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You know, I still can't believe that you made this trip all this way just to launch a book.

Not a book, Father. Your book.

The publisher says, spare no expense, so who am I to disagree?

Just the editor, that's all.

Who doesn't argue with a publisher?

Now, come on. How many times are you going to be the subject of a bestseller?

Oh, once is enough, thanks.

Arthur's gone to a lot of trouble to make sure the book got the right send-off.

Is that the real reason you made this trip?

No, it was an excuse.

The truth is, I wanted to see the subject of the book with my own eyes.

Father McMurtry. Oh, Father.

Father McMurtry is really worth the trip.

Father, be honest. Have you read it?

Well, to be perfectly honest, I've only scanned it, but I have read the article.

Hey, did that showdown with the deputies really happen?

It wasn't quite a showdown. The law was on our side.

He must have been.

Not the Lord, ma'am. The law.

Thank you, Father.

Thank you. Thank you for coming.

Why on earth did you?

I've never been to a book launching.

Well?

Your telephone's disconnected.

Yes, I know.

I wanted to tell you that I have finished the project model.

That's tremendous.

It's a week ahead of schedule. That really gives us a lot of time to work up a really good presentation.

For the crisis council.

Oh, yes, of course.

Father. I'm sorry.

What's the matter?

I'm feeling a very un-Christian urge now to belt somebody.

Who?

An ex-married man in a $400 suit who grabs me by the arm and says, right on.

Oh, Father. Now, don't be a snob.

You know that the rich have to try harder.

Well, I think you're right on that point.

Well, I'll ask you again.

What's the matter?

Well, the bishop sent for me yesterday, and I have been transferred to a nice, safe, single parish on the other side of town.

I want to buy a gun.

You sure came to the right place.

Anything in particular? A hunting target?

That one.

Oh, this?

Right.

Ah, nice. Very nice.

It comes apart for easy storage.

Unfortunately, this is the last one that I've got in stock, and I don't have a case for it.

Just put it in a bag and give me a box of cartridges.

All right, sir.

Well, let's see. The whole thing will come to $79.50.

All right.

You got some change coming.

They want me out of this ghetto so bad, Mrs. Gordon.

Yes.

The television interviews and the book now and all the trouble downtown, it's not very obliging.

But they don't blame you for that.

Oh, I don't know what the bishop's thinking is.

I only know the result, that I have lost the best chance that I have to touch these people.

There's still plenty that you can do. The project, the...

Hey, come here.

Look, I'm going to be there. I promise.

And I don't mean in spirit, I do.

Now, you've got to trust me. All right?

Good.

Lord have mercy, here he comes.

I wonder if we could ask just a moment, Fred, if you want to come over here.

Harry, can you get some light on him?

Father, tell us about this book.

Well, as far as I can tell, it's a fairly accurate report of me.

I think it's been glamorized a little bit here and there.

Will it make a movie?

Maybe, but I've seen it.

Something about this book is stimulating.

I thought so.

With your mind?

We've had enough of God's gentle tiger today.

How have you been, Father?

Well, if you didn't already know, you wouldn't have called.

They asked your opinion, I suppose?

They did.

I argued against the transfer as hard as I could.

I don't doubt it. Thanks.

What'd they say?

The usual thing, short-term solutions versus long.

In the long term, your work with the people in that neighborhood is valuable.

Essential, they thought that.

But?

Face it, you're a magnet for legitimate complaints and for madmen.

Maybe you've stopped four riots from happening.

Maybe because of the emotions you release, ten riots have happened.

I've always been willing to take that chance, but believe it or not, I'm not the bishop.

Now, is there anything I can do?

Yes.

You can help me get retransferred after a decent interval.

I'd say 24 hours would be a decent interval.

Now, would you please light and have some coffee?

Thanks. I'd better go get acquainted with my new church.

Mark, by the way, I've tasted your coffee.

Well, it's factual.

I think people are tired of being lied to, and they want to hear the truth.

Active моtion.

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This person, this person wanted to confess there and then.

I listened to the confession.

It's under the seal, so there's very little more I can say about it, of course.

It was an outpouring of such guilt and hatred,

the like of which I had not heard before in all my years as a priest.

I listened. I granted absolution for the thoughts,

but I could do nothing more, nothing beyond the mechanical,

nothing to really help this person.

I searched within myself for strength to deal with it,

but I could not find it.

Isn't it possible all this person wanted was a hearing, a few words?

I deceived myself into thinking that,

but when Father McMurtry was killed,

I saw that my sin of omission was part of the cause.

How?

It's under seal, Father. It's under seal.

So is what you're telling me now?

Yes.

And you feel that your sin of omission was grave enough to require absolution?

It's penance that I'm seeking, Father.

Without penance, there is no absolution.

Father Miles, there is no penance that I could give you

that would come close to what you're suffering now.

But I'm an old-fashioned priest, Father.

Would you consider releasing me from the seal if I asked you to?

I don't approve of that sort of thing.

Of course, I know it's done, but I'd have to think about it.

I'm leaving tomorrow morning. May I call you before I get on the plane?

Yes, of course.

Father, please.

Make an act of contrition. Say, ten Our Fathers and ten Hail Marys.

Nothing more.

Father, the penance is up to me.

Oh, my God.

I am heartily sorry for having offended thee.

Dribble. Lays it off to Hodges in the corner.

Hodges double-teamed, looks for the open man.

Dribbles along the end line, finds Marsh outside.

Marsh clear, passes up the 25-footer, hits Monaghan at the foul line...

