Original subtitles

- Angel, what are you doing?

- A beauty, exercise, silly.

- You don't need that.

- Oh no? - No.

- With all those dizzy blondes throwing themselves at you,

I'm not taking any chances.

And besides, I want you to love me when I'm old and gray.

- Why should a couple of years make a difference?

Anyway, I'm allergic to blondes.

Can I help it if I'm irresistible?

- Oh, ho-ho.

Before you dislocate your arm patting yourself on the back,

suppose we start today's business?

You are operating a business, you know.

- Okay, angel. How's business?

- Picking up.

- Yeah. Where's my breakfast?

- In your desk.

There's a Jim Lacy who called this morning, Mike,

and he seemed terribly anxious to see you.

- Jim Lacy.

Jim Lacy?

- Said he just arrived from New York.

- Oh, sure, I remember him. He used to be a private eye.

Most of his work had a very peculiar odor.

Oh, there he is now.

It's Lacy, all right.

He was drilled by a small-caliber bullet.

How he got here under his own power I'll never know.

Looks like a piece of a baggage check.

It must've been important

or he wouldn't have hung onto it like that.

- Well, don't you think you'd better call the police?

- Well, wait a minute.

Rafferty would love to catch me

with an extra body lying around.

He'd never listen to reason.

Well, there's nothing here that tells me anything.

Except somebody paid him a big wad of dough for something.

Private eyes don't carry that kind of money. I know.

Here, enter that as Exhibit A in the Lacy case.

You'd better call Homicide now. Tell 'em what happened.

But remember, you haven't seen me this morning.

I haven't been in the office.

Come on, come on, angel. Get busy!

I'll slip out the back way.

- Police?

Homicide, please.

- I just got a wire from Washington.

They want a pickup on a guy named Jim Lacy for questioning.

Hello, Rafferty talking.

- Uh, hello? This is Michael Sha...

This is Phyllis, Mich...

This is Phillip...

Mike's secretary, Phyllis.

A corpse just walked in and fell down on the floor.

- What!

- You don't have to shout at me.

I said a corpse just walked in and fell down on the floor.

- That's what I thought you said.

Keep him there! I want to question him.

What am I saying?

She said a corpse walked in and curled up on the floor.

If a guy is dead he should be in the morgue,

not walking around!

- Oh...

- Well, here's where I get a prize bawling-out.

It makes Phyl mad when I show up late for work.

Well, why the convention? What's happened?

- Suppose you tell me.

- I don't know. I left my crystal ball at home, Pete.

Give me a hint.

- She said he wandered in here and dropped dead.

- Well, if that's what she said, that's what happened.

- Don't give me that, a guy's not gonna go out for a walk

with a slug in his chest like him.

- How about it, Doc? Could he have walked after he was shot?

- That depends upon a number of factors:

the man's constitution,

direction and location of the bullet...

I'd say it's possible, but not probable.

- Possible's good enough for me.

- I suppose you don't even know who he is.

- Do I have to be introduced to a man

before he can walk in my office and drop dead?

- I'll tell you who he is. His name is Jim Lacy.

And he phoned your office

just before he walked in here and dropped dead.

- Well, could be Jim Lacy.

I haven't seen him in about 10 years.

He never was a pal of mine.

Well, look, can I help it if somebody plugs him

on his way to my office?

- Take him away, boys.

- Hey, Phyl, you're hot news.

How about giving me your impression

of having a guy drop dead at your feet?

- How would you like an impression of the back of my hand?

- I'm sorry I was late this morning, angel.

It must have been pretty rugged.

- That's what I'd call an understatement.

- Listen to me, Shayne.

The government is interested in this guy Jim Lacy.

I got a wire from Washington to pick him up.

Now, if you're withholding any information,

you'll find yourself playing with a hot potato.

- Thanks for the tip, Pete.

Your interest in my welfare touches me deeply.

- My interest in your welfare I could stick in my eye

and not even know it's there.

And you, you're under suspicion

for knowing more than you've told.

- Don't worry, angel, he can't pin a thing on you.

- Hey, Mike, what's this business about Washington?

- You heard him. You know as much about it as I do.

- Mike, don't you think that- - No, I don't.

I've been tossed right into the middle of something.

I'm gonna play it my way till I find out what the score is.

- Hey, Phyl, what's this gimmick that Pete Rafferty's after

that Mike won't talk about?

- If Mike doesn't tell you, Tim, I can't.

- No, of course not.

Well, I gotta go write a story about a perambulating corpse.

