The Guardian (2001) s03e03 Episode Script
The Line
[Elevator dings.]
Hey.
Hey, hey.
We've got a meeting.
Yeah, I know.
Lightstone's, 11:00.
I'll be back in time.
What about the closing documents? They're done.
- You must have stayed late, huh? - Yeah.
Oh, I talked to Robert about your running point when he steps down and Glen takes over the store.
- And? - He liked the idea.
Both of them liked the idea.
By the way you were going to come to the house last weekend, pick up your stuff.
- Yeah, I was busy.
- I need the space for Shannon.
I'Il OK, the Riveras are at 9:00.
- Yes.
- Good, you all here? What happened to my other lawyer, the one handling my case? That was James Mooney.
I'll be your attorney from now on.
OK, so, 9:15, the Lonski family.
Lonskis? All right.
Then Oh, God.
Then - Oh, good, you got my message.
- What is it? is what it is.
Without James, we're up the proverbial creek.
- We? - Yes, you and me.
Sisyphus in shirts and ties.
This came over the transom.
Suzanne Pell's waiting for you.
You and me, Nick.
Together, we can save the world.
You know Yeah.
It would be very helpful to me to all of us if you would stay on for a few more weeks.
Alvin I know.
You promised Judy that you would start in October.
I mean, I've made my travel arrangements, I've booked a mover.
I put a deposit down on an apartment in Berkeley.
So, you won't stay no matter how badly we need you? Alvin I'm sorry, but I just I mean, I can't.
~ Well, there is trouble ~ ~ In my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one ~ ~ Home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ Hey.
I saw you last night leaving La Taverneta.
You go there a lot? What's the case? Oh, um the girl's name is Sharon Diamond.
She was picked up for solicitation near the bus terminal on the corner of, um, Liberty and 11th.
- How old is she? - She says she's 15.
First offense? Um, yeah, but Well, there is no file.
She says she's from Easton, out near Philly.
- Parents? - She says that they're dead.
I checked with Northampton County.
There's no records of her there, either.
And what was the problem at the bus terminal? She claims that she was panhandling, and that the guy misunderstood her request.
What's your recommendation, Miss Pell? Oh, I wish I knew more about her.
Right.
Oh, Nick.
Sharon, this is Nick Fallin, and he's going to be working with you.
- Nice to meet you, Mr.
Fallin.
- You, too.
I don't even know why I'm in trouble.
I mean, I was just asking the guy for a dollar.
You told Miss Pell that your parents are dead? My dad died when I was a baby.
My mom just died, like, a year ago.
She was a drug addict.
Did you go to a foster home? - No.
- Where did you live? With my mom's boyfriend this guy Jonathan after my mom overdosed.
And then Jonathan looked after me for a while.
Why did you leave? He wasn't really just looking after me.
You know? Where have you, uh Where have you been living lately? Different places.
Like? I don't know.
If the judge thinks you're lying, they're going to treat you as a delinquent.
And then I get sent to juvie? That's right.
I've been working as a dishwasher.
Does that help? Where? Mason's Restaurant in Garfield.
I've been getting paid under the table and living in a room upstairs.
Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place? Because Mason's been nice to me.
He knows.
He tells me that he should just call the cops, on account of my age.
But But he's been nice.
Mason's at Garfield.
You're not gonna bother him.
He didn't do anything wrong.
If you're a dish washer, you're a dish washer.
Thank you.
- Hey, Glen.
- Hey, how are you? - Very glad to see you.
- You going up? Yeah, but I want to talk before the meeting.
All right, let's talk upstairs.
This deal could be worth almost $2 million to me.
I know that.
I mean, Lightstone's that's who I am.
I mean, I've working for my dad there since I was 16.
I was the only one who did that.
My sister she shops there.
My brother he's a ski instructor somewhere.
Can this wait? No, because all my life I've been waiting for this, you know my chance to run his company.
The meeting is starting right now.
I know, but I got this letter from the lawyer for this African-American woman.
Uh, it alleges racial profiling.
When did you get this? Three days ago.
There was There was a shoplifting situation.
They're asking for millions of dollars.
Has your father seen this? You don't understand.
I spoke to this lawyer, and we go back and forth a little bit, and this guy threatens to go to the press.
This kind of publicity not good.
What happened? We were having, you know, a shoplifting problem, so I hired a former detective to run the security, - put some new procedures in place.
- OK.
Then, the other day, this black woman comes in, and they say they see her rip a tag off of a blouse - and try and walk out with it.
- And? They take her into this room that they set up for this kind of situation, and I don't know.
Maybe they went a little too far.
Yeah, just sign right here, Robert.
And right there.
And that's for the transfer of assets, just to make the lender happy.
- Hi, Glen.
- Mr.
Fallin.
Mr.
Lightstone.
Nick, good to see you.
Glen and I were just catching up.
So, did you bring that opinion letter? There's something that we should discuss.
What's that? Glen? This letter was received three days ago.
Well Three days ago? Glen? It's no big deal.
I was going to tell you, but I didn't want to bother you OK, son, don't worry about it.
We'll handle it.
So, Burton, what does this mean to the deal? We'll have to notify Consolidated.
You don't think they'll back out.
I'd be surprised.
Lightstone's been a big part of this city for a long time, established a lot of good will.
Yeah, it's a nuisance, that's all this is.
Nick said he would take care of it.
It seems like a simple mistake.
You can handle this? I think we can put this thing to bed before tomorrow evening.
[Burton.]
OK.
[Car alarm chirps.]
Is Mason in? Uh-huh.
I'm Mason Kazinski.
- Nick Fallin.
- So? I'm a lawyer at Legal Services of Pittsburgh.
Never heard of it.
I'm representing a girl named Sharon Diamond.
Who? Sharon Diamond, a 15-year-old girl who was arrested last night for prostitution.
I don't follow you.
She says she worked here as a dish washer, lived upstairs.
Oh.
No good deed, you know, man? No good deed.
So, she was living here? All right.
I had this "help wanted" sign in the window, and she came in hungry.
