Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 1, Episode 1 - Go Fight City Hall... to the Death - full transcript
A woman dies, her neck broken. Police locate an obvious suspect but Quincy remains skeptical. Assistant Controller Marcus hangs himself but his perimortem injuries only further convince Quincy that all is not as it appears. What he cannot understand is why City Hall seems so uninterested in finding this particular murderer...
Who's he?
(Audrey) Never mind.
Just do what he says.
Who's he? Who are you?
Quincy, coroner's office.
He saved the kid's life.
Who's the medical examiner?
Quincy.
Oh, no.
I am the presiding
medical officer.
If I tell you you've got a homicide,
buddy, you've got a homicide!
Oh, I don't believe
it. If you can't find
a dead body handy,
you dig one up.
That kind of talk
is very dangerous.
Dangerous?
(Quincy) Jump!
(Lee) No.
[waves breaking]
[seagull cawing]
I want to thank you.
Are we being a little formal?
No, I mean for everything.
I couldn't have
done it without you.
I love you.
That makes it hard.
[chuckling] That
sounded kind of final.
I just wanted you
to know that I cared.
[moaning]
(Dianne) Steve. Steve,
you're hurting my neck!
[Dianne groaning] Steve! Steve!
[seagull cawing]
You call it, honey.
Should we shoot
across to Bora Bora
or dip down across Papeete?
I think Bora Bora
could be a bit drafty.
Drafty? In the tropics?
(Lee) I meant below deck.
(Quincy) I could promise,
in a couple of months,
I'd have the boat fixed
and everything like that.
Takes a lot of time to
restore a beauty like this.
Want chili on your dog?
You bet.
I know what you're thinking.
You're thinking I'll
never get around to it?
I don't make any more promises.
Because when you do,
you end up feeling guilty
and apologizing for
the rest of your life.
(Lee) What you're
really talking about is us.
As far as I'm concerned,
we have no obligations
to each other.
You can come and go as you wish.
[telephone ringing]
Well, answer it.
(Quincy) Oh, I
don't believe it, Sam,
I'm sorry, Quince.
Well, can't you get
somebody else?
I'm working on a sunset
you wouldn't believe.
I tried. But
Browdman's already out.
You're on call.
All right, what is it?
Well, maybe it
won't take so long.
It's just down the
coast from you.
A homicide.
Give me directions, will you?
I'm sorry.
No apologies, remember?
Yeah, but you
probably had to trade
with a girl to get
the time for a date.
Oh, no, I don't
trade with the girls.
Being one of the oldest
active airline stewardesses,
they have to
reschedule entire flights
around my social life.
It's a company rule.
Listen, uh, I'll tell
you what you do.
You go down there,
you arrange everything.
Get it all comfy and cozy.
And I'll be back before
you can finish your hot dog.
Oh, honey, I know you're mad.
[siren blaring]
(Quincy) Coroner's
Case Number 76, 10835.
Jane Doe, 143.
External findings:
Contused cervical
abrasion right of midline.
Nails clean and well-kept,
no fractures present,
No prominent defense wounds
present on hands or forearms.
An old shin contusion present,
Note: Material
adhering to sole of foot.
[police radio chattering]
[siren wailing]
(officer) Good evening.
Good evening, Brill.
Well, what do we have?
All the signs of
a textbook rape.
Who's the medical examiner?
Quincy.
Oh, no.
Is this all she had
with her? Yeah.
Bathing-suit top here, uh,
pack of cigarettes in the pocket.
That's about it. You
know, nothing special.
Well, wh-what I mean
is that there didn't
seem to be anything
especially... special...
Pack of cigarettes in her
pocket, you notice the brand?
Yeah, they're, uh...
I... I was very, very careful.
Evening, Quincy.
Nice to see you.
Well, what does
it look like to you?
It looks like you still
haven't told your men
what not to do at the
scene of a homicide.
I suppose we've obliterated
the fatal scientific clue
that could have nailed
this rapist in his tracks.
We may never know, Lieutenant.
Look, Quincy, I work with other
medical examiners all day, all week.
They don't get in my way, I don't get
in theirs, and we solve a lot of cases.
In other words, they stay out
of the way of my detectives.
I don't let my boys put their
fingers in your cotton-picking swabs.
I was wondering
how she got here.
Didn't you ever hear
of public transportation?
[chuckling] In Los Angeles?
Now, Quincy, stop trying to make
out of this more
than a simple rape.
I never knew there
was such a thing.
You know what I mean.
I know what you mean.
(Brills) We've got a live
one not far from here.
There might be a
connection. All right, let's go.
(Officer) Naturally, with
an APB on the murder
down at the beach,
we took pursuit.
I did what I thought
was right, Lieutenant
Take it easy!
He's in shock.
Two bullet wounds.
He's hemorrhaging internally.
When you get him on the
road, start pumping the plasma.
Kid's in pretty bad shape.
What's he supposed to have done?
He assaulted and murdered
that girl down the beach.
You clutching at straws?
This officer spotted the kid just
after he had stashed the purse
in a gasoline station,
in the men's room.
That's purse snatching, maybe.
No, there's a wallet
inside the purse.
A picture of a very pretty girl,
the girl we left
down on the beach.
Was there any
more questions, Doc?
Yeah, how you gonna justify
pumping that kid full of lead,
if he isn't the one who killed
that girl, and I don't think he is.
Oh, is this your opinion,
or a medical fact?
Right now, it's an opinion.
I think he's too small to
have subdued that girl.
Oh, now who's
clutching at straws?
Look, a guy gets all worked
up, he can be awfully tough.
Besides, who said he was alone?
Look, Doc, if you get any more
brainstorms, put them in writing, will you?
Through channels.
Sam! Sam, you in there?
(Sam) Yeah. Good.
It's 3:00 in the morning.
I'll get you for this, Quincy.
It was very important.
They bring in the girl yet?
She's in prep.
Set up a latent print lift.
Done.
What else would you be going
for at this hour of the morning?
We've got about as
much chance as a...
Chinaman in hell?
Quincy, that's a slur
against the Chinese.
I keep on telling
you, I'm Japanese.
What's the difference?
C'mon... Oh, wait. I'll be right
with you. I gotta make a phone call.
(Sam) At 3:00 in the morning?
Who do you hate
this much? Astin?
Not even close.
[telephone ringing]
Yeah?
Listen, honey, I'm sorry. I
had to run down to the lab.
There's one chance
in 1,000 that I can lift
a fingerprint off a
murder victim's neck.
See, it's a new technique I've been
pioneering and, well, it could be vital.
Well, don't apologize.
I understand.
I know I should've
called you sooner.
You said up front,
no commitments, no obligations.
I would like to
go back to sleep.
There you go. I woke
you up, I forgot, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to, Lee.
I didn't... Lee. Lee!
Really got her mad, huh?
Furious. But she won't admit it.
She smiles at everything I do.
Never complains.
She's driving me nuts.
Come on, let's see if we
can find the girl's killer.
Okay, patch it up on the screen.
Right index finger, go in on it.
Next finger.
[groans]
(Sam) We were too late
to get a fingerprint, Quincy.
Even under optimum
conditions, it's a long shot.
Still, we have an outline
of the killer's hands.
Looks big.
You know what Monahan would say?
That only proves she
didn't strangle herself.
(Astin) Good
morning, Lieutenant.
Oh, really? When
did that happen?
Last night?
Oh, I could promise
that within an hour.
Uh, let me see who handled
that call last night. It was, uh...
It was, uh, Dr. Quincy.
No, no, no, Lieutenant,
I... I gave you a deadline
and I will stand by it.
No, I will be in touch.
Uh, Sylvia, would you
tell Dr. Quincy that, uh...
Well, Sylvia, never
mind. I-I'll tell him myself.
(man) Quincy, is this your case?
(Collins) Naturally,
we're all bereaved
by this senseless
death that has taken
one of our most loyal
and beloved workers.
But we must commend
the police department
for the efficient
and diligent manner
in which it continues to
make lawlessness unprofitable,
under this mayor's
administration.
Thank you.
A girl dies and
they hold a rally.
(newsreader) Meanwhile, a new
development on the City Hall murder,
A young transient, Peter Gordon,
was apprehended by
police shortly before dawn
not more than 3 miles
from where Dianne
Johnson's body was found
brutally assaulted, a
few short hours before,
The boy was shot
resisting arrest,
In other news today...
Looks like they're sure
they have their man.
Bright kid. Assaults a girl, then
flees the scene at 3 miles an hour.
Morning. Morning, Sam.
Morning, Dr. Astin.
Morning, Dr. Quincy.
Dr. Astin.
I, uh, just got a call
from It. Monahan.
Well, naturally,
I assured him...
My report is not ready, sir.
But I understand that
we've been working all night.
Surely, we've arrived at the
cause of death and the mode.
We have, sir.
Well, good. Then I'll just...
No. We'll just
have to wait, sir.
Now, Dr. Quincy,
you may not feel
that it's necessary
to maintain diplomatic channels
with our police department but I
am charged with the responsibility...
Of supplying complete
and accurate information,
which we just don't
have right now.
Not if you spend
all night wasting time
on that... that... that
experimental fingerprints-
off-the-human-tissue theory of yours.
That is not theory, Doctor,
that's fact. I've proven it twice.
Neither effort proved
to be admissible in court.
Neither case demanded
the assailant's fingerprints
on his victim's body.
This one might.
Well, I didn't realize that...
Well, uh, what did
we come up with?
Well, uh,
we were late.
The salt air, the sand,
the oils from the fingerprint...
They were gone.
Gone!
I will tell Monahan that
the girl died of strangulation,
was assaulted.
And that will be that.
Don't forget the broken neck.
It was snapped like a dry
twig by powerful hands.
I'll mention it.
Uh, Sam?
Yes, sir.
The...
The Lieutenant would like a
blood type on the alleged assailant
to be sure that it matches with the
semen smears taken from the victim.
Why don't you check it out?
Read this.
I'm sorry, Quincy.
Well, listen, thanks for trying.
About that blood type, forget
about it. I'll take care of it.
I don't know. He
seemed to want me to...
Sam, what is this, coolie labor?
Can't expect a man to
work all day and all night.
Now you go home
and get some sleep.
That's an order!
Banzai.
You're welcome.
Dr. Quincy, coroner's office.
I'm here in reference
to a Peter Gordon.
You're early. He's still alive.
Things are a little slow.
(Audrey) Take
this to Dr. Morgan.
May I see his chart, please?
You have to speak to
Dr. Stone. He's the resident.
Well, all I really want is his
blood type. You know what that is?
Could have phoned
for a blood type.
(Quincy) I was hoping I might
be able to speak to the patient.
I didn't know the coroner's
office was into live patients.
Oh, we are into things, my
dear, that would astound you.
Not around here. This is
the intensive care ward,
in case you hadn't noticed.
Yeah, I noticed. It is
rather intense around here.
[chuckling]
[monitor beeping]
Cardiac emergency.
Get Dr. Stone.
You have to leave.
Your Mr. Gordon is dying.
Where's Dr. Stone?
He's on a break.
I had him paged.
(Audrey) Get me 1 cc of epinephrine
and some calcium gluconate.
Make it 2 cc, and move it!
Who's he?
(Audrey) Never mind.
Just do what he says.
Give me those paddles!
Who's he?
Give me some juice!
You got it up to maximum? Right!
Give it to me again!
(Quincy) Give it to me again!
[cardiogram beeping]
[sighing]
That seems to be stabilizing.
You better get your lab
work done right away.
Who's he? Who are you?
Quincy, coroner's office.
Coroner's office?
He saved the kid's life.
Yeah, well.
Give me your city number.
I have to fill out 50
forms over this mess.
Sorry to have caused
you all that trouble, Doc.
Lieutenant. (Monahan) Quincy.
You didn't have to deliver it
in person. There was no rush.
There might be.
The blood types
match. The kid did it.
No, no, no. That's why
I came over personally.
Now this report only shows
that the kid could have done it.
There are 3 million people out in
this city with the same blood type.
But they weren't found
with the victim's purse.
Maybe he found the
body, ripped off the purse.
Quincy, why are you doing this to
me, huh? It's an open-and-shut case.
Wait till you see this. Then let's see
what you gotta say. How about that?
What's this?
It's an outline of the killer's
hand on Dianne Johnson's neck.
Now this is an outline
of Peter Gordon's hand.
You see how small
this is, how large this is?
