Original subtitles

♪ lonely

♪ oh, lord, I'’m lonely ♪

♪ walking down A crowded street ♪

♪ singing a lonely song

♪ hoping to see Miss azure dee ♪

♪ we shared a dream

♪ oh, such a hopeless dream

♪ but it filled my empty life

♪ and I was one With azure dee ♪

♪ miss azure dee

♪ the city'’s cold ♪

♪ it once was warm

♪ I have no place

♪ and my heart, no home

♪ her love Meant everything to me ♪

♪ azure, miss azure dee

♪ night again

♪ I'’ll go my quiet way ♪

♪ and I'’ll cherish Every thought ♪

♪ and cling to all I'’ve got ♪

♪ a memory of azure dee

You want to grab this one, Weaver?

It'’s your squeal. You handle it.

My squeal? Why me?

Yeah, it'’s your squeal. You took--

I'’m sitting in my office,

And I'’m making out the Semiannual evaluation report.

And then it occurs to me That maybe you'’d like to know

That you two yo-yos are In a dead heat for last place.

Now, would either of you Care to go for a tiebreaker,

Or do you want to leave it A photo finish?

I haven'’t been so touched Since roy rogers

Decided to have trigger stuffed.

Now, look, One of you tragedians,

You want to tell me What the beef is or not?

Well, some fluff Did a dutch act

At the shepperton arms.

Are you sure About this name?

Azure dee.

I made them spell it.

Cut her down.

You should'’ve seen her Six years ago

When I busted her In the east village.

Teenage runaway from Elkhart, indiana, I think.

Yeah.

With a $100 habit.

She was all skin and bones, But hey,

She had those big eyes could Put a blister on your heart.

Yeah, she kicked the habit, All right.

These tracks are so old, They got dust on them.

Now that she could afford it, She kicked it.

All right, call forensic.

Have them send a crew Down here.

It was ice cream all the way. She didn'’t even hear us--

You can spare me The grisly details.

I want your assurances

That everything went off As planned.

I believe everything is All right here, mr. Meadows.

This is mr. O'’malley.

Mr. O'’malley's the doorman.

You finished in the john?

Be my guest.

Well, like always, I came at 10:00 in the morning

To collect sir toby belch.

That'’s miss dee's toy poodle, You know.

And like always, I came and delivered him back

An hour later.

Well, when she didn'’t Answer the buzzer,

I became very worried,

So I let myself in With my passkey.

And when I saw--

Oh. Mm.

When I saw what happened, I locked the door,

And I went to my room In the basement,

And I phoned the police.

How long has she Been living here?

Year and a half.

Lovely lady.

Lovely, lovely lady.

Always prompt with the rent, No problems.

Unofficial preview, Lieutenant.

Your d.O.A. Succumbed To strangulation

And a broken neck, Probably self-inflicted.

I don'’t want The coming attraction.

I want the full feature, Doctor.

Answer me something, kojak.

How do you string up a lady Without her

At least raising A mild objection?

Well, that'’s what I expect you to tell me.

Go ahead.

Right.

No evidence of forced entry.

No signs of a struggle.

Oh, she was prompt With the rent, you said.

A pad like this, Even in today'’s market,

Unfurnished, Got to bring in $2,000 a month.

So what else Are we talking about?

Well, miss dee would Entertain occasionally.

I see.

You mean she was Turning tricks, right?

Oh, no, no.

It'’s not as bad as you think.

This was no common call girl.

Selective, she was, And faithful, in her way.

No, I didn'’t know the names.

But the men were men Of class and substance.

And she'’d entertain One of them regularly

For a month or so,

And then suddenly--

I never knew the how Or the why of it--

There'’d be a new face.

Like beads on a necklace.

Yes, except For the last two.

One was middle-aged, And the other one

Was hardly more than a boy.

Well, somehow, For the past three months,

She was able to juggle Both of them,

Divided her time Between them, you know.

It was easy enough To fathom why.

Even a blind man could see That she was in love.

But with which one, I honestly have no idea.

Anything else?

