This reminds me too of the scene in "The Big Sleep" when Bogart goes into a bookstore, asks the lady questions and she get suspicious. She asks why he's so interested in his books, in a flirty way, and he knocks up his hat, glances down at her and says, "I'm a private dick on a case... it just so happens I've got a bottle of pretty good rye in my pocket." And the girl responds, "Well... looks like we're closed for the rest of the afternoon." I seriously want to live in the world Hammett created.