[music continues]
[music continues]
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) The unemployed devise
various personal strategies
to stay sane.
A deluge of resumes.
A seat in the bleachers at Fenway.
The bar behind the Union Hall.
Mine was dreaming of entering the Boston Marathon.
Now when I was fighting
I used to do roadwork.
Reasonable roadwork.
Twenty-six miles, yards
is so far beyond reasonable
it verges on dementia.
Which is probably why
marathons appeal to guys
who don't mind putting away
two pounds of pasta at a sitting.
Trying to get your feet on some bill, boy?
Oh, that's a bill..
Been climbing the wall for last miles.
Come on, I'll drive you to Henry's to get some steam.
I got the feeling any runner's high worth all this pain.
By carious experience of pain holds equal pleasure?
Let me guess.
The smart money in Vegas is worried
I'm crowning Salazar, huh?
We're goin' to the fights, babe.
At a.m.?
Where we goin' to?
The Croissant line at Quincy Market?
Cornwall, New Hampshire at twilight.
There's this kid you got to take a look at.
Look, I got a full afternoon..
Twenty-six big ones start tomorrow morning at :.
Tell him I'll catch him on the State House steps.
Lower your roles, Spenser.
And who's this kid to you?
A dubious acquisition.
You remember that mark I collected on him
in Providence last month?
This kid's contract
was the only valuable asset.
You seen a few fighters in your time. Go take a look at him.
I watched him training. When he spars, he looks pretty good.
But a real fight's somethin' else, huh?
Yeah, well, why'd you book him
if you didn't think he was ready?
I didn't. His last manager arranged this.
Cornwall, New Hampshire? Who's he fighting? A check-in?
Just drive up and take a look at this dude.
Besides, you are really gonna dig this kid.
You two have a lot in common.
Top-like conditioning?
Boyish good looks?
He calls himself the White Knight.
We ride at :.
[Hawk laughs]
[instrumental music]
[grunting]
Miss Fiore.
I-I dropped my briefcase.
Ow. I think I'm on it.
- Are you alright? - Uh, yeah.
Possible grass stains
a little sweat.
Oh, sorry, sorry. Are you okay?
[laughs] You know, I always thought
when we bump into each other again
it would be at some arraignment.
Now, Miss Fiore, I really am so--
Please. I know the circumstances.
- Why don't you make it Rita? - Rita.
You know, what we need here
is a little potato salad and some fried chicken.
[laughs] Hey, good idea! Listen.
Uh, as in a way of an apology
how about lunch?
Oh, no. That really isn't necessary.
Could I get up now?
Oh, sure. Yeah.
Oh, I should make quite an impression
at court this morning.
Well, look. What do you say?
- Lunch at tomorrow? - Look, Spenser.
It was an accident.
There's no need to buy me lunch.
You know, a gracious "thank you"
and a charming apology would've been just fine.
Alright.
But make it noon. I have to be in court at :.
Okay, noon. You got it. Tomorrow.
I'd make it today, but I gotta be in New Hampshire.
What's in New Hampshire?
A knight is about to do battle.
[crowd cheering]
(male #) 'Stake him.'
[both grunting]
Who booked this one, the Marquis de Sade?
Benny man can take this dude.
Think on your feet.
[crowd cheering]
Full work's there.
Who cares what he decides?
Varies his punches, that's good.
Not a flash. Raw, but it's there.
Whatever you say, the kid's got heart.
Unfortunately, Hawk
this may not be enough to stop this guy.
You've been criticizing him
all the way up from Boston.
How can you say that? We've never met him.
Uh, yeah. Why do you bothered to come?
Your minds are made up.
Don't you think we'd like to meet the boy
our daughter has a crush on?
Boy? Crush?
You make it sound like I'm .
He's my fiance.
And the only reason you've never met him
is because you found an excuse not to.
We've never met him
because you've never introduced him.
We thought we had time.
We didn't think a -year-old girl
would be ruining her life
rushing into marriage.
Rushing? We've been going together
for two years!
He had a scholarship to Dartmouth.
He's kind, he's a gentleman.
What more could you want?
How about a man who could support you?
You always said
"Marry a man with a trait."
Well, Benny's trait is the same as
Gerry Cooney's or Joe Frazier's
and they can support their families fine.
You just assumed that Benny's gonna fail.
Most dreamers fail, Laura.
(Laura) 'Most dreamers are happy, mom.'
