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(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

(PHONE RINGING)

ROCKFORD ON ANSWERING MACHINE: This is Jim Rockford.

At the tone, leave your name and message.

I'll get back to you.

(BEEPS)

Jim, it's Benny. I know your sewer's backed up,

but I can't get out there today. Maybe your buyers won't notice.

Oh, great.

(CAR APPROACHING)

(GRUNTS) Where do you want it?

What are you doing here?

What's it look like I'm doing? I brought you your car.

Tomorrow, Gus. I asked you to bring it tomorrow. I don't want it today.

I don't know why you want this at all.

Gus, do me a favor, would you?

Would you go back and check your paperwork?

I think you'll find that I specifically requested delivery on the 30th.

This is the 29th.

Could you bring it back tomorrow? Please?

Okay.

Thank you. It's your money.

(EXCLAIMS) Hey! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Wait!

What do you mean, "It's my money"?

I'm not paying for today. This is your mistake, Gus, not mine.

I don't make mistakes. I make deliveries and this is a delivery.

Now, if you want me to deliver again tomorrow, fine.

But you pay for today and you pay for tomorrow.

So what's it gonna be?

Leave it!

(ENGINE STARTS)

(MECHANICAL WHIRRING)

Gus! Don't leave it there!

I'm tryin' to sell this place!

Oh, Gus!

(CAR BACKFIRING)

Not there, Angel! Not there!

What? Move it!

Well, I'd love to, Jimmy. I got a little problem with reverse.

Move it! All right.

(EXCLAIMING) Angel!

Told you I had a problem.

(ENGINE GRINDING)

Well, you've got more than a problem with reverse.

At least I have reverse. Where'd they find it?

Oh, a chop shop in El Segundo. Angel, this is not a good time.

You're gonna have to excuse me, but I'm expecting a guest.

Well, what am I?

Uninvited. Hey, you should have called first, you shouldn't just drop by.

Now, that's the trouble with living at the beach.

Everybody just thinks they can drop by.

Use your towels, run up your phone bill, eat your food.

Hey, any time I'm not welcome around here,

all you got to do is say the word.

Go home, Angel.

Angel, I told you this is not a good time.

For sitting?

I don't want you to sit. I don't want you to stay.

Jimmy, we can't always have what we want. This is an emergency.

Angel!

Jimmy, I am about this far from a complete, total rubber room breakdown.

(CAR APPROACHING)

Oh, damn.

This trail mix?

Hey, no! No! No!

(COUGHING)

Oh! I'm sorry, Jimmy. I couldn't help myself.

Oh, man, do yourself a favor. Get rid of this stuff. It is nasty!

Well, not if you don't eat it. It's potpourri.

Who are you expecting? Princess Di?

I'm having a meeting here, Angel. It's very important.

I don't want you to say anything. I don't want you to do anything.

Except clean up the mess you've made. Understood?

Understood?

Oh, my God! ROCKFORD: Mr. Emmenthaler!

I thought we'd never make it.

Oh! A couple of minutes late. No problem.

Ed. Ed.

Oh, Mrs. Emmenthaler! I've been looking forward to meeting you.

I am going to throw up. What?

I am going to throw up! Oh! Oh!

(GROANING)

She doesn't seem to be feeling too well.

No. The excitement, I guess.

I guess. Oh, wait till she sees the closets.

Great closets. Can't seem to fill 'em up.

That's one of the first things that women want to see, you know.

(STAMMERING) Well, maybe a glass of water.

Oh, of course. I should have thought about that.

Uh, Angel!

Angel, could you bring Mrs. Emmenthaler a glass of water, please?

ED: (STAMMERING) Got some glass of water coming, Myrna. Just hold on.

That's a friend of mine, just dropped by.

It's one of the great things about living at the beach.

People just drop by.

(CHUCKLES) You'll never spend a Ionely day. I can guarantee that.

Ed, what are you doing? You told me you'd get me out of here!

Get me out of here! Please! All right, Myrna.

All right. Look, we've gotta get going.

What do you mean, "going"?

(SIGHS) You can't go.

(STAMMERS) You said on the phone that you were ready to sign the papers.

Uh, your exact word, "It's a done deal."

You said you were ready to buy the trailer.

Well, wait a minute now, don't throw my words back at me.

That was before we took a couple of bricks through the window.

We could have been killed.

I mean, we drove right through the middle of this thing.

Now, don't you think they'd have had somebody out there

to like warn us off or something?

We drove right through the middle of it.

Ed, get me out of here!

Myrna, will you shut up?

(MYRNA MOANING) In the middle of what?

The riot, or whatever it's supposed to be.

The whole damn town's going up in smoke.

People are running around with guns, they're looting, they're burning.

I don't know how we got out of there alive.

(STAMMERING) Now, listen, I only came by because

it seemed like the right thing to do.

Now, we have nothing on paper,

so, if you're thinking about suing me...

No, I'm not thinking about suing. I'm just trying to get a handle on this.

Oh, no! Never mind. All right. Let me tell you something,

we're getting the hell out of here, Rockford. MYRNA: Never mind!

And I would suggest that you do the same.

(TIRES SCREECHING)

MYRNA: (SOBBING) No! ED: I'm going.

What'd he think I was gonna do with his money? Open a lemonade stand?

(CAR TIRES SCREECHING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Oh, Angel! Angel, don't you go anywhere!

You stay right here!

I gotta answer the phone! Don't leave.

(ENGINE STALLING) Angel!

Angel!

(ENGINE STARTING)

Yeah. Yeah. Hi, Rocky.

Yeah, I just heard.

Angel! Angel, don't you even think about leaving here!

Yeah, Rocky. Hey, no, don't worry about me. No, I'm home.

I'm fine, I'm not going anywhere.

(GEARS GRINDING)

Yeah. Okay. Okay. I'll talk to you later.

Angel? Angel, what is the matter with you?

Didn't you hear what Emmenthaler said about the riots?

Yeah. I got the whole earful.

You checkin' out, Jimmy? You leaving town maybe?

Well, maybe. Well, all right, I'm leaving town.

At least I'm trying to. Didn't I mention that?

No. You did not. My old buddy.

I gotta hear it from some stranger! Some lame named after a cheese!

(CAR BACKFIRING)

FEMALE NEWSCASTER: ... smoke has obliterated the surrounding area.

ROCKFORD: Oh, God. We can see a number of buildings

that are fully engulfed in flame.

No word yet as to fire department response.

It is our understanding, as yet unconfirmed,

that there has been some difficulty

in delivering crews to the troubled spots.

(SIGHS) A number of reports, also unconfirmed,

of crews coming under attack.

There has been gunfire. There have been casualties.

It's been a long day,

and it looks like it's going to be an even longer night.

MALE NEWSCASTER: Los Angeles is truly a city under siege.

The mayor has declared a state of emergency

and there is a possibility that a curfew may be imposed tonight

in an effort to contain the violence which continues to erupt.

(PHONE RINGING) The National Guard has been deployed by the governor.

Residents are being warned...

ANGEL: (ON ANSWERING MACHINE) This is Angel, at the beep speak.

(PHONE BEEPS)

Um, Angel. This is Jim.

Now, I know you're probably still sore at me,

but would you call me back anyway so I know you got home?

I really don't like what's happening out there. Now you call me!

MALE NEWSCASTER: The mood of the mob seems to change by the moment.

There is still a great deal of anger, but there is also fear.

Looting is widespread

and has been reported at points across Los Angeles County,

including Compton, South Central Los Angeles and Westwood Village.

At this moment, several downtown structures

are being damaged by rampaging vandals.

Cars have been smashed in the intersections

and abandoned by their owners.

MAN ON RADIO: Trouble erupted almost immediately upon delivery of the King verdict.

At the moment, the courthouse,

federal and state office buildings...

(JAZZ PLAYING)

(GUN COCKING)

(GUN FIRES)

(CAR APPROACHING)

(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)

May I help you, ma'am?

I'm Halley Kittredge, Mrs. Lansing's attorney.

Her children called and asked me to meet them here.

All right, follow me.

MAN: Can we get a photographer over here, please?

(SIGHING) Oh, God, where is she? I called her hours ago.

It's more like 20 minutes, Dorie. She'll be here.

(CRYING)

Come on, sis. That's just gonna make you feel worse.

I just couldn't feel any worse.

(EXCLAIMS) Oh! My eyes are so hot. Oh, God, they're swollen, aren't they?

I practically can't see.

POLICEMAN: Excuse me, ma'am. May I help you?

KIT: I'm the family attorney, it's okay.

Yeah. Right over there. (SIGHS) Oh, I got here as fast as I could.

I don't know what to say.

