(Billy Squier's "The Stroke" playing)
September ,
Damn!
Hey,got any glazed in there,Donna?
You got any fries with that shake,baby?
That's funny,Bruce.
I just heard a guy say that...
to your mother at
the drive-thru window.
Oh,yeah?
All right,listen up.
End of the month,fellas.Crunch time.
Gotta move some serious steel
before the new inventory arrives.
Top man on the board...
...gets a fat bonus: $ , cash.
Bottom fish?You don't
sell a car this weekend...
... hit the bricks.Or
you can get out now.
It's simple men: get...
them... in... the car.
Get 'em to,to smell it.
Then you get 'em to drive it.
Then you get 'em to buy it!
The feel of the wheel..
seals the deal!
The feel of the wheel.
Rice burners got us b*at
on price and mileage,Mickey.
Yeah,we're busting our humps out there,
but we're losing loyal customers
with these new,uh,K-cars.
The cars?
The cars don't lose customers.
Lousy salesman do!
You think guys walk on this lot
because they're thinking about mileage?
Guys walk on this lot because they want
to buy American,to give us their money.
And you know what you do?
You take it,damn it!
Take it!
People want cars to project an image.
Cars to make 'em look
younger or more powerful.
Men want cars that women
just want to... ...get into.
Ain't that right,Donna?
Yeah,but I would have never got
knocked up at in some K-car.
It ain't go no curves,no back seat.
Never take no for an answer!
Someone says they're just looking?
You tell 'em that's
how you met your wife.
What-what if they say they
have to check with the wife?
Then you tell 'em to
go get their pants back!
You get 'em in a box and
you close these bastards!
And if you can't do it,then
you find someone who can!
But you do not-- and I repeat-- you
do not let them walk out that door!
- Are we clear?
- Yeah!
- Are we clear?
- Yeah!
Shall we go sell some cars?
Let's go sell some cars.
Mickey!Mickey!
Can I talk to you a sec?
The phones aren't gonna
answer themselves,sweetheart.
I know,it's just,um,things are
real tight for me right now.
Oh,looking for an advance?
Just for this week.
But I'm ready to take on more.
That's great.
I'll tell you,why don't you start
by cleaning this mess up right here?
Look at it,pigsty right here.Look.
Classic car buff trolling for parts found more than
he bargained for in the trunk of this old beater.
Adult female?
Looks like blunt force
trauma to the skull.
The tire iron was in the trunk.
It's a ' Eldorado.
Guy probably wanted the taillights.
Donna D'Amico,age ,went
missing back in ' .
Anyone notify next of kin?
We're trying to locate her mother
who filed the missing persons report.
The car don't belong to her.
The keys don't fit.
And the VIN number plate's gone.
A ' .
Cars had confidential
VIN numbers that far back?
Should be buried in there somewhere.
It's probably on the frame
or under the engine block.
Whoever dumped her knew
what they were doing.
The fat slob at the gate said
they don't inspect cars at intake.
The place should advertise
to criminals: Dump-Jobs-R-Us.
Let's tow the car.
Let the Auto Squad take it apart
in the garage.hello is Stillman
What is it?
A scrap of paper with some
names and some numbers.
Still make out the ballpoint.
Lester, , bucks.Somebody
she owed money?
The address at the top's faded out.
See if QD can pull it up?
I'll run the name Lester
against titles on ' Eldorados.
Donna's mother passed
away eight years ago.
Only surviving next of
kin is her daughter,Marisa.
How old was she back in '
when her mom disappeared?
Five.
I'll handle the notification.
It was a good thing we got
to her before the cruncher.
Donna D'Amicl, -year-old single mom took the
bus to Steed Motors where she worked as a greeter.
Boss says she left at :
P.M. the day she disappeared.
Never returned to pick up
her daughter from the sitter.
Witness statements back in ' ?
Nothing indicating foul
play.Like she vanished.
Only after she emptied her
bank account: bucks.
Any guys in the picture?
No husband,no degree,bad credit,crap
job with limited prospects.
Assigned figured she skipped town;
ditched the kid and a miserable situation.
