Mannix (1967–1975): Season 2, Episode 21 - The Odds Against Donald Jordan - full transcript

Mannix is hired to find Donald Jordan, a missing compulsive gambler. Mannix gets differing stories from Jordan's sister, wife and business partner. Then, he finds Jordan, who claims not to be in trouble. However, Jordan is being pursued by loan sharks. The detective not only seeks to establish the truth but also confronts those closest to Jordan, who have been enabling the gambling addict.

MAN: What am I doing to you?

WOMAN: That's
what family is for.

MAN: Where will it end?

WOMAN: It's only money.

$200.

And you realize that that's...

that's all...

That's all you've
got left in the world.

I have a brother.

I'm so frightened.

Nothing's going
to happen to you.



You're too good.

That's your trouble.

Those people won't let me live.

(door handle clicking)

Come on, Sammy.

Let's see who's at
the door, Sammy.

(cat mews)

(rattling in hallway)

It's only the janitor.

I'd better be going.

You're going?

I-I'll try to get
some more money.

(sighs)

I'll make it up to you.



Call me tomorrow. Yes.

I'm going down the back stairs.

It'll be safer.

What do you mean safer?

(cat mews)

Come on, baby.

What good is this?

What good is this?

(grunts)

(theme music playing)

♪ ♪

Here's a nice one of Donnie.

I want to thank you again,
Mr. Mannix, for coming here.

I know how busy you are.

You, uh, told my secretary

you were unable to leave
your apartment, Miss Jordan.

Why is that?

I just couldn't walk into a
private investigator's office.

We're a proud
family, Mr. Mannix.

Although, heavens knows,
we have little else left.

Here are the pictures.

Hmm.

Oh, I called the police.

They said your brother's wife
hasn't reported him missing.

He was in a panic
when he left here.

He hasn't phoned me in two days.

That's not like him.

Wouldn't she be
concerned, as well?

(cat mews)

Obviously not as much as I am.

Have you talked to her?

She might know something.

I told you.

My brother got into
financial difficulty.

And in-in desperation,
he went to some...

oh, some loan sharks,

instead of coming to me.

Mr. Mannix, I fear
for my brother's life.

He could...

He could do something desperate.

What more do you need to know?

Miss Jordan,

businessmen usually go to banks.

He went to them all.

What did his partner say?

His partner only
shares in the profits.

Miss Jordan, I really think

you ought to go to the
Bureau of Missing Persons.

They do a very good job,

and the price is right.

(cat mews)

If this isn't enough,
there's more.

Do you, uh, usually
carry this much cash?

I don't usually hire detectives.

Will you help me... please?

(sighs)

I'll have to ask questions.

Discreetly, Mr. Mannix.

I beg you.

Fair enough.

You... You know what they are?

Vultures... picking him clean.

Both of them.

His wife and his partner.

Mr. Mannix?

MANNIX: That's right.

I'm Walter Lucas,
Donald's partner.

How do you do?

I'm afraid you
wasted a trip out here.

I thought you might
be able to tell me

how your partner got
involved with loan sharks.

I told you on the phone...

I know nothing about
my partner's personal life.

40 hours a week.

If conscientious,
maybe 50 or 60.

All that time together,

and you talked about
nothing but business?

Nothing that will help you
on this wild goose chase.

Well, Donald's sister seems
to think he might be in trouble.

Hmm. You met Frances.

What do you think?

You're suggesting something.

Sons and lovers
often leave home.

Also brothers.

And you're sure he'll
just show up one day?

Yeah, when he's
through brooding.

About what?

I've told you all I can.

Not all.

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

We, uh, lost a contract
we were bidding on

earlier this week.

It's nothing new.

But Donald has become
increasingly upset over it.

Why, he asked, did we lose it?

Well, this time, they
told him to his face.

They might want to
invite their contractors

to their club for
dinner one evening.

See, my partner's
a courageous man,

but he hasn't got the
guts to say he wants out.

Oh, he prefer that I
leave a nice polite note

to avoid any kind of
messy confrontation.

Oh, when you find
him, tell him to stay lost,

'cause we're doing
great without him.

How does his wife
feel about that?

Why don't you ask her?

I'm sorry.

It's still funny.

Cream or sugar?

MANNIX: Oh, straight.

Why funny?