She's been like that ever since...

(DORIE SOBBING)

She didn't see anything. I made sure of that.

But I had to tell her how it was.

What happened, Josh?

I don't know!

I heard a shot. Oh!

I ran outside and Mom was just lying there.

(DORIE CRYING)

They did it for the car. They didn't have to shoot her.

They could have just taken it.

You saw them? Can you identify them?

No, no. They were, uh... They were wearing some kind of ski mask thing.

And when I came outside, they just jumped in the car and took off.

I ran after them, but...

Can you believe it? I ran after them.

Like I could catch an eight cylinder car.

I just want to go to bed. Why do they keep us sitting here?

I mean, we've told them everything that happened.

Yeah. As you can see, they really ran with it.

(CHATTERING)

What's the matter with them, anyway? What, are they

standing around waiting for their pensions to kick in?

(CRYING)

Josh. Josh, look. I know you're distraught, but...

But what?

They're not doing anything. They're not doing a damn thing.

Mom is dead, okay?

And we've got a bunch of brown shoes

who are more interested in what's going down in South Central

than what happened here.

Look at 'em. They're not even second string.

No! They don't care who killed her!

They're not even gonna look for the two bastards.

Josh, please. Just...

We're going private. What?

The cops aren't gonna do anything, so we'll hire someone who will.

You probably have people you work with all the time, right?

Well, yeah, occasionally, I do. The best.

I want the best, and I'll pay for it.

Why don't we discuss this in the morning? No. I...

I want this guy, whoever he is,

to be working on this in the morning, okay?

(SIGHS)

(STAMMERS) Look, I'm sorry, uh...

You took care of Mom for as long as I can remember, all right?

Not just negotiating contracts and stuff like that,

but any problems she had, she depended on you.

This is the last thing you can do for her, and the most important.

We got to find those guys. We've got to make 'em pay.

Okay.

(CHATTERING)

Sir?

No, thank you. I see my party.

Okay. Great.

Hello, Jim. How are you?

Have any trouble getting here? Not really.

The riot's a mess, isn't it?

ROCKFORD: Yeah. Big time. But you'd never know it to look around here.

Business as usual.

Yeah. Thanks for the tie. You didn't have to wear one.

Well, let's call it a sense of occasion.

It's good to see you again. How long has it been? Six months?

More like eight.

Are you limping a little?

No. I'm limping a lot.

What happened?

Oh, a couple of months ago, uh, some guy thought my car

would look better in his driveway than it did in mine.

So, he screwed a.38 in my left ear

and I gave him my car keys.

As a way of saying thanks, he shot me.

Oh, Jim.

Well, it's not without its upside.

I mean, what I've lost in mobility

I've more than made up with my ability to predict rain.

I'd say the barometer right now was about 29.95 and steady.

I don't know how you can make a joke out of something like that.

You could have been killed.

Oh, not a chance. The guy was a lousier shot than he was a driver.

You should see what he did to the Firebird.

You know what a great car that was?

I mean, he trashed the engine. Just trashed it.

Lila Lansing's car was stolen last night.

Oh?

Why, well, you've probably never heard of her.

(LAUGHS) Lila Lansing? She was married to Mickey Ryder.

I got to see him play once. Rocky took me to the game.

I'll never forget it. The man was a legend. Still is.

I'm not here to talk about Mickey Ryder.

He was out of her life years ago. I'm here to talk about Lila Lansing.

Not just a client of the office, but also a close, personal friend.

I don't remember meeting her.

Well, you didn't meet all of my friends. Did I meet all of yours?

Yeah. All my close friends.

(CLEARS THROAT) Well...

(STAMMERS) I'm sorry you never met Lila.

She was killed last night in front of her house. Her kids heard the shot.

Oh, I'm sorry. They're devastated, Jim.

Dorie never stopped crying. And Josh, he kept raging about the police, and...

He's convinced that they're not even gonna try and find the killers.

What? Oh, because of the riots.

That's why he wants to hire you,

so that somebody will be working on it.

Well, that's ridiculous. I mean, a case involving a major star?

The cops are going to be falling all over themselves

to solve a headline-grabber like that.

Well, I know, but when kids lose a parent,

they're reacting from emotion, not from logic.

How old are the children?

We're talking about a murder. What difference does it make how old they are?

Lila Lansing was a star in the '50s.

Let's say she was 20 something then, that's 40 years ago.

You keep talking about the kids

like they just came in from rolling their hoops on the lawn.

Say I'm interested in the job, are they old enough to hire me?

You know what, why don't we just forget the whole thing?

Including breakfast? I mean, you invited me.

Go ahead and order.

Something heavy and indigestible.

(SIGHING) What are you having?

Flashbacks.

Now I remember why I divorced you.

Josh!

Josh? What?

(DOORBELL RINGING)

Josh. Sorry if we're a little late, honey.

This is Jim Rockford, Josh.

Halley says you're the best PI in town.

If you're not, you're out.

I'm not in yet.

You're here. Miss Kittredge asked me to come.

I have a great deal of respect for her and for her judgment.

We don't always agree, but we're in synch on the basics.

That's... That's terrific.

I'm going to use that.

I don't know if Halley mentioned it, but I'm a writer.

Just been working on my mom's eulogy.

You're going to use that in your mother's eulogy?

Yeah. Well, uh, I'll have to make a couple of changes.

Uh, personalize it?

Josh, Mr. Rockford would like to talk to you about last night.

Oh, God! How... How many times do I have to tell it?

(SIGHS) Okay.

Last night Dorie and I were at home.

Mom had gone out to dinner with some friends.

We heard a shot, I ran outside

and Mom had just opened the gates, and, uh,

was lying there in the driveway.

The gates aren't electronic?

JOSH: Oh, yeah. But they were on manual last night.

The motors keep rusting out from the sprinkler system.

Anyways, these two south-of-the-border types in ski masks

jump in her car and they're out of here.

Well, if they were wearing ski masks,

how do you know they were Latino?

They were talking, yelling back and forth.

You're sure it was Spanish they were speaking?

I was born in LA, Rockford. It was Spanish.

Mr. Rockford, can I... Can I ask you a question?

If a police officer says that he may have more questions for you

and yet he doesn't come right out and say that you can't leave town...

Dorie, we've already had this conversation.

We had it. We didn't have it.

KIT: You want to leave town, Dorie?

She wants to leave the country.

That is a lie. Look...

Look, my friend, Cindy, has a house in Cabo San Lucas.

I mean, it's actually her father's house,

but she has it for a whole month.

I mean, she asked me to go weeks ago, and,

I mean, after what happened last night, I really need to get away.

(STAMMERING) I mean, I'll stay for the funeral,

but after that, I just have to go somewhere

and not have to think about things.

I don't even see what the big deal is.

I mean, would anybody even care if I went to Pasadena?

Pasadena is part of the United States.

So is Cabo.

It's Mexico, Dorie!

No. It is Baja, California. If it was in Mexico,

it would be called Baja Mexico.

If it was in Mexico, I would need a passport, right?

You need a passport for Cabo.

Oh, bummer.

Mercury is so in retrograde.

Well, I think that Mr. Rockford has probably heard enough.

More than enough.

Well, uh, we'll talk, and then I will talk with you later.

(SIGHS)

Bye, Dorie.

(CHUCKLING)

(SIGHS) All right! What?

Was that really your idea of distraught?

Dorie came close there when we nixed her trip to Cabo,

but that was about it.

Well, what do you think they're gonna do?

Prostrate themselves with grief in front of you, a total stranger?

Oh, and you're such good friends, that's why they call you Halley?

Nobody calls you Halley.

Only those who are very, very close to me.

Well, that lets me out. I'm just an ex-husband.

You know, I just can't believe that

those two could have Mickey Ryder as a father. I just...

He was their stepfather for five fast years.

Mickey Ryder has nothing to do with this, Jim. Leave him out of it.

The next thing I know you'll be giving me his stats.

What are you doing with these people?

I mean, Dorie's all right, I guess.

She's just out there, somewhere, circling Jupiter.

But, Josh! There's a real piece of work.

Look. If you want to pass, fine.

If you're not prepared to work for them based solely on my judgment,

a judgment for which you recently expressed

such deep and abiding respect...

All right! All right! I'll check it out.

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

(POLICE SIRENS WAILING)

MAN 1: I've never seen anything like it. MAN 2: It was something else.

(LAUGHS) He was right there.

Over there. I got those two boxes aside.

ANGEL: (LAUGHING) Hey! Jimmy. Hey!

Did you get my message? What am I saying? Duh! You're here, ain't you?

Wait'll you see what I got going. Paco!

