Original subtitles

Mark? Chief?

Hiya, Charlie. I'll wait in the van.

What am I gonna do about you?

Last time we talked, you promised to keep in touch.

You're a busy man, Chief. You don't need me.

Sometimes I like to pass the time with an old friend.

You're the first man that's said that to me in years.

I get that.

Why, I get hold of you when something turns up.

Has something turned up, Charlie? I don't really know.

But the gossip has it that one of the street gangs, they're gonna pull a

A really big one. And it's going to happen real soon.

Does the gossip say what the target is?

No.

But the word is it would not be possible if it wasn't for one of the police

department's old undercover men.

He's selling information, Chief.

Where did you hear this?

Rumors, you know, come from here, nowhere.

Then we'd better trace this one down.

Okay.

We're exactly in the line of fire.

We'd be burning you off to the morgans of Charlie.

I'm sure you realize that.

When I can't stand the heat, I'll stop eating my own chili.

Don't tell me no one saw a thing.

I won't check. No one saw a thing.

Now go get that taken care of.

You know, when I was a kid, my old man used to make me tie knots by the

hour on his fishing boat.

I knew then I never wanted to think of fish in my hand.

What do you want, Parker?

A little talk.

Then talk with Ronnie. He'll relay the information. He always does.

Your brother's dead, Matt.

He was killed by one of your own people.

That cop in a wheelchair.

Chief Ironside?

Mm -hmm.

He's talking to a snitch that Ronnie was trying to discourage.

Only it backfired.

From now on, you and I will be dealing personally.

From now on, we don't deal at all.

Ronnie's dead now. You can't get to him. And you can't get to me. Don't worry,

Matt. We're gonna take care of the cop that killed your brother.

Gonna kill Ironside?

No one knocks off one of my people and gets away with it.

Lock raised.

Man, I got a big deal riding on you.

Well, that's tough.

This cop is out.

My people will never agree to it. Tell your people the only cop they're going

see is an arresting officer.

You know, I'd think about that if I were you.

You wouldn't want the whole police force to know what you've been doing, would

you?

Besides...

An old man was killed the same time that Ronnie went down. You're an accessory

to murder now.

Why don't you turn me in?

I keep thinking about your wife, Matt.

And your little boy.

Maybe you want to.

Whoever hit Charlie has gone underground for the duration.

The man you shot was Ronald Schwartz, a repeater at Vacaville. Burglary. Paroled

six months ago.

Bullet went clear through his body.

38 doesn't usually pack that much power.

What about the information Charlie gave you?

Well, it looks like he had his facts straight or he wouldn't have been

There's one sellout cop who's going to get his share of the credit for that.

When we find him. We'll find him. Don't you worry about that.

We'll find him.

You're not making any sense.

Ronnie has been dead. I know. I thought he was dead, too. He disappeared. He

never came back.

He was only a kid.

Charlie, you should have seen him when he came back.

I mean, he was a mess.

He was spaced out.

He... He said he'd been gambling and that he owed some people some money.

And you gave him some?

No, I didn't have enough.

But, Charlie, they were going to kill him.

So they took information instead, see?

And now they're paying you for it. Well, why not?

They already had me on the hook.

Except now... Ronnie really is dead.

He was shot.

Well... But then you're off the hook.

No.

No, they can blow the whistle on me anytime they want to.

What about...

The department. Do they know that he was your brother? No, they don't know it,

but they'll find out.

See, those people planned to kill the man that shot Ronnie.

And that man is Chief Ironside.

I can't let that happen.

Matt, you will go to jail.

I know I'll go to jail.

Forget Chief Ironside. Let him take care of himself.

Charlotte.

I just can't.

Wait for you outside of some prison?

I won't.

Your brother is dead.

You can't bring him back.

I am alive. Your son is alive.

Charlotte, you want me to work for these people?

My darling, you're already working for them.

What's the difference?

Why shouldn't we have some of the things we want?

