T.J. Hooker (1982) s04e09 Episode Script

The Confession

("T.
J.
Hooker Theme" by Mark Snow) - [Deejay.]
It's half past the hour here at Talk Radio.
We'll have News Nightside on the hour with an update on the story that has our city gripped in fear.
Tonight, the fourth in a series of rape robberies occurred on the south side, and we'll have an on-the-scene report.
Meanwhile, the subject is the Persian Gulf, and I'm here to listen.
(soft jazz music) (ominous music) (Beth exclaims) - Quiet, you won't be hurt.
- Oh, you're a fighter, aren't ya? (sobbing) I like that.
(radio beeping) - [Dispatcher.]
All units and 4-Adam-30, a possible assault in progress.
Woman screaming at the automatic teller, California National Bank, Suspects reported entering a late-model brown Camaro.
the call code three.
- 4-Adam-30, roger.
(siren blips) - 4-Adam-16, show us rolling on 30's call, code two.
(intense music) (siren wailing) - There.
Check for a victim.
- Oh, man.
- Okay, everybody step back.
Come on, get back.
(moaning) My God.
I'll call it in.
- Lay still, we're getting an ambulance.
- License X-ray, X-ray, Boy, six, eight, two.
Run it and give us a short DMV.
(tires squealing) - [Hooker.]
Damn, it stalled.
- [Dispatcher.]
One of the suspects - [Corrigan.]
Number five, Hooker.
Same as the others.
- The woman? - Like the others, raped and knocked around pretty bad.
- Oh, my God.
- Hooker, what? - Hold it a minute.
Hang on a second.
Beth.
Stay with her.
I'll be with you as soon as I can.
(ambulance doors closing) - Who is she? (siren wailing) - She's an Episcopal priest.
- Oh.
(moaning) Why? In God's name, why? - Take it easy.
Go ahead and cry it out if you want.
- Five rape robberies in the last six weeks.
In each case, the victim was a lone female using a teller machine after banking hours.
Some day, some night.
- Which means the frequency is increasing.
- And we're no closer now than we were when the first victim was attacked.
- Yeah, well, I guess it's us lazy detectives.
Just seems that we can't get anything off the ground these days.
- Okay, so I'm involved.
- I woulda never guessed.
- We're all involved.
You don't know what that woman's been going through or what she's feeling.
(telephone buzzes) - O'Brien.
Yeah.
Romano, line three.
- So what did you do after your nap today, O'Brien? - I formulated a plan.
- Are you gonna let us know the plan? - Uh-oh.
Sounds like the Detective Bureau's in the throes of revolution.
- Frick and Frack seem to be moving in this direction, and I see them hitting next in the Hillsboro area or right here.
- The West Palms area.
- You're plannin' stakeouts.
- You blue suits catch on quick, don't ya? - Did we just inherit a small army? There must be 50 automatic tellers in those areas.
- No army, but that's why I wanna go fishing.
I wanna bait both areas.
Take the central two square miles of each, send out decoy teams, have 'em float back and forth between the teller machines on assigned beats.
- How many teams do you have? - Six, and still recruiting.
- Ah, here it comes.
You want Stacy.
- [O'Brien.]
And Corrigan for recovery.
- Count us in.
- [O'Brien.]
Good enough.
(receiver bangs) - [Hooker.]
Romano.
- I tell ya, Hooker, sometimes I get so damn mad.
(sighs) I was watchin' you out there last night, holdin' onto your cool.
I don't know how you do it.
They're parasites.
- What happened? - My mom was mugged.
She was closin' the deli and some South Philly purse snatcher broke her wrist tryin' to grab the bag out of her hand.
She's in the hospital, and I'm 3,000 miles away.
- Is she all right? - They're-they're studying the x-rays right now.
You know, it's bad enough havin' to do the job we do, seein' what goes down on the streets every day.
But when it's personal.
- So let's deal with what's important.
