(male narrator) Tonight on "Spenser For Hire"..
Lookin' for a runaway.
You'll still love me when I'm ?
Oh, it depends.
Don't ever pull away from me.
She was r*ped.
Prints link him up to two other murders in the last two weeks.
[g*nshots]
- Friend of yours? - Damn.
Don't touch me again.
This k*ller has Jill?
Jill!
Ever hear of "an eye for an eye", Spenser?
[theme music]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[music continues]
[instrumental music]
Oh, I just, you know.
Chaperons are supposed to stand around looking grim
making sure the boys don't spike the punch bowl
or catching couples necking under the bleachers.
When was the last time you were at a high school dance?
When I was in high school, which is besides the point.
When did teachers started dancing at high school dances?
You don't like the way I dance?
I love the way you dance but not with every Tom, d*ck and Harry.
What about Mike and Jim and Doug Ready, the swim coach?
Don't forget the swim coach.
I didn't. You danced with him twice.
Well, that's because you went another turn with Mrs. Grande.
Well, I had to. She kept falling asleep in my arms.
The woman must be years old.
God, love her. She does a mean mambo.
You'll still love me when I'm ?
- Well, it depends. - On what?
On whether or not you save the last dance for me, sweetheart.
Okay.
Can I pick the music?
You can even hum it in my ear.
Jill!..
Will you wait a minute?
- Jill. - Let me go!
[indistinct groaning]
Leave me alone.
[Jill crying]
[tires screeching]
Hey, you!
(Susan) 'Jill, are you alright?'
Who was that?
Nobody.
- What happened, Jill? - Nothing.
- Jill. - Please, Miss Silverman.
Can I just go home?
Susan, why don't we just take her home?
[instrumental music]
(Spenser narrating) Susan went to work Monday morning
and I drove home to Boston to find something.
When I get back to the firehouse
I check my answering machine for messages.
First nine were either hang-up's, wrong numbers
or someone ordering a large anchovy pizza to go.
The last one sounded like trouble. Car trouble.
[music continues]
I'm just gettin' a new antenna for my car, man.
I see, that's how it starts.
First it's a cellular car phone that breaks down.
The next thing you know, your FM stations will start to drift.
You should think about getting a more dependable car.
Something like mine.
- Dependable? - Mm-hmm.
I rely on precision, beatings.
Don't have time to worry
about what just don't fire up every point, man.
You just like that car of yours because it's fast and flashy.
The car's an extension of my personality, Spenser.
Just like this rusted old bucket's an extension of yours.
♪ The old gray mare She ain't what she used to be ♪
- ♪ Ain't what she used to be ♪ - You got a career in stage.
- ♪ Ain't what she used to be ♪ - What this means.
You comin' in?
Oh, I wouldn't wanna embarrass you.
Well, you should have dropped me off around the corner.
[dramatic music]
Friend of yours?
Yeah, tried to take out a man that was protected once
wasn't good at his job, I was lenient, judge wasn't.
Guess you couldn't forgive me, huh?
How'd I do?
Not bad for a couple of rusted old buckers, huh?
(Spenser) Hawk and I spent two hours at the police station
answering questions and drinking coffee.
I was surprised at how concised Hawk can be when he was angry.
I was also surprised at how bad the coffee was.
I don't think they had cleaned the pot
since I left the force eight years ago.
But the biggest surprise was waiting for me in my driveway.
Hello there, sunshine.
- Hi. - What's the matter?
- It's Jill. - Jill?
Jill Weller, the girl from the dance.
- Yeah? - She ran away.
- She didn't leave a note? - Nothing.
Did she talk about what happened Friday night?
- She was r*ped! - Claire!
Well, what else do you call it?
The boy wouldn't stop when she told him to.
She's the one who let him start, isn't she?
Look at the way she dresses.
All that makeup, pants so tight, she can't even bend over.
'Here six months. I don't even recognize her anymore.'
She probably just wants to be like the other girls.
Well, she ain't like them!
Where are you from, Mr. Weller?
South Dakota. Lost our farm.
He made a fine work trying to keep us together.
Now, look at us.
Tell me about the boy who att*cked your daughter.
Jill wouldn't tell us who he was, nothing.
You tried to pry it out of her?
You're damn right, I did.
Do you think that's why she ran away?
Are you tryin' to say I drove her away!
Don't yell at Susan, Mr. Weller.
Well, she's tryin' to say that I'm the one--
I don't like to be yelled at, either.
Sorry.
Mr. Weller, Jill's tryin' to adjust the only way
she knows how. By being accepted.
