The Enforcer

Under heavy police protection, gangster Joe Rico arrives late at night at the courthouse to testify against Albert Mendoza. Lead prosecutor Martin Ferguson reminds him that he faces charges unless he cooperates. The atmosphere is tense as Rico prepares to testify.

After yet another attempt on his life, Rico gives his bodyguards the slip but falls to his death from the ledge outside the eighth floor window. The murder omens cast a shadow over the case from the start. The authorities realize Rico's evidence might still matter despite his death.

With Rico dead, Ferguson believes something new may still emerge from the existing materials. He and police captain Nelson decide to re-examine the evidence, hoping flashbacks and forgotten leads will reveal the truth. The goal is to prevent Mendoza from walking free on Rico's absence.

The case unfolds with a flashback: Duke Malloy bursts into a police station claiming he killed his girlfriend under pressure from others. The police find only an empty grave, and Malloy later commits suicide in his cell. This sequence sets off the chain of investigations into who was pulling the strings.

Ferguson pressures Lazick after he initially refuses to talk, threatening his wife and child. Under duress, Lazick confesses that Rico orders the contract murders and explains the killer-for-hire network where clients have alibis and killers lack motive. This ties Rico directly to the ongoing crimes.

Lazick leads police to the grave of Nina Lombardo, revealing that she was a contracted killer whom Malloy was supposed to kill but who became central to the crime web. Malloy’s actions, driven by emotion, intersect with Rico's broader scheme. The discovery adds another layer to the motive and cover story.

Investigators learn Nina Lombardo's real name is Angela Vetto, who had been in hiding for a decade after her father's murder. Nina's roommate Teresa Davis provides crucial information that connects the personal histories to the current case.

Authorities uncover a mass grave filled with dozens of bodies, signaling the depth of the criminal enterprise. As the case tightens, the gang begins to break apart under pressure and exposure. The scale of the operation becomes undeniable.

Rico, hiding on a farm with his last remaining accomplices, witnesses their shooting by hired killers. He survives long enough to contact Ferguson and offer to testify against Mendoza, revealing that Tony Veto and Angela had witnessed the first murder. He notes that there are no survivors for prosecution from those early events.

Ferguson goes to Mendoza's cell and leaves behind photos of his victims, signaling an attempt to pressure the boss. He then returns to the evidence room and listens to Rico's confession tape, which is not admissible in court. The conflicting eye-color details begin to hint at a misidentification in the investigation.

On the tape, Rico describes Vetto's daughter as having 'big blue eyes,' while Ferguson recalls Nina Lombardo had brown eyes and Teresa Davis had blue eyes. This discrepancy leads Ferguson to conclude that Nina Lombardo was fingered as Duke Malloy's contract by mistake. The misidentification becomes a pivotal twist in the case.

Mendoza, upon reviewing Nina's photograph and realizing the misidentification, dispatches two of his remaining henchmen to pursue the real Angela Vetto. He aims to prevent her from testifying and exposing the top boss. The chase intensifies as investigators close in.

Ferguson and Nelson locate Angela's residence, only to find she has gone out shopping in the bustling city streets. To reach her quickly, Ferguson uses sidewalk loudspeakers from a nearby music store to warn her and instruct her to contact him at the store.

Angela responds to the warning and meets Ferguson, closely pursued by remaining killers. In the ensuing confrontation, Ferguson manages to kill one gangster and the other is captured. With Angela under his protection, she can testify against Mendoza and help bring the case to a close.