Original subtitles

Jeez,

what happened to Walsh?

Heart attack.

She said I'd have a heart attack, too, if I was coming up on a big trial. Not

as little as he's got on the Beckwith case.

Your compassion overwhelms me, Burke.

I want it, Arthur.

Why, if it's so thin?

Somebody's got to fight the good fight.

And get his picture in the front page of every newspaper from the Trib to the

Post? Hey, I helped Walsh in early prep. I know the case.

I'll think about it.

Get this elevator, let's go!

Come on.

In a hurry?

No, not really.

But I know there's some jerk up there holding up the elevator so he can finish

a very important conversation.

Ooh, aren't we cranky this morning? Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed?

You want to know that, you've got to be there. I accept.

Tonight.

Can't. Legal seminar.

That's Thursday.

Sounds good.

Oh, no, it doesn't.

Dinner at my parents'. Why don't you come?

Meet your parents'? Yeah.

Here we go.

Clear, please.

All right, folks, please stand back.

Got it through.

That was Tom Walsh.

Well, the doctors say it was a mild heart attack, thank God. So he should be

okay. Thank you, Ellie.

Meanwhile, though, life goes on. The Beckwith trial is up in two days, and

you're in from the bullpen test.

What? It's yours. You're on it.

No.

No. This is not a request.

You're best suited for it.

I'm coming off the Cromire trial. You don't have a heavy load.

Why am I best suited?

Because Raymond Laurie's defense counsel?

Is he really?

What a coincidence.

Doesn't play favorites, Arthur.

Have me on the case won't be an advantage.

I don't need an advantage. I need a non-hostile dialogue.

An environment for a deal to be arranged. A deal? You're two days away

from trial.

Well, it's never too late, especially when your case hasn't come together

quite as hoped. What hasn't come together, huh?

Beckwith found his girlfriend with another guy, and he shot her. With her

gun.

The defense contends that they argued.

She got scared and pulled the gun. He accidentally shot her, trying to take it

away. Self-defense.

Maybe it was.

Not if we can find the guy Beckwith caught her with, and we make our case.

How do we know there was a guy?

Forensics found something.

Read the file.

I'm confused about something.

We're looking to make a deal or find the witness.

Well, at this stage, whichever comes first.

The charge is murder, too. I'll settle for voluntary manslaughter. Minimum two

years, possible time off.

Tess, do the best you can. Lurie was your teacher.

He pulled strings to get you this job.

Your relationship is conducive to negotiation.

He doesn't care.

Then you'll be going to trial.

We've stalled as long as we can.

I'm putting Darren Burke on as your second chair.

She'd rather work with Sean Kelly.

I'm sure you would. It's Burke.

He knows the case. He'll be valuable.

Now, you better get started on an extension.

Hello? Yeah.

How close are you with Lurie?

Not close enough.

He looks like a lawyer.

Tessie, you're a revelation.

The fates conspired to make you less, but against all odds, you made yourself

a lawyer.

Always know that you have everything it takes to be a great one.

Affectionately, Raymond Lord.

Nice.

You have work?

Yes, ma'am.

Your Honor, my sympathies go out to Mr. Walsh and his family, but my client has

a family, too. He's been waiting to clear his name for eight months now.

While we understand the prosecution's need for an extension, we ask that it be

a brief one.

Six weeks should give us plenty of time to prepare, Your Honor. With all due

respect, Your Honor, from her days as my student, I know Ms. Kaufman to be a very

quick study.

I also know that in spite of previous delaying tactics, nothing in the

prosecution's case has changed substantially.

It certainly hasn't gotten any stronger.

Thank you for your analysis, Mr. Lurie.

I'm so very happy that our new prosecutor and her case both meet with

your approval.

I'm setting a trial date for ten calendar days from today.

I believe that's sufficient time for you to prepare.

Your Honor.

Ms. Kaufman.

As self-serving as Mr. Lurie's statements were, they do have some

validity.

Let's just call it a date, shall we?

I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but I think we better save something for the

trial. Thank you.

Thank you.

You

did

very well to get the ten days, Tessie. I had her figured for a week. Your

predecessor passed you a very angry judge.

We should talk later when the vultures aren't around.

It's no fair using anything I taught you against me now, Tessie.

Bye. What are the reasons for all the prosecutions for delays, Ms. Coffman?

Please, you'll have to give us time to catch up on the case, and then we'll

have statements for you. Are you having witness problems, Mr. Burke? In spite of

Mr. Lurie's practice, we'll be trying this case in the courtroom, not in the

hallway.

