Kojak (1973–1978): Season 2, Episode 4 - A Very Deadly Game - full transcript
When Kojak works with the FBI to apprehend a drug dealer. He sends one of his detectives to work with an FBI agent posing as buyers. When the dealer arrives he shoots both men and takes off with the money. He meets a partner who then shoots him and makes off with the money. When Kojak gets a description of the partner and gives it to his FBI contact, he is ordered by another agent not to give Kojak anymore info. It isn't long before Kojak suspects that the agent is holding out on him, he follows him and meets the other agent whom he knows and finds out that the agent is looking for the killer and has a personal stake in it. When the man refuses to work with Kojak, Kojak tells him to stay out of his way.
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Crocodile Base.
The mule is doing a solo. He's coming in.
Alone?
That's what the man said.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This is Stavros.
Did you read that, Lieutenant?
I heard, I heard.
So maybe he's more than just a mule.
Maybe he's in business for himself.
So how do you want to handle it?
Stavros Esquez.
He's the fed in charge.
It's his coin and his case.
And I'll be there when I get
out of this cluster of tin and tires.
You tell Crocker to keep
checking for a backup man.
We'll show the bread to see what goes down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Base to Crocker.
The feds are going to play it out.
If the stash isn't in his
wheels, it could be still en route.
Keep an eye for a possible vice president.
10-4.
Blue made no contact in the lobby.
He's on his way up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Looks like New York's finest
is about to make a buy, Sonny.
This is still a federal
case, you convicted killer.
Just don't forget who found him.
Right.
Relax, Cass.
He's got to travel 17 floors.
Those elevators ain't
known for setting any records.
Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING], Yeah.
And I do dig the way you
put things together, Mr. Freer.
One more after this, Blue.
Just one more and we'll make the big move.
I'll be waiting for you.
You all right, man.
You are all right.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right, we'll wait.
We don't want to disturb the
little fetty in their cape, all right?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING].
Looks to me like you come
here empty handed, Blue.
Well, the junk is here, Mike.
But you know, first we count, then we deal.
Can't argue that.
Except the bread don't leave
the room till the dough arrives.
Greg, I've only known you
cats a couple of weeks, man.
And you know as well
as I do, a cat has to
take his time, make
sure everything's cool.
It's cool.
Come, Blue.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
My watch is slow.
100,000.
That's nice.
Very nice.
It's all yours, Blue.
Soon as we see four keys of channel white.
I'll be right back.
Oh, one other thing.
[GUNSHOT]
It's a rip off.
It's a rip off.
Move in.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
Police!
Police!
[GUNSHOTS]
Number one elevator.
He's going down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
They're cops, man.
I shot a cop.
We got split.
You still have the money.
Yeah, but you don't understand, man.
These guys are cops.
[GUNSHOT]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SCREAMING]
Step back.
Step aside.
Notice room.
Easy, easy, easy.
Back.
Get back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOTS]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Back.
Get back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIRENS]
[SIRENS]
Easy, easy.
It's going to be all right, Callum.
Where'd they get these hacks?
The place we get our cops off the street.
How is he?
One shot in the gut, 45.
Who knows?
Lieutenant, I think Lisa
ought to hear from one of us.
There you go.
Rocker, you know this is going
to be like a three ring circus?
And every one of us are the star clowns.
Weaver put three in the
elevator, and we think he iced blue.
Yeah, so where's the green
from the United States Treasury?
And where's Cash?
You know, this case of his stinks.
Who's covering the floors?
Who's covering the elevators?
Who's covering the garages?
You guys ought to get a
maypole and dance around it.
And I only counted one shot in blue.
You said that Weaver got off three.
Where are the others? - On 17.
They didn't penetrate the doors.
Rocker, I'm up on seven.
We turned up something.
Want to meet me up here?
OK.
Cash was in charge, Lieutenant.
He was calling it.
It was their case, remember?
It came out case the
minute this superfly
pusher put a hold
on our man, Crocker.
Come on.
9 millimeter, Lieutenant.
Smells fresh.
How many?
Just this side of that elevator.
9 millimeter.
Right-hand ejection.
One Casey on the floor.
And one slug in blue.
He never got off this elevator.
Well, Lieutenant, I don't think Blue
stopped on the seventh floor just
to pick up a case of lead poisoning.
I'm guessing he had a partner
and got himself double-crossed.
All right, Crocker, you have the
ME move on that autopsy on blue
and determine whether or not that
was a 9 millimeter slug that killed him.
You, Stavros, go
downstairs to the front desk.
I want you to turn over anybody
and everybody who had anything
to do with the seventh floor--
housekeepers, bellboys, maids,
maidens, butlers, whatever.
What are you waiting for?
A hotel's got no butlers.
Get out of here!
Get all the fingerprints off
that elevator, you understand?
We're going to stay planted on this case
until it all falls together.
Where the hell is Cass?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Come in.
OK, Ike, what is this, a
command performance?
Phone call wasn't exactly a request.
Excuse us a minute, will you?
Sure, Chief.
I'm sorry, Cass, but I have
to throw my weight around.
OK, but I thought your
outfit was in Marseilles.
It was last week.
I just got a flash from Washington,
Cass, that your unit blew a bye.
A straight ripoff, that's what it was.
And they say that your mystery
man just blew up his flunky.
Is that right? - Yeah.
That's the way it stands right now.
Come on, Ike, I got my hands full.
What do you want?
I've got some instructions for you, Cass.
Since when do I get my
instructions from you?
I said I'd just talk to Washington.
If you want to check with
the man, I'll call him back.
What do you want?
I have a very strong hunch
who your mystery man might be.
All I need is verification.
OK, why didn't you
say so in the first place?
We need every break we can get.
Kojak is--.
Kojak is to know nothing.
What?
Nothing, Cass.
Now, you stick with Kojak like glue.
Give him all the appearance
of generous cooperation.
Soak up everything
he learns about that
mystery man, and then
bring it straight to me.
Understood?
No, it is not understood.
I just dropped $100,000 agency cash.
A New York cop just caught a slug.
My man has a very
large headache, and you
want me to play cloak
and dagger with Kojak.
Why leave him out?
Because that ripoff matches the
MO of somebody that I want, Cass.
I'm a fed, and you're a fed.
We're not handing our case
or our suspect over to NYPD.
Ike, he shot a cop.
Cold blood.
We asked them for that cop.
We're both on Washington's team, Cass.
If you want off, I can arrange
it with just one phone call.
OK.
What's the big deal you're after?
His name is Fried.
Raoul Fried.
Dr. Polakov.
Dr. Polakov, please.
Thank you, doc.
Right, the treat for shock.
Pumping him with blood.
They have to wait for him to
stabilize before they can operate.
- I'll tell Liza. - No, you do your part.
Liza and I want to stay around.
If you want to help your buddy,
you go find out Blue's part,
because he's responsible
for what's happening to Keller.
What about the feds?
They found Blue. It was their case.
Don't you have anything below the line?
Cepeda was new.
We just put him on the street.
He got a rumor that Blue was dealing.
Yeah, dealing.
Maybe he's just looking for
a patsy for the ripoff, right?
Or was that his partner's idea?
Hey, look, they asked for a black operator.
Our feeling of cooperation,
I gave them the best.
I gave them Keller.
Cepeda didn't have an in.
Keller got him the right introductions.
