Original subtitles

[smooth jazz]

- When you sauntered into this office,

I knew you were just another bun-dusting downtown attorney.

- You're too smart, Sydney.

- I have to protect my boss.

- You're loyal.

That's a rare quality.

- Mmm.

[moaning]

Arnie, what's the hurry?

- I-- I don't want Ben Flicker catching me with my pants down.

- Not this early.

It's his morning to see the nutritionist.

- Sydney, just between us, is there anyone out to stab

Ben Flicker in the back?

- Why stab someone in the back when you

can simply rip their heart out?

How does this feel?

- Oh, please.

Please, Sydney.

- Arnie, what is the problem?

- When we made love, I never even felt you let go.

- I didn't, I didn't.

I'm trying to stay on a schedule.

I need to preserve my yang essence.

By age 40, a man's potency begins declining.

Dr. Sun Tzu Mo believed that ejaculations should

be limited to twice a month.

- 24 orgasms, even during leap year?

- Dr. Sun lived to be 101.

- Well, I bet Mrs. Sun never stroked

the good Doctor on a full moon.

- [panting] Who wants to live to be 100 anyway?

[moaning]

[theme music]

[upbeat music]

[office chatter]

[phone ringing]

[printer scrolling]

[beeping]

- OK, thanks.

[office chatter]

- Thank you.

[office chatter]

[whirring]

[phone ringing]

[office chatter]

- I know you're headed for the dentist,

but I need two copies of this as soon as you get back.

- OK, but I really should go.

Lincoln, too.

If he poops in the office again, Douglas

won't let me bring him to work.

- Benny.

Benny.

When I gave you this dog, you promised to get him a license.

- Why?

He can't even see over the steering wheel.

[laughs] That was Stuart's joke.

- We had a deal.

- I know, but I haven't had time.

I will, I promise.

- All right.

- Come on, Lincoln.

Let's go for a walk.

No, not that way.

OK.

[panting]

Jonathan?

- Yeah.

- Can I ask a question?

- Shoot.

- Is everybody afraid of the dentist?

- [laughs] Haven't you seen The Marathon Man?

- Well, Dr. Cederbaum, he's putting in a new tooth here.

And I asked Roxanne, and she said insurance would pay.

- Sure.

Just make sure your dentist gives nitrous.

You know, laughing gas.

- Laughing gas?

- So you won't hurt.

- Oh, laughing gas.

That's-- that's silly.

[giggles]

- Nobody move.

My watch is missing and I want it returned now.

No one leaves this office until that watch is securely

tucked back inside my pocket.

- Come on, Douglas.

Lincoln hears the call of the wild.

- All right, the dog can go.

You want to play hardball, fine.

But if that watch isn't returned by--

by end of business this afternoon,

you'll rue the moment we met.

Have a nice day.

[office chatter]

[phone ringing]

- Hi.

I'm Milena Paros.

- Hi, Ann Kelsey.

Welcome to McKenzie Brackman Great having another woman

to help balance the scales.

- Thank you.

Do these staff meetings usually last long?

I've got a prelim in 45 minutes.

- You shouldn't have a problem.

- Mm.

Like some papaya?

- Oh, no thanks.

It's just, you're in my seat.

- Oh, seats are assigned?

- No it's just this is where I always sit.

- Oh.

Well, I'm a little spread out?

Do you mind taking another seat.

- Of course not.

- Ann, you're in my seat.

- Take another. - Why?

- To give you a different outlook.

- Milena Paros, Arnold Becker.

- Oh.

Read your resume, very impressive.

- Arnie, you're in my chair.

- Anne's in mine. - Sit there.

- But- this--

- Jonathan, just sit.

- Melina Paros, Jonathan Rollins.

- I hear you're a great litigator.

- Hey, you're in my chair.

- Arnie's in mine.

- Anne's in mine.

- Stuart, just sit anywhere and don't ask questions.

- Not even, who are you Melina Paros?

- Stuart, slide over.

- Ask Jonathan. - Ask Arnie.

- Ask Anne. - Ask Melina.

- Who's Melina?

- Paros.

Would it help if I wore a nametag?

- Is there a reason why everyone has changed seats?

[rustling]

- If I knew what time it was, I'd say we wasted enough of it.

Let's begin.

