Original subtitles

We got ourselves a sniper here.

- Get out of my way, Louis.

- Don't be crazy, Dennis, give it to me.

- I'm Seymour Robbins.

Internal Revenue Service.

- This whole thing stinks.

- Police, hold it!

He wants my records for the last three years.

Three

years!

I don't even know where my records are for last week, man!

How am I supposed to turn up three years?

He's only killed 10 women.

- Well, he's zeroing in on number 11.

And, McCall, I think it's you.

- Hit the deck, McCall!

- Why can't you learn not to make waves?

- 'Cause I wanna do it right.

It works for me.

♪ Well, we used to be the free

♪ Welcome all we see

♪ No matter who you'd be

♪ People used to see the face

♪ Relegated to newsflash

♪ People turn to ash

♪ Oh, guess you're on your own

♪ Brother, you're not alone

♪ I can't stop

♪ We can't stop

♪ I can't stop

♪ We can't stop

♪ The end of the world

- We were just standin' there.

All of a sudden, she jerks her head away

and then she just goes limp in my arms.

I thought she was havin' some kind of fit or something.

And I didn't know until I saw the blood.

- You never heard the shot?

- No.

- And you didn't see anyone?

- No.

No, and I know who did it.

It was that creep she used to go out with, Brad Wakely.

That's the guy who did it!

- You said you never saw anybody...

- No, I don't need to, I know he did it!

You see, when she gave him the word that they were over,

he got real crazy.

He got real mean.

He said he was gonna get her good.

You don't happen to have an address

on this Wakely guy, do you?

- I think Cheryl he lived in Silver Lake.

I don't know the street.

- The shot came from up there on that knoll, Captain.

I found this.

NATO round, .223 caliber.

- That could have been some kid, sneaked his old man's rifle

out of the house, took a pot shot at a rabbit.

- Been a lot of complaints

about kids huntin' in these hills.

- Hey, I'm tellin' ya it's not some kid!

It's this guy, Wakely!

- This wasn't an accident.

This guy knew what he was doing.

Even cleared away the brush to get a good line

down here of the girl.

That's about a downhill shot of 300, maybe 350 yards.

This guy wasn't using your standard GI weapon.

He was using a modified rifle with a scope.

We got ourselves a sniper here.

- Hunter, let me talk with you a minute.

Look, you be damn careful who you say that to!

If I read, hear, or see one word, one word

about there bein' a sniper in Chandler Park,

I'm gonna have your liver along with your badge, you got me?

- So, what do you want me to do?

Go lookin' for this little kid with a BB gun?

- Hey, look, Hunter.

We're all in it right up to our noses, huh?

All of us!

Well, why can't you learn not to make waves?

- 'Cause I wanna do it right.

See if Wakely was in the service

and if he qualified for weapons,

and if he did, what his ratings were.

- Already on it.

- What the hell are you doin'?

- You're Sgt. Rick Hunter?

- Yeah, what the hell are you doin' goin' through my files?

- I'm Seymour Robbins.

Internal Revenue Service.

- Well, I'm gonna go check on those files.

See you later.

- We have some problems with your income tax returns

from 1980 through 1983.

- 1980?

That's five years ago.

- McCall.

What's goin' on in there?

- Being audited by the IRS.

What a shame!

- On April the 27th, 1980, you deducted

as an unreimbursed business expense,

the payment of $10 to Harry

Thinessy.

What was that for? - Thinessy, Harry Thinessy...

Let me see that.

No, no, not Harry Thinessy, Harry The Nose.

He's a cocaine addict.

He sells drugs for a living.

- You bought drugs and deducted it as a business expense?

- No, not drugs, information.

- Ah, information!

And why didn't you just use the police department files?

Or the computer?

I understand the city has invested millions of dollars

in a highly sophisticated mainframe system.

- Sometimes you have to get information very quickly.

Now I don't have time to come back to my desk

and go through my files such as you're doing

or hit the computer for my information.

I've gotta get it from the players right on the street.

Just a second.

Captain?

He'll tell ya all about this.

This is Mr... - Robbins, Seymour T.

Mr. Robbins is with the IRS.

- Oh, so I undestand.

I trust Sgt. Hunter he isn't giving you

any trouble regarding his taxes.