Yes, I'm going to be checking out at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning,

so if you can have my bill ready, please.

This is the seventh All-Star game. Most valuable player...

Fine. Thank you.

...gets the ball past the 10-second line.

Patterson comes over to help.

I'm glad you found me.

I've been thinking about you.

I want to help you.

Please, let me help.

Father Miles.

Father Miles!

Father Miles!

What's happened?

What have you done?

Now the early AM news headlines.

Two more Catholic priests have been shot to death,

less than 72 hours after the murder of self-styled people's priest,

Dennis McMurtry.

The bodies of Father John Miles and Father Adam Wendell

were discovered late last night on the back lawn of St. Dominic's Retreat Home.

Police have indicated the victims were both shot with a.22 rifle.

The early morning farm news.

The index of prices slipped in the month ending July 15th,

the Agriculture Department reports.

Lower prices for cattle, wheat,

and soybeans will be partly offset by higher prices for hogs and soybeans.

Don't tell me.

Your father McMurtry's replacement.

No, I'm not. I was his friend.

I knew Father Miles as well.

And what do you think of that business?

Looks like they've switched from shooting policemen for a while.

Probably think priests are an easier target.

Well, what can I do for you?

Well, I'm looking for the name of a parishioner,

I should say an ex-parishioner,

who talked to Father Miles a few days before the murder.

You from the diocese or what?

Well, not from this diocese.

Well, I don't know what you think I'd be able to tell you.

I'm the sacristan. I'm always in the dark.

Me and Father Miles didn't pass more than eight words a day between us

in the last ten years. Hostile.

I guess I started it because I was the older...

or elder.

Anyway, I kept out of his business.

God rest his soul, he did his best to keep out of mine.

That's too bad.

Sacristan can be a great help to a parish priest.

Sometimes he catches things about people the priest is too busy to notice.

Well, now, priests are getting a little smarter, ain't they?

For example, if we were to go through the parish registry,

I bet you could pick out the people who used to be close to Father Miles,

who don't attend mass any more regularly.

The dropouts? And you'd win.

Shall we find out, just for fun?

Father Cavanaugh. Sergeant Ed Brown.

Yes, we met at the wake. That's right.

I thought you'd be on your way back to San Diego by this time.

Yeah, so did I.

Did you forget something inside?

No, I was talking to the Sacristan.

If you're thinking of asking him any questions, he doesn't know anything.

About what, Father?

The priest killer. What else?

Father Cavanaugh, I wonder if you'd mind coming along with me.

I have the feeling Chief Ironside could use a little spiritual consultation right about now.

All right.

I'll be away.

Yes.

You're on to something.

And for years I thought I had a poker face.

I don't have to brief you on technicalities, do I?

You're as aware as I am that you're interfering with a homicide investigation.

There are technicalities and technicalities.

You cite me one that permits you to withhold evidence?

If I were a lawyer and you asked me about a client...

Privilege communication?

The seal of confession?

You mean the killer confessed to you?

I didn't say that.

Father, you've just proved my point.

You're not only in the way, you're dangerous to the investigation and to yourself.

I can't say this. I don't believe the killer is aware of me.

He doesn't seem to be too selective in his choice of victims as long as they're wearing the collar.

Those three priests weren't killed at random.

They were killed for a specific reason.

Of course, if I were to challenge that theory, you'd retreat into a clerical crouch.

That's based on nothing I know, just my gut hunch.

Gut hunches arrive in my desk by the bushel in every morning's mail.

Go home to San Diego and write me a letter. I promise you I'll read it.

Father, go home.

I can't. I wish I could.

You don't have all the people on this case that you'd like.

I never knew a chief that did.

If I turn up anything, I'm not going to keep it to myself.

I'm retired from the force and I'm not having any second thoughts.

It's just that I'm in a position to follow certain leads.

Leads you can't give me.

Chief, can I?

How can I?

I take it you're not armed.

Clean as a plucked turkey.

That you're not planning to outrun any.22 caliber cartridges.

Not planning on getting near any.

But you do change plans a lot, don't you?

I won't take any risk that's not calculated.

Bully for you.

Ed, we can put a tail on him.

He better be good, and if he was that good, you could make better use of him elsewhere.

Sarge, you are something else.

Sarge?

Yep, that's what they call him in San Diego. It was in the paper yesterday.

You are retired.

Guaranteed.

Now what do you think?

I think you've just found yourself a dandy justification for staying in town.

Between the seal of confession and the idea that you've got a personal stake in this case.

I also think there's a part of you that will never retire from the force.

That way down deep you're having the time of your life.

That must sound a little familiar.

What do you want, my blessing?

I'd like to see it, but I wouldn't turn it down.

I'll ignore you for a little while. Settle for that.

Great.

Well, I'd better get with it. I'll see you.

Good luck.

Same to you.

Tail him anyway?

No.

No, he's right about that.

Ed, if there's the shadow of a link, I want to find it.

I'd like you to get...

Complete biographies on the three priests, right.

I don't see what else I could have done.

So who's arguing?

I am.

I am.

People are like the Maldives, aren't you?

Mrs. Kiley.

I'm not Mrs. Anybody anymore.

I told Father Miles that.

You've been following the news lately?

I've been following an all-night waitress job to keep a child in nursery school.

I was just about to go to sleep. Anything else?

Father Miles has been killed.

Who by?

I don't know.

Father Miles has been killed.

Who by?

Maybe by somebody he called on last week.

What am I supposed to gather from that?

Do you think I did it?

I just wondered if you'd noticed anything.