I'll support Benny if I have to.
At least I'll be proud
that he's doing something that he loves.
In this place? He's fighting in a hole.
Do you wanna spend the best years of your life
in dumps like this?
Go back to Boston.
I don't want you here.
Baby, come home with us. We'll talk about it--
I'm not anybody's baby!
[crowd cheering]
...two, three, four, five..
Benny, it's me! I'm here.
Benny, get up! You can do it.
(male #) '...seven, eight..'
I love you, Benny.
(male #) '...nine, ten.'
[crowd booing]
[bell rings]
(man on PA) 'Ladies and gentlemen'
'the winner in the sixth round'
'by a knockout'
'Nate Washington.'
[crowd cheering]
You lost! You got to have pounds on Benny!
[indistinct yelling]
Would have put through mud wrestling alligators..
Showed a lot of guts.
He hung in there for six rounds.
- Look, Mr.. - Uh, Spenser.
Mr. Spenser, if you knew anything about boxing
you could see that Benny has a lot more than guts.
Maybe he could fill me in on some
of the finer points some time.
(Jessie) 'The White Knight.'
Isn't he the one with the impossible dream?
No.
He's the one who gets the girl.
(Benny) Thanks.
Oh, no, no. That's his party.
Deduct him, Hawk?
He paid taxes.
- Morning. - Hi.
How's your face?
I was just telling Hawk about this special plaster
I was reading about.
I'll be sparring again by tomorrow.
Right, Hawk?
Hawk's really got Benny's crew on the right track now.
Plenty of training, front money
professional management.
He's a wonderful man.
Small animals have been known to follow him home.
What Benny man needs is hard work.
Oh, you tell Benny what to do, he'll do it twice.
Remind me to never mention breakfast again.
Am I eating too much? I'll stop--
No, no, no. When your body yells protein
you got to listen.
Okay.
Hawk, I just want you to know that I really--
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that you're gonna make this thing work.
I got that already.
I was afraid you might drop me after last night.
I lost a few myself.
Come on, let's make in a boogity.
See if that drug store has that miracle plaster.
See you back at the hotel.
[instrumental music]
(Laura) I'm embarrassed about what I said to you after the fight.
Benny told me about seeing you fight Torres
at Madison Square Garden.
(Spenser) He must've forgotten what I looked like
after Torres finished with me.
(Laura) Oh, it didn't matter.
A person's gotta do what he's gotta do.
If that takes some pain
Benny can handle it.
(Spenser) But can you?
Mr. Spenser..
...my parents won't accept Benny
because he won't go work for some bank
or a law firm.
But I know him.
If he doesn't try this now
he's gonna spend the rest of his life
wondering if he was good enough.
And if he isn't?
I know he is.
There's always a Torres.
Cuts and bruises heal.
It's the broken stuff you got to worry about.
How old are you?
What difference does it make?
None if you're sure.
We're sure.
But your parents aren't.
You wanna talk about it?
Dispatch. Get me Deputy Hatch, please.
[telephone rings]
- Yes? - 'Rita. It's Spenser.'
Now, listen. I'm just leaving New Hampshire
but I'm not gonna make your office by noon.
I've made a reservation at the Scono's for though.
'Can you meet me at the restaurant?'
Yeah, sure. No problem.
Oh, how-how did your knight do?
Ah, he got his armor dented.
[brakes screech]
Freeze!
'You're under arrest.'
What's the charge?
For carrying a concealed w*apon.
Pat him down.
What're you talking about? He didn't carry a w*apon.
What does that look like? An electric toothbrush?
Wait a minute. You can't just pull him--
You're obstructing justice, boy.
You stay cool, Benny man.
That's better. Get him in there. Read him his rights.
Get Spenser.
Sir.
Your, uh, man just arrested a man named Hawk.
Do you mind telling me what's going on?
Spenser, sit down.
You know, of course, this is invalid up here.
Oh, I'm not working, sheriff.
We just came up last night for the fights.
Oh. And we got an anonymous phone tip
that your friend's a known hard case.
You put a lot of faith in anonymous phone calls?
Oh, we found corroboration.
Now, look. Who's gonna phone in a hot tip
on a man who's never even been in town
before last night?
Doesn't matter.
The tip was good.
Matter of opinion. Alright, alright, alright.
How much is the bail?
'No bail.'
Now, I've got hours
to investigate what he's doing in my town.