- Oh, Milena, please join us.

Sit.

Sit anywhere you like.

- Thank you, Leland.

- By now, I'm sure most of you have met our new associate,

Melina Paros.

Granted, our hiring procedure was a bit unorthodox,

but the opportunity to lure her from the Attorney

General's office was a coup not to be missed.

I take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome.

- Thank you very much.

I'll do my best to fit in.

[clapping]

[phone ringing]

[office chatter]

[printer scrolling]

- Hey.

- I thought you had a trial today.

- Defendant woke up this morning and found his God, pled guilty.

- Hallelujah.

- On my way back from court, I couldn't resist stopping by.

Roxanne, I had a wonderful night with you at the Edgewater.

- Me too.

- No, I mean, I really enjoyed myself, and not

just because we made love.

- Tommy, I'm trying to get pregnant,

and you helping me is strictly business.

- Strictly business?

- Tom.

Tom, have you heard from Zoe?

- Why do you ask me that every time we bump into each other?

- Oh, wait.

I just wanted to drop her a line, that's all.

Forget I asked.

- Roxanne, my things are making their way across town,

which for as slow as it's going might as well be cross country.

- I'll be sure the movers make the last 100

feet to your office.

- Thank you.

- You're working here now?

How'd you bamboozle your way into this job?

- The same way I bamboozled my way into the last job.

I got them all fooled, Mulaney.

- Not me.

- You two know each other?

- Yeah, from this bogus child abuse charge.

- You should have had the guts to prosecute that case

when the DA threw it on your desk.

- Hey, guts has nothing to do with this.

The facts don't add up.

The mother's not guilty.

- You want to hear my side, come to the preliminary hearing.

- Are you actually proceeding?

- My last case for the Attorney General.

- Going out with a bang--

good luck.

- I don't need luck.

- Tommy, you could be a little nicer.

It's Milena's first day.

Do you to take everything so personally?

- Yeah, yeah.

I know for you, everything's strictly business.

[printer scrolling]

- And that's the last time I saw Ward

Bund or Abby Singer on my movie lot, so help me god.

- [laughs]

- So tell me, what did you find out from my Sydney?

- That I have very little self control.

- Enough nonsense.

- Actually sir, with all due respect,

I don't believe your assistant is

spreading rumors around town.

- Of course she isn't.

- Then why was it so important that I sleep with her?

- Because she's a great shtup.

I knew you two would hit it off.

- Ben, listen, to our relationship goes way back.

- Two weeks.

- Seems longer.

If I'm to help you push Worldwide

Studios into the black, you need to level with me.

- You want the truth?

Which version?

OK.

These last few years haven't been banner, box

office bonanzas for my studio.

Not long ago, I had to raise capital and take

on a silent partner, a schnorrer who

turned out to be not so silent when it came to women

and running around.

- You're referring to Eric Schuller?

- In the middle of his divorce, Schuller

falls for a girl half his age.

Things get ugly.

Promises aren't kept.

Schuller's wife finds out.

She cries wolf, [yiddish].

- Not yet.

- Blackmail-- the wife knows things.

If she demands an audit, I might as well put Worldwide Books up

in skywriting.

- You have something to hide?

- Who doesn't.

A deal here, a favor there, [yiddish] everywhere.

I'm not always proud but you got to keep the wheels greased.

After all, I'm still in business, right?

- What do you want me to do?

- Try talking sense to Schuller's wife.

Stall this divorce.

Otherwise, we all lose.

- I'll give it a shot.

What if I can't?

- Then you're not the man I thought you were.

- Dan?

[office chatter]

[printers scrolling]

[phone ringing]

- Tell me honestly, I can take it.

- What you have written is completely devoid of emotion.

Who cares about the legals?

Readers want to know about the people locked

behind those prison bars.

Now, frankly, this is very poor storytelling.

- Kick a partner when he's down, why don't you?

[beep]

- Yes.

Here?

Just a moment.

Roger Beekman is out front.

We shared a cell at county.

I told him to look me up when he was released.

- So?

- He believed me.

- Now Douglas, what about your promise?

I promise to pull at least one man from the River Styx.

You can't turn that man away.

- Of course not.

The receptionist will do that.

All right, I'll see what he wants.

- I'll be right with you.

