"Hey, Dominic." "You deadhead, wake up." "Come on, you're up and you're staying up, you crummy con, you lunk." "No way you get your beauty sleep today," " no matter how much you need it." " Get off my back, Mouse." " Come on." "Up." " You're asking for it." "Okay, we'll do it this way." " I'm warning you." " I'm ready." " I'm going to let you have it." " I'm scared." "You're going to get it first." "Go ahead, you big bag of wind." "It's your last chance." "After today, you get a new keeper, you big gorilla." " After today" " It is my last chance, isn't it?" "Okay, you little pencil-necked punk, you asked for it." "You've been asking for it for 27 months." "Help." "Get him off me." "Axe murderer." "Maniac." "Hey, I'm gonna miss you, man." "What time do you hit the streets?" "Thirty minutes, man." "At 6:30." "The California Human Resources Development wants this work furlough programme to work, Jepsen." "Now, you blow it, you're gonna blow it for everybody." "No chance." "Well, you know your special conditions on this release." " No booze." " Think you can do that?" "Look, I've been dry almost three years in here." "I mean, in there." "Well, keep it that way out there." "Your wife coming to pick you up?" "No." "I kind of wanted to get the job first, then surprise her." "Be able to tell her I'm out for good." "Yeah, well, HRD has a list of five interviews for you." "I think the best one is Herman's Boat Yard." "They have a policy of hiring parolees." "But you don't see them until this afternoon." "All right." "Now, it's your job to make all the interviews." "Or any other leads you might have." "Newspapers, friends, whatever." "Yes, sir." "Bobby, you got 32 hours." "Use them." "I will." "Now, you get a job and you show us proof of employment by 5:00 Friday afternoon, you don't come back here." "You dig it?" "Yes, sir." "What did your work credits come to?" "Oh, 23 bucks and some change." " Let me bump you 5." " Hey, you" "Mail it to me." "You don't belong here, Jepsen." "So lay off the sauce and let's have no reunions." " Okay?" " Yes, sir." " Thanks." " Good luck." "Here you go." "Here you go." "It's your ticket to wiki-wiki land." "Wiki-wiki?" "Now, listen, that's a federal offence, isn't it?" "Hey, Steve, you made that one-way, didn't you?" "You, out." "Everybody, out." " All of you, come out." " Farewell." "That's a mad group." " Well, you all packed?" " Everything but my snorkel." "Will you get out of here, so I can finish this up?" "What is this?" "What?" "That liquor store gig, that's supposed to be on Olsen's desk already." "I just saw something I wanted to clear up." "What are you talking ab--?" "Oh, man, you're gonna do it, aren't you?" " What?" " You will sit here messing around, till you come up with some excuse to stay." "Well, you're keeping me here now." "Haseejian told me." "He told me six months ago when you signed up for this charter thing you wouldn't go." "Okay, buddy boy, out." "He told me this would be, what?" "Your fourth deposit in a row you lost." "You know how much money that is?" "Yes, I have an idea how much money that is." "Whose pay cheque you think they are pulling it out of, the mayor's?" "You're really a character." "You don't trust anybody with your city, do you?" "My city?" "What are you talking about, "my city"?" "You know what I'm talking about." "It's the truth." "You don't take time for lunch." "How are you gonna go take ten days sitting under a tree?" "I tell you what I'm gonna take." "I'm gonna take you apart in just ten seconds." "All right, lieutenant, that's it." "All right." " You have the right to remain silent." " Oh, come on." "Out." "I'm coming back this afternoon, 45 minutes before departure." "Ten seconds." " Code three." "I'm gonna handcuff you" " One, two," " to that old lady tour director." " three, four," " I'll take that key - five," " and drop it right down her muumuu." " six, seven, eight, nine and ten." "Get out." ""Muumuu."" "Wiki-wiki." "Well, that looks okay, you got a pretty good record." " That's all right." " Thanks." "Let me ask you something." "You still carry your ticket?" " Ticket?" " Your licence." "Your driver's licence." "Well, it expired, you know, when I was inside." "But it was never revoked or anything." " What kind was it?" " Just a California licence." "You mean to tell me, nobody told you you'd need a dual-axle truck licence?" "No." "But