I'll take that, Jarod.
Why have you been stealing these?
I've been making this.
- A house? - A home.
This is where I grew up.
At least what I can remember.
What's a home like, Sydney?
Since when do lab rats wear Hugo Boss?
This is like something out of GQ.
How would you know?
There must be 20,000 dollars' worth of designer clothes here.
It appears you have a fashion competitor, Miss Parker.
What's he up to, Syd?
A form of expression, individuality, strength...
showing offhis colors the way a mating animal would.
You might be right about the mating part.
"The Kama Sutra of Love. '"
What's your boy learning from this?
I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.
- Jarod. - Isabella.
I've heard that chivalry was dead.
Only slightly wounded.
Do you prefer to be called "escort" or "gigolo"?
Well, why don't you give me one hour...
and you tell me.
There are Pretenders among us.
I was taken from my family.
Thirty-six hours and he's already demonstrating more talent than any of our others.
How many people died because of what I thought up?
Since I broke out, I've spent every moment searching for my past.
He's a Pretender-
A genius who can become anyone that he wants to be.
- The Centre wants him alive. - Preferably.
He defends the weak and abused.
Life's a gift.
- You a doctor? - I am today.
Why leave all of this behind?
Jarod operates on a different level than other people.
It all must mean something. It always does.
You guys better come take a look at this.
Follow me to 1500 Hart Street.
It seems pretty simple.
Let's find out.
Your cut.
- Did The Kama Sutra come in handy? - I lent my copy to a friend.
Well, you must have memorized it.
A gift from Isabella.
- What the hell did you do to that woman? - I just listened.
I can't decide who gets you next.
I hear Cynthia Sloan is looking.
European countess to Detroit socialites?
Just because she's the only woman in Forbes 50...
doesn't mean I can't satisfy her.
Remember, Jarod...
they're paying for a fantasy, not paying for a man.
Do you think you can become someone else?
I'll do my best.
It spells out the terms of your employment.
For obvious reasons, you're being hired as a, um-
Special consultant.
Everything you see and do is strictly confidential.
Of course.
It's quite a house.
- You should see the other six. - Seven.
- Hello. I'm Jarod. - He sign?
It's a requirement of Frank's.
He oversees all my holdings and new ventures.
- And which one am I? - You'd be a little of both.
Well...
let the games begin.
Let's lay the ground rules.
You're here for one reason. Men have a tendency to hit on me.
You're going to save me the inconvenience. You're a prop, Jarod.
- A piece of jewelry. - Oh. Then I'll have to shine.
Well, for $5,000 a week, I expect you to blind me.
You'll be on call until the ribbon cutting on Saturday.
- For that? - Sloan Towers, the future of downtown Detroit.
Well, if this is the future...
then this must be history.
Save our home! Save our home!
Save our home! Save our home! Save-
What's it like to have a home, Sydney?
Save our home.! Save our home.!
Leave him alone.
- He broke his wing. - I wish Michael was here.
Michael Edwards.
The boy that fell from the fire escape.
He helped the birds. He was gonna be a veterinarian when he grew up.
I was a veterinarian once.
- Can you make him fly again? - I don't know.
TracyJohnson, you get off of this roof right now.!
- I gotta go. - The girl's gonna get herself killed.
I run the Neighborhood Watch program in this building, and your face doesn't look familiar.
I was just trying to help the bird.
I guess that Michael Edwards cared for them.
- What do you know about Michael? - Just what I've read.
This is where it happened.
I told that boy a thousand times to stay off this roof.
My name is Jarod.
- I'm Alice Evans. - Nice to meet you, Alice Evans.
Three stories he fell, straight down.
And then they condemned this place.
Now Cynthia Sloan can get her manicured claws...
on the only raw property left in the city.
And throw hundreds of families out of their homes.
Fire escapes. They don't collapse under the weight of an eight-year-old boy.
The city said it was the weather. I've been living down in 212 for nearly 40 years.
Suddenly, the bricks start crumbling like sawdust?
Uh-uh. I don't think so.
I only wish I'd been around to help that boy.
I can't take on another client.
I'm at Cynthia Sloan's beck and call night and day.
Don't worry about it. This one sounds like a one-shot deal.
But you're not gonna get away with talking this time.
This one's got the itch.
- The itch? - Go scratch it.
Yes?
I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.
- What? - The service sent me.
The service. Right. Oh, that was quick. Um-
- Uh, may I come in? - Yes. Please.
Won't you come in?
"Happy Valentine's Day. "
Help yourself. I made coffee.
- It's French roast. - Oh.
How do you know what's inside of them?
- Oh, you don't. That's the fun part. - Oh.
