Original subtitles

I haven't gone that way in years.

Listen, you're not running a judicial system.

You're running a revolving door.

I can't be bothered with you.

Have you heard him hammering a pool?

I think I'm going to talk about my glove.

Usually,

I'm watching a ballgame on TV, an afternoon nap, and the sound of whiskey is growing.

With this particular Sunday, I promised I'd take it

to a wedding, and that meant a shave and a necktie.

I could always take a nap during the ceremony.

Use your key.

My closet's not the neatest, but at least it keeps the moths on their toes.

Hey, I'm alone, you can come in.

How do I look?

It's a river!

I thought you were filled up.

Well, why did you see the uniform?

You look great.

And I wanted to say thanks again.

Forget it.

When did you start?

This afternoon.

First job.

First shift to the new job.

Listen, I hope you don't mind me coming by here.

I just can't find a cemetery.

You know, your dad would have been real proud of you.

I think you'd have been more pleased if this was a cop's uniform.

Hey, come on.

Will you stop beating yourself?

That was a long time ago.

You were a young kid.

You made a mistake.

You played with some matches.

It's all behind you.

Some people don't think so.

Some people called it arson.

Look, you paid the bill, right?

So you can't be a cop?

You can't be a lawyer?

So what?

So what?

It was to be a lawyer anyway.

I want you to keep your nose clean now and do a good job.

Forget I pulled string to get John.

Don't let me down.

You won't regret it, Mike.

Joey, you look terrific.

Sorry, you.

If I got some girls for you.

Is she kidding me or something?

Wedding's always affected this way.

Come on, we're late.

All right.

Joey, we'll drop you on the way.

That'd be great.

Mike, are you ready?

Do I look ready?

I love weddings.

Joey Peel was a good kid with a lot of writing history on his back.

I had a bet writing he was straight now.

And if I won, we both won.

I liked the artist.

It was a pleasure giving him a lift.

It was a new job.

Joe Peel, reporting for duty, sir.

Oh, wait a minute, kid.

This ain't the Army?

You're signing in for work, not duty.

And call me Arnie.

Not, sir.

Okay, Arnie.

All right.

Mike will start your new rounds.

My other guy is checking for us from 1 to 20.

You start on 21 and work your way up to the pen.

Okay, glad to.

It's Sunday for Pete's sake.

Don't enjoy it so much.

Oh, God.

What is this?

Am I your second home?

When I talk to you, I don't expect to be ignored.

Let it go, Mr. Barrington.

His close friend was killing a fly yesterday.

Hi.

Okay.

Sorry about Joey and Mike.

How did it happen?

Well, we don't know yet.

What do you mean?

Why not?

A building gets tortured, kid gets killed.

What are you saying?

It's just routine.

I'll get the details later.

Well, Mike, you're a pro.

You know, the mood's been less than 24 hours.

The arson boys haven't found anything.

Yeah, well, if it's arson, it's murder.

You don't have to tell me my job, Mike.

I'm not trying to tell you your job.

If it's murder, it's my job.

I put the kid in that building.

I know how you feel.

And it hurts.

Now, stop feeling guilty and stay out of this.

If I find out anything, you'll be the first person to know I promise.

All right, thanks.

The term I think I heard this explosion.

And that's when I first realized something was wrong.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Captain Chambers wants to see you.

My name is Mike Cameron.

I'm a private investigator.

Joey Peel was a good friend of mine.

Oh, it was awful, Mike.

It was his first day on a job.

Did anybody else get hurt?

Well, we got everybody out of the building,

and my other man was already on his way down.

And the heating guy had left.

The heating guy?

The oil delivery and maintenance check.

Well, Sunday.

Which company was it?

The Tri-State.

We tried to get the kid out.

We really tried.

But the smoke was so thick, we didn't even know which floor he was on.

Okay, I understand.

Take it easy.

But it's just real tough to take.

He was such a happy kid.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

Listen, you know who owns the building?

It's the Parker Holdings Corporation.

And they don't be sick about it, because the building's a mess from the 21st on up.

Thanks.

