Twilight (1998) Movie Script
Thanks, amigo.
Hola. Dos Coca-Colas, por favor.
I found her.
What, right now?
About 10 feet away.
Yeah, him, too.
Tomorrow afternoon,
if I can get a flight out.
I gotta tell you, I feel like a...
Yeah.
Finding her is the hard part,
the rest is easy.
- Jeff.
- Huh?
Do you love me?
Yeah!
Course I love you.
I mean, it's OK if you don't.
I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
Let me guess, my parents sent you?
My father won't be happy
you were manhandling me!
I feel like sending up a flare.
What's going on?
- What are you doing?
- No concern of yours.
Pally, hands off her!
- Come on.
- Hey!
You ought to take lessons, pally.
Listen, she's 17 years old,
and I'm taking her home.
Don't try anything.
What shall I do with this?
Oh, God!
I'm sorry!
I'm really sorry, mister.
I'm really and truly sorry.
- Give me the gun.
- You're not gonna die, are you?
God, they'll throw me in jail.
And they'll throw me
in jail in Mexico!
- Coffee?
- No, thanks.
Cigarette?
I quit.
All right, let's get started.
It's October 20th, 1997,
at approximately 0127 hours.
This is a tape-recorded interview
conducted at...
My name is Harry Ross.
And here's the way my life has gone.
First I was a cop,
then a private detective.
And then... a drunk.
Also, in there somewhere,
a husband and a father.
You'd think, with all that, that
the world loses its power to seduce.
But you'd be wrong.
- Harry.
- Yeah?
Honestly, Harry...
...did you see me
in 'The Last Rebel'?
Yeah.
And you saw me
in 'The End of Desire'.
Yeah.
You've seen everything
there is of me to see.
I remember a movie
your husband made.
He shot 12 guys with a six-shot. I ain't
arguing with that kind of marksmanship.
It's safe to turn around now.
- You got a light?
- Yeah.
I'm also short a cigarette.
Thanks.
- What's your ration for the day?
- Seven.
Eight yesterday, six tomorrow.
- How many so far?
- Twelve.
- Including this one?
- No.
If you don't light it yourself,
it's free.
Harry!
My wife'll never sleep with you!
Come and play cards!
If my lame-brain husband asks you
if I'm still angry, the answer's yes!
- What's he done now?
- Bouncing cheques...
...making withdrawals without telling
me, not listening to his doctor.
In short, being Jack.
In short... being Jack.
One game.
I gotta go into town
and get this thing fixed.
- How much do I owe you?
- $4,600,000.
- How much?
- $4,500,000.
In change.
I don't mean to be critical, but pink
shirts with the little polo players on?
- It was a gift.
- Beware the person who gave you it.
- You gave it to me.
- Really? Me? Are you sure?
- You said you picked it out yourself.
- Thanks.
By the way...
...how much do you get these days?
- Not much.
- No, I mean for detective work.
- I don't do that any more.
I want you to run an errand for me.
Give this to a woman
named Gloria Lamar.
Here's the address.
Put it in her hand, OK?
You think it's blackmail, right?
Well, it's not. You satisfied?
I hope it won't be a problem,
'cause I don't carry a gun.
No problem, Harry.
Don't be such a wimp!
It's a lot less bother
than going to Mexico.
You never paid me for that.
- You're living here rent-free.
- I'm working here salary-free.
Don't worry, I know what I owe you.
That's what worries me.
I gather you don't want
Catherine to know about this.
You gather right.
Gin.
Dick!
"There's nothing
that concentrates the mind..."
"...like the prospect of death."
Samuel Johnson.
I'll do the math, if you don't mind.
It's official.
I'm no longer in remission.
I'm trying to count.
Doctors are suggesting something
they call aggressive therapy.
I respectfully declined.
My wife is very angry with me
at the moment.
She says
I'm taking the coward's way out.
I've a year and 10 months maximum.
You OK about this?
No, as a matter of fact.
Hanging!
What?
"The prospect of hanging..."
"...concentrates the mind."
Don't think you're the only guy
in America who watches 'Jeopardy'!
You figure out
why the dryer overheated?
It didn't, it caught fire.
There's a difference.
It caught fire 'cause nobody
cleans out the lint trap.
And this didn't help.
You think you're a member
of this family, don't you?
Well, you're not.
You're just the hired help.
Harry...
Do me a favour, stop at the market
and get some basil.
Sure.
You know what that is, that green
stuff in the produce department?
- Jack in some kind of trouble?
- Don't worry about it.
- If he were, would you help him?
- You bet.
What about me?
Would you be there for me?
What do you think?
I think it's a dumb question.
Gloria Lamar!
Miss Lamar?
Hey!
I was supposed to meet
Gloria Lamar here and...
I was supposed to deliver a package.
One thing you can count on
as a private investigator is that...
...any time a client says,
"You don't need a gun,"
that's when you ought to bring two.
The guy was dead, but before
he was dead he was a very sick man.
As it turns out, his name
was Lester Ivar, a retired cop.
I went to the address
on his driver's licence,
a run-down joint called
Sun Rise Court on Monte Vista.
The back door was open,
so I let myself in...
OK, Lester, talk to me.
Hands up! Hold it right there!
Interlace your fingers behind
your head and slowly walk forward!
Yes, sir.
Turn around!
Don't move.
It's all right.
Harry?
Verna?
It's been a long time.
A real long time.
Catalina.
Cuff him.
- Jesus Christ!
- What's the matter?
- See that guy with Verna?
- Yeah.
- Hey, Harry!
- Carl!
It's Harry fuckin' Ross!
So?
- What's your worst fear?
- Getting shot.
Getting shot where?
Inglewood?
Not that kind of 'where'.
Holy shit!
He goes down to Mexico
after this runaway,
she won't come with him and gets
hold of the dumb son-of-a-bitch's gun.
- And whammo!
- In the dick?
Blew it outta the hangar, I heard.
Captain?
Yeah.
Harry, great to see you!
Since when?
Hey, sure,
we've had our differences,
but time heals...
Captain, think we can get started?
Sure, sure.
- If Harry feels up to questioning.
- I feel up to questioning.
Harry doesn't want
to be treated differently.
I can understand that.
Well, then...
...what exactly were you doing
at Lester Ivar's house?
I was supposed to meet him there.
- Why treat me different?
- My point exactly.
And your business with him?
He was on surveillance,
he wanted me to do the night shift.
- Am I missing something?
- Missing? No.
- You work for Lester often?
- Now and then.
Mostly when his asthma kicks up.
Are you aware that
Lester was murdered today?
No. I'm sorry to hear that.
Well, here's the thing, Harry.
Half an hour after Lester's killed
at a flophouse over on Palmetto,
we find you
in his ransacked apartment.
That could be construed
as breaking and entering.
You say you were working for Lester,
but your licence expired a year ago.
- I better call a lawyer.
- Relax, we're not after you.
A man with his own cross to bear.
Cross... to bear?
- You think I?
- That's all for tonight.
If we have any more questions,
we certainly know where to find you.
Right, Captain?
Sure thing, Lieutenant.
- What's going on?
- Nothing's going on.
- Hey!
- What?
We worked together, remember?
Partners, among other things.
- Harry, cut it out!
- My ass!
Nobody thinks you killed Lester.
- That never stopped you before!
- We cut you some slack this time.
A little slack?
My goddamned licence
expired a year ago.
All right!
Everybody knows
what happened in Mexico.
- I took a bullet.
- Harry, please!
Lieutenant! Can I have a word?
Be right there!
Harry... I'm really sorry
about everything.
And...
...just know I'll always
be there for you.
- Back when I was still a cop...
- Hey, Hotshot!
...my one ambition was
to get into fair Verna's knickers.
Being unable to do so
was a professional disappointment
that drove me
into the private sector.
People told me
you were more fortunate.
You must be confused, Raymond.
Lord, I do hate a modest man.
Care for a drink?
- I could use a cup of coffee.
- If we have to.
Jack Ames said look after me?
The cops wanted to verify
your address,
and Jack wanted to make sure
they hadn't electrocuted you yet.
I appreciate his confidence.
- Milk? Sugar?
- No, not for me.
You... want some thinner?
No, thanks.
Back when I was in security
at the studio,
it was a full-time job
keeping Jack Ames outta trouble.
No, no. Doctor's orders.
I don't know any actress
he missed boinking.
You know they all loved him,
even after he dumped them?
I mean, the man had the gift.
The husbands took a dimmer view.
- Well, they would!
- Especially Catherine's.
Billy Sullivan. Hurt him so bad, he
swam out to sea and never swam back.
He also lost a bundle of money
gambling about the same time.
Lose a woman like Catherine
and a lot of money in the same week...
...you can feel sorry for yourself.
Yeah, I can see how you might.
Never having had either!
I used to think Jack was
the luckiest man I'd ever run across.
Looks like he's run outta luck,
though.
Cancer's what I heard.
Yeah... looks like we all run
outta luck in the end.
Your prostate started acting up?
Not yet.
Something to look forward to.
I better get on my horse.
This is late for me.
Sad, ain't it?
Tell Verna if she's got the urge
to hump an old man,
I'm in the book...
...under 'Hump'!
...under 'Hump'!
