Hey, sammy.
Look what I got you, pal.
I got you a new spaceship.
But I like my spaceship, daddy.
Yeah, but you can have this one, too.
I like mine.
His birthday's not till saturday.
You're not gonna have to work, are you?
Rose, I wouldn't miss sammy's birthday party for the world.
I promise.
One day you can go to the moon.
Would you like that?
Only in my spaceship.
Only in your spaceship.
What's the matter, tyler?
Ransom-Drop stakeouts make you sleepy?
Kidnappings are boring?
Actually, I was hoping to wake up to discover the institution of a proper A.M.B.E.R. Alert system.
You're off your snots, tyler.
Well, too bad the park ain't open.
We could pinch this kidnapper, hand mr. Kreshpane his baby,
And go for funnel cakes and lap dances with the bearded lady.
That broad still working?
Something tells me wall street wasn't beckoning.
Well, I just hope baby andrew is safe, wherever he is.
Baby andrew's gonna be dead baby andrew if we get made.
There's daddy kreshpane now.
We got a bogey at 1:00.
Where's my son?!
Where's my boy?!Where's andrew?!
No, no, no.
You're under arrest for kidnapping.
Kidnapping?
Sam, why do you look so stricken?
It's about my father.
What about him?
He walked out on me and my mother this year--1973.
He just disappeared from our lives.
We never heard from him again.
Where did he go?
I don't know.
Well, why did he go?
I have no idea.
Well, do you know anything, sam?
He left town in the middle of my 4th birthday party,
Before I even blew out the candles.
Well, he should be arrested for that alone.
It's my birthday this saturday--The exact date he vanished in 1973.
Wait, so tomorrow's your birthday?
Yeah.
How old are you gonna be?
I'm serious.
So am I.
Sam, you're not gonna be 4.
Am too.
Now you're acting like a 4-Year-Old.
Annie, after the car hit me and I arrived here in 1973, I saw an image-
A woman, my mother, wearing a red dress, being chased through the woods.
Now...
I-I-I cat explain it, but I keep seeing it.
You know, over and over again.
Sam, maybe we should have a little birthday party for you.
You know, I can make a cake.
No, I can't on saturday because I have to go to lee's cousin's wedding.
But, well, maybe on monday.
You're missing the point.
Maybe this is the reason why I'm here, to figure out what happened to my family...
and to prevent my father from leaving.
Are you saying that that filthy kidnapper is your father?
That's exactly what I'm saying.
Happy birthday to me.
My name is sam tyler.
I was in an accident, and I woke up in 1973.
I don't know how or why I'm here, but whatever's happened,
It's like I've landed on a different planet.
Now maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home.
I swear to you, I had no idea this was about a kidnapping.
I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
So says every criminal I've ever arrested.
I know nothing about a baby.
Yeah, right, and I got zero interest in jacking up brigitte bardot.
So...
you dared to dream, seek greener pastures.
And when you read about the kreshpanes' windfall, you planned your score.
I'm sorry, but I can't help you out there.
Get off your rusty-Dustyand tell us where that baby is.
You okay?
Yeah.
You know, I...
I got a boy at home. His name is sam.
Yeah? I got a french bulldogat home named ollie.
He drools like your grandfather.
Where are we goin' with all the noise?
It's just coincidence, that's all.
I got two sam tylers in my life?
And I think I want to talk to my lawyer now.
And I think they ruined a perfect ass when they put teeth in your head.
Look, you--You're a father and a parent, and you love your son a lot, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, I love my son very much.
So what?
Well, so how does a guy like that end up at coney island in the early dawn, collecting a ransom?
How does he get there?
Look, it was supposed to be a simple collection from a bookmaker.
At least, that's what I was told.
Wh-What do--What do you mean?
I owe their people money, and they were threatening me and my family.
Whose people?
The, uh, pignato brothers.
Who the hell are the pignato brothers?
The pignato brothers are an up-and-coming crew of the lower east side's criminal underworld.
They were penny-Ante hoodlums until last year.
Freddy venetti.
Who?
Freddy venetti was a small-Time bookie we found in a dumpster on avenue C.
Wait, he's missing eyes, ears and a nose.
And hands and tongue.
You can't see it in that photo.
Word on the street--The pignatos wanted it known if you cross them,
You have violate done of their 5 senses.
