Matlock (1986–1995): Season 6, Episode 15 - The Abduction - full transcript
♪♪
I want to see the
helicopter pilot at 3:00 sharp.
Harry, do me a favor,
get lost for an hour, okay?
I can't be a party to this, Jay.
This doesn't concern you, Harry.
You don't understand,
Jay. I'm your lawyer.
The best protection
I have and you have
is that I don't know what you
do, only what you tell me you do.
And now thanks to this,
I have foreknowledge.
Come off it, Harry,
you know what I am,
and you know what I do.
But never beforehand.
We've always been
very careful about that.
All right. Forget
you read this, okay?
Just forget it. Forget it.
I wish I could, but if I
get caught defending you
for something I knew you were
going to do, and I don't stop you,
then I get disbarred
and we both go to jail.
And...
- Well, besides...
- Besides what? What?
This.
You have some plan,
and if doesn't work, you're
going to murder somebody?
It doesn't say that, Harry.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
I wish to hell I didn't.
I'll see you later.
Harry, where are you going?
I have a seminar.
Harry wouldn't talk, would he?
A year ago, I
would have said no.
Something's happened to him.
Harry has been my
lawyer for 28 years.
Mr. Matlock, I've read transcripts
of every case you've ever tried,
and I'm dying to know...
In The People vs...
Bless you, Miss Thomas.
How did you know that...
Bless you again.
How did you know...
Oh, I'm sorry.
Michelle's allergic
to Los Angeles.
It's the Santa Anas.
The wind... That's
what we call it.
It's a north wind.
Oh, we just call a
north wind a north wind.
Unless it's out
of the northeast.
Then it's the northeaster.
That don't make you
sneeze, though, does it?
No, come to think of it.
I guess we're back to "Michelle's
allergic to Los Angeles."
Ben Matlock.
Well, Harry.
Hey. Michelle, say
hello to Harry Travis.
- Hello.
- How do you do?
Well, it's been a lot of
years since Harvard Law.
Tell me about it.
Well, you look good.
You look good.
You know, speaking of
that, Red Skelton says
there are three ages of
man... Youth, middle age,
and "you look good."
- What's the matter?
- I have to talk to you, Ben.
You're in trouble?
Harry, I like you...
I always have...
But I know who you work for,
and I hate what you're doing.
So, whatever your trouble is,
I don't want to be a part of it.
Get somebody else.
But there isn't somebody else.
I know I can trust
you. And you owe me.
OK. Give me a few minutes,
and I'll meet you down by the
elevators in the parking garage.
- Thanks, Ben.
- By the way...
that girl I took away from
you... You remember?
She dumped me in three
months for a guy with a car.
May I have your
attention, please?
I would like to announce
tomorrow's speakers.
At 10:00, Attorney
Joseph Kane and I will open
with some quick banter.
Then, on to our guests.
Dennis Roost of Roost,
Vaughan and Henley.
Followed by Edward
Price of Price and Stowe.
Then Richard Costa.
Gesundheit.
I don't see Harry.
Is he an old friend of yours?
We were in law school together.
I lost touch.
Actually, I quit
returning his calls.
Why?
Did you ever hear of Jay Cutler?
The Jay Cutler?
Yeah, the other crime bosses
in the country call him Sir.
Oh.
28 years ago, Harry
became his exclusive counsel,
and that's, you know... That's
when our friendship ended.
What do you suppose he
wanted to talk to you about?
I don't know.
Sergeant Hayden, this
gentlemen's name is Ben Matlock.
Are you a witness?
No, I didn't see it happen,
but I knew the victim.
You knew Mr., uh... Travis?
Yeah, he was a
colleague. He's an attorney.
We were attending a seminar
here, and he was in trouble.
- What kind of trouble?
- I don't know.
He wanted to
talk to me about it,
but before we could get
together, this happened.
Sergeant, he, uh...
He worked for organized
crime and was very nervous.
Well, who was this guy?
Legal counsel to Jay Cutler.
You think this was a mob hit?
Anything's possible.
No, it doesn't
look like a mob hit.
See, when organized
crime does a hit in L.A.,
it's usually one bullet
to the base of the brain.
Neat and tidy.
This? Well, this is a mess.
Well, since I was most probably
the last person to speak with Harry,
I'd feel a lot better if
you'd take my statement.
Do you want me to take
care of this, Sergeant?
OK, why don't you go
in with Officer Marks.
He'll take your statement.
I'll be right there.
Ben, I'm sorry. I've got to go.
I made an appointment with an
allergist. My head is just pounding.
Can I have the car keys?
Oh, yes. No, those are mine.
Yep, there's the rental.
Great. OK, I guess
I'll see you later.
OK.
Briggs, meet me at
the Sunset entrance.
Hurry.
- Hey, what are you doing?
- Drive.
- What?
- Drive.
You say you hadn't seen the
deceased since law school?
That's right.
How many years
ago would that be?
Just put down "a long time ago".
Mr. Matlock, there you are.
Didn't you hear your page?
- You've got a phone call.
- I do?
I'll be right back.
- There you go.
- Aha. Thanks.
Hello?
- Mr. Matlock?
- Yeah, who's this?
Say hello.
Ben, I... Talk to
anyone, and she's dead.
Just go back to your hotel
room and wait for my call.
Where's Matlock?
I don't know. He's disappeared.
You're sure this was Ben
Matlock, the Atlanta attorney?
That's what he said, Captain.
