Original subtitles

(theme music playing)

MAN: It's so simple, a child could load it.

Pull back the slide, drop in the magazine...

-(click) -press down on the safety.

Remember?

Well, I think I can pass inspection.

No problem with state or federal licensing.

You got no record, and the six-day wait's up.

The gun is yours.

You want some ammunition now?

Oh, sure.

And a... a case.

You want a nice case for it.

Well, I guess you got to keep it someplace.

Now, who'd have thought you had to buy accessories

for a thing like that?

He should be in woman's ready-to-war.

Hey, well, don't tell him-- he'll take your territory away.

Are you really gonna keep one of those things in the house?

Well, it's for Paula, while I'm on the road.

A woman needs protection nowadays.

Yeah, pistol-packin' Paula.

She's gonna love it.

Well, she doesn't know about it yet.

It's gonna take a little, uh, discussion.

If I know my sister, it's gonna take a little more than that.

Well, you're all set.

Remember to keep the safety on.

Of course.

Thank you.

Oh, Mr. Cooper?

When you put the gun in the car,

be sure to keep it in plain view,

separate from the ammo. State law.

Got it.

(sighs) All right, Jack, come on, what's wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

Come on, I know you; I can tell by your attitude,

something's on your mind.

Al, it's nothing.

Look, if you don't like your job...

No, Al, it's not that. Everything3...

Don't oversell me on your offers.

- Everything's okay up there. - I'm not overselling.

Have you been playing cards again?

- Yeah, a little. - How little?

Well, they haven't been coming in right.

Sometimes that happens, Al.

Jack.

$5,000. I owe five thou.

Not again! When are you...

(sighs)

All right, when's it due?

- Tonight. - How much have you got?

About $500. Hey, Al, I tried.

I got in a game with a couple of fish.

I couldn't help it; I couldn't pull a card.

You know I haven't got that kind of money.

I'm the same as you are; I'd have to borrow it.

No, Al, it's not the same.

These guys, they-they break legs for $5,000.

Al, they put people in the hospital.

(sighs) Well, I'll see what I can.

You can get an extension, can't you?

I don't know.

Well, you're going to have to-- there is no way

that I can come up with that kind of money tonight.

(engine starts)

II

(vehicle approaching)

Give it to me now, and I'll forget this little joke.

It's no joke; I don't have the money.

Right, it's no joke.

Look, wait a second.

You don't understand. It... it's coming.

My brother-in-law's getting it.

I... just need a couple of more days.

Wait a second, listen to me!

You'll have the money at the end of the week, I swear.

Everybody swears, Mr. Graham.

Only, that's not the way I'm paid to collect.

GRAHAM: No.

Please!

Please, don't!

Don't.

Please don't!

Get away from me.

For a city boy, that's some pretty fair country shooting.

Well, good morning. Now what are you doing out here this early?

7:00.

I was just about to ask you the same question.

You gonna enter the competition this year?

No, no. Some of the guys are using the new Colt.

Thought I'd give it a try.

- Say, how does it feel? - I can't tell the difference.

Well, now, you don't think Willie McCuffy

walks up to the bat rack and takes the first stick

that he puts in his hands, do you?

No sir, he tries them all out in the cage.

There's a little difference. Want to give it a try?

No. No, no.

I'll take a rain check on that one.

We've got some important business to attend to.

- No time for coffee? - No, I'm afraid not.

It's somebody who's aim isn't as good as yours.

BERNIE: Three slugs, Mike.

One penetrated the victim's lower intestinal region,

probably puncturing a kidney.

One lodged in muscle tissue near the shoulder blade,

but the third one hit home. Ripped right through the heart.

Well, somebody got lucky.

Well, come on.

Okay, thanks a lot.

Wallet says his name is Ernest Moran.

It's still got a lot of money in it.

Who found the body?

It was a black and white that was cruising.

Uh, Officers Jenkins and LaRue.

- Any luck finding the gun? - They're still looking.

What did he get hit with?

By the size of the holes,

I'd say it was a small-caliber handgun.

.22, maybe a .25.

- Up close? - Oh, real close.

Deserted spot like this, it could have been a meet.

He was still wearing brass knuckles.

The other guy had a Saturday Night Special.

Two guys trying to settle a score?

Oh, no. No, no.