How can we help your mom? (sighs) - Well, I I'm not sure.
I gotta call my brother, uh Somebody's gotta take care of the store.
If I know my mom, she's probably had somethin' cookin' on the stove all day.
Oh, and then there's our dog, Bear.
- Hey.
- There's so many things to take care of.
- Romano.
You just take care of the list, and if your mom needs ya, I'll get the days off shuffled.
- Okay.
Thanks.
I'll work on it.
- I feel for Beth.
I mean, the pain she's been through, and the anguish in her eyes when I talked to her in the ambulance.
There's no way to help her deal with it, as a woman or as a priest.
- What about her family? - That's another story.
Her father's a priest on the East Coast.
- Ah, so Episcopal priests can marry? - Even the women.
But I don't think Beth could look toward home for support.
Her father was the first bishop to refuse to ordain her.
- Oh, terrific.
(sighs) - Drop me off here.
I'll cruise the banks between here and Central.
Put out all the bait I can.
- Watch yourself.
- I want those guys almost as bad as Hooker.
(dramatic music) - This knife the detectives found at the rape scene, I've seen one like it before somewhere.
- All the lab could come up with on it is that it's European forged steel, probably British.
Still doesn't tell us how it got into the hands of the rapists.
- Sold mail order through mercenary magazines.
- What, are you psychic? - Oh, I've run across a few of the types who'd buy that macho junk in 'Nam.
They're hired for dirty work.
- You think that's what we're dealing with, mercenaries? - I don't know, and what else do we have? We'll start with their favorite watering holes.
(upbeat rock music) (sultry jazz music) (upbeat rock music) - And I thought the last place was bad.
- Wait here.
- Thanks a bunch.
- I really don't have a lot of time for the cops today.
- But plenty for maggots and war freaks, right? - You must have the wrong place, Hooker.
- Now, let's save both of us a lot of time, Tiny.
There are two mercs raping and robbing in the streets as though they were back in San Salvador.
I want names.
- Sorry, I can't help you.
- Now, Tiny, you've got a choice.
Either you give me what's stirring, or I'll give police harassment a whole new meaning.
- Finish your beer.
- Okay.
Okay, two guys with on-and-off cash have been hangin' around here lately.
Now, the word is, they got bounced outta Nicaragua when the politicos brought a lotta pressure down on the death squads.
- One of them carry a marauder knife? - Come to think of it, he does.
- Names.
- Their working handles are Dancer and Pyro.
Now, that's all I know, and that's straight.
- Tiny, you did fine, just fine.
- Sure.
- Much obliged for the cooperation.
(ominous music) - Okay, Pete.
O'Brien is checking with Langley for a full ID on the names Pyro and Dancer.
- Never wanted to be mugged so bad in my life.
- You're a born cop.
(laughs) - No.
A woman tryin' to square it for another woman.
- [Dancer.]
No action here, Py.
- Oh, it'll come.
It's just a matter of pickin' and choosin'.
Go ahead, park across the street.
- I checked with the airport.
There's a flight out at 7:00.
Days off are set.
- Thanks anyway, Hooker, but, uh, Mama said no.
- You talked to her? - Yeah.
They're gonna keep her for observation, but she insisted she was just in a little pain.
She wanted me to save my time off for Christmas.
- Oh, she'll be up and around in no time.
Bringing up a kid like you, she had to be tough.
- (laughs) Only thing she complained about was the horrible feeling of being so violated.
Same as Beth, huh? - I'm gonna drop you off at headquarters.
- Where you goin'? - Somewhere I haven't been in a long time.
Church.
(church bells ringing) - And then, the others seized the stranger, and they brought him back to the old fisherman.
And they said, "Look at this beautiful fish "that he's stolen from you!" And then they all shouted, "How shall we punish him?" But do you know what the old fisherman did instead? He picked out an even more beautiful fish from his catch, and he gave it to the stranger, and he said, "Here, take this one home "so that you can feed your family, too.
