"She came along the alley, and up the backstairs the way she always used to" "Doc hadn't seen her for over a year, no body had." "Back then it was always sandals, bottom half of a flower-print bikini.." "And a faded Country Joe and the Fish T-shirt.." "Tonight she was all in flatland gear.." "Hair a lot shorter than he remembered.." "Looking just like she swore she'd never look." "Pssst..!" "Is that you Shasta?" "!" "Thinks he's hallucinating" "No, just a..new package I guess." "I need your help Doc." "You know I have an office now!" "It's like a day job and everything." "I looked into the phone book, I almost went over there.." "Then I thought better for every one if this looks like a secret rendezvous." "Somebody keeping a close eye..?" "Just spent an hour on surface streets trying to make it look good." "Uhm... you wanna beer..?" "How about a beer you'nt" "Yeah" "There's this guy." "Gentleman of the straight world persuasion?" "Ok Doc..." "He's married." "Some ah... money situation?" "And the wife uhm..she knows about you?" "She's seeing somebody too." "But it's not just the usual lie.." "I think they're working on some creepy little scheme" "To make off with hubby's fortune?" "I heard of that happening once or twice!" "And you want me to do what exactly?" "They want me in on it" "They think I'm the one who can reach him when he's vulnerable as much as he ever gets." "Bare ass and asleep." "I Knew you'd understand." "Are you still trying to figure out if it's right or wrong Shasta?" "Worse than that..." "How much loyalty I owe him." "Um..groovy!" "All right..if..emotions aside..." "Let's look at the rent.." "How much of your rent he's been picking up?" "All of it." "Pretty uh..hefty?" "For Hancock Park..?" "You're giving him IOY's for everything of course!" "Fucker.." "If I'd known you're still this bitter." "Me... trying to be professional that's all" "All right, how much is the.." "Witey and boyfriend offering to cut you in for..?" "It isn't what you're thinking Doc." "Don't worry thinking comes later..." "What else...!" "I'm not sure..." "Sounds like they want to commit him to a loony bin" "Back when they were together she can go weeks without anything more complicated than a pout" "Now she's laying some heavy combination of face ingredients on Doc that he couldn't read at all.." "Come to think of it, there's never been this much sorrow in her voice." "Heard you're seeing someone downtown..?" "Penny..?" "Some kinda junior D.A.?" "Yeah, you think somebody down there can stop this before it happen?" "Not too many places I could go with this Doc" "I'll talk to Penny, see what we can..see" "Your happy couple..they have names?" "It's Micky Wolfmann" "Always in the paper?" "The real estate big shot?" "Yeah" "Can't tell anyone about this Doc" "Deaf and dumb... it's kinda of my job." "How do I reach you?" "You don't" "I move out of my old place staying where I can anymore" "Don't ask" "There's room here!" "Walk down my car?" "Someone might be watching" "You never did let me down Doc" " Don't worry uhm.." " No, I mean really..ever." "No you're always true" "You don't have to go" "Watch your toes." "Doc ran through all the things he hadn't asked Shasta.." "Like how much she's come to depend on" "Wolfmann's guaranteed level of ease and power.." "And least askable of all..how passionately did she really feel about old Mickey." " Hey, what's up Doc?" " Hey dude." "What's up man?" "What's going on?" "Doc knew the likely reply:" "I love him, what else!" "With the unspoken foot note that the word these days was being way too over used." "You hungry?" "Let's go eat some place" "So when when Doc and Dino came in that night.." "It wasn't just the usual hungry doper thing.." "It was something else." "And with Neptune moving at last out of it's Scorpio death trip.." "And rising into the Sagitarian light of the higher mind.." "It was bound to be something love related.." "And I thought I knew what it was." "So...!" "She stuck her head in for a minuet." "You're feeling broken up?" "It was kinda weird seeing her again, you know?" "You know I figured next time I see her would be on the tube?" "I mean not in person." "Well, you better do something about this yeah again?" "Can't tell you enough, change your hair, change your life." "What do you recommend?" "It's up to you, follow your intuition!" "?" "Hello." "Hey Aunt Reet." "Yes honey, make it quick." "I gotta live one tonight, and I totally fucked up my face." "Oh, Ok.." "Mickey Wolfmann, what can you tell me?" "Power house in L.A real estate.." "From the desert to the sea.." "Technically Jewish but wants to be a Nazi.." "What's he to you?" "Possible case..say I wanted to hang out and rap with this Wolfmann?" "I'd say it's a really bad idea, he goes around with a dozen bikers.." "Mostly Aryan brotherhood alumni." "Wow..wow..wow..wait, I flunked social studies but..ah.." "Jews and Aryan brotherhood..isn't there something about hatred?" "No, Mickey is eccentric, more and more lately.." "I'd say stoned out of his fucking mind since he discovered drugs.." "No offense to you Doc." "So where would I find him..." "like accidentally?" "Try the Channel View Estates, his latest insult to the environment." "The..the one that..ah.." "BigFoot Bijornsen does the commercial for?" "That's the one." "Maybe your old copper is the one who should be.. taking care of your case." "Yeah well I did think about going to BigFoot with this but.." "Just as I reached for the phone..history and all, I thought" "Oooof!" "Well may be you're better off with the Nazis." "All right, all right." "I got major liquid-liner... if it's all right I gotta get off now Larry." "Hey man, I don't want you paying rent.." "Rent's a hassle.." "I wanna see you in your own pad.." "How did BigFoot...?" "!" "The Channel View Estates, Artige's newest and grooviest housing development.." "No buzz-kill credit checks.." "No minimum down payments..that's not your bag.." "But check this out: fully equipped kitchen.." "With automatic self cleaning oven and breakfast nook.." "Out of sight.." "Attached one car and available two car garage.." "And best of all.." "A view of the domingus flood controlled channel that can only be described in two words.." "Right On!" "What's up Doc?" "!" "Michael Wolfmann, one of Los Angeles most prominent real estate developers.." "Has announced in a Wednesday press conference.." "He's proceeding with construction of several new urban housing developments.." "The most immediate to be called Channel View Estates." " Doc..." " Howdy." "Pop came down last night looking for you again." "BigFoot!" "Yeah, that's the one." "I wonder why he didn't kick-in my door as usual?" "!" "He might've been thinking about it, but said something like.." "Tomorrow is another day.." "Which would be today, right?" "Micke Wolfmann's known for his outlandish advertising, and aggressive style.." "And has been..ah..actively involved in the Southern" "California real estate development for the past..." " Good morning Doc." " Hey..good morning Petunia." " I love your Afro!" " Oh yeah?" "Doc, you have someone waiting in your office." " Doctor.." " Doctor.." "Hi there... sorry to keep you waiting." "Doctor Sportello?" "That's right..what is it my brother?" "Peace.." "I'm Tariq Khalil." "Cool... sit down" "How can help you today?" "There's this white boy I was in the joint with.." "Aryan brotherhood..we did some business and all.." "Now we're both out and he still owes me.." "I can't tell you the details but.." "It's a whole lot of money." "What about his name..?" "Glenn Charlock." "And a... you now where he's staying now?" "I know where he works.." "He's a bodyguard for this building named Wolfmann." "Pardon my asking Mr. Khalil, how did you hear about me?" "Sledge.." "Sledge Poutee." "Wow... flash from the past brother.." "Yeah" "He said you helped him out of a situation back in 67." "First time I got shot at.." "I hope you don't mind an obvious question.." "You know where this Glenn Charlock works, why not just go there and look him up directly?" "Well because, Wolfmann likes to surround himself with the Aryan brotherhood.." "Day and night.." "You see, outside of Glenn, I ain't never liked the company of Nazis." "So a..send somebody who might get his head hammered?" "More or less." "When you were inside, were you in ah..a gang?" "The Black Gorilla Family." "And you say you did business with who now..?" "The Aryan brotherhood?" "Listen.." "We found we shared some of the similar opinions about the U.S government.." " That's all." " Mmm..." "I can dig." "There something else...?" "Matter of fact there is.." "My old street gang..the Artiza Crips... see when I came home from chino.." "I went looking for them and found out they ain't just them gone.." "But the whole turf itself!" "What do you mean gone..?" "Man I'm talking not there." "Ground up into little pieces, sea gulls picking' all over it.." "Man I thought I was tripping.." "Got in my car, drove around, came back, still gone" "Nothing..nobody.." "Just a ghost town.." "With a big sign that said coming to this site soon.." "With a big ass ugly picture of some houses.." " And guess who the builder is?" " Let me guess!" "Wolfmann again." "Can you ah..show me up here on this map?" "Long, sad history of L.A land use.." "Mexican families.." "Bounced out of shava's ravine to build the Dodgers stadium.." "American Indians swept out of Bunker Hills for the music center.." "And now Tariq's neighborhood.." "Bulldozed aside for Channel View Estates." "Hello..!" "Hi.." "I'm Jade, welcome to Chick Planet massage" "Please take note of today's pussy eater special.." "Which is all day till closing time." " How much is it..?" " 14.95" "Well not that 14.95 ain't a totally groovy price.." "But I'm actually trying to locate this guy who works for Mr. Wolfmann?" "Ah... does he eat pussy?" "Fella named Glenn Charlock..?" "Ah sure, Glenn, he comes in here.." "He eats pussy." "Well Glenn and I were in chino round the same time, you seen hime today?" "Are you a cop?" "No." "The reason I ask is if you're a cop.." "You'd be entitled to a free preview of our pussy eater special." "Well how about a licensed P.I?" "Hey Bambi..." "So..where do we uhm.." "Not you bong brain." "I thought it was here..pussy eaters special.. does that mean.." "Congratulations... hippie scum.." "Welcome to a world of inconvenience." "Well morning Sam.." "Like a bad luck planet in today's horoscope.." "Here's the old, hippie-hating mad dog himself.." "In the flesh.." "Lieutenant Detective Christian F. 