Original subtitles

She's run away again.

Need a place to stay?

No, I'll find you. Hey, I'll carry that.

I'll do anything.

Look, don't use words you don't understand. I'm not going back!

That's it, smile.

Very young.

Gotta catch them fast before they lose that look.

He was talking to a girl who poses for pornographic magazines.

She'll be next month's special treat.

You don't know the things they make them do. You want me to wear that? You can

see right through it. The life of your daughter is my business. The lives of

children are our business.

a long time coming. You didn't even give her a chance to find herself.

Maybe she doesn't deserve one.

Impossible.

You really are.

Come back here.

I don't want to talk to you. By God, you're going to.

I'm your husband and we're going to settle this.

How could you do that to her? She isn't a child anymore.

Well, Lynn sure as hell isn't an adult.

You're just a bastard.

Where do you get off calling me names?

Where have I failed?

Are you going to let her do this to her?

Listen to me.

Close to the wall.

Looking over your shoulder. Just in time.

Avoid the light.

Close your eyes.

And put your hands in mine.

And put your hands in mine.

How long can we keep this tape?

How long can we keep this tape?

Where's Lynn?

I haven't heard from her for hours.

I told her to stay in her room until she was ready.

Lynn? Come on, open the door.

It's over.

Lynn? Lynn?

Lynn?

She's run away again.

I told you. No, I told you.

Read it.

This time it's for Reed.

Don't worry, we'll find her.

She can't go far. She's only 13.

Yeah Hey,

hey

When did you last see her?

Uh, what would it be? Two days ago?

Yes, it was, uh, the afternoon of the day before yesterday.

About 36 hours. You haven't heard from her?

Well, we have a message on her answering service, and her grandmother's there

most of the time.

According to your local police, uh, there was positive identification on her

the bus station there.

Is there any reason she came here?

Anyone she knows?

No.

Well, uh...

It's silly, but I can't help thinking.

She saw this movie about kids living together in the city.

Runaways that had this abandoned house.

I mean, somehow it did make it look so easy.

Did Lynn have any means of supporting herself here?

What do you mean?

Well, does she have a history of drug abuse?

Lynn, any trouble with the police?

She's only 13.

Well, that's my point, Mrs. Rowan.

When you're only 13 and you've got no money, you've got three options.

Steal, deal drugs, or sell your body. I raise my daughter very carefully.

She doesn't have any of those problems.

Look, we get in excess of 50 ,000 runaways here a year.

And every one of those children, they all look the same in their photograph.

And then they look so different once they're on the street.

Look, I'll tell you what I'm going to do.

I'm going to let you ride along with me.

And if she's out there, well, maybe you'll wreck it, I guess.

What a deluxe burger.

What? Deluxe burger. It's a dollar more than you get twice as much food.

Can I get a deluxe burger and a cup of coffee?

Hey, spend it.

I'll get fat.

You won't get fat.

So what are you going to ask me?

Ask you what?

There's a place you're going to stay.

Is there?

Afraid?

Nope.

I'll do anything.

Look, don't use words you don't understand.

Like what? Like anything.

You've got the cream of sugar in your coffee.

I don't drink coffee.

I don't believe you.

You really are new, aren't you?

Look, you want to hear the best line I ever heard in a movie? What?

Phone home.

I can't.

Are you sure?

Yes.

Look, where are you crashing? On the street? You got a guy backing you or

something? No.

Then you are gonna end up doing anything.

And even if you do find a guy, it's gonna be just as bad, except maybe

know his name.

I'm not going back!

You

ready?

You better eat.

You know, I, uh, talked him into taking us out on that second shift.

You want me to bring you something?

No.

All right, fine.

See you later.

Tell me who you are and where you are.

Melanie?

Melanie?

Aren't you going?

No, you go on ahead.

What do you mean, on ahead?

Once we leave in that squad car, you can't exactly catch up to us.

Don't you want to find her? Of course I want to find her.

I'll do anything to find her.

Have you heard something?

Was there a ransom demand or something?

Did she call you?

No.

No.

I made the call.

I called someone to help us.

Without asking me? You might not have done it. You're damn straight I might

have.

Who is this guy?

What did he charge? Does he even have a license?

Maybe it's better that he doesn't.

I don't care what he cost.

I told you once, Melanie. I've told you a thousand times. I made the decision

that it's family. Yes, you've made the decision.

But look where it's gotten us.

Look what you've done to us. You've given the right side of our lives.

The hell I have. It's a two -way street.

You're as much to blame for this as I am.

Oh, no.

You can't dump this one on me, Walt.

No, I'm not the one who hauled off and smacked her.

That's because you let her murder her.

This girl needs a little straightening out.

And when we get her, and we will, I'm going to straighten her out real good.