- Where is he?

- How you been, Fender?

- Oh, Roger.

Oh, gee.

Let's talk in my office.

- Great!

You know, you're looking pretty good.

- Thank you for holding.

- Hi, I'll sign for that.

- Roxanne, Roxanne.

- Thanks.

- Here.

- I don't know what happened.

- Benny, I can't understand you.

- The dentist gave my mouth a shot.

- A shot?

Oh, novocaine.

- He's gone.

He ran away.

- Who ran away?

The dentist?

- No, Lincoln.

Coming back, he got loose.

I stopped at a novelty shop and left him outside.

- Oh, come on with me.

We'll make some phone calls.

- This is all that's left.

- We'll find him.

I promise.

- Roxanne, we got to hurry.

- Gwen, this is for you

- Oh, thanks Rox.

- Please, I got to find Lincoln.

[beeping]

- Hey. - Hey.

- Another package? What'd you get this time?

- I don't know.

Something's leaking in here, though.

Oh that smell.

It smells awful.

[office chatter]

- Oh! [sinister music]

Oh!

Oh.

Oh, god.

God.

[panting]

[office chatter]

[phone ringing]

- Blood never comes out.

- I think we should leave the stain

there as a warning to clients.

- This isn't funny, Jonathan.

- Now, you are going to have to go to the police

and report this.

- Sending a human heart, isn't that against the law?

- It looked more like an animal heart, actually.

- How would you know the difference?

- Before my brother flunked out of vet school,

he used to bring home specimen jars.

- Come on.

Let's go into my office.

- OK.

Here's the address of the animal shelter.

- Are you sure Lincoln is safe?

- I told you, Benny, they have a lot of dogs.

You just have to go pick out Lincoln.

- You aren't coming with me?

- Oh, you want me to?

- Rox, a little hand here?

- If you want to wait.

- No, I'll go myself.

It's my fault.

[office chatter]

- OK.

Helping you find work is harder than I thought.

Unfortunately, you're an ex-con, and check kiting

is hardly a marketable skill.

People never forget.

- I don't take it so hard.

The wonderful thing about humanity

is, eventually, they let anyone in.

Your dad?

- Yes.

He founded this firm.

- He looks worried.

- Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

My father was the most confident man on the face of the Earth.

- Well, his eyes seem troubled.

- Really?

I lost my pocket watch today, passed

from generation to generation.

Father loved it.

He was a punctual man, a time for everything.

[beep]

Yes.

I'll be right there.

- That's my cue to exit.

- I haven't helped you find a job.

- But you've done your best.

Now, it's on to my next destination.

- Where's that?

- [laughs] I don't know.

You were my first stop.

- I was?

- Absolutely.

Even though I had the upper bunk at county, I looked up to you.

You weren't afraid to stand your ground.

- He did have his bad days.

Roger, wait here.

This meeting won't take long.

You and I will work out something.

Lord knows, he wasn't the easiest man in the world

to please, or call father.

- But he loved you.

I can tell.

- I'm not going to be able to use that.

[door closing]

- Dr. Voorhees, telling me about the night

Mrs. Hastings brought her daughter to the emergency room.

- The 11-month-old child presented with a high fever,

congested lungs, and an ear infection.

- And what was your initial diagnosis?

- Pneumonia.

However, that wasn't my main concern.

- Go on, please.

- Mrs. Hastings daughter was severely

underweight, at only 9 pounds.

An 11-month-old, even in the 50th-percentile,

should weigh almost twice that.

- What else raised your suspicions?

- Objection-- leading the witness.

- I'll rephrase.

Was there anything else out of the ordinary

about the child's condition?

- She had puncture marks on her thigh surrounded by bruises,

as though someone had squeezed the leg and stuck it repeatedly

with a-- with a needle.

- Anything else?

- A severe red rash on her left arm, resembling a

chemical burn.

- Did you question Mrs. Hastings about your concerns?

- Yes.

But for me, her answers didn't measure up, especially in light

of the child's condition.

In my judgment Mrs. Hastings daughter was being neglected

at home, probably abused.

At that point, I had an obligation

to report to social services.

- Thank you.

No further questions.

- Dr. Voorhees, you said there were puncture marks

on the child's thigh.

- Seven, eight-- they appeared to be deliberate.

