"Come to Los Angeles." "The sun shines bright." "The beaches are wide and inviting." "And the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see." "There are jobs aplenty." "And land is cheap." "Every workingman can have his own house." "And inside every house, a happy all-American family." "You can have all this." "And who knows?" "You could even be discovered.." "become a movie star, or at least see one." "Life is good in Los Angeles." "It´s paradise on earth." "Ha ha ha, that´s what they tell you, anyway." "Because they´re selling an image." "They´re selling it through movies, radio and television." "In the hit show, Badge of Honor, the L.A. cops walk on water.." "as they keep the city clean of crooks." "Yep, you´d think this place was the Garden of Eden." "But there´s trouble in paradise.." "and his name is Meyer Harris Cohen, Mickey C, to his fans." "Local L.A. color to the nth degree." "And his number one bodyguard.." "Johnny Stompanato." "Mickey C´s the head of organized crime in these parts." "He runs dope, rackets and prostitution." "He kills a dozen people a year." "And the dapper little gent does it in style." "And every time his picture´s on the front page.." "it´s a black eye for the image of Los Angeles." "Because how can organized crime exist.." "in the city with the best police force in the world?" "Something has to be done." "But nothing too original, because, hey, this is Hollywood." "What worked for Al Capone would work for the Mickster." "Mr. Cohen, you´re under arrest." "Non-payment of federal income tax." "But all is not well." "Sending Mickey up has created a vacuum." "And it´s only a matter of time.." "before someone with balls of brass tries to fill it." ""Remember dear readers.." "you heard it here first.."" "off the record.." "on the Q.T.." "and very.." "".." "Hush-Hush."" "You´re like Santa Claus with that list." "Except everyone on it´s been naughty." "Guy´s been out of Q two weeks." "Leave it for later." "We´ve got to pick up the booze and get it to the station." "Hollywood, this is 6-Adam-7." "Have Central send a prowler to 4216 Evergreen." "Parole violation:" "assault arising from a family dispute." "We won´t be here." "They´ll see him." "Quit whining!" "Quit whining all the time!" "It makes me sick!" "Shut up!" "Who the hell are you?" "The ghost of Christmas past." "Dance with a man for a change?" "What are you, some kind of smart ass?" "You'll be out in a year and a half." "I´II get cozy with your parole officer." "You touch her again, I´II have you violated on a kiddie raper beef." "You know what they do to kiddie rapers in Quentin." "You have someplace you can go?" "Go get yourself fixed up." "Merry Christmas, huh." " Merry Christmas, ma´am." " Let´s go, Bud." "The guys´ll be waiting." "What do you do on Badge of Honor, Jack?" "I´m the technical advisor." "I teach Brett Chase how to walk and talk like a cop." "Brett Chase doesn´t walk and talk like you." "That´s because he´s the television version." "America isn´t ready for the real me." "Is it true you´re the one who arrested Bob Mitchum?" "These Badge of Honor guys like to pretend." "But being the real thing must be a thrill." "Why don´t you and I go someplace quiet?" "Because" "I´d love to give you the lowdown on Mitchum." "Big V. Jack Vincennes." " May I have this dance?" " Of course." "This is Sid Hudgens with Hush-Hush magazine." " Hello, Karen." " Hello yourself." "What´s that about?" "We did a piece, "ingenue Dykes in Hollywood." Her name got mentioned." "Hey Jackie-boy.." "a friend just sold some reefer to Matt Reynolds." "He´s tripping the light fantastic with Tammy Jordan." "Sorry, I lost you for a second, Sid." "Contract players, Metro." "You pinch them, I do a nice feature next issue." " Plus the usual $50 cash." " No, I need another $50." "Two $20´s for two patrolmen, a dime for the watch commander at the Hollywood Station." "Jackie, it´s Christmas." "No, it´s not." "It´s felony possession of marijuana." "Actually, it´s circulation 36,000 and climbing." "There´s no telling where this is gonna go." "Radio, television." "Once you whet the public´s appetite for the truth, the sky´s the limit." "Sergeant Ed Exley, son of the legendary Preston Exley." "Must be a hard act to follow." "Why not make a mark somewhere else?" "Why become a cop, ed?" "I like to help people." "We heard 2 officers were assaulted this evening." " What do you think about that?" " Goes with the job." "But I took the report." "Luckily, they´re okay." "Aren´t you a little young to be watch commander?" "It´s only for tonight." "The married men have Christmas Eve off." "That´s a good lead for the story." "Merry Christmas, Captain." " Captain Smith." " Drop the formalities, Bobby." " It´s Christmas Eve, call me Dudley." " I came up with a title for the story." "I´m calling it "Silent Night with the LAPD"." "Oh that´s grand." "Now remember, Bobby, that´s "Smith"" "with an "S"." "Thank you, gentlemen." "Merry Christmas." "Hold on there, lads." "Merry Christmas." "I saw the test results on the lieutenant´s exam." "First out of 23." "What´ll it be, then?" "Patrol Division?" "Internal Affairs?" "What?" "I was thinking Detective Bureau." "Edmund.." "you´re a political animal." "You have the eye for human weakness, but not the stomach." "You´re wrong, sir." "Would you be willing to plant corrobarative evidence on a suspect you knew to be guilty.." "in order to insure an indictment?" " Dudley, we´ve been over this." " Yes or no?" "No." "Would you beat a confession out of a suspect you knew to be guilty?" "Would you be willing to shoot a hardened criminal in the back.." "in order to offset the chance that some lawyer.." " No." "Then for the love of God.." "don´t be a detective." "Stick to the assignments work where you don´t have to make those kind of choices." "Dudley, I know you mean well.." "but I don´t need to do it the way you did.. or my father." "At least get rid of the glasses." "I can´t think of a single man on the Bureau who wears them." "If I ever get held up, you guys better be here." "Hi, Nick." "I need a delivery." "A case each of gin, rum, scotch." "That sounds like a hell of a party." "I'll be right with you." "Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas to you, officer." "That obvious, huh?" "It´s practically stamped on your forehead." "There you go." "See what he wants, Buzz." "Hey.." "Get lost, why don´t you?" "Down!" "Get your fucking head down." "I got a license for that." "Cut me some slack." "I used to be a cop." ""Leland Meeks" Never heard of you." "They call me Buzz." "I don´t give a rat´s ass what they call you." "Now keep your head down." "And stay there.." "Buzz." "You okay?" "She´s fine." "I´m not asking you, sir." "Somebody hit you?" "It´s not what you think." "What is it, then?" "You got the wrong idea, mister." "I´m fine." "But it´s nice to know you care." "Drive safely." "What´s going on?" "You know him?" "Yeah, I´ve seen him around." "He used to be a cop." "They´re sitting in the dark, goofing on the Christmas tree." "Put your camera right there." "When I walk out, I´II stop right here." "You get the movie premiere in the background." "I like it." "I like it." ""The Movie Premiere Pot Bust."" "When I walk out, I don´t want those goddamn floodlights in my eyes." "Hey V, Consider it done." "You hear that, Chip?" "Come on." "Get down." "Go!" "Pop them!" "Freeze!" "Police!" "Jesus Christ!" "Come on." "Come on, let´s go." "My family´s coming in.." " lt´ll be a nice Christmas gift." " Hi, Tammy." "Hi, Matt." "Right over here." " Just turn." " Hold it." "Got it!" "The Movie Premiere Pot Bust!" "Take care of 'em." "Write down the Hollywood Station." "I´II get the evidence." ""It´s Christmas Eve in the City of Angels.."" "and while decent citizens sleep the sleep of the righteous.." "hopheads prowl for marijuana.." "not knowing that a man is coming to stop them:" "Celebrity crime-stopper, Jack Vincennes." ""Scourge of grasshoppers and dope fiends everywhere."" "You like it Jackie-boy?" "Yeah, subtle." "What took you?" "My partner stopped to help a damsel in distress." "This guy's priorities are all screwed up." "Up to your old tricks