Well, Mr. Mannix,
do you think...

that I'd be casually
stirring coffee

if my husband had disappeared?

Well, sometimes the sugar
sticks to the bottom of the cup.

I'd be concerned if I learned
that you were missing,

and we've only just met.

Your, uh...

sister-in-law thinks
Donald may be in the hands

of the people he
borrowed the money from.

Frances is, um, a great worrier.

Mrs. Jordan, what do you
think happened to Donald?

Are you trying to, uh, trap me

into revealing
some horrid secret

by constantly
asking that question?

Yes.

Donald's... on vacation.

Uh-huh.

Well, then if you'll just
give a phone number,

I'll have his sister call
him, and that should

take care of it.

There is no number.

An address?

Mr. Mannix,

you're not going
to believe this.

MANNIX: Try me.

I have no idea
where my husband is.

Mrs. Jordan, when I agreed

to look into this for
your sister-in-law,

I felt I was wasting
my time, but, uh...

there is something
wrong, isn't there?

Mr. Mannix...

some men drink.

Some men... chase women.

Donald fishes.

He's gone fishing?

You see these?

Yes, I noticed.

My guilty conscience
collection, I call it.

Every time Donald comes back,

he-he brings me
some little trinket.

It's his way of asking
me not to make inquiries.

Fishing.

Please don't prove me wrong.

Look at all this work.

Look at it!

I'm looking.

I'm a licensed
private detective.

I have my own office.

I have my own clients.

What am I doing running
around for Joe Mannix?

Helping a friend.

Here's the expense account.

Don't involve me in
your own private wars.

(door opening)

Did you find it?

There is a $100,000 double
indemnity insurance policy

on each of the partners.

How does that grab you?

Isn't that normal for
construction companies?

Sure. Everything is normal
until people start twisting.

(door closes)

In case of violent death,

$100,000 to the partner,

and $100,000 to the
wife, Linda Jordan.

Now, that's normal, too, right?

Uh, are those the reports?

I incurred a lot
of expense, Joe.

Three dollars for gas,

six dollars for phone
bills, a dollar for a pen.

Albie... Okay, okay.

Uh, the construction firm of
Jordan and Lucas is very busy.

As far as I could learn,

they did not lose a contract
in the past six months.

Not one? Are you sure?

Jordan and Lucas is a big,

well-organized firm,
operating at a profit.

Yet company funds
are almost nonexistent.

They had to float a loan to
buy a small tractor they needed.

Well, somebody is,
uh, tapping the till.

Donald Jordan has
no bank account,

unless it's in Switzerland.

Lucas has been
draining his, 500 at a time.

Hm... Oh, you, uh, putting
that on the expense sheet?

Only till I make a
name for myself.

Then you won't be able
to afford me for a partner.

Some case.

A wife who doesn't know
where her husband is,

and a partner who doesn't
care if he ever returns.

I followed up
on the sister, too.

No checking account.

And her bank book
reads in four figures,

like $10.95.

Hmm. Well, that's
par for the course.

Partner's broke.

Sister's broke, but
loaded with cash.

Company is busy but broke.

Uh, there seems to be a
hole in the bottom of the well.

And Donald Jordan's
lying in the well.

Which brings us to the
double indemnity policy.

Look, Albie, you better
get out that shovel.

Where do I start digging?

The morgue.

(knocking)

This... is Donald Jordan.

Brother of Frances,
husband of Linda,

partner of Walter.

Mr. Mannix, if I didn't object,

my sister would still mix
magic potions for my well-being

and hang them around my neck.

Don't tell me.

You went fishing.

(laughs)

Just tell Frances I'm fine.

Why don't you tell her?

Spare me that, and I'll
see you can keep your fee.

Tell me, how did you
know I was involved?

Your investigation
was very thorough.

Thanks again.

Hmm.

If I ever am missing,
I'll let you know.

You just let him walk?

Peggy, watch the store.

What?!

That, uh... man...

That cool man
with no problems...

He had a gun under his coat.

Casey, a man just
came in here, a tall blond.

Did you see him?

Yeah, he just ran out
the back door. Thanks.

Excuse me.

MANNIX: Jordan!

No!

You weren't really going
to use this, were you?

Hey.

(Donald groaning)

ALBIE: What happened?

Ask him.

(grunts)

I... I wasn't in any danger.

MANNIX: But they were.

What's with this gun?

