(male narrator) Tonight, on "Spenser For Hire.."
It's something very unappealing about being referred to as
"the late Mr. Spenser"
Somebody tried to k*ll ol' Spenser?
Who would wanna do that?
What do you say we do something physical
to work off these calories..
What did you have in mind?
Daddy didn't pay me to hurt you.
Just to make sure you didn't get into any trouble.
Everybody free to say "No, thank you."
(male #) 'You're working without a net.'
One slip and you're going down hard.
I wish we saw things more the same way.
I used to wish I could fly.
Do you know a guy called Spenser?
What about him?
(male #) 'I got a job for you.'
Get down!
[theme music]
[instrumental music]
[intense music]
(Spenser) In a city like Boston
you don't wanna alienate the sanitation department.
Either they had found out that I'd left my cans out overnight
or somebody else was trying to put me out with the cans.
[music continues]
[glass cracking]
[grunting]
[screams]
Aah!
Damn!
[instrumental music]
In light of what had happened in the morning
I thought it might not be a bad idea
to buy a little short term insurance
before my appointment at the university that afternoon.
Just in case it was trash day in Cambridge, too.
And since you get what you pay for
I went for the best.
Hey, Spenser!
Hey, Jimmy, how's it going?
Ah, y'know, in one pocket, out the other.
Know what you mean.
Wife just gave me another kid.
(Spenser) 'Hey, Jimmy, that's great!'
How many is that now?
Handful of girls.
Hey, way to go.
[both laughing]
Oh, excuse me.
Ah, can I help you?
Yes. I'm looking for the current issue
of the "Bulletin for Nuclear Scientists."
Um, "Bulletin for the Nuclear Scientists." Let's see.
Ah, you and that German physicist from MIT
are the only two I sell all month.
I haven't you around the square before.
You a foreigner, maybe?
You on the faculty, maybe.
How'd you know?
Very easy.
You ain't a student 'cause you ain't dressed like a bum.
You ain't one of the regular professors
'cause they dress worse than students.
Ah. That's very astute.
(Jimmy) 'Yeah, well I got eyes.'
[chuckles]
And what do you teach?
Advanced techniques for survival in the modern world.
Hey, Spenser.
How 'bout that, huh?
I'll pick him or what?
Yeah, you can pick him alright.
Yeah, when you need a new partner
you know where to find me.
I sure do. Look, no paper today, the news is all bad.
But buy that new girl a doll for me, alright?
Alright.
Hey, my man. Spenser.
[indistinct chatter]
Um, Mr. Spenser, you're early.
Well, in my line of work, there's something
very unappealing about being referred to as
"the late Mr. Spenser."
Uh, Spenser, this is Wilson Renhill.
- Hello. - How do you do?
I just stopped by on my weekly visit to try
to entice Linda away from the life of academic obscurity
'and over to the private sector.'
Ah. What part of the private sector?
(Wilson) 'Pharmaceuticals.'
Renhill Pharmaceuticals, to be exact.
We're small, and we're local, but, uh, we pay well.
Good.
And your line of work, Mr. Spenser, is what?
Uh, Spenser is with the athletic department.
Um, fundraising.
Sports.
It's also very unappealing to be
referred to as an athletic supporter
'but we all have our crosses to bear.'
Yes. Well.
Until next week, Dr. Collins.
(Linda) 'Goodbye, Mr. Renhill.'
Nice to have met you.
Same here.
Nice smile. He in toothpaste too?
Did you find Tony?
Tony Ristelli changes his address more times
than he changes his socks.
I checked the health club that you told me about where you met.
He hasn't been back since.
I traced the phone number you gave me to his last apartment.
All I found there was a Lithuanian couple
with three fat kids.
Thought you were supposed to be good at this.
You know, you could save yourself the aggravation
of my incompetence and my fee by calling Boston PD.
'And ask for burglary.'
I told you, I don't want Tony prosecuted.
I just want you to find him, I-I have to talk to him.
Was there anything else taken
from your bedroom besides the jewelry?
No.
And you said the jewelry wasn't worth much, right?
It's not what he took, it's the fact that he took it.
I want it back.
An-and I wanna know why he did it.
Is that such a difficult thing to ask?
You wouldn't seem to think so, would you?
