All language subtitles for High Tide (1947)

The Beast

The Beast

It doesn't deserve this.

We should anchor her. 1995 President President My leg's pinned under the car.

I can't move it.

You on your leg.

I'm back.

Feels like it's broken.

I never did want to die alone.

Glad you're with me pal.

It's a pleasure.

[chuckles] It's a pleasure.

[chuckles]

Say, President.

Yeah?

What kind of high tide got any idea?

Oh, why?

There'll be a lot of water over this

place in a little while.

We'll be under it.

Oh, that's all right.

Clay, we're not going anywhere.

You and your insurance policy.

You sure started something.

You might have owned a

paper and been my boss.

You played your cards, right?

Yeah.

Think of all the

trouble you've saved yourself.

If you hadn't answered that telegram I

sent you in San Francisco.

Think of all the trouble you've saved.

[knocking]

Who is it?

Telegram.

Come in.

Thanks.

[music]

Copy, boy.

Hi, Mac.

Hi, you.

Hi.

Hi.

I'm all set up for an extra.

I'm waiting for a flash

from the death house now.

The threat's coming.

Cut 30 for Crusher.

Well, put up a good fight.

Yeah, a good fight.

With no doe, the lawyer

still wet behind the ears.

In this crusading, she'd convicting him

in the headlines before

the jury was even picked.

Shut up, Clay.

His wife dropped in to see you, Raudo.

I said shut up.

She said she'd be back.

Copy, boy.

You don't have that drawer fixed to you,

just in case of an emergency.

You got a nasty mind, Cleve.

Wouldn't do you any good

if I did get the business.

Running this paper

takes more than you've got.

Greetings, gents.

Hi, Hill.

Cleve.

Hi, it's Slade.

But you were in San Francisco.

Was.

Got a wire from a guy about a job, maybe.

Don't tell me the boss says all is

forgiven and you're coming back to work.

Don't worry. I won't tell you that, Clay.

Well, maybe you can give me

a rundown on this guy, Hill.

Yeah, perhaps.

Anything else on the schedule, Clay?

No.

There's Nick Dykes here.

Dykes?

Where?

And with the boss.

He is, huh?

Come on, Slade.

This might be interesting.

Mr. Friesley, Mr. Vaughn's in conference.

I know. That's why I'm going in.

Wait here.

Pleasure.

I see Vaughn has

redecorated since I was here.

Lovely color scheme.

You shouldn't embarrass Mr. Vaughn by

going over my head, Dyke.

Besides, the donor publisher and managing

editor of the dispatch is

much too busy to talk to you.

That's what you say.

What I say goes, Nick.

You may run the local gambling and rig

the rest of the rackets all you want.

But you can't buy this paper or run this

city as long as I'm here.

That's a very pretty speech.

But it don't mean a thing.

Avon?

Your number's up, Dyke.

I'm going to break you just like I broke

Crustard if it's the last thing I do.

It probably will be.

You're too emotional, Hugh.

Mr. Dyke and I were coming to a sensible

understanding before you came in.

No understanding, but

Nick Dyke makes sense.

Hey, who is the boss around here anyway?

Well, I...

Well, goodbye, Vaughn.

I'll see you later, Fresny.

When I'm not looking, you hope.

I'd forgotten.

He meets such interesting

people in the newspaper business.

What's your name?

Did you wish to see Mr. Bond?

Not if I can help it. I don't think he

wants to see me either.

My name's Slade.

I've heard Mr. Bond speak of you.

Bet he burned your ears off, didn't he?

Huh?

Hello, Dana.

Hello, Pop. How you been?

Just fine, Jim. Just fine. How are you?

Great.

Say, Pop, how about a formal intro, huh?

Oh, sure, Tim.

Allow me to introduce Miss Dana Jones.

Dana?

Mr. Tim Slade. A good

reporter gone wrong.

It's going to be a pleasure, Dana.

We'll have to discuss this further, you.

Are you waiting to see me?

No.

Good.

Hello, Pop. What's new?

Nothing new, Fresny.

You'll find that out when

you get to be an intelligent,

broken-down old newspaperman like me.

I should live so long. How do you like to

dispatch these days?

Murder, feast cake, rotten politics,

scum-drenched up to a fember's senses.

Circulation, Pop.

You're riding for a fall, Fresny.

How'd you guess?

There's no guess, muh-bye.

Okay, Pop. But it's a

swell ride while it lasts.

See you around.

How about dinner some night?

Second Thursday of next week.

- What's the date? - Mr. Fresny.

Right. I cut it short, will

you, lady? I'm pretty busy.

I'm Mrs. Cresser.

Oh. Yes, Mrs. Cresser.

Believe me, you have my deepest sympathy.

Sympathy? You rotten liar.

Why, I could kill you, you murderer.

Men like you

shouldn't be allowed to live.

Now, look, Mrs. Cresser.

All I do is run a newspaper.

Your husband was tried and

found guilty according to law.

They're killing him because every story

you printed in your

dirty newspaper told them to.

He's innocent. I'm his wife. I know.

