The Streets of San Francisco (1972–1977): Season 4, Episode 1 - Poisoned Snow - full transcript
A narcotics cop driven over the edge laces a batch of cocaine with cyanide and sets it loose on the streets.
(theme music playing)
MAN: You look tired.
Your eyes are red.
WOMAN: Can't seem
to shake this cold.
MAN: Yeah?
WOMAN: I haven't been
sleeping too well lately either.
How come?
Oh, I met a fella that
treats me like a lady.
Like a lady, huh,
and not a woman?
He says he'll do that
after we get married.
Oh, yeah. When is that?
When his final divorce
papers come through.
Uh-huh.
In one month, two
weeks and four days.
No, no, three days.
(laughs) Just wanted to see
if you were paying attention.
Okay, little girl, you got to
remember what I told you now.
Can you remember?
Nothing more than
routine stuff until I get back,
and I will be back in
about an hour... or so.
- Say hi to Andy for me.
- Okay.
Phil, you take care
of my girl for me.
Just like she was my own.
- Yeah.
- (both chuckle)
WOMAN: It's gonna take more
than a 30-minute
talk with his teacher.
George, you got to spend
more time with Andy.
He's at an age where
he needs a strong hand.
GEORGE: Yeah, I know what
you're saying, Judy. I understand.
JUDY: But if you're
so busy playing house
with your new girlfriend...
All right, Judy, look, what I do
and with whom is
none of your business,
and I got a paper to prove that.
Now you just stop trying
to put the needle in, okay?
JUDY: I'm trying to make
you talk about your son.
Oh, yeah? Since when?
He's changing, George.
Something's happening to him.
He's not the
same, he's different.
Andy is growing up, he's
growing up, Judy, that's all.
No, there's more
to it than that.
I'm worried.
I don't like the... the people
he's running around with.
Okay, I'll talk with him. I'll
say something to him, okay?
Andrew, I've got
some shopping to do.
You be sure you go home
right after you and your
father are finished. Okay?
- Maggie said to say hello.
- How is she?
- She's got a cold.
- (chuckles) Me, too.
Well, say hello
back for me, will ya?
Yeah. Mr. Bentine, he talked
kind of rough in
there a minute ago.
Oh, boy. Well, I
guess he's got a right.
I've been kind of
goofing off a lot lately.
- You got no alibis or...? No?
- Spring fever?
What's with these, these guys
you've been bumming
around with lately?
Your mother, she doesn't
seem to think much of them.
Oh, boy. You tell me
something she does like.
She likes you.
You know what I mean.
She's always pick,
pick, pick, nag, nag.
That's because she
cares for you, son.
Hey, well, why is it
when she picks on me
it's because she cares,
she picks on you
because she doesn't care,
and you wind up
getting divorced?
- Oh, hey, oh, you're a
pretty smart kid -Yeah
If you're so smart, why
aren't you passing algebra
in that high school, huh?
(chuckles) Okay, I'll try harder
Just between you and
me, when you turn 18,
if you want to, you can,
you can move in with
Maggie and me, okay?
What'll she say about that?
It's her idea, not mine
Oh, uh, Dad, could
you spare a few bucks?
I gave you ten last week
No, it's all right
I got it, I got it
(grunts) Dig down,
pull up All I have is a 20
- You don't want a 20, do you?
- Oh, that's too bad
- Hey, I'll take
it - You'll take it?
I thought you would Come on now
- Hey, hey, son?
- Yeah?
You gonna do
something about that cold?
Oh, yeah (sniffles)
See ya, Dad
(horn beeps)
♪♪
Hi MAN: Hi Where you
been keeping yourself?
Do I know you?
I seen you a couple times
Just thought you'd
seen me So I seen you
Coming down
Thanks for the favor
What's the matter?
I'm-I'm hurting Go see a doctor
But my doctor got
busted three days ago
Hey, look, I said I've seen you
I didn't say that I know you
That's real cute
Hey, tell you what
You put me in touch
with your connection,
and I'll buy you a nickel
bag for, for every one I buy
Maybe I can make a call
Has your connection
always got a supply?
He can always get it
Suppose I could
make regular buys?
That's between you and him
Where is he?
He'll be here
Sure is careful type
What other kind is there?
Hey, what do you say, Cajun?
I brought my friend
Honky, she's a narc!
(struggling over radio)
(gunshot)
Police!
(gasps)
Maggie Tell George I
(indistinct radio transmission)
STONE: Here, take
this to the print lab
Maybe we'll get lucky
PHIL: We weren't working
on anything specific,
just targets of opportunity,
and she made a connection
STONE: Did she try to stop him?
No No, he recognized her
KELLER: Okay, a tall
thin guy named "Cajun,"
- possible bullet wound
- Yeah, I think I hit him
- He jumped like he was
stung - What about the pusher?
He was black You saw him?
No, but when he made
Maggie, he called Cajun a honky
Anything else you
remember about Cajun?
I didn't get close
enough to him, Steve
Maybe somebody back
at the bar got a better look
That'll be our
first stop, the bar
George, I'm sorry
What the hell happened, Phil?
She was making
a buy It went sour
If I'd been here, it
wouldn't have happened
If you had been there, the same
exact thing would have happened
It's nobody's fault
It's somebody's fault, Steve!
And we're gonna
find him, I promise
Yeah, you will
Unless I find him first
Wait a minute now
You stay out of
it, will you? Please
We'll take care of it, I promise
Oh, they shouldn't give
women this kind of work
It's too dangerous
KELLER: Dangerous was her choice
George George
George, take some
time off Go home
Do what?
I'm gonna kill him, Phil
I'm gonna look in every
hole in this city till I find him,
I'm gonna kill him
Yeah, we don't get a very wide
range of customers around here
Rummies and derelicts,
pushers, hookers
You know, we don't even
take time to look at 'em
We just serve 'em
The description we have
is of a tall skinny man
Oh, you know how many
that fits who come in here?
This guy was here
about an hour ago
He left with a girl
A lot of 'em do that
She was wearing jeans
She had blonde hair and,
oh, an awful lot of finger rings
Oh, her Yeah, I
remember Him, too
They muttered together
for a while and then left
Hey, he was a skinny kid Kid?
Yeah, about 20, 22
He, uh, had kind
of a wild-eyed look
I've seen him around somewhere,
but I don't know
anything about him
(man whimpers)
Tell me, Vernon, if
I got your attention
- Don't hit me - I
want some information
- I done - I haven't
asked you yet!
