The Curse of the Jade Scorpion Page #8

the Dillworth jewels and the-- the--

This is--

What Are you--

What Are you looking

at me like that for?

Because you found them in amongst

my collection of female art studies?

What is the implication here?

I used to go with the six of spades.

Then the four of diamonds

caught us together and there was a--

I was aware that you sneaked up

mysteriously to the office

in the middle of the night...

and the lobby guard saw you.

I know you have Laura Kensington's

stocking, and she swears...

you kicked her out of bed to

take care of sudden business,

which your super corroborates.

They have a footprint,

a match book with your fingerprint,

and still I believed

that you didn't do it.

But now the actual stolen property

turns up hidden in your bedroom.

So what Are you saying?

This makes you suspicious of me?

I was actually a bit touched that you

stayed up all night watching over me.

I began to think, " Maybe he's not the

scummy little vermin he seems to be. "

I maybe a scummy vermin,

but I'm an honest scummy vermin.

- I didn't take these jewels.

- How can you deny it?

- You've been caught red-handed.

- Yes, I--

What-- I'm-- I grant you,

there's a fingerprint of me,

and they have a footprint,

and the jewels are in my bedroom.

This I give you.

- I'm starting to think

- I'm in tremendous trouble here.

- I'm calling the police.

No. Will you forget about logic

and give me the benefit of the doubt?

- Ha! That makes me an accessory.

- Not if I'm innocent.

You don't have a kosher bone

in your body.

That's exactly why you get your selves

into these problems.

That's why Magruder's

waiting for you, right?

You make all the wrong decisions

'cause you make 'em here, not here.

Decisions made here

are not as reliable as here,

because this is gray cells

and this is blood,

and blood circulates

through the body.

It gets around.

It knows what the score is.

But up here, gray cells

just lay there and think.

- You see what I'm saying?

- [Phone Rings]

- You see what I'm saying?

- [Phone Rings]

- Hello?

- Constantinople.

You will take the jewels,

each and every one of them.

You will take the jewels,

each and every one of them.

Make sure you have them all.

Wrap them tightly in brown paper

so it's impossible for anyone

to tell what they are.

Go to Grand Central Station.

Rent a locker. Lock them in.

Go home, taking the key with you,

and put the key in your mailbox.

Make sure to leave the mailbox open.

Then you will go into a deep,

refreshing slumber, and when you awake,

you will remember nothing

of what has transpired.

Is that clear?

Miss Fitzgerald?

Have-- Have I ever told you...

that you're one of the most

beautiful women I've ever met?

- I'm turning you in.

- No, I mean it.

That's what made me first fall in love

with you is those beautiful eyes.

I can't believe it. You're actually

trying to sweet-talk me?

I resisted because, well, down deep...

I thought that you might hurt me,

and I didn't want to put myself

in that position again.

C.W., let me set you straight

once and for all.

I wouldn't be interested in you

if you were the last man on Earth.

Not only that, I find it insulting

that you could think...

I would fall for such

a heavy-handed ploy.

What a low opinion

of me you must have.

Thank you for dropping by.

I'm a little busy right now,

but tomorrow night,

maybe we could have dinner.

I know a candlelight restaurant.

I could look into your eyes

and tell you how crazy about you I am.

if I didn't know what a squirming

little trapped rat you were,

I'd think you had a brain tumor.

- You're late.

- God, I'm still trembling.

Over last night?

I couldn't sleep a wink.

It's not that, Chris. It's Briggs.

He's guilty, isn't he?

It's a sad story.

Please don't make me

go into all the details,

but I wonder if he's having some kind

of mental breakdown.

He may be realizing

the consequences of his deeds.

- The Coopersmiths are closing in on him.

- Could he have...

a split personality?

A lot of criminals have been

known to play crafty games

when it suited their purposes.

I need a drink.

if I tell you something, do you promise

not to go off half-cocked?

Okay, but hurry.

I've got some big news.

- I found the jewels.

- What?

And keep me apprised, will you?

Thank you.

The police are on the way, thank God.

It's an open-and-shut case.

Much as I cringe at the publicity,

I'm elated at the recovery.

It's clear there's

so much more to this, Chris.

Oh, I've seen men driven to extremes

before being around big money.

These guys earn their living exposing...

all kinds of exotic schemes

to defraud and rob people.

Sometimes they start thinking,

" Hey, I'm on the inside.

I know why these schemes fail.

I won't make the same mistakes. "

You're saying he's cracked

from so many years of hard work?

He's a driven man.

Had a terrible marital experience.

Turned him off women, except for

the little no-threat secretaries...

and barflies he picks up.

Crushed when he caught

his wife cheating.

He's feeling older

and looks around and says,

" Hey, maybe it's time

I get mine and get out. "

Guy named Peterson

a couple of years ago tried the same.

Of course, he's a houseguest

at Sing Sing these days.

Well, I'm sure you know him

better than I do.

It'll resolve itself.

Um, Betty Ann, I spoke with Caroline.

- You did?

- I told her I wanted my freedom.

- Really?

- Isn't that fabulous?

It's surprising.

I thought you'd be

knocked off your feet.

Well, I mean, it was last night.

- It's sort of like a roller coaster.

- Forget about last night.

I knew I'd made a mistake

the minute I left your apartment.

What did she say?

I think she sensed

we'd been drifting apart.

she was very poised.

Said if I was sure

that's what I wanted, uh--

- Thank you.

- I'll have another one of these, please.

Sure.

You're certainly not as euphoric

as I'd imagined.

Well, you can't expect me to just

change gears and turn on a dime.

- Have you changed your mind?

- Mmm.

- No.

- You haven't met someone else, have you?

No, no, I haven't.

I don't understand, fellas.

What-- What's going on? What'd I do?

Yes, those are the ones.

They were in his bookcase.

He bets every day, and, uh,

and he usually loses.

I knew he was into the bookmakers

for a bundle.

Look, I was with him on Tuesday night

till about 12:
00.

Then suddenly he got a phone call

and he was like a different man.

if It was anyone else but C.W.,

we wouldn't even be discussing this.

The jewels were in his locker.

It's an airtight case.

Listen, fellas,

I know you guys wanted my job,

but I could get 30 years

up the river for this.

With good behavior,

you'll be out in 20.

- [ Laughing ]

- I'll get you. No matter where you are.

I'll check every low-I. Q club in town,

and I'll find you. I'll kill you.

- Low I. Q Some genius.

- I'll kill these guys.

- Take it easy.

- I'm not one to give pious lectures,

Rate this script:3.0 / 2 votes