The Naked City Page #6

- Niles - he's the connection.

- Easy, lad. Easy.

Mother -

You told me your name was Ruth Morrison,

not Hylton.

Well, Ruth's my daughter by a first marriage.

She kept her father's name.

How do you know these men?

They're investigating Jean Dexter's murder.

Jean modeled with me at the shop, Mother.

Imagine! Look, darling.

- My ring!

- They brought it.

- Aren't theywonderful?

- How did you get it?

Your friend was wearing it

when she was murdered.

- Jean?

- How did she get it?

I was hoping your daughter

would tell us that.

I have no idea.

It was stolen with the other things.

What did you mean before when you said,

"Niles - he's the connection?"

- I, uh -

- What did you mean, please?

He was just wondering, miss,

how your ring came to be on her finger.

You don't think Frank -

Oh, but that's silly.

- He hardly knew Jean.

- Of course.

Sit down.

Excuse me, miss.

Is that your engagement ring?

- Yes.

- Can I look at it?

Pearl in an old-fashioned setting.

Huh. Unusual. Jimmy.

What are you doing?

I'm sorry, miss.

We're checking your ring to see if it was stolen.

This is fantastic!

Do you honestly think that either Frank or I

had anything to do with Jean's murder?

- I'm only earning my salary, miss.

- Dan!

When did Niles giveyou this ring?

About six weeks ago.

On January the 8th, Mrs. Charles Franklin,

382 Fern Avenue, New Rochelle...

reported the loss of this ring in a robbery.

- Niles in?.

- Went in about a half an hour ago.

- Alone?

- Yeah. Apartment 6E.

- You can go home now.

- Thanks. I'm dead. So long.

Good night.

Niles!

Niles!

Stand back.

Oh, Frank.

- Darling.

- Dan, in here!

It's the police! Stop or I'll shoot!

What's the matter?

What's goin' on here? Who is that?

Somebody get help!

Help! Help!

Help!

Up there! He ran up there!

Frank. Frank.

Maybe some whiskey would help.

Whiskey's not the thing

to mix with chloroform.

Suppose you go into the kitchen and see

if there's a spot of coffee on the stove.

It'll do fine, even if it's cold.

Come on, me sleepin' beauty. Wake up.

That's the sweet lad.

- I found some cold tea.

- That'll do fine. He's wakin' up now.

Oh, Frank, darling.

- Are you all right?

- Hello, Ruth.

Oh, sweetheart, I was so worried.

Oh, my darling. My darling.

The cold tea would do more good.

- Got away... on the elevated.

- Did you give it to radio?

- Sure.

- Get a look at him?

No. He was a husky guy.

That's all I got.

What is that?

Same anesthetic that was used on Dexter.

- I think this is our friend McGillicuddy again.

- Oh.

Well, hello.

How are you feeling?

I've got a head like a beehive.

Is that towel wet?

- Want any more tea, darling?

- No.

While you're thinkin' up a nice story

about what didn't happen...

supposin' you tell us what did.

- I don't know.

- Complete blackout, huh?

I was packing a bag...

and I thought I heard a noise.

And just as I started to turn around...

I got hit.

I remember falling to my knees...

and that's all.

Now listen, Niles. You came very close

to not waking up at all.

The party that killed Jean Dexter

tried the same business on you.

- Who was it?

- How on earth would I know?

If you're afraid, I'll guarantee you

police protection.

If I knew, I'd tell you.

I'm not a fool.

You suppose I enjoyed this?

Any guess who it was?

Must have been a burglar.

Came in through the fire escape,

I suppose.

A burglar.

Maybe he stole something.

He got it, didn't he?

No. No, there's - there's nothing missing.

I don't have any valuables.

What were you looking for so hard just now?

Your B.V.D.'s?

I thought - I, uh -

I forgot this was in my pocket.

It's, uh, my one valuable.

It's - It's expensive.

Jimmy.

What are you doing?

Why'd you come down here anyway?

You wanna know something, Lieutenant?

You're gonna have a lawsuit on your hands.

- You can't -

- Forrest C. Broughton, 85 West 68th Street...

reported the loss of this cigarette lighter

three weeks ago.

- Night burglary.

- What kind of a deal is this?

You tell us.

Ifyou think I'm a thief, you're crazy.

Honey, this is the craziest thing

I ever heard of.

Sweetheart...

this is a terrible thing

to ask you right now.

But my engagement ring -

where did you buy it?

- What?

- Frank, darling, please.

- Where did you buy it?.

- It was from a private party.

- Who, Frank?

- I can't tell you.

Please, sweetheart. You must.

- Where'd you get the cigarette lighter?

- I, uh -

Where'd you get the cigarette case

you sold this morning?

Frank, tell them.

Please tell them.

Why'd you buy a plane ticket

for Mexico City?

Why, I -

What ticket? When?

He was supposed to leave

at noon tomorrow.

Is that true?

- Frank, is it true?

- It was a business trip.

- We had lunch today. Why didn't you -

- Something came up this afternoon.

You're lying.

You bought the ticket in the morning.

You've got the wrong man ifyou think

I stole those things, Lieutenant.

I wouldn't steal a piece of bread

if I was starving.

That isn't the way I was brought up.

I come from a decent family.

- Congratulations.

- I got that lighter as a present.

You can't send me to prison for that.

Who gave it to you?

Jean Dexter.

Now you prove she didn't.

- And the cigarette case you sold this morning?

- The same.

- And my engagement ring?

- Sure. Jean gave me that too.

- My engagement ring?

- You heard me.

No, no, Frank. Don't say a thing like that.

That would be horrible.

- And I know it's a lie. You hardly knew Jean.

- I'm sorry, Ruth.

I don't believe you.

Frank, I love you.

I'll marry you now - tonight.

But say you're lying about Jean.

- If you're a thief, I'll stand by you. I'll -

- And go to prison? In a pig's eye, I will.

Those things were presents. Presents!

Your ring was a present -

- Frank!

- from Jean.

You're lying.

You're lying! You're lying!

You're lying! You're lying! You're lying!

- You're lying.

- Niles, you're under arrest.

Arrest me all you like!

But try to prove something against me.

Try it! Just try it!

? Mother, Mother, I am ill?

? Call the doctor

over the hill?

? In came the doctor

In came the nurse?

? In came the lady

with the alligator purse?

? Out went the doctor

Out went the nurse?

-? Out went the lady with the alligator purse?

- With the alligator purse.

- Dan?

- Yeah.

I'm not sure, but -

but I think maybe I found a connection...

between these jewel burglaries

and the Dexter murder.

You have?

Have you read the autopsy report

on Peter Backalis?

- Not yet.

- Well, yesterday morning...

some kids swimming in the East River

found a body.

Medical examiner says he died of drowning.

Had a head injury and was full of whiskey.

- His verdict is accidental death.

- Uh-huh.

But look at this. Jean Dexter died between

1:
00 and 2:00 a. m. Monday morning.

This guy Backalis died between 3:00 and 6:00 a. m.

the same morning.

Well...

show me that it's more than a coincidence.

I can't show you, Dan.

But this man had a record.

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