Original subtitles

You have to help her. Ma 'am, you're going to have to stay with the nurse.

Dr. Alex Martin to the ER.

Dr. Alex Martin to the ER.

What do you got? 26 -year -old female. Name's Joyce DeParma.

Two obvious GSW right chest.

Ring rate is 58 and shallow. BP 80 over 50.

Trachea deviated. We've got a tension pneumo. Set up for a chest tube. I want

trauma panel and stat chest film.

Don't worry, Mr. Palmer. We're going to take very good care of you here. I've

got to call you. You need me? Yeah, Alex, scrub up and meet me back here.

Alex,

can you hear me?

Yeah, scrub up and meet you back here.

Residents on call to ER.

Residents on call to ER.

The girl that was just standing here, did anybody get her name?

And she was standing right here.

She had never regained consciousness.

As much blood as she lost, it's a miracle she stayed alive as long as she

The woman who brought her in?

Oh, she said a car pulled up next to him. Tinted windows.

She didn't pay any attention until after her friend was shot and the shooter had

already pulled away.

Oh, thank you.

You make your call, Alex?

Yeah, her mother said that Amy left home the year after high school.

Amy? Yeah, the girl that came in with the patient. Her name's Amy Soroyan.

Now, I haven't seen this girl in like six or seven years, but I'd swear it was

her. Did her mother say she moved to Los Angeles? Her mother said that after she

left home, she stopped calling, stopped writing, just dropped off the face of

the earth.

And I guess Mrs. Ryan's over it.

So you're not sure the girl you saw here was your friend or not? Look, I'm

telling you, if that wasn't Amy, it was somebody who looked exactly like her.

This is gonna sting a little bit.

The dog that bit you, they picked it up?

Yeah, they brought it to the pound to make sure it doesn't have rabies.

I'm sure it's okay.

You know, I'm sure you get asked this a lot. No, don't.

Don't what? A little slip of a girl like you.

Aren't you afraid being a cop?

I wasn't gonna ask that.

No? Not exactly.

I was gonna ask what made you decide to become a cop.

I needed a job.

You needed a job.

You could have done anything. You could have been a... A secretary.

A school teacher.

How about a stewardess or maybe a waitress? I wasn't even thinking along

lines. I was thinking a businesswoman or a scientist.

I wanted adventure.

Excitement. A lion tamer.

It's a two -bedroom, but the lease is only in one name.

Joyce DeParma.

She have a roommate?

People come and go. You can ask the neighbors.

This place was trashed pretty good. Somebody must have heard something.

But I gotta warn you, people around here pretty much mind their own business.

It's likely there were two people living here. One shampoo for oily hair, one

shampoo for dry, and two different kinds of conditioners. May not have been

Alex's friend, but I think there were two people living here.

Teresa, see if you can lift some prints off these bottles.

I think we can get a definite ID on Little Miss Wasn't Here.

What do you mean you're going on a ride along there? Maybe tonight I've asked

you, you've always been too busy. Steve, you're a detective. You arrive on the

scene after the fact.

Jesse Travis is an action kind of guy.

I want to be out there in the streets mixing it up, you know? I want to be

the uniforms on the front line.

Move your butt, Doc. I'm leaving.

I'll be right there.

Plus, she's much cuter than I am. Oh, yeah. There you go.

Go get him, Action Jess.

Captain Cardinal, can you straighten my papers for me, or is there something I

can do for you?

Oh, thanks for the promotion, but it's not official until next week. Well, our

loss is television's gain.

I'm sure you'll make a fine public information officer.

Unless you're planning a news broadcast from my desk, I would appreciate you

keeping your hands off of it.

Well, I was just looking for the Joyce DePalma file. See, I found out that she

was a high -class call girl, and I want to know if you discovered that yet.

What else did your people tell you?

Want me to do the entire job for you?

All right, Cardinal, you're right.

Thanks.

Cheer up.

With any luck, in another week or two, neither one of us will have to put up

with the other one anymore.

Private problem.

Looks pretty public to me.

Anybody want to talk about what happened here? I think you should butt out. No

need for that.

Just want to talk about what happened.

Hey, officer.

We can settle this ourselves.

Hey, it's my job, guys. Hey, do you need any help over there? Just get in the

car.

Just want to ask you some questions, okay?

You going to arrest?

You think that's necessary?

Just tell me what happened.

You going to make us? Sure you don't need some help? Just get in the car. And

you take one more step and they're going to have to rebuild that and you have

spare parts.

Prefer to talk about your problem here, or down at the station?

Clarissa, you'll never believe what happened.

You know those purses that we have? I took yours by mistake and...

I don't know what you're talking about.

She said the book is in the purse, and I want it.

What book?

Stay away from me.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Just give me the damn purse.

To Alex Martin.

Alex. I know he works here. I saw him the other day.

Okay, I'll page him for you.

Please, it's important.

Amy.

Oh, God, Alex.

You have to help me.

I'm in really big trouble.

Why

did

you run when I saw you the other night?

The truth?

I knew that Joyce was into something bad.

And I didn't want to answer questions about her.

Besides, I was afraid that if the killer thought I saw him, he'd come back and

kill me too.

I just panicked.

I was somewhere in the middle of the Mojave Desert when I finally came to my

senses.

Could you give us a moment, please? Sure.

Even back in high school, you were always the one that was grounded.

Same. You always knew what to do.

Look, I told you before, you should go to the police. No, I can't go to the

police. Then it'll be in the newspapers.

The killer will know who I am for sure.

Amy, the police can protect you. No.

No police.

Maybe we can split the difference.

What if it's unofficial?

Why didn't you stay and let us question him? She was scared, Steve.

Of the police?

Of whatever Joyce was involved in.

She told me she was a trust fund baby.

But I knew better.

You suspected her real profession?

I'm not completely naive.

I have to ask you this.

Was I in the same business as Joyce?

No. Never.

I'm an actress.

Would we have seen you in anything?

A few commercials.

Some soaps.

Would you need to see my credits?

No, that's all right for now.

Get some rest.

Alex, you know where the guest room is. Why don't you get Amy settled?

Yeah, okay.

Thank you, Dr. Sloan.

Thank you very much.

Do you believe her story?

Alex believes her.

Hey, Harry. Could you get someone in forensics to lift the prints off this

and run them for me?

All right.

Thanks.

Got a minute?

For you? Always.

What's the city councilman doing here?

Councilman Boyle?

Somebody's trying to blackmail him.

