Hunter (1984–1991): Season 5, Episode 3 - Dead on Target: Part 1 - full transcript

Tonight on "HUNTER."

-Randall, I'm going.

-I missed you at
the reunion, Al.

How you been?

-Randall Fane killed himself.

-What?

-Here's to Randall.

-Sweet guy.

Without a pin for 20 years.

-Strange that something
that happened 20 years ago

could affect him like this.



Now if you're staging
this to look like a suicide,

why would you put
blood under the rug?

-Be careful in Chinatown.

-It doesn't mean anything.

-Spying on your friends
doesn't mean anything?

-Abort!

Abort!

-The trick is not to look down!

Told you so.

What did he do to his car?

Drove it into a pipe bomb.

You know, I've seen third world

governments topple
with less mayhem.

He didn't even call for backup.



He's got the emotions
of a giant Redwood

and the common
sense of a junebug.

-Kinda overstating
it, don't you think?

-Not by much.

I'm tell you, he's got
to hang up his holster.

He needs a break.

-Well, you go
ahead and tell him.

-I will.

That's why I get the big bucks.

-Charlie, how you doing?

-Tough day, huh?

-It's had its moments, yeah.

-Listen, I got a
message for you, Hunter.

And it's not a request.

And it's not a favor.

-Look, can't it wait till
I have some time off?

-Captain, I, I think you
outta give him the time off.

I mean he's, you
know, he deserves it.

I'll, I'll take his case loads.

-Thank you.

-Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so. I'll
see you when I see you.

-Good.

-Any particular reason
why you need this time?

-Well, rest, relax.

See some friends,
swap some war stories.

-Change that tie?

-Well, see you.

Oh, do me a favor
and check this in for me.

-My pleasure.

-She's funny.

I wanna officially welcome

all you guys to the 20th
reunion of the first recon battalion.

I'm private Randall Fane.

Believe it's been
20 years since, uh, I

was sitting in a
stink hole with you

guys eating out of my helmet.

-Hey, I watched you at dinner.

Your manners haven't improved.

-Well, count on Corporal
Stag for a bad joke.

Probably why the old man
never gave you your third strike.

-Somebody have
the mineral water?

-OK.

Maybe you know, my wife Rose
had some trouble about a year ago.

I'd like to publicly thank
Rick Hunter for his help.

Thank you, Sergeant.

-First of all, I've got two
things for Private Fane.

Number one, never
salute a non-com.

Number two, I don't
consider you guys public.

You're marines.

And I wish there
was more of you.

Let's not forget Bateman,
Sammy John, Otter.

How's Alan Rawling doing?

-He's OK.

He's still taking
his prescription

if you know what I mean,
but he's fine though.

-OK, OK.

I just wanna say I am not
the entertainment tonight.

However, Randall,
after dinner, I

do have a truckload
of my latest albums

I'd like for you to sell
for me in the lobby.

-Now wait, wait.

I got a little good news.

Because I love all
you guys, I personally

purchased all of
Theo White's albums.

So now you won't have
to listen to any of them.

-Hold it, Steve.

Don't spread it around.

If if gets out that the right
wing fringes buying my records,

it could destroy my image.

-Now wait a minute.

Wait, I got more, uh,
one more piece of news.

I guess Captain Danello has
been temporarily moved back

to San Luis Obispo VA Hospital.

You know, it wouldn't be
bad idea to drop him a line.

Now, we wanna get a picture
of everybody for the cap.

So come on up here.

Come on.

-Move it!

-Hey, Randall looks better.

-Nice and chubby
cause you're married.

-Who's car is that?

Who are you?

-He's just helping me.

That's all.

I'm sorry.

Randall, I'm going.

I'm not use to you anyway.

Registered express mail from
the Marine Corp. I know you.

You'll call Alan.

You'll tell him the
big secret is here.

Then you'll shut me out.

You won't be able to
think about anything

except those damn emeralds.

