The Rockford Files (1974–1980): Season 1, Episode 6 - This Case Is Closed - full transcript
Jim travels to Newark, and draws the attention of organized crime and the FBI. The FBI is protecting Jim's target because he is a former federal witness. The target is found dead, and Jim's client has some explaining to do.
I got this giant hatred for private
detectives. It's a cop disease.
You guys sweep in here
like big turtle-necked vultures.
You stomp around in
my garden, then you split.
Look, hotshot, I've been
having a terrible day.
I got two loose teeth
that have been killing me.
I'll subpoena you for the trial.
You haven't lived till you've
tried to serve me with a subpoena.
You got a soft spot I
could hit blindfolded.
Your ethics are lousy.
What kind of ethics must
a private detective have?
You can't be that stupid.
Sure, I can. I've been
doing stupid things all day.
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your
name and message.
I'll get back to you.
You really want
Shim on the seventh?
Come on, that nag couldn't go a mile
in the back of a pickup truck. Call me.
Announcing the departure
of TransGlobal Aloha...
Flight 402...
to Honolulu, Tokyo, and Hong
Kong. Now departing at Gate 32A.
Maintenance porter to
TransGlobal service counter, please.
Arriving passengers
from Newark...
please report to TransGlobal's
passenger service counter.
Mr. Jameson, please.
This is Jim Rockford.
Yes, sir. I'm back.
It's hard to say. I
really don't know.
Something happened back there...
a little weird,
but I'll fill you in.
No, sir. I'd really like
to go take a shower...
and get changed. I'll drive up to
your place sometime this evening.
Yes, sir, fine. Thank you.
TransGlobal Skycap
to baggage area.
Motor vehicles, may I help you?
Registration, please.
One moment, sir,
I'll connect you.
Registration, may I help
you? Miss Brown speaking.
I sure hope so, honey. My friend
Eddie said maybe you could help.
But if you can't, I don't
know what I'm going to do.
Unless I see it again, which I
probably won't. I mean there must be...
eight million gray Chevys
in the city of Los Angeles.
Maybe you could start
at the beginning, sir.
I'm awful sorry,
but I'm real excited.
You see, I've been
saving up for two years...
to buy this one
certain kind of car.
And I was driving down
Melrose Blvd., and I seen it.
It was just beautiful.
It's a '67 gray Chevy coupe.
It's got a custom vinyl top,
mag wheels. Just the whole thing.
Just the way I wanted it.
Anyway, this guy had a "for
sale" sign in the back window...
and it had a
telephone number on it.
I tried to catch up with him, but I
missed the light. I almost got a ticket.
And Eddie, my friend,
he was with me in the car.
He got the license
number, and he told me...
maybe you could
tell me who owned it.
Well, I'm not sure. We're
not supposed to do that.
I see.
You see, Eddie, I told
you she can't do that.
That's against the
rules or something.
Look, maybe I could...
sneak a peek. What was
the license number on that?
Wait a minute.
It's 2-3-8...
W-X-C.
Like in Charlie. One moment.
That's registered to
a Martin Fishback...
237 Wilson Dr., Los Angeles.
237. Honey, thank you.
I really appreciate that.
Maybe I could return the
favor sometime. Thank you.
Would I be too nosy to
ask what you guys want?
Shut up and get in.
I suppose you're the guys
who went through my place.
I thought I told you to shut up.
Tell me what you want.
I'll probably give it to you.
I want you to shut up, Rockford.
Understand? Shut up.
Right. You want it, you got it.
All right, what do I do now?
You can take
those off, Rockford.
I don't know what's going on...
but believe me, I
don't want any trouble.
You already got trouble.
The only question is whether you're gonna
wake up tomorrow breathing air or dirt.
Come on. There's no
need to be melodramatic.
We've been watching you, Rockford,
and we don't like what you're up to.
So far, I'm not too
hot about it, either.
Who are you working for?
Now wait a minute.
We don't have much
time. Who is your client?
That's a little tough.
Who are you working for?
Let me finish my
sentence this time, all right?
I'd like to tell
you. I really would.
