Original subtitles

[MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC PLAYING]

This place is lovely.

How did you find it?

Yeah, well, across the river here in New Jersey.

This is where I hide out.

Nobody knows me.

Oh, with your talent and good looks, you'd be known anywhere.

But not here.

Maybe it's the way I comb my hair.

Make sure none of your waiters do another clip

job on the checks, because I'm going to be checking them.

Personally.

OK.

OK?

Come on, you ready?

Yeah.

I'm about to trade you in.

A little sports model over there.

Hello, beautiful.

Hey, what are you doing sitting over here all alone?

About to come over and join me and my friend at the bar?

No, thank you.

You have more fun with us?

A girl like you shouldn't be wasted.

What's the matter?

Probably none of my business.

Would you like to order dinner now?

Mm-hmm.

Hey, uh, hey, fellas, this is my table.

Would you mind?

Mind? Mind what, man?

She asked me to join her.

Now I can see why.

Please, mister, don't make any trouble.

Just leave us alone.

Hey, fella, why don't you leave these people alone, huh?

They're not bothering anybody.

In fact, why don't you leave all of us alone?

Why don't you go back to your hot chocolate and mind your business, baldy?

Oh.

The ladies' room's over here.

Okay.

Get out of here!

I never was a good man.

Now!

I'm not in the mood for this.

Get out of here.

All right, let's go.

All right, come on, Mike, let's get out of here now.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Nobody pushes me out of my own joint in my own car.

I'm going to fix him.

Yeah, um, I want Captain Keene.

Now.

Yeah, this is Viggers.

You know how these things happen, sir.

People have a few drinks too many and they act up.

You know something? For a guy who just happened to have a few drinks too many,

he seemed to know his way around here fairly well.

I wouldn't know about that.

It's the first time I ever saw the man here.

You know something? I believe you.

Now would you do me a favor?

Give me the check.

It's okay, sir. Please.

Be my guest.

I'll tell you what.

We'll let the kids be your guests, okay?

And I said I'd take care of my check, okay?

That's exactly what... Freeze right where you are, mister.

I want to see your hands.

I'm a New York City police lieutenant.

My name is Kojak.

I have a shield and an ID in my left hand front pocket.

Check him out.

I want that bald-headed creep locked up

or you end up a night watchman on one of the piers. You understand me, Keene?

What, are you crazy?

You want me to lock him up for disorderly conduct?

I'm a New York City cop, and this is a $2 beef.

My family tells you what to do.

You don't tell me nothing.

Let's call your father and see what he thinks about all this.

Sorry, baby.

Just hang loose for a little while longer, lieutenant.

I'm sure this will all be ironed out.

Hey, I don't want anything ironed out.

There were two hoods involved.

One pulled a gun, and the other was part of an assault.

I don't know what fancy numbers you call these crimes in Jersey, baby,

but these things are crimes in the rest of the country.

Well, so far we have no witnesses to the gun

being pulled or even possession by anyone.

And I wouldn't press that assault charge too far either.

Give the guy a few hundred bucks and chase him.

And send the kid to me, right away.

It's not that easy.

The guy's a New York City cop.

I see your problem.

I'll send someone down to your office with a thousand.

I'll appreciate if you handle it. You know how.

Sure, Mike. I've done it before.

Thanks for the call, Joe.

Look, Keene.

Police chief or not, you make a decision.

Because I'll be leaving here in the next ten minutes.

Lieutenant, I don't know how you handle these situations in New York, but...

it takes a little longer here.

You'll just have to bear with me and let me

go along in my own small town, Hillbilly Pace.

Mm-hmm. Don't con me, okay?

You're neither a hillbilly or are you slow.

Thank you.

You all right?

Lieutenant.

This may be a small town, but we do try to handle things in a sophisticated manner.

And we never like to see anyone leave our town... unhappy.

Oh.

If you try to give me that envelope...

I'm gonna take it and shove it right down your throat.

And then I'm gonna make it my business to ride you right into jail.

Now you listen, chief.

I'll be back across the bridge again, okay?

I wanna see how your big investigation into this is being handled.

You don't run this office. I do.

You'll look into nothing.

Then there's judges who can.

Or maybe even the feds.