The very thought of you
And I forget to do
The little ordinary things
That everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream...
All alone?
I have my thoughts.
Piss-poor company, though.
This way, it don't count.
Harry, you're a pal.
- Kind of hoping to talk to Jack.
- And I thought it was my company.
Jack took a sedative and
went to sleep, he was terribly upset.
I had an idea that maybe
you might know what happened.
Right, that's why people hire you,
'cause you're mute!
Where's Mel?
She came home for 20 minutes,
then went on a night shoot for a film.
She asked me
a very interesting question.
She wanted to know why
the hell you're still living here.
What did you tell her?
I was mute.
- Heard of a guy named Lester Ivar?
- No.
- Somebody killed him today.
- Sorry. Was he a friend?
No.
- Never heard of him, huh?
- No.
You're lying.
You were at Lester Ivar's apartment
this afternoon.
- Find what you were looking for?
- What are you talking about?
What's that perfume you wear?
The reason I ask...
...it was still in the air
when I got there.
A lot of women wear Bal Versailles.
It smells different on them.
I've noticed how familiar you've
become with everything in this house.
Know what I think?
I think you're right.
I piss you off, and you're off
in the time it takes to pack one bag!
My husband would need
a couple of vans, an army of movers,
and it'd still take him two weeks!
Got a light?
Thanks.
- The thing is, we're broke...
- No! I'm broke.
You and Jack are overextended.
I'll explain the difference sometime.
The thing is, we're broke.
And my husband's dying.
And I thought that I could...
...gut it out, you know,
hold everything together the way...
...so there'd be enough time...
...so that he could die in peace,
but that doesn't seem like it'll happen.
God... damn fucking thing!
Goddamn fucking...
- Here, let me...
- No!
OK, go. I don't know why
you've stuck around so long anyway.
You don't?
Don't forget your lighter.
I remember
the first morning I met you.
I opened the door,
and there you stood in a...
...blue shirt with a frayed collar.
Whoever cut your hair
forgot about this part right there!
I bet you don't even remember.
Well...
In the first place, it was afternoon,
and the maid answered the door.
You and Jack were having lunch,
he gave me a picture of Mel.
And I don't... even think
you said hello.
Now you'll say
you don't own any blue shirts?
No, I got a bunch of those.
I know. I remember.
Harry! Harry! I can't breathe!
I can't find Catherine. Help me!
Jack! Jack!
Jack! Jack!
Jack... Jack...
Live, you son-of-a-bitch.
- Cath... I tried to call you.
- I know.
- Don't talk.
- Here's the tank.
Get out, Harry. Just get out! Go!
Cath, how could you?
How fucking could you?
- Watch the walls, guys.
- OK.
Don't let it bump on the stairs.
Daddy!
Call Dr Hayes and say
we're on our way to Cedars.
- What happened?
- Mel, you're in the way.
Hello.
- Mr Ames?
- He's not here right now.
- When do you expect him?
- I can't say.
This... wouldn't be Gloria Lamar?
I ask because Mr Ames asked me
to give her a package.
- That would make you Ross.
- Right.
Mr Ames is anxious that
Miss Lamar gets this envelope.
Is there some place we can meet?
- You know the Santa Monica pier?
- Yep.
One hour from now,
at the water pistol range.
How will I know you?
Blonde, big, mucho hair, mucho tits!
I can't wait.
- A buck, huh?
- Yeah. Wanna try?
- Your name wouldn't be Ross?
- Right, first guess.
A woman called earlier.
Said she'd be waiting under the pier.
Fuck! Shit! Piss!
Look at that! A $40 pair of shoes ruined.
No good deed goes
un-fucking-punished.
That's what I get for...
You Ross?
Hiya, Mucho.
You better have an envelope for me,
'cause I got sand in my panty hose!
Hold it, I went
to your place on Palmetto Street,
and I find a guy
with a bunch of bullets in his chest.
Hey, it's a violent world.
Don't believe me? Watch TV.
But I gotta explain that to Mr Ames.
I prefer to know what's going on.
I'd prefer to have met
Mr Ames in person.
I'd prefer to be a natural blonde,
let's not go on about what we'd prefer.
If Mr Ames wants me out of his life,
I get the package.
No package
till you tell me about Lester Ivar.
- That wasn't part of the deal.
- This is a new deal.
Fine. Have it your way.
Here.
Hold my shoe. Then there's something
you ought to see.
I like the old deal bett...
Ow! That hurt.
Like I said, no good deed
goes unpunished.
Ain't that the truth. Remember
Mexico, pally? Mel's little friend?
You see? I've been taking lessons
like you told me.
Excuse me, but did we not agree
you weren't gonna show your face?
I know what I'm doing, OK?
Smart. Real smart.
Know where I've been taking lessons?
In jail.
Yuma, Arizona.
Ever been to Yuma?
Well, that's where they put me
after your friend, Mr Jack Ames,
had me arrested
for transporting a minor.
You can learn to kick ass in Yuma.
Is this gonna take all night?
OK. Come on.
I need you to wake up, pally.
I want you to tell Mr Ames...
...that this is just a down payment
on what he owes me.
Can you remember that, pally?
Huh?
- Are you finished?
- Yes, I'm finished.
Did we or did we not make a plan?
What's the point of a plan if you're
gonna say "fuck it" when it suits you?
Why are you always so negative?
Oh, shit!
Hey, chief! Wake up!
Wake up, man.
You can't stay here,
the tide is coming in.
Harry, it's me, your old partner.
Somebody beat the shit outta you.
Lucky I came along
or you'd have drowned.
But I saved your life.
Don't worry, you can thank me later.
I'm sitting in the parking lot at the pier,
I'm on a job, some kid's sweet-sixteen
party, and who do I see?
- My old partner, Harry Ross.
- We were never partners!
This is the story of how I saved
your life. Don't interrupt.
Where was I? Oh, yeah...
I'm sitting there waiting,
I see you on the beach
needing some back-up.
- So I'm cool and pick my spot to...
- Do what?
I wait. Just like you taught me.
After a while, two people come out
from under the pier,
and there was no sign of you,
so I think to myself,
"This doesn't look so good,"
so I go down and there you were.
- That's when I saved your life.
- Let me get this straight...
I was getting the shit kicked outta me...
...and you were up
in the parking lot waiting?
And you call that back-up?
- I got a good look at them.
- I got a better look than you did.
When will you realise that I'm not
a private investigator any more?
Man, you can't just quit.
You were the best!
The greatest!
OK, maybe not the greatest,
but you were good, man.
- We were a hell of a team.
- We were never a team.
I gave you some leg work,
which you usually screwed up!
That does not make us a team.
Listen, Harry, let me in on this case.
I can't take this job any more.
If it's not the freeways,
it's the dispatches or the clients...
- Where are the kids?
- What kids?
The sweet-sixteen kids.
Ay, carajo!
You think they're still there?
I would look.
Listen, boss, you ever get into a jam,
need some back-up again,
you give me a call...
any time, day or night.
I'm your man.
Nice place you got here.
Glad you like it.
I have to hand it to you, you always
manage to land on your feet.
Verna, I live over the garage!
Jack Ames owns the place.
I just work here.
You need stitches.
I brought his daughter back
from Mexico two years ago. I was in...
...pretty bad shape,
so he let me hole up here.
Then he got sick,
and I was helping out...
That's the best I can do.
Actually, there's more to it than that.
It's time I was leaving.
That's that actress.
- Catherine Hayward, right?
- Yeah.
She used to be married to that actor...
He disappeared. What's his name?
- Billy Sullivan. It was 20 years ago.
- Yeah, that was it.
Bet she doesn't look like this any more.
Hey, she's...
She's OK.
OK, Harry... what are your plans?
- Got no plans.
- Come on, what are you gonna do?
Back to work?
Renew your licence? What?
Verna!
I was a cop for 20 years.
I was a private investigator for five.
I started out...
...with a wife and daughter,
and I ended up a drunk.
I slept in the office and showered at the
YMCA. Think I wanna go back to that?
Besides, I'm getting rusty,
I'm a danger to myself.
I know.
What's that supposed to mean?
- You used to be a better liar.
- Really?
Lester Ivar didn't have asthma.
He had emphysema, which you'd
have known if you'd worked for him.
Sorry, but we'll have to question
Jack Ames. His wife, too.
- He's really sick.
- Come on, this is a murder case.
Lester Ivar was the investigating officer
when Billy Sullivan disappeared.
Lester Ivar was on the force
for 30 years!
He must've had a thousand cases
like this. Why's this special?
You, Harry. You're the guy
who showed up at Ivar's house.
You're the guy who led me here.
Like you say...
...you're getting rusty.
The only person I could think of who
might help me was Raymond Hope.
Plus he owed me. Or I owed him,
I couldn't figure out which.
It was Raymond who pulled me off
the bar stool I lived on for 2 years,
and introduced me to the Ameses.
Seen in a certain light,
everything that had happened
since then was his fault.
Maybe I'd tell him that.
You always were a show-off,
Raymond!
Harry? I almost peed on one of my
few remaining friends in the world.
Hotshot!
Your sprinkler fritzed
or are you just lazy?
You know better than to...
Jesus! Look at you.
Well... somebody disagreed with me
from behind.
No shit! Let's go find him
and disagree back!