I don't want you to take it easy on him

just because he's police officer.

- Oh, I wouldn't do that.

- Good, good.

We must all carry our share of the burden.

Just a moment, Captain.

- Sure. - Is it true

that police officers pay criminals for information?

- Well, there are some occasions

when that might be necessary, yes.

- And the police department condones it?

- Well, perhaps not officially but it's always been

the accepted practice as long as I can remember.

You know, within very certain limitations, of course.

- You say that paying police informants

is a matter of accepted policy.

Does that mean you do it, Captain?

Well, on occasion, yeah, but as I said before,

within very, very narrow parameters.

- And you deducted these payments to criminals

from your income tax returns

under unreimbursed business expenses, I assume?

- You stuck the Captain with that IRS guy?

What are you, suicidal?

- Well, I figured, if he hasn't killed me by now, right?

Oh, by the way, you did a very excellent job

of gettin' all that information on Wakely so quickly.

- Well, it wasn't like he was trying to hide.

He's listed right there in the phone book.

He even gave his right name and address

when he was pulled over and ticketed for speeding last month

and he even paid the fine.

- So what you're saying is this guy is a solid citizen?

- A little cop I once worked with right after I got out

of the academy once told me that a solid citizen

is somebody who hasn't been caught yet.

- What, yeah, my old man told me that

when I was four years old.

- Alright, Wakely, you're next.

Go!

He's a hell of a shot, this guy.

- Yeah, he's only got one little problem.

He shoots at everything.

Cops, pedestrians...

Kids.

- Nice goin', hotshot!

You just killed three policemen,

two innocent bystanders, and a woman and her baby.

Yeah, well they shoulda kept their heads down!

- Well, maybe you oughta pulls yours out, Wakely.

Now, pick up your brass!

The rest of you guys police the area.

Pick up anything that's not growing.

Robert Wakely?

- Who's askin'?

- Sgt. Hunter and Sgt. McCall, we're with Homicide.

- So what do you want with me?

- Talk to us about Cheryl Green.

- She's a lyin',

double-dealin' little tramp, just like the rest of you.

- Yeah, well, she's different, she's dead.

Aren't you a little curious about how she died?

- Maybe he already knows.

Why don't you talk to us, soldier?

- Hey, hey, hey, hey.

This man's got a lot of work to do.

Why don't you leave him alone?

- Well, we're the police.

That woman was shot to death, Wakely.

Hold it, kid, don't say a word.

You chargin' him or what?

- Who are you, an attorney?

Why don't you butt out?

- He's in my outfit and I'm gonna take care of him.

Now, trust me, kid, you don't have to say anything

without a lawyer.

You know that, don't ya? - Sergeant,

you're complicating matters.

- Well, I just wanted the kid to know what's in the book.

- Wanna go by the book?

Okay.

We found this man in possession of a weapon

of the same caliber that was used

to kill his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Green.

And this cartridge was fired from that weapon.

- That still don't prove that he did it.

- No, you're right, it doesn't prove that.

But it's evidence.

Now, look, we can take you downtown,

we can hold you for 48 hours on suspicion

while we have the lab check this out, the rifle,

anything else we wanna turn up.

That the way you wanna run it, Wakely?

- Don't let 'em snow you, kid.

- I haven't seen Cheryl since we broke up.

I haven't talked to her,

I hadn't seen her or anything, okay?

- Well, the guy she used to go with said

you took this thing pretty hard.

You even threatened her life.

- Now, wait a minute here.

This guy didn't know what he's talking about, alright?

Now, you know, when a guy is crazy about a dame,

spends all his money on her,

and they stay together for years,

then all of a sudden out of the blue,

she says I'm leaving you for somebody else.

Makes you mad, hurts ya.

So sometimes you say things that you don't really mean.

- Now, who the hell's goin' with this girl?

You or him?

Why won't you let him talk?

- No, that's right, that's right.

It went down just that way.

Sergeant's right.

- You still live at that Silver Lake address, do ya?

- Yeah, that's right.

- Still work for M&R Construction Company?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah!

- I get that feelin' you make a big move.

Why don't you give me a call, huh?

- Hey!

Hey, hold up!