[instrumental music]
Linda Collins was lying.
And I could see that she needed help.
She was also a friend of Susan Silverman's.
And Susan, employing her keen sense of feminine logic
convinced me that helping her was the thing to do.
Logic and her winning smile would do it every time.
For the time being, I wasn't sure what could be done
for Susan's friend.
But I felt a hell of a lot better knowing
there was someone trusted keeping an eye out
for runaway trucks while I focused on Linda's problems.
So far, all I knew about the missing boyfriend
was that Linda had met him at a gym.
All the people at the gym knew about him
was that he made his living off of frustrated women
looking for a few hours of fun.
Isn't that Hawk?
Ah, no, it can't be.
Hawk fasts on Tuesdays.
- What? - What?
(Spenser) To a guy who was taught to open doors for ladies
it would be tough telling Susan's friend
her boyfriend rented himself out to the highest bidder.
Maybe when I had a few more facts.
(Susan) 'I'm sure that's Hawk.'
Didn't your mother ever that it's impolite to go out
with one gentleman and spend the evening staring at another?
Well, it just seems like we should at least say hi to him.
Don't think so.
Why not?
If it is Hawk, he knows it's you.
So?
Finest chardonnay, please.
Did he say hello to you?
- No. - Then he's working.
- What's he working on? - What?
Hawk.
Sus, Hawk only works with one thing, muscle and g*n.
And sometimes, he watches people.
You mean, he's watching someone in this room?
Yes, which means it's even more impolite
to call attention to him.
- Why does he do what he does? - He's good at it.
But he hurts people.
Only people who've hurt somebody else
or who haven't kept their promise.
But that doesn't mean it's right.
Straight out of the old testament.
Look, if you wanna sit and pass judgment this evening..
That will be fine, yes.
...let's talk about your friend, Linda Collins
Maybe you can help me with her.
How?
She's too jumpy to be concerned with missing earrings.
It's either something more or something else.
She's listed in the directory of American scientists.
That's good.
She's doing important chemical research
'on non-addictive substitutes for morphine and codeine.'
Does that sound like a woman who would lie about jewelry?
Most people lie, Sus..
...when the truth is too tough.
Do you know something?
Ah, yeah, I shouldn't be working here tonight either.
Look, what do you say we do something physical
to work off these calories we're about to ingest?
What did you have in mind?
Oh, I don't know.
Maybe goin' over to your place, and..
...rearrange the furniture.
It sounds awfully strenuous.
Why don't we just concentrate on the bedroom tonight
and see how we feel in the morning?
Well, it's your house.
[laughing]
The only trouble with Susan's suggestion
was that I had to be at work early the next morning.
Like . a.m.
That's the time the mink and potato circuit
was in full swing.
And the time a cat like Linda's friend
Tony Ristelli was on the prowl.
I found him a little before
coming out of one of Boston's best hotels.
I decided it was time for a formal introduction.
Tony Ristelli. Private investigator.
And what is this?
We can talk about it in a minute as soon as you say
goodnight to your mother here.
- Take a walk, champ-- - Ah, the name is Spenser.
With an S, you know like the poet.
I didn't get your name yet, ma'am.
(Tony) 'I said take a walk.'
Oh, walk these streets alone at night? I..
'Be a lot safer if I walk with you, Tony.'
You know, that way we could have a little chat
about how you happened to come here tonight
'and pick up this nice lady.'
[screams]
Oh, sorry, Tony. Here.
Let me help you out of here. Would you call the police?
I think we are in need of a witness to our difference
'of opinion about what Tony's been doin' here tonight.'
Oh, you gotta go, huh? Alright.
Come on, Tony. Oh, it's okay, guys.
Just a little too much to drink.
- Oh. - Okay, come on, Tony.
It's alright. Daddy didn't pay me to hurt you.
Just to make sure you didn't get into any trouble.
'Now, we don't want daddy mad at us, do we?'
- Who are you? - I already told you that.
Ow! Where-where are you taking me?
I haven't decided yet.
Well, y-you're not a cop, are you?
(Spenser) 'You're not paying attention, Tony.'
'I'm a private cop. I told you that.'
What do you want?
I'm gonna ask the questions.
I am better at it than you.
