Cagney & Lacey (1981–1988): Season 2, Episode 21 - A Cry for Help - full transcript
A con man has to be let go because he had nothing on him when arrested, so Cagney and Lacey have to find a way to get him with the goods. Meanwhile, a fellow police academy graduate of Mary Beth's is a wife-beater.
I'm sorry, lady, what is the problem?
(SOBBING) My husband beats me.
You called before, didn't you?
I bought a gun,
and if he lays a hand on me,
I'm gonna kill him.
- We cannot help you if you don't...
- Help me?
You're not gonna help me.
- He's one of you. He's a cop.
- A cop?
Regulations say a cop like that
should be turned in to a superior officer.
Regulations only work
when you know who's doing it, Christine.
I don't care who he is.
I want you to find him.
And when you do,
I want you to get his wife out of there
before it's too late.
Nobody ever thinks it's anyone they know,
Mary Beth.
But one out of four guys hits his wife.
It's a fact.
Don't quote me statistics here, Christine.
I'm talking about people.
So am I.
Chances are
one of those people is beating up his wife.
A man's got a problem,
then he talks it out.
If he's really mad, he walks out,
but he doesn't hit, ever!
He's home and she's got a gun.
(GLASS SHATTERING)
- Hello.
- Hello.
Late night, Christine?
This is the guy
who took you parachuting, right?
Right.
And hang-gliding the week before that
when you wracked up your leg?
I like this one.
Aside from a well-developed death wish,
does he have any other qualifications?
He's gorgeous.
- Of course.
- And an incurable romantic.
Last night, at Chez Robert's,
he had the dessert chef
bake this into the chocolate soufflé.
- Hello.
- Oh, nice.
Nice.
I don't know him well enough,
so I have to send it back.
This guy must be a real loser.
He's gotta buy you gifts to get a date.
You wanna get out of here, Isbecki?
What do you think he paid for that?
Fifty, 75 bucks?
I couldn't care less,
and it's none of your business.
The only gift
I ever have to give a woman is me.
Take me off your Christmas list.
Twelve grams of gold, I'd say.
$150, at least.
- You couldn't care less.
- Hey, I'm sending it back.
That pawnsy scheme
you've been working on,
- three more victims just walked in.
- Oh, thanks.
ISBECKI: 14th Precinct.
Lacey, telephone.
Okay, I'll catch up with you inside.
Right.
Detective Lacey, 14th Squad.
WOMAN ON PHONE:
I can't stand it anymore.
I have to talk to somebody.
Yes, ma'am.
I know you'll stick up for him.
You won't believe me, I know you will.
Excuse me, ma'am,
do you wish to report a crime?
My doctor said that it was all my fault.
He told me to take tranquilizers.
I'm sorry, lady, what is the problem?
(SOBBING) My husband beats me.
All right, we will send an officer right over.
Now, what is the address?
No, no, no police,
that'd just make it worse.
Is he there with you now?
No.
All right,
I'm gonna give you a number to call,
and they will find shelter for you.
Hello?
Are you there?
Listen, I just wanna know, I wanna know,
what'll you do if I turn him in.
You see, he's a...
Listen, never mind, just forget it.
(DIAL TONE DRONING)
ISBECKI: Mary Beth, Cagney is waiting
for you in the interrogation room.
You, you, you're young yet.
You wouldn't understand
about setting aside for your old age.
Then I say she's living in a dream world.
If she thinks she's gonna make it
on social security, I gotta laugh.
We've been investigating this Mr. Ruskin.
Well, you should spit
when you say that name.
This Mr. Ruskin, he said
he was a real estate investment counselor.
He promised me 50% return
on my investment.
- Guaranteed.
- How much money did you give him?
$10,000.
Money I saved in nickels and dimes.
At first the checks came every month,
regular like clockwork.
$416 a month.
To me, the difference
between living like an animal
and living like a human being.
Then he asked if I had any friends
who'd be interested.
Better she should've kept her mouth shut.
Not that I'm blaming anyone.
I gave him $12,000.
For a while, it was just like Norma said,
I mean, a miracle.
And then the funny stuff started.
First, the checks were a few days late,
then a week.
Then nothing for two months,
and every time we call,
they say, "He's out."
I can't tell you how bad I feel,
like a criminal.
Oh, please, listen,
you didn't twist my arm.
I mean, he seemed very sincere to me.
Not to me.
I smelled something fishy right off the bat.
I told you, Norma, that penthouse office
and all those rings on his fingers,
"Someone's gotta pay for that," I said.
But Norma said he was okay.
So, I lost everything.
Not that I'm blaming anyone.
Please, Officers,
is there something you can do?
CAGNEY: We'll do our best.
I don't know why we have to come here
for strategy meetings.
Why can't Solomon and Nelson
come up to the 14th?
- Rank has its privileges.
- So I gather.
You and Brent Nelson graduated
from the Academy together.
Why does he have two grades on you?
I would say sexual discrimination.
Now, why didn't I think of that?
Plus, he's very smart and very cool,
and he was number one in our class.
Well, I hope number one's got something
for us.
I don't think I can face one more
destitute widow.
I finally figured it out,
who it is you remind me of.
My ex-wife.
Number three, right? Around the eyes?
Solomon, come on, come on.
Did you ever hear back from the IRS?
IRS connection is my connection.
I made contact with them.
I also got in touch with the SEC.
Sure, you turn it over to the feds,
and we lose Ruskin
on some lousy securities technicality.
What are you, nuts?
Mick Solomon always gets his man.
Usually his woman.
Brent, you still have a tail
on Ruskin, right?
Yeah, you know, we thought that
he was gonna make a run for it by now.
I just love it when they make a run.
Good evidence for a collar.
Brent, you wanna make him nervous?
See what he does?
I can go meet him, undercover.
You're just a little young
for his usual investor.
Poor Mom.
She lost everything she had.
Is that a shame?
I can't stand it that I could've caused
your lovely mother a second's discomfort.
Well, it's just that
you've been very difficult to reach,
and she hasn't received a check,
oh, gosh, in a couple of months.
What can I say? Cash flow, that's all it is.
A tiny little cash flow problem.
You see, the escrow on the sale
of a hotel in Grand Cayman,
it's been held up.
It's all because
of fluctuating interest rates,
but it's bound to close this week
at a 300% profit to the investors.
Well, perhaps I could see
the paperwork on the new hotel.
Of course, of course.
Now, will you do one little thing for me?
Will you reassure your lovely mother
for me?
I wonder,
could you make your books available
to my mom and me?
Absolutely no problem.
No problem at all. As a matter of fact,
our auditors are going over the books
right now.
We should have a statement out
to the investors
by, say, the end of the month.
(PHONE BUZZING)
Excuse me.
Yes.
Right. Right away.
Fabulous.
Stupendous news.
We've just closed on an office building
in Juneau
at an absolutely giveaway price.
- Isn't that great?
- Thank you.
Now, if you could excuse me,
as you can see I have some papers to sign.
I generally don't do this,
but if you have a little cash saved up,
I could possibly get you
into the Juneau deal.
- Do you have any paperwork on that?
- Of course.
Could I show it to Mom?
What a flake that guy is.
Hey, Mary Beth.
I've been meaning to ask you something.
Do you read this kind of thing?
"Love's Savage Harvest,
by Brianna Dumaine."
Is that one of those cornball romances?
Yeah, a friend of mine wrote it,
and I've gotta say something,
and I was wondering
if you'd read it for me.
Me? Well, why don't you read it?
I can't get through it.
But housewives,
they like this sort of thing.
- Thanks a lot, Christine.
- Hey, come on, it's a joke.
- Mary Beth...
- Not really.
Please, you gotta help me out here.
I've gotta say something to my friend.
Just do me the favor
and read it.
- I will try it.
- Great, thanks.
Soap opera without pictures.
An ice sculpture.
Ruskin, he's so good at his con,
I don't know if I made him nervous or not.
So he sent you something
you couldn't return.
I know I make you nervous, Solomon.
You should've kept the gold chain.
(ISBECKI LAUGHS)
No, thanks anyway.
No, you're already married,
and five's my unlucky number.
I take it
Detective Solomon has finally proposed.
