Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 7, Episode 15 - Thief of Hearts - full transcript

When I adopted my
children, I discovered

that there were more than
120,000 children every day

in our country who dream
of being adopted by someone

who will love and care for them.

Tonight's episode of
Touched by an Angel

is the story of one little boy
who shares the same dream...

To find someone
special to call "Mom."

No way. No!

- I can't do this.
- Yes, you can, Tess.

Try harder.

Why should I?



Because it's an
important lesson.

Opening new doors,
conquering fears.

I am not afraid.

It just seems to me,

when the human beings made
the door and the doorknob,

they should've stopped
right there and not

gone on to great
glass propellers.

You can do it, Tess.

You see?

It's easy as pie.

You just have to keep walking.

You walk first.

That's cheating.

We both ended up
here. Come on. Let's go.



We're late, thanks to you.

Where have you been?

Are you having a little trouble
with that revolving door again?

No!

- Anything happened yet?
- No, not yet.

But I think we're close.

- That's Alice?
- Yeah.

Keep an eye on
that locket she's got.

Hey, this isn't a library.

If you want to read it, buy it.

Shouldn't you be in school?

Hey, Alice, what are you
running here, a business

or a day care?

Keep your shirt on,
Harry. What do you got

for me today?

Same crummy old
knickknacks you always order.

Hey.

Oh.

Oh, I'll get it.

Hey! What are you doing?!

Come back here,
you little thief!

Mitch, wake up,

for God's sake!
I've been robbed!

Somebody call the police!

I'm afraid that locket

means everything to Alice.

It's a shame how human
beings put all their stock

in something material
like a little gold heart,

and then something like this
happens and it's gone forever.

Oh, it's not gone, baby.

We're gonna find
that little locket thing

and the little lost boy that
took it, and when we do,

we may just find another heart
for Alice all at the same time.

♪ When you walk ♪

♪ Down the road ♪

♪ Heavy burden ♪

♪ Heavy load ♪

♪ I will rise ♪

♪ And I will walk with you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Every time, I tell you ♪

♪ I'll walk with you ♪

♪ Walk with you ♪

♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪

That's some kind of
system you got there.

You'd think a bunch of
business types would figure out

how to throw something away
when they're done with it, but no.

Leave it to somebody
else to clean up the mess.

That's half of what's
wrong with this world.

What's the other half?

They don't appreciate the people

who do clean up after them.

Oh, I think you're
doing a wonderful job.

I'm Tess. I'm
working the coffee cart

until Bernadette
recovers from her surgery.

Alice Dupree. About time she
took care of that bunion thing.

Well, anyway,
welcome to our world.

And let me give you a
piece of friendly advice:

hide your valuables.

We're in the middle
of a crime wave here.

I heard a little boy
took your locket.

Not just a locket, Tess; a
priceless family heirloom.

Why would a little boy
want a dusty old locket?

I don't know. I'm
not the criminal.

Excuse me.

Alice Dupree?

- Yeah, that's me.
- Hello. I'm Monica.

What took you so long?

Where have you been?

And where's your backup?

Well, I didn't think I needed
backup for a petty theft report.

Excuse me?

Petty?

That locket was
very important to me.

My mother gave it to me.

It was a family heirloom.

Oh.

Was the thief a member
of your family, then?

What were you before
they sent you to me?

A meter maid?

I'm just trying to
determine motive.

If the wee boy had wanted
money, he would've just stolen cash.

That's what I was trying to say.

I don't know.

Maybe he's just a weird kid.

Would you like to tell
me how it happened?

I was checking in a shipment

when I saw this kid
reading a travel magazine.

I knew something was up.

I mean, I know
what kids read about,

and it's not weekend
packages to Puerto Vallarta.

Anyway, I turn
around for one second,

the little weasel

grabs my locket and takes off.

The security cameras
got photos of all of it.

He's a cute wee fella, isn't he?

Oh, look at that face.

Oh, yeah, he's a cutie.