They worked it
together right up to the
so-called buy, and
that's the bottom line.
Looks like it was put
together with a blueprint.
Yeah, only the other side,
they got a better draftsman.
Theo, that hotel has 20 floors,
and I couldn't stake them all.
I admit, looking back on it
now, it did go too smooth.
Pound buys don't usually come that easy.
Sure, tell me about it.
Now, you look, from now
on, I'm calling the shots.
You understand?
What the hell are you still doing here?
I'm gone.
I'm gone.
Look, Theo, I'm sorry.
I'm going to go back to the precinct.
Maybe they've turned something up by now.
Now, you look, Cass, we get
any facts or figures or clues,
we're going to pass them along to you.
Now, why don't you just ease off
and let these guys do their work?
I'll stay out of their way.
Yeah, sure.
[DOOR SLAMS].
What is it, Theo?
Something's turning around
in that Greek gray matter.
Cass, we know him a long time.
He's playing detective.
He's going down to the hotel.
He's asking everybody questions but me.
He knows I get a feedback.
I don't know. It's just a feeling.
It's a feeling, and I don't like it.
You should keep your
feelings to yourself, huh?
Making alibis for that 100
thou is a problem enough for him
without us starting
another bureaucratic war.
Hey, Captain,
you don't fight wars
when the soldiers are
all in the same army.
Dr.
Kearney, Dr. Kearney, emergency room stat.
Call us for 240 a week after taxes, right?
I'll talk to her if you want.
[MUSIC PLAYING].
You all right?
Look here, kid, justice.
Whatever comes down, I'll promise you this.
This guy's not going to get away with it.
You're telling me this
like you think I care.
Theo, my husband is
laying in there right now,
and I don't know if
he's going to live or die.
And you're talking to me about justice?
Well, where is Ben's justice?
Come on, Lisa.
Uh-uh.
Two years ago, right here, it
was the same thing, wasn't it?
The great Theo Kojak
telling me another story
about what a terrific job Ben
did before that 10-inch switch
blade went up to the hilt in his body.
My husband has been
used, used by the McNeils,
used by the Kojaks,
used because he is black,
because he has
some unique ability to
relate and operate
junkies and thieves.
And you keep making him do it.
You keep using him and using him.
Why can't he be like other detectives?
Ben worked hard.
He earned that gold badge.
Why can't he come home at 5 instead.
of wallowing around in those
stink holes you put him in?
Why, Theo?
Because we grew up in the same sewer, baby.
And Ben wanted
to clean it up for
himself, for you, for
me, for us, the kids.
That's why.
You really believe that?
I believe it.
Ben believes it.
Elisa, you believe it.
Theo.
Hey, kid.
[SOBBING]
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now, what do you say?
Me too, huh?
Come on, get in here.
Shut up, Rizzo.
Things don't always go smoothly.
OK, what, what, what, what?
Layton's wrapped up their
comparison on Blue's prints
and the partials found
in the elevator buttons.
Layton's on the 7 and 17
floor buttons belong to Blue.
And the match on the partial
lifted from the lobby button.
Meaning Blue intended to go to 7,
and our mystery man sent
him the rest of the way down.
If Blue intended to stop,
that means he had a reason.
And the reason was he
has a partner, that's for sure.
[BUZZER].
Kojak.
We got it squeezed down in one
room on the 7th floor, Lieutenant.
The registration desk
says a guy named Smith
checked in about noon,
paid for a full night in advance,
but nobody's seen him since the ripoff.
OK, you have Forensic go through
that room with a fine tooth comb.
Do you understand?
If they find any partials, compare them
against the ones we
found on the elevator button.
And then round up the employees.
See if they came in
contact with our Mr. Smith,
and get them down here.
Well, that's two problems, Lieutenant.
There's a good chance this guy's got
a beard or a mustache or something.
I found a bottle of glue
that you use for sticking
hair on your face.
All right, then when you
round up the employees,
find out if they saw a guy
with a mustache or a beard.
And you, Stavros, you
go around pulling whiskers.
If they ain't real, get
them down here too, OK?
Yeah, OK, Lieutenant.
What's that about a mustache?
Oh.
Seems our boy likes to play actor.
That ring a bell, Kaz?
No, means nothing to me.
Listen, maybe I ought
to take a copy of those
partials that you
took off the elevator.
Oh, what for?
I mean, it's only a partial.
Unless you got a name to go with it.
No, no name.
Just thought I ought to start checking
them against the major dealers.
[PHONE RINGING]
Forget it.
Guess that hundred thou has
me pressing a little too hard.
Listen, I've got a few reports to make out.
I-- I'll see you in the morning, OK?
All right, Crocker,
roust the police officer
between the sheets
and get him down here.
We're going to need a
composite as quick as possible.
Right.
Oh, yeah.
Give me a rundown
on every narcotics ripoff
we've had since
the beginning of time.
Got it.
Yeah, sure.
Operator, this is Mr. Smith in room 220.
I'd like to make a station
call to Los Angeles.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This is my lead.
You're very prompt.
I have a message for Becker.
Yes, Mr. Freer.
Tell him I have all but 50,000.
I should have the rest within a week.
Mr.
Becker expects shipment within five days.
He asked that I inform
you of his circumstance.
What circumstance?
Mr.
Becker will not wait an extended period.
He has others wanting
to purchase his shipment
and will negotiate
with the first buyer
available when shipment arrives.
Listen, you tell Becker I'm his buyer.
It's taken me over a year to plan
this, and I'm not about to lose it.
I can only relay Mr. Becker's
message, Mr. Freer.
I cannot argue with you.
Please continue to use this same
number for contact at designated times.
Goodbye, Mr. Freer.
Operator, give me
airline flight information.
You were under orders, Cass.
As I recall, they were specific.
Come on, Ike.
I'm doing your dirty
work, and I don't like it.
But I'm doing it.
And still, I'm floating in the dark.
Who is this Freer?
He's a personal interest.
And I could have had
that verification in just two
minutes if you would have
conned Kojak out of that print.
I told you I had a lousy reason.
I backed off.
You also instructed me
he wasn't to know anything.
All right.
All right.
First thing in the
morning, you get back
in there, and you
come up with something.
I spent a lot of years
putting together a relationship
with those cops.
They're good.
Kojak is good.
And you're putting it all
down the tubes for me.
It's up to you, Cass.
He doesn't have to know.
If it isn't Freer, I walk away.
But if it is, I've got
to beat Kojak to him.
Either way, you're out of the middle
as soon as I get that verification.
Mr. Watkins, we just got
word from the man that--.
Anything else, Cass?
It's kind of hard to believe
that we're all on the same team.
All right, what do you have?
It was Cahill from Interpol.
Intelligence sources
pieced together the
shipment is leaving
Corsica two days ago.
Port of entry?
That they don't know yet.
This makes Freer our only chance.
We've got to pick up his trail
and see where he leads us.
Roll a mass distribution on
that last photo we have of him.
Air terminals, sky marshals, customs.
I want every federal
officer, regardless of agency,
to know what he looks like by morning.
Right.
Long distance, please.
Washington.
[PHONE RINGING]
Autopsy on Blue picked
up three 9-millimeter slugs.
Two are good for comparison,
only if we find the piece.
What else?
They picked up a partial
off the seventh floor room.
It was on the glue bottle.
Index finger?
Match 10 points with the one
we found out of the elevator.
