Original subtitles

George!

Darling.

I'm here.

Let go of me, George!

George, help her.

♪ ♪

Winn!

Winifred!

Winn!

♪ ♪

And the second printing of the book will be ready by October,

in time for exploitation.

Yes?

Mr. Mannix is here to see you.

Yes, good. Send him in.

Mr. Mannix.

Mr. Diamond. Good, good.

Come in, sit down.

Uh, this is the young lady I telephoned you about.

Her name is Winifred Hill.

She's my private secretary.

Very pretty.

How long has she been missing?

Since Friday.

I was at my beach house.

I was going over some galley proofs,

and-and Winn was supposed to come down to the house

and bring me some contracts to sign.

The office staff said she left here about 12:00.

Mr. Mannix, you've got to find her for me.

I assume you've, uh, checked out her family, friends.

I have contacted everybody, every place.

I-I even called the hospitals.

Were you at your beach house all day?

No, I had to take my wife to Emergency Hospital.

There was an accident.

Your wife?

We've been separated for some time.

As soon as I can get her to give me a divorce,

I'm going to marry Winifred.

But, uh, your wife was at your beach house.

She has a habit of dropping in on me uninvited.

She knows I don't like it,

but she does it anyway.

George!

Hi.

Come on, let's go for a swim.

What are you doing here?

Oh, just visiting the Pattersons up the beach.

Come on, I'll race you to that boat.

Not a chance.

We've had riptides all week.

Besides, I've got work to do.

Well, the least you can do is invite me up for a drink.

I knew it was the only way I'd get rid of her.

So I went in and built us a couple of drinks.

But when I came out again...

I told her there were riptides,

but she's too stubborn to listen.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Anyway, the young man

pulled her out of the... water.

Yes, come in.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy, George.

Oh, it's all right. Come on in, Clay.

Winifred still has those contracts,

so I drew up a new set this morning.

Oh, thanks.

Could I see those?

Uh, yes, of course.

Mr. Mannix, this is Clay Riegels of our Legal Department.

How do you do?

Mr. Mannix is a private investigator.

I've retained him to find Winifred for me.

Find Winifr...?

Oh, come on, George.

She's only a few hours late for work.

Nobody's seen her since Friday, Clay.

Well, there's nothing to get into a panic about.

You'll be hearing from her.

When did you last see her, Mr. Riegels?

Friday morning, uh, just before she left for the beach house.

Around 11:00, I guess.

Did she mention any weekend plans?

No.

Not to me, anyway.

All right, thanks, Clay.

Mr. Diamond, why didn't you go to the police?

Mr. Mannix, I'm still a married man.

Any publicity would mean a scandal

for me and for Winifred.

I don't mind for myself, but...

well, I can't let that happen to her.

I can't let anything happen to her.

Well, I'm glad someone's looking for the poor child.

Why "poor child"?

Well, you should have seen her when she left here.

Face swollen, eyes red.

As if she'd been crying her heart out.

When was that?

Friday night.

Friday? Are you sure?

About 8:30.

I didn't ask any questions,

because I don't pry into my tenants' business.

Is she in trouble?

Tell me, uh, does your switchboard operator

keep a record of outgoing calls?

Toll calls, yes.

That's my number, all right, Mr. Mannix.

Why do you ask?

Winifred Hill called here three or four times on Friday.

I understand she finally got through about 8:00 p.m.

My husband's secretary? Mm-hmm.

How very sweet of her.

But I don't remember any calls.

Jerry, come here a moment, will you?

Why so interested in Miss Hill?

She seems to have disappeared.

Oh, now that is serious.

I'll bet my husband's absolutely lost without her.

Hi. You want to see me?

Mm. Mr. Mannix, this is Jerry Smith,

the young man who saved me

from a watery grave.

I heard about that. Uh...

How did you happen to be there?

Well, I was just walking down the beach.

I heard her yelling for help.

And the foolish boy refuses to accept a reward.

Job was all I needed.

Now I've got one.

