Original subtitles

We got ourselves a sniper here.

Get out of my way, Lewis.

Don't be crazy, Dennis. Give it to me.

I'm Seymour Robin.

Internal Revenue Service.

This whole thing stinks.

Police! Hold it!

He wants my records for the last three years.

Three years.

I don't even know where my records are for the last week, man. How am I

to turn up three years?

He's only killed 10 women. Well, he's zeroing in on number 11.

And McCall, I think it's you.

Hit the deck, McCall!

Well, why can't you learn not to make waves?

Because I want to do it right.

Work for me.

Wonder when things got so bad.

All or what happened to the world we had.

Well, we used to be the street.

No. No.

You were just standing there.

All of a sudden she jerks her head away and she just goes limp in my arms.

I thought she was having some kind of fit or something.

And I didn't know until I saw the blood.

You never heard the shot?

No. And you didn't see anyone?

No.

No, but I know who did it. It was that creep she used to go out with, Brad

Wakely. That's the guy who did it. You said you never saw anything. No, I don't

need to. I know he did it.

When she gave him the word that they were over, he got real crazy.

He got real mean.

He said he was going to get her good.

You don't happen to have an address on this Wakeley guy, do you? I think Cheryl

said he lived in Silver Lake. I don't have a street.

The shot came from up there on that knoll, Captain.

I found this.

NATO round, .223 caliber.

That could have been some kid.

Sneaked his old man's rifle out of the house, took a pot shot at a rabbit.

A lot of complaints about kids hunting in these hills. Hey, I'm telling you,

it's not some kid. It's this guy Wakely.

This wasn't an accident. This guy knew what he was doing. He even cleared away

the brush to get a good line down here with the girl.

That's about a downhill shot of 300, maybe 350 yards.

This guy wasn't using your standard GI weapon.

He was using a modified rifle with a scope.

We got ourselves a sniper here.

Hunter, let me talk with you a minute.

Look, you be damn careful who you say that to. If I read, hear, or see one

one word about there being a sniper in Chandler Park, I'm going to have your

liver along with your badge. You got me? So what do you want me to do, go

looking for this little kid with a BB gun?

Hey, look, Hunter, we're all in it right up to our noses, huh? All of us. Well,

why can't you learn not to make waves? Because I want to do it right.

See if Wakely was in the service, if he qualified for weapons, and if he did

what his rating was.

Already on it.

What the hell are you doing?

You're Sergeant Rick Hunter?

Yeah, what the hell are you doing going through my files?

I'm Seymour Robbins, Internal Revenue Service.

Well, I'm going to go check on those files.

See you later.

We have some problems with your income tax returns from 1980 through 1983.

1980? That's five years ago.

McCall, what's going on in there?

It's being audited by the IRS.

What a shame.

On April the 27th, 1980, you deducted as an unreimbursed business expense

the payment of $10 to Harry... Tennessee.

What was that for? Tennessee.

Harry Tennessee.

Let me see that.

Not Harry Tennessee.

Harry the Nose. He's a cocaine addict.

He sells drugs for a living.

You bought drugs and deducted it as a business expense?

No, not drugs.

Information. Ah, information.

And why didn't you just use the police department files?

Or the computer?

I understand the city has invested millions of dollars in a highly

mainframe system. Sometimes you have to get information very quickly. Now, I

don't have time to come back to my desk and go through my files, such as you're

doing, or hit the computer for my information.

I've got to get it from the players right on the street.

Just a second.

Captain?

We'll tell you all about this.

This is Mr.

Robbins. Mr.

Robbins is with the IRS.

Oh, so I understand.

I trust Sergeant Hunter here hasn't given you any trouble regarding his

I don't want you to take it easy on him just because he's a police officer.

Oh, I wouldn't do that.

Good. Good.

We must all carry our share of the burden.

Just a moment, Captain. Sure. Is it true that police officers pay criminals for

information?

Well, there are some occasions when that might be necessary, yes. And the police

department condones it?

Well, perhaps not officially, but it's always been the accepted practice as

as I can remember. You know, within very certain limitations, of course.

You say that paying police informants is a matter of accepted policy.

Does that mean you do it, Captain?

Well, on occasion, yeah. But as I said before, within very, very narrow

parameters. And you deduct these payments to criminals from your income

returns under unreimbursed business expenses, I assume.

You stuck the captain with that IRS guy? What are you, suicidal?

Well, I figured he hasn't killed me by now, right?

Oh, by the way, he did a very excellent job of getting all that information on

Wakely so quickly.

