Original subtitles

I'd lose my job if I were seen with you.

Who's going to see you? I can barely see you, Larry.

Corwin's people are all over.

All right, all right. What do you have for me?

There's going to be a demonstration against Corwin's flood control project

afternoon. That's all over town. What else do you have?

Nothing. Joe, I'm sorry. I can't give you anything concrete.

I keep going back with nothing, and it costs me three bucks to park in here.

That's the best I can do.

Corwin doesn't call me in for the critical strategy sessions. Even after

this time I've been busting my butt for him. All right, all right. Just give me

something, anything, from a highly placed source on the supervisor's staff.

won't be traceable to you.

Well, let me think about it.

Okay, how about the easy stuff, like what's the atmosphere at his campaign

headquarters?

Confident.

Corwin confident of re -election. This is great stuff you're giving me, Larry.

Look, you asked me, I told you. Okay, okay, take it easy.

I appreciate anything you can give me. It might turn into a lead. Yeah, well,

look, I gotta get back now.

Wait, wait, I have one more question.

The least you can do is validate.

Oh, no, oh, no.

Oh, you're kidding.

Oh, no, come on.

Hey, you know, it's really not much fun editing your copy when you're standing

over my desk.

But you're paring it down to the bare bone.

And it's better.

Everybody, this is Liz Harrison. Hi.

Lou, your new city editor.

I've heard a lot about you, Lou. They talk about me all the way up in

Sacramento?

Well, no.

Mr. Hume talked a lot about you down here.

Charlie, please.

Art Donovan, assistant city editor.

Hi. I'm pleased to meet you. Thank you.

This is Billy Newman, general assignment reporter.

Very nice to meet you. And to meet you. Thank you. Now, I read your Sacramento

stuff for the Chronicle. The series you did on Jerry Brown was really terrific.

We all read that, didn't we?

No. I can just bet it was terrific.

Thank you.

I'm really looking forward to this.

But I have to tell you, I'm a little nervous.

I hear that L .A. is a very difficult city to write about.

No, no, not really.

At least the people are friendly and the language is easy once you get the hang

of it.

Now, I guess I mean it's kind of hard to get past the clichés.

But L .A. is the only city where you see men on the streets wearing more jewelry

than the women, huh?

With cuter behinds, too.

Let me show you your desk list.

Very nice.

Very, very nice.

You're talking about her writing, of course.

Of course.

The word I get from Sacramento is she's a pistol.

Hmm? Is that right?

Do you guys mind?

I mean, I am here.

Billy, I'm sorry.

Shouldn't be talking that way in front of her. Why don't you leave?

Liz Harrison, huh?

How'd we get her?

I've been reading her stuff, and I finally talked Charlie into trying to

her. It's really a coup.

He literally stole her out from under the Washington Post. They were just

getting ready to make her an offer.

Right girl.

She's as sharp when you talk to her as when you read her.

We gotta find something really good to put her on. I'm thinking maybe the

supervisor's race.

No, no, no, no. Rossi's already on that.

You know, you were the guy who wanted me to bring her down here.

Now let's use her.

I think Rossi's going dry on this assignment.

I know he's going dry on this one.

He's not gonna be happy being replaced.

I'm not happy about the job that he's doing.

We're all happy.

because we don't want to see the special character of our neighborhood

destroyed.

Supervisor Corwin wants to build a flood control project here. We don't need

flood control.

We don't need the county coming in here with their bulldozers chopping down

trees and putting up chain -link fences.

All the people from the media here already know the city council has voted

oppose this project.

The city engineer has come out against this project.

The Department of Public Safety has recommended against this project.

And now today, we have 600 signatures on this petition, which we intend to

present to Supervisor Corwin.

Poor guy.

Who?

Supervisor Corwin.

He's up for re -election.

He's got all those city officials against him.

No, you don't understand how it works here. He's got them outnumbered.

And L .A. County supervisors like a king.

That's why Corwin gave up his job as state senator four years ago to become a

supervisor. I'll say this.

The guy's got guts.

Corwin, right into the lion's den.

I don't usually make a habit of crashing parties.

