T.J. Hooker (1982–1986): Season 4, Episode 2 - The Two Faces of Betsy Morgan - full transcript
A young prostitute witnesses a murder committed by two men. She promises Hooker she'll come to identify them but she doesn't. They learn that she's a runaway who's a hooker at night and goes to school in the day. The two men she saw sets out to get her. And Corrigan considers leaving the department for another job.
(theme music)
(mysterious music)
- Hold on, hold
on, there she is.
This is the one I
told you about before.
Ain't she pretty.
She got a little
friend for you too bud.
- We never took
on two girls before.
- What's wrong, don't you
feel man enough to handle it?
Heads I go first, tails you.
- There ain't no tails on
a two headed coin Fiker.
- Oh really, tell me about it.
Right I want you to
bring it around the block
and get this show
on the road alright?
(mysterious music)
- Your turn to play
taxi to juvenile hall.
- In you go sugar.
- Took a call for you
down at the precinct
from this professor
friend of yours.
- Oh Linda?
- Yeah, she said,
just tell him that
I think it's going to happen.
- Oh it sounds exciting.
- It's not what you think,
she's talking about
a teaching job.
- Alright.
- I thought you already taught
a couple of college courses?
- They're expanding
the department,
asked me how I'd feel
about a full time position.
- Corrigan couldn't be
serious about this could he?
- I don't whether it's the lady
or the job he more
serious about.
- What if I blow it?
- You won't if you
remember the rules.
Don't take any jazz about them
inspecting the
merchandise first.
Get the money upfront.
- Hello ladies.
Listen my friend and
I were wondering if
maybe you'd like
to perhaps get in the
back of the van and have
a nice evening with us,
just the four of us,
what do you say?
- No thank you.
Two more rules, make
sure the guy's not a creep
and never go with more
than one guy at a time.
- Hey, you know we're
known for being generous.
And we're sweet and
charming and we're great guys,
look at my friend,
he's beautiful.
Isn't he gorgeous,
smile, smile, come on.
Look at him, he's beautiful.
- Betsy you know how broke I am,
I could really use the bread.
- Alright look, she
who hesitates is lost.
Come on.
- I remember him, he's okay.
Come on, okay.
- It's okay, alright let's open
the back of the van alright.
Come on, come on,
come on, that's it, that's it.
- Okay so what kind
of party you want?
- I don't know,
let's talk about it.
- I can't imagine Corrigan
or anyone wanting
to toss their badge in for
a black board and eraser.
- Give yourself time Junior,
you'd be surprised what
looks tempting at a few
more years on the street.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- See the gun ladies?
See the barrel?
I want you to take
a nice good look.
You know baby, I happen
to find you very pretty.
I do, I really do, I bet your
mother really liked you.
- Please don't.
- Such a cute little baby.
Those pretty blue eyes.
- Don't.
- Leave me alone.
See the rope, see the
nice hook, see it dangling?
- Stop, stop it!
- Don't you move,
don't you move!
- Let go of me!
- Hold onto her!
(tires squeal)
- Hooker?
- Let's check it out.
(sirens wail)
- Stop it please!
- Go, go go go!
(sirens wail)
- 4-Adam-30 in pursuit
of brown 70 Ford van,
heading west on
Cotillion and 21st.
(horn honks)
- Get the hell out of here, go!
(tires squeal)
- Stop it!
(tires squeal)
(sirens wail)
- [Betsy] Help!
- Hooker there'
somebody in there.
- [Betsy] Help me!
(dramatic music)
- Lori, Lori!
- Romano there's
another one in here!
- Lori, Lori!
- Stay here!
(dramatic music)
- Lori.
(drmatic music)
- She's dead.
- Lori, Lori.
(cries)
- The Boulevard Strangler.
(cries)
- [TJ] Betsy, I'm gonna
need your help to catch that
scum that killed your friend.
- She wasn't my friend.
She was just someone I knew.
- We have to notify her parents.
- They wouldn't care.
If they had she
wouldn't have been here.
Oh just let me go home.
- Officer Romano's
gone to call your mom,
when she gets here
you'll be released.
What about your friend's mother?
I'm gonna have to call her too.
- Name's Lori Spencer.
She came down a couple
days ago from Washington State.
It's all I know.
I shouldn't have let her get
in that van with those creeps.
She didn't know the angles yet.
- And you do?
- I can take care of myself.
I wouldn't have gotten into
that van with those creeps.
- Did you know them?
- No, Lori said she
did but how could she?
They were crazy.
Nuts.
- Besty, baby are you alright?
- Mom I'm okay.
I just want to go home.
- Mrs Campbell we'd
like Betsy to come back
tomorrow morning to
talk to Lieutenant O'Brien,
head of a special task force.
We want her to make
an official statement,
go through the mug books
and work with a
composite artist.
- What on earth for?
- She was the
witness to a murder.
The fourth in a
string of killings.
- The Boulevard Strangler?
Oh my God when
your father finds out.
- You tell her father to take
it easy and you do whatever
is necessary to keep her off
the streets and safe at home.
- I try but it's so hard.
- You try harder.
The killer's know that
she can recognize them.
- Come on Betsy.
I don't know how much
longer we can put up
with this kind of behavior.
Your father is going to be
furious when he finds out
and I'll tell you one
thing young lady
I am not going to take
this from you any longer.
(horn honks)
(funky music)
- Morning Mrs Reynolds.
- Oh hi Betsy.
- Did my mother's rent
cheque come in the mail yet?
- Yes it did and she
sent me the sweetest note
telling me how much she
appreciates me looking out for you.
- Oh well it's easy
being on my own
when I know you're around
just in case I need something.
- Sweetheart you're
no trouble whatever.
Now run along, study
hard in school you hear!
- [Betsy] Thanks Mrs Reynolds.
- And the rest of you
will be assigned to
the Boulevard Strangler task
force under Lieutenant O'Brien.
For the first time,
thanks to an eyewitness,
we have our first
real description.
We know we're looking
for two suspects, not one.
Number one is in his early 20s.
About 5'9, 135, muscular,
tanned, black eyes,
medium-short brown curly
hair, no distinguishing marks.
And the other is
5'10 to 6'0 feet, 165,
somewhat bushy auburn hair,
brown eyes, he was
last seen wearing
a red vest with an
eagle on the back.