If I knew anything, I'd
tell ya Don't I always?
Do you, Vernon?
Sure, Inspector
Business is business
This is personal,
Vernon Understand?
I'm looking for a junk
hog named Cajun
I never heard of him
You just did Ask
around, you find him
You find where he
flops, find his pusher
You get something
for me, Vernon,
you call me at headquarters,
you understand? Soon
Or I'll be back
and I'll pick up
what's left of you
with a pair of tweezers
PHIL: I wasn't that close
to him, but the hair is sandy
and it went back
and stuck up like that
He hadn't combed
it He's skinny, man
He is skinny The
cheekbones are higher
Yeah, yeah, that
nose isn't right, uh-uh
STONE: Did she say where
she'd seen Cajun before?
No No, but we'd been
working the North Beach area
for the last four months, so
I figure that's where he lives
STONE: Okay, then we'll
concentrate our search
in that area to start
and then we'll widen it
- Check out all the
hospitals - Right
They only got partial
prints from the gun
They're not Maggie's
Enough for a positive ID?
Nope, we'll have
to catch the guy first
Hey, Phil
They told me downstairs
you were up here
- You got something?
- We're working on it
You start making sketches,
man, you're at a dead end
KELLER: Well, we
got to do something
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
Keller, just save that
for the reporters, will you?
- George George
- I've been around
Well, I mean, you're not
gonna find him in here
or with that thing,
he's out there
You want to find him,
you got to leave your
nice, warm office here
- and go out there
- Come on, George
- I want to talk to you Come
with me -Talk, yeah, talk
That's all you guys have been
doing since Maggie was killed
If I don't see some
action pretty soon,
man, I'm gonna put on a
few fancy moves of my own
You understand that?
Inspector, come in here
I want to talk to you Come on
George, I know what
you're going through,
but you're too involved
You're damn right, I'm involved
And you can't be objective
Objective? (scoffs)
So, I want you to
keep your mouth shut
and stay out of this
case, because if you don't,
I'll have you suspended
for interfering with a
murder investigation
You'd do that, too,
wouldn't you, Mike?
Stay with him
See that he doesn't do
anything he'll be sorry for
He and Maggie
had a very rare thing
I know, I know
that I'll talk to him
PHIL: Mike was right to say
GEORGE: I'm not some
J Q citizen off the street
- I'm a cop - Then act like one!
Don't you side with him
Look, just let him
handle it, will you?
Nobody would have
had to handle anything
if you'd been on
the ball, Phil, right?
I know that
Maybe you better find
yourself another partner
I'm sorry, Phil Sure
Well, I said I was sorry
Okay (phone rings)
Narcotics, Inspector
Turner It's me, Vernon
I've been waiting
for you to call Yeah?
Well, nobody in
the Mission District
ever heard of that
fella you're looking for
The whole Mission
District, Vernon?
I can't find him, I tell you
Well, you better
Oh, please, Inspector,
it's a dead end
It's a bust
But listen, I got
somebody else for you
I don't want
anybody else, Vernon
You want Woody Parks?
Turner, you there?
What about Woody Parks?
Tomorrow night
he's picking up
a kilo of pure stuff
A kilo Go on
10:00, some guy will
leave a yellow station wagon
in an underground garage
at Union and Fanning
Now, Woody Parks
will show about 11:00
The stuff's in the
armrest, front seat
You did good, Vernon
Now, find Cajun for me
What do you got on
for tomorrow night, Phil?
Taking my wife to the movies
Woody Parks is,
uh, making a pickup
A kilo of pure H, about 11:00
Woody Parks supplies
the whole Mission District
Got a chance to
nail him, Phil All right
All right, on one condition
You explain it to my
wife She trusts you
This will kill you an
awful lot of rats, mister
I don't figure anybody's
gonna miss them, do you?
(chuckling) Just
other rats, I suppose
Sign here, please
Thank you That's, uh, $16
and a dollar four
for the governor
PHIL: It's 11:35
GEORGE: He said
"about 11:00," Phil
PHIL: If it gets any later,
it's gonna be about 12:00
GEORGE: I'd sit here all
night, every night for a week
just for the chance
to nail Woody Parks,
even a slim chance
(engine starts)
(tires squealing)
Get him, Phil
♪♪
(horn honks)
PARKS: Look, how was I to know
that you were really the police?
I've been robbed
twice in this garage
PHIL: Well, I hope you
made out a good report
for the police department
- You got him?
- I got him
Let him go, Phil,
we got a bum tip
Hey, I'm gonna report this
This police
harassment's got to stop
I want to
You better shut your
alligator mouth, Woody
Get out of here
Well, it's like the man says,
you can't win them all
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
(trolley bell dings)
KELLER: You know, if
that bullet just nicked Cajun,
it may not even register
as a gunshot wound
I still don't think he'll go
to a doctor or a hospital
What if he's a floater?
Well, if he's a
floater, he'll be in L A
or halfway to Chicago by now
Or he could be
in that free clinic
that you're gonna go
past (tires squealing)
You mean this one here?
Yeah, this one
Well, since we're here,
why don't we, uh, go in
and take a look,
see what's going on
Take these cold pills
like it says on the label
When you run out, come
back and I'll give you some more
- (coughs) -And cut down on
those cigarettes, understand?
Yes, Officers?
You're not City Health boys
I know all of them
And you don't look like
holy holies coming to preach,
and you certainly don't
need medical attention
That usually leaves
the police Next?
I'm Lieutenant Stone,
this is Inspector Keller
Alfred Claymore, M D
What can I do for you?
Well, we're looking for a
man, a man who's been shot
Oh?
Now, the only name
we have on him is Cajun
Gentlemen, I hope you'll
understand when I say
I'm not in the
detective business
This place is for
runaways, the down-and-out
who can't afford to
pay for medical help
If they got the
idea that this place
was being turned into
a police station annex
Doctor, we're not looking for
a purse-snatcher, you know?
We're looking for a
man who killed a woman
CLAYMORE: I never saw him before
The name doesn't mean anything
- Cajun?
- Mm-hmm
I wonder if you'd be kind
enough to put that sketch up
somewhere where the rest of
your staff could take a look at it?
