Original subtitles

Van?

Van?

Please let us in, Van. Please.

Sorry about your discharge, Holland.

It's my boy, Jim.

He's sick. Real bad.

Ms. Palmer said we should come see you.

He really needs your help, Ben.

Take him into the back.

Are you going to be all right in your suit?

Yeah, it is here.

You'll be all right. Take those off.

Why didn't you call Dr. Moose?

Doc's away, and the phone lines are down with the flooding.

Andrea said you might be able to help.

You've got to get him to the hospital.

We can't. The roads are out.

Why don't you wait out in the store, Mr. Cooper?

Can't be sure without a lab test, but it looks like viral encephalitis.

What does that mean?

It means he could die if Cooper doesn't get him to the hospital.

We told you the roads are out.

Andrea, I can't treat this boy.

What kind of treatment would they give him at the hospital?

Florazone for the immediate crisis, but I can't treat him.

You have a pharmacy right out there. Don't you hear anything?

I can't treat him. I'm not a doctor.

You were.

Peggy, when you come in this morning, don't bother to burn the coffee. I'll be

on my way out of town.

That girl I knew back in college called me needing help.

Now, now, Peggy, don't make noises. I couldn't turn her down. After all, she

queen of the freshman ball.

So he examines the boy, gives him medication, and saves his life. Now,

the big problem?

Well, Ben went on trial today for practicing medicine without a license.

They took it away from him two years ago.

Why? Something happened in the hospital down in Pleasant Valley.

That's the county seat about 12 miles from here.

What happened?

A man died on the operating table.

An important man in town.

Ben was charged with criminal negligence.

There was some evidence about a lab report.

A mistake of some kind. They didn't believe Ben's story. And I know he was

telling the truth.

How do you know?

I just know.

You in love with him?

What difference does that make? People in love don't always see things too

clearly. I know a mother and father who see things very clearly.

Their little boy is alive today because of what Ben did.

So just how am I supposed to help?

You can park over there.

Find out who was really responsible for that man's death two years ago.

Oh, that's all, huh?

There's Ben now.

Ben?

Let it go.

I'm out on bail.

I guess they figure I won't run off to Brazil with all the big money I get out

of this store.

This is Mr. Mannix.

He's a friend of mine and a private detective.

He came here to help.

How'd he do?

I don't remember saying I needed help.

Well, if that just...

Sample of his bedside manner. He may be better off running that store than

playing doctor.

Andrea, I may be losing my grip on the situation, but did he or didn't he tell

you to hire a private detective?

Well, not exactly.

But I'm sure he really wants you to help him.

He can help me by leaving me alone.

Ben, Mr. Mannix is here to investigate the charges against you. There's nothing

to investigate.

I'm guilty.

You saw me give that boy the shot.

I'm talking about the charges they filed two years ago.

I was guilty of that, too.

Now, unless you're interested in some groceries, I'll go back and finish my

inventory.

He's just bitter, that's all.

Go along with that.

He's got every reason to be.

Andrea, he says he's guilty.

And I say he's not.

I know you'll find the truth if you just investigate that Pleasant Valley case.

Even if he is innocent, I just can't investigate the case unless I've got a

client. You do have a client, Joe.

Who?

The queen of the freshman ball.

Dr. Escobar, admitting desk, please.

Dr. Escobar, admitting desk, please.

Oh, yes.

I'd like to speak to the chief of staff.

Do you have an appointment?

No. No, but it is important.

Well, I'm sorry. Dr.

Bennett is a very busy man. And I'll have to ask you to leave. This area is

-limits.

Miss Kersage, what is it? Good morning, Dr. Bennett. This gentleman wanted to

see you. I was just telling him. Oh, may I help you? Yes, my name is Mannix. I'm

a private investigator.

Oh?

Is there something wrong?

Well, I'm looking into a case involving a man who once was attached to your

hospital, Dr.

Benjamin Holland.

Dr. Graham, submitting desk, please.

Yes. Oh, uh, Miss Hapgood, will you set up those X -rays in the operating

theater? Yes, doctor.

Mr. Mannix,

I was the surgeon the night that Dr.