[Suspenseful music]

They'll be checking on what you're doing here, too, you know.

Maybe you had a little bit too much to drink tonight.

Somebody might tell that to your judges and feds.

Keene.

I'm wise to you.

What the hell's so important that you have to

get me out of bed in the middle of the night?

I got into a beef in Jersey tonight.

I don't want you to be embarrassed, you know, just in case it hits the fan.

What kind of beef? Did you steal the Lincoln Tunnel?

No, Frank, I wish it were that simple, but...

I dumped some guy that looks like he owns the state, or at least the local PD.

What town?

Uh, Ellisburg.

Ellisburg.

Fiancee?

Neighborhood girl.

Oh, really? Well, why don't you take your hand

off her knee and go back there and book her.

Excuse me, darling.

Ellisburg.

Hey, that's Viggers town.

Viggers?

No, this couldn't be Viggers. I've kept an eye on that guy for 20 years.

His action is right here in New York, not across the river.

Well, he's branched out to both sides of the Hudson

for about the last two years now.

Not that he's given up on New York, but he must have figured...

Well, since he lives in Ellisburg, he might as well own the town, too.

Mac, I've locked up Viggers, I've arrested him,

given him nothing but aggravation over the years.

I know his moves, his style. He wouldn't have a hood like this hooked up with him.

Anyhow, it's not that incident that bugs me, as much

as they're using the police chief as their agent.

Leo, so there's a cop in another state who may not be so kosher?

I mean, what's the big deal?

You might find a few in Hong Kong or Afghanistan.

You want to straighten them out, too?

A cop is supposed to be a cop, and this guy Keene has no right to be one.

Leo, if a beef comes in from them, I'll go to the

wall with you, but I don't think we'll have to.

You know, I've been around the block a couple of

times myself. I've got a few friends that I can call.

You let it lay. Let Ellisburg take care of Ellisburg, and

we'll take care of our little town. We have our own problems.

I guess you're right.

See you back here in a few hours.

We'll do what we have to do.

Come on, you want a lift?

No.

This guy comes out of left field and suckers me.

I was just talking to this girl. I used to know her.

Go!

Don't do it.

Leave me alone.

You're leaving town. A vacation in London.

I can't leave now.

What about my spots?

I gave you the spots and you go to London.

You're chasing me out because I'm a lousy cop? I can Bury him.

This is Jersey, another state. There's nothing here. Nothing!

Get home and pack.

Now.

Did Kojak say anything before he left?

Yeah, he said he'd be back. With the check.

Then that's just what he'll do.

No way, man. No way.

Ain't nobody treated like no street corner punk. Not by my father, not by nobody.

I got my own operation. It's mine. I run it. What do I got, 20, 22 people now?

Yeah, you got 22 counting the labor union set up.

Then why am I running out of town?

Hey, I could, uh... I could break away. Take care of my own problems.

If you're thinking of breaking away from your father, you

better make sure that your own people are gonna support you.

Because believe me, you're gonna need them, Michael.

I can count on you, can't I?

As what?

My underboss.

Yeah, you can count on me.

I need more from you. Here's 25 grand. Bonus.

For what?

A hit.

I want Kojak.

Dead.

And they don't get one without the other, right?

That's right.

Thats right.

So we're breaking away and we're going out on our own.

Just like that?

All right, all right. It's gonna be problems.

Territories, splits, some noise from the old timers, but nothing we can't handle.

Now what about your father? What does he think about this?

This is my group.

I can move him any way I want.

They'll never let you get away with it.

Look, you know how these things work.

You wanna get rid of a group like us, you gotta cut off the head. Arm the head.

Does a father kill his only son?

We can understand you think that your father was unreasonable.

Not backing you up on that thing that happened the other night.

But since this thing is an embarrassment to you, want this loss

of face affect us if we should make any moves at this time?

Now what the hell is that supposed to mean, huh?

Don't get excited, Mike.

We're all friends here. It's just that we're making a kind of a power

play and you didn't come out of that thing the other night as a champ.

Now there's other mobs gonna be sizing us up.

Sizing you up.

Kojak is a cop's name.

He's going.

As if tonight...

...there's a 25 grand contract out on him.

Yeah, okay.

That was Tocco.

