Mannix (1967–1975): Season 3, Episode 7 - A Sleep in the Deep - full transcript

Joe Mannix is hired by Ellen Barton, whose husband drowned while swimming toward the dock near the marina where they lived. She is convinced that her husband, a champion swimmer, could not have died accidentally, and that instead he was murdered. As he pursues the investigation, Mannix enlists help from Dave Wright, the marina's security officer, whose life he once saved when Wright was still a police officer.

(water bubbling)

(screams)

(whines)

(barking)

(barking)

MAN: Come on, boy.

What's bothering you?
(barking continues)

(barking) MAN: What is it?

What do you see?

(barking continues)

(whines, barks)



(theme music playing)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

It was right there.

I heard the police sirens,

watched the crowd gather

without knowing what
was wrong or who it was.

Everyone keeps saying
it was an accident.

Everyone but you?

Well, they say Roger
misjudged his position,

surfaced in the wrong place,

hit his head under
the pier and drowned.

What do you think happened?

I don't know.



And that's why I
called you, Mr. Mannix.

Roger was a wonderful waterman.

Look.

Swimming, water polo, surfing.

Roger couldn't have
made a mistake like that.

I think he was murdered.

Why?

I don't know.

Was he working on a
case... Anything that would...

No.

Roger hadn't
practiced law for years.

But he was in the middle of
some sort of business deal

with Andre Korvak.

Korvak?

He's here in California?

Yes.

That's his boat at
the end of the dock.

The Stella Polaris.

They worked on
board all last night,

trying to settle the deal.

Please help me, Mr. Mannix.

(knocking on door)

Ellie, I am...

I'm sorry, I didn't know
that you had company.

Oh, this is Tommy
Hewitt, a neighbor.

Mr. Mannix is a
private detective.

Oh? Mr. Hewitt,

you live here at the marina?

One of the back
apartments... Bachelor Row.

Why a private detective?

I'm an attorney. You
could've come to me.

Mrs. Barton thinks her
husband was murdered.

Murdered?

What is your professional
opinion, Mr. Hewitt?

I'm surprised.

Mrs. Barton is upset.

I think she's wrong.

It was an accident.

Mr. Barton was a
champion swimmer.

There's a man in the Palisades
that climbed Mount Everest.

Last week, going upstairs
to his bedroom he tripped,

broke his leg.

Meaning that even
a champion swimmer

can have an accident.

Meaning that no
one is totally safe.

I'll remember that.

I'll, uh, get back
to you, Mrs. Barton.

(with Italian accent): If you're here
for the cocktail party, you're early.

I'm a gate-crasher.

(laughs)

You're Carla Renate.

I saw you in...
The Lonely Street.

I liked your walk.

That picture was made
in Italy three years ago.

The Italian producers
are only interested in sex.

But in France, I
became an actress.

When did you become a sailor?

About six weeks ago.

Andre Korvak is
very interested in art.

I understand he's
got quite a collection.

Uh, where might I find him?

Oh, he's up there.

Getting in shape.

(grunting)

(karate cries)

(karate cries)

(grunts)

(groans)

Est bien?

(grunts) (groans)

(slapping floor)

Au besoin l'on connait l'ami.

(clapping)

Je suis fatigué.

C'est tout.

Merci, Monsieur Korvak.

Well done.

A poor fisher boy doesn't
amass a shipping empire

by being 100% gentleman.

Who are you?

MANNIX: My name is Mannix.

I'm a friend of
Mrs. Roger Barton?

Oh, poor woman.

I sympathize with her.

May I offer you some champagne?

Yeah, thank you.

Un autre verre.

Your health, Mr. Mannix. Santé.

Now, how can I help you?

I'm a private investigator.

Mind if I ask you
a few questions?

Of course.

What kind of a business deal

were you and Roger
Barton involved in?

Business deal?

We were good friends.

We played cards.

Business? Never.

Barton told his wife

he was working
on a deal with you.

Uh, she said he was here
on your boat all of last night.

