05x09 - Vendetta

[bunniefuu]

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

a 211 in progress.

One-Adam-12, handle code 3.

♪♪

Go over and check on Galini.

Good idea.

Hey, hold it. There's a
door open back there.

I'll take the front.

One-Adam-12 requesting a backup

at 5531 Galini.

Possible 459 in progress.

One-Adam-12, roger.

One-Adam-59.

One-Adam-59, back up One-Adam-12

in the rear of 5531 Galini.

Possible 459 in progress.

Covelli's. Cover the front.

Right.

- Anything?
- No.

- Did you make the plate?
- Nah, I couldn't see it.

Maybe he left a friend inside.

Ustashi...

- Hold it! Police!
- Freeze, mister!

- Police?
- Come on outta there!

Drop the g*n! Put your
hands on top of your head!

I-I'm sorry. I didn't know.

Step away from the table! Move!

Turn around and put your
hands on top of your head.

Look, Officer, I'm sorry. I
didn't know you were police.

This is my place of business.

- I have been here 17...
- I said, turn around!

All right. You can turn around.

What's your name, mister?

Angelo Covelli. I told you,
this is my place of business.

- You here by yourself?
- Yes.

You have any identification?

Sure. In my wallet.

Take it out of
the wallet, please.

Pete.

Step over there, Mr. Covelli.

Yeah?

It's a garden chair.

Something is wrong?

That's where I sleep sometimes.
That's not against the law.

He was just waiting for somebody
to come through that back door.

With a loaded r*fle.

I'll give our backup a 4
and run a make on this.

Everything is all right now?

Did you know your back
door was open, Mr. Covelli?

No. I must've forgot, you know.

Yeah. Or maybe you
left it open on purpose.

Why? What for?

I forgot, that's all.

Look, I make a mistake. I'm
sorry. What do you want from me?

Some straight
answers, for a start,

like why were you hiding behind
the curtains with a loaded r*fle?

Who'd you expect to
come through that door?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Look, this is my
place of business.

I got a right to
have protection.

This last month, two stores
on this street have been robbed.

I don't want anyone to
rob me, so I bought a g*n.

The g*n's clean.

How come you're using
these hollow points?

Look, you have no right
to ask me these questions.

I'm a self-respecting,
law-abiding citizen.

You have no right to push me
around like some bum on the street.

Nobody's pushing you around. We
just want to find out what's going on?

Nothing is going on.

You come in like a couple of...

How do I know you're police? What if I come
to your house in the middle of the night?

Okay, Mr. Covelli.
That's it for now.

But if anything
happens, we'll be around.

Just one more question.

When I stepped on that bell,
you yelled something. What was it?

I... I don't know.

It sounded like "Stashi
midway." Something like that.

I tell you, I don't know.

I was excited. I just
yelled something

just to make a
noise, that's all.

Now please go. Good-bye.

Yeah. Good night, Mr. Covelli.

Good night.

Why do you suppose he's lying?

I don't know. He's sure
feeding us a lot of bull.

This area's been hit pretty
hard by 459s lately, Pete.

Maybe Covelli's a little jumpy.
He wants to protect his business.

It's a tailor shop, Mac. He does
alterations and custom work.

A pro burglar
wouldn't waste his time

knowing he can hit an appliance
store 50 feet down the street.

You got a point.
Doesn't make it a setup.

I think it does.

Look, the back door was open.

There was a bell mat under
the rug five feet inside the room,

and Covelli was hiding behind
the curtains with a r*fle in his hand.

The whole thing spells ambush.

It's too bad you couldn't make
the plate on that green Chevy.

There may be no connection, but the
driver sure spooked when he saw us.

Well, the way it stands,

you don't have enough probable
cause to question Covelli.

The man says he's afraid of being
robbed and he wants to protect himself.

We have to accept that
unless you can prove different.

Or until we find somebody inside
that room with his head blown off.

Okay. I'm gonna pass
this on to detectives,

and we'll see if they can
dig up something on Covelli.

It's 20 after. You guys
planning on doing a double tour?

Don't even suggest
it. We're on our way.

Come on, partner.

- See you tomorrow, Mac.
- Right.

Detectives got a kickback
on Covelli from Immigration.

Snow White couldn't be cleaner.

He got his first business
license 17 years ago.

Came to this country in '48.

Took out papers.
Was naturalized in '53.

He was born in a little
village near Trieste, 1924.

Trieste was under Italian
control, and after the w*r,

it was made part of Yugoslavia.

You've been busy. What
about a wife or relatives?

