The Roaring Twenties Page #10

- I just got to figure a new angle.

- Eddie, the days of the rackets are over.

Don't you kid yourself about that.

There will always be guys trying to get up

there quick, and I'm one of them.

I know you take your job very seriously,

and I'll give you some good advice.

The papers say the district

attorney's office is building up...

...a case against our friend George.

- It's already built up.

Remember what George said

would happen if you talked?

I remember.

So does he.

Eddie, if I don't see you again,

merry Christmas.

- Thanks.

- Same here, Eddie.

Merry Christmas to you.

Oh, Eddie, I didn't pay you.

Lloyd, I owe him $3.20.

Never mind. Buy a

Christmas present for the kid.

Hey, what time do these lawyers

go to work, anyhow?

- That's him now, ain't it?

- Yeah.

Yeah.

- Bring me back something.

- All right, Bobby.

Come on, honey. In you go.

- What do you want?

- We got a message for you from George.

He says your boyfriend should bury

what the D.A.'s got on him...

...because if your boyfriend don't bury it,

he'll get buried instead.

That's all.

Pardon me. Do you know a taxi driver

named Eddie Bartlett?

- He picked me up here about a week ago.

- I don't.

- Why don't you ask one of those drivers?

- Well, thanks.

- Do either of you know Eddie Bartlett?

- I know him.

- Where can I find him?

- I haven't seen him in a week.

Last time I saw him, he shouldn't have been

driving his cab. He was oiled to the gills.

Ask the boys at the Royal Hotel.

They might have seen him.

Thanks.

I saw him a couple of days ago,

and is he on that bottle.

If you want to find him,

look in the saloons.

- Don't you know where he lives?

- Yeah. In the saloons.

- Well, which one?

- Search me, lady.

You might ask some of the boys

over at Grand Central.

Thanks.

Maybe he's at that dive

where that off-key canary sings.

Yeah, that's right.

Flannigan's joint on Third Avenue.

- Flannigan's joint?

- Come on, I'll take you.

Thanks.

All right, professor, fold it up.

Of all the dog-and-pony joints

I've worked in, this tops them all.

Never mind, honey.

I like you.

Well, happy New Year.

It's a wet one, anyway.

They sure had a swell kid.

Yeah, you told me.

And Jean...

- Jean looks...

- Yeah, you told me about that too.

Jean gets prettier all the time.

I've heard the same thing

day after day for the past week.

I'm sick of watching you try to put out

that torch you carry for her...

...with a lot of cheap hooch.

Who's the kid look like?

Like her.

And they got a nice house?

Yeah, it's a nice house,

if you like that kind of a house...

...but for me, I'll take a hotel anytime.

- You know that.

- Me too.

Ain't it funny how our tastes have always run

the same, ever since the first time we met?

I can just picture you living

in the suburbs...

...working in a garden,

raising flowers and kids.

Would that be a laugh.

Yeah, wouldn't I look cute?

- Hello, Jean.

- We were just talking about you. Sit down.

- Why are you here?

- I've been looking for you all day.

A taxi driver finally told me

where you were.

- I'm in trouble.

- What is it?

You were right about George.

Today two of his men came...

- Knock over Lloyd?

- No, but they threatened to.

- You've got to help me.

- What do you want me to do?

Go to George. Talk to him.

Why should I?

Lloyd will be killed.

He won't be if he does as he's told.

Oh, but he can't. It's his duty.

Yeah, sure it's his duty.

And it's George's duty to stop him.

- I'd do the same thing in George's place.

- Eddie, please. For my sake.

Sit down.

Same old story. Same old story. Anytime

she wants anything, she comes to me.

I suppose that's all I ever

meant to you anyway.

No soap, no.

Maybe a patsy once, but never twice.

I don't see how it's gonna

do any harm to talk to George.

Talk? There's only one language

George understands.

If you think I'm gonna walk into a bullet

just because that husband of hers...

...doesn't know enough to keep his trap

shut, you're crazy.

- No dice, Jean. No dice.

- Now, look.

No.

All right, Eddie.

I just thought I'd ask.

Well, go ahead and say it.

You just said it all.

Eddie, you've got to do something for them.

She's got something to look forward to.

- Well, so have I.

- What?

I'll be up there again.

Eddie, you're kidding yourself.

The race is over.

We're both finished out of the money.

- Maybe for you, but not for me.

- It's over for all of us...

...you, me and George.

Eddie, something new is happening.

Something you don't understand.

Hey, what's going on here?

Come on, break it up.

Am I paying you to sing or gab?

Now, just a minute.

You remember me. I'm Eddie Bartlett.

Used to sell you your booze.

Yeah, sure I remember.

And fine poison it used to be too,

at fancy prices.

Yeah, you used to be quite a guy

in the old days, didn't you?

That's right.

Practically ran this town.

Well, you don't now, so beat it.

Wait a minute.

On your way before I

have you kicked out.

- Start singing.

- Get yourself a phonograph, jughead.

I'm with him.

Come on, Eddie. I'll get my coat.

You're right, Panama.

We have finished out of the money.

You wait here for me, huh?

I'd better go with you.

- No, you better stay right where you are.

- Eddie...

...be careful.

Don't worry about me, baby.

I can take care of myself.

And maybe George too.

- What do you want?

- I want to see George. It's important.

I don't know, Eddie.

I don't know if he'll see you or not.

Sure. Take him up.

Give the boss a laugh.

Come on.

How do you like that?

He sure hit the skids.

The rags of his pants are beating

him to death.

Well, well, well.

When did you get out?

Oh, I get it. Taking advantage of my

good nature on New Year's Eve, huh?

All right, I'll go for it. How much?

I don't want no money.

Don't tell me you came

to wish me happy New Year?

Something like that.

All right, many thanks

and the same to you.

Goodbye, now, Eddie. I'm busy.

I came to talk to you about Lloyd.

- There ain't nothing to talk about.

- I think there is.

Get him out of here, Lefty.

All right, Eddie, on your way.

Wait a minute, George. If you get rid of Lloyd

there'll always be someone to take his place.

- I'll worry about that when it happens.

- But they got a kid.

Still carrying a torch for that dame, huh?

- Suppose I am?

- Then what are you beefing about?

I'm doing you a favor by knocking him off.

- I warned him to keep his mouth shut.

- But he can't.

There's a new kind of setup

you don't understand.

Guys don't go tearing things apart

like we used to.

People try to build things up. That's what

Lloyd's trying to do. In this new setup...

...you and me don't belong.

Maybe you don't.

I do all right, anytime, anyplace.

Well...

...I guess we'll let it go at that, George.

Where are you going, Eddie?

Home.

It's late.

Lefty and a couple of the boys

will go with you.

I don't want you walking the streets

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