He insisted on giving
you a statement,
then just walked out of
the room and disappeared
before he said anything.
He'd gotten a phone call.
He said he'd be right back.
Go figure.
You want us to drop it?
I would, but do me a favor, Sam.
Look into it, will you?
You got it.
You're booked on
the 10:30 flight to L.A.
Ben, you've got
to call the police.
I can't. I can't risk it.
Michelle might get killed.
I don't like this.
I don't, either. What's
she ever done?
We'll talk when you get here.
You're staying at the
Hotel Clayton downtown.
I'll meet you there
at 7:00 A.M. sharp.
Hello?
Mr. Matlock, your line was busy.
I told you to speak to no one.
I had to cancel a speaking
engagement at the seminar.
Shut up and listen to me.
First I talk to Michelle.
Listen to me.
No, you listen to me.
I talk to Michelle, or
this conversation is over.
You say hello and nothing else.
Ben, I'm all right.
They haven't hurt me.
OK, good. Just try to stay calm.
I'm doing everything they ask.
I'm glad to hear
that, Mr. Matlock.
Why kidnap Michelle?
We don't know anything
about Harry's murder.
Let her go.
Mr. Matlock, there's a
matchbook in your pocket.
What's written on
that matchbook?
Hey, Mr. Matlock, I
asked you a question.
I heard you.
Here's the deal...
The matchbook for Michelle.
Fine. I'll call you tomorrow...
- 00 P.M.
Room service.
- Room service!
- Huh?
Good morning, sir. You
ordered a 6:00 A.M. breakfast.
Oh, yeah.
I've done stock,
a little theater.
Last season I was
Gangster Number Two
on a TV episode
of Guns for Hire.
You're not in the business.
That's okay.
You have a nice day, anyway.
Oh.
A dime!
Oh, boy, a dime!
- Cab, please.
- Yes, sir.
Mr. Matlock, I was
just coming to see you.
I changed my mind
about making a statement.
- May I ask why?
- Excuse me, my cab.
- Is there something wrong?
- Everything's fine.
Everything's fine.
If you have any information
regarding a crime,
you are legally
obligated to report it, sir.
I remember.
Let's go.
- Heard anything?
- No.
They let Michelle talk
to me on the phone.
She said they hadn't hurt her.
- I hope.
- Yeah.
A fellow named Harry Travis,
who worked for Jay Cutler,
slipped this in my pocket.
"4:00 tomorrow."
That's today.
The kidnapper wanted
me to read this to him.
I said that I'd swap the match
cover to him for Michelle.
And Rose Ballou? Who's she?
I don't know.
But whatever is
supposed to be happening
is supposed to be
happening by 4:00.
This jerk that's got Michelle
said he'd call me at 5:00.
My guess is whatever
they're going to do
will be over by 5:00, and
there will be no phone call.
There are three Rose
Ballous in the phone book.
All right. Right away.
You know, we... well, I...
I forget to tell people
how much I think of them.
I mean, here's Michelle, and...
Well, yeah, we forget.
I mean, we all do.
Yeah. Well, you, uh...
You kind of look out
for yourself during this.
You, too.
Yeah.
Let's go.
Where are you going to go?
I'm going to go to see, uh...
Harry Travis' former employer.
Ben, nobody just walks
in and sees Jay Cutler.
Well...
Mr. Matlock, this is a
very thoughtful gesture.
Harry spoke very highly of you.
And I want to thank you for coming
here and offering your condolences.
How about some juice?
- Juice?
- Yeah.
I'm having a combination.
This is carrots, celery,
beets, parsley, and an apple.
You know that apple is the only
fruit that you can mix with vegetables.
Oh, really?
Go for broke.
I hear you and Harry
were law buddies
back at... what
was it... Harvard?
That's right.
Doggone.
I wouldn't have thought
it, but that's good.
And good for you, too.
Have a seat.
Ah, it was a tragic
accident, wasn't it?
I think Harry was killed.
Come on, who would kill Harry?
Maybe one of your enemies.
The only enemies of
mine that Harry dealt with
were cops and prosecutors.
You think one of the
good guys did him?
Hmm, I doubt it.
The bad guys didn't.
The good guys didn't.
It had to be an accident.
I don't think so.
You seem very sure.
I talked to Harry
just before he died.
He was nervous as a long-tailed
cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.
I like that.
What?
What you just said.
You know, juries, they must
love that down-home stuff.
You know, with Harry gone,
I'm going to be looking
for new legal counsel.
Well, Mr. Cutler...
Um... I know the
law pretty good.
Maybe too good.
And I wouldn't want
to get... run over.
Thanks for the juice.
It's good.
Hey, anybody here?
The sign in the window
says "Closed for lunch".
There's no sign in the window.
You took my sign?
I did not.
- You didn't take my sign?
- No.
Why don't you look in your
crystal ball and find out who did?
That's it, wise guy.
I'm not reading for you,
though Lord knows
someone should.
I don't want you to read for me.
I just want you to tell me
where I can find your sister.
What sister?
- Look, lady...
- Madame Marlene.
Madame Marlene, I paid
a guy who sent me to a guy
who I paid to tell me that you
have a sister named Rose Ballou.
I am a respectable woman.
I run a respectable
joint... Business.
I have a reputation to maintain.
OK, so your sister is less
conventional than you, right?
The woman is 47 years old,
and she takes her
clothes off for a living.
She's a stripper?
I've seen Rosie naked.
I'd pay her to put
her clothes on.