Captain Chambers wanted to see the guys?

Well, didn't he?

The things

corporation could tell me more about the recent boom in their business.

Yes?

I'm here to see Mr. Parker.

Name?

My camera.

Telephone number?

To reach Parker?

To reach me.

Mmm.

Um,

I'll give you mine if you give me yours.

What are we swapping?

Numbers.

Uh, 555.

1349.

I'll make a couple of no stains.

I'm sure we can see eye to eye about this, Terry.

I'm in a state of shock, Miss Bacon.

My building's nearly a total loss.

I'm sure you understand.

Don't get up, please.

I beg your pardon?

Please, don't beg.

On my camera, I'm a private investigator.

I'm Terry Bacon.

Good to meet you.

And you're Norman Parker.

Yeah, that's right.

What is all this?

Who let you win?

Nobody let me in.

They just couldn't keep me out.

Make much on the insurance.

I checked you out pounds of real coincidence.

You're about ready to go bankrupt and something is a fire.

Get out of here.

How lucky can one guy get, huh, Miss Bacon?

That's what I'm trying to find out, Mr. Hammer.

I'm with American Federated Insurance.

Do you leave or do I call the police?

911 for emergency.

Listen.

Joey Peel was the son of a close friend of mine.

In fact, I got in the security job in your building.

He's dead now.

If you had anything to do with setting that fire, Mr. Parker, you're going to join him.

I'll see to it personally.

You know, you increased your insurance coverage about two months ago.

That makes me very suspicious.

What about you, Miss Bacon?

That's why I'm here.

Then carry on, Miss Bacon.

I will, Mr. Hammer.

You can't throw accusations at me.

Oh, yeah?

Shakes one up a little, doesn't he?

Hammer, my people will cooperate totally with the police, the fire department,

and American Federated Insurance.

We'll find the answers.

Now I hope that satisfies you.

Not even one tiny little bit, Mr. Parker.

Miss Bacon, pleasure.

Okay, okay.

Wait a minute.

Mr. Hammer, don't go sticking your nose into places where it doesn't fall.

Do you understand?

Take a flyer, garlic breath.

Go in, down.

I don't

think I have much choice.

Oh, thank you.

We're going to need more than that this time.

I came here to talk to you, and there you were.

In an elevator.

Yeah.

We all have our ups and downs.

You said you knew Joey Peel.

Wanna tell me more about it?

What do you want to know?

Did you know he had a problem, Mr. Juvenile?

Do you think there's a chance you turn bro?

I think maybe someone hired him to torch that building.

What do you think?

Did somebody hire him?

What about Joey?

Sonic?

Miss?

I think we're going to need an ambulance.

We often do.

We're here on A&E.

The girls at Mooji Barn's Courier Service gave a

whole new meaning to the words pick up and deliver.

Gawful.

Thanks.

I think you looked at it with a 10-foot gorilla.

You had two goons and you're just worth the do.

No joy, huh?

Not even a giggle.

Professional muscle.

It's all right.

I'll take care of them.

Hard people, Michael.

These are not the type of people to mess with lightly.

Lightly is not what I had in mind.

Oh, did you check out Captain Chambers' photo collection?

Moojikins, I'm touching all the official bases on this one.

I'm just having trouble finding home plate.

Tell you what I'll do.

You give me what you got, and I'll go to work on it myself.

Thanks, Moo.

I need a ride.

You got it.

Donna?

No, no, I can't.

I got you.

Take this man wherever he wants to go.

My pleasure, Mike.

Now, where would you like her to drive you?

How about to the brink of distraction?

Sounds good.

Oh.

Oh, look at that.

Megan, you're so sure that Joey Peel torts this building.

You're going to tell me how.

No part of nobody, including you, has been able to find anything.

They'll find it.

Yeah?

No way.

You're so positive.

That's right, and I'll tell you why.

Joey Peel promised me he was going to keep his nose clean, and I believed him.

That's it?

That's all you've got, and you believed him.

That's right.

No luck there.

Zero.

If this place was torched, we can't find out how.

Keep looking.

Okay, but not forever.