All right.
They're ripping on the box.
Tight conspiracy on the rip.
And Blue's murder. What else?
I checked the narc rips.
Nothing comes close to
this except the Benny Garfine
rip six months ago,
and he's still in the slam.
What did the feds have?
They said they had nothing.
Nothing?
What do you mean, nothing?
I called the records man.
He calls me back five minutes
later and says that nothing connects.
Well, you call him back
and tell him to look this time.
Cass?
[FOOTSTEPS]
Good that you did a
nice job on the composite.
Thanks to some maid
who got a good look at him.
Yeah, they're all working like dogs.
Rizzo's off running copies now.
I'm glad we got a good break.
That Humber Jesus is
bringing me a lot of heat.
There's a lot of heat on me, too.
Having the name of Keller in the hospital?
Who shut the door, Cass?
What are you talking about?
Crocker.
He called your records man in Washington.
Five minutes later, he calls back.
There's no record of any
rip in the country, huh?
Maybe they didn't have anything.
Uh-huh.
Hey, the Benny Garfine
case, I gave it to him personally.
Two months ago, this Miami
rip-off hit every paper in the country.
Your records aren't that sloppy, Cass.
Come on, Theo.
Don't get exercised.
No doors are closed.
We're in this together.
Maybe it was just some lazy records clerk.
I'll check it out personally, OK?
Yes, sir.
Come on, Lieutenant.
Did you bring any belts?
No, he does nothing for me.
I'll go back to the office, get
an in-house distribution going.
Maybe some of our people
can make him out, OK?
Sure.
Don't forget the records, Cass, OK?
I'll get right on it, Theo, OK?
Crocker.
Yo.
Get a copy of that composite
to every headquarters in the city.
Then check with narcotics.
Check all the photos,
very known pushers,
and put mustaches
on them if you have to.
Where are you going?
There's a smell floating around here.
And I want to find out
where it's coming from.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORN HONKING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
There's another fed face in
town, name of Ike Watkins.
The CV's booked into the Regency.
Who is Watkins?
Another narc, you know,
the international set,
two-foot tennis, white
sneakers, little finger-dry Martini,
you know, high-class stuff.
Now, this Cass has been sucking us dry,
handing all our information over to him.
From now on, you put
the lid on, understand?
I don't get it.
They're giving us nothing,
and that ain't cricket.
You ask what's up?
No, I haven't got the right questions yet.
But when we get them ID'd, we got them.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Come in.
Those pictures you ordered on Freya,
photo lab's run off 1,000 copies.
Distribution's underway right now.
Good.
Supplemental with this, he
might be wearing a beard.
Get us to the airports
the fastest way you can.
Right.
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Taxi.
10 at the airport.
Want me to say please?
[SIGHS]
Hey, baby, look.
Let me tell you about this dude.
All right, now, I wasn't working.
I was just having some coffee.
And he comes over, and he starts
being friendly, and he starts talking.
So I talked back.
You know, but I didn't make no-- no offer.
Had a nice, friendly chat.
Seems Jackie and I have a mutual friend.
Name of Blue.
Yeah, Blue and me,
we're going to get married.
What is all this jive, anyhow?
Giving up the streets, Jackie.
Nice little bungalow for the newlyweds.
That takes a lot of breath, honey.
Well, we're going to do OK.
What do you want, anyway?
Just a little piece of information.
I want to know the company
that Blue's been keeping.
[LAUGHS]
I don't know nothing.
Hey, Jackie, Blue's dead.
He caught a slug last night.
Can't be dead.
We're going to get married.
Wait a minute.
Tell me you're lying to me.
Tell me.
I'm sorry, baby.
Here's the man who did it.
What?
Freedom.
Is that the friend?
Oh, wow.
Raul Freer.
Big time from Cuba, man.
He was going to put
Blue up in some real class.
Hey, man, Blue was going to take me along.
You know, he said no more hustling, Jackie.
From now on, it's just
going to be me and you.
Just me and you.
That's what Blue said, man.
Just me and you.
All right, honey.
Where can we find him?
Alden Arms, 51st Street.
He was in the name of Smith.
Lieutenant.
Yeah?
How about Lisa?
The hospital.
Keller died.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Ladies and gentlemen, flight
603, nonstop service to Chicago,
is now boarding through gate 63A.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS].
Lieutenant, manager says
he's been here for three weeks
and left two hours ago.
Yes, it is.
The manager's only recalled us two people,
but his description says
it was Blue and Jackie.
One possible lead.
He called LA two hours ago.
That's not bad.
[PHONE RINGING]
Yeah?
Yeah, Lieutenant, the sheet on Freer
shows that he's a dealer.
The last call he had was a
knock bust about a year ago.
You do time, fatso?
Well, I just couldn't make it stick.
Are you interested to know
who was in charge of the case?
Ike Watkins.
Yeah, how'd you know that?
Uh-huh.
I got a few questions to ask.
With all the resources of
the United States government,
we can't find one man.
If Kojak nails him first, there's
going to be some hair fly around here.
What's the best estimate
of Freer's total take now?
Well, if he pulled the ripoffs
in Miami and New Orleans,
together with the things
we already know about,
and then casts his $100,000,
that brings him up to $450,000.
That's nearly enough for the shipment.
Well, where's the dope coming in?
We don't know.
Freer's one buyer.
It'll be wherever he shows up.
[PHONE RINGING].
Special Agent Watkins.
What time?
All right.
Tell him to put a
surveillance team together,
pick him up at the airport,
and keep a tight tail.
I'm sure he's going there
to score the shipment.
It's Freer.
He's on his way to Chicago.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
So we're finally going
to close out this case.
If you get him dirty.
He's hungry.
That shipment is like a magnet to him.
You have to make a case first.
All Kojak has to do is find him,
and he's bought and paid for.
Kojak has to find him first.
Kojak is going to find him.
Thanks, Jimmy. I'll take care of you later.
Well, well, well.
Here I thought I'd run into a couple
of junkies, and I run into the snoops.
CEO.
Shut up, Cass.
OK, super fed.
How come a world
traveler like you is
interested in a little
case like mine, Ike?
I'll be a bin for you.
Answer the question.
We lost $100,000.
No, Cass lost $100,000.
You didn't.
You don't even work for you.
All right, what do you know about this guy?
If I gave you this information,
what would you do with it, Theo?
I'd take it along with the Rose
and stick it into the family Bible.
What happened to the
so-called rapport between us?
Theo, I'm sorry.
You shut up, Cass.
Your caper killed a man.
And this creep over here set it up.
What right have you got
to withhold information?
Raoul Freer.
Criminal record dating back to '56.
Male, Cuban, age 42, 180
pounds, last known arrest last May.
Ike Watkins in charge of the case.
He slopped it over, and Freer beat the rap.
Congratulations.
What else do you know?
Maybe I should know more.
I know you want him awful bad.
Or maybe it's just an ego trip
because he got away from you last year.
We got a million
in heroin, three of
his mules in the
joint, and we lost him.
Yeah, we lost him
because one small
piece of evidence
didn't drop into place.
Does that give you a right
to withhold information?
This slob killed a cop.
Well, I'll give you this much, Kojak.
When we took him, he
had a million up front.
And the dope was seasoned.
He was left bankrupt.
Now, I didn't know he was in New York.
And I swear to God, we had no
idea he was setting up a new rip here.