It's a long shot,
but you never know
You know, he's
been hurt, and, uh,
he might just come
in here for help
All right, I'll put
it up in the back
- if it will help - Thank you
You never know
How'd they get my
name and description?
I don't know
(crying) God, I didn't
mean it for it to happen
I didn't mean to hurt that chick
Caj, we got to
split And go where?
Anywhere, L A, San Diego
Are you out of your mind?
Go there cold
without a connection?
You know how long
this stuff is gonna last us?
Caj, we can't stay
here, they'll find you
We can't go anywhere with
just this much to get us there
Then we'll score and get
enough until we can connect
Amy, I'm tapped
I got eight dollars
I'll get it for us
(scoffs) How?
We haven't got
anything left to sell
I'll get it for us
(Andy sniffling)
Why, all the words,
they really don't say
anything, do they?
Well, they don't, uh,
they don't say it right, son, no
I wish I could You
don't need to, Andy
Oh, I am sorry, Dad
Look, my messing up at school,
- you having to leave Maggie
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
We talked that out, remember?
It'll always be there
It wasn't you, Andy
It wasn't me It
was a junkie Yeah
Andy, you're the one good thing
that came out 18
years of being married
And nothing's gonna
change that, son
Nothing's gonna change it, huh?
- You know that?
- Yeah
Boy, tell me how I
put the touch on you
after a speech like
that What do you mean?
Ah, I owe $20
for textbooks, it's
look, it's rotten timing, I know
No, it's not rotten, come
on, I've got it right here
You, uh, you go on
And I'm going to hang
around here a while
- Okay?
- (Andy sniffles)
I'll see you in a few days
And you, uh, you take care of
that cold, will you, son? Hmm?
(engine starts)
(siren wailing)
You came all the way
up here from the morgue
just to tell me that a junkie
died from an overdose?
This junkie died from
mercury cyanide poisoning
Mercury cyanide?
Injected directly
into the bloodstream
Well, a suicide
Well, I'd have thought
the same thing myself
except this is the second one
we've gotten in as many hours
And I've got three
more down there
who may have died
from the same thing
And all these guys are addicts?
All got tracks in their arms
Two from the Mission
District, one from Knob Hill
How long will it take
you to check 'em out?
- A couple of hours - Hurry up
(gasping)
(trolley bell dings)
Homicide, Daly Yes, Dr. Claymore
Potrero Clinic
All right, let's go,
boys Get on the phone
Come on Let's go
Okay, I got it All
right, four more
Thanks, Bob
Just got a call from
Dr. Claymore at Potrero Clinic
There's two more dead addicts
Cyanide poisoning?
They had all the
symptoms Oh, man
Well, what's the count?
KELLER: That's 16 so far, Mike
PHIL: That we know of
Well, the chief wants
every available man
we've got on this one
He just put Narco on it, too
We pick up every known
heroin pusher we can find,
whether we can make
the charges stick or not
We've got to get
them off the street
Their lawyers'll have them
out on the street in an hour
Then we put them right back in!
We've got to find that poison
Well, you heard the man Let's go
Close the door (door closes)
(phone rings)
(siren wailing)
Police! You're under arrest
♪♪
MAN: Hey, man, when
you people foul up,
you really foul up, don't you?
Why don't you just book
me and let me make bail?
No, you're going wait your
turn like everybody else
You ain't got nothing on me
You don't even have
the right to-to bring me in!
Routine questioning, Nap
Why don't you ask your dumb
questions and cut me loose?
What's this all about, anyway?
We've got a load of poisoned
smack out on the streets,
or haven't you heard?
Yeah, I heard, but I
don't know nothing
Can you dig "nothing"?
Oh, I know your client
is anxious to get home...
So am I...
But he's just going to have
to wait his turn, counselor
Well, now, look,
you want to complain,
call Captain Devitt
- Address - Huh?
Address Two West
Bleeker, apartment seven
Two West Bleeker
Excuse me, how
long do I gotta wait
before I can post bail?
See what you made me do?
Now we got to
start all over again
Aw, come on already!
- That's twice!
- Shut your mouth, Sparrow,
and sit right down
You think I like this?
You just stay very quiet,
and stay right there until
I get this filled out right
What was your address again?
Two West Bleeker Jamison!
Jamison, I'm surprised
at you, I really am
This sheet is filled
out improperly
The information is
supposed to go down here
You know better
than that, don't you?
You'll have to do the
whole thing over again
Oh, just relax He'll
get to you Right here
You take care of this
first, before you get to him
He'll get with you
Where's George?
I don't know, out
on the street, I guess
- Is he all right?
- I think so
- This kind of action,
he enjoys - Can I split?
I haven't even
started with you yet
- I didn't do anything,
man - Tell me, man
You've been busted eight
times in the last two years
Now what's your
Social Security number?
My what?
In the local news, a
rash of recent deaths
due to poisoned street narcotics
has prompted some of the
free clinics around the Bay area
into a unique offer
They will test any narcotics
currently held by individuals,
and if no traces of
the poison are found,
they will return those narcotics
Those wishing to avail
themselves of this service
can get details by
calling 386-8271
SPARROW: See,
you got nothing on me
I'm-I'm clean I mean,
and you're asking me
STONE: That stuff is white death
Well, what do you
get so worked up for?
The dying's going
to stop in a while
It's what?
The bad stuff's
gonna get used up
That'll be the end of it
What about the
people who use it?
They're gonna be missed?
There's a world of
junkies out there,
and more getting
turned on, every day,
and suppliers ready to
do business with them
Hey, don't look at
me all goggle-eyed
I'm saying like it is
There's nobody
twisting their arms
to get them to
hit the stuff, man
They hit it 'cause
they-they-they want it
It's the way it is
It's the way it's
always gonna be
Hey, Mike
I think we finally
got a break, man
Did you find out where
the stuff is coming from?
No, I'm talking about Cajun
Free clinic's gonna test the
street junk for the addicts,
see if it's poison or
not, it was on television
Now all we gotta do is
stake out those clinics, man
Now, we haven't had much
time to watch television lately
- Look, I'm telling
you, I - George,
people are dying out there,
and we can't stop
it all by ourselves
I'll investigate it, now,
do you understand that?
(sighs)
What's wrong with you guys?
Don't you care anymore?
27 people have died in
the last 36 hours, George
Well, they're just
junkies, Steve!