The city editor's gonna think I'm nuts. I'll see you later.

- Oh! - Hello!

Are you Mr. Shayne?

- Would it help any if I was?

- Not much.

I'd like to see Shayne.

- Do you have an appointment?

- Is that necessary? - Definitely.

Mr. Shayne doesn't see anyone

unless they have an appointment.

- It's very important that I see him right away.

Jim Lacy said he was a man I could depend upon.

- He told the truth.

- Please help me, Mr. Shayne.

- If you're in a jam, why don't you hire Jim Lacy?

He's in the business.

- He doesn't have a license to operate in this state.

I'm nearly frantic, Mr. Shayne.

If you don't help me, I don't know what I'll do.

- Well, you tell me your troubles.

I'll see if I can take the case.

Please see that we're not disturbed, Ms. Hamilton.

Sit down.

Cigarette? - Thank you.

- How do you happen to know Jim Lacy?

- I met him through a friend of mine

when I was in the chorus of the New York show.

- When'd you see him last?

- Yesterday.

I was surprised to have him look me up.

I didn't know he was in town.

What's he doing here?

- He said something about being in on a big deal.

That was all.

What's this have to do with me?

- I don't know. It's your story.

What's the trouble?

- I was married to a man named Mace Morgan,

but I left him when I found out he was a crook

and I tried to start my life over again.

I met a man named Charles Worthing

and fell very much in love with him.

And he fell in love with me.

- Worthing know about Mace Morgan?

- No, I was afraid to tell him.

I wasn't to blame, but it wasn't a very pretty story.

I thought he might hold it against me.

- Go ahead.

- So when I found out that Mace

had been convicted of a robbery and sent to prison, I...

I thought I could escape from the past.

I came here intending to quietly get a divorce

and thought everything would be all right.

I was very happy.

Mace!

- Hello, baby.

Surprised?

- Mace, I thought you were-

- Yeah, I know.

You thought I safely laid away on ice.

But they haven't built the hoosegow big enough to hold me.

- We were finished a long time ago.

Why did you have to come here?

- I've been keeping tabs on you, sweetheart.

I know all about this big romance

that's come into your life.

- Is there any reason why I shouldn't be happy?

Just because I wouldn't let you make a tramp out of me?

- Of course not, baby.

I want you to be happy.

But, uh...

It should be worth something to you.

- What do you mean by that?

- Oh, this Worthing character.

He's got plenty of blue chips.

But I'll raise an awful smell if you try to get a divorce.

Go ahead, marry him.

You and I can work out a deal.

- Blackmail?

- Must you be so crude?

I've got something to sell.

You can buy it or not, if you like.

But you better not play around with any idea

of turning me over to the police as an escaped con.

Or I'll cook up a story about you

that'll make you look like something

that belongs on a garbage wagon.

Goodbye, baby.

Think it over.

- You see what a hopeless position I'm in.

I can't keep paying blackmail the rest of my life.

- What do you want me to do?

- Well, he's an escaped convict and...

If you try to arrest him and he should try to resist,

you could...

- Knock him off?

- If that's what you want to call it.

- It's a little out of my line.

I haven't killed a husband in some time.

Could be quite a business though.

- You will help me?

- Leave your name and address with my secretary.

- You won't let me down. I know you won't.

- I'll let you know.

- And I'll expect to see you soon?

- Yeah.

- Make a note of my name and address.

Helen Brimstead.

Glen Manor Apartments.

- Will the key be under the mat?

- Remind me sometime to rearrange your face.

It would be a pleasure.

- Mike! Did you...

Yes, you took the case all right.

- Aw, Phyl, don't be like that. We can-

- Mike, don't. You'll get lipstick all over me.

Huh? Oh.

You know what happened? - Sure.

She put her arms around your neck and kissed you

before you could fight her back.

- That's exactly what happened.

- Yeah, and I'll bet you put up an awfully big struggle.

What'd she want?

- She wanted me to kill her husband.

- Are you going to do it?

What are you doing?

- I got an idea this piece of cardboard

is gonna be very important.

- If it's that important,

why don't you turn it over to the government?

- I think I'll hang onto it awhile, see what develops.

- You know, I don't know why I don't get a job

in a nice, quiet establishment.

At least I wouldn't have to look for my boss' name

in the obituary column.

- Angel, you'd be bored to death the second day.

Jim Lacy is murdered on his way to my office.

Helen Brimstead wants Mace Morgan bumped off.

Gotta be a tie-up somewhere.

