Original subtitles

🎵Music🎵

Nothing can beat a beautiful spring day in Manhattan.

Outside, the weather was just perfect.

Inside, the forecast was for intermittent showers.

Due to a leaky pipe.

In fact, it was monsoon season.

As you can see, Mr. Hammer is a crack shot.

Meet Vincent and Lillian Becker, Mike.

They need your services.

How do you do?

Please sit down.

We pay cash.

Well, it's a good thing.

I may need it to build an arc as you can see.

We're flooded.

What can I do for you?

They've got our gold.

Those crooks.

Now we've worked all our lives for it.

And now they won't give it back.

And we need some of it for our crews.

It's our gold.

Who's got your gold?

30 days notice.

They say we have to give them before we get our money back.

But we've been handling with them for 36 days already.

Our life savings.

And they took it.

Oh, who?

Who took it?

A company called the Gotham Precious Metals Exchange.

The Becker's have their entire life savings tied up in gold buoy on there.

The exchange won't give them any of their gold or cash for 30 days.

They signed a contract, Mike.

Well, then what they really need is a lawyer and not a private investigator.

Please, lawyers, we've been that root.

I'll tell you what.

Here's the name of a lawyer that I trust.

And you talk to him.

And if he doesn't give you a result, you come back and I will.

Well, I guess that's fair.

But we'll be back.

Yeah.

Bye-bye, Mr. Hammer.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I had a lot of respect for the Becker's.

If only for the distance they've traveled.

They lived in my neighborhood for years, but I'd never really met them.

Sometimes I used to see them on the street when I would go down to the corner market.

I liked them.

I buy my supplies from a Korean grocer named Duckho Cho.

To me, he's just ducky.

He calls me Hammer.

To me, that's just ducky too.

Strike one.

You always choose the wrong beat, Hammer.

Ah, go, go, duck, duck.

Strike two.

Ah, you're trying to buy.

Go, go, go, go, go.

Strike three, you're out, Hammer.

You're out.

Now, go, go, go, go, go, go.

Go,

go, go, go, go, go, go.

Okay, ducky.

Got my list in the next game?

No, no, no, no.

No basketball for me.

Baseball.

Trickly baseball.

Right.

Now, we'll go on any time now.

Mickey Mantell, it's more of our favorite.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I was standing right next to this.

I heard a sound like verticals.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

You wait here.

The Packers.

I felt sick.

Like someone hit me square in the gut with a shovel.

Who would want to hurt these two sweet people?

You're the same, Mike.

Bad.

I'd never give you a break.

My kid's in the swim finals tonight.

What a mess.

Third random sniper attack this week.

Yeah, well, this is about as random as income taxes.

This guy was a pro.

Two shots dead center and had to be at 270, at least, with that kind of firepower.

Yeah, and he cooks good with a rifle.

Load him up, boys.

Another thing.

The Packers, that's a name.

Visited me in my office earlier today.

Should've guessed.

Seems they invested their life savings in gold in

a place called the Gotham Precious Metal 6 Change.

Couldn't get it back.

Got to check that out.

Yeah, fine.

We'll look into it.

What's the next step tonight?

Well, Boston buried in 137.

Oh, 50 bucks.

Damn, my heart bleeds free.

See you later.

Let's go, come on.

What do you got?

What do you got?

I want you home.

I was sick.

My name is Claire DuVaux.

How old did you know the Packers?

When I first moved to New York, the Packers were my only friends.

Once I got pneumonia, and Lillian stayed up with me for five days and not,

hardly sleeping.

Vincent made many pots of soup for me.

Vincent loves soup.

I think we're friends with everyone.

Why would anyone do this horrible thing?

I don't know.

Do you let me worry about that now, okay?

I paid Pat a visit just to see how on top of this case he really was.

Or wasn't.

I think it's for the fight tonight, but it's gold.

What do you see?

How's he the answer?

No wonder they smell like they were just printed.

Listen, do you find out anything about the Beckers?

The Gotham Precious Metals Exchange?

Oh, yeah, well, we're working on it.

You don't like, I still think it was just another crazy.

Come on, Pat.

A 270 is your usual weapon for a normal crazy.

Well, I gotta admit, this guy was pretty welcome.

Okay.

Oh, conscientious crazy?

Listen, thanks, but...

What?

You're not going to fights?

You know what these things are worth?

Yeah, I know what they're worth.

Less than the Beckers.

Listen, I'll see you later.

Somebody's gotta go to work.

Hey, Mike.

I'm doing it.

Okay?

Huh?

Hey, Barrington, love your tie.

Ty City, having a sale?