On a limited budget.

Inspector, there's a little white spot on a lot of this stuff.

Can you tell me what it is?

Dried up water spots.

The water was boiled by the fire and whatever minerals in it left the residue.

What'd it do?

Rain in here?

Just about.

Sprinkler system.

That must have been some sprinkler system.

Most water drops were inside the air conditioning duct.

Meaning?

I don't know.

Strange, that's all.

Sorry?

Hi.

This is Martin Stevens, head of our claim department.

Told you about my camera.

Yeah.

Stevens?

Listen, I'm sorry about your friend Joey Peel.

Yeah, sure.

All it cost us is money.

Are you going to pay the claim?

Without evidence of arson, we have to pay.

That's a business decision.

Mr. Stevens, you realize you're paying off whoever killed Joey Peel.

It turns my stomach a little.

You think I enjoy this?

Yeah, I have no choice.

Look, there's no point in you coming back to the office.

I wasn't planning to.

Did I ever?

It was helping maybe somebody would ask me out for a drink.

I thought you'd never ask.

You know, Mr. Hammer.

I don't think you trust me.

Sweetheart, I don't trust anybody.

Well, then this will give you a chance for a full-cross examination.

You're wick.

I'm convinced it wasn't Joey.

Yeah.

Yeah, if it was a frame, they knew about his history.

They wouldn't have worn you off.

They would have encouraged you to find out.

I'm living on a crazy.

You know one of the other things?

You have a very well-constructed mind.

Thank you.

Do you agree with me?

Yeah.

Especially since Joey didn't know until Saturday

where he was going to be working on Sunday.

You're so romantic.

Check out where to talk.

I make love.

Question.

What's the longest-winning streak in professional football?

Answer.

17 games Chicago Bears.

1933, 34th season.

Okay, enough already.

Jenny.

He wins a beer.

I'll see the answer.

Strengths again.

Guess we won't be free.

Okay.

There's the only man to pitch a perfect game in the World Series.

It was in 1956.

The Yankees beat Brooklyn two-zip.

I was there.

What?

I have a message for you from Mooji.

Message from Mooji saw him early in 1984.

Mooji says to go to Casper Chemical on West End Avenue in C.

Charlie.

He can tell you.

You're not going to hire a bodyguard, are you, Mike?

What do you think I'll pay you for it?

Like Neezy, Jenny speaking?

No, you just missed him.

Mooji.

Well, maybe I'll see your velvet could catch up with him.

Okay.

He's got you.

Me?

Mooji?

I never knew a whole lot about chemistry, but I was

hoping the Casper Chemical Company had the elements.

I was looking for them.

I

was asking questions to get you an answer.

Sometimes it just gets you more questions.

Running into my old pals and the elevator gave me a warm feeling in my fists.

This guy did such a good job.

I figured he deserved a pat on the back.

No offense, pal.

Thanks, I'll keep you changing.

I'll hire you.

I can save yourself a headache, folks.

I'm going to tell me who hired you.

Get him!

Oh, Commissioner!

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Excuse me, sir.

Commissioner, the mayor has been looking for you all day.

Hurry!

The police escort is waiting.

Oh, thank you, Reginald.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Excuse us.

Next time I get a message from Mooji, I won't take a taxi.

I'll take a tank.

Hey!

Get him, boys!

Don't let him get away!

What do Mooji have to say?

To watch out for two guys in Allen Bali.

I guess you found him, right?

I found him, all right.

Listen, eyes.

Kind of 30 bucks and give it to Bali, will you?

You can throw the rest away.

Can I throw it away at the track?

Doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter?

No, that's the name of the horse, and the six, the Belmont to win.

Oh, I get it.

Hey, very so corporation.

Need anything to you?

No, not yet.

Sure.

Excuse me, I need lift.

If you're going my way.

I'd love to, sweetheart, but I haven't gone that way in years.

No,

thanks a million.

They're a cell corporation.

Computers.

They carry their coverage, but they're in very good financial shape.

Fire would do nothing but give them grief.

That could make a competitor very happy.

It might be right.