Inside. Chief, it's Fran.

I've got all the personnel files pulled.

You know, you wouldn't realize how many undercover men we have until you put all

their jackets in one pile.

It's on my way. I'll pick them up.

I have the feeling somebody's trying to tell me something.

Just enough gunpowder to make a lot of noise. And get a point across.

But what point exactly?

Revenge for the death of Ronnie Schwartz.

They didn't want to kill me or they would have.

Then what's the message?

I think they'll let us know.

Somewhere in there is the name of a cop who could tell you.

How do we find him? By finding out what Charlie was talking about.

What did you dig up?

Enough heist targets to keep 50 gangs busy.

Special museum exhibits, private collections, payroll movements, not to

banks.

An undercover officer would have saleable information about only a few of

Yeah, but which few?

I checked the street mission where Charlie used to camp out, split a couple

days ago.

No explanation.

Walked out on his job, too.

What kind of job?

All -night eating place on L Street.

He did janitorial work.

What about Schwartz?

Ronnie was a junkie who spent half his time in the joint. He, uh, mostly

burglary to support his habit.

Originally from New York.

No indication of any family, not many friends.

He's a loner.

All right, Todd.

You sound real good.

A real steady voice.

Not nervous at all. Who is this?

I thought you might be wondering why you weren't wasted by a little fireworks

display. Why'd you take the risk without finishing the job?

Couldn't have been very satisfying.

Oh, there's a lot of satisfaction in showing someone just how vulnerable he

What's your point?

The point was a person before you killed him. What was Ronnie Schwartz to you?

You may never find out.

I don't think you have that much time left.

I bet that old boy is really sweating.

I ought to hand it to you, Lou. You sure know how to handle him.

Just remember that.

Lou Parker takes care of his own.

I'll see you tomorrow.

It was just a trial run. A game.

Psychological warfare.

Tell the victim he's going to die, but don't tell him when. Then hope he'll

worry himself to death.

Or... Help the killer by making a fatal mistake.

There's an alternative. We could go on the offensive.

Hey, I know Charlie's neighbor.

Let me go back there and see what I can dig out.

You were just there looking for Charlie. If you show up again, they'll make you.

Well, we sure can't take a chance on any of the undercover men now.

I've learned enough about Ronnie Schwartz that I could pass as a pusher

for him.

If I try hard enough to find him, maybe his friends will find me.

And one of those friends could be an undercover man who will recognize you.

change my appearance.

Anyway, it'll be a different setting. The odds will be in my favor. I don't

know, Ed.

When I can't stand the heat, I will also stop eating your chili.

You can break that machine and you have money.

Maybe I can afford it.

What you messing around with this thing for anyway, man?

Well, I mean, you ain't interested in that little ball.

You watching the dope, the whole lot of dope.

But tell me who you're looking for, man. Maybe I can help you.

Ronnie Schwartz. Can't help you.

Young dude in his 20s. Thin, but so high.

Black hair and a runny nose.

That's what I mean.

Nobody like that comes in here.

Yeah, he comes in here.

Won't be calling me a liar with him.

What you should do is keep your little eye on that box.

That's all.

is running my expense account out of sight.

Is that all you got to offer? I mean, I saw him making a phone call.

Let's talk somewhere else.

There's somebody I think you should talk to.

Yes, sir. The wife's name is Ronnie Schwartz.

Just keep walking.

Where? Not far.

Hey, Ronnie.

Hey, come on.

do you want to see Ronnie?

Private matter.

Well, I always respect a man's privacy.

Show him some respect.

You had enough respect?

Why did you want to find Ronnie?

He owes me for some coke he was pushing for me. I just want the bread, that's

all.

I don't collect, I get collected on.

If you don't find him, you start running, huh?

Oh, man.

From my connection, nobody runs.

Who are you working for?

What are you, a cop?

I want some more respect.

Got you.

All right, get on him.

