BOB: No

Holley chatters on seriously.

HOLLEY: Neither do I. He doesn't stay here much. There's just a Chinese caretaker...Louie Wong...and Tony. Louie went into Los Angeles yesterday...he inherited some money.

The last words make Bob sit up a little in alert interest.

PAULA:(Amusedly) And who's Tony? HOLLEY: Oh, he's just a parrot.(He chuckles) The darn thing can talk Chinese. Folks around here call him the Chinese Parrot.

Bob nods dryly.

BOB: That seems logical. HOLLEY: Sure it does.

SCENE 115
REAR SEAT - AT TWO - CLOSE SHOT
Bob sinks back defeated and silent. Paula looks at him in amusement. He sees her and grins sheepishly and then leans close to her and whispers.

BOB:(Whispering) Let's whisper.

FAST DISSOLVE TO:

SCENE 116
HOLLEY - CLOSE SHOT
Driving serenely along. He points ahead.

HOLLEY: There's the ranch...them lights up ahead.

SCENE 117
AT THREE - FROM SIDE - MEDIUM CLOSE
As Paula and Bob sit up and look ahead interestedly.

SCENE 118
ROAD AHEAD - FROM CAR - LONG MOVING SHOT (PROCESS)
About three blocks ahead, off to one side of the road, are twinkling lights.

SCENE 119
AT THREE - FROM SIDE - MEDIUM CLOSE
As Bob and Paula start sinking back, there comes from a distance two revolver shots. Bob and Paula sit up startled.

BOB: Those were shots! HOLLEY:(Surprised and startled)Sounded like a forty-five. BOB: They seemed to come from the ranch. HOLLEY: Sure did. Madden keeps a lot of guns there...but I can't figure him shooting at night.

SCENE 120
ROAD - AT GATE - MEDIUM SHOT
As the car slows down and turns in the gate. (In the ensuing exterior shots, we see that the house is a luxurious rambling one story, Spanish structure, with landscaping, cactus beds and shrubbery.) The gates are partly closed. Holley lets the nose of the car push them open and leans out to push the near gate.

SCENE 121
TOWARD GARAGE - MEDIUM SHOT
The garage is dark. The car's headlights swing across it, revealing a middle-aged man in prospector's clothes, with a bearded face. He has stopped and turned, crouching startedly, looking toward the lights. He darts off into the darkness. (The whole scene is just a flash of action)

SCENE 122
INTERIOR CAR - ALL THREE - MEDIUM CLOSE
Bob and Paula are staring toward the garage. Holley is just coming upright.