- Has this ID gotten any
kind of make on the van?
- Stolen.
We should have a
composite drawing
of the suspects later today.
Corrigan, you, Sykes, Jesup,
distribute the suspect
descriptions on the boulevard
and in the bus terminals.
Our victims were
all new to the city
and came in by bus.
Sheridan, Gardner, Marino,
you'll be the new
arrivals at the bus stations.
See who hits on you.
Our victims were all underage
runaways working the streets.
We've done our best to
turn these girls around,
we've got to do better for
we're gonna keep them alive.
Hit the streets.
- Background profiles on
each of those kids are all
the same, runaways most
of them from bad homes.
- I'll never get used
to hearing that story,
kids being abused
and sexually assaulted,
it's no wonder they run away.
- Those girls are four
of one of the million kids
that do the same thing every
year and we're damn near
useless when it comes to
doing something about it.
- We're gonna do
something about it.
- Hooker, could you clue me in?
- What are you talking about?
- Our key witness Betsy
Campbell, she's a no show.
- Did you call the
number her mother put on
the juvenile release form?
- And checked the address,
either she made 'em up
or we need better maps.
They're both phony.
- I still have the
number Betsy gave
me to call her
mother last night.
- Look I'm buried, could
you guys check it out?
- We're on it.
- Look look, I'm
sorry I won't be able
to meet with the Dean today.
But there's been a break
in the case we're working.
- His lady professor?
- Yes.
- I'll try to get over
at the end of watch.
Okay sweetheart,
thanks for calling, bye bye.
I think they want me.
- 12 years of police work,
you're gonna throw it all away?
- Stace I'm just one slightly
used cop out on the street.
- I think you're one good
cop who makes a difference.
- Hooker in a classroom I
can teach an army of cops
to go out there and
make a difference.
- That's not the point,
what is it you want?
To stand at a chalk board
or jockey a squad car?
- Hooker Betsy's
phone number doesn't
come back to a residence.
- Shady Lady Lingerie?
- I can't wait to check it out.
(dramatic music)
- Here we go, here we go.
- Ouch, would you take it easy.
- Hey look my man, if I
can go to all the trouble
of getting you some
new bandages I think you
can live through
getting them on.
- How long we gonna
live after the cops find us?
Now they got a girl who
knows exactly what we look like.
- Joseph, when you
gonna have faith in me?
Huh, haven't I always
kept you out of trouble?
Come on look at me, haven't
I kept you out of trouble?!
Even that first time when I
looked the other way for you.
You don't remember that do yah?
- Well that was different,
that was a little grifting
in the bus station.
You said nobody
would ever find out,
you said it'd be just for kicks.
- Hasn't it been like I said?
I tell you what you do,
you sit there and you let me
take care of the girl
who saw us alright.
(dramatic music)
- There's gotta be
a mix up Hooker,
Betsy and her family
couldn't possibly live here.
- Well if they do they must
get some interesting company.
(bell rings)
- Excuse me we're looking
for a Mrs Edde Campbell.
- You must have
the wrong address.
- This is no times to play
games Mrs Campbell.
Where's Betsy, you didn't bring
her to the precinct
this morning.
- I couldn't, I had
to open the shop.
- Betsy's home telephone number
keeps coming back to the shop.
- Oh I can explain that, I
have call forwarding and I give
out the shop number but
at night it rings at home.
- Is that where she
is now, at home?
- I'm not sure.
- Well what does it
take to make you sure?
A coffin with your kid in it?
Look don't you think
that a 15 year old girl's
mother should know where she is.
- Look, I'm not Betsy's mother.
- What?
- I'm an actress,
Betsy hired me to play
like I'm her mother sometimes.
You can't expect me to keep
tabs on her too you know.
- You've got to be kidding.
- No I'm not.
Look I'm Edde Wright,
the last time I worked was
about a year ago and it
was a dog food commercial.
My unemployment insurance
ran out and hey come on,
it's a job you know.
- Well if you're
not Betsy's mother
where's her real mother?
Her family?
- How should I know, the
kid wandered in here one day
looking for a job and
she ended up hiring
me to play her mother.
But the strangler thing,
she really saw the killers.
- And she could
be in deep trouble.
Where does she live?
- Guys if I knew I'd tell you.
The kid only calls
me when she's got a
bit number for me to do.
Last night it was for you.
Time before that
though I did a bit at
her high school PTA meeting.
- What PTA, what high school?
- Lincoln High School.
Oh you should have seen me.
- Look Edde, Betsy
shows up call me.
No matter how much she pays you.
(dramatic music)
- Excuse me, are you Mr
Fiker, the depot supervisor?
- That's right, what
can I do for yah?
- The guards said you
could approve posting
these MO bulletins.
- Well let's take a look here.
Hmm, who are you looking for?
- This girl ID two men
with the Strangler MO.
The descriptions at
the bottom of the page.
- And she's what, she's missing?
- Yeah.
- Golly, well you know,
of course I haven't seen
these guys around
here but if you'd like
I'd be more than happy to
post them around the terminal.
- We could use all
the help we can get.
- Absolutely.
- I appreciate it.
- Alright, good day sir.
- Thank you.
(dramatic music)
- You know maybe
I can understand
where Corrigan's coming
from about teaching.
- Well there are worse
things in the world
then passing the torch, if
that's what you're cut out to do.
- Yeah, I have one teacher
I guess I'll never forget.
An old timer you know.
- Yeah who?
- You.
- [Coach] I want to see
nice long strokes, come on!
That's right get
your back into it.
Pull all the way through, good.
Don't bend those knees.
- How well do you know
Betsy Mrs McKenzie?
- Oh she's a teachers
dream, straight A student.
My husband and I have
had her over for dinner.
You know she has the
makings of a champion free styler
and I'm hoping she can attend
our summers swimming camp.
With her parents
permission of course.
- Then you've met her parents?
- Only her mother,
seemed like a nice lady.
Is Betsy in some
kind of trouble?
- She's in danger Mrs McKenzie.
They office said that we
could find her here in this class.
- That's right,
she was just here.
The bell doesn't ring
yet for 20 minutes.
There was no reason
for Betsy to leave.
- Yes there was.
- Now what?
