Father Dowling Mysteries (1989) s02e01 Episode Script

(theme music playing)
♪♪
♪♪
He was supposed to be here.
He'll show.
He's really good, huh?
He's good.
Yeah?
Yeah.
If he's so good,
how come he's late?
Who said I was late?
Hey, Mr. Damoni.
Welcome to Chicago.
You know, you
didn't have to do that.
Hey, take it easy, huh?
(gun cocking)
Your friend was
wondering how good I was.
Now he knows.
How about you? Any questions?
No, sir, Mr. Damoni.
And the envelope is
inside his jacket pocket.
Well, go get it.
Go on.
Open it up.
Come on.
Job will be done
day after tomorrow.
Have the rest ready.
Yes, sir.
Tell your friend, uh,
no hard feelings, huh?
- (loud, overlapping chatter)
- Oh!
(whoop, cheers and chatter)
Okay, you guys,
listen up, listen up.
You got ten dollars
on the horse's nose.
At these odds, and you
win, how much do you get?
- Oh.
- 50 bucks.
Okay, and if you bet $20?
- A hundred.
- STEPHANIE: All right.
See, you guys don't
need remedial math.
I told you, all-all you need
to do is think a little bit.
Okay, we're gonna
do fractions now.
(boos)
STEPHANIE: All right.
- (taps stick on board)
- Listen up.
- Be quiet. Okay.
- (hissing) -Fractions.
You get down on a horse
going off at three to two.
You've bet one dollar.
How much do you win?
(laughing) More
than I had before.
(laughter)
Yeah, but how much?
A buck, 50.
- (applause)
- That's right. That's great.
- (applause and cheering)
- STEPHANIE: Yay! Sit down.
Which means that three to
two is equal to one and a half.
- (school bell ringing)
- Okay, you guys, that's it.
- See you next week.
- Okay. -Bye. -Bye.
(chatter)
(children playing nearby)
(church bells chime tune)
(buzzer sounds)
(buzzer stops)
Hi.
Oh, hi.
(Marie groans softly)
Phew.
Good china, Marie?
What's the occasion?
We have a houseguest
for the weekend.
Young priest.
Oh.
He bring you these?
Marie.
He's in the front room.
I have no time to talk.
Why don't you get
yourself ready for dinner?
I got a meal to fix.
(roast sizzling)
We got a lamb roast.
Oh, a lamb. It's
pretty fancy, huh?
Stop! Get your
hands out of that.
It's for the chocolate pudding.
This priest must have
made some impression.
(door opening)
DOWLING: Of course.
You're certainly welcome to
stay here as long as you like.
We don't have guests very often,
so it'll be a nice
change of pace for us.
Ah, Sister Stephanie,
Father Damon.
Father Damon, this
is Sister Stephanie.
Father Damon is a missionary.
DAMON: Father Dowling
has been kind enough
not only to allow
me to stay here,
- but to give a fund-raising sermon.
- DOWLING: Mm.
I think you'll find
the parishioners
to be pretty supportive.
If I'd known the food
was gonna be this good,
I would have planned
on a longer stay.
I wish you had. I
could use the help.
Busy schedule?
DOWLING: Well, I have
a very important
wedding tomorrow,
and then there's the, uh,
clothing drive for the homeless,
Mr. O'Connell's wake.
STEPHANIE: And don't forget
the tutoring program
and back-to-back
christenings on Monday.
DAMON: Please,
if there's anything
that I can do to help
Well, you could take the
7:15 mass for me tonight
right after dinner.
Certainly.
DOWLING: That way I can
stop at the O'Connells' sooner.
DAMON: If the rest of the
meals are like this, I'll even take
that wedding for you.
I was just commenting
on this wonderful dinner.
Oh, it's nothing special.
Just your ordinary lamb roast.
Won't you have
some more, Father?
DAMON: Well, I-I
really shouldn't, but, uh
Sister?
Oh, no, thanks.
You've made quite an
impression on Marie.
Well, you've all
been very hospitable.
I'd like to thank you both.
Mm.
So after New Orleans, you
spent all your time in Arizona?
Up until the end of last spring.
Since then, I've
been in New Mexico,
around the area of Las Cruces.
STEPHANIE: What
exactly do you do?