Apparently he spent a lot of time and money on high -class call girls, and he

decided to come clean rather than pay the blackmail.

What do you know?

An honest politician.

Or a cheap one. Such cynicism for one so young.

So how are the right -alongs with Jesse coming?

That's what I wanted to talk to you about. He's a friend of yours, right?

True. Is there a problem?

No, but some of the guys wanted to play a trick on him, and I just wanted to

make sure it was okay with you.

What kind of trick?

Sloan, we need to talk.

Uh -oh.

Hotshot wants you.

You can wait.

Oh, so can this. I'll tell you about it later, okay?

A little intra -departmental fraternization.

What do you want, Cardinal?

Caught a homicide yesterday.

Woman's name, Clarissa Oaks.

The Malibu madam?

One and only.

Now, one neighbor said that he heard a shot and then saw some guy in a ski mask

running away.

And? Well, Joyce DePalma's one of her girls.

That's kind of a leap, isn't it?

Not according to my sources, no.

I thought we put Clarissa out of business.

She's back, according to my sources.

Just where the hell do you find these sources?

You're too nice a guy, Sloan. I know how to squeeze.

I just think we should pool our information and investigation.

You want to take my case? I didn't say that. No, I just think if we find a

then we should work it together.

You're the ranking detective.

I'd be working for you.

Name only.

On the other hand, if there is a connection, I caught the first case.

Department of policy says I get everything that follows.

Unless I go to the captain and ask for it all myself.

You do that, you're in for the fight of your life.

You're obviously slow.

I played a game better than you.

That's why I'm getting promoted and you're stuck here.

Take a look at the file.

If you're smart, we'll work it together.

You know what I remember best about you?

The crazy things you talked me into? That's not true. I never did anything

crazy. Oh, no? And what about the time we snuck into the carnival at four in

morning? You almost caught us?

You have to admit, that was fun.

I almost had a heart attack. The guy almost stepped on us. And you would have

caught us, too, if you hadn't put your hand over my mouth and stopped me from

laughing.

You saved me.

Just like yesterday, bringing me here the way you did, you saved me again.

Well, it's the only place I could think of.

Steve and Dr. Sloan are good people.

I know.

You see my... Here it is.

Uh, listen, Alex.

I know it's none of my business, but... What?

Well, I couldn't help but seeing you and Amy out there earlier.

Yeah?

I'm sure it's possible that she's a very nice girl, but... But you don't like

her. Well, I don't know if I like her or not. I just know her story is... All

I'm saying, Alex, is that until we get this thing checked out, maybe you should

go slow.

Ghost flow. Steve, I've known Amy since high school.

Yeah, but you don't know anything about her life out here. No, but I know her.

All right, look, Steve, I'm not a child.

Okay, I know what I'm doing.

Alex. Steve, if she's in trouble, then I want to help her.

I would have thought you would have cut her some slack.

Alex, I'm trying.

Yeah.

Well, I got to get back from my shift.

Man, I'm telling you, you should have seen her. These two guys were duking it

out like Holyfield and Tyson.

And she wades in there like a principal at a grade school fight. Before it was

all over, they're shaking hands and apologizing to each other. Wow, that's

impressive. Impressive. She should work for the State Department.

Maybe she enjoys being a policewoman.

Yeah, she does. I'm just amazed that someone so small could be so effective

cop. Well, maybe like a lot of women, she just learned how to use different...

Madison, may I have a word with you?

Of course. I'd like to go over the next rotation of students.

Sure. Oh, this is Dr.

Yortsberg, Dr.

Yortsberg, Amanda Bentley, Jesse Travis.

It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Likewise. It's nice to put a

face with a name. Dr. Travis.

Madison, I've got to run. I'm meeting a patient at the Beverly Hills office, and

I know I'm going to be late, so we'll talk soon. We certainly will.

Bye. Doctors.

Isn't that the guy they call the plastic surgeon to the stars?

We hate that title.

Apparently, it's well -deserved.

There's no apparently about it. The guy has worked on hundreds of people. In

fact, you know who he worked on just yesterday?

Jesse. I never took you to be a gossip.

It's not gossip. It's news.

I saw it on E! Entertainment.

All right, that's good. That's very good. It's healing very well.

It's a miracle.

I have to admit, it's the most complete reconstruction I've ever done, but I'm

very pleased with the result.

I don't think my own mother would even recognize me.

I just gave you what you wanted.

Doctor, you gave me exactly what I wanted.

Don't move. I'll get the water and be right back.

Dr. Sloan?

Where's Amy?

I think she's, uh, embarrassed.

Alex, it isn't my business to dictate your morality.

But when you're in my house... I know, sir. You're absolutely right.

We've abused your hospitality.

I mean, you've been good to me all through medical school and now taking

like this.

I apologize.

Me too. It was all my fault.

No. If you leave, I'll go.

I wouldn't blame you. I'll just... I'll find someplace else to go.

Dad?

In here, Steve.

This is Amy.

What's the matter?

I took the fingerprints off of Amy's breakfast glass yesterday.

You took her fingerprints?

Let me finish, Alex. I bring a friend to your house and you take her

fingerprints? It was a precaution, Alex.

Why? Her fingerprints were all over a murder scene.

Yeah, her roommate. She told you that.

Another murder scene, Alex.

The apartment of a woman named Clarissa Oaks.

Do you know who Clarissa Oaks was, Alex?

What, the one in the papers?

The Malibu madam?

Want to tell us how they got there?

I... You were there when she was murdered.

No.

I found her. I ran to Alex and then we came here.

Why were you in her apartment?

What were you doing there?

You were working for her, weren't you?

I swear I don't know anything. Please just let me go talk to him.

You're living with one person that gets murdered, then you go stay with another

one, and she gets murdered.

I didn't kill them.

You know I didn't. You fled from us, then you lied to us.

You even had the nerve to ask Alex to have us take you in and hide you. I was

scared. Please, you have to believe me.

Look, I'll do whatever you want. Just let me go talk to him for two minutes.

minutes.

Steve, I don't think she's going anywhere.

Are you?

I promise.

All right.

Two minutes.

If you even look like you're going to try something, I'll arrest you and hold

you as a material witness.

You lied to me.

What I told you is true.

I did come to Los Angeles to become an actress.

I had a few parts, and I modeled, I waitressed, and I sold shoes. I did all

those things you're supposed to do while you're waiting for your break. But I

lost my job, and my unemployment ran out.

I was broke and desperate.

And there were no other solutions?

