(SCRWAMS)
I've been told that you've been frightening this lady.
Couldn't leave it alone, could you?
Parker is an extremely dangerous man.
CYNTHlA: You won't believe what he was doing.
I got in there, and he was...
(GASPS)
(WXCLAlMlNG)
You don't believe me either, do you?
Well, right now, it's his word against yours.
Has one of your superiors told you to lay off Parker?
I said too much to you already, McCall.
(TlRWS SCRWWCHlNG)
(BABY WAlLlNG)
(TlRWS SCRWWCHlNG)
(THUNDWR RUMBLlNG)
PARKWR: Just get the hell out of here, will you, Fiskus?
FlSKUS: What did you drag me all the way up there for then?
Because I thought that...
(GLASS BRWAKlNG)
Oh, no, not again.
...now that I killed yours, Fiskus, and I call you and what do I get?
Do you mind if l...
No, I don't mind, just get the hell out of here!
Don't touch me!
Don't touch you?
I take the lousy A train from Brooklyn
at 1:00 in the morning, and this is what I get?
You need a token? Do you want a token? I'll get you a token.
I'm out. I don't want to deal with you.
Oh, get the hell out of here, will you?
All right, all right.
I'm waiting.
The door is open. All right, all right!
No, wait a minute. I'll get you something.
What? You want something, Fiskus?
Calm down.
Ready for it? What's the matter, man?
I just want to go. Bang!
(SNlGGWRlNG)
Jerk.
MAN: Emergency operator. Hello, hello, I'd like the police.
We've been through this before, Miss Mackie. Parker's done nothing wrong.
He went after a man with a gun.
Well, right now, it's his word against yours.
Well, of course he's gonna deny it. Who is going to admit to something like that?
This is the third complaint we received about Mr. Parker.
Well, see, there you go. Then I'm not the only one here.
They're all from you.
Oh.
You seem to be getting quite a reputation for yourself, Miss Mackie.
Okay, okay. I know what this looks like.
You guys probably think I'm this crazy person,
who dreams these things up.
Well, you can think what you want.
You alone last night?
I don't think that's any of your business.
Now, look, my eyesight is 20/20 and I don't do drugs.
And I might take a drink every now and then,
but who the hell doesn't these days?
But I know what I saw, and I'm telling you
that something is going on in that apartment.
Like what?
I don't know what.
Hey, maybe the guy is selling drugs,
maybe he's printing dirty magazines, who knows?
I know that you haven't given us anything to go on.
We talked to Mr. Parker three times now,
and every time we find him alone, sleeping.
Frankly, Miss Mackie, I'm getting tired of waking Mr. Parker up.
And maybe... Maybe you should try earplugs or something.
You know, some people just like to party, hmm?
Wait. Now wait a second, just wait a minute.
(PWOPLW CHATTWRlNG)
DACK: Beth.
I really think I have something here, Bry.
You mean like the time when you were absolutely positive
that the New York Department of Sanitation
was really a repository for nuclear waste?
Or the time when you had the West Side stranglings
Iinked to an obscure poem of Keats?
That was Byron actually, Bry.
(CHUCKLWS)
Okay, okay. But I'm convinced there's something strange going on
in my apartment building, and it's probably illegal.
And I'm convinced that you are so anxious to make it to the frontline here
that you will do absolutely anything it takes to get there.
You're right, I will.
Within reason, of course?
Within reason, of course.
Hey, Mackie, what's a four-letter word for the girl who cried blank?
Give it a rest, Flynn.
Four letters not four words.
Look, if you need some pointers,
you should let me buy you dinner sometime.
That would be cruel and inhuman punishment.
I don't mind, really, I'm a wolf. Wolf.
Jerk.
Where the hell have you been, Beth?
The Lions' scores are coming off the wire like the Doctor's fast balls.
I have to get off this desk, Dack, I have to.
Yeah, well, just make sure I can sit there when you do.