- Back to the office to get
her home address I hope,
thank you very much.
- Thanks.
(intense music)
- No I haven't seen the
child since this morning
and nobody but nobody
get's in this building
without Spike or
me knowing about it.
(dog groans)
Isn't he something?
You'd be surprised
at how quite it's gone
down in this neighborhood
since I got that dog.
- He's a regular four legged
neighborhood watch huh?
- How 'bout that.
- That's great.
- Mrs Reynolds, do you
think it's strange that girl
Betsy's age would
live here all alone?
- Yes her mother
and I talked about that.
- You met her mother?
- On the phone.
She said this would teach
Betsy to take care of herself.
'Course she paid me a
little extra each month
to keep an eye on her.
- Hooker, swimming trophies.
- Two different names.
Betsy Campbell, Betsy Morgan.
- You think Betsy Morgan
for Fresno California
and Betsy Campbell from
Lincoln High just might be?
- One and the same.
Come on.
Mrs Reynolds.
- Yes?
- Please get in touch with
me if Betsy comes back.
- Alrighty.
- Thank you ma'am.
Hey Spike, keep
up the good work.
Good dog.
- Call O'Brien, have him throw
some men around this area
and Edde's shop and have
Stacy check with Fresno PD,
see if they have a runaway
report on a Betsy Morgan.
- I don't get it Hooker,
why would a girl go to
all the trouble to set up
a make believe mother,
being a model student, if
she's gonna be a street walker?
- Good question,
let's hope we find her
in time to get an answer.
(dramatic music)
- Burn it Joseph.
- Why?
Did the girl tell them about it?
About us?
- Some, not enough.
Luckily for us our little
birds just like all the rest.
She can't stand cages.
Cops don't have her,
she got away from them.
- Where is she?
- Doesn't matter
'cause when she leaves
she's gonna leave exactly
way she came in, on the bus.
When we spot her.
(dramatic music)
- Betsy what are
you doing in here?
There's a cop out there.
- Tell me something new.
I sicked Sissy on him,
she'll keep him occupied.
Edde, I need help,
I got to leave town.
Can you loan me some money?
- Baby you can't just
run away like that.
- I can't stay here,
my whole life's blown.
School, work, everything,
I've got to cut out.
- And leave those cops
stranded with those psycho
stranglers, Betsy I
covered for you with that cop
Hooker about your past
and all but I am really worried
now because he
said you could be hurt.
- They'll send me home,
make me Betsy Morgan again.
Edde, I told you how it was,
what went on in my house,
what a creep he was,
what he did to me.
- Honey I know but.
- I'm just getting ahead,
I can't let those cops
destroy the rest of my life.
Now are you gonna
help me or aren't you?
(dramatic music)
- Any luck?
- No we've been checking
everyone that contacted Stacy
and the other
policewoman at the station
and five blocks in every
direction but it looks slim.
- I called Fresno, there's
no record of a runaway
named Betsy Morgan,
we're tracing her family
through the school
swimming medal.
- Been any sign of
her on the street?
- We've hit every halfway
house and teen prostitute
counseling center in the city.
- How is the psychiatric
work up of the killers coming?
- The FBI is pitching in
but there's a dozen
ways to look at it.
They seem to be leaning towards
a Bianchi-Buono type profile.
- That fits half the
mass murders in history,
breed of Caine.
- What?
- Scum who've crossed
over from stealing property to
stealing lives without
giving it a second thought.
- Hooker you're not making
my day any easier you know.
- Hey Pete, we'll
keep the heat on,
I don't want to find that
girl in a ditch somewhere
anymore then you do.
- Right.
- Hooker, those are teaching
contracts Jim's reading.
Can't you talk to him?
We can't afford to lose him.
- We or you Stace?
- How 'bout all of us?
- This lady professor
is really lobbying
you to take the offer isn't she.
- Are you gonna
sign those contracts?
- Pay's good.
I won't be sidestepping
bullets and Linda feels I'd
head the department
somewhere down the line.
But there are a lot of
other factors to consider.
Not the least of which
is my partner over here.
- Line two Hooker, it's the
woman who plays Betsy's mother.
- Hooker.
- Sergeant, Betsy came by
here asking for money so she
could leave the city and I
decided to call you instead.
- Where can I find her?
- Waiting for me to bring
the money to the bus station.
Sergeant, don't tell on me okay.
- Not a word Edde.
Let's go.
(dramatic music)
- Okay go.
(dramatic music)
- Hey, don't you think it's
about time we get reacquainted?
(shouts)
(dramatic music)
- Hooker, there, it's Betsy.
(dramatic music)
(tires squeal)
- Stay here.
(dramatic music)
(tires squeal)
- Your partner, who is he?
You may be dying, don't
take this to the grave with yah!
Who is your partner?!
Tell me!
(somber music)
(typewriter clicks)
- Hooker, FBI sent us a
tentative make on our John Doe.
Names Joe Rask, alias
Joey Rascal, Joseph Rask.
- He's a small time
grifter out of Chicago.
Been in and out of
prison for heisting package
from air, train and bus depots.
Spent time in a state
mental hospital too.
- What about the
car they were in?
- Glued together junkyard parts,
had inactive
plates, stolen tags.
SID's running a make on it now.
- We still don't know where
he lived or what he did in
our city, except for
killing teenage girls.
- Right, do it now!
I just pulled the plug on
the command post effort.
60 cops doing a six block,
building to building search,
what happened to our strangler?
Disappeared like a
ghost in a snow storm.
- Damn.
- Fresno report came in on
Betsy, Betsy Morgan grew up in
Fresno, she was considered
a problem student in school.
- With a father who molested her
and a mother was
weak kneed to stop him.
- Betsy's been
through hell Hooker,
how can we send her
back to these people?
- The detectives got the
composites for the printers,
I hear you did a
bang up job on them.
- And for my
trouble I get a free
meal ticket in juvie hall huh?
- Is that what Betsy
Morgan wants?
- I'm not going back.
And if you send me
I'm not gonna stay.
- What are you gonna
do, hit the streets again?
End up an over the
hill 20 year old with
a $100 a day habit and
a pimp who kicks you out
in the cold when you
don't make your quota?
- You can stop the
scare tactics Sergeant.