This guy almost makes Isbecki look good.
What am I gonna do
with 1,000 pounds of ice?
This is all very romantic here, Christine,
but what you need
is a guy with his feet on the ground.
Like who?
- Like Harv.
- That's great.
He's already married. I even like his wife.
- Like Brent Nelson.
- He's married, too.
And I like his wife.
Petrie.
Could you come up
with someone who's unmarried?
Take your time.
(PHONE RINGS)
I'll get it.
Detective Cagney, 14th.
Solomon, take "no" for an answer.
What?
Okay, we're on our way.
Mary Beth, come on.
Ruskin just rented a limo.
He's on his way to the airport.
- Albert Schweitzer.
- He's dead.
I'm joking.
LACEY: How are we gonna arrest him?
We don't have enough probable cause.
Wait till he gets on the plane.
It shows consciousness of guilt.
MAN ON PA: Flight 645, Madrid.
Where's he going?
I don't know. Probably South America,
maybe. Maybe Switzerland.
Last call for passengers on flight 645
to Madrid.
Hello, beautiful lady.
- Where is he?
- Bar.
- LACEY: He could recognize you.
- I'll take care of it.
- LACEY: Where was his luggage?
- He didn't bring any.
If that overcoat of his is lined with cash,
he's not gonna need anything else.
NELSON: He's moving.
LACEY: Where?
To your right.
(EXCLAIMS)
Go to work.
He's not going anywhere.
He's meeting somebody.
(SIREN BLARING)
Hey, you two, where's Ruskin?
- I thought you were bringing him in.
- Wild goose chase, sir.
We got to the airport just in time
to watch Ruskin pick up a friend.
We then had a lovely two-hour drive
in rush-hour traffic,
following them back to his office.
We don't have enough for a collar, here.
And I'm out 18 lousy bucks,
for this dumb disguise.
Plus, your dolphin is melted
all over our desks.
- What is that?
- Oh, God.
Now, listen, while you were gone,
La Guardia took a report
from another victim.
A 72-year-old widow
lost everything she had.
This guy is worse than the one
that sent you the turtle.
Snapping turtle.
God, remember that?
And then when it got loose
in the men's room?
- Oh, God.
- ISBECKI: Lacey.
Detective Lacey, 14th Squad.
I'm sorry, what? I don't understand.
WOMAN: I just wanna tell you,
he's never gonna hurt me again.
You called before, didn't you?
My husband,
he's never gonna hurt me again.
I bought a gun,
and if he lays a hand on me,
I'm gonna kill him.
Ma'am, please don't hang up.
- We cannot help you, if you don't...
- Help me?
You're not gonna help me.
- He's one of you, he's a cop.
- A cop?
(DIAL TONE DRONING)
She says she's a cop's wife.
He's beating her, and she bought a gun.
Let's get over there.
I don't have an address.
I don't have a name.
That's a potential homicide-suicide,
Mary Beth.
- Come on, we'll talk to Samuels.
- About what?
Two hysterical phone calls?
Regulations say a cop like that
should be turned in to a superior officer.
Regulations only work
when you know who's doing it, Christine.
Why are you dragging your feet on this?
Because we don't have anything.
If we go in there,
Lieutenant's gonna give us
a nice little lecture
about the brotherhood of officers.
And he's gonna tell us to sit on it.
Let me tell you a story, Lacey.
When I was a rookie, I had a partner,
nicest guy in the world.
Except, one day,
I picked him up at his house,
and his wife had two black eyes and a hole
where her front tooth used to be.
Did you turn him in?
No, not me, not true-blue Bert.
There was no way
I was gonna fink on a partner.
So I pretended that I hadn't seen
what I had seen.
Not my place to mix into
people's marriages, I told myself.
Not my place.
So I looked the other way.
Eventually, we were transferred
to different precincts,
and Sam went down the tubes, but...
Marge.
He just kept beating her up
until she wound up in a hospital.
And I could've stopped that.
Find the bastard and nail him.
Excuse me, Bert,
could I have a word with you?
Hey, the door is closed for a reason.
Okay, I'm sorry.
- Excuse me.
- I'll be out there in a minute.
Times have changed.
I want you to find this guy.
I don't care who he is.
I want you to find him.
And when you do,
I want you to get his wife out of there
before it's too late.
Yes, sir.
Hello, you little cutie.
Come on, in here,
let me whisper sweet nothings.
- How do you turn him off?
- Guy can't help himself. It's like a reflex.
So you got something on our case?
Right, right.
Take a look at Ruskin's
bank statement here.
Last year, he's worth over $3 million.
Then, poor guy falls on hard times,
gets down to his last mil.
Today, just before closing,
takes out every last dime.
In cash.
He's getting ready to run.
You brought me all the way across town
for this?
Alexander Graham Bell,
it's an ingenious invention.
Why didn't you give her this on the phone?
She does look like number three, right?
Cute and feisty.
Next time I'm between wives,
we should get together.
(PHONE RINGING)
I'm leaving.
Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait. Hey, hey.
I called you over here for a reason.
Mick, it's your wife.
- It's your wife.
- It's my wife.
I told you I'd call you later.
(EXCLAIMING)
I don't care.
Sit.
- Talk.
- Right.
You wanna be in on the Ruskin collar,
right?
- It's my case.
- Okay, okay.
I figure he's gonna make a run for it
any minute.
You and me, we'll wait him out together.
- I'll wait with Lacey.
- You'll have more fun with me.
I'll order in dinner.
She likes me, I can tell.
I can't stand that man.
Christine, come here, listen to this.
I got a copy of this tape
from Communications.
ISBECKI: 14th Precinct.
WOMAN: I'd like to speak to
Mary Beth Lacey, please.
Yeah, hold on.
That's the cop's wife asking for me,
by name.
Recognize the voice?
I listened to it, over and over.
So, I got a printout of all the guys
in the precinct that are married.
And I'm going over it, but I...
I can't believe it's one of our guys.
Do you think that Petrie
beats up on Claudia?
Or Davidson or Coleman?
Nobody ever thinks it's anyone they know,
Mary Beth.
But one out of four guys hits his wife.
It's a fact.
Don't quote me statistics here, Christine.
I'm talking about people.
So am I.
Chances are
one of those people is beating up his wife.
I don't think we should tell the guys
we're working on this.
Anyway, Brent said that he thinks
Ruskin's gonna make a run for it.
He wants us to stay by the phone.
So, we stay.
Hey, you wanna go home to Harvey
and the boys, I'll stay.
I'll stay.
I missed my date.
- We could send out for pizza.
- Italian, great.
I was getting tired
of all that fancy French food, anyway.
Well, it's certainly a personal favorite
of mine.
Yes, I'm checking on handgun
registrations, the last two weeks.
All right, I'll hold.
What? Oh, that's even better.
(LAUGHING)
Would you stop it?
- It's just not fair.
- Yeah, I'm still here.
All right.
Yeah.
(PHONE RINGS)
Yeah.
Detective Lacey, 14th.
Yeah, Mick.
You got the gate number?
All right, we're on our way.
Chris, airport?
Hold that thought. Don't start without me.
It's right at the exciting part.
Yeah. Me, too.
(SIGHS)
It's for real this time.
He's ticketed for Quito, Ecuador.
He's got a bag
that he's not letting out of his sight.
MAN ON PA: IntercontinentaI flight 347
for Quito, Ecuador
will be boarding at Gate 17.
IntercontinentaI flight 347...
- Excuse me.
- Hey!
Excuse me!
Wait. Out of the way, folks!
- Hold up, police!
- Police!
Hold up, hold up!
- Got him?
- Yeah.
I'm gonna check on Chris.
Come on, people.
Move on, there's nothing to see here.
It's all over.
Okay, security's here to witness this.
Let's open it, all right?
I've never held a million dollars
in my hands before.
It's lighter than I thought it'd be.
Come on, let's open it.
- How much?
- One million bucks.
Hello, you pretty green...
Shorts.
Shorts, socks.
Shirts.
My cousin reads these.
She tells me they're nothing but smut.
All smut these days.
Movies, television, books, all smut.
Oh, of course, Edith,
if you think it's bad for me.
