The Midnight Man (1974) - full transcript
An ex-con, once a cop, now working as security in a college, decides to investigate the murder of one of the students, a daughter of a senator.
...checking by Hartel. And it's
really getting rough down there.
Sean on the corner,
one bounce pass to Milton.
Taggers are standing around.
Sean loses Graper, pass from Milton,
Sean lays it up and in.
87-89, the Anchors lead by two.
Rogers inbounds the ball
to Preston.
Ramsden steals the ball,
a beautiful pass to Milton,
up and in.
Ball via Rogers to Lawley,
dribbling down court,
checked by Sean,
shoots over Milton,
beautiful shot!
A picture play.
Alright, boys,
put the guns down.
I'm a police officer.
What do you know? A rent-a-cop
from up at the college.
You ain't even a real pig.
No gun either?
How's anyone supposed to know
you're a cop?
You got to wear this badge
where folks can see it.
I'm gonna pin this to your nose.
Alright, come on!
Hold still, everybody,
the fun's over!
OK, boys, let's get on with it.
The cash register, open it up!
Move!
- How are you?
- Fine, just fine.
- You look good.
- You look beautiful.
Everything looks beautiful.
That's where you'll be working.
Green. Lots of green.
- How's Quartz?
- In the hospital.
- What?
- He got his leg broke.
- How did it happen?
- Get in the car, I'll tell you.
Got a nurse under there?
Hey, Jim!
Goddamn.
You made it.
How about that?
But I'll be out by tomorrow.
You wouldn't be here
if you hadn't made that asshole play.
You know how it is,
once a cop, always a cop.
- Gee, it's good to see you out.
- Good to be out.
Sit down, let me look at you.
Hey, by God.
- You look just like an ex-con.
- I am.
By the way, you can start
at the college any time you want.
The sooner the better.
You got the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
It's a horseshit job, Jim.
- Same as yours.
- Me, hell, I'm Chief.
Got me a car, an office,
don't have to wear no monkey suit.
- And you hate it.
- I had to do something.
Damn farm was eating up
all my retirement pay.
I was born down here. Hell, in those
days, a farmer could make out, but...
Mr Willinger,
you get back in bed!
Yes, ma'am.
See you, Chief.
OK, Terry,
see you same time next month.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Jimmy, what are you doing here?
- What happened?
- Could I talk to you, Mrs Thorpe?
Yeah, sure, come in.
Are you Mr Slade?
- Yes, ma'am.
- I'll be with you in a minute.
You tell him to call me back
as soon as he's off the line.
I'm sorry about this, Jimmy.
Go back to work,
I'll take care of it, OK?
- Stay cool.
- Thanks, Mrs Thorpe.
Mr Slade, you can come in now.
Pull up a chair.
- Would you like some coffee?
- No, thanks.
- Cigarette?
- Thank you, no.
- Well, how does it feel to be out?
- Feels good.
- You're staying with the Willingers?
- Yes.
Nice people.
How's Quartz getting on?
- Fine. He'll be home today.
- He's a brave man.
Hello?
Yes, Jack, I want to talk to you.
Jimmy Gill was just here.
Jack, I was there!
No, not later, right now!
Damn it.
Be back in a minute.
Morning, Linda.
Your fat-headed deputy
roughed up Jimmy Gill.
- Wait a minute.
- No. You should see that kid's face.
He probably got smart-ass.
- Virgil's a sadist and you know it!
- Virgil's got to do his job.
Anyone spits on the sidewalk,
you roust one of my people.
- Car 22's on the horn.
- Alright.
For Christ's sake, Linda, we ain't
talking about, what's-his-name...
Martin Luther King. Jimmy Gill's
been up for armed robbery.
- He's also on parole.
- Yeah, I know.
He has the same rights
as any other citizen.
OK, OK,
I'll look into it.
Alright, Jack,
but I'm warning you.
If your people keep harassing mine,
I'll take it upstairs.
Have a nice day.
That's what happens when they
put a broad in a man's job.
Broad, my ass. She's got
a bigger pecker than you have.
Mr Slade!
Mr Slade!
You seemed busy.
I know, I'm sorry.
We can talk now.
Mrs Thorpe, I think I can save you
a little time. I know the rules.
"Upon release, report to
your parole officer." I have.
"Only with their permission
can you leave the county
or change your address.
Any change in employment
must be approved.
You shall not consume
alcoholic beverages to excess.
You shall not possess
or traffic in narcotic drugs.
You shall not possess or use
any deadly weapons or firearms."
- Wait, where are we going?
- To catch my bus.
"You shall not operate any motor
vehicle without a drivers license
and the written permission
of your parole officer."
- And that about covers it.
- Except for one thing.
"You shall not associate
with former inmates
or individuals of bad character."
- I'll have to make new friends.
- I think you will.
See you.
- Good morning, Jim.
- Good morning, Sam.
- Cold night, wasn't it?
- Damn cold.
Nights like that, you should stretch
out on a cot in the boiler room.
If I did,
somebody'd steal the school.
And thou shalt not enter into
Heaven anything that defile it.
And the Lord spake unto Moses
saying,
the nakedness of thy father
or the nakedness of thy mother
shalt thou not uncover.
Mr Ewing.
I have to ask you
to turn that down.
The nakedness of thy father's
wife shalt thou not uncover.
It is wickedness.
That's the Lord's work, Mr Slade.
There've been complaints
from the girls' dormitory.
Them's the sinners that
should heed the word.
Thank you.
Damned whores.
- What are you laughing at?
- A damn fool.
No reason not to stay in shape.
You might fall
and break your other leg.
The hell I will! I'll be back on the
job next week. You watch this.
See you at the house.
Morning, sir.
- You're new here.
- Yes, sir. I started Tuesday.
I'm Dr Pritchett. How long is it
since you checked this building?
About an hour ago.
I was opening up
and I noticed that door.
Somebody's broken in.
Some tape recordings are missing.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, I locked them in the desk.
- Somebody's stolen them.
- I'll notify the Sheriff's office.
I'd rather you wouldn't.
Dean Collins doesn't like
police on the campus,
they can be a disturbing influence.
Mr Willinger's always dealt
with these things.
The tapes had no value, I don't
know why anyone would steal them.
What kind of tapes were they?
My department offers
psychological counseling.
Not as complex as psycho-therapy,
but the same technique.
A student without an appointment
can get things off his chest on tape.
- 3 tapes were left yesterday.
- Have you played them?
No, I had some papers to grade.
- Do you know whose tapes they were?
- Yes.
I jotted their names
down here someplace.
Yes. Here they are.
- One of them changed their mind.
- What do you mean?
Didn't want you to play it,
so took all three.
I doubt it. They knew if they called,
I'd destroy it without listening to it.
I've got an early class.
They'll have to be notified.
Maybe I can help.
Would you like me to tell them?
- That'd be most helpful. Thank you.
- Doctor.
Oh, shit!
Did you tell anyone you made it?
I don't tell people
I need psych counseling.
- How about your boyfriend?
- Harry?
- He doesn't know I made it.
- Did you talk about him?
He is all I talked about.
My God, now it'll be all over campus.
Jesus, Harry will kill me!
Shit!
Those tapes were supposed
to be confidential!
What the hell do I care?
It's all bullshit anyway.
You know why I made those tapes?
'Cause I like to
put that phony Pritchett on.
Think I'm worried about
that mini-skirted cheerleader
letting that Neanderthal fullback
ball her in the back of his Pontiac?
Well it just turns me on
to blow smoke up Pritchett's ass.
Once I told him I was queer
for diseased owls
and the fat creep bought it.
- Mark Antony!
- Excuse me, sir.
I really can't see anybody
breaking a lock to get my tape.
Was the lock broken?
- I'm psychic.
- You don't seem very upset.
I'm not, it was mostly poetry,
my own.
I thought Dr Pritchett might
learn something about me from it.
I think it was your tape
the thief was after.
- Why do you say that?
- You're much too cool.
The other two took it hard. I have
to believe nobody wants anything
as intimate as a talk with
a psychologist exposed.
Amazing, Mr Holmes.
There was more
than poetry on your tape.
- And you know who took it.
- Fuck off.
Natalie Clayborne?
Phillip Clayborne's daughter.
State Senator.
Pretty near runs the state,
supposed to be next in line
for governor. Loaded.
Maybe there's a blackmail angle.
Jim, them tapes is gonna
turn out to be kids' stuff.
Hell, man. This is Jordan,
it ain't Chicago.
Morning!
Don't get up.
Well, this is a wholesome
little domestic scene.
- A joy to a parole officer's heart.
- You're just in time for lunch.
No, thanks. This visit is official,
to check Mr Slade's living quarters.
Jesus, Judy, get rid of the heroin
and them broads.
Come on in.
- Who's her husband?
- Ain't one. Divorced.
- She from around here?
- Chicago.
Chicago?
She came here about a year ago.
- Who's she living with?
- You dig her, don't you?
- Don't you?
- Well, as far as I know,
she lives alone.
- What a waste.
- I agree.
Here's a present for her.
Wait till she tastes these.
I caught thirty last week.
- You've done wonders with the place.
- Thanks.
- Sure you won't stay for lunch?
- We gonna get to keep him?
For the time being.
I'll take a rain check on the lunch.
- Anytime.
- That's what you're missing.
I caught them last week. If you let
them thaw, don't refreeze them.
Yes, I will. Bye, Judy.
- Bye.
- Mr Slade.
- How's it going?
- Fine, got my driver's license.
- Good.
- Still need your written permission.
Go ahead and drive,
I'll mail it to you.
How's the job?
It's OK.
- Not exactly like police work, is it?
- No, ma'am, it's a night watch.
- Made any friends?
- Met a few people.
Any female?
Just you.
- See you at the office on Tuesday.
- Yes, ma'am.
Come on, Natalie, get in.
I've got to wait awhile.
I've got a mid-term in the morning.
Will you get in?
There's somebody I've got to see.
What have you been doing
for the last hour?
Dreaming, of a white Christmas.
OK, Clayborne, who is he?
None of your business.
Goddamn you!
You're supposed to be
back on campus by 12.
- You gonna fink on me?
- I should.
Bastard.
Hey, pour me another.
You do, and I'll break your arm.
What are you doing in town
at this hour?
- You tell me, Dick Tracy.
- You're after that tape.
Did you get it?
Miss Clayborne, why don't you
tell me who took that tape?
No.
No.
Alright, no more questions.
Come on. I'll drive you home.
You've got to be in by 12
and I've got to be at work
or we're both in trouble.
Hello?
He's just coming in, hang on.
What happened to you?
- I fell on my ass. Who's that?
- Dean Collins.
OK. Yes, sir?
What?
Is my man there?
Listen, Jim.
I'll notify the Sheriff's office.
You stand by till Casey gets there.
What is it?
- A coed's been killed.
- My God!
This is Betty Childres.
She discovered the body.
I know you've had a shock, but
if there's anything you can tell us.
I came to wake Natalie.
We had an early class.
She didn't answer when I knocked,
so I tried the door.
It was unlocked,
so I came in
and I found her like that.
How well did you know
Miss Clayborne?
I suppose I knew her
as well as anybody.
Up until a few months ago
I was her roommate.