Fresny.

Okay, Brett. Shoot. Wilson.

Grabbed him before. Brett

with the execution story.

We roll as soon as you've got the lead.

It's happened.

Yes, Mrs. Cresser.

Hey, Jake. Let's have

a picture of the widow.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Cresser.

It's the law says life

for a life. I say so, too.

Remember that, Mr. Fresny.

You're beginning to get the idea?

Yeah, and I don't like it.

That's why I sent for you.

You got a room?

Not yet.

You might as well stay with me.

Here's my address at Malibu Beach.

See you out there? So long. See you out there?

So long.

[music]

Tomorrow we start in on Nick Dyke.

Complete picture layout

of his gambling joint.

I still think we ought to

handle Dyke with kid gloves.

Look, we're gaining circulation at the

rate of 16,000 a day.

That's money in the bank.

You don't do it with kid gloves.

But you, it's not

right. We're making enemies.

While every other paper in

town is taking punches at us.

You know why, don't you?

Our new circulation used to be theirs.

My point is, Dyke isn't like Cresser.

He's got a powerhouse behind him.

We've got a car behind us.

You think they're following us?

We're sticking pretty

close for some time.

I'm going to step on it.

And we'll find out for sure.

This is outrageous. Dyke wouldn't dare.

Oh no.

And that's the kind of a guy

you want to handle with gloves.

Hang on. I'm going to turn at the driveway.

Somebody shot at us.

Shot at you? How nice. Anybody we know?

Looks like a 45.

Hello, Julie.

Drill through the back and

get stuck in the cushions.

Why don't you boys stop playing cowboy?

We're willing, but it's

always open season for editors.

They might have killed me.

Too bad.

They wanted to kill

anybody. I think it was me.

I had an idea that little

target practice was just a warning.

Why don't you call the police?

Forget it. Well, I can't forget it.

And what's more, I'm

going to take the hint.

You've got to drop that dyke story.

Are you kidding? I

haven't even started yet.

That's fine, Hugh.

I'm rather looking

forward to being a rich widow.

Listen, Hugh. I say drop

the whole thing or else.

Or else what? Or else

you can leave the paper.

So we drop the dyke story

and all the other live stories.

So we play up the Sunday morning sermons,

bridge games at women's clubs, human

interest stories about the kiddies.

Fine circulation builders.

Ah, beautiful.

Especially the kiddies.

You can't fire me, Clint.

Have you forgotten I had

my lawyer drop my contract,

guaranteeing no interference from you?

And he's the smartest

contract lawyer in town.

Oh, I wish I had sold the

paper when my father died.

Look, Clint, you hired the best city

editor in the West because...

Look, I'll do modesty. Because your old

man left you a dying horse.

I put life back into it, didn't I?

Little things like this happen when you

have a fighting

newspaper working for you.

But Hugh, I'm not like you.

I want people to like

me, to be my friends.

Yes, he read a book once

about how to win friends.

I didn't get my

reputation trying to win friends.

You go ahead and read your books, Clint.

Let me run the paper in my own way.

You boys better get yourselves measured

for a couple of portable foxholes.

How about a drink?

I could certainly use one.

Yeah, I'll take a night, Cap. Julie.

Couldn't we arrange for a police guard?

The police don't like

us much more than dykes.

I've been riding them pretty hard lately.

Wait a minute.

How about Tim Slade?

Slade? Is he back in town?

Yes, he's a private detective now.

I think I'll put him to work on our side.

He's a smart operator.

I'll say he is.

He'd like to see me dead.

Oh, Clint, that was a long time ago.

He's forgotten all about it.

What makes you so sure?

I don't want to use him that show

business, but keep him away from me.

No telling what he

might dig up on, Nick Dike.

Thanks.

Well, good night, Clint.

Julie?

Good night.

Say hello to Tim.

You must bring him to dinner real soon.

Okay.

I'll tell him.

See you tomorrow, Clint.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Hey, come in here

before you freeze to death.

Nice ocean you got.

Yeah. Make yourself at home.

I did.

I grabbed a plane and came

down as soon as I got your wire.

What's the gag?

No gag, Tim.

I mean about me being the beneficiary in

your insurance policy.

That doesn't sell, Hugh.

Maybe that's because I

love you more than my ex-wife.

Well, remember how you felt about her.

That doesn't add up to ten grand.

Can't measure a

friendship in dollars, Tim.

Come on down off that

cloud and talk sense.

I've been batting around, crammed a lot

of living into my 42 years,

to get you to know that.

I can smell death when it's close.

I'm going to smell it now.

You're still over my head.

You heard Nick Dyke and

Mrs. Crusher talking tonight.

They weren't kidding. They meant it.

I never knew an editor worth his salt

that didn't have his life

threatened for

breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

They remind me of

anything to eat in this place.

Let's take a look.

I'm nobody guarding you.

You ought to know that.

I can get you a good, strong armed boy if

that's what you want.

I'm one of the best police reporters that

ever worked for me, Tim.

You better warn me before

you say anything like that.

