Playback Page #17

Brandon nods.

HANDLEY:

Inspector Killaine's compliments.

He'll be up in another ten minutes.

Brandon nods again, and as Handley starts to turn away,

Brandon starts to close the door.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROYAL HOTEL - BETTY'S BALCONY -- NIGHT

Portable lights have been rigged up and a POLICE

PHOTOGRAPHER is taking photographs of the body. As he

finishes, a sheet is thrown over it and the photographer

starts to dismantle his equipment and pack it up. A couple

of PLAIN-CLOTHES MEN are standing around, and one of them

named GORE, a detective sergeant, a big sore-head who

doesn't like anybody. As the photographer extinguishes one

of the lights and starts to wind up the cord, Gore looks

off and scowls.

Killiane ENTERS SHOT briskly. He is wearing a trenchcoat

and no hat.

GORE:

You in charge here?

KILLAINE:

So it seems Sergeant.

GORE:

Right.

KILLAINE:

I hate to pull rank on you Sergeant,

but once in a while...for moral

purposes...you might address me as

"Inspector". In moments of extreme

desperation, you might even call

me "sir".

He goes over to the chaise, lifts the sheet off corpse,

looks down, replaces sheet, comes back to Gore.

KILLAINE:

I knew him. He was easy to dislike,

poor chap.

GORE:

They tell me he'll be a great loss

to the liquor trade. This Mayfield

girl...

He breaks off as Killaine reacts

GORE:

... I supposed you knew her, too,

Inspector.

KILLAINE:

I've met her.

GORE:

It's her room. She only got to the

Hotel this afternoon,. With him.

(he indicates body

on chaise)

I guess he took too much for

granted. Here's the gun.

He takes it out of his pocket and holds it out on a

handkerchief. Killaine takes the gun from him, handkerchief

and all.

KILLAINE:

Pearl-handled .25 Automatic, uh?

(he looks a little

closer)

No, it's a Belgian gun... 6.6 mm.

GORE:

Correct, Inspector. A woman's gun.

U.S. 125 caliber ammunition in it.

It was on a table in there.

He nods towards room. Killaine frowns.

GORE:

Nobody's been questioned yet. You

noticed the wound entry?

Killaine nods.

GORE:

Much too low for a suicide. Not

conclusive, of course. But a woman

of ordinary height, standing rather

close to a tall man, such as he

was...

(indicating corpse)

...would be apt to shoot him about

where he got shot.

Killaine nods again.

GORE:

Then there's the shell.

He takes out a small envelope, hands it to Killaine.

GORE:

This make of gun throws a shell

backwards, high, and to the right.

The chaise is only about four feet

from the wall.

KILLAINE:

So the shell ought to have gone

over?

GORE:

Unless the gun was slanted up.

KILLAINE:

So the wound and the shell give

you the same answer.

GORE:

Right. A clean deduction from

observed facts. They've got to be

simple once in a while, Inspector.

KILLAINE:

(dryly)

I've always looked forward to it.

All right, let's get him out of

here and tidy up.

He starts to turn away.

GORE:

I'd take a look in her clothes

closet if I were you, Inspector.

Killaine nods and exits scene.

INT. ROYAL HOTEL - BETTY'S ROOM -- NIGHT

Killaine enters from the balcony then stands a moment,

looking around, crosses to dressing table, looks down, and

we SEE traces of fingerprint powder on the toilet articles

and bottles. He doesn't touch anything. He crosses to

closet, opens door. A light goes on inside. He starts in.

INT. ROYAL HOTEL - BETTY'S CLOSET -- NIGHT

Killaine examines several garments, takes a sports coat

off hanger, opens it up at lining. His looks becomes fixed

and intent. He reacts. (What he sees is that the sewed-in

label has been removed from the garment.) Slowly he replaces

the coat, then takes down another garment, goes through

the same performance. He whistles very softly between his

teeth, stands a moment with a puzzled expression on his

face, replaces the garment. Exits closet. Light goes out.

DISSOLVE TO:

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