" Now, why do you think he did that? - [Child.]
He didn't like fish? (children laughing) - Father Johansen.
- [Beth.]
No, I don't think that's what it was.
- Hooker, it's been a long time.
- Yes it has.
Still checking up on the staff, I see.
- A captain's job.
Especially when one mate's vulnerability threatens to tip the whole boat.
- Mm-hm, that was part of it.
But what else? - Because he was generous.
- I'd, uh, appreciate it if the police could low-key this whole thing, Hooker.
It's been difficult on all of us.
- [Beth.]
Does anyone have another idea? Sean? - He forgave the stranger.
- Exactly.
That's exactly right.
He forgave the stranger just like the Bible tells us to forgive.
You see, its very easy to hate when someone's done something bad to us.
But when we forgive, we show our love to that person, even if he's a total stranger.
We're running out of time, as usual.
So I want you all to remember your projects, and I'll see you next week, okay? Scoot.
- [Children.]
Bye! - Bye.
- You have a special way of showing children the good in people.
- Hooker, I don't know if I can keep it up.
- Just have as much faith in yourself as the kids do, and you you won't have any problem.
Beth, the cops that I sent in for help to you and the ones that came in on their own Don't sell yourself short.
Just 'cause you didn't get me inside there on a permanent basis doesn't mean that the others didn't benefit by coming in.
Jack Simpson's marriage is still together.
Did you know that? And Pete.
(exhales) Who will ever forget Pete? - Pete was raised in the church, Hooker.
- Yeah, but it wasn't me who stopped him from swallowing the wrong end of his revolver.
It was you.
Beth.
I know how hard this has been on you.
Time and again, we've come up dry on any suspects who attacked you.
I have to ask you to try and remember.
(scoffs) - I couldn't stop thinking about it last night.
It was like it was some kind of dream.
Nightmare.
- It was.
(laughing) - Hooker.
- Trust me.
- I do, Hooker.
(sighs) The man who had the knife wore some kind of hood, and-and I ripped it off.
- You saw his face? - I-I-I guess I did.
- Well, we'll get a sketch artist down here.
We'll do a composite.
- No, Hooker, it wouldn't do any good.
I saw his face.
I-I must have seen his face, but I can't remember.
All I can see is that horrible knife! - That's all, nothing else? His voice? His clothing? (gasps) - One thing.
When I when I pulled the hood off, he hit me.
And he he called me something, that It sounded Spanish.
Uh Marina.
- Marita! No, Marita.
Called me Marita.
(suspenseful music) - Like O'Brien said, let's keep floating.
- Well, back to number three.
- No sound, no sound.
Now move.
- [Stacy.]
Jim, over there.
- [Corrigan.]
Yeah, it's goin' down.
Call it in.
- [Stacy.]
This is X-ray 16.
location number three.
(intense music) - [Corrigan.]
Hold it, police! - Don't move! Move, she's dead! (tires squealing) Hey! - Freeze! (gun fires) - Are you okay? You sure? X-ray 16 to all units.
A possible 2-11, rape suspect headed north on Pacific from Coral Reef.
(radio beeping) - [Dispatcher.]
All units, all frequencies, stand by, suspect in a 1980 Chevy, brown in color, proceeding north on Pacific from Coral Reef.
- That's Stacy and Corrigan's stakeout.
- Two blocks to the right.
(siren wailing) (tires screeching) (indistinct radio dispatch) - What seems to be the problem, officer? - All right, end of the road.
Rape, armed robbery, six counts to start with.
You're looking at a deep hole behind steel doors, mister.
- I don't know what you're talkin' about.
I told you, I saw a dude, a gun, I took off.
Think I'm gonna get involved with stuff like that? Had nothin' to do with me.
- That dude is your partner.
- Well, he told ya that.
- No.
Didn't have a chance.
He's dead.
- That's a shame, for his family, I mean.
I didn't know him.