We'll notify you when we have comments to make. Thank you very much, everyone.

Mr.

Burke,

could you wait? Are you going to go for it? What about the chances?

Mr. Burke, are you going to change your attitude?

In the future, I'll handle all discussion with the press. You

understand? I'm sorry. I thought it was helping. Didn't seem like it.

Just don't do it again.

I guess I'll finish going over the police report.

I need the witness.

Give me a chance to get caught up first, will you?

I don't even know if there is a witness.

Forensics found a hair.

It could have been the plumber's.

Then find the plumber.

This is stupid, Dickie.

Okay, you sold me home.

Are you happy?

Should I come in? No, will you stop treating me like a baby?

I could sleep on the couch, just for tonight.

Why?

After a rape, um, women are scared to be alone.

When did you become such an expert?

Talked to your rape counselor. She told me.

I'm not scared, Dickie. Go home.

You can call me if you need anything. I will.

Good night.

I'm not scared, Dickie. I'm petrified.

I don't know how yours was, but that meatloaf is sitting in my

stomach like a... I don't know how to sign.

Lead balloon?

Lead?

You're doing fine.

Thanks.

Bruce never learned.

He's a fool.

He is.

Someone who just throws away something of real value is a

fool.

If you were mine,

Come on.

It's getting cold.

Thank you.

Well... Lord, come on.

Approved.

So, we got a TV, VCR, two sofas and a table. No jewelries are valuable.

No.

Have there been any workmen in here lately?

No.

A maid?

No.

Anyone else have a key?

Tess, what are you doing here?

Tess, why are you here? You bastard!

It was my lawyer's idea.

He told me to take possession of things that were mine before the marriage, just

to avoid any arguments later.

Bruce, what's wrong?

Nothing.

I got a feeling, okay? Sure, I'll take care of it.

Cobb! Cobb!

Been looking all over for you.

Gotta cut back on those cheeseburgers, Larkin. Oh, gee, thanks, Cobb.

But I got a wife who does the weight jokes.

Look, I dropped the Beckwith files at your desk. It's all yours now. Any

parting words of wisdom?

Find the witness.

Why won't this witness come forward?

Maybe Beckwith paid him off.

Or maybe he's afraid of Beckwith. What's the difference, huh? If he didn't speak

up when it happened, he's certainly not gonna find a conscience all of a sudden.

Counselor! Counselor!

This case is a real education on how to do a lot of work and get absolutely

nowhere.

Larkin's covered everything.

Have a meeting with Lurie? Yeah, we'll have to meet you there.

I have some things I want to look into.

What?

I thought that I would talk to Beckwith's daughter.

Why?

Why not?

There's nothing I can tell you, Detective Cobb. Ann Collins was my

father's girlfriend.

That's all I know.

How often do you see your father?

He's busy and I'm busy.

Maybe once a week.

Would Ann Collins be with him?

Sometimes.

But they've broken up recently.

Any idea why?

You'd have to ask my father.

You friends with Ann Collins?

Not really.

Your father ever talk to you about her?

Only in passing.

He's been single most of your life, right?

Since your mother passed away?

That's right.

He's a jealous type.

Detective Cobb, do you really think I'm gonna stand here and help you convict my

father?

Well, a man can dream.

I have work to do.

When I found out she was... seeing someone else, I...

I went to talk to her.

Who was it, someone else?

As I have told what seems like hundreds before you, I don't know.

Anyway, the conversation turned into an argument.

She got scared and she pulled out her gun.

The one that you bought for her?

Well, I wish to God I never had, but I did.

And like a fool, I tried to take it away from her, and it went off.

By accident.

And no, there was no one else there.

And no, Mr. Beckwith did not bring the gun with him.

And how you hope to get a conviction on this, Tessie, I don't understand.

Grand jury thought there was enough there for an indictment. Well, the grand

jury is a rubber stamp for the DA.

There's an election coming up. He probably thought it would look good to

bag a fat cat.

Now, um...

I assume that you've come to make some kind of offer.

We'll come down to voluntary manslaughter. No, no, no. Stop right

there. You've shown me nothing.

Why would Mr. Beckwith agree to go to prison? Because that's where they put

murderers.

Tessie, the most important thing I have ever tried to teach you was never to

deal from weakness.

I'm disappointed that you've forgotten that lesson.

I am dealing from the only position that I have. You're going to look bad on

this, Tessie, and your bosses, who decided to try this in the first place,

are not going to remember whose fault it was.

Tell me, are these life lessons for free, or do you charge $500 an hour for

them, too?

You know, Tessie, I think that your ill-natured investigator is very good

for you. He's a great counterbalance to your genteel intelligence.

