Frankie Drake Mysteries

(sultry jazz music) - Next class, we'll read your stories about Toronto.

Good night, everyone.

Good evening, Mr. Lee.

- You're working late, Miss Jenny.

I'll escort you to the streetcar.

- Thank you, I'll be fine.

- I insist.

The streets aren't safe at this time of night.

- Don't worry about me.

I'm a city girl.

(suspenseful music) This should cover another supply.

- That's good.

- All right.

(streetcar bell ringing) - Good morning, ladies.

Am I interrupting?

- Mary, what brings you here this morning?

- I'm not here in an any official capacity, by which I mean my capacity working for Drake Private Detectives, although I suppose that is actually unofficial.

I have a request.

A young woman by the name of Jenny Smith, who lives at my friend's boarding house, she didn't come home last night.

She was working at the Chinese Charitable Society on Elizabeth Street.

- What was she doing there?

- She's a volunteer English teacher.

- Interesting.

- Jenny... by all accounts, is quite independent.

She's a free thinker, really, and it would appear her fearlessness may have put her in harm's way.

- Any reason to believe that she's in danger?

- Yes.

A bystander saw her going into a dark alley and when this bystander investigated, she'd disappeared.

- Are the police following up?

- Yes, but they don't have the connections in Chinatown that you do.

- We'll look into it.

- Thank you.

Here's Jenny's description.

Let's keep in touch.

- 20s, dark hair, modern cut, pretty, well dressed.

Sounds like half the girls in Toronto.

Not much to go on.

- Something's not right.

- What do you mean?

- I don't think Mary is telling us everything.

(theme music) (speaking a foreign language) - Congratulations.

- That's one happy bridegroom.

- He should be.

1 woman for every 20 Chinese bachelors, he's won the lottery.

(speaking a foreign language) - Do you know much about the Charitable Society on Elizabeth Street?

- It's one of a number of them.

They help Chinese men with immigration problems, lending money.

- Because banks won't lend to Chinese people.

- Everyone says we keep to ourselves, but what choice do we have?

- Do you know who runs it?

- James Lee, a successful merchant.

- You think he'll speak with us?

- He deals with the City Father, not so much with women.

- That makes him different from every other man we talk to.

- Thanks Wendy.

See if you can turn up anything where Jenny was last seen.

I'm gonna have a chat with Mr. Lee.

- (Mr. Lee): Yes, Miss Jenny teaches classes here.

She has for the past year.

Why do you ask?

- Jenny didn't make it home last night.

- Oh.

That's not good.

I warned her to be careful.

- Why would you do that?

- Our streets are not well protected.

We rarely see a constable here.

- What is it, Mr. Lee?

- I fear Miss Jenny was not all that she seemed to be.

- Meaning?

- I've seen her more than once with a man... an opium dealer.

There's only one reason she'd be meeting him.

- Do you have any idea who it is?

- I don't know his name.

He's young, Chinese, sharply dressed.

- Thank you.

- Be careful.

Not everyone in Chinatown can be trusted.

- Detective Bradley.

Hello.

- I didn't take you for a "cold tea" drinker, Officer Shaw.

- Are you saying this is a speakeasy?

I just come here for the chop suey.

- Very adventurous.

I'd stick to the booze if I were you.

- Well, actually, I'm looking for a young woman.

She vanished last night from Elizabeth Street.

- That's interesting.

I'm investigating the report of a woman who disappeared from the same area.

Might be the same person.

We should share notes.

- You would share notes with a morality officer?

- Why wouldn't I?

- All right, then.

Let's meet up.

Tomorrow perhaps?

- I'll be around.

Enjoy your chop suey... - I am just having lunch.

- Your secret's safe with me.

Good day.

- Hi, Mary.

The usual?

- Oh, yes, please.

Wendy, does Detective Bradley normally come here?

- He drops in when I'm serving the good stuff.

- Oh.

Any news, ladies?

- Well, I found this charm in the alley of the charitable Society.