I just think you oughta know that

that kid over there ain't no lousy grab dodger

that joined the Guards just to stay outta 'Nam!

That kid's had a real rough war.

That's not gonna buy him anything.

You should know that by now.

Oh, when you get back to the precinct,

why don't you run Wakely again and see if you can come up

with any type of psychiatric history?

- I oughta run him?

What's the matter with you?

You allergic to files all of a sudden?

- No, I wanna run by the National Guard Armory for a minute.

Look, alright, I don't wanna go back

to the precinct just yet.

Not while that IRS bloodsucking creature is still there.

He's out to drain me dry.

- Yeah, that's Bob Wakely.

He's the best shot on the team.

Maybe in the state.

- You think Wakely would have a bit of trouble

hittin' a man-size target, say, three, 350 yards?

With one of these?

No, nobody can get anything with one of these

except by accident.

But not with a target rifle.

Now he'd shoot your eyes out of that range.

He's about the best I've ever seen.

Why he's even better than Balzer

and Balzer was top gun at Pendleton in '57 and '58.

- These target rifles, each man supply his own?

- No, the regiment supplies 'em.

It's a regular issue sniper rifle.

We modify 'em some for competition.

- You keep 'em around here?

- Sure, yeah, in the arms room.

- Do you think I might have a look at Wakely's?

- Can't see why not!

- I don't suppose

you got a warrant.

- Well, I can get a warrant.

- Well, you see,

around here, we do everything by the numbers.

If you wanna see these rifles or anything else in here,

you better go get yourself a piece of paper.

- I'll be back.

When'd you get so picky about the rules, Dennis?

- You got an awful lot of work to do, Louis.

Why don't you just get to it?

- Sure.

- Single shot to the head,

probably from that knoll up there.

I can't tell yet what the caliber bullet,

but it looks like a .223.

But I'll let you know when I dig it up.

- Okay, thanks.

Appreciate it. - Okay, you're welcome.

- Thanks, Bill. - Yeah.

- Boy, you pulled another one right out of your hat, Hunter.

- Wakely have a psychiatric history?

Yeah, they admitted him to a hospital six months.

- Yeah, was he violent?

- No, he's diagnosed as a acute depression

or something like that.

They said he got over it

in six months, though. - Yeah, that's what they said!

They probably kicked him out of it

because they needed the extra bed.

Anyway, we gotta go see this guy again,

pay him another visit.

- Sgt. McCall!

- Hey, listen.

You can come on back to precinct now if you want, you know.

Why, is that dip from the IRS gone?

No.

But uh, I think he's found juicier pickings than you.

- Who's that?

Well, he's got his eye on Smitty

and he's just about ready to sink his teeth

right into the Captain's neck.

- You kidding?

That's great! - Sgt. McCall?

I checked with M&R Construction,

they said Wakely didn't show up to work today.

He'd called in sick.

Wakely!

Open up, police!

- Bedroom's clean.

Clue-wise, anyway.

I don't think this place has been dusted in two months.

- Hand me that chair, will ya?

- You know, it's one thing him killing the first girlfriend

but why would he kill the second?

We don't know he killed either one of 'em yet.

- Well, be a real good reason to hang yourself.

Well, we can't prove that either.

He didn't leave a note, did he?

- Hunter, half the suicides don't leave any notes!

- This whole thing stinks.

You got somethin' on your chin.

- Where's my bag? - Right over here.

Well, after you're done looking at the library,

would you give me my bag, please?

- Take a look at this.

You got dust here and dust here.

- Yeah, they got dust everywhere.

The guy was a lousy housekeeper.

- No, no, wait a minute.

There's no dust right here, though.

Newspaper clippings.

Blonde shot dead in park.

Second girl slain in Chandler Park.

Park police deny connection, that figures.

Park sniper strikes again.

Chandler Park victim now number eight?

We got a photograph here of a

probably a victim.

And there's a phone number, an address

and a name on the back of it.

Looks like maybe we got our sniper.

- No, no.

Wakely couldn't have anything to do with these killings.

This goes all the way back to 1958!

He was a kid then!

- You're right. - And the phone number

on the back of this photograph?

Back in 1958, the prefixes were names, not phone numbers.

