Mob City (2013): Season 1, Episode 3 - Red Light - full transcript

I don't know. I'm just saying...

maybe this ain't the right time or place.

This guy, he's been
spilling to the feds, right?

They're probably giving
him protection, right?

Right. House could be crawling with fed.

It's a risk.

It's a risk, he says.

Two years, we're looking for Greenie.

Every time our people got
close, he caught the next bus.

Our chance is now.

Mr. Rothman, with all due respect,



we just... think there's
a better way to do this.

We could... tail him a few days.

Yeah, yeah, take a moment.

That's what we propose.

Here's my idea.

Now, I propose you two
quit trying to dog this job,

you chicken-shit weasels.

That is what I propose!

Geez. I think you broke it.

Let me take a look.

Now we know for sure.

- Mr. Siegel, be reasonable.
- Be reasonable?

I will nail your tiny little
prick to a burning building!

How's that for reasonable?



I asked for the best we got...

What the hell?

Something's got Siegel in a twist.

I will kick your ass so
hard, you'll wear it as a hat!

And you... the minute that
fat shit steps out that door,

you're gonna walk over there
and put two rounds in his head.

You got me?

Big as life.

You two frigging pansies watch and learn.

Benny, no. No. I'll do it.

You watching this?

See how a man does it.

Benny!

Start shooting.

Ben?

Keep shooting. Jasmine!

You fat...

Coup de gr?ce. That's
what the French call it.

We have to burn these...

all of them, right now.

Are you stupid?

Pictures?

Is that what you see in
here... just pictures?

They are stacks of money and a new life,

the one I always should've had.

Wise up and come along or get left behind.

Little Moe and Jerry Two-Tone.

They've looked better.

They're foot soldiers
for the Siegel-Cohen mob.

They were.

You think it's mob against mob?

You think Jack Dragna is
making a move against Siegel?

Dragna would never make a move this bold.

So you think this was in-house.

I think Moe and Jerry here did something

their boss didn't like,
and they got spanked.

Question is what.

What are they doing here?

Why are you on our crime scene?

Your crime scene?

Two of our C.I.s get whacked,

it makes it ours.

I think you're confused
about the circumstances.

Chief?

I was just explaining to these gentlemen

that this is our crime scene.

And I was just explaining
that Detective Morrison's unit

took the call and responded first.

They interviewed witnesses,
gathered information.

- They were...
- Very good.

Jack, get what you need...

Detective Morrison's men,
interview notes, evidence.

Bill, a word.

You heard the man! Pony up!

Nobody was trying to sandbag anybody.

It was an honest stumble.

Honest or not, it's across purposes,

and I can't have it. Now, look.

I let you put this little
mob squad of yours together.

Imitation is the sincerest
form of flattery, Bill,

so consider me flattered.

But I don't want your guys
getting in the way of mine.

I had no idea you were grooming
these men as informants.

The Geenburg hit? We had those two ready

to swear Siegel himself pulled the trigger.

Now we're back to square one.

My guys take Siegel down, not yours.

It's just the way it is.

There's plenty of crime in L.A., Bill.

Go find some.

Gentlemen?

Exit through the kitchen.
Avoid the reporters.

Fellas, where's Mike Hendry?

Jasmine Fontaine's. It's
his shift on surveillance.

Anything there?

She keeps a pretty regular schedule.

She goes to work. She
comes home. That's it.

Well, let's pull that surveillance.

You're gonna need your manpower.

I know why Little Moe and
Jerry Two-Tone got spanked.

They were willing to testify

that Bugsy Siegel murdered Abe Geenburg,

they were there that night.

Word is Siegel himself

personally pulled the trigger.

Finally.

Where's Siegel?

Vegas. He goes a few times a week.

A guy at Burbank says

his plane's due back tomorrow night.

Round up everyone. Ask every question.

Beat every bush. Anybody asks why, deny.

We're not backing down?

Backing down? We're doubling down.

Those fools think they
can take Bugsy Siegel?

Too bad, 'cause you're
gonna take him first.

All right. To the right. To
the right! Just keep going!

Dolan! What the hell?

Do you got a special on lowlifes today?

Hey, sarge, you get a deck of
cards. We'll get a game going.