Would you get that slip of paper?

The most unlikely place.

What are you calling?

My office.

To get permission?

No, to take the rest of the day off.

Well, it's me.

Mike, I've been trying to get a hold of you.

Ozzy is scared, Steph.

The two thugs you went after?

Well, now they're following him.

Where is he?

Your apartment.

It was the only place I could think of.

Okay, tell him to stay put.

No permission?

No permission.

See you later.

If it wasn't anything else, just the money.

Look.

You're going to keep getting this till you tell us what we want to know.

One more time.

There was a piece of paper with the money.

Now what happened to it?

I'm telling you, there wasn't anything else.

What's it, Mike?

Easy out of the joke.

You okay?

I shot him.

Do you see it, Mike?

Do you see it?

Do you see what I did?

You got anything you want to say?

Yeah.

You're a dead man.

Cause he didn't seem to be bothered by the threat on his life.

I was.

Set up my heel into his instep.

And I gave the karate chop right to his wrist.

His gun trot into my waiting hand.

And when the other guy turned, I'd beat him to the drawer.

Sure is a great story, Ozzy.

That's Mike, if you don't believe me, right, Mike?

Yeah, that's exactly how it happened, Ozzy.

Do you see that?

Listen, can I see it for a minute?

Sure, Mike.

My friend Mike needs to see me for a minute.

What I do for you, Mike, is if saving your life wasn't enough.

What you can do for me now is save your own life.

Remember, Al, the guy who's a gun you took away, he made bail.

So if I were you, I'd play down on your waist to his buddy.

I want to do something foolish, like get even.

Yes, sir.

Look, Ozzy, it's Sunday.

Why don't you take a walk in the park and talk to a pitcher?

I'll take it easy.

I'll take it easy.

Good idea.

It's for me, huh?

Yeah.

I'll get you right there.

And burn yourself, Bill, and just go up.

And it's still burning.

Oh, boy.

This time, there were two innocent victims, like Joey.

And once again, Terry was on the case with their boss, Martin Stevens.

Why don't you tell me I had some suspicions

about this place that I put on special security?

I told Terry.

Wasn't much to go on, just to slip a paper from a thug.

It should have been enough.

Look, if he just said something, give it us some kind of a clue.

Too busy falling down to give us any clues.

Check this out.

It's those watermarks again.

That's a mic I want to put you on, container.

Work for us.

You mean it and not good enough?

Can you use all the help we can get?

You get a free ride on this one, Mr. Stevens.

I mean it for Joey Pugh.

I appreciate that.

Give me a cup, sir.

Okay.

You wanna talk to me?

Yes, you were here when the fire broke out?

Broke out, lady.

That fire came after the damaged explosion I ever heard.

What was that like?

A roar, a trap of thunder, scary.

Anybody hurt?

Too, dead.

Others hurt, but we got them out.

They said it was like the air was on fire.

Like a gas explosion.

Sora?

Well, what do you think?

Was it gas?

We can just smell anything?

No, we don't use gas.

We use oil.

But that was okay too.

The guy in the maintenance company was just here.

Just now?

Today.

Before the explosion, he said everything was okay.

Try state eating?

Yeah, try state.

There was one other thing.

Thank you very much.

You've been very helpful.

Wait, wait, wait a minute, Terry.

Let him finish.

Go on.

Why was this pipe?

Look funny.

Mike, we'll take care of it.

Thank you.

I thought Terry was acting strange.

And I hoped I was wrong.

Excuse me.

What about that pipe?

I'd really like to see it.

All right.

It's over here.

See, I noticed these fresh wrench marks on the oil pipe and then the cap was loose.

Uh-huh.

So somebody took it off and then put it back on again just a little while ago.

You said it was a maintenance check.

Sure.

But oil was being delivered at the same time.

Would you unscrew that if oil was coming through?

All right, there you will.

Watch the minute.

Here we are.

There it is.

What do you think?

I think something else was coming through that pipe.

That's what I think.

Okay.

Sure, Mike.

Any little problem?

Just bring it to me.

Thank you, Aussie.