- Looks like it's from a bracelet.

- A ballet dancer.

Yes, this is Jenny's.

- Well... how would you know that?

- Well, I don't actually know.

But since it's from a woman's bracelet and it was found in the alleyway near where Jenny disappeared... and it does suggest there was some sort of altercation.

One could logically conclude that it's Jenny's.

But on the other hand, you could also say I'm jumping to conclusions.

Any luck at the Charitable Society?

- Well, seems Jenny was no saint.

- Mr. Lee thinks she was buying opium.

- Opium?

That's illegal.

- She was seen with a known dealer, some young man.

- Wendy, do you know anyone like that in Chinatown?

- I've heard of a house, a party kind of place.

Run by a guy called Tommy.

Rumour has it opium's on offer.

- That's a good place to start.

- You don't understand.

Tommy told me to come by.

He's gonna be very upset when he finds out that his latest gal was turned away.

Fine!

What's it gonna take?

Hmm?

- That's a tad undignified... even for you.

- Nora?!

- She's gonna be loads of fun.

I promise.

Come on.

- You are the last person I was expecting to find here.

- Uh, "swell move getting me in here, Nora!"

- What are you doing here!?

- Can we at least get a drink before you start grilling?

Come on, the bar is this way.

Well, hello there!

Nice to see you again.

He's a judge.

You'd never know it by the company he keeps.

- So what is this place?

- It's the latest hot spot.

Could almost be New York, huh?

Almost.

- OK.

So what are you doing here?

- No way, honey.

You first.

- Fine.

I'm looking for a guy named Tommy.

- Oh, aren't we all, sweetheart?

- You know him?

- He's a bit of a mystery.

He makes himself scarce.

He pops in every now and again to make sure we're all happy.

Hey, you know who that is?

That's Willy "the Lion" Smith.

He's playing the Sapphire Club.

See, Tommy invites jazz types to come in here 'cause the old guys love the frisson!

- OK, so your turn.

What's my mother doing in a booze can, huh?

Another scam?

- Shh!

Shh!

My new friend brought me.

This one, he's a lawyer and he's charming - He doesn't know about your past?

- No, and I'm gonna keep it that way.

So what do you want with Tommy?

- A girl went missing.

She was last seen with an opium dealer.

- Opium!

That's exotic.

You think Tommy's her dealer?

- Do you?

- I don't know, I suppose.

You know, I have wondered where he gets his money from.

Now I am curious.

- Don't be.

I have it handled.

- Really?

One word from me and your chatty friend at the front door's gonna toss you out, so indulge me.

- Fine.

Maybe you can be helpful for once.

Does Tommy know all of these guests personally?

- Yeah, it's by invite only.

It's like an unofficial private club.

No questions asked.

- I think something's going on.

- Well, maybe it's time for us gals to go and powder our noses.

All right.

You look around.

I'll cover for you.

- That's reassuring.

- Oh, just do it!

(gasping) - What?

- Oopsie!

Wrong door, darling.

The powder room is right here.

Tommy!

Oh, you must meet my exquisite friend, Cleopatra.

Say hello, darling.

- Hello.

- Tommy Chow.

- He's Tommy Chow.

- Delighted.

- I trust Mrs. Amory is making you welcome.

- Most welcome.

- But you don't even have a drink, so let's go.

Nice to see you, Tommy.

This is swell!

- Cleopatra?

- It suits you.

It always has.

You see anything interesting?

- Maybe.

- Really?

- Was it dangerous?

Did you have to smoke opium?

- No, but there were two women in the back room, passed out on cots.

They had that addled look to them.

- Was one of them Jenny?

- It's possible.

I didn't get a good look.

Tommy would've caught me snooping if Nora hadn't covered for me.

- Nora?

Your mother was there?

- With her new beau.

And she was surprisingly helpful, which makes me very suspicious.

- That was quick work, ladies.

Thank you.

I'll take it from here.

- Meaning?

