Private Hell 36

"The crime: murder. The motive: money."

"$300,000 which never reached the bank's night depository."

"The place: New York city."

"The killer and the money vanished. A slick, cold-blooded job."

"Not until a year later in the city of Los Angeles did the case come alive again."

"Detective Sergeant Calvin Bruner."

"Working on a robbery detail, Los Angeles Police Department."

"Checked off duty for the night."

"He was on the way home when his trained eyes and ears stopped him."

This is a Police officer. Come out in the open... with your hands up.

I said come out in the open.

Alright, don't shoot... don't shoot.

Drop that gun.

Now come over here.

Keep your hands...

Robbery Division. Farnham speaking.

What did you say his name was again, ma'am?

Yes ma'am, we have your husband on a robbery charge.

No, he's not receiving visitors tonight. Call in tomorrow.

What are you doing here?

I was on my home and going by this Drug Store.

I saw this character and a pal of his... taking over the joint.

Sit down.

Cal, you feel alright? ─ Yeah, sure. Never felt better.

Get everything out of your pockets. Put it on the desk here.

I thought you had a date. ─ Huh? That's right, I did, didn't I.

Well, I guess I'm going to be late.

This is one of the guys from the Drug Store, Lieutenant.

The other is on his way to the morgue. ─ Alright.

Proofs of honest toil, no doubt.

Anything wrong, Lieutenant?

Charlie Bowman got it.

I don't feel so good. ─ Shut up.

Where'd it happen?

Boyle heights, a couple of hours ago. He tried to break up a gang fight.

Does his wife know about it? ─ Yep.

I had the pleasure of telling her. ─ That was too bad.

Get me a doctor, will you? ─ Shut up!

I'm glad I go the other creep anyway.

Look, why don't you go ahead and wash up. I'll book him.

Sure you don't mind? ─ No. Go on.

Okay, see you in the locker room.

Alright... start telling the Lieutenant your life story.

Look, honest, I got the shakes.

Get me a doctor, will you? ─ Never mind that. What's your name?

Evney Serovitch.

Where do you live?

I'm a transient. ─ Who was your partner?

I could do with something now.

You know, some people can remember...

Faces but can't remember names. Sometimes I remember both. It's a gift.

The last time you paid us a visit, it was Jake Lamont.

You've lost some weight since then. Business bad?

My name is Evney Serovitch.

Where did you get the roll?

I took it off the guy that runs the Drug Store.

$50. You know, he's an old money-pusher.

That could be counterfeit, or it might be hot.

I'll check it with Stimson. He's all yours.

Let's go.

You ought to know the way by now.

Come on.

How do you like that? Look at that.

When did I get this suit? When was it? Yesterday.

That miserable creep.

A good thing it didn't go through you. ─ Yeah.

Frank Lubin out late tonight next to Bowman.

Only yesterday Bowman was telling me that he'd made his last payment on his car.

That's something, isn't it?

Stop taking it so hard. He wasn't your brother.

Nope.

Just a nice guy.

A dame I know gets me this stuff wholesale.

"Old Oak"... not too bad, huh? ─ It stinks.

I tell you one thing.

I'd rather be Bowman any day, than alive and pushing a desk like Lubin.

Lubin doesn't catch any slugs where he's sitting.

Catch? It's all in a day's work.

Just can't afford to make a mistake.

That's right.

Bowman probably got a little careless, that's all.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen to Francie and the kid if I got careless.

Ah, knock it off, Jack.

I can't afford to lose you.

You think you can find time to go to Bowman's funeral?

Oh yeah, sure. Maybe I'll wear my new grey suit.

Oh yes, he'll love that.

Sometimes I wonder why we go steady.

Because I'm irresistible.

What am I going to tell Daisy this time?

Tell her, sorry but you had to shoot a man. If she loves you, she'll understand.

"Bruner... Farnham"

"See Captain Michaels before you leave."

That ties it. ─ I wonder what the old man wants now.

He probably wants you to take over his job.

Yes, sir. There was a $50 bill in what they took alright.

