They Call Me Mister Tibbs! Page #5

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a father and all...

hell, if it wasn't for me hitting you,

you know what you'd be today?

Sullen and rebellious.

Now, pick it up.

Pick it up, Andrew, please,

or I'll hit you again.

Pick it up!

Andrew, pick it up, please.

I don't care if you hit me any more.

It hurts so much now, it can't hurt

any more. I don't care if you hit me.

Andrew, pick it up!

Please! Pick it up!

You're not perfect, are you?

And I can't forgive you.

You made me cry!

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, OK, OK, OK.

It's gonna be all right.

- Are you sure?

- Who else would look for me but a cop?

I ain't got no money,

and I don't owe none.

- Who tipped you?

- Nellie, the girl on the switchboard,

she... she told me.

Mr Weedon, why...

why are they lookin' for me?

I don't know. I don't know why they

haven't picked up the damn preacher.

Who the hell's protecting him?

Mealie, did you touch anything?

Touch anything? No, I...

Oh... Oh...

I... I picked up that little statue.

You idiot!

All right. Don't come back here. I'll give

you another address. Now, write it down!

Hello!

Hello. Mr Weedon in?

Yeah, yeah. Come in, come in.

Well, Lieutenant!

Always a pleasure.

Lieutenant Tibbs, that is Puff.

- Always a pleasure.

- Which is it? Army, navy or air force?

- Homicide.

- Oh! Do tell.

But you're not fuzzy fuzz, are you?

Have a shot of 16-year-old bourbon.

$12.95 a fifth? That's the attraction here.

Thanks. Soda.

Puff is the most amusing chick

this side of the morgue.

But I love him. He beats me.

- What do you want, Lieutenant?

- Where's Mealie Williamson?

Oh, so it wasn't the whiff of bourbon that

brought you? I don't know where he is.

Yesterday was payday. Today...

The trouble with this country

is overemployment.

I can think of others.

Lieutenant, breathe in

that deep, delicate aroma.

Thank you, Puff.

You're in apartment 5C, aren't you?

Yeah. Would you like to come up?

The 12th of the month, that's payday?

No, I held his up.

Penalty for taking off last time.

I suppose you've got the cheque stub?

No. Cash is all Mealie understands.

But you pay his withholding

and social security for him?

No, no, no.

My bookkeeper takes care of that.

- Why all the sudden interest in Mealie?

- What is your interest in hiding him out?

We found your fingerprints

in there, Weedon.

You'll find my fingerprints

all over this building.

He's a very friendly landlord.

Suppose you were in there

that night, and Mealie knows it?

There's a natural conclusion

to be drawn from that.

Conclude whatever you like, Lieutenant.

You picked the right man, Puff.

He's big.

He owns three firetraps

over in the Potrero section,

and building inspectors

don't bother him.

Nobody bothers him.

He doesn't love you, honey.

Even with that $12.95 taste

in his mouth. I wonder why.

About all I can do is

inconvenience Mr Weedon a little

by putting you away for 30 days.

Sorry, Puff, but I'll send you books.

You wouldn't do that.

Yes, I would.

The Vice Squad was all set

to run you in. You and that girl in 2G.

When this thing broke,

we asked them to hold off.

Only me and Jane? What about Joy?

Well, she was more careful...

or he was more careful for her.

I want to know where Mealie is.

Think it over, Weedon...

for about five minutes.

Thanks for the drink, Puff.

Lieutenant? Uh... you wouldn't.

You really wouldn't, would you?

Yes. Yes, I would.

438 Garrison Street.

You son of a b*tch!

You'd send me books too, wouldn't you?

Take it easy, take it easy.

It's only a bluff!

And you were more careful about Joy.

I suppose that was a bluff.

I don't even know

what the hell he's talking about!

Why is he playing it

so cosy with the preacher?

That's what's bugging me.

- 71 to headquarters.

- Go ahead, 71.

We're on our way to 438 Garrison Street

to question a suspect.

- 438 Garrison?

- That's right.

There's been a disturbance reported in

that area. Two juveniles in a stolen car.

The crowd interfered

with the arrest, I think.

I don't have a clear report,

so take it easy.

- Hey, look! There's a pig!

- Clear the way! Injured man!

Pig! Pig! Pig!

Hey, Charlie, are you all right?

Listen to me, please!

Will you listen to me, please?!

Listen! What are you doing?

Give the coach a break.

Come on, guys! Listen.

Big deal! You broke a window.

You stole a television set.

Big deal! Listen to me! Please!

- Don't doze off.

- That'll be the day.

I don't know what happened...

- 71 to 74.

- 74 here.

- Keeping your eye on the back?

- Affirmative.

Why don't you go back

to the pulpit, preacher man?

We got this thing under control.

Get outta here!

Evening, Charlie.

I'm looking for Mealie Williamson,

and we're watching the back.

Mealie? He, uh... went out

to see the fun.

Did he?

Mealie Williamson?

On your feet!

- Thanks, Charlie.

- Yeah.

What you got on me?

You ain't got nothin' on me!

I ain't gonna let you railroad me!

What you been tellin' these people?!

I ain't never killed nobody!

And them fingerprints...

them fingerprints don't mean nothin'!

Why don't you talk to the reverend?

The reverend, he was there!

- I saw him!

- Reverend who?

Sharpe. Reverend Sharpe!

He was there! I saw him!

Go talk to the Reverend Sharpe!

Talk to the Reverend Sharpe,

you dummies!

Talk to the Reverend Sharpe!

Let's try the one on Van Ness next.

I think they're open all night.

You realise I can't test

for molecular structure?

We realise.

Obviously the same grade of glass.

- Colour refraction the same.

- Give us a light, will you?

Superficially, they would

seem very similar.

The truth is, fellas, this town

is littered with this kind of glass.

I say bring him in! I want people to know

I'm not afraid to, no matter who screams.

Sure, you've got the guts to bring him in,

but have you got the case?

Dammit! Dammit!

I phoned Miami to head you off.

Something's come up.

I wanna cool it for a while.

They couldn't reach me.

When I'm carrying, I make sure

that God Almighty can't reach me.

- Take it back.

- Take it back?

And tell Miami no deal?

Oh, you'll take it.

Or you'll never see another shipment,

no matter how damn big you are.

OK.

I want it off

to the distributors, and fast!

Right.

I'll be happy to give him the message

as soon as he comes in.

Cut the Peninsula back to 60.

- Central was 70 last month?

- Less.

What's the matter with that guy?

Give him 100 and a kick in the ass.

Yeah?

- Tibbs. He's on his way up!

- Tibbs? That black cop?

- He knows me!

- Get rid of this stuff.

Get out there and stop him.

Get out there!

And don't go waving two bucks

to a blind man!

Hold the bag.

Well!

Are you ever big on TV.

Do you want my autograph?

More than that. I'm just on the way to my

place. Wanna join me for coffee and stuff?

- Sorry.

- Why? You're not on the Vice Squad.

- And I did you a favour, didn't I?

- Mm-hm.

- See ya.

- Hey!

Don't act so square.

- You're not. I can tell.

- What's the matter?

- Weedon beat you once too often?

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