The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco (2018) s01e06 Episode Script
Iron in War
1 Previously [HAILEY.]
: That your old cryptogram machine? I was thinking we'd do a partnership.
I'm done living with men.
One up-close look at who you are, what you are, poor gal would run off screaming.
[MILLIE.]
: It's like miniature ticker-tape.
[IRIS.]
: It's some kind of code.
[MILLIE.]
: And no drugs? [JEAN.]
: None that you'd smoke.
[IRIS.]
: Someone was willing to beat a man almost to death in order to get it back.
We're looking for someone who may have come here injured the other night.
How did you find me? Look just a simple Caesar cipher.
Every letter transposed three letters ahead.
You've no idea why I left home.
If you won't talk to me, please talk to the police.
Edward Harcourt? You're under arrest for suspicion of communist conspiracy.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[.]
[MILLIE.]
: My cousin, Edward, is innocent.
Well, your cousin's being charged as a communist.
A communist? Oh! Not for a second! Because you know how to spot a Commie.
We don't, because we don't know any.
Not at home, and sure as hell not here.
What, exactly, are you doing here? We're tourists.
Come to see my cousin, my not-communist, innocent cousin.
Oh, Detective Greene, we're here to see the Redwood Forest and the Golden Gate Bridge.
It's an awful long way for two English ladies to travel by themselves.
I'm Scottish, dearie.
She's Scottish, you dummy.
Where's your return ticket? Well, we thought it best to use an American travel agent to get home.
- Is that so? - Yes.
Of course, only after we've spent our way through your fine city.
We know our rights.
If we're not being charged, I believe you have to release us, yes? [KNOCKING AT DOOR.]
Olivia! What are you doing here? I've been trying to phone you.
Cadence came home with a sore belly, and I was hoping to keep things quiet around here so she could have a lie-down.
I've just typed out an arrest report.
Oh, Lord.
Oh, please tell me that Dennis didn't land himself in any trouble.
It's Edward Harcourt, cousin of your friend, Millie.
He's been charged as a communist conspirator.
You're kidding? Millie and Jean are being interrogated, and nobody hates a red more than our men in blue.
Those women aren't communists.
Right? [PHONE RINGS.]
Oh, that could be Millie and Jean at the station.
Iris, if you're involved, you're painted with the same brush.
And once the police decide you're a traitor, it's heavy lifting to change their minds.
Oh [RINGING.]
Hello? [PERSON ON PHONE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
No, this household isn't interested in any damn encyclopedias.
[SLAMS RECEIVER DOWN.]
We gotta spring out our girls.
Take my advice and keep your distance.
We appreciate the warning, Olivia, but those are decent women.
If we can't see that in each other, then we've got nothing.
[MILLIE.]
: Jean! I'm so sorry they put you through this.
It's over now.
Short of my favourite vegetable, there's nothing further that man could ask me.
Before we are released, I have a right to see my cousin.
Actually, you don't.
[JEAN.]
: Wait a minute.
Our passports are missing.
Held, pending your immigration hearing.
What hearing? When? Three days.
Here's your notices.
You won't need that American travel agent.
You're about to be deported.
[.]
We've got three days to prove our innocence and Edward's, too.
If we're shipped out, he may well rot in jail.
And all because of that Judas.
He sold Edward down the river and we're in hot water.
The last thing we need is him making things worse.
[BRYCE.]
: Oh, for God's sake.
Millie, what are you still doing here? - Oh! - You know exactly why I'm here.
You betrayed our trust.
At least by being deported, means I never have to clap eyes on you again.
Millie, I had nothing to do with You were the only authority my cousin spoke to, and the next day, he's hauled in here on trumped-up charges! Political crimes, not my department! So you went and told your friends.
They must have their own reasons.
And from what he told me, you two barely know each other.
He's family, Bill.
Go to hell.
Come on, Jean! What if he's right? What if Edward is a communist? Oh, Jean, my cousin makes a small fortune renting rooms across the city.
No landlord supports Marxist ideology.
Edward trusted Bill enough to tell him he was a homosexual.
That's why they did this, and why we're going to fix it.
We know Rusty was meant to meet somebody at that diner.
[JEAN.]
: But instead the poor man was chased down and beaten in a case of mistaken identity.
[MILLIE.]
: We know Hailey found a code [JEAN.]
: Which points to a dockyard rendezvous, where the drugs would be exchanged.
Well, it all stems from Rusty and that diner.
A front for drug trafficking? Or a drug dealer's base-camp.
I'm gonna go have a milkshake, see if I can work out who might be the lynchpin.
I'll get Hailey to drive us to Rusty, find out what he knows about the place, and work out his political leanings.
Come on.
And your father and I are proud of your passion for the cause, Dennis.
I just wish you'd put some of that zeal into an after-school job.
If you want a leg up in the world, now's the time.
My GPA's 4.
0.
Rallies are moving to Berkeley, so that's a lot of travel Protest rallies won't put spending money in your pocket, little man.
"Little man"! I like it.
Oh, no, I'm Big Man today.
- [GIGGLES.]
- New placards.
Ah.
"Whose city? Our city.
" Denny, I love it.
Hello there.
Mom, this is Miriam.
Uh, pleasure to meet you, Mrs.
Bearden.
Dennis has told me so much about you.
Uh, "press on.
" - That's what Dr.
King said.
- Hmm.
"And keep on pressing.
If you can't fly, run.
" "If you can't run, walk.
" "And if you can't walk, crawl.
" This man is sparking a wave.
And we're part of it, see? It's in the back, below the fold, but one day, we'll be front-page news.
So long as it's not because the riot police were called in.
We know the rules, Mom.
Self-defence only.
Watch this.
Three knuckles to the sternum takes a man down every time.
Yeah? [GIGGLES.]
[DENNIS.]
: And pressing on.
- Do you want to help? - Yeah.
Okay.
[MIRIAM GIGGLES.]
- Um - Oh, thanks.
[COUPLE CHATTING INDISTINCTLY.]
Yeah, I thought Why is it "stupid"? I say Edward did the right thing, putting out a warning ad.
And got beaten half to death just like you.
So we stop protecting each other? No, we double down on anonymity, we go back to word of mouth, phone trees.
It worked before, it will work again.
[KNOCKING.]
Spence.
Come on in.
We're not Spence.
And you're not welcome here, either.
We need to have a word with Rusty.
This is a private home.
You cannot walk in here like this.
This lady's the one who saved Rusty's bacon.
All we want is two minutes.
Meeting's over, fellas.
[PAUL.]
: Same time tomorrow.
Bring your old phone numbers.
We'll try to rebuild that tree.
[MEN MURMURING.]
Edward has been arrested on a charge of communist conspiracy.
Now, for his sake [SIGHS.]
Your meetings your group I have to ask.
You think we're communists? The Bolshies persecute men like us.
If this is why you're here - To accuse us - Hold your horses and listen up.
They got Edward in for being a red, but it's a bogus charge.
And a difficult one to fight.
That's why we need your help.
Now, Edward's cousin and I are about to be deported, and if that happens before we can clear his name, he's done for.
We can't get involved.
You already are.
If they make headway on him, they'll go after you all next.
Secret meetings codes in the newspapers.
We're not communists! We know.
We also know they're after Edward to name names, break up your little coterie.
Only he's a decent man and won't talk.
That's why, gentlemen you will.
[.]
Hmm.
Let's find you a leg up, little man.
[.]
Another code.
[HAILEY.]
: Why can't you just tell the truth? [PAUL.]
: If we stand up to the police, we show our true colours, they might not arrest us today, but down the road, they'll be raiding our homes, bars, the places that we meet.
We'll be thrown in paddy-wagons, we'll be arrested.
If you help your friend get out, you're not fighting with one hand behind your back.
Edward is not an active member.
He was looking to return.
He showed up that night at the diner.
