It's hard for me to remember how it began.
It started just like any other day.
We had no way of knowing it would end like this.
It seems like such a long time ago, that phone call to Jesse.
But it can't be more than just a few hours.
Only a few hours since that ride home with Buck.
I thought how impatient I was to be here.
I haven't been putting in overtime lately, not with Jesse out of the hospital and little
Johnny here and just beginning to know me.
I couldn't wait to see them.
It's been like that every night.
I guess sometimes it's best we don't know what's coming.
How's this, Henry?
Swell.
Anywhere along here, Buck.
Thanks, Buck.
You sure you don't want to step in for a minute?
You haven't seen the kids yet, you know.
See, I'd like to, but I've got to get home early myself tonight.
The wife's got some kind of a meeting.
I'll have to take care of my own kids.
Okay.
See you tomorrow.
Night, Hank.
Night.
All right.
Hey.
Hold it right there.
I didn't see you, officer.
What's wrong?
You'll have to wait a while.
You can't go down that street.
Well, that's where I live.
What's the matter anyway?
There's no one in sight.
The whole block's deserted.
That's how we want to keep it.
Yeah, I'd like to get home.
My wife's waiting for me.
You'll be a little late.
Well, wait a minute.
Look, will you keep your voice down and stay back?
You'll get hurt if you don't.
You're after someone?
Right, Jaleska.
Jaleska?
But he's wanted for murder.
That's right.
And he's been living in this neighborhood?
Where?
Right across the street, down three doors.
There's a cop every 10 feet from here to the river.
Better go back in that drug store and wait.
Call your wife if you want.
Yeah, I think I'd better.
What'd you say he was?
Across and down three doors.
Yeah, we're in the apartment house right next to it.
You don't think there'll be any gunplay?
Just tell her to stay inside and keep the door locked.
She'll be all right.
Thanks.
Hey, Henry.
Hi, Charlie.
Is that Jaleska guy there after you know him?
He's been living in the boarding house right next to you.
Yeah, I know.
How long has it been going on, Charlie?
They've been almost a half hour now.
A half hour?
What are they waiting for?
Don't ask me, I got here about 530 when the police were just coming in.
They only took about five minutes to cover the block.
Then a party of six or seven went in after him.
And they haven't come out?
No, no, I've been watching.
Why, I wonder.
You didn't hear anything that sounded like shooting.
No.
I ought to hear something by now.
It does seem funny, doesn't it?
Unless he got out of his room, but he couldn't get far.
I want to get Jessie on the phone.
She'll be wondering why I'm late.
Oh, sure.
I'll get behind the lock, and I'll get you in.
Square one.
It's funny.
Hello?
What's the matter, honey? I thought you weren't going to answer.
I was looking after Johnny.
Are you okay?
Just getting hungry.
Well, go ahead with the supper. I'm going to be late.
I don't want to scare you, Jess, but there's going to be a little trouble next door.
I don't want you to leave our apartment.
Trouble?
Yeah, the police are after someone who's been hiding out in the boarding house next to us.
The whole block is surrounded.
I won't be able to get home till it's over and you're not to come out.
Yes.
There's nothing to be afraid of, Jessie.
All right.
Just stay inside and keep the door locked.
There's no need for that now. Bye, dear.
What?
Jessie! Hello?
Charlie.
Oh, yeah?
How high is that boarding house?
Is it three stories?
That's right, just like your place.
And that alley between them, how wide is it?
Pretty narrow, I guess. But there's a cop on both ends.
On the roof, Charlie, could anyone make the jump across? Is it too wide for that?
I don't know.
She didn't sound right, Charlie. She talked quick.
Quiet, like she wanted to get off the wire, like...
Yeah?
Like there was someone with her, Charlie.
I tell you, I spoke to her on the phone about ten minutes ago,
and I'm sure there's something wrong up there, Captain.
What makes you sure?
She was afraid of something. I know she was.
Something right there in the room with her.
I didn't notice how different she sounded till I hung up.
Where do you live? The boarding house?
No, the apartment house next door on the third floor.
Roeder?
Yes, sir?
Farrell's got some men going into the apartment house next to Jalaska. Stop.
Yeah.
He's in there with her, isn't he? He's in with my wife.
I don't know, fella. He could be anywhere now.
You didn't find him in his room?
No, he's not in the boarding house.
I knew it. He's with Jesse and my son.
Take it easy, Hager.
He got across the roof, didn't he? Our apartment is on the top floor.
