Mother of Pearl

(lively jazz music) ♪♪ (elevator bell dinging) (knocking) - (man) Come in!

- Drinks, madam.

- Thank you, Crosby.

Oh.

Carnations.

What woman doesn't love the aroma of a funeral?

Oh, ginger ale.

How cosmopolitan.

Do we have to go to this thing tonight, Abe?

- Oh, sweetie, we must.

This dinner's our ticket to expand into Canada.

- Yeah, but does it have to be Toronto?

- The city's growing like a wildfire.

Amory Steel needs to be here.

Besides, pumpkin, it's only for a few days.

- Yeah, but it's hard to imagine a more boring city filled with more boring people.

- Well, then... ...it's up to us to show them how to live.

(chuckling) - Now, now, tiger.

- What's the point of having beautiful things if you can't show them off?

- Not that I don't love to make an entrance, but we shouldn't keep your guests waiting.

- Just one thing missing.

- Oh?

- Pearls.

They're gone!

- What?

(gasping) ♪♪ - Keep your knickers on!

Mary?

- Flo!

What are you doing here?

- I have a life outside of the morgue.

Now, get in here before you ruin everything.

- What are you talking about?

- Just do it!

- What is going on?

- Mary!

Keep your voice down.

He'll be here any second.

We don't want you to spook him.

- Who'll be here?

- A suspect.

Who else?

- We're pulling a little sting operation.

- In your own office?

- We're gonna use the back door.

He'll never know it's a detective agency.

- And this place is très swanky.

- What kind of a sting operation is this?

- Cheating husband.

- I didn't think you did matrimonial.

- Well, things are a little bit slow.

- Why is Flo here?

She's not a detective.

- She's the bait.

- This philanderer likes a real woman, if you know what I mean.

(chuckling) - Now the real question is why are you here?

- I need to speak with Frankie urgently.

- You could talk to me.

- No, it's personal.

It's not about me, it's about Frankie.

- Is everything OK?

- I don't know.

I just need to see her.

- OK. Well, she's in The Ward at Quon's.

- Yeah, of course she is.

(knocking) - OK. Mary, it's time for you to go.

But if anything's wrong - anything - you tell me.

- I will.

Don't worry.

Good luck.

- OK. (upbeat jazz music) ♪♪ (sighing) - Well... hello there, handsome.

- Oh, hello.

I'm looking for Frankie Drake.

Thank you very much.

Frank...ie?

Oh.

Fra... Oh, good lord!

- Hi, Mary.

- Uh... What is going on?

- Well, I'm quitting smoking.

For good, this time.

It's a Chinese treatment called cupping.

- Oh.

It looks like you've been attacked by an octopus.

Ah... but never mind.

Just... get dressed.

You have a problem.

♪♪ Oh.

Thank you, but I'm just going to have regular tea for once.

- You ever had green tea before?

- No... but I'm sure I'll love it.

- So what's the problem?

- This has a lot of leaves in it.

- I was referring to my problem.

- Oh, right.

A string of pearls was stolen last night from the Crown Ascot Hotel.

- Really?

- They were priceless.

- Who's the mark?

- Abe Amory of Amory Steel, Pittsburgh.

- And he needs a little outside help.

Thanks for the tip, Mary.

- Oh, no.

Frankie, you're the last person he'd want to see.

The thief left something in place of the pearls.

- You stole evidence?

- I... borrowed.

- You could lose your job!

- I know.

My father is probably turning in his grave right now, but this is important.

- Why would your father care?

- Well, he was a policeman.

- Really?

You never told me that.

- I didn't?

- No.

- Oh, he was just a patrolman, but a very good one.

He may have even known your father.

- My father?

What does he have to do with this?

- Do you know what that is?

- It's a feather.

- Oh, Frankie, that's a drake feather.

Apparently this was your father's calling card.

- Calling card?

Wait, how do you know all of this?

- Well, it's the talk of the station!

- What are you talking about?

- The last time anyone saw this feather was over 20 years ago, when a shipment of gold bars was stolen on its way to the Bank of Toronto.

