T.J. Hooker (1982–1986): Season 3, Episode 19 - Death Strip - full transcript

To uncover a drug ring, Romano is working undercover as a stripper. His informant in the club is murdered but the murderer is killed running from the club. Hooker and Romano are determined to find out who ordered the killing. It turns out that the murder is over a photograph that shows a drug deal. A new shipment of drugs leads Hooker and the team to a shoot out with the dealers. The dealers manage to escape but are on the run. A tip off leads to a shootout and a successful conclusion.

(upbeat electronic music)

♪ It's like those lies
♪ I keep tellin' you

♪ It's in my eyes
♪ I know I hurt you

♪ There in your
room ♪ You hide away

- Hooker, you wouldn't
believe the way these females

carry on over Romano.

♪ For your blame girl

♪ For the night and day

- They've been
like this every night.

Must have something.

And his contact
hasn't shown yet.



It's been 35 minutes
since she phoned.

- I don't like it, Hooker.

Romano never should've
latched on to a contact

who's a suspect's girlfriend.

- It paid off, didn't it?

She said she's bringing
him evidence that'll not only

knock off Santee but
give us his supplier as well.

- You have no complaints, Arkin.

You're the one who
asked us in on this.

- I asked your captain
for help, period.

If I had known I was winding up

with the T.J. Hooker brass
band I never would've asked.

- Don't let our problem
louse up the job, lieutenant.

♪ It's not that I'm weak



♪ And it's not that I'm strong

♪ I do believe, girl

♪ I treat you, I treat you wrong

♪ You know you
better run, girl, run

♪ I know you'd go
♪ I still got time left

♪ Better run, girl, run

♪ Well don't go
takin' my bad taunt, girl

♪ Don't you go and take no more

♪ Nobody left to lie to you

- Contact just walked in.

♪ Don't go takin' no more

- I've got it with me.

I'll be at table 12.

- You got it.

♪ I'm a loaded gun

- That's her in the green dress.

♪ You better run, girl, run

♪ You better run, girl, run

♪ I'm a loaded gun
♪ I broke a promise

♪ You better run, girl, run

(crowd cheering)

(muffled gunshot whizzing)

- Hooker, she's been shot.

Shooter's headed your way.

He's a male, six feet,
with a blue windbreaker.

- [Vince] Come
on, Betty, come on!

(dramatic electronic music)

- You know, Gavin
ought to give us a raise.

If the cops ever got
their hands on that picture

of him and Santee,
he'd be in the slam.

(sirens blaring)

- He's still alive, I better
call for an ambulance.

- [T.J.] They got whatever
Betty was bringing to Romano.

(muffled radio squawking)

- Hooker, it's Romano's
contact, she's dead.

- I saw the wagon.

The man who shot her is
on the way to the hospital.

The other one got away.

- Where's Romano?

- In the office,
all over Santee.

If he doesn't ease off,

you're gonna find your
partner up on charges.

- Where's Toby Clark?

- How do I know?

This is the one night of
the week he doesn't dance.

- Betty Parsons was his girl.

She told me he was workin'
for you as a drug dealer.

Tell me about it.

- You tell me, cop.

You're the one who's been
dancin' and snoopin' around here.

- I'm gonna be dancin'
all over your face

if you don't tell
me what's goin' on.

- Romano, what the
hell are you doing?

Come here.

- Let's go.

Keep him away from my suspect.

- You hurting from
any old problems,

you deal with me,
you understand?

- What's that all
about with Arkin?

- Old wounds he won't let heal.

What's with Santee?

- Santee had somethin'
do with Betty getting killed,

I know it.
- Could be.

- I got her into this, Hooker.

Convinced her we'd
help straighten out Clark.

She trusted me.

- Look, the best thing
you can do for Betty

is to find Clark and
see what he knows.

What's wrong?

- Just thinkin'
about Betty's sister.

This is gonna tear her apart.

- You want me to tell her?

- No, no, I'll tell her.

(light piano music)

Kate.

We have to talk, outside.

There was trouble at the club.

Shooting.

Betty was

killed.

(crying)

She was helping me.

I'm really a police officer.

I didn't know the danger.