You understand?

Maybe you need a little straightening out.

I'll get it.

Hello?

Yes?

Robert McCall.

Oh, uh, please, come in.

Thank you.

Melanie told me about you.

Look, I appreciate you coming up here in the middle of the night.

Frankly, I'm not too sure you're right for the job.

Well, frankly, neither am I too sure that I'm right for the job.

However, your wife was very persuasive on the telephone.

Tell me, do you have a photograph of your daughter?

Yes, we had hundreds of flyers printed up yesterday.

Are you licensed?

Trained? Trained?

Ah, oh, yes, yes.

Licensed? Well, I guess you'd say I was that as well.

Here.

The photo's just a couple of weeks old.

Thank you.

Well, well.

I saw this young girl not five minutes ago.

Leaving the hotel.

Oh, no!

You didn't go home?

I don't care what.

I'm not ever going to let him hit me again.

He's not ever going to hit me again.

I might know a guy who can give you some work.

What sort of guy?

A photographer?

When can I meet him?

What are you into now, Judy?

Making up money selling yourself?

How much did you get for this one, huh? How much?

Who wanted that lead? It's crazy.

Poor Bagley.

Yeah.

Who is it?

It's me, Judy. Remember me?

Will you open up?

Yeah. I'll be down in a second.

You still doing, you know, some legitimate job?

Why, your friend here out in the cold?

Sort of.

What's your name?

I said legitimate.

I heard you, Judy.

Well, Susan, you are a very pretty little girl.

Um, yes.

I think I can get you work.

I think I can get you all the work you want, as a matter of fact.

You want to come in?

Frank can come.

It's all right.

Yeah, come on.

Come on, come on.

of a runaway girl I found this morning, 13 years old, raped and beaten into a

coma.

I'm handling it pretty well, as you can see.

Want to take a walk?

Did you see the wrong?

Yes.

What are the chances of finding her?

Well... That depends on why she's here, what category she falls into.

Well, how many categories are there?

Well, you've got three possibilities.

First of all, you've got short timers. Those are the kids from so -called

homes and things get bumpy at home, so they need time for a day or two just to

let their parents know they're alive.

You know, some of these kids are confused.

Home is too restrictive.

There's no freedom.

There's no real communication with the parents.

And if Lynn Rowan's in that group, well, there's pretty good hope.

Assuming she's not in that group, what then?

She could be hardcore.

That's a bad kid.

The parents have done everything right, and still they've gone bad. It happened.

Alice, you said there was a third possibility. What's that?

She could be abused sexually, physically, psychologically, and won't

because home is worse than Times Square.

And that's your biggest group of all.

You know, a lot of these kids are thrown out and told not to come back.

All right, now, I'm a runaway.

And I come to the city.

So where would I go? What would happen? What would I do?

Well, eventually you'd end up on the deuce.

On the what?

The deuce.

Forty seconds.

You learn a little every day.

How's breakfast?

Good.

So I guess it's more like lunchtime, huh?

Well, you've been through a bit too much, you know.

Judy told me about it after you fell asleep.

She shouldn't have.

You know she's worried about you, don't you?

So am I.

I just wish I could help you.

You said you could give me a job.

Yeah, well, I could. You know, you're very pretty, but I didn't realize you

away from home. I can't start you out on a job and just have you walk out.

I won't walk out. Yes, you will. You'll go home. No, I won't.

You won't go home again, ever?

I won't.

I won't let him beat me again.

Yeah.

I guess he'd probably really wail into you this time, huh, after what you've

done?

Box yourself in, kiddo.

You really can't go home again, can you?

No.

Mr. Griswold?

Mr. Griswold, won't you give me a job?

You said you'd give me a job.

What sort of job?

Pictures.

Judy said you do catalogs or something.

I do a lot of department store catalogs. In fact, I'm working on one right now.

Teenage fashion zone, sportswear, swimsuit, lingerie, that sort of thing.

I've already got several models that I'm working on.

Please give me a chance.

I know I can do it.

Come here.

I'll do some composites, some sample pictures, okay?

But you're going to be very professional about this. You're going to follow my

orders. Yeah, sure.

Yeah, sure?

Sit down. Sit down.

Isn't that how your parents raised you, to say, yeah, sure?

No. I mean, yes. Yes, sir.

It's going to work out fine.

First, what we've got to do is get you some special clothes, okay?

Some special clothes for a special girl.

All right?

You looking for someone?

How would you know?

Because I've seen everything before.

Sit down.

What's the matter?

Afraid someone you know will see you with me?

There's got to be worse places than this in my time, my lovely.

Her name is Lynn Rowan.

She's 13 years of age. Have you seen her?

Is there a reward?

Aren't you going to offer me something?

