Crime Story (1986–1988): Season 1, Episode 13 - Strange Bedfellows - full transcript

NARRATOR: Last time
on "Crime Story."

-We found Frank Holman.

Yeah, followed up on him and
watched him go into a diner.

-All right, listen to me.

Don't make a move
until I get there.

And get Grossman back here.
You got it?

KRYCHEK (ON PHONE):
With pleasure.

[both chuckle]

-What are you doing?

Hang on.

No, no, no.



This is still good.

This is perfectly
good, all right?

Put this on the
bottom here, right?

This is a business.

Don't waste food.

People are starving in China.

-Yes, sir, Mr. Torello.

-Get out of here.

-There's a guy at the
counter, Mr. Torello.

He's a big slob.

And he's got a problem
with the sausage.

-All right, I'll
take care of it.

-OK.

-You got a problem, buddy?



-Yeah, you see this sausage?

-Yeah.

-It's like the kind
they make in the joint.

-What d'you know--

-Don't I know you?

[grunts]

-Where are you going, Frank?

-Ugh!

KRYCHEK: Come here.

Come here.

-I'm going to starve to death.

I ain't eaten nothing.

-Well, it's very simple, stupid.

You talk now, you eat later.

-Look, I ain't got nothing
more to say to this guy.

I would like him removed
from the room, please.

[chortles]

-The fugitive warned us for
armed robbery and murder.

-The government doesn't
deal with murderers, Holman.

-Well, I didn't murder no lady.

That's just Torello trying
to stack the deck against me

to cover his own action.

-Oh, yeah, right.

How about Vince Noonan
and the Novak woman, huh?

-Let's get Mr. Holman arraigned.

-Can we get on
with this, please?

-We'll get Mr. Holman arraigned,
see that he has counsel,

and then we'll move ahead.

MIKE TORELLO: Good.

If he's not in
custody and you didn't

release him, now
where the hell is he?

-He's been transferred to
another federal district

under the custody of
United States Marshals.

-Why wasn't he arraigned?

-I don't know why.

I wish I could tell you.

-He's my prisoner.

Don't I have some say-so as to
what the hell happens to him?

-Ordinarily.

Look, I don't know
what's going on.

I don't like it any
more than you do.

-Murder and robbery aren't
enough to hold him then, right?

-Holman's in federal custody.

-Breitel?

-Breitel.

I walked in this morning,
and Holman was gone.

-Bartoli, Taglia, Luca.

Now, that's not enough.

I want Weisbord.

-All right.

Well, what am I looking at?

-Freedom.

10 years.

Life.

-10 years is life.

-No Weisbord.

You made your choice.

-Wait a minute.

Sit down.

I'm thinking, all right?

It's hard.

-There's no time for thinking.

-What's a crooked cop worth?

Yeah, a big-deal
cop on the take.

I gave him 50 Gs worth
of stolen jewels myself.

What's he worth to me?

-Give me a name.

-You give me a deal.

-Name first.

-Torello.

Now, I've given
him 50 Gs myself.

You think about that.

And you could double that when
you figure the whole MCU's

on the take.

-Give me Bartoli, Taglia,
Luca, and Torello.

-They're all of them.

They're all tied together.

-Get him out of here.

Make sure he doesn't
talk to anybody but me,

especially the Chicago PD.

If we fine-tuned the sense
in me as a prosecutor,

it told me that
Torello was dirty.

[music - del shannon, "runaway"]

-Pauli, give me April
receipts times 12.

-Boss, let's use October.

It's a lot of action, October.

It's our best month.

-I don't want our best month.

I want our worst month.

Why do you got to
argue with me for?

-Ray, I'm not trying to argue.

Just trying to help.

[door bangs open]

-What are you doing
coming in the back door?

-I got to talk to you.

-You can't call me first?

-You know who they
got in custody?

You-- you listen on this, too.

You're on the line for this.

Sit!

-What did I do?

I didn't do nothing.

-Just shut up and
sit down, Pauli.

All right, who's got who?

-The Feds just
pinched Frank Holman.

-They got Holman?

Pauli, make a call.

See what they got and see
if you can arrange bond.

-No, no, no.

He's cutting a deal with them.

-You make the call anyway.

How do you know
he's cutting a deal?