He came and did a ten-minute monologue on how I should return to religion.

I already looked at him the whole time he was here.

Why not?

He made me nervous.

You too.

No.

Nothing else. Thank you.

Listen.

Never mind.

I'll save it for the shrink.

I wouldn't say Father Miles was the antithesis of Father McMurtry,

but they were politically far apart.

Father Wendell?

Straight A's in college, a friendly neighborhood priest. That's about it.

Mark?

There's nothing about Father McMurtry you don't already know.

Lower middle class background, award for leadership.

Doesn't mention the rent strike or the peace marches,

but that book probably covers all that.

Chief, Father Miles has a sister living near Sonuita, Arizona.

Schoolteacher, maiden lady.

Named Harriet Miles.

Anything else?

Nothing here.

Three men of different ages, different outlooks.

Otherwise, nothing in common, except they were Roman Catholic priests.

And that's why they were killed. Sarge was wrong.

When Father McMurtry was transferred out of the ghetto,

he replaced Father Miles in his parish.

He'd only been there one day before he was murdered.

That ties two of them together.

Right now, all it ties them to are six or eight other unsolved murders.

Thank you for your time, Mr. LaPlante.

What are you rushing off to? Are you afraid to hear the truth?

No, not at all. Perhaps some other time.

Yes, you are afraid. We've discovered peace, and that unsettles you fellas, doesn't it?

Look, I'm very happy for you.

Try it. Just try it.

Tonight, when you're alone, when you're not so self-conscious.

I'm afraid I would always feel a trifle self-conscious

chanting hymns to the ancient gods of Egypt.

Besides which, a priest has this tendency to believe he's never quite alone.

Good luck to you.

Now, church number one was Father Miles' church until he was transferred.

He was a fixture there, had been for years.

Now, let A represent Father Miles.

Now, suppose...

Suppose he was the target from the beginning.

Father Miles?

The killer came there, expecting to find him,

but Father Miles had already gone to church number two, the retreat home.

And Father McMurtry had already taken his place.

Conjecture.

The lighting was dim, the killer didn't know of the change,

he had no reason to suspect that he wouldn't find Father Miles

in his accustomed place.

Then he shot Father McMurtry by mistake.

Now, take it a step further.

He learned where Father Miles had gone.

He went there, and he killed him.

What about Father Wendell? Or Letter C?

He saw the killer.

Okay, then we concentrate on Father Miles,

because that's where the original motive stems from.

Maybe.

I think we've moved over to where Sarge has been all along.

Now, try Harriet Miles, try Sonoita, Arizona.

Good afternoon.

Mr. Virtell?

Vincent Virtell. And you?

I'm Father Cavanaugh.

Ah, Father Cavanaugh.

Could you stand a drink of pure spring water?

Oh, I sure could.

You look like you could.

Have a seat.

Thank you.

Help yourself.

Thank you.

It's better than champagne when you're thirsty.

Would you characterize yourself as a big champagne drinker, Father?

Just a figure of speech.

I suppose you were thinking of sacramental wine.

I suppose maybe I was.

And to what may we attribute the purpose of your visit here today?

Curiosity.

Duty.

Were you acquainted with Father Miles?

I met him very briefly.

When I heard of his death, I was surprised to discover

that there was no profound sense of loss.

How are you affected, Father?

Are you a student of human nature, Mr. Virtell?

I suppose.

I was shocked, and I was troubled.

You seem to feel as though this work of the Redeemer was left unfinished.

The Redeemer.

Interesting architecture.

I haven't been there for years.

Had you seen Father Miles recently?

I ran into him last year.

I promised to break bread with him at some time,

but commerce intervened.

And you hadn't seen him since then?

No.

Poor old man.

I take it you're not a churchgoer?

No, not in the formal sense.

I don't regard myself as having left the church,

but rather the reverse.

Yes, many say that, and believe it.

Aren't we smug this afternoon?

Yes, I suppose we are. I'm sorry.

Chalk it up to fatigue.

Well, thank you for your time,

and your spring water.

My pleasure.

Are you looking for his killer, Father?

I'm looking for the reason as much as the man.

I hope you catch him soon.

I'm anxious to test my reaction to him.

Then Father Miles did touch you, didn't he?

Yes, as time and other thoughts allow.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Can you find out why, operator?

It's very important that I reach Miss Miles.

Her phone's been temporarily disconnected.

Yes, yes, I'll hold. Thank you.

Nice voice.

Doesn't mean a thing.

She could be somebody's grandmother.

Sergeant Brown, the local operator

said Miss Miles closed up her house

shortly after being notified of her brother's death.

Okay, well, uh, thank you for trying.

So what did Granny have to say?

Harriet, Miles is gone.

Nobody knows where.

Maybe she wanted to be alone with her grief.

Doesn't help us.

Well, there was a slim chance she'd known

of someone with a grudge against her brother.

Having killed three times,

the man could have developed a taste for it.

Well, I thought we were assuming

that he had a motive for killing Father Miles.

Yes, but a motive that could have been

the invention of a sick mind.

Then we'd better find him before his sick mind

invents reason for killing others.

Wait!

I was wondering when you'd show up.

I said they got us in somebody.

I mean, it's getting to the point where they just got her.

Ma'am, are you sure I'm the right person?

He hates me, which is something that I've learned

to just, like, kind of roll off my back.

But hate is one thing, and spite is another,

and that spite, if it don't end,

one of us is gonna have to leave.

And I pay the rent.

Ma'am, do you have a parish priest?

