Original subtitles

Previously on The Commish.

Take care of your mommy.

At least you won't have to hear me snore.

You won't have to deal with my nylons in the sink.

See? Everything's going to work out great.

Best thing that could have happened.

You miss her, don't you?

Did you hit it up there in Buffalo?

We were together.

Yeah.

What are you doing here?

David and I discussed it, and we're going to move up here so we can all be

together. What about your job?

I quit.

Tony, I quit my job.

They already replaced me.

I thought you said you loved your job.

We weren't with you.

That's what I want.

So, here we are.

Here we are.

Currently unemployed.

You hate me.

Rachel. Well, if I were you, I'd hate me.

If I hadn't gone to Buffalo, none of this would have happened. I was the one

told you to go to Buffalo.

I know, but it's not fair.

I mean, I got my job back and you didn't.

Maybe we should have stayed in Buffalo after all.

Of course not.

Our house is here.

David can finish school. It's going to work out for the best, Rach, really.

I don't know. I just cannot believe the city council picked a new commissioner

so quickly.

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

Maybe I've been in a rut for the past few years.

All you ever wanted to do was be a cop.

And I did it for 15 years. Maybe it's time to move on.

It's a good thing Pete Dunbar's around to give me a job.

I think it's going to be weird seeing you as a private investigator.

I can see it.

Working on interesting cases. No more bureaucratic garbage to deal with.

I can see it.

Tony.

Please, don't worry. It'll be fine.

I'm excited.

Really.

Hey, boss.

How's it going?

Hey, boss. How you doing?

It's Tony now.

Are you really going to be a PI?

Sure am.

Don't show us up, okay?

Hey, guys, get back to work. Don't get in trouble with the new boss.

Hey, you look good. Thanks.

Thanks. See you, boss. Hey.

You'll be met.

The new commissioner asked me to come by.

Probably needs a little help with the transition.

Oh, right, sure.

Well, he's in the office with the mayor and city councilman. This shouldn't be

too long.

Yeah.

How is he, anyhow?

Oh, he's great so far.

Not that you weren't great, too. You know, he's just... He's really good.

Things are really running smoothly.

Not that they weren't running smoothly with you.

You know, I just... Off the record, just

between you and I, it won't go any further. What's he really like?

Well, he's... He's really great.

Hello, Tony. Louise.

Commissioner Hayden wanted me to stop by, help him get started.

He's already gotten started.

Felonies are down 8%. That doesn't mean anything.

He's only been here for two weeks.

But congratulations, anyway.

Sounds like you made the right choice.

If I'd known you were going to change your mind so quickly, we probably

have hired him.

Yes, you would have.

Yes, we left.

Half the towns in the state were after him.

Now that's a police commissioner.

Commissioner Hayden, Tony Scali.

Tony, mind if I call you Tony? I'm Jim.

It's nice to meet you. People are saying good things about you.

Well, it's still a honeymoon. Let's see how the marriage works out. By the way,

thanks for taking the time to drop by.

Glad to.

You probably want to talk people.

I know these guys in ways that aren't in the personnel files.

Very true.

And there are a couple of budget items that are kind of tricky, too. We can

as long as you want.

Well, that's very generous of you, Tony, but... Well, I've got a luncheon

meeting in a few minutes with Congressman Burnett.

There is one thing, though. Name it.

Well, I was wondering if you could clear your stuff out of here.

Huh?

Well, you left some of your things in boxes lying around and... Oh, gee, I'm

sorry. Hey, no problem. I know you've been busy, I understand, but...

If you could clear your stuff out of here, they're kind of in the way of my

pyramid charts.

You are?

Take my advice.

Organize everything pyramidically, and the priorities leap right out at you.

Now, listen.

We'll get to that personnel thing real soon, okay? Ciao.

Pyramidically?

Straight scoop. Man to man. No bull.

What's this guy really like?

Commissioner Hayden?

He's great.

He's great. He's wonderful.

They don't even miss me, Pete.

As the Brits say, the king is dead. Long live the king.