I came here today because I know how strongly all of you feel about this

Then you've changed your mind?

I have a duty as your supervisor to the people of this community, and one of the

first duties of government is to protect its people.

Now, I've lived in this area for 43 years, and I know the kind of

flooding that a heavy rain can cause.

I remember the Tigertail Canyon flood of 1968 when three people died in

mudslides, and I know that this picturesque...

trickling little stream can, in one of our rains, turn into a raging torrent.

And if one person, one child, should die in a flood which could have been...

When he leaves, I want you to get in the way of Keene and the other raids, so I

can open him to get to the supervisor.

Shame on you.

Now, I just wanted to tell you, face to face, how I felt about this.

Now, let's go.

Supervisor, why do you feel there's a flood danger here when the Department of

Public Safety doesn't?

Ask them.

I have asked them. You haven't explained why you know more than the city's own

engineers. Is this one of your usual tactics, Mr. Rossi, trying to ride

to get a story that isn't there? Look, if you can't answer... I have nothing to

say to the press, which I haven't just said to my constituents in person.

What do you get?

Zip.

The last thing we need is another picture of him in his damn economy car.

Did Rossi get anything that we didn't see on television on that homeowner's

protest in Sycamore Canyon?

What you saw is what he got.

So once again, a city election is slipping through our fingers.

Why we get better coverage on the president in Washington than on what is

happening in our own backyard is beyond me.

Corwin's got all the moves and his opponent doesn't have any.

Thomas, his best move is folding flat on his face.

Poor guy, he just can't seem to do anything to make news.

Just to keep you posted, I had dinner with the DA last night. Oh, yeah?

Yeah. He tells me his office has been getting a lot of heat about the nursing

home situation again.

Some of the things that have happened in them have caused a lot of complaints.

Like what?

Like deaths.

That does tend to upset people.

Okay, now I want Sacramento and City to be talking to each other about this as

it starts coming in.

Just a little cooperation.

Okay, fellas? Okay, okay, okay, okay. Thank you.

Ah,

Lou, just a minute.

Yeah, Charlie?

What I was talking about earlier, my feelings on this supervisor's election,

let's swing Rossi over to something else and put Liz Harrison on it.

I'll leave you to break it to him.

Rossi.

What are you doing?

What does it look like I'm doing?

Cleaning up your desk. That's good.

That's good. I wish everyone around here would be that organized.

I'm leaving, Lou. Quitting. Ah, come on, Rossi.

You're not quitting.

I can get a job in any newspaper in this country. A newspaper where I'll be

respected. Irrespected here?

I've been shifted off the Corwin campaign arbitrarily.

Not arbitrarily.

Your relationship with Corwin has deteriorated to a point where it is

counterproductive. What point?

He hates your guts.

You hate his guts. Everyone knows it.

Look, I was working on something, all right?

I had a contact, Prime.

All softened up. He's on Corwin's staff. And if Corwin keeps kicking him around,

I'll be spilling his guts out.

A nice thing would be if you would use him to give Liz some help on this.

What?

Matthew, you took me off the story. Are you kidding?

You are working on the same paper.

Not anymore.

Rossi.

You're not leaving.

I'm leaving.

You love it here.

I'm miserable here.

You wouldn't love it if you weren't miserable.

Sorry, Lou.

I got a plum assignment for you.

Forget it.

Something you'd love to get your teeth into.

What? Something good.

Something terrific.

If you stay.

Find me something.

Well, this just came in. GA's finally moving on that nursing home deal. Any

specific charges?

Well, the ones they're coming down on are badly run with substandard sanitary

conditions, inedible food, lack of medical attention.

Thank God. How wonderful.

Hello?

I'm looking for a situation for my mother.

See, she's been living with us for five years, but my wife and she aren't

getting along that well.

So I thought I should look into a place where Mom might be more happy.

With people her own age.

Lou, I have something for you.

I didn't want to take the time to write a memo.

What do you have?

Corwin has been getting a lot of static on this flood control project.

Nothing that would really hurt his chances, but an embarrassment.

Well?

He's backing off.

