- Johnny Midnight: [Narration] I was heading for Boston, city of baked beans, in answer to a rush call from Jay Redding, a producer in trouble.
- Gideon Crowe: Who are you?
- Jay Redding: I'm sorry, Gideon. This is Johnny Midnight. He owns the theater we're going to play in in New York. He's also a private detective. I asked him to come down here to see if he could help Carol. Johnny, this is our author, Gideon Crowe.
- [Johnny extends a hand, Gideon ignores it]
- Gideon Crowe: Well, why isn't he out somewhere detecting? Since when do we include policemen in discussions of performance?
- Helena Morgan: Gideon, you're absolutely rude!
- Gideon Crowe: It's just that I don't understand why anyone insane enough to leave the theater for detecting should care to or be allowed to listen to a theatrical discussion. Wouldn't you rather be chasing someone down an alley?
- Johnny Midnight: Mr. Crowe, you call yourself a playwright. Yet a girl like Carol has no interest for you. You know why? Because she's so healthy and so vibrantly alive that she overwhelms you.
- Johnny Midnight: When did you first meet him?
- Carol Drake: He introduced himself. I was getting a sandwich at Tiger Turner's next to the theater. I guess I was fascinated by him. I guess I still am.
- Johnny Midnight: Don't be. He's the one who framed you.