All right. Come on. Keep walking.
And don't shit on my desk.

Why today? Any other morning, fine.

I was drawing to an inside straight,

and you schmucks come kick the door in!

Enough on that. Talk about Hecky Nash.

Somebody bumped him off a
few nights ago, Baldwin Hills.

Poor son of a bitch.

Most people wouldn't be caught
dead in Baldwin Hills?

He did.

Hey. That was funny!

Phil Holtz.

Somebody gave him both barrels

at St. Vincent's the other night.

Blew him through the wall
of a confession booth.

What do you say to that?

I'm shocked. I didn't
know Phil was catholic.

Little Moe and Jerry Two-Tone.

- Talk about them.
- Italian joint.

Guy walks right over to their
table and lets them have it.

I swear, I never been there.

Pastas give me gas.

So, I'm here. Why?

I got nothing to tell ya.

Sure you do, Sol.

You're gonna tell us
everything that you know...

from the burning of Rome
to the Lindbergh kidnapping.

- I got an alibi for both.
- Yeah, what about Hecky Nash,

Phil Holtz, Little Moe and Two-Tone?

There's a lot of you
getting bumped off this week,

probably friends of yours.

That make you nervous?

The only thing that makes
me nervous is you clowns

saying I know something I don't.

I got nothing for you about
no rub-outs, no blackmails,

no pictures, no nothing!

Did he say pictures?

Pictures of what?

Connect these dots.

Bugsy Siegel murders Abe Geenburg.

Now, three weeks later,

Hecky Nash winds up dead
trying to blackmail the mob.

If it's pictures...

Could be the Greenberg hit.

Hecky said it'd bring down a top mob guy.

That'd do it.

We think Hecky's evidence is pictures.

We're betting it's the Geenburg hit.

Dig in. Find out.

We don't need you to tell
us about the pictures.

We know. It was the Greenie hit.

This is not news to us.

We also know Bugsy Siegel...

he pulled the trigger himself.

From the look on your face, so do you.

See how wrong you were? You
know all kinds of things.

Now, with all these things that you know,

we can place you as an
accessory to the crime.

You see where we're going with this?

No place good.

I'm done talking without a lawyer.

You think that he will shield your body,

throw himself in front of the bullets?

Bugsy's tying up loose ends.

He's killing all the witnesses.

You know it as well as we do.

Phil, Little Moe, Two-Tone, Hecky Nash!

Who am I missing? Who was there that night?

You and who else?

I don't know nothing about
Greenie getting whacked!

I only heard about it after!

From who? Which little birdie?

Lawyer. Now. That's all I'm saying.

Okay, Sol. We're gonna...

we'll give you a few minutes to decide.

Decide? Decide what?

Whether you want to cooperate with us...

or take the fall with Bugsy
when we nail him for murder.

You boys are mining gold in there.

Yeah, all right. You're
gonna lay off my suit.

Gentlemen, is there a reason

why you're rounding up every mook in town?

Start with Sol Lipsky.

We like him a lot for accessory.

- Accessory to what?
- I'll let him tell you.

Hate to spoil the surprise.

Nice tie. It's colorful.

I need to talk to you.

My side just found out that
Hecky's evidence was pictures.

They're saying it might
be the Greenie hit. Was it?

What pictures? What hit?

You're on the wrong side of the fence

to be asking me those questions.

I need to know how bad this is.

Ned, how much danger is she in?

You're a detective. Detect.

Better yet, ask your ex-wife.

Maybe she knows something. Excuse me.

Look who just walked in.

Mr. Rothman has come in voluntarily today

to answer any questions you might have.

I heard you boys were looking for me.

So... so, who's
conducting this interview?

Interrogation's this way.

Go get him.

Hey, beautiful.

I know you think I'm some masher,

but I'm not, Jasmine.

Yeah, I know you.

Heard all kinds of nice things about you

from our mutual friend, Hecky.

I was about to grab a cup of Joe and a cig.

How 'bout it?

Not interested.

Sure you are!

Coffee and a doughnut, twice.

Yes, sir.

- What's your game?
- No game.

Thought we should chat, since
we both knew Hecky and all.

You sure you don't want any real breakfast?