again, Bud?" "Hollywood Jack, what brings you to our humble station house?" " How are you?" " Why are you here?" "You know me." "I'm keeping the streets safe, boys." "Alright take these two, get them dressed and book them." " The party´s upstairs." " Okay, I´II be right up." "What´s that for?" "Well you are watch commander tonight, aren´t you?" "Yeah." "So?" "Well it's a gratuity from Hush-Hush magazine." "You know.. buy yourself some new loafers." "No thanks, Jack." "You keep your payoff." "I´m not interested." "What the hell is this?" "Six spics." "Mexicans, sir." "The ones who assaulted Brown and Helenowski." "I heard Helenowski bled 6 pints and Brown´s in a coma." "They're home with bruises and muscle pulls." "It´s not what I heard." "Let's get these men booked in the lockup." "Stens, you guys hear what those taco benders did to Helenowski and Brown?" "Helenowski lost an eye, and they´re reading Brown his last rites." "Well that oughta make for a very merry Christmas for Helenowski and Brown." "Hey, guys." "Guys." "They brought the Mexicans in." "They´re downstairs." " Let´s do it." " Come on, guys." "Let´s get them." "Hey Stensland, the party´s upstairs." "This doesn´t concern you." "Come on, guys." "Haven´t you got work to do?" "Go back to the party." " Come on, it´s Christmas, help me out." " Move it!" "I just got a few more questions." "You don´t have to be down here." "Go!" "You better put a leash on your partner before he kills somebody." "Teach him a lesson!" "Get him, Stens!" "This is for ours, Poncho." "Let me through!" "No!" "He didn´t do nothing!" "What are you looking at?" "Tell that Mexican to shut up!" "Move!" "You´re sick!" "That´s it!" "Don´t break it up." "Get back!" "Get back!" "Yeah, and fuck your mother!" "Fuck you!" "Stop, officer!" "That´s an order!" "You´ll all gonna be in my report!" ""Bloody Christmas."" "The press love to label." "You should know this is bigger than the police board." "The grand jury´s convening." "Indictments may be handed down." "Will you testify?" "No, sir." "I won´t." "District Attorney Loew?" "You and officer Stensland brought the liquor to the station." "Stensland was already drunk." "So you see how appearing as a voluntary witness against him.." "could offset the damage that you've done to yourself." "Sir I won´t testify against my partner, or anyone else." "This man is a disgrace." "Your badge and gun, officer." "You´re suspended from duty." "Dismissed." "Ed, we need police witnesses to offset the damage done to the Department." "I'm asking you.." "Justice has to be served." "Of course I´II testify." "I´m glad you feel that way, Edmund." "Most of them don´t." "That's because they think silence and integrity are the same thing." "Not exactly the image of the.." "new LAPD we´re trying to create." "Welcome to Los Angeles, the city of the future." " May I make a suggestion, sir?" " By all means." "The public will expect the Department to protect its own.." "To sweep this under the carpet." "Don´t." "Shift the guilt to men whose pensions are secured." "Force them to retire." "But somebody has to swing." "So indict, try and convict.." "Richard Stensland and Bud White." "Secure them jail time." "The message will be very clear." "This Department.." "the new LAPD will not tolerate officers who think they´re above the law." "Dick Stensland is an embarrassment as a policeman." "He´s had rotten fitness reports from every C.O. he´s ever served under." "But Bud White is a valuable officer." "White´s a mindless thug." "No, Edmund.." "He's just a man who can answer "yes" to those questions I´ve asked you from time to time." "The Department and the public need role models." "Clean-cut, forthright men the public can admire." "Sergeant.." "I´II promote you.." "to lieutenant.." "effective immediately." "Detective Lieutenant." "Ed, you´re 30." "Your father didn´t make lieutenant till he was 33." "I know that, sir." "I also know that when he made lieutenant, it was as a detective." "Before we start polishing our laurels.." "I think it´d look better if we had a corroborative witness." "That won´t be easy to come by." "The men hate a stool pigeon." "Jack Vincennes." "He hit one of the Mexicans." "And he saw the whole thing." "A veteran like Vincennes might be willing to admit his own culpability.." "but he´d never rat out a fellow officer." "Jack´s the technical advisor on Badge of Honor." "He lives for it." "That´s the way to get to him." "I´d like you to observe, Ed." "Call Sergeant Vincennes." "Bright kid." "You may well reap the benefit.." "but are truly prepared to be despised in the Department?" "Yes, sir, I am." "So be it." "Well, Sergeant, we´ll get right to it." "Nine civilian witnesses have identified you as hitting Ezekiel Garcia." "But we have a stellar witness who will name names and also testify that you hit back.." "only after being hit." "And?" "And.." "You will testify against 3 officers.." "who have already earned their pensions and plead ignorance about the questions directed at the other man." "No thanks." "I´m not a snitch." "I´II guarantee you a slap on the wrist, a brief suspension.." "followed by a temporary transfer from Narcotics to Vice." "You transfer out of Vice, you´ll be back on the show." "The show?" "Badge of Honor, Vincennes." "We need to tone down your profile for a bit." "Jack, I doubt you´ve ever taken a stupid breath." "Don´t start now." "Okay, I´II do it." "The grand jury will hear.." "your testimony tomorrow." "Dismissed, Vincennes." "And so it goes.." "Detective Lieutenant." "Ace them at the grand jury tomorrow, son." "Wear a smart-looking suit and ace 'em." "And Ed.." "lose the glasses." "So you´re the stellar witness." "I should have known." "What´s the Chief throwing you?" "Throwing me?" "Yeah, Exley, what´s the payoff?" "You´re the payoff expert." "I´m just doing my duty." "Come on, you´re playing an angle here, college boy." "Right?" "You´re getting something outta this so you don´t have to hobnob with the cops.." "who´re gonna hate your guts for snitching." "Well if they´re making you detective, watch out." "Some Bureau guys are gonna burn in this and you're gonna end up working with some friends of theirs." "What about you?" "I´m snitching 3 old-timers who´ll be fishing in Oregon this time next week." "Next to you, I´m clean.." "and smart." "Edmund J. Exley to chambers." "And remember.." "Bud White will fuck you for this if it takes the rest of his life." "Captain, what do you want?" "Call me Dudley." "Dudley.." "what do you want?" "Look, lad, I admire your refusal to testify.." "and your loyalty to your partner." "I admire you as a policeman.." "particularly your adherence to violence as a necessary adjunct to the job." "And I´m most impressed with your punishment of women-beaters." "Do you hate them, Wendell?" "What do you want?" "They´re yours." "Go ahead." "Take 'em." "There´s no goddamn bill on me?" "4 of the witnesses recanted their testimony." "Why?" "They had a change of heart." "What about Stensland?" "Your partner´s through." "Departmental scapegoat on the Chief´s orders." "A year from his pension." "Exley!" "Exley made his play and got what he wanted." "As a politician he exceeds even myself." "The Department needs smart men like Exley.." "and direct men.." "like you." "Look, I need you for an assignment the Chief´s given me the go-ahead on." "A duty few men are fit for.." "but you were born for." "You´d be working out of Homicide at City Hall." "Homicide?" "Working cases?" "Your talents lie elsewhere, Wendell." "It´s a muscle job." "You´ll do as I say and ask no questions." "Do you follow my drift?" "In Technicolor, sir." ""Meet Tony Brancato and Anthony Trombino.."" "two rising lieutenants in the Mickey Cohen rackets." "With the dapper little gent in prison.." "who knows how far they´ll go." "The sky´s the limit." ""Oh, well."" ""Meet Deuce Perkins, Mickey Cohen´s narcotics lieutenant."" "Could he be behind the hits?" "Is he consolidating organized crime power?" "I suppose not." "One thing´s for sure:" ""2-man triggers are punching the tickets on the Mickster´s muscle."" ""Meanwhile, rumor has it the LAPD.."" "has set up a not-so-welcome wagon to dishearten