Original subtitles

Democrats as well as Republicans

want peace in the world.

Democrats as well as Republicans want to find jobs

and prosperity without war and without inflation.

Democrats as well as Republicans want good education,

education...

Democrats as well as Republicans want progress,

progress for their children and their children's children

here and now.

One of the things that impresses anyone who runs for any office,

particularly for president,

is to see the rising young people that we have seen

by the hundreds and thousands today...

Hey, you can't put that up there.

Did you hear what I said?

That's what they spotted when they went after him. That's a good watch.

Is that blood on it?

Yeah, they stabbed him 14 times.

Do not move!

Come outside! Put your hand on the gate!

Where's the other guy?

- Rothman! - What now?

Get your sweet little ass out here.

Come outside! Put your hands on the gate!

We're going to locker number 84.

You! You're helping him.

Stop!

Put it down!

Back to the wall.

Tell me, where do you get all your good information?

From Rothman.

I don't know anything about it.

Sure you do, Fred.

Take me with you.

Go ahead. Get in the truck.

Fred, take this with you, will you?

I can't breathe.

Your friend isn't fit for duty.

You don't look so good yourself.

You've got balls of steel, my friend.

All units, be advised theft has occurred

at police depository building, 114 South Spring Street.

Four male suspects, no further description available.

Officer down. Repeat, officer down.

Dispatch, this is unit 12.

We're in the vicinity. Proceeding to...

A policeman was shot less than an hour ago

in a daring Sunday morning raid

on the police evidence depository building

in downtown Los Angeles.

Three of the officers are reported dead.

A fourth, Officer Dennis Meechum, is undergoing emergency surgery

at Queen of Angels hospital.

This afternoon, and is resting quietly.

What are his chances of recovery?

His condition is still critical.

Is it true you found the van?

Was one of the dead officers an accomplice?

I have no comment on...

Dennis Meechum,

a nine-year veteran of the department and author of Inside Job,

the famous, or perhaps I should say infamous, Nixon mask robbery

of a police evidence depository.

How do you reconcile your two careers, cop and best-selling author?

With difficulty.

I guess I'd have to say I'm a police officer first and a writer second.

It's a difficult combination of careers.

Medal of Valor today for conduct above and beyond the call of duty

while participating in an undercover arrest on April 17, 1981.

Do you plan to remain on the force?

Sure. And also continue to write?

Yes.

Let's go!

Halt! Police!

Take him. I'll get the goods.

Police! Don't make me chase you, asshole!

You stupid bastard!

Right there, asshole!

Freeze!

What the fuck are you doing? I'm a cop.

Come on!

Okay, asshole, drive! Come on, motherfucker, drive!

I ain't driving nowhere, motherfucker. I'm on my break.

You stay back, it's a police emergency.

Will you get the hell out of here before you get hurt?

Can I help you, pal?

Careful, Dennis.

I'm getting too old for this shit.

Maybe the guy was in on the play.

You sure you didn't know him?

No, but he knew me.

See if there are any prints on the shell cases.

There won't be.

Good morning, Dad.

Good morning, sweetie.

Do you want some eggs?

Did you cook them?

Yes.

I think I'll just have some coffee then.

So, do you have any money left over from the pizza last night?

Nope.

We picked up these boys afterwards, took 'em to a bar.

Spent everything we had. You know how it is.

Very funny.

Listen, don't forget you have to pick up your bus pass today.

Otherwise you're gonna have to pay your own fare.

Maybe your friend will give me another ride.

Who's that?

This guy. He's a friend of yours.

He took me and my friends home.

What's he look like?

He's a nice guy.

Kind of thin. Good dresser.

He knows all about us.

He knows that Mom is dead and everything.

He says he saved your life.

Christ! What's the matter with you?

Don't you know enough not to get into a car driven by a stranger?

There were three of us.

That doesn't make any difference, Holly.

Anyway, nothing happened. That's not the point.

You know him. I don't know him.

I don't know him. I met him.

I don't know anything about him.

He sure knows you.

Mr. Meechum, I'm not in business

to bring legal action against our authors.

We are in the publishing business.

We've been very patient. You've missed four deadlines.

Come on, let's be realistic. Nobody's gonna sue.

