Original subtitles

I've been told that you've been frightening this lady.

Couldn't leave it alone, couldn't I?

Parker is an extremely dangerous man.

You won't believe what he was doing.

I got in there, and he was... You don't believe me either, do you? Well, right

now, it's his word against yours.

Has one of your superiors told you to lay off Parker?

I've said too much to you already, McCall.

Drag me all the way up here for that.

Oh,

no, not again.

Oh, get the hell out of here, will you? All right, all right.

I'm waiting.

I'd like to please.

It's true this war, Miss Mackey.

Parker's done nothing wrong.

He went after a man with a gun.

Right now, it's his word against yours.

Well, of course he's going to deny it. Who's going to admit to something like

that? This is the third complaint we received about Mr. Parker.

Well, see, there you go. Then I'm not the only one here. They're all from you.

Oh.

You're getting quite a reputation for yourself, Miss Mackey.

Okay, okay.

I know what this looks like.

You guys probably think I'm this crazy person who dreams these things up.

Well, you can think what you want. You alone last night?

I think that's the name of your business.

Now, look, my eyesight is 20 -20, and I don't do drugs, and I might take a drink

every now and then, but who the hell doesn't these days?

But I know what I saw, and I'm telling you that something is going on in that

apartment. Like what?

I don't know what.

Maybe the guy is selling drugs. Maybe he's printing dirty magazines. Who

I know that you haven't given us anything to go on.

We talk to Mr. Parker three times now, and every time we find him alone,

sleeping.

Frankly, Miss Mackey, I'm getting tired of waking Mr. Parker up.

Maybe you should try your clothes or something.

You know, some people just like to party.

Just wait a minute.

Yeah?

Excuse me.

I really think I have something new brought.

You mean like the time when you were absolutely positive that the New York

Department of Sanitation was really a repository for nuclear waste? Or the

when you had the West Side stranglings linked to an obscure poem of... That was

firing, actually, guys.

Okay, okay.

But I'm convinced there's something strange going on in my apartment

and it's probably illegal.

And I'm convinced that you are so anxious to make it to the front line

you will do absolutely anything it takes to get there.

You're right.

I will. Within reason.

Thank you.

Hey, Max.

What's a four -letter word for a girl who cried blank?

Give it a rest, Sven.

Four letters, not four words. Look, if you need some pointers...

You should let me buy you dinner sometime.

That would be cruel ending human punishment.

I don't mind, really.

I'm a wolf.

Chuck.

Where the hell you been, Beth?

Line scores are coming off the wire like the doctor's fastballs.

I have to get off this desk, Doc. I have to.

Yeah, well, just make sure I can sit there when you do.

In the meantime, I think you can get a final on the Met game.

Okay, it looks like it went into overtime.

You mean extra innings, Beth.

I do? Yeah, yeah.

Baseball, net.

Basketball, net.

Football, Jeff.

I know that. I know that.

You really are bothered by this guy, Parker, aren't you?

I know he's up to something.

I just can't put my finger on it.

Well, poking your nose around and letting your job suffer, you'll probably

plenty of time to pursue it.

Besides, if you're right, it could be dangerous.

Well, I'm open to suggestions.

Concentrate on your job and get someone else to do your legwork.

Right. Who would that be?

Here.

We've been running this thing for months.

Oh, the equalizer.

Hey, you know, Flynn tried to run down this guy.

Said he was real polite and then hung up.

I thought everyone hung up on Flynn.

Whatever this guy's doing, he can afford to advertise. He must be doing

something right.

Hmm.

This man didn't hurt you in any way.

No, no, but you see... They say he was carrying a gun. Well, many, many people

have license to carry guns. You can't prove that he was committing any crime,

except possibly breach of the teeth.

Oh, well, no, you're right. I can't prove anything. Well, in that case, I

quite understand exactly what it is you want me to do.

Pick up something on him.

Dig up something?

