Mannix (1967–1975): Season 2, Episode 11 - A View of Nowhere - full transcript

♪ ♪

Good-bye, L.A.

For seven smog-free days.

Santa Barbara, 30 minutes.

Turn around.

Huh? Back there!

Where? Penthouse... there's
a woman being strangled.

You're kidding? Turn around!

That's it, the penthouse
with the umbrella.

I don't see anything.

Are you sure you saw...



I saw someone
trying to kill a woman.

Turn around. Let's head back.

(theme music playing)

♪ ♪

That's it, Sarge.

That's the umbrella
I was looking at.

Place like this, I wouldn't
want to disturb them for nothing.

Look, Kramer, I know what I saw.

I saw a red-haired woman
being strangled up there.

All right, all right.

If I didn't trust you,

I wouldn't have
gotten conned into this.

Up there, huh?

Penthouse apartment.



The penthouse? Impossible.

Can you tell...?
Who lives up there?

Mr. and Mrs. Montford.

They're English, from
Nassau in the Bahamas.

What's happened?

Could you describe
Mrs. Montford?

She's a lady, definitely
a person of quality.

I mean how does she
look, age and so forth.

Oh, well, she's very
attractive, red-haired.

Average height,
five feet six or so.

Age is 35, I'd say.

All right, we're going up now.

Don't call up. Don't
do anything, hmm?

(buzzing)

(buzzing)

Yes?

Sergeant George Kramer.

Are you Phillip Montford?

Yes, I am.

Where's Mrs. Montford?

Where?

Enjoying her privacy. Good day.

Mr. Montford, we understand

you may have had
a little trouble here

a few hours ago.

What sort of trouble?

Do you mind if we
come in and look around?

Do you have a search warrant?

We could get one.

"We"?

And who are you, I beg?

The name is Mannix.

The profession is
obviously not the law.

To secure a search
warrant, Mr. Mannix,

one has to show
reasonable cause,

and I, I doubt you could.

But I believe in
supporting local authorities.

Come in.

Kramer. Hmm?

That's the terrace, all right.

I was looking down
on that umbrella.

"Looking down"?

Yes, Mr. Montford,
from a helicopter.

I looked down and saw a man
strangling a woman out there.

What a shocking
experience for you.

Well, no wonder you've
been acting so oddly.

But I assure you,
you're quite wrong.

Sergeant, how can I be of help?

Well, simple.

Just tell us where your wife is.

Why, she's in the
bedroom asleep.

At 1:30?

We had rather an
exhausting evening.

She's having a nap.

Well, I hate to
intrude, Mr. Montford,

but maybe she could

shed a little light
on this situation.

Well, I doubt that.

We've been together all morning.

And you don't care to ask her?

No, Mr. Mannix, no, I wouldn't.

She's very, very tired.

I must ask you
gentlemen to leave.

He's dodging,
Kramer. She's dead.

I beg your pardon?

Now, let's all cool down, huh?

Sergeant, I'm an
attorney by profession.

I'm quite cool, thank you,

and in full possession
of my rights.

Kramer, I saw a red-haired woman

being strangled out there.

If his wife's alive,
let him produce her.

(door opens)

(yawning)

What's all the
fuss about, darling?

What's happened?

It's a... It's a mistake.

My apologies,
ma'am, Mr. Montford.

Sorry to have bothered you.

I, uh... saw you earlier.

Really?

I'm afraid you have
the advantage over me,

Mr., um...

We don't know
Mr. Mannix, darling,

a situation that,
shall I trust, continue.

Good day, Mr. Mannix. Gentlemen.

Mrs. Montford,

I saw you earlier
today, fighting a man.

You were being
strangled out there.

Mannix, move.

I'll, uh, say it again.

I apologize.

Of course, Sergeant.
(door opens)

Mr. Mannix?

I appreciate your
concern over me,

but really, I'm quite all right.

They're lying. Drop it.

Get a search warrant.
Mannix, I went along with you

because of your reputation, even
if your story was sort of far out.

But come on, let it lie.
Kramer, I saw a man

trying to kill a red-haired woman
on that terrace. Stubborn, hmm?

Well, I'll tell you what.

