Original subtitles

See you next time.

Mobile operator, please.

Let me have RX -1311.

You're talking to the walls.

How's Sacramento?

Crowded. You were expecting the chief to be here. Yeah, looking on the tape.

Looks like he finished.

No way.

Not without the stuff I brought back from the Hall of Records.

The van's gone.

I don't get it. I can't reach it by phone.

Well, you knew I'd be back by seven.

Hey, did you straighten out the table?

Didn't touch it.

Why are these things spread all over the place?

He was just beginning to work on them when I left. Art doesn't answer.

Well, maybe he came by and he and the chief went out to dinner together.

Without locking the door and with only...

Only one drink?

All free delivery.

Mark.

Chief has missed me. Oh, he can't be missing.

He ought a pizza and a salad and a bottle of Zinfandel.

When? About 5 .30. He asked me to stop by Nick Lowe's on my way home. Well,

gone. And I'm gone. I've got to pick up my wife.

Ed. Later. Mark.

Yeah.

Smell that glass, man.

No chai, Ed.

Scotch.

He never drinks to us.

Keeps it for visitors only, right?

Mm -hmm.

Ed, Mark, look.

Remember the surprise party for his birthday?

I think that's the last time this set was used.

But these two were used tonight and wiped and put away.

See, all the others are dusty.

So there were two of them. Two of who?

Visitors. Would you point me in some direction, please? I told you. He's

missing. The van is missing. Without a word. Well?

He's got a license to drive and a zillion friends.

And a case of his own that goes to court in the morning with eight hours of work

to do on it, Mark. Can you imagine him just leaving?

Not me, lady.

I'm just a stranger here myself.

I'm sorry. I'm worried.

He must have let them in. Then what kind of noise are you making?

Abduction, I guess.

That'd be some sign of violence.

Yeah, unless he decided not to resist.

Unless he...

Saw something in it that made it worth the gamble to go along.

Hey, when's the last time we saw not maneuvered? Ed, maneuvering is not

kidnapping. Mark, he could have called me, but he didn't. He didn't do anything

normal.

But he did leave information for us that nobody else could possibly know he was

leaving. Now, why do all of that if they didn't have him at gunpoint?

Okay. Okay.

I do get to make one phone call, don't I, officer? My wife is waiting for me to

pick her up.

Hey, why don't you call the department just in case there's some big crisis?

Has the chief been called over there?

Yeah, I know we were supposed to go to a movie. I don't think I can make it.

Sorry, I know.

Do you have Todd in the house?

Yeah, I know you're not going to believe this.

No, it's nothing. I just thought he might be there.

Thank you.

Nothing from the department.

Did you find anything?

Yeah, he packed a suitcase, took three changes.

He took it on a suit.

Black raw silk.

Calls it a burial suit.

Burial suit?

Yeah, he's worn it.

Three times, to funerals.

Only place it's appropriate, quote -unquote. I'll be home as soon as

Okay. Mark, would you please request a 10 -13 APB on the van? Okay, do not

apprehend.

Chief Operator, please. A scientific investigation.

Somebody we know.

Jim Crutcher. He'll volunteer.

Hi, Dorothy. I said Ron.

Fine, thanks.

Listen, this is urgent and confidential.

I want a complete and immediate fugitive check on airlines, bus lines, and

Amtrak. Airlines first.

They probably made him drive more naturally.

Then they transferred him to something else.

Or just drove him to a house.

Well, they found out upstairs that he had somebody living with him.

So they tried to make him look as if he had finished his business and had gone

out to dinner.

Then there's no reason for alarm.

Hmm? Blank time to get in my time.

It's Lieutenant Crutcher. I'll fill him in.

Have it warmed up and on the runway, Frank. They're checking train departures

now. Yeah, thank you.

They found a van. I sent a truck to tow it home.

Where is it? Oakland, a block from the railroad station. Oakland PD is sealing

it, of course. Jim, you got the picture? Yeah, I think pretty much. Anything you

can find, Fran can fill you in on where you might find useful fingerprints.

Sergeant Brown.

Yes, sir.

Reno?

Where?

What time?

All right, sir. Thank you very much.