I never would've
asked her for help.

Kate.

I'm so sorry.

Kate, I have to know,

did Betty tell you anything
or show you anything?

Maybe about Toby Clark.

Alright, I'll go.

Please, get in touch with me.

(somber horn music)

- Looking for Toby Clark,
we're not gonna get much help

from the lieutenant.

- With friends like Arkin,
partner, you don't need enemies.

You had trouble with him before?

- Big case we were working
together when I was carrying

the gold shield.

The way things worked
out, I got there first.

No time to call him for backup.

- So you got the bust.

- Yeah, press
made a big deal of it.

Arkin was up for
promotion at the time,

and when he didn't
get it, he blamed me.

- You mean that one
case made the difference?

- Well, it could be.

We smashed a big heroin ring.

I had no choice.

When the deal went down,
I had to make my move.

- So Arkin was right, you
did cost him his promotion.

- I couldn't help it.

Arkin never bought that.

- Yeah, well you're
not the only one

who isn't being forgiven.

Kate looks at me like I
helped murder her sister.

- You were just doing your
job, same way I was doing mine

when I went nose
to nose with Arkin.

- But doing your job never
got innocent people killed.

- I been there.

Not this time, but I been
there, and I will again.

And so will you.

You just have to
learn to live with it.

- Did you come up with
anything at Clark's apartment?

- The manager, a divorcee,

she thinks she's
Clark's one and only.

- He must have a stable-full.

The nights Betty didn't
show up at the club,

he left with this
knock-out brunette.

- How'd you guys do
tracing the guy who was killed

in the car we
chased, Carl Hobbs?

- Found out he's an
ex-Navy frog man.

Got a dishonorable discharge
along with another frog man

named Beamer, Sid Beamer.

- Beamer, I thought he was
walking the straight and narrow.

He runs a scuba
school near the marina.

Let's have a talk
with Mr. Beamer.

(upbeat electronic music)

- [Toby] Hey, Mr. Gavin?

- [Paul] My people are
looking for you, Clark.

- Well, what's goin' on?

You gotta call 'em off.

Look, I phoned, I told
you my girlfriend ran off

with that photograph.

I even followed her to the club.

I even fingered my own
girlfriend to protect you.

- If you hadn't taken the
photograph in the first place,

I wouldn't have
needed to be protected.

- I was sick and tired
of dealing for Santee,

so I followed him
to your warehouse.

I figured the photograph
would buy me a chance

to deal for you.

- I don't need dealers.

- Yeah, you do.

Look, the narcs
are all over Santee.

He can't push cocaine
for you no more.

Only I can.

- What if I say no?

- I'd have to give that
negative to the police.

- I don't like
blackmail, friend.

- Look, I'm not trying
to rip you off, Mr. Gavin.

All I want is a chance to be
your top man, your top dealer.

- You're telling me you can
deliver Santee's whole network

of pushers?

- Yeah, but you better
make your mind up fast.

There's other
suppliers ready to move.

- Alright, you've got your shot.

- Right.
- Now give me the negative

and all the pictures.

- Well, even if I had
the negative with me,

I wouldn't be stupid enough
to hand it over to you now.

That's my life insurance.

- You better be ready
to cough up that negative

when I deal up your
first shipment of snow

or you are dead meat.

- Alright, girls, let's practice
our underwater breathing.

Hooker, what do you want?

- A conversation,
your place or mine?

- I see you're into
designer-colored tanks.

- Yeah, they match my eyes.

- That's cute, real cute.

- Yeah, so what's your problem?

- When was the last
time you saw Carl Hobbs?

- At the queue, the
day he was paroled.

- What about Toby Clark?

- Who?
- We ask the questions.

We wanna know about
Clark, Leo Santee,

and what you've
been up to with Hobbs.

- Hooker, take a look outside.

A guy'd be crazy
to blow a straight,

profitable gig like this.

- Not as profitable
as drug smuggling.

- And not as risky either.

I'm a two-time loser.

I get sent up again, I'm
lookin' at hard time in Folsom.

- You better be
leveling with me, Mister,

or you're gonna have to
re-paint those tanks prison gray.

- Now I want you to
help me find the negative.