- Not, possibly, as Mrs. Hastings tried explaining that

night, caused by straight pins mistakenly

left in newly-purchased pajamas

- It's possible, however--

- Is it also possible that the bruises were caused when,

as Mrs. Hastings also tried explaining that night, she

firmly held her daughter's leg and swabbed

those punctures with alcohol.

- Yes, but--

- And finally, is it possible, as Mrs. Hastings also

tried explaining, that her daughter crawled

under the kitchen floor, which at the time

was wet with ammonia and cleanser,

thus causing the rash on her leg.

- Possible.

- You are currently on an internship

rotation in the emergency room.

Is that correct?

- Yes.

- It must be a stressful situation.

How many hours had you been on duty the night

Mrs. Hastings brought her daughter in for care?

- 23.

I was working a double shift.

- Is it possible that you jumped to conclusions about Mrs.

Hastings, about alleged neglect and abuse,

that you were exhausted by the demands of a double shift?

- Objection-- this is speechmaking.

- Counselor, ask your question.

- Is it possible that, in your eagerness to be a good doctor,

you jumped the gun, called social services,

and had Mrs. Hastings daughter taken away for no good reason.

- Is that possible?

Anything is possible.

But in my opinion--

- Nothing further.

[courtroom chatter]

[birds chirping]

- It's always a treat to get out.

- Of course, someday all this will be yours.

- Really?

What makes you think so?

- It's the natural chain of events set in motion by Mr.

Schuller's alleged infidelity.

You're threatening to open up the Worldwide books.

- That sounds like blackmail.

- Oh, come now, Mrs. Schuller.

- Beatrice.

Do you believe in fate, Mr. Becker?

- I believe for every action, there's a reaction.

- Exactly.

So when my husband cheated on me, naturally I confronted him.

We argued.

I ended up sailing down a flight of stairs.

He swears it was an accident, but he

swears about a lot of things.

Have you met my husband, Mr. Becker?

- No, ma'am.

- Here's a warning-- when push comes to shove, make

sure you're on firm footing.

Otherwise, he'll cripple you too.

- Beatrice, time to talk turkey.

What exactly do you want out of all this?

- You're Ben Flicker's attorney.

Surely, he must have told you.

- Mr. Flicker is not about to give you a controlling

share of his studio.

- That man will stop at nothing to keep his fantasy alive.

This town, this industry, has passed him by,

so he needs young turks like you to be his foot

soldiers, to do his bidding.

Don't take anything you see here at face value.

Remember that, Mr. Becker.

Good day.

- Are we having lunch?

- No, not today.

- At least let me help you back to the limo.

- This may come as a surprise to you,

but I am able to take care of myself.

Goodbye.

[chatter]

- And as the cell door slammed shut--

- Just what do you think you're doing?

- Oh, nothing.

- Here I am, putting myself on the line,

inviting you inside the inner sanctum

of my professional life.

And this is what I get in return?

Invasion of privacy, petty theft.

God knows what's in your pockets.

- You don't understand.

- Boy, oh boy.

You can take the con out of the joint,

but that's where it stops, huh?

I never trusted you, mister, not for one minute.

- Fender.

- Don't Fender me.

Get out.

You're probably responsible for the theft of my watch

as well, Mr. Sticky Fingers.

[office chatter]

[phone ringing]

[barking]

- Come on, Heidi.

Let's go, girl.

- Excuse me, I'm trying to find my dog.

- Name on the tag?

- No, there's no tag.

He's called Lincoln, because Stuart said Colorado

would be a stupid name.

- Do you own this dog?

- No, we found him, but then I lost him.

Roxanne called.

- Look, I-- I don't know what you're talking about.

But if you want to adopt, here's a form.

[phone ringing]

Shelter.

No, no, no.

Don't bring them down here now. Hey!

- Lincoln!

- Hey!

Hey!

[barking]

- Lincoln?

Lincoln?

There you are.

[barking]

[mumbling]

- Hey!

- This is my dog.

- Don't you listen, drool bucket?

I told you to wait.

- This is Lincoln.

- He's got no ID.

How are you going to prove that?

- Well, let him out and he'll come to me.

- So will every other dog in this place.

Besides, that one there has got a bad temperament.

