[music continues]
[music continues]
[instrumental music]
[music continues]
[indistinct chatter]
(man on PA) 'Passengers continuing on to New York'
'please return to the bus, lane two.'
'Ticketed passengers departing for New Hartford, Stanford'
'and New York City report to lane two.'
[music continues]
[engines revving]
Help! Stop!
Somebody stop!
Police! Hold that, lady!
Police! Get out of the way!
Police. Out of the way!
- Hey-hey! - Hey! Get that sucker!
[intense music]
[groans]
Don't even think about it, chowder-head.
Face the wall!
[instrumental music]
Alright!
[indistinct chatter]
Alright, swifty, inside.
This is great. Thank you. Thank you.
Uh, listen, I'm gonna have to ask you
to come down to the station
to make a statement, that kind of stuff.
I'll make it as fast as I can for you, alright?
[sighs] Okay.
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) I'd seen her for the first time about six weeks ago
and couldn't get her out of my mind.
She was beautiful, but spoken for.
No matter, I knew deep down where it counted most
that we were made for each other.
Finally, I knew I had to give it a try.
She's beautiful.
She's absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks, Spense.
How much you want for her, Sam?
Now.. Wait a second, Spense, I'm not selling this.
This is my baby.
I rebuilt her from the ground-up
took me six months to do it.
Three months for that paint job alone.
I know, the color's perfect. I'll take it.
[chuckles] No, you're not listening to me, Spenser.
I'm not selling this. You don't see a sign on--
Sam, this is destiny. I gotta have this car.
Forget it, Spenser.
Look, if you were selling it, how much would you take for her?
She'd certainly cost less than a brand-new one, right?
Why, I suppose, I--
You've got, uh, , miles on this car.
I've got on mine.
- Yeah, so what are you saying? - I'll swap you, car for car.
- Get outta here. - Pink slip for pink slip.
- Spenser, you're nuts. - Okay.
My car, a thousand dollars.
Now, wait a second, Spenser, what are you talking about?
Sam, uh, uh, my car and $.
- Get outta here. - Okay. Okay.
My car and , but that's as high as I can go.
Look, you can, you can find another '
and-and have all that fun all over again of fixing her up.
What do you say? Come on.
You got a deal.
[laughs] We'll take care of the paperwork later.
[laughs]
[instrumental music]
[engine starts]
Yeah.
[engine revving]
(Frank) 'Oh, yes, Spenser, I'm glad you could get here.'
'There's somebody I want you to meet.'
'She came all the way from Texas, looking for her father.'
A guy named Billy Joe Hamilton.
Shouldn't that be handled by Missing Persons?
Yeah, well, he's not exactly a missing person.
See, she doesn't know where he lives
but she knows who he works for, and so do you.
Does the name Jackie Coyle pique any interest?
Coyle. If he's working for Coyle, he's into something--
Dirty and dangerous.
- That's where you come in. - How did I know that?
Well, you don't want that little girl
to walk out there all alone, do you?
I mean, I'd go myself
but I can't exactly march out to Coyle's place.
Yeah, he's not known to being real chatty
with homicide detectives.
- Alright. - Thanks, Spenser.
(Spenser) Hi.
Uh, Sergeant Belson tells me you're looking for your father.
- Oh, yes, sir. - And, uh, you need some help.
- Yes, sir. - Oh, my name is Spenser.
Oh, Mary Louise Hamilton.
- Pleased to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
He, uh, tells me you're from Texas.
Oh, Dra-Draper, Texas.
Draper, Texas? Well, that's one on me.
Ah, it's in the panhandle.
Highway department took us out of the map a few years ago
when the population dropped below .
Yeah, and they even took away
the Welcome-to-Draper sign
but then this old guy Jack Austin
he put one up on the side of his filling station.
Yeah.
Well, um, maybe we should go some place and talk.
You hungry?
- Kinda. - Let me get..
I know this spot where we get some great apple pie.
Okay.
[indistinct chatter]
(Spenser) 'So it's just you and your mom?'
Plus my two little sisters.
Annie is not so little anymore.
Turned and grew up real fast, if you know what I mean.
Yeah, she's a sweet kid.
So how long since your father left?
Daddy came up here just, uh, a little over a year ago
looking for work.
- Had he been staying in touch? - Mm-hmm.
When did you stop hearing from him?