He's been building up bankroll off rips.
And we feel certain it's
to buy a new shipment.
Where?
I don't know.
You're lying.
Lay off this case, Theo.
You'll have your shot at him later.
I want it now.
Kojak, I got two years invested in this.
This shipment is--
Later for your shipment.
This man killed a cop.
And no one goes around
killing cops in this city.
Do you understand?
This Freer's got to go to trial.
Because unless I put him up there,
30,000 other cops who worked
in the city are in jeopardy.
Now, I know where Freer's pad is.
I also know about these long
distance calls he's making.
And I'm willing to make a trade, Ike.
There's nothing to trade.
Fine.
Just stay the hell out of my way.
Kojak has a right to him, Ike.
Maybe.
There's a lot of people in Washington
who think that we ought to
nab him first and his supplier.
And I'll be in Chicago doing just that.
[PHONE RINGING]
Manhattan South, Detective Crocker.
Yes, sir.
He's expecting your call.
Just hold on for a second.
Lieutenant, Narcotics
Division, LAPD, Captain Perkins.
Yeah, Eddie.
I'm afraid it's not much
of a lead for you, Theo.
Your phone number turned out to be a
public phone on the Santa Monica Pier.
Nothing comes easy, does it?
Listen, I haven't got an army to play with.
But if you think it's important enough,
I'll put a team on the phone
until you can get out here.
It's all I have, Ernie.
It's got to be important.
So when do I see you?
Tomorrow morning, right?
You got to hold the Weaver.
Now, pack your bags.
We're heading for the land of sunshine.
I got a little sparring to do.
Sparring?
Yeah.
McNeil, he doesn't know it
yet, but he's about to OK three
round trippers to Los Angeles.
Far out, man.
Lieutenant.
Your captain, direct from Lee.
Yeah, Frank, what is it?
Well, first for the good news,
at least the way you'll see it.
Freer gave Watkins the slip in Chicago.
You'll probably catch it on the late news.
Did Freer make the big pickup?
Evidently not.
He ripped off some connection for $50,000,
still trying to build his stake.
Watkins moved in,
the connection started
shooting everything,
and Freer disappeared.
OK, so maybe I still
got to shut him out here.
Now, what's the bad news?
I had to tell Watkins where you were.
Hey, Frank, I'm trying to get
the man who wiped out Keller.
Now, what the hell are
you-- Now, just hold it.
This was a direct order from the top.
I had to tell him.
When Watkins uses his clout,
there's no way we're going to buck it.
You know, if he takes Freer,
federal jurisdiction takes priority.
Orders say we cooperate.
Now, LAPD is getting the
same call, Attorney General style.
I got mine five hours ago.
And how far is this
cooperation supposed to go?
Whenever Watkins shows up,
you give any information you've got
on the progress of your case.
Who takes Freer first?
I didn't ask.
You're forgiven.
I never heard that.
Coochie-coo, baby.
Freer on his way out here?
Could be, but I think that any
minute you're going to get a call.
Preferential treatment
for the Fetty Wettys.
Well, until I get that call, I'm yours.
So, uh, should we check
out our favorite phone booth?
You want anything?
Zoot.
One Chinese brush,
park, foot to scenery, split.
Any suggestions?
We stay put.
Freer just slipped through
Watkins' hands in Chicago.
Flight 721, now arriving Los
Angeles International Airport, gate 12.
Hey, that's our same Chinese lady.
Go make a phone call.
And, uh, don't use that
blower on the right, huh?
[PHONE RINGING].
This is Miley.
Yes, Mr. Freer.
Mr. Becker has the merchandise.
He's concerned with your situation.
You tell him my situation is perfect.
Do you have the proper funds, Mr. Freer?
500,000.
Mr. Becker will be pleased.
Goodbye, Mr. Freer.
I feel like James Bond.
This is it, Ernie.
Bring the cars.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Parker, I think you'd better
overtake us now, or you'll go wise.
Roger.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Drop back a little.
You're too close.
Right, Lieutenant.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Diamond Jewelers.
You got the right name.
It's Sam Becker.
Sam Becker.
Do you well know, do you California folk?
Let's just say we've had our vibes.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Lieutenant, it looks like we're
heading back to Santa Monica.
Yeah, they're giving us a tour.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
There's a burned out
apartment upstairs and back.
Stake yourself out there.
You can keep an eye on everything.
I'll cover out here, OK?
Good luck.
Hey, Ernie, no matter what goes down,
I don't want you to get mixed
up with politics, you understand?
I gave the location.
As far as I'm concerned,
it's still your case.
You figured Chicago, baby.
You blew it.
Three times with Freer?
[BELL DINGS]
You blame me for not
wanting to call the shots?
My job is tough.
You just want the man.
I want the man and his connection.
Oh, sure, the way you're handling
it, you're not going to get either.
[HORSE GALLOPING]
Theo, Becker's holding
10 kilos of pure heroin.
If you take him now,
we'll never get that stuff.
You know something, Ike?
You really blow my mind.
All you worry about is your heroin, right?
Now, if Freaky Freer gets
out of here, we lose him.
And if we don't lose him,
you get him with your dope
and-- and-- and-- and
jurisdiction, don't you?
Now, what's the difference?
He's still off the streets.
My man is dead.
That's the difference.
Murder one, baby.
This punk is not going to
get away after five years
by some bleeding heart that's going
to parole him out of a federal prison.
I got an obligation.
What about an obligation
to half a million people
who will suffer when
that stuff hits the streets?
Think about it, Theo.
You know something?
There are too many exits
around here, and I don't like it.
I think I'm going to go check
them, see if they're all covered.
If you need anything, use that squawk box.
He'll be back here.
Ah, shut up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOOR CREAKING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Let's move in.
Let's go. Move in.
Bust them.
What?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Stop!
Police!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
- Dopes off the streets.
Eenie meenie, you take
money and I'll take more, okay?
Unless you wanted to go to
the Attorney General's office.
- No.
Those 30,000 cops are yours.
I'd hate like hell to have one
more of them on my conscience.
- Both way ahead, right Ike?
- For sure, Theo, for sure.
- Yeah, sure.
(dramatic music)
- Easy does it.
Won't that wait till the morning?
- Bring your Mac jet
lag for us, it's only 9.30.
- Us?
- Yeah, me and Max a million.
- Somehow, something's going over my head.
You try to contact me early?
- Oh yeah, Cohen, the assistant DA.
On the Keller murder?
He says he feels he got an
airtight case against Freer.
He's gonna bring it to the
grand jury any day now.
(dog whining).
- Are you throwing your voice
or do I actually hear the
sound of a small animal in here?
- That's Max a million.
But he's not gonna be small for very long.
Come here, baby.
(dog whining)
Look at the size of those paws.
- Yeah, well, he's a police dog.
He's gonna have flat feet, ain't ya?
- Detective Perkins gave
me from Los Angeles
Police Department
he had a whole litter.
- What's the matter, baby?
Now you wanna shop in your
teatsy-weetsies under Captain's shoes, huh?
- Hey, Theo, I can live with
Stavros' botanical gardens,
but a kennel, this is not.
- Oh no, it's for Keller's kids.
Well, I wasn't here for the funeral, was I?
All right, the old man
got a posthumous
award, but what does
that mean to kids?
10 years from now, maybe something.
But now, hey, we got Max a million here.