Some eggs? I love eggs.
I could live on eggs.

I hate eggs. Get to the point.

Okay.

Me and Hecky were partners.

Thank you.

Partners?

Yeah. Who do you think tipped him off

Greenie was gonna get hit?

Of course, we didn't know

who was gonna do the actual trigger job.

That was spur of the moment,
came as a big surprise.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You see what you're doing?

You're denying involvement, which is a lie.

When people lie to me...

It makes me feel small, you know?

Like a mouse.

Like a twitchy, little mouse
with its foot in a trap.

I don't like to feel that way... trapped.

Me and Hecky had a deal.

I get half the money for
those pictures you took.

And half of 10 grand is $5,000,

and that's what I've got coming to me.

Too bad it's imaginary.

Hecky filled your head with crazy stories.

He was good at that. Anyway, he's dead.

So is any deal you had.

Hecky said you were headstrong.

Didn't say you were stupid.

Look, I've had a lousy couple of days.

The cops are watching me.

You keep shadowing me,
they'll be watching you.

I doubt you'd like that,
but, hey, it's a free country.

Little Moe, Jerry Two-Tone...

why don't you start there?

I heard they got whacked last night.

Occupational hazard.

Where were you?

At home, getting some trim.

Girl got a name?

Gentlemen don't kiss and tell.

If you press charges,

I'll give you a name, but only then.

No reason she should be harassed.

Anyway, alibi's solid.

You guys are barking up the wrong tree.

This was an outside hit.

Jack Dragna's behind it.

He'd love to muscle in on our business.

You've got a room full of Jews out there.

You should be talking to the Italians.

So they killed Phil Holtz, too?

He bought it in a
church, a catholic church.

Again, the wops. You
need me to tell you this?

Got an alibi for that night?

Sure, I do, and for Hecky Nash.

You want to talk about him?

I'm so curious to know
who bumped him, aren't you?

Any ideas?

Those who appreciate good comedy.

Round them up.

So you weren't a fan?

Of what... guy standing at a microphone,

telling off-color jokes?

The shock value of being crude?

I don't go for that.

I think laughter should
count for something.

Buster Keaton. Man was a genius.

His physical comedy...
that was a different realm.

But he also had so much heart.

Chaplin, too. All heart.

They'd make you laugh your ass off,

then turn you to tears on a dime.

The artistry of that...

how do they do it? Do you ever wonder?

And the boys, Stan and Ollie... my God!

Two children trapped in grown men's bodies,

trying to find their way in this world.

Such pathos.

These men, were they just clowns?

No. No. No, no, no. They
were artists and poets.

Hecky Nash?

Hecky Nash...

was just a shabby,
little, foul-mouthed jerk

whose funniest punch
line was getting whacked.

Whoever killed him did the world a favor.

I ever met the guy who
did it, I'd shake his hand.

Witnesses are ready.

Joe, why don't you bring
Mr. Rothman to lineup?

I'm sorry. I'm just...

I'm just so unsettled.

Ma'am, you've had quite a shock.

Witnessing a double homicide...

not an easy thing.

Thank you. You've been very kind.

You think you're gonna be able to recognize

the man who did the shooting?

Yes. Yes. Absolutely.

I got a perfect look at him.

Carl, how 'bout it?

Detective Teague...

Like I told you...

whoever jumped me in that alley,

all I saw was a fist flying at me.

Why don't you take a look
anyway? You never know.

Yeah. Sure, I will. Yeah.

That's right. You never know.

Anybody?

Please speak up.

Sorry.

Ma'am.

Yes, that's him.

The man who shot the
victims in the restaurant.

You sure?

Yes. Absolutely.

I'll never forget that horrible face,

those dead eyes.

That's him right there.

Number three, step forward.

No, no. Not him. I...
it's him, number four.

Number four.

That's him. He's right there.

That's who killed those poor men.

I'll testify in court.

I'll testify.

I will testify...

in court.

Take a look at this place,

this beautiful place.

What I want you two to do is take it in.

Take a deep breath. Do you smell it?

Go on! Go on! Take a deep breath.

What do you smell?

I don't know. It smells like cow shit.

Guys, really? N... no imagination?

Come on. Breathe again. Take it in.