How could you do this?

Please, Alex.

These last few days with you, I... I haven't felt like the lost,

desperate person I've become, you know? I felt like... I felt like the girl I

was in high school.

You know, the girl that snuck into the carnival with you?

And I liked it.

I liked it a lot.

I don't blame you if you never want to speak to me again.

But even if that's what happens, I just want to thank you.

You help me remember who I really am.

Look, I don't know that I can deal with this.

All right, I don't, but... Oh, God, Amy.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I saw a man in a ski mask.

That's it.

I turned and ran, and I heard... And then he shot Clarissa.

I just keep thinking if I had screamed or attacked him, then maybe she'd still

be alive.

Tell me something.

What was Ski Mask looking for?

I don't know.

You know, Clarissa was beaten before she was shot.

Badly beaten.

My guess is that he wanted something she didn't want to give him. Now, what

would that be, do you think?

How am I supposed to know that?

Lieutenant Cardinal tried to find Clarissa's client list.

I think maybe the man you saw found it, and he's the one that's trying to

blackmail Councilman Boyle.

Oh, no.

I swear I don't. Well, let's try something easier.

Who was Clarissa's partner?

Partner?

He was a partner or a protector or enforcer of some kind. I don't know

about a partner, I swear.

You think maybe this silent partner and Clarissa had a falling out and he's the

one that killed her? I don't know.

I don't know. I don't know. Why?

Why aren't you believing me? I don't know anything about a silent partner. I

don't know anything about what anybody wanted or why anybody would have wanted

to kill Clarissa or Joyce.

I gave you the names of all the other girls I know that work for Clarissa.

Isn't that enough?

It's all just about a silent point.

You think you're the only one with informants?

Thanks, you guys, for coming out to the house with me.

Enjoy the company.

Well, an invitation to have all the barbecue you can eat. It's pretty hard

turn down.

I'll get plenty.

Listen, I need to talk to Jesse for a minute.

I'll just sit right here.

Jesse, you got a minute?

Yeah, what's up?

You know that woman that you've been going on those ride -alongs with?

Yeah, Patty.

Yeah, um, Steve told me that she spoke to him about you.

She did?

Yeah, she said that you were acting like, um, I was afraid.

Like a hot dog.

She said that you were not following instructions and that you were a little

eager to rush in and help her out.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah, so they're going to play a joke on you.

What kind of joke?

Well, a stupid joke. In fact, the next time you go out, they're going to

simulate a dangerous situation and Patty's going to pretend to be in a lot

trouble.

Why would they do that?

I don't know. I think that they're betting that you're going to freeze up

freak out or panic, whatever it is.

think that it's going to take you down a peg or two. Personally, I think it's

pathetic.

Maybe it's their idea of cop humor.

You love that, don't you?

Yeah,

I did.

You know, I thought about not telling you.

And then I thought it was better that you just know ahead of time.

Yeah. No, thanks.

Thank you.

Really. I'm very flattered, but I'm here with my friends.

All right, all right.

Then some other time.

Would you give me your phone number? I'll use it. I'll make a call.

I think not.

Okay.

All right.

You know, it's only dinner.

I said to you before I'm very flattered, but no. Okay, I'm sorry if I offended

you in any way. No, no, it's all right. I apologize. It's okay.

But you can hardly blame me with a woman as beautiful as yourself.

Go. I'm going.

Okay.

Goodbye. I'm gone.

Madison, what was that all about?

He was trying to pick me up.

He was cute.

Very cute.

I don't let strange men pick me up from barbecue restaurants.

Okay, let's go, guys.

I am starving. Me too.

Sloan here.

Steve? Madison?

Hi. Listen, we're heading down on the Pacific Coast Highway for your house,

we think somebody's following us.

We're concerned that he's using us to find Amy.

Are you sure?

Tell him about the weird guy at Barbecue Bob's. He pulled out of the parking lot

right behind us, and I'm pretty sure he's following us.

And also, Steve... Yeah, I heard him.

Where are you exactly?

Well, we just passed the Getty Museum.

All right, keep driving on the Coast Highway. I'll have a patrol car pull him

over. I'll get there as soon as I can.

Lieutenant, here's his identification.

Rep Hayward?

Yeah, you guys mind telling me what's going on here?

Mr. Hayward, do you mind telling me why you were following these people?

I wasn't following.

I wasn't following anybody. I was going to Malibu. This is still the road to

Malibu, isn't it? And what were you planning on doing in Malibu?

Well, if it's any of your business, I was going to the Blue Pelican.

Why would you go to another restaurant when you just left one?

Because I didn't like the menu.

Come on, unless somebody's repealed the Bill of Rights, this is still a free

country, right?

You don't have to tell anybody where I'm going or what I'm doing.

He told us there's a bartender at the Blue Pelican.

Yeah, I've been going there every night for a week.

You called?

Yeah, bartender says he doesn't know this guy from Adam.

Wait, that's crazy.

Come on, let me make a phone call. I'll talk to the guy.

You get one call after your call.

Take him down to the station. I'll follow him right now.

What are you doing?

I'm leaving tomorrow.

Why?

I'm tired of being treated like I'm some sort of a criminal.

He was looking to find Amy. How did he know to follow us?

I don't know. It sure was creepy.

It sure was.

Excuse me, guys. Could I talk to Dr. Sloan alone for a minute, please?

Sure. Madison, would you go with the red paint?

Dr.

Sloan, Amy's packing.

I know.

Well, you have to talk to her.

Well, she wants to go, Alex. I don't see what I can do to stop her. Well, you

could tell her you believe her.

Alex. But you don't, do you?

You haven't believed her for one minute.

Alex, I'm sorry, but she has lied to us from the moment we met her. She's in

danger, Mark. She's scared.

She doesn't act like it.

I told her she should stay here and help the police any way she can.

She doesn't even want to talk to them. That's because she doesn't know who to

trust. Well, I don't know how I can help her with that, Alex.

If she wants to go, it's her decision.

He's right.

It's my decision.

Amy, if you leave here, they will find you and they're going to kill you just

like they did your roommate and just like they did the other woman.

Look, if you hadn't seen that guy in his car, he would have followed you to me

right here.

Well, then you can stay at my place, all right? I'll talk to my... No, Alex.

Look, if she leaves here tomorrow and we don't try to stop her and she gets

killed, how are you going to feel? Alex.

I'm going to go home.

Nobody there knows what I've been doing here. Amy.

It'll be fine.