Well, it wasn't like he was trying to hide. He listed right there on the

He even gave his right name and address when he was pulled over and ticketed for

speeding last month, and he even paid the fine.

So what you're saying is this guy is a solid citizen?

Well, an old cop I once worked with right after I got out of the academy

told me that a solid citizen.

It's somebody who hasn't been caught yet.

What? Yeah, my old man told me that when I was four years old.

Yeah,

he's only got one little problem.

Cops, pedestrians.

Good.

Nice going, hot guy.

You just killed three policemen, two innocent bystanders, and a woman and her

baby. Well, they should have kept their heads down.

Well, maybe you ought to pull yours out, Wakely.

Now pick up your brass.

The rest of you guys police the area. Pick up anything that's not growing.

Robert Wakely?

Who's asking?

Sergeant Hunter and Sergeant McCullough with Homicide.

So what do you want with me?

Talk to us about Cheryl Green.

She's a lying, double -dealing little tramp, just like the rest of you.

Yeah, well, she's different. She's dead.

Aren't you a little curious about how she died?

Maybe you already know.

Why don't you talk to her, soldier?

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

This man's got a lot of work to do. Why don't you leave him alone?

We're the police.

That woman was shot to death, Wakely.

Hold it, kid. Don't say a word.

You charging him or what?

Who are you, an attorney? Why don't you butt out?

He's in my outfit, and I'm going to take care of him.

Now, trust me, kid. You don't have to say anything without a lawyer.

You know that, don't you? Sergeant, you're complicating matters.

Well, I just wanted the kid to know what's in the book.

Want to go by the book?

Okay. We found this man in possession of a weapon of the same caliber that was

used to kill his ex -girlfriend, Cheryl Green.

Now, this cartridge was fired from that weapon.

That still don't prove that he did it.

No, you're right. It doesn't prove that.

But it's evidence.

Now, look, we can take you downtown. We can hold you for 48 hours on suspicion

while we have the lab check this out, the rifle, anything else we want to turn

up.

Is that the way you want to run it, Wakely? Don't let him snow you, kid.

I haven't seen Cheryl since we broke up. I hadn't talked to her. I hadn't seen

her anything, okay?

Well, the guy she used to go with said you took this thing pretty hard. You

threatened her life.

Now, wait a minute here.

This guy didn't know what he was talking about, all right? Now, you know, when a

guy is crazy about a dame, spends all his money on her, and they stay together

for years, and all of a sudden, out of the blue, she says, I'm leaving you for

somebody else.

Makes you mad.

Hurts you.

You sometimes say things that you don't really mean.

Now, who the hell's going with this girl? You or him? Why don't you let him

talk? No, that's right, that's right. It went down just that way. Sarge is

right. You still live at that Silver Lake address, do you? Yeah, that's

You still work for M &R Construction Company? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You get that feeling they make a big move. Why don't you give me a call, huh?

Hey.

Hey, hold up.

I just think you ought to know that, sir.

That kid over there ain't no lousy draft dodger that joined the guard just to

stay out of NOM.

That kid's had a real rough war.

That's not going to buy him anything.

You should know that by now.

When you get back to the precinct, why don't you run Wakely again and see if

can come up with any type of psychiatric history?

I ought to run him?

What's the matter with you? You allergic to files all of a sudden?

No, I want to run by the National Guard Armory for a minute.

Look, all right, I don't want to go back to the precinct just yet. Not while

that IRS blood -sucking creature is still there. He's got to drain me dry.

Yeah, that's Bob Wakeley. He's the best shot on the team.

Maybe in the state.

You think Wakeley would have any trouble hitting a man -sized target, say, 350

yards? One of these?

Nah, nobody can hit anything in one of these except by accident.

But now with a target rifle, he'd shoot your eyes out at that range.

He's about the best I've ever seen. Well, he's even better than Bulger, and

Bulger was top gun at Pendleton in 57 and 58.

These target rifles, each man's supply zone?

No, the regiment supplies them. It's a regular issue sniper rifle, and we

them some for competition.

You keep him around here?

Sure, now. You think I might have a look away, please?

Can't see why not.

I don't suppose, uh... You got a warrant?

Well, I could get a warrant.

Well, you see, uh... Around here, we do have a thing by the numbers.

If you want to see these rifles or anything else in here...

You better go get yourself a piece of paper.

I'll be back.

Why'd you get so picky about the rules, Dennis?

You got an awful lot of work to do, Lewis.

Why don't you just get to it?

Single shot to the head.

Probably from that knoll up there.

