Original subtitles

place I saw.

Ed, could you take me, please?

Sure.

Let's go.

Mr. Hamilton?

No, Clinton. Frank Clinton.

Where's Liz?

Yeah, well, Liz and I are engaged.

She called me. Where is she?

In the study. Okay.

How's your boy?

He's dead.

Okay.

eight feet, two inches from the body.

Everything in its place and a place for everything.

He was very neat.

It's a far, far better thing that I do.

Neat, but not original.

For a neat boy, he used a torn piece of paper.

And the corners... The corner's missing.

Ed, have you checked the waste paper basket?

What did B mean?

I don't know.

I'm afraid there's no one around to tell it.

All right.

Brian, close the door.

Is anyone interested in a rubber band and a paper clip?

Make that two paper clips and two straight pins.

In the bag, if you will.

A policeman broke

that to get in.

Ed, have you touched this latch?

No. The officer did it with a pen. It was locked.

What's that?

I don't know.

Terry, you got one of those...

Frank Clinton?

Uh, yeah. And this is my partner, David Wallings. I'm Chief Ironside.

It's okay to be here, isn't it? I mean, as soon as Frank called, I got right

into my car.

It's all right, Mr. Wallings.

How's Miss Hamilton?

Oh, she's in her room.

I hope. The doctor gave her sedative.

Now, please sit down.

Okay.

Now, can you tell me about the family, Mr. Clinton?

A lovely family. Really a lovely family.

Well, I met Liz a couple years ago.

Began dating her.

We fell in love.

Talked to getting married.

Did you spend much time with the boy?

We gave him an after -school job at the plant.

Which plant is this?

That's the C &W Furniture.

Small but growing.

And you saw him almost every afternoon?

Well, not quite.

I'm out a good deal on sales.

I saw him every afternoon. He was a very good boy.

Was he depressed?

No. No, not that I could see. But maybe I'm not a very good judge.

I've been trying to win Donnie over to accept that his mother and I will be

married. So maybe I tended to overlook his bad mood, you see.

I take it then he resented the marriage.

Listen, he was a young boy.

Boys, they don't think like grown -ups.

You said he had bad moods.

Well, the boy had problems, yeah. But he was working them out.

In therapy.

We'll talk to the therapist. He may have an idea what triggered this.

Well, he hasn't seen his therapist for the last two months.

Why not?

Well, I ran out of money.

See, Liz could not afford it. She just... And there was nothing coming in

Donnie's father.

Well, paying for it was the least I could do, because I figured that as long

Donnie resented me, we just couldn't get married.

That's no longer a problem, is it?

Sergeant Brown, Officer Belding.

Belding?

Fran Belding, the good friend who brought her the gun and taught her how

it. Maybe.

Well, what good did it do?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I just... I think of that boy killing

Perhaps he didn't, Mr. Wallens.

Not on the desk, the door, or the window.

You sound as if you'd come to a conclusion.

I think somebody made sure there wouldn't be any.

Donnie's fingerprints were on the gun and on the note. Why nowhere else?

Not on the record or the record player.

The note?

It's authentic.

Handwriting's the same as a loose -leaf binder full of classroom assignments.

The stuff we scraped off the door was wax.

You want to see the report?

Yes.

I don't believe he killed himself.

Then who did?

I don't know.

It's just a feeling.

What kind of feeling?

I don't know.

Maybe it's... Maybe it's because I'm sorry I gave Liz that gun.

Officer Belding, what do you want?

A few days off so you can feel sorry for yourself?

No way.

Then suppose you expend your energies in pursuing the case.

Did Donnie have any visitors yesterday afternoon?

How did he spend his afternoon?

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Goodbye.

How about me?

I think you ought to see a doctor.

There's no simple answer to that question.

Hit me with it anyway.

Okay, I saw Donald twice a week for about a year.

When his parents were divorced, when they split.

Donald did what a lot of kids do. He blamed himself for their breakup.