Nobody but you will know where I am.

I'll be safe.

You'll see.

Thanks again.

Last chance. I really don't mind driving to the airport.

This is fine.

You've already done more than I deserve.

It's me.

I take it this is what the killer's been looking for.

I don't know.

Now,

why would you say something like that?

That's my daughter, Shannon.

She's the reason I left home when I did.

I was pregnant, and her father didn't want to marry me.

Everything that I've done these past few years, it's all been to support her.

Well, that still doesn't explain why Clarissa Oaks wanted to give you the

Clarissa was her godmother.

She was so proud of her.

So am I.

The money would have meant that I could get out of the business, but Shannon

would go to good school.

All the way to college.

Well, now you've got a choice.

You can either go to jail with me or come back to the house with my father.

Madison? Oh, excuse me.

Here's those test scores.

Thanks, Mark.

Um, Brett, this is Detective Sloan's father, Dr. Mark Sloan. Mark, this is

Hayward. Yeah,

I'm the fellow that was stalking her.

Don't look so shocked.

It was a mistake.

Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Hayward. Just, how did, uh... Well, no,

really was on his way to a restaurant in Malibu.

Oh, I thought the bartender didn't recognize you. Oh, he was a substitute

bartender that night, yeah.

And the regular bartender recognized him right away.

Oh, they sure did.

As I said before, I'm terribly sorry.

Come on, don't apologize. It was an honest mistake.

With delightful consequences.

Listen, I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow night, 7 o 'clock?

You bet.

Dr. Sloan, nice to meet you. Pleasure.

Pretty charming, huh?

You see them tomorrow night? Yeah, dinner, my treat.

Least I could do.

I'll catch up with you.

Well, have you seen Jesse?

No, it's his day off. He's on one of those ride -along things.

What's the matter?

That cop, Patty, is going to play a joke on him.

Yeah, Steve told me. After we talked about it, he asked him to call it off.

Well, I wish I'd have known that. I never would have... He was so upset.

I think he likes that policewoman.

Yeah? No harm done.

Hey, guys, don't stop on my account.

I mean, I know you went through all this trouble.

Hey,

that was pretty good. It looked real. And I'm a doctor. I know what real looks

like.

And that was pretty darn close.

Jesse, get back to the car.

That was a little phony.

I wouldn't quit your day job.

You idiot, get down!

Okay, that's enough, buddy. We've all had our fun and game.

You look that way.

Hey, you big brain guy.

You're gonna be okay.

You hear me?

You're gonna be okay.

The address we got.

Can I help you?

We're looking for a Bobby Baker.

Reverend Bobby Baker, that's me.

Oh, this is probably a mistake.

We got your name from... Uh, it's possible that some former clients of a

call girl ring are being blackmailed. We got a name from one of the girls that's

probably a mix -up.

One of Clarissa Oaks' girls.

Well, yes.

Lord does work in mysterious ways.

That was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I beg your pardon?

I wasn't always a minister.

In fact, until a few years ago, I was a sinful sinner.

It wasn't until I went to prison that I found God.

Or, maybe more truthfully, it was in prison that God found me.

And it was Clarissa Oaks who put me there.

I'm not sure I understand.

I always suspect that Clarissa ratted me out.

I told one of her girls about a robbery I'd pulled. She told Clarissa, and

Clarissa told her tame cop.

Clarissa Hooks has a cop on the take?

You saying you never heard of that?

How do you think she stays in business?

I'm feeding 30 homeless tonight, and I'm still $10 short if you'd care to make a

donation. Oh, of course.

Could you tell me who was the police officer?

Okay, I got it.

I'll be there.

What is it?

That was the cop from Steve's precinct.

He said Steve wants to meet me at the north end of Zuma Beach.

Some guy's killed two people already.

How do you know that was the cop on the phone?

Colonel here.

Hi, it's Amy.

I thought I should just call you back to make sure you were who you said you

were. Well, I was very smart.

I wish everybody was as cautious as you.

Well, thanks.

Thank you.

Sam?

You don't want me to come with you?

The cop said he wants me to come alone.

I'll be okay.

Sloan residence.

Put your rifle, Detective, and don't move. You're not wearing Kevlar.

Just take it easy, okay? I'm going to put the rifle down.

All right? Just stay calm.

Go.

Give it up, Cardo. It's over.

I know why you killed Clarissa and Joyce.

They knew who you were. They might have messed up your big promotion.

Go to hell.

What I don't understand is why you tried to kill Amy Soroyan. Like I said, go to

hell. I'm not talking until I see a lawyer.

Alex. Well, he hasn't confessed yet, but, uh... What are you doing?

You don't have to leave anymore.

Oh, come on, Alex.

Don't be such an idiot.

I have to get out of here before your friend the cop and his dad get back.

What are you talking about?

Clarissa's little black book.

All of her clients are in there, including her silent partner, someone

initials R .C.

Robert Cardinal.

Don't mean me.

I didn't even make the connection.

You don't have to do this. If you give it to Steve... Give it to the police?

you kidding me?

Do you have any idea some of the names in this thing?

Boy, only I prefer to go public.

But what most of you've got, there's a fortune to be made.

Don't take it personally, Alec.

I really like you.

A lot.

In fact, if you'd be willing to chuck this whole medical school thing and come

with me.

You know what, Amy?

That sounds like a great idea.

We can go off and we can go to the Caribbean and we can go to Europe and we

live like royalty.

Until the money runs out.

Then what, Amy?

Your friends were right.

You are a real straight arrow.

And you always will be.

It was great seeing you.

Let's do it again in like 40 or 50 years.

You were planning on leaving without Shannon, were you?

My name's not Shannon. It's Angela.

I know it's not her name. Why don't you go see your mother?

Dr. Sloan, I... Don't start, Amy.

I never believed you, not for a minute.

Amy Soroyan, you're under arrest for the attempted extortion of consumptive

tonic oil.

Get off me. You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say cannibal You're kidding.

You're being silly.

You know, people like you keep people like me from getting their paperwork

Yeah, yeah, you're right.

I apologize.

No, don't. It's just what the doctor ordered.

Yeah? Yeah, a reminder that there's more to life than paperwork.

Oh, yeah. A whole lot more.

Yeah.

You know, I can't believe it was just a month ago. I don't even know you

existed.

Well, I can't believe it was just...

Less than three weeks ago, but I had you arrested.

It's true what they say.

Life is what happens while you're making other plans.

Has been a whirlwind, hasn't it?

Wait a minute.