They're people
Well, they're filth,
just gutter trash
They deserve whatever
happens to them, Steve
I don't know who deserves what
Yeah
(spritzing)
- Get him out of here
- Come on, come on
Come on, let's go,
will you? Let's go
Hey, where you been?
(sniffles)
Did you hear those,
uh, broadcasts
about the free
clinics testing junk?
Yeah
We got two clinics right up
here in the Potrero District, right?
- Right - We can each take one
And, uh, maybe Cajun'll turn up
We can't do that
- I'm asking you to help me,
Phil -Word just came down
- to lay off the clinics - You
owe me, man, you owe me!
AMY: Did you call the clinic?
Yeah, they'll check it for free
The cops have
nothing to do with it
Are you sure?
As sure as I can be
Can you make it?
I can't even walk,
Caj I need a fix bad
I'm sorry, Caj
That's all right,
baby, that's all right
I love you I'll be right back
(door opens, closes)
Seen anything?
I've seen half a dozen,
but none to fit Cajun
There's nothing here
You see him, you call me George?
I'll call you
Yes?
I-I called one of those numbers
they were giving out
on the radio Oh, yes
Will you check my stuff for me?
- Sure -No tricks No tricks
No offense if I give
you half of it at a time?
Any way you want,
I'm only here to help
It'll take a few minutes
Yes
I'll keep him here until
you arrive, Lieutenant
(clattering)
All right, hold it
right there! Police!
Hold it! Police!
- What are you doing?
- Get out of my way!
- Who are you?
- Police! Get out of my way!
(children shouting happily)
George George, can you hear me?
- Yeah - PHIL:
Hey, I spotted him
Get over to 22nd and
Minnesota, as fast as you can
(siren wailing)
(tires screeching)
(siren stops)
All right, who did the shooting?
He said he was cop
Then he ran out the back
To the schoolyard?
Yeah Look at this place!
All right, we'll make sure
you get paid for the damages
Here, baby Shh-shh
Caj, I can't wait
I gotta take a chance No, no No
Please, Caj? Don't
make me beg Please?
Not you Me Me, first
And if nothing happens,
then you Simple
But if something happens?
Then you'll know not
to take it, won't you?
It's a dead end anyway, Amy
(tires squeal)
(tires screech)
What are you guys doing?
Our job, Stone We're
looking for a killer
You're looking for a vendetta
Now people are dropping
dead all over the city
Why don't you do
something about that?
MAN (over radio):
Inspector George Turner,
call the watch commander
at once on a landline
- Emergency - AMY: Help!
Someone, help!
Caj is dying!
Oh, God, please!
Someone help me!
- Who's dying?
- Won't somebody help me?!
- Caj is dying!
- Caj? -Caj? Cajun?
Phil, call in for me!
I want in on this one
In there!
I got you (mimics gunshot)
I got you George
Wait, Mike I'm gonna
call the meat wagon, Mike
I told you before
to stay out of it
We'll take care of it
You save your sympathy,
Lieutenant, the for ones
these people rob and kill
to support their habit, man!
Get yourself back to the
station and make out your report
Come on, Phil
Homicide's gonna handle it
George! Come here
What's the matter?
Your son's on the
way to the hospital
Cyanide poisoning
(siren wailing)
(siren wailing)
Andy?
Hey, Andy? Hi - Andy?
It's Daddy - Hi, Dad
I'm sorry, Daddy I'm sorry
Don't be mad at me, Daddy
- No, nobody's mad,
son Come on - I'm sorry
- You mean that?
- No, Daddy loves you
Nothing's gonna
change that, okay, hmm?
He told the attendant
he's been strung out
for the past six
months He's dead, Phil
I'll take care of
everything I'm sorry
It's my, it's my fault,
Mike I I killed him
See, I didn't know that
I was looking for Cajun
I-I didn't know he
How did you kill him?
What?
Well, you said
you killed your son
How did you do it?
Well, yeah, well,
I mean, I wasn't,
I wasn't there when he
needed me, you know?
It's just
Did you kill Cajun, too?
No The boy needs
a strong hand, Mike
That's what I meant
I mean, he just, he
needs a father image,
someone he can,
he can look up to
Yeah, how many more
did you kill, 30, 31?
Oh, to hell with 'em, Mike!
They're slime and
just human garbage!
I mean, they're just
junkies! Just junkies, Mike!
That's right, slime, human
garbage, junkies like your son
- (grunting) - Come
on - Come on - Mike!
(grunting)
Now, those addicts were
people before they were junkies,
just like your son
They had fathers, too, you know
And no matter what they become,
there's somebody
who cares for them,
somebody who doesn't
want to see them dead
(grunts)
Don't
Now you tell me
who's got that poison
Whose stuff did you get into?
Woody Parks
It wasn't a bum tip, was it?
You found it and you poisoned it
Woody Parks is your
man Here's his address
Here He's not your
partner anymore
He's your prisoner
Andy Andy! (sobs)
♪♪
I want to talk to you, man
Hey, why don't you
put that thing away?
This is just to
make sure you listen
Now, you're the one that put
that poison out on
the street, Woody
Oh, get off that
I had it checked It was all bad
And if I had more than a
weekend habit, I'd have been dead
I wouldn't do that
It's like cutting my own throat
You don't have
to worry about that
'cause if you can't come
up with the right thing,
I'm gonna cut it for you
Okay, let's go to my apartment
♪♪
(tires screech)
(tires squeal)
Hey, it's Parks!
(tires squeal)
(siren wailing)
♪♪
Pull over! Pull
over! You heard me!
Pull over!
(horn blaring)
(siren stops)
(horn blaring)
(blaring stops)
You know how many bags
this could have cut into?
I'd rather not count
(tires squeal)
KELLER: I don't
know I still think
you ought to ask for a transfer
That's what my wife says
Only I don't notice you
guys getting home any earlier
STONE: Yeah, not lately
Hi, Steve Hi, Mike STONE: George
How's it going, Phil?
Pretty good
Just got one death this week
Yeah, well, I'm sorry
STONE: I believe you
Doesn't help much,
though, does it?
Nothing's gonna help, Mike
Nothing's gonna change
The poison's still on
the street You know that?
Just a different kind of poison!
It's slower, but it's
just as deadly, right?
Gonna keep killing
people like Maggie, my son
PHIL: And Cajun?
How's it going?