I felt real bad for her.
She was always on time, did her work.
Besides, I can't stand the idea of her sleeping on the streets.
You could've contacted the appropriate agency.
And what? They would've dumped her in some crappy group home, treat her like dirt, probably ruin the rest of her life? Look, I've been in and out of those appropriate agencies my whole life, so I know what I'm talking about.
So, you don't have a problem coming down to the courthouse to confirm Sharon's situation? - No, not at all.
- Thanks.
Hello, my name is Manuela Franco, and my husband and I are here to see Louisa Archer.
- She doesn't work here anymore.
- What? But we have to be in court next week for a hearing.
We've been evicted, and Mrs.
Archer spoke to us on the phone Mrs.
Franco, your lawyer Mrs.
Archer does not work here anymore.
So, here's a card for Legal Aid of Allegheny County.
Oh.
They might be able to help.
[Speaking Spanish.]
You said you'd help me with my cases.
We're drowning here, Lulu.
You can't just send clients away.
You haven't given me any choice.
Why are you making this about me? You are the one that wanted me to leave in the first place.
And you know what? I gave you plenty of notice.
You wished me good luck.
And then I went out and I made my arrangements, like any normal person moving across the country.
Our situation here has changed, Lulu.
As lawyers, we have an ethical obligation to our clients.
You're just walking away from them.
What are you talking about? I'm not walking away.
Excuse me.
What? The case you gave me the runaway at the bus station I don't know.
Solicitation charge.
I'm not sure what to recommend.
Yeah? The girl's been living over at this restaurant in Garfield.
I went out and talked to the owner a guy named Mason.
Mason? - Kazinski.
- [Sighs.]
You know him? Yeah.
There aren't too many people named Mason Kazinski.
I placed him with a few foster families, even went to his high school graduation.
A couple of years ago, his name comes up.
The son of a bitch is pimping a 12-year-old girl.
Looks like he's back at it with another girl.
He likes the young ones, Mason.
- What is it? - That's not Sharon Diamond.
Who is it? - Tiffany Skovich.
- Who? The girl I was talking about the 12-year old.
That's the girl he was pimping three years ago.
- Changed her name.
- Well, look at her choices.
She gets busted as Tiffany Skovich, the path leads right to Mason.
He's back in trouble, she's back in detention.
She gets bust as what Sharon Diamond, she's just another runaway who needs help.
[Sighs.]
How are you, Tiffany? So I guess that's it for me.
I'm going to lock-up, right? There's another option.
There's a shelter called Jane's Place.
Fine.
Whatever.
Jane's Place is a shelter for young girls like you.
Like me? They have a school, they have counselors.
So, I can go there, and not do juvie? Well, they're willing to drop the prostitution charge if you tell the police about Mason Kazinski.
I can't do that to him.
You don't understand.
Mason cares about me.
He sells you on the street.
My whole life, no one's treated me like Mason does.
He buys me nice things.
He makes me feel good about myself.
Your County Hospital records.
Fracture eye socket, broken arm, facial contusions.
[Laughs.]
Tiffany, you have to start telling the truth.
What about my mother? I could go back there.
Uh, Mason Kazinski? - In the back.
- Thanks.
Hello, Mason.
Alvin.
Gosh, it's been, like, forever.
What's the occasion? Nice place you got here.
Well, are you hungry? The food's not bad.
Maybe another time.
Three years ago, when you asked me to speak at your sentencing hearing, - we made a deal.
- I meant what I said.
You promised you'd stay away from Tiffany.
I'm not pimping her, man.
I'm taking care of her, get it? You went to her house, turned her against her mother.
Her mother's boyfriend is sleeping with her.
At least I care about her.
- She's a child.
- I'm not pimping her.
She keeps coming back to me.
- She's happy here.
- Happy? You tell me, with your vast experience Alvin, what's going to be better for her some group home, or me? Group homes do not pimp out kids.
Mason, you are too smart to be doing this again.
For God's sake, you've got a good business going here.
That's what I've been trying to tell you.
That's all I got going here.
You shouldn't blame Tiffany.
Her father died when she was a baby.
I took good care of her, but the government kept coming around.
Why did Social Services take Tiffany in the first place? They said it was on account of my drinking.
And my old boyfriend Al touched her, I guess.
That's what they said.
And how are you now? Doing a lot better.
You have a new boyfriend? Yeah, yeah.
Joey.
Does he live here? Most of the time.
How does he get along with Tiffany? He loves my daughter.
He takes good care of her when I'm not around.
Why do you think she ran away? I don't know.
I mean, if everything was good Or was there something happening? I don't know.
Probably Mason did it.
You know Mason Kazinski? Uh, all of a sudden, she's missing school, staying out late, and showing up with new clothes.
Don't really take a lot to figure out what's going on.
That's when she left? My new boyfriend Joey started to get real strict with Tiffany.
I just stayed out of it, but Tiffany started to get afraid of Joey.
Why? Like I said, I stayed out of it.
Why did you stay out of it? It's between my daughter and Joey.
The way I see it, your client's in a world of trouble.
Shackling an innocent woman who was only in your store to return a birthday gift from her aunt? The security person saw her remove the tag.
The man scared this poor woman half to death with threats.
The blouse was in her knapsack.
These are Gestapo tactics used against a black woman in a store kept alive by black customers.
For what it's worth, ma'am, the management at Lightstone's would like to apologize for what happened.
We're not interested in an apology today, Mr.
Fallin.
How does 5,000 sound? I read the business pages.
That merger they got going I'm guessing it ain't closing with this situation outstanding.
One has nothing to do with the other.
Then I'm wrong.
It won't be the first time.
I can talk to my client, see if he's willing to go to 7,500.
How many millions do those Lightstone folks stand to make on this deal? All right.
You tell me what is this going to take? How about nine? If I can get that, are we done here? $9,000, Mrs.
Walker? Settlement agreement will be in your office by the end of business.
Check will follow.
Very good.