You know, they need him,
something alive, something growing.
And he needs them, I like that.
(sad music)
- Theo, you are--
- Hey, you wanna bite the captain
before he starts saying something stupid?
(dramatic music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music).
[BLANK_AUDIO].
---
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC].
[THEME MUSIC]
[THEME MUSIC]
Crocodile Base.
The mule is doing a solo. He's coming in.
Alone?
That's what the man said.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This is Stavros.
Did you read that, Lieutenant?
I heard, I heard.
So maybe he's more than just a mule.
Maybe he's in business for himself.
So how do you want to handle it?
Stavros Esquez.
He's the fed in charge.
It's his coin and his case.
And I'll be there when I get
out of this cluster of tin and tires.
You tell Crocker to keep
checking for a backup man.
We'll show the bread to see what goes down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Base to Crocker.
The feds are going to play it out.
If the stash isn't in his
wheels, it could be still en route.
Keep an eye for a possible vice president.
10-4.
Blue made no contact in the lobby.
He's on his way up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Looks like New York's finest
is about to make a buy, Sonny.
This is still a federal
case, you convicted killer.
Just don't forget who found him.
Right.
Relax, Cass.
He's got to travel 17 floors.
Those elevators ain't
known for setting any records.
Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING], Yeah.
And I do dig the way you
put things together, Mr. Freer.
One more after this, Blue.
Just one more and we'll make the big move.
I'll be waiting for you.
You all right, man.
You are all right.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right, we'll wait.
We don't want to disturb the
little fetty in their cape, all right?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING].
Looks to me like you come
here empty handed, Blue.
Well, the junk is here, Mike.
But you know, first we count, then we deal.
Can't argue that.
Except the bread don't leave
the room till the dough arrives.
Greg, I've only known you
cats a couple of weeks, man.
And you know as well
as I do, a cat has to
take his time, make
sure everything's cool.
It's cool.
Come, Blue.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
My watch is slow.
100,000.
That's nice.
Very nice.
It's all yours, Blue.
Soon as we see four keys of channel white.
I'll be right back.
Oh, one other thing.
[GUNSHOT]
It's a rip off.
It's a rip off.
Move in.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
Police!
Police!
[GUNSHOTS]
Number one elevator.
He's going down.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
They're cops, man.
I shot a cop.
We got split.
You still have the money.
Yeah, but you don't understand, man.
These guys are cops.
[GUNSHOT]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SCREAMING]
Step back.
Step aside.
Notice room.
Easy, easy, easy.
Back.
Get back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOTS]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Back.
Get back.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIRENS]
[SIRENS]
Easy, easy.
It's going to be all right, Callum.
Where'd they get these hacks?
The place we get our cops off the street.
How is he?
One shot in the gut, 45.
Who knows?
Lieutenant, I think Lisa
ought to hear from one of us.
There you go.
Rocker, you know this is going
to be like a three ring circus?
And every one of us are the star clowns.
Weaver put three in the
elevator, and we think he iced blue.
Yeah, so where's the green
from the United States Treasury?
And where's Cash?
You know, this case of his stinks.
Who's covering the floors?
Who's covering the elevators?
Who's covering the garages?
You guys ought to get a
maypole and dance around it.
And I only counted one shot in blue.
You said that Weaver got off three.
Where are the others? - On 17.
They didn't penetrate the doors.
Rocker, I'm up on seven.
We turned up something.
Want to meet me up here?
OK.
Cash was in charge, Lieutenant.
He was calling it.
It was their case, remember?
It came out case the
minute this superfly
pusher put a hold
on our man, Crocker.
Come on.
9 millimeter, Lieutenant.
Smells fresh.
How many?
Just this side of that elevator.
9 millimeter.
Right-hand ejection.
One Casey on the floor.
And one slug in blue.
He never got off this elevator.
Well, Lieutenant, I don't think Blue
stopped on the seventh floor just
to pick up a case of lead poisoning.
I'm guessing he had a partner
and got himself double-crossed.
All right, Crocker, you have the
ME move on that autopsy on blue
and determine whether or not that
was a 9 millimeter slug that killed him.
You, Stavros, go
downstairs to the front desk.
I want you to turn over anybody
and everybody who had anything
to do with the seventh floor--
housekeepers, bellboys, maids,
maidens, butlers, whatever.
What are you waiting for?
A hotel's got no butlers.
Get out of here!
Get all the fingerprints off
that elevator, you understand?
We're going to stay planted on this case
until it all falls together.
Where the hell is Cass?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Come in.
OK, Ike, what is this, a
command performance?
Phone call wasn't exactly a request.
Excuse us a minute, will you?
Sure, Chief.
I'm sorry, Cass, but I have
to throw my weight around.
OK, but I thought your
outfit was in Marseilles.
It was last week.
I just got a flash from Washington,
Cass, that your unit blew a bye.
A straight ripoff, that's what it was.
And they say that your mystery
man just blew up his flunky.
Is that right? - Yeah.
That's the way it stands right now.
Come on, Ike, I got my hands full.
What do you want?
I've got some instructions for you, Cass.
Since when do I get my
instructions from you?
I said I'd just talk to Washington.
If you want to check with
the man, I'll call him back.
What do you want?
I have a very strong hunch
who your mystery man might be.
All I need is verification.
OK, why didn't you
say so in the first place?
We need every break we can get.
Kojak is--.
Kojak is to know nothing.
What?
Nothing, Cass.
Now, you stick with Kojak like glue.
Give him all the appearance
of generous cooperation.
Soak up everything
he learns about that
mystery man, and then
bring it straight to me.
Understood?
No, it is not understood.
I just dropped $100,000 agency cash.
A New York cop just caught a slug.
My man has a very
large headache, and you
want me to play cloak
and dagger with Kojak.
Why leave him out?
Because that ripoff matches the
MO of somebody that I want, Cass.
I'm a fed, and you're a fed.
We're not handing our case
or our suspect over to NYPD.
Ike, he shot a cop.
Cold blood.
We asked them for that cop.
We're both on Washington's team, Cass.
If you want off, I can arrange
it with just one phone call.
OK.
What's the big deal you're after?
His name is Fried.
Raoul Fried.
Dr. Polakov.
Dr. Polakov, please.
Thank you, doc.
Right, the treat for shock.
Pumping him with blood.
They have to wait for him to
stabilize before they can operate.
- I'll tell Liza. - No, you do your part.
Liza and I want to stay around.
If you want to help your buddy,
you go find out Blue's part,
because he's responsible
for what's happening to Keller.
What about the feds?
They found Blue. It was their case.
Don't you have anything below the line?
Cepeda was new.
We just put him on the street.
He got a rumor that Blue was dealing.
Yeah, dealing.
Maybe he's just looking for
a patsy for the ripoff, right?
Or was that his partner's idea?
Hey, look, they asked for a black operator.
Our feeling of cooperation,
I gave them the best.
I gave them Keller.
Cepeda didn't have an in.
Keller got him the right introductions.
They worked it
together right up to the
so-called buy, and
that's the bottom line.
Looks like it was put
together with a blueprint.
Yeah, only the other side,
they got a better draftsman.
Theo, that hotel has 20 floors,
and I couldn't stake them all.
I admit, looking back on it
now, it did go too smooth.
Pound buys don't usually come that easy.
Sure, tell me about it.
Now, you look, from now
on, I'm calling the shots.