I told you we came up for the fights.
'Look, it's bad enough that you're'
'rousting him for nothing.'
Now, you're gonna deny him reasonable bail?
Oh, this is by the book.
Well, the book says everything's bailable.
Not in Cornwall.
Well, who wrote the book in Cornwall? Peter the Great?
Oh, I don't respond too well to sarcasm, Spenser.
Well, that must put sarcasm
right up there with truth, justice
and the American way.
Yeah, well, I can see
what your point of view is.
'Now, get out of here.'
Look, you don't have enough evidence
to hold him, and not gonna find any.
'So, unless you wanna get yourself sued for false arrest'
and infringement of Constitutional rights
in general all around..
I suggest you let the man go.
- What, are you threatening me? - No, no, no.
You'll recognize my threats
when the insouciant charm turns ugly.
'Spenser.'
I've got a g*n and a muscle man
with an eight-inch nickel-plated
. Magnum
and $, in new bills.
Now it's illegal to carry cash?
I don't like bone-breakers in my town
and I'm gonna hold this one
till I find out what he's doing here.
You're ready? Here comes the thr*at.
I'm gonna go see my friend now.
And if he tells me some keystone
hazy cop rousted him because he's black
I'm going to the attorney general.
What, are you a lawyer, Spenser?
No, but I'll be back with one.
(Wilkes) 'What about the sheriff? Did he buy it?'
Sure. Cushing bought the whole thing.
Especially, when he saw the size
of the roll this Hawk was carrying.
He thinks maybe he arrested
some big city drug dealer.
Before he finds out who this man really is..
...I want Hawk taken care of.
Isn't that a little dangerous?
Hawk is dangerous.
He could do me a great deal of harm.
'And I pay you two to see to that doesn't happen.'
Or Hawk could get into a fight
with somebody in the cell--
I don't care how you do it.
Just get it done and make it clean.
Yes, sir.
[dramatic music]
[breathing heavily]
[footsteps approaching]
In here, Sloan.
You mean, I got a bunk
with Super Fly?
Don't think of him as a room mate.
Think of him as a new friend.
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) Rita? Spenser.
Do you know anybody in New Hampshire with juice?
What?
'Uh, look, I know this is presumptuous'
'but I could use a little official help.'
Oh, really?
What happened? They get you in a radar trap?
A friend of mine has been arrested
for no good reason.
Well, if it's a bad bust
I'll talk to someone in the DA's office.
Well, I'm having a little trouble
getting in to see him.
Should've called for an appointment.
I'm sorry, Spenser. I don't know anyone up there.
Would it help if I called, say
in about three hours, after court?
Uh, I may get in to see him in three hours.
Look, I'm obviously
not going to make lunch
so, uh, what about dinner?
Okay.
Jasper's. o'clock?
'I'll meet you there.'
Good.
Hey..
You said minutes an hour ago.
He knows you're here.
An innocent man
is being denied his rights.
Don't you people care about that?
I do. And so does Mr. Kennedy.
That's why he has agreed to see you.
When he's ready.
(Sloan) 'What are you in for, man?'
My haircut.
How's that?
Somebody didn't like it.
[Sloan laughs]
I heard you were carrying..
...a big silver piece.
About so long.
What do you do with a cannon like that, man?
sh**t it.
[Sloan laughs]
"sh**t it."
That's beautiful, right?
Why so jumpy, man?
'Friends, okay?'
'Cell mates. Good buddies.'
How about a smoke?
[intense music]
[grunting]
[Hawk grunts]
I might get this pick stick out of your fight.
[grunting]
[grunts]
[indistinct]
(Spenser) 'They're holding a man named Hawk'
'in your city jail.'
Now, his civil rights
have been trampled so badly
people are gonna start mistaking him
for a doormat, and I think
you should charge him or let him go.
You do?
You have any other ideas
on how I ought to do my job?
'Just what is your connection to this man?'
He's a friend.
'And what are you and your friend doing in town?'
We came up here for the fights!
As I've told everybody
from the masketeer to the police chief.
I will calm down
when somebody in this Siberian gulag
says something that I can understand!
Can you understand this?
'Your friend's being arraigned in a half hour.'
- What's the charge? - Manslaughter.
He just k*lled his cellmate.
(Laura) Did you clear up the mistake?
There's no mistake.
But he didn't do anything.
The D.A. said he k*lled a man.