- You wanna play games? You play games.
But you're gonna burn for what you did to those women.
I promise you.
- You know, from now on, you can talk to my lawyer, 'cause I said all I'm gonna say to you.
(phone ringing) - Lab tore the car apart.
Nothing.
No knife, no mask, not even a water pistol.
- What about the record? - He has arrests coming out of his ears, but no convictions.
CIA has him down for rape and murder in four continents.
They could never prove anything.
Their last hookup was in San Salvador.
Part of the death squad terror over there.
- Which gives us nothing over here.
- Well, we have to hold him on something.
What about auto theft? - Wheels were borrowed.
We got zip, Hooker.
Either we turn a miracle in the next couple of hours, or he's back on the street.
- Then we'll just have to go back to somebody in the miracle business.
- Okay, I'll call you tomorrow.
And Mom? I love you.
Bye.
- How is she, Vince? - Oh, she was pretty depressed until she got a dozen roses from somebody she didn't know.
A Jim Corrigan.
- You don't say? - What a coincidence, huh? - Hey, it's a popular name.
- Yeah, well, whoever he is, he made her day.
- You're asking a lot, Hooker.
I'm not sure I can.
- He'll be in the lineup.
The room'll be dark.
He won't see you.
- Oh, doesn't that reassure me? - Well, it's your decision.
Whatever you decide, I'll understand.
- I wish Father Johansen had some of whatever you're giving me right now.
- Want me to talk to him for you? - Things are tense enough as it is.
I don't wanna give him any excuses.
- All right.
Step up to your positions.
Face front.
Let's move it, come on.
Number two, head up.
Lieutenant? - All set, Hooker.
- Beth? Remember, there's no rush.
(dramatic music) - I - Beth? - I can't.
- Try.
- It's no use, I can't.
- Read this and sign here.
- My pleasure.
Is that mine? - Sergeant Hooker.
Where can I find him? - Is he expecting you? - I'm Dr.
Ross.
I'm to see him for transportation to a witness hypnosis session on a rape case.
- He's just changing, and he asked that you meet him in the locker room.
It's the last door on your right.
- Thank you.
- Don't worry.
If there's anything to it, they'll have to contact me first.
- Sergeant Hooker has explained it all to you, Beth? - I think she's ready.
Father Johansen, Beth needs your support.
I don't think she's getting it.
- Well, she's not a parishioner, Sergeant.
I'm the one who needed support.
I was never sure about the idea of ordaining women in the first place.
And second, Beth is on staff here because of pressure from my bishop.
I believe we're seeing the results, aren't we? - There's nothing to worry about.
You'll be awake the whole time.
All the doctor's gonna do is help jog your memory.
- Any questions? - Hooker? - I'll be right here.
- All right, then.
Sit back.
Close your eyes.
That's it.
Close your eyes and relax.
Relax and listen to my voice.
Now, I want you to go back.
Back to the bank.
You're standing at the teller machine.
Can you see yourself? What are you doing? (ominous music) - I'm putting in the card, punching in my numbers.
- Go on.
- Now, I'm turning around and walking-- (gasps) - [Dr.
Ross.]
A man grabs you.
- (shuddering) Yes.
- [Dr.
Ross.]
What's happening? - He's forcing me around the corner.
There's another man there.
- [Dr.
Ross.]
Can you see his face? - No! He's wearing a hood! - What's he doing to you? - He's Pushing me down.
I'm on the ground.
My cross! - [Dr.
Ross.]
What are you doing, Beth? - I'm fighting him.
(sobs) But he's too strong.
Oh, the hood, I pull it off.
- [Dr.
Ross.]
Do you see his face? - No! No! Just that knife! (sobs) Just the knife! - Look behind the knife.
- No! (sobbing) Please! - He can't hurt you.
Look behind the knife.
(sobbing) (portentous music) - Oh, God.
- You saw him? - Yes.
The man in the lineup.
The third one from the left.
It's him.