You understand?
What the hell are you still doing here?
I'm gone.
I'm gone.
Look, Theo, I'm sorry.
I'm going to go back to the precinct.
Maybe they've turned something up by now.
Now, you look, Cass, we get
any facts or figures or clues,
we're going to pass them along to you.
Now, why don't you just ease off
and let these guys do their work?
I'll stay out of their way.
Yeah, sure.
[DOOR SLAMS].
What is it, Theo?
Something's turning around
in that Greek gray matter.
Cass, we know him a long time.
He's playing detective.
He's going down to the hotel.
He's asking everybody questions but me.
He knows I get a feedback.
I don't know. It's just a feeling.
It's a feeling, and I don't like it.
You should keep your
feelings to yourself, huh?
Making alibis for that 100
thou is a problem enough for him
without us starting
another bureaucratic war.
Hey, Captain,
you don't fight wars
when the soldiers are
all in the same army.
Dr.
Kearney, Dr. Kearney, emergency room stat.
Call us for 240 a week after taxes, right?
I'll talk to her if you want.
[MUSIC PLAYING].
You all right?
Look here, kid, justice.
Whatever comes down, I'll promise you this.
This guy's not going to get away with it.
You're telling me this
like you think I care.
Theo, my husband is
laying in there right now,
and I don't know if
he's going to live or die.
And you're talking to me about justice?
Well, where is Ben's justice?
Come on, Lisa.
Uh-uh.
Two years ago, right here, it
was the same thing, wasn't it?
The great Theo Kojak
telling me another story
about what a terrific job Ben
did before that 10-inch switch
blade went up to the hilt in his body.
My husband has been
used, used by the McNeils,
used by the Kojaks,
used because he is black,
because he has
some unique ability to
relate and operate
junkies and thieves.
And you keep making him do it.
You keep using him and using him.
Why can't he be like other detectives?
Ben worked hard.
He earned that gold badge.
Why can't he come home at 5 instead.
of wallowing around in those
stink holes you put him in?
Why, Theo?
Because we grew up in the same sewer, baby.
And Ben wanted
to clean it up for
himself, for you, for
me, for us, the kids.
That's why.
You really believe that?
I believe it.
Ben believes it.
Elisa, you believe it.
Theo.
Hey, kid.
[SOBBING]
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now, what do you say?
Me too, huh?
Come on, get in here.
Shut up, Rizzo.
Things don't always go smoothly.
OK, what, what, what, what?
Layton's wrapped up their
comparison on Blue's prints
and the partials found
in the elevator buttons.
Layton's on the 7 and 17
floor buttons belong to Blue.
And the match on the partial
lifted from the lobby button.
Meaning Blue intended to go to 7,
and our mystery man sent
him the rest of the way down.
If Blue intended to stop,
that means he had a reason.
And the reason was he
has a partner, that's for sure.
[BUZZER].
Kojak.
We got it squeezed down in one
room on the 7th floor, Lieutenant.
The registration desk
says a guy named Smith
checked in about noon,
paid for a full night in advance,
but nobody's seen him since the ripoff.
OK, you have Forensic go through
that room with a fine tooth comb.
Do you understand?
If they find any partials, compare them
against the ones we
found on the elevator button.
And then round up the employees.
See if they came in
contact with our Mr. Smith,
and get them down here.
Well, that's two problems, Lieutenant.
There's a good chance this guy's got
a beard or a mustache or something.
I found a bottle of glue
that you use for sticking
hair on your face.
All right, then when you
round up the employees,
find out if they saw a guy
with a mustache or a beard.
And you, Stavros, you
go around pulling whiskers.
If they ain't real, get
them down here too, OK?
Yeah, OK, Lieutenant.
What's that about a mustache?
Oh.
Seems our boy likes to play actor.
That ring a bell, Kaz?
No, means nothing to me.
Listen, maybe I ought
to take a copy of those
partials that you
took off the elevator.
Oh, what for?
I mean, it's only a partial.
Unless you got a name to go with it.
No, no name.
Just thought I ought to start checking
them against the major dealers.
[PHONE RINGING]
Forget it.
Guess that hundred thou has
me pressing a little too hard.
Listen, I've got a few reports to make out.
I-- I'll see you in the morning, OK?
All right, Crocker,
roust the police officer
between the sheets
and get him down here.
We're going to need a
composite as quick as possible.
Right.
Oh, yeah.
Give me a rundown
on every narcotics ripoff
we've had since
the beginning of time.
Got it.
Yeah, sure.
Operator, this is Mr. Smith in room 220.
I'd like to make a station
call to Los Angeles.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This is my lead.
You're very prompt.
I have a message for Becker.
Yes, Mr. Freer.
Tell him I have all but 50,000.
I should have the rest within a week.
Mr.
Becker expects shipment within five days.
He asked that I inform
you of his circumstance.
What circumstance?
Mr.
Becker will not wait an extended period.
He has others wanting
to purchase his shipment
and will negotiate
with the first buyer
available when shipment arrives.
Listen, you tell Becker I'm his buyer.
It's taken me over a year to plan
this, and I'm not about to lose it.
I can only relay Mr. Becker's
message, Mr. Freer.
I cannot argue with you.
Please continue to use this same
number for contact at designated times.
Goodbye, Mr. Freer.
Operator, give me
airline flight information.
You were under orders, Cass.
As I recall, they were specific.
Come on, Ike.
I'm doing your dirty
work, and I don't like it.
But I'm doing it.
And still, I'm floating in the dark.
Who is this Freer?
He's a personal interest.
And I could have had
that verification in just two
minutes if you would have
conned Kojak out of that print.
I told you I had a lousy reason.
I backed off.
You also instructed me
he wasn't to know anything.
All right.
All right.
First thing in the
morning, you get back
in there, and you
come up with something.
I spent a lot of years
putting together a relationship
with those cops.
They're good.
Kojak is good.
And you're putting it all
down the tubes for me.
It's up to you, Cass.
He doesn't have to know.
If it isn't Freer, I walk away.
But if it is, I've got
to beat Kojak to him.
Either way, you're out of the middle
as soon as I get that verification.
Mr. Watkins, we just got
word from the man that--.
Anything else, Cass?
It's kind of hard to believe
that we're all on the same team.
All right, what do you have?
It was Cahill from Interpol.
Intelligence sources
pieced together the
shipment is leaving
Corsica two days ago.
Port of entry?
That they don't know yet.
This makes Freer our only chance.
We've got to pick up his trail
and see where he leads us.
Roll a mass distribution on
that last photo we have of him.
Air terminals, sky marshals, customs.
I want every federal
officer, regardless of agency,
to know what he looks like by morning.
Right.
Long distance, please.
Washington.
[PHONE RINGING]
Autopsy on Blue picked
up three 9-millimeter slugs.
Two are good for comparison,
only if we find the piece.
What else?
They picked up a partial
off the seventh floor room.
It was on the glue bottle.
Index finger?
Match 10 points with the one
we found out of the elevator.
All right.
They're ripping on the box.
Tight conspiracy on the rip.
And Blue's murder. What else?
I checked the narc rips.
Nothing comes close to
this except the Benny Garfine
rip six months ago,
and he's still in the slam.
What did the feds have?
They said they had nothing.
Nothing?
What do you mean, nothing?
I called the records man.
He calls me back five minutes
later and says that nothing connects.