You find a corpse, and I'll
file a complaint. Fair enough?

I know what I saw! I
can't hear you, Mannix,

so stop chewing on my ear.

Montford. M-o-n-t-f-o-r-d?

Yeah, Phillip and Barbara.

Very British.

From Nassau, the Bahamas.

According to the
apartment manager,

rich, respectable
and very aristocratic...

All the wrong things.

For murderers, you mean.

I mean.

Are you sure?

Look, Peggy, I know what I saw.

I saw Mrs. Montford...

Well, I saw a red-haired woman

being strangled on that terrace.

All right. I'm sorry.

But maybe it was
a family argument?

They fight and then cover it up.

Oh, come on, now Peggy, if
they had a family argument,

why wouldn't they tell us?

All right. I believe.

Don't humor me. I'm not.

But if you don't
know the difference

between a murder
and a family brawl,

then you're in the
wrong business.

I guess I just didn't
want to believe,

because well, it's going
to be a hard, uphill fight.

Yeah, I'd embarrass
Sergeant Kramer.

Now he's going to
have to file a report.

The police will have
me officially off base.

You know how that
is... All right, okay!

Now, don't give
me the hot defense

of the police department.

Look, I'm going to go check
out the Montfords. I want you to...

I know. To find out
if there have been

any red-headed
ladies discovered lately.

Dead.

So Mannix is really
hung up on this, isn't he?

You know how he is, Lieutenant.

He saw it and he won't give up.

He thinks he saw something,

so he goes charging in.

I'm not calling him a
liar, Peg, just wrong.

But what if he's right?

He's not.

No dead redheaded ladies?

Sergeant Kramer
made out a report.

I checked out everything.

"No reports of
violence from the hotel.

One unidentified body found."

A floater, male,
in his late 60s.

No ladies. Zero.

(sighs)

Just the facts, ma'am.

But all the returns
aren't in yet.

Peg, you're a cop's widow,

so I'm leveling with you.

Be loyal to Joe Mannix, fine,

but be sensible.

The Montfords are strangers

in this country;
they're visitors.

They're nice people.

They're respectable.

If Mannix bothers them, I'm
going to have to lean on him.

I don't want to,

so don't make me play it rough.

Tell him, "Leave
the Montfords alone."

Well, it's you.

I'd like a talk with
you and Mr. Montford.

Phillip is out.

But as you see, I'm not.

I'll keep it simple,
Mrs. Montford.

I'm a stubborn man.

I can't forget what I saw.

I'm beginning to believe you.

So I'm asking a favor.

I'd like to look around,

just to find where I went wrong,

why this can't be the apartment,

and why you're not the
woman who was strangled.

I think you're slightly
crazy, Mr. Mannix,

but look away.

Maybe I am crazy.

Is this where you imagined
that you saw me murdered?

Right here, Mrs. Montford.

The sight stays with me.

I'm touched.

And do call me Barbara.

Well, are you convinced?

I guess so.

Then shall we have a
little drink in celebration?

Did your mother call
you "Mr. Mannix"?

The first name is Joe.

Well, what would
you care to drink, Joe?

BARBARA: Joe?

Uh, was there a piece of
furniture removed from here?

I beg your pardon?

Well, the marks on the carpet.

It looks like there was a
heavy piece of furniture here.

Really?

What was it, Mrs. Montford?

I thought you agreed
to call me Barbara.

(three knocks on door)

(screaming)

Oh, no.

(door opens)

Get him out of here.

Get him out of here!

You must be insane
breaking in here.

APARTMENT MANAGER: You were
right about his coming back, Mrs. Montford.

I called the police as soon as

I saw him go up.

Well, he... he-he
kept insisting that, uh,

he wanted to talk to me
about some crime or other.

I don't know. He kept insisting

that I was hiding something.

Oh, now, wait a minute!

MANAGER: Don't you
worry, Mrs. Montford.

He won't bother you again.

Thank you.

I feel much safer now.

What do you want me to say?

Nothing.

No apologies, no explanations.

What are you going to say?

That you didn't
mean to rough her up?

I didn't do a thing to her.

Joe, you wanted information.

You figure she's lying.