Whoa, whoa, hold on, Quincy. Look,
I may not be a super sci-boy sleuth,
but I do know that a hard force
against a pliable surface
does not leave a
representative imprint.
Did you ever walk on the beach?
Look at your
footprints in the sand.
They're like a giant's.
You're not even gonna
try, are you, Lieutenant?
Sure, there's reasonable
enlargement, but this isn't reasonable.
Look at the difference!
You're not being reasonable.
Will you have pity on me?
I got cases up to here.
Let me get at them.
One more page. Do me a favor.
Read that page.
Go ahead, please.
Quincy, this isn't a medical
report, it's a Consumer's Digest,
What's this about
cigarette packages?
The victim was carrying a pack of
cigarettes when she was murdered.
Medically speaking,
this offends you?
Medically speaking, I thought it
might be important for you to know
that based on an
examination of the girl's lungs,
she didn't smoke.
What's that got to
do with anything?
If they weren't Dianne's cigarettes,
whose cigarettes were they?
It isn't logical that
the rapist asked her
to hold his cigarettes for him.
Rapists don't jump out from
underneath the pier only on TV.
Nine times out of 10,
it's somebody the victim
has picked up in a bar,
sitting on a bench. You name it.
It always starts out as a
nice, sociable conversation.
Before you know it, the girl is
raped, or, in this case, dead.
Ordinarily I would agree
with you, Lieutenant,
but this kid is too small
to have snapped her neck!
And I'm telling you, I've seen
too many crimes of passion.
The kid did it. Now get
out of here. I got work to do.
[groans]
[door closes]
No, I'm not gonna
ask you how it feels.
Hurts like the dickens, right?
Why don't you tell
me what happened?
You're the one
that saved my life?
I was here.
Too bad!
You're welcome.
You want me to thank
you for letting me live?
You ever been to a place
where they do hard time?
I've been there.
They like them young.
I got a great life ahead of me.
You're really feeling sorry
for yourself, aren't you?
Wouldn't you? No.
Not after I just ripped off a
dead persons belongings, no!
Hey, I thought you
wanted to help me.
That's right, I don't like
to see anybody become
a patsy for a crime
they didn't commit,
but that doesn't
mean I like you.
You're a punk kid who would rip
off a buck wherever you would get it
and I hope they nail you for it!
I'll try to see they don't nail
you for what you didn't do!
Why? Not because of you!
But because somebody
took a beautiful young life
and they snuffed it out.
And I don't want
them to get away with it
because our system was
able to lay it off on you!
Don't forget to shine your halo!
[door closes]
[sighing]
(Quincy) I'm Dr. Quincy,
from the coroner's office.
Is the Deputy Mayor in?
Don't tell me,
you can't get in to see the
mayor, so you're trying an end run?
Are you the end?
I'm not bad.
Listen, if I promise to go
away and leave you alone,
will you answer a
question for me?
What is it? How well did
you know Dianne Johnson?
Another fan club is heard from.
You forgot your Dianne
Johnson T-shirt this morning?
What did I do?
What can you want from
her now? She's dead.
There are a few things I wondered
about, like, did she smoke?
Body beautiful?
Was she a health freak?
I'd like to say she
never put anything
in her body that wasn't
organically grown,
but I couldn't do it
with a straight face.
Am I being overly sensitive?
Or do I detect a lack of
sentimentality for the deceased?
She was the pushiest
broad I ever met.
I hated her guts the
day she moved in.
And did she move in.
Was she here long?
Three months.
But she made the most of them.
Any regular boyfriends?
Dianne had a strict policy of
always mixing business with pleasure.
How do you think
she jumped so fast
from that little squirrel
to the mayor's office?
Squirrel? Her first
boss, Mr. Marcus.
He made a fool of
himself, he still isn't right.
[intercom buzzing]
Yes?
There's a gentleman to see you
from the coroner's office, Mr. Marcus.
Well, is it important? I
mean, I'm terribly busy.
(Marcus) He'll have to make a
more convenient appointment.
We're investigating
a case, Mr. Marcus,
a possible homicide.
(Quincy) if it would
be convenient,
I can come back anytime you say.
Tell Miss Tolan to make you a
more convenient appointment.
Preferably tomorrow.
And make it late in the day.
Yes, sir.
Very personable. Did
you ever meet him?
I mean face to face.
Mr. Quincy, this is a city hall.
And Mr. Marcus is a very busy
and a very important person.
City Hall, wow!
I almost forgot where
I was for a minute.
I'm still a little nervous
about working here myself.
I'll bet.
Um, how about 4:00
tomorrow afternoon?
Oh, 4:00 will be fine.
Do you mind if I
check in with my office?
We just got a new patient in
today, came in this afternoon.
You said you were
with the coroner's office.
Doesn't that mean all
your patients are dead?
Well, I have to make sure he
didn't die of something serious.
Something terrible has happened.
I'm really frightened.
Hello, is somebody on this line?
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Marcus.
I didn't know you
were on this line.
I'll see you tomorrow at 4:00.
(Quincy) I frightened him,
Do you see the
significance in that?
The guy has got
something he's trying to hide,
I think I'm on the right road.
Of course, you are.
You want to open the
wine or toss the salad?
Toss the salad? Lee,
you're not listening.
I'm talking about a homicide, a
boy's life that could be in my hands.
Tonight?
I realize it's important, but there's
nothing more you can do about it tonight.
You do have to eat,
keep up your strength,
if you're gonna be
any good to anybody.
I have gone to a
great deal of trouble.
Yes, you have. I'm sorry.
I just can't seem to unwind.
I keep thinking about all those
loose ends nobody cares about.
Monahan's so worried
about that avalanche
of paperwork and cases.
Astin is scared he'll
pick out the wrong tie
to go to a board meeting with.
They're worried
about little obligations
and their mortgages
and... and, uh...
What?
Look at this!
Honey, I was so into
myself I didn't really realize
what wonderful
things you had done!
The food and the
table and the wine.
Cabernet... How
did you say that?
Sauvignon.
Sauvignon. '69, wow!
The wine is perfect, the food
is perfect, the table is perfect,
candles are perfect,
the little flower's perfect
and, of course, you're perfect.
You're not going to
get away with it, Lee.
What are you talking about?
This is not our deal, remember?
No strings, no involvement,
just plain, simple friends!
Oh, I don't believe this.
You're gonna stand here
and make a fuss over
my making a fuss?
I like to make a fuss.
It makes me feel
good to make a fuss.
Don't you want me to feel good?
Lee, don't you see? Don't you see
how you're twisting the words around?
Fuss is the operative word here!
If you make a fuss,
I become special.
I don't wanna be special.
I just wanna be your pal!
[telephone ringing]
So answer the phone, pal.
I'm sure it's for you.
Why should it be for
me? I don't live here.
It's probably one of your
boyfriends and you're embarrassed.
You shouldn't be embarrassed.
Hello, yeah, just a minute.
What are you calling
me here for, Sam?
Quincy, I've been looking
all over town for you.
What am I supposed to do, leave a trail
of breadcrumbs? Besides, I'm off tonight.
I know that.
And I'm sticking
my neck out a mile,
but I knew you'd want to
take this one personally.
You're crazy! Why would I?
It's Harold Marcus!
My Harold Marcus?
Yeah. The city controller
you were telling me about.
He's just been found
dead in his apartment.
Murdered?
That's what you're
supposed to find out.
You're the medical examiner.
You're very funny,
you know that?
Okay, thanks, Sam,
[whistling]
That was Sam.
Very important development.
Yeah, I really ought to go.
You know, really important.
Wow!
Boy, that's terrific, honey.
Does it freeze well?
I'm sure glad we have, you know,
the kind of relationship we have.
No explanations, no
apologies, you know.
Pals.
[sighing]
He was a wonderful tenant.
Never even made a sound.
All right, you just
relax, dear. Quincy.
You gonna give us a
hint, or do I have to wade
through one of your reports?
The neck was
broken like a hanging.
The body was
positioned like a hanging.
All outward appearances
would indicate a hanging.
Will your report list the
cause of death as suicide?
Homicide.
Homicide?
Made to look like suicide.
How can you be sure?
Lieutenant, when a person hangs,
the vertebrae
separate by elongation.
They pull apart.
Marcus's fourth and fifth
vertebrae were snapped.
Wait a minute.
You don't mean the way Dianne
Johnson's neck was broken last night?
Hey, Lieutenant, you
could be on to something.
Look, put it in writing. If I think
you got something, we'll follow up.
Now you're talking...
The boys who went to
Marcus's office called.
And? Suicide, all right.
They found a note in Marcus's
handwriting. His secretary identified it.
The office was locked. He had to
have left it there before going home.
Suicide is medically impossible.
The vertebrae would
have been elongated!
So are your theories, Quincy.
Do me a favor. Stop
playing detective.
You're a doctor, okay?
Come on, Brill.
[people chattering]
[telephone ringing]
Want to freshen it up?
No.
What've you got for a headache?
How bad?
Terminal.
Oh, I still got some of those
painkillers you prescribed for my back.
Do you any good?
Yeah, I can now
press 200 pounds.
How many?
Hey, that reminds
me. You know, my wife,
she's got tonsillitis again.
Her throat is dry, she can't...
I know. I know.
(Danny) Oh, Doc,
when I bring those doilies
into the pharmacist he, uh...
But I don't have anything.
I got some prescription pads.
Picked them up at
the stationary store.
Look at that, huh?
I don't believe it.
Uh, you're aces, Doc.
Uppers or downers?
Load levelers.
How are tricks, Marilyn?
How can you sell it when
everybody's giving it away?
May I buy the
young lady a drink?
I don't mind if I do.
Relax, Marilyn.
This guy is only interested
in bodies that are dead.
I heard about guys like you.
What is it they call it?
Pathology.
It's pathetic.
Hey, excuse me, honey.
You're into
weightlifting, right? Yeah.
How hard would it be to lift
a dead body over your head?
See what I mean? Dead bodies.
Come on.
Hey, wait a minute.
That's bulk weight.
That's tough. Why
would anybody want to?
To reach the noose,
make it look like suicide.
(Danny) No kidding.
How big would the
body have to be?
About Marilyn's size.
No, you're better off
hoisting her up on a rope.
But that would leave marks along
the beam and slivers along the rope.
The murderer wanted to make sure
there wasn't a trace
of a body being hoisted.
So he lifted it into the noose.
I figure the guy had to
be very, very big, right?
I think I can lift
somebody her size.
Let's try.
Not in here.
My place.
Hey, whatever you
fellas got in mind, forget it!
Marilyn, wait a minute.
This guy's a very
important official.
Now wouldn't you like to
participate in a murder case?
What do I get to be, the corpse?
Yeah.
Goodbye. Oh, Marilyn, Marilyn.
Let's buy Marilyn another drink.
Look, no matter how
drunk you guys make me,
I'm still not going
to change my mind.
Besides,
I never drink alone.
(Marilyn and Quincy) ♪ We're
gonna go home in the morning ♪
♪ We're gonna go
home in the morning ♪
♪ And start drinking
all over again N
(Danny) That's okay with me.
[Quincy laughing]
[Marilyn laughing]
Ordinarily, I get
my money up front.
[laughing] Oh, yeah.
Where does this go to?
It goes right on up to the deck.
The deck?
Ah, yes.
Oh!
It's a boat.
[laughing]
He lives on an
ever-loving yacht?
Welcome aboard.
[gasping]
I just love boats.
Okay. Okay, Danny, go ahead.
Go limp, Marilyn,
don't fight him. Go limp.
Attaboy, go ahead.
I hate to tell you fellas this,
but we're gonna
have to turn back.
I'm getting seasick.
I don't think I
can do it, Quincy.
(Quincy) Now that
proves my point, Danny!
Marcus' killer must have had
almost super-human strength.
Why, it's impossible
for an ordinary man to lift
a dead body up this
high into a noose.
Impossible!
Are you sure it was this high?
Maybe he had help.
Let me give you a hand.
We'll do it together,
okay? Okay.
(Quincy) All right.
Hold on, okay? (Danny) Yeah.
(Quincy) Here we go, got
it? Right. Up, here we go.
[Danny grunting] Good. Go
ahead. Attaboy! Here we go.
(Danny) Yeah, come on,
get in there. We can do it.
(Quincy) Hi, Lee.
What're you doing here?
Oh, Quincy, you're a sick man.
We're either looking
for multiple assailants
or a giant of a man capable
of great feats of strength.
I, personally, lean to
the giant theory. Mmm?
Well, the way the two
necks were snapped.