- Women in dubious moral circumstances, that falls well within the purview of a morality officer.

I'll take the address of that house if you will, Frankie.

- Mary, what's going on?

- What do you mean?

- A friend tells you about a missing woman who you've never met, but you recognize her charm from the alleyway, and now you're ready to put yourself in a precarious situation to try to rescue her.

No.

There's more than you're letting on.

- Well, working a case, as you know, you start to get a feel for the person you're looking for.

- Mary, just spill it!

- I didn't want you to find out.

- Find out what?

- Jenny Smith is Jenny Shaw.

She's my sister.

(streetcar bell ringing) (jazz music) Jenny's been a rebel for as long as I can remember.

Radical ways, modern thinking... - And that didn't really fit in with your buttoned-down family.

- You have no idea.

Anarchist bombings, jazz, politics, the length of women's skirts, not to mention the war.

There wasn't a thing our father said she actually agreed with.

- It must've been hard for you and your mother.

- We'd just go into the kitchen and wash the dishes.

Try to drown them out.

Of course, Jenny took that to mean we were siding with Dad.

- So what did you do?

- Two years ago, there was an unholy eruption and Jenny left home.

Apart from our father's funeral, I haven't seen her since.

- Why look for her now?

- Our mother's moving house and she simply wanted Jenny to know her new address.

I knew Jenny was working at the Charitable Society, something that Dad would never approve of, naturally.

- Seems like you never really lost track of her.

- I wanted to keep an eye out for her.

And given what you've found out, it sounds like I had good reason.

- Why didn't you tell us Jenny was your sister?

- These things should be kept in the family.

No one wants to hear about other peoples' petty squabbles.

- We all have skeletons.

Look no further than Nora.

- Do you really think it was Jenny in that back room at Tommy's place?

- Let's find out.

- How?

How do we get in?

- I believe we have inside help.

- True.

And Nora did say that I would be lot of fun.

(cabaret music) - Funny.

I never thought of myself as a showgirl.

- You really know how to shake the shake.

- You're not bad yourself.

Hey there, big boy!

(suspenseful music) - You have to teach me that sometime.

- We're too late.

- This is not at all how I imagined an opium den.

- What's this?

- Oh!

This is Jenny's.

I recognize the handwriting.

(cheering) - Show's over.

Time to go.

- My lawyer friend wasn't so impressed with our shimmying.

More of a stuffed shirt than I thought.

- So... not your type then.

- Well, you know, he could be... with a little loosening up.

But there is... definitely something shady going on around here.

- What makes you say that?

- Because after you left, I pressed him for details about how he knew Tommy and he clammed right up, just like annoying lawyers do.

- That's not good.

- Yeah, I know when a man's hiding something.

Believe me.

I could...

I could use my powers of persuasion.

Find out what Tommy's got going.

- Then you'd have to help out your daughter.

- Not that my daughter would ask me.

- Well, of course she wouldn't.

- (Mary): Detective Bradley...

This charm, it was found in the alley near where Jenny, the young woman, disappeared.

I can enter it into evidence if you think it's important.

- You know what?

Let me do that.

I'm on my way to the station.

You know, I'm convinced we're both looking for the same woman.

- To be truthful, Detective, I believe she was involved in something nefarious.

- Mr. Lee at the Charitable Society, he... hinted at something, although he was a bit vague.

You just can't get through to these people.

They won't talk to us.

- Well...

I guess we need Chinese policemen.

- You're a real dreamer, Miss Shaw.

- I'm just trying to think a bit broader.

- Thanks for this.

I owe you.

- (Mary): Hello!

Any progress?

- These are Jenny's notes from her English class... except for this.

I can't seem to make it out.

It's some kind of a code.

- Not much of a code.

- You can read this?

- Twefen-tiffee.

It's the "F language."

- The what?

- It's a secret way of talking Jenny and I invented when we were children.

Believe it or not, we were quite close.

- So, how does it work?

- Oh, you just put an F sound into each syllable.