I have to agree with "cow shit."

Money! It smells like money!

Come on. Walk with me.

Cow shit now, maybe,

but a city is going to be here someday...

a great, vast, shining edifice,

with neon reaching towards the sky,

and with only one purpose...

money, as far as the eye can see.

There's not a single law against gambling,

and they've got counties
here where whores are legal.

2,000 years,

our people have been looking
for the promised land,

and this... is it!

You got guys back east very nervous.

Nobody got into this deal

to build another Atlantic City, Ben.

Please don't talk to
me about Atlantic City.

A.C. is so dead, it should be embalmed.

That is the past.

This, right here... this is the future,

and the flamingo is only the start,

the first seed of what
will be a mighty forest.

Every gambler's dollar in this country

is up for grabs.

And guess where they're
gonna bring it... right here!

I need to count on you
to make Meyer understand.

This takes patience, faith!

It's a hard argument to make, Ben.

The flamingo's still bleeding red.

Not for long.

We have had some problems and some hiccups,

but those problems are being solved.

Ray, Harvey, please, I beg of you.

Go back to New York. Make
Meyer a believer again.

Bring him out here!
Let him see for himself!

Jesus. Will you please bring him over here?

Come here. Come here.

Do you have any idea how
much you disappointed me?

Oh, God.

Still, no excuse. But come.

Let's take a little walk, all right?

All right.

George Raft, an old friend of mine

since we were kids... Meyer,
too. We all came up together.

And he's gonna be plugged
into every facet in Hollywood!

Oh, God.

Now, you see, that's what you need

with your gambling and your whores!

World-class entertainment.

By next year, I'll have Frank Sinatra

signed for a contract.

You tell Meyer that.

So, what the hell is that thing?

It's a bug, something
Eddy's been tinkering with.

Thinks Mickey Cohen's office
at the Clover could use one.

Siegel's always on the move.

He's hardly ever in one
spot, except Mickey's,

and he's there a lot.

Love to be a fly on that wall.

Well, that's the idea.

That's him!

That horrible face, those dead eyes!

Got an alibi?

I love your idea of
bugging Mickey's office.

Never mind the bug. Where
are the spaghetti witnesses?

- We cut them loose.
- What?

- Why would we hold on to them?
- 'Cause I asked you to.

"Give me an hour." That's what I said.

I didn't hear you. You mumbled.

Okay. Why?

I was running background
checks. That's why.

- Credibility of witnesses.
- And...?

Carl Steckler just got out of San Quentin.

A colorful life he has led.

Of greatest interest...

He was Mickey Cohen's bagman.

Oh, Christ.

Nobody ever said his last name.

That's got to be Freddy's uncle.

Freddy Steckler's a bagman
for Siegel and Cohen.

Well, at least now we
know who pointed the hitter

at Little Moe and Two-Tone.

Too bad somebody let him go.

Eddy, I swear I really
never heard you say that.

Okay! You learn to open your ears,

and you learn to open your mouth!

Guys, nobody needs to jump off a bridge.

Carl walked out of here.

He thinks he pulled this off, right?

The guy's probably at home
right now. He's drinking a beer.

Joe's probably right.

Mike, Pat, get over there right now.

I'll put out an APB,

get every blue suit in
town scouring the weeds.

We'll bring him in and
sweat him till he breaks.

Steckler knows who executed those men.

We get the busboy, we get the shooter.

We get the shooter...

we get Siegel.

You know, they pulled
all surveillance off you.

You were smart.

You went to work. You came home.

Gave them no reason to keep watching.

Will it stay that way?

We're scouring the city for a busboy,

and that'll lead right to Siegel.

After that, you won't be on anyone's radar.

Great news. Try to contain yourself.

Okay. Guess I'll just go.

I'm still trying to figure it out...

about Hecky.

You heard what happened.

Not all. He comes to you. Start there.

How does that happen?

I found a note in my mailbox.

Said to come to Bunny's, so I did.

And he walks in, just like that.

Imagine my surprise.

Of all the people he could've
reached out to, why you?

Guy needed a cop.

That I get, but somebody

had to point him in your direction.

Might sound crazy, but at first,

I thought it was you.

Why would I do that?

He needed help.