Hey, since I'm paying by the hour,

do you think I might see somebody work up a small sweat?

Now get that stuff inventoried and into the garage.

Yes, boss.

He calls me "boss." They all do.

Jimmy, my life's in turn around.

And it's all because of you.

If you'd loaned me that money yesterday...

All right! I came to put the bite on you,

I'm gonna admit that, but if you'd have given me that money,

none of this would've happened!

How about some designer water, huh?

Paco! Some water! No.

I don't want your water. Yeah. Yeah. A little thank you,

you know, you like gas or no gas?

Neither one. Oh, come on.

You can have both of them. I really don't want any water.

Here's your water. No, thank you, Paco.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah.

I don't want any water, Angel. Why not?

Because it's hot water, Angel.

I mean, your little thank you makes me an accessory after the fact.

I invite you down here to share in my joy, and this is what I get?

(SIGHS)

What are you... Are you suggesting

that I'm a dealer in some kind of stolen merchandise?

I'm not suggesting it, Angel. I'm coming right out and saying it.

You were on the late night news, buddy. You!

You were taking three shopping carts out of a store.

What, shopping's illegal?

It is if you do it after the store is closed.

Well, when I got there, it was wide open!

If the shop was closed, what were the other people doing in there?

The same thing you were doing, Angel.

All right. Some of us have to look for our bargains where we can find 'em.

Is it my fault I'm out of a job?

Well, yes. Yes?

Well, you... And whose fault did you think it was?

Aaron. Your brother-in-law?

Aaron sold the newspaper right out from under me.

All right! I wasn't gettin' rich, but I was doing okay.

He just stopped my career short.

You never had a career. You punched in, you punched out and you got paid.

Aaron retired a year ago, and he gave you a very generous severance check.

(EXCLAIMING) Hey! Hey! I saw it, remember?

You showed it to me.

He gave you enough money to last until you could find another job.

You haven't even looked for one!

(LAUGHS) Now I don't have to! Come here. Look! Come here.

(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)

MAN 1: Yeah. Put that with the stuff, Will.

MAN 2: See that? Looks real good there.

You couldn't have walked off with all this stuff.

You didn't even get started till late afternoon.

I'll tell you, Jimmy, this is a legitimate enterprise.

Most of this stuff is on consignment, anyway.

I got three holding areas bigger than this.

All I'm in for is a straight 10 percent.

Plus handling. Plus advertising. Carrying charges, the usual.

You know, I'm thinking about maybe getting an 800 number,

buying some time on the Shopping Network.

You're gonna sell hot merchandise on television?

Would you quit calling it hot?

The only difference between me and any other retailer

is I sell this stuff at a righteous price

and I don't give away little warranty cards.

If you can come up with a brain-dead idea like this,

I'm not even gonna try to talk you out of it.

You don't know everything, Jimmy. There's nothing wrong with this plan.

Come on, Jimmy!

What'd you come down here for, anyway?

You invited me. And I wanted to see if you were all right.

You aren't.

But there's not a damned thing I can do about it,

so I'm gonna go to work.

Oh, if a 1971 silver Corniche convertible

happens to turn up in one of your holding areas, give me a call.

(SIREN WAILING)

ROCKFORD: I want to thank you, Dennis. BECKER: Yeah, sure.

ROCKFORD: Well, I know how busy you guys must be

with what's been going down.

Dennis, did you find...

Oh, hi, Sally. Uh, you here to confess?

Yes, but if this is a bad time...

Oh, well, we're a little bit swamped today.

I don't mind waiting. I'll tell you what.

Uh, we'll do it tomorrow. I'll write up the report myself

and we'll have a nice cup of coffee, okay?

Tomorrow. Thank you. All right. Goodbye.

Yeah, so what do you want?

Ah, it's about the Lansing murder.

I'm doing a little work on it.

What do you mean you're doing a little work on it? You crazy?

It's a very hot case. The brass is all over it.

Well, I'm not interfering with the police in any way.

I'm just asking a few questions as a favor to Kit.

Oh.

(LAUGHING) You teasing!

Look at that. Like he owns it. Well, I guess he does.

It's about the surveillance I was...

Let me ask you a question, Jim.

Yesterday when the verdict comes in, what did you think was gonna happen?

I mean, some people are gonna get sore, right? Real sore.

Some windows are gonna get broken, maybe some heads.

Hey, nothing we can't deal with.

That's what we're trained to do.

Is that the way you read it?

Well, I didn't hear about it till late afternoon.

I didn't read it one way or another.

Well, that's the way I read it.

Dennis, give me a minute, I'll get out of your hair.

Guess what his name is?

I don't even know what you're talking about.

Gig McCool. I mean, what kind of a name is that for a cop?

And I'll tell you something else, he doesn't have seniority.

I have seniority.

All settled in? Oh, no. No. No. Not yet.

(LAUGHS) I haven't even got my files set up yet.

But, man, that is a great office in there!

You've been in there? Oh, of course you have.

You know how stuffy it gets in here?

But that being a corner office, you just open the windows

you got cross ventilation.

You open up the windows, you screw up the air-conditioning.

That's why it gets stuffy in here!

It's my office now, Becker. Learn to live with it.

Oh, hey, listen, Dennis, what I have to say...

Ah, McCool. I heard about your performance yesterday

and they're talking about it upstairs.

You read the signs absolutely right. Good police work, son.

Good police work. Thank you, sir.

Some of our other officers could take a page from your book.

Got to pay attention. You've got to read the signs.

Dennis, listen, I... Do you know how long I've waited

for Henderson to get kicked upstairs?

I mean, that office had my name on it for five years.

I mean, I painted the whole thing myself two months ago.

Why'd they give it to McCool?

Well, because yesterday he kept saying all of the right things.

"It's the tip of the iceberg. It's going ballistic.

"The governor should call out the Guard."

I think the guy's going dramatic on me.

I mean, he's got the name for it.

Well, they gave the office to McCool

because you disagreed with him and he was right.

Yeah, well, yesterday I...

(INHALING)

I let the afternoon shift go and we had a hell of a time rounding 'em up!

Who knew we were gonna need 'em?

I mean, they're always talking about no overtime. I took 'em at their word.

Could you get that for me, Becker?

Sure.

MEN: Hey!

I'm a sore loser. Learn to live with it.

(CHUCKLES)

Feel better?

Yes! It helps to kick something.

Dennis, uh, you think you can handle a question now?

Shoot.

What'd they get on the surveillance tape?

What tape?

Well, you know, the one covering the Lansing driveway.

There was no camera.

Sure there is. It's not on the Lansing property.

It's across the street. But it's mounted up on the fence.

It covers the tennis court, but when it sweeps around,

it also takes in the Lansing driveway.

Now, if your guys missed it, chances are the tape's still in it.

Yeah?

Well, get your butt over there.

You got some objection to being a hero?

You could wrap this whole thing up without ever having to go to trial.

You could have the killers dead bang in action, on tape.

(ROCKFORD GROANS)

(SIGHS)

Where have you been? I've been looking all over town for you.

Your office said you were at the Church of the Perpetual something or other. I...

Well, we started there, but...

(EXCLAIMS IN DISGUST) It was way too small.

You wouldn't bury your dog out of there.

No. No. This is gonna be an industry-wide event.

I mean, Lila Lansing was a golden oldie.

Come on. I'm gonna pick the music.

We've been looking at churches and chapels.

You want to know the truth? They've all been too small.

If you went al fresco, there's always the Hollywood Bowl.

Was there something you wanted, Jim?

I'm thinking of using show tunes.

Oh, no. The Bowl's too big. I don't want a bunch of empty seats.

KIT: Josh, I'm almost sure that Jim has something to say.

Yeah. And I don't want to miss it.

Hey, I used that line of yours in my mom's eulogy.

It works great. Oh, I used it in my new screenplay, too.

(LAUGHS) You're gonna love this.

I took The Maltese Falcon, okay?

Gave it a haircut. You know, kind of brought it into the '90s.

It's my homage to Raymond Chandler.

Dashiell Hammett wrote The Maltese Falcon.

(STAMMERS) Yeah. It's my homage to him, too.

KIT: Josh, please! If Mr. Rockford chased us all over town,

the least we can do is listen to what he has to say.

Who knows? It might even be important.

(POLICE CARS APPROACHING)

What's Becker doing here?

Hi, Dennis. Hi, Jim.

Hi, Counselor, long time no see. KIT: Hi. Good to see you.

Uh, this is Josh, Dorie Lansing.

This is Lieutenant Becker. How'd you find us?

Was there a break in the case?

Well, this really isn't the place to get into it.

I'd like for you and your sister to come down to the station.

You, too, Counselor.

