Hunter (1984–1991): Season 4, Episode 2 - Playing God - full transcript

Cars on the hot
sheet, and there's

a recently fired shotgun
underneath the passenger seat.

He was a pig.

Hey!

He had loan sharking narcotics,

bookmaking prostitution.

Look, I know you're in mourning,

so I'll get right to the point.

Who killed your boss?

It's too low to kick
and too wet to step on.

This is a murder
case, a homicide...



My murder case.

And he raped her.

Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to our Monta

Vista birthday celebration.

And let me introduce you
to the man who made all

this wonderful world possible...

Mr. Max Santiago.

Friends, supporters...
Once again,

we gather to celebrate
our community

on the day that Monta
Vista became a part

of the city of Los Angeles.

But today... today is more than
a birthday party and honor

of our beautiful community.

Today, we also
celebrate our citizens.



Tuesday, got to do our part
to make Monta Vista a place

we are proud to call home.

This one's for you, Elena.

God forgive me.

Do not do anything.

Don't do anything.

Are you sure you didn't hear
anything, like a firecracker

or maybe a car backfiring?

Oh, nope.

All of a sudden, Max looked
like somebody

him from behind,
and down he went.

No, I didn't hear any shots.

As a matter of fact, I
don't believe anybody did.

But when Max fell, I
realized what had happened.

I looked around.

It took a while, but
finally, I noticed something.

You see that building up there?

Yeah.

You see that open window?

I know this neighborhood
like the back

of my hand... every inch of it.

And those windows have been shut
tight ever since that building

was condemned.

Thank you, Father.

Thank you very much.

Excuse me.

I think I found out where
the shots came from.

Thanks, folks, very much.

No fingerprints,
no powder marks.

No shells laying
around the floor.

Apparently this guy
has some sort of cloth

wrapped around his feet.

What else did he
leave us, Reuben?

Two drops of 40 weight,
tracks from a bike.

The imprints on the floor say
rip stop nylon sleeping bag,

so he may have spent the night.

Down the steps, out the
door, seven or eight seconds,

lost in traffic.

The evidence indicates that
this hit was planned weeks,

maybe even months
before the Fiesta,

but definitely based
on the celebration.

The thing was
practically surgical.

I mean, the guy didn't leave
anything except for tire

tracks, although we did find two
hairs that may or may not have

come from the hitman's head.

And apparently had some
sort of cloth or sacking

on his boots.

Shoe size seemed to be
somewhere between a 9 or a 12.

So it takes a
hitman a few minutes

to do what OCID do in 10 years.

Well, you weren't
trying to kill him,

Dan, you were just trying
to put him in the slam.

Sometimes that takes a
little longer, you know?

What's it going to be, Captain?

I still say OCID should
handle this case.

What's the decision?

Well, the Organized
Crime Intelligence

Division will assist.

Hunter and McCall will
lead the team in charge.

It's a homicide case, Sergeant.

Homicide will deal with it.

But don't worry, there'll
be plenty of opportunity

for you to help out.

Captain, this was an
organized crime execution.

Santiago had everything
within 20 miles

under tight organized control.

He had loan sharking narcotics,
bookmaking prostitution.

Hell, you name it.

You couldn't open up
an ice cream parlor

without an OK from Santiago.

This is an OCID case, sir.

Hunter, how do
you feel about this?

Well, look, Charlie we're
going to need a lot of help

from everybody certainly,
and most of all Dan.

Maybe you can tell us the names

of some people on the inside.

Perhaps there was
somebody that thought

that Santiago was expendable?

There are three guys who
fit that description, McCall,

and I know all three of them.

That's the point I'm
trying to make here.

It's a homicide
case, Bolton, period.

Now if you'll all excuse me,
I've got some work to do here.

Hi, fellas.

Look, I know you're in mourning,
so I'll get right to the point.

Who killed your boss?

Look, our organized
crime detail has

three suspects on their list.

I'm sitting with
all three of them.

So me being a much
more open-minded guy,

I have an idea that'll
benefit you if you talk to me.

We gave statements.

Why didn't you read them?
- Oh, I read them.

You were standing right next
to Max when he got gunned down.

The interesting thing I found is
that when the shooting started,

you guys didn't pull your guns.

I don't own a gun.

Neither does Miguel
here or Paco.