I can't tell yet what the caliber bullet, but it looks like a .223.

But I'll let you know when I dig it out.

Okay, thanks. Appreciate it. Okay, you're welcome. Thanks, Bill. Yeah.

Boy, you pulled another one right out of your hat, Hunter.

Way clear of a psychiatric history.

Yeah, they admitted him to a hospital six months.

Was he violent?

No, he was diagnosed as acute depression or something like that.

They said he got over it in six months. Yeah, that's what they said.

They probably kicked him out of it because he needed the extra bed.

Anyway, we got to go see this guy again and pay him another visit.

Sergeant McCall.

Hey, listen.

You can come on back to the precinct now if you want, you know.

Why, is that dip from the IRS gone?

No, but I think he's found juicier pickings than you.

Who's that?

We've got his eye on Smitty, and he's just about ready to sink his teeth right

into the captain's neck. Are you kidding? That's great.

I checked with him and our construction.

They said Wakely didn't show up for work today. He called in sick.

Open up. Open.

Bedroom's clean.

Clue -wise, anyway, I don't think this place has been dusted in two months.

Hand me that chair, will you?

You know, it's one thing him killing the first girlfriend, but why would he kill

a second?

We don't know he killed either one of them yet.

Well, it'd be a real good reason to hang yourself.

We can't prove that, either. He didn't leave a note, did he? Hunter, half the

suicides don't leave any notes.

This whole thing stinks.

You got something on your chin.

Where's my bag? Right over here.

Well, after you're done looking at the library, would you give me my bag,

please?

Take a look at it. They got dust here and dust here.

Yeah, they got dust everywhere. The guy was a lousy housekeeper.

Oh, wait a minute.

There's no dust right here, though.

Blonde shot dead in park.

Second girl slain in Chandler Park. Park police denied connection. That's

figured.

Park sniper strikes again. Chandler Park victim number eight.

We got a photograph here of probably a victim.

There's a phone number, an address, and a name on the back of it.

Looks like maybe we got our sniper.

No, no. Wakely couldn't have anything to do with these killings. This goes all

the way back to 1958.

He was a kid then.

You're right.

And the phone number on the back of this photograph?

Back in 1958, the prefixes were names, not phone numbers.

Like where I came from, it was Madison, and then you dialed M -A, and then the

phone number, right?

Well, this is a current phone number.

Well, what are you saying?

Wakely suddenly found a bunch of old newspaper clippings, decided to become a

copycat killer?

Yeah, it could have worked that way.

Our captain will believe that story.

That means you won't. Like I said, we'll go.

This whole thing, thanks.

Looks like the place.

What good could it do us? I don't know.

Every interview is a learning experience.

Excuse me, ma 'am. Can we have a word with you, please?

I'm Sergeant Hunter. This is Sergeant McCall.

We're looking for a woman by the name of Iris Buford.

You wouldn't happen to know her, would you?

You know, cotton pigs, you don't care about anybody, do you?

We're sorry, ma 'am. Was, uh... Was she your daughter?

My daughter?

I don't have a daughter.

It's me, 25 years ago.

Um, would you guys like a beer?

No, thanks.

If I had your willpower, maybe I'd still look like that picture.

Where'd you dig it up?

A man named Robert Wakely had it.

We found it amongst some old clippings that he had on the Chandler Park sniper

case back in 1958.

God. You know about that, do you, Mr. Buford?

Yeah, I know about it.

I was married to him, Dennis Balder.

It's a classic example, Captain. The guy was crazy jealous. He thought his wife

was cheating on him. Well, every guy in town. So he gets a rifle, follows his

wife to Chandler Park, and takes a shot at her. And proceeds to kill eight more

women who were so alike to his sister.

$287. What did that woman find to spend money on this time?

Oh, Balzer's wife? Oh, my wife. Of course she can spend money.

Hey, if Balzer's wife thought he took a shot at her, why didn't she turn him in?

She did. She said nobody believed her. You got those forms, Justin?

What was that? I said she did, but nobody believed her.

Loopy woman, pickled in boo, thinks she was married to the Chandler Park sniper

25 years ago?

Huh. She's still bad in a thousand. Look, the autopsy on Wakely shows a

contusion behind his left ear, which is consistent with a blow to the head by a

blunt object.

So what? So the M .E. says that's because the guy was unconscious before

hanged. Which means he was murdered.

No, which means that you're wasting my time again, Hunter.

You know, while you two were playing clever detective, Sergeant Terwilliger

picked up Wakely's rifle over at the armory, took it to ballistics.