You are a man of the world,

I take it, Mr. Mannix.

When a married man
stays out all night,

his wife requires
some explanation.

Excuse me a moment.

Carla!

KORVAK: Per piacere momento.

Yes, Andre?

Carla, who was here last night?

Only Roger.

Roger Barton.

What happened?

You played gin,
and you lost $4,572.

You remember the exact amount?

Yes, I do 'cause it was $72 more

than a charming little
bracelet I looked at yesterday.

What time did he, uh,
did he leave the boat?

About 11:00.

Perhaps a little after.

See, Andre is very gullible.

He's too trusting with people.

I sometimes suspected
Roger's honesty...

At cards, I mean.

What is your
interest, Mr. Mannix?

Mrs. Barton thinks her
husband was murdered.

It's understandable.

In her grief, she is looking
for some explanation

for her tragic loss.

Oh, more wine, Mr. Mannix?

Oh, no, no.

I think I've taken
enough of your time.

Oh, please.

This is my home for the summer.

Feel free to come
aboard anytime you wish.

I just may do that.

Cara mia... borna de presna.

(knocking on door)

Joe!

Joe Mannix!

What the devil are
you doing here?

If the place is good
enough for an ex-cop,

it's good enough for me.

Well, it sure looks like
it agrees with you, Dave.

Yep, lung healed up fine.

Jogging, I wheeze a little.

Otherwise, great.

There isn't much to keep
a man busy around here,

but you can't fault
the climate. Yeah.

Well, Joe, what
can I do for you?

Tell me about
Roger Barton's death.

Nasty accident.

What if it wasn't...
An accident, I mean?

Can you think of anybody
who'd want him dead?

You can't think of anybody

somebody wouldn't
want dead, Joe.

What do you know
about Andre Korvak?

Oh, he's here for the summer.

He's not a guy who gives
you a warm, friendly feeling,

but he's never made any trouble.

Boat never even leaves the dock.

What is it, Joe?

Uh, business slow?

Trying to drum up some trade?

Fill me in on Tommy Hewitt.

What about him?

Lawyer. Lives here.
Bachelors Row.

Nothing.

Except that, uh,

he's in love with
Barton's widow...

and she thinks her
husband was murdered.

Joe, an ex-cop, you know,

that's like a firehorse.

If you've got something solid,
I'll break my neck to check it.

If you're just gonna make
trouble, I work for this marina.

It's my job to keep
things smooth.

Ellen Barton says
her husband was on

Korvak's boat last
night, working on a deal.

DAVE: Last night?
That's impossible.

He couldn't because...

Because why, Dave?

Look, Joe, drop it.

And don't look at me like that.

I know, I owe you.

I didn't say a word.

Joe, you didn't save
my life to do me a favor.

You just happened to be after
the same gunman that night.

It could have been
you trapped in that alley.

Which is why I
didn't mention it.

Where was Roger
Barton last night, Dave?

Barbara Stoner.

Who's she?

Oh, some doll from the East.

So?

I'm an old cop
turned out to pasture.

It's a lush pasture, Joe.

I want to keep it that way.

What about Barbara Stoner?

Barton went to her
apartment around midnight.

They got an early
breakfast from room service.

You're still a great cop, Dave.

Excuse me, uh,
I've got a problem.

I need a drink and, uh, I'm
not a member of the Yacht Club.

I'm only a guest member
myself for the summer,

so drink quickly.

You're very kind, Miss...?

Stoner. Barbara Stoner.

Joe Mannix.

I'll, uh,

have the same thing
Miss Stoner's drinking.

Yes, sir.

Are you sure that's
your only problem?

A drink?

Well, I'm really here
because of something

that happened yesterday.

I'm a private investigator.

I'm working for Ellen Barton.

What a shame.

For a second there,
you really looked thirsty.

You see, she, uh, thinks
someone murdered her husband.

Ah, thank you.

She probably knows.

If anyone had a reason
to kill Rog, she had.

Because of you?

You see, living in a marina
is like living in a fishbowl.

People saw you together.