He's going to stop pushing forward? Well, he said he hadn't read the city

engineer's report before, and that someone on his staff hadn't breathed in

on it, so he changed his mind.

That's great.

That's great stuff.

Yeah, I guess it shows he can admit when he's wrong.

Kind of refreshing.

I sort of like a guy who can own up to his mistakes these days.

Good work, Liz.

Oh, it's not that much, but it's a start.

Now, don't go getting modest on us.

All right, I won't.

I think I'm going to like working for you guys.

Everybody does.

We're sweetheart.

Rossi.

Yes, Lou?

You've done the spade working. You have a pipeline to Corwin that might be

useful to Liz.

She could really make it pay off.

Forget it.

Lassie? All right, but I want you to remember this.

Seems you're making progress with Corwin.

Tom.

Look, I've got a guy fairly close to him there, but not happy.

Next time Corwin steps on his toes, he's going to be ready to talk to me so I

can feed you. Thanks, Joe. And I really do better when I develop my own sources.

Sort of helps me get a fresher angle, you know?

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Why did Corwin reverse himself on a flood control project?

I don't know any of this for sure, but do you hear things?

What have you been hearing, Larry?

Corwin has connections to a certain couple of contractors, the ones who

doing the job.

He didn't want a coming out in an election year, so he pulled back.

I see.

Now, look, that's not solid.

Oh, I understand, Larry.

How's it going down there? They treating you all right?

Eh, same old stuff.

I hear there are going to be some changes made after that flood control

-up. That's what I hear.

May have to ask you to keep yours open for any jobs.

That bad, huh?

If I'm lucky.

So, Corwin is dumping two of his top advisors.

And now the whole town will be full of speculation as to who is getting the axe

and who is moving up.

Except that our speculation will turn out to be right.

You got names?

The guys who are going are Blandis and Mitchell.

And then Corwin's promoting, uh...

When he announces it, day after tomorrow.

Some guy who hasn't been in the spotlight very much.

Larry Keene.

Keene? He couldn't be promoting Keene.

You sure?

I'd stake my career on it. You're always staking your career on something.

Nice work.

Luke? Listen,

Luke. I'm going to do something I have never done before.

I'm going to reveal the source, who my contact with Corwin is.

You did that once before.

The Rose Parade story.

Okay. For the second time in my life, I'm going to reveal a contact.

A memory of this guy.

Larry Keene is the guy I told you about.

You mean the guy who, according to you, was disgruntled? Who was about to get

bumped? Yes.

No wonder Liz wanted to develop her own sort.

It's Vivian. Meet Jack Gafros, our Sacramento man. Jack started down here.

was it, 15 years ago? We're old friends.

Now, don't give away our secrets, Vivian. Got you.

Tell me about nursing homes.

Well, I hear something's gonna break.

Up there?

It depends on who decides to run with it first.

A lot of fast buck operators got into the business in the 60s when the

cut back the mental health program.

All those people who were turned out of state hospitals had to have some place

to go. And it's really a big business.

Three and a half billion dollars nationally.

How do you get inside a home?

With an inspector.

Miss Liz.

You know her?

Oh, sure. She was covering Sacramento.

I see she's been getting some of your assignments.

Her byline's been on the supervisor campaign pieces.

Yeah, she's mopping me up.

I have to admit it, the stuff she got on Corwin in two days is better than

anything I could pry out of him in a month.

Well, sure.

What do you mean, sure?

Well, she knows him from Sacramento.

When he was state senator, she was covering the Capitol.

Yeah.

Right. Oh, yeah.

Seems to me I ran into them a couple of times and they were having dinner.

Newman, tell me if this sounds like sour grapes.

Liz Harrison was tight with Corwin when he was in Sacramento.

She comes down here in five minutes. She's getting great stuff on his

Now that starts to look to me like she could be using... What?

The fact that she's a woman, he's a man.

I think you're right.

That there's something going on there.

That it sounds like sour grapes.

Why do women always get this?

If I pick up some good information, everybody wants to know who I crawled

bed with to get it.

Well, maybe a woman does have a certain advantage.

Are you kidding?

Are you going to tell me that's how I broke the Nazi story or the East L .A.

gang story or the piece I did on Jesuit priests?