I'll fill you in on what we've got and we'll take it from there.

Just get in your cars and fall in behind me.

All right.

Well, congratulations, Dennis.

Surveillance tape must have paid off, huh?

The fat lady is about to sing.

And you just bought yourself a ringside seat if you want it.

(CHATTERING)

That's my agent.

What's she doing here?

Karen, hey.

What are you doing here? I don't know.

But it better have nothing to do with you!

Do you know that 20 minutes ago

I was in Oliver Stone's outer office with an appointment,

not just hanging around, and a cop shows up?

And I swear, a cop!

Do you know how long it took me to get that appointment?

You think Stone's right for my screenplay?

I have other clients, you know.

Lieutenant Becker. Sorry for the inconvenience.

But if you'll have a seat, I'll be with you in a few minutes.

Oh, no! You'll be with me right now.

If you think that I'm gonna let you screw up the rest of my day,

no, no, no, no.

A few minutes or a whole lot longer. Your call.

You guys are all on power trips, aren't you?

Hey, you shouldn't talk to her like she's a junior agent.

She's practically a partner.

What'd you get her down here for, anyway?

If you'd just shut up for a minute, maybe he'll tell us.

Now why doesn't everybody just sit down, let the man do his job?

Thank you.

Okay, this is what I was looking for.

Now, before we go any further,

I'm gonna have to Mirandize them.

You're gonna what?

Read 'em their rights.

I don't want a translation, I want an explanation.

We could all use one of those, Dennis.

Well, let's see. "You have the right to remain silent.

"If you give up the right to remain silent... " Halley, what's he doing?

I don't know. I don't understand this.

He's gonna arrest us. This is what they always do when they arrest people, Josh.

"... and to have an attorney present during questioning."

Could you kick it into high, Dennis?

"If you so desire and cannot afford one,

"an attorney will be appointed for you without charge before questioning."

There, that's it!

Before you go any further, let me get something straight.

Are you seriously considering charging my clients

with murdering their own mother?

Because if you are, brace yourself.

I'm gonna hit you with a wrongful arrest suit

before you're even finished booking 'em.

Maybe if we heard what he's got, Kit.

What can he have? BECKER: Well, for openers,

we recovered Mrs. Lansing's car with his prints all over it.

Oh, go... So, what does that prove?

Mom let me drive her car all the time.

Miss Kupfer! KIT: This is ridiculous.

Did you receive a telephone call

from Josh Lansing the night of the 29th?

The night that Lila Lansing was killed?

Yeah. He wanted to know what the action was on a script of his

that I've been shopping. There wasn't any.

Do you remember what time you received that call?

Not really. But, uh, it must have been after 10:00.

I'd just started watching the news.

Thank you. That's all.

That'll be all?

You dragged me out of Oliver Stone's office for this? Oh.

Great. Now she's sore at me.

I fail to see the significance of his call to Mrs. Kupfer.

She's his agent, he was concerned about the sale of his script.

BECKER: An hour after his mother was killed?

(SCOFFS) He was in shock. Denial.

The call came from Lila Lansing's car.

Now we've got confirmation on that.

We also got tape from surveillance cameras that covered the driveway.

Mom didn't have surveillance cameras!

No. But there was one directly across the street.

Oh! So, what are you saying? That that tape shows us killing Mom?

It couldn't. BECKER: No. It shows you driving off.

JOSH: Why would we do that?

To make it look like a carjacking.

When you backed the Corniche out into the street,

the tape shows your mother lying there in the driveway.

Now, there was nothing the matter with the motors on the gate.

Your clients put the gate on manual

so that their mother would have to get out of the car.

Now, that makes it pre-meditated.

That makes it murder one.

JOSH: I've been in here for 19 months.

You ever been in jail, Halley?

It's nothing like I thought it would be.

I thought it would be like, you know,

trying not to get raped in the laundry,

or guys making shivs out of silverware.

It's just boring. I feel like I've been here forever.

I know. But with all the postponements and everything...

But we are going to go to court on Tuesday,

and that's what I wanted to talk to you about.

Dorie's been... What?

She's not sick again, is she?

No. No, but she's upset.

Understandably. And...

She's not talking, right?

God! Ever since we were kids, when she gets really upset, she clams up.

You can't get a word out of her.

I'm worried about going into court with her this way, Josh.

They're going to ask for the death penalty

and I don't know what that's going to do to her.

I do. She'll freak!

How can they ask for the death penalty when we didn't do it?

The evidence is... I don't care about the evidence!

We didn't kill Mom, okay?

All right. We moved the car. I don't know why.

I don't remember doing it. I don't remember phoning my agent,

but I'll tell you something, Halley,

I would sure as hell remember shooting my own mother!

KIT: Look.

Excuse me, ma'am. We just got word that you're wanted over at the hospital ward.

They say it's urgent. Dorie.

It's Dorie, isn't it? What happened to her?

They found her in her cell. She tried to commit suicide.

No! Get out of my way!

(GRUNTING) Get back! KIT: Josh!

JOSH: Get out of my way! Josh, please! Stop!

(MEN GRUNTING)

Dorie!

Dorie! Dorie!

Hi, Mattie. MATTIE: Hey!

Well, looking pretty good, huh?

Oh, who cares? Benson isn't gonna live here.

He wants it as a fishing shack.

Probably keep live bait in the bathtub.

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) He'll have to keep it in the sink.

I only have a shower.

It may not be top of the line, but, hey, it's hardly a shack.

He called it a shack?

Who cares what he called it? He's willing to pay 50 percent over market

and he's got the cash to do it.

Don't go all sensitive on me, Jim.

I'm just trying to save you a lot of unnecessary work.

Thanks, Mattie.

He's driving up from San Diego.

He'll be here 6:00, 6:30.

It gets dark at 6:00. He won't be able to see anything.

He's already seen the place.

He's just coming by to sign the papers!

(LAUGHS)

You've got one of the best lots in Malibu.

And you're really just gonna walk away from it?

As soon as the check clears.

(LAUGHS) Why? I mean, what's wrong with LA?

The quality of life. There isn't any.

(LAUGHING)

I'll see you at 6:00.

If I'm a little late, don't worry.

Um, I've got an open house in Panorama City

and who knows what the fire's gonna do to the valley traffic.

What fire?

Is that one of the canyons?

No. It's way out in Agoura, someplace like that. I'll see you later.

(PHONE RINGING)

Oh!

Yeah. All right. All right. All right.

(PHONE CONTINUES RINGING)

Hello? Hello? KIT: Hello, Jim.

ROCKFORD ON ANSWERING MACHINE: This is Jim Rockford.

At the tone, leave your name and message.

KIT: Turn that thing off! I'll get back to you.

(BEEPS) It'll be over in a minute.

Is that you, Kit?

What do you mean, "is it me"? Of course it's me.

Uh, what do you mean, "of course"? I haven't heard from you since August.

Well, I know. But I've been meaning to call

but I've been trying to prepare for this trial.

Look, I don't have time to get into that right now.

Just get yourself down to the Metropolitan Detention Center.

The hospital ward.

What's going on?

Look, I'll fill you in when you get here.

But it's big, it's dirty and it's the answer to a defense attorney's prayers.

I'm bending the rules here. You understand that.

Now, I'm only going to allow you in the room for a few minutes to observe.

Under no circumstances are you to speak,

cry out, or make your presence known to the patient.

It could have an adverse effect,

and after all, we are here to help her.

We're not here to add any additional pain.

Uh, were her injuries from the suicide attempt that bad?

I was referring to psychic pain, Mr. Rockford.

That, I'm afraid, is very bad.

And very deep.

(DOOR BUZZING)

Dorie. Dorie, it's Dr. Ezso.

I'm here to help you, Dorie.

I think we should talk

like we talked this morning? No.

No. No.

You want me to remember. I won't.

He can't hurt you anymore, Dorie.

(BREATHING HEAVILY) I'm here. I won't let him.

Mommy. Mommy. Mommy, let him...

(WHIMPERING)

She let him take us down there.

The basement.

(GROANS)

She let him. She didn't...

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

She didn't even try and stop him. And she...

She let him... No! She let him do all those things.

She... She watched! And she said...

She... She said...

She said, "You do what your father says."

(MOANING) No! But Mickey wasn't my father!

(CRYING)

(DOOR BUZZES)

Well, what do you think?

What the devil was that all about?

I should probably wait for the doctor to explain

but this is very exciting, Jim.

Because of the suicide attempt, they hired this psychiatrist,

this Dr. Ezso, to look at Dorie.

What was all that business about Mickey?

Would you please listen to me?

Maybe it was because she was particularly vulnerable. Who knows?

