Original subtitles

My name is Thomas Vail.

Or at least it was.

I'm a photographer. I had it all. A wife, Allison.

Friends, a career.

And in one moment, it was all taken away.

All because of a single photograph.

I have it. They want it.

And they will do anything to get the negative.

My keeping this diary is proof that these events are real.

I know they are.

They have to be.

There's an old song that talks about taking one step forward, two steps back.

I never imagined it would one day sound so prophetic,

but it seems to be the story of my life right now.

Just when I seem to have gained an ally on my journey,

that ally was taken away from me. I still have the palmtop computer he gave me.

Obviously, there's a chance that the information in it has already been compromised.

But there's also a chance that his death might have protected the information.

That's the chance I'll have to take.

Claire Hillard was a reporter for the Lexington Tribune.

It seems she received her press clearance and was

assigned to the sector where I was stationed.

Four days before Hidden Agenda was taken.

I never met her when I was down there, but we traveled in the same circles.

Maybe it was time for those circles to intersect.

My mission was complicated by the fact that I no longer even knew

for sure just where that photograph was taken or what it was of.

Perhaps Claire could help confirm or deny the authenticity

of the events I once believed took place.

Hi, I'm looking for Claire Hillard.

She's not here right now.

Oh, well, if there's any way I could get a hold of her, it's kind of important.

Are you a friend of Claire's?

Well, we're old acquaintances. I haven't seen her for many years.

Well, I'm sorry. I'm not going to be speaking

with her until she gets home from work.

Oh, well, if you could just let me know where she works, then maybe I could...

I will tell her you were here when she gets home.

Now, what is your name?

Robert.

Robert McMillan.

I'll tell her you stopped by.

Listen, I'm sorry.

I just got into town. I don't know exactly where I'm staying.

I thought maybe... There's a place nearby.

There is. A motel a couple of miles down the road from here.

Great, okay.

If... Please, when you see her, just please tell her to call me there.

I will give her the message.

It's important.

Since Claire didn't know Tom Vail from Adam,

I chose a name I thought she would remember.

Robert McMillan was a reconnaissance officer in charge of the press corps.

Every reporter had to go through him.

How would you like to pay for this, Mr. McMillan?

Cash. Oh, my favorite color.

$20 a night.

You traveling alone, Robert?

Yeah. Well, if you need anything, you let me know.

You're looking for some entertainment.

Secretaries drink free every Wednesday night at the White Eagle.

It's just around the corner. A guy like you

ought to be, like, fishing with a shotgun.

That's 337. It's upstairs on the second floor.

Okay, thanks.

I love you.

Come get a tap going.

Thanks.

You got it.

So, uh, just help myself with food up there?

Same as always.

Tom.

If you think you're getting away with this, you are mistaken.

Excuse me?

Excuse me?

You certainly weren't that polite last night.

Last night? I'm sorry, I think you have me confused with somebody else.

Hmm.

I'm not sure... You're not sure what?

You don't remember this? Or this?

Come on, Tom, you didn't have that much to drink last night.

Listen, I honestly don't know you.

Well, maybe you need me to jog your memory a little bit.

You certainly seem to be in a hurry to repeat what

you don't remember doing in the first place.

What you... What you up to this?

What are you doing?

What do you want, huh? You want me to say it never happened?

All right.

It never happened.

I don't need this.

I said, who put you up to this?

I said it never happened, okay? I've never seen you before.

Your name isn't Tom Vale. We didn't spend the night together.

You don't have a strawberry birthmark on your right shoulder.

What are we talking about?

Oh, please.

Everything all right over there? Yeah, we're fine.

We're fine.

Next time you're feeling all warm and tingly, like you need it real bad, don't call.

Quiet Night Motel.

Robert McMillan, please?

I don't think he's in his room right now, but I'll patch you through.

Hello?

Is this Robert McMillan?

Claire.

I don't want to talk to you.

Listen, if you could just... Stay away from me.

You stay away from my house, and stay away from my mother. I swear,

if you bother me again, I'll call the police.

I just need a minute of... Hello?

Hello?

Elmer?

Elmer?

I'd come over 5,000 miles to see Claire Hillard.

In spite of her insistence, I thought I might have better luck in person.

I want you to get out of here.

Go away and don't come back.

Tom?

What on earth are you doing here?

I'm really so sorry, Tom. It's just, well,

things have been a little tense around here today.