Well, you call him back
and tell him to look this time.
Cass?
[FOOTSTEPS]
Good that you did a
nice job on the composite.
Thanks to some maid
who got a good look at him.
Yeah, they're all working like dogs.
Rizzo's off running copies now.
I'm glad we got a good break.
That Humber Jesus is
bringing me a lot of heat.
There's a lot of heat on me, too.
Having the name of Keller in the hospital?
Who shut the door, Cass?
What are you talking about?
Crocker.
He called your records man in Washington.
Five minutes later, he calls back.
There's no record of any
rip in the country, huh?
Maybe they didn't have anything.
Uh-huh.
Hey, the Benny Garfine
case, I gave it to him personally.
Two months ago, this Miami
rip-off hit every paper in the country.
Your records aren't that sloppy, Cass.
Come on, Theo.
Don't get exercised.
No doors are closed.
We're in this together.
Maybe it was just some lazy records clerk.
I'll check it out personally, OK?
Yes, sir.
Come on, Lieutenant.
Did you bring any belts?
No, he does nothing for me.
I'll go back to the office, get
an in-house distribution going.
Maybe some of our people
can make him out, OK?
Sure.
Don't forget the records, Cass, OK?
I'll get right on it, Theo, OK?
Crocker.
Yo.
Get a copy of that composite
to every headquarters in the city.
Then check with narcotics.
Check all the photos,
very known pushers,
and put mustaches
on them if you have to.
Where are you going?
There's a smell floating around here.
And I want to find out
where it's coming from.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORN HONKING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[HORSE GALLOPING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
There's another fed face in
town, name of Ike Watkins.
The CV's booked into the Regency.
Who is Watkins?
Another narc, you know,
the international set,
two-foot tennis, white
sneakers, little finger-dry Martini,
you know, high-class stuff.
Now, this Cass has been sucking us dry,
handing all our information over to him.
From now on, you put
the lid on, understand?
I don't get it.
They're giving us nothing,
and that ain't cricket.
You ask what's up?
No, I haven't got the right questions yet.
But when we get them ID'd, we got them.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKING]
Come in.
Those pictures you ordered on Freya,
photo lab's run off 1,000 copies.
Distribution's underway right now.
Good.
Supplemental with this, he
might be wearing a beard.
Get us to the airports
the fastest way you can.
Right.
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Taxi.
10 at the airport.
Want me to say please?
[SIGHS]
Hey, baby, look.
Let me tell you about this dude.
All right, now, I wasn't working.
I was just having some coffee.
And he comes over, and he starts
being friendly, and he starts talking.
So I talked back.
You know, but I didn't make no-- no offer.
Had a nice, friendly chat.
Seems Jackie and I have a mutual friend.
Name of Blue.
Yeah, Blue and me,
we're going to get married.
What is all this jive, anyhow?
Giving up the streets, Jackie.
Nice little bungalow for the newlyweds.
That takes a lot of breath, honey.
Well, we're going to do OK.
What do you want, anyway?
Just a little piece of information.
I want to know the company
that Blue's been keeping.
[LAUGHS]
I don't know nothing.
Hey, Jackie, Blue's dead.
He caught a slug last night.
Can't be dead.
We're going to get married.
Wait a minute.
Tell me you're lying to me.
Tell me.
I'm sorry, baby.
Here's the man who did it.
What?
Freedom.
Is that the friend?
Oh, wow.
Raul Freer.
Big time from Cuba, man.
He was going to put
Blue up in some real class.
Hey, man, Blue was going to take me along.
You know, he said no more hustling, Jackie.
From now on, it's just
going to be me and you.
Just me and you.
That's what Blue said, man.
Just me and you.
All right, honey.
Where can we find him?
Alden Arms, 51st Street.
He was in the name of Smith.
Lieutenant.
Yeah?
How about Lisa?
The hospital.
Keller died.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Ladies and gentlemen, flight
603, nonstop service to Chicago,
is now boarding through gate 63A.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[FOOTSTEPS].
Lieutenant, manager says
he's been here for three weeks
and left two hours ago.
Yes, it is.
The manager's only recalled us two people,
but his description says
it was Blue and Jackie.
One possible lead.
He called LA two hours ago.
That's not bad.
[PHONE RINGING]
Yeah?
Yeah, Lieutenant, the sheet on Freer
shows that he's a dealer.
The last call he had was a
knock bust about a year ago.
You do time, fatso?
Well, I just couldn't make it stick.
Are you interested to know
who was in charge of the case?
Ike Watkins.
Yeah, how'd you know that?
Uh-huh.
I got a few questions to ask.
With all the resources of
the United States government,
we can't find one man.
If Kojak nails him first, there's
going to be some hair fly around here.
What's the best estimate
of Freer's total take now?
Well, if he pulled the ripoffs
in Miami and New Orleans,
together with the things
we already know about,
and then casts his $100,000,
that brings him up to $450,000.
That's nearly enough for the shipment.
Well, where's the dope coming in?
We don't know.
Freer's one buyer.
It'll be wherever he shows up.
[PHONE RINGING].
Special Agent Watkins.
What time?
All right.
Tell him to put a
surveillance team together,
pick him up at the airport,
and keep a tight tail.
I'm sure he's going there
to score the shipment.
It's Freer.
He's on his way to Chicago.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
So we're finally going
to close out this case.
If you get him dirty.
He's hungry.
That shipment is like a magnet to him.
You have to make a case first.
All Kojak has to do is find him,
and he's bought and paid for.
Kojak has to find him first.
Kojak is going to find him.
Thanks, Jimmy. I'll take care of you later.
Well, well, well.
Here I thought I'd run into a couple
of junkies, and I run into the snoops.
CEO.
Shut up, Cass.
OK, super fed.
How come a world
traveler like you is
interested in a little
case like mine, Ike?
I'll be a bin for you.
Answer the question.
We lost $100,000.
No, Cass lost $100,000.
You didn't.
You don't even work for you.
All right, what do you know about this guy?
If I gave you this information,
what would you do with it, Theo?
I'd take it along with the Rose
and stick it into the family Bible.
What happened to the
so-called rapport between us?
Theo, I'm sorry.
You shut up, Cass.
Your caper killed a man.
And this creep over here set it up.
What right have you got
to withhold information?
Raoul Freer.
Criminal record dating back to '56.
Male, Cuban, age 42, 180
pounds, last known arrest last May.
Ike Watkins in charge of the case.
He slopped it over, and Freer beat the rap.
Congratulations.
What else do you know?
Maybe I should know more.
I know you want him awful bad.
Or maybe it's just an ego trip
because he got away from you last year.
We got a million
in heroin, three of
his mules in the
joint, and we lost him.
Yeah, we lost him
because one small
piece of evidence
didn't drop into place.
Does that give you a right
to withhold information?
This slob killed a cop.
Well, I'll give you this much, Kojak.
When we took him, he
had a million up front.
And the dope was seasoned.
He was left bankrupt.
Now, I didn't know he was in New York.
And I swear to God, we had no
idea he was setting up a new rip here.
He's been building up bankroll off rips.
And we feel certain it's
to buy a new shipment.
Where?
I don't know.
You're lying.
Lay off this case, Theo.
You'll have your shot at him later.
I want it now.
Kojak, I got two years invested in this.
This shipment is--
Later for your shipment.
This man killed a cop.