He's gonna give us trouble on this, isn't he?

No, Mike's okay.

He's all right.

Don't worry about it.

Well, if he gets in the middle of this, you've got a problem, chambers.

Haven't I seen her before?

Two old people get shot and the world just goes on.

Somebody ripped the word care out of the dictionary.

Can I help you?

Please?

Yeah, I'd like to talk to someone about investing.

I'll take whatever you've got.

Hello, I'm Lenore Wigan.

Mike Hammer.

Lillian and Benson Beckers suggested that I talk to you?

Oh, well, would you like some coffee?

Thanks.

The Beckers are such lovely people.

In fact, many of our clients have been referred to us by the Beckers.

I'm very pleased that you may be one of them.

The Beckers are dead, Miss Wigan.

They were shot and killed last night.

That's horrible.

Yeah, it is.

Now, I know they wanted to get their gold back from your company.

I also know they came to see you.

Yes, but they needed to give 30 days notice.

They did?

As a matter of fact, they gave you 36 days.

Yes, but the contract they signed specifically stated

that all withdrawal requests must be made in writing.

The Beckers finally submitted the proper forms, but not

until about two weeks after their initial verbal request.

Really?

I don't make the rules, Mr. Hammer.

I just enforced them.

Who does make the rules, then?

A group of businessmen out of Switzerland own the

company, so they get to make all the rules they want.

Money talks and nobody walks.

Mr. Hammer, may I ask why you're so interested in the Beckers?

Yeah.

They're very nice people, and I'm going to find their killer.

I send my letter six weeks ago.

And contracts three weeks, and you get you twice more.

Excuse me.

I don't get my money off my gold back.

I want to see somebody that tells me what I'm going to do.

Mr. Layakos, do you want to come with me?

I send letters six weeks ago.

Oh, you.

I send you letters six weeks ago.

Where's my money?

That's right.

You pay money?

The old people.

How do I pay my money?

They're just done, seem to understand what it means to sign a contract.

Yeah, small prince murder on their eyes.

If you are with that money grubbing exchange, you can go to hell.

It comes with the suit.

I hardly ever shoot anybody with it.

My name is Mike Hammer, Mr. Layakos.

I'm a private investigator.

Oh, yes.

You are the one that Vincenadele isn't going to see.

Oh, bless them.

For 25 years, I know them.

They were the ones that told me about the exchange.

You know who told the backers about the exchange?

I was that French girl, a lovely girl.

Claire.

Claire Dubon?

Yes, that's right.

On A&E.

I found out that Claire was working as a dancer at the Cherry Lane Theatre.

Ah, show business.

A broken heart for every bag lady on Broadway.

I've never seen anyone kill before.

Do you ever forget, Mike?

No, you don't.

Each one has a little dark corner somewhere inside you.

The authorities know anything?

He was the first one introduced the backers to the exchange, right?

Yes, sir.

I don't understand.

Was it bad?

Well, the backers couldn't get their money from the exchange.

Or their gold.

It was terrible.

I had no money to invest myself.

Harry told me about it.

Harry?

He's Harry.

Harry.

Harry.

He's the Scott's Bucket that produces a show.

You have for lunch, honey?

Yes, I will join you soon.

Okay.

Why don't you bring him along for dessert?

A wash, honey.

Hey, uh, you, Harry, Slayer?

Yeah.

Oh, thanks.

Keep a change.

Hey, thanks, Mr. Slayer.

I'm not going to pay him.

That's cute.

I won't catch you, huh?

There'll better be mayonnaise out at this time.

That's the guy who delivered my lunch.

Harry's Sluric, the type of guy whose mother might trust him.

Maybe.

Well, you're breaking my heart.

I mean, their tears are running down my face.

He had an irritating manner that got under your skin, banged away at your nerves.

I'm not going to pay him.

He died on me.

You waiting for a tip?

What's the word on the exchange?

What are you a wise guy?

I got to make a deal for my lunch now.

What is this?

Delivery is just my hobby.

Oh, you're making my day now.

How come I'm hamming?

Pump them out.

Come on.

I ain't got all day.

Okay.

You tip one of your dancers, Claire devotee to the Gotham Precious Metals Exchange.

What do you know about their gold investments?

What exchange?

White gold.

I don't give tips.

And you don't listen to dancers.

That's your first problem.

I mean, they move well.

They don't think.

We're not talking stable human beings here.

You ought to know.

Did Claire ever mention an elderly couple by the name of Becker?

If they had money for me, I'd remember them.

I don't know.

They were shot and killed by a very high-powered rifle.

Too bad they won't get to see my play.

We threw here.

Come on, I got to get a play ready for Europe.