But anyway, he managed to uncover this repressed memory

which explains everything including Lila's death.

What repressed memory?

Both Josh and Dorie were sexually abused,

habitually abused by Mickey while he was married to Lila.

Come on!

Yes! Yes! That he repeatedly took her in the basement

and did unspeakable things.

I can't even repeat what she said. Oh!

And also, Dorie described a pentagram drawn on the floor.

Mickey Ryder's a Satanist.

In a pig's eye!

Well, either you can check it out for me, or I'll get someone

who isn't quite as in awe of a Cooperstown idol.

Well, they're not gonna find anything.

Especially not the stuff you're looking for.

He was one of the real gentlemen of baseball.

He was not just a great player,

he was a great role model.

I'll bet he's never even had a parking ticket.

I don't care about his driving record, Jim.

Mickey Ryder is not a Satanist.

And he damn sure isn't a child molester.

Prove it.

All right, I will.

I'm afraid you won't be able to see her today, Miss Kittredge.

I've had to sedate her.

Call me in the morning and we'll see how she feels then.

Thank you, Doctor. I know it's been very rough on you.

Things could be rougher. I could still own my house in Malibu.

Unloaded it just in time.

What does that mean?

That fire that started in Agoura?

It's just jumped the coast highway.

It's burning all the way to the ocean.

(EXCLAIMING)

(SIRENS WAILING)

Hold it, sir. You're not gonna get through here.

It's all right, Officer. I live right here.

My name is Jim Rockford.

POLICEMAN: All right, go ahead.

(CAR HORN BLARING)

MAN 1: Come on, let's get out of here! Hey!

You guys! What, are you thievin' little rats?

Well... Oh, look at my TV! MAN 2: Load it up!

(BOAT ENGINE RUNNING)

Anymore of you in there? You little, thievin'...

(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)

My God, it's right in your face, isn't it?

You think you're gonna make it?

Oh, the way things have been going, probably not.

Your buyer backed out of the deal.

You believe in astrology?

(SIGHS) I don't know. Why?

I was just wondering if it's possible

for Mercury to go permanently into retrograde.

I'm sorry, Jim. Mr. Benson really wanted the place.

It's just this has been all over television and it scared him.

It scares me.

Well, I... I'll give you a call tomorrow, okay?

All right. Thanks for comin'.

Good luck.

ROCKFORD: You be careful now.

You, too.

FIREMAN 1: Okay.

FIREMAN 2: All right. We got it under control.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Yeah!

Jimmy! Jimmy!

You're not gonna believe what happened to me. I've been robbed.

Three guys in a boat?

Robbed. Pitted and spit.

My whole operation wiped out. History.

I didn't know you still had an operation.

All right. Maybe I could've moved a little faster.

But you think I'm slow, try dealing with the government.

You see, when the Shopping Network idea went belly up,

it took me a long time to figure out

that a loan was the way to go with this thing.

You applied for a government loan?

Oh, they got a whole program

where they help the little guy get back in business.

You were never in business, Angel.

Unless you consider a garage full of hot merchandise business.

Not a garage.

Four! Four holding areas.

That ain't holding nothin' anymore!

You know who got my inventory? That stinking Paco.

I treated him like family, man.

I treated him like my own brother.

You remember him, Paco, don't you, Jimmy?

Paco? Yeah. The one that called you boss.

Out of respect. Out of affection. I mean, like a nickname.

What? You never heard anybody use "boss" like that?

Just you and Springsteen.

All right, well, he calls me boss, but he steals me blind.

Oh, he says, "Oh, I don't know nothing about it."

Swears on his dead mother's head who, even as we speak,

is dealing seconds in some cheesy card palace down in Gardena.

Snakes, the whole family. Crooked as snakes.

I just... I just wish that Paco was an illegal, so I could turn him in.

Born in Eagle Rock.

(LAUGHS)

All right, I'll tell you what, Angel,

I won't say it serves you right.

I won't go Billy Graham on you. I'll give you a job.

A job?

Well, it's not anything I can't do myself.

But you could save me some time.

You came in here not too long ago with a sample case?

You had a lot of different things in that case.

You had an ice cube with a fly in it.

That's a pretty big seller.

Yeah, and then you had this fertility mojo...

Looked like it was made out of chicken feathers.

You said you sold 'em to shops that specialize in the occult.

So?

So, tomorrow, we're gonna make the rounds.

ROCKFORD: Are you sure this is the right street?

I'm sure.

Hecate's Habitat?

Jimmy, when you're talking black arts,

these dudes got this skinny down.

I could take you a half a dozen places,

you'd just be wasting your time.

Now, you got that photo of the guy?

Yeah. I don't think we ought to use his picture, I really don't.

All right, all right. Let's see.

Well, we'll try something a little more casual.

Have you got some of his hair?

Angel.

All right, we'll get 'em in a conversation.

A little of this, a little of that.

I look for an opening, then I'll say,

"Has Mickey Ryder been comin' in here lately?"

We definitely shouldn't use his name.

Baseball. Could I mention baseball?

No, this wasn't a good idea.

I'll tell you... Do you realize

what these guys could do if they had any idea we're talkin' about Mickey Ryder?

I mean, they could turn right around

and sell it to the National Enquirer. Oh.

Next time you go in to get a chicken pot pie,

there's Mickey's picture on the front page with "Satanist" written under it.

I mean, you can't do that. Jimmy, would you chill?

What? You don't think I can be discreet?

Now just follow my lead.

Angel! Angel!

Hey, Dave. What a delight!

Dave? You're on pretty friendly terms.

You only had that sales job a fast 15 minutes?

He's watching us. Pick something up. Look like a customer.

(WHISPERING) I was hoping Frank would be here.

He's a lot easier to talk to.

Angel, would you look at this?

Great display, Dave. Very tasteful.

Give me a minute, Jimmy.

All right. Here it is. Is that Paco or is that Paco?

Where's the pins? Where's the pins?

Let's get out of here, Angel. Come on.

We just got here.

I have seen enough of this. This is pathetic.

I mean, this is for people

who think a shot of bat juice and a plastic mojo are gonna give 'em a life.

Keep it down, Jimmy.

These are not the kind of people you want to tick off.

What, you think Dave's gonna turn me into a frog?

You're making me very nervous.

Angel, if Dave is such a hotshot at spells,

don't you think he'd own a boutique on Rodeo Drive instead of this dump?

Don't you think he'd have hair?

(DOOR OPENS) (LAUGHS) Dave. Thanks, Dave. Thanks.

You just closed my account at Hecate's Habitat. I hope you know that.

You have an account there?

Well, I don't use it that often.

I mean, every now and then when I'm running a little low...

On what? On eye of newt?

I can't believe you'd go in that joint.

Can't you recognize a con when you see one?

And I'll tell you something else.

Mickey Ryder wouldn't get within a mile of that joint.

He's about as much of a Satanist as Rocky is.

(SIGHING)

I just can't stop Kit.

She's convinced she's doing the right thing.

She isn't, but she thinks she is.

She's gonna throw those charges at Mickey,

and a lot of people out there are gonna believe 'em.

You know, Mickey Ryder is a decent man.

He doesn't deserve to be blindsided like this.

I'd love to warn him.

I haven't got time to find him.

Aaron used to do one of those "Where Are They Now" features.

They did one on Mickey Ryder.

They had pictures of him up at the Desert Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.

Big Al Minette used to use him as a celebrity greeter.

He'd fly him into town,

play golf with all the big honchos, that kind of thing.

Aaron had some pictures from the honeymoon mansion with Lila.

And Mickey still lives in the same crib.

And you know where it is?

For a Hamilton. A what?

Jackson? A Jackson?

That's cheap at 20. Where is it?

Brentwood.

I won't help you, Mr. Rockford.

Funny thing is, Lila would want me to.

She wouldn't want her children to suffer, even for her own murder.

Well, I'm not that forgiving. I hope they fry in hell.

I'm sorry.

Did you know Lila?

Well, I never had the pleasure. No, sir.

Well, make no mistake, it would have been a pleasure.

She was a remarkable woman.

Ever since it happened, I... I keep wondering how they could do it.

Why? For money?

She gave them everything they needed or wanted.

They would have had it all in time.

I hope she didn't know who did it.

I pray to God she didn't die knowing her children wanted her dead.

You'll have to forgive me, Mr. Rockford.

I'm not handling this very well.

If you'll excuse me, I'd like...

I know this is an intrusion, but it's important to you.

I'm not here on behalf of Josh and Dorie.

You said... That I was engaged by their attorney.

I was.

But something has happened, and well...

This is gonna be a whole lot harder

than I thought it would be.

I'm very tired, Mr. Rockford.