Ever since he started working for Mr. Coyle.
What, a couple of months?
Maybe more.
Well, I can, uh, give you a place to stay in Boston
and, uh, if your father's here, I'll find him.
[instrumental music]
[horse galloping]
[indistinct chatter]
(Spenser) After dropping Mary at my place
I went off to see Jackie Coyle.
Coyle was one of those hoods who after making enough money
suddenly fancies himself a member of the gentry.
In this case, an equestrian
and the owner of champion thoroughbreds.
How you doin'?
It was obvious that Jackie still needed some work
on the genteel way to handle this staff.
Now, you just stick to your needles and pills
and do as I say if you like your job!
This horse is gonna run on the rd.
That's entirely too soon, Mr. Coyle.
The bone has fused completely
but the tendons are still very st--
I didn't say she had to win.
I'll keep her on the inside, Jackie, right on the rail.
'She'll do fine.'
(man on PA) 'Security, call line , please.'
Checking on your living investment?
Hey, never let my money run in circles.
What brings you out?
Fresh air, the beauty of a thoroughbred racer
maybe the fluid interplay of horse and rider.
Gold and silver in my hand.
(Spenser) 'You're working for Coyle?'
Private consultant, discreet systematic enquiry
on successful hit attempt a few weeks ago.
It's a bi-annual event for Coyle.
Who is it this time?
Irrelevant upstart trying to move in
one of Coyle's more profitable ventures.
Upstart's already taken care of.
But you're still hanging around.
So what's not been taken care of?
You're mighty chatty today, babe.
Call it my insatiable quest for knowledge.
It seems that Coyle smells a hit on the inside.
Wants to meet the man who can be so disloyal
and make sure he don't consider it again.
- 'Anything else?' - Nope.
Except to remind you that when around the horse-track
you should watch your step.
Always careful.
Wouldn't wanna ruin them Italian leathers.
Snake, rattle and roll, Jack.
[indistinct chatter]
Spenser.
Looking for a sure thing on Sunday's run?
Well, Jackie, actually I'm looking for a guy
named Billy Joe Hamilton.
'I understand he works for you.'
Anything's possible.
I appreciate your optimism. Can you help me out?
- Who else would I be helping? - His daughter.
[laughs]
- Hamilton's got a kid? - Three, to be precise.
What's so funny about that?
Well, Joe just doesn't strike me as the family type.
But it's some kind of a world, and there are all types.
I guess so. They let you in.
'So you know where I could find him?'
Oh, yeah, I got a real good idea where you can find him.
Hamilton works for me, takes care of my stock.
White trailer, area one.
Well, now, that was almost too easy.
Hey, I can be as helpful as the next guy.
I'll put you in my book.
[instrumental music]
[knocking on door]
Ta-da!
Hi.
Can I help you with something?
Uh, is Spenser here?
Oh, no, but, uh, he should be back any minute.
Oh, I was supposed to meet him here for dinner.
Maybe I have the wrong night.
Oh, no. Come on in.
Make yourself at home.
[chuckles]
Are you his girlfriend?
Oh, no. Uh, we're just friends.
Oh.
- Are you, um, a niece or a-- - No.
- Daughter of a friend or-- - No, no, no.
I-I just met him at the police station this morning.
Oh.
Well, he's out at the racetrack now, talking to somebody.
He's helping me find my daddy.
- Oh, so you're a client. - Oh, I guess so.
I-I just got in off the bus from Texas.
- To find your father? - Uh-huh. Yeah.
And I got off the bus and this guy came up and took my purse
and went running down the street and I'm standing there hollering
"Wait! Stop! Help! Somebody help me!"
'And this police officer came along and he got the guy.'
'Anyway, he took me down to the police station and--'
And that's how you met Spenser.
Yeah, uh-huh.
[laughs] Ha, that makes sense.
[horse trotting]
[horse neighing]
I'm looking for Billy Joe Hamilton.
He's over behind the hot walker.
Thanks.
Hey.
(Max) 'You're short again, Joe.'
The factors didn't pay for dirt this week, Max.
- Hey, very disappointed. - Yeah, well, so am I.
If you can let her ride till Sunday--
You'll owe double.
[sighs]
You're making a good profit on me.
I'll give you tomorrow.
There's no way I can get five bills by then.
Oh, there's always a way, cowboy
especially, when your life depends on it.