Roger.

Hey,

good brother.

You still looking for Charlie Yeager? You know he ain't showed you. No, I was

through his neighborhood.

A call came over about some dude getting beat up around here.

You know anything about a fight?

Not this time.

All this is last.

looking for Ronnie.

Forget it. He's dead.

Don't tell me nothing like that.

I wish I didn't have to.

Oh, man.

All that bread.

How much did he owe you? What are you going to do? Come up with it?

That's one of you should ask. I just might.

Listen, you know about Ronnie. Why'd you bring me here?

I'm looking for a man who needs money so bad that his life depends on it.

You think you've found him, huh?

Ten thousand bail you out?

Twenty, maybe.

It's possible.

I need a replacement for Ronnie.

What are you going after, the Hope Diamond?

Um, where'd you meet Ronnie?

In Kew?

Vacaville. He was never in Kew.

What's your name?

Simon Wells. Si, what's yours?

When you supplied Ronnie, did you know he was hooked on H?

No, cocaine. He never used anything else. Hey, come on.

Is the test over? Can we get out of business?

Did you, uh... Did you ever kill a man, Si?

Maybe. Why, is that the job?

The job is a heist.

The entry fee is Ronnie's killer on a platter.

When?

When I say to do it.

You better stay in there. Look, either I'm in or I'm out. Oh, you're in all

right, Si.

It's just that we'd feel a lot better about trusting you after you knock off

Chief Ironside.

Ironside on the phone.

And you've only got five seconds.

That's right.

All right, hang up.

Of course I recognize your voice. I'm going to remember it for a long time.

You're an optimist, Ironside.

I'm going to remember it long enough to meet you in prison and see you indicted

for murder.

Don't sleep too sound tonight.

I'd hate to see you miss your own death.

Just remember that I'm... What are you up to, Ironsided Grace?

I'm sorry.

It was that noise on the

line that scared him away. I wonder what it was.

It would come from an extension.

The line was still open for a few seconds after he hung up. It didn't

static. It was kind of rhythmic.

What are you up to? I'm sorry.

A bad extension, maybe?

Maybe.

Chief, do you want me to stay late? I mean, I could whip us up a TV dinner or

something.

You know, in case something or anything comes in on it.

What are you up to?

I think something has come in.

From Ed.

Now? Now.

You'll get it when you need it.

Take a look

Got

him?

Yeah, he got him.

Either he falls or you do.

You want to know something, Cy?

Until just this minute, I never did trust you.

I put the gun on the floor. We're leaving it.

So my prints all over it.

So we want to keep on trusting you.

Parker's orders.

Just don't give him any reason to finger and you got nothing to worry about.

In note of sadness this morning, Robert T. Ironside, former San Francisco Chief

of Detectives, who had been functioning as consultant to the police

commissioner, was shot and killed last night by a sniper's bullet.

An aide to Chief Ironside and sole witness to the shooting, Officer Fran

Belding, had this to say last night at the scene of the crime.

The bullet came through this window.

It was fired from the building over there.

The, um, chief was...

Sitting here, working when it happened.

Officer Belding, do you have any idea as to the identity of the assailant?

A rifle was found in the empty room.

A sniper could have left it.

Ballistics are checking it out now.

Do you have any other clues?

There have been some threatening phone calls.

A couple of them.

Please, no more.

It was just eight years ago last month that another sniper's bullet disabled

Chief Ironside, forcing his resignation and confining him to... Parker will be

real proud of you, Si. Yeah, sure, okay, fine. I paid my entry fee. Now maybe

somebody will tell me what the job is.

We don't know.

You don't? Oh, come on!

He never tells us until the last minute.

Better security that way.

Ronnie's the only one who knew what was coming down.

Ronnie was close to him, huh? He couldn't stand him.

You talk too much, Steve.

Hey, come on, I'm in, remember?

Ronnie was the guy who told Parker. He was the source.

But he was always spaced out.