I know Betty stashed it here.

Come on, look.

Come on.

Now I'll be back, remember that.

- Where'd he go?

Wait here.

(upbeat electronic music)

(muffled chanting)

♪ One, can't hear
you ♪ Two, little louder

♪ Three, get together
♪ Four, that's better

- Even though we didn't
get the goods on Santee,

he's out of business.

My men have him
covered like a blanket.

He can't buy or sell
an ounce of cocaine

without my knowing about it.

- [Vince] Great, well
what about Toby Clark?

- Nickel and dime stuff, Romano.

We'll get to him after
the bigger fish are caught.

- Lieutenant, Clark was
involved with Betty Parsons,

and she's dead now.

Last night, he broke into
the apartment she shared

with her sister.

- Well, that's
burglary, I'm narcotics.

Tell your boy to
cool it, Hooker.

As of now, all of
you are off this case.

- Like hell we are.

We've made contacts,
developed lines of investigation.

You stop that, you
blow a lot of hard work

for personal reasons.

- You just stay out of my way,

or I'll have you up
before the division brass.

- Hooker, we
can't wait for Arkin.

- I'll talk to the captain, get
an okay to work on our won.

And see if he can spring a
unit to keep on eye on Kate.

- I talked to her
about that last night.

She's an independent lady.

Won't accept any
kind of protection.

- That doesn't surprise me.

Let's get Corrigan
and Stacy to check on

Santee's known pushers.

See if any of them have
lined up a new supplier yet.

And get me the name
and address of that brunette

that Clark is
messing around with.

- Right here, lady's
a stockbroker.

Works for Hamilton and Ross.

- Alright, let's see if we
can get lucky on the market.

- So what happens here?

One of your fishing
boats dumps the stuff

right here in the harbor?

- Mm hm.

And my divers pick it up
and bring it to the warehouse.

- Right under the
Harbor Patrol's nose.

Hey, I like that,
that's beautiful.

So what's my move?

- You meet me at the warehouse,
and we wait for the divers.

- But yesterday you
gave me time and place.

What are you dragging
me out here for again?

- I want you to understand
that when the deal goes down

you hand me the negative,

or you're going for a long
scuba dive without any air tanks.

- Think he's gonna work out?

- He's ambitious, greedy.

He'd sell his mother
if the price was right.

The perfect drug dealer.

- Let's go, it's
time to suit up.

- [Vince] There she is, Hooker.

- [T.J.] Miss Winslow,
Miss Carol Winslow?

- Yes, what is it?

Vince, oh Vince is that you?

- I know, you didn't recognize
me with my clothes on.

This is what I do for real.

- Well, I think I'm
pleased to hear that.

- We understand you're a
friend of Toby Clark, close friend.

Involved.

- Well, if that's a
question, Sergeant,

the answer is yes and no.

- I know you spent a
lot of evenings with him.

- He was fun, used to be anyway.

I wouldn't say we're involved.

- We're trying to find
Clark, it's important.

- Wish I could help you.

I mean, he was staying
at my place briefly,

but he left this
morning for good.

- You sure he won't be back?

- Well, first of all he
took all his things,

and secondly he
borrowed some money.

- Sounds like a bad investment.

- Well, he said he was
going to pay me back

after five tomorrow when
his big deal went through,

but I'm too smart
to believe that.

- Smart enough
to cut your losses.

(funky electronic music)

- [Jim] Sweatpea Moran
is one of Santee's pushers.

He usually hangs
out around here.

- [Stacy] There he is.

He just made us.

- Okay, Sweetpea, come on.

Up against the wall, let's go.

- [Sweetpea] Come on,
Corrigan, I ain't done nothin'.

- Come on, man, you know
you shouldn't be carrying.

- Looks like heroin.

- What's this for?

- I need it for protection.

- I don't get it, Jim.

Look at him, he's hurting.

How come he didn't fix?

- 'Cause he's waiting
for the other half,

aren't you, Sweetpea?

A heroin and cocaine
sandwich, a little speedball.

Who's your new man?

- I don't know.

- Okay, Stacy, cuff him.

- Hey, I swear, I don't know.

He's a big blond guy,
kinda strong-lookin'.

