it's been almost a year! tom grunemann's been missing for a year. and all the fbi has to offer is a report that must bore even you.
but you don't find it worth much effort.
you wonder why we thought of klute? frankly? he's interested.
she wouldn't be reliable anyhow -- a narcotics addict.
all right, suppose it wasn't tom grunemann; where does that get you?
then, close the case.
where, how?
you just finished telling me she had nothing to offer. not tom, you said, the dumper was clearly not tom.
yes evvie, thanks. gentlemen, i'm sorry.
i'm flying back out to pennsylvania friday; i'll fill them in on things.
i think you're homesick. i'll be out at my camp over the weekend. nice right now, that touch of fall in the air, that skim of frost in the early mornings, very peaceful. john, i'll be back here again thursday; i'll be in touch. lieutenant, thank you.
sorry we had to meet here. but i'm pressed for time.
i read your report. i had to go along with it -- the idea of this being a wild goose chase, tom being nowhere around --
i've been up country, you know my summer place, my camp. i don't even have a telephone there. this morning they sent a messenger out, that you'd been trying to call me.
i'm on my way to chicago. very important meeting tonight. well -- any new developments?
you said trask was arranging laboratory work. police laboratory. anything from that?
i'm sorry. i don't understand.
it has to be tom. you said he ripped up his own pictures, he --
some mistake perhaps that --
you must be discouraged.
that who?
you said he was no possible connection with tom. the page girl told you that, not tom.
you were hired to look for tom, not someone.
what?
you were hired to look for tom.
i can't follow you.
no. it's ridiculous. this has nothing to do with tom grunemann.
klute, the company's interest is tom grunemann. solely and exclusively. you say you can't find tom; all right, i'll see that you're paid off; the case is closed.
why would they deal with you? you don't know these people.
i can talk it over; possibly i can get the money. when are you meeting the man?
suppose i meet you there a half hour before.
no, i'd -- like to be in on it.
tomorrow. see you tomorrow night.
can't we talk together reasonably, just -- ordinarily? i know you're expecting some kind of -- extravagant behavior, but believe me -- do you believe me? --
-- we can talk --
all right, then, an ordinary matter. i'm a quite well off man, i have a -- position to respect. i would feel personally uncomfortable to be connected with a -- certain kind of woman, i'm sure you understand. do you? well i'd like to buy jane mckenna's book.
her black book, jane mckenna's, her list of -- of persons. i was told you're negotiating for it on behalf of --
that was what klute told me -- you were negotiating for him to buy that list. and i'm in a position to pay a good deal more for it than he can. do you understand? i'd like you to acquire it on my -- miss daniel, do you not understand? miss daniel, i can't tell whether you understand me. is this something klute just invented? is this a trap for me, miss daniel; does klute know about me?
you have no idea what i'm talking about.
no, you're frightened, you're pretending. well -- klute knows about me then. does everybody know, can you tell me?
then it doesn't matter what i do any more, does it?
you people know nothing about pain.
i've got no idea what i shall do.
i'm not going to hurt you, absolutely, i'm not.
it puzzles me so badly. i've done terrible things but i can't consider myself a terrible man. i've killed three people and i'd still want to say it was accident, do you see?
tom grunemann discovered me -- we were here on business together, he discovered me with jane mckenna. then i suppose it was the -- the contempt i saw in his face and the certainty that sooner or later he'd use it against me. within the company. i endured that as long as i could, do you see?
excuse me miss daniel?
oh no, i don't think --
you're willing to listen? you want me just to keep talking?
that's what you do, isn't it; you make a man feel accepted. that's what you all do. your stock in trade a man's weakness.
why don't you ask for mercy? my god, what mercy has anyone given me?
you're a person of no value, you have no value --
-- is that contempt? is it? no, i'm the one who feels contempt.
cable catches the sound, whirls, screams --