The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond Page #3

in the car.

I'll stand here

where I stopped.

It may be under the gravel

that you kicked around.

- Who's there?

- It's me.

- Fishy.

- It's us, I mean.

- They seem to be looking

for something?

- It might be a good idea

to turn the car lights on,

don't you think,

Jimmy?

- Did you lose something,

Fisher?

- Nothing less than a $5,000

teardrop diamond, honey.

- My Lord. Where?

- Somewhere between the car

and where I'm standing.

- You see it on the drive,

Fisher?

- No.

Do you see it in the car?

- Looking,

still looking.

- Is that Jim Dobyne

in the car?

- Yes, but that's scarcely

my concern at the moment.

- It's nowhere

in the front of the car.

- I had it on

when I got in the car.

And I didn't get out of the car

anywhere on the way here, did I?

- You're out of the car now,

Fisher.

- Well, look around

where I'm standing.

- Fisher, you walked

halfway to the house

before you discovered

you lost it.

- I guess I know how far

from the car I walked.

Will you please borrow

a flashlight from the house?

Is that too much to ask of you?

- Fisher,

don't get hysterical.

I'll bring you a flashlight.

- Who is that common-looking

tramp talking to my escort?

- Vinnie, my cousin.

Now, excuse me.

I'll go get you

that flashlight.

- I've never been

to Julie's before.

- You look good.

I've never seen you

in a suit before.

- Fisher, I thought you said

you were gonna stay

where you thought

you dropped it.

- I'm retracing my steps

to the car.

- Never expected

to see you again in my life.

- God, I'm glad

you're here, Vin.

- I don't want to interrupt

your reunion.

Old friends, are you, Jimmy?

- I'm Julie's cousin,

Lavinia McCorkle.

- How do you do?

Julie's gone for a flashlight.

Obviously...

- What?

- The earring dropped off

before I got out of the car.

- Well, now,

just where was that?

You were out before we stopped

like a jumping flea.

- A charming simile.

So you are Julie's cousin?

- Didn't I say so?

- Sometimes

there's no resemblance

between relations.

- I'm gonna go back up the car

since you did jump out

before we stopped.

- I did not.

- You did.

- Don't move the car.

I'll go look for it.

- Oh, she's very cross

with you, Jimmy.

I hope she doesn't think

you're responsible for the loss.

- I'm gonna go back up

that goddamn car.

She did jump out

before it stopped.

Mad at me.

Yeah, mad as hops,

and I think I know why.

- Flashlight.

- I doubt somehow

that it's gonna be recovered.

You did back up the car.

- You did jump out

before I stopped.

- Are you calling me a liar?

- I saw her jump

out of the car too.

- How about you, Julie?

- Oh, it's so terribly dark,

I just saw the car lights

as you entered the drive.

- This young lady

who says she's your cousin

must have exceptional vision.

- Jimmy, I think I know

what happened.

It fell in a pocket

of your jacket.

- You think I got it on me?

- Jimmy.

Where do you think you're going,

Jimmy Dobyne?

- Well,

if your accusation is right,

to the county jail.

- What accusation?

I made no accusation.

- Here's my jacket.

Search the pockets.

I will do no such thing.

You misunderstood me.

I only meant

it could have dropped

in your pocket by accident.

You know it.

Don't you remember?

I...

I leaned my head

on your shoulder on the levee.

That's probably when...

oh, this is absurd.

I'm ruining my slippers

on this gravel drive.

- Well, you go back

and enjoy the party.

I couldn't go now.

- I can't go back

without a date.

- Well, wouldn't it be better

than going back

with a suspected thief?

- You've got to go back

with me.

Think of the talk

if you don't.

- Look through the pockets

of the jacket.

- If you insist.

- Of course, I ought to be

searched to the skin.

That's what I'll demand

if I go back there with you.

- You don't understand me yet,

Jimmy.

- Does anybody?

- Nobody I know of,

to tell you the truth.

I'm an only child

and the heiress of two fortunes.

- Do you always talk so much

about your financial prospects

depending on death?

- In Memphis,

it's not necessary.

It's too well known.

- And has it made you

popular there?

- With some kinds of people,

yes.

- The kind of people you like?

- I don't like people,

but sometimes I like one person.

- And do I have the honor

of being the one you liked

till you lost

your teardrop diamond?

- Why else would I be here

with you?

Come on.

Please.

- Haven't I seen you before?

- Not that I recall.

- Oh, I know.

It was just a photo of you

as debutante of the season

in Memphis.

- Julie.

- We came out last season,

still go to the important

parties in Memphis,

such as Susie Bracken's.

- Yes, her debut's tonight.

We were invited,

of course, but we-

- Didn't want

to disappoint Julie.

- You seem to be alone here.

Did you come here alone?

- I don't see

how that concerns you.

- We just thought

if you're here alone,

we'd gladly introduce you

to some of the-

- Guests, yes.

- Since I'm a close friend

of Julie's,

I'm sure she'll introduce me

to anyone present

that I care to know.

Excuse me.

- Now, you turn

these damn pockets out

and put everything you find

in it on this table.

Come down here

from a social debut in Memphis

and accuse me

of stealing a diamond.

I liked that girl,

Fisher Willow.

I really did.

- Drink your drink, son.

- I tell you,

that damn girl

thinks I stole a diamond

off her,

and that's why I got

to be searched.

Now, I'm gonna take off

all my clothes,

and I want you fellows to go

through every single pocket,

any place on me

that I could hide a diamond.

- Now, now, son,

everybody knows

you never stole anything,

nobody that knows the Dobynes,

and I had the honor

of knowing your granddaddy

as well as I knew

my own father.

Why, nobody

with a grain of sense

would possibly imagine

Mr. Dobyne-

- No, Mr. Fenstermaker,

you don't understand.

My father was accused

by the Hobsons of stealing

when he worked for them.

- Keep your clothes on, son.

Just set down

and have a drink with me, huh?

You got yourself

all worked up over nothing,

nothing.

- Mr. Fenstermaker,

I am asking you

to go through the pockets

of this tuxedo.

In insist on being searched.

- Julie?

Julie?

- Miss Willow.

- What?

- Julie's aunt

wants to see you.

- Oh, please make

some excuse for me.

- Fisher,

Fisher Willow.

- Oh, Lord.

- Just for a moment,

Miss Willow.

She's determined to see you.

- Why?

- I don't know why,

Miss Willow,

but she positively refuses

to go to sleep

till she's seen you.

- Fisher.

- Hello.

How are you,

Miss Addie?

- Thank you for coming in.

I know how unpleasant it is

to enter

this chamber of horrors.

- Why do you call it a chamber

of horrors, Miss Addie?

- 'Cause that's

just what it is.

Would you please

close this door?

Would you please lock it?

I want to have a completely

private talk with you.

Now come over here

so I don't have

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