the out-of-town criminal element.." "from filling the void left by Mickey´s absence." "When I know more, dear readers, so will you." "Off the record, on the Q.T.." "and very.." "".." "Hush-Hush."" "With Mickey Cohen in prison, Los Angeles is organized crime-free." "And the Chief wants to keep it that way." "Now in Cleveland, you´re an organized crime associate.." "in desperate needs of re-education in the ways of polite society." "I hear things." "Like those 2-men shooter teams." "Bang Bang!" "They´re 86ing Cohen´s lieutenants." "Now tell me." "What do you want?" "We want you to go home." "Picture-book smut, gentlemen." "There´s been a bunch of these found at a bunch of collateral crime scenes lately." "Quality ranges from piss-poor to.." "very well done." "Look who´s back from suspension!" "We´re honored, Sergeant Jack." "Look at that." "The Great Jerk-Off Case of 1953." "Is there someplace you´d rather be, Vincennes?" "Yeah, working Narcotics, looking for Mickey Cohen´s missing H." "Yeah, finding 25 pounds of heroin would get you plenty of ink." "You should´ve thought of that before Bloody Christmas." "Make a major case, Sergeant." "It´s the only way you´re geting out of here." "Dismissed, gentlemen." "Go get the facts, Jack." "Just the facts." "Whatever you desire." "Hi." "I´d like to get a delivery to Beverly Hills." "I don´t think I know you." "Well, look.." "A friend jof mine just gave me this number and I just wanted to find out if there was.." "Ginger, could you grab a reverse directory and shag a name and address for me?" "Crestview-2239." "Hush-Hush, off the record and on the Q.T." "Sid, it´s Vincennes." "Jackie, hey you back on narco?" "I need some good copy." "No, but I do have something going with Vice." "Something juicy for the Sidster?" "Tracking porn." "Arty, high-class stuff." "What do you know about Fleur-de-Lis?" "Slogan´s "Whatever you desire."" "No, I´ve heard bupkes." "Get me some narco skinny." "You know, I wanna do an all-hophead issue." "Shvartze jazz musicians and movie stars." "You like it?" "Yeah I´II talk to you later Sid." " What do you got?" " The number´s not assigned sir." "Thanks, Ginger." "A bootleg." "Take it easy." "Tough break, Stens." "We´re gonna miss you." "Raw deal, Stensland." "Here comes the snitch." "Sorry about that, Lieutenant." "Stay out of trouble, Bud." "I got a couple of hours before I take a break." "Come on, I´II buy you a drink." "Rain check." "I got a hot date." "Yeah?" "Who is she and what did you arrest her for?" "It´s confidential." "Its like that magazine that Vincennes scams for." "Hush-Hush." "I´II see you later in the week." "We´ll do the town, on me." "Yeah." "I´II bring my wallet just in case." " See you tomorrow, Harold." " Hang on a minute!" "I´II walk down with you." "Punk kid." "Who is he trying to impress?" "Yeah, I wonder." "Got himself a real career going." "Sergeant Williams, pick up, please." "Sergeant Williams?" "Is there anybody up there in Homicide?" "Anybody there?" "Lieutenant Exley." "You´ve got a homicide, Downtown Division." " The Nite Owl Coffee Shop." " I got it." "It´s mine." "Sir, at least one person´s dead." "I stopped for coffee." "No one comes through the front door." "Understand?" "Yes sir." "I want barricades at both ends of the street." "Make sure the traffic.." "Sir, I took the call." "It´s my case." "You don´t want it Edmund, and you can´t have it." "I took the call." "It´s mine." "I´II make you my second-in-command." "Captain Smith, over here, please." "Looks like the cook drew a hand-gun and set it off." "The rest were killed in the men´s room." "Sir.." "we got a total of 15 spent 12-gauge Remington shotgun shells." "I´m betting 3 men, 5-shot capacity pumps, all of them emptying once." "Excuse me sir, we got an I.D. on one of the victims." "It´s Dick Stensland." "You know when I first saw her, I thought she was Rita Hayworth." "Yeah, me too." "Hell of a way to avoid prison sentence." "You tell me what happened." "Appears 3 men held up a coffee shop." "The guy at the register pulled a .38, so they killed him." "Then they took everyone else back and killed them too." "Lieutenant, we´re ready with that Nite Owl I.D." "Mrs. Lefferts, is this your daughter?" "I don´t know." "We know this is difficult." "Just take your time." "It seems like my Susan." "But my Susan was a blonde, not a redhead." "When was the last time you saw her?" "Just before Christmas." "We´d fought." "I didn´t like her boyfriend." "Mrs. Lefferts.." "does your daughter have any distinguishing characteristics?" "You got the wrong idea, mister." "I´m fine." "She has a birthmark on her hip." "It´s her." "My baby!" "I´m sorry, Mrs. Lefferts." "Who´s in charge of this investigation?" "Captain Smith and myself." "Why?" ""The Nite Owl Massacre."" "Hyperbole aside.." "this is a heinous crime that requires swift resolution." "Six victims." "One of them, one of our own." "Dick Stensland." "As it happens, he was a Nite Owl regular, in the wrong place at the wrong time." "Robbery is the likely motive." "We have rubber glove smears on the register and preliminary forensics strongly.." "tend toward a trio of shooters." "We do have one hot lead., so listen well." "Three Negro juveniles.." "were seen discharging shotguns last night in Griffith Park." "A park ranger I.D.´d them as driving a 1948-1950 Mercury coupe.." "maroon in color." "An hour ago a canvassing crew turned up a news vendor.." "who saw a maroon Merc coupe parked across from the Nite Owl at 1 a.m." "DMV has come up with a registration list of Merc coupes." "48 two-man teams will shake three names apiece." "Interrogations will be led by Lt. Edmund Exley." "Enough on that!" "Gentlemen, just go out and get them." "Use all necessary force." "The people of Los Angeles demand it." "Dismissed." "Why not just put a bounty on them?" " Ready to roll?" " You take them, I got something to do." "What if one of these names..?" "Get somebody else." "Well, I got our assignments, Big V." "We go by this list, we got zero chance of making this collar." "I got a guy who knows whats goin' on south of Jefferson." "He´ll put us at 50-50." "Jack, what are you doing?" "It´s the same sort of thing that got you in trouble before." "I´II take those odds." "We got it from here." "You two guys should bring along a photographer." "I need an address on a customer of yours." "Her name is Lynn." " That´s all I got to go on?" " Yeah." "I think you already know who I mean, so cough it up." "There´s a billing address and a delivery address." "Are you Pierce Patchett?" "I am." "Are you soliciting for police charities?" "Last time you called my office." "Go on down to the driveway." "We´ll talk there." "What can I do for you?" " Where were you last night?" " I was here hosting a party." "Tell me about Dick Stensland." "I don´t know him, Mr..?" "Officer White." "How about Sue Lefferts?" "You know I do." "You saw me with her." "How did you find me?" "Nick´s Liquor." "This is where Lynn Bracken´s booze bills go." "Of course." "Sue Lefferts died at the Nite Owl." "I´m investigating." "Everything all right, Mr. Patchett?" "Fine, Phillip, thank you." "What happened to the other guy, Buzz?" "Buzz Meeks no longer works for me." "Lefferts looked beat-up Christmas Eve but didn´t act it." "How come?" "I think she´d been hit in the face with a tennis racket." "She is.. was.." "a big doubles fan." "You´re a known associate of a woman killed in a mass murder." "Wanna go downtown to discuss this officially?" "Is that what this is?" "Official?" "Somehow I have the feeling this is more personal with you, Mr. White." "All right, then.." "are you concerned about criminal matters peripheral to the "Nite Own" murders?" "Not at the moment." "And you wouldn't feel obligated to report them?" "Why were Lefferts´ eyes black?" "I needed a Rita Hayworth to fill out my little studio." "What little studio?" "Well, there´s Gardner, Russell, Monroe, Turner.." "Lynn Bracken is my Veronica Lake." "I use girls that look like movie stars." "Sometimes I employ a plastic surgeon." "When the work had been done, that´s when you saw us." "It´s why her mom couldn´t I.D. her." "Jesus fucking Christ!" "No, Mr. White." "Pierce