What about a movie deal?

There's no interest in that area. None whatsoever.

What genius screwed that up?

No one screwed anything up, Mr. Meechum.

Just don't expect Hollywood to bail you out.

Meech, this one just came in.

Some guy says your daughter

left her geometry book in the back of his car.

Who was it?

He said that you'd know.

He wants you to meet him there tonight.

All right. All right, you wanted me here. You got me.

Now what? Don't step forward.

It's a long drop.

Put the light out, please, and we'll talk.

I like the books you write, especially the first one.

Now, listen to me. You stay away from me.

And you stay away from my daughter.

I'm sorry about that, Dennis.

I had to get your attention.

Yeah, well, you got it.

She's a lovely girl.

You've done a good job,

especially without a wife to help you out.

All right, what the hell do you want?

I want you to write another book.

Well, that's exactly what I'm doing.

Come on, Dennis. Since Kate died, you can't get past page 15.

You can't write and you're sick of being a cop.

You're a burnout.

And those unpaid bills?

You've got people after you, Dennis. They want their money.

I can help you.

I don't need your help. Yes, you do

and you're gonna get my help handed to you on a silver platter.

A bestseller. It's about me, Dennis.

It's about me and the man I work for.

You're crazy.

Yeah. Well...

Well, it's a crazy world.

Well, that's twice.

All right, what have you got that you think is worth telling?

Hey!

Hey!

Good group.

Old habit.

It's a good weapon, the Smith and Wesson .38.

It's accurate, it's reliable, a little light.

Want to try mine?

You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent...

You know, I thought this was gonna be

a friendly meeting on neutral ground.

You killed a man. Hire an attorney. Now spread 'em.

High and wide.

You're embarrassing me.

I assumed you were brighter than this.

I thought by now you'd be looking for an angle.

Some way of handling me in the book, making me sympathetic.

You're truly disappointing me, Dennis.

I'm talking about David Madlock, Kappa International!

I'm talking about murder! Now, take these cuffs off me!

What do you think you're selling? Mafia hitman?

Nobody buys that shit anymore.

Isn't this sinking into your thick cop skull?

I'm telling you that I helped to make David Madlock

and Kappa International and I did it by killing people.

The ones in the scrapbook. Get it?

Corporations don't have people killed.

Corporations deal in two things, period. Assets and liabilities.

I removed the liabilities and I provided some of the assets.

I was a corporate executive in charge of just those things. Believe me.

And you were in on it, Dennis. At the very beginning.

We both were.

Never imagined how irritating those things could be.

You've got about three minutes before they get back on.

Start talking.

It's all a question of capital, Dennis.

How does an ambitious man get started? Capital.

Now David Madlock is an unusual man.

He got unusual financing.

You wrote about that particular source of financing

in your first book, in fact.

The depository hit.

That's right.

You were in on that?

That's right.

Yeah? Well, two cops died that day

and one of them was a nice old man waiting for his pension.

That is the second time you have embarrassed me.

Now, try to control yourself, please.

I drove. That's all I did.

The three who were inside died.

The one that you stabbed died of peritonitis a week later, okay?

That still leaves you.

Like I said, I drove. You want me, here I am.

But I got 12 people who will swear I was in Chicago that day all day.

All right. Tell me about the money.

Two and a half million 1972 dollars, tax-free.

Seed money.

It's the American way, Dennis.

Kappa International was formed six months later on venture capital.

Can't let this one get by you, Dennis.

Bestseller.

You say you started off as a shooter for this guy. And you become a defector...

Defector? No, no.

He threw me out.

I wanted something

more than I had.

I'm a businessman. An executive.

I wanted

respect.

He offered money.

I help him get started, he offers me a handout?

Why don't you testify against him?

He can buy his way out of anything.

Except for the book.

Exactly!

Dennis,

together, you and I can do such a number on him.

I can tie him into all of it.

You need me.

We need each other.

How did you find out?

She felt this bump.

Right here, inside her elbow.

Malignant?

They opened her up, took one look, sewed her back up again.

After that, she lost weight,

she started losing her hair.

After a little while, she'd look at me,

didn't know who I was.

Then all the money went.