I'm still trying
(engine starts)
He's wrong, you know
Things are changing all the time
Sometimes just not
for the better, that's all
STONE: And the
only thing you can do
is keep trying, right?
PHIL: Right
MAN: You look tired.
Your eyes are red.
WOMAN: Can't seem
to shake this cold.
MAN: Yeah?
WOMAN: I haven't been
sleeping too well lately either.
How come?
Oh, I met a fella that
treats me like a lady.
Like a lady, huh,
and not a woman?
He says he'll do that
after we get married.
Oh, yeah. When is that?
When his final divorce
papers come through.
Uh-huh.
In one month, two
weeks and four days.
No, no, three days.
(laughs) Just wanted to see
if you were paying attention.
Okay, little girl, you got to
remember what I told you now.
Can you remember?
Nothing more than
routine stuff until I get back,
and I will be back in
about an hour... or so.
- Say hi to Andy for me.
- Okay.
Phil, you take care
of my girl for me.
Just like she was my own.
- Yeah.
- (both chuckle)
WOMAN: It's gonna take more
than a 30-minute
talk with his teacher.
George, you got to spend
more time with Andy.
He's at an age where
he needs a strong hand.
GEORGE: Yeah, I know what
you're saying, Judy. I understand.
JUDY: But if you're
so busy playing house
with your new girlfriend...
All right, Judy, look, what I do
and with whom is
none of your business,
and I got a paper to prove that.
Now you just stop trying
to put the needle in, okay?
JUDY: I'm trying to make
you talk about your son.
Oh, yeah? Since when?
He's changing, George.
Something's happening to him.
He's not the
same, he's different.
Andy is growing up, he's
growing up, Judy, that's all.
No, there's more
to it than that.
I'm worried.
I don't like the... the people
he's running around with.
Okay, I'll talk with him. I'll
say something to him, okay?
Andrew, I've got
some shopping to do.
You be sure you go home
right after you and your
father are finished. Okay?
- Maggie said to say hello.
- How is she?
- She's got a cold.
- (chuckles) Me, too.
Well, say hello
back for me, will ya?
Yeah. Mr. Bentine, he talked
kind of rough in
there a minute ago.
Oh, boy. Well, I
guess he's got a right.
I've been kind of
goofing off a lot lately.
- You got no alibis or...? No?
- Spring fever?
What's with these, these guys
you've been bumming
around with lately?
Your mother, she doesn't
seem to think much of them.
Oh, boy. You tell me
something she does like.
She likes you.
You know what I mean.
She's always pick,
pick, pick, nag, nag.
That's because she
cares for you, son.
Hey, well, why is it
when she picks on me
it's because she cares,
she picks on you
because she doesn't care,
and you wind up
getting divorced?
- Oh, hey, oh, you're a
pretty smart kid -Yeah
If you're so smart, why
aren't you passing algebra
in that high school, huh?
(chuckles) Okay, I'll try harder
Just between you and
me, when you turn 18,
if you want to, you can,
you can move in with
Maggie and me, okay?
What'll she say about that?
It's her idea, not mine
Oh, uh, Dad, could
you spare a few bucks?
I gave you ten last week
No, it's all right
I got it, I got it
(grunts) Dig down,
pull up All I have is a 20
- You don't want a 20, do you?
- Oh, that's too bad
- Hey, I'll take
it - You'll take it?
I thought you would Come on now
- Hey, hey, son?
- Yeah?
You gonna do
something about that cold?
Oh, yeah (sniffles)
See ya, Dad
(horn beeps)
♪♪
Hi MAN: Hi Where you
been keeping yourself?
Do I know you?
I seen you a couple times
Just thought you'd
seen me So I seen you
Coming down
Thanks for the favor
What's the matter?
I'm-I'm hurting Go see a doctor
But my doctor got
busted three days ago
Hey, look, I said I've seen you
I didn't say that I know you
That's real cute
Hey, tell you what
You put me in touch
with your connection,
and I'll buy you a nickel
bag for, for every one I buy
Maybe I can make a call
Has your connection
always got a supply?
He can always get it
Suppose I could
make regular buys?
That's between you and him
Where is he?
He'll be here
Sure is careful type
What other kind is there?
Hey, what do you say, Cajun?
I brought my friend
Honky, she's a narc!
(struggling over radio)
(gunshot)
Police!
(gasps)
Maggie Tell George I
(indistinct radio transmission)
STONE: Here, take
this to the print lab
Maybe we'll get lucky
PHIL: We weren't working
on anything specific,
just targets of opportunity,
and she made a connection
STONE: Did she try to stop him?
No No, he recognized her
KELLER: Okay, a tall
thin guy named "Cajun,"
- possible bullet wound
- Yeah, I think I hit him
- He jumped like he was
stung - What about the pusher?
He was black You saw him?
No, but when he made
Maggie, he called Cajun a honky
Anything else you
remember about Cajun?
I didn't get close
enough to him, Steve
Maybe somebody back
at the bar got a better look
That'll be our
first stop, the bar
George, I'm sorry
What the hell happened, Phil?
She was making
a buy It went sour
If I'd been here, it
wouldn't have happened
If you had been there, the same
exact thing would have happened
It's nobody's fault
It's somebody's fault, Steve!
And we're gonna
find him, I promise
Yeah, you will
Unless I find him first
Wait a minute now
You stay out of
it, will you? Please
We'll take care of it, I promise
Oh, they shouldn't give
women this kind of work
It's too dangerous
KELLER: Dangerous was her choice
George George
George, take some
time off Go home
Do what?
I'm gonna kill him, Phil
I'm gonna look in every
hole in this city till I find him,
I'm gonna kill him
Yeah, we don't get a very wide
range of customers around here
Rummies and derelicts,
pushers, hookers
You know, we don't even
take time to look at 'em
We just serve 'em
The description we have
is of a tall skinny man
Oh, you know how many
that fits who come in here?
This guy was here
about an hour ago
He left with a girl
A lot of 'em do that
She was wearing jeans
She had blonde hair and,
oh, an awful lot of finger rings
Oh, her Yeah, I
remember Him, too
They muttered together
for a while and then left
Hey, he was a skinny kid Kid?
Yeah, about 20, 22
He, uh, had kind
of a wild-eyed look
I've seen him around somewhere,
but I don't know
anything about him
(man whimpers)
Tell me, Vernon, if
I got your attention
- Don't hit me - I
want some information
- I done - I haven't
asked you yet!