Holland left his post of duty and sent up the wrong laboratory reports to the

operating theater.

As a result, my patient, Mr. Hilliard, died.

I think you can understand why we here at the hospital would rather not be

reminded of what happened that night.

Naturally. Well, thank you for your time, Doctor.

Nurse, can I see the morning admissions?

Oh, certainly, Doctor.

I'd like to ask you a few questions about Dr. Holland.

I'd really rather not talk about it. It just brings back all those memories of

that awful night.

I'm sorry. I'm a little shaky.

I'm probably... to migraines.

How close were you to the Hilliard case?

Very. I was there when Mr. Hilliard died.

And how was Dr.

Holland involved?

Dr. Holland was chief of neurological service at the time, and one of his

was to wait for a report from the pathology lab on a cardiac test made the

before Mr.

Hilliard.

If the results were negative, we could operate using a general anesthesia.

If the results were positive, a general anesthesia would be too dangerous.

But before the report came in, another call came up for Dr.

Holland.

Dr. Holland, telephone call.

Dr. Holland here.

Who?

Yes.

Yes, I understand. How bad is it?

No, I can't. I'm on duty.

Couldn't you call... I'm trying to understand, but I can't leave the

Now, of course I haven't forgotten.

Look, don't do anything. Just stay there. I'll be over as soon as I can.

What time is the test report due on the surgery patient?

11 .30, Doctor.

Ring up the lab for me.

Oh, but we're supposed to wait for that report in writing, Doctor.

Just make the call, Miss Hapgood.

Yes, Doctor.

It's ringing, Doctor.

Doctor Holland later testified that the lab told him that the test was negative.

So he ordered a general anesthetic.

And then he left the hospital.

Well, when did the operation take place?

At ten minutes after eleven.

Right after Dr.

Holland gave the authorization for the general anesthesia.

I was relieved at the nurse's station and told to report to surgery.

Any pulse, doctor?

Cardiac massage.

It was no use.

At 11 .35, he was pronounced dead.

Ten minutes later, we received a written report from the lab stating that the

test on Mr. Hilliard was positive for cardiac disease and that cyclopropane

not to be administered.

I don't get it. You said Holland had called the lab.

The lab denied ever receiving the call.

On top of that, Dr. Holland had left his post.

When they asked him why, he said that he'd left on an emergency call.

Who was the call from?

He refused to say.

And you say the lab denied ever giving Dr. Holland test results over the phone?

Yes.

Miss Hapgood, did you actually hear another voice on the other end answer

you called the lab?

No.

I'm sorry. I don't feel very well.

Well, you've been very helpful, Miss Hapgood.

If you think of anything else that happened that night, I'd appreciate you

calling me.

I'm staying at the Panorama Motel.

Thank you.

Children, time for your bath.

Go on. I said inside. Go on. Now.

I'll be right in. Go on.

Yes?

Oh, my name is Mannix.

Hey, those are nice -looking kids.

Yours? I'm sure you know they're not mine.

Now, uh, how would I know that?

Oh, let's not be cute.

They're the Hillier children.

I'm their governess, Reva Daniels. And you're the private detective who's come

to town.

Word does get around.

And what do you want here?

Help. Really?

For whom?

Benjamin Holland.

He won't find any help in Pleasant Valley.

Why not?

Benjamin Holland had a responsibility.

He ran away from it, and the children's father died.

They're orphans because of Benjamin Holland.

Well, there may be more to that story.

What makes you think so?

Well, uh...

People around here are just a little too touchy about something that happened

two years ago.

Well, maybe they'd just like to forget what happened.

Well, someone is trying to forget something.

There is nothing for you here.

This is a close -knit community, Mr. Mannix.

They don't like intruders.

Well, I certainly understand that.

But I do have a job.

i want to know is who made that phone call to you on the night of the

i don't remember come on holland now you don't forget a phone call important

enough to make you leave your hospital host i didn't ask you here and i'm

getting tired of the quiz show now will you please leave

it's your story

Yeah, I don't know.

I'm beginning to get intrigued by it.

Besides, I've got an obligation to my client.