He tried biting me.

- Lincoln wouldn't bite.

- Look, if that pooch is still here when you come back,

he's all yours.

- Well, where would he go?

- God's honest truth?

All dogs go to heaven.

If no one adopts, we put them to sleep.

- You what?

- We kill them.

Now, be a sport, will you, please?

I want to go home.

[sad music]

- You're kill them?

You-- you can't.

Please, don't kill my dog.

Please, please, don't kill my dog.

Please.

Lincoln.

[barking]

[smooth jazz]

- Hurry, we're going to get there too late.

- Benny, I rescued Lincoln once before,

and I'm going to do it again. Now don't worry, OK?

- Hey, Stuart.

You still owe me a written statement.

- Please, not now.

- Tomorrow.

- It's a date.

I don't want those punks who beat you up making bail.

Hi.

- Oh, no more gifts.

- Wait'll you see what's inside.

- Tommy, get this away from me.

- Wow.

Gwen, it took me a long time to wrap this.

- This is from you?

- Yeah.

It's for Rox.

- Oh.

Oh.

- I-- Tommy, I'm so--

I'm so sorry.

Excuse me.

- Hey, good looking.

- Hey, yourself.

- You worked here for two years, and now I can't shake you.

- Sometimes you have to leave to see what you left behind.

Does that make any sense?

- Not really.

- Good, because I haven't been making sense lately.

I'm-- smitten?

I mean, that's a word I never even used before.

I'm not even sure I know what it means, even.

But smitten feels right.

This is for you.

Go ahead, open it.

[crinkling]

[phone ringing]

It's a robe from the Edgewater Hotel, our first

night together.

[office chatter]

- So, you have plans for lunch?

- This isn't about lunch, Tommy.

I think we should keep our regular appointment,

but I don't want to become romantic.

And you stopping in here and bringing me gifts

really throws me off.

- Last thing I wanted was to throw you off.

I'll see you.

[phone ringing]

- Hi.

- How are you doing?

- I'm not great.

- Gwen, you got to try to put all this behind you.

- If someone sent you a glass slipper, a red cape,

and a bloody heart--

god knows what I'll get on Valentine's Day--

how could you put that behind you?

For the past two weeks, every night

at midnight, my phone rings.

I pick it up, I hear a clock striking 12:00

on the other line, and then the line goes dead.

- Can you put a trace on the phone?

- I suppose.

I just-- I was determined not to let this get the best of me,

but it is finally just wearing me down.

- I don't want to upset you.

- You can't upset me any more than I already am.

- But whoever is stalking you--

- You think somebody is stalking me?

- I don't know.

But whoever it is must be working here in this office.

- Great, you think I'm being stalked by someone

that works here at the office. That's great.

Thanks a lot, Anna.

- Gwen, think about it for a minute.

Who else could know so much about your comings

and goings, your-- your daily routine, your court dates?

You must have some notion of who this could be.

- Actually, I-- I do.

- Who?

- Stuart.

Nobody around here has been acting

weirder than your husband.

[office chatter]

[coughing]

[chatter]

[sirens]

- How did you find me?

- It wasn't easy.

May I sit down?

Good book?

- Missing the last chapter, but that's fine.

I enjoy making up my own endings.

Listen, I'm sorry I troubled you.

I won't bother you again, Douglas.

- Call me Fender.

I listened to this tape.

The story you tell, is it yours?

- I had nothing else to do while I was waiting in your office.

The recorder was just sitting there, so I figured why not?

- The narrative is wonderful, touching.

It even bears a remarkable resemblance

to my own adolescence.

- Two men who share a 6 by 9 room with no secrets.

- Where did you learn to tell such moving stories?

- I didn't.

It's just something I can do, like--

you know, like, like this.

[siren]

- I have an idea.

Come with me.

- Can we eat first?

- Sure.

- Dr. Peretsky, how long have you been

Mrs. Hastings pediatrician?

- Three months.

- And during that time, how would you

describe her daughter's health?

- Generally speaking, I'd have to say poor.

- Why is that, in your opinion?

- Mrs. Hastings daughter suffers from

a medical condition commonly referred to as a failure

to thrive.

- Would you explain exactly what is a failure to thrive?

- There is no precise medical definition.