Saw that message in the newspaper, figured there was a new member looking to join.
Come on, Rusty.
He was looking for a date.
Guess what, Paul? I'm the one got my face kicked in.
And if he's in the station getting worse for protecting us, he's a better man than you.
So what is this group that Edward's not a member of? We're called the Mattachine Society.
"Mattachine"? Our founder, Harry Hay, was a Marxist.
We have nothing to do with that now.
We fight police entrapment, offer ways to connect.
We want to show the world that we are the same as everyone else.
And until that day comes, we keep underground, so our members can gather without fear of persecution.
And Edward? He and I have a history.
Truth be told, he broke my heart.
But Paul's right.
We all took oaths to protect the Mattachine.
Even Edward wouldn't compromise that.
[PAUL.]
: We deny knowing him, you, all of it.
You're cowards.
We're survivors.
The first and only homophile organization still standing.
[.]
I would like a packet of Haymaker cigarettes, please.
Word is, you sell them or know someone who does.
Let me see if we've got them.
[.]
Slim doesn't do retail, and if he sees you again, he says it'll be a problem.
Is this Slim's place? Hell, no.
It's just his centre of gravity these days.
Mm.
I was a waitress for years.
Bowing and scraping, on my feet for hours, smile painted on, but just because I take orders doesn't mean I take orders.
It looked to me like you weren't too happy taking orders from Slim.
I would be really grateful if you would tell me who moves the Haymakers.
Haymakers are tip of the iceberg.
[MILLIE INHALES SHARPLY.]
[.]
[IRIS.]
: "In town short time.
Looking for friends.
" Oh, you sure are hungry for a girl with a stomach ache.
It went away.
Did it, now? And what was making it hurt? Sally's mom said Vietnam's not our beeswax, said Daddy shouldn't be there.
Well, who cares what she says? I do.
It made me so mad, I threw Sally's lunchbox in a tree.
A tree? Took me three times, but I got it.
Cadence.
Miss Henson made me sit out recess.
Good! Honey, your father's a patriot, just doing as his country asks.
You pay her no mind.
Be easier if Daddy would write to tell us he's okay.
I'm sure he has, it just hasn't gotten here yet.
I know missing him makes you sad, but you can't let Sally or anyone else get under your skin like that.
[GASPS.]
Oops! Sorry, Mommy.
I wrecked it.
[.]
No, baby You cracked it wide open.
[HAILEY.]
: The thing is, if they're so hush-hush about everything, how did Edward get attacked in his own apartment? Well, I think they mistook him for someone else.
A waitress at the diner called "Cherry" told me told me there are two sides to the operation the dealers never mix with the suppliers.
They use a go-between.
"Left hand never knows the right" type of thing.
Exactly.
I think whoever beat up those men thought they were the couriers.
So we look for the go-between? Well, Cherry said they only ever go to the diner when there's a hand-off, but she's pretty sure some of the men don't just meet at the cedar mill, they work there, too.
So we go back, see what we can find.
[KNOCKING.]
Hey, Sarge.
Cadence feeling better? Yes.
Now I'm the one with a sick stomach.
Found another ad, same Caesar cipher as before.
"In town short time.
Looking for friends.
Box 302.
" Another man looking for company.
Well, we've got to warn them straight away.
But we don't know how.
We do.
I didn't see it at first, 'cause I was too close to the problem, but when you step back, see it as a whole, you see this this this this random letters in bold, and when I extracted them Ooh! You got an address.
Yes, and a name Curtis Dresker, 134 Miller Ave.
So I applied my theory to the classifieds where Edward posted his ad.
Same bold letters, only this time, they spell out Edward's name and his address.
So that's how they tracked him down.
Agony column, indeed.
Someone is exposing the men who place these ads, and taking a lot of trouble to do so.
This Curtis Dresker places an ad, then someone goes and tells the world where to find him.
We gotta go warn him.
And I've got to go and see Edward.
Oh, uh, give him this it's just a few things.
Iris.
Thank you.
[.]
[THUMPING ON DOOR.]
[IRIS.]
: Mr Dresker.
Mr.
Dresker! Mr.
Dresker, are you there? [GASPS.]
They were waiting in the shadows they shoved me inside the second I got home.
My mother will flip her wig.
We're not telling her anything.
A friend was also attacked.
We just need some help figuring out who would do this.
I never saw their faces.
They just kept coming at me, asking, "Whose man are you? Whose man are you?" Do you have any ideas? Well, the whole point is, I'm nobody's man.
Has anyone asked you to carry any packages to the cedar mill? Drugs? Cigarettes? No.
I'm just home from USC.
Here for clean laundry, raid the fridge.
University of Southern California.
It's in Los Angeles.
So you don't use the local classifieds.
Not till I got here.
And I tell you, I won't be back anytime soon.
Excuse me.
[.]
They're lucky I wasn't here.
You're lucky.
These men obviously meant business.
They could've killed him.
And for what? For being who he is? Loving whoever he does? You said we gotta believe in each other.
I hope you'll still believe in me.
That's why there's good reason, sometimes, to keep things under wraps.
[THUD.]
Visitor list says "lawyer only".
It's right here, in his file.
All right then.
Who's his lawyer? Ma'am, your cousin's charged with conspiracy.
Not one attorney in the whole city's gonna touch that hot potato.
Don't you worry, Edward Harcourt's tucked up in his cell, all safe and sound.
Who do you work for? What gang are you with? [BLOWS LANDING.]
Who do you work for? Communist conspiracy is the charge the police use when they have nothing else on these gentlemen.
Stands to reason.
If you're a pervert, you must be a traitor, right? [IRIS.]
: The attack instructions encoded in the classifieds to control that, you'd have to buy up the whole page.
Or bribe a typesetter.
Hailey, you worked at the press a while.
Midnight repairs.
Got to know the classifieds typesetters.
One guy would accept a dollar for prime placement.
Might've done more.
[JEAN.]
: That's brilliant.
You see what he can tell you.
Millie and I will visit the mill tomorrow, smoke out these drug dealers, if you'll excuse the pun.
[CURTIS CLEARS HIS THROAT.]
[IRIS.]
: You'll be okay here? Yeah.
Good luck figuring this all out.
And thank you.
Take care.
[WHISTLE BLOWS.]
[JEAN.]
: It's true, I couldn't fathom a return to England now.
We've got two days to fix this and help your cousin.
It's high time I did.
Growing up, we used to spend every summer together.
He and I would have a whale of a good time, but the other children, they they could see there was something about him.
They used to call him "Dandy Eddie.
" I owe him this fight now.
Well, well The broken-down ladies.
Well, no longer, thanks to you.
[MILLIE.]
: A few treats to get you through your night shift.
My friend here says she'd still be stranded if it weren't for the magic you worked on her engine.
It's roast beef.
And no offence if you want to share it here with Brutus.
I'm sure he works very hard to keep you safe.
[CHUCKLES.]
From seagulls, mostly.
Oh, is that so? Here, it's just logs coming in, and the shingles shipping out.
No, not quite.
The night we met, my friend here was accosted.
What? - Why didn't you say something? - Well, we went to the police to find justice, but they, uh they just want witnesses.
Any hunches about the nearby riff-raff? Well, I don't know anything but I would start with a gander over by shed 28.
But let me tell you, they're worse than this dog here.
Well, you're the better man.
We won't forget it.
I wish you would.
Ladies.
[.]
About what you said yesterday I was riled up and seeing red.
And with good reason.
All I can say is, I don't see a picket fence in my future.
But why do you have to say so? So you're telling me to clam up? I've seen my share of bigoted and narrow-minded fools.
I can't hide the colour of my skin, but you? No one needs to know this.
You think I'm ugly on the inside, and I should keep it that way.
No! [STAMMERS.]
[BELL RINGING.]
Shift change.
Better get a move on.
Hailey.
