- [first lines]
- Harry Orwell: I was waiting for a potential client out on the pier. Piers are good places for pondering the eternal enigmas of the universe. Like why are women usually late. Particularly after specifying a precise time as in 10:00 sharp. My conclusion was... they have smaller wristwatches.
- Harry Orwell: Preliminary hearings are like out of town openings for plays. The prosecutor is still sharpening his dialogue for the big premier in front of the jury. It's not very dramatic except when they get to the surprises.
- Harry Orwell: To be charged with murder is hard enough on an ex-policeman's self esteem. But when you're accused of leaving clues as big as billboards, it's downright embarrassing.
- Harry Orwell: Having been bound over for trial, I was moved downtown. It's like transferring to another regiment in the service. While you don't move very far, you're a very long way from friends. So I was grateful when the police department sent me a care package.
- Harry Orwell: My roommate reminded me of an incident in San Diego when a hold-up man and a drunk shared the same cell. During the night the guards changed. In the morning the hold-up man was gone and the drunk was still waiting for his bail bondsman. Well it was all very embarrassing for the guard so I was pretty sure they hadn't discussed it with the LAPD.
- Harry Orwell: Here, you want something for breakfast? Dig in.
- [Hands Lt. Trench a cracker with peanut butter on it]
- Lt. K.C. Trench: As a matter of fact...
- [Harry and Trench proceed to have the rest of the conversation while busily eating crackers with peanut butter]
- Harry Orwell: I'm glad you came by. There's something I want to talk to you about.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Walter J. Blanke?
- Harry Orwell: Never heard of him.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Walter J. Blanke. Male. Caucasian. Age 41. Married, 2 children. Until last night controller of Pacific Security Finance.
- Harry Orwell: What happened last night?
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Orwell, you have 6 months of unopened bank statements here. How can you possibly know if your account balances?
- Harry Orwell: Hmm? I figured the bank is gonna use my money, they can do my bookkeeping.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Last night, Orwell, Walter J. Blanke was murdered. We found his body in the landfill up the canyon from here. He had this in his pocket.
- [Trench hands Harry a slip of paper]
- Harry Orwell: Well it's my address. How'd he get it?
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Silly enough, Orwell, that's exactly what I was going to ask you.
- Harry Orwell: I never heard of Walter... Blanke? Never heard of him.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Just for the record, Orwell, where were you last night between 9:00 and 12:00?
- Harry Orwell: I was here mostly.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Mostly?
- Harry Orwell: Yeah. I was out on the pier for awhile, talking to a young lady. That's what I want to talk to you about.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: We will discuss hanky panky at a later time. Right now, Orwell, I have a murder investigation on my hands.
- Harry Orwell: [Sees Lt. Trench and Sgt. Roberts checking out his car tires] If you're going to a swap meet, you're not going to get much for my hubcaps.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: The tires are the same, Orwell.
- Harry Orwell: That's what you get when you buy four at a time.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: When did you repair the right rear?
- Harry Orwell: Four days ago, maybe it was three days ago. Why?
- Lt. K.C. Trench: The tread and the puncture mark are identical to an imprint we found at the landfill.
- Harry Orwell: That's exciting.
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Orwell, I think you should know certain unsettling facts are arranging themselves in your proximity.
- Harry Orwell: Over the years, quite a few people have come to me about the problem of a friend. Usually, you're looking at the friend.
- Spencer Johnson: Lieutenant, he's not in some kind of trouble, is he?
- Lt. K.C. Trench: Spence, where Orwell is concerned, there is always that possibility.