(inhales deeply)

You were hired to find me.

I'm found.

It's no longer fun and
games, Mr. Jordan.

I'd like an explanation.

It was a personal matter.

I give a 90-day guarantee.

You disappear again, and
I'll be out looking for you.

(groans)

Are you all right?

Just an old war wound.

Which war was that?

Never meet a moving car
in the middle of a street.

And just when did that happen?

Yesterday.

The same two men.

They could've killed me
then, if they wanted to.

You know, some people are
worth more dead than alive.

If I was dead, I wouldn't
be worth anything.

Wrong.

$100,000 would
benefit certain people.

You were asked to find me,

not make accusations
against people I love.

Peggy...

take this Jordan file over
to the police department.

Oh.

My sister's been talking to you.

I ask you to forget about
anything that she said.

She's filled with anxieties,

most of them about me.

I'm sorry for her.

She's good.

She gave me her last
$200 the other day.

Your sister gave you
the last of her money?

She loves me,

but she's not my
guardian anymore,

and she won't accept the fact.

She's going to have
to accept a lot more

if your wife gets $100,000.

Please, just forget about
the insurance policy.

I love my wife.

She's a lot of things, but...

murder is not one of
her accomplishments.

It's not hard to learn.

No.

She needs me alive.

Sit down.

I feel like a fool suddenly.

MANNIX: No one's
laughing at you.

(sighs)

(laughs)

There were some...
good years, you know.

That was before
the fabrications,

the lost pocketbooks.

Giving the grocer two
tens instead of two ones.

Misplaced jewelry.

Then when the
bookmakers started calling,

she even had an answer for that.

We were the wrong Jordan.

She gambles?

My wife is an addict;
a compulsive gambler.

She's ill.

You could never tell
it by looking at her,

but she can't help herself.

Those, uh, two men...

They were trying to
collect a gambling debt?

Right.

You pay this bill... then what?

DONALD: She'll gamble again.

They'll hound me until
I can raise the money.

I wouldn't let them hurt her.

And then she says that she's
gonna stop... everything's

quiet for a while.

Then it starts all over again.

All right, Mr. Jordan.

Albie, get him someplace to stay

where he won't be bothered, huh?

You do see, don't you?

About my wife.

We were happy once.

I... couldn't leave her now.

Now, when you get
to where you're going,

you stay put.

When I go, lock the door.

Clerk doesn't know
what you look like,

so he can't answer questions.

You get hungry, go
to a grocery store.

No restaurants.

Wait till it's dark.

You're very thorough.

That's how Albie Loos and
Joe Mannix do business.

Oh, they make a great
vermouth cassis here.

Really?

I might enjoy it more

if I knew the real
reason we are here,

and why we
couldn't talk at home.

Oh, thanks, Todd. Uh...

Well, I figured you'd
been cooped up

in that house so long,

that a change of
atmosphere would be nice.

Well...

Oh, please sit
down, Miss Jordan.

We have a few
things to talk over.

Very nice, Mr. Mannix.

Donald came to see me today.

Donnie? Mm.

Is he all right?

Well, he said he was.

Well, what happened?

Did he explain? What did he say?

MANNIX: Well, he wanted
me to quit looking for him.

You don't seem surprised.

I never was worried.

Oh.

Hi, Casey. Miss Jordan?

No, I've already ordered.

I'll have whatever you have.

Vermouth cassis... two.

Mm-hmm.

Donald said he wasn't
in any real trouble,

but I don't believe him.

Why?

MANNIX: Something's
got him scared.

I'd like to know what.

That's what we're
here to discuss.

All right, let's discuss it.

FRANCES: Well, I don't know.

I've... I've told
you everything.

MANNIX: Did you?

Well, then maybe, uh,

we can figure this thing out
together... the three of us.

I got a different
story from each of you

about Donald's disappearance.

I got a third from his partner,

and, uh, a fourth
from Donald himself.

Why?

I didn't lie to you, Mr. Mannix.

MANNIX: Miss Jordan,

your bank balance has been
less than $50 for over a month now.

There.

Do you want to order now?

No, later, Casey, thanks, huh?

Mm-hmm.

Well, is where I got
the money so important?

Well, your brother's
in debt, Miss Jordan.

You paid me a thousand
dollars that you can't account for.

Yes, I'd say it's important.

A thousand dollars?!

