Original subtitles

One

of my favorite things about New York City is that it never closes.

And I love to taste the early morning hours.

Times Square comes alive after all the tourists are back in their hotels.

I cruise for a while and then I usually end up at Richie's Newsstand for a pack of

smokes, tomorrow's Daily News, and a few tips on the next.

Hey, Rick.

Hey, Mike.

How you doing?

Oh, uh, by the way, the naked Madonna and the fifth at Aqueduct.

Look, it's going to be a long price, so get down good, okay?

Naked Madonna.

What's going on?

Ah, some little jerkbook graffiti all over my stand.

Mike, would you take a look at that?

You believe that some people call that art?

Art, huh?

I'd like to find the artist who did that and use his face as an eraser.

Hey, Rocky, how you doing, boy?

Hey, Mike, you remember that beautiful model I was telling you about?

Karen Thorson.

Rocky's our dog.

Hey, Mike, look, it's a picture, Karen.

Now, she a beauty or what?

Look at that.

Now, Ben, how you doing, Rock?

Huh?

You're a good guy.

Hey, Richie.

Look at this.

Look.

Hey, boy.

You all right?

Hey.

What's Karen's address?

At the brown store to run a corner, uh, two twelve.

Hold the fire department, Ricky!

James, the smoke.

There was no way I could have gotten to her.

The next day, there wasn't much left to what made up the life of a beautiful woman.

And I felt bad.

Karen had kept tarot fortune cards and mystical candles.

I never could figure out why people use these things.

Give me a strange feeling.

Hello, Mike.

Gosh, it's gorgeous.

What was the bottom line of the report?

The arson boy said knocked over candle, caused the fire.

Of course, it's preliminary.

The victim was burned beyond recognition.

But she did so for a skull fracture caused by

a fall against some kind of a blunt object.

And you really think this was a burglary, huh?

Uh, Jimmy, real window, ramp sack, closet, spilled dressers.

Like, it's a grander.

Victim wakes up.

Here's the guy knocks over candle falls in his head.

You're not even listening to me.

No, I'm listening.

I just don't think it's that clean, that's all.

I mean, when I came in here last night, the

closets and the drawers were not ransacked.

Now, this morning when I came in, I figured that the

fireman tore the place up trying to put out the fire.

Guy in a rescue mission in a burning apartment doesn't see much.

Pat, I know what I saw.

Okay, I hear you.

And I'll look into it.

Investigation's still open.

Thanks.

Am I interrupting, gentlemen?

Hi, Bella.

Hi, Pat.

It's a nice dress you're almost wearing.

It's my wife could get into a dress like that.

Don't you let him.

Okay.

Bye-bye.

Rocky, meet Bella.

Bella, this is Rocky.

Well, hi, Rocky.

Rocky was Karen Thorsen's dog.

Yeah.

You know, Richie's taking this thing pretty bad.

Yeah, I know.

I guess I should cancel that 10-30 meeting with Mr. Porter.

Oh, you got to cancel everything until further than that is.

What do you got?

Well, Karen Thorsen's agent said she had no family locally.

She'd been working on a campaign for LaMay perfume.

LaMay is a very uptown house, Mike.

I probably use it to perfume myself if I got paid regularly.

Claude Davos runs LaMay.

Here's the address.

You're great.

Uh, Rocky is going to be staying in the office until further than notice.

Now, don't worry about a thing.

Just think of him as a giant bunny that drew us.

Mike.

I wasn't going to stop until I discovered who murdered Karen Thorsen.

I owed it to Richie.

The guy in the black sedan had tailed me to the LaMay perfume building.

And it didn't seem to bother him that I knew it.

I'm here to see Claude Davos.

Uh, well, it's not possible.

He's in the showroom today, directing a TV commercial.

He's canceled all his appointments.

Well, that's okay.

I don't have an appointment anyway.

Take a hike, chump.

Yay-o.

No, Princeton.

A fed get lost.

Is that how bad it's going?

No, I guess it isn't.

Claude Davos had a nice little operation.

I guess the perfume business was nothing to sniff at.