See, the neck is far more
durable than most people think,
plus the fact that it would be
impossible for a normal human being
to lift a... a body into a
noose 10 feet in the air
without help.
Oh, I suppose you've some
expertise in lifting dead bodies?
Part of our basic
training, Lieutenant.
All right, I'll study
your conclusions
and pass them along to
the detectives in charge.
Was there anything else?
As a matter of fact, there is.
I was wondering about the
results of the cigarette pack.
Were there any fingerprints,
beside the cop's, I mean?
Yeah. Yeah, the dead
girl's, the police officer's
and some unidentifiable smudges
that could have
belonged to anybody,
including the salesgirl in
the store who sold them.
Or the murderer?
We got the murderer.
Peter Gordon.
But Peter Gordon couldn't
have murdered Harold Marcus.
He was in the hospital.
Quincy, Mr. Marcus
wasn't murdered.
He committed suicide.
Remember the suicide note?
Remember my report?
Suicide was
medically impossible?
Quincy, let it drop!
Let it drop? Is that what you
said? Lieutenant, let it drop?
Quincy, if you'll excuse
me, I got work to do, huh?
Wait a minute, whoa here!
I am the presiding
medical officer.
If I tell you you've got a homicide,
buddy, you've got a homicide!
We'll see.
What is that supposed to mean?
We have another medical
examiner reviewing the case.
By whose authorization?
I suggest you check
back with your department.
You can bet your bottom
dollar that I'll do that...
Wait a minute.
Quincy, there are
only two possibilities.
Either you deliberately ignored
departmental practices
to involve yourself
where you do not belong,
or you're trying to connect
two unrelated deaths
in some misguided
effort to clear that boy.
Now, whichever it is,
don't get in my way again!
[telephone ringing]
There's always room for doubt.
Come on. Whoever wrote this
report is full of beans and you know it!
I did it.
You did it?
Who's leaning on you?
Quincy, Quincy,
are you suggesting...
No, no, no. I wouldn't
want to imply that somebody
waved the budget
under your nose.
But it is rather hard to
accept as coincidence,
the fact that bodies are
turning up all over City Hall,
assaulted, strangled, hanged,
and we're treating it
like a rash of head colds!
Hey, I suppose if a bus came
to rest on the mayor's chest,
we might issue a bulletin
against illegal parking.
Oh, that's really funny. You're
not even on this case anymore.
What am I wasting
my time for? Quincy.
It's a terrible loss.
I really don't want
to talk about it.
Cared a lot about
Mr. Marcus, huh?
Everyone did.
Not everyone.
Somebody killed him.
It was suicide.
Homicide.
I don't want to talk about it.
Peggy, I'm worried about you.
Me?
The pattern.
What pattern?
The girl on the
beach, Harold Marcus,
they both came from this office.
Golly. I hadn't
thought about that.
There's no need
to be superstitious.
I mean, bad things don't
have to happen in threes.
It wouldn't matter.
Good. I'm not
superstitious either.
Oh, I am. But it wouldn't
make any difference.
There's already been three.
Are you telling me a third
person died out of this office?
Oh, it was an accident, and
it happened a long time ago.
Over six months.
But that does make three.
Who? Who died?
The girl who worked here
before Dianne Johnson.
She died?
Not here.
Her prince charming
swept her away
from this desk on
the wings of a dove.
A dove?
A 747.
(Peggy) To Mexico.
That's where she died.
They said she was killed
instantly in the crash.
A plane crash?
No. Their car went
over a terrible cliff.
Was her fiancé killed, too?
No, he was very fortunate.
(Quincy) Did you ever talk
to him about the accident?
I never met him. I don't
know anyone who did.
We all thought
it was kind of odd
that he never came back
here to pick up any of her things.
Must have been too painful.
Peggy-Peggy, I want you
to listen to me very carefully.
Now, think hard.
Did you ever hear anyone discuss
the exact nature of her death?
Yeah. It was awful.
I don't want to talk about it.
Oh, Peggy, please. It's
very important, please!
Well...
When the car went off the cliff,
she was apparently strapped in.
They said she died
of a broken neck.
Quincy, what is so
special about this case?
Bob, my work is my life. Either I'll
do it right, or I'll hang it up for good!
You insist on pushing?
To the top.
This is Dr. Astin.
I would like to make an
appointment for Dr. Quincy
to meet with Deputy
Mayor Collins.
4:00? 4:00?
4:00 is fine.
4:00 will be fine.
Oh, yes, he'll be
there. Good. Thank you.
You're surprised?
Yeah, to tell you the truth.
We're all on the
same side, Quincy!
(Astin) It's just that
some of us have learned
to appreciate and
work within the system...
4:00. Now, just a
minute! I haven't finished!
One condition... Uh-huh.
You tell the mayor everything
you know about this case,
then you come back
here and you do your job,
and you let them do theirs.
You got yourself a deal.
(Collins) This is hard
to believe, Doctor,
Does anyone else
support your theories?
Oh, these aren't
theories, Your Honor.
The girl on the beach
had her neck broken.
It was made to look like rape.
Mr. Marcus had his neck broken.
It was made to
look like suicide.
Now there's a girl in Mexico
whose neck was broken.
I haven't checked it out.
But if I'm right,
it was made to look
like an accident, too.
How you guys scientifically figure
these things out is beyond me.
But isn't it, uh, normal
procedure for you
to work directly
with the police?
This isn't a normal case.
You use the word "case,"
but you were talking
about three separate murders.
With one common
denominator: City Hall.
Then you believe there
is definitely a connection?
Someone's telling
the police to lay off.
Any idea who that could be?
Nope. I'm more
interested in why.
Conspiracy's a nasty business.
I hardly know where to begin.
Uh, if I can be of any
help, just let me know.
You've done more than enough
already. I'll take the ball from here.
And I can't tell you
how grateful I am.
Oh, one more thing.
When you find out anything,
will you let me know right away?
A boy's life is on the hook.
In fact, other lives
may be at stake.
I have an important
conference tonight at 6:30
with the top people
of this administration.
This will be number
one on the agenda.
Thank you, sir.
N'[music playing]
(Jerry) Hi, everyone,
this is Jerry Doggett
and here we are back at
beautiful Dodger Stadium
for Game 1 of our double-header.
It'll be a short home
stand for the Dodgers
before going back
on the road again.
The last Dodgers stand, very
successful, they won 8 out of 9
and their last road trip
was also very successful,
they won 8 out of 11.
So 16 and 4 is the Dodgers
record for the last 20 ballgames.
The Dodgers have one more
road trip back to San Francisco.
And after they return from
San Francisco, they'll come back
for a 9-game home stand.
[crowd chattering]
My appointment was
canceled at the last minute,
so I decided to go the game.
You a season ticket holder, sir?
No, why?
This game has been
a sellout for weeks.
You know anything
about sellouts, Mr. Collins?
Look, Quincy, you're
into something here
that has to be
handled very carefully.
Or not at all.
It'll be handled.
By who? You?
I don't trust you.
Now you're being abusive.
Not very smart
for a city employee.
What are you going
to do, Mr. Collins?
Fire me?
That would be overkill.
And I don't personally get
involved with, uh, peanuts.
N'[music playing]
Conspiracy? (Quincy)
That's right, conspiracy.
Now just a minute. Isn't
this getting out of hand?
I'd say so. Three homicides,
nobody's doing anything.
Two homicides, one suicide...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
You in on it, Astin?
Quincy, I don't like
your tone of voice.
Oh!
Wait till you see it in print.
Doctor.
Oh, you still
recognize the term.
Oh, wow! That's really terrific!
Because that's
what you are, Doctor.
You're not a detective,
you're not a crime reporter,
and you're not a one-man posse
out to string up everybody in City Hall.
Quincy, Marcus
committed suicide,
that boy robbed and
murdered Dianne Johnson.
What happened in Mexico,
it's out of our jurisdiction.
It must be under
somebody's jurisdiction.
[door closing]
[typewriter clacking]
Peace?
Hey, you're looking better.
Yeah.
Couple more days, I'll be well
enough for them to take me to jail.
Keep eating the food here,
they'll never let you out.
How're we doing?
Oh, we're doing great. Great.
The odds drop?
What do you mean?
(Peter) We're off the
same street, remember?
Yeah, I wish we were back there.
At least then we knew
who we were fighting.
What happened?
I don't know.
I can't hear the splash.
It's a bottomless well.
It's a secret and I get the
feeling everybody's in on it but me.
And I'm still the fall guy?
That's why I came to see you. I
want you to know I'm still working on it.
I don't like being
pushed around.
I don't like it.
I don't like it, either.
I'll see you later.
Okay.
[knocking at door]
Where'd you get
them? At a funeral?
You know what's
the matter with us?
Yes, you.
We should get
away from everything.
Go to a place where a phone
call has to be a wrong number,
doctors do nothing
but deliver babies.
You know of such a place?
How's Mexico grab you?
You come into an inheritance?
Don't the airlines still give
free tickets to employees?
No, that's just for family.
Oh! Yeah.
We're brothers and
sisters under the skin.
[both laughing]
Crazy.
(Quincy) This is the
place I was looking for.
It's one of Mexico's most
exclusive honeymoon retreats.
Honeymoon retreats.
Oh, Quincy, it's beautiful.
Oh, you're a doll!
What're you doing?
Heading for our motel.
What's the matter with
this one? It's beautiful!
It should be. It's for
Mexican millionaires.
But I'm taking you
here for dinner.
Few questions I want
to ask the manager.
Well, where are we going?
To a place that has a
little touch of heaven.
[birds chirping]
[goats bleating]
Okay, honey. All set.
Where's the key?
You don't need any. There
are no locks on the doors.
Great atmosphere. I
mean, this is the real Mexico!
No turistas here.
Honey, you're not gonna
believe this, tips are included.
In what?
[donkey braying]
Honey, I-look. What I want
you to do is go inside, relax,
take a nap, and when I come back,
we'll go down the road for dinner.
You're not going
to leave me alone.
I have to make some inquiries.
About another motel?
About a lot of things.
Honey, now look, I want you to
go inside, relax, and enjoy yourself.
I'm relaxed.
Then you gotta let go.
♪ J'[music playing]
The people of the
village would be offended.
Tampering with the
dead is out of the question.
But there's a chance
the girl was murdered.
Murdered? Yes.
But how? No, no. I was at the
wreck. I checked her body myself.
Her boyfriend, too?
He was fortunate. I
only found bruises.
Doctor, was there anything
suspicious about them?
Why suspicious?
Maybe something
you didn't notice.
Something that seemed
unimportant at the time.
Doctor, if there was
something wrong to notice,
I would have noticed.
For your information,
I am fully trained.
In the usual sense of the
word I'm sure you are, sir, but
any doctor might miss the
kinds of things I'm talking about.
But not you, of course.
Well, I am trained differently.
It is my specialty,
like a pediatrician
or an obstetrician.
Exactly what is your training?
Paranoid training. Pathology.
I was taught never
to trust anything
and to disbelieve
everything else.
I take it for granted there's
something wrong at every autopsy.
Why?
Look, do you want
the bottom line?
The bottom line?
After you cut out all the bull.
Go ahead.
Okay.
There's one thing about
life I could never get used to.
That's the mystery of it.
Something goes tilt in me when
I see life dead before its time
and I wanna do
something about it.
I wanna find out who made
that terrible thing happen.
And most often,
the victim can point a
finger in the right direction
just as if it were still alive.
But only if we
know how to find it.
[bell tolling]
[birds chirping]
[dog barking]
[men speaking Spanish]
(Lee) Quincy.
Lee, what're you doing here?
Oh, I just happened to
be in town on a holiday.
Quincy, what are you
doing in this cemetery?
Doctor, go ahead.
It's all yours.
(Quincy) Thank you. Yours?
Yeah.
Oh, I don't believe
it. If you can't find
a dead body handy,
you dig one up.
She's a great kidder.
Don't do that!
[speaking Spanish]
N'[music playing]
Hi, honey. You okay?
You know what kind of
a person I am, don't you?
I can take anything.
But I've gotta hand it to you.
You've broken me.
I wanna go home.
Okay. I'm finished here, anyway.
What'd you find out?
Just in general, no details.
Well, she was dead
before the accident.
Well, then the accident
was a cover-up for murder?
Yep. By her boyfriend,
whoever he is.
What happened to him?
Well, he reported the accident,
stayed around for the burial,
just to make sure, then he left.
The name and address he gave
to the Mexican police was a phony.
I just checked it out with LA.