Now why are you here?

Well, you see, any time
someone like Max Santiago

gets gunned down, we
have a tendency to look

real close to beneficiaries.

Max was a man of commerce.

A business genius who
took real good care of us.

We had jobs... good,
high-paying jobs,

which we don't have no more.

High-paying job?

Well, if you say so.

You see, Max was a
wealthy one, not you guys.

He was paying you
out of petty cash.

Now, look, let's talk women.

Did Max scorn anybody lately?

Max was seeing my sister.

He loved her very much.

Well, where can I find her.

At home.

She's still crying.

And if you bother her...
- What?

What are you going
to do about it?

You know, you guys don't
seem to get it, do you?

I'm paid to find the guy
who killed Max Santiago,

and if you guys
don't talk to me,

I'm going to start
to wonder why.

Maybe we want to find him first.

You think of that?

Oh, I thought
about that, and then

I thought maybe one of them...
No, maybe all three of them...

Hired the killer, yeah?

What is your name, man?

Sergeant.

Well, Sergeant, I manage
this restaurant for Max.

My good friend Miguel
here ran Max's motels,

and Paco here took care
of the liquor stores.

Who owns it now?

That's Seniora
Santiago, Max's mother.

He left her everything
he owned, and we're

hoping that she won't sell so
that we get to keep our jobs,

but we don't know.

I don't think she's going to be

able to sell the prostitution,
the bookmaking, the loan

sharking...

You're insulting the
memory of a dead friend.

I'm not going to allow that.

And you're asking
questions without reading

us our legal rights.

Hey, look, fellas, like I
told you in the very beginning,

this is a friendly visit.

I'll read you your rights when
I come back to arrest one of you

or all of you for murder.

Adios.

Hi.

Could you fill it up?

A lot of excitement around
here yesterday, huh?

You mean the fiesta
or the shooting?

I guess both.

Were you there?

Everybody in Monta
Vista goes to the fiesta.

Did you know that guy?

You know, the man that
got killed, that Santiago?

If you live in
this neighborhood,

you knew Max Santiago.

I live here all my life.

You better get
that gauge checked.

This is almost full.

Yeah, I know.

Sergeant McCall, homicide.

No, heh, you're
Jonathan Prewitt, right?

Jack, please.

Only my mom calls me Jonathan.

Jack, sorry.

Our computer gave us 11 names
in Monta Vista residents

who'd had trouble with
Santiago in the past,

and you just happened
to be number seven.

That was assault
and battery charge

filed against you
by Santiago himself.

Oh, my God, I had completely
forgotten about that.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I beat him up pretty good.

I took a few shots myself, but
that was 10 or 12 years ago.

I... I'm not a suspect.

I was just checking
out all the names

the computer kicked out.

Charges were dropped, right?

Sergeant, I would love to
be able to stand here and talk

to you for the rest
of the afternoon,

but I've got a Dodge van
over there in intensive care.

I got three more
jobs behind that.

I close at 7:00, then
I get on my motorcycle

and I ride down to a little
place called Las Floucas, where

they make the best
enchiladas con

chille verde in the whole city.

Why don't you join me?

I'll tell you everything
that you never wanted to know

about Maximilian Santiago.

Dutch?

No, Mexican.

7 o'clock.

Yeah, OK, 7:00 is fine.

You're asking the wrong person.

I don't know nothing
about Max's business

and I don't know who killed him,
except it wasn't my brother.

That much I know for sure.

Well, maybe you know something
that might be able to help me.

Help you?

Yeah, you know, help
me find Max's killer.

I don't give diddly
squat who killed Max.

How long were you
and Max together?

I don't know.

Two years?

Two years.

Um, is there anything
at all about Max

you'd like to tell
me at this time?

He was a pig.

Mm-hmm, pig.

Yeah, anything else?

No, he didn't talk to me.

He...

Hey!

I told you not to
mess with my sister.

Yeah, you did.

You got no business
in here with her alone.

She's a.

How old are you, Lupe?

17.

You lied to me, man.

You said she was crying.

You got a permit for that, huh?

Guys, thanks.

I had to be the
worst drunk of my life.

Any special reason why?

I was at tenth
high school reunion.

Bunch of guys trying
to outdo each other

in the macho department.