I love you.

But I can't take this anymore.

-Rose.

Don't go.

-Alan?

How the hell are you?

You're not alone, huh?

I missed you at
the reunion, Alan?

How you been?

-Ah, Randall
Fane killed himself.

-What?

When?

They, uh, think it
was last Sunday.

-My god, I just
saw him Saturday.

Well, maybe he'd already
decided to, um, to do it, you know?

-How'd he do it?

-He bled to death in the tub.

-What happened?

-Rose finally left him and I
guess he couldn't handle it.

They've really been
going at it, Hunter.

I mean, uh, he came over
to my house last Sunday

and we talked for a long time.

I'd seen him low,
Rick, but I, uh, this

was the worst I
had ever seen him.

-Where's Rose?

Does she know?

-Nobody knows where she is.

Randall was there for five
days until a neighbor finally called

the cops because
the dog was howling.

He put my name in his note.

So they came and they told me.

After Rose came into
the picture he and I

didn't talk that much anymore.

-Are you handling
things for him, Alan?

-No.

No.

They already paid
a funeral home.

It was pre-made, written down.

I didn't see you at
the viewing last night

so I figured that I better
come and let you know.

I'm sorry I didn't call you.

I, uh, I don't use
the phone that much.

Uh, I think I gotta go.

-I love you, Alan.

You were his best friend.

Appreciate you coming by.

I'll walk with you a little bit.

Come on.

-Yeah.

All right.

Let's move it.

Move it.

Stand clear of the ramp.

Load these caskets two deep.

Come on. Let's move it.

We don't have all day.

-To Randall.

-Fane.

-Yeah, another toast.

-Sweet guy.

-Sweet guy.

-Couldn't find his rear
end with a radar gun.

-You know you guys are
really a kick in the head.

You've always been
driving on Randall.

-Teasing, Hunter.

Never serious.

-Yeah, I know.

But I would like to know
what happened to Rose.

-Last time I saw her,
yeah, it was at their wedding

about a year ago.

-Yeah, about a year.

Lot can happen in a year.

-You always repeat what he says?

I'll tell you, she
just took off.

She was like that.

-That's not the Rose I know.

-A year's a long time.

-I think he finally
saw right through her.

-What the hell are
you talking about, Alan?

Saw right through her?

You think Randall killed
himself because of Rose?

I should have made
more time for him.

-Yeah.

Don't put yourself
through it, Hunter.

Randall was unstable.

It's been waiting to happen.

It's hard.

But you know I'm right.

-Randall's been a grenade
without a pin for 20 years.

-How you doing?

-OK, I guess.

Got my car back.

-I know how
difficult it is for you.

I mean, I know
that you and Randall

were really good
friends and all.

You know, he and Rose
seemed so happy together.

What happened?

-I don't know.

It just seems so strange that
something that happened over

20 years ago could
affect me like this.

All of us.

At least the ones that survived.

-I know that you and Randall
served in Vietnam together,

but you know you
never talked about it.

Every time I asked
you you just said

that the Pentagon
had your security.

If you're willing to tell
me, I'm here to listen.

-In November of 1968 we were
a part of a Marine Recon Unit

called Nightshade Detail.

Irregular duty.

Our captain was Marco Danello.

We were to work
in Cambodia, Laos,

handle the guerillas there.

Myself, Randall, the
captain, Alan Rawlings,

Steven, Theo White,
and all the others

that died there, were dropped
100 miles up the river north.

Our mission was to
find a tribal prince who,

who had emeralds and
stones that he wanted

to use to buy a guerrilla
army to fight the Khmer Rouge.

Or so we thought.

We were checking it out one day

When Randall panicked and
he shot a, a freedom hill fighter.

Killed him.

The prince went crazy.

He wanted Randall's
head, but we smoothed

things out after a while.

But we lost some
very, very valuable time.

One whole day.

Later that night

We were napalmed
by our own Air Corps.

