Original subtitles

Tonight on Spencer for Hire. Women just don't belong out here.

Sell the boat style made it. The Almedas? They killed my father.

That mouth of yours is gonna get you in real trouble. Get out of here!

Hey, what? Let her go. The Omators fight by their own rules.

You assure those rules include murder? Spenside. This time, we try a soft talk.

real big stick.

You always have handling your kind. What are you trying to do, Mr. Elmira?

Terrify me? BOOM!

Mystic River Bridge is one way out of Boston,

and a way out was what I'd been looking for.

Boston had turned cruel as April, and I needed to distance myself from it.

At least for a while I needed a place where I had no personal past.

where memory and desire didn't wait to assault me down every familiar street,

around every corner.

Maybe Elliot could have explained what happened. I could.

Susan had gone, gently, regretfully,

firmly closing the door on our life together,

and each time I explored the why of it, it hurt that deeper.

Gloucester was only about 45 minutes out of Boston.

but it was a place we hadn't shared. An emotional limbo.

So when the offer of a job came, I grabbed it.

Cape Anne seemed like a good place to get some salt air,

some fried clams, and maybe a new perspective.

Tony?

Thanks, Mom.

Mrs. Cologne?

Uh, yeah, I'll be with you in a minute. Sam, where do you think you're going?

We're not finished work. I am. Look, you asked me to give it a shot.

I gave it a shock. It's not working. What did we get today?

Oh, well, today we had to. Today, yesterday, same thing.

I could do better off the end of a pier with a string and a safety pin.

I gave a two months. That's it. Sam, you can't quit.

We're working a short crew as it is. I'm sorry.

You and Anthony were friends for how many years? You worked together?

Sam, do you know what I'm trying to do here? I can't do it alone.

You got no right putting it to me like that. I got my own family to think about.

You know what would happen if I stayed on here? We'd both go broke.

You're not going to make it, Ellen. Sell the boats to Almeida.

He'll give you a fair price. You got the guts to mention that name to my mother?

You watch it, kid. You just watch it. You think we'd sell out to the Almeidas?

They killed my father. I'd bring both our boats down to the waterline

before we'd tell out to them. Look, Tony, you've been popping off a lot about that.

You want some advice? From you? I want nothing from you.

So why don't you just get out of here?

that mouth of yours is gonna get you in real trouble one of these days.

Bad idea. Saw with a deadly weapon. Put your other fishing business a long time.

Who asked? He's right, Tony. Let it go. Who's he to tell me?

Spencer. I told you I hired him. Well, maybe he didn't get his instructions right.

You're supposed to be on our side.

He's supposed to protecting us and keeping you out of trouble. But you just did.

I'm not afraid of Sam Vallette. He doesn't scare me.

Neither do you. And wait till you see me in my gorilla suit. It's in the car.

Your ad said a full service agency.

Does that always include cooking dinner for your client? Not always. Sometimes.

Sometimes I even do windows.

Besides, I haven't had anyone to put myself to cook for, like, Leon. No.

It's not the same, is it?

No, it's not the same.

Well, 10 more minutes at low simmer, and we're talking perfection. Right. Sit down.

Have some wine. It's Dad's chair.

Sorry. No need to apologize. He didn't know, Tony.

Big time Boston PI is, and he's supposed to know everything?

Tony, if you're going to be rude.

If you think for $200 a day, he could buy us on dinner.

Thank you.

target I'm just handy.

He's always been a terrific kid. Never any problem, not with school, not

with anything. And when his father was killed, he...

When you're 16, you're immortal. You expect everyone else to be.

And when you find out they're not, there's some very heavy adjusting to do.

How did Tony happen to be on the boat the night it was fire bombed?

He wasn't supposed to be. It was late, but, you know, kids, he got on board

without Anthony seeing him.

Something was wrong with the engine. I don't know what.

Anthony was working on it. He thought he'd take it out, see how it was running.

They were not too long when...

Donnie heard the other boat. Something was thrown on board.

There was an explosion.

terrible explosion.

Tony.

He was blown overboard. There wasn't anything he could do.

He couldn't even try to help his father.

When he finally got back to land, he told the police what had happened.