Mike Junior's pulling the breakaway.

And as an added starter, he's got a hit on Kojak.

Put the word out. Castle that hit.

Well, who do I tell?

Right now we don't know who belongs to who.

Stavros.

This stuff is 3 years old. Doesn't C.I.B. have anything newer?

Ever since Viggers moved to Jersey, the feds have made him their private property.

Are you sure?

Well, that's what the B.C.I. says.

Lieutenant.

Make sure.

Yes, sir.

This is Lieutenant Kojak, Manhattan South.

Yeah, Keene. What is it now?

It's another world over there.

Apparently the same rules don't apply.

Some of the rules do.

Really? Like which ones?

Like the ones about cops taking care of other cops.

Look.

You're talking about that envelope routine again. Don't try it here.

I'm not talking about that.

Maybe you ought to drop that until they can get this straight.

Maybe Viggers has put a contract out on you.

Viggers the kid?

Tell me, why are you delivering a message?

I mean, they own that much of you that you deliver their threats for them?

They don't know that I came over here to talk to you.

Look, Kojak, I may not be much of a bargain, but...

I figure there are limits to my obligations to them.

This is my limit.

I don't stand by and watch a cop get killed.

You know, if there's that much of the blue uniform in you,

why the rest of your involvement with Viggers?

I used to be a state trooper.

Twelve years I was a good one.

Tough, honest, all that junk.

I ran into problems with my family.

A wife that started to drink and then that sanatoriums and the rest of that route.

Viggers, the old man, he helped me out with some of the problems.

A guy like that, got more contacts than a legit guy can ever have.

So, when he bought the town of Ellisburg, he put me in as police chief.

With a paycheck that would embarrass any state payroll.

If it's such a sweet touch, why do you come to me with a warning?

I mean, you could be blowing a paycheck, right?

Because once I was a hell of a cop.

Even now, I still do my job.

Maybe with some exceptions.

But on this, I don't sit back.

Does old man Viggers know about the contract on me?

I don't know for sure.

But there isn't much he doesn't know.

Come on.

[Music]

Thank you.

[Music]

Can I help you?

Yes, I'd like to see Mr. Viggers.

What's your name?

My name is Kojak.

Yeah, there's a Mr. Kojak down here to see Mr. Viggers.

Yeah, okay.

You can take the last elevator at the end.

The penthouse.

You know you're the first doorman I ever met with a heart of steel.

Theo!

Hello, Sammy. Looks like Jersey agrees with you.

Well, when you're old, you want as many things as you can to agree with you.

I gotta ask you, Theo, is this official or just a talk?

If this was official, Sammy, wouldn't you be the first

one in handcuffs and wasn't that always the way it was?

Buzz us up.

Yeah.

Theo, long time.

Ah, you look good. Like a man is supposed to look.

Like you too.

First of all, I want to apologize for the conduct of my son

and then for my own conduct in offering you restitution.

I did not know it was you when I took that liberty.

Well, I thought I was correct in assuming that he was

over 21 and responsible for his own actions and conduct.

I appreciate that thought.

But what father is not responsible for his son's actions?

Then you're saying that you're responsible for a contract being put out on me?

Theo, I'm asking you for a favor that I know you do not owe me.

Nor, in fact, do I owe you anything.

But we know each other a long time and we understand a great deal about each other.

I promise you, if you let me take control of the situation

and you just forget it, I'll take control of my son's actions.

And if this incident cannot come to a happy ending for

me, at least it will come to a peaceful one for you.

You could take some vacation.

I own some excellent hotels.

Mike, naughty, naughty.

All right, all right, Theo. I'm sorry.

I do that from instinct, not from good sense.

I'll tell you something, Mike.

I came here to tell you that I'm coming after your son.

I don't like contracts on me. What else can I tell you?

Your son is on his own and I have to stop him.

How? Are you going to put a hit on him?

I'll handle him like I've handled every other punk.

Go after him whatever way I think is right.

You hunt him. Then what?

I'm in, baby.

You're asking me to stand by and watch a man I have

respect for and my own son go after each other?

I can't stand by anymore than you can volunteer to be a victim.

This is Jersey.

My son has the organization here, not you.

I don't want to see a winner or a loser in this contest.