Like if, where I came from,

it was Madison and then you dialed M-A

and then the phone number, right?

Well, this is a current phone number.

- Well, what are you saying?

That

Wakely suddenly found a bunch of old newspaper clippings?

Decided to become a copycat killer?

- Yeah, it could've worked that way.

Our captain would believe that story.

- That means you won't.

- Like I said, McCall.

This whole thing stinks.

- Looks like the place.

What good this is gonna do, I don't know.

Well, every interview is a learning experience.

Come on.

Excuse me, ma'am?

Can we have a word with you, please?

I'm Sgt. Hunter, this is Sgt. McCall.

We're looking for a woman

by the name of

Iris Buford.

You wouldn't happen to know her, would ya?

- You rotten pigs, you don't care about anybody, do you?

- We're sorry, ma'am.

Was she your daughter?

- My daughter?

I don't have a daughter.

That's me.

25 years ago.

Would you guys like a beer?

- No, thanks.

If I had your willpower,

maybe I'd still look like that picture.

Where'd you dig it up?

Man named Robert Wakely had it.

- We found it amongst some old clippings

that he had on the Chandler Park sniper case back in 1958.

God.

- You know about that, do you, Ms. Buford?

- Yeah, I know about it.

I was married to him.

Dennis Balzer.

It's a classic example, Captain.

The guy was crazy jealous.

He thought his wife was cheating on him

with every guy in town! - So he gets a rifle,

follows his wife to Chandler Park and takes a shot at her.

- And proceeds to kill eight more women

who were so alike, they could be sisters.

- $287?

What did the woman find to spend money on this time?

- Who, Balzer's wife? - No, my wife.

Boy, she can spend money!

Hey, if Balzer's wife thought he took a shot at her,

why didn't she turn him in?

- She did,

she said nobody believed her! - Got those forms, Johnson?

What was that?

- I said she did but nobody believed her!

- Loopy woman, pickled in booze,

thinks she was married to the Chandler Park sniper

25 years ago?

She's still battin' a thousand.

- Look, the autopsy on Wakely shows

a contusion behind his left ear,

which is consistent with a blow to the head

by a blunt object.

- So what? - So the ME says

that's because the guy was unconscious before he was hanged!

- Which means he was murdered.

- No, which means is you're wastin' my time again, Hunter!

You know, while you two were playin' clever detectives,

Sgt. Terwilliger picked up Wakely's rifle

over at the armory, took it to ballistics.

I suppose you're gonna tell us now

that the bullets matched.

- You got it, McCall.

Both those girls were killed by the same gun and none other.

- Yeah, the same gun but not by Wakely!

Look, Balzer had access to those rifles 24 hours a day!

- Hey, Hunter, read my lips.

This case is solved!

And you've got nothing else to do with it.

I got one more suggestion for ya.

You better pray that guy from the IRS,

that bloodsucker doesn't find anything wrong

with my past returns and penalize me for 'em.

'Cause if he does, it's gonna come out of your hide!

Now, get outta here and do something productive!

- Ah, Sgt. Hunter!

Did you come up with those Harry The Nose receipts yet?

- Yeah, we're workin' on that.

- Uh-huh, well, no great rush.

I think I'm gonna be here much longer than I expected.

- He was stationed here in Los Angeles

from February of 1957 through December of 1958.

And that's the same timeframe

in which the Chandler Park sniper was active.

- Well, so were about three million other people.

- But when he got transferred, the killing stopped.

There hasn't been one girl killed

in that park since he left.

Until now.

And guess who's back in town?

All I'm asking for is two officers on foot

and two squad cars to back me up!

- What is this?

Are you people telling me I don't know how to set up a net?

- No, we are not telling you

you don't know how to set up a net.

All I'm telling ya is, I've worked on this case

from the very beginning.

I know how this guy operates!

This is his killing ground! - It also happens

to be my precinct, Sergeant!

So why don't you just go back to your own bailiwick

and leave me to run mine, huh?

- I'm, I'm sorry, mister!

I thought you were a rabbit!

- Go home, kid!

And hurry!

Officer!

Officer!

- That damn fool!

- Hunter, that was him!

Attention all units,

possible sniper reported in Chandler Park.

- L56 responding.