- You any tougher than you look?
- Hell, yes!
- At least I used to be.
- I used to be.
- We all used to be.
- Then, have a drink.
- Bourbon?
- Ginger ale, if you've got one.
Do I look like a man
who'd have a ginger ale?
- Water.
- That I can handle.
- Is it gonna bother you if I drink?
- Go ahead.
A nice place you got here.
Sure beats Los Feliz.
You're up above the smog.
Well, I like to think I'm up above
a lot of things since I retired.
So, you're playing things
pretty close to your vest.
Are you in trouble?
Nothing I can't handle.
- Just...
- Jack? I figured that much.
And you want to talk to me
about Jack and Lester Ivar?
OK.
You know Ivar was the investigating
officer when Billy Sullivan killed himself.
Suicide? They never found a body.
LA Times called it suicide,
that's good enough for me.
- But not good enough...
...for Lester Ivar.
He never believed in good luck.
Billy's suicide was good luck
for Jack and Catherine.
Him out of the way,
they can get married.
Lester couldn't believe the way
it all worked out so smooth.
I have never been a great believer
in luck, not to explain things.
Anyway, he's dead now. End of story.
It would be, if he hadn't passed
those suspicions on to Verna.
Forgive me, Harry, but it sounds like
he passed them on to you.
By the way... I...
I heard a rumour I didn't want
to believe was true, so...
...thought I'd ask you directly.
I heard that when you were in Mexico
bringing the Ames's kid back,
she... she...
...she shot your pecker off.
Harry?
Harry?
Harry!
No... I'm fine.
But thanks, that explains a lot.
I'm glad to hear it.
Keep me posted, huh?
Like you said, Jack and I go way back.
If there's anything I could do, I would.
Harry... I'm glad nobody shot
your pecker off.
Me, too!
Me, too.
How are you feeling?
My husband had a heart attack and
doctors ordered him to stay in hospital.
The nurses advised him to stay,
I pleaded with him to stay, so...
...naturally he's on the way home.
That's not what I meant.
I know what you meant.
- The fact is I...
- Catherine!
The ambulance is here.
Excuse me.
Harry, you wouldn't be falling in love
with my mother, would you?
Poor you.
I'm curious, what man fucks
his dying best friend's wife?
Not a good one.
How long has this been going on
between you and Catherine?
I bet you've been sleeping together
since I've been sick.
One night.
If you had an ounce of decency,
you'd have left this house by now.
Catherine know
you're being blackmailed?
There's precious little
that Catherine doesn't know.
What she doesn't know
she suspects.
I'm the one that never suspects.
I delivered the envelope
to Gloria last night.
She's lovely.
- You ought to meet her.
- Good.
So it's over.
It is over, right?
I kept the money. She's got the
restaurant section of the phone book.
Why, why?
Why didn't you do what I asked?
Because the first time I did
what you asked,
somebody emptied a 9mm automatic
in my direction.
The second time, Gloria...
She brought along a pal.
Jeff, you remember? Mexico.
The guy who ran off with Mel.
Got him thrown in jail in Yuma.
He sandbagged me.
He left you a message:
That was just a down payment.
You've been a busy little beaver,
haven't you?
Playing detective, fucking my wife.
- What happened to Billy Sullivan?
- Jesus Christ, you're fired, Harry.
No, I'm curious.
How do you fire someone
you never paid?
- I'll find a way.
- OK.
I guess this is goodbye.
Hey, sit down.
I want you to find this guy Jeff
and deal with him.
You owe me.
Harry...
...you haven't said you're sorry.
You haven't been listening.
- Where is he?
- Where's who?
- Where's Jeff?
- I don't know what you're talking about.
I don't give a rat's ass
what you think of me.
This is not about you and me,
it's about your old man.
Harry, you're a cop.
How do you know who to trust?
You don't... not if you're a cop.
You learn who not to trust.
It's a tricky life.
Jeff showed up a couple of weeks ago.
He didn't have a job or money, so I
gave him the keys to the ranch house.
I told him it was just
till he got back on his feet.
It was a pretty dumb thing to do.
Listen, Harry, I'm sorry, OK?
I know I've been a pain in the ass.
I didn't mind. I didn't much like it
when you shot me, though.
The Ameses owned a place
north of the city.
None of them had been there in years.
You'd think they'd forgotten about it,
but how do you forget about a house?
Maybe they hadn't forgotten
or maybe they were trying to forget.
Maybe there was a reason not
to sell the $ 1-million property,
even when you're hard up for cash.
Somebody else had come
to the same conclusion.
Somebody who thought
they could dig up the past,
without knowing where to dig.
Somebody who had a key.
Somebody with no interest
in housekeeping,
but a serious appetite
for barbecued chicken wings.
Somebody not too bright
with a lot of time on his hands,
and the kind of patience you learn
doing time in Yuma, Arizona.
OK, pally.
Ross and Escobar Investigations.
Ross and Escobar?!
Your name should go first, amigo.
But start pulling your weight.
I'm gonna need some back-up.
How soon can you meet at Garvey's?
This time of night? 15 minutes.
Remember the pier and the guy there?
I'll be inside with him.
If we're together, follow us.
If he's alone, follow him.
And, Reuben...
...being back-up means
being there when I need you.
I can't get the shit kicked out of me
while you're doing surveillance.
- Can you handle that?
- Why? You think I'm a fuck-up?
15 minutes.
- I guess you didn't drown, pally.
- No.
That's good.
I got that envelope home
and guess what?
No money.
- Know how that made me feel?
- Silly.
- Stupid. Incompetent.
- Pissed!
- No kidding?
- Know who else was pissed?
- Mucho.
- You think I'm trouble...
...you don't want to see Gloria mad.
Maybe this would help.
Yeah.
Mind if I take a peek?
I already got a phone book.
That's good. Have a seat, pally.
You know what?
I'm all done being pissed.
You know what? I'm not.
Mama Cass died
choking on a chicken bone, you know?
- Everything OK?
- Too much Tabasco.
Why doesn't this surprise me?
Hi, Mucho!
Pally ought to look for other work
beside blackmail.
- He don't have the knack.
- I don't have the knack?
She's the one whose idea this was.
- You've got a big mouth.
- Ask her why we got Ivar and Ames.
Ask her!
- Where are the Q-tips?
- We don't have any.
I can't find anything in here.
Oh, man!
- I could sue you for this.
- Put some ice on it.
"Put some ice on it"?
That's the best you can do, huh?
Jesus!
Hi, it's me. I'm upstairs.
Listen, could you bring me
some Percodan? Yes, now!
- You sure can pick 'em!
- It's a knack.
Whoa, wait a minute.
Do you know what I went through?
- You got the money?
- Yes.
Where is it?
God, you are so pathetic.
- Tell me, how do you fit into all this?
- I'm his parole officer.
Like you said, we located Ivar.
Found out he had a soft spot
for Wild Turkey.
Once he got talking about the Sullivan
case, he wouldn't shut up.
Said he'd have solved it if they'd given
him a court order and bulldozer.
He figured that the body was buried out
at the Ames's ranch.
That's when I got Mel to let me stay
at the ranch, so I can look for the body.
We didn't need to find
Billy Sullivan's corpse,
we just had to convince Ames
we knew where it was buried.
- I might as well have saved my breath.
- Listen up, you two.
There's $10,000 in this envelope.
I've no interest in seeing you go to jail,
but I'll tell you one thing.
You'll get out of LA and you'll stay out.
Get a move on, we don't have all night.
Listen, do me a favour.
If there's any more trouble,
leave her out of it, right?
I don't understand why
you don't put ice on that nose.
Stop saying that. All right?
You think you'll be nice to me
and I'll forget, but I've a long memory.
Your memory's an inch longer
than your dick!
That's very funny, Gloria.
Take that act to Vegas!
Get down!
Jesus Christ!
I was doing what you said!
You said don't stay up top while
you get the shit kicked out of you.
Mucho?
God!
- I'll get an ambulance.
- No. Stay with me.
Stay with me, please.
How is he?
I never learn.
All my life... I pick the losers.
I know better, too.
Jesus Christ.
Sure you wanna be
in this line of work?
Jack, it's me.
What is that house of yours worth?
Well, someone'll have to stand bail
for me tonight.
And Jack?
One other thing,
I am fucking fed up working for you.
Lieutenant Verna Hollander, please.
I'll wait.
I'm gonna pretend you weren't here
tonight, which is almost true.
Verna?
It's me. Hold on a second.
Hold this for me.
Go home. I'll call you.
Verna, listen...
I got a real mess.
Yeah.
There's two of them.
They're dead...
I gotta check on that.
You expect anybody to believe this?
OK.
So, just between us, the truth!
For old times' sake?
Did it ever strike you
this is a lousy way to make a living?
Start out thinking you'll win a few,
but... mostly it's just like tonight.
Watching people run out of the...
...little bit of luck that they got left.
You think you'll beat the odds,
but you don't... not very often.
Lieutenant, just to let you know
the Captain's on his way.
God help you, Harry.
- Let me go, Verna.
- Not a chance!
Give me 24 hours. I will find
the son-of-a-bitch, I promise.
Hear that?
That's my career,
if I let you walk out of here.
I screwed up right from the beginning.