But it's professional
ethics, sort of...
not to reveal
who your client is.
Now if it's all right with you
guys, I'd like to call my client...
from a pay phone and ask him if
it's all right if I give you his name.
If he says it's
okay, I give it to you.
Just one call, that's all. But
I really should check first.
How about it?
You lose.
Wait a minute.
Where are you going?
Is it worth it, Mr. Rockford? Is
it really that important to you?
Think about it. I'd
be interested to know.
Think about what? I don't even
know what you guys are all about.
What's going on?
I thought you understood.
We're making the arrangements.
It'll be about five minutes.
You see, Mr. Rockford,
you're dead.
Is it worth it, Mr. Rockford?
Is it really that
important to you?
Think about it. I'd
be interested to know.
I am ready for a drink.
I want another drink.
♪♪
Boy, it's really something,
isn't it? Yeah, it sure is.
There he is.
That good-looking
one in the blazer.
So that's Mark?
Come on, I'll introduce you.
Now don't say too much.
Be reserved and offhand.
You mean, I can't slap him on
the back and call him buddy?
Hardly.
Kathy! Loren. How are you?
Loren Tarr, Jim
Rockford. Hi, Jim.
I haven't seen you
around here before.
I haven't been here before.
Jim's an old friend of mine.
No kidding? That's great.
What do you do, Jim?
He's a corporate
insurance profile analyst.
But my brother sells
used cars in Montana.
Yeah.
Say, Kathy, how about some
backgammon? Sue and Sybil have a table.
We want a chance to get
some of our money back.
Now come on, you took
us pretty good last time.
Go ahead, honey.
I'll just browse around.
Maybe get something to eat,
spill something on my shirt.
Jim's such a kidder.
Go ahead, have fun.
Nice to meet you, Loren.
Scotch on the rocks, please.
Are you really a
private detective?
You must be mistaken. I'm
a corporate profile analyst.
What the devil is that?
I rummage around
little companies.
Dredge up tax loopholes,
that sort of thing.
He said you're a
private detective.
Him? Yeah, him.
I bet you don't even know what
a corporate profile analyst does.
Sure I do, sort of.
It's true. You are a detective.
I think that's
marvelous. You do?
Sure. You're the first
private detective I ever met.
Let's just keep it
between ourselves.
A thing like that gets
out in a place like this...
I start growing
bouncers from both arms.
It's a deal. I'm Susan Jameson.
Jim Rockford.
If you worked in one
of my companies...
and kept me waiting the
way you did this afternoon...
I'd warn you once. If it
happened again, I'd fire you.
That's one of the advantages
of my job, Mr. Jameson.
I don't have to put up
with remarks like that.
Pity we aren't the same age.
I could take you out
behind the woodshed...
and we could bash
it around for a while.
I don't go in for
that kind of thing.
Did you see Mark?
Yeah. And?
I think he spends too much
time under the sun lamp.
I could have told you that
without paying you $200 a day.
He's also had his nose fixed.
Your daughter was out there.
What do you expect?
She's engaged to the man.
You're still
pulling to the right.
You're gonna have to
anchor that set screw.
You know, we do seem to grate
on each other a bit, don't we?
I don't think that
would happen...
if I carried a briefcase
and wore a tie.
I think the problem is that
you just don't have anything...
that I want bad enough
to go to all that trouble.
What else did you find out?
I ran a check on him through
some of my own sources...
and I didn't come up with
any more than you did.
He's so clean he squeaks.
No police record.
Good credit references.
Honorable discharge
from the Navy.
Two special merit citations for
action off the waters in North Korea.
He put out a fire in a gun
battery and saved two guys.
Mark Chalmers is a
real gold-plate special.
Everything about
the guy is phony.
I've played handball with him.
That Ivy League accent
of his is a phony, too.
Get him down a couple of points
and a New Jersey accent pops out.
Real gutter Jersey.
He's a sharpshooter of some kind,
and we're gonna end up proving it.
I want to talk to
you about that, too.
I think I'll drop out. I just
don't like this sort of thing.
What sort of thing?
