1992
Pam Broder and her brother Steve are walking down the street after a baseball game. Pam walks off to go to her car in a parking garage. She finds a car wedged into a gate with the engine running. Puzzled, Pam walks past it to get to her car. As she puts her things in the trunk, she hears a struggle and turns to see a man, Teddy Hix, beating an attendant to death. Teddy sees Pam and says that the attendant scratched his car, and Pam runs. The killer goes after her but Pam manages to close the gate and slam it shut.
Teddy, an ex-Marine, is soon arrested for murder and the detective in charge, Prockess, warns Pam that if she doesn’t testify then Teddy will get manslaughter and be released in five years. Pam agrees to testify and Teddy is convicted of second-degree murder and gets 15 years in prison.
In prison, Teddy looks at a postcard of a cabin on the woods and then starts writing on it. Soon, pam receives the postcard in the mail and the message on it says, “Thinking of you.” In prison, Teddy collects clippings of Pam as she gets her degree.
1998
Pam receives a letter from the prison board informing her that Teddy got his appeal. She and Steve go to the police and demand protection, figuring that Teddy has someone on the outside sending the postcards.
Teddy burns his clippings to eliminate any evidence against him.
The police warn Pam and Steve that there’s nothing they can do against Teddy. As they leave the station, Chapel watches them go.
Later, Teddy relaxes at a café. He waves to a man as he drives by in a Cadillac, while Chapel and KC watch from nearby. They figure that the driver is Teddy’s man on the outside, Chapel figures that the driver, Coner Gulch, is Teddy’s delivery man. As Coner meets with Teddy, Chapel says that he hasn’t met with Pam because it isn’t her problem. KC is surprised that he’s changing his method and figures that Pam should know. He warns that it should either end fast or end bad, and tells KC to go to the street and pretend that she’s hailing a taxi. Once Chapel walks away, Teddy notices KC and loo9ks at her briefly. Meanwhile, Coner gives Teddy a tuner that will unlock any car and start up its ignition.
Chapel goes to Coner’s Cadillac and jimmies the lock. He gets in and searches the car, and finds a county jail uniform with Coner’s name on it. Meanwhile, Teddy gives Coner an envelope full of cash and Coner goes back to his car as Chapel comes back over. KC hails a taxi until Chapel stops her, and she admits that Teddy slipped away. They leave, unaware that Teddy is watching them
Chapel and KC go to the house of Chuck Bidally and KC tells Chapel what she saw. Chapel introduces KC to Chuck and explains that he’s a detective first grade, retired. Chuck figures that Chapel is there for his favor, and Chapel says that KC will be Chuck’s new partner. He needs him to find Teddy and get any information that he can on him. Once Chuck goes inside, Chapel tells KC that what he did for Chuck was very ugly and she doesn’t want to know.
Teddy breaks into a car and starts it up, and then drives away.
Pam moves in with Steve, who half-jokingly says that she only has to stay there until he kills Teddy. Chapel is watching from across the street.
Chuck and KC check out Teddy’s apartment and discover that he’s moved out even though he left his stuff behind. They head to Coner’s place to see if Teddy is there.
Chapel listens in as Steve gives Pam a gun for her protection. She insists that she doesn’t want it in the house, while the police pull up. The officers enter the garage and find the car Teddy stole. Steve grabs the gun and goes out to investigate. They immediately disarm and arrest him, while Chapel watches.
Teddy crosses Steve’s name off of a list.
Chapel goes to a ganger hangout, and they immediately draw on him. Their leader, Little Evil, calls them off and offers Chapel some pretzels and beer. Chapel says he gave Little Evil a chance but he didn’t take advantage of it, and now they’re playing Tag. He hands Little Evil a gun and smiles.
Pam goes to the station and tells the desk sergeant that her brother’s no thief. He says that they got an anonymous tip. She demands to see Prockess, but is informed that he’s on vacation. As Pam leaves, officers bring in Little Evil for tagging a squad car. Pam goes to Steve’s home and closes the drapes, unaware that Chapel is watching from the shadows. She’s eating the same kind of chocolates that Chapel is, and he leaves his wrapper on the lawn. Inside, Pam picks up a baseball bat and dozes off, holding it.
The house lights go out as someone shuts off the power at the fuse box. Chapel goes in and makes sure that Pam is asleep and safe. Teddy turns on the lights and Pam attacks Chapel. He easily disarms her and explains that he’s after Teddy. They see a message on the mirror addressed to Chapel: “Thinking of you too, Big Guy.”
In jail, Little Evil is locked up in holding with Steve. Coner comes to move Steve to a private cell, and Little Evil starts a fight with him and knocks him out. He then closes the cell door and tells Steve to stay with him.
The next morning, Chapel explains his deal to Pam. Steve calls and tells Pam what happened. She realizes that Chapel did it, and Chapel says that Steve has to stay in jail because he’s safer there. He tells Pam to live her life until Teddy’s is stopped, and whether Teddy stops is up to Teddy.
Chuck and KC are running stakeout on Coner’s place. They compare notes on what Chapel did for them, and Chuck is amused that KC is still working for Chapel after she paid off her favor. Coner’s girlfriend leaves Coner’s house, and Chuck and KC follow him.