You don't use a pop gun to hunt a rhino.

Especially when you know he's in the bush.

No, I don't know how to read this one yet.

Come on, let's go and see if Moran's got a jacket.

(watch alarm buzzing)

(doorbell rings)

Jack.

Hello, honey. Coffee ready yet?

No.

Jeannie, please.

You had a choice, remember?

Between the roulette wheel and me.

And the roulette wheel won.

Now go away. Please. Just go.

Jeannie, look. I'm in trouble.

Open the door, please.

What is it?

Honey, open the door.

You look terrible, you know that?

GRAHAM: Yeah, I know.

- Oh, come on. - KELLER: Huh? What?

Ballistics confirmed the gun was a .25-caliber.

- What about Moran? - Ernie Moran?

He's got a rap sheet as long as the Golden Gate!

He's an organization man, syndicate style.

He was used to crack heads?

Well, he wasn't known for his sunny disposition.

- That figures. - What?

DMV says the car he drove

was registered to a Security Finance Corporation.

No wants, no warrants.

- Well, who's Security Finance? - Lou Damico's latest front.

Damico... He's that shylock, right?

That's probably the nicest name

he's ever been called in these halls.

So Moran was collecting for him?

He collected, all right. Three lead slugs.

What I want to know is who did he collect them from?

Pardon me...

Yes sir, can I help you?

Well, I hope so. I want to report a stolen gun.

What kind of gun, sir?

A .25-caliber automatic.

I left it in my car, and when I came out...

When you came out, the gun was gone.

Right.

Sir, may I see the registration, please?

Can you tell me what the gun looked like?

Yeah. It was about like so...

uh, chrome-plated, pearl-handled.

I mean, I never would have bought it for myself,

but, uh, I thought my wife...

Well, you know how things are nowadays.

I was gonna talk to her about it that evening

and then bring it in, let her look at it.

She's frightened of guns. She doesn't feel they're safe,

but I thought, well, if it were pretty enough, you know...

(toy machine gun chatters)

(chattering)

(chattering)

Hey, you guys!

Time out! Come here! Look what I found!

Wow! Where'd you find it?

Just-just right down there.

Hey, Rick, come look what Jeffs got.

Hey, you think it's real?

I know how to tell.

See if it's got any bullets.

It is real.

You can't use a real gun.

It's okay. I just took the bullets out.

Okay, you guys come after me now.

But you gotta count to 100.

Get him!

Come on!

(laughing)

(whooping)

(toy gun chatters)

(shouting, chattering, laughing)

(gunshot)

RICK: You said it wasn't loaded.

JEFF: Well-well, you saw me take the bullets out.

RICK: There must have been one left inside.

JEFF: Well, I didn't know that could happen.

RICK: What are we gonna do?

JEFF: You've got swear you're not gonna tell anybody.

RICK: But we can't just leave him in there.

JEFF: Do you want to go to reform school?

Because that's what's gonna happen if they find out.

But it was an accident.

You've got to swear.

J eff!

Swear!

Okay.

Come on, let's get out of here.

Wait, what about Teddy?

Teddy's dead.

(sirens wailing)

(knocking on door)

Lieutenant, how are you?

Nice place.

Business picking up, Damico?

Well, inflation, sad to say, affects us all.

Sorry, I forget the name.

(chuckles) Keller.

Uh, say, look, if it's about the license,

uh, the state's already given its blessing.

No, it's about one of your employees.

Well now, you're not gonna tell me

that one of them has got a record or something?

One of them is dead.

Who?

Now, you're not gonna tell me

that one of your collection officers goes out on a pickup

and doesn't come back with the money,

and you don't even miss him?

Well, like you said, Lieutenant,

we're not exactly scratching for nickels and dimes.

We've got a lot of accounts.

A lot of collections.

Ernie Moran.

What account was he collecting last night?

Ernie... nothing last night.

He only works days.

He was using a company car.

Oh, well, I always let Ernie take the car with him.

He has a job that's more title than money, you know, so...

I always try to make it up to him in other ways.

So, uh, Ernie had an accident, huh?

What happened, uh, exactly?

No accident.

He was drilled with a .25 caliber point-blank.

- Shot? - Mm-hmm.

You don't think maybe it was robbery?