You know, they still got culture over there, you know?

And that's what I bring them with my plays.

Culture.

Yeah, right.

I'll be back.

Yeah?

I had a culture before, growing on some old meatloaf with my refrigerator.

And now I was being followed.

I was pushing somebody's buttons all right.

Remember me?

You've been trumping through my dreams.

Hope I didn't break anything.

My heart was broken a long time ago.

I'm glad you came back.

Where's that?

You have a style I haven't seen in a long time.

I need to know the names of those people who

invested money in gold through this exchange.

Well, I could whisper a lot of things in your ear.

But that isn't one of them.

Excuse me.

Yes.

Oh, hello, how are you?

Of course, what terms would you like?

Uh-huh.

Um, we can accommodate that.

Uh-huh.

A party?

Oh, nice.

If I can get away, I certainly will.

Thanks.

You too.

Goodbye.

Please don't feel I'm putting you off.

Our investors list is private information.

Do you remember when dancing was smooth and close?

You could whisper in each other's ear?

I feel each other's heartbeat.

Yeah.

Well, I trust a man by how he dances.

You can trust me.

Listen to me.

I better go before we both get in trouble.

I like trouble.

I'll bet you do.

Tell that dance.

I love you.

Some of the tricks you learn in this business are simple.

But this one got me the address of one of the investors.

Justin Herds.

Down the line.

Where do you bring me another screwdriver?

I think you're tight now, sweetheart.

Hey.

You must be Justin Herd.

And who are you and just what do you hope to be?

My camera to both.

My cool?

I don't know either one.

What the hell is that?

Sorry.

Just look at this mess.

You could really use a maid around here.

Might have I talked for a second.

What do you want?

An education.

Let's start with the Gotham Precious Muddles Exchange.

Any problems with your investments?

No, why?

Two people were killed yesterday.

I know, the peckers.

My girl lives in their buildings.

She was pretty shook up about it.

Claire, you're no player to vote.

I should.

I sleep with her.

She's fabulous.

You want details?

No thanks, I don't.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Gentlemen don't talk like that.

Who says I'm a gentleman?

Get out.

Your education's over.

Hey pal, don't push your luck.

There's the door.

No, there's the door.

You had to push, didn't you?

Obviously it was time to leave.

So I went and picked up Claire.

This business can be rough.

The work is hard and dirty.

Sometimes you can end up in a lot of hot water.

You don't think about Harry Slurrick's Swiss money connections?

Nothing.

Why do you not believe in the random sniping theory?

If the police...

America is such a violent country.

When I was a little girl in France, we thought

all Americans were gangsters and cowboys.

Some others are.

Please.

Please don't.

My father was a wicked man who used to beat me viciously.

But it was so love, gentleness of the backyards.

And you, Mike.

This guy was, he certainly was patient.

At least I could do was give him the courtesy of an introduction.

A website.

A website.

Good morning.

Something told me I'd have another round against the man with the dragon tattoo.

What is this again?

Jimmy, a great guy to be around until he got his new teeth.

He used to have to duck his right cross.

Now he had to duck his speech.

Hey, Jimmy.

Oh, yeah.

You got any potential contenders this year, Jimmy?

If you stay away from him.

Listen, what do you know about a small-time

off Broadway producer named Harry Slurrick?

He's a real boxing fanatic.

Yeah.

Slurrick.

Yeah, I know him.

He's been here a few times scoping out my voice.

He thinks he knows everything about boxing.

He says he's got a lot of dough to promote a big fight.

Now, I think he's a big phony.

My personal opinion is that he's a real stick there.

Any bucks to back him up?

Well, the word is he gets mochos in their own form of connections in Europe.

Or friends.

Switzerland.

I know it was some place with mountains.

Thank God you know your geography, Jimmy.

Hey, you want me to put that suit in the gym, washer, wet it for you?

No, no, just talk to it.

All right.

I'm watching this.

Punch!

Both the exchange and Slurrick were funded out of Switzerland.

Just a coincidence?

I found that hard to believe.

I called Vald at the office and asked her to run down everything

she could on Harry Slurrick's Swiss money connections.

Then I asked her to do the same with the exchange.

I felt like I was climbing up a down escalator.

Why didn't you want to be at the party?

Because he is all over between us just as... It was important to be at the party.

Everybody was there.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Loosen up, pal.

This isn't your fair hammer.

Obviously, it's not yours anymore either.

I hope you're not seriously considering taking on this primate as your lover.

Look totally ridiculous, couple, you'd make.

Primate?

The dragon tattoo.

I just turned the bell for the second round.

Come on.

Come on!

