All language subtitles for Target The Corruptors - S01E15 - A Man Is Waiting to Be Murdered

Tonight's story is being
told to save a man's life.

George Lane, a man waiting to be murdered.

In 1953, George Lane broke with his
own past as extortionist and racketeer.

He gave names, facts, and figures on one
of the biggest shakedowns in the nation.

A crime set up that took millions
annually out of the people's pocketbooks.

Through extortion and racketeering unions,

an historic victory was won when one
of the most dreaded underworld bosses,

Mike Jessen, was sentenced to
federal prison for ten years.

The parting words of convicted
mobster Mike Jessen to Lane were...

Our boys can wait a long time.

All seemed forgotten,
until suddenly, Eddie Taub,

a government witness, no more waiting.

A week later, the waiting ended for
Mike Davis, another government witness.

The key witness had to
be next, George Lane.

I remembered again the
convicted mobster's words.

Our boys can wait a long time.

That's why I started my
series, to alert the public,

so that George Lane would not be
let down again, as the others were.

I'm a little nervous about asking you,
Pete, but I sure can use extra tickets.

I thought, well, you have no family.

Everybody says.

So maybe if you weren't using these?

I'm going to use one. Oh, you are? Mm-hmm.

Relative?

No, a friend.

That's a surprise.

Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound
that way. It's just that, well,

you've got the reputation of a loner.

That's all right. I am.

Uh, Pete, I don't mean to be a pest,
but, well, even if you are using a ticket,

that still leaves extras.

You can have them.

Thanks. Okay, buddy.

Do I have to introduce
myself? A lot of years, you know,

but I don't recognize you anyplace.

It's a nice college,
the yard and everything.

I thought you were dead.

Thought?

Hoped?

You'd have heard.

Thought maybe they'd have done it quietly.

A body in a barrel of concrete at
the bottom of the river, right?

No, they missed their chance. They
should have done it a few years ago.

You know, you wouldn't believe it,

but I sweated off to 180 pounds
and disguised myself as skinny.

Then they could have
fitted me into a barrel.

But now, where are they gonna
get one wide enough, right?

They can always find a way. Well,
that's true. It's like they say,

it's the modern age, full of science.

There's always those
big truck cement mixers.

What did you come here for?

To see your graduation.

You're not invited.

Invite me. I'm your father. No.

I'll be at the inn.

Bill Parker is my latest name.

I wish you were dead.

Join the club, kid.

The papers say I'm a man
waiting to be murdered.

The articles on Lane
were hitting on target.

I got a call from Mike Jessen Enterprises.

Mike Jessen, who had said to
Lane, our boys can wait a long time.

Mr. Marino, you know me. Dan
Morton. Mike Jessen's son-in-law,

ex-partner at Kenner
Associates Public Relations.

You saw it on your facts. You usually are.

I work at it.

Well, I can recall
instances where you missed,

but I must say that when the facts were
pointed out to you, you were eminently fair.

You didn't ask me here to tell me that.

Mr. Reno, I want to talk honestly to you.

That's refreshing.

You're a writer.

I'd say a reporter.

Well, a journalistic
writer, certainly you can

understand how times
change. And so do men.

Your father-in-law?

Well, he's grown older. That's a
change. It is. A very important one.

Maybe you ought to know.
I'm not sold on that shiny

image of Mike Jess and
you so skillfully packaged.

You left out prizes for the kiddies.

Mr. Moreno, I'm not going to waste
your time on my father-in-law's past.

But he went to prison.

He paid his debt to society.

Hardly a down payment
on his debt to society.

He was a model
prisoner, consequently paroled.

Just how is that parole managed?

That's something I would like an
honest answer to. It's still in the past.

Why can't you consider Mr.
Jessen's life now, his contribution,

his actions in the present?

His charities, his good works
as a public-spirited citizen?

Oh, come on. You don't
expect me to take them seriously.

Well, the poor people who
benefit take it seriously.