- Wouldn't be the first.
- We got any other friends or family?
Friend Paula coming in.
- She was sitting the kid the night she disappeared.
- What about the daughter?
Marisa D'Amico.She's not returning our
phone calls.Rush is hunting her down.
Checked registrations on all '
Eldorados No hits on the name "Lester.¡°
Check the dealership.See if there ever
was a guy that name worked on that lot.
I hate car salesman.
You could use a new ride.
What's wrong with my car?
Nothing,if you like being single.
Excuse me.Is that,um,Marisa?
Marisa?
Lily Rush.
I've called before about your mother.
My mother walked out when I was five.
We just found her body.
- Where?
- In the trunk of a car out in Elmwood.
Might explain what happened to her.
Can't say it's a real shock.
given her choice in men.
Anyone in particular?
I was referring to the loser who
knocked her up in high school.
Your dad.
Got to be around to earn
that title.Never en met him.
Who'd you grow up with?
Grandmother raised me...who
wasn't expecting to.
Reminded me constantly.
I know you were young,but if there's
anything you can remember about your mom:
what she was involved in...
Only thing I remember was we never
had any money or a place of our own.
The name "Lester" mean something to you?
No.
Did she leave anything
behind,personal effects?
Sorry,all I know is the police said
she cleaned out her bank account.
Couldn't get away fast enough.
You think of anything,let me know.
Always knew something
must have happened.
Donna never would have just taken off.
She loved that kid.
You were babysitting Marisa
the night she disappeared?
We were good friends in high school.
Dodged a baby b*llet myself.
Figured I'd help her
out whenever I could.
Any guys she was
involved with at the time?
Dating was a hassle
for her,the kid and all.
She was really struggling
to make it on her own.
Any idea why she emptied her bank
account before she disappeared?
No,but it couldn't have been much.
Donna didn't have two nickels.
She owe anybody?Someone named Lester?
Wasn't like her.She hated to borrow.
Was a real blow when she had
to move back in with her mom.
I wouldn't wish that woman on anyone.
You worked with her at the dealership?
Helped her get the job as a greeter.
Quit 'cause I couldn't stand it anymore.
Bunch of sexist sharks.
No idea why she wanted
to swim in that t*nk.
(Devo's "Whip It" playing)
Steed Motors.
I'll transfer you to Service.Hold.
Hi,Mommy.
Aw,geez,Paula,I totally forgot.
Hi,boo!
I gotta run,Donna. I told
you I got a date tonight.
Yeah,I just gotta close out.
Just a few things.
Donna,hold all my calls,will ya,doll?
Clear my next appointment.
Tell Mickey the fleet sales can wait.
I want to make sure we get Mr.Callahan
here all squared away tonight.
Certainly,sir.
Now,George,if I can get him to throw in the floor
mats with the rustproofing,do we have a deal?
Come on,Frank.I stole
that guy's trade-in.
The deal should have
been two-pounder,easy.
Would you lower your voice,please?
You got a problem,take
it up with Mickey.
Please,sir,wait.Sir,please.
Someone has misplaced Mr.Hathaway's
keys to the Chevy Nova.
I'll get right on that,Sanil.
Perhaps Mr.Hathaway would like to take
one of our vehicles home tonight,huh?
Tell you what,sir.
Take the car home.
- Bring it back tomorrow,huh?
- Donna.
- Yeah.
- Stay late tonight?
Yeah,you know,about that Mickey,I've
been busting my hump around here.
- We all appreciate your hump,babe.
- yeah
Just give me a chance,all
right?Let me sell a car.
Who's gonna do your job,sweetheart,hmm?
You know that Lincoln Mark
trade that came in yesterday?
I know someone right
now I could flip it to.
All right,we'll see.
What about tonight?
Hey,you want your sh*t?
Pay your dues.Pay your dues.
I gotta stay late.
Can you drop Marisa
off at my mom's,please?
All right,all right.
Bye,baby.
Single mom,no degree,what
are you gonna do?
We found Donna's body in
the trunk of a ' Eldorado.
You know anybody who
drove that kind of car?