- My father was just a small-time con-man.

- Well apparently, at the time, the cops were convinced that your father was behind it.

But they could never pin it on him.

Cops have long memories, Frankie.

So now they're looking at you.

- Me?!

No, that's crazy!

- Well, you know that, and I know that, but all anyone is saying-- - What?

What is everyone saying?

- The feather doesn't fall far from the Drake.

(theme music) ♪♪ (radio static) - You should've seen the look on his face when I snapped a picture of him and Flo canoodling on the couch!

Are you listening?

- Yeah!

You... you had cannoli.

- Frankie, you had nothing to do with that robbery, so what's the point in worrying?

- The cops suspect me.

Me!

Can you believe it?

- Well, did you steal them?

Sorry, I had to ask.

Well, all we have to do is figure out what really happened and everything will be fine.

Piece of cake.

We obviously know it's a professional job.

- The thief's gonna be looking to fence those pearls.

- Well, I'll ask around with the usual suspects and see if they've heard anything.

And you?

- I'm gonna have a chat with an old family friend.

(knocking) Hello, Jack.

It's been a while.

- Frankie.

I got your message.

What's wrong?

It's true.

The feather was Ned's calling card.

You've gotta understand, Frankie, there are some things your dad didn't want you to know.

- I'm sure he would make an exception in this case.

Tell me about the gold.

- This was before you were born, and Ned was a different man back then.

He heard about a shipment of gold bars coming in from England, so we made a plan.

- You robbed an armoured carriage.

- Right in the middle of a snowstorm.

God, you should have seen us, all wrapped up, wearing these crazy ski goggles Ned found.

We cleaned it out.

Left only the feather.

- He always told me the feather was just his good luck charm.

- It was both.

When your mom died, Ned couldn't risk doing a job this big again.

He had you to think about.

The cops never could nail us.

It drove them crazy.

- Which is why the police were always so hard on him.

Now it looks like I'm their target.

Was the feather public knowledge?

- No.

- So whoever knew about the pearls must have known my father well.

Someone like his right-hand man.

- If I had snatched those pearls, I'd never leave you to take the fall.

- Well, someone else must've known about the feather.

Just tell me the truth, Jack.

- Your dad and I... we had a little help, back in the day.

- Jack.

Let's make this quick.

I'm supposed to be at a constituency meeting.

- Nice to see you too, Alderman.

- Who's the broad?

- Morris Flynn, meet Frankie Drake.

- Frankie?

I didn't mean...

I don't know what to say.

- Yes, it is a day of surprises.

For instance, I just learned that my father was a master thief and head of a criminal gang.

- Yeah.

Well, that's all in the past now, Frankie.

- Back in the day, Morris was the best fence this side of the border.

Pretty good training ground for a politician.

- A career financed by your share of the gold, no doubt.

- We all used it to set ourselves up.

I opened a printing business.

Ned saved his share to take care of you.

- So it was just you two and my father?

That's not much of a gang.

- Well, there was Vinnie, God rest his soul.

He died last year, traveling the world.

- He bought shares in a steamer.

- But you didn't call me here to reminisce.

- I'm sure you heard about the pearls that were stolen from the Crown Ascot last night.

- The thief left a drake feather behind.

- Which is going to have the police knocking down my door any minute.

Yours will be next.

- Well, tell her, Jack!

We didn't do this.

- If it wasn't you, then who?

Who else knew about the feather?

There must be someone else from back then.

- See, that's the thing, Frankie.

It's just us.

There's no one else.

♪♪ - You think they're telling you the truth?

- It turns out Jack has been lying to me my whole life.

- But you don't think he'd do anything to hurt you?

- Nothing would surprise me.

- Well, I've checked with Toronto's shadier jewelers.

No one's prepared to handle anything as hot as those pearls.

- Maybe the thief is hanging onto them until things quiet down.

And either way, we have to figure out how the theft was pulled off.

- OK. Well, I'll talk to the Crown Ascot employees and see if the Amory's are traveling with any staff.

The help always know more than they let on.

- How do I look?

- Plain-ish.

- Perfect.

(fast-paced jazz music) ♪♪ - The claim is only $100 000, but the pearls are worth much more.

But your company wouldn't-- - Mr. Amory, we are well aware of the value of your pearls, and Eastford Insurance is just as interested in getting them back as you are.

- Good.

- So to that extent, to your knowledge, who else knew the safe's combination?

- Just myself and my wife.

- I see.

- Like I said to the police, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

- Any maintenance happen on the suite?

- Nothing was scheduled.

- How about any room service or deliveries?

- Just the usual comings and goings.

Mostly flowers.

That woman loves flowers.

- That's it?

- That's it.

- Five bucks doesn't get you much these days.

I'll take that.

- Oh, finally!

Mrs. Amory's in a lather about these.

- The Mrs. sure does have a lot of nice things.

- If the lady didn't throw them on the floor, they wouldn't need to be endlessly cleaned.

- I guess when you grew up with people like us to help... - That woman wasn't born to wealth...

In a barn, maybe.

- She married up?

- I believe the common parlance is gold-digger.

- Ooh!

Do tell!

- The things that come out of that woman's mouth... (giggling) - Mrs. Amory was shopping on Yonge Street most of the day.

The afternoon I spent in business meetings.

We were getting ready for dinner when we discovered the pearls were gone.

The police dusted for fingerprints but they didn't find any.

- Except yours.

- Of course.

And my wife's.

- Were either of these flowers delivered yesterday?

- Uh... carnations just before noon and later, the roses.

- So there was a delivery man in your room?

- Well, the same man came twice.

Rather average, I didn't pay him any attention.

- Anyone else?

- No.

Well, not exactly.

There was a window-washer outside.

- Did you notice anything about him?

- Not really, but I did notice the name on his uniform.

Unusual name.

Da Gama Window Cleaning.

- Well... turns out this town's good for something.

Genuine from the Hudson's Bay.

Isn't that splendid?

We forget a donation to the Salvation Army?

- Nora, this is Ms. Cooper.

She's from our insurance company.

- Good afternoon, Mrs. Amory.

- Oh.

Do you have wings, dear?

There's no overnight train from Pittsburgh.

So you must've flown.

- You are absolutely right Mrs. Amory.

I am from the New York office.

- Oh.

Darling, will you have Crosby fetch me one of those exquisite ginger ales?

I'm parched.

- Coming right up, dear.

- Mmm.

You're no insurance investigator.

- I'm sorry?

- Eastford Insurance would never let a woman oversee a $100 000 claim.

Nice try, honey.

You can tell whatever rag you're working for there's no story here.

Now get lost.

♪♪ (knocking) - Hello, Frankie.

- Ernest Hemingway.

How can I help you?

- Well, I thought I'd drop by and see how you liked my piece on the Milwinder case.

- It was a vast improvement.

- I'll take that as a compliment.

- It was meant as one.

I'm sorry, it's been a very trying day.

- I'm sorry to hear that.

- So what are you really doing here?

I know you don't care about my opinion of your article.

- Well, why would you say something like that?

- Because you write whatever you want.

You don't give a damn what people think.

- Now that is a compliment.

- So what's up?

- I'm writing a major investigative piece, and I think you might be able to help me.

- Well, I doubt that.

- Ooh, it's a real hum-dinger.

There's a missing gold shipment and even stolen pearls.

Also, a private eye with a dubious past.

- Sounds like a best-seller.

- Doesn't it?

- Well, I don't know what you're talking about.

- I thought that might be your answer.

Well... it's something to think about.

Someone will write this story.

I thought it best if it were a friend.

Good day.

♪♪ - I don't see any listing for De Gama Window Cleaning.

- I figured as much.

- Care to clarify?

- When I was a kid, my father would read me tales of explorers.

When he needed a fake name for a job, I would get to choose.

Columbus, Magellan, Cabot... De Gama.

- Another of your father's signatures.

Kind of points back to the gang.

- I'm also beginning to wonder about Mrs. Amory.

I mean, she made me on the spot.

- Well, her valet told me that she's a gold digger.

