We'll be at the airport in about twenty minutes.
That'll put us in Las Vegas about 2:30.
We're going after Granger, aren't we, lieutenant?
That's right.
What's the charge?
Murder.
What happens to a guy like Granger?
I don't know.
Too much ambition maybe.
Too many brains working in the wrong direction.
Or maybe it's glandular.
Step on it. We're late.
Carter wanted to talk.
But what could I tell him about the real Mal Granger?
And I knew him better than most.
He was in the racing wire service racket.
But he started out just like anybody else.
He wasn't a criminal.
He was just a guy working for the telephone company.
I just wish I could lay my hands on Don Ameche for a while.
I'd teach him to invent the telephone.
I've always had a secret desire to cross up some of these wires.
Get all the wrong people talking to each other.
Might be interesting at that.
Oh, lady, lady.
What are you so quiet about?
Bessie's sick again.
Every time we get almost caught up, one of the kids gets sick.
Kaplooey.
I don't see how you do it.
Take care of a wife and a couple of kids on our dough.
I can't even handle myself on that chicken feed.
It's tough, Mal.
If it wasn't for a couple of bets now and then, I'd never make it.
Here.
There's twenty bucks that's not working.
No thanks, Mal. If I need it at the end of the week, I'll let you know.
By the end of the week I may not have it. You better take it now.
Gee, thanks, Mal.
Tessie's gonna love you for this.
Yeah? My bookie's gonna hate me.
- See you at lunch. - Right.
Forget about those daily doubles, bud.
Thanks.
- Say, how about mine? - Hello, Bill.
Six forty and twelve thirty. Eighteen seventy I owe you.
Well, finally.
Stick with me, kid, you get nothing but winners.
Ah, that was yesterday.
- Hi Jack. - Hi Chippie. 22.
Ought to start breaking for you soon. A guy can't play tough luck all the time
I'll believe it when you begin to pay off.
It'll be a pleasure. Here.
Scratch sheet on the house.
Something in there might really pay off.
- Hi, Chippie. - Hi, Mal.
- How's the banking business? - Fine.
All right, how much do I owe you? And slug me gently, will you?
Forty even.
You ought to start playing some chalk horses.
Too many of those long shots run out.
I don't get any bang out of those even money payoffs.
For me, it's boxcars or nothing.
'Course this week it's nothing.
But, if you can carry me till Saturday, little man.
Sure, Mal, anytime.
You know me, Chippie.
I don't see why a guy like you should always be broke.
Why, if I had your...
Hey-
How about having a cup of coffee with me?
Well, you're buying I hope.
- Sure. - All right.
Two coffees.
Right.
Say uh...
You wouldn't want to carry me for another five, would you?
I like Big Day in the sixth at Aubrey.
- Big Day? - Yeah.
- 10 to 1, huh? - Yeah.
It ain't the money, Mal, it's just that he don't look so good.
All I can lose is five bucks and if it wins, I break even.
How about it, Chippie?
Five straight on Big Day.
You know the only good thing about putting bets on these?
I don't get indigestion swallowing them every time a cop walks in.
You know, kid, if I were you, I'd lay off the races.
That's the sucker's end of the racket.
All right, so maybe I'm losing a customer.
But you're the kind of guy that's always on the prowl for a fast buck.
And you're not going to make it off the ponies.
How do you know? I might hit a streak. Other guys have.
You're still taking the odds, Mal.
You ought to be able to turn a buck on the side if you really need money.
Lend me a nickel, will you?
Here you are working for peanuts.
When you got something up there that's worth a million bucks.
Yeah?
Anytime you figure a way I can put it in the bank, I'll believe it.
You could be rolling in dough.
You got a know-how with telephones and electronics
that's worth plenty to the right guy.
Dames, clothes, automobiles,
You could have anything you want, kid, if you knew the right guy.
You said that before.
I know the right guy, Mal.
He needs help.
So why shouldn't you be the guy that makes the buck?
His name is Vince Wallace. He runs the Tri-State Press.
I'll give you a run down on him in a minute.
I want to get your bet in before post time.
Hello, Moe?
Chippie.
What's the last post for the sixth at Aubrey?
4:20?
Five to win on Big Day for Mal G.
Yeah, that's all.
Well, now that I owe you another fin, I guess I have to listen to you.
All right, what is it that I've got that this Wallace can't leave alone?
This Tri-State is a wire service.
It furnishes bookmakers with all the dope for every race.
Direct from the track.
Would you like to see how the other half lives?
Yeah.
Hey-
Are they kidding?
- Hello, Jake. - Hi.
Got a man for the golden furnace. - Okay.
I tell you the wire broke down.
Can I help it if we were late with the prices?
Nothing but beefs.
Half the time they're so drunk you don't know what race is going.
What can I do for you, Chippie? - Nothing.
We're gonna do something for you.
This is Mal Granger, Vince Wallace. - How are you?
Mel's with the telephone company.
He's smart and knows electronics.
- Telephone company, huh? - Yeah.
I'm glad to know you Granger.
Can I buy you a drink? - No thanks. I don't drink in the daytime
I get into enough trouble without it.
Don't let him kid you.
Aside from liking the ponies, Mail's a steady citizen.
I'm glad you came, Granger.
Ever seen a layout like this before? - No.
I'll show you around.
A bookmaker can't exist without race results.
Right now the only wire service in town is my outfit.
You see that telegraph key?
That's the backbone of the whole racket.
You see, my wire service is legitimate.
There's no law against selling this information to anybody.
Those guys are talking to bookmakers right now.
That's live dope.
We charge them plenty.
They get a running description of everything
that's taking place at all the tracks.
The last odds, jockey changes, scratches, post and off time,
The actual running of the race and the results.
All with split second timing.
Of course, some of the tracks don't help us any but...
We've got ways of getting the information out
whether they like it or not.
I get it.
But if it was my outfit, I wouldn't want to rely on a one lung setup like this.
Too many things can go wrong.
You're telling me.
Come on back to the office a minute.
Close the door, Chippie.
What I want to do is expand.
That's where the real gravy lies.
Let me show you something.
Right now, there isn't a bigger outfit in the whole state.
So, the first guy that comes along and gives bang up results
is gonna make a hat full.
There are hundreds of bookmakers in every one of these towns.
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland,
Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno, San Diego.
Are you really hep to electronics?
I know what I'm doing.
What I need is a way to distribute my information
all over the state at the same time.
It would cost you dough but you could do it.
Did you ever hear of relay amplifiers?
Relay amplifier?
Yeah, that's a new gadget that was developed so people in different cities
could listen in to a telephone conference at the same time.
Could you set one up for me so it would work right out of L.A.?
Oh, sure.
You could run wires right out of this basement to any city you wanted.
Then the bookies in the other cities could get the results
just like the guys in the next room here.
Good.
I'd get rid of that telegrapher and set up a teletype system.
Then you have a guy at a microphone broadcast the results
just like a regular news broadcast from a radio station.
Get the equipment and set it up for me like that
and it's worth $125 a week to you.
Just as technical man to keep it running.
I'll make it a hundred and fifty.
Is it a deal?
I always knew there was some way to beat the races.
- That'll do for now. - Good.
One of you guys better count your fingers. Hello, Chippie.
Sorry to be late, Vince. There was a little trouble at the bank.
They didn't like some of those checks.
More bum checks, huh?
Mal Granger, Trudy Maxwell.
- How are you? - Hi.
He's going to put in a few improvements around here.
You mean like fresh air? I'm beginning to feel like a termite
working out of this basement all the time.
Yeah, you could stand a little air conditioning.
When I have time, you might give me your ideas on the subject.
You've got a new approach.
First guy I ever met that made air conditioning sound like etchings.
I've got things to do, Mal
You'll start work tomorrow, huh? The faster, the better.
You can say that again. Nice to have met you, Vince.
It was my pleasure.
- Goodbye. - So long.
That's a good dinner, isn't it?
The steaks are delicious.