He had immense feelings of guilt.

But when I first met him, he could handle it. He could talk about it.

Although the divorce was almost four years old by then, but he had a

to talk about it like he was reliving it.

How did he feel about his old man?

Donald loved his father very deeply.

I had the feeling that he hoped that one day if he was a good boy, that is, if

he redeemed himself somehow, that his father and mother would be reunited. And

that's all he talked about almost every session that we were together.

Yeah, but she's planning to marry some other dude.

You see, Donald lived in two worlds.

A fantasy world where his dreams came true, where he was successful, and a

rather shabby world that he constructed out of his own sense of guilt.

And failure.

So, uh, he lived in both of these worlds at the same time, and eventually he

would have had to make a choice, you know, one of these two worlds, but,

I thought it was too soon to force this decision.

Were there any indications that he might kill himself?

No.

Unless I missed a signal somewhere.

The chief didn't actually say he agrees with me.

He kind of doubted you, didn't he?

That rumor.

Locked from the inside.

And the gun was over eight feet away.

Why? I don't know. Maybe the recoil threw it over there.

I suppose it cleared away all the other fingerprints, too.

Fran, we're chasing down all the freaky things.

But if we wind up with logical reasons for them... What is it you're trying to

say? I'm trying to say you're going to have to let it go. You can't spend the

rest of your life trying to prove Donnie was an innocent human. I can spend the

rest of my life trying to get at the truth.

Unless you have a monopoly on it.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

Okay.

Why don't you go in and make sure Liz is all right? I'll check out the numbers.

Liz? Liz?

Oh, I didn't mean to. No, please, I was just thinking.

Time out from thinking.

How about some coffee or something?

There are so many ifs.

Yet more than I hadn't devoured.

If I could have spent more time with Donny.

If he could have continued with his therapy.

If I hadn't had that gun in the house.

If you never married, never had a child.

Ever since I met Frank, things have been different.

Donnie knew it. He could feel it.

I loved him, Fran.

But I suppose, in a way, I resented him, too. It's a terrible thing to say.

I was Donnie's prisoner.

He was protecting me.

Do you know why there's a bolt on this door?

He put it there.

He said if I was going to lock him out of my life, he'd lock me out of his.

Do you know what I told him?

I told him I'd pay for it.

You're entitled to your life, too.

That's what my husband said.

That's what the divorce was all about.

He wanted his freedom. He didn't want to be bothered with a house or a mortgage.

Or a wife and a son.

Does he know about Donnie?

I don't know where he is.

He stopped sending the check three years ago.

My letters kept coming back.

I came out trying to find him.

He didn't care about Donnie then. Why should he now?

Fran?

In here.

Next door neighbor saw a man come into the house with Donnie at around 5 o

'clock. He stayed 20 minutes, then came out.

In the description, it sounds like Frank.

Neighbor also says the hi -fi started about that time. It was very loud.

Loud enough to cover the sound of a shot.

Are you implying that Brad... No.

But there are a few things that don't fit, Liz.

There is a possibility that Donnie didn't kill himself.

But if he didn't... No, no, the music hasn't anything to do with it.

He always played it too loud.

I told him a hundred times.

He loved to lock himself in here.

Turn it up.

Room volume, he called it.

It was the one he was playing.

You've heard it.

But if he didn't... Didn't? We're not sure of anything, Liz.

We're not sure of anything at all.

Money? Donnie's.

He saved his pay from the plant in an envelope.

He must have had a very good job.

Well, five big ones and a lot for a kid to have stashed away.

Liz has no idea where he might have gotten it. He didn't get it working part

-time. All right, we can assume he didn't come by it legitimately.

Or his mother would have known. You think he stole it? But where would he

that kind of bread?

By the place where he worked.

Clinton's place.

It's small.

They wouldn't keep this kind of cash around.

I would dust it for prints.