Three one -way tickets to Reno, Nevada. Big man in a wheelchair, two companions.

They took a local out of Oakland. They have to change in Fairchild in 55

minutes. Telephone the description to the Fairchild police. Have them meet me

the airport, code 3. And Fran, don't stop looking.

Police, get your hand up. Now don't move.

Chief?

Zilch upstairs.

Except for a couple of prints. It might match up with a suspect.

If there is one.

Want me to start on that? Yeah, but try not to disturb anything.

Okay.

They're small -time actors. Swear they don't know anything about an abduction.

The so -called talent agent paid them to ride to Reno, dump a wheelchair, and

come back tomorrow.

And the so -called agent just happened to have the chief's wheelchair and suit,

right? Right.

The double's flying back with me. We'll be there in an hour.

The men on the train were decoys. Yeah, I figured that was going down too easy.

Anything here?

Yep. I just can't get to it.

Now, look. The hand controls are locked in position.

That says the chief is driving, right?

Do you recognize this?

Yeah.

This pearl tie pin.

He stuck it in the seat.

And that says he was driving.

Now, why tell us twice?

Well, it's like a scotch. It must mean something else, Mark.

But how could he do that with the pen if they were watching him? Oh, that's

easy. He just stops for a traffic light, gets the pen loose

while he's looking for traffic, just drops his hand and sticks the pen in the

seat.

All right, drop your hand again with the pen, but just drop it relaxed.

It looks like he used the pen to make some scratches.

They could be letters. I don't know. Your friend used this.

Ink it.

LAX.

Los Angeles International Airport.

Robert Ironside.

Did you write that?

Who else would send my son to bring it to you? Sure I wrote it. You wrote it,

you read it.

I'm back. If you still want me, come and take your best shot.

You were always excessive, Bruno.

The note was enough.

The man with the gun got you nothing.

Been a long time.

1960.

He ran me out of the country, this man right here.

What were you then, Ironside, a lieutenant?

I made him a hero.

I left for Mexico. They promoted him to captain.

It's a long time to carry a grudge.

What do you want?

Somebody murdered my niece.

Murder's a strange word coming from you. Not what I'm talking about, my niece.

Selma was murdered.

I'd like some black coffee.

Fifteen years in my house.

My ward since she was five years old.

You find out who killed her.

And if I do?

What do you want?

Nothing unusual.

Arrest and trial for the killer.

You want my hand on it?

Your word's enough.

You got it.

I want one more thing.

I want you. That warrant's gathered enough dust.

Well, like I said, if your best shot is good enough.

All right.

The night before last, about 6 .30, I received a phone call from a man, gave

name, said that Selman needed me and was in room 27 at the Sunspray Motel in San

Clemente. I phoned the room and there was no answer.

I decided not to wake my father.

I picked up Marty instead and we arrived there about 7 .30 and found the room.

And I picked the lock and we found her, strangled.

Then we brought her home.

Better brought here.

It's a walk -in cooler. I built it for...

You'll need help from LAPD. Not at first, Jim. Chief wants us to handle

personally. See, he left clues that only Mark, Ed, and I would understand.

Okay.

Look, I've got prints that'll probably place the kidnappers here and in the

Friend, you better get us in the first thing flying south.

They flew to Los Angeles, but not a commercial flight. We know that.

Figure, private plane to about 730 or 8, East Bay Airport.

A breeze if they follow the flight plan.

You were here? when your niece was found dead?

I just got in that afternoon.

For something so important that you ran the risk of crossing the border.

What do you know about Jack Phelps? I know that he's smart enough to keep his

nose out of San Francisco.

Well, he's bigger down here than most people realize.

And now he's made a move to get into our area.

He's gone over my head, met with my father, arranged a merger.

He has a young brother named Max.

Max and Soma were going together until she called it off.

We think that he killed Soma out of jealousy.

Because he didn't want anyone else to have her. You heard Eric say San

Well, that's a catch basin for Camp Pendleton.

And Corporal Max Phillips, Ironside, is a Marine.

And he's stationed at Camp Pendleton. I called.

He had her pass that day and was due back at four o 'clock.

He never made it. And he's still missing.