In an Al Capone sort of way.

Here's a sketch of the locket.

It's gold with a picture of
my mother on the inside.

Her name was Charlotte.

God rest her soul.

You must've loved her very much.

She was my mother.

What do you think?

I'm just trying to
gather all the facts here.

Here are all the facts you need:

It's my locket.

The kid stole it.

I want it back.

Suppose I'd better go
and find him somewhere.

Well, just don't find
out where he is, baby;

find out who he is,

and you'll find
more than a locket.

What?

Aren't police officers
supposed to get free coffee?

That's Corey Taylor,
but he's absent today.

He's absent a lot.

Would you have his address?

Unfortunately, he's
not home, either.

I've already called.

I see.

He's a wonderful student,

on the days that he is here,

but what with his
situation and all...

His situation?

He has special needs.

A heart condition.

Where should I start looking?

You're the truant officer

and you don't know?

Where they always are.

II

What are you doing?

Oh, just a little reorganizing.

Why?

To see if it works better.

Never tried it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Well, I have a system.

It's called "you never
know what can happen

if you'll open yourself
up to new possibilities."

Hello, Alice.

That was quick.

Get my locket?

No, not yet.

Have you identified the perp?

- The perp?
- The perp.

The perpetrator.

What kind of cop are you?

His name is Corey.

Okay, and...?

He's an orphan
with special needs.

An orphan, huh?

Special needs, my foot.

What that kid needs

is a one-way ticket
to juvenile hall.

No, you don't understand.

He has a heart condition.

What I don't understand

is why I don't have
my locket back.

Because Corey has it.

And where is he?

Well, I'm working on a lead.

I just came to keep you posted.

You're killing me here.

He got here about
five minutes ago.

Have you talked to him yet?

No, not yet.

Monica?

Make every minute count.

Hello, Corey.

You're busted.

It's my lunch break.

I was just on my
way back to school.

I've already been
to the school, Corey.

Oh.

And that's not the only
reason why I'm here.

I didn't do anything.

Oh.

That locket is very important

to the lady it belongs to.

I know.

I guess I better
bring it back, huh?

That would be a good start.

Aren't you gonna go with me?

No, I'm going to trust you.

You are?

You won't let me down, will you?

Seems like you've decided to
do a little reorganizing yourself.

Yep.

I'm gonna put the kids
magazines next to the cash register

where I can keep a
closer eye on them.

The business rags are there now,

but I'm gonna stick
them on the end

because nobody ever
steals Wall Street Weekly.

Uh, Alice, maybe I
didn't make myself clear.

I was talking about

making changes
to improve your life,

not your security system.

I'm just trying to
protect what's mine.

Rip me off once, shame on you.

Rip me off twice, shame on me.

Every criminal
started out as a kid.

You don't really think that
child is a criminal, do you?

Why is that so hard to believe?

That's another thing.

Nobody wants to
get tough on kids,

so there's a lot of little
Coreys running around

ripping people off.

One mistake does not
make that child a criminal.

He's just sick and afraid,

and he has no parents
to see him through.

Well, there you go.

Unless you come from a good
home like I did, you're toast.

Then what he needs
is a good home.

And who's gonna let a
little thief into their house?

There are wonderful
people out there

who take in children
like Corey. Good people.

People who have love to give

and are not afraid
to make a change.

Bleeding hearts.

You want to gamble, go to Vegas.

I found him, Alice...

Corey... And he's
a very nice boy.

My locket's very
nice, too. Where is it?

Well, he's going to
bring it to you personally.

Why didn't you
use your handcuffs?

Because I thought it
would be good for him

to know what it felt
like to be trusted.

Oh, that's nice. Very good.

Trust is an important thing.

I remember the last
time I trusted someone.

She was a cop, and
she was supposed

to bring me back my locket.

But instead, she proved
what I've known all along.

Trust leads to disappointment.

Mitch! I'm out of here!

All right, Alice.