it's no trouble to pick that up." "I can go down there and get myself" "We really need a guy who knows how to handle the rigs here." "Well, how much of a trick can that be?" " Learn to shift more gears" " I don't know." "I don't know." "Maybe I gotta ask the boss, huh?" "Great." "You want me to go with you now?" "That's no good." "He's gone till Tuesday, out of town." "Yeah, but Tuesday's too late." " I've only got 29 hours." " Look, fella, I'm sorry." "I really am." "You gotta know how it is." "Hey, that's all right." "Look, thanks for the time." "How do you do, Mr. Jepsen?" "Sit down, please." "Thank you." "You know there was a very important item left incomplete on this form." " What's that?" " Your typing skills." "How many words a minute do you type?" "Well, I" "I don't know exactly." "I mean, I don't think I've ever been timed or anything." "Shall we do it now?" "Sure." "All right." "Time." "Sure." "Well, then I understand." "It's just out of my hands completely." "I hope you really do understand." "We would like to help." " Sure." " We'll keep your name on file." "Yeah?" "Thanks." "Say, excuse me, what time do you have?" "Ten minutes to 12." "Give me a shot of rye." "Herb Shako's buying." "What's the matter?" "I wanna talk to you for a minute." "Some other time maybe." "I got an appointment now." "Hey, that's not very friendly." "Shako, we were never friends." "Hey, Jepsen." "Jepsen." "Hey, Jepsen, just a minute." "Hey, listen, I gotta talk to you." " What about?" " When did they spring you?" " This morning." " Then you know." "Know what?" "Somebody's coming down on me real tough." "I missed buying it by that much." "There's only one guy I can think of who might wanna nail me." " What did you hear about McFee?" " Nothing." "Oh, listen, you had to hear something." "He's after me, isn't he?" "He's still hot about that hassle we had, right?" "He's still got a steel plate in his head, how should he feel?" "Well, then he did it, didn't he?" "He put out a contract." "Who did he buy?" "Who?" "I don't know anything, man." "Leave me alone." "Will you?" "You don't have to worry about that little punk." "I can take care of him." "But I gotta know who he turned loose on me." "I don't know." "That's a lie." "You're lying." "There are no secrets." "Those walls got ears." "He's got somebody out here looking for me and you know who it is." "Hey." "Where are you going?" "Police!" "Hey!" " Over here!" " Check him and call an ambulance." "Police!" "Officer." "Officer, that's him." "He killed that guy." "Okay, hold it." "Quiet, everybody." "Stand back, everybody." "Emergency, Homicide Department." "Lieutenant Mike Stone, fast." "Stone." "This is Jepsen, Bobby Jepsen." "Hey, you gotta help me, man." "You're all I got." "Twelve twenty." "He's been out, what?" "Six thirty to 12." "Not even six hours." "I was thinking about Hawaii." "Look, as soon as we get the report, let me take it over, all right?" "We'll see." "You said his problem is drinking?" "Was." "But the call said he was coming out of a bar when it happened." "You think--?" "I'll know what I think when I have something to think about." "Right." "Turn on this corner." "I don't know, Mike." "I think you went out on a limb when he got busted." "Limb?" "What limb?" "I made a court appearance." "Big deal." "As a character witness." "I'd say that's a little unusual, isn't it?" "Well, he's a good kid." "Manslaughter, huh?" "He cracked a guy over the skull three times his size." "Self-defence." "Guy never got up." " Did you see it happen?" " Didn't have to." "I've seen that boy in action since he was 12." "Coached him myself in the Police Athletic League." "Never missed a game when he was all-state halfback in high school." "No way he plays it dirty." "But the judge didn't agree." " Well, it happens." "Right here." " Yeah." "Lieutenant." "There's your man over there." " The victim was a guy named Shako." " Herb Shako?" " Yeah, you know him?" " I had that pleasure once." "It's narcotics, right?" "Right." " You got the witness?" " Yeah, he's the guy at the pool table." "He was at the bus stop." "Said he saw Jepsen shove Shako." " I got him, Mike." " Okay." "Mike." "Thanks for coming." "Now, what are you doing in a place like this?" " Mike, listen." "I came" " No, you listen." "Now, you had a condition on that pass." "This place or any place like it was