No, no, we think he got surprised.

See, uh, Mr. Moran had these knuckles on,

these brass knuckles, like he was gonna do something

to somebody, and somebody didn't want him to.

No kidding?

- Yeah. - Ernie Moran.

You wouldn't know who that someone was, would you?

Hey, I wish I did.

I mean, Ernie was a good man.

Uh, I'd love to help you guys,

you know, make sure you get the guy who did it, but...

Say, listen, um, about the car?

I could arrange to have that picked up

if that'd help you guys out any.

I'll tell you what will help.

Some straight answers.

Lieutenant, bottom line, okay?

You know I'm not free to discuss

the private affairs of my clients.

That would be a breach of professional ethics.

It sure would.

The people you deal with are bottom of the line, all right.

They're the bottom of the deck.

Bust-outs, gamblers, people who can't go to anybody else.

Now, this guy was pressed against a wall

by your man, Moran, last night.

But he hit back; who was he?

I guess if you had a warrant, I'd have seen it by now, right?

A warrant for what?

To look at a phony set of books?

You want any information, Stone,

you get a warrant.

'Cause without that, you get nothing.

I wouldn't say nothing.

I wouldn't say that at all, would you?

No, no, no, I think Mr. Damico

has been pretty, pretty cooperative,

considering.

Considering what?

Your professional ethics.

All this talk about the privacy of your clients.

(chuckles)

You didn't get your money, did you?

Otherwise, you got nothing to lose giving us their name.

But you'll have plenty to lose if this guy

isn't in one piece when we find him

because if he isn't, I'll know who roughed him up,

and then I'll really be back with a warrant.

A warrant for your arrest.

You think he's gonna go after that other guy?

Well, if he doesn't, everybody who owes him

will figure they can get away with it.

It's not the money he's worried about,

it's his reputation.

Come on, let's move it.

He's gonna have his men working overtime on this one.

(tires squeal)

No, I said you can forget about Ernie.

He didn't run, he got wasted.

No, a punk by the name of Jack Graham.

Now look, get him.

And get that money.

And listen, the heat's on, so do it quick.

Yeah, his address is

203 Madison.

(panting)

Hurry UP-

I've got to be crazy, you know that?

Believing you.

Honey, you'll see.

When we get to LA,

I won't even so much as look at an office pool.

Are you sure your brother-in-law

is gonna give you the money to get started?

5,000; you heard the phone call.

As soon as I get my clothes, I'll...

Get going-

Jack, what?

I said, "Get going".

(tires squeal)

Who are they?

They work for Damico.

- Did they see us? - I don't know.

Just keep driving.

I'd still like to see Damico's files.

See who's got loans that are overdue.

No way you can do that without a court order,

and we don't have enough for that.

- Mike? - Yeah?

- Got a minute? - Oh, sure.

What's up?

Looks like Renkin and I have a crossover

with that Moran case of yours.

We both answered a call.

Same gun both hits?

That's what ballistics says.

Who was it this time?

A kid, ten years old.

(sighs) Oh, man.

The lines match up.

STONE: You mean to say a ten-year-old boy

was shot with the same gun as a hood?

What the hell is going on?

A Psycho, maybe.

A psycho with a handgun?

I thought they usually went up in a tower

and picked off their victims with a high-powered rifle.

I don't know, Bobby Kennedy and George Wallace

didn't get it that way.

I guess maybe I better stick to the lab,

let you guys work out the puzzles.

The day you guys stop trying to help,

we're all gonna be in trouble.

Maybe the kid was witness, Mike; our man shot him.

Well, the medical examiner said Moran was killed at 11:00 p.m.

The boy was hit this morning at, uh...

What time did you say that was?

A guy running his dog found him a little past 11:00.

Now, he hadn't been dead for more than an hour.

No, that's too late for a ten-year-old kid.

Did you talk to the boy's parents?

They're at the morgue.

Thought we'd give them some time.

Okay.

Well, it looks like this ties in

with the Moran case, all right.

Steve and I will take over from here.

Right.

What do you want to do? Talk to the parents first?

Mm-hmm, yeah.

Say, what was the boy's name?

Bateman, Teddy Bateman.

Parents are a Mr. and Mrs. Donald Bateman.

STONE: Donald Bateman.

Please.

As soon as possible.

