Naked Alibi

No.

- How much longer will have to sit here? - That depends.

I told you I didn't do anything.

You were drunk and disorderly.

- So I had a few. - No identification.

You say your name is Al Willis, we don't know.

Must've left my wallet in the bar, that's no crime.

If you are who you say you are, there's no need to worry.

- A man is checking on you now. - Cops?

You guys give me the pain, think got a license to shove people around?

I'm a respectable citizen, I never had any cop trouble before.

Then you won't have any now, so take it easy.

I'm getting out of here. Take your grubby hands off me.

Stinking cops.

Nobody socks me around like that, nobody. I get even, I always do.

What happened?

Brought him in on a drunk charge, questioning about those east side robberies.

He got wild and I got careless.

- You better have that taken care of. - Yeah.

Excuse me chief. Fred, Albert Wilson is his name all right.

Runs that bakery like he said, good reputation.

As far as I can tell he's never even been arrested.

Alright, tell him he can go.

Ed, I want to talk to you in the morning about the Foley Jewel theft.

- You haven't been making too much progress. - Well, you know what we had to go on.

I'd like those robbery reports on my desk first thing in the morning Fred.

Alright.

- Working kind of late again. - Yeah.

Yeah, lots to do, you've seen this?

- What's that Goodwin want anyway? - New chief of detectives.

I'll hear about in the morning, I got an appointment with the commissioner.

I, I'm sorry lieutenant, I want to apologize for what I said and did.

Joanie had a bad dream, she's all right now.

- You have a good time? - Sure.

- Sorry I'm late dear. - Al...

Oh, it's nothing, I had a little trouble, that's all.

- What happened? - The police.

They thought I was someone else, it was a mistake.

- But they hurt you. - No, it's all over, forget it.

Now go to bed, eh? I'll run down the shop see if everything is all right.

I see you in a little while.

She hit me on the head with a plate.

You can't see the scar because some hair is grown over it.

Well, good night Max.

- Good night lieutenant, see you tomorrow. - You bet.

Hello? Hello?

Attention all units. Attention all units.

Hold anyone in possession of firearms...

for investigation of the murder of a police lieutenant.

Refer any information to Homicide Detail, Central Headquarters.

No description of suspect.

Here they are.

- 32s, eh? - Not quite, fraction smaller. 7.63s.

Probably fired from a German Mauser.

That's something, special gun might not be so hard to find.

Well, that eliminates most of the fish we hauled in last night.

Lots of colts and a few lugers.

- No Mauser. - Want some coffee Stu?

No thanks.

- Thanks Stu. - Alright.

Oh and check out Fred's active sheet.

He might've been closing in on someone and give his files a going over.

- Somebody could've been holding a grudge. - Be right on it.

Now, wait a minute.

Come on.

Later.

Al Willis, bring him in.

- Happy honeymoon. - Bye, bye.

Albert Willis?

- We'd like you to come with us. - What for?

We want to talk to you about the killing of lieutenant Parks.

I don't know anything about it, just what I read in the papers.

- I don't know anything. - We'll talk about it downtown.

I don't want to go downtown, they'll beat me.

- Mr. Willis, you... - I won't go.

I didn't do it, I don't know anything about it.

I didn't kill him.

- Get me a doctor, will you? - You'll live.

At least let me get it bandaged.

You'll get it fixed just fine, as soon as you admit you killed Lieutenant Parks.

- I didn't do it, I told you. - You ran.

- I was scared. - Yeah.

Yeah, sure you were, because you killed him.

No, I kept thinking how they beat me up the last time.

And who started that?

Alright, I was drunk, sore. I admitted I was wrong, what more do you want?

You also swore you'd get even and now you have.

No.

I know things are pretty bad for me now, starting that fight and all that.

But shooting off at the mouth is one thing and killing a guy is something else.

Not always.

Why you so anxious to pin this thing on me anyway?

Why? Because you killed him, that's why.

Because you shot him in the back with a German Mauser.

- A what? - Now, where did you hide the gun?

I've never even seen a German Mauser.

- Why don't you leave me alone? - I will.

Just as soon as you tell me the truth.

Now let's start all over again, where were you last night?