Well, that was the end of it. They investigate what other boats were out that night?

Boats are in and out all the time.

But Tony knows who threw that bomb. Everybody knows. The Almedas.

Why do you think they did it? Was it a personal vendetta? Why?

Business, strictly business. Too many people fishing, not enough fish.

It's not just Gloucester.

It's the same in New Bedford, all up and down the East Coast.

We're all fighting to stay alive.

Only the El MEDAS fight by their own rules.

You assure those rules include murder? They bought out the ones who would sell.

They've driven the smaller ones under.

they couldn't get to Anthony. First

they threatened, then they killed him.

I don't want Tony hurt. He's not going to be hurt. That's why I'm here. I told you.

They beat him up once. They could have killed him.

Look, I'll understand if you want to change your mind. The Elmeitas can be vicious.

Hey.

You're forgetting about my gorilla suit.

Thank you.

I don't think you'll have any trouble finding the Elmada dock. I'll find it.

Probably won't do any good to talk to the old man,

but he's the only one the sons will listen to. Maybe he'll listen to me. Good luck.

Good fishing.

Let's shove off.

Heroes are generally thought of in grandiose terms,

storming the Bastille slaying dragons, doing ritual battle for King Country.

No laurel wreaths or medals were being ready for Ellen Cologne.

But there was unquestioned heroism in her daily

fight to hang on to her home and family

and a future for her son. Today, as she had yesterday, and would tomorrow,

she prepared to deliver herself to what Yates

called the murderous innocence of the sea.

Scenes of domesticity tend to throw one off guard.

Spencer's rule. Watch the other fellow's eyes.

The Almeida patriarchs were as welcoming as a place to see glacial.

Dog didn't look all that glad to see me either.

This is my doc. Yeah, I know. My name is...

I know who you are and I know what you work for you.

So you can get out of here the same way you came in only faster.

Mr. Almeida, I was... What's the matter? Am I making myself clear?

I don't want to hear anything you have to say. I don' have enough of that lousy kid.

So if you think you can come here and threaten me... Threatening?

I'm just trying to have a conversation.

I know everyone around here is in a real short fuse.

But threats and counter threats aren't going to solve anything.

Ellen Cologne's worried about her son. Oh, she has a right to be worried.

Take her a message from me, OK? You tell her Tony doesn't shut their mouth if he's

telling me he's going to end up using him as a live bait. No. What?

No, I'm not going to tell her that. Because nobody's coming anywhere near Tony.

My sons are... Your bully boy sons beat up a 16 year old kid.

They make another move, you better warn them. I'm cutting in on the action.

Two months he's been going all over town telling anyone who wants to listen.

We kill his father. What are we supposed to do? Nothing?

Unless that's too a dull and approach for you.

Like the way I hear it, he says you did.

You say you did and this thing just keeps escalating. Anthony Cologne is dead.

You really want to see somebody else get hurt? Let me give

you a little tip, mister.

The name is Spencer. But out of what doesn't concern you, I'm back to Boston.

We got a ways of handling your kind. What are you trying to do, Mr. Elmada?

Terrify me.

Bye.

Stella Benson cautioned us to call no man phone.

I can only assume Mr. Almeida was unfamiliar with her work.

Mr. Elmita, quite a character, isn't he? Yeah, real downies to original.

Masty thing, Dog Bite, but I cleaned it all real good. It should heal up just fine.

You going to file charges? No, but, I have considered biting him back.

Mr. Almita not the dog. Glad to see you're hanging on to your sense of humor.

It's something been in short supply around here for quite a while.

Because business has been off? Off? Oh. Fish and industries are mess.

You know anything about it? I've seen captain's courageous a few times.

Seems like a pretty tough life. Never was anything but.

And today, with all the rules and regulations, boundary disputes, condos and marinas

spoiling the prime breeding grounds. Can't catch what's not out there.

I suppose you wonder why they stay with it. No. It's

what they do.

I want to have a look at that arm tomorrow.

That is, if you plan on staying on at the Cologne, please.

Does everyone in town know who I am and where I'm staying? Blast is a small town.

Well, evidently, he's not big enough for the Colognes and the Almedas.