Now Max had graduated
just a year before we did,

so we decided we go
over to his place

and finish up the celebration.

And for some reason,
he thought that we

were disturbing his customers
and asked us to leave.

Ooh, can't imagine why.

Well, I threw the
first punch, I admit it.

And he went to the hospital
and I went to the drunk tank.

They dropped the charges, right?

I went over the next day,
I apologized, he accepted.

That's the end of the story.

Nice of him to, um, let
you off the hook, huh?

Max never did anything
nice in his life.

Guess that means you
didn't like him too much.

Well, I'll admit, I thought
he was a

And what is that?

A is something that's too low

to kick and too wet to step on.

But other than that,
he was a great guy.

I came back from Vietnam, there
were bars on my mom's window

and my kid brother had
been busted for possession.

And you blamed Santiago?

Yeah, I do.

Any uniformed cop in this
neighborhood would tell you

Santiago took over Monta Vista
at the end of the Vietnam War

and he turned it into
a place where you

could get anything you wanted.

From a $10 bag of rock to
a teenage girl for sex,

and if feeling that
way makes me a suspect,

you got about 1,000
other people out there

who feel exactly the same.

You were right, you
know, this was great.

Oh, I know.

Yeah, but I don't think I
should eat for another week

after this now.

And you have to let me
pick up the check, OK?

No, no, no, you couldn't pay
for it even if you wanted to.

The chef is my mother-in-law.

It's funny, I, uh I
thought you were single.

Wonder why?

Well, my wife
died 10 months ago.

Oh, I'm sorry.

What's your status?

Are you married, you single?

I guess you could say we
have something in common.

My husband died.

He was killed about
five years ago.

He was a police officer.

I'm sorry.

You have any children?

No, you?

No, not for want of trying.

Elena was a good Catholic girl.

The match on the tire treads
wasn't even close to it.

What about Santiago's people?

Oh, they were nothing
but hired hands.

Santiago's death just made
more problems with them.

You know, there's
some political pressure

building on this case.

The chief is leaning towards
me dumping this case on OCID.

Yeah, well, give it to
OCID if you think they can do

a better job, but I doubt it.

That's why I'm
leaving you two on it.

Very smart.

What makes you think that Paco

and Miguel didn't kill Max?

He treated them like dirt.

Yeah, they may be stupid,
but they're not that stupid.

That depended on Max.

I'm sorry.

And so did I, yeah?

Well, maybe everything
will turn out OK.

I don't think so.

Max getting killed was
the worst thing that could

have happened to any of us.

Miguel, what the
hell are you doing?

You have the guys who
pulled this caper, Charlie?

A pair of real geniuses.

Footprints, two eyewitnesses,
and a license plate number.

Are you sure your
witnesses made an ID

that will stand up in court?

Yep.

Where the witness is now?

At home.

They'll be in anytime
you want them.

Yeah?

He's right here.

McCall.
- Oh.

What do you got?

The witness got the license
plate wrong, but not so wrong

we couldn't find the car.

Where is it?

It's abandoned down at
the corner at 12th and Seville.

Cars on the hot
sheet and there's

a recently fired shotgun
underneath the passenger seat.

Run all prints against
Miguel Ortiz and Paco Rivera.

Good, well I'll
either be in the car

or at Max Santiago's restaurant.

Paco, do you remember
anybody inviting

this dude to sit with us?

Hey, where's Guerrero?

If I knew, I wouldn't
be telling you.

I mean, the man's just
trying to do his job.

And Reese will be here later.

Now, um, he's a little late.

40 minutes late, so we ordered.

Oh, 40 minutes late, not
25, not 45 minutes late.

What are you guys doing
watching the clock?

Hey, we don't
have to talk to you!

No, no, no, you don't.

So I'll talk to you.

Your friend Guerrero
is dead as a doornail.

Dead.

You mean somebody
killed him or what?

He was killed... like Max?

No, no, no, not like Max.

He was killed by amateurs.

We have the car and the gun.

Hey, Reese was a friend.

He will be missed.

Maybe we're next.

Remember, we need
police protection.

No need to ask.

Are you Sergeant Hunter?

Yeah, I am.

There's a phone call for
you at the end of the bar.

Thanks, honey.

Don't go away.

Thanks very much.

Go.