off-limits." " Now, what are you doing?" " I never touched a drop." "I swear." "I started to, but I didn't have to." "You can ask him." "So, what happened?" "I was starting to leave when Shako stopped me." "Wanted to buy a round." "You know him from inside?" "Yeah, a hustler, you know." "Look, I didn't want any part of him." "The kid at the pool table said that you killed him." "Well, he's wrong, Mike." "I know what it looked like, but he's wrong." "Sure, I'm sure." "What's to miss?" "There were six, eight people out there." "Most of them were looking right at these two." " Why was that?" " They were arguing." "The dead guy was grabbing the other guy's jacket." "Asking him for something." "What?" "Who knows?" "Money." "Now, wait a minute, are you guessing or did he say money?" "Okay." "Okay, let's hang in with what we know, all right?" "What happened then?" "A truck came whooping down Embarcadero and:" "Yeah, he shoved the other guy right under that truck." "You saw that?" "I was standing right next to him." "I'm not asking that." "I'm saying, you saw him shove the other man into the street?" "Yeah, the truck was trying to miss some little car." "He hit his air horn and ripped right around the corner." "Did you hear the air horn before or after the man went into the street?" "Before..." "Before." "Then you were looking at the truck." "Yeah, sure." "So you weren't actually watching the two men all the time." "Well, maybe not every second." "This McFee that he was afraid of," " is that Mickey McFee?" " Yeah." "He's inside, but he's still operating." "Got big connections." "He could have bought somebody to hit Shako, I guess." "At least Shako was sure he did." "Yeah." "Okay, now, this guy that you say you saw come back in here, how big again?" "Big." "Six foot, 6-foot-1." "Corduroy sport jacket, rust-coloured, dark slacks, brown maybe." " I can't say for sure." " Tie?" "I told you, Mike." "I only saw him from" "Are you testing me, Mike?" "Do I have to?" "I'm sorry." "I'll get on it." "You want me to call Irene?" " No." " She should know." "Mike, please, not this." "She doesn't need this." "What are the odds of finding a guy I can't even describe?" "You leave the odds to me." "Okay, if I wanna ask you any more questions," " I can get you at this number here?" " Right." "Now, hold it a minute." "Son." "There was a guy outside at the bus stop." "About 6', 6'1"." "He came in here just ahead of the suspect." "Did you see him?" "I only saw the guy you were talking to." "I saw him do it and I saw him try to run." "Yeah, but he says he ran in here after that big guy." "He was wearing a rust-coloured jacket." "Corduroy maybe." "Brown slacks." "Son, are you sure you didn't see him do it?" "No way." "There was just the two of them, and they argued just like I said." "And then he shoved the other guy and tried to run." "All right." "Look, if you happen to think of anything later, give me a call, will you?" " Sure." "That all?" " That's all." "Thank you." "What did Jepsen say?" "He didn't do it." "Now, is that you talking or him?" "I believe him." "Well, I just might too." "That witness couldn't possibly have seen Jepsen push Shako." "Right." "His eyes, they were on the truck when he heard the air horn." "Good work." "Now, who is this guy, this big man?" "Is that for real?" "Well, he'd better be." "I'm gonna ask around." "Wait a minute, you got a plane to catch, remember?" "I got a job to do." "Oh, come on, Mike." "You're not blowing another $100 deposit." " I can take this." " Buddy boy." "We're talking about somebody's life." "I'll go out and see if I can find the big guy and you hit the streets and see what you can pick up on Herb Shako." "All right." "Well, the cat's in the bag." "And the bag's in the bay." "No problems?" "Not for you." "Somebody else maybe." "What do you mean?" "The bag." "Some friend of his is holding it." "Who?" "It's by me." "What do you care?" "The only thing I care about now is you're hustling some China doll while I'm staring at last month's centrefold." "Well, then that's a problem I can't help you with." "I like your style, Le Beau." "I really do." "Send me a snapshot, at least." "But who did you know in Q that was 6'1", 160 pounds." "About 40 years old, sandy hair, blue eyes and he had a scar over his right eye, and it drooped a little." " You saw him?" " No." "But enough people did to give me a