No! no!
No!
When I was a little girl
My mom and dad would fight
The things they said
would hurt me a lot
I just couldn't take it
So I packed my clothes and left
My home is the highway
It's the only home I've got
But there's danger on the road
Danger on the road
When you go thumbing a ride
You can never tell
When you'll hitchhike to hell
Danger, there's danger on the road
Traveling the road of life
is lonesome at best
And you need all the lovin'
you can get
So don't leave your family,
the friends who care for you
Think twice, girl, before you go
And try not to forget
There's danger on the road...
Danger on the road
When you go thumbing a ride
You can never tell
When you'll hitchhike to hell
Danger, there's danger on the road
Hey, thanks a lot.
Well, sure.
Now, where are you headed?
As far away from this town
as I can get.
Actually, I'm trying to make it
up to San Francisco.
San Francisco?
I don't expect you to take me that far
but you're headed in the right direction.
- Oh, sure. Jump in.
- Great.
You don't seem to like this town much.
What do you got against it?
Just two people: my parents.
Are you running away?
I'm over 18.
I can do whatever I like.
I guess you could say
I'm running away.
You shouldn't do that.
Look, you don't know my parents,
especially my mother.
"Where are you going?
Who are you going with?
"What time did you come home?
What did you do?"
She sticks her nose
into everything I do.
Well, that's because she loves you.
No, she don't.
She hates me.
Oh, you sound just like Judy.
- Who's Judy?
- Oh, that's my sister.
She ran away too,
six years ago.
- And never came back?
- No. No, never came back.
Mama never got over it.
Maybe your mama should
have treated her a little bit better.
What do you mean,
treated her better?
Mama treated Judy like gold.
Judy never had to lift a finger,
Mama was always there.
Mama done everything
for that girl.
Then she went and ran away.
Look, I don't know Judy
and I don't know what went on.
All I know is what goes on in my house
and I gotta get away.
Yeah, but... but look
what you're doing to your mama.
Are you trying
to talk me out of this?
- Yeah.
- Why?
You don't even know me.
- What's your name?
- Sharon.
Look, Sharon, you don't know
what you're doing.
You don't know what happens
to girls who run away.
They start running around
with no-good guys and smoking dope
and when that happens,
it's too late.
They can't go and talk to their mamas
because they're ashamed to.
That's not gonna happen
in my case.
Well, if it happened to Judy,
it's gonna happen to you.
Now, listen, why don't you just
let me turn around
and take you back home?
No way.
Oh. You're making a mistake.
Then let me make it.
You just don't care, do you?
You just don't care what hell
you put your mama through.
No, I don't care. And look,
I asked you for a ride, not a lecture.
- Maybe I oughta just get out right here.
- No. No, that's OK.
Listen, uh...
I'll take you down a little further.
OK.
Where are we going?
Oh, I gotta make a delivery
at a farmhouse up here.
It won't take long.
What did we stop here for?
Um...
I'm gonna do Mama a favor.
- That's why.
- No!
- Let me go!
- Do you know what you've...?
Do you know
what you've done to Mama, Judy?
I told you, I'm not Judy.
I told you!
- Tramp! I did that for Mama's sake.
- Let me go!
You tramp! You tramp!
Run away from Mama, will you?
You tramp! You tramp!
Run away from Mama!
- I'm gonna do something to you, Judy!
- No, I'm not Judy!
Like Mama said those other boys
are doing to you, Judy.
No! I'm not Judy!
I'm gonna punish you, Judy,
punish you
for what you've done to Mama.
No! No!
No!
You'll never run away again, Judy!
Oh, Howard. Your customers
have been calling up all afternoon,
complaining about you being late.
Where have you been?
I got lost, Mr Baldwin.
You got lost?
You've lived around here all of your life.
How could you get lost?
I don't know, I just... did.
You just did?
Let's see that you don't get lost again.
I don't like my customers to complain.
- Now, have you unloaded the truck?
- Oh, no, not yet.
Then I suggest you unload it right away.
We should have been closed
and out of here by now. Go.
OK, Mr Baldwin.
Hm!
Maybe it wasn't his fault, Mr Baldwin.
So, who's fault was it?
I mean, anybody can get lost
once in a while.
And he's generally a good worker.
Isn't he?
Generally, yes.
Something's gotten into him
these past few weeks.
Something's happened to him.
He's always been slow,
but, er...
lately he walks around
like he was in a daze.
I just don't understand it.
I can't figure it out.
Well, I hope he gets over it
pretty soon.
- You got your counter cleared off, Phyllis?
- Yes, Mr Baldwin.
Then, you might as well
run on home.
- OK, thank you.
- We'll be through here in a minute.
Howie? You're late.
My goodness, I've been worried sick
about you, honey. What took you?
- I got lost on my route.
- How could you get lost?
Doesn't Mr Baldwin
give you a map to use?
- No.
- Well, I'll speak to him about that.
Oh, no, that's OK, Mama.
You don't have to.
I don't think it will happen again.
Then how did it happen this time?
I don't know.
All I know is I found myself
way out on a country road.
I don't know how I got there.
