Original subtitles

Well, Lieutenant, do you still think it was a good tip?

Ah, it's beginning to look sour.

A guy'd be crazy to hit the same place twice in one week.

Well, he got enough narcotics the last time

to do crazier things than that.

Oh, hi. Can I help you?

Oh, yeah, yeah. It'll take about an hour.

I'll grab a sandwich.

Fine.

Alex, you want to take that?

Okay.

Now, wait a minute. There's still another guy in there.

Well, he'll be out as soon as he finishes

looking at the girlie books.

Give me a bag of stuff.

Hey, you're the same kid that robbed us before.

Come on. Don't jive me, man.

Give me that gun.

Johnson, don't!

Give him whatever he wants!

I'll burn you, I swear!

Now, you don't scare me this time, kid.

Get him, Lundell, alive!

I want him alive.

Now, look, he won't get far.

We'll throw a net around the area.

You get an ambulance.

♪ ♪

Good morning!

Good morning.

Your coffee's already on your desk.

Okay, Peggy. What is it?

What's what?

Well, when you show up bright and early,

and cheerful as Santa Claus, and the coffee's already made,

then you're after something.

I can't get away with anything, can I?

Well, you can try.

This is a copy of the police report on Danny Lavor.

Who? Danny Lavor.

The police say that he held up a drugstore.

Yeah. I heard something about that on the radio.

He was after narcotics, shot the pharmacist.

Right.

Well, why this? It sounds like an open-and-shut case to me.

I know it does.

But I told his wife that you'd look at the report anyway.

Why?

Oh, well, she... she seems so... vulnerable.

Okay, I'll get around to it later, huh?

Uh, Joe, would you get to it now?

What's so important about now?

She's outside in the office, waiting.

Oh.

Okay, Peggy. Yeah, but don't call me. I'll call you.

Yes, sir.

Will he take the case, do you think?

I don't know, Marge.

Well, he's had 15 minutes to look at the police report.

I know, honey.

Well, shouldn't you go in and ask him?

It's always better to wait for him to call me.

Peggy!

No dice.

But...

There's no case to take, Peggy, period.

Oh, Joe, just talk to her, please, for me?

Why don't you just tell her what I said, Peggy?

Oh, Joe, she believes so hard.

Maybe she'll let go if you explain it to her.

Marge?

Mrs. Lavor, Mr. Mannix.

How do you do?

Please sit down.

Mrs. Lavor,

I'd really like to help you,

but, well, this police report gives me no choice.

There's nothing I can do for Danny.

He didn't do what they say he did.

Well, now, they've got an eyewitness

that saw him shoot a man, Mrs. Lavor.

And Danny also held up that drugstore a few days earlier

and got away with a large quantity of narcotics.

Danny doesn't shoot people, Mr. Mannix.

Well, uh, what you really need is an attorney,

not a private investigator.

He didn't shoot that man,

and he... and he didn't try to rob that drugstore.

Mrs. Lavor, I know the police officer on this case.

He doesn't make mistakes.

It's as simple as that.

Danny didn't have to rob a drugstore.

We... we have plenty of money.

We... Almost $2,000. We have saved every week for a year.

$1,920, to be exact.

Where did the money come from?

Danny's been working two jobs.

We were saving for a house.

I can give you his bosses' names and their telephone numbers.

Mrs. Lavor...

Did you know your husband was on drugs?

Danny hasn't used anything in more than a year.

He couldn't have held two jobs if he had.

This police report says he was high

when he attempted to rob that drugstore.

Well, I would have known if he were back on drugs.

I would have known it, Mr. Mannix.

All right, Mrs. Lavor. No promises.

I don't think there's anything I can do to help,

but... I'll, uh, see what I can find out.

And you believe her, Joe?

Well, she was awfully convincing, Clay.

Did you talk to her?

What for?

You've seen the report on the case.

What can I tell you?

Who gave you the tip that Lavor was going to hit that drugstore?

A reliable source.

Yeah, I guess.

Practically fell into your arms

when he came running out of that place.

How did you find that out?

I have my reliable sources.

Oh, and did you also find out

that the guy Danny Lavor shot is on the critical list?

No.

I don't get what you want, Joe.

Well, I'm not sure.

Well.

Well, for instance,

why would you be staking out a drugstore heist?

You're a Detective, Lieutenant.

That's like a vice president to us civilians.

And vice presidents don't sit around in cars

waiting for somebody

who just might come around

or then again might not.

That was my tip.

So I went.

Say...

why don't you tell Mrs. Lavor

to save her money for a good attorney.

She doesn't need you.

Yeah.

