The Narrow Margin Page #5

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Flashing that big railroad watch

and talking like a timetable.

Walk ahead of me real close

and everybody'll think we're old friends.

It's a big company, copper,

with branches all over. Don't forget that.

One moment, madam.

Don't move, mister.

Get his keys.

Had about given you up.

I didn't see you get on back there.

Nobody else did, either. You're lucky.

Brown threw the hook.

He ain't on the take.

Who needs him? I'm here now.

- You tell Yost?

- I put him off at La Junta.

Take care of him.

I got nicked in the shoulder.

You look pretty.

What have you been doing?

Falling off the train?

Yeah, off and on.

I just tangled with one of your chums.

The one who thinks the other girl is you.

He's cooling off in the baggage car

with a pair of handcuffs.

What was his top bid?

- Whose?

- Don't play dumb with me, Brown.

You want that list because

you've got a cash customer for it.

- That hood, am I right?

- You're a good judge of crooks.

The only place you slip up is with cops.

I turned the deal down.

Then you're a bigger idiot than I thought.

Get it through your square head

that this is big business...

- and we're in the middle.

- So you'd like to sell out.

With pleasure and profit,

and so would you.

What are the odds if we don't?

I sing my song to the grand jury...

and spend the rest of my life

dodging bullets if I'm lucky...

while you grow old and gray

on the police force.

Wake up, Brown.

This train's headed straight

for the cemetery.

There's another one coming along,

the gravy train. Let's get on it.

I'd like to give you the same answer

I gave that hood...

but it would mean stepping on your face.

Are you trying to say it's no deal?

I just said it without the trimmings.

If you want those, keep talking.

Mr. Brown, you haven't seen Mr. Jennings,

have you?

- No. What's wrong?

- The crew hasn't, either.

He's not up front. No sign of his prisoner.

Well, this rattler hasn't stopped.

They're still on it.

We picked up four at La Junta.

Two sections and one compartment.

That compartment interests me.

But you'd better go through

the entire train.

- You see that car?

- Yeah. He's really moving.

He's been with us for some time.

I want you to give a message

to the highway patrol.

Tell them where we are

and have them intercept that car.

I'll be right with you.

I want a word with Mrs. Sinclair.

Drop this off at Cerillo.

Won't you come in?

- Lf you can spare a minute.

- Of course.

You have a choice of one chair.

Thanks. I'll have to borrow a cigarette.

I seem to be out of everything.

Everything except the jitters.

I see they're back again.

Maybe this secret you're carrying

is a little too much for you.

It's the secret I came to talk to you about.

I feel like I'm intruding on your conspiracy.

After all, whatever this is,

it's between you and Tommy.

Not quite. You're in it, too,

and I wish you weren't.

- I think you're serious.

- I am.

You've heard of innocent bystanders

being hit by a car or bullet...

when it was none of their affair?

This is one of those.

You're an innocent bystander.

But nothing's hit me.

Or is it you're afraid something will?

Yeah, that's the general idea.

- And it might be a bullet?

- It could be anything.

You've been mistaken for somebody else

and that somebody isn't popular.

Nothing will happen to you...

'cause in a way this is my fault,

and I'll see that it doesn't.

I just want to put you on your guard.

It'll work out all right.

I'm not so sure.

Would it help if I told you I'm a detective

and this is routine for me?

It would help if you told me the truth,

Mr. Brown, which you haven't.

You're right.

It wasn't easy telling you this much.

Hello, Tommy.

- Are you going to tell her our secret?

- I may have to, son.

Little boys have big ears,

and he has a long memory.

We can trust your mother.

Shall we try her out?

Okay.

- Darling, it's bedtime. Excuse me.

- Surely.

If you need me, just knock on the door.

All right, Tommy. I won't let you down.

Sleep tight.

- Is this the cop's compartment?

- Yeah, but I already looked there.

That was yesterday. I still want that list.

I thought you said no one was in there.

- Who is it?

- It's Brown. Let me in.

Like fun it is.

You've got a nerve

barging in like this. What...

- Where do you think you're going?

- Stay there and don't make any noise.

All right, boys,

I guess it's time for a showdown.

So before you make any mistakes let me...

She's been here all the time.

That cop was too smart.

- You're mixed up.

- Who asked you?

- I got my lines crossed.

- Where's that payoff list?

That's what I've been trying to tell you.

I haven't got...

Hurry up, tell us.

Go ahead, break it off.

- You won't get what you're looking for.

- Why not?

Tell this muzzler to let go of me

and I'll show you.

You had it all figured out, didn't you?

Well, you're wrong.

- I went through the cop's stuff.

- Go through it again.

We don't want to miss any bets.

- Is that it?

- Yeah. Holding his own, too.

- Tommy says good night.

- Thanks.

I guess I'd better level with you.

I've got an important witness,

and she's got a lot of enemies.

You wouldn't have heard of her.

She was married to a gangster

who was killed, Frankie Neall.

Yes, I've heard of her.

- Just trust me, will you?

- Why should I?

What would you say

if I told you that I'm Mrs. Neall?

- You're what?

- I'm Frank Neall's widow, Mr. Brown.

Now do you see what you've done?

You couldn't be. The DA would've told me.

Well, obviously he didn't.

He told me to get to the Coast

and not to attract any attention.

It hasn't worked out that way.

Who have I got back there

in that compartment?

A policewoman from...

I think they call it Internal Affairs Division.

I've been played for a sucker. Why?

- Why did they stick me with a decoy?

- They've been testing you.

There's a grand jury investigation

of graft and payoffs, remember?

I never took a bribe in my life.

Maybe your price was never met.

It never was and never could be.

I don't say I've never been tempted.

Of course I've been tempted.

I'm human like anybody else.

To spend the rest of my time worrying

when I'll be caught up with...

by some hoodlum

holding a first mortgage on my life...

payable on demand?

No. No kind of money is worth that.

My record's clean.

The Internal Affairs Division knows it.

Maybe with the way things are,

they can never be sure.

When I married Frankie Neall,

I was pretty sure of him, too.

Then I found out how he made his money

and I left him.

I only saw him once again

before he was killed.

The payoff list was in his things.

You better let me have it.

I couldn't if I wanted to.

I mailed it to the District Attorney.

It's a funny thing.

I once asked my partner, Forbes...

what kind of a woman

would marry a gangster.

He said all kinds.

I didn't believe him then, but he was right.

- Who is it?

- The conductor.

May I see you a moment, Mr. Brown?

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