I think we're being tailed.

It might be one of Rafferty's men.

- Looks like they're coming closer too.

- Might not be the police at all.

We'll get a look at 'em when they come by.

Run for it, Phyl!

- Search him.

- He ain't got it on him.

- Well, you shouldn't have to knock him cold.

We'll have to make him sing.

- This is all very flattering, gentlemen.

Suppose you tell me what it's all about?

- Sure, we'll let you know.

Want you to do us a little favor, that's all.

- And you have such a nice way of asking favors.

I don't see how I can refuse.

That's being smart.

We want what you took from Jim Lacy.

- Lacy was a dead man when he got to my office.

Cops beat me to him.

- Don't stall me, I read the papers.

Lacy had plenty of jack on him

and the cops found less than 10 bucks.

Whoever lifted the jack lifted something else.

I want that something else.

- Sure wish I could help you out.

- Work on him, Trigger.

Is your memory any better?

- Yeah, I have a very good memory for faces.

- Tie him up.

We'll stop being gentle with him.

Now we'll see just how tough you are.

- How tough do I have to be?

- Not so very.

Just give me that piece of baggage check Lacy had

when he started for your office.

It's no good to you.

It's the cops. They're heading this way.

Get out the back door.

- Nevermind me, get those two guys

that went out the back door.

- Mike!

- Hello, Phyl.

- Well, at least you're tied up

with something else besides a blonde.

How'd you do it?

- Elementary, my dear Mike.

I trailed the car till I saw where they brought you

and then I called the police.

- I'll give you a gold star for that.

You know, there's no longer any doubt

about that piece of cardboard being important.

- Couldn't you have thought of an easier way

to find that out?

- Oh, I don't know. I guess I always do things the hard way.

- Surround it.

Come out with your hands up.

You!

- What's all the excitement, Pete?

- I got a report there was a kidnapping.

Was somebody trying to be funny?

- Mike was kidnapped and brought here.

- Yeah, a little misunderstanding.

They were very sorry and left before you arrived.

Sorry to have troubled you, Pete. Thanks anyway.

Come on, angel.

What are you looking for? - Bodies.

- Oh, the janitor probably swept them out this morning.

- You two certainly have a gruesome sense of humor.

Shut up or I'll break your neck!

- You know, if this keeps up

they're gonna cancel my insurance.

- Nice clients you have, Mr. Shayne. Who was that?

- He didn't leave his name.

Mike, come here!

- Boy, someone was sure trying to find something.

What was that?

- Bait to catch a murderer.

Think I'll go see a blonde about a man.

- Okay, let's go.

- Oh, uh, I won't need you this time. Strictly business.

- Your definition of business can be very elastic.

- You're such a nice girl.

- What a mess.

- Yeah, Mike seems to be on the wrong end of this case.

They're bringing the fight to him.

- I know and I'm worried about him.

I wish he'd turn the whole thing over to...

Someone else.

- A government agent, perhaps?

- I didn't say that.

- Stay where you are.

Don't turn around.

Who are you? What are you doing here?

- I might ask you the same question.

- Yeah, you might, but I'm in a position to ask questions.

I'd like to have an answer.

- I don't answer questions

unless I can see who I'm talking to.

I'm funny that way.

- All right, turn around. Don't try anything foolish.

Sit down there.

- Well, Helen didn't tell me she was going to have visitors.

- Aw, you're not here on a social visit.

You better tell me just where you fit in.

- That's what I'd like to know.

That Mace Morgan?

- No. I've never seen that man before.

- Do you have idea might come here looking for information?

- It must've been a prowler.

No one except Mace would have any reason for coming here.

- We'd better turn him in to the police. I'll see you later.

Oh, nothing to get excited about.

Just a burglar.

- I don't see how it's possible

for one man to be such a pain in the neck.

- What's the idea having me picked up, Rafferty?

- Mr. Shayne.

I want you to meet Mr. Pearson,

a special investigator from Washington.

- All right, it's a pleasure. Now listen, Raff...

- Oh.

Hello.

- I can hardly call it a pleasure.

- Who do you think you are, Shayne,

going around slugging government men?

- How am I supposed to know he's a government man?

When a man pulls a gun on me,

I slug him if a get a chance.

- Maybe you better tell us

what you were doing in that apartment.

I was there to see a client.

- Oh?

What's the nature of your business with her?

- The nature of all my business with all my clients

is strictly confidential.

- Hey, what's this I hear about Mike being arrested?