Are you sure that you want me to move in with you?

Come on.

Oh, come on. You know, you can't postpone the inevitable.

Otherwise, the little scamps start multiplying on their own. I thought you

business meeting, too.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

One for the road.

No, you're forgetting.

It's one for your baby.

And one more for the road.

Yeah. Dr. Yortsberg? Yeah.

It's me, Eddie Dagobosian.

Eddie. Is anything the matter?

No, no.

Sorry about barging in on you like this, but I didn't have time to make an

appointment. And I knew you were working late on Thursday night, so I thought

maybe I'd stop in for a quick checkup.

Oh. Well, as long as you're here already, I'll give you a look.

All right.

Hey, I was surprised to see you the other night with my old friend, Dr.

Thought you might have spotted us. Mm -hmm.

Are you two an item, as I say? Much more than that. Ah.

All right, let's see.

Uh -huh.

Oh, yeah, this is looking very, very good.

That's thanks to you, Doc. Huh?

I expect I'll be seeing her tomorrow morning at Community General.

She's a wonderful woman. You're lucky. You know, after the accident, the way I

looked, I thought that suicide was my only option.

Well, I'm glad you came to your senses.

As they say, in most cases, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary

problem.

Yeah, but thinking that a beautiful woman like Madison could ever fall in

with me, that was an impossible dream. You are a miracle worker, Doc. Yeah.

Well, as long as you're handing out kudos, Eddie, keep some for yourself.

It was your dream patient.

Fastest, most complete recovery I have seen in 30 years of practice.

Is that my file? Yeah.

Oh.

All right, now comes my favorite part, the taking of the after photo.

You're not going to be needing that.

What?

Here.

Uh, who's this?

That's Eddie Dagobozian.

I don't understand.

You really don't need to.

Promise you, Doc, I'm your most grateful patient.

Mark, just read the blurb. Behind the scenes are the sex -crazed men and women

who spend their days and nights playing doctors.

Doesn't sound like my cup of tea. You have got to read it. I don't know. It

sounds pretty strange. That's why you've got to read it. Somebody has written

about us. Community General is Big City Hospital.

You're sex -crazed. I'm sex -crazed.

Dr. Anonymous didn't take a few liberties, but we're all in here. You,

Amanda, Steve. I couldn't put it down.

You think somebody here in the hospital wrote it?

Absolutely. Somebody community general is turning us all into literary fodder,

and I think we should sue.

I'd lend you this copy, but I already promised it to that cute nurse in OB.

Oh, here. Let me give you a hand.

Oh, thanks, Mark.

I've been collecting boxes all morning. Yeah? Why?

Well, actually, they're for Brett.

He's moving in with me.

Brett?

Brett Hayworth.

The man you had arrested?

Yes, that was so embarrassing, and what a huge mistake that was.

That must have made an interesting first date. Well, fortunately, we can laugh

about it now.

But you know, truthfully, I had this sort of kismet.

Well, that's wonderful.

I'm happy for you.

Do you think I'm moving a little too fast?

What I think doesn't matter. You're both adults.

Well, I know it seems like we just met each other, but it's as if we've known

each other all our lives.

I just wish that he had moved in yesterday.

Somebody left an exploding box on my porch this morning. A what?

Yeah, I thought it was flowers. I opened it and this confetti exploded in my

face. And there was a note inside that said, bang, bang, you're dead.

I hate practical jokes.

Did you call the police?

No, it was just a childish prank.

Doesn't sound like any child I know.

I think you ought to talk to Steve about it.

I don't want to make a big deal out of it. I'm just saying that I wish that

Brett were there with me.

Mark, I'm so glad you're here.

Madison, did you hear the horrible news?

Oh. Dr. Yurtsberg was murdered last night.

I'm sorry.

Murdered?

Well, we didn't find a murder weapon.

Aside from the lamp being turned over, there was no sign of a struggle.

Did the doctor expect anyone last night?

No.

His last appointment was with Mrs. Resnick.

That was at 5 .30. She left at 6 .15.

The doctor told me I could leave and that he'd lock up.

Well, then anyone could have come in here.

Any drugs missing?

Dameron, Percadine, cocaine.

Cocaine?

It's pharmaceutical grade.

Plastic surgeons use it in nasal surgery to dull the area.

We keep it in that medicine cabinet over there.

I'll have to do an inventory, but it appears that several bottles are

That guy probably found the door open, figured he got lucky, and came in.

Not knowing the doctor worked late on Thursdays.

Damn addicts.

A million of them aren't worth one, Dr.

Yordsberg.

All right, let me give you a hand. I got it. It's all right. Oh, Degas is good.

Oh.

You have great taste. Billie Holiday, Anita O'Day, fantastic.

Oh, yes, I neglected to tell you that I, too, have great taste.

And this chic thing here.

That's a reminder of my wild and crazy youth.

Hang on a second.

Oh, only my favorite flower.

Yeah? All right, well, you did tell me that.

You.

Oh, you're crushing this. All right, I'll get some more. I had a good year.

I only make that a wonderful year.

Hey, I have a gift for you, too. Yeah?

Yeah. You know, I said to myself, where do you get the guy who has virtually

everything? One of these or a Rolex watch?

Well, I'm certainly glad that you opted for the romantic over the practical.

Get over here.

Come on, now. If he keeps us up, I'll never get dinner made. That was always

breakfast.

Why don't you go on upstairs and unpack so I can impress you with my culinary

skill? You better.

Sally, I need a file on a patient, Jack Curlin, please.

Dr. Bentley, have you read Big City Hospital yet?

No, Sally, I have better things to do with my time.

Is there a reason why I should read the book?

Well, it is all about community general.

Are you saying I'm in the book?

I'm not in the book.

I'm in the book?

Hey, Dad.

What? The drugs that were missing from Dr.

Yortsberg's office turned up in a dump box away.

All of them?

Apparently. Unless some druggie had an epiphany. We're not looking for an

addict. Just somebody who wants us to think he was.

Did the nurse have a chance to check the files?

So far, the only things he found worth mentioning was some photos of a patient

she swears she's never seen before.

The name Eddie Dagobosian rings a bell, but not the face.

It's a hard name to forget.

And I thought the same thing, so I put out an APB on him.

See you.

Yeah, see you.

Put out an APB on those potato chips while you're at it.

So this book, Big City Hospital.

You in it?

No, not yet. I'm really too new.

But everybody else is, though.

There's the lead character, who's a forensics doctor, who consults with his

who's a prominent criminal attorney.

