Changeling Page #4

wanted to wipe out crime. No.

The LAPD wanted to

wipe out the competition.

Mayor Cryer and half

the force are on the take.

Gambling, prostitution,

bootlegging, you name it.

Because once you give people the

freedom to do whatever they want,

as the Lord found in the Garden

of Eden, they will do exactly that.

This police department does not

tolerate dissent, or contradiction,

or even embarrassment.

And you are in a position to

embarrass them and they do not like it.

They will do anything in

their power to discredit you.

I've seen that happen too many

times to start going blind now.

That's why I wanted

to meet you,

to let you know what

you're getting yourself into

and to help you fight it,

if you choose to.

Reverend, I appreciate

everything that you're doing

and everything

that you said,

but I'm not on a mission.

I just want my son home.

Mrs. Collins, a lot

of mothers' sons

have been sacrificed

to expediency around here.

Your son, unfortunately,

would not be the first.

But if you do it right,

he may very well be the last.

He had two cavities

that needed filling.

He put up a fight,

but I took care of it.

And?

Your son's upper front teeth were

separated by a small tissue, a diastema.

It made them sit about

an eighth of an inch apart.

The boy in that room

has no such gap.

Can that change with age? Because

that's what they're gonna say.

In some cases,

yes, it's possible.

But the tissue between Walter's

teeth prevents that from happening.

See, they can never come together

without an operation to sever the tissue,

and I can tell you right now that

he has never had such an operation.

Would you be willing to put

that officially in writing?

Pardon my language,

but hell yes.

Sounds like the

anesthetic's wearing off.

On the other hand, maybe

I'll write that letter first.

Give the little fella

something to think about.

Well, if it is,

he's changed enormously.

Do you know who I am?

You're a teacher.

Yes, but even teachers

have names. What's mine?

I don't remember.

I know you, but I don't

remember your name.

Mrs. Fox.

Now, take your seat.

I didn't say take a seat. I said

take your seat, the one assigned you.

You must know where it is, you've

been sitting in it for over a year now.

Mrs. Collins, if that's your

son, I'll eat my yardstick.

Not only will I put it in writing, I

will testify to it in a court of law

or to the President Calvin

Coolidge himself if I have to.

Thank you.

I'll see you tonight

for the broadcast.

Good luck.

Quick question, ma'am.

Quick question!

Mrs. Collins.

Hello. My name is

Christine Collins.

Good morning.

- Good morning.

On March 10th, my nine-year-old

son, Walter Collins, disappeared.

And a five-month investigation

led to a boy being brought to

Los Angeles from DeKalb, Illinois.

They told me and all of you

that this boy was my son.

He was not my son.

The LAPD made a mistake,

and that is the reason for

the supposed transformation.

I have letters from his

teachers and his doctors

all confirming that

he is not my son.

I'm having them reprinted now, and

I'll have them for you tomorrow.

I have given the LAPD every

opportunity to admit their mistake

and renew the

search for my son.

Since they have

refused to do so,

it has forced me

to bring my case public.

And I hope that this now will persuade

them to finish what they started

and bring my son home to me.

Thank you very much.

Morelli!

I want you to find the

Collins woman and get her here.

And, Bill, bring her

in the back way.

Yes, sir.

This way, miss.

Why are we going

in the back?

Captain's orders. Front's

jammed with reporters.

Please, sit down, miss. Captain

Jones'll be right with you.

Hey! Anyone want to take a call

from the Canadian Mounties? Ybarra?

What'd they do,

lose a moose?

They need a juvenile living here

illegally deported back to Canada.

He's living with his cousin on some

ranch near Riverside, in Wineville.

You want it?

- I'll take it.

Got nothing better to do.

You're a prince.

Mrs. Collins.

You can leave the boy.

She'll take care of him.

Sit.

Oh, you've caused us quite a

bit of trouble, Mrs. Collins.

This situation has become an embarrassment

for the entire police department.

It wasn't my intention

to embarrass anyone.

Oh, no, of course not.

You just told the papers we couldn't

tell one boy from another as a compliment

for the months we spent

working on your case.

You trying to make fools out of

us? Is that it? You enjoy this?

Of course not.

I want you to find my son.

You know what your

problem is, Mrs. Collins?

You're trying to shirk your

responsibilities as a mother.

What?

You enjoyed being a

free woman, didn't you?

You enjoyed not having to

worry about a young son.

You could go where you

wanted, do whatever you wanted,

see anyone you wanted.

But then we found your son,

and we brought him back.

And now he's an

inconvenience to you.

And that's why you

cooked up this scheme,

to throw him to the state and get

the state to raise him for you.

Isn't that true?

- That is not true!

No? Well, even the boy

says he's your son.

Why would he say that?

How would he know

to do that?

I don't know.

I just know he's lying.

Oh, maybe so.

Maybe he is a liar.

But that's how he's

been trained, isn't it?

Lying was born

in both of you.

You're a liar and a

troublemaker and, if you ask me,

you got no business walking

the streets of Los Angeles.

Now wait a minute.

Because either

you know you're lying,

or you're not capable of knowing if

you're lying or telling the truth.

So, which is it?

You a derelict mother?

Or just plain nuts?

'Cause from where I sit,

those are the only options.

I'm not gonna sit

here and take this.

You want experts? You want doctors?

I have a few of my own.

Matron.

Mrs. Collins, you still insist that

the boy out there is not your son?

Yes, I do.

Please, don't struggle.

- What?

No!

- You'll only hurt yourself.

What are you doing?

- Hold still.

You can't just do this.

No, you can't.

You are to convey the prisoner

to the Los Angeles County General

Hospital Psychopathic Ward.

What?

You are to make

the following entry.

Defendant states she's been

deceived by police and others,

and that we have given

her a boy and tried

to make her think it is her

son when she says it is not.

Take her away.

- No. No, no.

Please. Please.

Come on, Mrs. Collins.

No. No.

This way.

Mrs. Collins has been known

to us since about March 10th, 1928

when she reported her

nine-year-old son, Walter, missing.

The boy was gone until August 1928.

- Okay.

Since his return,

she has complained that he is still missing

and has made repeated

requests that he be found.

She suffers from paranoia, delusions of

persecution and dislocation from reality.

She may be a threat

to herself or others.

We recommend that she be

conveyed to the psychopathic ward

until her senses

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