Thafat's thefa wayfay ifit's woforks.

That's the way it works.

Ifat's nofat hafard Frafankiefie.

It's not that hard, Frankie.

- Bizarre.

Can you translate?

- It's interesting.

I've never seen it written out like this.

It's really more of a spoken language.

- (Trudy): Morning, Flo.

- (Flo): What've you got there?

- Not sure.

Mysterious liquids of some sort.

- The provenance of which no doubt you want me to magically divine.

- Yep.

- Get yourself a cup of tea.

This is going to take a while.

- Oh, take your time.

- Wait.

Drake Private Detectives is saying take your time?

- First for everything.

- Don't confuse the water with the ethanol.

- "Ofoctofoberfer firfirst."

- Translation, Mary?

- Sorry.

October 1st.

And Jenny has circled this one as well.

- It seems like there's a... a series of dates here.

- There's a bit more.

"Queefeens Whafarf."

Queens Wharf.

"Safallyfy Rofose."

Sally Rose.

- How does "Safallyfy Rofose" turn into Sally Rose?

- You're asking me to explain the logic of the F language?

- My mistake.

- It seems Jenny was meeting a Sally Rose at Queens Wharf.

- Look at all these dates that are circled.

There seems to be a pattern here.

July 5th to August 3rd, 29 days.

August 3rd to September 1st, 29 days.

- September 1st to October 1st... ...29 days.

They're all 29 days, give or take.

Maybe she was trying to get pregnant!

- Actually, I think it's the lunar calendar.

I think she was tracking the phases of the moon.

- She was trying to meet Sally Rose on a full moon?

- Or the opposite, when there wasn't any moon.

- Why?

- I'm beginning to think that Sally Rose isn't the name of a person, but the name of a boat.

- A boat?

- Interesting.

- You find everything in the morgue interesting.

- There's interesting and then there's interesting.

Bacterium clostridium tetani.

- Sounds ominous.

- Actually, it's not.

You treat this little fella with a formaldehyde solution and voila, you have a vaccine for tetanus.

Real cutting edge stuff.

- A vaccine.

Now that is interesting.

- Why would Jenny be recording a boat arriving on moonless nights unless she was doing something illegal?

- Given what we know, likely bringing in opium.

- My sister the opium smuggler.

(door opening) Dad's rolling in his grave.

(door closing) - Flo never ceases to amaze.

- You found out what's in the vials?

- Let me guess.

Some astonishingly powerful liquid opium for my sister to inject into unsuspecting worshippers of the poppy god.

- Actually, they're a tetanus vaccine.

- That doesn't make sense.

- Why would an opium dealer need tetanus vaccines?

- I'd say it's time to meet Tommy Chow.

- Looks like the party's over.

- Someone was definitely looking for something.

(gasping) - I think it was Mr. Chow.

- Who would want Tommy dead?

- It wasn't Jenny.

She might be a rebel and an opium smuggler and an annoying sister but she's not a murderer.

- Maybe it was a member of his club.

- Or an opium addict?

- Wait... someone's here.

- Stop!

Stop right there!

I said, "Stop right there!"

(speaking a foreign language) - It's OK.

It's OK. We're not gonna hurt you.

- The poor thing, she's terrified.

- I'm not gonna hurt you.

(speaking a foreign language) - She said Jenny.

She knows Jenny.

- We need everyone involved in this, Mary.

Even the police.

- I'll phone Detective Bradley.

- We need a translator.

Maybe Wendy can help us out.

- Police department, please.

Yes, I'd like to speak with Detective Bradley, please.

He's where?

Oh.

Yes, that's all right.

I'll find him.

Thank you.

Detective Bradley?

- Officer Shaw, what are you doing here?

- I'm looking for you.

It's far worse than I thought.

Jenny, the woman who is missing.

She's in danger.

There's already a man who's dead-- - Whoa, whoa!

What are you talking about?

- There are boats coming into Toronto Harbour.