We've been calling.

What does Jack Phillips have to say to this?

Nothing. He doesn't know.

Well, no.

You'd have to give Phelps some reason for putting the merger off.

As I'm worried, we had to go over Eric's books. We have to exchange statements,

but I can't close with this going on.

You get me proof on that kid, Ironside. Proof positive at best.

Proof to spring on Phelps, to exact the price from him, or to justify hitting

young Max.

Did you really imagine you could make me a confederate? Now listen to me,

Ironside. I have listened.

I heard you give me a promise I don't believe you ever intended to keep.

I think your word is like your honor, Bruno.

Non -existent. There you are, Dad. I told you it wouldn't work. Shut up!

Where'd you put his suitcase?

I thought I don't appreciate the insults in front of my own people.

Then tell it straight.

All right.

Selma didn't break it off with Max. I told Phelps to put a stop to it or there

wouldn't be any merger.

They're not our kind of people.

You know, you broke a cardinal rule bringing me here.

Doesn't it mean anything to you that you're the one cop I can trust?

Not much.

All right, all right.

Somebody killed my niece. I put my people on it like a war with Phelps. I

police report like a war with Phelps.

I ask his kid brother one question, I got bodies stacked up like Corbwood.

Okay, okay, I put up a lifetime of work, now it's falling down, you got a front

row seat. I mean, what do you want?

You know what I want?

But what about Phelps? Will he agree?

I'll handle him.

Not good enough.

I want to hear you ask Phelps to sit down in my presence.

Are you crazy?

You'll get yourself killed.

Don't mention me or Max.

John Selma's been murdered, nothing more.

If you want anything from me, you call him.

Send up your hitman to unpack.

The plane belongs to the Keeper Charter Service, a rental job. Keeper checks are

clean. What about the customer?

Martin S.

Zara.

Hopewell, New Jersey, by way of the airport marina.

Look what I found under one of the seats.

Plutarch's, fisherman's work. One of his favorites.

The... Five.

Plutarch's, Roman numeral five.

A two -hour night flight, he'd have done to think of... Five what?

Five o 'clock?

Five days, five hours, five miles.

Five nothing.

It's the kind of a five, a Roman numeral five.

Roman, Mark, Roman.

Bruno Roman, the old -time mobster?

But he's ducking extradition in Mexico. Yeah, maybe, but Eric lives here. Eric

Roman, the old man's son.

It won't be hard to get an address.

What if you and Marty don't get back in time? What do we tell Phelps?

As little as possible.

You sure nobody followed you?

Ironside didn't tip anyone off?

If anybody's being followed, it'll be that actor we put on the train.

There'll be Coleman Reno Nevada for him. Nobody'll think of L .A. for days.

Marty, he may try to trick you.

If he forces you to burn him, he knows I didn't promise to let him out of here

alive.

I get you're still paying for the motel room.

Yeah, daily rate.

Plus a hundred bucks to the manager to keep the door locked.

Also her mouth.

Young lady was not the only girl who entertained the Marine.

But hers is the only Marine you seem to remember.

Hers is the only Marine who left their key when they went to lunch.

And they returned at three o 'clock, after which you saw neither of them

After which? That's right. Thank you, ma 'am.

Ms.

You've been a great help.

Something there on the floor.

All right. You said she was lying on her back when you found her body.

Would you show me that position, please?

All right, thank you. Was everything in the room as it was when you and Eric

entered? The chair and the stool, the curtain, the lamp?

Well, the lamp was on when I turned that off.

Everything else seems to be in place.

Which one of you picked up her purse?

I did. From the floor?

No, it was right over there.

All right, Mr. Simmons, we're finished here.

It's almost registered as Susan Smith.

Any chance the manager knew her?

No, we checked.

She knew something happened, but she doesn't know what.

Well, I'm going to reveal to you, Mr. Simmons, a matter that's beginning to

trouble me deeply.

All right, shoot. I need some food.

You and Eric both take orders from Bruno?

No, my boss is Eric.

Mr. Roman hasn't been involved in years.

Eric said he'd pick you up night before last.

Now, where do you live?

Well, that would be the Vesuvius.

That's a nightclub, we all... Live?