Strange phone calls, people coming to the house.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I mean, if I'd known, uh... How are you gonna know?

It'll pass. I'm just a little on edge.

So I suppose you came about the photographs.

The photographs.

What do you know about the photographs?

What I know about them is if I don't get a hold of them within the next 24 hours,

there's going to be hell to pay.

From whom?

What do you mean, from whom? From Rachel, that's from whom.

Trust me, you haven't lived until you've lived through one of Rachel's tantrums.

So how'd they come out?

Fine.

They came out fine.

Did the wide angle shots of the living room work out?

Oh, the living room looks good.

You know, I still think we're asking too much for that house.

Maybe the photos will help.

So when do you think you can get them to me?

Tom, is something wrong?

Where do you know me from, Claire? I mean, do you remember how we first met?

What are you talking about?

Just humor me.

How did we meet?

We met at Jane Bryson's house. It was their housewarming in July.

And you'd never seen or heard of me before that?

What are you doing, Tom?

You never heard my name when you were covering the 45th Army Corps in 93.

You were working for the Lexington Herald. I was also covering the 45th.

I think you better go.

Claire, you know it's the truth.

The truth is you're the person I spoke to on the phone this evening.

The truth is you're the man who came by and talked to my mother.

Why are you doing this?

Hey, if you'd just let me explain.

I don't want to know. Just get out of here. Please. I said get out!

Look, I just want to ask you some questions. I'm not going to hurt you.

No, you're not, because I swear if you ever

come back here again, I'm going to kill you.

Robert McMillan is dead.

Thirteen months ago, he stuck a shotgun in his mouth and blew his brains out.

Claire Hillard was scared to death to ever discuss

the time she spent covering the 45th Army Corps.

Her fear was genuine, but her connection to this

man calling himself Tom Vale was less clear.

Besides her and the girl in the bar,

how many more people were connected to this other Tom?

Since I'd never met either one of them before,

was this proof of another them operation?

Was the information in my palm top compromised before I ever got off the bus?

At the moment, this man, this other Tom Vale,

was as real as anything else I'd encountered.

He was also my only connection back to Claire Hiller.

Hey, so, how do you like it?

What?

The display, Tom! I finally finished the display, so what do you think?

What?

What are you staring at?

Do I have pen on my face or something?

No, no, you look fine.

No, you don't have pen on your face.

Your voice. Is there something wrong with your voice?

Uh, no. Uh, why? What does it sound like?

Hey, it just sounds different.

Oh, almost forgot. Heather, somebody called. She left her number.

So, you want me to get her for you?

Uh, no, no, that can wait.

Hmm, what's this, huh?

Tom Bale, Romeo photographer, suddenly turning over a new leaf, Tom?

Yeah, something like that, yeah. I'm just gonna be back in the studio.

Oh, guess she wasn't that special.

Hey, Jeanette?

Yeah?

Um, there's a friend of mine coming to visit me tonight,

and I need to give her directions to the house. You think, uh,

you could write down the address and draw a little map or something?

It'd just make her life a lot easier.

Yeah, at least until she gets to your house.

Just draw the map, OK?

It's just one of those once-in-a-lifetime houses. You'll love it or hate it,

but you'll want to make sure you've seen it.

Great.

Okay, good. I'll see you there.

Bye-bye.

Claire, I need a favor.

I just made an appointment to show the Addison house at 12.30.

Well, you're going to have to reschedule. I've got a hot buyer for Barrington.

I think I'm going to close today.

But it means I'm going to need you to cover the caravan this afternoon.

Why is it your commissions always take precedence?

When your name's on the letterhead, dear, you can call the shots.

Besides, if we sell Barrington, we'll both be vacationing in the Bahamas this year.

One of us may even have a room. What was that?

I said I'll reschedule the Addison house. Great. You're a dear. Ciao.

Bye-bye.

Wiley Realtors.

Claire, please don't hang up. It's Tom.

I told you I don't want to talk to you.

No, listen, I'm just calling about your photographs.

You said you needed to get your hands on them.

No, I... Listen, I want to apologize for anything

I might have said or done that upset you.

Is that all?

Look, I'll come by your office. You can leave the photographs with Jeanette.

I'm not... I'm not at the office.

I have the pictures with me.

Where are you?

I'm at home right now, but why don't we just meet somewhere neutral?

I'll be on my best behavior. You don't need to bring your gun.

I'll meet you at Rosselli's at 1130. OK.

I'll see you there.