He could get in easy enough.
Maybe.
Let me go up there, Captain. Please let me go up there.
I want to be with my wife and kid.
Sorry, Hayden. If it's true, he'll use them as hostages to make us hold our fire.
It's better that there are only two.
What difference does it make? Would you fire any sooner because there are only two?
He's not hit at all. I'm not even sure he's there.
He hasn't given us any real proof.
It's the only way you can make sure. Look.
Now, look, if everything's all right, if he isn't there, I'll call the drug store and have him tell you so.
If he is, I'll... Well, I'll let you know somehow.
We can think of some kind of a signal.
You can't stop me anyway. It's my home. My wife is in danger. I have a right to be there.
I could stop you, mister. I should stop you.
But you won't. I can go?
All right. Listen to me.
Yeah.
You may be wrong about this, but...
What do you want me to do?
Go straight to your wife. Don't do any investigating on the way.
No looking down the alley or around corners.
Go there and lock the door behind you.
If you pass anyone you don't know on the stairs or in the halls, keep going and don't look back.
He's trapped, Hayden.
He's scared now and he'll kill you if he thinks you're on to him.
I know it.
If he's not in your place when you get there, and he probably won't be, call headquarters and ask for Grimes.
I'll have him standing by and he'll flash the message to my car.
If he is there, there's nothing I can tell you. You'll be on your own.
But don't try to signal. You wouldn't get away with it.
And it's not necessary. If I don't get your call ten minutes after you go in, we'll know.
Yes, sir.
I can say this, Hayden, if he's there. Don't try anything brave. You know what I mean?
Yeah.
It looks easy in the movies. It usually works for a good guy.
But this isn't the movies. You'll have three lives at stake.
Just relax to whatever he tells you. Keep a good distance from him.
Don't make any quick moves. And above anything else, don't watch her clock or the streets down here.
He's been in spots like this before and he'll know what it means.
I know.
That's about all I can tell you. Just be careful.
We want this, man, Hayden. We want him badly.
But we don't want anyone hurt getting him, least of all a private citizen.
Understand?
I do. Thanks.
Okay, Captain. Farrell's holding up his men, but he wants you to know the score.
Get him over to my car, order, and have his men surround the apartment house.
Block every exit and put someone on the fire escape on the first floor, but no noise. Do it quietly.
Yes, sir.
Okay, Hayden, you can get going.
Yeah.
If he's not there, get the call in right away.
Sure.
I walked fast and I didn't look around. I knew he might be anywhere now.
Around the next corner, hiding in the shadows that were on every side of me.
And up the stairs on the first landing.
The second. But I couldn't turn back and I didn't dare slow down.
And I saw the door to our rooms at the head of the apartment house stairs.
He was there. I knew it now.
I could almost hear the heavy silence behind the door as he listened while I came closer.
I hesitated only a moment. I knew what I'd say.
I lifted my hand to the door.
Jesse? Jesse, it's me. You all right?
Jess!
Honey, what's wrong? Why didn't you answer my knock?
Honey, is everything okay?
Jess, what is it?
Come in, Henry.
You sounded so funny over the phone. I thought there was something wrong. It's okay, isn't it?
Why didn't you answer me, Jess?
Henry. Henry!
Where? What?
Get your hands over your head. Get up against the wall. And don't make any noise.
Or I'll kill you.
Our arms grew heavy. We leaned back against the wall and I saw Jesse turn white.
And our eyes began to close with fatigue.
The room was quiet and there was no noise from the streets outside.
We could only wait.
I watched him in the shadows and remembered what the captain said about trying anything brave.
But he was smaller than I thought and only a few feet away.
And I wondered if it would really be so hard.
Don't try it, mister. This is a.45.
I'm not afraid of your gun.
That's because you've never been hit.
You're baring me and I know what you're thinking, but don't try it. I'm warning you.
You won't ever know what it means to wish you could die till you get a slug in the stomach.
Henry.
It's all right. I know he means it.
I mean it.
It won't do any good, you know.
No matter what happens to us, no matter how long you stay here, they'll get you.
Listen there, guys, just like me. Those blue suits don't make them supermen.
They make mistakes like everyone else.
They already made a big one.
How?
They shouldn't have sent you.
My wife didn't sound right when I spoke to her over the phone. I came out to find out why.
Yeah, she gave it away.
She's sorry about that.
Jesse, did he?
It's all right, Henry. Please, it's all right.