-I don't want to
answer your questions.

I told you, I got this
town covered, right?

-You've got it
covered, why sweat?

-I'm not sweating, Ray.

What I'm doing is
I am telling you

that Frank Holman
can be trouble.

You still got things
to learn, Ray, from me.

Now, dealing with the Feds,
it's a whole new ballgame.

One day, they're in Chicago,
then they go off to Manhattan,

and then they go to-- to DC.

And they-- and they waltz
with some Attorney General.

You can't buy guys who
don't stay in one place

long enough to know where--
where the money's coming from

and where to spend it.

-Boss, I don't know
whether they're

giving me a runaround or what.

They tell me they ain't got
no Frank Holman in custody.

RAY LUCA: Well, who
are you talking to?

PAULI TAGLIA: The Feds.

-I told you, he's
rolling over on us.

Hang up the phone.

-Hang it up.

Hang it up.

All right, look.

Wait a minute.

We'll listen.

PHIL BARTOLI: This
is the way it works.

When a guy does talk,
they hold him like gold.

And then they spring
him on you in court.

And what you're going
to do, even if he's

in federal custody,
is you're going

to arrange to have him whacked.

You got to deal with this, Ray.

But you got to
deal with it right.

I know a guy who, uh, took care
of somebody in custody once.

Dominic Tranchita.

And we'll set up a meeting.

You should be there.

Maybe you'll learn something.

-You told me that's your friend!

-You were right.

I've seen it.

Breitel is courting Holman
now that the federal brought

him-- literally, under his wing.

-Joey, you're going to
wear holes in your shoes.

-I already got
holes in my shoes.

-Lt.

Torello, I'm Hubbard.

This is Taylor.

FBI.

And we need to speak with you.

-So speak.

HUBBARD: Alone.

-No.

-The Justice Department
has received allegations

that you took a bribe in the
form of $50,000 worth of stolen

jewelry on May 15 of this year.

On the 26th of May, you took
another $10,000 in cash.

-Mike, you should really
have counsel present.

-How do you respond
to these allegations?

-Some bust-out thief
looking to cut a deal

tells you that I'm on
the take, and you're

stupid enough to
accept it as gospel?

-Maybe we don't.

Maybe one of our bosses does.

We've got to follow it up.

-Mike, don't do this
without an attorney.

MIKE TORELLO: You know, it
doesn't make any difference,

Joey.

Breitel is going to do
what he's going to do.

It wouldn't make a
difference if Albert

Schweitzer told him I was clean.

-You want to tell
us the disposition

of the jewelry or the money?

-No, I want to tell
you and him to get

the hell out of my office.

-Ahem.

-You're going to have to
answer to these charges.

-Oh, you bring the charges.

Just be able to
prove them, sonny.

-What are you worried
about Holman for, huh?

Nobody's going to believe an
ex-con trying to make a deal.

-He ain't naming you.

-It don't matter
who he names, huh.

Without other testimony,
they got nothing.

-Maybe they got other testimony.

Holman should be whacked.

RAY LUCA: Phil, sometimes
I wonder how you got as far

as you have in this
business being so dumb.

PHIL BARTOLI: I
suppose you've got

all the answers, huh, wise guy?

RAY LUCA: Maybe.

But whacking Holman
isn't one of them.

TRANCHITA: Look, Phil, please.

Be smart, huh?

You know how hard it is to hit
a guy protected by the Feds?

-Been done before.

This punk hasn't
figured nothing, ah.

What have you figured out?

-This is worth 100 grand.

Of course, $10 to make.

And you could sell it for
1,000 times that amount.

-What are you talking about?

-This much in smack
is worth 100 grand.

-Get off it.

We don't deal in junk.

-I told you before,
Phil, it's the big money.

It's easy to make, easy to move.

Now, if we don't
get into it soon,

we're going to lose
ground to the competition.

-What competition?

RAY LUCA: The Chinese
and the Latins.

They're already making a move.

-Ahem, am I like, uh, talking
a different language here?

We are on the line with Holman.

Once one guy starts ratting,
other people will roll over.

Other people will start ratting.

You're going to rat on me, Ray?

-I'm not voting to hit a
federal witness without proof

he's dangerous.

It's one thing I learned.

You kill for a reason.

