Scared Stiff Page #2

I was taking Pierre's place.

- And where was Pierre?

- Oh, he got in trouble.

He was kissing one of the girls

in the show.

That shouldn't get him in trouble.

I kiss some of the girls in the show.

Yeah, but he picked the wrong one.

This one happened to belong

to the Big Boy.

- You mean Shorty?

- Yeah. Could you imagine?

Of all the girls in the line, he gotta pick

Shorty's girl to play around with.

They were dancing

in a telephone booth,

and one of Shorty's men saw them.

- Telephone booth?

- Yeah.

What a dope. What happened to him?

I don't know. A couple of Shorty's men

came over and took him away.

- They took him away?

- Yeah.

- Which girl was it?

- This one.

Oh, no!

- Why, what's the matter, sweetie?

- Nothing. Nothing at all.

Bye.

Excuse me.

So what's the matter with him?

I just told him about you and Pierre.

Oh, you did, did you?

You better get out of here

before Shorty finds out about Larry, too.

Yeah? Well, it's too late,

'cause he found out already.

- He did?

- Yeah, he did.

Oh, I'd better answer that.

It might be a phone call.

Hello? Hello?

I want to talk to Larry Todd.

He isn't in.

Well, tell him to get over to my hotel

as soon as he gets off.

- I wanna have a little talk with him.

- Who's this?

Shorty?

It's Shorty.

Shorty. Yeah.

Yeah. I...

I'll tell him. Sure, Shorty.

- As soon as he comes in.

- I'll be expecting him.

Mr. Todd will be with us very soon.

Yeah, but not for very long.

- Oh, poor Larry.

- Hey!

Why don't you go talk to Shorty?

Larry's always doing things for you.

Now is your chance to pay him back.

You're right. Larry's always been

like a big brother to me,

and I'm always messing him up.

Say, this would be my big chance

to even the score, huh?

I'll do it.

That's a boy.

Don't tell Shorty.

Shorty. Shorty!

Down for eight.

There they go again.

Hey, Frankie. Go down and see if they

ain't gonna do something about this.

All right.

The whole hotel is in darkness.

Hello? Hello.

Oh, operator,

the lights in my room are... What?

Oh, I see.

Well, do you suppose I could get

some sort of light up here?

I'm leaving for Cuba tonight,

and I still have packing to do.

Oh, that'll be fine. Thanks.

They're sending up some candles.

- At what time does your plane leave?

- Oh, I'm not flying.

It's much too quick.

I've always looked forward

to a wonderful cruise to Havana.

Exciting, isn't it?

- I hope these will help, Miss Carroll.

- Oh, they will. Thanks.

Hold it, sister.

It's like Christmas, ain't it?

More like the Fourth of July.

- Nice night for a murder.

- Yeah.

- Hey, how did you know?

- I didn't.

I didn't.

I just said it'd be a nice night for one.

You will have to get used to candles,

Miss Carroll.

There's no electricity on Lost Island.

The castle today is exactly

as your great-great-grandfather built it.

You mean the ghosts still have to find

their way around in the dark?

How depressing.

You may joke, my dear,

but unfortunately the legends

about the castle

are not to be taken lightly.

Oh, come now.

You don't really believe in ghosts,

do you?

I know that as the executor

of your grandfather's estate,

I'm supposed to paint the castle

as a palm-fringed paradise.

But I also know

that during the last 20 years,

no human being who tried to spend

a night in Black Castle

ever lived to see a sunrise.

Well, and not a moment too soon.

Now I can finish my packing.

Miss Carroll, I urge you to accept

the offer I've been authorized to make.

Now, $50,000 is quite a bit of money.

It's such a strange offer.

The place is haunted, full of bats,

and yet somebody wants it,

$50,000 worth.

Who's making the offer, Mr. Cortega?

I'm sorry, I can't tell you that.

Hello? Yes.

- Who?

- You don't know me, Miss Carroll.

My name is Cariso, Ramon Cariso.

I want to warn you

against selling your castle to Cortega.

What did you say?

Well, not right now. Where are you?

I'm near your hotel.

When may I see you?

- In 20 minutes?

- I'll be there.

In the meantime, be cautious.

Oh, I want to show you a map

of the island.

Lost Island is certainly

an out-of-the-way place, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

And since

it does not belong to any country,

there are no established

trade routes to it.

It's more or less

part of the Greater Antilles,

but the easiest way to reach it

is from Havana.

What do you wish to do about the offer,

Miss Carroll?

Must I decide now, this minute?

Anything over $4 calls for deep thought

on my part.

Take your time. Until sailing time.

- Thank you.

- And I hope you'll change your mind.

I'll be in my room down the hall

if you want to reach me.

Leave your door open,

and your motor running.

- I might be coming out in a hurry.

- Okay.

Oh, thank you.

I'll tell that Shorty guy.

He can't hurt Larry,

not while Larry has friends

like Big Myron.

I'll go right in there and I'll say to him,

"Shorty, listen here.

"If you hurt one hair on Larry's head,

you'll have to deal with me.

"So you better watch your step,

'cause I'm a killer."

You're a killer?

I better think this thing over.

Myron.

Myron.

Me?

Who are you, Dr. Coffee Nerves?

No. I am the voice of your conscience.

You are not going to run out on Larry,

are you?

Remember, he's your best friend,

and he's in trouble.

Now you go in there and show that gang

that you're just as tough as they are.

I can't go in there and fight

that whole mob. They got guns.

You can get a gun.

They got blackjacks.

You can get a blackjack.

They got big, strong muscles.

You can get a blackjack.

No. I can't do it and I won't do it.

Oh, it's easy, Myron.

All you have to do is be tough.

Oh, you mean like this?

All right, you guys,

line up against that wall.

He wants me to be tough.

Myron. Myron. Myron!

That's tough enough. Now get going.

- Myron.

- Oh, I'm going. Stop rushing me.

Hurry, Myron.

I forgot what I was supposed to do.

Oh, Myron, I'm at my wit's end with you.

You're supposed to help Larry, right?

Well, go in there and be tough.

Show them you're boss. Assert yourself.

You know what you've got to do.

Now get going. Show them who's boss,

don't take no for an answer,

tell them what you want,

and see that it's done

the way you want it.

Now get going and don't come back.

Get going already!

Stop stalling. Get going.

Somebody's gotta move.

Pretty nice hideout youse guys got here.

Now get out of the way!

Hey, when I say "get out of the way,"

I mean it.

Now which one of you is the Shorty?

Listen here, Shorty,

I want you and your guys

to lay off Larry Todd.

Happens to be

a personal friend of mine.

Anybody that fools with him

is gonna have to answer to me.

See?

And furthermore, I want you...

Hey, let's pay attention, buddy.

When someone's talk...

Hey, Pierre! Hey, Pierre, it's me, Myron.

We were worried about you.

He's dead.

- Oh, honey.

- Now look, baby, it's just like I said.

We're all washed up.

I don't mind competing

with a French waiter,

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