Oh, she was accepted, alright.
I don't think that's fair to Jill, Mr. Weller.
Was that boy fair?
Was it fair that we had to come here in the first place?
Jack.
Did you talk to the police?
Spent most of yesterday there.
They do things too slow.
My daughter is only seventeen, Mr. Spenser.
She may think she's all grown up
but this is Boston, not Elk Point.
Miss Silverman said you could help us.
She said if the police do good work, you can make it better.
I'll pay you whatever I can.
[melancholic music]
(Spenser) In my line of work, observation is one characteristic
that separates the men from the boys.
In this case, I was using my keen sense of observation
to track down the boy who was fighting
in the school parking lot with Jill.
I remember the license plate number
of the Buick that spun off.
And with the help of the Boston PD
and the Department of Motor Vehicles
I hope to get a name to go with those numbers.
I did.
Hey, Spenser.
Frank, having your midnight snack at noon?
Well, I had a tough night again last night
and I fell asleep in front of the TV.
Aren't you afraid you're gonna wreck your Rambo life
eating all those carbohydrates?
Look, Spenser, I got a kinky metabolism, alright?
The doctor tells me I gotta have at least six of these
and ten cups of coffee's just to get through the day.
Maybe that's why you're always so calm and relaxed.
Yeah, that must be.
Hey, listen, I just had some ex-contractor to blow a hole
in old Hawk this morning.
The only problem was you came along and stopped--
No, Frank. He speaks very highly of you.
What've you got there?
License plate for the back-end of a Buick.
I'm looking for a runaway.
Runaways, huh? I spent two years after my juvie.
You were a juvenile?
Sure, yes. I started off here in juvie.
This girl just moved here from South Dakota.
You have any idea where she might run to?
Yeah, yeah, sure. Come here.
Take your pick.
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) I could always count on Frank Belson to throw me a curve
when I was looking for a fast ball.
Seeing the big picture made me realize
I had to narrow my options and narrow them quickly.
I knew where to start.
With a Buick in Smithfield
registered to an eighteen year old, named Dan Hurley.
Dan Hurley is such a good student.
I can't believe he would do something like that.
- Like what? - Like r*pe Jill Weller.
Straight A's don't guarantee you a halo, Sus.
Forget sainthood, Spenser.
I'm talking about simple human decency.
About respect for others.
Boys and girls. Men and women.
A guy asks a girl out on a date
and then expects instant gratification.
They even have a name for it now. "Date r*pe".
A woman should be able to say no and have that be respected.
I hear she didn't say no.
I know Jill. She's not a bad girl.
Okay, she is a good girl, he's a good boy.
But the mother said the good boy r*ped the good girl.
And now she's disappeared. And you said I'd find her.
- I did, didn't I? - 'Yes, you did.'
[instrumental music]
- Miss Silverman. - Hi, Dan.
This is Mr. Spenser, he'd like to ask you a few questions.
I'm a private cop. I'm looking for Jill Weller.
- What for? - Well, she ran away.
Is there some place we can talk?
There.
Have you seen her since Friday night?
What?
You were with her in the parking lot
after the school dance, right?
- Yeah. - You got a Buick?
Have you seen her since then?
No. Hey, listen, she was upset. You know what I mean?
I was just trying to calm her down.
Are you the reason she was upset?
Jill's my friend. I wouldn't hurt her.
Who would Dan?
It shouldn't have happened. You know what I mean?
But it did. Jill was asking for trouble.
You're her friend. You want to help her?
'You can help her by telling us what you know.'
About a month ago, word got around
that Jill was sleeping with some guy on the hockey team.
I don't know if it was true but the rumor spread.
Everybody just thought Jill was open territory.
Only this time she was forced.
I saw it coming, Miss Silverman. I warned her.
Jill was hanging around with the wrong kind of people
making the wrong kind of friends.
You know who did it?
No. But I hope you get him.
- Yeah, well. Thanks. - Okay.
Thanks, Dan.
[dramatic music]
[doorbell chiming]
[music continues]
Can't buy it if I can't see it, honey.
The merchandise.
' bucks.'
[doorbell chiming] That's my grandmother's brooch.
Listen, every grandmother has a brooch
and every pawn broker usually ends up with it.
- Ninety. - Ninety dollars isn't enough.
I mean, that won't even buy a bus ticket.
- I won't even have anything-- - Hey, I work for a pawn broker.
I do not work for the mass transit.
Ninety or wear it home yourself.
Ninety dollars.
Good. Um, sign that and keep the yellow copy, alright?
Bye.
[dramatic music]
Maxie.
