Return Of The Thin Man Part 6

Phil pulls his arm free, says: "That's no skin off your face. If she wants to help me out a little, that's her business. Why shouldn't she? I know things that are going on around here that-"

Dancer reaches out, grabs him by the necktie, and pulls him close, saying softly: "Smart boy. You know things. When are you going to start shaking me down?"

Phil says: "When I want to shake you down, I'll-"

Dancer stops him this time by slapping his face once, not especially hard. Dancer: "I don't like you, but I've put up with having you around because you're Polly's brother, and she's a nice kid, but don't think you can ride too far on that ticket." He puts his open hand over Phil's face, and pushes him backwards down the stairs, saying: "Now stay away for a couple of days."

Phil tumbles backwards into the arms of Nick, who, with Nora, is coming up the stairs. Nick says: "Mmmm! Big confetti they throw here."

Dancer exclaims: "Ah, Mr. Charles! I'm sorry!" and starts down the stairs.

Phil snarls at Nick: "Why don't you look where you're going, you big clown?"-twists himself out of Nick's arms and goes downstairs out of the place.

Dancer is apologizing again.

Nick says: "h.e.l.lo, Dancer. This your place? A neat way you have of getting rid of the customers."

Dancer smiles professionally: "Just a kid that hangs around because his sister works here. I get tired of him sponging on Polly sometimes."

Nick: "I felt a gun under his left arm when I caught him."

Dancer, contemptuously: "Just breaking it in for a friend, I guess." He ushers them upstairs.

Outside the Li-Chee, Phil finds a dark doorway from which the Club can be watched, and plants himself there. Nick's car is parked near the doorway. Both Harold and a taxi-driver, who is talking to him, see Phil, but neither pays much attention to the boy. Harold is chewing gum and listening with a bored air to the taxi-driver.

"And I said to him, *You ain't going to give me a ticket, you big flatfoot, and you know it,' I said. I said, *I got a right to turn there, and you know it,' I said, *and I ain't got all night to be sitting here ga.s.sing, so go polish your b.u.t.tons and leave me be on my way, you fat palooka,' I said."

Harold, wearily: "I know, and then you busted out crying."

Upstairs in the Li-Chee, Nick is checking his hat and coat while Nora looks interestedly around the place. Suddenly she grabs Nick's arm, says: "There's Robert!"

Robert and Polly are going into the restaurant.

Nick says: "The night's bulging with your family."

Nora starts to pull him toward Robert, saying: "Come on."

Dancer to Nick: "Is Mr. Landis a friend of yours?"

Nick, as Nora drags him off: "On the contrary, a relation."

Dancer stares thoughtfully after them.

By the time Nick and Nora reach Robert, he and Polly are sitting at a small table near the orchestra. Nora holds out a hand to Robert, saying: "h.e.l.lo, Robert," with a great show of cordiality. He rises drunkenly, mumbling: "h.e.l.lo, Nora; h.e.l.lo, Nick," and shaking their hands. Then he introduces Polly: "Miss Byrnes, Mr. and Mrs. Charles." Nick immediately sits down and begins to talk to Polly, giving Nora a chance to speak aside to Robert.

Nora, in a low voice to Robert: "You oughtn't to stay away like this."

Robert: "I know, but Selma's not easy to get along with, and sometimes I simply have to break loose."

Nora: "But you should let her know that you're all right."

Robert: "You're right, of course. But sit down. You can talk in front of Polly. She knows about Selma."

Polly, aside to Nick: "Tell Mrs. Charles not to worry about him-I'll see that he gets home tonight." She puts her foot under the table and touches Robert's. He starts to laugh, then covers his mouth with his hand, and asks: "Is-is Selma all right?"

Nora, indignantly: "You know she's not, and now with the police bothering her-"

Robert: "The police?" He and Polly both look alarmed.

Nora: "Yes, the idiots. A gardener we used to have was killed. Remember Pedro Dominges?"

Before Robert can reply, Polly exclaims: "Killed? Why, he's-" She breaks off with a hand to her mouth.

Nick prompts her: "He's what?"

Polly, to Nora: "What was his name?"

Nora: "Pedro Dominges."

Polly: "Oh! I thought you said Peter Dominger-a fellow I used to know."

Nick looks at her skeptically. Robert asks: "What's that got to do with Selma?"

Nick: "Ask the police-they don't know. I wonder if our table's ready." He stands up.

Polly whispers: "I'll see he gets home all right."

Nick: "Thanks. Pleased to have metten up with you." He and Nora move off to where Dancer is beckoning them.

Polly leans over to Robert, speaking swiftly: "Honey, could you get hold of that guy Graham and see if you can get the money right away?"

Robert: "Maybe. Why?"

Polly: "I was thinking there's no sense in waiting until tomorrow. I'll tell Dancer I don't feel well and get the night off and we'll blow town right away. Would you like that?"

A waiter comes up with fresh drinks as Robert says: "I'll try him on the phone now."

Nick and Nora come up to the table. Dancer stands, holding Nora's chair for her.