Mr. Mannix, a woman doesn't
take a man away from his wife.

He walks away.

But you did know
that he was married.

Yes, I knew he was married.

I knew the problems.

But it happened.

I'm really very shocked.

But he's dead, and I
don't like questions.

My father doesn't
know about Rog and me.

Please, Mr. Mannix.

Hello, Father.

This is Mr. Mannix.

How do you do? Mr. Stoner.

Sit down.

I, uh, don't think I've seen you

at the club before, Mr. Mannix.

Oh, no, no, I, uh...

I just came in quite recently.

So did we.

Wonderful life, isn't it?

My plant's in Bedford,
Massachusetts.

I'd move out here in a
flash if it weren't for that...

Now that Barbara's
out of college.

STONER: You live
here at the marina?

No.

No, I'm just here to
look around myself.

Where did you say,
uh, you two met?

On the Howards' boat.

An unforgettable afternoon.

I don't know where
the time goes.

Barbara, it was great
seeing you again.

Uh, my pleasure, Mr. Mannix.

Well, thank you. Nice
meeting you, Mr. Stoner.

Barbara.

Oh, Joe...

it was wonderful
seeing you again.

DAVE: No question
about drowning, Joe.

I talked to the
medical examiner.

Saltwater, both lungs.

The only mark is that
bruise in the left frontal area.

Hmm. No skull fracture.

From which the M.E.
concluded Roger Barton drowned.

Right.

How do you reconstruct it, Dave?

Well... he was
diving, ran out of air,

surfaced too fast, hit his head,

lost consciousness and drowned.

Got wedged between the pilings.

And the bruise is where he hit.

Sounds reasonable.

Which dock?

This one, directly in
front of his apartment.

Do you feel certain
it was an accident?

The police said accident.

The M.E. said accident.

Why should I swim
against the tide?

Is there any chance he
could've been killed out of water?

(wry chuckle)

You're not still looking
for murder, are you, Joe?

Wait a minute, could the blow
on his head alone have killed him?

Yes, it's possible.

Use your phone?

But if he'd been
killed out of the water,

there wouldn't have
been water in his lungs.

(phone rings)

Mr. Mannix's office.

Oh, Peggy,

I want a quick rundown
on Tommy Hewitt.

He's an attorney for
Potter and Allison.

Right.

And then get me a rundown
on a Robert Stoner, Electronics.

Bedford, Massachusetts.

Oh, and his daughter, Barbara.

And then you can bring
the reports down here

to, uh, Dave Wright's office.

Sea air may do you some good.

Right.

Might do me some good, too.

(laughs)

DAVE: It's a Traggert.

Foreign make.

The kids like it
because it's cheap.

If they happen to lose
one, it's no tragedy.

What if they lose
it in a man's back?

(knocking on door)

Dave!

Peg!

How are you?

(laughing)

Peg, it's good to see you.

How've you been? Just fine.

How's Toby?

Up to here in Little League.

He's a star first baseman.

His dad would have
been proud of him.

I think so, Dave.

Hey, this is really living!

What did you find out, Peggy?

Oh, about that lawyer.

"Thomas Clayton Hewitt,
graduated UCLA, top ten.

"Passed California
State Bar, 1967.

"Joined Potter
and Allison, 1967.

"West Coast Tennis
Singles Champion, 1969.

"Member of the Underwater
Archeological Team.

Holds record in free dive..."

Nice going.

Tommy Hewitt's
apartment, please.

What did I say?

Oh, he went sailing?

Do you have any idea
when he'll be back?

Thanks.

Dave, um, I'm going to
need your master key.

What?!

Not a chance.

Dave, you remember a
man trapped in an alley?

Let's go.

Our lawyer won't get
points for neatness. Mm.

MANNIX: Yeah, I think
we'll be safe for a while.

That could hurt a little.

Do you think it had
your name on it?

No, it's the wrong brand.

It's made in the U.S.A..

What'd you find out
about the Stoners?

PEGGY: Robert Stoner has
an electronics firm in Bedford,

as advertised.