'BigFoot' Bjornsen.." "SAG member, John Wayne walk.." "Flat top of Flintstones proportion.." "And that little evil shit twinkle in his eye that says.." "Civil rights violations." "What's up Doc..?" "How about your ex-girlfriend?" "Shasta..." "Fay...." "Hepworth." "Shasta Fay Hepworth!" "She's a known intimate... of Glen's employer Mickey Wolfmann.." "But do you think that Glenn and Shasta.." "Were...." "F U C K I N G ing." "Fuckinging...?" "Is that why you killed him?" "BigFoot.." "Just how does it make you feel..?" "I mean here you are still carrying the torch.." "And here she is in the company of all those Nazi lovers." "Keep doing that bigfoot you''re giving me a hard on." "Tough little white monkey.." "As my friend Fatso Justin always says.." "So our suspect, that's you... was having alleged midday nap so necessary to the hippie life style.." "Some sort of incident occurs in the vicinity of Channel View Estates.." "Fire arms are discharged, when the dust settles.." "We found him on Glenn Charlock deceased.." "But more compellingly for LAPD.." "Is the man Charlock was supposed to be guarding..." "Michael Z. Wolfmann..has vanished.." "Giving local law enforcement less than.." "24 hours before the Feds call it a kidnapping and come in to fuck.." "Everything up.." "So perhaps, Sportello, you can help forestall this.." "By providing the names of the other members of your cult." "Cult..?" "No one would ever be stupid enough to attempt this alone.." "Which suggest some kind of Mansonoid conspiracy, wouldn't you agree?" "No." "Look I've been referred to.." "More than one time.." "By the L.A Times.." "As a renaissance detective, OK?" "Which means I am many things.." "One thing I am not is stupid.." "So purely out of noblesse oblige.." "I extend this assumption to cover you as well." "What the fuck..?" "Hey Saunch." "What's up Doc..!" "You know you have no case here.." "So if you're gonna charge him you better.." "Otherwise, you have to let him go." "Saunch, remember who this is you're talking to, this is BigFoot Bjornsen, renaissance cop." "I know who he is." "So, what's the beef here exactly?" "It doesn't have much to do with your speciality which I understand is Marine Law?" "We got plenty of crime on the high seas Lieutenant." "Ok, well so far we have murder.." "And kidnapping.." "We can work-in pirates, if it would make you more comfortable.." " either way it's high profile." " Yeah but ah..." "Given you history of harassment with my client.." "This will never make it to trial." "No I think we could probably take this all the way to trial.." "But with our luck... the jury pool will be 99%.." "Hippie." "Well let's change the venue to may be Orange County.." "Not as many hippies there you know?" "Saunch, who are you working for?" "Clients pay me for work Doc.." "Clients pay me for work Doc." "So..?" "I've decided I'm gonna kick Mr. Sportello." "You're gonna kick him?" "That's assault!" "I think it's police Lang." "Saunch, it means cut me loose." "I'll release the suspect at the impound Garage." "Promise...?" "I promise." "Apparently a party of civilians had some training exercise in anti guerrilla war fare.." "They may have assumed this construction site, not yet open for occupancy.." "Was deserted enough to provide a realistic setting.." "For what we must assume was..only a harmless patriotic scenario." " Hello." " Hey, it's me." "Hey." "Listen, we uhm.... we sent that police academy hot shot over to the last know address of Shasta Fay Hepworth." "Fuck, no. no.." "Yeah they got there and it was a.... they looked through the window and a..." "What...?" "Tried to open the door and they just a... they went in... you know!" "She's gone..." "Sportello, she's gone" "She's out there man." "Out there..?" "Yeah." "What..what does that mean?" "She's disappeared just like her boyfriend Mickey, and I thought you think there's a connection." " She's disappeared?" " Yeah, she's gone man... baby!" "She's gone?" "She disappeared..?" "What!" "She went all groovy on us." "You know, BigFoot man... can we just try to be fucking professional, just, just pretend to be professional." " Shasta Fay Hepworth, she's gone." " Fuck you." "Doc could never figure out what Shasta might've seen in him.." "Besides being just about the only doper she knew who didn't use heroin.." "Freeing up a lot of time for both of them.." "And he wasn't any clearer about what had driven them apart either.." "They each gradually located a different Karmic thermal.." "Watching the other glide away into different fates.." "Does it ever end?" "Of course it does..it did." "Hello..!" "Em.." "Hello..!" "Mr. Sportello..?" "Aha" "I got your number from the head shop.." "Down in ah.." "Cordida beach.." "I'm calling about my husband, he was.." "A close friend of a friend of yours.." "Shasta Fay Hepworth..?" "And uhm... your name is..?" "Hope Harlingen.." "And..your husband is..?" "Dead." "Sorry to hear that." " You wanna a cooky?" " I'm all right, thank you." "So you never heard of him of his music?" "Inside the surf-sax category he was this towering figure.." "Cause he actually improvised once and a while.." "Instead of just repeating the second and third chorus note for note.." "Coy and I should've met cute but.." "We actually met squalid.." "Down in Oscar's in St. Yesedra...?" "Oh boy!" "I had just run into this bathroom stall without checking first.." "And I already had my finger down my throat to vomit up this big.." "Balloon of dope I just scored and... there Coy sat.." "Gringo digestion..about to take this giant shit.." "And we both let go at the same time and there's just vomit and shit all over the place.." "And with my head on his lap.." "And to complicate things, he had this....hard on.." "Sure." "One thing leads to another and.." "We pretty much started shooting up together on a regular basis.." "Then, along comes little Amethyst.." "I don't know if you have the stomach for it, but.." "This is... what we had her looking like.." "Everybody helpfully pointed out how.." "The hair was actually coming through my breast milk but.." "Ahhhh.....aahm.." "We couldn't afford formula, you know!" "It's a long way from where we are now." "Yeah, no seems like you're doing real good." "I'm a drug counselor." "Sorry..?" "!" "A drug counselor?" "Trying to..talk kids into sensible drug use.." "What do you think of my chompers?" "You like them..?" "No no, I, yes, yeah..no I hadn't noticed." "The heroin sucks the calcium of out of your body like a vampire.." "If you use it for any length of time your teeth just go all to hell.." "And that's the good part." "So this thing that happened to your husband, how can I help you?" "Mr. Sportello I don't think Coy is really dead." "But..did you ID his body?" "No.." "Who ever it was that called just.." "Said that... one of his band members did that." "What do you mean who ever called?" "The police?" "I mean it's ah..it's supposed to be next of kin." "And then this deposit shows up.." "Close to his disappearance." "Interesting sum." "Why would this big deposit just suddenly appear in my account?" "I went to the bank, I talked to the bank manager for an hour.." "He kept saying over and over.." "You just lost your deposit slip.." "You just lost your deposit slip, you just lost your deposit slip.." "And I don't lose... deposit slips this big." "Do you have a spare picture of Coy I could borrow?" "That I do have." "These were perilous times.." "Astrologically speaking for dopers.." "Especially those of high school age.." "For being born, most of them, under a 90 degree aspect.." "The unluckiest angle possible.." "Between Neptune.." "The dopers' planet.." "And Uranus, the planet of rude surprises." "Doc had known it to happen that those left behind would refuse.." "To believe that people they loved.." "Or even took the same classes with, were really dead.." "They came up with all kinds of alternate stories... so it wouldn't have to be true." "How did Coy and Shasta know each other?" "She..picked us up hitchhiking once.." "I think Coy and her stayed in touch somehow, I don't really know for sure." "Alright well..." "I'll call you when I know something." "Thank you." "Shasta has mentioned a possible laughing academy angle.." "To Mickey Wolfmann's matrimonial drama.." "And Doc thought it might be interesting to see how.." "Society page super star, Mrs. Sloane Wolfmann.." "Would react when somebody brought up the topic.." "If Mickey was currently being held against his will in some private nut house.." "Then Doc's immediate chore would be to try and find out which one." "Do you like the lighting?" "Aha..." "Jimmy Wong Hau did it for us..years ago.." "Luz, the midday refrescos now if you wouldn't mind" "Shall we sit?" "Now, your