You know, we could just publish this in the paper, in the women's section.

Thank you.

Hello?

Claire, it's Rachel. Look, I forgot to tell you,

I need you to pick up those pictures of the

Addison house before you go to the caravan.

Right, I'm meeting Tom at 11.30.

He's bringing them with him.

I need them before that, hon.

Why don't you just drop by the studio and pick them up?

He's not at the studio.

You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.

Fine, Rach, I'll get the photographs. I'll swing by his house if I need to.

You're a dear.

And you're a witch.

The highs today are expected to be in the low 40s all through the valley.

In the central area,

you can expect a few warmer temperatures all the way up to

Tom, I didn't know that anybody photographed it.

I didn't know for sure if it even existed.

Tom, if they find out that you have this, you know what they can do.

Excuse me. Excuse me. Can I get anything else? No.

Any calls?

I'm sorry, sir. I've checked with the hostess three times, and still nothing.

Have you got another phone somewhere?

No, but there is one outside.

Okay, great. Thanks a lot.

I'll wait here.

Hi, is Claire Hillard there?

No, she's not. Can I take a message?

Yeah, this is Tom Vale. I was supposed to meet her.

I had an appointment with her at 11.30, and she never showed up.

Tom? Where is she? I thought maybe the two of you had run away together.

What are you talking about?

Claire missed an important caravan at 1215.

I've got half a dozen clients ready to look for a new realtor.

She was supposed to meet with you and then hit the caravan. She never showed up.

Wow, that doesn't sound like Claire.

No, it doesn't.

If you see her, make sure she calls me first thing.

Okay, I will, thank you.

Despite the photograph of Hidden Agenda,

it was all starting to feel like a trap to me.

Another warped journey through the looking glass.

That trap was drawing closer every moment, and unless I made a sudden move,

I'd have no moves left to make.

We're on the second floor.

That's the fella!

You Tom Vail?

Uh, yeah. I'm Detective Tanner. This is Detective McCluskey.

Uh, what's the problem? That's what we're gonna ask you.

Why are you registered under the name McMillan?

Hey, look, are you going to tell me what this is about?

It's about answering the questions.

Uh, okay.

Uh, yeah.

McMillan's the name I'm registered under, but is that a crime?

Not in itself.

It's not something people who have nothing to hide generally do.

Well, I'm not hiding anything.

Then you won't mind if we continue this conversation in your room.

Again, it's not what's going on here. Let's talk in your room.

You know a woman named Claire Hillard?

Yeah, yeah, I've met her. According to a number of people, you've more than met her.

Hello. Uh, what people?

Elmer down at the front desk, for one.

He said you two had a pretty nasty conversation yesterday.

Oh, uh, she was upset, that's all. About what?

I don't know. I thought it might have been work-related.

Her mother said you came to the house. You told her

your name was McMillan. Mrs. Hilliard's confused.

I don't think so.

She said you and Claire had a pretty good go at it.

She said Claire had to pull a gun on you to get

you to leave. Now, is that true? Hey, look, hey.

Listen, you still haven't told me what this is about.

She's missing.

She missed a number of appointments and never showed up.

The lady she works for said she was supposed to be meeting you.

Yeah, that's true. There's a place called Roselli's.

I was there. She never showed up.

Look, she's only been gone a few hours. Doesn't somebody generally have to be gone,

like, 24 hours before the police get involved?

Not when there's suspicion of foul play.

This wouldn't happen to belong to Claire now, would it?

I don't know who that belongs to. I've never seen it before.

Mr. Vail, I'd like you to come down to the station with us.

If I say no?

It wasn't a question.

Cough him, read him his rights.

Listen, you can't arrest me without cause.

I could hold you for 24 hours on suspicion of sneezing if I want.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will be used against you.

Vail, you've got a visitor. You can wait in the interview room.

Hi, my name is Jane Butler. I'm from the Public Defender's Office.

So have I been formally charged with something?

Not yet, but it looks like they're getting close.

To what?

Filing charges.

Why don't we both sit down and talk?

It seems as if there is some confusion as to who you actually are.

It might help things, if you'd tell me.

My name is Tom Vale. Listen,

I still don't know what it is they're getting ready to charge me with.

Claire Hillard has disappeared.

Police suspect foul play. They also suspect that you may be involved. I'm not.

Good.

Should make my job a lot easier.

Let me ask you something.

Why did you take this case?

I'm not sure I understand the question.