Well, I-I don'’t know

If this is any help to you,

But a couple of months ago,

Miss dee gave me a tip On the market.

Now, I'’ve got a little bit Of cash stashed away,

So I took a flier.

Well, that stock went up 30 points within a week.

And after that, I took to reading

The financial section Of the times.

That'’s where I came across A familiar face.

It was one of miss dee'’s Gentlemen friends.

I can'’t recall the name,

But I think if I go down To the basement,

I might be able To find the article for you.

Oh, I would appreciate it If you would.

Something in the kitchen You'’ll want to take a look at.

All right.

Mr. O'’malley, I wonder If we could go over

Those dates and times again.

All the ingredients for A nice, cozy dinner for two.

And the hostess?

Rudely interrupted while She'’s putting it all away.

But delivered when?

Any of you fellas touch The pillows on that sofa?

Of course not.

Prince, come here.

You got an aesthetic eye.

I have.

There'’s something about The arrangement of these pillows

That'’s offensive.

You do me something, okay?

Mm-hmm.

You bag and you tag them And send them to the lab.

Looking for what?

You'’ll know when you find it, Won'’t you?

Hi, billy jo.

That'’s a hell of a welcome.

Oh, yeah.

Come on.

Assume the position.

Now, tell me where it is.

Hey, man, You must be twisted.

I'’m off of the junk scene now.

Two months out of lexington, Holding down a steady gig.

I'’m mr. Clean.

Yeah.

And you weren'’t holding Six years ago when I busted you.

Remember that loft On clinton avenue?

Your little girlfriend,

She was holding your stash For you.

She gets two years On a bedford farm,

And you, 90-day Suspended sentence.

You ought to remember her At christmastime.

What was her name again? Huh?

Dee something.

Azure.

Yeah, azure.

Azure dee.

Azure dee, that'’s right.

Whatever happened to her?

Oh, you haven'’t seen her Lately, have you?

Like I said, I'’ve been Out of circulation awhile.

That'’s right.

Taking a cure in lexington.

I can imagine your surprise When you get out,

Delivering the gourmet goodies

To all your swanky East side residents, huh?

And then lo and behold,

There'’s your spaced-out Little girlfriend.

Okay, you know.

So what are you Playing games for?

Come here, you.

Games.

Where does it say We'’re playing games?

What happened, You little creep?

You tried blackmail And it didn'’t work?

Was she gonna blow the whistle And call a cop?

Hey, come on. That'’s not funny.

Hey, look.

Last time, it was lexington.

This time, it'’s gonna be The joint,

Hard time too, baby.

You had to kill her.

What are--

Are you saying Azure'’s dead?

Me, kill azure?

I'’d o.D. Myself With battery acid

Before I'’d let anything Happen to her.

She was beautiful people.

She was the only thing in life I put a value on.

She got me this job.

She put me into A methadone program.

But she was alive, man.

God strike me dead, She was alive

When I split this morning.

Any way you can prove that?

Old lady maibaum

Lives in the apartment Across the hall.

She saw me leave.

And we rode down the elevator Together--

She can tell you-- A little after 10:00.

Azure said Good morning to her.

How did she die?

She was hanged, billy jo.

Oh, my god.

Oh, my god.

Hey, look, I'’m gonna want To talk to you, okay?

We'’ll wait.

We'’ll wait until you Get your head straight.

When you finish work tonight, You want to call me?

We'’ll sit together and rap.

When you saw me, You started to run.

Why?

I'’m a junkie.

But I'’ve been trying.

I'’m trying.

At lexington, They cut me loose,

But it'’s hard to please azure.

But it'’s hard, man.

It'’s hard.

Kojak, I can'’t do it Without her.

Here you are, Lieutenant.

What'’s this?

Azure dee'’s yellow sheet. You asked for it.

Soliciting, dismissed.

Shoplifting, suspended.

Vagrancy, dismissed.

For the past 21 months, Nothing.

Okay, give me a rundown.

Check out The arresting officers,

Witnesses, complainants, Magistrates,

Attorneys, bail bondsmen.

I want to know How a freaked-out flower child

Can go from the east village To a sutton place apartment.