Thought you figured I'd step up

for your sake, old times, whatever.

- Look, I'm not saying it made sense.
- It doesn't.

He goes to all this trouble. He hires you.

He knows he's at risk, and
then he goes up that hill alone,

without the guy he's paying to protect him?

I'll tell you what doesn't make sense.

A man says he loves a woman,

and then he drags her into something

that could get her killed.

I wasn't involved. I told you that.

And you made that clear.

You know nothing. Here's what I know.

Hecky Nash, he was many things,

but a photographer?

See, I don't think you want people

asking these questions. The wrong ones,

they might start wondering
who took Hecky's photos.

And while we're on the subject...

What are you doing? What are you doing?

The key to the locker at Union Station.

You think that's smart?

You had that on you?

It'll be safer with me.

Jesus, Joe.

You followed me?

You're lucky I had the first shift.

Now, let's keep you lucky.

You don't have to admit anything to me.

You don't have to admit
anything to anybody.

Next time you want to sell pictures,

you stick to the tourists at the club.

It's Mickey Cohen.

Coming!

Sorry for coming unannounced.

It's okay.

It's a surprise.

Nice place. Cozy.

Came to ask you about pictures.

Yeah, pictures, like, from a camera?

This Hecky blackmail business...

latest I hear was pictures.

I've known Hecky my whole life.

Not once in all them years

did I see him pick up a camera.

You?

Now that you mention it, no.

You can see my frazzle.

You were closest to him the past year.

Did he spend time with anybody
who could teach him that

or hire a guy to do it for him?

Could be anybody.

No, that's wrong.

These were special pictures,

not like the kind of stuff
that you take at the club.

You got a flash, all
you do is press a button.

These were taken on a
dark street, at night,

and they still came out.

Now, this kind of thing
would take actual skill.

Anybody?

Maybe he met someone the past few months.

Like I said, we've been broken up.

Well, if you hear of anybody like that,

you know to come to me, right?

Sure.

Can I use your bathroom?

Down the hall.

Hey, Sid.

What apartment?

Triple 3.

Where is he?

Washing his hands.

- Yeah, he does that.
- Mickey!

A word.

Legs, how 'bout a glass of water?

- A little ice?
- Sure thing.

The cops are on to the busboy.

We heard about it from our man inside.

And then Steckler himself
calls me in a panic,

says cops are all over the place.

He's asking for money.

He wants my help to disappear.

So help him... without the money.

Agreed.

I asked him to meet me in Griffith Park

at the Merry-Go-Round.

It's nice and quiet, out of the way.

I got three guys already heading there.

I'm leaving to catch up

but stopped to tell you so you can alibi.

You and Ben can't be anywhere near this.

He's still up in Vegas,

but you got to get to Clover
right now and be seen in public,

get your picture taken
with the guests, you know?

Sid reminded me that I
have guests at the club.

I thank you for your time.

Don't forget what I said, okay?

Joe.

Joe.

Sid?

Sid's on his way.

Who are you?

Friends!

Sid said to look after
you till he gets here.

So... we'll wait.

You can wait with us... here in the car.

It's okay. I'm fine.

Okay, pally.

Go that way.

Carl?

Come on, now.

We'll make it quick. It won't hurt.

You keep pissing us off...
we'll make sure it ain't quick.

Carl.

Why you doing this?

Show yourself, you little son of a bitch!

Where the hell are ya?!

It's a crazy place to die?

Son of a bitch!

You know what I said
about "it won't hurt"?!

I changed my mind! I'm
gonna make it hurt plenty!

You'll be begging me to die!

Steckler! Joe Teague!

Teague?!

There's three of them, Teague!

Stay down!

You go back. I'll close
around from the other side.

All right.

Dewey!

Dewey!

Stay down.

Please.

Please don't.

Plea... se.

I may puke. I was never good on rides.

My whole life, I gave them.

All my years, all my devotion.

And they'd do me like this.

Carl, what do you say?
You gonna help us out?

I know...

who bumped Little Moe and Two-Tone.

I know, because I'm the one
who dropped dime on them.

I fingered those boys for the shooter.

Sid Rothman. That's who done it.

He killed them both.

So you just put me up on that stand.

You put me up there and see what happens.