No record. If he was married,
it wasn't in this country.

A lot of information that
doesn't really tell us anything.

You know, he's been at that
same location a long time.

People in the neighborhood
must know something about him.

Why don't you nose
around a little bit?

Don't make any
waves. Understand?

We'll take a quiet look.

You got the message.
Roll call's in five minutes.

Covelli hasn't
thought this thing out.

If he tries to k*ll this guy,
and the DA finds a connection

between him and the victim,
they got him for m*rder one.

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

a 390 down in a vehicle.

See the woman. 1400
block Santee Street.

Code 2.

One-Adam-12, roger.

Just what we need to start
the day off right... a drunk.

Well, it's about time.

Right over here.

Would you fellas please get

this gentleman out of my car?

I don't feel so good.

Who is he?

He says his name is Wilbur.

Would you believe that? Wilbur.

Wilbur what?

How should I know?

I just met him a couple
of hours ago in that bar.

A big spender from Bakersfield

spending his egg money.

If you don't know him,
what's he doing in your car?

I was doing him a favor.

Something wrong with that?

You tell us.

Well, he bought me
a couple of drinks.

He seemed like a nice guy.

Then he ran out of money.

So he asked me to drive him
back to his hotel to get some more.

That's about it.

Except when he got in
the car, he just passed out.

He give you the
name of the hotel?

No. No.

I tried to find out,

but he just kept on moaning

just like that.

Would you please
get him out of this car?

I'll need some information.
Can I see your driver's license?

- Come on, mister. Wake up.
- Anything. Just get him
out of here.

Hey, look, just
take a deep breath.

It's gonna be okay now. Come on.

Step out here. Come
on. Stand up. Feet back.

Come on. Hang on. All right.

How many drinks would
you say Wilbur had in there?

Oh, no, you don't.

I'm not getting Lou in trouble.

- The bartender?
- Yeah.

As far as I'm concerned,

he didn't serve
that lush one drink.

I'd swear to that.

I'll bet you would.

Ever been arrested, Miss Walker?

Yeah. Once.

For a paddy hustle.

What's going on here?

Why don't you ask Wilbur?

We will. You can count on it.

Okay, handsome.

See how far it'll get you.

Uh,

I, uh, called for
transportation.

What for?

I thought I'd take him down
for booking in the other car.

He threw up in the car.

Yep.

Jim.

This is only a few
blocks from Covelli's.

If he goes to church,
chances are it's here.

- Father?
- Come in.

- Can we talk to you
for a minute?
- Of course.

Is something wrong, Officers?

We're not sure, Father. We thought
you might be able to help us find out.

I'm Officer Reed. This is
my partner Officer Malloy.

I am Father Janos. How can I
be of service to you gentlemen?

Well, Father, is a man named
Angelo Covelli one of your parishioners?

Mr. Covelli? Yes.

I don't quite know how to
put this, but we have an idea

that Mr. Covelli might be
thinking of doing something

that could get him
into serious trouble.

I cannot believe that.

I know of no more honest man.

The world could do
with more like him.

Well, I'm not talking
about honesty, Father.

What I mean is, does Mr. Covelli
have any enemies that you know of?

I think you must have
the wrong Angelo Covelli.

Covelli, the tailor, Father.

Is something wrong?
Is Angelo in danger?

He might be,
Father, from himself.

I do not understand.

Neither do we, Father. Not yet.

Anything you can
tell us might help.

There is so little to tell.

He is a good man. I
cannot conceive of him

having anyone that
could be called an enemy.

Where are you from,
Father? I mean, originally.

Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik.

Well, does the
phrase "Stashi midway"

mean anything to you?

Stashi midway?

Is it possible

you mean "Ustashi"?

Yeah, that's it.
What's that mean?

The Ustashi were Yugoslav Nazis.

During the w*r,
they sided with h*tler.

Ustashi midway?

Are you sure it is not

or?

Yeah, the last one.

It means, "Ustashi,
you are dead."

- Where did you hear this?
- From Angelo Covelli,

but he thought he was
saying it to somebody else.

I remember something that
Angelo told me many years ago.

During the w*r,

the Ustashi came to his village

and took the men away
to sl*ve labor camps.

Among them were
Angelo and his brother.

The brother... I believe
his name was Franco...

Tried to escape and was k*lled.

Is there anything I can do?

I don't know, Father.

I'd appreciate it if you'd try.

If you think of
anything else to tell us,

you can give us a
call at that number.

Appreciate your help, Father.

One-Adam-12, clear.