No,but I wouldn't know
a K-car from a Carolla.
That was Donna's thing.
She could tell the car a guy
drove by the shoes he wore.
Lot of late nights at the dealer?
Maybe too many.
I know it was really
hard on little Marisa.
But her mom did the best that she could.
Boss,Auto Squad found a
VIN number on that Eldorado.
Tracked the DMV records on the owner.
Marshall Brooks.We got him?
He d*ed a couple years ago but he traded in the Caddy
to Steed Motors the week before Donna disappeared.
What's was the name of that sales
manager who gave a statement back in ' ?
It was Mickey Thompson,today
the proud owner of Steed Motors.
Thank you.
You boys let me know when the
Philly PD is ready to upgrade.
I'll get you into
something with real punch.
New Charger, to in five seconds.
Volume deal,below invoice.
Brass gets the new cars.
We drive the beaters
till the wheels fall off.
Personally,I prefer the American classics like
the ' Eldorado we found Donna D'Amico's body in.
That's a shame.
That gal was a real p*stol.
- You gave a statement: said she left work at : that night.
- Sounds right.
Failed to mention it was in the trunk
of the Caddy headed for the salvage yard.
Title traced back to this lot
when you were sales manager,Mickey.
Lot of cars come through,guys.
The beaters come in one door and
out the next.Sold off for parts.
But before or after you
stripped the VIN number?
Hey,hold your horses.
Now,who's the owner
that traded that car in?
Marshall Brooks.
No,I don't remember the
car,but I remember him.
Repeat customer.One of Bruce's clients.
- Bruce?
- Bruce Donnelly.
Must have taken the Caddy off trade.
Lot of cash slipped away
on used cars back then.
Saying this guy dumped the Caddy?
Well,if it was a clunker,he could have had
it stripped for parts and sent to salvage.
And this Bruce had a problem with Donna?
Not when she was getting him coffee.
Donna was a go-getter.
Hey,you want to play with the
boys,you gotta roll with the punches.
(Blue Oyster Cult's
"Burnin' For You" playing)
Yo,Donna.
I just talked to the Tower.
He sees you've been
working your tail off.
I told him you could have the next up.
Come on.Mickey went for that?
Yo,Mickey.
Yeah,give it to the green pea.
Guy's looking for his daughter.
I sold him a car two years ago.
He's a whale.
I thought Sanil had next up.
Sanil couldn't close a door
with two hands and an arm.
Look,you work this right,this
could be worth a pound or maybe two.
I know everything about
that car,inside out.
Get him on the hook.
You tell him to follow yoinside.Don't
even turn around,all right?
Go on.Go make me proud.
Thanks,Bruce.
Show time.
Come inside?
So the guy wants to know if
we'll take a check,full amount.
Damn!I knew that guy was a laydown.
How about that?Didn't even
have to get him in the box.
That's gotta be some kind of a
record,writing the check on the hood of a car.
Don't I still have to get him inside?
Sign paperwork?
Yeah,why don't you get him to wallpaper the
showroom with his checks while you're at it?
I thought Bruce sold him a car.
Every schmuck on the lot
sold that flake a car.
Every month for the past five years.
What are you guys talking about?
The guys a major hoople.He just
likes talking to car salesmen.
Oh,you think that's funny,Bruce?
Oh,you can't handle it,why don't you go
back inside and answer the phone,sweetheart?
All right.
I think I'll call your wife first,tell her about all
the female customers you've been test-driving,huh?
- You wouldn't dare.
- Wouldn't I?
Salesman should never
mess where he eats.
Especially with the lady
who transfers his calls.
Bruce and Donna had a thing?
Thing or fling.Bruce was a dog.
He always had women calling the office.
Donna ever get to tell on his wife?
All I know is that he took two
weeks after she disappeared.
Bruce was a closer.He
never took a vacation.
You never told the cops?
He was still married.And
at the time,my top salesman.
Is he still selling cars?
Last I heard,up the street.
German luxury sedans,so screw him.
Excuse me.
Do you have an appointment?
Don't need one,Bruce.
Excuse me.