Tell them that we have him in view, we're in pursuit.

Also, tell them...

This is great!

Louis!

You're still too slow!

Knock another second off in between 'em.

Whatever you want.

- Where's your sidekick?

She get another playmate?

- Oh, she's out tyin' up some loose ends.

- Yeah, I'll bet.

- This is a very nice set-up here, Balzer.

- Yeah, I set this up myself.

Care to take a whirl?

- Yeah, I would.

- What kind of gun you want?

You want an M16 or uzi?

Anything you like.

Well, if it's alright with you,

I'd just soon use my own.

- You know how this works?

- Just aim at the bad guys.

That's right.

Get ready.

Alright, Whitlow.

Cut it loose.

- You got it.

- Oh, by the way, your buddy Wakely didn't commit suicide.

- What are you givin' me? - The truth.

Somebody cold-cocked him and then tried to hang him

when he was unconscious.

Tried to make it look like a suicide.

- That's crazy.

Now, why would anybody wanna do that?

Probably figured Wakely knew who the sniper was.

- You mean Wakely didn't kill those two girls?

- No way.

McCall and I had him in the park

the other day but he got away.

Well, if Wakely didn't kill 'em

then who do you figure did?

- Well, we figure it was the guy

who killed those eight girls back in 1958.

Chandler Park Sniper.

You were stationed here then, weren't ya?

You must remember him.

- Oh, yeah.

I remember it well.

They hauled my butt in for questioning.

- Well, obviously they couldn't pin anything on ya.

- I don't know what they were up to, you know?

A week after they hauled me in,

they transferred me to Germany.

You know a funny thing now.

Right after I got there,

somebody started knockin' out German dames, you know?

- Blondes just like your ex-wife, right?

- Yeah, just like her.

Nice shootin'.

You only hit one wrong target.

Well, everybody makes mistakes sooner or later,

don't they, Sergeant?

- Yo, Louis! - Hey, Joe!

I knew I'd find you here!

We got us weapons survey at the end of the month, Dennis.

Don't you think you oughta get on it?

- There's time. - Not a whole hell of a lot.

What's been bugging you, Dennis?

The kid Wakely doin' the dutch?

That kid really admired you, Dennis, I mean he really did.

He was always asking questions about you.

Where you served and what you did.

He was gonna write a book about you, a book!

- Now, you believe... - You're never gonna learn

how to shut your stupid mouth!

Will ya?

Give me another one, Joe.

Why don't you give Balzer that call

and give him a push?

- Yeah?

Yeah, that's right.

Who?

No, he ain't here.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Ah, tonight after drill maybe.

Look, lady, I don't run no answering service here.

Okay, okay, what's your name?

Iris?

Iris, that's it?

Alright, if I see him I'll tell him.

- What'd she say her name was?

- Oh, relax, Sarge.

She's after somebody named Pete Stanky.

Supposed to be in your outfit, do you know him?

- She said her name was Iris, right?

- Yeah.

- Iris what?

Iris what, dammit?!

- She didn't say!

What's wrong with you, Balzer?

You goin' nuts or what?

- Thanks a bunch, Hunter!

Just what we needed.

A tax audit!

- You know, I think I'm the only person

in this whole place who hasn't even been nailed

by Robbins yet.

- The rich kid Richie McCall.

- Speakin' of rich, you still owe me five bucks!

- I'll write you a check.

- Which I shouldn't cash until next payday?

Uh-uh, forget about it.

I'll write it off my taxes as a business expense.

What did you say you were going

to write off on your taxes, Sgt. McCall?

He wants my records for the last three years!

Three

years!

I don't even know where my records are for last week, man!

How am I supposed to turn up three years?

Just relax, it's only money, okay?

We got better things to concern ourselves with.

Like Balzer.

- Yeah, well.

My guess is we've scared him back into his hole.

- Nah, no way.

This guy is a killer, he's just beginning to kill.

He cannot stop.

I know all about these types of killers.

Trust me, will ya?

- Trust you, okay.

Three years, Hunter!

- Hey, Sarge!

How's it goin'? - Lookin' alright, boys!

- Hey, have a seat, I wanna talk to you.

- What are you drinkin'?

- Well, let's see.

Looks like I'm drinkin' beer.