Mr. Mannix would like to know

if anyone called for me here on Friday night.

Yes, a chick buzzed.

Said she'd heard about your little dunking.

Little dunking?

She leave her name?

No. When I said Mrs. Diamond was okay, she hung up.

Thanks.

Run along now, lifesaver.

Imagine Miss Hill being so concerned

about my little dunking.

Coffee?

No, thank you.

Sweet, dewy-eyed Winifred Hill.

She has my husband acting like an oversexed schoolboy.

I keep hoping he'll come to his senses.

In fact, that's why I stopped at the beach house on Friday.

Was he expecting you?

Mm.

No, I was visiting friends up the beach.

I just thought I'd stop in and, uh, talk things out with George.

He was busy, as usual,

probably up to his earlobes in galley proofs.

But when I mentioned the magic word "divorce,"

he consented to take a walk with me.

I told him how much our marriage meant to me

and promised I'd forget this little fling he's having.

I don't know what you mean by "fling." I want to marry her.

George, you're acting like a schoolboy.

All she cares about is your money.

Stella, are you going to give me a divorce, or not?

No!

I won't let you make a fool of yourself.

Stella, I'm warning... George!

For the last time, you listen to me, Stella!

Let go of me, George!

Let go, George!

I, um... I don't know if it was an accident or not.

I'm not sure if I fell or if I was pushed.

Are you saying your husband was trying to kill you?

I don't know, Mr. Mannix.

But my death would have simplified his life

considerably.

Hello?

Oh, yes, just a moment.

It's your secretary.

Oh.

Thank you.

Yeah, Peggy?

Hi. Dorothy...

You know, in Traffic downtown...

Well, she ran a check on Winifred Hill's license,

and she found out

that the police put a tow-away sign on that car this afternoon.

Where is it?

On Sycamore Street, outside of a place called Belmont Towers,

where Clay Riegels lives.

♪ ♪

Well, Mr. Mannix, what can I do for you?

Hey.

Just what the devil do you think you're doing?

All right, Riegels, where is she?

Where is who?

Winifred Hill. How would I know?

You can just get out of here. Sit down.

What's going on?

Her car's parked outside your apartment.

How do you explain that?

I can't. I don't know.

You've seen her since Friday morning, haven't you?

No.

Those contracts you gave George Diamond this morning...

you said you drew up a new set,

yet the date on the contract is Friday, the 18th.

So, Winifred must have given them to you.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Okay.

Operator? Get me the police.

Wait a minute, now. That isn't necessary.

Now, look, you're mixed up in this somehow, Riegels.

If anything happens to that girl... All right!

All right. Just hang up, will you?

Nothing's happened to her.

Operator, forget it.

Oh, man, it never fails.

Try to be the nice guy and I always end up the heavy.

Okay, Winifred came by here Friday night about 9:00

to drop off those contracts.

She'd been to the beach house that afternoon.

Yeah, I know.

I don't know what happened down there,

but she looked like she'd been through an earthquake.

I fixed her a drink,

and, well, she started to cry.

Said she had to get away for a few days to think things out.

And she didn't want George to know where she was.

And she left her car here?

Eh, she asked me if I'd trade cars with her,

so George couldn't track her down.

He's like that, you know.

Everything has to be on his terms.

I'll need a description of the car she's using.

Oh, come on, Mannix! Give her a break.

She's a nice kid.

George is just using her to feed his ego.

She doesn't want him to find her.

But not for the reasons she gave you.

What do you mean? I know Winifred.

She wouldn't lie about a thing like that.

Why not?

Everybody else is.

Your car, Riegels, describe it.

Blue convertible, license number XXM582. Got it.

I'll call my friend down in Traffic.

You're gonna have to do more than that, Peggy.

I want you to try every hotel

and motel in this area.

Oh, fine.

Now, look, the girl's in trouble.

She may have seen something she shouldn't have seen.

For instance?

I'm, uh, I'm not sure.

I'll have to ask my client.

Diamond? Is that where you're going now?