He also told me that her father is a Methodist pastor in Albany.

- That, I believe.

- I made a few calls.

Turns out there's only one Methodist church in that city, same pastor for the last 50 years.

- Let me guess.

He never had a daughter named Nora.

(sighing) - You again!

Better without the drab jacket but not much.

- We need to talk.

- I think not.

- A preacher's daughter?

Well, that's a good story.

Now, is Mr. Amory aware that he married an impostor?

- Sh, sh!

Keep your voice down.

- Did you steal those pearls?

- Certainly not.

Who's asking?

- I'm a private detective.

My name is Frankie Drake.

- Frankie as in Francis with an I?

- How do you know that?

Who are you?

- My name's... was... Nora Drake.

I'm your mother.

- Nice try.

My mother died when I was four.

- I'm as shocked as you are, but it's true.

- Well, then prove it!

- Well, your name is Francis, spelled the male way.

Your father chose that.

- So you knew my father.

That does not make you my mother.

- Ned was on his way to register your birth when he saw a map of Francis Drake's travels in some bookstore window and he got that name in his fool head and forgot the name I wanted for you, Cleopatra.

At least I managed to get him to call you Frankie.

- He always told me that I had him to thank for not having some... dreadful name like Cleopatra.

- Well, of course he did, because Ned never had an ounce of imagination.

And where is he, by the way, because I want my pearls back!

- Ned didn't do this.

- Of course he did.

He left the feather behind.

- He died 10 years ago.

(door slamming) What gives you the right to come back here after all these years?

- I certainly wasn't looking for you, that's for sure.

- Oh, is that supposed to make me feel better?

I think you're dead and all you have to say is you weren't looking for me?

- Hey, hey.

This isn't easy for me, either.

- Where have you been?!

- You know, here and there.

New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh... - So why did you come back?

- Abe dragged me here on business!

- No.

No, you came back thinking Ned was alive.

You stole those pearls and tried to frame him.

- Aw, sweetheart.

Look around.

I have everything I want, and until yesterday, that included a priceless set of pearls that my husband bought for me!

(soft music) - (Frankie): It's a miracle.

My late mother just rose from the dead and, surprise surprise, she's the devil.

- You don't know for sure that she's a thief.

- I know for sure she's a liar.

She ran out on my father, Trudy.

She left me, her own daughter.

- Did you ask her why?

- I was too stunned.

- You must remember something about her.

- Only what my father told me.

I was too young.

There weren't any photos.

Maybe her smile.

She was always smiling.

No, I probably made that up.

She couldn't have been very happy if she ran out on us.

(knocking) Come in.

- I have that research you asked for.

I have a friend at headquarters who made a few calls.

- Oh.

A gentleman friend?

- Perhaps.

Uh, anyway, uh... my friend checked in with the New York, Chicago and Pittsburgh police departments for notable jewel thefts.

- And?

- And there were three robberies where the names of explorers were used.

On a Fifth Avenue heist, the thief even posed as a courier from Cartier.

- Cartier!

What that woman won't steal.

- At least she was telling the truth about where she's been.

- Just not what she's been up to.

- I'm sorry, Frankie.

- You know, I spent my entire life wondering what it would be like if she was alive.

It just goes to show, be careful what you wish for.

- I don't know what's going on.

But I...

I do sense that something is going on.

- I'll fill you in sometime, Mary.

Now is just not it.

- Oh, all right.

Um, Frankie, there is one more thing.

The police think that you had help pulling this job.

Someone on the inside.

And they're looking at everyone, even the Amorys.

- OK. Bring the bag.

Bring the bags.

Come on!

Hey.

Union Station.

- Mind if I tag along?

- Yeah, I do.

- So, where are we headed?

Back to Pittsburgh?

New York again?

Or are we going somewhere new?

I hear California's nice.

- Frankie-- - I don't care.

I won't stop you.

Just hand over the pearls.

- We need a moment.

Don't go anywhere.

Get out.

I already told you, I'm not the thief.

- This escape plan would prove otherwise.

- The cops are sniffing around.

If they find out I am Nora Drake, they're gonna try to hang this on me.