I don't know. I don't think so.

I'm not a Catholic.

But my son and this spite that he has on Tom...

Ma'am, I wish I had the time to go over it with you.

Time? What else you got time for?

You're a priest, aren't you?

I'm a priest.

Well, then listen. Please.

Please.

All right.

By a communique from the national commander.

The wheel is turning and the day approaches.

Hold yourselves in readiness.

A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.

If all our links were as strong as the Bay Area...

Look to the front!

If all our links were as strong as the Bay Area chapter,

this beloved nation would have nothing to fear

from the forces of Asiatic Sovietism

and racial confusion

which now propel her toward her moment of maximum peril.

All right, Fasher. Dismiss the men.

Halt! Dismissed!

See you next week.

You better bone up your own rules yourself.

Yeah, well, we'll get those raw raccoons in shape. You'll see.

See that you do.

Yes, sir.

Yes?

We must talk now, Mr. Davis.

What?

I've come to a decision.

I've decided to sever my connection with this organization.

Yeah, well, good.

I was just about to cashier you anyway.

You're six weeks behind on your dues.

So as soon as that little matter's cleared up,

this organization would be delighted to take you off of its books.

The trouble with fascism is that there's no room left for individual thought.

Yeah, well, the trouble with democracy is it allows

out-and-out lunatics like you to run around loose in the streets.

What gives you the impression I'm an out-and-out lunatic, Mr. Davis?

That look. I know your kind.

Your resignation has been accepted with pleasure.

Now, why don't you get out of here? I got work to do.

Laboratory work?

What's it to you?

I am interested in that aspect of your personality.

Well, just disinterest yourself on the double, mister.

I want you to sell it to me.

Yeah, I'll just bet you do.

Now, that concerns confidential high-echelon business

of an organization of which you are no longer a member.

I need you to sell it to me!

It's time my needs were considered!

Get out. Go on, get out!

This organization no longer meets my needs!

You're anachronistic!

Anti-Semitism, white supremacy, you're back in the Middle Ages.

You're spiritually bankrupt.

All you've done is stumble upon a concept.

The concept of purification. And that's good. That's valid.

Purification.

As in the days gone by,

the time has come to drive the moneychangers from the temple.

This time they're in priestly robes,

but they are moneychangers all the same.

You make me sick!

Anybody who has no concern for the clergy ought to be in Russia!

You're a fool.

Don't you know the difference between anti-clericalism and atheism?

I love the church!

And when the thing you love is made unclean,

what must you do?

I've told you twice to get out.

Sell it to me.

No way.

There is a way.

Hello?

I'm looking for Steve Vishniak.

Sozis, why?

I'm the landlord.

He's missing?

More than a week now.

Was there some kind of trouble?

These athletic types, they start running to fat,

and then they take it out on their dearest and dearest.

He went on a bat, came home long enough to feed his poor Mrs. Black and Blue,

chased the kids up a pole.

I'd like to see the back of him. He made me chumpy.

Do you happen to know where his family went to?

No.

My guess is they went home to Mama.

Her mama in Florida.

Do you happen to know her maiden name?

Sorry, I won't.

Thank you.

Is this all?

Unless you want arsonists and sex offenders.

Save them for my birthday. It doesn't have to get us started.

Officer Dillings?

Yes, he's right here.

Can you patch Sergeant Brown through, please?

Thank you.

Ed? Where are you?

On my way. Father Miles' sister's in town.

She's taking his body back to the family home in Kansas.

Did you get in touch with her? Where is she?

She's right here.

A crib in, shall we?

No, thank you.

Miss Miles.

Can you shed any light on the matter?

I really don't know.

I'm still in a state of shock.

I wish this could wait.

When I was notified,

my first feeling was not one of grief.

That came later.

I was frightened.

Of what?

Violence.

I used to live in Los Angeles.

There was always a threat hanging over the city.

Cars crashing on the freeways.

Fires out of control in the hills.

I ran.

I hid in Arizona.

And then it reached out to me.

And there was no place to hide.

Your brother's death?

Even before.

In his last letter,

I received it the day before he was...

Before his death.

I could feel it all closing in on me.

And on him.

Did the letter give you

any indication that his life had been threatened?

No, no, nothing like that.

It was...

It was the weariness.

The fatigue in that letter.

Did it have something to do with his being a priest?

Was he troubled by one of his parishioners, perhaps?

Well, something like that.

He mentioned that some of the people in his parish

who were the most devout

had bigoted and hateful views.

Did he stick to generalities?

After all, you were some distance away

and you didn't know any of his parishioners.

Or did he mention one case in particular?

A man?

He didn't name him.

A man who'd confessed to him, I suppose.

There were no specifics, you understand.

A man...

with a dreadful problem.

Torn between love and hatred

towards the church itself.

He said...

the man told him that...

What did he tell him?

The church could only be saved

by destroying the people in it.

Purified.

Miss Miles, are you all right?

That's what frightened you, isn't it?

It's why you left Arizona without telling anyone, where you could be reached.

I was so scared.

I was afraid that if I told anybody about that letter,

somehow I would become a target myself.

I know that was foolish.

Who'd want to hurt a spinster schoolteacher?

Who'd want to kill a priest?

Will it help you find him?

It might, now that we have some idea of the state of his mind.

A devout man who hates the priesthood.

You people have all been advised of your rights.

You watch your lawyers down here.

Be plenty of time to make phone calls.

The sooner you cooperate, the sooner we'll be through.

Take a dump.

Sorry, pal, nobody in.