That's one of the reasons I backed you in

a detective agency of yours.

Incidentally, you still owe me 500 bucks.

In another three months,

I'll be able to pay you back.

In another three

months, I'll be forgotten.

Get back on the beam, Bill.

Someone took some shots of this tonight.

He might have been meant for a bond, but

everybody knows he's soft.

They all know that I'm steering him. I

think they were meant for me.

Here's one of the slugs.

45, huh?

Got a glass over there?

Makes a neat hole.

Dyke and some of the Kresser follow us.

I'd say Dyke.

Kresser's a long shot.

A lot of other starters in the race.

Give me some of the other entries.

I fired a reporter named

Hallam a couple of weeks ago.

He and Vaughn's secretary were pretty

sweet on each other.

Dana Jones, she looks smarter than that.

Hallam took a smack at me.

I knocked him cold.

Fixed it so he couldn't get another job

in his town, so he went east.

But a week later, I

got a call from a dame.

Sounded like she was talking through a

whole box of tissues.

And she tells me I'm going to get mine.

Dana doesn't look trigger-happy to me.

I'll give you Hallam on a show bed.

Even Vaughn's beginning to hate me.

Because he's yellow.

He got scared.

You're living up to

past performances, Hugh.

The works are nothing at all, huh?

One newspaper can't clean up this town,

not the way I went at it.

That was one of my mistakes.

The other one I've made all my life.

I like to smash

people. It gets in my way.

Smash people hate easy, Hugh.

I wired you, Tim, for a

reason you may not understand.

I want to be through pretty quick.

That don't scare me.

I carry a gun.

That heavy stick you

saw in the other room.

But if they get me in the back, don't

even give me a 50-50 chance.

I'd like you to get the head man, Tim.

You mean you want to reach out from that

slab in the morgue and

pick off the guy that got you?

It's like you don't want to do a thing

like that, you know?

You still owe me 500.

See me through this

and you can write it off.

Not much for me to do, but stick around

and wait for your

funeral. It's a good deal.

That 10 grand

insurance will be your bonus.

It's the last. Forget it.

Looks like you're the only one around

here that doesn't hate me, Tim.

Don't worry, I'm not

going to cry on your shoulder.

Look, you're not going to die and I'm not

taking you 10 grand.

It's against my business ethics.

Those don't bother me.

You're social ethics, I'm worried about.

Social ethics?

Julie's still crazy about you.

Don't worry about that.

I'll steer clear of her.

That's just it.

She wants you to come to dinner.

You'll have to go.

You won't make any passes, huh?

You won't have anything to worry about if

Dana Jones is there.

Huh. You've got a deal.

Oh, shall we go in the living room?

Mm-hmm.

We'll have coffee in there, please.

Well, tell me, have you heard some pain?

Haven't heard from us

since I'm crying, I don't know.

Let's take a brief. I want

to ask you a few questions.

All right.

Is this the third degree?

If I don't talk, do you get rough?

In a nice way.

Touch it, Anna.

This Helen guy, where'd

he go after Frisney Pardon?

Well, how should I know?

He said Chicago, I haven't heard.

He was your boyfriend, wasn't he?

Does he have to be?

I just hate to see a good

guy get kicked in the teeth.

It's nice to meet an

honest name once in a while.

Well, if you were in some other business,

it might not be such a surprise.

Did you have to invite your

secretary to my dinner party?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, well, as a host, I had to provide

Slade with someone whom I

could trust to look after him.

I see.

You've got to do something for me, Hugh.

Brandy, chartreuse, stream to myth?

Brandy.

I've got to see Tim alone.

Tonight?

Oh, not tonight, but very soon.

I thought perhaps it's your beach house.

I don't think that's a good idea, honey.

Why don't you try to forget about him?

I thought it was all over, Hugh. But it isn't.

I can't go on like this any longer.

Leave me out of this, will you?

I've got enough grief without that.

There's coffee.

Oh, hi, Clint.

Don't mind my playing bartender, do you?

Why, no.

As a matter of fact, it's nice to see a

man presiding at the bar for a change.

I said there's coffee. Dana, there's coffee in the living room.

I'll get it.

And I've had mine.

Sarge, I'd like to

talk to you for a minute.

It's all the same to you, I think.

Well, I'll get mine before it's cold.

Trying to turn the living room on.

I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get mine before it's cold. I'm trying to turn the living room on. Trying to turn the little girl's head?

I think it's on pretty solid.

Haven't played this game in years.

Neither have I.

Oh, no?

Oh, no, Tim, I mean that.

I've waited.

I knew I'd be seeing you again.

Like Julie.

I'm here on business, strictly business.

It's funny.

You hired to protect

the life of my husband.

The president hired

me to take care of him.

Oh, but Clint's been threatened too.

He was fired at the other night.

He can get his own boy.

Of course.

Anything should happen to Clint.

It would simplify everything for you.

It would, huh?

The paper would be mine.

You could run it.

I can't wait.

Go ahead and take care

of your guests, Julie.

I'll talk to you later.

Oh, don't be so stuffy.

