Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt Page #5

I hardly think so.

You don't like me,

do you, Steven?

I do not.

Wait here.

Jesse.

Wait here, Jesse.

Jesse Stone to see you, sir.

Jesse Stone.

Hello, Gino.

Oh, I see your PPD hat has found

its way back onto your head.

This is H.

Henry Uppman,

an associate.

Jesse Stone

is from Paradise.

He's the temp police chief.

Just chief.

Oh, congratulations.

Thank you.

Obviously,

I heard about your former chief.

It was a horrible tragedy.

His name was William Butler,

and he was murdered.

I see. Is that why you're here?

Well, we haven't visited

in a while.

And I've missed

our little chats.

I'm sorry. I was busy.

Doing what, Jesse Stone?

Being preoccupied.

And why are you wearing the hat,

Jesse Stone?

Because I missed it.

I'm afraid

I have more sad news, Gino.

Would you remember a former

employee named James Thompson?

I know of no such person.

Perhaps you remember him

as Jimmy.

I know of no such person.

Why do you ask?

Jimmy hanged himself yesterday.

How sad.

So, this is an official visit?

In a let's-get-reacquainted

sort of way.

Mr. Fish will not be answering

any more of your questions.

How sad.

It was nice seeing you

again, Jesse Stone.

Some kids have started a bonfire

out on the point, okay?

I'm worried about my house.

Some kids have started a bonfire

out on the point, okay?

I'm worried about my house.

...okay? I'm worried

about my house.

What were you thinking?

Excuse me?

What were you thinking

when you asked me out?

I didn't ask you out.

I asked

if I could see you sometime.

And the difference would be?

Rules.

Excuse me?

The rules between a meeting

and a date are different.

And this would be...?

This would be a meeting.

I'm too young for you.

You mean I'm too old for you.

Not necessarily.

That was kind.

I didn't mean

it to be.

It was direct.

I see.

No, you don't.

Okay.

I'm not ready.

I see.

Don't keep saying that--

because you don't see.

Okay.

The idea has always

appealed to me.

I see.

I do see.

You're not ready.

Amanda, what's gonna

happen on the 24th?

Nothing, Jesse.

I have no plans.

Okay.

So, why did you ask me out?

Why do you want to know?

Because I've kissed

a few frogs in my day.

I see.

You make me curious.

About...?

About you.

Good.

I like curious.

So, do you like working

in the field

of boxing?

Yes. I like men.

Okay. Is that all you do

for Mr. Fish?

I'm his executive assistant.

In the boxing business?

In the boxing business.

Must be nice

working for the boss.

It is.

Although Mr. Fish has a boss.

Mr. Fish has a boss?

I just said that.

And who would the boss be?

I don't know.

I've never seen him.

Clearly, this isn't about me.

What happens

on the 24th?

I don't know.

You don't know

or you won't tell me?

Does Gino Fish

have a boss?

He's the sole owner

of GF Boxing Promotions,

and he runs the show

on his dark side,

and he didn't do it.

Is that a guess or a hunch?

He has an ironclad alibi.

What'd he say?

He didn't.

His lawyer informed us.

H. Henry Uppman.

He's highly skilled

in the art of criminal defense.

Guy's a putz.

Because?

Because he used to be

a prosecutor, and now

he's a criminal

defense attorney.

Did you pay Gino a visit?

I did.

My college boys are getting

nowhere with the laptop.

I think it's a total loss.

I know he was on to something.

What?

Is this a hunch?

I got to make something happen.

Whose investigation

is this, Jesse?

I'm not sure that

was ever decided.

We're gonna go public with

some of this in the morning.

Maybe somebody'll

step forward.

I asked you to wait.

I never said I would, or could.

Guy's got a family.

I know that.

I was right:

you never hurry.

You sing like an angel.

Mm.

Thank you, Jesse.

You're way overqualified

for that joint.

They let me sing.

You ever want to wear

that underwear again

in front of a grown man,

I'm your guy.

You're different now that

you have your job back.

Is that a good thing?

Ever since I've known you,

there was a part of you

that wasn't present.

And now?

There's a smaller part.

You love being a cop.

I do.

Why'd you come to Paradise?

You haven't asked

me that before?

I'm not cruel.

No, you're not.

Could be hurtful to ask

a cop who can't be a cop

why he became the

Paradise police chief.

But you're curious?

You make me curious.

Paradise was

my last stop.

From?

I got fired in L.A.

For?

Being drunk on the job.

Your boss hired me.

Thought you put him in prison.

I did.

He assumed that with my history,

I'd be manageable.

But you're not.

No, I'm not.

His ex-wife's

a real piece of work.

I have found that to be true.

She took him for everything.

How'd he get the money

to start a used car business?

That is a question for which

I do not have the answer,

and he is not forthcoming

when I mention it.

Does he ever tell you

he's very fond of you?

Only when he

needs something.

This wasn't

easy to get

under the conditions

you specified.

That no one knew

you were getting it?

Exactly.

Do you want to know

why I wanted it?

No.

Because...?

You said don't ask.

I want to say something,

and I don't want to scare you.

Fire away.

You helped me through

the hardest time in my life.

I was thinking of stopping by.

You gonna be around later?

Good.

Yes, the car's

in great condition.

It hasn't been

in any accidents.

That's right.

And the mileage

is very low.

Only 23,867.

And the original owner...

Congratulations, Jesse,

you actually made

an appointment.

Thelma's in particularly

fine form today.

We need to talk, Hasty.

Jesse, you

cannot afford

one of my cars.

Oh. Sit down.

So...

what's gonna happen on the 24th?

I thought getting my job back

would straighten me out.

How is the drinking thing?

I got wasted last night.

Are you getting help?

I'm not about to see a shrink.

Well, is there

someone you can talk to

or confide in?

I think you just got elected.

Oh.

I've been a cop

for a long time, Hasty,

and my gut's always

served me, but...

I have to apologize.

For what?

I'm just not...

thinking right.

You know, you were so persistent

about wanting to know

what I know,

and you've never told me how you

got the money for this place.

You take two small

unrelated things,

find your dinner in a bottle of

scotch, and look what you get.

What do you get?

Well, somewhere

around my third drink,

I had it all figured out.

When I busted you, you weren't

laundering money for Gino Fish.

You just pled to it

to cover up

something bigger.

Did you keep drinking?

I did.

And?

The more I drank,

the more it made sense.

You weren't working for Gino;

he was working for you.

You were the boss.

You ran the

narcotics operation,

even from prison.

And I felt it

with such certainty.

And in the morning?

All I felt was a headache.

That's when I called you.

Why are you

telling me all this?

I owe you, Hasty.

Look, i-it was a crazy idea,

but, I don't know,

somehow...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes