I'm not in business to be loved, but I am in business. And believe me, Mrs. Mulwray, whoever set your husband up set me up. LA's a small town, people talk. I'm just trying to make a living. I don't want to become a local joke.

Mr. Gittes. You talked me into it. I'll drop the lawsuit.

What?

I said I'll drop the lawsuit. So let's just drop the whole thing.

I don't want to drop it. I'd better talk to your husband about this.

Why? What on earth for? Hollis seems to think you're an innocent man.

Well, I've been accused of a lot of things before, Mrs. Mulwray, but never that. Look. Somebody's gone to a lot of trouble here and lawsuit or no lawsuit, I intend to find out. I'm not supposed to be the one who's caught with his pants down. So unless it's a problem, I'd like to talk to your husband.

Why should it be a problem?

May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray?

Only if you can, Mr. Gittes.

Well, that little girlfriend. She was pretty in a cheap sort of a way, of course. She's disappeared. Maybe they disappeared together.

Suppose they did. How does that affect you?

It's nothing personal, Mrs. Mulwray.

It's very personal. It couldn't be more personal. Is this a business or an obsession with you?