Well, your mind wandered, that's all.
Happens to the best of us.
Howie, I've got your favorite soup.
Homemade split pea.
I've been keeping it
nice and hot for you.
You're not finished, are you?
You haven't eaten half of that.
I'm just not hungry, Mama.
Well, what about dessert?
I've made your favorite,
pineapple upside-down cake.
Oh, no. Maybe I'll have it
tomorrow, Mama.
Tomorrow?
Tomorrow it will be cold and soggy.
Nah, I just don't feel like it, Mama.
I think I'll go down to Swenson's
for a root beer.
Well, there's lots of root beer
in the refrigerator.
I don't know what it is, Mama.
I just feel funny.
I think I'll go down to Swenson's
for a root beer.
I really wish you wouldn't, Howie.
I don't want you on the streets
alone at night. It isn't safe.
After all, since your sister ran away
you're all I got.
You don't wanna worry me,
do you, honey?
No, Mama.
Why don't you take a root beer
out of the refrigerator?
Then you can take it into your room
and work on your hobby.
OK, Mama.
You're not eating your cereal, Howie.
What's the matter?
I haven't got any appetite, Mama.
My goodness, you didn't eat any supper
and now you're not eating any breakfast.
- Don't you feel good?
- I feel OK.
Well, if you don't feel good,
you better not go to work today.
No, I feel OK, Mama.
I'll be OK.
All right, honey. OK.
- Hi.
- Hi. Going into town?
Yeah. There where you wanna
be dropped off?
- Yeah, I'll show you where.
- OK, come on.
Are you, uh...
you a high-school girl?
Yeah. What did you think?
Oh, I don't know.
I thought maybe you was running away
from home or something.
Me? No way.
Why should I do that?
Oh, I don't know.
Some girls do, though.
Well, not me.
I love my home.
Do you, uh...?
Do you love your mother?
Sure I love my mother.
She's the greatest mom in the world.
- Why the questions?
- Huh?
Oh, I was just talking, that's all.
Make a right here.
This is 5406.
Oh, OK.
Thanks. Bye, thanks again.
Bye-bye.
Oh, Howie, you're home early.
How did everything go today?
OK, Mama.
Go on, honey,
go on in and rest a while.
OK.
Howie, did you eat your lunch today?
- Did you eat your lunch?
- Yeah.
- All of it?
- Yes, Mama.
Did you get that little surprise
I put in for you?
Oh, that apple turnover?
Yeah, thanks, Mama. That was good.
Oh, I knew you'd like it.
Honey, dinner is not quite ready.
Just be a minute or two.
Oh, that's OK.
Here. Well, start with your juice, honey.
There you go.
Oh, wasn't that terrible, Howie?
Well, what can girls like that expect?
I often wonder
if that's what happened to Judy.
I don't know.
But if it did, she had it coming.
I hate to say that, but...
...she had it coming.
Did you hear what I said, Howie?
Howie?
Did you hear what I said?
Yes, Mama, I heard what you said.
It's that report on Sharon Parker,
Captain, that runaway homicide.
Right.
Yeah, it only confirms
what I learned from her mother.
- Trouble at home?
- Yeah.
Started when she dropped out of school
a couple of years ago.
The mother was crabbing
at her about it.
She had no idea
the kid would up and run away.
You know, some kids are like that.
Headstrong.
They have the idea they can get away
and make it on their own.
Yeah, and look what happened.
She barely made it out of town.
Nothing new to go on, huh?
Nothing. No reports
of anybody seeing her at all.
I still think
it was a boyfriend of hers.
Or maybe an ex-boyfriend.
In a way I hope you're right.
I hope it was just a jealousy thing
or something like that.
- I hate to think it was something else.
- Like what?
Like the beginning of a rash
of pointless, senseless murders.
A nut on the loose, you mean?
That's exactly what I mean.
Like the Zodiac Killer in San Francisco
or the Skid Row Slasher in Los Angeles
or that nut down in Houston.
Mental cases, all of them.
But who knows?
Maybe we've got our own mental case
who suddenly decided to go out
and... do his thing.
Well, if we have,
I guess we'll soon find out.
- Hi!
- Hi.
- Where are you headed?
- Same way you are.
I don't know what you mean.
I mean I'm just headed through town.
I don't care where I end up.
Well, listen,
I'm headed south right now.
- That's cool.
- Well, come on. I'll give you a lift.
Phew!
Got a cigarette?
No.
Ah. That's cool.
I could sure use one,
but that's OK.
- What's your name?
- Howard.
Hi, I'm Gail.
Do you live in this town?
Yeah, yeah.
Like it?
Yeah, yeah, I like it.
Where are you from?
Nowhere.
Huh?
I mean, I'm on the road.
I pad down here and I pad down there.
Are you a runaway?
Well, I guess you could say that.
But I've been on the road now
for over two months.
That makes me on my own now,
don't it?
I guess so.
But your mother
must be pretty worried.
I hope she is.
I hope she bites her fingernails
every night.
What did...?
What did you pull in here for?
You gotta take a leak?
No, I don't gotta take a leak.
Then what did you pull in here for?
You get in the back.