All wiped out.

A raid obviously
intended for the VC.

Poor Randall.

We would have made it
if it hadn't been for him.

-You think he told
Rose about this?

-I guess so, I, I don't know.

He's so crazy.

He was obsessed with finding
out why the Air Force missed

their target by over 300 miles.

I mean, can you believe it?

Rose never sent flowers.

-What can I do?

This is a photograph, of
the wedding picture of Rose.

I want you to show it
to everybody you know.

I want you to help me find her.

I'm gonna go by Randall's house.

-What are you thinking?

-I know Randall well
enough to know one thing.

If he was gonna go out, it
wouldn't be in some bath tub.

He'd have taken his government
issue stuck it in his mouth

and blown his brains out.

I know that for a fact.

We gotta find Rose.

Her name is Rose Fane, Sporty.

Come on, just ask around.

How am I supposed
to find one China

doll in this great
big toy store?

-It's 3 o'clock.

How late does Carl
Whethers eat lunch?

Um, Nina, chica,
hang in there, mama.

OK, look, I'm taking
care of business right now.

Look, feed the birds.

-You don't even
know Carl Whethers.

Never believe anything
they promise you in a disco.

-You told her that you
know Carl Whethers?

-Carlos Whethers,
my chiropractor.

Now listen, McCall, I have
got to attend to business here.

-Sporty, if I didn't
think it was important

I wouldn't ask you.

I'll take care of
it immediately.

Uh, Santana, what
the hell are you doing?

I just had this thing detailed.

Santana.

Santana, baby.

Santana, come
on, get in the car.

-No.

-Come on and get
in the car, will you?

-Angus, what are
you doing in there?

Come on out.

Come here.

Come on.

Come on.

Yeah.

Where'd this marine
sergeant come from?

Let's see his tag.

Hunter?

-Hunter?

Sergeant Hunter, take it easy.

And we'll get a
stretcher in here for you.

Do you know where you are?

-Yeah, I'm at, uh,
3346 Woodland.

-Come on, Sergeant.

They're gonna wanna do
photo session on your head.

-I don't know why.

It's too hard to crack.

How's your goose egg, my friend?

-I'm all right.

Uh.

-Yeah, all right
considering you go

blind-sided by
five pounds of flour.

Did you see who did it?

-No, I didn't.

How'd you guys get here?

-We got a 9-1-1 call
from this address.

We found your ID.

Didn't you make the call?

-No, I didn't.

Look, I'm all right.

Thanks.

Thanks, fellas.

Appreciate it.

Really, I'm OK.

-That's debatable.

-The dog was out
Friday when they came by

to search the place,
otherwise they'd

have put the dog in a kennel.

-Means somebody
must've let him in.

Well, you'd think
of it'd been Rose,

she would have cleaned
out the refrigerator.

What's madmen?

-Madmen is what
the Air Force called

that napalm raid
I told you about.

-Boy, when you say Randall
was obsessed you weren't kidding.

I thought you said they weren't
any papers kept on Nightshade.

-I did.

Before I got knocked
out I was looking

at some declassified
information Randall

had on Nightshade, as well
as on Operation Madmen.

-Well, that was 20 years ago.

If Randall got a hold of
some top secret papers,

he must have done it through
the Freedom of Information Act.

-Right.

-I'll go check it out.

-Yeah, thanks.

If you find Rose
maybe she'll know.

-Don't lose heart, McCall.

Never give up.

Sure, it's an ugly
big bureaucracy.

Sure it's dull.

Sure it's a grind, but
somebody downtown loves you.

-What brought this on?

The heat?

No.

Semi gloss enamel paint.

My paint.

After sending in request in
quintuplicate for three years,

they're finally
made a connection

down at facilities in operation.

-No kidding.

Congratulations.

Thanks you.

Listen, um, I wanna talk
to you about your partner.

I'm a little worried.

Now he asks for some R and
R, and now he's back again.