You want me to stay on it?

Of course.

You know there are certain things about this case that he's hiding.

For instance, who called him away from the hospital that night?

You sure you want to find out about those things?

I'll take my chances.

I sure hope he's worth it.

You had a phone call.

Miss Hapgood at the hospital said it was important.

Did she say anything else?

She says she has something for you.

Asked you to meet her at 52 and a half Cedar Lane. It's over on the other side

of town.

You tell me you've got some messed up ribs.

I'm Sheriff Reardon.

How'd they get here?

We found you lying in the street.

A clear case of urban blight.

We also found your car and brought it down. It's parked in the hospital lot.

Thanks. Just part of the service.

We figured you needed to drive out of town after your hopefully speedy

I plan to stick around a while.

Might find that embarrassing.

Why?

Trespass, illegal entry, destruction of private property, sleeping in a public

place. All of which adds up to a maximum of 260 days in jail.

You can throw a bunch of phony charges at me if you like, Sheriff. That's fine.

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe you've got a few reasons of your own for

wanting me off this case.

What might they be?

If I find out, I'll let you know.

Just be careful, Mannix.

I see you're alive and well.

Does that surprise you?

Why should it surprise me?

Listen, I know what you're trying to do, but it's hopeless.

All you're going to do is hurt a lot of innocent people, including yourself.

Well, seeing that you're so concerned, I hate to disappoint you, but I decided

to stay. I kind of like this town.

You're making a big mistake.

I don't think so.

Seems a lot of people have a lot of things to hide around here. Now, that

for good mystery.

That's how I make my living.

finding out things.

All things come to an end, Germanics.

Sometimes rather abruptly.

Miss Hopkins.

I... What is it?

Call an ambulance.

Operators, send an ambulance to 19 Maplewood Drive. Yes, a woman is

ill. I think she may have been poisoned.

Yes.

Oh, can I give you a hand? No, thanks.

You can follow me out to the trash bin if you have something to tell me.

You know, Holland, one of the things my father always used to tell me when I was

a kid, that was never depend on somebody else for approval.

It's been a valuable lesson.

Having trouble, son?

Well, maybe it just isn't tourist season in Pleasant Valley.

Maybe you're finding out there's nothing for you to investigate.

On the contrary, there's a lot more now than there was before.

You remember a nurse named Miss Hapgood?

What about her?

She's dead.

Dead?

Yeah,

she was killed last night.

I feel partly responsible.

Why you?

Well, I started the ball rolling by asking a few questions.

Now, does her death mean anything to you?

Why should it?

Well, I haven't got all the pieces yet. I was hoping maybe you'd help.

I hardly knew her.

She was going to tell me something about your case.

There's nothing to tell, Mr. Maddox.

So young, so devoted, taking her life.

Sorry, Doctor, but I think someone took it for her.

Why?

Miss Hapgood was mixed up in what happened to Dr. Holland two years ago.

You must be mistaken.

She was about to tell me something about the phone call that night to the lab

just before she died.

Oh, I'm very shocked about this, Mr. Mannix.

I knew that she was very agitated.

And she was taking medication, but I thought that was because she was working

hard.

Yesterday, when she asked me for a few days off, actually, I said yes.

I had no way of knowing.

Was she involved with anyone?

Involved? You mean romantically?

It happens.

No.

Not to Miss Hepburn.

She was a loner.

Shy.

Withdrawn.

Anything that was happening, we would know.

Well, thanks anyway, Doctor. Sorry, I can't be of more help.

On the phone, I understood you to say you have some, uh...

Tax problems.

Doesn't everyone?

Oh, well, Reva Daniels seems to think you're the best tax lawyer in the whole

state. Well, I managed to save her father, Dr. Daniels, a little money.

Lovely girl, Reva.

I was glad to help.

Pull up a stool.

I see, in your case, long -term planning.

Estate evaluation.

Insurance evaluation, business overall, and so forth.

Well, that does sound a little expensive.

Frankly, I'd be very happy to just settle for some one -shot information.

Such as what?

I'm looking into a case that you were involved in a couple of years ago.

Hmm.