Go ahead.

No problem, lieutenant.

I'’ll take care of it.

Savings account, $17,300 and change.

Checking, $4,261.52.

Cash deposits generally sizable But no apparent pattern to them.

Appraised value of furs And jewelry, $91,000.

Paintings, sculptures, First editions,

Cataloged antiques,

Say, in the neighborhood Of $200,000.

You wade through The canceled checks.

See what shops she'’s favored.

Canvass them for any info They might provide, okay?

Gotcha.

Lieutenant.

The--don'’t mind me.

I'’m just browsing.

We tossed The subject'’s apartment.

14-karat zilch.

It'’s what we didn't find That fires the imagination.

No phone book, No engagement pad,

No personal correspondence, No snapshots, nothing.

But in her box downstairs Was the morning mail.

A phone bill,

An invitation From a park avenue couturier

To attend a private showing Of his new spring fashions,

And a thank-you note From the ujw

For her generous donation.

All right, here.

You take the phone bill.

Check out every number She'’s called in the last month.

Yes, sir.

Theo, now, listen to me.

Pulling four men off the charts

And assigning them full-time To this investigation

Out of some purely personal Sense of commitment--

You never saw her, frank.

You never knew her like I did.

To you, she'’s just Another statistic,

Another routine homicide.

No, you say homicide.

Who else? Where'’s the proof?

Right in here.

Just like you, baby, 20 years Of sniffing the garbage.

No, it'’s not in here.

You won'’t let her Be a suicide.

You take it As a personal insult,

Because you didn'’t pull her Off the needle

Just so she could turn around Six years later

And throw a do-it-yourself Necktie party.

I just got The m.E.'’s report,

And there'’s nothing in it

To refute hamerman'’s Preliminary assessment,

Nothing indicating foul play Except for one small thing.

The deceased Had a broken finger.

Hamerman.

Hamerman, kojak.

Broken when?

The finger wasn'’t taped Or splinted.

Was there visual swelling, Discoloration?

No.

Why? What are you getting at?

Well, I'’m postulating The proposition

That the victim was already Unconscious when hanged,

Dead weight,

And that during the efforts To string her up,

The finger was broken.

Being unconscious, She, of course, made no outcry.

And since the death followed So shortly thereafter,

The finger didn'’t have An opportunity to swell

Or discolor To any appreciable degree.

Yeah, it makes sense, theo.

Uh-huh.

Rendered unconscious how?

Autopsy reports no bruises, Contusions, abrasions,

No drugs.

Lieutenant kojak.

You know that hunch you had About the pillows?

Right on.

One of them reveals Fresh traces of human spittle.

Conclusion: the d.O.A. Was first forcibly smothered

And then, unconscious And barely breathing, hanged.

Well?

Make your own coffee.

Are you making any progress With those phone numbers?

Yeah, some.

There'’s one of them that Sticks out like a sore thumb.

Up until a week ago, She must'’ve called it

On an average of twice a day.

It'’s a long island exchange, A private residence.

Mm-hmm.

Mrs. Meadows, Lieutenant kojak.

Lieutenant kojak, I'’m regina meadows.

Can I help you?

Yeah.

Somebody in this house can.

It'’s about miss azure dee.

Oh?

Is she in some kind Of difficulty?

Well, you might say that.

She was found hanged This morning.

Oh, that poor child.

Oh, how ghastly.

That poor, poor child.

Well, I appreciate What a shock

This must be to you, Mrs. Meadows.

But if there'’s anything You can tell me--

No, what I really mean, If you'’ll pardon my saying so,

Is that I wouldn'’t have thought That you and she--

You know what I mean?

Bluntly put, lieutenant, You'’re wondering

What we could possibly have In common.

Nothing really, I suppose, Except our hairdresser.

And yet she called you Several times a day,

According to our records, Except for last week.

She was Such an enchanting child,

Irresistible, in her way.

I simply hadn'’t the heart To discourage her.

You see, I have No children of my own.

And of late, I'’ve found myself Frequently alone here.

Tyler, my husband, He'’s recently been elected

Chairman of am-fed industries.