My motor's running a little hot.

Oh, maybe you need a tune up.

Caught, caught, caught.

Who in the hell are you?

My camera, Mr. Davos.

I'm a private investigator.

I've got some questions for you about Karen Thorsen.

You and my shot, Mr. Hammer.

What?

Was I in the picture?

Let's break.

Be back in five.

That's Mr. Hammer will be gone.

Go on, but not for God.

I've still got some questions for you, dog breath.

Goodbye, Hammer.

Mr. Hammer, maybe I can help you.

Who are you?

I'm Monica Brooks.

Karen was my closest friend.

Really?

I even went to the morning to try and identify her body.

That must have been tough.

Do you think it was an accident?

I'm not sure.

What do you think?

I don't know.

How well did you know, Karen?

Oh, we were close.

We met at a psychic experiment.

We were both into the occult.

Yeah.

I found some tarot cards and candles in Karen's apartment.

Listen, what about this guy, Davos?

Why is he being so uptight?

He's a closet gambler and he's been on a long losing streak.

He's that way a lot lately.

Yeah.

Well, listen, I won't take you any more of your time.

Thanks, sir.

It's been very helpful.

You come up with anything or when I ask some questions

or whatever, just give me a call at this number.

Here's my card.

Thanks.

I'd almost forgotten about the guy who was built like a phone booth.

But the smell of burnt hair reminded me he was still a little hot under the collar.

But something got his attention.

You're one like a gorilla bonsou.

Those two monkeys just saved your bananas.

I went to Karen's funeral to save my goodbyes.

For someone I'd never even set a load to.

Karen had a lot of other mourners, including

whoever was following me in that black sedan.

You okay, Rich?

I've been better.

What was Barrington doing there?

Maybe funerals were his idea of a fun afternoon.

Looking for anyone special baring in?

Just be grateful it isn't you.

Beautiful dog.

Hello, Doggy.

Whoa!

Hey, it's crazy about you.

Good boy, Rocky.

You got a taste.

Dear Lord, did we not belong to have mercy and despair?

Humbly entreat you for the soul of your servant here on your side.

Will you summon today from this world that you

would not deliver her to the hands of the enemy?

Is he here?

Is he?

Rosie, what are you doing here?

Who are you here?

I see.

Good to give you a double saw, Buck.

Yeah.

All right, I want you to look at this carefully.

Mine's counterfeit, but it's perfect.

Question.

Can you tell which one it is?

Answer, of course you can't.

And I'll slow down one of those with mine.

Yeah, but you couldn't tell which one.

See, Mike, this 20 has netted me a bundle over the years.

Look at this.

Perfect paper.

And they never found the place.

I tell you, this guy's a genius.

I'm a real fan of his, a regular groupie.

Question.

What are you doing here, Rosie?

Answer.

I just told you, Mike, to see the guy, to see the counterfeiter.

See this model they're bearing?

She's his daughter.

So I figured the fans will gonna spring Gus Thorsen

from the pain to attend his own daughter's funeral.

Gus Thorsen?

I knew who Gus Thorsen was.

Probably one of the greatest counterfeiters that ever lived.

If the stakes in this game were his perfect 20

plates, it could be the reason Carrot was killed.

Hey, pass.

Do you hold on to this guy for a second?

Bye.

You won't bite.

Promise?

I had to find out who was in that black sedan.

But they clearly didn't want to have any contact with me.

Unfortunately, somebody else did.

What are you doing down there?

Oh, another special just looking for Jimmy Harper.

Can you help me out?

The poor fellow seemed to be stuck there.

Too bad for him.

Sorry to hold you guys up.

You are dead, you two bit rent a car.

Don't let his big mouth upset you.

Yeah, well, his big mouth is going to be accompanied

by a broken arm and has to get some answers.

Who are you and what are you doing here?

I'm Max Bremmer.

You're holding on to Kurt, my adopted son.

Now we happen to be old friends of Caron's family.

And we decided to pay our respects in private.

You were at LeMay yesterday.

Why?