And to think, three hours ago I was a wage slave.
- You ought to get rid of that. - Uh-uh.
I still can't figure out why you quit the phone company.
Honey, I got to thinking. Are telephones here to stay?
Sure, they're here to stay. You were doing fine with the company.
I was already beginning to make a few plans.
Yeah? What kind of plans?
You know. I thought maybe after your next raise...
Honey, there's nothing wrong with your plans.
You just got the wrong guy. - What do you mean?
You just hang on to your plans, baby, but let go of me.
How are your plans... for tonight?
Hey-
What are they doing here?
Excuse us.
This is another one of Vince's angles.
He runs a check cashing service for bookmakers.
He's sharp, all right.
I'm telling you right now, I won't discount any more
checks at the old rate.
If you want to duck income tax, you get eighty cents on a buck
for every stiff and no more.
It's not that, Vince.
He can't keep up the payments on the 3,000 you advanced him.
It ain't my fault, Mr. Walters.
I only borrowed that dough because I went overboard. I couldn't pay off.
So what? I want my dough and the interest.
If you can't keep up your payments, I'll cut you off the service.
If you do that, I'm out of business.
I gotta have that service, Mr. Walters.
If you could only give me a little time.
I'll give you one week.
Thanks, Mr. Walters, thanks. I'll... - Get out.
For ten percent interest, you have to expect a little trouble.
We got 3,600 in stiffs yesterday.
Yes, but you can't make any dough playing handball with rubber checks.
I want to see a girl about a boy.
I was feeling a little corny just now and couldn't resist coming over
to tell you what a small world I think it is.
Oh yes, you're new little boy we hired
to string wires up around the place. - That's right.
I'm also very good at filling in when people's dates don't show up.
Mine always do.
I'm sure they do. But I thought maybe you had a daughter around my age.
What do you want?
We're getting up a game of hopscotch tonight and
could you play on my side?
You're wasting your breath, Granger.
Trudy's all business. Believe me, I know.
You sound like an adding machine. - Hello, Mr. Walters.
I only dropped over because I had an idea.
Chippie tells me that Trudy works the races for you.
And I thought maybe I ought to go out there with her and uh...
See just what the setup is.
You can do that later.
For the first few weeks you're gonna have enough to do
wiring up that new system.
Well, I'm uh... I'm glad we had this little talk.
How are you, lieutenant?
Hello, Wright.
Thanks for requesting me for your squad.
Sit down.
Where do I start?
You have a reputation of being a guy nobody can approach.
That's why I asked for you when they gave me the gangster squad.
You can start by checking up on the bookie racket.
They've been having things their own way too long.
There's one outfit in particular.
They call themselves the Libertt Finance Company.
That's all we have on them so far.
There was enough there to convince me
that the Libertt Finance Co. was the front
for one of California's largest bookmaking organizations.
We didn't know then that Vince Walters' Tri-State Wire Service
was actually behind it.
And that Mal Granger was the technical brains.
His improvements ran the daily take up to staggering figures.
They're on the track in Chicago and ready to go.
- Where's Vince? - In Mail's workshop.
And there they go. They're ready in Chicago at 36 1/2
It's a switch on those walkie-talkie radios, huh?
That's right and miniature.
- If it works. - It'll work.
He receives me through this hearing aid, see?
And the amplifier and microphone become a transmitter
and that's how he gets back at me.
His cane here serves as an aerial.
Pop, just keep that ring right on the metal band, will you?
The only trouble we might get into
is if a federal monitor car picked up his frequency.
Then they could triangulate the beam. How does that feel, Pop?
Fine, fine. However I must say that I feel utterly ridiculous
being wired for sound.
Still the erector set kid, huh?
Well, why work when electricity will do it for you?
There's things it hasn't been able to do for me.
Mal wants to try out this new gadget today, Trudy.
I thought maybe you'd better take him out to the track with you.
Show him how you work.
Things have getting a little hot out there.
It'll be my pleasure.
Madame.
Eight on top.
Twelve.
Two and a half.
Eight.
Two.
And twenty on the bottom.
All set, Pop.
Let's test it once from the grandstand.
Officer, can you tell me where the coffee shop is?
Right over the grandstand.
I say, officer...
You're just the man I was looking for.
My eyesight isn't too good.
I wonder.
Could you give me the odds on this race?
Sure. Number 1, 8 to...
Number 1, 8 to 1,
Number 2, 12 to 1,
Number 3, 5 to 2,
Number 4, 5 to 2,
Number 5, 8 to 1,
Number 6,
2 to 1,
Number 7, 20 to 1,
Thank you, sir, thank you. - Don't mention it.
This is the life, Sonny.
You put horses and radio together, what do you get? Nothing but money.
You mean Vince's got it.
We're just a couple of hired hands.
I don't see him cutting you in.
That's because I'm the shy type. I haven't asked him yet.
When the time comes, he'll put out.
About time for those dogs to get going.
Hey, they got Trudy.
The pigs just grabbed her. They're taking her away.
Hey, Pop, take over. They just pinched Trudy.
Sonny.
You see, child? You're dated.
From now on, the wire service is strictly Superman stuff.
What happened?
They gave me the old heave-ho.
Warned me never to darken their track again.
I guess that washes me up.
You don't know anybody who needs a slightly used signaler, do you?
I'll put an ad in the paper for you.
I'm afraid I'm too much of a specialist.
Guess I should have married the boy whose father owned the supermarket.
Uh-uh. I'm allergic to that word if you don't mind.
- Supermarket? - No, marriage.
Makes me break out in a rash.
Don't worry. I won't be around long enough to start you scratching.
Maybe you ought to stick around. Maybe we can find something else for you to do
- We? - That's right, we.
You sound like someone who thinks he's going someplace.
I'm not one to brag but... Why don't you stick around and find out?
Might be interesting at that.
Look, Ma, one hand.
Keep calm, little man. Keep calm.
You sure it's all right to try it here? Suppose the cops saw us?
All we're doing is using their wire fence for an aerial.
If it works here, it'll work at the racetrack.
This is a low frequency transmitter, Vince.
I'm saving it for the day they crack down on Pop.
With the dough I put into this stuff, I could own a radio station.
With the dough you're making, you could buy a network.
Let's have your leg, Chippie.
Hope you don't get electrocuted.
Always kidding... l hope.
Hey, what's that?
That spring needle sets up the circuit.
The wires on your leg run to a low frequency carrier transmitter.
The batteries are in that case.
We put this telegraph key in your right pants pocket.
I'm left-handed. All right. Your left pants pocket.
Now all you gotta do is make like a telegrapher.
Come on.
Now...
When he leans against this wire fence, he's a walking radio station.
Of course, at the track, he'll have all of these gadgets under his clothes.
I still don't get all of this electrical stuff.
What I want to know is how do we pick him up.
That's what we got the car for.
It's rigged to pick up his signals.
The car keeps circling the track while he broadcasts.
Then they phone the dope to you. Want to try it, Vince?
Let's go.
You sure got the angles, Mal.
If it was anybody but Vince, he'd give you part of the take.
He'll cut me in, Chippie.
I got him by the short hairs right now.
I think they're ready. Start sending.
Here's hoping.
Don't worry. It'll work.
Believe me, I know.
I was down here myself and tried it last night. Come on.
Nice wine, nice lunch, nice girl.
Nice day.
That seems to cover everything.
What's so special about today?
I don't know. Days are like people.
They have a kind of personality of their own.
Take today, for instance. I like today.
Any reason?
I got a hunch it's liable to be lucky for me.
Yep, I think today's my lucky day.
Excuse me.
Mr. Granger, something's gone sour at the track.
The wires have gone dead. Every book in town's been calling.
Even I can't get through. The phones are swamped.
I've been afraid of something like this.
I think things will just have to work themselves out.
- But, Mr. Granger... - You heard me.
This wouldn't have anything to do with being your lucky day, would it?
Like arranging to have Pop picked up?
Why would I want to do anything like that?