What's up?

-Well, hey, never been
an open book, you know?

-He and Fane were, uh,
pretty close, weren't they?

-Yeah, they were.

They, uh, went
right into the marines

right out of high school.

Saw some heavy
fighting together.

Hunter doesn't talk
about it much though.

-Well, I heard the 9-1-1 call.

And I had SID do a voice print.

It's not Hunter.

My guess is some burglar
read the funeral notice

and he's trying to
pick up a freebie.

-Well, how many burglars
call 9-1-1 for a cop?

-I don't know.

I give up.

It might happen.

The important thing is this.

Do not let Hunter hatch
this into something it isn't.

-Hunter?

I got the case
report on Randall.

Coroner listed cause of
death as prima facie suicide.

He left a note.

His doctor said
that he was healthy.

Tagged it as emotional.

He died of an
overdose of morphine.

-"So many dead, I've got to.

You know I loved you.

Ask Alan Rawling if
you need anything."

OK.

Randall wants to OD
and then bleed neatly

to death from a tube
from his arm into the toilet.

So he shoots up
20 cc's of morphine.

Now does he have enough
time or the motor control

to deal with the tube, the
needle, and the syringe?

-No.

He'd be out in a minute or less.

-OK.

Something else.

Randall's truck radio
was tuned to a station

in San Luis Obispo.

You know who is in a
hospital in San Luis Obispo?

-Who?

-Marco Danello.

Captain Marco
Danello, the commanding

officer of our Nightshade unit.

-That's interesting.

-Yeah.

-So you have some little
theory you're cooking up, huh?

The captain said you would.

I suppose it's a secret.

No man.

Suppose it's a secret.

You'll have to ask the captain.

-Have to ask the captain what?

-Your little Rose got herself
mixed up with a fast cat

by the name of Richard Wing.

My sources tell me that Wing
never has a pai gow game

unless the chi, that's
the cosmic bad breath,

is blowing the other way.

-Uh huh.

They have big
games here, Sporty?

Oh, might not look
heavy here, Hunter,

but, uh, Wing buys peace of
mind with some major fire power.

I would use a SWAT team.

-Well, why would I
wanna do that if I got you?

-Afternoon, mama.

Lay five on me.

Lotto, you know.

The lottery.

I am overdue.

Uh oh.

Bingo!

-You got no winner.

You beat it!

-Look, hey!

You're not gonna cheat me
out of my 20 bones now, mama.

This is a...

-You crazy.

-Don't talk about my
mama like that now.

Hey, look!

This is a bona fide California...
I am a registered voter!

And my strongly
worded complaint will

be on the commissioner's
desk tomorrow morning!

-Yeah?

What do you want?

-Hey, did you know
there is a fire out here?

Police!

I'm Sergeant Hunter.

If you mess with me, I
will arrest you on a 182,

or a 330 PC,
conspiracy to gamble.

I want Richard Wing.

-I'm Richard Wing.

-I can shut this place
down in five minute, Wing.

-Can you?

-Yes, I can.

I have an arrangement.

-Not with me you don't.

Now, you got some very,
very unhappy gamblers here.

If you want this
game to continue,

you'll give me Rose Fane.

-Sure.

If she can walk.

-Rose?

Rose?

It's me, Hunter.

Took you six months to
send a photograph of yourself

to Randall because
you were too shy.

Then you blushed through
your entire wedding.

Now look at you.

What the hell happened, Rose?

Why weren't you
at Randall's funeral?

And who in the hell
is this scum Wing?

-Someone I met.

I don't get the opium from him.

-You gotta tell me what
happened To Randall.

I gotta know.

I want you to come with me.

-I can't do that, Rick.

Look, in a little while
I'll sell my things

and I'll go home to Hong Kong.

Can I have my purse now?

-No, you can't.

Don't you realize you could do
three months in detox for this?

-You wouldn't do that.

I can kick it like that.

