Original subtitles

We got ourselves a sniper here.

Get out of my way, Louis.

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

I'm Seymour Robbins.

Internal revenue service.

This whole thing stinks.

Police! Hold it!

He wants my records for the last 3 years.

3 years! I don't even know

where my records are for the last week, man!

How am I supposed to turn up 3 years?

He's only killed 10 women.

Well, he's zeroing in on number 11,

and, McCall, I think it's you.

Hit the deck, McCall!

Why can't you learn not to make waves?

Because I want to do it right.

Works for me.

♪ Wonder ♪

♪ when things got so bad ♪

♪ oh, but what happened to the world we had? ♪

♪ Well, we used to be the free ♪

♪ welcome all we see ♪

♪ no matter who you'd be ♪

♪ people used to see the face ♪

♪ oh, but now we shoot from space... ♪

No.

♪ People turned to ash ♪

♪ never knowing when they're home ♪

♪ oh, guess you're on your own ♪

Woman: No.

♪ Brother, you're not alone ♪

♪ I can't stop ♪

♪ we can't stop ♪

♪ you can't stop ♪

♪ the end of the world ♪

♪ I can't stop ♪

♪ we can't stop ♪

♪ you can't stop ♪

♪ the end of the world ♪

♪ the end of the world ♪

♪ people... ♪

Man: We were just standing there.

All of a sudden, she jerks her head away,

and... and she just goes limp in my arms.

I thought she was having some kind of fit

or something.

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

You never heard the shot?

No.

And you didn't see anyone?

No.

No, but I know who did it.

It was that creep she used to go out with,

Brad wakely. That's the guy who did it.

You said you never saw anybody.

No, I don't need to. I know he did it!

You see, when she gave him the word

that they were over, he got real crazy.

He got real mean.

He said he was gonna get her good.

You don't happen to have an address

on this wakely guy, do you?

I think Cheryl said he lived in silver lake.

I don't have a street.

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

I found this.

NATO round... .223 caliber.

Ah, it could've been some kid,

sneaked his old man's rifle out of the house,

took a potshot at a rabbit.

Been a lot of complaints

about kids hunting in these hills.

Hey, I'm tellin' you, it's not some kid!

It's this guy wakely!

This wasn't an accident.

This guy knew what he was doing.

He even cleared away the brush

to get a good line down here of the girl.

That's about a downhill shot

of 300, maybe 350 yards.

This guy wasn't using

your standard g.I. Weapon.

He was using a modified rifle with a scope.

We got ourselves a sniper here.

Hunter, let me talk with you a minute.

Look, you be damn careful who you say that to.

If I read, hear, or see one word, one word about

there being a sniper in Chandler park,

I'm gonna have your liver,

along with your badge. You got me?

So, what do you want me to do,

go looking for this little kid with a bb gun?

Hey, look, hunter, we're all in it

right up to our noses, huh? All of us.

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

Because I want to do it right.

See if wakely was in the service,

and if he qualified for weapons,

and if he did, what his ratings were.

Already on it.

What the hell are you doing?

You're sergeant Rick hunter?

Yeah, what the hell you doing

going through my files?

I'm Seymour Robbins...

Internal revenue service.

Well, I'm gonna go check

on those files. See you later.

We have some problems

with your income tax returns

from 1980 through 1983.

1980? That's... That's 5 years ago.

McCall, what's going on in there?

He's being audited by the IRS.

What a shame.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

On April 27, 1980, you deducted,

as an unreimbursed business expense,

a payment of $10 to Harry... thenose.

What was that for?

Thenose... Harry thenose...

Um... let me see that.

Oh, no, not Harry thenose.

Harry the nose. He's a cocaine addict.

He sells drugs for a living.

You bought drugs and deducted it

as a business expense?

No, not drugs. Information.

Ah, information.

And why didn't you just use

the, uh, police department files?

Or the computer?

I understand the city has invested millions of dollars

in a highly sophisticated mainframe system.

Sometimes you have to get information very quickly.

Now, I don't have time to come back to my desk

and go through my files, such as you're doing,

or hit the computer for my information.

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

Just a second.

Captain?

They'll tell you all about this.

This is Mr...

Robbins... Seymour t.

Hunter: Mr. Robbins is with the IRS.

Oh, so I understand.

I trust sergeant hunter here isn't giving you

any trouble regarding his taxes.

I don't want you to take it easy on him

just because he's a police officer.

Oh, I wouldn't do that.

Good. Good. We must all carry

our share of the burden.

Robbins: Uh, just a moment, captain.

Sure.

Is it true that police officers

pay criminals for information?

Well, uh, there are some occasions

when that might be necessary, yes.

And the police department condones it?

Well, perhaps not officially,

but it's always been an accepted practice

as long as I can remember.

Within very certain limitations, of course.

Robbins: You say that paying police informants

is a matter of accepted policy.

Does that mean you do it, captain?

Well, on occasion, yeah.

But, as I said before,

within very, very narrow parameters.

And you deducted these payments to criminals

from your income tax returns

under unreimbursed business expenses, I assume?

You stuck the captain with that IRS guy?

What are you, suicidal?

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

Oh, by the way, you did a very excellent job

of getting all that information on wakely

so quickly.

Well, it wasn't like he was trying to hide.

He's listed right there in the phone book.

He even gave his right name and address

when he was pulled over and ticketed

for speeding last month. And he even paid the fine.

So, what you're saying is,

this guy is a solid citizen?

An old cop I once worked with

right after I got out of the academy

once told me that a solid citizen

is somebody who hasn't been caught yet.

What? My old man told me that

when I was 4 years old.

Man on speaker: All right, wakely. You're next. Go.

He's a hell of a shot, this guy.

Yeah, he's only got one little problem...

He shoots at everything. Cops, pedestrians.

Kids.

Man on speaker: Nice going, hotshot.

You just killed 3 policemen,

2 innocent bystanders,

and a woman and her baby.

Yeah, well, they should've kept their heads down!

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

Now, pick up your brass.

The rest of you guys police the area.

Pick up anything that's not growing.

Robert wakely?

Who's asking?

Sergeant hunter and sergeant McCall.

We're with homicide.

So, what do you want with me?

Talk to us about Cheryl green.

She's a lyin'...

Double-dealin' little tramp just like the rest of you.

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

Aren't you a little curious

about how she died?

Maybe he already knows.

Why don't you talk to us, soldier?

Sergeant: Hey, hey, hey.

This man's got a lot of work to do.

Why don't you leave him alone?

Well, we're the police.

That woman was shot to death, wakely.

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

You charging him or what?

Well, who are you, an attorney?

Why don't you butt out?

He's in my outfit,

and I'm gonna take care of him.

Now, trust me, kid.

You don't have to say anything

without a lawyer.

You know that, don't you?

Sergeant, you're complicating matters.

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

Want to go by the book? Ok.

We found this man in possession

of a weapon of the same caliber

that was used to kill his ex-girlfriend

Cheryl green.

Now, this cartridge was fired from that weapon.

That still don't prove that he did it.

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

But it's evidence.

Now, look, we can take you downtown.

We can hold you for 48 hours on suspicion

while we have the lab check this out,

the rifle, anything else we want to turn up.

That the way you want to run it, wakely?

Don't let 'em snow you, kid.

I haven't seen Cheryl since we broke up.

I haven't talked to her, haven't seen her, anything. Ok?

Well, the guy that she used to go with

said you took this thing pretty hard.

You even threatened her life.

Now, wait a minute here.

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about, all right?

Now, you know when a guy is crazy about a dame,

spends all his money on her,

and they stay together for years.

And all of a sudden, out of the blue,

she says, "I'm leaving you for somebody else."

Makes you mad. Hurts you.

And sometimes you say things

that you don't really mean.

Now, who the hell's going with this girl,

you or him? Why don't you let him talk?

No, that's right, that's right.

It went down just that way. Sarge is right.

You still live at that silver lake address, do you?

Yeah, that's right.

Still work for m and r construction company?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You get that feeling to make a big move,

why don't you give me a call, huh?

Hey.

Hey, hold up.

I just think you ought to know that, uh,

that kid over there ain't no lousy draft-dodger

that joined the guard just to stay out of nam.

That kid's had a real rough war.

That's not gonna buy him anything.

You should know that by now.

Oh, when we get back to the precinct,

why don't you run wakely again

and see if you can come up

with any type of psychiatric history.

Iought to run him? What's the matter with you?

Are you allergic to files all of a sudden?

No, I want to run by

the national guard armory for a minute.

Look, all right, I don't want to go back

to the precinct just yet,

not while that IRS bloodsucking creature

is still there.

He's out to drain me dry.

Yeah, that's Bob wakely.

He's the best shot on the team,

maybe in the state.

You think wakely would have any trouble

hitting a man-sized target... say, 300-350 yards?

With one of these?

Nah, nobody can hit anything with one of these,

except by accident.

But, now, with a target rifle,

he'd shoot your eyes out at that range.

He's about the best I've ever seen.

Why, he's even better than balser,

and balser was top gun at Pendleton in '57 and '58.

These target rifles... Each man supply his own?

Nah, the regiment supplies them.

It's a regular issue sniper rifle,

and we modify them some for competition.

You keep them around here?

Sure, in the arsenal.

You think I might have a look at wakely's?

Can't see why not.

I don't suppose...

You got a warrant.

Well, I can get a warrant.

Well, you see, around here,

we do everything by the numbers.

If you want to see these rifles

or anything else in here,

you better go get yourself a piece of paper.

I'll be back.

When did you get so picky about the rules, Dennis?

You've got an awful lot of work to do, Louis.

Why don't you just get to it?

Sure.

A single shot to the head...

Probably from that knoll up there.

I can't tell yet what the caliber bullet,

but it looks like a .223.

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

Ok, thanks. Appreciate it.

Ok. You're welcome.

Thanks, biff. Yeah.

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

Wakely have a psychiatric history?

Yeah. They admitted him to a hospital, 6 months.

Yeah. Was he violent?

No. He's diagnosed as acute depression

or something like that.

They said he got over it in 6 months, though.

Yeah, that's what they said.

They probably kicked him out of it

because they needed the extra bed.

Anyway, we got to go see this guy again,

pay him another visit.

Sergeant McCall.

Hey, listen,

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

Why, is that dip from the IRS gone?

No, but I think

he's found juicier pickings than you.

Who's that?

Well, he's got his eye on smitty,

and he's just about ready to sink his teeth

right into the captain's neck.

You're kidding. That's great.

Sergeant McCall?

I checked with m and r construction.

They said wakely didn't show up for work today.

He called in sick.

Hunter: Wakely?

Open up. Police.

Bedroom's clean...

Clue-wise, anyway.

I don't think this place has been dusted in 2 months.

Hand me that chair, would you?

You know, it's one thing him killing the first girlfriend,

but why would he kill the second?

Well, we don't know he killed either one of them yet.

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

We can't prove that, either.

He didn't leave a note, did he?

Hunter, half the suicides don't leave any notes.

This whole thing stinks.

You got something on your chin.

Where's my bag?

Right over here.

Well, after you're done looking at the library,

would you give me my bag, please?

Take a look at this.

We got dust here and dust here.

Yeah, they got dust everywhere.

The guy was a lousy housekeeper.

No, no, wait a minute.

There's no dust right here though.

Newspaper clippings.

"Blond shot dead in park.

"Second girl slain in Chandler park.

Park police deny connection."

That figures.

"Park sniper strikes again.

Chandler park victim now number 8."

We've got a photograph here of a...

Probably a victim.

And there's a phone number, an address,

and a name on the back of it.

Looks like maybe we got our sniper.

No, no. Wakely couldn't have

anything to do with these killings.

