Song of the Thin Man Page #6

a couple of his friends come visiting her.

They were nice, polite young gentlemen.

Went out with Ms. Page at the same time.

She never called a cab

and there was never any outside.

So I just decided she liked to take walks

for her health.

If you've come to fish for information,

you've come to the wrong place...

because we never go snooping

on our guests.

- Mr. Purdy, telephone.

- Yes.

1:
50, 3:10. 7:50, 9:10.

Sounds like visiting hours.

Those are visiting hours.

He latched onto something, teacher.

Are there any public institutions,

a jail, a prison, or a hospital...

- within 10 minutes walk of here?

- Fast walking or slow walking?

Never mind.

But you're sure there's no Hollis there?

I see.

Unless you want to try the city pound,

the dump, or the waterworks...

that just about takes care of

all the public institutions in Poughkeepsie.

Maybe he's in some private institution.

Clinker, you're magnificent.

We have to walk 10 minutes in various

directions till we find the right institution.

- You've got the nose of a bloodhound.

- Don't let him worry you.

The rest of your face looks fine.

Ten minutes right on the nose

of the bloodhound.

And we're running out of directions.

- "Valley Rest Home"?

- Well, let's have a look.

I'm afraid Mr. Hollis' condition

will not permit visitors.

- Exactly what is his condition?

- Exactly how does that concern you?

Dr. Monolaw, we're his friends.

We have the right to see him.

Unless you produce him,

I'll produce the police.

- Bring in nine.

- Yes, sir.

Mr. Hollis has not had very many visitors.

His mind has been completely shattered

by alcohol.

He sits in his room and plays the same

melody over and over without variation.

I must ask you to be very careful with him.

He seems to be suffering from

a deep-rooted guilt fixation.

Visitors have a somewhat disturbing

effect on him.

Sometimes, an alarming effect.

Buddy, there are some friends to see you.

They want to talk to you.

Hi, kingpin.

I see you got the old jute-flute.

I heard you breezing it just now.

Still headman, kid.

Come on, candy-boy.

Don't you recognize me?

This is the old Clinker.

Remember how we used to belt it out

at those jam sessions?

Well, I just came up here

to see how you feel.

Well, I thought maybe there was

something you might want. Radio?

Noise box.

Nothing happens.

The poor guy is nowhere.

Buddy, the boys at the boat

have been asking about you.

The boat?

They think you got a pretty rough deal

from Tommy Drake.

Nurse.

It's all right, Buddy.

Visiting hours are over.

- Isn't there any way to make him talk?

- Lf there is, I don't know it.

Why do you think

he kept staring at me that way?

Probably identified you with a Ms. Page.

She came to see him.

She was very kind to him.

- Do you think that perhaps if I were alone...

- Much too risky.

This has upset him.

He may become violent.

I'm sorry, I will not permit it.

Well, we'll have to try something else.

Thank you, Doctor. I'll be back.

You apparently have time to waste.

I'm sorry, I haven't.

I'm sorry, but I'll be back.

I think maybe he'd open up

if we kept coming around or something.

I think I'd rather figure out

some "or something."

Darling, I'm not very hungry.

I think I'll go back to the hotel

and freshen up.

- Well...

- I have half of Poughkeepsie on my face.

I like that corner particularly.

We'll join you as soon as we finish.

- Who gets the bone?

- I do.

Well, we'll just send it to the laboratory.

- Have we any report on yesterday's case?

- Not yet.

I'm worried about that.

Hello, Buddy.

You're not afraid of me, are you?

I'm a friend of Fran's. You remember Fran?

We're doing an act together now.

Great little partner, Fran.

We always feature your song.

Tears the place apart.

Go on, play it.

It's my favorite tune, too.

I suddenly got a sneaking suspicion

that she wasn't going back to the hotel...

so I checked and found I was right.

She didn't come back here

to take a second crack at Hollis, did she?

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Charles.

Your wife is not here.

Please.

That's swell, Buddy.

Swell.

- Buddy, I want you to tell me...

- Fran always used to come in right on cue.

I'll breeze it again and you try it.

Well, go on. Take it.

I can't. I have a sore throat.

I caught a cold last night.

I'll tell Fran I saw you.

I'll tell her you played the song for me.

- You don't sing with Fran.

- I'm trying to...

You never sang with Fran.

They sent you to spy on me.

- No.

- They told you to say that Fran sent you?

- No.

- Yes, I killed Drake. Now I have to kill you.

That's what I hid the gun for.

- No, nobody... Don't shoot.

- I have to kill you.

No, Buddy, don't.

- Darling.

- I'm all right.

- Take it easy, boy.

- How did he come to have a gun?

Don't you search the rooms

of your patients?

This is a rest home, not a jail

or an asylum. Give him some water.

- And some hand grenades to play with.

- That's the murder gun.

- He confessed he killed Tommy Drake.

- I see.

- I'll take that.

- Just a minute.

I think this may interest the police.

Let's go.

- Yes, I'm calling New York.

- Darling, why bother to call?

- We'll be home in a couple of hours.

- I want to hear my son's voice.

For a moment there,

I didn't think I'd ever hear it again.

- Hollis didn't look like a killer.

- Maybe he isn't.

- He admitted it, he even took a shot at me.

- For a complete miss.

- Meaning what?

- Meaning that in his condition...

he couldn't hit the ocean from a rowboat.

And Tommy Drake was shot

right through the middle of the heart.

- Then why did he confess?

- Cracked minds play funny tricks on you.

And, by the same token, you can play

funny tricks on cracked minds.

Now I have a hunch that Fran Page

knew exactly who the trickster was.

That's why she was murdered.

I see.

All you have to do to prove your innocence

is confess your guilt.

Yes, I'm calling New York.

Hello?

Hello, Mrs. Charles.

I just came up to talk to your husband.

No, I can't talk to him on the phone.

I'll wait.

- May I talk to her, please?

- Bertha?

- Yes, she's here.

- May I talk to her, please?

- Hi, Mom. When are you coming home?

- Hello, darling.

I'm afraid we won't be able

to have dinner with you again.

Yes. You can stay up until 9:30.

We'll come in and kiss you

when we get home.

Tell Bertha we'll be home in a few hours.

Okay, I'll tell her as soon as

she comes in. Bye.

As soon as... Nicky?

Come on, Mammy.

We don't want to settle in Poughkeepsie.

What's the matter?

Nothing. Janet's waiting at the apartment.

She wants to talk to you.

Well, it's all set. The hound can ride

with us in the baggage car.

Do you always have to ride in

the baggage car because of the M-U-T-T?

He understands every word.

- Two spades.

- Two no trump.

With a hand like this

I should have a finger bowl. I pass.

- Three no trump.

- I pass.

What do you think?

He needs glasses.

Yes, either that

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