Nick, did you hear back from that other lawyer? He just got the papers.
Ah.
He didn't call you back yet? Dad, he just got them.
I'll call him.
It's a simple settlement.
I can have it closed by tomorrow morning.
I'd feel a lot better knowing tonight.
Fine.
I'll call him.
Listen, don't forget this weekend, pick up your stuff at the house, OK? Do you want to tell me exactly what it is I've got to pick up? Everything.
That junk in the attic.
And those boxes in the basement.
Everything.
[Camera beeps.]
[Beeps.]
[Chatter.]
Roger? Roger! Roger Green! What the hell are you doing? Alvin! - How old is that girl? - What? That girl how old is she, 14? Oh, the one asking directions.
- Oh, come on, Roger.
- I was giving her directions.
- Uh-huh.
- What? She was lost? I come here for takeout.
You come to Mason's for takeout? [Laughs.]
See you later, Alvin.
Give your wife my regards.
[Laughs.]
Hey.
Hey.
Thanks for coming by.
Sure.
So, this is it.
Yeah.
Saturday morning, I'm on that plane.
Well, you know, um for what it's worth, I understand why you're taking the job.
I mean, if it were me, I'd probably do the same thing.
Thank you.
Running your own clinic, living in Berkeley.
It's supposed to be beautiful.
Yeah.
No more Pittsburgh winters, right? [Chuckles.]
That's something I could do without.
Do you want something to drink? Yeah, I'll have a red wine.
- Red wine.
- Yes.
I didn't expect you to be so nice.
I'm really going to miss you, you know.
I'm going to miss you, too.
Yeah.
Well, Lightstone got another letter.
Evidently, this lawyer has 30 plaintiffs lined up, alleging similar treatment.
How much does he want? $3 million, including punitive damages.
He's just trying to hold us up.
Well, maybe.
But this buyer is getting a little nervous over taking over a company with all this bad publicity.
Glen Lightstone You shouldn't have taken his word for it, Nicholas.
He's the Chief Operating Officer of that company.
Son, he's a lightweight, OK? His father's always talking him up like he's some kind of retailing genius.
If you ask me, he doesn't have a clue.
I'll tell you, the luckiest thing that happened to him was to have a dad like Robert.
Well, anyway talk to him again, get all the facts this time, OK? And let's put a lid on this mess.
[Nick.]
We have a bigger problem now.
[Glen.]
These new claims are frivolous.
No, it doesn't matter.
They've opened the door.
I would like to have known about the other complaints.
- I didn't think they were serious.
- You knew about them? Some of them.
Look, Nick, I'm sorry.
You've got to understand that these shoplifters are killing me.
I had to get it under control.
So, we run some numbers, and most of the people accused were minorities.
So, you unleashed this new cop you hired on your black customers? Look, since my dad decided to merge, everything's been about money.
I was just doing what I thought he wanted.
Did you think to tell your father about what was going on? No.
Glen, you run the store.
It's your responsibility.
Nick, you're lucky because your father is not like mine.
I cannot bear to see the look on his face, the disappointment.
It would just simply kill him, OK? You have no idea.
The Francos they're in the meeting room.
What? I thought about what you said.
You were right.
We can't just drop them.
Oh.
Well, thank you, Alvin.
That's the right thing to do.
They're waiting to speak with you.
Wait, Alvin No, it's all worked out.
I spoke with Judy.
She can spare you until November, considering the circumstances.
So, problem solved.
Hello, Alvin.
Roger.
I was hoping we could talk.
I'm worried about you.
Worried about me? Well, actually, I'm not the only one.
I ran into some of the other members of the board.
Frankly, there's concern.
Concern? Yeah, about how you're holding up.
[Laughs.]
I mean, two murders here, personnel issues, the budgetary pressures you're under.
You know, it's never easy here.
- But I'm handling it.
- Really? Yeah.
Because yesterday well, you were acting kind of strange.
I'm just hoping the pressure isn't starting to get to you.
You know, I can understand where you're coming from, given your position here.
You're one of our important contributors.
OK.
So - You know - What? [Laughs.]
I might be mistaken about this.
I mean, you sort of startled me out there.
- Are we back to yesterday? - I was wondering - did you have a camera? - I did.
- I see.
- Why? No reason.
Just asking.
You can't dictate where I work, Alvin.
I'm not dictating.
I simply asked how firm your start date was.
Judy said she could wait until January 1, if need be.
January 1? Lulu, I need help here! I can't understand why you won't stay.
Because I don't want to, Alvin.
Because you have turned this place into a mess.
When I think about how great LSP could be and I think about all the great things we could accomplish, I get sick.
Your fundraisers always fall short, the clients come second to your needs.
I mean, my God, you have had weeks to fill these open positions.
So, don't blame me for your problems.
You know, you're a good lawyer, Lulu.
You have a sharp, analytical mind.
If I were in trouble, I'd want you on my team.
- Yeah? - In the background researching the law.
Out front, I'd want someone who'd rather die than lose a case.
What are you talking about? I hate to lose.
But you tolerate it.
- Tiffany Skovich.
- What? I tried to get her into Jane's Place, and she ran away from the shelter.
The police are looking for her.
They'll call here when they get her.
Right.
What? I was over at Mason's Restaurant yesterday afternoon.
There are at least six girls working the streets around there.
- What were you doing there? - Taking pictures.
You have time for that? The cops just aren't interested.
I thought I thought if I brought them evidence.
[Sighs.]
These girls nobody cares.
All they've ever gotten is a raw deal.
Unless Mason's off the street Hey, hey, I just wanted to tell you Tiffany ran away, OK? So, I talked to Robert and Consolidated.
They think they've come up with a solution.
What? They'll take over the company with the litigation liability.
In return, they want Robert to fire Glen.
And his dad agreed with that? No, not at first.
But I had to kind of lay it out for him.
You know, Glen's not his only child.
He has a whole family to consider.
And this deal, you know he's been working all his life building this store.
Glen was supposed to run the new company after the sale.
Right, I'm aware of that.