Yeah, some angle that I can use to get a line on this guy, you know?

Miss Markey, I think there's a little misunderstanding here.

Oh, no, no.

You see, the problem is that I don't know what approach to use. And, well,

keeps saying if I can poke around this guy Parker much longer, I'm going to...

Yeah, Dak.

He says, I'm spending all my days riding the subway looking for work. And, you

know, I really don't want to do that.

But there's a story here. I can smell it.

Hang about a bit.

You are a reporter.

Yeah. Here you go.

I promise I can make this work in a while.

You've got to look at the back end of all of this.

I mean...

Think what this could mean to you from a business standpoint, huh?

I do a little expose on this guy and give you credit where credit is due.

And you know, you're going to have a whole new clientele flocking your way.

Miss Markey, I don't think you understand quite what it is that I do.

Oh, I don't? No, no, you don't. See, part of my job is that I try and help

people if they're in trouble. Now, are you in trouble?

Trouble? Well, no, not exactly, but...

Well, I was scared last night in the hall.

Well, I... No, I just want the story.

The story, yes.

I would like to point out to you also that I do not need the business. I have

more business than I can handle.

In fact, I'd be a much happier man if people didn't need me at all.

Does this mean that you won't help me?

If ever you are in trouble, call me and I'll try and help.

But not to dig up a story.

I see.

Look,

I'm sorry I wasted your time.

Oh, no, no.

I'm a great believer in the idea that time is never wasted.

As a matter of fact, it was quite... enlightening.

Look, why don't I show you to a cab?

Oh, sure, yeah.

I'm not supposed to talk. Take him down while you're talking. I don't want to

leave. I'm supposed to be here.

a little too much to drink.

I'm getting pretty tired.

Can I just take a walk?

You told my friend over there?

Huh? Yeah.

Well, you keep bothering me.

I can't go to the police again, but the guy actually threatened me. This man

Parker, how long has he been there?

About a month.

Whenever Cynthia moved out with my friend who owns the apartment.

Got called back to her job in London.

Had to sublet her place for about six months.

So he's not a friend of Cynthia?

No. In fact, I called her in London to ask her.

And she said that Parker answered the ad the first day it went in the paper.

He said that he was thrilled because it was exactly where he wanted to be.

He said what?

He said that... He was thrilled because this is exactly where he wanted to be.

Right, well, how did the problem start?

Well, you know, a lot of loud noises, strange people popping in all hours of

night. A lot of traffic going in and out of there. You know, this is normally a

pretty quiet neighborhood.

Unless it's the occasional open house or they're throwing one of their...

Bashes over at the consulate.

Other than that, pretty dull around here.

Mm -hmm.

You called the police, then?

Yeah,

I called the police.

First couple of times was just so I could get some rest.

Mr. McCall. You know, the police think I make all this stuff up.

And after last night, I wish I had.

Anyway, I do know one thing.

I think I'm into something here over my head.

So, what do you think?

If you could help me?

Oh, I'm sure I can.

I could try, anyway.

Well? Ah.

Is he your son?

Yeah, he's almost six.

He lives in Texas with his father.

Well, we got divorced when he was a baby, you see.

And, well, Carl, that's my... He came from a lot of money, and I didn't.

And, well, Carl's parents, they really wanted their grandchild, so they used

their money in their pool, and, well, they got custody of him.

And, well, I don't have the money to fight them.

I mean, well, without a suitable job.

I can't even support myself, let alone a six -year -old boy.

Were you a reporter when you were married?

I wanted to be.

My father was a reporter before he started teaching at a college upstate.

So anyway, I went back to school, and I just finished six weeks ago.

And then I went to see this friend of my dad's on the examiner, Bri Barkley.

That's my boss.

And, well, he gave me the only job that was available at the time, an assignment

on the sports desk.

Sports. Yeah.

You believe it?

I guess you gotta start somewhere, but I know nothing about sports.

That doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously.

I even started collecting these.

Pete Rose, 1967, 324.

Baseball cards.

Pete Rose, eh?

You know, I'm dead serious about this.

I have to prove myself.

Then maybe I can get my little boy back.

Well, all things being equal, I don't see why that can't be arranged.

You think so?

I think there is something very strange going on over there.

And I think it's about time I started to find out what.

Now, there are various ways I can go about that.

I intend to use the direct approach, which means that you will let me do all

talking. However difficult that may be. Understood?

All right.

Follow me.

Parker, my name is Robert McCall.

So?

Miss Mackey and I wondered if we could come in and talk to you for a couple of

minutes.

If you have anything to say, you say it here and make it quick.

Well, then I most certainly will.

I've been told that you've been frightening this lady.

You're not another cop, are you? What I am is unimportant. What I say is, and

what I say is this.

If any harm comes to her...

either through premeditated violence or even a slight accident,

I shall hold you responsible.

Right.

I'm extremely serious about this, Mr. Palmer.

Good for you.

Thank you.

This lady's a joke in the department, Carl.

She drops a dime the minute she sees anything. It doesn't make sense.

We're tired of straightening the lady out.

Well, I think she might have something this time, Isidore. Any physical proof

that? No.

Then there's not much more that we can do. Well, there is something we can do,

Isidore. Let me see his file.

Do not now call.

Something wrong?

Let me put it to you this way. I

have a job here I like. My family likes the job I have. How about I just go and

keep it?

What are you saying?

You have been told to lay off, Mr. Parker. You didn't hear that from me.

Has one of your superiors told you to lay off Parker?

I said too much to you already. This gentleman must really be someone.

Wonder who?

Don't you wonder who, Mrs. Dore?

Let me catch you looking at that file, McCall.

I do promise you as it goes, you'll never catch me.

I don't know what you've got your hooks into this time, McCall, but there's

something funny going on. Jimmy, would you...

Cut the preamble. You've seen this fellow John Parker with your very own

Will you get to the point, Jimmy?

Parker isn't Parker. According to the social security number you gave me, his

name's Steve Bluebell. He was a corn farmer in Wisconsin, and he died 12

ago.

What's the matter?

We hit the little snag, McCall.

What snag?

He kind of definitely says, I can't help you any longer.

Really? Really.

Hello. Hello, Robert.

I thought we had an agreement.

Uh, remind me.

All right, you were going to stay away.

Oh, but I do.

I mean, I usually do.

Just occasionally our paths cross, like today.

I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm talking about a man called John Parker.

I can't place the name.

No?

A friend of mine is being bothered by John Parker. However, the police do not

bother John Parker, which leads me to suspect that he is being protected.

Now, there's only one group of people who could exert such influence over the

police, and that is...

I then find out John Parker's social security number. So I run it by, and lo

behold, it turns out the number was assigned to a man who's been dead for 12

years.

So I give it over to Karen. She puts it in the machine, and up comes a flag on

the file. Then you come in through the door looking all hot and bothered, and I

start to think, hello, hello, there are some interesting questions here.

I can't give you any answer.

You've already given me one. Now give me another. Who the hell is John Parker?

You know I can't tell you that.

Thank you, Garth.

Give me the information.

Robert, you know I can't do that.

Besides, I haven't got time.

I've got to deal with Rashad.

I didn't know Rashad was in New York. Long ago, perhaps, African delegation.

Now, Jason is not exactly a field operative anyway. I don't trust this to

anybody else.

Parker, whoever he is, off the go.

Because, you see, if she is hurt in any way, there is nothing that will stop me

from going after him.

Not even you, old friend.

23 ,240.

That must have been a terrific long shut -off.

That's the attendance.

Oh.

Beth Mackey.

Beth, it's Cynthia.

It's Cynthia?

Well, this is a great connection. You sound like you're just around the

That's because I practically am. You're in New York?