Whatever's needed.
Some months, it's
building roads and schools.
The next month,
it's as glamorous
as digging sanitation pits.
So, you basically
You oversee the program?
Well, of course, I-I
supervise the work.
But when the shovels
are handed out,
I'm just another laborer.
(chuckles)
Father, I really appreciate
your taking this early
mass for me. Thank you.
It's my pleasure.
Good night, Sister.
Good night.
I don't know, Frank.
You don't know what?
Father Damon.
You don't like him, do you?
I just don't get a good feeling.
How so?
Well, if he's been doing all
this rugged missionary work
on a pueblo,
how come his hands
are perfectly manicured?
Well, that's very good, Steve.
I missed that one.
- That one?
- Yeah.
Well, first, there's the
matter of his shoes.
Casual loafers, very expensive.
Much too expensive
on a priest's salary.
And just before you joined us,
he said he'd never
been out of the country.
But he held his fork in his
left hand, European-fashion,
even though he's right-handed.
And then, there's his suntan.
What suntan?
Well, that's my point exactly.
He doesn't have a suntan.
Now wouldn't you think that
somebody who worked outdoors
in the Southwest
would have a suntan?
So what should we do?
(sighs) Nothing.
Look, I have this nasty
habit of looking for odd details
in people's behavior,
and almost everyone
has some incongruities.
Besides, we can't prove
that there's anything wrong
with our Father
Damon now, can we?
We could call his
diocese and find out.
I already did.
The office is closed
until Monday morning,
so until then, we're
just gonna have
to accept our
good father on faith.
(organ plays church music)
The blood of Christ.
Amen.
- The body of Christ.
- Amen.
The blood of Christ.
The body of Christ.
STEPHANIE: The blood of Christ.
The body of Christ.
STEPHANIE: The blood of Christ.
The body of Christ.
The body of Christ.
The blood of Christ.
The body of Christ.
The body of Christ.
Let us pray.
Oh, Heavenly Father,
we have been nourished
with this heavenly bread,
and we have been
strengthened in this Eucharist
through Christ our Lord.
ALL: Amen.
May the Lord be with you.
ALL: And also with you.
May God Almighty bless you.
The Father, the
Son, the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Amen.
This mass is ended.
Go in peace.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
(door creaks open and shut)
(door creaks open)
I know you.
I'm sorry.
I think you have me
confused with somebody else.
I remember faces.
I remember you.
I don't think so.
Until yesterday, I'd never
been in Chicago before.
MAN: You don't fool me.
I know who you are
and what you are.
I don't care what
they hired you to do,
but to do it as a priest
Oh, no.
Not around here.
What happened?
I think he had a stroke.
I'll call the paramedics.
(respirator whooshing quietly)
Through this holy anointing,
may the Lord in his love and mercy
help you with the
grace of the Holy Spirit.
STEPHANIE: Amen.
May the Lord who
frees you from sin
save you and raise you up.
STEPHANIE AND DOWLING: Amen.
(labored breathing)
(sustained beep tone)
In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
(sustained beep tone continues)
MAN: Excuse me,
Father. (speaks indistinctly)
♪♪
- I'm sorry, Father.
- Mm.
Was he a member of
the parish for a long time?
Only a few years.
I never really knew him.
What about his family?
I don't really know.
We'll just have to see
what we can find out.
- I'll get the car.
- Mm.
What did he want from the nurse?
He wanted to know if Harvey
said anything before he died.
♪♪
(whispers): Ah, yeah.
I saw the light on.
I left my address book in here.
I just came to get it,
and, uh, I found this.
Looks expensive.
Wonder where it came from.
I think it was Mr. Gorsky's.
Probably fell off
when he collapsed.
Well, I'm sure Father Dowling
will want to return
it to his family.
- Mm.
- There's something
I wanted to ask you.
Why did Mr. Gorsky
come back here to see you?
I don't know.
I think he said he wanted to ask
Father Dowling about something.
Oh.
I saw him staring at
you during Communion,
and I thought maybe he
knew you or something.
No, I think he was just startled
to see a new priest giving Mass.
Probably thought that
Father Dowling had been
replaced or something.
Oh.
That would explain it.
Are you coming?
I think I'm gonna
stay and pray a while.
Good night, Father.
