Song of the Thin Man Page #8

a kind of a restorative effect on The Reed.

He's even got him convinced

that he's never been away...

that all the murder biz was strictly

a bad dream.

So he'll play all right.

He'll look good up there, too.

Well, prettier the bait,

the better the catch.

Come again?

That's an old saying I just made up.

Look, bossman...

Fishes number five and six

are beginning to nibble.

- Five.

- I beg your pardon?

Good evening.

I was using my influence

to get you a good table.

We're sitting with Mr. Brant.

I didn't think you people

could be dragged into this place.

We couldn't very well offend Mr. Brant.

After all, he's a member of the family now.

We'll see you later.

Mr. Thayar, I ran across your gun...

at the Valley Rest Home in Poughkeepsie.

The inspector insisted

that I leave it with him.

He had some strange notion that since

Brant is a member of your family now...

he's trying to shield you.

The inspector is famous for his little jokes.

Hey, bossman, I hate to bring this up but...

I don't know about

sitting next to The Reed.

Suppose somebody takes a shot at him

and misses.

Would you rather he were hit?

No, but if you miss one thing,

well, you're bound to hit another.

And I thought, instead of being up

on the stand beside him...

I could, kind of, play off-stage?

Why don't you play at the table?

That would be even safer.

Unless our murderer

makes a cushion shot.

That's what I like. Sympathy.

If you saw something you knew

wasn't there, what would you do?

I'd go back to Poughkeepsie

with Dr. Monolaw.

And you saw a blank space

where you knew something should be?

I see that all the time. What is it?

Mrs. Amboy's necklace.

She isn't wearing it anymore.

- I don't like it.

- Sorry, but that's the way it's got to be.

- She isn't.

- And Mrs. Talbin is wearing it.

- It matches her earrings perfectly.

- What do you get out of it?

A sudden urge to merge with the Talbins.

Come on.

I am sending Johnson to Rio to close

the deal. He'll be a sensation.

They've never seen anything like him

in this country.

This is not really my racket.

I have to give her one whirl

to keep the franchise.

Yes, I know what you mean.

I wanted to ask you to have a drink

with us but those tables...

are hardly big enough to hold one.

Have a drink with us

when you finish dancing.

We're finished.

Waiter.

- It's a wonderful opening.

- Yes, isn't it?

Think Hollis will ever be able

to take Drake's place?

Nobody will ever be able

to take Tommy Drake's place.

Yes, I know how you folks feel about him.

After all, it was you who cleared up

his debt, wasn't it?

I told you I didn't let him have the money.

What difference?

$12,000 or a necklace

probably worth more.

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- You should.

Didn't you just redeem the necklace?

Mrs. Talbin's been wearing that necklace

all evening.

In that case, somebody had better tell

Mrs. Amboy she's lost hers.

Wait a minute.

I just redeemed the necklace

in the powder room.

- What?

- I gave it to Amboy that night.

I didn't want anything to happen

to Tommy Drake.

And I nearly threw a $100,000 tour

in that guy's lap.

That tour would have meant

a lot of money to you, too, wouldn't it?

Of course, but...

But you wouldn't advance him

the $12,000...

even though you knew Amboy was

preparing a cement kimono for him?

I told you he was a bad risk.

Seems very puzzling.

But I'm sure that Hollis

will soon make it all very clear.

Now, ladies and gentlemen,

Buddy Hollis and his famous clarinet.

After the number, he will make

an announcement...

that's going to throw a bombshell

into the Tommy Drake murder case.

- Lf the party gets rough, duck.

- I'm practically under the table now...

but not the way I'd like to be.

Well, Buddy, I guess this is it.

Time for that little bombshell.

Buddy, tell everyone

how Tommy Drake was murdered...

how the murderer took advantage

of your condition...

and planted a gun on you

and then worked on you...

till he convinced you you'd killed Drake...

and how, with murder on your conscience,

you went to pieces.

Tell them why Fran Page was murdered...

how she came to visit you several

times at the Valley Rest Home...

and gradually pieced things together

and threatened to talk.

Tell them about the someone

who went to her apartment...

to try to keep her quiet and couldn't...

and how he turned on

her phonograph, loud...

so that her screams couldn't be heard

as he plunged his knife into her.

You told me who he is.

You told the police.

Now tell all these people who he is.

Tell them.

Come on, Buddy. Tell them.

Never mind, Buddy. I'll tell them.

It's true about Fran. I killed her. I had to.

And I killed Tommy Drake.

I didn't intend to.

I wanted to keep him away from Phyllis.

I went to reason with him

and when I saw that gun on the cabinet...

I think we know the rest.

I don't think you do.

Everything would have been all right

if you hadn't meddled into it.

This is the last time

you're going to meddle...

Keep away, all of you.

Don't touch him.

You knew about Tommy and me all along.

Weren't you clever?

That's why you wouldn't lend him

the money.

You wanted Amboy to kill him.

But I crossed you up by paying Amboy off

with my necklace.

I couldn't let him take you away from me.

I thought Phil Brant did it.

That's why I took a shot at him...

at the Charles' apartment. But you did it!

Let the police have him.

I swore I'd kill the man

who shot Tommy Drake.

Well, I guess you did.

And to think you did it all

with your own little hatchet.

- I'm proud of you, darling.

- Thank you, angel.

- Now, Nick Charles, is going to retire.

- You through with crime?

No, I'm going to bed.

That reminds me.

English

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