The guy's not a cop. He's a politician.

He spends all his time at meetings with the mayor and city councilmen. It's all

politics now, Tony. Things have changed.

You're telling me.

Have you ever heard a cop say chow?

Hey. It's all behind you.

Sign here, make it official.

Come on.

Come on.

You're on board now. A P .I., a gumshoe. You're gonna love it, Tony. It beats

being a cop, hands down.

Big bucks, expense accounts, perks, no red tape.

No internal affairs looking on your shoulder.

You were right all along.

Cops are underpaid, overworked, and unappreciated.

Of course, they have all that tradition. I know.

I was a cop for five years, but let me tell you something. P .I .s have

tradition, too.

What? The first private detective in America, Alan Pinkerton.

He once saved President Lincoln's life.

No kidding.

Yeah.

Think of yourself as a knight in shining armor, righting wrongs, making the

world a better place.

Yeah.

Who's the damsel in distress?

A lady named Miranda Milligan. Got a husband named Tom. She thinks he's

on her.

Married 20 years, four kids.

Your job is to verify her suspicions, take a few pictures, we pass them on to

the lawyer, she gets a good divorce settlement.

And that'll make the world a better place?

Well, for Mrs. Milligan.

Right.

I'm gonna love it. Thank me.

Just dropped by to see how you were doing.

I'm, uh, fine.

So, what do you got?

Ah, um... Tom Milligan entered room 256 at 305.

I took a picture.

A blonde went in 15 minutes later.

Snapped her, too.

That's it?

Yeah. What do you want me to do? Bust the door down and take a picture of him?

You know.

I can't do that. Tony, that's what we get paid for.

The door was probably locked.

Pretend you're room service or something. You know the drill. You've

million times.

Sure, to catch criminals, but this guy... It's okay. Look at this.

New KR -17 mini mic.

You got one of these?

The city wouldn't give us any. They cost a fortune.

Hey, you're in the big time now.

Recorder, voice activated.

Mike will go anywhere.

Adhesive back. You plant it in the same room as Milligan and his honey. We'll

have their little love session.

You won't have to sneak around taking pictures.

Too late.

Sorry. Forget it. Next time.

That's three -finger Clark. We use him from time to time as a snitch.

You mean the police department uses him, Tony?

That's funny.

What's he doing with a Mercedes? He never had more than 50 bucks in his

Tony, you're not a cop anymore. So it's not your problem, right?

Right. It's not my problem.

Okay.

Catch him later.

We ran the place off the Mercedes. It wasn't stolen.

Where did he get enough dough to pay for it?

Check the local dealers. See if he paid cash.

I just have a hunch there's more to this than meets the eye.

Scream. Well, maybe he changed his mind halfway down.

I don't know. The whole thing just feels funny.

We have to look into it.

I'm sorry. My fault.

I forgot.

I'm not...

Don't tell me he showed up at a crime scene.

Hope he didn't have to cancel a breakfast.

How about?

Not at all.

Hello, Tony.

You saw him go off the dam, huh?

Yeah.

Looks like a run -of -the -mill suicide.

Maybe not.

He screamed when he went over.

He probably changed his mind when he saw the water rush up at him.

Do you see anybody else on the van? No.

Hear anybody?

No.

I know this guy.

Something seems funny.

A lot of people have spent half the night searching the area and haven't

with a thing.

And we do have other priorities.

Look, Three Finger Clark may be a lowlife, but he's still a human being.

True. And I assure you, if anything else turns up...

We'll pursue the investigation to the hill.

He had a partner, a bookie named Mac Fargo.

Maybe you could talk to him, see if he knows anything.

Tony, I really appreciate your input, but I think we can handle it from here.

Gil can be late with his payment again.

You want us to lean on him?

Hey, I didn't mean nothing.

B .B. Black.

He's not the top cop anymore, remember?

He's just plain old Citizen Scali.

Hello, Mac.

Sorry about Three Finger.

We're all devastated.

Call it a suicide.

You got any reason to doubt it?

Who am I to argue with the cops?