And no one goes around
killing cops in this city.
Do you understand?
This Freer's got to go to trial.
Because unless I put him up there,
30,000 other cops who worked
in the city are in jeopardy.
Now, I know where Freer's pad is.
I also know about these long
distance calls he's making.
And I'm willing to make a trade, Ike.
There's nothing to trade.
Fine.
Just stay the hell out of my way.
Kojak has a right to him, Ike.
Maybe.
There's a lot of people in Washington
who think that we ought to
nab him first and his supplier.
And I'll be in Chicago doing just that.
[PHONE RINGING]
Manhattan South, Detective Crocker.
Yes, sir.
He's expecting your call.
Just hold on for a second.
Lieutenant, Narcotics
Division, LAPD, Captain Perkins.
Yeah, Eddie.
I'm afraid it's not much
of a lead for you, Theo.
Your phone number turned out to be a
public phone on the Santa Monica Pier.
Nothing comes easy, does it?
Listen, I haven't got an army to play with.
But if you think it's important enough,
I'll put a team on the phone
until you can get out here.
It's all I have, Ernie.
It's got to be important.
So when do I see you?
Tomorrow morning, right?
You got to hold the Weaver.
Now, pack your bags.
We're heading for the land of sunshine.
I got a little sparring to do.
Sparring?
Yeah.
McNeil, he doesn't know it
yet, but he's about to OK three
round trippers to Los Angeles.
Far out, man.
Lieutenant.
Your captain, direct from Lee.
Yeah, Frank, what is it?
Well, first for the good news,
at least the way you'll see it.
Freer gave Watkins the slip in Chicago.
You'll probably catch it on the late news.
Did Freer make the big pickup?
Evidently not.
He ripped off some connection for $50,000,
still trying to build his stake.
Watkins moved in,
the connection started
shooting everything,
and Freer disappeared.
OK, so maybe I still
got to shut him out here.
Now, what's the bad news?
I had to tell Watkins where you were.
Hey, Frank, I'm trying to get
the man who wiped out Keller.
Now, what the hell are
you-- Now, just hold it.
This was a direct order from the top.
I had to tell him.
When Watkins uses his clout,
there's no way we're going to buck it.
You know, if he takes Freer,
federal jurisdiction takes priority.
Orders say we cooperate.
Now, LAPD is getting the
same call, Attorney General style.
I got mine five hours ago.
And how far is this
cooperation supposed to go?
Whenever Watkins shows up,
you give any information you've got
on the progress of your case.
Who takes Freer first?
I didn't ask.
You're forgiven.
I never heard that.
Coochie-coo, baby.
Freer on his way out here?
Could be, but I think that any
minute you're going to get a call.
Preferential treatment
for the Fetty Wettys.
Well, until I get that call, I'm yours.
So, uh, should we check
out our favorite phone booth?
You want anything?
Zoot.
One Chinese brush,
park, foot to scenery, split.
Any suggestions?
We stay put.
Freer just slipped through
Watkins' hands in Chicago.
Flight 721, now arriving Los
Angeles International Airport, gate 12.
Hey, that's our same Chinese lady.
Go make a phone call.
And, uh, don't use that
blower on the right, huh?
[PHONE RINGING].
This is Miley.
Yes, Mr. Freer.
Mr. Becker has the merchandise.
He's concerned with your situation.
You tell him my situation is perfect.
Do you have the proper funds, Mr. Freer?
500,000.
Mr. Becker will be pleased.
Goodbye, Mr. Freer.
I feel like James Bond.
This is it, Ernie.
Bring the cars.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Parker, I think you'd better
overtake us now, or you'll go wise.
Roger.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Drop back a little.
You're too close.
Right, Lieutenant.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Diamond Jewelers.
You got the right name.
It's Sam Becker.
Sam Becker.
Do you well know, do you California folk?
Let's just say we've had our vibes.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[ENGINE RUMBLING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
Lieutenant, it looks like we're
heading back to Santa Monica.
Yeah, they're giving us a tour.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
There's a burned out
apartment upstairs and back.
Stake yourself out there.
You can keep an eye on everything.
I'll cover out here, OK?
Good luck.
Hey, Ernie, no matter what goes down,
I don't want you to get mixed
up with politics, you understand?
I gave the location.
As far as I'm concerned,
it's still your case.
You figured Chicago, baby.
You blew it.
Three times with Freer?
[BELL DINGS]
You blame me for not
wanting to call the shots?
My job is tough.
You just want the man.
I want the man and his connection.
Oh, sure, the way you're handling
it, you're not going to get either.
[HORSE GALLOPING]
Theo, Becker's holding
10 kilos of pure heroin.
If you take him now,
we'll never get that stuff.
You know something, Ike?
You really blow my mind.
All you worry about is your heroin, right?
Now, if Freaky Freer gets
out of here, we lose him.
And if we don't lose him,
you get him with your dope
and-- and-- and-- and
jurisdiction, don't you?
Now, what's the difference?
He's still off the streets.
My man is dead.
That's the difference.
Murder one, baby.
This punk is not going to
get away after five years
by some bleeding heart that's going
to parole him out of a federal prison.
I got an obligation.
What about an obligation
to half a million people
who will suffer when
that stuff hits the streets?
Think about it, Theo.
You know something?
There are too many exits
around here, and I don't like it.
I think I'm going to go check
them, see if they're all covered.
If you need anything, use that squawk box.
He'll be back here.
Ah, shut up.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOOR CREAKING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING].
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Let's move in.
Let's go. Move in.
Bust them.
What?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[GUNSHOT]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Stop!
Police!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)
- Dopes off the streets.
Eenie meenie, you take
money and I'll take more, okay?
Unless you wanted to go to
the Attorney General's office.
- No.
Those 30,000 cops are yours.
I'd hate like hell to have one
more of them on my conscience.
- Both way ahead, right Ike?
- For sure, Theo, for sure.
- Yeah, sure.
(dramatic music)
- Easy does it.
Won't that wait till the morning?
- Bring your Mac jet
lag for us, it's only 9.30.
- Us?
- Yeah, me and Max a million.
- Somehow, something's going over my head.
You try to contact me early?
- Oh yeah, Cohen, the assistant DA.
On the Keller murder?
He says he feels he got an
airtight case against Freer.
He's gonna bring it to the
grand jury any day now.
(dog whining).
- Are you throwing your voice
or do I actually hear the
sound of a small animal in here?
- That's Max a million.
But he's not gonna be small for very long.
Come here, baby.
(dog whining)
Look at the size of those paws.
- Yeah, well, he's a police dog.
He's gonna have flat feet, ain't ya?
- Detective Perkins gave
me from Los Angeles
Police Department
he had a whole litter.
- What's the matter, baby?
Now you wanna shop in your
teatsy-weetsies under Captain's shoes, huh?
- Hey, Theo, I can live with
Stavros' botanical gardens,
but a kennel, this is not.
- Oh no, it's for Keller's kids.
Well, I wasn't here for the funeral, was I?
All right, the old man
got a posthumous
award, but what does
that mean to kids?
10 years from now, maybe something.
But now, hey, we got Max a million here.
You know, they need him,
something alive, something growing.
And he needs them, I like that.
(sad music)
- Theo, you are--
- Hey, you wanna bite the captain
before he starts saying something stupid?
(dramatic music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music).
[BLANK_AUDIO].