Helping frustrated old men break
up their daughters' romances.
It just makes me feel like I'm
taking anything that comes along.
I'll send you a bill.
You're through when
I say you're through.
Would you mind putting that
thing away? I'm afraid of guns.
I've booked you on
a flight to Newark.
The plane leaves at
4:00 this afternoon.
Maybe you didn't
hear what I said.
You'll do what I say...
or I'll make a few calls to
the local power structure.
They're friends of
mine. In 10 minutes...
you'll have civil servants
dropping out of trees on you.
That trailer of yours...
doesn't look like R1 zoning
to me. Maybe get it moved.
Have your income
tax return bounced.
Maybe have the cops...
review that investigator's
license of yours.
I shoot a mean
game of dirty pool.
Think about it.
You really shouldn't
threaten me.
You got a soft spot I
could hit blindfolded.
What are you talking about?
All I have to do is
call your daughter...
and tell her you're
having Mark investigated.
Your ethics are lousy.
Yeah, I know.
Why don't we just break
and go to neutral corners?
I'll send you a bill.
You pay me my fee...
and we'll stay out of
each other's way. All right?
Now wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
This isn't going
to be easy for me.
I'm not used to saying please...
but I am going to say please.
Please, Mr. Rockford.
I know...
I probably do seem like a frustrated
old man to you. Maybe I am.
But my only child...
is about to marry that phony.
Don't you see what it's doing to me?
You can't let me down now.
I need your help, Rockford.
And you want me because
we get along so good. Is that it?
You won't take anything from me.
You probably won't take
anything from anybody else.
I think you know
what you're doing.
Why do you want
me to go to Newark?
Because Mark...
Here are some photographs
of him, by the way.
He once mentioned a
certain street in Newark.
It's a street that people who don't
live in Newark always mispronounce.
They call it "Tal-ma-dige,"
the way it's spelled.
Mark pronounced it correctly...
and when I asked him if he'd
ever lived there, he got very uptight.
And he said no.
I think he's lying.
What do you say?
Coach?
Rockford? Right, Jim Rockford.
Jim, I'm going to
give it to you straight...
because I don't want we should
have no problems about this later on.
You see, my trouble is...
I got this giant
hatred for private
detectives. Now you've
probably heard of it.
It's a cop disease.
You guys sweep in here
like big turtle-necked vultures.
You stomp around in my
garden, and then you split.
Leaving me stuck with a mess.
So here you go, sport.
Now you want my advice...
you pick up your goodies, and
you hop a freight out of town.
I'm just trying to get
along, Lieutenant.
I'm checking in like I'm supposed to.
If I turn up anything, I'll give it to you.
I'd just like a little
help, that's all.
I don't want to get
along, Rockford.
I don't want to help you. I don't
want to hear nothing about you.
I only have one interest in you, and
that's in getting you out of this town.
Did you check with L.A.? Yeah.
The cops there said
you were a flake.
Yeah, well, I...
Goodbye, Jim.
You get to the airport
by taking Valley Street
and turning right
at Airport Drive.
Take Valley Street, and right
at Airport Drive. Yeah, I got it.
Lieutenant, if you
ever get to L.A...
why don't look me up? We
could probably have some fun.
Maybe roll a few
drunks, or something.
♪♪
I asked around, pal.
Nobody seems to know him.
Keep it. My phone
number's on the back.
You said you was at
the Holly Motel? Yeah.
There's some guys in back who might
know him. They know everybody else.
But I can't get in
there for a while.
What? Do you got a card
game going back there?
What are the stakes?
You couldn't cut it.
Costs $50 to buy a hand.
How do you get a seat?
No way, they got to know you.
Well, who's the guy? If he's from
around here, maybe we know him.
I don't want to bother you guys. You're
nice enough to let me sit in your game.
No problem. Couple of guys
got hung up. We had room.
I think Larry's still gonna make
it. Yeah. So who's the guy?
We know a lot of people. Ask around,
maybe we can help you find him.
I got a picture of him with me. I
don't know if he looks like that now.
