The Killers Page #9

Well, we might still be

able to do business...

if you put a prize in

with the Cracker Jacks.

What do you mean?

I want a fall guy for the law.

Who would that be?

Colfax.

Even the old Kitty Collins

never sang, Mr. Riordan.

Well, I'll be moseying along.

Do I tell the police where you live

and what time you'll be home?

Oh, please wait. What is it you want?

That's better.

Who planned the robbery?

- Colfax.

- Was the Swede in love with you?

I hadn't seen him for a long time,

but the minute I laid eyes on him, I knew.

He was always looking at me,

and it doesn't sound like very much,

but he always carried a

handkerchief I'd given him.

Green... with golden harps?

- Steak sandwich?

- For me. The milk's for the lady.

Mr. Riordan, I'd like you

to believe something.

I hated my life, only I wasn't

strong enough to get away from it.

All I could do was dream of some big payoff

that would let me quit the whole racket.

The Swede was my chance to

make my dream come true.

If I could only be alone

with him for a few hours.

But Colfax was always there.

I thought it was hopeless,

and then suddenly my chance came.

You mean the burning down

of the Halfway House.

Colfax sent me to tell the

others what had happened,

and that they were to meet

at the farmer's instead.

I went to Blinky Franklin

first and then to Dum-dum.

I saved the Swede till last.

It was nearly2:
00 in the

morning when I got there.

Kitty!

What's up?

I'm taking my life in my hands

coming to you like this.

But I just couldn't stand by, not after

what you did for me that time in Philly.

Forget that. Why are you here now?

Colfax thinks I'm on my way to New York.

He's meeting me there tomorrow.

But I just had to come to you,

Swede, and tell you.

Tell me what?

They're planning to double-cross you.

Who is?

Colfax and the others.

They don't intend for you ever to get a

smell of the money from tomorrow's job.

How do you know that?

Colfax sprung it tonight on Dum-dum

and Blinky right after you left.

First he called you names and

said dirty things about you,

and then he sprung it.

What if they were not to go to the

Halfway House after the robbery?

You'd go there,

but they'd be someplace else

and so would the money.

- What did Blinky and Dum-dum say?

- They fell right in with the idea.

Where are they gonna meet?

The farmhouse north of town on Polk

Road, eleven miles out on the turnpike.

Colfax hates you, Swede,

so much so that Blinky and

Dum-dum have caught it from him,

and they hate you too.

Thanks for putting me wise, Kitty.

What are you gonna do?

Swede, what are you gonna do?

I'm gonna do them like

they mean to do me.

Promise me one thing.

You won't give me away.

- If Colfax ever found out what I did...

- Don't you worry.

You know why Colfax hates you?

Because of me.

He's no fool.

He sees what's happened.

Why did you ever go

back to him, Kitty?

Maybe because I hate him.

I'm poison, Swede, to myself

and everybody around me.

I'd be afraid to go with anyone

I love for the harm I'd do them.

I don't care, harming him.

You're not meetin' him tomorrow.

Aren't I, Swede?

And that's it, Mr. Riordan.

The whole story.

I knew then that by night the

Swede'd have the money, all of it.

And it all worked out.

He met me right after he

left the farmer's place.

We drove down to Atlantic City.

And as soon as you could

break away, you left him flat.

I'd like to have known

the old Kitty Collins.

You were in the clear because no one

knew you'd been with the Swede.

You had nothing to fear from anyone.

Too bad it had to catch

up with you now.

Let's get out of here,

Mr. Riordan. I'm nervous.

- Where do you want to go?

- It doesn't matter.

Take me back to your hotel with you.

- I'll powder my nose.

- I'll wait for you.

Don't go away.

- How much further?

- About three miles.

Cut your siren. We'll drive right

up and hit the front door.

You boys cover the other

doors and windows.

Right.

- Got your gun handy?

- Sure. Why?

Just thought I'd ask.

It's Dum-dum.

Cover us! You get over there.

Operator, this is a police call.

Get an ambulance out to

792 River Bend. Fast.

- Ambulance won't do any good.

- Sorry, Colfax.

I'd hoped to beat out Dum-dum.

I wanted you alive.

- How'd you figure it, Riordan?

- Dum-dum tipped me.

He said Kitty brought him word at

midnight about the changed meeting place.

The Halfway House didn't burn down

till nearly 3:
00 in the morning.

That meant Kitty had a partner.

And who could he be but you?

- Is this your woman?

- Yeah.

- Hello, Kitty.

- We got her outside.

- How bad is he?

- The ambulance is on its way.

It's gonna be a little late.

I guess our luck's run out, Kitty.

You didn't have anything on

her before now, did you?

No, but I had to make you think so.

Then I was sure you'd try to knock me off

before I could find out Kitty was your wife.

You knew that too?

Married people can't testify

against each other.

Otherwise, I'd have tried playing

you off, one against the other,

instead of making myself a target

for those gunmen of yours.

Give me a cigarette, will you?

What I don't get is why you sent

those two killers to blast the Swede.

He wasn't doing you any

harm there in Brentwood.

Why didn't you let well enough alone?

I couldn't.

Suppose one of the gang

ran into him, same as I did.

They were after the money.

He'd have had a chance to tell his story

and that would have been the end of it.

They knew Kitty and I were married,

and they'd have seen

through the frame-up.

Anyhow, if I hadn't had him knocked

off, he'd have wondered why...

and begun thinking.

Jim! Jim!

Tell them I didn't know anything.

Jim, listen to me.

You can save me.

Jim, do you hear me? Tell them I

didn't know those gunmen were coming.

Say, "Kitty is innocent.

I swear, Kitty is innocent."

Say it, Jim, say it!

It'll save me if you do.

Don't ask a dying man

to lie his soul into hell.

"Kitty is innocent.

I swear, Kitty is innocent."

It's no use, Kitty.

Your would-be fall guy is dead.

Come back, Jim. Tell them. Come back!

Save me! Jim!

"Kitty is innocent.

I swear, Kitty is innocent."

"Kitty is innocent!

I swear, Kitty is innocent!"

"Kitty is innocent!"

And the Swede never knew his girl...

had gone straight back to

Colfax with all the money.

As for the others, they had no idea

she'd ever been away from Colfax.

- Have I got it all straight?

- Right.

Then Colfax framed the whole thing just

so he wouldn't have to split the take.

The double cross to end

all double crosses.

Yeah. And just to think, none of

this would have ever come to light...

if it hadn't been for a

$2,500 death benefit.

Uh-huh.

Well, I suppose you're

waiting to be congratulated.

Ah, it's the job.

Owing to your splendid efforts,

the basic rate of the Atlantic

Casualty Company as of 1947...

will probably drop

one-tenth of a cent.

Congratulations, Mr. Riordan.

I'd rather have a night's sleep.

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