Two people are dead because of it.
You gotta give me some time,
so I can find whoever did it and...
...I dunno, square things up
at least a little bit.
What's-your-name,
get him out of here.
- But the Captain said...
- I said get him out of here.
Harry...
Reuben, I need you to meet me.
36001, Mulholland Highway.
How soon can you get there?
OK. And...
...Reuben, bring my gun,
I might need it.
You mind telling me what
we're supposed to be looking for?
Well, I guess not.
Listen, boss...
...I gotta tell you something, OK?
- Sure.
I hope you won't be mad at me, but...
...the thing is...
...after we crack this case,
I'm thinking of finding
another line of work, if that's OK?
- That's OK with me.
- I dunno, man...
Watching that lady die tonight,
I can't get it out of my head.
Yeah.
- I know you've been counting on me...
- I said it was OK.
You don't think I'm like... a coward?
Not for a second.
I guess we can still be friends.
We can still...
Harry...
What do we do now, Harry?
Cover it up.
I know I keep flunking
the PI exam, but...
...aren't you supposed to call the cops?
- Cover it up!
It's a bullet hole!
Don't you wanna know who it is?
I know who.
The thing you don't get about Jack and
Catherine is they live for each other.
They have the starring roles
in their own lives.
And you're just a bit player.
Me, too.
It's their love story, not yours.
You don't get to kiss the girl in the end.
She's somebody else's girl.
I've decided to go ahead
with the chemotherapy.
It worked before, so...
You never know.
I thought you'd be pleased.
We found Billy Sullivan last night.
What's left of him.
I guess I've been expecting
that for 20 years.
You can think what you like.
It wasn't murder,
not like you... murder somebody.
Catherine and I had fallen in love.
As you know, Catherine's easy
to fall in love with.
Eventually, Billy found out
and came after me at the ranch.
Suddenly, I turn around
and there he is, worse for drink,
swearing he's gonna kill me.
The swimming pool was empty.
You should've heard the sound
of his head hitting the bottom.
The way he just lay there
and didn't move.
One second is all it took,
and the man's life was snuffed out.
You are good.
You are very good.
I'd have believed you
except I saw the corpse.
- What are you talking about?
- The bullet hole in his head.
- That's impossible.
- No.
Did you go down to look
and see whether he was alive?
Of course not.
'Cause there was blood and a body,
you just wanted someone to...
...come along and make it go away.
So you called Raymond Hope.
And he said?
- "Get the hell outta there."
- And he'd clean up the mess.
But Raymond lived
in Los Feliz back then.
It'd have taken him...
an hour to get there?
Who else did you call?
If you harm her in any way,
I swear I'll come back from the grave
and not in a wheelchair either!
Quick, come look at the sun.
See it hanging just above
the horizon?
Looks like it'll be there forever.
- You look tired.
- Yeah... I am tired.
I'm tired of people getting killed,
I'm tired of being lied to.
- When have I lied to you?
- When you acted like you loved me.
Whereas I love my husband? I never
made it a secret that I loved him!
- Enough to kill for?
- You bet!
You feel better
we've cleared all that up?
- I don't feel worse.
- Well, then...
Why don't you ask me
more questions? Feel free.
- And you'll tell me the truth?
- Yes!
- Did you kill Lester Ivar?
- No. Next question.
- Did you have him killed?
- No. Next question.
- Did you kill Jeff Willis?
- No. Next.
20 years ago, when Jack told you what
had happened to Billy Sullivan...
Did I drive to the ranch, find Billy
alive and put a gun to his head?
No.
I said I loved my husband enough that
I would kill for him. Not that I did.
Now let me ask you something.
Do you believe me?
I'll tell you what I believe.
I believe that you're smart.
And you're beautiful and rich.
Life has worked out for you in ways
that it doesn't for most people.
I think people like you get used
to having it work out for you.
After a while, you begin to...
think you're entitled to it all.
You think I care about anything
in this house but my husband?
You think...
You think people like me
care so much about things...
...that we would kill for them?
Is that what you think?
That I just care about things, Harry?
Is that what you think?
That I care about all these things?
All these fucking goddamn...
Maybe people like you shouldn't
get close to people like me.
You want to come inside
or do you like it out there?
When did we last go fishing?
- You tell me.
- It's too long.
Let's go. Right now, you and me,
head down to Baja.
Fine. Let's have a drink first.
I got some ginger ale in the fridge.
I'll take bourbon.
Things that bad?
You told me I'd learn something
I didn't want to know.
Catherine.
- You going to turn her in?
- I thought about it.
Then I decided to go fishing instead.
That would be the sensible thing.
I mean, screw it!
Everybody got what they deserved.
If we leave soon, we can be deep
in Baja by morning.
Let's take the Explorer,
yours'll never make it.
And Lester Ivar was crooked.
I figure he was trying
to shake Jack down.
The marlin will be out and I know
a guy who'll take us for $80 a day.
But the funny thing...
...is that Lester lived
in a rat hole.
You'd think
if he was on the take, he'd...
You'd think he'd have
a place that would be more like...
More like this.
You haven't touched your drink.
Raymond, this is not easy.
But you did a lot more than clean up
Jack's mess, didn't you?
Not a lot more.
Billy was going to end up
in a wheelchair for life.
I ended his misery.
I did him a favour.
You see, I think on that long drive
out to the ranch,
you began spending that money
Jack was going to pay you.
I think that...
...you bought this place
in your head on that ride.
And then when you got there,
you found out Billy Sullivan wasn't dead.
You were going to lose it
before you had your chance.
They really got to you, didn't they?
A woman like Catherine could twist
a man's pecker into a knot.
And Jack's a charming guy,
but I gotta ask you...
...don't you ever tire
of the beautiful people?
The Jacks and the Catherines
can do as they please,
'cause it's guys like you and me
who clean up after them.
Jack Ames couldn't get blood
out of a sock with a washing machine!
Me? I can get blood out of a sock.
That's what I do.
I clean up messes
and I get paid for it.
You imagine you're different, Harry,
but you're the same as me.
You think it was Catherine
who seduced you. It was both of them.
It was the whole package.
I know.
I was the same way.
Let's face it,
there's them and there's us.
Right now, the thing for us
to do is go fishing.
I'd like to, Raymond, but...
Know how many times
I didn't kill you the past couple of days?
OK...
...I'll wait till I get into town
before I call Verna.
- Make a run for it, if you want to.
- I can't do that, not at my age!
Besides, for what it's worth,
you were right.
I couldn't give up this place.
Not then... not now.
Well... shit!
I know. It's a bitch, isn't it?
- Good luck, Hotshot.
- Good luck to you.
You know, I can see
your reflection in the glass.
Funny, the things you don't think
about when you're buying a house.
Thank God. I hate playing solitaire,
I can't stop cheating.
One hand for everything that we own.
- Do I have anything you want?
- Yeah, your health.
Deal them, for Christ's sake,
before you wear the spots off.
I had to shoot Raymond Hope tonight.
Dead?
Dead.
It turns out he killed Billy Sullivan.
So you can rest easy about Catherine.
I've always rested easy
about Catherine.
If she had murdered him,
it wouldn't matter to you, would it?
No.
Is that the difference between us?
Right, wrong, truth...
mean nothing to you?
Tonight my daughter told me
she loves me. Think that's true?
- I'm sure of it.
- My wife says she loves me.
Is that true?
Yes.
- Are you sure?
- I'm sure.
Me, too.
And you...
You say you're my friend.
Is that the truth?
That's the truth.
I'm satisfied.
Enough truth.
You prick, you!
You've got gin, haven't you?
Fuck you.
- Just me, not the horse I rode in on?
- Him, too.
- Let me give you a hand.
- I got it.
You know, Harry...
you don't have to leave.
Yeah, I do.
I do.
Do you mind hitting 'play'
on the way out?
Who's that handsome devil?
Drop by any time you feel like it.
I mean it.
I'm feeling a lot better.
I may just beat this thing yet.
That's it?
That's it.
OK.
All right, that'll conclude
the interview, October 20th 1997,
0600 hours.
But that's not quite it, is it, Harry?
No, not quite.
After my daughter died,
I started hitting the sauce
pretty bad.
And it became obvious my wife
and I weren't gonna make it.
It was Raymond who took me in,
let me sleep on his couch.
You could always count on Raymond.
While I was talking to Jack,
you told him about Lester Ivar.
- You had him kill Willis and Gloria.
- I never asked him to kill anybody.
Yeah, but you knew he would.
Tell me, does it bother you...
...that all those people
would be alive if it weren't for you?
My husband is still alive.
That pleases me.
I don't really think I'm to blame
for anything you've done.
Harry!
Still love me?
Love you, too.
So Catherine Ames
gets away with it?
Not really.
Oh, somebody ought
to get away with something.
You wanna buy me a cup of coffee?
Oh, yeah.
So how about the Captain?
Any fallout?
Let's just say I'm not expecting
a promotion any time soon.
Fuck it, it's only a career!
- No discipline?
- No.
I got some vacation time coming and
it was strongly suggested I take it.
Hey...
...I've been thinking
about going away myself.
I remember Catalina.
That was... nice.
How about a return engagement?
Maybe.
Verna, I never knew you cared.
- Just checking.