Well, the business needed me back here for a couple of days, and the thing is

what you said about Mr. Parker, I thought I'd go and check on him. Did

Yes.

No one answered when I knocked, so I let myself in with my keys.

He was in there, Beth.

You won't believe what he was doing.

Well, what did you see?

I... I can't tell you now.

Can you meet me in the park?

Sure, I can meet you, but... I've got to go, Beth.

The carousel in an hour.

How am I going to see you?

You look terrible.

What did Parker do to you?

He didn't do anything to me. I was coming in the door, and he saw me.

I got out of there before he could.

It was just awful. All right.

Fall down.

Okay. All right.

I was opening the door, and I just can't believe it.

I got in there.

Now, let me get this straight.

This happened in broad daylight.

Now, I know you guys think that I make most of this up as I go along, but that

just isn't true.

I really see things.

I really do.

You want to think I'm nuts?

Fine, fine, go ahead, think I'm nuts.

But this time you're going to see I have absolute proof.

She fell dead into your arms.

Yeah, right.

And then the guy took a shot at me.

Uh, miss, would you mind waiting here for a minute?

So what do you guys got?

Yeah.

Listen, uh, there's no body over there.

I can't believe it.

Sorry, I really am.

But try to look at it from my point of view.

You say that Parker killed your friend, right?

Yes, yes.

Okay, okay.

Only one big problem.

Big problem.

You didn't see Parker.

Yes, I did. No, I didn't see him, but I know it was him. I can't just walk up

and accuse the man.

Now, what I could do is check out your friend Cynthia.

Except no one has reported her missing as of yet. Except, oh, I know, I know, I

know. You reported her as being dead.

Except we don't have a body, and it's damn difficult to start a murder

investigation without one.

Uh, excuse me, Zendul.

You just jumped in on the car, is that right? Oh, yeah, yeah, that's good.

Look, Miss Maggie, I am sorry. I really am.

But there's not much more that we can do.

I wish there were.

I hope you believe me.

Watch your step. Watch your step.

You don't believe me either, do you? Of course I don't.

Parker is extremely dangerous.

I believe at the moment he is about to start cleaning something up.

I have to make sure that you're not one of the things he's done.

You'll be safe here.

One more flight.

Are you sure this is really necessary?

Absolutely This

is

very nice

Okay, so it's nice.

I could give an elegant dinner party here.

If I wanted.

But it's not what I want.

Beth, you asked for my help.

I'm helping you. And I'm doing it my own way.

I realize you're ambitious. You want to succeed.

And I'm sure you will.

But only if you stay alive.

So trust me.

Take it easy.

You're overreacting, Reverend.

Overreacting?

A friend of mine is being attacked by a man under your protection and I'm

overreacting?

Look, it's time you let it go before there is such a mess that you can't

it up.

The man attempted to kill the girl. He's already killed her friend.

Did you sanction that?

Of course I didn't sanction it.

Then give him up.

I mean, who the hell is he anyway?

Show him.

I know him by reputation.

I thought he always worked overseas.

That's where he was when we cut up with him, yeah.

Oh, I see, I see. So you put him under the witness program, gave him a new

identity, huh?

That's right.

Now, what could an assassin like that possibly have that you want so very

Montan. Oh, now I know you're being ridiculous.

Montan's dead.

No, that's what Montan's people want you to think. Actually, he is still the

single largest supplier of narcotics in Europe.

Look, nobody in your whole damned organization has ever seen Montan.

where Sean or Parker comes in. He's done a couple of jobs for Montan. He can

finger him for us. Oh, I see. Oh, that's what it's all about. The lesser of two

evils, is it?

You let one madman run loose around the street while you hope that the other one

will turn up. If he does, he'll show up.

The man that your girl saw beaten up, he's a buyer for Montan. Parker's

confronted.

The man who the girl saw coming out of Parker's apartment, the one with the

duffel bag, is he one of yours? Him? I do not know, Robert.