Mr. Reno.

There's a list I think you might be
interested in. Hospitals, schools, orphanages.

The amounts that he's donated.

I notice you've also listed Mr.
Jessen's legitimate business interests.

Bowling alleys, real estate,
building contractors, supplies.

You've left something out. I
have? Mr. Jessen's real interests.

Narcotics, gambling,
vice, labor extortion.

I can only give you approximate figures.

Ask Eddie the adding
machine. He'll be more exact.

Let's stop this hypocritical nonsense.

Mike Jessen's real interests
cost the public a fortune.

Contributions to orphanages?

You could fill one with the
children of Mike Jessen's victims,

including Davis and Taub.

Marino, don't you pin Davis
and Cobb on me. Who else?

Look, there's plenty of
people that got good reason

to want to settle with those two creeps,

but it was not me. And
another thing, I'm not after Lane.

Who else has a better
reason than you, Jessen?

After all, he sent you to
prison. Sure, he fingered me.

But I got a better reason to keep
them alive than to find them dead.

Why? Because I don't want to be
deported. That's why. This is my country.

My whole family's here. My grandchildren.

My whole career I made
right here in this country.

What's the matter? That's what you call
it, ain't it? My career. That's right.

Quite a career.

Well, it ain't funny the
dough I'm spending trying to

find Lane alive and keep
him alive and protect him.

Lane will be safer with you deported.
Look, Marino, I'm not going to be deported.

I am going to prove you're a
liar. I am going to find Lane.

I'm going to bring him to that
deportation hearing as a friendly witness.

Nice try, Morton.

I'm sorry I can't buy your
new image of Mike Jessen.

But after all, look what
you've got to work with.

Now what, Mr. Public Relations Expert?

Some fine strategy. A lot you
accomplished with your friendly persuasion. Well,

if Marino keeps sitting at Davis
and Tarwin as column. Who cares?

The way to lick Marino and the
deportation is to find George Lane.

I don't care what it
takes, how much it costs.

Find him and protect him.

Find Lane.

Kill him.

But Mr. Ruff, if Lane is
killed, Mike's sure to be deported.

He won't stand a chance at the hearing.

That's exactly right, gentlemen.

He'll be deported.

Except Mike finds out. Gentlemen,
Mike isn't supposed to find out.

That's why you're here and Mike isn't.

Believe me, deportation is
the best way out for Mike.

It's been decided.

What if the immigration
department makes another decision?

And Mike's not deported.

The immigration department will take
care of Mike if you'll take care of Lane.

What if we don't find Lane?

Well, if you don't, believe me, gentlemen,

we're all going to be very sorry for Mike.

The income from your
tri-state area has been getting

consistently lower, Eddie. You know that.

Where we need more, we're getting less.

Numbers, the casinos, imported stuff.

There's a dozen districts where the
boys are just taking what they want.

But we could start to. No, you can't.

Not with Mike.

Whatever it was that
made Mike tick, it's gone.

I know. It's my job to
advise the committee.

Now, if George Lane can talk and
get away with it, why not others, eh?

You know, your father-in-law's a pretty
scared man about these deportation hearings.

Well, he's human. Well, I'm
not calling him a monkey.

He was supposed to take care of
Davis and Taub, but he didn't.

We had to step in and take care of it.

Now, as you know, no one
man is bigger than the setup.

Realistically, what's so
bad about being deported?

No.

I won't do it. For 30 years,
I've been with Mike. He's entitled.

He's entitled to know what's going on.

You think so?

You're asking me to
double-cross my own father-in-law.

Oh, I wouldn't put it that way, Morty.

It's been decided.

Mr. Rip, I'm going to tell him.

I'm going to tell him.

As for you, Morton,
you're really helping your

father-in-law into a
well-earned retirement.

Now, gentlemen, I take it
we're all in agreement.

So let's find George Lane, and let's
not, as Mr. Marino says, keep him waiting.