Glen's our client, Dad.
If he goes, we stand to lose a lot of business here.
I know that, and I'm I'm sorry about that, Nicholas, but, uh he's been a client of mine for 30 years, and that's the way he wants it.
Well, can you just give me another shot with this lawyer before you finalize this? The deal's almost made.
No, just give me another chance with the guy.
I'd like to try and make this work.
What do you need? I need 200,000 to play with.
All right, let me talk to Robert.
Thanks.
[Buzzing.]
[Buzzing.]
Alvin, what are you doing? The girl, Mason.
I want the girl.
- What girl? - Tiffany.
I know she's in there.
She's not here.
Let me in.
What are you doing? You're crazy.
[Siren blares.]
- Alvin, what are you doing here? - I'm looking for Tiffany.
They have an attachment order.
They're picking her up.
[Burton.]
Nick.
Dad, I don't have time to talk.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I was going through your stuff, and I came across your letter jacket, a picture of you and your buddies, that fishing line I got you up at Lake Arthur.
No, I don't remember.
Remember? You caught a bunch of trout, made us a great dinner.
My stuff just get rid of it.
Give it away.
- Get rid of it? - Yeah.
Give it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, whoever wants it.
Yeah, get rid of it.
- All of it? - All of it.
Am I in a lot of trouble? I don't know.
I just got so freaked you saying I had to rat on Mason or get sent to juvie.
That place it smells.
It made me sick to my stomach.
I had to get some fresh air.
Mason he was nice to me.
Cooked me dinner.
He played some music.
I always feel safe with him.
You're not safe there.
Girls that do what you do most of them either get very, very sick, or die.
So, what now? Well, Tiffany, l I don't know what to say to you.
What about that shelter you talked about? Think they'll take me? You're going to have to tell the police about Mason.
- Still? - That's the deal.
- Yeah.
- [chatter.]
Yeah.
Yeah, all night.
No, no, no, I'm fine.
I, uh I told them everything I know what I saw outside his restaurant, his arrest, everything.
Well, your statement would help, but I'm pretty sure the cops don't need it to make the My lawyer called it heresy everything you said having not been supported by collaboration of an independent nature.
[Sighs.]
I'll see you back at the office.
Need a hand? Oh, no, I'm almost done.
- If you need anything, tell me.
- Thanks.
Nick.
You'll never believe what this bastard said to me.
- Who? - The detective in charge.
I handed this thing to him, a slam dunk.
All he could say was misdemeanor.
Tiffany's not going to help.
Ohh.
She's throwing her life away for Mason Kazinski.
Roger? We have to talk.
Not now.
It's a very bad day.
- I'm sorry to hear that Alvin - No.
What? The picture you took the other day I need them.
- You must be kidding.
- I have a family, a business.
Get out, Roger.
Get out of my clinic now! - Calm down, Alvin.
- No! Let's take this in your office.
Alvin, Alvin, Alvin.
Take it easy, man.
Come on.
Hey, Melvin.
So, Nick, you got a number for me? It's generous, considering.
Nick, we've already set a floor The suit we settled at least had a factual basis.
These new claims you're just pulling out of the air.
Lightstone's Department Store has been targeting minorities for years.
If we let this situation slide If you're trying to make a statement, you've done it.
Have I? I can go to 5 per claim You're moving in the right direction, but your total's off.
Why? I found 23 more people already.
And that was just yesterday.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I heard 53 claims.
- I heard.
- Right.
So, we made the deal.
You fired Glen? Lightstone merger is going through as scheduled.
Does Glen know? Well, we just made the deal, son.
His father's going to tell him? I would imagine so, yeah.
I'll see you later.
- Hey, buddy.
- Hey.
So I hear the deal's closing.
Yeah, yeah.
So, the claims you settled out? No.
My father's not talking to me.
He, uh I called him, like, seven times today.
He does that sometimes, you know? When he's mad or embarrassed, he just stops.
Just stops talking.
I mean, I know I screwed up, but, uh I mean, it's We did it, right? The deal is done.
We can move on now, yeah? Your, uh Your father The new company wanted you out, and your father agreed.
What? You won't be running the company.
You've been terminated.
No.
I shouldn't be telling you this.
Right.
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't be the one to tell you this.
Roger Green is a member of the board.
So, I've been asked to resign my position here, effective immediately.
Did you tell them what he was doing the other night? No, the conversation didn't go in that direction.
Alvin, you should've told them.
Well, the board feels several key members feel that I've outlived my usefulness to this institution as Director.
It's OK, though.
This place just It's not the same now, with everything James, Lulu.
Anyway Uh, Alvin, I just got a phone call.
Yeah? I've been offered your job Director for now.
Oh.
I took it.
So, you know that, uh, this means I'll be your Right.
You're in charge here now.
And you can handle that? I can.
So, I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, right? If that's what you want.
I'll see you first thing in the morning.
Hey.
You wanted to see me? I told the police the truth about Mason.
OK.
About what really happened.
I thought that would make you happy.
You didn't do it for me.
Right.
Um, I guess I just got tired of the things I had to do to get by.
Yeah.
So now I go to that shelter where they can help me? Is that what you want? Yeah.
I think so.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
So, they'll take me? I'll see what I can do.
Good night.
Hey.
Hey.
[Sighs.]
So, I, uh I heard you broke the news to Glen Lightstone.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's a shame.
Had to do that to his own son.
Yeah, well, it's done now.
Oh, by the way, Saturday morning I'm having a couple of messengers come over to the house and pick up your things and deliver them to your place.
Dad, I told you I don't need that stuff.
- I know.
- No, I don't need it.
Listen to me a minute.
I tested out your rod and reel.
It works fine still.
And that other stuff you know, that's your childhood.
Fine.
[Sighs.]
Well, I'll see you in the morning.
- Whew.
- Yeah.
Alvin.
Do you want to stay? On your staff? Well, the place needs you.
Hey.
Hey, hey.
We've got a meeting.
Yeah, I know.
Lightstone's, 11:00.