[SIGHS.]
Oh.
[.]
That's the dealer we gave the heroin to.
He's taking something else.
Yes.
From Bill bloody Bryce! He's a cad and a liar, and, clearly, also a crook.
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH.]
[HAILEY.]
: Mitch Bloom, as I live and breathe.
Hailey Yarner! Ain't this a treat! Great to see you, old man.
Hey, back atcha.
Uh, meet Iris, she's apprenticing.
Oh.
Good thing we caught you before you started up.
You know Bing in security? Turns out he'd been poking around here, pushed a few buttons and, uh You give a guy a badge and, suddenly, he's Dick Tracy, solving problems that don't need fixing.
Bing's paying for this out of his own pocket, so he'd appreciate if we keep it to ourselves.
[MITCH.]
: Sure.
Well, have at it.
You, uh you don't want to see her in action? Oh, not when I can see all this.
The reporters get all the credit, but no paper gets printed without men like you.
Oh, you got that right.
Quite a feat, building the classifieds.
As many words as the rest of the paper put together.
Hmm! Now, the ads are mailed in or dropped off.
And me, I sort 'em into categories.
Now, if they drop it off, do they give an address? Yeah, or a phone number, sure.
In case I got questions.
Quite a responsibility being keeper of all that private information.
Well, maybe for your type.
Me, uh, I'm on top of it.
Good.
Otherwise it could pose quite a problem, if those personal details got into the wrong hands.
Mm-hmm.
And if one's too bold it could give readers the wrong message.
What are What are you doing? Learning about your job, Mr.
Bloom.
Are Are you with them? Come now.
You're a smart man.
All right.
Listen.
You tell the Order Facherre I-I know how to do my job.
That was a one-time mistake.
I'm on top of it now.
Order Facherre.
Okay then.
You're not with them, are you? What the hell is your game, lady? All good! Capital "A" was jammed.
Everything good out here? That machine wasn't broken.
So what's your racket, Yarner? Course it was.
All fixed now.
See for yourself.
I'm calling Bing.
Be our guest.
Take care, Mitch.
Nice getting to know you.
[.]
Hailey Hailey.
It's good news.
We got name of the operation Order Facherre.
It's something.
He's got something to hide.
And according to you, so do I.
You looked me dead in the eye, told me I should cover up everything about myself.
Oh, Hailey.
Not everything.
Just Just everything that matters.
Hailey Hailey! That stuff, it doesn't matter, and broadcasting it, it well, it only hurts you.
What kind of girl goes and does that? Me.
I'm that kind of girl.
I see the girls who who marry a lie, gussy themselves up, get themselves a tidy little life.
Only, inside they die.
That what you want for me? Huh? Sarge.
I'm [SNIFFLES.]
I'm I like women.
In ways that I shouldn't, but so much so, I stopped giving a damn.
And I know you're worried about me saying it out loud, worried the truth'll go and wreck everything.
But not saying it, that's wrecking me worse, in a million different ways, and I - [ENGINE REVVING.]
- Hailey! Oh! [GASPING.]
Hailey, girl, you all right? Yeah.
You see who was driving that? I did.
Your old friend, Mitch.
I didn't even see the car.
And if Iris hadn't pushed us out of the way Bam! We'd have been creamed right there in the street.
Motherly instincts, nothing more.
Well, thank heaven for that.
We're into deadly waters here.
Why would they want to attack you? Well, maybe he didn't want to.
Maybe this Order Facherre is behind this.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? Just saw the accident report.
Are you okay? It was no accident.
Olivia, what are the charges, attempted murder? That's the thing.
The report was on my desk.
I stepped away before filing it, and when I came back, it had disappeared.
So the police are covering this up.
Yes.
And you're getting in too deep.
If we stop now, Olivia, our friends'll be tossed out of the country, and Edward Harcourt may well rot in prison.
Can Olivia get a message to Edward? He might know about the Order Facherre.
Can you get a message to Edward? Not a chance.
But you might.
[WEBB.]
: Your new lawyer is here.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Thank you, Officer.
If I might have some time with my client? Bottom of the barrel, Harcourt.
You got two minutes.
Iris Bearden.
I'm a friend of Millie's.
You're no solicitor.
No, but you might say I'm here representing your cousin.
She says to tell you that she's sorry about "Dandy Eddie".
She wants to make it up to you.
I heard some goss about deportation.
We're fighting on all fronts.
Now we know about the Mattachine Society, how the three of you men were attacked.
There's been three now? I need to know what you can tell me about the Order Facherre.
Some kind of city gang, a secret society.
No idea.
You may not be the only one wishing I knew.
A cop keeps trying to beat the information out of me.
"What gang do you work for?" "Who are you with?" "What gang?" He asks that? He wants to know how I cracked their newspaper code.
The only code I know is the one the Mattachine uses.
Why don't you just tell them what you're about? The whole point is that men are anonymous, otherwise men would lose their jobs, families, lives.
That's why I posted the ad warning them.
That someone was using the papers to target Mattachinos.
So figure out what the hell hornet's nest I've gone and kicked.
And quick! Ahem.
[IRIS.]
: These thugs are in with this Order Facherre.
They keep pressuring your cousin to tell them how he cracked their code.
[JEAN.]
: My guess is two groups are using the same cipher to pass on their own secret information.
And maybe the wires got crossed.
I never saw any other ads, but then I was only looking in the "Help Wanted" section.
So we need to look for that second wire.
Exactly.
[.]
[JEAN.]
: Don't read the obituaries.
It's been too long between letters.
Your husband's coming home.
He better.
Or I'll kill him.
[.]
I don't know what I'm looking for, but I think I found it.
In the "For Sale" section.
Like the Mattachine cipher.
There's another one here, also in the "For Sale" section.
What's it say? "Ablemen for Haymaker.
" [HAILEY.]
: Hmm.
"Haymaker" is code for "heroin.
" So "ableman" could be a drug courier.
Mitch did tell me that he made one mistake in the typesetting.
So maybe he put the right cipher in the wrong section.
This one says "Cyclone set for Ableman.
" They've built their own lexicon.
So we need to go through their ads, decipher them, chart their lexicon, and then tease out the meanings.
Then use their words against them.
Two groups using the same cipher and the weak one gets Lordy bleeding crackers! Millie? How dare you? I have been looking for you everywhere.
Why don't you put that energy into solving a crime instead of committing one? I'm no crooked cop.
We saw you at the cedar mill, with a drug dealer! I was giving intel to an undercover cop! You're one of them, being paid off by the Order Facherre.
[BRYCE.]
: You mean "Audere Facere"? Exactly.
Don't deny it.
I won't.
They do pay me.
I knew it! [BRYCE.]
: "Audere Facere" is part of our force's motto "Audere est facere, servire est defendere" "to dare is to do, to defend is to serve.
" [MILLIE.]
: We thought that some of you were on the take, but we never dreamed that the police were the actual source.
If the police are the Audere Facere, then who can we trust? Me.
Hey, Mitch.
[.]
Okay, look, look I can explain I ought to bust your face in.
You tried to kill us.
I didn't have a choice! They would've killed me if they found out I gave up their name.
One of your friends "lost" your attempted homicide file.
[BRYCE.]
: But I'm not your friend.
I'll march a new file straight to the judge.
Or you tell us who we're looking for.
I don't know! Look.
I'd get these calls for ads I was supposed to put in the paper, no clue what they say, I just place them as I'm told.
Only, this one time, I put an ad in the wrong section "Help Wanted" instead of "For Sale"? Yeah! Stupid mistake.
Nearly got me killed.
They said it exposed them to another group, a rival gang, I-I don't know who and I doubt they did either.
So they got you doing their dirty work.
Oh, I know the addresses of the men who posted they had me do these crazy codes over a whole page, bolded letters I had to typeset myself.
A message telling someone where to go and make a little mayhem.