I wouldn't want to tell you
what to do, dear.
He takes all his money out of the bank,
goes directly to his office,
and then goes straight to the airport
with a one-way ticket for Quito, Ecuador.
- So where's the money?
- 200 bucks, that is all he had on him.
Well, it's gotta be someplace.
It doesn't make sense.
Excuse me, Lieutenant, your real estate
fraud victims are waiting for you.
- Thank you.
- All right, they'll be there in a minute.
A guy cannot leave the country
with just 200 bucks.
Well, that's exactly my point, Cagney.
- So, go find it.
- Yes, sir.
Now, Lacey, wait a second.
How are you doing on finding this cop?
I called all the gun dealers in the city, sir.
If she bought the gun legally,
then we can match up the registration
with our personnel files.
I got Alice Martinez
doing a computer run for me.
Well, that's good. I'll call Martinez
and I'll tell her it's top priority.
Thank you, sir.
You're reading Brianna Dumaine's book.
Not me. Smut.
We heard on the news you arrested
Ed Ruskin. We came for our money.
- We haven't recovered the money yet.
- You haven't?
Have you checked with his bank?
Perhaps it's still there.
He withdrew all of his funds before
he tried to leave the country, ma'am.
Well, then it must be in his home.
Believe me, Mrs. Fischer,
we're searching everywhere for it.
- His office?
- His car?
- We tried his car.
- A mistress, he probably had a mistress.
- Check her place.
- We'll look everywhere, ma'am.
I don't know how I'm gonna
be able to pay my rent next month
if you don't find the money.
We will find it, ma'am.
I've never seen such a dead-bang case.
Now, look, the Hotel de...
Something or the other in Grand Cayman,
that's owned by Letty Corporation.
- So it is not Ed Ruskin.
- Not technically.
His mother is Letty Corporation.
- So it is Ed Ruskin?
- Yeah.
His and 10 other guys,
all of whom think they own 25%.
What is that perfume you're wearing?
You know you're driving me wild.
Eau de chocolate.
- Ruskin sold 250% in that hotel.
- Wait a sec, wait, wait. Small potatoes.
Take a look at this office building
in Juneau.
- That's the one he tried to sell me.
- Owned by...
- Let me guess. Letty Corporation.
- You got it.
And I assume there are several other
investors in this property also.
- Several, he sold 500%.
- Can you prove it?
The case is solid. We got the man.
We got the crime.
Now, where the hell is the money?
- Sir, you gonna wanna see this.
- Where's your partner?
He's out with a flu. It's going around.
Can I see you two in my office a minute?
- You'll excuse us, Detective Solomon.
- Sure, I'm through here.
Give me a call later
if you want to put in a little overtime.
Solomon, enough, huh?
We got Ruskin dead to rights.
Alice Martinez found your wife beater.
Oh, that's not possible. Brent Nelson.
- Oh, no. I...
- Wife's name is Phyllis?
Yes.
She's got a.38 snub-nose
registered in her name.
Well, this is crazy, sir.
I never even saw him angry.
Just like my partner was, Jekyll and Hyde.
Solomon said he's out with a flu.
He's home and she's got a gun.
You two better check that out, right away.
CAGNEY: Which is faster,
the tunnel or the bridge?
LACEY: The bridge.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
One more time.
- Yeah. What are you two doing here, huh?
- We wanted to talk to you about Ruskin.
Can we come in?
You should have called me.
I mean, I got the flu.
I don't think you want to
get too close to me.
That's all right.
If I haven't got it from the kids by now,
I'm not gonna get it. Look at this house.
It must be great to have a house.
Harv and I are always talking
about buying.
I'd show you around,
but the place, it's a mess.
Is Phyllis here? I'd love to see her.
So, what do you want to talk to me about?
Solomon said that the Letty Corporation
belongs to Ruskin.
Yeah, he called,
but let's talk about this tomorrow.
- I'm feeling rotten.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
We shouldn't have got you out of bed,
you're right.
So, we'll just say a quick hello to Phyllis,
and then we'll get out of your hair.
You'll have to do that another time.
She's not here.
Is that funny? You know,
Harvey is such a baby when he is sick.
I can never leave him home alone.
She's out
getting me some cough medicine.
- So will she be back soon?
- Look, I don't mean to be rude but...
I'm no condition for company, okay?
Phyllis, long time.
Listen, Phyllis, honey,
you remember Mary Beth Lacey,
- and this is her partner Christine Cagney.
- CAGNEY: Hello.
- How are you?
- I...
I got your cough medicine.
I think you better take it right away.
Right away?
What, are you trying to get rid of me, huh?
No, no.
Is something wrong, Phyl, huh?
Or you want to talk
girl talk with Mary Beth?
Just concerned about your cold, that's all.
Isn't she the best little wife
in the world, huh?
I'll take my medicine right away
and leave you to your friends, okay?
- The place is great.
- Thank you.
So how's it going?
We know that you've been calling.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- You don't have to stay here.
You can come with us.
We'll find you a place to stay.
Well, this is my home.
Why would I want to leave?
You tell me.
Brent and I are very happy.
Look, I think you better go.
Brent, Mary Beth has to go.
You want to say goodbye?
Phyllis, you call me sometime soon.
I would love to get together.
Yeah. I'm so busy, you know.
- Let's go, Chris.
- It's nice to have met you, Phyllis.
She never took her sunglasses off.
It looked to me like she had a shiner.
Well, we can't drag her out of there
if she doesn't want to go.
At least he knows we're onto him.
Maybe we scared him off.
Maybe we pushed him over.
Are you telling me
that Phyllis likes to get beat up?
Because that I don't believe.
Mary Beth, if I hit you,
you would leave me.
Not everybody is me, Harv.
First of all, I know I got a job.
I know I can take care of myself.
Not every woman knows that.
Hey, would you give me a break?
If the woman stays,
I say that woman has got a problem.
You'll never guess who just called.
- Phyllis Nelson.
- Brent.
He wants us to meet him and Solomon
at Rikers Island at 10:00.
What?
He says he has an informant who can
tell us where Ruskin stashed his money.
- Did he say anything about Phyllis?
- Nothing.
He acted as if everything
was just hunky-dory.
Maybe it is.
Sure. Phyllis looked just swell
to me yesterday.
Maybe we should butt out.
Oh, I see.
You think she got that shiner
by walking into a door.
I don't know for sure.
Harv says if he's hitting her and she stays,
then that's her choice.
It's none of our business.
- Can't believe you mean that.
- What's not to believe?
A: We don't have any hard evidence
that Brent ever laid a hand on her.
And B:
If he did, then I gotta to ask myself why.
What is Phyllis's part in this?
- What's she done to him?
- What's she done to him?
Is nothing.
I mean nothing that justifies
a man hitting a woman.
Well, that's very easy
for us to say, Christine.
But we're not there.
We don't know what goes on there.
Remember Jeremy?
Certainly, I remember Jeremy.
I never could understand
why you let that one get away.
Well, I'll tell you why.
Because he hit me.
That's not the truth. He beat me up.
Once, that's all it took.
And I can fight back.
- You never told me.
- I know.
I just couldn't talk about it.
Why?
- According to him, he had his reasons.
- Which were what?
It doesn't matter, there are no reasons.
There are excuses. There are no reasons.
Jeremy said he was sorry.
He promised me
it would never happen again.
You bet it wouldn't.
I loved him,
and I left him because you don't hit.
A man's got a problem,
then he talks it out.
If he's really mad, he walks out,
but he doesn't hit, ever!
I'm going to call Phyllis.
Make sure she's okay.
Well, she couldn't have been nicer
or more polite.
She kept insisting she's fine, they're fine.
But?
But she also kept trying
to get me off the phone.
So now, we can go back
to work with Brent
and pretend like nothing's happening.
Ruskin says he put the money
right under your noses.
- That's it?
- Yeah.
- That's where he stashed it?
- Yeah.
- He didn't say anything else?
- Nothing.
SOLOMON: The man's
a gold mine of information.
So what do I get for helping youse out?
Ten years in Sing Sing.
That's if you're lucky. Let's get out of here.
Obie, you burn me, man,
you are through.
What a waste of time.