I'll be back in time.
What about the closing documents? They're done.
- You must have stayed late, huh? - Yeah.
Oh, I talked to Robert about your running point when he steps down and Glen takes over the store.
- And? - He liked the idea.
Both of them liked the idea.
By the way you were going to come to the house last weekend, pick up your stuff.
- Yeah, I was busy.
- I need the space for Shannon.
I'Il OK, the Riveras are at 9:00.
- Yes.
- Good, you all here? What happened to my other lawyer, the one handling my case? That was James Mooney.
I'll be your attorney from now on.
OK, so, 9:15, the Lonski family.
Lonskis? All right.
Then Oh, God.
Then - Oh, good, you got my message.
- What is it? is what it is.
Without James, we're up the proverbial creek.
- We? - Yes, you and me.
Sisyphus in shirts and ties.
This came over the transom.
Suzanne Pell's waiting for you.
You and me, Nick.
Together, we can save the world.
You know Yeah.
It would be very helpful to me to all of us if you would stay on for a few more weeks.
Alvin I know.
You promised Judy that you would start in October.
I mean, I've made my travel arrangements, I've booked a mover.
I put a deposit down on an apartment in Berkeley.
So, you won't stay no matter how badly we need you? Alvin I'm sorry, but I just I mean, I can't.
~ Well, there is trouble ~ ~ In my mind ~ ~ There is dark ~ ~ There is dark and there is light ~ ~ There is no order ~ ~ There is chaos ~ ~ And there is crime ~ ~ There is no one ~ ~ Home tonight ~ ~ In the empire of my mind ~ ~ There is trouble in my mind ~ Hey.
I saw you last night leaving La Taverneta.
You go there a lot? What's the case? Oh, um the girl's name is Sharon Diamond.
She was picked up for solicitation near the bus terminal on the corner of, um, Liberty and 11th.
- How old is she? - She says she's 15.
First offense? Um, yeah, but Well, there is no file.
She says she's from Easton, out near Philly.
- Parents? - She says that they're dead.
I checked with Northampton County.
There's no records of her there, either.
And what was the problem at the bus terminal? She claims that she was panhandling, and that the guy misunderstood her request.
What's your recommendation, Miss Pell? Oh, I wish I knew more about her.
Right.
Oh, Nick.
Sharon, this is Nick Fallin, and he's going to be working with you.
- Nice to meet you, Mr.
Fallin.
- You, too.
I don't even know why I'm in trouble.
I mean, I was just asking the guy for a dollar.
You told Miss Pell that your parents are dead? My dad died when I was a baby.
My mom just died, like, a year ago.
She was a drug addict.
Did you go to a foster home? - No.
- Where did you live? With my mom's boyfriend this guy Jonathan after my mom overdosed.
And then Jonathan looked after me for a while.
Why did you leave? He wasn't really just looking after me.
You know? Where have you, uh Where have you been living lately? Different places.
Like? I don't know.
If the judge thinks you're lying, they're going to treat you as a delinquent.
And then I get sent to juvie? That's right.
I've been working as a dishwasher.
Does that help? Where? Mason's Restaurant in Garfield.
I've been getting paid under the table and living in a room upstairs.
Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place? Because Mason's been nice to me.
He knows.
He tells me that he should just call the cops, on account of my age.
But But he's been nice.
Mason's at Garfield.
You're not gonna bother him.
He didn't do anything wrong.
If you're a dish washer, you're a dish washer.
Thank you.
- Hey, Glen.
- Hey, how are you? - Very glad to see you.
- You going up? Yeah, but I want to talk before the meeting.
All right, let's talk upstairs.
This deal could be worth almost $2 million to me.
I know that.
I mean, Lightstone's that's who I am.
I mean, I've working for my dad there since I was 16.
I was the only one who did that.
My sister she shops there.
My brother he's a ski instructor somewhere.
Can this wait? No, because all my life I've been waiting for this, you know my chance to run his company.
The meeting is starting right now.
I know, but I got this letter from the lawyer for this African-American woman.
Uh, it alleges racial profiling.
When did you get this? Three days ago.
There was There was a shoplifting situation.
They're asking for millions of dollars.
Has your father seen this? You don't understand.
I spoke to this lawyer, and we go back and forth a little bit, and this guy threatens to go to the press.
This kind of publicity not good.
What happened? We were having, you know, a shoplifting problem, so I hired a former detective to run the security, - put some new procedures in place.
- OK.
Then, the other day, this black woman comes in, and they say they see her rip a tag off of a blouse - and try and walk out with it.
- And? They take her into this room that they set up for this kind of situation, and I don't know.
Maybe they went a little too far.
Yeah, just sign right here, Robert.
And right there.
And that's for the transfer of assets, just to make the lender happy.
- Hi, Glen.
- Mr.
Fallin.
Mr.
Lightstone.
Nick, good to see you.
Glen and I were just catching up.
So, did you bring that opinion letter? There's something that we should discuss.
What's that? Glen? This letter was received three days ago.
Well Three days ago? Glen? It's no big deal.
I was going to tell you, but I didn't want to bother you OK, son, don't worry about it.
We'll handle it.
So, Burton, what does this mean to the deal? We'll have to notify Consolidated.
You don't think they'll back out.
I'd be surprised.
Lightstone's been a big part of this city for a long time, established a lot of good will.
Yeah, it's a nuisance, that's all this is.
Nick said he would take care of it.
It seems like a simple mistake.
You can handle this? I think we can put this thing to bed before tomorrow evening.
[Burton.]
OK.
[Car alarm chirps.]
Is Mason in? Uh-huh.
I'm Mason Kazinski.
- Nick Fallin.
- So? I'm a lawyer at Legal Services of Pittsburgh.
Never heard of it.
I'm representing a girl named Sharon Diamond.
Who? Sharon Diamond, a 15-year-old girl who was arrested last night for prostitution.
I don't follow you.
She says she worked here as a dish washer, lived upstairs.
Oh.
No good deed, you know, man? No good deed.