Especially since they got that new hot shot commissioner over there.

I don't have to kiss your butt anymore, Scali.

or hide or answer questions or do anything else. I don't want to.

Three Finger was a friend of yours. I thought you might be interested in how

died. You were wrong.

Well, man couldn't change with time, Scali.

What do you mean?

Well, it's just that... Shut up!

Oh, let him talk.

Shut up, baby.

Man still thinks he can come here and push us around like he used to.

Illuminate him.

Get out of here, Scali. I got guys in the back who make him look like a

Tinkerbell. I sure hope so.

I thought this was supposed to be

a high -class P .I. firm.

You know, expense accounts, perks, big bucks.

We'll be vacationing on the Riviera in no time.

Ouch.

Sorry.

It's just... There's something not quite right about this suicide.

I'll get it.

Hi, Pete. Come on in. Hi, Rachel.

Tony.

Jeez, what happened to you?

Just a little scrape. It's nothing.

You okay?

Yeah. You sure?

Absolutely. Well, then why ain't you tailing Tom Milligan? It's your shift.

Hey, Pete, this man is exhausted. Look at him.

The guy in the parking lot, he ended up jumping off the dam.

The new commissioner thinks it's a suicide, but I... Decided to do a little

private investigating.

Well, that's what I am now, right?

Private investigator?

Tony, believe me.

I understand how much you miss being a cop. I missed it, too, at first, but you

gotta get over it. I know.

I wonder if they can reprogram cops the way they do guys in religious cults.

They don't need to be reprogrammed. It won't happen again.

I'll watch him for any signs of a relapse.

Tony, put your shoes on. Grab your coat.

Pound the pavement a little.

I know it's not the most exciting case in the world, but you've got to start

somewhere.

Shoes.

That's it.

It's shoes.

Thanks, Pete.

I think that may have been a relapse.

I knew it.

Look, he still has his shoes on.

Something's been bothering me, and now I know why.

I've seen an awful lot of guys who died in water. The ones who jumped had their

shoes off.

The ones who were murdered had them on, just like Three Finger Clark.

I don't get it.

No one wants to jump in the water with their shoes on.

Why would they care? They're about to be dead.

People are creatures of habit. They take their shoes off before they jump in

water. I've seen it a hundred times.

Look, I'm not saying it's proof. I'm just saying maybe check it out.

Tony, there's no evidence of any foul play. Even if the shoe thing's right, we

don't have any suspects.

Mac Fargo.

Three fingers partner?

I saw him this morning. My guess is they had a tiff.

They met at the dam to discuss it, and Fargo pitched them over.

Why don't you put a tail on Fargo for the next few days?

See if anything turns up.

Tony?

You know, I can understand that you still feel a part of the department,

And I'm really glad, but these people work for me now.

I know.

I apologize.

I just think there's a good chance that three -finger Clark was murdered.

Why is that?

People who commit suicide by jumping in water take their shoes off first. He

didn't.

Take the shoes off?

I generally prefer a little more scientific approach to police work.

that's certainly an interesting theory.

Good cops work by instinct and experience, not by having lunch with

I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I just... I think the investigation was

off too soon.

Maybe so.

But it is my call now, not yours.

Look, Tony, you're more than welcome here any time.

As a visitor.

Sorry to bother you. I'm the assistant manager.

We've had some complaints about the AC.

Seems fine to me.

Would you mind if I came and took a look? Who are you?

It's the assistant manager. He wants to fix the air conditioning.

Aren't you guys hot?

Temperature -wise, I mean. Since when does this place have an assistant

I'm new.

The whole concept is new.

You got some ID?

No, it's all...

Too new. Look, I'll be back.

You wait right here. Honey, call the desk.

Look at all my arms. What are you up to, pal?

What am I up to?

You have four kids and you ask me what I'm up to?

Go home. It's not worth it.

What? You've thrown everything away for a few hours in a sleazy motel room.

Go home. Get your wife to forgive you before it's too late.

Who the hell are you?