I just wanted her to stay alive.

But she didn't.

After that, you couldn't work.

I should have sold the house, but I couldn't.

It was her house.

That's right. It was her house.

You loved her more than you could ever love anyone in your life.

Just don't talk about her, all right?

Hey, Dennis,

I understand.

She's the clean part of your life, I'm the dirty part.

The criminal.

But you and I know things other people don't, don't we, Dennis?

How it feels to kill a man, for instance.

Cop. Killer.

Two sides of the same coin.

We have a natural bond, you and I.

No. Yes.

No. We don't have anything in common.

I don't have anything in common with you.

We'll see.

We'll see.

Hey.

You okay?

Yeah. I'm fine, I'm fine.

I just couldn't fall asleep, that's all.

You go back to bed.

Can I have a sip?

Yeah. Just a sip, though.

Okay.

Thanks.

You're welcome, princess.

Good night. Good night.

I'm fine.

Okay.

Ladies and gentlemen,

may I have your attention, please?

I'd like to propose a toast to my good friend, David Madlock

for his continuing generosity and compassion.

Thank you, Senator. Thank you.

There he is.

Dennis, what do you think this place is worth?

15, 20 million dollars?

He donates it to the city like that for the common folk to enjoy.

That man is the history of America incarnate.

A modern robber baron.

Now, they built this country.

They deserve special treatment.

I just wanted to return something to this extraordinary city

which has given me so much.

Thank you.

Wonderful!

More than anyone will ever know, David?

Yes. More than anyone will ever know.

What a delightful surprise.

I'm so glad you could come.

I wouldn't miss it.

And you must be Lieutenant Meechum.

I'm an admirer of your work, especially your last book.

Thank you very much. Nice to meet you.

When will we see another one?

Dennis is working on something new, as a matter of fact.

Non-fiction.

I'll look forward to it.

I'm a great fan of yours. It's been too long, Cleve.

Much too long.

Pretty smooth.

He's incredible, isn't he?

Here it comes.

David! David, we must be leaving.

We'll see you around, I hope.

We've got him on the run.

Okay, so you know the guy. What does that prove?

You're a hard man to convince.

I like that.

Yeah.

What the hell are you doing here?

You think I'm approving overtime?

Hey, relax. It's on me.

I'm gonna need a few days, Monks. Out of town.

I think I'm onto something.

What?

I can't tell you.

Make it sick leave if you want, all right?

I'm way overdue.

Just what the department needs, mystery crime fighter.

I got to play this one out, Monks.

I want this guy.

I mean, I really want him.

Beltzer was an auditor for the IRS.

He fell in his shower, cracked his skull.

They found him dead.

And you killed him.

Why?

It's a service I performed. That's the profession I was in.

Okay. Why did he have to die?

Because he carried this with him at all times.

He was one of those meticulous, fussy, little men

and somehow he got it in his head that Kappa International was keeping two sets of books.

He had a nose for that kind of thing. See? Kappa. Kappa.

Again Kappa.

He was not going to close that audit.

Two years later, it was a member of the SEC.

Fell asleep at the wheel. Head on over a divider, dead.

You know something, Cleve? You're full of shit.

What is that even supposed to mean?

What is it supposed to mean? You could've forged that little beauty yourself.

You could've picked it up in a public toilet, for Christ's sake.

This isn't evidence. This is bullshit!

So maybe next time, I'll take pictures!

Is that what you'd like? Stop wasting my time!

Fine!

Let's get the hell out of here.

We're going to the airport.

What about the other stops?

Tell it to the Manhattan DA, all right?

I'm not interested anymore.

All right.

Hey, mind if I go for a pack of butts?

Get out.

You're interested again, aren't you?

Come on.

It wasn't even my cab.

I was just told to pick you guys up and ditch you.

I didn't know it was a torch job.

Yeah, right. Who were they?

I don't know. I never seen them before!

Not good enough. Take it easy.

He tried to kill us.

Pearlman? I don't know.

Brennan? I don't know.

Thorn? I don't know.

Don't be an asshole. Talk to the man.

No!

It was Thorn and Pearlman.

You're making me a dead man.

Maybe.

Hey, cab!

What the hell was that all about?