I survived 12 years with the
leach I had to call my daddy,
nothing could be worse.
- Dead can be worse.
- We all end up in the
dirt sooner or later anyway.
- Hey, stop it.
You don't believe that
anymore then we do.
If you did you wouldn't
have friends like Edde,
Mrs Reynolds and your
coach Mrs McKenzie.
And us too, we care for you too.
So don't tell me you want to
throw your life out the window.
- Help me.
Please help me.
I don't want to go back to them.
(hip hop music)
- We couldn't be so lucky.
- Could be a half dozen of those
vests floating around this city.
- And then again
there could be only one.
(hip hop music)
- Hey, up against the wall.
- Hey man I ain't
done nothing wrong.
- Then why'd you
make us break a sweat?
- I didn't want to be
paying no fine because
homebody and the beans and
bacon joint turned me in again.
- For break dancing?
- Yeah that's right.
Man when those
city fathers going
to stop outlawing creativity?
- Maybe when they can
eat their beans and bacon
without their stomach
keeping time with your feet.
That's nice.
Where'd you get it?
- You like it?
Some kind of class huh?
- You steal it, buy it,
gift from an admirer?
- What you coming
down on me with?
- This vest was seen
on a murder suspect.
You want to tell it
downtown, lets go.
- Hey look man,
I ain't no thief.
Hey you can have it.
- Thanks.
Still gonna have to
know where it came from.
- I saw this guy put it in the
incinerator behind his shop.
The fire wasn't lit so while
he was gone I snatched it out.
And I did like what
I saw you know.
- Did he look
anything like this?
- Yeah that's the dude,
no questions about it.
- The shop, where is it?
- It's that way, over there.
- Move down there
a couple of blocks,
give the bacon lovers a break.
(hip hop music)
- Betsy, the judge and child
welfare people talked it over,
you're not going back to Fresno.
- Who you gonna stick me
with, a couple of old folks
who need a slave
to do housework?
- Not gray yet I hope.
- You'd take me?
- Yeah, until we find
some nice people
who'll care about
you as much as we do.
Come with me, I
got to get changed.
- Mr Fiker isn't it,
from the bus station?
- That's right.
- What can I do for you?
- You know that little
girl you were looking for?
I thought I'd come by
and let you know that
one of my people said they
spotted her near the station.
- Oh we already picked
her up, she's safe and sound.
- Looks like I came
down for nothing huh?
- I don't call being a
concerned citizen nothing.
Thank you.
- Your welcome.
(dramatic music)
- That's quite a trick,
if we could just make
problems disappear like that.
- Sometimes you can.
(dramatic music)
- Morgan.
Hooker called in, he
thinks he found that red
vest we've been looking for.
Hey could you go and pick
up the strangler composites
at the print shop?
- Sure.
- And deliver them
out to that address.
- Okay.
- Hooker's going to be
serving a search warrant.
- Okay I'm on my way Lieutenant.
(dramatic music)
- No indication of
any kind of partner,
business or otherwise.
- This luggage, all tagged
from major bus depots.
- Including our bus station.
- Great racquet, fence
your own merchandise.
- Well here you go.
- Oh so you're finally going
to get that mashugana huh?
- You know this man?
- Yeah, he comes in
here to see the little
guy that runs this place.
- Did you notice anything
special about him?
Ever hear him talking
about where he lives?
- No no, but maybe you
think that this motor bikers
red vest is special enough.
Or maybe it's the
magic with his hands.
- He wore this vest?
- [Old Man] Yeah.
- Magic with his hands.
Did he ever come round
here looking like this,
wearing a blue blazer maybe?
- Yeah, yeah in the
daytime always like that.
- Jim?
- His name is Fiker, he works in
customer service
at the bus depot.
Does slight of hand, he
came by the precinct to report
someone seeing
Betsy at the bus station.
- Maybe he was
looking for her instead?
- He was there about
the same time Stacy
was taking Betsy to her place.
- Let's roll.
(dramatic music)
Call dispatch!
Have them landline Stacy!
Warn her!
(dramatic music)
- You really can
afford to live here
on what a cop makes?
- Well I'm not rolling in
riches but a cop can get by.
- I guess I expected
someplace like I'm used to,
cramped, cruddy.
- Is that what you've
had up until now?
- I figured I was
lucky to have that.
- Betsy you don't
have to depend on luck,
you can make your own.
If you keep going to school
and stay off the boulevard.
I'm sorry I won't lecture.
(knock on door)
Yes?
- Hi there.
- Stacy it's him!
- You and I have some unfinished
business, you understand?
(dramatic music)
- [Dispatch] 30 we
get no answer at
Officer Sheridan's phone number.
- Keep trying dispatch,
our approximate
ETA is three minutes.
- [Dispatch] Roger 30.
- Yeah is that tight enough?
I hope so.
(phone rings)
You know baby you
caused me a lot of problems.
Remember this?
(phone rings)
(dramatic music)
- Go Betsy!
- Later for you.
(dramatic music)
(sirens wail)
(dramatic music)
- Stacy!
- Fiker's after Betsy outside.
- Go I'll take care of her.
- The roof!
(dramatic music)
- She's got to be
around here somewhere.
(dramatic music)
- Come here pretty baby.
(screams)
- Stop!
Leave me alone!
Let me go!
(dramatic music)
(screams)
- Fiker!
- Hooker!
(screams)
(dramatic music)
Let me get the rope.
Grab on.
You alright?
- Yeah.
(dramatic music)
- Grab this guy!
- It's okay Betsy, he'll
never hurt you again.
(soft music)
- Your contracts
are floating away.
Want me to fish 'em out?
- Let 'em sink.
(soft music)
(shouts)
- Alright, go Betsy go!
Go go!
Come on Betsy!
- Think McKenzie's
proud or what?
- How proud her mom
is they ought to be.
- Come on Betsy
take that turn, let's go!
Go Betsy!
Come on baby let's go!
- Come on Betsy!
- Come on Betsy!
Come on Betsy!
- [Announcer] And the
winner is Betsy Morgan!
(crowd cheers and claps)
- What'd you think?
- Looked like another
straight A to me.
- More like a dream come
true, giving Betsy a foster home.
My husband and I intend
to make it permanent
as soon as the court allows.
- I got something for you.