This isn't the same as those stories. How? How is it different? Look, just

forget I asked.

This is one that we closed down just last month.

What, in sanitary conditions?

Well, it wasn't really sanitary, but that would usually just get a reprimand,

maybe a fine.

Here, let me show you something.

Here.

Why are you showing me a closet?

They had an old lady here.

She was about 75.

I met her once.

Mean, nutty.

She was a real pain in the neck.

But they had a way of handling her.

They locked her in this closet.

She was alone.

No meals.

They figured that wouldn't settle her down.

You've got to be kidding me. No.

She settled down.

While she was in there, she had a heart attack and no one knew it.

When they opened the door, she was dead.

Knock, knock.

Oh, hi.

I have an interview tomorrow with Gordon Hunt.

I was thinking of doing a piece contrasting the two campaign styles,

his major opposition.

Good idea.

Good idea.

So, everything going okay?

Los Angeles isn't such an impossible place, is it? No.

No, I really like it.

I'll tell you one cliche I found that was true, though.

You have to have a car or you are dead.

I really resent this hour. I'm going to have to waste going home on the bus

right now.

Yeah. You have to have a car.

Yeah.

Then I have to learn how to drive.

Good night.

Good night.

Liz? Yeah? Wait.

I'm all through here.

I'll give you a lift home.

Service with a smile.

Good night, Lou. Thanks a million.

Good night. See you tomorrow.

How are you at accepting lavish praise?

Fair.

Yours is the best place I ever worked.

Okay, okay.

And I think it has a lot to do with the kind of man you are. That's enough.

You are really one of the most... Get out!

This is a terrific assignment for any reporter, but it'd get it for you very

first.

It's hard to keep you waiting.

Oh, wow, what a day.

I've got to get a car.

You can't exist in this city without one.

It doesn't have to be anything fancy, mind you. Just something with four

that goes when you press the pedal.

Why don't we not go out tonight?

I can fix us something here.

Fine. We'll stay here.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

I've got something that just may be fantastic.

Yeah, I got your memo on the old lady who died in the closet.

This is something else better.

What could be better than an old lady dying in a closet?

This conversation's getting a little weird.

I've been trying to find out who's making money on these nursing homes, the

that are mismanaged.

Some of the arrows point back to a certain county supervisor, Archer

Liz?

What do you need her for?

She's covering Corwin.

Yeah. Yeah, Lou. Listen to this. Go ahead.

Some of Corwin's money might be tied up in the worst -run nursing homes. Do we

have him nailed?

It's not that simple. It might be his money, it might be from a blind trust,

some other arrangement where he can claim he's not accountable.

Yeah.

Corwin's the kind of guy who would probably leave himself a hole to slip

That's why I need some more time, a few days at least, to run it down.

Okay, stay on it.

What's Corwin's position on nursing homes?

He talks generally about his concern for senior citizens, and from what I can

tell, they support him totally. That's about it.

All right, let's move ahead on this.

You two swap information.

You got anything for me?

No, you got anything for me?

No. Good.

Isn't it wonderful seeing them get along so well?

Yeah.

I'm sorry, Joe. Time is just too tight.

Yeah, but I think you're going to want to respond to some of this information.

It involves nursing homes in the county.

Nursing homes.

That's right.

What do you want to meet?

I told you, Joe. At this point, my time is too tight.

Yeah. I guess it would be with your new job and all.

I got something nice for you. Real nice.

Good. I can always use something nice.

Supervisor Corwin is opening an investigation into the management and

of, ta -da, nursing homes.

Corwin? He's always been philosophically opposed to government investigations.

I guess he felt this was just too important to let pass.

Senior citizens make up a very large part of his constituency.

Besides, I think he's genuinely concerned about the situation.

Did I hear right?

Corwin is going to be looking into nursing homes?

That's what Liz says.

Oh, no. This is just what I didn't need. I need more time.

What do you think his game is?

You can ask him yourself.

He's coming here to the paper today to talk to you and Charlie.

She told him.

She tipped him off about what was going to come out. She is helping him beat us

to the punch. Why do you think something like that? Because how else would he

find out?

