Woman on The Run Page #3

Oh, but he won't be safe and sound.

Have you forgotten a feller

by the name of Joe Gordon?

Do you wish something?

Yeah, let me have a bourbon old-fashioned.

Yes, sir.

Why did you come here tonight,

Mrs. Johnson? Or shouldn't I ask?

Because I like it here.

You didn't by any chance come here

to meet, say, your husband, did you?

Or is that a far-fetched supposition?

Supposition? I'd better stop

using those four-syllable words.

I won't be working

for The Graphic any more.

- Where's your husband?

- I don't know.

- Did he see the killer?

- I don't know.

- Shall we dance?

- Why don't you drop dead?

Why don't you be nice to me, Mrs. Johnson?

Who knows?

I might even be able to help you.

I'm not a bad guy when you get to know me.

A little obnoxious, perhaps, but pleasant.

Now, then, answer yes or no.

Your husband saw the murder

and took it on the lam, right?

- Right.

- And you're... you're meeting him here?

I haven't the slightest idea.

I came here on a hunch.

When he phoned tonight,

I heard music that could only

have come from this joint.

- Something to eat?

- No, thanks. No food.

- Oh, go ahead. Try something.

- No, really. Nothing.

Oh, I've got a deal for you.

You find your husband with my help,

give me an exclusive for 24 hours,

and I get my paper to pay you for it.

Trying to buy me so soon?

First I'm gonna try and buy you.

And if I can't, I'm gonna try to win you.

Isn't that the reverse

of the usual procedure?

I'm a perverse fellow.

On second thought, Mrs. J,

I find you very attractive.

- I may try and win you right off.

- No, thanks. I'd rather be bought.

Very mercenary. All to the good,

though. I like mercenary women.

- Can you really get the money?

- Sure.

- How much?

- Oh, I don't know. Grand maybe.

Is it worth that much?

Will be, by the time

I get through building it up.

Frank will need it

if he wants to get away.

I'll bring it with me.

Just tell me where and when.

And you won't print anything

until I give the word?

- Scout's honor.

- It's a deal.

Shall we drink to it?

To the, uh... speedy conclusion

of all our troubles.

Yours, your husband's, and mine.

You've got troubles? You don't look it.

None that I can't solve,

now that we're partners.

Hiya, Mrs. Johnson.

Hi, Sammy, sit down.

Meet Mr. Legget of The Graphic.

- Oh, a newspaperman.

- Sammy.

You should have caught the show.

Suzie and I are breaking in a new act.

Chung and Okito. It's terrific.

That's spelt C-H-U-N-G.

Anybody can spell Okito.

Course, we're only breaking in the

show here, but a little plug would help.

Well, I'll, uh... I'll see what I can do.

Thanks. Next time you come,

catch a midnight show.

The place is really jumping then.

I'll be seeing you.

- Bye, Sammy.

- Bye.

Well, I think I'll go home.

Frank won't show tonight.

- How do you know?

- I just know, that's all.

What are you gonna tell your husband

when you see him?

To give himself up.

Maybe I'll give up too.

Leave your flag down.

You want to go in over the roof?

No, I'll go in the front door

and give them something to think about.

In that case, I'll disappear.

Let's not give 'em

too much to think about.

Well, if I need you,

I'll get in touch with you.

You won't have to get in touch

with me, Mrs. Johnson.

- Just look around. I'll be there.

- Good night, Mr. Legget.

What are you doing here?

That was nice going, Mrs. Johnson,

but the next time you try to get out,

you'll have more trouble.

I've got news for you.

I've just seen your husband's doctor.

Why? Aren't you feeling well?

Your husband isn't a hypochondriac.

He's a very sick man.

He's got a bad heart.

- I don't believe it.

- Ask Dr. Hohler.

Frank never said anything to me about it.

Maybe he figured

you wouldn't be interested.

Well, he can walk into any drugstore

and buy some medicine.

Not without a prescription, he can't,

and I've given orders

to every drugstore in town

that none of this medicine's to be

dispensed without an order from me.

If he should have an attack

and not have that with him,

you know what that means.

You can't do that.

If it's the only way I can get him to

come in and testify, I mean to use it.

But Frank's done nothing wrong.

Oh, yes, he has. He was in

the wrong place at the wrong time.

I thought the police were supposed to

protect people, not put them in danger.

All it says in my book, sister,

is that the good of the majority

has got to be upheld.

And for the good of the majority,

Frank Johnson's got to testify.

If he gives himself up,

we'll give him a supply of medicine.

We'll protect him.

And if he doesn't?

He'll die of a heart attack, or a bullet

from one of Smiley Freeman's men.

I don't believe a word you're saying.

You're only trying to frighten me.

And I'm getting pretty sick of you.

Now get out of here.

Of course, if you want to try to

find him, I won't try to stop you.

But I don't think you can find him.

I don't think he's running away from us.

I think he's running away from you.

I said get out.

I am violating my instructions

from the police,

by giving you this additional supply,

but rest assured

it gives me no feeling of guilt.

Thank you, Doctor.

After the excitement of last night,

your husband undoubtedly used

the ampoules he carried with him.

So, you see, my action is

not prompted by kindness,

so much as reluctance

to gamble with a man's life.

Is his heart really that bad, Doctor?

Frank's condition isn't any worse

than tons of men that strain

their hearts, running in track meets.

The misguided believe that

they were building up their bodies.

If it were only his heart,

we could control it.

What do you mean?

Well, for the past year,

your husband has had hypertension.

That complicates matters.

Hypertension? What causes that?

Well, I'm not sure. My guess is

overwork, unhappiness, anxiety.

- But you know more about it than I do.

- Why should I?

But, naturally, you must

know about his troubles.

I'm only his doctor. You're his wife.

Oh, yes. I'm that bitter,

selfish, vicious wife.

The cause of his unhappiness.

The cause of his failure.

Is that what he told you?

Is that what he tells everyone?

Frank didn't discuss his private life with

me, nor do I care to hear it from you.

I shall explain to you his condition

and that's all.

He has a cardiac condition.

Let's call it X.

Now, X alone is not serious. He also

has hypertension. Let's call it Y.

Now, X plus Y is dangerous.

I'm Y, I suppose.

I'm not a psychiatrist, Mrs. Johnson.

I deal only with facts.

X plus Y equals steady deterioration.

X minus Y is an improvement.

And what you and your husband do

about it, that's your personal concern.

My only personal concern right now

is to get these ampoules to him.

If you see him, tell him

he should give himself up.

It's imperative to take

the strain off himself.

I'll give him the facts.

He can draw his own conclusions.

Oh, Frank darling,

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