I guarantee that you will never see my son

in New York, regardless of any problems here in New Jersey.

Leave it be, Theo.

I don't want my son to be destroyed by you.

I ask you only to trust me.

Trust that I can take care of this thing before it goes any further.

I've learned your word is your bond 100%.

I just don't trust your feelings and your emotions right now.

So why don't we leave it just the way it is?

Oh, the next trip, Sammy, it's the handcuffs.

No one hits a cop. Not one of mine, not one of anyone's.

I'm not that easy to hit, Frank.

That's beside the point.

Who the hell does that punk think he is to order the death of a cop?

Well, it's another state, Mac. Maybe we ought to just forget about it.

That was before. This is now.

It's an imperfect world and I'm a lifetime member.

We'll go to the feds. Their borders end at oceans, not rivers.

They won't be interested. They never are.

We'll make them interested.

First thing in the morning.

Sure, we'll do whatever we can in this case.

We're not going to stand by and let a police lieutenant become a target.

What would you suggest?

What have you got on baby Viggers that we can pick him up on?

You know we can't open our files to you.

Now, if you want to turn this over to us and let us handle it.

You're telling me I shouldn't take care of my own man?

Why would I expect you to do it?

Because we need you people.

I'm not going to be the cause of a breach in the

best source of information we've got, the street cop.

You have a plan, Mr. Cortazzo?

We've got a weak conspiracy case against Viggers and his son.

It's not a finished product, but there's

enough here to bring a few of the people in.

I'm not completely sure of the facts. I'm going to check into them.

I see.

Somebody's out there hunting for me and you're

going to start checking into something, right?

Why don't you forget it? I'll take care of my own problems out on the street.

You know, for a guy that needs help, he's pretty independent.

I should think he'd be glad.

He doesn't owe you feds a thing.

Come on.

You know something?

Now that Junior's breaking away from his father,

maybe this is the time to set the old man up.

I thought we were waiting to get both of them.

No, it's the old man I want to put away.

And I think I've got the angle, finally.

Mr. Viggers, do you have a statement at this time?

Could I have a statement, please?

Mr. Viggers, do you have a statement, please?

Mr. Viggers, could I have a statement, please?

You're my friend, you're my boss, but going to the feds was your idea.

Hey, easy. How wide? Explain.

We talked to them yesterday, and today they lock up the wrong Viggers.

The punk is out and the old man's in.

Now, I'll do it my way if you don't mind. Just me against him.

All right. Now, we all know what happened.

My father's in,

and, eh...

he's going to have to stay in for a while.

Well, we're not sure about that.

It's just a material witness rap on a federal conspiracy charge.

I hope so.

They're breaking chops on a material charge can hold them, and you know it,

so let's get on with it.

As of now, and for the period of time my father is in,

I'll be taking over.

Aren't you rushing this a little?

That's the normal way of these things, huh?

It's always been. Whether I like it or not, I'm taking over. I'm the boss.

Anybody disagree?

I've been with your father almost all my life.

I take orders from him, unless he tells me different.

Sam, what can I tell you?

You better leave now and go talk to him.

Anybody want to join, Sammy?

You three men are off the chart. You're being assigned... Make that the four of you.

You're being assigned to homicide case number 28 of 1972.

Excuse me, Captain. What's the big deal about that case? 1972?

That's not what it's about anyway.

It's just in case somebody asks what you're doing.

You're being assigned to cover Lieutenant Kojak, and I mean cover him.

Oh.

What do you mean, "Oh"?

He means "Oh, Captain. We already know about the contract.".

What, does the whole city know about this?

Well, we heard about it the other night at the diner,

and I mentioned it to the Lieutenant, and he proceeded to tear my head off.

Well, you cover him or I'll tear your heart out.

And I mean cover him 24 hours a day, any way you can.

If he yells again, you just send him in to see me.

Captain?

Send him?

Well, ask him.

(Music)

Tim, you also said that the boy can't be controlled any longer.

He's taken over whatever business you have, or he's in the process.

I can take care of that as soon as you get me out of here.

That might be a while.

Federal agents have a pretty good case on paper.

They've pinpointed you down to a certain meeting.

They have a specific time and date.

And where did they say I was?

With your son at the racetrack.