Danny Lavor has money in the bank.

Did you know that, Clay?

Joe...

And he was off dope.

Look, we got the barely warm body

of a pharmacist in the hospital.

We got a bullet fired from a gun

that Danny Lavor had in his hand

when he came running out of that drugstore, high as a kite.

Yeah, and you got a witness that saw Lavor shoot the pharmacist.

I know. You've got all of the cards.

Then drop out.

Why didn't you let Delaney shoot?

I was just talking to Delaney.

I told him you wouldn't mind.

I wanted Danny Lavor alive.

My door is always open, Joe.

Look, Clay, if there's some sort of problem

with this thing, just say so.

This is no big deal.

Oh, come on, Clay, what's going on?

Oh, pardon me.

Come in, Delaney.

Is there anything else I can do for you, Joe?

What's he doing on the case?

I don't know.

You want something?

Yeah. I was going over the file here on Lavor.

Can't find the ballistics report.

Well, it's got to be around here somewhere.

All right, whenever you're through.

Delaney.

What we want the public to know about this case

is in the report, you understand?

Anything else is to be cleared through me.

You mean that goes for Mannix, too?

It goes for anybody not in the department.

Okay, Lieutenant.

Anything else?

Yeah.

I want to be kept on the Lavor case.

You've got plenty to do.

Look, I'll bring him back in one piece,

if that's the way you want it.

You mean as a special favor to me, you'll bring him in alive?

I wasn't trying to kill him.

Just trying to fire over his head

so he'd be scared and stop running.

Okay, Delaney.

Thanks.

An awful thing to have happened.

And for what?

He shouldn't have tried to get the boy's gun.

Mm. That was the same boy

who got away with the narcotics earlier in the week?

Yes, the same.

There's no doubt about that.

I yelled at Johnson to give him what he wants, but...

Yes, Miss?

Thank you.

But-- oh, well, too late for "buts" now.

Uh, why do you suppose Johnson didn't give him what he wanted?

I don't know.

He did the first time.

He gave him almost everything we had,

which is exactly what I would've done,

and I told him so.

That's strange, isn't it?

Maybe he was embarrassed.

I told him a hundred times it could happen to anyone.

Have you ever been robbed before?

No, never.

Maybe it was just his luck.

Too bad.

He knew most of my customers by name

just after a few weeks.

How few?

Four. To the day.

You were robbed twice during the four weeks he was here,

but never before.

Not in seven years.

Tell me, where did you find him?

Well, I advertise in a pharmacy journal.

He sent me a letter and a picture.

He'd worked for a chain in Miami.

Now wait, you don't think that...?

I don't know, but, uh, if he was on the take,

he sure got the short end.

I couldn't be so wrong.

Johnson was a nice man... and a good pharmacist.

Check him out. You'll see.

You're sure about Johnson?

Absolutely sure.

He had a reference all right,

but it turned out to be an empty store in Miami.

And the phone number?

An empty apartment.

After I checked the reference, the phone was disconnected.

Call Mrs. Lavor.

Find out if Danny was ever in Miami

or if he's got any friends there.

Still looks like he's guilty, huh?

Yeah, that's what bothers me.

I've never seen anything fall apart so fast

and still look exactly the same.

Yes, Doctor, I'll take care of it.

Dr. Escobar, Admitting Desk, please.

Dr. Escobar, Admitting Desk, please.

Excuse me, this is Mr. Johnson's room, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

What can you tell me about him?

Nothing.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix-- orders.

Hmm.

Oh, by the way,

do you still have that pretty secretary?

Peggy Fair? Yeah.

Please tell Peggy that a Richard Tompkins, Jr. says hi.

Will do, Mr. Tompkins.

Thank you.

Dr. Burrows, please call 125 West.

Dr. Burrows. Please call 125 West, Dr. Burrows.

Nurse, how is the patient in 620 doing?

Mr. Johnson is off the critical list,

but his condition is still serious.

Uh, could I see him?

No visitors. I'm sorry.

Has his wife been by?

Wife?

No. No one.

Not since I've been on duty.

Mannix?

WOMAN Dr. Heinz, outside call.

Thank you, Nurse.

Dr. Heinz, outside call.

Clay.

Hey, who's Johnson?

He's a pharmacist with a hole in him.

A sick man should have visitors to cheer him up.

Well, he's in very serious condition.

Oh, come on now.

A bullet wound's not a contagious disease.

Who is he, Clay?

Mannix...

Now, look, I can't possibly know more

about Johnson than you do.

Why don't you level with me?

I'll let you know when Lavor's in custody.

You'll be the first to know and the first to talk to him.

Until then, why don't you just...

Look, I checked out that bullet-scarred pharmacist

you've got locked up down the hall.

He's a phony.

The reference he gave was an empty store in Miami,

and I checked with the state office

that licenses pharmacists, and they never heard of Johnson.

And I'll give you ten to one

that his name isn't Johnson, either.

Now, don't tell me you didn't know that.

Forget it! Give it up!

I can't.

The farther I go into it, the wilder it gets.

Next thing you know, I'll... find out where you fit in.

Clay...

you'd better protect yourself.

I'm going to ride this all the way down.

What are you selling, Vodich?

Advice.

Stop digging into the Danny Lavor stickup.

Ah, you've been reading my mail.

Keep your nose out, understand?

Or what?

Or I'll blow it off.

Now, why would the mob be interested

in a small-time stickup?

You're working too hard.

Take a vacation starting now.

Ah, it's sure nice to have friends who care.

I'll just make sure this is registered.

One favor deserves another.

Mannix!

It's your nose.

Cop...

and a hood...

both want me off of the case.

Why?

Don't know.

I watched Johnson's hospital room for many hours,

and the traffic was zero.

Including nurses?

Doctors and everybody.

It's pretty strange

for a man who just slid from critical to serious.

Maybe he's treating himself.

Mrs. Lavor wasn't any help, huh?

No.

You think she's telling you the truth, Peggy?

Oh, yes, of course.

Hmm. He's right on time.

Give my regards to Richard Tompkins, Jr.

Okay.

Oh, and Peggy,

if you can find out anything from him about Johnson,

give me a call, huh?

Whatever time it happens to be.

This is going to be a social evening.

I was only kidding.

You aren't kidding, and you know it.

Go on, have fun.

Thanks.

Oh, Peggy, would you leave me

Mrs. Lavor's phone number and address?

I thought I might...

Mrs. Lavor's phone number and address

are right there on your memo pad.

Oh, so it is.

I told her to expect you this evening, that you'd be by.

Oh, you did?

Mm-hmm. I knew you wouldn't be satisfied

that she didn't know anything unless you questioned her.

Uh, Peggy, look, I was really kidding about trying

to find out something from Richard Tompkins, Jr.

Unless, of course, he happens to volunteer the information.

Then I think it would be very rude of you not to listen.

I'll do what I can.

I'll see you tomorrow.

They've been there all day long.

Same two men.

I've been afraid to go out.

That's a good idea.

And I wouldn't let anyone in, either.

Okay.

Well, what would the mob want with Danny?

Well, he must be working for them.

No, I can't believe that.

I just can't.

I hate to dent the faith you have in your husband,

but I can't think of any other explanation.

You haven't dented my faith, Mr. Mannix.

I asked Peggy to get a list of Danny's friends from you.

She didn't get any.

Since we've been married,

Danny's given up his old friends.

Except for the people he works for

at the restaurant and the garage,

he doesn't have friends like you're talking about.

Nobody that would hide him from the police.

What about relatives?

None he trusts.

I just can't believe

that there'd be no one he could turn to.

And I don't think I'd rule out his old friends.

Well, I do.

I'm sorry.

I was just trying to help you.

I sound awfully sure of myself, don't I?

Yeah, but that's okay, too.

Well, maybe...

Maybe it is wishful thinking.

Danny's father lives in town.

William Lavor.

I've never met him, but I don't like him

because of what Danny told me about him.

You think Danny's hiding there?

No.

I don't think he'd go there if his life depended on it.

Not after what his father did to him.

But I could be wrong.

After all...

he's got to hide someplace, doesn't he?

Television! Television!

That's all you do is look at television!

We can only get one channel

'cause you're too cheap to have it fixed.

What do you... want?

Is, uh, Mr. Lavor in?

Yeah, he's here.

Could I talk to him? Come on in!

Mr. Lavor?

Yeah, that's who I am.

My name is Mannix.

I'm a private investigator.

Could we talk?

Go ahead. Talk.

It's about your son, Danny.

We just stopped talking.

I'm looking for Danny.

Well, he ain't here.

He ain't got brain one,

but he's smart enough not to show around me.

Clara, get me a beer!

Then you haven't seen Danny lately?

Not since he was 15,

and I kicked his rump out of here.

Kids.

They grow their hair long,

they think the world owes them a living.

Clara, the beer!

One beer coming up.

Oh. What's the matter with you?

Now it's all shook up.

Aw.

What a dame.

Do you have any idea where Danny would hide?

Who might take him in?

I don't know.

Why do you want him?

His wife hired me to get him out of the trouble he's in.

Hired you, huh?

Married a rich wife, did he?

No.

Danny's actually holding down two jobs.

Well, not that it makes any difference,

but, uh, what's he done?

The police say

armed robbery with...

with assault and battery.

His wife thinks he's innocent.

The man he shot is in the hospital.

Shot?!

That's right.

You can forget about him shooting anybody.

Why's that?

Oh, you want to know about that, huh?

Ah.

First Father's Day present I ever got.

Pretty good, huh?

Why do you think Danny wouldn't shoot anyone?

Because he's chicken.

Not like me, I'll tell you.

Ha! Nothing scares me!

Him? Huh.

He used to jump out of his skin if a door shut too hard.

Why wouldn't Danny shoot a gun?

Well, when he was a little kid,

me and him was fooling around with this gun of mine,

and it went off, and it nicked his mother's arm.

Uh, not Clara. She's my second mistake.

Anyway, the kid started shaking all over

and-and crying like a baby.

Later, I tried to get him to use a gun again,

but every time he got near one,

his hands'd shake like he had the DTs.

It's in his Army record, too.

Just couldn't handle guns.

Well, uh, thanks.

Say, if you see the little punk,

tell him thanks for picking me up the 30 bucks.

I only gave you $20.

The other guy gave me ten.

What other guy?

The guy that was here before you.

And what'd you tell him?

Same as I told you.

Who was he?

I don't know what his name was.

He didn't tell me and I didn't ask.

Yeah.

I know.

Clara, give me a beer.

Dr. Graham, Admitting Desk, please.

Dr. Graham.

Sounded urgent.

The boss sent me right out.

It is.

You found Danny Lavor?

No, but I found his old man.

He says Danny couldn't shoot anybody.

But the drugstore?

The guy was shot, wasn't he?

Maybe.

Or maybe he's gonna get shot.

What's going on?

Shut up. Move.

Room 620.

Dr. Bramble, please call the operator.

Dr. Bramble... Just a minute.

Nobody goes in there.

Well, who're you kidding?

I, uh, I dropped off fresh linen yesterday.

That was yesterday.

I've got orders-- nobody goes in.

Well, what'll we do with them?

How should I...

Hey, you're a new man, aren't you?

I'm the relief man.

Hey!

Let me have your wallet.

Uh, two fingers.

That's right.

Now, hand it over.

Throw it over here.

Yeah, Personnel.

Yeah, have you got a, uh...

a Claude Travis working here?

Yeah, I'll wait.

Okay.

No, no, that's fine.

Okay, Travis.

Sorry.

It's all yours.

Throw it over here on the bed, friend.

Easy.

Now, why are you playing like you're shot?

Hey, you're in the wrong room.

You want to take the fall playing dumb,

that's okay with me.

Now, look, I'm just taking orders.

They don't tell me why.

Where's Danny Lavor?

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

We'll find him.

In the closet.

I have my instructions, Mr. Mannix.

I'm sorry.

If Johnson is in no trouble,

what happened to his police guard?

Why, I don't know.

I think you'd better wait right here.

Dr. Bramble, please call the operator.

Dr. Bramble...

No!

Don't!

We're not supposed to kill him.

They'll be all over here looking for us.

The pharmacist is a fake.

A cop.

The whole thing's a setup.

Let's go.

Hey, take it easy.

Why didn't you call me instead of doing it all yourself?

'Cause I didn't trust you anymore.

Yeah.

Well, you probably saved the lives of my men.

Johnson here is one of my boys.

He works in the pathology lab.

You see, part of the robbery was planned

and part of it wasn't.

You mean the part, uh, where Danny ran away?

Yeah.

We staged the whole stickup.

Johnson here pretended to be shot.

The drugstore owner didn't know anything about him

except for the fake references that we worked up.

So Danny, who used to be an addict,

knocks over a drugstore for the narcotics,

pretends to shoot Johnson, is caught, and you put him away

without bail for as long as you want.

Why? The mob?

Yeah, you see, Danny used to work as a liaison man

and courier for them on the North Side.

Well, he got married and wanted to go straight,

so he agreed to tell us everything:

names, places, amounts.

See, the idea was

that Danny was going to give us the information

while the mob believed he just, uh, went back on drugs,

knocked over a drugstore and shot a guy.

Except the last minute, he ran.

Yeah, he panicked.

Maybe he, uh, changed his mind.

I don't know, but he almost got himself shot.

Well, uh, wonder why he ran.

I mean, he had it made.

Hello.

Yeah, this is Lockwood.

Yeah, patch him through to me, will you?

This is Delaney at the Lavor place.

Well, ask him if the mob is still, uh, watching her place.

Anything happening at the Lavor place?

Nothing yet.

Anything on the wiretap?

Nope.

Listen, Mannix tells me

the mob's got Mrs. Lavor's place staked out, too.

Well, that's news to me, but I'll check it out.

All right, you keep your eyes open, huh?

I want Danny Lavor.

Okay, Lieutenant.

Okay.

We'd better find Danny before they do--

now that they know Johnson is a shill.

Yeah, well, the problem is that

Delaney's checked out all the guys

that Lavor used to hang in with--

and the girls, going back five or six years.

I saw the report.

He's got no place to hide but the streets.

Danny.

How are you, baby?

Oh, never mind me.

How are you?

I'm fine, fine.

Everybody's looking for you, Danny.

Everybody.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

I've got someone who's trying to help you.

He's a private investigator.

His name is Mannix.

But he says he's got to see you.

I need somebody that I can level with.

Oh, Danny, I know you didn't do what they say you did.

Oh, baby...

I knew they couldn't snow you.

Now, listen, uh...

the thing I miss most-- besides you, Marge--

is your home cooking.

My home cooking?

Especially your wine, Marge.

Danny...

Now, don't say anything more, baby.

Do you understand?

Uh... I'll bet you wish you never met me, right?

I mean, I'll bet you wish you were back being single, right?

I understand, Danny.

Oh, got to go.

I love you.

I love you.

She just heard from him.

Do something.

Fast.

Who is it?

Delivery Express.

Package for you.

All right.

Well, I can't get it through there, ma'am.

Now, Mrs. Lavor, if you'll just let me know

where I can find Danny,

everything will be fine.

No.

Danny, Mrs. Lavor.

Where is he?

No, please.

I really wouldn't want to hurt you.

Really.

You were right across the street.

Now, how could it happen?

Well, I just never figured

anyone would want to get at her.

Just looked like a guy delivering a package.

All right.

I want a man outside her door till this thing is over,

do you understand? Yes, sir.

How bad is she?

Well, she's had a pretty rough going over.

Well, why isn't she in a hospital?

She refused to go.

Wants to be here when Danny gets home.

But the doc says she'll be all right.

Look, I... Listen.

She got a phone call from him.

Now I've listened to that tape 20 times.

He tipped her to where he's hiding,

but she's the only one that knows how to decipher it.

I tried...

Look, she won't tell me anything.

Can I talk to her?

Please.

Oh, Marge, I'm really sorry this happened.

Well, I didn't tell them anything, Mr. Mannix.

I know.

He just...

He kept... He kept hitting me.

But I didn't tell him.

Where is Danny?

Before we were married, we...

we used to meet

secretly at night

in an abandoned winery.

Where is it?

You won't let them hurt him?!

No.

Now where's the winery?

All right, Joe, where is he?

Look, after what happened, she doesn't trust anybody.

Now listen, Joe...

I'm sorry, Clay.

Danny?

Danny?

Danny?

Danny?

Who are you?

Mannix.

Why didn't Marge come, too?

'Cause she got roughed up a little, Danny.

Is she hurt?

No. Take it easy.

She'll be all right.

Who did it?

The mob.

They wanted her to tell where you were.

She didn't do it.

She's too much.

Well, she's just too much.

Danny, why did you run after the holdup?

If I hadn't have, that would have been the end.

It was a frame-up,

but I was the guy that was getting framed.

See, I recognized one of the cops.

He works for the mob.

And as far as I know, they all might.

Which cop?

I don't know his name.

But I've seen him a lot. I know he's on the take.

He was with Lieutenant Lockwood and that young cop.

He's about 45, and he never smiles.

Delaney.

What's the difference?

The cops can't protect me now.

How do you think you can?

Stay here.

Drop it, Vodich.

Don't!

Danny!

Don't do it, Danny.

That's the cop I was telling you about.

Danny, leave him to the police.

The police? How many more cops are like him?

In this case, Danny,

he's the only one.

All right, go!

When did you first suspect him?

Oh, I was suspicious of Delaney when I sent him to tail you.

Since he was the one that tapped the phone,

and he was the only one that could have let anybody know.

Hmm. You were using us as bait, huh?

No. Delaney was being followed by a man from Internal Affairs

who was in constant radio contact.

You know, you could have trusted me, Clay.

Look, Joe, I don't think up these plans.

I'm just stuck with trying to make them work.

And you almost fouled them up.

Oh, well, uh, look, I'm sorry if I pushed so hard,

but, uh, I was beginning to have my doubts about everything.

Well, that's all right.

No hard feelings?

No hard feelings.

Danny!