I got a loan on my car.

LINDA: Frances,
I don't understand

why... why you had to
hire a private investigator

in the first place.

She may have saved
your husband's life.

Well, I... I see
that you found out

that there are...

there are certain men
who are looking for Donald,

but they're certainly
not going to kill him.

They just want him
to pay them back.

Oh, I forgot, uh...

You wouldn't stir your coffee

if you thought there
was any real danger.

Well, so I did bend
the truth a little,

but, uh, frankly, I didn't
want you to find him.

Why?

Well, Mr. Mannix...
I'm afraid that...

we're in so deeply
this time that

they're probably afraid

that he... he won't
pay them back;

that he might run away.

I knew that if you
could find him,

they certainly
would also find him.

So, I... I just wanted

to give him time
to think, that's all.

(huffs)

How dare you.

After all you've done,

how dare you drag
my brother's name

down to your level.

Mr. Private Investigator,

you've brought the two
cats together in the ring,

they've clawed each
other, as you expected.

I trust you found out
what you needed to know.

And may we take me
home now, please?

Bye, Frances.

I'm usually paid to know
what people are thinking.

I suppose Donald
told you everything.

Everything he thought
was important, I guess.

Well, I mean, about me.

He is worried.

Oh, Mr. Mannix, you
are in there with a pro.

A pro is always in control.

Oh, he sold, and you bought.

Wonder which
story it was this time.

Let's see.

First, I was a
compulsive spender.

More recently, I've become
a compulsive gambler.

Why are we stopping?

We haven't had lunch.

(gulls screeching)

Thank you.

Oh, they were out of onions.

(laughs)

You know, Donald and I
used to come down here a lot.

In fact, that's why we
bought the house on the hill.

Hmm.

You know, you
were saying earlier,

he lied to me.

'Cause he did lie.

You see, he can't help it.

There's that story
about the addict...

That was his story, not mine.

In other words, you're saying
he's a compulsive gambler.

LINDA: Do you know
what that means?

He'd give up everything we own,

and bet it on, for instance,

how many waves were
going to break in the next hour.

Do you gamble, Mr. Mannix?

Me?

(laughs)

I'm very large with gas
station sweepstakes.

Well, you see, you play 'cause
you think you're going to win.

And that's fine.

But compulsive gambler...

Well, he really wanted to lose.

And so, he-he keeps on playing

until... until
there's nothing left.

It's because he feels guilty,

maybe for wanting
something for nothing.

But it's as if...

as if Donald were possessed.

And it drains you,

twists your life all around.

Then you don't know
what's happening

until it's too late.

Frankly, I'm sick of it.

(sighs)

That scene in the restaurant
was very interesting.

Maybe I should just let

big sister Frances carry
him on her shoulders.

Come on.

Now you don't really
mean that, do you?

Now, what do you think
that's going to accomplish?

No, just...

too much fresh air
out here, I guess.

I thought I had begun
to figure this all out.

Oh, well, don't try.

MANNIX: I don't understand.

Why do you stay with him?

Well, I've tried to leave.

Three times I've tried.

Can't.

If he was an alcoholic, I
wouldn't leave him, either.

You see, we were
very much in love.

And I have to remember that.

I'm kind of like the farmer

with the parched fields,

sitting, waiting hopefully
for the rains to come.

I keep hoping, too.

♪ ♪

ALBIE: In here, Peg.

Put on the coffee
and take a letter.

No coffee.

No letter.

Your secretary
hasn't returned yet.

What can I do for you?

We represent a client.

Donald Jordan owes
him a sum of money,

and, uh, we'd like to arrange

for some method of
repayment, if we may.

If you leave your name,
I'll have him get in touch.

Oh, uh, these kind of things

are always best
resolved in person.

So if you'll, uh,

just give us the motel address.

Some guy laying at
the bottom of the river

with his feet in cement?

That kind of arrangement?

Mr. Mannix, those sort of
things are old-fashioned.

You see, a dead
man can never pay.

Who are you guys?

Just the address.

The secretary.

(music playing over radio)

Joe!

(grunting)

Albie, you okay?

Listen, if you hadn't
loused up the interrogation,

I would have found out
who those guys worked for.

Okay, Albie.

Now, just sit
down, take it easy.

All right, now,
give it to me slowly.

They came looking
for Donald Jordan.