-You can kick it?

-I just need some time.

Rick, you turn me
in, I'll lose everything.

-You are Randall's
soul survivor.

You gotta talk to me, Rose.

What the hell happened to him?

-Randall was an unhappy man.

You didn't see him
after the dreams started.

The napalm, the men dying,
the emeralds, and the madmen

report over and over.

He was in pain.

-And you loved him.

-Yes, I do.

But Randall needed
more than just a good wife.

He needed out solution,
and I couldn't give it to him.

-Rose, where you going?

-Leave me alone, Rick.

-Rose?

You hurt her, I'll
break your neck.

-Be careful in Chinatown.

-Who the hell is Richard Wing?

-He's active in the local
Chinese mobs, Major Voss,

but no ties we can discover
to the triad gangs in Southeast

Asia.

-The madman trail gets
hot again after 20 years.

Six million in emeralds
will be far behind.

A Chinatown goon, suicide,
a blues player, a vegetable,

a right wing fanatic, and a cop.

Well, I know who
the rich one is.

What do all these other
weasels doing in the wood pile?

-Come on in, Steve.

-Had to be now?

Thought you were in trouble.

What's up?

What's going on here, Hunter?

- Come on in. Imagine
Randall in the bathtub,

already drifting off
from the morphine.

The tube from his
right arm hanging down

from the side of the
bathtub over the toilet

pulls out of his arm and
sprays all over the rug.

-All right.

You're, you're losing me here.

-Come over here.

Can you bend down
here for a minute?

Yeah.

-Now if your staging
this to look like a suicide,

why would you put
blood under the rug?

-And what do you
mean staging it?

-Read that, Steve.

-"Confidential
marine commandant.

Dear Sir, request confirmation
Corporal Stephen Stag

used codename
Madmen while undercover

with task force Nightshade."

So what if it's true?

It doesn't mean anything.

-Spying on your friends
doesn't mean anything?

-It was SOP, spies for spies.

I wrote up who got drunk,
who talked in their sleep.

It was my job.

Danello asked me to do it.

I don't know how Randall
found out I was undercover.

-He filed through the Air
Force for madman operation.

He got your name.

And your code name.

The same.

Coincidence?

-What are you getting at?

-Randall knew you were madman.

Wanted the emeralds, didn't you?

-No!

-You knew I was on the case.

That's why you came
back for the reports.

Well, you were too late
because I'd already read them.

That's when you
whacked me on the head.

-You couldn't prove any this.

-You left your prints all over
the place, even on the floor

tonight.

Look at it.

You killed Randall, man.

And I'm gonna prove it.

-This is ridiculous, Hunter.

The night he pulled the plug I
was at fundraiser with friends.

-Your cronies could lie for you.

-Forget Randall!

He was sick.

-Randall was our friend.

-Major Voss, I'm
Sergeant McCall, homicide.

-Yes, I know.

You've been pressing
my aide for a meeting.

He's got orders.

I don't take meetings.

-That's a load of crap.

I've seen 10 people
go into your office

before they kicked
me out of the lobby.

You're the first
officer in the West

Coast Naval Security Group.

-Well, now I am impressed.

We go to no little
trouble to keep that quiet.

-I need a little background
information on the 1968 action

that ties in the first recon
battalion Nightshade

detail with an Air Force
operation called Madman.

Ring a bell?

-Miss McCall, the Freedom
of Information Act of 1972

is, um, complex document.

-Major, cut me
some slack, will you?

Where did you come in?

-About 20 years ago.

Madman is my case.

All I'm prepared to say is
it's murder, several murders.

Where do you fit in?

-Why don't you take a seat?

-You took those magazines
out of my anteroom.

-Yeah.

Wish my dentist got
"Light Armor and Action."

It's a much better read
than year old "People."

FORECASTER:
Well, it looks like we're

in for some overcast
here in San Louis

-Listen, doc, how's he doing?