Doc, did you do the autopsy on Anthony Cologne?

What they could find of him wasn't much. What do you think happened?

You mean do I think the El Maitis had something to do with it? Off the record.

I don't know. What I do know is it's not a healthy subject for speculation.

It'll toughen the wardrobe, too.

How you doing? Well, we've had better days. What about you?

I've had a better days myself. Did you see Manny Elmita?

Like that's going to do any good. I saw him and I talked to him. And?

And I think I was making some progress.

At least I was make the points I wanted to make until he sicked his dog on me.

He what? He was not exactly what you would call receipt.

I could have told you when Getty were talking to that guy.

I don't know what he's doing here anyway. He can't change anything.

He can bring Dad back. No, Tony, I can't do that.

Maybe he can keep you from getting hurt. Oh, sure. He's gonna take care of me.

He can even take care himself. He can fight off a dog. Big dog.

Go to a PI and get a short-earned cook. It's a twofer. Sure it's a gimmick,

but it makes for great work of mouth. Make it fun of me?

Tony, he's just trying to be pleasant. You might try it yourself sometime.

Sorry, Spencer. It's not just that we didn't cover our costs today.

Another man quit. That means that we can't go out tomorrow.

There's a lot of men and a lot of muscle to run a fishing boat. I'm sorry.

Well, I can ask around, but to tell you the truth,

nobody's that wild about working for a woman.

Permanent, short-sighted, and not uncommon. Doesn't, uh, look, I'm not sure.

Well, the you though, doesn't it? Never get come up with a reason why it should.

Look, I know I engaged you for protection,

but would you consider, um, I mean. Well, I couldn't do any work that I did today.

You know about commercial fishing. Absolutely nothing, but I've always been a sucker

for a learning experience.

Visit!

What do you want? We came to see what kind of guy roused an old man.

This is my house, Frankie. You and Buddy aren't welcome here.

Get out of here.

I said, get out of here! Hey, hey, hey! Why did you get out the way?

The Almeida's, I presume.

Why don't you let her go?

I didn't rouse your father. He said.

I didn' rouse his father, and if that's what he told you, he's lying. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Oh. Oh.

and I'll see you in the next video.

This ain't over yet, Spencer. Now why did I know you were gonna say that?

causes a steady, mature, courageous individual.

It seemed a good place to hide from the emotional turbulence

caused by Susan's leaving. Instead, I found myself caught up in the maelstrom

of grief and anger and loss that haunted Ellen and Tony Cologne.

I hoped I could make a difference.

But at present, the other sides seemed to be winning.

What's she sore about? What's he sore about. You got a nerve to ask that.

You and Frankie. What about Tony? What's that look like?

Between the two of you, you could make four of him.

Who cares whatever he got yet coming? Many.

Look, are you part of his family or what? Why are you always taking his side?

He's a 16-year-old boy. He's lost his father. Yeah, and he's a father.

He's blaming it on us. He's got to blame someone. He's grieving.

Where's your understanding? I don't want to hear any more from you, Velma.

The kids are hothead. Just like his father. Do you remember when Anthony was 16?

He was over here all the time. You treated him like your own. All right. That's it.

You got to finish your breakfast. You're going to be late.

It's gotta stop.

You hear me?

All of you. It's gotta stop.

I don't hear about any more beatings. I don' want to hear about anymore bombs.

You don't stop it now.

someone else ends up dead.

All right.

Thanks. You're not supposed to be over there. You're supposed to over here.

We can't fish and take care of you too. Nobody has to take care me.

don't belong out here.

Entry, Nudad.

Notice how things don't go wrong one at a time.

Once the bad things start, they just keep on happening. Relentlessly.

I wonder if that coffee's on the disaster report. No, it isn't. I made it.

So I'd like to buy me a cup. Sure.

So what do you think? The cable just snapped? An active fate? I don't know.

Here's the why. The end.

Maybe it's just big fish, little fish.

Something from Simbillene.

How are fishes living in the sea? How do they?

Why as men do a land.

The great ones eat up the little ones. The El Matis.

I got one of the biggest fleets in Gloucester. Why isn't that enough?

Big fish have big appetites.