You grab her... not hard...

I didn't touch her!

Now that's a hand-varnished,
all-wood frame!

Sure, because you saw her
getting killed this morning.

I saw something this morning!

Joe, stop it.

You're lucky.

You're up to your
thick head in luck.

The lady isn't going
to press charges.

Oh, that's sweet.

Yes, it is!

Because if she did,
you go down the drain.

Where's your license?

Look, Joe... I'm
not threatening you.

I just want to remind you,

it's a piece of paper.

You can tear up
a piece of paper.

That's not my life, Dave.

Just 12 years of it.

Well, that's a lot!

Here.

Keep it warm,
next to your heart.

Oh, don't get cute.
Give it to me straight.

One more complaint, and
you could lose your license!

Straight enough?

Just straight enough.

Thanks.

Well, what do you
think, Lieutenant?

Well, he wasn't even listening.

Thinks he saw a killing,
and he can't let it go.

I'm not paying you
to work a night shift.

What happened?

Oh, nothing, little mother.

Now, you've got
a real kid at home.

It's time you get there
and tuck him into bed.

He's been asleep for an hour,
and my friend is baby-sitting.

What happened with
Lieutenant Angstrom?

Oh, just a little warning.

If he gets any more
complaints, I'm out of business.

And you're not
going to let it go.

Oh, it stinks.

It smells.

The lovely Mrs. Montford
mousetrapped me.

Why?

British sense of humor.

A female sense of danger.

I was starting to dig.

Sure.

And the next life you
lose may be your own.

Peggy, when a
man falls off a cliff,

he's got one of two choices...

He can say he fell, or
he can claim he jumped.

Well, I'm jumping.

Hey, your coffee's cold.

Jump where?

You've got no clues,
no case, nothing.

Not even a body.

Well, I think I have.

Oh, no.

Wait a minute. Listen to me.

I must have been looking at
the way they got the body out.

And that's what triggered
Mrs. Montford into the act.

What?

Well, there was a
piece of furniture,

about six or seven feet long,

judging by the
marks on the carpet.

It was low, under a picture.

About the size and
shape of a coffin.

And it had been removed.

And whatever it was,
they got the body out.

Mm. Well, you can
stop thinking about it.

You're fired. What?!

Only temporarily.

You can get into a lot of
trouble aiding and abetting.

Now, if I'm busted,

you get a month's salary
and a recommendation.

If I prove out, all is forgiven.

No good.

Yes, good.

One thing about us
cliff-jumpers, Peggy...

We like to take the
big dive alone. Home.

A piece of furniture
from the penthouse?

Yeah, about six, seven feet
long, maybe three feet wide.

Probably moved out on Wednesday.

Ah, let me take a look.

Oh, yes, it was that
big stereo console.

Went out for repairs.

Wednesday about midday.

Oh, good.

I represent Bonded Insurers.

We're making spot-checks
on local deliveries.

Could I have the
name of the mover?

Argosy Movers. Thanks.

I'll mention you in the report.

Thank you.

(knocking)

Oh!

(Southern drawl):
Sorry, ma'am. I knocked.

I just come to tidy up.

That's quite all right.

Oh, Mr. Mannix.

I think this is what
you want here.

That's funny.

Mind letting me in on the joke?

It-it's a delivery
to a station wagon.

We took this stereo
console to a parking lot,

and put it into the back
end of a station wagon.

How did you know
which station wagon?

Well, the guy who called said

it was the only one
on the lot. What lot?

The parking lot behind
the Mission Church

on Cougar Canyon Road.

Church?

Yeah, that's right.

Hey, Jake, want to go
easy with that stuff, huh?

Yeah, I mean, figured
it was a contribution,

so we delivered it right to
the wagon, back of the church.

Ingenious.

Yeah. It's funny, though.

They could have saved money

just by driving the wagon
to the hotel themselves.

Well, money's no object.

Say, your, uh, men didn't happen

to notice the license number
on the station wagon, did they?

Hmm, what for?

Yeah. Well, thanks.

Right.

(camera clicking)

(clicking)

Figured while I was here,

I'd just straighten
up this messy bed.

Oh.