And then you have the pathologist, who's a Latina, a single mother.

And then there's the trauma doctor, who's a very flattering version of

It's a shame old Dr. Anonymous didn't wait till you... See, that way you have

very beautiful lady doctor who everybody else could lust after.

Oh, believe me, this book is not lacking in lust.

In fact, I actually wonder how they have time to perform a tonsillectomy.

Hey, that's my car.

It's just a short.

Oh, my God. What?

Madison, Madison. It's all right. It's all right.

It's all right.

Calm down. I'm here.

I'm here.

Well, there's no sign of a break -in.

I just don't usually bother locking my garage.

Well, it might be a good idea to start.

Think it was kids?

No, I don't.

First it was that exploding box, and now this.

What exploding box?

Someone left a box filled with confetti on my front porch, and it blew up in my

face.

And there was a threatening note in it.

Do you have the note?

No. No way.

Well, I gotta go, but I'll have a couple of my guys keep an eye on your house

for the next few days.

Thanks. I'll show you how to see it.

Very, very sorry about the dinner, but by the time we phoned the police, the

osso bucco was osso briquette.

Don't worry about it.

I'm just so grateful that Brett was here with me.

That makes two of us.

What do you think about Brett?

It's okay.

What do you think?

I don't know.

You know, ever since he came into Madison's life, frightening things have

happening to her.

Well, they were together in the kitchen when her car alarm went off.

Yeah, but he could have used the remote. Madison wouldn't have noticed it.

You know what I think?

I think you're jealous.

Why, everybody at the hospital knows you got a thing for her.

I just hope everybody at the hospital diagnoses their patients better than

do me.

Madison and I are just friends.

Exactly what somebody who is in love with someone would say.

You know something? You have to stop reading that book you've been talking

about. You know, if you're so concerned about Brett, why don't you have Steve do

a background check?

If Madison found out.

I don't know. I mean, if Brett checks out, no harm, no foul. If not, Madison

should know.

I can't do it.

Amanda, you like my new car?

Oh, yeah.

It's a beaut.

Would your movie bill pay for it? I'm a doctor. I'm single. I don't use drugs. I

can afford it.

We need to talk.

Are you nuts?

Apparently I am, ever to have trusted you with a secret, Dr. Anonymous. What

hell are you talking about?

Oh, quit it. Everyone knows that you...

Crashy book, and now that I've read it, I know you've written it too.

Well, you're wrong. The only thing I was wrong about was trusting you with a

secret. What secret?

My affair with Dr. Magan.

Who?

Oh, the married surgeon from Hungary.

I didn't know he was married at the time. Of course not. I didn't. Amanda,

horny Hungarian even wore a wedding ring.

Well, nobody bothered telling me that sometimes Europeans wear their wedding

ring on their right hand.

So then it's not really adultery if you really didn't know the guy was married.

Who's talking about adultery? I'm talking about a friend who divulges

confidences just so he can sell more copies of his trashy book.

How many times do I have to deny I'm Dr. Anonymous before you believe me? If you

never wanted to be found out, you never should have made your hero Jeffrey

Tucker. Come on, handsome trauma surgeon.

Catnip to women, hero to men.

Jeffrey Tucker, are you kidding? You couldn't even resist using your own

initials. But then again, you couldn't resist making him 6 '2", either, so...

Amanda, for the last time, I swear I did not write that damn thing. You didn't

write the book, and I didn't have this torn affair with Laszlo Magin.

So you'll take care of it?

I'm terribly sorry, but Mr.

Sylvester says there's nothing we can do.

You have no funds.

That is impossible.

If I had funds yesterday, and I didn't spend anything, then there would be

there today.

Your logic is perfectly sound, Ms. Wesley. That's Dr.

Wesley, and I don't want to hear your howevers, Mr.

Vanderhoffen. And I want it now.

I see you found it. In a manner of speaking, it's in Zurich.

Look very closely, and you will see that I am not amused, Mr.

Vanderhoffen. I want my money. Then why did you transfer it to Switzerland?

I did no such thing. There would be no reason to do that.

Dr. Wesley, only you and you alone know your password.

Therefore, only you could have affected a transfer of your funds.

Logical?

Perfectly.

I suggest you contact the Swiss gnomes and tell them I want my money back.

Understood?

Um, yes.

Good.

Oh, no, I... It's late.

Dr. Anonymous?

Can we have your autograph?

Yeah.

Don't tell that... Hey, Doc.

Will you sign mine as your alter ego? Yes.

You know, I'm not... Jeffrey Tucker, I'm not Dr. Anonymous. None of those guys,

okay? Everyone's making a statement.

Would you sign mine?

Sure. To Boom Boom.

Boom Boom. It's like a nickname.

Of course it is.

So, Boom Boom, what chapter did you like best?

Oh, hey, Mark.

I'll talk to you.

You're driving me crazy. Who is? Everybody.

They all think that I'm the... Doctor Anonymous guy.

Men are envious of me.

Gorgeous women are throwing themselves at me.

Oh, gee, Jesse, I didn't know things got that bad.

Yeah, well, the thing of it is, they're not really throwing themselves at me.

They're throwing themselves at Doctor Anonymous. I just happen to be standing

the way. And the worst thing is, Amanda hates me. She's convinced that I

betrayed her confidence, and I don't know what to do.

You know, my advice is, just be patient. Amanda knows you too well to think

you'd really do something like that.

Look, you know it and I know it, but there's an entire hospital out there

convincing her otherwise.

Mark, I barely have time to write a prescription. What makes them think I

time to write a 400 -page bestseller?

Dr. Sloan to the boardroom. Dr.

Sloan, please report to the boardroom.

Don't worry about it.

Who is this person who's accusing Dr. Wesley?

I received an email from a student who chose to remain anonymous.

Well, I share your opinion of anonymous accusations, Mark, but in this case, one

can understand the reason. In accusing Dr.

Wesley of trading sex for a passing grade, the student clearly implicates

himself.

Obviously, if his identity were made known, he could face expulsion from

school. Did this anonymous person explain why he suddenly is blowing the

on Dr. Wesley?

Yes, he said that he wants...

To save other students from falling into her web.

I don't believe that. And I don't think you should either.

Well, that's well and good.

But this board has a responsibility to make certain... Right now I say the

responsibility of this board is not to give credence to scurrilous rumors.

I mean, this is Salem.

And Dr. Wesley is not a witch.