But you can't tell me
where I can find her?
A place called Body Heat.
Thanks.
Well, this is the
last Rose Ballou.
None of the others?
- Well...
- Cross your fingers.
Yeah.
$5 cover.
Um, we're looking
for Rose Ballou.
$5 cover.
Is she here?
$5 cover.
We're her biggest fans.
Could you point her out?
Right this way, gentlemen.
Rose, these guys
want to see you.
Yeah? What about?
Ben!
Oh, do you know a
fellow named Jay Cutler.
Oh, yeah, good old Jay.
Always ready, willing,
and definitely able.
Then you know Harry Travis?
No, I can't say I do.
Hey, Jay must have told you
about my specialty acts, huh?
I strip with tassels, bells,
and, for 200 big
ones, batons on fire.
That's very impressive.
No, Mr. Cutler never
told us about your act.
Cutler? I thought
you said Butler.
Jay Butler, the dentist
from San Francisco.
No, Jay Cutler, the businessman.
Oh, no. Uh-uh.
So, what do you want?
Tassels and bells,
or batons on fire?
- Ben!
- Huh?
We have the wrong Rose Ballou.
You don't know Harry Travis.
Do I look like a phone book?
If you want to find this
guy, call information.
In the meantime, if you'd
like a woman with class
to take off her clothes...
Come on, Ben.
Later, baby! Ha ha!
All right, gents, let's hear
it for the lovely Janine.
Come on, let's how
a little appreciation.
She works hard for
her money. Come on.
Show her how much you liked her.
With the Los Angeles Ferry...
Your credit problems are no
problem with us, at L. A.'s largest car...
Flying dropkick! Oh, he's...
- Yeah?
- Room service.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Your lunch, sir.
Don't they have any
local news around here?
Try channel 12 at 1:30.
Nothing sooner?
It's in five minutes.
Oh, gee whiz, now
my watch is broken.
What next?
How about a signature?
Oh. OK.
And, uh... another dime?
A quarter! Oh boy, a quarter!
Do you know where I
can get my watch fixed?
Baker Sloane jewelers.
Where are they?
At Baker and Sloane.
It's an intersection
about a mile from here.
- Wait a minute.
- What?
Is Rose Street in this town?
Rose Street? Rose runs from
the Valley all the way to the beach.
How about Ballou?
Is there a Ballou Street?
Hey, waiter! Hey!
Telephone call for Sgt. Hayden.
Sgt. Hayden, telephone call.
Sergeant Hayden.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
I can't believe you're a lawyer.
I mean, you are so, so pretty.
Hey, Briggs, before you propose,
hand me that
screwdriver, would you?
Hey, did you see her eyes?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I saw her eyes.
She's got the
most beautiful eyes.
The damn thing's stuck.
You are in such great shape.
Ooh, strong.
I bet you work out, don't you?
It's Ben Matlock.
We've got to get rid of him.
He can't be here at 4:00.
Take her in the
back, I'll get rid of him.
- Yeah?
- Hi.
I'm lost. Could you
tell me where I am?
- You're lost.
- Yeah, I know that.
But, I mean, can you tell
me the way back to town?
That road right there.
Oh, uh...
do I go straight
or do I take a turn?
Go straight. Don't turn.
I thought I remembered
turning two or three times.
Then turn two or
three times, okay?
Don't close the door.
I'm... I'm lost,
and I want to find out
how I can get back to town.
And, uh... uh...
Can I have a glass of water?
Hey, mister, look, we're poor
people. Water is expensive,
and we don't want to give it to
old men in awful-looking grey suits
just because they're lost.
Now, get out of here.
What's up?
Michelle's in that
house back there.
I saw her car keys.
- Time to call the police.
- Yeah.
- Freeze!
- Freeze!
Hold it right there!
All clear, Lieutenant!
Clear in here.
Nobody back here, sir.
Open up the garage. See
if there's anything out back.
You've got a lot of
explaining to do, Mr. Matlock.
Mr. Matlock, I appreciate
your concern for your associate,
but you can't call
the cops on a hunch.
It wasn't a hunch. I
wouldn't have called anybody
if I hadn't seen her car
rental keys right on that table.
Our boys didn't find any keys
or anything else for that matter.
- I told you...
- That's enough.
This is our problem.
Something's going to
happen at 4:00 today.
There he is. I found him.
Robert Drake.
Drake.
- That clinches it.
- Clinches what?
Robert Drake
works for Jay Cutler,
just like Harry Travis
and Doug Pinter.
Who's Doug Pinter?
Cutler's bookkeeper.
They grew up together.
We finally nailed Doug
Pinter two weeks ago for fraud.
Since then, we've
kept him under wraps.
Mr. Pinter is giving testimony
against Cutler to a grand jury...
at 4:00 today.
What's that got to
do with Rose Ballou?
I don't know yet.
Maybe there's some
connection with Mr. Pinter.
Maybe Jay Cutler is going
to have Mr. Pinter killed.
That's a possibility.
You think that's why Harry
Travis wanted to talk to you?
I don't know. Maybe.
Maybe... Jay
Cutler had him killed.
Captain, if they're
planning a hit,
we should call off
the hearing right now.
Now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.
You're forgetting about
Michelle. She's still a hostage.
No one is forgetting
Miss Thomas.
I'll be right back.
Gentlemen, you
guaranteed secrecy.
How did Jay Cutler find out?
We don't know.
But if you want to postpone your
appearance, it can be arranged.