If I knew anything, I'd
tell ya Don't I always?
Do you, Vernon?
Sure, Inspector
Business is business
This is personal,
Vernon Understand?
I'm looking for a junk
hog named Cajun
I never heard of him
You just did Ask
around, you find him
You find where he
flops, find his pusher
You get something
for me, Vernon,
you call me at headquarters,
you understand? Soon
Or I'll be back
and I'll pick up
what's left of you
with a pair of tweezers
PHIL: I wasn't that close
to him, but the hair is sandy
and it went back
and stuck up like that
He hadn't combed
it He's skinny, man
He is skinny The
cheekbones are higher
Yeah, yeah, that
nose isn't right, uh-uh
STONE: Did she say where
she'd seen Cajun before?
No No, but we'd been
working the North Beach area
for the last four months, so
I figure that's where he lives
STONE: Okay, then we'll
concentrate our search
in that area to start
and then we'll widen it
- Check out all the
hospitals - Right
They only got partial
prints from the gun
They're not Maggie's
Enough for a positive ID?
Nope, we'll have
to catch the guy first
Hey, Phil
They told me downstairs
you were up here
- You got something?
- We're working on it
You start making sketches,
man, you're at a dead end
KELLER: Well, we
got to do something
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
Keller, just save that
for the reporters, will you?
- George George
- I've been around
Well, I mean, you're not
gonna find him in here
or with that thing,
he's out there
You want to find him,
you got to leave your
nice, warm office here
- and go out there
- Come on, George
- I want to talk to you Come
with me -Talk, yeah, talk
That's all you guys have been
doing since Maggie was killed
If I don't see some
action pretty soon,
man, I'm gonna put on a
few fancy moves of my own
You understand that?
Inspector, come in here
I want to talk to you Come on
George, I know what
you're going through,
but you're too involved
You're damn right, I'm involved
And you can't be objective
Objective? (scoffs)
So, I want you to
keep your mouth shut
and stay out of this
case, because if you don't,
I'll have you suspended
for interfering with a
murder investigation
You'd do that, too,
wouldn't you, Mike?
Stay with him
See that he doesn't do
anything he'll be sorry for
He and Maggie
had a very rare thing
I know, I know
that I'll talk to him
PHIL: Mike was right to say
GEORGE: I'm not some
J Q citizen off the street
- I'm a cop - Then act like one!
Don't you side with him
Look, just let him
handle it, will you?
Nobody would have
had to handle anything
if you'd been on
the ball, Phil, right?
I know that
Maybe you better find
yourself another partner
I'm sorry, Phil Sure
Well, I said I was sorry
Okay (phone rings)
Narcotics, Inspector
Turner It's me, Vernon
I've been waiting
for you to call Yeah?
Well, nobody in
the Mission District
ever heard of that
fella you're looking for
The whole Mission
District, Vernon?
I can't find him, I tell you
Well, you better
Oh, please, Inspector,
it's a dead end
It's a bust
But listen, I got
somebody else for you
I don't want
anybody else, Vernon
You want Woody Parks?
Turner, you there?
What about Woody Parks?
Tomorrow night
he's picking up
a kilo of pure stuff
A kilo Go on
10:00, some guy will
leave a yellow station wagon
in an underground garage
at Union and Fanning
Now, Woody Parks
will show about 11:00
The stuff's in the
armrest, front seat
You did good, Vernon
Now, find Cajun for me
What do you got on
for tomorrow night, Phil?
Taking my wife to the movies
Woody Parks is,
uh, making a pickup
A kilo of pure H, about 11:00
Woody Parks supplies
the whole Mission District
Got a chance to
nail him, Phil All right
All right, on one condition
You explain it to my
wife She trusts you
This will kill you an
awful lot of rats, mister
I don't figure anybody's
gonna miss them, do you?
(chuckling) Just
other rats, I suppose
Sign here, please
Thank you That's, uh, $16
and a dollar four
for the governor
PHIL: It's 11:35
GEORGE: He said
"about 11:00," Phil
PHIL: If it gets any later,
it's gonna be about 12:00
GEORGE: I'd sit here all
night, every night for a week
just for the chance
to nail Woody Parks,
even a slim chance
(engine starts)
(tires squealing)
Get him, Phil
♪♪
(horn honks)
PARKS: Look, how was I to know
that you were really the police?
I've been robbed
twice in this garage
PHIL: Well, I hope you
made out a good report
for the police department
- You got him?
- I got him
Let him go, Phil,
we got a bum tip
Hey, I'm gonna report this
This police
harassment's got to stop
I want to
You better shut your
alligator mouth, Woody
Get out of here
Well, it's like the man says,
you can't win them all
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
(trolley bell dings)
KELLER: You know, if
that bullet just nicked Cajun,
it may not even register
as a gunshot wound
I still don't think he'll go
to a doctor or a hospital
What if he's a floater?
Well, if he's a
floater, he'll be in L A
or halfway to Chicago by now
Or he could be
in that free clinic
that you're gonna go
past (tires squealing)
You mean this one here?
Yeah, this one
Well, since we're here,
why don't we, uh, go in
and take a look,
see what's going on
Take these cold pills
like it says on the label
When you run out, come
back and I'll give you some more
- (coughs) -And cut down on
those cigarettes, understand?
Yes, Officers?
You're not City Health boys
I know all of them
And you don't look like
holy holies coming to preach,
and you certainly don't
need medical attention
That usually leaves
the police Next?
I'm Lieutenant Stone,
this is Inspector Keller
Alfred Claymore, M D
What can I do for you?
Well, we're looking for a
man, a man who's been shot
Oh?
Now, the only name
we have on him is Cajun
Gentlemen, I hope you'll
understand when I say
I'm not in the
detective business
This place is for
runaways, the down-and-out
who can't afford to
pay for medical help
If they got the
idea that this place
was being turned into
a police station annex
Doctor, we're not looking for
a purse-snatcher, you know?
We're looking for a
man who killed a woman
CLAYMORE: I never saw him before
The name doesn't mean anything
- Cajun?
- Mm-hmm
I wonder if you'd be kind
enough to put that sketch up
somewhere where the rest of
your staff could take a look at it?
It's a long shot,
but you never know
You know, he's
been hurt, and, uh,
he might just come
in here for help
All right, I'll put
it up in the back
- if it will help - Thank you
You never know
How'd they get my
name and description?
