The Big Clock Page #6

you're the research division.

This guy's name, as I say,

may be Jefferson Randolph.

He's supposed to come

from a wealthy family.

So you'll have to check

the telephone books,

tax records, utility lists,

general business directories...

anything you can think of

for cities within 300 miles.

Now, any questions?

Yeah, can we ask about

the blonde too?

Yes,

you can ask about the blonde.

But don't forget,

it's the man we want,

and only the man.

Suppose you climb

on your horses, huh?

Don't forget to report in

as soon as you get anything.

Roy'll be on the telephones.

George, you didn't

give me an assignment.

You help with the phones.

Get a couple extra installed.

Check.

Oh, Miss Adams.

Yes, sir?

I don't want

to be disturbed.

Operator, I've been trying

to get Butterfield 8-3597

all morning.

Could you check it for me?

It's not out of order?

Thanks.

Burt's Place?

Who is this?

Charlie,

this is George Stroud.

Look...

No, no, it's not

about the fin at all.

Look, is Burt there?

He isn't?

When he comes in,

give him a message for me.

I wasn't there last night.

Get it?

Sure, I got the message.

And about that fin.

I'll pay it back

at the end of the week.

Oh, that's swell

of ya, George.

Good-bye.

No, you don't!

So you're the guy that's

been swipin' my stock.

I was just scrapin'

the stamp off the bottle.

I collect 'em.

Get out of here

and stay out.

Give me another chance.

You had your last chance

on St. Patrick's Day.

But I've got a message for you.

Give it to

the telegraph company!

Okay, I'll go,

but I won't come back!

Hello, Roy? Bert Finch.

I got a lead.

Yeah, a witness

who saw a couple like ours

near Burt's Place.

About, uh, 10:
30.

Yeah, and the man had

a picture under his arm.

Of a pair of hands.

Yeah.

Yeah, I've got it.

A painting of a pair of hands.

Hands,

Mr. Cordette?

Hands.

What about descriptions?

Gorgeous, huh?

And the man?

Good. Keep checking.

Finch says that a man

and a gorgeous blonde...

were seen outside

Burt's Place,

They were both high.

The man had a painting of

a pair of hands under his arm.

The witness didn't get

a good look at the man.

Finch says he was too busy

staring at the blonde.

That's too bad.

Miss Connely, on the board,

Burt's Place, 10:30.

Oh, George.

Yes, Steve?

Mightn't that be one of your

famous irrelevant clues?

What?

The picture.

Yes, yes, it might

at that.

Better get busy.

If he had it under his arm,

he probably bought it

somewhere nearby.

I'll assign a man

to check it.

Assign a dozen men. Check every

art store and antique shop

in the neighborhood.

Maybe he paid for it

with a check.

Maybe somebody

will remember the picture.

Yeah, you're right.

As of 12:
17, the clue chart

reads as follows.

"Name:
Jefferson Randolph.

Appearance:
Tall, medium build,

black hair.

Clothes:
Single-breasted,

gray suit, well-tailored,

blue tie.

Age:
About 35.

Frequents:
Van Barth

and Burt's Place.

Habits:
Collects paintings.

Character:
Questionable."

Hello.

No, this is Kislav.

Yeah, go ahead.

Mort Spaulding at the Van Barth

has something.

They remember them here,

but the bartender who

served them hasn't come in yet.

I've found one very

charming lead though.

The hatcheck lady.

He's been in here before,

but with his wife.

No, she can't add anything

to our description,

but she remembers his hat.

Brown felt hat

with a feather in the band.

Anything else?

Okay, stick around

till the bartender comes.

Guess you better put that

on the board, huh?

Yeah.

Miss Connely,

put that on the board.

Brown felt hat

with a feather in the band.

We have located five Randolphs.

One in Forest Hills,

one in Brooklyn.

Assign a man to each one.

Find out where

they were last night.

Tell 'em it's a poll

on America's nightlife.

Yeah, right.

George, we've got a break.

Finch traced the picture.

An antique shop

on 3rd Avenue.

The man paid $30 for it.

It was painted by an artist

named Patterson.

Sounds as if he might

be a collector, huh?

Yeah.

What are you going

to do about it?

Hadn't we better check?

What's the name

of the chief critic on Artways?

Right!

What do you mean, right?

Is his name Klausmeyer

or something?

I'll phone him and send him

out to see Patterson.

Good.

Say, George.

This painting.

It's a Patterson, isn't it?

That's what it says.

I got others at home.

Why don't you

interview Patterson?

Randolph may be a collector.

No. The way we're going,

we'll have this guy

in a couple of hours.

Maybe sooner. You go ahead

and keep a check on things.

Amazing how much junk

gets in these things.

Miss Adams.

Yes, sir?

Try and keep this thing

clean for me, will you?

Good morning, young lady.

Beat it!

Is your mother at home?

I said, beat it!

Who is it, Rosa?

Someone trying

to steal the mail!

No, no, I was just...

Yes?

Miss Patterson?

I'm Don Klausmeyer

from Artways magazine.

Yes?

Oh, yes, didn't you review

my show in '41?

I think I did.

Oh, come in,

Mr. Klausman.

"Klausmeyer."

I've been planning

to kill you for years.

Drop those, cherub,

and I'll break

both your arms.

Straight ahead.

Are all these your little ones,

Miss Patterson?

More or less.

That one's Ralph's,

my first husband.

Drank himself to death.

That one's Frederick's.

Lost at sea.

I had a third husband.

He... And the twins

are Mike's.

Your present husband?

Would be

if I could find him.

Oh, don't sit there.

No, no, it collapses.

Won't you come into

my workshop?

Don't be afraid.

A glass of sherry?

No, no, no,

thank you.

Sit down, Mr. Klaus...

"Meyer."

Oh.

Another review?

No.

Our organization,

the Janoth Publications,

is trying to find someone,

possibly a collector

of your pictures.

So have I

for 15 years.

This man bought one

of your pictures last night in

an antique shop on 3rd Avenue.

Oh, a pair of hands?

Yes, how did you know?

I was there,

trying to buy them myself.

Then you saw this man.

Can you describe him?

Oh, yes.

Smug, self-satisfied.

Uh, symmetrical features.

I could draw him

for you.

That would be wonderful.

Of course, I should

like to be paid.

Of course.

How would $100 be?

And of course,

the same for the blonde.

You mean, you don't

know the blonde?

Uh, no.

She's a model that used

to pose for that horrible

fashion rag of yours,

uh, Styleways.

I wanted to use her once

for a painting, Avarice.

You know her name?

Oh, yes, yes.

Um, Pauline York.

Pauline York!

What a scoop!

Thank you!

Oh, Mr. Klausburger.

"Klausmeyer."

What about the sketches?

Check with George Stroud

at Crimeways magazine.

Oh, sorry.

Oh, Penelope.

You forgot to put away

your roller skates.

The board certainly

is coming along fine.

I'd say we're getting a pretty

good picture of the man.

Drinker, collects paintings.

Eccentric.

Clock phobia,

glib talker.

Ladies' man.

And married.

How'd you like your wife

to see that, George?

My wife?

Well, any wife.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes