All language subtitles for Target The Corruptors - S01E10 - To Wear a Badge

A good city, decent, honest, orderly.

And on the outskirts of it, a parasite.

A tiny city feeding on
the flesh of a larger one.

Its reason for being? A
loophole in the state

law allowing poker
palaces to operate legally.

The new police command
in Verdun had asked me

to do an article on
corruption in their city.

By publicizing the truth,

the police hoped to make
the citizen aware of what

gambling costs him in
the form of extra taxes,

property devaluation, and moral
risk to himself and to his family.

Mr. Nichols?

He's here.

Now, if I'd have done this thing, you
said it, I'd be loving four on the clock.

Well, what are you
going to do with the guy?

Traveling with the big boss, huh?

Dirt Jerry Lace had come up in the world
and finally arrived where he belonged, huh?

Well, I take it we're here to be spanked.

Does the teacher want to
tell us what we've done wrong?

You'll be sure and say
that when Mr. Jesse comes in.

He has a marvelous sense of humor.

Sit down, gentlemen.

Last year, gentlemen, we
more than doubled our money.

Was not everyone satisfied with this?

It appears not, sir.

Mr. Jesse, if you're worried about that
news reporter that got killed, forget it.

Narrow alley, a man gets run over
with a truck. Accidents happen.

Perhaps you have lost my
telephone number, Mr. Nichols.

Generally, I am asked for advice
before such trucks drive in such alleys.

Look, I was only trying to prevent things.

He was on his way out of
here with information.

He'd have spread it across every paper
in the country. And with your good help,

we have something even worse.

A reform movement.

You consider that a profitable
turn of events, Mr. Nichols?

All they've done is toss out a couple of
old cops, promote a couple of new ones.

We still got our own boy
left in there, haven't we?

All they've done, Mr. Jesse,

is shake up the police
department and put in an honest chief.

What can a new chief do to hurt us?

Gambling's legal here, ain't it?

One must know where the real
danger is in anything, Mr. Nichols.

Against a germ that we cannot see
or understand, we are helpless.

But against such things as we can
see, there is no margin for error.

Some people might think that
this affliction has made me bitter.

But you're wrong.

You gentlemen, all of
you, are my good legs.

And Jerome here, my good right arm.

Come, Mr. Nichols.

Bring your chair out.

Sit right here, in front.

Well, we are told that the
law here permits gambling.

But how do we keep
such a law on the books?

I'll tell you.

Because...

Like this man, this law has
been supported by four good legs.

Politicians, the businessmen, the people.

The police.

You are comfortable, Mr.
Nichols? Yeah, I'm fine.

I took only one leg away.

The police.

You see, my friends, with one leg gone,

The others were no
longer able to support him.

Because I value your friendship.

All of you.

I leave Mr. Lace behind.

Listen carefully to the
advice that he gives.

I see your quality chair,
Jerome, and I know your ensconced.

Take note, gentlemen.

Wherever Mr. Lace is sent in behalf of
our mutual interests, his chair follows him.

It makes him happy, comfortable.

Is that not so, Jerome?

That is so, sir.

Mr. Jesse.

I understand we're to have a visitor
tomorrow afternoon on the 3 o'clock jet.

Paul Marino.

I'm tired now, Jerome.

I'll leave the matter to you.

And it is time now that I see
if my faith in you is justified.

Hey, what's the matter?

He looked so sad when we left him.

Can't we bring him home?

Baby, the last time we
tried it was a flop.

Well, that was because he was too little.

Other children with brain
injuries live with their parents.

It'd be a lot easier on you.
You're holding down two jobs.

You're working 16 hours night and day
to make enough money to keep them there.

You're skipping lunches. You're wearing
shirts that are all frayed at the cups.

Will you stop, please? All right.

Turn around here.

I'm sorry, baby.

The doctors agree he's in the right place.

I'm sorry.

We'll see him again next month.

Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.

Hi, Sam.

Anything I can do?

No, it's all right.

How's Paul?

He's fine. He loved the
airplane you made him.

That's great.

So, how's business?

No calls.

Yeah.

Next week will be better.

I'll get it.

I'm due down to the station.

I'll, uh...

I'll give you a call later.

Hey, can I have a little
smile, please? This is better.

Mr. Marino, how about this cab here?

I'll be glad to drop you off.
Pete Nichols. I run a club in town.

Well, thanks.

Throw the bags in the back.

Well, I figure, Mr. Marino,

the Chamber of Commerce should have
come out here with a brass fan. After all,

a man with your rep, power of the press.

What did you have in mind?
Well, that's what I like,

a guy that lays it right on the line.
You know, it saves a lot of wear and tear.

You kid me, I kid you, we wind up
making the same deal, you know what I mean?

Well, not yet, but keep talking.

Well, I figure you're out here to get
information for the column of yours, and,

well, because somebody invited you.

And you're just trying to
give me your point of view?

That's the idea.

Look out there, Mr. Marino.

You know, these people are really
looking for a place to sit down,

spend a couple hours, relax.

Now, there's nothing wrong
with that, is there, Miss Marino?

We got legalized gambling in
this town. We pay taxes on it.

Along comes this reformed group who
can't stand a guy having a little fun.

That's why I wanted to see you,
get a couple things straight.

Sounds fair.

Okay, I still understand you
gotta have an angle to write about.

Supposing I throw a
couple patsies your way that

pull something raw,
phony dice, smart cards.

You write a nice column
about how you cleaned up the

bad element in the joint
and everybody's happy.

That makes sense, doesn't it, Mr. Marino?

Suppose it doesn't make sense.

A smart guy like you getting
in the car the way you did,

you could have gotten yourself kidnapped.

Maybe never wind up where you're going.

By the way, where are you going?

Police station.

That's what I figured. Here you are.

Thanks.

Jerry Alder, the consolidated syndicate,
flew in to do a story on gambling here.

But he didn't finish it. He was run
down by a truck. This is the file.

That's the way they operate
in this community, Mr. Marino.

Right out in the open and bold as ever.

Oh, Nichols is bold, all right.

The fact is, he made some sense.

After all, poker is legal here.

Did he tell you about
the crooked gambling?

The backroom dice tables?

Isn't that really so
terrible when you consider

what's happening in
other parts of the country?

Mr. Marino, the issues go
deeper here, a lot deeper.

It's not just the gambling itself.

It's the fact that every time
legalized gambling is allowed,

it brings trouble with it.

I've never seen it to fail.

Everything from rape to
murder to something that

Captain Meeker and I consider a lot worse.

I've lived here all my life, Mr. Marino,

and I've seen what happens to the
people when they sit at those tables.

These files are...

Filled with your
average fun-buying citizen.

People who wound up in our tank
just because of gambling. Now,

these are not Monte Carlo players.
They're not even Las Vegas players.

They're very, very ordinary
people. Babysitters, laborers, a doctor,

a schoolteacher. There's even a cop.

Don't you think a lot of them
would have wound up in jail anyway?

All right, forget about that.

Mr. Marino, the thing that I care
about is that whisper of a pair of

dice or a deck of cards that tells
people that there's a Santa Claus,

that they can get something for nothing.

Do you know what
happens to people like that?

They end up sick and bitter at the end
of their days wondering what happened.

Are you going to change their lives?

Well, I'd like to.

I'd like to help them change their own.

What do you plan to do about it?

Well, we're after Nichols and
his kind every chance we get.

We hit him with what we can find.

We get him for cheating, for strong
arm, For using shills, come on girls,

doctoring drinks, none of
these things amount to much.

But they accumulate.

And eventually the public is going
to find out that this is a sewer.

They're going to vote
out gambling altogether.

Now that's where you can come in.

Help us get the facts
before the public. Work with us.

And the alternative is...

Illegal gambling. Not
if we can prevent it.

Oh.

Let me think about it a while,
will you, before I make any comments.

Good enough.

Oh, excuse me, Chief. I
didn't know you were busy.

Hello, Dick.

Harry, come on in.
Somebody I want you to meet.

Paul Marino, Lieutenant Harry Bell. Glad
to know you, Mr. Marino. How do you do?

Harry can help you a lot, Mr. Marino.

He's been chief of detectives
here for five years. In fact,

he'd have made a better chief than me.

They put the best one in
that chair, Mr. Marino.

Especially when it's the
same guy who kept a hopped

up burglar from putting a
bullet in me years ago.

Dick.

Desk had a call from a Mr. Jerome
Lace, the new manager of the Blue Knight.

He wants you to drop in and see him.

What does the casino manager want with me?

Suppose you tell us.

Let's see what he wants, Dick.

Come in.

Maker, uniformed division.

I'm Jerome Lace. Thanks so
much for dropping by. Not at all.

What can I do for you?

I understand there's a
movement on to clean up Verdun.

That's right.

Well, I was sent out by the hotel
chain that owns the Blue Knight here.

You see, we're a reputable organization.

We're proud of it.

And we're a little ashamed about
what's happened in this place.

I'm listening.

Rather suspiciously.
Why don't you sit down?

Very beautiful chair.

Early Italian, isn't it?

Yes, according to my sources, no less
than Cesare Borgia once graced that chair.

It's rather an indulgence of mine.

You see, I'm on the road a
lot on behalf of my employers,

and I always like to have a
personal piece of furniture along with me.

Well, I've thrown you the ball, Captain.
Now, what would you do if you were me?

Well, that's simple enough.

If you're a hotel man, Mr.
Lace, why don't you run a hotel?

Take out the gambling.

You mean the games of skill?

Mm-hmm. That's rather a tall order.

Yeah.

Good way to find out if a
man's just making talk.

Purse!

Yes, sir?

I want all tables and
machines taken out by noon tomorrow.

I want to convert the main casino
into a room for dining and dancing only.

Yes, sir.

It's all right, you can go now.

Now, some of my employees may try to
run some games in the rooms upstairs.

Suppose I could hire
you in your spare time to

see that I could get
what we've agreed upon?

Well, it's very flattering, Mr. Lace,

but I'm afraid I just couldn't
Squeeze it into my schedule.

Well, without even hearing about a salary?

There's one thing a police
officer learns early, Mr. Lace.

When a man hands you
something and you take it,

that always leaves that
empty hand out there waiting.

Well, no hard feelings.

No.

I just heard that some of the officers
in this town We're a little underpaid.

Thought perhaps you
could use the extra money.

Well, you heard correctly what I
make out all right. Married? Yeah.

Children?

Yes, two.

Have any pictures?

No, I don't carry them.

Well, I've never been married myself.

Must take a lot out of a man.

Food, clothing,
schooling for the children.

Always those medical
emergencies we never allow for.

Well, I've always made out on my own,
Mr. Lace, and it's going to stay that way.

Fine.

There it is, empty.

I'll keep it that way. Fine.

I'll drop back tomorrow, see
how the changeover's making out.

Here's the file on Chief Swinson, sir.

It won't be necessary. I found my man.

Oh, I think you made a mistake, sir.

You can't shake a man
like Meeker with dynamite.

I'll own him in a month.

Richard, would you take
a look at this thing?

It shows you what good
honest work will do.

They want us to bid on a big contract
to supply cabinets for 100 tract houses.

Holy smoke. Now we're going to
need extra workmen and equipment.

Yeah, yeah. Well, listen,
with a contract like this,

we can get a second
deed of trust on a house.

Yeah, and we're going
to need a larger place.

Yeah, the Owens mill, that's for rent.

Well, let's start on inventory and...

See how much we have to borrow.

Big spender. Expense
account. Generous boss.

You earning your pay?

I think so.

The new chief never got past
sergeant under the old administration.

Tried the bottle for a while,
had a good sense to give it up.

Strictly a coffee man, though.

How about Nathan?

Not much on him. The real
question mark is Bell and detectives.

Well, keep digging and
trying to pick up some pictures.

We're staying.

Well, that's good, because I
wanted to finish this game. See,

this is the last ball,
and I think I've got

a winner here. All
right, let's see you go.

Philip, thanks a lot. Sorry, friend.

Well, that's a pretty good technique,
keeping me waiting, cooling my heels.

I work out a plan, and you
give that chief what he wants

with your muggings and
strong arms and illegal games.

There'll always be a police
chief, only you've got to own him.

That's what you were supposed to do.

But while you sit here using your brain,

this stinking reform group
is running off our customers.

Perhaps you should know
something about elementary arithmetic.

Sometimes you have to risk
a nickel to make a dollar.

Once this reform group tastes
victory, you'll never stop them.

Maybe you should use less
brains and more muscle.

Nurse?

Yes, sir?

Perhaps he's right. Maybe
we better try some muscle.

Yeah, it was Bell. I got to go
in and set up a raid for tonight.

He's had a tip on some backroom gambling.

Anything important?

This is supposed to be your day
off. I can't handle all this alone.

I know, honey, but it's going to be
all right. It's running smoothly.

These guys know what they're doing.

Jerry will be home pretty
quick from school to help out.

Don't worry about it. Does that
make you feel important or not?

I see the bills piling up.

Yeah, I know.

End of the year, we'll own this place.
We won't just be renting it. Listen,

these are some blades that are going to
be picked up from the sharpeners. Now,

please, try to behave
like a lady executive.

I'll talk to you later.

Long time since I've been in a library.

Oh, hello, Chief.

Listen, I thought you were
supposed to be a field man. Instead,

you spend the morning
going over my personal files,

and now you're in the back issues of
the paper. For every word in my column,

it takes a thousand in research.

I find paperwork has trapped many a man.

It's a good thing.

No organization, not even
criminal, can afford to be without it.

I think you trapped something
from the look on your face.

Well, for instance, a few years
ago, Lieutenant Bell, then a sergeant,

was accused of taking a bribe.

The case was dismissed.

Witness never showed up.

On another occasion, the said
sergeant was subpoenaed as a witness

against one of the club owners
accused of rolling a customer.

This time, Lieutenant
Bell's witness conveniently

changed his story on the witness stand.

Case again dismissed.

In other words, Bell's
a bad cop, is that it?

Well, he's still in a position to
play footsies with the casinos.

I'd stick my life on Harry Bell.

Wait a minute.

Take a look at this.

September 10th. That's eight years ago.

September 10th. Officer
Swenson takes Bandit's

bullet intended for partner Harry Bell.

I heard that before. Mr. Marino.

When two men walk down dark alleys
together, jump suspects. When time after time,

they risk their lives covering each other.

Something happens between
them that... Or anyhow,

that's how I know Harry Bell
never do anything to hurt me.

Anything he might have done
before I took over, I'm wiping away.

You're not quite sure
what he did. Otherwise,

he'd be next in line
for your job, not Meeker.

Well, I came here to
give you some information.

Your friend, uh, Jerome Lace,

the fellow that closed down
the gambling in his place,

tipped us into a raid tonight,
which you might be interested in.

Hey, mister.

Don't you know the laws in this city?

You're jaywalking.

Well, I guess I deserve a ticket.

No, I'm going to take
you down to the station.

Get in.

Anything you say, officer.

Claude Redhannon breaking the law.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the
right guy to be chief of police.

Who'd replace you?

Oh, boy. Every man thinks
he's indispensable, Harry.

Then one day he drops out of
sight like a stone thrown in a pond.

They'd find somebody all right.

Probably me, too.

Probably.

Listen, Harry.

I had my reasons for promoting Meeker
over you. Hey, fella, I'm not questioning you.

You've always played it like you see
it. That's what I keep telling myself.

Harry, you know what we ought to do.