I don't know
(crying) God, I didn't
mean it for it to happen
I didn't mean to hurt that chick
Caj, we got to
split And go where?
Anywhere, L A, San Diego
Are you out of your mind?
Go there cold
without a connection?
You know how long
this stuff is gonna last us?
Caj, we can't stay
here, they'll find you
We can't go anywhere with
just this much to get us there
Then we'll score and get
enough until we can connect
Amy, I'm tapped
I got eight dollars
I'll get it for us
(scoffs) How?
We haven't got
anything left to sell
I'll get it for us
(Andy sniffling)
Why, all the words,
they really don't say
anything, do they?
Well, they don't, uh,
they don't say it right, son, no
I wish I could You
don't need to, Andy
Oh, I am sorry, Dad
Look, my messing up at school,
- you having to leave Maggie
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
We talked that out, remember?
It'll always be there
It wasn't you, Andy
It wasn't me It
was a junkie Yeah
Andy, you're the one good thing
that came out 18
years of being married
And nothing's gonna
change that, son
Nothing's gonna change it, huh?
- You know that?
- Yeah
Boy, tell me how I
put the touch on you
after a speech like
that What do you mean?
Ah, I owe $20
for textbooks, it's
look, it's rotten timing, I know
No, it's not rotten, come
on, I've got it right here
You, uh, you go on
And I'm going to hang
around here a while
- Okay?
- (Andy sniffles)
I'll see you in a few days
And you, uh, you take care of
that cold, will you, son? Hmm?
(engine starts)
(siren wailing)
You came all the way
up here from the morgue
just to tell me that a junkie
died from an overdose?
This junkie died from
mercury cyanide poisoning
Mercury cyanide?
Injected directly
into the bloodstream
Well, a suicide
Well, I'd have thought
the same thing myself
except this is the second one
we've gotten in as many hours
And I've got three
more down there
who may have died
from the same thing
And all these guys are addicts?
All got tracks in their arms
Two from the Mission
District, one from Knob Hill
How long will it take
you to check 'em out?
- A couple of hours - Hurry up
(gasping)
(trolley bell dings)
Homicide, Daly Yes, Dr. Claymore
Potrero Clinic
All right, let's go,
boys Get on the phone
Come on Let's go
Okay, I got it All
right, four more
Thanks, Bob
Just got a call from
Dr. Claymore at Potrero Clinic
There's two more dead addicts
Cyanide poisoning?
They had all the
symptoms Oh, man
Well, what's the count?
KELLER: That's 16 so far, Mike
PHIL: That we know of
Well, the chief wants
every available man
we've got on this one
He just put Narco on it, too
We pick up every known
heroin pusher we can find,
whether we can make
the charges stick or not
We've got to get
them off the street
Their lawyers'll have them
out on the street in an hour
Then we put them right back in!
We've got to find that poison
Well, you heard the man Let's go
Close the door (door closes)
(phone rings)
(siren wailing)
Police! You're under arrest
♪♪
MAN: Hey, man, when
you people foul up,
you really foul up, don't you?
Why don't you just book
me and let me make bail?
No, you're going wait your
turn like everybody else
You ain't got nothing on me
You don't even have
the right to-to bring me in!
Routine questioning, Nap
Why don't you ask your dumb
questions and cut me loose?
What's this all about, anyway?
We've got a load of poisoned
smack out on the streets,
or haven't you heard?
Yeah, I heard, but I
don't know nothing
Can you dig "nothing"?
Oh, I know your client
is anxious to get home...
So am I...
But he's just going to have
to wait his turn, counselor
Well, now, look,
you want to complain,
call Captain Devitt
- Address - Huh?
Address Two West
Bleeker, apartment seven
Two West Bleeker
Excuse me, how
long do I gotta wait
before I can post bail?
See what you made me do?
Now we got to
start all over again
Aw, come on already!
- That's twice!
- Shut your mouth, Sparrow,
and sit right down
You think I like this?
You just stay very quiet,
and stay right there until
I get this filled out right
What was your address again?
Two West Bleeker Jamison!
Jamison, I'm surprised
at you, I really am
This sheet is filled
out improperly
The information is
supposed to go down here
You know better
than that, don't you?
You'll have to do the
whole thing over again
Oh, just relax He'll
get to you Right here
You take care of this
first, before you get to him
He'll get with you
Where's George?
I don't know, out
on the street, I guess
- Is he all right?
- I think so
- This kind of action,
he enjoys - Can I split?
I haven't even
started with you yet
- I didn't do anything,
man - Tell me, man
You've been busted eight
times in the last two years
Now what's your
Social Security number?
My what?
In the local news, a
rash of recent deaths
due to poisoned street narcotics
has prompted some of the
free clinics around the Bay area
into a unique offer
They will test any narcotics
currently held by individuals,
and if no traces of
the poison are found,
they will return those narcotics
Those wishing to avail
themselves of this service
can get details by
calling 386-8271
SPARROW: See,
you got nothing on me
I'm-I'm clean I mean,
and you're asking me
STONE: That stuff is white death
Well, what do you
get so worked up for?
The dying's going
to stop in a while
It's what?
The bad stuff's
gonna get used up
That'll be the end of it
What about the
people who use it?
They're gonna be missed?
There's a world of
junkies out there,
and more getting
turned on, every day,
and suppliers ready to
do business with them
Hey, don't look at
me all goggle-eyed
I'm saying like it is
There's nobody
twisting their arms
to get them to
hit the stuff, man
They hit it 'cause
they-they-they want it
It's the way it is
It's the way it's
always gonna be
Hey, Mike
I think we finally
got a break, man
Did you find out where
the stuff is coming from?
No, I'm talking about Cajun
Free clinic's gonna test the
street junk for the addicts,
see if it's poison or
not, it was on television
Now all we gotta do is
stake out those clinics, man
Now, we haven't had much
time to watch television lately
- Look, I'm telling
you, I - George,
people are dying out there,
and we can't stop
it all by ourselves
I'll investigate it, now,
do you understand that?
(sighs)
What's wrong with you guys?
Don't you care anymore?
27 people have died in
the last 36 hours, George
Well, they're just
junkies, Steve!
They're people
Well, they're filth,
just gutter trash
They deserve whatever
happens to them, Steve
I don't know who deserves what
Yeah
(spritzing)
- Get him out of here
- Come on, come on
Come on, let's go,
will you? Let's go
Hey, where you been?