They're carrying illegal cargo.

I believe it's opium, but... (shouting) (dramatic music) - Get your hands off me!

I am an officer of the law!

(groaning) - So you've decided to wake up.

- Jenny!

Jenny!

Are you all right?

- No!

I've been grabbed off the street, chloroformed, tied up and thrown into a filthy cellar so, no, I'm not all right.

- What have they done with Detective Bradley?

- Who?

- He's the detective I'm working with.

How did you get into this mess?!

- I could ask you the same thing!

- Don't get all high and mighty with me!

I know about the boat schedule.

I know about your smuggling!

- What?

- That woman you're hiding at Tommy's place, is she involved too?

- How did you find her?

- Oh, Jenny!

It's worse than opium, isn't it?

I can't believe it.

You're smuggling women?!

- Shh!

No!

I... What on earth are you talking about?

I am not smuggling women!

I'm trying to save them.

- What?

What do you mean?

Then who is she?

- Her name is Ling.

Why were you at Tommy's place?

- Trying to find you.

- Well, where's Tommy?

- He's dead.

- Oh, no.

They got him.

- Who got him?

Jenny, what is going on?

- Interesting fella, your Tommy Chow.

- I didn't think the autopsy was finished.

- I do know some people who are living.

He came by every once in a while.

I slipped him some medical supplies whenever I could.

- Supplies for what?

- He was a doctor.

Ran some sort of clinic out of his house.

- That would explain why he had tetanus vaccines.

- So that's where it came from.

- An opium dealer running an immunization program?

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

- Maybe not.

But if you ask me, Tommy Chow was a decent guy.

May God rest his soul.

- Oh, Frankie!

There you are!

Oh, I've been looking for you all over town!

- What is so urgent?

- Tommy Chow's dead.

Murdered.

- I know.

- Oh.

Well, and here I thought I was being helpful.

Anyway...

I managed to wheedle the truth out of my lawyer friend.

- He was involved in something illegal.

- Oh, it is not what you think, honey.

- We know Tommy was a doctor.

He ran a clinic.

- Oh, aren't you just a fountain of knowledge, huh?

I suppose you also know how he financed the operation.

- Well, my best guess would be selling opium to your well-heeled lawyer and his friends.

- Wrong and wrong!

My well-heeled lawyer and his friends were Tommy's patrons.

Yeah!

You know, they'd drink in the front with their guest of choice, no questions asked, and ease their social conscience with a handout to the clinic in the back.

- Well, that's not what we thought.

- Oh, boy.

It just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover, huh?

- You almost seem disappointed.

- Charity makes me uncomfortable.

- What about those two women in the back room?

- Recovering addicts Tommy was treating.

- So if Tommy wasn't smuggling opium, what got him killed?

- You know what I think?

- Ready, Frankie.

- Gotta run.

(door opening) - Um, "thank you Nora."

(door closing) (speaking a foreign language) - She says that Tommy and Jenny were her saviours.

- Saved from who?

- Smugglers.

- What?

- She was brought over from China with five other women.

She was tricked by men that she didn't know.

They came at night by boat.

- She was being smuggled into the country?

(speaking a foreign language) - Yes, but she escaped.

And she was hiding by the docks when Jenny found her and brought her to Tommy's.

She's been lying low ever since.

(speaking a foreign language) She says to say that Jenny is a good woman.

- Why was Jenny at the docks if she wasn't smuggling?

- Maybe she was investigating them.

- And they figured she was on to them.

- Selling innocents off as brides to lonely bachelors.

It's criminal how people make money off human misery.

- How did you find out about this smuggling ring?

- Well, there was talk around the Charitable Society about women coming by boat so...

I started poking around at the docks.

That's how I found Ling.

- That's dangerous, Jenny.

- Well, someone had to do it.

- Why didn't you call the police?!

- The cops ignore what's really going on in this city.

I don't know how you have the gall to wear that uniform.

- I am proud of my uniform.