It was nothing. Forget it.

Brooklyn Heights.

See him?

Yep.

Mrs. Foster?

Yes?

My name is Bowen. Alan Bowen.

This is Mr. Gilbert, my associate.

And we're very sorry to disturb you,

but we're in town for the evening, you know, on business and...

My father used to own this house.

I grew up here.

That Mr. Bowen.

Yes. Would you think it strange if I were to ask you...

Could I see my old room?

Well, I don't know. It's...

No. You're absolutely right.

I mean, it's very late and we are strangers.

Thank you. Thank you anyway.

Wait.

Of course you can come in, son.

Are you sure? Yes.

You seem like nice boys.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Like some coffee? I was just making some.

No, no, no, thanks. Don't trouble yourself.

We really don't have any time.

That would be lovely. Thank you.

You know... Is this different?

There used to be a wallpaper here with little blue cornflowers on it...

Yes, well, the white went better with the furniture.

You just go on up. Make yourself at home.

You sure it's all right? Yes, of course.

Just take all the time you want to.

I'll just make that coffee.

Thank you.

Right there is where it happened.

The old man's bathroom.

The bathroom is a natural place for an accident to happen,

don't you think?

Yeah. Very natural.

I came in through the kitchen window.

It was a hot night. The window was open.

I had to hole up until 11:00,

when the old man took his bath.

You know what I did?

I took a nap in the guest room.

Just before 11:00, I got up.

I went down the hallway.

There was a little glass of bourbon with hot water

next to the tub.

The maid had gone to bed.

This poor man had made the mistake of going into business with David Madlock.

It was all a matter of patents, manufacturing licenses.

The old man wanted to keep them.

His only sin was he didn't want to be rich.

He liked this street, this house.

A man can be dangerous when he doesn't care about money.

Well said, Dennis.

Bye!

What a lovely old lady.

Can you imagine letting two strange men

into your house in the middle of the night in New York City?

That's good old-fashioned trust. Faith in human nature.

God, that's what made this country the greatest in the world.

All right. You've been inside the house.

That doesn't prove you killed anybody in there.

But you know I did, don't you, Dennis?

Don't you?

Maybe.

Maybe you did.

It's been here about eight years.

Ballistics should have something to work with.

An old Springfield .30-06.

Which one was it?

Danzig and his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Phillip H.

They're the only ones that didn't come off like an accident.

January 14, 1979.

What were you doing that night, Dennis?

Making love to your wife, safe and snug in your bed?

They were, too, the Danzigs. 10 seconds later, they were dead.

Why the wife?

She was his bookkeeper. She knew more about us than he did.

They were greedy. Always demanding more.

They deserved what they got. Believe me.

You gotta understand, Dennis, this was the business I was in.

I can nail you with this, not Madlock.

The book, Dennis.

The book will take care of Madlock.

Marvelous.

Marvelous.

Thanks.

You never have to leave a bar alone, Dennis.

Look at these women.

You could leave with any one of them.

That rifle's not going to do you any good, Cleve.

The bore was gone.

They tried to fire a round through it to get the groove markings.

The whole barrel blew apart.

Madlock.

Jesus! Madlock!

Madlock. The conspiracy theory, right?

God, you can be incredibly stupid at times, Dennis.

Stupid and naive and unutterably tiresome. Do you know that?

Bullshit! I just don't happen to believe Madlock or anyone else for that matter

can get a major metropolitan police department to destroy evidence.

Forget it.

Where's the waitress?

Hello?

Please.

You wouldn't happen to have a friend for my kid brother over there, would you?

I'm afraid he's not your brother's type.

My mistake.

That's right, man. She's with me.

Yes, I know, she just told me. No offense, okay?

Okay. Then beat it.

Yeah, right.

Can I get a scotch on the rocks, please?

I didn't say order a drink. I said get lost.

The problem we have here is that I'm the lover in the family.

You wanna talk to my brother. He's the fighter. See?

24 straight knockouts.

Almost killed a couple of guys.

Just talk to him.

Let him go.

Now, sit down and finish your drink.

Put this on my tab.

Thanks, Dennis.

I didn't want you to hurt him.

I could have. You know that, don't you?

Yeah.

May I show you something?