Oh, I get it. The time has come
to pay for the ride, huh?
OK, that's cool.
You're not exactly Burt Reynolds
but it's still cool.
I'm gonna punish you, Judy,
for what you done to Mama.
Judy? Hey, man, I'm Gail!
Get your hands off of me!
- Stop!
- I'm gonna punish you.
You creep, let me outta here!
Let me out! Let me out!
You liked it, didn't you?
You pig! You liked it.
- You rotten pig! You liked it!
- Let me outta here!
Let me out! No!
No! No!
- You liked it, didn't you?
- Let me outta here!
Didn't you? You liked it!
Oh, hi, Mr Baldwin.
I'm back.
Yeah, so I see.
But still a little late, huh?
Well, I had a lot of deliveries to make.
Well, there's one you didn't make.
Mrs Murdock's.
She wasn't home.
Well, you were supposed
to be there before three.
She called up here
and hopped all over me about it.
Be sure to make hers
the first delivery in the morning.
That means I have
to change my route all around.
Then change it all around.
I can't afford to lose Mrs Murdock.
She's one of the best customers
we've got.
All right, Mr Baldwin.
- Here's the delivery slips for today.
- OK.
- He's sure a grouch, isn't he?
- Yeah.
He snaps at me too.
Sometimes I feel like quitting this job.
- You're gonna quit?
- No. I just feel like it sometimes.
Oh, Phyllis, I hope you never quit.
You're the nicest girl I know.
You're supposed to eat that, Howie,
not play with it.
It don't taste good, Mama.
It's the same way I always make it.
I didn't change it none.
Well, maybe it's just me.
Must be just you.
You always loved it before.
Honey, please try and eat a little of it.
You gotta eat to keep up your strength.
Oh... it's making me sick, Mama.
Oh, well, don't eat no more
if it's gonna turn your stomach.
I'm sorry, Mama.
Well, honey, let me get it
out of your sight now.
What about dessert, honey?
Would you like a little dessert?
- What is it?
- One of your favorites, vanilla pudding.
No.
Maybe you'd like a root beer.
That might help settle your stomach.
Yeah, OK, I'll take a root beer.
Why don't you go turn on the TV?
I'll bring it to you there.
OK.
'...the most grizzly slaying in the history
of the Crescent City Police Department.
'The girl's half-nude body
was discovered at 3:15 this afternoon
'in back of an abandoned gas station
on the outskirts of town.
'She is reported to have been
sexually assaulted and then strangled
'and here is the bizarre aspect
of the case:
'the girl was strangled
with a wire coat hanger.
'Identification found
in the girl's belongings
'revealed that she was
one Gail Lindquist,
- 'apparently of Stoddartsville, Indiana.'
- Howie, what is it?
- 'Police speculate that she was...
- You look like you've seen a ghost.
- '...picked up by the killer...'
- What's the matter?
'...who struck last Tuesday.
'Chief of Police Shaw expressed...'
Howie, do you hear what I'm saying?
What's wrong with you?
Huh?
Oh, honey, you...
I think you've got a fever.
You better go straight to bed.
I don't wanna go to bed.
Now, Howie, please, listen to me.
I want you to take a couple of aspirins
and go right to bed.
OK, Mama.
Now, I'll get the aspirins and you can
wash them down with the root beer.
All right, honey?
That's a good boy.
Howie? Howie?
Howie, it's all right.
It's all right, Howie.
- Yes, it's all right. It's all right. Yes.
- Mama.
- It's all right.
- What's the matter, Mama?
You had a nightmare, honey.
You were yelling.
- But Mama's here, honey.
- Oh, Mama. I'm cold, Mama.
I'm cold. Mama.
- Yes, yes. Yes.
- I'm cold.
- Mama will keep you warm, honey.
- I'm cold.
- Mama will keep you warm.
- I'm so cold.
Yes.
Good morning, honey.
I called Mr Baldwin.
- He's gonna take your route today.
- Oh? Was he mad?
Doesn't matter if he's mad or not.
You can't work if you're sick.
- I feel better, though.
- Oh, I'm sure glad of that.
But you need a day off.
My, you were so feverish last night.
- Can I work on my models?
- Yeah, I guess you could do that.
- Did you drink your orange juice?
- Oh, it don't taste good.
Honey, it's good for you.
Now, drink it.
Then you can work on your models.
That's a good boy.
Hey, drunk, wake up
before you fall off that chair.
Oh, thanks.
- How's it going, Jackie?
- Fine, Captain.
Good.
Oh, Captain?
Hm.
What's with that coat hanger, anyway?
Is there something significant about it
or was it just laying around?
What could be significant about it?
No, I think it just happened
to be handy and he used it.
But why? I mean,
why go through all that trouble?
He could have killed her
without a coat hanger.
Why? Because he's a nut.
A nut doesn't need a reason.
And I'll tell you something else:
no 97-pound weakling
is gonna twist a coat hanger
around somebody's neck like that.
Well, you're full of good news,
aren't you?
Sorry.
All right, stay with it.
Good morning, Mr Baldwin.
Good morning.
Been waiting for you.
