Original subtitles

BERLUTI: Previously on The Practice...

Hi.

Hi.

It's just too phallic.

Do you mind?

You know, I've heard of this

faux flirtatiousness

being used to cover the real thing.

Are you attracted to me?

You know what I love about your talk, Alan?

SHORE: Hmm. Is it makes me feel safe.

Does it, now? WILSON: Hmm.

Because men who talk

never do anything.

I never make the first move.

I always make the first move.

But I'm not going to here.

(music playing)

(indistinct chatter)

(music playing)

Hey, last call was five minutes ago.

Ah, really?

It's late, buddy.

Little boys' room?

Yeah, in the back on your left.

Thanks.

Charlie Haden?

Yeah.

Who the hell are you?

(crashing)

(grunting)

(panting)

Call the cops.

(music playing)

What's his name?

Walter Josephson.

Assault with a deadly weapon.

And attempted murder.

Assuming the victim doesn't die.

Exactly.

HARTIG: Jimmy Berluti?

BERLUTI: Yeah.

Alex Hartig. Hi.

Jamie Stringer.

What can you tell me about your client?

I can tell you I've never even met him.

Other than that,

why should I tell you anything?

Well, let's start with what I know.

Retired dockworker,

no criminal record,

not a blemish.

As for the guy he beat up,

Charlie Haden.

Who's Charlie Haden?

He's what you call a bad guy.

Loan-sharking, extortion,

armed robbery,

he used to run with the Tommy Moynihan gang.

Since you're volunteering information,

why would my retired choirboy

assault somebody from the Irish mob?

That's what I was hoping

you could tell me.

WILSON: May I help you?

Yes, I'm looking for Alan--

SHORE: Dwight.

HABER: Alan.

This is where you work?

It is. I know it's small and depressing,

but at least it's dark and damp.

Don't tell anyone.

Is there someplace we could speak in private?

Of course.

Borrow your office, Ellenor?

Normally, it'd be in my office,

but there aren't enough to go around,

so we're taking turns.

What's up?

My wife and I have recently split.

Oh, I'm sorry.

This is your second wife, Eve?

Yes.

The one who married you

for your money.

Clearly, that has turned out to be the case.

Would that I had friends

who were candid before we married.

Please...

how can I help?

In the same wave of stupidity

that caused me to marry her,

I neglected to get a prenup.

Oh, Dwight.

I certainly realize that equitable distribution

is the law, Alan.

But this woman cheated on me,

she probably never loved me,

and under the heading of morality

and basic fairness--

You want to screw her over.

I'm not, by nature, a vindictive man

you know this.

But, Alan,

I earned all of it.

I put her through law school.

And my conscience just mandates--

You screw her over.

Which is why I come to you.

I need you to turn

inward to your core here.

SHORE: Hmm. You don't mean that.

Yes, I do.

As petty as it sounds...

I want to get her.

No holds barred?

None. I can be despicable.

Bombs away.

The man she's sleeping with is Warren Holt.

He's her boss.

They both work in the attorney general's office.

They meet twice a week at the Dobson hotel,

same room, every--

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

What did you just say?

He's her boss.

No, no, no--after that.

They meet twice a week

in the same hotel. Just before that.

They both work in the A. G.'s office.

(sighs)

You're having second thoughts now?

Oh, no.

(laughing) oh, no.

It was just a fight--

nothing more.

Just a fight?

I went into the bar to go to the men's room,

and I got in a fight with him.

Charlie Haden.

Is that his name?

Well, what was the fight about?

To be honest with you,

I don't know.

I guess he got upset

'cause I walked into his office

or something.

Mr. Josephson--

Call me "Walter".

Walter, do you know Mr. Haden?

No.

You walked into his office,

and, what, he just attacked you?

Yeah.

Walter, anything you say to us

stays right here.

Your best opportunity

for a good defense--

This man is on life support.

He figures to die...

you're in trouble, Walter.

Look, I did it.

I didn't mean to, but...

I'm willing to serve time.

You're willing to do time?

For possible murder,

that's life.

I'm an old man.

I got no family,

except my sister in Plymouth.

I don't want to go through a long trial.

I'll cut a deal if they'll--

they'll put me in someplace tolerable.

I don't want to die

in some maximum hole like Cedar's.

You get them to put me someplace

near my sister,

where she can visit...

I'll plead guilty.

You got a defense.

If the guy attacked you--

If I killed a man, Mr. Berluti,

they're not gonna let me off

without doing time.

No.

