03x30 - Death Sentence

[bunniefuu]

Good evening.

No, this is not
an effort on our part
to add sex to the program.

I'm dressed for the party,
a come as you are party.

This is what one gets
for having a telephone
in the bathroom.

Well, it could've been worse.
I feel a bit like Cinderella.

I've been warned
that I must positively leave
the ball before low tide.

And I can't afford
to take chances.

After all, I was once arrested
for indecent exposure

when I removed
a Halloween mask.

All of you, of course,
are invited to the party.

But remember,
don't drop what you're doing.
Bring it along.

But first we must greet
the man who throws
these weekly soirees

and who always manages
to spoil the fun,

our dear host.

Norm? You asleep?

No.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

You've been so moody lately.

You hardly spoke to me
all evening.

Have I done something?

No, it's not you, Paula.
It's me.

You?

I might as well tell you
about it. You'll hear
about it anyway.

The new housing tract
up on Pine Hill.

Frank Kennedy got
the exclusive listing.

Oh, Norm.

Why?

Why?

Because no one likes
Norman Frayne.

Oh, darling,
that's not true.

Why, everybody likes you.

Yeah.

That's why I didn't get
the listing.

Your father would have
gotten it.

My father was
in real estate for years.

Well, I was with him for .

Frank Kennedy's only been
in the business about three.

You did so well.

Sure, when your father
was alive.

By myself, I'm nothing,
I'm nowhere.

Because you were raised
in an orphanage?

I thought that was over.

Honey, don't you see
what you're doing to yourself?

You're acting the way you did
when Daddy hired you.

Always worried about people
and afraid you might make
a mistake.

Jumping every time the mail
came, or a phone call.

Yeah, I'm a real prize,
aren't I?

Norm, my father knew
what you were afraid of.

What's that?

It was your background.

That you'd always worry
about your family,

who they were, what they were,

until you'd accomplished
something for yourself,

until you had
the self-confidence
to know it doesn't matter.

Is that what he thought?

Yes. He had faith in you.

Why do you think
he left you his business?

What everybody else thinks.
Because I married you.

You make it sound as though
he had to buy me a husband.

I didn't mean that, Paula.

Even if he did,
he bought me the best.

Yeah, I'm some bargain.

I think so.

If men don't like you,
I know why.

It's the way
women look at you.

Norm, it is the business,
isn't it? I mean,

it's not someone else?

Of course, not.

You're the only one
in my life.
You know that, Paula.

I'd know it if you told me
once in a while.

I'll try to do better.

Just give me a little time.

Just a minute.

Take your time, buddy boy.

Long time no see, Norm.

You shouldn't have come here.

You think I crashed
out of the pen or something?

They sentenced you to life.

Well, I know,
but life doesn't mean forever.

I saved the state a trial
by pleading guilty to second
degree m*rder, didn't I?

That meant a parole someday,
just so I could see you again.

Hey, but you're
disappointing me, buddy.

You haven't said
you're glad to see me.

Of course,
I'm glad to see you, Al.

You know I am.

I thought about you a lot.

I thought about you
for years.

Yeah, whole years, buddy.

Hey, but you're looking good.
A lot better than I do.

Of course, we've been
living different, too.

How did you find me?

Sentiment.

Ah, buddy, you know
what a sentimental guy I am.

Hey, I even went back
to the scene of our childhood,
the orphanage.

Yeah, old man Elliot told me
where I could find you.

They haven't heard from me
since the day
we walked out of there.

No, but they heard
from your wife.

Didn't she tell you about it?
She sends them $
every Christmas

ever since
you've been married,
to buy toys for the kids.

You know something, buddy?

You're the big, shining
success of the old joint.

Yeah, big success.

The boy who made good
by marrying
the boss' daughter.

It wasn't like that.

Oh, excuse me.
So it's a romance.

Hey, I'm the last guy
in the world to knock it.

I believe in love
and friendship and loyalty.

Who knows that
better than you,
buddy boy?

What do you want, Al?

Everything I'm entitled to.

One night, years ago,
you and I got into
a little deal together.

A partnership.

We never dissolved
that partnership.

So we can dissolve it now.

I'm gonna sell out to you
for $ , .

Get out.

If you're on parole,
you're violating it by being
out of the state of Missouri.

Now you get out
before I call the police.

You're hesitating, buddy boy.

You did that once before,
remember?

You k*lled that watchman.
I didn't.

To save your life.
You froze that night
with a g*n in your hand.

I had to rip it away from you.

But you k*lled him.

You were an accomplice.

You can't prove anything.
I've got no record.

You're just somebody
I met in an orphanage.

An ex-convict
trying to blackmail me
with some phony story.