husband was planning to endow a new wing for our facility.." "He actually tendered us a sum in advance.." "Some how it didn't seem right to keep the money.." "While so little is known of his where abouts... so we'd like to refund you the sum.." "And if, as we all pray.." "When Mr. Wolfmann is heard from again.." "Well then perhaps.." "The process can resume..again." "We did recently endow another facility..in Ojai.." "The Chryskylodon Institute." "Chriscolodon..?" "It's an ancient Indian word that means serenity." "Ah, of course." "Are you some how a subsidiary?" "Perhaps one of our sister sanatoria." "Mr." "Riggs Warbling... my spiritual coach." " How do you do..." " Pleasurable." "Well if you can tell where to send the refund and what form you like it in.." "Small bills, with non-consecutive serials.." "Riggs, enough..." "He's always making these terrible jokes, I'm so sorry." "Perhaps if one of your company officers.." "Simply endorsed Michael' check back to one of his accounts." "Of course, let us know the account number.." "And its good as in the mail." " Let me find you the deposit form." " Wonderful." "So this is Riggs, the spiritual advisor.." "And there is Sloane.." "Maybe not so much English rose as English daffodil... and this is LAPD.." "Busy as ever, protecting and serving.." "Getting in some last minute free catering before the Feds show up.." "And there's Luz, the sexy chicana housekeeper.." "Or, pretending to be?" "!" "Some kidnapping!" "Doc would bet an ounce of seedless Hawaiian.." "And then throw in a pack of zigzags.." "That Sloane and old Riggs here were fucking regularly.." "And that this was the BF Shasta had mentioned.." "Did Shasta have a room of her own here?" "Or did they all just cozy up together?" " I'm ticklish little babe." " I like that." "Keep looking, I'm in there somewhere.." "Vicky...." "Roxy.." "Here I am....cute..ha?" "My tits aren't really that big but..it's the thought that counts." "Did ah, all you ladies pose for these?" "A guy over in North Hollywood does custom work" "And ah..would about that ah girl that's gone missing?" "Shasta?" "yeah, she's in there some place.." "You know Mickey used to take me to the shower to fuck.." "And I never got to do anything on that groovy bed in there" "Luz...(speaks Japanese)" "Another time perhaps?" "Aha" "BigFoot...!" "Something has been puzzling Doc now for a while.." "Mainly, what exactly the fuck was with bigfoot here?" "As much as he liked to stay and chat.." "He had a lunch date to keep.." "With part-time squeeze deputy D.A Penny Kimball.." "It was only because someone else had cancelled that she was able to pencil him in.." "And Doc didn't want to fuck up her act.." "Considering they were meeting in public." "Hi" "This Wolfmann-Charlock case.." "Apparently one of your girlfriends is a principal." "I just heard that she skipped." "Let me put it to you like this.." "How close were you to this Shasta Fay Hepworth?" "I've been asking myself that very question." "It was all over years ago.." " months, I don't now." " Years?" "If you Hadn't you come along babe who knows how bad it might've got." "True, you were a fucking mess when I met you." "How about now?" "Old times aside.." "Have you had any contact with her in the last, say week or so?" "Well, funny you should ask.." "She called me up a couple of days ago before Mickey Wolfmann disappeared.." "Told me a story about how his wife and her boyfriend.." "Were plotting to hustle Mickey into booby hatch.." "And grab all his money?" "So I sure hope that you guys or the cops.." "Or whoever, are looking into that." "With your years of experience as a P.I would you call that a reliable lead?" "I've know worse.." "Oh, I can did, you all just gonna ignore that?" "Some hippie chick with boyfriend trouble, brain's all... mushed up with dope, sex, and rock'n'roll?" " Never seen you so emotional Doc." " The lights are out usually.." "I never see you during the day Penny." "You didn't tell Lieut." "Bjornsten any of this.." "When he pulled you in at the crime scene." "Ok, it's because I promised Shasta I'd come talk to you first.." "See if anybody at the D.A shop can help out with this.." "Now I tried to call you, day and night no reply" "You tried to call me?" "Day and night?" "And ah, yeah look, I forgot.." "I don't know.." "All I know is that next thing, Shasta's missing.." "Wolfmann's gone and Glenn Charlock is dead." "Bjornsten seems to think you are as good a suspect as any." "Seems to?" "what do mean.." "You've been talking to BigFoot about me?" "Doc... please." "Besides, maybe you did it." "Has that crossed your mind?" " Maybe you just forgot?" " What?" "did do what?" " Kill Glenn Charlock." " Kill him?" "!" " Yeah." " What?" "How would I forget something like that?" "Grass, and who knows what else?" "I'm only a light smoker." "How many joints have you had today?" " I have to check the log book." " Can't remember?" "I don't see how my smoking has any link.." "To the Wolfmann, Charlock, Shasta case" "No?" "Then how come Miss Hepworth dismantled your relationship?" "She got other fish to fry." "Would you say you're still in love with her?" "No." "Take off your glasses." "No." "I'm not..wait" "I've a hectic week ahead of me, so unless things heat up dramatically, I hope you understand." "Walk me back to work?" "I'm agent Flatweed, this is agent Borderline.." "FBI" "I just have to use the bathroom." "It's been brought to our attention that not too long ago.." "You had a visit from a black prison militant calling himself Tariq Khalil." "We naturally became curious." "Let's talk upstairs Larry." "Did I miss an episode?" "I love you guys every sunday night at 8 pm." "We like investigating and spending energy.." "On black nationalist hate groups." "It's the chronology really.." "Khalil visits you place of business.." "The next day a know prison acquaintance of his.." "Glenn Charlock, is slain.." "Michael Wolfmann disappears and you get arrested on suspicion and.." "Somewhat mysteriously let go again." "Well have you talked to BigFoot Bjornsen about all this?" "Cause he's gonna tell you about this kinda shit." "Mr. Bjornsen's antipathy at the federal level is well known." "Ah..some guys are like that.." "So..what is it you want with me?" "Ordinarily we're the ones asking the questions here." "Sure thing fellas but....ah.." "Aren't we all in the same business?" "There's no need to be insulting" "Why don't you just go ahead and tell us.." "What Mr. Khalil had to say when he visited you the other day?" "Cause it's privileged, and I'm inclined, that's why." "If it has a bearing on the Wolfmann case.." "Then we may have to disagree." "Look, I really wish I could help you guys out but.." "I can't figure is if you're so focused on the black panthers, then what's with your interest in Mickey Wolfmann..." "Unless somebody ah..playing Monopoly with federal housing money?" "You figure Mickey's kidnapping is a black panther operation?" "They put the snatch on Mickey trying to prove a political point, or maybe ah.." "A nice shot at some ransom money." "So maybe you've at least start putting that forward as a cover up story for what did happen." "Do you realize how thoroughly we can fuck your life up?" "All right... could I be frank a minute?" "Why stop now..please." "You be Dino, you be the other guy.." "And tell Penny Davis Jr." "What a lovely day we had.." "Thank you." "As a COINTELPRO informant you could be making.." "Up to $300 a month Larry." "Just, consider that." "U.S dollars?" "And we'll through in a book of Mormon... free." "Doc, a mysterious young Oriental cutie.." "Just dropped off a package for you at the front desk..!" "Well, it's dark and lonely work but somebody's gotta do it, right?" "Heard they cut you loose.." "Need to see you about something.." "I'm working week nights at club Asiatique..in San Pedro.." "Love and peace, Jade" "P.S beware The Golden Fang." "I can't stay out here long this is golden fang territory.." "And a girl don't necessarily want to get into difficulties with those folks.." "What is it?" "A band?" "You wish" "I just wanted to say how sorry I was.." "I felt shitty about what I did.." "Which is what again?" "I'm not a snitch.." "The cops said they'd drop charges if we just put you.." "In the scene which they already new you were.." "So where's the harm.." "I'm like so sorry Larry" "Call me Doc, that's cool Jade." " That copper?" " BigFoot?" "He's a warped sheet of plastic." "So ah..was it BigFoot who put me on the buenos notches express.." "Or did he sub-contract it?" "I missed all that man.." "last thing I remember was eating Bambi's pussy.." "And Puck Beaverton's tattoo.." "like it was pulsating." "Puck..what's a Puck Beaverton?" "He's a bald headed asshole with a swastika tattoo you don't wanna meet." "Me and Bambi were so afraid with the bad ass brigade stomping in there, we didn't stick around." "Listen, there's somebody who want's to talk to you, he thinks you can help each other out.." "He's a new face, I'm not sure of his name but.." "I know he's in some trouble." "I would've come by your office man but I thought there might be unfriendly eyeballs." "Well is this ah, safe enough for you out here?" "Let's light this and pretend we came out to smoke.." " I'm supposed to be dead" " Well, there's also a rumor that you're not." "That don't come as such great news." "Being dead is part of my job image.." "like what I do." "You're working for these people here at the club?" "I don't know, maybe, it's where I pickup my pay check." "Where are you staying?" "House in Topanga Canyon.." "Band I used to play for, The Boards.." "But none of