Jasper "Buddy" Noone



Jasper "Buddy" Noone is the main antagonist of the 2002 action film Blood Work based on the book of the same name by mystery author Micheal Connelly. He is portrayed by Jeff Daniels.

In the film, he at first appears to be a neighbor of protagonist, Terry Mcaleb but at the end of the film he is revealed to be a sadistic serial killer nicknamed "The code killer". His name is an anagram for " NO ONE", referring to a code that Mcaleb couldn't break.

Film
Buddy Noone was originally Mcaleb's neighbor after he moved onto his houseboat, "The following sea" after narrowly surviving a heart attack while chasing a suspected killer. He is seemingly very friendly to Mcaleb, even driving him around due to the fact that Mcaleb cannot drive. In the film, Mcaleb is trying to find the killer who murdered the woman whose heart Mcaleb was given after her death. Towards the end of the film, Mcaleb leaves the murdered woman's sister, Gracella and her son, Raymond, who he has become aquainted with, in the care of Buddy. When he returns, he not only discovers that the two are missing but a check he had written for Buddy pinned to his corkboard signed "NO/ONE". Mcaleb hear's Buddy's harmonica and walks into Buddy's own houseboat asking him if he's seen them. Buddy replies that they got tired of waiting and left. However, at that moment, Mcaleb spots jewlery belonging to the victim and pulls his gun on Buddy, ordering him to lift his shirt. He complies, revealing a scar where Mcaleb had shot him before...he was the killer Mcaleb was chasing at the start of the film. Buddy then gleefully reveals that he killed the woman (and others) to "save Mcaleb" and that he has kidnapped Gracella and Raymond. He also hacked into medical computers to determine Mcaleb's rare blood type.

Buddy then tries to escape but Mcaleb shoots him in the arm, gives him a belt to use as a touriqite, takes him hostage and orders him to take Mcaleb to the place where they are being held, which is eventually revealed to be a half-sunken ship that is slated for demolition, which he calls his "own little shop of horrors". Mcaleb successfully rescues Gracella and Raymond but Buddy escapes and grabs a machine gun. Mcaleb and Buddy then begin a tense cat and mouse game, culminating in Mcaleb shooting Buddy in the chest (a possible reference to another famous Clint Eastwood scene).

Novel
In the novel, Buddy's role is completely different. He remains both an ally and a close friend to Mcaleb. Humorously, he expresses annoyance that he was portrayed as a villain in the film. He and Mcaleb also ran a boat charter service. After Mcaleb's mysterious death, he continues his role as an ally and even briefly helps the current protagonist, Harry Bosch investigate after his GPS was stolen by the real killer.