That's very thoughtful of you.

Well, nothing at all.

Be done in a wink.

PEGGY: How'd I do?

MANNIX: Beautiful.

They're a beautiful
portrait of Phillip Montford.

Showing the man
for what he really is.

Honest, respectable and rich.

I see here, he, uh, ticks
off some businessman

about cutting corners.

And he refuses the fee.

A lawyer refusing money.

You can't get
disbarred for that.

Is that the end of it, then?

I mean, can I stop running up
these heavy baby-sitter bills?

Oh, no. Uh, Peggy,
first, look up the name

of those people we used
in the Bahamas before...

Uh, that British
investigation firm.

Whitegate and Hornby.
Discreet Inquiries.

Wire them and
ask them to inquire

into Phillip Montford's
dealings with a Sir Arnold Salt.

Sir Arnold who?

Yeah, Salt... the man
he chews out in this letter.

Oh.

That, uh, Phillip Montford's
just a little too perfect,

a real Sir Galahad with money.

Let's find out what an
enemy has to say about him.

Right. That's the way you,

uh, catch a shy bird,
you know. What?

You put salt on his tail.

Ew!

Uh, morning, Peggy.

Any answer on that
cable to the Bahamas?

Better than that.

Yeah? What?

May I introduce Mr. Mannix?

PEGGY: Miss Joanna Salt.

How do you do?

Hello.

Any relation to Sir Arnold Salt?

Oh, definitely. His niece.

It's quite a coincidence.

Oh, no, it isn't a coincidence.

Your man in Nassau
began making inquiries.

I discovered you
were behind them,

so I... I flew here at once.

Impulsive.

Perhaps.

Mr. Mannix, what do you
know about Phillip Montford?

Not much. What do you know?

I know the man's a
fraud and a swindler.

Oh, he has a
marvelous reputation

concealing an absolute shark.

Miss Salt, uh, have a seat.

Oh, tell me more.

Well...

it all begins with my
great aunt Athelia.

She was nearly 90 when she died.

For approximately
80 of those 90 years,

she'd been middling poor.

A rather fabulous land
boom suddenly hit the islands,

and great aunt
Athelia's land turned out

somewhat more
valuable than gold.

As I said, for nearly 80
years, she'd been poor.

When she died, she was
worth nearly $12 million,

with a most
trustworthy solicitor

in charge of the estate.

Phillip Montford.

Phillip Montford.

Of course, my uncle...

Sir Arnold Salt... He
was the major heir,

and I was to receive a...
well, a fairish sum myself.

Well, imagine our surprise

when the estate turned out
to be heavily encumbered,

generally confused, and,

well, worth practically nothing.

Who got it?

My uncle had exactly
the same question.

He went to Montford, and
they had a terrible quarrel.

Montford made some
threats, and then,

suddenly, he and his
lovely Barbara departed.

Well, uh, what
did your uncle do?

Followed them, and I
haven't heard from him

or about him since,
until your inquiries.

Miss Salt, uh, what do you want?

Well, I don't really want

to live as my great
aunt Athelia did

in genteel poverty.

I would like my
share of the estate.

You mean, you, uh,
want Montford nailed.

To the wall.

Peggy?

Uh, Peggy, brief Miss Salt.

Well, where are you going?

To church.

Hi.

(chuckling): The idea of
a rock mass throw you?

No.

But it doesn't send me, either.

I have a weakness for Bach.

Me, too, but I'm
musically ecumenical.

If I'm going to bring
kids into the church,

it'll be to their own sounds.

What brings you here?

Well, um, last Wednesday,

there was a station wagon
parked in your parking lot.

Wednesday... Oh,
I can't help you.

Wednesday's my Synanon gig.

Mrs. Timmins, the housekeeper...
Now, she might have noticed.

Wait a minute.
I'll go fetch her.

Thanks.

This is Mrs. Timmins.

Will you please
help this gentleman?

I'm sorry, I've got
to blow. Thank you.

I'll be back late, Mrs. T.

If you're selling... Oh, no, no.

I'm a private investigator.

Investigator, huh?

What's that socialist
preacher been up to?

I knew they'd get him

and his hippie notions
soon enough! I knew it!