Well, if it was sabotage, we'll have... It's just another thing we can't prove.

Don't be so sure.

You don't have to stop talking just because I'm here.

We did.

Alan? It's bad news.

I really don't want to hear it now, Dom.

Yeah, well, I'm not going to quit on you. You know that.

Sam wasn't going to quite either.

Yeah, and well, Dom and me have been talking about that.

I mean about what Sam had to say. You mean selling out to the Almedas?

Why don't you wait to boil over until you have a reason?

At least until they've said what they have to say?

Now, recabeling that winch is going to take time and money.

You haven't much of either. There's nothing wrong with the other boat.

We're still in business. Yeah, but for how long? For as long as it takes. OK.

But I feel like I'm keeping a death watch.

What do you think?

Well, I could have just given away.

might have been helped along, too. Hi, Ellen.

What do you want, buddy? OK, hold it, Tony. I'll hide all this.

That's what I'm here for.

What kind of an attitude is that? We just came by to give our condolences.

We understand you ran into some bad luck today, didn't we? That's right.

A cable snapped or something? Or something like that.

But you'd know better than we would, wouldn't you, buddy?

Is that supposed to mean something? You're stupid, buddy.

But you're not that stupid. You know exactly what it means.

That's why you brought the extra muscle along today.

So what's it gonna be? One at a time or all at once.

You know, when I was fighting for a piece of the gate,

it was one at a times, but whatever works for you guys.

Maybe you get a kick out of knocking heads together. Maybe you'll get off on that.

We got better things to do.

Come on.

You really going to take on all three of them?

I don't know if I can help it.

I don' think any of them have ever heard of the markers of Queensbury.

Look, is this really necessary?

You had three boats, you downed a tomb, one's disabled.

You lose this one, you're out of business. I'll have Tony relieve you at midnight.

I appreciate the offer, but that's not necessary. Expenser, it's our boat.

It's my job.

A very long day had blended seamlessly into an even longer night.

I waited, I watched.

Despite the romantic image, waiting is about 90% of being a private cop.

Waiting in cold coffee out of plastic cups. So I listened to the silence.

Nothing broke it but the soft slap of water

against the hall as we rode a changing tide.

And I searched the shadows.

I could find no enemy to fight, but my own fatigue.

I'll be right back.

I can't believe it.

As for Merrimack River, Massachusetts, to

Wachel Road Island, out to 25 nautical miles.

Southwest winds 15 knots tonight into Friday morning.

Shipping to West 15 knots by Friday afternoon.

Winds becoming northeast, 15 knots ahead. Out sea, to the west.

I told Ellen and Tony that I would...

I didn't know how my clients felt, but I knew that I wasn't happy with

the way the mass was pointing up at me from the bottom of the bay.

So I made myself a prompt.

To stop the mindless rampage of violence, the Almeida family seemed set on it.

Ben Sa!

My, my, my. Feels like you should have engaged my services earlier, babe. Why?

You can see I have everything firmly in hand. Uh-huh. What happened?

One of the locals tried to charbroil me. Innovative approach. Terrible aim.

I take care of the local. No, I take the local, you take care on that.

You think I'm dressed for that kind of duty? You're dressed for the Hanley Regatta,

but that's the only thing they've got left in the world. Uh...

Come on.

Alan and Tony Cologne, Mrs. Hawke.

They'll see to it that no one goes on or off the boat. How, the same way you did?

No. This time we try a soft talk and a real big stay.

Yeah, Alan.

I just didn't think I could get any worse. It's not going to get any worst.

We've got an eyewitness now. Me.

I saw Buddy on Mata on the dock when the boat went up. I'll swear to that.

going home.

Hawke will take care of things down here.

Yeah. You mind if I make a personal observation? I wouldn't stop if I did, mind.

As I see it, you have two viable avenues of action. What are they?

You could take a real long, real hot, soaked, filled shower,

or take the wearing tartar sauce behind your ears. You'd land lower.

I don't even smell a fish anymore.

Who told you, babe?

Listen, the old man's a little touchy. So is his dog. Just let me handle things.

Morning Mr. Almeda. Buddy home.

He's busy. Well, it's just kind of important. Kind of important?