However, typically it refers to a child

who, despite repeated attempts, refuses

to eat and thus gain weight.

- What are some causes of this condition?

- Food allergies, inability to break down

certain carbohydrates, fussiness-- the cause

often remains a mystery.

- Have you been encouraged by Mrs. Hastings efforts

on her daughter's behalf?

- Unquestionably.

Karen Hastings is tireless in her crusade

for little Janie's life.

She rarely leaves her side.

As a single parent, her efforts are even more extraordinary.

- Dr. Peretsky, have you ever seen

Karen Hastings behave in any way other than as

a loving, caring mother?

- No, I haven't.

- No further questions, your honor.

- Your cross, Ms. Paros.

- I'm ready, your honor.

- Dr. Peretsky, you describe Ms. Hastings

as tireless in her efforts on her daughter's behalf.

What do you mean?

- Karen often detects symptoms early and brings them

to my attention.

She used to be a nurse and has exceptional diagnostic skills.

- Which makes me wonder why Mrs. Hastings

first child died mysteriously.

Objection-- irrelevant and highly prejudicial.

- Where are you headed, Ms. Paros?

- It goes to a pattern of abuse, your honor.

I have here a coroner's report for the death

of Colin Hastings.

- Overruled.

Watch yourself, counsellor.

- Introducing people's exhibit four--

doctor, would you mind reading the cause of death?

- Gastroenteritis caused by severe dehydration,

leading to coma.

- Thank you.

Now tell me, wouldn't someone with, as you say,

exceptional diagnostic skills have

been able to spot this condition before it resulted

in the death of a child?

- Doctors are not perfect, Ms. Paros.

Neither are nurses, nor mothers, not even lawyers.

We all make mistakes.

That doesn't make us criminals.

- Thank you.

No further questions.

[courtroom chatter]

- [non-english speech]

- [non-english speech]

- Mm.

- [non-english speech]

[laughs]

- Ben?

- Becker, talk to me.

- We really should speak in private.

- Attorney client confidentiality

doesn't mean bupkis.

Besides, Kimiko doesn't speak a word of English.

- Whew, it's warm in here.

- Yeah.

Take off your jacket, you're starting to schvitz.

Tell me what you found out.

Beatrice Schuller isn't budging, right?

- Speaking of budging, I'm a little confused.

She told me about her accident and implicated Mr. Schuller.

Perhaps I should meet him.

- Perhaps you should not.

- Why?

- If it wasn't for that gonif, Worldwide Studios

wouldn't be in the crapper, and I

wouldn't be fighting a prostate with a mind of its own.

- I may be out of line, but whatever

possessed you to take on Schuller as a silent partner?

- Don't get me started.

I was thinking with my money clip.

- What kind of man pushes his wife down the stairs?

Don't make such a [yiddish].

It was an accident.

She got drunk and tripped.

- She contends he put her in a wheelchair.

- [laughs] Becker, that woman could

outsprint me to the ready teller with a 50-yard head start.

- Sir, Mrs. Schuller was--

- You were duped.

She can walk, believe me.

Look, let me tell you something.

Oops.

I kvelled over my daughter.

She's sweet, and wonderful, and doesn't give a rat's

ass about being Tori Spelling.

You, you're different.

And if you ever want to be considered my heir apparent,

you'd better make up your mind who you believe.

Now take care of this.

Go talk to Beatrice Schuller.

- That's the heir apparent?

- What do you think?

- Perfect.

- [non-english speech]

[barking]

- I tried explaining our policy to your friend here.

I am sorry that I got upset, but those are the rules.

- Look, under the circumstances, don't you

think it might be better for all concerned if you

just give the man his dog back?

- How can I be sure that it's his?

Hmm?

For all I know, there's a sad, little girl on her way

down here right now, desperate to hug

and hold the very same dog.

- Here's my business card.

I'm an attorney with McKenzie Brackman.

Mr. Stulwicz is a colleague of mine.

- You can't convince me he got through law school.

- And I can't convince you to give his dog back?

- No.

- Well, is it possible that this will convince you?

- Stuart!

- Do you want the dog back or not?

- Well, yeah.

- Where is he?

- Back there.

- Show me.

- OK.

- Come on, come on.

[barking]

- He's over there.

- We'll, let him out. Let him out.