Let your stinkin' business.

Would you let me handle this?

Being at LeMay had absolutely nothing to do with Caron Thors.

We're strictly business.

I've heard about you, Mr. Hammer.

I know your reputation.

Check us out.

You'll see whatever I've said is the truth.

It better be.

Because if it's not, you're going to be checking

into a nice little hotel suite about six feet deep.

Chuck, don't hurt his face!

Sorry, Max, are you?

You know the old saying.

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

Here on A&E.

Hey, Rick.

Hey, Mike, what do you say?

You turn anything up here?

You don't have to pay the shirt and give it what you like.

I know, listen.

Calm down, would you?

I want you to put the word out and see what you can come

up with on Max or Kurt Bremmer or a guy named Gus Thors.

Okay?

Don't worry about it.

If there's anything out there, believe me.

I'll dig it up.

Calm down, would you?

Throw your light!

Mike, no one Caron ain't going to combine any more show makes a difference.

One smile out of how I keep me warm inside for hours.

Listen, you better sell some paper.

Calm down, will you?

The news don't get any better and be getting faster.

Those eyes kept looking at me.

I wanted to tell her I'd find her killer.

The next morning I located Monica at the gym,

mown by Max Bremmer in the blonde bottom.

Shelly was calling his son.

Do you think my pecs need more work?

I think I need a rest.

You work out like this every day?

Just about.

I thought so.

It's working.

Max and Kurt have always been close.

Max finally adopted Kurt so he could take over his businesses one day.

This gym, the loans.

How did Caron get along?

Kurt?

Hardly.

But she seemed to get along with Max, okay?

He was an old friend of her father's.

Got stories of him?

Did you know him?

No.

You and I hardly ever spoke of him.

All she ever mentioned was his bunnies where you sat sent in, and he used to send

her sweet little notes with flowers on her birthdays.

You didn't know that he was doing time for counterfeit.

Counter-fitting?

No, I didn't.

Okay, well.

Hi.

Last night he spent some time with a tarot card

to try to make some sense of Karen's death.

I didn't find any answers, but in the cards I saw a strong man who cares.

It was you.

And?

Please be careful, Mike.

Extra careful.

The card's also said there's danger all around.

Thanks, Monica.

Don't worry.

There is nothing I value more than my health.

Except maybe, uh...

See ya.

I wanted to know more about the connection between Max Brimmer and Claude Davos.

So I went back to the LeMay perfume building to see what I could uncork.

We really have to stop meeting like this.

Wonderful.

I was hoping you'd drop by again.

Hurt him until you're tired, Maurice.

Maurice?

Sorry, I'm at the kick in the head.

My turn, Hammer.

I owe you this for bruising my face.

You know, Max doesn't like it when I don't look my best.

Kurt, it's 11.30 at night.

Is your daddy know you're out and playing with guns?

Oh!

Thank God for my little finger.

It was the only part of me that didn't hurt.

Somebody was gonna get this back.

What's happened to you?

I got kissed by a gorilla.

Got some ice?

The lights on Broadway?

Sure.

Now that is a nice touch, Jenny.

You should have started that years ago.

Thanks.

I'll tell the Vice Squad you'll prove.

The ladies are working for Lucci.

I think he's been here waiting for you over a half hour.

Hey, there.

I'm at home.

Excuse me.

Do you have a dime?

Yeah.

I think I...

Give me a call sometime.

You know you're not supposed to talk with strangers.

Hey, Boo.

Michael.

I know only the deepest and most meaningful friendship could get me to

deviate from my appointed rounds with my ladies.

Uh-huh.

Michael.

Great friends, but you gotta get another playmate.

Look, I've had a rough night, Booch.

Just get to the bottom line.

Well, Rich, you told me what you were looking for.

Now, listen, I've never told anyone about this before, so mum's the word.

Jenny.

15 years ago, when I was just another street face.

I was a runner for Max Bremmer.

Really?

And my main job was picking up the counterfeit

perfect 20 as a guy by the name of Gus Thorsen.

Gus Thorsen was making for him.

All right.