I don't know how busy he is today, Mr. Almeda, but he was real busy last night.

What is it?

What are you doing here, Dad? I need to talk to Buddy. I told him Buddy's busy.

This man is a troublemaker. He works for the Colognes.

He's putting lies just like them.

Thank you.

Hi, Dan. You want to talk to me?

I'm afraid I've got to take you down to the station, buddy.

You're not taking him any place. I have no choice.

Some very serious charges have been made. By him? What charges? What?

Arson attempted murder attempted murder

I was home all last night. I never left the house.

How did you know we were talking about last night, buddy? I heard about.

Yeah, we all heard. Yeah?

Tell us what you heard, Frankie.

What happened?

Well.

What everybody knows. Somebody torched one Allen's boats.

Tempted murder, huh?

I didn't know there was anybody on board.

You sure you didn't?

You had a ringside seat?

That's a lie.

Now listen, we're not going to get anywhere standing around arguing about this.

Just come down to the station. I told you he's not going any place.

I got an eyewitness that put some at the scene. And I'll swear to it.

Well, I'll be willing to swear that

he was home with me. Me too.

He was home.

I'm sorry. I've got to take your statement at the station. No problem, Dan.

Quite a family you have here, Mr. Elmaden.

You must be real proud of him.

Thank you.

I'm gonna go get my tires.

Nobody on, nobody off. Boats off limits. Well, who the hell are you?

The man who say so.

I work, fell, and I just left my boning gloves on board. I got to get them.

Your choice. You may get on vertical, but you're going to leave horizontal.

I'm gonna get it.

How's it going? Smooth. You the one look like you're having trouble.

They all about him.

I saw him. I know he did it. It was my word against the five.

And I watched the others.

I'd swear they had nothing to do with it, but they backed him.

cops had to let him go pending an investigation.

You can guess how that's going to turn out. This the barbecue boy? Yeah.

Why don't you stay in guard and not talk to the local?

They're gonna make good on that boat. I don't know how yet, but they are.

Thank you.

Hi.

Hi. I just brought Mr. Pastore over from the bank to check on the damage.

Ellen, I told you. I don't think there's any way... You can see for yourself.

It's not much. We have to recable. The nets are fine.

We could be back in business in no time. Catching what?

I know what it means to you, and I'm not unsympathetic.

Do you have any idea how many times a day I hear the same story?

And it's always the same answer. It's the only one I can give.

As an officer of the bank, I can't

approve a loan when there's no way to ensure it will be repaid.

How can you suggest that, Mr. Pastore? You know me. And I knew Anthony.

And I told him the same thing. Anthony? But Anthony didn't ask for a loan?

I'm sorry. I assumed you knew.

Sometimes men don't mention these things. They don't want the families to worry.

You try to get along, and you turn them down. I have a responsibility to the bank.

Whatever my personal feelings.

I am sorry, El.

Thank you.

Fox got an appetite, but I don't even think he can eat all that. Oh.

What's the sense of guarding a boat you can't fix or you can work?

And they can't do anything else to us, it's done.

It's not over yet. I don't know how you can say that. We're out of business.

Which means I can't afford you anymore. Don't worry about the tab.

It's on the house. We don't need your charity. It's no charity.

I've got a score to settle with Buddy. I'll meet him myself.

What are you going to do? You going to talk to him again? I'm sick of talking.

What good does it do? Your maidens can do anything they want and get away with it.

They killed my dad and got away with that. What's the use? Nobody cares. Hold it.

Nobody cares but you. Is that it? You're the only one hurting?

You're 16 and you're in pain. And that pain's gonna be there a long time,

but it's not the only pain in the world. Your mother's hurting.

She just doesn't wear it like some pair of sunglasses, clouding everything she sees.

She cares.

I care.

You know about that kind of pain too. I know you can't run away from it.

Spencer will be down in a few minutes. He's going to bring you something to eat.

You serving her our dirt? No.

Mom just sent me down here to get some stuff from the cabin.

Spencer wouldn't know where to look. Uh-huh.

Be out in a minute.

Hey, nah.

Some boy said you'd be here in a couple of minutes.

I'm making close to the tin. Tony? What

did he want?