[engine starts]
[dramatic music]
[g*nshots]
[screams]
Come on. Get in.
Get in.
[music continues]
[instrumental music]
I was beginning to notice something.
That the closer I got to Tony Ristelli
the closer I got to being k*lled.
Since I valued my life more than a college professor's
missing earrings
I had to believe something else was missing.
Something worth two attempts on my life in one day.
- Told you I didn't want one. - It's not for you.
So..
Talk to me, Tony.
- I-I got nothing to say. - Oh, I think you do.
I think you got lots to tell me.
- Who-who's he? - Oh, this is Hawk.
He-he's the one with the shotgun.
Yeah.
Or maybe you'd rather talk to him.
I've gotta take a shower anyway, you know.
No, no, hey, the only thing I ever took
'from Linda Colins is what she gave me.'
And what is your quote these days, Tony?
Oh, for her?
- Fifty thousand dollars. - Ow!
Come on, Flex, she gave you G's for what?
Ah, the T's. My time, talent and technique.
Woman gave you cent. You owe her change.
Well, don't knock it if you haven't tried it, huh?
[glass shattering]
[gasping]
I do believe you've made Mr. Hawk angry.
Hawk, you've already iced one guy tonight.
I'd explain that to the police but I'm gonna have
a little trouble explaining another one.
- I'll rip out his tongue. - I need him.
(Hawk) 'He ain't givin' me nothing but a hard time.'
Yeah, that is true.
I got a midnight sale goin' on.
I might as well give you two for the price of one.
Well, just be neat about it.
Hey, I-I didn't steal anything from her man.
All I took was my end of the deal.
What deal?
Come on, I can't tell you anything else.
Okay, okay, a guy, a guy came up to me.
He said if I ran a scam on her, told her I needed
the money to open up a gym of my own..
...I could keep whatever she gave me and..
...he'd make sure she wouldn't ask for it back.
What guy?
That guy was tailin' her.
Knew everything about her. He knew about me.
'How long she'd been seeing me. Where we went.'
What we did. Man, he had pictures even.
I don't know how he got 'em.
You would. He had a license like yours.
License? What's his name?
- Graves. - Graves, Michael Graves.
Yeah.
He the one tryin' to k*ll old Spencer here?
Kil..
Oh, wait a second. I don't know anything else.
Come on. Flex, I think you lyin'.
No. No, that's it, that's it. I swear that's all I know.
Michael Graves, he's got an office on--
Now I know where to find him.
And I want you to find Linda Colins, alright?
When she calls you, you make sure she finds you, alright?
Because if you don't, I'm gonna have Hawk
come and bring you back here, and I'm not gonna care
what condition you're in when you get here, okay?
You big bully.
- You got what you need? - Oh, yeah.
Look, what you did to my floor.
Deduct it from my bill.
Oh, no, no, the performance was worth it.
Oh, yeah, you really gonna talk to the cops?
(Spenser) 'Yeah, I got to.'
(Hawk) 'Hmm, I don't see anybody leaning on you.'
A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder.
Mm-hmm, you ever seen a dog
gnawing on a bone when all the meat is gone?
Yeah.
Doesn't do much to fill his belly, do it?
Umm, no.
Alright, you gonna need me any more?
- Oh, I think I can handle this. - Excellent.
You know, it'd be dull in this town without you.
Yeah, I think so too, actually.
Hawk was kidding, of course. This town could never be dull.
Boston, the birthplace of our nation, the cradle of liberty.
It's the city that gave us Benjamin Franklin
John Quincy Adams, and Michael Graves.
Michael Graves?
Graves had a license that said we were in the same business
and that bothered me a lot
because he was the flip side of a moss-embedded rock
in the forest primeval.
A regular slugfest, and I'm not talking boxing.
Bell can call until he's blue in the face.
If my wife calls, I'm out. If my mother calls, I'm dead.
Hey, nice place here, Mike. Unidac Security.
I think I couldn't begin to tell you
what it means but it sure is impressive.
Spenser.
What it means is I run a successful
security and surveillance operation.
If you're looking for work as usual, I'm sorry.
'I don't need anybody.'
Well, I cancelled my subscription
to the "Police Gazette," so I thought I'd drop by
and see how a state-of-the-art detective works.