If you have something to say, would you please say it.

The defense is going to blame you, indirectly, for Lila Lansing's murder.

What?

Dorie claims to have uncovered a repressed memory from her childhood.

From the years that you and Lila were married.

She says that you forced her and Josh

into repellent and perverted sexual practices.

She says I molested them?

She says you're a Satanist.

That you practiced devil worship in the basement,

you took them down there and performed

unspeakable acts with Lila's tacit permission.

When they remembered, they turned on their mother

and killed her for not protecting them.

Come with me.

Here it is. What do you think?

Oh, wow! Look at that.

MICKEY: Doesn't look much like a temple for the Prince of Darkness, does it?

Of course, I'd have things hidden. I'd...

(CHUCKLES) Like the whips, the chains, the sacrificial altar.

Look around, see what you can find. Go ahead.

Hey, come on. You don't think I believed any of that, do you?

Look around! Not out here in the open.

Come on! Hey! How about the desk drawer?

I bet I got things hidden... ROCKFORD: No!

...in the damn desk drawer! Look at that!

Now. Now, look. Don't do that.

The bookcase, I've got books here.

There might be a secret panel behind the desk.

Stop it! Damn it!

You can handle this. No!

Come on, come on.

When they told me Lila was dead,

I didn't think it could get any worse.

But this...

They want people to believe that Lila was some kind of monster.

That I'm some kind of monster.

They make me ashamed.

Not because I abused them. I swear before God I didn't.

But because I... I loved them.

I loved those kids.

They were part of Lila, so I loved them.

ROCKFORD: I've been leaving messages for you all over town.

I left the first message yesterday afternoon.

I've been busy. What is it, Jim?

I went to see Mickey Ryder yesterday.

What? I don't think I find that acceptable.

Well, I don't think I care.

There's an ethical consideration here, Jim, you're working for me.

I quit. Just before I went to see him.

If you'd called me back, you'd have known that.

Well, then we have nothing to discuss.

Kit, Mickey Ryder is a nice man.

He's not the Marquis De Sade. Not even close.

He's simple, straight from the shoulder, honest.

Now, I'm not gonna let you take him into court and smear him.

What do you mean, you're not going to let me?

Let me ask you something.

Doesn't it strike you as strangely convenient

that Dorie's repressed memory stayed repressed

until she needed it to get past a murder rap?

No. It doesn't.

It doesn't?

(INTERCOM BEEPING) Yes.

WOMAN ON INTERCOM: The Ryder press conference is about to start.

Okay. Thank you.

Kit. Kit, you've known them since they were kids.

You don't want to believe they killed their mother.

But they've sold you a bill of goods.

WOMAN ON TV: We're bringing you the...

Now, if you go through with this, you're gonna regret it.

I know you and you don't want to win a case on lies.

And you're going to be defaming a man with an unblemished record.

Jim, it's already out in the newspapers.

They'll drop it if you don't pursue it in court. Stonewall it.

WOMAN ON TV: ... his stepchildren.

If I could have your attention, please. I'm Sidney Kornblum.

I'd like to thank you all for being here today.

On behalf of my client, Mickey Ryder,

I'd like to read a short statement.

We will not take any questions.

"Certain allegations have been made regarding Mr. Ryder

"and his behavior toward the minor children of Lila Lansing

"during the period of their marriage.

"Mr. Ryder would like to take this opportunity

"to confirm that the behavior, as alleged, did indeed occur."

What?

(REPORTERS CLAMORING)

"Mr. Ryder... Mr. Ryder deeply regrets the pain

"he has caused his step children through his involvement in Satanism.

"He has since renounced such involvement

"and asks the understanding and prayers of his friends and his fans. Thank you."

REPORTER: What does the district attorney have to say?

What does the district attorney have to say?

What does the district attorney have to say?

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Hi. I wasn't in the neighborhood,

but I decided to come by anyway.

I suppose I should have called first.

I know it makes you angry when people just drop by.

No problem. You want a cup of coffee?

Yeah. Thanks.

I'm sorry about Mickey, Jim.

I know how much he meant to you.

Childhood idol, that sort of thing.

Press conference rocked me, too.

Well, that's it. I'm sorry.

I was thinking about it and I wanted to talk to you.

You've been thinking about it? For two months?

The press conference was two months ago.

All right. So I didn't rush over here. Don't be unreasonable.

I had to get another postponement for the trial.

I had to rethink my entire defense.

That revelation changed everything.

Didn't it?

This isn't like you. You're usually my cheering section.

I hope you lose.

What?

You heard me. I hope you lose.

Why? Just because you don't like Josh and Dorie?

I particularly don't like Josh.

I'm a non-violent man, you know that for a fact,

but every time I look at that kid, I want to deck him.

I'm seeing a whole new side to you tonight.

(PHONE RINGING) And not an attractive one.

Hello.

Mr. Rockford? Mickey Ryder.

I've gotta see you. It's urgent.

Can you come over? There are a couple of people here right now,

but they'll be leaving any minute.

ROCKFORD: Yeah, sure. I...

Look, I... I don't know how to put this but...

I don't know if it'll make any difference at this point,

but I... I've gotta go on record with the truth.

I can't let that confession stand. I...

I don't care what they do.

Are you saying you were coerced into making that confession?

They threatened a lot of things

they're fully prepared to deliver on.

Now, for the past two months, I've been trying to live down what I did,

caving in that way. Well, I can't any longer.

(STAMMERING) I just can't.

When you came here that day, that was the truth.

What I said then. That was the truth.

Not what Kornblum read off that piece of paper.

He's the one that talked me into this mess in the first place.

It goes way back before all this.

He said, you know, "Do a favor for a friend."

That's how he put it at the time.

It just sounded so simple.

I'll be right over.

Oh, thanks, Mr. Rockford.

(CHUCKLING) Funny, isn't it?

I mean, I... We barely know each other,

and you seem to be the only real friend I have.

I'll see you.

You'll have to excuse me. I have an emergency.

That was about the case, huh?

Who was it?

That was Mickey Ryder, wasn't it?

I'm gonna go with you.

ROCKFORD: No, you're not.

Get back in the truck, Kit, and lock the door.

Something wrong here. I'm gonna have a look.

(EXCLAIMS)

Kit.

I'm not gonna stay out here alone. I'm not.

I knew I shouldn't have brought you along. Just stay out of the way.

I don't hear anything.

(SHUSHING)

I don't think anybody's home.

Mickey sure as hell ought to be.

What are we doing? There's nothing down here.

Well, the whole room's gone.

When I was here before, I mean, this whole...

(SIGHS)

Kit, go upstairs. Get a phone.

Tell Becker to get over here.

I just found Mickey Ryder.

KIT: What is it?

Go, go.

(CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)

You found the deceased at what time?

Did they log the call in at the station?

Yeah, sure.

Okay. Two minutes before the log time.

I didn't look at my watch, Dennis.

And why didn't you cut him down?

It wouldn't have done any good. He was dead.

I didn't want to contaminate the crime scene.

Well, it's pretty obvious what happened.

Oh, really?

Well, it is to those of us whose minds are not clouded with emotion.

He committed suicide, Jim.

Sure, overcome with remorse and pain.

I mean, everybody knows what happened, he can't live with it.

The basement. It's a logical choice.

Symbolic. It's where he did the kids, you know.

He didn't do the kids, Dennis.

Don't even try and argue with him.

He called a press conference to confess.

And he called me to say that the confession was strong-armed out of him.

And that he was forced to make it.

And there was no truth in the accusation,

there was no truth in the confession.

(SCOFFS)

I've heard of people turning their basements into dens.

But when was the last time you heard of anybody

turning their den back into a basement?

And if they're going to kill themselves, why bother?

The guy went over the edge.

He tried to put the place back like it was years ago.

It's like he wrote a note saying,

"This is where I did it, this where I die."

This was not a suicide, Becker. This was murder.

Give me a name. Give me a motive.

Oh, I don't have one at the moment.

Look, let me tell you something.

When I was here a couple of months ago,

there was a photograph right over there.

It was taken in Vegas at the Desert Palms.

And right next to Mickey was Sidney Kornblum on one side

and Big Al Minette on the other.

Two very forceful personalities.

They don't call him Big Al since he went legit.

What makes you think he went legit? Because he said so?

Mickey told me Sidney Kornblum asked him to do a favor for a friend.

That's how he got into this mess.

Now, say that friend was Al Minette?

Jim, Sidney Kornblum is a highly respected attorney

and Al Minette operates legitimate

and profitable enterprises in Las Vegas.

Why would either one of those men try and kill Mickey Ryder?

I don't know. I don't know. But I'm gonna find out.