Captain Lewis, do I
look like the kind of man
who would disappoint a
committee gathered in my honor?
And besides, according to your
witness protection coordinator,
I'm to be on a midnight plane
for somewhere with palm trees
and girls in bikinis.
I always wanted to retire
at government expense.
Thank you for your
patience, Mr. Matlock.
Patience be damned.
I don't care anything
about these other people.
What are you doing
to find Michelle?
Everything's set, Captain.
We changed the route and doubled
the contingent at the federal building.
Has everyone been issued vests?
Well, everyone
except for me, sir.
Captain, something's got
to be done about Michelle.
Mr. Matlock, please.
Let me assure you that
everything is being done...
Everything in my power.
You about ready? Let's go.
We're all ready here, sir!
I hear there's
going to be a hit.
We've taken
precautions. Don't worry.
I never thought I'd be
caught dead in one of these.
That's the idea.
I bet myself a
blonde it was you.
Pull him on the floor and
cover him with a blanket.
Captain!
I've got an APB
out on Robert Drake
and Jay Cutler's residence
under surveillance,
a tap on your
phone at the hotel,
Forensics going through
the house at Rose and Ballou.
- What else can I do?
- Find her!
Ben, easy.
It's okay.
You know...
someone had to have
warned Robert Drake
that you spotted
Michelle's keys.
Just Mr. Pinter and
me. Captain's orders.
Hit the top floor.
That's right.
That's right.
And it had to be
somebody on the inside
that leaked the time and the
place of Doug Pinter's testimony.
We've got an hour
to find out who.
Less than that, I'm
afraid. It's 20 to 4:00.
Damn...
- Are you okay?
- Yeah.
Here.
Don't you have a long one
that will go around my finger?
Sorry.
You know...
Sgt. Hayden...
was wearing a little
round Band-Aid like that
right up here, like
he'd gotten a shot.
Robert Drake was wearing
one right in the same place.
A Band-Aid?
Shot.
They're leaving the country
after they kill Doug Pinter.
Yeah.
Right on time.
Did Sgt. Hayden know
that I called about the house
at Rose and Ballou?
Yes.
Then he's the one.
That doesn't make any sense.
If Sam Hayden is part of
the plot to kill Doug Pinter,
then he's had better
opportunities than today,
when he's surrounded
by other cops.
Maybe their idea is
not to kill Mr. Pinter.
Get me Detective Lattimer
at the federal building.
- Freeze!
- Don't move!
Don't shoot! Don't
shoot! I surrender.
I want answers,
and I want them now.
All I know is Jay Cutler is starting
a business in the Philippines,
and I'm supposed to set it up
to make certain that nobody
would connect him to it.
He ordered me to
pretend to turn against him
while he figured a
way to get me out.
What else?
Me and Robert
Drake and Sgt. Hayden
had a chartered
flight for tonight.
Look, I'll go through with
the grand jury testimony.
I'll tell them
everything I know.
You can forget about the deal
we cut. A cop has been murdered.
I didn't know Sgt. Hayden
was going to kill him.
I didn't even know that
Hayden was the inside man.
Where are they keeping Michelle?
I don't know. I swear.
Not good enough.
Did you ever hear of
the felony murder rule?
It says if you're involved in a
felony and somebody's killed...
Inadvertently or
otherwise... You're culpable.
- But...
- The execution of the police officer
qualifies as special
circumstances in California.
I believe they use the gas
chamber here, don't they?
We have an update on
this afternoon's shooting.
Channel 12 has learned that
a man identified as Doug Pinter
has escaped police custody
and is currently at large.
Details are sketchy
at this time...
Good to see you.
It went down bad, Jay.
I'm sorry.
Hayden took half
a dozen bullets.
While they were busy,
I found some stairs.
- He's dead?
- Yeah.
Good. No more loose ends.
The wire works.
The chopper took off.
What else could I do.
Nothing.
We wanted to bust you
out, and we did... or you did.
He's bought it.
If he'd just say
where Michelle is.
The charter leaves at 10:00.
We'll take you there by car...
You and 3 million in cash.
Drake's got some unfinished
business to take care of.
And the hostage... Miss Thomas?
How did you know about that?
Hayden has a big mouth.
So, where is she?
At Rose Ballou?
Don't worry about it.
Rose Ballou is out.
Matlock and the cops found it.
It was just the landing site
for the helicopter, anyway.
- Briggs.
- Yeah.
Get in here.
- Did you hear that?
- What?
That sneeze.
That was Michelle.
She's in the house.
- Are you sure?
- That's her sneeze.
All right. We're going in.
Henderson, see if you can
find a way in through the back.
You're with me.
- All right, let's go.
- Yeah, let's go.
You're staying in this truck.
The hell you say.
If I have to cuff
you to this van, I will.
Now, stay put.
Yes?
- Mr. Cutler?
- Yes, officer.
I'm Captain Lewis of the
LAPD. This is Officer Woodruff.
I have a warrant to
search the premises.
What is this all about, Captain?
We have reason to believe
that a woman who was kidnapped
is being held
hostage in this house.
In this house? Come on. Come on.
Don't be absurd, will you.
Michelle!
- Good work.
- Thank you.
Now say good-bye.
No!
Officer Woodruff, read
Mr. Cutler his rights.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah.
Oh, good, good.
Well, Mr. Matlock,
you almost got shot.
You don't follow orders
very well, do you?
For a man as old as you,
you'd think you'd know better.