Why me? Why were you assigned to this particular case?

It's a small town, Mr. Vail.

There's only one full-time PD, and I'm it.

Look, Tom, the police already have evidence linking

you with Miss Hillard's disappearance.

What kind of evidence?

Well, she made a notation in her office calendar

that she had an appointment with you at 11.30.

That's just about the time she disappeared.

I had an appointment with her. She never showed up.

Why don't you tell me what this is all about? The assumed name,

arguments with a woman you barely know.

I see there's also a note in here from Detective Tanner that you

were seen in an alley accosting a patron at the White Eagle.

You know, I don't know what it's about. If you want to get to the bottom of it,

why don't you try and find the guy that's impersonating me?

Excuse me?

Well, I guess that's something that isn't in your files.

There's someone here in town who's using the name Thomas Vail.

He's posing as a photographer. I'm a photographer.

I know this sounds crazy.

Just imagine how I feel. Three people have already mistaken me for him.

Claire was one of those people.

So this other Thomas Vail is not only using your name,

he also looks exactly like you.

Yeah, except for a strawberry mole on his right shoulder.

What's that?

It doesn't matter.

Look, if you really want to help me, you'll try and find this guy.

He lives at 2417 North Hamilton.

Yeah, that's right, I've been to his house.

I've seen his studio.

You've met him?

Well, no, I haven't met him, but obviously everyone else has.

All right, let's say I go meet this other Thomas Vail.

It's likely that he's going to tell me that

he's for real and you're the counterfeit.

Well, he'd be lying.

It's your word against his.

No, it's not.

I can prove it.

Just how would you do that?

Well, he has a bunch of photographs at his house that he'll claim were taken by him.

I took them.

It still comes down to the same thing. How do you prove it?

Well, if he shot the photographs, he would have the negatives.

That makes sense.

Ask him to show you the negatives. He won't be able to.

How can you be sure?

Because I have them.

Hello?

Hello, is anyone home?

So what'd you find?

The photographs that you told me about.

They were on the walls.

You've seen him, haven't you?

Yeah.

Look, you were right. He's your mirror image. The resemblance is uncanny.

So now you believe me.

I believe you about him existing.

But what?

These are the negatives of the photographs, Tom.

You said he wouldn't be able to prove that he took those photographs,

yet he's the one who gave me those negatives.

These don't prove anything.

I thought they were supposed to prove everything.

No, what I mean is, it doesn't prove that he took those shots.

Look here. You see these edge numbers here?

Yeah.

They're different for every roll of film. It's a stock and batch number.

They're date-specific. He has my photograph.

It's no big trick for him to re-photograph

the thing and make a new set of negatives.

Give that to me in English.

He took a photograph of my photograph and came up with a new set of negatives.

So my point is, if you call the film manufacturer,

you'll find that my negatives are dated earlier than his.

There's only one problem with that.

What's that?

I don't have your negatives.

Well, I have to get them for you.

Just pop the hood.

Why?

Just pop the hood.

You know, I'm just, uh... I'm just uncomfortable with Tanner's men following me.

I just need you to give me 20 minutes.

I won't be able to stay with you if I do that.

Listen, I promise I'll call you when I get the negatives.

You know, Tom, if you skip town, it's gonna be bad for both of us.

I do have a reputation to protect here.

Bus number 166 to Cleveland, now arriving gate three.

Please return to the ticket window.

Bus number 141, Express to Cincinnati, will be...

Thank you.

The bust of the 141st blast bomb, expressed to Cincinnati at 85, called for.

Jane Butler.

Hi.

It's Tom.

Hi.

So did you get them?

Yeah, listen, we better meet someplace out of the way.

Tanner does have one of his men following me.

Tanner, I'm not surprised.

So you know the city better than me.

All right. Meet me at the Front Street Pier.

What all do I have to bring?

Well, just bring the negatives.

Great.

What time? It'll be deserted by then.

Okay, listen, I hope this puts an end to this mess.

Once we wrap this up, it's over. I'll present my

evidence to the DA, and that should be that.

Great, okay, so I'll see you later.

Don't be late.

You weren't supposed to kill him.

I was aiming for his shoulder.

He turned his head at the last second.

That's not an excuse.

Wait a minute.

These are ours.

What the hell was he doing here?

Jane Butler.

Meet me at the Front Street Pier, 845.

Just bring the negatives.

Once we wrap this up, it's over.

Don't be late.