She was a moody girl, strange.
In what way?
I don't know,
she wouldn't talk much.
- You want to go to your room, Betty?
- No, I'm alright.
- You were her roommate?
- Yes.
- Why did you leave?
- Natalie asked me to.
It wasn't me or anything like that.
She just wanted more privacy.
- She have any boyfriends?
- She saw a lot of one boy.
- Arthur King.
- Anybody else?
If there was somebody else,
she never mentioned him.
But she never let a boy
come up to the room.
- Who's Waldo Mason?
- A professor. He teaches Law.
The Sheriff is on his way up.
He'll ask you a few questions,
but don't be frightened.
- Who found her?
- Miss Childress.
- You people touch anything?
- No, Sheriff.
Alright boys, get busy.
I don't know you.
You new here?
- I'm on the midnight shift.
- I sent for Mr Slade.
Oh, yeah, Slade.
One of Linda Thorpe's parolees.
- Chicago cop, aren't you?
- Yes, sir.
- I heard about you.
- We're aware of Mr Slade's record.
- Who else is here at night?
- Just the janitor.
The gardener comes on at six.
- Dig them up.
- Yes, sir.
They sure let those kids run wild.
Ten to one she's knocked up.
- Check that out, Doc.
- Just one, please.
Get him out of here.
Close the door.
- How'd you happen to find her?
- I already told Mr Slade.
You can go.
Don't get lost,
I'd like to talk to you later.
Alright, honey,
let's start from the beginning.
- Come in, Slade.
- You wanted to talk to me.
Sit down.
Come on, sit down.
Now, you tell us about that stuff.
They's just some rags I picked out
of a trash barrel to clean up with.
Notice that stuff's been
pawed over a lot?
What would they make
of that in the big city?
- The same thing you'd make of it.
- Take a look at that.
I read the Good Book. I preach
the Gospel when the spirit moves me.
I'm innocent of crime
in the sight of the Lord.
Sit down and shut up.
He's a lay preacher from
one of them crackpot churches.
Found some religious literature
and junk,
some not so religious.
That's the filth they use to corrupt
the minds of American youth.
I show it to my congregation.
I denounce the sinners who peddle it.
I'll bet you do.
I bet you boys sit around,
cluck your tongues and get bug-eyed
and work yourselves up
into a good holy sweat.
- As God is my witness.
- You're gonna need him.
Found his prints
all over the murder room.
- Wouldn't that figure?
- Him being the janitor?
That's right.
Half the snails in that dorm
found him swiping their underwear
after they hung it out to dry.
You caught a dirty old man.
- I caught myself a murderer.
- No!
You did yourself a little window
shopping in that dorm last night.
There was a light on
in the Clayborne girl's room.
The harlot's room.
You had your eyes on that girl.
She looked all honey and innocent
on the outside,
but you knew her mind and body
were a full of sin as Satan's heart.
So you went
and knocked on the door,
told her you were there
to fix the plumbing.
Probably had a wrench in your hand
to make it more convincing.
So she let you in.
And you made your pitch.
But she called you a raunchy pervert,
not the Lord's good right hand.
And then she screamed, and you
cold-cocked her with the wrench.
No.
You gave her the punishment
the Lord intended.
No.
- Didn't you?
- No!
Take him in, Virgil.
Now all we need is the wrench.
It'll turn up somewhere.
- Can I go now, Sheriff?
- Yeah.
You don't think
that's our man?
No, I don't.
- Ten to one he is.
- You got a bet, Sheriff.
Just don't underestimate Casey,
he ain't no fool.
He won't go to trial without tying
the janitor to the murder weapon.
- He hasn't found one.
- Casey's a mean bastard.
If he has to, he'll plant a wrench
with the janitor's prints on it.
- I don't believe Ewing did it.
- Maybe not.
What do you make of this?
- What the hell is that?
- Found it in her room. It's a poem.
- What does it mean?
- I was afraid you'd ask that.
You two sound just like the old days.
You know how it is.
Once a cop...
Always a cop. I know,
that's how you broke your leg.
And that's how you
can break your parole.
Jim, she's right.
- I keep forgetting.
- Well, don't.
And if you say "once a cop"
once again...
I'm gonna hit you with this pot.
- Arthur King?
- Yeah.
Thought you might like
to have this.
What is it?
An unfinished poem
of Natalie Clayborne's.
- This isn't her handwriting.
- I copied it from her notebook.
- I thought it might be meant for you.
- Why?
It was written to a lover.
I understand you saw a lot of her.
Have you ever heard
of the generation gap?
- Yeah.
- Well, it just got wider.
Fuck off.
- That's what Natalie told me to do.
- What is this? What are you after?
- Her killer.
- The Sheriff got him.
I don't think so. I think it was
whoever she was writing to.
She sure wasn't writing it to me.
Whoever killed her,
I'd sure like to nail 'em.
Why? What's it to you?
You're no cop.
Force of habit, I guess.
Something about that kid.
She seemed... lost.
- How well did you know her?
- You mean was I balling her?
The answer's no. No one was
getting to Natalie that way.
How about this... Janus?
Janus.
The Roman god with two faces.
Whoever she was writing this to
betrayed her.
And Mytilene?
Mytilene. Greek, I think.
Natalie was hooked
on mythology.
You drive a red van, I believe.
Yeah, with a Ying Yang flag.
I drove Natalie home the night
you stranded her in Jordan City.
- Where did you go?
- Back here to cram.
- Alone?
- Yeah.
- That's bad, son. No alibi.
- What's your alibi?
- You drove her home?
- Yeah.
You were the last one to see her.
You won't like this,
but you'd make one hell of a cop.
Thanks for the information.
Professor Mason?
I wonder if I could...
Oh, you're Slade, the new man.
Come on in. Come in.
Dean Collins and I were chatting
about you last night.
You have a very interesting
background.
You investigating
the Clayborne girl's killing?
- The Sheriff is investigating.
- Yes, I understand, perfectly.
I'm something of
an amateur sleuth myself.
I read the papers,
look for clues between the lines.
Like that book, you're wondering
how it got there.
No, I know how it got here.
I was wondering why Betty Childress
took it out of Natalie's room.
And how it got into
Natalie's room in the first place.
- Excellent. Coffee?
- No, thanks.
Do go on.
Let's see your deductive powers.
This place looks like
a coed trap to me.
Natalie's been here,
you lent her this book.
Betty saw the book in her room
and realized it tied you to Natalie.
She was afraid the Sheriff might
spot it, so she brought it back.
She cared so much about you,
she was crying just now as she left.
She was jealous.
My God, a regular PhD
of a night watchman.
Listen, I teach law mostly,
but also criminology and penology,
my real interests.
How about you giving some guest
lectures? It'd be a breeze for you.
Make them question and answer
sessions if you like.
Were you playing around
with Betty Childress?
- No gentleman would answer that.
- You just did.
Touche.
How about Natalie?
Mr Slade, I am a connoisseur
of young girls.
Not statutory rape young,
but young.
However, it was Natalie
who chased after me.
- She was in love with you?
- Hell no.
Had some crazy idea
I might be her father.
Father?
I don't think
I want to get into that.
- You started the game, Professor.
- So I did.
Does that oblige me to finish it?
Natalie's mother and I,
20 years ago, were students here.
She was quite a swinger.
She left college to marry Clayborne
and gave birth to Natalie and...
killed herself
not too long afterward.
- Could you have been the father?
- I'm afraid not.
The dates make that quite impossible.
It's the craziest hang-up I ever saw.
In my judgment, not so much
that she wanted me to be her father,
she wanted Philip Clayborne
not to be.
Hated him.
Hated him.
Wouldn't take his money, lived on
a trust fund her mother left her.
Any of this helping you?
Professor,
this painting, signature K.M.
- You know whose it is?
- Karl Metterman.
He's the local Rembrandt.
He teaches part time art classes,
runs an arty-farty little gallery
down in Jordan City.
I gather you don't think
the janitor killed Natalie?
No, I don't.
Any idea who?
You, maybe.
Why me?
Natalie made a tape
for Dr Pritchett.
If she named you on it as her lover,
it'd play hell with your career.
That's rather loose talk.
You could get to be
quite a nuisance, Mr Slade.
I'm going to give you a little
free legal counsel.
As an ex-cop, I'm sure you know
that criminal libel is a felony.
And you are an ex-con
and you are on parole.
Thanks for the information
and of course, for the advice.
Did you know Slade was with
Clayborne the night of the murder?
- No.
- Well, neither did I.
- He never said a thing about it.
- Did you ask him?
Come on, you know better than that.
He should've told me. He's an ex-cop.
So what, if the janitor did it?
I'm just telling you
that when I get around to Slade
I don't want any squawks
about rousting your people.
- Mr Lamar.
- Hello, Sheriff.
Quartz? Linda Thorpe.
Has Jim Slade left?
He's not due until six,
but I wanted a word with him.
It'll keep till he gets here.
OK. See you soon.
- Problems?
- The usual.
This is a pleasant surprise.
What are you doing here?
Something not so pleasant.
Just paid my taxes.
You are coming by later, aren't you?
Of course.
- Hello.
- Hello. Am I late?
Not a bit.
Eddie Lamar, Jim Slade.
- Mr Slade.
- Lamar's. I've passed your place.
- Next time, drop in for a drink.
- I will.
- See you later.
- Bye, Eddie.
Let's walk.
- He's a good looking man.
- Isn't he?
- Boyfriend?
- He's married.
- Boyfriend?
- I like him.
I've been worried about you.
Casey says you were with the girl
the night of the murder.
She was stoned.
I drove her back to the dorm.
- Great.
- It seemed the least I could do.
Mr Slade, being a good Samaritan
is a luxury a parolee can't afford.
Especially with a mixed-up kid
like Natalie Clayborne.
You knew her?
I was her probation officer for
3 months on a marijuana rap.
I handle things like that, the Dean
keeps it out of the Sheriff's office.
Did you get to know her well?
Not really. She never talked
about herself much.
Casey's gonna give you trouble.
If it gets too rough,
I want you to come to me.
Thank you, I will.
Is that all?
- Yes, I think so. Good night.
- Good night.
Yes, Mr Slade, I've been teaching
at Jordan for the past 20 years.
And I've been painting Jordan coeds
in the nude even longer than that.
Ever since I was an art major.
But what you
really want to know
is whether it was at their request
or mine. Am I right?
No, sir. That would be
none of my business.
- Drink?
- No, thanks.
Artists do not always have
affairs with their models.
I painted Natalie because
she had a Rubinesque body,
full and satisfying,
like her mother's.
Who I also painted when
we were students here. Nude.
Did Natalie know that?
Now you're going to ask me if I
had an affair with Natalie's mother.
- No, sir.
- Yes, but it crossed your mind.
In fact, Natalie was quite
obsessed with that.
That was the real reason
she came to pose for me.
It fascinated her to think
that I might be her father.
- You ever had that problem?
- No, sir.
I didn't think so.
Good night, Mr Slade.
That's 9.75, Mrs Thorpe.
Will that be charge?
- Yes, please.
- 419 Elm, I believe.
Mrs Thorpe.
- Something wrong?
- No, nothing.
- Were you waiting for me?
- Where's your car?
I only live a block from here.