I swear, the typesetting's all I did, and all I know.
Well, you're gonna do more, starting with placing another ad in the paper for us.
You think we can smoke 'em out? If they think there's a rival gang, we'll be that gang.
[PAUL.]
: So it's one more ad in the paper.
Another nuisance you should ignore.
Another honey trap.
You couldn't save yourself.
Do you really think you can save someone else? Well, I can try.
Another innocent bachelor they lure out so they can bash his teeth in? This is no way to protect men like us.
Well, staying at home sure isn't either! Rusty! [DOOR BANGS.]
[SIGHS.]
"Ableman" is a courier.
"Haymaker" is a pack of heroin.
"Cyclone" means the drop-off point.
"Slim" is the man who organizes it.
Then there's "grenade," "cloister" [WEARILY.]
: Ooh.
Cherry helped out with a few of the meanings, but there's still some we haven't worked out yet.
What is "horse"? What's "wild mouse"? Horse is heroin.
Maybe in a different form than the Haymaker pack.
Thanks for this, Archie.
I've lost a few friends to the stuff.
I want this junk off the street, same as you.
Well, if we've managed to bait the Audere Facere, convince them that we're the gang they're after You're women.
They'll take one look at you And never see it coming.
Doesn't feel right, you ladies out front, us fellows in the back.
They'll come armed and looking to fight.
Until they see a group of women, then we'll tickle a confession out of them, and we're off to the races.
All right.
The moment your detective friend gets what he needs, I'll flick the door-light.
We'll wrap it up and then Bryce can walk the evidence to his Police Chief.
[BRYCE.]
: All done.
We're ready.
[.]
I'll stay out, so no one else gets in.
[.]
Carl I thought we were coming to take down some rival boys.
[HAILEY.]
: We offered up that fun-fest to get your attention.
Looks like it worked.
[WHISPERING.]
: Carl Feenie, I get.
Always figured he was a cop on the take.
But Webb? I work alongside him in Homicide.
Ain't you the lawyer? Chasing ambulances and police cars.
This is some kind of joke.
No joke.
Just business.
With you? [HAILEY.]
: We're representatives.
You know like Tupperware girls.
[CHAIR SCRAPES FLOOR.]
Let's get down to it.
[.]
[CLICK.]
[CARL.]
: You were at the mill.
[MILLIE.]
: We were.
Part of a giant misunderstanding.
"Misunderstanding"? I could've broken you in half.
You two were with that commie pervert when I arrested him.
He's her cousin, and a good man.
[MILLIE.]
: He runs the drugs for Slim, just like us.
[CARL.]
: It all makes sense now.
You, your cousin, these broads you're all in league.
You bet we are.
Now, that's gumption.
No one ever expects a skirt.
That's why Slim hired us.
[.]
We're not your competition.
We're part of the same game.
Like you said no one ever expects a skirt.
You've been going after your own mules, all because of a misunderstanding.
And we want the beatings to stop.
[NOTES PLAYING.]
Slim never said anything about expanding the horse crew.
- [PIANO PLAYING.]
- Slim had us deliver the heroin from the coiled code.
[CARL.]
: Why don't we get Slim on the phone? - Get his take on this.
- [THUD.]
It's in need of tuning don't you think? And Slim taught you the code? Of course.
"Haymakers" is the code for "heroin".
And we're the "able men.
" [MILLIE.]
: Now we're on the same page, let's talk about how we can best serve What's "wild mouse"? Sorry? [CARL.]
: I don't know you from Adam, lady, any of you, except for you claim to know the inside track.
You tell me what "wild mouse" is, we talk.
If you have to ask, I'm not sure you should know.
Wild mouse Or we blow this up.
[.]
It's not a what, it's a where.
Shed 42 where you and I first met.
We've run heroin through the sawmill for years, and have eyes on Oakland.
We don't work with our competition, we eliminate it.
Now, we'll rely on you to keep an ear to the ground.
You hear about anyone making a run for our trade, we'll wipe 'em out.
[MILLIE.]
: Slim will be happy about that.
[WEBB.]
: Any slip-up, and you'll be on a slow boat to Blighty.
You want your cousin outta jail and out of a casket you'll tell Slim to get in touch to confirm this arrangement.
You got that? We will relay that to him.
[.]
[DOOR THUDS.]
[GREENE.]
: Figured you'd learned your lesson.
It's time we put you down for good.
[RUSTY GASPING.]
Look what I found sniffing around.
- What the hell is this? - I-I don't know anything! He's got no clue.
[CHAIR CLATTERS.]
Then we've got a problem.
Carl! You're gonna want to put that down.
Nobody moves! We've been had.
You damn broads! Bill Bryce You shouldn't be a hero.
[BRYCE CRIES OUT.]
[GROANING.]
Iris! Take this! - [SHOTS BLASTING.]
- [HAILEY.]
: Sarge! [SPRITZING.]
[GASPS.]
[HAILEY GRUNTS.]
[GRUNTING.]
[HAILEY YELPS.]
[WEBB GASPS.]
[STRUGGLES CONTINUING.]
Get off her! Now! [.]
Hand it over or you're gonna regret it.
You stay right there.
What're you gonna do, faggot? Shoot me? [FIRES.]
Oh! Oh! Yup.
Oh! We have to get you out of here.
I tell you what next time you want to invite me to join your activities How about we make it croquet? [MILLIE LAUGHS.]
[.]
Oh! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? - Oh! - [EDDIE GASPS AND GROANS.]
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Sorry, Eddie.
[CHUCKLING.]
No.
Not to worry.
How did you do it? I had some help.
Including your friend, Rusty.
I think he's rather fond of you.
Come on.
Let's get you home.
There's somewhere I need to go first.
And seeing those officers behind bars means a few good strides for our community.
For our rights.
May we all have the courage that Rusty has shown.
To Rusty.
[ALL CLINKING.]
[.]
[EDDIE TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND SIGHS.]
My hero.
Mommy! It's a letter! Whoa! Slow down there, Cadence! Mommy, I knew he'd write.
Didn't I say? You did! Now, go run and get the buns.
[MARCUS, WRITING.]
: "Iris of my eye "You're how I see the world.
I have so much to tell you.
" [DENNIS GIGGLING.]
"Negotiations are poor.
"President Diem announced a new constitution that lets him suspend all manner of civil rights.
" Is she what you expected? [IRIS.]
: She isn't.
But we are who we are.
We love who we love.
[.]
Tomorrow, I'll get back to working on that machine of yours.
"Of ours.
" We're in it together.
[CADENCE.]
: Oops! Oh! I got it.
[MARCUS, WRITING.]
: "But fighting for civility, "equality folks here hold onto that.
" Thank you, Archie.
What, for today? For everything.
You were great, Archie.
Truth be told, I kind of enjoyed myself.
And you wear it well.
[CLINK.]
Jean [MARCUS.]
: "One bright spot a cat I call Chairman Meow" "Sleeps in my quarters, or I'm in his, since it's not my country.
" Oh, Olivia, thank you so much.
I couldn't've done what Iris and Hailey did for you, but I'm glad you're free to leave whenever you want.
Only I hope we don't have to.
How's Detective Bryce? Mm, stable and improving.
He'll be ready for visitors in a couple of days.
Well, that should give us some breathing space.
And time to go and see the Redwood Forest.
[LAUGHS.]
[IMITATING JEAN.]
: "Oh, Detective Greene.
We're only here to see the Redwood Forest.
" [MARCUS.]
: "We find friends in the strangest places, solace that gets us" [IRIS, OVERLAPPING.]
: "Through the loneliest day, the deepest struggle.
The worst, of course is being away from you all.
" [IRIS, READING SOLO.]
: "My love to Dennis and Cadence.
I pray you're tucked in cozy, on the safe side of the world.
Your loving husband Marcus.
" [.]