Yeah, I tried his home. He wasn't there.

He's probably working late.

Look, I'll check with you later.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Mannix?

Yeah. Ow.

You all right?

No, I'm not all right.

Feel like somebody put a pleat in my head.

Did you see who it was?

See who it was? No.

I was... I was... standing over at the bookcase.

I heard somebody at the door.

Before I could turn around, though, the lights went off.

There. That ought to help.

Thanks.

I came over here to get my revolver.

I keep it in this drawer right here.

That's when I got clobbered.

Whoever it was must have stolen my gun.

Yeah, and he used it on me.

You mean, he took a shot at you? That's right.

Oh, look, Mannix, this is more than I bargained for.

I just hired you to find Winn.

Now they're hitting me on the head,

somebody is, they're taking a shot at you.

Do you realize Winn could be in danger, too?

You've got to find her for me, Mannix.

What kind of a gun did you have?

It was a pearl- handled .32 caliber.

It was kind of a collector's item.

I've had it around here for years.

I never had any reason to use it.

Get me the police.

Wait a minute.

No police.

Look, Mr. Diamond,

this is not just a missing person case anymore.

I told you I didn't want any police when we started all this.

You told me a lot of things, Mr. Diamond,

including a pack of lies!

I want to know what really happened on Friday.

I told you that this morning.

This time you're gonna tell me the truth.

Winifred was at your beach house on Friday, wasn't she?

You saw her there.

Yeah, I did.

And she saw something that made her run away.

I want to know what it was and how it happened.

I didn't tell you this before,

because I was afraid that you'd misinterpret it

the way Winn did.

Try me.

All right.

I was working on the sundeck.

Stella came by.

I didn't want to see her, but...

she said we'd discuss the divorce,

so, I took a walk down by the rocks.

We've invested nine years in each other.

Doesn't that mean anything to you?

Not anymore, I'm sorry.

What if I told you I loved you, that you mean everything to me?

Would you believe me?

Let's just say, I think you'd be

a little out of character, baby.

Well, it's true.

If I lost you, George, I really don't know what I'd do.

You'd muddle through.

I'm not sure I'd want to.

What's that supposed to mean?

Oh, George, do I have to say it?

I'm not very much at melodrama.

Come on, Stella.

You're not exactly the suicide type.

Then you won't reconsider?

Come on, let's go back to the house.

You go ahead. I'm going for a swim.

Now, don't be ridiculous!

Would it make any difference to you

if something did happen to me?

Will you stop being difficult?

Stella!

Why didn't you go in after her?

Well, I started to, but...

Something stopped me.

Suddenly, I had this strange feeling

that she wanted me in that water.

Stella's always been a good swimmer.

It just wasn't like her to panic that way.

And then I saw the young man swimming toward her.

I knew she'd be all right.

So I started back to the house to call the lifeguard station

at Zuma, in case she needed emergency treatment.

And that's when I saw Winifred.

I could tell from the way she acted,

she had the wrong idea of what happened out there.

That's why I hired you to find her, Mannix.

She's got to know the truth.

This, uh, strange feeling you had while your wife was

in the water... how do you explain that?

Well... I think Stella was faking.

I think, baiting me.

I think she wanted me in the water.

Look, as a widow, she'd have the whole estate.

Um, I think she'd have a pretty tough time doing that job alone.

Yeah, but what about that beach boy

who just happened to be there?

Between the two of them, I wouldn't have stood a chance.

You think he was involved in all of this, huh?

I don't know. I don't know. Could be.

Stella's always got some kind of young Adonis hanging around.

And believe me, she can be very persuasive

when she puts her heart into it.

It's very funny.

She claims you tried to kill her.

Well, that doesn't surprise me.

But why? What am I supposed to gain by that?

You'd be free.

That's what you want, isn't it?

What about tonight?

You think I took a couple of shots at you,

and then hit myself on the head?

It's been known to happen.

To set up an alibi.

All right, all right.

Let's... just for the fun of it...

Let's say that I shot at you

and then I slugged myself on the head.