Billy Joe!
Billy Joe Hamilton! Well, how in the hell you doin', boy?
You know, I haven't seen you in a month of Sundays.
Uh, Jack Austin's the name, uh..
Oh, you shouldn't be smoking in the barn, you know?
Hey, hey, I'm not interrupting anything important here, am I?
No, no, no, no, nothing, Jack.
Max here was about to hit the road.
Oh, well, see you around there, Max.
- We'll talk tomorrow. - 'Okey-dokey.'
Okey-dokey.
Let's you and me have a little talk, huh?
Yeah, alright.
Jack Austin's been dead for two years, mister.
- Sorry to hear that. - So who are you?
Name is Spenser, a private cop
um, sort of working for your daughter.
Mary? What could you do for a little girl like Mary?
Well, she's sort of looking for you, you know?
Yeah.
I just bet
wants to drag me back to that dirt-hole town.
Yeah, that's how families are.
Probably, looking to get some money out of you, too.
You got that right. I got bills of my own to take care of.
I understand.
I was working my tail-end off, handing over a paycheck
without so much as a "Thank you, ma'am."
Feeding three screaming kids, a wife
and, mostly, her fat sister.
I couldn't even get a dadgum beer
when I come home at night.
- So you just took off. - Right.
Hell, I don't blame ya.
A man's got to do what a man's got to do.
You can't let a little thing like responsibility
get in the way of your fun and, and your freedom.
I mean, pretty soon your whole life's over!
- You know what I mean? - That's the way I see it.
Well, yeah, I mean, just because your daughter
comes all the way up here from Draper, Texas
to ask you to come home to
to live up to your legal and moral obligations..
Well, hell, that's her problem, isn't it?
- That's right. - That about how you see it, uh?
- That's the way I see it. - You jerk!
Hey, hey, hey! Who are you callin' a jerk?
How about creep? How about dirt bag?
Well, you better get lost, mister, right now!
I don't wanna see her and I ain't goin' back!
So why don't you just hang it off a tree, bud?
Why don't you take a good look at yourself, bud?
[horse neighing]
[intense music]
Been everywhere around this, Mr. Spenser?
Just tell me, what did you find out about my daddy?
Uh, well, you were right. He's working for Coyle.
So you know where he is?
I talked to him, yeah.
And what did he say about Mary?
He, uh, he didn't say much.
[Mary chuckles]
'Oh, that's just like daddy.'
Balls himself up like an old armadillo.
[laughs]
Mary, I did talk to him, and from what he had to say
uh, it's not gonna be easy to convince him to see you.
Oh, yeah, you-you talked to my daddy, alright.
He probably told you that all we wanted was money
and tell us all to go to hell, right?
Uh, something like that, yeah.
Can't repeat most of what he said in mixed company?
I know what you're thinking.
You're thinking that I should just get myself back on a bus
and go on home to Texas, right?
I do.
Well, I can't.
Truth is, I got something I need him to sign.
What is it?
Quitclaim on our land.
I figured, if he's not coming home
then we might as well own the house.
(Spenser) 'And what if he won't sign?'
Well, I brought $ with me.
Mary, that's not a lot of money.
Well, it-it's just four acres with no water on it, it..
[sighs]
Besides, it's every penny we got.
Look, uh, why don't I go see him?
Uh, I'm sure I can convince him to sign the paper.
Oh, no, sir. I've got to see him.
Well, there's just some, uh
private things that need to be said.
Spenser, why don't you just take her along with you?
Okay, first thing in the morning we'll go see Billy Joe.
Hey, you ever had linguine with clam sauce?
Uh, no, sir.
- You're gonna like it. - Oh. Alright.
(male announcer) 'And Baby Orange..'
'Hard Ball and Baby Orange.'
'And Baby Orange is the winner.'
I bet ya, yes, I swear my mama told me, baby.
- I'll pay you back every cent. - Oh, you bet you will.
Did I tell you how fine you look in those tight jeans?
[both laughing]
Daddy.
Daddy?
You never told me you had kids.
I don't.
I wanna talk to you by ourselves.
I told your friend yesterday, I'm not interested.
Comin' here is not gonna do you any good.
You wanna pick up where we left off yesterday, cowboy?
Your daughter spent three days on a bus...to come talk to you.
If you can't give her two minutes
maybe I can spend that time rearranging your smile.