Did he hurt you, Jesse?
Never mind that.
She just got out of the hospital.
Would you like to see her go back?
I hope they kill you.
They might. I thought about it.
I guess maybe you better start thinking about it, too.
It'll happen next time you make a crack like that.
And we don't. Don't.
I'm going to ask you a couple of questions.
And you're going to give me the right answers. The right answers, mister.
The first time you'll get hurt bad.
What do you want to know?
Where were you when you made that phone call?
Drugstore, across the street.
And your wife don't sound right. You think maybe something's wrong.
Yes.
You want to get up here. You want to find out why.
Yes.
What takes you so long?
What?
We don't hear you coming up the stairs till almost 15 minutes after she hangs up.
What are you doing all that time?
No. No. At first I wasn't sure she did sound like there was something wrong.
It was only after I hung up and got to think about it that I started to worry.
And then I made up my mind to come up. But it was later.
You don't stop to talk it over with the cops?
Oh, why should I? How can I know it was you in here?
Cops all over the block looking for me.
Searching every building. Streets probably closed off.
And your wife sounds scared over the phone but she won't say why.
Sounds like someone's with her but she won't say who.
And you don't think it might be me?
Well, yes. Maybe I began to.
You don't say nothing to the cops though.
No.
Just come up all by yourself.
Yes.
You sure of that?
Yes.
Okay.
No.
No!
Don, please stop and leave him alone!
Henry. Henry.
It's all right. I'm all right, Jess.
What do you take me for, a kid?
There's a line of cops five feet thick around every building on the block and no one gets through unless they let them.
You're here because they put you here and I'm giving you just five seconds to tell me why.
What's the big plan, eh?
He's hurt. Dad, you see, he's hurt.
I don't know about their plan. I don't know what they're going to do.
But they know you're in here.
Stop.
I did go to the police when I thought it was you here with my wife.
I don't think they believed me at first.
But I talked the captain into letting me come anyway.
If you weren't here, I was supposed to call them right away.
And if I was?
Nothing. Just wait.
And if they didn't hear in ten minutes, it meant...
It meant I couldn't call, but you were in this room.
You? What time is it?
Uh-uh.
Too late. Much too late.
They know, Jaliska. There's no more searching.
Down there in the dark. Around this building. They're all together.
You haven't got a chance. They know.
I got a chance. As long as I ain't alone, I got a chance.
You, lady. Go get that kid.
No.
Why do you want him? We'll do anything you say.
You don't need to touch our kid. You look okay. You don't want to hurt the kid.
Nothing will happen if you do like I tell you. Get him, lady.
All right, Jesse.
Henry.
It's all right. I'm sure of it.
You haven't got much time, Jaliska. You know it.
Killing our baby is something you wouldn't do.
You can bring him in, Jesse.
If you say so.
You're so sure this is the end of the line for me?
And those cops down there. So sure.
Well, I'm telling you, I got lots of time.
And you're going to help me take it.
Yeah.
That's right. Now, back up to the wall. Peel off that jacket.
What?
You heard me. Take off the jacket and throw it on the floor.
Sure. Why not?
What are you going to do?
I'm not going to do anything.
You're going to take it for a while.
What do you mean?
You don't see it, huh? I'm kind of surprised.
I don't see any way out for you, if that's what you mean. They know you're here.
Yeah, they know I'm here. You made sure of that, didn't you?
So they're covering every way out. Doors, windows, alleys.
What do you suppose would happen if I tried one of them?
I think they'd kill you.
Yeah. I start out that window and every cop down there comes to make sure I don't finish the trip.
Maybe a couple come running up here. That leaves lots of cops down on the bottom of the fire escape.
And a couple of cops up here in the room. But not many anywhere else.
In the alley or on the streets. Or down near the river.
They'll all be watching the guy in the fire escape, won't they?
And the guy in the fire escape? He don't need to be me, does he?
It won't work. You're crazy to think that'll work.
I gotta take that chance now. You're going out that window, mister, and you're gonna take your time doing it.
They've seen me. They know what I look like.
They saw a guy in a leather jacket right close up.
Now you're a guy in a white shirt, three stories over the street, coming down a fire escape.
That makes you a different guy. That makes you Roy Gileska.
What if they start shooting the minute I step out that window?
What if they do? It's a chance you gotta take. You don't want me to take all the chances.
Ah, the little guy. Bring him in.
He's asleep. You... He's asleep.
What's his name?
Johnny.