What about the gun?

I wouldn't have had time to hide it.

Where is it?

Look, Mannix, all of my life I've gotten what I wanted to.

I have never had to commit murder to do it.

Mr. Diamond, do you have somewhere

that you can stay tonight?

Someplace where you'd be safe?

Yeah, yeah, I have a, uh...

I have a membership card to the Brentwood Athletic Club.

Good, I'll drop you off.

Oh, good. Mannix, this is important to me.

I've told you the truth, all of it.

I want you to believe me.

Maybe I will.

When I hear the same story from someone else.

Who?

Jerry Smith.

Your wife's beach boy.

Jerry?

Operator, get me Homicide.

Bullets... 32 caliber, I'd say.

I'll have Ballistics check on it.

Her husband's gun.

It was stolen from his office.

When?

Tonight about 8:00.

By Jerry Smith?

Possibly.

Did you see him use the gun?

No, but he was in the house when I got here.

So was this.

A cufflink. Initials "G.E.D."

George Edward Diamond.

Where'd you find it?

Under the body.

Maybe his gun wasn't stolen, after all.

Uh, wait a minute, Joe.

How do you fit into all this?

When I find out, I'll let you know.

Put out an APB on George Diamond.

Do you know where I can find him?

It's very important.

Oh, never mind. He just walked in.

Thanks, anyway.

Where've you been?

I've been calling all over town for you.

Trying to locate a client.

George Diamond?

Yeah.

He wasn't at the club, and he's not at his apartment in town.

He was at the club a half hour ago.

I just talked to him.

Thanks.

I wonder where he went.

Probably to see Winifred Hill.

Winifred?

That's why I was trying to call you.

I located that blue convertible she was driving.

You didn't tell Diamond where she is?

Well, of course. That's what he's paying us for, isn't it?

Peggy, the man's wanted for murder.

Murder?!

Yeah. Winifred may have seen him

trying to kill his wife at the beach.

Now if he gets to her before we do...

Oh, Joe, I'm sorry. I didn't know.

Yeah, I know, I know.

He had me fooled, too.

Somehow he must have staged that shootout in his office.

Where is she, Peggy?

Holiday House, room 11.

On the Coast Highway.

Who is it?

The manager.

Miss Hill, I'm sorry.

Go away! You're not the manager!

Get out of here!

Just relax, Miss Hill. I'd like to help you.

Who are you? What do you want?

My name is Mannix.

I'm a private investigator.

George Diamond hired me to find you.

All right. You found me.

Now what?

Well, first, I think

we'd better get you out of this place.

No!

He knows you're here.

He couldn't possibly know.

You didn't know yourself till a moment ago.

You don't have to tell him, do you?

I mean, I-I can pay you. I have some money.

Miss Hill... I don't want your money.

What do you want?

I want to know exactly what you saw

down at the beach house on Friday.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Now look, Miss Hill,

if George Diamond is a killer, we're both in trouble.

Now you tell me exactly what you saw down there.

George called me at the office.

He said he-he wanted me to bring out some contracts.

I went around the side of the house

and then onto the sun porch...

and then I heard a-a woman's voice.

A shout, like a cry of fear.

I could see George and his wife.

They were on the rocks, struggling, fighting.

The next thing I knew, Stella was in the water,

screaming for help.

Would you say she was pushed,

or did she fall?

I couldn't see clearly enough.

The sun was glaring in my eyes.

But if she had fallen,

George would have tried to save her, wouldn't he?

He didn't.

He just stood there, watching his wife drown!

Were they alone?

Did you see anybody else at all?

There was a motorboat out there somewhere...

And the, the boy who rescued Stella,

he seemed to appear out of nowhere.

It's a good thing he did, or she would have drowned.

Obviously, George had no intention of saving her.

When he saw the boy, he ran away.

That's when he saw me.

And I've been running ever since.

Miss Hill, could you maybe have misinterpreted

the whole incident?

Did George pay you to tell me that?

Then you honestly believe he would try and kill you?