You get them to send me

to a medium-security near my sister.

You get me that,

and, uh, I'll plead guilty,

it's simple as that.

(indistinct chatter)

It's just 1423 has a very specific

sentimental value for us.

We honeymooned in that room.

I understand,

but that room is occupied.

We have guests checking into it at--

Can't you put them in another room?

I'm afraid they requested it, as well.

It overlooks the park.

Please.

I wish I could help.

I really do.

SHORE: It's okay, honey.

We can get another room.

(voice breaking) It's not the same.

I mean, how could the travel agent make such

a monumental mistake?

We're not even booked to the hotel at all?

We came all the way from Detroit.

I'm sorry.

I'll tell you what, is it Connie?

CONNIE: Yes.

How about--

could we have the room for an hour...

if you know what I mean?

It's our anniversary, please.

Well...

can you promise to be out by 2:00?

I give you my word.

I won't even take my little blue pill.

(chuckling)

SHORE: I am entering the room as we speak.

So, how long will it take you to set up?

Well, let's get going.

All right.

The private investigator and his camera crew

are on their way.

They'll be here in 20 minutes.

And we know for a fact that they always use

this room?

So says Dwight,

and you heard Connie.

This is illegal, you know.

We could even go to jail. Oh, come on.

People have no expectation of privacy here.

This is America,

home of the P. A. T. R. I. O. T. Act.

So, Tara...

here we are in a hotel room

with 20 minutes to kill.

Gee, Alan,

that could almost be construed as a move,

but not quite.

I'm still waiting.

So am I.

No deal?

My guy's willing to plead.

Yes, to medium security.

Things have changed a little

since this morning, Jimmy.

Like what?

Like we've now got motive

and premeditation.

Seven years ago,

your client's only daughter was murdered.

She wasn't the target.

She was in the wrong place

at the wrong time.

Her house was next to the one

that was torched.

Guess who we picked up for the crime.

Charlie Haden.

We couldn't make him,

and, eventually, he walked,

but we remain convinced that he did it,

which your client knows.

So when he walked into that bar--

He was planning to kill the man

who murdered his daughter,

that's premeditated...

and it's murder one.

STRINGER: Premeditated with a tequila bottle?

The fire that killed his daughter

was started with a Molotov cocktail

made from a tequila bottle...

a little poetic justice.

(music playing)

SHORE: Hmm.

They must be really in love,

don't you think?

WILSON: So, now what?

Well, we show these to Dwight,

then we schedule a meeting

with Eve and her lawyer,

and we extort them

with reckless abandon.

WILSON: This seems...

slightly despicable.

He hired me to be despicable,

I promise.

Oh. Mmm.

Well, that makes it all right, then.

Silly me.

You know,

when I'd go to the movies as a boy,

I'd always pretend to be the leading man

on the screen.

I still like to do that sometimes.

Hmm. How about you, Tara?

You ever like to pretend

to be the leading lady on the screen?

You know, you'd be quite something

if talk ever amounted to action.

SHORE: You surprise me, Tara.

Even a first-year law student knows

that talk can be deemed assertive conduct

and actionable.

Do you still fantasize

about me at night, Alan?

Giving you far too much credit, perhaps.

You think?

I'm willing to be proved wrong.

This is unprofessional.

Ellenor.

I didn't hear you come in.

What a shock.

This is why you should have been

open with us.

Now they got a motive.

STRINGER: And premeditation.

I don't care.

You can get me near my sister,

I'll still...

I just want to give up.

I'm tired.

There is some good news.

Charlie Haden pulled through.

He did?

BERLUTI: The doctors think he's gonna recover now,

so no murder charge, at least.

That's great.

Oh. So, what do you think I should do?

I certainly don't want to rush

into any deal.

We got the P. C. Hearing today.

We'll have a better idea

what their case is after.

Are you telling me I can beat this?

Let's just see what they put up.

Okay, yeah.

You beat this,

get me my life back...

please.

Let's do it.

Do I need to see them?

Not if you don't care to be present

at the meeting.

But if you do,

it's important you remain stoic.

As aggressive as I intend to be, Dwight,

I'm acting as your agent.

Any softness perceived in you,

therefore-- Let me see them.

Hold on.

It isn't necessary for you

to be in the meeting.

Yes, it is.

Let me see the pictures.

Dwight...

look at me.

They're graphic,

and they will be hurtful to view.

I want to see the pictures, Alan.

SHORE: Legally, these photographs

have little or no relevance.

You do understand

this will be a tacit attempt at extortion.