I don't see enough
reason here, Phil.

[metallic noise]

MAN: Hey, Pauli.

Pauli, yo!

Yo!

What are you doing?

What the hell are you doing?

PAULI TAGLIA: Getting
rid of the evidence.

If Holman gives up this
place, sort of trap.

So all they're going to
find is little pieces

of pipe and some torn-up paper.

[grunts]

-Is everybody going crazy?

PAULI TAGLIA: Boss--

-Pauli, it's a shotgun.

They can't run
ballistics on buckshot.

-They can't check the BBs?

-Yeah, but first
thing they got to get

your brain under a microscope!

At least, you're thinking.

Do yourself a favor.

Wipe your fingerprints
off that stuff, huh?

-How bad is it?

-It's bad.

It's all Torello's moves.

-Then how about Torello?

-Tell me, would
you get a headache

when you come up with
thoughts like that?

-Hey, you're bleached, too?

-There are 13,000 of them,
Pauli, and two of us.

You tell me who wins!

Give me this.

Look, you say nothing to nobody.

You just stay home and
keep your mouth shut.

And, Pauli, watch your back.

Now, go home.

I'll talk to you later.

[honks]

-When we hit a, uh, jewelry
store on Michigan Avenue,

when that "Looney Tune" killed
all them women in the beauty

shop, there was, uh,
me, Pauli, and Noonan.

It was Ray's idea.

-Ray?

Ray who?

-Luca.

He thought it'd be
smart, you know.

You, uh-- still a
lot of cops were

worrying about
the maniac killer.

So when's the ketchup
going to get here?

-It's coming, don't
worry about it.

So what happened to the jewelry?

Come on.

-Uh, Ray had Pauli sell
the score, most of it.

I already gave some to Torello
to keep an eye out for me.

-When did you give
the jewelry to Lt.

Torello?

-Er, maybe the next day.

-Did he contact you?

-No.

No, I called him.

I told him I had
something for him.

-Mm-hmm.

What then?

-Uh, see, well, we
met in an alley.

And, uh, I had to give
him some lunch money.

200 bucks, he shook me down for.

And then the next day, uh,
we met in a coffee shop,

and I gave him the jewels.

-How much?

-Uh, I don't know.

I figure, uh, 15 grand.

-Where's Bartoli?

-Er, uh, Bartoli sold the score.

Ray take the money over
to Bartoli's house.

-Were Luca and Bartoli
giving money to Torello?

-Gee, I don't know.

You can guess that.

I mean, that's why he followed
me to Indiana to shake me down.

-Were there any other
monies given to Lt.

Torello?

HOLMAN: Er, yeah, yeah.

I gave Torello 10 grand
in, uh, St. Louis.

-Where did it come from?

HOLMAN: From the safe.

From a guy named Ganz.

-Why did you rob Ganz's safe?

-Because it was there.

[sighs]

MAN: These are subpoenas of
all MCU records and files

regarding Ray Luca, Philip
Bartoli, and Paul Taglia.

-OK, you've run your errand.

Now, get out of here.

HUBBARD: We'd like
the files now.

-They're not here.

TAYLOR: Where are they?

-I took them home.

-We'll go get them.

NATE GROSSMAN:
They're not there now.

-Where are they?

-At the cleaners.

Uh, I can't remember which one.

I misplaced the ticket.

It'll come to me.

-What's your name?

-Manny Menoso.

-You guys get out of here.
Let me talk to Lt.

Torello.

Come here.

-How bad is it, Chief?

-It's nothing to be laughing at.

You know how serious this is?

And what is it with the jokes?

-I'm not going to turn over
the files without, at least,

copying down what's
inside of them.

Give me that, will you?

-All right, you got that.

But get it done, pronto!

Your ability to run this
unit is under close scrutiny.

I got no control over that.

The sooner you deal
with this, the better.

The more you
cooperate, the cleaner

you'll come out of
this whole thing.

-Do you have any idea what kind
of a lowlife Breitel really is?

-Mike, the man could
be whale doo doo!

He's a US Attorney, and
he's out to get you.

Every time you guys
pull a stunt like this,

it makes things worse.

-Who's behind us on this?

-Me and the commissioner.

And that's it.

-That's it?

I've worked on this
case long enough

to watch my hair turn gray.