Morehouse Patchett." "I sense you´re on your best behavior, but that´s all I´m gonna tell." "If you persist, I´II meet you with my attorney." "Now, would you like Lynn Bracken´s address?" "I got her address." "Find Susan´s killer, Mr. White." "I´II give you a handsome reward." "Whatever you desire!" "I know you´re not asleep." "What do you want?" "My 5 bucks." "It was the only one I had." "Right now?" "Hey, doll face, tell him to leave us alone." "I understand." "Okay, fine." "Oh, baby.." "bad news." "You have to go." "Go?" "Something very important has come up and you have to go." "I´II make it up to you, okay?" "I will, I promise." "Excuse me." "Is it the cops?" "Miss Bracken.." "I´m Officer White." "I´ve been expecting you, just not this soon." "Pierce called." "He told me what happened to Sue." "Everything all right, doll?" "Want me to get rid of him?" "Hit the road, pal." "Maybe I will.." "maybe I won´t." "LAPD." "Get the fuck out of here or I´II have your wife to come get you." " Officer." " Councilman." " Would you care for a drink?" " Yeah, Scotch." "Straight." "I was friendly with Sue Lefferts, but we weren´t friends." "Know what I mean?" "You sorry she´s dead?" "Of course I am." "What kind of question is that?" "Do you know why Pierce is humoring you?" "Use words like that, you might make me mad." "But, do you know?" "Yeah, I know." "Patchett´s running whores.." "cut to look like movie stars." "And, judging by his address, something bigger on the side." "He doesn´t want any attention." "That´s right." "Our motives are selfish so we´re cooperating." "So cooperate Ms. bracken." "Why was Susan Lefferts at the Nite Owl?" "I don´t know." "I never heard of the Nite Owl till today." "How´d she meet Patchett?" "Pierce meets people." "Sue came in a bus with dreams of Hollywood and this is how they turned out." "Thanks to Pierce, we still get to act a little." "Tell me about Pierce." "He´s waiting for you to mention money." "Want some advice, Miss Bracken?" "It´s Lynn." "Miss Bracken.." "don´t ever try to fucking bribe me, or threaten me.." "or I´II have you and Patchett in shit up to your ears." "I remember you from Christmas Eve." "You have a thing for helping women, don´t you, Mr. White?" "Maybe I´m just fucking curious." " You say "fuck" a lot." " You fuck for money." "There´s blood on your shirt." "Is that an integral part of your job?" " Yeah." " Do you enjoy it?" "When they deserve it." "Did they deserve it today?" "I´m not sure." " But you did it anyway." " Yeah." "Just like the half dozen guys you screwed today." "Well actually, it was only two." "You´re different, Officer White." "You´re the first man in 5 years who didn´t tell me I look like Veronica Lake." "You look better than Veronica Lake." "Pierce Patchett?" "He takes a cut of our earnings and invests it for us." "He doesn´t let us use narcotics and he doesn´t abuse us." "Can your policeman´s mentality grasp those contradictions?" "He had you cut to look like Veronica Lake." "No." "I´m really a brunette, but the rest is me." "And that´s all the news that´s fit to print." "It´s nice meeting you officer." " I´d like to see you again." " Are you asking me for a date.." "or an appointment?" "I don´t know." "If you're asking me for a date, I should know your first name." "Forget I asked." "It was a mistake." "Leonard Bidwell?" "Come on down here and talk to us." "How´s the left these days?" "What´s it to you?" "Oh, I saw you fight Kid Gavilan." "I like your style." "What, Mr. Policeman?" "You got a brother in Folsom." "I know because I put him there." "Until 19-fuckin'-70." "How´d you like to make it 1960?" "I know the judge, and Lieutenant Exley here.." "is very good friends with the D.A." "Yeah." "We´re looking for 3 colored guys who like to pop out shotguns." "One of them owns a maroon Mercury coupe." " Wanna get me a snitch-jacket?" " You wanna buy your brother 10 years?" " It was 10 years, right?" " Yeah, 10 years." "You don´t have to say anything, just look at this list.." "and point." "He´s bad, so I´II just tell you." "Sugar Ray Collins." "Drives a maroon ´49 coupe." "Beautiful ride." "Don´t know about shotguns, but he gets his thrills killing dogs." "He´s righteous trash." "Look at that." "It´s five minutes from here." "Thanks man." "So I´II hear from you, right.." "about my brother?" "Keep it up, Lenny." "Up!" "There it is." "It´s in the back." " One of ours." " Shit, somebody beat us here!" "Damn it!" "My glasses!" "You´re kidding!" "Well, just don´t shoot me." "What are you guys doin' here?" "Oh, we were just in the neighborhood." "What do you got?" "I got three 12-gauge pumps, an empty box of double casings." "And cash." "Oh!" "So long, Vice." "Badge of Honor, here I come." "Fuck you Vincennes!" "This is our collar." "Quiet!" "I´m ranking officer here." "We go as a team." "End of story." "Yeah right." "How many ways in?" "Only one." "Up the stairs." "He´s very serious." "Police!" "Don´t shoot!" " Don´t move." " Ace him, Jack!" "Shut up." "Anxious, aren´t you?" "Don´t kill them." "Back, back, back!" "Get off me!" "Against the wall!" " Put your hands up!" " Get over there." "Shut up!" "Put your hands behind your back!" "So.." "how´s it feel getting out of the office?" "This just came in from forensics." ""Burning clothes."" ""Casitas Youth Camp.."" "It´s crowded in here, White." "These guys killed Stensland." "The ejection marks on the shells fired from the suspects' shotguns.." "are identical to those markings on the shell casings found at the Nite Owl." "I want confessions, Edmund." "A night´s stewing ought to have softened them up." "Oh I´II break them, sir." "Are you sure golden boy is up to the task, Cap?" "Oh I think you´d be surprised what the lad is capable of." "You´re 22." "Aren´t you, Ray?" "Did one of the officers work you over?" " So you´re 22, right?" " Man, why do you keep asking me that?" "22 makes it a gas chamber bounce." "You should´ve pulled this caper a couple of years ago." "Get life, do a little Youth Authority jolt.." "transfer to Folsom a big man.." "get yourself a sissy.." "I don´t truck with no sissies." "Louis." "What?" "You did the Casitas Youth Camp with Louis." "Why you keep asking me about Louis?" "His business is his business." "Sugar, Louis told me you went sissy up at Casitas." "You couldn´t do the time, so you got yourself a big White boy to look after you." "Said they called you "Sugar".." "because you gave it out so sweet." "Louis gave it up at Casitas, man." "And I was the fuckin' boss jock in my dorm!" "Louis was the sissy!" "Louis gave it up for fuckin' candy bars!" "He ain´t got the sense of a goddamn dog!" "We heard you like to shoot dogs." "Dogs got no reason to live." "You feel the same way about people too?" "What´re you trying to say?" "We got the shotguns." "I don´t own no shotguns." "Why were you throwing clothes in your backyard incinerator?" "Say what?" "A neighbor said she saw you throwing clothes in the backyard incinerator." "Doesn´t look good." "I ain´t got shit to say till I see a judge." "Were you on hop?" "You guys were all passed out when we arrested you." "Ty and Louis fuck with that shit man, not me." "Where do they get their stuff?" "Man.." "Come on, give me one to feed the D.A. lt´ll make me look good.." "and I´II say Sugar Ray´s not a punk like his sissy partners." "Tell me one more thing about Jones and Fontaine." "Where do they get their drugs?" "Roland Navarette." "He runs a hole-up on Bunker Hill." "And he sells red devils." "Exley´s good, I´II give him that." "I´m gonna take a break." "You know, Ray, I´m talking about the gas chamber.." "and you haven´t even asked me what this is about." "You got a big "guilty" sign around your neck." "That was masterful, Edmund." "He´s ready to go." "Give Jones the newspaper." "I want him primed." "Take the cuffs off, so he can read it." "Ray Collins just ratted you off." "Said the Nite Owl was your idea." "I think it was Ray´s idea." "You talk, I think I can save your life." "Son, 6 people are dead, and someone has to pay for it." "Now, it can be you, or it can be Ray." "Louis, he called you queer." "He says at Casitas, you took it up the ass." "I didn´t