They retaliate symbolically.
Tin snips.
They used tin snips.
Turned freddy into a potato head.
Do we know if the kreshpane shad any business associations with the pignatos?
Mr. Kreshpane said there were none.
That's exactly why we need to lean harder on vic tyler.
This cren's every shade of shady.
He keeps jerking us around, we'll have a dead baby on our hands.
Enter.
Uh, mr. and mrs. Kreshpane are here.
Boss, maybe we should have vic meet the kreshpanes face-To-Face.
What for?
Well, vic's got his own family.
If he's got even an ounce of humanity, he'll be more forth coming in the presence of the devastated parents.
What do you say, boss?
Get vic tyler.
Okay
But if this coffee klatch doesn't work, know what happens next?
What?
I break out the tin snips.
Mr. and mrs. Kreshpane, I know this is extremely difficult for you.
The kidnappers threatened to--To do horrible things to andrew
If we got the police involved.
We are working on this as fast as we can.
Trust me.
Vic tyler?
These are andrew kreshpane's parents.
Where's our baby, mr.Tyler? Where is he?
Please, we need him to come home.
I'm--I'm sorry. I have no idea.
I can't help you.
All righT. Come here, come here.
Detective tyler will do everything he can.
What if your son were kidnapped?
Where your son is.
Can you imagine being separated from him?
Can you imagine the heartbreak it will cause you and your wife?
Look, I feel lousy about this.
I really do.
But the pignatos are accountable for that baby, not me.
But what if you take the fall?
What happens to your family?
Who provides for them?
All right, look.
I expect a phone call this afternoon at 2:00 to arrange for the money exchange,
But that's all that I know.
The pignatos don't know I got pinched.
Not yet.
Doing the right thing here.
Hey, look, a-anything just to put this behind me, you know?
You know, saturday's my boy's birthday.
I'm throwing a party for him in the park.
Ice cream. . .
cake. . .
and a cowboy hat comes by and--And makes the funny animals out of balloons.
I'ld like to be there for that.
You will be.
So what's the plan, sam?
Um, we'll wait for the call from the pignatos, and--
And once they give you the location on the money drop,
We'll--We'll take it from there.
This is our house.
Yes, it is.
I keep meaning to get this fixed.
You never will.
I sell cleaning supplies for a living.
I'm on the road a lot.
Money's not great, but you plug away, make yourself a life.
I tried to lighten the load by making some bets, you know?
I made some bad bets.
I couldn't pay them back.
You know, so they--They got me running these errands, these low-Level underlings.
You know, I figured, no big shakes, right?
But look at me now.
I got a cop in my living room like I'm some common criminal waiting for these. . .
frickin' psychos to call me.
I'm sorry.
It's okay.
We're gonna figure this out.
My wife--She made me quit the cigarettes, you know?
So I do these puzzles.
They help me during stressful times.
But you still, once in a while, sneak one while she's at the grocery store, right?
I never said I was perfect, sam.
You know, I got a real superstition about the things.
Right? Once you--
Once you get a puzzle that you can't solve, the key is--
It's always in the bottom right-Hand corner.
And once you've figured that out, it just unfolds.
That's your superstition? That's your method?
Well, that, and I pray to the great god of hendrix 3 times a day.
I'm not sure which one's working for me, but I get by.
Rose. Hey, babe.
This is, um. . .
uh--Detective?
What are you doing here?
Oh, there--There's, um, been a rashof neighborhood break-In lately, mrs. Tyler.
I-I'm just doing a routine canvass.
You two know each other?
Well, yeah.
I used to pound a beatin this neighborhood, so. . .
we met once briefly.
Oh, I see.
Honey, uh, mmy's asking for you.
Hey.
You wanna meet the little guy?
No, I'm good.
Okay.
It's detective skywalker, right?
Yes, but please, call me luke.
How much troubleis my husband in?
What makes you think he's in. . . trouble?
No, like I said, there's been some break-ins and I--
I think we left nice ties at the door that night at the club, detective.
Please, I just want to know the truth.
All right.
I had to ask him some questions about a couple of things--Following police protocol.
Please, don't worry.
If vic is guilty of anything, it's working too hard, missing time with his family.
Heck, if that were a crime, he'd--He'd be on death row.
I understand your son has a big birthday coming up.