This goes all the way back to 1958.

He was a kid then.

You're right.

And the phone number on the back of this photograph...

Back in 1958,

the prefixes were names, not phone numbers.

Like where I came from, it was Madison,

and then you'd dial m-a and then the phone number, right?

Well, this is a current phone number.

But what are you saying?

That wakely suddenly found

a bunch of old newspaper clippings,

decided to become a copycat killer?

Yeah, it could've worked that way.

Our captain will believe that story.

That means you won't.

Like I said, McCall,

this whole thing stinks.

Looks like the place.

What good it's going to do us, I don't know.

Every interview's a learning experience.

Excuse me, ma'am,

could we have a word with you, please?

I'm sergeant hunter. This is sergeant McCall.

We're looking for a woman

by the name of Iris buford.

Wouldn't happen to know her, would you?

You rotten pigs. You don't care about anybody, do you?

We're sorry, ma'am. Was, uh...

Was she your daughter?

My daughter?

I don't have a daughter.

That's me 25 years ago.

Um, would you guys like a beer?

No, thanks.

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

Where'd you dig it up?

A man named Robert wakely had it.

We found it amongst some old clippings that he had

on the Chandler park sniper case back in 1958.

God.

You know about that, do you, Mrs. Buford?

Yeah, I know about it.

I was married to him...

Dennis balser.

McCall: It's a classic example, captain.

The guy was crazy-jealous.

He thought his wife was cheating on him

with every guy in town.

So he gets a rifle, follows his wife to Chandler park,

and takes a shot at him.

Then proceeds to kill 8 more women

who were so alike they could be sisters.

$287? What did that woman find

to spend money on this time?

Who, balser's wife?

No, my wife. Boy, she can spend money.

Hey, if balser's wife thought he took a shot at her,

why didn't she turn him in?

She did. She said nobody believed her.

You got those forms, Johnson?

What was that?

I said she did, but nobody believed her.

Loopy woman pickled in booze

thinks she was married to the Chandler park sniper

25 years ago?

Ha. She's still batting 1,000.

Look, the autopsy on wakely shows

a contusion behind his left ear

which is consistent with a blow to the head by a blunt object.

So what?

So the m.E. Says that's because

the guy was unconscious before he was hanged.

Which means he was murdered.

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

You know, while you two were playing clever detectives,

sergeant terwilliger picked up wakely's rifle

over at the armory, took it to ballistics.

I suppose you're going to tell us now

that the bullets matched.

You got it, McCall.

Both those girls were killed

by the same gun and none other.

Yeah, the same gun, but not by wakely.

Look, balser had access to those rifles 24 hours a day.

Hey, hunter, read my lips.

This case is solved,

and you got nothing else to do with it.

And I got one more suggestion for you.

You'd better pray that that guy from the IRS,

that bloodsucker, doesn't find anything wrong

with my past returns and penalize me for them.

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

Now get out of here and do something productive.

Ah, sergeant hunter.

Did you come up with those Harry the nose receipts yet?

Yeah, we're working on that.

Aha. Well, no great rush.

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

Hunter: He was stationed here in Los Angeles

from February of 1957 through December of 1958,

and that's the same time frame

in which the Chandler park sniper was active.

Well, so were about 3 million other people.

But when he got transferred, the killing stopped.

There hasn't been one girl killed in that park

since he left...

Until now.

And guess who's back in town.

All I'm asking you for is 2 officers on foot

and 2 squad cars to back me up.

What is this? Are you people telling me

I don't know how to set up a net?

No, we are not telling you

you don't know how to set up a net.

All I'm telling you is,

I've worked on this case from the very beginning.

I know how this guy operates.

This is his killing ground.

It also happens to be my precinct, sergeant,

so why don't you just go back to your own and leave me to run mine, huh?

I'm... I'm sorry, mister.

I thought you were a rabbit.

Go home, kid.

And hurry!

Boy: Officer!

Officer!

That damn fool!

Hunter, that was him!

Dispatch: Attention, all units.