: That your old cryptogram machine? I was thinking we'd do a partnership.
I'm done living with men.
One up-close look at who you are, what you are, poor gal would run off screaming.
[MILLIE.]
: It's like miniature ticker-tape.
[IRIS.]
: It's some kind of code.
[MILLIE.]
: And no drugs? [JEAN.]
: None that you'd smoke.
[IRIS.]
: Someone was willing to beat a man almost to death in order to get it back.
We're looking for someone who may have come here injured the other night.
How did you find me? Look just a simple Caesar cipher.
Every letter transposed three letters ahead.
You've no idea why I left home.
If you won't talk to me, please talk to the police.
Edward Harcourt? You're under arrest for suspicion of communist conspiracy.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[.]
[MILLIE.]
: My cousin, Edward, is innocent.
Well, your cousin's being charged as a communist.
A communist? Oh! Not for a second! Because you know how to spot a Commie.
We don't, because we don't know any.
Not at home, and sure as hell not here.
What, exactly, are you doing here? We're tourists.
Come to see my cousin, my not-communist, innocent cousin.
Oh, Detective Greene, we're here to see the Redwood Forest and the Golden Gate Bridge.
It's an awful long way for two English ladies to travel by themselves.
I'm Scottish, dearie.
She's Scottish, you dummy.
Where's your return ticket? Well, we thought it best to use an American travel agent to get home.
- Is that so? - Yes.
Of course, only after we've spent our way through your fine city.
We know our rights.
If we're not being charged, I believe you have to release us, yes? [KNOCKING AT DOOR.]
Olivia! What are you doing here? I've been trying to phone you.
Cadence came home with a sore belly, and I was hoping to keep things quiet around here so she could have a lie-down.
I've just typed out an arrest report.
Oh, Lord.
Oh, please tell me that Dennis didn't land himself in any trouble.
It's Edward Harcourt, cousin of your friend, Millie.
He's been charged as a communist conspirator.
You're kidding? Millie and Jean are being interrogated, and nobody hates a red more than our men in blue.
Those women aren't communists.
Right? [PHONE RINGS.]
Oh, that could be Millie and Jean at the station.
Iris, if you're involved, you're painted with the same brush.
And once the police decide you're a traitor, it's heavy lifting to change their minds.
Oh [RINGING.]
Hello? [PERSON ON PHONE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
No, this household isn't interested in any damn encyclopedias.
[SLAMS RECEIVER DOWN.]
We gotta spring out our girls.
Take my advice and keep your distance.
We appreciate the warning, Olivia, but those are decent women.
If we can't see that in each other, then we've got nothing.
[MILLIE.]
: Jean! I'm so sorry they put you through this.
It's over now.
Short of my favourite vegetable, there's nothing further that man could ask me.
Before we are released, I have a right to see my cousin.
Actually, you don't.
[JEAN.]
: Wait a minute.
Our passports are missing.
Held, pending your immigration hearing.
What hearing? When? Three days.
Here's your notices.
You won't need that American travel agent.
You're about to be deported.
[.]
We've got three days to prove our innocence and Edward's, too.
If we're shipped out, he may well rot in jail.
And all because of that Judas.
He sold Edward down the river and we're in hot water.
The last thing we need is him making things worse.
[BRYCE.]
: Oh, for God's sake.
Millie, what are you still doing here? - Oh! - You know exactly why I'm here.
You betrayed our trust.
At least by being deported, means I never have to clap eyes on you again.
Millie, I had nothing to do with You were the only authority my cousin spoke to, and the next day, he's hauled in here on trumped-up charges! Political crimes, not my department! So you went and told your friends.
They must have their own reasons.
And from what he told me, you two barely know each other.
He's family, Bill.
Go to hell.
Come on, Jean! What if he's right? What if Edward is a communist? Oh, Jean, my cousin makes a small fortune renting rooms across the city.
No landlord supports Marxist ideology.
Edward trusted Bill enough to tell him he was a homosexual.
That's why they did this, and why we're going to fix it.
We know Rusty was meant to meet somebody at that diner.
[JEAN.]
: But instead the poor man was chased down and beaten in a case of mistaken identity.
[MILLIE.]
: We know Hailey found a code [JEAN.]
: Which points to a dockyard rendezvous, where the drugs would be exchanged.
Well, it all stems from Rusty and that diner.
A front for drug trafficking? Or a drug dealer's base-camp.
I'm gonna go have a milkshake, see if I can work out who might be the lynchpin.
I'll get Hailey to drive us to Rusty, find out what he knows about the place, and work out his political leanings.
Come on.
And your father and I are proud of your passion for the cause, Dennis.
I just wish you'd put some of that zeal into an after-school job.
If you want a leg up in the world, now's the time.
My GPA's 4.
0.
Rallies are moving to Berkeley, so that's a lot of travel Protest rallies won't put spending money in your pocket, little man.
"Little man"! I like it.
Oh, no, I'm Big Man today.
- [GIGGLES.]
- New placards.
Ah.
"Whose city? Our city.
" Denny, I love it.
Hello there.
Mom, this is Miriam.
Uh, pleasure to meet you, Mrs.
Bearden.
Dennis has told me so much about you.
Uh, "press on.
" - That's what Dr.
King said.
- Hmm.
"And keep on pressing.
If you can't fly, run.
" "If you can't run, walk.
" "And if you can't walk, crawl.
" This man is sparking a wave.
And we're part of it, see? It's in the back, below the fold, but one day, we'll be front-page news.
So long as it's not because the riot police were called in.
We know the rules, Mom.
Self-defence only.
Watch this.
Three knuckles to the sternum takes a man down every time.
Yeah? [GIGGLES.]
[DENNIS.]
: And pressing on.
- Do you want to help? - Yeah.
Okay.
[MIRIAM GIGGLES.]
- Um - Oh, thanks.
[COUPLE CHATTING INDISTINCTLY.]
Yeah, I thought Why is it "stupid"? I say Edward did the right thing, putting out a warning ad.
And got beaten half to death just like you.
So we stop protecting each other? No, we double down on anonymity, we go back to word of mouth, phone trees.
It worked before, it will work again.
[KNOCKING.]
Spence.
Come on in.
We're not Spence.
And you're not welcome here, either.
We need to have a word with Rusty.
This is a private home.
You cannot walk in here like this.
This lady's the one who saved Rusty's bacon.
All we want is two minutes.
Meeting's over, fellas.
[PAUL.]
: Same time tomorrow.
Bring your old phone numbers.
We'll try to rebuild that tree.
[MEN MURMURING.]
Edward has been arrested on a charge of communist conspiracy.
Now, for his sake [SIGHS.]
Your meetings your group I have to ask.
You think we're communists? The Bolshies persecute men like us.
If this is why you're here - To accuse us - Hold your horses and listen up.
They got Edward in for being a red, but it's a bogus charge.
And a difficult one to fight.
That's why we need your help.
Now, Edward's cousin and I are about to be deported, and if that happens before we can clear his name, he's done for.
We can't get involved.
You already are.
If they make headway on him, they'll go after you all next.
Secret meetings codes in the newspapers.
We're not communists! We know.
We also know they're after Edward to name names, break up your little coterie.
Only he's a decent man and won't talk.
That's why, gentlemen you will.
[.]
Hmm.
Let's find you a leg up, little man.
[.]
Another code.
[HAILEY.]
: Why can't you just tell the truth? [PAUL.]
: If we stand up to the police, we show our true colours, they might not arrest us today, but down the road, they'll be raiding our homes, bars, the places that we meet.
We'll be thrown in paddy-wagons, we'll be arrested.
If you help your friend get out, you're not fighting with one hand behind your back.
Edward is not an active member.
He was looking to return.
He showed up that night at the diner.
Saw that message in the newspaper, figured there was a new member looking to join.
Come on, Rusty.
He was looking for a date.