- The D.
A.
will require corroboration.
But we've got enough for an arrest warrant.
You okay? I'll let you know when we have him back in custody.
(radio beeping) - [Dispatcher.]
4-Adam-30, the D.
A.
's office requests you meet in Judge Kenton's chambers, department 105, to obtain the arrest warrant on your suspect.
- 4-Adam-30, roger.
(dramatic music) (church bell chiming) - For these and all other sins, I'm truly sorry.
- May God and His love enlighten your heart.
The Lord has put away all your sins.
- [Parishioner.]
Thanks be to God.
- Go in peace and pray for me, a sinner.
(ominous music) - [Pyro.]
Bless me, for I have sinned.
- The Lord be in your heart and open your lips, that you may truly and humbly confess your sins.
- [Pyro.]
I've raped a woman.
(sighs) - I'm listening.
- [Pyro.]
You'll let me tell you about it? - It's my duty as a priest.
- I was hoping you'd say that.
Marita! (church bell chimes) - The gardener said he saw a man meeting that description leaving the back way.
- Hooker, please.
- If it wasn't to hurt you, what did he come here for? What did he want? - I'm sorry, I can't talk about it.
- That's crazy.
- Hooker, don't you understand? I don't have the right.
- My God, he's confessed to you.
That's it, isn't it? That scoundrel tried to invoke your vow of silence.
- Give me strength.
- He's tricked you.
Beth.
Beth, if you don't stand up in court and nail this human scavenger, there's nothing anybody can do to stop him from doing it all over again.
- I can't.
- If you don't, we all lose.
Beth, listen to me.
You're all we have.
There is no other way.
- There has to be.
- No, don't you understand? Maybe this is the reason why you could never get me to come inside.
- Are you saying you don't believe in God? - I believe.
I also believe a man doesn't have to be inside four walls to pray.
And I can't accept any man-made doctrine that prevents a person from doing what's right.
And all the trappings that take the place of this are doing that.
- Hooker, how can you make such a judgment? - From inside here's how I make it.
I believe it's wrong to let that animal go free.
- If I did what you're asking, it would go against everything I live for.
- What about his next victim? What she lives for? - I can't, Hooker.
I'm sorry, I just can't! (dramatic music) - Beth is one of the first women priests to be ordained, and now she's not even getting support from her own rector.
Just when we need some of the grit that got her to where she is, the perfect corroboration to a one-to-one identification, she won't say a word about what happened.
- You can't blame her, Hooker.
She's got her own laws to obey.
They're just different from ours, that's all.
- Not so different that a maggot like Pyro can't twist them around to work in his favor.
- Why does it always go in the crook's favor? Scuz who hit my mom has already picked up a new wardrobe off of her credit card.
- Maybe it'll help nail him quicker.
That's not the case with Pyro.
- What if I talk to Beth? - She's committed 200%.
- There's gotta be a way.
Another approach, maybe.
- You figure a animal like that wouldn't deserve confession.
- Romano? You're brilliant.
- I am? - Corrigan, chow down.
I got a job for ya.
(upbeat dance music) - [Pyro.]
Yeah, it worked.
Like a charm.
(laughs) - Yeah.
Now that's what I like to hear.
Success, buddy.
- Just in time for a celebration, huh? - (laughs) You might say that.
You're lookin' at a winner, down and dirty.
- Well, that case, let me buy the winner a beer.
Make it two.
- Hey, much obliged, Jack.
- I know you from somewhere.
San Remo? - I never saw any of that action.
- That was all fun.
(laughs) Hey, the takeover in Biafra.
You were point for that wild man, Mancuso.
- Oh.
You know Mancuso? - Only by reputation.
I value my butt more than to get hooked up with him.
- Well, all the rewards were there after the shooting was over, if you get my drift.
- Oh, yeah, I get it, all right.
So what was it got the celebration goin'? From the war, bet, or a solid score on the ladies' front? - Nah, freedom.
