"THE NAKED CITY" Screenplay by Albert Maltz and Malvin Wald Story by Malvin Wald SHOOTING DRAFT 1948 FADE IN: EXT. LONG SHOT OF LOWER MANHATTAN A MOONLIT - NIGHT NARRATOR (an easy, conversational tone) A city has many faces -- EXT. MIDTOWN MANHATTAN - NIGHT NARRATOR It's one o'clock in the morning now -- EXT. WALL STREET - NIGHT DESERTED NARRATOR And this is the face of New York City -- EXT. STATUE OF PROMETHEUS IN THE CENTER OF THE RADIO CITY BUILDINGS - NIGHT NARRATOR -- when it's asleep -- The fountain beneath the statue bubbles quietly. NARRATOR -- on a hot summer night -- INT. THE MAIN FLOOR OF A LARGE BANK - NIGHT DESERTED NARRATOR Does money ever sleep, I wonder? INT. A LARGE CLOTHING FACTORY - NIGHT Night lights cast shadows over the silent machines. NARRATOR Does a machine become tired? INT. STAGE OF THE METROPOLITAN OPERA - NIGHT Scenery on the empty stage is lit by a few night lights. NARRATOR Or a song? EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - NIGHT We see the flat, monumental surface of stone rising to the sky. NARRATOR Does stone ever feel weariness? INT. A MODEST APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT Windows open, a fan humming. A man lies asleep, face down, sprawled out; his hair is tousled, his pajama top open and twisted, the sheet thrown back. MAN'S VOICE (wearily) Some people think it's easy to be a bank teller. Oh brother! EXT. AN EAST-SIDE TENEMENT FIRE ESCAPE - NIGHT A husband and wife are sleeping on bad clothes on the fire escape. MAN'S VOICE (reflectively) I wonder how many stitches in a dress? I'll have to count 'em sometime. There is a SOUND: of a caterwauling cat. The woman turns over. CAMERA HOLDS on sleeping couple. CAMERA PANS DOWN TO: WOMAN'S VOICE (amused) I wonder how many meals I've cooked in my life? And how many dishes I've washed? EXT. CAT - NIGHT digging into an open garbage pail. Nearby another cat sits patiently. NARRATOR A city asleep -- EXT. THE SKY - NIGHT We see the silhouette of a plane with its lights winking for a landing. NARRATOR -- or as nearly asleep -- EXT. THE CITY AS SEEN FROM THE PLANE - NIGHT We see the outline of the boroughs, the lighted bridges that link them, the lighted arteries and veins, the upthrust fingers of stone. NARRATOR -- as any city ever is. EXT. SINGLE ELEVATED TRAIN MOVING SLOWLY ON ITS TRACKS - NIGHT SOUND: Train wheels. NARRATOR The pulse of a city like the pulse of a man -- EXT. TUGBOAT ON THE HUDSON TOWING TWO BARGES LOADED WITH FREIGHT - NIGHT SOUND: Boat whistle. NARRATOR -- can be felt in sleep, slow and steady -- INT. ATTENDANT IN AN ELECTRIC CO. SUB STATION - NIGHT SOUND: Hum of dynamos. NARRATOR For some men earn their bread at night. INT. A DISC JOCKEY PUTTING A RECORD ON A TURNTABLE IN A RADIO STATION SOUND: A hot jive recording that blends into the click of linotype keys. JOCKEY'S VOICE (fast) It starts hot and it ends gutty. Let's go. INT. A LINOTYPE OPERATOR AT HIS MACHINE IN A NEWSPAPER PRESS ROOM - NIGHT OPERATOR'S VOICE Wonder what the ol' lady made me for lunch tonight? If it's liverwurst again she's got a divorce. INT. A CLEANING WOMAN VACUUMING A CARPET IN THE LOBBY OF THE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL - NIGHT SOUND: Low hum of the vacuum cleaner. WOMAN'S VOICE (wearily, over vacuum sound) From where I stand this world's made up of nothin' but dirty feet. INT. A DRUNKEN, UNSHAVEN BUM IS WATCHING A WINDOW DRESSER IN A SMART FIFTH AVENUE DRESS SHOP - NIGHT The Dresser is having difficulty in pulling a girdle down over the length of a dummy figure. A sign over the shop reads: Madge Livingston. BUM'S VOICE (Hoarse) Hey, buddy, do they pay you for that or -- (as girdle slips into place over hips) -- whoops! INT. WELL-FURNISHED APARTMENT - NIGHT A group of well-dressed, middle-aged men and women are playing bridge and drinking. Among them are Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Stoneman. SOUND: Rhumba music. NARRATOR And while some people work and most sleep, others are at the close of an evening of relaxation -- SOUND CONTINUES OVER INTO: INT. NIGHT CLUB - NIGHT Focusing on a ringside table where a couple -- Ruth Young and Robert Niles -- are watching floor show. On the bass drum of the orchestra are the words: Trinidad Club. SOUND: Music swells to a more and more intense beat and then is suddenly cut off. INT. A WELL-FURNISHED BEDROOM - NIGHT The only light is from the moon through the half-raised shade. We dimly perceive an act of murder: a woman on a bed is being chloroformed by two men. She is in a nightgown. One man, Garza, holds her from behind. The other, Backalis, holds a handkerchief over her face. Her body twists spasmodically, uselessly. There is no sound except the creaking of the bed and the heavy breathing of the men. NARRATOR (voice sharp, intense) And still another -- is at the close of her life. The woman's struggles cease. She slumps back. The men hold her still, the handkerchief over her face. Both men are wearing gloves. We can't see the faces of either man. One of them (Backalis) is wearing a distinctive jacket. BACKALIS (nervous whisper) Let's go. GARZA (angry whisper) Don't be a fool. This has to be sure. Lift her up. The men lift the body. BACKALIS (nervously) Whatcha gonna do? GARZA (slight laugh) It's a hot night. We'll give her a bath. They carry the woman into the adjoining bathroom. They lower her into tub. CAMERA FOLLOWS A HAND as it turns on the faucet and the water rushes out. EXT. A STREET - DAWN CLOSE SHOT WATER RUSHING OUT Water is flowing from a spigot on a street-washing machine that is proceeding slowly down a street in the East Sixties. First faint morning light. NARRATOR (quietly) A hot night working its way toward dawn. And everything is as usual -- EXT. A TRUCK LADEN WITH GREEN VEGETABLES EMERGING FROM THE HOLLAND TUNNEL - DAWN NARRATOR Jersey lettuce for New York markets -- EXT. WEST WASHINGTON POULTRY MARKET - DAWN A chicken escapes from a crate and a man runs after it. NARRATOR Tonight's fricassee is somewhat reluctant -- INT. FIRE HOUSE - DAWN CAMERA is shooting from open doorway at interior. A man at desk, the fire trucks, a sleeping dalmatian dog. NARRATOR Everything as usual -- EXT. EAST SIDE PIER IN SHADOWS - DAWN Two men are walking to edge of pier. NARRATOR -- and even this, too, can be called routine in a city of eight million people -- CLOSE SHOT BACKALIS AND GARZA Backalis, holding a bottle of whiskey, is drunk. Garza watches him carefully. Both men are in shadows. As Backalis talks, he sits down on edge of pier and looks out over water. He turns so that we see his face. We don't see Garza's face in entire scene. BACKALIS (drunkenly -- tragically) I done a lot of things but I never killed nobody... Gonna stay drunk for a long time... Don't know what I'm gonna say to God when my time comes. He's got a big heart, I'm told, but He don't like -- Backalis never finishes. Garza swings his fist from behind and hits Backalis a blow behind the ear. There is a dull thud as Backalis topples over, his head striking the pier. Garza kneels, pulls the bottle of whiskey out of his hand. GARZA (angrily) I thought you were off the liquor? (angrily -- during action) Liquor is bad. Weakens your character -- fuzzes your brain -- turns you soft. How can a man like me trust a liar like you? I can't! Garza angrily throws the whiskey bottle over the pier. We HEAR a splash. Quickly he thrusts his hand into Backalis's pocket, takes out a chamois bag, puts it in his own. He removes Backalis's wallet, tosses it over. He looks around swiftly, then lifts Backalis with his powerful arms. Garza heaves Backalis over edge of pier. A low splash. Garza rises, spits angrily into water, starts off. EXT. THE SKY - DAWN IT IS STREAKED BY MORNING LIGHT NARRATOR (softly) How many things this sky has seen -- EXT. SKY OVER MIDTOWN - DAWN BUILDINGS IN SHOT. SKY IS GROWING LIGHT NARRATOR (softly) -- that man has done to man. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. SKY - DAY NARRATOR And now it's morning. INT. BEDROOM - DAY A baby in a crib is howling. Mother enters shot, putting on robe. Lifts baby. Smiles fondly, looking at it as it yowls. She kisses baby. MOTHER'S VOICE Some babies are eight o'clock babies. Some babies are seven o'clock babies. Why do you have to be a six o'clock baby? EXT. THE BOWERY - DAY A drunk is sleeping in a doorway. The sunlight streams down through the elevated tracks onto his face. He stirs and blinks -- and turns over for another snooze. SOUND: EARLY MORNING TRAFFIC NARRATOR We wake up variously -- EXT. TENEMENT FIRE ESCAPE WE SAW EARLIER - DAY An alarm on window sill goes off. Woman and man awaken. Man shuts off alarm, leans on elbow, yawns... NARRATOR -- each to his taste. INT. KITCHEN OF SMALL HOUSE - DAY An Italian family. A father and two grown sons are eating breakfast. The mother is making sandwiches for three lunch pails that stand with tops open. NARRATOR (conversationally) We've washed and we've shaven and it's breakfast time. INT. A MASTER DINING ROOM IN A FIFTH AVENUE MANSION - DAY An old man, looking very unhappy, sits at one end of a long, bare table, staring at a glass of milk. A butler hovers near him. OLD MAN'S VOICE (in complaint) Milk! Isn't there anything else for ulcers except milk? INT. MODEST KITCHEN - DAY Mulvey is making breakfast. He has a toaster going. On stove two eggs are boiling. He is watching a three-minute sand glass that will tell him when the eggs are ready. He goes to front door, still humming, opens it, reaches down for a bottle of coffee cream. He returns, pours coffee. Puts cream in it. CLOSE SHOT COFFEE Cream is sour. It curdles. MULVEY He stops humming, makes a face. He pours coffee in sink. Starts to hum again as he takes eggs off. MULVEY (singing and humming lightly) After the ball was over, After the ball was done, da-da-da-da-, da-da- da... (continues) EXT. TIMES SQUARE ORANGE DRINK STAND - DAY A customer, eye on wrist watch, gulping coffee, runs. NARRATOR And it's time to go to work. EXT. HALLORAN, WIFE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY ON FRONT STEPS OF A TWO-FAMILY HOUSE IN QUEENS - DAY HALLORAN (straight-faced) Goodbye, Mrs. Halloran. MRS. HALLORAN Goodbye, Mr. Halloran. They shake hands, then kiss. Halloran ruffles boy's hair. HALLORAN (mock rough) See you tonight, Mac. BOY (imitating him) So long, bud. Halloran goes off with a smile and a wave. EXT. SUBWAY ENTRANCE - DAY People walking down. MAN'S VOICE Gonna be a scorcher today. GIRL'S VOICE (nasal) If it's as bad as yesterday, I'll die, I'll be prostrate. INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY People crowding platform. SOUND: Approaching train. FIRST GIRL'S VOICE I went to Jones Beach last night. Had a picnic. SECOND GIRL'S VOICE With the boy friend? FIRST GIRL'S VOICE (dreamily) Yeah. SECOND GIRL'S VOICE Did he get fresh again? FIRST GIRL'S VOICE (dreamily) Yeah. SECOND GIRL'S VOICE Gee -- you was born with a silver spoon. EXT. AN APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY A woman nods to a doorman as she enters an apartment house. NARRATOR For this woman, the day will not be ordinary -- INT. FOYER OF APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY NARRATOR Martha Swenson, forty-two years old, a widow -- CAMERA FOLLOWS woman to elevator. She rings elevator bell. Door opens. She enters. INT. HALLWAY - DAY Elevator opens. Martha comes out, crosses to apartment opposite, opens door. NARRATOR -- lives a quiet life as a house worker -- INT. JEAN DEXTER'S APARTMENT - DAY CAMERA is shooting from Martha's POV as she enters living room. The blinds are drawn so that the light is dim. Martha hesitates at doorway, then enters quietly. The room is attractively furnished. Martha puts her purse down, crosses to bedroom door, listens. She knocks softly, knocks again. She opens door, peeks in. Bedroom is dark, blinds drawn. She sees that bed is unoccupied. She goes in. MARTHA Miss Dexter? She crosses to blind and then notices an overturned, smashed lamp. As she crosses to it we hear a SOUND from open bathroom door of water dropping from a tap that has not been completely shut. Martha looks toward bathtub. With her, we see that the tub is almost ready to overflow. CLOSE SHOT ON MARTHA'S FACE as she walks into bathroom. Her face is suddenly convulsed by horror. Her mouth opens in a soundless scream. Then she turns and runs. MARTHA (shouting) Help me... Someone help me... EXT. NEW YORK CITY POLICE HEADQUARTERS ON CENTRE STREET - DAY INSERT SIGN READING: POLICE HEADQUARTERS TELEGRAPH BUREAU SOUND in BG: A mixture of clicking teletype machines and voices of telephone operators. INT. PANEL OF HUGE TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARDS - DAY A ROW OF FAST-WORKING WOMEN OPERATORS ARE AT THE SWITCHBOARD CAMERA MOVES IN to CLOSEUP of a WOMAN OPERATOR as she takes a call. OPERATOR (writing on pad) Yes, sir. What's your name, please? ...Thank you. (reaches for telephone plug) INSERT TELEPHONE PLUG being inserted into board under label: POLYCLINIC HOSPITAL EXT. POLYCLINIC HOSPITAL - DAY as ambulance starts into street. INT. WOMAN TELEPHONE OPERATOR - DAY OPERATOR (into mouthpiece) One-nine-eight West Six-nine Street. Apartment 4-D. INT. RADIO ROOM - DAY A shirt-sleeved patrolman is speaking into a telephone. FIRST PATROLMAN (into phone) Apartment 4-D. Got it. He writes on a slip of paper, gets up, and walks over to a series of tables. INT. PATROLMEN AT PLOTTING TABLES - DAY These plotting tables have sectional maps of Manhattan on top. On the maps are little round numbered metallic discs indicating location of police patrol cars. INT. PATROLMEN - DAY FIRST PATROLMAN (handing paper to man at table) 20th Precinct. What's out? INSERT SECTION OF TABLE-TOP MAP SHOWING TWO METALLIC DISCS NUMBERED 206 AND 159 SECOND PATROLMAN'S VOICE Two-oh-six and one-five-nine. INT. TWO PATROLMEN - DAY First patrolman writes on a slip of paper, and brings it over to a radio operator at a microphone. The operator glances at the paper. INT. RADIO OPERATOR AT MICROPHONE - DAY The call letters on the microphone are W-E-P-G. OPERATOR (into microphone) Cars two-oh-six -- and one-five-nine -- Cars two-oh-six -- and one-five-nine -- Proceed to one-nine-eight-West -- INSERT TELEPHONE OPERATOR plugging in another call. INSERT LABEL ON POLICE SWITCHBOARD READING: MEDICAL EXAMINER INT. AUTOPSY ROOM AT MORGUE - DAY The medical examiner, Dr. Simeon Hoffman, is a paunchy, grey- haired man wearing a surgeon's gown. He is speaking into phone. He puts down phone and starts to write a note. INSERT POLICE SWITCHBOARD LABEL MARKED: TECHNICAL RESEARCH LABORATORY as plug is inserted. INT. TECHNICAL RESEARCH LABORATORY - DAY LAB TABLES AND MICROSCOPES ARE EVIDENT IN BG NICK, a dark-haired man of thirty-five, puts down phone. He takes a puff on a lighted cigarette, writes on a pad, rips off the sheet of paper, and starts to assemble equipment. INSERT POLICE DEPARTMENT SWITCHBOARD LABEL READING: MANHATTAN HOMICIDE SQUAD EXT. 10TH PRECINCT STATION HOUSE -- 230 W. 20TH STREET INT. STATION HOUSE - DAY showing sergeant at desk and a few uniformed patrolmen nearby. CAMERA MOVES UP to a sign near a stairway. Sign reads: MANHATTAN HOMICIDE SQUAD THIRD FLOOR INT. THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY SIGN ON A DOOR READS: CAPTAIN SAM DONAHUE LIEUTENANT DANIEL MULVEY DISSOLVE THROUGH TO: INT. DONAHUE'S OFFICE - DAY CAPTAIN SAM DONAHUE is at his desk, looking at a folder. He is a husky man of sixty with a wide, pleasant smile and an intelligent face. Seated in a chair nearby is Lieutenant Dan Mulvey, whom we saw, earlier, at breakfast. He is a short, middle-aged man, who might pass for a bookkeeper. His speech contains a bit of Irish and a lot of Brooklyn. He is smoking a pipe. He has a second folder in his lap. There is nothing in the manner, dress or speech of either man to suggest the accepted notion of policeman or detective. DONAHUE (looking up from folder) I don't understand this boy Del Vecchio. MULVEY (slowly) I do, Sam... I think. DONAHUE Do you make any sense out of what he did? MULVEY No -- but I see eighteen years of feeling lonely and beaten. So he -- (gestures) exploded. DONAHUE (thoughtfully) Maybe... Sometimes I wonder what the human heart's made out of. MULVEY My wife, rest her soul, always said she'd rather look into a man's heart than into his head -- that you could tell more about him. Donahue turns as BEN MILLER, a chunky police stenographer in plain clothes, enters. He hands a slip of paper to Donahue. MILLER This just came in, Captain. (to Mulvey, as he goes out) Morning, Lieutenant. MULVEY Morning, Ben. DONAHUE (reading paper) You're free, aren't you, Dan? MULVEY I haven't had a hard day's work since yesterday. DONAHUE (handing him paper) Woman drowned in a bathtub. Your assignment. Mulvey nods, gets up, looking at paper. MULVEY Who's to do my leg work? DONAHUE How about young Halloran again? MULVEY (going toward door) All right. I like the boy. DONAHUE How's he doing? MULVEY He's makin' the same mistakes I made at his age. DONAHUE Too bad. I thought he showed promise. Mulvey reacts, goes out. INT. MANHATTAN HOMICIDE SQUAD OFFICE - DAY A large office with several desks and chairs behind a wooden railing. Through an open door can be seen some of the cots of the dormitory where men on night duty sleep. On a bench talking to Ben Miller is Detective James Halloran, the tall, pleasant-looking young man whom we saw saying good-bye earlier to his wife. Mulvey takes his hat off a hat rack. He comes up behind the bench and pauses a foot away to listen to Halloran, who is talking seriously, with great interest in what he's saying. HALLORAN -- but that's the point, Ben. In the first six months of a baby's life, the father can't get to know it unless he takes care of it physically. The idea is to do things for the kid -- like bathing it. MILLER But I'm scared to bathe mine. Looks like it'll break. HALLORAN Then learn how to change it. Is it a bottle baby? MILLER (boastfully) Not mine, he's... MULVEY Begging your pardon -- is this the Board of Directors of the Diaper Institute? HALLORAN (rising) Hi, Dan. MULVEY We're on a case, you baby experts. HALLORAN (eagerly) What sort of a case? Something hot? MULVEY (as they go) Dead woman in a bathtub. Something cold. They go out. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. APARTMENT HOUSE ON WEST 69TH STREET - DAY The ambulance, seen earlier, and two police cars are parked in front. A small crowd of people is gathered around the entrance. A dark police sedan drives up. Mulvey, Halloran, Miller step out. EXT. ENTRANCE TO APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY CAMERA IS SHOOTING from POV of watching crowd. PATROLMAN (to Mulvey, with a slight hand salute) This way, Lieutenant. Mulvey, Halloran, and Miller pin their badges on their coat lapels as they follow the patrolman. EXT. TO ONE SIDE OF ENTRANCE MIDDLE-AGED GENTLEMAN, NURSEMAID, GIRL - DAY as they look after detectives. The middle-aged gentleman is tall, thin, shabby, but with pretense to elegance. He carries a walking stick, wears pince-nez spectacles. The nursemaid is thirtyish, bovine, in uniform. The girl is five. MIDDLE-AGED GENTLEMAN (to nursemaid) Detectives! You see! I told you it was a murder. I knew! LITTLE GIRL (pulling nursemaid's hand) I wanna go to the park. I wanna see the seals. MIDDLE-AGED GENTLEMAN (to nursemaid) I have the finest crime library in the world... with pictures. LITTLE GIRL (wailing) I wanna see the seals. NURSEMAID (angrily) You saw the seals yesterday. This is a murder. It'll educate you. INT. IN FRONT OF JEAN DEXTER'S APARTMENT - DAY A patrolman at door gives a half salute, admits detectives. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY Two plainclothes detectives are standing in the room. The maid, Martha Swenson, is seated in an easy chair. She is distraught and evidently has been crying. Near her is NED HARVEY, the apartment superintendent, a thin, middle-aged man, wearing work pants and a grey sweater. Throughout scene Miller takes shorthand notes of what is said. MULVEY Who's in charge here? One of the plainclothes detectives steps forward. DETECTIVE Me, sir -- Detective Sergeant Shaeffer, 20th Precinct. MULVEY What's the story? SHAEFFER (consulting notebook) The dead woman's name is Jean Dexter. Twenty-six years old, unmarried. She used to be a dress model at Madge Livingston's, on Fifth Avenue. Her parents live in Lakewood, New Jersey. Their name is Batory -- that's Polish. Her name used to be Mary Batory until she came to New York. The ambulance doctor says she died of drowning... that's all I have. MULVEY (to Miller) Got it? Miller nods, scribbling. Puffing on his pipe, Mulvey walks over to an end table and squats down a little to look at a framed photograph without touching it. INSERT BEAUTIFUL BLONDE GIRL IN EVENING DRESS MULVEY'S VOICE This her? SHAEFFER'S VOICE Yeah. INT. BACK TO SCENE - DAY Mulvey looks inquiringly at Martha Swenson. SHAEFFER Martha Swenson, the woman's housekeeper. She found the body. (indicating Harvey) Mr. Harvey, the house superintendent. He called headquarters. MULVEY (nodding) Where's the body? SHAEFFER (pointing) In there. Mulvey starts toward bedroom followed by Halloran and Miller. INT. BEDROOM - DAY On the bed is a body covered by a sheet. Standing by the bed is a uniformed patrolman. A white-coated ambulance doctor is filling out a paper form. The door to the bathroom is open, with part of the tub visible. As Mulvey sees the body on the bed, he stops. MULVEY (quiet... but angry) Didn't this woman drown in a bathtub, doctor? DOCTOR She was on the bed when I got here. Mulvey goes toward living room angrily. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY as Mulvey comes into doorway. MULVEY Who moved the body? MARTHA (rising; upset) When I came in and... saw her like that in the tub... I called Mr. Harvey, here. He -- helped me. MULVEY (sharply) You should've waited for the police! Both of you should have known better. MARTHA (wringing hands) I was so upset... HALLORAN (entering) There's a bottle of pills under the bed, Dan. Looks like sleeping pills. MULVEY (holding out hand) Let me see 'em. HALLORAN (startled) I left 'em there. MULVEY Why, thank you for that, Jimmy. (looks at Martha and Harvey) This is moving day around here. I thought maybe you caught the fever. HALLORAN About those pills... maybe the dame took an overdose? MULVEY (patiently) Jimmy, it's our obligation to wait for the medical examiner. He's a learned physician employed by the city to determine the causes of mysterious deaths. Let the good man earn his money. Halloran grins with slight embarrassment. DISSOLVE TO: INT. BEDROOM GROUP (FAVORING DR. HOFFMAN) - DAY Standing by the bed is the medical examiner, whom we saw earlier; Mulvey, Halloran are with him. Ben Miller is taking notes in the background. Nick, whom we saw earlier in the Technical Laboratory, is standing by with his spray equipment for fingerprints. DR. HOFFMAN No accident and no suicide. There are bruises on her throat, shoulders and arms. Those slight burns around her mouth and nose were caused by chloroform. She was chloroformed after a struggle, then dumped into the tub alive. HALLORAN (eagerly) How can you tell that, Doctor? HOFFMAN By the white foam around her mouth. It's proof she drowned. (to Mulvey; indicating Halloran) New? MULVEY (nodding) New. INT. ANOTHER ANGLE THE GROUP - DAY A police photographer has set up his lighting equipment and large 8-by-10 camera. PHOTOGRAPHER (to Mulvey) Okay, Lieutenant? MULVEY (to Hoffman) Okay, Doctor? DR. HOFFMAN (putting instruments away) The body's yours. MULVEY Start working, gentlemen. The room becomes very active. Halloran goes into bathroom. Photographer begins taking flashlight pictures of room, bed, etc. Nick begins to spray a glass on a night table with a colored powder from an atomizer, seeking fingerprints. Mulvey writes a note, looks at bed, writes another note. Halloran comes out of bathroom with a pair of men's silk pajamas. HALLORAN Dan... these were in the laundry hamper. No laundry marks and no label. Mulvey takes the pajamas, feels the material. MULVEY Real fancy. You don't get these for three ninety-five. (to Nick) Pick up these pajamas on your way out, Nick. I want 'em under your X- ray machine. NICK Right. Mulvey, followed by Halloran and Miller, goes into living room. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY Martha Swenson and Harvey are seated on a couch as Mulvey, Shaeffer, and Halloran enter the room. Patrolman stands at door. Throughout this scene we get flashes of light from the busy photographer in the bedroom. MULVEY Who belongs to these? MARTHA I -- I don't know, sir. (wringing hands) I'm so unstrung. MULVEY (quietly) I know you are. But I think you'd like to help us. MARTHA I would -- I would. Such a sweet girl, she was. A little wild, by my standards maybe, but live and let live, I say. Always treated me swell. MULVEY The pajamas, Martha. MARTHA I'm all in pieces. I... Mulvey holds out the pajamas. MARTHA (hesitantly) They could belong to Mr. Henderson. (wringing hands) This is awful. I might be getting someone in trouble. MULVEY We don't want to get the wrong person in trouble either... What's his first name? MARTHA (in a rush) Philip, I think. He lives in Baltimore. That's what she told me. I only saw him once or twice. I only know he was an admirer of Miss Dexter's. MULVEY (fingering pajamas) Seems likely. MARTHA Oh, I'm all in little pieces. What a nightmare! MULVEY You're being a big help to us, Martha... How old would you say Mr. Henderson is? MARTHA Oh... fifty about. MULVEY What does he look like? MARTHA Oh -- he's real distinguished, real. About as tall as him. (points to Halloran) Got grey hair. And strong-looking for his age. No corporation on him, if you know what I mean. MULVEY Uh-huh. (to Miller) Got it? (Miller nods... to Harvey) Do you know Henderson? HARVEY Never saw him. MULVEY (to Miller) Shoot a wire on this to Baltimore. Miller nods. Hoffman comes into living room, carrying medical case. HOFFMAN Here's the ring she was wearing. (Mulvey takes ring) I'll phone you after the autopsy... Have fun. MULVEY (looking at ring) Likewise. Hoffman goes out. MARTHA (eagerly) Sir... that ring... it's a black star sapphire... very rare. She said her brother sent it from India. MULVEY Did she have any other jewelry? MARTHA Oh -- a lot. Valuable. She kept it in a jewel box, locked. MULVEY Let's go get it. (as Martha hesitates) Please. Hesitantly Martha goes into bedroom, the others following. At the moment of their entrance, Nick is spraying the surface of the vanity table with iodine vapor. The photographer, lying on his side, is making a photograph of the floor beneath the bed. PHOTOGRAPHER (to Nick) Okay... You can pick up that bottle under the bed now. NICK (spraying) Check. MULVEY Nick -- can we open a drawer in that table? NICK Yeah. I've gone over them. MARTHA (horrified) What are you doing to the furniture? NICK (smiling) Investigating it. During the ensuing scene, Nick puts down the atomizer, crawls under bed and gets the bottle out by means of looping a string over the neck of it. MULVEY Come on, Martha. Martha opens a drawer. A startled look comes to her face. She frantically pulls open the other drawer. MARTHA She had bracelets and rings... diamond rings... They're all gone. It must have been thieves that killed her. MULVEY (Softly, to Halloran) Another detective. (to Martha) Could you describe the jewelry? MARTHA Most of it, I think. MULVEY Fine. Go in and rest yourself now. As Martha goes out, Nick stands up, holding the bottle of pills by the looped string. NICK Looks like Seconal. MULVEY (Peering at it) Jimmy -- I want to start questioning those two in there. You start your leg work. Get the number of this prescription, see the druggist. From him go to the doctor. Then go to the dress shop she worked at. HALLORAN Right. He writes down druggist's name and prescription number. The policeman comes to door of living room. POLICEMAN Lieutenant -- the newspaper men are here. MULVEY Okay, I'm coming. (to Nick) Getting any fingerprints, Nick? NICK Nothing good so far. Half prints, quarter prints -- that's all. MULVEY (going toward living room... soberly -- to Halloran) Looks to me like a heavy case -- a heavy case. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MADISON AVE. - DAY SOUND: STREET NOISES Halloran moves to one side to avoid a fat man with an English bulldog on leash. An itinerant bootblack gestures toward his shoes but he shakes his head. He pauses at the entrance to a drugstore on the corner, checks the address against his memo book, goes in. NARRATOR (conversationally, heard above street noises) An investigation for murder is under way now in the city of New York. It will advance methodically, by trial and error, by leg and brain work, by asking a thousand questions to get one answer. Ever look for a needle in a dark house? You can find it -- if you're patient enough. Just get down on your knees, examine every inch of every floor of every room -- and you'll find it. The Homicide Squad, my friends, is made up of patient men. Ever work a jigsaw puzzle? Ever try to find a murderer? Ever play button-button? INT. DRUGSTORE - DAY There is no one at the prescription counter. He rings a little bell placed there for that purpose. The druggist appears, a short, bald, stout man. Halloran shows him his badge in the palm of his hand, speaks to him, reads from his memo book. Druggist disappears for an instant, returns with his prescription book, turns the pages until he finds the Dexter prescription. DRUGGIST AND HALLORAN DRUGGIST Dr. Lawrence Stoneman -- office in the Squibb Building. (leans forward) Confidentially -- a doctor in the dough -- high class. HALLORAN (writing) Do you happen to remember Miss Dexter? DRUGGIST (shaking head) A one-shot customer. HALLORAN Not even by the fact you made up sleeping pills for her? Druggist laughs, leans forward. DRUGGIST Confidentially, half the people in this city can't sleep without pills. Hurry up... hurry up... too much hurry up. HALLORAN Thanks. You've been a help. As Halloran starts out of drugstore CAMERA FOLLOWS HIM. NARRATOR Ask a question, get an answer, write it down... INT. DEXTER'S LIVING ROOM - DAY Patrolman at door. Martha Swenson on couch. Mulvey, puffing his pipe, has memo book in hand. Mulvey has his coat off. MULVEY Did she have any other men friends? MARTHA None I know of, sir. Just this Niles man. Robert Niles -- a lovely man. Mulvey scribbles in memo book, rubs his nose thoughtfully, rises, crosses living room to bedroom door, opens it. INT. BEDROOM - DAY The bedroom lights have been switched off. Nick is operating a portable ultra-violet lamp. It casts a beam of intense violet light. He is using it like a searchlight to explore every inch of the walls. The bedroom has been transformed since we last saw it -- ripped apart. The bed has been taken down, wallpaper stained in various spots, lamps taken apart, etc. MULVEY (softly) How are you doing, Nick? NICK (softly) Not too bad. Found two grey hairs on the rug. MULVEY Grey, eh?... How about fingerprints? NICK No good ones yet. Mulvey closes door, crosses to Martha, looks closely at her hair. Martha draws back in alarm. MULVEY (smiling) Don't you mind me. Just admirin' your hair. Martha smiles a little, flattered. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. A STREET - DAY Halloran is wiping his sweaty face as he walks. He stops, looks up. NARRATOR (leisurely) Ask a question and take a walk. Hop a bus and ask a question. Jimmy Halloran's an expert with his feet. He pounded a beat in the Bronx for a year as a cop... during the war he walked halfway across Europe with a rifle in his hand. Ever play button- button in a city of eight million people -- EXT. SQUIBB BUILDING - DAY stretching to sky. EXT. AT THE ENTRANCE - DAY Halloran is entering building. INT. DR. STONEMAN'S RECEPTION ROOM - DAY A medium-sized room, tastefully furnished. Two patients waiting, both women in their middle years, well dressed. An elderly nurse at desk. Nurse looks up as Halloran enters. He approaches desk, speaks quietly. HALLORAN Is Dr. Stoneman in? NURSE (dubiously) Do you have an appointment? HALLORAN I'm from the Police Department. It's quite important. (shows his badge) NURSE Just a moment. She goes out of room. Halloran walks to a large window that looks out over the city. INT. THE CITY FROM HALLORAN'S POV - DAY NARRATOR There's the layout, Jim. The man who killed Jean Dexter is somewhere down there. Can't blame him for hiding, can you? NURSE'S VOICE Dr. Stoneman'll see you. INT. WAITING ROOM - DAY Halloran follows nurse through door into a corridor, then into an office. INT. STONEMAN'S PRIVATE OFFICE - DAY Dr. Stoneman, in a white gown, is just coming through another door from an examination room. He is a handsome, keen-looking man of fifty, with iron-grey hair. We saw him playing bridge at 1:00 A.M. DR. STONEMAN Yes sir. What can I do for you? Have a seat. HALLORAN (sitting) I want to ask you about a patient of yours -- Jean Dexter. Stoneman, who has been walking around to his swivel chair, pauses, turns. DR. STONEMAN Dexter? Are you sure she's my patient? HALLORAN You wrote a prescription for her two weeks ago -- Seconal. Stoneman thinks, then nods. STONEMAN Yes, a blonde girl. Very handsome, I remember now... Dexter. (sits; starts going through card file) What department are you from, Officer? HALLORAN Homicide. STONEMAN (stiffening) Oh? Don't tell me that girl murdered someone? HALLORAN Someone murdered her. STONEMAN What? (a pause -- very distressed) My goodness... when... HALLORAN Last night sometime. A pause. Stoneman shakes his head. Pulls card out of file. STONEMAN What do you want to know? HALLORAN Whatever you can tell me about her. STONEMAN (angrily) She needed a good spanking. Took Benzedrine by day, needed sleeping pills at night. I told her to slow up -- but no. Life was too short for her. (shakes head again) Burned out now. All her fresh, young beauty on a scrap heap. Excuse me, Officer, but I'm a doctor because I'm interested in people. I hate to see human beings waste themselves. (shrugs, falls silent) HALLORAN Can you tell me anything else about her? Her life -- her friends? STONEMAN No. Nothing. I only saw her that one visit. HALLORAN I guess that's all, Doctor. Thank you. (stands) Stoneman nods and tosses the card on the desk. Halloran leaves. EXT. MADGE LIVINGSTON'S DRESS SHOP ON FIFTH AVENUE - DAY This is the same shop we saw in the early morning. Two young, shabbily dressed girls are staring at a glittering evening dress on dummy in window. FIRST GIRL Imagine me in that! SECOND GIRL I can't imagine. FIRST GIRL In the Sert Room of the Waldorf Astoria. With Frankie singing. SECOND GIRL I can't imagine. FIRST GIRL Gosh, I'd commit murder for a dress like that. It's a pome by Shakespeare, that's what it is. Lookit that feller. What do you suppose he's buying? HALLORAN FROM POV OF THE GIRLS - DAY He is talking to a woman. SECOND GIRL'S VOICE I can't imagine. FIRST GIRL'S VOICE Oh, you -- you're so uncooperative I could slam you. INT. MADGE LIVINGSTON'S DRESS SHOP - DAY Mrs. Livingston is handsome, middle-aged, well tailored, with a fancy way of speaking. MRS. LIVINGSTON (seriously) ...and somewhere in the back of her pretty head there was a fixed notion that she couldn't be happy without being rich. I don't think Jean ever would have married unless the man had money -- real money. HALLORAN Why did you fire her? MRS. LIVINGSTON (shrugs) Gentlemen sometimes come here with their wives. When Jean Dexter modeled, many of them left my shop a little too interested in her. Their wives didn't like it -- and neither did I. HALLORAN I see. Can I talk to her friend now -- the model you spoke about? MRS. LIVINGSTON (rising) Ruth Young? Yes. I'll call her. She leaves. EXT. AT SHOP WINDOW - DAY FIRST GIRL You see -- he's gonna buy something. Oh, I can't bear it. SECOND GIRL It's getting late. We better go. FIRST GIRL So what if we're late? SECOND GIRL The boss'll holler. FIRST GIRL Let him holler. Strengthen his lungs. Oh, lookit. EXT. HALLORAN FROM POV OF THE GIRLS - DAY Madge Livingston and Ruth Young approaching him. Ruth Young is a lovely girl in her early twenties. She is wearing a striking evening gown. As the two girls talk, we see Mrs. Livingston introduce Halloran and Ruth and leave them. FIRST GIRL Oh, I can't bear it. Oh, I'm going. What a dress. It's a pome. SECOND GIRL A pome. By you everything's a pome. FIRST GIRL (leaving) Oh, Millie -- you got no imagination. She leaves. Other follows, looking offended. INT. DRESS SHOP - DAY Ruth has a quiet, attractive manner, good speech. HALLORAN Miss Young -- I understand you modeled with Jean Dexter? RUTH (nodding) We're friends, too. (hesitates) Is she in trouble, Mr. Halloran? HALLORAN Well... She is kind of wild, isn't she? RUTH Oh, no... Maybe Mrs. Livingston would call her wild, but I wouldn't. She's full of fun... wonderful company. HALLORAN Do you know anybody who has cause to dislike her? RUTH No... HALLORAN How about Mrs. Henderson? RUTH Who's she? HALLORAN Well, Miss Dexter and Mr. Henderson are very friendly, aren't they? RUTH She never told me about a man named Henderson. HALLORAN (disappointed) Are you sure? RUTH Really, Mr. Halloran -- Jean's my friend -- I don't think I want to answer any more questions unless you tell me why you're asking them. HALLORAN (watching her) She was found dead this morning. Ruth gasps. Her face goes white. She looks as though she will collapse. Halloran grabs her arm, pulls a chair up. HALLORAN (gently) Sit down... Rest a moment. (Ruth obeys) I'm sorry. Halloran walks over to a water cooler for a glass of water. NARRATOR Learn anything, Halloran? How does it add up? Button, button, where's the button? DISSOLVE TO: EXT. 10TH PRECINCT STATION HOUSE - DAY An elderly fireman has opened a hydrant on this hot summer day for the neighborhood kids. A half dozen kids in bathing suits, trunks and underwear shorts are reveling in the water. A boy of ten, lying on the street, puts his face in the water, blows bubbles. BOY I'm a whale. Lookit... (blows bubbles) Lookit me... I'm a whale. A tough little girl of twelve sneaks up behind him, pushes his head under water, runs off. During this, two men have come along street -- Niles and Perelli. Boy gets up, gasping. BOY I'll moider you. I'll cut your head off. FIREMAN (reprovingly) Such language. One of the two men -- Robert Niles -- laughs. NILES (to fireman -- in passing) In front of a police station, too. CAMERA HOLDS on two men going up station steps. INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY A smaller office than Donahue's. Simply furnished. On Mulvey's desk there is a photograph of a pleasant-looking woman in her late twenties, with two little girls. They are dressed in the fashion of 1920. Mulvey is at his desk, Miller in a chair. Miller is reading from notebook. MILLER The janitor's story of his whereabouts last night is being checked. Ditto the maid. No report yet on fingerprints. Constentino is on his way to Lakewood to see the girl's parents. Door opens. One of the two men we saw on the street a moment earlier comes in. He is Detective Perelli, forty, husky, hard-faced. PERELLI Got Robert Niles, Lieutenant. MULVEY Have him in. (rises, starts cleaning pipe) NILES enters, a man in his early thirties. He is tall, unusually handsome, with a straightforward, attractive quality about him. He wears a Service Discharge emblem. Perelli shuts door, sits down in corner. MULVEY Thank you for coming down, Mr. Niles. I'm Lieutenant Mulvey. (gestures) Make yourself comfortable. This is Sergeant Miller. NILES (sitting down -- smiling) How do you do... (looks around) I've never been in a police station. Why'd you want to see me, Lieutenant? MULVEY (cleaning pipe) Just a routine check on something. Did you ever run across a girl named... (looks at paper as though he had forgotten name) ...Dexter? NILES Jean Dexter? Why, yes... we're good friends. MULVEY How long have you known her? NILES A little over a year. She helps me out in my business occasionally. She's a model. MULVEY What business is that? NILES Merchandising consultant. (hands Mulvey a card) I help out-of-town buyers get woolens, dress goods... Anything in the textile line. MULVEY Do you pay Miss Dexter a salary? NILES No... just a... bonus from time to time when she does something. MULVEY Like what? NILES (shrugs) Modeling... entertaining somebody for me. MULVEY When did you see her last? NILES Yesterday. We had lunch together. Why? MULVEY You haven't seen her since? NILES No. Is anything the matter? (leans forward) MULVEY (softly) She's dead. Murdered. Niles sinks back, shocked, incredulous. Mulvey watches him. Perelli leaves quietly. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF HOMICIDE SQUAD - DAY Halloran and Ruth come in. Ruth has changed to street clothes. Halloran motions for her to wait, crosses to a detective at a desk -- a man of fifty-five, HENRY FOWLER. HALLORAN (low-voiced) Mulvey back yet? FOWLER Inside. Talking to a guy. Halloran presses buzzer on desk and picks up phone. HALLORAN (into phone -- low- voiced) Dan? Jimmy. Got a girl here -- Ruth Young. Friend of Dexter's. Model at Livingston's. INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY MULVEY (into phone; writing a memo) Hold it. I'll buzz. As Mulvey puts down phone, Niles looks at him, shakes his head. NILES This is terrible. I feel sick over it. Niles raises his hands, looks at them. They are trembling. NILES (continuing) My hands haven't trembled like this since I was in the South Pacific. MULVEY (conversationally) What happened to you there? NILES (tossing it off) Oh... my first time in combat... MULVEY What outfit were you in? NILES Seventy-seventh... INT. CLOSE SHOT OF MILLER - DAY writing down a memo. MULVEY'S VOICE I think I had a cousin in that one. It's a New York division, isn't it? NILES'S VOICE Yes. INT. BACK TO SCENE - DAY MULVEY Corporal James Dennis... NILES Don't remember him. I was a Captain. Mulvey, starting to stuff his pipe, looks across the room at Miller. Miller rises quietly, goes out. MULVEY We want to find the person who murdered Jean Dexter, Mr. Niles. NILES (leaning forward -- passionately) Anything I can tell you! MULVEY Anyone you know who might've had a reason to kill her? NILES (shaking head) Everyone liked Jean. MULVEY (glancing at memo book) Do you happen to know a friend of Miss Dexter's called Ruth Young? NILES (hesitating) Ruth Young? No, I... Oh, yes... a model, isn't she? MULVEY I think so. How well do you know her? NILES I've met her once or twice at parties Jean gave. Mulvey presses buzzer twice. MULVEY And how long did you know Miss Dexter? NILES About a year. MULVEY See her often? NILES Why, yes, I... The door opens. Halloran appears with Ruth Young. Ruth sees Niles, who has turned. RUTH (running to him) Robert, why are you here? NILES (awkwardly) Why, hello, Ruth. Ruth catches hold of his arm, turns to Mulvey angrily. RUTH You don't think he could've been involved in Jean's death? He hardly knew her. MULVEY (flatly) How do you know? RUTH Well, of course I know! Robert and I are engaged. MULVEY Congratulations. He looks steadily at Niles, who shifts very uneasily. DISSOLVE TO: INT. TECHNICAL RESEARCH LAB - DAY Nick and an assistant are carefully examining Henderson's pajamas under an X-ray machine. NARRATOR The items that make up this murder are being compiled now... INT. AUTOPSY ROOM OF THE MORGUE - DAY Dr. Hoffman, in a surgical gown and mask, wipes the perspiration off his forehead. His assistant hands him a surgical instrument. NARRATOR They'll be listed in a folder marked Dexter, Jean... along with some questions... EXT. PENNSYLVANIA STATION - DAY as a detective approaches a taxicab dispatcher. The two men exchange a few words, and the dispatcher makes a notation in his notebook. NARRATOR Is Henderson the murderer? Did a taxicab take him to the Pennsylvania Railroad Station? INT. BALTIMORE POLICE STATION - DAY CLOSE SHOT BULLETIN BOARD MARKED: 18TH PRECINCT STATION, BALTIMORE, MD. A hand reaches in, pins a notice on board. NARRATOR Who is Henderson? Where does he live? Who knows him? INSERT OF NOTICE READING: "Police Chief, Baltimore, MD. Please ascertain info about resident your city name Philip Henderson age about 50, grey hair, tall build. Confidential. Quick reply urgent. Mulvey, New York" CAMERA PULLS BACK to SHOW several detectives moving in to read it. INT. OFFICE BUILDING HALLWAY - DAY as janitor admits Perelli to office. Sign on door reads: ROBERT NILES BUSINESS CONSULTANT INT. NILES'S OFFICE - DAY PERELLI (as they enter) Do you know Niles? The janitor smiles smugly, waves his hand. He is a small man, bald. JANITOR Sure. I keep tabs on everybody. I'm sharp. PERELLI What kind of a business does he run? JANITOR He don't run any. They are looking around the office now. It is sparsely furnished. PERELLI How do you know? JANITOR I'm sharp. Nobody comes to see him. No secretary. Nothing to clean out of his waste basket. Don't spend much time here himself. He's a bust. Perelli goes to desk, opens side drawers. The first one is empty. The second has a bottle of whiskey. The third has an autographed photo of Jean Dexter. TO SWEETHEART FROM JEAN Perelli closes drawers, tries middle drawer. It is empty except for a book: The Campaigns of the South Pacific. Perelli closes drawer, starts out. JANITOR (smugly) See... told you I was sharp. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF HOMICIDE SQUAD - DAY Mulvey is escorting Ruth Young to the door. MULVEY I might be wanting to see you again. RUTH Any time you say. (quietly) Jean was my friend. MULVEY You won't leave town without letting me know? (opening door) RUTH Oh? All right... Good-bye. MULVEY 'Bye. (closes door -- turns to Fowler) Lovely girl, isn't she? Lovely. FOWLER Yeah! MULVEY Lovely long legs. FOWLER Yeah -- yeah. MULVEY Keep looking at 'em. FOWLER A pleasure. Fowler rises, grabs Panama hat, leaves. As Mulvey crosses back to office, Miller holds up his hand to intercept him. Miller is talking on the phone, seated at a desk. He is scribbling a note. MILLER (into phone) Thanks. He hangs up, rises, speaks to Mulvey. MILLER Couple of things. One: Medical examiner called in. Dexter died between one and two A.M. MULVEY I see. MILLER (handing him memo) And here are a few interesting items on our friend inside. Mulvey reads the memo, exchanges a look with Miller, then goes into his office, followed by Miller. INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY as Mulvey and Miller enter. Niles is seated, smoking comfortably. Halloran is sitting behind him. MULVEY (with a smile) Mr. Niles... NILES (returning smile -- gracefully) These things happen, Lieutenant. I told you I didn't know Ruth Young very well. Now you know we're engaged. (grins) Can't blame a man for wanting to keep his fianc�e out of a murder case, can you? MULVEY (pleasantly) I never had a fianc�e in a murder case. (ingratiatingly) And just between ourselves... you never told your fianc�e what good friends you and Miss Dexter were -- did you? NILES Ruth's a bit jealous, Lieutenant. (frankly) You understand... MULVEY Uh huh... I wonder now... is there anything else you told me that isn't... strictly true? NILES (earnestly) I have no reason to lie to you, Lieutenant. MULVEY (softly) I've got a report in front of me says you never were in the South Pacific, Mr. Niles. You weren't in the 77th Division. You weren't an officer. You weren't in the Army. Niles's smile has faded. He looks wretched. NILES (miserably) I suppose you think I'm a heel... (passionately) I didn't even wait for the draft. I tried to enlist. They wouldn't take me. I've got a trick knee from college football. I just couldn't get in. MULVEY That's all right with me... but why lie about it? NILES I don't know. Stupid pride, I suppose. MULVEY How did you spend the war years, Mr. Niles? NILES I was in Chicago. Same business I have now. MULVEY Been at it long? NILES Six or seven years. Since college. MULVEY Doing pretty well? NILES Very good these days. Mulvey picks up phone, buzzes at same time. MULVEY (into phone) Is Perelli back? (pause) Send him in. (pause) Mulvey smiles at Niles. Niles smiles back. Door opens, Perelli enters. MULVEY What can you tell us about Mr. Niles's business? Niles stiffens. PERELLI He ain't got a business. It's a dodge. No credit rating. Dropped from his university club for nonpayment of dues. Still owes a food and liquor bill of $110.83. A pause. Niles looks very crestfallen. MULVEY (genially) I've been thirty-eight years on the force, Mr. Niles. I've been a cop on the beat, I've been with the Safe and Loft Squad, I've been twenty-two years in the Homicide Division. But in a lifetime of interrogatin' an' investigation', you are probably the biggest an' most willing liar I ever met. NILES (bursting out) All right, I'm a liar. I'm a circus character altogether. But I didn't kill Jean Dexter. I told you where I was last night. Why don't you check on that? MULVEY We're doing that right now. NILES (angrily) Okay then. That's fine. (suddenly -- a change of mood) I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you, Lieutenant. You're just doing your job. The truth is I'm ashamed of myself. (frankly) My family used to have money and position. Since I got out of college, I haven't been much of a success. I'm trying to keep up a front... (earnestly) But I'm only a small-time liar, Lieutenant. Believe me. On important things I'm straight as a die. MULVEY (softly) Every man to his taste. NILES Ask me anything you want. Jean was my friend. I want to help you. MULVEY (consulting notebook) You spent close to fifty dollars last night at the Trinidad Club. Where'd you get the money? Niles hesitates, then speaks frankly, with obvious shame. NILES I play a sharp game of bridge with Park Avenue friends. I take a flier on the stock market. On inside tips. When I'm hard up, I borrow money... That's the truth. MULVEY Thank you... (consulting notebook) Now about this man Henderson. You say you only met him once in Miss Dexter's apartment. Would you describe him to me? NILES Well... medium height; husky; blonde hair; wore glasses... looked to be about thirty-five... MULVEY Uh... huh... Phone RINGS. MULVEY (into phone) Lieutenant Mulvey... (listens with interest) Yes... Yes... (face falls) Oh... All right. (hangs up; to Niles) Well, Mr. Niles, after telling me a lot of stories about a lot of things, you apparently told me an accurate story of where you were last night. Four witnesses put you at the Trinidad Club at the time Jean Dexter died. (a gesture) I guess you're in the clear, Mr. Niles. NILES (wearily) I told you I never lie about important things... Any more questions? MULVEY I guess