Miami Vice (1984–1989): Season 3, Episode 7 - El Viejo - full transcript

Crockett and Tubbs are working on nailing a Bolivian drug dealer. When something goes wrong at the meeting, the Bolivian loses something very important to him and he won't deal until it's returned to him. They discover that an old man who was at the meeting has it. He tries to sell it back but the Bolivian won't agree to that. One of his people tries to get it back but the old man proves to be tough. Crockett and Tubbs offers to act his intermediary but the old man insists on being involved. They later learn that the old man is a Texas Ranger.

Resync By Chuck :)

Your lieutenant said
you'd be here for three days.

Max. I just need to check out
the drop-off point with Mendez.

Excuse me, Lieutenant.
Mendez's file's on my desk.

Much appreciated.

Vince Wilson, Broward Narcotics.

Stan Switek.
How you do?

Fill him in.

You came down here
to make the big catch, huh?

I was lucky to get
an angle on Mendez.

Hey, you mind if I take a pinch?
Help yourself.



So what's your cover?
I own a trucking company
up in Broward,

and he wants me to move
his product around the state.

So you're a mule.
Um. With style.

Department gave me
a 359 Longhorn Pete
just to make deliveries.

No kidding.
No kiddin'.

Impounded this baby from a guy
that ran a floating crap game
out of the back of the trailer...

till some good old boy
dealt him a couple of flat tires.

Who you got riding shotgun?
Ah, I like to go it alone.

That way I know everybody
I'm working with.

Well, everybody deserves
a partner now and then.

Hear this Mendez
is a real snake.
Makes a nice boot.

[Laughs] Listen, you make sure
you stop on back. We'll have a brewski.
Hey, on me.

All righty.
All right.

[Sighs]
See you later.



So you like this spot?
Shoot, location makes me
no difference.

The money's right, I can park me
a piggyback on a divin' board.

That's a 26-wheeler, son.

Well, Mr. Mendez.

How do?

Tell him I checked the road.
It's perfect.

No trouble gettin'
a truck in here.

He likes your boots.

He wants to know how
you can afford 'em...
on a cop's salary.

(Blown Away!)

[Crockett On Radio]
It's us.

No kidding.
We've only been here...

an hour and 47 minutes.

We had to make a stop at the vet.

Oh. What, did Elvis take a bite
out of one of Sonny's girlfriends?

That's real cute, wise guy.

The poor guy ate a six-pack
and cut his gums on the plastic rings,
all right?

[Tubbs]
Think this is your boy Rickles.

Stay awake, girls. Showtime.

(Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi)

[Camera Shutter Clicks]

[Crockett]
Oh, sweet lips and cutie-pie.

Only one of youse goes inside.

Inside?

I thought you were taking me
to meet this Bolivian- Mendez.

He's in the museum.

(Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi)

Hey, guys.
Either this is a costume party,

or we got an uninvited guest.

[Tubbs On Radio]
Just what we need, a spectator.

Hey.

What are you guys doing?

Oh, beautiful. I thought
you guys had this handled.

You're not gonna dust him here,
are you? Let me handle him.

Beat it, old man.

(Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi)

Call for backup.
We got a citizen involved.

Everybody's crashing the party.
We gotta abort.

[Tubbs]
Too late, man. It's going down.

Just be cool.
I'll walk you through this.

Mendez, wait.
Rickles, show him the money.

Show him the money!
No! Wait!

[Man] Look, you bring my briefcase
to the Excelsior by tomorrow morning,
or I'm gonna have someone else do the deal.

You got it?

[Tubbs]
That call came in about
an hour ago at the St. Vitus.

[Castillo]
What else do we have?

[Sighs]
Rickles distributes for the Bolivian.

He wanted me to mule 50 keys
over to Baton Rouge for him.

I told him on a domestic pickup and delivery,
I gotta have part of the action.

That's how I got to meet
the bad guy.

They were just supposed to cut me in
for two keys on a trial run,

not panic the bad guys
and a dead rent-a-cop.

It was supposed to be
intros and surveillance.

We weren't gonna make a move
until he brought us all his product.

Will Rickles turn over
on Mr. Mendez?

[Scoffs]
He's too scared.

I think he'd rather do a stretch.

