Original subtitles

Give it up, Mac.

Let's go.

Now.

I said now.

Give me your due.

Come again?

For God's sakes, this is a stick -up.

Customer pick -up?

It's over on the first level, near the... I've got a gun here.

Oh, my God.

Please don't hurt me.

Okay. Here. I've got a wife and a son.

Fine.

What do they hate?

I said fine.

Give me the cash.

Can you give me a break here?

It's Christmas.

Merry Christmas, you dink.

This stuff's very fragile.

It's dessert plates for my wife.

The peach is in cream pattern.

Please, can you hold on to this while I try to get my wallet?

All right, all right.

You're under arrest.

I...

does call for special treatment we're glad you have found your way here we

you enjoy your stay here you did

Let's see.

I could do manicotti or lasagna or... This looks like a good one, Rach.

Linguine with pesto?

What do you think, for the guys on Christmas Eve?

The last two years, I made veal piccata.

What do you think, a batch of this linguine with pesto?

Hey, what's the matter?

It's David.

He's growing, Tony.

Isn't that why we feed him?

So, you got invited to a Hanukkah party.

At Michelle Gottlieb's house. A boy -girl Hanukkah party.

It's his first boy -girl party.

Five minutes ago, he was cutting his first tooth, and now he finds someone...

Finds someone?

That's him, wrong man?

At his age?

We were his age when we first met at Chrissy Cannizzaro's party.

Good things turn out so bad.

So, he goes to Michelle's party, and some girl catches his eye. They start

homework together.

No problem. It's harmless.

Junior high, they go to movies together Saturday afternoons, and you're

thinking, don't worry, it's just a phase.

But he is just like you, Tony. He gets comfortable in a situation he's not

to look elsewhere.

So now they're in high school doing I don't want to know what together, and

you're still thinking, hey, he'll go away to college, or somebody else will

along. You didn't even tell us, Dave, that there were other fish in the sea,

whatever bromide your father used on you. But it is all to no effect, because

his mind's been set ever since they first met at Michelle Gottlieb's farm.

And now we've thrown this big, fancy wedding with an eight -piece band.

And all of a sudden, she decides that she's tired of living in Eastbridge. And

she takes David and my grandchildren and they move away to California.

And the world continues to turn until one day you and I are on the cutting

of Alzheimer's. And we wind up in a home getting phone calls from Fresno from

people that we don't even remember.

That was my baby.

I'm better off without him.

I don't want to see him grow up any faster than you do.

But he's going to grow up.

The best that we can hope for is that he'll be happy and healthy, and that we

can watch him grow up together.

Someone

killed

my mother.

This is X -Ray 10.

We need a homicide unit at 17 Jasmine Valley Road.

What?

And a very pleasant good morning to you.

I just broke a nail.

Oh, you want the week off?

I'll get over it.

But this one was my favorite. I used it to impale three previous employers.

Call Eastbridge Restaurant Supply. Tell Dave I need six food warmers.

And three dozen plates.

Dining alone tonight?

It's for Christmas Eve.

I put on a spread for the guys who have to work.

That's kind of nice.

Gee, thanks.

Maybe I should whip up a batch of the shrimp etouffee and dirty rice I'm

for. Hey, that'd be kind of nice.

Gee, thanks.

I'm getting off the line now before any genuine warmth develops between us.

I love the holiday.

It puts me in mind the years gone by.

When I was childish, I still remember the first time my dad let me string the

lights at the house all by myself.

Oh, it was beautiful.

And the fire did very little damage.

to put these people in shelters. She's in a shelter already.

The manger scene ain't a place for vagrants. It's supposed to beautify the

square. I'm sure everybody appreciates you donating the money to build it.

Except it isn't beautiful to find some homeless person bunking next to the baby

Jesus. People won't bring their kids.

It becomes a breeding ground for the criminal element.

Criminal element? All she wants to do is find a place to sleep.

She's a vagrant, Scali. She has to go.

Now, don't make me squeeze you on this.

That feels terrible you made me do that.

I'll take care of it.

Call me regarding those bricks for your patio. I'll send over a truck.

How'd he get to be president of the city council?

The old -fashioned way.

Intimidation. He's got everyone on the council sewn up, locked out, or barked

in.

What is it, Bill?

Somebody killed her at Atkins.

My mother and her were in a garden club together. She had to be 70 years old.

My mother was 69.

He would have been.

He would have been 69 on the 28th of January.

I think it was the 28th.

I don't know. I can't remember all of them.

You roger the call, Juan?

The guy broke in.

He was going after the present under the tree.

And Mrs. Atkins surprised him.

He got her once in the head.