Which case was that?

Do you remember Harrison Hilliard? I understand you were one of the attorneys

for his estate.

Just a minute.

Mr. Mannix, who are you?

Well, I'm a private investigator.

You're not a friend of Miss Daniels. Well, I never said I was.

It's a matter of public record that you handle the business affairs of a number

of people here in Pleasant Valley.

That means you came here under false pretenses.

Oh, no, no, no, I didn't. I do have tax problems.

You see, I'm beginning to doubt my ability as a private investigator, and

could have a serious effect on my personal income.

I only handle clients whose income is worth protecting.

Like your own, huh?

Mr. Stilwell, you seem to do pretty well for yourself.

That's hardly any of your concern.

No?

Two years ago, you were an ordinary struggling attorney with a law firm that

handled the Hilliard affairs.

Hilliard dies, and the next thing we know, you've got a whole building named

after you.

Mr. Mannix, if you find anything illegal about my success, I suggest you bring

it to the attention of the proper authorities.

Well, I hope your success lasts a little longer than Miss, uh, Hapgood's did.

Miss Hapgood.

Yeah, she was a nurse at the hospital.

She was murdered.

It'll be in all the papers tonight. They meant it to look like suicide.

But I guess there's no reason for you to worry about such sort of affairs.

You hold all calls, and I'm out for the afternoon.

This is Stilwell.

Listen, there was a man here by the name of Mannix. He's a private investigator.

He knows about Hapgood, and he knows it was murder.

Well, what if he finds out about us?

Well, whatever we do, I suggest that you do it now.

Oh, shoot.

I come in peace.

Pleasant surprise.

I got bored. I hope you don't mind.

Not at all.

Would you like me to fix you one?

You know, on a rock's fine.

Good.

I asked the manager to let me in.

Mrs. Tucker's a friend of mine, in case you're wondering.

Well, I was wondering why.

Oh, yes.

Well, every time I see you, I seem to have a penchant for being rude to you,

I just wanted to apologize.

Well, it didn't bother me.

I'm a hard -boiled private eye in the classical tradition.

Oh, you mean you don't have any feelings at all?

Practically none.

Somehow I find that hard to believe.

Friendship?

Apology accepted.

Now why don't you get comfortable?

Somehow I think I should have said that line.

You're really much too nice a girl to get mixed up in a thing like this.

I enjoy kissing you.

I didn't mean that.

I mean, you're thinking that if I got more interested in you, I'd be less

interested in why I came to Pleasant Valley.

You really have no feelings, have you?

There's a difference between using love and enjoying it.

You made that phone call to Ben Holland that night, didn't you?

No.

You might as well tell me. I'll find out.

There is nothing to find out.

I'll dig into everything you ever did, anyone you ever talked to.

You know something I've got to know, and I'll find out one way or another.

Why did Holland leave the hospital that night?

Oh, poor me.

He was a great physician, a great teacher.

Ben Holland owed him everything.

I had to call Holland that night.

He was the only one we could be sure of.

Dr. Holland, telephone call.

Dr. Holland here.

Who?

Yes.

Yes, I understand. How bad is it?

No, I can't. I'm on duty. Why don't you call... I'm trying to understand, but I

can't leave the hospital.

Of course I haven't forgotten.

All right, look, don't do anything. Just stay there. I'll be over as soon as I

can.

Where is he?

He's in here.

Oh,

Ben.

Thanks for coming.

What's wrong, Ben? I got a bad pain in the lumbar region.

Don't touch it.

I need... I need morphine, Ben.

Heifer grain.

If it's that bad, I'd better look you over first.

But morphine would be sufficient.

Just give me the four feet!

Good night, Brian.

Thank you for coming back at night.

How long has this been going on?

He's had the lumbar condition for a year. I'm not talking about the lumbar

condition. How long has he been hooked?

He's up to a half grain of morphine.

That's an addict's dosage.

How long has it been going on?

Six months.

It started with the pain and he's been retired for a year. How does he get the

stuff? Ben, I don't know.

What are you going to do?

He's dying, you know that.

You'll be asking for the medication several times a day.

