The Big Heat Page #2

- And there was nothing wrong with his health.

What are you trying to say,

mr. Bannion?

I'm just trying

to check up on her story.

Find out why your husband

took his life.

Maybe i've been trying too hard to keep our

dirty family linen from being washed in public.

I suppose that woman told you

about their relationship?

She said your husband was in good

health and very cheerful, mrs. Duncan,

And that you'd agreed

to divorce him.

She's a liar.

Tom never wanted a divorce.

And he wasn't a well man.

I have no choice now...

Except to tell you

about tom and myself.

In the years we were married,

there were four lucy chapmans.

Four that i found out about.

Tom was vain.

He had to prove to himself that

he was still attractive to women.

Maybe he did boast to that

woman that he was in good health.

What else would you

expect him to do?

I wish this visit

hadn't been necessary.

There's a chance lucy chapman

might try a little blackmail.

She knows that you own

that house at lakeside.

Probably thinks

you're wealthy.

a wealthy policeman

would be a novelty.

Thank you for your patience,

mr. Bannion.

There's just one small thing i'd like to

clear up, so there'll be no loose ends.

Of course. Would you mind telling

me about the house at lakeside?

When it was bought, the price that

was paid, small details like that?

I'd mind very much!

For tom's sake, i resent the

implication of your questions.

Look, mrs. Duncan,

there was no implication.

Lucy chapman may run to the

newspapers. And it's my job...

To have the material to offset any

insinuations that she might make.

And it's my job,

with tom dead and defenseless,

To preserve his good name

the best way i can.

Good night, mr. Bannion.

Good night.

Okay. So long.

Here you are, sir.

Trouble automatically

catches up with girls like her.

Looks like a sex crime to me.

You said she wasn't attacked.

Well, that's not unusual

in this type case.

I'd say pretty definitely

it was psychopathic.

You saw those cigarette burns

on her body. Yeah, i saw them.

Every single one of them.

What's that name again,

sergeant?

Miss chapman.

Lucy chapman.

The lieutenant's been

buzzing you every ten minutes.

He didn't say what for.

Sit down, dave.

I had a call from upstairs.

What have you been bothering

mrs. Duncan about? Just routine.

Well, the first time was,

not the second visit.

Did she complain?

Somebody did.

It was bad judgement to bother a cop's

widow about the love life of her husband.

- Good or bad, it was my judgement.

- You're missing the point.

I'm the one that gets the

pressure calls from upstairs.

I'm the one

that has to explain.

You don't keep an office like this

very long stepping on a lot of corns.

You want me to go upstairs and explain?

Not you. You're a

corn-Stepper by instinct.

No, all i'm asking you to do, and

i'm not even ordering it, dave,

Stop bothering mrs. Duncan.

I don't want to jam you up, ted,

but i may have to see her once more.

Why? You have any doubt

duncan killed himself?

No.

No, none at all.

I just got back from the

county morgue. Hmm, the barfly?

I read the teletype

about your identification.

Lucy chapman used to be duncan's

girlfriend. And the army's and navy's.

Yeah, maybe so. She talks to me

just once and like that, she's dead.

That's county homicide's

headache.

Let's worry about this office. We're

spilling over with unfinished business.

Lucy chapman was probably trying to

shake down some sucker who wouldn't shake.

When barflies get killed, it's for

any one of a dozen crummy reasons.

You know that.

Let the sheriff's office...

Sort out this jigsaw.

Meanwhile, we'll stop

pestering the widow. Okay?

You still asking?

No more.

I'm telling you.

First i know, lucy's quitting

about 2:
00 in the morning.

She comes to me

and asks to be paid off.

Did she say why?

I don't ask.

All any of these dames owe me is a

night's work, one night at a time.

They come and go like flies.

Only this fly

got herself strangled.

These things happen, sergeant.

Outside of my place, some of these

babes keep pretty shady company.

It figures. They know nobody

cares much what happens to them.

Did she have any close friends

among the other girls here?

They don't stay long enough to

make friends. Where did she live?

If i ask for an address, they

lie. It's not worth the bother.

They're floaters. Not much more

than a suitcase full of nothing...

Between them and the gutter.

Hey, you know something.

You ought to be doing

radio commercials.

How to talk a lot

and say nothing.

Why, i'd be tickled to help

if i could.

Sure.

When i get some answers,

i'll be back.

Glad to see you

anytime, sergeant.

This is tierney.

Tell him it's important.

Sorry to bother you.

Bannion just left here.

No, sir. I just gave

him a lot of double-Talk.

He said he'd be back again.

Yes, sir. I will.

Okay, buster,

who'd you call?

My mother.

Would you rather go downtown to answer

the questions? Don't scare me, sergeant.

Five minutes after we get downtown,

you'll be answering the questions.

Get your coat.

Sure.

Only somebody will want to know why

you're butting into a county case.

Why you don't stop annoying people,

especially after you've been told once.

You get your news fast, don't

you? Special carrier pigeon.

Do we still go downtown?

No. Not today.

When we do,

I'll have enough answers

to close this joint up.

Tell that

to your mother.

Oh, that's the most

beautiful castle...

In the whole world. It's a police

station, daddy. Just like yours.

Hello, little bossy.

Where's big bossy, huh? Here.

Hello, darling.

Hello.

What's all these

- Expecting company or something?

Al and marge

are coming to dinner.

Come, daddy. Help me build

my roof. You better shower.

And get some cocktails ready. Yeah.

You look down in the

dumps. It's nothing much.

Is it a case?

I told you, it's nothing.

Well, you'll have to use a different

tone if you expect me to believe that.

All right, i'll bring home an affidavit tomorrow, if

- I'm sorry.

- I'm sorry, baby.

- It's all right.

You're entitled

to let off steam.

Ah, it's just a letdown.

I guess it's kind of an

occupational disease with cops.

You know that girl that phoned,

that lucy chapman? Mm-Hmm.

Well, she's a case now.

County homicide.

i'm sorry, darling.

I'm-

It's all right, darling. Daddy will

help you build even a bigger one.

oh. Let's go see

who's phoning us.

Can i talk?

Of course.

hello?

Yes, it is.

Who is this?

He wants you.

Who is it?

I- I don't know.

This is dave bannion.

Listen, slob, stop minding other people's

business if you want to stay alive.

Some big people

are getting annoyed.

Who is this?

What did he say to you?

You can fill in the four-Letter

words better than i can.

Honey, i'll try to be back

before al and marge leave.

But, dave, you don't

even know who called.

No. This is just another part of the

scheme to make me crawl back in my shell.

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