Said he had to pick up some things for his mama. Where?

we looking for.

Bad news.

Voila.

Plastic caps. I don't think Sun Boy is going for cod.

Bye, something.

Flee!

Tony, I'll drop you!

BOOM!

I don't see him!

See him?

No.

Connie!

What do you think he's doing?

What's called divide and conquer?

down

Got him home, boy.

Stop shooting, Tony.

Nobody's shooting back.

Tony, it's over. It's not over.

Not yet!

They put us out of business. Now I'm putting them out.

And I don't care if they have guns or not either.

My dad didn't have a gun the night they killed them.

The Almeida's have a lot to answer for, Tony.

Not that. What are you talking about?

Dad was hurting, Tony.

A lot of other people around here.

You want to the bank for a loan?

They turned him down. Made a choice.

You don't know anything. You weren't even there. You were.

You don' need blasting caps on a fishing boat, not unless you plan to scuttle it.

That's not true. They killed him. There was no other boat.

They killed them. Was the L-V-A-N-S? No other boat, no firebomb.

He did it himself.

No, they killed him! Spencer, they KILLED him!

He did.

That's it.

Like that.

He wouldn't have done it.

They ain't kept it.

who is trying to break him.

I was always trying to make him go on.

He killed him.

I did it.

Thank you.

He did do it.

I didn't know you were father.

I know a son.

Couldn't want this for you.

I could want you twisting the truth no matter how much it hurts.

I know I do.

I can't close to destroying it.

and a lot of other people.

He's a decent man, wasn't he?

He's good.

Hard working.

Yeah.

Daniel Webster once observed that there is nothing

so powerful as truth and often nothing so strange.

The truth that Tony had refused to face had been told and in the telling at freedom.

The truth also made for lively discussion

at the local constabulary, a discussion that lasted well into the following morning.

Arson and attempted murder were not something they dismissed lightly.

The police were not pleased with us, as a group or individually.

It's difficult to build a case when all the participants

are guilty, but refused to press charges against each other.

I, of course, was the lone exception. Hey, Spencer.

Nice try. What made you

think my family wouldn't stick up for me again?

I knew they would. I just enjoyed telling everyone what I yuck you are,

in case anybody missed it. You know, you got nothing to do with this.

Why don't you butt out? Attempted murder, particularly my own,

while I take that very personally.

It's not enough that the DA's in there arming himself with facts.

I may have to do something about it myself. Nothing you can do.

Oh, there's always something about you. this, that

Yeah, well, I never get into Boston. Wow.

Now that I have friends here, I might be popping up on a regular basis.

I like it here fine, too.

Yeah.

Just keep checking over that shoulder.

Hey, you don't need me. I got a date with a dry cleaner.

Strahmana.

I don't know how the authorities are going to resolve all this,

but I don' think you should leave it all up to them, do you?

Tony?

I could maybe fix the damage that I did.

It could have been worse. It could've been really bad.

I wasn't thinking straight. I blamed you for my dad.

I'm sorry.

We're sorry too, Tony.

You want your mother?

You got a new boat. Elmo.

But he sank it, Manny.

We've got a new boat.

fix the cable on the other.

only said you'd be up here.

It's called a widow's walk.

When Anthony first told me about them, showed me one,

I thought it was the most romantic thing in the world.

He used to stand up here, watch the boats come in, watch for his boat.

I'm from Nebraska, did I tell you that?

I didn't even see the ocean till I was 17. Until

I met Anthony.

you going to stay?

Anthony didn't have a lot to leave his son.

boat.

Yeah, tradition.

I don't know his legacy.

His legacy was the hurt.

What you were feeling when you first came up here.

Wasn't Susan's.

Hers was warmth and laughter.

Purple's in one of your back.

Why did she leave?

She had a need to, uh...

explore her life.

Identity.

of Susan Solomon was.

I'd spend it with Susan or somebody else with Susan.

who she was as an individual and

The only way she could do that was to say goodbye.

and the only way I had left to say I love you.

and letting her go.

I need to take time.

The healing.

I think it's

already started.

It's Spencer!

Hey, Tony. You can't leave now. I'm cooking dinner this time.

I get started for all of us.