I'm a guy who knows what it's like to watch 15 years of his life go down the

drain. It ain't pretty.

I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours. Oh, Pete, I just have a

of loose ends I've got to tie up.

Tony, we need those pictures.

Or a recording or something.

Tony?

Pete, Pete, I can't hear you. You're breaking up.

Tony!

Did you pick up the linker with the damaged front end? We didn't see any

it. Let's go. It's Mac Fargo. Shot in the head.

Mac Fargo's body was lying here five minutes

ago. It was right here.

He was.

Is it possible...

He wasn't really dead?

Maybe he got up and walked away somehow? I know what a dead body looks like. Did

you get a look at the guy in the Lincoln?

Tony, I want to help.

What's going on?

If anything else turns up, I'll let you know.

Do that.

Hi, V.

Tony, where you been?

Look at this.

Blood. Somebody tried to wipe it up, but they were in a hurry.

I don't suppose you've seen Tom Milligan any time recently?

Yeah. I had a little talk with him.

I think he might be going back to his wife.

Tony, we are not social workers. He goes back to his wife, I lose money.

There's a faint trail of blood from the body to this spot.

There was a pickup truck parked here.

Somebody took the body, put it in the pickup truck, and drove it out the other

end of the alley.

Tony, forget all this. You got a job to do.

Look, Pete, let's face it. I'm not meant to be a P .I.

You learned. I don't want to learn. I hate it.

This is the thanks I get for giving you a job?

Well, at least cops have an occasional brush with truth or justice or right or

wrong. You guys just follow people around with a camera.

Don't push me, Tony. It's a cold world when you're unemployed.

I would rather be a patrolman in the worst precinct on the face of the planet

than the richest P .I. who ever lived. Well, that's good, because you're fired.

Thanks, Pete. I needed that.

And by the way, you're hired.

I want you to do a background check on the new commissioner.

What? He was here last night. He tried to run me down.

My guess is he's involved in the murder.

Are you serious?

Did you tell this to anybody on the force?

I can't ask them to investigate their own boss.

Not until I get some proof.

They could lose their jobs, or worse.

Did he see you?

Looked right at me.

He's gonna come after you, Tony.

He's got it.

He's gonna try something. That's why he needs your help.

I don't know, Tony. If you're wrong, this could backfire big time.

Look, Pete, you owe me. I owe you?

Yeah, you just fired me. And like you said, it's a cold world when you're

unemployed.

There

was

a brown pickup in that alley. It disappeared along with Fargo's corpse.

Now, here's some blood I scraped from the alley.

It's bound to be matching bloodstains with the pickup.

Any idea who owns the truck?

A hunch.

A guy named B .B. Davenport. Used to work with Fargo. From what I saw, they

didn't get along too well.

Get a warrant.

Check B .B.'s truck for bloodstains.

Some pretty big dominoes are going to start to fall, believe me.

Well, until we have a body, you know, we still wouldn't have much of a case.

Well, this is how we're going to find the body.

But it could be at the bottom of the ocean by now. Oh, that's why we have to

that warrant fast.

I can't.

Why not?

Because Commissioner Hayden thinks you've lost it.

We've got to report any conversations we have with you to him.

Getting a warrant could mean my job.

Hayden was the man in the Lincoln.

I didn't want to tell you until I could prove it.

But I think he's behind Fargo's murder.

And probably three -finger clocks.

That's why he was so quick to call it a suicide.

If I had been a little slower, I'd have ended up part of his front bumper.

Wait, are you saying that he tried to kill you? I know that it sounds

incredible.

And I know that I'm asking you to disobey a direct order. But, Sid, you

for two years.

Do you think I've lost it?

No. Do you respect my judgment, trust my integrity?

As much as anyone I've ever known.

Then get the warrant.

Please.

Connie, forgive me.

I can't.

She should have trusted you.

I was asking her to go against everything a cop stands for.

Discipline, duty, loyalty. I don't blame her.

It's killing you not being a cop, isn't it?

What's killing me is seeing a guy like Hayden calling himself a cop.