He would find out from somebody he knew in the DA's office, in the county

department of health, in the mayor's office, the attorney general's office.

running out of fingers, Rossi.

Did either of you ever have an older relative you were especially close to?

Sure. Well, for me, it was my grandfather.

His last years were very difficult.

But, of course, in those days, it isn't like now. We didn't automatically stick

older people in homes. They stayed with the families.

It's true.

But we were very poor.

My mother had to work.

There was no way that she could handle my grandfather, because at that point he

needed a lot of attention.

So we put him in a home.

I must have been seven, eight, and I was terribly upset.

But my mother told me that he'd be all right, because where he was going...

They treat them just like family, and that's the key. I think all nursing

should be treating their residents just like family.

Pretty risky stand to take in an election year, isn't it?

Well, I'm here to make a pitch for this problem, to get maximum attention from

your newspaper.

I have one of my best reporters doing that right now.

Then you've anticipated me.

This pitch wasn't even necessary.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

You know, I think cooperation between elected officials and the media is

Best strategy for correcting the abuses that exist in this area.

Thanks for taking the time to come by.

Thank you for giving up your valuable time to listen to me.

You know, it always amazes me.

When you get politicians in private, they sound just like politicians.

Well, she is covering your campaign.

Come on, Rossi. Should they act like strangers?

Yeah, right.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Thanks again, Lou. I promise. If I don't get a car soon, I'll ask somebody else

for a lift home.

Lou, there's something on my mind.

What is it?

I'm... A little uncomfortable with this assignment.

Why?

When you put me on the Cohen campaign, I didn't realize I was bumping someone. I

think it's caused some hostility.

Come on.

No. No, really.

With Rossi. Maybe with some of the others.

What I'm trying to say is, maybe it would be better if you put me on

else.

Hey.

You've been in the newspaper business a few years. You know how reporters are.

I have never felt life like this before.

If it starts to get to you, just remember I am in your corner.

I hope so.

I felt like I had to say something, though. Okay, now you've said it.

Just keep up the good work.

I don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done for

me, but I really do appreciate it and all the nice things. It's terrific.

Thanks, Lou.

this analysis piece by Liz?

Corwin is electric, fast -moving, attractive.

His opponent, Thomas, is studious, plotting, professorial.

Boy, they really buried the guy.

Is there anything in there that isn't true?

Thomas is a dull campaigner. Oh, she's really skewered him, Billy.

Just because she handles words well.

That's when it's good writing a crime.

Billy.

I had drinks the other night with a couple of people from the Times and a

from Channel 2.

They felt our coverage of this election is slanted.

What exactly is everybody talking about?

The rumors about Liz and Corwin.

And that's all they are, aren't they? Rumors.

That's still reason enough to take her off the story.

If we don't, people will stop believing anything they see in the trip.

Oh, that's great.

And what about the principle of innocent until proven guilty?

Nobody here has one shred of evidence to show that Liz and Corwin are involved.

I do.

Thank you.

Well, Rossi?

I got the sniffles finding this out.

I saw Corwin go into Harrison's apartment last night about 11 p .m. You

spying on her?

Oh, my God, Rossi. No, I was following Corwin. Oh, sure.

I was.

That's really low, Rossi.

Look, hate me for spying or for telling you about Harrison, but you can't have

both.

I was there till five in the morning, and he still hadn't come out.

I wonder if she finds him a more interesting campaigner.

Well, we have to tell Lou and Charlie.

They have a right to know.

It's obvious what we have to do, but I'm not going to say it.

I'm tired of being that heavy in this thing.

I'll tell them.

Anyway, as much as we hate carrying this kind of gossip, we felt as if we had no

choice except to tell you.

Well, this accusation you're making is very serious.

It's one of the most drastic charges that can be made against a news report.

We thought you'd want to hear about it. What I'm hearing is a lot of talk.

But there seems to be something to it.

I recommended Liz Harrison to Charlie.

Because I read her stuff and it was good. Because she came highly endorsed.

I'm not going to change my mind because of some rumors.

That's right.