- He hasn't been arrested.

He's merely being asked to cooperate with his government.

- Well, cooperation works two ways.

I never play ball with my eyes closed.

- I'm not telling government secrets

to the whole wide world.

- What do you think I am, a hell?

- Tim's all right. You can trust him.

- I'll say that much for him.

- Very well.

My job is to prevent the plans

of a newly developed secret weapon

from falling into the hands of a foreign power.

A power not friendly to us, to say the least.

I won't go into how we learned all the facts,

but the plans were stolen by a hoodlum named Mace Morgan

and by a crooked New York private detective named Jim Lacy.

Morgan was wanted for robbery

and was picked up the next day by the New York police.

We had Lacy under constant surveillance,

but we weren't able to locate the plans.

When Lacy jumped out here,

I was convinced those plans had been sent out here

immediately after they were stolen.

But I couldn't believe that Lacy and Morgan

would trust any confederate.

- What was the robbery they hung on Morgan?

- Oh, he held up the messenger

of a Wall Street brokerage firm, Grossenstein & Barton.

- They ever recover the money?

- No, but that was a police case.

We weren't interested in that angle of it.

- Then when Lacy came out here,

Morgan managed to crash outta stir, huh?

- Yeah, that's right,

which is further proof that the plans must be here.

I don't know how you manage to be so well informed.

- What, didn't Rafferty tell you?

I make a living as a private eye.

- Yeah, one of the best, mister.

When you got him batting on your team, you can rest at ease.

- Only I'm not sure it's my turn to come to bat.

- You better come clean

and tell us all you know about this case.

- Now remember your blood pressure, Pete. Be calm.

- I'll be calm when I see a bunch of lilies on your chest.

- That all you wanted with me?

- Yeah.

- Mike, haven't you anything more to say?

- No, I think that's all at the moment, angel.

Come on, let's go.

- How does Shayne rate?

Does he hope to sell his information?

- I don't know what he hopes,

but I could be arrested for what I hope about him.

- Okay, so I'm something the cat dragged in.

- What are we supposed to think?

Here's a matter vitally important to your government

and you hold out information.

You trying to chisel a payoff?

- Mike, I was terribly disappointed.

I should think you'd be glad to aid the government.

- I don't know what's the matter.

There's a lot of pieces here

that don't fit together like they should.

I'll wait and see what happens.

Mace Morgan.

Jim Lacy.

Helen Brimstead, Morgan's wife.

Maybe.

Pearson, the fed.

Two hoodlums, one of them named Trigger.

Mr. X, foreign agent.

Piece of cardboard.

Mike Shayne.

- It floors me.

I can understand Mike giving Pete Rafferty the brush-off.

You can't blame him for that.

But why should he get coy with the government?

- Hello, Michael Shayne, private investigator.

I'll see if he's in. Who's calling?

- Oh, it's you again.

Mike, your repulsive blonde is on the phone.

- You mean impulsive.

Hello, Mike Shayne talking.

Well, you know where my office is. You've been here before.

- It would be dangerous for both of us

if I were seen coming to your office.

Why can't you meet me here?

- Where are you?

- Hunter's Lodge on 12th Street.

- Okay. I'll be over in 10 or 15 minutes.

Well, I'll leave you two to your sorrow.

I hope you both enjoy a good cry.

- At least he could feel ashamed of himself.

- Well, let's not hang Mike without a trial.

He always comes through somehow, right-side up.

- That's what makes me so mad. He's always right.

- I just learned about Jim Lacy.

I'm sure Mace Morgan killed him.

- Relax. Why should that worry you?

- Mace probably learned that I saw Lacy.

He must have been suspicious.

- Suspicious that you and Lacy were going to bump him off?

Can't blame a fella for getting a little sore

about a thing like that.

Uh...

Now tell me why the government is interested in you.

- The government has no reason to be interested in me.

Why do you say that?

- That character I met up in your apartment

was a special investigator from Washington.

You didn't know that, did you?

- No! I didn't know who he was.

The police came and they wanted to know who knocked him out.

That's all I know.

- Find it hard to believe the government

is interested in your romantic difficulties.

Look, I want the whole story

before I get mixed up with the government.

- Well, they have no reason

to be snooping around my apartment.

Mace Morgan's the only one I'm worried about.

Mace is a killer and I can't go to the police.

I know my life is in danger. Please help me.

Mace.

- What are you cooking up with this private cop?

Trying to put me on the spot?

- You're the guy who turned my office upside down.

I owe you something.