Our hope here is that

a professional woman

isn't going to want these pictures

to get much circulation.

Okay, look up now.

I need you to take a breath

and consider that you're currently

in the wake of a very emotional trauma.

In time,

much of your pain will subside.

There's a chance you and Eve

could be friends down the road.

Now, you may not want that.

I don't. But if you do, Dwight,

if you can make room

for the slightest possibility

that you might,

then you need to think twice

about employing this tactic.

This woman caused me

to fall in love with her,

when she had no real love for me.

She hurt me.

In fact, she destroyed me,

and she did so with malice.

I hired you to get her.

I want you to play the card.

Dwight, given how much you still love her,

maybe-- Play the card.

PRICE: Mr. Josephson asked to use the bathroom,

then he went in the back.

There's an office there Mr. Haden uses.

He's friends with the owner.

I heard some noises,

like a crash and someone fighting,

so I went back there.

What did you see?

Well, Mr. Haden was all bloody,

like he'd been beat up,

and Mr. Josephson was sitting down.

He told me to call the cops.

Was there anyone else in the bar

besides Mr. Josephson

who could have attacked Mr. Haden?

Probably, yeah.

HARTIG: You told the police that--

I'm quoting--

"Josephson was the only

other person in the bar."

Objection--leading.

I'll allow it.

PRICE: There's a fire door in the back.

I think someone might have propped it open,

gone in and out.

You didn't tell this to the police before.

It just came to me.

HARTIG: You did tell the police

that Walter Josephson

went into the back room

and just seconds later,

you heard the fight.

Yes, but it's possible

Josephson saw someone else beating on Charlie

and tried to help out.

Someone else who?

I got no idea.

I'm just not sure that old man did it.

Have you been asked

to change your testimony?

No, I'm just trying to do the right thing.

Approach.

What's going on?

Haden must have ordered this guy to flip.

Why would the victim torpedo the case

against the man who beat him?

Haden's the main suspect in the murder

of Walter Josephson's daughter

seven years ago.

It's possible he doesn't want it

dredged up at trial,

or he could be wanting to exact his own justice.

Can Haden identify his assailant?

He says he doesn't remember.

Your honor-- HARTIG: We still have

physical evidence.

BERLUTI: What physical evidence?

No prints on the bottle of tequila.

HARTIG: Josephson was wearing gloves.

Come on. He was covered in Haden's blood.

A jury could say he got it

trying to save Haden's life.

You got nothing.

Ms. Hartig, you get this sorted out, great.

Bring the case again.

But I can't let you go forward

with no evidence and no witnesses.

Everybody step back.

WEEKS: Due to the current

insufficiency of evidence,

the case is dismissed

without prejudice.

(gavel pounds)

It's dismissed?

For now.

They get more evidence,

they can refile.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

Walter, it's possible

Haden wants you back on the street

so he can take you out.

I can ask for protective custody

not that I'll get it, but--

I can handle myself, Mr. Berluti.

These people are bad guys.

I did a tour of duty in Korea.

I can handle Charlie Haden.

Thank you.

Thank you both very much.

Is it just me,

or is our client a dead man?

WOMAN (over PA): Dr. Davis to the OR.

Dr. Davis to the OR.

WOMAN (over PA): Dr. Moresco to nurse station on 2 west.

Dr. Moresco to nurse station on 2 west.

Hey.

Will it be orange juice

or gasoline with your eggs?

Hey!

HADEN: Help!

Aah! Aaaaaaah!

Aaaaaah!

WOMAN: We got a fire extinguisher ready.

Better check his temperature.

He's burning up.

What?

Okay, we're on our way down.

(receiver clicks)

Walter Josephson just set Charlie Haden on fire.

This time, he's dead.

Oh, my god.

He's in custody. Let's go.

Hello.

Eve.

I'm Alan Shore.

We've never met.

That's a lovely name,

Eve.

Is it short for "Evening"?

SELIG: Please,

don't address my client.

Oh, you look so bored.

I'm about to change that.

Let's go in, shall we?

What's he up to now?

I have no idea.

Okay, let's get started.

This is my assistant, Tara.

Tara, this--well, actually,

I have nametags here for all of us to wear.

Alan Shore, that would be mine.

A. Selig, obviously you.

Ah, lying, cheating adulterer,

that would be yours, Eve.

Look, Mr. Shore,

we're more than familiar

with your reputation.

If you have a proposal, make it.

But let's fast-forward through the brinkmanship.