They were smart
enough to wipe off

the car and the
gun, but we still

got a nice clean Ortiz
print from the cartridges

they left behind.

Is Ortiz there?

Yeah, they're here.

Wait a minute, they left.

I let them get away.

I got to call you back.

You didn't pay
your bill, mister.

This is L56.

Go ahead, L56.

I'm in pursuit
of two 187 suspects

proceeding eastbound
on Salamanca Boulevard

at the 600 block.

Vehicle is a late model
Oldsmobile, blue over white.

L56 out.

10-4, L56.

Now, kids, look carefully.

Do you recognize
any of these men?

The one in the middle.

Which one was he?

He fired the gun.

That's fine, honey.

You did just fine.

Next group, please.

Can I have a word with you
outside for a minute, Dan?

Sure.

Just relax, kids.

I'll be right back.

Yeah?

You want to tell me
about that in there?

What, the lineup?

Yeah, the lineup.

Hey, Hunter, why don't
you just cool it, huh?

I knew where to find those
two guys and you didn't.

I booked them in at
5:00 AM this morning,

and I picked up the two kids
before I left for school.

Why didn't you call me?

Hey, rushed you out
of bed at 5:00 AM?

It's done all the time.

Hunter, you know
the pressure that's

building up on this case.
- Yeah.

Yeah, Commander
Kane's demanding action

and so is Devane.

So I move too fast for you?

Hey, I'm sorry about that.

Let me just say one thing.

This is a murder
case, a homicide.

My murder case.

You should've called me down.

Look, we pretty well know
that Rivera and Ortiz

murdered Guerrero, right?

Where do you think that
puts us in relationship

to the Santiago killing?

Case is closed.

You're crazy.

Yeah?

Guerrero contracts
a hit on Santiago.

Rivera and Ortiz waste Guerrero.

You guys got a hit guy
out there someplace

you'll probably never find.

The pressure's off.
- You know something?

You're full of it.

Yeah, but the pressure's off.

Let's get this over with.

OK, guys.

Is there anybody in this group?

The second one.

Can I see him from the side?

Sure.

OK, everybody, half turn
to the right, please.

Yeah, the second one.

He's the driver.

So Rivera drove and
Ortiz did the firing.

We've got double
eyewitness confirmation

plus fingerprint evidence.

This is good work, Sergeant.

Thanks.

So on the Santiago case, we've
got an outstanding suspect,

a hit man.

But with Guerrero dead, the
case is a very cold one, right?

No, it is not a cold case.

Hey, Hunter, if you're
ticked off about me jumping...

Yeah, I am ticked
off about that, Dan.

And just because you got the
two idiots that killed Guerrero,

that doesn't mean you can
forget about Santiago.

What do you think?

It takes some kind of
genius to hire a hitman?

Guerrero was smart
enough to know one thing.

If anything ever
happened to Max,

they'd all be washing
cars for a living.

Captain, we checked
Guerrero's bank balance.

He had $4,900 with no large
withdrawals in the last year.

Now come on, these two
killings are worlds apart.

I mean, we're talking about
entirely different leads here.

So what?

You hire a hitman, you're going
to get a professional job.

Well, thank you very much.

Ortiz and Rivera say that
Guerrero hired the hit on Max.

Now why should we believe them?

The DA's not going
to buy it either.

I don't think the
pressure's off.

Look, I'm not trying to shut
you down on the Santiago case,

but Bolton's theory
here makes sense to me.

Charlie, those three
flunkies had it made.

Guerrero knew that.

Well, those other two tips
obviously didn't think so.

Those other two dips
didn't think, period.

Hello, Father.

It's been awhile.

Yes, it has.

Remember you used
to take us, the altar

boys, up here for pickings.

We still do.

Let's walk, Jack.

I suggested the park
because I felt you refused

to meet me at the church.

Father, I would have
been happy to meet you

at the church.

What's on your mind?

Max Santiago.

You killed him, Jack, and I
feel responsible, of course.

Why?

Because I told you
what he did to Elena.

All you told me was that Elena
hadn't been unfaithful to me.

That she'd been raped.

You didn't tell me, Michael.

You found out it was Santiago.

Was it from Miguel
Ortiz's sister.

Even if I knew there
was Max Santiago,

that doesn't prove
that killed him.

You killed him, Jack, and for
the sake of your mortal soul,

I want you to go to the police.