The man says it's right under our noses.
So, it's worth going through
this stuff again.
- It's got to be here.
- Of course it is.
Would a Brent Nelson informant lie?
Look at this.
Guy's got a ring for every finger.
Gold rings, gold bracelets, gold medallion,
how much is that all together?
Any stones?
No.
$300 apiece, maybe five.
- So $6,000 total?
- Great.
Now we are $994,000 short, and change.
But what the heck, I love to spend
my day off at Rikers Island.
I don't need the cheap sarcasm, partner.
No, no. I mean it sincerely.
I can't thank you enough
for schlepping us out here.
You want to work
on this case by yourself? Fine.
Man can't take a little ribbing.
- I'm going after him.
- He's my partner.
Finish up here.
I'll see you back at the 14th.
Okay.
What if he doesn't cool off
before he gets home?
He's going to take it out on her.
I'm turning him over to IAD.
Let's just give him a chance
to turn himself in, okay?
We'll talk to him the minute
we get back, okay?
- It's not here.
- What?
Whatever it is we're looking for
that's worth one million bucks,
it's not here.
Maybe these socks belonged to
George Washington or somebody.
You know, a collector's item.
- They'd be worth a fortune.
- That's very creative, Isbecki.
- I'm just trying to help. Do you think...
- Go away.
You know, it's amazing
the things people collect.
I went to an exhibition
and sale last spring.
Antique shoe hooks, collar stays, corsets,
but no socks.
- 14th Squad, Detective Petrie.
- This is nothing.
- What else is right under our noses?
- Who wants to talk to Mick Solomon?
- Mary Beth.
- PETRIE: On two.
Thank you.
Hello, Mick.
No, nothing yet.
Your guess is as good as mine.
I thought you two were coming over here.
Oh, I see. How long ago did you leave him?
Yeah. Sure.
Talk to you tomorrow.
Brent got into a fight in a bar.
- Mick told him to sleep it off at home.
- I'm right behind you.
(SIREN BLARING)
(SCREAMING)
You promised you wouldn't hit me again.
You... Brent, no!
No! No!
- I didn't do anything! Please!
- You called them, didn't you?
Didn't you call them?
You called them and made me
look like an idiot, that's what you did.
You shot off your big damn mouth.
PHYLLIS: No! No!
No! Please.
Hey, hey. What are you doing? What?
Don't come any closer or I'll kill you. I will.
You'll pay for this, Phyllis.
You're gonna be sorry you were ever born!
Don't come any closer!
Watch your eyes.
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Phyllis, put the gun down.
Phyl, on the floor.
(SOBBING)
Stay away from her, Brent.
- This is family business. You stay out.
- No.
You don't take one more step.
You understand me?
Can you walk? Phyllis, can you walk?
All right, come on.
We're taking you out of here.
- Come on, baby.
- Where are you taking my wife?
Sergeant Nelson,
you have until 8:00 tomorrow morning
to turn yourself in to IAD.
- Phyllis!
- If you don't, I will.
And Detective Cagney will back me.
Come on, baby.
Here we go.
There we go.
NELSON: Phyllis!
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Oh, my God.
What the heck?
(BANGING ON DOOR)
Take it easy.
All right, all right. Take it easy.
- Slow down.
- Where's my wife? I know she's in there.
Brent Nelson. Get back into your room.
I'll handle it.
- Harvey, when I'm set, open the door.
- Come on, open...
- All right, Brent, take it easy.
- Where is she?
Take it...
Come on, open up!
Put your gun on the floor
where I can see it.
- Oh, God.
- Don't get crazy now, Brent.
- Put it on the floor.
- Okay, okay.
- Mom.
- Get back in.
- Go down the room and close the door.
- All right, where is she?
- Go, babe.
- She isn't here.
How would you like it?
If somebody came and took Mary Beth
away from you, what would you do?
You're scaring our kids here.
I want you out.
Yeah. But it's okay for you to come
and bust into my place, right?
Stick your nose into my business, right?
- You were beating her up.
- That is a lie.
How can you deny this? I saw her.
Maybe I... She...
I pushed her once. One time.
Once.
That's a lie.
Hey, hey. Come on.
You know what it's like.
You come home tired.
Right? Under a lot of pressure.
She starts whining.
Whining, whining about this thing
and that thing.
I just seen a man
with his face blown away.
And she starts complaining
because the washing machine's
broke down.
And all I want is a little peace
and quiet.
Huh?
Why are you all blaming me?
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
Oh, God, Phyl, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
- Morning.
- Morning.
I spoke to Phyllis Nelson.
She is doing okay.
And I said we'd come by the shelter
and see her in a couple of days.
Good.
So, do we go to IAD now?
That is taken care of.
- He went in this morning on his own.
- Okay.
What have we here?
Is that another bauble from mystery man?
Yeah.
Too bad I have to send it back.
Isn't it pretty?
What is that?
Look like he got it in a gum ball machine.
Shows what you know, Isbecki.
It happens to be worth a fortune.
Come on, Christine.
Even I know this stuff goes by weight.
Not if it's 400 years old.
What's the matter?
He couldn't get you something new?
That's 24 karat gold. Feel how soft it is.
It's like Ruskin's jewelry.
The rings that I asked you
about yesterday...
They're all like this.
$125,000.
Even in a depressed market.
- For one ring?
- Well, it's Minoan.
This one is Chinese, Han Dynasty.
I take this to be Mayan.
This is a remarkable collection.
So where would Ruskin get it?
You don't just walk into a museum
and buy this stuff.
My dear, no.
Antiquities like these are generally sold
on the black market.
- Ruskin's friend at the airport.
- The South American connection.
They made the switch in his office.
Well, I know at least three dear ladies
are gonna be very happy.
I don't think that Edith ever thought
she was gonna get her money back.
Not that she's blaming anybody.
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
Well, it's empty in here.
We could talk in here.
- Do you want to sit?
- Sure.
This okay?
You know, this place isn't bad.
I could fix it up a little.
You know, I always thought that
if I loved Brent enough I could fix him up.
You know what I mean?
I could make him feel good about himself
so that
he wouldn't hit me.
(SIGHS)
But I can't. I...
I can't do it for him.
He's getting help from the department.
Yeah.
- I hear he turned himself in.
- Did you talk to him?
No. Mick called me.
I can't see him yet.
I'm afraid he'll talk me back
into the house.
You know, I know police work
has been really, really tough on Brent.
And...
You know, I'm really glad
that he's turning himself in,
and he's getting help, you know.
Maybe he'll get better.
You know, maybe he will.
I don't know. Maybe he won't.
I just know I got to do what I can
to make sure that I'm okay.
You know?
- Without him.
- You're doing good.
You're doing fine.
Thanks.
Oh, here.
I keep forgetting
to give this thing back to you.
- Did you finish it?
- I said I would.
- What did you think?
- I hated it.
Really?
Yeah. Right up until 4:00 in the morning
when I finished it.
- Couldn't put it down?
- Right.
- But you hated it?
- Right.
Right.
Cagney, there's somebody to see you.
LACEY: Is that the mystery man?
(WHISTLES)
Why do you hang around
with these losers?
- Hi.
- Hi.
I know I'm a little early, but...
It's all right.
Mary Beth Lacey,
I'd like you to meet Brianna Dumaine.
- You're Brianna Dumaine?
- Oh, sometimes.
Though my mother knows me
as Joe Klotzman.
- How do you do?
- Hi.
So you've read my books?
- Well, no, not really.
- You ought to try them. You'd like them.
Christine reads all my books
the minute they come off the press.
I know I can count on her
for an honest opinion.
Maybe we better get going.
We're gonna be late
for our dinner reservations.
Don't rush off now.
Why don't you tell Joe your honest opinion
of Love's Savage Harvest?
Oh, you finished it?
Stayed up all night.
Couldn't put it down,
isn't that what you told me, Christine?
That's right.
So, tell Joe your favorite parts.
Could I see you in the conference room
for just a moment?
I'd really like to know
what you have to say.
Really.
She had no favorite parts.
She loved the entire book.
Every page, every line,
loved it.
Loved it.
You're wonderful.
- Nice meeting you.
- Nice to meet you.