Thank you.

Teddy won't have to stay here any longer.

A car's on the way.

Margaret?

Oh, excuse me.

Mr. and Mrs. Bateman?

Yes.

I'm Lieutenant Stone; this is Inspector Keller.

And, uh, well, we're in charge

of the investigation of your son's death.

And you have some more questions for us, I suppose?

- Not exactly... - Questions from you,

questions from the attendants,

and forms to fill out.

I don't suppose you have any more forms

for us to fill out, do you?

Have you ever seen all the forms you have to fill out

when someone you love dies, Lieutenant?

For the arrangements, all kinds of arrangements

to-to get Teddy's things, to have him released.

Released as if he were a prisoner here.

As if he could get up and walk out of here.

Mrs. Bateman...

...was Teddy home last night?

Last night?

Yeah, of course.

And this morning,

did he say he was going to play around the Ft. Funston bunkers?

Yes.

Did he go alone?

No.

He-he went with Jeff and Rick.

Jeff and Rick.

Do you have their last names?

Jeff Rydell and-and Rick Thompson.

Friends?

Yeah.

KELLER: Their addresses?

I can get them for you when we go home.

(sighs) That would be fine.

You know,

just as they were leaving,

I-I told Teddy it was dangerous.

That something might happen.

Something could fall loose.

He might fall.

Maggie.

He promised he'd be careful.

Did you know that?

A little boy's promise.

I never would have thought that he would have been shot.

Well, it happens, Mrs. Bateman.

It happens every four minutes in this country.

Somebody gets shot.

With nothing you can do about it, huh?

STONE: Believe me, nobody would want

to do more about it than we would.

There isn't a day goes by that we don't see what a gun can do

in the wrong hands.

(machines humming)

(humming continues)

WORKMAN: Hey, what you got there?

Uh, brass fittings.

Guy told me they were bringing in some good coin now, you know.

Been keeping my eye out for them.

Found some copper the other day, too.

A man could get rich on this job,

just keeping his eyes open.

Just do the job you're getting paid for, okay?

Yeah, okay, sure.

KELLER: Well, the car hit the curb here, all right.

STONE: Yeah.

Looks like he was in a hurry to get away.

KELLER: Right off this way.

We're, what, about, uh, oh, a half a mile from the bunkers?

Uh, yeah, about.

It's right up this road.

And that goes right past the tunnel

where the little boy's body was found.

Yeah.

All right, Moran meets the guy here,

he shoots him, and he goes right up this road.

Small-caliber handgun says amateur.

Those tracks-- he could have been scared.

Yeah, so he goes up to the bunker, he's still scared,

he realizes what he's done, and he heaves the gun away.

Hoping it goes into the ocean.

Instead, it gets hung up on something.

In the morning the kids come out and play and they find it.

Well, that makes as much sense as anything.

Sure does.

Right.

(sighs)

You know, there is one tie.

That damned gun.

(bell dinging)

(laughing): Hey, Jake.

Hey, where'd you get that?

Came special delivery, old buddy,

like an answer to a prayer.

You got enough on you for a beer?

No, I did have till I started to play this machine.

We can get your money back right now, you want.

Jake, you crazy?

It ain't exactly a cannon,

but nobody's going to argue it can't do some damage.

You are, man, you're nuts.

No, think about it.

Now, we can get out of here.

We can go home.

Oh, after I told everybody in Flagstaff

what a big man I was going to be, huh?

Mexico then.

How's that?

We just waltz in someplace quiet,

show 'em this little baby,

and walk outwith enough to buy us all that Mexican sun.

Or a stretch in the joint.

Come on, I'm not talking about nothing big.

I was thinking maybe, uh, you know,

that liquor store over on Fillmore.

He's an old man.

Right, and he's all alone.

Now, he's not gonna give us any trouble, is he?

I don't know.

Come on, he's always bragging about how well he's doing,

isn't he?

Every time we've been in there.

Well, I guess he wouldn't tangle with us if he saw that gun.

Are you kidding?

He'll turn green.

I guarantee it.

Then he'll give us all that green he's got in that register.

Come on, man, Mexico.

All those chili peppers, all that grass.

Hmm?

Okay.

But we don't use that gun on him no matter what.

Hey, we don't have to, I'm telling you.

