The Missing Person

I could have lied there

forever, but the phone rang.

Hello?

Hello?

Good morning.

Is this Mr. Rosow?

Mr. Rosow?

Yeah.

Yeah, hi. I'm Drexler Hewitt,

an attorney.

Sh*t, I'll pay your bill

tomorrow. Promise.

No, it's not that kind, not

that kind of attorney.

You're Mr. John Rosow, aren't

you? Private Investigator?

ROSOW MUMBLES:

Yeah? Okay. I want you to board the

California Zephyr at 7 o'clock this morning.

There will be a middle- aged

man on board.

We've had someone tailing him from the

East Coast and... well, it doesn't matter.

Now we need a fresh face.

You mean your spy got spied.

Yeah, I guess. Now, we have reasons

to believe the middle-aged man,

or the Subject, let's call him,

is on his way to Los Angeles.

I'd like you to follow him, wherever he goes,

whatever he does, you report. Understood?

Zephyr is wind, right?

I think it is, yeah. Wind.

My secretary will be coming by

your office in ten minutes.

And you can reach me here at this

number twenty-four hours a day.

I get paid for this?

Five hundred dollars a day.

Plus expenses. Not including gin.

It says Banquo on my buzzer.

But I thought you were Rosow?

And I thought you needed a P.I.

Touch?. Miss Charley will have a

retainer and some expense money for you.

Hey, coach, how did you get my

name and number?

Oh, a business associate of

ours with the NYPD.

A buddy of yours from your past

life. Gus Papitos. A good guy.

Gus?

Yeah.

Pappy.

Pappy.

What exactly did he say?

We know your history,

Officer Rosow.

He was very complimentary.

Gus. Pappy. Funny guy. But

Hang on.

Who's there?

Miss Charley.

Miss Charley who?

Miss Charley, an associate of

Drexler Hewitt.

May I come in?

Take it easy, Drexler.

How did you get here so quick?

You were on a conference call.

I know how to keep quiet.

Some guy the your building

opened the front door for me.

I bet he did.

It's a little early in the

morning for flirting.

Hey, you got a good arm.

You're pretty now, but you used

to be a tomboy.

You got three older brothers.

Perceptive.

No. I played with dolls and was

an only child.

Open the envelope.

He's got an okay face.

Chicago L.A.

Any other questions?

Yeah. What makes this Drexler Hewitt think

I'll tail this guy without any more information?

Good day, Mr. Rosow.

So far, I guess.

Where's Drexler?

I'm sorry, Mr. Hewitt is in a

meeting. May I take a message?

Who's the kid?

I'm sorry?

Yeah, me too. Who's the kid?

I don't know what you're

talking about.

You should've told me this was

one of those.

You'll have to talk to Mr. Hewitt

about this. I can't help you.

Yeah. I would've charged more if

I knew.

He's hiding in plain sight,

his door is open.

Like he's no more on the lam

than I am.

I'll have Mr. Hewitt call you.

Yeah, right. Thanks.

What can I get you? Sir? Sir?

Chicken, fish or vegetable

lasagna?

You pick one.

Chicken.

Martinis any good?

Well, you mix them yourself.

We have mini-bottles.

One gin one vermouth,

with olives and ice.

Everything but the olives, sir.

Sorry about that.

The 8 o'clock dinner is now

being served.

8 o'clock dinner in the dining

car is now being served.

And here's your pennant race of

date.

Manny Ramirez has tied the game

with a home run.

Um... ok, why don't you go

this... go on.

Excuse me.

Hey, you can't smoke in here.

Sorry about that.

I'm almost done.

No, no, no.

We have to follow someone.

He's friend of yours?

What's the difference?

We don't do that kind of thing

in L.A., you know.

It's too much hassle.

Look.

Ok but I have to report all this

to the dispatcher,

and the dispatcher, he has to

report it to the police. Okay?

All right. My guy's cab is

pulling out. You see it?

Yeah, I see it.

Hey, you think twenty dollars

buys you smoking privileges?

I don't hear you on the radio

reporting any of this.

I pick my spots. No hurry.

Looks to me like your friend is

going to Saint Monica.

Do you know Saint Monica?

No.

She's the patron saint of widows, unhappy

wives, and mothers of wayward children.

Rosow, does your cell phone

have a camera?

A camera? In my phone?

Please purchase one. Go to a cell phone

store, get a cell phone with a camera,

and send us photographs of the

man you are following.

I don't have a computer.

You don't need one. You send it

through the cell phone,

the one you're going to buy.

And make sure to keep the

receipt.

Can I just transmit an image of

the receipt back to you

instead of keeping little pieces

of paper all over the place?

All right, Rosow, transmit an

image of the receipt.

Will my new cell phone receive

images?

Why?

I don't know. You spark my

imagination, Charley.

Hi.

Hi. I hear you have rooms here.

Do you have a reservation?

Unexpected visit.

How many in your party?

No parties.

How long will you be staying

with us?

As long as he does.

As long as who does?

That man who just checked in.

He had a little boy with him.

So you know the man?

Or you know the kid?

All right. You know what? I'm just

going to be honest with you, Missy.

My name's not Missy.

Oh, I see. What's your name?

Mabel.

Mabel. This man, the man who just

checked in, he's my best friend.

So?

I'm worried about him.

He drinks too much.

I see.

Yeah. See what?

I have a friend in AA is all.

Yeah.

I just want to be close to him so

I can hear if he needs some help.

I mean, really, I don't want to

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