Well, not a sign, no trace.

Lane's wife dead, natural
causes. The son disappeared.

Lane's relatives hate his guts.

The wife had nobody.

Fall between us.

A man like Lane with his record.

Call him human scum and you give
him the benefit of the doubt. Well,

if Lane were to get bumped, who cares?

We'd better care if we
don't want to live in a jungle.

You can say what you like about Lane,

but he did something
everybody else was afraid to do.

Oh, I know you're right about
what kind of a character he is.

But if we let him down, it doesn't
say very much for our characters.

Then what next, Pa? An
open letter to George Lane.

A what?

I said an open letter to George Lane.

To convince him to stop running, to
come out into the open. The open?

To get the protection
he was once promised.

I'm going to give him my pledge
that he'll get it. If you flip,

there'll be a sitting duck in the open.

Hiding didn't help Davis and Taub.

It'll be worse if he doesn't come out.

At least this way, he'll have police
protection, the public spotlight on him.

Everybody knows who his potential
killers are. We owe him that much.

You know, Jack, before Jessen's
trial, I had a lot of talks with Lane.

He liked me. He told me so.
I don't know why. Maybe I

was younger than the others, not so sour.

Anyway, when the whole thing was over,

he told me it was my
talking to him made up his

mind to be a government
witness against Jessen.

That's why I feel a certain
responsibility towards Lane.

What is it?

Room service. Beer.

All this for yourself?

All those others, too,
you drank alone. Mm-hmm.

Good thing you ain't got a
taste like that for champagne.

Well, there was a time I could
have drunk champagne, just like this.

Yeah?

For free or for money?

Well, I was one guy with a
champagne pocketbook who liked beer better.

Me, I got a taste for
champagne with a beer pocketbook.

Even when I was in show biz, it
always added up beer. Show biz, huh?

Yeah, it used to be.

Well, maybe you'll join me in
a bottle when you're finished.

I'm finished right now.

Well, you never know, you know.
Maybe you're just getting started, huh?

Well, here's to... Mind if I
drink mine out of the glass?

Go on, be my guest. I think
there's a glass in the bathroom.

You, uh, you a dancer? Mm-hmm.

Did novelty numbers.

With balloons.

But I ain't gonna kid you
none, I never made the big time.

You know me, I could have
put you in a big time one.

A likely story.

Right out of a stack of beer bottles.

Only twice. That's nothing, huh?

The way I count, that is something.

Yeah, well, you know, I could...

I could put away about 50 bottles a day.

I'll admit you got the
space for it. Hey, tell me,

who's graduation you up here for, huh?

Oh, never mind. Let's talk about you
and show business. I mean, what'd you do,

a kind of a Sally Rand number?

Yeah, but...

Don't think that it
didn't have no artistry.

Oh, I betcha. You know, I could
have made you a star overnight.

You don't believe me, huh?

I ain't making no allegations,
and I ain't defying no allegations.

You think I'm full of bologna.

I think you're full of beer.

Say, what kind of
showbiz big shot were you?

Oh, the kind that could
make other big shots jump.

Wish I'd known your secret.

Yeah, well, I had a grip on the
lifeline, you know, right on the jug, you know.

You ever hear of unions, huh?

Yeah.

Sure nice to know an important stagehand.

I could have made you a star overnight.
Top connections and golden palaces once.

Once upon a time, huh?

I swear, you're worse than the
college kids when they get lit.

Take it easy, friend.

We all got our dreams.

Ones we hope will happen.

Ones that never happened.

I'll answer it.

Mo.

I'm expecting someone.

Oh, good morning.

See you again, huh?

Oh, sure.

Thanks.

So long, Tiny.

What's the matter, kid?

Same stink, just as I remember it.

That's the way I used to see
you, through empty bottles,

a big belching hulk with dirty bare feet.

You've changed a little.
You're wearing shoes now.

Mama's not here, of course.

