A Stranger Among Us

Baruch atah adonai...

Elohenu melech ha-olam...

Look at that line. Kids gettin' younger or we gettin' older?

A little of both.

- We used to be like that. - Yep, born to bop, that was us.

Remember in academy, night before graduation?

We were so hung over I thought I was gonna barf right in the mayor's lap.

Oh, geez, about our first collar?

Cha-cha all night and straight to the courthouse in the morning.

You were wearing my personal favorite. Red dress, no back.

I thought they were gonna run me in for soliciting.

- Pretty wild. - Mmm. We had good times.

We're havin' good times.

Tell me something, Emily. We in love?

We are in lust.

See those two? Just like my stool pigeon told me.

It's goin' down.

Where's our backup? You didn't let 'em know?

You didn't call for backup? Please, Emily. I hate this rogue shit -

Nick, Nick, if I may. This is not rogue. We just happen to be at the scene.

Who the hell's gonna believe that kinda action? The "national enquirer"?

- Police. Freeze. - I'll take your little friend.

Assume the position.

Spread 'em.

Nick!

You want it?

We got a scoop and run! Respiration: 32.

Blood pressure: 90 over 60. Heart rate: 135.

He's gonna make it, right?

I said, he's gonna make it, right?

Not if you keep comin' at me he's not!

- I'm sorry! - Fine!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Ariel, stop reading. It's time for evening prayers.

- Sher hamalos. - Sher hamalos.

Excuse me, commissioner.

He's just gone up to the operating room now.

Make note of the time, detective Eden. I'm relieving you of your weapon.

- I. A. D. In the morning. - I shot the perp.

Why should I have to face those headhunters?

Because you used your weapon again.

Emily, why didn't you call for backup?

Because we thought we could handle it ourselves.

No, you thought you could handle it by yourself.

We got 27,300 police officers in the city. Isn't there anybody you trust?

What are you trying to prove?

Mah-tovi oaleich, yaakov...

Mish kinoteichu yisroel.

- I wanna see him. - He's gonna make it.

What's new and exciting?

What? I'm not dead?

Geez, you really are some cowboy.

Yeah, ahem, calamity Jane.

- Perps? - We got 'em.

Good. Yeah. I -

Again.

- If the rebbe finds out - - who's going to tell?

You shouldn't learn kabbalah. Mysticism can shorten your life.

On the other hand, it can lengthen your life.

The rabbis say we shouldn't study kabbalah until the age of 40.

Besides, only the most brilliant students...

Can understand it.

Only the brightest can hope to understand its mysteries.

I'll never reach that level.

Yaakov, you're bright. You can study anything, anytime.

Maybe. I'm not so sure. I think I'm better off where I am.

I need your advice.

The answer is: Yes, you should.

- Yes, I should what? - Marry her.

She's a fine girl. You'll be very happy.

What is it?

It's nothing. It's nothing.

You're sure? You don't have the look of nothing on your face.

- You have the look of something. - No, it's nothing.

I should marry her, shouldn't I?

You know what Mara told me?

Not only is she going to be a wonderful wife, she's also going to be my best friend.

Yaakov, listen. Would you like to hear something wonderful?

"God counts the tears of women."

What's it mean?

I'm not sure.

Actually I just came across it in the kabbalah.

Hello?

Internal affairs says you're spick-and-span. Deadly force was called for.

Gee willikers, what a surprise.

Think maybe it's because Nick's in the hospital?

- I think you need some r and r. - I need to work.

It's not your fault.

What do you got?

Please.

Guy disappears on his family? What, are you kidding me?

It's work.

Um, I'm afraid the rebbe has a very busy schedule today.

- You're the policeman? - Police person.

- Person? - Never mind. Policeman.

Ah, come with me, please.

Hello?

This way.

Wait here, please.

Anshuldik mir.

Zeer gut.

Hi, I'm detective Eden.

Ah, I've been assigned to the klausman -

yaakov klausman was reported as a missing person?

Do these guys understand what I'm saying?

- The rebbe speaks eight languages. - Is English one of 'em?