- OK.

Please, please, just don't let that thing go off.

I've got a family.

- You got kids?

How many?

- Three, under five.

- That's a handful, huh?

- Yeah.

- No, come on.

Open it up.

- Here you go.

Here's your dog. - Hi, boy.

Hi, Lincoln.

Good to see you.

Hi, Lincoln.

- What happens to all these other dogs?

- Well, if-- if no one adopts them or we run out of space,

they've got to be destroyed.

- Who makes up these rules?

- Not me.

Then let them out, all of them.

Benny, give him a hand. Hurry up.

Go on. Let them out.

- Come on, let's go. Let's go.

Come on, boy.

- Attaboy, attaboy.

[dogs barking]

- Open up!

Up here!

In the cage!

Come on!

- Here we go.

Come on.

Come on, let's go, guys!

Come on!

Here we go!

Come on!

Here we go, guys!

Come on!

That's a good boy!

- All rise.

- Be sure talk to me first.

- Before I make my ruling, I'd like counsel to approach.

- Be seated.

- Ms. Paros, you have no direct evidence of any wrongdoing

as regards Mrs. Hastings, and your circumstantial evidence

is just a tad more convincing.

To quote opposing counsel, you are out on a limb.

What you do have is a chronically sick baby

with no satisfactory medical explanation

despite the scores of diagnostic tests that have been performed.

You also have a sibling who died with similar unexplained

symptoms and a mother who is the only person present

during the onset of illness.

Now, that may be enough to get you probable cause here,

but in my opinion, it is light-years

away from convincing a jury.

Get busy, Ms. Paros.

Put some teeth into this case before you go to trial.

Otherwise, you are looking at a directed verdict

for the defendant.

Now, step back.

This court hereby finds probable cause has been established,

and the defendant is bound over on charges

of felony child endangerment.

Her daughter remains in the protective custody

of Social Services.

- I want to bring my daughter home with me!

- Trial will commence one week from today.

Until then, we are adjourned.

- I'm a good mother!

You have to believe me!

- You'll get a chance to testify.

- No, please, Your Honor, if you would just listen to me!

- Mrs. Hastings, my decision stands.

- But my daughter needs me!

She should be sleeping in her own bed!

- I told you this would happen.

This is just a hearing on evidence.

It's not a trial.

[mrs. hasting crying]

- Mr. Schuller, I appreciate your coming down here.

- Frankly, this isn't easy.

It is difficult for me to get around.

- Yeah, right.

- Nevertheless, I wanted to hear what

you have to say face to face.

- All right.

I think your marriage was already

disintegrating when Mr. Schuller became

involved with another woman.

You grew despondent to the point where one night, blind drunk,

you fell down the stairs, and now, you're

looking to take advantage of what could possibly prove

to be a financial windfall.

But as a representative for Worldwide's business affairs,

I won't let you get away with it.

- I find it hard to believe that Ben Flicker would hire you.

- Yeah? Why is that?

- Flicker despises vulnerability.

And I believe that deep down, you

are a kind man who hates doing what he's been asked to do.

You're unable to mask your gentle nature.

- Talk about duplicity, Beatrice.

The wheelchair gig, is it all just for great parking spaces?

- Arnie, apologize!

- Rox, stay out of this.

And you stand up.

- I'm leaving. - Rox, stay where you are.

I want you to witness.

This woman is a fraud.

- Please, don't do this.

- Walk, Mrs. Schuller.

Hollywood.

What you see isn't always what you get.

[whimpers]

- But Ben told me she can walk!

Can't you, Mrs. Schuller?

[yells]

- Arnold!

[dogs barking]

- Come on!

[laughs]

- What?

Stuart!

what in heaven's name are you doing?

- I'm helping to balance it all out, Leland.

It's just like you said.

Too much law, not enough justice.

- Stuart helped me free Lincoln. - Yeah, well, somebody had to.

I mean, the guy at the dog pound just wouldn't listen.

- You should have seen him when he pulled out his gun

and made him listen. - His what?

- No, no, it's OK. I was real careful.

You see? I took all the bullets out.

It's not loaded.

- Stuart!

- Give me the gun.

- No, it's OK, Leland-- - Police!

Freeze!

Watch out!

Drop it!

- No, it's OK!