You say the FCC picked him up?
Well, hold everything. I'll get Granger right on it.
He's got another way of handling the track.
Where's Mal?
He took Trudy to lunch over at the Blue Boar.
Get him on the phone right away. - Yes, sir.
Wire's down.
Wire trouble. Keep it closed.
Rocco?
Put Granger on.
Wire trouble...
Mal, what kind of an outfit you think I'm running around here anyhow?
Get over here. We're in trouble.
You'd like it better if I came there, huh?
Why, for two cents I'd...
All right. I'll be right over. Wait in Rocco's office for me.
Well, get it up. We've got a lot of work to do.
You've got to get a man out to the track with that new equipment.
They knocked off Pop today.
You can quit shouting, Vince. I heard you.
But maybe you didn't hear me right.
I'm not taking the new stuff out to the track.
So that's the way it is, huh?
Okay, I'll get somebody else to take it out.
Not with my equipment, you won't. I've already taken it out of the shop.
I know it was your money but it was my brains that made you that dough.
You think you can hijack me
just because I gave a telephone company sucker a break?
Get smart, Vince.
Ever since I hooked up your outfit all over the state,
you've been rolling in cabbage and I know it.
Your take is five times what it was.
But to keep it that way, you gotta keep me.
And if I don't?
I've handled guys like you before. You better think that over.
I don't have to.
You never got rid of anything or anybody that could make you a buck.
With that new equipment, I can get a lot of guys to finance me.
Your books are gonna be looking around for a new service.
So, as of right now, you're out of business.
What do you want?
Twenty percent of your take from everything.
That still leaves you 80%.
That's better than 100% of nothing.
Okay-
Thanks.
Hello, Syd? Mal.
You know that new show down at the Biltmore?
Yeah.
Any chance you can get me a couple for tonight up front?
You can?
That's swell, thanks.
Nice guy, that Syd.
During the next three months, the gangster squad knocked off
all the bookies it could find.
But they popped up like rats in another hole.
By then, I knew the only way to drive them out of business
was to crack down on the Tri-State Wire Service.
But so far, they were within the law.
One thing I was certain of
The bookmakers were paying off to fhe service at a drive-in.
We had these small fry marked for arrest
but it was the big shots we were after.
I staked out the place for a few days looking the boys over.
And I found that Mal Granger was beginning to throw his weight around.
- Lemon. - Yeah.
Apple?
Hello, Red.
Things are going all right with you guys, huh?
Stick with us and every night will be Saturday night.
- So long, fellas. - Right.
We couldn't make it any faster if printed it ourselves.
You picked a winner the day you tied up with me, Chippie.
You said it.
Just think of you wasting your time with the telephone company
and me fooling around with two-bit book.
Where is it?
It's kind of light.
They hit me again yesterday, Mal. Two grand.
I had to pay off right then, or else.
That's your tough luck.
You better have the rest of what you owe Walters in here.
Plus the interest.
Do you think I like owing him money?
I'll try to make the rest of it next week.
No soap, Weiss.
You get it up by 3 this afternoon or you're out of business.
Walters will be waiting for you at the office.
I want the dough, Weiss, and I want it now.
You've had five months and you still haven't paid off.
I've done the best I could. But at 10% interest I...
I've only got a little book, Mr. Walters.
You haven't got that now.
You're through, Weiss.
You can't do that.
I got a wife, two kids. I gotta keep going.
You can't do that!
Why don't you watch what you're doing?
A wife and two kids, huh, Weiss?
There are a couple of boys in town I might speak to about them.
How would you like to have the wife and two kids worked over, Weiss?
You can't do that.
I won't let you.
I won't let anyone.
He got right past me. Went right...
Somebody better call an ambulance.
He won't need an ambulance.
Weiss was found as suicide in his car on Kingsley Road, Granger.
Maybe that's why you don't want to talk.
Can I help it if Weiss bumped himself off?
I told you he was crazy when he was in the office.
He even took a shot at me.
Why did he come to your office?
He wanted to see Walters about a loan.
He said his book had been hit and he needed some money.
From what his wife tells us, you were already bleeding him.
He'd been paying Walters off for months.
I don't know anything about that. I just work there.
What's the gangster squad have on Granger?
Not too much.
The word's around town that he owns a piece of Tri-State himself.
We saw you talking to Weiss this morning at the drive-in stand.
What is that about?
Nothing.
He just asked me when he could see Walters.
That's all for now, Granger.
If I want you again, I'll call you.
Granger.
With Walters gone, it looks like you're going to be Mr. Big over at Tri-State.
If you're smart, you'll get out now.
You know, they all end up like Walters.
Quite an improvement for a guy who didn't even have a change of overalls.
Yeah, you like them?
All depends on what you're going to put inside them.
What kind of crack is that?
I just wonder if you're the same guy I used to know.
Just the same except for money in my pockets instead of wire,
tailored suits instead of overalls.
I hope you and your wardrobe will be very happy.
On the way out, tell the cook to send me some orange juice and coffee.
Yes, master.
Have you an appointment? Mr. Granger's only seeing bankers these days.
What's eating her?
I used to think you two cooked up a little deal between you.
Trudy's pretty sold on you.
I know, but that's not for me.
Some guys were meant to be single.
I hope I never fall in love, Chippie.
It's only asking for trouble.
That love business is strictly storybook stuff.
What I got to tell you ain't no storybook stuff.
The bookies are screaming about you hiking the price of the service.
They say you're murdering them.
They can afford it.
They gotta deal with me or they're out of business.
Why should I give those guys a free ride?
I ain't forgetting what you done for me.
But somebody's gotta tell you.
Maybe you're getting a little too successful for your own good.
Right now, you've got all of California tied up and everybody knows it.
Get too big and those big guys back east move in. You know what that means.
Relax, will you? I'll do the worrying for this outfit.
Maybe that's one thing you never thought of...
Maybe I'm big enough for the big boys.
Mal didn't know it.
But the national syndicate was already eyeing his operation.
Their headquarters was in an office building in Cleveland.
They had impressive offices and they should.
Last year, more than $8 billion was bet with bookmakers in this country.
More than the combined earnings of 25 of our largest corporations.
And the National Wire Service got a big slice of that $8 billion racket.
Ghastly stuff.
If I hadn't picked up this duodenal worrying about our affairs,
I'd be able to eat like a man instead of a kitten.
What about Jake Miller?
Anyone looked over the Florida accounts?
I have.
He was socking down on us all right.
Took us for $43,000 entering bets on winners for himself.
That's bad, very bad.
The man can't trust his own clients.
How long has he been with us?
Five, six years.
He's been screaming ever since we cut ourselves in for part of his book.
That's unfortunate.
Particularly so if word got around that he
took this money without any retaliation.
Some of the other bookies might get the same idea.
Are we agreed?
All right, Steve, I'll leave it to you.
You know some people in Miami, don't you?
What does he get?
I think he's a very sick man.
I don't believe he'll ever get well.
I'll see that he doesn't.
About California, Carl, I have the data on Granger.
Walters was knocked off about a year ago.
Granger took over the Tri-State service.
This year, he'll clear about a million two.
That isn't so much. I though the whole state was dancing to his tune.
It is but this is piker stuff.
This is just the take from the wire service alone.
If we were to move in on him,
set up a whole operation.
That would be a nice venture.
I've always thought we should do something about the Pacific coast.
It's ridiculous that this syndicate has never gone past Kansas City.
What would you suggest?
Let me look Granger up.
Nothing too exciting. Just a little suggestion he might find it more
profitable to come in with us. That sort of thing.
Very good.
But I've already had Granger looked up.
I'm sure you'll show him that in the long run
no one man has ever been able to keep
the wire service as a personal enterprise.
By the way, I uh...
I'm leaving for Palm Springs myself next week.
Why don't you go down ahead and look Granger over?
And Larry...
Take the wife along.
She might like southern California.
How long have you been here?
About two hours.