What are you gonna
do about this Hewitt guy?

The Stoners, Peggy?

He's a subcontractor on
several defense programs.

Mainly environmental...
Whatever that means.

Lives in Bedford,
widower, wife died in 1964.

One child, daughter
named Barbara.

Some child!

She goes to school
in Sands Point, Maine.

Wrong.

She's finished
college. She's here.

Finished college?

She's a baby.

She's only 15.

In about, uh, 60 seconds,

that young lady is gonna
receive a phone call.

How do you know?

Mr. Lincoln told me.

Absolutely.

Excuse me.

I have this problem.

Now, if you were gonna
recommend a place for dinner,

where would it be?

Amelio's, if you
like Italian food.

I do.

Do you? Will you?

I do.

I will.

I'm glad we had
this little chat.

Dinner's hours away.

How shall we make
the afternoon go?

Well, now, I'm gonna let
you make that decision.

Miss Stoner, you
have a phone call.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, uh, when
the young lady gets back,

would you tell her I was
called away on an emergency?

MANNIX: I need
prints on that, Dave,

first thing in the morning.

First thing in the morning.

Joe, these things take time.

We haven't got time.

Okay.

When did the Stoners get here?

Uh, he got here yesterday.

The daughter came earlier.

I think it was last Saturday.

You know, Dave, when
the marina hired you

they got a real bargain.

Oh, it's you, Mr. Mannix.

Come in.

Uh, can I get you something?

A drink? No, no, thank you.

Mrs. Barton, uh,

I have something to tell you

and there's no
easy way to do it.

Your, uh, husband wasn't

on Korvak's boat last night.

He was with a girl.

You mean Barbara Stoner?

You knew?

She was the last
in a long, long line.

Roger was a brilliant man
with lots of wonderful qualities,

but fidelity wasn't one of them.

Hmm.

Do you have any idea

when this thing with
Barbara Stoner started?

Last Saturday.

The day she arrived?

She barely had time to check in.

Roger never wasted
an opportunity.

Hmm.

You sound as though you, uh,

didn't like your husband
very much, Mrs. Barton.

I loved him once, but like?

No. Not really.

Then, uh, why did you hire me?

It's in the rules.

He was my husband,

and I think I ought to
find out who killed him.

When did your husband
first mention the deal

with Andre Korvak?

Well, I told you, he
never discussed business.

I heard him make a few calls,

set up a meeting.

It was all very routine
until a few days ago.

Do you remember
what day that was?

Thursday.

He seemed suddenly very excited,

busier than I've
ever seen him before.

How do you mean, busy?

Oh, running to
the public library,

pacing around the
apartment, brooding.

What was he
doing at the library?

Getting these.

"Hyperbaric Pulmonary
Gas Exchange."

Was your husband that
interested in scientific subjects?

Well, he did some scuba
diving, but scientific, no.

I never knew
Roger to get serious

enough to study.

What about Tommy Hewitt?

Tommy?

You said your
husband didn't like him.

Why?

I don't remember saying that.

Anyway, what's that got to
do with what's happened?

Well, uh, I got the
distinct impression

that Mr. Hewitt
is in love with you.

Yes, he is.

Did your husband know that?

Roger had enough
to keep himself busy.

I'm not sure whether
he would have cared.

Anyway, I gave him no reason.

Why did you ask about Tommy?

Well, he's also interested
in marine archeology.

MANNIX: Good
morning, Mr. Hewitt.

Still here, Mr. Mannix?

Hey, you're a
pretty good sailor.

Sailing's my first love.

Oh, my mistake.

Uh, I thought Ellen
Barton was your first love.

Ellen said you
were a difficult guy.

She's not really serious about
Roger being murdered, is she?

Oh, she's serious.

I'm afraid she's closer to
hysteria than she realizes.

Sometimes the loss of a
husband can be upsetting.

As a lawyer would say,

she is now free
and unencumbered.

Mr. Mannix, we learn
the, uh, provocation tactic

in second-year law school.