Possible sniper reported in Chandler park.

L-56 responding.

Tell them that we have him in view.

We're in pursuit.

Also, tell them...

This is great.

Oh, Louis, it's still too slow.

Knock another second off in between them.

Whatever you want.

Where's your sidekick?

She get another playmate?

She's out tying up some loose ends.

Yeah, I'll bet.

It's a very nice set-up here, balser.

Yeah, I set this up myself.

Care to take a whirl?

Yeah, I would.

What kind of gun you want?

You want an m-16 or an uzi? Anything you like.

Well, if it's all right with you,

I'd just as soon use my own.

You know how this works?

Just aim at the bad guys.

That's right. Get ready.

All right, whitlowe...

Cut it loose.

You got it.

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

What are you giving me?

The truth. Somebody cold-cocked him

and then tried to hang him when he was unconscious.

Tried to make it look like a suicide.

That's crazy.

Now, why would anybody want to do that?

He probably feared wakely knew who the sniper was.

You mean wakely didn't kill those 2 girls?

No way.

McCall and I had him in the park the other day,

but he got away.

Well, if wakely didn't kill him, then who do you figure did?

Well, we figure it was the guy

who killed those 8 girls back in 1958,

the Chandler park sniper.

You were stationed here then, weren't you?

You must remember him.

Oh, yeah. I remember him well.

They hauled my butt in for questioning.

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

You know, I don't know what they were up to.

You know, a week after they hauled me in,

they transferred me to Germany.

You know, a funny thing, though...

Right after I got there,

somebody started knocking off German dames.

Blond, just like your ex-wife, right?

Yeah, just like her.

Nice shooting.

You only hit one wrong target.

Well, everybody makes a mistake

sooner or later, don't they, sergeant?

Yo, Louis.

Hey, Joe.

I knew I'd find you here.

We got us a weapon survey at the end of the month, Dennis.

Don't you think we ought to get on it?

There's time.

Not a whole hell of a lot.

What's been bugging you, Dennis?

The kid wakely doing the Dutch?

That kid really admired you, Dennis.

I mean, he really did.

He was always asking questions about you...

Where you served and what you did and...

He was going to write a book about you... a book.

Now, you believe that?

You're never going to learn how to shut your stupid mouth!

Are you?

Give me another one, Joe.

Hunter: Why don't you give balser that call

and give him a push?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's right.

Who?

No, he ain't here.

Yeah, I'm sure.

I don't know. Tonight after drill maybe.

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

Ok, ok, what's your name?

Iris? Iris? That's it?

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

What'd she say her name was?

Oh, relax, sarge.

She's after somebody named Pete stankey.

Supposed to be in your outfit. You know him?

Said her name was Iris, right?

Yeah.

Iris what?

Iris what, damn it!

She didn't say!

What's wrong with you, balser?

You gone nuts or what?

Thanks a bunch, hunter.

Just what I needed... a tax audit.

You know, I think I'm the only person in this whole place

who hasn't even been nailed by Robbins yet.

Well, the rich get richer, McCall.

Speaking of rich, you still owe me 5 bucks.

I'll write you a check.

Which I shouldn't cash until next payday?

Uh-uh. Forget about it.

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

Robbins: What did you say you were going to write off on your taxes,

sergeant McCall?

He wants my records for the last 3 years...

3 years.

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

How am I supposed to turn up 3 years?

Just relax. It's only money, ok?

We got better things to concern ourselves with,

like balser.

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

Nah, no way. This guy is a killer

who's just begun to kill.

He cannot stop.

I know all about these types of killers.

Trust me, will you?

Trust you. Ok.

3 years, hunter.

How you doing over there?

Hey, sarge, how's it going?

All right, boys.

Hey, have a seat. I want to talk to you.

What are you drinking?

Well, let's see. Uh...

Looks like I'm drinking beer.

Ha ha ha ha!

Past the teeth, over the gums.

Look out, stomach, here it comes.

All right.