Excuse me. Here are
the pictures from last night.

Gina and Trudy got copies.
They're on their way over
to the Excelsior.

[Castillo]
What about the briefcase?

Well, we, uh, swept the place
five times. Dead end.

The civilian?

Uh, the security guard,
he was dead on the scene.

His name was Albert Cavanaugh.

Um,

we're trying to run down
the next of kin from his driver's license.

The D.E.A. Guy from San Antonio
who brought it two months ago
was after the Bolivian.

Is this the same guy?
[Castillo]
Maybe.

Describe the briefcase.

It was a green skin of some sort,
like python or lizard.

Switek, see if Customs confiscated
something we can substitute.

Pick up two keys from Property.
Take it over to the boat.

Okay.

Reset the deal with him.
I want Mr. Mendez.
I want the 50 keys.

Well, what if we can't match
the briefcase?

Just stay on the boat till
Mr. Mendez makes his move.

Sonny.

Come on.

[Cylinder Spins]

[Bell Dings]

[No Audible Dialogue]

Ah, these desperate criminals.
And the lengths we have
to go to catch 'em.

Well, girlfriend,
lookee here.

What's that note say?

"Can we"-

Who's askin'?
I'll give you two guesses.

Oh, please.
Better drink both of these drinks
and go over there.

Company.

That old man was at the museum.

And Switek's got his picture. Yep.

You want something?

Yeah. To brighten up
your miserable life.

[Scoffs]
¿Qué?

That's gotta be the briefcase.
Stay with him.
I'll go call Sonny.

That's right, puppy dog.
I found it.

I don't have time to play a long hand.
So find me somebody
that knows how to deal.

I'm in Room 415.

Boat's a damn mess.
I don't know what the hell
I'm paying that dock boy for.

The line's uncoiled,
the compass ain't covered.

I must have told him 500 times
to put this winch away.

I ought to take it down
to the marina office
and make him eat it.

[Sighs]

Sonny, the museum guard
is dead.

It was a bad break.
Why don't you just let it go?

[Seagulls Squawking]

[Sighs]
We never get even, do we?

You can't, man.

Look, maybe you should
sit this one out.

You feel guilty,
you make mistakes.

Get the-Wh-What, are you crazy?
I signed on for the duration, pal.

Speaking of mistakes.

Gentlemen.

Hey, what the- Hey.
What are you doin'? I'm clean.

[Scoffs]

Very professional.
A definite step up from last night.

Don't put that on us, pal.

I didn't make that decision.

Yeah, you were Johnny-on-the-spot
though, weren't you?

Hey, I went to the mat.

But once the Bolivian gets stuck
on an idea,

like the fact that you cost him two keys
and his favorite briefcase, well-

Yeah, we're gonna
make that good.

How you gonna handle the briefcase?
Don't worry about it.
We'll replace it.

- You just reset the meet.
- Replacement ain't gonna get it.
He wants his briefcase.

So, in the rare event it doesn't,
uh, walk itself onto your boat,
here's where I'll be.

You might want me
to talk to the man.

And what's the price tag
on that conversation?

[Phone Ringing]
Say, uh, 30 large. Ten in front,
five points a week on the rest.

Thirty? Uh-huh.
Yeah.

Sonny, remember that old man you saw
waiting outside the museum last night?

Well, he just showed up
with a green briefcase.

Wanna come take a look?

Absolutely.
[Tubbs]
You place a high value on your time.

Man's gotta make a livin'.
Know what I mean?

Yeah, I know what you mean.

Know what I like
about you, Rickles?

Not a damn thing.

Backstroke.

I saw it with my own eyes.

Believe me. It's your briefcase.

[Scoffs]
He's an old fool.
[Speaking Spanish]

I'll take him to you myself.

Hey, handsome.

Why don't you buy me a drink
and tell me where you're from?

'Cause I wasn't born yesterday.

[Elevator Bell Dings]
Nice try, honey.

Ernie and me, we're the guys
that brought aerobics to Detroit.

We're down here for a national ad campaign,
and we're looking for some actresses
we can give some screen tests to and, uh-

Well, gee, I'd like to help you guys out,
but, uh, I'd be late for my prayer meeting.

[Chuckles]
As a matter of fact,
here's my ride to the convent now.