- Good night, Sister.
- (door opens)
(door closes)
(birds chirping)
Okay, those go by the altar.
You can put the bridal
bouquets in the sacristy.
And all he said was that
this belonged to Mr. Gorsky?
Yeah, but why is
it broken, though,
like it was yanked
off or something?
I'm telling you, Frank, there is
something really wrong here.
I just don't have a
good feeling about this.
Steve, we can't prove anything.
I mean, what are we
supposed to believe,
that Father Damon was
somehow responsible
for Mr. Gorsky's death?
- You said it, Frank, I didn't.
- Well, it's very simple.
First thing Monday morning,
we call his Father Superior
and we verify anything
we want to know about him.
Oh, did Clarissa call?
I left a message on her machine.
(sighs) Hope she remembers.
What's a wedding
without an organist?
So, if you were
in St. Louis, then,
- you must know John Lampley?
- How is John?
(laughs) Hey, I-I spoke
to him just last month.
- Really?
- Yeah.
He's still in the Midwest?
No, no, he was transferred to
the diocese in San Francisco
- two years ago; you hadn't heard?
- No.
Well, I'm going
to have to tell him
- I ran into you.
- Please do, please do.
DOWLING: Well.
You two certainly
seem to have hit it off.
Turns out Father Damon
and I have a friend in common.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Paul and I were in the
seminary around the same time.
- Together?
- No, no.
Paul was in St. Louis.
Oh, well, then you must have
studied under Father Malloy.
Father Malloy. Uh
PRESTWICK: Frank,
where's your memory?
Father Malloy
taught out of Boston.
Oh, that's right, he
did, of course. Hm.
PRESTWICK: Paul
it's been a pleasure.
Say "cheese"!
(camera clicks, whirrs)
It's for the scrapbook.
We should send a copy to John.
- Remind me.
- All right.
Well, I'd better not
keep the bishop waiting.
I'm his administrative
right hand.
Father, I'll see you this
afternoon at the wedding?
Mm.
Let's keep in touch.
DAMON: Well, if you'll
excuse me, Father,
- I think I'll take
- (phone rings)
- a nice long walk.
- Of course.
MARIE: Phone's for you, Father.
Clarissa says she
can't make it today.
(whines): Oh, no!
I can play the organ.
Oh, no.
Where's Father Damon?
He went out. Why?
I just thought I'd ask him
what he'd like for dinner.
Boy, he's really got
your number, hasn't he?
Well, he's polite
and he's thoughtful,
he's well-mannered
Things you don't find
in most people these days,
even in men of the cloth.
Believe me, I could write
a book on that subject!
Do you think he'd like turkey?
Why don't you surprise him?
Great idea.
♪♪
(footsteps approaching)
Sister Stephanie, what
do you think you're doing?
How could you violate
his privacy like that?
- I'm surprised at you.
- No, I found something.
What?
It looks like a bar of soap.
No, look The
"Viss-count" Hotel.
- Viscount.
- (whispers): Viscount.
Yeah, but he said
he came straight here
when he got into town.
So what do you think?
I think we ought
to check it out.
May I help you?
Yeah. Can you tell me,
is there a Paul Damon
registered here?
- D-A-M-O-N?
- Mm-hmm.
No. I'm sorry, I'm afraid not.
Is it possible that
the registration's
under someone else's name?
Yeah, that's a thought, but I
have no idea who it would be.
I'm sorry, Sister.
Is this man a guest
here, the one on the left?
No, we don't happen to have
any priests staying with us.
Well, he might be
in civilian clothes.
Are you positive?
I wish I could help you.
Thanks.
(loud rock music playing)
(rock music continues)
Uh, excuse me, are
you Teresa Gorsky?
- Right.
- Harvey Gorsky's granddaughter?
- (laughs) Right again.
- Well, I'm Father Dowling.
Your grandfather
attended my church.
Oh so,
you were his priest.
I was with him when he died.
I'm very sorry.
Oh, uh
this
fell off when he collapsed.
This wasn't his.
Grandpa didn't wear jewelry.
Even when Grandma was alive,
I don't even think he
wore a wedding ring.
Wow, I wish it
would have been his.
I'd love to have it.
Well thank you for your time.
- Uh, Father.