them know it's me." "How come they don't know it's you?" "Even when I was alive they didn't know it's me.." "The sax player, the session guy.." "Plus over the years there's been a big turnover in personnel.." "But The Boards I played with.." "Most of'em gone off and formed other bands.." "Only one or two of the old crew left, and luckily, they're suffering from heavy doper's memory." "The story is that you came to grief behind some bad smack.." "You still into that?" "No..no.." "I'm clean these days.." "I spent my time rehabilitating up in..." "It's ok, it's ok, I can't hear too good and how can I talk about what I don't hear?" "Look, the thing I wanted to see you about is I wondered if you could check on a couple of people.." "Lady and a little.." "little girl.." "See if they're ok without bringing me into it.." "Staying out in Torrance." "Just see if they're still living there.." "See what's in the drive way, law enforcement in the picture.." "Or any details you find interesting." "All right, I'm on it." "I can't pay you right now." "When you can.." "Unless you're one of those folks who believes information is money in which case.." "I could ask you something." "Bearing in mind that either I don't know.." "Or if it's my ass if I tell you.." "What is it?" "Ever heard of the Golden Fang?" "Sure, it's a boat." "A boat!" "Big schooner, somebody said, she brings stuff in and out of the country but nobody wants to talk about it." "Because?" "That was it." "How do you know?" "I saw it sail in when I got here tonight." "I don't know what I just saw." "Me neither.." "In fact, I don't even wanna know." "Okay, Doc figured it might've been easier to let Coy know.." "That Hope and little Amethyst were doing just fine.." "But he had a rule against getting involved in matrimonials.." "Which had just gone up in smoke.." "Like the Asian indica in the joint they've been smoking, creating an extra layer of fog on top of the one Doc was already standing inside of." "Meet the schooner Golden Fang.." "Out of Charlotte Amalie." " Where is that?" " U.S Virgin Islands" "Bermuda Triangle?" "Close enough." "Sizable vessel!" "She has a tendency to show up here in the middle of the night.." "No running lights, no radio traffic... see the problem with this vessel is trying to find out anything.." "People back off, change the subject and get real creepy." "The owners are listed as a consortium in the Bahamas.." "Her real name, isn't really the Golden Fang.." "She was originally a fishing boat named Preserved.." "Then after World War II she was bought by Burke Stodger.." "Burke Stodger the actor?" "'45 Caliber Kiss off Burke Stodger?" "The movie star.." "He..gets blacklisted because of his politics.." "And branded a communist.." "So he takes the boat, splits the country... which is where your Bermuda Triangle comes in." "Hi, I'm Chlorinda, how can I help you?" "Well, I'm gonna have the..house anchovy loaf to start.." "And, um, the devil-ray filet.." " can I get that deep-fried in beer batter?" " It's your stomach." "What can I get for you little buddy?" "Mmm, I'll take the jellyfish teriyaki croquettes and the Eel Travatore please." "Ok." "And to drink gentlemen?" ".." "You're gonna want to get good and fucked up before this meal." "That's for sure." "I have some recommendations, maybe the.." "Tequila Zombie?" "Make it two." "Aha" "Thank you." "So Burke's black listed, takes the boat.." "Splits the country.." "Somewhere between San Pedro and Papetee the boat disappears.." "Disappears till one day, a couple of years later.." "The boat and the owner suddenly reappear..." " You dig?" " Umhum" "The Preserved, is in the opposite ocean off of Cuba.." "And Burke Stodger, on the front page of the Daily Variety in an article reporting his return to pictures... in a major motion picture called:" "Commie Confidential" "Ooooh." "So Burke is working again!" "And his politics have miraculously changed." "And the ship?" "Man..they removed any traces of soul she once had, it's a horror story." "Are you emotionally involved?" "With the boat?" "She's not just a boat Doc.." "She's much more than that." "What..?" "I know why I'm so interested.." "But why are you?" "That story I heard the other night, something about a smuggling angle." "And that story you heard.." "Did it happen to include Mickey Wolfmann?" "Not so far....why?" "Well, according to scuttlebutt, shortly before he disappeared.." "Mickey Wolfmann was seen taking the Golden Fang out for.." "A three hour tour, or should I say a three hour tour." "And ah, was he accompanied by his lovely companion?" "Ok!" " My fucking Ex, old Shasta Fay!" " I know.." "I know who she is..." "But Doc I thought you were done with all that sad bullshit." "Listen, did everybody make it back ok?" "Nobody was pushed overboard, nothing like that?" "Actually the word I'm hearing is that Mickey" "Wolfmann might not be as missing as we think." "Like gone but not gone." "Man... you're gonna love this.." " The rumor is that the department of justice is trying.." " A..a..a..a" " Here you go" " Thank you." "The word I'm hearing is that the department of justice is trying to broker a Vegas deal for him." "Doesn't compute." "Say again." "Vegas..." "Wolfmann!" "FBI stuff.." "They need somebody else on the strip, who's not Italian." "You dig?" "Like Howard Hughes when he bought the.." "Desert Inn." "Howard Hughes was Italian?" "No... they want white people.." "They want white, Anglo owners on the strip.." "Who better than Mickey Wolfmann?" "Hello." "All right Doc, so she just departed San Pedro on board The Golden Fang." " Who?" " Your ex, Shasta Fay." "Shasta is on the... on the Golden Fang?" "My friend at Doj just called me... yeah." "Ah, where... where is it going?" "Out at sea someplace." "Huh..?" "Out at sea someplace" "Yeah!" "Where!" "Not known..not known." " Hang tight, I'm gonna get back to you" " All right... call, call me..." "Penny Kimball, deputy D.A" "Hey." "Who is this?" "It's me." "Where did you get this number?" "It's Doc!" "Oh..." "I thought you'd never wanna speak to me again." "Ha.." "I didn't..ah.." "I didn't mind talking to the FBI" "Am I in trouble?" "I don't know are you?" "It's an awful nice night out here at the beach" "But you're a dirty filthy hippie.." "What would a nice clean girl like me do with you?" "Um..you could ah.." "Bring your soap and clean my feet.." "Ewe... no thank you.." "But then again I could bring you a pizza.." "I can hear your pants growing." "So..!" "I'll be there in an hour..." "go wash your feet." "The dumb.." "Hugging on the dumb." "That's the best thing I've heard all day." "No....what the fuck!" "What, who?" "That's no hippie..that's Chucky." "I..yeah?" "He's ah..friend of yours?" "Everybody know Chucky.." "If he's not at the Hall of Justice, he's down at the Glass House." "A...a snitch?" "Informant, please..." "He only works with the Red Squad." "Wow..so what's he ah, why is he screaming and yelling like that at Nixon again?" "Now he's been on TV he has instant and wide credibility.." "Police can infiltrate him into any group they want to." "Bastards!" "Do you love me?" "Hmm..a snitch, a spy, a weasel.." "And damn.." "If it ain't a resurrected sax tenor player.." "Working under cover... but for who?" "These patriotic pals of President Nixon called Vigilant California?" "Some other unseen hand?" " Now, who am I again?" " You're the photographer." " And the name of the magazine is.." " Stone Turntable." "Coy's band, The Boards, were currently renting a place in Topanga Canyon.." "From a Bass player turned record company executive.." "Which trend watchers took as further evidence of the end of Hollywood... if not the world as they have known it..." "Doc and Denis hadn't dropped acid for years in this town without.." "Picking up some kind of extra-sensory chops.." "And truth was.." "Since crossing the door sill of this place.." "They couldn't help noticing what you would call..an atmosphere." "Oh... what are you playin'?" "!" "I drove up with Bambi.." "She heard Spotted Dick were staying here, so I had to come over and keep her out of trouble?" "She's possessed." "She's got Spotted Dick black-light posters on the walls.." "Spotted Dick sheets and pillow cases on the beds.." " Spotted Dick T-shirts.." " Ah..she's team dick!" "For 24 hours a day she's got Spotted Dick albums on stereo man." "Listen, I'm looking for that guy I met at Club Asiatique the other night?" " He's here" " Yeah... where?" " He's in the kitchen." " The kitchen?" "Hey, when you leave, can I get a ride with you?" "This place is freaking me out." "Mmm... ok" "Good Evening, Larry Sportello, Stone Turntable magazine?" "Split Lits, Spotted Dick, keyboards." "Was it possible that at every gathering.." "Concert..peace rally.." "love-in..be-in and freak-in.." "Here..up north..back east..where ever.." "Some dark crews had been busy all along... reclaiming the music.." "The resistance to power.." "The sexual desire from epic to everyday?" "All they could sweep up for the ancient forces of greed and fear." "Gee, he thought.." "I don't know." " Hey" " Hi.." "Look it there..remember me?" "Larry Sportello, StoneTurntable magazine?" "You ah, asked me to look into that uhm.." "Vehicle." " What?" " A... the vehicle?" "Yeah..what was the..make and model that you looked at again?" "You were asking about that older type.." "VW with the hearts and bluebirds..." "Any..any replacement parts?" "None I could see." "You didn't see any replacement.." "What about street legal?" "Was there any hassles with registration?" "No, I didn't see anything." "You saw Hope?" "For a minute..she's ok.." "Looks like she's