Imagine that, boss, for a lousy few hundred bucks. Take it easy.

Take it easy.

Her husband, that's the old guy, he was upstairs sleeping. He heard the shot,

but by the time he got downstairs, the guy was gone.

Okay. She looked so beautiful.

I mean, her face, there wasn't a mark on it.

Like you were going to get up any second.

Okay, Ron. Back to work.

Don't worry.

Mr. Atkins, I'm Commissioner Scali.

I want to express my condolences and... we'll do everything we can to find the

person who did this and see that he's punished.

Thank you.

I'm Tom Atkins, Commissioner.

Tom, we'll try to inconvenience you as little as possible.

And there are counselors, people praying that helping families deal with

tragedies like this.

I'll have my office call and leave you with some names.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Merry Christmas.

You talk to Mr. Atkins? I think Terry could handle it. Tony, I think we've got

situation here.

Tom Atkins said the perp used this window to gain access.

That's the case. How come this glass is outside the house?

Could be on the points of entry.

Any unlocked doors or windows?

Haven't found any so far.

We're still checking. Good.

Perp, uh...

Must have dropped these here so he could get over the hedge.

Hey, Marsha.

Yeah, boss.

Any footprints?

No, nothing.

It's been cold at night.

It's hard.

Hasn't been that cold. It's been cold.

It's been below 32 every night this week.

Top level freezes. You won't leave a print.

Just for the sake of argument.

If you came running out of the house with those presents, wouldn't you keep

till you at least got to the hedge?

I know how this looks, Irv.

Those presents are no more than 20 feet away from that window.

So someone could have thrown them outside without ever leaving the house.

same person who knocked out the window.

You'd think this burglary was staged to cover a homicide.

Frank and Tom Atkins.

are the two guys who logically had access to... You haven't been in that

You haven't looked in their eyes.

No, but I... I've seen a lot of devastated people.

They rank right up there.

No one's that good an actor.

I want to see the full report on my desk first thing tomorrow morning.

I couldn't be wrong.

It's happened.

It's happened to me, too.

I didn't think there was anyone here.

Then why'd you say hello?

Look, uh... I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.

I'm afraid you won't like my answer.

You see, ma 'am, I... I'm the police commissioner and... Why

don't you let me take you to the shelter over on Haskell Street?

I'm clean, you know.

I wash up every day at the ladies' room in Redmond's department store.

Well, that's fine, but... I've been to the shelter on Haskell Street. It's a

pigsty.

I like to be on my own.

I don't ask for anything.

I've got my shoes ripped off at that shelter on Haskell Street.

We have an ordinance that... What am I hurting here?

Answer me that.

This is where I want to be.

I've loved seeing the Major ever since I was a kid.

Nice here.

Yes, isn't it?

Mom, you think Dad misses not having a Christmas tree?

He's never said he does.

Don't you think he does?

I mean, he always had one when he was growing up.

Well, that was a big part of the discussion before your dad and I got

It was very important to me that you be raised Jewish, and your father agreed.

Mark has a Christmas tree, and Steve Markowitz, they're Jewish.

I know, but that's the way their parents wanted it.

Do you want a tree?

Not really.

Honey, I know that when other people... The majority of other people have

something. It's only natural to want it to and to feel like you're missing out.

But we have a beautiful tradition.

And your dad and I wanted you to be raised in it with as little confusion as

possible.

Don't worry.

I don't think he misses the tree at all.

I hope not.

What date?

Leftover lasagna.

Oh, great.

It's always best on the second date.

How was school?

Same.

I happened to see that invitation to Michelle Gottlieb's party.

Well, I don't think I'm going to go.

How come?

Because it's a boy -girl thing?

I mean, is that what's bothering you?

No.

Actually, there's a girl I kind of... Kind of like?

But she won't go with me.

You ask, huh?

What's the point?

The point is, if you don't ask, how are you going to know?

I know.

Sometimes you just know.

What's that, Lezak?

Laurie Goodman.

She's six months older than me, and she likes Matthew Rosen, the dweeb.

They married, Laurie and Matthew?

Dad, they're kids.

Well, and technically she's still available.

She's going to say no.

Well... There is that possibility.

But if you don't give someone the opportunity to say no, you don't give

opportunity to say yes.

You want to light them candles now?

Okay.

Tony?

Honey, it's the middle of the night.

I gotta go check something over at Frank Atkins' house.

Honey, it's freezing out there.

That's what I'm counting on. I'll be back in an hour.

You smell nice.

Thanks.

Well, not just now.

I mean, you always smell nice.

Thanks.

I was invited to Michelle Gottlieb's party. You want to go?