Well, this is hardly a witch hunt, Mark.

Oh, isn't it?

Do you recall an early occasion when you were all so eager to believe a

malicious rumor about Dr. Wesley?

Do you recall what it was like eating crow a la carte?

How could you?

How could I what? I thought we were friends.

We aren't. It's just that I... I am not a helpless little girl, you know, and

you are not my father.

Madison, look, I am sorry I upset you, but I just couldn't stand by and watch

somebody try and ruin your reputation.

My reputation?

How dare you?

What exactly is it that you have against Brett?

Brett? You're talking about Brett.

Are you going to deny that you had Steve do a background check on him?

Madison, I'm sorry. I thought it wouldn't hurt to know a little bit more

that man.

I know all I need to know.

I was trying to be a friend.

Friends want what's best for each other. And if you can't see that he's the best

thing that's ever happened to me, then obviously you... You're not the friend I

thought you were.

That's always the risk with running background checks, Dad.

You can't swear people to secrecy. And once you start asking questions... Yeah,

I suppose.

Did you at least find out anything?

No, the only thing I know is that Mr. Brett Hayward doesn't leave a lot of

track. You want me to keep hunting?

No, I guess not.

Because if Madison ever finds out, she'd never forgive me.

As it is.

How's the, uh... You want some lunch?

No, I'm not hungry.

So how's the, uh, Yorsburg murder investigation going?

The man not only didn't have any enemies, you can't find anybody that'll

bad word about him.

You ask people what he's like, you get a ten -minute testimonial.

He wasn't killed for drugs or money.

It's like the guy was an innocent bystander.

Somebody had a grievance. Otherwise, why'd they kill him?

What about the guy the nurse didn't recognize?

Eddie Dagobosian? Right.

Turns out he was a small -time crook. The past couple of years, he's been

a couple of times for fencing stolen property.

That informant of mine thinks he knows where he's going to be at four o 'clock.

So I better get going.

You going to eat those?

No, I'm probably not.

See you.

He gives new meaning to the word fast food.

Can I have some more fries?

He's still in silence.

You take the back. You come with me.

Here he comes.

And there he goes.

Why were you chasing me? Because you were running.

Because you were chasing me. Because you were running.

Never mind. Let's go.

All right, let's try it one more time, Eddie.

I told you, I never even heard of this Dr.

Horsebird.

Yurtsburg. See, I can't even say his damn name.

You didn't think I killed the guy.

Well, humor me.

Where were you last Thursday at about 7 p .m.? Who keeps track?

Check with my secretary.

I'm talking about first -degree murder here, Eddie, and right now you are my

prime candidate.

I am a lot of things, but I am no murderer. Just look up my record. Well,

have.

You started with petty theft, then you moved up to burglary, and then you

a fence.

To me, Eddie, that looks like a man working his way up the felony ladder.

But not all the way to murder.

Boy, you must be really hard up for a fall guy.

You can do better than that, Eddie, and this time without the attitude.

Now, where were you last Thursday at 7 p .m.? I was unloading a shipment of

electric guitars and amplifiers.

A shipment?

A truckload.

Boy.

You want to know what the trouble of this country is?

Tell me.

It's always the small businessman that gets it in the neck.

By the way, Eddie, have you ever had any plastic surgery?

Just some kind of crack.

The hallmark of malarial infection is a triad of spleenic enlargement,

intermittent fever, and anemia.

You can understand why it's so often mistaken for influenza.

The incubation period typically ranges from 10 to 40 days, but

can be as long as a year.

Vibax, Valet, Malariae all cause the benign type of malaria which becomes

progressively less symptomatic over time.

There is no way that anybody's going to believe that you would trade sex for

grades. Not in a million years.

Don't kid yourself.

That's exactly what people want to hear and repeat. Well, I'm not going to

believe it, all right? And neither is anybody that knows you. They're not

to believe it either.

Thank God for you.

Yes, but what we have to do is we have to find out who would have a reason to

all this crazy stuff to you.

But why would anyone want to be so cruel to me?

I mean, what's next, a rattlesnake in my mailbox?

Who could hate me this much?

Have you ever hurt anybody? I mean, really, really hurt anybody?

I'm sure that I have, but who hasn't?

But never intentionally cruel.

And certainly nothing to justify this campaign against me. Let me tell you a

little story, okay?

A while back, I went to my 20th high school reunion.

This woman marches up to me. She's mad as a hornet.

And she tells me for the longest time she has just hated my guts.

I didn't even know who she was.

Well, it turns out that she was a classmate of mine.

She had a crush on me. She thought that I had a crush on her.

Well, when I didn't invite her to the senior prom, she was devastated. She

home and she stayed in bed for a week.

She says still to this day that I ruined her life. And, Maddie, I didn't even

know who she was.

You weren't responsible for how she felt.

No, of course not. See, that's the point.

Because if she were stalking me, then I don't think anybody would make the

connection.

So is there anybody, anywhere, that maybe would hold a grudge like that

you?

Well, the only thing... No, I can't... Maddie, come on.

I'm not going to judge you. Tell me, what is it?

Well, it was a long time ago.

It was at the public health school at the University of Michigan.

And there was a student there named Connie Hudson who was up for a grant.

She turned in a research paper, and one of the members of the grant committee,

Professor Gerard, asked me to read it.

Why?

He thought she had committed plagiarism.

He was an excellent professor, it's just he didn't read all the latest articles.

But you did.

Yes, I read everything I could get my hands on.

And one of them was an article written by an English cardiologist named

Channing. So I read Connie's paper, and it shocked me.

She barely bothered to change a word.

So you turned her in?

I had no choice.

Well, that doesn't seem such a terrible thing to me.

Actually, it turned out quite horribly.

When she didn't get the grant,

She went home.

She committed suicide.

And I was devastated.

Oh, Maddie.

She was a brilliant girl. I'll never understand why she committed plagiarism.

Maybe she'd never even heard of this Channing. Oh, don't be ridiculous. She

copied every paragraph verbatim. All right, well, she's dead.

Anyway, so she can't be the one who's stalking you.

Uh, hey.

What are you doing?

I want you to have this. No, I hate guns.

You need protection, and I can't be around to protect you all the time. I

couldn't shoot anybody.

Listen, I'll just... Here, I'll put it in the nightstand for my own peace of

mind. It's right there.

Okay.

Come on.

I can't wait till this night is over.

It'll be over soon.