picture." "The bartender said that he came in right after Shako, hung around, played the pinball machine." "Well, then you can get me out." "No, I can't." "I need more than that." "I need the man." " I don't know, Mike." "I" " Well, think." "Think, think." "I can't remember anybody with a scar like that." "I can't, Mike." "I can't." "Okay." "Okay, okay." "Maybe McFee can." "Are you going up there?" "Yeah." "Now, this might take a little time." "You want me to have Irene come over?" " We've been through that already." " You owe it to her." "She played it straight for three years waiting for you." "What did she put those three years in--?" "To come back down here and see me right back in the tank?" "Every time I turn around, it's right back down the tube." "What is it, Mike?" "What makes me a loser?" "Thinking like one." "Now, you hang in there." "You hang loose." "We'll get the guy." "Don't worry." " May I help you?" " Yeah, you're holding a ticket for me." "Le Beau." "Oh, yes, Mr. Le Beau." "We were afraid you weren't going to make it." " You know, we sail at 6:00." " We?" "Just a figure of speech, Mr. Le Beau." "Now, that's too bad." "How are you?" "Stone and Keller." "Yes, sir." "Weapons, ammo, cuffs." "Jim Pritchard from HRD is up in Records now, lieutenant." "Said to tell you they have been digging ever since you called." "Still haven't come up with anybody fitting your description they could tie to McFee in south block." "Well, how about seeing McFee?" "It's all right." "He's in the machine shop." "I can take you over." "You gotta be kidding." "Is that what you came up here for, lieutenant?" "To arrest me?" "Well, the people I talked to outside said you tangled with Shako when he was up here." "You swore you'd get him." "Ever have your skull laid open with a wrench?" "You say a lot of crazy things." "You were in the infirmary for three months." "You tried to hit him twice in the yard, once in the mess hall." "You were the one that spread the word Shako could run but he couldn't hide." " You get around." " What do you know about it, McFee?" "Just what you told me, lieutenant." "Herbie Shako didn't know enough to use a crosswalk." "Is that really what brought you guys up here?" "What brought us up here was Bobby Jepsen." "Jepsen?" "Little clean jeans." "How's he wrapped up with Shako?" "He stands to take the jolt." "We see it as a setup." "How's the DA gonna see it?" "I went to Shako's apartment and found five hollow-point .30-30 slugs in the plaster." "They went through his window about 6:00 this morning." "That's just when Bobby was walking out of here." "I see." "But then he was walking the streets with Shako when it happened." "Is that it?" "I'm gonna give it to you straight, McFee, and I want it back the same way." "Bobby Jepsen's a good kid." "He doesn't belong in here." "And I can keep him out, if I can find that guy who shoved Shako." "Who's that?" "That's what I want from you." "Now, wait a minute." "Let me get this straight." "You're telling me you think I put out a contract and now you wanna know who I bought." "I mean, do you really think if that's what I did," " I'd be dumb enough to tell you?" " No." "No, we think you'd be smart enough to help us, if the information we got was wrong." "Sure." "Sure." "Anything I can do." "I mean, I really owe the law a lot." "Right?" "Pritchard, you gotta come up with something." "We've been back all the way, lieutenant." "McFee's whole stretch." "Did you check everybody that's in and out of here?" " Past three years." " Three years, wait a minute." "We're talking about six for McFee." "Right?" " Right." " Not here." "Sure." "The taxmen put him in." "That would have been minimum security." "Where was he before?" "Have to look." "What's with the taxmen?" "I thought he was a real public enemy." "He was." "But clever." "They finally nailed him on tax evasion." "Here we are." "He drew Chino." "He got lucky three years ago." " Why was that?" " He's a born organiser." "Had Chino wired for just about every kind of activity you can think of." "Some of it got a little rough." "Then he did too." "They sent him to us to straighten him out." "How do you unkink a corkscrew?" "So if our man didn't know McFee here--?" " He could've known him in Chino." " Right." "How much time will it take to comb those records?" "Time." "No problem." "At Rudolph's, we don't worry about