Let me guess.
You bought him a big jim doll.
How could you possibly know that?
Well, you know, all the kids love 'em these days.
Right?
I mean, you got the, uh, bulging bicep, karate chopand the test of strength belt, right?
What's not to love? I mean. . .
oh, that reminds me.
I have to make sure that I have everything to bake sammy's cake for tomorrow.
I--Would you likesomething to drink?
No thanks, mom--Mrs. Tyler.
Frazier brings up the ball. . .
passes to debusschere.
Debusschere looks for willis reed, but reed's being double-Teamed, so dave finds phil jackson.
Jackson finds sammy tyler at the top of the key.
Tyler shoots!
Nothing but net!
Hey, my kid'sa big knicks fan.
Sammy's in danger, isn't he?
Rose also?
I mean, the pignatos are surely gonna come after them.
Why wouldn't they?
And by--By blowing the whistle on them, you're making me sign my family's death warrant.
I'll do everything I can to protect them.
I promise.
Yeah.
You know, sammy--He wants to be an astronaut, or a cop.
Who doesn't, right?
You got kids?
No.
Maybe someday.
Yeah, well, take it from someone who knows--There's no time like the present.
What. . .
what--What's--What's he like?
Uh, your boy.
Uh, he's busy up in the head, all that make-Believe.
Takes after his father.
When things are rough, you know. . .
I'm in--I'm in some tide water town trying to hock my wares--I can't make a sale.
I'm sleeping in the back of a car 'cause. . .
I'm trying to save money on a motel, and I gotta hear one more guy say,
"Sorry, not interested". . .
um, what I do to--To make things all right. . .
I just--I tell myself. . .
I say, "I'm sam's father."
I am, um, sam's father.
"And then everything. . .
every little thing. . .
it's okay." You know?
Um, I'm sorry.
I just kind of. . .
no. No.
It's, um. . .
it's what?
It's--Well, it's. . .
it's a game to 5, and winner's out.
Oh, yeah?
Hey, high five.
What?
-High five. -Hey, how you doing?
Like this.
High five. Okay.
My--My ball.
No, no, baby, I got it. I got it.
I wanna be an irish No hair in the chest
You okay?
Yeah?
You sure you're not, you know, like, one of these guys who's a little bit light on his feet and. . .
what?
No.
-Yeah? -No.
Because ever since I met you. . .
no. No, no, no, no.
You know, you've been looking at me in a way that makes me just a little bit nervous.
Yeah, no, that's--That's--That's part of my investigative, uh, technique.
It's--It's--It's--I study a man to assess, uh. . .
oh, is that what that is?
Yeah, let me--Let me do this for you.
You do that.
So, uh, we'll be outside the place monitoring your wire.
As soon as we hear the money exchange go down. . .
we'll come blazin' in and we'll start bracing 'em on the where-abouts of the kreshpane baby.
Okay.
It's normal to be scared, vic.
I'm not gonna let anything happen to you.
Yeah, well, you know, I only met the pignatos one time.
Mostly I just dealt with the middlemen, you know?
What are they like?
Well, when I was a kid growing up in benson hurst, right?
There was this one time we caught these rats--
These big suckers, long pink tails like whips, greasy hindquarters. . .
and we kept 'em.
We kept 'em in a junked outicebox in the basement.
After about a week of starving and all, they started to chew their way out,
Right through the metal.
Yeah, I just happened to be there when they did, you know, as their--
Their faces were poking out, the little jaws all bloody from the effort.
Never in my life had I seen such a maniacal rage, you know?
That is, until I met. . .
tommy and angelo pignato, and that was for a whole 5 seconds.
You know why they were pissed off, sam?
Why?
'Cause the mets lost.
-Listen, if I die tonight-- -I'm not gonna let that happen.
If it happens, I want you to deliver the news to rose and sammy, okay?
Look, tomorrow. . .
if everything you've told us is true, you'll be blowing out the candles at sammy's 4th birthday, okay?
Yeah.
We're off to see the wizard.
These bills real?
The bills are real.
That's not my worry.
My worry--Is this guy for real?
Not very much.
Thanks a lot. It's all right.
All right. Are you sure? You sure?
'Cause I got somethin' for ya.
-Oh, yeah? -Yeah, yeah.
Easy does it, old man.
Okay, he's in.