kill nobody!" "Son.." "you know what´s gonna happen to you if you don´t talk." "You´ll go to the gas chamber." "So for god´s sake, admit what you did." "I didn´t mean to hurt her." " Maybe she´s okay." " Okay?" "These people were all in the morgue." "They were dead when you left them." "I just wanted to lose my cherry." "She don´t die, so I don´t die." "She don´t die, so I don´t die." "Louis, who´s the girl?" "What´s her name?" "Who are you talking about?" "Was she at the Nite Owl?" "Louis, listen to me, was she at the Nite Owl?" " This newspaper's shit ain´t shit!" " Where´s the girl?" "Fontaine saw the girl." "Did you kill her?" "You wanted Louis to lose his cherry, but that wasn't enough." "So things got out of hand and you you made her bleed." "She bled on your clothes, so you burned the clothes." "Who told you that?" "!" "Now, listen to me." "If that girl´s still alive, she´s the only chance you´ve got." " I think she´s alive." " You think?" "Then where is she now?" "Did you leave her someplace?" "Did you sell her out?" "Tell me where is she!" "What´re you doing?" "!" "Don´t." "White!" "1 in 6!" "Where´s the girl?" "!" "White I had this under control." "Put the weapon down!" "Where´s the girl?" "!" " What?" " Sylvester Fitch, 109 Avalon.." "brown corner house, upstairs." " Captain just give me one minute." " You got it, Bud." "Nobody moves." "The rest of us, we´re going in the front." "Stay put until I give the word." "He went around back!" "Guys I´m Lieutenant Exley." "I´m sorry to have to ask you this." "I need to know what time they left you." "Get her to the hospital." "Excuse me." "Give your career a rest." "Leave her alone." "A naked guy with a gun?" "You're expecting anyone to believe that?" "Get the fuck away from me." "How´s it gonna look in your report?" "It´ll look like justice." "That´s what the man got." "Justice." "You don´t know the meaning of the word, you ignorant bastard." "Yeah?" "You think it means getting your picture in the paper." "Why don't you go after criminals for a change." "Stensland got what he deserved and so will you." "It´s best to stay away from the man when his blood is up." "His blood´s always up." "Well then perhaps you should stay away from him altogether." " Hey Captain!" " .." "Raymond Collins, Ty Jones and Louis Fontaine." "They are considered armed and extremely dangerous." "Repeat." "The "Nite Owl" suspects have escaped." "How did they get out the window in the first place?" "All we know - they jumped to the 2nd floor." "This girl at the hospital made a statement." "3 chicks left her at midnight." "Plenty of time to be at the Nite Owl by 1." "The question was, where did they get their drugs?" "What is the answer?" "I haven´t gotten that far yet." ""Roland Navarette lives on Bunker Hill, he runs a hole-up in South.."" "Anyone seen Jack Vincennes?" "Is something up, Lieutenant?" "I need some backup, come on." " What?" " Nothing." "Let´s go." "This should be it." "404." "Nobody moves!" "You´re under arrest." "Don´t shoot, man!" "Don´t move!" "Don´t move!" "There he is." "You did good, kid." "You should´ve seen this place." "Blood everywhere." "Who would have thought?" "Shotgun Ed." "Somebody get him cleaned up." "Come on." "Edmund J. Exley has amassed a brilliant record.." "in his 7 years with the Los Angeles Police Department." "Recently, he evinced spectacular bravery in the line of duty." "It is our privilege to present him with our highest honor:" "The Medal of Valor." " What kind of car was it?" " It was a Ford." "You sure?" "My husband always drove a Ford." "And I know what they look like." "Excuse me, ma´am." "Just the facts." "Light or dark?" "Light." "And that´s really all I remember, Officer." "Thank you ma'am." "You´ve been a big help." "Cut!" "That´s a print." "Hey.." "Big Jack!" "He´s back!" "Hey.." "Jack´s back." "Tell Mr. Patchett that I have no intention of changing my vote." "It may surprise some that a man in public office would admit to making a mistake.." "but after due consideration.." "I am changing my position on the matter before the council." ""Go west, America," was a slogan of Manifest Destiny." "Today is that last step westward with no stop signs.." "no traffic signals, from downtown.." "to the beach in 20 minutes." "What were you gonna start with?" "Prostitution?" "Gambling?" "Go back to Jersey, sonny." "This is the City of the Angels.." "and you haven´t got any wings." "Nice to see you again." "Take care." "I wondered when you´d knock on my door again, Officer White." "It´s Bud." "Bud." "Why me?" "I don´t know." "This election.." "is about the future of law enforcement in Los Angeles." "City Councilman Rogers represents that future." "So let´s dig deep.." "and let´s get a moral man re-elected." "Dirtrict" "Attorney Ellis Loew wants to say a few words." "Thank you, Brett Chase." "The very talented star of Badge of Honor." "Let me tell you, I am so thrilled to be here." "Big V." "Good to see you back." " How they hanging, Sid?" " Down around my ankles." "You tight with the D.A., Jackie?" "Oh, yeah.. yeah.." "He tried to throw me off the force last Christmas." "How about some payback, big-time?" "Plus the usual 50 dollar donation to the Jack Vincennes retirement fund." " Did you know the D.A. was a swish?" " No kidding?" "Remember Matt Reynolds?" "Christmas Eve?" ""The Movie Premiere Pot Bust"?" " He just got off the honor farm." " What´s he doing here?" "Reynolds is acey-deucey, not to mention broke." "I´m getting him to fuck the D.A. for $100." "That´s twice the $50 you got for wrecking his career." " Hey Matt!" "Come here, come here." " Jesus, don´t bring him.." " That´s D.A. Loew right there." " Yeah." "You need a drink, kid?" "Yeah." "Jack, look after him." "Matt, this is Jack." "No secrets between me and him." " Hey, how you doing?" " I´m okay." "How´re you?" "I´m good." "Yeah." "Have we met before?" "Yeah." "Was it at a party?" "Well, it was something like that." "Fleur-de-Lis party, right?" "Right." "Fleur-de-Lis." ""Whatever you desire."" "Dope, hookers that look like movie stars.." "Pierce Patchett has it all." "Oh-hoh!" "Boy, you can say that again." "Pierce, he´s.. he´s not like regular guys." "I dig him, but.." "you know.." "he.. he scares me too." "Really?" "How?" "You know, when I came out to L.A. this isn´t exactly where I saw myself ending up." "Yeah, well.." "get in line." "That's your courage, kid." "Drink up." "You know, I don´t think I should do this." "It´s not like you don´t know how." "Jack here has connections with Badge of Honor." "You pull this off, there´ll be a part for ya." "I smell a comeback, don´t you, Jack?" "Come on, the D.A.´s free." "Go introduce yourself." "Go on." "Go up to him Jack." "Tell him about the opening on the show." "I´m pretty sure I can get you a part on this show." "But.." "that´s later on." "Tonight, just.. just go on over there and pretend it´s an acting job." "Like show biz." "Acting, that´s it." "Right." "And no one´s going to know about this?" "No." "It´ll be our secret." " All right, show biz." " That´s it." "Go on." "Show biz." "If Reynolds works his charms, which I know he will.." "they´ll be at the Hollywood Center Motel, room 203." "Meet me there at midnight for a little photo shoot." "And maybe we can work in the Hollywood sign this time." "What do you know about Pierce Patchett?" "Patchett?" "I know what you know." "He´s very rich." "And he just invested in the freeway construction, which is gonna make him richer." "Why?" "Oh I just keep hearing rumors, you know." "High-class porn, drugs, hookers that look like movie stars." "Patchett´s what I call twilight." "He ain´t queer and he ain´t Red." "He cannot help me in my quest for prime sinnuendo." "As though Badge of Honor would touch that guy with a 10-foot pole.." "after he´s been Hush-Hush cover boy twice in one year." "I'll see you in a few hours, Sid." "Midnight." "I guarantee all kinds of illegal activity." "Another, Jack?" "Yeah." "Kid?" "Come on kid, you don´t have to do this.." "Thank you for what you did for me.." "for killing those animals who raped me." "Will you thank Officer White for me, please?" "Sure." "Seeing him come through the door is