Oh, now, don't, boy, you know, whatever
you think of me, I, uh, I loved your mother.

Love you?

With your trade? You flesh peddler, what
right did you have to marry a decent woman?

Yeah, go on.

Answer me the way you
know best, like a hood.

Thought it was over,
all those years with Mama

dying and only me, a kid, to hang on to.

Where were you then?

I didn't dare show myself. I couldn't.

Why now?

You know what hell I've been through,

always on guard that somebody
would find out who my father is?

Now I'm alone in the world, I'm used to
it, and that's the way I want it to be.

Okay, okay, I'm not going to spoil it
for you. I'll go after your graduation.

I don't want you at my graduation.

Out of my whole life,
you're the one result

I don't have to spit
when I think about it.

I'm going to your graduation, and I
want a ticket, you understand? No,

you won't get one. How
do you like it if I call

the college and tell
them who you really are?

My son, and that I'm entitled to a ticket.

Well, naturally, with your
experience in blackmail and extortion,

that shouldn't be too difficult.

And how would you like
it if I were to call some

of your old friends?
Mike Jessen, for instance.

Here, here's Justin's
number. Go ahead, boy, you

got guts, huh? Go on,
get me out of the way.

I think about it, and
yeah, it makes sense.

Each week, oh, and like a
rainbow trail fades in the afterglow.

Hello, kid.

Look at this.

Read it.

Marino wants you to get in touch with him.

Did you see what it says?

Are you listening to me? Now listen,

all Marino wants is for you
to get in touch with him.

Look at it. It's an open letter to you.

Listen to me.

Dear Mr. Lane, wherever you are, George
Lane, wherever you are hiding out, I,

Paul Marino, implore you to pick
up the phone and call my office.

I, Paul Marino, solemnly pledge to you
that I'll come to you wherever you are.

I know it will be no surprise to you that
Jessen has a standing offer on your head.

Marino, Marino, relax, kid. Have a beer.
These are your last few days in college.

Why can't you be more like them, huh?

You're a big man, Marino, with my height.

No, look.

It says, I, Paul Marino, solemnly
pledge that I will come, whatever you are.

You're sure working hard
at it, kid, aren't you?

Who do you think you're kidding, huh?

Not every college boy
gets a chance to tell his

father to drop dead when
it comes to graduation.

It's not every father that deserves it.

I didn't ask you to come here. I
don't want you at my graduation.

I'm telling you once and for all,
leave me alone. Just leave me alone.

Oh, you listen to me.
The one thing that's kept

me going was waiting for
this graduation years.

And no lousy punk of a college kid is
going to tell George Lane what to do.

I'm not budging until I see you
up there getting that diploma.

That's what I came to see, and
that's what I'm going to see.

All right, so you hate me.

Maybe I'm not exactly in
love with myself, neither.

Look at this.

There's one guy that's
not a shame to me, Marino.

He knows that for once in my life, I
tried to do a good thing. Nonsense.

They had you against the law. It
was Justin that was on trial, not me.

I was a government witness. I was helping.

For once in my life, I tried to prove
that George Lane could do the right thing.

Go on, George, they
said. Be a good citizen.

Yeah, well, be a good
citizen. And what'd I get for it?

A belly full of misery, years of it.

Long nights holed up in a
stinkin' rooming house,

worrying about you,
what's happening to you.

Oh, all these years.

My insides doing flip-flops every
time there was a knock on the door,

wondering who was the first that
was going to do the fingering.

Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah, it was some
champagne party all these years.

Well, now, don't get me wrong.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I ain't
beefing. But you got to admit one thing.

I mean, after all these years, a guy's
got something good coming to him. I mean,

a guy's got a right to something.

A right to be at his son's graduation.

What do you got to say to
that, Mr. Joe College, huh?

You look at me.

What's wrong?

You got no answer?

The dean and faculty of Prentiss College
have the honor to invite you Operator,

I want to call long distance.
That's code 311, Greenview 6578.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello, buddy, buddy.