Wh-Who is Valentine?
You know, they didn't say you'd be handsome and funny.
The truth is, uh, I've never, uh, done anything like this, uh-
Um, now, do I, uh...
make the check out to you personally?
Oops. Or do I make it out to the service?
We can figure that out later.
I'll make it out to "Cash. "
I couldn't help but notice the man living over the garage.
Oh, that was Howard, my husband.
- Your husband? - Soon to be ex.
He's living above the garage until we settle things.
Oh, I almost forgot.
I bought a box at the drugstore.
- It was on special, so- - The 12-pack.
Safety first.
I saw that on MTV.
- You seem a little nervous, Joyce. - Nervous?
No. No, not me. Mm-mmm.
I love a house with pictures.
It makes it feel like a home.
I sent my last one off to college this year.
Oh, I miss him.
Can't say the same for Howard.
- Was it another woman? - Oh, hardly.
You know what Howard bought me for my 25th wedding anniversary?
- Hm. - A toaster.
I saved up and bought us tickets to Paris...
kind of like a second honeymoon.
Howard couldn't take off time from work...
so he cashed in the tickets and bought a big-screen TV.
Fifty inches.
French roast is the closest I'll ever get to Paris.
Now, I hear that I get what I pay for.
So-
You must miss your children.
- Hmm? What? - Do they know?
- Know? - That you've hired a lover?
The accidental death of Michael Edwards...
led the city to condemn Jefferson Heights.
These residents are protesting their eviction.
In four days, their homes will be demolished.
For some of them, it's déjà vu.
They tried the same thing after the fire of'77.
The tenants fought then, and they won.
Back then, the residents won renovation instead of demolition.
But then they never had to deal with real estate mogul Cynthia Sloan.
Miss Sloan, can we get a statement from you?
My heart goes out to Michael Edwards and his family.
ButJefferson Heights is dangerous.
I'm doing the city and all the residents a favor.
Some say that after Michael Edwards died, you strong-armed the city into a contract.
Sloan Development won this bid fair and square.
I make no excuses for being competitive.
You do what it takes to close the deal. Whatever it takes.
- Miss Sloan! Miss Sloan! - You haven't really answered the question.
Whatever it takes.
What's all this sulfuric chloride for?
We'll be using it in the demolition.
Soak the right stress points, then it weakens the brick.
That whole building will come down like a house of cards.
Excuse me.
- Uh, one more question. - Shoot.
Valentine's Day. Specifically, Cupid.
Yeah?
A corpulent infant who happens to be an archer...
goes around shooting arrows into people, and suddenly they're in love?
- That's about it. - And to show that love...
people buy each other chocolates and other sweets.
Do they wanna be fat like the infant?
What was it you said you did for Miss Sloan?
Uh, special consultant.
- Sounds dangerous. - You have no idea.
Bye.
The address Jarod left on the candy was to an adult bookstore?
You have got to be kidding me. Let's just get this over with.
- What's wrong, Broots? - It's kind of embarrassing.
I've never been in this kind of place before.
Right. And I'm the president of the P.T.A.
It's all starting to come back to you, isn't it, Broots?
Jarod must have brought us here for a reason.
It's called "humiliation. "
Is there anybody here?
I'll be right with you.
We'd like to speak to the owner about a friend.
Rex is the owner. He's dead. I'm Bucky LaFontaine.
I run the place. You mentioned something about a friend?
He left these.
Why didn't you say you were looking forJarod in the first place?
Come on. Come on back.
Anybody hungry?
Yeah, Jarod was a real emotional guy. Smart though.
He invented the portable smoke-eater.
Sure you don't want me to grill you a wing?
Positive. Do you know whereJarod went?
Not a clue. He just stopped coming in.
Would you say that he was interested in the material you sell?
No way. He wasn't into the sexuality part.
He just wanted to talk about people- about what makes us want each other.
Between you and me, I don't think that boy got much love growin' up.
I think that's why he must've been so proud of the book.
The book?
I run a small publishing company on the side. Romance novels and such.
Are you saying Jarod actually wrote one of these novels?
Yeah. Uh, there.
He- He did the cover art too.
That boy's definitely one of a kind.
One is enough.
This'll look stunning on him. Have this ready for tonight.
You're not very big on pictures, are you?
You've got a lot of awards, but only one photograph.
Photographs- They make a house a home.
Don't you think?
Is this you?
My father bred racehorses as a hobby.
Ouch. That looks painful.
My prize steed threw me. I still have the scar.
It used to be much worse, but the plastic surgeons keep whittling away at it.
So, where's your family?
You ask your clients this many questions?
Only the special ones.
Don't you get lonely here?