Excuse me. May I have a cigarette, please?

Sure.

This will be just fine. Thanks.

Filthy habit.

Willpower is what distinguishes the amateur from the professional.

Which are you, Dennis?

Tender part here.

Nerves close to the surface.

Pain doesn't bother me, Dennis. I don't let it.

That's what I mean by willpower.

Do you have it, Dennis?

Willpower?

Let's hope so.

I like you, Dennis.

I really do. I like you a lot.

But not enough to sacrifice the book for.

How long have you had this little hobby, Cleve?

Since I was about 15. I used to use it to impress girls.

Come on.

Son of a bitch!

Did I hurt you, Cleve?

Tell me when it hurts. Easy! Easy!

Tell me when it hurts, damn it. I wanna know!

Get a cop.

I'll get a doctor.

It's okay.

It's okay. He's my brother. I just said the wrong thing.

You guys have got to leave.

No, I'm sorry. This happens...

This happens all the time.

I just said the wrong thing, really.

If anything, maybe you'd better get a doctor for his hand.

Maybe he broke it on my face.

It's fine.

Okay, well, let's shake hands. We're even, okay?

Yeah, okay.

Why don't you bring us a couple of scotches on the rocks, okay?

Keep the change. Thank you.

Now you know why I never asked you to take a shower with me.

You were bound to find out sooner or later, I guess.

It didn't hurt, but it did almost kill me.

The part about the peritonitis was true.

I'm not gonna bust you, Cleve. I'm not gonna bust you.

I'm gonna kill you.

Fair enough, Dennis. Fair enough.

Could I have those drinks, please?

I can't satisfy her, Dennis.

She wants you.

She likes the way you fight. She thinks you're cruel.

She wants you to hurt her.

I don't know, there's some pretty sick people in the world.

Come on, Dennis.

Didn't you ever share a woman with a friend?

You're absolutely right. Absolutely right.

Go on and get dressed. You're going home.

Wait a goddamn minute.

Shut your mouth.

Jesus!

You're right. Pain in the ass.

Is this the greatest?

Look at this place. $1200 a day.

I was born for this. This is what I've worked for.

Only in America, Dennis.

Only in America.

I wanna meet your family, Cleve.

Totally out of the question.

No, we're going home, Cleve. We're going home.

It's a very important part of the story.

It's where it all began. It's what makes you so lovable.

Dennis, I said no.

Yeah.

Yeah, I bet your mom and dad

still live in the house where you were born.

Am I right, Cleve?

A little farm someplace?

Sure. White picket fence around.

The smell of leaves burning in the fall.

Well, we're going to make that place famous, Cleve.

A regular landmark.

Yeah, the place where a vicious, amoral killer was spawned

and set loose on the world.

We're going to Oregon, Cleve.

We're gonna go home.

Do you like to shoot, Mr. Meechum? Quail is in season.

Actually, no, I don't hunt.

Dennis doesn't like guns.

A gun's only as good or bad as the man using it.

I'm like Mr. Meechum. Never could bring myself to kill a living thing.

That's right, Harold.

You could always eat the chicken,

but you'd leave the killing to somebody else.

The doc thought I wasn't gonna make it through last winter.

His mother thought the next time she'd see him would be at the funeral,

and then when you phoned like that, telling us you were coming...

When did he phone?

A week ago. Said he'd be here in seven days.

And here he is, right on time to the day.

More coffee, Mr. Meechum?

Dad, do you have any more of those cigars? You know, the cheap ones?

No, thanks, I've had enough.

Number three, St. Louis. Four, London.

Five, Chicago. Six, Dallas...

They all tally, Dennis. Check the dates.

I have checked the dates.

A nice little chronicle of murder.

Tell me, what happens to your family when the book comes out?

They'll deny it. Defend me.

It'll give them a cause, a reason to live.

Dennis, it'll add 10 years to their lives.

What a thoughtful son you are.

I am.

You've been planning this little trip home

the whole time, haven't you?

I had to. You had to take it seriously.

This farm. My family.

Dennis, I want people to know what I had to do and why.

They'll know, Cleve, they'll know.

Rural America,

growing up on a farm. The American dream.

Exactly.

Only this time...