Hey, did you eat yet?
[speaking Spanish]
(Quincy) Here's
where it happened.
It's along drop.
Are you sure it couldn't have
happened during the accident?
No question about it. Come on.
Think it's the man who
killed the girl on the beach?
Most likely.
Necks were broken the same way.
Does that take strength,
or is meanness enough?
Takes strength, and a lot of it.
[car tires screeching]
(Quincy) Get down!
(Quincy) Jump!
(Lee) No!
(Quincy) Jump!
Lee! Lee!
Quince, over here!
(Quincy) Honey, you all right?
(Lee) I think I'm hurt.
How does it look?
Probably just a strained hip.
We'll know as soon as the
x-ray is developed. Pedro.
Please take Miss
Porter to her room now.
No, I can do it. No,
no, no, it is your turn.
My turn? I don't need an
x-ray. I am the doctor here now.
I would know if I had
something broken.
Bottom of the line, Dr. Quincy.
Bottom of the line.
I'll see you later.
[speaking Spanish] Okay, bye.
Well? Off with your shirt.
Oh!
(Carlos) You were
lucky today, Doctor.
Yeah, but the
truck driver wasn't.
This his stuff?
All we could recover. 10 pesos,
a sharp knife, and
an address book.
You see something? Yeah.
A US telephone number.
Maybe it's a relative.
No, I don't think so.
(Carlos) How can you be so sure?
Because it's my number.
Your number?
(Quincy) A lot
of ours. City Hall.
Any idea whose
extension this is?
Nope.
I don't think I ought to try
to find out from here, either.
When are you going?
Oh, wait. I mean,
you're here, I...
Hey, hey, hey. I
don't believe it. What?
Quincy on a guilt trip.
After all, I shouldn't have gotten
you involved in the first place.
Why shouldn't I
feel a little, kind of...
Well, I wanted to
come, remember?
I'll tell you what I could do.
I mean, it's up to you.
I could bring Monahan
everything I've got,
get back here as
fast as I can, I...
I'll be waiting.
(Lee) Quincy! What?
Your plane ticket.
What about it?
It's in the drawer.
You're terrific.
(Sam) Quincy, where've you been?
Astin's been looking
all over for you.
What do you mean
where have I been?
I've been working...
Quincy, Quincy, Quincy.
And where've you been?
You're the man
I've been looking for.
Yeah, but I'll do
the talking, Quincy.
You know, what it has
taken this department years
in developing organizational
duties and routine,
you are trying to
destroy and demolish
in a matter of days.
Would this be a
good time to discuss
my out-of-pocket
expenses in Mexico?
Dr. Quincy,
if you would condescend
to notice, the schedule.
We see here
six young police
recruits waiting patiently
since 9:00 for their
indoctrination lecture
on the medical
aspects of homicide.
You were scheduled to give it.
You are scheduled to
give it and you will give it,
and there will be
no more discussion
until this lecture is
given, and that is final!
Yes, sir.
And you will
observe the lecture,
and report to me if he
attempts to cut it short
in order to duck out of
here and play detective.
Sam, have somebody bring
the wagon out front in 10 minutes.
10? It usually takes
an hour-and-a-half.
Sam.
Gentlemen,
you are about to enter
the most important
and fascinating
sphere of police work,
the world of forensic medicine,
where untold victims
of many homicides
will reach back from the
grave and point their finger
accusingly at their assailant.
You see before you a man who
was found floating off Point Loma.
Unfortunately, he
was in the water
a few days before we found him.
Now, to determine the
exact cause of death,
we must examine
the vital organs.
This is going to be brutal.
Quincy's in a hurry.
(Quincy) Now, see, there
are many types of incisions,
but today I think
I'll try the lazy "S."
[gagging]
Leave him be! There'll be nobody to
baby-sit with them out in the streets.
You're policemen
now. That's the way it is.
This'd be hard to take for a
third-year medical student.
Horton!
And now, for the final phase.
[machine drilling]
[thudding]
Sam. See that
they're comfortable.
(Quincy) And are you sure
there's no record of the call?
(Jake) I'm sure.
Com. Bower's extension number
was in this man's address book.
It's in the phone book, too.
That doesn't mean everybody
who's got one calls him.
Mmm-hmm. May I
see that list, please?
Be my guest.
Thank you. That's
very nice of you.
You're welcome.
Uh-oh, what have we
here? I'll bet it's something
you don't do very often.
What?
Is that a mistake, right there?
Oh, I guess it is. I must have
written the wrong name down.
Or the right one?
Then why would I change it?
Because Com. Bower asked you to.
Think of it this way, Doctor,
if someone had
asked me to change
the name of this in-coming call,
why in the world would I
want to tell you who it was?
Oh, because you
didn't want to go to jail.
What?
Where's Com. Bower?
He's, uh, he's on vacation.
He won't be back until Monday.
And is he reachable?
Um, uh...
Hope I didn't keep you waiting.
Such a nice day, I didn't hurry.
It's all right. It's all
right. I understand.
You care for a little snort?
Oh, no, thank you,
Arnold. I never touch it.
[sighing]
Any problems?
Why, should there be?
It's easy for you to be so cool.
(Bower) Nobody
knows who you are.
Nobody knows
there's any connection
between you and
the stolen checks.
I'm on the firing line.
If anything goes
wrong, it's my head.
What can go wrong?
There are no leads to you.
Maybe, maybe not.
My secretary just phoned.
She said a Dr. Quincy
from Pathology
was in the office
asking questions.
(Chase) So let him ask.
There aren't any answers.
Every lead to you
and me is gone.
When will the checks be cashed?
I'll be in Switzerland
tomorrow morning.
Shouldn't be any problem
about them making the payments.
The pattern has been set
but let's make sure it clears
the Harbor Commission
international account
while I'm still on vacation.
Consider it handled.
[sighing]
Why did I get into
this in the first place?
Original sin.
Women. A man has
to have a weakness.
It's the best way to go.
Not if they belong to you.
Belonged.
You know, Arnold,
I was really
beginning to like you.
I really was.
[choking]
But like you said,
nobody else knows my
connection to the money,
but you and me.
[police siren wailing]
Is it true the police have
been watching Com. Bower?
Watching him? What for?
We've been hearing rumors of
a scandal surrounding City Hall.
Could this have
anything to do with it?
I was told it was
a diving accident.
Did you talk to the medical
examiner before you came?
What medical examiner?
(reporter) Dr. Quincy.
That's all I can
do for him here.
He's all yours.
But I'm gonna
want him back later.
What does it look like?
Wasn't an accident.
I suspect it's one more
in the City Hall chain.
His neck wasn't broken.
So what other concrete
proof have you got?
I'll discuss the connection
after I've done my lab work.
All right, Quincy,
look, I'm warning you,
now when you go over
there with them reporters,
you tell them nothin'. You
don't raise their suspicions,
don't let them in on
any of your guesses
or any other damn
thing, you get me?
I can give you something
for that blood pressure.
(Monahan) Quincy!
There are things going on.
I know. They keep
winding up on my lap.
We gotta keep the lid on this.
I can't tell you why
now, I'm under orders.
Whoever is giving the order is an
idiot, or maybe even a murderer.
That kind of talk
is very dangerous.
Dangerous?
What do you call mass
murder, Lieutenant?
Quincy!
Bye.
Quincy?
Comment ca va?
[laughing] This is
Mexico, not France.
Then this must be Lee.
How you feeling, honey?
Dr. Rivera says I'll be
fine in a few more days.
Hey, I just read the paper.
You must feel very important.
(Lee) You were right all along.
What paper? What're
you talking about?
The 30 missing checks.
(Lee) You mean, you don't know?
The City Hall's been
ripped off for $3 million.
(reporter) Are the deaths
of the two city hall women
connected to the missing checks?
Has murder definitely been
ruled out on Com. Bower?
We're investigating any and all
possibilities, boys. Now that's it.
Oh, come on, Lieutenant!
Okay, that's it. That is it!
[reporters clamoring]
We blew it.
Yes, you did!
When did you know
about the checks?
We found about it just after
the controller did himself in.
Oh, forgive me, was murdered.
Look, we started digging.
You were right, of course.
The lid was put on
at a political level.
That's probably what gave him
enough time to blow us out of the water.
When did he cash the checks?
This morning, Swiss time.
(Monahan) The guy had it
figured down to a gnat's whisker.
You know, he
must've spent months
sending that dish
through secretarial school.
Sending her in for a job when
he knocked off the other girl.
Swiss police gonna be any help?
What, the guy could be anywhere.
We don't have a clue.
Yes, we do.
Mmm?
He's big.
Mmm.
Yeah.
I'm going for a drink. You want
to join me? I guess I owe you one.
No, thanks. I got an
obligation in Mexico.
Hey, wait a minute. You
holding out something?
Yes, I am.
But she's got nothing to do
with getting you off the hook.
I'll be seeing you.
Uh, yeah.
Take your time.
(Quincy) You ready to go, Lee?
Yes. But I hate
leave exotic Mexico.
Oh, it was much more
than you promised.
So romantic, beyond
a girl's wildest dreams.
I'm sorry. Sorry?
How could it have been better?
We exhumed a body
from the graveyard,
had ourselves a
real, live autopsy,
and then to top it off,
with a grand finale,
got run over a cliff,
and nearly killed.
Oh, come on, Quincy.
How can that be topped?
Now that you put it that
way, you know, you're right.
And we have such beautiful
pictures to commemorate it.
What pictures?
My ribs, my spine, my skull.
That's right. Now,
that's enough...
That's enough what?
If you were as insistent about taking
his x-rays as you were of taking mine...
I had to, for precaution's sake!
I'm not faulting you,
Doctor, I'm thanking you.
This is exactly the
hard evidence I need.
An x-ray?
Yeah, honey. You see, you
can change the color of your hair,
you can fix your nose, you
can alter your face, but not this.
What you see is what you get.
You can't fake it,
you can't change it.
Thank you, Doctor,
very much. Good luck.
(Lee) Quincy? Yeah?
Oh, I'm sorry, honey!
Seems to me that
this man, this killer,
he's been so clever,
covered his tracks so carefully,
why would he be so careless
as to leave an x-ray behind?
To steal the x-rays
would've called more attention
to the girl's death
than he wanted.
He gambled nobody would want
to investigate the accidental death
of some obscure girl.
It was a reasonable bet.
Yeah, but he knew
you came back here
to check out the girl's death.
Why didn't he come
back for the x-ray?
The timing got in his
way. He had priorities.
Before getting back to the
x-ray, he had to kill Com. Bower,
and he had to go overseas
and cash the checks
before anyone knew
they were stolen.
Then come back here.
And get the x-ray.
What is it?
I don't know.
Yes, you do.
See how your nerves
are all on edge?
How many times does
a girl have to go off a cliff
before she learns her lesson?
Smith?
Honey?
(Lee) Yeah?
You'll see it was
worth the wait.
Oh, I'm sure of it!
What're you doing in there?
Now didn't you once say
that getting there
was half the fun?
Yeah.
You know what your problem is?
Does it show all
the way in there?
Where's the girl?
What happened?
Call the cops!
[woman screaming]
Help. Help me!
[speaking Spanish]
Help! Help!
My friend had a little
too much to drink.
[Quincy mumbling]
I'm gonna snap your
neck like a breadstick!
[groaning]
[people gasping]
[grunting]
[police siren wailing]
Quincy!
[groaning]
[speaking Spanish]
[Chase moaning] Oh, my head...
(Quincy) He'll live.
Every cent has been recovered.
The city hasn't lost a thing,
Not one penny.
There are five citizens
who are kind of dead.
Chase was, well, a Svengali.
Women found him irresistible.
He placed them in key positions,
They became intimate
with certain officials,
then Chase blackmailed
normally decent men
into going along with his plan.
I always thought it was kind of
hard to blackmail decent people.
Right, honey?
(Collins) The checks came from
the Assistant
Controller, Mr. Marcus.
They were deposited through
our late Commissioner's
various city port accounts,
And finally, the
money was transferred
to an account in
Switzerland. That's it.
I hope they don't ask him
who co-signed the checks.
And who signed the checks?
[both laughing]
I'm glad you asked!
I, of course,
co-signed the checks.
But that's always
been a routine,
almost ceremonial procedure.
They know.
Anyone ever get
around to thanking you?
No, not in so many words.
But I did sense a
kind of gratitude.
How? I wasn't fired.
(Lee) Why do you do it?
(Quincy) I don't know.
Why do salmon swim upstream?