- No, on us!

They already think I'm working with an inside man.

With your history of jewellery thefts behind you, it's only a matter of time before they put two and two together.

- Listen, I swear I went straight when I met Abe.

There's no better con than marrying a rich man.

It's much easier and he does love me.

- Well, as much as that warms my heart, I don't think the cops will buy that.

- How many times do I have to say it?

I didn't do this!

- Well, then who did?!

- Ugh, fine!

Unload the bags.

- Wait, what are you doing?

- I'm helping you get my pearls back.

- I don't need your help!

- Oh, that's too bad.

- Excuse me?!

- Think about it.

If it's only a matter of time before they nail one or both of us, then we need each other and no one knew your father better than me.

- Fine.

We work together.

We find the thief.

We get the pearls and then you leave town.

- Fine!

And we never have to see each other again.

Deal?

- Deal!

(knocking) - (Frankie): Come in!

I haven't changed my mind.

- I'm not here about that.

Well, actually, I am.

Sort of.

But first, I wanted to say I'm sorry.

Clearly this is more sensitive to you than I realized.

If I offended you...

I apologize.

- Apology accepted.

- This is for you.

It's a copy of this photo the cops had.

It's the only photo of Ned Drake I could find.

I don't know who the woman is in the photo, but...

I think I recognize the child.

I thought you might like to have it.

- Thank you.

- I'm still writing my story, should you ever want to give me an exclusive.

(soft music) ♪♪ (door opening and closing) - You're gonna have no eyebrows left if you keep that up.

- I'm just thinking.

- This'll help.

(sighing) So... how'd it go with your mom?

- She says that she's innocent.

She wants to work together to figure this out.

- How do you feel about that?

- Well, how am I supposed to feel?

My dead mother turns out to be alive.

My father lied to me my entire life.

And I've been running around, pointing fingers and it's gotten me nowhere.

- So what're you gonna do?

- I don't know.

- Maybe you should... take her offer.

- For her to help?

There's nothing she can do.

Well, maybe there is something.

(fast-paced jazz music) ♪♪ - What's up, Frankie?

Did you find the pearls?

- Not exactly.

- Well, this better be important.

I have a vote at City Hall in an hour.

- Remember when you said no one else was involved?

Turns out you were wrong.

- Nora.

I never thought I'd see your traitorous face again.

- Likewise, I'm sure.

- Judging from your reactions, I'm guessing you both knew that she was alive.

Really, Jack?

- Ned swore us to silence.

No matter what happened, you were never to know.

Besides, she was dead to us.

- You're charming as ever, Jack.

- After the way you broke up the gang, and Ned's heart-- - Oh, please!

- Abandoning your own child?

- Get off your high horse, Morris!

We all know how you financed your career.

- Shut up, everyone!

I don't care about ancient history.

The only thing I care about is finding the thief.

- Yeah.

You know perfectly well you stole the pearls, just like you knew perfectly well who you were stealing them from.

Me.

- She's Nora Amory now.

- Now I wish we'd done this job.

- Fine, Nora.

I'll bite.

How did we do it?

- Exactly the way I would've done it.

A flower delivery comes to the door.

Carnations - should've been my first clue.

Who sends a woman carnations?

Anyway, that'd be you, Morris.

You put 'em by the window and then you unlock it when Abe's back is turned.

Then a window washer would've appeared outside, and that'd be you, Jack.

Da Gama!

I always told Ned that name stuck in peoples' minds!

You know what you should've gone with?

Champlain.

And when Abe leaves, you come in th rough the conveniently un locked window.

No mystery where a safe is in a suite and a lock like that would've been a piece of cake for a safecracker like you.

And then, the icing on the cake: you replace the pearls with a drake feather.

I wouldn't expect you baboons to come up with anything original.

- So then what?

If Jack left through the front door, someone would've seen him.

- No, he went out through the window.

- But the window was locked from the inside.

- Mm.

Exactly.

The only way to get away with a plan like that is to pay attention to the details.

You see, Morris here went back after Abe returned and locked the window.

Just like old times, right boys?