We ought to really
disgrace this police department

and go out and get stinking
together. Is that an order, Chief?

Come on, let's drive.

I didn't want to take the risk of
anybody recognizing me in this club.

Mika's raiding it at 8.05.

What charge? Illegal
dice, backroom operation.

It'll be a big game.

I want you to be in on it. Hey,
you better take this camera, then.

I hate to lose the shots I got tonight.

You'll be put in the same
cell with Pete Nichols,

the casino owner. Afraid he'll be lonely?

The captain who's raiding the club
tonight has that business going.

It's just been awarded a fat contract
building hundreds of cabinets. It's tidy,

very tidy. Yeah, and by
some strange coincidence,

the man who fingered the
raid here tonight is an officer

in the company that awarded that contract.

Any connection? That's
what we're going to find out.

So I go to jail for it.

All right.

All right, clear.

There's a guy who runs the joint.

Hey, big shot, some
connections you've got,

but you couldn't even get yourself
arrested, eh? Hey, what am I saying?

That's the one thing he can do, and he's
supposed to give us protection, eh? Hey,

you guys got protection too, huh?

Nah, that's what I mean. Shut
up. Yeah, shut up. Big man.

Hey, cop.

Any answers on those
phone calls I gave you?

And every answer the same.
They never heard of you.

Well, you must be
dialing wrong. Try again.

Hey, big shot.

How come a man like you
has got to send messages?

You know, operating a dice game is a hard
time charge. It brings two to five years.

I told you once, stop running off
at the mouth. Hey, how about that?

He wants me to shut up. I lose my shirt in

his joint, he wants me
to shut up yet, huh?

All right, Nichols. Come on.

It's about time.

Hello, Pete. Bill.

I'm terribly sorry about what's
happened. What's going on, anyway?

I'm just trying to get
things to work out for you.

Yeah, well, I'll be
working out some things of

my own if our friends
don't get me out of here.

Friends? What friends?

I don't know you,
mister, and you don't know me.

You got it?

Thanks for the information, Nichols.

Get him back.

What do you mean the
men walked off the job?

It's been two weeks since we paid them.

The money is supposed to be there today.

Well, it didn't get here.

Well, I called the tract people
and find out why. Did you call them?

They say that the cabinets
aren't up to specifications.

That's impossible. I checked them out
myself. They're exactly what was ordered.

Look, I can't pin them down.
It's something about the finish.

There isn't any finish.

There's not supposed to...
I tried to tell them that.

Richard, can you get over here, please?

Honey, I don't understand. You
can't have a going concern one morning,

and four hours later, the whole thing
falls apart. Listen, it's kind of busy here.

I'll call you back a little later.

You find out what you can, okay?

The chief isn't here.

No, as a matter of
fact, I came to see you.

Are you having some
trouble with that cabinet job?

No, it's...

Well, that's kind of close to
being personal business, isn't it?

A writer sometimes has
to be blunt, Captain.

I'm wondering if that job
obligates you to anyone. No.

If you've got something to say, say it.

Did you know that
Jerome Lace is an officer in

the corporation that
gave you that track job?

Sign here. Collect your
things. Someone's met your bail.

I'll be back in a minute.

Hey, kid.

How would you like to get
back the money you lost?

We don't have to kill.

Just deliver this message to
the central post office. Box 944.

Get it?

You'll be at the club
tomorrow. I'll pay you off.

You sure you'll be out? I'm sure. 24.

24-M.

Well, that means if he's not out in 24
hours, he talks to Marino. You're guessing.

Yeah, but it's an educated guess.

Look, should I put that in
box 944, then stake it out?

Now, let's play your hunch.

Take it to Jerome Lace.

Tell him Nichols insisted that
you deliver it to him personally.

And if I've guessed right?

Oh, don't worry about
it. I have a chance on

you. Oh, that's
different then. Thanks a lot.

Thank you, Bruce.

Pleasure, Captain.

I would ask you to sit down,

but in our effort to
cooperate with the police department,

this room has been rather neglected.