not. Niles rises, starts to go, stops. NILES You know -- I'm not as much of a heel as I sound. I'm trying to catch on to a good job in industry. One of these days I will. MULVEY (softly) I wish you the best. NILES Good-bye, then. MULVEY Good luck. Niles leaves. Door closes. MULVEY (continuing -- softly to Perelli) Keep two men on him in three shifts. Perelli nods, leaves. MULVEY (to Miller) I don't want a thing said to the newspapers about Niles. He's not even in this case. Miller nods. MULVEY (continuing) Spent fifty dollars last night, he said. On that much a week I supported a wife and raised two kids. HALLORAN Sure, but you were brought up on the wrong side of the tracks. Mulvey smiles slightly. EXT. HOMICIDE SQUAD BUILDING - DAY Niles exits, putting on his coat. He trudges wearily down the street. Two detectives come out of building, start slowly after Niles. EXT. THE SAME STREET - DAY Garza is standing near a hot dog and ice cream wagon that travels the streets. He is sucking a popsicle and watching Niles. He turns and goes the other way. INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY CAMERA PULLS BACK to REVEAL Mulvey, Miller, Halloran -- in consultation. Present as a special audience is Donahue. There is a portable blackboard in office, on which are written the following names: MARTHA SWENSON NED HARVEY RUTH YOUNG ROBERT NILES PHILIP HENDERSON Miller is talking, reading from his notebook. MILLER The only good fingerprints we got were of the maid and Jean Dexter... The Baltimore police say they can't locate anyone so far who answers Henderson's description... The pajamas in Dexter's apartment show nothing under the X-ray. They're an English import and never been washed. All stores that carry the line are being checked. (looks up -- to Donahue) That's it, Captain. DONAHUE (to Mulvey) Very little to go on. This man Niles... how's his alibi for last night? MULVEY He seems in the clear. So does everybody else we've connected with so far. HALLORAN So Henderson's our only suspect... MULVEY How about this man? Mulvey crosses to the blackboard, picks up chalk. Underneath Henderson's name he writes: JOSEPH P. MCGILLICUDDY HALLORAN Who's he? DONAHUE (smiling) McGillicuddy is Dan's name for any unknown party in a case. HALLORAN You mean two men did the murder? MULVEY Maybe there were five. All I know is there was more than one. HALLORAN How do you know? Mulvey looks around the room, then sits on his desk. He pats it. MULVEY This is a bed... For a moment, I'm an attractive little lady. (smiles to Halloran) How would you chloroform me, Mr. Henderson? Halloran studies the question, takes a handkerchief out of his pocket. HALLORAN I guess the best way'd be if I stood behind you. He goes behind Mulvey and gestures how he would lock his forearm over Mulvey's throat, and use the other hand to apply the chloroform. MULVEY Correct -- that's the way one man would do it. He jumps down, opens drawer, brings out a pile of 8 by 10 photos, shuffles them, selects one. Meanwhile, he keeps talking. MULVEY (continuing) We just got the photographs. They show finger marks on both arms. He tosses a photo on desk. All crowd around it. INSERT PHOTO It shows chin, neck, shoulders only. Visible are some blue marks. MULVEY'S VOICE (over close shot) That means a man stood behind her and held her arms with both hands, while Henderson or someone else chloroformed her. A strong man, with thick, strong fingers. INT. BACK TO SCENE - DAY All look up from photo, gaze at Mulvey with excitement. MULVEY (continuing) And that man was my old, old friend, Joseph P. McGillicuddy. A pause. DONAHUE You're right, Dan. HALLORAN Now we have to find two men. DONAHUE You have to find them. I'm busy on half a dozen other cases. Good night, gentlemen. ALL Good night. Donahue leaves. MILLER Need me any more? Mulvey waves him good night. Miller goes. Mulvey looks at blackboard. MULVEY A heavy case... (thinks) Why is Niles such a liar? (pause) What's in his heart? Is he just a blowhard or...? (pause) A heavy case... The door opens, Miller appears, wearing hat. MILLER (excitedly) Say... there's an old dame outside says she can crack the Dexter case. Mulvey gestures for her to be brought in. Miller steps out, ushers in a sweet-faced old lady of sixty-five. She is dressed in an old-fashioned manner and, in spite of the heat, wears a feather boa around her neck. She has a folded newspaper under her arm. She speaks with a Southern accent. OLD LADY Are you the officer in charge of the bathtub murder? MULVEY Yes, M'am. OLD LADY (approaching) This one? She spreads the newspaper on the desk. INSERT NEWSPAPER HEADLINES Blonde Model Slain In Brutal Bathtub Killing MULVEY'S VOICE Yes, M'am. INT. BACK TO SCENE - DAY OLD LADY I can help you solve it. MULVEY Yes? OLD LADY My gran'daddy is Sheriff of Tuckahue County, Mississippi. He's... HALLORAN (gasping) Your gran'daddy? Mulvey puts his hand out and touches Halloran warningly. OLD LADY (explaining) Yes... I'm only in my twenties, you know. MULVEY (gently) And very handsome you are, too. OLD LADY (candidly) Yes, I know. So many men are crazy about me, I don't know what to do. (starts to leave) 'Bye now. (stops -- hesitates) Oh yes -- about the murder. I almost forgot. We'll have to get a front tooth from a hound dog. MULVEY Yes, M'am. OLD LADY Bury it fifty feet from the grave. On the third day after the first full moon, the murderer will confess. MULVEY Thank you, M'am. OLD LADY (starts off -- then stops) Prices are awfully high these days, aren't they? MULVEY Yes, M'am. OLD LADY I had to decide whether to spend a nickel on an apple for my supper -- or spend it on the subway to come up here. Mulvey fishes in his pocket, comes up with a dime, gives it to her. MULVEY Please. OLD LADY You're sweet. I'll put you down in my diary tonight. 'Bye now. MULVEY 'Bye. The old lady leaves. Miller gives them a look, also leaves. Mulvey and Halloran look at each other. HALLORAN How much of that have you had in thirty-eight years? MULVEY I couldn't count it. Every time there's a headline case. We'll be lucky if there isn't a lot more. HALLORAN 'Bye now. MULVEY (grinning) 'Bye. Halloran leaves. Mulvey turns to blackboard, looks at names. He erases all the names except those of Henderson, Niles, McGillicuddy. He stares at them. EXT. 14TH ST. - DAY Hurrying people are exiting from a department store. NARRATOR The day's work is over now... EXT. ANOTHER STREET - DAY Office workers are exiting from factory building at 99 Hudson Street. NARRATOR ...and several million people... EXT. QUEENSBORO BRIDGE - DAY A subway train is going over bridge. NARRATOR ...are on their way home... INT. SUBWAY CAR - DAY FULL SHOT PEOPLE NARRATOR ...tired and hot... INSERT A SITTING MAN eyes closed, face sweaty. NARRATOR Six A.M. tomorrow will come awfully soon. INSERT A SITTING GIRL young. She is staring, fascinated, at a tabloid and biting her fingernail. NARRATOR Must've been a hard day behind that counter, honey... INSERT TABLOID There is a lurid drawing of the murder being committed in the bathtub. Very wild. A CAPTION OVER IT SAYS: "Artist's Conception Of How Model Died." NARRATOR ...but don't bite your nails. Harry won't like it. And besides, this isn't how the murder was really committed. INT. BACK TO SCENE - DAY Halloran, hanging onto a strap, is reading a paper. Behind him are a stout girl and a young man. The stout girl is short and is peering at Halloran's paper from under his arm. STOUT GIRL Read about that bathtub murder? YOUNG MAN I'll say. Some figger that dame had. I wouldna minded being the wash rag in her bathtub. Haw! Haw! EXT. AT A BILLBOARD - DAY A newsboy has walked away from his stand to pencil a moustache on the face of an actress in a movie advertisement... Passersby on street. NEWSBOY (mechanically, as he draws... in double talk) Evening paper... Sensational... Tibet Report... Bathtub murder... Hitler reported hiding in... Artist's Model... Get your paper... Garza comes up, takes a paper, drops a nickel, walks off. A well-dressed man takes a paper. As he is fishing for change he observes newsboy with back turned. He walks off quickly without paying, a pleased smirk on his face. EXT. HALLORAN'S HOME - DAY as he opens door of his two-family home and enters. HALLORAN (calling) Anybody home? He throws his hat and newspaper on the couch and starts taking off coat. The room is combination living-room, dining-room with standard Grand Rapids furniture. The small table is set for dinner. In answer to his call, a voice comes from the kitchen. JANEY'S VOICE (O.S.) Hello, honey. She appears at kitchen door and comes toward him. She has on a playsuit with bare mid-riff and an apron. She is pretty in a quiet way, has a straightforward manner. Halloran pulls off tie and starts unbuttoning shirt. JANEY (continuing) Bet it was hot in Manhattan today. HALLORAN I was too busy to be hot. On a new case. (as he takes off shirt) The subway was a furnace, though. JANEY You too warm to say hello? HALLORAN Yup. He puts his arms around her, kisses her. JANEY Got you a nice, cool supper. Jellied tongue. HALLORAN (holding her) Swell. I'm hungry. Stop holding on to me. Let's go, I'm starved. She laughs. He kisses her, lets her go. HALLORAN (continuing) Where's Billy? JANEY I put him to bed. Listen, dear, I'm sorry to tell you but you've got a nasty job to do before supper. Halloran takes off the hip belt on which his gun holster hangs and puts it up on the closet shelf. Janey continues meanwhile. JANEY (continuing) Billy has to have a whipping. HALLORAN Why? JANEY He walked right out of the yard, crossed Stillman Avenue all by himself and went to the park. HALLORAN Well... I'll give him a real talking to. JANEY No you won't, you'll give him a real whipping, with a strap. HALLORAN Just a minute, honey... JANEY (interrupting) I know -- I know -- you don't believe in whipping a child. Neither have I until now. But do you want Billy run over by a truck? Halloran is silent. JANEY (continuing) I've reasoned with him, I've pleaded with him, I've threatened him. But the minute my back is turned, he's off. HALLORAN Well... he's a spunky kid, Janey. JANEY I don't want him to be a dead kid. HALLORAN (yielding) No... JANEY Go ahead then. Get it over with. HALLORAN Yeah, I guess I will... right after supper. JANEY Jimmy -- (points) HALLORAN I can't just go in there and take a strap to that boy. I've got to work up to it a little bit. JANEY You'd think I was asking you to kill him. Phone RINGS. HALLORAN If you think it's so easy, you whip him. (goes to phone) JANEY Me? That's not a woman's job. HALLORAN (at phone) Why does it have to be a man's job? JANEY It's always the man's job. HALLORAN (raising phone) Who says so? ...Hello. (listens) Oh... sure, Dan... yeah, right away. He hangs up, crosses to closet for gun. HALLORAN Got a call. I have to meet Mulvey right away. JANEY Without any supper? HALLORAN Save it for me... I'll grab a hamburger meanwhile. JANEY I wish you were an ice cream salesman or something. I don't like this night work and I don't like it every time you strap on that gun. Halloran is now putting on his shirt and tie. Janey takes off her apron. HALLORAN If I were an ice cream salesman, I'd get fat. Then you wouldn't like me. JANEY I don't like you now. HALLORAN (singing it) Oh, yes you do. JANEY Remember -- you've got a job before you leave this house. HALLORAN What? JANEY Billy. HALLORAN I can't stop for that now. JANEY (jumping up) Halloran -- you're a coward. HALLORAN (kissing her) 'Bye now. He grabs coat and starts off. JANEY Jimmy. He stops. She goes up and catches his arm, kisses him. JANEY (continuing) I'll wait up for you. HALLORAN Good deal. He runs his finger across her bare midriff. She wiggles a little. JANEY Where you going? HALLORAN To see a pretty girl. He runs his finger across her midriff again. She wiggles. JANEY Some place exciting, huh? HALLORAN Yes, dear. To the morgue. He pokes her with his finger, starts out. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BUILDING MARKED: CITY MORTUARY - NIGHT as Detective Constentino approaches with a plainly dressed, middle-aged couple, the Batorys. The man and woman stare at the sign for a moment and then follow Constentino inside. INT. ANTEROOM OF MORTUARY - NIGHT MULVEY, HALLORAN AND UNIFORMED NURSE are seated, but rise when Constentino enters with the man and woman. Constentino is forty-five, husky, dark, competent appearing. Mr. Batory is fifty, thin, looking both strong and work-worn, with a neat little grey moustache and a bald head. Mrs. Batory is the same age, stocky, with a face and figure that show signs of an earlier peasant beauty. Mr. Batory looks stunned, grief-stricken, shocked beyond understanding. Mrs. Batory seems at the point of hysteria, her eyes red, her hands plucking at her dress, her hair, her face. CONSTENTINO This is Lieutenant Mulvey. (to Mulvey) Mr. and Mrs. Batory, the girl's parents. Before Mulvey can say anything, Mrs. Batory bursts out in an angry, injured, bitter tone. MRS. BATORY I told her! I knew she'd turn out no good. All these young girls... so crazy to be with the bright lights. There's no bright lights for her now, is there? (she stops, plucks at her dress) MULVEY (gently) She's at rest now, Mrs. Batory. MRS. BATORY (bitterly) No -- her kind of dead don't rest! And how 'bout us? The scandal -- God in Heaven! My husband's a gardener. He works for a banker, a highly respectable gentleman. He'll get fired now. Oh, I hate her, I hate her. MR. BATORY (miserably) Paula... MRS. BATORY Never mind... I hate her. I say it out straight. So fancy she was. Even had to change her name. Hah! MULVEY (uncomfortably) We'd better go in now. If you'll please follow the nurse. FOLLOW SHOT as nurse leads the way down a short hallway and into a room. The group follows. CAMERA is CLOSE on MRS. BATORY, who keeps muttering as she walks. MRS. BATORY I do hate her, I do. I warned her. A million times I warned her. INT. MORTUARY - NIGHT as group enters room. In the center is a table on which lies a covered body, the face out of CAMERA range. The Batorys stop dead. Mrs. Batory continues to mutter. MRS. BATORY I hate her. I hate her for what she done to us. Mulvey gestures to nurse. She walks toward body to raise sheet from face. MULVEY (to Batorys) Please tell me if she's your daughter. CLOSE SHOT BATORYS Mrs. Batory falls silent. An instant later we see by the reaction on both their faces that the face of the dead girl has been exposed. Mr. Batory seems to shrink back, become smaller. Mrs. Batory's lips quiver. MR. BATORY (dully) That's her... Mrs. Batory stands with trembling lips. Her hand plucks at her dress, her face. A sudden, hysterical scream bursts from her lips. MRS. BATORY My baby! Oh, my baby! She runs forward. INT. AT THE TABLE - NIGHT Mrs. Batory throws herself on foot of table, sobbing brokenly. The nurse is replacing the sheet. EXT. DEAD END STREET OVERLOOKING RIVER - NIGHT as Mr. and Mrs. Batory come up to bench. She sits down, he sits beside her. Behind them are Mulvey and Halloran. Mulvey pauses near them, begins stuffing a pipe. Halloran leans against a lamppost, smokes a cigarette. A police sedan, with Constentino and a driver, pauses a bit down the street. MRS. BATORY (low-voiced) I feel better now. The walk was good for me. MULVEY Are you sure you want to go home tonight? We can get you a hotel room. Batory looks at his wife, then shakes his head. MR. BATORY We'll go home. We don't like this place... (bitterly) ...this fine city. MRS. BATORY (diffidently -- to Mulvey) You don't know... who done it, huh? MULVEY Not yet. He fishes in his pocket, brings out the black star sapphire ring that was on Jean Dexter's hand. He steps closer to them, shows it. MULVEY (continuing) Did you ever see this? The Batorys look at it, shake their heads. MULVEY (continuing) Your daughter told someone it came from her brother, in India. MR. BATORY (confused) We only had her -- no other kids -- no boy. Mulvey looks at Halloran, puts ring in pocket. MULVEY I see... And did your daughter ever mention a man named Henderson? MRS. BATORY (bitterly) We don't know any Henderson. We haven't seen Mary even for six months. She was too busy to come see us. Who knows what she ran around with? MR. BATORY (to his wife) She's dead, momma, don't... (to Mulvey, passionately) A good girl, I swear it! It's my fault maybe I didn't do better for her. When she was fifteen she was working already, the five and ten cent store. Oh it was hard, depression time, hard. MRS. BATORY (to her husband) So what? She's the only one didn't have it easy? Other people had it worse! Was that a reason to leave home -- to change your name? (to Mulvey) Wanting too much, that's why she went wrong. Bright lights and theaters and furs and night clubs. That's why she's dead now. Dear God, why wasn't she born ugly? (begins to weep quietly) What a heartache! You nurse a child, raise it, pet it, love it... and it ends like this. MULVEY