- So what?

All right, smart guy.

I'll take that piece of cardboard you lifted from Lacy.

And I want it right now!

- I don't like guessing games.

What cardboard are you talking about?

- Don't give me that. You know what I mean.

If you'll smart you'll hand it over

and bow out before you get hurt.

I been double-crossed.

Been played for a sucker.

But I'll be tough on anyone

who stands in my way from now on

and I've got no time to fool around with you!

- Up with 'em.

Why did you kill him?

- Who says I did?

- You were fighting with him and now he's dead.

That pins it on you for my money.

- Hey! There was a woman in here!

- That might give us a motive.

Tell it to the homicide boys when they get here.

Call headquarters. - Okay.

- There's the body. Nothing has been touched.

- Uh-huh.

Well, don't tell me this one walked in and dropped dead.

- All right, Pete, I won't if you don't want me to.

- Okay, funnyman. I'll book you for murder.

Try and get a laugh outta that.

- Well, it is murder to shoot an escaped convict

when he comes waving a gun at you?

What are you trying to pull?

- I'll make it simple.

That's Mace Morgan, he's an escaped convict.

That's his gun lying over there on the floor.

- Hey, there was a woman around here a while back,

but she disappeared.

- Who was the woman? - What woman?

- He said there was a woman here!

- Well, ask him.

Is it any of my business if a woman comes in here?

- Yeah, that was Morgan all right.

Did you take anything out of his pockets?

- Looking for anything in particular?

- Search him. He may be concealing evidence.

- Just a minute, you've got no right to search me.

- I think different.

How do you want it? Rough or gentle?

- Gentle.

- That's all.

- Satisfied?

- I'm satisfied you're in contact

with people wanted by the government.

And that can lead to serious trouble.

- And you know how unhappy I'd be to see you in trouble.

- Pete, I lie awake nights

worrying about making you unhappy.

- Mm.

- Hello, chum.

You seem to be a pretty bright boy.

- That's what my friends tell me.

A thousand bucks. - That's right.

Wouldn't you rather have that than a broken neck?

- Something to think about. - Give it a thought.

You've got something that isn't worth a dime to you.

Lay it on the line and take the grand.

- What's the matter? Don't you play rough anymore?

- I can play rough if that's the way you want it.

But I'm willing to buy if you're agreeable.

Well? What do you say?

- I said I'd think it over.

- Think fast because this offer won't stay open very long.

- Gimme some bourbon. - Yes, sir!

- I said think fast.

- Shayne, you'd better walk soft.

Pete Rafferty's pretty sore.

- Thanks for the tip.

Remind me to send you a Christmas card.

Goodbye, chum.

- Beg your pardon!

- Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you coming in.

- Oh. Well, that's all right.

I've had nearly everything thrown at me anyway,

except the Guide to Glamor.

Mr. Shayne in?

- No, I haven't seen him this afternoon.

- Oh.

Inspector Rafferty tells me

that Shayne has a pretty high regard for your opinion.

- Well, I don't see that that's anything

to get hysterically happy about.

- Oh, I'm not trying to make you happy. I need your help.

You know, I'm here to recover

a vitally important government secret that was stolen.

And now with Lacy and Morgan both dead, I...

Well, I find myself in a blind alley.

- I'm not a detective. How can I help you?

- Well, I'm convinced that Shayne has evidence

that would be of great help to us.

But I'm afraid a woman's convinced him

to throw in with the other side.

- I wouldn't believe that about Mike.

- Well, there was a woman with him in that cocktail lounge

when Morgan was killed.

He let her get away. He covered up for her.

It all adds up to one answer as far as I can see.

- You could be wrong. And I'll do my own arithmetic.

- I hope I am wrong. I need his help.

I came here hoping you might be able

to persuade him that it'll be to his advantage

to cooperate with his government.

- I can agree with you on that 100%.

- Thanks.

- I'd like to know more about that meeting

in that cocktail lounge.

- Yes, I'm slightly curious myself.

- Yes, that might answer a number of questions.

Well, I'll see you again. So long.

Oh, uh...

And may I suggest that you don't need any Guide to Glamor?

- We're getting no place fast.

We can't stall around forever.

- I was surprised to see Barton in town.

I'd like to know what he has up his sleeve.

- Barton's nothing to worry about.

He's in no position to shoot off his face.

- I know that,

but he didn't come out here just for the ride.

- Shayne's our headache, not Barton.

With Lacy and my dear departed husband Mace Morgan on ice,

we would've been sitting pretty

if Shayne hadn't stepped into the parade.

