Shattered Page #2

and me that night?

What does it matter now?

Were we arguing?

No, you were not arguing.

You were f***ing screaming

at each other!

Judith was having

an affair, right?

How the hell should I know?

But I'll tell you this much.

If she was,

who could blame her?

What does that mean?

It means you treated her like

a piece of goddamn furniture.

Down in Cabo San Lucas...

it was f***in' embarrassing.

In Mexico?

Jeb, can't business wait?

When do I get to talk to Dan?

He's all yours, babe.

I'm not a fool.

I can tell how uneasy you are.

Let me help you.

I don't know.

I need somebody...

to tell me the truth

about a few things...

about my life.

Well, Jeb says...

What did Jeb tell you?

What a sh*t I was to Judith.

What you were to her?

Did he tell you about Mexico?

- About Stanton?

- Who?

Jack Stanton.

You met him in Cabo.

Claimed to be

a fellow architect.

We all smelled a rat...

except Judith.

She never let him

out of her sight.

She even had him follow her

back here to San Francisco.

What the hell

are you getting at?

You wanted the truth.

I'm telling you the truth.

I saw them...

up at the Hacienda.

The day before the accident.

- Where?

- The Hacienda...

the hotel up in Ross.

I saw Stanton's red Porsche

out front...

right next

to the white Mercedes.

Wait a minute.

You're saying this guy

Stanton...

is the only person in

Marin County with a red Porsche?

Judith's the only one

with a white Mercedes?

Hey, do me a favor, OK?

You came this close

to being killed.

She didn't even

sprain her ankle.

You think about that.

She was thrown clear.

Was she falling...

or jumping?

Well?

May I help you?

Why, it's Mr. Merrick,

isn't it?

Rudy Costa, assistant manager.

It's so wonderful

to have you back, Mr. Merrick.

You look great!

You lost some weight...

but none the worse

for the accident.

Why, thank you.

Is there anything

I can do for you?

Maybe.

I'm looking for a woman...

who I think used to come here.

You know her?

Sure. But Mr. Merrick...

we are very discreet here,

as you know.

Mr. uh...

- Costa.

- Costa...

this is a very sensitive

situation for me.

I lost track of her when

I was in the hospital...

and I...

well, I'm sure you understand.

Sure.

But, uh, still...

Well...

for a while,

she used to come in every day.

Always in the afternoon,

as I recall...

and always

with the same gentleman.

But then it stopped.

What was the gentleman's name?

His name?

Yes, what was his name?

You know, I can't quite remem...

Wait a minute. It, uh...

it was Stanley something.

No... no...

it was Stanton.

Yes, that was it...

Stanton.

Good-looking guy,

kind of close-mouthed.

Discreet,

if you know what I mean.

He and the lady would always

arrive separately.

Mr. Merrick,

can I offer you a drink?

Thank you, Mr. Costa.

Thank you, Mr. Merrick...

and be sure to give

my kind regards to your wife.

My wife?

Here we are...

our new marina complex.

That's the Merrick-Scott Tower.

We got most of it rented off

at 42 bucks a square foot...

but the top five floors

are all ours.

That's great.

Yeah, you bet.

Very impressive, Jeb.

Well, it was your design, pal.

Aw, I didn't...

Don't you remember at first?

You had the E.P.A. guy...

so far up your ass,

you had heartburn.

Boy, the way

you handled that...

sheer poetry.

Really?

Your ticket, Jeb.

Thanks.

What did I do?

Homework. You found out

about the pretty young boy...

he was spending

his nights with...

when his wife thought

he was off working the files.

You had a friendly

little chat with him...

no more heartburn.

I was a real prince, huh?

Oh, prince of princes.

Now, Dan...

I'd like you to meet

your secretary Nancy Mercer.

Welcome back... Dan.

Thank you.

I really mean it.

It's ten after.

I'm gonna miss my plane.

Now, if there's anything

you need...

Nancy'll handle it.

Welcome back, pal.

Thanks, Jeb.

Klein's Animal House.

Listen,

if this is a breather...

can you wait

while I get a cigarette?

Sorry, wrong number.

Here we go.

Black with Sweet 'N' Low.

That's the way

you used to take it.

Thank you, Nancy.

Is something wrong?

Oh, no.

Tell me something...

last Christmas...

did I buy anybody pets?

Pets?

Well, not that I recall.

Mostly it was gift certificates

to Neiman's.

Jesus.

Personal touch, huh?

Nancy, tell me something.

Does this name... Klein...

Does that mean anything to you?

Oh, yeah. That guy.

Mr. Klein called several times

back in January...

regarding

an outstanding invoice.

But since he wouldn't say

what it was for...

I didn't pay him.

I have it on file

if you'd like it.

- Yeah, I would, thanks.

- OK.

Nancy? Have you ever heard

of a place called the Hacienda?

Yeah.

Yes, I have.

Why?

Well, I'm just wondering.

Just wondering.

Did we ever spend

any time there together...

you and I?

Just the two of us?

You and I?

At the Hacienda?

- Yeah.

- No.

Oh. OK.

It's all right.

Thanks.

$7,000?

Can't you read? We're closed.

I know, but I need to speak

to Mr. Klein about this.

Oh, all right.

You guaranteed me that once

this bird got to know me...

it would talk!

I've had it for six months...

and it hasn't

even opened its beak!

I said that Clementine

could talk.

I didn't say that she would!

OK, I'm sorry. No problem.

Sorry about your inconvenience.

Silly old b*tch!

Yeah! You see?

- Silly old b*tch!

- What can I do for you?

According to this invoice...

I bought enough animals

to fill a zoo.

$7,000... that's ridiculous.

Merrick?

Oh, Mr. Merrick!

I didn't recognize you there.

I had this bad car accident.

Yeah, yeah. So I heard.

- Sadie!

- Yeah?

Close up the shop!

Oh! And take another look around

for Betty June.

Right.

Come with me.

Welcome home, sweetheart.

Welcome home!

Silly old b*tch!

There you go, honey.

Poor old Twigs.

He got hit by a car.

He's lost control.

So, what did I buy

for seven grand? A gorilla?

You don't remember?

Oh, amnesia.

I blacked out on everything

before the accident.

Wow. That can be a tough one.

I'm afraid all you bought

was a lot of my time.

Some of my photographic art.

I guess "gorilla"

wasn't too far off the mark.

There was a guy named...

Jack Stanton.

He was doing a little

chimney sweeping with your wife.

You hired me to stake him out

last Christmas.

Holiday surcharge

and no lunch breaks...

it all adds up.

I sent you the contact strips

New Year's Eve...

then I waited for my money.

Just as I was beginning to

figure that I'd been stiffed...

and I was gonna have

to use a little muscle...

who shows up but Mrs. Merrick?

- Mrs. Merrick?

- Yeah. Your wife.

She paid your bill.

She's a nice lady.

I got paid,

the animals got fed.

You are a private investigator?

Yeah, yeah.

I paid my dues for thirty years.

You spend that long

peeping through keyholes...

you kind of lose confidence

in the human species.

Plus the hours and the food

and the bad vibes...

kind of took a toll

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