Uh, come on, Sister Calabrese.
I got the old man's room number.

Let's wait for Sonny at the desk.

Excuse me. Are you a nun too?
Oh, yeah, right. Sure.

Read my Bible.

[Sighs]

[Knocking]

It's open.

Okay, viejo.
Where's the briefcase?

I hid it.
Where's your boss?

Waiting for us
to take it to him.

Now you listen good, buddy.
Now you tell your boss
if he wants his merchandise back,

he's gotta bring me $10,000
in cash, face-to-face.

¿Comprende?
Now get up.

Get out of here. Get! Go!

Get! Get!

(State Of Emergency - Cactus World News)

[Grunts]

Look out, Roy!
The Rujeros!
[Gunshot]

Nitroglycerin.

Beautiful.

A dealer with a bad ticker.

It's not in the room.

You better cough it up, jack.

I'd rather take it with me first.

If that's the way you want it.
[Crockett]
Let me tell you something.

This Bolivian's heavy on our case,
so we got nothin' to lose.

Well, a dead man can't
give you what you want.

This Bolivian you're so scared of,
is that the same guy that
was over at the museum?

Yeah. He's the guy
whose coke you found.

Well, then he's the guy that's gonna
pay me my finder's fee, isn't he?

[Sighs]
Let me explain somethin' to you.

This Bolivian,
he don't mess around.

He probably don't even know
how to spell "mess around."

He's been known to whack people
for puttin' a scratch on his car.

Look, man, you're in no shape
to be collecting from anyone.

Why don't you give us what you found,
and we'll see if we can make it work?

I'm callin' the shots here.

Now, you guys watch my back,
maybe I'll cut you in for a little bit.

[Sighs]

We can't help you
if you don't know
what you found.

Let's talk.

[Door Opens]

[Door Closes]
Looks like payday.

So what do we do, bust him?
Take him downtown
and lean on him real good?

Dude might check out
before he rolls over.
I say we play him.

Who the hell is he?
He doesn't even know
who the Bolivian is.

Maybe I can get
some prints off of this.

I'll take it downtown
and meet you back at the boat.

Lieutenant, Sonny
took the old man to the boat.

And I'm not too happy about this,
but I think we're gonna have
to play along with his game...

in order to get next to
the Bolivian's supply.

Put the deal back together
through Rickles.

Crockett asked about
the museum guard's family.

No one's claimed the body.

If his mind's somewhere else,
I want him off the case.

I'll let you know.

No, no, no.
That's one half hour, Rickles.

You meathead.

I used to run the Gulf in
that speedboat's granddaddy.

What this guy Rickles
have to say?

We're on our way to meet with him
to discuss your finder's fee.

Well, where's your partner?

He's on his way here.
Somebody to look after you.

Look after me?
Hell, I'm runnin' this operation.

Now wait a minute.

This guy doesn't know you.
And if you spook him,
there'll be blood everywhere.

Well, I'll follow in your partner's car,
but if this joker from the museum is there,
I wanna see him.

The old man wants you
to pay a finder's fee.

Burnett and Cooper are coming
over here to talk about it.

Half hour.

What do you want me to tell them?

[Line Clicks, Dial Tone]

Burnett and Cooper-
[Speaking Spanish]

[Spanish]
Either they deal him over to us,
or they're out of business.

Said no deals.
Just kill them.

(Fly On The Windscreen - Depeche Mode)

Jose, Raoul.
[Spanish]

Sounds a little thin to me.

- Aah, Crockett!
- [Gunfire]

[Tires Squealing]

[Gunfire Continues]

[Horn Honking]

[Gunfire Continues]

He's still breathing.
Shoot him.

Ah, to hell with him.
Let him die slow.

(Fly On The Windscreen - Depeche Mode)

Hey, we were gonna talk.
Oh! You-

You set us up.
What are you talking about?

[Groans, Coughs]

Hey, you know that's not me.
I don't make hits. I make deals.

Then make one right now.

[Coughs]
Okay, just let me breathe.

[Coughing Continues]
I'm on your side.

I wanna move those 50 keys
as bad as you, but it won't happen
unless the Bolivian gets his property back.

That ain't hard.
The old man's got it
and wants to make a deal.