I don't think Alice would
want her locket back

without this picture
of her mother in it.

She said her name was Charlotte.

She's lovely, isn't she?

I thought it was a
picture of just some lady.

I didn't know it was her mom.

I'm sure you didn't.

Do you like hot dogs, Corey?

Did you really think I was
gonna bring back the necklace?

Well, I wasn't sure, but I
wanted to give you a chance.

Nobody trusts kids
from the boys' home.

They think we're all bad.

Can you tell me
about the boys' home?

Well, it's where they
send losers like me

who don't have moms or dads.

Sometimes I think
it won't happen.

No one wants to
adopt a kid who's sick.

And, of course, you'd
like to be adopted.

Yeah.

I've come close a million times.

They all changed their minds

when they found out
my heart is messed up.

I think it won't
happen sometimes.

And what kind of
mom would you like?

I want one of those TV
moms in the commercials.

You know, they
dab the kid's head

when they have a cold or
a fever, and they kiss them.

Yeah.

Moms are very
good at that, I think.

Yeah.

Maybe you should
take this back to her.

I could, but I think you
need to take it back yourself.

And what if I don't?

I think that you will.

Hey, I thought I told you

I didn't want to see
you around here.

Get lost! It's a free country!

Not for you.

What you got for us today, kid?

Check his pockets.

Get off me!

Hey, give that back.

Hey!

Hey!

You okay?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey.

Just breathe easy, all right?

Don't panic.

You okay?

Yeah.

It's those kids.

They mess with me
every day at school.

I'm Andrew.

Corey.

Hi.

I've seen you before.

Could be.

Well... well, thanks.

Sure. So where were you going?

I had to return
something to this lady.

Now I can't because
those jerks stole it.

Oh, yeah?

Well, I guess you're
just gonna have

to tell her what happened.

She won't believe me.

She hates me.

You never know.

So what do you say I,
uh... I just go with you?

Yeah, I could use some backup.

Let's do it.

So, do you just stand around
and rescue people all day?

Yeah, pretty much.

There are so many
beautiful things

to see in this world.

So I've heard.

Don't you ever take a vacation?

Don't need to.

You see, my mother
showed me the world

by reading to me every night.

I've seen the Eiffel Tower,

the pyramids in
Egypt, the Himalayas.

I've even been to
the Emerald City.

All right up here,
thanks to my mother.

Really?

Hello.

Guess what little sociopath

didn't show up
like you promised.

He'll be here soon. I
just bought him a hot dog.

You bought him a hot dog?

He was hungry.

What are you doing?

I'm taking down
your badge number.

Cough it up.

I came to say I'm sorry.

Sorry isn't good enough,
kid. Just hand it over.

I don't have it.

These guys, they
stole it from me

when I was on my way over here.

You think you can steal
somebody's personal property

and then just talk
your way out of it?

It's true, but...

I wouldn't have
stolen it from you

if I knew it was your mom's.

How did you know that?

Monica told me.

Well, isn't Monica
just a big old fountain

of personal information?

I thought it was important

that he should know
what it meant to you.

Oh.

So you only steal things
with no sentimental value.

No, no. It's just...

Do you believe in God?

What does God
have to do with this?

I said a prayer to
God to get me a mom.

I know it sounds real lame,
but I think he's gonna do it.

And anyways, I
wanted your locket...

You know, a present to
give to her when I meet her

so she doesn't change her mind.

And nothing says, "Hi,
Mom," like stolen merchandise.

You don't believe me, do you?

Not on your life.

Monica... Alice,
please don't do this.

He's a lying little thief.

And the sooner you two

stop buying this sob
story, the sooner...

Oh... Oh, my God! Oh, my God!

Breathe, baby. Just breathe.

Call 911.

How was I supposed to
know the kid was really sick?

Geez, I almost feel
bad for the little guy.

Almost? Well, that's a start.

What do you expect?
I'm the victim here.

Do you sell tissue here?

'Cause I'm about to
start crying for you.