You follow me.

I want you.

Now, two things happened.

I never could figure out.

First, Gus gets busted.

And second, those perfect 20 plates.

Never did show up.

Really?

Right.

Nice.

You any theories, Mooch?

Michael, there's only one person that has theories that count.

Who's that?

Gus Thorsen.

Check him out.

Thanks, Mooch.

I always wondered what Mooji told his mother he did for a living.

I was convinced the missing plates were connected to Karen's death.

So I decided to drop over to her dad's plates.

The warden didn't make me feel too welcome there, which was fine with me.

Mr. Thorsen, I'm my camera and I got some questions for you.

I'm not feeling so good, so make it short.

Oh, yeah, you go somewhere.

Listen, I'm sorry about your daughter.

Thanks.

How long you been here?

After the first month, who cares?

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Gus has never been too cooperative.

Uh-huh.

Well, I'm impressed.

Actually, I'm even amazed.

I've heard that a good warden can change a car's behavior, but this.

I wasn't prepared for this.

I'm not sure I understand.

Tell me.

Was it just plain old hard work or was it some

little trick you picked up in warden school?

I'm curious.

How did you do it?

Do what?

Take a Swedish accent and turn it into a southern draw.

That guy isn't Gus Thorsen.

And you may not be the warden for long either.

So the man who made the perfect 20 plates wasn't

in the federal pen where he was supposed to be.

And for some reason, the warden there was playing musical prisoners.

I was through play.

The game was over.

Listen, Gus Thorsen is not in the joint.

Where is it?

I know.

Varian will fill us on with people.

Hello, Hammer.

This briefing is a courtesy to Captain Chambers.

Everything is to be kept confidential.

Hey, of course.

Just to put you with me.

Who are you?

Agent George Tice, Treasury Department.

alias your black mystery sedan.

About 12 months ago, I authored a concept that

my superiors thought was unique and innovative.

Really?

Congratulations.

Thank you.

You see, the government needs large amounts of cash in order to make illicit drug buys.

The money is tied up as evidence for months or longer.

So?

I said why not use a counterfeiter in custody to

manufacture a large batch of phony drug deal capital?

What a guy.

It helps us make arrests.

It helps the money to be easier to ID and easier to trace.

It's easier to pass if you happen to know a guy named Gus Thorsen.

That's right.

Unfortunately, though, when Tice tried to move him

to the private little lab, he'd set up the escape.

It's a tough break.

I led a team watching Karen Thorsen's place,

hoping it'd show up, or else she'd lead us to him.

Well, now she was killed.

I went into her place after you and the fireman left.

Wait a minute.

You're the guy.

You faked a burglary by trashing the closets and emptying

the drawers so the NYPD wouldn't press an investigation.

Yes, because I happen to be a professional, Mr. Hammer.

Right, you're a professional hotshot.

Looking to make a name for yourself in the treasury.

I'll bet you set this whole deal up by yourself and then roped in Mr.

Barrington here to cover your mess.

Now look, back off a little bit.

Agent Tice officially requested our cooperation and we gave it to him.

What the heck is wrong with that?

This is a federal case now, Hammer.

The search for Thorsen continues.

You get in my way and I'll bust you.

Yeah?

Well, the search for the truth about Karen Thorsen's murder also continues.

And you get in my way, you're gonna have a set of footprints across your face.

You got it, punk.

Get no one knew where to find it.

But I did know where to find his old friend, Max Bremer.

I said he wants to borrow big, so I told him he needs to hear.

We'll talk.

Back up!

What are you doing?

All right, Max.

Now, it's gonna be over 200 degrees in there in less than a minute.

So I suggest you start talking, or your boy's gonna shrink down to the size you want.

Give me out of here!

Information, let's start with Claude Davos.

Roy Scamboreva knew he always be a bugger.

If you want to talk, okay, we'll talk.

But let him talk.

Talk to us.

Why does Davos have a bodyguard?

Maurice, he works for me.

Sometimes losers like Davos, they panic and they run.

Crazy!

Let's get out of there.