Sure.

But I thought you liked Matthew Rosen.

He's a dweeb.

You know, I'm really glad you asked me, David.

Yeah,

I can read, Irv. But I'm telling you, Frank Atkins didn't kill his wife.

I agree with you.

Look at the prints we found on the windowsill, the point of entry.

They were torn.

But still, it was his parents' house. Why wouldn't his parents... A neighbor

heard the gunshot just before dawn, went outside to look around.

Then, an hour later, he heard that window break.

And we didn't get the call until 10 .06.

Plenty of time for him to throw the presents out the window and set this

thing... There wasn't a dime of life insurance on Annette Atkins.

And they weren't in financial trouble anyway.

There's no motive.

It's the holidays. People kill each other.

Not these people. It doesn't add up. Maybe because you don't want it to. The

-American family. Who wants to think what really goes on?

I saw their eyes, Irv.

Either one of them did it.

I'm gonna prove it.

Pony!

My phone.

Sorry to bother you, Tom.

Could I have a minute of your time?

Yeah, sure.

Hello, Mr. Atkins.

I don't mean to bother you, but I need your help.

I was just making Dad some tea.

Great.

What I'm trying to say is, and I hate saying it, at the moment, we're nowhere.

If there are any other details you can remember, anything at all,

Sugar, please, Tom.

Nothing that we haven't told you already.

I mean, your dad was upstairs.

Please, call me Tony.

You wanted to say? Well, he never actually saw anything except my mother

she was... Isn't that right?

Yeah.

Could I have another one of them cookies?

Because the way things stand, we don't have a lead, we don't have a suspect.

Until now.

What is this?

I put phenylene solution on your hand, Frank.

A paraffin test.

You had no warrant? You fired a gun within the last 32 hours.

You had no right to come in here. No, no, don't say a word.

I'm calling Howard. He can help us. I shot my wife, Commissioner.

Dad!

Tom tried to make it look like a robbery to protect me.

I'm at peace with what I did.

Is Howard your lawyer?

I think you better make that call.

Commissioner, I have something for you to see that'll explain everything about

this. No!

She'd want him to know, Dad.

For your sake.

No, I've never been good with mechanical things, so I hope this works.

It's June 14th, Flag Day.

The doctor just told me the cancer has gone into the bones now.

I'm making this tape so that at the end, if I'm not able to communicate,

you'll have my wishes on record.

Frank. My darling, you've given me 52 wonderful years.

Through it all, you've been my joy, my strength,

and my friend.

The doctor doesn't think I'll see another Christmas.

And to be honest, I don't want to.

Not with what I know is in store.

I look into your eyes now, and where I used to see only love,

I see your heartache.

That's not how I want you and Tommy and the children to spend this Christmas.

So, before this Christmas comes,

On a day you and I will choose together, I want you to give me a kiss.

And if I'm not able to do it myself, I want you to help me

die.

I want you to remember me as I was all those happy Christmases.

Even on the last day, I will love you.

As I always have.

So many Christmas gifts you've given me, Frank.

This will be the greatest of all.

I didn't even know she'd made the tape until she had him played about 10 days

ago.

I mean, I know legally it wouldn't stand up in court or anything, but they

couldn't give her any more morphine.

She was suffering so.

You wouldn't want to see anybody that you loved in that much pain.

Well, Commissioner, now you know the truth.

What are you going to do about it?

I walked up to her. I asked her.

Then she said yes. It was a snap.

She never had a chance.

The woman hasn't been born that could resist the old scally charm.

Yeah, right, Valentino.

So on Saturday, we'll get the car washed, and I'll drive you and Lori to

party with lights and sirens.

Maybe we should keep it kind of low -key.

Oh, okay.

Maybe just lights.

Thanks, Dad. Attaboy.

Night, honey. Night, Mom.

Flush your teeth.

The autopsy report came this afternoon.

She had two weeks left at the outside.

They couldn't give her any more morphine.

The pain must have been... I think you were right not to arrest him. I have to.

He killed his wife.

He ended her suffering.

It's murder.

Tony, you're the lawyer.

But in order for there to be a murder, doesn't there have to be a victim?

There's no victim here.

This is what she wanted.

He said she was down to 70 pounds.

She was just too weak to pick up the gun herself.

And that's the difference.

Frank did it for her.

He did it out of love.

The law doesn't take love into account.

Maybe it should, but it doesn't. And I have to enforce the law.

Then why didn't you arrest him when you went to his house?

Because you know in your heart that what he did was right.

The whole thing caught me off guard.

And I... The bottom line is, the

law is the law.

My job is my job.

Tony, God forbid it a thousand times.