What did you learn that?

Micky Mantle.

What the hell is going on here, huh?

This might be the scum that killed the Beckers.

You can tailor me for days now.

Mike, we got the guy.

He's already confessed.

Hey, it's privilege information.

You know who ever this guy is could possibly file assault charges against you.

He attacks me and then can file assault charges as well.

I say you've got more privileges than you and I put together.

Pat, what is going on here?

He should be in the cage.

Pat, what the hell is going on here?

Let me tell you something.

You're in way over your head.

Who confessed to the Beckers' murder?

Snail, we got him.

So who?

Mike!

Pat!

Benny Coyle.

Benny Coyle.

Come on, give me a break.

Benny Coyle confesses every crime in this city from mass genocide to jaywalking.

Maybe this time he finally did it.

And Mary Poppins was an axe murderer.

You know, I'm worried about you.

I really am.

The pieces just weren't fitting into the puzzle.

There was no way Benny Coyle killed the Beckers.

But who then?

The dragon tattoo?

It was pretty clear the cops didn't think so.

Beldafone to tell me she hadn't found anything about Sleric's Swiss money connection.

But there was a connection with Claire.

She had had a part in the last five plays Sleric had produced.

Some men don't like the scar.

I like it fine.

I think a dad's character to my face, no?

Yeah.

I just smoked my last cigarette.

Do you have any?

Oh, yeah, I think I've got some light around here somewhere.

Why does Sleric rehearse his plays in the United States?

And then open them in Switzerland.

I don't know his business.

Haven't you had parts in his last five plays?

Just damn paid Sleric off.

It was his little way of trying to keep me as his.

Didn't work.

You're a hard man.

You're getting along me pretty well.

If you're not going to light it then...

What's the point?

Sometimes I'd just like to fondle.

You don't always need a cigarette to smoke in bed.

Hello?

Mike, please, you must come to theatre.

On my way.

The fear coming out of that phone had burned a hole in my ear.

I found Sleric face down on a contract.

His blood covering the bottom line.

So much for culture.

Claire was nowhere to be found.

The theatre felt as empty as the pit of my stomach.

She was one of the most important women in my life.

I was I didn't know she couldn't swim.

Claire.

It's her here on A&E.

What about Claire Duvall?

I don't know.

All I know is Claire lived in the same apartment building as the Packers.

That's where I came in.

She worked for Harry Sleric.

Is there a connection?

You tell me.

You will write and tell on Sleric.

Tell me!

Nice, Emma.

Very nice.

Very nice.

Thanks, very good.

Listen, when you get a chance, I'd like to talk to you.

I'm not interested in anything you have to say.

You have Rydell's file?

My office.

You're going down for this one, buddy.

Yeah, well, if I do, you're going with me.

How many work for this guy?

She just shut up and try not to put your foot in your mouth.

Then you would already have.

You actually believe that Benny Coyle killed the Packers.

Get him out of here.

No record of a clear new boat here in France.

She doesn't exist anyway.

Then who is downstairs in a morgue?

Someone want to take him to the rubber room?

He's such a bright boy.

You want to see how far you've jacked us around on this one?

Rydell!

Rydell!

Come over here, please.

The dragon dad, too, was a cop.

Rydell works for us.

He was an undercover plant inside Sleric's company

in a successful one, two until you botched it.

What the hell is going on here?

I don't understand.

It's a network of international terrorists working out in New York.

Fuddling their money back to their home base in Europe.

That's what's going on.

We had a whole operation here, six months, thousands of man hours,

reams of research.

We suspected Sleric, and Rydell was about to move in on

this clear new boat when you closed that angle permanently.

The little stunt with Rydell and Claire probably set us back, what?

Eight months!

All right, Barrington.

But the Packers are still dead.

You understand?

The Beckers are dead!

The Beckers, the Beckers.

Again with the Beckers, you know, you sell us concerned for all people as

duly noted, but we're dealing with a major terrorist offensive here.

You still don't get it, do you?

That's okay.

We're talking about the same thing.

Now listen, if you'll just get a court order to open the mercantile vault,

that's what the exchange keeps its gold.

I'll show you what I'm talking about.

Get the hell out of my face!

Yeah, I'll get out of your face!

Get out of here.

I can't tell you who she really was, but I know who she wasn't.

She wasn't your ordinary straight arrow.

One of her teeth was hollowed out with a compartment to hide a pill.

This is the one that was in residence.

Dandy, cure for a headache.

Cyanide.

Cyanide.

Do you buy anything else?

Well, actually, I haven't started on the autopsy yet.

I was just noodling around with her teeth.

I used to be a dentist.

