Ferguson, the ADA in charge of homicide, is brought in on the case. Malloy only had convictions for petty crimes, not murder, but a check of his associates leads the investigators to "Big Babe" Lazick (Zero Mostel). Lazick refuses to talk, but when Ferguson threatens to jail his wife and put his little son into foster care, Lazick confesses that he is part of a "troop" (a group of killers) operating under the orders of Joe Rico who gets requests to commit murders over the telephone from a third party. The gang uses terms like "contract" (a request to commit murder) and "hit" (the actual killing) in case others—mainly the cops—are listening in. The killers get a regular salary (even if they go to jail), their families are looked after if anything goes wrong and bonuses are paid for actual killings. Only Rico knows who the top boss is.