Various hotels.

When I'm in town, I stay with Eric.

How close were you and Selma?

Same house.

Sometimes at the same time.

The Vesuvius.

Is that what you do? Manage clubs?

I manage managers.

Of clubs and various other businesses that we've invested in.

Sounds like a field superintendent.

You want to stop at Pendleton as long as we're down here?

Check up on Max Phelps?

Before we talk to his brother?

That's an interesting suggestion from a man who wants to avoid a war.

It's a shame you wasted your life as a cop.

You'd be a real success in my life.

What kept you?

Selma Roman, USC.

Activity's girlfriend.

Read to him in the car. We'd better get moving.

Phelps, uh, Miss Dunner.

This is the friend I told you about.

My name is Robert Ironside. I'm a cop.

He's a what, Phelps?

You suck me into a rip -off with the heat? Phelps, the man is alone. My own

abducted him. You think we do a thing like that for stupid? It's on our head.

You let a cop call a sit -down? You got no head. I tell you, the man is straight

by the rules.

Now you tell me to my face that I'm a liar. My word is no good or you shut

big fat mouth and listen.

All right, what kind of a cop? From where? Chiva detective, San Francisco.

Retired.

This is really stupid.

I agree.

Call it off. Let Mr.

Phelps go.

I'll tell you what I know.

Now, just a minute.

About what?

About what?

The man who murdered Selma Roman.

Bruno, I know where this is going, and it better not.

The man said you could leave.

All right, Cobb. Let's hear it.

The day before yesterday, sometime after 3 p .m., a man Selma knew and trusted

choked to death with the scarf she was wearing.

Knew and trusted, eh?

She had no fear of him. She was sitting at the dressing table about to leave the

room, possibly with him, but certainly he was there.

Would she write you a letter? She left it and pathological evidence.

She had just prepared her makeup.

He stood behind her and seized the scarf.

She had no idea of what he intended.

When she realized what was happening, she leapt to her feet.

She couldn't fight the man. He remained behind her.

She could only fight the scarf.

As she did, she scratched her throat with her own fingernails. There's a

on the small of her back.

His knee or his elbows put it there as he threw her onto the bed.

He held her there face down.

And she was lying on her back? She died face down.

The purse had been knocked to the floor. The dressing table stool had fallen

over.

He picked up the purse.

Straightened the stool and quietly left the room.

Jack, if your kid brother did this... Lay off of Max. If he did this because

he... Let me tell you something, big shot.

You think you and your puppets are too good for my kind of people.

But Max was not a puppet.

He turned his back on a bed of roses. He walked out on me. He joined the Corps.

And Selma wasn't a puppet either.

She had a heart. She gave it to Max. They were crazy in love in spite of

everything you did. And I did to break them up.

Where is he, Jack? Never mind where he is.

There's the guy who couldn't have her. Marty Simmons.

Phelps, you're gonna say too much. Just a moment.

Is that true?

He said she had to marry Marty. That's good.

Now, we'd sign as a suspect.

In fact, you have two.

Eric qualifies. He says someone called.

That might be a lie.

Eric and Marty are here, however.

Facing up to it, Max is not.

Mr. Phelps, they know.

They probably checked at the base.

Max is AWOL. And you haven't been hiding him, huh? What if they are hiding him?

Doesn't prove Max any guiltier than Eric or Marty.

Now, as I understand it, you made a deal.

The deal is set, except for a formal exchange of accounts.

Why not seal it?

Now, today, leave Selma's murder to me.

Negative. No way. They're trying to kill us.

I throw in with them. I throw my brother in the garbage can.

Then fight.

You don't want peace.

Looking for a way to waste each other.

You wouldn't know a sane solution if it walked in naked.

All right. Go ahead.

Go ahead.

Have your war.

Where do you think you're going?

Out! I'm through here. I say when you're through.

I'm sure you're intending to kill me, Bruno. You might as well do it now.

Don't force me to have to stop you.

Go ahead. Shoot.

Yeah.

Mr. Roman?

Call for Mr. Phelps.

Keep your mouth shut until I get there.

I'll be home in half an hour.

could have been my brother.

I'll find him.

