"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 318 - The Television Murders" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

It started one afternoon in December when I decided, since business was
slow, that I might as well accept an invitation to a cocktail party.
Ordinarily
I give these a swift miss, but... I had nothing to do and the liquor was free,
so..."
(Camera two pan to the living room. Mannix is shaking drinks.)
Bob Dorry: "When I got there Mr. Mannix, the host, was the only one
around. I said hello..."
Mannix: "Bob! Long time no see. Sit down... the girls'll be in in a
second. They're powdering their noses."
Bob: "Where is everyone?"
Mannix: "Homer and Roddy are finishing up a gin rummy game that's been
going on all afternoon."
Bob: "Vic Todd, he coming?"
Mannix (Bitterly): "Doesn't he always?"
Bob: "Oops, sorry, skip it. Let's have a drink... just to warm my
corpuscles."
Door opens. Vic Todd, tall, good looking, self assured, comes in. His
handkerchief is sticking too far out of his breast pocket.
Vic: "Well, isn't this cozy! Hi, Bob. Been catching any killers lately?"
Bob: "No more than usual... fewer if anything. How's things?"
Vic: "Can't complain. But I will if I don't get a drink soon."
Mannix: "Take it easy. You've got all afternoon to get drunk."
Vic: "Umm... so it's like that, is it?"
Mannix: "Yeah, it's like that!"
Bob, holding a drink, gets hold of Vic and pulls him away to a corner.
Bob (Voice low): "Tuck your handkerchief back in you pocket, stupid!"
Vic: "Huh?"
Bob: "The lipstick's showing."
Vick (Stuffing handkerchief down hurriedly): "Oh, thanks."
Mannix (Irritably): "What are you two whispering about?"
Vic: "Bob just gave me a good tip for a race down at Tropical."
Mannix: "What are the girls doing anyway?"
Bob: "You know women... uh uh... here they come."
Door opens. Girls, Mrs. Mannix and Letty Branner come in. Letty is blond
and Mrs. Mannix brunette.
Letty: "And so I said..."
Mrs. Mannix: "Whoa..."
Letty: "Oops... hullo everybody!"
Letty: "Where's Homer?"
Mannix: "What difference would that make to you?"
Letty: "If it's going to be one of those parties, you'd better give me a
drink!"
Door opens again. Homer Elwood, Letty's disappointed suitor comes in. He
looks hangdog. He is slightly drunk.
Letty: "Homer! Hullo!"
Homer: "Why don't you beat it?"
Letty runs to Homer's side.
Letty: "Oooh... what I know about Homer! He's drunky!"
Homer. "I'm not drunky atall, I'm stiff!"