So, she was living here? All right.
I had this "help wanted" sign in the window, and she came in hungry.
I felt real bad for her.
She was always on time, did her work.
Besides, I can't stand the idea of her sleeping on the streets.
You could've contacted the appropriate agency.
And what? They would've dumped her in some crappy group home, treat her like dirt, probably ruin the rest of her life? Look, I've been in and out of those appropriate agencies my whole life, so I know what I'm talking about.
So, you don't have a problem coming down to the courthouse to confirm Sharon's situation? - No, not at all.
- Thanks.
Hello, my name is Manuela Franco, and my husband and I are here to see Louisa Archer.
- She doesn't work here anymore.
- What? But we have to be in court next week for a hearing.
We've been evicted, and Mrs.
Archer spoke to us on the phone Mrs.
Franco, your lawyer Mrs.
Archer does not work here anymore.
So, here's a card for Legal Aid of Allegheny County.
Oh.
They might be able to help.
[Speaking Spanish.]
You said you'd help me with my cases.
We're drowning here, Lulu.
You can't just send clients away.
You haven't given me any choice.
Why are you making this about me? You are the one that wanted me to leave in the first place.
And you know what? I gave you plenty of notice.
You wished me good luck.
And then I went out and I made my arrangements, like any normal person moving across the country.
Our situation here has changed, Lulu.
As lawyers, we have an ethical obligation to our clients.
You're just walking away from them.
What are you talking about? I'm not walking away.
Excuse me.
What? The case you gave me the runaway at the bus station I don't know.
Solicitation charge.
I'm not sure what to recommend.
Yeah? The girl's been living over at this restaurant in Garfield.
I went out and talked to the owner a guy named Mason.
Mason? - Kazinski.
- [Sighs.]
You know him? Yeah.
There aren't too many people named Mason Kazinski.
I placed him with a few foster families, even went to his high school graduation.
A couple of years ago, his name comes up.
The son of a bitch is pimping a 12-year-old girl.
Looks like he's back at it with another girl.
He likes the young ones, Mason.
- What is it? - That's not Sharon Diamond.
Who is it? - Tiffany Skovich.
- Who? The girl I was talking about the 12-year old.
That's the girl he was pimping three years ago.
- Changed her name.
- Well, look at her choices.
She gets busted as Tiffany Skovich, the path leads right to Mason.
He's back in trouble, she's back in detention.
She gets bust as what Sharon Diamond, she's just another runaway who needs help.
[Sighs.]
How are you, Tiffany? So I guess that's it for me.
I'm going to lock-up, right? There's another option.
There's a shelter called Jane's Place.
Fine.
Whatever.
Jane's Place is a shelter for young girls like you.
Like me? They have a school, they have counselors.
So, I can go there, and not do juvie? Well, they're willing to drop the prostitution charge if you tell the police about Mason Kazinski.
I can't do that to him.
You don't understand.
Mason cares about me.
He sells you on the street.
My whole life, no one's treated me like Mason does.
He buys me nice things.
He makes me feel good about myself.
Your County Hospital records.
Fracture eye socket, broken arm, facial contusions.
[Laughs.]
Tiffany, you have to start telling the truth.
What about my mother? I could go back there.
Uh, Mason Kazinski? - In the back.
- Thanks.
Hello, Mason.
Alvin.
Gosh, it's been, like, forever.
What's the occasion? Nice place you got here.
Well, are you hungry? The food's not bad.
Maybe another time.
Three years ago, when you asked me to speak at your sentencing hearing, - we made a deal.
- I meant what I said.
You promised you'd stay away from Tiffany.
I'm not pimping her, man.
I'm taking care of her, get it? You went to her house, turned her against her mother.
Her mother's boyfriend is sleeping with her.
At least I care about her.
- She's a child.
- I'm not pimping her.
She keeps coming back to me.
- She's happy here.
- Happy? You tell me, with your vast experience Alvin, what's going to be better for her some group home, or me? Group homes do not pimp out kids.
Mason, you are too smart to be doing this again.
For God's sake, you've got a good business going here.
That's what I've been trying to tell you.
That's all I got going here.
You shouldn't blame Tiffany.
Her father died when she was a baby.
I took good care of her, but the government kept coming around.
Why did Social Services take Tiffany in the first place? They said it was on account of my drinking.
And my old boyfriend Al touched her, I guess.
That's what they said.
And how are you now? Doing a lot better.
You have a new boyfriend? Yeah, yeah.
Joey.
Does he live here? Most of the time.
How does he get along with Tiffany? He loves my daughter.
He takes good care of her when I'm not around.
Why do you think she ran away? I don't know.
I mean, if everything was good Or was there something happening? I don't know.
Probably Mason did it.
You know Mason Kazinski? Uh, all of a sudden, she's missing school, staying out late, and showing up with new clothes.
Don't really take a lot to figure out what's going on.
That's when she left? My new boyfriend Joey started to get real strict with Tiffany.
I just stayed out of it, but Tiffany started to get afraid of Joey.
Why? Like I said, I stayed out of it.
Why did you stay out of it? It's between my daughter and Joey.
The way I see it, your client's in a world of trouble.
Shackling an innocent woman who was only in your store to return a birthday gift from her aunt? The security person saw her remove the tag.
The man scared this poor woman half to death with threats.
The blouse was in her knapsack.
These are Gestapo tactics used against a black woman in a store kept alive by black customers.
For what it's worth, ma'am, the management at Lightstone's would like to apologize for what happened.
We're not interested in an apology today, Mr.
Fallin.
How does 5,000 sound? I read the business pages.
That merger they got going I'm guessing it ain't closing with this situation outstanding.
One has nothing to do with the other.
Then I'm wrong.
It won't be the first time.
I can talk to my client, see if he's willing to go to 7,500.
How many millions do those Lightstone folks stand to make on this deal? All right.
You tell me what is this going to take? How about nine? If I can get that, are we done here? $9,000, Mrs.
Walker? Settlement agreement will be in your office by the end of business.