He probably had a nose job. You know
Hollywood, everybody gets a nose job.
You know something?
Larry could help us in this.
He could run it in that
computer, or something.
Larry? Yeah,
you're in his chair.
When he gets here,
we'll show it to him.
I've already seen it, Rockford.
This guy's gonna make a movie.
Wants to use the bar for a location.
I think I'll just cash in
my chips and hit the road.
Leave them.
You're kidding.
There's over $200 here.
You're gonna make a movie?
How would you like to
make a documentary?
About our county jail.
On what charge?
Film-flamming friends of
Detective Lt. Larry Pierson.
That's good for 90 days
county time, Rockford.
Sentence suspended if you're on
the next flight back to Tinseltown.
You guys are really something.
You want me in this game
to keep guys like this away.
I'm an hour late, you
give this hustler my chair.
What was that you said, Larry?
It was Valley Street to Airport
Drive and then turn right?
This is a hot seat, Larry.
All right, I'm leaving.
Just let me get my stuff.
You can tell Lt. Pierson to
relax. He's going to get an ulcer.
Don't know what you're
talking about, friend.
Yeah? Yeah.
You travel kind of light.
You guys aren't cops? No.
Who are you?
We're with the
chamber of commerce.
That's funny. I
really like jokes.
I'm trying to get out of town
before the cops have me...
swinging a brush hook
on the county roads.
So if you'll let me get my
stuff together, I'll be on my way.
We want a little
talk with you first.
About what?
You've been spreading these
around town. We want to know why.
If you have any
information about him...
that relates to his background
here in New Jersey...
there's a $5,000 reward.
Sounds like you
already know where he is.
If you gentlemen have
any information, I'll buy.
We want to know why we're giving it.
We're cautious about this kind of thing.
Hi, how's it going?
How about it? Tell us
why you wanna know,
we'll tell you what we
know. Straight trade.
You tell me what you know...
I'll give you the
$5,000. That's a trade.
Who are you working for? Myself.
I don't think so.
You couldn't come
up with the $5,000.
You buy your underwear
at a discount house.
Why don't you come to the point?
You don't want the money. You just
want to know who I'm working for, right?
As long as you put
it that way, yeah.
I'm not telling. You
can't be that stupid.
Sure, I can. I've been
doing stupid things all day.
Why don't you two guys head on
back to the chamber of commerce?
Okay.
It really doesn't matter. I'll
tell you what you do, Rockford.
You go back home
and tell your client...
what he's doing is very
dangerous and very stupid.
If he wants to be smart, he'll stop
investigating Mark Chalmers. You got that?
Sounds like a threat.
It's not a threat.
It's what you call sound
advice, Mr. Rockford.
Good night.
M-N-U 8-0.
No.
0-8-9.
M-W-N.
0-8...
Arriving passengers
from Newark...
please report to TransGlobal's
passenger service counter.
Mr. Jameson, please.
This is Jim Rockford.
Yes, sir. I'm back.
It's hard to say. I
really don't know.
Something happened back there...
a little weird.
But I'll fill you in.
Put him in the car.
What do you mean? I'm busting with
good information. You should listen to it.
Put him in the car.
Come on, pal. Have a heart.
I'm sorry about that,
pal, just a reflex action.
Move him out.
Go!
Federal officers! Everybody
out of the car with your hands up.
Come on, he's got to be kidding.
Get out of the car
with your hands up.
Put it away. We have attorneys.
I'm Jim Rockford.
I know who you are. These
men took you from your trailer...
at approximately 3:15 this
afternoon, apparently against your will.
If you prefer charges and will
agree to testify against them...
I'll charge them
with kidnapping.
That's ridiculous.
Tell him, Jim.
You book them. I'll testify.
I'll inform you of your
rights. You are under arrest.
If you do not have an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
I have one.
He makes more in one month than
a creep like you makes in a lifetime.
I should advice you, sir, anything
you say may be used against you.
Want some more coffee?
No, thanks. I'm fine.
Now, if you'll just sign the
complaint, we'll be on our way.
Pal, do you want to do
me a favor? Sure, name it.