Two minutes!
[door slams]
I'm not signing over my land for nothin.'
I got $.
[laughs] Are you kiddin'?
It's gonna take more money than that.
You go back and tell your mama.
Mama's dead.
- You should've called. - Is that all you have to say?
What'd she die of?
You really are a jack-ass!
[g*nshots]
- Hey! What you trying to do? - Did you see him run?
Did you see him run?
[intense music]
[instrumental music]
(Rita) 'It's lucky for Mary that she didn't'
'actually injure her father.'
There's a possibility I can get a reduction of charges.
And what are the charges?
I'm afraid it'll be attempted m*rder.
- Oh, come on. - The intent was clear.
And it seemed premeditated.
She carried the p*stol in her purse.
She even brought it with her from out of state.
Sounds pretty cut and dry to me.
William Joseph Hamilton II
doesn't have a statement to make.
They hear him tell that he wasn't even there.
Well, sure, a creep like Hamilton doesn't want the police
snooping around his business.
Well, that makes sense.
Okay, cut him loose.
W-w-we get one of Coyle's men involved in a sh**ting
you want me to let him go?
What would you have me do, Frank?
He didn't do anything. He's not under arrest.
Rita, the rest of this business doesn't make any sense either.
I mean, she was four feet from him in that trailer.
She wasn't trying to k*ll him.
Spenser, I'm not enjoying this either.
I mean, I like the girl
but the fact remains that she sh*t at her father.
- She just missed. - Four times!
She's just a kid. Maybe she got a lousy aim.
- Nope, I'm not buying it. - Spenser, please--
It's clear that she was not trying to k*ll him!
I mean, you don't have anything on her anyway.
Your-your victim doesn't even wanna cooperate.
Make your point.
Let her go. Drop it.
Drop it completely?
Look, she's a-a-a little girl a long way from home.
She's got an idiot for her father.
Just let her go, and I'll put her on the next bus home.
Okay.
You are a warm and sensitive person.
Don't push it, Spenser.
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
I, uh..
I know I owe you some money, Mr. Spenser
for tracking down my dad and, uh, I have--
You don't owe me any money.
But you owe me something else, though.
An explanation.
What difference does it make?
[sighs]
I needed to see him again.
- He's your father. - Yes, sir, that's right.
[scoffs]
It's like nothing's changed.
He didn't care about any of us.
I have two real clear images of my daddy.
My mommy used to stay awake till or in the morning
just to see if he'd made it home alive.
Then she'd quick run into the bedroom
and pretend like she was asleep.
Sometimes he'd pass out on the sofa.
And then he'd make up some excuse to start a fight
and just let loose on her.
- Was he always a drinker? - Oh, no.
[sighs]
But once he started, he found something he was good at.
Did he ever hit you... or your sisters?
Oh, yeah.
We all got knocked around one time or another.
Why didn't she just run away?
Because she figured she couldn't.
She knew if she'd run off with us, he'd just find us
probably k*ll us all.
And I guess, it seemed, you know
we had a home and..
She protected us girls as best she could.
She couldn't protect herself.
Well..
It's all over for mama.
She d*ed last month.
Mary, I'm sorry.
Turned and drove her truck off..
I saw pictures of her
when she and my daddy were married.
Oh..
She was so sweet-faced and pretty.
But after years of marriage to Billy Joe..
He broke her nose twice.
That look on my mama's face..
...has b*rned in my brain.
(Spenser) 'What's that?'
Oh, when she knew daddy's comin' in...from the porch.
[sighs]
She was scared to death of that man.
And when I saw him
I knew that's what I wanted.
I wanted to see that look on his face.
I wanted to see him scared.
Was he?
You bet your boots.
[sniffles]
Now what?
You know you haven't changed anything today.
No, I did.
Being able to talk to you.
[instrumental music]
I don't know, I just go crazy, baby, but I don't mean it.
I don't wanna hurt you.
Honey, look, talk to me please.
It's just that I'm getting pressure from Max
about his dadgum money.
Then the kid shows up, now, you're acting like my ex-wife.
You can't nag at me like that!
What, did you b*at your wife and kids, too?
Well, maybe they needed a little pop now and then.
Ah, never hurt me when my daddy
used to knock some sense into my head.
Honey..
...you still love me? Mm-hmm?
You know I'm crazy about you.
Look, I gotta see Max tonight, put him off another day.
