The Big Sleep Page #5

What would he be doing down there?

What would anybody

be doing down there?

That's what I'm going to Lido

to find out. Want to come?

Yeah, I do.

- How's the weather?

- Clearing up.

- What time did that call come in?

- About 15 minutes ago.

- What kind of car you say it was?

- Packard.

- Hello, Bernie.

- Hi, Ed.

You got him out.

Who is he?

Owen Taylor. Sternwood's chauffeur,

according to his license.

- What's the story?

- You can see it from here.

There's where he went

through the railing.

The rain stopped here about 9 P.M.

The broken rails are dry inside.

That would put it about 9:30.

Let's have it, doc.

His neck's broken and something

hit him across the temple.

What made the bruise?

Steering wheel?

Whatever it was, it was covered.

The wound had bled under

the skin while he was alive.

- Blackjack?

- Could be.

Bernie, funny thing.

The hand throttle is set

halfway down.

Thanks, Jim. So long, doc.

All right, boys. Take him away.

- Could be drunk or a suicide.

- Yeah, but it isn't.

You know anything about Owen Taylor?

Only that a few

Sternwood chauffeurs...

...lost their jobs on account

of the younger daughter, Carmen.

Tell me what

you're working on, Phil.

They told me blackmail.

Who were they after? Carmen?

This doesn't look like

the way you'd handle it.

You know, I got a feeling that...

Me? I didn't do this.

What were you going to say, Phil?

Give me another day, Bernie.

I may have something for you.

Okay. Let's go home.

Good morning.

You do get up.

I was thinking...

...you worked in bed,

like Marcel Proust.

- Who's he?

- A French writer.

Come into my boudoir.

You don't put on a front.

Not much money in this work

if you're honest.

Are you honest?

- We're going to start that again?

- I'm sorry. Also, about yesterday.

- Perhaps I was rude.

- We were both rude.

You want to see me about Taylor?

So you know about that?

Poor Owen.

The DA's man took me down to Lido.

He knew more about it than I did.

He knew Owen Taylor wanted

to marry your sister.

Perhaps it wouldn't

have been a bad idea.

You see, he was in love with her.

But I didn't come here about Owen.

You still can't tell me

what my father wants you to do?

Not without his permission.

You can't even tell me

if it was about Carmen?

You better look at this.

A messenger brought it today.

"Eight thirty-five."

That's right.

She takes a nice picture.

They want 5000 for

the negative and prints.

The demand came how?

A woman telephoned me after

it was delivered.

- What else?

- There has to be something else?

This thing isn't

worth $5000 to anybody.

- They think it is.

- Why?

She said if they didn't

get the money today...

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