Look, come on. This is going nowhere.

Tessie, I have to watch out for my client.

You tell your people that I'll either win with self-defense or I'll accept

some kind of misdemeanor plea. No jail time.

This is not law school anymore, Tessie.

Your idealism does not play as well in the real world.

I always knew that in spite of all your ability, that would be the hardest

lesson for you to learn.

My daughter was very good to Harlan Beckwith, detective.

Too good, if you ask me.

How so?

She took care of him, she ran his life, and the bastard just used her.

You know, I told all this to the other investigator months ago, for all the

good it did.

Trial's coming up soon.

Like that's going to make a difference?

People like Harlan Beckwith don't get convicted for murder.

They get convicted of fraud and sentenced to six months of playing

bridge with Michael Milken.

Any idea why your daughter stayed in the relationship as long as she did?

Because he was wrong for her.

She liked that.

Did they love each other?

She never said if they did or they didn't.

You think she was seeing someone else?

I doubt that very much.

Ann was a very loyal person.

She was like family to that cold fish.

Even though he'd never marry her.

You know, ask his daughter, Rachel.

Ann treated her like a sister.

She was close with Beckwith Starr?

Excuse me, but didn't we meet at the mayor's house about a month ago?

A small dinner party, maybe 15 or 20 people?

I've never been to the mayor's house.

Oh.

Well, I guess you'd remember that if you had, wouldn't you?

Arthur Gold, deputy district attorney.

It's nice to meet you, Arthur.

Advertising, right? It shows.

What age are you, Arthur?

I'll be in at 8.30, Burke.

Lurie rejected Tessa's offer this afternoon.

I'll be right back.

Did he leave

anything open at all? Nothing you'd want?

I like Tess, Arthur. I really do. But this thing's going to trial.

And I think we've both seen that she isn't able to handle Lurie.

Her relationship with Lurie is useless now, maybe even a hindrance.

If you move me up to co-counsel, I think it might throw him a little curve.

Nobody'd notice anyway since I'm already at the table.

Subtlety isn't your forte, is it, Burke?

There's no time left for subtlety, Arthur.

That's right.

Throw the ball. Catch the ball. Now move it. Come on, move it. That's right.

That's right. That's right.

Ah, fumble.

I laid six and a half.

I'll be lucky to win this game straight up.

I guess I shouldn't be talking about betting around a cup.

That's okay, Ed.

I'm not much into prosecuting victimless crimes.

I'm glad to hear it.

There's enough street crime after to keep you guys busy 24 hours a day.

Of course, Lila defends half of these cruds. Oh, more than half, I think.

You're all right.

Dinner's ready?

Can you wait a few minutes?

It's almost halftime. Well, Dad, the pot roast didn't know that. It's ready now.

She's got some mouth in her, hasn't she?

Oh, yeah.

Judge said ten days.

Well... There is nothing in here that supports any reconsideration.

Try this.

I already covered this one.

Did you find anything?

Not yet.

She eats.

How about...

A little wine to wash you down.

I couldn't believe it. It was one day after the warranty expired.

And you know what the guy down at the dealership said? He says, oh, boy,

that's tough.

But that's all right. Ed's going to go down and talk to him, aren't you, honey?

Yes, hon.

Yes! The man's a saint.

Actually, I think he's rooting for the Bears.

How's your dinner, Dickie?

Great, it's great.

Really, Margaret, this is delicious.

Well, I'm glad you like it.

Maybe we should turn off the game while we're eating.

Just kidding, guys.

I think it's time to call it a night.

Get it.

Get it!

No!

Well, I guess I can kiss that 50 bucks goodbye.

Betting football's a fool there, I bet.

Tell me about it.

You want another beer?

No, I'm fine.

So, uh, how long you and Lila been going out with each other?

About a month.

You know, I never figured her to go out with a cop.

Is that a problem for you?

Oh, no, just the opposite.

I think it's a refreshing change.

Yeah, well, maybe Lila does, too.

I feel like I should apologize, but I'll be damned if I know what for.

I didn't say you should apologize.

Right. You didn't say anything.

I'll write back.

Good night, Dickie.

I really had a good time.

I'm glad.

Lila, you know what I think?

I think you're not liking me tonight because your father did.

Well, that's silly.

Yeah, I know it's silly, but that's what I think. Is it true?

I love my father, Dickie.

But my mother made her whole life fit his, and I just won't do that for

anyone.

I haven't asked you to.

Nobody ever does.

What's that supposed to mean?

It means it just happens.