Gus Thorson.

He came to me years ago to borrow money.

Gus's wife was sick.

She died, but he paid me back.

So I knew I could trust him, so I got him to do some work for me.

How may he'll die in there?

Uh-huh.

And the work was getting him to make those perfect 20 counterfeit plates, right?

I still feel like all my want to help.

You want to help Gus?

Or you want to help yourself to those plates?

No, no, no.

Gus melted those plates before the feds got him.

Sure.

Hammer, I'm begging you!

Not about when you're there!

You want to help Gus?

Gus, you've got to find him first.

I think I know somebody who might help.

As soon as they get to leave, I'll call you.

Save the dog.

Go on with you.

We'll check it out.

All right.

All right.

All right.

Oh, my gosh.

What a mess.

Just for the record, Goldilocks, medium air is not your best look.

Take care of you.

Look.

All right.

All right, boys.

Make out your trees and grow roots right here.

I'll be back in a second.

And don't forget.

Bet you'd watch.

Finally, I've called everywhere trying to find you.

What's going on?

The tarot card.

Each time I dealt them, I saw a friendly present nearby.

Then yesterday, I had four hang-ups on my answering machine.

Do you think it was Gus?

Maybe this will help.

It's a card Gus sent Karen with flowers in her last birthday.

Gray.

Hey, listen.

You know the number.

You call if anything else comes up.

They'll be there to take a message.

And this does help.

Thanks, mother.

Bye-bye.

Over there.

The sign in the window said that Bremer's contact was dead.

But a little thing like that didn't seem to stop Max.

It occurred.

Marco!

I wound up getting a tip anyway.

The card Monica gave me matched the one in the window.

Gus Thorson had sent his daughter flowers from a place called Lochner's Nursery.

I decided that Lochner was the man to see.

Excuse me, is Lochner around?

Yes, he's in the garage.

Thanks.

Excuse me.

You, Lochner.

Hey, you were at the cemetery.

My name is Mike Hammer.

I'm a private investigator.

I'd like to ask you some questions about Gus Thorson.

Yai?

Cop, Ted.

My wise guy?

I don't care who you are.

Gus is my friend.

That's all I'm saying.

Really?

I'll be as your friend and perhaps you know that he's on the outside.

He's in hiding.

Why should I trust you?

No reason.

Except your friend is in a lot of trouble.

You might be able to use your help.

Hammer!

Gus and me worked in the prison greenhouse together.

He preached to me my whole stretch about staying straight.

A friend of his own is nursery, so I came to work here when I got out.

Last year, the guy retired and I bought the place.

That's what I owe Gus.

You have any idea where he is now?

No, I don't.

Over the years, I always sent his daughter flowers for him.

She died.

I tried to reach him in the pen.

They gave me the runaround.

So I brought the wreath on my own.

Listen, uh... Get in touch with him or he happens to get in touch with you.

I'd appreciate it if you ask him to give me a call.

Here's my number.

My car?

Is that a piece of phone?

It's all right.

Well, me.

Listen, I'm expecting a phone call from Monica.

Yeah?

66th and Central Park West.

All right, if she calls back to her, I'm on my way.

Nice.

I told you the carts don't lie, Mike.

They told me to stay in a phone today.

I did it two hours ago.

Oh!

The guy running away obviously wasn't a jogger.

We're on Mystery Theater here on A&E.

After the police got to the park, I brought Karen Thorsen back to my

apartment, where we talked about how special

Monica was and how much Karen would miss her.

And before we knew it, the son had come up.

Listen, tell me something.

Who was actually killed in your apartment that night?

Beth Terry, Canadian model friend of mine.

Before any flight to Australia.

Why were you?

I was searching for Gus.

He called me the 91st escape.

He said that I'd be watched, not to trust anyone, and that he'd be in touch.

That's the last I heard for me.

Beth looked enough like me to fool the police.

I sent her out to walk Rocky, and I slipped away.

What time did you get home?

About 3 a.m.

It was awful.

We were firemen everywhere.

Beth killed.

I saw you leave with Rocky.