In jail? That's crazy.
- It's-it's a-- - A set-up.
Like you said yourself
they knew he was carrying
before they even patted him down.
Uh, but who even knows Hawk's here?
I don't know. Look, I got a local lawyer.
He can dig into some corners I can't get into.
(Benny) Is there anything we can do?
I don't know what's goin' on here, but whatever it is
I don't want you guys involved.
'Can you go home until I find out?'
No, I'm staying with Benny.
We'll find some place to stay.
(Laura) 'What about Camp Sunapee?'
I-it used to be an old resort right on the lake.
It's been deserted for years, but the cabins are still there.
Okay, good. Wait there. Here, take Hawk's car.
[dramatic music]
- 'Arnold Becker, Mr. Spenser.' - 'Mr. Becker.'
- 'You can call me Arnold.' - 'Arnold.'
Let me say up front.
I've never handled a m*rder case.
Oh, terrific.
'Now, what makes you think there's a framer?'
Uh, there-there's just
too many coincidences.
From an anonymous tip
to a m*rder charge cooked up faster
than an instant coffee.
There have never been anything like this in Cornwall.
- Well, there is now. - 'Oh, I love it.'
'I've been waiting for a case like this ever since I--'
Arnold?
Arnold!
What did you find out of the courthouse?
Well..
...nobody's talking about anything else.
I can tell you that.
'The thing you have to realize'
'about guys in a town this size'
they haven't had a real m*rder, homicide
around here in ten years.
'Now, after they transfer your friend'
'you and I are gonna have to--'
Oh! Oh! Hey, wait. What do you mean transfer?
They're keeping it quiet.
But Hawk's being moved
to the county prison tomorrow morning.
Because he's too dangerous
to be held in Cornwall jail?
That's what they say.
I'm beginning to smell instant coffee.
Excuse me?
Yeah, instant coffee.
(Spenser) The authorities were right.
Hawk was too dangerous to hold in Cornwall.
But something in my gut told me
that if someone wanted Hawk dead bad enough
to try to ice him in his cell
they were pretty likely to try again.
A -mile transfer
with just two guards
seemed like a logical spot
for a second try.
And if my gut was wrong
I figured nobody would mind
if I tagged along for the ride in my rented car.
[instrumental music]
Maybe one of the cars was having mechanical trouble.
Maybe Chicken Little was right about the sky falling in.
But my bet was Deputy Hatch
wanted to be alone with Hawk.
Alright, be seated.
Rest stop.
Been riding all of minutes.
I don't need a rest stop.
Then just enjoy the view.
[glass shatters]
Attempted escape.
First time in Cornwall.
Look out.
[brakes screeching]
Go!
[engine revving]
[g*nshots]
[engine revving]
(Hawk) Why didn't you bring my car?
(Spenser) I'll show you in a second.
Right now we have to jump.
Always take the collision coverage.
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) The hunt was on.
At the moment, the quarry had managed to elude capture.
But the stalkers would keep coming.
To them, Hawk and I were a big game.
If Syrus was correct in his observation
that "it is a consolation
to the wretched to have companion in misery"
Hawk was a happy man.
Somehow, I didn't buy that.
What did you do to these guys?
Nothing, Jack. No rhyme or reason.
There's got to be a reason when a cop tries
to pull you away on a roadside.
(Hawk) The man's name is Hatch.
He's a order taker.
Somethin' goin' on here, man
that we can't see.
What about the guy in the cell?
Oh, he's some jailhouse piece of garbage.
Came at me not ten minutes after Mr. Hatch
moved him there with me.
Well, they're really gonna be gunning for ya. Stay calm.
Gonna have to get those cuffs off.
First, we go over land till we get out the county.
'And then we can pick up a ride at the mast line.'
You know, being the second-most wanted man
in the Granite State was not my idea of my retirement.
My good fellow, if I expired
then you lose your luck on the second place.
- After you. - Come on.
[instrumental music]
Hey!
Put it down there. Yeah.
[g*nshots in distance]
- 'Do you see anything?' - 'No.'
- Let's get out of here. - Yeah.
[g*nshots]
(Spenser) 'Will you hold still?'
'Teach you to throw away those L.L. Bean catalogues.'
Gotta talk to my man at Gucci
about whipping me up some calf skin jumping boots.
Too big.
[siren wailing in distance]
Hide there!
(male #) 'That's the last road block.'