You have to call me and only me, do you understand?

You have to tell no one.

Ten days later.

My father died.

By that time, all the trouble with Ben had broken out.

Why didn't Ben say where he'd been that night?

Ben worshipped my father.

He would never have done anything to hurt his good name.

He said that the mix -up with the lab report was enough of an excuse for the

hospital to get rid of him, and it really didn't matter where he'd been

night.

Where did your father get his drug supply?

He never told me. He was a doctor. I suppose he had some way of obtaining the

drugs.

Why does it matter? I mean, you know the truth now.

Your work's done.

Well, not all of it.

How did a bright doctor like Ben Holland make the mistake of getting a simple

positive negative lab report wrong on the telephone?

I don't know.

Somebody does.

Maybe the same person who arranged a little surprise for me at Cedar Lane.

Like getting from the second floor to the first floor without benefit of a

stairway.

I wish I could help you, Joe.

I have. I've told you everything.

I know.

I guess I should have told the truth a long time ago.

But Ben wanted it this way.

On your stomach.

I didn't know you made house calls.

Only on special occasions.

And the good lawyer's still well.

It's all coming in loud and clear now.

The other one that supplied Reva's father, Dr. Daniels, with the morphine.

He was a man in need.

On the day of the operation, you withheld his usual dosage.

You knew that by 10 .30, he'd be climbing the walls.

You also knew that Dr. Holland was the only other person he trusted enough to

ask for the morphine.

Drugs are like watches, Mr. Mannix.

You can time their reactions almost to the second.

And when a woman like Nurse Hapgood is in love, she doesn't ask questions. Not

even when she's asked to dial the wrong extension so that a doctor can be given

a phony lab report.

Let's get it over with.

It won't take a minute.

So when I came to town and started asking Nurse Hapgood questions, she

under the strain.

So she had to die before she could talk.

And so do you, Mannix.

You don't think you'll get away with this.

uh

This is Dr. Bennett.

I want you to send an ambulance to pick up a patient at the Panorama Motel.

What's next?

I just gave him a dosage of one cc of morphine.

I had no way of knowing if he was a dope addict.

You understand.

He phoned me and complained of dizzy spells.

When I got here, he was unconscious.

After he's admitted, I'll prescribe a routine dosage of pyramine to strengthen

the heartbeat.

It'll act quickly in combination with the morphine.

And it'll kill him.

Dr.

Bennett. Everything's ready for you. Room 510. Nurse Riley will assist you.

510.

You fixed it on.

Get a little back.

Yes, sir.

Still don't understand it, Mannix.

Well, I'll try and explain it, Sheriff. Oh, would you hand me those shoes,

please?

You see, Hilliard's estate was worth about $3 .5 million.

Once they got Hilliard out of the way, there was nothing standing in the way of

anyone who wanted that fortune except those two children.

And Stilwell had the power to use that money pretty much the way he and Bennett

wanted. So they needed a patsy to take the blame.

Right.

Maddox, I don't know if you're smart, lucky, or talented.

I sometimes wonder the same thing, Sheriff.

I'm also wondering who got you to come after me.

Oh, we got a phone call from a lady friend of yours when she saw you get an

unexpected visit from Dr. Bennett.

Reva Daniels, huh?

I guess she thought you were in a little trouble when the ambulance carted you

away.

Reva.

I've known her since the day she was born.

Taking care of those kids, I guess that's her way of trying to make up to

for what happened to their father.

She's a nice girl, Mannix.

I think somebody ought to tell her that.

Well, I think somebody will.

Hey, Mannix.

When did you get out of all this?

I pre -cracked ribs.

I've already had two offered.

I've hardly had time to put up the sign.

Maybe it's a mistake switching professions.

It's no mistake, Ben.

You're going to be offered your old job at the hospital.

I've decided not to go back to Pleasant Valley.

I like it here.

The air is clean.

The view pleases me.

Besides, there's plenty of work to keep two doctors busy.

Mr. Maddox, I forgot to say thank.

Thank.

The other day, you said there was a difference between enjoying love and

it. You wouldn't care to make that a little clearer, would you?

No harm in trying.