Nick: "Thanks." He sits down. A Chinese waiter comes to his side, hovering over him.

Dancer: "This all right?"

Nick: "Fine." Then to the waiter, who is handing him his napkin: "Never mind about that. Bring me two Scotch highb.a.l.l.s quick." The waiter starts away, but Nick stops him. "No. Better make it three. One for the wife."

Waiter: "Yes, sir."

Dancer leans over toward Nick, adjusting the forks and utensils on the table as he speaks: "You once sent a friend of mine up . . . Lum Ying."

Nick: "Oh, I remember him. He spread a tong war out to include sticking up a bank."

Dancer: "His brother's here now . . . one of my partners."

Nick, with a smile: "Is he a gunman, too?"

Dancer: "No. But you can't tell how close brothers are. Thought you might like to know."

Nick: "Maybe you'd better point him out."

Dancer: "I'll call him over. Lum Kee!"

Lum Kee is a plump, middle-aged Chinese man with a round merry face. He is dressed in American clothes.

Dancer: "Come here."

Lum Kee: "You bet you!"

Nick is looking interestedly at Lum Kee, as he comes up to the table.

Dancer, introducing him to Nick: "I want you to meet a friend of mine . . . Lum Kee."

Lum Kee grins, ducking his head.

Lum Kee: "I'm your friend, you bet you."

Dancer to Lum Kee: "This is Nick Charles."

Lum Kee: "I hear about you, Mr. Charles. Number one detective."

Nick: "Thanks. So you're Lum Ying's brother."

Lum Kee, still grinning: "You bet you-you catch 'em my brother seven years ago. You play trick on him. You bet you."

Nick, nodding solemnly: "No play trick on 'em, no catch 'em. You bet you." Lum Kee laughs merrily. "He still in?"

Lum Kee: "You bet you. Four . . . five years more." He ducks his head politely at Dancer, Nick, and Nora and goes off. Dancer looks meditatively after him.

Dancer, as if casually, to Nick: "That's a good guy to have liking you." He turns and walks away. As the implication of Dancer's casual words dawns on him, Nick looks after Dancer with humorous dismay.

Dancer goes to the table where Polly is now sitting alone and asks: "What's the setup?"

Polly: "They're Bobbie's cousins by marriage and think he ought to go home to his wife."

Dancer purses his lips thoughtfully for a moment, then says: "It's all to the good, them seeing him here plastered, but I guess we can't take a chance on them tipping off the wife and having her bang in. Give the customers one song and knock off for the night. Take him up to your place."

Polly: "I'm getting kind of tired of him."

Dancer: "It's only till tomorrow night. You can turn him loose then. Put a pill in his drink when you get him home, so he'll be sure to stay safe asleep while you run out to do that little errand in the morning." He pats her shoulder.

Polly, without enthusiasm: "All right." She gets up to sing.

Robert at the telephone talking to David. Robert: "That money you promised me tomorrow-give it to me tonight and I'll be half across the country by daylight."

David: "I told you I couldn't raise it till tomorrow."

Robert, snarling: "How'd you like it if I changed my mind between now and tomorrow?"

David: "But, Robert, I-" He breaks off as he thinks of something, then says: "I've got the bonds I was going to raise the money on-if you'll take them."

Robert: "They're negotiable? There's no foolishness about them?"

David: "Certainly they're negotiable! Do you think I'd-?"

Robert: "I don't think anything about you. How soon can you turn them over?"

David: "As soon as you can get here."

Robert: "I won't come there for them."

David: "All right. Where are you?"

Robert: "At the Li-Chee."

David: "Then I can meet you at the corner of . . . and . . . in ten minutes."

Robert: "Okay, but don't keep me waiting, or I might change my mind."

David: "And you'll give me your word you'll-"

Robert: "I've got to go home and pack a bag, but I won't bother your sainted Selma. I won't even see her if I can get out of it." He slams the receiver on the hook, says: "Boy Scout!" at it, and returns to his table.

(Throughout this scene, waiters, etc. have been pa.s.sing and repa.s.sing Robert at the phone, but none seems to have paid any attention to his conversation.) Nick and Nora at their table listening to Polly singing. Dancer, intent now on keeping them comfortable until Polly and Robert are safely away, comes to the table and asks: "Everything all right, Mr. Charles?"

Nick, shuddering at the first taste of his drink and frowning at the gla.s.s: "It's all something."

Dancer laughs with professional heartiness and addresses the waiter: "Ling, no check for this table. Anything they want is on the house."

Nick: "I can't let you do that."

Dancer: "But I insist. You must be my guest-"

Nick, at this point seeing the approach of a group of thugs he knows, and realizing that somebody's going to be stuck for a lot of drinks, says quickly: "We accept with thanks. That's mighty white of you, Dancer." He shakes Dancer's hand as the thugs arrive, and says: "Meet the rest of my party."

Eddie: "We don't want to meet him. He's a crumb."

Nick: "But he's giving the party. It's all on the house."

Eddie: "Well, I'll-well-well!" He turns to his companions, saying enthusiastically: "Boys! Champagny!"