- Clark?

- Bet on it.

Okay, Sweetpea, you
get a free ride this time,

but you won't be needin' this

'cause you don't have
anything to protect.

- You mean, you
gonna take my stuff?

- I have a new diet for
you, pal, called cold turkey.

(dramatic bass music)

- [Police Dispatcher] Four
Adam 30, urgent message.

Meet Kate Parsons at the
Princess Louise Restaurant.

- Four Adam 30, roger.

- Hold it, hold it.

Watch my mouth.

Okay, where is the negative?

Look, I know Betty
mailed it to you.

Where, is it in the purse?

You've got it on you, don't you?

Is it in the purse?

Gimme the purse, gimme that.

(upbeat electronic music)

- Kate, Kate, what happened?

- Hey, take it easy, partner.

I'm sure Kate isn't
hurt that badly.

- Maybe my skin isn't
as thick as yours, Hooker,

but that girl in there lost
her sister because of me

and now she's being
beat up because of me.

- We're not sure about that.

- You wanna bet on it?
- No, what I wanna do

is get the facts and do
something about them.

- We have to, Hooker.

You know how hard Kate's
worked to build a life for herself?

It makes your day
just to talk to her.

We can't let anything
happen to her.

- She was shaken up, minor
concussion, but she'll be okay.

- [Vince] Can we see her?

- I gave her a sedative,
she could use a rest.

Maybe just one of you.

- Kate.

I feel very sad about what
happened to Betty and you.

I care about you.

A photograph?

That must be what Betty
was going to give me.

What was in the photograph?

- Dispatch said you were here.

- How's Vince taking it?

- Hard, he's carrying a
lot of guilt about Betty

and now this with Kate.

- He came over
for coffee last night.

Couldn't stop
talking about Kate.

- Well, I don't blame him,
she's an appealing lady.

You turn anything on Clark?

- We didn't find him,
but he's out there.

According to what we got on
the street and from Sweetpea,

I'd say that Clark has his
eyes on Santee's territory,

trying to cut Santee out.

- Looks like Lieutenant Arkin
is tagged onto the wrong man.

- Yeah, you tell him that.

He's not about to take
any advice from me.

- She's resting.

Told me Betty was
bringing me a photograph.

Mailed the print
and negative to Kate.

- What kind of photograph?

- Santee and another
man making a big drug buy.

- Probably his supplier,
did she know him?

- No, but she'd recognize
him if she saw him.

- If it's Santee's supplier,
Santee will know who it is.

And Clark is connecting
with the supplier

at five o'clock tomorrow.

You two, keep looking for Clark.

We'll light a fire under Santee.

- Show starts at
nine, gentlemen.

- What do you say
we come in and wait?

You disappoint me, Santee.

I never thought you'd
let a punk like Toby Clark

move in and take over.

- Hey man, all I
do is run this club.

You ever want to
moonlight, let me know.

My customers have
been askin' about you.

- I got a news brief for you.

Your ex-supplier has
a shipment coming in

at five o'clock this afternoon.

- [Vince] We figure you'd
have a real good idea

of where it's being delivered.

- Say I do, why
would I tell you?

- Revenge, payback
for being cut out.

If this is Clark's supply,
it'll put a real crimp

in his operation if
the deal falls through.

- We figured you'd
have a real good idea

where it's being delivered.

- Let's go, partner.

Mr. Santee isn't as smart a
businessman as I thought.

- [Leo] Hooker.

- Yes?

- Rumor is there's a
warehouse, end of pier 12.

Could be it's used
as a drop site.

- And what does rumor say about

who's bringing the cocaine in?

- If I happened to be
in the drug business,

I'd want to keep a
hustler like Clark out of it.

And maybe I'd want to
hurt the man who cut me off

when things got rough.

- And you're too scared
to roll over on him.

- Oh no, too smart.

- We'll be in
touch, count on it.

Get on the horn to
Stacy and Corrigan.

Better tell Arkin too.

- He's not gonna
like it, Hooker.

- What else is new?

- [Vince] Four Adam 30
requesting Four Adam 16 on tac two.

(funky dramatic music)

(laughing)

- [Paul] Take it inside.