- How you feeling?
- Oh, I'm feeling OK.
I had a little touch of the flu
but I'm feeling OK now.
I'm glad to hear that.
I wasn't looking forward
to running your route again today.
Mm... There's something
I wanted to ask you about.
I found this in your truck yesterday
with no ticket on it.
Obviously it's one of your customers.
But which one?
I... I don't know, Mr Baldwin.
While you're out there today,
see if you can remember,
and be more careful with your orders.
Every order's gotta have a ticket on it.
I've told you that.
OK. I'm sorry, Mr Baldwin.
All right.
Oh, I told my mother
you were sick yesterday, Howard.
She told me to say
she hopes you're feeling better.
Oh, well, thanks, Phyllis. Thanks.
Yeah, I'm feeling better now.
You know something, Phyllis?
Next to my mother,
your mother is the nicest woman in town.
Thank you, Howard.
I'll tell her that.
Can't you two find any work
to do out there?
- How far are you going?
- Pretty far. New York.
I'm not going quite that far.
I didn't think so,
but every little bit helps.
May I ask
why you're going to New York?
I'm gonna be a model
and New York's where it's at.
Do you live here in town?
No, I'm from Carlton Springs.
Yes, I know Carlton Springs.
Nice town.
Do your parents know
what you're doing?
I don't get along with my parents.
So you're running away.
Is that it?
That's right.
My parents don't understand me
so why should I live with them?
Look, I'm better off on my own.
They don't care about me anyway.
- Are you sure of that?
- Sure I'm sure.
Well, that's too bad.
Yes, it is too bad
but that's the way it is.
- Is this as far as you go?
- Yes, and it's as far as you go too.
I'm Lieutenant Davis,
special police officer.
You and I are going in to have
a little talk with Captain Shaw.
Pamela Lathrop, 611 West Olive Drive,
Carlton Springs.
You're about 100 miles from home,
aren't you?
That's right.
Four dollars and 70 cents.
That's not much, is it?
It's enough.
What do you expect to do in New York
with four dollars and 70 cents?
I'm gonna get a job
and there are lots of jobs in New York.
Not for 16-year-old girls.
Well, I'm gonna stay with a friend
for a while until I get settled.
- What friend?
- You mean you wanna know her name?
I wanna know her name,
address, phone number
and anything else
you can tell me about her.
Well, her name is Helen Smith.
And I don't know her exact address.
I mean, I know where she lives and all,
but I really don't know the number.
There is no Helen Smith, Pam.
You don't know anybody in New York.
You're just going there
with four dollars and 70 cents
and a crazy idea that something
wonderful is gonna happen to you.
Well, you can forget it.
That only happens in the movies.
Go back home, Pam.
No.
I have the right to go to New York
if I want to.
You might not even get there.
Hitchhiking can be dangerous.
I'll take my chances, OK?
Look, I guess I better explain to you
what's going on here in Crescent City.
We have a mental case running loose
around here who picks up hitchhikers.
Girl hitchhikers.
And what he does to them
isn't very pleasant.
Like what?
Like raping them
and then killing them.
Like I said, I'll take my chances,
all right?
Lieutenant, would you take
Miss Lathrop across the hall?
- What for?
- What for?
For a few minutes.
Ginny? Come in here
and pick up the phone.
Hello?
Mrs Lathrop? This is Captain Shaw
of the Crescent City Police Department.
We have your daughter here.
What? I don't understand.
We picked her up, hitchhiking.
'Who are you again?'
Captain Shaw,
Crescent City Police.
What kind of trouble is she in?
Well, she's not in any trouble, yet.
Then what did you pick her up for?
'Do you know
that she's running away from home?'
Yes, I know.
'Well, we'd like you to come
and pick her up.'
Drive all the way over to Crescent City?
That's over 100 miles.
She's your daughter, Mrs Lathrop.
But she hasn't done anything.
That's not the point.
She's a runaway, she has no money,
she's hitchhiking.
She's almost certain
to get into trouble,
'possibly serious trouble.'
How can you say
it's almost certain?
Haven't you heard about the killer
that we have here in Crescent City?
Well, he hasn't been caught yet.
I don't think Pam would accept a ride
from anybody like that.
'He's not wearing a sign
around his neck, Mrs Lathrop.'
Who is that?
Captain Shaw
of the Crescent City Police.
They picked up Pam.
She hasn't done anything
but he wants us to go get her.
Let me talk to him.
Hello, this is Pam's father.
What's this all about?
This is Captain Shaw of...
'We know that.
Get to the bottom line.'
All right, I will. We want you to come
and pick up your daughter.
No way. She's run away from home
and that's it.
I'm sure if you come and talk to her
you can straighten this thing out
between you.
We tried talking to her.
It didn't work.
Besides, if we brought her home tonight
she'd just be gone again tomorrow.
'Well, maybe not.
I mean, it's worth a try, isn't it?'
No, it isn't worth a try.
You're wasting your time
calling, Captain.
Mr Lathrop,
as I explained to your wife,
we have a mental case
on the loose over here
and I'm sure you know
what that means.
Yeah, it means
you oughta keep her locked up.