been staying clean too." "How did she do it?" "I don't know she's ah.." "Back teaching is all she said" "Where?" "Where?" "I don't know, she didn't say." "It didn't matter.." "No way I could go ever back to them." "All right man look, you can't go back to them... cause what?" "Why?" "Because it would be my ass and my family's too.." "It's like a gang, it's like once you're in you're in for life." "Did you know that when you signed up?" "All I knew is we couldn't do each other any good staying together.." "The baby looked like shit, getting worse every day.." "We were just getting fucked up and sitting there.." "Saying we gotta do something.." "We're dragging ourselves down." "Listen, I'm not asking you to give away any secrets here.." "But I think I saw you on the tube at a rally for Nixon." "And your question is which side am I on?" "Yes." "Well.." "You know, these people here have money.." "It's not like those bible freaks that go up and down the beach like screaming at you.." "They really wanna help.." "I thought it was something good to do for my country." "As stupid as that sounds.." "But what I really found out was they just wanna like use us and keep the membership in line.." "My country, right or wrong, with Vietnam going on is just fucking crazy.." "Suppose your mom was on smack.." "My mom?" "Yeah, what would you do?" " Wouldn't you try to help her?" " Yeah..." "I think.." "Are you saying that the U.S is somebody's mom?" "And she's ah..strung out?" "On what?" "Sending people off to die in jungles for no reason.." "Something wrong and suicidal about that that she can't stop." "And.." "Vigilant California, or whoever it is you're working for wouldn't buy that?" "I don't belong here man." "I do get the feeling you'd rather be someplace else." "Yeah..back where I was would be nice" "Listen, I did just run a fast check.." "We gotta find some angle that maybe you haven't thought of" "Listen, nothing personal, but there's too much you... haven't thought of." "Oh, I can dig you're trying to chase me off of this.." "But whatever it is you're caught inside, I'm out here, on the outside of it.." "I can move in ways you may not be able to." "Shhh..how did the baby look?" "Amethyst?" "Oh man, sweetie pie." " She looked good?" " Yeah" "No sign of them little-kid blues?" "Little-kid blues?" "You know that happens, they get that." "No..no.." "I could see it." "You saw it a little bit, I blew this solo man.." "Where does it come from?" "Give me a glimpse here man, who set you up with these people?" "You know when I first started snitching, I realized how often people ask questions they already know the answers to.." "They just wanna hear it from another voice.." "Like one outside their head.." "You better find Shasta Fay." "Huh?" "Shasta Fay." "Thanks for the lift boys" "Ahh.." "Jade, Jade.." "You said in your note to beware of the Golden" "Fang.. why am I supposed to beware of a boat?" "They're an IndoChinese Heroin cartel.." "A vertical package, they grow it, bring it in, step on it.." "Run state side networks of local street dealers and take a separate percentage off of each operation." "So... your dealing smack?" "No..but they use Chick Planet as a front to launder money." "See you around." "Reluctant, may be even a little desperate.." "Doc figured he had to go visit BigFoot now.." "On principle, he tried to spend as little time around the glass house as possible.." "All this strange alternate cop history and cop politics.." "Cop dynasties, cop heroes and evil doers.." "Saintly cops and psycho cops.." "Cops too stupid to live and cops too smart for their own good... insulated by secret loyalties and codes of silence from the world they'd all been given the control.." "BigFoot's native element.." "The air he breathed, the big time he'd been so crazy to get away from the beach and be promoted into.." "Then why so grumpy, BigFoot?" "Doc remembered, dimly, a story from long past.." "A rumor about a partner of BigFoot's who's been shot and killed a while back in the line of duty.." "And ever since then, the story went, BigFoot had worked alone." "I hope this won't be another one of those unabridged, paranoid, hippie monologues you seem obliged to sit through." "So what if someone dies but is resurrected?" "Not at first glance a matter for Homicide." "So who around here handles resurrections?" "Bunkus Squad, usually." "Does that mean the L.A PD believes that every return from the dead is some kinda con?" "Look, you're you're dead..we we're talking philosophy?" "That there is Coy Harlingen, the stiff in question?" "That was taken last night." "Remind me why I give a shit again?" "Mmm..he worked for the department as a snitch.." "Not the mention for some patriotic bad asses known as Vigilant California?" "Who knows, they may or may not've been on the raid at" "Channel View Estates..you remember that raid BigFoot?" "All right.." "All right I'll look into it personally.." "Sometimes it's just about doing the right thing." "Who... are you?" "Clancy Sharlock" "Glenn..." "Sharlock's..sister.." "Sister" "Sister..hehe" "I'm..so sorry about your uhm..brother" "Glenn was a shit, bound to have his series cancelled sometime.." "That don't keep me from wanting to know who his killer is." "Did you talk to the police?" "They talked to me." "Some smart ass named BigFoot.." "He seemed less concerned with Glenn's murder than Mickey Wolfmann's disappearance.." "But he's a fan of yours all right.." "He said you might be able to help?" "Did he now?" "Did you hear that Wolfmann is working on a way to give away all his money?" "Why does he wanna do that?" "He was on a guilt trip man.." "Doing tons of acid and peyote..and.." "Just got to a point.." "He felt bad about making people pay for all those cheap ugly houses of his.." "You gonna keep holding to that thing or are you gonna marry it?" "He wanted to build this big place out in the desert where people could come and live for free.." "Called Arrepentimiento" "Arrpent... what's that mean again?" "It's Spanish for 'Sorry About That'" "Do you think that maybe your brother was just.." "You know, doing his job trying to prevent ah.." "You know, who ever it was who was putting the snatch on Mickey?" "That's way too fuckin' sentimental." "Sounds like somebody objected to Mickey's big give away!" "The..wife?" "..business partners?" "Puck Beaverton.." "He had the duty that day to guard Mickey.." "Changed shift with Glenn at the last minute." "Puck Beaverton....interesting fellow I hear." "He's a major league ass hole." " Mmm..so you dated!" " Him, and his roommate." "Two at a time?" "That's my preference." "Well ah..." "You know were I might be able this.." "Puck fellow?" "Dropped out of sight after Glenn's murder.." "Set sail." "Set sail?" "like on a boat?" "I don't know, maybe." "If you find him, you'll let me know?" "Well ah..perhaps we should continue this conversacion somewhere else" "I've got a date." "Oh, and miss Charlock, I just need a contact information from you" "Hey Clancy.." "Did ah.." "Glenn ever mention one of Mickey's ladies..?" "A girl by the name of Shasta?" " The girl that's gone missing?" " That's her." "Yeah, she was in love with him..." "deeply in love." "Oh, Shasta and Doc lived together for a short while." "Oh....bummer." "Well, ask someone who's been down this particular exit ramp.." "You can only cruise the boulevards of regret so far.." "Then you gotta get back up on the freeway again." "Hmm.." "Good luck" " See ya" " Bye now." "I wish you could see these waves.." "It's one more of these places a voice from somewhere else tells you you have to be.." "Remember that day with the ouija board?" "I miss those days... and I miss you.." "Nothing was supposed to happen this way Doc.." "I'm so sorry." "You don't remember the ouija board, do you Doc?" "It has been one of those prolonged times with no dope." "You think it knows where we can score?" "Ask....just do it by your self like that." "Nobody had any... everybody was desperate and suffering lapses of judgment." "3..4..2..9.." "It's a phone number!" "It's ringing." "Howdy dopers, we've got what ever you need.." "And remember, the sooner you get over here the more there will left for you.." "So come on down to 72723 Sunset Boulevard..you better hurry." "Sorry.." "Ok..who is this I'm talking to..?" "She hung up." "She's screaming at you:" "stay away.." "I'm a police trap." "Ah that's the problem with ouija boards." "That board sure did it's work.." "They didn't score any dope that day but.." "Somehow suddenly it didn't matter.." "It was weird that in the limited space of a post card.." "Shasta should've chosen to remember that one day in the rain.." "It had stuck with Doc too.." "Even though it was late in their time together.." "When she was already half way out the door." "Hey Denis.." "Denis I'm gonna go look around, you wanna wait in the car or come in to cover my back?" "I was gonna go try to find a pizza..is that ok?" "All right, now you recall this is stick-shift, not automatic and so forth?" "It's easy as pie Doc." "After noon.." "This is the address that gave me at Club Asiatique, in San Pedro..?" "Just here to pick up a package for management." "Hello, this is Sandra from front desk, we have a pick up for management" "Follow me." "Dr. Blatnoyd will see you in a moment." "So you have some I.D, I imagine." "I don't know what this is..." "What is it?" "It's Oriental or something.....is it Chinese?" "I figured..ah....you being Chinese." "What?" "what are you talking about?" "The....." "Golden.." "Fang?" "It's a syndicate.." "Most of us happen to be dentists.." "A syndicate of dentists, set up