I thought you were customers.
- We can tell.
- Here about a car.
Remember this one?
' Eldorado?
Can't say I do.
You took it as a trade-in from Marshall
Brooks back when you worked at Steed Motors.
Long time ago.Maybe I did.
We found Donna D'Amico's
body stuffed in the trunk.
Greeter girl you had a thing
with before she disappeared?
I knew Donna.But we
definitely didn't have a thing.
Your old boss,Mickey,says different.
Then he's mistaken.
He's also a jealous schmuck.
Nothing more than a piker.
You can tell him I said that.
Told us you were the last
one to handle that Cadillac.
That's a crock.Look,I sold cars.
I didn't process trade-ins.
And I had no problem with Donna.
Way we heard it,she screwed
up your marriage pretty good.
I screwed up my marriage.
All four of 'em.Didn't
need any help with that.
Truth is,I tried to help Donna.
Nobody was moving American back then;
gas prices,the economy in the toilet.
But she saw something none of
the other jokers on the line did.
(The Pretenders' "Brass
in Pocket" playing)
Come on.The guy's a
tire-kicker.Look at him.
What?'Cause he's a Puerto Rican?
He won't even come inside.
He hates all the new models.
Deadbeat.Yeah,it's a waste of time.
Well,get rid of him before Mickey sees.
He's on the warpath today.
Just let the parts
manager go this morning.
Your kidding.Why?
Because the parts keep
disappearing,that's why.
Blaming him for the
break-in last month?
Hey,just get the chiseler
off the lot,all right?
Mickey called.
Actually,Donna,you're up.
For real.
Mickey said you can't
do any worse than Sanil.
This is no place for a lady.
You like that car,sir?
I don't know about these K-cars.
It's a lot of money
for all that plastic.
What's this leatherette thing?
I can't say that I blame you.
Let me show you something else.
cause I See,I,myself,
I prefer a car with a little more
meat on its bones,you know what I mean?
- This is a used car.
- And it's priced right.
I mean,forget those
little four-bangers.
What I like is a big V- .
Some real power under the hood.
It's a big car.
You look like the kind
of man that can handle it.
I mean,look at these lines.
That is real leather inside.
Power everything.
Curves and chrome.
I mean,I think I lost my virginity in
the back of one of these babies,you know?
I'm Donna.
Esteban.
You want to talk price?
Follow me.
She sold that sled for
a pound over Blue Book.
Nobody was moving the
used stuff back then.
And she was smart.
Those American cars are classics now.
Nothing after is.
That break-in you mentioned.
- Anybody ever find out who did it?
- Nope.
- Cops interviewed everybody.
- Inside job?
That car lot,everybody was
working some kind of scam.
I dug up the old burglary report.
The break-in happened a month
prior to Donna's disappearance.
They k*lled the guard dogs?
Yeah.Threw poisoned meat over the fence.
Stole two-grand-worth
of parts.
- Insurance cover it?
- Yeah.
The lock on the gate wasn't even broken.
Trying to track down the
insurance investigator.
Inside job,Donna could have got
caught up in the mix somehow.
Well,whoever did it had to know
where to flip stolen auto parts.
The salesman,Oscar
Anderson,called in the burglary.
And was questioned extensively.
Well,history's about to repeat itself.
QD recovered the address on the
Lester receipt in Donna's jacket.
Receipt?
- A business address?
- Ridge Avenue.
Today,it's a Wawa.But back
in ' ,it was a Goodwill.
Marisa D'Amico came by,dropped that off.
Said you asked for it.
Personal effects from her mother.
I guess she thinks about
her more than she let on.
Now,all you would need to do to collect your
luxury spa vacation getaway prize,Mrs.Hanover,
Is attend a brief presentation upon
your arrival at our Las Vegas resort.
Thank you.
Bye-bye.
Once a salesman,always
a salesman,huh,Oscar?
Oh,I just do this to keep me young.
There's nothing quite like
the rush from a good sale.
You remember Donna D'Amico?
I remember the day the police
came,said she'd gone missing.
Yup.
Left that little girl behind.
- It's just awful.