We can't keep her locked up.
She hasn't done anything.
We can hold her until you come
and get her and that's all.
Otherwise, we have to release her.
'Then release her.
I don't care what you do with her.'
You're pretty hard to believe,
Mr Lathrop.
Listen, as far as I'm concerned,
she's not my daughter anymore.
'Well, will you at least
send her bus fare?'
What?
'Send her bus fare and we'll put her
on a bus headed for home
'and hope she gets there.'
Look, aren't I getting
through to you, Captain?
I don't want her home!
Look, I gotta go to work now, all right?
Thanks for calling, huh?
Get me a beer.
- Well? Did you talk to her folks?
- Yeah.
- And?
- They don't want any part of her.
You mean they're not gonna
come and get her?
They won't even send bus fare.
Well, what the hell is wrong with them?
Seems there are delinquent parents
as well as delinquent children.
Well, then, what are we gonna do?
We can't release her.
We've got to.
But that nut out there!
I know, I know, but...
we've got no choice.
She's not really a runaway.
Well, she left home, yeah,
but with her parents' consent.
Now, that makes her what the law
in this state calls an emancipated child.
I think it's ridiculous
but that's the way the law looks at it.
It's something like a boy her age
running off and joining the navy.
There's just no way we can hold her.
Well, then what are we gonna do?
We take her to the edge of town
and drop her off.
And pray.
There's Howard.
Hey, Howard?
Wanna shoot a few?
- Yes, come on.
- Yeah, sure.
- Come on, try again.
- Try again.
Come on.
Good try.
Come on, try again.
One more.
Try your best.
Almost.
Oh, that's OK, kids.
I'll see you later.
- OK.
- Bye.
Whoa!
Come on, you gotta get it.
Wow!
Ah. I didn't think
anybody was gonna come along.
Uh, where are you going?
Anywhere, as long as I get off this road.
I've been out here for over an hour.
Didn't I see you hitchhiking before?
- Did you? Where?
- Oh, back in town.
I guess so, but why the hell
didn't you pick me up?
Well, somebody else got there first.
Oh, wow!
What a bummer that was.
- You saw that?
- What do you mean?
Know who that dude was
who picked me up?
A cop.
Huh?
That's right, a plain-clothes cop.
You know where he took me?
Right straight to the police station.
Because you were hitchhiking?
No, that wasn't the reason.
It was because I told him
I was running away from home,
which I am.
How the hell
did I know he was a cop?
Hm.
Well, uh... what happened
down at the police station?
Big scene with the big chief.
Tried to scare me.
Told me about some crazy
running around loose,
just trying to scare me.
I'm Pam. Who are you?
Oh, I'm Howard.
What are you, uh...?
What are you doing
way out here, though?
This is where they dumped me off.
After all sorts of lectures
and warnings.
Right out here, in the middle of nowhere.
Would you believe that?
Why, I'm sure glad
you came along, Howard.
Well, are you going back to your mother
or are you still running away from home?
Going back?
No way!
I never wanna see my mother again.
Oh, Mr Baldwin?
Would you mind telling me
where you've been?
I... I lost my glasses.
So I see. And that's
what slowed you down, huh?
Sure, I can't see too good
without my glasses.
Well, where did you lose them?
- I don't know.
- You don't know?
You lose a pair of glasses
and you don't know where?
No, the last thing I remember is
I was driving along
and then I didn't have them on.
Look, Howard,
in order to lose a pair of glasses,
you have to take them off somewhere
or they have to fall off somewhere.
Do you understand?
And you mean to tell me
you don't remember where...?
I really don't remember.
I don't suppose
you got another pair either.
Oh, yes, I got another pair.
- You have a pair?
- Yeah, I got a pair at home.
I hope you don't forget
to bring them tomorrow.
Oh, no, I won't forget them,
I won't forget them.
And, uh... I don't suppose you remember
where this came from either.
No, no. With all the trouble I had today
I didn't have time to think about that.
Well, will you try
to think about it tomorrow?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir, Mr Baldwin.
I better unload my truck.
Yes, I sure think you better.
Now, go on and unload it.
Now, wait a minute.
I know where they are, Howie.
Just a second.
I put them behind the...
I know.
I know exactly where they are.
Yep, there they are.
Aren't you glad I had a second pair made
just for such an emergency?
Oh, thanks, Mom.
Well, honey,
you must be starved to death.
I'm gonna make you
some nice hot potato soup.
Oh, no, Mom, I'm not too hungry,
so don't make me too much.
Howie, you have to eat, honey.
You're gonna get skinny as a rail.
Now, you don't wanna get
skinny as a rail, do you?
I'm gonna make you
some potato soup anyway.
Oh, Mom, I'm just thirsty.
Can I have a root beer?
Of course you can have
a root beer afterwards
while you're working on your hobby.
Now, go on, get washed up.
Attaboy.
- It's my fault.
- Why is it your fault?
I should have held her.
Should have trumped up charges
against her, regardless.
Anything to keep her from this.
But I didn't.
- What's that?
- What?
Over there.
Well, they're not hers.
We know that.