This time something went wrong.

This time, these nice country people produced a mistake of nature.

An aberration. A freak.

That's all I am to you?

A freak?

Get out.

I'm tired. I want to sleep.

A fraction of an inch.

The weight of a feather.

That's how close you are, Dennis.

You wouldn't want to wake up your mother, would you?

I didn't much like our conversation.

If you pull that trigger, your father's gonna have to repaper the walls.

All I want is a little respect.

You don't have to like me. Though I suspect you do, in spite of yourself.

Yeah, there's no doubt about it, Cleve.

You're a real charmer.

You're not taking this very seriously, Dennis.

Please...

If you ever aim a gun at me again,

it better be loaded.

Shall we call this one a draw, Dennis?

Good night, Cleve.

Good night, Dennis.

Thanks very much.

You'll look after him, won't you?

I'll do my best.

He's never had a big brother.

Right.

They're decent people.

Make sure that's in the book, Dennis.

Make sure it's in there that I love them.

Am I coming off lovable?

Why don't you buy a copy of the book and find out?

Don't I get a say in it?

No.

I got you something.

Go on. Open it.

Read the back.

To Dennis. From his friend Cleve.

A surprise.

To celebrate our partnership, so to speak.

I mean, we are partners, aren't we, Dennis?

In the book, I mean.

It's a Patek Philippe.

The best.

Did you... Did you see the back?

I read it.

I'm still a cop.

And I'm still what I am. Is that it, Dennis?

Yeah, that's it.

You don't think I'm capable of doing something

decent, something unselfish?

Maybe I'll surprise you.

I doubt it.

Lieutenant Meechum, this is Mr. Graham and his associate, Mr. Pearlman.

Mr. Graham's an attorney.

I'll make sure you gentlemen are not disturbed.

I thought you'd be more comfortable if we talked to you here,

on your own turf, so to speak.

Let me see if I can guess.

You're Madlock's lawyer.

Technically, I represent Kappa International.

It amounts to the same thing.

And I bet you two studied for the bar together, am I right?

Mr. Pearlman is not a lawyer. He's in public relations.

Public relations? An image maker?

You might say that.

How's the new hair?

It's fine.

Looks painful.

I wanna talk to Madlock.

He feels that any,

direct communication would be inappropriate at this time.

It's no secret.

Former employees rarely have anything complimentary to say about their former company.

I'd love to hear Madlock's version.

Didn't those people really die?

It's that kind of irresponsible remark

that we feel will be characteristic of this book.

Well, why don't you let me talk to Madlock?

If he can convince me, I'll drop it.

No.

Then forget it.

Try this.

I'll tie you up in court for the next 10 years,

take your house, your car,

attach every nickel you earn,

even your pension,

which you won't be getting anyway, because we have friends

in every major political office in the city,

the state and the nation.

We're a very big business, Mr. Meechum.

Fuck you.

And fuck your hairy friend.

Hold it.

What?

I said hold it.

Jesus! Who do you think you are? Al Pacino?

Don't break my fucking hand.

I'll break your fucking hand.

You're threatening a police officer

on the second floor of the sergeant's division, scumbag.

I'll kick your fucking goon ass

all the way from here to Pasadena and back.

They'll be picking that new rug of yours out of the freeway,

you fucking asshole!

Now spread 'em!

What's this?

What's this?

I hope you don't have a permit for this.

This man is a licensed private investigator.

He has a permit to carry a handgun

anywhere in the state of California.

The only threat that's been made in this room has been made by you.

Public relations?

You really want to write a book?

I'm prepared to offer you a substantial cash advance

to write an authorized biography of Mr. Madlock with his full cooperation.

Why, you scumbag. You low-life scumbag.

You try to blow me up in a taxi and now you offer me a bribe?

You tell Mr. Madlock he can read all about it in my book.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

Mr. Pearlman.

Mr. Pearlman, we're leaving now.

Good luck with your hair.

Friends of yours?

Business associates.

Well, that's most of it. Couple of chapters to go.

It'll ruin Madlock.

You'll get sued.

Good.

I'm dying to see the rest.

You like him, don't you? Cleve, I mean.

Yeah.

And you're going to arrest him?