Father, you're quick
to judge other people,

but what about what you did?

You repeated to me
something that you

learned in the confessional.

Elena came to me and asked
by blessing for an abortion.

That is not a confession.

And Elena telling me that
Santiago had raped her

and she was pregnant, that
is also not a confession.

She had committed no sin.

And I had every right
to tell you after Elena

died what she told me.

Why didn't you tell me
before she killed herself?

The only reason
I told you at all

is because I saw your
face when the autopsy

showed she was pregnant.

I didn't want you to go
through the rest of your life

believing she'd been
unfaithful to you.

So I did tell you,
to my eternal regret,

because now you've committed
a cold and calculated murder.

And then Miguel Ortiz and Paco
Rivera have committed another.

God only knows where
it will all stop.

I'm not going to the police
father and neither are you.

Elena told you, you told me,
and that's what's going to end.

So you could escape judgment?

You're a priest,
Father, not a cop.

I just wish things were
as simple as that, Jack.

Oh, well, if they're not,
they sure as hell ought to be.

What's your source
on this, Sporty?

I don't believe that
you asked me that, Hunter.

What is my source?

How reliable is
your information?

It is a consensus
of opinion, my friend.

Nobody who knows
how the world spins

believes that it
was a business hit.

A jealous husband, or
the father or brother

or some child of Santiago
peddled to a Bel Air customer.

I mean, that is how the
cognoscenti of crime

views the act.

Sporty, I want to
thank you for your time.

Sergeant McCall would
like to thank you.

The pleasure was non-existent.

Once again, I have
the forces of truth,

justice, and the American way.

LUPE; Sergeant Hunter?

Well, uh, Lupe Ortiz.

This is Miguel's sister, Lupe.

This is Sergeant McCall.

I need to talk to you.

Lupe is only 17
years of age, so we

will be needing a chaperone.

Would you like to join us
in the interrogation room?

I'm worried about what
will happen to my brother.

He had nothing to
do with killing Max.

He didn't.

I think a man named
Jack Prewitt killed Max.

You have anything
that might prove that?

No, but just over a
year ago, his wife, Elena,

came to see Max to get
his OK so her mother could

open up a little restaurant.

Max wanted Elena real bad
starting in high school

because she was beautiful
and didn't like him.

And there she was in his
office, above his restaurant,

asking for a favor.

Max said surely, his mother
could open up a restaurant.

And, uh... then he tried to
kiss her, and she slapped him.

And he raped her.

Were you there
when this happened?

Yes.

And Max did this
in front of you?

Yes.

Lupe, Max Santiago's
record shows

no sign of any rape charges.

Elena told me
not to tell nobody.

She said if her husband
found out, he would kill Max

and he did.

Did you tell Jack
Prewitt about the rape?

I didn't tell nobody.

I'm... Jack must
have figured it out.

I don't know.

I'm going to take a
little ride downtown.

I'll get back in touch with you.

Lupe, just relax.

We know your brother, Miguel,
did not kill Max Santiago, OK?

I'll talk to you later.

Yeah?

Jack Prewitt?

Right.

Sergeant Hunter,
Metropolitan Police.

I was wondering if I
might have a word with you

about last Sunday's shooting?

Sure, sure, come on in.

Sit down back here.

Have a seat.

Can I get you something?

I've got a warm beer
somewhere, I think.

No, I'm fine.

Thanks, Jack.

I just need a little
bit of your time is all.

I understand you had a
nice little conversation

with my partner,
Sergeant McCall, Monday?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Nice, nice lady.

Yeah, very nice.

She was mentioning
that you and your wife

were unable to have children.

I don't remember
her telling me that.

Did she read you your rights?

No, we just had a
friendly conversation.

Well, you do know that you have

the right to remain silent.

If you give up that
right, anything you say

can be used against
you in a court of law.

You also have the right to
have an attorney present,

you understand that, Jack?

Yeah, sure, I just don't
know what you're getting at.

10 months ago, your
wife committed suicide.

I believe it was a
sleeping pill overdose?

Yeah, that's right.

And the autopsy
report showed that she

was three months pregnant?

Right.

Was there a...

Was there a suicide note, Jack?

No.

Have you been talking to
Father Cusack about this?

See, my wife told Father
Cusack that she'd been raped.