I want to see Chief Ironside.

I know, but he's very busy and I can't let you in there now.

Hey, Sol, it's good to see you.

Chief down in the squad room.

Anything new turn up?

Not yet.

I need information on the car system.

In here.

Sit down.

You look tired.

I don't know why, I just blew two whole hours on sleep.

Have any declassified information for us?

Not yet.

Just dropped in for a friendly teletest.

Well, I would like to check through your DMV files.

I'm looking for a maiden name.

We haven't got time to blindfold the file, clerks.

Seems like you've missed some sack time, too.

As with people who sue, the truth is, he's always like this.

It's a quirk. I get impatient with killers who avoid capture.

I just struggle against it.

This round up any help?

Not so far.

But that's because I haven't done any questioning of the people yet.

So if we're quite finished...

That file?

Be our guest.

Thanks, Chief.

Uh, wait.

We have come up with a theory.

And you want to test it out on my poker face?

I believe the killer confessed some terrible intention

to Father Miles the night before the McMurtry transfer.

Why would he do that?

He's unstable emotionally and mentally unbalanced.

Yeah?

Next day, he regretted what he'd told the priest.

It was perhaps incriminating.

It left him exposed to his imaginary enemy.

So he waited all day until he was sure there was no one else in the church.

Then he came in.

He killed the priest.

Wrong priest, as it turned out.

Then he had to kill the right priest.

And a witness.

I can't even say hot or cold.

You don't have to.

You could have saved both of us a lot of trouble

if you hadn't been a priest.

Chief, they're waiting for you down at the hall.

Let's get it over with before Ed brings in the next bunch.

Maybe we can get out of here before midnight.

Chief, could be something.

Ward and Bailey went out to bring in this Harrison Davis.

Found him dead, apparently killed with this.

Which one was Davis?

Cross-filed under neo-fascism and advocate of violent overthrow.

That's what I call references.

Had himself an arsenal in his garage.

That's where they found him.

Killed within the past 18 hours.

Found this in his hand.

It might have belonged to the assailant.

Or Davis might have been trying to scare off a vampire.

Belonged to the assailant.

I went right past him.

Yesterday, I talked to him yesterday.

He was wearing this cross.

I had him and I went right past him.

But probably not without tipping him off.

Wish I could argue with you.

Why don't you do the next best thing?

Some of those little fragmented bits of evidence

that so often break a case wide open

like a name, an address or a description.

Yes, of course.

Vincent...

Vincent Birtel.

Searching this place could become a career.

Did you find anything?

Yeah.

Dust.

Head.

Sketches of a church.

A chapel.

See, I think these are meant to be doors.

He's made a rough sketch here.

This other one's more detailed.

Apparently, he's interested in how to get in and out of the place.

It's obviously not St. John.

Anything special about this pew or ring?

Well, it's not monastic, but most churches today are.

It can't be a very big place.

Each pew holds two people.

There are four across.

There's three center aisles.

Now, that is unusual.

Anything here?

Possibly.

That's the cabinet Birtel broke into.

If he took anything at all,

he took it from that rack.

Now, look over here.

Davis was a busy little boy.

Armory on one side,

chemistry lab on the other.

Hey, Chief, didn't the rundown say that he owned a drugstore?

Yeah.

Yeah, and?

I'll check his chemical invoices for the last year or so.

A bomber, maybe?

You were too fast for me, Father.

Birtel comes in here to steal something from Davis.

It's not for a weapon he's got that.22.

What does he want?

Something bigger?

Why?

A bigger target?

Something like a building,

something like a church.

Yes.

I don't see him as the type.

I'm sorry.

No, no, no, no.

He might as well finish.

Right now, I'm in the market forever.

Well, he's changed his M.O.

The rifle to the crowbar.

Could be a dozen reasons for that.

What I don't think he's changed is his basic activity,

which is killing people,

mostly people with turned-around collars.

Now, would he blow up a building

just to kill one or two priests?

The church must be saved by destroying the people in it.

What?

Father Miles wrote a letter to his sister

after hearing one of his parishioners say those words.

That was the springboard to my theory.

I know we can't go into yours.

But what Father Miles quoted is what I was saying.

I know, Buck.

I know.

I was agreed.

Hey, Sarge, you better grab him while you can.

If he is after a bigger target,

it's in terms of number,

not size.

A lot of priests.

All in one church.

All at one time.

Hello.

Hello.

Well, so that's it.

Well, I really don't expect many of you to like it.

But I do.

I think.

I'm sure after you've explained it to all of us on Thursday,

I'll like it even more, and I'll know why.

Do you have someplace you can store it?

Yes, I think so.

All right, thank you.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Take the model to the conference room, please.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Looking for Chief Ironside?

You'll do.

This way.

Yes?

Yes.

What?

Excuse me.

I'll say that again.

The diocesan office.

They've got ground plans on all of the churches,

and with the contracts.

Just occurred to me that there can't be that many three-aisle churches in San Francisco.

I'll let you know.

Now then.

Now then what?

I came here to ask you just one question.

Have you made any progress?

Are you asking me as a citizen, a taxpayer, or just to satisfy your prejudice?

Oh, pick whichever you like.

I just want an answer.

I hate to call another murder progress, but I think we're closer.

Is that your standard tranquilizer for citizens and taxpayers?

It's no wonder that they throw rocks at patrol cars.

You are overwrought.

I am.

You're also non-germane.

I'm sure you're familiar with that phrase.

And you're not helping, Miss Gordon.

That's true.

And that's the trouble.