"Police Gazzette." Now that I believe.
'Spenser, you're outdated. You're outclassed.'
Come on, let me show you something.
Your methods are Stone Age.
Too primitive for today's advance technology.
[dog barking]
Advance technology.
[chuckles] Yeah, it's my one throwback to the old-fashioned days.
Anyone tries to break in here
they'll be a walking ad for kennel rash
'and these pooches love to clean their plates.'
Come on, I'll show you the difference
between a hack and a pro.
I suppose you still use your Rolodex
and your filing cabinet, right?
Well, I have to, I used all
the magnetic apples on my refrigerator.
Your $ computer have the same address for Tony Ristelli
as my cents spiral notebook?
Tony Ristelli? I-I never heard of him.
Bet you never heard of the guy who got his car washed
outside the Copley last night either, huh?
Tour is over. Take a hike.
You're right, Mike. I am an old-fashioned guy.
The kind of guy who likes to deliver his messages in person.
If somebody else tries to run me over, I'm gonna come over again
and get so damn primitive, your head's gonna spin.
Nice doggie.
[barking]
[instrumental music]
Too bad you didn't stick with it, Hawk.
You might have gone all the way to the top.
So, uh, what have you been doing with your life lately?
- Like last night? - Hello, sergeant.
That's not an answer.
That was a salutation, sergeant.
You see my parents raised all their children to be polite
no matter who it was we were talking to.
Must have been nice to have parents like that.
Mine used to just take a hairbrush to us
'every time we didn't tell the truth.'
- Last night? - What time?
What? Do we have to do this downtown?
- I was workin'. - For who? Spenser?
- He said that? - No.
No, he said somebody tried to k*ll him last night and, uh
somebody took out the hitter. Saved his life.
Somebody tried to k*ll old Spenser?
Who would wanna do that?
Guy by the name of Quintos, we've been looking for him
since the Polski m*rder in Brookline last summer.
Now you found him? That ought to make you happy, sergeant.
How come you're wearing such a long face?
I don't like what you do, Hawk.
You got something else in your pocket besides that shield
that says I gotta talk to you?
You're walking a tightrope, you know that?
It's not an answer, sergeant.
No, it's just an observation, pal.
And I got another one for you too.
'You're working without a net.'
One slip and you're going down hard.
You think I sh*t this Quintos dude, huh?
Who said anybody sh*t him?
Actually, the coroner listed the cause of death as drowning.
It must have been a hell of a flood
coming out of that hydrant, huh?
You know what, sergeant? I don't like what you do either.
I haven't liked it since the first time
somebody just like you rousted me for hanging out
on a street corner when I was years old
like I was supposed to be somewhere else.
So I started comin' here to keep away from people like you.
Just what is it you expect me to do now?
Wise up.
See, you leanin' on me
'cause you think I've put somebody away.
You tell me that somebody is a man you wanted for m*rder.
Maybe you're the one who needs to wise up.
Maybe you ought to put an ad in the newspaper.
Offer whoever it was, did get your job done for you a reward.
Dinner with the mayor. Passes to the garden.
A job with your department even.
Yeah, that's a cute idea, Hawk.
I'll run it by the mayor next time I have dinner with him.
Just for the record
'Spenser says he didn't see who pulled the trigger.'
But if I were you
I'd start hangin' out in a different corner.
'Well, now, sergeant, you're not me.'
And I'm not movin'. You understand that?
Long as you understand me.
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) 'In high school chemistry'
'everything I touched turned blue.'
If you're looking for Tony Ristelli
here's where you can find him.
Where was he?
Found him playing lounge lizard at the Copley Square.
He tells me it's pretty lucrative business
if you got the like or taste for it.
What else did he tell you?
That he didn't take the jewelry.
What he did take was grand, but you gave it to him.
- Satisfied and tickled pink. - You're disgusting.
Must be the company I've been keeping.
Thank you.
You want a check, or would cash do?
I prefer cash and the truth, not necessarily in that order.
- 'You lied about the jewelry?' - I had to find Tony.
Bu he wasn't lying about the money, was he?
Well, that has nothing to do with you finding Tony.
It does, if working for you makes somebody wanna k*ll me.
[sobbing] It's all over.
If you wanna tell me how deep you are into this
maybe I can help you crawl out.
(Linda) I met him at a bar at the Commodore
about five months ago.
He had lines, Susan, and I fell for every one of them.
You can't throw away your life because of one mistake.
Falling in love with Tony wasn't my only mistake.
- I stole the money I gave him. - What?
My research was given a government grant.
I had hands-on access to the funds.
The money you gave him belonged to the university?
And there's an audit on my research funding program
on Friday. I have three days to replace it.
(Susan) Have you told Spenser everything?
(Linda) Yes.
Now that I had the truth from Linda, I figured
the first thing I had to do was get back as much money
as I could from her gigolo boyfriend.
I went to Tony Ristelli's apartment.
That's when I found out that Tony was more afraid
of someone else than he was of Hawk.
He'd vanished again.
Some habits are hard to break.
Remembering licensed plate numbers
on important cars was one of mine.
And what could be more important than a Rolls Royce?
Especially the one I pulled Tony out of
the first time I found him.
[harp music]
[indistinct chattering]
It turned out the Rolls was registered
to a Mrs. Brooke Standish Holmby.
A blood relation to Myles Standish.
I found her at a charity function she was conducting
for the daughters of the Bay Colony Club.
(Brooke) Of course, father, but this year
let's concentrate on modernizing the kitchen.
Oh, the new wing can be our next year's project.
Excuse me, Mrs. Holmby, uh, can I speak to you for a moment?
In private would be the best.
Um, next year, I think we should have a ball
to raise money for the children,
possibly as the daughters of Bay Colony Club--
You know, I've got a suggestion, maybe next year, what we could
do, uh, "the daughters of the Bay Colony's Club"
that is, maybe they could do something
about abolishing male prostitution.
Now, I think, it's something that's gotten totally
out of hand in this city, wouldn't you say, father?
Mrs. Standish Holmby wasn't real happy to see me again.
But she decided it was better for her to talk to me
than to have her priest hear her confession in public.
It turned out she had Tony stashed in the Back Bay
town house she kept for more private social events.
[dramatic music]
Tony?
Tony?
[gasping]
[Brooke screaming]
After checking Tony Ristelli's pulse
and finding out it wasn't there
I called Susan to let her know I was sending
Linda Collins over to get her out of the way.
The second call I made was to Mrs. Holmby.
To warn her she probably had about an hour
to explain to her husband why the body of a young stud
was found in an apartment she was paying for
before the police did it for her.
When that was taken care of, I called Martin Quirk.
(male #) '...blow to the base of the cranium.'
(Martin) 'Somebody caved in his head, huh?'
Yeah.
That's two bodies in these many days, Spenser.
Now do we talk here, or do I take you in
and k*ll everybody's evening?
- It's dr*gs. - dr*gs?
- Yeah, dr*gs. - Why?
'Cause that's what my client's workin' on.
Synthetic compounds. What they call designer dr*gs.
Maybe it's time I had a talk with your client.
She didn't k*ll him. The guy is dead because he knew too much.
- Hey, I don't know enough. - Neither do I.
But I know where to start looking at.
Wait a minute. Did I say you can go some place?
- I'll give you a call. - 'Spenser!'
- 'Don't say anything.' - Why?
I just don't wanna hear it. That's what.
- What are you talking about? - He's a good cop.
- Who? - Come on, you know who I mean.
And I know what you're gonna say, so don't say it.
Look, lieutenant, my lips are sealed.
Now I got the full report from the medical examiner
and there's only one thing I don't get.
What?
How come you let Spenser
just waltz out of here like that?
Who's he protecting this time anyway?
Lieutenant, don't you think we ought to at least
keep him on a short leash?
It took most of the day and a pleasant drive out to Concord
before I found the perfect female companion
for the evening I planned.
Sit. Sit.
Good dog. That's a good dog.
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) Although I didn't think Fifi was a proper name
for a partner in crime..
...considering what I had to pay for her.
I knew she'd handle herself like a professional.
[dog barking]
[dog squealing]
(in unison) "United States of America
"and to republic for which it stands
"one nation under God, indivisible
with liberty and justice for all."
[pager beeping]
Tim..
...take charge.
[chuckles] Sorry, men.