But what if it were us?

What if it were me?

Rachel, you're asking me to look 40 years into a future I don't want to see.

And that's all I've been doing.

And?

Would you do it if you knew it was what I wanted?

Would you love me enough to give me the gift that he gave her?

I don't know.

I told you to get that woman out of the manger. Then I drive by this morning and

she's still there.

Why? I mean, why is that woman still there? What, am I talking to thin air

or what?

Phil, I've been swamped. Oh, that's a lousy excuse.

Give me a minute. I'll come up with a better one.

You work for the city council, which means that you work for me.

What? What is that?

I'm sorry, Phil. You break it up.

I'm going to bring this up before the council.

We're going through a bad zone here.

I'm calling a meeting for 9 o 'clock tonight. I got the votes to bury you,

Scali? Scali!

Good talking to you.

But, Lori, look, I can't go with you. I'm sorry.

Bye. But my dad was going to take us in his official car.

Why did you ask her out in the first place?

I was giving her the opportunity to say yes.

She said she thought he was a dweeb.

She's such a liar.

Look, David, she wanted to go with him all along.

She said yes to you to make him jealous.

I'm very sorry, but I'm going to have to place you under... I know.

Come in, will you? I have something on the stove.

Here we go.

Why don't you let me fix your plate?

I'm sure you'll find this delicious.

No, thanks.

I always used to tease Annette about her cooking.

Oh, she was excellent.

Don't get me wrong.

But she'd always say, add some garlic powder, put in a little pepper.

I'd say, well, how much is some?

Yeah, some is some.

I was a CPA.

You know, everything precise to a penny.

Some is some.

Kind of vagueness drove me great.

So...

After she took set, she, uh... She started putting together her recipes.

All my favorites. So I'd be able to... I don't want you eating at diners, she

said. And none of that frozen stuff.

Yeah. Well, look here.

Here's, uh, potatoes en gratin.

Cooked for 55 minutes at exactly 425.

I don't think I cooked a meal all year through. Mary, though, it is...

It's a broiled halibut with capers. One half teaspoon of dill.

See how she listed all the spices.

You know, I actually feel like I can get the hang of this. You know, thanks to

these. Chicken Dijon.

Yeah. Well, that's a bit complicated.

Oh, here's the pecan pie.

pecan pie she always made me for my birthday.

I thought I'd finished with that.

I've tried to put myself in your position.

And loving my wife as I do.

I don't think I would ever have the strength to do what you did.

No one thinks it.

I'll be ready to go in a minute.

No.

You just take care of yourself, Frank.

You came to arrest me.

Yeah.

It's funny.

After all these years of being a cop and sometimes risking everything to nail a

bad guy, I never thought all this would happen because I couldn't nail a good

guy. What do you mean, all this?

Rachel, what choice do I have?

I mean, I could try to cover it up, take the law into my own hands.

I'd bounce guys off the force for doing that.

I took an oath to uphold the law.

Not just the law I agree with.

Not only the law that I believe is morally right, but all the law.

If I can't do that, I shouldn't be wearing the badge.

Tony, all your life you wanted to be a cop.

It's not just being a cop.

It's the kind of cop I'm going to be.

Well, there's got to be some other solution short of... There isn't,

There just isn't.

People who have done what Frank has done, some of them have gotten off.

And some haven't.

The only way I can be sure he doesn't do time is if I don't arrest him.

And then I'm not doing what I'm sworn to do.

Well, then they'll get somebody else to arrest him.

You'll have given up everything that you work for, and they'll get someone else.

Let them get someone else.

I can't control what they do.

I can only control what I do.

Rachel, I don't know anything anymore.

Except if I arrest Frank Atkins, I'm doing something I hate.

If I throw that lady out of the creche, I'm doing something I hate.

My father used to say...

You gotta shave your own face in the morning.

These days, when I look in the mirror, I don't like the view.

Now I gotta go deal with Phil Malloy and the rubber -stamped city council.

Think you're going to be able to change their minds?

I don't know what I think.

Order.

All right, let's make this short and sweet.

We have a vagrancy occurring in the manger scene, and Commissioner Scali has

refused to remove the offending party.

Am I right so far?

Yep. I told you to get her into a shelter.

She didn't want to go.

I could have taken her there by force, but she wouldn't have stayed.

But that wasn't the point. You're right. The point is, I want a resolution from

this council ordering Commissioner Scali to remove the vagrant. And if he

refuses, to supersede his authority and order her removal.

Do I have a mover?

So moved.

Do I have a seconder?

It's Christmas, Bill. Why do you think I built the manger scene in the first

place? So you could sell more bricks and pave more driveways.