It's not my problem.
The kid's a thief.

I told you, he's a
frightened little child.

You're trying to
make me feel bad.

No, I'm trying to make
you feel very good.

I'm afraid to ask.

You don't have to ask.

I'm gonna tell you anyway.

Why don't you go
over to that hospital

and tell that little boy you
forgive him for what he's done.

You want me to lie to the
kid just because he's sick?

No.

I want you to forgive him.

Let's say I would...
Which I won't.

There'd be nobody to watch
the place while I was gone.

- I would.
- You don't know the first thing

- about running a news stand.
- I can do this.

It's not a library.

I'll see you later.

I figured out who
you are, Andrew.

Yeah, I knew you would.

You're a smart guy.

I saw you last time.

You're an angel, right?

Yep.

Am I gonna die?

Not yet.

You've still got a little time.

What are you doing here?

I, uh... had an extra magazine.

Thought you might
want to read it.

Come on. I'm young,
but I'm not stupid.

Okay. I...

I just wanted to make
sure you were okay.

Really?

You got a problem with that?

No.

I'm really sorry I
stole your locket.

I know.

And I'm sorry I
went kind of... crazy.

Do you have any, uh... kids?

Me? No way.

Didn't think so.

Golf?

That's for old people.

Do you have any, uh,
bowling magazines?

You like to bowl?

I don't know.

Never done it.

I want to, though.

Do you know how?

What's to know?

You just pick up
a ball and roll it.

Maybe you can take me sometime.

You got to get some
sleep. You look sort of hot.

Yeah, I have a fever.

Better?

Are you, uh... you
gonna come back later?

I don't know.

I mean...

I got a lot of
things I got to do.

|'|| try.

Sleep tight.

I think she's the one.

He's got some kind of

heart defect that the doctors
don't want to operate on

until he stops
growing or something.

It's nice of you to
come and visit him.

Well, I have
nothing better to do.

Alice, I'm not going to arrest
you for doing a good deed.

Where are those people
from that group home anyway?

Why is he all alone?

Well, his social worker
will visit him every day,

but there's really only one
person he wants to see.

Well, who's that?

His mother.

I thought he didn't have one.

He doesn't... not yet.

Look, I'm not gonna
press charges.

Kid's got enough problems
thinking God's gonna bring him

a mother who's never gonna show.

How do you know?

Maybe God has already
found Corey's mother.

Maybe He's already begun

to whisper Corey's
name in her heart.

Maybe the only
thing that's left to do

is for her to say yes.

Maybe you ought to quit being a
cop and go into missionary work.

I mean, if I was God, I wouldn't
waste my breath whispering.

I'd just hit her right
over the head with a...

Yes, a strike!

A strike?

Is that a good thing?

Good in bowling,
bad in baseball.

Now you try it... just remember,
don't hit the pins straight on.

That's how you leave a split.

A split?

Good in dancing...
bad in bowling.

Dr. Michaels to
admitting... Okay.

What's the matter?

You never seen a
bowling alley before?

I think we got a champion here.

II

Here you go, hot off the burner.

Thanks.

I can bring him magazines,
I can teach him how to bowl,

but I can't adopt a kid, Tess.

I don't even know what a
mother's supposed to do.

That's surprising...

coming from someone who
had such a great mother.

Well, that's just it.

I'm nothing like
her... She was perfect.

Who could live up to that?

You must miss her terribly.

That's why I always
held on to that locket.

Whenever I looked
at it, I never felt alone.

How do you feel now?

Is that a trick question?

Absolutely.

I feel... pretty good.

Hold on to that.

Make a change, Alice.

Adopt this little boy,

and be as happy as you can

for as long as
you can because...

Okay, okay, okay.

You don't need to
hit me over the head.

Say it again.

You didn't believe
me the first time.

- No.
- Okay.

Alice has asked
me if I would ask you

if you would mind
if she adopted you.

I just knew it.

I knew it was gonna be you.