Past the teeth, over the gums, look out, stomach!

Here it comes. - Alright!

- You know, I've known some old,

old women in my time.

They shoot better than you guys did this morning!

Sarge?

Hey, what's wrong?

What's wrong, Sarge?

- Sarge? - Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Excuse me!

Excuse me.

Excuse me!

Excuse me.

Hey, you, soldier!

That dame you were with.

What's her name?

- What's it to you, pal?

- Her name's Iris, right?

Right?!

Okay, so her name is Iris, so what?

- Well, where'd she go?

Where can I find her?

- I don't know what your problem is, Sarge.

But you want her?

She's all yours.

Looks like our old Sarge just took the bait.

- Yeah, he sure did.

- Iris!

Sorry.

- One more little push and he's gonna fall.

For you to even think that I'd get on the phone

with Balzer, then you're crazier than he is!

I only give a guy one shot at me.

He's already had his.

- Come on, Iris.

What can he do to you over the telephone?

- You understand Quaker?

Take thyself a hike!

- Look, Iris.

This guy is right on the edge.

All he's gotta do is hear your voice on the phone,

he's gonna fall right into our net!

He's gonna kill again unless you talk with him, Iris.

I don't even have a phone!

Company came and took it last month.

- Master Sergeant Balzer.

- Hello, Dennis!

This is Iris.

- Who?

- It's me.

Iris, your ex-wife.

What is this, some kind of joke?

- It's no joke, it's me.

Look, I gotta see you.

- I don't believe this.

- Believe it, Dennis.

Or you're gonna wind up in the gas chamber.

Dennis?

- Yeah, I'll be there.

Yeah, I'll be there.

I've always been there for you.

Always.

I'll be there, Iris.

I'll be right there.

- Where are you goin' with that gun?

- Get outta my way, Louis.

- Don't be crazy, Dennis, give it to me.

- Hunter, can you hear me?

- Yeah, loud and clear.

Just lonesome, I wanted to hear a familiar voice.

Any sign of him?

- Nothin' yet, how you doin'?

- I'm cold, my feet hurt, and I'm scared out of my mind.

Other than that, I'm just great.

- What are you scared for?

We gave you a bulletproof vest.

- Balzer always aims for the head, remember?

- Well, just hang in there.

- Yeah, well, how much longer?

- Make another pass up the path and back.

If you don't find anything, we'll call it a day.

- Okay, you got it.

- Hit the deck, McCall!

He's headed back to his car!

Try and cut him off!

- Police, hold it!

He went up the hill.

- I'm goin' after him, you get some back-up.

- Give it up, Balzer.

Half the Metro PD is on its way here right now.

That was real cute, Hunter.

Like I said, Sarge, everybody makes a mistake.

- Yeah.

Yeah, thanks, Gallagher.

Okay, I'll tell him.

Appreciate it.

That was Inspector Gallagher.

He said to tell you that the shooting team

has found the Balzer killing righteous.

He also said to tell you that he's gonna put you up

for a commendation.

- Please! Don't give me that.

We both know what the Captain would do with that.

- If you two have your penalty checks ready,

I'd be more than happy to take them for you.

It'll save you 22 cents' postage.

- Well, if we mail them,

can we deduct the cost of the stamps?

- I'm afraid not.

Nor the interest, or the penalty.

Thank you, both. - Mm-hm.

- The way everybody's been cutting corners around here,

I knew they'd catch up to you sooner or later!

- Who're you kiddin', Bernie?

You're not honest, you're just nervous.

- That's far from true, Hunter.

- Oh, yeah? Then how come you never put a quarter in the can

like you're supposed to after you drink all that coffee?

- Yeah. - A cup of coffee, McCall?

That's so penny-ante!

I get free coffee all over the city!

- Uh, excuse me.

I don't think we've met.

- Oh, excuse me, this is Sgt. Bernie Terwilliger.

This is Mr. Robbins.

Mr. Robbins is with the IRS, Bernie.

Nice to meet ya!

I got something I gotta do.

I'll see you later... - Now, just

a little moment, Sergeant.

I couldn't help overhearing just a moment ago.

Tell me, just exactly how many cups of coffee

do you drink each day?

I, uh...