Get the witness
angry, off guard,

he might say something
you want to hear.

I'll now make three
voluntary statements:

Roger Barton was a louse;

I love Ellen Barton;

and I'm going to marry her.

The report on the
girl's fingerprints, Joe.

You wouldn't get
any quicker service

if you went to the FBI.

Well, what do you know?

Big surprise, huh?

Big enough.

Dave, I'm really glad

I didn't let that hood
kill you seven years ago.

Thanks.

Oh, I'll need the
master key again.

Oh, it's you.

I got your farewell message.

Oh, I'm sorry I had
to run out like that.

Could we have our drink now?

I never get stood up twice.

I'm going for a swim.

Sandra Markham.

Name mean anything to you?

A cop.

And you have such a nice face.

Hmm. Now, why don't
you tell this nice face

about your relationship
with "Daddy"

and with the late Roger Barton?

I told you, I'm
going for a swim.

Easter Bazaar.

Oak Knoll, Long Island.

You were implicated
in a jewel theft.

What do you want?

Who hired you to come here?

He did. Stoner.

Why?

To meet Roger Barton,
set up a relationship.

Why? I don't know why!

That's the truth.

Stoner wanted him for a contact.

As a lead to Korvak?

I guess so.

The two of them spent
a great deal of time

on the boat together.

I don't know what the deal was.

Who killed Barton?

Killed him?

Everyone said it
was an accident.

Honest, I don't know
anything about that.

What was the deal
with Andre Korvak?

Whatever it was,
it's finished tonight.

Stoner and I are
to leave tonight

to get paid off.

He's already bought
my airline ticket.

(knocking)

PEGGY (whispering): He's not in.

MANNIX (whispering): Safer
to say he doesn't answer.

Joe, look.

He's getting ready to leave.

Peggy, check the closet.

Nothing.

Hmm, movies.

A real tourist.

Yeah.

Pull up a chair,
Peggy... showtime.

(film projector whirring)

Boy, that's something
I'd really love to do.

It's like floating.

MANNIX: That's not scuba gear.

Look how small it is.

You know how big
normal air tanks are?

PEGGY: That's right.

What's that he's
breathing through?

What's, what's that
supposed to be?

(knocking on door)

(projector clicks off)

(knocking)

(lock rattling)

(door unlocks)

(panting)

All right, now,
just who are you?

You're the private cop.

I wish you amateurs
would keep out of this.

Gordon, Naval Intelligence.

Naval Intelligence?

Yeah, that's what
it says here, too.

All right, let's talk about it.

Why have you been tailing me?

Well, not you, exactly.

Stoner, then, why?

Well, there was a security leak

on a naval experimental system,

and all personnel having access

to the security area
are being checked.

You don't know
who is responsible,

but Stoner was an
important subcontractor...

Therefore had access.

That's, uh, close enough.

You want to know if
Stoner stole something.

I want to know if
he killed someone.

Look, uh, did this security leak

have anything to do
with underwater gear?

I can't discuss that.

Where's Stoner?

I don't know.

My hunch is that whatever
is missing has been bought

or in the process of being sold.

Mannix, why don't
you stop sparring

and give me some information?

Funny, that's precisely the
question I was about to ask you.

Oh, Dave, uh, find
out where Stoner is.

And don't pick him up,
just find out where he is.

I'm in his apartment.

All right, Gordon, let's
stop playing games.

Now, Stoner sent a girl out here

to make contact
with Roger Barton.

The man who drowned?

He was the middleman.

He could introduce Stoner to
Korvak to negotiate the deal.

Now, somewhere along the line,

I figure Barton found out
how important the deal was

and, uh, got greedy.

That cost him his life.

Well, Stoner's not
on Korvak's boat.

We've been watching that.

GORDON: Where's the girl?

In her apartment.

MANNIX: I left her high and dry.

(knocking on door)

Looks like she's gone.

Well, maybe the two of
them made a run for it.

What are you thinking?

I don't know.

Is she dead?