(sniffles)
Did you hear those,
uh, broadcasts
about the free
clinics testing junk?
Yeah
We got two clinics right up
here in the Potrero District, right?
- Right - We can each take one
And, uh, maybe Cajun'll turn up
We can't do that
- I'm asking you to help me,
Phil -Word just came down
- to lay off the clinics - You
owe me, man, you owe me!
AMY: Did you call the clinic?
Yeah, they'll check it for free
The cops have
nothing to do with it
Are you sure?
As sure as I can be
Can you make it?
I can't even walk,
Caj I need a fix bad
I'm sorry, Caj
That's all right,
baby, that's all right
I love you I'll be right back
(door opens, closes)
Seen anything?
I've seen half a dozen,
but none to fit Cajun
There's nothing here
You see him, you call me George?
I'll call you
Yes?
I-I called one of those numbers
they were giving out
on the radio Oh, yes
Will you check my stuff for me?
- Sure -No tricks No tricks
No offense if I give
you half of it at a time?
Any way you want,
I'm only here to help
It'll take a few minutes
Yes
I'll keep him here until
you arrive, Lieutenant
(clattering)
All right, hold it
right there! Police!
Hold it! Police!
- What are you doing?
- Get out of my way!
- Who are you?
- Police! Get out of my way!
(children shouting happily)
George George, can you hear me?
- Yeah - PHIL:
Hey, I spotted him
Get over to 22nd and
Minnesota, as fast as you can
(siren wailing)
(tires screeching)
(siren stops)
All right, who did the shooting?
He said he was cop
Then he ran out the back
To the schoolyard?
Yeah Look at this place!
All right, we'll make sure
you get paid for the damages
Here, baby Shh-shh
Caj, I can't wait
I gotta take a chance No, no No
Please, Caj? Don't
make me beg Please?
Not you Me Me, first
And if nothing happens,
then you Simple
But if something happens?
Then you'll know not
to take it, won't you?
It's a dead end anyway, Amy
(tires squeal)
(tires screech)
What are you guys doing?
Our job, Stone We're
looking for a killer
You're looking for a vendetta
Now people are dropping
dead all over the city
Why don't you do
something about that?
MAN (over radio):
Inspector George Turner,
call the watch commander
at once on a landline
- Emergency - AMY: Help!
Someone, help!
Caj is dying!
Oh, God, please!
Someone help me!
- Who's dying?
- Won't somebody help me?!
- Caj is dying!
- Caj? -Caj? Cajun?
Phil, call in for me!
I want in on this one
In there!
I got you (mimics gunshot)
I got you George
Wait, Mike I'm gonna
call the meat wagon, Mike
I told you before
to stay out of it
We'll take care of it
You save your sympathy,
Lieutenant, the for ones
these people rob and kill
to support their habit, man!
Get yourself back to the
station and make out your report
Come on, Phil
Homicide's gonna handle it
George! Come here
What's the matter?
Your son's on the
way to the hospital
Cyanide poisoning
(siren wailing)
(siren wailing)
Andy?
Hey, Andy? Hi - Andy?
It's Daddy - Hi, Dad
I'm sorry, Daddy I'm sorry
Don't be mad at me, Daddy
- No, nobody's mad,
son Come on - I'm sorry
- You mean that?
- No, Daddy loves you
Nothing's gonna
change that, okay, hmm?
He told the attendant
he's been strung out
for the past six
months He's dead, Phil
I'll take care of
everything I'm sorry
It's my, it's my fault,
Mike I I killed him
See, I didn't know that
I was looking for Cajun
I-I didn't know he
How did you kill him?
What?
Well, you said
you killed your son
How did you do it?
Well, yeah, well,
I mean, I wasn't,
I wasn't there when he
needed me, you know?
It's just
Did you kill Cajun, too?
No The boy needs
a strong hand, Mike
That's what I meant
I mean, he just, he
needs a father image,
someone he can,
he can look up to
Yeah, how many more
did you kill, 30, 31?
Oh, to hell with 'em, Mike!
They're slime and
just human garbage!
I mean, they're just
junkies! Just junkies, Mike!
That's right, slime, human
garbage, junkies like your son
- (grunting) - Come
on - Come on - Mike!
(grunting)
Now, those addicts were
people before they were junkies,
just like your son
They had fathers, too, you know
And no matter what they become,
there's somebody
who cares for them,
somebody who doesn't
want to see them dead
(grunts)
Don't
Now you tell me
who's got that poison
Whose stuff did you get into?
Woody Parks
It wasn't a bum tip, was it?
You found it and you poisoned it
Woody Parks is your
man Here's his address
Here He's not your
partner anymore
He's your prisoner
Andy Andy! (sobs)
♪♪
I want to talk to you, man
Hey, why don't you
put that thing away?
This is just to
make sure you listen
Now, you're the one that put
that poison out on
the street, Woody
Oh, get off that
I had it checked It was all bad
And if I had more than a
weekend habit, I'd have been dead
I wouldn't do that
It's like cutting my own throat
You don't have
to worry about that
'cause if you can't come
up with the right thing,
I'm gonna cut it for you
Okay, let's go to my apartment
♪♪
(tires screech)
(tires squeal)
Hey, it's Parks!
(tires squeal)
(siren wailing)
♪♪
Pull over! Pull
over! You heard me!
Pull over!
(horn blaring)
(siren stops)
(horn blaring)
(blaring stops)
You know how many bags
this could have cut into?
I'd rather not count
(tires squeal)
KELLER: I don't
know I still think
you ought to ask for a transfer
That's what my wife says
Only I don't notice you
guys getting home any earlier
STONE: Yeah, not lately
Hi, Steve Hi, Mike STONE: George
How's it going, Phil?
Pretty good
Just got one death this week
Yeah, well, I'm sorry
STONE: I believe you
Doesn't help much,
though, does it?
Nothing's gonna help, Mike
Nothing's gonna change
The poison's still on
the street You know that?
Just a different kind of poison!
It's slower, but it's
just as deadly, right?
Gonna keep killing
people like Maggie, my son
PHIL: And Cajun?
How's it going?
I'm still trying
(engine starts)
He's wrong, you know
Things are changing all the time
Sometimes just not
for the better, that's all
STONE: And the
only thing you can do
is keep trying, right?
PHIL: Right