Total freedom in this here U.
S.
of A.
Survival, that's the name of the game.
- Damn straight.
Course, you do still need to keep the man on your side.
- Man? - That guy upstairs who keeps our blood off the killin' ground.
- Yeah, you, maybe.
Me, all I need is a fresh clip and a head start.
- Right, sure thing.
Spoken like a true Mancuso warrior.
- Oh, you think that's funny? - I think all you rookies say that 'til you take that first bullet.
- Yeah? - Then all of a sudden, the man becomes real important.
And you start believin' real fast.
- Hey, Jack.
First of all, I ain't no rookie.
And second, the only man I believe in is standing right here.
You got that? - Is that so? - Yeah.
'Cause God is for suckers.
- Well? - He's an atheist.
- And therefore not entitled to the privilege of confession.
- Which means you can testify to the confession, right? - No.
The vows of confession are absolute, regardless of the religious conviction of the confessor.
- But he has no convictions.
You heard the tape.
- It doesn't matter.
- Father Johansen? - In the long run, the decision is the priest's.
She must weigh the gravity of the matter against her own personal convictions.
- Beth, then it is possible.
- No.
No, Hooker, for me, it is not possible.
Besides my convictions, my faith, there are all those women behind me who want what I have.
I can't turn my back on them.
Hooker, I am the minister of children, and it's wonderful, but I want more.
I want my own church someday.
I have been here a year and I haven't even been given the chance to deliver a sermon on Sunday.
But that chance will come.
It will come because I believe, and because I will not compromise my faith or my vows one inch.
(sobs) I'm sorry, Hooker.
God knows how sorry I am.
- I tell ya, Hooker, I never thought I'd see the day when a con would save his neck by confessing.
- Well, maybe he hasn't.
Maybe there's another way to corroborate her identification.
- How do you mean? - We know that Beth won't reveal the confession.
But Pyro doesn't.
- So? - So.
Is Corrigan still at the bar? - Yeah.
- Call Pyro's lawyer.
Tell him to bring him in.
- On what charge? - Rape.
Tell him the lady priest has just agreed to testify to Pyro's confession.
(upbeat rock music) - Keep the change.
- Hey, what's your hurry? - Lawyers.
- Bad news? - Nothin' I can't handle.
Happy trails, Jack.
- Yeah.
- How 'bout me buyin' you a beer, pal? - Some other time, man.
- How 'bout now? (growls) (grunting) (phone ringing) - Hooker? - He get the call? - Yeah.
And I don't think he's going to meet his lawyer.
I'm sure he's headed for the church.
- I'll call Beth right away.
(phone buttons clicking) (phone ringing) (dramatic music) (distorted speaking) (grunting) - On your knees.
Hands behind your neck.
Lace your fingers.
(sighs) - There's this Philly purse snatcher I'm gonna meet some day.
I hope it gives me this kinda satisfaction.
- Just let him swing first, junior.
On your feet.
Thattaway.
(organ music) Father.
- Was good to see you this morning, Hooker.
- Thank you.
If I could hear sermons like the one I heard today, I might be inside every Sunday.
- Be careful, I might take you up on that.
Sergeant.
She did a fine job.
(sighs) - Wanna hear a confession? - I'm afraid that's not in my line of business.
(laughs) - I stole something this morning.
- What? - I thought my knees were going to buckle during that sermon.
I looked down and saw you sitting there, and stole a little strength.
- Oh, then you owe me a favor.
- Oh, Hooker.
Are you telling me you had an ulterior motive for coming this morning? - Maybe a little bit of both.
I need some of your strength.
- Okay, try me.
- One of the guys at the station is having serious family problems.
It's led to booze, and Well, let's just say, if he doesn't get any help, it could lead to the kind of mistakes that get young cops killed.
Or their partners.
- When can I see him? ("T.
J.
Hooker theme" by Mark Snow)
Previous EpisodeNext Episode