- That's fair.
Hola. Dos Coca-Colas, por favor.
I found her.
What, right now?
About 10 feet away.
Yeah, him, too.
Tomorrow afternoon,
if I can get a flight out.
I gotta tell you, I feel like a...
Yeah.
Finding her is the hard part,
the rest is easy.
- Jeff.
- Huh?
Do you love me?
Yeah!
Course I love you.
I mean, it's OK if you don't.
I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
Let me guess, my parents sent you?
My father won't be happy
you were manhandling me!
I feel like sending up a flare.
What's going on?
- What are you doing?
- No concern of yours.
Pally, hands off her!
- Come on.
- Hey!
You ought to take lessons, pally.
Listen, she's 17 years old,
and I'm taking her home.
Don't try anything.
What shall I do with this?
Oh, God!
I'm sorry!
I'm really sorry, mister.
I'm really and truly sorry.
- Give me the gun.
- You're not gonna die, are you?
God, they'll throw me in jail.
And they'll throw me
in jail in Mexico!
- Coffee?
- No, thanks.
Cigarette?
I quit.
All right, let's get started.
It's October 20th, 1997,
at approximately 0127 hours.
This is a tape-recorded interview
conducted at...
My name is Harry Ross.
And here's the way my life has gone.
First I was a cop,
then a private detective.
And then... a drunk.
Also, in there somewhere,
a husband and a father.
You'd think, with all that, that
the world loses its power to seduce.
But you'd be wrong.
- Harry.
- Yeah?
Honestly, Harry...
...did you see me
in 'The Last Rebel'?
Yeah.
And you saw me
in 'The End of Desire'.
Yeah.
You've seen everything
there is of me to see.
I remember a movie
your husband made.
He shot 12 guys with a six-shot. I ain't
arguing with that kind of marksmanship.
It's safe to turn around now.
- You got a light?
- Yeah.
I'm also short a cigarette.
Thanks.
- What's your ration for the day?
- Seven.
Eight yesterday, six tomorrow.
- How many so far?
- Twelve.
- Including this one?
- No.
If you don't light it yourself,
it's free.
Harry!
My wife'll never sleep with you!
Come and play cards!
If my lame-brain husband asks you
if I'm still angry, the answer's yes!
- What's he done now?
- Bouncing cheques...
...making withdrawals without telling
me, not listening to his doctor.
In short, being Jack.
In short... being Jack.
One game.
I gotta go into town
and get this thing fixed.
- How much do I owe you?
- $4,600,000.
- How much?
- $4,500,000.
In change.
I don't mean to be critical, but pink
shirts with the little polo players on?
- It was a gift.
- Beware the person who gave you it.
- You gave it to me.
- Really? Me? Are you sure?
- You said you picked it out yourself.
- Thanks.
By the way...
...how much do you get these days?
- Not much.
- No, I mean for detective work.
- I don't do that any more.
I want you to run an errand for me.
Give this to a woman
named Gloria Lamar.
Here's the address.
Put it in her hand, OK?
You think it's blackmail, right?
Well, it's not. You satisfied?
I hope it won't be a problem,
'cause I don't carry a gun.
No problem, Harry.
Don't be such a wimp!
It's a lot less bother
than going to Mexico.
You never paid me for that.
- You're living here rent-free.
- I'm working here salary-free.
Don't worry, I know what I owe you.
That's what worries me.
I gather you don't want
Catherine to know about this.
You gather right.
Gin.
Dick!
"There's nothing
that concentrates the mind..."
"...like the prospect of death."
Samuel Johnson.
I'll do the math, if you don't mind.
It's official.
I'm no longer in remission.
I'm trying to count.
Doctors are suggesting something
they call aggressive therapy.
I respectfully declined.
My wife is very angry with me
at the moment.
She says
I'm taking the coward's way out.
I've a year and 10 months maximum.
You OK about this?
No, as a matter of fact.
Hanging!
What?
"The prospect of hanging..."
"...concentrates the mind."
Don't think you're the only guy
in America who watches 'Jeopardy'!
You figure out
why the dryer overheated?
It didn't, it caught fire.
There's a difference.
It caught fire 'cause nobody
cleans out the lint trap.
And this didn't help.
You think you're a member
of this family, don't you?
Well, you're not.
You're just the hired help.
Harry...
Do me a favour, stop at the market
and get some basil.
Sure.
You know what that is, that green
stuff in the produce department?
- Jack in some kind of trouble?
- Don't worry about it.
- If he were, would you help him?
- You bet.
What about me?
Would you be there for me?
What do you think?
I think it's a dumb question.
Gloria Lamar!
Miss Lamar?
Hey!
I was supposed to meet
Gloria Lamar here and...
I was supposed to deliver a package.
One thing you can count on
as a private investigator is that...
...any time a client says,
"You don't need a gun,"
that's when you ought to bring two.
The guy was dead, but before
he was dead he was a very sick man.
As it turns out, his name
was Lester Ivar, a retired cop.
I went to the address
on his driver's licence,
a run-down joint called
Sun Rise Court on Monte Vista.
The back door was open,
so I let myself in...
OK, Lester, talk to me.
Hands up! Hold it right there!
Interlace your fingers behind
your head and slowly walk forward!
Yes, sir.
Turn around!
Don't move.
It's all right.
Harry?
Verna?
It's been a long time.
A real long time.
Catalina.
Cuff him.
- Jesus Christ!
- What's the matter?
- See that guy with Verna?
- Yeah.
- Hey, Harry!
- Carl!
It's Harry fuckin' Ross!
So?
- What's your worst fear?
- Getting shot.
Getting shot where?
Inglewood?
Not that kind of 'where'.
Holy shit!
He goes down to Mexico
after this runaway,
she won't come with him and gets
hold of the dumb son-of-a-bitch's gun.
- And whammo!
- In the dick?
Blew it outta the hangar, I heard.
Captain?
Yeah.
Harry, great to see you!
Since when?
Hey, sure,
we've had our differences,
but time heals...
Captain, think we can get started?
Sure, sure.
- If Harry feels up to questioning.
- I feel up to questioning.
Harry doesn't want
to be treated differently.
I can understand that.
Well, then...
...what exactly were you doing
at Lester Ivar's house?
I was supposed to meet him there.
- Why treat me different?
- My point exactly.
And your business with him?
He was on surveillance,
he wanted me to do the night shift.
- Am I missing something?
- Missing? No.
- You work for Lester often?
- Now and then.
Mostly when his asthma kicks up.
Are you aware that
Lester was murdered today?
No. I'm sorry to hear that.
Well, here's the thing, Harry.
Half an hour after Lester's killed
at a flophouse over on Palmetto,
we find you
in his ransacked apartment.
That could be construed
as breaking and entering.
You say you were working for Lester,
but your licence expired a year ago.
- I better call a lawyer.
- Relax, we're not after you.
A man with his own cross to bear.
Cross... to bear?
- You think I?
- That's all for tonight.
If we have any more questions,
we certainly know where to find you.
Right, Captain?
Sure thing, Lieutenant.
- What's going on?
- Nothing's going on.
- Hey!
- What?
We worked together, remember?
Partners, among other things.
- Harry, cut it out!
- My ass!
Nobody thinks you killed Lester.
- That never stopped you before!
- We cut you some slack this time.
A little slack?
My goddamned licence
expired a year ago.
All right!
Everybody knows
what happened in Mexico.
- I took a bullet.
- Harry, please!
Lieutenant! Can I have a word?
Be right there!
Harry... I'm really sorry
about everything.
And...
...just know I'll always
be there for you.
- Back when I was still a cop...
- Hey, Hotshot!
...my one ambition was
to get into fair Verna's knickers.
Being unable to do so
was a professional disappointment
that drove me
into the private sector.
People told me
you were more fortunate.
You must be confused, Raymond.
Lord, I do hate a modest man.
Care for a drink?
- I could use a cup of coffee.
- If we have to.
Jack Ames said look after me?
The cops wanted to verify
your address,
and Jack wanted to make sure
they hadn't electrocuted you yet.
I appreciate his confidence.
- Milk? Sugar?
- No, not for me.
You... want some thinner?
No, thanks.
Back when I was in security
at the studio,
it was a full-time job
keeping Jack Ames outta trouble.
No, no. Doctor's orders.
I don't know any actress
he missed boinking.
You know they all loved him,
even after he dumped them?
I mean, the man had the gift.
The husbands took a dimmer view.
- Well, they would!
- Especially Catherine's.
Billy Sullivan. Hurt him so bad, he
swam out to sea and never swam back.
He also lost a bundle of money
gambling about the same time.
Lose a woman like Catherine
and a lot of money in the same week...
...you can feel sorry for yourself.
Yeah, I can see how you might.
Never having had either!
I used to think Jack was
the luckiest man I'd ever run across.
Looks like he's run outta luck,
though.
Cancer's what I heard.
Yeah... looks like we all run
outta luck in the end.
Your prostate started acting up?
Not yet.
Something to look forward to.
I better get on my horse.
This is late for me.
Sad, ain't it?
Tell Verna if she's got the urge
to hump an old man,
I'm in the book...
...under 'Hump'!
...under 'Hump'!
The very thought of you
And I forget to do
The little ordinary things
That everyone ought to do
I'm living in a kind of daydream...