I'll walk you home. Which way?
How did you get into parole work?
How did you become a policeman?
My father was a cop
and his father before him.
Did you like it?
It's what I did best. I never
thought of doing anything else.
No dreams of fame and fortune?
You don't have to stop at detective
sergeant unless you shoot a man.
That doesn't seem like you.
A cop lives 24 hours a day
with violence.
- You get used to violence.
- Yes, you do.
I was married for three years
to a gangster.
You name the racket,
Jerry was in it.
- Must've been tough.
- Not at all.
I knew when I married him,
from the beginning.
There was plenty of money,
we lived the good life. I liked it.
- But you divorced him.
- He was an animal.
419 Elm, Leroy.
So I drifted for awhile. London,
Paris, New York, Las Vegas.
When I ran out of money,
I decided I better get to work.
Parole officer is appointive here,
not Civil Service.
I had influential friends, so my past
associations didn't get in the way.
They figured I had
so many criminal friends
I'd know how to deal with them.
Here we are.
Thanks for the company.
- Good night.
- Know what'd be nice?
If you invited me in for a drink.
Alright, Jim.
Kitchen's in there.
Hit the lights, Charlie!
- Jesus, I think you killed him.
- Well, I couldn't see.
She squirms like a worm,
juicy too.
- Where are we going to do it to her?
- In the bedroom.
- Me first.
- Like hell, Cash. I'm first.
You and Cash flip a coin
for second. I'm first.
Jesus Christ!
My God.
Are you alright?
- I'm OK.
- Let's go inside.
- I'm going to call a doctor.
- That's alright. It's just a cut.
Sit down.
Those were the same three that
beat up Quartz at Lamar's.
They got a bracelet from me and I
saw a woman in the market with it.
She must've got my address
from the clerk.
- I think they were after me.
- You?
I've been asking
too many questions.
What have you been up to?
Talking to a few people
about the Clayborne murder.
Jim, listen to me.
You're not a cop anymore.
I want you to go to Casey
and tell him everything you know
and stop behaving
like a goddamn fool.
OK.
I'm sorry, I...
I haven't even thanked you
for what you did.
It'd be nice if you'd give me
that drink you promised me.
Yes. You sit here
and I'll get dressed.
I'll take you to the hospital
to get that cut closed.
And then, you're going to Casey.
Alright.
Can't say I blame them.
Linda's a good looking broad.
- I want them guns dusted for prints.
- Now, wait a minute.
They called each
other by their first names.
Leroy, Cash and Charlie.
They weren't afraid of being made.
- Like they had connections.
- Damn you.
No hood's got connections
in this county.
I ought to lock you up.
Go ahead.
I'd probably be a lot safer.
I damn well will, unless you got
the right answers to my questions.
Where did you take the girl
after you left the bar?
Senator Clayborne's here, Sheriff.
- I'll get to you later.
- You know where to find me.
- Senator, I'm Sheriff Casey.
- My secretary, Mr Swanson.
The janitor you've arrested.
I want to see him, alone.
Yes, sir.
If you're looking for that wrench,
Sheriff's been over here already.
Yeah, I know. He gave me permission
to go through all this stuff.
Maybe I can help.
What are you looking for?
Well, you never know
what's gonna turn up.
Like a tape recording?
I think you better
have a talk with my boss.
What do you know
about that tape?
It's alright, go ahead.
I believe your daughter
was murdered for it.
So do I. And I don't believe
it was the janitor.
- Do you know what was on that tape?
- No, sir.
- Does the Sheriff?
- I don't think so.
You don't seem like
a mere night watchman.
My name is Slade, sir.
I'm an ex-cop, Homicide.
Retired?
Busted.
I did time, I'm on parole.
- I shot a man.
- In the line of duty?
In my wife's bed.
I got a letter from my daughter
post marked the day
before she was killed.
She was upset about something
she'd put on that tape.
She was afraid the thief
would try to blackmail me.
Natalie got into trouble
when she was 15,
I had the option of letting her
pay the penalty or buying her out.
I bought.
It was the kind of fix my political
enemies could make much of.
I want that tape.
I don't care how I get it.
If it's evidence in a murder case,
it'll be turned over to the D.A.
I'll worry about the D.A.
As Natalie's father, that tape
is now legally my property.
I'm not satisfied with the way
this case has been handled,
I want you to work on it.
I can't do that,
I'm a parolee.
Mr Slade, I have considerable
influence in this state
and I can be a generous man
when I get what I want.
- What time are you off duty?
- 8 a.m.
I'm staying at Colonel Cravet's
cottage on the lake. I'll expect you.
Good night.
Mr Slade.
Congratulations.
Welcome aboard.
You're gonna accept now, aren't you?
Did you hear what I said in there?
I'm not sure that's wise,
there's a lot of money in this.
More than the Senator implied.
- Money.
- I thought that'd interest you.
I suggest you and I get together
and have a coffee and a talk,
just between the two of us.
Mr Swanson.
I don't know if you're on the take
or just testing me for the Senator,
but either way, I don't like it.
Since when does a secretary
carry an automatic?
- Wait till the Senator hears.
- I won't tell him.
Good morning.
You mean good evening.
- Where's Judy?
- Playing bridge.
- Sleep well?
- Not too bad.
Your headache better?
A little better.
Just how would you like
your egg, Mr Slade?
- Alright, Quartz, let's have it.
- Well, let's see, sir.
You had a number of phone calls.
Linda Thorpe
called to express her concern
for your health.
And Sheriff Casey called and said
he'd be desolated if you left town.
And Senator Clayborne
was deeply disappointed
you couldn't make your appointment
this morning.
And I haven't heard
from them three assholes
you spent such a lovely evening with
though I'm sure their get-well cards
is on the way.
And then there were calls from
more of your conquests, Arthur King,
- Professor Mason and Dr Pritchett.
- What the hell did they want?
It seems their pads were torn apart
and they figured it was you
looking for that tape.
Karl Metterman call?
No. Why?
- Can I borrow you car?
- Sure. What's going on?
Jim!
Mr Lamar.
Mr Lamar, telephone.
- Mr Slade.
- Yes.
I'm sorry to trouble you.
I'm trying to reach Mrs Thorpe
and there's no answer at her house.
I'm looking right at her.
Linda, it's for you.
- Hello?
- Linda, I'm in a jam.
Could you meet me in front
of the Clemons Motel in 30 minutes?
Alright, Jim.
He's in some kind of trouble.
- Sorry, I have to go.
- Can I help?
No, thank you.
I think I can handle it.
I'll be back, if it's not too late.
Cut your motor, your lights.
Linda, I'd like to borrow your car.
- Where's yours?
- Too easy to spot.
- Are you at this again?
- Somebody tried to kill me tonight.
They got the wrong guy.
I'm safe as long as they think
I'm dead. I've got to lay low.
- You're going straight to Casey.
- Like hell I am.
I sound like broken record.
You're an ex-con on parole.
I break my parole, I do 3 more years.
Tonight, I nearly did no more.
Jim, please, if you go on like this
I can't help you.
I'm sorry, but it's my neck
and I've got to do it my way.
I'm not going to work tonight.
Alright.
Thanks for coming down.
Sorry I broke your date.
Date?
When I called, you were
with Eddie Lamar.
- And that bothers you?
- I guess I'm old-fashioned.
Mr Slade, you're a damn fool.
Hello?
Yes, Eddie.
No. No. It's too late for that.
I'll see you tomorrow.
What?
Yes, Eddie,
I'm going straight to bed.
Morning, Senator.
We had an appointment yesterday,
it's a little late.
It's later than you think, sir.
Your boy Swanson is dead.
He was burglarizing everybody
who knew Natalie.
He wanted to hijack that tape
and blackmail you himself.
- Who killed him?
- Probably the people who left this.
- Excuse me.
- Yes, sir.
- It's blackmail, alright.
- How much?
250,000 dollars in cash
in exchange for the tape.
I'm to be at the Jordan City
bus terminal at noon.
- This is our chance to nail them.
- Yes.
Hello?
This is Senator Clayborne.
Who's this?
I see.
Yes. Yes, I understand.
Mr Slade, I've decided
to handle this myself.
- 'Cause of that call?
- I'm going to the bank.
I want your word
you won't follow me.
Alright, Senator.
Can I see that note?
The deal's off
if I involve anyone else.
I think you better go.
Alright, sir.
If that's the way you want it.
Morning, Sheriff.
Didn't hear you knock.
- Where's your car, Quartz?
- It's funny you should ask,
it was stolen last night.
- How come you didn't report it?
- What for?
Your boys couldn't find a turd
in a cow pasture.
We found it alright, with
a bullet hole in the windshield,
blood on the seat.
- Is Slade up there?
- Got a search warrant?
You touch that phone,
I'll get my shot gun.
Your status in here
is the same as that of a prowler.
Excuse me, please.
Hello?
Oh, yeah, Dean Collins.
He's been a little under the weather,
but he'll be back tonight.
- Who's there? Casey?
- Yes, sir.
I'm at Linda Thorpe's house.
Call me back.
I'll be glad to do that, Dean.
Jack, I'd like to get my car back
before your deputies strip it.
- Hello?
- Jim, where the hell have you been?
Great.
Now you can tail him.
I promised I wouldn't.
Well, I didn't.
And Clayborne don't know me.
What about your leg?
I'm tired of sitting around.
Don't worry about me, I'll be armed.
The note only takes him
to the bus station.
- After that, we don't know.
- I'll stick to him like plaster.
Alright, keep me posted.
Where do you think you're going
with that?
Hunting.
Final call for Vanceville,
Quarry, Central, Bradtown,
Payneburg, Charleston, Washington,
Baltimore, Philadelphia.
Final call.
Vanceville, please.
That'll be a dollar ninety.
Vanceville.
Hold it, driver.
I'm on the wrong bus.
- How did it go, Senator?
- Come on in.
- Well, the bastards delivered.
- Where, sir?
Behind a fireplace
in one of those roadside parks.
I left the money, drove away,
came back in an hour.
The money was gone
and this was there.
Mr Slade,
you've been very helpful.
I'll have my office send you a check
for your time and trouble.
You've still got a dead daughter.
I can't bring Natalie back
and neither can you.
I might bring in her killer
if I knew what was on that tape.
You'd better leave.
You wanted that tape bad,
but you wouldn't have paid
unless you knew
the blackmailer had it.
He had to give you some proof
that he knew what was on that tape.
And he did. It was in that payoff
note that you wouldn't show me.
You touch that note
and I'll kill you.
I never did believe that story
about fixing a rap.
She wouldn't have hated you
for that.
She tried to convince herself
other guys were her father.
I loved Natalie.
She was the only creature
on God's earth I've ever loved.
Once, I thought I loved
her stepmother, but...
I learned to hate her.
So did Natalie.
The night it happened,
I'd been drinking heavily.
I did a lot of that in those days.
I was in bed,
Natalie came in.
She took me in her arms
to comfort me.
I don't know how it happened.
I know that I...
started to make love to her.
When I realized what I was doing,
I stopped.
Do you understand?
I stopped.
This is Lester Pearlman,
Dr Pritchett.
Why do I dig that little cheerleader?
Why do I hate that big fullback?