I've had my own children, Mrs. Batory. They turned out all right, thank goodness, but who's to know why or how? I've seen a lot of human misery in my work. I don't know where people start to go wrong. MRS. BATORY (defensively) We did our best. It wasn't our fault. MULVEY Of course it wasn't. And maybe not even hers. When you think it over, I guess it was everybody's fault. People get so pounded and pounded in this life. (shakes his head -- softly) It's a jungle, a city like this. Eight million people struggling for life, for food, for air, for a bit of happiness. Seems like there ain't enough of everything to go around... and so sometimes it breaks out in... violence. A boat whistle blows mournfully from the river. Mulvey looks out over the water. MULVEY (continuing in a murmur) ...an' we call it homicide... FADE OUT: FADE IN: EXT. TALL BUILDINGS - DAY SUNRISE STREAMING OVER THE TOWERS OF LOWER MANHATTAN NARRATOR Six A.M. -- Summer day -- work day. EXT. THE SKY - DAY A flight of birds across CAMERA. NARRATOR This time yesterday, Jean Dexter was just another name in the phone book... INT. A CAFETERIA - DAY A MAN is reading a tabloid. Shoves toast in his mouth. NARRATOR ...but now she's the marmalade on ten thousand pieces of toast... all around the town... INT. APARTMENT DOOR - DAY In front of door is a folded newspaper, and a bottle of coffee cream standing on a piece of note paper. The door opens. We hear a voice, half humming, half singing. Mulvey appears, in trousers, slippers, no shirt, suspenders hanging. He picks up newspaper, bottle, note. MULVEY East Side, West Side, all around the town... INT. MULVEY'S APARTMENT - DAY Still humming, he carries things back to table. He opens note. INSERT: NOTE: Dear Mr. Mulvey: Sorry the cream was sour yesterday. About this new case you're on -- I figure it's the janitor -- a sex crime. Do you want any buttermilk? Your Milkman. INT. MULVEY - DAY He hums, grins, pours cream in coffee. INT. DRUGSTORE - DAY The druggist is serving grapefruit and coffee to a man at the counter. DRUGGIST So I says to that detective: 'Confidentially,' I says, 'that Dexter girl used to come in here night after night and pour her heart out to me -- ask my advice.' That'll be twenty- five cents, please. And I told her 'marry and settle down, have a couple kids,' I said! But it's too late now. (leans forward) Keep it confidential, bud, willya? INT. STONEMAN DINING ROOM - DAY Dr. Stoneman and his wife, eating breakfast. He is dressed, she is in negligee, a woman of fifty. Both are reading newspapers. MRS. STONEMAN (suddenly) Lawrence!! STONEMAN (reading) Uh-huh? MRS. STONEMAN This Dexter murder case! It says she was your patient. STONEMAN Not really. I only saw her once. MRS. STONEMAN She was beautiful, wasn't she? STONEMAN Quite. MRS. STONEMAN What was she like? STONEMAN Just one of those sad creatures who want more than life can give them. (raising coffee urn) Coffee? INT. EDITORIAL OFFICE OF A NEWSPAPER - DAY Publisher, managing editor. PUBLISHER This Dexter case. Give it an editorial today. 'What's the matter with the police? What's the matter with the Mayor?' Slam into 'em. Pin their ears back. MANAGING EDITOR How about saying the whole city's in the grip of a crime wave? PUBLISHER Listen -- as long as this administration's in office, we're suffering from a perpetual crime wave. MANAGING EDITOR Check. INT. ANOTHER NEWSPAPER OFFICE - DAY Another managing editor, another publisher. MANAGING EDITOR How do you want me to handle the Dexter case editorially? PUBLISHER You know our policy. Watch how the Tabloid handles it. You do the opposite. MANAGING EDITOR Check. EXT. JEAN DEXTER'S APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY A small crowd of people is gawking in front. A policeman stands at door. A vendor with a peanut, ice-cream and hotdog stand is at the curb, doing business. RANDOM VOICES ARE HEARD: FIRST MAN'S VOICE Hey, Mac -- what's doin', why all the people here? SECOND MAN'S VOICE (genially) What's doin? Whatsamatter, you live in Canarsie or somethin'? This is the dump where that model was killed. FIRST MAN'S VOICE You don't mean it! The bathtub girl, eh? So why didn't she take showers? Both men laugh. EXT. CITY HALL - DAY INT. OFFICE CORRIDOR - DAY ONE OFFICE DOOR READS: OFFICE OF THE MAYOR INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE - DAY THE MAYOR (to reporters) That's all for this morning, gentlemen. Any questions? A REPORTER Since Commissioner Wallander's here, do you have any statement on the Jean Dexter case? THE MAYOR I don't. Do you, Commissioner? COMMISSIONER WALLANDER (genially) A case is a case. If it happens to lend itself to sensationalism, that's your good luck. But to the Homicide Squad, it's just another job. THE MAYOR I'll tell you this: As Mayor of New York I expect criticism -- not only of me but of the Police Department. But as an ex-cop, I know a tough case when I see one. Not many murders go unsolved -- but it takes more than twenty-four hours to handle a case like this. COMMISSIONER WALLANDER (to Mayor) For that -- thanks. THE MAYOR Don't mention it. (smiles) EXT. MADISON AVE. - DAY Niles, wearing the phony ruptured duck in the lapel of a Panama suit, comes down the street, enters a jewelry store. NARRATOR The sun isn't too hot as yet. And it's pleasant to walk along Madison Ave... EXT. TWO MEN ON MADISON AVE. - DAY CAMERA IS SHOOTING ACROSS AND DOWN THE STREET The two men are looking toward CAMERA. They step into a doorway. NARRATOR ...there are shady doorways to rest in... for patient men who are not in a hurry. EXT. EAST SIDE ST. - DAY A hurdy gurdy player. SOUND: He is grinding out "After the Ball is Over." NARRATOR It's pleasant on an early summer morning to listen to an old song... A coin bounces down on side-walk, rolls. A passerby picks it up, gives it to hurdy gurdy man -- walks off. The passerby is Garza. NARRATOR ...it whiles away the time. EXT. AN EAST SIDE PIER - DAY where several adolescent boys are stripping off their clothes for a swim. They wear tights underneath. The first boy, undressed, steps up to the edge of the pier, ready to dive. Suddenly he yells out and points. NARRATOR ...So pleasant to dive into the East River even though sometimes the water is littered with a city's trash: a half-eaten apple... a chip of wood... a lady's hat... BOY Look! Hey, look! The other boys run up, look down into water. NARRATOR (softly) ...a chip of wood... a lady's hat... and other things... EXT. A MAN'S BODY IN WATER - DAY floating face downward. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF PRECINCT HEADQUARTERS - DAY Perelli. He goes toward door marked 'Lieutenant Mulvey', enters. INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY Mulvey, at desk, Constentino, Halloran. Mulvey is talking. MULVEY This is Dexter's address book. Contact every name listed in it. Keep asking if they heard her talk about Henderson. Constentino nods, takes the address book, leaves. Mulvey nods to Perelli. MULVEY (to Halloran) Start in on this ring of Dexter's. (takes out black star sapphire) Canvass every expensive jewelry shop in the city... maybe Henderson bought it for her. HALLORAN (grinning) Oh, my poor feet. MULVEY (smiling) Be glad you're not a horseback cop. Halloran leaves. MULVEY (to Perelli) What's with you? PERELLI (takes a man's diamond- studded cigarette case out of his pocket) Niles sold this about an hour ago to a jeweler on Madison Avenue. Got six hundred dollars for it. MULVEY (excited) Well! Where's the list of stuff that was stolen from Dexter? He opens a desk drawer, pulls out a typewritten sheet of paper. He examines cigarette case, looks down list. MULVEY (disappointed) It isn't on here. It's a man's item anyway. Perelli grimaces in disappointment. MULVEY (slowly) That's an interesting man, that Niles. He operates very strange. PERELLI Say -- how about I check this cigarette case with the Department list of all jewelry stolen in the last year or so? MULVEY All right... I don't think you'll get anything, though. He'd be crazy to pawn a stolen item in the middle of a hot case like this. PERELLI Maybe he is crazy. (rises) MULVEY Not that one. Perelli leaves. Mulvey sits thinking, stuffs a pipe. NARRATOR (softly) Button, button, who's got the button? EXT. A BEAUTY SHOP ON LEXINGTON AVENUE - DAY Constentino stops outside, checks number. NARRATOR Relax, Constentino, your wife does this, too. He steps inside and blinks a little at the spectacle of eight women in a row sitting under dryers. All of the women, naturally, turn as one to stare at him. An operator walks up to him. They talk for a moment. The operator shakes her head several times. Constentino leaves. NARRATOR ...How about a permanent, bud? How about a mud-pack for your complexion? Ever have your eyebrows plucked? What? Don't you even get your nails manicured? Hey, Constentino, wait! You could get to like it here. INT. FASHIONABLE JEWELRY SHOP - DAY Jeweler and Halloran -- Jeweler is looking at the black star sapphire ring. JEWELER No, I never saw this ring. It's an odd one. Hard to forget. HALLORAN Thanks. You've been a help. EXT. OUTSIDE JEWELRY SHOP - DAY Halloran emerges, looks at list of stores on paper. He starts off. NARRATOR How are the feet, Halloran? Would you care for some arch supporters? Would you be interested in knowing that there was a confession in this case only ten minutes ago? EXT. FIFTY-SEVENTH STREET - DAY A police car is racing through traffic, siren wide open. NARRATOR What's your hurry, Mulvey? You're supposed to be a patient man. Why get so excited? INT. MEN'S HABERDASHERY SHOP ON LEXINGTON AVENUE - DAY A detective is standing with the proprietor, who is examining Henderson's pajamas. NARRATOR Calling all members of the Homicide Squad, Officer. There was a confession in the Dexter case at 11:50 A.M. EXT. TOOTS SHOR'S RESTAURANT - DAY Constentino is consulting address book. He starts in. NARRATOR Hey, Constentino -- why don't you throw that address book away? This case is all washed up -- it's finished -- got a confession -- INT. LIVING ROOM OF DEXTER'S APARTMENT - DAY Sitting down, head in his hands, is BISBEE, a tall, gaunt young man who speaks in a reedy voice. A policeman is opening the door. Mulvey and Miller burst in. POLICEMAN (excitedly) Here he is, Lieutenant. I caught him trying to get in the kitchen by the back door. He's a grocery boy in the neighborhood. Bisbee jumps up. BISBEE Yes, I did it -- I killed her. I want to be punished. I'm guilty. My hands are stained with her blood. MULVEY Why did you kill her? BISBEE She deserved it. For months I've been watching her. I'd come up with packages and there she'd be -- in her negligee -- beautiful -- but no soul -- immoral. So I did it. I rid the world of her. MULVEY (quickly) The knife you stabbed her with. What did you do with it? BISBEE You'll never find it -- never. I buried it -- I buried it. MULVEY (to Cop) Call Bellevue Hospital... Psychiatric Department. (starts out) DISSOLVE: INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - NIGHT MULVEY, DONAHUE, MILLER Miller is cleaning his fingernails with a penknife. Donahue is looking over various reports that Mulvey is handing him from a folder. NARRATOR It's seven-thirty in the evening now. It's been a great day on the Dexter case: Developments -- none; new clues -- none; progress -- none. Ever try to catch a murderer? It has its depressing moments. Donahue now returns the last report to Mulvey. Mulvey closes the folder. Donahue rubs his forefinger thoughtfully up and down the length of his nose. DONAHUE I can't see you've missed anything. MULVEY (wryly) Boss, I can always trust you to comfort a man. Pause. DONAHUE Any word today from Baltimore? MULVEY No... and Henderson's pajamas were bought last week in a store on 34th Street -- but not by Henderson -- by Jean Dexter. Pause. Donahue shakes his head. DONAHUE A heavy case... MULVEY It's that. The door opens. Perelli appears, looking very pleased. He takes the cigarette case sold by Niles out of his pocket. PERELLI This cigarette case Niles sold this morning -- it's hot. It was stolen from Dr. Lawrence Stoneman. DONAHUE Dexter's physician? PERELLI Yeah. He reported a robbery in his apartment in March. Twenty-eight hundred dollars worth of stuff. None of it has ever shown up... Here's the Department list of stolen jewelry for the past year. He hands some typewritten sheets to Mulvey. Mulvey's eyes are gleaming. The atmosphere of the office has completely altered, from defeat to excitement. PERELLI (continuing) That's not all -- Niles bought a plane ticket for Mexico City -- one way. MULVEY Leaving when? PERELLI Tomorrow noon... Want me to pick him up? MULVEY No. What else did he do today? PERELLI ...Had lunch with Ruth Young. They held hands for an hour. She went back to her shop -- he went to the Park Central and had a swim. He's at Toots Shor's now. DONAHUE (amused) Buying a plane ticket -- pawning a stolen cigarette case -- that's not smart. What is this man -- an amachoor or something? MULVEY (slaps the palm of his hand on the table) That's what's in his heart! Now I know! He's had no experience at being a crook. He's a scared college boy way out in deep water. He's starting to thrash around now, he's in a panic. DONAHUE A panic over what? MULVEY I don't know, yet, Sam. DONAHUE (excitedly) And how does this Stoneman figure? Why should Niles pawn a cigarette case belonging to him? Door opens suddenly. Halloran strides in, excited. HALLORAN Dan -- I got something, maybe. MULVEY About what? HALLORAN The black star sapphire Dexter was wearing when she was killed -- it didn't belong to her. She didn't buy it, Henderson didn't buy it for her. It belongs to a Mrs. Hylton, 482 Park Ave. I found a jeweler who repaired it for her. Excitedly Mulvey picks up the Department list of stolen jewelry. Perelli looks over his shoulder. Mulvey turns a page, then another. DONAHUE (muttering) We started in a murder case and we're up to our necks in stolen jewelry. PERELLI (suddenly... pointing) Mrs. Edgar Hylton -- there it is. MULVEY (excitedly) Black star sapphire -- part of a sixty-two-hundred-dollar robbery of her apartment. (to Halloran) Did you see this Mrs. Hylton? HALLORAN I thought you might want to see her. MULVEY Now that was considerate of you, Jimmy. We'll telephone the lady and we'll both go to see her. He turns to Donahue with gleaming eyes. MULVEY Have a beer on me, Sam. An' throw a pinch of salt over your shoulder. This case is starting to move. EXT. IN FRONT OF 482 PARK AVENUE - NIGHT NARRATOR Ever watch a hound dog tracking A police sedan stops at the curb. Mulvey and Halloran get out, walk toward entrance. down a rabbit? It sniffs -- and sniffs -- and suddenly it begins to run... INT. APARTMENT HOUSE CORRIDOR - NIGHT Mulvey and Halloran are entering an apartment. A maid has opened the door. INT. FOYER OF HYLTON APARTMENT - NIGHT A rhumba record is being played in an adjacent room. MAID Mrs. Hylton's waiting for you. She leads the way to a sitting room, separated from the foyer by heavy brocade curtains. INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT as they enter. Rhumba music is coming over the radio. MRS. HYLTON is sitting by the radio, her head cocked to one side, listening to the music with obvious delight. She gestures for them to come in but continues to listen to the music, which is approaching the end of a tune. One foot is tapping out the rhythm. Mulvey and Halloran exchange amused glances, wait. The music ends, Mrs. Hylton switches off the radio, then jumps up and comes toward them, beaming. She is a woman in her late forties, no more than five feet tall, very slim, bright-eyed. Her speech, her gestures, her walk, are all very quick, vigorous; she is as close to being a hummingbird as any woman can be. She is dressed in an attractive, expensive house-coat and is wearing diamond rings on both hands, a diamond bracelet, a diamond clip in her grey hair. MAID Lieutenant Mulvey, M'am. (she leaves) MRS. HYLTON (gayly) As you see, I'm crazy about rhumba music. Imagine, at my age! (to Halloran) My, what a nice-looking young man! (to Mulvey) You're the Lieutenant who telephoned me, aren't you? Did you get my jewels back? Mulvey produces the black star sapphire. MULVEY Is this one of 'em? MRS. HYLTON (with a shriek of delight) Yes it is! Oh, wonderful, you wonderful men. Where's the rest? MULVEY This is all we have. MRS. HYLTON I'm so disappointed! But this is wonderful. I gave it to my daughter when she graduated from college. She was heart-broken when -- (stops talking... holds ring up to light) Isn't it precious? (laughs... holds out hands) I love to glitter. It's a fixation. (to Halloran) My, you're nice looking. (gesturing) Sit down, gentlemen, get comfortable. Mulvey and Halloran sit. Both of them look a bit bewildered. MULVEY Mrs. Hylton -- is your daughter here? I'd like to talk to her. MRS. HYLTON (looking at wrist watch) She's due any minute for