And?

He didn't substantiate your story.

He put himself out of town, said that he didn't see you all that week.

Take this message to Sammy.

Tell him no one in my organization is to follow my son.

Anyone who does so, either New York or Jersey, could be considered my enemy.

And get in touch with Kojak.

Tell him I'd like to speak to him.

[Music]

[Music]

[Door closes]

[Music]

[SIREN WAILING]

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

I see.

All right, cover the scene and do it all.

I'm gonna notify Sammy's next of kin.

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

Tracy, cover the scene and do it all.

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

[DOOR OPENS]

[FOOTSTEPS]

I asked to see you, but I never expected it to happen this fast.

Bad news always travels fast.

In a place like this, can I ever expect good news?

Sammy has been killed.

It's a homicide. Straight old-fashioned gang hit.

Sammy and I were brothers.

Closer than brothers.

We understood the rules in a matter of respect.

The boy is no longer my son.

You and I must do whatever we have to do.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

I told you to handle a homicide scene.

Well, I was. There's plenty of guys over there.

Yeah, well, I wanted you there.

I was there until just now. I came over to fill you in on what we got so far.

You couldn't know where I was unless you were telling me. Is that the story?

You know I can smell McNeil in this? It's typical of him.

Look, he ordered me to stick with you, Lieutenant, so that's just what I'm gonna do.

And I'm ordering you to stop hanging on my back.

Well, if you don't get off my back, I'll just

take my vacation and sleep on your doorstep.

Look, everybody's in on it. The whole squad is in on it. All the guys are in on it.

What do you want from me? Why don't you go back to the squad and yell at 30 guys?

What, do you think I'm gonna let Stavros sleep in my apartment? You're crazy.

[LAUGHS]

[Street sounds]

I'm here. What can I tell you?

Anybody ever tell you you make a lousy tail, Bobby?

Aw, come on, Lieutenant.

At least I can keep my eye on you.

It's okay, Stavros. We're still engaged.

What's happening here?

Here? No.

There's no sweat here, Lieutenant.

We found ourselves two great eyewitnesses, though. Art students, no less.

They're gonna go back to the station to sketch their way to fame and fortune.

They saw some guy lean into the car. They didn't hear nothing, though.

Probably used a silencer.

Well, young lady, I've got a few more questions that I want to ask you,

then we'll have to go down to the station. It shouldn't take too long.

Okay. See if they can pick out Crater's photo.

And, uh, don't help them.

-Saperstein? -Yeah.

Go down to Criminal Court and corner a D.A. in the complaint room.

Throw up a felony warrant for Crater. Go ahead.

Right.

They both kicked him right out. One look.

Ah. Oriso.

Make notifications to the Chief of Detectives and the borough

that we'll be leaving the city and state on official business.

Ellsberg, New Jersey. I'll tell McNeil.

All right.

You can't extradite with this warrant.

That's enough to hold him till I can get the case before the grand jury.

Hey, you want to be a cop again? Then do it.

I could have gone to the state troopers with this, but I came to you.

I want Crater tonight, and you can deliver him.

And why should I get into it?

I did what was right in the first place and warned you.

Going after them is the end of my bubble.

I thought you might want a chance to do some

things that should have been done a long time ago.

Like what? Pay my wife's hospital bills?

Hey, Joe.

Get a job in a supermarket, nice.

Go drive a cab. What the hell difference does it make?

But at least be what you always wanted to be before you...

before you fell off the train.

It's decision time, huh?

Well, I might as well go down in a Blaze of glory.

At least I can finish off being a cop by being a cop.

There are two places to hit.

If we do it quick enough, we may have him before he goes underground.

All right, hold it right there. On the wall. On the wall.

Move it.

We'll try and move faster than that grapevine now.

Your men, are they okay?

Just one rotten apple. The barrel's fine.

Louis!

Come here.

I, uh... I need the keys to the locker at the terminal.

For the guns?

Yeah, that's right.

Okay.

Let's move it!

Come on!

Uh-huh.

Now, which one of these is the big mouth?

There's nobody louder than Louis here.

Oh.

Hello, Louis.

Where you from?

Arkansas.

Okay, I thought it was Tuxedo Park.

Yeah.