Control, Parker is playing both sides.

You don't know that.

Oh, come on, Control. You are clutching at straws.

One more innocent person dies, you'd never forgive yourself.

You don't know that Parker was responsible for that girl. You do not

And you don't know that he isn't.

All right.

Are you going to roll it up?

All right, all right, I'll roll it up.

But not right now.

I have to escort Rashad to the embassy this afternoon. Tomorrow. You bring

Parker in tomorrow. All right, I will bring him in tomorrow.

Leave that when I see it.

The public's knowledge of organized crime.

In local news, the commissioner announced today that the new subway

could not be implemented until the transit authority's funding problems

resolved.

Negotiations between the transit authority and the city council are still

pending. Another item just in. The body of a man was dragged in the East River

early this morning, shot execution style.

He's been identified as Angel Fiscus, a suspected weapons dealer.

The police have no leads as to who was responsible for Fiscus' death at this

time, but an investigation is underway.

In other news, the mayor stated at his press conference today that the

Fiscus? You want something, Fiscus?

Calm down.

What's this?

Dad.

Dad, where you been? Barkley's climbing the wall.

Well, he'll have to climb the wall a little longer. Look, I need you to write

down the story for me. Hey. What we got on an arms dealer by the name of Fiscus.

Uh, yeah, okay, it'll take a few minutes.

I have to call you back. I've got to go check out something at Parker's

apartment. Beth, don't you think you should... Beth, don't try to talk me out

it. I'm finally on to something here. But I've got to go check it out before

flips through the cracks.

I'll call you back.

Beth, wait!

Beth?

Thanks.

Thank you, Jeff.

Is she there, please?

No, she isn't. Who's this?

McCall. My name's Robert McCall.

Oh, right. The guy from the ad. That's right, yes.

You're back?

Yes, I am. What's going on?

Can you tell me, how she called in?

A while ago, actually. I thought you were Beth calling you back for some

information. What information did she want?

Uh, about some gun dealer that was murdered this morning. Gun dealer? What

dealer? Some guy named... Fisket.

McCall? You there?

Mr. McCall!

He was thrilled because this was exactly where he wanted to be.

This is where I want to be.

Why does he want to be in that apartment?

He wants to be in that apartment because he's opposite a consulate.

I have to escort Rashad to the consulate today.

He's himself planted across the street.

My God, it works.

You. Couldn't leave it alone, could you?

No, wait.

Please, wait.

I was right, wasn't I?

You all right?

Joe, in here.

He's up here? Okay.

All right, get the floor filled here.

Right, got it.

I suppose

Parker was most specific

as to where he wanted to be relocated.

Parker will always go with the highest bidder.

He's been in place the whole time.

Maybe I'm getting too old to spot a drug.

Well, if you're getting too old, why does that leave me?

Hmm? I owe you a drink.

Fine.

Didn't answer my question.

You didn't want an answer to that question.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Death?

How do you like that?

By Max, Gwen.

I get the story and I'm rewritten.

Well, what the hell?

Couldn't have printed the whole thing anyway.

You know, I was sworn to secrecy by those agents.

Do you think that, uh... Well, maybe I could interview them? I mean, I wouldn't

use anybody's name or anything.

No, I don't think so.

Okay, well... Well, I suppose not.

Well, anyway, Bri's going to let me try my hand at some harder news stories

here, so... Looks like I'm kind of on my way.

Oh, I'm glad to hear it.

Oh.

Well, what's this?

Telegram I just got from Texas.

I contacted some people down there.

Gave them a report on your latest situation. They seem suitably impressed.

Your son Josh is coming to New York for a visit.

I don't know how I'm ever going to thank you for everything.

Well, you can thank me by making sure that my name is never mentioned in any

your stories.

Well, we can still run the ad, can't we?

Oh, sure.

I wouldn't have it any other way.