- How could I ever
repay you for this?
- You already have.
Now maybe you can
win another one of those,
say at the next
National meet huh?
- Yeah!
(upbeat music)
(theme music)
(bright music)
(mysterious music)
- Hold on, hold
on, there she is.
This is the one I
told you about before.
Ain't she pretty.
She got a little
friend for you too bud.
- We never took
on two girls before.
- What's wrong, don't you
feel man enough to handle it?
Heads I go first, tails you.
- There ain't no tails on
a two headed coin Fiker.
- Oh really, tell me about it.
Right I want you to
bring it around the block
and get this show
on the road alright?
(mysterious music)
- Your turn to play
taxi to juvenile hall.
- In you go sugar.
- Took a call for you
down at the precinct
from this professor
friend of yours.
- Oh Linda?
- Yeah, she said,
just tell him that
I think it's going to happen.
- Oh it sounds exciting.
- It's not what you think,
she's talking about
a teaching job.
- Alright.
- I thought you already taught
a couple of college courses?
- They're expanding
the department,
asked me how I'd feel
about a full time position.
- Corrigan couldn't be
serious about this could he?
- I don't whether it's the lady
or the job he more
serious about.
- What if I blow it?
- You won't if you
remember the rules.
Don't take any jazz about them
inspecting the
merchandise first.
Get the money upfront.
- Hello ladies.
Listen my friend and
I were wondering if
maybe you'd like
to perhaps get in the
back of the van and have
a nice evening with us,
just the four of us,
what do you say?
- No thank you.
Two more rules, make
sure the guy's not a creep
and never go with more
than one guy at a time.
- Hey, you know we're
known for being generous.
And we're sweet and
charming and we're great guys,
look at my friend,
he's beautiful.
Isn't he gorgeous,
smile, smile, come on.
Look at him, he's beautiful.
- Betsy you know how broke I am,
I could really use the bread.
- Alright look, she
who hesitates is lost.
Come on.
- I remember him, he's okay.
Come on, okay.
- It's okay, alright let's open
the back of the van alright.
Come on, come on,
come on, that's it, that's it.
- Okay so what kind
of party you want?
- I don't know,
let's talk about it.
- I can't imagine Corrigan
or anyone wanting
to toss their badge in for
a black board and eraser.
- Give yourself time Junior,
you'd be surprised what
looks tempting at a few
more years on the street.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- See the gun ladies?
See the barrel?
I want you to take
a nice good look.
You know baby, I happen
to find you very pretty.
I do, I really do, I bet your
mother really liked you.
- Please don't.
- Such a cute little baby.
Those pretty blue eyes.
- Don't.
- Leave me alone.
See the rope, see the
nice hook, see it dangling?
- Stop, stop it!
- Don't you move,
don't you move!
- Let go of me!
- Hold onto her!
(tires squeal)
- Hooker?
- Let's check it out.
(sirens wail)
- Stop it please!
- Go, go go go!
(sirens wail)
- 4-Adam-30 in pursuit
of brown 70 Ford van,
heading west on
Cotillion and 21st.
(horn honks)
- Get the hell out of here, go!
(tires squeal)
- Stop it!
(tires squeal)
(sirens wail)
- [Betsy] Help!
- Hooker there'
somebody in there.
- [Betsy] Help me!
(dramatic music)
- Lori, Lori!
- Romano there's
another one in here!
- Lori, Lori!
- Stay here!
(dramatic music)
- Lori.
(drmatic music)
- She's dead.
- Lori, Lori.
(cries)
- The Boulevard Strangler.
(cries)
- [TJ] Betsy, I'm gonna
need your help to catch that
scum that killed your friend.
- She wasn't my friend.
She was just someone I knew.
- We have to notify her parents.
- They wouldn't care.
If they had she
wouldn't have been here.
Oh just let me go home.
- Officer Romano's
gone to call your mom,
when she gets here
you'll be released.
What about your friend's mother?
I'm gonna have to call her too.
- Name's Lori Spencer.
She came down a couple
days ago from Washington State.
It's all I know.
I shouldn't have let her get
in that van with those creeps.
She didn't know the angles yet.
- And you do?
- I can take care of myself.
I wouldn't have gotten into
that van with those creeps.
- Did you know them?
- No, Lori said she
did but how could she?
They were crazy.
Nuts.
- Besty, baby are you alright?
- Mom I'm okay.
I just want to go home.
- Mrs Campbell we'd
like Betsy to come back
tomorrow morning to
talk to Lieutenant O'Brien,
head of a special task force.
We want her to make
an official statement,
go through the mug books
and work with a
composite artist.
- What on earth for?
- She was the
witness to a murder.
The fourth in a
string of killings.
- The Boulevard Strangler?
Oh my God when
your father finds out.
- You tell her father to take
it easy and you do whatever
is necessary to keep her off
the streets and safe at home.
- I try but it's so hard.
- You try harder.
The killer's know that
she can recognize them.
- Come on Betsy.
I don't know how much
longer we can put up
with this kind of behavior.
Your father is going to be
furious when he finds out
and I'll tell you one
thing young lady
I am not going to take
this from you any longer.
(horn honks)
(funky music)
- Morning Mrs Reynolds.
- Oh hi Betsy.
- Did my mother's rent
cheque come in the mail yet?
- Yes it did and she
sent me the sweetest note
telling me how much she
appreciates me looking out for you.
- Oh well it's easy
being on my own
when I know you're around
just in case I need something.
- Sweetheart you're
no trouble whatever.
Now run along, study
hard in school you hear!
- [Betsy] Thanks Mrs Reynolds.
- And the rest of you
will be assigned to
the Boulevard Strangler task
force under Lieutenant O'Brien.
For the first time,
thanks to an eyewitness,
we have our first
real description.
We know we're looking
for two suspects, not one.
Number one is in his early 20s.
About 5'9, 135, muscular,
tanned, black eyes,
medium-short brown curly
hair, no distinguishing marks.
And the other is
5'10 to 6'0 feet, 165,
somewhat bushy auburn hair,
brown eyes, he was
last seen wearing
a red vest with an
eagle on the back.
- Has this ID gotten any
kind of make on the van?
- Stolen.
We should have a
composite drawing
of the suspects later today.