I have nailed Holman
in my hands three times

and lost him to those
bureaucratic goofs.

The only reason he's
in custody right

now is because of the work
that this unit has done.

And you're telling
me I'm in trouble

because I was doing my job?

-Look, all that's true.

What I'm telling you is that
they got a-- a pool as to which

day of the month you're
going to take a fall.

I'm serious.

Get it together.

-We're really behind the
old 8-ball on this one.

-So what did you
do with the 50 Gs?

[men laugh]

-Are you done in the
bathroom and the kitchen?

-Yeah.

[door closes]

-Inger, what is it?

What's the matter?

-There were these men here.

They took my jewelry.

They searched
through everything.

And they took my jewelry.

They said I would get it
back if you didn't steal it.

What's this all about, Michael?

-Come here.

DJ (ON RADIO): It's The
Platters, "Only You."

-It's all right.

[music the platters, "only you"]

It's all right.

It has nothing to do with you.

It should have never happened.

-But it did happen.

-I'll try to get
everything back tomorrow.

-What did you do?

-Nothing, believe me.

Why don't you sit
down and relax?

I'll get you a drink.

-No, I don't want a drink.

Please just tell
me what's going on.

-I've been chasing this guy.

He's trying to set me up.

He's trying make a deal
with the federal prosecutors

by telling them
that he bribed me

and that he gave
me stolen jewelry.

[tires squeal]

-Oh, my god.

So they've been watching us?

They've been watching
us all this time?

-It's all right.
It's all right.

It's all right.

You should go relax.

I'll take care of the curtains.

It's all right.

[sighs]

[music the platters, "only you"]

Damn it.

[phone clatters]

[sighs]

DJ (ON RADIO): That, of
course, was The Platters

and their big number 1
hit from 1958, "Only You."

Now, here's "I'm
Sorry," by Brenda Lee.

-Sometimes, the world I
live in gets pretty dirty.

I'm sorry I dragged
you into this.

-What's going to happen?

-I don't know.

-Could you go to jail?

[music brenda lee, "i'm sorry"]

Mike?

[car pulls over]

[gun cocks]

[gasps]

[tires squeal]

[sobs]

[police siren]

-Ray?

[police siren]

-Mrs. Luca, I'm Lt.

Torello.

-Don't I know you
from somewhere?

-He left the house.

-Can you blame him?

-Business always comes first.

-Where did he go?

-I'm not telling you anything.

Anything.

-Well, we don't have
any more questions.

Why don't you go lay down?

-Yeah, after you leave.

-Ahem.

Let's go.

He's on his way to Florida.

-Manny and Max.

That makes this Bartoli.

-Looks like our boys don't
trust each other anymore, huh?

-In my own house with
my wife standing there,

Bartoli tries to take me out.

-Ray, you're sure it was Phil?

-I mean, who else could
it have been, Manny?

You should have seen him at
this meeting with Tranchita.

I mean, the guy thinks I'm going
to roll over on him if I get

nailed by this
federal indictment--

-Calm--

- --just because
they got Holman!

-Calm down.

Reason it out.

-All right, look, I'm trying to.

That's why I'm here.

-In front of your
own house and family?

We don't do things this way.

What about Tranchita?

-Ray's never done
business with Tranchita.

What's he got to worry?

-Tranchita may feel threatened.

Ray's moving fast.

-Bartoli or Tranchita.

One of them ordered it.

Which one?

-It doesn't matter.

They'll tell you they had
nothing to do with it.

So it won't happen
again for a while.

What about this man Torello?

-I think I underestimated him.

-I'll get in touch with Everett
Steele to represent you.

He handles all my legal
matters with the government.

No one's better.

-Thank you, Manny.

-We have to rely on each
other on difficult times.

Just stay smart, Ray.

Smart people are assets.

Assets have value.

-Manny, I think I should go
back to Chicago with Ray.

-Hm?

Good.

-Look, I could take
care of myself.

-Ray, having Max with
you tells your enemies

they're my enemies, too.

But more important,
it's good to have

a friend to grow
with in business.

When I'm gone, when Bartoli
and Tranchita are gone,

all our generation
are gone, there'll

be Luca and Goldman, hm.

I just wish one of you
would learn how to dress.