That makes it pretty obvious, then,
doesn't it?
Let's hope these have
a better story to tell
than that damn twisted coat hanger.
Bill, take these glasses
to the fingerprint lab right away.
- Top priority, right?
- Top top priority.
And now for that call.
Her parents.
Right.
I don't envy you.
Boy, I'd like to tell them,
"I told you so."
Well, hello there!
Oh, hi.
You are going
to Highway 60, aren't you?
Er... yeah.
Yeah, I'm eating my lunch right now
and then I got a couple of deliveries
to make before I get up there.
That's OK.
Phew!
Feels good to get off my feet.
I have been walking five miles.
And with this thing.
Are you just hitchhiking
through town or what?
I am spreading my wings.
Huh?
I am leaving my nowhere home.
I am leaving this nowhere town.
I am leaving this nowhere state.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Maybe you like it here.
Yeah, yeah, I like it OK.
Well, people are different.
I'm different.
Different from what?
Different from other people.
Oh.
Um... do you know
what I'm talking about?
Yes, sure. You don't like the people
in this town so you're running away.
That's... I don't think you understand
but that's basically it.
Don't you even like your mother?
My mother?
Oh, she's the worst of all.
I mean, she's an absolute peasant.
I mean... OK, she should have
some understanding, shouldn't she?
I mean, my friends are my friends
and she should like them, shouldn't she?
Not if they're no good.
Your mom just didn't want you running
around with the wrong people, that's all.
Well, I can see
you don't understand.
Well...
I wouldn't care
if that woman died tomorrow.
Ah!
Yeah. What?
Good news and bad.
Which do you want first?
Well, let's try the good.
That will be a change.
Well, we got positive prints
on the glasses, male.
And now the bad:
nothing on file here locally.
Have you sent specimens
to Washington?
We sent specimens off to Washington
but it's gonna be quite a wait.
- You know how they are.
- Yeah. Well, at least that's something.
We'll just have to wait.
Oh, and another thing: there's a reporter
on her way up here, a woman reporter.
If she happens to nail you in the hall,
don't say anything to her at all
about those glasses.
If she writes about them
that will alert the killer.
If you see her, just smile,
say hello and keep on moving.
OK, Captain.
I'll leave the show to you.
Hi, Captain Shaw? Remember me?
Lydia Welles of the "Star Journal".
Of course I remember you.
The, uh... Byfield-McShane case, right?
Right. The feuding mountain boys
finally had their final feud.
Yeah, it was a pretty messy affair.
Sit down, please.
Thank you.
The Byfield-McShane case was bad
but this one seems to be a lot worse.
A lot worse.
We have a lot less to go on.
I guess you could say the nature
of this town is responsible for that.
The nature of this town?
All roads may lead to Rome
but they seem
to run through Crescent City,
meaning we have
ten times as many hitchhikers
as any other town this size.
Oh, I see. I guess,
as Mayor Langford says,
"Crescent City is the hub
of highways to everywhere."
With the result
that hitchhikers are here in droves.
You see, most homicides occur
between members of a family
or between rival gangs
or during the commission
of another crime,
where the guilty party is at least known
or easy to track down.
But this is an entirely different case.
Here there's no prior relationship
between the killer and his victim,
just random rape and murder
with no motive to hunt for.
Have you drawn any kind of profile
on this rapist killer?
As much as we can, but there have been
no witnesses at all to these crimes.
About all we can say
is that he's a psychopathic case.
I doubt if he even knows
what he's doing.
You be sure and say hello
to your mom now.
- Thank you, Rosie.
- See ya.
Baldwin Cleaners.
Oh, yes, Mrs Jeffries.
How are you? Nice to...
Oh, he hasn't, huh?
Hm?
Oh, well, I'm sure
he'll be there pretty quickly...
Yes. Well, sometimes they get...
Yes, Mrs Jeffries.
Yes, well, if...
If you just be patient a little bit,
I'm sure he'll be there any minute now.
And thank you very much
for letting me know and calling me.
Thank you.
One final question, Captain Shaw.
What are your chances
of finding this psychopath?
100%.
Oh, he'll be caught, all right.
The question is when.
- Thank you very much.
- You're welcome.
- It's nice seeing you again.
- Good.
OK, thank you.
What did you tell the lady?
Buy the "Star Journal"
and read all about it.
- What's that?
- Fingerprint report from Washington.
Came in a little sooner than I thought.
But negative, I'm afraid.
Negative, huh?
Well, it means our nut
hasn't been in any trouble until now.
Yeah?
Where?
All right, we'll meet you there.
Another victim.
And this time, it's a boy.
A boy? Then maybe
our nut didn't do this one.
He's got a wire coat hanger
wrapped around his neck.
Oh, I'm sorry I'm late,
Mr Baldwin.
Well, what is it this time?
I-I-I had a flat tire.
Oh, so this time it's a flat tire.
How long can it take you to fix a flat?
Uh... well, I had to, uh...
The spare was flat too.
I-I-I had to wheel it a long way
to a gas station.
Wait, it wasn't flat the other day
when I ran your route.
- It wasn't?
- No, it wasn't. I checked it.