- Hmm?
When was the last
time you had a cut?
(indistinct chatter)
(whistles loudly)
(chatter stops)
I'm sorry. I just
need your help.
Can anybody here tell
me if they have seen
the guy in this picture
It's really important.
The one on the left.
MAN: No.
MAN 2: No.
Who's on room service?
MAN 3: Let me see.
Oh, yeah. He's the guy in 825.
But he's no priest.
Thanks.
(chatter resumes)
(elevator bell dings)
Is there something
wrong, Sister?
Oh, um yes. I need
to get into the room,
but the door is locked.
Oh. Well, we can
certainly take care of that.
Thank you.
Thanks so much.
Don't forget your
key next time, Sister.
- I'll try and remember.
- (laughs)
♪♪
(elevator door opens)
♪♪
(turns on faucet)
(horn honking)
♪♪
(horn beeps in distance)
(horn honks in distance)
(TV playing indistinctly)
(man speaking
indistinctly on TV)
NEWSMAN: brought into
the Windy City in hopes of
STEPHANIE: If you go out,
you better take an umbrella.
It looks like it's gonna rain.
Excuse me.
(TV newsman continues)
DOWLING: Not too much
off the side.
And not quite that short.
(whispers): Not
that short at all.
- Relax, Father. Have faith.
- Mm.
You know, I only knew
Harvey as a devout man
who attended Mass regularly,
but I often sensed that
he had a troubled soul.
Tried to talk to
him a few times.
He was very pleasant,
but somehow evasive.
That was Harvey.
Though God knows why.
It's not as though
his life is any secret,
considering it was on the
front page of every newspaper.
What?
For years he worked
for Victor Malko.
- Malko the Mobster?
- Yeah.
See, Harvey was a forger.
He was a good one;
he was a true artist.
And I guess about 20 years ago,
this Mob member, um
Oh, shoot, I can't
remember who
Anyway, ratted on
him, turned informant.
DOWLING: Oh, yes, I remember.
Malko went to prison and
so did a half a dozen others.
- Harvey was one of them?
- Right.
So, by the time he'd gotten out,
he'd changed.
Basically kept to
himself, got religious.
And he never
talked about his past.
So, what do you think?
Well, if it's any help,
I think Harvey died
at peace with himself.
(laughs): No.
- Father.
- Hmm?
I'm talking about your haircut.
(chuckles): Oh. It's
very nice, thank you.
- Right this way, Father!
- Uh
Oh.
First shampoo
then conditioner
then protein builder
and then finishing rinse.
- It's all on the house.
- Oh, no, really, I couldn't.
No, go on, Father.
Their free samples, okay?
- Well, thank you.
- Mm-hmm.
Oh, uh, may I?
- Be my guest.
- Mm.
Oh.
Here.
You take care of your hair,
your hair'll take care of you.
Marie. Hi.
Any word from Steve?
Oh? Where?
Well, if she calls back,
tell her I'm on my way.
Bye-bye.
DOORMAN: Good afternoon.
- He's here, Frank.
- What?
He's in the lobby
making a phone call.
He is no priest.
Well, then who is he
and what does he want?
STEPHANIE: Beats me.
There he is!
See, I think that Harvey Gorsky
must have recognized him,
- and he had to get rid of him.
- Yeah? Well, this
did not belong to Harvey.
STEPHANIE: Yeah,
well, I think that Harvey
must have pulled it off
him, because I saw this scar
on Damon's neck when
he was getting undressed
- for the shower.
- You what?
It's a long story. Come
on, he's getting away!
New haircut? Looks good.
Can I have one, please?
- (car doors opening, closing)
- Yeah, five bucks.
Enjoy the show.
Uh
Two, please.
- Are you sure?
- Sure I'm sure.
(chuckles) Would you excuse
us for a moment, please?
Steve, we can't go in here.
- Why not?
- It's a porno house!
We'll just wait
till he comes out.
Frank, there's
obviously not a lot
of wasted motion with this guy.
He's got to have a very
good reason for going in there.
But what if somebody sees us?
There is nobody down
here who knows us.
Now, I've got a definite
feeling that this is important.
Come on.
Two, please!
Okay.
This better be worth it.
I've read a couple
of good reviews.
You know what I mean!
