The Lady from Shanghai Page #5

"To realize that I, Michael O'Hara,

had killed him. "

But I don't understand, Michael.

What were you doing with George

in Sausalito?

It says Mr. Grisby

wants to spend the night on a yacht...

...and asked me to drive him there.

And that's where I kill him.

You see,

with the rough tide there is in the bay...

...they wouldn't recover the body,

if there was one.

You don't understand, darling.

He isn't dead yet, Grisby's alive.

He won't be murdered until tonight.

Is that foolish enough for you?

My husband wrote that thing

and got you to sign it for him.

It's one of those famous Bannister tricks.

No, it's Grisby's idea.

It seems Mr. Grisby wants to disappear...

...and this is a scheme of his

to get himself declared dead.

There's more to it than that, Michael.

I don't know what, but there's more.

It's a trap of some kind.

You meet George tonight,

just as he arranged.

Go with him to Sausalito

and do whatever crazy...

...nonsense he asks you to do.

As long as no one's hurt it won't matter.

But don't let him out of your sight.

Maybe George isn't as big a fool

as he seems to be...

...but I'll swear my husband's

behind this whole thing.

Michael, why did you let yourself

get dragged into it?

Sure because I'm a fool,

a deliberate, intentional fool...

...and that's the worst kind.

Or didn't you know?

Yes, my beloved, my beloved fool.

I know.

I don't think there's anybody home,

just Broome.

Mr. Bannister's in the city, and

Mrs. Bannister, I think, went to the movies.

- Better wait for me in the kitchen.

- Okay.

Make some coffee, we'll both need it.

I've got things to attend to.

Well?

I wonder, am I the only one

that's on to you and her?

Who?

Nobody else seems to guess

you're sweet on her.

That ought to be worth extra,

but I'll throw it in for the same price.

- What are you selling?

- I can shut up, that's what I'm selling.

You see, I'm a snoopy kind of a guy.

I find things out. I get around.

I got around one afternoon in Sausalito.

I overheard a little conversation

down in Mexico.

I found out about a little plot of yours.

You wouldn't want me to say nothing

about how you're framing Michael.

Frame him for a murder

you're going to commit.

Well, let's talk it over tomorrow.

When you'll be playing dead

and someone we both know is really dead?

No, thanks, Mr. Grisby.

We'll settle our account, right now.

All right, Broome...

...if you insist.

- What are you doing?

- Hello, Michael.

I'm sorry. You drive.

Were you shooting a gun?

I was just doing a little target practice.

That's what you're going to say, isn't it...

...when you shoot the gun

down by the boat landing?

People come out of the bar

to see what happened.

You're going to say,

"I was just doing a little target practice. "

Of course, really,

you're supposed to have shot me.

And later, when nobody's looking...

...you're supposed to have thrown

my corpse into the bay.

Look out!

What happened back there?

Anybody hurt?

- Kind of banged it up, mister.

- Yes.

It's our fault. Here's my card.

Let me know if there's any damage.

Looks like you got damage.

- Your hand's cut bad!

- Really, it's all right.

- Well, goodnight.

- Goodnight, Mr. Grisby.

Goodnight.

- Did he get a good look at us?

- What?

The truck driver.

He'll make a good witness.

What?

He'll testify he saw us

just before the murder.

Broome, are you ill?

I've got some lead in me, where it hurts.

- I'll call a doctor.

- Did already.

Trouble is, the doc will report the police.

The police will want to know

who was the certain party who shot me.

Don't worry, he'll get his.

There's going to be a murder.

Ain't going to be a fake murder this time.

Somebody's going to be killed.

- You mean...

- Yeah, your husband.

Maybe he's the one who'll be knocked off.

- What?

- Could be.

You better get down to his office,

if you want to do anything about it.

- What are you doing?

- Getting blood all over the floor of the car.

My blood. It's perfect.

If you'd shot me,

there would be blood, fella. See?

Now, when you get back to the garage,

start washing out the bloodstains.

You're trying

to wipe out the evidence, see?

But be careful not to do such a good job

that they can't analyze the stains.

You can just try to wash that out.

Get the gun.

It's in the glove compartment.

Good. Come on now. Let's go.

Be sure enough people in the bar

get a good look at you.

They're bound to ask about the shooting.

Just say you're doing

a little target practice.

Be sure and wait until you hear

the speedboat get away.

- Understand?

- Where are you going?

Give me that cap!

- What are you laughing at?

- Wait and see.

- Get the law!

- Get back in the house!

You come back in the house.

It's none of your business!

Why don't you let people

get some sleep around here?

- What are you doing with that gun?

- I was just doing a little target practice.

- Where are you going with it now?

- Is he drunk?

He's soused!

San Rafael, please.

Hello. I want to speak to Mrs. Bannister.

What?

It's me, Broome.

Get down to the office.

Montgomery Street.

You was framed.

Grisby didn't want to disappear.

He just wanted an alibi.

And you're it. You're the fall guy.

Grisby's gone down there

to kill Bannister, now.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Stop that car! Stop the car!

Am I too late?

- For what?

- To save Mr. Bannister.

- Who?

- Arthur Bannister.

- That's blood, ain't it?

- Sure, it's blood.

- It's all over the seat.

- Where?

- Let go of me!

- There's blood all over him.

- Your name?

- Michael O'Hara.

Listen to this paper

I found on the sidewalk.

I want to know about Mr. Bannister.

Go ahead, Joe.

"I, Michael O'Hara,

in order to live in peace with my God... "

Yes, Michael?

- You were asking for me?

- Pardon me, please.

- "... freely make the following confession. "

- Confession!

"On the evening of August 9,

I shot and killed George Grisby. "

Then it wasn't you that was killed,

it was him, Grisby!

Hello, darling. Have you heard the news?

George has been murdered.

He was found here in the street

with Michael's cap in his hand.

Michael is going to need a good lawyer.

Well, it's my own fault...

...but that's how I got into it,

big boob that I am.

I began to ask myself

if I wasn't out of my head entirely.

The wrong man was arrested.

The wrong man was shot.

Grisby was dead and so was Broome.

And what about Bannister?

He was going to defend me

in a trial for my life.

And me, charged with a couple of murders

I did not commit.

Either me, or the rest of the whole world

is absolutely insane.

- You know my associate, Mr. Seeley.

- Hello.

He's arranged for your pass into the jail.

It's in the building.

- Should he take you?

- I'd rather go by myself.

- All right, Seeley. I'll join you in the office.

- Okay.

Excuse me, Mrs. Bannister.

You want to be alone with Michael?

- It was your idea.

- Morning, Bannister.

Morning, Judge.

Is your boy still in the hospital?

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