I found this wonderful little
Russian restaurant.
You are going to love it.
LACEY: Have a good time.
- Bye-bye.
- Thanks, bye.
(SOBBING) My husband beats me.
You called before, didn't you?
I bought a gun,
and if he lays a hand on me,
I'm gonna kill him.
- We cannot help you if you don't...
- Help me?
You're not gonna help me.
- He's one of you. He's a cop.
- A cop?
Regulations say a cop like that
should be turned in to a superior officer.
Regulations only work
when you know who's doing it, Christine.
I don't care who he is.
I want you to find him.
And when you do,
I want you to get his wife out of there
before it's too late.
Nobody ever thinks it's anyone they know,
Mary Beth.
But one out of four guys hits his wife.
It's a fact.
Don't quote me statistics here, Christine.
I'm talking about people.
So am I.
Chances are
one of those people is beating up his wife.
A man's got a problem,
then he talks it out.
If he's really mad, he walks out,
but he doesn't hit, ever!
He's home and she's got a gun.
(GLASS SHATTERING)
- Hello.
- Hello.
Late night, Christine?
This is the guy
who took you parachuting, right?
Right.
And hang-gliding the week before that
when you wracked up your leg?
I like this one.
Aside from a well-developed death wish,
does he have any other qualifications?
He's gorgeous.
- Of course.
- And an incurable romantic.
Last night, at Chez Robert's,
he had the dessert chef
bake this into the chocolate soufflé.
- Hello.
- Oh, nice.
Nice.
I don't know him well enough,
so I have to send it back.
This guy must be a real loser.
He's gotta buy you gifts to get a date.
You wanna get out of here, Isbecki?
What do you think he paid for that?
Fifty, 75 bucks?
I couldn't care less,
and it's none of your business.
The only gift
I ever have to give a woman is me.
Take me off your Christmas list.
Twelve grams of gold, I'd say.
$150, at least.
- You couldn't care less.
- Hey, I'm sending it back.
That pawnsy scheme
you've been working on,
- three more victims just walked in.
- Oh, thanks.
ISBECKI: 14th Precinct.
Lacey, telephone.
Okay, I'll catch up with you inside.
Right.
Detective Lacey, 14th Squad.
WOMAN ON PHONE:
I can't stand it anymore.
I have to talk to somebody.
Yes, ma'am.
I know you'll stick up for him.
You won't believe me, I know you will.
Excuse me, ma'am,
do you wish to report a crime?
My doctor said that it was all my fault.
He told me to take tranquilizers.
I'm sorry, lady, what is the problem?
(SOBBING) My husband beats me.
All right, we will send an officer right over.
Now, what is the address?
No, no, no police,
that'd just make it worse.
Is he there with you now?
No.
All right,
I'm gonna give you a number to call,
and they will find shelter for you.
Hello?
Are you there?
Listen, I just wanna know, I wanna know,
what'll you do if I turn him in.
You see, he's a...
Listen, never mind, just forget it.
(DIAL TONE DRONING)
ISBECKI: Mary Beth, Cagney is waiting
for you in the interrogation room.
You, you, you're young yet.
You wouldn't understand
about setting aside for your old age.
Then I say she's living in a dream world.
If she thinks she's gonna make it
on social security, I gotta laugh.
We've been investigating this Mr. Ruskin.
Well, you should spit
when you say that name.
This Mr. Ruskin, he said
he was a real estate investment counselor.
He promised me 50% return
on my investment.
- Guaranteed.
- How much money did you give him?
$10,000.
Money I saved in nickels and dimes.
At first the checks came every month,
regular like clockwork.
$416 a month.
To me, the difference
between living like an animal
and living like a human being.
Then he asked if I had any friends
who'd be interested.
Better she should've kept her mouth shut.
Not that I'm blaming anyone.
I gave him $12,000.
For a while, it was just like Norma said,
I mean, a miracle.
And then the funny stuff started.
First, the checks were a few days late,
then a week.
Then nothing for two months,
and every time we call,
they say, "He's out."
I can't tell you how bad I feel,
like a criminal.
Oh, please, listen,
you didn't twist my arm.
I mean, he seemed very sincere to me.
Not to me.
I smelled something fishy right off the bat.
I told you, Norma, that penthouse office
and all those rings on his fingers,
"Someone's gotta pay for that," I said.
But Norma said he was okay.
So, I lost everything.
Not that I'm blaming anyone.
Please, Officers,
is there something you can do?
CAGNEY: We'll do our best.
I don't know why we have to come here
for strategy meetings.
Why can't Solomon and Nelson
come up to the 14th?
- Rank has its privileges.
- So I gather.
You and Brent Nelson graduated
from the Academy together.
Why does he have two grades on you?
I would say sexual discrimination.
Now, why didn't I think of that?
Plus, he's very smart and very cool,
and he was number one in our class.
Well, I hope number one's got something
for us.
I don't think I can face one more
destitute widow.
I finally figured it out,
who it is you remind me of.
My ex-wife.
Number three, right? Around the eyes?
Solomon, come on, come on.
Did you ever hear back from the IRS?
IRS connection is my connection.
I made contact with them.
I also got in touch with the SEC.
Sure, you turn it over to the feds,
and we lose Ruskin
on some lousy securities technicality.
What are you, nuts?
Mick Solomon always gets his man.
Usually his woman.
Brent, you still have a tail
on Ruskin, right?
Yeah, you know, we thought that
he was gonna make a run for it by now.
I just love it when they make a run.
Good evidence for a collar.
Brent, you wanna make him nervous?
See what he does?
I can go meet him, undercover.
You're just a little young
for his usual investor.
Poor Mom.
She lost everything she had.
Is that a shame?
I can't stand it that I could've caused
your lovely mother a second's discomfort.
Well, it's just that
you've been very difficult to reach,
and she hasn't received a check,
oh, gosh, in a couple of months.
What can I say? Cash flow, that's all it is.
A tiny little cash flow problem.
You see, the escrow on the sale
of a hotel in Grand Cayman,
it's been held up.
It's all because
of fluctuating interest rates,
but it's bound to close this week
at a 300% profit to the investors.
Well, perhaps I could see
the paperwork on the new hotel.
Of course, of course.
Now, will you do one little thing for me?
Will you reassure your lovely mother
for me?
I wonder,
could you make your books available
to my mom and me?
Absolutely no problem.
No problem at all. As a matter of fact,
our auditors are going over the books
right now.
We should have a statement out
to the investors
by, say, the end of the month.
(PHONE BUZZING)
Excuse me.
Yes.
Right. Right away.
Fabulous.
Stupendous news.
We've just closed on an office building
in Juneau
at an absolutely giveaway price.
- Isn't that great?
- Thank you.
Now, if you could excuse me,
as you can see I have some papers to sign.
I generally don't do this,
but if you have a little cash saved up,
I could possibly get you
into the Juneau deal.
- Do you have any paperwork on that?
- Of course.
Could I show it to Mom?
What a flake that guy is.
Hey, Mary Beth.
I've been meaning to ask you something.
Do you read this kind of thing?
"Love's Savage Harvest,
by Brianna Dumaine."
Is that one of those cornball romances?
Yeah, a friend of mine wrote it,
and I've gotta say something,
and I was wondering
if you'd read it for me.
Me? Well, why don't you read it?
I can't get through it.
But housewives,
they like this sort of thing.
- Thanks a lot, Christine.
- Hey, come on, it's a joke.
- Mary Beth...
- Not really.
Please, you gotta help me out here.
I've gotta say something to my friend.
Just do me the favor
and read it.
- I will try it.
- Great, thanks.
Soap opera without pictures.
An ice sculpture.
Ruskin, he's so good at his con,
I don't know if I made him nervous or not.
So he sent you something
you couldn't return.
I know I make you nervous, Solomon.
You should've kept the gold chain.
(ISBECKI LAUGHS)
No, thanks anyway.
No, you're already married,
and five's my unlucky number.
I take it
Detective Solomon has finally proposed.
This guy almost makes Isbecki look good.
What am I gonna do
with 1,000 pounds of ice?
This is all very romantic here, Christine,
but what you need
is a guy with his feet on the ground.
Like who?