They knew we put him in a motel.

Oh-ho.

Well, I only told
his wife and sister.

Listen, If I'm gonna
do any more work

for you on this case,

we're gonna have
to make a new deal.

You're taking advantage of me.

(groaning) Albie...
you all right?

Why aren't you out
chasing those guys?

How are we going
to get any leads?

(door opening, closing)

You sit tight, Albie.

(gasps)

What happened?

He just read my expense account.

Uh-uh.

Those two guys, right?

Oh, you saw them?

They almost knocked me over.

It seems someone has learned
we have, uh, Donald Jordan.

Well, you won't have too
much trouble locating them.

I, uh, wrote the license
number down with my lipstick.

(crowd murmuring)

I'm Joe Mannix.

Let me in or I'll scream.

Take a good look around, Albie.

Joe Mannix.

I ought to break it, O'Keefe.

Oh, that's why you
haven't been around.

You're angry about something.

How did you know I was
looking for Donald Jordan?

Oh... little bird.

Bird or pigeon?

She loves the guy, Joe.

She's worried about him.

She didn't waste any
time fingering him for you.

We just want to talk to Donald.

Talk to me.

What good is running?

You know that's not
the way to do business.

Let the guy come in

and make a definite
arrangement to pay.

That's your only interest?

That's my only interest.

$56,000.

Joe, one of those gents
who mistook me for you

is over at that table.

WOMAN: Thank you! Seven again!

Hey, what the... I'm
the real Joe Mannix.

You can tell your friend.

Next time, make sure your
collectors know what I look like.

I sell wallet-size
photos, three for a dollar.

Mannix... what about Jordan?

You want him, you find him.

Did we accomplish
anything just now?

You feel better?

That's what we accomplished.

Joe, in your office
when I blasted you...

Oh, forget it...
look, we also know

Linda Jordan is
a very good liar.

You never did stop
being a detective, did you?

All that display

of sensitivity was just another

of your devices, wasn't it?

Like... like a magnifying
glass or skeleton keys.

Don't-don't-don't
turn that ice on me.

You'd make someone
a reliable friend.

Yeah.

Someone who played it straight.

In our group?

Now, look, what kind
of woman are you?

I thought you knew.

Well, I know that both
you and his partner

are trying to sell
me on the idea

that your husband was doing what
comes naturally when he disappeared.

And I also know...

that he's had several
so-called accidents,

and that there's still
$200,000 on his head.

Gambling is Donald's drug.

What's your excuse?

Oh, why, now, why
did you call O'Keefe?

John O'Keefe? Are you crazy?

Donald's hiding from him.

Don't you think I know
that? Now, come off it.

He admitted that he
was tipped by a woman.

Oh, and it's always
the wife, isn't it?

Yeah!

Wow.

That's where she got the cash.

$1,000.

Yeah, O'Keefe knew I
wouldn't work for him,

so he had sister
Frances hire me.

Well, it had to be her.

You're the only ones
who knew about the motel.

Plus Walter.

What?

Well, I knew that
Walter would be relieved

to know that
Donald was all right.

He already knew.

Well, how?

Donald phoned him.

(sighs, groans)

Doesn't he realize Walter
Lucas hates his guts?

Not true.

Well, he said so.

Well, he lied.

Walter's protecting him, too.

Peggy...

Get Albie over to
Jordan's motel fast.

Then phone Jordan and
tell him to stay locked in.

Right.

(phone buzzing)

This is Mannix.

PEGGY: Albie was across
town, but he's on his way.

Did you reach Jordan?

He won't move
until you get there.

I'm getting there.

(hangs up receiver)

Jordan?

He left you a message.

Don't tell me.

He said everything
was just wonderful.

I'm getting upset about nothing.

Where is he?

He wants to work
out his own problems.

You have a number
of talents, Lucas.

You run a very
successful business,

but there are no
funds to show for it.

And you possess an
abundant supply of gall.

(laughing)

Well, I do try.

Maybe you'd try to
kill your partner, huh?

Me?

Kill Donald?

Your personal bank account

shows large, regular deductions.

Why? I need the money.

Blackmail? What?

Donald is blackmailing
you, isn't he?

I give the money willingly.

I have for years.

Lucas, you're just
too good to be true.

How much is a friend worth?

In this case, double
for dead... $200,000.

Now, wait a minute, Mannix.