Last night, I...
You paid 250,000 dollars
for that tape.
It's not the one you want.
They've still got that.
Casey's got a manhunt
going for you.
I might as well
go in and face him.
What happened?
I just left Clayborne.
He paid off, but got taken.
First, we're gonna go home
and have some supper.
When Casey gets his hands on you,
God knows when I'll see you again.
- Hello?
- I want to talk to Mr Slade.
Who's calling?
Jim, Arthur King.
- Hello?
- Hello, Mr Slade?
I know who Natalie's lover was.
The key was in that poem she wrote.
- Tell me.
- No.
- Meet me and I'll lay it out for you.
- Where are you?
Wait there, it'll take me
about half an hour.
- I got to go.
- Where?
- Campus Post Office.
- Post Office?
King thinks he knows
who Natalie's lover was.
- Who?
- He didn't say.
He might have something.
- I'll try to hurry back.
- Jim...
Be careful.
Well, well, looky here. I finally
caught you with your pants down.
Bullshit. I just got here.
- What are you doing here?
- I was cruising.
Got a call somebody heard
a shot here.
- Is he dead?
- He's dead.
Who is he?
- Arthur King.
- Caught him messing with the body.
King phoned me to meet him here.
He was dead when I arrived.
Slade, the death rate in this county
has tripled since you got here.
I found Swanson's body
in that motel room.
There's a hell of a lot going on
I don't know, but I think you do.
And I'm sure as hell gonna find out.
Take him in, Virgil.
What's the charge?
Book him
for assaulting an officer.
Take his car down
and impound it.
Hell, wait a minute.
It's Linda Thorpe's car.
Hell.
Right, Jack, he had my car.
Is there a law against that?
You haven't a damn thing on him.
I'm his alibi!
King phoned him here,
I was with him.
Release him at once,
or I'll start making phone calls.
- You been sprung
- By who?
Whom.
OK, Professor, whom?
I got orders from the Sheriff
to let you out.
- How come?
- You wanna stay?
Casey?
- We was smart to steal a cop car.
- Like hell you stole it.
Virgil let you take it
before he sprung me.
See now why we gotta kill him?
No, Cash. We'll take him
back to Nell's place.
I got to return Virgil's car.
You lay off him till I get back.
He's my meat.
Nell.
So this is the stallion that done
all the damage the other night.
He don't look like much to me.
You boys ought to be ashamed.
Damn it, Nell.
You want this half-wit to kill him?
Leroy said for us to wait.
You turn him loose,
I'll give you a show.
You couldn't whip a cripple. I'd beat
you without working up a sweat.
Cash!
You think we're all mush-brained?
You're just baiting him
so we'll turn you loose to fight.
We'll just put him on ice
till Leroy gets back.
Put him in the cellar, boys.
Goddamn, it's cold.
Alright, where is he?
In the cellar.
Let's get it over with.
Hell, Leroy,
he ain't going no place.
Shit.
- Where's your pals?
- They drunk up a storm last night,
didn't hardly give me a drop.
That whole time
I was studying on you.
- I ain't as dumb as they make out.
- Sure you're dumb.
Virgil gets the gravy,
you guys do the dirty work.
He don't neither.
We got a good deal with Virgil.
We can do anything we want to
and we don't get busted as long
as we do a few things for him.
Like what?
You hold still.
I'm gonna bust your arm
at the elbow.
It'll go just like kindling.
Leroy'll skin you alive for this.
I studied on that too.
They want a cripple for the fight
and that's just what
I'm fixing to give 'em.
Where's Cash?
He killed Cash.
He shot him!
He shot him dead.
Get the dog, Charlie.
He's in the barn, Leroy.
Go in and get him, Charlie.
Damn it, Nell. He's got a gun,
he shot Cash.
Give me a hand, Charlie.
- Son of a bitch killed the dog.
- Get your ass up there!
I'll cover the back.
Leroy!
He's in the tractor shed.
Kill him, Leroy!
Come here.
Give me that bracelet.
- Go.
- You gonna shoot me in the back?
I'm going to count from one to ten.
One,
two,
three, four,
five, six,
seven, eight
nine, ten.
Morning, Slade.
We got a thumbprint off the key
to Swanson's motel room.
It was yours.
You're under arrest.
I just killed three men, Casey.
I'm in no mood for any bullshit.
Where's Virgil?
Home, I guess.
He's off this morning.
Show me.
By God, you're right.
He's taking off.
Roger. Picked her up outside
a gas station near the state line.
You took a chance
letting her go.
I figured she'd be easy to spot.
Nobody quite like her.
I wanted to give her time
to tip off Virgil.
- Wanna let me in on the rest?
- You'll have it before the day's out.
Quit gabbing,
you're gonna lose him.
Slade, you ain't very good company.
Come on!
Don't say a damn word
till I talk to my lawyer.
- What can I book him for?
- Murder. He killed Swanson.
What about him?
Murder. He killed Arthur King.
Run a test on those guns,
they'll check out.
Well, Quartz, it's almost over.
I had a lot of time to think
last night in that cellar.
I could tie Virgil in
with those rednecks,
but what about Natalie,
Arthur King and Swanson?
Then it hit me.
I knew Virgil went to Metterman's
house to shoot me not Swanson.
Somebody set me up.
There was only one man who knew
I'd gone out there in your car.
It was you, Quartz.
It was crazy, didn't make sense.
I tried to lose it in the darkness,
but it wouldn't go away.
So I went back to the beginning
to see if I could make it fit.
I started with why you went
to Lamar's the night it was held up
without Judy.
It's not your kind of place.
Unless you were there for a meeting
with one of your partners, Lamar.
The hold up was just a bad break,
it took you out of action.
But with me around, you could
still stay on top of every angle.
You'd be the first to know
if anything went wrong
and I reported to you
like an ass-kissing rookie.
The jogging was perfect.
You came here early,
stole the tapes, then you jogged.
You had those tapes in your car
the morning you did your circus act.
When I found Natalie in the bar and
brought her to campus in hysterics
you were tipped off
and came up here to calm her down.
I figure you didn't mean
to kill her, just scare her.
But she threatened to blow
the whistle. You lost your head.
You hit her, with a crutch.
You're good with those crutches,
Quartz, damn good.
Following Clayborne on the payoff,
that was a nice touch,
it really had me fooled.
Unless after you lost him,
you got off the bus,
went back to your car and picked up
the money in the roadside park
where your note told Clayborne
to leave it.
It was 5 o'clock in the morning
by then, and Cash woke me up.
I knew I'd had a bad dream.
But when we took Clayborne's
money back from Lamar this morning,
Casey dusted it for prints.
It wasn't a dream, Quartz.
They were your prints.
You want to advise him
of his rights?
You're making the arrest, not me.
He's got a new mate.
Seems happier.
Yes. They get lonely.
Even as you and I.
- What can I do for you, Mr Slade?
- Tell me about Natalie Clayborne.
I think this is the one
you're looking for.
This is Natalie Clayborne,
Doctor
and what I'm about to tell you
I have only...
I see you've heard
from Eddie Lamar's lawyer.
Yes.
By the way...
You shouldn't have bothered.
It isn't worth much.
Now, how do you like that.
I went and killed three men for it.
I had it all wrapped up
this morning.
Only problem was telling you your
boyfriend was a blackmailing murderer.
There was one thing
that still bothered me.
This tape.
Not where it was hidden,
but who'd gotten close enough
to Natalie to get her to make it.
It could've been Dr Pritchett,
he could've lied about playing it,
faked the burglary.
But yesterday morning,
Clayborne got a call
just after I delivered
the blackmail note.
And all of a sudden,
he wanted to deal me out.
It was one of the blackmailers
and they thought I was dead.
I was the only one
who knew you weren't.
You were Natalie's
probation officer.
For three months.
You're good at getting
close to people.
You got close to me
in three days.
- I fell in love.
- With who? Me?
Eddie Lamar? Quartz?
Natalie?
When Arthur King called
you knew he was on to you.
So you called Lamar
and he got to the kid before I did.
- Can I mix you one?
- No, thank you.
He said he knew who
Natalie's lover was,
the key was in the poem.
Janus was a two-faced lover,
but I couldn't figure Mytilene.
I stopped at Dr Pritchett's
on my way here.
Mytilene is the modern name
for the Greek island of Lesbos
where Sappho and her Lesbians
did their thing.
Dr Pritchett said that because of
the experiences with her father,
Natalie could be a set up
for a relationship with a woman.
I know now that the night
I found Natalie,
she'd been to see you,
trying to get that tape back.
So you called one
of your boyfriends,
Quartz,
and asked him to shut her up.
It took me so long to figure you out
because of the killers
jumping both of us
in this house.
I didn't know they were working
for me.
And neither did they.
I believe you.
Eddie Lamar was your front.
Virgil was his stooge.
When Virgil busted those three
for the hold up,
Eddie dropped the charges in return
for a little strong-arm service.
- Like getting rid of me.
- I never wanted that.
Tell me something.
Were you and Eddie
going to double cross Quartz?
I thought you had
all the answers.
Everybody was in that bed.
The victim, the killer,
the front man, me.
You were the only one
that mattered.
Baby, you're the best I've seen.
Thanks.
And you're a smart cop.
Unfortunately, a smart cop
is still just a dumb cop.
All you had to do before you ran
around arresting people
was think one step further.
You could've had 250 grand.
The tape, which Clayborne
would've gone on paying for
and you could've had me.
Jesus.
That wife of yours must've had it
tough up there on that pedestal.
You didn't say so,
but you were shocked when I said
I'd have stuck with my gangster
if he'd treated me decent.
What have you got
out of all this, Jim?
A cop's pat on the back?
Big deal.
You killed three bad guys
and pinched three more.
Four. Counting you.
Me?
What have I done?
I didn't steal any tapes.
I didn't kill that girl.
I didn't mail any blackmail notes
or pick up any payoff money.
I didn't shoot Arthur King
or Swanson
and I didn't pay those rednecks
to lean on you last night.
Conspiracy.
Maybe.
But I'll turn State's evidence
and I won't serve a day.
Morning, Jack.
Morning, Linda.
Forget your manners?
Slade, I want to talk to you.
That check Clayborne
sent you for destroying the tape...
- What about it?
- The D.A. found out
you deposited it in
Judy Willinger's account.
- She's gonna need it.
- Sure, but the D.A. don't like it.
- To hell with the D.A.
- Yeah.
He says you being the State's
star witness and all,
defense will have a field day, you
giving money to the defendant's wife.
To hell with the D.A.
Did I say that?
Slade, you don't want
to testify against Quartz.
Once a cop, always a cop.
What the hell's that
got to do with it?
You ever notice how lawyers don't
like to testify against lawyers?
Doctors against doctors?
You owe me ten bucks
because the janitor didn't do it.
I'll give you 10-1 you don't make
much of a witness against Virgil.
- If you testify at all.
- Goddamn, Slade.
Come on.
I shot the son of a bitch, didn't I?
In the leg, Casey. Not between
the eyes or in the heart
or anywhere near that badge.
Smart cop, Slade.
Somebody once told me
that a smart cop
is still just a dumb cop.
How'd you like to be one again?
I might be able to do something
about that parole.