Johnny, huh? That's a nice original name. Cute little kid, too.
I don't guess you'll put up any arguments, will you, mister?
No. No arguments.
And I'll be right here with both of them until I see our little schemes working.
So don't try no tricks on the way down.
No.
What does he mean? Henry, what's gonna happen?
You can read about it in the papers, Libby. Now go turn out the light.
Light?
Turn it out. But don't try nothing. Neither one of you.
You got your kid in here now and there's no telling who'd get hit if I had to shoot wild.
Turn it out, Jesse.
The light, come on.
Now you. The window.
Okay. They're all waiting. Get going, huh?
You can't let him go out there. They'll think he's you. They'll kill him.
Jesse, it's all right. Hold on to Johnny and wait for me. It'll be all right.
Henry.
I stepped out onto the iron platform and started down as slowly as I could.
But they'd seen the light go out and already I could hear quick moving on the street.
I could feel every eye begin to follow me down the narrow steps.
Jaleska was right. It was going to work.
All in there! We see you! Don't take another step!
But it was happening too fast. They'd find out too soon who they really had.
And then I knew there was a part of the plan he hadn't told me.
I jumped back into the wall. But it was already too late.
From the window behind me, he fired down into the police.
Their guns flew up automatically and everyone was aimed at me.
And there was pain. Pain that came from everywhere.
And I could hear the shouts and bits of brick fell as the bullets hit around me.
There was shouting that faded away. Waves of pain and other voices.
Henry.
Other voices.
Henry.
Don't touch him. Let him alone.
He's losing blood. I've got to have a doctor.
You don't care a doctor, lady.
Why don't you go? What are you waiting for? Haven't you done enough?
He's been shot. He's hurt and you stand there.
I thought you wanted to get out! Well, get out! Get out now!
Jesse.
Henry, you'll be all right. Don't try to move, darling. You'll be all right.
Is he gone? No, mister, I ain't gone.
Our little scheme. Don't look like it's going to work.
It should have. No reason it shouldn't.
But they're moving up on the stairs right now.
Don't move, Henry. We'll get a doctor. It'll be over in a minute.
You're glad, huh?
No, I'm not glad. It's ugly, all of this.
I feel sorry for you.
Well, don't. I've been running for a long time.
I think it'll feel good to stop.
It's funny when they're after you. When you're running away, you look the same, act the same as you always did.
But it's different on the inside. You're all tight and twisted.
No matter what you're doing, you can't relax. Can't get a good deep breath.
Yeah, I think I'm almost glad.
Jaleska! Roy Jaleska!
Those guys are going to do a lot of bragging tomorrow.
We know you're in there. Come out with your hands up or we'll come in and after you.
They finally get me. Jaleska, dangerous guy.
You killed a man. Yeah, I killed a guy. I got mad, real mad.
Things happen when you get that way. Things you can't stop.
But when it's over, no matter how it happened, you're different from anyone else. You're a killer.
One day you're just a guy and something happens and you're a killer.
Please go. Please haven't you heard us enough?
Sure I'll go. Why not?
Don't make much difference now, eh?
Buddy, you know what I mean, don't you? You're just a guy.
Yeah. Put your gun down.
Maybe they'll give you a chance.
Chance? What chance? I've been waiting for a chance all my life.
Give her the gun. It'll be better.
Forget it.
Get out of the way, lady. I'm going out.
You wouldn't... you wouldn't try.
Well, why don't you let me have your gun?
Get back. Get way back.
Jesse. It's all right, Henry.
That's it. Stay there.
Stay just like that.
Henry. Okay, son. Hold it right there.
Don't come any farther. Where's Johnny?
In the other room, way in back.
You haven't got a chance.
Drop that thing and come down with your hands over your head.
He shouldn't have.
Yes.
Why didn't it work? They shut at me.
And then there was at least a half a minute when he could have gotten out that door.
Why didn't he? It made him wait.
Don't talk, darling. It's all over now.
What happened? Tell me.
When the police fired, he started for the door.
He was almost out. And he stopped.
He came back, Henry.
It was still shooting. He went out onto the fire escape and lifted you into the room.
Then he started out again for the door and we could already hear police on the stairs.
It was too late.
Is he all right? I don't know. I think so.
We can get a doctor, please. One's on his way.
Take it easy, mister. You're going to be okay.
Just lie easy. Yeah, sure.
It's funny. Huh?
Not funny. Strange.
Strange for a killer.
Sorry, sir.