His new responsibilities are...

Very demanding upon his time.

Can I offer you some tea, Lieutenant?

I'’m not sure how hot it is.

Yeah, all right.

Now, tell me about Those phone calls.

What did you two find To talk about?

Have you ever seen A sandpiper, lieutenant?

That'’s what she was like,

Nibbling, Almost fanatically obsessed

With a determination To improve herself.

Art, music, Language, literature--

There was nothing in which she Was not insatiably interested.

It was sad in a way.

Sad, huh?

How?

Well, she was so hopelessly Out of her depth.

Perhaps she came To realize that.

Perhaps that was why She killed herself.

Well, she didn'’t kill herself, Mrs. Meadows.

But I don'’t understand. You said--

I said she was found hanged.

But not by her own hand.

I hear we have A visitor from the city.

And a police lieutenant, No less.

Tyler meadows, lieutenant.

How are you?

Excuse my appearance.

I'’ve just been exercising Our new gelding.

Oh, yeah?

Well, my dear, What kind of mischief

Have you gotten into, eh?

You remember That young girl I mentioned,

The cultural gourmand?

It appears She'’s been murdered.

Good lord. Really?

Yeah, well, I won'’t take up Any more of your time,

Mrs. Meadows.

And, oh, yeah, Thank you for receiving me.

I heard that in a movie once.

Let me see you out, Lieutenant.

Thank you.

Do you have any horses Of your own?

Thank you, my dear.

As I was saying,

Thank you For so skillfully handling

A very sensitive situation.

I knew I could count on you.

You bastard!

Yes, you can always Count on me,

Secure in the knowledge That whatever the cost,

I'’ll act in my own Best interests.

But I wonder, will your brother See it the same way?

His flight'’s due in From tokyo at 6:00.

You may find That he doesn'’t share

My own abhorrence of scandal.

With that in mind,

How do you propose To explain to him

The death Of your precious concubine?

Do I remember her?

It'’s been nearly four years.

Then, who could forget?

She was just a gypsy When I scouted her,

Peeping and hustling In front of the waldorf.

Lavender hot pants, Laced-up boots,

And a wiggle that could Fry an egg at 50 yards.

Sure, I signed her up.

I know talent when I see it.

I bring her into my stable.

I was fielding ten of new york'’s Finest at that time,

And I made her my bottom girl.

Do I remember azure?

It'’s because of that bimbo I got myself all busted up.

Just because I give her A few lumps

To straighten out her head,

Zap!

This yo-yo turns up, Out of his tree,

And nearly stomps me Into the ground.

Yeah, well, what did This ding-a-ling look like?

Skinny, scraggly hair,

Maybe 22 or 23, a user.

But every inch of him Was bad news.

Oh, azure dee-- A natural, that child.

Never a dissatisfied customer.

I tell you, I'’d had A couple more like azure,

I could'’ve retired To fort lauderdale, huh?

She did a couple of seasons For me

At my crib on east 55th.

No time at all, She was scoring

Three, four bills a night.

And that'’s not including tips.

She was a funny kid, though,

Always with her nose In a book.

Afternoons, She'’d vanish altogether.

You'’d ask her where she'd been, She'’d say some museum, huh?

Some art gallery.

Well, that was two years ago.

Haven'’t seen her since.

I loved that child, though.

I still do, even though She put me out of business.

What can you tell me About him?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

I'’m with stavros.

We just showed Billy jo'’s picture

To a pimp named Steady eddie maxwell

And an ex-east side madam, Savannah fuller.

They both I.D.'’d him as the cat Who hassled them

Because he didn'’t like What they did to azure dee.

He totaled savannah'’s apartment, Ditto maxwell'’s.

I think we better have Billy jo in

For a little eyeball session,

So we drop by defranco'’s.

Trouble is,

He split For parts unknown.

Do we put it On the street, boss?

You put it On the streets, boss,

And you put it on television To buy time if you have to,

Okay?

Gotcha.

Put it on the street.

Let'’s go.

Crocker!

Yes, sir.