I suppose you're going to tell us now that the bullets matched.

You got it, McCall. Both those girls were killed by the same gun and none

Yeah, the same gun, but not by Wakely. Look, Balzer had access to those rifles

24 hours a day.

Hey, Hunter, read my list.

This case is solved, and you have nothing else to do with it. I got one

suggestion for you.

You better pray that that guy from the IRS, that bloodsucker, doesn't find

anything wrong with my past returns and penalize me for it.

Because if he does, he's going to come out of your hide.

Now get out of here and do something productive.

Ah, Sergeant Hunter.

Did you come up with those Harry the Nose receipts yet? Yeah, we're working

that. Ah, well, no great rush.

I think I'm going to be here much longer than I expected.

He was stationed here in Los Angeles from February of 1957 through December

1958. And that's the same time frame in which the Chandler Park sniper was

active. So were about three million other people. But when he got

the killing stopped.

There hasn't been one girl killed in that park since he left.

Until now.

We'll get this back in town.

All I'm asking for is two officers on foot and two squad cars to back me up.

What is this? Are you people telling me I don't know how to set up a net?

No, we are not telling you you don't know how to set up a net. All I'm

you is I've worked on this case from the very beginning. I know how this guy

operates. This is his killing ground. It also happens to be my precinct,

Sergeant. So why don't you just go back to your own bailiwick and leave me to

run mine, huh?

I'm sorry, mister.

I thought you were a rabbit.

Go home, kid.

And hurry!

That damn fool.

Hunter, that was him.

Attention all units. Possible sniper reported in Chandler Park.

L -56 responding. Tell them that we have him in view. We're in pursuit.

Also tell them... This is great!

It's still too slow.

Knock another second off in between them. Whatever you want.

Where's your sidekick? She get another playmate?

She's out tying up some loose ends.

Yeah, I'll bet.

Very nice setup here, Balzer.

Yeah, I set this up myself.

Care to take a whirl?

Yeah, I would.

What kind of gun you want? You want an M16 or a Uzi? Anything you like?

Well, if it's all right with you, I'd just as soon use my own.

You know how this works?

Just aim at the bad guys.

That's right.

Get ready.

All right, Whitlow.

Cut it loose.

You got it.

Well,

by the way, your buddy Wakely didn't commit suicide.

What are you giving me? The truth.

Somebody cold cocked him and then tried to hang him when he was unconscious.

Tried to make it look like a suicide.

That's crazy.

Now, why would anybody want to do that?

Probably figured Wakely knew who the sniper was.

You mean Wakely didn't kill those two girls?

No way.

McCall and I had him in the park the other day, but he got away.

Well, if Wakely didn't kill them, then who do you figure did?

Well, we figure it was the guy who killed those eight girls back in 1958.

Chandler Park Sniper.

You were stationed here then, weren't you?

You must remember him.

Oh, yeah.

I remember him well.

They hauled my butt in for questioning.

Well, obviously they couldn't pin anything on you.

No, I don't know what they were up to. You know, the week after they hauled me

in, they transferred me to Germany.

You know, funny thing, though.

Right after I got there, Somebody started knocking out German dames.

Blonde, just like your ex -wife, right?

Yeah, just like her.

Nice shooting.

You only hit one wrong target.

Well, everybody makes mistakes sooner or later, don't they, Sergeant?

Hey, Joe.

I knew I'd find you here.

We've got a weapons survey at the end of the month, Dennis. Don't you think we

ought to get on it? There's time.

Not a whole hell of a lot.

What's been bugging you, Dennis? The kid Wakely doing Dutch?

That kid really admired you, Dennis. I mean, he really did. He was always

questions about you and where you served and what you did.

He was going to write a book about you, a book. Now, do you believe that? You're

never going to learn how to shut your stupid mouth.

Who are you?

Give me another one, Joe.

Why don't you give Balzer that call and give him a push?

Yeah, that's right.

Who?

No, he ain't here.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Ah, it's a night after drill, maybe.

Look, lady, I don't run no answering service here.

Okay, okay, what's your name?

Iris? Iris, that's it?

All right, if I see him, I'll tell him.

What'd you say your name was?

Oh, relax, Serge.

She's after somebody named Pete Stanky.

Supposed to be in your outfit, you know it? Said her name was Iris, right?

Yeah.

Iris what?

Iris what, dammit? She didn't say!

What's wrong with you, Bowser?

You gone nuts or what?

Thanks a bunch, honey.

Just what we needed. A tax audit.

You know, I think I'm the only person in this whole place who hasn't even been

nailed by Robbins yet.