We just let him get a look at it.

II

I'm scared.

I told you, you can't be scared

or your folks are going to know.

They're going to know anyways.

How can they?

The gun's gone.

So is Teddy.

Come on, come on.

Rick.

What?

Come on, we got to get out of here.

What, Why?

Hey, Jeff, wait up, come on, wait up!

Okay, that must be them.

I'll take the one on the right.

Okay.

Hey, kid, come here!

Come here!

Boy, come here.

- Now... - Let me go, let me go!

No, look, come here now.

- Let me go! - Wait a minute.

Don't try to run away.

Now, listen, I'm a policeman and I'm not gonna hurt you.

I know who you are,

and I don't want to go to reform school.

Reform school-- who told you that?

Jeff-- he said that's where we'd have to go.

Then you must be Rick-- Rick Thompson.

I didn't do it, I didn't shoot him, it was Jeff.

Jeff did it.

- Okay, okay, okay. -(Jeff speaking indistinctly)

Take it easy, take it easy.

Take it easy, I'm a police officer, okay?

I didn't mean it, honest, I didn't.

I took the bullets out-- you can ask Rick.

He saw it.

He'll tell you.

I didn't mean it; it was an accident.

But there must have been some left in it.

I didn't mean it.

Okay, it's okay, I know, it's all right.

- I know you didn't mean it. - I didn't mean it.

It was an accident, we know it.

It's all over now, all right?

It's all over, come on.

Let's go.

Come on, it'll be okay.

Come on, I know.

- I know. -(sobbing): I didn't mean it.

I know, it's all right, it's all right.

46, 47, 48, 49.

There you go-- $5,000.

Thanks, Al.

I mean it, I, I don't know what I'd do

if you hadn't come through.

Well, I know what I'm gonna do if you get caught

in this kind of a crunch again.

- I'm gonna give you... - No, it's over.

It's a new ball game for sure.

Okay, but if you change your mind about going to L.A...

No, I'm sure about that, too.

It's what I need-- a new town, new people.

Coffee will be ready in a few minutes.

No, thanks, sis, I can't stay.

Can't stay? You just got here.

Well, I'm sorry, I got a lot to do today.

And tomorrow you'll be gone.

Come on, what is it, a 45-minute plane ride?

Jack.

Look, sis, it's right for me, I know it is,

and if it's going to make you feel any better at all,

I think that you're going to like my roommate.

Who, Jean?

Cross your fingers.

You're getting married?

Oh, honey, easy, easy.

We're gonna have to get to know each other all over again first.

I made enough of a mess out of my life.

I don't want to mess up hers, too.

Well, I don't know about the move to L.A.,

but Jean-- now, that's a move in the right direction.

I only wish it were more permanent.

Oh, look, Paula, honey,

lam going to get it together someday,

but it's just going to have to happen

at my pace, honey, not yours.

Okay?

I know, I know, I don't, I don't mean to be such a nag.

I know.

I'm gonna miss you.

I want you to know that.

It's only a 45-minute plane ride.

Al, listen, sales drop off in my district,

you give me a ring and I'll be glad to pass along

-some of my tips to the new boy. - Oh, yeah, oh, right.

Just take care of yourself, will you?

LWill.

Call us when you're settled, huh?

LWill.

Al, you'll get it back, all of it.

I know that.

Bye. sis.

(door opens)

(door closes)

II

(tires screeching)

II

(cable car bell clanging)

II

You got anything?

No, we missed the pickup.

(chuckles) The day Sanitation comes early, huh?

Yeah, the gun's at the reclaiming area by now.

We'll never find it.

It's probably being pressed into a, a two-ton hunk of metal.

I'll check it out.

Good luck, hope you find it.

All right, we got no weapon.

So, what, we're back to Damico?

That's all we have.

But he won't scare.

We'll have to just sit tight and wait for his move.

You know, part of me hopes that gun's lost for good?

(engine starts)

You boys are making a mistake.

I'm telling you right now, you're making a big mistake.

Just open it, old man, and hurry it up.

You're gonna rob me, you got to rob it yourself.

What's this?

What's the matter?

There's hardly nothing here, nothing at all.

I told you you was making a mistake.

It's your mistake, old man,

-unless you come up with something quick. -Jake.