And now, the only thing that's left is for the best fence in town to get to work.

So hand 'em over, Morris.

- I had nothing to do with this.

I like it at City Hall.

Not interested in spending the rest of my life in prison.

- You won't have a life to spend unless you give me back what's mine!

- Frankie, don't believe her for a second.

- Well, this is getting us nowhere fast.

- Watch your back, Frankie.

There's no honour amongst thieves.

(birds chirping) - You're right.

I don't think they did it.

- Why the change of heart?

- Oh, come on.

Those blockheads?

They could never pull off a stunt like that without me.

- Without you?

- Why?

What are you thinking, Ned was the brains of the operation?

Hate to burst your bubble, sweetheart.

That honour was all mine.

Even the feather, that was my idea.

I mean, Ned may have been a good father, but, you know, he was a small thinker.

He pulled small cons.

50 bucks here, 50 bucks there.

But... - Well, I never saw him con anybody who didn't deserve it.

- Yeah, well, that's another way of saying he lacked ambition.

- Well, if he had been locked up for pulling some big job, I would've been left with nobody.

Why did he tell me you were dead?

- You know when everything changed?

When you were born.

For me, that gold job.

OK, that was just the beginning, but then Ned didn't wanna do that kind of thing anymore.

And then he made me choose: all or nothing.

And I chose-- - Nothing.

- Well, whoever the thief is, they pulled the job like the Drake Gang, right?

- Right.

- So I'm thinking they would fence the pearls like we would've done.

- And that would be?

- We'll need newspapers.

♪♪ (music playing on gramophone) Nice place you've got here.

Hm.

Oh, so this is a hookah.

- Uh-huh.

- Where'd you get it?

- Egypt.

- Egypt?

What took you to Egypt?

- Chance, if you must know.

- Yes, I must.

- I met an archaeologist on the overnight train to Marseilles.

Howard Carter.

He was looking for the tombs of the pharaohs and he convinced me to go to the Valley of the Kings with him.

- How'd you like digging in the sand?

- It was fascinating.

- Mhm.

But you left Mr. Carter behind.

- It wasn't like that.

Besides, the war intervened.

- Yeah, didn't it just.

Well, smoking is a filthy habit.

- Who are you, my mother?

Oh, wait... - How do you pay for all this?

- I work.

- Well, that's a novel approach.

Oh, and you have a servant.

Excuse me, Miss.

Can you fetch me a drink, please?

The strongest booze you've got, I'll take.

- Trudy, meet Nora Amory.

- Oh, your dead mother.

This explains so many things.

- Trudy is not a servant.

She works with me.

- Isn't that the same thing?

- As a detective.

- Ah.

My mistake.

Enchantée, Trudy.

- So what's with all the papers - Nora has a hunch how the thief is going to try to fence the pearls.

- They're gonna try to communicate using a Lost and Found ad.

The thief will post found and the fence will post lost and name a place for the thief to leave proof he's got the goods.

- Pearls are from the ocean, so we're looking for something with reference to the sea or water.

- Hey, how about this.

"Found - Short-hair Pomeranian "on Cherry Beach.

Owner must describe colour and pay for this ad."

- Definitely not.

- Oh, here.

"Found - "clamshell handbag at the Crown Ascot Hotel.

Unique item."

- That's it.

No imagination though, they almost give the whole thing away.

- Wait, here.

This morning's paper.

"Lost - "clamshell handbag.

"Bring to the ducks across the Poppy and Pauper, 200 Winchester."

- 200 Winchester.

That's the Necropolis.

- Classic cemetery meet.

(martial jazz music) Well, now we just have to find the ducks across from the Poppy and the Paupers, Ms. Detective.

- War graves... that could be what "poppy" means.

- Mhm.

- And there's the city graves for the poor, the "paupers".

This is where the city graves meet the war graves.

- So what do you think they mean by the ducks?

Oh, you've got to be kidding me!

MORRIS!

You no good, lying sack of... (grunting) - Morris, don't.

- Carved from soap and covered in boot black.

Ugh!

He never could stomach violence.