- Yeah, Shayne's plenty tough.

He won't buy and he won't scare.

But there must be some way to make him crack.

See who it is.

- Hello. - What do you want?

- I'd really like to take you apart

and see what makes you tick,

but I'll restrain that impulse.

I'm giving you formal notice that Mike Shayne

is no longer interested in you or your problems.

- Baby, you're talking out of turn.

- Think so?

When a case leads to murder,

it's time for him to give it up.

- Just how do you plan to do that?

- That, my dear, is a professional secret.

- Let me tell you a little secret, bright eyes.

Just keep your nose in the typewriter

if you care about staying healthy.

- You're in no position to make any threats.

The police would like to know your part

in the death of Mace Morgan.

- What makes you think I had anything to do with it?

- Oh, I'm not bad at putting two and two together.

You called Mike to meet you at a certain place.

There was a woman present when Mace Morgan was killed.

Now who do you suppose that woman was?

I don't believe you're very eager

to get in a cozy little chat with the police.

- Why don't you ask our charming visitor

to sit down and make herself at home?

She'll be here quite a while.

- What's the idea?

- Maybe we've found a way to make Shayne be reasonable.

- I don't get it.

- Maybe he cares more for her

than he does for a little piece of cardboard.

Could be.

- You'll never force Mike

to do anything he doesn't believe is right.

- We'll let Mr. Shayne answer that.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing now. I saw a mouse.

- Screaming about a little mouse.

If you see all the animals I've seen,

you'd have something to scream about.

- Phyl?

Angel?

That's funny.

Hey! Where have you been, angel?

- Angel?

- Hello, Pete. I thought you were Phyllis.

What's on your mind? - Plenty.

I want to know the name of the girl

whose fingerprints are on the gun that bumped Mace Morgan.

Okay, he's an ex-con,

but I want to know who killed him and why.

- You got the wrong number, Pete.

I'm not running an information bureau.

- You're apt to wake up and find out

you're not running anything in this state.

I'll make it my business

to see that your license gets revoked.

Obstructing justice in a federal investigation

is grounds enough to get you thrown out on your ear.

- You can save yourself a lot of trouble

if you'll tell me what Shayne did

with that piece of baggage check he took from Lacy.

Nod your head if you feel like talking.

You may change your mind after a while.

- Why not call Trigger?

He's a genius at making people change their mind.

- I hope that won't be necessary.

- Aw, I'm fed up with you trying to give me the runaround.

I have a good mind to take you down to headquarters

and let you meditate for a while.

- You know what's a good thing to have

before you throw anybody in jail?

- What? - Proof.

Or didn't you know there was a law against false arrest?

- I can hold you on suspicion.

- Suspicion of what? Being smarter than you are?

Guilty.

You know, Pete,

someday you're gonna stick your neck out so far

you'll never be able to get it back in your collar again.

- Shayne, someday I'm gonna forget I'm a cop

and I'm gonna take you apart with these hands,

just for the fun of it.

And I don't know of anything

that would give me any more pleasure!

Peanuts!

- Yes?

Mr. Shayne.

I'm terribly afraid. What am I going to do?

- Answer a few questions.

You know, the police are kind of interested

in the woman whose fingerprints were found on that gun.

I didn't pick it up when you dropped it.

- Did you tell them anything?

- No. Not yet.

- I had to kill him to save your life.

He might've killed you.

- Maybe.

- It'd be too awful if that story got in the papers.

It would destroy all my hopes for happiness.

Please, Mr. Shayne, keep me out of it.

- How did Morgan happen to be so Johnny-on-the-spot?

You, uh...

You weren't expecting him, were you?

- No, of course not. He must have followed me.

Can I get you a drink?

- No thanks.

It could be you put Morgan on the spot

and used me as a front to cover up when you knocked him off.

- Don't think that of me, it isn't true.

I was desperately afraid of him.

When I saw that gun in his hand, I shot him.

Then I became panic-stricken and ran away.

I didn't know what I was doing.

- You seen my secretary?

- Why, no.

Was I supposed to have seen her?

- Maybe.

I don't know.

- You will protect me, won't you?

They can't charge you with murder

and it won't do any good to get my name into it.

- I won't spill anything I don't have to.

By the way, what happened to the money

Morgan took from that brokerage firm?

- I don't know anything about it.

That all happened after I left him.

- I see.

Well, you don't need my protection from him anymore.

I guess that washes the case up.