about the only thing I remember." "Thank God." "You remember what time the Negroes left you, right?" "In your statement, you said they left you at midnight." "They might have." "What do you mean "they might have"?" "I don´t know what time they left me." "I wanted them dead." "Would anyone care that they raped a Mexican girl from Border heights.." "if they hadn´t killed those White people at the Nite Owl?" "I did what I had to do for justice." "Exley, over here." "Smile, Inez." "So, is he your hero?" "Hey fellas, how about this? "Rape Victim wheeled out of hospital by Nite Owl Hero."" "All they get is Veronica Lake." "I get Lynn Margaret Bracken." ""Bisbee?"" "Uhm hmm." "I grew up there." "I´m going back in a couple of years, open up a dress shop." "The girls in Bisbee need a little glamour." "Where´d this come from?" "When I was 12, my dad went after my mother with a bottle." "I got in the way." "So you saved her." "Not for long." " I´m sorry." "It´s none of my business." " He tied me to the radiator." "I watched him beat my mother to death with a tire iron.." "and he left me there." "Three days before a truant officer found us." "They never found the old man." "Is that why you became a cop?" "To get even?" "Maybe." "Do you like it?" "I used to." "Now it´s all strong-arm, sitting duck stuff." "I mean, if I could.." "get a chance to work Homicide.." "like a real detective.." "That prick, Exley, he shot the wrong guys." "Whoever killed Stensland´s still around." "I know it in here." "I know it." "There´s something wrong with the Nite Owl." "I just can´t prove it, that´s all." "I´m not smart enough." "I´m just the guy they bring in to scare the other guy shitless." "You´re wrong." "You found Patchett." "You found me." "You´re smart enough." "Bud White!" "What brings you down to the basement?" "I got a couple of Nite Owl questions." "Don´t know if you read the papers, but that case is closed." "Anything bother you about it?" "Yeah, the fact that the pack-up boys haven´t hauled this shit out of here yet." "We got 3 shotguns taken from the suspects which match the strike marks on the shell casings." "What more do you want?" "There´s blood on the wall here." "I thought everyone but the cook got shot in the men´s room." " That is Stensland´s blood." " Stensland?" "Took a blow to the head." "Was probably unconscious when they dragged him in the john." "Did they hit anyone else?" "No, but he was a cop." "He probably tried to do something." "Grilled cheese, black coffee." "Someone was sitting next to him." "2 of the victims were women, right?" "Yeah, Patti DeLuca, the night shift waitress, and a Susan Lefferts." "Susan Lefferts." "Yeah, what about her?" "You´re welcome!" "Mrs. Lefferts?" "I´m Officer White, LAPD." "Tell me about the boyfriend you mentioned at the coroner´s office." "I told you I didn´t approve of that boyfriend." "He was too old for you." "And you let him be fresh with me." "They came here one day when I wasn´t home." "And old Mrs. Jensen next door said.." "she saw Susie´s boyfriend and another man and.." "she heard a ruckus." "What was the boyfriend´s name?" "We weren´t properly introduced." "Susie gave him a nickname, Muns or Luns or something." "Stens?" "Was it Stens?" "Maybe." "I don´t know." "Look at a picture for me." "That´s him." "That´s him." "That´s him!" "You said a neighbor heard a ruckus." "Was it outside?" "Inside?" "Outside." "And then Mrs. Jensen said they kept going under the house." "You have to leave now, officer." " What´s through here?" " Just a room full of old things." "Oh don´t move that!" "Don´t mind the smell." "I think a rat died behind the wall." "My Susie was a good girl." "She was never in any kind of trouble at all!" ""Leland Meeks." Never heard of you." "They call me Buzz." "Was it a rat?" "Yeah, a great big one." "Here." "Compliments of the Los Angeles Police Department." "Stomach of the week from a motel homicide." "Unemployed actor had frankfurter, french fries, alcohol and sperm." "Hell of a last supper, don´t you think Lieutenant?" "Anything bothering you about the Nite Owl case?" "Yeah." "The fact that you guys won´t let it get filed away." " What do you mean?" " Bud White grilled me on it this morning." "Bud White?" "You know, he´s not as dumb as I thought." "Did he say where he was going after he talked to you?" "Let my daughter rest in peace!" "Mrs. Lefferts, I just wanna ask a few questions." "Officer White already checked under the house." "Under the house?" " Where?" " Out back." "All he found was rodents." "I need an I.D. on this as soon as possible." "You talk only to me on this one." "Vincennes, I need your help with something." "I´m busy right now." "Why don´t you just go ask some of your boys in Homicide?" "I can´t." "I need someone outside of Homicide." "I want you to tail Bud White until he goes on duty this evening." "Why don´t you do me a real favor and leave me alone?" "D'you make the free Negroes for the Nite Owl killings?" "What?" "It´s a simple question." "Why in the world do you wanna go digging any deeper.." "into the Nite Owl killings.." "Lieutenant?" "Rollo Tomasi." "Is there more to that or am I supposed to guess?" "Rollo was a purse snatcher." "My father ran into him off-duty." "And he shot my father 6 times and got away clean." "No one even knew who he was." "I just made the name up to give him some personality." "What´s your point?" "Rollo Tomasi´s the reason I became a cop." "I wanted to catch the guys who thought they could get away with it." "It was supposed to be about justice." "Then somewhere along the way I lost sight of that." "Why´d you become a cop?" "I don´t remember." "What do you want, Exley?" "I just wanna to solve this thing." "Nite Owl was solved." "No." "I wanna do it right." "Even if it means paying the consequences?" "All right, college boy, I´II help." "But there´s a case your boys in Homicide don´t care about." "They think it´s just another Hollywood "homo" -cide." "But I don´t." "You help me with mine, I´II help you with yours." "Deal?" "Deal." "Johnny Stompanato." "Officer Wendell White." "How´s tricks, paesano?" "I ain´t your paesano." "And I ain´t in the snitch business anymore." "You know a guy named Buzz Meeks?" "Works for Pierce Patchett." "Should I?" "You´re muscle for hire." "Meeks is muscle for hire." "You tell me." "Oh yeah.." "Yeah, I remember now." "Meeks is a run-down ex-cop." "Same as you´re gonna be some day." "And that´s all you´re gonna get." "And you can keep your 20 bucks." "What do I get if I give you your balls back, you wop cocksucker?" "Okay, okay." "There was a rumor going around.." "that Meeks had a line on a large supply of H." "And?" "And nothing!" "He skipped out." "Bullshit." "How would a two-bit hood like Meeks get his hands on a large supply of heroin?" "You´re right." "It´s probably bullshit." "Even if he did, he could never unload it." "Not without drawing all kinds of attention." "Maybe that´s why he´s under a house in Elysian Park and he don´t smell too good.." "paesano." "Maybe White´s not so dumb after all." "We got Rita Hayworth at the morgue, and now Veronica Lake with White." "I think your case and my case are somehow connected." "It´s Fleur-de-Lis again." "Fleur-de-Lis?" ""Whatever you desire."" "Porno." "High-class whores cut to look like movie stars." "Who knows what else." "Reynolds, the kid that got killed, was involved." "So is Pierce Patchett." "The millionaire?" "I think we should go talk to him." "First I wanna brace Stompanato." "Want an autograph?" "Write to MGM." "Since when do two-bit hoods and hookers give out autographs?" "What did you say to me?" "LAPD." "Sit down." "Who in the hell do you think you are?" "Take a walk, honey, before I haul your ass downtown." " You are making a large mistake." " Get away from our table." "Shut up." "A hooker cut to look like Lana Turner is still a hooker." " She just looks like Lana Turner." " She is Lana Turner." " What?" " She is Lana Turner." "How was I supposed to know?" "I believe the Nite Owl´s your area of expertise, Mr. Exley." "I saw you on television getting your medal." "And you´re.." "that other Hollywood celebrity policeman, aren´t you?" "The