Do you recognize the voice?

Who is this?

Who is this?

You really don't know, huh?

Look, you don't answer, I'm gonna hang up.

Now, wait a minute, I'll give you a hint.

You recognize the Golden Tones?

It's me, George, your
old pal, George Lane.

George?

George Elaine?

Where are you?

You want to know, huh?

My son's graduation, but
don't ask me what college,

because I'm not going to tell you.
George, we've been looking for you.

We've been trying to find you. Yeah,
like you found Davidson Taub, huh?

Look, George, I had nothing to do
with that. I swear it. Look, look.

I've got to talk to you. I want to help
you. Hmm, I can do a barrel of cement,

maybe. Hey, uh, Jessen, you
know, I'm reading the papers.

They're going to deport you. And
you're such a good, upstanding citizen.

That's really too bad, you know.

And here I am with my son,
graduating from college to be a lawyer.

District attorney, maybe, eh?

Look, George, I want to
help you. Look, I'll pay

you anything you want.
Name your own price.

Won't that be something, Mike?

Me here, enjoying my
grandchildren, right in the good old USA,

and you back in the old
country. No family, no children.

Hey, Mike, you know our
mutual friend Marino,

I see where he says that you're
ready to shell out plenty to get me.

How much is my head
worth, huh? 25 grand? 50?

Supposing I, you know, send it
parcel post COD, OK? Look, George,

you got it all wrong. I don't
want to hurt you. I need you.

George, I want you to live.

Lane?

That was him, all right.

He's a good buddy of mine. A
kidder, you know, a great kidder.

Yeah, sure sounded like it.
Gee, this place is such a mess.

Say.

Why don't you lay off the beer, huh?

You want to look good
for graduation, don't you?

Oh, yeah, yeah, to graduation.

I got your suit all nice and pressed.

Oh, you know, you're a sweetheart.
Listen, honey, buy yourself a mink. $20?

Ah, gee, Mr. Parker, you know,
you're getting to spoil me. Well,

you know something? You
can spoil me, too, huh?

You better watch your cholesterol. Oh,
you should have known me when. Oh, boy.

Look at this place. It's a mess.
Let me clean up a little, huh?

Hi, Jean. Hi, Maggie. Say, uh,

7B'd like the toll charges on that
long-distance call. New York, wasn't it?

Yes, uh-huh.

How's Trix? Just fine. Say, you
know, I like your new hairdo.

Thanks, Maggie.

I don't take much care of mine
since I haven't been in showbiz.

Thanks.

He went hoppity hoppity through the woods.

At last, he came to Farmer Brown's field.

The field was covered with snow.

He dug under the snow,
and he found some ears.

Ears of sweet corn.

Hello?

Yeah, this is Green Blue Six, 7853.

Who's this?

What?

Yeah, sure, I'm interested.

Who is this? Who are you?

Never mind.

Now, look, I can tell you where he is.

Will you pay for the information?

Yeah, sure, I'll pay.

Yeah, yeah.

But graduation? Where?

What college?

Wait a minute.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, sure. Like I said, I'll
be there in the morning with the cash.

All right. Morton!

Morton!

Oh, don't worry, honey. I'll get you
another book. I'll get you 20 books,

bigger ones. I found Lane.

Morton rightly bawled over the phone.
Doesn't want to come along, he says.

I argued a reason, but Mr. Rep,

I think maybe you ought to talk
to Morton before Mike gets wise.

Of course, Eddie boy.

Anything you want.

Why don't you go ahead with
the arrangements as we planned,

and I'll try to reason things
out with Morty here in the office.

Well, after all, he is an
intelligent, rational, practical person.

Mm-hmm.

Fine, fine.

Oh.

Oh, Morty boy.

You're an intelligent,
rational, practical person.

Don't come to me with
your sentimental appeals.

You know, the group doesn't
supply me with a shoulder to cry on.