the clock, we worry about the customer." " Yeah, well, I need it by 5." " Then you'll have it by 5." "How's that?" "It's fine." "Hello, Irene." "Bobby, why didn't you tell me you were getting out today?" "I was gonna knock on the door with a dozen roses in one hand and a job card in the other." "But here we are." "Just like every weekend for the past 27 months." "Mike Stone said that it was a mistake." "Did he tell you it's a mistake that started in a bar?" "Bobby." "Why?" "Why?" "Because I fumbled three straight interviews." "I couldn't handle the right kind of truck." "I couldn't handle a crummy typing test." "I couldn't handle being out." "Don't, Bobby." "Don't put yourself down like that." "Bobby, you never got to be college all-American." "Okay." "And you're not a doctor or a lawyer or a banker or a teacher." "You're just a guy like a lot of other guys who live a life without headlines." "Find something that they do well and make their own way." "Make a good home for their families." "That's all you have to be." "It's all I ever wanted." "No, Irene." "I'll tell you what I am." "I just had it laid out on a booking slip what I am:" "Convicted felon." "I've got the record and the social contacts to prove it." "Guys like Herb Shako who can walk up to me on any street corner at any time and drag me right back into the gutter with him." "And that's not where I want you." "What do you mean?" "What I said three years ago." "Go see a lawyer." "Haven't I proved anything to you in all this time?" "Irene, this charge means a life sentence." "Even with parole, I'm talking about 12, 15 years." "But they haven't proved anything yet." "They've got a guy who's gonna walk into that courtroom in a suit and tie and tell them that he saw a convict already doing time for manslaughter shove another con under a truck." "What are the citizens of San Francisco gonna think about that?" "I mean, what chance do I have?" "Well, you've got Mike Stone." "And, if it matters, me." "I was afraid the time pressure might get to Jepsen." "He felt he had so much to prove." "But you see," " the work furlough programme" " Oh, I like the programme." "I just don't like putting a time lock on any man's chance for freedom." "We tell somebody that it all hangs on their going out and getting a job." "Well, I think they ought to have more than one shot at it." "Not have to feel that it's all over if they blow one lousy chance." "I'm sorry." "I like this kid." "I care for him." "He had a shot at something once that a lot of us dreamed about." "You put a ball in this boy's hands, forget it." "He was off." "Nobody could stop him." "You never told me what happened, he get hurt?" "North-South All-star game." "Coliseum in L.A." "I flew down to see it." "Clean play." "But you could hear that leg snap all the way up to the 65th row." " Broke his spirit too, huh?" " Completely." "All those good moves on the field." "And just like that, over, nothing." "Nothing but bad ones off the field." "But, you know, I certainly appreciate you coming in on this." "Records." "Jensen." "Right." "What have you got?" "Three years ago, July." "Could be our man." "Are you sure about that scar?" "You have to tie him to McFee." "Good." "Right eye." "Now, look, can you tie him to a Michael R. McFee." "Yeah, Mickey." "He's checking." "But the make you gave me squares with the guy they paroled three years ago, puts him in your time period." " What's his name?" " Le Beau." "Darryl Le Beau." " How do you spell that last name?" " Wait a minute." "Yeah, go ahead." "Same work detail." "Two years." "That's our man." "Can you give me a spelling?" "Yeah." "Go ahead." "Parole and Community Services, please." "Yeah." "Right." "Got it." "Thanks." "Okay, you fellas take it easy down there." "Supervisor's office." "Art Flynn." "Art, Mike Stone." "I'm fine, thanks." "Listen, I need some information about a fella sent to you from Chino about three years ago." "Around July." "Name is Le Beau." "Darryl Le Beau." "That's L-E" "Capital B-E-A-U." "L-E, capital B-E-A-U." "First name is Darryl." "D-A-R-R-Y-L." "Thanks, I'll hold on." "Say, what chances is for you to come to the city?" "It's very possible." "Well..." "I'd like for you to tell Bobby that we're on to something." "He'll need it about now." "Sure." "Yes." "Yes, I'm here." "His parole is up." "Well..." "What's the last known address you have