- Like Harv.
- That's great.
He's already married. I even like his wife.
- Like Brent Nelson.
- He's married, too.
And I like his wife.
Petrie.
Could you come up
with someone who's unmarried?
Take your time.
(PHONE RINGS)
I'll get it.
Detective Cagney, 14th.
Solomon, take "no" for an answer.
What?
Okay, we're on our way.
Mary Beth, come on.
Ruskin just rented a limo.
He's on his way to the airport.
- Albert Schweitzer.
- He's dead.
I'm joking.
LACEY: How are we gonna arrest him?
We don't have enough probable cause.
Wait till he gets on the plane.
It shows consciousness of guilt.
MAN ON PA: Flight 645, Madrid.
Where's he going?
I don't know. Probably South America,
maybe. Maybe Switzerland.
Last call for passengers on flight 645
to Madrid.
Hello, beautiful lady.
- Where is he?
- Bar.
- LACEY: He could recognize you.
- I'll take care of it.
- LACEY: Where was his luggage?
- He didn't bring any.
If that overcoat of his is lined with cash,
he's not gonna need anything else.
NELSON: He's moving.
LACEY: Where?
To your right.
(EXCLAIMS)
Go to work.
He's not going anywhere.
He's meeting somebody.
(SIREN BLARING)
Hey, you two, where's Ruskin?
- I thought you were bringing him in.
- Wild goose chase, sir.
We got to the airport just in time
to watch Ruskin pick up a friend.
We then had a lovely two-hour drive
in rush-hour traffic,
following them back to his office.
We don't have enough for a collar, here.
And I'm out 18 lousy bucks,
for this dumb disguise.
Plus, your dolphin is melted
all over our desks.
- What is that?
- Oh, God.
Now, listen, while you were gone,
La Guardia took a report
from another victim.
A 72-year-old widow
lost everything she had.
This guy is worse than the one
that sent you the turtle.
Snapping turtle.
God, remember that?
And then when it got loose
in the men's room?
- Oh, God.
- ISBECKI: Lacey.
Detective Lacey, 14th Squad.
I'm sorry, what? I don't understand.
WOMAN: I just wanna tell you,
he's never gonna hurt me again.
You called before, didn't you?
My husband,
he's never gonna hurt me again.
I bought a gun,
and if he lays a hand on me,
I'm gonna kill him.
Ma'am, please don't hang up.
- We cannot help you, if you don't...
- Help me?
You're not gonna help me.
- He's one of you, he's a cop.
- A cop?
(DIAL TONE DRONING)
She says she's a cop's wife.
He's beating her, and she bought a gun.
Let's get over there.
I don't have an address.
I don't have a name.
That's a potential homicide-suicide,
Mary Beth.
- Come on, we'll talk to Samuels.
- About what?
Two hysterical phone calls?
Regulations say a cop like that
should be turned in to a superior officer.
Regulations only work
when you know who's doing it, Christine.
Why are you dragging your feet on this?
Because we don't have anything.
If we go in there,
Lieutenant's gonna give us
a nice little lecture
about the brotherhood of officers.
And he's gonna tell us to sit on it.
Let me tell you a story, Lacey.
When I was a rookie, I had a partner,
nicest guy in the world.
Except, one day,
I picked him up at his house,
and his wife had two black eyes and a hole
where her front tooth used to be.
Did you turn him in?
No, not me, not true-blue Bert.
There was no way
I was gonna fink on a partner.
So I pretended that I hadn't seen
what I had seen.
Not my place to mix into
people's marriages, I told myself.
Not my place.
So I looked the other way.
Eventually, we were transferred
to different precincts,
and Sam went down the tubes, but...
Marge.
He just kept beating her up
until she wound up in a hospital.
And I could've stopped that.
Find the bastard and nail him.
Excuse me, Bert,
could I have a word with you?
Hey, the door is closed for a reason.
Okay, I'm sorry.
- Excuse me.
- I'll be out there in a minute.
Times have changed.
I want you to find this guy.
I don't care who he is.
I want you to find him.
And when you do,
I want you to get his wife out of there
before it's too late.
Yes, sir.
Hello, you little cutie.
Come on, in here,
let me whisper sweet nothings.
- How do you turn him off?
- Guy can't help himself. It's like a reflex.
So you got something on our case?
Right, right.
Take a look at Ruskin's
bank statement here.
Last year, he's worth over $3 million.
Then, poor guy falls on hard times,
gets down to his last mil.
Today, just before closing,
takes out every last dime.
In cash.
He's getting ready to run.
You brought me all the way across town
for this?
Alexander Graham Bell,
it's an ingenious invention.
Why didn't you give her this on the phone?
She does look like number three, right?
Cute and feisty.
Next time I'm between wives,
we should get together.
(PHONE RINGING)
I'm leaving.
Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait. Hey, hey.
I called you over here for a reason.
Mick, it's your wife.
- It's your wife.
- It's my wife.
I told you I'd call you later.
(EXCLAIMING)
I don't care.
Sit.
- Talk.
- Right.
You wanna be in on the Ruskin collar,
right?
- It's my case.
- Okay, okay.
I figure he's gonna make a run for it
any minute.
You and me, we'll wait him out together.
- I'll wait with Lacey.
- You'll have more fun with me.
I'll order in dinner.
She likes me, I can tell.
I can't stand that man.
Christine, come here, listen to this.
I got a copy of this tape
from Communications.
ISBECKI: 14th Precinct.
WOMAN: I'd like to speak to
Mary Beth Lacey, please.
Yeah, hold on.
That's the cop's wife asking for me,
by name.
Recognize the voice?
I listened to it, over and over.
So, I got a printout of all the guys
in the precinct that are married.
And I'm going over it, but I...
I can't believe it's one of our guys.
Do you think that Petrie
beats up on Claudia?
Or Davidson or Coleman?
Nobody ever thinks it's anyone they know,
Mary Beth.
But one out of four guys hits his wife.
It's a fact.
Don't quote me statistics here, Christine.
I'm talking about people.
So am I.
Chances are
one of those people is beating up his wife.
I don't think we should tell the guys
we're working on this.
Anyway, Brent said that he thinks
Ruskin's gonna make a run for it.
He wants us to stay by the phone.
So, we stay.
Hey, you wanna go home to Harvey
and the boys, I'll stay.
I'll stay.
I missed my date.
- We could send out for pizza.
- Italian, great.
I was getting tired
of all that fancy French food, anyway.
Well, it's certainly a personal favorite
of mine.
Yes, I'm checking on handgun
registrations, the last two weeks.
All right, I'll hold.
What? Oh, that's even better.
(LAUGHING)
Would you stop it?
- It's just not fair.
- Yeah, I'm still here.
All right.
Yeah.
(PHONE RINGS)
Yeah.
Detective Lacey, 14th.
Yeah, Mick.
You got the gate number?
All right, we're on our way.
Chris, airport?
Hold that thought. Don't start without me.
It's right at the exciting part.
Yeah. Me, too.
(SIGHS)
It's for real this time.
He's ticketed for Quito, Ecuador.
He's got a bag
that he's not letting out of his sight.
MAN ON PA: IntercontinentaI flight 347
for Quito, Ecuador
will be boarding at Gate 17.
IntercontinentaI flight 347...
- Excuse me.
- Hey!
Excuse me!
Wait. Out of the way, folks!
- Hold up, police!
- Police!
Hold up, hold up!
- Got him?
- Yeah.
I'm gonna check on Chris.
Come on, people.
Move on, there's nothing to see here.
It's all over.
Okay, security's here to witness this.
Let's open it, all right?
I've never held a million dollars
in my hands before.
It's lighter than I thought it'd be.
Come on, let's open it.
- How much?
- One million bucks.
Hello, you pretty green...
Shorts.
Shorts, socks.
Shirts.
My cousin reads these.
She tells me they're nothing but smut.
All smut these days.
Movies, television, books, all smut.
Oh, of course, Edith,
if you think it's bad for me.
I wouldn't want to tell you
what to do, dear.
He takes all his money out of the bank,
goes directly to his office,
and then goes straight to the airport
with a one-way ticket for Quito, Ecuador.
- So where's the money?