Don't you think we checked around before we hired her?

Nobody expressed one atom of doubt about her ethical standards.

Charlie, it's very painful for us to come in here like this.

But we're seeing everything we're trying to do on this newspaper suddenly put in

real jeopardy.

The public doesn't trust one of us. They won't trust any of us.

One bit of gossip, and you all come in here like a lynch mob.

This isn't gossip. These are the facts.

Facts? Yeah.

The major fact around here is that a bright, talented reporter has done a

job than you on a story, and you're not used to that.

That's not it. I don't fight that way, and you know it.

This newspaper runs on trust.

It's going to take a lot more than some sexual innuendo for us to forsake that

trust. It's okay, Billy. Thanks.

I see, Donovan.

We both made such fine speeches.

We'd better find out what's going on.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

So, Joe, what's on your mind?

Nursing homes.

Somehow I expected that.

I've been going through the public records. It seems clear that Corwin's

own money in some of these homes.

Now, the involvement's all shielded, filtered through different corporate

fronts, but it is there, and it's going to come out.

Mm -hmm.

Do you care to respond?

I knew the supervisor had some nursing home investments.

So do a lot of people.

My own family, in fact.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Nothing wrong with putting money in something which is essentially designed

care for the sick and elderly.

I'm not talking about the majority of these places, the ones that are well

and legitimate, but the ones that are rip -offs.

Well, that's why the supervisor is investigating those facilities, Joe.

Okay, I've got your answer for the record. Now tell me how this is going to

affect the campaign.

I'm probably only a couple of steps behind the DA on this.

It's got to throw a crowbar into your machine.

And it sure gives Thomas the weapon he's been looking for to use against Corwin.

Okay.

Off the record now. Just between you and me.

You'd never like something like this to happen before an election.

How much will it hurt Corwin?

Not at all.

He'll come through it.

He'll have to throw somebody to the wolves, toss out a body for the press to

tear apart.

Corwin won't get scratched.

You mean you'll sacrifice one of your own people?

Come on, Joe.

We're not virgins.

We both know the way the game is played.

You're taking the wrong way home, Stevie.

Yeah, I like driving in the rain.

Don't get much of a chance to do it out here.

Yeah, it's nice.

Yeah, it's really nice.

I think it's just much more of a chance to talk.

I need to know what's going on between you and Arthur Corwin.

He's running for re -elected?

And I'm covering the campaign?

Beyond that.

What do you mean, beyond that?

What do you think I mean?

That you both belong to the Book of the Month Club?

Come on, Liz.

There's been talk.

You must know about it. Is there anything to it?

I knew Corwin when he was a state senator in Sacramento, and since I've

down here, I've had dinner with him.

We've seen each other.

Are you involved with him?

Hey, what is that?

Next thing you'll be asking me if I'm sleeping with him.

Is that what you're asking for?

I don't believe this.

I resent you asking me that, Lou. And I do not want to be put in the position of

answering. I'm afraid you have to.

That is something which is entirely personal.

No, no, not entirely personal.

When you're a reporter and he's the subject of your story... Okay, Lou.

If you will... You really want to know?

No, I don't really want to know. I don't want to have anything to do with this.

But I have to ask the question.

Are you having an affair with him?

Yeah. You sure?

That's not the kind of thing you can make a mistake about very easily.

Was this going on in Sacramento or did it start down here?

Down here.

Did it ever occur to you that maybe that involved you in a conflict of interest?

Well, Lou, since you seem to want to know all the details, no.

At the time that this first happened, there were other things on my mind

conflict of interest.

Things like falling in love.

Okay. But now, writing home after work.

How does it look? It doesn't look like anything.

But here you are with the emotional reasons to be loyal to the guy, and he's

giving you information.

Lou, aren't you friendly with some of your news subjects?

And don't they give you information?

Don't you have dinner with the DA?

Yes. Well, then.

But I don't go to bed with him afterwards.

Oh. Oh, I see.

So, um...

Sleeping together. That's where the line has gone in, huh?

I don't know exactly where the line is.

If you've done that, you've caught me.

Gentlemen.

It's admirable that each of you is willing to take responsibility for this.