- You'll send your bill, Mr. Shayne?

- I'll have to think about that.

After all, you did all the work.

All I did was stand around with...

Always picking up pieces of paper.

Someday I'll find a million bucks.

- Looked pretty rough for a minute.

- It wasn't funny.

I never want to sweat out anything like that again.

I don't know whether Shayne suspected anything or not.

We're getting out of here right away.

Call Trigger and have him bring the car.

- Keep your eye on her.

Just act natural.

- Get out of the way! Get out of the way!

- What's the matter, mister? You hurt?

- No, a girl was just kidnapped. A green Plymouth sedan.

Get out a general alarm. - Right.

- I heard a scream, so I stopped to find out what was wrong.

And she told me she saw a little mouse

and slammed the door right in my face.

- All right, thanks for your information.

- Yeah, you're welcome, anytime. Anytime.

- Any report on the kidnap car?

- Not a murmur.

Well, Shayne, you fooled around trying to be a smart boy

and what did it get you?

Phyllis takes a rap for you. Maybe you got her killed.

- Okay, Pete, pour it on. I'm on the ropes.

- But when it comes down to you and me,

no holds are barred.

- If you hope ever again to see her alive,

you better start trying to play a lone hand

and give us all the information you have.

- I've given the police all the information I have

that'll help them find her.

- You haven't turned over all the information you have.

- Are you concerned with Ms. Hamilton

or with grabbing something from that gang?

- I hope to accomplish both at the same time,

but naturally the interests of the government

are of primary importance.

- Okay, Pete. It's in your lap.

Organization's what counts in a kidnapping case.

Come on, Tim, let's go.

How could I have been so stupid?

- Well, you couldn't tell Phyl

was gonna walk into a deal like this.

- Hey!

I didn't know I was living next door to a den of criminals.

She was mighty cute though.

I tried to get better acquainted.

- Yeah? You're lucky you didn't make the grade.

You might've wound up in the morgue.

- Hey, Mike.

You're still holding out. Why?

Don't you trust a federal agent?

Or are you gambling with Phyl's life

to cut yourself in on the deal?

- That the way it looks to you?

- Yeah.

- You better get yourself a pair of glasses.

- You know as well as I do that Shayne

is standing in the way of recovering those plans.

You better sweat it out of him before it's too late.

He may be dickering with them on a sellout price.

- Yeah, but how's that fit in

with them snatching his secretary?

- Aw, that could've been a phony stunt

just to throw us off the track.

Or even to put the pressure on him.

- I wonder. That Shayne is pretty good at pulling fast ones.

Maybe I should hold him for a while.

Yeah. That's what I'll do.

- This is part of a baggage check.

Whoever has the whole check can claim a piece of baggage.

Two murders have already been committed

for whatever's in there.

- You mean that little piece of cardboard

stands between a foreign power and a government secret?

- It also stands between Phyl and sudden death.

- What do you mean?

- If Pearson had this,

they'd know they couldn't make a deal.

This way they know they've got to come to me.

- Yeah, but supposing they don't come-

- See what I mean?

Hello, Mike Shayne talking.

- It's about time you got back to your office.

Shayne, you have something I want

and I have something you want.

How 'bout a trade?

- Put her on the phone.

- You're wanted on the phone.

Tell him you're okay. Come along, Trigger.

- Hello, Mike.

- Hello, angel.

I suppose you're talking with a gun in your back.

Answer yes or no. Are you all right?

- Yes, they've treated me all right.

Mike, I'm sorry I was such a fool

and caused all this trouble.

- Take her back to the car.

Well, what do you say, Shayne? Do we trade?

- Yeah, we trade. Plus one grand.

- Why make things tough on the girl?

I offered you the grand once,

but I don't have to kick in with it now.

We trade even or not at all.

- Then we don't trade.

- Mike, that's the lowest thing I ever heard of.

Trying to get yourself a thousand bucks.

- Don't blow your top.

If I gave up too easy they'd think I was a pushover

and might try to cross me.

They'll call back.

Calling all cars, calling all cars.

Attention, all patrol cars.

Pick up Michael Shayne, detective.

Bring him to headquarters for questioning.

That is all. Over.

- Supposing you're wrong? Supposing they don't call back?

Then what? You've lost contact.

- Hello, Shayne talking.

- Okay, Shayne, you win. We trade, plus one grand.

But be satisfied with that

because if you try to pull a fast one,

someone will get badly hurt.

- All right, I'll meet you

at the telephone booth in the station.