People fall in love and they get married, and 30 years later, they're

both living the life that one of them wanted to in the first place.

We're not talking about 30 years here, Lila. We are talking about one football

game.

I wish that's all we were talking about, Dickie. I really do.

I don't want you hot-dogging it in every newspaper in town. Oh, Arthur, you don't

have to worry. This is a no-brainer. I can handle it.

Come in.

Come in.

So, uh, anything new with the Beckwith case?

Nothing of substance.

But it looks like you've already heard that.

All right, Tess, I'm going to say this straight out. I think you're at a media

disadvantage with Lori.

I'm going to have, uh... Burke here handled the press from now on. What the

hell kind of thing is that?

I didn't think my deafness was an issue with you, Arthur. Now, Tess, don't you

take this personally.

I am just trying to... I don't take it personally.

I didn't want this case.

You assigned it to me, not just part of it, all of it. And I'm gonna handle all

of it. Well, I thought you might be able to reach an agreement with Laurie.

You should have told me that I was only on this.

Provisionally. Provisionally.

I wouldn't have done so much work.

Do you think you can mount an effective prosecution?

It's my job, isn't it?

Well, if it looks like you're going to get steamrolled in court, I want to know

about it so I can plan for it.

Save face with the press.

It looks like that's going to happen.

I'll be the second person to tell you.

Hey, you know what I don't get?

You don't take anything from anybody.

Someone tries to cross you or push you around.

You're on them just like that.

Except for Lurie.

Around him, you're downright obedient.

Have you made it?

I remember once when I was a kid, I trapped a snake.

I was throwing things at it, teasing it.

My dad came out, he chewed my butt.

He said, you don't mess with snakes because they can hurt you.

He said, you find one, you cut off its head.

That way you don't have to watch its every move.

Are you threatening me?

Just telling a story.

She's playing in a hearing world by hearing rules, Cobb.

Now, it's to her credit that she doesn't ask for any slack.

But if there's something she can't handle, she should face up to it.

The idea is to convict Beckwith.

Yeah. I thought watching you the idea was to get a promotion.

I don't know why,

but I feel like I have to show everybody I'm okay.

Are you?

No.

I feel nervous.

I don't sleep well.

Then why pretend?

I don't know.

Why do you think?

I don't want to lean on anyone.

Like Dickie.

It just feels different now, and I don't want to be needy.

I feel like it might scare him away.

If he's your friend, it won't.

He's more than my friend.

He's the only man I trust.

Because I know him.

I really know Dickie.

I don't know anyone else.

And I don't think that I'll ever be able to open myself up enough to find someone

else. Be patient, Kay.

It doesn't happen all at once.

Yeah, but the thing is, it used to. It used to be exciting and fun.

But that's been taken away.

Getting to know a man will never be the same again.

Miles Cometh?

Yeah.

Detective Cobb. District Attorney's Office?

Yeah.

I understand you're Rachel Beckwith's boyfriend.

Yeah, we date.

Your roommate doesn't mind?

What's that supposed to mean?

I went to your apartment looking for you.

Your roommate was there.

Nice guy.

Yeah, so?

So, two people, one king-sized bed.

Must get crowded at night.

Look, is there something you want?

Why are you and Rachel Beckwith playing prince and princess?

I don't know what you're talking about. Hey, look.

I could care less how you live your life.

My only interest is in a murder investigation.

And I need to know more about Rachel Beckwith.

She covered for you, you covered for her. Hey, look.

It's a mutually beneficial relationship, all right?

I need the name of Rachel's girlfriend.

Rachel's girlfriend's dead.

I thought we were finished.

I did, too.

Then I talked to Miles Thomas.

We know about your arrangement.

That you just date to keep up appearances.

I don't know what you're talking about. He's my boyfriend.

Whatever you say.

But Ann Collins was your lover.

What is this?

I think your father found out, and that's why he shot her.

and I think that you were in the room when it happened.

This conversation is over.

We found a hair at the murder scene.

I said I wasn't there.

So you asked picture in the paper this morning?

Yeah. She's handling the prosecution in that Beckwith trial.

That must keep her pretty busy.

She was born busy.

Good. You wouldn't say that if you were married to her.

All busy people consider divorce a nuisance.

I want to be done with it. They're more likely to compromise just to get things

resolved, to get it over with.

It's the people who don't have a life who battle over every penny, every stick

of furniture.

I want to be fair. Bruce, you're a lawyer.

We make our livings defining fair.

It's my job to define it to your advantage.

I feel bad about that furniture thing.

Don't worry. We'll give some back.

I just don't have time for what he's doing.