GORDON: Stoner, you think?

I don't know, but it sure
fits the general pattern.

GORDON: Meaning what?

Lipstick.

Suffocation is the
only way I know

to drown a person on dry land.

(phone rings)

I'll get it.

Hello.

GORDON: Yeah, Dave.

Oh, he did, huh?

Oh, Dave, the
girl's up here dead.

Call the police.

Well, Stoner just
drove out of the marina,

burning rubber.

He had a pretty good reason.

He either got what
he was waiting for,

or he turned scared
and skipped out.

Oh, you'd better put
out an APB on him.

I'm grateful for
your help, Mannix,

but we've got our own
network and our own techniques.

MANNIX: They're hoisting a
dinghy aboard the Stella Polaris.

What?

They're preparing
to get underway.

Once he's outside
the territorial waters,

no one can touch him.

Where's he going?

To the nearest buyer.

But what is he going to sell?

Whatever it is he's got.

You're not gonna try to
stop him alone, are you?

Tell Gordon where I'm going.

Right.

Mr. Mannix.

I, uh, I was looking
for Mr. Korvak.

Down below, Mr. Mannix.

Oh, I see you've taken a
crash course in English.

Below, please.

Since you understand English,

I think we ought
to have a little talk.

About what?

This tear in your wet suit.

An accident.

Which happened while you
were drowning Roger Barton.

He must've put up quite
a struggle before he died.

Down below, Mr. Mannix.

(karate calls)

(thudding outside)

(karate calls)

That will be quite
enough, Mr. Mannix.

Please sit down, Mr. Mannix.

I'm sorry I can't offer
you champagne this time,

but we're sailing at once.

Now, what was that commotion?

He knows how Roger
Barton was killed.

I underestimated
you, Mr. Mannix.

Well, a good waterman
like Roger Barton...

I guess it took the both
of you to drown him, huh?

Oh, uh, who had the pleasure
of smothering Barbara?

And I'll bet you are the one

that took that potshot
at me with a spear gun.

I'll assign the credits due

while we're getting out of
American territorial waters.

After that,

I'm afraid I'll have
to dispose of you.

Get underway.

As soon as we clear the channel,

set the course at 273.

Wide open.

Yes, sir.

Do you really think you can
get away with those stolen plans?

You knew about the plans.

I did underestimate
you, Mr. Mannix.

Where do you think you're
gonna market the device?

Anything atomic is
gonna be fairly expensive.

Any government on
earth will pay for it.

Extracting oxygen from seawater.

Beautiful simplicity of it.

Add a tank of helium and
a man could, theoretically,

operate almost
forever underwater.

Men, ships, cities.

And I control that device.

But you will not extract

oxygen underwater, Mr. Mannix,

because when you go overboard,

you won't be wearing
one of the devices.

(ship engine revving)

All right, this ship isn't
going anywhere, gentlemen.

Well, I hope I'm not
interrupting anything.

I'm afraid it'll be a long time

before I have an
opportunity again.

Mr. Mannix was kind
enough to serve champagne.

Gordon, if it's the
plans you're after,

I think you'll find
them in that desk.

If not, there's a safe around.

Compliments of an amateur.

You sure get around, Mannix.

Did you pick up Stoner?

GORDON: With the payoff.

A half-a-million dollars.

Here it is.

Andre, what is it?

Oh, I'm afraid I have bad
news for you, Miss Renate.

Please, I have done nothing.

You'd better cable Rome.

Why?

I'm afraid you're
gonna have to go back

to making Italian movies.

Well, Dave, I'll see you in
a dark alley sometime, huh?

(chuckles)

Oh, Joe, before you
leave, the master key.

Oh, yeah.

Mrs. Barton,

they caught the men
that killed your husband.

No, no, Tommy Hewitt
wasn't one of them.

That's why you
called me, wasn't it?

You thought maybe he did it.

I was afraid.

If he had killed Roger,
it would've been for me.

Because he loved you?

Don't you see, I had to be sure?

Now you're sure.

(theme music playing)