Orders are orders.

You just go along on this
trip with Eddie, right?

We don't want Mike to suspect
a thing until it's all over.

And say hello to the kids, huh?

You understand.

Hello?

Yeah, this is Mr. Marino's office.

No, he isn't in.

I'm his associate. Is there
anything I can do for you?

No, I've got to speak to
Mr. Marino personally.

Well, look, he isn't in, but I'll
be glad to give him your message.

Just tell him that
George Lane's son wants to

speak to him about his
father. Your father?

Is he OK?

Yes, he's fine.

But I won't discuss it
with anyone but Mr. Marino.

Uh, will you call back?

Look, I'll try to track him
down. Give me 10 minutes, huh?

Better yet, give me your number.

I'll... No, I'll call back.

That same night, after a phone
call from George Lane's son,

I took a plane for an
obscure college town.

Couple hours more, I guess, huh?

Apprentice. Apprentice?

You ever hear of it?

Small college town.

You know, I wouldn't mind living in
one of those early American hick towns,

like in the magazines,
you know what I mean?

White fences and them syrup trees.
What do you call them? Maple trees.

I wonder what Big George looks like.

Older.

Yeah. Eddie, you think Big
George is still like an ox?

Eddie?

Hey, wake up, will you?

Eddie?

You think Big George would
be interested in 50 grand?

Man, he was always a rough
customer to do business with.

Once he smells the 50,
he'll be ready to make a deal.

Why shouldn't he? He eats off.

Be like the old days, you
know, dames, good time.

You forget Lane
fingered you with the trial?

Oh, so what?

George needs me to live.

I need him to stay here.

With George alive, you'd
be my character witness.

Indirect. At least, that's
what the lawyers keep saying.

That's funny, ain't it?

George and I should be one to
cut one another's hearts out.

Instead of that, we gotta stick together.

Wait till I walk into that
peep-portation hearing arm-in-arm

with George. Boy, will their eyes pop out.

And what are you stopping for? Gas.

Yes, sir. Check the oil,
please. Sure thing, sir.

That's Rachel Rode back
there. Sure murderer on the car.

He's right up there on the aisle, sir.

That's him, isn't it?
Lay off me, will you?

Here he comes.

Hey, Huggett.

Go see Gandy.

The oppressed of the world,

the uncommitted millions emerging into
new statehood onto the international arena,

look to us for inspiration.

For an example of real dedication to the
principles of liberty, dignity, justice.

Upon you, young men and women,
will rest the future of our society.

A society that finds itself deeply
troubled in these days of threats and cold wars.

When what we need, what
all civilization needs,

is mutual understanding and the
sharing of our natural gifts.

I spotted George Lane
sitting there, a lonely figure,

trying desperately to look
like any other proud parrot.

We pass the torch in the hope
that you will bring light... Reno.

Hello, George. How did you
find me? Your son called me.

You're looking good, George.

It's the dog's life. It agrees with me.

Why didn't you phone me? They're
calling out the honor students.

My kid an honor student.
I didn't like that, huh?

There's one apple that fell far
away from the tree, huh, Marino?

You're out in the open,
George. You ought to stay out.

In the open. What, so they can
put me under cover for good?

Six feet under?

Davis and Towelhead, they're dead.

Your best chance to live, isn't it?

You know, you never learn,
Marino. You're a regular scoutmaster.

You got a good reason to live.

Your son.

There he goes up there.

Earl, don't eat.

See that?

You would have believed it, huh?
George Lane's son, a college graduate.

Henry D'Ambrosio.

Say, Marino, you're
smart, but what's your guess?

Why'd the kid call you?

To protect you.

He's your son.

You think so? Yeah.

George, I got to... Later, Amarino.

Okay? You gonna introduce me?

I think about it, and
yeah, it makes sense.

Makes you feel good, huh? Your boy
introducing it to his girl. Yeah.

You could even be a
grandfather if you lived.