Yeah.

But first I got one more trip to make.

I'm not fighting. Do what you want.

I don't want Dennis' discards.

So that's who you are.

Poor old Dennis. He turns his back, you're stepping out on him.

Have a good time?

It was a business dinner.

Business.

What do you want? I wanna know how the book is.

I wanna know what Dennis has to say about me.

You're in good hands.

I can hurt you.

It's not a problem for me.

Do you understand?

Am I sympathetic?

Will they like me?

Please do not lie to me.

Is it an important book?

Yes.

Good. Good girl.

My God, you must be beautiful all dressed up.

Those long, sexy legs.

There are some women in the world,

decent, kind women,

women who work all their lives

taking care of their families,

who never in their wildest imaginations

ever dream

of clothes like these.

What makes you better than them?

Nothing.

That's right.

That's exactly right.

What makes you better than they are?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Now, do you know what I want?

I want a copy of the manuscript.

I don't have one. I swear to God.

If I look

and I find one,

I will hurt you like you have never been hurt before.

I tried to keep a copy,

but he took it.

He knew.

Good old Dennis. Of course he did.

I like you.

And most of all, we understand each other.

I'd prefer that Dennis didn't know we had this conversation.

Okay?

You wanted corroboration, I finally tracked her down.

She worked as Hilliard's maid.

She was the one who let me in the house.

See, he was gonna lose his seat in the election, wanted help for four terms.

Why didn't Madlock just let him lose in peace?

He had two very dangerous qualities.

He was broke and he was a drunk.

Why did she let you in? Money.

Why isn't she dead?

Because I knew that someday, I would need her.

I think I never see you again.

Tell my friend everything about us.

About Senator Hilliard, the night he died.

Will you hurt me?

Not if you tell the truth.

The Senator, he was not a very nice man.

But what we did, that wasn't very nice, either.

Look, why do we speak of this now?

It's okay. It's okay. Just talk to me.

When does your shift end?

Midnight.

Take it easy.

They're here.

Stay here and stay down.

Please, I didn't say anything.

Dennis, the woman.

I didn't say anything.

Tell him. It's all true, isn't it?

Say it!

Let her die.

She's my corroboration!

You asshole. He's your corroboration! Let's get out of here.

Son of a bitch.

I don't believe this. Son of a bitch!

You helped me kill four men.

I ought to kill you.

You don't kill people. You arrest them.

I kill people.

That's the difference between us, maybe the only difference.

I wanna meet Madlock.

He'll contact you.

You're planning to kill him, too, aren't you?

Maybe. Maybe I am. Yes.

Well, forget it. No more homicides.

It's out of your hands, my friend.

Don't worry, your conscience will be clear.

I'll be drinking rum out of coconuts

and screwing brown-skinned women

in some place where indictments don't count.

Maybe I'll come looking for you.

That so?

I'd hate to see that, Dennis. I really would.

Why don't you just be a good cop and leave the killing to me?

I told you, Cleve. No more killings.

We'll take separate flights. It'll be safer.

Here's what we have so far.

At least four persons have lost their lives in tonight's massacre.

An undetermined number of others were injured

including three, possibly four illegal alien workers.

A detective from the El Paso Police Department

told me moments ago that there is no apparent motive for the shooting.

There are also no clues so far.

We'll stay here most of the night. We'll keep you posted.

Bill Mitchell, News 4, El Paso. Carol, back to you.

Who are you?

Friend of your father.

No, you're not.

What are you afraid of?

I won't hurt you. I'm your friend.

I won't hurt you.

Try me.

Wait upstairs.

You know me. I work with your father.

You're Thorn?

What, they thought an amateur like you could replace me?

Come on.

Not likely.

Did you hurt him?

Just put him out.

Get dressed. They'll know you're here. I wanna take you to a safe place.

Go on, sweetheart. You'll be fine with me.

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to Los Angeles International Airport,

where the local time is 10:15

and the temperature is a very pleasant 68 degrees.

I'm not here to hurt you. Dennis and I need a favor.

Yeah? You're invited to a party.

Tomorrow.

I don't like parties.

You'll like this one. Your friend's not invited.

Leave him at home.

Keep the change.

Holly?

Holly!