I switched to this because I couldn't deal with my patients.

People are at their best when they come to me now.

Look at this.

Hey, how about that?

This girl is full of surprises.

Damn good fake, very supple.

Just latex and some makeup.

It doesn't stick well on a body when it gets cold, falls off.

Yeah, uh, that strange beauty mark, ain't it?

Yeah, you buy anything else, you let me know.

Oh, uh, no problem.

Women had always been hard to read, but what did I missed?

I'd have to start remembering everything about her, including that I liked her a lot.

MUSIC Tama, question.

Aussie, answer.

What's a great place to visit when you got a cold?

The past.

The answer.

Thinking like New Mexico, see it here?

Mm-hmm.

Is this a big decision or something left-side or right-side?

Question.

Most people smoke either out of the left-side or the

right-side of their mouths, but not both, correct?

Answer, yeah.

So, hey, I thought you quit.

I'm working on it.

Tama, you're getting weird.

Thank you, Aussie.

Tama, can I have a beer?

The gold was gone, and no one seemed to know where.

Slurick was dead, the play was leaving the country tomorrow.

And Barrington was ready to scramble the egg I had all over my face.

MUSIC

How about that dance?

I'd like to tell you something.

Close up.

It'd be a pleasure.

It was like a moment out of time from long ago, another era when people danced slower

and closer, and they went wherever the music would take them.

There was a word for it, not use much today.

Romance.

You're one of the kind, Mike.

You can't find your style in the catalog yet.

I wanted to let you know that your suspicions were correct.

We were all suddenly fired last night, and...

The vault was cleaned out, I know.

We got a court order and checked it out.

It had to be a scam right from the beginning.

They fooled me pretty well.

Yeah, it sure is nice to see you again.

I thought you'd skip town.

I never thought we'd have this dance.

You should have more faith in women.

Women have been confusing me recently.

We can do that.

None of us are alike.

None of us are alike.

Excuse me, am I?

I gotta go.

But are dance?

Yeah, I'll make it up to you.

How about dinner?

How about a weekend?

I like this, Dad.

I thought you might.

Slurik's play was leaving for Switzerland the next day.

I wondered if the goal was going with it.

Hello, Claire.

Perhaps we should be probably reintroduced to Mike.

I'm Nicole.

Oh, Nicole.

And your dead twin sister?

Isn't he ever?

How did you know?

Aside from the fake scarring of your sister's forehead, it was a matter of the

right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing.

The way you both smoked.

Both folded your hands.

Very different.

And then, of course, no two people are exactly alike.

Especially in bed.

I'm sure you didn't mind.

And yes, Genevieve was much too vain to let a real scar be put there.

Aren't you leaving a little head of schedule?

All that goal just for yourself?

Pardon me.

My sister and I would prepare to die if necessary for our cause.

My organization needs this goal to buy weapons in Europe.

And the weapons dealers negotiate only in gold.

Not money.

Very smooth, actually.

Steal the gold here, through the exchange scam.

Then smuggle it to Europe, hidden in the sets of the show.

Very smooth, indeed.

But people are still dead.

Slurry was bought off to look the other way and not ask questions.

They got a little too nosy, so you killed him and tried to pin it on me.

And the Beckers.

The Beckers were making waves simply by asking for their gold.

Sometimes, there are things more important than people.

Like a prophet for the right cause.

The right cause?

Yeah.

You actually shot the Beckers while Jean-Vev was standing right next to them.

Gave your sister a great alibi.

I've enjoyed our little chats, Mike.

But especially our... close.

I wanted to

feel something for Nicole, but I just couldn't.

She was as cold as that gold bar.

It just goes to show you.

You can never trust a pretty face.

But I can trust you, Mike.

The police are holding all the gold as evidence for a while.

But, since your rent is due on Monday, I borrowed a few trinkets.

Oh, Mike.

How can I thank you?

Easy.

Some Sunday afternoon, you can buy me a hot dog at Yankee Stadium.

Wait till I ask for change.

The look I get.

Make yourself at home.

Oh, man.

I think he said to the garden today.

I'll be there.

Pat could be a real pain sometimes.

But there's not many others around.

I give the label, Fran.

I had some time to kill, so I decided to call on another Fran and see if she was in

the mood to get in out of the rain for a couple of slow, close, afternoon dances.

This is Mike Wallace, two of the most hellish battles in Vietnam.

The bloody sieges at Quezon and Contien.

Miss calculation in Vietnam on the next 20th century.

Tonight, only on A&E.

Now, Remington Steel plays a deadly game of

hide and seek with a sinister video game genius.

Next on A&E.