The Big Heat Page #5

that he's dead.

Did he have

a set spot to work?

Uh, you know, a place

where he kept his tools?

All the tools are mine.

There's nothing here

for you, mister.

Nothing at all.

Do you mind

if i walk around the yard?

Talk to your men?

I have to mind.

When it comes to my bread

and butter, i stay careful.

It doesn't matter to you that slim might

have been mixed up in a murder, huh?

Sure, it matters.

Yeah.

What can i do about it? I don't

know anything. You're a liar.

You can't insult me, mister. I said i don't

know anything and that's how it stands.

You know, i've been meeting your

kind every day now for ten years.

Scared rabbits

that never see a thing.

You wouldn't stick out your big,

fat neck for anybody, would you?

That's the truth.

But it's my big, fat neck.

So if you're through talking,

i'll get back to work. I ought to-

that won't change my story.

Cops are paid

to take risks, i'm not.

You see, i've got

a wife and kids too.

mr. Bannion?

Mr. Bannion?

Mr. Atkins

might come outside.

He isn't a mean man. Not many

people would hire someone like me.

It's just that he's

frightened. I am too.

But there was a man came to

see slim about two weeks ago.

They had a long talk

out in the yard.

Do you remember

what he looked like?

I'm not much good at

those things. He was-

Well, he was

about your height,

And he

- Well, he wore rather fancy clothes.

You know, colorful. Would you

be able to recognize him again?

Oh, yes. He came right into the

office and asked me where slim was.

How about phone calls?

A few.

A man named larry

left a message once.

Just about the same time.

No last name, huh?

No. He just said to tell

slim to call him at a place-

Oh, it was a peculiar name.

Something like a-A monastery.

Oh, you know,

Where people go off alone

to think. The retreat?

That's it. He said to

call him at the retreat.

I'm very grateful, miss-

Parker.

Selma parker.

Miss parker.

You've been most helpful.

Well, i'm-I'm glad.

Good luck, mr. Bannion.

Shall we say good night to

daddy and put baby to bed now?

Yes.

Good night, darling.

Good night, daddy.

Sleep tight, honey.

Thanks, marge.

You bet.

Good night, joyce.

good night.

Say, al,

do me a favor, will you?

Call this number here at exactly

9:
30 on the dot, will you?

And ask for larry.

Larry who?

That's what i'm trying to

find out. Larry's all i know.

He's a lead?

I'm hoping.

I got my fingers crossed.

Thanks, al.

Beer.

Thirty-Five.

Retreat.

Larry who?

You must be kidding, mister. What am

i supposed to do, page larry anybody?

look, keep your hands off.

I won't tell you again.

I'm sorry, mr. Stone.

When i say don't pick up

the dice so fast, i mean it.

I'll roll them again, if

you like, huh? Go ahead.

now stop it!

Honey, that guy's way out of

line. Reg, don't fight. Please.

Sit down, junior. Get out, kid.

Get your boyfriend out of here.

Come on, reg. Let's go home.

Look, you're not scaring me.

Please, reg, come on!

Where you goin', thief?

This isn't your business,

bannion.

All right, thief, suppose you

tell me what my business is.

Go on, tell me.

You like working

girls over, don't you?

Don't make a mistake, bannion.

Don't play hero with me.

Maybe you're the one that

worked over lucy chapman.

Take it easy, sergeant. I don't

know what you're talking about.

here, baby.

this is for you.

Get yourself something nice.

No hard feelings, huh?

That square it, sergeant?

Get out of here

while you can still walk.

Sure. Sure.

You too.

You going to be all right?

Yeah. Yeah, sure.

thanks, mister.

Sergeant.

Yeah?

I'd like to buy you a drink.

With vince stone's money?

I'd choke on it.

Do you get your kicks out of insulting

people? Aren't you vince stone's girl?

The way you ask it, it sounds

like a bunch of dirty words.

Well, that was

the general idea.

Everybody's walking out

on me tonight.

What are you after? I

don't know. You, i think.

Vince stone

chase you after me?

You saw him leave me in the bar

like an old beer or something.

Come on, lets find out.

I mean, if it's you i'm after.

I'm staying at the marland hotel. Okay.

You make up your mind in

a hurry, don't you? Uh-Huh.

Marland hotel.

Say, i like this.

Early nothing.

There's just scotch.

Is that all right? Fine.

Water?

Good.

How come you sat still

when stone burned that girl?

Well, i'll tell you. The last time

i butted in, vince worked me over.

Is that how it is

being his girl?

Oh, most of the time it's

a lot of fun, expensive fun.

What do you got against

him? I don't like thieves.

Well, you'll never get anywhere

in this town not liking vince.

I'm not trying to get

anywhere. That's obvious.

Well, that's

some improvement.

You know, it's funny.

Sometimes, i feel about vince

the way you looked at him tonight.

He can be a pretty good guy.

And then other times he can be

- But why kick?

You got to take

the bad with the good.

Is the good, good enough?

Clothes, travel, expensive

excitement. What's wrong with that?

Nothing, if you don't care

where his money comes from.

The main thing

is to have the money.

I've been rich and i've been

poor. Believe me, rich is better.

Did you think i was an heiress

or something before i met vince?

- I didn't think about you at all.

- Thank you.

Didn't know you. How could

i? Oh, well, that's better.

You got a refill?

You know larry at the

retreat? Larry who?

Uh, it's larry-

I forget his last name.

He's about my size.

Wears flashy clothes.

I know lots of larrys.

This one was a friend

of vince stone's.

I don't know

all his friends, fortunately.

You know mike lagana,

don't you?

Just to say hello and good-Bye

to. When vince talks business,

I go out and get my legs

waxed or something.

I don't like to hear things. Why

don't you stop the cross-Examination?

I didn't come up here

to talk out of school.

Why did you come up? Well, why don't

we call it research or something.

Or to needle stone, huh?

Oh, well, you're about as

romantic as a pair of handcuffs.

Didn't you ever tell a girl

pretty things?

You know, she's got hair like the

west wind, eyes like limpid pools,

Skin like velvet?

I'll put you in a cab.

Did i say something wrong?

- No.

- I must have broken one of the house rules.

You really want me to go?

I wouldn't touch anything of

vince stone's with a ten-Foot pole.

That's a rotten thing to say.

Everybody winning?

Oh, hello, debby.

Hi, debby.

Hi, miss marsh.

How you doing, vince?

Okay. Where you been?

The gaiety club.

Late show.

Deal me out a while,

huh, boys?

How was the show?

The usual routine, not too bad.

Why didn't you

come straight home?

The way you ran out,

i didn't think you cared.

What do you mean, "ran out"?

It wasn't a stroll.

With elections this close, i can't

afford trouble with a crazy ex-Cop.

He's not so crazy. Got a hot

flash for you. He hates your guts.

How would you know?

I was there, remember? I'm

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