- You see her the night before?
No,I had a big day on the board.
Took the boys out for drinks.
There was a burglary earlier
that month.You called it in?
I was first one on the lot.Had
to prep a car for a customer.
- You think Donna was involved?
- Do you?
Well,I know people were desperate.
You see,after the oil crisis,we
were selling an inferior product.
Hell,the government had
to bail out Chrysler.
What does that got to do with Donna?
A lot of guys were struggling just to feed their
families,and then Mickey lets this lady start selling cars.
Created some resentment.
The day she went on the board,the
timing could not have been worse.
Gotta squeeze more out of every deal.
Get 'em in the box.
Work the four square: Price,down
payment,monthly,trade-in.
And you hammer away.
Start high,you wear 'em down.
You confuse them!
When they're ready to give
up,you call in a closer.
It's not working,Mickey.
- They don't like the cars.
- What'd you say?
He means they can't trust us
when they don't trust the product.
I-I took a guy on a test drive.
I cranked up the
window,and the handle broke.
You want to sell?They
you do whatever it takes!
Cold canvass!
Work the phones!
No shown appointments,no more ups.
- I'm trying,Mickey.
- No.
No,what you're doing is that
you're failing,my friend,okay?!
I mean,the coffee girl could
sell cars better than you!
ah,because you let her take my last up!
- I didn't take anything.
- Shut your mouth,woman.
Haven't you done enough already?
I only closed that deal
'cause you couldn't.
You couldn't close a window,Hoover.
I've carried you long
enough.You know what?
Why don't you,why don't you
try selling vacuum cleaners?
(Queen's "Another One
Bites the Dust" playing)
Mickey,Mickey... please...
I need this job.
Now you need a new one.
Why are you still here?
Go on,hit the bricks.
I told her not to worry.
It wasn't her fault.
- But Sanil felt otherwise?
- I guess I never thought he'd hurt her.
So Donna got promoted,Sanil got canned.
It's either in the blood or it's not.
Some guys just can't close.
-- I came
here with nothing.
Tried to sell cars to make a living.
- Chrysler.
- Perfect timing.
Nobody wanted to buy American anymore.
Specially from me.
Donna D'Amico sold cars.
I understand you had a
big problem with that.
It wasn't personal.
We were all struggling.I
realize that now.
You were humiliated.
They fired you and you blamed her.
No,I went to night
school to learn computers.
Programming. ...
Now,that was perfect timing.
You ever see Donna again
after they let you go?
Day when I came back
to get my last check.
I hated that place.
You didn't bleed the customer
dry,somebody else would do it for you.
DEsteban,what are you doing here?
I can't afford the car you sold me.
What do you mean?We went over
the numbers; it's a good deal.
But then they called me to come back in.
- Told me there was a problem
with my trade-in.- Problem?
The man said it was worth
less than what you told me.
That I owe more money.
Who called you?The finance department?
With this loan,I can afford to
make my payments and make rent.
Please,por favor,could you do something?
Yeah,just,uh...
just give me a minute,okay?
What is this,Frank?
Uh,floor mats,dealer prep
fee... % on his loan...
Hey,I did my job.
Mickey,come on,you got to
do something for this guy.
The bank's gonna repo his car that he needs to
get to his job and it's going to wreck his credit.
You,uh... you sign for this?
That your name right there?
You,uh,looking for a good buy,huh?
Well... "good-bye." You own it,buddy.
Welcome to America.
If they didn't get you on the front
end,F&I got you on the way out.
Donna told him she would never send
a customer in to him blind again.
Big profits on used cars.
So Donna started cutting
Frank out of the loop?
Sure,he figured it out.
I could think of a
lot of names for Frank.
But "stupid" isn't one of them.
Donna's compact,baby bracelet
from the hospital,phone bills.
It looks like the grandmother swept
it into a box after Donna disappeared.
Kind of sad.
All she has left of her mom.
Christmas card from the dealership.
Doesn't say who sent it,but
the address is handwritten.
Nothing else with the name Lester.
Are Donna's keys in there?
There's uh... grandmother's
apartment,car...
and then there's this one.