I don't know what I think anymore!

I only know I'm afraid!

I'm afraid of George, of myself, of everything!

I may have fallen in love with a murderer!

Stay down.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

He got away.

He left his calling ca...

Homicide, Crawford.

Pete, I'm at the Holiday House.

I finally got a lead on George Diamond.

What kind of a lead?

Well, I caught up with Winifred Hill.

He took a shot at us, and then took off.

Took her with him. He got away.

I found his gun, a .32 caliber.

All right, stay put. We'll be right there.

Mr. Diamond you may as well come along with us.

We may need your help.

Come on.

Well?

He took a shot at us through that window.

Must've dropped his gun when he ran.

George Diamond's, hmm?

Check it out.

I will.

Oh, don't forget, that's my handkerchief.

Mr. Diamond, would you come in here, please?

Mannix, where's Winifred?

I'll ask the questions, if you don't mind.

First of all, is this your gun?

Yes, that's my gun.

It was stolen from my office last night.

Thank you.

Where is she, Mannix?

We'll find her, Mr. Diamond.

Now, if you'll just wait outside, please.

Mr. Diamond was in custody when you called, Joe.

That's why he couldn't possibly have fired that shot.

And incidentally,

he didn't kill his wife, either.

How do you know?

Coroner's report.

She'd been dead at least two hours when you found her.

That would place the time of death at 8:00.

Do you have any idea where Diamond was at 8:00 last night?

Yeah.

Yeah, he was with me, in his office, nursing a headache.

Exactly.

You're his alibi.

Cufflink, stolen gun...

The killer's trying to frame Diamond.

He'll murder Winifred and try and hang that on Diamond, too.

Not if we find her first.

Now let's start with a description of the car.

Wait a minute, where you going?

If you wanted to kill a girl

and pin it on Diamond, where would you take her?

Mannix!

Will you tell me what's going on?

Mr. Diamond, that beach house of yours...

Is there anybody there?

No.

Well, there's gonna be.

Stay here, and wait for the lab men.

Show us how to get there. Come on.

♪ ♪

I'll check the house.

You better come along.

He, he tried to kill me, in the water.

Take it easy, you're safe now.

Where'd he go?

He heard your car, and he... he ran away.

Mannix, is she all right?

Is she all right?

I'll let her tell you.

It's okay.

It's all right, baby, it's all right.

Oh, George! It's all right, it's all right, it's all right.

I, I was so wrong about you.

I know. About everything.

I know. Shh, I know.

Come here.

Here, Mannix.

I almost got him, Mannix.

He was too quick for me.

Who?

George.

George, George Diamond.

He was gonna drown Winifred over there.

He'd have made it, too, if I hadn't come over.

Nice try, Clay, but it won't work.

What do you mean?

It's the truth.

No, I've heard the truth from four different people.

Each one telling it his own way.

Would you like to hear my version?

Your version?

Yeah.

It happened on Friday, remember?

Right out there, on those rocks.

Now do you remember, Clay?

Stella.

Relax, Clay.

That's the way you and Stella planned it, wasn't it?

It's all in the point of view, Clay.

See?

Just keep looking... remembering.

He's gonna save her.

The boat was there in George's story, and Winifred's.

The only one who didn't mention the boat was Stella.

That's your boat out there, isn't it?

Where'd you get that idea?

There's a trailer hitch on the back of your car.

Oh yeah, Clay, that's you out there.

You can't see from here.

No... but Winifred could.

That's why you wanted to kill her.

She didn't see me?

That's right, Clay.

But there's still one gap in your story.

You were so close to Stella,

you were even ready to help her kill her husband,

and control it all.

Why did you kill her?

That's why.

Out there.

Look at them.

Look at them, slobbering over each other.

Ever since Friday, it's been like that.

Anywhere, anytime.

Even the other night.

♪ ♪

Jerry took off because he was getting involved

in something he couldn't handle.

You understand, don't you, Mannix?

I had to do what I did.

Yeah.

Let's go.