I feel so helpless.

I depended on Danny more than I wanted to believe.

And I'm so afraid that when the time comes to talk about that Pueblo project

and he's not there to fend off the objections, I'll just freeze.

The conference?

Yes, I just dropped off the model today.

Where?

St. Augustine Seminary.

Congratulations.

You just became a footnote.

Chief, I was just going to call you.

We got lucky.

There's only one three-aisle church in town.

The chapel at St. Augustine Seminary.

And as any fool knows, that's the chapel at St. Augustine Seminary.

I'd like you to come back to the station and sit down with a sketch artist

so we can get a composite drawing of Viertel.

Why come back now?

So we can give it to the officers at the crisis conference tomorrow.

There'll be 100 priests attending.

Unless I can talk the archbishop into postponing.

Not a chance, Bobby.

Your Excellency, I'm afraid I haven't made myself clear.

The man has not only made threats, he's carried them out.

Is he what you people call a dead bang?

You'd swear this Viertel is the one Father Myers was talking about?

I have no proof yet, just strong suspicion.

Well, that would usually be enough for me, but not this time.

This conference is overdue as it is.

Five years overdue, if you ask me.

Not that I'm always asked.

Now, we've planned it for months.

A lot of delegates are halfway here already.

I'm not asking you to cancel it.

I'm just asking you to postpone it until Viertel is in custody.

Well, with all due respect, that could take months.

We can't afford to wait.

We need ideas.

Lack of new ideas helped get young McMurtry killed.

Vincent Viertel helped even more.

Then God have mercy on him.

But we can't wait.

Bobby, I'm saying mass there myself.

In person.

You know what a scaredy cat I am.

Now stop worrying.

The day you start worrying is the day I will stop.

It is all right with you if I have the chapel checked and put under surveillance.

No, but I presume to tell you your job.

Does he have a long nose, a short nose, broken, pugged, what kind?

Oh, I'd say he had a short nose, rather square face,

thick black hair.

Whoa, don't get ahead of me.

I got to do this one ward at a time.

Just stick with his nose, okay?

All right, a short nose.

Something like that?

That's close.

Next time I go looking for a killer, I'm going to take a camera.

Now that the archbishop said no, what's plan B?

Same as plan A.

Find out what Viertel is going to do and keep him from doing it.

Where's this conference taking place?

St. Augustine Seminary.

You know the place?

Yeah, lots of trees near there, just right for a sniper.

He'd need something high-powered and maybe a telescopic sight.

Well, he took something a lot smaller than that.

How about plastic explosives?

Maybe he's going to stick it in the seats like chewing gum.

Mark, that rack wasn't set up for plastic containers.

It was padded to hold something fragile.

Well, that's it.

Entrances and exits.

Okay.

Two exits.

Main entrance.

Now, what else did I forget?

Just the fact that I haven't finished cleaning up yet.

He's in there.

I ran a fingerprint check.

Viertel has no previous record.

We're waiting to hear from Washington.

We have the prints from Viertel's room.

Also those from Davis's door and cabinet and that piece of pipe.

And a map.

Was there any doubt?

Well, the archbishop had more than his share.

The conference will take place tomorrow as scheduled.

You were right, Sarge.

I called my bishop in San Diego and got the odds against it being called off.

And I convinced him that nailing a priest killer took precedence over lecturing a senior boy's hygiene class.

He should have taken the Sarge with you to see the archbishop.

He talks their language.

He's the only one who's seen Viertel.

This composite sketch isn't going to be much use.

Is this the layout of St. Augustine?

Oh, yeah. But it's only the chapel and seminar rooms.

Who made the drawing?

I did.

You forgot the windows.

But they are not indicated on the plan.

Mark, we're going to have to know every possible way of getting in there if we're going to keep Viertel out.

You know, maybe we're too late.

Maybe Viertel's already been and gone.

Maybe he's left a nice little surprise package in there for the opening of the conference tomorrow.

Good thinking.

We could call the bomb squad and have them go over every inch of the place.

Sarge, forget it. The chief already called.

At least I know I'm bowling in the right alley.

Officer, please be careful of the altar.

Monsignor, I don't suppose there's a burglar alarm on the premises.

No, Father, the seminary doesn't expect to be robbed.

It's valuable here. Those altar candlesticks, for instance.

12th century Spanish, aren't they?

Yes, but forgive me for saying so, goods like that would not be very easy to fence.

That's what I thought.

So, no locks, no alarms.

People would be free to walk right in off the street.

Not only free, but welcome.

We're not cloistered here, Chief Ironside.

It would be a lot easier for all of us if you were.

Not a thing outside.

Had any signs that anyone's been on the roof lately?

Nope. Not even a TV repairman. The place is clean.

What about inside?

They're going over it the second time. I don't expect them to find anything.

For which I am very grateful.

Don't be. If they found a bomb, they could get rid of it.

This way we have to wait for the suspect to make his move.

But with police officers guarding all the doors and windows...

Every precaution will be taken.

But may I remind you that most assassinations take place in spite of precautions.

Yes. I see what you mean.

But this conference is so important.

We do want it to come off without any sort of trouble.

We'll do our best, Monsignor Alvarez.

I'm sure.

Please excuse me. I have some last-minute details to attend to.

Nice meeting you.

Same to you, Father.

He's only the conference coordinator. You didn't have to scare the pants off him.

I tried to scare the archbishop, but he scared me.

Ed, see if they're about finished up there.

All right.

Tell them to check the light control panel.

All right.

Good spot for a contact ignition device.