(engine revving)

Mrs. Timmins, uh, do you
remember a station wagon

in your parking lot,
uh, three days ago?

They were loading a large
hi-fi phonograph console into it.

Wednesday?

About 3:00 in the afternoon?

Yes. Did you see
the license plate?

Uh, maybe.

What was inside it, drugs?

LFD?

Well, I can see you're no fool.

Did you notice the number?

Um... S-R-O 1-24.

What's he done?

Thank you, Mrs. Timmins.

Oh, and I'll say this...
You'll be the first to know.

(birds singing)

(engine starting)

(brakes squealing)

(brake pedal clicking)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes screeching)

(brakes squealing)

(gear shift lever clicking)

(brakes squeaking)

(brakes squealing)

(gear shift lever clicking)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes squealing)

(brakes squealing)

(birds chirping)

(turns off ignition)

(birds chirping)

Peggy, will you stop
worrying about me?

I'm all right.

You just get to work
tracing that license.

Right.

SRO 124.

The number here?

KL 5-6681.

Right.

Well, we're almost done.

My brake cable?

Yeah. Almost worn through.

And when you pulled on
the brake, pop she went.

Almost like it was cut.

What about my foot brakes?

There's no fluid
in the cylinder.

You should keep a
check on that, you know.

I mean, the accelerator
linkage's jammed open,

and with no brakes, you
could have been killed.

Yes. Quite a coincidence.

Everything going wrong at once.

Accidents happen that way.

And your front end got dinged
up pretty good when you stopped.

I can't really tell exactly
how it all happened.

Well, I'll just have

to be a little more
careful in the future.

How much longer
are you going to be?

Five more minutes, Mr. Mannix.

(phone ringing)

Hello.

Oh. Your office.

Five minutes.

Peggy?

Beach Auto Rentals, huh?

Here it is.

SRO 124.

Station wagon, right?

Yeah, right. Who rented it?

(laughs) I can't
make that name out.

Some people's
handwriting is like that.

Doesn't matter,
though. They paid cash.

What did he look like?

He was a tall fellow.

Had an English accent.

Figures.

I see he took it
out on Wednesday

and brought it back on Thursday.

You know where he went?

No. He never said.

I see he's gone 68 miles.

Yeah, well, we have a
hundred-mile minimum,

so I had to charge him for
it, but he didn't complain.

He was a nice fellow.

Yeah, a sweetheart.

How far would you say it is

from here up to the
top of Cougar Canyon?

Oh, 15, 16 miles.

That means roughly
30 miles round-trip.

That would leave about 37 miles.

That means maybe 20 miles there

and 20 miles back.
Where and back?

Yeah, that's the big question.

Mind if I use your phone?

(phone ringing)

Mr. Mannix's office.

Yeah, Peggy, get out the
county map, will you? I'll hold.

Right.

Got it.

Now, listen, um,

using the Beach Auto
Rental as the center point,

I want you to start
at Newport Beach,

draw a half-circle
up through Fullerton,

through Compton, and then,
back down to the coastline.

Got it?

Got it.

Now what do I do?

Now you look up every
hi-fi, phonograph, music shop

within that circle.

Call them and ask
them about a repair job

on the Montford stereo console

delivered Wednesday afternoon.

But there must be
hundreds of places.

At least, so I'd better hang
up and let you get right on it.

Your car was
sabotaged? That's murder.

Joe, you must go to the police.

Without proof?

Dave Angstrom would tell
me to drive more carefully

or buy a newer model.

Well, what if we both went?

Maybe that would convince them.

No, thanks,

but they're already convinced
I'm suffering from delusions.

Now, if I went to
them with a story that,

uh, my car tried to kill me...

Peggy?

Thank you for your help.

Got anything?

A sore throat, but
I'm carrying on.

And I thought detectives

simply made
brilliant deductions.

Only the brilliant detectives.

Mostly, it's work.

The Montfords aren't stupid.

It's not going to be easy
to peel off their cover.

No, but you'll do it.

I think I'm very lucky.

PEGGY: Got it.

Yes. Yes, that's it.

And thank you very much.

Jackpot.