Veronica Lake look-alike works for you." "She´s one of your whores." "A vulgar term." "Why´s she seeing Bud White?" "Why do men and women usually see each other, Mr. Exley?" "Let´s try this on for size:" "Fleur-de-Lis." ""Whatever you desire."" "An actor named.." "Matt Reynolds." "No?" "Nothing?" " No?" " We want some answers." "We all want something." "The guy´s as cool as they come." "Lieutenant Exley, come in, please." "Over." "This is Exley." "The coroner wants to talk to you Lieutenant." "He says he has your I.D." " Tell him Sergeant Vincennes is coming in to talk to him." " Roger." " I´II drop you at your car." " Where the hell are you going?" "Lynn Bracken´s." "I'm gonna find out why Patchett has her seeing Bud White." "See you at the Frolic Room." "Oh, great." "You get the girl." "I get the coroner." "Hush-Hush, off the record and on the Q.T." "Hey.." "I was just coming up to see you." "You get that I.D. for me?" "Thank God for dental records." "Stiff used to be a cop." "Leland Meeks." "Buzz Meeks?" " You knew him?" " Of him." "He was around when I first joined the force." "Bad rep." "Thanks." "Hey, "Just the facts," Jack." ""Just the facts."" "Anything else, Sergeant?" "Yeah, Leland Meeks worked Vice ´39-´41." "I need to see his arrest records." "Miss Bracken.." "I´m Lieutenant Exley." "I know who you are." "Bud told me all about you." "Is that so?" "And what did White have to say?" "He said you were smart." "He also said you were a coward, and that you´d screw yourself to get ahead." "Let´s concentrate on my smarts." "Pierce Patchett made you, didn´t he?" "Taught you how to dress, talk and think." "And I am very impressed with the results." "But I need some answers." "And if I don´t get them, I´m gonna take you and Patchett down." "Pierce Patchett can take care of himself." "And I´m not afraid of you." "And you forget one thing, Lieutenant.." "Pierce also taught me how to fuck." "And he tells you who to fuck." "Why does he have you fucking Bud White?" "What makes you think I´m not seeing Bud because I want to?" "It would be easier for you if there was an angle, wouldn´t it?" "You´re afraid of Bud because you can´t figure out how to play him." "He doesn´t follow the same rules of politics as you do." "It makes him dangerous." "I can handle Bud White." "Can you?" "I see Bud because I want to." "I see Bud because he can´t hide the good inside of him." "I see Bud because he makes me feel like Lynn Bracken.." "and not some Veronica Lake look-alike who fucks for money." "I see Bud because he doesn´t know how to disguise who he is." "I see Bud for all the ways he´s different from you." "Don´t underestimate me Miss Bracken." "The way you´ve underestimated Bud White?" "Fucking me and fucking Bud aren´t the same thing you know." "Stop talking about Bud White." "Come on." "Shit." "Jack Vincennes." "It´s going on midnight, Jack." "I need 2 minutes, Dudley." "It´s important." "I´s a good thing for you my wife and four daughters are at the beach in Santa Barbara." "Do you remember Buzz Meeks, Dudley?" "A disgrace as a police officer." "Straight D fitness reports from every C.O. he ever served under." "Why?" "12 years ago, he was on a Vice roust with Dick Stensland." "They questioned Pierce Patchett about a blackmail scam." "Patchett had Sid Hudgens photographing prominent businessmen with hookers." "Anyway, charges were dropped." "Insufficient evidence." "You were the supervising officer on that case." "I was wondering if you remember anything about it?" "What´s this about, boyo?" "Part of it has to do with a murder I´ve been working with Ed Exley on." "You´re Narco, Jack, not Homicide." "Since when do you work with Edmund Exley?" "Well.." "It´s a private investigation." "I messed something up." "I´m trying to make amends." "Don´t start trying to do the right thing, boyo." "You haven´t had the practice." "Buzz Meeks and Dick Stensland." "So, what does Exley make of all this?" "Oh I haven´t told him yet." "I just came straight from the records room." "Have you a valediction, boyo?" "Rollo.." "Tomasi." "Sergeant Vincennes was killed by a .32 slug to the heart." "Time of death, approximately 1 A.M." "Although he was found in Echo Park, preliminary forensics indicates the body was most likely moved." "I want 2-man teams to scour that entire neighborhood." "Our justice must be swift.." "and merciless." "That is all." "Edmund!" "Might I have a word with you?" "We´re trying to run down a lead on an associate of Vincennes." "The records check has led to a dead end." "What´s the name?" "Rollo Tomasi?" "You ever heard Vincennes mention him?" "No." "No, I haven´t." "Well, it´s probably nothing." "Still.." "keep your eyes open, eh boyo." "Yeah I know it´s unlikely, but suppose, just for a moment.." "somebody did have that much of heroin, who would they go to to move it?" "White, in my office." "Captain." "Look, just give me a name." "Mickey Cohen." "Captain?" "I could use your fearsome habits at the Victory Motel." "When?" "Now, Wendell." " Right." " Close the door, lad." "You´re a bit of a puzzlement to me these days, Wendell." "You don´t seem to be your old cruel self anymore." "And I had such grand plans for your future." "What plans?" "You have your extracurricular activities and I have mine." "We must have a clarification session one of these days." "However.." "right now.." "we´re gonna brace a man who may know who killed Jack Vincennes." "So the question is.." "can I count on you, lad?" " Yes or no?" " Yes, sir." "I want to know everything you and Jack Vincennes talked about last night." "Start with the I.D. on the corpse." "An ex-cop." "Leland "Buzz" Meeks." "An ex-cop?" "What did Jack say?" "Did he know him?" "Only by reputation." "Wendell, this is Sid Hudgens." "I´m willing to cooperate." "There's no need to tie me down." "It´s for your own safety." "Nowm, what can you tell us about Sergeant Jack Vincennes?" "Hollywood Jack?" "The Big V?" "I can tell you he´s on the night train to the Big Adios." "I didn´t have anyhting to do with him getting killed, if that´s what you mean." " But you were business associates." " What´s that got to do with anything?" "Okay.. okay, so we worked together." "It was an information exchange." "I got him first-class collars, he got me good stories." "We were friends, for Christ´s sake!" "We´ll drop that for the moment." "Would you care to comment on Pierce Patchett?" "Patchett?" "You think he had something to do with Vincennes getting iced?" "Wendell, I´d like full and docile cooperation on every topic." "Okay, okay, okay." "All right." "Everybody knows that Patchett´s worth a boatload of greenbacks." "But the man has hobbies too." "He bankrolls B-movies under the table." "And try this one on." "He´s rumored to be a periodic heroin sniffer." "All in all, a powerful behind-the-scenes strange-o." "And?" "And what?" "Reciprocity, Mr. Hudgens, is the key to every relationship." "He runs call girls." "Primo tail fixed up to look like movie stars." "And?" "Blackmail shit." "In my car, in the trunk, under the rug.." "Patchett got me to photograph this cop screwing this gorgeous slut named Lynn." "She looks like Veronica Lake." "Leave him!" "I said leave him be!" "Get him away from me!" "Back off!" "Back off, Wendell!" "Back off!" "I wouldn´t trade places with Exley right now for all the whiskey in Ireland." "Dudley!" "Dudley, I thought you were going to let the dumb bastard kill me!" "And you.." "learn to pull your punches a little better." "You can uncuff me now, fellas." "Fellas.." "Dudley, we had a deal!" "You, me, Patchett, we´re a team." "We're.." "Hush-hush." " Anything?" " Nothing." "So "Buzz" Meeks never made an arrest the entire time he worked Vice?" "Someone must´ve pulled the files." "What about the daily report books?" "They´d be buried down in the basement." "Find them." "Did you talk to Exley?" "Come in out of the rain." "I wanna know what happened with Exley." "Just come in." "Are you gonna to tell me what happened with you and Exley?" "We talked." "So tell me about him." "Later." "No!" "Now!" "You fucked him." "You fucked him." "I thought I was helping you." "But I´m glad you´re here." "I need you to see this." "Wait.." "Dudley killed Jack." "He wants you to kill me." "He showed you the photo, didn´t he?" "Didn´t he?" "Think!" "Goddamn you, think!" "Get out!" "I checked the daily report books." "Dudley, Buzz Meeks and Stensland go way back." "I knew Stensland lied to me." "Lefferts´ mother I.D.