'They'll never get out of the county.'
'State boys have their chopper up already.'
What if they just walk around the road blocks?
How far are they gonna get on foot?
Where haven't we looked?
Why, I checked the motels, chief.
They didn't go back there.
What about, uh
Camp Sunapee on the lake?
Now, there are a lot of empty cabins out there.
- You want me to check them out? - Uh, no.
No, don't bother. I already got that covered.
Yeah, no. You go back and help the guys on the road blocks.
- Yes, sir. - And keep your eyes open.
Yes, sir.
[car engine starts]
[dramatic music]
[birds chirping]
[music continues]
(Spenser) Training for the Boston Marathon hadn't prepared me
to run the entire State of New Hampshire.
The signs along the lakeside road were old and weathered.
And they told us we were headed for Camp Sunapee
where we'd find Benny and Laura, and Hawk's car.
[groans]
I want your manager.
Now you could tell me where he is, or we can keep this up.
You must feel like a real big man
b*ating up someone tied to a chair.
I'm not telling you anything.
You're tough. I'm impressed.
Let's see if you stay that way.
You touch her and I'll hunt you down
if it takes the rest of my life.
[chuckles softly]
Oh, that's the reaction I was looking for.
Now..
Where's Hawk?
I-I-I thought the police were holding him.
You can do better than that, Benny.
'Now you knew about the escape.'
'Where were you gonna meet up?
Here!
All I see is you and your girl.
I don't know where he is.
'Don't you think I'd tell you if I knew?'
Why did Hawk come to Cornwall?
- To see me fight. - You're lyin'.
[grunts]
Black guy's probably half way to Mexico by now.
What if he's not?
What if he's in Concut blowin' the whistle?
This thing unravels, you know who's gonna take the fall.
Wilkes will k*ll any investigation--
Are you crazy? No, never mention that name.
Relax.
By the time we get through, it won't matter what they've heard.
Then do it. Just do it!
Fast.
Then you wait here, in case Hawk shows up.
[dramatic music]
[engine cranks]
[engine revving]
[tires screeching]
Let's go.
[music continues]
[grunts]
Okay, I'll give one more chance.
We'll see if you like watching me enjoy myself.
[door slams]
[g*nsh*t]
[grunting]
- Are you okay? - Yes.
- You're alright, Benny man? - 'Yeah.'
- Hawk. - Yeah, I see.
(Benny) I didn't tell him anything, Hawk
till they started to hurt Laura.
I knew you'd come.
It's alright, Benny. We'll take care of it now.
I-I got a name.
'Wilkes.'
- Who's Wilkes? - I don't know.
Whoever it is, they said he could fix any trouble.
Take 'em out to the car, there's a first-aid kit in my trunk.
This won't take long.
[dramatic music]
You won't like this at all.
Alright, Houdini, what do we do now?
We tell Hatch we know about Wilkes
then we watch what he does.
You riddlin', how?
We jump a dime on him.
- Spenser. - What?
Save your money.
[coin clinking]
(Hawk) 'When I knew the man, he wasn't calling himself Wilkes.'
He used to deal on a regular basis with a pimp named Clancy.
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) The authorities in New Hampshire were looking
for Hawk and me, not Hawk's car.
Laura drove, Benny rode shotgun.
Hawk and I spent miserable miles in the trunk
impersonating luggage.
But we did manage to get out of the state alive.
[groans]
[knock on door]
Come on in.
[door opens]
[sighs]
- Want a beer? - I'm ready to ride.
Glad to see that you're able to find some rags to slip into.
Yeah, well, I had to put some distance between me
and what I was wearin'.
The smell of prison and the New Hampshire woods
offends my sartorial custom.
Yeah, well, my jeans are on spin dry too.
- I b*rned mine. - Yeah, well..
- Ow! - 'Hm.'
(Hawk) 'Losin' your supplements, huh, babe?'
Touring New England in the trunk of the car tends to do that.
You're not sore?
I've achin' since , now that you mentioned it.
But right through here
I'm worried about finding old Clancy boy.
Yeah, why don't you fill me in on the man?
He's a thin man with fat ideas.
When he started making the big duck
as he hired me to back up his big mouth.
Yeah?
Lot of clients?
He used to the regular street action
before he started to specialize.
'He got his girls doing the rough trade.'
He got 'em into doing the kinky-J's
fringe elements, you dig.
