The Glass Key Page #4

I'll call Matthews in.

Just give him the dope. He'll put it in shape.

Start off with the money

you gave Opal that night.

- So you know about that?

- Sure, that dough was for me.

I still have some of Taylor's IOUs.

- Say, you didn't bump him off, did you?

- Don't be funny.

Listen.

You followed Opal to Taylor's apartment.

That's an important point.

Give Matthews all the details on that.

Looks pretty good.

You don't think The Observer's printing

a lot of wind, do you?

You know, I thought you were bluffing,

especially by going to Farr.

Not much.

- You know Sloss?

- Yeah, I know him.

Paul tossed him out of the leagues

downtown at headquarters last week.

That's where he made a mistake.

Sloss came to me spouting.

He saw Paul and Taylor

arguing on the street that night.

He only lives a couple of blocks away.

That's good.

But you know Sloss, he'll never stand up.

He won't have to. I got his affidavit.

That's the McCoy all right.

- Where is he now?

- New York.

But he'll be back tomorrow.

First, I'm gonna have him talk to Matthews.

Then we'll go and see Farr.

There won't be anybody going to see Farr.

And you can stick this in your ear.

Haddock!

(GROWLING)

Jeff! Rusty!

Let go, Haddock.

If you want it this way, you can have it.

- Thanks.

- Jeff!

- What do you got?

- Two pair.

That makes four bucks I owe you.

(MOANING)

- Must be having bad dreams.

- Yeah, wonder what he's dreaming.

- Well, how you making out, brother?

- Deal 'em.

- Sweetheart, you know what I told you.

- Take it easy, Jeff.

Give me two cards.

Look, sweetie pie, you ought to lie down.

You don't feel so good.

Jeff, be careful. You're liable to croak him.

You can't croak him. He's tough.

He likes this. Don't you, baby?

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

- Hiya, Nick.

- Nick. Hiya, Matthews.

The guy's a pip. Every time he comes to,

he gets up and starts something.

Well, isn't all this beating likely to be fatal?

Not unless we want it to be.

- The water still in the tub?

- It's getting a little dirty.

He won't know it.

He's okay, Nick.

Can you hear me, Ed? This is Nick.

Listen. You're going to give Matthews

the dope on Paul.

All right, I'll have you worked on

until you do.

- Jeff.

- It's a pleasure.

- Nick, please!

- Shut up.

Okay.

(THUDDING)

It's no good. He's throwed another joe.

All right. We'll be back in the morning.

Come on.

You owe me four bucks.

Okay, ain't it?

- No potatoes?

- No.

Where did you learn how to cook?

My first wife was a second cook

in a third rate joint on Fourth Street.

Oh, yeah?

What's the matter?

Don't you like your steak medium?

When I bite a steak,

I like it to bite back at me.

Rusty!

RUSTY:
Bust it open!

There goes the baby. Get him!

Crazy fool! Step on the thing like this.

RUSTY:
Turn it over!

(BOTH SHOUTING)

(GLASS SHATTERING)

(WOMAN SCREAMING)

Please, we're trying to help you.

You're badly cut.

Get Paul Madvig.

Oh, you'll be comfortable

by the time Mr Madvig gets here.

Get Madvig.

Hey, what's this all about?

Who wants to see me?

- You can't come in here.

- Look out.

Oh. It's you, huh?

Paul, it's Sloss.

New York trade for Varna.

Big witness.

Passed out?

Look,

if that guy dies,

I'm gonna turn this place into a warehouse.

Come in, please.

ED:
Hello, Snip.

Oh, you're... You're better.

- Yeah.

- I'm glad.

Ed, what was wrong

between you and Nick Varna?

We just had a little misunderstanding.

Have anything to do with Taylor's murder?

No, it didn't.

Do you know who killed Taylor?

- Did Paul kill him?

- Shut up!

Ed, did he?

If you must be a nitwit,

don't go around with a megaphone.

Then he did kill him.

It would be nice if somebody else

in this town besides me

thought he didn't.

It would be especially nice

if that somebody were his sister.

Today's Observer practically said

he killed him.

It wouldn't dare print that if it weren't true.

Listen, Snip,

you know a lot about newspapers.

Matthews is in with Varna.

They don't want Paul to win the election.

What you saw this morning

is only the start of what's coming.

They're gonna rattle Taylor Henry's bones

until the final vote's cast.

You shouldn't mind. Paul doesn't.

After all, he's a politician.

Matthews wouldn't print it if it weren't true.

He wouldn't!

Snip, he would!

I don't believe you and I never will!

(DOOR SLAMMING)

Are you awake?

There's a lady here to see you.

- What kind of a lady?

- Miss Janet Henry.

- Tell her to go away.

- I can't do that. She knows you're better.

When are we gonna be alone again?

Never, if I can help it.

I suppose I'll have to see her.

No wonder people beat you up.

Come in, please.

Paul says you're feeling much better,

Mr Beaumont.

They say I'll be able to sit up

by the first of the year.

Paul said you'll be out in a week.

Sounds like you've been seeing a lot of Paul.

Let's don't talk about Paul.

- What do we talk about?

- You.

- Comfortable here?

- More or less.

- No fun?

- No fun.

Hasn't your nurse been treating you well?

- Not as well as I'd like.

- Poor boy.

If I'd known you were being neglected,

I would have come sooner.

(DOOR OPENING)

What's this I heard about coming sooner?

I said if I had known

he was recovering so rapidly,

I would have come sooner.

Way I figured, Ed's lucky for you came at all.

Oh. Hey, Ed,

Janet made me buy these for you.

Huh? Oh.

- Well, how are you?

- Fine.

How do you like that?

See what comes from having brains?

"Use your brains instead of your fists,"

he's always telling me.

Look what happened.

I go about my business,

he winds up in a hospital.

- Yeah, but think of the rest I'm getting.

- Yeah.

Hey, look. How do you like that? 15 G's.

- Congratulations.

- Thanks.

We're not announcing it

until after the election.

Oh, no?

- How's everything else going, Paul?

- Oh, fine.

- Keeping Sloss under cover?

- Sure.

- I'd get him out of town.

- Hmm?

Paul, don't you have to pick up Opal?

Opal? Oh, no.

Opal went to the country for the weekend.

Where in the country?

I don't know. You know,

she acted kind of mysterious about it.

I guess maybe it's just a party or something,

you know.

JANET:
You better run along anyway.

You have to change for dinner.

Yeah, yeah. Are you coming?

- I'll be along in a minute.

- Okay.

- That is if you don't mind my staying.

- Why should I?

Well, Ed, do you need anything?

No. Not a thing.

I'll take these.

Guess you don't at that.

Well, I'll see you later. Keep punching them.

Do you hate me for this?

Why should I?

You're not dishing it out to me.

You're a strange man.

Tell me, why did you take such a beating

from Nick Varna?

For Paul, on account he pays me.

That's no reason.

Suppose I said

he pulled me out of a river once?

- I wouldn't believe you.

- Okay.

I did it because he's my friend

and he's square. Remember?

And because he would have taken

the same beating for me.

That's what I felt about you.

A stubborn loyalty.

That's why I want you to help me.

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