In the meantime, see if you can get a final on the Met game.
Okay, it looks like it went into overtime.
You mean extra innings, Beth.
I do? Yeah, yeah.
Baseball, Mets.
Basketball, Jets. Basketball, Nets.
Football, Jets.
I know that, I know that.
You really are bothered by this guy Parker, aren't you?
I know he's up to something. I just can't put my finger on it.
Well, you keep poking your nose around and letting your job suffer,
you'll probably have plenty of time to pursue it.
Besides, if you are right, it could be dangerous.
Well, I'm open to suggestions.
Concentrate on your job, and get someone else to do your legwork.
Great, who would that be?
Come here.
We've been running this thing for months.
Oh. The Wqualizer.
Hey, you know Flynn tried to run down this guy.
He said he was real polite and then hung up.
I thought everyone hung up on Flynn.
Whatever this guy is doing, he can afford to advertise.
He must be doing something right.
Hmm.
But this man didn't hurt you in any way?
No, no, but you see...
Now you say he was carrying a gun.
Well, many, many people have license to carry guns.
You can't prove that he was committing any crime
except, possibly, breach of the peace.
Oh, well, no, you're right, I can't prove anything.
Well, in that case, I don't quite understand
exactly what it is you want me to do.
Well,
dig up something on him.
Dig up something?
Yeah, some angle that I can use to get a line on this guy, you know?
Miss Mackie, I think there's a little misunderstanding here.
Oh, no, no. You see the problem is
is that I don't know what approach to use.
And, well... Well, Dack keeps saying if I keep poking around
this guy Parker much longer...
Dack? Yeah, Dack.
He says I'm gonna be spending all my days riding the subways looking for work,
and, you know, I really don't want to do that.
But there's a story here, I can smell it.
Hang about a bit.
You are a reporter.
Yeah, look. Dear God.
And I promise I can make this worth your while.
You've got to look at the backend of all of this.
I mean, think what this could mean to you
from a business standpoint, huh?
I do a little expose on this guy
and give you credit where credit is due.
And, you know, you're going to have
a whole new clientele flocking your way.
Miss Mackie, I don't think you understand quite what it is that I do.
Oh, I don't?
No, no, you don't.
See, part of my job is that I try and...
I try and help people, if they're in trouble.
Now, are you in trouble?
Trouble, well, no, not exactly, but...
Well, I was scared last night in the hall.
Well, l...
No, it's...
I just want the story.
A story, yes.
I would like to point out to you, also,
that I do not need the business.
I have more business than I can handle.
In fact, I'd be a much happier man
if people didn't need me at all.
Does this mean that you won't help me?
If ever you are in trouble, call me and I'll try and help.
But not to dig up a story.
I see.
Well...
Look, I'm sorry I wasted your time.
Oh, no, no.
I'm a great believer in the idea that time is never wasted.
As a matter of fact, it was quite enlightening.
Well, why don't l show you to a cab, hmm?
Oh, sure, yeah.
(CLATTWRlNG)
PARKWR: Get him out of here! Out!
MAN 1: I thought we were suppose to talk.
MAN 2: You've done all your talking. Now get going.
Come on, out of here. I don't want to leave. I'm suppose to be here.
I didn't ask you what you wanted.
What's your problem? Listen to me.
Come on.
Leave me alone.
All right. Don't...
(WXCLAlMS)
(GROANlNG)
Come on! Get him down on the floor.
(SCRWAMS)
Hey, don't worry, lady,
our friend here just had a little too much to drink.
(GASPS)
You know, this is getting pretty tiresome.
Can't a person just take a walk?
You saw my friend over there? Huh?
Yeah.
Well, you keep bothering me,
and he is going to look mighty healthy compared to you.
You understand?
Yeah, I understand.
Yeah.
I think you understand.
McCALL: I must say, I was surprised to get your call.
I can't go to the police again,
but the guy actually threatened me.
This man Parker, how long has he been there?