Thank you.

Now at the risk of sounding repetitive, where are my pearls?

- I don't know.

(screaming) - You know I can break it.

You've seen me do it.

- All right.

I...

I don't know where the pearls are, not yet.

(groaning) OK. OK.

I checked the classifieds after you told us how the scam went down.

I couldn't help myself!

- And Jack?

- Doesn't know a thing about this.

That's the truth.

- All right Morris, where's the drop?

The ducks across from the poppies and the pauper?

Which grave?

- I know which one.

- You do?

(whimpering) Oh.

- Ow.

(chuckling) - This is funny to you?

- Oh, come on.

Ned would've loved that he was being used for a drop!

Oh.

Yeah, well.

Nice to think he's buried beside me.

Nicer to know I'm not in there.

Oh... - They're just flowers.

I come by every once in a while.

You don't need to get all sentimental about it.

- You never told me how he died.

- Some kids were in a brawl.

One of them... Dad knew the kid's mother.

He intervened.

- Oh... - Took a few blows to the head and died a few days later.

- Just like Ned, huh?

Always stickin' his nose in where it didn't belong.

- Let's find whatever proof the thief left and get out of here.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

- This looks like the thing.

- Yeah.

That's from my necklace.

- I'll hang on to that.

- Oh.

Yeah, sure.

Aw, Neddy.

You know... he may be the only man I ever really loved.

- You left him.

- Yeah, but I would've made a mess of things eventually, so... You know, I...

I see a lot of your father in you.

I think he'd be, uh... Well, he'd like...

He'd like how you turned out.

- Well, I'm a work in progress.

- Oh.

Yeah.

(pensive jazz music) ♪♪ (sighing) You wanna know something, Morris?

This would've been a whole lot simpler if you just told us the truth in the first place.

Though the truth was never your strong point, was it?

- I don't have anything to do with this, Nora.

- You're not weaseling out.

In fact, you're helping us get to the bottom of this.

Now do it.

- Ahem.

Yeah, hello.

Classified desk, please.

Uh, yeah.

I have an item for this evening's edition.

Urgent.

Lost - clamshell handbag.

Meet in the Crown Ascot lobby, 3PM.

Yeah.

- (Jack): This guy's got some nerve, copying us.

Who is he, Frankie?

- That's what we're gonna find out.

Morris' classified ad has the meeting set for 3PM in the lobby of the Crown Ascot hotel.

- Who's the buyer?

- Jack is.

- I'll dust off my good suit.

- (Frankie): You and Morris will be sitting here, waiting for the seller.

Trudy, you're gonna pose as Jack's nurse.

You'll block the front entrance once the mark is in position.

Nora and I will be close by, but we're gonna hang back until Jack has the pearls in his hand.

- (Nora): Not bad, Frankie.

This whole setup, I mean.

Maybe you do take after me.

- Is that supposed to be a compliment?

- Yeah.

Don't get all sentimental about it.

You know, it's, um... it's true things changed when you were born.

- You don't have to-- - No, no.

It's, um...

It's not that I didn't care.

It's just that I'm not maternal.

And your father, he only wanted what was best for you and... and leaving was the best thing I could've done.

- Well, that's honest.

- I'm happy this happened.

- Yeah?

You're happy to have me over your priceless pearls?

- Well, let's not go that far.

- Oh, no.

- If the thief sees Abe, he'll get spooked and run.

- I'll handle this.

Sweetheart!

Oh, my gosh... - (Abe): What is this?

What are you doing here?

- (Nora): You know what, I want a drink... Come on, I just don't wanna go in by myself.

- What's going on, Frankie?

- Just having tea with an old friend.

- Really?

You know, I've been watching you for some time and it seems like something else is going on.

- I think you're letting your imagination get the best of you.

You should stick to fact, not fiction, Hemingway.

- The woman who was just sitting next to you-- - An old family friend.

- I couldn't help but notice she seemed very familiar with Abe Amory.

If I'm not mistaken, that's his wife.

But I think I recognize her from somewhere else.

A photo, perhaps?

- OK. What do you want?