Now, come on, you've been bragging about what a gold mine

this dump is.

Let's see some of it.

That's all there is,

tha-that's all there ever is.

You're lying.

No, th-the bank.

My wife-- she, she took today's deposits.

I said you're lying!

Hey, Jake, now don't, man, don't.

It ain't worth it.

Let's take what's here and get out of here.

Come on.

(car horn honks)

Fifty-four.

Are you believing it?

54 stinking dollars.

Well, it's better than a murder rap.

Yeah, well, well, just drive.

I couldn't believe it back there, man,

you almost killed him.

Killed him!

(siren wailing)

(tires screeching)

Cops.

Lose them.

Come on, punch it!

(siren blaring)

Come on, let's go, let's go!

Make that turn.

(tires squealing)

OFFICER: Suspect headed west on Beach at Embarcadero.

Repeat, suspect headed west on Beach and Embarcadero.

OFFICER 2: Headquarters, this is Control Two,

headed west to Beach and Embarcadero, to intercept.

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

Okay, okay, don't shoot!

No, it's just a routine investigation.

But I want him watched.

He might lead us to the guy we're looking for.

All right, fine, Sergeant.

I'll get back to you. Thanks for your cooperation.

I put a tail on our boy.

Who? Damico?

- Yeah. - Good.

The, uh, kid's parents brought them in for their statements.

And how are they taking it?

They're a little strung out.

Yeah, well, it's the kind of wound

that's not gonna heal very fast, either.

No.

We still don't even know who hit Moran.

- Yeah, you want some coffee? - No thanks.

Right back where we started.

Oh, not quite.

Snakes like Damico,

they don't stay in business long if people get away

with things like that.

He lost his money and his man.

That guy could be out of town by now.

Yeah, he could have him, too.

If he's looking for him.

I still want to be on his back before anybody else gets killed.

- Lieutenant? - Mm-hmm?

Robbery's got a suspect downstairs.

An officer took a slug, trying to stop him and a friend.

Lieutenant Mallory thought you might be interested in the gun.

It's a pearl-handled .25 caliber.

I am.

Get the serial number, run it through the computer.

I'm going downstairs.

He's gonna be okay, isn't he? Joe's gonna be okay?

MALLORY: Your buddy? He just cracked himself a few ribs.

That's all.

And the cop?

Thought you'd never ask.

His name is Officer Jefferies. Paul Jefferies.

And they just took the bullet out of his leg.

That's good.

I didn't mean to hurt him, you know?

I was just scared.

Yeah, well, he'll be back on the streets

before you know it.

Which is more than anyone can say for you right now.

Now, you and this buddy of yours,

how many other jobs have you pulled?

Lieutenant.

I heard you got a couple of guys in there

who robbed a liquor store.

They took some shots at an officer

with a pearl-handled .25.

Oh, you're the one with the flyer out.

That's right.

Ballistics check that gun out yet?

No, sir, not yet.

Did they say where they got it?

He says he found it.

Found it where?

Where he works.

Now, it's just a part-time job.

Yeah. Sanitation Department.

You sure it's the Sanitation Department?

Yes, sir.

Get me the gun.

Yes, sir.

No, I got that one, yeah.

All right, that's M-A-D-R-I-D?

Right.

Yes, sir, this is the baby and I don't mean maybe!

Ballistics confirmed it.

What have you got on registration?

It just cam in. The gun's registered to Mr. Alvin Cooper,

1441 West Madrid.

Reported missing this morning.

Said it was stolen last night.

Last night. Oh, come one, let's have a little talk

with Mr. Cooper.

I don't understand.

We've never owned a gun.

I, uh, I bought it for you for when I'm on the road.

I was gonna talk to you about it yesterday, but...

(sighs) You found it pretty quickly.

Not quick enough.

Yeah, well, I didn't think it was normal procedure

for detectives to bring back that sort of merchandise.

What do you mean? What's happened?

Well, an officer was wounded with this gun.

Two other people were killed with it.

One of them was a ten-year-old boy.

Oh, my God.

A ten-year-old boy?

Mr. Cooper, may I ask where you were last night?

Well, I was here at home.

STONE: All evening?

Yes.

Do you happen to know a Lou Damico?

No.

KELLER: You don't have any outstanding debts?