Okay. You know, most cases where kids disappear...

We're talking some kind of shit going on.

Um. I know.

I know. I apologize. I'm really not as stupid as I act.

Relax. You're a very tense person.

Which one of you is immediate family?

- Are you the immediate family? - I'm yaakov's father.

Okay, good. Maybe there's some place we could go and talk.

No. My rebbe has to be here.

So you're all like a family?

In a manner of speaking.

Thank you. Okay. Your son disappeared two nights ago?

Did you fight with him?

- No. - Your wife maybe?

- Anything like this ever happen before? - Of course not.

Has yaakov exhibited signs of strange behavior lately...

You know, being depressed, uncommunicative?

- Staying alone in his room? - No.

Is anything missing? Money? Jewelry?

Diamonds are missing, yes.

How much are we talking here?

Wholesale, about $720,000.

Well, look, I hate to say this, but if we're talking diamonds...

We could be looking at a felony here.

Maybe your son ripped you off. I've seen it a hundred times.

In your world perhaps, not in ours.

Are you in charge here?

The almighty is in charge.

Um, Mr. Klausman...

When was the last time that you saw your son?

Tuesday night... right before yaakov went to say maariv.

Maariv, that's the evening prayer.

I should also tell you I'm yaakov's best friend...

And probably the last person to see him before he disappeared.

Then you and I are gonna have to have a little talk.

You will pardon me. I have people waiting to see me.

No, no. You stay.

- Um, would you excuse us? - It wouldn't be proper, us alone in the room.

Why, are you planning on jumping my bones?

It's a question of modesty, proper behavior.

I was just kidding. I was kidding.

Yes, of course.

I got it. I got it. Okay?

Here we go. All right, speak to me of yaakov klausman.

- Sholem alechem. - Alechem sholem.

That's all the transactions for the past year...

- To the public. - What do you mean?

On the street, among ourselves, we do business with a handshake.

- No written contracts? - It's a business based on honor and trust.

Huh. What exactly does yaakov do?

Yaakov cuts the stones.

He's fallen behind in his work what with his wedding and all.

- What do you call those? - These?

- Yeah, those. - Payess.

Payess? Why do you wear 'em?

It's in the torah, the Bible. It's a law. You're not supposed to shave there.

How come?

Well, the torah doesn't give us a reason. But the rabbis teach us...

In ancient times idol worshipers used to cut their hair in that area as part of their cult.

We are forbidden to imitate them.

Yeah, well, whatever.

Shave, change of wardrobe and yaakov's got himself a whole new life.

- We already told you - - yeah, I know what you told me.

But I got experience, okay? I know human nature.

You will pardon me, but you do not know our nature.

With all due respect, sir, inside every honest man...

There is a thief trying to get out.

You're positive?

When you've seen what I've seen in this life, okay?

- When you came here was the alarm on or off? - Off.

- Is that typical? - No, not at all. We keep it on all the time.

When somebody comes we switch it off to let them in, then we turn it right back on.

So yaakov turned off the alarm because he knew who was coming up here?

Yes, I suppose.

- And no one you've talked to saw yaakov leave? - No one.

Yeah, well, nobody just vanishes, especially if they're hauling a girl's best friend.

Then again, maybe he never even left the building.

I think it would be better to take Mr. and Mrs. Klausman out of here.

- Dayan ha-emmes. - Omein.

- Dayan ha-emmes. - Omein.

Eden, visitor.

- What's new and exciting? - Your detective has been questioning me.

Everything he asks...

It seems he's making implications about yaakov, things which are just not possible.

Huh.

Well, you got any ideas? Any new information maybe?

- No. - Oh.

- So you wanna know what I see? - Certainly.

Yaakov knew his killer. Yaakov let the killer in.

- It's impossible. - Why?

Yaakov would only let in someone he knew. Yaakov only knows hassidim.

- We don't kill each other. We don't kill anybody. - Yeah. Well, there's a first time for everything.

- You're wrong. - Don't say that.

You wouldn't believe the things that I've seen.