If it fits anyone at that furniture plant, then they do keep that kind of

around.

Sometimes in the heat of the moment.

That's why Frank's the outside man.

If I yell up in the scenes, nobody cancels orders.

I understand, Mr. Walms.

The last phone to tell me you were coming, it's about me driving Donnie

isn't it?

Yes, it is.

Well, what's the problem? One of us always took him home. Usually me.

David wasn't here, and I was.

So I drove him home.

You didn't mention it.

It was a police moment at work.

A joke.

It's a joke.

I'd better get out of here before she arrests me for something.

If you need me, I'll be yelling at the team, Mr. Belding.

I didn't mention it.

I didn't think it was relevant.

I mean, like David said, it's not unusual.

I drove the kid home whenever I could because that was important to me, that

Donnie and I be friends.

Were you making progress?

I thought so.

He was even letting me look over some of his schoolwork.

Not to criticize it, just to share.

Test papers, book reports, things like that.

Did he give you a book report recently?

Yeah, as a matter of fact, he did.

You still have it?

Yeah, I think so. I hadn't gotten around to reading it yet. It's in here

someplace.

Yeah, yeah, here it is.

It's a tale of two cities.

May I see it, please?

Yes.

Dickens justified the sacrifice of Sidney Carton by having him say...

Page five seems to be missing.

Yeah, well, I... I don't know where it could be.

Do you recall what it was that Dickens had Sidney Carton say?

It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done.

It is a far, far, far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.

Look, maybe,

listen, I don't know how this...

to lock my desk here, I guess Donnie must have taken it back.

Perhaps.

Wait a minute. Are you implying I had something to do with Donnie's death?

You were the last person you'd see in Milan.

I thought all this was just routine.

Incredible.

I mean, I try to be Donnie's friend, and suddenly I find myself defending an act

of kindness.

I just gave the kid a ride home. Is that criminal?

You also went inside with it.

Yes, I did. He finally asked me to come into his room, in his private domain, to

hear his new record.

Well, that was encouraging to me, you see, because I thought maybe Donnie was

finally accepting me.

Because he invited you into his room?

Yeah, that, and because we actually talked a little in the car.

What about?

Oh, I don't know.

Life, I guess. About the rotten things adults do to each other.

Now, give me a concrete example, and he almost did.

Then he changed his mind. He said something like, I'd probably find out

sometime.

But the point is that in the year and a half that I knew him, it was a first

personal conversation I'd ever really had with a boy.

You said you met his mother about two years ago.

Yeah. She works in a firm I was trying to sell to at that time. We just started

the business, and I was out beating the bushes for orders.

Where did you work before here, Mr. Clinton?

Is that important?

I was just curious.

I worked out of state, someplace you wouldn't know about. But look how long

this inquisition go on. I mean, I cared for Donnie. I really cared for that boy,

and I love his mother. I had high, high hopes.

I'm sure.

But you did stop his psychiatric care.

I told you, some unexpected expenses came up. I couldn't afford it any

Well, maybe I could have managed somehow, but... Well, it's too late now,

it?

I really thought he was going to come around.

I really thought it would all work out.

He just needs a father.

And I was hoping it could be me.

Well, aren't you a rat?

Something? No.

I would like you to go with Officer Belding.

We'd like a set of your fingerprints.

What are you trying to do to me?

Why don't you leave Frank alone?

I'm trying to help you.

How?

By accusing Frank of killing Donnie.

No one's accusing him of anything. Donnie committed suicide. He killed

It's finished.

But it is possible that Donnie didn't kill himself.

The room was locked.

He did it. He's dead.

Just leave it like that, will you?

Liz.

Clinton isn't his real name.

It's Cameron, Frank Cameron.

He told me you'd find that out when you took his fingerprints.

Did he also tell you that he served 18 months in prison for theft?

I've known that for some time, although it wasn't theft.

There was some money missing where he worked.

He tried to cover for the man, to give him time to pay it back.