Aren'’t you gonna say Excuse me?

Ah, forget it.

Here, license number 287 bla, Run a check, huh?

Maybe I'’m wrong, But I can'’t shake that feeling

That this regina meadows,

She was giving me A flugle street sleeve job

This afternoon.

Lieutenant, mr. O'’malley Is here to see you.

Oh, lieutenant, you know That fella I told you about,

The former gentleman friend Of miss azure'’s,

The one who had his picture

In the financial section Of the times?

Mm-hmm.

Well, the same photograph'’s In today'’s edition.

But this time, it'’s not In the financial section.

It'’s on page three.

Go for a goldfish And nab a whale.

Come in, lieutenant.

Your honor.

Won'’t you sit down And make yourself comfortable?

Now, you wish to know about My relationship with azure.

Well, there'’s very little That I can tell you

That'’ll bear upon your Investigation, I'’m afraid.

It was clandestine, true,

But I'’m not ashamed of it.

There'’s nothing illegal, No impropriety,

No betrayal of my office.

My wife died ten years ago, Lieutenant.

I'’m still a vigorous man.

And azure Was a constant delight.

I knew from the outset, Of course,

That I was just a transient In her life, but I didn'’t care.

As long as I had her, I shared her with no man.

And it ended. Why?

No reason. Just ended.

At the conclusion Of what turned out to be

Our last evening together, She requested the return

Of the gold key That she'’d given me.

Asking no questions, I surrendered it,

Knowing that it would be Passed on

To the next man in her life.

That was three months ago.

Mm-hmm.

And you haven'’t Seen her since?

She left a big void In my life.

It saddens me to think That she'’s dead.

It saddens you.

Well, it damn well Should sadden somebody.

This was no act of passion.

This was a cold-blooded Execution.

Execution? What do you mean?

The work of professionals.

They were in and out of That apartment in under an hour.

And in that time, They perpetrated

An almost perfect crime

And systematically looted That premises

Of every shred of evidence that Might'’ve linked their client.

Hey, your honor, You don'’t have any idea

Who that might be?

How would I possibly know?

She was your mistress.

I mean, you had to know Something about her life.

I can conceive Of no earthly reason

Why any man should seek To destroy

Such an exquisite creature.

Maybe I can.

You said you gave back The key.

Yes, why do you ask?

Well, the killer Surprised azure in the kitchen.

To do that, someone had To provide them with a key.

Wait a minute. Are you suggesting--

That you'’re not The sporting guy you might be?

Maybe.

Hey, look, maybe You'’d rather see her dead

Than playing around With another guy or guys.

Lieutenant, have you forgotten Who you'’re speaking to?

Your honor, I'’m talking to a man.

And I don'’t care About your black robes.

I wouldn'’t care if you were Sitting in the oval office.

I don'’t care about my badge.

I don'’t care about my pension.

Somebody'’s gonna take A hard fall for azure.

You say you don'’t have Any evidence,

You know nothing about it.

Terrific.

Get me the city morgue, Please.

Why would anyone Do such a thing?

Why? Why?

It'’s only a police theory.

It was assumed suicide Initially.

Azure? Never.

She had no reason To do anything like that.

She had every reason To want to live.

We were gonna be married In two weeks.

I found a little flat In tokyo.

She was learning japanese.

Where is she, anyway?

Tyler, what have they done With her body?

I assume the city morgue.

Where are you going?

You don'’t think I'm gonna Leave her there, do you?

- well, you must, farley. - must? Why?

I hoped to spare you this, But you leave me no alternative.

Cleaver.

This is mr. Cleaver.

By my request, he has compiled A detailed dossier

On your late fiancee.

Omit the childhood data.

Begin with miss dee'’s arrival In new york.

Any word on billy jo?

This guy'’s got more moves Than lou brock.

The only way We'’re gonna nail him

Is if some junkie Sells him to us.

Yeah?

That license plate You wanted me to run down?

It'’s a '75 caddy registered To bertram cleaver,

Private investigator.

This cat must do all right.

He'’s got a suite of offices In the pan am building.

Now, what'’s tyler meadows want With this shamus on the payroll?

Here. You had lunch?

Kojak.

Theo, I thought You would like to know

That the remains of azure dee

Have just been claimed For burial.

- who? - who?

Judge seymour lavery, That'’s who.

- where? - what?

- delivered where? - hold on a second.

Let me check.

Heavenly rest funeral home, 137 east 21st street.

I got it.

Now, why'’d he do A thing like that?

I mean, he knows the papers Will pounce on it.

Just a whiff of scandal, And there goes the appointment.

I wonder what got into him.

This friend of yours who works For the post,what'’s his name?

The one who covered The attica riots.

- harvey palmer. - oh, yeah.

Look, I want you to get In touch with him, okay?

Tell him I want A couple of paragraphs

In tomorrow morning'’s edition,

"Azure dee, Noted manhattan playgirl,"

Da-da, dee-dee-dee-dee, Blah, blah, like that.

"Funeral services tomorrow,

The heavenly rest funeral home."

Okay?

But have him treat it Like a news item.

Otherwise, Some bored city editor

Is gonna bury it In the obit column, okay?

Right, got it.

I didn'’t say forever.

What'’s that all about?

She had a lot of friends, Frank, okay?

I mean, people Who cared about her.

Maybe I can pull a chain And flush out a few of them.

Maybe there'’ll be At least one fresh face

Who can'’t bring himself

To stay away From that funeral tomorrow.

That'’s the cleaning lady, Mrs. Ortiz.

She hasn'’t stopped crying Since they found the body.

Oh, my god! Oh, god!

Grab that gun.

But I didn'’t hit him.

Stop.

Hit the rewind.

Hold it.

Uh-huh. That'’s a signet ring, right?

- mm-hmm. - I want a big, big blowup.

Got it.

Kojak.

What caliber?

Okay, thanks, angie.

Will you send me a copy?

Right.

You'’ll be relieved to know

That ballistics Confirms the fact

That it wasn'’t your piece That totaled billy jo.

The slug came from a .32.

Whose .32? Not one of ours.

No, one of theirs.

Look, billy jo'’s been Breaking chops, right?

First he stomps This eddie maxwell.

Then he totals this-- What'’s her name?

Fuller'’s pleasure palace.

I mean, what for?

What'’s in it for him, kicks?

Revenge.

Sure.

He'’d appointed himself Azure'’s guardian angel,

Dealing out punishment

To anyone who gave her The short end.

Check.

Today he shows up With a big, big cannon,

Which means that he didn'’t Show up just to break heads.

He came here for the kill.

Which means he held His intended victim responsible

For azure'’s death.

Mm-hmm.

Because he knew that much, They wasted him.

You know something, frank? I could'’ve prevented this.

I had him, you know.

All I had to do Was lean a little harder.

He might'’ve coughed up a name.

He'’d be alive now.

Hey, theo,

Hindsight Is an exact science.

So he held out on you.

You had no way Of knowing that at the time.

I'’m supposed to know, frank.

Damn it, that'’s what I get paid for.

Yeah.

Oh.

When did this happen?

Did he at least leave a note?

No, stay there. Nose around.

Maybe you can Sniff out something.

Anyway, that explains Why lavery didn'’t show up

For the funeral today.

That was armus.

His honor just took a brody

From the 16th floor Of the franklin towers.

Well, that'’s a wrap.

How do you figure that?

Oh, come on, theo.

What do want, His signed confession?

If lavery'’s our man, frank,

Why didn'’t billy jo Move on him?

Theo, we'’re talking About a junkie.

For all we know, His brains were in afghanistan

When he fired those shots.

And the piece that iced him Wasn'’t in afghanistan.

Come on, frank.

Lavery hasn'’t left His pad all day.

He hasn'’t made one phone call.

Under whose instruction Was that hit man acting

When he blew away billy jo?

Stavros, grab a rookie.

Go down to the times.

Have them pick up The obituary on lavery.

Oh, not the one They'’re gonna print.

I want the one With everything, okay?

- go ahead. - yes, sir.

Hey, just for the record,

Do you mind telling me What that'’s in aid of?

