Road House Page #5

Something happened while you were away

that I never figured would happen.

I never wanted to happen.

What? Somebody

offer you another job?

I- I wish it were as simple as that.

I'm in love with Lily, and she's in love

with me. We're gonna get married.

I would have

told you before, but-

- Married?

- I'm sorry, Jefty, believe me.

But Lily isn't just another girl for me.

It's my life and hers.

- Jefty, we know each other too well. L-

- Do we?

I don't know you.

Get out.

Get out of here.

I don't want to see you.

I don't want you around.

- It's her choice.

- Get out!

Okay.

Get out. Get out. Get out.

I got tickets to Chicago.

We'll decide from there.

Remember the last time we were here?

I wouldn't even give you

two bits to get out of town.

- Smart, wasn't I?

- And I was a couple of hundred bucks smarter.

Yeah.

Pete, are you sorry about Jefty?

Well, just that a guy likes to wind up

a friendship with a handshake.

Yeah.

- Are you Pete Morgan?

- Yeah.

- Will you come with us, please? You too, miss.

- Well, why?

- What's it about?

- Routine investigation.

Pete Morgan, Captain.

- What's all this about, Captain?

- Sit down.

You too, Miss- Stevens, is it?

Mr. Robbins.

Morgan...

Mr. Robbins here claims

that the week's receipts...

ofhis roadhouse were taken

from his safe tonight.

You were at that safe.

Here's your note.

I took $600 coming to me, that's all.

I don't say that you took anything, Pete.

All I know is that

the week's receipts...

should have been there,

and they're not.

- We bank tomorrow.

- How much money is there usually in the safe?

I don't know.

Pete and Susie handle the money.

Pete. Lily. What happened?

- Miss Smith?

- Yes.

Sit down.

- You're the cashier at Mr. Robbins'roadhouse?

- That's right.

How much money would you say

was in the safe tonight?

Well, the week's receipts.

$2,600. We keep the overage

in small bills in the bar.

How do you know

there was 2,600 in the safe?

Because I checked

the weekly receipts on Sunday...

and gave them to Pete- Mr. Morgan.

You gave Mr. Morgan 2,600 in cash?

Yes, in an envelope

sealed with my name on it.

What's wrong?

Who else knows the combination to the safe?

Only Pete and myself.

- You know I didn't take that money.

- Just a second, Morgan.

You'll get a chance to speak.

Miss Stevens, were you

with Morgan at the roadhouse...

when he opened the safe?

- No.

- Pete's always been careful with the-

Just a moment, please.

Did you take the rest of that 2,000?

- I told you, no.

- Mr. Robbins knows he hasn't.

- Where were you going when you were stopped?

- I don't know.

- Chicago first.

- Mr. Robbins had discharged you tonight?

- That's right.

- You plead innocent and can't produce the money?

I don't plead anything.

I'm telling you, I didn't take that money!

I took $600 coming to me, and no more.

I'll have to hold you, Morgan.

Pete didn't take that money.

Why, he wouldn't-

This complaint

doesn't name you, Miss Smith.

Nor you, Miss Stevens.

You're both free to go.

- All right, Morgan.

- Wait a minute.

Jefty, what good do you think

this is gonna do you?

Pete!

Don't just walk out

and let him frame you. Don't, Pete.

Tell them why he's doing it.

You no-good swine.

You dirty little swine!

You framed him.

- But you're not gonna get away with it.

- That will do, Miss Stevens.

What do you mean, that will do?

Why don't you search him?

You'd do anything, wouldn't you?

Anything to get even with Pete.

Take it easy, kid. You're upset.

You don't know what you're saying.

Don't give me that!

You know what I'm saying.

But you haven't worked out

the finish yet, have you, Jefty?

You haven't worked out the end of it,

and that's what's going to hurt- hurt hard!

Lily, honey, come on.

The cops don't know.

You're a bad loser!

But I'll get a lawyer to fight you, Jefty.

- I still can't believe it myself.

- You never know.

You sure don't.

Pete was my best friend.

Oh, we had fights, sure,

but it never came to anything like-

like stealing.

Maybe he was drunk, Captain.

Did you check that?

Mr. Robbins, I deal

with situations exactly like this...

day in and day out

five times every day...

thirty-five times a week.

Yeah. Yeah, I guess you do.

"Verdict Awaited in Roadhouse Theft Today. "

Has the jury reached a verdict?

Yes, Your Honor.

The jury finds the defendant

guilty of grand larceny.

The clerk will record the verdict.

The court will pronounce sentence

at 2:
00 this afternoon.

And when the war was over,

we came back home together.

Home was the roadhouse...

the only home Pete's ever known.

I'm all the family he ever had.

And what did I do for Pete?

I had the money. He had nothing.

I couldn't have run

the place without Pete.

Yet, all I gave him was a salary

and a small percentage...

after 10 years.

Don't you see, Judge? I should have had

enough sense to know that there was-

there was something

burning inside of him.

Well, he got to feeling

worse and worse.

Started drinking, taking my girls.

You can't blame him.

Then one night he gets drunk...

decides to clean the safe.

What about this girl- Miss Stevens?

She's nothing to me.

I haven't anything against Lily.

What do you want, Mr. Robbins?

I want you to give Pete a chance.

Give me a chance to show him

that I'm a decent guy.

Parole him to me.

- It was your charge that put this man in jail.

- Yes, I know.

I- I lost my head. I was hurt.

But I was all wrong, Judge.

I ask you to parole him to me.

Come to order, please.

Everybody rise.

Be seated, please.

Is the defendant ready for sentence?

We're ready, Your Honor.

Peter Morgan...

for the crime of which

you stand convicted...

you are hereby sentenced to serve

in the penitentiary of this state...

for a term of not less than two years,

nor more than 10 years.

Order.

Sentence suspended...

under the following conditions.

It is the duty of the law

to temperjustice with mercy...

when the situation warrants.

The complainant, Mr. Robbins...

has come forward with an unusual

and most generous offer.

It is Mr. Robbins'opinion-

and the court...

after listening to

the evidence, concurs-

that the crime at worst

was the impulse of a moment.

The defendant has a clean record.

He's a friend and employee

oflong standing of Mr. Robbins...

who appealed to the court for mercy.

The defendant is therefore

put on probation...

in the care of Mr. Robbins...

for the period of

his suspended sentence- two years.

The normal conditions

of probation will prevail.

If Morgan violates his probation...

ifhe tries to leave the state

or commits another crime...

this court will sentence him

to the limit of its power...

and remand him

to the penitentiary...

for the full term ofhis sentence

as provided by law.

Mr. Robbins has agreed

to restore Morgan to his old position...

and deduct the amount

of the theft in question...

over the period of probation.

Court adjourned.

A nice thing to do would be to go over

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