This finder's fee's a deal breaker.
Can't you take it from him?

Excuse me,
but this is my deal.
Aaah!

You tell your boss if he don't
come see me face-to-face,
I'm gonna sell his stuff on the street,

and there won't be no 50-key deal.

Now you hit the ground runnin'.

What happened?
Wouldn't pay their check?

Chumps.
What you got?

We I.D.'d the old man
off the prints from the gun.

What's his name?
Jake Pierson.

Lives in one of them old traps
down in South Beach.

You okay?
Mm-hmm.

Gina, why don't you take
the old man back to the boat?

Sonny.

We got the old man's
apartment.

What the hell's going on
over there?

Oh, they got some other business
to take care of.

Come on. Let's go to the boat.

I won't be a bother.

You talked me into it.

What kind of a neighborhood
is this?

Need an exterminator
for these people down here.

The Royal Hotel, darling.
I think we're close.

Let's ask this fellow.
Uh, excuse me.

Uh, sir, could you tell us
where the Royal Hotel is?

This is it.

That's the sundeck
you're standin' on.

This here is the health spa.

I like it.

You think maybe you could tell us
where the manager might be?

[Bell Dinging]
[Exhales]

Okay, what can I do for you?
Are there any letters for me?

Honey, now, I gave you
your mail already.

We got a warrant to, uh,
search Jake Pierson's room.

Is that for me?
No. Uh, they're
police officers.

Oh, my.

- With that gut?
- Maybe it's bulletproof.

- I hope so.
- [Chuckles]

To protect and serve.

What's the bag for?
Therapy.

'Cause I can't afford a psychiatrist.

[Laughs]
I'll get you Pierson's key.

Did Pierson ever mention anything
about a room at the Excelsior?

Excelsior? Ha!
Poor guy can't afford this place.

How long's he lived here?
Oh, let me think now.
Oh, about 10 years.

Hell of a place for a dealer.
Yeah.

[Door Closes]

Who is this guy?

Or who was he?

Anybody see a litter box?
Or this guy's eating cat food.

Sonny, look at this.

Oh, liver.
My personal favorite.

"One Riot, One Ranger."

Read about this
when I was a kid.

What's it mean?

This old man was
a Texas Ranger.

Take a look at this derby.

Look, guys, there is
no briefcase in this room.

Uh, there's a phone call
from a Lieutenant Castillo.

I'll take it.

Wow.

Check it out.

This is how he paid for
the Excelsior Hotel room.

He pawned
a 1936 Colt Peacemaker
this morning.

Whoo. This guy should
open a museum.

These guys were legends.

And now they're
cocaine cowboys.

Gotta change with the times,
I guess.

Somethin' tells me that's
not this old man's game.

Doesn't click.
There's a piece missing
from this whole thing.

Why would an old dude
from a dump like this
be doggin' a drug deal?

You're just hung up
'cause the old man was a cop.

Not just a cop.
He was a captain in the Texas Rangers.

Was, man. Was.

Uh-uh, pal. When you're a Ranger,
you're a Ranger for life.

These guys were handpicked
by the attorney general ofTexas.
They were heroes.

Guys like Bill McCulloch,
Bigfoot Wallace.

Frank Hamer was the guy
that got Bonnie and Clyde.

You're right. The old man was pretty cool
when the hit from that van came down.
He held his own.

I'm telling you. These guys could
ride into hell with a bucket of water.

They used to send one Ranger in
to clean up an entire town.

Backup was on his hip.

Now we find one peddling
two keys of blow.

For what? His retirement fund?

If you really wanna know,
why don't you just ask him?

I intend to.
Where you gonna be?

I'm gonna be with Castillo,
puttin' the squeeze on that chump
that drove that hit van.

Make sure you ask him
if he's got collision.

[Laughs]

The hit man's driver rolled all the way over
before they took him into surgery.

What'd he give you?
Everything.

Uh, the witness'll be out of surgery
in two hours.

Four around-the-clock guards.

Thank you.

Take the Bolivian
as soon as he surfaces.

We're not gonna try to get him
with the 50 keys?

We got a murder one conviction
off the driver's statement.

Well, what about the old man?

He goes down for possession.

Beautiful boat. Beautiful cars.

You're a beautiful lady.

