City by the Sea Page #4

to see my old man.

I couldn't take it.

- So you just stopped seeing him?

- Not just like that.

Maggie was also doing a number on him,

so he didn't want to be around me.

I just walked away. I quit.

Maybe I should've tried harder.

I don't know.

Why couldn't you tell me this before?

Well, I...

I don't know, I...

That was me.

With you, it's different.

I didn't wanna ruin that.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

It's what I asked for, isn't it?

- Not so simple, huh?

- No.

No, it's not.

I'm not your ex-wife. I won't judge you.

I never have, I won't start now.

But I've gotta think about this.

I've gotta think about this.

See you, okay?

Gina, I want you to know

I got a lot of respect for you.

The way you got your sh*t together

for your kid. I got no problem with you.

Just tell me where Joey is.

- Look, I don't know-

- Don't! I don't wanna hear it.

I'll tell you what.

I'll give you till 12 noon.

Plenty of time to feed your kid,

whatever you gotta do.

- But after that, you find Joey, okay?

- Yeah.

He's a good-looking kid.

- LaMarca.

- It's Gina.

- I need some money to pay the taxi.

- All right, I'll be right down.

You okay?

No. It's 52 bucks.

Give him $60, he's a nice guy.

- Who's this?

- Your grandson.

I try not to smoke around him.

Sometimes it's just, you know...

- What's his name?

- Angelo.

- We haven't eaten. Got anything to eat?

- I'll make you something.

- Does Joey help you out?

- He would if he could, I guess.

- How do you pay your rent?

- Workfare. Flipping hamburgers.

Until they figure out I'm dipping

in the register, which is any day now.

- Then I'll be totally f***ed.

- When did you see him last?

Night before last. Said he was

gonna get some money and go.

- Go where?

- Like he knows?

Florida. Key West. Whenever

he gets rabbity, he's going to Florida.

Like it's some magic country when it's

only the dope capital of the world.

Can I ask you a question

without you getting mad?

Depends.

When you left Joey, was it hard?

Very hard.

You miss him?

Of course.

It get easier, you know, missing him

after a while?

You just stop thinking about it.

Put your head down, keep walking.

Otherwise it'd be too difficult.

Was it better for Joey,

you think, that you left?

For a while. All I know

is I missed out on stuff.

- Like what?

- Like teaching him about things.

Like good music. Old movies.

Not being afraid to fight. Stuff like that.

I guess what you want and what you

can do are different things sometimes.

Gina, I wanna help Joey.

You can't help him.

You never did.

That's what he says.

I'm gonna go buy some smokes.

Can I borrow a couple bucks?

Yeah, my wallet is in the hall

on that table.

- You need anything?

- No, thanks.

- You don't mind watching Angelo for a bit?

- He'll be okay.

You be good.

Mommy's gonna be right back.

His Pampers and stuff

are in the duffel.

- Duffy.

- Reg.

My son's girlfriend

brought over my grandson.

- Can you hear me?

- Hello? It's a lousy connection.

She's spooked. She just went out.

When she comes back, I'll turn up the heat.

- When she comes-

- We're heading to Long Beach.

- I got a warrant for the casino.

- Want me to meet you?

There's Mommy.

Thattaboy.

Who's this?

This is my grandson, Angelo.

Joey's kid.

His mother just dropped him off.

I didn't even know he existed.

Listen, Vincent.

I brought your keys back. I think

we need to take it easy for a while.

Why don't you come in for a second

and we can talk?

We gotta talk. Come on.

We should talk, you know?

- I didn't go out to buy smokes.

- What's going on?

Look, I've been thinking.

I'm thinking about scoring.

- I'm sorry I took your money.

- Forget the money. Let me come get you.

I'm gonna go away for a while, okay?

Don't do this, you'll regret it.

A kid needs his mother.

- Don't do this.

- He's better off without me.

No, that's not true. Please.

I'll come get you. Where are you?

You did it.

Maybe I'm like you.

I can't do it. I just can't hang.

Stay here. Or I'll get you

your own apartment. Come back.

You're gonna pay for it.

It's a big mistake. Just come back-

- Would you listen to me?

- Please come back.

Joey might be crashed up

at that old merry-go-round.

He's gonna be up in the attic.

- You won't hurt him?

- Of course not. But please come back.

- Please, you can't leave him.

- Sorry. You know, I tried.

- I'm sorry.

- What can I do to make you-?

- She's not coming back?

- No.

She told me where Joey was.

Can you...?

Take care of him? Can't say no.

I came here to give you

your key back. And to get mine.

I'll come back and take care of him.

Just let me do this.

We'll talk then, all right?

We're right outside.

Yeah. Okay, thanks.

We're down here by this casino.

- Send us some backup.

- Come on, let's go.

- You're not gonna wait?

- Vince and I were here already.

Let's see if anyone's there,

then get back to town. It's late.

All right. Easy, easy.

- This place stinks.

- Yeah, the lovely smell of humanity.

I'm taking my gloves off.

I got them f***ed up last time.

Holy sh*t, look at all this.

- Watch it. There's used needles all over.

- I'll bet.

Sh*t!

F***!

Officer down.

Officer down, Long Beach Casino!

Officer down!

Rossi, what happened?

He was up there with a gun.

Reg is over there.

- Oh, no. Jesus.

- I'm sorry, lieutenant.

- What happened?

- They called for an assist but didn't wait.

You don't go in for a murder suspect

without backup!

He said you and him were already here

before together alone.

Goddamn it, Reg.

One question.

Can I have a statement?

- Chief Henderson.

- Lieutenant Katt, Long Beach Police.

Crime scene is in here.

Lt. LaMarca!

Chief wants to see you.

Okay, here's the facts

as we know them so far:

A.45-caliber reported stolen

from a clinic this morning.

Suspect's name is Joseph LaMarca.

He's at-

- Wait a minute.

- Not now.

You don't have enough to make

Joey the prime suspect.

- I know it's your kid-

- Evidence. Rossi didn't see it.

- I didn't see it.

- He didn't see anybody.

- You said Joey hung out here.

- That was just a lead.

- It doesn't prove anything.

- This is an investigation.

I'm just saying you don't have enough

to make him the prime suspect.

We got a fingerprint match

on the murder weapon.

I'm sorry, lieutenant.

It's definitely your boy.

I'm here at the crime scene

at the boardwalk...

...where a detective was gunned down

during a manhunt for Joseph LaMarca...

...a murder suspect police consider

armed and dangerous.

They're tearing the house apart.

They say Joey killed some cop.

- Not some cop. My partner.

- I know what they'll do when they find him.

I know what cops do to cop killers. One way

or another, they'll find a way to kill him.

- It's too late.

- It's not his fault.

Then whose fault is it?

Did you pull the trigger?

- He doesn't know what he's doing.

- Don't start with that.

You choose right or wrong.

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