About a month, whenever Cynthia moved out.
She's my friend who owns the apartment.
She got called back to her job in London
and had to sublet her place for about six months.
So he is not a friend of Cynthia's?
No. In fact, I called her in London to ask her.
And she said that Parker answered the ad
the first day it went in the paper.
She said that he said he was thrilled
because it was exactly where he wanted to be.
He said what?
He said that he was thrilled because
this is exactly where he wanted to be.
Well, how did the problem start?
Well, you know, a lot of loud noises,
strange people popping in all hours of the night.
Lot of traffic going in and out of there.
You know, this is normally a pretty quiet neighborhood.
Unless it's the occasional open house
or they're throwing one of their bashes over at the consulate.
Other than that, pretty dull around here.
Hmm.
You called the police then?
(LAUGHlNG) Yeah, I called the police.
First couple of times was just so I could get some rest.
Mr. McCall, you know, the police think I make all this stuff up.
And after last night, I wish I had.
Anyway, I do know one thing,
I think I'm into something here over my head.
So, what do you think? You think you could help me?
Oh, I'm sure I can.
I can try, anyway.
Well.
Ah.
That's Josh.
Is he your son?
Yeah, he's almost six.
He lives in Texas with his father.
Well, we got divorced when he was a baby, you see.
And well, Carl, that's my ex, he came from a lot of money and I didn't.
And, well, Carl's parents, they really wanted their grandchild,
so they used all their money and their pull,
and, well, they got custody of him.
And, well, I don't have the money to fight them.
I mean, well, without a suitable job,
I can't even support myself, let alone a 6-year-old boy.
Were you a reporter when you were married?
I wanted to be.
My father was a reporter
before he started teaching at a college upstate.
So, anyway, I went back to school,
and I just finished six weeks ago.
And then I went to see this friend of my dad's
on the Examiner, Bry Barclay, that's my boss.
And well, he gave me the only job that was available at that time,
an assignment on the sports desk.
Sports?
Yeah. You believe it?
I guess you got to start somewhere,
but I know nothing about sports.
That doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously.
I even started collecting these.
Pete Rose, 1967, 324.
Baseball cards.
Pete Rose, eh?
You know, I'm dead serious about this.
I have to prove myself,
then maybe I can get my little boy back.
Well, all things being equal, I don't see why that can't be arranged.
You think so?
I think
there is something very strange
going on over there.
And I think it's about time I started to find out what.
Now there are various ways I can go about that.
I intend to use the direct approach,
which means that you will let me do all the talking,
however difficult that may be, understood?
Right. Follow me.
Not a word.
Mr. Parker, my name is Robert McCall.
So?
Miss Mackie and I wondered if we could come in
and talk to you for a couple of minutes.
You have anything to say, you say it here, and make it quick.
Well then, I most certainly will.
I've been told that you've been frightening this lady.
You are not another cop, are you?
What I am is unimportant, what I say is.
And what I say is this,
if any harm comes to her,
either though premeditated violence
or even the slightest accident,
I shall hold you responsible.
Right.
I'm extremely serious about this, Mr. Parker.
Good for you.
Thank you.
This lady is a joke in the department, McCall.
She drops a dime the minute she sees anything that doesn't make sense.
We are tired of straightening the lady out.
Well, I think she might have something this time, lsadore.
Any physical proof of that?
No.
Then there is not much more that we can do.
Well, there is something you can do, lsadore.
Let me see his file.
Not now, McCall.
Is something wrong?
Hmm?
Let me put it to you this way. I have a job here I like.
My family likes the job I have.
How about I just go on keeping it?
Are you saying that
you have been told to lay off Mr. Parker?
You didn't hear that from me.
Has one of your superiors told you to lay off Parker?
I said too much to you already, McCall.
This gentleman must really be someone, hmm?
Wonder who.
Don't you wonder who, lsadore?
Come on, come on.
Don't you let me catch you looking at that file, McCall.
I do promise you, lsadore,
you'll never catch me looking at that file.
JlMMY: I don't know what you've got your hooks into this time, McCall,
but there's something funny going on.
Jimmy, will you just cut the preamble?
You've seen this fellow, John Parker, with your very own eyes?
Will you get to the point, Jimmy?
Parker isn't Parker.
According to the social security number you gave me, his name's Steve Lubell.
He was a corn farmer in Wisconsin, and he died 1 2 years ago.
Ah.
(BWWPlNG)
Whoops!
What's the matter?
We hit a little snag, McCall.
What snag?
The kind that definitely says, "l can't help you any longer."
Really?
Really.
Hello.
Hello, Robert.
Robert, I thought we had an agreement?
Remind me.
All right, you were going to stay away.
But I do. Well, I mean, I usually do.
Just occasionally our paths cross, like today.
I'm sorry, I don't know what you are talking about.
I'm talking about a man called John Parker.
I can't place the name.
No?
A friend of mine is being bothered by John Parker.
However, the police do not bother John Parker,
which leads me to suspect that he is being protected.
And there's only one group of people
who could exert such influence over the police,
and that is yours.
I then find out John Parker's social security number.
So I run it by, and lo and behold, it turns out
the number was assigned to a man who's been dead for 12 years.
So, I give it over to Karen,
she puts it through the machine
and up comes a flag on the file.
Then you come in through the door, looking all hot and bothered
and I start to think, "Hello, hello, there are some interesting questions here."
I can't give you any answers.
You've already given me one, now give me another.
Who the hell is John Parker?
Look, you know I can't tell you that.
Thank you, Karen.
Give me the information.
Robert, you know I can't do that.
Besides, I haven't got time. I've got to deal with Rashad.
I didn't know Rashad was in New York.
Along with half his African delegation.
Jason is not exactly a field operative.
Anyway, I won't trust this to anybody else.
Just keep Parker, whoever he is,
off the girl.
Because, you see, if she is hurt in any way,
there is nothing that will stop me from going after him.
Not even you, old friend.
Twenty-three thousand, two hundred and forty...
That must have been a terrific luncheon, huh?
That's the attendance.
Oh.
(PHONW RlNGlNG)
Beth Mackie.
Beth, it's Cynthia.
Cynthia!
This is a great connection, you sound like you're just around the corner.
That's because I practically am.
You're in New York?
Well, the business needed me back here for couple of days
and seeing as what you said about Mr. Parker, I thought I'd go and check on him.
Did you?
Yes, no one answered when I knocked,
so I let myself in with my key.
He was in there, Beth.
You won't believe what he was doing.
Well, what did you see?
(STAMMWRlNG) I can't tell you now.
Can you meet me in the park?
Well, sure, I can meet you, but...
I've got to go, Beth. The carousel in an hour.
Beth!
Oh, Cynthia.
Am I glad to see you.
Cynthia, you look terrible. What did Parker do to you?
He didn't do anything to me. I was coming in the door and he saw me.
I got out of there before he could.
It's just awful. All right, take it easy.
Calm down. Take a deep breath. Okay.
Tell me what happened. All right.
I was opening the door... And I just can't believe it.
I got in there, and he was...
(GASPS)
(WXCLAlMlNG)
Oh, my God! Cynthia.
(PANTlNG)
Help!
(GUNSHOT)
(GASPS)
Help me, help me! Please, help me!
Help! Taxi!
OFFlCWR: Now let me get this straight. This happened in broad daylight?
Now, I know you guys think that I make most of this up as I go along.
But that just isn't true.
I really see things.
I really do.
You want to think I'm nuts? Fine, fine, go ahead, think I'm nuts.
But this time you're gonna see I have absolute proof.
She fell dead into your arms?
Yeah, right, and then the guy took a shot at me.
Miss, would you mind waiting here for a minute?
So what have you guys got?
Yeah.
Listen,
there's no body over there.
I can't believe it.
I'm sorry, I really am.
But try to look at it from my point of view.
You say that Parker killed your friend, right?
Yes! Yes!
Okay, okay.
Only one big problem, big problem.
You didn't see Parker.
Yes, I did. I know that I didn't see him, but I know it was him...
I can't just walk up and accuse the man.
Now what I could do is check out your friend Cynthia.
Wxcept no one has reported her missing as of yet,
except for... I... I did!
I know, I know, you reported her as being dead.
Wxcept we don't have a body,
and it's damned difficult to start a murder investigation without one!
Wxcuse me, lsadore,
you're just up here on the corner, is that right?
What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's good.
Look, Miss Mackie,
I am sorry, I really am.
But there's not much more that we can do.
I wish there were.
I hope you believe me.
Watch yourself, watch yourself.
You don't believe me either, do you?
Of course I believe you.
Parker is an extremely dangerous man.
I believe at the moment he is about to start cleaning something up.
I have to make sure that you're not one of the things he cleans up.
You'll be safe here.
One more flight.
Are you sure this is really necessary?
(BUZZlNG) Absolutely.
This is very nice.
Okay, okay, so it's nice.
I could give an elegant dinner party here.
If I wanted.
But it's not what I want.
Beth, you asked for my help.
I'm helping you and I'm doing it my own way.
I realize you're ambitious, you want to succeed.
And I'm sure you will.
But only if you stay alive.
So trust me.
Take it easy. You're overreacting, Robert.
Overreacting?
A friend of mine is being attacked by a man under your protection,
and I'm overreacting?
Look, it's time you let it go
before there is such a mess that you can't clean it up.
The man attempted to kill the girl.
He's already killed her friend.
Did you sanction that?
Of course I didn't sanction it!
Then give him up. I mean, who the hell is he anyway?
Showen.
Well, I know him by reputation.
Thought he always worked overseas.
That's where he was when we caught up with him, yeah.
Oh, I see. I see. So you put him under the witness program,
gave him a new identity, eh?
That's right.
Now what could an assassin like that possibly have
that you want so very badly?
Montand.
Oh, now I know you're being ridiculous.
Montand's dead.
No, that's what Montand's people want you to think.
Actually, he is still the single largest
supplier of narcotics in Wurope.
Look, nobody in your whole damned organization has ever seen Montand.
That's where Showen or Parker comes in. He's done a couple of jobs for Montand.
He can finger him for us.
Oh, I see. Oh, that's what it's all about.
The lesser of two evils, is it?
You let one madman run loose around the streets
while you hope that the other one will turn up, if he does.
Oh, he'll show up. The man that your girl saw beaten up,
he's a buyer for Montand. Parker's confirmed it.
The man who the girl saw coming out of Parker's apartment,
the one with the duffel bag, is he one of yours?
Him I do not know, Robert.
Control,
Parker is playing both sides.
You don't know that.
Oh, come on, Control, you are clutching at straws.
One more innocent person dies, you'd never forgive yourself.
You don't know that Parker was responsible for that girl.
You do not know it!
And you don't know that he isn't!
All right.
Are you going to roll it up?
All right, all right. I'll roll it up.
But not right now.
I have to escort Rashad to the embassy this afternoon.
Tomorrow, you bring Parker in tomorrow.
All right, I will bring him in tomorrow.
Believe that when I've seen it.
MAN ON TV: And he issued a statement praising the panel's work.
He said they had increased the public's knowledge of organized crime.
In local news, the commissioner announced today
that the new subway service plan
could not be implemented until the Transit Authority's
funding problems were resolved.
Negotiations between the Transit Authority and the city council are still pending.
Another item just in. The body of a man was dragged from the East River
early this morning. Shot execution style.
He's been identified as Angel Fiskus, a suspected weapons dealer.
The police have no leads as to who is responsible for Fiskus' death at this time,
but an investigation is under way.