long ago for tax purposes.." "All legit." "Where did....you tell Sandra you're from again?" "Oooh.." "Why you're another one of those hippie dope fiends aren't you!" "My goodness, my goodness me.." "You're here of a little perking-up aren't we?" ".." "It's from Darmstadt.." "lab quality" "Mmm.." "I try not to do any dope I can't pay for, that's what it is" "No, no..on the house.." "In fact maybe I can even join ya for one.. one little moment.." "Ah..just to be sociable.." "Doctor, I think there's a problem with the couch in your office, and bring that bottle." "What do you think of my chompers?" "Heroin sucks the calcium out of your body like a vampire.." "You could use it for any length of time, your teeth will go to hell.." "And that's just the good part." "Doc.." "Doc.." "Dr. Rudy, I'm back!" "You're not Dr. Rudy!" "You're not Dr. Rudy!" "That's that Japoica, ain't it?" "Japonica Fenway?" "Imagine meeting you here!" "Doc rooted through the city dump that was his memory.." "Recalling that Japonica here had been a pretty open and shut run away daughter case.." "Hardly worth daily scale.." "Let alone the extravagant bonus her father.." "Crocker Fenway.." "Had insisted on paying when Doc finally brought Japonica back home." "So what've you been up to?" "Escaping mostly.." "And I escape real good." "Escaping what?" "Chryskylodon, this like..booby hatch my parents keep sending me too." " Booby hatch?" "..up in Ojai?" " You know it?" "Shakes a tambourine." "Ah...." "Dr. Rudy" "Ok..all right." "Japonica you promised me.." "Did you not promise me?" " What are you doing here?" " I escaped again..for you." "Look at the greedy little hippie..snorting away are ya?" " Your parents know you're here?" " No" "The Fenways, they were heavy duty South Bay money.." "And led lives of unusually high density and often incoherence.." "Her father Crocker, also known as the dark prince of Palace Fairdays, was a lead lawyer at the office Forheath Kruger.." "Who had given Doc his first paying gig as a P.I" "Man, like, I'm sorry" "Denis..what is... that's my steering wheel?" "I don't know how to drive." "Ahh man I though you said you.." "Hey.." "Smile maintenance chick..how lovely!" "Miss Fenway may appear a little psychotic today." "Groovy!" "What?" "It's groovy being insane man..." "where you at?" "It's not groovy to be insane.." "Japonica here has been institutionalized for it." "OK, come now Denis, we gotta figure a way back to the beach." "Hey if you need a ride I'm heading that way." "Huh, ah..cop friendly?" "everything cool with your ride Japonica?" " break lights, license plate'n so forth?" " Yeah" "A OK." "Mind if I tag along with you guys?" "Contingencies of the road and so forth?" "Yeah yeah, that's a good idea maybe we can just do a bit more of that... for the road?" "Yes... you want some?" "What's in that bag you're stuffing under Doc's seat?" "Pay no attention to that bag,.." "You're gonna make everybody paranoid." "Though he may have rescued Japonica from a life of dark and unspecified hippie horror.." "Apparently restoration to the bosom of her family had been enough.." "To really drive her around the bend." "Oh Fuck..fuck it!" "Shh..easy easy" "Fuck!" "fuck!" "fuck.." "I can't..." "OK we are so fucked.." "I got so many.." " Are you the Great Beast?" " No, no, that's uhm..policeman!" "You know you're driving without your headlights ma'm?" "But I.." "I can see in the dark." "Perhaps you shouldn't be driving then.." "I'm gonna need to see all of you IDs please?" "And what is this all about sir?" "Any gathering of three or more civilians is now considered a possible cult." "What?" "It's Charlie Manson again?" "Criteria..criteria includes reference to the book of revelation.." "Males with shoulder-length hair or longer.." "And endangerment through inattentive driving.." "All of which, all of you have been exhibiting." "Oh, I don't think so!" "Man, listen, this is a Mercedes..it's only painted one color." "You all hang tight." " That should count for something..." " Good point!" "Ah.." "I actually gonna have a heart attack, actually my heart is racing like a little boom boom" "Yes, sir" "I'm gonna hand these in Mr. Sportello and as long as there isn't any wants or warrants I don't know about.." "I don't wanna hear any more about this." "Thank you officer, you have a good night." "Thank you sir, drive safely." "Idiots Unlimited?" "Oh yeah, I'm in an evil mood myself tonight.." "Dr. Rudy Blatnoyd, D.D.S... has perpetrated his last root canal, I'm afraid." "Habla english man..what's that..he's dead?" "We found him next to a trampoline in Bel Air, with a fatal neck injury.." "So far no witnesses, no motives, no suspects.." "Apart from you." "Um..not me..why me?" "You were observed in Blatnoyd's company, both of you were riding in a vehicle full of drug crazed hippies" "Yeah, well, you know.." "The owner of that vehicle.." "Is a very well respected lawyer down at Palos Verdes.." "And his daughter was driving..she offered me a ride.." "And um..you know the cops didn't even give her a ticket!" "And you know Blatnoyd was her friend not mine." "Go to bed." "I'm working, why do you want me to go to bed?" "I think it's time we had one of our chats." "So on this Coy Harlingen matter.." "On the face of it.." "Just one more O.D, one last junkie, case cleared." "And on the not face of it?" "Why, what do we have here.." "Why don't you pick a card, any card.." "These are field interrogation reports.." "See if you find anything that looks familiar." "Card tricks" "Puck Beaverton!" "Excellent choice..one of Mickey Wolfmann's bodyguards." "Interesting fellow I here." "Sherif's people happen to run into him at the Venice home of the very dealer that sold Coy Harlingen the smack that killed him..or..didn't kill him" "What..what was Puck doing in Coy's dealer's place?" "The interesting thing.." "About this over dose.." "Is that Leonard James Loose-meat, aka El Drano.." "Was know for the street percent product.." "Yet the report says what killed him was pure China white number four" "You mean like from the whole seller, like who ever is bringing it in?" "I seem to recall some years ago.." "Just before I went into Folsome.." "Beaverton..used to work for this loan shark.." "Adrian Prussia." "Fucking zoiks, I know Adrian Prussia..!" "Yeah I know him from my skip-tracing days..he's a bad man.." "With a baseball bat... sick." "And Coy's dealer, El Drano, also happens to be.." "Prussia's steady customer.." "So maybe Puck was there in Adrian's behalf.." "What do you think?" "I think you and Adrian have a history you're not sharing with me." "Pancakes aren't quite as good as my mother's.." "But what I really go for here is the respect... respect." "You didn't get enough of that from your mom." "You probably imagine, that I have a lot of status up in robbery-homicide.." "I mean who can blame you for thinking that.." "The reality, however.." "No Cielo Drive for bigfoot.." "No TV movie rights or book deals for bigfoot.." "I mean even the extra work is drying out.." "God help us all.." "Dentists on trampolines.." "Your Dr. Blatnoyd, had puncture wounds on his throat." "Consistent with bites from canines of a mid-sized wild animal.." "That's what the coroner told me..swallow that." "Listen, that's, that's mighty weird BigFoot.." "Ok?" "because Blatnoyd was a partner in a tax dodge called itself The Golden Fang Enterprises.." "Now you didn't happen to get the SID to test those neck punctures for gold or nothing?" "I..shouldn't think there'd be much trace.." "Gold is all but chemically inactive.." "As you might've learned in chemistry class.." "If you hadn't been ditching all the time to score dope..." "Sportello." "Every contact leaves traces.." "It would sure be ironic man, that's all I'm saying.." "If it turns out that Blatnoyd was bit to death by a golden fang.." "Or better yet, like even better, like two golden fangs!" "I don't see why any of this would be material." "Cause it's the fuckin Golden Fang." "If it's the decedent's tax shelter, so what?" "No, man, it's not a tax shelter, it's something..." "BigFoot man, much more..more vast." "This wouldn't be just more of your paranoid hippie bullshit would it?" "Look, have the lab check for traces of copper.." "Not the kind that goes stumbling all over a crime scene contaminating evidence.." "We want Copper the metal, you see.." "Gold teeth are never made with pure gold..dentists like to alloy it with Copper.." "Now if you hadn't ditched forensics class to go steal hubcaps.." "To plant on some innocent hippie,.." "You might've known that!" "Oh, you feel like a cop almost, don't you!" "Good Day." "So where to?" "A place up in Ojai called Chryskylodon?" "Chryskylodon... animal tooth." "Mmm..ancient Indian word, Sortilege, means serenity." "I'm a nerd in the classics!" "it's not Indian, it's ancient Greek.." "It means animal tooth made out of gold." "You're doing good Doc." "Thanks Lege." "Owing to governor Reagan's shut down of most of the State's mental facilities.." "The private sector has been given cart blanche to pick up the slack.." "Soon, in fact, becoming a standard California child rearing resource.." "For kids like that old Japonica Fenway." "Mr. Sportello." "Dr." "Albrie Threeply." "Oh, how do you do?" " So good to see you sir" " Good to see you." "Welcome, welcome." "Would you uhm, sorry, would you like to use the facilities?" "You already used the bathroom?" "Hit the bathroom before you take a tour of the facilities?" "This is my colleague Dr. Lily Hammer." " How do you do?" " Mr. Sportello" "Please join us." "This is our administrative lounge.." "Our Chenin Blanc comes