Disgrace in the job.

Pete did some checking for me.

Wherever Hayden has been commissioner, it's been the same story.

Crime rate goes down, he's the big hero. He moves on, everything falls apart.

Worse than ever.

Stretching coincidence to the breaking point.

I don't know, I've seen it before.

Guy gets into bed with the crooks in his town.

He protects them, they pay him off, everything's cozy.

Only this time something went wrong.

He had to start whacking people.

And I was trying to get everything back on track.

I got to derail him.

Well, politicians hate you. Cops think you're crazy.

You're unemployed.

I guess you're just trying to make it feel a little bit confident, huh?

I don't know. I'll tell you one thing.

As long as you, me, David, and Sarah are still under the same roof, I wouldn't

trade places with anyone on Earth.

I take back what I said.

You have lost it.

And so have I.

The warrant?

Thank you, Sid.

I thought you said it was Brown.

Stanley, you got the wrong truck.

Registered to a Byron B. Davenport.

Plates match.

Tony, smell something?

The truck's just been painted. They were trying to get rid of the blood.

Why wouldn't they just wash it? Because water won't completely eliminate blood.

Phoebe's not smart enough to know that. But Hayden is.

Still, there might be microscopic traces of blood mixed in the paint.

Call the lab.

Tony. Forget it.

Sid, we've got to find the body.

Commissioner?

I was going to tell you about this, but... You were probably at a lunch.

You've meddled with my department long enough, Scali.

If you ever set foot in this station again, I'll have you arrested for

interfering with police business.

As for you, Madison, you're on suspension.

Be in my office in the morning.

Yes, sir.

Sid.

Scali, you're messing with the wrong guy.

Commissioner Hayden said you left some stuff in his office.

I cleared it out the other day. Well, he told me to bring you this.

He's real big on neatness and organization. He's got these pyramid

I know, I saw.

Helps him get his priorities straight, I guess. You don't know the half of it.

Here, we'll put it in the trunk.

I'm telling you, Stan, there was a body in that alley.

When we find it, someone's going to be in a lot of trouble.

One more time.

How did the body get in the trunk of your car?

One more time.

You put it there, or had someone do it for you?

He's obviously paranoid. The only question is whether he's a murderer as

Maybe you should call a lawyer.

You think I'm dumb enough to open the trunk knowing the body was in it? People

who are psychotically desperate for attention frequently commit murders.

Then report them knowing that they'll eventually be caught.

You fit that pattern perfectly.

I am not desperate for attention.

Come on, you've been unhinged ever since you lost your job.

There's only one person who is psychotic in this room, and it isn't me.

Now, let's go over this one more time.

You say that I was responsible for the death of that three -finger Clark.

I then killed Mac Fargo, tried to run over you with my car, then stole the

hid it in the trunk of your car, along with a murder weapon. Does that about

it up?

Yes.

Don't you think that's a little far -fetched, Scali?

You've known me for five years. You've known him for two weeks.

Be careful who you trust.

Forensics did say there were no prints on the gun.

And it does seem weird that he would open the trunk in front of Stan.

Yeah, it seems almost like a frame -up.

Let's leave personalities out of this. We'll let the grand jury decide whether

to indict.

Although, given the evidence, I don't see that they have much choice.

Ex -commissioner Scali and Mac Fargo were seen arguing in a bar last week.

Yesterday, Mr. Fargo's body was found in the trunk of Mr. Scali's car.

Mr. Scali claims he was framed.

Monday, we'll find out if the grand jury agrees.

So this is how he comes after me.

Frames me for a murder he committed.

Cute.

I got a source upstate.

A connected guy.

He says when Hayden worked there, he made deals with all the players in town.

Drug guys, gamblers, prostitution, the vices.

He'd lay off them as long as they kept their activities under control and

old ladies weren't getting mugged in the street.

So reported crimes went down.

Hayden figured the nice folks had left alone. Who cares?

He'd keep his eyes closed and his palms open.

Anyone willing to testify?

Not in a million years. And there's no hard evidence. Hayden covered his tracks

too well.