´d Stensland as Lefferts´ boyfriend." "Stensland pretended he didn´t know Meeks or her the night that I met.." "Lynn." "Stensland and Meeks.." "what the hell were they up to?" "I don´t know." "But I think Stens killed Meeks over heroin." "What heroin?" "Johnny Stompanato told me that Meeks had heroin for sale." "Meeks ends up dead." "Stensland dies at the Nite Owl." "It wasn´t the Negroes." "The rape victim lied in her statement." "The first guys to the Mercury coupe were Breuning and Carlisle." "Dudley´s guys." "They planted the shotguns." "They´d have killed the Negroes too if Jack and I hadn´t shown up." "Dudley framed them because they were Negroes and had records." "He knew there´d be no questions asked if they were.." "if they were killed resisting arrest." "Somehow this is all connected to Jack´s angle." "Sid Hudgens.." "the pictures to blackmail Ellis Loew.." "A kid got murdered." "If we´re gonna figure this out, we need to work together." "Why are you doing this?" "The Nite Owl made you." "You want to tear all that down?" "With a wrecking ball." "Wanna help me swing it?" "Let´s go see Ellis Loew." "Find out what the District Attorney knows." "May I.." "Hey.." "You can´t go in there." "D you want me to call the police, Mr. Loew?" "Ask for Captain Dudley Smith." "Tell him we´re having a discussion about the death of an unemployed actor at a Sunset Strip motel." "These are the police." "What do you want?" "I want D.A. Bureau men to tail Dudley Smith and Pierce Patchett 24 hours a day." "I want you to get a judge to authorize wiretaps on their home phones." "And I want authorization to check their bank records." "On what evidence?" "Call it a hunch." "Absolutely not." "Dudley Smith is a highly decorated member of this police department." "I´m not gonna smear his and Pierce Patchett´s name without.." "Without what?" "Them smearing your´s first?" "What do they have in you, Loew?" "Pictures of you and Matt Reynolds with your pants down?" "You have any proof?" "The proof had his throat slit." "So far, you´re not denying it." "Well, I´m not gonna dignify this with answers." "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me.." "I have a press conference for Jack Vincennes that I have to prepare for." "Unless you came in to wipe my ass, I believe we´re through." "Don´t pull that good cop-bad cop crap." "I practically invented it." "So what if some homo-actor is dead?" "Boys, girls, ten of them get off the bus to L.A. everyday." "Pull him off of me, I say!" "I don´t know how." "I know you think you´re the A-number-one hotshot, but here´s the juice." "But if I take you out, 10 more lawyers will take your place tomorrow." "They just won´t come on a bus, that's all!" "Okay!" "Dudley and Patchett, they.." "Oh, my God!" "I wouldn´t play ball so they set me up!" "So I gave in!" "But the kid heard everything.." "so they killed him." "Why?" "What are Dudley and Patchett up to?" "They´re aking over Mickey Cohen´s rackets." "Because of those pictures I couldn´t prosecute them!" "Oh, Jesus!" "Help me up!" "Is that how you used to run the good cop-bad cop?" "Patchett?" "Looks like his bodyguard had a conflict of interest." "Suicide note." "Says he killed Jack because Jack had figured out his pornography scam." "Slicing himself open wasn´t his idea." "2 of his fingers are broken." "They must´ve held him there." "Or drugged him." "I say Dudley´s tying up his loose ends." "Patchett´s dead." "He sent you after me." "Lynn." "West-Hollywood Sheriff." " They´re closer than we are." " I´II get the car." "Keys!" "Hey, we took her to the station for safekeeping." "Hold her as Joan Smith." "And no one sees her unless I okay it." "Somebody worked her over." "She wouldn´t say who." " See you, Exley." " Sure." "We should talk to Lynn." "You do it." "What´re you gonna do?" "I´m gonna talk to Sid Hudgens." "Compliment him on his performance at the Victory Motel." "Remember, Bud, we need evidence." "I´II get the evidence." "Are you okay?" "You okay?" "Bud hates himself for what he did." "I know how he feels." "Lynn, I need to know what you can give me on Dudley Smith." "He´s a police captain." "He´s in business with Patchett." "I´ve never heard of him." "Do you have some place you can stay?" "I´II be okay." "Nobody goes in without official I.D.!" "He´s okay." "Let him through." "What happened?" "Someone beat him to death, and stole a bunch of files." "Must have dug up garbage on the wrong guy." "We got it narrowed down to a thousand suspects." "Sergeant White.." "dispatch got a call for you." "Lieutenant Exley wants you to meet him at the Victory Motel." "You wanted to meet here?" " You called it." "I thought Hudgens was.." " Hudgens is dead." "Let´s get out of here." "It´s too late." "You figured this was a set-up but came anyway?" "A lot of bad stuff happened here." "It´s as good a place as any for it to end." "Here!" "Clip." "All I ever wanted was to measure up to my father." "Now´s your chance." "He died in the line of duty, didn´t he?" "Goddamn it!" "You okay?" "Yeah." "Come on." "Easy." "Move!" "Rollo Tomasi." "Who is he?" "You are." "You´re the guy who gets away with it." "Jack knew it." "And so do I." "Are you gonna shoot me.." "or arrest me?" "Good lad." "Always the politician." "Let me do the talking." "After I´m done, they´ll make you Chief of Detectives." "Hold up your badge.." "so they´ll know you´re a policeman." "You think you can talk your way out of this, Lieutenant?" "No.." "but I think I can tell the truth." "During our investigation.." "of events surrounding the Nite Owl case.." "Jack Vincennes, Bud White and I learned the following:" "Your golden boy´s throwing his whole life away." "The 3 Nite Owl suspects.." "while guilty of kidnapping and rape.." "were innocent of the multiple homicides at the Nite Owl." "The actual gunmen were most likely.." "Los Angeles police officers Michael Breuning and William Carlisle.." "and a third man.." "who may or may not have been Captain Dudley Smith." "The objective:" "The elimination of another police officer.." "Richard Stensland.." "who, along with former LAPD officer Leland "Buzz" Meeks.." "also committed multiple homicides on behalf of Captain Smith.." "and then betrayed him.." "over 25 pounds of heroin.." "the retrieval of which.." "was the ultimate motivation behind the Nite Owl killings." "Beginning with the incarceration of Mickey Cohen.." "Capt. Smith has been assuming control of organized crime in the city of Los Angeles." "This includes the assassinations of an unknown number of Mickey Cohen lieutenants.." "the systematic blackmail of city officials.." "and the murders of Susan Lefferts, Pierce Patchett, Sid Hudgens.." "and Sergeant Jack Vincennes." "Captain Smith admitted as much to me.." "before I shot him.." "at the Victory Motel." "That´s it." "Well.." "the press is gonna have a field day with this." "This.." "Christ!" "It´ll stain the Department for years." "Decades." "If we can get the kid to play ball.." "who´s to say what happened?" "Maybe Dudley Smith died a hero." " Good idea." " If we get the press to play." "You wanna tell me what you´re smiling about?" "A hero." "How´d he know what we said?" "He couldn´t have heard us." "In this situation.." "you´ll need more than one." "It is with great pleasure that I present this award to Detective Lieutenant Edmund Exley.." "two-time Medal of Valor recipient." "Next year the LAPD will move into its new facility." "With leaders like Lieutenant Edmund Exley.." "the image of fat cops stealing apples will be left behind forever.." "and Los Angeles will finally have the police force it deserves." "You just couldn´t resist." "They´re using me." "So for a while, I´m using them." "Come on." "Thanks for the push." "Congratulations, Lieutenant Exley." "Some men get the world.." "others get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona." "SubText:" "NoRMITA.326"