Why didn't you tell me you
were behind that contract?

Well, we own some hotels and
build and operate others. Now,

you had a cabinet company, and
we had a need for your product.

And what else?

Well, let me reassure you, I have no
intention whatsoever of reopening this room.

As a matter of fact, we were
just considering the possibility

of changing it into a small dance room.

Now, if I've done anything wrong,
I certainly want to make amends.

Would you like to cancel the contract?

I already have.

I see.

Well, won't that put you
rather deeply in debt?

I'll worry about that.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I guess most particularly, I'm
sorry for your boy, the one who's ill.

I know how much it must
mean to your wife to keep

him where he is instead
of a state institution.

Of course, that kind of
a decision is up to you.

You may have me wrong, you know.

I wish you'd let me do something for you.

Well, you don't have to
shake my hand, I understand.

Just don't cancel the contract.

I really need those cabinets.

So the lace technique began to work.

Within hours, the plant was in operation.

A decent police
officer had been corrupted.

Your notion of converting the gambling
room into a dance floor was inspired.

I used to be quite a
dancer in my day, Jerome.

Did you know that?

Gentle dancers, like the Waltzes.

Mayo, you remembered my favorite.

The older a man gets, the more he
returns to the food of his childhood.

The beginning and the
end finally come together.

Which brings us to the subject at hand.

The end of the line for
Chief Swenson, and the beginning

for our choice, the good Captain Meeker.

Once again, Jerome, I presume I can
leave the details in your capable hands.

There's a man here to see you,
sir. Says he has a note for you.

Get it.

It's to deliver it personally.

It's from Nichols.

Where did you get this?

In the tank.

Some guy told me to deliver it
personally when I was sprung.

What's your name? Lipton.

I was in that joint that got raided.

Give the gentleman a tip.

Yes, sir.

And thank you, sir.

Mr. Nichols' hand is an ultimatum.

There are certain things I dislike.

Cold food and people
trying to put the heat on me.

We now have two problems on hand.

Might I suggest that we
find one stone for both birds?

Twenty bucks.

I'm liable to wind up rich if I
keep running errands like that.

You could also wind up dead.

There's no question about it now
that lace and nickels are tied up.

I'll go another step.

Lace and whatever interests he represents
aren't about to let him get away with it.

If they were, Mr. Nichols
would have been out long ago.

Now they're letting him
cool off for a reason.

And when they do let him out,
it'll be to shut him up forever.

If I were you, I'd beat him to the punch.

I may have the police department, please.

Lieutenant Bell, please.

Hello.

Lace, this is Bell.

That bail order on Nichols
won't work. Orders from the chief.

He's taking him down to Rutgers
Precinct in a private car to avoid attention.

Well, thanks very much, Bell.

I guess there's nothing more we can do.

Mr. Jesse, I think I've just
found that stone for the two birds.

I knew you would, Jerome.

Where are we going?

I know that old trick
about moving a guy from one

jail to the other so he
can't get bailed out.

You always had a big mouth, Nichols.

Don't make me sorry I'm keeping
your friends from shutting it.

Coming up awful fast.

He's after us.

Let's see if he's
coming up on us. Step on it!

Let's see if he's trying
to force us off the edge.

This is not the best
time for a visit, Marino.

You know as much about it as we do.

Are you sure? And I'm not
in any mood for a debate.

Chief would still be alive if
he hadn't been in that car,

and he wouldn't have
been if you hadn't steamed

him up about moving Nichols personally.

You're not exactly what I'd call the most
popular fellow in the world around here.

I came here on your invitation. At
first I wasn't sure, so I stayed.

Now I am sure.

This place is rotten with corruption.

I'm a little too busy for any
more advice from an amateur.

What happened to the eager young
captain who was going to clean up this city?

Don't you want to find
out about the chief?

Find out what?

We had reason to believe that
Nichols was marked for murder.

That's why Swenson moved him personally.

All right, what's your point?