Do as I tell you.

Don't hurt him, darling.

I don't like the games you play, Slade.

I don't play games. I didn't ask to be your guest.

All right.

So it was Julie you invited to.

Nevertheless, you might have a decency.

I'm not a decent kind.

You ought to know that, Vaughn.

You fired me when I told you Julie was

worrying if he had done it.

No decent guy would have told you that.

Why should I change for

the better at this late date?

I'm not going to let you

make a fool out of me, Slade.

You've already done that to yourself.

Hey, that's a private

fight, or can I take a hand?

Private.

Oh, cut it, boys.

I'll buy you both a

drink if you come inside.

I don't like his brand, Gil.

I know what's been

going on behind my back.

I've traced Julie's telephone calls to

you in San Francisco.

All right.

So I answer my telephone.

Maybe I like the sound of her voice.

Come on, you two.

Break it up.

Consider it broken.

I'm leaving.

Good.

And I hope you'll make that permanent.

I don't want to see you

around here with the paper, either.

Don't worry.

You won't.

Hey, you're still working for me.

Don't forget that.

Get yourself another boy.

I'm through.

Trouble?

I'm not so.

I'm leaving.

Can I take you home?

Would you rather stay?

As a matter of fact, the atmosphere

around here doesn't agree with me.

I'll go now.

Take it easy, kid.

We'll talk it over when we get home.

Look after him, will you, honey?

That's what I'm doing.

Where's Tim?

He just left.

He asked me to say goodbye and thank you

for a very pleasant evening.

Did he?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Everything turned out the way it did.

I wanted to give Tim a note to tell him

so, but will you give it to him for me?

Sure.

Well, maybe I'd better mail it.

I'll give you a note. I wouldn't, Pete.

I'll mail it.

Where you going, bud?

I work here.

What's wrong?

Oh, you'll find out.

Wait a minute.

Didn't you just come

out of this building?

Not me.

Okay.

Go ahead.

I was sitting at my

desk when I heard one shot.

Oh, then I heard another shot, and I got

out here as quick as I could.

This one's dead, Inspector.

Hey, Doc, he's still alive.

Take him up to the office.

How did it happen, Slade?

I don't know.

Vaughn and Fressney left

the city room together.

I'd better see how he is.

Joe, get a stretcher.

Okay, Inspector.

Hey, you.

Who, me?

Yes, you.

Where you fit in here?

Special Investigator of the paper.

My name's Slade.

Special Investigator of the paper?

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Special Investigator, huh?

Seems to me you got here awful quick.

Not quick enough.

I'll talk to you later.

Anytime, Inspector.

Told you that bomb

would go off any minute.

I thought you were on

the train to San Francisco.

I was delayed.

You know Vaughn's dead?

Yes.

You notified Julie?

I tried, but I couldn't get her.

Try again.

President here?

Give you a hand, Doc.

Okay.

Near miss, you.

How do you feel?

But you're on your way home.

You just rehired me.

I'll stick around till

you're on your feet again.

Good boy.

Better keep out of Vaughn's way.

Vaughn's dead.

Oh, stop.

Let me out of here.

Take it easy.

Don't try to move yet, you.

I'm awfully sorry.

I don't know what to say.

Well, you know what to do.

Cut the gap.

Don't just stand there.

Get out of special.

Take my desk.

Just temporarily, sweetheart.

I'll take care of everything.

Give them the bare facts in this edition.

Save the wallet for the final.

Vaughn is your story.

I understand.

Play it up the big loft to the city.

Anybody hear his last words?

No.

Oh, never mind.

Put some in his mouth.

Quote, "I'm just a fallen soldier.

The fight is not over.

My people will carry on."

Unquote.

We're setting up this old bed now.

I got a nice one on you.

I'll save it for you.

Thank you so much.

How is he, Doc?

I think I better run

him over to hospital.

Collins, don't forget

the police and your lead.

You know, they're

working on all the angles,

making arrests before morning.

They love Vaughn.

They're all broken up over his death.

Worked out around that I was alive.

They're even more broken up.

Okay.

All right, Presley.

Your papers have been

writing to the pardon for weeks.

We just love to be called grafters,

quitters, cowards.

I've had headlines.

We try to do our job.

I'll help you all I can.

Can you give it to us straight here?

Oh, the special investigator again, huh?

That's right, Inspector.

He's here to help.

It's all right with me.

All right, let's have it, Presley.

Well, Vaughn and I were finished talking

about how to treat the knife story.

Vaughn started down the stairs.

I don't know.

I think there's something

wrong with the elevator.

Were you alone out there?

I'll ask the questions.

Vaughn turned back to talk to me,

and I was just telling

him when there was a shot.

Vaughn grabbed me and called out.

I think he said, "Get him, Hugh.

I'm shot.

Get him."

As he went down, there was another shot.

That's the one that got me, I guess.

I spun me around.

I went to my knees, and

something hit me over the head.

I felt myself falling.

I hit the stairs.

That's about all.

I passed out.

Did you get a look at

the guy that cracked you?