The lights go down, the roof goes off.

Chief, that was the first thing they checked.

Some priest suggested it.

Some priest, indeed.

Still glad to be bowling in the right alley.

Then this schedule will remain in effect? No last-minute changes?

I'm sure of that.

So that the only time all of the priests will be together is at the noon mass?

Yes. After that, they break up into seminars.

The suspect will make his move early and fast.

Assuming he knows the schedule.

Monsignor, he knows it.

Say a couple of prayers. I will, Father.

Hello.

You were at the wake. That's right.

But not at the funeral.

I tried to make myself go, but at the last minute...

I guess I thought that if I didn't actually see him buried,

that some part of my mind could go on believing that it was a gigantic hoax.

You're over that now?

Long since.

Are you taking part in the conference?

I'm supposed to present a housing project that Danny and I worked on.

Oh, you're the architect.

That's very good. You didn't say lady architect.

Chief Ironside thinks that the killer will show up here today, doesn't he?

Well, I suppose he's planning on keeping a tight surveillance.

If they catch him, they'll take him alive, won't they?

Of course. If they can.

That troubles you?

I'm cursed with an imagination.

And I see the case stretching on for months and years.

And I see Danny's enemies hiring the best psychiatrists and the best lawyers,

and I see them living forever.

What's the alternative?

Rack was retired a long time ago.

You know, when I think of all the times

that I've been on the other side of this conversation, my mind...

You're not behaving so much like a mourning friend

as you are a bereaved widow.

I've seen it before.

There's a lot of charisma attached to that collar.

You make it sound like a schoolgirl crush.

I didn't mean to.

I don't doubt that it was possible for you to love him very much.

I don't doubt that you did.

Well, at least you're more perceptive about that than he was.

Do you have any suggestions?

Just keep loving him.

And his enemies?

Nobody expects it.

That's good news.

But you can try.

Do you think I'm a fool?

I don't think so.

I don't think so.

I don't think so.

But you can try.

Did you ever go through anything like this?

Yes.

My wife was killed.

What did you do?

I...

forgave myself for being alive.

And I went on from there.

I've got to go now. I'll see you later, inside?

We found these orders among the others sent out through Davis's prescription department.

It struck me that some of those chemicals aren't ordinarily found in the corner drugstore.

I should hope not.

These are the components of a do-it-yourself bomb kit.

Davis was moonlighting from his garage for the radical right.

Ed picked up a hint that it wasn't all explosives, which led me to wonder about that last page.

Well, this is fantastic. I didn't think any reputable company would fill such an order.

I'm not sure he sent it to a reputable company.

We'll check that out after you tell me if that's what I think it is.

Well, it's the basis for a sort of nerve gas developed by the army.

It's a prototype of more refined variations.

Lethal?

In solution, a single drop of it could paralyze a bull elephant.

As a gas, it would be deadly.

How much would it take to kill a roomful of people, say a hundred?

Until released, it's highly concentrated.

I would say a relatively small amount would be needed.

As much, say, as a jigger of bourbon.

How might it be released?

That's the trouble. This stuff is so valuable, there's no end of ways.

It's so valuable, there's no end of ways.

Hello, Monsignor.

Oh, Sergeant, have they found anything yet?

I, uh, hope so.

Excuse me.

Charlie!

Looks okay.

Main air conditioning unit?

Yeah, guys, check that out.

That's the last room.

You tell us anything you've learned, we'll find it.

The entire ventilation system.

We used to buy a pocket of big, poor payday.

Are you sure this is some kind of gas?

Charlie, I'm not sure of anything except that it's getting late.

Did you check the heating unit?

Who's gonna trouble you in the day like this?

You got to have a big...

Yeah, crazy.

Yeah, well, uh, check it out.

Charlie?

Yo!

He was held by juvenile authorities in 1953

for attempting to drown a little girl in a swimming pool.

That's pretty.

Did he get psychiatric treatment?

Court recommended it,

but Viertel's mother took him out of the court's jurisdiction

as soon as the charges were dropped.

She enrolled him in a Catholic school,

and his first year he struck one of the nuns with a blackboard pointer.

Why?

The reports don't say.

That's the trouble with reports.

Are you suggesting he might have had a good and proper reason for doing it?

The woman lost the sight of her left eye.

I'm suggesting that a sick mind always has good and valid reasons.

It doesn't know how to balance.

That's very generous of you.

Chief, just because a maniac makes war on the church

is no excuse for the church to make war back.

It's impractical anyway.

We haven't had the firepower since the 16th century.

Maybe the seminary was hasty,

the one that asked him to leave.

How long did he study for the priesthood?

A year.

And then what?

The same.

The violence erupted.

Ironside.

Yes?

All right, keep it up.

Comb the garbage dumps and the refuse plants.

Anything remotely connected with toxic gas.

When I send them on junkyard patrol,

they know I've scraped bottom.

It's time for me to be getting over there.

Chief, whatever there was to be done, you've done.

I've never seen it done better.

Thanks.

But it doesn't seem to help.

No, never does.

I'll see you.

Man finally find a place to sleep.

People come in and throw dead rats in the place.

I mean, I got a right to a place to sleep like anybody else.

I don't know what things are coming to.

Just take a look at that.

Boy, people in this world that do things like this.

Look at them blankets, would you?

Where am I going to get new blankets?

What is it? Poison gas?

All right, all right.

I will say this once.

The archbishop is serving this mass,

and he is a far less tolerant man than I am

when it comes to undignified noises and conversation in ranks.