This whole situation's
getting way out of control.

They say that we're all
brothers under the skin, right?

Well, me and Donald go deeper.

We were just two floundering
kids when we met...

Angry, frustrated, with no
real direction in our lives.

Who can explain it, man?

We... we propped each other up.

We got construction
jobs, and we liked it.

So we went to school together.

We scrounged for
engineering degrees together.

Brotherly love.

No, together, we were whole.

You told me different
things the first time we met.

I was just trying
to discourage you

from looking for
Donald, that's all.

Somehow, I buy
the first attitude.

A bit too much on the
racial overtones, maybe,

but, uh, the bitterness
fits the crime.

I would not hurt him.

Jordan dies, everybody wins.

Even sister Frances lives
with a little less jealousy.

You're talking about
premeditated murder.

Spread the word.

(cat mews)

♪ ♪

(gasps)

Oh.

What are you doing here?

Well, it seems, uh,

everybody has a motive for
wanting your brother dead.

I thought maybe yours would
be tucked away here someplace,

along with that
nonexistent checkbook.

You mean you actually
believe that I would

plot against my own brother?

You told me you got
my fee from a bank loan.

That's pretty
good to start with.

John O'Keefe really
gave you that money.

John O'K... Is that how...?

Oh, for heaven sakes.

Why, he-he wanted to help.

Oh, some friend.

Yes, he's very close to Donnie.

Very close.

And if the two of them
ever get near each other,

I'm sure Mr. O'Keefe will
break your brother in half.

You're lying.

Now, don't tell me you
don't know about O'Keefe.

The kind of club he runs.

The people he's
rumored to have killed.

That can't be true.

Oh, no, John O... John
O'Keefe came here to see me.

He, uh...

Yes, he said he had
missed Donnie at the club.

(cat mewing)

Oh, Sammy, Sammy.

He, uh, he-he said
he wanted to help...

if I would keep
his name out of it.

I never met that
man until that day.

Miss Jordan... you tell
me you have money,

then you tell me
you have no money...

That you don't know O'Keefe.

And yet your brother
owes him $50,000.

$50,000?

Let me guess.

You didn't know that either.

I know that she
is destroying him.

Miss Jordan, what's
the real reason

that you don't get along
with your brother's wife?

Oh, don't tell me

that I'm jealous of
my brother's wife.

Well, it happens.

When I met you, Mr. Mannix,

I felt that I was in such...

such strong hands.

Donnie has strong hands, too.

He once said to me
he could never be hurt,

because I had cast
a spell over him.

But, after all...

Linda is the real
sorceress, isn't she?

Look what she's
done to both of you.

(meowing)

Find anything?

Albie...

do you think I could be
influenced by a pretty face?

Don't ask me.

I'm only handsome.

Joe, you want me to do anything?

You know, so far,
Jordan's been very lucky.

What now?

Well, they can't all be lying.

So why don't we start
with Linda Jordan's story.

I want you to go to every
gambling house you can think of.

Now, if her husband's
like she says he is,

why, he can't
stop. You can forget

about O'Keefe's
place, 'cause Jordan...

Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe...

I know, I know...
We're being watched.

One of O'Keefe's men?

Or somebody's.

Probably waiting
to follow a car.

Let's give him one.

Yeah.

(tires squealing)

(tires squealing)

♪ ♪

Hello, Moose.

Mannix!

How you doing, dad?

I thought you gave this all
up to become a flower child.

Oh, I did, I did,
but I've got to work,

be able to afford
to do nothing, dig?

What'd you come up with?

Crazy man...

Puts five G's on a
20-to-one pot of glue.

My boy just isn't
that rich anymore.

This guy walked away
from the window three times.

I believe he was gonna faint.

That the boy?

Oh, you're way off.

This mark is black.

Hair and skin,
Mannix, and scared.

Oh... Did he win?

(laughing): Come on, you
know better at 20-to-one.

Yeah.

Look, uh, Moose, you, uh,

wanted me to know about
this particular guy... why?

John O'Keefe's boys
were around here

asking the same kind
of questions earlier.

Dig? Ah.

Dig.

Thanks, Moose.

Hey, Mannix...
don't be a stranger.

Come around and see me, Dad.

Dig?

RADIO ANNOUNCER: Baby
Buck racing on the outside

and moving ahead of
Little Quinn by a length,

with Golden Miller running
wide and dropping back.