Harrison Brothers,
cabinetmakers.

And they're working
on Phillip Montford's

console right now;
there's the address.

But why all the way out here?

It's near the ocean.

You put weights on the body,

dump it into the sea,
and it's gone forever.

And then you deliver the
console here for repairs.

Can I help you?

If you're one of the
Harrison brothers, yes.

Ben Harrison, only one left.

My brother's been
dead eight years.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I understand you're
doing some repair work

on a stereo console
for a Mr. Montford.

Mm-hmm. It's right over there.

Job's almost done.

There she is.

Going to be a perfect
job, an exact copy.

Where's the original?

Oh, that was ruined.

I mean, you couldn't
possibly repair it.

It was all burned and
scorched in a fire, I guess.

And that's why
Mr. Montford came here,

because you see, we
specialize in reproductions.

All the works came separately,

so all we have to do
is put them back in

and finish it off, and
you won't be able to tell it

from the original.
Where is the original?

It's no good.

We threw it out, in the back.

Is it still there?

Well, we burn all our scrap.

I don't know, it
could still be outside.

Hold it!

Listen, a seven-foot
stereo console was

delivered here Wednesday;
you know where it is?

Sure thing.

Well, where?

Right in there.

Burned it first
thing this morning.

Took me half an
hour to bust it up.

That thing was really built.

I, uh, I like to keep
the place neat.

Hope it wasn't important.

Don't you know
it's against the law

to have an open
fire in this county?!

Well, mister, I've been
doing it for 30 years.

Look, I'm sorry.

Well, that's that.

Gone forever.

I'm afraid so.

But it's going to
be an absolutely

perfect copy, believe me.

Oh, I believe you, Mr. Harrison.

Why, thank you. Thank you.

Here, take a look at this inlay.

You know, it probably
took them weeks to get that.

I'm supposed to
do it in a few days.

People don't know.

That's a piece from
the original console?

Uh-huh. Can I have it?

Sure, I have a sketch.

Thanks.

But that's all burnt
and scorched.

It's absolutely lovely!

Thank you.

It's been an hour, Dave.

Now, the lab's got
to have had time.

If there are any
traces of blood, Joe,

they'll be found. Relax.

Lieutenant, I don't understand.

Why haven't you
brought the Montfords in?

Because there's no evidence
against them, Miss Salt.

But I've told you,

my uncle, Sir Arnold
Salt, followed them here.

He can tell you.

If we can locate him.

But this is a big country.

Your uncle could be
anywhere. Lieutenant...

Miss Salt! (bangs desk)

You've got suspicions,
he's got suspicions,

but nobody has any proof.

Oh, there'll be proof.

One dead woman.

Who?

And why was this
possible victim killed?

By whom?

Joe, don't start pushing again.

(knocking on door)

Come in.

Anything? Sure, Lieutenant.

The surface of the
wood was burned,

but we picked up blood
traces, some cell tissue.

You can start working
up an apology, Dave.

Any chance of
identification on her? Her?

The victim. The woman.

Well, we checked it out.

The traces all fit.

The cell tissue belonged
to a male in his 40s.

My uncle...

They killed my uncle!

I had it backwards!

What?

A man and a woman fighting,
I just naturally assumed

it was the woman being
killed, but it was the man.

There must have been
somebody else there,

somebody I couldn't see.

(footsteps approaching,
door opens)

No go.

What?

The blood was
Phillip Montford's.

Are you sure, Dave?

I just talked to him.

There was a short in his stereo.

Started to burn.

He cut himself
trying to put it out.

Well, he, he's lying.

He's willing to
come in for a lab test.

He reported the
damage Tuesday...

The day before you
saw something, Joe...

And the hotel
doctor treated him.

Had a nasty cut,
lost some blood.

They could have set it up,

in case somebody
traced the console.

Stop it, Joe!

Every time the evidence
comes in, you call it fake.

I go by the facts,
and the facts all fit.

The Montfords are
leaving tomorrow.

They're going on a cruise.

Frankly, I'm very
happy for them...

and for you.

Now if you'll excuse me,
I'm working on a real case.

You know the way
out, Joe... I hope.

That's it, then.

Dead end. Oh, no.

Joe, the lieutenant,
he meant it.

So do I.

You told me once
never to be stubborn,

just adjust to the facts.

That's right.

And the facts
include what I saw.

They include Barbara
Montford framing me

and my car
booby-trapped to kill me.

And my uncle has vanished.

Yeah. Now let's, uh...

let's be logical about it.

The first time I went up

to the Montford penthouse
with Sergeant Kramer,

they said nothing had
happened, absolutely nothing. So?

So why didn't they just say

they had a family
argument, and they made up?

That would have
turned me off on the spot.

Because they were frightened.

Exactly!

Now, they weren't sure
what I had seen, so they lied.

Then they framed me again
with a lie to get rid of me.

It just isn't right

that they'd have an
explanation for everything.

Phillip Montford's
a wealthy man.

But when his console is damaged,

he personally takes it
down there for repairs.

Oh, sure, it's
possible, but logical?

Not very.

But where can we go with it?

We go to the Montfords.

But they're leaving tonight.

Right. They're running scared.

Smart, but scared.

Up till now I have
been pressuring them,

but what if they get hit

from another angle unexpectedly?

Say, somebody who they
didn't even know was in town?

I'd be delighted.

Hey!

Yeah, you're right.

They've killed once.

They'd try it again.

It's too dangerous.

Now wait a minute.

They're not insane.

They wouldn't simply
up and shoot me.

Especially if you were nearby.

Joanna...

when a crook gets uptight
and scared, he explodes.

Murder is never sensible,
but it does happen.

Yes, I know,
but... I'd like to try.

All right. We tell them
that the police have found

two kinds of blood on the wood,

that they've located the body,

and they're about ready
to pick up the Montfords.

I tell them that?

Exactly that.

I'll be out on the terrace.

With luck, they'll blow up.

Without luck, we'll be
right where we are now.

With a view of nowhere.

Good evening, Mannix.

You wouldn't be here visiting

Mr. and Mrs.
Montford, would you?

Kramer... Because
if you are, you're not.

Not for another
20 minutes or so.

Why another 20 minutes?

They'll be out of here
and gone by then.

And you can stop running
your head into a wall.

Now, just, uh, sit
down over here.

(doorbell buzzing)

Good evening, Barbara.

What are you doing here?

Visiting, darling.

Visiting.

Oh, leaving?

Or fleeing?

Get out.

Why? I have a most
important message for you.

Where's Phillip?

I would like you both to hear

the unpleasant news
at the same time.

He's out.

And if you don't leave, I
shall call the hotel desk.

Go ahead.

It will only bring the police
here just a little sooner.

(door closes)

What news?

They've found the
body, you know.

A little careless of
you, if I may say so.

But then, you always were a
bit lazy weren't you, darling?

Where did you say Phillip was?

He's out, I told you.

And if you don't leave, Joanna,

I shall have great
pleasure in kicking you out.

Very well.

But I shall have great pleasure
in seeing you in the dock.

Uncle Arnold!

Yes, my dear. But
I... (muffled protests)

Kramer, uh, that girl
I was with, Miss Salt,

she went up. She can go up.

Anybody can go up, except you.

Lieutenant's orders. She
was going up to the Montfords.

She could be in trouble.

Sure. Getting
strangled, maybe, huh?

Kramer, I've got
to check on her!

No chance.

We'll put her body in our trunk,

and we'll be at sea
before the morning.

(muffled protests) Free.

But she is my niece.

You weren't so squeamish
about killing Phillip,

my dear beloved ex-husband.

(muffled screams)

Twelve million is a
great deal of money.

I helped you kill
Phillip for that.

I'm not about...
to stop for her.

(muted screams)

You, uh... carrying a gun?

Come on, give it here.

Uh, excuse me, you got a match?

Mannix!

Where are the stairs?

Right around there. All right.

(muffled screams)

Here... kill her.

Well, do you want
me to do it for you?

(muffled screams)

(doorknob jiggling)

(grunts)

It's all right, ma'am.

It's all right.

(body thuds)

Mannix, you must have gone nuts.

You're going to have a tough
time believing this, Sergeant.

(theme music playing)