And you watch how you write this one up, Dennis.

Don't close the book on it. You never will get into that corner office.

Why do you always have to complicate everything?

Why can't you just accept the fact that it's over?

It's not over, Kit. Not as long as the cops are calling it a suicide.

You're the only one that's calling it anything else.

You know, you accused me of having a blind spot.

You're the one that has a blind spot in this, Jim.

You bought the whole package, peanuts and Cracker Jack and 30 years of hype.

You're really sore at me, aren't you? You're royally ticked off.

As a matter of fact, yes. Yes, I am.

Well, fine, this is probably as good a time as any to tell you.

It's been on my mind. I've been thinking about it.

I'm the one that found the surveillance camera

that put your clients in the slammer.

You found it?

Yeah, I told Dennis and the rest, as they say, is history.

You mean to tell me the whole time I was paying you,

you were working to convict my clients?

That's an oversimplification.

I want my money back. Every cent of it.

(LAUGHING) Oh, you're not gonna get it.

I was scrupulous in my performance of duty.

That camera was a byproduct of my investigation.

I didn't set out to find it. I wasn't looking for damning evidence.

It's not my fault that your clients are guilty.

Not only do I want my money back, but I want your license.

As a matter of fact, I might just call the licensing bureau.

I'm sure you're in violation of some statute.

You always are.

This is gonna be a fun ride home.

Hey, slow down, will you?

I gotta make a phone call, then I'll follow you home.

I don't need to be followed home.

Well, whether you need it or not.

Look, I have to get Kornblum's home address from Becker.

That is if he's still talkin' to me. Unless you have it.

Kit, you know I'm gonna get it somewhere.

Why make it any more difficult than it has to be?

Then again, why not?

Kit, you said earlier that I was your cheering section.

Well, I was. It was easy.

You were always fighting for truth and justice wearing a white hat.

That doesn't apply anymore, does it?

Now, you just want to win.

That is a rotten thing to say.

You didn't talk to Mickey Ryder. I did.

He loved your friend, Lila. He loved those two miserable kids of hers.

(SIGHING) What'd he get out of it? Hmm?

Humiliation, shame and dead.

Well, I don't like it. I'm gonna find out who killed him and why.

If I uncover anything in my investigation

that has a negative impact on your case, that's just too damn bad.

Jim!

Sidney Kornblum's at the Landale Country Club.

It's a party for his son's Bar Mitzvah.

Half the LA bar association's gonna be there.

I sent regrets.

(CAR STARTING)

ANGEL: Hey, Jimmy...

What...

What are you doing? You trying to kill me?

Well, I could say the same about you.

My heart almost stopped. What are you doing back there?

Wait till you hear.

Well, first...

Well, first, I get two flats.

Jimmy, I gotta have new tires.

Go on.

Well, naturally, with two flats, I can't drive.

So far none of this is putting you in my backseat.

Okay, I pulled off the side of the highway and I started walkin'.

Three miles, easy.

I figure I'd get to your place, I'd call the auto club.

You're a member, ain't you?

Anyway, you're not there.

Well, I'm tired, I'm thirsty, my feet are killing me.

I can't go anywhere. I know you gotta come back sometime.

So, I might as well be comfortable.

I saw some tires...

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Hey, where you going?

To the party.

We're not invited.

Jimmy, look at the place. Look at all the cars.

There's over 100 people here.

You think they're gonna notice a couple more?

It's a Bar Mitzvah, man.

I could be the visiting rabbi from the old neighborhood.

What old neighborhood?

Everybody's from some old neighborhood.

Who's gonna get technical?

There's whitefish right through that door.

Forget it. I'm gonna sit here until the host leaves.

Then I'm gonna follow him home and talk to him.

Now, that's the plan.

You could talk to him right here

and have something to eat at the same time?

I need privacy when I talk to him.

Now, you can sit here with me, or you can leave.

I really don't care.

And how am I supposed to get home?

Take the bus. This time of night?

Cab fare would be a little more like it.

Unless you don't care when or if I get home.

(SIGHS) All right.

Take the cab.

No, no, no, no. I'll take you to a cab, come on.

MAN: Mark, come on.

What about the tires?

Oh, it'll come with tires.

My tires. For my car.

I don't carry that kind of money on me.

Okay. I'll borrow your credit card.

(LAUGHING)

You'll have to shoot me to get it.

Oh, yeah! All the way from Minette Motors in Vegas.

Uncle Al sure does give expensive gifts.

Big Al Minette? Yeah.

Here, you wanna take him where he wants to go

and you can keep the change.

If Minette's involved, you might as well give me your credit card.

You ain't gonna be needing it.

ROCKFORD: I'm sorry it's so late, Mr. Kornblum.

I don't receive strangers in my home, Mr. Rockford.

Yeah, well, I wasn't a stranger to Mickey Ryder.

Oh, hey! Last time I saw this, it was in Mickey's den.

Last time I saw his den, it was a basement.

Mickey was hanging from one of the rafters.

I've spoken with the police.

Mickey's suicide was tragic but not unexpected.

He was in a deep state of depression for some time.

It was murder, not suicide.

And he didn't sound too depressed

when I talked with him earlier this evening.

As a matter of fact, he sounded mad.

Well, I'm mad too, and I want some answers.

I want to know how you hammered a confession out of Mickey

and I want to know why.

I want to know about the Vegas connection

and how Al Minette fit into this.

I want to know why Mickey's basement

was stripped down to the bare concrete.

And I want to know what else you took out of there

besides that baseball.

Is there an implied threat in all that?

No, no. No, those are the questions.

This is the threat.

I know you had something to do with Mickey's murder,

and I'm gonna keep digging till I find out what it is.

I'm gonna give all this to a friend of mine

down at the department in the morning.

So, don't be surprised if the cops start digging, too.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Yeah. Get me Sanders.

Well, find him.

Jim, I can't believe you're this stupid.

Oh, sure you can, Dennis.

I do dumb things all the time.

Yeah. Not this dumb. You set yourself up for a hit?

Well, if I'm right about Kornblum, I did.

But how else am I gonna smoke him out?

You're the one that's liable to get smoked.

Dennis, I don't have time to do a verse and two choruses on this.

If you're not in...

Yeah? If I'm not in? You never thought about that, did you?

I'm in.

Ah, good, good. Now, what we gotta do

is you move your car over near the sand castle.

Get a good, clear view of the trailer.

And then when Kornblum's gorillas show up...

You sure he has gorillas?

Well, he has to.

They're gonna be our leverage. And don't make any premature moves, huh?

We don't wanna get 'em for spitting on the sidewalk.

We want 'em for attempted murder.

Oh, Jim, how many times do I let 'em shoot you?

(LAUGHS) There's the keys to the Firebird.

It is running great.

That government issue you're driving is a joke.

I don't want you losing me. Shall we go?

I don't know why I don't just don't take an early retirement.

Hi. Hi, Dennis.

She was just leaving.

He was just leaving.

Actually, I was just leaving.

Where are you going this time of night?

Well...

Was this something that couldn't wait?

An apology. I know I should have called first.

Nobody ever does. Look, there's no apology necessary, Kit.

Thank you for coming by. I'll call you in the morning.

You want me out of here, don't you?

Well, no.

Well, hey, hey, it's a little late.

And it has been a long day.

KIT: Expecting someone?

Kit, I can't explain right now.

Mr. Rockford...

ROCKFORD: Oh, yes. I'll be with you in a minute.

My friend was just leaving.

Let's not play any games, okay?

Who are these people?

My late date. Ah.

Come on, come on, let's move it.

Move it. KIT: Why didn't you tell me?

This is who you were expecting?

SANDERS: Put a cork in it, lady.

Get in.

The trunk? I will not.

Yeah. I'm gonna have a little trouble, too.

You know, I took a bullet in this leg.

How'd you like to take a bullet in the other one?

Make it a set.

I'll get in first. I'll sort of cushion it for you.

I'm gonna need a little help. I'm sorry, Kit.

But I asked you to leave.

Hey!

Jim!

Jim?

Oh, gosh!

I'm gonna suffocate in here!

ROCKFORD: No. There's plenty of air.

Would you move your foot?

KIT: Life is just one big adventure with you, isn't it?

(EXCLAIMING) What are you doing?

I moved my foot.

Shut up in there!

ROCKFORD: That was your foot?

KIT: That's my foot. Oh, come on.

KIT: This reminds me of Marin.

You remember when we drove up to Marin?

When was that? '85? ROCKFORD: '84.

To go fishing with those friends of yours.

They were friends of yours, too.

They were never my friends. I hated 'em.

What the...

Okay.

(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)

Let's go, come on.