It's only a spare of 20.

Yes. Of course I can.

Anyway.

And there is a reward.

If and when she's found.

I don't know where you can find her.

She's not working on the street.

Meaning that she is working.

Somewhere. Oh, she will be.

I mean, she's hanging out with Judy.

Judy?

And where would I find her?

Covered.

She'll be next month's special treat.

Or worse.

You don't know the things I see out here.

You don't know the things they make them do.

Thank you.

Well, you better find her.

Go over and sit down on the bed here, okay?

This is a very sophisticated teenage catalog.

Mmm, yeah.

That's wonderful. I like that. I like it.

I think you have a really good shot at this job.

Okay, let's see now.

All right.

Move just a tad to your right, okay? I want to see a little bit more of your

legs.

Okay.

Now enjoy this.

Come on now, smile.

That's it.

Yeah, that's it. Come on, you can get a little bit warmer, fellas. Teenage boys

all across America.

Smile.

Yo, Chief.

Fifty cents to look around.

I have to pay you 50 cents just to come in.

That's fine, man. It could be that.

Does this entitle me to ask you a question?

I don't know. I'll tell you when I hear it again.

This magazine... I need to know the publisher. Can he help me?

I'll tell you something, Chief. This is underage stuff.

I mean, who's going to put their name on this?

How will I get any more?

Will you collect it? Yeah, yeah.

No,

I don't think I can help you out.

Oh, I'm sure you can.

I'll tell you something.

Stuff comes in the back once every month or so.

It's always cash in carry. I don't even know the runner's name.

I hope you're not lying to me.

Because if I find out that you are, and I have to come back here for you, you're

going to be very sorry that I did.

May I help you, sir? Yeah, I'm here to see Peter Marston.

Is he expecting you?

Uh, no.

You just tell him Mr.

Griswold is here, okay? Okay.

Mr. Griswold is here to see you, sir.

Griswold?

Yeah, how are you?

Look, this has got to be fast. I'm very busy.

Yeah, what's going on?

I'm giving a black -tie party tonight to introduce my new architectural

magazine, Russet. Oh, well, then I suppose you'd be too busy to take a look

these photographs of your last little encounter.

Two of you made quite a pair.

Nice progression, huh?

Yeah.

When are you going to find another one like that?

I already have.

She's going to be even better.

Who is it?

A kid from the street.

Just landed in town.

She looks very young.

She's 13 years old.

Got to catch them fast before they lose that look for you.

Perfect.

I want to see her.

Come by before the party.

Find anything?

Yes.

I found a peculiarly reliable witness who saw your daughter apparently shortly

after I did last night.

This witness seems to think that she was seeking employment.

Employment? What sort of employment?

She was talking to a girl who poses for pornographic magazines.

This is how you squeeze money out of your clients.

You making your move?

Get your hand off me.

Now, that is not what has been happening here, is it?

Get out of here. Mr. Rowan, let me ask you something. Why did your daughter

leave home in the first place?

Why is she so determined to stay away from you now?

That's right.

Blame the parents. Always blame the parents. No.

No, not always.

There are children who go wrong despite the best efforts of a loving family, but

that's not the case here, is it? Is it, Mrs. Rowan?

Everybody seems to like your daughter. Everybody says she's a good girl. The

police, teachers.

Even you.

Do you know what I think happened here last night?

I think your daughter came up to this corridor, and she stood outside that

and I think she heard something.

Something that made her run away again.

What was it she heard, Mrs. Rowe?

No. Please.

Please, Mrs. Rowe.

This is my family.

What goes on here is none of your business.

The life of your daughter is my business.

The lives of all children are our business.

You... Wait.

What are you going to do?

Find her, bring her to Sergeant Shepard. Get to the truth.

He beat her too, didn't he?

Oh, that's quite clear.

What else did he do?

Was there sexual abuse?

No. I would have gone to the police.

If you find her, I'll leave him. I swear I will.

It's not going to happen again.

This has been going on for a long time.

Why did you stay with him?

Money?

No.

I just remember God to be with him.

Mrs. Rowan.

Is your husband here? Why?

We need you to try and identify a girl we found. Where?

The morgue.

How she was killed.

Thrown from a car.

Anyone under suspicion yet?

No, whether she was a prostitute.

Sick chants always go for the young ones.

She was a prostitute, I think.

I think her name was Judy.

Could help you in identifying her possibly.

Doctor, may I... May I look at her personal effects?

I guess that would be all right.

They're right over there at the end of the gurney.

Griswold Art Studios Portrait Photography.

Lynn's out there. Somewhere.

She has Sylvia.

Walt?

When I was a boy, my dad used to lay into me with a belt.

Never even drinking.