I'm not old. I've
just lived hard.
I want to see the
helicopter pilot at 3:00 sharp.
Harry, do me a favor,
get lost for an hour, okay?
I can't be a party to this, Jay.
This doesn't concern you, Harry.
You don't understand,
Jay. I'm your lawyer.
The best protection
I have and you have
is that I don't know what you
do, only what you tell me you do.
And now thanks to this,
I have foreknowledge.
Come off it, Harry,
you know what I am,
and you know what I do.
But never beforehand.
We've always been
very careful about that.
All right. Forget
you read this, okay?
Just forget it. Forget it.
I wish I could, but if I
get caught defending you
for something I knew you were
going to do, and I don't stop you,
then I get disbarred
and we both go to jail.
And...
- Well, besides...
- Besides what? What?
This.
You have some plan,
and if doesn't work, you're
going to murder somebody?
It doesn't say that, Harry.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
I wish to hell I didn't.
I'll see you later.
Harry, where are you going?
I have a seminar.
Harry wouldn't talk, would he?
A year ago, I
would have said no.
Something's happened to him.
Harry has been my
lawyer for 28 years.
Mr. Matlock, I've read transcripts
of every case you've ever tried,
and I'm dying to know...
In The People vs...
Bless you, Miss Thomas.
How did you know that...
Bless you again.
How did you know...
Oh, I'm sorry.
Michelle's allergic
to Los Angeles.
It's the Santa Anas.
The wind... That's
what we call it.
It's a north wind.
Oh, we just call a
north wind a north wind.
Unless it's out
of the northeast.
Then it's the northeaster.
That don't make you
sneeze, though, does it?
No, come to think of it.
I guess we're back to "Michelle's
allergic to Los Angeles."
Ben Matlock.
Well, Harry.
Hey. Michelle, say
hello to Harry Travis.
- Hello.
- How do you do?
Well, it's been a lot of
years since Harvard Law.
Tell me about it.
Well, you look good.
You look good.
You know, speaking of
that, Red Skelton says
there are three ages of
man... Youth, middle age,
and "you look good."
- What's the matter?
- I have to talk to you, Ben.
You're in trouble?
Harry, I like you...
I always have...
But I know who you work for,
and I hate what you're doing.
So, whatever your trouble is,
I don't want to be a part of it.
Get somebody else.
But there isn't somebody else.
I know I can trust
you. And you owe me.
OK. Give me a few minutes,
and I'll meet you down by the
elevators in the parking garage.
- Thanks, Ben.
- By the way...
that girl I took away from
you... You remember?
She dumped me in three
months for a guy with a car.
May I have your
attention, please?
I would like to announce
tomorrow's speakers.
At 10:00, Attorney
Joseph Kane and I will open
with some quick banter.
Then, on to our guests.
Dennis Roost of Roost,
Vaughan and Henley.
Followed by Edward
Price of Price and Stowe.
Then Richard Costa.
Gesundheit.
I don't see Harry.
Is he an old friend of yours?
We were in law school together.
I lost touch.
Actually, I quit
returning his calls.
Why?
Did you ever hear of Jay Cutler?
The Jay Cutler?
Yeah, the other crime bosses
in the country call him Sir.
Oh.
28 years ago, Harry
became his exclusive counsel,
and that's, you know... That's
when our friendship ended.
What do you suppose he
wanted to talk to you about?
I don't know.
Sergeant Hayden, this
gentlemen's name is Ben Matlock.
Are you a witness?
No, I didn't see it happen,
but I knew the victim.
You knew Mr., uh... Travis?
Yeah, he was a
colleague. He's an attorney.
We were attending a seminar
here, and he was in trouble.
- What kind of trouble?
- I don't know.
He wanted to
talk to me about it,
but before we could get
together, this happened.
Sergeant, he, uh...
He worked for organized
crime and was very nervous.
Well, who was this guy?
Legal counsel to Jay Cutler.
You think this was a mob hit?
Anything's possible.
No, it doesn't
look like a mob hit.
See, when organized
crime does a hit in L.A.,
it's usually one bullet
to the base of the brain.
Neat and tidy.
This? Well, this is a mess.
Well, since I was most probably
the last person to speak with Harry,
I'd feel a lot better if
you'd take my statement.
Do you want me to take
care of this, Sergeant?
OK, why don't you go
in with Officer Marks.
He'll take your statement.
I'll be right there.
Ben, I'm sorry. I've got to go.
I made an appointment with an
allergist. My head is just pounding.
Can I have the car keys?
Oh, yes. No, those are mine.
Yep, there's the rental.
Great. OK, I guess
I'll see you later.
OK.
Briggs, meet me at
the Sunset entrance.
Hurry.
- Hey, what are you doing?
- Drive.
- What?
- Drive.
You say you hadn't seen the
deceased since law school?
That's right.
How many years
ago would that be?
Just put down "a long time ago".
Mr. Matlock, there you are.
Didn't you hear your page?
- You've got a phone call.
- I do?
I'll be right back.
- There you go.
- Aha. Thanks.
Hello?
- Mr. Matlock?
- Yeah, who's this?
Say hello.
Ben, I... Talk to
anyone, and she's dead.
Just go back to your hotel
room and wait for my call.
Where's Matlock?
I don't know. He's disappeared.
You're sure this was Ben
Matlock, the Atlanta attorney?
That's what he said, Captain.
He insisted on giving
you a statement,
then just walked out of
the room and disappeared
before he said anything.