All alone?
I have my thoughts.
Piss-poor company, though.
This way, it don't count.
Harry, you're a pal.
- Kind of hoping to talk to Jack.
- And I thought it was my company.
Jack took a sedative and
went to sleep, he was terribly upset.
I had an idea that maybe
you might know what happened.
Right, that's why people hire you,
'cause you're mute!
Where's Mel?
She came home for 20 minutes,
then went on a night shoot for a film.
She asked me
a very interesting question.
She wanted to know why
the hell you're still living here.
What did you tell her?
I was mute.
- Heard of a guy named Lester Ivar?
- No.
- Somebody killed him today.
- Sorry. Was he a friend?
No.
- Never heard of him, huh?
- No.
You're lying.
You were at Lester Ivar's apartment
this afternoon.
- Find what you were looking for?
- What are you talking about?
What's that perfume you wear?
The reason I ask...
...it was still in the air
when I got there.
A lot of women wear Bal Versailles.
It smells different on them.
I've noticed how familiar you've
become with everything in this house.
Know what I think?
I think you're right.
I piss you off, and you're off
in the time it takes to pack one bag!
My husband would need
a couple of vans, an army of movers,
and it'd still take him two weeks!
Got a light?
Thanks.
- The thing is, we're broke...
- No! I'm broke.
You and Jack are overextended.
I'll explain the difference sometime.
The thing is, we're broke.
And my husband's dying.
And I thought that I could...
...gut it out, you know,
hold everything together the way...
...so there'd be enough time...
...so that he could die in peace,
but that doesn't seem like it'll happen.
God... damn fucking thing!
Goddamn fucking...
- Here, let me...
- No!
OK, go. I don't know why
you've stuck around so long anyway.
You don't?
Don't forget your lighter.
I remember
the first morning I met you.
I opened the door,
and there you stood in a...
...blue shirt with a frayed collar.
Whoever cut your hair
forgot about this part right there!
I bet you don't even remember.
Well...
In the first place, it was afternoon,
and the maid answered the door.
You and Jack were having lunch,
he gave me a picture of Mel.
And I don't... even think
you said hello.
Now you'll say
you don't own any blue shirts?
No, I got a bunch of those.
I know. I remember.
Harry! Harry! I can't breathe!
I can't find Catherine. Help me!
Jack! Jack!
Jack! Jack!
Jack... Jack...
Live, you son-of-a-bitch.
- Cath... I tried to call you.
- I know.
- Don't talk.
- Here's the tank.
Get out, Harry. Just get out! Go!
Cath, how could you?
How fucking could you?
- Watch the walls, guys.
- OK.
Don't let it bump on the stairs.
Daddy!
Call Dr Hayes and say
we're on our way to Cedars.
- What happened?
- Mel, you're in the way.
Hello.
- Mr Ames?
- He's not here right now.
- When do you expect him?
- I can't say.
This... wouldn't be Gloria Lamar?
I ask because Mr Ames asked me
to give her a package.
- That would make you Ross.
- Right.
Mr Ames is anxious that
Miss Lamar gets this envelope.
Is there some place we can meet?
- You know the Santa Monica pier?
- Yep.
One hour from now,
at the water pistol range.
How will I know you?
Blonde, big, mucho hair, mucho tits!
I can't wait.
- A buck, huh?
- Yeah. Wanna try?
- Your name wouldn't be Ross?
- Right, first guess.
A woman called earlier.
Said she'd be waiting under the pier.
Fuck! Shit! Piss!
Look at that! A $40 pair of shoes ruined.
No good deed goes
un-fucking-punished.
That's what I get for...
You Ross?
Hiya, Mucho.
You better have an envelope for me,
'cause I got sand in my panty hose!
Hold it, I went
to your place on Palmetto Street,
and I find a guy
with a bunch of bullets in his chest.
Hey, it's a violent world.
Don't believe me? Watch TV.
But I gotta explain that to Mr Ames.
I prefer to know what's going on.
I'd prefer to have met
Mr Ames in person.
I'd prefer to be a natural blonde,
let's not go on about what we'd prefer.
If Mr Ames wants me out of his life,
I get the package.
No package
till you tell me about Lester Ivar.
- That wasn't part of the deal.
- This is a new deal.
Fine. Have it your way.
Here.
Hold my shoe. Then there's something
you ought to see.
I like the old deal bett...
Ow! That hurt.
Like I said, no good deed
goes unpunished.
Ain't that the truth. Remember
Mexico, pally? Mel's little friend?
You see? I've been taking lessons
like you told me.
Excuse me, but did we not agree
you weren't gonna show your face?
I know what I'm doing, OK?
Smart. Real smart.
Know where I've been taking lessons?
In jail.
Yuma, Arizona.
Ever been to Yuma?
Well, that's where they put me
after your friend, Mr Jack Ames,
had me arrested
for transporting a minor.
You can learn to kick ass in Yuma.
Is this gonna take all night?
OK. Come on.
I need you to wake up, pally.
I want you to tell Mr Ames...
...that this is just a down payment
on what he owes me.
Can you remember that, pally?
Huh?
- Are you finished?
- Yes, I'm finished.
Did we or did we not make a plan?
What's the point of a plan if you're
gonna say "fuck it" when it suits you?
Why are you always so negative?
Oh, shit!
Hey, chief! Wake up!
Wake up, man.
You can't stay here,
the tide is coming in.
Harry, it's me, your old partner.
Somebody beat the shit outta you.
Lucky I came along
or you'd have drowned.
But I saved your life.
Don't worry, you can thank me later.
I'm sitting in the parking lot at the pier,
I'm on a job, some kid's sweet-sixteen
party, and who do I see?
- My old partner, Harry Ross.
- We were never partners!
This is the story of how I saved
your life. Don't interrupt.
Where was I? Oh, yeah...
I'm sitting there waiting,
I see you on the beach
needing some back-up.
- So I'm cool and pick my spot to...
- Do what?
I wait. Just like you taught me.
After a while, two people come out
from under the pier,
and there was no sign of you,
so I think to myself,
"This doesn't look so good,"
so I go down and there you were.
- That's when I saved your life.
- Let me get this straight...
I was getting the shit kicked outta me...
...and you were up
in the parking lot waiting?
And you call that back-up?
- I got a good look at them.
- I got a better look than you did.
When will you realise that I'm not
a private investigator any more?
Man, you can't just quit.
You were the best!
The greatest!
OK, maybe not the greatest,
but you were good, man.
- We were a hell of a team.
- We were never a team.
I gave you some leg work,
which you usually screwed up!
That does not make us a team.
Listen, Harry, let me in on this case.
I can't take this job any more.
If it's not the freeways,
it's the dispatches or the clients...
- Where are the kids?
- What kids?
The sweet-sixteen kids.
Ay, carajo!
You think they're still there?
I would look.
Listen, boss, you ever get into a jam,
need some back-up again,
you give me a call...
any time, day or night.
I'm your man.
Nice place you got here.
Glad you like it.
I have to hand it to you, you always
manage to land on your feet.
Verna, I live over the garage!
Jack Ames owns the place.
I just work here.
You need stitches.
I brought his daughter back
from Mexico two years ago. I was in...
...pretty bad shape,
so he let me hole up here.
Then he got sick,
and I was helping out...
That's the best I can do.
Actually, there's more to it than that.
It's time I was leaving.
That's that actress.
- Catherine Hayward, right?
- Yeah.
She used to be married to that actor...
He disappeared. What's his name?
- Billy Sullivan. It was 20 years ago.
- Yeah, that was it.
Bet she doesn't look like this any more.
Hey, she's...
She's OK.
OK, Harry... what are your plans?
- Got no plans.
- Come on, what are you gonna do?
Back to work?
Renew your licence? What?
Verna!
I was a cop for 20 years.
I was a private investigator for five.
I started out...
...with a wife and daughter,
and I ended up a drunk.
I slept in the office and showered at the
YMCA. Think I wanna go back to that?
Besides, I'm getting rusty,
I'm a danger to myself.
I know.
What's that supposed to mean?
- You used to be a better liar.
- Really?
Lester Ivar didn't have asthma.
He had emphysema, which you'd
have known if you'd worked for him.
Sorry, but we'll have to question
Jack Ames. His wife, too.
- He's really sick.
- Come on, this is a murder case.
Lester Ivar was the investigating officer
when Billy Sullivan disappeared.
Lester Ivar was on the force
for 30 years!
He must've had a thousand cases
like this. Why's this special?
You, Harry. You're the guy
who showed up at Ivar's house.
You're the guy who led me here.
Like you say...
...you're getting rusty.
The only person I could think of who
might help me was Raymond Hope.
Plus he owed me. Or I owed him,
I couldn't figure out which.
It was Raymond who pulled me off
the bar stool I lived on for 2 years,
and introduced me to the Ameses.
Seen in a certain light,
everything that had happened
since then was his fault.
Maybe I'd tell him that.
You always were a show-off,
Raymond!
Harry? I almost peed on one of my
few remaining friends in the world.
Hotshot!
Your sprinkler fritzed
or are you just lazy?
You know better than to...
Jesus! Look at you.
Well... somebody disagreed with me
from behind.
No shit! Let's go find him
and disagree back!
