The Thin Man Page #9

Quiet. When did you see him?

Last night.|He came to see me in my apartment.

Is that so? What did he say?

Nothing much.

He wanted to know how I was|and how the children were.

What kind of clothes was he wearing?

A brown suit, brown shoes, a white shirt...

...a grayish tie with reddish-brown,|or brownish-red, dots in it.

- Tell them, Ed.|- I saw him, too.

He was wearing a green suit|and a white tie...

What are you saying?|You weren't even there.

I know, but I saw him.

- Where did you see him?|- I was gazing in my crystal.

Waiter, will you serve the nuts?

I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?

Mimi, I'm afraid you're lying.

You see, I really did see Wynant last night.

- Are you kidding?|- No.

- What's the idea of holding out on me?|- You saw him yourself.

I saw him?

That was his body buried in the shop.

Nick!

It's terrible to have to tell you this way,|but your father is dead.

He's been dead for three months.

Pardon me,|you have something on your coat.

- Darling, please don't cry.|- Tommy!

It's terrible, I know,|but isn't it better that way?

Here, I'll take care of her.

- Tommy, you sit here.|- Waiter, will you kindly remove that?

What, no one eating?

Mimi, it hasn't affected your appetite.

Because I don't believe a word of it.|What's your proof?

A piece of shrapnel in his shin.

If he didn't do it, who did?

The murderer is right in this room,|sitting at this table.

You may serve the fish.

- At this table?|- Eat something, you fool.

- Well, aren't you going to tell us who it is?|- I don't know.

I thought, if we all had a little get-together,|we might be able to find out.

Nice food, isn't it?

Yes, it's the best dinner I ever listened to.

You say you don't know who did it,|but who do you think?

Morelli...

- You can't pin this one on me!|- Sit down!

- Am I the fall guy?|- Sit down, or I'll use a sap on you.

I only want to ask you a question.

- Morelli, you knew Julia.|- Yeah.

Was she gypping Wynant?

- She don't say so, but I figure.|- Why do you say that?

Well, once I wanted $5,000,|she give it to me like that, cash.

Thanks.

Three months ago...

...the night that Wynant caught you|in Julia's apartment, Morelli...

...he discovered that Julia was cheating|on him and splitting with some man.

That man was...

Tanner...

I'm so sorry, Tanner.

Don't you want some wine?

No, really, Mr. Charles,|I had nothing to do with this.

- I told you...|- That's all right, Tanner, that's all right.

You're driving me crazy.

Now, let me see, where was I?

Oh, yes.

Wynant went to find the man|he accused of having cheated him.

That man, knowing that he was caught|dead to rights...

...and with prison staring him in the face,|took the only way out.

He killed Wynant.

- Mr. Jorgensen?|- Yes?

You're not eating.|Don't you care for oysters?

Why, I was just listening|to what you had to say.

Good.

This murderer is very clever.

He studied this whole thing out|very carefully.

You'd understand that,|wouldn't you, Gilbert?

Yes! No!

He planned the whole thing beautifully.

After he killed Wynant,|he wired MacCaulay using Wynant's name...

...and told him to close up the shop.|- Which I did.

Naturally.

Then he destroyed all of Wynant's clothes,|with the exception of his watch chain.

He figured that someday|that might come in handy.

Then he took Wynant's body|and buried it with another man's clothes...

...a fat man's clothes,|to throw us off the track.

He even put in a belt buckle|with an "R" on it...

...hoping we would think|it was Rosebreen...

...an old enemy of Wynant's|who disappeared years ago.

Morelli, would you mind|holding your knife some other way?

You're worrying Gilbert.

If that knife is missing,|I'll look for it in your back.

After our hero had killed Wynant,|he had a brilliant idea.

He realized that he and Julia|could still collect money.

Wynant was supposed to be out of town,|no one knew where.

So our hero wrote letters to MacCaulay,|signing Wynant's name...

...so that MacCaulay would continue|to send the money to Julia.

He even telephoned MacCaulay.

You remember the day|you came to see me?

He telephoned he was in town?

Yes, he called while I was out.

Yeah, wasn't he slick about that?

That same afternoon, Julia telephoned him.

She said you were coming, Mimi.

- I wanted to ask about Mr. Wynant.|- Exactly.

And our hero got terrified.

He was afraid Julia would break down|and tell you that he had murdered Wynant.

So he went to Julia, and he killed her.

And he left Wynant's watch chain|in her hand.

- Is this true?|- I don't know.

- Why are you saying it?|- It's the only way it makes sense.

I hope you're well.

His plan was working beautifully.

Everybody believed|that Wynant was in town...

...and that he did it.

There was just one hitch.

A bird named Nunheim, your friend.

Nunheim began to call on her.

He heard the shots.|He saw the murderer leave.

He knew who did it.

If he knew, he didn't tell me!|You can't drag me into this!

Our hero had paid Nunheim once|to keep his mouth shut.

And when Nunheim threatened him again,|he bumped him off.

He was very clever.

Everybody, even our astute friend Guild,|thought that Wynant was alive...

...and that he was the murderer.

You can skip that.

But our hero had just one|weak link in his chain.

The telegrams and phone calls|were all very well...

...but no one had actually seen Wynant.

So our hero picked on poor Mimi here|to strengthen his case.

Mimi is the only one at this table|who can tell us who the real murderer is.

Mimi, who was it that told you|to say you saw Wynant?

- Nobody told me, I did see him!|- Why don't you let my mother alone?

What were you paid to stick to that story?

It isn't a story, it's true!|I did see him! He isn't dead!

You're lying, Mimi.

But you'd do anything for money.

You're getting a good price|for saying you saw Wynant.

You won't get anything if he's dead.

- I'm not going to stay here to be insulted!|- Sit down.

MacCaulay, you drew up Wynant's will.

Mimi was cut off, wasn't she,|if she remarried?

I have no right to answer that.

- How about it, Tanner? Isn't that true?|- Yes.

You shouldn't let that keep you|from telling the truth.

- Mrs. Jorgensen.|- Yes?

Were you ever divorced|from Chris Jorgensen?

No.

So you see, Mimi,|under the law, you've never remarried.

You're still one of the heirs.|So what are you holding out for?

A few crummy dollars,|when you can get the whole estate?

Remember the other two|who were mixed in with him on this...

...Julia and Nunheim.

When he thought they might spill,|he bumped them off.

You ought to know|he's not going to take a chance on you.

What do you want, to be next on his list?

Why, you dirty little...

- Well, there's your murderer: MacCaulay.|- MacCaulay?

Sure, do you want me|to wrap him up in cellophane?

Get in there! What's the matter?

MacCaulay? I can't believe it!

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!

Nicky, he might have killed you!

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