How could it go flat so soon?
Well, it's... it's possible, isn't it?
Well, I suppose it is.
But that's not the real problem, Howard.
The real problem is you.
You're falling down on the job.
I try to forget about your mistakes
and coming in late,
but I've got a business to run here.
Now, come on, what's the problem?
I don't know, Mr Baldwin!
I just had a string of bad luck.
I mean, everything's gone bad
for me this week.
All right. Let's hope
you don't have any more bad luck.
Because, uh...
starting tomorrow, Howard,
if you don't improve,
I'm gonna have to let you go.
Do you understand, Howard?
Howard, do you understand?
I've gotta let you go.
Yes, Mr Baldwin, I understand.
A real psycho had to do this.
A real first-class psycho.
And now boys as well as girls.
I guess any kid
who runs away qualifies.
I guess so.
You know, there's another thing
that's got me stumped.
One coat hanger, that's unusual.
Two coat hangers is not a coincidence.
Now, who drives around
with coat hangers?
Salesmen?
Could he be a traveling salesman?
Could be, or a delivery man
or something.
Yeah, whatever.
Hey, you better get on home.
It's later than hell.
Your wife will be blaming me
for breaking up your marriage.
I declare, Howie,
you're eating like a bird these days.
I don't suppose
you want any dessert either.
No, Mama.
Mama?
Mr Baldwin is gonna fire me.
What?
He's gonna fire me.
Well, what in the world for?
He says I'm falling down
on the job.
Well, that is just plain ridiculous.
I know it is.
You've been there six years.
Why, you're the best boy he ever had.
I know it.
Is it because you were sick
the other day?
- I don't know.
- Well, my goodness,
if you're sick, you're sick.
After six years you can certainly
be sick once in a while.
And he's not given you a raise neither,
not in six years.
I'm gonna call that Mr Baldwin
and give him a piece of my mind.
- How you doing, honey?
- Hi, babe.
Another rough one, sweet?
Kinda rough, yeah.
Aren't you gonna eat first?
I've been keeping your dinner.
I gotta unwind a little.
You must have had a rough day.
This case is driving me crazy.
Well, I guess I better tell you the news
while you're still in condition to hear it.
What news?
I went to the doctor today.
You went to the doctor?
What's the matter?
I'm sure glad we're married, sweet.
I'd hate to be
one of those unwed mothers.
You're going to have a baby?
Yes.
Yes, I am.
I'm sorry, Evelyn.
I don't know what got into me.
I'm sorry.
Are you gonna forgive me, or not?
It isn't a matter of forgiving you.
I just don't understand
why you reacted like you did.
Isn't having a baby
a natural and normal thing?
Yes, of course.
And we've been looking forward to it,
haven't we?
Yes, we have.
Then why did you act like that?
Because, well, I was thinking
that bringing a baby into this world
might not be such a good idea.
I mean, look at all that's going on.
Rape, murder,
drug addiction,
war, poverty, all that.
I mean, who wants a child
to face such things?
Nobody.
But we all have to face such things.
Don't you know
we have to take our chances?
Don't you know
we've always had to take our chances
and we'll have to keep on taking them?
And just try to somehow
make things better.
Don't you know that?
Yeah, I guess I know that.
It's just this case I'm working on.
This... this nut
who's still running around loose.
I don't know,
it's got me thinking crazy.
I know.
I know how you feel.
But don't let it come between us.
Huh?
Norma? Norma!
- What are you yelling about?
- You call tomorrow and cancel that.
- I've already given him a deposit.
- Get the deposit back.
I can't. Anyway, why should I?
We need a new rug, don't we?
I thought we agreed
neither of us would buy anything
without the other's OK.
And I thought
we agreed we'd save money
wherever we could.
This was a bargain
I couldn't pass up: 50% off.
Now, you tell me
if that isn't a bargain?
50% off? Do you believe
everything the salesman tells you?
50% off what? A price that is already
200% higher than in should be?
Won't you stop it?
Please, stop fighting.
It's all right, Lisa.
Now, let's go back to bed.
Why are you and Daddy
always fighting?
We didn't realize
that you were awake, Lisa.
Now, let's go back to sleep.
You won't fight anymore, will you?
No, no more, darling.
Good night.
- You see what happened?
- Yeah, it's all my fault, huh?
Well, isn't it? You're the one
who started yelling.
I don't think I started yelling
until you started yelling.
Well, your memory certainly isn't
one of your stronger points.
You started yelling at me
the minute you found that sales slip.
And you knew very well
that Lisa was in the next room.
I didn't start yelling, I just asked you
what the hell this was about.
- But I wasn't yelling.
- You're yelling right now!
Mama! Mama! Mama!
Oh, my God.
Mama! Mama! Mama!
Help me!
There, there.
OK, there.
All right, there.
There, Howie.
There, there, there, there.
- Morning, Mr Baldwin.
- Good morning.
Your mother phoned me
at home last night.
Did you know that?
Yes, sir.
I was having my supper.
I'm sorry, Mr Baldwin.
Yes, well, please ask your mother
not to phone me at home
unless it's an emergency.