- The inside scoop.

- And if I say no?

- Then you won't have any editorial input on the story.

What gets written... Well, it could say all kinds of things.

- I get to vet the story before it goes to press?

Sometimes I have very mixed feelings about you, Hemingway.

Now get out of here.

♪♪ - What are you doing?

- He isn't coming.

- Did we do something wrong?

- But the ad was crystal clear.

- Maybe he got cold feet.

- Maybe he saw Abe.

Maybe not.

- You again!

- Mr. Amory.

- You can cut the act.

I know you're not an insurance investigator.

Now get out of here before I call the police.

- Go ahead.

Call the police.

You can let them know I'm a private detective.

- A private detective?

Who hired you?

- Well, that isn't important.

What is important is I just watched you try to sell your own pearls.

- That's ridiculous.

In fact, I just found the pearls.

They'd simply been misplaced.

It was all just a terrible misunderstanding.

Now, if you would just kindly leave my wife and myself in peace.

- Mr. Amory, no.

The police would've searched this room top to bottom.

This is insurance fraud and now you're trying to wiggle your way out of it.

- I beg your pardon!

- It's quite brilliant, in fact, trying to cash in twice.

My only question is, why would a man richer than Rockefeller need that much money?

- I said leave.

- Gambling?

Perhaps blackmail?

- My wife.

- Nora?

- She has very expensive tastes, and my company's been in trouble for a while now.

- You're telling me that Nora has bled you dry?

- She'd leave me if she knew.

- She'd leave you anyway.

That's what she does.

She's a grifter.

A thief.

- How the hell would you know all this?

- Because she's my mother.

Her real name is Nora Drake.

My name is Frankie Drake.

- Drake.

When we first got together, Nora and I, we'd lie in bed at night and tell each other stories.

Hers were always about these... master thieves she'd heard about in Toronto... the Drake Gang.

How they pulled off perfect crimes.

- That's how you knew about the feather.

- I took bits and pieces of her stories and cobbled together a plan I thought would be their style.

I never realized she was telling me about herself.

- Where are the pearls right now?

- They're gone!

- Where is she?

- In the bath tub.

- Nora?

- What's the matter?

Is something wrong?

- She's gone.

No!

Wait!

Wait!

Stop!

- Frankie... Don't ask why.

It's the only motherly instinct I've ever had and it's making me uncomfortable.

(uplifting music) ♪♪ Frankie!

It's so nice of you to stop by.

Please, can I get you something?

A cup of tea?

I've got some fine ginger ale.

- No, thank you.

I just came to say goodbye.

- Oh.

- So where's Abe?

- We, uh... You know, we had a mutual parting of the ways.

Which is a shame, really, because he was a wonderful companion.

- Until he went broke.

- Hey, that was entirely his fault.

All he had to do was say no every once in a while.

- Well, I hope he makes good use of those pearls.

- You gave him the pearls.

- Of course I did!

They were his, after all.

- Yeah.

Well, no wonder he took being dumped so well.

- So what are you gonna do now?

Squander another man's fortune?

- Yeah, and it's slim pickings in this city.

- Wait.

You're staying?

- Well, just... you know, for a while.

- We had a deal.

- Listen.

You don't have to believe me, Frankie, but I'm ready to start a new life.

- Yeah, well, don't think we're pals just because we got out of one scrape together.

- Yeah, I wouldn't dare.

- You still offering that ginger ale?

- It's a bit on the drab side.

How 'bout that.

- How 'bout that.

(music playing on gramophone) - This article is eye-opening.

I mean, I knew a bit about your family, but...

I never imagined!

- Remember, that was the edited version.

- Mary, just like I told Hemingway, no one can know who the Drake Gang is.

Or that Nora is still alive.

And especially not that she's my mother.

Promise me.

- Mum's the word.

- It might not be so bad, having your mother around.

- Some families are good.

Mine... not so good.

- You know what's sad?

I never got to see the infamous pearls.

- Hang on.

I still have one.

(fast-paced jazz music) (sighing) Of course.

Closed Captioning by SETTE inc ♪♪ ♪♪