But it all blew up and he had to serve a year and a half.

He swears he didn't touch a cent of that money.

He came here, changed his name and went to work.

Maybe you think it was stupid of him to have changed his name.

But who would hire him?

Who would go into business with him?

He'd paid his debt.

Why did he have to pay it again?

Please, Ram, I can't believe that Frank would have done anything to hurt Donnie.

Please don't make me choose between them.

Well, Frank Linton made regular deposits in his savings account for nearly two

years. What about the withdrawals?

Well, he withdrew $2 ,500 March 10th, another $2 ,500 April 17th.

And that explains fingerprints on the bread in Donnie's room. The kid was

shaking down.

Not necessarily.

The lab report on the money said the only recognizable fingerprints were

Clinton's. They didn't say anything about Donnie's. Yeah, but he had it in

possession. His prints have to be in the bill.

You think the lab assumed we would know that and didn't think it would be

necessary to put it in the report?

Sure, wouldn't you?

At this point, I don't assume a thing.

You know you're driving in circles.

I know I... You also know that nobody with right mind would ticket this car

parking overtime.

I know that, too.

Well, then let's stop for a minute so you can fill me in.

There's nothing to fill you in on yet.

Aren't you going to tell me anything at all?

Yes.

I want you to go to the lab and tell them when I ask for a report, I expect a

complete report.

Donnie's fingerprints are on the money. I want to see it in writing.

Yes, sir.

And? And buy me some dental floss.

Dental floss?

Anything you want to see, just look around. There's nothing to hide.

So, you already know that Frank Clinton is Frank Cameron.

Certainly there's nothing to hide after that.

I was hoping to see Mr. Cameron.

No, not today. I gave him the day off. I blamed him for taking a week off.

You fellas.

Sure, I know you have a job to do, but this doing a job and doing a job, you

don't have to wear a man down, break him into little pieces and walk all over

him.

I mean, suppose, just suppose, he didn't do anything.

Then what?

Say, um, sorry?

And then it's all over?

Here, have a drink.

How long have you known Clinton wasn't a real man?

From the time we started our place.

I tell you, he's honest.

He said to me, David, he said.

Then he told me the whole story.

I admired him for his courage, for his desire to be open.

I tell you, that man is honest.

Where is he now?

If he has any brains, he's with Liz, telling her not to listen to you.

What did you think? He's running away?

He's hiding?

I most sincerely hope not.

And change your identity.

You do what you have to do.

Including paying a blackmailer?

In the last two months, you've drawn $5 ,000 from your savings account.

Yes, that's right.

Who was blackmailing you?

I don't know. I mean, I don't know. The threats came in the mail along with the

instructions on where to leave the money.

You have no idea where they came from?

That's right. I have no idea.

They were addressed to me, to Frank Cameron.

Whoever sent them seemed to know enough about me to make it worth my while to

pay off. So I paid off.

You still have the letters?

I burned them.

You didn't make any effort to find out who was blackmailing you. No!

Going to the police might admit publicity, right?

We could have kissed the business goodbye.

Besides, the police don't bend over backwards for ex -cons.

Did you know Donnie had $5 ,000 in cash hidden in his room with your

fingerprints all over it?

What are you talking about?

Did Donnie know of your past?

Well, I... He could have overheard me telling Liz.

I suppose.

But if he knew, why would the boy do such a thing?

Get rid of you, perhaps?

Didn't you tell me that he resented you, that you were a threat to him, to his

relationship with his mother?

Liz.

I'm sorry, Liz, but I believe Donnie did kill himself.

No matter what anyone else here says, that room was locked from the inside.

Locked, but not necessarily from the inside.

Go ahead and lock the window.

Dental floss.

Polished cotton fiber.

Covered with refined wax.

In other words, a piece of string with a built -in lubricant.

Now, what I'm going to say is going to sound crazy.

What I... Liz, I swear I believe Donnie.