Why do you suppose I've been sitting with you that long?
Maybe because you sort of like me?
And I kind of like you.
That's what you think, is it? Well, I'll tell you the truth.
All day I've been feeling like a rat.
For a long time I've been feeling like a rat.
This afternoon I felt like talking to someone who spoke my own language.
And that's you.
A great, big,
good looking rat.
You need another drink?
Who doesn't?
You're going to get a great shock when my husband shows up.
He's even a bigger rat than you are.
You're a little tight.
But very sweet.
And you haven't got a husband.
- Hasn't she? - Darling.
This is my husband, Mr...
I'm sorry, I...
I didn't get the name.
You never do.
Well, if you'll excuse me.
You ought to pick them a little tougher.
The one I have is tough enough.
How did the meeting go?
Is Carl still living on milk?
Carl's all right.
Maybe he sees a lot of things I don't.
How would you like a little trip to the coast, baby?
I'd love it.
I've always wanted to live in Beverly Hills.
Hello, Tim. What's the matter? You still look down in the dumps.
And for good reason. Things ain't so good with some of us boys
since you upped the prices.
Come on, Tim, you're doing fine. You can afford it.
They tell me you're Mal Granger. I'm Larry Mason.
Could I have a word with you?
What are you doing way out here?
Came to see a ball game. - Hope you enjoy it.
I also had another reason for coming. I thought you and I could have a talk.
That's a long way to come without being sure.
You should have written me first.
The mail belongs to the government.
I don't trust much of my business with the government.
How about watching the game with me?
Sorry, I got some people inside waiting for me.
How about after the game? - I got a date.
What have you got against talking things over?
Nothing except I already know what you're going to talk about.
- Oh, I'm so sorry. - That's all right.
Well, are we going?
Gail, this is Mal Granger. My wife.
- Hello. - Well, hello.
Sure you won't change your mind about joining us?
She's very pretty but I already told you I got people inside waiting.
What about cocktails tomorrow at my place?
I'm not too far from poverty to accept a free drink.
All right, 7 o'clock. I'll give you the address.
Don't bother. I knew when you got in town and where you're living.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Oh uh...
Nice meeting you, Mrs. Mason. - Thank you.
Nice layout you got here, Larry.
You must be figuring on staying.
Been thinking of going into business out here.
Win anything on the game last night?
I don't gamble anymore.
Why should you when you've already got a sure thing?
While I'm here, I'd like to look over that setup of yours.
I hear that for an independent operation it's right up to the minute.
For a guy that's only been in town for a couple of days, you've heard a lot.
Thanks, I don't show it anymore. It's top secret.
No reason why it should be, is there?
After all, I'm in the same business. We might compare methods.
As a matter of fact, I might even have a proposition for you.
Thanks, I'm not in the market for any propositions right now.
I like things the way they are.
A man never lost any money just listening.
Could make him a wad of dough and save him a lot of trouble at the same time.
If you don't come in with us, you might run into some other outfit
that wouldn't be so cooperative.
Really?
I thought your syndicate was the only one big enough to operate on that scale.
But you're wasting your time.
If you wanted to talk business,
you should have sent Carl Stevens.
I only deal with the top man.
I'm not exactly an office boy myself.
But if that's the way you feel.
Must you two talk business all evening?
Tell me about Palm Springs.
Larry and I are going down there this weekend.
There isn't much doing there now that the season's over.
But if you want a lot of rest and some sun.
Not too much rest.
I like to keep moving, don't I, Larry?
It's all we've been doing since we were married.
Don't have a chance to think too much then.
Maybe that's why she keeps me broke buying clothes. Just something to do.
Carl's down at Palm Springs right now.
Why don't you come down with us this weekend and meet him?
Perhaps Mr. Granger wouldn't like it.
With the season over, he might not find anything interesting to do.
I don't know. I think I might find it very interesting.
Things have got a little dull around here anyhow.
Maybe I'll take you up on that.
Sure you won't have something, Gail?
Nothing right now, thanks.
More medicine.
I don't know how you two can just eat like that.
I've taken the very best care of myself.
And that's my reward.
I haven't had a decent night's sleep since I got here.
Maybe you're taking on too much business, Carl.
You ought to take it easy, relax.
We're always geared to take on more business.
Oh now, Larry.
Mal has every reason to wonder at our sudden interest in him.
- Haven't you, Mal? - Hm?
It is attractive here, isn't it?
Yeah.
You should think about going in with us.
We don't want to move in on you.
We want to cut you in as a full partner.
I'm not interested in getting any bigger, thanks.
I like things the way they are.
But you might run into trouble at any minute.
We're prepared to handle that for you.
Like the law or some undesirable element wanting to cut in.
We can handle that.
Give you and the service full protection.
I haven't had any trouble so far.
But if it comes, I think I can handle it.
It's more than giving you just protection.
It's cutting you in on profits you never dreamed of.
Suppose something went sour here on the coast.
You'd be getting a share from our other outlets.
You might well call it an annuity.
What is your offer anyway?
A very handsome one.
You would still retain a half interest in Tri-State.
And also receive a fair share of our profits throughout the country.
If you have an attorney you'd care to consult...
Thanks, I'm my own attorney.
I'll think about it.
I'm gonna get cleaned up.
I'll see you.
I wouldn't be too hasty.
Things are working out exactly as I planned.
That's plenty, Mac.
Yes, sir.
Here you are. Keep the change. - Thank you, sir.
A girl could get awfully drunk looking in every bar around town for you
Anything wrong with that?
Is it all right if I sit down?
Why not?
Have a drink?
I'll have a double.
Double what?
Double yours.
- Hey, Mac. - Yes, sir?
- Do it twice. - Okay.
You must like this stuff.
No, not especially.
I like what I see in the bottom of the glass.
Getting away from it all, huh?
Just from myself.
Let's dance.
Sure.
The boys seem pretty certain of me.
They decided long ago.
What about you?
You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble.
I've already decided to go in with them.
How could that save me trouble?
This is all part of the buildup, isn't it?
Beautiful girl, soft music, hard drinks.
Oh, sure.
I'm the prize you win if you throw the ring over the right peg.
Yeah?
I don't know if I can afford to buy a chance. Or are you giving them away?
Gail, wait a minute.
I was out of line.
Gail, please.
I had you figured all wrong.
I'm sorry.
We all make mistakes.
Anyway, I did tell you that I'd gone out looking for you.
And there is a guy named Larry.
Let's call that my mistake.
MY big one.
You know,
You don't look as though you...
Well as though you...
Belong to a big shot in the syndicate?
Yeah.
What do I look like?
Like someone who went to one of those smart girl's schools.
You know, belong to the country club set.
I did.
Until I met Larry.
Innocent young girl taken in by smooth talking stranger?
No, I knew all about him.
But you see, I'd never know anyone like him before.
Probably would have gotten over it if my family hadn't raised such a fuss.
Is this really important to you?
You're important to me.
Come on.
Hi, Pete.
What do you know, George? - Nothing much, Tim.
Say Tim, what's this all about?
I don't know but I don't like it.
Why should Granger bring all the bookies together
unless he's going to slip us some more bad news?
He picked a good place for it all right. A gas works yet.
Sorry to be late, men, but I got tied up in a meeting with my new partners.
That's right.
That's why I called this meeting here today.
Right in the same gas house where Vince Walters
first organized the Tri-State Wire Service.
We've all come a long way since then and we're going to go a lot further.
I just made a deal with the National Press Service.
How do you like that?
...right in the neck. - That's right, the big boys.
Carl Stevens, Larry Mason, Joe Gish
and Steve Marshak.
This is Larry Mason standing right over here.
He's gonna tell you what the new deal is all about.
We want all you boys to get together in a little protective association.
We've got some trouble coming up here and the syndicate's
prepared to handle it for you.
It'll take a little juice, a little money in the right places.
But we'll see that you get a buck's worth of protection
for every dollar you put out.
And by forming a protection association,
we can handle it in a businesslike way.