Corrigan, you, Sykes, Jesup,
distribute the suspect
descriptions on the boulevard
and in the bus terminals.
Our victims were
all new to the city
and came in by bus.
Sheridan, Gardner, Marino,
you'll be the new
arrivals at the bus stations.
See who hits on you.
Our victims were all underage
runaways working the streets.
We've done our best to
turn these girls around,
we've got to do better for
we're gonna keep them alive.
Hit the streets.
- Background profiles on
each of those kids are all
the same, runaways most
of them from bad homes.
- I'll never get used
to hearing that story,
kids being abused
and sexually assaulted,
it's no wonder they run away.
- Those girls are four
of one of the million kids
that do the same thing every
year and we're damn near
useless when it comes to
doing something about it.
- We're gonna do
something about it.
- Hooker, could you clue me in?
- What are you talking about?
- Our key witness Betsy
Campbell, she's a no show.
- Did you call the
number her mother put on
the juvenile release form?
- And checked the address,
either she made 'em up
or we need better maps.
They're both phony.
- I still have the
number Betsy gave
me to call her
mother last night.
- Look I'm buried, could
you guys check it out?
- We're on it.
- Look look, I'm
sorry I won't be able
to meet with the Dean today.
But there's been a break
in the case we're working.
- His lady professor?
- Yes.
- I'll try to get over
at the end of watch.
Okay sweetheart,
thanks for calling, bye bye.
I think they want me.
- 12 years of police work,
you're gonna throw it all away?
- Stace I'm just one slightly
used cop out on the street.
- I think you're one good
cop who makes a difference.
- Hooker in a classroom I
can teach an army of cops
to go out there and
make a difference.
- That's not the point,
what is it you want?
To stand at a chalk board
or jockey a squad car?
- Hooker Betsy's
phone number doesn't
come back to a residence.
- Shady Lady Lingerie?
- I can't wait to check it out.
(dramatic music)
- Here we go, here we go.
- Ouch, would you take it easy.
- Hey look my man, if I
can go to all the trouble
of getting you some
new bandages I think you
can live through
getting them on.
- How long we gonna
live after the cops find us?
Now they got a girl who
knows exactly what we look like.
- Joseph, when you
gonna have faith in me?
Huh, haven't I always
kept you out of trouble?
Come on look at me, haven't
I kept you out of trouble?!
Even that first time when I
looked the other way for you.
You don't remember that do yah?
- Well that was different,
that was a little grifting
in the bus station.
You said nobody
would ever find out,
you said it'd be just for kicks.
- Hasn't it been like I said?
I tell you what you do,
you sit there and you let me
take care of the girl
who saw us alright.
(dramatic music)
- There's gotta be
a mix up Hooker,
Betsy and her family
couldn't possibly live here.
- Well if they do they must
get some interesting company.
(bell rings)
- Excuse me we're looking
for a Mrs Edde Campbell.
- You must have
the wrong address.
- This is no times to play
games Mrs Campbell.
Where's Betsy, you didn't bring
her to the precinct
this morning.
- I couldn't, I had
to open the shop.
- Betsy's home telephone number
keeps coming back to the shop.
- Oh I can explain that, I
have call forwarding and I give
out the shop number but
at night it rings at home.
- Is that where she
is now, at home?
- I'm not sure.
- Well what does it
take to make you sure?
A coffin with your kid in it?
Look don't you think
that a 15 year old girl's
mother should know where she is.
- Look, I'm not Betsy's mother.
- What?
- I'm an actress,
Betsy hired me to play
like I'm her mother sometimes.
You can't expect me to keep
tabs on her too you know.
- You've got to be kidding.
- No I'm not.
Look I'm Edde Wright,
the last time I worked was
about a year ago and it
was a dog food commercial.
My unemployment insurance
ran out and hey come on,
it's a job you know.
- Well if you're
not Betsy's mother
where's her real mother?
Her family?
- How should I know, the
kid wandered in here one day
looking for a job and
she ended up hiring
me to play her mother.
But the strangler thing,
she really saw the killers.
- And she could
be in deep trouble.
Where does she live?
- Guys if I knew I'd tell you.
The kid only calls
me when she's got a
bit number for me to do.
Last night it was for you.
Time before that
though I did a bit at
her high school PTA meeting.
- What PTA, what high school?
- Lincoln High School.
Oh you should have seen me.
- Look Edde, Betsy
shows up call me.
No matter how much she pays you.
(dramatic music)
- Excuse me, are you Mr
Fiker, the depot supervisor?
- That's right, what
can I do for yah?
- The guards said you
could approve posting
these MO bulletins.
- Well let's take a look here.
Hmm, who are you looking for?
- This girl ID two men
with the Strangler MO.
The descriptions at
the bottom of the page.
- And she's what, she's missing?
- Yeah.
- Golly, well you know,
of course I haven't seen
these guys around
here but if you'd like
I'd be more than happy to
post them around the terminal.
- We could use all
the help we can get.
- Absolutely.
- I appreciate it.
- Alright, good day sir.
- Thank you.
(dramatic music)
- You know maybe
I can understand
where Corrigan's coming
from about teaching.
- Well there are worse
things in the world
then passing the torch, if
that's what you're cut out to do.
- Yeah, I have one teacher
I guess I'll never forget.
An old timer you know.
- Yeah who?
- You.
- [Coach] I want to see
nice long strokes, come on!
That's right get
your back into it.
Pull all the way through, good.
Don't bend those knees.
- How well do you know
Betsy Mrs McKenzie?
- Oh she's a teachers
dream, straight A student.
My husband and I have
had her over for dinner.
You know she has the
makings of a champion free styler
and I'm hoping she can attend
our summers swimming camp.
With her parents
permission of course.
- Then you've met her parents?
- Only her mother,
seemed like a nice lady.
Is Betsy in some
kind of trouble?
- She's in danger Mrs McKenzie.
They office said that we
could find her here in this class.
- That's right,
she was just here.
The bell doesn't ring
yet for 20 minutes.
There was no reason
for Betsy to leave.
- Yes there was.
- Now what?
- Back to the office to get
her home address I hope,
thank you very much.
- Thanks.
(intense music)
- No I haven't seen the
child since this morning
and nobody but nobody
get's in this building
without Spike or
me knowing about it.
(dog groans)
Isn't he something?
You'd be surprised
at how quite it's gone
down in this neighborhood
since I got that dog.
- He's a regular four legged
neighborhood watch huh?
- How 'bout that.
- That's great.
- Mrs Reynolds, do you
think it's strange that girl
Betsy's age would
live here all alone?
- Yes her mother
and I talked about that.
- You met her mother?
- On the phone.
She said this would teach
Betsy to take care of herself.
'Course she paid me a
little extra each month
to keep an eye on her.
- Hooker, swimming trophies.
- Two different names.
Betsy Campbell, Betsy Morgan.
- You think Betsy Morgan
for Fresno California
and Betsy Campbell from
Lincoln High just might be?
- One and the same.
Come on.
Mrs Reynolds.
- Yes?
- Please get in touch with
me if Betsy comes back.
- Alrighty.
- Thank you ma'am.
Hey Spike, keep
up the good work.
Good dog.
- Call O'Brien, have him throw
some men around this area
and Edde's shop and have
Stacy check with Fresno PD,
see if they have a runaway
report on a Betsy Morgan.
- I don't get it Hooker,
why would a girl go to
all the trouble to set up
a make believe mother,
being a model student, if
she's gonna be a street walker?
- Good question,
let's hope we find her
in time to get an answer.
(dramatic music)
- Burn it Joseph.
- Why?
Did the girl tell them about it?
About us?
- Some, not enough.
Luckily for us our little
birds just like all the rest.
She can't stand cages.
Cops don't have her,
she got away from them.
- Where is she?
- Doesn't matter
'cause when she leaves
she's gonna leave exactly
way she came in, on the bus.
When we spot her.
(dramatic music)
- Betsy what are
you doing in here?
There's a cop out there.
- Tell me something new.
I sicked Sissy on him,
she'll keep him occupied.
Edde, I need help,
I got to leave town.
Can you loan me some money?
- Baby you can't just
run away like that.
- I can't stay here,
my whole life's blown.
School, work, everything,
I've got to cut out.
- And leave those cops
stranded with those psycho
stranglers, Betsy I
covered for you with that cop
Hooker about your past
and all but I am really worried
now because he
said you could be hurt.
- They'll send me home,
make me Betsy Morgan again.
Edde, I told you how it was,
what went on in my house,
what a creep he was,
what he did to me.
- Honey I know but.
- I'm just getting ahead,
I can't let those cops
destroy the rest of my life.
Now are you gonna
help me or aren't you?
(dramatic music)
- Any luck?
- No we've been checking
everyone that contacted Stacy
and the other
policewoman at the station
and five blocks in every
direction but it looks slim.
- I called Fresno, there's
no record of a runaway
named Betsy Morgan,
we're tracing her family
through the school
swimming medal.
- Been any sign of
her on the street?
- We've hit every halfway
house and teen prostitute
counseling center in the city.
- How is the psychiatric
work up of the killers coming?
- The FBI is pitching in
but there's a dozen
ways to look at it.
They seem to be leaning towards
a Bianchi-Buono type profile.
- That fits half the
mass murders in history,
breed of Caine.
- What?
- Scum who've crossed
over from stealing property to
stealing lives without
giving it a second thought.
- Hooker you're not making
my day any easier you know.
- Hey Pete, we'll
keep the heat on,
I don't want to find that
girl in a ditch somewhere
anymore then you do.
- Right.
- Hooker, those are teaching
contracts Jim's reading.
Can't you talk to him?
We can't afford to lose him.
- We or you Stace?
- How 'bout all of us?
- This lady professor
is really lobbying
you to take the offer isn't she.
- Are you gonna
sign those contracts?
- Pay's good.
I won't be sidestepping
bullets and Linda feels I'd
head the department
somewhere down the line.
But there are a lot of
other factors to consider.
Not the least of which
is my partner over here.
- Line two Hooker, it's the
woman who plays Betsy's mother.
- Hooker.
- Sergeant, Betsy came by
here asking for money so she
could leave the city and I
decided to call you instead.
- Where can I find her?
- Waiting for me to bring
the money to the bus station.
Sergeant, don't tell on me okay.
- Not a word Edde.
Let's go.
(dramatic music)
- Okay go.
(dramatic music)
- Hey, don't you think it's
about time we get reacquainted?
(shouts)
(dramatic music)
- Hooker, there, it's Betsy.
(dramatic music)
(tires squeal)
- Stay here.
(dramatic music)
(tires squeal)
- Your partner, who is he?
You may be dying, don't
take this to the grave with yah!
Who is your partner?!
Tell me!
(somber music)
(typewriter clicks)
- Hooker, FBI sent us a
tentative make on our John Doe.
Names Joe Rask, alias
Joey Rascal, Joseph Rask.
- He's a small time
grifter out of Chicago.
Been in and out of
prison for heisting package
from air, train and bus depots.
Spent time in a state
mental hospital too.
- What about the
car they were in?
- Glued together junkyard parts,
had inactive
plates, stolen tags.
SID's running a make on it now.
- We still don't know where
he lived or what he did in
our city, except for
killing teenage girls.
- Right, do it now!
I just pulled the plug on
the command post effort.
60 cops doing a six block,
building to building search,
what happened to our strangler?
Disappeared like a
ghost in a snow storm.
- Damn.
- Fresno report came in on
Betsy, Betsy Morgan grew up in
Fresno, she was considered
a problem student in school.
- With a father who molested her
and a mother was
weak kneed to stop him.
- Betsy's been
through hell Hooker,
how can we send her
back to these people?
- The detectives got the
composites for the printers,
I hear you did a
bang up job on them.
- And for my
trouble I get a free
meal ticket in juvie hall huh?
- Is that what Betsy
Morgan wants?
- I'm not going back.
And if you send me
I'm not gonna stay.
- What are you gonna
do, hit the streets again?
End up an over the
hill 20 year old with
a $100 a day habit and
a pimp who kicks you out
in the cold when you
don't make your quota?
- You can stop the
scare tactics Sergeant.
I survived 12 years with the
leach I had to call my daddy,
nothing could be worse.
- Dead can be worse.
- We all end up in the
dirt sooner or later anyway.
- Hey, stop it.
You don't believe that
anymore then we do.