- 200 bucks, that is all he had on him.
Well, it's gotta be someplace.
It doesn't make sense.
Excuse me, Lieutenant, your real estate
fraud victims are waiting for you.
- Thank you.
- All right, they'll be there in a minute.
A guy cannot leave the country
with just 200 bucks.
Well, that's exactly my point, Cagney.
- So, go find it.
- Yes, sir.
Now, Lacey, wait a second.
How are you doing on finding this cop?
I called all the gun dealers in the city, sir.
If she bought the gun legally,
then we can match up the registration
with our personnel files.
I got Alice Martinez
doing a computer run for me.
Well, that's good. I'll call Martinez
and I'll tell her it's top priority.
Thank you, sir.
You're reading Brianna Dumaine's book.
Not me. Smut.
We heard on the news you arrested
Ed Ruskin. We came for our money.
- We haven't recovered the money yet.
- You haven't?
Have you checked with his bank?
Perhaps it's still there.
He withdrew all of his funds before
he tried to leave the country, ma'am.
Well, then it must be in his home.
Believe me, Mrs. Fischer,
we're searching everywhere for it.
- His office?
- His car?
- We tried his car.
- A mistress, he probably had a mistress.
- Check her place.
- We'll look everywhere, ma'am.
I don't know how I'm gonna
be able to pay my rent next month
if you don't find the money.
We will find it, ma'am.
I've never seen such a dead-bang case.
Now, look, the Hotel de...
Something or the other in Grand Cayman,
that's owned by Letty Corporation.
- So it is not Ed Ruskin.
- Not technically.
His mother is Letty Corporation.
- So it is Ed Ruskin?
- Yeah.
His and 10 other guys,
all of whom think they own 25%.
What is that perfume you're wearing?
You know you're driving me wild.
Eau de chocolate.
- Ruskin sold 250% in that hotel.
- Wait a sec, wait, wait. Small potatoes.
Take a look at this office building
in Juneau.
- That's the one he tried to sell me.
- Owned by...
- Let me guess. Letty Corporation.
- You got it.
And I assume there are several other
investors in this property also.
- Several, he sold 500%.
- Can you prove it?
The case is solid. We got the man.
We got the crime.
Now, where the hell is the money?
- Sir, you gonna wanna see this.
- Where's your partner?
He's out with a flu. It's going around.
Can I see you two in my office a minute?
- You'll excuse us, Detective Solomon.
- Sure, I'm through here.
Give me a call later
if you want to put in a little overtime.
Solomon, enough, huh?
We got Ruskin dead to rights.
Alice Martinez found your wife beater.
Oh, that's not possible. Brent Nelson.
- Oh, no. I...
- Wife's name is Phyllis?
Yes.
She's got a.38 snub-nose
registered in her name.
Well, this is crazy, sir.
I never even saw him angry.
Just like my partner was, Jekyll and Hyde.
Solomon said he's out with a flu.
He's home and she's got a gun.
You two better check that out, right away.
CAGNEY: Which is faster,
the tunnel or the bridge?
LACEY: The bridge.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
One more time.
- Yeah. What are you two doing here, huh?
- We wanted to talk to you about Ruskin.
Can we come in?
You should have called me.
I mean, I got the flu.
I don't think you want to
get too close to me.
That's all right.
If I haven't got it from the kids by now,
I'm not gonna get it. Look at this house.
It must be great to have a house.
Harv and I are always talking
about buying.
I'd show you around,
but the place, it's a mess.
Is Phyllis here? I'd love to see her.
So, what do you want to talk to me about?
Solomon said that the Letty Corporation
belongs to Ruskin.
Yeah, he called,
but let's talk about this tomorrow.
- I'm feeling rotten.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
We shouldn't have got you out of bed,
you're right.
So, we'll just say a quick hello to Phyllis,
and then we'll get out of your hair.
You'll have to do that another time.
She's not here.
Is that funny? You know,
Harvey is such a baby when he is sick.
I can never leave him home alone.
She's out
getting me some cough medicine.
- So will she be back soon?
- Look, I don't mean to be rude but...
I'm no condition for company, okay?
Phyllis, long time.
Listen, Phyllis, honey,
you remember Mary Beth Lacey,
- and this is her partner Christine Cagney.
- CAGNEY: Hello.
- How are you?
- I...
I got your cough medicine.
I think you better take it right away.
Right away?
What, are you trying to get rid of me, huh?
No, no.
Is something wrong, Phyl, huh?
Or you want to talk
girl talk with Mary Beth?
Just concerned about your cold, that's all.
Isn't she the best little wife
in the world, huh?
I'll take my medicine right away
and leave you to your friends, okay?
- The place is great.
- Thank you.
So how's it going?
We know that you've been calling.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- You don't have to stay here.
You can come with us.
We'll find you a place to stay.
Well, this is my home.
Why would I want to leave?
You tell me.
Brent and I are very happy.
Look, I think you better go.
Brent, Mary Beth has to go.
You want to say goodbye?
Phyllis, you call me sometime soon.
I would love to get together.
Yeah. I'm so busy, you know.
- Let's go, Chris.
- It's nice to have met you, Phyllis.
She never took her sunglasses off.
It looked to me like she had a shiner.
Well, we can't drag her out of there
if she doesn't want to go.
At least he knows we're onto him.
Maybe we scared him off.
Maybe we pushed him over.
Are you telling me
that Phyllis likes to get beat up?
Because that I don't believe.
Mary Beth, if I hit you,
you would leave me.
Not everybody is me, Harv.
First of all, I know I got a job.
I know I can take care of myself.
Not every woman knows that.
Hey, would you give me a break?
If the woman stays,
I say that woman has got a problem.
You'll never guess who just called.
- Phyllis Nelson.
- Brent.
He wants us to meet him and Solomon
at Rikers Island at 10:00.
What?
He says he has an informant who can
tell us where Ruskin stashed his money.
- Did he say anything about Phyllis?
- Nothing.
He acted as if everything
was just hunky-dory.
Maybe it is.
Sure. Phyllis looked just swell
to me yesterday.
Maybe we should butt out.
Oh, I see.
You think she got that shiner
by walking into a door.
I don't know for sure.
Harv says if he's hitting her and she stays,
then that's her choice.
It's none of our business.
- Can't believe you mean that.
- What's not to believe?
A: We don't have any hard evidence
that Brent ever laid a hand on her.
And B:
If he did, then I gotta to ask myself why.
What is Phyllis's part in this?
- What's she done to him?
- What's she done to him?
Is nothing.
I mean nothing that justifies
a man hitting a woman.
Well, that's very easy
for us to say, Christine.
But we're not there.
We don't know what goes on there.
Remember Jeremy?
Certainly, I remember Jeremy.
I never could understand
why you let that one get away.
Well, I'll tell you why.
Because he hit me.
That's not the truth. He beat me up.
Once, that's all it took.
And I can fight back.
- You never told me.
- I know.
I just couldn't talk about it.
Why?
- According to him, he had his reasons.
- Which were what?
It doesn't matter, there are no reasons.
There are excuses. There are no reasons.
Jeremy said he was sorry.
He promised me
it would never happen again.
You bet it wouldn't.
I loved him,
and I left him because you don't hit.
A man's got a problem,
then he talks it out.
If he's really mad, he walks out,
but he doesn't hit, ever!
I'm going to call Phyllis.
Make sure she's okay.
Well, she couldn't have been nicer
or more polite.
She kept insisting she's fine, they're fine.
But?
But she also kept trying
to get me off the phone.
So now, we can go back
to work with Brent
and pretend like nothing's happening.
Ruskin says he put the money
right under your noses.
- That's it?
- Yeah.
- That's where he stashed it?
- Yeah.
- He didn't say anything else?
- Nothing.
SOLOMON: The man's
a gold mine of information.
So what do I get for helping youse out?
Ten years in Sing Sing.
That's if you're lucky. Let's get out of here.
Obie, you burn me, man,
you are through.
What a waste of time.
The man says it's right under our noses.
So, it's worth going through
this stuff again.
- It's got to be here.
- Of course it is.
Would a Brent Nelson informant lie?
Look at this.
Guy's got a ring for every finger.