So, uh, when did you get out?
A couple months ago.
So, you've come around lookin' for your old playmates, huh?
[music continues]
So you miss your old man?
[g*nshots]
[doorbell chiming]
[dramatic music]
Jill Weller. Takin' a little bus ride.
[doorbell chiming]
[dramatic music]
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) I usually like to hear the sultry voice of Susan Silverman
on my answering machine.
Or at least the gum clicking soprano
of my accountant secretary.
Not the dull set tones of Sergeant Frank Belson.
Spenser, check out the pink copy.
Name look familiar?
Jill Weller.
That's your runaway, ain't it?
Yeah, what happened?
Guy behind the counter took three slugs from a ..
'Didn't have a second report.'
An ex-con by the name of Eddie Duffy.
Guy had only been out of jail for three months.
Any suspects?
What do you know about the girl?
I don't think she packed a ..
Well, maybe her boyfriend does.
What was she running away from?
What do they all run away from, lieutenant?
We all got great reasons, right?
She got r*ped at her high school.
Her father wasn't the understanding type.
How much did she get?
Ninety bucks.
What's the bus fare to South Dakota these days?
[woman over PA] 'Last call for the Manhattan Express..'
- Hello. - 'Hello, Dan.'
Jill? Where the hell are you?
The bus station.
Why? Where you going?
Everybody's been asking about you.
A private detective even, with Miss Silverman.
I just wanted to call and say goodbye.
'I know that you tried to help me'
'and I just wanted to let you know I'm okay.'
Goodbye? Where you going?
I'm not happy here, Dan.
Especially after what happened to me.
I just want to go back to where I was happy. I wanna go home.
Jill, you just can't run away. What about your parents?
'They were afraid to leave, I'm not.'
What about school? What about--
Thank you, Dan. Thank you for being my friend.
- Wait, Jill. Wait! - Bye.
[announcements over PA]
Are you coming or going, baby?
- I'm going. - Well, that's too bad.
'Cause we just got to town.
Yeah, why don't you give us a tour?
- No, thank you. - Come on.
- It's your patriotic duty. - Yeah, come on.
You guys wanna do me a favor?
- Sure. - Sure.
You see that guy?
I don't wanna talk to him.
You don't have to.
Jill!
[dramatic music]
Hey! Get down, get down.
[g*nshots]
[music continues]
What was she doing in a pawn shop?
Selling some jewelry.
What for?
To get out of town.
That's why Spenser went down to the bus station.
You mean, this man, this k*ller has Jill?
The police will find her.
Spenser got a good description. It won't take long.
[knock on door]
Mrs. Weller, my name is Dan Hurley. I'm a friend of Jill's.
You were driving that car. You're the one who did it.
- He r*ped my daughter! - No, he didn't.
He's my son, he didn't do anything to your daughter
but try and to be friends with her.
'I know how you must feel.'
But it wasn't Dan. It was another boy.
He volunteered to talk to the police this morning.
Dan just wants to help.
'Jill contacted me this morning.'
She was at the bus station.
She contacted you! We don't even know you.
Mr. Weller, it was Dan she turned to
when she was in trouble.
Doesn't that tell you anything?
You mean.. She was running away from me?
She's frightened, Mr. Weller.
She needs support, not criticism.
You have to understand it from her perspective.
You have to give her the benefit of the doubt.
She isn't giving it to herself.
Dan, did she say where she was going?
Home.
[instrumental music]
The man you sh*t, looks like a leg wound.
What else you got on him?
Fingerprints at the pawn shop, plus one name.
Maxie Lyons aged , he's been in and out of reform school
prison, since before he learned how to drive.
Okay, lieutenant. The prints link him up to two other murders
in the last two weeks.
All ex-cons, all served time with Lyons
all sh*t with the same ..
- Revenge? - That's what it sounds like.
She probably saw him commit the m*rder and he took off after.
Anybody see him unload the bus?
The day watchman, he was coming back from lunch
and Lyons just about ran over him.
He saw him limping off with a girl and took her to a car
down the end of the pier.
What kind of a car?
Red, fast. He didn't get a good look at him.
We're trying to find the owner now.
Just a matter of time.
Not to a seventeen year old girl.
[dramatic music]
Pigs.
Come her. Give me a hand.
Don't ever pull away from me.
Ever!
Now, pull on that.
There, that's better. Let go.
You like me, I can tell.
Why, does it matter?
All the girls like me. Always have and they always will.
- You ain't scared? - Yes.
You've been hurt before, haven't you?
Yeah, I know the feeling.
Who sh*t me?
I don't know.