I've had a big case thrown at me that's not coming together.

I can't devote the energy to this. When you hired me, Tess, I asked you what

kind of divorce you wanted.

You indicated you wanted it to be civilized. I told you we could do that.

But your husband has to want the same thing.

Court order first thing in the morning I can goose the lab to get the hair test

done quickly that won't be necessary

You're

gonna

ruin my life That's not what we want

When I testify

Can you keep my private life out of it?

No.

I'm sorry.

Why?

The relationship you had with Ann Collins was the reason your father

killed her.

That was his motive.

There's no way to hide that.

A lie.

I'll say it was there, but didn't see anything.

I can't do it.

Please.

Please don't make me do it.

Your father committed a murder.

I loved Anne.

And she loved me.

The tragedy isn't just that he killed her.

The tragedy is that he did it because he couldn't understand.

And when this comes out, no one else will either.

I'm sorry.

At least you won't have to hide anymore.

Right.

I'll be out.

And my whole world will turn upside down.

You think everyone's so enlightened that they don't care? Well, guess what? They

do.

Who you are is nothing to be ashamed of.

Tell that to my father.

Thanks for coming, Tessie.

Thank you, Matthew.

Have you been here before?

In a few years, I think we'll put you up for membership. It's important exposure.

I understand that your boss, Arthur Gold, has been nominated.

Can I guess vote to black ball?

You're not much with authority, are you, detective?

Depends on the person.

I see.

Well, now, Tessie.

I've been looking at this case solely on its merits and its demerits, but in the

end, I don't think that a man like Harlan Beckwith should have to expose

himself to the world in court.

That sometimes happens when you commit murder.

Thanks.

I think that, uh...

In the interests of saving the taxpayers some money and to avoid feeding the

public frenzy, I could convince Mr. Beckwith to accept a charge of

manslaughter in the heat of passion with some sort of minimal jail sentence.

Say, a few months of minimum security.

Maybe six months.

A year at most, with possible reduction.

You should never deal from a position of weakness, Professor.

I'm trying to be reasonable here, Tess.

Harlan Beckwith is guilty of murder.

And you and I both know that, Professor. I'm about to prove it in a court of law.

Now you are making a big mistake. We're talking about a lot more than the trial

here. No, we're not.

You think about your career.

What I've done for you. What I can do for you.

What you've done is cultivate me.

Teaching me.

Doing me favors.

Keeping me under your thumb.

All the possibility that someday I'd be in the position to repay you.

That is the way things work, young lady.

Not when you're as idealistic as I am, professor.

In spite of all your ability, I always knew that that would be the hardest

lesson for you to learn.

You got a minute, Arthur?

I talked with Lurie this afternoon.

Did you? Yeah. I think I can get Beckwith to take voluntary manslaughter

with jail time.

Really?

Yeah, apparently, uh, Laurie tried to cut some deal with Tess today, but she's

being difficult.

I think she has a problem with him.

Well, what she's got is Rachel Beckwith as a witness.

What?

Laurie must be pretty desperate trying to play you for a fool.

But I guess he sized you up and thought he had a chance.

Uh, Tess tells me, uh, she won't be needing you in court anymore.

But I'm second chair. Well, I think we'll just let her go it alone the rest

of the way, okay

Ambition

Hi. Huh?

Came to watch you, but all the seats are taken.

I'm sorry, Tessie, about what I did.

I was wrong.

This whole thing just seems so crazy to me. I can't believe we've let it get

this far.

You, not me.

I know.

I've ruined this marriage.

And it hurts me.

You, you, you.

What about me?

I never meant to hurt you.

But that's that.

Please, just leave me alone.

I was frightened.

They argued terribly, and finally Anne...

screamed at my father that she loved me.

He just stopped arguing.

I mean, I'd never seen him so angry, but he didn't say anything.

He just reached into his pocket, took out a gun, and shot her.

And I held her while she died.

Ann and I loved each other.

You always gave me things that you thought would make me happy.

But when I found something that really did, you took it away.

In a hurry?

Not anymore.

I hear things went well at the trial.

Yeah, looks like the good guys are gonna win one.

About the other night. I've been meaning to talk to you about that.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Don't try to change me, Lila.

I won't try to change you.

Can you live with that?

I can live with it.

For the first time since I've known you, you don't seem like you

have a million things on your mind.

For the first time, I don't.

Have I told you yet that you're a good lawyer?

Tell me again.

You're good.

Thanks, Dickie.

No problem.

Good night, sleep.

I will. Good night.

Dickie.

Would you mind sleeping on my couch tonight?