It's just your word
against mine.

I know what
you told the police.
I read every word of it.

You told them
you didn't even know
who your accomplice was.

Just some guy
you met in a bar.

You're forgetting something,
buddy boy.

The second set
of fingerprints on that g*n.
Your fingerprints.

The ones
the police couldn't match.

The set that's on file,
the set that'll
always be on file.

That was years ago.

There's no statute
of limitations on m*rder,
buddy boy.

Why didn't you tell them then?

And have both of us
go to jail?

Now, who would have
watched the store?

Why did you come back?

You're my investment,
buddy boy.

Why do you think
I kept my mouth shut?

Look, I saw your face
that night.

I knew if you ever got clear
you'd be scared
to even jaywalk.

That's why I did years
for the both of us.

So you could be working
on the outside while I was in.

Then I wouldn't have
to come out empty-handed.

You're my meal ticket,
buddy-boy.

$ , worth of everything
I've been going without.

I haven't got it.

Then you'd better get it.
Sell out!

Look, Al, even if I sold out,
I couldn't raise
half of that.

Don't stall me, Norm.
I'm not stalling, Al!

You can check
the bank, any place.

Look, Al, I never begged
for anything in my life.

But think of my wife.
I'm sorry you had to go it
alone. Give me a break.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, sure.

I guess years of stirs
got me a little on edge.

We grew up together.
I don't know
what came over me.

Just jealous, I guess.

Yeah, you got
a nice business going here
for you, a pretty wife.

Hey, I saw her this morning.

You saw Paula?

Well, not to speak to,
but I saw her
through the window.

You know, you've really
got it made, buddy.

And me, I come in here yelling
for $ , you haven't got.

Look, I'll help you
all I can, Al. I really will.

I understand.

You do?

Of course, I do.

Good. Then you can pay off
on the installment plan. Yeah.

I want % of every buck
that comes in this joint
till I get what I came after.

$ , in cold cash.
Understand?

But first we gotta cut down
on my living expenses.

Call your wife and tell her
to have a room ready

for a long lost buddy
from the orphanage.

Make it a nice, pathetic,
hard-luck story.
Go on and call her!

Buddy boy,
you better make it good.

I'll see you around : ,
buddy, when we go home, huh?

When I came to,
I was in the hospital.

I didn't have to ask
about Louise or the boy.

I could see it
in the doctor's face.

Both k*lled instantly.

Al.

If only I'd have
stopped for the night
when she asked me.

But all men are like that
on a driving trip, Al.

Norm has done
the same thing with me.

Well, anyhow,
nothing mattered after that.

I lost the business
and the house.

You must have
loved her very much.

Yes, she's all I had.

That is, until today.

I'm sorry, I didn't know
I was talking so long.

I didn't mean to ruin
your evening together.

You didn't, Al. We're
delighted to have you with us.

Thank you, Paula.

I'm so glad you two
have found each other.

It's almost like a story,
isn't it, Norm?

You know this morning
when the bus stopped
for breakfast,

I looked across the street
and I saw this sign.

It said, "Frayne
Real Estate Company."

"Well, it couldn't be
Norm Frayne,"
I said to myself.

But I had to find out
and I was lucky.

We'll put you in
the downstairs guestroom, Al.

You'll have
more privacy there.

Norm will show you
where everything is.

Good night, Paula.
Good night.

That's right, Mr. Hastings.
Cash to loan.

Well, good, then we'll put it
in escrow tomorrow.
Thank you, sir.

Hi, buddy boy.

What are you doing here?
The pool room burn down?

Hey, that's very funny.

I'm glad you got
your sense of humor back.

Because you're gonna need it.
I'm broke again.

I gave you $ yesterday.

So I lost a bet. Pool was
never my game, anyway.
I'm strictly a poker man.

Hey, you know
what I found out?

A little town up the line's
got legalized gambling.

So tonight I'm gonna need
the car and, say, $ .

Oh, look, Al,
I gave you $ last month.

Now I've already given you
$ this month.
There's a limit.

And you know what it is,
buddy boy.

Oh, Norm, I hate
to keep bothering you
about the car keys,

so I had a duplicate set made.

Hi, Norm.
Hello, Walt.

Not interrupting
anything, am I?

No. Of course, not.

Walt, I'd like you to meet
Al Revnel, our new salesman.

This is Walt Haney,
our Chief of Police.
Hey, Chief.

We've seen each other around.
Yeah, sure.

And I'm gonna drop in
and see you so we can get
better acquainted.

Yeah, you do that.

Oh, Norm you're not gonna
be using the car
till after lunch, are you?

No, go ahead.

Thanks.

See you around, Chief.

Old pal, I hear.

Yeah, we were kids
together, Walt.