One-Adam-12, clear.
Go to the station.

Code 2. See the watch commander.

One-Adam-12, roger.

- Did you talk to Covelli's
priest, Father Janos?
- Yeah.

Well, Covelli says
you're invading his privacy

and he wants it
to stop right now.

Mac, that little guy in there
is planning to k*ll somebody.

Now, I know it as sure
as I'm standing here.

All right. Prove it.

Show me one tangible
piece of evidence.

Give me anything.
I'll back you up.

I can't. Not yet.

Look, is it all right
if we talk to him?

- That's what he's here for.
- I mean alone... Jim and me.

Well, okay. It's your necks.

But we'd better all
remember something.

Mr. Covelli's an upstanding
member of the community.

He has a right to
go about his affairs.

So, uh, take it easy,

or we'll be taking some heat.

I'll be in the coffee room.

You wanted to
see us, Mr. Covelli?

You went to Father Janos,

asked all kinds of
questions about...

You have no right to do that.

This time, I complain
to the sergeant.

Next time, I will get a lawyer
and go to the police commissioner.

Maybe you'd better see
a lawyer now, Mr. Covelli.

What do you mean?

Stop playing games, Mr. Covelli.

We both know you're
planning to k*ll somebody.

The only question is, who?

You are crazy. Both crazy.

Ustashi...

"Ustashi, you're dead."

The phrase ring
a bell, Mr. Covelli?

A lawyer is gonna tell you

you can't go around
k*lling people in this country

no matter how good a
reason you think you have.

- We have laws...
- Laws?

What good is laws
when there is no justice?

There is only one law that's
good, Mr. Officer... vendetta.

You hurt me, I hurt you back.

That is my law!

Is that Father Janos' law, too?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Look, you leave me
alone. Stay away.

I will not tell you again.

Hey, you got any
more taco sauce?

You used all of mine.

Oh. I better go get some more.

One-Adam-59,
One-Adam-59, sh*ts fired.

The rear of 5531 Galini.

It's Covelli's.

One-Adam-12, clear. We'll
back up Adam-59 at 5531 Galini.

One-Adam-12, roger.

One-Adam-59,
One-Adam-12 will back you up

at 5531 Galini.

One of you guys take the front.

Covelli?

Police, Covelli. Come on out.

He's not here. There's a
green Chevy parked out front.

This guy's still alive,
Jerry. Get an ambulance.

- Right away.
- Did you find the r*fle?

He must've taken it with
him. How's he doing?

His pulse is pretty strong.
Help me roll him over.

It's jammed.

He got one off.

The only mark on him is
that cut on his forehead.

Jim.

- What have you got?
- I figure this guy
did the sh**ting.

Covelli must've decked him with
a flatiron and taken off somewhere.

Try the church. Father
Janos called the station.

He wants to see you and Reed.



Would you rather see him alone?

It doesn't matter, Father. It
might be better with you there.

You want to tell us
about it, Mr. Covelli?

You were right. I was
going to avenge Franco.

I was going to
destroy an animal.

But after talking with
you and Father Janos,

I began to think differently.

I told myself it was in
the hands of God now.

But he came back.

This man had been
in your shop before?

Two weeks ago. He
wanted some alterations.

I didn't recognize him.

After all, it was
many years ago.

But when he started to speak,

I recognized the voice.

It was Dodevitch,

the animal that k*lled Franco.

I-It must've shown on my face,
or maybe he recognized me.

I don't know. But he picked
up his things and ran away.

I knew he was going to return.

I went out and bought a g*n.

You said you knew this man
would return. How did you know?

He is the kind of man

that walks in fear

of other people's memories.

Perhaps that's his punishment.

He would return.

What happened
tonight, Mr. Covelli?

He came into the
shop. I told him to go.

He said no, that he
was not a citizen...

That if I told the police, they
would send him back home.

He said that I was
a danger to him.

What did he do then?

He took out a g*n
from his pocket,

and when I saw it in his hand,

I became crazy.

This same hand
that k*lled Franco.

I became...

crazy.

I... I was crazy.

The next thing I remember,

I was here with Father Janos.

I'm... I'm ready now.

You can take me to jail.

Look, Mr. Covelli, we'll have
to take you down to the station

for a formal statement,
but it shouldn't take long.

- No?
- You didn't k*ll him,
Mr. Covelli.

He'll live long enough to serve
his sentence for attempted m*rder.

If he does, he'll
probably be sent

back to his own
country for trial.

I don't know what to say.

Well, don't say anything.
Thanks for your help, Father.