Well, what does that mean?

Is that good?

Yeah.

Oh.

Okay, good.

Great.

We've looked into it.

There's lots of paperwork.

They got to make it all legal
and everything, you know?

So, they're gonna

send somebody
over to check me out

to make sure I'm not a criminal.

Like some people we know.

So it's not like it's
gonna happen right away.

That's okay.

And don't be thinking I'm
gonna give up my career

and sit around and
bake cookies and stuff.

No, ma'am.

I don't even like cookies.

You don't like cookies?

What kind of kid are you?

The kind that
doesn't like cookies.

Okay, so do we have a deal?

Deal.

Thanks. There's so much to know.

It's hard work to
even be a bad parent,

which I will not be.

Oh, I think you're a
natural for it, baby.

One more set of papers
to sign, and it's done.

I never heard of the
government moving so fast.

It's... A miracle?

Yeah, it sure is.

- Good morning, Alice!
- Yes, it is, isn't it, Harry?

Word on the street is
you're adopting a son.

Yeah.

His name is Corey.

He's 11, going on 50.

Ha! My son's the same way.

Get out of here,
Harry... You got a kid?

Ten years old, spitting
image of his old man.

Oh, I got one here
you need to sign for.

Thank you.

It's from the attorneys.

Oh, my.

It's the final papers.

Uh, I got to get
to the hospital.

I'm on the case.

Oh, oh, don't just-just...
Uh, uh, check...

check the fragile ones and
make sure nothing's broken.

And give that baby
a big kiss for me.

Never seen that woman so happy.

Good for her.

And for Corey, too.

- Over here all right?
- Yeah, that's good. Put it right there.

- Good day.
- Good day.

Oh, well, Father,
now I understand.

Code blue to room 124.

Code blue to room 124, stat.

- What's happening, Monica?
- Okay, I'm on it.

We're losing him, Alice.

He really needs you now.

I'm sorry, um...

I know I'm supposed
to be his mother now,

but... who am I kidding?

I, uh... I can't go in there.

Uh... I'm sorry.

I, uh... it's... I
made a mistake.

This whole thing's
been a terrible mistake.

Alice?

Did A-Alice get here yet?

No, not yet.

She's on her way.

Now, Corey, while we wait,

I have something for you.

How did you get it back?

Let's just say that I had
a little chat with your pals.

Could you help
me with something?

Sure.

I need something
from my red jacket.

Tess?

We need to talk, angel girl.

I was just on my
way to find Alice.

I know, but-but...

you better take
a look at this first.

She got a new shipment in today.

Dr. Yamamoto, phase report

to the E.R.,
Dr. Yamamoto to the ER.

Alice?

Oh, don't start with me, Monica.

I know I'm a terrible person,

but I just can't
go back in there.

- Why not?
- Because it hurts too much!

I-I thought I could
do the kid a favor

by adopting him,
but... but I fell for him.

And now he's just
gonna go up and die.

That's right.

He is going to die,
but the question is:

Can he die knowing that
someone loved him enough

to become his mother?

Stop it. I'm not his mother.

You don't become
a mother in a week.

You don't just sign
a piece of paper

and automatically
start loving somebody.

It's not about the
paper; it's about the love.

Real love is just too hard.

It takes somebody
really good to get it right.

You mean someone
like your own mother?

Yeah.

My mother was a saint.

Was she beautiful, Alice?

Yeah.

I just wish I had my locket so
I could show you her picture.

Did Charlotte look like this?

Where did you get that?

The same place
I got this and this.

All of these.

I don't want to talk
to you anymore.

The picture comes
with the frame,

the same picture
that you cut out

and put in your locket

and called it
Charlotte, your mother.

What do you care?

I care because I'm an angel.

No, you're not.

Yes, I am.

You're telling me you're
an angel from Heaven?

Sent from God to you.

Well, I don't care what
you are or who sent you.

This is none of your business.

And you can go back
and tell your boss I said so.