He living with you?

Yeah.

Makes good company for Paula.

I guess that's why he goes
home for lunch every day.

Is that a cr*ck, Walt?

Look, he's your business.

Maybe he's your friend,
maybe not.

Me, I'd get rid of him.

How do I know what he meant?
Why didn't you ask him?

I'm not asking anybody.

I'm warning you, Al.
You stay away from Paula.

You're warning me?

You worry, don't you,
buddy boy?

How do you know
you're not too late?

Well, come on.

You made your play.
Now come on in.

I'll show you how to use
that thing like I showed you
how to use a g*n.

Come on, Norm.

That's better, buddy boy.

Now we understand each other,
don't we, k*ller?

Now you trot over to the bank
and get that dough.

And have more ready
in case my luck runs bad.

The racetrack's opening
at Detroit next week.

I think I'll run up there
for the weekend and give you
a little rest, buddy.

Oh,

as for Paula,

better keep me occupied
so I don't get bored.

Good old Al. Right on the dot.

Yes. Every night this week.

Suppose
he's found a girl?

Why? Would that bother you?

No, I think
it would be very nice for him.

Then why don't you ask him,
say tomorrow at lunch?

Oh, Norm...

Oh.

Is that why you've been
glowering at me all week?

Why didn't you tell me, Paula?

He asked me not to.
He thought you might
misunderstand.

Would I?

He's lonely, Norm.

He said I was the only woman
he's been able to talk to
since his wife d*ed.

Is that what he does, talk?

Yes.

Which is more than you do.

Norm.

Maribelle Walsh invited me
to go to Detroit with her
next weekend.

You refused, of course.

Yes.

But I've changed my mind.

I think it would do you good
to be alone for a few days.

Hello? Pelley Hardware?

Pete? Norm Frayne.

Say, you carry dynamite,
don't you?

No, no. I wanna clear
some stumps on a lot.

No, I'll pick it up.

Thank you.

You don't think I'm gonna let
you go away with him, do you?

With who?
With Al!

Al? I'm going with Maribelle.

Look, it's too late to lie!

For either of us.

I'm gonna tell you
what Al is.

And what I am, too.

He's a m*rder*r.

He k*lled a night watchman
years ago, and I was there.

He was caught and I wasn't.
Norm.

You don't think his coming
here was an accident?

He came to collect
for years of silence.

And I let him.

I let him blackmail his way
into my house.

Well, he's not going
to get away with it.

I'll see to that.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to get rid of him.

He'll k*ll you.

You hope.

What are you saying?

Look, you don't think
I believe that story
about Maribelle.

I know you're going
to Detroit with him.

Norm. Don't. Stop.

Now listen, please.
Her mother is going with us.

Call and ask. Here.

You must call and ask them.

I love you.
Don't you know that?

Why didn't you tell me?
Why didn't you trust me?

I'm no good, Paula.

I never was, I never will be.

And Al's gonna take everything
if I don't stop him.

I don't care. Let him.
All I care about is you.

And all I care about is you.

Then you can't be what he is.
Then you can't k*ll him.

Where are you going?

Hello? Maribelle?
It's Paula. Listen, dear,
don't come for me.

Norm? Norm? Norm!

Norm! Norm! Norm!

Norm. Norm. Norm.

I believed him.
I believed him.

I thought it was something
we could work out together
between us somehow.

And then I heard
the expl*si*n.

And the door was locked.

And I couldn't
get out of it.

So that's how it was?

I knew Norm was under
pressure for a long time,

but I thought it was
the business made him do it.

I know you'll have
to arrest him. I know that.

But could I see him, please,
before he goes?

Bring him in.

I had nothing to do with it.

I was in the driveway when
I heard him hit the starter.

All right. You're clear.

But you'll still do life
for parole violation.

Take him out.

He k*lled himself, Walt.
He k*lled himself.

He must've figured
it was the only way out.

I'm not holding with it,
Paula,

but I guess he thought
it was best for you.

He must've loved you a lot.

Yes.

I know that now.

I know it now.

This is not part
of the festivities.

I found this bottle
with a message in it
floating in the tub.

It could be a plea for help
from some castaway

or even a last note from
the hero of tonight's saga.

This is certainly a sneaky way
to get a message in.

It's from big brother again.

I'll just put some soap
on the floor

and slip back at
the conclusion of his remarks.

Well, the evening wasn't
a total loss,

for I got my back washed
and also received
a very good job offer.

An Italian actress needs
a stuntman

to take a bubble bath for her
in her next picture.

I was hired
when it was discovered

that the actress and I had
the same measurements.

In different places,
of course.

I shall be finished in time
for next week's program.

Until then, good night.