They are for you, Marino? Huh?

Be smart, Lane. Come out
in the open. Stop hiding.

Stop hiding, huh?

You need any better reason than that, boy?

Stop hiding. You'll get protection.

Let's talk about it, Marino, huh?

Hey, there's Lane.

Big George is coming back.

Look at Marino with
him. How'd he get here?

Who cares?

Maybe this is my lucky day.

Yeah.

Let Marino be here when I talk to Lane.

Like a press conference, you know, fellas?

That'll stop them yammering
about me wanting to get lame.

All right, let's go.

Where is it? 7B?

Yeah, 7B.

All right, Eddie. Give me the dough.

Eddie the adding machine.
He hates to part with a

dime. What's the matter,
Eddie? It's only money.

Look at Eddie.

You won't need it.

What?

You're not going to see Lane.

You tell him.

Tell him.

That's right, Pop.

What's going on? I said, what's going on
here? Take it easy, Pop. Look at that.

Sit down. We've got to talk to you.
We've got to explain. Explain what?

You have to forget about Lane.

They're waiting for him
in his room right now.

Waiting for him? Who?

They're going to kill him?

Orders. Orders? Whose orders? I still give

the orders around here, do you understand?

Not anymore. It's not
like in the old days.

Mr. Rep wants it this way. We
tried to get Rep to change his mind.

We both talked to him.
Eddie and I both did, didn't

we, Eddie? We tried. I'm
sorry, Mike, I'm sorry.

You know what this means?

If Lane is killed, I don't
stand a chance. That's all

they need. They'll
deport me. They'll deport me!

They want me deported, don't they?

That's what they want, isn't it?

That's why they knocked off Davis
and Taub, so I'd get the blame.

And you, my son-in-law, the
father of my grandchildren,

you knew all the time and you
wouldn't tell me. Look, Pop,

it's going to be all right.
Everything's going to be all right.

The kids will come to visit you.

I'll take them there myself.

It's not like it was the end of the
world. It's only a couple of hours by jet.

The old country is... This is my country.

Nobody's going to tell Mike Jessen where
he's going to spend the rest of his life.

Not even the boys. I'll
show them. I'll show them.

You double-crossing louse.

I'll show them the old days
ain't over for Mike Jessen.

They're not going to kill him. I'm
going to stop them. I'm going to stop them.

All right. I'll go back with you.

I'll pick up the tickets. Meet you
out front. Take me a minute to pack.

If you need any help or change your
mind, will you get in touch with me?

Thanks for not showing me out in the open.

You know, with the cops.

You covered for me and
you kept the kid out of it.

Thanks, Marino.

I'm gonna disappear.

I'm hoping to be a guest
at another graduation.

My grandson's.

Can you see the odds
against that, eh, Marino?

But they're getting
better all the time. Oh, sure,

but there's a difference
between you and me, you know.

You guess wrong, and you can go
out and write another column.

Live to slug it out another day, but
me, one wrong guess, and it's curtains.

But this is all I came
for. And it was worth it.

It's Peter.

Yeah? Who is it?

Yeah, so what do you want?

I came to say goodbye.

Goodbye?

Well, if, um...

If I want to get in
touch with you... Nowhere.

Don't try.

Why did you do that?

Can't you see that he
wants you? That he needs you?

Yeah, like a hole in the head, which
you might even get, you know, if I...

You didn't have to talk to him like that.

No? How else? What does a man
waiting to be murdered tell his son?

You tell me, Marino, huh?

So long.

Something tells me I don't owe you a tip.

So long, Miss Balloons
of 1948. Like they say

in showbiz, don't call me, I'll call you.

George Lane is going back to
oblivion by his own choice.

A man let down.

Why? I ask myself over and over.

And the answer lies not
only behind the doors of

the corruptors, but in
us, all of us as well.

This story was told tonight in the
hope that an alerted public opinion can

halt Those who may still have George
Lane as a man waiting to be murdered.