Guess what, Paul? I'm the one got my face kicked in.
And if he's in the station getting worse for protecting us, he's a better man than you.
So what is this group that Edward's not a member of? We're called the Mattachine Society.
"Mattachine"? Our founder, Harry Hay, was a Marxist.
We have nothing to do with that now.
We fight police entrapment, offer ways to connect.
We want to show the world that we are the same as everyone else.
And until that day comes, we keep underground, so our members can gather without fear of persecution.
And Edward? He and I have a history.
Truth be told, he broke my heart.
But Paul's right.
We all took oaths to protect the Mattachine.
Even Edward wouldn't compromise that.
[PAUL.]
: We deny knowing him, you, all of it.
You're cowards.
We're survivors.
The first and only homophile organization still standing.
[.]
I would like a packet of Haymaker cigarettes, please.
Word is, you sell them or know someone who does.
Let me see if we've got them.
[.]
Slim doesn't do retail, and if he sees you again, he says it'll be a problem.
Is this Slim's place? Hell, no.
It's just his centre of gravity these days.
Mm.
I was a waitress for years.
Bowing and scraping, on my feet for hours, smile painted on, but just because I take orders doesn't mean I take orders.
It looked to me like you weren't too happy taking orders from Slim.
I would be really grateful if you would tell me who moves the Haymakers.
Haymakers are tip of the iceberg.
[MILLIE INHALES SHARPLY.]
[.]
[IRIS.]
: "In town short time.
Looking for friends.
" Oh, you sure are hungry for a girl with a stomach ache.
It went away.
Did it, now? And what was making it hurt? Sally's mom said Vietnam's not our beeswax, said Daddy shouldn't be there.
Well, who cares what she says? I do.
It made me so mad, I threw Sally's lunchbox in a tree.
A tree? Took me three times, but I got it.
Cadence.
Miss Henson made me sit out recess.
Good! Honey, your father's a patriot, just doing as his country asks.
You pay her no mind.
Be easier if Daddy would write to tell us he's okay.
I'm sure he has, it just hasn't gotten here yet.
I know missing him makes you sad, but you can't let Sally or anyone else get under your skin like that.
[GASPS.]
Oops! Sorry, Mommy.
I wrecked it.
[.]
No, baby You cracked it wide open.
[HAILEY.]
: The thing is, if they're so hush-hush about everything, how did Edward get attacked in his own apartment? Well, I think they mistook him for someone else.
A waitress at the diner called "Cherry" told me told me there are two sides to the operation the dealers never mix with the suppliers.
They use a go-between.
"Left hand never knows the right" type of thing.
Exactly.
I think whoever beat up those men thought they were the couriers.
So we look for the go-between? Well, Cherry said they only ever go to the diner when there's a hand-off, but she's pretty sure some of the men don't just meet at the cedar mill, they work there, too.
So we go back, see what we can find.
[KNOCKING.]
Hey, Sarge.
Cadence feeling better? Yes.
Now I'm the one with a sick stomach.
Found another ad, same Caesar cipher as before.
"In town short time.
Looking for friends.
Box 302.
" Another man looking for company.
Well, we've got to warn them straight away.
But we don't know how.
We do.
I didn't see it at first, 'cause I was too close to the problem, but when you step back, see it as a whole, you see this this this this random letters in bold, and when I extracted them Ooh! You got an address.
Yes, and a name Curtis Dresker, 134 Miller Ave.
So I applied my theory to the classifieds where Edward posted his ad.
Same bold letters, only this time, they spell out Edward's name and his address.
So that's how they tracked him down.
Agony column, indeed.
Someone is exposing the men who place these ads, and taking a lot of trouble to do so.
This Curtis Dresker places an ad, then someone goes and tells the world where to find him.
We gotta go warn him.
And I've got to go and see Edward.
Oh, uh, give him this it's just a few things.
Iris.
Thank you.
[.]
[THUMPING ON DOOR.]
[IRIS.]
: Mr Dresker.
Mr.
Dresker! Mr.
Dresker, are you there? [GASPS.]
They were waiting in the shadows they shoved me inside the second I got home.
My mother will flip her wig.
We're not telling her anything.
A friend was also attacked.
We just need some help figuring out who would do this.
I never saw their faces.
They just kept coming at me, asking, "Whose man are you? Whose man are you?" Do you have any ideas? Well, the whole point is, I'm nobody's man.
Has anyone asked you to carry any packages to the cedar mill? Drugs? Cigarettes? No.
I'm just home from USC.
Here for clean laundry, raid the fridge.
University of Southern California.
It's in Los Angeles.
So you don't use the local classifieds.
Not till I got here.
And I tell you, I won't be back anytime soon.
Excuse me.
[.]
They're lucky I wasn't here.
You're lucky.
These men obviously meant business.
They could've killed him.
And for what? For being who he is? Loving whoever he does? You said we gotta believe in each other.
I hope you'll still believe in me.
That's why there's good reason, sometimes, to keep things under wraps.
[THUD.]
Visitor list says "lawyer only".
It's right here, in his file.
All right then.
Who's his lawyer? Ma'am, your cousin's charged with conspiracy.
Not one attorney in the whole city's gonna touch that hot potato.
Don't you worry, Edward Harcourt's tucked up in his cell, all safe and sound.
Who do you work for? What gang are you with? [BLOWS LANDING.]
Who do you work for? Communist conspiracy is the charge the police use when they have nothing else on these gentlemen.
Stands to reason.
If you're a pervert, you must be a traitor, right? [IRIS.]
: The attack instructions encoded in the classifieds to control that, you'd have to buy up the whole page.
Or bribe a typesetter.
Hailey, you worked at the press a while.
Midnight repairs.
Got to know the classifieds typesetters.
One guy would accept a dollar for prime placement.
Might've done more.
[JEAN.]
: That's brilliant.
You see what he can tell you.
Millie and I will visit the mill tomorrow, smoke out these drug dealers, if you'll excuse the pun.
[CURTIS CLEARS HIS THROAT.]
[IRIS.]
: You'll be okay here? Yeah.
Good luck figuring this all out.
And thank you.
Take care.
[WHISTLE BLOWS.]
[JEAN.]
: It's true, I couldn't fathom a return to England now.
We've got two days to fix this and help your cousin.
It's high time I did.
Growing up, we used to spend every summer together.
He and I would have a whale of a good time, but the other children, they they could see there was something about him.
They used to call him "Dandy Eddie.
" I owe him this fight now.
Well, well The broken-down ladies.
Well, no longer, thanks to you.
[MILLIE.]
: A few treats to get you through your night shift.
My friend here says she'd still be stranded if it weren't for the magic you worked on her engine.
It's roast beef.
And no offence if you want to share it here with Brutus.
I'm sure he works very hard to keep you safe.
[CHUCKLES.]
From seagulls, mostly.
Oh, is that so? Here, it's just logs coming in, and the shingles shipping out.
No, not quite.
The night we met, my friend here was accosted.
What? - Why didn't you say something? - Well, we went to the police to find justice, but they, uh they just want witnesses.
Any hunches about the nearby riff-raff? Well, I don't know anything but I would start with a gander over by shed 28.
But let me tell you, they're worse than this dog here.
Well, you're the better man.
We won't forget it.
I wish you would.
Ladies.
[.]
About what you said yesterday I was riled up and seeing red.
And with good reason.
All I can say is, I don't see a picket fence in my future.
But why do you have to say so? So you're telling me to clam up? I've seen my share of bigoted and narrow-minded fools.
I can't hide the colour of my skin, but you? No one needs to know this.
You think I'm ugly on the inside, and I should keep it that way.
No! [STAMMERS.]
[BELL RINGING.]
Shift change.
Better get a move on.
Hailey.
[SIGHS.]
Oh.
[.]
That's the dealer we gave the heroin to.
He's taking something else.
Yes.