He'd gotten a phone call.
He said he'd be right back.
Go figure.
You want us to drop it?
I would, but do me a favor, Sam.
Look into it, will you?
You got it.
You're booked on
the 10:30 flight to L.A.
Ben, you've got
to call the police.
I can't. I can't risk it.
Michelle might get killed.
I don't like this.
I don't, either. What's
she ever done?
We'll talk when you get here.
You're staying at the
Hotel Clayton downtown.
I'll meet you there
at 7:00 A.M. sharp.
Hello?
Mr. Matlock, your line was busy.
I told you to speak to no one.
I had to cancel a speaking
engagement at the seminar.
Shut up and listen to me.
First I talk to Michelle.
Listen to me.
No, you listen to me.
I talk to Michelle, or
this conversation is over.
You say hello and nothing else.
Ben, I'm all right.
They haven't hurt me.
OK, good. Just try to stay calm.
I'm doing everything they ask.
I'm glad to hear
that, Mr. Matlock.
Why kidnap Michelle?
We don't know anything
about Harry's murder.
Let her go.
Mr. Matlock, there's a
matchbook in your pocket.
What's written on
that matchbook?
Hey, Mr. Matlock, I
asked you a question.
I heard you.
Here's the deal...
The matchbook for Michelle.
Fine. I'll call you tomorrow...
- 00 P.M.
Room service.
- Room service!
- Huh?
Good morning, sir. You
ordered a 6:00 A.M. breakfast.
Oh, yeah.
I've done stock,
a little theater.
Last season I was
Gangster Number Two
on a TV episode
of Guns for Hire.
You're not in the business.
That's okay.
You have a nice day, anyway.
Oh.
A dime!
Oh, boy, a dime!
- Cab, please.
- Yes, sir.
Mr. Matlock, I was
just coming to see you.
I changed my mind
about making a statement.
- May I ask why?
- Excuse me, my cab.
- Is there something wrong?
- Everything's fine.
Everything's fine.
If you have any information
regarding a crime,
you are legally
obligated to report it, sir.
I remember.
Let's go.
- Heard anything?
- No.
They let Michelle talk
to me on the phone.
She said they hadn't hurt her.
- I hope.
- Yeah.
A fellow named Harry Travis,
who worked for Jay Cutler,
slipped this in my pocket.
"4:00 tomorrow."
That's today.
The kidnapper wanted
me to read this to him.
I said that I'd swap the match
cover to him for Michelle.
And Rose Ballou? Who's she?
I don't know.
But whatever is
supposed to be happening
is supposed to be
happening by 4:00.
This jerk that's got Michelle
said he'd call me at 5:00.
My guess is whatever
they're going to do
will be over by 5:00, and
there will be no phone call.
There are three Rose
Ballous in the phone book.
All right. Right away.
You know, we... well, I...
I forget to tell people
how much I think of them.
I mean, here's Michelle, and...
Well, yeah, we forget.
I mean, we all do.
Yeah. Well, you, uh...
You kind of look out
for yourself during this.
You, too.
Yeah.
Let's go.
Where are you going to go?
I'm going to go to see, uh...
Harry Travis' former employer.
Ben, nobody just walks
in and sees Jay Cutler.
Well...
Mr. Matlock, this is a
very thoughtful gesture.
Harry spoke very highly of you.
And I want to thank you for coming
here and offering your condolences.
How about some juice?
- Juice?
- Yeah.
I'm having a combination.
This is carrots, celery,
beets, parsley, and an apple.
You know that apple is the only
fruit that you can mix with vegetables.
Oh, really?
Go for broke.
I hear you and Harry
were law buddies
back at... what
was it... Harvard?
That's right.
Doggone.
I wouldn't have thought
it, but that's good.
And good for you, too.
Have a seat.
Ah, it was a tragic
accident, wasn't it?
I think Harry was killed.
Come on, who would kill Harry?
Maybe one of your enemies.
The only enemies of
mine that Harry dealt with
were cops and prosecutors.
You think one of the
good guys did him?
Hmm, I doubt it.
The bad guys didn't.
The good guys didn't.
It had to be an accident.
I don't think so.
You seem very sure.
I talked to Harry
just before he died.
He was nervous as a long-tailed
cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.
I like that.
What?
What you just said.
You know, juries, they must
love that down-home stuff.
You know, with Harry gone,
I'm going to be looking
for new legal counsel.
Well, Mr. Cutler...
Um... I know the
law pretty good.
Maybe too good.
And I wouldn't want
to get... run over.
Thanks for the juice.
It's good.
Hey, anybody here?
The sign in the window
says "Closed for lunch".
There's no sign in the window.
You took my sign?
I did not.
- You didn't take my sign?
- No.
Why don't you look in your
crystal ball and find out who did?
That's it, wise guy.
I'm not reading for you,
though Lord knows
someone should.
I don't want you to read for me.
I just want you to tell me
where I can find your sister.
What sister?
- Look, lady...
- Madame Marlene.
Madame Marlene, I paid
a guy who sent me to a guy
who I paid to tell me that you
have a sister named Rose Ballou.
I am a respectable woman.
I run a respectable
joint... Business.
I have a reputation to maintain.
OK, so your sister is less
conventional than you, right?
The woman is 47 years old,
and she takes her
clothes off for a living.
She's a stripper?
I've seen Rosie naked.
I'd pay her to put
her clothes on.
But you can't tell me
where I can find her?
A place called Body Heat.