You ever deliver newspapers when you were a kid?

Yeah, so what?

Well, you're back in business.

You know, apparently old man Vigger's message either

didn't get to you or doesn't mean anything to you.

But anyone who stays with Junior, he's gonna get more of what we did here tonight.

Now, you understand, Louis?

Yeah, yeah, I understand.

Enough to deliver your papers to all your stops here and in New York?

Yeah, sure.

What did I tell you?

Goodbye, Sonny.

And be careful with the trolley cars when you cross Second Avenue.

Yeah, we got all kinds of heat now.

Even that hip cop is in on it now.

Your boy, Keene.

What are you talking about?

They're cracking up or something?

Look, they just busted into the club and they took the rest of the guys.

Now I heard they did the same thing over at the plumbing shop.

Now I get the word they're looking for me.

Now what's going on?

Alright, alright, alright.

Just take it easy. Take it easy.

There's gotta be some angle to this. It don't make sense.

You meet me at the bus station.

In the waiting room.

Right.

Hello?

Yeah, this is Mike, Junior.

Some of my people got picked up tonight.

They're over at the Ellisburg station.

I want you to go over there and get them out, now.

I would suggest that you call the public defender's office in the morning.

What are you talking about? Get over there, now!

I thought that you'd know by now.

I no longer represent you.

I'm sorry.

You okay?

Yeah, I'm great.

Look, we gotta get our people together.

There's things happening. I don't understand.

What people? We don't have any more people.

What do you mean?

Your old man put the word out.

We got our own people.

You got nothing.

Now listen, will you? Kojak put out the word, too.

Stay away from Junior.

Now the word's all over.

They're scared of him. He can't do nothing.

Well, it's not that they're scared. It's that they're smart.

Smart enough to sit back and see who the winner will be.

And Mike, this Kojak is tough.

And you, they're not so sure about.

Twenty-five grand I'll pay him.

I'm setting you up, my right hand.

How come you ain't dumped this lieutenant right in some gutter?

All right.

He's in Jersey.

We hit him now.

We got enough on the judges and some of the politicians.

They gotta go with us.

Open it.

We get rid of Kojak tonight.

You think Keene will come up with Crater?

Well, if he isn't trying, he's giving me a pretty good imitation.

You know, if it wasn't for my bad shoulder... Bad shoulder.

I'd give you a hand, you know?

A hand.

But I'll hold the flashlight for you.

Flashlight.

I'll drive the car into the curb.

Get off of the curb.

Now, come on.

Let me get it off the road.

Cool.

(car engine starts).

Kojak, get out of there!

(gunshots)

(gunshots)

(tires screech)

(tires screech)

I missed it.

You hear me? We missed...

(screams)

(screams)

I know I can't order you, so I'm going to ask you nicely.

Get lost!

Take a couple of weeks, anywhere, just until we pick up Viggers and Crater.

No.

Just no?

Not even a philosophical discussion or an argument?

(phone rings)

Captain McNeil.

Who hit him?

Yeah, well, thank you.

That was the feds.

They just found Crater's body in that garbage

truck somewhere in Jersey with two bullets in them.

They look like Keene's bullets, so you might say he finished well.

Oh, sure.

People might even remember his name for a few weeks.

Theo.

There is absolutely no sign of Viggers.

If he's got any brains at all, Frank, he's on his way to Florida right now.

Well, he obviously has no brains, and he obviously isn't finished with you.

Getting you is his last chance to play the big hero.

Hero with whom?

He's got nobody to impress anymore.

Now, if he's coming after me, it's all personal by now.

It's a little bit crazy.

That's why I'm sending you on extradition to Georgia, Alabama, you pick it.

You really think I'm going to tuck in my tail and hide?

I'll go on sick leave.

Go on sick leave.

And I'll be sure to have the police surgeon confine

you to your residence, and it'll be well covered.

And if I ignore him, he gives me a complaint.

That's two days' pay, so?

So? Now, what do you want to do, Theo?

Level with me, Frank.

You got men covering my apartment now?

Yeah. I got two of them around the clock.

They're in the empty apartment across from yours.

Mm-hmm. And I got to come and go, change shifts, drive up in cars.

It's activity any pro grew up in the streets can spot.