Check will follow.
Very good.
Nick, did you hear back from that other lawyer? He just got the papers.
Ah.
He didn't call you back yet? Dad, he just got them.
I'll call him.
It's a simple settlement.
I can have it closed by tomorrow morning.
I'd feel a lot better knowing tonight.
Fine.
I'll call him.
Listen, don't forget this weekend, pick up your stuff at the house, OK? Do you want to tell me exactly what it is I've got to pick up? Everything.
That junk in the attic.
And those boxes in the basement.
Everything.
[Camera beeps.]
[Beeps.]
[Chatter.]
Roger? Roger! Roger Green! What the hell are you doing? Alvin! - How old is that girl? - What? That girl how old is she, 14? Oh, the one asking directions.
- Oh, come on, Roger.
- I was giving her directions.
- Uh-huh.
- What? She was lost? I come here for takeout.
You come to Mason's for takeout? [Laughs.]
See you later, Alvin.
Give your wife my regards.
[Laughs.]
Hey.
Hey.
Thanks for coming by.
Sure.
So, this is it.
Yeah.
Saturday morning, I'm on that plane.
Well, you know, um for what it's worth, I understand why you're taking the job.
I mean, if it were me, I'd probably do the same thing.
Thank you.
Running your own clinic, living in Berkeley.
It's supposed to be beautiful.
Yeah.
No more Pittsburgh winters, right? [Chuckles.]
That's something I could do without.
Do you want something to drink? Yeah, I'll have a red wine.
- Red wine.
- Yes.
I didn't expect you to be so nice.
I'm really going to miss you, you know.
I'm going to miss you, too.
Yeah.
Well, Lightstone got another letter.
Evidently, this lawyer has 30 plaintiffs lined up, alleging similar treatment.
How much does he want? $3 million, including punitive damages.
He's just trying to hold us up.
Well, maybe.
But this buyer is getting a little nervous over taking over a company with all this bad publicity.
Glen Lightstone You shouldn't have taken his word for it, Nicholas.
He's the Chief Operating Officer of that company.
Son, he's a lightweight, OK? His father's always talking him up like he's some kind of retailing genius.
If you ask me, he doesn't have a clue.
I'll tell you, the luckiest thing that happened to him was to have a dad like Robert.
Well, anyway talk to him again, get all the facts this time, OK? And let's put a lid on this mess.
[Nick.]
We have a bigger problem now.
[Glen.]
These new claims are frivolous.
No, it doesn't matter.
They've opened the door.
I would like to have known about the other complaints.
- I didn't think they were serious.
- You knew about them? Some of them.
Look, Nick, I'm sorry.
You've got to understand that these shoplifters are killing me.
I had to get it under control.
So, we run some numbers, and most of the people accused were minorities.
So, you unleashed this new cop you hired on your black customers? Look, since my dad decided to merge, everything's been about money.
I was just doing what I thought he wanted.
Did you think to tell your father about what was going on? No.
Glen, you run the store.
It's your responsibility.
Nick, you're lucky because your father is not like mine.
I cannot bear to see the look on his face, the disappointment.
It would just simply kill him, OK? You have no idea.
The Francos they're in the meeting room.
What? I thought about what you said.
You were right.
We can't just drop them.
Oh.
Well, thank you, Alvin.
That's the right thing to do.
They're waiting to speak with you.
Wait, Alvin No, it's all worked out.
I spoke with Judy.
She can spare you until November, considering the circumstances.
So, problem solved.
Hello, Alvin.
Roger.
I was hoping we could talk.
I'm worried about you.
Worried about me? Well, actually, I'm not the only one.
I ran into some of the other members of the board.
Frankly, there's concern.
Concern? Yeah, about how you're holding up.
[Laughs.]
I mean, two murders here, personnel issues, the budgetary pressures you're under.
You know, it's never easy here.
- But I'm handling it.
- Really? Yeah.
Because yesterday well, you were acting kind of strange.
I'm just hoping the pressure isn't starting to get to you.
You know, I can understand where you're coming from, given your position here.
You're one of our important contributors.
OK.
So - You know - What? [Laughs.]
I might be mistaken about this.
I mean, you sort of startled me out there.
- Are we back to yesterday? - I was wondering - did you have a camera? - I did.
- I see.
- Why? No reason.
Just asking.
You can't dictate where I work, Alvin.
I'm not dictating.
I simply asked how firm your start date was.
Judy said she could wait until January 1, if need be.
January 1? Lulu, I need help here! I can't understand why you won't stay.
Because I don't want to, Alvin.
Because you have turned this place into a mess.
When I think about how great LSP could be and I think about all the great things we could accomplish, I get sick.
Your fundraisers always fall short, the clients come second to your needs.
I mean, my God, you have had weeks to fill these open positions.
So, don't blame me for your problems.
You know, you're a good lawyer, Lulu.
You have a sharp, analytical mind.
If I were in trouble, I'd want you on my team.
- Yeah? - In the background researching the law.
Out front, I'd want someone who'd rather die than lose a case.
What are you talking about? I hate to lose.
But you tolerate it.
- Tiffany Skovich.
- What? I tried to get her into Jane's Place, and she ran away from the shelter.
The police are looking for her.
They'll call here when they get her.
Right.
What? I was over at Mason's Restaurant yesterday afternoon.
There are at least six girls working the streets around there.
- What were you doing there? - Taking pictures.
You have time for that? The cops just aren't interested.
I thought I thought if I brought them evidence.
[Sighs.]
These girls nobody cares.
All they've ever gotten is a raw deal.
Unless Mason's off the street Hey, hey, I just wanted to tell you Tiffany ran away, OK? So, I talked to Robert and Consolidated.
They think they've come up with a solution.
What? They'll take over the company with the litigation liability.
In return, they want Robert to fire Glen.
And his dad agreed with that? No, not at first.
But I had to kind of lay it out for him.
You know, Glen's not his only child.
He has a whole family to consider.
And this deal, you know he's been working all his life building this store.
Glen was supposed to run the new company after the sale.