Are you running this, or shall I?

Go ahead, Inspector.

Did you see the guy that...

Go ahead, answer the question.

I didn't see anybody.

Whoever it was, he was in back of me.

You know anybody that might

have wanted to kill Vaughn?

Ha!

What's so funny?

Sorry, Inspector. I lost my head.

Lots of people feel like killing editors.

Feel strong enough to

walk to the elevator?

Yeah, I can walk.

Slade, tell Collins to offer a reward of

$5,000 for the killer.

For the killer.

I'll be back.

Can't keep me in any hospital.

All right, gang. Get back to your desk.

What do you think, you two?

We got a paper to turn out.

Over here, Jake.

Got a couple of good shots of Fresno.

Now, save your flashes, Jake.

Please, are you crazy?

Want your story?

Flash his pictures all over.

As a boy, with his old

man, as a bridegroom.

Don't bother with me. I'm no story.

Well, I thought it would dress up the

front page, you know.

Maybe you better take over my desk, Tim.

No, thanks.

Hello.

Yes, this is Mr. Vaughn's office.

Who?

Mr. Vaughn.

Oh, no, I'm sorry, but Mr. Vaughn just...

Wait a minute.

Hello? Now, this is Mr. Vaughn.

He's not here at the moment.

I see.

Union Station, out of a newsstand.

45 minutes.

Who shall I say called?

He'll know, huh?

Thanks, I'll tell him.

Who is that?

I don't know, but I'll soon find out.

Oh, Tim, I've just seen

Clint. They were taking him away.

This is no place for

you. Why don't you go home?

I have to talk to you.

I haven't got time.

But, Tim, it's important I

have something to tell you.

Meet me at the house.

There'll be cops around there.

Meet me at the beach house

in about an hour. It's open.

I'll be there.

Hey, listen.

Don't answer any questions. Just tell

them you don't feel well or something.

All right.

Now arriving from San

Francisco, Fresno, and Bakersfield.

San Francisco, Fresno.

Hello, Clark.

Waiting for somebody?

Oh, no. I'd just like to hang around

these places for my help.

You're too young to understand the mystic

knowledge of unknown destination.

You're waiting for Vaughn. He's not coming.

Not coming? Why, I left him a message. He

knows it's important.

He doesn't know anything. He's dead.

What?

He'll be reading about it in the papers.

You got something for him?

Too late. Too late.

There's a tide of

affairs of man which he--

Yeah, I know, Clark. I know.

I can spare some dough if you need it.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

What does Garrett got

to do with all this?

How should I know?

He came out to the house

to see Clint a few times,

but they always stopped

talking when I came around.

Did he always carry the briefcase?

I wouldn't know.

Well, you better give me back that note I

wrote to you before anyone else sees it.

What now? Didn't you get it? No. Well, it was a note I wrote last night.

I wanted to give it to

you, but you'd already gone.

So I mailed it like a fool.

What was in it?

I don't remember exactly.

I wasn't thinking very

straight when I wrote it.

It was something about all being together

and trying to get rid of Clint.

Of course I didn't. I didn't think it was a good thing. I didn't think it was a good thing. I didn't think it was a good thing. I didn't think it was a good thing.

Of course I meant divorce,

but now that Clint's there,

it sounds terrible.

Do you see what I mean?

Yeah, I certainly do.

Where'd you send it?

The paper.

A little envelope with mine

issues on the back, you know.

Don't worry about it.

I'll pick it up when I get back.

There's something else

more important, Julie.

I don't know whether

you know this or not,

but you're on the spot.

So are you.

Never mind about me.

They got your husband. You might be next.

So?

Of course, it might have been a mistake,

and they were really after

President A. I don't know.

It might be somebody we haven't even

thought of, maybe another newspaper.

The fact remains that you've got control

of the paper, and it put you

right up in the firing line.

If I beat around the bush like this, why

don't you just tell me you killed Clint

and get it over with?

Are you crazy?

Well, you had reason

enough to, didn't you?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe you didn't. I

can't think straight anymore.

All right. It's your life you're playing

around with, not mine.

I've got an idea how we can draw the fire

away from you and put it on me.

When they do that,

they'll tip their hand.

I want you to do what I

tell you. Come on over here.

Now.

This goes to your

lawyers. Know the address?

Yes.

Dear Mr. ... whatever his name is.

At this unfortunate time,

I am very desirous

that the managing control

of the dispatch ...

You got this?

Yes.

Be placed in the hands

of someone

whom I consider trustworthy.

Trustworthy?

Yeah.

Until such time,

as a permanent appointment can be made,

I therefore request

that Mr. T.M. Slade

be placed in charge.

Whose hand are you tipping now?

Do as I tell you.

If you want to marry me,

Tim, this is a fine proposal.

If you want to kill me,

that's something else again.

Sounded you.

(indistinct chatter)

- Mail been assorted today?

- Yeah. It's all in there.

Hey, what do you

think you're doing, Slade?

Well, maybe Nick Dyke

was hiding out in here.

Look, I'm in charge here now, Slade, and

I won't stand for this.