Let them who have ears and want to keep them hear.

All right?

All right, now you go on the other side.

You stay here.

You found dead what?

Patch me through to Ed Brown.

I'll be in the van. Mark!

Hear me, gifts of grace.

Son of Adam, still thou art,

Savior to our race.

Jesus, Lord, we thank thee

for this wondrous bread.

In our land thou dwellest,

by thee we are fed.

We will share...

Brown.

...for thee.

In thy name is done.

In thy name is done.

My brothers,

prepare ourselves to celebrate properly the divine mysteries.

Let us all think upon our sins.

Merciful God,

have mercy on us.

Merciful God,

have mercy on us.

Merciful God,

have mercy on us.

Merciful God,

have mercy on us.

Get a life!

When you see your mom later,

you tell her not to let you play any handball for a while, all right?

All right.

Okay, I'll see you.

I talked to the archbishop.

You know he called you Bobby?

You can do the same when you're the archbishop.

I've got some good news for you. I'm going home.

When?

As soon as I turn the car in and check out of the motel.

I know you'll catch him.

Well, if we do,

you'll have helped.

That was the idea.

Goodbye.

Ed.

Ed, so long, Sarge.

Stay with him.

Or, uh, try to.

No, I'm not surprised to see you.

In a way, I've been expecting it.

I don't know this town very well.

I'll give the directions, Father.

I have no misapprehension on that score.

Chief, you were right.

He's heading away from his hotel.

Think he's picked you up yet?

Not yet. I'm leaving plenty of slack.

You really interfered with your plans this time, Benson.

This time?

It was a beautifully thought-out plan, too.

The individual killings were only necessary to make it work.

What you were really after were those hundred priests.

To begin with.

Oh, you are a man of major ambitions.

I don't think you're qualified to discuss me.

What are you, anyway?

Somebody from the slums?

Vincent, you're a snob.

Take another one.

None in the least.

Just selective in my companionship.

Why hitch a ride with me?

We won't be together long.

Hey, Chief.

He's got a passenger.

All right.

Just turn south on Albemarle.

All right, don't close up.

Some other units?

No.

No, not yet.

The whole thing is a deliberate misreading of scripture.

What whole thing?

The priesthood.

The middlemen.

The ones who tell you don't try to talk to God without us.

You think you'd be entirely fair lumping us all together like that?

You're all afflicted with the same vanity, no matter how you begin.

Incense, purple robe.

You find those things distasteful.

I find them sinful.

You do have a concept of sin.

It means that you must have a definition of morality.

I find that consistent with my behavior.

I said make a right.

Sorry.

Anyway, we were talking about your concept of morality.

Never mind.

You have the slightest regard or interest in me as a human being.

You're only trying to draw me out, to take my mind off what I'm going to do.

Or am I wrong?

Yes, you're wrong.

But I'd be a fool not to worry.

You've already killed three men with that.22.

I am, however, interested in what you've got to say.

Why?

Well, if for no other reason than to keep me from dwelling on my death.

Well, at least you're more honest than the others.

Thank you for that.

Which way here?

Straight.

Chief, they're staying on Marina Drive.

It becomes a service road in about a mile or so.

There's hardly any traffic between us.

Stay with them until there are no more turnouts.

Then wait for me.

He's got Peninsula coming up and Marina's on the right.

Either way, we're going to have to rush him.

Ed.

Ed, take a chance.

Move up a tiny bit.

Enough facades to see you.

Okay.

The only edge we've got is if there's an ex-cop in the wheel of that car.

You're feeling about priests.

Coven nuns as well.

Well, I see you've done your homework.

I don't feel the slightest regret about that.

Not the slightest.

I didn't ask you if you were sorry.

Stop here and get out.

Vincent, I'm looking in the rear-view mirror.

You see that?

I see it.

Get out.

That's an unmarked police car.

Offhand, I'd say he could cover the distance between us in less than 30 seconds.

That doesn't help.

The point is that the policeman in that car is just waiting to be sure.

Of what?

That I'm dead or safe.

Either way, it's not going to help you.

Then what do you suggest?

I just surrender?

You'd have had to be killed.

Gets you off the hook, doesn't it?

On the whole, nuns are retiring, harmless creatures.

We're talking about you, Vincent.

Huh?

He can't wait much longer.

Why didn't he come?

He will.

I'll use you as a shield.

That won't buy you much time.

Besides, I won't let you.

You won't.

You won't.

They don't run the church.

They simply serve it, as I do.

And what did your nun do?

Did she crack you over the knuckles with her ruler?

No.

She compelled me to kneel for two solid hours on a sharp-edged wooden platform in front of the whole class.

I had to crease across my knees for the next day.

I was a child.

I didn't know where the orders came from.

I took it out on her.

Instead of the priest who was in charge of the school.

To begin with.

I'm trying to save both of us, Vincent.

But what will happen to me?

They won't hurt you.

You said I was an honest man.

I'm not lying to you now.

They'll put me in a bottle and study me for the rest of my life.

And maybe help.

I don't think you're beyond help.

So I'm going to go back there and tell them that you're thinking it over.

You take one step, you're a dead man.

Vincent.

I mean it.

You're going to die for nothing!

Wait.

Wait!

Don't leave me.

Please.

Please, you don't understand.

Please, wait.

Please!

Please!

You'll never...

You'll never come see me.

He'll come and see you, Vincent.

He will.

Come on, Vincent.

Come on now.

That's fine.

That's fine.

It's all right.

It's all right.

It's all right.

It's all right.

It's all right.