They just... Because they hadn't caught me in something, didn't mean I didn't

deserve it.

Of course, he was so sure I'd gotten away with it.

Kids always do.

I thought I'd never be like him.

Now I am.

And I've destroyed everything I've loved.

The only two people who ever loved me.

Okay, enough of this. We're going to lose the bear.

We're going to loosen things up here a little bit.

I never want you to stop thinking about all those teenage boys all across

America, okay?

Yes.

And good.

I'm going to get another lens, all right? Relax.

Okay.

Here we go.

That's it. Now warm up a little. Warm up a little with all the stiffness I'm

seeing. That's it.

That's it. Now back off a little bit. Show me some legs. Show me some legs.

Okay. Smile.

Hey, that's pretty nice, huh?

Huh?

Just you relax here a second, okay? I'll change the lens and talk to the man and

be right back.

Can you educate her faster?

Oh, and ruin these photos?

That's an innocent look we're talking. This is going to take time.

Look, Peter, you go back to the party, all right? I'll bring her by later for

the special stuff, okay?

It's good to see you. It's good to see you.

My boss said you're doing a great job.

And you look gorgeous.

I mean, gorgeous.

Okay?

But we've come to a difficult part of the job now.

And now we're going to find out how professional you really are.

Okay? What do you mean?

Come here.

Come on, it's okay.

Special clothes for a special girl.

You want me to wear that?

Yeah.

Well, I mean, you know, I wouldn't ask you to do anything that you didn't feel

good about. You know that. I know, but you can see right through it.

Okay, I understand.

I'm sort of out on a limb here, that's all. I mean, I fired the other models,

right?

You remember that guy who was here?

It's my boss.

I'm going to lose my job if I don't shoot the product.

He fired you? Yeah, he's going to fire me.

Look, I know that you might feel a little uncomfortable about this, okay? I

mean, I know that.

But I believe in you. I think you're a professional. I know you can do this.

Okay, I know it.

Now, I want you to give it a try.

Okay?

Okay? Okay, I'll do it.

Do it?

Okay.

Judy.

Susan, what's the matter?

It didn't fit. What didn't fit? No, no, hey, wait, wait. Put it on, put it on.

Let me be the judge of what fits or doesn't fit, okay? I've decided not to

it.

Decided not to do it? We had an agreement, didn't we?

We had an agreement.

The pictures, they're not for a catalog, are they?

You calling me a liar?

You calling me a liar?

I think that's really interesting.

Lynn, Rowan, see, I know all about you.

Liar, liar.

And I know what kind of pictures you want to take of me. Oh, yeah?

Hey, come here. Come here.

You know what kind of pictures I want to take?

Well, listen.

I'm going to take them, whether you like it or not.

Okay? Let go of me.

Come on, sweetie. Come on, sweetie. Listen, listen.

No one can hear you.

You couldn't be more wrong, Mr. Criswell.

Who are you? Who the hell are you?

It's all right, Lynn. Don't be frightened.

My name is Robert McCall. I'm a friend of your mother's.

Did he hurt you?

No.

Did he touch you?

No. Has there been anybody here helping him?

Yes, but I don't know his name.

I think he was the owner.

Thank you.

Is there another room here with a telephone?

Yes.

Would you go there, call the police?

Ask for Sergeant Alice Shepard.

Stay there till I come and get you.

I didn't do anything.

Who's your father?

I didn't do anything.

Who is your father?

Who pays

you to molest children and destroy

their lives?

Sir,

do you have an invitation?

No, no, no, I don't have an invitation.

I'll come and make a delivery.

Sergeant.

Take down the names of everybody you heard?

No.

I'll be right down.

Thank you for everything.

It's my pleasure.

We'll call that number you gave him.

I suppose I should thank you for that more than anything. I'm sure it will all

turn out for the best.

I love you, Ted.

I love you, sweetheart.

I want you to come back.

I will as soon as I can, honey.

But I have to get some help first.

You understand?

Thanks.

I paid that reward to that bag lady, like you said.

I'd still like to pay you something, too. No, no, no.

If I wanted any, that's my reward.

When I finally realized what I had a chance of losing, I could see that there

really wasn't any choice.

I know it's not going to be easy.

Maybe you can check in on me.

I'm sure you'll be proud of what you find.

Yes, I'm sure, I'm sure.

Good luck.

All right, let's go

You checking up on me?

No, no. I thought I'd stop by and thank you for all the help you gave me with

the rowing job.

She went home?

Yeah.

Let's hope she stays there.

Yeah, well, you'd think these kids would, but they don't.

They just keep coming, thinking that this somehow could possibly be better.

Oh, come on, Alice.

Don't you start losing faith.

When people like you start doing that, what have we got left?

Gotta go.

See ya.