- So you can strut around keeping the peace?

- Yes, actually, and I am pretty good at it.

I had a lot of practice refereeing between you and Dad.

- Ugh!

Here we go.

Mary's "the good daughter," Jenny's "the difficult one."

You know, you were always daddy's girl and that's why you wanted to be a cop.

- No!

I like being a cop.

It doesn't mean I have to agree with what they do or don't do.

And you should tell them what you've found out.

- If you think they'll believe me, you're crazy.

- Detective Bradley will happily-- - And so naive.

- Jenny, Dad is in his grave.

There's nothing left to rebel against.

- God, you can be hurtful.

- Well I had a good teacher.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

Now untie me.

- No!

Stay like that 'til you apologize.

(tense jazz music) (speaking a foreign language) - Ling thought that she was coming here to be reunited with her husband.

- Her husband is in Toronto?

- Yes.

He came here three years ago for work, but she hasn't heard from him after that.

These men offered her a trip to Toronto to "find her husband."

- And she agreed?

- She thought he was sending for her.

- But instead she became a prisoner.

Wendy, can you ask Ling what her husband's name is?

(speaking a foreign language) - Wie Zhang.

- Wie Zhang.

(speaking a foreign language) - She says that life is like a dream that you cannot control.

- Does she know where the other women are?

(speaking a foreign language) - She wants a pen and paper.

(speaking a foreign language) She says that she saw this painted on a truck by the docks, and the other women were put in it.

- So what is this?

Is it some kind of symbol?

- Wendy, does that mean anything to you?

- Businesses often use familiar symbols to attract customers.

- Hello, Bill.

- Hi, Trudy.

- Thanks for meeting me.

- I don't mind.

- I know it's not much to go on.

- I'll check around.

Let me see what I can find.

- I appreciate that.

- Trudy, um... while we're here, do you have time for some lunch?

- Maybe.

- Look here.

- What is the ad for?

- It's an import-export company owned by James Lee.

- The same James Lee who runs the Charitable Society?

- The snake!

- Unorthodox way of taking care of his community.

Trudy, we have a lead.

- Gotta run.

- What about lunch?

- Next time.

I promise.

- Why were you following me in the first place?

- Mom's moving house.

She wanted you to know her new address.

- You could've left a message at the Charitable Society.

- Maybe I wanted to see you.

- Why?

- Because I like arguing with you.

Those are very nice shoes.

- I bought them last week.

Special order.

- You always had a good eye for shoes.

(groaning) (sighing) - You know... it wasn't easy growing up with the perfect sister.

- Me?

You were the one who got all the attention.

- I was fighting for a place in the family.

- That's interesting because you had one, and then you walked out of it and left me to pick up all the pieces.

- Well... You're good at looking after people.

- I think you spooked the gang.

I don't think those brides have been sold yet.

Why else would they kidnap you?

- Maybe we can still rescue them?

- Well, I'm not much good tied up like this.

- What do you want?

- You know more about Jenny Shaw's disappearance than you told me.

- You can leave now.

- Recognize this?

It's on the side of your truck.

- What does that matter?

- Well, four nights ago, your truck was seen at the docks.

- Where I conduct legitimate business.

- In the dead of night?

- You're running an operation smuggling in women.

- That is ridiculous.

I run a respectable business and devote a great deal of my time to the welfare of my community.

- We have a witness who can identify you.

- No, you don't.

- OK, Miss Policewoman.

What now?

- Well... uh... there has to be something around here we can use.

What do you think's in this?

Ow!

Hmm!

- Fireworks!

- All right.

We could set these off and the noise might attract someone's attention.

We just need some way of lighting them.

- Hmm... - You smoke?!

- Of course.

What kind of rebel doesn't smoke?

- You have the wrong person.

Now leave, or I'll call the police.

(fireworks exploding) It's nothing.

- Well, I think I'll check it out anyway.

(tense music) (fireworks exploding) (coughing) - Frankie!