The city turned down our demolition plan. I've called a meeting.
I don't have time to get lonely. Don't be late tonight.
- Hello. - Yes. I spoke with Joyce.
She said she was vaguely unfulfilled.
What is wrong with you? She's a housewife.
You nibble on her ear, she melts.
I don't know exactly what she wants.
If you call a plumber, you want your pipes fixed. She called a gigolo.
- I understand, but- - Fix her pipes. And, Jarod...
I don't wanna have this conversation again. All right?
I just got her washed. What do you think?
It's the car. It drives her crazy.
Joyce?
Hi there.
Rumor has it you're feeling vaguely unfulfilled.
I've been waiting for you.
You do realize that your husband is out in the garden.
I know.
You won't regret this later?
To hell with regrets.
I know you're up there, Howard Cullman! I'm calling the police!
The number's 911!
Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry.
- It's- It's okay. - Oh.
- It's strange though. - Strange? What?
You say your husband doesn't care about you anymore.
It sure doesn't look that way to me.
Hey.!
Jarod. I didn't mean to bite your head off.
I thought you were another one of those inspectors.
Inspector? I don't think you'll be seeing many more of those.
- Your home is already condemned. - Are you kidding?
Those bureaucrats were all over this place, even before Mikey fell.
Somebody inspected the fire escape before it collapsed?
Yeah. He was independently wealthy, like you.
Like me?
He had one of those fancy hunks of metal on his wrist too.
- Like this? - Except his had diamonds.
Excuse me. I would like to propose a toast.
First of all, to this work of art that some people call a building.
The sign may say Sloan Towers, but this entire project...
was the dream of my right-hand man, Frank Linden.
This has been his baby from the beginning...
and if I don't give him a promotion for this, then I should fire myself.
When everyone said that it couldn't be done...
including me, Frank found a way.
To Sloan Towers. Whatever it takes.
Hear, hear.
Cheers.
Whatever it takes.
Hey!
How you feeling today?
Would you like one of these? They're very good.
Have you ever tried one of these? It says, "Be mine. "
Got one that says, "You're fired"?
Fired?
I'm tired of calls from this house-frau Cullman.
You're through with her and with Cynthia Sloan.
I'm assigning a replacement.
Just before the ribbon cutting. Do you think that's smart?
Cynthia Sloan is one of your prize clients.
Fine. You wanna keep Cynthia?
Then scratch the housewife's itch.
- This is Sydney. - Why do people fall in love?
You might as well ask why the stars come out at night.
Everyone spends their whole life searching...
for that special someone- that person to love.
But when they finally find them, it all falls apart.
It's a paradox, isn't it?
But I believe it's better to have loved and lost...
than never to have loved at all.
So, you believe that love is worth fighting for.
That it's worth the pain and the effort?
Is that what you were trying to say in the romance novel you left for Miss Parker?
The book speaks for itself, Sydney.
"She felt consumed by a great void-
a dark and silent abyss...
as terrifying as the grand palace around her.
But somewhere in the chilling blackness...
she caught a glimpse of a light.
She remembered a time-
the precocious little girl with a heart full of fire...
a soul inflamed by passion...
and a smile that could melt winter into spring.
But the light was gone. The flame had died.
Her past was taken from her by the soldiers of the great palace.
She would continue searching, hoping to rekindle the fire.
Until then, she would always be the Saddest Little Valentine. '"
Hello, Joyce?
This is Jarod.
Come on in.
It isn't quite what I imagined.
Nothing ever is.
- Can I pour you a drink? - Hmm? Uh-
Yes, sure.
Oh, that vibrates. Oh, my gosh.
We'll get to that later.
Oh my-
Now it's just you... and me.
No one can disturb us,
especially that annoying husband of yours.
Uh-
- What's with you, Joyce? That's what you're here for. - Ah.
Don't tell me you're thinking about Howard.
That husband doesn't deserve you.
- Well- - I mean, how much polyester can one man wear anyway?
Poly-What?
And that physique.!
What is it, body by chili dog?
Well, you know, Howard, he's a little chunky.
- He is. - Santa Claus is chunky.
Howard, he's a zoning violation.
Well, you know, Howard h-has his faults...
but he's a kind...
and gentle human being, and-
- He bought you a toaster for your anniversary. - Well-
He cashed in your tickets to Paris for a television set.
Well, 50 inches actually.
You know, that's just Howard.
Forget about him. Forget about that whole nightmare.
You know, Jarod, y-you just don't forget about 25 years of marriage.
We've been through a lot. We raised a family. We-
Made a home?
You're right.
You don't forget about 25 years of marriage.
And you don't forget a home.
Some people, they can go through their whole lives...
without ever having one.