I got a sure thing, tomorrow's gonna turn out great.
What about your kid?
I don't know.
[sighs] Maybe I'll help her out a little.
She come up here 'cause her mama's dead.
- Joe, I'm sorry. - Ah!
I got three kids, Linda, three little girls.
All of them look just like their mama.
You miss 'em though, don't you?
I don't think about it much.
Hey, Joe.
Honey, I told you, I gotta see Max.
Why don't you go wash your face or something?
Will you wait up for me?
Yeah.
[music continues]
[door shuts]
[indistinct chatter]
(male announcer) 'It is now post time.'
'The horses are on the track for the fourth race.'
My man, Mizax.
I've seen you hanging around here.
What do you want?
I understand you have a fair working knowledge
of how things go, Mizax.
You wanna know about horses, you check out the tote board.
[grunts]
Come around the back stretch, Mizax, I'm not talking
about win, place and show, I want some answers.
- Short and to the point. - Yeah. Sure.
Horse working for Coyle named Billy Joe.
Hamilton, yeah.
Now, you good at names, now do tell all.
Billy is a two-bit better on a bad streak.
- He into you? - Over his head.
He owes my people plenty, almost grand.
- He payin'? - Hundred or two a week.
Except last week, he comes up with a single payment of $.
Cowpoke Billy coming in that kinda money seemed curious?
- Yeah, I turn into you. - Who told you?
(male announcer) 'Please, ladies and gentlemen'
'a reminder to be sure and join us'
'next Saturday, the th, when we'll be offering free'
'to the first paid admissions'
'a gold-plated souvenir collector's pen'
'commemorating the ninth running'
'of the Lance Style Stakes for three-year olds.'
Here you go.
I'll just take this right on with me.
I've got some things in here.
Well, thanks for everything, Mr. Spenser.
- Good luck, Mary. - Thanks.
(man on PA) 'Last call for Washington Express.'
'Passengers with connections to Dallas or Tampa'
'please see the driver.'
'Passenger Doleen Starkey'
'please report to the freight desk. Thank you.'
[instrumental music]
Get some help! I think Billy Joe is in there!
[indistinct yelling]
[horse neighing]
Over here!
(male #) 'It's no good, Steve! We'll just keep it on the..'
'Move in with the hoses!'
[indistinct yelling]
[siren blaring]
[instrumental music]
(Rita) 'I let you soft-talk me into letting her go, Spenser'
and now there's a body.
Mary's made a second attempt on her father
and this time she's pulled it off.
You know, I've met Billy Joe Hamilton twice now
and I can see where he just might have more than one enemy.
Somebody else could've k*lled him.
But she was at the scene, at his trailer.
I can't possibly let her go.
She's a perfectly legitimate suspect.
Now you've got to admit that.
All your evidence is circumstantial.
So far, and all you've got is
a phone conversation after her arrest.
In which she stated she didn't k*ll him.
Why didn't she just stay on the damn bus?
[exhales sharply] That's a question I plan to ask.
Just so you know, the public defender's setting up bail
in a couple of hours, and I'm gonna pay it.
But I'm gonna find out who really did k*ll
Billy Joe Hamilton.
If you're gonna take responsibility for this girl
you better start by making sure she doesn't leave town.
You could lose a fat wad of bail money.
She's not going anywhere, including jail.
(Hawk) I got the poop on your family man Hamilton.
(Spenser) So let's have it.
Well, it seems that cowpoke Billy
was a inside man on that Coyle hit
for which Billy-man willingly collected
five and three zeros before the fire.
My, my, you do get around.
And I bet he didn't drop any of that money
off at Tallahatchie Bridge.
No, no, no, dropped it on one Max Ordella
partial-payment for a bad debt problem Billy-man's been having.
I caught a part of Ordella's act when I went out to see Hamilton.
Seemed like a real pleasant guy.
A prince.
So Coyle knocks off Billy Joe for tipping the hit?
Wrong.
How come you seem to know that with such certainty?
Coyle would've asked me to do it and he didn't.
Besides, cowpoke Billy was ashes
before Coyle got the news.
Ah. Might be time to do the rethink, huh?
Maybe little daughter did put the torch to papa.
Mary hated her father a lot
but I don't think she's a k*ller.
You gonna find out who is.
I love my job.
[instrumental music]
I thought about this for a long time
how I'd feel..
