The Naked City Page #7

He served two years in Sing Sing

for stealing jewelry.

Now listen.

Niles and Dexter were dealing

in stolen jewelry. Sure.

But it was society stuff.

- What does Backalis's record show?

- I didn't think of that.

It was small-time -

a pawnshop burglary in Queens.

See?

I'm afraid the two cases are miles apart.

If we drag every petty jewelry thief into this,

we'll go crazy.

You're not convinced, are you?

I don't know, Dan.

Trouble is, where are we

in the Dexter case?

Well, we sent photos of Niles and Dexter

to every police department in the East.

- They'll check all jewelers.

- Where can that lead?

Well, that's the way you run a case, lad.

Step by step.

Oh, I suppose so.

Look, Dan, do me a favor.

Let me waste some time

on this Backalis angle.

- Okay, lad.

- Swell.

- Phone in once a day.

- Right.

By the way, this is only the third day

of the Dexter murder.

The department

never calls a case unsolved.

Good deal. Twenty years from now

I'll put my kid on it.

Backalis's parole officer was Charles Meade,

county courthouse in the Bronx.

- Charles Meade?

- Yep.

Thanks.

Well, tell me this, Mr. Meade.

Do you think Backalis could get so drunk...

he'd fall down on the pier, hurt himself

and topple into the river?

I doubt it. He seemed like

one of those steady all-day drinkers -

always with a load on, but neverwobbly.

- Who was his arresting officer?

- Uh, Patrolman Albert Hicks.

Long Island City Precinct.

What do you know? Right at my doorstep.

Thanks.

- You're Hicks, aren't you?

- That's right.

- Detective Halloran, Homicide Squad.

- Hiya.

About two and a half years ago,

you arrested a man named Backalis.

- Backalis?

- Peter Backalis. Pawnshop entry.

- Oh, yeah, yeah. I remember.

- Did he do that job alone?

No, there was another guy with him.

- A fella he called, uh, Willie.

- Willie?

- Yeah.

- What happened to him?

He got away by the neatest trick

I've ever seen.

I nailed Backalis in a back alley.

And he yelled, "Beat it, Willie!"

And this other customer throws a chair

through a plate glass window...

dives right after it and comes up

on his feet like an acrobat.

Then he's off like a streak.

- How was this fella built?

- Oh, big... Like an all-American fullback.

And listen.

Somethin' funny about him.

One of the things the owner

reported missing was a harmonica.

Now, there's no resale value

in a thing like that...

so I always figured

he must have liked to play one.

Maybe you're right.

- Much obliged.

- Okay.

Mm-hmm.

A big man who's an acrobat, huh?

Jimmy, I don't know where you're goin',

but I'm goin' to start in and help you.

I'm givin' you Fowler and Constantino

beginnin' tomorrow morning.

Thanks, Dan.

Good night.

His name is Willie... maybe.

He might have been

a professional acrobat... maybe.

He might be the man

we're looking for... maybe.

Oh, yes. He's a big man.

Only half a million big men in New York.

A harmonica player?

No, sir, brother.

Why, a character like that,

I wouldn't even let work out here.

Not that I can remember.

I been bookin' vaudeville acts, circus acts,

nightclub acts for 30 years.

Oh, a lot of queer eggs among 'em...

but an acrobat

that played the harmonica?

That queer I never saw one.

Offense.

Defense. Give, give, give.

Offense.

Now go to work a little.

Hey, who runs this joint?

- I do. What do you want?

- Police.

Look. Any of you guys ever know a wrestler

who liked to play the harmonica?.

Sure. Willie the harmonica player.

Willie Garzah. I teached him how to wrestle.

You didn't teach him so good.

I pulverized him in Pittsburgh five years ago.

- Where is he now?

- I wish I knew.

He borrowed 38 bucks from me once.

Never paid me back.

- Where'd he used to live?

- I don't know.

Staten Island, with his brother.

What's his brother's name?

Garzah.

All brothers got the same name.

- I mean his first name.

- Uh, I don't know.

Okay.

Offense.

Defense.

Know what my kid did the other day?

Crossed Northern Boulevard all by himself.

- Yeah?

- Shows the kid has nerve.

My wife was sore for a few minutes.

Big deal.

We haven't got any kid...

and my wife's sore all the time.

Which one of you is Garzah?

- Garzah! Hey, Eddie!

- What?

Your wife just told us

where we could find you.

We're lookin' for your brother Willie.

Me and my brother Willie ain't got

nothin' to do with each other.

- He's no good.

- When'd you see him last?

Oh, three months ago about.

He tried to sell me

a diamond ring for my wife.

- I told him to go blow.

- Any idea where he lives?

He had a room somewhere around

the Williamsburg Bridge, is all I know.

- Got a picture of him?

- No.

But when he was wrestlin', the newspapers

printed his mug a few times.

That's it. Okay.

Hey, if you send him up,

do me a favor, will ya?

Throw the keys away.

This is New York's East Side.

And a former wrestler named Willie Garzah

lives somewhere around here.

The Homicide Squad wants to talk to him...

if they can find him.

Nothing to it, boys. Just spot this guy

out of half a million people.

Lady, ever see a man, looks like this?

Mister, ever see a man, looks like this?

Lady, ever see a man, looks like this?

You go home. You go to bed.

You get up. You start all over.

Mister, ever see a man, looks like this?

Mister, ever see a man, looks like this?

Hello, Dan. Jimmy.

No. No, nothing so far.

Oh, sure, sure.

I'll keep goin'. Yeah.

What's doing at your end?

Doin' fine here.

Mm-hmm.

I'm talking to that clean-cut,

young American beauty again.

Yeah. I think he's going to tell us

something this morning.

Okay. Report in.

I've told you everything I know.

Oh, no, you haven't, sonny.

But you will.

Come in, Mr. McCormick.

- You recognize this man?

- I certainly do.

Stop that.

Sit down.

Any more of that and you'll

get yourself in trouble.

You're gettin' quite a slappin' around

these days, aren't you?.

I came all the way down from Boston

to do that.

That smooth-talking crook came to me

with an introduction I had to honor.

He gave me a song and dance.

His sisterwas terribly ill,

needed an operation.

He was trying to sell her jewels.

I paid him over $3,000.

Now it turns out to be stolen property.

You paying him to say that, Muldoon?

You still can't prove anything.

I can.

I run my business with great care.

This is the letter of introduction

he brought with him.

Dr. Lawrence Stoneman.

Dr. Stoneman treated my mother

some years ago.

I had to honor his letter.

Will you wait outside, Mr. McCormick?

How do you get a letter of introduction

from a man like Stoneman?

You're goin' to the penitentiary, Niles...

but from now on, the length of your sentence

depends on you.

Stealin' jewelry is one thing.

Murder is different.

You know I didn't kill her.

I was at the Trinidad Club. I have witnesses.

- Then who did kill her?

- I don't know.

- Who's Henderson?

- I don't know.

Listen, young fella.

The picnic is over.

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