[laughter]

How's the weather in Chicago?

-It's cold.

-Oh?

-Not like down here in Florida.

-Lt.

Torello.

-This is the Det.

Indelli.

-Detective.

-I prefer that we speak alone.

-No way.

I don't want any
misunderstandings.

-Taylor, I need you in here.

Neither do I.

-You wouldn't happen
to know where,

uh, Agent Ray
Stanton is, do you?

I've been trying to reach him.

-Stanton?

Yeah, he's on, uh, another case.

In Alaska.

-That's convenient.

What's the matter?

Did you have your ear where
it wasn't supposed to be?

TAYLOR: I had a cyst removed.

-Now, what do you want?

-There will be testimony
in front of a grand jury

regarding your taking of bribes.

-Lies.

BREITEL: Do you have any proof?

-The burden of proof is on you.

-We will also hear
testimony that stolen

jewelry was given to you.

-More lies.

-Why are you bucking me?

I mean, don't you
know who I work for?

I have the forces of the
government at my disposal.

-Who do you think
I am, a cherry?

You think you're the
first guy connected

with the federal
government that's

come after me or my unit?

-All right, maybe
there's another way

we can handle this fair.

MIKE TORELLO: What
are you fishing for?

-A reason to go easy on you.

Some cooperation.

-Let's get one thing
straight, Breitel.

I don't want you to
go easy on me, OK?

I don't want anything
from you, and don't

expect anything from me.

Let's go.

-You know, I'm a law student.

And I think your ethics suck.

-This federal thing is
taking up a lot of your time.

MIKE TORELLO: Do you
believe this little jerk

is trying to ruin my whole life?

-Mike.

-You know, I think he's the
same guy that I used to pinch

in the park for
exposing himself.

CHIEF KRAMER: Mike.

-He's completely
blind to the fact

that I am the guy that tracked
down Holman in the first place.

CHIEF KRAMER: Mike.

-What?

-I think you should
take some time off.

-Why?

-Well, this-- this
thing's going to get

worse before it gets better.

MIKE TORELLO: Look, Chief--

-I'm asking you,
take some time off.

-A leave?

-A vacation.

You got one coming.

I want you relaxed
to better handle

what may happen if
indictments come down.

-If?

-I'm sick over this, Mike.

-Mr. Steele, please.

Mr. Steele, Harry Breitel.

-Mr. Breitel.

-Good to see you.

On the wrong side of
the Rockies, aren't you?

-Do you live here, Mr. Breitel?

-Now, I do.

So why am I aren't
with your company?

-You've got Frank Holman,
a twice-convicted felon,

holed up somewhere doing
your favorite song and dance.

Holman's got no credibility.

You're going to look
very foolish trying

to win a case based
on his testimony.

-You surmise a lot, Counselor.

I think we should talk
about something else.

-How about Torello?

-Are you counsel of record
for Mr. Torello, too?

-Anything is possible.

-Breitel's case is based
solely on the testimony

of Frank Holman.

-Eh, I don't want him here.

-He stays.

-This in my house.

-You want to see what
happened at my house?

-I had nothing to do with that.

-Stop it.

-Nobody had nothing
to do with it.

It was just a dream, right?

-You don't come in
here and threaten me!

-You walked on me, Phil.

And up to now, I've
been kind about it.

-That's enough.

-Hold it.

There's some new rules.

And I want to make sure
we're clear about them

before we go on.

As of four days ago, I
don't work for you anymore.

I work with you, Phil.

This is an equal deal now.

-This was whose decision?

-Mr. Weis--

-This is my decision.

You got a problem with that?

-Go ahead.

STEELE: I have no
indication that anyone other

than Frank Holman
is going to testify.

There may be, but I doubt it.

What I have learned-- you
may find interesting--

is that Breitel
intends to indict

Mr. Taglia, you, and you.

And he will also indict Lt.

Michael Torello of
the Major Crime Unit.

[chuckles]

-What are you laughing at?

RAY LUCA: [laughs] Torello.

-What about him?

-Torello must be going nuts.

He's about to be indicted with
some of his favorite people.

[men laugh]

Bang, you're dead.

Hi, David.

How're you doing?

-Hello, Ray.

I didn't know you
had so many teeth.

What are you smiling about?