What are you going to do?

The only thing I can do, give up.

Bartender, I got another drink.

Loyalty to your old boss is one thing.

Disobeying a direct order is another.

Yes, sir.

I've been trying to decide whether to bring in my own chief of detectives or

stick with you.

You've made up my mind for me.

You're on suspension for 30 days without pay. When you return, you'll be working

out of the traffic division.

And from now on, your loyalty is to your new boss, not your old.

Understood?

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

That'll be all, Madison.

I hope you didn't drive over.

Look, you win.

I thought I could beat you, but I was wrong.

I don't want to go to jail. Give me a break.

It's up to the grand jury now.

Oh, don't ruin my life. I got a family, two kids.

Please, I'm begging you. Get your hands off of me.

Scally! You're pathetic.

Get out of here before I have you thrown out.

You gotta do me one more favor.

Have Freddy splice this over the PA system and run some reel -to -reel.

Turn it on when Hayden comes back from lunch.

You are very good, Tony.

I had to be.

Come on, last time I'll ask you. I can't go back in there. I've been suspended.

You left a few things in your desk. He can't object to that.

Sid, the guy's dirty.

Can you prove it?

Sometimes you just have to go on faith.

Like I did when I hired you.

You know, back when you were desperate and no one else would take you.

Even though I had a dozen people waiting in line outside my door.

That is a shameless, blatant attempt to manipulate my emotions.

It worked.

Beautiful. Okay, Pete.

Get this note to B .B. Davenport right away.

Is he going to be fooled by this?

He's no Einstein.

Besides, if I know B .B., he is cheating.

So there's a good chance he's going to think this note is genuine.

I hope.

He wants me to come to his office.

That's what he said.

He's mad as hell. For what?

I've been square with him. Sure you have.

What the hell do you know about him? Who are you anyway?

A friend of Hayden's, which is a good thing to be.

Hey, pal, it's your life.

All I know is Mr. Hayden tells me to be somewhere, I'm there.

That's why I'm still walking around.

The hell are you doing here? What are you talking about? You told me to come

here. I got the notes right here.

And by the way, I have not been holding out on you.

You idiot. I didn't send this to you. Come on out.

Hey, hey.

Take your hands off me. Let's not forget you need me just as much as I need you.

What is it with you people in this town?

That three -finger clown couldn't handle his money. Fargo pulls a hit right in

front of Scali. Now this.

Use the side door.

You might want to take down those pyramid charts now, Hayden.

You're going to need them to prioritize your sell.

I would give a hundred bucks if I could have seen the look on his face.

How much time do you think he's going to do?

He'll cut deals. He'll turn in all his friends.

And there's always time off for good behavior.

On the whole, he shouldn't do more than a hundred years.

I'll get it.

Mayor Hinton, come on in.

Just a token of appreciation from the city, Tony, for your good work in

Hayden.

Thanks, Louise.

Don't let us keep you, Mayor.

Tony, come back.

Please. The city needs you.

I need you.

Hayden was my choice.

Now the vultures are out.

They're even saying that I was in on his scam.

You don't believe that, do you?

Do you?

No. Surprisingly enough, I don't.

Then come back.

You're the most respected man in the city right now.

I'm begging.

I'd want three new officers on the force.

Oh, I'm not sure the city can afford that.

But I will see what I can do.

Okay, three new officers.

And a new squad car.

A new squad car?

And a complete renovation of the locker room.

Done.

Well, with all these new expenses and the police budget, we can hardly afford

gifts to city officials.

Cheers. Cheers.

Congratulations, Tony.

Thanks, Pete.

It's great to be back.

I was wondering if I could ask you a favor.

Sure, God knows I owe you.

Hire me.

You want to be a cop again?

All you've been saying is how great it is to be a P .I. I know.

It's more money than being a cop. It's easier, it's safer, but... It ain't the

same.

Working with you, butting a bad guy again, it really meant something, I

I mean, you're the commissioner again.

I'll see what I can do, Pete.

Thanks, Tony.