Sounds like a real cute guy.
When was the last time you saw him?
Three, four years. Oh, come on!
Quit the jaw-jackin', man.
Let's figure out how we're gonna do this thing.
Nothin' fancy. We'll just divide up and go look for him.
- I got the zone. - Well, I'll talk to Quirk.
Yeah.
That trunk ridin' really messed up more than your back, Jack.
You forgettin' about the folks in New Hampshire.
[chuckles] Oh, look.
If there were bulletins out on us
there'd be a party goin' on here right now.
Besides, the police are always anxious
to talk to concerned citizens like you and me.
Well, where were the concerned citizens
when they got rousted by them cowboys--
Hey, New Hampshire was not my idea.
(Hawk) Hey, man, quit the..
'Let's ride.'
- 'Leroy Clancy. You know him?' - Sure. He's a pimp.
- His office is a fireplug. - 'Which fireplug?'
Ah, we do not give classified police information to civilians.
Would you care to tell me why you're looking for Clancy?
Look, I'll fill you in after I talk to him.
But nobody can tell us where he is.
Because he did a stretch at Walpole.
And when he got out, he found out
that his network had fallen apart.
'You're just pickin' up crumbs these days.'
Yeah, you dropped something, Frank.
Would you get that thing outta here?
You just tell me where he is?
You got a piece of the puzzle?
Maybe I got the rest of it.
Maybe we can cooperate.
My business with Leroy requires a civilian touch.
(Frank) 'Why? So you can lean on him?'
Which, you as public servants
sworn to uphold the greaseball civil liberties
'do not want to know about.'
No, no, no. No cooperation, no deal, Spenser.
And if we so much as see you crusin' by the Adonis--
- Frank! - The Adonis on Stewart Street?
- That's the place. - Thanks, Frank.
(Frank) 'Yeah, we'll take your license!'
Don't you ever go out to lunch?
Oh!
- Ain't this a beautiful day? - Oh, honey..
I'm tellin' you. Wonderful day to be makin' money.
And I mean, I mean, we goin' get outta here
and make some long cash today. You understand what I'm sayin'?
Hey, man.
You know where a fellow could, uh, get some action?
We might be able to oblige, my man.
Oh, what I had in mind was, uh, somethin' a little special.
Could you ladies excuse us?
[Leroy clears throat]
Now let me tell you what I have in mind, alright?
Talk to me, man.
Nobody suckers me, man!
[grunts]
[groans]
Ow!
Hey, Hawk. Man, didn't recognize you.
- Wh-what's goin' on? - Shut up.
I want you to tell my friend here about Bambi McCoy.
McCoy? Uh-uh-uh, skinny little thing.
Eh, hey, man. That must be seven, eight years ago.
Back when you were spotty guardin' for me.
What happened to her?
(Leroy) 'She was into blackmailin' her tricks.'
One of John's iced her. I told her it was gonna happen.
This John have a name?
Jonathan Q. John. Who uses names?
This is the man?
It was ten years ago, man.
(Hawk) 'Yeah, but you're rememberin' his face, ain't you?'
'Cause I remember you and him sittin' back in a limo
and I'm rememberin' lots of $ bills
looked like or thou in the rear-view mirror.
Paid you wages, boy! Ah!
(Spenser) 'Also kept you quiet, right, Leroy?'
McCoy was just street meat!
'Dumber that most!'
It was just a business transaction.
It was m*rder, Leroy.
And that pay-off made you an accessory.
Take a walk, man!
[groans]
[coughs]
You're forgettin' who you talkin' to, home boy.
Now either you're gonna finger this dude
or I'm gonna wipe you all over this wall
till you look like some pigeon's lunch.
It was Wilkes, man.
I'll put him away.
See there.
Always knew you were a civic-minded individual.
[chuckles softly]
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) After Hawk and I had persuaded Leroy to cooperate
I levelled with Marty Quirk
and had him call Sheriff Cushing to brief him
on what a major case he was sitting on.
The manslaughter charges against Hawk would be dropped
as it was clearly a case of self-defense.
The sheriff told me that one of Wilkes' ancestors
had served in the Second Continental Congress.
The present scion of the clan had outgrown local government
and seemed headed for the state capital.
But he wasn't going to get my vote
not without full disclosure.
Ted.
Well, hello. You're, ah..
One of your biggest fans and longest of long time supporters.
- For the old w*r chest. - Thank you.