With our money?
Suppose we don't want to join?
You'll change your minds when you've heard the play-by-play.
I don't know if you men know anything about the politics in this state,
but if you don't, you should.
Right now up in Sacramento, there's a bill to legalize bookies.
If that happens, we're all out of business.
The state will be taking our gravy.
We've not only got to whip that.
But we've got to out box the governor's new crime commission.
Those guys can't be bought. So, if you want to stay in business,
You're gonna have to pay for it.
'Cause it'll cost money
- for a lobby of our own. - How much?
We're not going to have any hike in the price of the wire service.
All we're asking is 20% of every book.
He's out of his mind! - He'll make us broke in no time!
Now wait a minute.
Nobody is forcing you to join.
But if you don't...
The wire service can only take care of its own customers.
- Count me out. - Me too.
I've had enough!
I'm glad to see the rest of you guys are smart.
I've got all your phone numbers.
If you want to join up,
let the men at the door know as you go out.
Press the buzzer, Pop.
Get out of here, all of you.
You're not going to get away with this!
The bookmakers were no match for the strong-arm tactics of the hoodlums.
To stay in business, they had to submit to every demand for tribute.
The west coast soon became one of the syndicates richest assets.
Mal Granger had come a long way from the telephone company.
Here, you can take care of these things for me.
I got to go over to the Masons' anyway.
You don't spend much time on business anymore.
Why should I? The business takes care of itself.
And, I've got you to count up the money for me.
That's what I have been doing, Mal, and it doesn't add up right.
Add it up again. Maybe you misplaced a decimal.
Me or somebody else did.
You're supposed to be getting a 50-50 break, aren't you?
That's right.
The syndicate took over six hundred thousand last month.
You got one hundred forty six thousand.
That's not even 70-30, Mal.
Let me see that again.
They wouldn't do that to me in my own town.
Wouldn't they though.
Remember they insisted on having their own runners?
Where did you get those figures?
The bookies trust me, Mal. They wanted you to see them.
They figured if you knew
you were being taken like they were, you'd do something about it.
I'm going to have a long talk with somebody right now.
Do you think she could do anything about it?
What do you mean, "she"?
That's not the only trouble you're in, Mal.
Larry Mason isn't exactly stupid, you know.
You're a little bit out of line, aren't you?
I know, kid.
He's not the same guy.
But maybe he'll come around. It's worth waiting for.
Do you want to lay odds on that?
Hi, Mal.
I look a little different, don't I?
The boys did a good job on me.
I guess I have to learn the hard way.
Mal, if you could stake me to a fresh bankroll so I can open up again,
I'll go along with you all the way. Will you give me a chance?
You had your chance, Tim. You better get yourself a new racket.
I got troubles enough of my own.
I'm sorry, Larry, you'll just have to take off without me.
I don't feel athletic today.
Maybe you'd rather go down to Malibu and build sandcastles.
That's right, make yourself right at home.
Maybe you didn't come to see me. - I came to see you, all right.
I got a message for you and Carl. You can get yourselves a new partner.
You sound like things are tough all over.
Better let me buy you a cup of coffee. - Never mind the coffee.
All right, what is it?
You know what it is.
My agreement called for a 50-50 cut out here.
I got the figures that prove that all I'm getting is about 30% to your 70.
There are certain expenses we have to allow for.
And what if the figures don't all check out?
You're averaging $45,000 a month more
than you were you when you came in with us.
I don't care what I'm averaging. My agreement was for 50-50.
If I don't get it, I walk out.
It'll be interesting to see how you do it.
I've seen a few people try. But somehow, they never seem to make it.
No, Mal, you're in.
You came along for the ride and I'm afraid you're with us
till the end of the line.
You better have that coffee. You look all upset.
What's the matter, darling? Something's been bothering you, hasn't it?
It's funny.
I was supposed to be a smart girl.
Played everything for laughs.
- Now I'm frightened. - Of what?
What might happen to you.
Nothing's gonna happen to me.
I'll play along with these jokers until I can grab what they owe me.
Then we'll light out for keeps.
Nobody's ever been able to walk out on them, Mal.
There's got to be a first time for everything.
We found that out, haven't we?
Yes.
He was building up to the payoff right then.
All Granger needed was a shove.
It came along a lot sooner than he expected.
It came the next Friday night at the Legion Stadium.
Hello, Larry.
Didn't know you liked the fights.
Me? I'm crazy about them.
Particularly when I get in for free.
I found a ticket on Gail's dresser.
She told me she'd never seen a fight so I sent her a ticket.
If I'd known you were coming, I'd have made it a pair.
Sure you would, Mal.
- Peanuts? - No thanks.
A fight's not the fights without peanuts.
Hey, the kid in blue tights isn't too bad. Gail would have got a kick out of him.
Maybe you didn't hear. She had a little accident this afternoon.
Accident? When? What happened?
Fell down some stairs.
Hurt her jaw and nose.
Got kind of a black eye too.
Doctor thought she'd better spend the night in Hollywood Hospital.
Stairs, huh? Were you around when it happened?
What a punch.
That kid's really got it.
Sure, I was around.
I figured maybe Gail was just tired.
Not watching what she was doing.
She's been getting around too much.
Maybe she doesn't like the way she's been living.
Maybe that's why she gets around so much.
Could be.
Who's been spoiling her, Mal?
Drive-ins, little bars places like this.
You shouldn't do things like that for a dame.
Especially if she doesn't belong to you.
Only a minute now. I'm going to give you a sedative.
Mal.
It was a good fight.
But I'm afraid I underrated my opponent.
I'd like to see him pick on someone his own size.
No, it wouldn't help.
It would only end in a killing.
If they killed you, I'd die with you.
I can't stand around and let this happen.
Every time I'm not with you, I'll be afraid...
No, Mal.
I don't care about what Larry does to me.
But I do care about you.
If anything happened to you. - What am I supposed to do?
Just sit here and relax?
Right now, we've got to pretend we never felt this way.
Mal, you've got to keep coming to the house as if nothing happened.
Will you?
Sure.
Sure, I'll come around.
Maybe things will handle themselves.
Remember the old gag?
Time wounds all heels?
Want to see me, Mr. Granger?
Yeah. Sit down.
I was feeling kind of lonesome tonight.
Matter of fact, I'm feeling very lonesome.
I thought you had many friends. Only the other day I...
Sure.
I know a lot of people.
But they're not the right sort.
I need to meet one man, Rocco.
One man who can do me a lot of good.
Who is this man? - I said I don't know him.
But I need a man for a job.
A tough job.
Surely, Mr. Granger, you know many such men.
I also need a stranger.
Someone who doesn't know me.
Or anyone in my business.
Well uh...
Maybe you need a new sport coat.
- Sport coat? - Yeah.
I know a place where the tailoring is exceptional. The material the best.
A place in Beverly Hills called Gizzi.
Gizzi.
Gizzi's from Victoria. They just opened up. I know him real well.
His father and my father came from the old country together.
Gizzi.
Absolutely reliable.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
Just tell him I sent you.
Thanks, Rocco.
If you want something, come back in an hour. The clerk's out to lunch.
- Are you Gizzi? - Yeah.
I'd like to talk to you about a special job of tailoring.
I don't do no special jobs.
Everything here is plainly marked.
If you like the price, buy it. If you don't, go someplace else.
Even a friend of Rocco's?
Rocco, huh?
Nice goods.
You got a lot of nice merchandise here.
The best.
You like the way it fits?
Sure. Looks good to me.
What's this special job, friend?
Say...
No wonder your coats are so expensive.
Look what I found in the pocket.
Five thousand dollars.
I like them better with ten thousand in them.
Then the customer is very satisfied.
Maybe I better try on another coat.
Cold for you out here, Gail? Why don't you get yourself a wrap?
I'm very comfortable, thanks.
We haven't all been together for a long time, Mal.
What gave you the idea tonight?
I thought I'd better let bygones be bygones.