You know, I've known some old, old women in my time

that shoot better than you guys did this morning.

Sarge?

Hey, what's wrong?

What's wrong, sarge?

Sarge? Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me!

Excuse me. Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Hey, you. Soldier.

That dame you were with...

What's her name?

What's it to you, pal?

Her name's Iris, right?

Right?

Ok, so her name is Iris. So what?

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

I don't know what your problem is, sarge,

but you want her, she's all yours.

Looks like our old sarge just took the bait.

Yeah, he sure did.

♪ Even the worst of us can make mistakes ♪

♪ now I want you back no matter what it takes ♪

♪ thought without my love your heart... ♪

Iris!

Sorry.

♪ One day I woke up, and you were gone ♪

One more little push, and he's going to fall.

♪ Even the worst of us can make mistakes ♪

If you would even think that I'd get on the phone with balser,

then you're crazier than he is.

I only give a guy one shot at me.

He's already had his.

Come on, Iris. What can he do to you over the telephone?

You understand quaker?

Take thyself a hike.

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

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

he's going to fall right into our net.

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

I don't even have a phone.

The company came and took it last month.

Master sergeant balser.

Um, hello, Dennis. Um, this is Iris.

Who?

Uh, it's me, Iris, your ex-wife.

Heh heh. What is this, some kind of joke?

It's no joke. It... it's me.

Uh, look, I got to see you.

I don't believe this.

Believe it, Dennis, or you're going to wind up in the gas chamber.

Dennis?

Yeah, I'll be there.

Yeah, I'll be there.

♪ Even the worst of us can make mistakes... ♪

I've always been there for you...

♪ Thought without my love ♪

♪ your heart would surely break ♪

Always.

♪ Even the worst of us can make mistakes ♪

♪ yeah ♪

I'll be there, Iris.

♪ Even the worst of us can make mistakes ♪

I'll be right there.

♪ Now I want you back no matter what it takes ♪

Where you going with that gun?

Get out of my way, Louis.

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

Uhh!

Hunter, can you hear me?

Yeah, loud and clear.

Just lonesome and wanted to hear a familiar voice.

Any sign of him?

Nothing yet. How you doing?

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

Other than that, I'm just great.

What are you scared for?

We gave you a bulletproof vest.

Balser always aims for the head, remember?

Well, just hang in there.

Yeah, well, how much longer?

Make another pass up the path and back.

If you don't find anything, we'll call it a day.

Ok, you got it.

Hit the deck, McCall!

He's headed back to his car.

Try and cut him off.

Police! Hold it!

He went up the hill.

I'm going after him. You get some backup.

Give it up, balser.

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

Ha ha ha! That was real cute, hunter.

Like I said, sarge, everybody makes a mistake.

Yeah.

Yeah, thanks, Gallagher.

Ok, I'll tell him.

Appreciate it.

That was inspector Gallagher.

He said to tell you that the shooting team

has found the balser killing righteous.

He also said to tell you

that he's going to put you up for a commendation.

Please, don't give me that.

We both know what the captain will do with that.

If you two have your penalty checks ready,

I'd be more than happy to take them for you.

It'll save you 22 cents postage.

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

Uh, I'm afraid not.

Nor the interest or the penalty.

Thank you both.

Mm-hmm.

The way everybody's been cutting corners around here,

I knew they'd catch up to you sooner or later.

Who are you kidding, Bernie?

You're not honest. You're just nervous.

That's far from true, hunter.

Oh, yeah? Then how come you never put a quarter in the can

like you're supposed to after you drink all that coffee?

Yeah.

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

I get free coffee all over the city.

Uh, excuse me. I don't think we've met.

Oh, excuse me. This is sergeant Bernie terwilliger.

This is Mr. Robbins.

Mr. Robbins is with the IRS, Bernie.

Nice to meet you.

I... I got something I got to do. I'll see you later.

Just a little moment, sergeant.

I couldn't help overhearing just a moment ago.

Tell me, just exactly how many cups of coffee

do you drink each day?

I, uh...