I promise.

book is a lark never expected it to get published even after it did i still had

no intention of going public once that jerk doctor from los angeles started

saying that he wrote the book i had no option but to come clean coming up your

microwave may be convenient but is it killing you these stories and more

on 48 hours

Oh, come on. You know, I didn't... I didn't tell everybody. You know,

technically, I told you.

Boom, boom.

I'm sorry.

That the villagers didn't come after me with pitchforks and torches?

No, I'm sorry I didn't believe you.

And I'm sorry that I was no better than the rest of them.

Jesse, I feel like I don't deserve to have you as a friend.

So do I.

What are you doing with that? I just shot a man.

An intruder in the bedroom.

Call 911.

Make the call now. Call 911.

Maddie.

Maddie, did you call the police yet?

They're on their way.

I think you should come up and take a look.

Rather not I really really think you should

I

don't understand

I shot a man. I saw him fall right there.

Shot him with this gun?

Maddie, this gun, it hasn't been fired.

Here you go, Maddie.

Drink a little of this.

Thank you.

Lieutenant.

Find anything?

No sign of forced entry. No footprints outside.

None of the neighbors or anything but the wind.

What about you?

No victim, no blood. The gun definitely has not been fired.

Frank, Lieutenant, this isn't looking like any crime she might have ever come

across. All right, thanks.

You've got to believe me.

Madison, we've all had dreams that seemed absolutely real.

It was a nightmare.

But not the kind you mean. I... You heard the gunshots? Tell them,

Brett, please.

What is it?

You heard the sounds? You were coming in the door at the same time.

You weren't home tonight?

No, unfortunately, I was at a meeting downtown.

You didn't hear any gunshots.

I'm sorry. I didn't hear anything. I didn't even know there was any problem

until I saw Maddie coming down the stairs carrying a gun.

But the shots, they were so loud. My ears are so ringing with the shots.

Madison, would you like for me to prescribe a sedative for you just for

No, I'm all right.

Really.

Come on, give me a little rest.

Let's get you to bed.

Come on.

I think she may need some help.

You're right.

She's in terrible trouble.

What are you doing?

Fingerprints.

I just don't think this gentleman is as good as he appears to be. What do you

mean? Well, for one thing, wherever women are concerned, none of us are as

as we pretend to be.

Except for another, nobody can be that good.

That's a cynical remark.

I mean, it's perceptive, but cynical.

Anything on Brett Hayward? Well, assuming they were Brett's fingerprints,

real name is Brian Hudson.

Same initials.

Yeah, just like you and Dr. Jeffrey Tucker, huh? No, it's not the same at

Anything else?

Well, Hudson was in an automobile accident that left him near death with

multiple injuries and a horribly disfigured face.

That can't be the same Hayward. That guy looks like a TV star.

Maybe he had his face reconstructed.

Dr. Yordsberg?

Yordsberg really was terrific.

But why would Brett want to kill him?

Maybe to cover his tracks so there wouldn't be any connection left between

Hudson and Hayward.

How do you figure Dagobosian fits into this? How did his name and photos get

into Dr. Yordsberg's files?

Why don't we go ask him?

Come on, give me a little rest.

Let's get you to bed.

Dr. Sloan, I'll hurry.

What do you want from me, huh?

I already copped the fencing. I swear I never even heard of your plastic

surgeon. Yeah, we know that.

Does the name Brian Hudson mean anything to you?

Brian? What's he got to do with anything?

You know him?

Yeah. I know him years ago. I know him when they were at public health school.

I know him and his wife.

We hung together.

You hung out with a couple of medical students?

That's right. We paddled around.

In other words, you were their connection.

A little pot.

Big deal.

Did they ever take a picture of you?

Yeah. And I took theirs. That's what pals do.

When's the last time you saw Brian?

Around the time things went really sour.

What happened?

Well, Connie was up for a prize or something. Whatever it was, she had her

pinned on it. But I guess, what, with the pot and all the partying, she'd let

things slide and she got caught cheating.

One of the students blew the whistle on her.

She really took it hard. Actually, she and Brian both did.

When Brian came home, he found Connie and killed herself.

The way I heard it, he ran screaming out of the house, jumped into his car,

wound up driving 90 miles an hour in a tree.

Trying to kill himself?

Could be.

Unfortunately, before he drove into a tree, he ran over a little girl.

I'm sure he didn't mean to, but they said it was second -degree murder, and

went away for a long time.

How did his wife kill herself?

They said she hanged herself from a rafter.

Where was this public health school?

Ann Arbor.

University of Michigan.

That's where Madison went.

You put something in this.

Yes, I did. Vanilla and nutmeg, so it wouldn't taste so awful.

Come on, down the hatch.

You're really good to me.

You're just getting what you deserve.

That's my girl.

Can't you get this thing to go any faster?

Not unless we sprout wings.

Sprout?

Did you really think that you would never get your comeuppance, Dr. Wesley?

That you could continue messing up other people's lives and never have to pay

the price yourself?

Well.

Sure, Connie fell a little behind in her studies, but she had to borrow from

Channing. I mean, she had to do that. I suppose you never fed or broke the

rules.

No, no, probably not.

We'd never do something like that.

Well, Connie was going to be a brilliant research scientist.

If it wasn't for you, brilliant.

Well, what goes around comes around.

Like the coat?

Well, Connie gave it to me.

It's on our first anniversary.

Joey said that on your anniversary, you got fringe.

See, it was something, I'll tell you.

Connie had impeccable taste.

Connie had everything.

She meant the world to me.

Okay.

Let's go. It's so time.

Madison?

Come on, sweetheart.

Come on.

Off you go. That's a good girl.

On your toes.

On your toes, sweetie.

Right there.

Let's see.

That's my girl.

Showtime.

Jim Madison.

Steve, give me a hand.

All right, Dad, I got her. You're

lovely,

Mark.

But I don't really deserve them, not after the way I spoke to you.

And even then, you defended me to the board. Oh, they didn't do that much

convincing.

Who did I shoot?

You didn't really shoot anybody.

I could have sworn that I... He picked up some harmless barfly, gave him $100,

and said, I'm playing a practical joke on my wife.

But I shot him point blank.

Your gun was full of blanks.

When Brett went upstairs, he switched it for a gun loaded with real bullets.

He hated me so much.

What kind of person am I that would fall in love with a man like that?

I don't think you fell in love with him. I think you fell in love with the

person he pretended to be. The guy was a hell of an actor.

How can I thank you?

Believe me, Madison, your friendship's all the thanks I need.

You get yourself some rest.