Besides I...
I could use a little gin money.
Smartening up huh, boy?
That's more like it.
I'll still show you that I can beat you at anything.
Well, I deal.
Just giving him a little break.
Dollar a point?
Don't want to make it too tough on you.
But even at a buck a point, the way you play gin I could retire.
So, I'll help you retire.
I could use a little luck, Gail. Why don't you sit next to me?
Are you sure you want my advice?
Sure, go ahead. With you kibitzing he's a cinch to wind up buying me a new car.
If I draw another card like that, I'll think something's crooked.
You can count on it.
I have to make a living some way.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
I'm very sorry.
How clumsy can you be. We better get some water on that.
No, it's nothing, Mal.
No, come on, we'll fix it.
Stay here.
The first time it's ever happened to us.
To others, yes but...
Never to us.
How did you make outwith the police?
They sweated me for eight hours.
When they found out I didn't know anything, they had to let me go.
They just told me not to leave town.
They even questioned me.
That's bad. Very bad.
The public should never even be aware that there is a wire service.
Lucky you spilled that drink.
I guess Gail was lucky too.
- Everyone but Larry. - Yeah.
I guess you never know, do you?
Still can't figure out who would want to kill him though.
Unless it was one of those bookies he batted around.
I don't think so. It was too carefully planned.
We still have our everyday problems.
We'll all have a little talk. Real soon.
Don't feel that everything has just ended, my dear.
If the police...
Can't discover Larry's murderer, we will.
And when we do,
there'll be another funeral.
Are you sure you told me everything?
I thought you were the girl who knew all the answers.
Please, Mal.
I didn't have anything to do with it.
You have to believe me.
Guess I have to.
I want to, Mal.
Come on.
I have to get out of this house, Mal.
Every minute is like waiting for it to happen again.
It won't happen again. Not to us.
I'll find you another place to live.
Maybe you ought to go to Palm Springs for a while.
I want to get away from the whole business, Mal.
Not just the house, everything.
I just want to be with you. - You'll be with me.
But I can't cut away now.
They still owe me plenty from that 70-30 chiseling.
Six months is all I need to make those guys pony up every cent they owe me.
And when you get that, you'll want more.
Another six months, another year.
But I'd be a sucker to walk out now.
Money's the answer to everything.
- Is it? - Sure.
Hello, Trudy.
Chippie said you wanted to see me.
That's right. You haven't been around much lately.
Anything wrong?
No, not with me.
Nothing wrong with the business either.
I'm declaring a dividend.
No thanks, Mal, I don't want any part of it.
Is that why you haven't dragged down your last couple of week's salary?
That's why.
What for? It's money, isn't it?
This money has a peculiar smell to it.
One I don't like.
Looks like things have changed, Trudy?
That's right, Mal, things have changed.
Some of the changes, I'm not so crazy about either.
Maybe it's just some of the people.
You're not nailed to the job. You can quit any time you like.
That's what I was thinking. How do you resign around here?
I'll save you the trouble. You're fired.
Any more questions?
No, I guess you've answered everything, Mal.
Good.
- Mal Granger in? - Who wants him?
Just tell him the man who sold him the suit. That's all you have to say.
He's pretty busy. What do you want?
Like I said. Just tell him the man who sold him the suit.
All right, wait here.
Okay, he'll see you.
How are you, Mal? You're kind of a tough guy to see.
Must be pretty busy these days.
No busier than usual. What's on your mind?
It's like this...
A man always likes to hear a good word about his work.
That job I did for you turned out pretty good, huh?
Everybody says you're a real big shot now.
A big wheel in the syndicate.
So'?
So I figure a big wheel has gotta go out more.
If you are, you gotta dress up.
Maybe you need some more suits, huh?
I got all the clothes I can use right now.
Say you put up 25 G's.
For a new wardrobe.
Then you'd look good no matter what comes up.
I can't afford it. It's too expensive.
It'd be a good buy.
I might take a trip back
to the old country for 3 or 4 months to see my relatives.
This would be a good time for me to take a trip.
Good for you too.
Maybe you got a deal, Gizzi.
If you leave right away.
I'll have it for you tonight.
We better meet somewhere where we won't be seen.
How about the Malibu pier at 10 O'clock?
Malibu pier.
10 O'clock.
Hello.
Hello, Carl, how are you?
Tonight?
Do we have to have a meeting tonight?
All right, if you say so.
Dinner at 8:30.
I'm glad you were able to spare us the time, Mal.
Yeah, sure.
This meeting concerns you perhaps more than it does us.
What's it all about anyway?
Larry's death.
We have decided that for you at least it has come at an opportune time.
We're going to put you in charge of the entire west coast.
Oh, that's fine.
But maybe I'm not quite ready yet.
I've still got a lot to learn.
Remember me?
The country boy that got sucked into a 70-30 deal?
We told you that was necessary expenses.
You got nothing to kick about.
You'll be getting a part of Larry's take from now on.
The big problem on this coast is to take care of Larry's murderer.
As long as the assassin is free,
others might get ideas about us.
Maybe we ought to let the police handle it.
They at least have got some leads.
It would have a more salutary effect if we took care of it ourselves.
And I mean to do just that.
What we must decide tonight...
ls where to start.
Larry's murder was obviously one of revenge.
Did you make out that list?
We had a little trouble around Kansas City.
Kelly and Rasta both swore to get him.
Mm-hmm.
But they didn't.
I've already checked there.
Kelly has been in the hospital for months.
And Rasta
was in Kansas City the night Larry was killed.
You know, maybe it was someone from out here.
Somebody he crossed.
It was.
I'm sure of that.
But none of these local bookmakers would
dare to attempt such a rubout.
Unless, of course, they hired someone to do it.
And probably someone from out of town.
There's one guy in L.A. who might handle a job like this.
I knew him back in Detroit. His name's Gizzi.
Surely there must be more than one suspect in a town of this size.
I think we better call all the hoodlums in.
- What do you think, Mal? - Yeah, sure.
Good idea.
I'll take care of it.
Good.
Then we'll start with Mr. Gizzi and
go on from there.
Sorry to have taken up so much of your time, Mal, but
I hope you realize that this business is urgent.
Oh, sure, sure.
Good night.
- Good night. - See you.
Thee you are, Gizzi.
And take my advice.
Make this a nice long trip.
Think I should?
I got to worrying after I left you today.
What happens if somebody puts the heat on you?
- Who's gonna protect you then? - I will.
You just go and visit your relatives.
Believe me, you need this trip.
I waited a long time. I can wait a little longer.
Particularly now I got my eye on a new business.
Oh, not mine.
- Yours. - I'll handle it myself.
I don't need you, Gizzi.
I say you do.
Just a silent partner.
Somebody to look after your interests while you
chase around with that dame of Mason's.
You leave her out of this.
After all she's pretty and young.
She might get into all kind of trouble if you don't keep her happy.
I tell you, leave her out of this.
Kind of stubborn, huh? Well, get off it.
You can't afford to argue, Now on, you're cutting me in.
I'd have to figure out how to cut you in.
And while I was figuring it,
a lot of things might happen.
A lot more will happen if you don't cut me in.
I'll give you till tomorrow to make up your mind.
I get kind of nervous when people keep me waiting.
I'll be seeing you, partner.
You look sick.
Get me a drink.
Am I glad you're home.
I tried all over town to catch you.
That cop wants you to call him.
- Pete Wright? - Yeah.
He wants to talk to you tonight.
What does he want? Where did you tell him I was?
I just said you would call him. Period.
I tried to stall him. Told him I thought you went to Palm Springs to see Gail.
I'd call him right now if I were you.
You don't want him coming here to pick you up.
Long distance?
I want Palm Springs 23654.
- Hello. - Hello, Gail?
Oh, Mal, I've been hoping you'd call.
Is anything wrong?
I'll tell you about it when I see you.
But you got to do something for me right away.
You know that relay amplifier I rigged up when I was down there?