But it doesn't solve the problem of what we're going to do about this mess.

The damage has been done. We don't have any choice now. Now, let's consider our

options. There are none.

We can take her off the story.

It's too late now.

If she'd come to lure me when this first started and told us honestly what was

going on, maybe we could have. But now?

You realize firing her will very probably ruin her career. She'll never

another newspaper again.

And if she stays here, nobody will ever trust the Trib's reporting again.

Mr. Grant, I see.

It's inevitable.

It is necessary.

You think I like this?

I hate when this happens to a bright, talented person.

So do I.

And I also hate the fact that I'm the one who has to tell her.

I feel like we're putting a scarlet letter around this girl's neck.

Sex is not the sin here, Mr. Pinchot.

That's right.

An editor of mine once had a saying, which I'll clean up a bit.

You can get romantically involved with elephants, but don't cover the circus.

And finally, ladies and gentlemen, I feel I have to share with the press and

public a piece of disturbing information which has come to my attention and

which has given me a great deal of personal pain.

You all know my close friend and trusted advisor, Larry King.

Holy cow, I didn't see this one coming.

Well, it's come to my attention that a member of Larry's family, not a close

relative, but a relative nonetheless, has an interest in several of the

homes which have been under investigation.

And while this does not imply any wrongdoing on Larry's part, and I want

stress that, in the present moral climate, in politics, the mere

ethical impropriety is as damning as the actuality.

Therefore, Larry has offered his resignation.

And I, with a deep sense of regret, have accepted it.

Has this changed your opinion of Larry?

Not one iota.

I'm saddened by the loss of the services of a fine public servant, a close

personal friend, and a great sacrificial lamb.

I got a message to meet you here.

Yeah, sit down.

What are you drinking?

I don't drink during the day.

I still have work to do.

Yeah.

I like you, Luce.

You're extremely intelligent, a terrific investigator, an excellent writer.

Wait a minute, Luce.

There's a but coming in all of that.

No buts.

But there is some bad news.

Yeah.

Well, I can't say I'm surprised.

I guessed this was coming.

I'm sorry.

But you do understand.

I'm not happy about it, but I understand that you have people you have to answer

to.

I'll say this.

You're taking it well.

So, uh... What's my next assignment?

Next assignment?

You know what I'm telling you?

Yeah.

That I'm off the Coleman story.

No, it's more than that.

You're taking me off politics?

Liz.

Bring me down here.

Rearrange my whole life and then just toss me out like a dead fish.

You're a bright, gifted girl.

But you did a dumb thing.

I didn't plan it this way, Lou.

I got to know Archer and I fell in love with him.

I'm still in love with him. It just happened.

You could have... What?

I could have what?

I never tried not to fall in love with somebody.

It doesn't work that way.

You could have told me.

You could have asked off the story.

I did.

I asked to be put on something else.

But you didn't tell me why.

That's all you needed to do.

I really wish you had.

I just wanted to say sorry.

No, you're not.

All right, I'm not.

You heard Corwin dump Larry King.

He did what he had to do.

The greater good.

That's right.

The greater good being Corwin staying on as supervisor.

That's right.

You still believe in that guy, don't you?

Yes, I do.

Excuse me.

Take it any way you want, but good luck. I mean that.

What now?

Oh, don't worry about me, Billy. I'll be okay.

What'll you do?

I won't be a newspaper reporter.

But I can always write.

As long as I'm healthy, got a typewriter, and a sharp pencil.

There are always magazines.

Maybe even a book.

I always thought I'd write a book about Gallup when you're politics. You know, I

just never had the time.

Well, now I have the time.

I've been a reporter for 15 years, Billy. That's plenty.

And you won't miss it.

Oh.

Oh, I miss it.

I gotta get out of here.

I'll help you carry that. No, it's okay, really. I can manage.

I'm done with this.

Good luck, okay?

His girlfriend is found murdered and his house set on fire.

Someone's out to drive Inspector Morse to the brink of madness on an all -new A

&E mystery movie tonight.

Now, a cop is pressured into accusing the wrong man of murder on Police Story,

next on A &E.