I've got Virgil's badge on my desk
and nobody to pin it on.
Thanks, Casey.
I'll think about it.
really getting rough down there.
Sean on the corner,
one bounce pass to Milton.
Taggers are standing around.
Sean loses Graper, pass from Milton,
Sean lays it up and in.
87-89, the Anchors lead by two.
Rogers inbounds the ball
to Preston.
Ramsden steals the ball,
a beautiful pass to Milton,
up and in.
Ball via Rogers to Lawley,
dribbling down court,
checked by Sean,
shoots over Milton,
beautiful shot!
A picture play.
Alright, boys,
put the guns down.
I'm a police officer.
What do you know? A rent-a-cop
from up at the college.
You ain't even a real pig.
No gun either?
How's anyone supposed to know
you're a cop?
You got to wear this badge
where folks can see it.
I'm gonna pin this to your nose.
Alright, come on!
Hold still, everybody,
the fun's over!
OK, boys, let's get on with it.
The cash register, open it up!
Move!
- How are you?
- Fine, just fine.
- You look good.
- You look beautiful.
Everything looks beautiful.
That's where you'll be working.
Green. Lots of green.
- How's Quartz?
- In the hospital.
- What?
- He got his leg broke.
- How did it happen?
- Get in the car, I'll tell you.
Got a nurse under there?
Hey, Jim!
Goddamn.
You made it.
How about that?
But I'll be out by tomorrow.
You wouldn't be here
if you hadn't made that asshole play.
You know how it is,
once a cop, always a cop.
- Gee, it's good to see you out.
- Good to be out.
Sit down, let me look at you.
Hey, by God.
- You look just like an ex-con.
- I am.
By the way, you can start
at the college any time you want.
The sooner the better.
You got the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
It's a horseshit job, Jim.
- Same as yours.
- Me, hell, I'm Chief.
Got me a car, an office,
don't have to wear no monkey suit.
- And you hate it.
- I had to do something.
Damn farm was eating up
all my retirement pay.
I was born down here. Hell, in those
days, a farmer could make out, but...
Mr Willinger,
you get back in bed!
Yes, ma'am.
See you, Chief.
OK, Terry,
see you same time next month.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Jimmy, what are you doing here?
- What happened?
- Could I talk to you, Mrs Thorpe?
Yeah, sure, come in.
Are you Mr Slade?
- Yes, ma'am.
- I'll be with you in a minute.
You tell him to call me back
as soon as he's off the line.
I'm sorry about this, Jimmy.
Go back to work,
I'll take care of it, OK?
- Stay cool.
- Thanks, Mrs Thorpe.
Mr Slade, you can come in now.
Pull up a chair.
- Would you like some coffee?
- No, thanks.
- Cigarette?
- Thank you, no.
- Well, how does it feel to be out?
- Feels good.
- You're staying with the Willingers?
- Yes.
Nice people.
How's Quartz getting on?
- Fine. He'll be home today.
- He's a brave man.
Hello?
Yes, Jack, I want to talk to you.
Jimmy Gill was just here.
Jack, I was there!
No, not later, right now!
Damn it.
Be back in a minute.
Morning, Linda.
Your fat-headed deputy
roughed up Jimmy Gill.
- Wait a minute.
- No. You should see that kid's face.
He probably got smart-ass.
- Virgil's a sadist and you know it!
- Virgil's got to do his job.
Anyone spits on the sidewalk,
you roust one of my people.
- Car 22's on the horn.
- Alright.
For Christ's sake, Linda, we ain't
talking about, what's-his-name...
Martin Luther King. Jimmy Gill's
been up for armed robbery.
- He's also on parole.
- Yeah, I know.
He has the same rights
as any other citizen.
OK, OK,
I'll look into it.
Alright, Jack,
but I'm warning you.
If your people keep harassing mine,
I'll take it upstairs.
Have a nice day.
That's what happens when they
put a broad in a man's job.
Broad, my ass. She's got
a bigger pecker than you have.
Mr Slade!
Mr Slade!
You seemed busy.
I know, I'm sorry.
We can talk now.
Mrs Thorpe, I think I can save you
a little time. I know the rules.
"Upon release, report to
your parole officer." I have.
"Only with their permission
can you leave the county
or change your address.
Any change in employment
must be approved.
You shall not consume
alcoholic beverages to excess.
You shall not possess
or traffic in narcotic drugs.
You shall not possess or use
any deadly weapons or firearms."
- Wait, where are we going?
- To catch my bus.
"You shall not operate any motor
vehicle without a drivers license
and the written permission
of your parole officer."
- And that about covers it.
- Except for one thing.
"You shall not associate
with former inmates
or individuals of bad character."
- I'll have to make new friends.
- I think you will.
See you.
- Good morning, Jim.
- Good morning, Sam.
- Cold night, wasn't it?
- Damn cold.
Nights like that, you should stretch
out on a cot in the boiler room.
If I did,
somebody'd steal the school.
And thou shalt not enter into
Heaven anything that defile it.
And the Lord spake unto Moses
saying,
the nakedness of thy father
or the nakedness of thy mother
shalt thou not uncover.
Mr Ewing.
I have to ask you
to turn that down.
The nakedness of thy father's
wife shalt thou not uncover.
It is wickedness.
That's the Lord's work, Mr Slade.
There've been complaints
from the girls' dormitory.
Them's the sinners that
should heed the word.
Thank you.
Damned whores.
- What are you laughing at?
- A damn fool.
No reason not to stay in shape.
You might fall
and break your other leg.
The hell I will! I'll be back on the
job next week. You watch this.
See you at the house.
Morning, sir.
- You're new here.
- Yes, sir. I started Tuesday.
I'm Dr Pritchett. How long is it
since you checked this building?
About an hour ago.
I was opening up
and I noticed that door.
Somebody's broken in.
Some tape recordings are missing.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, I locked them in the desk.
- Somebody's stolen them.
- I'll notify the Sheriff's office.
I'd rather you wouldn't.
Dean Collins doesn't like
police on the campus,
they can be a disturbing influence.
Mr Willinger's always dealt
with these things.
The tapes had no value, I don't
know why anyone would steal them.
What kind of tapes were they?
My department offers
psychological counseling.
Not as complex as psycho-therapy,
but the same technique.
A student without an appointment
can get things off his chest on tape.
- 3 tapes were left yesterday.
- Have you played them?
No, I had some papers to grade.
- Do you know whose tapes they were?
- Yes.
I jotted their names
down here someplace.
Yes. Here they are.
- One of them changed their mind.
- What do you mean?
Didn't want you to play it,
so took all three.
I doubt it. They knew if they called,
I'd destroy it without listening to it.
I've got an early class.
They'll have to be notified.
Maybe I can help.
Would you like me to tell them?
- That'd be most helpful. Thank you.
- Doctor.
Oh, shit!
Did you tell anyone you made it?
I don't tell people
I need psych counseling.
- How about your boyfriend?
- Harry?
- He doesn't know I made it.
- Did you talk about him?
He is all I talked about.
My God, now it'll be all over campus.
Jesus, Harry will kill me!
Shit!
Those tapes were supposed
to be confidential!
What the hell do I care?
It's all bullshit anyway.
You know why I made those tapes?
'Cause I like to
put that phony Pritchett on.
Think I'm worried about
that mini-skirted cheerleader
letting that Neanderthal fullback
ball her in the back of his Pontiac?
Well it just turns me on
to blow smoke up Pritchett's ass.
Once I told him I was queer
for diseased owls
and the fat creep bought it.
- Mark Antony!
- Excuse me, sir.
I really can't see anybody
breaking a lock to get my tape.
Was the lock broken?
- I'm psychic.
- You don't seem very upset.
I'm not, it was mostly poetry,
my own.
I thought Dr Pritchett might
learn something about me from it.
I think it was your tape
the thief was after.
- Why do you say that?
- You're much too cool.
The other two took it hard. I have
to believe nobody wants anything
as intimate as a talk with
a psychologist exposed.
Amazing, Mr Holmes.
There was more
than poetry on your tape.
- And you know who took it.
- Fuck off.
Natalie Clayborne?
Phillip Clayborne's daughter.
State Senator.
Pretty near runs the state,
supposed to be next in line
for governor. Loaded.
Maybe there's a blackmail angle.
Jim, them tapes is gonna
turn out to be kids' stuff.
Hell, man. This is Jordan,
it ain't Chicago.
Morning!
Don't get up.
Well, this is a wholesome
little domestic scene.
- A joy to a parole officer's heart.
- You're just in time for lunch.
No, thanks. This visit is official,
to check Mr Slade's living quarters.
Jesus, Judy, get rid of the heroin
and them broads.
Come on in.
- Who's her husband?
- Ain't one. Divorced.
- She from around here?
- Chicago.
Chicago?
She came here about a year ago.
- Who's she living with?
- You dig her, don't you?
- Don't you?
- Well, as far as I know,
she lives alone.
- What a waste.
- I agree.
Here's a present for her.
Wait till she tastes these.
I caught thirty last week.
- You've done wonders with the place.
- Thanks.
- Sure you won't stay for lunch?
- We gonna get to keep him?
For the time being.
I'll take a rain check on the lunch.
- Anytime.
- That's what you're missing.
I caught them last week. If you let
them thaw, don't refreeze them.
Yes, I will. Bye, Judy.
- Bye.
- Mr Slade.
- How's it going?
- Fine, got my driver's license.
- Good.
- Still need your written permission.
Go ahead and drive,
I'll mail it to you.
How's the job?
It's OK.
- Not exactly like police work, is it?
- No, ma'am, it's a night watch.
- Made any friends?
- Met a few people.
Any female?
Just you.
- See you at the office on Tuesday.
- Yes, ma'am.
Come on, Natalie, get in.
I've got to wait awhile.
I've got a mid-term in the morning.
Will you get in?
There's somebody I've got to see.
What have you been doing
for the last hour?
Dreaming, of a white Christmas.
OK, Clayborne, who is he?
None of your business.
Goddamn you!
You're supposed to be
back on campus by 12.
- You gonna fink on me?
- I should.
Bastard.
Hey, pour me another.
You do, and I'll break your arm.
What are you doing in town
at this hour?
- You tell me, Dick Tracy.
- You're after that tape.
Did you get it?
Miss Clayborne, why don't you
tell me who took that tape?
No.
No.
Alright, no more questions.
Come on. I'll drive you home.
You've got to be in by 12
and I've got to be at work
or we're both in trouble.
Hello?
He's just coming in, hang on.
What happened to you?
- I fell on my ass. Who's that?
- Dean Collins.
OK. Yes, sir?
What?
Is my man there?
Listen, Jim.
I'll notify the Sheriff's office.
You stand by till Casey gets there.
What is it?
- A coed's been killed.
- My God!
This is Betty Childres.
She discovered the body.
I know you've had a shock, but
if there's anything you can tell us.
I came to wake Natalie.
We had an early class.
She didn't answer when I knocked,
so I tried the door.
It was unlocked,
so I came in
and I found her like that.
How well did you know
Miss Clayborne?
I suppose I knew her
as well as anybody.
Up until a few months ago
I was her roommate.
She was a moody girl, strange.
In what way?
I don't know,
she wouldn't talk much.
