Panic in the Streets Page #4

But why I'm doing it,

I don't know.

- How can I make you believe...

- Believe it? Why shouldn't I believe you, Doctor?

You're a smart fellow.

A college man.

You probably wouldn't make something

out of nothing just to be important.

Mister, what are we here for?

I ought to be home.

You know, my mother always told me

if you looked deep enough in anybody...

...you'd always find some good,

but I don't know.

With apologies to your mother,

that's the second mistake she made.

I should have seen

that one coming.

- Do you drink coffee, Captain? Come on. I'll buy you a cup.

- I'm busy.

- I want to buy you a cup.

- I'm busy.

Come on. Let's see if you can

drag that load across the street.

Let's go.

Look, Captain, do you have a family?

Are you married?

No. My wife died

eight years ago.

- Oh, I'm sorry.

- The doc I got said she had neuralgia.

But she didn't.

It was a brain tumor.

You don't think much of me

as a doctor either, do you?

Keep asking questions, Doc,

you finally get answers.

- No.

- You mind if I ask why?

Government job in civil service.

Thirty years, a pension.

- What do you make?

- I think it runs about the same as a police captain.

- Thanks, lady.

- See that?

Probably phoned his lawyer

to sue us for false arrest.

Look, Warren, the reason I asked

if you had a family was that...

...well, I thought if you had some children,

you might realize the seriousness of this.

- I haven't got any kids.

- Well, thousands of people do.

- And think what could happen...

- I'll think anything you like.

- But I'll still say I'm doing everything I can...

- Look, this man came off a boat.

- He was smuggled into the country.

- We've checked every boat...

...we've combed the waterfront, and we're hauling

in every man that could know anything about it.

- From what I've seen, they may not want to talk to the police.

- Maybe they don't.

Maybe they want to talk to their mothers. Maybe

they want to talk to you. What can I do about it?

Offer a reward.

Promise immunity for information.

- And get a couple more experts from Washington to help me out.

- Well, you could use 'em.

You'll never see the day.

Look, do you mind if I do

something on my own?

- Yes, I do.

- What am I supposed to do? Just sit here and watch?

Listen, Captain, I'm taking a chance

you may be right.

You can take a chance

I know what I'm doin' and let me do it!

As a matter of fact, you'd help us both out

if you went home and went to bed.

Okay, I'm not gonna

argue anymore.

And I'm not gonna wait until the facts

penetrate that thick skull of yours.

There just isn't that much time.

There's for the coffee.

- Hiya, honey.

- You look great.

You got that stuff all packed, Angie?

My suits and them two sweaters?

I got 'em.

What are they after you for this time?

Why do you want to talk like that for?

It's just a trip. Blackie says...

Blackie, Blackie!

He runs you around like a dog on a leash!

- He's my boss, ain't he?

- He's a big goon!

Shh!

He pays me every week.

Then he's a bigger boob

than you been saying he was!

Why don't you stand up to him sometime?

Why don't you tell him off?

Angie, will you shut up?

What are you hanging around outside for?

- Why don't you get inside?

- And be alone with that big ape?

Do you think

I've lost my buttons?

Blackie?

- Blackie?

- Hurry up!

Blackie?

I wasn't long, was I?

I packed everything like you told me.

Can I bring your stuff

down for you, Blackie?

- Who's that with you?

- Just Angie.

- Is she comin'?

- She's my wife. What am I gonna do with her?

First, tell her to get away

from them machines.

Angie, will you

get away from there?

Blackie don't like nobody foolin'

with them washing machines.

Too late.

They're fallin' apart now.

Anything I don't like's

a smart-cracking dame.

Hey, get away from there!

- Yes, you.

- What do you want me to do, just stand here?

- Will you tell her what she's supposed to do?

- Relax, will you, Angie?

We'll be leaving in a minute.

Huh, Blackie?

- You should have stayed single.

- Well, you know how it is. She was working as...

Where's Poldi?

I told you to bring Poldi.

I know you did, Blackie.

I went right over there, I told him

what you said, but he don't want to go.

He don't want to go? Why don't he

want to go? What's the matter with him?

I don't know, Blackie.

He was getting dressed to go out.

He said he was takin' this dame out.

He said he didn't want to go.

I told him all about

what was happening.

Where does he get

the dough to go out?

He never had a quarter.

You ever know Poldi when he had a quarter?

- That's right. He's always borrowing from somebody.

- Where does he get the dough?

Why's he all of a sudden

taking a dame out?

- I got a hunch about him.

- He can stay here, Blackie.

- Yeah, I got a hunch about him.

- But, look, Blackie.

- Let's get going. I tell you, they're picking everybody up.

- They ain't gonna pick me up.

You see them machines?

That's business.

Legitimate, even. They ain't gonna

pick up a legitimate businessman.

They're picking up legitimates.

They picked me up. They're picking everybody up.

That's just it. Why?

Why are they picking everybody up, Fitch?

Why?

- I don't know, Blackie, but let's get moving.

- You don't know?

You got a high-school education. You're a

smart fellow. You don't know? Figure it out.

This guy Kochak is just a floater.

He comes in off a boat,

gets very unsocial...

...even pulls a knife

that he's gonna use on Poldi.

So they turn the town

upside-down for one crumb.

They got every cop in town

huffing and puffing...

...trying to find out who he is.

- Why are they doing that?

- Blackie, I don't know.

Then I'll figure it out for you.

I got a hunch

he brung something in, see?

I got a hunch he brung something in,

and they're looking for it.

Only, he ain't got it.

And you know why?

- Because friend Poldi's got it.

- Poldi?

- Do you think we would do something like that?

- He was his cousin, wasn't he?

I told you I had a hunch about that guy,

and I was right.

But Poldi's a nice guy.

He wouldn't do nothing.

He's trying to put

something over on me, Fitch.

I saved his life,

and that's how he repays me.

You know, Fitch,

there's one thing I don't like.

- You know what it is?

- Sure, Blackie, sure.

- Somebody trying to put something over on you.

- Oh, I never liked it.

- You find Poldi. I want to see him.

- No, Blackie! No!

Let's get out of town!

I'm scared, I tell you!

- They'll pick me up again.

Angie, will you stop with that!

They picked you up once,

They ain't gonna do it again.

Blackie, I don't know where Poldi went!

I don't know where to look for him!

- I'm gonna get out of town.

- Look.

I just told you I don't like nobody

putting anything over on me.

Particularly you, Fitch!

Poldi ain't leavin' town,

and you ain't leavin' neither!

- Okay, Blackie. Sure.

- Get your hands off him, you big ape!

Angie, stay away from him!

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