It'’s the note, frank.

If you'’re gonna--mwah-- Kiss away the world,

You'’re gonna leave a note.

If he put azure in a box, Why not say so?

He knows We'’ll think it anyway.

Elucidate.

You'’re a respected Magistrate,

20 years on the civil bench.

You'’re up for appointment To the court of appeals.

And suddenly, your past is Invaded by a homicide inquiry.

And you'’re that man.

Okay, frank?

What'’s even worse Than murder?

That guy actually tried To kill me, tyler,

A total stranger.

I never saw him before. Why me?

I never did anything to him.

Well, I'’m sure It'’s not personal,

Just another Senseless act of violence.

That'’s not unusual In contemporary america.

Look, farley, I'’ve got to run into town.

Farley, I suggest, While I'’m gone,

That you give serious thought

To returning to japan Without delay.

We'’ll discuss the matter When I return this evening.

Cornell, class of '’71.

You know what we found Under m?

Farley meadows, Brother of tyler meadows,

Chairman of am-fed electronics Industries, period.

That'’s fascinating.

Regina meadows, loyal confidante Of the dear departed,

Doesn'’t come to the funeral,

But her brother-in-law does.

You think That'’s fascinating?

Get a load of this.

Here, show-off.

The obit material On judge lavery.

Ten months ago, In the lower courts,

Am-fed lost a critical Patents judgment,

Sending their stock skidding Right straight down

Into the sewer.

Am-fed, which was In the process of negotiating

A japanese affiliation, Appealed the decision,

With the case Being reviewed by--

Three guesses.

Judge lavery.

Who promptly overturned The original decision

In favor of am-fed.

And that was three months ago.

Three months?

Yes, sir.

Three months ago, azure dee Broke off with the judge.

Yeah. Yeah.

Mr. O'’malley? Yeah, I called.

Yeah, that stock tip That miss dee gave you,

The one that jumped Over 30 points in a single day.

Was it am-fed industries?

Thank you, mr. O'’malley.

The only way She could'’ve known that

Is to know which way The judge was gonna lean.

Well, no wonder He checked out.

He knew if you Dug deep enough,

It was bound to surface.

You know, After lavery'’s blow-off,

Two men entered azure'’s life,

One hardly more than a kid, According to o'’malley.

And she was in love With one of them,

According to o'’malley.

But with which, He couldn'’t say.

You know, we know phoned Long island

At least twice a day.

And then one week, nothing.

Hey.

Check customs and immigration.

Dollars to whatever, I bet you That this what'’s-his-name

Was out of town in japan.

Well, that accounts For one paramour.

What about his rival?

Now, who stood To gain the most

From judge lavery'’s decision, Huh?

Mr. Meadows, So nice of you to join us.

Hold it right where you are.

Sorry,

But if you want a piece Of your brother,

You'’re gonna have To stand in line.

Huh?

Hark.

- I got a permit. - sure, you do.

What'’s the other cockroach Carrying?

.38 s&w, like yours.

How about the .32 That knocked off billy jo?

You got a permit for that?

What .32? What billy jo?

Come here, you.

Get over there.

Park it, scum.

And I don'’t want to hear Anything from you

Until further notice, okay?

Breathing, maybe, And very little of that.

You got a permit?

And that'’s how it is With violence, mrs. Meadows.

It'’s an abstract until it hits Your own living room.

If that concludes The theatrics, lieutenant,

Perhaps you'’ll explain The purpose of the visit here.

Oh, you know, I thought you'’d never ask.

Well, pending your arrival, I was entertaining your wife

And your brother With a little local folklore.

Yeah, I don'’t know About mrs. Meadows,

But your brother Was absolutely enthralled.

Mm, so I observe.

No doubt I would be Equally captivated

If I had the time to listen.

Do yourself a favor. Make the time.

Unless, of course, you'’d like To reconvene this gathering

Down at my office.

Well, lieutenant?

Oh, good.

Now, once upon a time--

That'’s what we call A scenario.

Anyway, this one begins Six months ago,

When you tried to bribe A supreme court judge.