To lay eggs.
That's not bad.
Well, where shall we go tonight?
How about Singapore?
Ooh, that's good, yeah.
Cast off, matey, cast off.
(Audrey) Never mind.
Just do what he says.
Who's he? Who are you?
Quincy, coroner's office.
He saved the kid's life.
Who's the medical examiner?
Quincy.
Oh, no.
I am the presiding
medical officer.
If I tell you you've got a homicide,
buddy, you've got a homicide!
Oh, I don't believe
it. If you can't find
a dead body handy,
you dig one up.
That kind of talk
is very dangerous.
Dangerous?
(Quincy) Jump!
(Lee) No.
[waves breaking]
[seagull cawing]
I want to thank you.
Are we being a little formal?
No, I mean for everything.
I couldn't have
done it without you.
I love you.
That makes it hard.
[chuckling] That
sounded kind of final.
I just wanted you
to know that I cared.
[moaning]
(Dianne) Steve. Steve,
you're hurting my neck!
[Dianne groaning] Steve! Steve!
[seagull cawing]
You call it, honey.
Should we shoot
across to Bora Bora
or dip down across Papeete?
I think Bora Bora
could be a bit drafty.
Drafty? In the tropics?
(Lee) I meant below deck.
(Quincy) I could promise,
in a couple of months,
I'd have the boat fixed
and everything like that.
Takes a lot of time to
restore a beauty like this.
Want chili on your dog?
You bet.
I know what you're thinking.
You're thinking I'll
never get around to it?
I don't make any more promises.
Because when you do,
you end up feeling guilty
and apologizing for
the rest of your life.
(Lee) What you're
really talking about is us.
As far as I'm concerned,
we have no obligations
to each other.
You can come and go as you wish.
[telephone ringing]
Well, answer it.
(Quincy) Oh, I
don't believe it, Sam,
I'm sorry, Quince.
Well, can't you get
somebody else?
I'm working on a sunset
you wouldn't believe.
I tried. But
Browdman's already out.
You're on call.
All right, what is it?
Well, maybe it
won't take so long.
It's just down the
coast from you.
A homicide.
Give me directions, will you?
I'm sorry.
No apologies, remember?
Yeah, but you
probably had to trade
with a girl to get
the time for a date.
Oh, no, I don't
trade with the girls.
Being one of the oldest
active airline stewardesses,
they have to
reschedule entire flights
around my social life.
It's a company rule.
Listen, uh, I'll tell
you what you do.
You go down there,
you arrange everything.
Get it all comfy and cozy.
And I'll be back before
you can finish your hot dog.
Oh, honey, I know you're mad.
[siren blaring]
(Quincy) Coroner's
Case Number 76, 10835.
Jane Doe, 143.
External findings:
Contused cervical
abrasion right of midline.
Nails clean and well-kept,
no fractures present,
No prominent defense wounds
present on hands or forearms.
An old shin contusion present,
Note: Material
adhering to sole of foot.
[police radio chattering]
[siren wailing]
(officer) Good evening.
Good evening, Brill.
Well, what do we have?
All the signs of
a textbook rape.
Who's the medical examiner?
Quincy.
Oh, no.
Is this all she had
with her? Yeah.
Bathing-suit top here, uh,
pack of cigarettes in the pocket.
That's about it. You
know, nothing special.
Well, wh-what I mean
is that there didn't
seem to be anything
especially... special...
Pack of cigarettes in her
pocket, you notice the brand?
Yeah, they're, uh...
I... I was very, very careful.
Evening, Quincy.
Nice to see you.
Well, what does
it look like to you?
It looks like you still
haven't told your men
what not to do at the
scene of a homicide.
I suppose we've obliterated
the fatal scientific clue
that could have nailed
this rapist in his tracks.
We may never know, Lieutenant.
Look, Quincy, I work with other
medical examiners all day, all week.
They don't get in my way, I don't get
in theirs, and we solve a lot of cases.
In other words, they stay out
of the way of my detectives.
I don't let my boys put their
fingers in your cotton-picking swabs.
I was wondering
how she got here.
Didn't you ever hear
of public transportation?
[chuckling] In Los Angeles?
Now, Quincy, stop trying to make
out of this more
than a simple rape.
I never knew there
was such a thing.
You know what I mean.
I know what you mean.
(Brills) We've got a live
one not far from here.
There might be a
connection. All right, let's go.
(Officer) Naturally, with
an APB on the murder
down at the beach,
we took pursuit.
I did what I thought
was right, Lieutenant
Take it easy!
He's in shock.
Two bullet wounds.
He's hemorrhaging internally.
When you get him on the
road, start pumping the plasma.
Kid's in pretty bad shape.
What's he supposed to have done?
He assaulted and murdered
that girl down the beach.
You clutching at straws?
This officer spotted the kid just
after he had stashed the purse
in a gasoline station,
in the men's room.
That's purse snatching, maybe.
No, there's a wallet
inside the purse.
A picture of a very pretty girl,
the girl we left
down on the beach.
Was there any
more questions, Doc?
Yeah, how you gonna justify
pumping that kid full of lead,
if he isn't the one who killed
that girl, and I don't think he is.
Oh, is this your opinion,
or a medical fact?
Right now, it's an opinion.
I think he's too small to
have subdued that girl.
Oh, now who's
clutching at straws?
Look, a guy gets all worked
up, he can be awfully tough.
Besides, who said he was alone?
Look, Doc, if you get any more
brainstorms, put them in writing, will you?
Through channels.
Sam! Sam, you in there?
(Sam) Yeah. Good.
It's 3:00 in the morning.
I'll get you for this, Quincy.
It was very important.
They bring in the girl yet?
She's in prep.
Set up a latent print lift.
Done.
What else would you be going
for at this hour of the morning?
We've got about as
much chance as a...
Chinaman in hell?
Quincy, that's a slur
against the Chinese.
I keep on telling
you, I'm Japanese.
What's the difference?
C'mon... Oh, wait. I'll be right
with you. I gotta make a phone call.
(Sam) At 3:00 in the morning?
Who do you hate
this much? Astin?
Not even close.
[telephone ringing]
Yeah?
Listen, honey, I'm sorry. I
had to run down to the lab.
There's one chance
in 1,000 that I can lift
a fingerprint off a
murder victim's neck.
See, it's a new technique I've been
pioneering and, well, it could be vital.
Well, don't apologize.
I understand.
I know I should've
called you sooner.
You said up front,
no commitments, no obligations.
I would like to
go back to sleep.
There you go. I woke
you up, I forgot, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to, Lee.
I didn't... Lee. Lee!
Really got her mad, huh?
Furious. But she won't admit it.
She smiles at everything I do.
Never complains.
She's driving me nuts.
Come on, let's see if we
can find the girl's killer.
Okay, patch it up on the screen.
Right index finger, go in on it.
Next finger.
[groans]
(Sam) We were too late
to get a fingerprint, Quincy.
Even under optimum
conditions, it's a long shot.
Still, we have an outline
of the killer's hands.
Looks big.
You know what Monahan would say?
That only proves she
didn't strangle herself.
(Astin) Good
morning, Lieutenant.
Oh, really? When
did that happen?
Last night?
Oh, I could promise
that within an hour.
Uh, let me see who handled
that call last night. It was, uh...
It was, uh, Dr. Quincy.
No, no, no, Lieutenant,
I... I gave you a deadline
and I will stand by it.
No, I will be in touch.
Uh, Sylvia, would you
tell Dr. Quincy that, uh...
Well, Sylvia, never
mind. I-I'll tell him myself.
(man) Quincy, is this your case?
(Collins) Naturally,
we're all bereaved
by this senseless
death that has taken
one of our most loyal
and beloved workers.
But we must commend
the police department
for the efficient
and diligent manner
in which it continues to
make lawlessness unprofitable,
under this mayor's
administration.
Thank you.
A girl dies and
they hold a rally.
(newsreader) Meanwhile, a new
development on the City Hall murder,
A young transient, Peter Gordon,
was apprehended by
police shortly before dawn
not more than 3 miles
from where Dianne
Johnson's body was found
brutally assaulted, a
few short hours before,
The boy was shot
resisting arrest,
In other news today...
Looks like they're sure
they have their man.
Bright kid. Assaults a girl, then
flees the scene at 3 miles an hour.
Morning. Morning, Sam.
Morning, Dr. Astin.
Morning, Dr. Quincy.
Dr. Astin.
I, uh, just got a call
from It. Monahan.
Well, naturally,
I assured him...
My report is not ready, sir.
But I understand that
we've been working all night.
Surely, we've arrived at the
cause of death and the mode.
We have, sir.
Well, good. Then I'll just...
No. We'll just
have to wait, sir.
Now, Dr. Quincy,
you may not feel
that it's necessary
to maintain diplomatic channels
with our police department but I
am charged with the responsibility...
Of supplying complete
and accurate information,
which we just don't
have right now.
Not if you spend
all night wasting time
on that... that... that
experimental fingerprints-
off-the-human-tissue theory of yours.
That is not theory, Doctor,
that's fact. I've proven it twice.
Neither effort proved
to be admissible in court.
Neither case demanded
the assailant's fingerprints
on his victim's body.
This one might.
Well, I didn't realize that...
Well, uh, what did
we come up with?
Well, uh,
we were late.
The salt air, the sand,
the oils from the fingerprint...
They were gone.
Gone!
I will tell Monahan that
the girl died of strangulation,
was assaulted.
And that will be that.
Don't forget the broken neck.
It was snapped like a dry
twig by powerful hands.
I'll mention it.
Uh, Sam?
Yes, sir.
The...
The Lieutenant would like a
blood type on the alleged assailant
to be sure that it matches with the
semen smears taken from the victim.
Why don't you check it out?
Read this.
I'm sorry, Quincy.
Well, listen, thanks for trying.
About that blood type, forget
about it. I'll take care of it.
I don't know. He
seemed to want me to...
Sam, what is this, coolie labor?
Can't expect a man to
work all day and all night.
Now you go home
and get some sleep.
That's an order!
Banzai.
You're welcome.
Dr. Quincy, coroner's office.
I'm here in reference
to a Peter Gordon.
You're early. He's still alive.
Things are a little slow.
(Audrey) Take
this to Dr. Morgan.
May I see his chart, please?
You have to speak to
Dr. Stone. He's the resident.
Well, all I really want is his
blood type. You know what that is?
Could have phoned
for a blood type.
(Quincy) I was hoping I might
be able to speak to the patient.
I didn't know the coroner's
office was into live patients.
Oh, we are into things, my
dear, that would astound you.
Not around here. This is
the intensive care ward,
in case you hadn't noticed.
Yeah, I noticed. It is
rather intense around here.
[chuckling]
[monitor beeping]
Cardiac emergency.
Get Dr. Stone.
You have to leave.
Your Mr. Gordon is dying.
Where's Dr. Stone?
He's on a break.
I had him paged.
(Audrey) Get me 1 cc of epinephrine
and some calcium gluconate.
Make it 2 cc, and move it!
Who's he?
(Audrey) Never mind.
Just do what he says.
Give me those paddles!
Who's he?
Give me some juice!
You got it up to maximum? Right!
Give it to me again!
(Quincy) Give it to me again!
[cardiogram beeping]
[sighing]
That seems to be stabilizing.
You better get your lab
work done right away.
Who's he? Who are you?
Quincy, coroner's office.
Coroner's office?
He saved the kid's life.
Yeah, well.
Give me your city number.
I have to fill out 50
forms over this mess.
Sorry to have caused
you all that trouble, Doc.
Lieutenant. (Monahan) Quincy.
You didn't have to deliver it
in person. There was no rush.
There might be.
The blood types
match. The kid did it.
No, no, no. That's why
I came over personally.
Now this report only shows
that the kid could have done it.
There are 3 million people out in
this city with the same blood type.
But they weren't found
with the victim's purse.
Maybe he found the
body, ripped off the purse.
Quincy, why are you doing this to
me, huh? It's an open-and-shut case.
Wait till you see this. Then let's see
what you gotta say. How about that?
What's this?
It's an outline of the killer's
hand on Dianne Johnson's neck.
Now this is an outline
of Peter Gordon's hand.
You see how small
this is, how large this is?
Whoa, whoa, hold on, Quincy. Look,
I may not be a super sci-boy sleuth,
but I do know that a hard force
against a pliable surface
does not leave a
representative imprint.
Did you ever walk on the beach?
Look at your
footprints in the sand.
They're like a giant's.