Kind of looks like it fits one
of those old steamer trunks.
Finally found your Lester.
Thanks for bringing that stuff in.
I'm sorry.It's all I had.
Your grandmother by any
chance own a piano,Marisa?
A piano?
No.Why?
This is a key to a piano.
The one your mother put a down payment
on the day before she was m*rder*d.
I don't get it.
A Lester piano.
The ason your mom cleaned
out her bank account.
She bought a piano?
She said we didn't have any room for it.
She was looking for a new place.
I remember her telling me that.
I just wanted it to be true.
(playing "Chopsticks")
Let's do it again.
We can't,boo.
I have to be at work.
I want a piano-- a real
one-- to play at home.
Well,maybe someday,when
we find a place for it.
Grandma doesn't have enough space.
And that is another reason why
Mommy has to go to work now.
I don't like it when you got to work.
I don't either,you know,but
everybody's got a job they got to do.
Do you like your job,Mommy?
I like that I found
something that I'm good at.
You know,it's real important in life that
you find something that you're good at.
She always had to go away.
I used to think she went to work...
to get away from me.
I know what it's like to have a
parent walk out on you as a kid,Marisa.
But that's not what your mother did.
Now,I'm going to find out
whoever took her away from you.
I was in mortgages until
the sub prime thing blew up.
Never thought I'd find another business that
would t*nk as bad as American cars,but I did.
Cars,caskets-- still dinging
them on the way out,huh,Frank?
Your line of work-- Should the
bereaved ever need a referral.
You were the numbers guy at
Steed Motors back in the ' s?
The numbers stunk.That's why I got out.
See,and we thought it was
'cause of that burglary in ' .
You saying I robbed the place?
Well,probably made the boss money
on that insurance claim-- win-win.
Donna figure it out,too?
All those calls of
yours she transferred?
That what this is
about-- Donna D'Amico?
She cut you out.Kept you from
screwing the customers on the back end.
She didn't get it.
Customers have all the power.
They can leave any time.
- Our job was no different than yours.
- Come again?
Get 'em in the box,get as much as you can,get
'em to sign before they walk out the door.
I look like a salesman to you,Frank?
You do what you have to do.
Befriend,persuade,control,lie.
But once they sign,they're
going to pay for it for years.
Donna got it,Frank.
She just did it her way.
It just turned out to
be bad for your business.
Donna figured out how the
real money was made on the lot.
And that put her in direct conflict with
someone a lot more dangerous than me.
Who the hell do you think you are?
Telling customers not to
buy add-ons or financing.
Why,so you can r*pe my
customers on the back end,Frank?
FRANK: You don't know when to quit.
Hey,she's right,Frank.
All you young sharks are
destroying our business.
You rip a customer's head off
on a deal,they never come back.
Stay out of this,Oscar.
Kills all our referrals,all
our repeat business.
You don't sell a man one car.
You sell him a dozen
cars over a lifetime.
That's a profession,damn it.
Go blow a sale,you old bag of wind.
Why would I help you,Frank?
You're selling cars out from under me.
What are you talking about?
I had a guy on the hook the other day,selling a '
Chevelle-- only to find out it had already been sold.
That wasn't my call.That car
was promised to the wholesaler.
For a song.I know the
Blue Book on that car.
I could have sold it for twice that.
Talk to the Tower.
Who,Mickey?
Why would we dump a good
car for that much less?
If you know what's good for you,lady,you talk
to your boss before selling another used car.
Donna figured out the sales manager was giving
the best trade-ins to the wholesaler for peanuts.
Mickey?Why would he do that?
Kickbacks.He was lining his pockets.
Screwing over the dealership
owner,and Donna knew it.
But you signed her timecard.
Said Donna left at : that night.
Mickey had me do that for everybody.
I closed a deal that night.
She was there at least till : .
He had you take care of
that old Cadillac too,Frank?
Me?No.
Mickey decided what
happened to every trade-in.
Whether it went to the
lot,wholesaler... or the salvage yard.
- Got me in the box,Detective?
- Yep.