Come on. I'll take you home.
Thank you.
What's wrong, Jarod.
You seem upset. You've been sitting here, staring for hours.
Tell me what's wrong.
No! No!
No.! No.!
- Jarod, what are you doing? - I don't have a home, Sydney!
I can't remember anything! I don't have a home!
I don't have a home.! I don't have a home.!
Save our home.! Save our home.!
Save our home! Save our home!
So much anger.
Don't they realize it's not safe to live there anymore?
That's easy for you to say. If this place started falling down...
you'd have six others to choose from.
They don't have what you have- a great education...
rich parents, your own horses.
- People change. - Some more than others.
Cynthia.!
Cynthia, are you watching this?
- They won't leave. - They can't.
I want your permission to call the police.
- That would look great on the news. - Please!
Save our home.! Save our home.!
Look, Cynthia, these people are breaking a city ordinance.
Now, I can have Alderman Nance call the chief, set it all in motion.
Go talk to them.
Tell them that their building is unsafe.
Explain it to them face-to-face.
- They won't listen. - Then call the police.
Start a riot. Whatever it takes.
Save our home.! Save our home.!
We won't go! We won't go!
- I've been expecting you. - We won't go!
- Hello, Jarod. - Alice.
- What is going on here? - We won't go!
- Hi, Jarod. - This is Cynthia.
You the lady that's gonna tear down my house?
Jarod said you like horses.
I found this when we moved in.
It was in a secret hiding place. Wanna see?
How'd you know?
That's you. You're Cindy.
How did you know?
You can find just about anything...
if you know the right place to look for it.
Who are you?
Someone who believes that everyone deserves to have a home...
even Cindy Morgan.
I changed my name, but I didn't hurt that little boy.
No, but you're partly responsible.
Why are you so determined to destroy this place?
- It's where you grew up. - That was my past.
So you thought you could just get rid of it?
Like you got rid of your name or that scar on your arm?
Trust me.
You can't cut a scar out of here.
I've tried.
With all the houses that I own...
that little room was the only place that I ever called home.
But now you're rich, and you have this image to maintain.
When I was a kid, I won scholarships to very expensive schools.
I was around a lot of very wealthy people.
So to fit in, you felt like you had to make up a life.
Trust me. I know the feeling.
First, it was that my father bred racehorses...
instead of what he really did...
which was drive rich tourists around downtown in his horse and buggy.
Then it was my name.
The lies just snowballed.
Now it's too late for the truth.
Cindy, it's never too late for the truth.
Two tickets on the Concorde, please.
Hi. I'm your wife's gigolo...
and do I have a deal for you.
Cynthia?
This is great.
Cynthia?
Hmm?
Bad year for sulfuric chloride.
- What are you doing here? - I'm celebrating, Frank.
Because today, you were fired.
What the hell are you-
I hope you brought your golden parachute.
Better hold on, Frank.
You don't wanna go down with your career.
Sulfuric chloride, ideal for the demolishing of a building...
murdering children.
My God, help me.
I bet your cronies down in Public Housing say it was the weather. Right, Frank?
You killed a child, just so you could force people out of their homes...
just so you could make more money.
- You're crazy. - No, Frank.
You are.
This is where Michael Edwards plunged to his death...
just like you're about to do.
Help me, Jarod. I can't hold on much longer.
Like you helped Michael Edwards?
I have money.
I hate to tell you, Frank, but I'm not really a gigolo...
so I can't be bought.
But I am curious. How much?
How much to throw hundreds of people out of their homes?
How much to murder an innocent little boy?
All right. All right, Jarod.
I did it, okay?
I did it. Now, please, help me.
Help me.!
Nice watch.
Ah-ah-ah.
Don't waste your time with those.
Trust me.
- Ah. You really know how to show a lady a good time, Jarod.
- You haven't seen nothing yet. - Hey, you.
- You think he'll fly? - We'll see.
I'm gonna go chase it.
Is that allowed?
I don't wanna go back to that huge house by myself.
It gets really lonely.
Time's up. Hey, what's happenin'?
Are we going over these renovation plans or what?
- Whatever it takes. - Yeah.
I'm comin', I'm comin'.
What?
They say it is better to have loved and lost...
than never to have loved at all.
- Do you believe that's true? - If you're lonely, call a 900 number.
- Did you read my book? - I skimmed through it.
You paint a pretty sad picture.
I just write the way I see it.
- How did we end up like this? - Like what?
Alone. Searching.
It's ironic, because we both want the same things-
someone to care about, someone to care about us.
Do you think we'll ever find that kind of love in our lives?
What the hell do you want from me, Jarod?
Open the box.