I certainly will.

Now, a gas that's cold or less explodes hot and we use no trace.

Except for those dried water marks.

Got it.

It's in the pipeline.

Yo, Melbourne.

Give me the New York technical institute library chemical division.

Right away, Aussie.

If you're interested in chemistry, I know a great experiment.

Yeah, you're a lab of mine.

Melbourne helps me with my research.

Oh, Mike, she has a gift.

She certainly does.

Question.

What about Tristake?

Answer.

That big, they cover the whole city and lately they've

worn a bunch of doobler awards for hiring the handicap.

What kind of handicap?

X-Cons.

It's called rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation?

Who's in charge of this civic project?

Got a new Harry Stark.

He's the chief of maintenance.

Want a kitchen?

I think I've got one.

Thanks, Aussie.

I had a feeling Harry Stark might throw some light on how Joey was killed.

Even if the gas didn't smell, something else did.

Is mine up for service, sir?

I'd love to, but I don't own a heater.

It could have fooled me.

My name is Mike Hammer.

I'm a private investigator.

I need some information.

How badly do you need it?

What can you tell me about the Barris Health Corporation?

Well, didn't that burn down yesterday?

Right.

Aussie?

Would you please pull the Barris Health off of this gentleman?

Well, I oppose him.

Is this what you're looking for?

It'll do.

Oh, Mr. Hammer, here's our chief of maintenance, Mr. Stark.

Yes!

We've met!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

Whoa!

You should really watch your step.

I figured the assault charge I filed on Harry

Stark would turn to arson and maybe even murder.

But instead, it just turned to dust.

I just don't believe it.

You let him go.

You let Harry Stark just walk out of here.

Yeah, I've got more important things to do than

play custodian to the people you drag in here.

Yeah, right.

The man is a killer.

He's an arsonist.

That's all.

He was booked for assault.

You made the charge yourself.

What do you want me to do, plead for denial of bail on an assault charge?

I expect you to know what the assault charge was for.

It was to book him and to keep him here and don't.

Until what?

So you beat up somebody else to try and get what you call evidence?

No, we play by the rules here.

Yeah.

Those rules, Barris and yours?

Look, I don't think you understand something.

This is not a game.

A kid is dead.

Do you understand that?

A kid... Drop it, Hammer.

Drop it.

I'll drop you, pal.

Come on, Hammer.

Show us how stupid you are.

Go on.

Hit an officer of the court.

And you'll find out again what lovely city accommodations we have here.

Yeah.

Listen, you're not running a judicial system.

You're running a revolving door.

Harry Stark is guilty and you know it.

But you didn't go out of here because you want to get a case.

It's going to make you more famous.

The great prosecutor.

That's right.

I am.

And my greatest moment will be the day you make a mistake and kill somebody innocent.

Then I'll put you away for a long time.

I mean, time I can't be bothered with you.

You heard him, Hammer.

Now, cool it.

Cool that eggplant.

I don't do it, Mike.

He's got a wife and a new child.

And as worthless as he is, she still depends upon him.

Yeah, for what?

What kind of crack was that?

I don't need you to...

I'd say, Mike.

Did you know that Harry Stark was sprung before there was even time to book him?

Couldn't be helped.

I'll put my people on it.

Your people, what are they gonna do, threaten him with a brutal committee report?

Mike, they play by the rules.

It's more than what Oz is doing.

What is Oz doing?

It's making like John Wade.

He's carrying a gun.

It's carrying what?

A gun?

A lot of heat or a piece.

I told him to get rid of it.

He said he's dangerous with a gun.

He's right.

He's liable to shoot his toes off.

See you later.

Ozzy.

I didn't tell them anything.

I didn't follow him.

Only I got my gun.

I mean, don't talk now.

Just take it easy.

Mike.

Yeah, question.

Okay, I can't.

Answer.

Hydrogen.

Thanks, pal.

I'll go.

Me.

I knew it was Harry Stark who hurt Oz.

But was he the one who killed Joey?

Maybe Arnie could help me find out.

Do you see it?

Yes, sir.