Yes, you do. I saw you.
He was looking for you, you recognized him and you ran away.
You don't need to be scared of him, you know.
I'll protect you from him.
What's your name?
- Jill. - Jill?
I like that. Jill.
Now, what is his name, Jill?
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) 'Now, guy steals a bus from Boston in broad daylight'
'and disappears, come on.'
(Hawk) 'Lyons might be a felon but he's not a magician.'
'I suppose he may be good, but there's still a task'
'that your shadows can't be in two places at once.'
Look here, I'm my most persuasive when I'm Belson free.
Don't I know it.
Meet you at the post office square in one hour.
Girl might be dead, you know that.
Till we hear different, she's alive.
How amazing. Hey, Spenser..
You are a bona fide exception to the rule, babe.
Even your bad side looks good, ha. One hour.
[instrumental music]
Hear anything about us on the radio yet?
No.
Yes! Spenser.
[music continues]
What are you gonna do to me?
You're a witness, right? Witnesses talk.
It's what got me in the joint in the first place.
But I need you now.
I need your help to get outta here.
First, let's party, huh?
Come on.
[music continues]
You're a runaway, right?
Now, you run with me.
Gettin' out of here. You and me.
I'm tired of people telling me what to do.
I've had enough of it in prison, two years.
And I ain't going back. No way, it stinks!
Not me, baby.
From now on, things are gonna happen
the way I want 'em to happen.
[music continues]
Soon as we get the guy that did this to me.
Spenser..
[phone ringing] What've you got?
Red Trans-Am license T-D --.
That's it?
Hey, Spenser, it had a full t*nk of gas.
Where were you going?
- Home. - Where's that?
- South Dakota. - What's there?
My friends.
Hey, maybe we can be friends.
I guess not.
Very lucky that you got a place to go to.
Have you been to Jersey?
'I got me a friend. Ford Lee.'
You can see all of Manhattan from a little park
by a bridge near his house, all lit up like a torch.
Like it's on fire.
'I'm gonna.. I'm gonna take you out'
'for a night out of town.'
'Hit a bus, right into Times Square.'
'No, we'll take a taxi, stay up till morning.'
Maybe go to Atlantic city, see a show. Gamble.
After I get Spenser.
Anyway, friends or not.
After tonight, it's you and me, Jill.
[dramatic music]
You and me.
[music continues]
[music continues]
[snoring]
[intense music]
I hear an eleven. Lucky eleven.
Give me an eleven.
Ten dollars open.
Ooh.
Talk to me quick. Yes!
The wrist don't lie. Shake 'em up eleven.
Chico..
[gibberish]
You like to turn your back when I'm talking to you, Chico.
Sorry, Hawk, I must have been thinking about the game.
Yeah, right. You look like a real high roller.
Ain't no sense in jinxin' your winnin' streak by makin' me mad.
I need some gutter-talk, Chico. Fast and true.
Anything, man.
Come on, man.
I wanna know all about Maxie Lyons.
Hawk.
Come on, Chico. You were with him in Concord.
You, Eddie Duffy, Jimmy Weaver Gill Cob--
Hey, man, don't rate me that low.
We were in the same joint
but we didn't share the same playpen.
They hurt you not, Chico.
They're all dead except Maxie.
Ain't nobody else left to hurt you except me.
You know what I mean?
Lyons is a cartoon, man.
Dark times made him cross-eyed in the brain.
You tellin' me nothing, babe.
He strutted around Concord braggin' about himself.
Called hisself a real ladies man.
Only Cob, Duffy, Jimmy Weaver made him do some stuff
he didn't wanna do.
Where's his crib?
Got old basement pad on Chelsea street.
Fade away.
Lyons is a bad seed, Hawk.
He ain't got nothin' to live for.
That's all he ever talked about inside.
Taking care of business.
He'll do it too and die tryin'.
(woman over radio) 'We have a -- T.'
(man over radio) 'Unit /, here we come.'
(woman over radio) 'All units respond to a -- C.'
[intense music]
Stop.
[music continues]
He's not here.
(Spenser) 'Hold on.'
[telephone ringing]
- Quirk. - 'Martin?'
Spenser, where the hell are you?
Lyons' place, he's gone.
We got the girl.
(Spenser) 'What do you mean you got the girl?'
Take it easy, will ya? She just walked in here
five minutes ago. She's okay.
But where is Lyons?
She says he wants you.
- She know where he is? - 'No, but we found his car.'
It's a red Trans Am, it's in an alley behind main street.
- 'We're on our way now.' - So are we.
main street.