Gold rings, gold bracelets, gold medallion,
how much is that all together?
Any stones?
No.
$300 apiece, maybe five.
- So $6,000 total?
- Great.
Now we are $994,000 short, and change.
But what the heck, I love to spend
my day off at Rikers Island.
I don't need the cheap sarcasm, partner.
No, no. I mean it sincerely.
I can't thank you enough
for schlepping us out here.
You want to work
on this case by yourself? Fine.
Man can't take a little ribbing.
- I'm going after him.
- He's my partner.
Finish up here.
I'll see you back at the 14th.
Okay.
What if he doesn't cool off
before he gets home?
He's going to take it out on her.
I'm turning him over to IAD.
Let's just give him a chance
to turn himself in, okay?
We'll talk to him the minute
we get back, okay?
- It's not here.
- What?
Whatever it is we're looking for
that's worth one million bucks,
it's not here.
Maybe these socks belonged to
George Washington or somebody.
You know, a collector's item.
- They'd be worth a fortune.
- That's very creative, Isbecki.
- I'm just trying to help. Do you think...
- Go away.
You know, it's amazing
the things people collect.
I went to an exhibition
and sale last spring.
Antique shoe hooks, collar stays, corsets,
but no socks.
- 14th Squad, Detective Petrie.
- This is nothing.
- What else is right under our noses?
- Who wants to talk to Mick Solomon?
- Mary Beth.
- PETRIE: On two.
Thank you.
Hello, Mick.
No, nothing yet.
Your guess is as good as mine.
I thought you two were coming over here.
Oh, I see. How long ago did you leave him?
Yeah. Sure.
Talk to you tomorrow.
Brent got into a fight in a bar.
- Mick told him to sleep it off at home.
- I'm right behind you.
(SIREN BLARING)
(SCREAMING)
You promised you wouldn't hit me again.
You... Brent, no!
No! No!
- I didn't do anything! Please!
- You called them, didn't you?
Didn't you call them?
You called them and made me
look like an idiot, that's what you did.
You shot off your big damn mouth.
PHYLLIS: No! No!
No! Please.
Hey, hey. What are you doing? What?
Don't come any closer or I'll kill you. I will.
You'll pay for this, Phyllis.
You're gonna be sorry you were ever born!
Don't come any closer!
Watch your eyes.
(GLASS SHATTERING)
Phyllis, put the gun down.
Phyl, on the floor.
(SOBBING)
Stay away from her, Brent.
- This is family business. You stay out.
- No.
You don't take one more step.
You understand me?
Can you walk? Phyllis, can you walk?
All right, come on.
We're taking you out of here.
- Come on, baby.
- Where are you taking my wife?
Sergeant Nelson,
you have until 8:00 tomorrow morning
to turn yourself in to IAD.
- Phyllis!
- If you don't, I will.
And Detective Cagney will back me.
Come on, baby.
Here we go.
There we go.
NELSON: Phyllis!
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
Oh, my God.
What the heck?
(BANGING ON DOOR)
Take it easy.
All right, all right. Take it easy.
- Slow down.
- Where's my wife? I know she's in there.
Brent Nelson. Get back into your room.
I'll handle it.
- Harvey, when I'm set, open the door.
- Come on, open...
- All right, Brent, take it easy.
- Where is she?
Take it...
Come on, open up!
Put your gun on the floor
where I can see it.
- Oh, God.
- Don't get crazy now, Brent.
- Put it on the floor.
- Okay, okay.
- Mom.
- Get back in.
- Go down the room and close the door.
- All right, where is she?
- Go, babe.
- She isn't here.
How would you like it?
If somebody came and took Mary Beth
away from you, what would you do?
You're scaring our kids here.
I want you out.
Yeah. But it's okay for you to come
and bust into my place, right?
Stick your nose into my business, right?
- You were beating her up.
- That is a lie.
How can you deny this? I saw her.
Maybe I... She...
I pushed her once. One time.
Once.
That's a lie.
Hey, hey. Come on.
You know what it's like.
You come home tired.
Right? Under a lot of pressure.
She starts whining.
Whining, whining about this thing
and that thing.
I just seen a man
with his face blown away.
And she starts complaining
because the washing machine's
broke down.
And all I want is a little peace
and quiet.
Huh?
Why are you all blaming me?
It's not my fault.
It's not my fault.
Oh, God, Phyl, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
- Morning.
- Morning.
I spoke to Phyllis Nelson.
She is doing okay.
And I said we'd come by the shelter
and see her in a couple of days.
Good.
So, do we go to IAD now?
That is taken care of.
- He went in this morning on his own.
- Okay.
What have we here?
Is that another bauble from mystery man?
Yeah.
Too bad I have to send it back.
Isn't it pretty?
What is that?
Look like he got it in a gum ball machine.
Shows what you know, Isbecki.
It happens to be worth a fortune.
Come on, Christine.
Even I know this stuff goes by weight.
Not if it's 400 years old.
What's the matter?
He couldn't get you something new?
That's 24 karat gold. Feel how soft it is.
It's like Ruskin's jewelry.
The rings that I asked you
about yesterday...
They're all like this.
$125,000.
Even in a depressed market.
- For one ring?
- Well, it's Minoan.
This one is Chinese, Han Dynasty.
I take this to be Mayan.
This is a remarkable collection.
So where would Ruskin get it?
You don't just walk into a museum
and buy this stuff.
My dear, no.
Antiquities like these are generally sold
on the black market.
- Ruskin's friend at the airport.
- The South American connection.
They made the switch in his office.
Well, I know at least three dear ladies
are gonna be very happy.
I don't think that Edith ever thought
she was gonna get her money back.
Not that she's blaming anybody.
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
Well, it's empty in here.
We could talk in here.
- Do you want to sit?
- Sure.
This okay?
You know, this place isn't bad.
I could fix it up a little.
You know, I always thought that
if I loved Brent enough I could fix him up.
You know what I mean?
I could make him feel good about himself
so that
he wouldn't hit me.
(SIGHS)
But I can't. I...
I can't do it for him.
He's getting help from the department.
Yeah.
- I hear he turned himself in.
- Did you talk to him?
No. Mick called me.
I can't see him yet.
I'm afraid he'll talk me back
into the house.
You know, I know police work
has been really, really tough on Brent.
And...
You know, I'm really glad
that he's turning himself in,
and he's getting help, you know.
Maybe he'll get better.
You know, maybe he will.
I don't know. Maybe he won't.
I just know I got to do what I can
to make sure that I'm okay.
You know?
- Without him.
- You're doing good.
You're doing fine.
Thanks.
Oh, here.
I keep forgetting
to give this thing back to you.
- Did you finish it?
- I said I would.
- What did you think?
- I hated it.
Really?
Yeah. Right up until 4:00 in the morning
when I finished it.
- Couldn't put it down?
- Right.
- But you hated it?
- Right.
Right.
Cagney, there's somebody to see you.
LACEY: Is that the mystery man?
(WHISTLES)
Why do you hang around
with these losers?
- Hi.
- Hi.
I know I'm a little early, but...
It's all right.
Mary Beth Lacey,
I'd like you to meet Brianna Dumaine.
- You're Brianna Dumaine?
- Oh, sometimes.
Though my mother knows me
as Joe Klotzman.
- How do you do?
- Hi.
So you've read my books?
- Well, no, not really.
- You ought to try them. You'd like them.
Christine reads all my books
the minute they come off the press.
I know I can count on her
for an honest opinion.
Maybe we better get going.
We're gonna be late
for our dinner reservations.
Don't rush off now.
Why don't you tell Joe your honest opinion
of Love's Savage Harvest?
Oh, you finished it?
Stayed up all night.
Couldn't put it down,
isn't that what you told me, Christine?
That's right.
So, tell Joe your favorite parts.
Could I see you in the conference room
for just a moment?
I'd really like to know
what you have to say.
Really.
She had no favorite parts.
She loved the entire book.
Every page, every line,
loved it.
Loved it.
You're wonderful.
- Nice meeting you.
- Nice to meet you.
I found this wonderful little
Russian restaurant.
You are going to love it.
LACEY: Have a good time.
- Bye-bye.
- Thanks, bye.