- You want to go to your room, Betty?
- No, I'm alright.
- You were her roommate?
- Yes.
- Why did you leave?
- Natalie asked me to.
It wasn't me or anything like that.
She just wanted more privacy.
- She have any boyfriends?
- She saw a lot of one boy.
- Arthur King.
- Anybody else?
If there was somebody else,
she never mentioned him.
But she never let a boy
come up to the room.
- Who's Waldo Mason?
- A professor. He teaches Law.
The Sheriff is on his way up.
He'll ask you a few questions,
but don't be frightened.
- Who found her?
- Miss Childress.
- You people touch anything?
- No, Sheriff.
Alright boys, get busy.
I don't know you.
You new here?
- I'm on the midnight shift.
- I sent for Mr Slade.
Oh, yeah, Slade.
One of Linda Thorpe's parolees.
- Chicago cop, aren't you?
- Yes, sir.
- I heard about you.
- We're aware of Mr Slade's record.
- Who else is here at night?
- Just the janitor.
The gardener comes on at six.
- Dig them up.
- Yes, sir.
They sure let those kids run wild.
Ten to one she's knocked up.
- Check that out, Doc.
- Just one, please.
Get him out of here.
Close the door.
- How'd you happen to find her?
- I already told Mr Slade.
You can go.
Don't get lost,
I'd like to talk to you later.
Alright, honey,
let's start from the beginning.
- Come in, Slade.
- You wanted to talk to me.
Sit down.
Come on, sit down.
Now, you tell us about that stuff.
They's just some rags I picked out
of a trash barrel to clean up with.
Notice that stuff's been
pawed over a lot?
What would they make
of that in the big city?
- The same thing you'd make of it.
- Take a look at that.
I read the Good Book. I preach
the Gospel when the spirit moves me.
I'm innocent of crime
in the sight of the Lord.
Sit down and shut up.
He's a lay preacher from
one of them crackpot churches.
Found some religious literature
and junk,
some not so religious.
That's the filth they use to corrupt
the minds of American youth.
I show it to my congregation.
I denounce the sinners who peddle it.
I'll bet you do.
I bet you boys sit around,
cluck your tongues and get bug-eyed
and work yourselves up
into a good holy sweat.
- As God is my witness.
- You're gonna need him.
Found his prints
all over the murder room.
- Wouldn't that figure?
- Him being the janitor?
That's right.
Half the snails in that dorm
found him swiping their underwear
after they hung it out to dry.
You caught a dirty old man.
- I caught myself a murderer.
- No!
You did yourself a little window
shopping in that dorm last night.
There was a light on
in the Clayborne girl's room.
The harlot's room.
You had your eyes on that girl.
She looked all honey and innocent
on the outside,
but you knew her mind and body
were a full of sin as Satan's heart.
So you went
and knocked on the door,
told her you were there
to fix the plumbing.
Probably had a wrench in your hand
to make it more convincing.
So she let you in.
And you made your pitch.
But she called you a raunchy pervert,
not the Lord's good right hand.
And then she screamed, and you
cold-cocked her with the wrench.
No.
You gave her the punishment
the Lord intended.
No.
- Didn't you?
- No!
Take him in, Virgil.
Now all we need is the wrench.
It'll turn up somewhere.
- Can I go now, Sheriff?
- Yeah.
You don't think
that's our man?
No, I don't.
- Ten to one he is.
- You got a bet, Sheriff.
Just don't underestimate Casey,
he ain't no fool.
He won't go to trial without tying
the janitor to the murder weapon.
- He hasn't found one.
- Casey's a mean bastard.
If he has to, he'll plant a wrench
with the janitor's prints on it.
- I don't believe Ewing did it.
- Maybe not.
What do you make of this?
- What the hell is that?
- Found it in her room. It's a poem.
- What does it mean?
- I was afraid you'd ask that.
You two sound just like the old days.
You know how it is.
Once a cop...
Always a cop. I know,
that's how you broke your leg.
And that's how you
can break your parole.
Jim, she's right.
- I keep forgetting.
- Well, don't.
And if you say "once a cop"
once again...
I'm gonna hit you with this pot.
- Arthur King?
- Yeah.
Thought you might like
to have this.
What is it?
An unfinished poem
of Natalie Clayborne's.
- This isn't her handwriting.
- I copied it from her notebook.
- I thought it might be meant for you.
- Why?
It was written to a lover.
I understand you saw a lot of her.
Have you ever heard
of the generation gap?
- Yeah.
- Well, it just got wider.
Fuck off.
- That's what Natalie told me to do.
- What is this? What are you after?
- Her killer.
- The Sheriff got him.
I don't think so. I think it was
whoever she was writing to.
She sure wasn't writing it to me.
Whoever killed her,
I'd sure like to nail 'em.
Why? What's it to you?
You're no cop.
Force of habit, I guess.
Something about that kid.
She seemed... lost.
- How well did you know her?
- You mean was I balling her?
The answer's no. No one was
getting to Natalie that way.
How about this... Janus?
Janus.
The Roman god with two faces.
Whoever she was writing this to
betrayed her.
And Mytilene?
Mytilene. Greek, I think.
Natalie was hooked
on mythology.
You drive a red van, I believe.
Yeah, with a Ying Yang flag.
I drove Natalie home the night
you stranded her in Jordan City.
- Where did you go?
- Back here to cram.
- Alone?
- Yeah.
- That's bad, son. No alibi.
- What's your alibi?
- You drove her home?
- Yeah.
You were the last one to see her.
You won't like this,
but you'd make one hell of a cop.
Thanks for the information.
Professor Mason?
I wonder if I could...
Oh, you're Slade, the new man.
Come on in. Come in.
Dean Collins and I were chatting
about you last night.
You have a very interesting
background.
You investigating
the Clayborne girl's killing?
- The Sheriff is investigating.
- Yes, I understand, perfectly.
I'm something of
an amateur sleuth myself.
I read the papers,
look for clues between the lines.
Like that book, you're wondering
how it got there.
No, I know how it got here.
I was wondering why Betty Childress
took it out of Natalie's room.
And how it got into
Natalie's room in the first place.
- Excellent. Coffee?
- No, thanks.
Do go on.
Let's see your deductive powers.
This place looks like
a coed trap to me.
Natalie's been here,
you lent her this book.
Betty saw the book in her room
and realized it tied you to Natalie.
She was afraid the Sheriff might
spot it, so she brought it back.
She cared so much about you,
she was crying just now as she left.
She was jealous.
My God, a regular PhD
of a night watchman.
Listen, I teach law mostly,
but also criminology and penology,
my real interests.
How about you giving some guest
lectures? It'd be a breeze for you.
Make them question and answer
sessions if you like.
Were you playing around
with Betty Childress?
- No gentleman would answer that.
- You just did.
Touche.
How about Natalie?
Mr Slade, I am a connoisseur
of young girls.
Not statutory rape young,
but young.
However, it was Natalie
who chased after me.
- She was in love with you?
- Hell no.
Had some crazy idea
I might be her father.
Father?
I don't think
I want to get into that.
- You started the game, Professor.
- So I did.
Does that oblige me to finish it?
Natalie's mother and I,
20 years ago, were students here.
She was quite a swinger.
She left college to marry Clayborne
and gave birth to Natalie and...
killed herself
not too long afterward.
- Could you have been the father?
- I'm afraid not.
The dates make that quite impossible.
It's the craziest hang-up I ever saw.
In my judgment, not so much
that she wanted me to be her father,
she wanted Philip Clayborne
not to be.
Hated him.
Hated him.
Wouldn't take his money, lived on
a trust fund her mother left her.
Any of this helping you?
Professor,
this painting, signature K.M.
- You know whose it is?
- Karl Metterman.
He's the local Rembrandt.
He teaches part time art classes,
runs an arty-farty little gallery
down in Jordan City.
I gather you don't think
the janitor killed Natalie?
No, I don't.
Any idea who?
You, maybe.
Why me?
Natalie made a tape
for Dr Pritchett.
If she named you on it as her lover,
it'd play hell with your career.
That's rather loose talk.
You could get to be
quite a nuisance, Mr Slade.
I'm going to give you a little
free legal counsel.
As an ex-cop, I'm sure you know
that criminal libel is a felony.
And you are an ex-con
and you are on parole.
Thanks for the information
and of course, for the advice.
Did you know Slade was with
Clayborne the night of the murder?
- No.
- Well, neither did I.
- He never said a thing about it.
- Did you ask him?
Come on, you know better than that.
He should've told me. He's an ex-cop.
So what, if the janitor did it?
I'm just telling you
that when I get around to Slade
I don't want any squawks
about rousting your people.
- Mr Lamar.
- Hello, Sheriff.
Quartz? Linda Thorpe.
Has Jim Slade left?
He's not due until six,
but I wanted a word with him.
It'll keep till he gets here.
OK. See you soon.
- Problems?
- The usual.
This is a pleasant surprise.
What are you doing here?
Something not so pleasant.
Just paid my taxes.
You are coming by later, aren't you?
Of course.
- Hello.
- Hello. Am I late?
Not a bit.
Eddie Lamar, Jim Slade.
- Mr Slade.
- Lamar's. I've passed your place.
- Next time, drop in for a drink.
- I will.
- See you later.
- Bye, Eddie.
Let's walk.
- He's a good looking man.
- Isn't he?
- Boyfriend?
- He's married.
- Boyfriend?
- I like him.
I've been worried about you.
Casey says you were with the girl
the night of the murder.
She was stoned.
I drove her back to the dorm.
- Great.
- It seemed the least I could do.
Mr Slade, being a good Samaritan
is a luxury a parolee can't afford.
Especially with a mixed-up kid
like Natalie Clayborne.
You knew her?
I was her probation officer for
3 months on a marijuana rap.
I handle things like that, the Dean
keeps it out of the Sheriff's office.
Did you get to know her well?
Not really. She never talked
about herself much.
Casey's gonna give you trouble.
If it gets too rough,
I want you to come to me.
Thank you, I will.
Is that all?
- Yes, I think so. Good night.
- Good night.
Yes, Mr Slade, I've been teaching
at Jordan for the past 20 years.
And I've been painting Jordan coeds
in the nude even longer than that.
Ever since I was an art major.
But what you
really want to know
is whether it was at their request
or mine. Am I right?
No, sir. That would be
none of my business.
- Drink?
- No, thanks.
Artists do not always have
affairs with their models.
I painted Natalie because
she had a Rubinesque body,
full and satisfying,
like her mother's.
Who I also painted when
we were students here. Nude.
Did Natalie know that?
Now you're going to ask me if I
had an affair with Natalie's mother.
- No, sir.
- Yes, but it crossed your mind.
In fact, Natalie was quite
obsessed with that.
That was the real reason
she came to pose for me.
It fascinated her to think
that I might be her father.
- You ever had that problem?
- No, sir.
I didn't think so.
Good night, Mr Slade.
That's 9.75, Mrs Thorpe.
Will that be charge?
- Yes, please.
- 419 Elm, I believe.
Mrs Thorpe.
- Something wrong?
- No, nothing.
- Were you waiting for me?
- Where's your car?
I only live a block from here.
I'll walk you home. Which way?
How did you get into parole work?
How did you become a policeman?