Why don't you go a little

happy and have me pinched?

I'm looking for a letter.

Hey, boss, the President told me to tell

you to run a box on page one

offering a five grand

reward for the killer.

Are you going to try and collect it?

It might be worth trying for.

(indistinct chatter)

Come in.

I don't think my shirt

will fit you, Inspector.

Are you carrying a gun?

You've been through the

suitcase, you know it's there.

You've got a .38 in

there. I'm looking for a .45.

The boys dug a slug out

of the wall on the stairs,

probably the one that drilled Friesny

through the shoulder.

Here's the night to it. This one was

fired for one in

Friesny a couple of days ago.

Could have come from the

same gun. Where is it, Slade?

I don't know. If you're implying I can

fire .45 slugs from a .38,

I got myself a Vodavilite.

Why are you carrying a box

of .45s in your suitcase?

Must have packed in a hurry.

I'm not trying to put

the finger on you yet.

No, just a great big foot.

You'll have to admit it all adds up. You

got anything to say?

Not right now.

You know, in a department, we don't think

much of special investigators.

Private eyes. That's not news.

They're usually a

bunch of transom peepers.

Bail Bond extortionists,

blackmailers, chisellers,

who get the protection of a phony badge

without the dignity of a real one.

You ever kind of played a

book on your career, Inspector?

Remind me not to read it.

I don't like your approach.

Maybe you won't like this any better.

You and Mrs. Vaughan were once that way

about each other, as they say.

I don't like your style, either.

For your information, I was in love with

Julie before she married Vaughan.

You'd ask me how I've told you.

And you'll admit you had a

lot to gain by Vaughan's death.

Nothing.

You mean she never told you that?

I bet you don't go around repeating what

women tell you, incompetent.

Women don't talk to me that way.

You're missing out on a

lot of fun, Inspector.

Maybe. What happened

at Vaughan's last night?

I walked out after Vaughan sort of hinted

Julie and I were trying to get together.

Were you?

No.

Well, now to explain this letter from

Mrs. Vaughan to you.

My darling. Oh, brother.

I'm sorry to have put you

in more trouble with Clint.

I must talk to you, and I

know you won't let me down.

As I told you, we could be so happy

together if it weren't for Clint.

Darling, you must

realize that, don't you?

There must be some way of

getting him out of the picture.

Call me tomorrow morning.

Love, Julie.

Where'd you get it?

Right over there on the desk.

Here's the envelope.

Pulled it out of a wastebasket.

Somebody's been reading my mail.

Any ideas?

Couple.

You may be telling the

truth, but she wrote it to you.

And it put you right in the middle.

You follow along those straight lines of

yours, Inspector, it sure does.

Anything else?

Not for now.

I'll be around the building, Miss Jones.

Okay.

Say, uh...

Who took Von's mail in there today?

I did.

You don't know how this

letter got on his desk?

I don't know anything about it.

It didn't walk in there by itself.

You figure it out.

Who's in there?

Collins was in and out quite a lot today.

So is the whole staff

after what happened.

You're as mixed up as I am.

Nobody was in front when it happened.

Nobody heard the sharp fire.

Nobody saw anyone run

out of the building.

Evening, gents. So you moved in here now?

Yeah.

Thought I'd give Collins

a crack at the city desk.

Yeah?

Mr. Wilson, to see you, Mr. Fuzzy.

I'll end the call later. I'm busy.

Look, you. There's

something for you too, Inspector.

You know, an old guy

very thin with a gimp leg.

Left leg, I think,

walks with a black cane.

No, why?

Might not mean anything, but he followed

you from the hospital today.

Stood around outside for a while.

Then a blind girl came along.

He dropped his paper. She picked it up

and handed it back to him.

Well, boys, looks like I'm next.

By the way, Slade, did

you ever sell insurance?

No, why?

I didn't think so, because you'd have

known that the policy on a murdered man

would be very thoroughly investigated

before it was paid off.

I'm to blame for that, so happy.

Say, oh, happy, what's

that got to do with me?

Nothing, except that Collins found a

policy for ten grand

with you as beneficiary. He

said he found it in his desk.

You're doing fine, Slade.

Oh, happy's been hounding

me on account of that letter.

Now, you and your insurance

policy, that really ties it.

So what? Let him

hound you if he wants to.

You keep your eye on the ball.

I'm on a spot. I can feel the heat

through the soles of my shoes.

Listen, I didn't want

to happy to hear this,

because I want you to follow it through.

Not that guy with the gimple egg. I

thought I didn't know him, but I do.

I think it's a guy named

Angelo. He used to be a sulee,

but the police

disappeared for about a year.

Now I think he's working for Nick Dyke.

That's what I heard anyway.

Maybe I'd better have

a session with Dyke.

I still think he's our man.

I'll see you.

[Music]

Yes, sir?

Never mind.

You're not very particular

about the company, you keep.

[Music]

Haven't I seen you before somewhere?

Yeah, the dispatch. My name's Slade.

Investigate it for the favor.

Is that so?