Brinkmanship, is that a legal term?

SELIG: Counsel,

we're giving you about 10 minutes.

Tara.

The proposal

is a marital settlement

for $500,000.

The settlement-- Let's go.

Wait a second.

Don't be rude.

The marital estate

is worth over $17 million.

You're assuming a valid union, Mr. Selig.

Tara.

Though rarely invoked,

the Commonwealth does recognize adultery as a means

for annulling a marriage. EVE: Is this your big plan?

SELIG: They've tried so many times.

SHORE: Could she finish, please?

WILSON: Though public policy does frown

on vitiating marriage--

This is a virtual no-fault state.

Justice Scalia's dissent in Roma

opens the door for overturning--

SELIG: If this is what you called us up here for

to present us with,

this is ridiculous.

We have-- SHORE: She has worked hard

on this. I refer you to the highlighted

you're being rude by not letting her finish.

WILSON: ...which specifically points out adultery and bigamy.

SHORE: Tara, maybe we should just present

the facts.

The law can be so tedious.

Oh, here's a photo

showing how your client's yoga lessons paid off.

Here's one for you, Eve.

Look how close your foot is

to your ear there.

Wow, I wish I could do that.

(chuckles)

I'm sorry.

That's double-jointed,

don't you think?

Must be.

SHORE: Huh.

A woman of your talents shouldn't be

limited to the small screen,

wouldn't you agree, Eve?

Now, this may be very low, I grant you,

but the main point to leave here with is...

it's not beneath me.

For an assistant attorney general

with even the slightest political ambition,

wouldn't it be awful

to see these images pop up

on the internet?

SELIG: How you got these images

is gonna land you in jail.

SHORE: Good point,

but if you're really familiar with me,

you know I'm not afraid to go there.

I might even enjoy the change of pace.

You hurt a friend of mine, Eve.

To err is human, I'll admit,

but getting even, that's divine.

(door opens)

SELIG: Mr. Young,

could you come in here, please?

My question is, do these tactics reflect

on your entire firm,

or merely Alan Shore?

Tara helped.

I just went in to scare him.

Do you think I'm that stupid?

Walter, you were all set to go to prison.

Then once you heard

Charlie Haden was going to recover,

suddenly, you want your day in court.

Why?

So you could go kill him.

I guess you feel real guilty about helping me get out.

I feel used, yes.

But you know what I mainly think?

You'll spend the rest of your life in jail.

Is it worth it?

I have no life, Ms. Stringer.

That man took my life

when he killed my daughter.

She was the only thing...

(breathing heavily)

What about your sister?

My sister is no daughter.

Now, look,

I'm sorry I got you involved.

It wasn't my intent.

If I'd killed him the first time...

What do you want us to do?

I really don't care.

I'll go to prison.

Just keep me out of Cedar's.

Because you'd be killed there?

I did a little checking.

The fire that killed your daughter--

the intended target was an informer

against Tommy Moynihan.

Haden worked for Moynihan.

So?

STRINGER: Last year, Moynihan was sentenced

eight to ten at Cedar's for something else.

You're afraid if you go to Cedar's,

you'll be killed.

I just want Plymouth

so I can be close to my sister.

Right.

Look...

I don't want a trial.

Make whatever deal you can.

Let's just end this.

(music playing)

I'm confused about whose turn it is to talk.

It's my turn.

Ah.

This firm has pulled a lot of stunts

over the years.

All of them have been within the bounds of the law,

even if barely.

You bugged a hotel room

to get illicit, private pictures.

You then used those pictures

to commit extortion.

You have stepped way outside the law.

My bad.

I need to hear why you would commit

such acts.

Eve Haber is a beautiful woman

who used her sexuality to dupe my client

out of $7 million, $8 million,

maybe $9 million.

She caused him immeasurable pain

and also broke his heart.

She turned a kind, loving man

into something vengeful.

And the only way to kill a vindictive beast,

believe it or not, is to feed it.

Dwight will gain satisfaction here,

albeit of a...

most hollow variety...

and he will heal.

He will go on.

But we need to go on,

and that's not gonna happen

if you continue to do these kinds of things.

I promise, Ellenor,

only two or three more, and then I'll stop.

Alan...

this isn't funny.

No, I suppose it isn't.

(music playing)

Eugene, I gave you my word

that I'd sooner take myself down

than this firm, I meant that.

Well, you're taking yourself down.

Don't you get that?

And you're taking us down with you.

Now what?

(door slams close)

(music playing)

Why such a short window on this? Why?

