the police?

They couldn't tell me anything.

[ Shaver Stops ]

No one realiZes

the man's doubtful condition.

Police are looking

for an ex-convict.

Technically, he is, because

he was paroled in my custody.

I'll tell you what he is.

He's Steve Rawley, a hood with

a record as long as your arm.

And I'll tell you

something else about him.

He'll remember that money

and try to get it.

You may have cut out

a piece of his brain,

but you didn't operate

on his pockets.

You're not

a very cooperative man.

It's not

a very cooperative world.

My only interest in this case

is the welfare of my patient.

After I get the money,

he's all yours.

[ Door Opens ]

You holdin' his hand?

What's it to you?

Maybe I'm jealous,

or maybe I figure you're trying

to hug the inside rail.

What are you talking about?

Get out of here.

Haven't you done enough

for one day?

If you're trying to cozy up to him

and cut us out,

it won't work.

Steve's in real bad trouble, Peg,

so don't count on him.

You better play it

across the board.

In any race, you'd run last.

[ Door Closes ]

[ Muttering ]

I gotta get away.

I gotta get away. Yes,

darling, we'll both get away.

The police are chasing me.

I gotta get away.

Don't. Don't.

Don't.

#[ Calliope ] [ Steve ] Police.

Gotta get away.

[ Cackling ]

[ Cackling Continues ]

[ Cackling ]

[ Gunfire ]

[ Cackling ]

Steve. Steve, you're tough,

and you're plenty sharp.

Don't let 'em...

Don't let 'em outsmart you now.

Don't let 'em. Don't let 'em.

[ Singsongy ] Pick your

lucky number. Everybody down.

Put your money on the number.

Spin the wheel.

Lucky number 19.

Sweet candy

for the sweet gentleman.

Here you are, handsome... a nice big

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