Well,I've done this to
thousands of customers.
Unlike those schmucks,I
know I can walk anytime.
Yeah,you made quite a
ving ripping people off.
People always think
they're getting ripped off.
Look,you're trying to get the best
deal-- I'm trying to make a living.
I just don't like to lose.
Talking about you ripping off
your boss-- the dealership owner.
- Stole so much you became one yourself.
- Bunch of twaddle.
The smart owner knows every guy on
the lot is working some kind of scam.
Too bad Donna figured out
your big used car scam.
She didn't leave at : like you said.
She stuck around to confront you.
- You got nothing.- One of your old lackeys
clued us in as to how you worked the break-in,
the inside job,insurance fraud.
Sounds like I need better lackeys.
Willing to testify that you sent
that ' Caddy to the salvage yard.
With Donna's body in the trunk.
The only thing we care about
here is the homicide,Mick.
Who told you this nonsense?
Frank?
Let's see... the price
for homicide is life.
Plus fees,which...
you'll be paying on the inside.
Now your down payment so far,is zero.
What do you want your
monthly payment to be?
Unless of course,you're
offering a trade-in?
Do you have anything to trade,Mick?
Except a bunch of bull?
See... I'm willing to go to bat for you
here,but you gotta give something up.
You got to...
you got to meet me in
the middle.My boss...
he's gonna hammer me on this one.
So this is your best offer.
I don't think it's
gonna get this deal done.
I liked Donna.
Gotta hand it to her.She
was a hell of a salesman...
In some ways,too good.
- At selling cars?
- Used cars.
She had an eye for it,she knew
what a car was really worth.
Like the ones you sent back to
the wholesalers for kickbacks?
Couldn't let her k*ll the golden goose.
So I offered her a deal...
I know what you're doing,Mickey.
You know just enough to
get yourself in trouble.
Close the door.
Me?You're the one
stealing this place blind.
You're screwing over the owner.
The owner thinks I'm a hero
'cause I make him a lot of money.
You?
Well,he doesn't even
know your name,sweetheart.
All I wanted was a
chance to sell,you know.
A chance to prove myself.
Yeah,yeah,and you got that.
Thanks to me.
Congratulations.
You got your bonus.
Fair and square.
Tops on the board,profit-wise.
And there's plenty more
where that came from.
You know,Oscar was right.
We keep doing business like this,and
there ain't gonna be any business left.
Oscar?Why you listening to Oscar for?
- He hasn't sold a car in months.
- What do you mean?
I thought you took him off the
board to handle fleet sales.
Oscar couldn't handle a yard sale.
Would of fired him a long time
ago,but I felt bad for the old guy.
Let him wash cars to
earn his keep around here.
I earned this.
- For me and for 'Riss.
- Sure,kid.
Yeah.
But in the future?
You check with me before
you sell a trade-in...
Never came back.
Thought she took the money and ran.
Tell me about this Oscar,the has-been.
Tough racket,selling
cars.Game just passed him by.
Was he there the night
that Donna disappeared?
Every night.
He had a lot of cars to wash.
Even let the old guy lock up.
The pulled DMV records
on an Oscar Anderson.
Found his name registered
to a Cadillac Eldorado.
' ?
Donna's body was found in the trunk
of a ' ,Right,a salvage yard beater.
But the models share a lot of the
same parts,and those require upkeep.
You know,seats,wheels,bumpers,you
name it.
It's possible Oscar was taking
parts off the beater for a ' Caddy.
Yeah.Didn't know he was going to
need it that night to hide a body.
Power locks,power steering,power roof.
It's a car ahead of its time.
Won it back in ' .
Top man on the board.
Nine out of months.
- A real classic.
- Oh,yeah.
Bet you Donna could
appreciate a car like this.
She turned out to be a
pretty shrewd salesgal.
Got to admit that.
Kind of a shame how it
ended for you there,Oscar.
At the dealership.
Oh,I had my cold spells.
But I'll tell you this-- when I was
on a roll,there was nobody hotter.
Mickey told us you hadn't
sold a car in months.
- You lied to us,Oscar.