Thanks.
Well, this is the
last Rose Ballou.
None of the others?
- Well...
- Cross your fingers.
Yeah.
$5 cover.
Um, we're looking
for Rose Ballou.
$5 cover.
Is she here?
$5 cover.
We're her biggest fans.
Could you point her out?
Right this way, gentlemen.
Rose, these guys
want to see you.
Yeah? What about?
Ben!
Oh, do you know a
fellow named Jay Cutler.
Oh, yeah, good old Jay.
Always ready, willing,
and definitely able.
Then you know Harry Travis?
No, I can't say I do.
Hey, Jay must have told you
about my specialty acts, huh?
I strip with tassels, bells,
and, for 200 big
ones, batons on fire.
That's very impressive.
No, Mr. Cutler never
told us about your act.
Cutler? I thought
you said Butler.
Jay Butler, the dentist
from San Francisco.
No, Jay Cutler, the businessman.
Oh, no. Uh-uh.
So, what do you want?
Tassels and bells,
or batons on fire?
- Ben!
- Huh?
We have the wrong Rose Ballou.
You don't know Harry Travis.
Do I look like a phone book?
If you want to find this
guy, call information.
In the meantime, if you'd
like a woman with class
to take off her clothes...
Come on, Ben.
Later, baby! Ha ha!
All right, gents, let's hear
it for the lovely Janine.
Come on, let's how
a little appreciation.
She works hard for
her money. Come on.
Show her how much you liked her.
With the Los Angeles Ferry...
Your credit problems are no
problem with us, at L. A.'s largest car...
Flying dropkick! Oh, he's...
- Yeah?
- Room service.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Your lunch, sir.
Don't they have any
local news around here?
Try channel 12 at 1:30.
Nothing sooner?
It's in five minutes.
Oh, gee whiz, now
my watch is broken.
What next?
How about a signature?
Oh. OK.
And, uh... another dime?
A quarter! Oh boy, a quarter!
Do you know where I
can get my watch fixed?
Baker Sloane jewelers.
Where are they?
At Baker and Sloane.
It's an intersection
about a mile from here.
- Wait a minute.
- What?
Is Rose Street in this town?
Rose Street? Rose runs from
the Valley all the way to the beach.
How about Ballou?
Is there a Ballou Street?
Hey, waiter! Hey!
Telephone call for Sgt. Hayden.
Sgt. Hayden, telephone call.
Sergeant Hayden.
Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
I can't believe you're a lawyer.
I mean, you are so, so pretty.
Hey, Briggs, before you propose,
hand me that
screwdriver, would you?
Hey, did you see her eyes?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I saw her eyes.
She's got the
most beautiful eyes.
The damn thing's stuck.
You are in such great shape.
Ooh, strong.
I bet you work out, don't you?
It's Ben Matlock.
We've got to get rid of him.
He can't be here at 4:00.
Take her in the
back, I'll get rid of him.
- Yeah?
- Hi.
I'm lost. Could you
tell me where I am?
- You're lost.
- Yeah, I know that.
But, I mean, can you tell
me the way back to town?
That road right there.
Oh, uh...
do I go straight
or do I take a turn?
Go straight. Don't turn.
I thought I remembered
turning two or three times.
Then turn two or
three times, okay?
Don't close the door.
I'm... I'm lost,
and I want to find out
how I can get back to town.
And, uh... uh...
Can I have a glass of water?
Hey, mister, look, we're poor
people. Water is expensive,
and we don't want to give it to
old men in awful-looking grey suits
just because they're lost.
Now, get out of here.
What's up?
Michelle's in that
house back there.
I saw her car keys.
- Time to call the police.
- Yeah.
- Freeze!
- Freeze!
Hold it right there!
All clear, Lieutenant!
Clear in here.
Nobody back here, sir.
Open up the garage. See
if there's anything out back.
You've got a lot of
explaining to do, Mr. Matlock.
Mr. Matlock, I appreciate
your concern for your associate,
but you can't call
the cops on a hunch.
It wasn't a hunch. I
wouldn't have called anybody
if I hadn't seen her car
rental keys right on that table.
Our boys didn't find any keys
or anything else for that matter.
- I told you...
- That's enough.
This is our problem.
Something's going to
happen at 4:00 today.
There he is. I found him.
Robert Drake.
Drake.
- That clinches it.
- Clinches what?
Robert Drake
works for Jay Cutler,
just like Harry Travis
and Doug Pinter.
Who's Doug Pinter?
Cutler's bookkeeper.
They grew up together.
We finally nailed Doug
Pinter two weeks ago for fraud.
Since then, we've
kept him under wraps.
Mr. Pinter is giving testimony
against Cutler to a grand jury...
at 4:00 today.
What's that got to
do with Rose Ballou?
I don't know yet.
Maybe there's some
connection with Mr. Pinter.
Maybe Jay Cutler is going
to have Mr. Pinter killed.
That's a possibility.
You think that's why Harry
Travis wanted to talk to you?
I don't know. Maybe.
Maybe... Jay
Cutler had him killed.
Captain, if they're
planning a hit,
we should call off
the hearing right now.
Now, wait a minute,
wait a minute.
You're forgetting about
Michelle. She's still a hostage.
No one is forgetting
Miss Thomas.
I'll be right back.
Gentlemen, you
guaranteed secrecy.
How did Jay Cutler find out?
We don't know.
But if you want to postpone your
appearance, it can be arranged.