You're not even gonna
try, are you, Lieutenant?
Sure, there's reasonable
enlargement, but this isn't reasonable.
Look at the difference!
You're not being reasonable.
Will you have pity on me?
I got cases up to here.
Let me get at them.
One more page. Do me a favor.
Read that page.
Go ahead, please.
Quincy, this isn't a medical
report, it's a Consumer's Digest,
What's this about
cigarette packages?
The victim was carrying a pack of
cigarettes when she was murdered.
Medically speaking,
this offends you?
Medically speaking, I thought it
might be important for you to know
that based on an
examination of the girl's lungs,
she didn't smoke.
What's that got to
do with anything?
If they weren't Dianne's cigarettes,
whose cigarettes were they?
It isn't logical that
the rapist asked her
to hold his cigarettes for him.
Rapists don't jump out from
underneath the pier only on TV.
Nine times out of 10,
it's somebody the victim
has picked up in a bar,
sitting on a bench. You name it.
It always starts out as a
nice, sociable conversation.
Before you know it, the girl is
raped, or, in this case, dead.
Ordinarily I would agree
with you, Lieutenant,
but this kid is too small
to have snapped her neck!
And I'm telling you, I've seen
too many crimes of passion.
The kid did it. Now get
out of here. I got work to do.
[groans]
[door closes]
No, I'm not gonna
ask you how it feels.
Hurts like the dickens, right?
Why don't you tell
me what happened?
You're the one
that saved my life?
I was here.
Too bad!
You're welcome.
You want me to thank
you for letting me live?
You ever been to a place
where they do hard time?
I've been there.
They like them young.
I got a great life ahead of me.
You're really feeling sorry
for yourself, aren't you?
Wouldn't you? No.
Not after I just ripped off a
dead persons belongings, no!
Hey, I thought you
wanted to help me.
That's right, I don't like
to see anybody become
a patsy for a crime
they didn't commit,
but that doesn't
mean I like you.
You're a punk kid who would rip
off a buck wherever you would get it
and I hope they nail you for it!
I'll try to see they don't nail
you for what you didn't do!
Why? Not because of you!
But because somebody
took a beautiful young life
and they snuffed it out.
And I don't want
them to get away with it
because our system was
able to lay it off on you!
Don't forget to shine your halo!
[door closes]
[sighing]
(Quincy) I'm Dr. Quincy,
from the coroner's office.
Is the Deputy Mayor in?
Don't tell me,
you can't get in to see the
mayor, so you're trying an end run?
Are you the end?
I'm not bad.
Listen, if I promise to go
away and leave you alone,
will you answer a
question for me?
What is it? How well did
you know Dianne Johnson?
Another fan club is heard from.
You forgot your Dianne
Johnson T-shirt this morning?
What did I do?
What can you want from
her now? She's dead.
There are a few things I wondered
about, like, did she smoke?
Body beautiful?
Was she a health freak?
I'd like to say she
never put anything
in her body that wasn't
organically grown,
but I couldn't do it
with a straight face.
Am I being overly sensitive?
Or do I detect a lack of
sentimentality for the deceased?
She was the pushiest
broad I ever met.
I hated her guts the
day she moved in.
And did she move in.
Was she here long?
Three months.
But she made the most of them.
Any regular boyfriends?
Dianne had a strict policy of
always mixing business with pleasure.
How do you think
she jumped so fast
from that little squirrel
to the mayor's office?
Squirrel? Her first
boss, Mr. Marcus.
He made a fool of
himself, he still isn't right.
[intercom buzzing]
Yes?
There's a gentleman to see you
from the coroner's office, Mr. Marcus.
Well, is it important? I
mean, I'm terribly busy.
(Marcus) He'll have to make a
more convenient appointment.
We're investigating
a case, Mr. Marcus,
a possible homicide.
(Quincy) if it would
be convenient,
I can come back anytime you say.
Tell Miss Tolan to make you a
more convenient appointment.
Preferably tomorrow.
And make it late in the day.
Yes, sir.
Very personable. Did
you ever meet him?
I mean face to face.
Mr. Quincy, this is a city hall.
And Mr. Marcus is a very busy
and a very important person.
City Hall, wow!
I almost forgot where
I was for a minute.
I'm still a little nervous
about working here myself.
I'll bet.
Um, how about 4:00
tomorrow afternoon?
Oh, 4:00 will be fine.
Do you mind if I
check in with my office?
We just got a new patient in
today, came in this afternoon.
You said you were
with the coroner's office.
Doesn't that mean all
your patients are dead?
Well, I have to make sure he
didn't die of something serious.
Something terrible has happened.
I'm really frightened.
Hello, is somebody on this line?
Oh, excuse me, Mr. Marcus.
I didn't know you
were on this line.
I'll see you tomorrow at 4:00.
(Quincy) I frightened him,
Do you see the
significance in that?
The guy has got
something he's trying to hide,
I think I'm on the right road.
Of course, you are.
You want to open the
wine or toss the salad?
Toss the salad? Lee,
you're not listening.
I'm talking about a homicide, a
boy's life that could be in my hands.
Tonight?
I realize it's important, but there's
nothing more you can do about it tonight.
You do have to eat,
keep up your strength,
if you're gonna be
any good to anybody.
I have gone to a
great deal of trouble.
Yes, you have. I'm sorry.
I just can't seem to unwind.
I keep thinking about all those
loose ends nobody cares about.
Monahan's so worried
about that avalanche
of paperwork and cases.
Astin is scared he'll
pick out the wrong tie
to go to a board meeting with.
They're worried
about little obligations
and their mortgages
and... and, uh...
What?
Look at this!
Honey, I was so into
myself I didn't really realize
what wonderful
things you had done!
The food and the
table and the wine.
Cabernet... How
did you say that?
Sauvignon.
Sauvignon. '69, wow!
The wine is perfect, the food
is perfect, the table is perfect,
candles are perfect,
the little flower's perfect
and, of course, you're perfect.
You're not going to
get away with it, Lee.
What are you talking about?
This is not our deal, remember?
No strings, no involvement,
just plain, simple friends!
Oh, I don't believe this.
You're gonna stand here
and make a fuss over
my making a fuss?
I like to make a fuss.
It makes me feel
good to make a fuss.
Don't you want me to feel good?
Lee, don't you see? Don't you see
how you're twisting the words around?
Fuss is the operative word here!
If you make a fuss,
I become special.
I don't wanna be special.
I just wanna be your pal!
[telephone ringing]
So answer the phone, pal.
I'm sure it's for you.
Why should it be for
me? I don't live here.
It's probably one of your
boyfriends and you're embarrassed.
You shouldn't be embarrassed.
Hello, yeah, just a minute.
What are you calling
me here for, Sam?
Quincy, I've been looking
all over town for you.
What am I supposed to do, leave a trail
of breadcrumbs? Besides, I'm off tonight.
I know that.
And I'm sticking
my neck out a mile,
but I knew you'd want to
take this one personally.
You're crazy! Why would I?
It's Harold Marcus!
My Harold Marcus?
Yeah. The city controller
you were telling me about.
He's just been found
dead in his apartment.
Murdered?
That's what you're
supposed to find out.
You're the medical examiner.
You're very funny,
you know that?
Okay, thanks, Sam,
[whistling]
That was Sam.
Very important development.
Yeah, I really ought to go.
You know, really important.
Wow!
Boy, that's terrific, honey.
Does it freeze well?
I'm sure glad we have, you know,
the kind of relationship we have.
No explanations, no
apologies, you know.
Pals.
[sighing]
He was a wonderful tenant.
Never even made a sound.
All right, you just
relax, dear. Quincy.
You gonna give us a
hint, or do I have to wade
through one of your reports?
The neck was
broken like a hanging.
The body was
positioned like a hanging.
All outward appearances
would indicate a hanging.
Will your report list the
cause of death as suicide?
Homicide.
Homicide?
Made to look like suicide.
How can you be sure?
Lieutenant, when a person hangs,
the vertebrae
separate by elongation.
They pull apart.
Marcus's fourth and fifth
vertebrae were snapped.
Wait a minute.
You don't mean the way Dianne
Johnson's neck was broken last night?
Hey, Lieutenant, you
could be on to something.
Look, put it in writing. If I think
you got something, we'll follow up.
Now you're talking...
The boys who went to
Marcus's office called.
And? Suicide, all right.
They found a note in Marcus's
handwriting. His secretary identified it.
The office was locked. He had to
have left it there before going home.
Suicide is medically impossible.
The vertebrae would
have been elongated!
So are your theories, Quincy.
Do me a favor. Stop
playing detective.
You're a doctor, okay?
Come on, Brill.
[people chattering]
[telephone ringing]
Want to freshen it up?
No.
What've you got for a headache?
How bad?
Terminal.
Oh, I still got some of those
painkillers you prescribed for my back.
Do you any good?
Yeah, I can now
press 200 pounds.
How many?
Hey, that reminds
me. You know, my wife,
she's got tonsillitis again.
Her throat is dry, she can't...
I know. I know.
(Danny) Oh, Doc,
when I bring those doilies
into the pharmacist he, uh...
But I don't have anything.
I got some prescription pads.
Picked them up at
the stationary store.
Look at that, huh?
I don't believe it.
Uh, you're aces, Doc.
Uppers or downers?
Load levelers.
How are tricks, Marilyn?
How can you sell it when
everybody's giving it away?
May I buy the
young lady a drink?
I don't mind if I do.
Relax, Marilyn.
This guy is only interested
in bodies that are dead.
I heard about guys like you.
What is it they call it?
Pathology.
It's pathetic.
Hey, excuse me, honey.
You're into
weightlifting, right? Yeah.
How hard would it be to lift
a dead body over your head?
See what I mean? Dead bodies.
Come on.
Hey, wait a minute.
That's bulk weight.
That's tough. Why
would anybody want to?
To reach the noose,
make it look like suicide.
(Danny) No kidding.
How big would the
body have to be?
About Marilyn's size.
No, you're better off
hoisting her up on a rope.
But that would leave marks along
the beam and slivers along the rope.
The murderer wanted to make sure
there wasn't a trace
of a body being hoisted.
So he lifted it into the noose.
I figure the guy had to
be very, very big, right?
I think I can lift
somebody her size.
Let's try.
Not in here.
My place.
Hey, whatever you
fellas got in mind, forget it!
Marilyn, wait a minute.
This guy's a very
important official.
Now wouldn't you like to
participate in a murder case?
What do I get to be, the corpse?
Yeah.
Goodbye. Oh, Marilyn, Marilyn.
Let's buy Marilyn another drink.
Look, no matter how
drunk you guys make me,
I'm still not going
to change my mind.
Besides,
I never drink alone.
(Marilyn and Quincy) ♪ We're
gonna go home in the morning ♪
♪ We're gonna go
home in the morning ♪
♪ And start drinking
all over again N
(Danny) That's okay with me.
[Quincy laughing]
[Marilyn laughing]
Ordinarily, I get
my money up front.
[laughing] Oh, yeah.
Where does this go to?
It goes right on up to the deck.
The deck?
Ah, yes.
Oh!
It's a boat.
[laughing]
He lives on an
ever-loving yacht?
Welcome aboard.
[gasping]
I just love boats.
Okay. Okay, Danny, go ahead.
Go limp, Marilyn,
don't fight him. Go limp.
Attaboy, go ahead.
I hate to tell you fellas this,
but we're gonna
have to turn back.
I'm getting seasick.
I don't think I
can do it, Quincy.
(Quincy) Now that
proves my point, Danny!
Marcus' killer must have had
almost super-human strength.
Why, it's impossible
for an ordinary man to lift
a dead body up this
high into a noose.
Impossible!
Are you sure it was this high?
Maybe he had help.
Let me give you a hand.
We'll do it together,
okay? Okay.
(Quincy) All right.
Hold on, okay? (Danny) Yeah.
(Quincy) Here we go, got
it? Right. Up, here we go.
[Danny grunting] Good. Go
ahead. Attaboy! Here we go.
(Danny) Yeah, come on,
get in there. We can do it.
(Quincy) Hi, Lee.
What're you doing here?
Oh, Quincy, you're a sick man.
We're either looking
for multiple assailants
or a giant of a man capable
of great feats of strength.
I, personally, lean to
the giant theory. Mmm?
Well, the way the two
necks were snapped.
See, the neck is far more
durable than most people think,
plus the fact that it would be
impossible for a normal human being
to lift a... a body into a
noose 10 feet in the air
without help.