- Said you were out celebrating some sale.
Boozing with the boys the
night Donna disappeared.
Well,that's ridiculous.
I don't remember if it
was that exact night.
You should,'cause you
were there on the lot.
Out back washing cars.
You were the next Hoover.
One step away from
hawking vacuum cleaners.
- Magazines,telemarketing...
- Now wait just a damn minute.
I had a run of bad luck is all.
But my customers always came back.
You were done,Oscar.Doing
chores for Mickey.
Locking up,taking the
beaters to salvage.
Like that ' Caddy.
And when you stripped the VIN
number off,probably some parts,too.
' never had an egg-crate style grill.
It's 'cause it's from a ' .
Oh,come on.
We take this car apart we going
to find more parts from that ' ?
- You can't do that.
- You got careless,Oscar.
You dumped the body,but
you took the parts.
Stole her money,and left
her to rot in that junkyard.
But,hey,you sent Donna's
family a Christmas card.
Marisa saved it.It's got
your handwriting on it.
But you really think that would
make up for k*lling her mother?
I didn't k*ll that woman.
And I did not steal her bonus.
What bonus,Oscar?
How'd you know she got a bonus,Oscar?
- You just told me.
- No,we said you took her money.
Now how'd you know about
the bonus she got that night?
Now hold on a minute.Just wait a second.
I'm trying to explain.
I... I want to...I'm trying to..
It wasn't me that changed.
You know,it...
...it was the business.
You give me a quality car,bet
your ass,I could still close 'em.
Sure you could.
We can work something out here,right?
We... we can work something out?
Yeah,we can work something out.
Just a spell of bad
luck,that's all it was.
If I could have just broken through...
I'd have been right back
on top of that board.
Hey,Oscar.
Oh,hey,Donna.
Just prepping a car for
an appointment tomorrow.
It's good to see you
still get repeat business.
Well,it's the only way.
You build a reputation,it's
about repeats and referrals.
Matter of time,I'm back on a
roll bucking for that bonus.
Hey,who won it this time,by the way?
I sold another car today,Oscar.
I got the bonus.
- What?Really?
- Yeah.
I... That's great,kid!
Congratulations!
Yeah.
So how'd you close that baby?
You know,I just knew
what the guy wanted.
And I let the sale come to me.
Like you say.
Get a real charge out of it,too.
Oh,don't I know it.
That feeling never gets old.
You see this car here--
came on the lot today?
- Yeah,the Impala.
- Yeah.
Back in ' ,I must have sold of
these babies the minute they hit the lot.
Still a good car.
People just don't,uh...
hold on to them anymore.
Harold Bloom.Look at that.
Yeah,that's his trade-in.
That's the guy I sold the car to today.
I know Harold.
I sold him this car.
You sold him this car?
- This Impala?
- Harold's my client!
You know what I had to
do to make this sale?
Look,he just came in.He
didn't ask for you.
- Why the hell not?!
- I don't know.
Look,I feel terrible.
I am so sorry.
I'll split the commission with you.
I don't want your charity!
You know,it's just not right.
It's not how you do business..
.I feel horrible.
You don't have to do this.
Do what?
You don't have to wash cars for Mickey,you
know,you could do something else.
How dare you?
You know,I'm not some
vacuum cleaner salesman.
Who do you think you're talking to?!
I was selling cars when
you were in diapers.
I have been a closer
since before you were born!
(Journey's "Who's Cryin' Now?" playing)
* It's been a mystery,and
still they try to see *
* Why somethin' good can hurt so bad *
* Caught on a one-way
street,the taste of bittersweet *
L* ove will survive somehow,some way *
* One love feeds the fire, *
* one heart burns desire, *
* I wonder who's cryin' now
Two hearts born to run, *
* who'll be the lonely one,
* I wonder who's cryin' now *
* Only so many tears you can
cry 'til the heartache is over, *
* and now you can say
your love will never die *
* One love feeds the fire, *
* one heart burns desire, *
* I wonder who's cryin' now *
* Two hearts born to run, *
* who'll be the lonely one, *
* I wonder who's cryin' now *