- [Toby] So we weigh it
and check it out now, right?

- [Paul] We weigh
it and check it out

when I have the
negative and prints.

- Alright, Mr. Gavin,
no problem.

(sirens blaring)

- It's cops!

- Hold 'em off.

Stogie, get the boat ready.

(gunshots banging)

(flames roaring)

- Cover us, we're going in!

(gunshots banging)

- [Paul] Let's get out of here!

(flames crackling)

- Let's get out of here!

(explosion booming)

- Millions in cocaine.

10 kilos of evidence
up in flames.

- Better than having it
up hundreds of noses.

We came close, damn close.

- Close only counts
with hand grenades.

You were out of line, Hooker.

You should've waited
until our units got there.

- The suspects
started a firefight.

We had to defend ourselves.

Let's face it, Arkin, no
matter what happened,

you'd have hated it.

You've lost your perspective.

You're letting five years ago
screw up what's happening now.

- You are right on
the edge, friend.

You don't know how much I
want to lay an insubordination

charge on you.
- Be my guest.

I'm ready any time you are.

- Hooker, we keep
digging for Clark, right?

- Until we find him.

- Thought we'd stop by
the country recorder's office,

find out who owned
the warehouse.

- Let me know what you find out.

- I'm trying to keep
it together, Hooker,

but it's getting to me.

Everywhere turn,
it's a dead end.

- But now the dead end is water.

Water and scuba divers.

- Sid Beamer.

- Hi.
- Hi.

We're looking for Beamer.

- Oh, maybe that
explains why he isn't here.

Is he in trouble?

- Let's just say we
hope you haven't paid

for a lot of lessons in advance.

- Oh, maybe I'll just borrow
some of his equipment

to cover my loss.

You know, most of his
stuff's still in his boat.

How do you like
my new scuba outfit?

- Great tanks.

- Check this.

A bullet grazed this tank.

- [Vince] Flakes of lead
in the crease, it's recent.

- How 'bout yesterday
at five o'clock?

Photograph of Beamer
in his Navy days.

- [Vince] It's his
frog man team.

There's Hobbs next to Beamer.

- Let's get an APB out on
Beamer and then hit the streets.

Somebody out there
must have a line on Clark.

- The corporation that owns
the warehouse is nothing

but a holding company owned
by another holding company

which is owned by...

- Yeah, a nice
little wallpaper job.

And at the end of
the roll, one man.

Get Hooker on tac two, partner.

- [Police Dispatcher]
Four Adam 30

meet Four Adam 16 on tac two.

- Four Adam 30, roger.

This is 30, go 16.

- We had to dig through a
bunch of dummy corporations,

but we finally turned
up the warehouse owner.

His name is Paul Gavin.

He owns a
commercial fishing fleet.

- Paul Gavin, that's the
name of the lieutenant

in the photograph of
Beamer's frog man team.

Ask Stacy if she knows
where we can find Gavin.

- Stacy, you got an
address on Gavin?

- Gavin Fishing
Enterprises, pier eight.

- Thanks, Stacy.

- Mr. Gavin, Sergeant
Hooker, this is Officer Romano.

- Have me met before, Sergeant?

- No, but I've seen your
picture on Sid Beamer's boat.

- Beamer.

I haven't seen him
since he left the Navy.

Didn't know he was
located in this area.

- Oh really?

We were wondering
what he was doing

in your warehouse yesterday.

- Warehouse?

Oh, oh, oh, the place
that burned down.

Funny about that place, I
bought it but never used it.

The fire was started
by some gunfire I heard.

- That's right, and
Beamer was involved.

- Well, I think you ought to
be asking him these questions.

- We will, as soon
as we can find him.

- Well, if that's all, I
better get back to business.

I'm running an
inspection on this boat.

- That's your privilege.

We'll be around
when you get back.

- [Paul] Okay, let's go!

- Smells fishier than his boat.

- Yeah, let's get
back to Beamer's,

pick up that photograph
of the frog man team,

show it to Kate.

I have a hunch she might
be able to recognize Gavin

as the man in the
photograph with Santee.

- [Sid] Something wrong?

- Something's damn wrong.