And after she took her own life,
Father Cusack told me about it,

but he didn't tell me who...

Who'd done it.

So you didn't
answer my question.

Did Father Cusack tell you this?

No, he didn't, Jack.

I haven't talked
to Father Cusack.

I'm glad of that.

He and I were very, very
close for a long time.

So I take it I'm a suspect in
the murder of Max Santiago.

Yes, you are.

Do you think I
should get an attorney?

Yes, I do.

Well, it's going to be a long
drive back to the station.

Can I use your bathroom?

Yeah, sure.

It's down the hall.

Thanks.

Well, thanks a lot, Jack.

You better get going.

If you need to get a hold
of me for any reason,

you can reach me at that number.

I thought you were
going to arrest me.

Should I?

No.

No, not in my opinion.

I think the district
attorney might agree with you

that at this point in time.

I still suggest you get
yourself an attorney.

Hey, Reuben?

Do me a favor, would you?

Check these hairs
against the one

we found at the crime scene.
- Sure, Hunter.

Where'd you get this hair?

Why?

It's a perfect match.

That's why.

Oh, uh, I went back to
the scene of the crime

and looked around a little bit
more and found a couple hairs.

Thanks.

- Hello?
- Hi.

You awake?

Well, I am now.

What time is it anyway?

I need to talk to you.
Are you alone.

Yes, I am.

What's going on?

I'll be there in 15 minutes.

All we have is two
hairs, no motive.

We can't even prove he knew
Santiago raped his wife.

So what are you trying to say?

Look, do you want
to forget that you

found the evidence that
put Prewitt in the room

the shots came from?

That's just my point.

We don't have enough
evidence to convict this guy.

The Captain is
going to say that we

have probable cause to arrest
Prewitt, and that's our job.

Even if we both want
to look the other way.

Well, it certainly
wouldn't be the first time

two cops look the other way.

Yeah, but I don't know
how much longer I could

keep being a cop if I did that.

Hunter, look, maybe you and I
think that Pruitt did society

a favor here by just
bucking the system,

by taking matters
into his own hands.

But the bottom line is if
you and I look the other way,

then we're no better than he is.

Look, I know that.

I do know that, OK?

I'm just tired of
seeing Prewitt suffer.

I'm just tired of it.

I think he's suffered enough.

Hi.

Hi.

Get any sleep last night?

No.

Does it look like it?

Yeah, I didn't
sleep too well myself.

So did you come to
a decision based

on what we were talking
about into the wee

hours of the morning?
- Yes, I did.

We're both still here.

We certainly are.

I have decided that I'm going...

Have you got someplace
we could talk in private?

I haven't had much peace of
mind these past few days.

Much sleep, either.

This morning at 6 o'clock,
there was a knocking on my door.

It was Father Cusack.

Came by to have a little
chat about my immortal soul.

I guess he's been
looking out for it

ever since he baptized me.

I talked to him about
your visit yesterday.

I had the feeling
you knew that I...

Anyway, I wound up making
my first confession

since before Elena died,
and afterward I felt peace.

I felt real peace.

First time since I decided
that I was going to kill...

Jack, just a second.

Now you recall yesterday I read
you your rights at your home,

recall that?

Now you do have the right
to have an attorney present.

Yeah.

I suggest you do that right now.

You can use my phone.

Thanks.

Yeah, I guess I better do that.

You know, it's really
a coincidence seeing

Mike Snow here today, isn't it?

How did you, uh, happen to get
hooked up with Jack Prewitt

anyway?

Well, if I didn't
know it was illegal,

I swear you referred him to me.

How do you think
it's going to go?

What have you got?

A lot of evidence, Mike.

A lot of hard evidence.

And we can get more.

Knowing you two,
I don't doubt that.

But don't bother, because I'm
going for a dim cap defense.

If I can't prove diminished
capacity after what

that poor man went through...

His wife raped, made pregnant
by a creep like Santiago,

and then taking her own
life because of it...

If I can't win this case
on diminished capacity,

I'm going to join the enemy
and run for district attorney.

Good luck.

Well, there goes
another closed case.

Hey, you know, when we
were inside there, you were...

You were going to
tell me something

right when Prewitt came in.

What was that?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I couldn't quit either.

Hunter, where'd
you get this tie?

Out of your closet.