From Bill bloody Bryce! He's a cad and a liar, and, clearly, also a crook.
[TAKES A DEEP BREATH.]
[HAILEY.]
: Mitch Bloom, as I live and breathe.
Hailey Yarner! Ain't this a treat! Great to see you, old man.
Hey, back atcha.
Uh, meet Iris, she's apprenticing.
Oh.
Good thing we caught you before you started up.
You know Bing in security? Turns out he'd been poking around here, pushed a few buttons and, uh You give a guy a badge and, suddenly, he's Dick Tracy, solving problems that don't need fixing.
Bing's paying for this out of his own pocket, so he'd appreciate if we keep it to ourselves.
[MITCH.]
: Sure.
Well, have at it.
You, uh you don't want to see her in action? Oh, not when I can see all this.
The reporters get all the credit, but no paper gets printed without men like you.
Oh, you got that right.
Quite a feat, building the classifieds.
As many words as the rest of the paper put together.
Hmm! Now, the ads are mailed in or dropped off.
And me, I sort 'em into categories.
Now, if they drop it off, do they give an address? Yeah, or a phone number, sure.
In case I got questions.
Quite a responsibility being keeper of all that private information.
Well, maybe for your type.
Me, uh, I'm on top of it.
Good.
Otherwise it could pose quite a problem, if those personal details got into the wrong hands.
Mm-hmm.
And if one's too bold it could give readers the wrong message.
What are What are you doing? Learning about your job, Mr.
Bloom.
Are Are you with them? Come now.
You're a smart man.
All right.
Listen.
You tell the Order Facherre I-I know how to do my job.
That was a one-time mistake.
I'm on top of it now.
Order Facherre.
Okay then.
You're not with them, are you? What the hell is your game, lady? All good! Capital "A" was jammed.
Everything good out here? That machine wasn't broken.
So what's your racket, Yarner? Course it was.
All fixed now.
See for yourself.
I'm calling Bing.
Be our guest.
Take care, Mitch.
Nice getting to know you.
[.]
Hailey Hailey.
It's good news.
We got name of the operation Order Facherre.
It's something.
He's got something to hide.
And according to you, so do I.
You looked me dead in the eye, told me I should cover up everything about myself.
Oh, Hailey.
Not everything.
Just Just everything that matters.
Hailey Hailey! That stuff, it doesn't matter, and broadcasting it, it well, it only hurts you.
What kind of girl goes and does that? Me.
I'm that kind of girl.
I see the girls who who marry a lie, gussy themselves up, get themselves a tidy little life.
Only, inside they die.
That what you want for me? Huh? Sarge.
I'm [SNIFFLES.]
I'm I like women.
In ways that I shouldn't, but so much so, I stopped giving a damn.
And I know you're worried about me saying it out loud, worried the truth'll go and wreck everything.
But not saying it, that's wrecking me worse, in a million different ways, and I - [ENGINE REVVING.]
- Hailey! Oh! [GASPING.]
Hailey, girl, you all right? Yeah.
You see who was driving that? I did.
Your old friend, Mitch.
I didn't even see the car.
And if Iris hadn't pushed us out of the way Bam! We'd have been creamed right there in the street.
Motherly instincts, nothing more.
Well, thank heaven for that.
We're into deadly waters here.
Why would they want to attack you? Well, maybe he didn't want to.
Maybe this Order Facherre is behind this.
[PHONE RINGS.]
Hello? Just saw the accident report.
Are you okay? It was no accident.
Olivia, what are the charges, attempted murder? That's the thing.
The report was on my desk.
I stepped away before filing it, and when I came back, it had disappeared.
So the police are covering this up.
Yes.
And you're getting in too deep.
If we stop now, Olivia, our friends'll be tossed out of the country, and Edward Harcourt may well rot in prison.
Can Olivia get a message to Edward? He might know about the Order Facherre.
Can you get a message to Edward? Not a chance.
But you might.
[WEBB.]
: Your new lawyer is here.
[DOOR OPENS.]
Thank you, Officer.
If I might have some time with my client? Bottom of the barrel, Harcourt.
You got two minutes.
Iris Bearden.
I'm a friend of Millie's.
You're no solicitor.
No, but you might say I'm here representing your cousin.
She says to tell you that she's sorry about "Dandy Eddie".
She wants to make it up to you.
I heard some goss about deportation.
We're fighting on all fronts.
Now we know about the Mattachine Society, how the three of you men were attacked.
There's been three now? I need to know what you can tell me about the Order Facherre.
Some kind of city gang, a secret society.
No idea.
You may not be the only one wishing I knew.
A cop keeps trying to beat the information out of me.
"What gang do you work for?" "Who are you with?" "What gang?" He asks that? He wants to know how I cracked their newspaper code.
The only code I know is the one the Mattachine uses.
Why don't you just tell them what you're about? The whole point is that men are anonymous, otherwise men would lose their jobs, families, lives.
That's why I posted the ad warning them.
That someone was using the papers to target Mattachinos.
So figure out what the hell hornet's nest I've gone and kicked.
And quick! Ahem.
[IRIS.]
: These thugs are in with this Order Facherre.
They keep pressuring your cousin to tell them how he cracked their code.
[JEAN.]
: My guess is two groups are using the same cipher to pass on their own secret information.
And maybe the wires got crossed.
I never saw any other ads, but then I was only looking in the "Help Wanted" section.
So we need to look for that second wire.
Exactly.
[.]
[JEAN.]
: Don't read the obituaries.
It's been too long between letters.
Your husband's coming home.
He better.
Or I'll kill him.
[.]
I don't know what I'm looking for, but I think I found it.
In the "For Sale" section.
Like the Mattachine cipher.
There's another one here, also in the "For Sale" section.
What's it say? "Ablemen for Haymaker.
" [HAILEY.]
: Hmm.
"Haymaker" is code for "heroin.
" So "ableman" could be a drug courier.
Mitch did tell me that he made one mistake in the typesetting.
So maybe he put the right cipher in the wrong section.
This one says "Cyclone set for Ableman.
" They've built their own lexicon.
So we need to go through their ads, decipher them, chart their lexicon, and then tease out the meanings.
Then use their words against them.
Two groups using the same cipher and the weak one gets Lordy bleeding crackers! Millie? How dare you? I have been looking for you everywhere.
Why don't you put that energy into solving a crime instead of committing one? I'm no crooked cop.
We saw you at the cedar mill, with a drug dealer! I was giving intel to an undercover cop! You're one of them, being paid off by the Order Facherre.
[BRYCE.]
: You mean "Audere Facere"? Exactly.
Don't deny it.
I won't.
They do pay me.
I knew it! [BRYCE.]
: "Audere Facere" is part of our force's motto "Audere est facere, servire est defendere" "to dare is to do, to defend is to serve.
" [MILLIE.]
: We thought that some of you were on the take, but we never dreamed that the police were the actual source.
If the police are the Audere Facere, then who can we trust? Me.
Hey, Mitch.
[.]
Okay, look, look I can explain I ought to bust your face in.
You tried to kill us.
I didn't have a choice! They would've killed me if they found out I gave up their name.
One of your friends "lost" your attempted homicide file.
[BRYCE.]
: But I'm not your friend.
I'll march a new file straight to the judge.
Or you tell us who we're looking for.
I don't know! Look.
I'd get these calls for ads I was supposed to put in the paper, no clue what they say, I just place them as I'm told.
Only, this one time, I put an ad in the wrong section "Help Wanted" instead of "For Sale"? Yeah! Stupid mistake.
Nearly got me killed.
They said it exposed them to another group, a rival gang, I-I don't know who and I doubt they did either.
So they got you doing their dirty work.
Oh, I know the addresses of the men who posted they had me do these crazy codes over a whole page, bolded letters I had to typeset myself.
A message telling someone where to go and make a little mayhem.