Easy, easy. Okay, okay.

(GRUNTING)

Come on, Rockford.

I can't move.

What the hell you talking about? Your leg?

No, it's my back.

(GROANING) I've thrown my back out.

If you guys are gonna do me, you're gonna have to do me right here.

In my car?

If it's the only way.

Are you crazy? Hey!

I'm supposed to drive around with a stiff in my trunk?

Till when? It gets a little warmer? He gets a little ripe?

Help him out of there.

Yeah. Help me.

(GROANING) Oh, easy.

I'm going to need a little help here, Sanders.

He does need a little help.

SANDERS: Come on.

ROCKFORD: Easy, easy, easy, easy.

Get that leg. Bring him over.

Ah, no...

Oh, that hurts. That hurts.

Oh, I can't move.

Oh, I can't straighten up. Put him over here.

Wait a minute. Run, Kit!

(GROANS)

ROCKFORD: Run!

KIT: Oh, no! Jim!

(GROANING)

Jim!

(GUN COCKING) Get up! Get up!

I'm gonna tell Mr. Kornblum this one's on the house.

This one's my pleasure.

Police! Drop it! Now!

Face down!

What'd you do? Stop for a hamburger?

That hotshot car of yours is missing two wheels.

Angel! Damn!

I had to call in for air support.

Helicopter spotted you and just in time.

Oh, thanks, Dennis.

Are you all right?

Am I all right? (LAUGHING) You're just fine.

Mr. Kornblum, right? I'm Detective Becker. This, you know...

I know Miss Kittredge and Mr. Rockford.

What is it you want, Detective Becker?

You said something on the phone about a Mr. Sanders...

I don't recall the other name.

ROCKFORD: Oh, well, it's worse than we thought, Dennis.

He's hired so many hits he can't remember the names of the mechanics.

Jim, let me handle this, okay?

Unless Mr. Rockford is a member of the police department,

I'd like him out of here, please.

You can't remove me, Kornblum. No, I'm the hitee.

I'm the one that's filing the charges against you,

and before you go pulling on your forelock

and getting all bewildered on us,

I have to warn you that Sanders and Warsche have talked.

You ordered the hit on Mickey Ryder. You ordered the hit on me.

So we can start from there.

I was at last night's festivities, Mr. Kornblum.

I was also at the police interrogation.

Now, Mr. Rockford is not bluffing.

Sanders and Warsche are probably still talking.

Mickey's death was not my doing.

Those were not my orders.

Oh, so, the hired hands just went crazy, huh?

Come on! What did you send them out there for?

What were your orders?

(CLEARING THROAT)

It was a question of a favor for a client. A friend.

Oh, Big Al Minette?

I'm gonna say this much regarding my involvement, which was minimal.

I did arrange to put the material in the basement.

What material?

Sensitive material.

That concerned certain parties, certain operations.

The reason Mickey pleaded guilty to Satanic acts

was he couldn't let the police search his basement.

Will you testify to that in court? At the Lansing trial?

Of course, without in any way compromising client confidentiality.

Now, listen, about this sensitive material? What is it?

I don't know.

Sanders gave me what he found in the basement.

A large sealed envelope. I didn't open it.

I put it in the safe.

You've got it here? Yes.

Well, get it.

Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry, Dennis.

I know. I over-stepped my bounds, Dennis,

but do you believe how we've lucked out?

I mean, this could be the Minette connection.

It could have drugs. What do you think?

Drug dealing. Maybe pipeline?

Well, Minette's out of Vegas.

It could be the skimming operation.

Or money laundering.

Counterfeit! Counterfeit's a growth industry today.

Minette's got the perfect operation to pass bad paper.

Mr. Kornblum... Sorry to intrude, Mr. Kornblum.

We interrogated Lloyd Sanders and Phillip Warsche.

You questioned my prisoners?

Who are you?

I busted 'em. Brought them in. Lieutenant Becker.

Well done, Becker.

Mr. Sanders stated that he retrieved an envelope

from the basement of Mickey Ryder's house

and subsequently gave that envelope to you.

Yes. I just took it out of my safe.

Thank you, Mr. Kornblum. We'll leave a receipt with your secretary.

He got that out of the safe for Lieutenant Becker.

BECKER: That's right.

This is federal, sir. I'm sure you understand.

Frankly, I never understood that.

Federal.

JOSH: They're making a TV movie about my life. They want my cooperation.

Unless it's someone like Johnny Depp, I've got some concerns.

Josh, you have some very serious concerns but that's not one of them.

Sidney Kornblum, Mickey Ryder's attorney,

is going to testify in court that Mickey's admission of guilt

to your charges was a lie.

So, that pretty well takes care of the recovered memory defense.

I told you it wouldn't work.

Shut up, Dorie!

Look, I never heard of Sidney Kornblum. Who's gonna believe him?

I am. You lied to me. You lied under oath.

And I am not willing to deal with liars.

Your mother was my friend.

For her sake I tried to believe you.

Every time a damning piece of evidence showed up,

I tried to explain it away.

But you not only killed her, you defamed her.

You defamed Mickey Ryder, a decent man who loved you.

You're beneath contempt.

Halley...

Look, it wasn't my idea. I didn't even want to do it.

Shut up, Dorie!

No! You're always saying that, like I don't have a right to say what I want to.

It was Josh who didn't want to wait for the money.

I kept telling him Mom was old, it wouldn't be all that long,

but you know how impatient he is.

And then he comes up with that dumb story about Mickey.

So, now, what do we do?

I don't know, Dorie.

Innocent or guilty, you're both entitled to the best defense possible.

But I'm not gonna be the one to provide it.

I'll have my office submit appropriate names.

(DOOR BUZZES)

(DOOR CLOSES)

ROCKFORD: Yeah. I told you, Dad.

Mattie's got a real interested customer.

She's gonna bring her around tomorrow.

Mattie, the real estate agent.

I'm not really hoping for much.

You know, the market's down.

Well, yeah. I know it's late.

I'm talking to you. What are you doing up so late?

All right, Dad. Dad, I'm...

I had a pretty long day. I'll give you a call tomorrow, all right?

You go to sleep. Yeah, good night.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Hi. I did it again. I didn't call first.

Mind if I come in anyway?

Well, I want to apologize, Jim.

Well, no, that's not altogether true.

I don't want to apologize, but...

'Cause I hate to be wrong, but I have to apologize.

I've been snapping and snipping at you

ever since this thing started.

I'm sorry.

I met with Josh and Dorie and told them I couldn't represent them.

Good. They don't deserve you.

I didn't want them to be guilty.

I know.

Whenever I had any doubts, I'd think,

"If they were really guilty, why would they hire a private detective?"

Which is exactly what you were supposed to think.

It was a nice touch, really.

I'll just never understand how they could do that.

Never.

(KIT SIGHING)

God, I'm tired, Jim.

Do you mind if I stay here for the night?

Sort of take over your couch?

You can take over the bed. I'll bunk out here.

I don't want to take the bed, Jim.

Do we have to argue about everything?

Take the bed.

Take the couch.

Thank you.

(RUMBLING)

(GROANING)

ROCKFORD: Kit! I'm coming. Hold on, hold on!

I'll be right there!

Kit, grab your shoes!

Let's get out. Come on. Come on, let's go, let's go.

Oh, my God! Open the door!

(CAR ALARM BLARING)

Wow!

It's all right, we're out in the open now.

Oh, let's go.

All right, all right, fine.

(SIGHING)

(SIGHS) That was just an aftershock.

Oh, again?

(HOUSE CREAKING)

It's all right, it's all right.

(KIT GASPING)

(GLASS SHATTERING)

(GROANING)

Oh, honey...

ROCKFORD: Feel better?

KIT: (LAUGHING) Anybody tries to tell me that

that wasn't the big one, I'll hit 'em.

Yeah. It felt different, didn't it?

It felt mean.

Did you call Rocky?

I tried to when I dragged the chairs out,

but phone lines are down.

I hate earthquakes.

I don't know many who like 'em.

They always make me wanna repent.

Would you like to know why you never met Lila?

Yeah.

She was a very special lady. She would have liked you.

And more importantly, you would have liked her.

I didn't forget to introduce you. I did it deliberately.

I was afraid that you'd both like each other more than you liked me.

Fat chance.

Well, I guess you'll be hitting the freeway after breakfast, huh?

Well, I've kind of changed my mind about the move.

I don't believe you!

You hate the crime, the traffic, the smog.

We've had everything but a plague of locusts.

We've had a full-scale riot, a fire, an earthquake...

Yeah. But where else would you find that kind of variety?

You know, to tell you the truth, I'd be afraid to move.

Who knows what I'd miss?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

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