-You know about
the captain's injuries?

-Yes.

-This wing is for
men who don't get out.

-Thanks very much.

Captain Danello.

How have you been?

It's been a long time.

-Sergeant Hunter, how are you?

-Good.

-Last time I saw you
was at the VA in LA.

Before they moved
me back to Bethesda...

-Yes, sir.

I don't know how to
tell you this, Captain, but

-Private Fane killed
himself, didn't he?

-Yes, sir.

I'm a police officer
in Los Angeles now.

I'm working on the case.

How'd you know?

-Private White told me.

-Theo White?

-That's right.

Only one who
visits me all the time.

I can't figure it out.

Why he used to hate my
guts, and now he's the only one.

-Didn't Randall come
to visit you recently

about a secret marine corp
document on Corporal Stag?

-Yes.

He wanted me to
confirm its findings.

Stag was mine.

He was no traitor.

He was strictly security.

-I found a document
in Randall's house

that says Stag is
helping you out financially.

-So?

-Maybe Randall felt as though
Stag was buying your silence.

-Fane thought a lot of things.

He was talking a $1
million in stolen emeralds.

I told Fane he was full of it.

-Oh, Sergeant
Hunter, you had a call

from Sergeant McCall
about a Theodus White.

-Thanks very much.

Just half, thanks.

-All right.

-There you go.

Then I'll just leave
the pot right here.

-Thank you.

-You know, Sonny doesn't
come out of his room very often.

Just when I take him to the VA.

But you don't know how hard it
was for him to come to see you.

And then the funeral and,
but it was Randall, you know?

He really wanted to.

I'll go finish with
the washing, honey.

-Thanks, Miss Rawling.

-Had to go out to
the garage to get it.

-Uh huh.

There.

Right here.

There's Randall.

-Right here.

-Yeah, about ninety pounds.

-Alan, uh, when
you two would talk

would you, uh, talk on
the phone or would he

come by and talk to you.

-No, he would never call me.

He would always
come over if he wanted

to talk about, uh, you
know, Rose and stuff.

-Mhmm.

He ever mention Steve?

-You mean the, the papers?

-By the papers you
mean, uh, Randall's

information that, uh,
Steve was madman.

-Yeah.

I mean, uh, Randall
was, was obsessed.

Stop.

-Stop!

Dammit it to hell.

Stop!

Stop!

Abort!

Abort!

-Oh.

Well, may I call you back?

Thank you.

I try to get here
before it sets him

off, but, now just
give your fingers.

Your fingers.

Now give me the cigarette.

-Hi, Sarge.

I saw you flipping your badge.

-Have a seat, Theo.

-So, this, uh, personal
or professional.

-Actually a little
bit of both, Theo.

Understand you've
been visiting Captain

Danello on regular basis.

-Every now and then.

Poor SOB's been stuck
in bed up there 20 years.

Almost blind.

Nobody seems to give a flying

-I understand you filed for
a Freedom of Information

report on the madman
file that Randall had.

What's going on there?

-I followed you over to
Randall's after we had drinks.

Wanted to see
what you'd turn up.

When I came in you
had your robust body

draped over some papers.

A naval security review
of Stag's work as an agent.

It evaluates his
report on the bombing.

An accident, Rick.

No blame.

-Yeah, I know.

Randall went up
to talk to Danello

about the authenticity of this.

-But Randall didn't
have the real thing.

Mine's government issued.

Here's what you saw.

-How the hell did Randall
get the fake report?

-Compare them line to line.

Whoever doctored
Randall's had some pretty

tough things to say about him.

Cowardice in the face
of the enemy, it goes on.

If I was Fane and
already feeling guilty,

this would push
me over the edge.

-Theo, you made that
9-1-1 call for me, didn't you?

-Yeah.

-You had to have
seen who hit me.

-If I tell you, Rick, you
gotta promise to help me.

-What do you mean help you?

Cambodian.