Captain Lewis, do I
look like the kind of man
who would disappoint a
committee gathered in my honor?
And besides, according to your
witness protection coordinator,
I'm to be on a midnight plane
for somewhere with palm trees
and girls in bikinis.
I always wanted to retire
at government expense.
Thank you for your
patience, Mr. Matlock.
Patience be damned.
I don't care anything
about these other people.
What are you doing
to find Michelle?
Everything's set, Captain.
We changed the route and doubled
the contingent at the federal building.
Has everyone been issued vests?
Well, everyone
except for me, sir.
Captain, something's got
to be done about Michelle.
Mr. Matlock, please.
Let me assure you that
everything is being done...
Everything in my power.
You about ready? Let's go.
We're all ready here, sir!
I hear there's
going to be a hit.
We've taken
precautions. Don't worry.
I never thought I'd be
caught dead in one of these.
That's the idea.
I bet myself a
blonde it was you.
Pull him on the floor and
cover him with a blanket.
Captain!
I've got an APB
out on Robert Drake
and Jay Cutler's residence
under surveillance,
a tap on your
phone at the hotel,
Forensics going through
the house at Rose and Ballou.
- What else can I do?
- Find her!
Ben, easy.
It's okay.
You know...
someone had to have
warned Robert Drake
that you spotted
Michelle's keys.
Just Mr. Pinter and
me. Captain's orders.
Hit the top floor.
That's right.
That's right.
And it had to be
somebody on the inside
that leaked the time and the
place of Doug Pinter's testimony.
We've got an hour
to find out who.
Less than that, I'm
afraid. It's 20 to 4:00.
Damn...
- Are you okay?
- Yeah.
Here.
Don't you have a long one
that will go around my finger?
Sorry.
You know...
Sgt. Hayden...
was wearing a little
round Band-Aid like that
right up here, like
he'd gotten a shot.
Robert Drake was wearing
one right in the same place.
A Band-Aid?
Shot.
They're leaving the country
after they kill Doug Pinter.
Yeah.
Right on time.
Did Sgt. Hayden know
that I called about the house
at Rose and Ballou?
Yes.
Then he's the one.
That doesn't make any sense.
If Sam Hayden is part of
the plot to kill Doug Pinter,
then he's had better
opportunities than today,
when he's surrounded
by other cops.
Maybe their idea is
not to kill Mr. Pinter.
Get me Detective Lattimer
at the federal building.
- Freeze!
- Don't move!
Don't shoot! Don't
shoot! I surrender.
I want answers,
and I want them now.
All I know is Jay Cutler is starting
a business in the Philippines,
and I'm supposed to set it up
to make certain that nobody
would connect him to it.
He ordered me to
pretend to turn against him
while he figured a
way to get me out.
What else?
Me and Robert
Drake and Sgt. Hayden
had a chartered
flight for tonight.
Look, I'll go through with
the grand jury testimony.
I'll tell them
everything I know.
You can forget about the deal
we cut. A cop has been murdered.
I didn't know Sgt. Hayden
was going to kill him.
I didn't even know that
Hayden was the inside man.
Where are they keeping Michelle?
I don't know. I swear.
Not good enough.
Did you ever hear of
the felony murder rule?
It says if you're involved in a
felony and somebody's killed...
Inadvertently or
otherwise... You're culpable.
- But...
- The execution of the police officer
qualifies as special
circumstances in California.
I believe they use the gas
chamber here, don't they?
We have an update on
this afternoon's shooting.
Channel 12 has learned that
a man identified as Doug Pinter
has escaped police custody
and is currently at large.
Details are sketchy
at this time...
Good to see you.
It went down bad, Jay.
I'm sorry.
Hayden took half
a dozen bullets.
While they were busy,
I found some stairs.
- He's dead?
- Yeah.
Good. No more loose ends.
The wire works.
The chopper took off.
What else could I do.
Nothing.
We wanted to bust you
out, and we did... or you did.
He's bought it.
If he'd just say
where Michelle is.
The charter leaves at 10:00.
We'll take you there by car...
You and 3 million in cash.
Drake's got some unfinished
business to take care of.
And the hostage... Miss Thomas?
How did you know about that?
Hayden has a big mouth.
So, where is she?
At Rose Ballou?
Don't worry about it.
Rose Ballou is out.
Matlock and the cops found it.
It was just the landing site
for the helicopter, anyway.
- Briggs.
- Yeah.
Get in here.
- Did you hear that?
- What?
That sneeze.
That was Michelle.
She's in the house.
- Are you sure?
- That's her sneeze.
All right. We're going in.
Henderson, see if you can
find a way in through the back.
You're with me.
- All right, let's go.
- Yeah, let's go.
You're staying in this truck.
The hell you say.
If I have to cuff
you to this van, I will.
Now, stay put.
Yes?
- Mr. Cutler?
- Yes, officer.
I'm Captain Lewis of the
LAPD. This is Officer Woodruff.
I have a warrant to
search the premises.
What is this all about, Captain?
We have reason to believe
that a woman who was kidnapped
is being held
hostage in this house.
In this house? Come on. Come on.
Don't be absurd, will you.
Michelle!
- Good work.
- Thank you.
Now say good-bye.
No!
Officer Woodruff, read
Mr. Cutler his rights.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah.
Oh, good, good.
Well, Mr. Matlock,
you almost got shot.
You don't follow orders
very well, do you?
For a man as old as you,
you'd think you'd know better.
I'm not old. I've
just lived hard.