dinner -- it's her night with Momma. (laughs) One of those career girls -- has her own apartment -- works. That's what you get when you send them to Vassar. (laughs) MULVEY If she doesn't live with you, how is it her ring was stolen from here? MRS. HYLTON That was last December. She was living with me then. MULVEY I see... Now... ah... I wonder if by any chance... GIRL'S VOICE Mother? I'm here. Ruth Young appears in the doorway. Halloran bounds to his feet. HALLORAN Niles -- he's the connection! MULVEY Easy, lad. (crossing to Ruth) You told me your name was Ruth Young -- not Hylton. MRS. HYLTON Ruth's my daughter by a first marriage. She kept her father's name. (to Ruth) How do you know these men? RUTH They're investigating Jean Dexter's murder. Jean modeled with me at the shop, Mother. MRS. HYLTON Imagine! (suddenly) Look, darling. (displays sapphire) RUTH My ring! MRS. HYLTON They brought it. Aren't they wonderful? RUTH How did you get it? MULVEY Your friend was wearing it when she was murdered. RUTH (bewildered) Jean? MRS. HYLTON How did she get it? MULVEY I was hoping your daughter would tell us that. RUTH I have no idea. It was stolen with the other things. (suddenly, to Halloran) What did you mean before when you said, 'Niles -- he's the connection?' Halloran shifts awkwardly, says nothing. RUTH (continuing) What did you mean? Please... MULVEY He was just wondering, Miss... how your ring came to be on her finger. RUTH You don't think Robert...? (laughs) But that's silly. He hardly knew Jean. MULVEY That ring on your hand now... is it your engagement ring? RUTH Yes. MULVEY Might I see it? Ruth takes it off, gives it to him. MULVEY (continuing) A pearl in an old-fashioned setting. Unusual. Mulvey gives ring and a list from his pocket to Halloran. MULVEY (continuing) Jimmy -- Halloran nods, moves off a little, sits. RUTH (composed) What are you doing? MULVEY (gently) I'm sorry, Miss. We're checking your ring to see if it was stolen. RUTH (trying to be nice about it) You don't mind if I feel rather insulted, do you? MULVEY (gently) I'd expect you to. MRS. HYLTON I'm sure you have to question everyone who knew Miss Dexter -- but this is fantastic. RUTH Do you honestly think either Robert or I had anything to do with her murder? MULVEY Just earning my salary, Miss. Halloran suddenly steps up to Ruth. HALLORAN When did Niles give you this ring? RUTH About six weeks ago. HALLORAN On January 8th, Mrs. Charles Franklyn, 382 Fern Ave., New Rochelle, reported the loss of this ring in a robbery. Ruth is stricken. She stares at him in horror. Mrs. Hylton looks stunned. A pause. RUTH (rising... anguished) Mother, if you don't mind, I won't have supper with you tonight. MRS. HYLTON Of course, dear. (vaguely, to Mulvey) Robert, a thief? But he's so educated. He studied philosophy in college... Mulvey, however, is paying no attention to Mrs. Hylton. He calls sharply to Ruth Young, who has started out of the room. MULVEY Miss Young. She pauses. MULVEY (continuing) Where are you going? RUTH (in a whisper) Whatever you're thinking, I know the sort of man Robert is. There's some explanation of this, and he'll give it to me. MULVEY Okay -- but we'll have to go with you. RUTH Oh! (pause) That's quite all right... Good-bye, Mother. I'll call you. Her mother is too stricken to reply. MULVEY (on way out) Good night, M'am. Mrs. Hylton stands, looking very distracted. The others leave. Her hand goes to her face, plucks at her lip. MRS. HYLTON (to herself) Upsetting... everything's always so upsetting. Maid appears at entrance. MAID Isn't Miss Ruth staying to supper? MRS. HYLTON No... no, she isn't... I'll eat alone... (starts out, pauses) Put on some music, Margaret... a rhumba. EXT. A STREET IN EAST EIGHTIES - NIGHT A taxi comes slowly down the street, stops. Mulvey steps out, looks around. A figure comes out of the shadow of a building, joins him. It is Perelli. EXT. MULVEY, PERELLI - NIGHT In BG in taxi, are Ruth Young and Halloran. Ruth is twisting a handkerchief in her hands. MULVEY (low-voiced) Is Niles in? PERELLI Went in about half an hour ago. MULVEY Alone? PERELLI Yeah. Reaches in pocket, hands him a key. PERELLI (continuing) Apartment 7 E. Building on the corner. MULVEY You can go home now. PERELLI Thanks... I'm dead. S'long. MULVEY Good night. Perelli leaves. Mulvey beckons to Halloran. He and Ruth get out of the car as Mulvey pays hackie. They start across the street, on the diagonal, toward the corner apartment house. INT. APARTMENT HOUSE CORRIDOR - NIGHT Mulvey, Halloran, Ruth stop at a door. A spill of light underneath. Halloran rings the bell. They wait. He rings the bell again. They wait. MULVEY (calling) Niles! There is no reply. Mulvey takes the key out of his pocket. Halloran takes out his gun. MULVEY (sharply, to Ruth) Stand back. He pushes her to one side. He opens door, flings it back and lets Halloran rush in. INT. NILES APARTMENT - NIGHT as Halloran, Mulvey, with Ruth following, burst in. Niles is on the floor, unconscious. A chair is overturned, the contents of a suitcase are strewn all over a divan. MULVEY The window! Halloran races across the room to an open window, climbs out. EXT. FIRE ESCAPE - NIGHT as Halloran jumps out, looks down. Four stories below he sees a shadowy, bulky figure, racing down. The sound of pounding feet on the iron grid work comes up. Halloran snaps up his gun, leans out, shoots. There is an instant metallic ping as the bullet hits the fire escape somewhere down below, then ricochets with a shattering of glass through a window in the house. Halloran starts to run down as a yell comes from below. Above the pounding of Halloran's feet we hear an angry man's voice. MAN'S VOICE What's going on here? EXT. HALLORAN'S FACE - NIGHT tense, breaking out with sweat, as he runs. We hear him panting for breath. A light switches on in a window as he runs past it. A window bangs up. A WOMAN'S VOICE (screaming) Police -- somebody call the police. (she repeats it several times) EXT. FIRE ESCAPE - NIGHT We see the two running figures from the sidewalk below. Halloran is now at the fifth floor; the man escaping is just at the edge of the ladder which forms the last section of fire escape. He swings down onto it; it slides down to the ground. EXT. GARZA - NIGHT face bathed in sweat, eyes gleaming, chest heaving. He fires twice at Halloran; the bullets slam into the grid work, ricochet. Garza starts to run out of the alley. EXT. GARZA - NIGHT from Halloran's POV. Halloran stops running, leans out, shoots. Garza keeps running, disappears into alley. Halloran runs again. EXT. HALLORAN - NIGHT Seen from below. Lights are going on all over the house. There is a babble of talk and shouts. Halloran comes to the last section. He swings with it to the pavement. He runs down the alley out into the deserted street. As he looks down one way a voice yells to him. It is from a man in pajamas in the window of a house opposite. MAN (yelling) What's going on there? What's the matter? HALLORAN (yelling) Police! Did you see a man run out of here? MAN That way! Around the corner! Halloran runs around the corner. At the opposite corner is a subway entrance. He pounds down the street, runs down the subway steps. INT. SUBWAY PLATFORM (SHOOTING UP) - NIGHT as Halloran leaps down the last few stairs, gun in hand. CAMERA PANS WITH HIM as he vaults over the turnstiles. A train is pulling out of the station. The platform is deserted except for two elderly women coming out of the exit. They cling together, stare at Halloran in horror as he hurries through turnstile over to an elderly station attendant who has not moved out of his booth. HALLORAN (excitedly) Police emergency! Is there any way of stopping that train at the next station -- keeping the doors locked? ATTENDANT The train that just pulled out? (Halloran nods) Well, yes, I -- I guess there is. (eager to help, but very ineffectual) Let's see now. I'd have to call the main office first... (reaches for phone) ...or maybe I better call the 86th Street station. Which do you think? HALLORAN (wearily) Never mind. Thanks just the same. (puts away his gun; starts out) INT. NILES APARTMENT - NIGHT Niles is still on the floor, but there is a pillow under his head and his collar and tie have been opened. Ruth, on her knees, is bathing his face with a wet towel. A basin of water stands nearby. Mulvey is just crossing to the window as we hear shouts from the outside. A WOMAN'S VOICE Isn't anybody going to call the police? A MAN'S VOICE What for? Somebody found somebody else in the wrong apartment, that's all. (laughs) MULVEY (shouting out window) Listen to me, everybody -- this is Lieutenant Mulvey of the Police Department talking. The trouble's all over. Get quiet now and go back to sleep. He shuts window, returns to Ruth and Niles. RUTH (muttering) Darling, darling... Robert, Robert. (to Mulvey) Maybe some whiskey would help. MULVEY (calmly) Whiskey's not the thing to mix with chloroform. Suppose you go into the kitchen and see if there's a spot of coffee on the stove. It'll do fine, even if it's cold. Ruth jumps up, runs out. Mulvey bends down, raises Niles's head with one hand. He proceeds to slap him smartly on both sides of the face. MULVEY (muttering) Come on now, my sleepin' beauty... wake up. (slapping him) That's the sweet lad. (slaps him) Niles groans, his eyelids flutter, his head turns. Mulvey slaps him again, then reaches for the basin of water. He pours the water over Niles's face. Niles's eyes open in a bewildered stare. Ruth comes into room carrying a cup. RUTH I found some cold tea. MULVEY That'll do fine. He's waking up now. She runs to Niles, kneels. RUTH Robert, darling. NILES (still dazed) Hello, Ruth. She kisses him, holds, him, cradles him, kisses him again. MULVEY (muttering) A touching scene. (to Ruth) The cold tea'll do him more good. The door opens, Halloran comes in. Mulvey joins him. They whisper. Halloran's face is wet with sweat. HALLORAN He got away. On the subway, I think. MULVEY Get a look at him? HALLORAN No. He was a big man -- that's all I got. What do I smell in here? MULVEY Chloroform. I think this is our friend McGillicuddy again. HALLORAN Oh! They both move into room. Niles is sitting up now, drinking the tea with Ruth's help. MULVEY You awake? Niles nods. He starts to get up, groans. NILES I've got a head like a beehive. He feels the back of his head over one ear, winces. Halloran takes him under both arms from behind, lifts him. On wobbly knees Niles makes a chair, sinks down into it. NILES (continuing) Is that towel wet? RUTH (giving it to him) Want any more tea, darling? NILES No. He looks at Mulvey, rubs his face with the towel. MULVEY While you're thinking up a nice story about what didn't happen -- suppose you tell us what did? NILES (slowly) I don't know. (rubs his face with towel) MULVEY (sarcastically) Complete blackout, eh? NILES I was packing a bag and... I thought I heard a noise. Just as I started to turn I got hit -- (indicates back of head) ...I remember falling to my knees -- and... that's all. (rubs face with towel) MULVEY Listen, Niles -- you came very close to not waking up at all. The party that killed Jean Dexter tried the same business on you. Who was it? NILES (resentfully) How on earth would I know? MULVEY If you're afraid, I'll guarantee you police protection. NILES If I knew, I'd tell you. I'm not a fool. Do you think I enjoyed this? (rubs face) MULVEY Got any guess who it was? NILES It must've been a burglar. Came in by the fire escape, I suppose. MULVEY A burglar? Maybe he stole something. Niles stiffens. He gets up as quickly as his condition permits, goes to divan, searches anxiously through the suitcase and among the things strewn about. It is clear that he is searching for something he can't find. Then he stops, turns. MULVEY He got it -- didn't he? NILES No... no... there's nothing missing. (quickly) I don't have any valuables. MULVEY What were you just looking for so hard -- your B.V.D.'s.? NILES I thought... I forgot this was in my pocket. He takes out a jewel-studded cigarette lighter. NILES (continuing) It's my one valuable -- I only got it two weeks ago -- it's expensive. MULVEY Jimmy -- Halloran takes it from Niles, pulls Department list of stolen jewelry out of his pocket. Ruth watches with terrified apprehension. Niles seems bewildered. NILES What are you doing? Silence. Halloran is busy with the list. NILES (continuing) Why'd you come down here anyway? Silence. NILES (continuing excitedly) You want to know something, Lieutenant? You're going to have a lawsuit on your hands. You can -- HALLORAN (interrupting) Forrest C. Broughton, 85 West 68th Street, reported the loss of this cigarette lighter three weeks ago. Night robbery. Silence. All look at Niles. Ruth's face is sick. NILES What kind of a deal is this? MULVEY You tell us. NILES If you think I'm a thief, you're crazy. (to Ruth) Honey, this is the craziest thing I ever heard of. RUTH (tortured at asking) Sweetheart -- this is a terrible thing to ask you right now, but... my engagement ring -- where'd you buy it? NILES (stunned) What? RUTH Robert, darling -- please -- where'd you buy it? NILES It was from a private party. RUTH (relieved) Who, Robert? NILES I can't tell you. RUTH Please, sweetheart, you must. Don't you understand? -- MULVEY (sharply; interrupting) Where'd you get the cigarette case you sold this morning? ROBERT (pressed to wall) What? MULVEY How'd you get this cigarette lighter? Silence. RUTH (hysterically) Robert -- tell them -- please, tell them. MULVEY Why'd you buy a plane ticket for Mexico City? NILES (stunned) Why, I -- RUTH What ticket? When? MULVEY He was supposed to leave tomorrow noon. RUTH Is that true? Silence. RUTH Robert -- is it true? NILES A business trip -- RUTH We had lunch today. Why didn't you...? NILES (interrupting) Something came up this afternoon. MULVEY You're lying -- you bought the ticket in the morning. Niles suddenly straightens, looks at Mulvey coolly. NILES You've got the wrong man if you think I stole those things. I wouldn't steal a piece of bread if I was starving. That isn't how I was brought up. I come from a decent family. MULVEY Congratulations. NILES I got this lighter as a present. You can't send me to prison for that. MULVEY Who gave it to you? NILES (with quiet triumph) Jean Dexter. Now you prove she didn't. MULVEY And the cigarette case you sold this morning? NILES The same. RUTH And my engagement ring? NILES Sure -- Jean gave me that too. RUTH My engagement ring? NILES You heard me. RUTH (approaching him) No, no, darling, don't say a thing like that. That would be horrible. And I know it's a lie. You hardly knew Jean -- NILES (coolly) I'm sorry, Ruth. RUTH I don't believe you. Robert, I love you. I'll marry you now -- tonight. But say you're lying about Jean. If you're a thief, I'll stand by you, I'll -- NILES (hysterically) And go to prison? In a pig's eye I will. Those things were presents -- presents -- your ring was a present -- from Jean -- RUTH Robert -- He is silent. RUTH You're lying. (hits him hard) You're lying. (hits him) You're lying. (hits him) Sobbing hysterically, Ruth continues to hit him. Niles backs off, raising his hands against her blows. Halloran catches hold of Ruth, restrains her. She breaks down in sobs. MULVEY Niles -- you're under arrest. NILES (hysterically) Arrest me all you like. But try to prove something against me -- try it -- just try it. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE POLICE STATION - DAY Girls are jumping rope. Two girls swing the rope, a third jumps. One of the girls recites in a loud voice. GIRL Mother, Mother, I am ill; Call the doctor over the hill; EXT. MULVEY - DAY looking down from third story window with a smile. GIRL'S VOICE In came the doctor, in came the nurse, In came the lady with the alligator purse -- EXT. CHILDREN - DAY FROM MULVEY'S POV GIRL I don't want the doctor, I don't want the nurse. I don't want the lady with the alligator purse. HALLORAN'S VOICE Dan... INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY Mulvey turns. HALLORAN (hesitantly) I'm not sure but I think maybe I've found a connection between these jewel robberies and the Dexter murder. MULVEY (with interest) Oh? (shuts window) GIRL'S VOICE (from outside -- not clear) Out went the doctor, Out went the nurse, Out went the lady with the alligator purse. HALLORAN Have you read this autopsy report on Peter Backalis? (indicates paper) MULVEY Not yet. HALLORAN Yesterday morning some kids swimming in the East River found a body. Medical examiner says he died of drowning -- had a head injury and was full of whiskey. His verdict is accidental death. MULVEY Well?... HALLORAN But look at this: Jean Dexter died between one and two A.M. Monday morning. This guy Backalis died between three and six A.M. the same morning. MULVEY Show me that it's more than a coincidence. HALLORAN I can't show you, Dan... but the man had a record. He served two years in Sing Sing for stealing jewelry. MULVEY (smiling) Now look -- Niles and Dexter were dealing in stolen jewelry, sure. But it was society stuff. What does Backalis's record show? HALLORAN (chagrined) I didn't think of that. It was small time -- a pawn shop robbery in Queens. MULVEY Y'see? I'm afraid these two cases are miles apart. If we drag every petty jewelry thief into this, we'll go crazy. (looks at him) But you're not convinced, are you? HALLORAN I don't know, Dan. Trouble is, where are we on the Dexter case? MULVEY This morning I sent out photos of Niles and Dexter to every Police Department on the East Coast. They'll check all jewelers. HALLORAN Where can that lead? MULVEY That's how you run a case, lad... from step to step. HALLORAN Do me a favor, Dan. Let me waste some time on this Backalis angle. A pause. Mulvey thinks it over. MULVEY Okay, lad. Phone in once a day. HALLORAN Thanks. MULVEY By the way... Halloran pauses. MULVEY (softly) This is only the third day now on the Dexter murder. The Department never calls a case unsolved in less than twenty years. Don't get impatient. HALLORAN Good deal. Twenty years from now, I'll put my kid on it. He leaves, smiling. Mulvey grins. EXT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS CENTRE STREET - DAY People going in and out. NARRATOR Button, button, who's got the button? INT. A FILE ROOM - DAY Halloran waits while a clerk looks in a file. Clerk takes out a card. CLERK Backalis's parole officer was Charles Freed. County Courthouse in the Bronx. Halloran turns, starts out. EXT. BRONX COUNTY COURTHOUSE - DAY as Halloran enters. INT. AN OFFICE BRONX COUNTY COURTHOUSE - DAY Halloran is sitting with a parole officer, CHARLES FREED, a man of fifty, bald. HALLORAN Well, tell me this, Mr. Freed... Do you think Backalis could get so drunk he'd fall down on a pier, hurt himself and topple into the river? FREED (thinking) I doubt it. He seemed like one of those steady, all-day drinkers -- always with a load on, but never wobbly. HALLORAN Who was the arresting officer? FREED Patrolman Albert Hicks -- Queensboro Precinct Station, Long Island City. HALLORAN Right on my doorstep! What do you know... EXT. BRIDGE ABOVE LONG ISLAND CITY RAILROAD YARDS - NIGHT EXT. HALLORAN AND HICKS - NIGHT a Negro patrolman. HALLORAN About two and a half years ago you arrested Peter Backalis on a pawnshop entry. HICKS That's right. HALLORAN Did he do that job alone? HICKS No -- there was another guy with him -- a feller he called Willie. HALLORAN What happened to him? HICKS He got away by the neatest trick I've ever seen. I nailed Backalis in the back alley. He yelled "Beat it, Willie," and this other customer throws a chair through a plate glass window -- dives right after it -- and comes up on his feet like an acrobat. Then he's off like a streak. HALLORAN How was this fellow built? HICKS Big -- like an all-American fullback... And listen... something funny about him. One of the things the owner reported missing was a harmonica. Now there's no resale value in a thing like that. So I always figured he must've liked to play one. HALLORAN Maybe you're right. Much obliged. INT. MULVEY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Mulvey is on telephone. Light is on. A newspaper on bed indicates he's been reading. MULVEY (thoughtfully) A big man who's an acrobat, eh? (listens) Jimmy, I don't know where you're going -- but I'm gonna start in and help you. I'm giving you Fowler and Constentino, starting tomorrow morning. (listens) Right. INT. HALLORAN LIVING ROOM - NIGHT HALLORAN (at phone) 'Bye, Dan. Hangs up, yawns. Starts taking off coat. EXT. TIMES SQUARE - DAY Halloran, Constentino, Fowler are talking. The three men separate, go in different directions. NARRATOR His name is Willie -- maybe. He might've been a professional acrobat -- maybe. He might be the man we're looking for... maybe. Oh, yes -- he's a big man. Only half a million big men in New York. INT. OFFICE - DAY A bald, thin, acidulous-looking man is talking to Halloran. On wall, autographed photos from vaudeville actors. BOOKING AGENT ...Not that I can remember. I been booking vaudeville acts, circus acts, night club acts, for thirty years. Lot of queer eggs among 'em -- but a acrobat who played the harmonica? That queer I never saw one. HALLORAN (disappointed) Okay... thanks. INT. STILLMAN'S GYMNASIUM - DAY Men are working out in ring. Off to one side Fowler talks to Stillman. STILLMAN A harmonica player? No, sir, brother. A character like that I wouldn't even let work out here. DISSOLVE TO: INT. A GYMNASIUM WHERE WRESTLERS PRACTICE - DAY Two wrestlers are intertwined on a mat; both are heavyweights. A trainer and another wrestler are watching. Constentino comes in. CONSTENTINO Who runs this joint? TRAINER I do. What do you want? CONSTENTINO (showing badge) Police. Instantly the two wrestlers freeze in an intertwined position, look up. CONSTENTINO Any of you guys ever know a wrestler who liked to play the harmonica? TRAINER Sure -- Willie the harmonica player -- Willie Garza -- I teached him to wrastle. One of the wrestlers on mat looks up. WRESTLER You didn't teach him so good. I kokalized him in Scranton five years ago. CONSTENTINO Where's he now? TRAINER Don't know -- don't care. He borrowed thirty-eight bucks from me once, never paid it back. A lousola. CONSTENTINO Where'd he used to live? TRAINER Don't know. WRESTLER In Staten Island -- with his brother. CONSTENTINO What's his brother's name? WRESTLER Garza. All brothers got the same names. CONSTENTINO I mean his first name. WRESTLER I dunno. CONSTENTINO Okay. (leaves) DISSOLVE TO: EXT. TOP FLOOR OF A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION - DAY Halloran, Constentino and a foreman are walking up to a welder at work. FOREMAN Hey, Garza -- Eddie -- Garza turns. FOREMAN These guys are police -- want to talk to you. EDDIE GARZA (apprehensive) Something happen to my wife? HALLORAN Oh, no. We just saw her. That's how we found out where you work. EDDIE GARZA What is it? HALLORAN We're looking for your brother -- Willie. EDDIE GARZA Me an' my brother Willie ain't got nothing to do with each other. He's no good. CONSTENTINO When'd you see him last? EDDIE GARZA Three months ago about. (laughs) Tried to sell me a diamond ring for my wife. I told him to go blow. HALLORAN Any idea at all where he lives? EDDIE GARZA He had a room somewhere around the Williamsburg Bridge. That's all I know. CONSTENTINO You got a picture of him? EDDIE GARZA No. But when he was wrestlin' the newspapers printed his mug a few times. HALLORAN Okay. They start off. EDDIE GARZA If you send him up, do me a favor... throw the keys away. EXT. EAST SIDE TENEMENTS OVERSHADOWED BY THE WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE - NIGHT INT. CAFETERIA - NIGHT Halloran, Fowler, and Constentino at a table. They have finished eating and each is studying a sectional map of the district. HALLORAN The first guy to get a lead report to Mulvey. The others nod. Halloran gives them each a photo of Garza, a wrestling pose, full-length. EXT. A STREET CORNER - NIGHT Fowler goes up to an old woman pretzel seller. He shows her the photo. NARRATOR Lady -- did you ever see a man looked like this? Woman shakes her head. EXT. A CHEAP MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT Constentino is showing photo to ticket taker. He shakes head. NARRATOR Hey, buddy, ever see a man looked like this? INT. A CHEAP BAR - NIGHT Halloran is showing photo to a bartender. NARRATOR How's your memory for faces, Mac? INT. PRECINCT HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT A large squad of patrolmen is lined up, ready to go out on its beat. Fowler is showing them the photo. NARRATOR Here's a chance to get a promotion, men. Just spot this guy out of half a million people. EXT. TENEMENTS, WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE - DAY NARRATOR Another day... EXT. EAST SIDE STREET - NIGHT Constentino comes up to pushcart peddler, shows him photo. NARRATOR ...work day... INT. TAILOR SHOP - DAY as Fowler shows photo to a worker at a steaming pressing machine. NARRATOR ...hot summer day... INT. DRUG STORE PHONE BOOTH - DAY Halloran has the receiver to his ear, is waiting. While he waits, he blocks out a street on his sectional map. A whole series of streets have already been blocked out. He looks tired, drawn. HALLORAN (into phone) Hello, Dan... Jimmy. (voice is tired) No... nothing so far. (listens) Sure, I'll keep going. What's doing at your end? INT. MULVEY'S OFFICE - DAY In the office are Mulvey, Niles, Miller, Perelli. MULVEY (into phone) Doing fine here. I'm talking to that clean-cut young American beauty again. (listens) I think he's going to tell us something this morning. (Niles fidgets) Okay -- report in. (hangs up) NILES I've told you everything I know. MULVEY (pleasantly) No, you haven't, sonny. (rises, starts for door) But you will. Mulvey opens door. MULVEY (continuing) Come in, Mr. McCormick. Niles jumps to his feet as a stout, middle-aged man enters. MULVEY (continuing -- to McCormick) Recognize this man? MCCORMICK I certainly do. With surprising agility, McCormick lunges at Niles and punches him in the jaw. Niles crumples under the weight of the blow and sags to the floor. Perelli grabs McCormick. MULVEY Sit down. If there's any more of that, you'll get yourself in trouble. (to Niles) Getting quite a slapping around these days, aren't you? McCormick sits. Niles has gotten up. He holds a handkerchief to his mouth. MCCORMICK I came all the way down from Boston to do that. That smooth-talking crook came to me with an introduction I had to honor. He gave me a song and dance -- his sister was terribly sick -- needed an operation -- he was trying to sell her jewels. I paid him over three thousand dollars. Now it turns out to be stolen property. NILES Are you paying him to say that, Mulvey? You still can't prove anything. MCCORMICK I can. (pulls a letter from his pocket) I run my business with great care. This is the letter of introduction he brought with him. Niles stiffens. Mulvey takes the letter, looks at it. MULVEY Dr. Lawrence Stoneman! MCCORMICK He treated my mother some years ago. I had to honor his letter. Mulvey's eyes are now riveted on Niles. MULVEY Will you wait outside, Mr. McCormick? McCormick goes out. Perelli shuts door. Silence. Mulvey, Perelli and Miller are all staring at Niles. MULVEY How do you get a letter of introduction from a man like Stoneman? (silence) You're going to the penitentiary, Niles. (pause) But from now on in, the length of your sentence depends on you. (pause) Stealing jewelry is one thing -- but murder is different. NILES (stubbornly) You know I didn't kill her! I was at the Trinidad Club. There are witnesses. MULVEY Then who did kill her? NILES I don't know. MULVEY Who's Henderson? NILES I don't know. MULVEY Listen, young fellow... you'll get five years for stealing jewelry. But you'll get another ten years for obstructing justice... and ten years more for being an accessory after the fact. Now that's the way it is, sonny boy... and you know I'm not bluffing. (jumping up) Who's Henderson? Who's Henderson? NILES Stoneman... He's Dr. Stoneman. Mulvey looks at the others in triumph. EXT. EAST SIDE STREET - DAY A street sign: RIVINGTON STREET CAMERA MOVES DOWN to take in Halloran, looking at sign. He crosses a bit wearily to a corner soda fountain that opens onto the street. He leans on counter, blocks off another street on his sectional map. The proprietress moves over, a middle-aged woman, stout, workworn, wearing glasses. HALLORAN You got any cold root beer? PROPRIETRESS Like ice. As woman fills order, Halloran holds out a photo of Garza. HALLORAN Ever see this man? The proprietress takes the photo, looks at it. PROPRIETRESS He's a box fighter? HALLORAN A wrestler. PROPRIETRESS (laughs) Boxing, wrestling, what do I know? (returns photo) Five cents, pleez. Halloran takes out coin, gives it to her. The woman's brow furrows suddenly. She picks up photo again. PROPRIETRESS Pleez. She studies photo, puts her hand across it to block out all but the face. PROPRIETRESS (continuing) He's a feller likes to play the whatchamacallit? She gestures playing the harmonica. Halloran almost jumps out of his skin. HALLORAN The harmonica! Yes! PROPRIETRESS Sure, I know him -- Willie! HALLORAN Where does he live? PROPRIETRESS This street someplace. HALLORAN What house? PROPRIETRESS Down the street someplace. I dunno. Halloran walks quickly around counter into store. He crosses to phone, dials. The proprietress comes up to him with an anxious look. PROPRIETRESS Who you, Mista? Halloran doesn't answer. PROPRIETRESS (continuing) You from a collection agency, maybe? HALLORAN (into phone) Ben? This is Jimmy. Dan there? (listens) When he gets back, tell him I've located Garza. Somewhere on Rivington between Delancey and Essex. 'Bye. He hangs up. The proprietress timidly plucks his sleeve. PROPRIETRESS Pleez, Mista -- by me Willie's a nice feller. A man likes kids, he's nice. Any little kid asks him, Willie plays his whatchamacallit. I don't want I should make trouble for him. HALLORAN (showing badge) Don't worry, lady. Halloran leaves. PROPRIETRESS (calling after him) You don't want your root beer, Mista? EXT. SQUIBB BUILDING - DAY Mulvey, Perelli, Niles and another detective are on their way into the building. A police sedan is parked at curb. EXT. RIVINGTON STREET - DAY Halloran walks up to a thin, stooped woman who is sitting on steps with a baby in her arms HALLORAN Does Willie Garza live here? (shows photo) The woman looks at photo, speaks with an Italian accent. WOMAN He'sa not live here. HALLORAN You sure? WOMAN My hoosband he'sa janitor. I'm positive. HALLORAN Thanks. He moves on. INT. CORRIDOR OF SQUIBB BUILDING - DAY Mulvey and his party are walking along a series of offices. The windows are marked "Dr. Stoneman." An arrow points to an entrance further on. Mulvey gestures to a detective we haven't seen before, to cover Stoneman's last door. MULVEY Nobody gets by you. The party goes on, enters reception room. There are three patients waiting. Mulvey goes up to nurse, shows badge, whispers. MULVEY I'm Lieutenant Mulvey of the Police Department. Is Dr. Stoneman in? NURSE He's with a patient. MULVEY I want you to do exactly as I say, Miss. Tell the patients who are waiting that they have to leave. NURSE But -- MULVEY Do what I say, Miss -- The nurse looks at him, rises. EXT. RIVINGTON STREET - DAY Halloran walks up to two little girls who are playing jacks on the steps of a house. HALLORAN Do you kids know a man who lives on this street by the name of Willie Garza? The girls look at each other blankly. HALLORAN (continuing) He plays the harmonica. One of the girls smiles. GIRL I know him. Willie. HALLORAN Where does he live? GIRL Across the street -- corner house, I think -- or the next one. HALLORAN Good girl. Leaves. INT. STONEMAN'S OFFICE - DAY The nurse is just closing the door on the last of the patients. She turns on Mulvey angrily. NURSE This is really unheard of. MULVEY I know, M'am. (to Niles) Sit there. Don't say anything. He points to a chair directly opposite the entrance to Stoneman's office. Niles obeys. MULVEY (continuing -- to nurse) Tell Dr. Stoneman somebody out here has to see him. Tell him to leave his patient and come out right now. And don't tell him anything else. NURSE (almost weeping) I'll lose my job over this. (picks up phone -- waits) Doctor -- (beginning to sob) There's someone here. He has to see you. You have to come right out. (listens -- sobbing) You must, doctor, right now, you must. The nurse hangs up with a bang and bursts into tears. Mulvey and Perelli move quickly into a small recess in the office behind the nurse's desk. The door opens. Stoneman comes out, looking very irritated. He stops dead when he sees Niles. STONEMAN (icily) What are you doing here? Niles says nothing. He is looking at Mulvey. Stoneman turns. STONEMAN Who are you? MULVEY Lieutenant Mulvey of the Homicide Squad. Do you go by the name of Henderson? Slowly Stoneman seems to cave in. STONEMAN Yes. MULVEY You're under arrest for the murder of Jean Dexter. STONEMAN (with a low cry of horror) No! I couldn't do anything like that. (swinging on Niles) If anyone did it, it was him! (buries head in hands, sinks into chair) Finished -- I'm finished now... MULVEY What was your relationship to Niles and Dexter? STONEMAN (with a low cry of shame, ripped from his gut) A lamb led to slaughter! An idiot robbed of self-respect, of manhood, of decency! (half sobs; in a low voice) I loved that girl the way a sick man loves alcohol or a narcotic. There was nothing right about it or good about it, only a sick hunger. I saw her a year ago in that dress shop. And from then on I was drunk with her, lost. (turns on Niles) For six months now I've known they've been using me. I was their tipster -- me -- Stoneman. MULVEY What do you mean? STONEMAN It wasn't enough I poured