In other news, the mayor stated at his press conference today
(TURNS OFF TV) that the fiscal...
Fiskus, you want something Fiskus?
Calm down.
Bang!
(PHONW RlNGlNG)
Sports desk.
BETH: Dack.
Beth, where've you been? Barclay's climbing the walls.
Well, he'll have to climb the walls a little longer.
Look, I need you to run down a story for me.
Hey.
See what we've got on an arms dealer by the name of Fiskus.
Yeah, okay, it'll take a few minutes.
I have to call you back.
I've gotta go check out something at Parker's apartment.
Beth, Beth, don't you think you should...
Dack, don't try to talk me out of this.
I'm finally on to something here.
But I've got to go check it out before it slips through the cracks.
I'll call you back.
Beth! Wait!
Beth.
Thanks.
(PHONW RlNGlNG)
Beth Mackie's desk.
Is she there, please?
No, she isn't. Who's this?
McCall, my name's Robert McCall.
Oh, right. The guy from the ad.
That's right, yes.
You're Dack? Yes, I am. What's going on?
Can you tell me, has she called in?
A while ago. Actually, I thought
you were Beth calling me back for some information.
And what information did she want?
About some gun dealer that was murdered this morning.
Gun dealer? What gun dealer?
Some guy named Fiskus.
Mr. McCall, you there? Mr. McCall?
My God.
Fiskus.
(DOOR LOCK CLlCKlNG)
"Sorry, McCall, had to go."
Had to go where?
Back to her apartment. That would seem right. Had to go to the apartment.
McCALL: But why now?
Parker, Fiskus.
Fiskus.
Gun dealer.
Assassin.
What was it Parker said to her?
He was thrilled because this was exactly where he wanted to be.
This is where I want to be?
Why does he want to be in that apartment?
He wants to be in that apartment because it's opposite a consulate.
I have to escort Rashad to the consulate today.
(SlRWNS WAlLlNG)
McCALL: Parker has himself planted across the street.
My God, it's Rashad! Rashad!
(ALL SHOUTlNG)
(GASPS) You!
Couldn't leave it alone, could you?
No, look, wait.
Please! Wait!
(TlRWS SCRWWCHlNG)
Damn!
Get him down! Get him inside!
Get him down!
(PWOPLW SHOUTlNG)
PARKWR: Move!
Come on!
Parker!
Beth.
I was right, wasn't l?
You were right.
OFFlCWR 1: Joe, in here, in here.
JOW: He's up here? Okay. Okay. In the hallway.
OFFlCWR 2: All right, get the floor sealed here. Make sure...
JOW: All right. Got it. Gotcha.
I suppose Parker was most specific
as to where he wanted to be relocated.
Parker will always go with the highest bidder.
He's been in place the whole time.
Maybe I'm getting too old to spot it, Robert.
Well, if you're getting too old, where does that leave me?
Hmm?
I owe you a drink.
Fine.
You didn't answer my question.
You didn't want an answer to that question.
Wxcuse me, gentlemen.
Beth.
BWTH: How do you like that? By Max Flynn.
I get the story and I'm rewritten.
Well, what the hell.
Couldn't have printed the whole thing anyway.
You know, I was sworn to secrecy by those agents.
Listen,
do you think that,
well, maybe I could interview them?
I mean, I wouldn't use anybody's name or anything.
No, I don't think so.
Oh.
Okay, well, I suppose not.
Well, anyway, Bry's gonna let me try my hand
at some harder news stories here,
so looks like I'm kind of on my way.
I'm glad to hear it.
Oh.
Well, what's this?
A telegram I just got from Texas.
I contacted some people down there,
gave them a report on your latest situation.
They seemed suitably impressed.
Your son Josh is coming to New York for a visit.
I don't know how I'm ever gonna thank you for everything.
Well, you can thank me by making sure that my name is never mentioned
in any of your stories.
Well, we can still run the ad, can't we?
Oh, sure. I wouldn't have it any other way.