[engine revving]
[tires screeching]
[indistinct chatter]
(male #) 'What the hell is goin' on?'
All you cops standing around and staring at your shoes
and-and somebody steals my car.
What kind of car?
Olds, white.
[engine revving]
[gasping]
Why don't you come inside, where it's warm?
[intense music]
[indistinct chatter]
Jill.
Mom.
I'm okay, really.
Your daughter's a brave girl, Mr. Weller.
I know.
Jill..
...I'm ashamed.
But...not of you..
...of me.
I know why you ran away, baby.
I know now, why I ran away myself.
I can read the land but..
...sometimes I can't read people.
- We're goin' home. - Oh, daddy.
I want that third quadrant
a main street to the Broadway bridge sealed.
I want it screwed down tight and corked.
[telephone ringing]
Don't answer it.
'Why do you wanna hurt him?'
He hurt me.
If hadn't been the Spenser, it would have been the police.
- You don't know that. - Yes, I do.
You k*lled three people, I know you won't get away with it.
Shut up.
The girl is gone.
You're in pain. The wound could get infected.
You could lose your leg.
Don't touch me again.
[ringing continues]
[laughing]
Yeah.
Yeah.
[intense music]
[music continues]
[g*nshots]
Stay away.
You can't win this one, wild man.
'I already have.'
Tell Spenser where I am and who I got with me.
Damn.
[siren wailing]
Look, I knew it, I knew he'd come. Look at him.
Go on. Look-look look at him.
'Oh, man, and they're after him.'
They're just comin' for me.
For me.
[telephone ringing]
Put him on.
Spenser.
(police officer #) Alright, Jack, Will, move up over there.
This is Spenser.
Nice car.
I wanna talk to Susan.
I wanna go for a ride.
'After I talk to Susan.'
You don't talk to nobody, Jack.
You just listen.
Now this was supposed to be
'a surprise party, Spenser, for just you and me.'
Not the woman, not the cops, just you and me and that is
the way it's gonna be right now.
Let her go, Lyons.
You get her, when I get the car and you
are gonna be my driver, Spenser, just you.
Okay, deal.
[intense music]
What kind of a deal?
Now we are going downstairs.
Know what you're doing.
I don't care.
[music continues]
I'm alright.
Let her go.
Get in.
(man over radio) '-- on two..'
[intense music]
[engine revving]
Go.
[tires screeching]
Alright, come on.
[dramatic music]
[beeping]
Where are they, George?
They're heading West into Cambridge.
[music continues]
- Where is it? - Where is what?
- The bug. - What bug?
Don't mess with me, I saw the van.
- Look, nobody is following us. - Stop the car.
Get out.
Pull it.
Put it on station wagon.
[beeping]
They've stopped, lieutenant.
We'll give him two minutes.
Either they move out or we move in.
No matter how you look at it, Lyons, it's a dead end.
And what do you get out of this?
Ever hear of "an eye for an eye", Spenser?
[g*nsh*t] Ah!
[tires screeching]
Ah!
Drive.
[tires screeching]
[beeping]
Alright, seal it up, George. Let's go, Frank.
[dramatic music]
[engine droning]
[beeping intensifies]
Damn it.
[engine droning]
(Lyons) 'That's the one, hit it.'
[tires screeching]
Hey, take that dumb car out of the runway.
You ever been to Jersey?
- What? - Jersey.
'No.'
Neither have I but we're goin'.
You are not goin' anywhere, Lyons.
I'm not gonna let you take off.
That leg was just a teaser, Spenser.
Now you're dead man.
- Drop it. - Put it down.
[intense music]
Give me a reason, wild man.
It's over.
[g*nsh*t]
[intense music]
Ah.
He's dead.
That's the way he wanted it, babe.
Pilot, call an ambulance, man.
Damn, Spenser, you're bleedin' all over my car.
You oughta see the inside.
It's the last time I'll ride it.
Should've put you in the trunk.
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) The savage in man is never quite eradicated.
Henry David Thoreau said it and I've spent
the better part of my life dealing with it.
In my line of work, I've been able to swallow
most of outrage at an unjust world.
But when it comes to my personal life
things I cherish most
logic can be an emotion I left in my other suit.
Does that hurt much?
No, no. I'll be chasin' you around in no time.
- It's not me I'm worried about. - No?
- It's Mrs. Grande. - Who?
Mrs. Grande, your dancing partner.
High school prom is coming up next month
I figured she's gonna wanna see you again.
I mean, now who else can hold her up when she falls asleep?
I think she likes me.
[both laughing]
[theme music]
[music continues]
[music continues]