- You any tougher than you look?
- Hell, yes!
- At least I used to be.
- I used to be.
- We all used to be.
- Then, have a drink.
- Bourbon?
- Ginger ale, if you've got one.
Do I look like a man
who'd have a ginger ale?
- Water.
- That I can handle.
- Is it gonna bother you if I drink?
- Go ahead.
A nice place you got here.
Sure beats Los Feliz.
You're up above the smog.
Well, I like to think I'm up above
a lot of things since I retired.
So, you're playing things
pretty close to your vest.
Are you in trouble?
Nothing I can't handle.
- Just...
- Jack? I figured that much.
And you want to talk to me
about Jack and Lester Ivar?
OK.
You know Ivar was the investigating
officer when Billy Sullivan killed himself.
Suicide? They never found a body.
LA Times called it suicide,
that's good enough for me.
- But not good enough...
...for Lester Ivar.
He never believed in good luck.
Billy's suicide was good luck
for Jack and Catherine.
Him out of the way,
they can get married.
Lester couldn't believe the way
it all worked out so smooth.
I have never been a great believer
in luck, not to explain things.
Anyway, he's dead now. End of story.
It would be, if he hadn't passed
those suspicions on to Verna.
Forgive me, Harry, but it sounds like
he passed them on to you.
By the way... I...
I heard a rumour I didn't want
to believe was true, so...
...thought I'd ask you directly.
I heard that when you were in Mexico
bringing the Ames's kid back,
she... she...
...she shot your pecker off.
Harry?
Harry?
Harry!
No... I'm fine.
But thanks, that explains a lot.
I'm glad to hear it.
Keep me posted, huh?
Like you said, Jack and I go way back.
If there's anything I could do, I would.
Harry... I'm glad nobody shot
your pecker off.
Me, too!
Me, too.
How are you feeling?
My husband had a heart attack and
doctors ordered him to stay in hospital.
The nurses advised him to stay,
I pleaded with him to stay, so...
...naturally he's on the way home.
That's not what I meant.
I know what you meant.
- The fact is I...
- Catherine!
The ambulance is here.
Excuse me.
Harry, you wouldn't be falling in love
with my mother, would you?
Poor you.
I'm curious, what man fucks
his dying best friend's wife?
Not a good one.
How long has this been going on
between you and Catherine?
I bet you've been sleeping together
since I've been sick.
One night.
If you had an ounce of decency,
you'd have left this house by now.
Catherine know
you're being blackmailed?
There's precious little
that Catherine doesn't know.
What she doesn't know
she suspects.
I'm the one that never suspects.
I delivered the envelope
to Gloria last night.
She's lovely.
- You ought to meet her.
- Good.
So it's over.
It is over, right?
I kept the money. She's got the
restaurant section of the phone book.
Why, why?
Why didn't you do what I asked?
Because the first time I did
what you asked,
somebody emptied a 9mm automatic
in my direction.
The second time, Gloria...
She brought along a pal.
Jeff, you remember? Mexico.
The guy who ran off with Mel.
Got him thrown in jail in Yuma.
He sandbagged me.
He left you a message:
That was just a down payment.
You've been a busy little beaver,
haven't you?
Playing detective, fucking my wife.
- What happened to Billy Sullivan?
- Jesus Christ, you're fired, Harry.
No, I'm curious.
How do you fire someone
you never paid?
- I'll find a way.
- OK.
I guess this is goodbye.
Hey, sit down.
I want you to find this guy Jeff
and deal with him.
You owe me.
Harry...
...you haven't said you're sorry.
You haven't been listening.
- Where is he?
- Where's who?
- Where's Jeff?
- I don't know what you're talking about.
I don't give a rat's ass
what you think of me.
This is not about you and me,
it's about your old man.
Harry, you're a cop.
How do you know who to trust?
You don't... not if you're a cop.
You learn who not to trust.
It's a tricky life.
Jeff showed up a couple of weeks ago.
He didn't have a job or money, so I
gave him the keys to the ranch house.
I told him it was just
till he got back on his feet.
It was a pretty dumb thing to do.
Listen, Harry, I'm sorry, OK?
I know I've been a pain in the ass.
I didn't mind. I didn't much like it
when you shot me, though.
The Ameses owned a place
north of the city.
None of them had been there in years.
You'd think they'd forgotten about it,
but how do you forget about a house?
Maybe they hadn't forgotten
or maybe they were trying to forget.
Maybe there was a reason not
to sell the $ 1-million property,
even when you're hard up for cash.
Somebody else had come
to the same conclusion.
Somebody who thought
they could dig up the past,
without knowing where to dig.
Somebody who had a key.
Somebody with no interest
in housekeeping,
but a serious appetite
for barbecued chicken wings.
Somebody not too bright
with a lot of time on his hands,
and the kind of patience you learn
doing time in Yuma, Arizona.
OK, pally.
Ross and Escobar Investigations.
Ross and Escobar?!
Your name should go first, amigo.
But start pulling your weight.
I'm gonna need some back-up.
How soon can you meet at Garvey's?
This time of night? 15 minutes.
Remember the pier and the guy there?
I'll be inside with him.
If we're together, follow us.
If he's alone, follow him.
And, Reuben...
...being back-up means
being there when I need you.
I can't get the shit kicked out of me
while you're doing surveillance.
- Can you handle that?
- Why? You think I'm a fuck-up?
15 minutes.
- I guess you didn't drown, pally.
- No.
That's good.
I got that envelope home
and guess what?
No money.
- Know how that made me feel?
- Silly.
- Stupid. Incompetent.
- Pissed!
- No kidding?
- Know who else was pissed?
- Mucho.
- You think I'm trouble...
...you don't want to see Gloria mad.
Maybe this would help.
Yeah.
Mind if I take a peek?
I already got a phone book.
That's good. Have a seat, pally.
You know what?
I'm all done being pissed.
You know what? I'm not.
Mama Cass died
choking on a chicken bone, you know?
- Everything OK?
- Too much Tabasco.
Why doesn't this surprise me?
Hi, Mucho!
Pally ought to look for other work
beside blackmail.
- He don't have the knack.
- I don't have the knack?
She's the one whose idea this was.
- You've got a big mouth.
- Ask her why we got Ivar and Ames.
Ask her!
- Where are the Q-tips?
- We don't have any.
I can't find anything in here.
Oh, man!
- I could sue you for this.
- Put some ice on it.
"Put some ice on it"?
That's the best you can do, huh?
Jesus!
Hi, it's me. I'm upstairs.
Listen, could you bring me
some Percodan? Yes, now!
- You sure can pick 'em!
- It's a knack.
Whoa, wait a minute.
Do you know what I went through?
- You got the money?
- Yes.
Where is it?
God, you are so pathetic.
- Tell me, how do you fit into all this?
- I'm his parole officer.
Like you said, we located Ivar.
Found out he had a soft spot
for Wild Turkey.
Once he got talking about the Sullivan
case, he wouldn't shut up.
Said he'd have solved it if they'd given
him a court order and bulldozer.
He figured that the body was buried out
at the Ames's ranch.
That's when I got Mel to let me stay
at the ranch, so I can look for the body.
We didn't need to find
Billy Sullivan's corpse,
we just had to convince Ames
we knew where it was buried.
- I might as well have saved my breath.
- Listen up, you two.
There's $10,000 in this envelope.
I've no interest in seeing you go to jail,
but I'll tell you one thing.
You'll get out of LA and you'll stay out.
Get a move on, we don't have all night.
Listen, do me a favour.
If there's any more trouble,
leave her out of it, right?
I don't understand why
you don't put ice on that nose.
Stop saying that. All right?
You think you'll be nice to me
and I'll forget, but I've a long memory.
Your memory's an inch longer
than your dick!
That's very funny, Gloria.
Take that act to Vegas!
Get down!
Jesus Christ!
I was doing what you said!
You said don't stay up top while
you get the shit kicked out of you.
Mucho?
God!
- I'll get an ambulance.
- No. Stay with me.
Stay with me, please.
How is he?
I never learn.
All my life... I pick the losers.
I know better, too.
Jesus Christ.
Sure you wanna be
in this line of work?
Jack, it's me.
What is that house of yours worth?
Well, someone'll have to stand bail
for me tonight.
And Jack?
One other thing,
I am fucking fed up working for you.
Lieutenant Verna Hollander, please.
I'll wait.
I'm gonna pretend you weren't here
tonight, which is almost true.
Verna?
It's me. Hold on a second.
Hold this for me.
Go home. I'll call you.
Verna, listen...
I got a real mess.
Yeah.
There's two of them.
They're dead...
I gotta check on that.
You expect anybody to believe this?
OK.
So, just between us, the truth!
For old times' sake?
Did it ever strike you
this is a lousy way to make a living?
Start out thinking you'll win a few,
but... mostly it's just like tonight.
Watching people run out of the...
...little bit of luck that they got left.
You think you'll beat the odds,
but you don't... not very often.
Lieutenant, just to let you know
the Captain's on his way.
God help you, Harry.
- Let me go, Verna.
- Not a chance!
Give me 24 hours. I will find
the son-of-a-bitch, I promise.
Hear that?
That's my career,
if I let you walk out of here.
I screwed up right from the beginning.