You're sure about that? ─ Yes, sir.

Pah!

Tom, I think it's his bedtime.

I'll just keep the toys here.

Now Mr Mays, I hate to bother you.

You see we have to know where you got this $50 bill.

Can you remember? ─ Yes, sir. I remember.

A customer, a man I'd seen several times before came in tonight.

Tonight? ─ Yes, sir.

I was just getting ready to close up.

Anyway, he seemed to be in some pain.

So I filled a couple of Doctor's prescriptions for him.

He said he had a gall-bladder condition. ─ Mm-hm.

He's the one that gave you this bill? ─ Yes, sir.

I remember it because I had a hard time making change for that much.

Anything else you remember about him?

For every prescription, there is a name, isn't there?

Do you recall what it was?

No sir, no. I don't recall off-hand.

But I can check the prescriptions slips.

He was grousing about having to go back to work, the way he felt.

He said he worked in a club. A bartender.

The Emerald Club, ─ Emerald Club?

Yes sir.

Do you know where that is? ─ No, sir.

Now Mr Mays, we have to ask you a funny kind of favour.

We have to put this bill into evidence.

So we'd like to keep it here for a while.

Of course you'll... get another one just as good, alright?

Yes, sure. I guess it's alright.

$50 is pretty cheap for what you did for me.

Well, we don't charge for this kind of service.

So we'll just consider this a loan, shall we?

Oh... and the rest of this you can have back.

There is a $123 here.

Can you get home alright? You got a car?

Thanks... I sure owe you a lot.

If there is anything else I can do... ─ Yes, there is something you can do.

I wish you'd go back to your Drug Store tonight

and get the names on those prescription slips and phone it in. Will you do that?

Sure.

Could I... have somebody go with me?

I think we can arrange that. ─ I'll take him, Captain.

Okay, fine. ─ We'll get him there.

Goodnight. ─ Goodnight.

- Boys. - Yes, sir.

Lubin checked this bill, and as you probably suspect, it's hot. ─ Oh?

It belongs to that elevator homicide job in New York.

I just talked to them back there and some of the money,

not much of it, is showing up in Miami and there is some in Las Vegas.

They want us to follow up here. So?

Bruner... you and Farnham, take this on and see what turns up.

Yes, sir. ─ You hold the stakes.

And I'll go and find me a bartender with gall-bladder trouble.

Goodnight, Captain.

Ah, Bruner. ─ Yes, sir?

You took a long chance tonight and you won.

Next time play it safe, huh. ─ Right.

Goodnight now, boys. Keep in touch. ─ We will.

I never did like sending 2 policemen into a bar.

Jack?

Honey.

Sorry if I woke you.

I wasn't asleep.

Honey, what are you doing? Checking up on me?

Nothing wrong with the baby, is there? ─ No, she's fine.

It's me.

I guess I'll never be a very good wife for a Policeman.

Hey, what's all this about?

I heard about Charlie Bowman. Grace called.

Oh, it's so awful.

It could have been you.

I tried to get you but you were out.

I just wanted to be sure you were alright. ─ Of course I'm alright, darling.

The odds are a thousand to one in my favour.

Those are honest figures I read them last year.

I know I'm being silly. We have so much to worry about.

The baby... me... the house.

But sometimes I wish you were in some other kind of work.

Come on, now... I'm doing what I know how to do.

What I've been trained for... and I like it.

Except on pay day.

You know... for the first time...

my feet hurt.

You think I'm getting old?

Jack. ─ Huh?

Sometimes when I'm lying here waiting for you...

I get panicky.

I wonder what I'd do if you didn't come home.

I've never heard you talk like this before.

I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you.

I know I've got the baby... I do love her.

But I've had you so much longer.

Oh darling, please... couldn't you get a transfer to something else?

Something safer.

Don't press our luck.

Darling, everything is going to work out.

I'll think of something.

Hey.

What's all this? You got to go to sleep, huh.

There.

Hey, we're not open yet. Not until 5. Can't you read?

It's alright. We're not drinking... yet.

Is your name Marvin?