(man grunting in movie)
MAN (in movie): Oh-ho, yeah
(whispers): Frank, how
am I supposed to see?
- That's the idea.
- I am an adult.
I know all about
this kind of stuff.
Yeah, just shut up, Sister,
please, and sit down.
(woman grunting in movie)
- STEPHANIE: Do you see him?
- Yeah. He's sitting
in the front row.
DOWLING: There's
a guy coming over.
He's sitting next to him.
He's got a package.
Come on, I got an idea.
Keep your eyes shut.
(mellow music playing)
♪♪
DOWLING: Do you
recognize the man with him?
I've never seen him before.
If he wanted a gun, why
didn't he just go to a gun shop
- and buy one?
- It's probably a cold gun.
A what?
STEPHANIE: The serial
numbers have been removed.
It's totally untraceable.
It's what you need when
you're gonna make a hit.
How would you know that?
Frank, everybody knows that.
Oh.
(man and woman on screen laugh)
(dogs barking in distance)
You know, I think I
know who he's after
Victor Malko.
- Malko's a big shot.
- Yeah, he was connected
with Harvey Gorsky.
I've got to go warn him.
- Do you still have that picture?
- Yeah.
I'm gonna keep my eye on Damon.
Hey, you be careful;
this man is dangerous.
Frank, he's never gonna
know I'm on his tail.
- Steve, please!
- I'll keep my distance.
(Dowling grumbles quietly)
♪♪
(starts engine)
(footsteps approaching)
Margaret.
Father Dowling.
Mr. Malko.
Thank you for seeing me.
I'm always happy
to make a donation.
Margaret, have Rudy
bring me my checkbook.
(chuckles): Well, that's
not the reason I'm here.
That's all right, I'll give
you a check, anyway.
Well, thank you. Uh, just
make it out to St.
Michael's Church, please.
Unfortunately, I have sad news,
but I thought
you'd want to know.
Harvey Gorsky died last night.
I'm not certain,
but it may have been foul play.
Harvey was killed?
Mm. Possibly by a professional.
You recognize
the man on the left?
- The priest?
- He's not a priest.
No. No, I don't know him.
You think he did it?
I have reason to
believe he did, yes.
Father, I hope you're not here
because you think I was
somehow involved in Harvey's death.
Look at me.
I am a sick old man.
All I want is to spend what
time I have left in peace,
surrounded by my
children and grandchildren.
Mr. Malko, I'm fully
aware of your past life,
and although I
don't approve of it,
I couldn't stand by and
let you become a victim.
I came here because
you, too, may be in danger.
Why do you say that?
Your connection
to Harvey Gorsky.
Father, I have paid
my debt to society.
Made my peace with God.
But if now is my time, so be it.
Thank you for coming.
(Dowling sighs)
(car engine idling)
Mr. Malko, he's here.
You better call the police.
That won't be necessary.
Doing a little missionary
work of your own, Father?
(birds singing)
Don't you realize how difficult
you're making it for me, Father?
I can't let you go.
But with you here, the
wedding will be cancelled,
and all my plans will be ruined.
DAMON: We don't have
to cancel the wedding,
Mr. Malko.
There's another
priest who's supposed
to assist Father Dowling.
You'll call,
and you tell him
you're detained.
I won't be a party to murder,
and clearly, murder
is what this is about.
This isn't murder.
It's justice.
There is no excuse for
what you are planning.
Ten years ago,
a man I trusted,
a man I treated like a son,
turned informant
and sent me to prison
while he hid in the government
Witness Protection program.
Today, his daughter
is getting married.
What father would not be
at his own child's wedding?
You must understand, Father.
You call it justice.
What was Harvey Gorsky?
Regrettable, but unavoidable.
Once Harvey had
recognized Mr. Damoni,
what else could be done?
No.
- (bangs side of wheelchair)
- Don't you understand
how important this is to me?
DAMON: Don't worry, Mr. Malko.
I think I know how to handle it.
You won't be disappointed.
MALKO: Father, you've left me
no choice.
- (gun chamber cocks)
- MALKO: Not here!
He's a priest.
This is my home.
You want to bring me bad luck?
He's got a point.
(birds singing)
(engine starting)
(brakes squeak)
(train bells clanging nearby)
I don't like this.