Two people are dead because of it.
You gotta give me some time,
so I can find whoever did it and...
...I dunno, square things up
at least a little bit.
What's-your-name,
get him out of here.
- But the Captain said...
- I said get him out of here.
Harry...
Reuben, I need you to meet me.
36001, Mulholland Highway.
How soon can you get there?
OK. And...
...Reuben, bring my gun,
I might need it.
You mind telling me what
we're supposed to be looking for?
Well, I guess not.
Listen, boss...
...I gotta tell you something, OK?
- Sure.
I hope you won't be mad at me, but...
...the thing is...
...after we crack this case,
I'm thinking of finding
another line of work, if that's OK?
- That's OK with me.
- I dunno, man...
Watching that lady die tonight,
I can't get it out of my head.
Yeah.
- I know you've been counting on me...
- I said it was OK.
You don't think I'm like... a coward?
Not for a second.
I guess we can still be friends.
We can still...
Harry...
What do we do now, Harry?
Cover it up.
I know I keep flunking
the PI exam, but...
...aren't you supposed to call the cops?
- Cover it up!
It's a bullet hole!
Don't you wanna know who it is?
I know who.
The thing you don't get about Jack and
Catherine is they live for each other.
They have the starring roles
in their own lives.
And you're just a bit player.
Me, too.
It's their love story, not yours.
You don't get to kiss the girl in the end.
She's somebody else's girl.
I've decided to go ahead
with the chemotherapy.
It worked before, so...
You never know.
I thought you'd be pleased.
We found Billy Sullivan last night.
What's left of him.
I guess I've been expecting
that for 20 years.
You can think what you like.
It wasn't murder,
not like you... murder somebody.
Catherine and I had fallen in love.
As you know, Catherine's easy
to fall in love with.
Eventually, Billy found out
and came after me at the ranch.
Suddenly, I turn around
and there he is, worse for drink,
swearing he's gonna kill me.
The swimming pool was empty.
You should've heard the sound
of his head hitting the bottom.
The way he just lay there
and didn't move.
One second is all it took,
and the man's life was snuffed out.
You are good.
You are very good.
I'd have believed you
except I saw the corpse.
- What are you talking about?
- The bullet hole in his head.
- That's impossible.
- No.
Did you go down to look
and see whether he was alive?
Of course not.
'Cause there was blood and a body,
you just wanted someone to...
...come along and make it go away.
So you called Raymond Hope.
And he said?
- "Get the hell outta there."
- And he'd clean up the mess.
But Raymond lived
in Los Feliz back then.
It'd have taken him...
an hour to get there?
Who else did you call?
If you harm her in any way,
I swear I'll come back from the grave
and not in a wheelchair either!
Quick, come look at the sun.
See it hanging just above
the horizon?
Looks like it'll be there forever.
- You look tired.
- Yeah... I am tired.
I'm tired of people getting killed,
I'm tired of being lied to.
- When have I lied to you?
- When you acted like you loved me.
Whereas I love my husband? I never
made it a secret that I loved him!
- Enough to kill for?
- You bet!
You feel better
we've cleared all that up?
- I don't feel worse.
- Well, then...
Why don't you ask me
more questions? Feel free.
- And you'll tell me the truth?
- Yes!
- Did you kill Lester Ivar?
- No. Next question.
- Did you have him killed?
- No. Next question.
- Did you kill Jeff Willis?
- No. Next.
20 years ago, when Jack told you what
had happened to Billy Sullivan...
Did I drive to the ranch, find Billy
alive and put a gun to his head?
No.
I said I loved my husband enough that
I would kill for him. Not that I did.
Now let me ask you something.
Do you believe me?
I'll tell you what I believe.
I believe that you're smart.
And you're beautiful and rich.
Life has worked out for you in ways
that it doesn't for most people.
I think people like you get used
to having it work out for you.
After a while, you begin to...
think you're entitled to it all.
You think I care about anything
in this house but my husband?
You think...
You think people like me
care so much about things...
...that we would kill for them?
Is that what you think?
That I just care about things, Harry?
Is that what you think?
That I care about all these things?
All these fucking goddamn...
Maybe people like you shouldn't
get close to people like me.
You want to come inside
or do you like it out there?
When did we last go fishing?
- You tell me.
- It's too long.
Let's go. Right now, you and me,
head down to Baja.
Fine. Let's have a drink first.
I got some ginger ale in the fridge.
I'll take bourbon.
Things that bad?
You told me I'd learn something
I didn't want to know.
Catherine.
- You going to turn her in?
- I thought about it.
Then I decided to go fishing instead.
That would be the sensible thing.
I mean, screw it!
Everybody got what they deserved.
If we leave soon, we can be deep
in Baja by morning.
Let's take the Explorer,
yours'll never make it.
And Lester Ivar was crooked.
I figure he was trying
to shake Jack down.
The marlin will be out and I know
a guy who'll take us for $80 a day.
But the funny thing...
...is that Lester lived
in a rat hole.
You'd think
if he was on the take, he'd...
You'd think he'd have
a place that would be more like...
More like this.
You haven't touched your drink.
Raymond, this is not easy.
But you did a lot more than clean up
Jack's mess, didn't you?
Not a lot more.
Billy was going to end up
in a wheelchair for life.
I ended his misery.
I did him a favour.
You see, I think on that long drive
out to the ranch,
you began spending that money
Jack was going to pay you.
I think that...
...you bought this place
in your head on that ride.
And then when you got there,
you found out Billy Sullivan wasn't dead.
You were going to lose it
before you had your chance.
They really got to you, didn't they?
A woman like Catherine could twist
a man's pecker into a knot.
And Jack's a charming guy,
but I gotta ask you...
...don't you ever tire
of the beautiful people?
The Jacks and the Catherines
can do as they please,
'cause it's guys like you and me
who clean up after them.
Jack Ames couldn't get blood
out of a sock with a washing machine!
Me? I can get blood out of a sock.
That's what I do.
I clean up messes
and I get paid for it.
You imagine you're different, Harry,
but you're the same as me.
You think it was Catherine
who seduced you. It was both of them.
It was the whole package.
I know.
I was the same way.
Let's face it,
there's them and there's us.
Right now, the thing for us
to do is go fishing.
I'd like to, Raymond, but...
Know how many times
I didn't kill you the past couple of days?
OK...
...I'll wait till I get into town
before I call Verna.
- Make a run for it, if you want to.
- I can't do that, not at my age!
Besides, for what it's worth,
you were right.
I couldn't give up this place.
Not then... not now.
Well... shit!
I know. It's a bitch, isn't it?
- Good luck, Hotshot.
- Good luck to you.
You know, I can see
your reflection in the glass.
Funny, the things you don't think
about when you're buying a house.
Thank God. I hate playing solitaire,
I can't stop cheating.
One hand for everything that we own.
- Do I have anything you want?
- Yeah, your health.
Deal them, for Christ's sake,
before you wear the spots off.
I had to shoot Raymond Hope tonight.
Dead?
Dead.
It turns out he killed Billy Sullivan.
So you can rest easy about Catherine.
I've always rested easy
about Catherine.
If she had murdered him,
it wouldn't matter to you, would it?
No.
Is that the difference between us?
Right, wrong, truth...
mean nothing to you?
Tonight my daughter told me
she loves me. Think that's true?
- I'm sure of it.
- My wife says she loves me.
Is that true?
Yes.
- Are you sure?
- I'm sure.
Me, too.
And you...
You say you're my friend.
Is that the truth?
That's the truth.
I'm satisfied.
Enough truth.
You prick, you!
You've got gin, haven't you?
Fuck you.
- Just me, not the horse I rode in on?
- Him, too.
- Let me give you a hand.
- I got it.
You know, Harry...
you don't have to leave.
Yeah, I do.
I do.
Do you mind hitting 'play'
on the way out?
Who's that handsome devil?
Drop by any time you feel like it.
I mean it.
I'm feeling a lot better.
I may just beat this thing yet.
That's it?
That's it.
OK.
All right, that'll conclude
the interview, October 20th 1997,
0600 hours.
But that's not quite it, is it, Harry?
No, not quite.
After my daughter died,
I started hitting the sauce
pretty bad.
And it became obvious my wife
and I weren't gonna make it.
It was Raymond who took me in,
let me sleep on his couch.
You could always count on Raymond.
While I was talking to Jack,
you told him about Lester Ivar.
- You had him kill Willis and Gloria.
- I never asked him to kill anybody.
Yeah, but you knew he would.
Tell me, does it bother you...
...that all those people
would be alive if it weren't for you?
My husband is still alive.
That pleases me.
I don't really think I'm to blame
for anything you've done.
Harry!
Still love me?
Love you, too.
So Catherine Ames
gets away with it?
Not really.
Oh, somebody ought
to get away with something.
You wanna buy me a cup of coffee?
Oh, yeah.
So how about the Captain?
Any fallout?
Let's just say I'm not expecting
a promotion any time soon.
Fuck it, it's only a career!
- No discipline?
- No.
I got some vacation time coming and
it was strongly suggested I take it.
Hey...
...I've been thinking
about going away myself.
I remember Catalina.
That was... nice.
How about a return engagement?
Maybe.
Verna, I never knew you cared.
- Just checking.
- That's fair.