Into the stretch it's
Baby Buck by a neck.

Little Quinn by two lengths.

And now Janey Q is
moving between horses

and challenging the leader.

It's Baby Buck
and Little Quinn...

Don... Shh!

(whispering): Hold it.

I tried to discourage Mannix.

Yeah, that's a good deal.

Yeah, but I-I don't
think it worked.

Janey Q by a head.

It's Janey Q is drawing away

and Janey Q wins it!

Oh... the seventh race!

The second, the fourth,
and the seventh race...

All three came in.

There it is... (turns off radio)

Three out of four winners.

He'll find you again.

That means the others will.

Who cares?

We pay O'Keefe that $50,000,

and we got a banquet left over.

$50,000?

You told me you
paid most of that back

with the last money I gave you.

I'm gonna pay it all now.

I'm a big, fat winner.

Come on, buddy,
we're gonna collect

together.

Nobody's trying to kill you.

You're just holding
out from O'Keefe.

Everything's fine now, isn't it?

When that first
horse lost $5,000...

Man, my heart
just went out of me.

All that money.

Month after month...
Good money after bad.

What are you talking about?

I didn't bet the other races.

You had to.

Here's what's left... $15,000.

You know what you did?

Yeah, I know.

You... crazy, stupid fool!

I won.

I've got a system.

I've got it all worked out.

I won a fortune!

Outside.

But walk slowly.

I don't want to make
the same mistake

my friend made out in the alley.

(grunts)

15 grand.

That leaves 35... plus interest.

Look, look, you've
got enough from him.

Why don't you leave
him alone, huh?

Mannix!

Mannix!

(tires screech)

Stop 'em!

(engine revving,
tires squealing)

MANNIX: Let him go!

Get out of the way or
you'll pick up the pieces.

What do you think the odds are

O'Keefe will get to
you before the police,

if you kill Jordan?

Back off, Mannix.

I've already called the police.

Back off!

(tires squealing)

FRANCES: Donnie,
Donnie, I had no idea

who that man O'Keefe was.

I would never have
helped him find you.

It's all right, Don,

we'll arrange something...

Pay back a little each week.

He'll have to take it.

Now that it's out in the open,

well, he wouldn't
dare try to hurt you.

Everybody, listen, this
is all so unnecessary.

I'd have O'Keefe's money
right now and a lot to spare

if Walter had a little bit
more confidence in me.

Right, Walter?

Now it's gonna take some time,

but I'm gonna repay all of you

ten times over.

Don't you understand,
I've got a system!

It's gonna work.

Just a few thousand, Walter.

It's no use, Mr. Mannix.

You ought to go now.

No, no, Linda, I'd
like to earn my fee.

I was hired to find a man

and bring him home
safe and sound.

I've done that.

Here I am, turning
him right back

to the three people
who've helped destroy him.

Destroy him?

We've done everything
we can to try to help.

Oh, help, huh?

(wry laugh)

Oh, come on now, all of
you have been giving Donald

the two things a compulsive
gambler needs most...

Lies and money!

He's my brother.

I love him.

Your baby brother.

He's still depending on you.

And you, Walter.

Maybe you've been lying
and bankrupting yourself

because Donald made
you his brother to start with.

You can get your head
busted for a crack like that.

And you can kill a man
with love and kindness, too.

Oh, and here I've been
out looking for someone

who I thought was
trying to kill Donald,

and I finally found him,
right here in this room.

You've just got to
stop lying for him.

Let him face his
own responsibilities.

Or in two weeks...

In two weeks, you'll
be hiring another man

to save him from
another O'Keefe.

Mr. Mannix, wait.

Now, you're right.

I know you're right.

I don't know how it happens.

I just keep going
on and on and on,

hurting people...

till there's nothing left.

I don't know how to stop.

Please, someone tell me!

Well, I would say you've finally
taken your first step, Donald.

And you've taken it alone.

Just remember... one
step at a time, huh?

Linda, you're not going?

I'm seeing
Mr. Mannix to the door.

You know...

he'll try, but, uh,
it's not over yet.

Could he make it without me?

No.

But there's a chance with you.

At least that.

Just remember the good years.

I'll bet I can find that door.

All settled?

Not really, Albie.

But the odds
are a little better.

(theme music playing)