Chapel accompanies Pam to the college classroom where she teaches. Chapel talks about author John Addison and the ingredients in her chocolate. Chapel refuses to discuss what he has planned for Teddy, but explains that he’s destabilizing Pam’s environment by sending Steve to jail. Teddy calls Pam and makes it clear that he’s watching, and Chapel takes the phone. The ex-convict tells Chapel to give it up or die, and Chapel insults him. Te4ddy says that he’s going to die and hangs up. KC then calls Chapel and says that they found Teddy’s place.
Chapel takes Pam with him to meet Chuck and KC at their hotel. Chapel leaves and KC goes with him. She figures that it’s about Pam or someone like her, and asks if Chapel or Teddy is in control. He just tells KC to go if she wants to go and walks away.
That night, Chapel goes to the cheap hotel room that Chuck and KC tracked down.
At the Paladin hotel, KC tells Pam that it’s better if she doesn’t know their first names. Pam says that she’s not interested in Chapel.
Chapel puts some cat food on the door, luring a rat over to nibble at it. Coner is inside and opens the door when he hears it. He realizes that it’s a trap and slams the doors hut, and realizes that the window is open. The phone rings and Coner answers it. It’s Chapel, who is calling on his cell phone. He grabs Coner by the neck and asks where Teddy is.
At the Paladin, there’s a knock at the door. Chuck confirms that it’s his former partner, Gus Grisby. Grisby says that Teddy nailed Chuck’s license plate and tracked him down. Teddy is in the hallway with Grisby, holding a gun to his head. Grisby explains that Teddy has his family and his gun. Pam calls through the door and tells Teddy not to kill anyone, and he warns that if he comes in and someone’s holding a gun, he’ll kill them all. Chuck puts the gun down and Pam opens the door, and Teddy leads Grisby in. He closes the door and tosses a bag on the bed, and then knocks out Chuck and Grisby when they try to jump him. Teddy then calls Pam over and tells KC to start tearing off strips of duct tape from his bag.
Chapel comes in and disarms Teddy, but Teddy grabs Pam as a shield and draws a knife. Teddy shoves Pam away and tells Chapel that he has a choice to make. He stabs Chuck and runs out, and Chapel and Pam tend to him while KC calls an ambulance. Chapel tells Chuck not to die as the ambulance arrives outside.
As the EMTs take Chuck away, KC wonders what’s going on. Chapel admits that he isn’t sure, and KC sits down. Pam covers over and Chapel says that it’s time to take Steve home.
Teddy goes to the police station and claims that he’s Steve’s lawyer. He asks for a room to meet privately with him.
Chapel, KC, and Pam drive to the station and Chapel waits outside. KC goes in to get Steve and Pam asks about Chapel’s “business.” She suggests that he think about retirement and they start to kiss. However, KC calls them in. Steve is on the floor of the conference room, dead, and a bloody knife is nearby. There’s also a list with the words “Love,” “Hope”, and “Life” all crossed out. Chapel stares at the room, shocked.
Teddy takes the bus away.
Several days later, the police take Pam home after the funeral. Two detectives accompany her to the college and she steps away from them to meet with Chapel. She says that she’s done with Chapel and walks away.
Chuck is dozing on his porch when Chapel visits him. He figures Teddy is still in town, and Chapel shows him Teddy’s list. Chuck figures that Teddy wants what he can’t have, so he’s giving Pam a tour of his world. The ex-cop figures that Teddy doesn’t want to kill Pam and it’s about revenge. Chapel doesn’t know what Teddy has planned next, but Chuck says that Chapel knows Teddy whether he likes it or not.
That night, Pam is leaving and goes out to the police car. They hear a trash can fall at the house and the cop insists on investigating. A minute later the officer comes back with a cat and gets into the ca. When he gets in, Pam is unaware that it’s Teddy. Teddy drives to the parking garage and turns around, and Pam realizes who it is. She discovers that the doors are locked, and Teddy closes the gate and opens the squad car’s back door. Pam has no choice but to go with him, and he reminds her of how she ran five years ago. He then takes out a gun and puts it on the floor, and she picks it up. Teddy holds out his arms and points out the surveillance camera on the wall. He describes how he killed Steve, trying to provoke Pam to shoot him.
Chapel arrives on the other side of the gate and tells Pam not to give Teddy what he wants. Teddy continues describing how he killed Steve, and dares Pam to show him what she can do. Chapel warns that if Pam kills Teddy then she’ll become him. Teddy screams at her to pull the trigger, and she says that it’s over... and shoots at the floor around Teddy’s feet. He drops the gate keys, and Pam kicks them over to Chapel as He gets the gate open and stops Teddy as he grabs the shotgun from the squad car.
Sometime later, Chapel visits Pam. She’s selling Steve’s home, and Chapel finds the chocolate wrapper on the ground. Pam comes over and Chapel tells that she can repay her favor by saying goodbye. He kisses her gently and Pam assures him that she doesn’t blame him for her brother’s death. Chapel kisses her goodbye and says that they’re even, and he’s out of her life forever. He turns and walks away as Pam watches, crying.
In prison, Teddy receives a box of chocolates. Also inside is a postcard like the ones that he sent to Pam, with the same message.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 25, 2016