I told you, I told you. I was at my shop working, baking.

All night?

From 11 o'clock on, ask my help, ask any of them.

Lt. Parks was killed within two blocks of your place.

I don't suppose you could've slipped out...

killed him and ducked back without being missed, could you?

Not much.

Willis' attorney and wife are out there.

My name is Frazier, I'm Mr. Willis' attorney.

- I don't believe you've met Mrs. Willis. - How are you?

The officers didn't have to hit him like that.

They did hit him.

They were justified Mrs. Willis, your husband was resisting arrest.

May I see him?

Please?

Alright.

Chief, I think you should know that I have three of Willis' employees...

ready to testify that he was in the shop all night long.

You didn't waste any time, did you?

And I can produce a dozen character witnesses.

- You got the wrong man chief. - I don't think so.

Mrs. Willis already phoned her councilman Edgar Goodwin.

And told him what's been happening to her husband...

naturally the councilman is interested.

Naturally.

Why, don't you think the wise thing to do would be to let him go?

No, I don't, he's a killer.

Wilma? Mr. Frazier.

May I speak to him please?

Frank, chief Conway would like to speak to you.

- Hello. - Joe, what's with this Willis thing?

Goodwin is got to you already, I see.

Now don't sour up Joe, he's just doing his duty, trying to protect his constituency.

Yeah?

Now, you keep forgetting...

any public department is answerable to a lot of people, that's the way things work.

- Now, what about Willis? - I'm going to hold him.

Well, if you've got anything on him...

I mean, anything tangible in the way of evidence?

- No. - Then I don't see how you can...

He did it. I saw his face when he made that vow.

Proof Joe, what proof have you?

Just give me a little time with him and I'll have all the proof I need.

Look Joe, I like you but I don't know what's got into you lately.

Maybe you're working too hard or something...

but you're getting yourself a rough reputation.

Now, take a tip.

Change your tactics or you're liable to find yourself without a job.

Now, you better turn Willis loose.

Alright.

Alright, you can go.

I don't know what you trying to do, but I don't want to be a fall guy for anyone.

I'm innocent, honest.

Put a tail on him.

- Sgt. Brawley. - Vic, I want a tracer out on Al Willis.

Yes sir, alright.

- Good morning George. - Good morning Jane.

George.

- Lawn sure looks a lot better. - I'm telling you Henry is got a green thumb.

Bye dear.

- I guess I should've been a gardener. - Yeah.

No kidding, I really got the touch.

Well, maybe someday I'll get myself a little nursery and I'll get every...

About a quarter to 12 last night, Willis came out of the shop...

and went directly to the community church.

I waited across the street so I could watch the front and side door.

Twenty minutes later, I began to wonder.

Walked over, looked inside, no Willis.

Figured he ran out the back door so I scoured the neighborhood.

Nothing.

Twenty after two, I spotted him back in the shop again, mixing dough.

That's about it Chief.

- Yeah. - Go along home, eh?

Nice.

- How about another flower over here? - No, I don't think so.

Joanie is going to like it.

- Hey, what is this? - Search warrant Mr. Willis.

What do you expect to find?

Oh, we're not particular, as long as it's a German Mauser or explosives.

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

You know, quarter of 12 at night is a strange time for a man to go to church.

I go to church whenever I want to.

There's no rule says when a man is supposed to pray.

You didn't go there to pray.

You went in there to ditch your shadow, slipped out the back way...

- wired Sergeant Jenkin's car with a bomb. - Bomb?

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

Alright, where were you this morning between midnight and 2:20?

Well, I was, I was at the...

At the Merchants' club. That's right, I was at the Merchants' club.

We had a big party, a celebration.

Why you leave the church by the back door?

Well, the club is on 4th street and it's, it's closer that way.

- Lots of people at the party? - Yeah and they saw me.

- Liquor? - Well...

So you went in, spread yourself around to establish an alibi and left.

Alibi? What do I need an alibi for? I haven't done anything.

Why don't you leave me alone? I'm trying to live a simple, decent life.

So were those three dead officers.

Now I want to hear all about it, everything. I want a full confession.

I hear Andy Babcock is being up to chief.