Hey, so no-Nuts said it's your birthday on saturday.
That's right.
You got any big plans?
I don't like birthdays, chris.
Police?
Not me.
Not a chance.
No!
Shots fired! Shots fired!
Listen to me.
Who did this to you?
Who shot you?
Here's a quarter, sammy.
Knock yourself out.
Remember, sammy, if you can beat my high score,
I got a root beer dum dum waitin' for you.
Thanks, uncle butchie.
You see who shot you?
Chris, check the apartments upstairs.
-Vic? -No one leaves this building!
Listen to me. Who shot you?
Give me a name!
Vic, you in here?
Sam.
Down here.
I've been shot.
Careful. Careful. Please, careful.
Easy.
Are you okay?
Where's the briefcase?
They took it.
I don't know how they know I squealed.
Which way did they go?
I didn't see.
After they fired, they ran off, and I just shut my eyes
'Cause I thought that they were gonna come back and fish the job--Aah!
What kind of fink are you, tyler?
He's been shot!
Letting the pignatos get away with the money before we can nab 'em?
He needs a doctor, not an interrogation!
We have to find 'em!
Find the baby.
Just go. I'll be okay.
Stay put.
I'm gonna call an ambulance.
See anyone?
Nobody came out the back, but there's a delivery door in the basement we didn't know about.
They might've went out that way.
Chris, you all right?
I know, I know, I know.
It's baby andrew.
I heard him crying from all the way down the hall.
Poor little guy probably hasn't been fed all day.
Yeah, we're going for a ride.
Oh, don't be afraid of your uncle ray.
You see what you did, ray?
-Wanna do more? -Yeah, sure.
You made him cry.
You made him cry over here.
So the loot says the D. A. 'Sgonna drop the charges.
I'm still embarrassed I got wrapped up in any of this in the first place.
We never would've found the baby if you hadn't risked everything to help us.
You did a good thing today, a really good thing.
Okay.
I'm sure your son will be very proud of what his father did today.
Hey, um, I guess now you'll be able to go help him blow out his candles.
Won't you?
Won't you, vic?
Absolutely.
I wouldn't miss it.
There he is.
Hey, annie!
You're so sweet.
Where did you get your rocket?
Oh, that was, uh, with him when we found him.
Maybe one day you'll get to the moon, too, sammy, huh?
It's not andrew's.
Oh, we should voucher that, yeah.
-Where is he? -Detective.
Wh--Where's vic
He left this morning.
Did he say where he was going?
Who knows where he goes when he goes?
I don'T.
-Do you? -No, I don'T.
Detective, do you know what vic is wrapped up in?
No.
I'm--I'm not sure.
No.
Yeah, well, you know what? I'm not surprised.
But I will say one thing-- Since you showed up here yesterday, vic has been even more agitated than usual,
And I would like to know why that is.
I want you to promise me something.
Please, be careful.
There are some very bad men out there--
Who barge into strangers' homes whenever they damn well please.
Yeah, I think I'm looking right at one.
Contrary to what you might think, detective, I don't always need saving.
I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself and my boy.
I-I know you can.
It's just. . .
you're wearing a red dress.
My, deteive, what keen powers of observation you have there.
A-Are you--Are you gonna wear that today at sammy's birthday party in the park?
Here's better question for you.
What business is it of yours what I wear tomy son's birthday party?
Hello?
It's me.
Listen, I need your help.
Please, annie.
Vic's been lying to me, to all of us, this entire time.
He's involved somehow.
Can you keep an eye on rose and little sammy while I sort this out?
Sam, I promised lee I would goto his cousin's wedding today.
Look, it's just for a few hours, okay?
All right.
Thanks.
Have central raise me on the radio if you need me.
Hey, sam, be careful.
I'm worried about you.
I'm not the one you should be worried about.
Talk to you later.
Excuse me, son.
Thanks, uncle butchie.
Hey, you spoil that kid, butchie. You know that?
Ah, he's a kid worth spoiling.
Go ahead. Play the game.
Uncle butchie?
Only my friends call me that.
I'm--I'm, uh, a friend of vic tyler's.
Do you know him?
Sure I do.
He comes in here with his kid sammy all the time.
But, uh, I doubt I'll be seeing him much now, uh, not after what happened last night.
First rule of the world--Don't make the wrong men mad.