...when daddy finally d*ed?
I've seen him die in my imagination for years.
I thought I'd be dancing on his grave.
Is that all you feel?
There's nothing much else left in me.
'I'm not so sure.'
You came looking for him
I suspect, for something more
than to have him sign some paper.
'Your mother never left him'
'after all she'd been through.'
You're talking about us trying to love daddy?
Tried.
But he couldn't accept it, he couldn't return it.
And yet he was your father, you were supposed to love him.
And all he did was hurt you.
'That conflict..'
'...is hard.'
'It's hard to deal with, it's hard to live with.'
Hard to resolve.
All I ever wanted
is for him to show me or, or any one of us..
...that he cared.
We deserved that, didn't we?
Yeah, you did.
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of.
Mary's heart was in turmoil
about a man she both loved and hated.
But I knew someone else who had a problem
with Billy Joe Hamilton.
Max Ordella.
But I couldn't find Max.
So like any good detective, I reviewed my options
and went after someone I knew I could find, Freddie Taylor.
Freddie was a street player who was known
to use local sharks as his loan officers
once in a one
who was also a guy who didn't seem
to wanna have a friendly chat.
Oh..
[chuckling]
Hey, Spenser, you got your old car back.
Yeah. Why are you running away? I just wanna ask you a question.
Now, look, you usually owe somebody money, right?
Oh, that's an unkind generalization, Spenser.
But generally true.
What can you tell me about Max Ordella?
Well, uh, he has an unusual name.
Freddie, I don't have time, alright?
Well, I-I've done some business with Ordella.
Can you tell me where I can find him?
Spenser, you don't go looking for Ordella.
The object is to stay out of his sight.
- You owe him money right now? - A tad.
Look, if you could tell me where I can find him
maybe I could, uh, talk to him for you.
Yeah? Oh, you would?
I said maybe, but I got to find him first.
Yeah, well, that's the problem.
Ordella hasn't been around for a couple of days.
If you owe him money, he's always around.
Well, nobody's seen him. Weird, ain't it?
But, uh, I don't turn down manna from heaven.
[chuckles]
Hey, Spenser, can you loan me a fiver? Huh?
[engine starts]
[instrumental music]
(Linda) 'This is Linda, friend of Billy Joe's.'
Yeah, I remember you from the racetrack.
Yeah, well, um, I'm sorry about your dad.
- Thanks. - 'Um, listen..'
I know who k*lled your father.
You what?
'I know who torched the trailer'
and I know you got money.
Yeah, I've got a little money.
Why don't you lose that PI boy and meet me?
Okay, I can leave right now. Um, just tell me where.
[intense music]
Hello?
Hey, Linda!
Linda?
[intense music]
[gasps]
[instrumental music]
(Spenser) Normally, finding one set of dental records
in all of Boston would be a nightmare.
Luckily, I have friends
who are always more than willing to help.
(Betsy) 'It ain't gonna happen, Spenser.'
(Spenser) 'Come on, Betsy, I'm riding a good hunch here.'
You can keep on riding, out the door and down the hall.
Look, I'm talking about one lousy file here.
Not a file, not a page, not even a folder tab.
- Is that clear enough.. - What is this?
You've helped me before.
Yeah, and every time I do
I end up with my toe in the wringer.
It's a homicide. A m*rder.
You know how you love a mystery.
Get a cop down here who's still on the force, with a warrant.
And if it's a homicide, where's Quirk?
He doesn't exactly know about it yet.
I bet there's a lot of things he doesn't know
like the fact that you're here for--
Look, I'm gonna tell him.
Oh, hell, that's what the file's for!
Honest.
You're not gonna leave, are you?
No.
Alright.
What makes you think we got a file on this bozo--
Ordella. Max Ordella.
'Cause you guys got the contract in all the prisons
and-and this guy's been in the slammer
maybe five, six times
and he's had to have a cavity at least once during that time.
Cops got a body, right?
Yeah, with the wrong name tag.
You think you might arrange to have mister, uh..
Ordella. O-R-D-E-L-L-A.
Yeah, Mr. Ordella's file returned to me..
I will hand-deliver it personally.
Am I the lucky one.
[instrumental music]
[intense music]
Linda told you to bring money.
There ain't a hundred dollars here!
(Mary) 'Figured knowing who k*lled you wasn't worth more than that.'