I turn myself inside out
trying to keep a low profile,

and you have my picture
hanging in your lousy boat.

- Your picture?

The frog man team.

I hung it up in there to
make the school look legit.

- The cops saw the photograph.

They're nosing around.

- I think we really got a
problem here, Mr. Gavin.

- Like what?

- Well, that photograph and
negative of you and Santee,

Betty Parsons mailed it to
her sister before your men

had a chance to shoot her.

- You're telling me she
saw the photograph?

- Well, I took it from
her to give it to you.

- If the cops show her that
picture of the frog man team,

she'll ID you.

- We'll have to make sure
she doesn't see the picture.

I want her to disappear
so there's no killing

for the police to investigate.

- You mean deep six her?

- Unless you have a better idea.

- Kate's car is here, what
could've happened to her?

- Nothing good.

- I blew it again, Hooker.

I shouldn't have let
her turn down protection

this time around.

- Hey, couldn't force it on her.

It was up to her,

and we both know Kate
makes her own decisions.

- Doesn't change the facts.

She was a target, and
I let someone get her.

- Gavin.

Clark must've told him that
Kate saw the photograph,

could identify him.

- We've been looking for
Clark ever since Betty was killed.

We haven't come
close to finding him.

- Now that Clark's
taken over for Santee,

he's gonna have to surface
and contact Santee's pushers,

and we know one
he's already contacted.

- Sweetpea Moran.

- Get on tac two, get
Stacy and Corrigan.

Tell 'em to find Sweatpea.

I wanna talk to him.

- [Vince] Four Adam 30
requesting Four Adam 16 on tac two.

(upbeat electronic music)

- He wasn't hard to track.

- He can barely move.

- I'm gonna be okay.

I am okay, you'll see.

- He mentioned Toby Clark.

- Whúere's Clark?

Where did you see him?

- Easy, Sweetpea, easy.

Maybe you won't
have to wait for Clark.

But you're gonna
have to help me.

Did Clark say he was
gonna wait for delivery?

- Uh huh, said he was gonna
pick the snow up at the beach.

Funny, huh?

Snow at the beach.
- What beach?

- The one by the old fort.

- Coral Beach?

- Yeah, now you gonna help me?

- Yeah, we'll get somebody
here who can really help you.

Easy, easy.

You be cool.

- I'll call the detox unit,
have 'em pick up Sweetpea.

- Coral Beach?

It's wide open except
for the construction outfit.

- And the dredging yard.

- Secluded enough
to land frog men.

- Stuff should be
here any minute,

then we'll have the boys
take the lady out and dump her.

(sirens blaring)

Get ready for your
return trip, Beamer.

- [Toby] Hey, Sid, we got cops!

- Let's get out of here!

Bring her with us.

- Hold it right there!

If we don't get away
from here, she dies!

- Hooker, don't!

(gunshot banging)

(dramatic bass music)

Drop it!

- [T.J.] Gavin, I'll take him.

(gunshot banging)

(gunshot banging)

- Hold it!

A muscle twitches
and I drop you.

Put your hands on
your head, put 'em up!

- [T.J.] Alright, Gavin,
turn around nice and slow.

(gunshot banging)

- Any news from
Narcotics Division?

- Just heard Arkin's men
tracked down a Columbian tanker

that was feeding
Gavin's fishing boats.

- Coast Guard confiscated
50 kilos of cocaine.

- Good, that'll keep a lot
of poison off the streets

for a while.

- I still don't get it.

Why did you give
Arkin your collars?

You owe him something or what?

- I owe him nothing, but
let's face it, he's a good cop.

He pushes a little hard,
but he gets the job done,

and that's what counts.

- Yeah, you got that right.

- We'll catch up
with you at Sherry's.

- You're gonna have to get along

without me tonight, partner.

- You got a hot date tonight?

- Yep.
- Miss Wetsuit?

Hi, Kate.

Good to see you.

Oh sure, I learned
signing in case I ever

met a beautiful lady like you.

Dinner tonight?

- Now hold on.

- Thanks for the invitation,

but two is company, three...

Hey, watch your language,
junior, there's a lady present.

(upbeat electronic music)