Duty calls.
[machine whirring]
Ristelli.
Tony.
Um-hmm.
(Spenser) 'Same as my cents spiral notebook.'
'Sodium Chloride.'
Hmm.
[engine revving]
[dramatic music]
[dog squeals]
I was surprised to see that Renhill Pharmaceuticals
would import sodium chloride all the way from South America
knowing that sodium chloride was a home grown product.
The fact that sodium chloride is also a common table salt
didn't make sense either.
I thought it might be a good idea
if I checked the source myself.
[metal clangs]
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) 'The truth I said..'
- Everything I said-- - I couldn't tell you all of it.
Then you shouldn't have told me any of it.
Spenser, you don't have to yell at her.
But somebody's got to yell at her.
(Spenser) 'I don't think she hears very well.'
Or thinks very well.
All those degrees, how can you be so dumb?
Spenser, huh.
Earrings, Sus.
She tells me, "I'm looking for earrings".
Two people dead, you're probably next on the list.
'We're talking major league narcotics here.'
Millions of dollars.
And she doesn't want to say anything.
Don't you think that's dumb?
I think that's dumb.
(Linda) 'Alright, alright, it's dumb.'
Everything I've done is dumb...or crazy.
I don't know why I needed somebody like Tony.
(Linda) 'But I did and I..'
'I trusted him.'
I didn't just give him the money.
I gave him me.
I've never given myself to anyone like that.
I've never wanted anybody so much.
And now...now he's..
Linda. Linda, he's not worth it.
[sobbing] Neither am I. Just leave me alone.
(Susan) 'I can't do that, Linda.'
'Now, look at me.'
The only mistake you made was being human.
People make mistakes.
And the sooner you realize that, the sooner you could start
solving your problems.
And what..
...what can I do now?
Linda..
...I don't care how or why you got in trouble.
Just tell me the truth and I'll help you.
He knows, Mr. Renhill.
I-I tell you, he tapped into my computer. He got everything.
He got the data on Tony Ristelli.
H-he got your disk. Your disk.
'I-I know, Spenser. He's gonna put it all together real fast.'
[telephone ringing]
Renhill.
Yeah.
It was warehouse . We've had a break in.
I'll take of it, Mr. Renhill.
No, you won't.
You're not smart enough and you men aren't good enough.
I want the best muscle in this city and I want him now.
Well, I know the man, Mr. Renhill but it's gonna cost.
'It's gonna cost big.'
I'll meet his price. Get him.
- Look, Mr. Hawk-- - Mister? I like that.
I-I just need a little more time.
That's all. Just couple more weeks.
You've got a deal.
I-I'm good for it I swear.
Man in word is no good. He's good for nothing.
Look, I-I got a family, three kids--
You didn't do what you said you'd do.
You took the money, you didn't pay it back.
- What're you gonna do to me? - Nothing, I don't have to.
I gave my word too, you understand?
And I keep my word.
Please, please, don't hurt me.
Don't do that, man.
You beg, don't crawl.
Ain't it bad enough you doing dr*gs, keeping a women
'running up debts, your can't settles'
straighten up, man
I don't have the money.
- Get it. - How?
Yuppy ingenuity.
Where, where'll I find you?
You owe the man, not me. You pay him.
You see me again, it'll be some place you won't wanna be.
[instrumental music]
Uh, uh, Mister, uh..
Hawk.
I'm, uh, I-I'm Michael Graves, private investigator.
I-I, I got a job for you.
What kind of a job?
Well, do you, uh, do you know a guy called Spenser?
What about him?
Well, h-he's causing a lot of trouble
for-for a client of mine.
He-he doesn't know when to quit.
Mm-hmm.
So this, this client of mine thought maybe you could, uh
'make him listen to a reason.'
That's not a job.
That a challenging career.
I think you'll find that the salary is
commensurate with the task.
How much?
How does $, sound to you?
Have you had dinner yet?
[sighs] Uh, no.
[instrumental music]
(Hawk) 'Running a little behind schedule, aren't you?'
Getting more behind.
- What's up? - 'Got a message.'
From who?
The man that sent a trash truck.
Wilson Renhill. You working for him?
I work for the man with the gold in his teeth, Spenser.
