The Asphalt Jungle Page #7

Good old dirty politics.

- All right. Call me right away.

Yes, I'll call you later.

- Don't forget.

Yes.

Can we go on playing?

Certainly. Why not?

Why, Lon, you're as pale as a ghost.

What's the matter?

Well, I just had some bad news.

A man who works for me got killed.

Oh, Lon, how awful.

Was it an accident?

No.

No. It was...

...an intentional killing.

Do they know who did it?

- No.

Oh, Lon, when I think of all those

awful people you come in contact with...

...downright criminals,

I get scared.

Oh, there's nothing's

so different about them.

After all, crime is only...

...a left-handed form of human endeavor.

Ever been in Mexico City, Dix?

- Nope.

It's 8000 feet up.

The air is very pure.

Many first-class clubs,

restaurants, a horse track...

...and girls.

Beautiful young girls.

How would you like to go there,

all expenses paid?

Sorry, Doc, not interested.

I'm heading home.

Listen, Dix.

You can always go home.

And when you do, it's nothing.

Believe me. I've done it. Nothing.

My mind's made up.

It's me.

Look, my friends.

My friends...

...I am a respectable man.

For Gus, I do a favor, all right?

With this picture in the paper...

You mean you want us to blow?

Is that right, Eddie? Okay.

The sooner we get out of here,

the better.

Eddie's getting to the place where

he'd talk with encouragement.

Oh, no. I no talk.

Gus cut my belly open.

I'm sorry, my friends,

to bring you this bad news.

I go now, please.

- Sit down, Donato.

You're not going anyplace till I say so.

Stay put, Eddie.

Nobody's gonna hurt you, so long as you

sit still and keep your mouth shut.

The way I figure, the insurance guys sicced

the cops on that phony, and he spilled.

You never should've stopped me

from blasting him.

No, Dix. He hasn't spilled...

...or they wouldn't be looking for just me.

- Then how come?

Because there's only three or four men

who can manage a job like this.

Somebody in the department with

a few brains has decided I'm the guy.

I've been half-expecting it.

It doesn't worry me much.

We'll get our money tomorrow, you bet.

I hope so.

Where are we going, Dix?

- I know a place.

Eddie, if you're a smart boy,

you'll forget you ever seen us.

I wanna see the commissioner.

- State your business.

I'm a citizen. I can see the

commissioner if I want to, can't I?

Is it about Riedenschneider?

- Could be.

He sure gets around, that guy.

About 5000 people have seen him

in the last 24 hours.

If you get in that line and wait your turn,

you can tell your story.

I won't tell anybody but the commissioner.

- Okay. Sit down and wait, buddy.

But it may be some time.

- Okay.

I'd like to see the commissioner.

Where do you think you're going?

We're on our way home.

- Yeah?

Where do you live?

- South on Camden.

You got no business here.

This is city property. There are signs.

Everybody uses it.

- You're telling me.

Even hoodlums have been

bringing girls here.

Is that a fact?

- Yeah.

It's cost one of our boys his job,

on account of the beefs.

If I were you, I'd stay out of here.

You understand?

Okay, officer.

Hey, wait a minute.

You, with the bag.

Come here.

Dix.

Oh, Dix, honey.

You'll have to excuse me.

I took a couple of sleeping pills,

and I guess I'm still kind of groggy.

I haven't been able

to sleep much lately, Dix...

...worrying about you and everything.

I was up at your place.

They told me the cops were after you.

Get me some cold water

and some towels and stop yapping.

Sure, Dix. Sure.

Get a move on.

- Oh, you bet.

Put in hours and hours of planning.

Figure everything down

to the last detail. Then what?

Burglar alarms start going off

all over the place for no sensible reason.

A gun fires of its own accord,

and a man is shot.

A broken-down old harness bull,

no good for anything but chasing kids...

...has to trip over us.

Blind accident.

What can you do against blind accident?

One thing I ought to have

figured was Emmerich.

I know why I didn't.

I'm not kidding myself.

It was the extra dough he promised.

I got hungry.

Greed made me blind.

Hey, Dix. Dix, isn't he the one

with the reward on him?

Mind your own business.

She confirmed what Emmerich said,

that he was with her from 11:30 till 3.

How did she impress you?

- Very much.

She's some babe.

- That's not what I mean.

Was her manner straightforward?

Oh, I guess she was

telling the truth, all right.

Married 20 years,

consorting with a woman...

...young enough to be his granddaughter.

It's disgusting.

But nothing about Emmerich

would surprise me.

Educated man who uses brains

to circumvent the law.

Worst type of human being.

No excuse for him.

Excuse me, commissioner.

- Well?

There's a taxi driver been waiting outside.

Says he's got some important information.

- Concerning what?

I tried to find out, but he

wouldn't talk to anyone but you.

He's been waiting two hours.

All right, send him in.

- Yes, sir.

What's your name?

- Charles Wright.

Hackie number 14803.

Green Stripe Company.

What's this information you've got?

- That doctor everybody's looking for.

I think I had him for a fare.

- You drove him someplace?

Well, now, I'm pretty sure it was him I

picked up at the station a week ago Friday.

Friday the 16th?

Where did you take him?

To a number on Camden West.

I remember I asked him

if he wanted me to wait.

I know a fella that got

rolled once on Camden West.

He didn't have nothing,

so they stole his pants.

Where did you take him?

What number?

It was dark.

What's that number again?

- 4717.

Used to be a bookie joint, commissioner.

Get hold of Lieutenant Ditrich.

Yeah, that's him.

At first I thought I was making

a fool of myself by coming down here.

But that's him, all right.

You may be in for a reward.

I hope so.

Lieutenant Ditrich on one.

Where are you, Ditrich?

- I'm at 4th Street and 6th.

All right. Now, get a search warrant

and go to 4717 Camden West.

Riedenschneider was seen there.

- That's 4717?

Yeah.

Stake your men out before

you go in. Get a move on.

Some news just came in.

A patrolman was on duty at the car barn.

He ran into two men and was slugged.

They got away, but he identified one

as Riedenschneider.

Good. Great.

We'll block off the whole area.

No sirens. We'll make it a sneak.

How about the patrolman? Badly hurt?

A head wound and he's punchy.

The doctor doesn't think he's got a fracture.

Well, son, looks like maybe

we're getting somewhere at last.

Look, lieutenant,

what would I know about Belletier's?

I wouldn't mix into a robbery.

You know that.

Wouldn't you?

- No, of course not.

You saw Riedenschneider here, sure.

That don't say...

- You're nuts.

Never seen anybody here.

How could I?

I never been here before this.

Well, that being the case...

...what's to connect me

with the Belletier job?

Somebody saw him here.

I don't know who.

Maybe you got a fink around.

Look. You're sure you

won't have one, lieutenant?

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