Donnie's trying to frame me.

How could he do that?

Just right here.

Liz, when did Donnie put the bolt on the door? When? About three months ago.

All right. That's just before the blackmailing began, right? Just before

blackmailing began.

I told you. He resented the idea of us getting married.

Well, tell him why. Tell him.

He had the feeling that...

His father and I, we... We'd get back together again if no one got in the way.

And you were in the way, so Donnie blackmailed you.

Yeah, to get me out of town.

Or if I failed to, well,

to provide me with a motive.

You're making my son out to be some kind of a monster. No, no, he was just a

sick boy, Liz. He was sick.

That could solve his problems. I mean, he thought in his mind he was to blame

for the divorce.

And if he were not hanging around and I was out of the way, then his mother and

his father could be reunited.

I can't believe that.

Yeah, well, would you rather believe I killed him, Liz?

I've already considered everything you've brought up, Mr. Clinton.

It could be the truth.

It is the truth. It is the truth.

Except for the gun.

It was over eight feet away from him.

Yeah. Well, I... I can't answer that.

I'm surprised.

You've done so well up to now.

Could have been easy enough for Donnie to have set it up.

Ed? Excuse me.

We found some of these on the floor.

Yeah.

So that's how he did it?

We didn't say that.

That's how it might have been done.

That's how his killer wanted it to look.

Well, I... You're confusing me.

Exactly.

If it wasn't you, it had to be Donnie. If it wasn't Donnie, it had to be you.

I don't understand.

If Donnie could have set up a suicide to point at Frank, so could anyone else.

And if for some reason Frank had an ironclad alibi, it would come right back

Donnie again.

Isn't that right, Mr. Willems?

Have you lost me?

No, I haven't.

Donnie's murderer wanted both Donnie and Frank Clinton out of the way with no

suspicion on himself.

If Frank had been convicted, he'd have spent the rest of his days thinking

Donnie had done it to him instead of you.

Me?

What kind of a joke is that?

No joke.

You weren't at the plant that afternoon, and the kitchen door is always open

during the day.

You were here, waiting for Donnie to get home.

Frank, would you tell me what he's talking about?

He blackmailed Frank, took the note out of his desk and planted it here in

Donnie's room.

Why would I do a thing like that? I love them, all of them.

Strange way of showing it.

Adults do rotten things to each other. Isn't that what Donnie said?

Yes. But he wasn't talking about you or his father or his mother.

He was talking about your partner.

I don't understand anything that's happening. I mean, nothing.

Didn't you see Donnie trying to leave word for us while you were talking to

getting him into position to shoot him?

Kickoff.

He scratched out off and wrote B, kick B. He never finished.

Kick B.

Kickbacks, Mr. Wallens.

Donnie saw you taking kickbacks from your suppliers, something you didn't

Frank to know about, something he could have sent you to jail for.

That's a lie.

No, it's not.

I checked it out.

Two of them already admitted it, and we'll talk to the others.

David.

David.

More than a few.

And a lot of money.

I needed it.

I was going to make it up to you, surprise you with half.

But as far as the rest, me kill Donnie, I was nowhere near here.

If you came here to kill Donnie, you wouldn't have parked near the house.

You'd have parked somewhere else and walked.

Through the back alley and through the backyard.

You'd have waited, made sure Clinton was gone, then talked to Donnie, gotten him

set up.

Afterward, you would have walked back, back to 1800 Resnau Drive, where you

ticketed for parking in excess of one hour, just about the time Donnie was

killed.

I was only going to talk to him.

He didn't like Frank. I thought he'd help me out because of that.

For a while, he kept his mouth shut. He was such a good boy.

But I could see... I could see Frank was winning him over.

He would have told... I know he would have told...

I couldn't live with that.

I mean, the

thought of prison terrifies me.

I'm not the kind of man who could survive.

We're going to find out, Mr. Woolens.

Don't lose that thought.