You know what you're going to do? You're going to

chase Viggers in there, trying to hit me somewhere else.

Well, what the hell do you want me to do?

Paint a circle on the back of your jacket and send you out into the streets?

Hey, Frank.

You know I appreciate the concern.

Yeah.

Just can't afford to lose a lieutenant in the middle of the busy season, that's all.

Mm-hmm.

What do we know about Viggers?

Does he have a girl?

Is he a good shot?

I mean, Theo, there's a hundred ways to try to take somebody out.

We just had some clue as to which way he might go.

I know somebody who could help.

- If he'd do it. - Who?

His father.

Oh, you do believe in Santa Claus.

Mm-hmm.

[Music]

Rich dead.

Sammy dead.

Even Keene.

I feel for him, too.

I never wanted these things, Theo.

Well, either way, you got it.

Everybody else has got their life on the line while you sit back,

watch the ending, see if it comes out the way you want, right?

Look where I'm sitting, Theo.

This is a prison, not a palace.

And I'm here because you helped put me here.

I'm no volunteer.

Hey.

I'd put you here for the rest of my life if I could.

That's nothing new.

Except that I didn't put you in this time.

You know that?

Your son laid this on you.

He set up his own father.

This is my concern, not yours.

When the time comes, I'll handle it.

Cut out the garbage.

He's everything that nobody wants.

He's a punk.

And he belongs to you, and I'm telling you to help clean up your own mess.

By doing what?

Exactly what I find rotten in my own son?

Turning him in?

Sure, you're right.

He is what you say he is, and maybe a few more things that you don't know about.

But you will never hear them from me.

That's something, Mike.

There are no more rules.

We have to take him in now.

Any way we have to.

Then take him.

If he doesn't take you first.

Oh?

If he kills me?

Then you die.

And if I kill him?

Then he dies.

You know something?

I'm kind of dumb, Mike.

Really stupid.

I played a game with you for 20 years of my life.

You made your son into what he is, with the same calculated mind that built this house.

With the same calculated mind that built this fake respect for each other.

And now you figure your creepy son is going to take me out of the picture, right?

And you can sit back and say, "My son went out like a big man."

You figure the papers will make him a folk hero.

And you can save some face.

Is that it?

You're finished, Theo.

It's Lieutenant Kojak!

Do you understand?

I understand.

[Music]

Come here, Al.

I don't understand what you're hassling me for.

Where's Junior?

I don't know. Really, I have no way of knowing.

Loosen up, will you?

No way.

I want Junior, Al.

And you're going to feed me the location.

I don't know, Kojak.

Well, who does?

Nobody.

He just fell out of picture.

All right, if it turns out that you were still in bed with

him, I'm going to be back, Al, and we're going to talk further.

If you make it.

What does that mean?

You know he's got to come after you. You know he has to.

I ain't telling you nothing that you don't know already.

Except?

Well, how much time does a cop kill a hare?

Not much.

Then soon, Kojak. That's all I can say.

Nobody talks a hell of a rat.

He's got to do something on his own.

Real soon.

All right, check him out. If he's got anything on him, book him.

Up against the wall.

Come on.

Junior's on his own.

Well, you're betting your life on it, and I'm no gambler.

Then it's one on one now. I just have to let him find me.

Well, it's your butt, Theo. How do you want me to handle it?

Okay, I give in.

Cover me, warm blanket on a cold night, bragging me on every move I make.

But do me a favor, will you, Frank?

Pull the men from the apartment across from me.

If he sees them leave, maybe he'll show himself and we can grab him.

Well, what if he shoots before he shows himself?

What do I know?

You got a better way?

I don't know how to hide, and I never did it before.

And the longer the creep stays loose, the harder it'll get to cover me.

He's totally clean.

Okay.

Now, tonight, when I go home, will you cover me loose?

If he's gonna make a move, let's end it fast.

Not too loose, Crocker.

Yeah, I know.

[♪♪♪]

[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]

Taxi!

Good night, Lieutenant.

[♪♪♪].

[FOOTSTEPS].

Kojak!

(Gunshot)

Viggers, hold it!

[GUNSHOTS].

[♪♪♪]

What happened?

Who is he?

Nobody, lady.

Nobody at all.

[Music]