on him?" "Pier 35." "Swing downtown first to Rudolph's men's store." "Polk and California." "Could you do me a favour?" "Could you see if McFee had any other visitors today?" "Sure." "Just one second." "Yeah a guy named Le Beau." "Darryl Le Beau." "What time was that?" " One twelve." " Hold onto that." "I'll be back with a warrant." "Good thinking, buddy boy." "And we thank thee, dear heavenly Father, for all of thy blessings in his holy name, we pray" "I'll get it." "In a moment." "Amen." "It's the plumbing, I know it." "Probably number six." " Come in, please." " Yes." "Police." "You have a tenant in number eight." "Le Beau." "He doesn't seem to answer." "I wonder if you could tell us where he is." "Is there some kind of trouble?" "We'd like to ask him a few questions." "I'm afraid I can't help you." " Why is that?" " He's gone." " Well, where?" " He said a trip." "Had the utilities turned off and everything." "When was this?" "Just a while ago." "Forty, 45 minutes maybe." "Do you have any idea where we can get in touch with him" " or where he was going?" " No." "He's a very quiet man." "Keeps to himself." "Well, did you happen to see him leave?" " No." " The big man?" "Yes, yes, son, the big man." "Yes." "When I was playing outside." "Did you see him leave in his car?" "He didn't get in a car." "He got in a taxi cab." "What colour?" "Orange." "Orange, that's CW Cabs." "555-3323." " I'll radio for a search warrant." " Right." "May I use your phone, please?" "Certainly." "Please, forgive me." "Dispatch, please." "This is Mike Stone, San Francisco Police." "You picked up a fare at 2207 Taylor about 45 minutes ago." "I'd like the destination." "I thought I said no reunions." "What are you doing here?" "Mike Stone told me about everything." "Including the guy you saw run off." "He's checking him out right now." "Who is he?" "Name's Darryl Le Beau." " I don't know him." " He knows McFee." "Well, then I'm clear." "Not until Mike wraps it." "Right." "That could be never." "It seems like he's got more confidence in you than you've got in him." " I just meant" " Yeah, I know." "There's one more problem." " What's that?" " I just checked with my office and I got a message that the board knows about this whole thing." "They're trying to get ahold of me." "They wanna pull the plug." "Well, what do we do?" "Well, I could stop picking up my messages." "And you could start having more faith in Mike Stone." "Attention all units." "Vicinity of Embarcadero." "Pier 33." "Code 3 now in effect." "Please assist." "Unit 81." "Closing in on Pier 33." "How about that liner?" "Talk to the captain yet?" "The main office has been contacted, lieutenant." "They are trying to get word through now." "Well, stay on it." "I don't want that ship to leave the dock." "Passenger Le Beau, please report to the purser's office." "Passenger Le Beau." "Le Beau!" "Hold it!" "He's going under." "Mike" " Get an ambulance!" "Pull it." "Now, you're okay?" "Nothing like a cold shower after a hard workout." " What are you laughing about?" " You." "What?" "What?" "The time you got." "What are you worried about the ti--?" "Oh, man." "What are you laughing about?" "You blew another $100 deposit to Hawaii." "Maybe next year." " Yeah, yeah." " Don't forget your coat." "Sure." " Pick up your shoes." " I got my shoes." "I'll make it 49ers and six." " Six?" " Yeah." "Oh, come on." "Dallas hasn't given up six points in the last three games." "What, with Brody on target?" "No sweat." " Don't laugh." "It's true." " One of your boys, huh?" "Yeah, you bet your cheap watch, it's one of my boys." "How long has he been up there?" " About 15 minutes." " Fifteen minutes." "That's a long time." "Maybe I ought to go up." "I think your phone call was enough, Mike." "He can handle it." "What happened?" "Come on." "Come on." "What happened?" "We scored, gang." "Hey, Bobby, way to go." " Hey, buddy." " I guess I can call my office now." "Thanks, man." "Thanks for everything." "Coach." "Say, we gotta get rolling, you want a lift?" "Thanks." "But they're gonna check me out on the routine." "I think I'll just hang in here too." "Thanks a lot." "Now, that's one of your boys I gotta go along with." "But the 49ers this year, that's something else." " You give me Dallas and six points?" " Yes." " I gotta take that." " You got it." "Could have had 12." "Yeah well, you could have."