-I'm about to be indicted.

You want to join me in a drink?

-I think there's
something seriously

wrong with your brain.

-Oh, and you are right, though.

Sitting in a shoe box of an
office, making $150 a week.

-You're in pretty high spirits
for a man about to be indicted.

-It's ridiculous.

Hey, what are you drinking?

-Bourbon.

-Hey, can I have a bourbon and a
scotch on the rocks, all right?

-So?

-So-- so I don't sell
insurance, right?

I had this guy who
used to work for me.

He's a two-time loser.

I mean, he's a real bozo.

And that bozo's up with
the US Attorney's Office

auditioning for The Supremes.

I mean, he's got
him convinced I'm

responsible for everything--
from, uh, the Brinks job

to shooting Santa Claus.

-He probably left
a few things out.

-What, are you going
to be a wise guy, too?

-The US Attorney's Office.

They got a reputation.

They go for the jugular.

Even if the case is thin,
they go for the jugular.

They're real political guys.

-Well, they're going for
the wrong throat this time.

-Hmm.

-No, it's not just me.

The bozo's got them
convinced that he's

got a cop in his pocket.

This cop don't talk, he squeaks.

That's how straight he is.

-He'd make you a great witness.

-What do you mean?

-The cop.

Look, you said that bozo's
lying to get immunity.

You say that the cop is
clean-- the cop's your witness.

He proves that bozo is a liar.

His testimony stinks.

I mean, who's the
jury going to believe?

-Run that by me again.

-Wake up!

You saying bozo's a
liar, they expect that.

But you and a clean
cop saying it,

they'll laugh the
prosecution out of court.

I mean, that's how
I'd play it anyway.

-You're a genius, David.

-Yes.

Yes, I certainly am.

-Here, drinks are on me.

Take care.

-Regards to your
loving wife, huh.

I love you.

To your health, David.

Thank you, David.

[woman laughs]

MAN: Who is it?

-It's Ray Luca.

-This is not a good time.

-Are you leaving for
Vegas in the morning?

-Yeah.

-Well, it can't wait.

-We make it quick.

-It's tough work, the law.

-Yeah, yeah, get on with it.

-If Torello's indicted
for corruption-- I mean,

if the cleanest
cop in America is

indicted on Holman's testimony--

-Yeah?

-Well, then,
Torello's our witness.

He testifies for me.

We subpoena him to testify for
the defense-- on behalf of Ray

Luca that Frank
Holman is a liar.

-Mr. Luca, you should
have been a lawyer.

-It wasn't my idea.

Believe me, you don't
know how funny it is.

-Whose idea was it?

-It was a friend.

-A friend?

This friend a lawyer?

-Yeah.

He's a public defender.

-He got a name?

-David Abrams.

-He's a friend worth keeping.

If you'll excuse me, I got
a, ahem, plane to catch.

[music - "that old black magic"]

[men laugh]

-He's alive.

-This game will make an
animal out of you, huh?

-Looks like a hell
of a shot to me.

-Yeah, listen, where do you
eat breakfast around here?

-Wait, wait, wait.

I've got one more piece
of work to do here.

-Oh, OK.

Look at this.

This is a-- a
one-putt green, right?

OK.

-Nice shot.

-How about that?

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Listen, do you want this
big stick in or out?

-Yeah, pull it, Mike.

-OK.

-If he makes this
shot, I am broke.

-Oh, yeah?

How much?

-5,000.

-What?

Don't worry about it.

He hardly hit it.

-Yes, he did.

MIKE TORELLO: OK, thank you.

[men laugh]

So you guys figured
you'd hit a mark,

and you'd sucker me
into this action, right?

-Whoa, an IOU would
have been fine.

-My house and my car, maybe.

-Mike, it's good to
have you here in Vegas.

I'd like to see
you here full time.

-Thanks.

Vincent, what are
the final scores?

-Hold on a minute.

I'm counting up yours.

-You'd need an adding
machine for that.

-It's a challenge.

But, uh, let's see.

Tom, you're at 73.

I got a 77.

And Mike, 136.

[men laugh]

-And you guys wanted to
spot me a stroke a hole?

I'm not going to talk to
either one of you rats.

VINCENT: Mike,
what's the matter?

[music - del shannon, "runaway"]