Dangerous. Parker wanted to dump him, but this cop did it for him.

Well, then why do you want to get him with a cop?

Because he was a cop, and he knocked off one of Parker's men.

Now, it doesn't matter if he's a nothing punk.

Nobody does that to Parker.

He's against his rules.

Now, when that cop turns out to be Ironside, think what that does to the

of the organization.

He must have been there when Ronnie got it.

Exactly. She was waiting for us in the car.

What about her source now that Ronnie's gone?

The kid's brother is a cop.

Parker will just deal directly with him now.

He deals with cops? He kills cops?

Cops. They're a fact of life, Cy.

The man who knows how to deal with them is Top Cat.

He's Lou Parker.

slob off of me, Tracer. I'm gonna pay him a couple I owe him.

Look, Si, I know how you feel.

I want off the leash!

As soon as Parker okays it.

You know we don't make a move till he says so.

Now, come on, Si.

Relax.

I'll be along pretty soon.

Are you in there?

Mark?

Hi, honey. Hey.

Don't they make you keep all of his hours anymore?

I beg your pardon. I thought you might need some help closing up shop here,

but... Well, mostly I just wanted to be with you. Well, that is very nice of

you. Fran, I saw you on TV this morning.

I guess they have to get the news, but I don't know.

It must have been terrible for you.

Yes.

Yes, it wasn't very easy.

What is it? Why am I getting these strange vibes?

That's because of me, Diana.

Sorry, but the secrecy was absolutely necessary.

Not even the department knows.

Diana, we're convinced if I hadn't...

Officially died, Ed probably would have.

Still marked.

The sniper's gun had his prints all over it.

They forced him to do it, and of course he... He shot to miss, but how did

you... Read his mind?

I didn't exactly, Fran.

Kind of a shorthand Morse code.

At least what Ed could remember of it.

He must have gotten to the phone wise and shorted them out somehow.

And those are the letters we got.

Jill Fah did?

Well, it didn't make much sense to us either at first.

But look here.

The letter L is dot dash dot dot.

F is dot dot dash dot. Just the opposite of L.

It's an easy mistake.

Chief, play dead.

When I heard the shot, I knew when.

But will he be able to communicate again?

I hope so, Diane.

This is Ronnie's brother, Matt.

Steve, Trace, and this is Cy.

You two have something in common.

You evened the score for Ronnie.

He's the one that knocked over Ironside? Yeah.

But you can talk about that later if we've got things to do.

Matt here has decided to work with us. He's going to give us the layout.

We can do our homework right here.

But until we pull out in the morning, we're going to be like one big happy

family. Nobody leaves.

I think I understand what was cutting into my phone conversation with

You recognize him, Matt?

He's a cop.

I thought he looked familiar, but I don't know.

What was he doing?

Get the phone, Steve.

You know, any kid can dial a number by clicking the phone button down

like... like this.

It works the same with a wall box, if you got a steady hand.

He was sending messages?

Yeah.

I think the first time he warned Ironside, he was gonna shoot him.

How about it, cop?

Did you make it look good, just for us?

All I know is what I see on TV.

Maybe this time he tipped him about the heist.

No.

I didn't give him time enough to click off much more than the phone number.

Want me to blow him away, Lou?

Not till after we finish at the harbor.

Anything goes wrong, what could be sweeter than a hostage?

Two.

Two cops, two hostages.

Of course, I'm not sure there's much of a market for a cop's snitch.

Could be they'll even pay you to keep him.

What else can it mean?

Ronnie and the Copper Brothers.

We've been through this pile a dozen times, and there is no undercover cop

Schwartz.

Aliases are not uncommon in our line of work.

Let's see, Schwartz was from New York.

I know. Go through them again for New Yorkers.

I'm counting on Ed's knowing what he was talking about.

I wonder why he didn't say more.

Maybe he didn't feel like it.

Maybe he didn't want to make it too easy.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Maybe he got caught.