I swear, the typesetting's all I did, and all I know.
Well, you're gonna do more, starting with placing another ad in the paper for us.
You think we can smoke 'em out? If they think there's a rival gang, we'll be that gang.
[PAUL.]
: So it's one more ad in the paper.
Another nuisance you should ignore.
Another honey trap.
You couldn't save yourself.
Do you really think you can save someone else? Well, I can try.
Another innocent bachelor they lure out so they can bash his teeth in? This is no way to protect men like us.
Well, staying at home sure isn't either! Rusty! [DOOR BANGS.]
[SIGHS.]
"Ableman" is a courier.
"Haymaker" is a pack of heroin.
"Cyclone" means the drop-off point.
"Slim" is the man who organizes it.
Then there's "grenade," "cloister" [WEARILY.]
: Ooh.
Cherry helped out with a few of the meanings, but there's still some we haven't worked out yet.
What is "horse"? What's "wild mouse"? Horse is heroin.
Maybe in a different form than the Haymaker pack.
Thanks for this, Archie.
I've lost a few friends to the stuff.
I want this junk off the street, same as you.
Well, if we've managed to bait the Audere Facere, convince them that we're the gang they're after You're women.
They'll take one look at you And never see it coming.
Doesn't feel right, you ladies out front, us fellows in the back.
They'll come armed and looking to fight.
Until they see a group of women, then we'll tickle a confession out of them, and we're off to the races.
All right.
The moment your detective friend gets what he needs, I'll flick the door-light.
We'll wrap it up and then Bryce can walk the evidence to his Police Chief.
[BRYCE.]
: All done.
We're ready.
[.]
I'll stay out, so no one else gets in.
[.]
Carl I thought we were coming to take down some rival boys.
[HAILEY.]
: We offered up that fun-fest to get your attention.
Looks like it worked.
[WHISPERING.]
: Carl Feenie, I get.
Always figured he was a cop on the take.
But Webb? I work alongside him in Homicide.
Ain't you the lawyer? Chasing ambulances and police cars.
This is some kind of joke.
No joke.
Just business.
With you? [HAILEY.]
: We're representatives.
You know like Tupperware girls.
[CHAIR SCRAPES FLOOR.]
Let's get down to it.
[.]
[CLICK.]
[CARL.]
: You were at the mill.
[MILLIE.]
: We were.
Part of a giant misunderstanding.
"Misunderstanding"? I could've broken you in half.
You two were with that commie pervert when I arrested him.
He's her cousin, and a good man.
[MILLIE.]
: He runs the drugs for Slim, just like us.
[CARL.]
: It all makes sense now.
You, your cousin, these broads you're all in league.
You bet we are.
Now, that's gumption.
No one ever expects a skirt.
That's why Slim hired us.
[.]
We're not your competition.
We're part of the same game.
Like you said no one ever expects a skirt.
You've been going after your own mules, all because of a misunderstanding.
And we want the beatings to stop.
[NOTES PLAYING.]
Slim never said anything about expanding the horse crew.
- [PIANO PLAYING.]
- Slim had us deliver the heroin from the coiled code.
[CARL.]
: Why don't we get Slim on the phone? - Get his take on this.
- [THUD.]
It's in need of tuning don't you think? And Slim taught you the code? Of course.
"Haymakers" is the code for "heroin".
And we're the "able men.
" [MILLIE.]
: Now we're on the same page, let's talk about how we can best serve What's "wild mouse"? Sorry? [CARL.]
: I don't know you from Adam, lady, any of you, except for you claim to know the inside track.
You tell me what "wild mouse" is, we talk.
If you have to ask, I'm not sure you should know.
Wild mouse Or we blow this up.
[.]
It's not a what, it's a where.
Shed 42 where you and I first met.
We've run heroin through the sawmill for years, and have eyes on Oakland.
We don't work with our competition, we eliminate it.
Now, we'll rely on you to keep an ear to the ground.
You hear about anyone making a run for our trade, we'll wipe 'em out.
[MILLIE.]
: Slim will be happy about that.
[WEBB.]
: Any slip-up, and you'll be on a slow boat to Blighty.
You want your cousin outta jail and out of a casket you'll tell Slim to get in touch to confirm this arrangement.
You got that? We will relay that to him.
[.]
[DOOR THUDS.]
[GREENE.]
: Figured you'd learned your lesson.
It's time we put you down for good.
[RUSTY GASPING.]
Look what I found sniffing around.
- What the hell is this? - I-I don't know anything! He's got no clue.
[CHAIR CLATTERS.]
Then we've got a problem.
Carl! You're gonna want to put that down.
Nobody moves! We've been had.
You damn broads! Bill Bryce You shouldn't be a hero.
[BRYCE CRIES OUT.]
[GROANING.]
Iris! Take this! - [SHOTS BLASTING.]
- [HAILEY.]
: Sarge! [SPRITZING.]
[GASPS.]
[HAILEY GRUNTS.]
[GRUNTING.]
[HAILEY YELPS.]
[WEBB GASPS.]
[STRUGGLES CONTINUING.]
Get off her! Now! [.]
Hand it over or you're gonna regret it.
You stay right there.
What're you gonna do, faggot? Shoot me? [FIRES.]
Oh! Oh! Yup.
Oh! We have to get you out of here.
I tell you what next time you want to invite me to join your activities How about we make it croquet? [MILLIE LAUGHS.]
[.]
Oh! Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? - Oh! - [EDDIE GASPS AND GROANS.]
Oh, I'm so sorry.
Sorry, Eddie.
[CHUCKLING.]
No.
Not to worry.
How did you do it? I had some help.
Including your friend, Rusty.
I think he's rather fond of you.
Come on.
Let's get you home.
There's somewhere I need to go first.
And seeing those officers behind bars means a few good strides for our community.
For our rights.
May we all have the courage that Rusty has shown.
To Rusty.
[ALL CLINKING.]
[.]
[EDDIE TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND SIGHS.]
My hero.
Mommy! It's a letter! Whoa! Slow down there, Cadence! Mommy, I knew he'd write.
Didn't I say? You did! Now, go run and get the buns.
[MARCUS, WRITING.]
: "Iris of my eye "You're how I see the world.
I have so much to tell you.
" [DENNIS GIGGLING.]
"Negotiations are poor.
"President Diem announced a new constitution that lets him suspend all manner of civil rights.
" Is she what you expected? [IRIS.]
: She isn't.
But we are who we are.
We love who we love.
[.]
Tomorrow, I'll get back to working on that machine of yours.
"Of ours.
" We're in it together.
[CADENCE.]
: Oops! Oh! I got it.
[MARCUS, WRITING.]
: "But fighting for civility, "equality folks here hold onto that.
" Thank you, Archie.
What, for today? For everything.
You were great, Archie.
Truth be told, I kind of enjoyed myself.
And you wear it well.
[CLINK.]
Jean [MARCUS.]
: "One bright spot a cat I call Chairman Meow" "Sleeps in my quarters, or I'm in his, since it's not my country.
" Oh, Olivia, thank you so much.
I couldn't've done what Iris and Hailey did for you, but I'm glad you're free to leave whenever you want.
Only I hope we don't have to.
How's Detective Bryce? Mm, stable and improving.
He'll be ready for visitors in a couple of days.
Well, that should give us some breathing space.
And time to go and see the Redwood Forest.
[LAUGHS.]
[IMITATING JEAN.]
: "Oh, Detective Greene.
We're only here to see the Redwood Forest.
" [MARCUS.]
: "We find friends in the strangest places, solace that gets us" [IRIS, OVERLAPPING.]
: "Through the loneliest day, the deepest struggle.
The worst, of course is being away from you all.
" [IRIS, READING SOLO.]
: "My love to Dennis and Cadence.
I pray you're tucked in cozy, on the safe side of the world.
Your loving husband Marcus.
" [.]