Oh, I suppose you've some
expertise in lifting dead bodies?
Part of our basic
training, Lieutenant.
All right, I'll study
your conclusions
and pass them along to
the detectives in charge.
Was there anything else?
As a matter of fact, there is.
I was wondering about the
results of the cigarette pack.
Were there any fingerprints,
beside the cop's, I mean?
Yeah. Yeah, the dead
girl's, the police officer's
and some unidentifiable smudges
that could have
belonged to anybody,
including the salesgirl in
the store who sold them.
Or the murderer?
We got the murderer.
Peter Gordon.
But Peter Gordon couldn't
have murdered Harold Marcus.
He was in the hospital.
Quincy, Mr. Marcus
wasn't murdered.
He committed suicide.
Remember the suicide note?
Remember my report?
Suicide was
medically impossible?
Quincy, let it drop!
Let it drop? Is that what you
said? Lieutenant, let it drop?
Quincy, if you'll excuse
me, I got work to do, huh?
Wait a minute, whoa here!
I am the presiding
medical officer.
If I tell you you've got a homicide,
buddy, you've got a homicide!
We'll see.
What is that supposed to mean?
We have another medical
examiner reviewing the case.
By whose authorization?
I suggest you check
back with your department.
You can bet your bottom
dollar that I'll do that...
Wait a minute.
Quincy, there are
only two possibilities.
Either you deliberately ignored
departmental practices
to involve yourself
where you do not belong,
or you're trying to connect
two unrelated deaths
in some misguided
effort to clear that boy.
Now, whichever it is,
don't get in my way again!
[telephone ringing]
There's always room for doubt.
Come on. Whoever wrote this
report is full of beans and you know it!
I did it.
You did it?
Who's leaning on you?
Quincy, Quincy,
are you suggesting...
No, no, no. I wouldn't
want to imply that somebody
waved the budget
under your nose.
But it is rather hard to
accept as coincidence,
the fact that bodies are
turning up all over City Hall,
assaulted, strangled, hanged,
and we're treating it
like a rash of head colds!
Hey, I suppose if a bus came
to rest on the mayor's chest,
we might issue a bulletin
against illegal parking.
Oh, that's really funny. You're
not even on this case anymore.
What am I wasting
my time for? Quincy.
It's a terrible loss.
I really don't want
to talk about it.
Cared a lot about
Mr. Marcus, huh?
Everyone did.
Not everyone.
Somebody killed him.
It was suicide.
Homicide.
I don't want to talk about it.
Peggy, I'm worried about you.
Me?
The pattern.
What pattern?
The girl on the
beach, Harold Marcus,
they both came from this office.
Golly. I hadn't
thought about that.
There's no need
to be superstitious.
I mean, bad things don't
have to happen in threes.
It wouldn't matter.
Good. I'm not
superstitious either.
Oh, I am. But it wouldn't
make any difference.
There's already been three.
Are you telling me a third
person died out of this office?
Oh, it was an accident, and
it happened a long time ago.
Over six months.
But that does make three.
Who? Who died?
The girl who worked here
before Dianne Johnson.
She died?
Not here.
Her prince charming
swept her away
from this desk on
the wings of a dove.
A dove?
A 747.
(Peggy) To Mexico.
That's where she died.
They said she was killed
instantly in the crash.
A plane crash?
No. Their car went
over a terrible cliff.
Was her fiancé killed, too?
No, he was very fortunate.
(Quincy) Did you ever talk
to him about the accident?
I never met him. I don't
know anyone who did.
We all thought
it was kind of odd
that he never came back
here to pick up any of her things.
Must have been too painful.
Peggy-Peggy, I want you
to listen to me very carefully.
Now, think hard.
Did you ever hear anyone discuss
the exact nature of her death?
Yeah. It was awful.
I don't want to talk about it.
Oh, Peggy, please. It's
very important, please!
Well...
When the car went off the cliff,
she was apparently strapped in.
They said she died
of a broken neck.
Quincy, what is so
special about this case?
Bob, my work is my life. Either I'll
do it right, or I'll hang it up for good!
You insist on pushing?
To the top.
This is Dr. Astin.
I would like to make an
appointment for Dr. Quincy
to meet with Deputy
Mayor Collins.
4:00? 4:00?
4:00 is fine.
4:00 will be fine.
Oh, yes, he'll be
there. Good. Thank you.
You're surprised?
Yeah, to tell you the truth.
We're all on the
same side, Quincy!
(Astin) It's just that
some of us have learned
to appreciate and
work within the system...
4:00. Now, just a
minute! I haven't finished!
One condition... Uh-huh.
You tell the mayor everything
you know about this case,
then you come back
here and you do your job,
and you let them do theirs.
You got yourself a deal.
(Collins) This is hard
to believe, Doctor,
Does anyone else
support your theories?
Oh, these aren't
theories, Your Honor.
The girl on the beach
had her neck broken.
It was made to look like rape.
Mr. Marcus had his neck broken.
It was made to
look like suicide.
Now there's a girl in Mexico
whose neck was broken.
I haven't checked it out.
But if I'm right,
it was made to look
like an accident, too.
How you guys scientifically figure
these things out is beyond me.
But isn't it, uh, normal
procedure for you
to work directly
with the police?
This isn't a normal case.
You use the word "case,"
but you were talking
about three separate murders.
With one common
denominator: City Hall.
Then you believe there
is definitely a connection?
Someone's telling
the police to lay off.
Any idea who that could be?
Nope. I'm more
interested in why.
Conspiracy's a nasty business.
I hardly know where to begin.
Uh, if I can be of any
help, just let me know.
You've done more than enough
already. I'll take the ball from here.
And I can't tell you
how grateful I am.
Oh, one more thing.
When you find out anything,
will you let me know right away?
A boy's life is on the hook.
In fact, other lives
may be at stake.
I have an important
conference tonight at 6:30
with the top people
of this administration.
This will be number
one on the agenda.
Thank you, sir.
N'[music playing]
(Jerry) Hi, everyone,
this is Jerry Doggett
and here we are back at
beautiful Dodger Stadium
for Game 1 of our double-header.
It'll be a short home
stand for the Dodgers
before going back
on the road again.
The last Dodgers stand, very
successful, they won 8 out of 9
and their last road trip
was also very successful,
they won 8 out of 11.
So 16 and 4 is the Dodgers
record for the last 20 ballgames.
The Dodgers have one more
road trip back to San Francisco.
And after they return from
San Francisco, they'll come back
for a 9-game home stand.
[crowd chattering]
My appointment was
canceled at the last minute,
so I decided to go the game.
You a season ticket holder, sir?
No, why?
This game has been
a sellout for weeks.
You know anything
about sellouts, Mr. Collins?
Look, Quincy, you're
into something here
that has to be
handled very carefully.
Or not at all.
It'll be handled.
By who? You?
I don't trust you.
Now you're being abusive.
Not very smart
for a city employee.
What are you going
to do, Mr. Collins?
Fire me?
That would be overkill.
And I don't personally get
involved with, uh, peanuts.
N'[music playing]
Conspiracy? (Quincy)
That's right, conspiracy.
Now just a minute. Isn't
this getting out of hand?
I'd say so. Three homicides,
nobody's doing anything.
Two homicides, one suicide...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
You in on it, Astin?
Quincy, I don't like
your tone of voice.
Oh!
Wait till you see it in print.
Doctor.
Oh, you still
recognize the term.
Oh, wow! That's really terrific!
Because that's
what you are, Doctor.
You're not a detective,
you're not a crime reporter,
and you're not a one-man posse
out to string up everybody in City Hall.
Quincy, Marcus
committed suicide,
that boy robbed and
murdered Dianne Johnson.
What happened in Mexico,
it's out of our jurisdiction.
It must be under
somebody's jurisdiction.
[door closing]
[typewriter clacking]
Peace?
Hey, you're looking better.
Yeah.
Couple more days, I'll be well
enough for them to take me to jail.
Keep eating the food here,
they'll never let you out.
How're we doing?
Oh, we're doing great. Great.
The odds drop?
What do you mean?
(Peter) We're off the
same street, remember?
Yeah, I wish we were back there.
At least then we knew
who we were fighting.
What happened?
I don't know.
I can't hear the splash.
It's a bottomless well.
It's a secret and I get the
feeling everybody's in on it but me.
And I'm still the fall guy?
That's why I came to see you. I
want you to know I'm still working on it.
I don't like being
pushed around.
I don't like it.
I don't like it, either.
I'll see you later.
Okay.
[knocking at door]
Where'd you get
them? At a funeral?
You know what's
the matter with us?
Yes, you.
We should get
away from everything.
Go to a place where a phone
call has to be a wrong number,
doctors do nothing
but deliver babies.
You know of such a place?
How's Mexico grab you?
You come into an inheritance?
Don't the airlines still give
free tickets to employees?
No, that's just for family.
Oh! Yeah.
We're brothers and
sisters under the skin.
[both laughing]
Crazy.
(Quincy) This is the
place I was looking for.
It's one of Mexico's most
exclusive honeymoon retreats.
Honeymoon retreats.
Oh, Quincy, it's beautiful.
Oh, you're a doll!
What're you doing?
Heading for our motel.
What's the matter with
this one? It's beautiful!
It should be. It's for
Mexican millionaires.
But I'm taking you
here for dinner.
Few questions I want
to ask the manager.
Well, where are we going?
To a place that has a
little touch of heaven.
[birds chirping]
[goats bleating]
Okay, honey. All set.
Where's the key?
You don't need any. There
are no locks on the doors.
Great atmosphere. I
mean, this is the real Mexico!
No turistas here.
Honey, you're not gonna
believe this, tips are included.
In what?
[donkey braying]
Honey, I-look. What I want
you to do is go inside, relax,
take a nap, and when I come back,
we'll go down the road for dinner.
You're not going
to leave me alone.
I have to make some inquiries.
About another motel?
About a lot of things.
Honey, now look, I want you to
go inside, relax, and enjoy yourself.
I'm relaxed.
Then you gotta let go.
♪ J'[music playing]
The people of the
village would be offended.
Tampering with the
dead is out of the question.
But there's a chance
the girl was murdered.
Murdered? Yes.
But how? No, no. I was at the
wreck. I checked her body myself.
Her boyfriend, too?
He was fortunate. I
only found bruises.
Doctor, was there anything
suspicious about them?
Why suspicious?
Maybe something
you didn't notice.
Something that seemed
unimportant at the time.
Doctor, if there was
something wrong to notice,
I would have noticed.
For your information,
I am fully trained.
In the usual sense of the
word I'm sure you are, sir, but
any doctor might miss the
kinds of things I'm talking about.
But not you, of course.
Well, I am trained differently.
It is my specialty,
like a pediatrician
or an obstetrician.
Exactly what is your training?
Paranoid training. Pathology.
I was taught never
to trust anything
and to disbelieve
everything else.
I take it for granted there's
something wrong at every autopsy.
Why?
Look, do you want
the bottom line?
The bottom line?
After you cut out all the bull.
Go ahead.
Okay.
There's one thing about
life I could never get used to.
That's the mystery of it.
Something goes tilt in me when
I see life dead before its time
and I wanna do
something about it.
I wanna find out who made
that terrible thing happen.
And most often,
the victim can point a
finger in the right direction
just as if it were still alive.
But only if we
know how to find it.
[bell tolling]
[birds chirping]
[dog barking]
[men speaking Spanish]
(Lee) Quincy.
Lee, what're you doing here?
Oh, I just happened to
be in town on a holiday.
Quincy, what are you
doing in this cemetery?
Doctor, go ahead.
It's all yours.
(Quincy) Thank you. Yours?
Yeah.
Oh, I don't believe
it. If you can't find
a dead body handy,
you dig one up.
She's a great kidder.
Don't do that!
[speaking Spanish]
N'[music playing]
Hi, honey. You okay?
You know what kind of
a person I am, don't you?
I can take anything.
But I've gotta hand it to you.
You've broken me.
I wanna go home.
Okay. I'm finished here, anyway.
What'd you find out?
Just in general, no details.
Well, she was dead
before the accident.
Well, then the accident
was a cover-up for murder?
Yep. By her boyfriend,
whoever he is.
What happened to him?
Well, he reported the accident,
stayed around for the burial,
just to make sure, then he left.
The name and address he gave
to the Mexican police was a phony.
I just checked it out with LA.
Hey, did you eat yet?
[speaking Spanish]
(Quincy) Here's
where it happened.
It's along drop.
Are you sure it couldn't have
happened during the accident?