We're all set. The truck's outside.

Good.

We're right on schedule.

I want this cop right there in the action.

If he decides he'd rather be a dead cop than a live hostage, he'll let him have

his way.

Matthew Black?

Six years on the floor. Why him?

Yeah, why him?

What's the German word for black?

Schwarz. Somewhere along the line, he Americanized his name.

And his brother didn't.

If it is his brother.

Spotless record. He worked vice, narcotics, burglary. He was in the

department for a while.

I think we should have a talk with him.

Well, you can't blame me for being surprised.

Everybody said you were dead.

Let's talk about Ronnie Schwartz.

I tell you, I don't know any Ronnie Schwartz. And that's not my husband's

name. And never was, as far as I know.

Can you tell me where your husband is now?

Wherever undercover officers go.

I mean, he could be anywhere, doing anything.

We know you called your husband's senior officer last night and said that he

wouldn't be checking in today.

Now, why did you do that?

All right.

He wanted to take the day off. He was tired. That's all.

Mrs. Black, we know about Ronnie and his policeman brother who was selling

information. Now, it's just a matter of time until we get it all together.

Oh, my goodness. Why tell me?

Because two men have died. We're trying to save the life of a third, another

policeman.

Well, I really don't see what that has to do with me.

It has nothing to do with you unless you're withholding information.

In that case, you would be an accessory to murder.

I haven't done anything.

Not me.

Mrs. Black, we don't have much more time.

And neither do you.

Do you have any idea what it's like to be the wife of an undercover policeman?

You watch your man walk out each day with a gun strapped to his ankle, ready

be killed if somebody finds it.

And you wait.

You never know if he'll come back.

But then he does.

Sometimes it's days later.

He is dead tired and...

He's covered with the dirt of the stink pots he's been living in.

He doesn't even look like the same person.

But he's done his job.

He's brought in his man.

And then you know what happens?

Some smart lawyer gets the crook back out on the street in an hour. And

sometimes he's there for good.

And you watch your man walk out and do it all over again.

And for what? A street cleaner makes more money.

Where's your husband now? Where's the heist taking place?

I don't know. I really don't.

All Matt said was they had to stop the truck in the harbor before it met the

boat. Did he say anything about guns? Illegal guns collected by the police

hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Yes, Sergeant Hendricks, this is Fran Belding. When are your people dumping

into the ocean?

Today? What's their destination?

Thank you, Sergeant.

Pier 21. The truck's due to arrive there in a few minutes. Take charge here,

Frank. Mrs. Black, you have the right to leave. Keep on inside.

Are those guns really worth all that money?

I took this off a guy who's out cold on that boat. Now, he looks like he's hurt

pretty bad.

Now, you're the police. You better check him out.

I'll take a look.

Anybody else in the back?

Another property officer.

Tell him to open it up.

Come on out.

Nice and quiet.

You do good work.

Too bad I can't pay you what you're worth.

I have an idea. You'll think of something.

How does it feel, Matt?

Working for the guy who killed your brother.

Ironside killed him. You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? It would ease your

conscience.

Ronnie was shot through the side Chief Ironside was facing. Don't give me that.

I learned those tactics the same place you did.

Well, it went clear through his body.

Chief used a .38.

You see what, Parker?

He had motive.

Ronnie was on drugs and dangerous. He had opportunity. He was there.

That's great to see.

Let's get out while we can.

We'll get out. And with a gun.

Parker, did you kill Ronnie?

What's the matter with you? Are you crazy?

Did you kill Ronnie? Answer me.

I'll answer you.

What's going to happen to Charlotte?

She's an accessory. She'll have to stand trial with you.

And I keep wondering how much of this I can blame on her and how much of it I

can blame on my brother.

But would I have done it anyway?

Would you have faced Parker's gun anyway?

That's a better question.

I'll think about that, Chief.

Yes, sir, I'll think about that.