Yeah, I saw you up there the day before

Vaughn was killed, remember?

Mind if I barge in?

Look, you're wasting your

talents around here, Slade.

Breeze.

Not quite yet. I've

got things to talk about.

What kind of things?

Nasty things. You won't like it.

I'm listening.

Okay, so I'll make you breathe.

You and the dispatch didn't

get along so well, Cheque.

Get to the point.

You didn't like the

picture of you behind bars.

That's just the way the

paper was looking at it.

So?

So I figure you did the

only thing you knew to stop it.

You knocked off Vaughn.

Don't get carried

away with your thoughts,

because I might have to do something to

change your opinion.

Been tried before, Dyke.

But not by me.

I work differently.

Nice and clean, not messy.

A real artist, huh?

That's right.

Thanks for the tip,

Dyke. I'll think of it.

Do that.

Might do you a lot of good.

But I'll see you around.

Bye, Miss Jones.

Take it easy.

We shouldn't have

talked to him like that.

Let's get out of here.

Okay, let's get down to cases.

Number one.

How long have you

been schooling for Dyke?

I was forced to go.

They picked me up in

front of the newspaper.

What did they want?

They asked me all sorts of questions

about Mr. Vaughn's personal business.

Things of which I know nothing.

You're not much help.

What'd you tell them?

Well, specifically, they wanted to know

about a private file of some sort.

Private file, huh?

What do you know about it?

Well, I've never seen it.

But I do know that one exists.

I think Pat Garrell has

something to do with it.

Uh-huh.

Did you tell that to Dyke?

Of course not.

Good.

You better go to Julia's

house and stay with her.

I'll have you get the place well spotted.

I'll meet you there later.

I guess that would be the best thing.

Nice view out there.

Have I seen the view in San Francisco?

No, but I'm looking forward to it.

Glad you said that.

Come on, let's go.

Hi, what are you doing here?

Thought maybe old Pop Garret could throw

a little light on things.

Where is he?

I'm down at the carnival some tobacco.

He'll be back in a minute.

He doesn't keep a

very neat house, does he?

That's a fact.

How do you figure Garret ties into this?

I don't know.

I think he's doing some

undercover work of one.

I think I'll beat it.

I guess I'll stick around.

If you want to wait,

I'll run you downtown.

Now I've got my own car.

[horns honking]

Don't try anything, Inspector.

Don't be a fool, Slade.

You can't get away with it.

Oh, yes, I can.

At least until I've

taken care of a few defects.

So long, Inspector.

[horns honking]

I don't believe Slade

had anything to do with it.

He's got a lot of

explaining to do if he didn't.

Well, why wouldn't he kill him if he went

there for information?

Maybe Garret wouldn't talk.

Well, no, and I get my hands on Slade.

Oh, now wait a minute, Inspector.

I've known Slade for a long time.

I'll back him to the limits.

He's too smart to do anything like that.

Besides, it just doesn't make sense.

All right, President. Now

I'll tell you something.

He's so smart, he got Mrs. Wan to turn

over the paper tool.

Did you know that?

What do you mean turn it over to her?

The will hasn't even been probated yet.

That's right.

But she's investing him

with emergency powers.

What?

Her attorney's drawing up the papers now.

Slade's going to walk in here, take over

Von's job, and be your boss.

You never figured that, did you?

Why, that low-down double-crosser.

He wouldn't do a thing like that.

Sister, he has done it.

I've got out a general alarm for him.

You wouldn't have any

idea where he is, would you?

Yes.

He'll be at Mrs. Von's sometime tonight.

Good.

If he shows, I'll arrest

him on suspicion of murder,

and then maybe we'll know where we stand.

Bring it, book.

Put it in.

Oh, my dad.

[music playing]

Don't be carried away with your thoughts,

because I might have to do something to

change your opinion.

I work difficult.

Nice.

Clean.

Not lit.

[music playing]

Oh, Tim, what's happened to you?

I'll be all right.

I'll take a shot.

What happened?

Somebody didn't like

the shape of my face.

Gave me the works

after I left Pop Garrett.

What about Pop?

Has no happy toad? He's dead.

Yes.

He's coming here to arrest you.

You, Tippmark?

Well, what else could I do?

Thanks, pal.

Well, why did you hold up, oh, happy?

Why did you run away?

Because I wanted a chance

to work on a couple of ideas.

You mean like getting Julie

to turn the paper over to you?

I'll have you tell you that, too?

Yes.

But how come to Julie? Where is she?

I put her to bed upstairs.

She was pretty broken up.

You don't say.

I think she's finally realized what

Thawne's death means.

It's about time.

Why don't you let the police hand me this

and stop risking your life over things

that don't concern you?

Oh, yes?

Have you seen this key before?

No.

I got to hunt. This is the

answer to the whole thing.

What are you going to do?

Find the luck it belongs to.

They're so happy now.

Oh, Tim, I'm sorry. That's all right, honey.

Just come up for me now.

I'll see you soon, one way or another.

And we'll see San Francisco together.

All right.

[Music]

Yes, sir. 62. Just a minute, sir.