If you did you wouldn't
have friends like Edde,
Mrs Reynolds and your
coach Mrs McKenzie.
And us too, we care for you too.
So don't tell me you want to
throw your life out the window.
- Help me.
Please help me.
I don't want to go back to them.
(hip hop music)
- We couldn't be so lucky.
- Could be a half dozen of those
vests floating around this city.
- And then again
there could be only one.
(hip hop music)
- Hey, up against the wall.
- Hey man I ain't
done nothing wrong.
- Then why'd you
make us break a sweat?
- I didn't want to be
paying no fine because
homebody and the beans and
bacon joint turned me in again.
- For break dancing?
- Yeah that's right.
Man when those
city fathers going
to stop outlawing creativity?
- Maybe when they can
eat their beans and bacon
without their stomach
keeping time with your feet.
That's nice.
Where'd you get it?
- You like it?
Some kind of class huh?
- You steal it, buy it,
gift from an admirer?
- What you coming
down on me with?
- This vest was seen
on a murder suspect.
You want to tell it
downtown, lets go.
- Hey look man,
I ain't no thief.
Hey you can have it.
- Thanks.
Still gonna have to
know where it came from.
- I saw this guy put it in the
incinerator behind his shop.
The fire wasn't lit so while
he was gone I snatched it out.
And I did like what
I saw you know.
- Did he look
anything like this?
- Yeah that's the dude,
no questions about it.
- The shop, where is it?
- It's that way, over there.
- Move down there
a couple of blocks,
give the bacon lovers a break.
(hip hop music)
- Betsy, the judge and child
welfare people talked it over,
you're not going back to Fresno.
- Who you gonna stick me
with, a couple of old folks
who need a slave
to do housework?
- Not gray yet I hope.
- You'd take me?
- Yeah, until we find
some nice people
who'll care about
you as much as we do.
Come with me, I
got to get changed.
- Mr Fiker isn't it,
from the bus station?
- That's right.
- What can I do for you?
- You know that little
girl you were looking for?
I thought I'd come by
and let you know that
one of my people said they
spotted her near the station.
- Oh we already picked
her up, she's safe and sound.
- Looks like I came
down for nothing huh?
- I don't call being a
concerned citizen nothing.
Thank you.
- Your welcome.
(dramatic music)
- That's quite a trick,
if we could just make
problems disappear like that.
- Sometimes you can.
(dramatic music)
- Morgan.
Hooker called in, he
thinks he found that red
vest we've been looking for.
Hey could you go and pick
up the strangler composites
at the print shop?
- Sure.
- And deliver them
out to that address.
- Okay.
- Hooker's going to be
serving a search warrant.
- Okay I'm on my way Lieutenant.
(dramatic music)
- No indication of
any kind of partner,
business or otherwise.
- This luggage, all tagged
from major bus depots.
- Including our bus station.
- Great racquet, fence
your own merchandise.
- Well here you go.
- Oh so you're finally going
to get that mashugana huh?
- You know this man?
- Yeah, he comes in
here to see the little
guy that runs this place.
- Did you notice anything
special about him?
Ever hear him talking
about where he lives?
- No no, but maybe you
think that this motor bikers
red vest is special enough.
Or maybe it's the
magic with his hands.
- He wore this vest?
- [Old Man] Yeah.
- Magic with his hands.
Did he ever come round
here looking like this,
wearing a blue blazer maybe?
- Yeah, yeah in the
daytime always like that.
- Jim?
- His name is Fiker, he works in
customer service
at the bus depot.
Does slight of hand, he
came by the precinct to report
someone seeing
Betsy at the bus station.
- Maybe he was
looking for her instead?
- He was there about
the same time Stacy
was taking Betsy to her place.
- Let's roll.
(dramatic music)
Call dispatch!
Have them landline Stacy!
Warn her!
(dramatic music)
- You really can
afford to live here
on what a cop makes?
- Well I'm not rolling in
riches but a cop can get by.
- I guess I expected
someplace like I'm used to,
cramped, cruddy.
- Is that what you've
had up until now?
- I figured I was
lucky to have that.
- Betsy you don't
have to depend on luck,
you can make your own.
If you keep going to school
and stay off the boulevard.
I'm sorry I won't lecture.
(knock on door)
Yes?
- Hi there.
- Stacy it's him!
- You and I have some unfinished
business, you understand?
(dramatic music)
- [Dispatch] 30 we
get no answer at
Officer Sheridan's phone number.
- Keep trying dispatch,
our approximate
ETA is three minutes.
- [Dispatch] Roger 30.
- Yeah is that tight enough?
I hope so.
(phone rings)
You know baby you
caused me a lot of problems.
Remember this?
(phone rings)
(dramatic music)
- Go Betsy!
- Later for you.
(dramatic music)
(sirens wail)
(dramatic music)
- Stacy!
- Fiker's after Betsy outside.
- Go I'll take care of her.
- The roof!
(dramatic music)
- She's got to be
around here somewhere.
(dramatic music)
- Come here pretty baby.
(screams)
- Stop!
Leave me alone!
Let me go!
(dramatic music)
(screams)
- Fiker!
- Hooker!
(screams)
(dramatic music)
Let me get the rope.
Grab on.
You alright?
- Yeah.
(dramatic music)
- Grab this guy!
- It's okay Betsy, he'll
never hurt you again.
(soft music)
- Your contracts
are floating away.
Want me to fish 'em out?
- Let 'em sink.
(soft music)
(shouts)
- Alright, go Betsy go!
Go go!
Come on Betsy!
- Think McKenzie's
proud or what?
- How proud her mom
is they ought to be.
- Come on Betsy
take that turn, let's go!
Go Betsy!
Come on baby let's go!
- Come on Betsy!
- Come on Betsy!
Come on Betsy!
- [Announcer] And the
winner is Betsy Morgan!
(crowd cheers and claps)
- What'd you think?
- Looked like another
straight A to me.
- More like a dream come
true, giving Betsy a foster home.
My husband and I intend
to make it permanent
as soon as the court allows.
- I got something for you.
- How could I ever
repay you for this?
- You already have.
Now maybe you can
win another one of those,
say at the next
National meet huh?
- Yeah!
(upbeat music)
(theme music)
(bright music)