The Prowler Page #4

were brought up on Lakeview.

You'd begin to miss the things you're

used to, your maid and the house.

I couldn't give you any

of that easy life stuff.

Webb, I'd be happy with

you no matter where we lived

or how, so long as it's far away.

We couldn't get far enough

to forget him, Susan.

He'd always be with us and between us.

We could never really be man and wife.

Then you'd start to hate me, and that'd

be worse than not having you at all.

You're saying no.

That's why I haven't been answering

your calls or trying to see you.

I was... I was going

to write it out for you.

Suppose we'll always remember each other,

at least I know I'll always remember you.

But it had to end sometime.

Webb...

Quicker the cut, the less it hurts.

I was hoping you'd say

this, Webb, and mean it.

I'm glad you said it, because I've

been too weak to say it myself.

I've been wrong.

I'd forgotten what it was

like to have self-respect.

96 Robert 901.

There's a 1933 Chevrolet.

Thanks for checking me in.

Forget it, Bud.

Shop 7016, no delay.

Oh, Webb.

Yeah?

131-A, code 1.

You feeling okay?

Yeah. Why?

Well the last two days, you've been

acting like you sat on a cactus.

Started right after your vacation.

I told the old lady, and she

said you were just high-strung.

But I've been worried about it, and

tonight it seemed worse than ever.

Thanks for worrying, but I

guess it's nothing worse than

getting back in the swing of the job.

Okay.

But if there's anything I can do, just

remember little old Bud's always willing.

Goodnight.

Night.

Mingo and Harvey.

10-A, 14-B

will meet you.

10-A, 14-B

will meet you.

49, 1918 Orchid.

49, check.

Just dropped Crocker

on my way to check in.

49, 1918 Orchid reports a prowler there.

1918 Orchid reports a prowler there.

I'm on my way.

Who's there?

Halt! Halt! Halt!

Please don't!

Oh.

You, get to a phone. Call homicide.

I parked the car out in

front of the Gilvray house.

Naturally, I was ready for trouble.

And I saw something move

out in the vacant lot.

I guess he must have been

there hunting for the prowler

himself, because he stood up

suddenly and started to run.

I pulled out my gun, and

I called halt three times.

Then he sort of whirled and turned,

and I guess he was about 40 feet away.

I saw he had his gun on

me, so I fired just once.

I was trying to shoot low.

And he went down.

So I ran over to him.

And just as I got there and

bent down, he sort of pushed

himself up on one elbow

and fired at me point-blank.

And then I saw that he was dead.

Murderer! You murdered him!

Please finish, Officer Garwood.

Well, there isn't very much more.

When I got a good look at him,

I saw that he wasn't any prowler.

He had his bathrobe and slippers on.

Then I-I knew that I'd

made a terrible mistake.

Do you remember anything else?

No, sir, nothing.

Witness will be excused.

Mrs. John Gilvray.

So you've never seen her before, huh?

No. No, never.

Isn't the way I heard it.

So help you God?

I do.

I hope you will understand,

Mrs. Gilvray, the purpose

of this hearing is to learn

the whole truth of the shooting.

And if you have any reason to

believe there was an irregularity

on the part of Officer Garwood,

it is your duty so to state.

You understand that, don't you?

I understand.

A minute ago in the presence of

the jury, you made an accusation.

I was upset.

I see.

Now, would you recount the events

of that night as you recall them?

When I heard the first shot, I...

Could you speak a little

louder, Mrs. Gilvray?

I ran towards the front door.

There.

And when I reached the door,

I heard the second shot,

and I ran outside and

I saw what happened.

Officer Garwood, would you please

stand up and face the witness?

Now, will you please tell

us, Mrs. Gilvray, whether you

ever saw this man prior to

the death of your husband?

Well, I

- no.

You may sit down.

Officer Crocker, will you

please rise and face the witness?

Had you ever seen this man

before the death of your husband?

Well, I may have seen him.

I'm not at all certain.

As a matter of fact, wasn't

there a prowler around

your house some two months ago?

And didn't Officers Crocker

and Garwood come to your

house after you called the police?

Well, yes, there were two

officers who came to the house.

One of them might have

been the gentleman there.

And the other might have

been Officer Garwood.

One of the officers was outside most

of the time, and I was very frightened.

Why are you asking me all this?

You may sit down.

One of the two officers here

recalled the previous prowler

call and brought it to my attention.

Since there had been a

prowler around the house

before, it would perhaps

be quite natural for your

husband to be alarmed by

the second one, wouldn't it?

Yes.

Now, Mrs. Gilvray, have

you any reason whatsoever to

believe that the circumstances

attending your husband's death

were other than those

described by Officer Garwood?

No.

Thank you.

You may step down from the stand.

You must be getting old.

I've known you to forget

faces, but a figure like that?

Mr. Coroner, the verdict

is accidental homicide.

That is your verdict?

It is.

Thank you very much.

The jury is dismissed, the

inquest is concluded and will

be so entered into the

record of this office.

Care to make any statement

about the shooting, (

No.

Congratulations.

Good evening, Mr. Gilvray.

Oh, good evening, Officer.

I'm afraid it isn't Officer anymore.

I resigned from the force

a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, I know.

I read about it in the papers.

Sorry to hear it.

Mr. Gilvray, I have a kind of problem.

I wonder if you could help me out on it.

I'll be glad to if I can.

Well, it's just that

- tell me, how's your

sister-in-law

taking it by now?

Well, as well as can be expected.

Those things take time, you know.

I sent her some flowers,

but she sent them back.

I guess it was the wrong

thing to do, but I just can't

seem to get this thing out of my head.

Oh, well, if I were

you, I wouldn't let...

) be any way I can help,

you know, with the house

I guess she'll have enough to get by

on, that is, when it's all settled up.

But in the meantime, if

she needs any ready cash,

it's not much considering

what's happened.

It's only a little over $700,

but if she'll accept it...

Mr. Garwood, that's just

about the most decent thing

I've ever heard a man say.

And I'm going to tell her about it, too.

But just so you won't feel

quite so bad, you know, you

couldn't exactly say that

their marriage was perfect.

No?

No.

My brother, well, between you

and me, he wasn't the easiest

person in the world to

get along with, and well,

she wanted children,

and he couldn't have any.

And so you see, it wasn't as if it was a

happy marriage even before the accident.

I guess matter how much money we've

got, we've all got our worries.

I was just wondering if...

there's a lot I'd like to get off my chest.

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