The Naked City Page #3

- No.

Is there anything the matter?

She's dead.

Murdered.

- Hi, Perelli.

- Hiya.

Just sit here a moment, please.

- Dan here?

- Inside talking to the guy.

Lieutenant Muldoon.

Dan? Jimmy. Got a girl here.

Ruth Morrison.

Friend of Dexter's. Models at Grace Hewitt's.

Hold it. I'll call her.

This is terrible.

I feel sick over it.

My hands haven't trembled like this

since I was in the South Pacific.

- Oh? What happened to you there?

- Oh, my first time in combat.

- What outfit were you in?

- 77th.

Say, I think I had a cousin in that one.

- It's a New York division, isn't it?

- Yes.

Corporal James Dennis.

No. I don't remember him.

I was a captain.

Thank you, Dave.

We won't need you anymore.

Excuse me.

We want to find the person

who murdered Jean Dexter, Mr. Niles.

Anything I can tell you.

You know anybody who might have

had a reason to kill her?

Everybody liked Jean.

Do you happen to know a friend

of Miss Dexter's called Ruth Morrison?

Ruth Morrison? No.

Yes. She's a model, isn't she?

Yeah. I think so.

How well do you know her?

Oh, I - I met her at parties

once or twice that Jean gave.

And how long did you know Miss Dexter?

About a year.

- See her often?

- Why, yes. I, uh -

- Frank, why are you here?

- Why, uh, hello, Ruth.

You don't think he could have been involved

in Jean's death. He hardly knew her.

- How do you know?

- Well, of course I know. Frank and I are engaged.

Congratulations.

The items that make up

this murder are being compiled now.

They'll be listed in a folder

marked "Dexter, Jean"...

along with some questions.

Is Henderson the murderer?

Did a taxicab take him

to the Pennsylvania Railroad Station?

Who is Henderson?

Where does he live?

Who knows him?

"Bulletin. Police chief.

Baltimore, Maryland.

"Please ascertain information

about resident, your city.

"Name:
Philip Henderson.

Age:
about 50.

"Thin, tall build.

"Confidential. Quick Reply. Urgent.

Correspondence Bureau,

Police Department, New York City. "

Along with Henderson,

one Frank Niles is now in the case.

Every murder turns on a bright hot light...

and a lot ofpeople,

innocent or not...

have to walk out of the shadows

to stand investigation.

I might be wanti ng to see you again.

Anytime you say. Jean was my friend.

And you won't leave town

without letting me know?

- Oh, all right. Good-bye.

- Good-bye.

- Lovely young girl, isn't she?

- Yeah.

- Lovely long legs.

- Yeah.

- Keep looking at 'em.

- Pleasure.

Yeah.

Uh-huh. Thanks.

Couple of things.

One:
medical examiner called in.

- Dexter died between 1:00 and 2:00 a. m.

- I see.

And, uh, here...

are a few interesting items

on our friend inside.

- Mr. Niles.

- These things happen, Lieutenant.

I told you I didn't know Ruth Morrison very well.

Now you know that Ruth and I are engaged.

Can't blame a man forwanting

to keep his fiance out of a murder case, can you?

I never had a fiance in a murder case.

Just between ourselves...

you never told your fiance what good friends

you and Miss Dexter were, did you?

Uh, Ruth's a bit jealous, Lieutenant.

You understand.

Now I wonder if there's anything else

you told us about yourself...

that wasn't strictly true.

I have no reason to lie to you, Lieutenant.

I have a report in front of me that says

you never were in the South Pacific, Mr. Niles.

You weren't in the 77th Division.

You weren't an officer.

You weren't even in the army.

All right. I'm a heel.

I tried to enlist.

Theywouldn't take me.

I got a trick knee from college football.

I just couldn't get in.

That's all right with me,

but why lie about it?.

I don't know.

Just foolish pride, I guess.

How did you spend the war years,

Mr. Niles?

I was in Chicago.

Same business I have now.

- Been at it long?

- Six or seven years - since college.

- Doing pretty well, huh?

- Very good these days.

Perelli back? Send him in.

Well, what can you tell us

about Mr. Niles's business?

He ain't got a business.

It's a dodge.

No credit rating.

Dropped from his university club

for nonpayment of dues.

Still owes a food and liquor

bill of $110.83.

All right. Thank you.

Well, Mr. Niles,

I've been 38 years on the force.

I've been a cop on the beat.

I've been with the Safe and Loft Squad.

I've been for 22 years

with the Homicide Squad.

But in a lifetime of interrogatin'

and investigatin'...

you are probably the biggest

and most willing liar I ever met.

All right. I'm a liar. I'm a circus character

altogether, but I didn't kill Jean Dexter!

I told you where I was last night.

Why don't you check on that?

- We're doing that right now.

- Okay. That's fine.

I'm sorry.

I'm not angry at you, Lieutenant.

You're just doing your job.

The truth is I'm ashamed of myself.

My parents had money and position.

But since I got out of college

I haven't been much of a success.

I'm trying to keep up a front.

But I'm only a small-time liar, Lieutenant.

On important things,

I'm straight as a die.

Ask me anything you want.

Jean was my friend. I want to help you.

You spent nearly $50 last night

at the Trinidad Club.

Where'd you get the money?

I play a sharp game of bridge

with Park Avenue friends.

I take a flier on the stock market

on inside tips.

When I'm hard up, I borrow money.

That's the truth.

Thank you.

Now, about this man Henderson.

You say you met him only once,

in Miss Dexter's apartment.

- Would you describe him to me?

- Well, uh, medium height. Husky.

- Wore glasses. Looked to be about 35.

- Mm-hmm.

Lieutenant Muldoon.

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh. Oh, all right.

Well, Mr. Niles, after telling me

a lot of stories about a lot of things...

you apparently told me an accurate story

of where you were last night.

Four witnesses have placed you

in the Trinidad Club at the time Jean Dexter died.

I guess you're in the clear, Mr. Niles.

I told you.

I don't lie about important things.

- Any more questions?

- I guess not.

I'm not as much of a heel

as I sound, Lieutenant.

I'm trying to catch on

to a job in industry.

Maybe someday I will.

I wish you luck.

- Good-bye then.

- Good-bye.

Put two men on him in three shifts.

And listen. Not a word about him

to the newspapermen.

Niles isn't even in this case.

Spent $50 last night, he says.

On 50 bucks a week

I supported a wife and raised two kids.

Sure.

But you were brought up

on the wrong side of the tracks.

Fifty bucks!

It's been a long day, Niles.

But now you can go whereveryou like.

Except that two men

will follow you day and night.

Two men in three shifts.

That makes six altogether.

Or is it seven?

The only good fingerprints we got

were of the maid and Jean Dexter.

Several men from the 20th Squad

are still working on the case.

The Baltimore Police say they can't locate anyone

so far who answers Henderson's description.

And the pajamas in Dexter's apartment

show nothi ng under the X-ray.

They're an English import

and never been washed.

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