Oh, am I ever glad to see you!

- Mary?

What?

What are you doing here?

- Didn't you notice I was missing?

- I...

I'm sorry, I just...

I was expecting to find some missing brides down here.

- Who the hell are you?

- Oh.

Frankie Drake, meet Jenny Shaw.

- Delighted.

- Where are we?

- We are in the cellar of the Charitable Society.

Guests of Mr. Lee.

- Mr. Lee's the smuggler?

- Are you sure?

- We believe that he's lined up prospective husbands from your students.

- That bastard.

- So if the brides aren't down here, where are they?

- How could you be so callous, picking the pockets of the men who trusted you?

You make me sick!

- Jenny... - Where are the women?

- You don't know what you're getting into.

You're just girls.

- True... but girls with guns.

- Shoot me if you want.

You can't stop what's happening.

- What are you talking about?

Answer me!

- Looks like Mr. Lee here isn't going to cooperate.

- You know what I don't understand?

How did they know to snatch you, Mary?

Who knew what you were doing?

- I didn't tell anyone... except for Detective Bradley.

But it couldn't have been him.

- And why is that?

- Well, we were working together, and he was attacked at the same time that I was.

Although that could explain why he was nowhere to be seen after.

He faked the attack to throw suspicion off himself!

I trusted him.

- The way I trusted that two-faced Mr. Lee?

- This is very disappointing.

- What do you think is gonna happen when we talk to Detective Bradley?

Do you think he's gonna cave and confess?

- If I were him, I'd use my authority as an officer of the law to make sure Mr. Lee takes the fall.

- Smuggling, kidnapping... - Murder... not good.

- Maybe he'll take you down to Cherry Beach and you'll end up at the bottom of Lake Ontario.

Who's gonna question the word of a detective?

- I didn't kill Tommy Chow.

- But you did kidnap two women.

- He made me do that.

- It was all working out so well, wasn't it?

Shipping the women over for a fee.

You probably fronting the bachelors the money for the head tax.

- With a hefty surcharge, no doubt.

- It was good business... but the detective got greedy.

- He upped the price?

- Worse.

He's going to hold auctions.

- He's selling brides to the highest bidder?

- Yes.

He doesn't care where they go or why.

- Where are the women right now?

- I don't know.

Bradley has them.

- Well, you're gonna contact Detective Bradley, and you're gonna set up a meeting for tomorrow.

- Coffee?

- Never touch the stuff.

You can pour me a glass of that gin you concoct and get to the point.

Why am I here?

- Well, I might need your help with something.

- Well, well, well!

Now she needs my help.

Couldn't handle everything by yourself?

Quelle surprise!

- You know what?

Forget I asked.

- Wait, wait!

Can I at least finish my drink?

- Fine, but hurry up.

- Oh, come on.

For heaven sakes, let me savour the moment.

Frankie Drake is asking for her mother's help!

- You don't need to make a meal out of it.

- Fine.

What do you want?

- Forget it.

It requires a woman with a special set of skills.

- Really?

(suspenseful music) - What's this about, Lee?

- I think you'll be pleased.

It's big money.

American money.

Much more than any Toronto bachelors can afford.

- Sounds promising.

Who is this buyer?

- Mrs. DuBois is from Chicago where I understand she runs a house of... assignation.

- You mean a bordello.

- I will thank you to keep your street language to yourself.

My establishment is regarded as the finest in Illinois, and that's saying something.

- Apologies, Mrs. DuBois.

I understand you are interested in my girls.

- Well... from the description your associate has given me, they are exactly the exotic creatures that I am looking for.

- The price?

- I'm prepared to pay what you're asking.

- You look familiar.

Have we met before?

- Not unless you have, um... paid my house a visit.

You ever been to Chicago?

- No.

- Perhaps you should drop by sometime for some... personal attention.

- I might just take you up on that.

But first, a little business.

- Well, that's what we're here for.

- These girls are first class, worth every penny.

- Mm-hmm.