As soon as Ms. Hamilton phones she's okay, we trade.

- And if you don't try to cross me, no one will get hurt.

- Mike, you can't do this.

- Do what? - Sell out your country.

Don't you realize what those plans mean

in the hands of an enemy?

- I realize they're a matter of life and death to Phyllis.

- I don't think Phyllis would want

to buy her life at that price.

- What are you gonna do?

- I'm gonna turn you into Pearson. Anything to stop you.

- Aw, Tim. I hate to do this.

- Telegram for Michael Shayne.

- That's me.

- Thank you.

- Remember, Shayne,

there'll be two guns on you all the time.

Call your office.

- There's no answer. What are you trying to do?

- There will be.

- I hope we're not too late.

If you'd taken my advice in the first place,

we wouldn't have run into a situation like this.

- I've gotta have proof before I can throw a guy in jail.

- Answer the phone.

- Hello, Michael Shayne, private investigator.

- Hello, Phyl? Are you all right?

- Everything's all right so far.

- Let me talk to Helen.

- Your boyfriend wants to talk to you.

- Hello?

- Helen? Hold the phone until Shayne delivers.

All right, Shayne. Give.

- What about the thousand?

What you want is in the sweatband of my hat.

- That's it. Go ahead, Helen, as we planned.

Shayne, you stay with us for a while.

Let's have that right away. We have to catch a train.

- Yes, sir.

- What's the matter with that guy?

Does he have to take a trip out of town to find that bag?

- Take it easy. You've waited a long time for this.

A couple of minutes more is not gonna make much difference.

- Come on. You too, Shayne.

- The cops!

- We'll miss you around here, Shayne.

You stuck your neck into a federal rap this time.

- You'll write to me, won't you, Pete?

- Oh...

Thanks.

- Thank you. Nice work, Rafferty.

You saved the plans

and I'll see that you get full recognition from Washington.

- Hello, Tim. I see you got here.

- I'm sorry if I got you into trouble, Mike,

but I just couldn't see it any other way.

- Oh, it's all right. No harm done.

Train for Chicago, Philadelphia,

and Washington, leaving on Track Four.

- Well, gentlemen, that's my train.

Well, I'll see you later, fellas. So long.

- Just a minute! I'll take that.

- Shayne! Have you lost your mind?

- Hold onto your hat, Pete.

You've been very busy helping one crook

cross up some other crooks.

- Pearson is a federal agent.

- He's no more a federal agent than I am.

I got a wire from Washington! They-

- A telegraph operator can be bribed to send a fake wire.

I did what you should've done.

I wired the bureau in Washington.

Here, read what they say.

-"No federal agent by the name of Pearson in your..."

- You'll notice it's signed by a very important person.

- All right, Bob, take him away.

- Well, Peter, here you are.

You won't find any secret plans in there,

but you'll find a lot of money stolen from a brokerage firm.

Holy mackerel, I forgot about Phyl!

She may still be in danger!

Angel!

Phyl!

Oh, stop it!

You old blond hussy!

Oh, I'll teach you! - Let me up.

- It's about time you got here!

- Take this wildcat off of me!

Why don't you teach your secretary better manners?

- Just a minute, Helen. How about telling us a little story?

Your two pals are dead and the stolen money's recovered.

- Why not?

Lacy, Morgan, and Barton, junior members of the firm,

framed the holdup and they checked the stuff out here.

Each one holding a third of the baggage check.

- And the cops grabbed Morgan. - That's right.

Lacy made a deal with Leroy and Trigger.

They cracked Barton's safe and took his third of the check.

Mace Morgan was on his way to the pen,

so I threw in with Lacy and Leroy.

- And murdered Lacy to get his share.

- You can't prove that.

- Ballistics can.

The same gun shot Lacy and Morgan

and your fingerprints were all over it.

Yeah had to get Morgan or he would've killed you

for double-crossing him.

- Wait a minute, Mike. Who was Pearson?

- I think you'll find his real name is Barton.

You know, you did a nice job

in solving that Lacy murder, Pete.

I'll bet Tim writes a swell story about it.

- Oh, thanks.

- I wouldn't be surprised if the bonding company

offered some kind of a reward.

- It's all yours, Mike. I wouldn't touch a penny of it.

- Why, that's very generous of you, Pete.

- That's all right. I'm glad to see you get it.

Come on.

Well, that's one more blonde out of my life.

- Mike?

- Tim!

- I had to do that, Mike.

- It's all right. I had that coming.