You know that.
There's something you should know.
I got a root canal plan for that guy and his buddy Graves too.
- Yeah, so? - So I don't like drug dealers.
I've seen what dr*gs can do to people.
- So have you. - Free country, Spenser.
Everybody's free to say, "No, thank you".
Then why don't you say, "No, thank you" to Renhill?
Somebody else take his money.
I'd like that better.
They might not take the time to talk it over.
Oh, look, I'm not gonna spend anymore time
talking about it either. Look, you're working for Renhill.
We're in different corners.
Ain't no news, babe. I told him that.
Well, you can tell him I know what his game is too.
He tried to get Linda Collins to sell him a formula
that she's been working on for designer dr*gs.
And when she wouldn't do it, he got Graves
to come up with something he could blackmail her with.
- Tony Ristelli? - Yeah, she had a weakness.
Graves used it against her.
She need money for Ristelli.
She took it out of a path that didn't belong to her.
But I promise you this she will pay the piper
before I let her deal with Renhill.
'Slow your roll.'
Designer dr*gs? Renhill.
Synthetics.
Laboratory miracles.
Legal highs with a kick of heroin.
One that Linda Collins is working on his non-addictive
painkiller like morphine.
Which she legitimately created in a laboratory
for the benefit of science
he wants to give some fancy name
and sell on every street corner.
Be worth millions.
He'd have it locked up by the time the government
can figure out what to do about it, it'll be too damn late.
No wonder he's so anxious to keep you out of the way.
I broke into his warehouse.
He's got enough cocaine to keep this city
supply for the next year.
Think you might be able to forget what you found?
What do you think?
I think it might be a good idea.
Hawk, I wish we saw things more the same way.
I used to wish I could fly.
Okay, $,.
You tell him I want $, to keep my mouth shut.
That's how much Linda Collins took that didn't belong to her.
It gets her off the hook and me off of his back.
Then get him his designer dr*gs.
Keeps him out of prison and that's where
I'm gonna put him if he doesn't deal.
What about that computer disk you took?
- He wants that back. - ,.
What about the little lady, Jack?
I'll talk to her.
You are.
[instrumental music]
[music continues]
Getting Hale and Graves to agree on a meeting place
to make the exchange was easy.
The only problem was that a promise from guys like that
is worth about as much as a handshake from h*tler.
I figured this one wouldn't be Marquess of Queensberry.
Well, I didn't think we'd be meeting again, Mr. Spencer.
I wish we'd never met in the first place.
- Disk? - The money first.
You know, you don't look the type
to be importing cocaine, Renhill.
That's why I'm good at it.
That's why I've got a big piece of the trade
up and down the eastern sea board.
Now you want Linda Collins.
To help you manufacture legitimate dr*gs
you can sell on the street.
Cocaine is becoming too dangerous too much competition.
'Too many amateurs in the sea lane.'
'It's become a regular thieves bazaar out there.'
I wanna phase that operation out.
Move into something new.
- Like non-addictive morphine. - Why not?
The market can certainly support new substance.
I've already gotten a distributional set up.
'In a long run it's a multi million dollar operation.'
An initial investment of ,..
...isn't all that much.
It's gonna cost you more than that.
You can't have Linda Collins.
- We had a deal. - I said, I'd talk to her.
I did.
We both agreed...there's no way of getting that formula.
I don't like drug dealers, Renhill.
And I don't like blackmailers, death I can deal with.
'But not your kind.'
'Tony Ristelli was a weakling who lost.'
I'm not going to let the same thing happen to Linda Collins.
No Linda Collins.
Give me the disk.
[intense music]
Nice doing business with you.
It's done.
I got the money, they got the disk.
Good show, how about the girl?
Girl stays at the university.
She does research.
Then you've got a problem.
Before we start working overtime
there's something I wanna show you.
Chicken wire.
And a bust.
Well, guess there's no sense in working
for a man who can't pay his bills, huh?
I wouldn't think so.
Might end up driving something like this for the next years.
The best laid plans of mice and men going off agley.
- Say what? - Agley? Off the track?
"Off the track."
Off the track.
Aren't you glad, you gonna still be around
to translate stuff like that for me?
Oh, yeah.
[instrumental music]
[theme music]