Scandal Sheet Page #6

Great headline.

"The Express buries its cast-offs."

It'll sell papers!

Kenny, rewrite that one paragraph, will you?

Allison had a bad night. Yeah.

I just got yesterday's figures

from circulation, Mark.

Six hundred and ninety-six thousand.

You're moving up there.

Looks as though it's going to cost

the Express some bonus money before long.

Quicker than you can say,

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Stockholder Rawley!"

We're only starting,

Mr. Madison, only starting.

That's the spirit!

When you get to the editor's chair,

remember one thing.

You're a hero with a lifetime job,

as long as the circulation is rising.

- What have you got there?

- Something that will keep circulation rising.

Charlie Barnes' story.

What are you talking about?

Charlie wasn't near the Daily Leader

by accident, Mark.

He had something to print.

I couldn't find it in his effects

at the morgue this morning,

but I found it at Heeney's bar,

the joint Charlie phoned from last night.

Half a pawnshop ticket was still on the bag.

Pete's Hock Shop. I checked it.

Charlie came in the pawnshop last night

with a claim check.

Said he was unhocking it for a friend.

Well, what's in the bag?

Miss Lonely Heart's name and address?

Better than that, Mark.

Much better than that.

A picture of the guy who killed her.

A picture?

You can't even see the guy's face!

What's the matter, Mark?

This is the first real lead we've got.

The way you talked,

I thought we had it all sewed up.

Sure, it's a lead, but it's a thin one.

How much does this give us?

Well, we're certain the dame had a husband.

They were married in 1931 in Connecticut.

- The husband's the guy who killed her.

- How do you make that?

The ring mark on her finger

must have been a wedding ring.

The inscription inside

could have identified him.

And he grabbed the pawn ticket

figuring she'd hocked some belongings

- that might peg him.

- Makes sense.

Charlie got the pawn ticket from the killer.

He must have been with him sometime,

someplace, yesterday.

A lot of people

could have seen them together, right?

Could have.

Splash this picture

on the front page tonight.

Offer a reward for information.

"Lonely Heart Killer strikes again."

When you write the story,

say that Barnes was working on this case

undercover for the Express.

He got too close to the killer

and died in the line of duty.

Mark, I don't know, it...

Nobody can deny it. It'll help sell papers.

We'll offer $1,000.

Look, kid, don't pin your hopes

on anybody being able

to spot the guy from this.

Unless they got x-ray eyes.

I'm sure Charlie connected

the guy in the picture

with the bird who gave him the pawn ticket.

I'm going to fine-tooth the Bowery myself.

It's even money

that's where Charlie ran into our man.

Good luck, kid.

- Well, I got them for you, McCleary.

- Good work, Heeney.

Well, this does it. I'll never touch

another drop the rest of my life.

'Course some of them

been sucking on the bottle all night,

but they can still stand up.

- They all knew Charlie?

- Yeah, they all knew him.

If you give McCleary here

any bum information, I'll brain you.

And I might even do worse.

No more free shots

when you're seeing little red spiders.

How many of you boys saw Charlie Barnes

the day he was killed? Raise your hands.

All right, raise your mitts,

them that seen Charlie day before yesterday.

Good.

- Where did you see him?

- See who?

- This guy must be used to talking to mirrors.

- Charlie Barnes.

I seen him come out of a joint

where he flopped in the morning.

You, where'd you see him?

- Humpty O'Dougal's saloon.

- What time?

In the afternoon. Late in the afternoon.

Charlie had a nice little bun on.

Was he with anybody?

With anybody?

Sure, he was with somebody.

Charlie never drank by himself

if he had a little cash on him.

- Well, do you know the guy he was with?

- Certainly I know who he was with.

- Well, who was it?

- Me. He sprung me three slugs.

When did you see him?

When did you see him?

- This morning.

- Throw him out of here.

- Wait a minute!

- What are you talking about?

- Now, is there any more jokers in the crowd?

- I seen him.

Yeah? Well, go on. Where'd you see him?

On the street near Pete's Hock Shop.

- Go on, go on.

- Nothing. He was working a sucker.

- Giving him the pally act, that's all.

- Now think hard.

Do you remember the sucker?

Do you remember what he looks like?

- Maybe.

- What do you mean, "Maybe"?

- Maybe for 50 bucks.

- Why you...

Do you think you could remember

for 1,000 bucks?

Who could tell who he is?

Can you describe

the man you saw Charlie with?

Do I get $1,000 if I do?

You do. If and when we find the guy.

- Sure, I can describe him.

- Well, go ahead.

- You paying the reward?

- No, but my boss is.

- Then I'll describe it to him.

- Okay. Come on.

Rush this over to the composing room.

Kenny, see if you can figure out

a heading for that rubbish.

Connie! Connie, take this.

Wait here.

Look, Lieutenant,

just refer the captain to me.

I'll tell him he's cropping at the best

homicide man he ever had on the force.

If he doesn't know that,

he's deaf, dumb and blind.

Yeah, never mind the malarkey, Chapman!

The next time

you people pull a stunt like this,

I'll throw both you and McCleary in the can!

Okay, Lieutenant, okay.

I give you my word. Goodbye, pal.

Davis is screaming because we gave him

the suitcase only a half hour

before he read it in the Express.

Well, I've got something

that ought to make him happy again.

Not another suitcase?

A guy who can identify the man

Charlie got the pawn ticket from.

Hey, Bailey. Come in here.

He wouldn't describe the guy to me.

He needed the boss.

You the boss?

Yeah, and don't waste my time.

Where'd you see this guy with Charlie?

Down the street near Pete's Hock Shop.

You say you can describe him?

Well, go on. What did he look like?

Stand up, will you?

Yeah, just how I figured.

You figured what?

He was your size,

your build.

Could have been as old as you.

- Is that all?

- All you asked me was to describe him.

That was no description!

That could fit a million guys in this town.

- Even me.

- Well, how about the reward?

Here, take this down to the cashier

and pick yourself up five bucks.

- Show him where it is, Steve.

- Come on, Bailey.

Hey, Baxter, where's Julie?

She came in this morning,

banged this out on her typewriter,

and told me to give it to Chapman.

- What is it?

- Her resignation.

I figured I'd hang onto it a day or so.

Maybe she'd cool off.

I'm sure glad you did.

I'll take care of it for you, okay?

Baxter, thanks.

- Hello, Mrs. Allison.

- Well, hello, Steve. Come in.

Thank you.

I have a pot of coffee in the kitchen.

I'd better see to it.

Can I say a few words to you?

Without getting hit with a table

or something?

Speak your piece and get it over with.

I just got rocked

with a bad piece of news, Julie.

I heard about your resignation.

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