Shadow of the Thin Man Page #7

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- The battery.

- Oh, you double-crosser.

Holy smoke. I'll miss

my Barrel of Blood program.

Asta, sharpen up your nose.

Well, we've got a little work here.

Not much work.

What's the matter?

Don't you like Out of This World?

Whitey Barrow did.

Come on.

Well, come on.

What are you trying to do,

give yourself a hot foot?

Oh, frostbite, huh?

Well.

Asta, that's the hottest radiator in town.

Won't you come in?

No?

Well, then I'll come out.

- How did you get in here?

- I was on a treasure hunt. Same as you.

But I was the early bird.

Look what I dug up.

- Yours?

- Yes.

Now, how did that get in here?

And while we're at it,

how did you get in here?

I've been here quite a lot before.

Did Stephens knows

about you and Barrow?

No, I don't think so.

What about this?

Whitey was in trouble.

He owed $8000 in gambling debts...

...and he was being pressed.

- By whom?

- Some bookmaker.

- What bookmaker?

- I don't remember.

Was it...?

Sorry. Was it Rainbow Benny?

Yes, that was his name.

I couldn't raise the money, so I gave

Whitey the bracelet to use instead.

I took the risk of Stephens finding out.

I couldn't do anything else.

Whitey must've had something.

He did.

That's how it goes.

Mr. Charles, you can help me.

Give me back the bracelet.

If the police get it and Stephens finds

out, I don't know what might happen.

It won't help you to ruin me.

Now, I told you the truth.

I loved Whitey. I didn't kill him,

and I wouldn't protect his murderer.

I can't give it back to you now...

...but I'll try to see that the police

don't bother you.

Thanks.

Asta! Don't run after her.

We did all right.

Come on, get away. Fast.

Good evening, Mr. Charles.

Valentine.

Open any interesting doors lately?

- Just autos, no banks. Evening, ma'am.

- Good evening.

- Good evening, Mrs. Charles.

- Mario.

Good evening, Mario.

Well, if you strike oil,

don't forget your old pals.

The lady would like to check

the dog, no?

I'm afraid he'd resent it terribly.

Stop it, Asta!

We'd like to be introduced

to the handsomest lobster...

...in the establishment.

- This way, please. This way.

- Hiya, Nick.

- Well, Nick. Glad to see you.

Sure you won't put the feedbag on

with us?

I'd like to, but I got a party there.

- Come on, Nick.

- Come on, Nicky.

What's going on? A celebration?

Yeah, it's a birthday party

for Lefty Rogan's kid.

The little tomato.

You know Lefty's missus?

- How do you do?

- He's exactly a year old today.

Yeah? Well, that's fine. Where's Lefty?

- He's been in jail for five years.

- Yeah, he broke out once.

Well, I hope you get all the breaks.

Both of you.

- See you later, Nick.

- Come back again.

- Boys and girls.

- Well, hi, Nick.

Hiya, Paul. Molly.

A little Phi Beta Kappa convention.

Well, very nice timing, Mommy.

It was nice of you

to ask us to dinner.

Even nicer to arrange

this coming-out party.

Well, the main point is that thanks

to Nick, we are out and together.

Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Charles.

Luis, we're famished.

Well, what is it gonna

be to eat tonight?

- Molly, what would make you happy?

- Well, could you suggest something?

If I no work here, if I just come in

like you, I order one thing. Sea bass.

- I think I'd like that.

- One sea bass.

I think shad roe will be my dish, Luis.

The sea bass, she's very good.

She's A-number-1.

- But the chef recommends shad roe.

- The chef!

- I'll take sea bass.

- Two sea bass.

- How's the cracked crab?

- You are Nick's friend.

For Nick's friend,

the good is none too best.

Sea bass?

Three sea bass.

- Broiled lobster.

- You no want sea bass?

- Broiled lobster.

- But they all order sea bass.

- They are easily led.

- The sea bass is a filet.

No bones, almost.

- Broiled lobster.

- The meat, it is white.

The skin is crispy.

The butter is as yellow like the sunshine.

I serve it steaming hot.

It tastes something like you never taste

in your whole life.

I'm talking about...

- Sea bass.

- Four sea bass!

Asta. Asta's gone.

He's probably gone to the bar.

Excuse me.

Asta!

Well, hello, Rainbow.

What's the matter, nervous?

Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Nervous.

The horses ain't been running right

for me.

I see. How were they running when

Barrow lost that 8 grand to you?

Oh, Nick, you're too smart to get sold

on a pipe dream like that.

If I gave the police a drag on that pipe,

they might get dreams about you.

Nick, it ain't like you to turn the cops

on a guy who's clean.

- Here's your coffee.

- Give me my check.

- Yes, sir.

- Double.

Just like I was telling Abrams,

I was nowhere near the office...

...when Whitey got bumped.

- Really? The watchman says differently.

The watchman saw you running away

right after the shot.

You're kidding, Nick. You...

You don't mean that.

Benny, relax! Rela...

Well, bulletproof vest, huh?

Who makes those for you?

- Your check, sir.

- Okay.

Thank you.

Hey, break that up!

With the $2 dinner,

you get machine guns.

Throw them out! Throw them all out!

Of course, you wouldn't know

how it started, would you?

- No.

- Asta!

Asta!

Look, I won't say a word about this

if you'll do as much for me sometime.

- Asta!

- You can't find him.

- You'd better get back to the table.

- Or under the table.

No wonder we husbands stray from home.

They leave us alone all the time.

Say, did you ever hear of a gal

by the name of Claire Porter?

It was quiet

until you two went to the bar.

Well, you're back.

Say, what started that cyclone

out there, I wonder.

I wonder.

That was Rainbow Benny, wasn't it?

- Shall I call the police?

- No, no.

Abrams will be here any minute. Besides,

I don't think Rainbow will go very far.

Why'd he run out?

I don't know. Maybe he went home

to change his conscience.

- You mean, he killed Whitey?

- Well, he had a reason and the chance.

You know, if we only had

a little more on Rainbow...

...we might get him to sing

a very pretty song.

Maybe I can get you that little more.

Excuse me.

Well, what is gonna be to eat tonight?

No sea bass.

Hello. Major Sculley, please.

Who's speaking, please? Just a moment.

Paul Clarke.

Thank you. Hello, Paul.

It's great to hear from you.

- I wanna see you. Where are you?

- I'm at Mario's with Nick.

Major, Nick just had a run-in

with Rainbow Benny...

...but he got away. Some records

on Rainbow would help Nick.

Yes, Paul, of course.

Sure, I'll go through the files myself.

I'll see that you get them. Right.

There they go!

- Come on, Rusty!

- Go on, boy!

Come on, get those flippers out there!

- Come on.

- Come on.

- Come on!

- Come on.

- You got them!

- Come on, boy. Come on.

- Look at them go!

- No, no! Get over here, get over here!

You dope! What's the matter, you dope?

You've got all the luck.

What did you do, swallow a horseshoe?

- That's 240 martinis you owe me.

- You tell him, Mrs. Charles.

Don't worry, she'll tell me, all right.

Hiya, lieutenant.

Pull up a turtle and sit down.

While you been partying,

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