You said you had . Now, where's the rest of it?
'Well, you can't get it.'
Now, you gotta help your daddy get out of Boston, little girl.
The police ain't gonna understand
when they figure out it wasn't me
who got k*lled in that trailer fire.
Well, somebody d*ed in there.
You k*lled a man.
Better him than me.
I owed his boss some money
he tried to take it out of my hide.
- I don't believe you! - He came at me with a Kn*fe!
I popped him one and he fell on.. It's not my fault.
[clatters]
I don't have to explain nothin' to you.
How long are we gonna stay here?
Just as long as it takes.
I hope the cops do find you
and I hope they k*ll you.
Nope, it's not gonna happen
'cause all I need is a little money
and me and Linda are gonna hit the highway.
And now..
...I got you to trade.
What are you talking about?
I bet our PI friend knows where that money is.
And I'll bet double he'll trade it
for a pretty little girl like you.
Mr. Spenser's not that stupid.
'Maybe he'd just call the cops.'
He won't.
I wouldn't be so sure.
Oh, well, what's he gonna do?
Ride into the rescue
like one of them prince in your pretty little story books?
You always were a dreamy-eyed kid.
Thought everything is gonna turn out perfect.
Well, now, see, that's your problem.
You just never learned to see the reality
of the situation, the truth of the matter.
I'm beginnin' to.
Well, that's more than your mama did.
Don't you dare say anything about mama..
[dramatic music]
(Spenser) 'Mary? Mary?'
[telephone ringing]
- Yeah? - 'Mr. Spenser?'
(Billy) 'This is your old friend, uh, Billy Joe Hamilton.'
What do you want, Hamilton?
You don't sound real surprised
to be hearing from a dead person.
I'm not, as a matter of fact, I've already told the police
it was Max Ordella in the trailer and not you.
Uh, you got Mary's money.
And I got Mary.
'You bring the cash and I'll trade you'
'for real, live little girl.'
Now, you cross me at all
and she'll be real dead.
- When? - 'One hour.'
On pier .
[instrumental music]
- I'll take that travelling bag. - Who are you?
A man with a large loaded concealed w*apon.
Now, it's my turn to ask the questions.
- Okay, what do you want? - Billy Joe Hamilton.
- Billy Joe's dead. - Is he now?
And you on your way alone taking this quick trip?
I do not believe you speakin' truth.
A whole lot of folks be real interested
to talk to cowboy Bill
wanna know about life after death.
Hey, shall we take the garden tour?
Aha..
[laughs]
[intense music]
[seagulls squawking]
[intense music]
I said one hour. You're ten minutes early.
Early bird catches the worm, Billy.
(Billy) 'Where is the money?'
I didn't bring any money.
Well, we got ourselves a problem then, don't we?
I'd say you've got a real big problem.
Now, hold it! g*n's on her.
I swear to God, I'll use it!
You've been gambling all your life, Billy..
...and losin'.
This game is no different.
That's what you think, this is just a bluff.
You make one move, and I'll show you how wrong you are.
I'll drop this little girl.
Yeah, that fits.
Good move from a coward.
Hurt somebody who is weaker than you are.
Why don't you shut up?
(Spenser) 'It's written all over you.'
'Every time things get tough'
'somethin' you can't handle'
'you lash out.'
This time's no different.
Another chance to make your daughter a victim
'make her pay for what you think life owes you.'
[tires screeching]
[whimpering]
Mary, get back here!
[music continues]
Now, listen to me, girl.
I'm your daddy.
You don't want to that on me.
'Mary?'
Come back here, damn you!
I'll k*ll you!
Then do it.
Get it the hell done!
'Cause all I ever wanted was for you to love me.
And you can't.
So I sure as hell am through
tryin' to find ways of findin' good in you.
It's over, daddy.
I never wanna look on your sorry face again.
Go ahead, daddy.
sh**t me in the back.
Mary..
You really are a bastard, daddy.
(man on PA) 'Last call at lane six'
'for direct express to Washington.'
'All passengers to lane six.'
(Spenser) Nobody had taught Billy Joe Hamilton
how to love, how to be loved.
And he couldn't pass on to his children
when he didn't know himself.
So for Mary, love would be self-taught.
And she was already catching on real quick.
Buh-bye.
Bye.
[instrumental music]
[theme music]
[music continues]