No question about it. Come on.
Think it's the man who
killed the girl on the beach?
Most likely.
Necks were broken the same way.
Does that take strength,
or is meanness enough?
Takes strength, and a lot of it.
[car tires screeching]
(Quincy) Get down!
(Quincy) Jump!
(Lee) No!
(Quincy) Jump!
Lee! Lee!
Quince, over here!
(Quincy) Honey, you all right?
(Lee) I think I'm hurt.
How does it look?
Probably just a strained hip.
We'll know as soon as the
x-ray is developed. Pedro.
Please take Miss
Porter to her room now.
No, I can do it. No,
no, no, it is your turn.
My turn? I don't need an
x-ray. I am the doctor here now.
I would know if I had
something broken.
Bottom of the line, Dr. Quincy.
Bottom of the line.
I'll see you later.
[speaking Spanish] Okay, bye.
Well? Off with your shirt.
Oh!
(Carlos) You were
lucky today, Doctor.
Yeah, but the
truck driver wasn't.
This his stuff?
All we could recover. 10 pesos,
a sharp knife, and
an address book.
You see something? Yeah.
A US telephone number.
Maybe it's a relative.
No, I don't think so.
(Carlos) How can you be so sure?
Because it's my number.
Your number?
(Quincy) A lot
of ours. City Hall.
Any idea whose
extension this is?
Nope.
I don't think I ought to try
to find out from here, either.
When are you going?
Oh, wait. I mean,
you're here, I...
Hey, hey, hey. I
don't believe it. What?
Quincy on a guilt trip.
After all, I shouldn't have gotten
you involved in the first place.
Why shouldn't I
feel a little, kind of...
Well, I wanted to
come, remember?
I'll tell you what I could do.
I mean, it's up to you.
I could bring Monahan
everything I've got,
get back here as
fast as I can, I...
I'll be waiting.
(Lee) Quincy! What?
Your plane ticket.
What about it?
It's in the drawer.
You're terrific.
(Sam) Quincy, where've you been?
Astin's been looking
all over for you.
What do you mean
where have I been?
I've been working...
Quincy, Quincy, Quincy.
And where've you been?
You're the man
I've been looking for.
Yeah, but I'll do
the talking, Quincy.
You know, what it has
taken this department years
in developing organizational
duties and routine,
you are trying to
destroy and demolish
in a matter of days.
Would this be a
good time to discuss
my out-of-pocket
expenses in Mexico?
Dr. Quincy,
if you would condescend
to notice, the schedule.
We see here
six young police
recruits waiting patiently
since 9:00 for their
indoctrination lecture
on the medical
aspects of homicide.
You were scheduled to give it.
You are scheduled to
give it and you will give it,
and there will be
no more discussion
until this lecture is
given, and that is final!
Yes, sir.
And you will
observe the lecture,
and report to me if he
attempts to cut it short
in order to duck out of
here and play detective.
Sam, have somebody bring
the wagon out front in 10 minutes.
10? It usually takes
an hour-and-a-half.
Sam.
Gentlemen,
you are about to enter
the most important
and fascinating
sphere of police work,
the world of forensic medicine,
where untold victims
of many homicides
will reach back from the
grave and point their finger
accusingly at their assailant.
You see before you a man who
was found floating off Point Loma.
Unfortunately, he
was in the water
a few days before we found him.
Now, to determine the
exact cause of death,
we must examine
the vital organs.
This is going to be brutal.
Quincy's in a hurry.
(Quincy) Now, see, there
are many types of incisions,
but today I think
I'll try the lazy "S."
[gagging]
Leave him be! There'll be nobody to
baby-sit with them out in the streets.
You're policemen
now. That's the way it is.
This'd be hard to take for a
third-year medical student.
Horton!
And now, for the final phase.
[machine drilling]
[thudding]
Sam. See that
they're comfortable.
(Quincy) And are you sure
there's no record of the call?
(Jake) I'm sure.
Com. Bower's extension number
was in this man's address book.
It's in the phone book, too.
That doesn't mean everybody
who's got one calls him.
Mmm-hmm. May I
see that list, please?
Be my guest.
Thank you. That's
very nice of you.
You're welcome.
Uh-oh, what have we
here? I'll bet it's something
you don't do very often.
What?
Is that a mistake, right there?
Oh, I guess it is. I must have
written the wrong name down.
Or the right one?
Then why would I change it?
Because Com. Bower asked you to.
Think of it this way, Doctor,
if someone had
asked me to change
the name of this in-coming call,
why in the world would I
want to tell you who it was?
Oh, because you
didn't want to go to jail.
What?
Where's Com. Bower?
He's, uh, he's on vacation.
He won't be back until Monday.
And is he reachable?
Um, uh...
Hope I didn't keep you waiting.
Such a nice day, I didn't hurry.
It's all right. It's all
right. I understand.
You care for a little snort?
Oh, no, thank you,
Arnold. I never touch it.
[sighing]
Any problems?
Why, should there be?
It's easy for you to be so cool.
(Bower) Nobody
knows who you are.
Nobody knows
there's any connection
between you and
the stolen checks.
I'm on the firing line.
If anything goes
wrong, it's my head.
What can go wrong?
There are no leads to you.
Maybe, maybe not.
My secretary just phoned.
She said a Dr. Quincy
from Pathology
was in the office
asking questions.
(Chase) So let him ask.
There aren't any answers.
Every lead to you
and me is gone.
When will the checks be cashed?
I'll be in Switzerland
tomorrow morning.
Shouldn't be any problem
about them making the payments.
The pattern has been set
but let's make sure it clears
the Harbor Commission
international account
while I'm still on vacation.
Consider it handled.
[sighing]
Why did I get into
this in the first place?
Original sin.
Women. A man has
to have a weakness.
It's the best way to go.
Not if they belong to you.
Belonged.
You know, Arnold,
I was really
beginning to like you.
I really was.
[choking]
But like you said,
nobody else knows my
connection to the money,
but you and me.
[police siren wailing]
Is it true the police have
been watching Com. Bower?
Watching him? What for?
We've been hearing rumors of
a scandal surrounding City Hall.
Could this have
anything to do with it?
I was told it was
a diving accident.
Did you talk to the medical
examiner before you came?
What medical examiner?
(reporter) Dr. Quincy.
That's all I can
do for him here.
He's all yours.
But I'm gonna
want him back later.
What does it look like?
Wasn't an accident.
I suspect it's one more
in the City Hall chain.
His neck wasn't broken.
So what other concrete
proof have you got?
I'll discuss the connection
after I've done my lab work.
All right, Quincy,
look, I'm warning you,
now when you go over
there with them reporters,
you tell them nothin'. You
don't raise their suspicions,
don't let them in on
any of your guesses
or any other damn
thing, you get me?
I can give you something
for that blood pressure.
(Monahan) Quincy!
There are things going on.
I know. They keep
winding up on my lap.
We gotta keep the lid on this.
I can't tell you why
now, I'm under orders.
Whoever is giving the order is an
idiot, or maybe even a murderer.
That kind of talk
is very dangerous.
Dangerous?
What do you call mass
murder, Lieutenant?
Quincy!
Bye.
Quincy?
Comment ca va?
[laughing] This is
Mexico, not France.
Then this must be Lee.
How you feeling, honey?
Dr. Rivera says I'll be
fine in a few more days.
Hey, I just read the paper.
You must feel very important.
(Lee) You were right all along.
What paper? What're
you talking about?
The 30 missing checks.
(Lee) You mean, you don't know?
The City Hall's been
ripped off for $3 million.
(reporter) Are the deaths
of the two city hall women
connected to the missing checks?
Has murder definitely been
ruled out on Com. Bower?
We're investigating any and all
possibilities, boys. Now that's it.
Oh, come on, Lieutenant!
Okay, that's it. That is it!
[reporters clamoring]
We blew it.
Yes, you did!
When did you know
about the checks?
We found about it just after
the controller did himself in.
Oh, forgive me, was murdered.
Look, we started digging.
You were right, of course.
The lid was put on
at a political level.
That's probably what gave him
enough time to blow us out of the water.
When did he cash the checks?
This morning, Swiss time.
(Monahan) The guy had it
figured down to a gnat's whisker.
You know, he
must've spent months
sending that dish
through secretarial school.
Sending her in for a job when
he knocked off the other girl.
Swiss police gonna be any help?
What, the guy could be anywhere.
We don't have a clue.
Yes, we do.
Mmm?
He's big.
Mmm.
Yeah.
I'm going for a drink. You want
to join me? I guess I owe you one.
No, thanks. I got an
obligation in Mexico.
Hey, wait a minute. You
holding out something?
Yes, I am.
But she's got nothing to do
with getting you off the hook.
I'll be seeing you.
Uh, yeah.
Take your time.
(Quincy) You ready to go, Lee?
Yes. But I hate
leave exotic Mexico.
Oh, it was much more
than you promised.
So romantic, beyond
a girl's wildest dreams.
I'm sorry. Sorry?
How could it have been better?
We exhumed a body
from the graveyard,
had ourselves a
real, live autopsy,
and then to top it off,
with a grand finale,
got run over a cliff,
and nearly killed.
Oh, come on, Quincy.
How can that be topped?
Now that you put it that
way, you know, you're right.
And we have such beautiful
pictures to commemorate it.
What pictures?
My ribs, my spine, my skull.
That's right. Now,
that's enough...
That's enough what?
If you were as insistent about taking
his x-rays as you were of taking mine...
I had to, for precaution's sake!
I'm not faulting you,
Doctor, I'm thanking you.
This is exactly the
hard evidence I need.
An x-ray?
Yeah, honey. You see, you
can change the color of your hair,
you can fix your nose, you
can alter your face, but not this.
What you see is what you get.
You can't fake it,
you can't change it.
Thank you, Doctor,
very much. Good luck.
(Lee) Quincy? Yeah?
Oh, I'm sorry, honey!
Seems to me that
this man, this killer,
he's been so clever,
covered his tracks so carefully,
why would he be so careless
as to leave an x-ray behind?
To steal the x-rays
would've called more attention
to the girl's death
than he wanted.
He gambled nobody would want
to investigate the accidental death
of some obscure girl.
It was a reasonable bet.
Yeah, but he knew
you came back here
to check out the girl's death.
Why didn't he come
back for the x-ray?
The timing got in his
way. He had priorities.
Before getting back to the
x-ray, he had to kill Com. Bower,
and he had to go overseas
and cash the checks
before anyone knew
they were stolen.
Then come back here.
And get the x-ray.
What is it?
I don't know.
Yes, you do.
See how your nerves
are all on edge?
How many times does
a girl have to go off a cliff
before she learns her lesson?
Smith?
Honey?
(Lee) Yeah?
You'll see it was
worth the wait.
Oh, I'm sure of it!
What're you doing in there?
Now didn't you once say
that getting there
was half the fun?
Yeah.
You know what your problem is?
Does it show all
the way in there?
Where's the girl?
What happened?
Call the cops!
[woman screaming]
Help. Help me!
[speaking Spanish]
Help! Help!
My friend had a little
too much to drink.
[Quincy mumbling]
I'm gonna snap your
neck like a breadstick!
[groaning]
[people gasping]
[grunting]
[police siren wailing]
Quincy!
[groaning]
[speaking Spanish]
[Chase moaning] Oh, my head...
(Quincy) He'll live.
Every cent has been recovered.
The city hasn't lost a thing,
Not one penny.
There are five citizens
who are kind of dead.
Chase was, well, a Svengali.
Women found him irresistible.
He placed them in key positions,
They became intimate
with certain officials,
then Chase blackmailed
normally decent men
into going along with his plan.
I always thought it was kind of
hard to blackmail decent people.
Right, honey?
(Collins) The checks came from
the Assistant
Controller, Mr. Marcus.
They were deposited through
our late Commissioner's
various city port accounts,
And finally, the
money was transferred
to an account in
Switzerland. That's it.
I hope they don't ask him
who co-signed the checks.
And who signed the checks?
[both laughing]
I'm glad you asked!
I, of course,
co-signed the checks.
But that's always
been a routine,
almost ceremonial procedure.
They know.
Anyone ever get
around to thanking you?
No, not in so many words.
But I did sense a
kind of gratitude.
How? I wasn't fired.
(Lee) Why do you do it?
(Quincy) I don't know.
Why do salmon swim upstream?
To lay eggs.
That's not bad.
Well, where shall we go tonight?
How about Singapore?
Ooh, that's good, yeah.
Cast off, matey, cast off.