from the institutes own vineyard.." "Hands steady as rock today I see, Kimberly." "So happy you noticed Dr. Threeply." " More soup Dr. Hemard" " Yes, if you know what's good for you." "Have you been with us before Mr. Sportello?" "I know I've seen your face." "Hmm..first time I've been down here.." "Normally I don't get much south of south city" "And..abnormally?" "What?" "Well I only meant that with any number of qualified facilities in the Bay Area.." "Why would you bother coming all the way down here to us?" "Mmm..my clients believe that Ojai is a planetary chakra?" "Ah, Chryskylodon's motion picture palace.." "Now showing the Burke Stodger marathon, all Burke, all day, 24 hours of Stodger." "This is particularly popular with the patients." "This..this was not invented by a Russian, the man's name was Bell, Alexander Graham Bell.." "And he was an American.." "Get that comrade.'" "Everything on this table is as phony as the town..' the rotten system you call communism.'" "It was occurring to Doc now something Jade said once about vertical integration.." "That if The Golden Fang could get it's customers strung out.." "Why not turn around and sell them a program to help kick?" "Get them coming and going..twice as much revenue.." "As long as American life was something to be escaped from.." "The cartel could always be sure of a bottomless pool of new customers." "Any questions?" "Is that a swastika on that man's face?" "Uhm... no it isn't it." "That's an ancient Hindu symbol, meaning all is well.." "It brings good fortune, luck, and well being." "What do you mean?" "I mean it looks like a swastika to me." "Well, he isn't a regular employee of the Institute.." "Perhaps you should pay no attention to that man." "Encapsulated in the charming phrase" "Japanese- which means, of course, you must be very tired'.." "Which brings us to the Institute's own zen garden.." "Imported from Kyoto.." "But each textured pebble, each.." "Grain of white sand.." "Was transported and reassembled here exactly in place.." "By a team of some of our more obsessive patients.." "Oh..." "Mickey" "Mickey.." "Hello little hippie.." "How are you?" "Ah..what are you doing here?" "They are helping me.." "They're helping me wake up from my bad hippie dream." "What did you dream about?" "I dreamed.." "I gave away all my money.." "Yeah" "Who..who brought you here?" "My friends." "Who are your friends?" "The FBI?" "I spent my whole life..." "I spent my whole life making people pay for shelter." "And all along.." "I didn't realize..." "I didn't realize it was supposed to be for free.." "For free." "Where's Shasta?" "Tell me, did she come with you?" "Is she here?" "Mickey, where the fuck is Shasta?" "Go away little hippie.." "Go away." "New casino.." "Hotel, 25000 square feet.." "9 dining places.." "We don't have much to go on.." "Just a broadcast Baret put out.." "He was ambushed by two male negroes.." "Possibly on foot.." "He thinks he wounded both of them, but we can't be sure.." "As far as I know we have two units code 100.." "One on Manchester.." "Oh, BigFoot... you're adorable." "Hi Shasta!" "Hi Doc." "Uh..either I'm on a..time machine.." "Or you're back." "I've been away." "Where've you been?" "Up north... family stuff.." "Anything been happening down here?" "Your friend in the a.." "Construction business?" "Ah, it's all over.." "He's back with Sloane and the kids and..so what?" "You know you got a load of people out looking for you Shasta." "Well here I am..c'est la vie." "C'est la vie.." "Que se'fuckin sera, sera." "Something like that!" "Hah..." "I like your necklace.." "Umm..it can't be good.." "Got word that your girl is back in town." "Oh yeah?" "well that's..ah..news to me." "Where you've been?" "No place I'd recommend." "Any developments on the Coy Harlingen matter?" "I could give a shit." "Any of them include Prussia?" "Or Beaverton, or any of the mother fuckers that I've given you?" "All right, forget that.." "listen, listen.." "Any results on those fang marks?" "You know, coroner's people got very upset with me for suggesting more lab work, you know that?" "Well.." "I just thought it'd be a helpful tip to a fellow professional" "Yeah..well how is that Sportello?" "Yeah, when your own..ah..hearing comes up!" "What are you suggesting?" "One county supervisor with a bug up his ass.." "Is all it takes to bring you down BigFoot." "This is Mrs. Chastity Bjornsen, and if that is one more sociopathic.." "Special employee of my husband, I will thank you to stop harassing him on his day off" " It's Sportello." " Oh, Sportello!" "Doc Sportello.." "The Doc Sportello..so..we meet at last.." "Mr. moral fucking turpitude himself?" "Have you any idea of the therapist bills around here for which you are directly responsible?" "The Department picks up just a little." " Oh the Department?" "Yeah after a deductible that would choke a fuckin horse." "Ahh, you know he called me." "I don't understand your spineless response to that dirty, hippie, piece of shit.." "Would you get the fuck up.." "Get the fuck up Christian.." "Christian get the fuck up, now Christian please.." "And would you stop acting like a beaten dog," "I ask you for one fuckin day a week." "What kind of girl do you need Doc?" "Maybe a thing from one of those Manson chicks?" "Well.." "The thing is that ah.." "Depends on what ah..you sure you wanna be doing that?" "Submissive, brainwashed, horny little teeners.." "Who'd do exactly what you want .." "Before you even know what that is?" "You don't have to say a word out loud.." "They get it all by ESP.." "Your kind of chick Doc?" "You're the one that's been stealing my magazines!" "What would Charlie do?" "Well.." "Probably not this." "Listen.." " I'm sorry about Mickey." " Ha.." "Mickey!" "Mickey could've taught all you swinging beach bums a thing or two.." "He was just so powerful.." "Sometimes he could almost make you feel invisible.." "Fast.." "Brutal.." "Not what you'd call a considerate lover... but we adored it about him... me... and Sloane..and Luz.." "So nice to be made to feel invisible that way sometimes." "And guys just love to hear shit like this." "He'd bring me to lunch in Beverly Hills.." "One big hand wrapped around my bare arm steering me blind.." "Down those bright streets into some space where it's dark and cool.." "You couldn't smell any food, only alcohol.." "Tables full of them.." "They'd all be drinking.." "In a room that could've been any size... and they all new Mickey.." "They wanted, some of them, to be Mickey.." "He might as well've been bringing me in on a leash.." "He kept me in those micro-mini dresses.." "Never allowing me to wear anything underneath.." "Just.." "Offering me up to whoever wanted to.." "Stare.." "Grab.." "Sometimes.." "He'd fix me up with some of his friends.." "And I have to do... whatever they wanted." "Why are you telling me all this?" "Oh..." "I'm sorry Doc.." "You want me to stop?" "If my girlfriend had run off to be the bought-and-sold whore.." "Of some scumbag developer?" "I'd be so angry I don't know what I'd do.." "Well.." "I'm even lying about that, I know what I'd do.." "If I had the faithless little bitch over my lap like this.... this doesn't mean we're back together." "Of course not." "You didn't get this..necklace up north hmm?" "I went on a boat ride." "Hmm... a three hour tour?" "They told me I was.." "Precious cargo that couldn't be insured.." "Because of inherent vice." "What's that?" "I don't know." "Inherent Vice.." "In a marine insurance policy.." "Is anything that you can't avoid.." "Eggs break.." "Chocolate melts, glass shatters.." "And Doc wondered what that meant when it applied to ex old ladies" "What's on your mind Doc?" "Besides the usual?" "I'm like... you know.." "Working my salad of a brain crazy lege." "Well.." "Put it in another way.." "What's gonna nag at you in the middle of the night?" "What's gonna nag at me in the middle of the night?" "Little-kid blues... saxophone blues.." "You know, whatever.." "I meant to do, Coy..you know, mistakes aside.." "Nobody deserves to go through life without seeing their daughter.." "That don't sit well with me." "Then go get 'em." " Wow, what are you doing here?" " Wow?" "Wanted to see if you're free for dinner.." "Didn't mean to freak you out." "Are you all right?" "Am I?" "Are you?" "Should I..call security?" "I don't think we need.." "This is the one I've been telling you about." "Yeah?" "You know who of your pals had Mickey Wolfmann?" "What?" "The FBI?" "I mean we suspected but we couldn't prove it." "Well, I saw him in their custody." " You saw him?" " Yeah" "Would you be willing to let me depone you?" "Sure would." "You would?" "What is it?" "You, me, a tape machine, maybe another DDA to witness it?" " All right listen, I need something from you though?" " What?" "I need to look up somebody's jacket." "That's it?" "That's no big deal, we do that all the time." "What!" "you break into officially sealed records all the time?" "Grow up, what's the name on the file?" "Adrian Prussia." "As if looking for something he didn't want to find.." "It became clear as Vodka you keep in the ice box.." "That whatever the connection.." "Between the LAPD and Adrian Prussia.." "He might as well have been working for them as a contract killer.." "Doing deeds for them they couldn't do for themselves.." "Time after time he was pulled in,.." "Questioned, arraigned, indicted, no matter.." "Somehow the cases never quite got to trial.." "Each being bargained down in the interests of justice.." "Not to mention Adrian.." "Who invariably walked.." "And one of those deeds appeared to be labeled:" "The Justifiable