Well, the rich get richer, McCall.

Speaking of rich, you still owe me five bucks.

I'll write you a check. Which I shouldn't cash until next payday? Uh

about it.

I'll write it off my taxes as a business expense.

What, did you say you were going to write it off on your taxes?

He wants my records for the last three years.

Three?

Years? I don't even know where my records are for last week, man. How am I

supposed to turn it up three years?

Just relax. It's only money, okay?

We've got better things to concern ourselves with, like Balzer.

Yeah, well, my guess is we scared him back into his hole.

Nah, no way. This guy's a killer. He just began to kill. He cannot stop.

I know all about these types of killers. Trust me, will you? Trust you.

Three years, Hunter.

How's it going?

Hey,

have a seat. I want to talk to you. What are you drinking?

Well, let's see.

Looks like I'm drinking beer.

Pass the teeth over the gums. Look out, stomach.

Here it comes.

All right.

You know, I've known some old, old women in my time that shoot better than

you guys did this morning.

Sir? Hey, what's wrong?

What's wrong, sir?

Sir? Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Hey,

you. Soldier.

That dame you were with.

What's it to you, pal?

Her name's Iris, right?

Right! Okay, so her name is Iris. So what?

Well, where'd she go? Where can I find her?

I don't know what your problem is, Sarge, but you want her?

She's all yours.

Looks like our old Sarge just took the bait.

He sure did.

Sorry. One

more

little push and he's going to fall.

You'd even think that I'd get on the phone with Balzer, then you're crazier

he is.

I only give a guy one shot at me.

He's already had his. Come on, Iris, what can he do to you over the

You understand, Quaker?

Take thyself a hike.

Look, Iris, this guy is right on the edge.

All he's got to do is hear your voice on the phone, he's going to fall right

into our net.

He's going to kill again unless you talk with him, Iris.

I don't even have a phone.

Company came and took it last month.

Master Sergeant Bolger.

Hello, Dennis.

This is Iris.

Who?

It's me.

Iris, your ex -wife.

Is this some kind of joke?

It's no joke. It's me.

Look,

I gotta see you.

I don't believe this.

believe it dennis are you gonna wind up in the gas chamber dennis yeah i'll be

there yeah i'll be there

I'll be there.

Where are you going with that gun?

Get out of my way, Lewis.

Don't be crazy, Dennis. Give it to me.

Hunter, can you hear me?

Yeah, loud and clear.

Just lonesome. I wanted to hear a familiar voice.

Any sign of him?

Nothing yet. How you doing?

I'm cold, my feet hurt, and I'm scared out of my mind. Other than that, I'm

great. What are you scared for? We gave you a bulletproof vest.

Balls are always aimed for the head, remember?

Well, just hang in there.

Yeah, well, how much longer?

Make another pass up the path and back. If you don't find anything, we'll call

it a day.

Okay, you got it.

Hit the deck, McCall!

He's headed back to his car. Try and cut him off.

Police! Hold it!

He went up the hill.

I'm going to ask... Should we get some backup?

Give it up, Balzer.

Half the Metro PD is on its way here right now.

Shoot, Hunter.

Like I said, Sarge, everybody makes a mistake.

Yeah, thanks, Gallagher.

Okay, I'll tell him.

Appreciate it.

That was Inspector Gallagher.

He said to tell you that the shooting team has found the balls of killing

righteous. He also said to tell you that he's going to put you up for a

commendation. Please, don't give me that. We both know what the captain will

with that.

If you two have your penalty checks ready, I'd be more than happy to take

for you.

It'll save you 22 cents per second.

Well, if we mail them, can we deduct the cost of the stamps?

I'm afraid not.

Nor the interest or the penalty.

Thank you both.

The way everybody's been cutting corners around here, I knew they'd catch up to

you sooner or later.

Who are you kidding, Bernie? You're not honest. You're just nervous.

It's far from true, Hunter.

Oh, yeah? Then how come you never put a quarter in the can like you're supposed

to after you drink all that coffee?

Yeah. A cup of coffee, McCall? That is so penny -ante.

I get free coffee all over the city.

Uh, excuse me.

I don't think we've met. Oh, excuse me. This is Sergeant Bernie Terwilliger.

This is Mr.

Robbins. Mr.

Robbins is with the IRF, Bernie.

Nice to meet you. I got something I gotta do. I'll see you later. Just a

moment, Sergeant.

I couldn't help overhearing just a moment ago.

Tell me, just exactly how many cups of coffee do you drink each day?