Well, of course I have. Who hasn't?

Oh, come on, Damico, debts,

I mean, what's that got to do with this?

Well, the other man that was killed with this gun

worked for Damico.

He specialized in collecting debts.

What is it, Mr. Cooper?

Like I told the police, the gun was stolen.

Somebody took it out of my car.

I didn't have it.

Do you have any idea who could've taken it?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

Al...

Well, honey, Jack knew about the gun.

Jack?

My brother-in-law, he went with me when I went

to pick it up, and he told me he was in a bind with somebody.

- Money? - Gambling debts.

Are you saying Jack killed somebody?

No, honey, what I'm saying is maybe he should be answering

these questions instead of me.

I've bailed him out of a lot of tight spots

but I'm not gonna cover for him in something like this.

- Is that wrong? - No.

Mrs. Cooper, what is Jack's last name?

Graham.

Jack Graham.

He's staying with a girlfriend...

named Jean Loring. I don't know where she lives.

- Jean? - Yeah.

PAULA: She lives near the Marina,

in one of those old apartments.

Okay, thank you. I'll get on the horn,

see if I can get an address. L-O-R-I-N-G?

- Yes. - Thank you.

Say, I'd appreciate it if you didn't contact Mr. Graham

until after we talk to him.

Now, if he happens to contact you...

would you give him my name and number, please?

- Sure. - Good bye.

Good bye.

Jack couldn't have done it.

No, he couldn't. No.

REPORTER (on radio): And that wraps up

the local scene here on all-news station, KBAY.

Next Bay Area report at 7:35.

On the national scene...

(door opens)

You got the tickets?

Ticket. One-way to Los Angeles.

Flight 21 leaves at 9:06.

Hey, I thought we'd better wait and see how you do first.

Which is why, sir, I brought you this.

You went to my place?

Everything depends on you getting a good job, Jack.

I couldn't let you go there looking like a schlep.

I got your dark suit, the one you like,

and I think I found the tie that you always wore with it.

Is there a back way out of this building?

No. Why?

What about the roof?

Jack?

Jeannie, those stairs, they go all the way up?

Yes. What is it?

They followed you from my apartment.

I didn't see anybody.

Yeah, well, they saw you.

Jack, can't you face them?

You've got to face them sometime.

I don't understand.

Honey, the only thing you got to understand is stay away

from this door and don't let anybody in.

(tires screech)

KELLER Loring. 102.

Miss Loring? Miss Loring, this is the police.

Do you have any identification?

I'm Lieutenant Stone and this is Inspector Keller.

We're looking for a Mr. Graham.

His brother-in-law said that...

He's up on the roof.

Two men, they're after him. Please help him.

How do we get up there?

Up the stairs.

Hold it! Police!

STONE: Hold it!

Don't move. Don't move.

All right, move it. Get over here.

Get on your stomach. Come on! Get over! Get over there!

STONE: Come on. Get over there!

- Stay down. - Get over there with your buddy.

- Stay right there. - Come on. Spread eagle.

Get your hands up there. Spread 'em out.

Graham!

Yeah.

I'm Lieutenant Stone, San Francisco Police Department.

I think you've got something you want to tell me.

- You know about Moran? - Yes.

I wasn't gonna use that gun. I couldn't help it...

Nobody ever is. Mr. Graham. Nobody ever is.

AL: Manhole covers, huh?

KELLER: Yeah. Give you something to think about

the next time you cross the street.

I often wondered what you guys

did with all those guns you collected.

I never thought of this.

Of course, I never thought

I'd become involved in anything like this, either.

STONE: Well, you're not alone.

Over 30 million Americans own handguns.

Over 20,000 get shot with them every year.

20,000?

That's right. Almost 10,000 homicides.

Nearly as many suicides, almost 3,000 accidents

where somebody's dead or maimed for life.

- Like the little Bateman boy. - Yeah.

Well, I had hoped that the little pistol I bought,

watching it being cremated,

would do some good for me, but it hasn't.

What do you do for somebody else that might get caught in

the same situation I found myself in?

Well, we all have a congressman, Mr. Cooperman.

You're free to write him if you feel strong about something

one way or the other.

STONE: Yeah, what is it they say?

The pen is mightier than the sword?

Well, maybe someday it might even stop a bullet.