[Music]

Gotta be 20 cents additional charge.

[Music]

[Music]

See driver? Yeah.

See that camp back there

that's been tailing us?

Yeah, I've been watching him.

There's a five minute

before you can shake him.

Okay, chief.

[Music]

Here they come.

[Music]

What are you trying to do?

Hey, look out. He's going to block us.

Stop the case.

[Music]

[Music]

Thanks for the lift.

[Music]

Hello, Tim. Hi.

Excuse me for not getting up. I'm tired.

So, Tim. What happened to you?

Just about everything. I'm lucky to be

alive. Can I borrow some clothes for you?

Help yourself. Up they go, slave.

If you had me covered,

kid, I couldn't warn you.

You saved me a lot of trouble.

I was just going to search

the house for that briefcase.

Come here.

[Music]

Turn around.

[Music]

Open it.

Haven't you got a key?

Break it open.

[Music]

If it's got the stuff in it I think it

has, it'll be good-bye, slave.

[Gunshot] Best work, you.

That's how it works, fast. You're the one

that's left here alive.

Too bad you had to kill him. Or Happy

would have liked to talk to him.

I can handle a Happy.

[Music]

Inspector, a Happy, please. You present

here to dispatch talking.

Hello. A Happy?

Yeah, present. Well, it finally happened,

just like I told you.

Yep, Nick Dyke.

You better send over the meat wagon.

He's having a slight attack of rigor

mortis right in the

middle of my living room floor.

Yep. Yeah, he's here.

Okay, we'll be right over.

Who wants us down at headquarters?

Yeah, he's going to

murder charge against me.

Don't worry about that. He'll drop it now

that we've got Dyke.

It's all in a briefcase, Tim. Evidence

that Vaughn and Garro and I have been

collecting for weeks.

It would have sent Dyke to

the gas chamber. Come on.

[Music]

By the way, oh Happy said Dana Jones is

waiting for you down at headquarters.

But she's anxious to see you too.

I had an idea once Dana and

I would make a great team.

I never thought you'd fall for the little

woman in the vine covered

cottage stuff, but she said,

well, I'm glad I can deliver the body.

Body, yes. That's what I figured.

Huh?

Yeah, as I said, I've got about three

minutes more to live.

[Music]

I don't get it.

Yeah, you don't need me anymore, Hugh.

Are you nuts?

I wish I were.

I saw you shoot Dyke tonight.

He didn't expect it because he was your

pal, not your enemy.

Of course, he was only a strong armed boy

and you were the brains.

He was helping you get control of the

paper so you and he could run the town

and all the rackets.

Yeah?

You got me down here from San Francisco

when you were already

to finish off Vaughn.

You hired me knowing that

Vaughn hated me because of Julie.

I was an alibi and a poor guy.

You got it all figured out, haven't you?

Sure I had.

You built up a lot of little hates.

Some of them were real enough.

Then one afternoon you caught Vaughn in

the hallway and shot him in the back.

Yeah.

Then you put a slug in your own shoulder.

Probably tossed a gun down the stairs to

one of Dyke's boys who caught it and ran.

Sounds good.

After you got rid of

Vaughn, Dyke was next.

He knew too much.

It was one thing you

didn't count on, Julie.

You thought she was going

to turn over the paper to me.

You didn't like that

kind of double cross.

That's what I did in point you.

I wanted to see who would be interested

enough to try and stop me.

Did you?

Go on.

Remember that guy with the

gimp leg I told you about?

You knew all about him.

Uh-huh.

There never was a guy with the gimp leg.

I just tossed that in to see

if you saw a part and you did.

Anything else?

Yeah, this briefcase with information

about your filthy past.

Vaughn had Garak elected when he was

trying to get rid of you.

You had to have that briefcase so you

sent Dyke after him.

Garak wouldn't give it

up so Dyke killed him.

All right, Tim.

You've made your little speech.

Yeah, now you'll try to kill me.

I'm a fugitive with a

murder up against me.

Self-defense, you'll be in the clear.

It's just one thing I

haven't told you about yet.

I figured somebody was going to try to

take that briefcase.

So I gave the real one to

Dana to get though happy.

You what?

This is a phony. It's empty.

You're a smart boy, Tim.

A little too smart.

I hired you to get the guy that got me.

And now, I'll have to do

that little thing myself.

Think of all the trouble you had to save.

You hadn't answered

that telegram I sent you.

The only thing I didn't expect.

Might have known you'd

do something like this.

You could do me a favor if you wanted to.

Yeah?

Throw me down something to dig with. Anything.

I could make it easy for you, pal.

They shoot horses with broken legs? Sure. Why not? [Music]

Try that.

My working is strong enough.

Got cold steel inside.

Switch the top. Pull it out.

And seal weapons, huh?

I never intended to save

anybody with it, either.

[Music]

Can I help you, Hugh?

Go on, beat it.

But write me a good update.

The stuff that was in that briefcase will

tell you what to say.

But get me on the front page.

That'll be my high tide.

So long, Hugh.