St. Ives Page #2

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Mr. Procane sent me to find out

what went wrong.

- All he had to do was call.

- Oh, I asked him to send me.

Well, in that case, come on in.

- Like some coffee?

- Fine.

Now, about last night.

I met up with a small-time thief

named Boykins, in the Laundromat.

Someone you know?

Past tense.

When I saw him, he was bouncing around

inside a drier with his head on backwards.

That's chicory coffee.

Takes getting used to.

You can say that again.

If you're gonna sit there,

I'll make the bed.

No, no. I like beds that have

already been slept in. They're warmer.

I don't think you understand about Boykins.

Or maybe I didn't make myself clear.

He was dead.

Was that all there was to it?

Maybe for you...

...but it was of some importance

to Boykins.

We had another call this morning.

Another voice wanting ransom

for the ledgers.

He also wanted you to act as a go-between.

He said he'd call tonight at 9:00

with instructions.

I'll be there.

Do you always live like this?

- In cheap hotels?

- Yeah.

By choice?

Why else would anybody live

in a cheap hotel?

- You don't like me, do you?

- I don't like your questions.

As for you...

...you're tough, smart...

...and you've got a lot of great-looking

bits and pieces.

I wondered when you'd notice.

It's a little early for me to notice.

Mornings are for getting over the nights.

You should come around in the afternoon.

- Well...

- See you at 9:
00.

Are you throwing me out?

No man in his right mind

would throw you out.

It's just that afternoons are better.

- Afternoons are perfect.

- I'll remember that.

Hey, Ray, what do you say?

- Hesh.

- How about a little corned beef today?

Sounds good to me, but no fat.

Give mine to Angie.

Boykins got his ticket punched last night.

- Yeah, that's right.

- You was there.

- You got busted.

- Come on over and sit down.

Hey, Rudy.

Take over for a minute, will you?

Seen Boykins the last couple of days?

Yeah, he was in two nights ago

with... what's-his-name.

That guy who always looks

like death warmed over.

- Finley?

- Yeah, that's the creep.

Two of them had their heads together

for hours. Last time I saw Boykins.

- What time does Finley come around?

- He comes in late, around 10:00.

Gary, get a mop and get out here!

Where are you?

Hey, what's the matter with you?

You all right, lady?

- Hi, Ray, what's going on?

- Hey, Seymour.

Nothing much. Sit down, sit down.

How's the book coming?

Gary, will you get out here with that mop?

Hey, Seymour.

You know a vest called Abner Procane,

lives in Holmby Hills?

You want me to ask around?

Yeah, but quietly.

I got a car in the parking lot.

- I'm going this way.

- Good night.

Good night, now.

- Well, you two dance well together.

- Feel it?

Inside.

Twenty, 40, 50...

Fifty lousy bucks!

You ain't got no money,

you pay with your ass!

You got the $50 for five minutes' work.

That adds up to $600 an hour.

That's a lot of money.

What are you, some kind of wiseass?

Who put you nice, clean-cut boys

up to this?

- Who do you work for?

- You know, you talk too much!

We're gonna take you out,

go-between.

Sh*t!

Cut him off!

- Mr. St. Ives. Just a moment, sir.

- I know my way.

Mr. Procane has given explicit instructions

that he's not to be dist...

Quiet, please, quiet.

- What is it?

- This man insists on seeing Mr. Procane.

Mr. Procane can't be disturbed now.

- May I be of any assistance?

- Who are you?

Properly I should ask that question.

Who are you?

Mr. St. Ives. We're expecting him.

- Thank you, Horace.

- Mr. St. Ives.

You're the man helping Abner

regain his journals.

Yeah, something like that.

- Dr. Constable.

- Do you mind waiting a few moments?

Abner's just on the last reel

of Birth of a Nation.

What happened to you?

- Are you hurt?

- No, not very much.

Show me your hand.

Please, Mr. St. Ives, please.

Don't worry.

I was an MD before I became a psychiatrist.

Friction burn.

Come with me.

Why don't you wash your hand,

Mr. St. Ives.

- Janet, could you get me some scissors?

- In the drawer.

Yes, here are the scissors.

And now I need some gauze

and a mild astringent.

Mild astringent. Mild astringent.

Mild astringent...

Mild astringent.

Why don't you sit down, Mr. St. Ives.

Yes?

No, this is Procane.

Shall I or shall I not ask you

how you came by these burns?

I missed the elevator and had to slide down.

Such impatience.

Now, this will sting a little.

Where did you say?

Yes, I'll give him the message.

What is this with Procane

and the old movies?

Films really are dreams...

...especially old movies,

and Abner loves them.

They're good dreams for Abner.

They're splendid, splendid therapy.

You can remove this bandage tomorrow,

if you like.

I see you two have met.

Mr. St. Ives. A message.

Union Station, Wednesday, 10 a. m...

...men's room, first stall.

You're to bring the same Pan Am bag

as before.

First it was a Laundromat,

now a men's toilet.

Classy bunch of crooks. No imagination.

Or appreciation.

You've had an accident?

Goes with the territory.

Hey, where's Parisi?

- Who?

- Johnny Parisi.

Tell him it's Ray St. Ives.

I don't know him.

I'll wait.

St. Ives.

Hi, Ray.

Come on in. I wanna show you something.

Looks just like any other car on the street.

Get in. I got a surprise.

The boys are real artists, aren't they?

Quarter-inch armor throughout.

Quartz-glass windshield.

- Expensive?

- Ray.

How can you put a price

on personal safety?

I had to test it anyway.

You're right.

Personal safety's very important.

What's on your mind, Ray?

Stolen journals.

Who stole them? Who's got them?

Why are they so valuable?

And why is someone dead?

Maybe Albee Shippo can help.

Are you involved?

If I were, we wouldn't be talking.

- You called?

- Yeah.

Come on in.

Like I said on the telephone,

I don't do retail.

Everything here is strictly high-class art.

For instance, you wanna go

into business for yourself...

...something you can do

from your own home, I'm your man.

I'm interested in journals. Jack Boykins.

Wait a second. Wait a second.

Boykins was a thief!

I had nothing to do with him.

- Who are you anyway?

- I'm investigating the murder of Boykins.

- You're a cop.

- Before Boykins was murdered, he said...

I don't care what he said!

Some guy runs off at the mouth.

He gets bumped off.

Suddenly, an innocent man's

in the sh*t house.

All right.

But if you can help me out...

Look, all I know is, some guy calls up...

...to see if I'm interested in journals.

I said, no.

- Did you talk to anybody else after that?

- Nobody!

Every time something happens,

you cops jump on me!

This guy that called, what's his name?

Finley Cummings.

Finley Cummings.

Cummings wanted to know if I knew

anybody interested in some journals...

...belonging to some guy

living out in West L.A.

You remember anything else,

give me a buzz.

- Sure, sure.

- Ray St. Ives, Hotel Lido. Thanks again.

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