He heard you.

Oh, really?

So God has finally
started listening

to Alice Dupree?

God has always
listened to you, Alice,

from the day you were born.

Even when you
stopped talking to Him,

your Father has been there,

listening to your spirit.

- He was there?
- Yes.

Where, exactly?

Where was God
when the real Charlotte

was throwing me around
that dump we called home?

Where was he when she
came home drunk out of her mind

with a new
boyfriend every night?

Where was he when I
bought her that locket?

She threw it back at
me, said it was junk

and kicked me out.

Oh, don't tell me He was there,

and don't you dare
call Him my Father.

Fathers should be there.

Yes, and so should mothers.

I know that you're angry, Alice,

and I think it
takes a lot of faith

to be angry with God.

You know, you have
spent almost a lifetime

giving Him a piece of your mind.

It's a wonder you have
much of a mind left.

But you do have a
mind, Alice, and a soul,

and a spirit that has
somehow managed

to hang on to some hope,

even if the hope is so small

that it can only fit
into a little locket.

When you were curled

in that corner,
protecting your body

from the rage and
the broken bottles,

God was always with you,

protecting your spirit

and whispering to you
in a small, still voice,

"I love you, Alice.

"You are precious.

"You matter to me.

You will survive."

And you did.

Yes, I did.

Yes.

And you know
what it is to prevail

against the
soul-shattering abuse

that some parents can
inflict upon their children.

But, Alice, you
haven't really healed.

And a little boy

who's gonna be
ripped away from me

is gonna do that?

Yes.

You see, God wants you to learn

what it is to love without fear.

Truly, joyfully love

with a love that
always protects,

always hopes,

always trusts and
never ever fails.

And Corey Taylor
has been your teacher.

How can I go back in that
room and say good-bye?

You're not going in
there to say good-bye.

You're going in
there to be a mother.

I'm not afraid at all.

That's good.

There is no reason to be afraid.

Hey, kiddo.

How you doing?

Good now that you're here.

Well, I had some
serious business.

Mother stuff.

It came?

Got it right here.

I thought we should be
together when I signed it.

Yeah.

So, I got a question for you.

Do you want cowboys or
dinosaurs in your bedroom?

I can pick?

Well, yeah, of course.

It's your bedroom, isn't it?

I never had my own room before.

Well, you got one now.

Can I have cowboys
and dinosaurs?

Whatever you want.

Can I have my own TV?

You got to push it, don't you?

Take it easy, baby. Breathe.

Breathe.

Corey, it's time to go now.

Can I have one more minute?

Yeah.

You can have as long
as you want, honey.

Alice, do you believe in God?

I do now, buddy.

God sent an angel
to take me to Heaven.

He's waiting for me right now,

and when I get there,

I'm gonna thank God in person

for answering my prayer.

No, Corey, not yet.

Not yet.

It's okay.

And you know what else?

My angel found your locket.

Well, looky here.

You always said you'd
give it to your mother.

Yeah.

Mom?

I love you.

I love you, too, Corey.

He's gone.

Ma'am, you left these.

I guess these don't
matter now, do they?

Oh, yes, baby.

Now more than ever.

Yeah, room 124 will be available

in a half hour or so.

Our 11-year-old
heart case just expired.

His name was
Corey Taylor-Dupree,

and he was my son.

He really was, wasn't he?

Yes, he was, and
he always will be.

How you holding up, Alice?

I got good days
and bad days, Harry.

Thanks for asking.

Oh, I forgot.

Doesn't your son have
a birthday coming up?

Yeah, in two weeks.

It's just some dinosaurs
and a cowboy hat.

I know it's probably
a little nuts,

but I just keep
buying things for him.

Happy birthday
from me... and Corey.

Thanks, Alice.

After you.

Oh, no, after you, Andrew.

Oh, it's just a door.

To learn more about
adopting a child,

call the Children's
Action Network

at the number on your screen.

Help change a child's
life, and your life, forever.