That thing I used to keep in touch with all the offices?
Yes, it's still here but...
What's all this about?
- Is it Carl? - Not yet.
But unless you do exactly as I tell you, I'm going to be in a lot of trouble.
Go ahead, Mal.
Pick up the other phone.
And call Pete Wright of the gangster squad in Los Angeles.
When you get him, put each phone in the cradles of the amplifier.
You understand that?
Okay. Call him.
Okay, Mal.
Hello, operator.
I want to call Los Angeles. Michigan 5211, please.
Lieutenant Wright please. Palm Springs calling.
Gangster Squad, Wright speaking.
Hello, Lieutenant Wright, this is Gail Mason.
Just a moment. Mal wants to talk to you.
Put the beeper on. I want this recorded.
Hello, Granger?
What are you doing in Palm Springs? You were told not to leave town.
That's what I'm calling you about.
Gail needed a rest pretty badly and...
I thought I could use some sun myself so, uh,
We decided to run down here on our own.
I thought you'd be sort of celebrating.
Word's around town you just had a promotion.
How does it feel having Larry Mason's old job?
You know a lot, don't you?
I like to keep tabs on a guy who's going up in the world so rapidly.
Thanks-
Don't mention it.
Better stay put, Granger. That's all.
I just wanted him on the record about taking over the West Coast.
Well, we've got it.
It may come in handy if we ever go before the Grand Jury.
This coroner's report doesn't add up at all.
According to him, Gizzi was crushed to death before he was dumped in the ocean.
No water in his lungs.
The crime lab report isn't in yet.
For my money, it's just another wrong guy rubbed out.
But it wasn't a gang job.
It doesn't have the right characteristics.
He had money on him.
So robbery's out.
I think it was done on the spur of the moment.
I can't get it.
What's the matter?
If it's not Bing Crosby, you don't like it?
It's that one you ran on Granger. I can't get part of it.
A whistle keeps drowning out something he's saying.
Let me hear it. Maybe I can figure it out.
Right here.
Gail needed a rest pretty badly and...
so, uh...
decided to run down here on our own.
That's some kind of a streetcar whistle.
Whatever it is, they don't have any transportation running
right through the center of Palm Springs.
You know a lot, don't you?
Granger wasn't there at all.
Why did he go to so much trouble to rig up an alibi?
We better have a talk with him.
Mal.
Mal, this happened right about the time you talked to me.
Well?
Did your alibi have anything to do with this?
You've been around long enough not to ask questions like that.
Who was he, Mal?
How do I know?
Was he the one who shot Larry?
You hired him to kill Larry then you had to kill him.
I never thought that you'd...
That I'd What?
Murder. - Don't say that. I don't like it!
That's what Larry would have done.
I'm sorry. It will never happen again. I promise you.
I just don't want anything to happen to you.
Nothing's going to happen to me.
Hello?
Oh, hello, Wright.
Yeah, sure, I'm still down here.
What's all the rush about?
All right.
See you at headquarters at 3 O'clock.
What do you mean you don't know what that whistle is?
Take another look, Granger.
This is a recording of a streetcar whistle.
This is a recording of your phone call.
Identical sounds. Streetcar whistles.
There are no streetcars in Palm Springs.
I still don't know what you're so excited about.
I've been around electronics.
You could have butched up that recording yourself.
It might have been a streetcar from around here. They do go past here.
You think of everything, don't you?
But you were framing an alibi that night.
That cathode ray proves it.
Why should I need an alibi?
You tell us.
A lot of things happened that night.
But only one would interest you.
A guy named Gizzi.
The guy went off the pier?
I never even heard of him.
If you guys are going to drag me down here every time you get a brainstorm...
We are.
And one of those brainstorms is going to get you in trouble, big shot.
I have a hunch you got my message at the beach all right.
But you didn't call Palm Springs from your house. You're too smart for that.
You probably went to the drug store and called Mrs. Mason
and had her hook up your call.
You've heard of relay amplifiers, haven't you?
Maybe I have and maybe I haven't.
I'm tired of playing games over some stupid train whistle.
Either book me, let me call my lawyer, or let me get out of here.
Okay, Granger, you can beat it.
Thanks.
The next time I bring you in, it's to stay.
So don't get any ideas about leaving town.
What makes you think there's going to be a next time?
Don't worry, we'll be ready in five minutes.
That's not what I'm worried about.
There's nothing the matter, is there? You're going with me?
Of course I am.
All right, you wanted to get away. Now you're doing it.
Look.
You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I got everything figured out.
If it were only the police, Mal, we'd have a chance.
But there's Carl.
I've seen too many try it but I've never seen anyone make it.
Come here, let me show you something.
There's $230,000 in cash.
I didn't get that by being stupid.
And I know where I got about that much more waiting.
And I'll tell you where we're going to get it.
We're going to Las Vegas.
You, me and Chippie.
Las Vegas?
That's the last place Carl will figure.
This is one time I make those guys pay off every cent they owe me.
While I was still trying to hook up Granger with Gizzi's murder in L.A.,
he was fixing things for a real haul.
It was a dangerous plan.
But by now, Mal was too driven to care.
Mal knew which books the syndicate owned in las Vegas.
And he was going to past post them.
If he was caught, he was dead right then.
He tapped the cables of the wire service that led to all the horse parlors.
And electrically set their clocks back two minutes.
Then he stretched wires into a hotel room.
Between the connections were tape recording machines.
By next afternoon, Granger was all set for the kill.
How do I look?
Hope I look better than I feel, 'cause I don't feel so good.
You look fine, Chippie. Now, you got it straight?
Your station is at the horse parlor across the way.
When I get the winner,
I'll cut in on the loudspeaker with the late price change.
I'll use a phony voice like this.
Flash. The odds on number three in the seventh
race are now 8 to 1. - Hey, that's good.
Now the number of the horse I call is the winner.
And I'm going to sock $3,000 across the board on number 7 in the eighth race.
No, the seventh race. Number 3 in the seventh race.
Mal, what if I get it wrong? - Don't worry, Chippie.
It'll be the last time you ever get anything wrong in your life.
- I hope so. - Now remember.
It's just the number of the horse I call
and the seventh and eighth races in California but
you gotta make a couple of sucker bets first.
If I want to pick a loser, I'll pick a winner. It's just my luck.
No, we got to build up a couple of losses
so they won't think anything about it
when we really start to chunk it in later.
Okay, get going.
I've already told Gail what to do.
In the third in California
Make the show horse $2.60
instead of $2.80.
They're nearing the post for the seventh in California.
Here's the reading.
Here are the readings.
Even money on top.
20, 4
20
scratch one.
10,6
2 1/2 and 8 on the bottom.
Granger was now ready.
He was recording the running of the race on one tape recorder.
And holding up the recorded results for two minutes.
On the other machine he was releasing the delayed results to the horse parlors
They're off and running in the seventh in California.
At the quarter it's number 8 by a neck.
Number 6 by a head.
And number 2.
They're still at the post in the seventh at California.
They're still at the post in the seventh at California. Number 3 is acting up.
Nothing to it.
In the stretch,
It's number 2 by a length,
number 6 by a head,
and number 8 is running third.
Here are the winners at California,
Number 2 wins it by three lengths.
They're still at the post.
Here comes a flash.
Number 2
Number 2 is now 15
Two thousand across the board on number 2 please.
Yes, ma'am.
Three thousand across the board on number 2.
Just a minute. Al?
This fellow wants to bet $3,000 across the board on number 2.
They're not off yet in California.
Number 2
Is back to 20.
He's already lost $8,000.
Guess he's trying to get even.
Take it. They're still at the post.
Okay-
They're off and running in the seventh at California.
At the quarter it's number 8 by a neck,
Number 6 by a head,
And number 2.
At the half it's number 6 by a half a length,
Number 2 by a head,
and number 8.
In the stretch,
It's number 2 by a length,
number 6 by a head,
and number 8 is running third.
Here are the winners at California,
Number 2 wins it by three lengths.