money out on her. Jean was twisted inside, too, like me. (with a bewildered cry) What does life do to people that it can set up such unnatural hungers in them -- me for a woman like her -- and she for money? (gestures) She was a common thief. (looking at Niles) Both of them. They used my social connections. My wife is a partygiver. Jean'd find out from me who was to be there. And it was only after months that I realized that when someone came to my house, his apartment was robbed the same night. MULVEY Why didn't you go to the police? Stoneman gestures despairingly. STONEMAN Why doesn't a drug addict stop taking drugs? She kept promising me each time was the last. I believed her because I wanted to believe her. I believed her because I was afraid to go to the police -- afraid of the scandal. You can read about sick people like me in medical literature. Here I am. Look at me. I'm contemptible. MULVEY Did you arrange the robbery of your own apartment? STONEMAN Yes. I even came to that. I was frightened and I had to wallow in my own filth. (jumps up) Oh, I'm so glad you came. Prison is much better than insanity -- and I'm half mad already. (with a groan) Oh, Stoneman, what have you become? MULVEY What proof have you that you didn't kill Dexter? STONEMAN Proof? (rubs hand over brow) I was someplace else -- Miss Owen -- my date book -- yes -- a birthday party -- at the Broughtons. MULVEY Will you testify in court that Niles and Dexter did these robberies? NILES (with a cry) I never did! MULVEY Shut up. STONEMAN No, they were the fixers, the smart ones. They used me one way -- they hired other men for the actual robberies. MULVEY Who? Stoneman rubs hand over brow. STONEMAN I don't know. (to Nurse) Miss Owen -- my practice -- Oh, don't cry... (groans) You'll call Dr. Grenard. (to Mulvey -- beseechingly) Only don't let me have to see anyone... Not my wife... no friends... no lawyer. Just lock me up and hide me away. (suddenly stiffens, looks around) Me? Stoneman? (with a cry) It's impossible. I won't have it. Suddenly, with a distorted face, he hurtles himself across the room toward the large window that faces the city. STONEMAN (continuing) I won't have it! MULVEY Grab him! Perelli and another officer make a lunge for Stoneman, but Niles is closest. Niles leaps for the doctor, tackling him just as the doctor hits the window pane. The glass is shattered, but the doctor -- a pitiful and forlorn figure -- is pulled back into a chair. He puts his head in his hands, sobs brokenly. MULVEY (quietly) I don't know much about medicine, doctor -- but I'm pretty sure that's one prescription never cured anything. (to Niles) Thanks, Niles. And as long as you finally made up your mind to cooperate, why not go all the way? You're not stupid. You're hooked now, and you know it. So why not spill the rest? (quiet intensity) Who did the jobs for you? Who was it? There is a strained silence for a moment. Then -- NILES Willie Garza. He and Backalis. They wanted more of a cut from the robberies. Garza killed Jean; then later that night he killed Backalis. (leans forward) I loved Jean. I didn't have anything to do with it. It was Garza... Garza... Garza... INT. TENEMENT HOUSE - DAY Halloran is walking up a flight of stairs. There is the SOUND of someone practicing scales on the violin. He reaches the landing, crosses to a door in the search for a number. As he leaves door we hear a voice from within: MAN'S VOICE You must practice more -- practice -- Halloran crosses to another door, listens, knocks. A deep, hearty voice answers. GARZA'S VOICE Come on in! Halloran enters. INT. GARZA'S APARTMENT - DAY A cheaply furnished, two-room apartment. Garza is lying on the floor doing a wrestler's bridge by way of exercise. He is a very muscular man in fine condition. At the moment he is wearing only sneakers and tights. He swivels his head a little to one side to see who has come in, but he doesn't change his position. He has a face that combines toughness and shrewdness; he appears to be about thirty-five. Throughout the scene we faintly hear the practicing of violin scales from the other apartment. GARZA (genially) I thought it was the janitor for the rent. Who're you? Don't mind me. Just having a little work-out. As Garza says this, he swivels at the neck and turns his body and feet and head over, so that he is face down. His torso and legs have not touched the floor in the course of the stunt. HALLORAN My name's Hawkey -- I work up at Bellevue Hospital. Are you Willie Garza? GARZA That's me. Ever see me wrestle? I wasn't so bad. (swivels body over) HALLORAN No, I never did. There's a patient at the hospital gave me your address -- asked me to see you. GARZA Yeah. Who? He works his body up and down, exercising his abdominal muscles. HALLORAN Backalis his name is. Garza seems to pause for a second. Then he swivels over, face down. GARZA Pete? What's he doin' in the hospital? HALLORAN He almost got drowned. Fell in the river when he was plastered. Some guy on a tug boat fished him out. GARZA You don't say? (laughs) Oh, that Pete. Can't let the booze alone. So what does he want from me? (swivels around) HALLORAN He says he wants to see you. GARZA You know what he wants? (lowers body to floor) He wants money. Now Garza raises legs high, then does a snap up. He lands feet on floor. GARZA (continuing) Some condition I'm in, hey, brother? (crosses to a chair for a towel) Don't smoke, don't drink. (rubs body with towel) So Pete wants money again? (shakes head... coming closer) You know what you can tell him, buddy? Now, from several feet away, Garza suddenly leaps like a cat. The heavy Turkish towel goes over Halloran's head. Garza grabs him, trips him, slams him savagely to the floor. In another second his legs have scissored over Halloran's and one hand holds Halloran's arm in a hammer lock. GARZA (continuing) Lay still or I'll snap your arm like a wishbone. His free hand explores Halloran's pockets, then finds the gun around his hip. He removes gun, presses it into Halloran's ribs. Then he disengages himself, gets up. Halloran slowly rises. GARZA (continuing) Copper, ain't you? HALLORAN Yeah. GARZA Just because I'm big, everybody thinks I'm dumb. I'm not dumb, I'm smart. Now how did I know you were a copper? Because nobody knows where I live -- not even Pete Backalis. HALLORAN If you're smart, you'll come down to headquarters with me. GARZA Ha-ha -- that wouldn't be smart. You know why? 'Cause Backalis ain't in Bellevue, he's in the morgue. (dangerously) Turn around. HALLORAN (obeying) Don't be a fool. From now on CAMERA becomes Halloran's eyes. We see only what Halloran sees -- a stretch of dirty wallpaper and a cheap reproduction of da Vinci's Last Supper thumbtacked to the wall. GARZA'S VOICE I'll prove I'm smart, copper. You know how? You're scared right now I'm gonna rub you out. But I ain't -- 'cause I'm smart. Ain't nobody can prove I rubbed out Backalis. So why should I knock you off? Rub out a cop an' you'll really get the chair. All I need to do is put you to sleep. Then I'm off. Try an' find me. This is a great big, beautiful city. Just try an' find me. There is a grunt from Garza, the sound of a fist striking flesh. The picture of the Last Supper suddenly blurs violently as the CAMERA shakes. Then the CAMERA starts tilting towards the floor. GARZA'S VOICE That was a rabbit punch, Copper. It's strictly illegal. Again there is the crack of a fist. The screen goes black. INT. STONEMAN'S RECEPTION ROOM - DAY Mulvey is at the phone. Perelli, Niles, and Dr. Stoneman are on their way out of the office. MULVEY (into phone) Yeah, he signed it. Wait a minute, Ben. (to Perelli; calling) Keep Niles away from the newspaper men. (into phone) And listen, Ben -- when Halloran calls in -- or Fowler or Constentino -- tell 'em that Willie Garza may be the gimmick in this case. So -- (stops talking, listens; suddenly snaps up) When did Halloran call in? Was he alone? (listens) Now get this -- send out an emergency! Rush every available squad car. Block off the street. Surround it. He hangs up. Jumps to his feet. Starts running out. INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS RADIO ROOM - DAY A patrolman is crossing quickly from plotting table to radio operator at microphone. He gives operator a paper. PATROLMAN Emergency! OPERATOR (into microphone) Emergency... All squad cars on the East Side of 14th Street to the Williamsburg Bridge, from 1st Street to 5th Avenue, proceed immediately to Rivington Street between Essex and Delancey. Block off and surround both sides of the street. Institute immediate house-to-house search for -- INT. SQUAD CAR (PROCESS) - DAY swinging around in middle of street and then racing down Third Avenue with siren screaming. The operator's voice continued. OPERATOR'S VOICE -- two men -- Detective James Halloran and William Garza. Halloran is twenty- eight years old... INT. GARZA'S ROOM - DAY Halloran is stretched out near wall, unconscious. Garza has put on a sport shirt and trousers. He still wears sneakers. The butts of two guns show above his belt, at waist line. He is stuffing four small chamois bags into both side pockets. He grabs up a sports jacket, puts it on. He opens a cupboard drawer, takes out a harmonica, puts it in a side pocket of his jacket. Then he goes out. The instant the door shuts Halloran sits up. The sudden movement makes him gasp with nausea. He remains still a second, then slowly pushes himself to his feet. On wobbly legs he starts for the door. INT. STAIRCASE - DAY Garza is coming rapidly downstairs. INT. GARZA - DAY as seen down stairwell by Halloran. Halloran starts down slowly, on shaky legs, holding to banister. INT. FIRST-FLOOR LANDING - DAY CAMERA IS SHOOTING UP as Garza comes down. SOUND: A police siren; a second, a third, approaching. Garza freezes for a second, then races down the last steps to the landing. He runs to the front door, flattens himself against the wall and glances out through the glass. EXT. TENEMENT ACROSS FROM GARZA - DAY CAMERA IS GARZA'S EYES. A black police sedan is moving slowly along. A detective is questioning the two little girls who are playing jacks. One of them points toward Garza's tenement. CAMERA SWINGS to show cops and plainclothesmen leaping out of cars. CAMERA SWINGS other way to show Mulvey and others starting across street at a run. INT. HALLWAY - DAY Garza turns, starts running toward back of hall. As he does so, he sees Halloran coming down last flight of stairs. Garza pulls out a gun but keeps running. Halloran hurtles down, swings out and around, trips and falls. At the same instant of his falling, Garza has swung around while opening the back door. He fires; the bullet shatters the window of the front door. Garza leaps outside. Halloran gets up, runs towards the back door. The front door swings open. Mulvey rushes in, gun in hand. MULVEY (yelling) Jimmy! HALLORAN (without stopping) This way. Mulvey runs after him. EXT. BACK YARD TENEMENT HOUSE - DAY It is a mass of clotheslines, with wet wash hanging from every line. Garza is about to climb the fence at one end, when he spots Halloran in pursuit. He stops and fires another shot. Halloran falls flat on the pavement; then gets up untouched. He follows Garza over the fence. Mulvey appears at Halloran starts over. He changes course, runs out down a side alley. EXT. ALLEYWAY - DAY On the other side of the fence is a long alleyway, with ash cans and piles of junk in evidence. Garza runs down the alleyway with Halloran still in pursuit. Garza stops and fires again. Halloran drops behind an ash can as the bullet ricochets off it. EXT. END OF ALLEYWAY - DAY Garza climbs another fence, finds himself in back of a butcher store. He dashes into the store, with Halloran following a few seconds later. INT. BUTCHER STORE - DAY as Garza runs through with gun in hand, followed by Halloran. The clerks and customers stare in horror. EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF BUTCHER STORE - DAY This is Delancey Street, a business thoroughfare. Across the street stands the approach to the huge Williamsburg Bridge which crosses the East River to Brooklyn. The street is crowded with automobiles. Garza races across. Halloran follows. Coming up behind Halloran is Qualen, the detective we saw earlier at Stoneman's. EXT. DELANCEY STREET - DAY as Garza disregards traffic and runs across. A truck swerves to escape hitting him. Another car jams on brakes. A third car crashes into the second. A traffic cop blows his whistle furiously. Halloran keeps after Garza. Qualen has caught up with Halloran now. Garza starts up the stone steps to the footwalk on the bridge. Qualen fires, misses. Garza turns, fires. Both Qualen and Halloran hurl themselves to sidewalk. Garza runs. They follow. EXT. STREET - DAY Mulvey, detectives, run up. Traffic is now stationary. Mulvey runs toward cop. MULVEY (yelling) Hold all bridge traffic. (to a cop) Stop traffic on the Brooklyn end. He runs to a radio car which swings into scene. Jumps in. EXT. BRIDGE FOOTWALK - DAY CAMERA FRAMES the city. Suddenly frame is filled by sweaty, distorted face of Garza as he climbs onto footwalk. He turns violently. EXT. QUALEN AND HALLORAN - DAY from Garza's angle. Garza fires, Qualen falls back down steps into Halloran's arms, almost hurling Halloran down. Garza turns, runs. EXT. ENTRANCE TO MANHATTAN SIDE OF BRIDGE - DAY as traffic cop stops all traffic, as instructed by Mulvey. EXT. BROOKLYN SIDE OF BRIDGE - DAY as traffic cop steps away from police call box and starts to stop traffic. EXT. LONG SHOT OF BRIDGE SHOOTING DOWN - DAY showing bridge traffic disappearing. CAMERA picks out running men: Garza, Halloran, several cops. Then it picks out the squad car in which Mulvey is. The car races ahead of Garza, then stops. Men tumble out. Garza, seeing himself trapped, breaks for the subway tracks in order to cross to the other side. As he is climbing the fence, one of the squad car policemen stops running, kneels, aims a rifle. He shoots. Garza is hit, knocked over the fence and forward by the impact of the bullet. He staggers, trips over a rail, falls to his knees, slumps over -- and hits the third rail. There is a shower of sparks, his body leaps convulsively -- then is still. A siren WAILS, higher and higher. CAMERA TILTS toward buildings of Manhattan, showing sky above. Siren fades out. EXT. SKY - NIGHT MOON RIDING THROUGH FAST CLOUDS NARRATOR It's two o'clock in the morning now... EXT. ROCKEFELLER CENTER - NIGHT NARRATOR This is the city... EXT. BROADWAY AND TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT NARRATOR ...these are the lights... EXT. A NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT A couple stepping into a taxicab. The two are young, handsome. The girl is laughing, her face excited, alive, joyous. NARRATOR ...that a child born to the name of Batory hungered for... Her passion has been played out now... EXT. NEWSBOYS - NIGHT getting newspapers from truck in front of Times Building. NARRATOR ...her name, her face, her history, were worth five cents a day for six days... EXT. STREET CLEANER - NIGHT sweeping up newspapers. NARRATOR ...and tomorrow will be sold by the bale... EXT. HALLORAN AND WIFE - NIGHT standing on a subway platform. He looks down. Between the tracks is a newspaper with a picture of Jean Dexter. A train comes in, the rush of wind blows away the paper. Halloran puts his arm around his wife. NARRATOR She is not quite forgotten, however... INT. RUTH YOUNG - NIGHT Riverside Drive apartment. She is gazing out of her bedroom window, at the Hudson flowing in moonlight. Her face is somber. She is in a dressing robe. NARRATOR ...not altogether... EXT. THE BATORYS - NIGHT Mrs. Batory is rocking slowly on the porch of a small frame house. Her face is impassive. Mr. Batory lies on a couch behind her. His face is in shadow. NARRATOR ...not entirely... EXT. PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL -- 168TH STREET - NIGHT NARRATOR ...and now there is violence once again in the city... INT. DELIVERY ROOM - NIGHT Doctor, nurses -- around delivery table NARRATOR ...but of another sort. INT. DOCTOR - NIGHT walks away from table with newborn baby. NARRATOR ...naked and innocent he comes into this world... INT. DOCTOR - NIGHT holds baby upside down by feet, slaps its buttocks sharply. Baby wails. NARRATOR ...comes to meet the city... naked into a naked city... INT. NURSE - NIGHT takes baby from doctor, carries it to basket. Baby is wailing. NARRATOR What will he be at twenty? INT. MOTHER'S FACE - NIGHT Quiet, tired. NARRATOR What will her boy be... INT. NILES - NIGHT on a cot in a cell, staring up at ceiling. NARRATOR who was born at two o'clock in the morning... EXT. TREES IN CENTRAL PARK - NIGHT NARRATOR ...on a hot summer night... EXT. MULVEY - NIGHT sitting with his back to a tree, smoking, looking up at sky. NARRATOR ...at the time of a shooting star? EXT. SKY - NIGHT A star is falling. FADE OUT: THE END