You don't have to like it.
You just have to do it.
Now, come on.
Is it really bad luck
in killing a priest?
It's gonna be a lot
worse luck if you don't.
Come on.
(engine starting)
MAN: Hey!
How did he do that?
How should I know?
(gunshots)
(tires screech)
Frank, are you okay?
(muffled): Yeah, Steve.
Get me out of here.
- Oh, boy. All right.
- (Dowling groans)
- Just a second.
- (Dowling mutters)
I'll have you out of
here in just a minute.
Hurry. We got to
get to the church.
- (muffled speech of Dowling)
- Okay, okay, okay.
- This may hurt, Frank.
- Hmm?
Oh!
Steve, it's the wedding.
Father Prestwick can
handle the wedding.
DOWLING: That's
part of the problem.
Damon's real target
is at the wedding,
which starts in
about 20 minutes.
Come on, let's go.
You want me to hurry, right?
Yes.
(birds singing)
May I help you, sir?
I'm Father Damon.
- Your name is not on the list.
- Well, there's no reason
that it should be.
I'm a guest of Father Dowling's.
He's been detained,
and I'm to notify
Father Prestwick.
Oh, there he is.
Oh, Father Prestwick?
Uh, Father Damon, how are you?
I was wondering where you were.
Sergeant Clancy,
Father Damon is with us.
Oh.
What's going on?
It turns out, the
father of the bride is
in the federal Witness
Protection program.
Came as quite a surprise.
I see.
Well, I was just
telling Sergeant Clancy
that Father Dowling
has been detained.
He apologizes,
and he wonders if you can
officiate the ceremony alone.
But I-I haven't met
the bride or the family.
Alone?
Perhaps I could help.
I mean, at least I could
lend moral support.
Paul, you're a lifesaver.
(tires squealing)
(car horn honking)
Frank, you wanted
to a use a phone?
Frank, we're stopped.
I really must
learn how to drive.
(coins clinking)
Uh, yeah, uh, Sergeant
Clancy, please.
This is Father Dowling.
It's an emergency.
She's where?
Well, thanks anyway.
She's at St. Michael's.
(engine starting)
(tires squealing,
engine revving)
(car horn honking)
(tires squealing)
Don't get me wrong.
Father Dowling is a
man of great character
and a very fine priest.
But he does have
this tendency
to just disappear now and then,
and always at inopportune times.
Well, perhaps he couldn't
avoid getting tied up.
I know what you're saying.
Always give the
benefit of the doubt.
(organ plays Bach organ cantata)
Well, sounds like we're on.
All right, this way, sir.
MAN: Everything looks clear?
- MAN 2: Yeah.
- MAN: Let's move.
(organ playing, birds singing)
Okay, seal her up.
(organ plays Bach organ cantata)
♪♪
(tires squealing)
(thudding, tires screech)
(organ music playing)
(organ plays "Bridal Chorus")
PRESTWICK: What is keeping them?
(organ stops playing)
(crowd murmuring)
(organ plays intro
to "Bridal Chorus")
("Bridal Chorus" plays)
♪♪
(people screaming)
(gun chamber cocking)
(Dowling sighs)
Nice shooting, Clancy.
Nice timing, Father.
(Dowling sighs)
What a nerve.
Posing as a priest.
Taking advantage
of all of you. Ha!
Oh, don't worry, Marie.
He's gonna be put
away for a long time,
along with Mr. Malko
and the rest of them.
Well, whatever they get,
it'll be better
than they deserve.
I would love to have a picture
of Father Prestwick's face
when Clancy pulled off her veil.
(chuckling)
You know, speaking of pictures,
I wondered if I might
have that photograph.
What photograph?
The one of me in, you know.
Oh, that photograph.
Oh, dear.
I-I'm not sure I
remember where I put it.
I think it's in the
accounting ledger.
You're right.
You'll find it on the
page that shows
the donations made
for the altar boys'
scholarship fund.
They, uh, altar boys
They need new robes.
Oh.
Here it is.
(sighs)
You know, this is one
of the best pictures
that I have ever
taken, and I just
I don't know if I
can part with it.
Oh, the diocese is planning to
make a generous contribution
to the altar boys'
scholarship fund.
Deal.
Let us pray.