Well, where are they?

Call me old fashioned but I like to see the merchandise before I buy.

- That's not the arrangement.

First the cash, then the girls.

- Well, then, this has been a waste of a perfectly good train ticket.

Kindly call a taxi to take me to the station.

- Fine.

Victoria Botanical Gardens this afternoon, two o'clock.

You can see the girls then.

- Hmm.

Well...

I am partial to flowers.

- Your mother really is quite something.

She could be on the stage.

- She already is.

Her entire life is one big performance.

- She seems so glamorous.

- She's entertaining in small doses.

Heads up.

There he is.

- Mrs. DuBois.

- You're alone?

That's disappointing.

What's the problem now?

- I've been thinking about the sum negotiated.

- What about it?

- I've encountered further expenses.

I need to raise the price.

- Damn it, you Canadians are appalling businessmen!

Where I come from, a deal is a deal.

- What are you doing, Nora?

Just give him whatever he wants.

- (Frankie): She's not gonna let herself be fleeced.

- But she doesn't actually have to give him any cash.

It's not a real transaction!

- Old habits die hard.

- You know, I suspected something like this might happen and I have a taxi waiting this time.

So what is it gonna be, Mr. Bradley?

Do I see your girls or not?

Oh, my!

Well, aren't they lovely?

Every bit as fine as you promised.

- There's more where they came from.

- Yeah, I'm sure there are.

- What the hell's going on?

- Detective Bradley, you're under arrest.

- Stop right there!

- What are you talking about?

- We have everything we need to hang you.

Literally, if you don't cooperate.

- I didn't think you had it in you, Officer Shaw.

- I'll take that as a compliment, Detective.

Let's go.

- Good job, sis.

- OK, OK. Frankie, let's get the girls out of here before the cops arrive.

After all they've been through, I am not gonna let them be deported.

OK, let's go.

Let's go.

- Right this way.

- There you go.

There you go.

- And how are you gonna pull that off?

- Well...

I know a judge who just might help... that is, if he wants to keep his private life private.

- You played a very convincing madam.

- Oh, yeah?

- Embarrassingly so.

- Well next time give me a more challenging role.

- And who says there's gonna be a next time?

- Well, never say never, darling.

- (Jenny): I never thanked you.

If you hadn't come looking for me, I could still be in that cellar.

Or worse.

- It's what good cops do.

- Oh!

Don't start.

- Come home with me and visit Mom, Jenny.

She misses you.

I miss you too.

- Just a visit?

- Just a visit.

- I'm not moving back home.

- No, you absolutely are not.

I'm never sharing a room with you again.

- You-fou were-fer hor-for-ifib- leefee ufun-ti-fi-dee-fee.

- Oh-foh ref-al-li-fee?

- OK, OK. One more time.

I know I can get this.

- Doe-font te-fell the-fem wha-fut wefeeve pla-fanned.

- Doe-font wo-fur-ee-fee, I-fi woefont.

- Never mind.

So Ling is going back to China?

- She doesn't wanna stay without her husband.

- Bill.

- I was hoping you'd be here.

- Did you... - I did.

- Ling.

- Wie Zhang!

- Ling!

- Congratulations!

- How did you do it?

- I took a day off.

Went door-to-door through Chinatown 'til I found him.

- Well, that's dedication.

- What else could I do?

I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

- Lunch Saturday?

- You bet.

(fireworks exploding) - What's that?

- Perfect timing.

- Come on.

We've liberated Mr. Lee's stash of fireworks!

(laughing) - You know, I've always wanted a sister.

- Really?

- Yeah!

You know, someone to share stuff with.

- OK, but then you'd have to make up some weird language.

- Would I have to?

- Well... there is another way.

So, Bill... - So, what?

- Just saying, he's a steady kind of guy.

- And what's wrong with giving the steady guys a chance for once?

- Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

(exclamations of delight) (laughing) Look at that one!

- Oh!

Closed Captioning by SETTE inc