My father was a cop
and his father before him.
Did you like it?
It's what I did best. I never
thought of doing anything else.
No dreams of fame and fortune?
You don't have to stop at detective
sergeant unless you shoot a man.
That doesn't seem like you.
A cop lives 24 hours a day
with violence.
- You get used to violence.
- Yes, you do.
I was married for three years
to a gangster.
You name the racket,
Jerry was in it.
- Must've been tough.
- Not at all.
I knew when I married him,
from the beginning.
There was plenty of money,
we lived the good life. I liked it.
- But you divorced him.
- He was an animal.
419 Elm, Leroy.
So I drifted for awhile. London,
Paris, New York, Las Vegas.
When I ran out of money,
I decided I better get to work.
Parole officer is appointive here,
not Civil Service.
I had influential friends, so my past
associations didn't get in the way.
They figured I had
so many criminal friends
I'd know how to deal with them.
Here we are.
Thanks for the company.
- Good night.
- Know what'd be nice?
If you invited me in for a drink.
Alright, Jim.
Kitchen's in there.
Hit the lights, Charlie!
- Jesus, I think you killed him.
- Well, I couldn't see.
She squirms like a worm,
juicy too.
- Where are we going to do it to her?
- In the bedroom.
- Me first.
- Like hell, Cash. I'm first.
You and Cash flip a coin
for second. I'm first.
Jesus Christ!
My God.
Are you alright?
- I'm OK.
- Let's go inside.
- I'm going to call a doctor.
- That's alright. It's just a cut.
Sit down.
Those were the same three that
beat up Quartz at Lamar's.
They got a bracelet from me and I
saw a woman in the market with it.
She must've got my address
from the clerk.
- I think they were after me.
- You?
I've been asking
too many questions.
What have you been up to?
Talking to a few people
about the Clayborne murder.
Jim, listen to me.
You're not a cop anymore.
I want you to go to Casey
and tell him everything you know
and stop behaving
like a goddamn fool.
OK.
I'm sorry, I...
I haven't even thanked you
for what you did.
It'd be nice if you'd give me
that drink you promised me.
Yes. You sit here
and I'll get dressed.
I'll take you to the hospital
to get that cut closed.
And then, you're going to Casey.
Alright.
Can't say I blame them.
Linda's a good looking broad.
- I want them guns dusted for prints.
- Now, wait a minute.
They called each
other by their first names.
Leroy, Cash and Charlie.
They weren't afraid of being made.
- Like they had connections.
- Damn you.
No hood's got connections
in this county.
I ought to lock you up.
Go ahead.
I'd probably be a lot safer.
I damn well will, unless you got
the right answers to my questions.
Where did you take the girl
after you left the bar?
Senator Clayborne's here, Sheriff.
- I'll get to you later.
- You know where to find me.
- Senator, I'm Sheriff Casey.
- My secretary, Mr Swanson.
The janitor you've arrested.
I want to see him, alone.
Yes, sir.
If you're looking for that wrench,
Sheriff's been over here already.
Yeah, I know. He gave me permission
to go through all this stuff.
Maybe I can help.
What are you looking for?
Well, you never know
what's gonna turn up.
Like a tape recording?
I think you better
have a talk with my boss.
What do you know
about that tape?
It's alright, go ahead.
I believe your daughter
was murdered for it.
So do I. And I don't believe
it was the janitor.
- Do you know what was on that tape?
- No, sir.
- Does the Sheriff?
- I don't think so.
You don't seem like
a mere night watchman.
My name is Slade, sir.
I'm an ex-cop, Homicide.
Retired?
Busted.
I did time, I'm on parole.
- I shot a man.
- In the line of duty?
In my wife's bed.
I got a letter from my daughter
post marked the day
before she was killed.
She was upset about something
she'd put on that tape.
She was afraid the thief
would try to blackmail me.
Natalie got into trouble
when she was 15,
I had the option of letting her
pay the penalty or buying her out.
I bought.
It was the kind of fix my political
enemies could make much of.
I want that tape.
I don't care how I get it.
If it's evidence in a murder case,
it'll be turned over to the D.A.
I'll worry about the D.A.
As Natalie's father, that tape
is now legally my property.
I'm not satisfied with the way
this case has been handled,
I want you to work on it.
I can't do that,
I'm a parolee.
Mr Slade, I have considerable
influence in this state
and I can be a generous man
when I get what I want.
- What time are you off duty?
- 8 a.m.
I'm staying at Colonel Cravet's
cottage on the lake. I'll expect you.
Good night.
Mr Slade.
Congratulations.
Welcome aboard.
You're gonna accept now, aren't you?
Did you hear what I said in there?
I'm not sure that's wise,
there's a lot of money in this.
More than the Senator implied.
- Money.
- I thought that'd interest you.
I suggest you and I get together
and have a coffee and a talk,
just between the two of us.
Mr Swanson.
I don't know if you're on the take
or just testing me for the Senator,
but either way, I don't like it.
Since when does a secretary
carry an automatic?
- Wait till the Senator hears.
- I won't tell him.
Good morning.
You mean good evening.
- Where's Judy?
- Playing bridge.
- Sleep well?
- Not too bad.
Your headache better?
A little better.
Just how would you like
your egg, Mr Slade?
- Alright, Quartz, let's have it.
- Well, let's see, sir.
You had a number of phone calls.
Linda Thorpe
called to express her concern
for your health.
And Sheriff Casey called and said
he'd be desolated if you left town.
And Senator Clayborne
was deeply disappointed
you couldn't make your appointment
this morning.
And I haven't heard
from them three assholes
you spent such a lovely evening with
though I'm sure their get-well cards
is on the way.
And then there were calls from
more of your conquests, Arthur King,
- Professor Mason and Dr Pritchett.
- What the hell did they want?
It seems their pads were torn apart
and they figured it was you
looking for that tape.
Karl Metterman call?
No. Why?
- Can I borrow you car?
- Sure. What's going on?
Jim!
Mr Lamar.
Mr Lamar, telephone.
- Mr Slade.
- Yes.
I'm sorry to trouble you.
I'm trying to reach Mrs Thorpe
and there's no answer at her house.
I'm looking right at her.
Linda, it's for you.
- Hello?
- Linda, I'm in a jam.
Could you meet me in front
of the Clemons Motel in 30 minutes?
Alright, Jim.
He's in some kind of trouble.
- Sorry, I have to go.
- Can I help?
No, thank you.
I think I can handle it.
I'll be back, if it's not too late.
Cut your motor, your lights.
Linda, I'd like to borrow your car.
- Where's yours?
- Too easy to spot.
- Are you at this again?
- Somebody tried to kill me tonight.
They got the wrong guy.
I'm safe as long as they think
I'm dead. I've got to lay low.
- You're going straight to Casey.
- Like hell I am.
I sound like broken record.
You're an ex-con on parole.
I break my parole, I do 3 more years.
Tonight, I nearly did no more.
Jim, please, if you go on like this
I can't help you.
I'm sorry, but it's my neck
and I've got to do it my way.
I'm not going to work tonight.
Alright.
Thanks for coming down.
Sorry I broke your date.
Date?
When I called, you were
with Eddie Lamar.
- And that bothers you?
- I guess I'm old-fashioned.
Mr Slade, you're a damn fool.
Hello?
Yes, Eddie.
No. No. It's too late for that.
I'll see you tomorrow.
What?
Yes, Eddie,
I'm going straight to bed.
Morning, Senator.
We had an appointment yesterday,
it's a little late.
It's later than you think, sir.
Your boy Swanson is dead.
He was burglarizing everybody
who knew Natalie.
He wanted to hijack that tape
and blackmail you himself.
- Who killed him?
- Probably the people who left this.
- Excuse me.
- Yes, sir.
- It's blackmail, alright.
- How much?
250,000 dollars in cash
in exchange for the tape.
I'm to be at the Jordan City
bus terminal at noon.
- This is our chance to nail them.
- Yes.
Hello?
This is Senator Clayborne.
Who's this?
I see.
Yes. Yes, I understand.
Mr Slade, I've decided
to handle this myself.
- 'Cause of that call?
- I'm going to the bank.
I want your word
you won't follow me.
Alright, Senator.
Can I see that note?
The deal's off
if I involve anyone else.
I think you better go.
Alright, sir.
If that's the way you want it.
Morning, Sheriff.
Didn't hear you knock.
- Where's your car, Quartz?
- It's funny you should ask,
it was stolen last night.
- How come you didn't report it?
- What for?
Your boys couldn't find a turd
in a cow pasture.
We found it alright, with
a bullet hole in the windshield,
blood on the seat.
- Is Slade up there?
- Got a search warrant?
You touch that phone,
I'll get my shot gun.
Your status in here
is the same as that of a prowler.
Excuse me, please.
Hello?
Oh, yeah, Dean Collins.
He's been a little under the weather,
but he'll be back tonight.
- Who's there? Casey?
- Yes, sir.
I'm at Linda Thorpe's house.
Call me back.
I'll be glad to do that, Dean.
Jack, I'd like to get my car back
before your deputies strip it.
- Hello?
- Jim, where the hell have you been?
Great.
Now you can tail him.
I promised I wouldn't.
Well, I didn't.
And Clayborne don't know me.
What about your leg?
I'm tired of sitting around.
Don't worry about me, I'll be armed.
The note only takes him
to the bus station.
- After that, we don't know.
- I'll stick to him like plaster.
Alright, keep me posted.
Where do you think you're going
with that?
Hunting.
Final call for Vanceville,
Quarry, Central, Bradtown,
Payneburg, Charleston, Washington,
Baltimore, Philadelphia.
Final call.
Vanceville, please.
That'll be a dollar ninety.
Vanceville.
Hold it, driver.
I'm on the wrong bus.
- How did it go, Senator?
- Come on in.
- Well, the bastards delivered.
- Where, sir?
Behind a fireplace
in one of those roadside parks.
I left the money, drove away,
came back in an hour.
The money was gone
and this was there.
Mr Slade,
you've been very helpful.
I'll have my office send you a check
for your time and trouble.
You've still got a dead daughter.
I can't bring Natalie back
and neither can you.
I might bring in her killer
if I knew what was on that tape.
You'd better leave.
You wanted that tape bad,
but you wouldn't have paid
unless you knew
the blackmailer had it.
He had to give you some proof
that he knew what was on that tape.
And he did. It was in that payoff
note that you wouldn't show me.
You touch that note
and I'll kill you.
I never did believe that story
about fixing a rap.
She wouldn't have hated you
for that.
She tried to convince herself
other guys were her father.
I loved Natalie.
She was the only creature
on God's earth I've ever loved.
Once, I thought I loved
her stepmother, but...
I learned to hate her.
So did Natalie.
The night it happened,
I'd been drinking heavily.
I did a lot of that in those days.
I was in bed,
Natalie came in.
She took me in her arms
to comfort me.
I don't know how it happened.
I know that I...
started to make love to her.
When I realized what I was doing,
I stopped.
Do you understand?
I stopped.
This is Lester Pearlman,
Dr Pritchett.
Why do I dig that little cheerleader?
Why do I hate that big fullback?
Last night, I...
You paid 250,000 dollars
for that tape.
It's not the one you want.
They've still got that.