Number 6 is second.
And number 8 is third.
It's okay in California in the eighth.
That's number 9 Milargo,
number 1 Zapata,
and number 3 Thirador.
That's 9, 1, and 3.
Pardon me.
You hit us pretty hard.
I'm afraid we haven't got this kind of money on hand.
Would you mind taking a check? You can cash it
at the bank when it opens in the morning.
I guess it'll be all right.
I'll get it right away.
Here you are, Chippie. The hotel paid Gail off in cash.
Did you get rid of those lines on the roof?
You wouldn't know anybody was up there. Not even a cigarette butt on it.
All we got to do is cash Chippie's check in the morning and then, darling...
We're retired.
I'm afraid.
Between the police and Carl. - It's all over.
We're going to sink without a trace.
We just lie low at the Boulder Inn for a couple of weeks and then
we're off to Guatemala.
Maybe you will, but how about me?
If they start looking, Vegas will give them all the answers.
Now, let's not borrow trouble.
There's only one road out. If they check the railroads and the airlines...
Chippie...
Just in case of a tie, I got a place all picked out.
That's him all right.
He didn't say his name was Granger.
He brought in a Cadillac with a marked up fender.
I rubbed it down and airbrushed it while he waited.
Made it look good as new.
And the paint was identical with the sample we showed you?
Yeah, Cadillac green.
Thanks. That's all we need.
Let's pick up Granger.
Nobody else has been able to tell me how my books
were hit for a quarter of a million dollars in one day, Healy.
What makes you think you can? - Nothing maybe.
But the day it happened, I saw Chippie Evans cashing a wad.
And Mal Granger was in town too.
I saw him.
Go on.
I just figured they went down for the weekend.
When I heard what happened...
You'll figure it out for yourself.
Now it adds up.
Only one man in the world would know how to past post up here.
Mal Granger.
Now I'm sure of a lot of things.
Larry's death.
Mrs. Mason was with him.
You've done us a favor, Healy.
When I get back to L.A.,
I'll see that you're set up with a new book.
Thanks.
Now if you could just tell us where Granger is staying.
He's not here now.
He wouldn't take a chance on getting cut off in a place like this.
That's why you'll never be anything but a bookmaker, Healy.
Mal Granger's too smart to run.
He'd stay right here expecting us to be searching the country for him.
We heard about an hour ago that the police
were down at his place in Malibu looking for him for Gizzi's murder.
Operator, will you get me the L.A. police department.
I want to talk to Lieutenant Pete Wright of the Gangster Squad.
Guatemala, here we come. Nothing in the papers about us. We're in the clear.
How are you darling? You still love me?
I'll love you more in Guatemala. - That's my girl.
Come on, Chippie.
We got to go to Las Vegas to get the check cashed.
That's kind of taking chances, ain't it?
Not as much as if you try to collect it in some other town
and wait for the check to clear.
You get a cab out of here and go straight to the bank in Las Vegas
- and keep the cab waiting, see? - Sure.
All right, come on. Let's get going.
Come on, come on.
NOW!
Wait a minute!
A hundred thousand dollars.
Where's the rest of it, Evans?
I don't know.
Boulder Inn.
So that's where our little boyfriend is.
Isn't he?
Stop it! You know I can't stand that.
Besides, that's...
Peterson's department.
I told you I don't know anything.
He's at the inn all right.
Should we get him?
No, let him stay there until our
friends the police arrive.
What are you going to do to me?
Evans, I admire loyalty but not to the wrong people.
You will go with Peterson, please.
You'd better get down to the airport. You'll miss Lieutenant Wright.
You're the one who called him. He'll be expecting you.
A policeman?
I wouldn't be bothered.
You take care of it. I'll join you later.
Hi, Pete.
What's that you called me? - He meant Mr. Wright.
That's better.
Where's Stevens?
You know how these things upset him.
He doesn't like to get involved in anything unpleasant.
Oh, sure. He wants to keep his lily white hands clean.
Sheriff Steele.
Howdy, Sheriff. Always glad to help an officer.
Why don't you stop marching?
And get this through your head.
The only reason I'm here cleaning up your dirty laundry
is because we want Granger badly.
There's no reason for that attitude.
My attitude toward you is one of complete disgust.
We're clean. Our wire service is perfectly legitimate.
So are your banks and music businesses.
But what about all your sidelines?
You want me to go into them?
What's that got to do with Granger? You came up here to get him, didn't you?
Sure. But someday, we're going to get all of you.
When the public gets wise to your stinking mess.
Now where's Granger?
Boulder Inn.
We can be there in about 35 minutes. I've got a car waiting.
Well, that settles Granger.
I think we handled things very well.
- My bags here? - I had them checked.
Good.
Steve, I'm putting you in charge out here.
I promised my children I'd go back East on the farm with them for a while.
Anything important, I can be reached through the usual source.
Mal?
Something's happened to Chippie.
I think we better go find him.
The inn's about 7 miles from here.
Not far from the dam.
That's Granger. Turn around.
It's Pete Wright.
He's turning around.
We better head for Boulder Dam.
Once we're across the dam, we're in Arizona.
We'll never make it into Vegas now.
Sherriff's car number 1 calling government rangers at Boulder Darn.
Green Cadillac convertible
California license number, 9 Young 8...
9 Young 8... - 014.
014 headed toward dam.
This man wanted for murder. Throw up roadblock. Over.
Kelly, Bates, you handle the other side. Get him if he tries to come over.
Hey, what's the matter? - What's the hold up?
Mal, it's too late. They've blocked it off.
It's never too late, darling, come on.
The nexz' four of the dam will leave in five minutes.
The next tour of the dam
will leave immediately.
No smoking on the elevator.
Wright, L.A. Police.
Granger's car is parked up there.
Did you see anyone that fits his description?
No, I didn't see them.
The only way they could have got through is in a crowd.
Want to come with us, Captain? We'll check the other end.
We're now descending in the elevator 528 feet.
One tenth of a mile, or equal to the height of a 44 story office building.
As we step from the elevator,
We still have 199 feet of the dam below us.
Kelly, have you seen Granger and the girl?
Nope, no one's got through here.
They must have ducked into the dam. - Let's check.
Right this way, please.
Follow me. Watch your step.
At this point,
we're now standing in a portion of the dam
that's 457 feet thick.
It's 107 feet
upstream through solid concrete
to the water in Lake Mead.
We're going to walk downstream through the thickness of the dam,
350 feet to the Nevada wing of the power plant.
Watch your step, please.
Follow me.
How long ago did the last tour get out?
10 minutes ago. They should be coming out right about now.
Let us use your binoculars.
You are now standing in the Nevada wing of the power plant.
Ahead are seven hydroelectric generators
each one with a turbine capacity
of 115,000 horsepower.
Don't worry, we'll get out of here as soon as we get over to the Arizona side.
Now, right this way, please.
Follow me.
Where we're now standing, folks, it's 560 feet up to the top of the dam,
The elevator shaft we came down is right to the left
of the large awning you see at the top of the dam.
Say, can I borrow your glasses, sir? - Sure.
- Thank you, sir. - You're welcome.
It's Pete Wright. We better lose this crowd.
There he is, come on.
What do we do now?
If we can find the Arizona elevators ahead of that crowd, we've got a chance.
Come on.
Come on. This way.
I can't go any further, Mal, I just can't.
You've got to.
Come on.
Gail, listen to me.
You wait back there for me.
I'll shake them off and come back for you.
Yes.
Take her up to my car. We'll keep after him.
He must have taken the Nevada inspection stairway.
We can take the elevator and catch him at the top.
Granger, hold it!
Oh, Mal.
Give me two to win on Honeycomb in the fifth.
Only an innocent two dollar bet, you say?
It's just as innocent as the germs in an epidemic.
Spreading the worst kind of disease.
The civic disease of criminals with an $8 billion racket.
Corrupting politicians,
buying protection,
fostering crime, all with your two dollars.