You stay here until I do.

If anything happens to the cop before he sees Max, you've got your war.

you and Selma meet.

Well, you don't have to be nervous, Max.

Jack, I'm confined to quarters. First Sergeant stuck his neck out permitting

this.

Sir, I... I talked to Selma frequently on the phone.

We were not allowed to see each other.

But you did meet.

Yes, sir.

Well, we thought the merger might change things.

But she called.

And said there was no hope.

And I asked her to meet me for one last time.

You were due back on duty at four.

Now you failed to report.

Yes, sir.

I got drunk.

I don't drink.

But saying goodbye was, uh... I don't know.

I bought a bottle.

Hold up in, uh... The Dolphin.

It's a fleabag hotel.

Drank myself unconscious.

When did you return to the base?

Right around noon today.

Going A -W -O -L.

Getting drunk is not an effective argument for innocence, Corporal.

Well, sir, when I got back, I found a message.

It said, Salma is dead and call your brother.

That's the first time I knew that anything was wrong.

I don't have to prove my innocence.

We're not in a court of law.

Sir, I know where we are.

I would like you to describe what Selma was wearing.

Yeah.

It was a dress with a scarf.

Just a dress and a scarf. No jewelry?

Sir, I wasn't taking inventory.

She had on a...

A couple of rings.

The brooch holding a scarf.

I don't know.

I have a feeling, Corporal, that when your hangover wears off, you're going to

want to change your story.

Perhaps your brother can arrange for us to meet again.

That'll be all.

Sir, I direct your attention to the posted federal regulation.

Request your permission for a routine check of your vehicle.

What are you looking for?

No reflection on yourself, sir, but there's an awful lot of still bridge for

military bases.

May we check the interior, sir?

Not much on Eric.

Chick Suey plays the hostess. Marty Simmons, Relinus Martin, Simon Zara.

I'm just been arranging for someone to meet Max once a week for weeks. Details

are in the notebook, you okay?

Should I have a flag vest?

We've got six men here. Get out now.

If I do, I fail. Read your instructions and stay close. I promise I won't die

quietly.

Eric's accounts from cover to cover. Now I'm wondering, do you think Jack Phelps

will try to shortchange us?

Honor among thieves.

Max lied to us. Jack Phelps knows it, right?

Half right. He told half truths.

Which half?

Exactly which half.

For example, Max insists he had no guilty conscience or any other reason to

telephone Eric at 6 .30.

Yeah. But he got his clear conscience royally stoned.

However, the Dolphin Hotel confirms that he did not make a call from his room.

So, he found another phone.

Or there's another explanation of the call.

Is that possible, Eric?

Anything is possible.

On the other hand, Max very casually mentions using the telephone frequently

talk to Selma.

Frequently.

Eric, you know about that?

All right, so he called.

Is it my fault?

Or hers?

Dinner's ready.

Oh, Mac said he wanted to see Selma one last time, say goodbye.

Well, it was true.

Odd way to express it, if indeed he saw her for the last time and said goodbye

when he was told to do so weeks ago.

You go to dinner. We'll come.

Eric, they were forbidden.

Dad, they were crazy in love with each other. I've heard that before. Now I

laughing behind my back. Laughing?

She was crying all the time.

I tell you, I did the only thing I could think of to keep her from coming apart.

All right, I was helping them to see each other.

I disobeyed you, Dad. You let her go to him. I told him it was the last time.

One last time. She swore she'd be home by 5 .30.

Eric, who telephoned you? Nobody.

When she didn't show up, I... I called her.

When I rang the room, I knew she hadn't checked out.

Max did go straight, Dad.

He is a good Marine.

Let her go, I sent her. How was I to know?

So, so who hasn't lied for love?

It's my fault, too.

It began with me.

You go on, I'll tell the cop. The cop knows.

All right, so the cop is going to write the whole thing down and sign it for

Jack Phelps to read.

Bruno.

I have a case that's strong enough to set off a bomb.

But the deal was proof positive.

Now, if you want it fail -safe, there's one element missing.

What is it? We'll go get it. If we're patient, it'll come.

Well, it's not going tonight, but tomorrow's another day.

