The Strange Love of Martha Ivers Page #6

There's not much to report on him, locally.

The out-of-town reports are still coming in.

You'll have a complete file on him

in a couple of hours.

- What's he look like so far?

- He's a big shot gambler.

Broke many times,

but always turns up with a new bankroll.

The police in every state have tried to find

the source of his money, but no dice.

Many arrests, no convictions.

Beat a murder rap in Frisco.

Self-defense.

Has a war record few can equal.

- The car in Dempsey's garage?

- The ownership certificate says he owns it.

- What's wrong with it?

- Smashed radiator.

How long will it take to fix it?

Well?

Who did Dempsey get this call from?

Didn't you check that?

- Yes, I checked it.

- Then who was it?

Mrs. O'Neil.

That's all.

Yes, Mr. O'Neil?

Get me the county jail. I want the

Superintendent of the Women's Division.

- Yes?

- I have the county jail for you, Mr. O'Neil.

Deputy Elizabeth Baker is on.

Hello. That girl,

the one I called you about before.

Yes. Bring her out here at 8:00.

I want to talk to her.

You got the time, bud?

- Yeah. It's five after eight.

- Thanks.

I'm expecting my friend out

in a few minutes.

Say, I ain't seen your face

around here before.

No. I'm a stranger here.

Then you ain't waiting for anybody, huh?

She's a stranger, too.

Yeah, she was due out

a couple of hours ago.

You're in a lot of trouble, Miss Marachek.

The law is very specific

on violation of probation.

It's specific about everything.

You're serving a five-year sentence.

- So I was told once before.

- You lied when you were picked up.

You told the police,

you were employed by Sam Masterson.

You think they would've believed me,

if I'd told the truth?

- Did you cook up that story between you?

- He had nothing to do with it.

You're very fond of him, aren't you?

You wouldn't want anything

to happen to him.

Does he feel the same about you?

You wouldn't want to serve out

that five-year sentence, would you?

- What are you getting at?

- Remember, five years.

And this time you'll have to serve

every day of it.

You don't have to.

All right. Get down to it.

What do I have to do?

Toni!

Toni.

Toni.

Hello, Sam.

O'Neil phoned me,

told me you'd be out at 6:00.

- O'Neil?

- Yeah. Sure. The district attorney.

He's an old friend of mine. I asked him

to do me a favor and here you are.

You're late, but free.

There was a mix-up. They lost some papers.

I got worried about you.

What's the matter, kid?

Toni.

Look at me.

I'd like a drink.

You're a cinch.

I'll buy you a dozen. Hey, taxi!

I'm going to toss you

a real coming-out party. Hey, taxi!

Thanks.

Spaghetti.

- That looks wonderful!

- I think you'll like it.

Go ahead. Eat.

I guess I'm not hungry.

My stomach's in a knot.

Here, this ought to help.

I'd have died, if I had to stay on in jail.

Forget it now. You're out.

If you'd ever been in,

you'd know what I mean.

I know what you mean.

A couple of times last night

I tried to tell you why I did time.

- You wouldn't listen.

- I don't want to now.

Now you've got to. Please?

All right, if it'll make you feel any better.

I want to be sure you understand.

One to five, they gave me.

One to five years, that is.

- That's a long jolt.

- It's forever.

I did three months before I came to trial.

It can happen to the best of people.

I'm not the best of people.

I'm just Toni Marachek.

"Where'd you get the fur coat, Toni?"

the judge asked me.

"I met a guy," I told him.

"He said he was in love with me.

He gave me the coat."

"A likely story," he said.

I said, "But it's true, every word of it.

"I tried to pawn it because I needed

the money." "Where's the man?" he asks.

"I don't know," I said.

"He took a powder. He blew.

He flew to the moon."

"You don't fly, Toni," the judge says.

"The charge is theft. You do one to five."

How come they gave you probation?

First offense.

You know what probation is?

Yeah, sure. A knife sticking in your back.

Still looking out for the cops?

Relax, now you're free.

I don't feel so good.

Do you want me to take you

back to the hotel?

No, no, please.

Let me sit here awhile.

Yeah?

- Get your coat on.

- What's the gag?

- Get your coat.

- All right, Joe.

What's the gag?

I was up to your hotel.

Nice layout you got there.

Double rooms, connecting doors

and tall glasses.

What did this guy tell you

he'd give you when he picked you up?

All right. There don't have to be

any trouble. Forget it.

She's my wife.

Well, brother, you can have her.

In spades.

Now beat it. You, too.

I just want to make sure.

- Joe, there don't have to be no trouble.

- No, there don't have to be no trouble.

There's got to be. Certain wise guys

have to be taught a lesson.

- Certain wise guys have to be...

- Where do you want it, here or outside?

Outside will do me fine.

There's an alley through the kitchen door.

- Sam!

- Shut up.

Stay here.

Okay, sister. You did a swell job.

Now blow.

Yes, sir.

What happened to you?

Not a thing.

I'm just made up for Halloween.

Go ahead, bud. She'll catch the next one.

Cut that.

Crying is not going to get you anywhere.

I'll stop.

I ought to beat it out of you.

- I think maybe I got it coming.

- Why? Why? Why?

Last night in that restaurant,

I kept trying to tell...

Come on! Get down to it.

Before they let me out

they took me to the D.A.'s office.

- O'Neil? His name's Walter O'Neil.

- That's right. That's his name.

- They took you to his office.

- He asked me a lot of questions.

Mostly about you.

- About me?

- About you and me.

- Yeah?

- He kept asking me...

if I knew why you came here.

He asked me that a couple of times.

- What else?

- A lot of questions. I forget.

- Remember!

- My head's mixed-up.

Well, the goons,

the ones who worked me over?

They just wanted to scare you.

O'Neil doesn't want you in town.

They said if I didn't play with them

I'd go back to jail.

Who said that, O'Neil?

No, no, the other man.

Mr. O'Neil wasn't there by then.

Cute kid.

They said they wouldn't hurt you.

Much.

"No more parole," they said, if I went for it.

I'd "do the whole five," they said, if I didn't.

I went for it.

Go ahead and hit me, Sam.

I've got it coming.

The only thing you've got coming, kid,

is a break.

- I'm going back to town.

- They don't want you here, Sam.

- I don't know what it is...

- They got me.

Whether they like it or not, they got me.

- Next time it'll be worse.

- Look!

I don't like to get pushed around. I don't

like people that like to be pushed around.

I don't like anybody to get pushed around.

Kid, I'll tell you what you do.

You grab the next bus out.

I'll meet you, wherever you say.

I'll go back with you.

Good. I wanted you to say that.

Just a moment, sir.

Take me to Mr. O'Neil

and you won't get hurt.

Yes, Mr. Masterson.

I hardly recognized you, sir.

Tell your man to ask Martha

to come down here.

Tell Mrs. O'Neil that, John.

I thought we ought to have a little talk.

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