Right, I'm aware of that.
Glen's our client, Dad.
If he goes, we stand to lose a lot of business here.
I know that, and I'm I'm sorry about that, Nicholas, but, uh he's been a client of mine for 30 years, and that's the way he wants it.
Well, can you just give me another shot with this lawyer before you finalize this? The deal's almost made.
No, just give me another chance with the guy.
I'd like to try and make this work.
What do you need? I need 200,000 to play with.
All right, let me talk to Robert.
Thanks.
[Buzzing.]
[Buzzing.]
Alvin, what are you doing? The girl, Mason.
I want the girl.
- What girl? - Tiffany.
I know she's in there.
She's not here.
Let me in.
What are you doing? You're crazy.
[Siren blares.]
- Alvin, what are you doing here? - I'm looking for Tiffany.
They have an attachment order.
They're picking her up.
[Burton.]
Nick.
Dad, I don't have time to talk.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I was going through your stuff, and I came across your letter jacket, a picture of you and your buddies, that fishing line I got you up at Lake Arthur.
No, I don't remember.
Remember? You caught a bunch of trout, made us a great dinner.
My stuff just get rid of it.
Give it away.
- Get rid of it? - Yeah.
Give it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, whoever wants it.
Yeah, get rid of it.
- All of it? - All of it.
Am I in a lot of trouble? I don't know.
I just got so freaked you saying I had to rat on Mason or get sent to juvie.
That place it smells.
It made me sick to my stomach.
I had to get some fresh air.
Mason he was nice to me.
Cooked me dinner.
He played some music.
I always feel safe with him.
You're not safe there.
Girls that do what you do most of them either get very, very sick, or die.
So, what now? Well, Tiffany, l I don't know what to say to you.
What about that shelter you talked about? Think they'll take me? You're going to have to tell the police about Mason.
- Still? - That's the deal.
- Yeah.
- [chatter.]
Yeah.
Yeah, all night.
No, no, no, I'm fine.
I, uh I told them everything I know what I saw outside his restaurant, his arrest, everything.
Well, your statement would help, but I'm pretty sure the cops don't need it to make the My lawyer called it heresy everything you said having not been supported by collaboration of an independent nature.
[Sighs.]
I'll see you back at the office.
Need a hand? Oh, no, I'm almost done.
- If you need anything, tell me.
- Thanks.
Nick.
You'll never believe what this bastard said to me.
- Who? - The detective in charge.
I handed this thing to him, a slam dunk.
All he could say was misdemeanor.
Tiffany's not going to help.
Ohh.
She's throwing her life away for Mason Kazinski.
Roger? We have to talk.
Not now.
It's a very bad day.
- I'm sorry to hear that Alvin - No.
What? The picture you took the other day I need them.
- You must be kidding.
- I have a family, a business.
Get out, Roger.
Get out of my clinic now! - Calm down, Alvin.
- No! Let's take this in your office.
Alvin, Alvin, Alvin.
Take it easy, man.
Come on.
Hey, Melvin.
So, Nick, you got a number for me? It's generous, considering.
Nick, we've already set a floor The suit we settled at least had a factual basis.
These new claims you're just pulling out of the air.
Lightstone's Department Store has been targeting minorities for years.
If we let this situation slide If you're trying to make a statement, you've done it.
Have I? I can go to 5 per claim You're moving in the right direction, but your total's off.
Why? I found 23 more people already.
And that was just yesterday.
- Hey.
- Hey.
I heard 53 claims.
- I heard.
- Right.
So, we made the deal.
You fired Glen? Lightstone merger is going through as scheduled.
Does Glen know? Well, we just made the deal, son.
His father's going to tell him? I would imagine so, yeah.
I'll see you later.
- Hey, buddy.
- Hey.
So I hear the deal's closing.
Yeah, yeah.
So, the claims you settled out? No.
My father's not talking to me.
He, uh I called him, like, seven times today.
He does that sometimes, you know? When he's mad or embarrassed, he just stops.
Just stops talking.
I mean, I know I screwed up, but, uh I mean, it's We did it, right? The deal is done.
We can move on now, yeah? Your, uh Your father The new company wanted you out, and your father agreed.
What? You won't be running the company.
You've been terminated.
No.
I shouldn't be telling you this.
Right.
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't be the one to tell you this.
Roger Green is a member of the board.
So, I've been asked to resign my position here, effective immediately.
Did you tell them what he was doing the other night? No, the conversation didn't go in that direction.
Alvin, you should've told them.
Well, the board feels several key members feel that I've outlived my usefulness to this institution as Director.
It's OK, though.
This place just It's not the same now, with everything James, Lulu.
Anyway Uh, Alvin, I just got a phone call.
Yeah? I've been offered your job Director for now.
Oh.
I took it.
So, you know that, uh, this means I'll be your Right.
You're in charge here now.
And you can handle that? I can.
So, I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, right? If that's what you want.
I'll see you first thing in the morning.
Hey.
You wanted to see me? I told the police the truth about Mason.
OK.
About what really happened.
I thought that would make you happy.
You didn't do it for me.
Right.
Um, I guess I just got tired of the things I had to do to get by.
Yeah.
So now I go to that shelter where they can help me? Is that what you want? Yeah.
I think so.
Well, I'll see what I can do.
So, they'll take me? I'll see what I can do.
Good night.
Hey.
Hey.
[Sighs.]
So, I, uh I heard you broke the news to Glen Lightstone.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's a shame.
Had to do that to his own son.
Yeah, well, it's done now.
Oh, by the way, Saturday morning I'm having a couple of messengers come over to the house and pick up your things and deliver them to your place.
Dad, I told you I don't need that stuff.
- I know.
- No, I don't need it.
Listen to me a minute.
I tested out your rod and reel.
It works fine still.
And that other stuff you know, that's your childhood.
Fine.
[Sighs.]
Well, I'll see you in the morning.
- Whew.
- Yeah.
Alvin.
Do you want to stay? On your staff? Well, the place needs you.