It's for the cop.

Ryosite?

Tell him.

Mr. Ironside, this is Max Phelps. Yes, Max, I expected you.

You said arrest and trial.

Does that mean no hits and no shootout?

That's what I've been promised.

Well, sir, I have to say this to you alone to protect myself because... Max,

we're not alone. The Romans are listening in.

When can you leave the base?

Twelve hundred hours tomorrow.

All right. Tell your brother to contact us.

I won't say this to him. I can't.

And I won't play unless the odds are even. Now tell him to call us.

Then we'll get word to you.

Max is off duty at noon.

You can have him here by 2 o 'clock.

Well, I'm out of the country.

Or you could set up an ambush.

That's what you intend, either one of you. Then what are the three of us doing

here? I don't think Max did it. He's what I'm doing here.

What if he confesses? That's why I'm here.

Are we both going to take your word for what my brother says?

Not at all.

Wire me for sound. Don't tell anyone.

Don't have any hotheads trying to listen in.

Just the two of you get the truth.

First hand.

I could take you, Bruno.

We could take each other out.

So the cop is the right idea.

He's good.

But he's got to have an angle.

He wants me.

You put yourself up for a dead girl?

She was in my family.

This thing goes down.

Ironside is through here. What then?

I think he's in Reno, Nevada.

There's miles and miles of open desert around there.

Funny, eh?

Because of a cop, it's down to you and me.

You got the guts?

You guarantee no backup?

You see me alone here now?

All right.

Ed, did you see what he was wearing? The burial suit.

I ask you once more, Max.

Tell it to me, not him. I'm not ungrateful to you, Jack.

But I'm not on the side of guns.

That's not what this uniform means.

How was that?

See that telephone booth out there?

Either one of them makes a move toward it.

Max is yours.

I had sides of mine.

Max, I know you're innocent. I know you did not kill Selma Roman.

Thank God.

I thought you were accusing me.

Neither one of us was ready to talk at our earlier meeting.

I think I shook you up a little when I mentioned Selma's jewelry.

Yes, sir.

You see, she couldn't wear my ring, so I... So you gave her a gold pin with

initials carved on the back.

You didn't want to discuss it with Marty Simmons, President.

That's right.

And that's the pin. I found it in her purse.

Throw her off when the killer sees her.

Put the pen into it, thinking it had been spilled from the purse.

No. You never would have done that, Max.

Not with this pen.

That's not enough.

It is for me.

Soma had something on.

Someone close to Bruno, I don't know. Maybe Marty Simmons.

Anyway, she'd never discussed it. Her uncle was coming and he was going to

her.

Somehow that all meant goodbye to me. I think someone was robbing Bruno blind.

What am I going to do?

Listen to it, big shot.

Bruno got reports by mail.

The actual books were altered.

They fooled him completely.

Stop it. Stop it. Turn that thing off.

And someone found out.

She lived in the house with the man who kept the books, Max.

She lived in the house with Eric Roman.

Hold it, Eric.

Put it down.

Okay, Bruno.

It's your party now.

Correct, sir. Our party. Police.

You mean kill the girl?

His own cousin? And he would have killed again and started a war to hide what

he'd been doing to his father.

Jack, I'm sorry.

Tell it to the Marines.

Do you know why he's my son?

I gave him a good allowance. I would have upped his percentage, but why kill

someone? Why steal from me?

I wouldn't know, Bruno.

I didn't teach him his values.

This must be what Selma found.

These are deposits. They total almost three million. It's worth bank accounts.

It's all yours, Chief.

And I'm your witness.

Guess that best shot of yours is good enough.

Marty, the moment I left my place with you and Eric, I had you dead to rights.

All I had to do was survive and let Bruno undo himself.

Yeah, but I don't know how you did it.

That's true.

What's that?

It's a clue.

Columbida, Columbiformes.

He's brilliant.

What do you say?

The feathers from a pigeon.

That might be a...

Veiled insult.

Oh, I didn't mean that. You handed it to me with the quill pointing north.

That means that it's a homing, not a passenger pigeon, and it's flying to San

Francisco.

So, I don't know what you're going to do, but I'm going to follow that pigeon.