Shadow of the Thin Man Page #9

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I thought it was Macy all along.

Why did you want an alibi so bad, Fred?

Because I didn't want any

thick-headed cops setting me up...

...for suspect number one.

- Don't you call Nick a thick-headed cop!

Oh, yeah?

And I didn't mean him.

Oh, yeah?

I suppose you wanted an alibi

for the same reason, Mr. Stephens?

We'd like to weigh that question.

I didn't need any alibi. I was out

of the arena before Whitey was killed.

You...?

You drove Mr. Stephens and Miss Porter

home from the arena night before last?

- Does he have to answer that?

- I'm just thinking that over.

Did you drive them home, or didn't you?

Yes, I drive them home.

Leave arena 9:
45.

How come you remember

the exact time?

What do you do when you get

into that car? Punch a clock?

- You'll verify that, no doubt?

- Yes.

Mr. Stephens, was it your idea

that Barrow and Miss Porter...

...were merely casual acquaintances?

Link, be careful.

He's trying to trap you.

Sit down.

Mommy, let me see that present

I gave you last night.

- I wanna give this to another girl.

- Nicky!

I found this hidden

in Barrow's apartment.

While I was there, Miss Porter came in.

She'd been there before.

That's a lie! Whitey stole it from me.

What are you getting at, mister?

Maybe you and your partner, Macy, were

relieved when Barrow was found dead.

But to Miss Porter,

it was really glad tidings.

Whitey had been blackmailing her.

He knew who she was, all about her.

At first she charmed him into silence.

Then she had to use money

and, finally, her jewelry.

Why, you cheap phoney.

And I was using you for an alibi. That's

a laugh. You needed it a lot more than...

So neither of you had an alibi.

I'd think that over if I were you.

I didn't have anything to do with it.

I was afraid the police would find

the bracelet and trace it to me...

...then they'd be sure I killed him.

But I didn't!

I didn't know Whitey was dead

until he told me.

You murderous tramp!

He told me Whitey was dead

before he took me home.

That's a lie!

Hey! Hey, that's enough of this!

- She can't do that to you!

- Oh, that's fine!

Any more of this, and you'll both land

in the cooler.

- Maguire.

- Yes, sir?

Where did the police pick you

up this morning?

- Treeport.

- That's right. I picked him up.

Treeport, huh? That's only a couple

of hundred miles from here.

If you left town last night

before Benny was killed...

...how does it come you weren't

further away?

My car broke down.

Honest, Mr. Charles, I ain't in this.

That's the truth, so help me.

I lied once, for Macy,

but I ain't lying now.

Barrow had nothing on me.

Supposing Barrow did have something

on us. I've been in plenty of scandals.

That didn't mean enough

for me to kill him.

Why, you yellow welsher! Are you

hinting that maybe I killed Barrow?

Save this fight for the arena, boys.

But if I was milking a rich guy and

Barrow was making me sweat for it...

...maybe then I'd...

- Sure, I looked for Barrow that night...

...to get my bracelet back.

But I swear I didn't find him.

Even if I did, even if I killed him,

would I take that book?

- It didn't mean anything to me.

- It might have, as a hold on Stephens.

Blackmail, I think it's called.

Yeah? And I suppose I could strangle

Benny and hang him up.

- No, but your chauffeur could.

- Baku, he's trying to frame us!

Hold it, son.

Let the big boys play with your knife.

Maybe they'll give you

a nice little pair of cuffs.

Well, now, where were we?

Benny was hanging from the ceiling.

Oh, yes. Yes.

Because Benny had seen

who killed Barrow.

Macy, you said you were not disturbed

about Barrow's quitting.

Why did you threaten him?

- You did hear that, Molly?

- Yes, I did.

She should talk. I caught Barrow pawing

her that night right in my office.

- And she was sore.

- Is that the truth?

Well, yes. Barrow always said things.

He was angry because I wouldn't

pay any attention to him.

Isn't she sweet?

Did Paul know that Barrow

was annoying you?

No, I didn't tell him. I was afraid

he might do something rash.

Is this all news to you, Paul?

But Molly did tell you that Whitey had

had a falling out with his bosses?

Well, why didn't you try talking to him?

Nick, I didn't think it'd do any good.

Whitey and I were enemies.

I told Major Sculley,

hoping he could do something.

But Whitey was killed

before anybody could get to him.

Except the murderer.

Mr. Stephens, Benny was

your betting commissioner, wasn't he?

Yes, Nick, he was,

and we can prove that.

And representing Stephens, he did do

some bribing of jockeys, didn't he?

If you're trying to hang the jockey's

murder on me, save your breath.

You and the flatfoot claim whoever

killed the jockey killed Barrow.

All right. You can rule me out

of that too.

I didn't go near the track that day,

and I can prove it.

And I haven't killed a jockey

in weeks, really.

- When did you see Rainbow last?

- He saw him last night.

I went to his apartment,

but I didn't see him.

- Wasn't he home?

- I don't think so.

I rang his bell a long time, then I saw

somebody coming up the stairs...

...and I beat it.

Who was coming up the stairs?

Some kid delivering papers.

I didn't wanna be seen there...

...so I ducked away from the door.

When the kid went up, I left.

Lieutenant, that apartment house

where Benny lived...

- The Embassy Arms.

- Yes.

Would you mind getting the janitor

on the phone?

Get me... Get me the janitor

of the Embassy Arms apartments.

There's one thing about a murder case.

If you just let people talk long enough...

...sooner or later,

somebody will spill the beans.

Well, somebody has.

Mr. Fenster, where were you last night

at 10:
00?

Why, l... I was at home.

No, I mean, I was out. In bed.

No, I was home, but I was in bed.

Are you sure you were in bed?

I'd like to sleep on this.

Hold it. This is the police department.

Oh, come on. The janitor, Nick.

Yes, please. This is the superintend.

I wanna know something

about apartment 25C.

What I wanna know is, how long did

Rainbow Benny live in that apartment?

Not long. He's move in last night at 7.

And he's dead at 10. The throat.

I'm sorry, you gotta speak

more noisy, please.

I said, where did he live before that?

He live in apartment 32A.

That's right, at the top of the stairs.

Well, gentlemen and ladies...

...we have our murderer.

Nicky, I can't stand it! Was it me?

Yeah, Nick, is it her?

Nick, who is it?

You, major.

Nick, you're joking.

No wonder the Stephens-Macy syndicate

was riding high...

...with a special deputy for

the state Legislature as a silent partner.

You were in a beautiful position

to cover up the syndicate's racket.

Nick, what are you saying?

Then you found your golden harvest

was in danger.

Whitey Barrow was scared.

Threatened to talk.

That would have meant exposure

for you. Ruin.

So to protect yourself

and your fellow thieves...

...you caught up with him

and killed him...

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