The Houston Story

---

Ever since I came to Houston a

month ago I've been looking for her.

I turned the town upside down,

but nobody knew her.

Nobody even heard the

name Carrie Hemper before.

A girl can't just disappear into

thin air. Not just like that.

Gee, I hope it isn't her.

I wouldn't want to find her this way.

This is it.

Bring her in, Harry.

What about this Hemper girl?

I know in Oklahoma City she

was a dancer, a chorus girl.

Age?

Oh 24, 25 .. she never said.

Alright, Duncan.

Yeah. Yeah, it's her.

It's Carrie Hemper.

What happened?

- Suicide.

There are some questions

you will have to answer.

A crazy thing for her to do.

Yeah .. out of all the docks

in the world to jump off ..

She had to pick Houston.

Hi, Lou, Clara.

Hi Frank.

- You're late.

But there is still some

dinner on the stove.

I had a sandwich a little while ago.

I got a lot of work to do tonight.

I can't get over Angelo

losing on a TKO in the 6th.

Everybody is worrying about H-Bombs.

He worries about Angelo.

A cut eye. In the old days they

never stopped a fight for a cut eye.

The manager just slapped glue on to hold

him together and sent him out again.

I see you left your cab out front.

Yeah, I want to get an early start in

the morning. Saturday is a good day.

Say, what time does that kid down

the corner get the morning papers in?

Anytime now, I guess.

You don't read them early editions?

Oh, I got paid today.

Better take your rent

money while I still have it.

Be back in a little while.

Give me.

Where'd Frank go?

- Papers.

Did you hear him?

He's going to work again tonight.

Always working.

And thinking. He uses his head.

He's going to get someplace.

Frank is smarter than me.

Is that what you mean?

Almost every night he works

on those diagrams and maps.

All you got on your mind is Angelo.

You starting again?

What's the matter? The truth bother you?

You're not going any place

that cab wont take you.

We eat, don't we?

That's a good reason for living?

I'm just getting the table ready

for you. So's you can work.

Thanks, Clara.

- Got the morning paper?

No, they haven't come out yet.

What are you doing tomorrow, Clara?

Going sailing on my yacht.

How'd you like to buy

yourself a new dress?

Fine. All next week we

can eat the buttons off it.

Now look. I won 25 bucks at

a poker game with the boys.

It's all yours.

What gives?

Look Frankie, just because we've

known each other since we were kids.

Two weeks ago was Clara's

birthday. I was broke then.

Now I'm not.

- What are you trying to do?

Talk me out of a birthday present?

You can even come shipping with me.

Not thanks .. I figured since you'd

be out all day tomorrow ..

I'd be able to put a full

day in on this and finish it.

Thanks, Frank.

The house will be all yours.

For 25 bucks I'd have fixed

the table up for you myself.

Yes?

- Are you Frank Duncan?

What can I do for you?

Maybe we could talk.

- What about?

Carrie Hemper.

Why didn't she come? I want to

talk to her and nobody else.

Carrie is dead. You said so

yourself, right in the papers.

You like talking to dead people.

You got some marbles missing, Frank.

You ought to have some teeth missing.

I don't want to talk to a messenger boy.

You said that stiff in the morgue was

Carrie Hemper. Why did you do it?

You shouldn't have done that, friend.

Because I got orders not to mess you up.

Tell her to call me here.

You know, I hope they change

their minds about those orders.

You mean, just like that, it happened?

All the work you did, all

the time it took and then ..

In one little second.

Rate this script:(0.00 / 0 votes)