I was terrified, so I ran.

When the morning papers said I was dead, I stayed underground

until I worked up enough courage to call Monica yesterday.

Listen, talk to me about the grammars.

What do they have to do with this whole thing?

Max Braemer started all the trouble.

Fifteen years ago, he forced my father into a counterfeiting scheme.

My mother was sick.

Never bills to pay.

Didn't Gus go to Max first?

Didn't he try to borrow money?

Never.

After my dad was arrested, he was forced to keep

quiet because of what Max said he'd do to me.

I want to show you something.

Flowers.

They've been coming up all morning.

And yesterday, Monica said she had to tell you about the flower card.

It means something.

It's connected somehow.

It's connected to me.

Wait a minute, Lochner.

Lochner, your father's forest friend.

That's a card.

There's something.

You'll never find it when I need it.

What was the last time you lived with someone?

There's lots of people I still live with.

In my memory.

It means they're important.

Our afternoon was interrupted by a call from Pat, who had a tip.

The tights the treasury agent was on his way

over to my place, so we decided to scrap.

Wait here.

Amen.

He wouldn't be needing this little gizball unless he wanted to go somewhere.

Took

care and over to Valdez for safekeeping and headed for Queens and Lochner's nursery.

There was a feeling in my gut that something was about to happen there.

Who the heck are you?

Mike Hammer.

I'm willing to bet that you are Gus Thorsen.

Yeah.

Your daughter, Karen, have been looking all over the place for you.

Karen's dead.

She's alive.

She saved it of good hands.

Oh, thank God.

What happened here?

I came here yesterday to hide out, but an old friend double-crossed me.

Now for good reason.

Don't try it, Hammer.

You think I'm going to continue sticking plants in the ground?

When I can have the perfect 20 plates?

You've set Florida Karen's apartment.

You got it.

I wanted to finish you off in the park with that girl, Monica.

She got in the way.

And now I have you, Hammer.

No way am I going to let anybody take away all the pleasure

that I'm going to get out of doing you in myself, Hammer.

Well, if it isn't curtsy, you're getting your old face back again.

Too bad.

Oh, by the way, stunning outfit.

Max, get that for you.

Forget about Max.

He's out of this now.

You're my game now.

Sorry, pal.

You and me play different games.

So where are the plates, Gus?

Big boat that's got them.

At the old forge where I used to work.

In the vent.

Good.

Let's go.

Come on.

Forge.

Hunt's point to avenue.

The Bronx.

All right, wait here.

I'll be back.

Birth it was.

I'd be lucky if I just didn't get lost in the Bronx again.

It looked

like Kurt had found Big Bertha in the plates.

Now it was my turn to find Kurt.

Hey, there you are.

Counts like a bit of Dad?

Sure.

What do you know?

Sweetest cowboy.

Look who I found.

I owe you, Mike.

And no birds of thanks are going to cover it.

I know you think I should stay and clear things up.

I can't.

Gus, I understand.

But believe me, the NYPD is going to hear the full story.

Your name deserves to be cleared.

I'll meet you on the train, parent.

I'm going to get the rocky here, settled in the baggage car.

Have a good trip, Rocky.

Good luck, Gus.

I have something for you.

This ring is very special to me.

It was given to me by Dad on my 16th birthday.

I want you to hold it.

Keep it for me.

Maybe I'll leave back for it someday.

I hope so.

I'll keep it.

Take care of yourself.

Take care of your Dad.

Gus Thorson asked me to deliver those to you.

That should make your friend Tyson the treasure department a very happy man.

Maybe you can return the favor and see that his name gets cleared.

We'll see.

By the way, your fly is open.

I gave the plates to Barrington.

They could do whatever he wanted with the perfect 20's.

I was going to spend some time with the perfect 10.

Her name is New York City.

General Douglas McConchere is bringing up the

rear on Biography tonight at 82 9 Pacific.

Now, Laura and Remington foil a kidnapping

scheme and make over a waitress in the process.

Next on A&A.

A&A.

A&A.

A &A.

A &A.

A &A.