That's it for the week?
Sam, are you there?
Yeah, I'm here. Where are you?
I'm at sammy's birthday party at rowan park, in the woods.
I'm on my way. Keep an eye on 'em till I get there.
If you see vic tyler, do not approach him.
Radio me immediately.
I can't let him get away. . .
not again.
Annie, where are you?
Annie, I've lost tyler. You got him?
A-Annie, 10-5 that.
You're breaking up.
Vic's making his way into the woods. I'm going in after him.
No! No, listen to me.
Annie, do not follow him.
He's dangerous.
Excuse me, sir.
Have you seen my dad?
I don't know where he is.
Go back to your mother.
I'm gonna go and find your father.
Sammy, come on! It's time to blow out your candles.
Coming.
Annie!
Stop!
You hurt?
I'm fine.
Don't know if I can say the same for him.
Go back to the party.
-Radio for backup. -Sam--
I need you to go back to the party, annie.
Now.
Fine, but if you're not back in 5 minutes, I'm coming back in.
I know, uh...
I know how this looks, sam.
I left the station 'cause I just didn't think that you could protect me and my family from the pignatos.
-Yeah, I just had to get them-- -Save it.
I know the truth.
I know you were trying to flee.
I know you kidnapped the baby.
Come on.
I wasn't gonna hurt him.
Just...
trying to get a little extra money so that my family could live comfortably.
I mean, you got no idea what it's like not being able to provide for your family.
You can't use them as an excuse anymore, vic.
This was never about at your family needs.
You weren't on the road being a salesman.
You were expanding your criminal concerns.
You told my mother we were broke so she wouldn't hassle you about spending so much time away.
Your mother?
What you're about to do-- Walking out on your family like this...
your son's gonna blame himself,
And it's gonna affect every meaningful relationship he forms his entire life.
Let me tell you something, sammy.
Everything that I do, why I started all this in the first place,
Came out of a need to take care of my family...
To make sure they were safe.
My wife...
My boy.
Being a salesman, it just didn't cut it.
That's a cop-Out.
What do you know about it?
Huh, sam?
What do you really know?
It was my 4th birthday party here at rowan park,
And I'ld just watched you dance with my mother,
And I was about to blow out the candles, and I realized you weren't around.
So I followed you into the woods, and I saw you beating a policewoman to death.
You strangled her, then you kicked her and you kicked her.
And then you fled and you never came back.
But I blocked it out.
I blocked it out until I came here.
The memory...
the memory was just too painful.
Tell me something, boy.
Did you have a good time at your 4th birthday party?
No.
And I didn't become an astronaut, either.
Police?
Not me.
Not a chance.
There are no pignato brothers.
I could say yes, but that...
wouldn't be telling the truth.
What's the truth?
I am the pignato brothers.
Hey, you okay?
You're not gonna shoot me, vic.
What makes you so sure?
'Cause that's not who you really are.
Well, maybe not, but I'm not gonna let you arrest me.
Right?
I'm not gonna have my boy knowing his father's in prison for doing terrible things.
I can't do that.
Right? I mean, I got--I gotta think of sammy.
Right?
Dad?
High five.
Sam, can you hear me?
Do you know your name?
Sam tyler.
Where are you, sam?
New york city
What year is it?
So...
that woman you saw running through the woods, the one in the red dress...
what about her?
Thank you for saving my life.
You know, I thought this was the reason I was here, to stop my dad from leaving, but...
I think maybe it was to show me who he really was.
I mean...
what other reason could there be?
You have no idea how much good you've brought to the 1-2-5.
All the cases that you've worked on-- They're the reason you're here
You should know...
I don't hate everything about this place.
You should rest.
I left you some puzzle books on the table.
Happy birthday, sam
When you get stuck on a puzzle you can't solve, the key is always in the bottom right-Hand corner.
All the cases you've worked on-- They're the reason you're here...
you're here...
You're here.
The key is always in the bottom right-Hand corner.
Once you figure that out, the mystery-- It just unfolds
35 stewart drive...
hello?
Hello?
Hello, sam.
You can hear me?
Of course I can hear you.
You're doing a good job, sam.
But I need you to do something for me.
Who is this?
I need you to go to the basement.
-Why? -The basement, sam. Across the room, behind you.
I need you to go down to the basement, sam.