Casey's got a manhunt
going for you.
I might as well
go in and face him.
What happened?
I just left Clayborne.
He paid off, but got taken.
First, we're gonna go home
and have some supper.
When Casey gets his hands on you,
God knows when I'll see you again.
- Hello?
- I want to talk to Mr Slade.
Who's calling?
Jim, Arthur King.
- Hello?
- Hello, Mr Slade?
I know who Natalie's lover was.
The key was in that poem she wrote.
- Tell me.
- No.
- Meet me and I'll lay it out for you.
- Where are you?
Wait there, it'll take me
about half an hour.
- I got to go.
- Where?
- Campus Post Office.
- Post Office?
King thinks he knows
who Natalie's lover was.
- Who?
- He didn't say.
He might have something.
- I'll try to hurry back.
- Jim...
Be careful.
Well, well, looky here. I finally
caught you with your pants down.
Bullshit. I just got here.
- What are you doing here?
- I was cruising.
Got a call somebody heard
a shot here.
- Is he dead?
- He's dead.
Who is he?
- Arthur King.
- Caught him messing with the body.
King phoned me to meet him here.
He was dead when I arrived.
Slade, the death rate in this county
has tripled since you got here.
I found Swanson's body
in that motel room.
There's a hell of a lot going on
I don't know, but I think you do.
And I'm sure as hell gonna find out.
Take him in, Virgil.
What's the charge?
Book him
for assaulting an officer.
Take his car down
and impound it.
Hell, wait a minute.
It's Linda Thorpe's car.
Hell.
Right, Jack, he had my car.
Is there a law against that?
You haven't a damn thing on him.
I'm his alibi!
King phoned him here,
I was with him.
Release him at once,
or I'll start making phone calls.
- You been sprung
- By who?
Whom.
OK, Professor, whom?
I got orders from the Sheriff
to let you out.
- How come?
- You wanna stay?
Casey?
- We was smart to steal a cop car.
- Like hell you stole it.
Virgil let you take it
before he sprung me.
See now why we gotta kill him?
No, Cash. We'll take him
back to Nell's place.
I got to return Virgil's car.
You lay off him till I get back.
He's my meat.
Nell.
So this is the stallion that done
all the damage the other night.
He don't look like much to me.
You boys ought to be ashamed.
Damn it, Nell.
You want this half-wit to kill him?
Leroy said for us to wait.
You turn him loose,
I'll give you a show.
You couldn't whip a cripple. I'd beat
you without working up a sweat.
Cash!
You think we're all mush-brained?
You're just baiting him
so we'll turn you loose to fight.
We'll just put him on ice
till Leroy gets back.
Put him in the cellar, boys.
Goddamn, it's cold.
Alright, where is he?
In the cellar.
Let's get it over with.
Hell, Leroy,
he ain't going no place.
Shit.
- Where's your pals?
- They drunk up a storm last night,
didn't hardly give me a drop.
That whole time
I was studying on you.
- I ain't as dumb as they make out.
- Sure you're dumb.
Virgil gets the gravy,
you guys do the dirty work.
He don't neither.
We got a good deal with Virgil.
We can do anything we want to
and we don't get busted as long
as we do a few things for him.
Like what?
You hold still.
I'm gonna bust your arm
at the elbow.
It'll go just like kindling.
Leroy'll skin you alive for this.
I studied on that too.
They want a cripple for the fight
and that's just what
I'm fixing to give 'em.
Where's Cash?
He killed Cash.
He shot him!
He shot him dead.
Get the dog, Charlie.
He's in the barn, Leroy.
Go in and get him, Charlie.
Damn it, Nell. He's got a gun,
he shot Cash.
Give me a hand, Charlie.
- Son of a bitch killed the dog.
- Get your ass up there!
I'll cover the back.
Leroy!
He's in the tractor shed.
Kill him, Leroy!
Come here.
Give me that bracelet.
- Go.
- You gonna shoot me in the back?
I'm going to count from one to ten.
One,
two,
three, four,
five, six,
seven, eight
nine, ten.
Morning, Slade.
We got a thumbprint off the key
to Swanson's motel room.
It was yours.
You're under arrest.
I just killed three men, Casey.
I'm in no mood for any bullshit.
Where's Virgil?
Home, I guess.
He's off this morning.
Show me.
By God, you're right.
He's taking off.
Roger. Picked her up outside
a gas station near the state line.
You took a chance
letting her go.
I figured she'd be easy to spot.
Nobody quite like her.
I wanted to give her time
to tip off Virgil.
- Wanna let me in on the rest?
- You'll have it before the day's out.
Quit gabbing,
you're gonna lose him.
Slade, you ain't very good company.
Come on!
Don't say a damn word
till I talk to my lawyer.
- What can I book him for?
- Murder. He killed Swanson.
What about him?
Murder. He killed Arthur King.
Run a test on those guns,
they'll check out.
Well, Quartz, it's almost over.
I had a lot of time to think
last night in that cellar.
I could tie Virgil in
with those rednecks,
but what about Natalie,
Arthur King and Swanson?
Then it hit me.
I knew Virgil went to Metterman's
house to shoot me not Swanson.
Somebody set me up.
There was only one man who knew
I'd gone out there in your car.
It was you, Quartz.
It was crazy, didn't make sense.
I tried to lose it in the darkness,
but it wouldn't go away.
So I went back to the beginning
to see if I could make it fit.
I started with why you went
to Lamar's the night it was held up
without Judy.
It's not your kind of place.
Unless you were there for a meeting
with one of your partners, Lamar.
The hold up was just a bad break,
it took you out of action.
But with me around, you could
still stay on top of every angle.
You'd be the first to know
if anything went wrong
and I reported to you
like an ass-kissing rookie.
The jogging was perfect.
You came here early,
stole the tapes, then you jogged.
You had those tapes in your car
the morning you did your circus act.
When I found Natalie in the bar and
brought her to campus in hysterics
you were tipped off
and came up here to calm her down.
I figure you didn't mean
to kill her, just scare her.
But she threatened to blow
the whistle. You lost your head.
You hit her, with a crutch.
You're good with those crutches,
Quartz, damn good.
Following Clayborne on the payoff,
that was a nice touch,
it really had me fooled.
Unless after you lost him,
you got off the bus,
went back to your car and picked up
the money in the roadside park
where your note told Clayborne
to leave it.
It was 5 o'clock in the morning
by then, and Cash woke me up.
I knew I'd had a bad dream.
But when we took Clayborne's
money back from Lamar this morning,
Casey dusted it for prints.
It wasn't a dream, Quartz.
They were your prints.
You want to advise him
of his rights?
You're making the arrest, not me.
He's got a new mate.
Seems happier.
Yes. They get lonely.
Even as you and I.
- What can I do for you, Mr Slade?
- Tell me about Natalie Clayborne.
I think this is the one
you're looking for.
This is Natalie Clayborne,
Doctor
and what I'm about to tell you
I have only...
I see you've heard
from Eddie Lamar's lawyer.
Yes.
By the way...
You shouldn't have bothered.
It isn't worth much.
Now, how do you like that.
I went and killed three men for it.
I had it all wrapped up
this morning.
Only problem was telling you your
boyfriend was a blackmailing murderer.
There was one thing
that still bothered me.
This tape.
Not where it was hidden,
but who'd gotten close enough
to Natalie to get her to make it.
It could've been Dr Pritchett,
he could've lied about playing it,
faked the burglary.
But yesterday morning,
Clayborne got a call
just after I delivered
the blackmail note.
And all of a sudden,
he wanted to deal me out.
It was one of the blackmailers
and they thought I was dead.
I was the only one
who knew you weren't.
You were Natalie's
probation officer.
For three months.
You're good at getting
close to people.
You got close to me
in three days.
- I fell in love.
- With who? Me?
Eddie Lamar? Quartz?
Natalie?
When Arthur King called
you knew he was on to you.
So you called Lamar
and he got to the kid before I did.
- Can I mix you one?
- No, thank you.
He said he knew who
Natalie's lover was,
the key was in the poem.
Janus was a two-faced lover,
but I couldn't figure Mytilene.
I stopped at Dr Pritchett's
on my way here.
Mytilene is the modern name
for the Greek island of Lesbos
where Sappho and her Lesbians
did their thing.
Dr Pritchett said that because of
the experiences with her father,
Natalie could be a set up
for a relationship with a woman.
I know now that the night
I found Natalie,
she'd been to see you,
trying to get that tape back.
So you called one
of your boyfriends,
Quartz,
and asked him to shut her up.
It took me so long to figure you out
because of the killers
jumping both of us
in this house.
I didn't know they were working
for me.
And neither did they.
I believe you.
Eddie Lamar was your front.
Virgil was his stooge.
When Virgil busted those three
for the hold up,
Eddie dropped the charges in return
for a little strong-arm service.
- Like getting rid of me.
- I never wanted that.
Tell me something.
Were you and Eddie
going to double cross Quartz?
I thought you had
all the answers.
Everybody was in that bed.
The victim, the killer,
the front man, me.
You were the only one
that mattered.
Baby, you're the best I've seen.
Thanks.
And you're a smart cop.
Unfortunately, a smart cop
is still just a dumb cop.
All you had to do before you ran
around arresting people
was think one step further.
You could've had 250 grand.
The tape, which Clayborne
would've gone on paying for
and you could've had me.
Jesus.
That wife of yours must've had it
tough up there on that pedestal.
You didn't say so,
but you were shocked when I said
I'd have stuck with my gangster
if he'd treated me decent.
What have you got
out of all this, Jim?
A cop's pat on the back?
Big deal.
You killed three bad guys
and pinched three more.
Four. Counting you.
Me?
What have I done?
I didn't steal any tapes.
I didn't kill that girl.
I didn't mail any blackmail notes
or pick up any payoff money.
I didn't shoot Arthur King
or Swanson
and I didn't pay those rednecks
to lean on you last night.
Conspiracy.
Maybe.
But I'll turn State's evidence
and I won't serve a day.
Morning, Jack.
Morning, Linda.
Forget your manners?
Slade, I want to talk to you.
That check Clayborne
sent you for destroying the tape...
- What about it?
- The D.A. found out
you deposited it in
Judy Willinger's account.
- She's gonna need it.
- Sure, but the D.A. don't like it.
- To hell with the D.A.
- Yeah.
He says you being the State's
star witness and all,
defense will have a field day, you
giving money to the defendant's wife.
To hell with the D.A.
Did I say that?
Slade, you don't want
to testify against Quartz.
Once a cop, always a cop.
What the hell's that
got to do with it?
You ever notice how lawyers don't
like to testify against lawyers?
Doctors against doctors?
You owe me ten bucks
because the janitor didn't do it.
I'll give you 10-1 you don't make
much of a witness against Virgil.
- If you testify at all.
- Goddamn, Slade.
Come on.
I shot the son of a bitch, didn't I?
In the leg, Casey. Not between
the eyes or in the heart
or anywhere near that badge.
Smart cop, Slade.
Somebody once told me
that a smart cop
is still just a dumb cop.
How'd you like to be one again?
I might be able to do something
about that parole.
I've got Virgil's badge on my desk
and nobody to pin it on.
Thanks, Casey.
I'll think about it.