BERLUTI: Because the client wants it done, Alex.

Look, this is a gift.

The man commits a first-degree murder,

goes to a medium-security facility.

Who's getting the gift here?

STRINGER: We have a possible insanity defense,

not to mention a potential self-defense--

Don't insult me, Jamie.

BERLUTI: This isn't open and shut for you.

He is very sympathetic.

Yes, as vigilantes go, he's adorable, but--

BERLUTI: We're offering you a plea that takes him

off the street for life.

And suppose I find out later

that he's really a professional hit man, who--

BERLUTI: Oh, come on.

If the facts change,

you can undo the plea on grounds of fraud

and send him to trial.

Why are we wasting time here?

The guy is willing to go to prison.

He'd just like to be near his sister.

If he goes to Cedar's,

Tommy Moynihan will probably kill him.

And you'd be willing to enter a plea today?

Yes.

You'll be transferred within the hour.

Thank you.

Thank you both.

Can I ask you something?

Did it make you feel better

when you killed him?

Did it bring you relief?

I don't think I'm capable

of feeling anything, Ms. Stringer.

I suppose that's what allowed me to survive.

I wish you well.

Thank you...

again.

DWIGHT: Thank you both.

I can't say I'm terribly proud of our tactics,

but I'm glad to have mitigated,

at least, the financial damage.

As soon as the documents are drafted,

we'll have you back in for execution.

DWIGHT: Okay.

I don't know how you do the things you do, Alan.

It's not with mirrors, I assure you.

That I believe.

I'll see you both soon.

SHORE: Yep.

Here we sit in triumph.

(sighs)

Shall we get drunk?

Winston Churchill said

that he would drink in victory

because he deserved it

and in defeat...

because he needed it.

Somehow, I feel that we qualify here

on both counts.

(sighs)

You're a very interesting woman, aren't you?

I find victory to be

extremely lonely without--

what's the word?

Sex.

Would that be considered

assertive conduct?

Well, there's nobody else here,

just you, me...

and this--

this big conference table.

Would you like to have sex

on the table, Alan?

That would definitely be considered a first move.

(music playing)

(inhales)

You see, the thing is...

if you'd like to go to a nice restaurant...

share a lovely bottle of wine...

caress a little in a taxicab

on the way back to my place or yours,

I might enjoy having sex with you tonight.

But you don't want that.

You want to do it on a conference table

because it's debased.

It's commensurate with your self-esteem,

which always seems to nose-dive when you behave

as you did in this case.

You're not going to find some twisted sense

of self-loathing affirmation

on that table with me.

I tell you what, though...

get some help...

and then ask me out to dinner sometime.

(music playing)

STRINGER: Yes, ma'am.

That's right.

Well, it won't be necessary now,

since-- that's right--

you can go visit him now.

My pleasure.

Thank you again for returning my call.

Walter's sister--

I finally made contact.

Oh.

Here's something weird--

she lives in Brighton.

Why would Walter say she lives in Plymouth?

I don't know.

Maybe he just wanted

to go to Plymouth.

But why?

There are medium-security prisons

which are softer than Plymouth,

with better facilities.

Personally, I'd go to Norfolk.

Give me your phone.

(music playing)

What?

Plymouth, Massachusetts,

Department of Corrections.

Thomas Moynihan.

Yes.

(music playing)

Transferred three weeks ago?

Okay, look,

this man is in danger.

A prisoner by the name of Walter Josephson

was transferred there today.

Josephson.

Tommy Moynihan?

Yes.

You need to find one or the other or both...

now.

(music playing)

JOSEPHSON: It was on his orders

that Haden lit that match.

You knew he was here

all the time.

They can send me to Cedar's now, Jimmy.

I've made my peace.

Hey, sexy.

Looking to party?

(chuckles)

What's your name?

Annie. What's yours?

Eugene.

Get in the car, Annie.

It looks cold out there.

So, do your parents know you're out this late, Annie?

Ooh, Eugene, you're funny.

I love funny, sexy men.

Your place or mine?

My place?

Your place?

I thought maybe we should just drive around

and see what happens.

ANNIE: Drive around?

All right, look...

the ones who want that

usually just want to talk.

I don't talk,

and I'm not into wasting time.

Then, perhaps, you should get out

of the car, Annie,

because although I have no interest

in talking to you,

I've always taken great pleasure

in wasting time.

(chuckles)

(car door closes)

(music playing)

BOY: Score, score!

WOMAN: Stinker!

(music playing)