The off pipe leading from the street has new rent marks on it.

And I called Tri-State about it.

But they don't know anything.

Now, somebody disconnected it from the storage tank.

Has that make any sense about the explosion?

Yeah, it sure does.

It means I know what exploded.

Now I know how it happened.

You're a good man, aren't you, thanks?

That's the least I can do when Parker told me to keep you out of the building.

But what got him so wound up?

Fear.

Take care of you, too.

Thank you.

Someone wasn't going to enjoy it paying.

Hi.

Hi.

Everyone I wanted?

I thought it was me you wanted.

First things first.

Schedule for the next three months.

All deliveries.

All maintenance comes.

Very much appreciated.

And now, second things second.

I don't think you want me right now.

There's not a whole lot of love inside me.

Will there be?

Maybe.

And I get all the hate out.

How is he?

He's out of surgery.

But he's not out of danger.

He won't know until tomorrow.

Copy.

Thanks.

I just made it.

I'll leave you.

Listen, here's a list of the deliveries and maintenance checks that Tri-State makes.

There's no mention anywhere of Sunday.

And that's the day the building was torched.

Why would they pick a Sunday?

I don't know.

People with less chance of discovery?

Who knows?

Maybe they're humane.

Maybe they only kill for money.

Here's a building I pass every day on my way home.

Oh, yeah?

It's shut down and boarded up.

Why would anybody deliver fuel to a shut down building?

Well, anyway, it's not scheduled for Sunday.

Sweetheart, this building is so empty that all week is Sunday.

There's a delivery schedule for tomorrow afternoon.

Yeah.

Wait a minute.

You know, the pattern has been...

for about two months before each building gets torched.

The insurance coverage is increased.

Makes sense.

If you torch for money, torch for a lot of money.

And the company is always American-fillerated.

That means that somebody connected with the company is

letting people increase their coverage just before the fire.

Somebody like Terry Bacon?

I sure hope not.

Seeing a friend sick in the hospital is never a pleasant thing.

I wanted to cure the sickness that put him there.

Hello, Terry Bacon, please.

No, no message.

Listen, could you please switch me to Martin Stevens?

Tell him my camera's calling.

Mr. Stevens?

Yeah, I'm trying to look at Terry Bacon.

Have you got any idea where she might be?

Well, listen, I'd appreciate it if you could deliver a message to her.

Tell her I know when and where the next one's going to be, okay?

Thanks.

If she shows up eyes, it could be the hottest day she's ever had.

John, can I please pick up one single?

Oh,

this meatball had a day job when he wasn't out beating up people.

Easy, huh?

Just disconnect the oil line.

Then pump in hydrogen gas.

Put everything back just the way it was.

Nobody knows.

But I can't think of how you set it off.

I know you just didn't wait for a lucky spark.

No, Mike, we just phoned you.

The spark in the bell sets it off.

Oh, yeah?

You know, I'm almost relieved to see you.

Sure you are.

I want you to just release my friend Harry so he can take you upstairs.

You won't be lonely up there, Mike.

We'll phone you.

I have to start a fire.

I got news for you, pal.

The fire will start here the minute you pull that trigger.

What are you talking about?

Ask your friend Harry.

That hose has been kicked out for some time.

If we had any more hydrogen down here, you could call us the Hindenburg Blimp.

He's not kidding.

Don't fire that gun.

And you can forget me.

Isn't this nice, Harry?

You've got company.

Don't smoke, boys.

It could be hazards to your health.

We should have killed you for a step out.

That's right, you should have.

It's Harry.

It's all over, pal.

We've got Harry and Steve.

He's in a building with a gas for evidence.

You think?

Do that if I were you, it could be dangerous.

It was good

to know that Terry Bacon had nothing to do with the men who killed Joey Peele.

They were dead and already forgotten.

But I knew one thing, as long as I was alive, Joey would never be forgotten.

Tonight, he was a legend known for his outrageously flamboyant style as much as

for his music, Liberace on biography at 8 East in 9 Pacific.

Now, Remington makes a career change from bodyguard to baby city next on A&E.