- His gun's not loaded, Officer. - Don't-- don't shoot.

- I said, drop the gun. - Put the gun down, Stuart.

- That's my husband!

- Leland, would you explain to them that I'm fine?

- Hey! - Ow!

[yelling]

[dogs barking]

- Stuart!

- Help me!

[somber music]

- And as the cell door slammed shut,

all I could hear were the anguished cries

of mournful weeping in this place of despair.

- Wow.

- You like it?

- Roger, I'll be frank.

I was raised on the classics.

I minored in contemporary American literature.

Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway-- a man's writer.

And I'd be lying if I said you measured up.

But what you do have, what you were born with,

is the talent that may help write a bestseller.

- Yeah?

- Tomorrow, I'll have my secretary begin transcribing

the opening chapters.

We're going to make a great team.

What do you say?

Meet me here tomorrow morning?

- Uh, listen.

If it's all right with you, I'd like to camp out on your couch.

Sleeping in the alley was kind of rough.

- You've never had a place of your own?

- No, I've been in and out of jail since I ran away at 17.

Don't even have a family.

- My father was a very famous lawyer, you know.

As a youth, every night, I'd sit at the top of the stairs

and wait for him to return home.

He'd walk through that front door and ask--

he had a baritone voice--

Douglas, what did you do today to make

the world a better place?

- What would you tell him?

- I'd lie, mostly.

But tonight, I could tell him I offered a man shelter.

- You sure you got room?

- Absolutely.

- Shouldn't you check with your wife?

- We haven't remarried yet.

But that's another story. - Benny!

Benny!

How are you?

- My new teeth got knocked out in the fight.

- That can be fixed.

- And now, I'm worried about Stuart.

- Oh, well, hopefully, that can be fixed as well.

- We didn't hurt anybody.

The gun wasn't even loaded.

And that man was going to kill Lincoln.

- These last few days have been confusing for all of us.

But the important thing is, we're all safe.

That, goes for you, too, Lincoln.

[barks] Yeah.

How about I give you two a ride?

- In your new car?

- Yeah!

- He'd be really excited.

- Well, we'd put down some paper.

[knocking]

- Hey.

- This city is so deceptively pretty at night.

Are you heading home?

- I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine.

He's leaving tomorrow for Africa.

15 days, Botswana, Mozambique, Sudan, Ivory Coast.

He's supposed to be traveling with his girlfriend,

but she fell out, so he asked me.

- Are you going to go?

- I don't know.

I just took an extended leave of absence.

It doesn't seem like the right time

to take a vacation right now.

- Here's where I'd be.

- Ooh.

- That's Skiathos.

It's the place where people feel most welcome on Earth, I think.

- It's beautiful.

You think you'd be happy here at McKenzie Brackman.

- It's hard to say, hard to say.

I haven't gotten off to an auspicious start.

I'll let you know when you get back.

- If I come back.

I'll see you.

- Bon voyage.

[knocking]

- Hi, Tommy.

- Curtain's in an hour.

We could still make it if--

- Not tonight.

- OK, I'll give 'em away.

Smells a little gamey.

- Yeah, Lincoln dropped by with a few of his friends.

- What's this about Stuart pulling a gun?

- It wasn't loaded.

- Yeah, but that's still nutzoid behavior.

- I always thought this office was safe,

but lately, with Arnie's hunger for power,

Stuart's confusion, Gwen's fear, everything's out of control.

Why would I want to bring a baby into this insanity?

- Because not to is giving up hope.

So what's really got you rattled?

- I know I'm going to make a good mother.

But I'm a lousy significant other.

I've got a failed marriage, a failed romance.

The truth is, I've been pushing you away because I'm

afraid to fall in love.

- I'll tell you what.

How about we forget about relationships and we

just spend the night together?

Oh, in a purely professional sense, of course.

Strictly business.

[laughter]

[door closes]

- Sitter's going to kill me.

Hey.

Don't let this creep get you down.

You're the fairest of them all.

- Yeah, me and Snow White.

- Night.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[ominous music]

- "When the huntsman came back with the heart of a young boar

he had killed, the queen had it salted and ate it,

believing it was Snow White's."

Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, fairy tales.

Daniel?

You son of a bitch.

Why are you doing this to me?

[theme music]