Oh, that would be Judge lavery.

Being dead, I'’m afraid he has To suffer this allegation.

But I'’m under No such handicap.

If you are reckless enough

To repeat that fiction In public,

I most certainly Will sue you for slander.

You needed it, Secret surroundings.

So the judge, He picked the location,

Azure dee'’s apartment.

The deal was struck.

But it cost his honor His mistress.

You deny that?

Because I can produce The doorman, mr. O'’malley.

He remembers you very well.

He likes you.

Well, I was acquainted With miss dee, yes.

That hardly confirms The existence of a deal

Between myself And judge lavery.

Anyway, back to azure dee'’s Apartment.

You know, exit his honor, The judge.

Enter mr. Tyler meadows.

A few idyllic months, And then lo and behold,

Enter baby brother.

He introduced her as a friend Of a business associate.

I'’d run into them In a restaurant.

I didn'’t know. I didn'’t even suspect.

And when I got up to leave, She slipped me her phone number.

Well, we have now What you call a menage a trois.

Only this time-- And, I guess,

Maybe for the first time In azure'’s life--

It'’s not a matter of, "Hey, john, come on over."

This time, It'’s a matter of love.

Hey, but this poses a problem.

She wanted to marry farley.

Tyler here had other ideas.

You couldn'’t level with farley, Could you?

He didn'’t know About the bribe.

And how can you have a call girl Marry into the family?

She knew about the bribe.

And her testimony Would'’ve put you behind bars.

And that'’s exactly What would'’ve happened

If you interfered Between her and farley.

So what'’s the solution? What do you do?

All right, we send Baby brother off

On a business junket to japan,

And in his absence,

We proceed To solve the problem.

As a spinner of tales, Lieutenant,

You are sheer scheherazade.

Although I detect a strain Of bias in your presentation,

As if you view azure As some pathetic heroine

In a victorian novel.

She was nothing like that.

She was an amoral little harlot Whose sordid passing

Will not cause The smallest ripple

In the cosmic sea.

You pig.

Sit down!

I got your brother On a short fuse, mister.

And for what it'’s worth, I might as well tell you

I'’m on an even shorter one.

So you got any more Contributions to make

Toward the idea of azure dee,

I suggest you save it For your confession.

My confession?

To what, lieutenant?

Judge lavery is deceased.

My brother, as you were Good enough to point out,

Has just returned from japan.

What have you got, really?

Grounds for divorce.

Hardly a milestone

In the annals Of a police investigation.

Oh, yeah, I know.

I just came to serve notice That I'’m wise to you, mister.

And I don'’t care How long it takes.

I'’m gonna see That you get it packed in,

You and your hired help Over there.

So I want you To take care of yourself.

I wouldn'’t want anything To happen to you.

It occurs to me, mrs. Meadows,

That you really never met azure, Did you?

Here.

Looks like she'’s sleeping, Doesn'’t it?

Except for that mark Around her neck,

You'’d hardly know She was dead.

And here'’s another Fallen sparrow.

Learned a little too late That you can'’t outrun a bullet.

No, no. You please keep it.

Put it in your family album.

Isn'’t that right?

You knew her, lieutenant.

Oh, yeah.

A long time ago.

And billy jo said it, not me.

She was good people.

Lieutenant.

Is it a fact of law

That a wife cannot testify Against her husband?

Cannot be compelled To testify.

However, if she elects To volunteer...

Regina.

If you just hadn'’t Called her a harlot.

I held her cheap, But you shouldn'’t have.

Her death should'’ve Touched your heart,

Not just your bank account.

It'’s true, lieutenant.

Farley was out of the country.

But I wasn'’t.

Stavros,

Read them their rights.

♪ lonely

♪ oh, lord, I'’m lonely ♪

♪ walking down A crowded street ♪

♪ singing a lonely song

♪ hoping to see Miss azure dee ♪

♪ we shared a dream

♪ oh, such a hopeless dream

♪ but it filled my empty life

♪ and I was one With azure dee ♪

♪ miss azure dee

♪ azure

♪ my azure dee