Order! Order!

You know, Mary and Joseph were homeless, too, if only for that one night.

Shouldn't we let the spirit of the season guide us instead of the letter of

city ordinance?

We have an opportunity to offer shelter to a woman who needs it.

And in this case, what more appropriate shelter could we have to offer?

2 ,000 years ago, there was no room at the inn.

Haven't we progressed any since then?

Order!

Order!

All those in favor of ordering Commissioner Scali to remove the

raise your hand.

I said raise their hands.

Motion is carried unanimously.

Well, Commissioner, the people have spoken.

Do your job.

Mr. President, I guess there could be an argument as to whether or not the

people have spoken.

But I won't be here to take part in it because I quit.

school today?

There's an assembly for the big kids. We don't go until noon.

You know that Grand Prix computer program I wanted for Hanukkah?

Yeah?

I tried it over at Stu Kurtzman's house.

It's really not all it's cracked up to be.

But you've been talking about that program for months.

What do you want for Hanukkah?

Let's just put it on hold for a while.

Until I think of something.

Don't worry, Dad.

Everything will be okay.

Thanks.

I heard.

You're a lucky man.

And how is electricity supposed to know if it's 110 or 250?

This has also been a mystery to me.

Unless we're with you, boss.

Frank Adkins is in your office.

I told him he could wait in there.

Hi, Frank.

Sit down, please.

I don't know you that well, Commissioner.

Maybe you did resign because of that lady at the crash.

But I don't think so.

I think you did it because of me.

I'm going to turn myself in.

You don't have to.

What I did was between Annette and me.

I never expected there wouldn't be a price to pay.

I've always been prepared for that.

The one thing I can't allow is for someone else to pay it.

Particularly you.

The thing is, I've never turned myself in before.

Where do I go?

It's what I have to do.

It's what I want to do.

Clayton Marshall's the district attorney.

He's a friend of mine.

Can I go with you?

Thank you.

I'm sure it's going to be a nice party.

Right.

Laurie's going to be there.

With Matthew.

I'll look stupid.

I just... I thought she liked me.

I know how you feel.

Well, the old scally charm doesn't always work.

I'm not saying you shouldn't feel things.

But sometimes it's like... a guy gets plunked by a Nolan Ryan fastball.

Takes the heater right in the ribs.

What do they tell him?

Don't rub it.

Don't let them know it hurt.

Because if you do, they'll run you right out of the league.

So, you think I should go stag?

Stag?

What I'm saying is, if you still want to go, I'll take you.

Get the salt, babe.

There you go.

I'd feel Piccata is a lot less painful to come up with.

Unless you're the veal.

I'll get it.

I need the rest.

Can I take your coat? No. No, thank you.

Hello, Arnold. Tony.

Tony, since last night, my phone's been ringing off the hook.

It's been happening to all the other members of the council.

Our constituent... Don't want the vagrancy ordinance enforced.

I see.

They also made it clear they support your position.

And they aren't very happy with the way we acquiesced to Phil's demands.

They think we're wusses is what they think. And they're right.

So we just had an executive session and we overturned last night's vote.

And we'd like you to reconsider your resignation.

Will you do it, Tony?

In the spirit of the season?

In the spirit of the season.

Abso -freaking -lutely.

You sure you want to do

this?

If you don't, you can come with us to the precinct.

Nah.

I'm not going to let them know the heater got me.

We'll pick you up at 10.

Hi, David.

I'll make it 10 .30.

If he marries that girl, so help him, I'll kill you.

Why don't you take it over to the shelter on Haskell Street?

And on account of you, a person can't have any privacy around here.

Merry Christmas.

I got some linguine with pesto here.

I'm on a low -sodium diet, so you can take it down the road.

And take them with you.

Don't worry, guys. There's plenty more where this came from.

This is great, boss.

Makes working this ship worthwhile. Merry Christmas.

Same to you, Bill.

Merry Christmas, boss.

You too, Ricky.

Oh,

I'd love another hit of that, Lucille. It's fantastic.

Hey, Caruso, I got Linguini here. What kind of Italian are you?

Can I crash this party?

Clayton, Merry Christmas.

Uh, Rachel, you know District Attorney Clayton Marshall.

Hi. Merry Christmas.

You too.

Tony, we charged the grand jury on the Atkins case this morning. And?

Sympathetic defendant, Christmas spirit, I don't think he'll be indicted.

I've been wrong before, but I don't think I'm wrong this time.

Thanks, Clayton.

Grab a plate.

Have some linguine.

Is that shrimp etouffee?

Mm -hmm.

Okay, here we go.

Merry Christmas, everyone.