Y'all kind of got life beat
around here, don't you?

No. We're just trying
to be good losers.

That ain't no life.
[Phone Rings]

Yeah.

No. I'll tell you when
and I'll tell you where, Rickles.

- Give us a little privacy.
- It's a small boat.

Take a walk.

Yes.

Well, I'll be looking
for you too, Rickles.

So what's the plan?

No plan.

I'm just gonna go visit a dead friend.

You won't be there,
so what's it to you?

Just got the call from Rickles.

And?
I don't know.
Maybe he'll talk to you.

Yeah, he might.

What's your game, Pierson?

What the hell are you
doing in my room?

I'm trying to survive.

You want to talk about surviving,
you ought to wear one of these for a while.

Got a motto written
on a statue in Dallas.
You know what it says?

"One Riot, One Ranger."
How'd you know that?

Read it in a book
when I was a kid.

Did you also read we were
the toughest lawmen in the world?

Well, sir, that was probably true
back then.

But the game has changed,
old-timer.

And this is Miami.

Around here,
you can't tell the players
without a program.

Hell, I've handled tougher customers
than those fancy-pants dealers
that you run around with.

[Laughs]

Yeah, I read about it.
Uh, the Rujeros Gang.
Is that right?

Yeah, me and my partner
wiped 'em out.

They was bringing guns
up from Juárez.
We were just waiting for 'em.

Me and my partner stood toe-to-toe
with seven of those boys.

All we had was our Peacemakers...

to load and fire,
to load and fire.

Rujeros had one of those tommy guns
he and his boys were trying
to pepper us with.

Suddenly, Roy yelled, "Jake, look out!"

And he stood up,
and he took the bullet
that would've killed me.

I've spent the rest of my life
trying to make that up to him.

Took care of his wife,
raised his son like he was my own.

But part of me died with Roy.

I hear that.

Did a stretch in Southeast Asia.

I lost some pals there.

I-I lost everybody.

Is that why you ended up
on this side of the law?

What's your excuse?

[Scoffs]
I know your type, Burnett.
You're a dealer.

You got two friends:
Yourself and your gun.

And I know your type too:

A cop that sells out on his badge.

Well, sometimes the low road
can take you places that
the high road can't.

Where's this meet gonna take place?

Wrote it down over there on a pad.

[Gunshot]

[Engine Starts]

Look. He spilled some paint.

[Knocking]
Come in.

You all right, Mr. Pierson?
Yeah, I just slipped
gettin' off the bus.

Hey, that wound
looks pretty bad.
It's okay. Do me a favor, will you?

Yeah, sure.
Mail this envelope for me,
and, uh, keep that for yourself.

Oh, this is not necessary.
It's okay. I'm fine.

Hey, he took his costume
and left.

I can just see him riding off
into the sunset with a posse.

[Switek]
At his age?

Damn it.

Damn it.

The old man's gone,
the Bolivian's gone, the meeting's gone.
Everything's gone to hell.

Not going too far.
Old man lost some blood.

Here. He left this
with the manager.

I must be losin' it.

"This badge belongs to
Vince Wilson's father.

Please bury him with it."

Wilson. He was the narc
from San Antonio
with the Peterbilt truck.

He was working the Bolivian
until he showed up dead
two months ago.

That old man hasn't disappeared.

Vince Wilson was his partner's son,

and he's gone to shoot it out
with the guys that killed him.

Where would he set the meet?

Said he was going
to visit a dead friend.

Where'd they bury Wilson?

(State Of Emergency - Cactus World News)

[Knocking]

Perimeter's in place,
Lieutenant.

Hold your positions.

Synchronize, 5:20.

Did the old man show?
We don't know. They were already
in the cemetery when we arrived.

When are we going in?
We're not.

If the Bolivian's not inside,
we'll have to tail his people out.

What about the old man?

We're here for Mendez.

Then let me go in.

I'll let you know
if the Bolivian's inside.

They're expecting Burnett,
so I won't blow the tail.

That old man was a good cop,
Lieutenant.

You wire.

(State Of Emergency - Cactus World News)

He's here. Everybody move.

Hold it!

[Groans]

[Groaning Continues]

I'm a cop. I'm a cop.

I knew that all along.

Resync By Chuck :O