- That's very gratifying. - Uh, no. Go on, open it.
Alright.
You know, there's just one thing
I've been meaning to ask you for all of years now.
Fire away.
Why did think you could get away with k*lling Bambi McCoy?
[scoffs]
Are you serious? I..
I've never heard of anyone named Bambi.
I think you got me confused with somebody else.
Twenty cents?
You sure you can spare it?
The first lawyer might hang up on you.
If this is some kind of political dirty trick..
Ah, you were the trick.
And Leroy Clancy's ready to take the stand
to tell how he fixed you up with a hooker..
...that you k*lled.
And then there's Leroy's driver, a man named Hawk.
A man all Cornwall's been trying to snuff
for the past hours.
He can tell the jury about seeing a payoff you made
to keep Leroy quiet.
I think we better find a quiet place and talk this over.
So you can issue the usual reassuring denials
at a press conference?
I don't think so.
Let's stay right here in the public view.
'You know, that's one thing your campaign slogans'
'never mentioned.'
The people's right to know the truth about their candidates.
But there's no truth here, is there?
The beautiful grounds, the magnificent home..
All the bright lovely people who live inside.
It's all a sham, built on hypocrisy.
[indistinct chatter]
Smile, gentlemen.
[camera shutter clicking]
Down, Spenser!
[all exclaiming]
- 'Get down. Stay down.' - 'What's going on?'
'Move! Move!'
[intense music]
Damn! You cannot cut hair without a license.
[grunts]
That's for messin' up my fighter.
You'll never make it as a carved swan.
You can't k*ll me here.
There's at least witnesses here.
Don't worry, cowboy.
I've seen what they do to crooked cops on the inside.
[crowd clamoring]
(male #) 'Hey! They're over there!'
(female #) 'What's happening?'
[indistinct chatter]
[tires screeching]
[g*nshots]
[expl*si*n]
[indistinct chatter]
[music continues]
[expl*si*n]
- 'Stay down!' - 'Whoa!'
Money, power, family..
You had all the pieces in place, didn't you, Wilkes?
You just forgot one critical point..
Nobody writes his own rules.
[expl*si*n]
(Rita) Oh, no, Spenser. I had a great time at Jasper's.
One of the waiters even asked me to meet him after work.
Look, I'm sorry. It's bad enough that I stood you up for lunch.
At I said. Why get angry?
Just 'cause you sat here for two hours.
Then you said, "Think of his wit.
"His erudition.
"The fact that he sometimes
plays tennis at the homes of famous people."
Think about the fact that
he'll think he had a perfectly good excuse.
Well, I did. This Wilkes guy is a first-class scum.
And that's when I left, and went home to work brief.
I wanted to work on in the first place.
Well, I'm gonna make it up to you with the luculent
the likes of Dominick's
a trattoria known only to me, Craig Claiborne
and six wizen Sicilian gourmands.
[chuckling]
No wonder this place is unknown. Where are we?
Oh, one quick stop, the training camp.
[grunting]
Don't drop that left.
[grunting]
- How's he looking? - Ready for you.
[boxers grunting]
Ah, Miss Fiore, this is Miss Findley.
- Soon to be Mrs. Haskell. - Wife to the White Knight.
Wants me to call her Lady Haskell.
[grunting]
Don't drop that left.
- What are they doing here? - They want to talk to you.
(Spenser) 'Is that alright?'
- Could you excuse us? - Of course.
Rita, this is Hawk.
Maybe he can help you on the finer points of pugilism.
Assistant DA, not a bad lady to know.
Laura, my God!
- What happened to you? - She's fine. They're both fine.
They've been through a lot in the last hours.
'Now I guess, more than most couples'
'go through in a lifetime.'
We're not questioning her love for Benny, Mr. Spenser.
It's only her age!
'Why does he have to take a -year-old girl'
'away from her family?'
Mom, I'll be next week.
We know what we're doing.
We don't want to lose you, Laura.
(Spenser) 'Kids grow up.'
Then go away.
If you don't let 'em go, they go anyway.
'You lose their love too.'
[boxers grunting]
Oh, hell!
(Hawk) 'Again! Side step. Stick and move.'
Stick him.
'Put it out there. Yeah.'
'Stick him.'
That's it! Go for it!
Don't drop that left.
Yes!
(both) He didn't drop that left.
[both laugh]
[theme music]
[music continues]