All right, sir.
Is your truck loaded?
No, not yet, Mr Baldwin.
- Mr Baldwin?
- Hm?
Am I fired?
Well, we'll...
we'll see how you do today.
Now, go load your truck.
All right, Mr Baldwin.
- I need this in a hurry, Jackie.
- Yes, sir.
Captain Shaw, I just got a call
from the front desk.
There's a lady on the way in.
I think you oughta talk to her.
Bill, I gotta get this communique out
this morning.
She's pretty upset.
Her little girl ran away from home.
All right, I'll see her in a few minutes.
Bring her in the office.
- Get on that, will you, Jackie?
- Yes, sir.
Captain Shaw, Mrs Burke.
Captain Shaw, it's Lisa.
It's my little girl.
She's run away from home.
You've got to do something.
All right, Mrs Burke.
Please, sit down.
That's it. Now, first of all,
your little girl's name is Lisa?
Yes, Lisa Burke.
She's just 11 years old.
Are you sure she's run away?
Yes, I'm sure. I came home
about an hour ago and I found this note.
I'll read it because you probably won't
be able to make out her writing anyway.
"Dear Mama, I'm running away.
"You and Dad...
"You and Daddy always fight
and I can't stand it anymore.
"I'm going to live with Grandma.
"Your daughter, Lisa."
Grandma? Is that your mother?
- Yes, she lives in Jackson Wells.
- Did you call her?
Yes, I've called her every few minutes
but no one answers.
She must be out somewhere.
Jackson Wells.
That's out on Highway 24, isn't it?
All right, I'll dispatch every available car
out in that direction.
We'll see if we can spot her.
You give me her exact description,
what she was wearing.
Well, as I told you,
she's 11 years old.
She's 4 feet, 8 inches tall.
She weighs about 80 pounds.
'She's got brown eyes
and blonde hair and...
'and she's wearing
a football-type shirt,
'red, white and blue
with the number 66 on it.
'She's got blue shoes on
and white socks and...
'Oh, she's probably carrying a suitcase
that's much too big for her.'
- Are you gonna give me a ride?
- Oh, sure.
Thank you.
I wasn't hitchhiking, you know?
I know I'm not allowed to do that.
But I'm sure glad you stopped for me.
Boy, that's sure a heavy suitcase
for a little girl like you.
I know it. I don't think
I could have carried it much further.
Where are you going
with such a heavy suitcase?
To Jackson Wells.
That's where my grandmother lives.
Jackson Wells?
You're going the wrong way.
I am?
Yeah, yeah. Jackson Wells is...
is that way back through town.
Oh, no!
I'm on the wrong road.
You're not on the wrong road,
you're on the right road.
You're just headed
the wrong direction, that's all.
Don't you know
north from south yet?
I got turned around, I guess.
Oh, you sure did.
Well, listen, that's OK.
I got a delivery to make up here
and then I'm coming back through town
so you can come along if you like.
Oh, good.
OK, right.
Good, Harry. Thank you.
They're on their way out there,
Mrs Burke.
- I hope they get there soon.
- They will.
- I feel better already.
- Good.
Lieutenant Davis will take you
to the waiting room, Mrs Burke.
You'll let me know the minute
you pick her up, won't you?
- Of course we'll let you know.
- Thank you, Captain.
We're going the right way now,
aren't we?
Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah.
We're going the right way.
Listen, I won't be able to take you
all the way to Jackson Wells, though.
I have to drop you off in town.
Oh, that's OK. Just as long
as I'm heading in the right direction.
I love this truck.
Is it yours?
- No.
- I wish it was mine.
Here. You can have this one.
- Oh, thank you.
- I made it myself.
You did? Oh, I love it.
I'll keep it always.
Did you see
that billy goat back there?
Huh? What... what billy goat?
I guess you didn't.
I guess you were still in the house.
A billy goat came out of the yard,
went across the road
and went way off into a field.
I guess it's running away like me.
Running away?
I thought... you were going
to see your grandmother.
No, I'm running away from home.
I stayed with her a while.
I guess she'll be all right.
I really feel for her.
That makes two of us.
You don't think that...
...well, if that nut does pick up
that little girl,
he'll do anything to her, do you?
I mean, a little girl like that?
I may be a dreamer but I, uh...
I don't think he'd touch a kid that age.
Yeah?
We were wrong.
You better bring in Mrs Burke.
Well, what should I tell her?
Don't tell her anything.
I-I'm not sure it's her little girl.
Oh, but she'd better
come along with us.
Did they pick up Lisa, Captain?
I don't know, Mrs Burke,
but we'd like you to come along with us.
Is something wrong?
Did something happen to Lisa?
Tell me!
I don't know.
Now, please, Mrs Burke,
try to calm down.
Lieutenant, would you ride
in the back with Mrs Burke?
Stay here with Mrs Burke.
Out of the way.
Come on, get out of there.
Please, lady, step aside.
No! Lisa!
No! No!
My God! My Lisa!
Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
What are you both
looking at me like that for?
Mama?
Mama?
Where are you, Mama?
I'm so... cold.
Mama!
Mama, I'm so cold!