The Houston Story Page #4

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Study.

Books.

Tell that to your kids.

Then they can be big men.

Just like me.

[ Buzzer ]

Yeah?

"Mr Shay to see you."

- Send him in.

No. Have him wait a minute.

Have him come in.

Where is Atlas?

Atlas turned the oil

operation over to me.

Well, you'll still be running it. I ..

I'll just be double checking.

I'm a bad teacher, Shay.

Don't expect to learn

how to run it from me.

You said you wanted to

see Atlas for a huddle.

What did you want?

I've got a new gimmick.

Gimmick? What are you talking about?

If we can sink our main line direct to

our own refineries down at the docks ..

We'll have a steady flow and eliminate

a lot of slow hauling by truck.

Yeah.

Yeah .. that could be.

What will it take?

- Blind pipe.

But we can't go on the open market for

it. Too many questions would be asked.

So how do we get it?

The same way we get the oil.

Hijack it.

I'll need a half dozen

good boys for the job.

We got them.

I don't mean trigger boys.

Don't want any rough stuff.

If someone has to be pushed,

we push 'em. But that's all.

Look.

What are you worried about?

Murders blow up a storm.

I don't want a storm.

I'll have the men at the club tomorrow

night. You tell them what to do. Right?

Tomorrow night?

Well you see, Duncan.

I'm learning already.

The sign is still lit.

How long will we have to wait here?

You heard Duncan.

We don't do anything

until that sign goes out.

Don't know how you did it. But overnight

you go from driller to big businessman.

Not overnight. I've been

making my plans for years.

The right time just came.

Hey, if it ain't Frank Duncan.

The big business typhoon.

"Tycoon", you dope.

"Typhoon". You ever hear

that windy gob of his?

Still pushing the night-shift?

- Yeah, fast hauling.

Coffee, Madge and hurry.

We got a schedule.

Make sure all they get is coffee.

I'll see you.

That's it. The sign is out.

I hope those other guys are

waiting at the warehouse.

Thanks a lot, Madge.

- Sure.

So long, Madge.

- So long.

Out cold.

Watch out!

I thought we weren't

supposed to use any guns.

No. Shay thought different, especially

since Duncan will be blamed for it.

Miss Decker.

"Yes, Mr Constant?"

Get reservations for me.

I'm leaving for Houston immediately.

I'm sorry, Inspector.

Not those guys in the photographs they

showed me at the Railroad commission ..

Nor any of those in the line-up

were the ones who did the job.

Alright Mr Lucas, you can go.

Be sure to stay where we can reach

you in a hurry, in case we need you.

Sure will.

That pipe wouldn't be good

for many things other than oil.

Maybe there is something starting in

the fields that we don't know about.

Such as?

Organised theft of oil itself.

Of course there's always

a certain amount of pilferage ..

But the Railroad commission

manages to keep it at a minimum.

A mass operation would

be something else.

Wouldn't the oil companies know

they were losing oil in large amounts?

Gauges can be altered

by crooked foremen.

Illegal tapping of government lines can

be done underneath the ground ten feet.

Now we'd have to dig up the

whole field to find the tap.

Alright, Mr Lucas.

Every joint in Houston will

be put under surveillance.

The Canadian and the Mexican police ..

Will be notified of our reports,

so they can be on the lookout.

In case these hijackers try to

cross the border somewhere.

I'll follow through on my end.

If we can locate that stolen

pipe before it is used ..

Then we'll have a starting point.

I'll keep in touch with you.

- Right.

I have you a warning, Atlas, but

apparently that wasn't enough.

A man's been murdered. Now there

will be a full-scale investigation.

Oh it was an accident.

That trigger-happy Barker.

Now wait a minute, Paul. Let's put the

responsibility where it belongs, huh?

Duncan handled the hijacking.

I gave him explicit orders

there was to be no shooting.

Is that right, Duncan?

I'm new in your outfit, Mr Constant.

I've no interest in making any trouble.

This time I'm going to make it.

[ Tape recorder playing: ]

"If we can sink our own main lines down

to our own refineries down at the dock."

"Have a steady flow and eliminate

a lot of slow hauling by truck."

What are you trying to pull?

I'm going to dump you Shay,

right into Mr Constants lap.

"We can't go on the open market for

it. Too many questions would be asked."

"So how do we get it?"

- "Same way get the oil."

"Hijack it."

"I'll need a half dozen

good boys for the job."

"You've got them."

- "I don't mean trigger boys."

"I don't want any rough stuff. If

someone must be pushed, we push 'em."

You heard enough, Mr Constant?

Look. It's a trick.

Duncan is pulling a fast one.

Gordy wouldn't lie.

He's a good man for us.

That will be all, Atlas.

You are through, Shay.

Duncan, you take over his spot.

Just like that?

Just like that, I'm through, huh?

- Gordy. - Let me alone!

I'm going to tell you a

few things, Constant.

Shut up!

Don't talk tough to Mr Constant.

He gets excited.

He can't help it.

Don't make it hard for me.

Shay, I've known Paul a long time.

Ordinarily, your life

wouldn't be worth much.

This time I'm going to let Paul

decide what to do with you.

But you'll never know Shay, never,

when I might change my mind.

Now get out.

He's a fool, Paul.

Why did you make that recording?

Shay has weak spots. Talking

too much is one of them.

So you knew all the time that you'd

trip him up sometime somehow?

I knew he'd trip himself up.

I admire ambition, Duncan.

But ambition is best if it mellows with

age and experience, like good whiskey.

You can't always make your own spots.

I'm a company man, Mr Constant.

If I am ambitious it is because I

want help better the organisation.

Of course.

Should I still go ahead with my plans?

Yes.

Well the one place I know

would be right for us ..

Is the Excelsior Refinery

owned by a Mr Gallo.

I'll see what kind of a deal our

president Mr Phelan can make.

Just make sure you keep that pipe

hidden until things cool off a bit.

Shay is in your hands, Paul.

If I were you, I wouldn't let

sentiment interfere too much.

I'll check with you later, Duncan.

Sure, Mr Constant.

Louis.

- "Yeah, Frank?"

The Excelsior Refinery deal is okay.

Go and see Gallo and try to

buy it. Our top price is $50,000.

"I'll leave right away."

Call me at the house later.

Let me know what happened.

[ Telephone ]

[ Telephone ]

Yeah?

Zoe .. what is it?

Frank, I have to see you tonight.

Never mind the show.

I told Gordy I was sick.

No, not at your place.

The observation roof

of the Justice Building?

Have you been drinking?

Frank, I'm serious.

Look, it's about six now.

I can be at the tower by ten-thirty.

Yeah.

Yeah, good.

And Frank.

I need $25,000 tonight.

I'll pay you back next week. Every cent.

25 grand? What the

devil is so important?

That's a lot of money.

Sure, I've got it here, but ..

Okay. I won't ask any more questions.

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