Homicide of one of the LAPD's very own..." "Vincent Intellicado... otherwise known as bigfoot's partner." "BigFoot?" "!" "BigFoot's partner?" "Fuckin.." "BigFoot's partner?" "BigFoot's air of possessed melancholy.." "Now began to make sense.." "This was mourning all right.." "And it was deep." "Is this your new partner BigFoot?" "Want a banana Adrian?" "Bend over and I'll stick it in for you." "Fuck you, and fuck your banana." "Man oh man.." "Never be surprised at the levels.." "Of disrespect within the LAPD.." "But this was down right nasty.." "Not to mention unprofessional.." "This bond between partners.." "Was nearly the only thing Doc had ever found to admire about the LAPD.." "You know there's places you don't wanna go Doc.." "Go back to the beach.." "You smell like a patchouli fart." "So here is Doc.." "Midnight.." "Pitch dark.." "Can't remember whether they'd drained the pool or not.." "But hey, what the fuck does it matter?" "He bounced once.." "Twice.." "And then off the end of the board.." "In a blind cannonball down into old karma with Adrian Prussia.." "Who had not only shot at him once.." "But threatened him with a Carl Yestremsky special baseball bat.." "All this.." "Leaving Doc to wonder:" "where's the partner to watch my back?" "Far out man.." "Right..psychedelic... done." "So.." "You're here about..?" "Good question!" "Wait a minute..this is bullshit.." "I remember you.." "You're that kid from Fritz's shop up in Santa Monica right?" "So what're you up to these days?" "Skip-tracing?" "Or did you go into the priesthood?" "P.I" "They gave you... a license?" "So who sent you here?" "Who you're working for today?" "Ahh..all on..um..spec... on my own time." "Wrong answer..." "How much.." "Of your own time, do you think you got left kid?" "I was just about to ask.." "Howdy...." "Puck?" "Do I know you?" "I don't think I do." "Ah..you must..ah..remind me of someone I ran into someplace, my mistake." "I, have a busy day ahead.." "And I know nothing.." "Of any of this." "What are you doing here?" "Just..ah....talking to Adrian.." "These..ah.." "Various cases I'm working on.." "And ah.." "Glenn Charlock.." "And ah.." "Vincent Intellicado.." "And ah.." "Where.." "Did you..ah.." "Your necklace is... it looks funny on you.." "Big man..small necklace.." "Acid, invites you through a door.." "PCP opens that door.." "Shows you through it.." "Slams the door behind you.." "And locks it." "Special treat for you today doper.." "Just got in a shipment of..pure number four.." "Ain't a white guy's finger laid on it.." "Between the Golden Triangle and.." "Your own throbbing vein.." "Just let me step out and.." "I'll go get you some." "Don't go away now." "Puck..." "Pucky.." "Did I get you..?" "!" "BigFoot?" "What the fuck?" "Did you take care of them OK Doc?" "You fuckin lunatic... what is this?" "I'm in enough shit personally with the Captain.." "And I've seen you on the range, nice work." "Is that what I think it is?" "ha?" "Just one of the two of them.." "There's more than enough left for evidence." "Man.." "BigFoot.." "I saw the movie.." "As I recall that character comes to a bad end." "Put the gun away Doc." " What?" " The gun, put it away" "This is The Golden Fang you're about to rip off man.." "The fully fuckin weird outfit that kills people." "That's according to your own delusional system, get in the car.." "Get in the car." "Where are we going?" "We had to impound your car again.." "It was parked illegally." "Dopers' ESP Doc....dopers' ESP.." "Oooh no, BigFoot you mother fucker.." "OK Doc, you have what looks to be a 20 kilo inconvenience in your trunk.." "And BigFoot no doubt putting out word to that effect.." "And once again, you're the bait." "Hello?" "It sure been a long time." "And, your name was?" "This is Crocker Fenway." "Japonica's dad?" "Oh..what happened this time?" "You have something that belongs to some people I represent.." "And they would like it back." "Oh..so you're a principal of all this?" "It's only because of me and our small transaction.." "Over Japonica that you're still alive." "Ever so grateful sir.." "So ah..what do we do?" "Suppose someone wants their..ah..back?" "Why don't we meet this evening at 6 o'clock.." "At my club The Portola, in Elysian Park?" "Aha..is there is a dress code?" "Jacket and tie if possible." "I'll see you then." "Mr. Sportello?" "Mr. Fenway." "To a..peaceful..resolution." "How is the ah... family?" "Japonica is..doing fine if that's what you mean?" "You I know I..ah.." "I think I saw Japonica the other day at my doctor's office.." "You ever run across a dentist named Rudy Blatnoyd?" "The son of a bitch who until recently was corrupting my daughter?" "Yes I.." "Do seem to recall the name." "He perished in a.." "Trampoline accident..didn't he?" "The LAPD aren't so sure it was an accident." "And you'd like to know if I did it?" "What possible motive would I have?" "Just because the man preyed on a.." "An emotionally vulnerable child?" "Forced her to engage in sexual practices.." "That might appall even a..sophisticate like yourself?" "Does that mean I'd have any reason to see his miserable.." "Pedophile career come to an end?" "What a... vindictive person you must imagine me." "I did suspect he was fucking his receptionist but.." "What dentist doesn't?" "It's some oath they all take in dentist school.." "Anyhow it's a.." "Long way from strange and weird sex." "Isn't it?" "What about when he forced my little girl to listen to.." "Original cast albums of Broadway musicals while he had his way with her?" "Or the.." "Tastelessness of... the decor of.." "Resort hotel rooms.." "He took her to during..." "endodontist conventions?" "The wallpaper......the lamps!" "Japonica is of legal age now, isn't she?" "In their father's eye they're always too young." "To the matter at hand.." "Those I represent.." "Are prepared to offer you a generous compensation package.." "For the safe return of their property." "Suppose it didn't have to be in the form of money?" "Well, money would be a lot easier." "There's a saxophone player named Coy Harlingen.." "He's been working undercover.." "For different anti-subversive outfits including the LAPD.." "He's, come to feel lately that he made the wrong career choice.." "Lost all his family, his freedom.." "Like you, he only has one daughter.." "Please." "Okay, well, he wants out." "I think I can square with the heat.." "There's this other bunch.." "Vigilant California.." "And, well, whoever is running them of course.." "My guess is, they prefer he not disclose any confidential information" "I'll see he never do." "Your personal guarantee?" "I'll go after him myself if he tries anything." "Then we have a deal." "That's all you wanted!" "No..money... now..you sure?" "Well how much would I have to take from you so I wouldn't lose your respect?" "It's a bit late for that, Mr. Sportello." "People like you lose all claim to respect.." "The first time they pay anybody rent." "I may not be as well connected.." "For sure not as much into revenge as folks are.." "But if you jive with me my man.." "I say to you (...)!" "Hmm..?" "So, where are we gonna do this hand off?" "Golden Fang operatives, 12 O'clock, fast approaching." "Uhm..what's all this?" "It's a credit card." "Don't hippies have them?" "Yeah.." "I must've meant why is you mother handing me this?" "It's not for you." "You're supposed to tell him:" "well done, welcome back to the main herd, safe journeys." "That's journeys plural." "Ok, I guess I can remember that." "What are you lookin at?" "Huh?" "So..you guys been working for The Golden Fang long?" "Everything is cool, I'm officially off everybody's payroll.." "Burke Stodger just called me personally.." "You're a dangerous hombre!" "You all right?" "You know what the Indians say.." "You saved my life..now you're responsible it." "No, no, no man..no it's not true some hippie made that up man.." "You saved your own life man, now you get to live it." "Yet there is no void in time.." "The sea of time.." "The sea of memory and forgetfulness.." "The years of promise gone and unrecoverable.." "Of the land almost almost allowed to claim it's better destiny.." "Only to have that claim jumped by evil doers known all too well.." "And taken, instead,.." "And held hostage to the future we must live in now, forever." "So who got her?" "The Department of Justice." "So like..ah..justice was served?" "That's exactly right, Doc, that's exactly right." "May we trust this blessed ship.." "Was bound for some better shore?" "Risen and redeemed.." "Were the American fate.." "Mercifully failed to transpire." "Don't get up." "BigFoot, man.." "After a long and busy day of civil rights violations.." "I found myself in the neighborhood and compelled to drop in.." "Just to check and see the current state of affairs.." "Of my old stomping grounds.." "Seeing as your effort to keep lines of communication.." "Had been.." "limited... to say the least." "Well....." "I've been busy." "Trying to figure out which side of the Zigzag papers to stick your sign?" "Give it to me." "Listen.." "I'm sorry about last night.." "You?" "Why should you be sorry?" "Weird." "Are you ok brother?" "I'm not your brother." "Yeah but you could use a keeper." "Remember that day?" "Ouija board set us off into that big star.." "This feels the same way tonight.." "Just us... together.." "Almost like being under water.." "The world.." "Everything... gone some place else." "Just figured it was Sortilege setting us up." "No..." "Her ouija board and....." "She knows things Doc.." "Maybe about us that we don't know." "This don't mean we're back together." "Of course not."