My point is that Bell knew where
Swenson was headed with his prisoner.

He could have tipped off anybody.

Ask Bell, then see what you make of it.

Unless you've got some reason
for not wanting to find out.

I want Lieutenant Bell brought
in immediately for questioning.

I said immediately.

That's all, Marino.

Captain Meeker.

Jerome Lace.

It would be extremely unwise for you to
make any trouble for Lieutenant Bell.

Who do you think you
are to give me orders?

I'm your friend and business partner.

Suppose you meet me at
your factory in one hour.

I think I can demonstrate
why you ought to play ball.

One hour.

Be there.

Good evening.

I usually invite my guests.

You started Mika pinning me to the wall.

And now you're going to stop him.

Give me a reason for stopping him.

He's on the pad, crooked as they come.

I know about the cabinet
deal. Not good enough.

Come again.

I don't even know what
they want to question me for.

Then I'll tell you.

The death of Chief Swenson.

You think I'd hurt Swenson?

You did, when you told them
where Nichols was being taken.

They used you, Lieutenant,
played you for a sucker.

I wouldn't have hurt
the Chief or anything.

I love that man.

You've got to believe that.

I do believe it.

But the car going off
that cliff was no accident.

Isn't that really why you're here?

Trying to convince yourself
you had nothing to do with it?

I remember Chief Swenson
telling me what a great guy you were.

How he'd risk his life on Lieutenant Bell.

He told me that when two men
walked down dark alleys together,

when time after time they risked
their lives covering for each other.

He risked his life on
you when they killed him.

Give Swenson what he
needed to break them wide open.

You give me 30 minutes.

What for? So you can run?

You want the dope to break them?

Just give me 30 minutes.

You got them.

Yeah, it's funny.

I mean, all the times I've been out
looking for somebody I don't want, now it's me.

Gives you an idea of
what the other guy thinks.

The criminal.

Oh, listen, I forgot some stuff.
You go ahead. I'll be home soon.

I don't mind waiting.

Well, it'll be a while. You
better go on and see Jerry gets fed.

I think he'd rather wait a few
minutes and have dinner with both of us.

Well, I'll be too late for dinner.

Richard?

I need you home with me.

Please.

I can't. Now you go on. Do
as I tell you, will you?

I always do.

Baby.

Tell me something, how much does it
matter to you whether I'm right or wrong?

Not much.

Why?

Because I love you. And I've never known
you to be wrong where it really mattered.

Eavesdropping isn't one of
my faults, please believe

me, but under
circumstances, I had no other choice.

What do you want?

A reasonable attitude.

I don't like to think of your sick
child deprived of the attention he needs.

My family's problems are
none of your business.

You're wrong, Chief.

The workmen, the supplier, the credit.

All of them are gone.

What does it take to get this mill
working again? It takes that hand you held out,

the one that had nothing in it.

Well, it has something in it now.

You signed...

Certain loan papers.

Now, one can look at that in two ways.

One, it was a mistake, since you
were subject to my orders, or another,

that it was a good thing, because you
can buy your family what they need.

You say one word for
me, and you're through.

No police department will trust you again.

In another word, you'll go bankrupt.

You don't leave many
ways open to me, do you?

Just my way.

No, there's another way.

My associates will be
very angry with your family.

There's still one other way.

Bill.

What are you doing? He killed
Swenson. You don't know that.

There's absolutely... Why didn't you
come in this afternoon and talk to me?

Come in.

Hi, Jack. Hi.

Grand jury's indicted Mr. Jesse on
conspiracy, accessory to Swenson's murder,

the murder of Bell. At least
one of those ought to stick.

How about Meeker?

Suspended from the department
pending full investigation.

Story all wrapped up?

Yeah.

I'm going to hang around for a while.

Meeker may need a
character witness or something.

I don't know.

Swenson, Meeker, Bell.

It's going to be hard to
prove it's all worthwhile.

I don't know.

Maybe it all is going to be worthwhile.

Let's have a drink.