Needs an ending.

She's in a safe place.

You got 10 seconds.

I saved her life.

Thorn came for the manuscript. She walked in on him.

Now she's where they can't get at her.

Of course, neither can you, without me.

Where?

Pull the trigger and they'll find her before you do.

Go ahead, Dennis, 'cause I'm not afraid to die.

Now, listen to me, Cleve.

Listen to me.

I want my daughter back now.

Madlock's contacted you.

Fuck Madlock and fuck the book and fuck you!

Where is my kid?

I'm telling you she's safe. She's safer than she'd be here.

You don't know how these people operate.

You don't have time to find out. Do you understand?

Dennis, I'm all you've got.

Right.

There's only one thing left to do.

I mean, God, it would be the perfect ending.

I'm gonna kill him.

You'll never get near him.

Anybody can kill anybody.

Even the President, remember?

Yeah?

Yeah, all right.

They're sending a car for me in the morning.

Jesus Christ, Cleve. She's only 16 years old.

I'm not a monster, Dennis.

Just hedging my bets.

Follow me, please, Mr. Meechum.

Can I get you anything from the bar, Mr. Meechum?

No.

Make yourself comfortable.

Thank you.

How many are there?

Five.

Five?

David always did underestimate me.

First editions.

Every one of them.

It's a shame about the leather.

It gets mildewed. It's the sea air.

Well, then you buy new ones.

And then I buy new ones.

Come on in, Lieutenant Meechum. Sit down.

Forgot to flush.

It was good of you to come.

Little charity thing we do every year for the kids.

Charity.

That's right.

We should have had this meeting a long time ago.

Look, skip the bullshit, all right, Madlock?

The book is gonna be published.

Sherry?

No.

What's your name? Turner.

Put down the cup.

Sorry, Turner.

Our friend has grown fond of the book.

He thinks I did a good job.

I'm sure of it.

Also, he's got my daughter.

No, he hasn't.

Your daughter was brought here this morning

by two members of your own department.

Our friend has grown too fond of you.

Emotion breeds carelessness in his area of expertise.

Your daughter's perfectly safe.

She's waiting for you to take her home.

Of course, you can always get to her.

Quite simply, yes.

I can also guarantee her safety, absolutely,

and yours,

if you come to work for Kappa International.

Then, of course, you own the book.

Something like that.

You can't guarantee anything, Madlock.

I beg your pardon?

Anybody can kill anybody.

Even the President.

He's here, isn't he?

What do you think?

Who is it?

Turner.

Who?

What the fuck? Are you deaf? It's Turner.

Go over by the window. Look outside, sweetheart.

Get on the bed.

How'd you get in here?

You can't imagine how easy it was. What's your name?

Carter. Christ! Where does David find you people?

Skip the insult. Just get it over with.

You're making a mistake, Lieutenant.

He's a killer.

You're helping him.

That makes you no better than he is.

Maybe not.

But we're both better than you.

David.

Surprise.

Seems like old times, doesn't it, David?

Carter?

Jarvis!

Bad luck, David.

Nobody left.

Don't leave this room.

You're a policeman. You have to protect me.

All right. Give me the gun.

No, you're in on it.

Well, that's a chance you'll just have to take.

Come on.

David!

It's just you and me.

No, Cleve, don't shoot him!

We got him! He's finished!

He shot a cop.

It's all over, Cleve.

Can't do it, Dennis. Sorry.

Daddy! Holly. Holly, stay up there!

Stay up there, Holly!

Don't shoot, Cleve! Don't!

Take it easy, sweetie. I'll get you.

Cleve...

Cleve! For Christ's sake.

Don't do it, Cleve! Give it up!

Cleve...

Please.

You know I'll kill her.

Here I am, David.

Dad.

I'm all right.

Get help. Get help, honey.

Take it. I'm not resisting.

Daddy!

No, you don't put those things on me.

I don't?

God!

You should have killed him.

Always the good cop.

It would have been the perfect ending.

You should have killed him.

Cleve...

Thanks for saving my kid.

Don't mention it.

Except in the book.

Remember,

I'm the hero.

Yeah.

I'll remember.

Can't let this one get by you, Dennis.

Bestseller.