Would you tell me
what's going on?
Simple. You sign the complaint.
The federal prosecutor will prosecute.
And these guys will become permanent
members of the federal penitentiary.
That's not what I
mean, and you know it.
You look a little tired. Why
don't you just sign this...
and go on back to your trailer,
and get yourself a little shuteye.
Don't you want to know
who I'm working for?
Seems to be everybody's
favorite question.
That's a local matter,
and I'm not interested.
I'm only interested in
putting Torrance Beck in jail.
Now, if you'd just sign this.
Not until I know
what's going on.
Nothing's going on.
Then how come everywhere I
go I keep getting pounded on?
I'm sure you're gonna find
that's all over with now...
if you'd just sign
the complaint.
I've changed my mind.
If I'm not under arrest,
I'd like to get out of here.
You don't want to
mess with me, Rockford.
You get difficult and I'm
going to jerk you up tight.
I'm a taxpayer. Big deal.
Who is Mark Chalmers?
Mark Chalmers? I don't
know who you're talking about.
Like hell you don't.
Rockford, I work for the
Federal Justice Department.
I am attached to the
Organized Crime Strike Force.
Torrance Beck is a
member of organized crime.
I was staked out on him...
and I followed Harry to your
trailer, and I saw him pick you up.
I then followed the car
back to Beck's house...
and called for assistance. Lucky
break. We got them all on kidnapping.
That's great. You mean, you
were standing outside my trailer...
while those two hoods turned
my place into a room full of junk?
That was the only
way. I had to wait to see
where it went, and
then hope for the best.
I want to get out of
here. Tell them to move.
When you sign the
complaint, Rockford.
Look, hotshot, I've been
having a terrible day.
I got two loose teeth
that have been killing me.
I got this sinking feeling
in the pit of my stomach...
that I'm the only guy in the game
that doesn't know what trump is.
I have been followed by
criminals and threatened by cops...
and now I come up on you.
You got all the answers and you
stand there like some big, leafy elm.
Fine. You want to play it
that way, that's okay with me.
But I'm not signing that
complaint till I get clued in.
I have told you all
that I could tell you.
Then let me outta here, or I'm
going to slap a lawsuit on you.
I'll subpoena you for the trial.
You haven't lived till you've
tried to serve me with a subpoena.
That's one of my career
specialties: ducking process servers.
Okay, Mr. Rockford, you can
go. But if you'd like a little advice...
from a representative of
your federal government...
go out and buy yourself
an extra toothbrush...
and then pack it in your wallet.
You try to arrest me on
some trumped-up charge...
and I'm going to testify
against my federal government.
And Torrance Beck is going to get away
scot-free and charge you with false arrest.
It's been swell.
Come in.
Hi.
What are you doing?
Just what it looks like.
I was getting ready to rap you
on the head with an ashtray.
I like the way you
rearranged the furniture.
Looks nice.
That's just what I
need right now, Rocky.
A bunch of smart remarks
about what this place looks like.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.
What did happen, anyway?
I got slapped around in here.
I'm still waiting for
somebody to tell me why.
You mean, you don't know
why? That don't make sense.
I know. I'm thinking of
quitting this case I'm on.
Now that does make sense.
If you want my opinion...
you should quit the
whole lousy racket.
I'm thinking about that, too.
As long as you're quitting...
it don't make no difference that
you stood up a fellow named...
Warren Jameson.
Warner Jameson?
Yeah, that's the
one. He called me.
Got my number out of
the phone book, I guess.
Did you know that there's only
three Rockfords in the phone book?
There's you, there's me.
There's that guy from
Detroit that got beat up...
'cause they thought he was you.
That little guy with
the broken glasses?
What did Jameson say?
He said that he was on his
way up to his country home.
And he was up there then...
and he was waiting for you, but
you didn't show, and where was you?
Good, let him cool
his heels for a while.
I didn't like him much
on the phone, either.
He did leave me a number...
but as long as you're not interested
anymore, I guess you won't need it.
Jim, when will you ever learn?
All these fellows want is for
you to take the thumping for them.
Look at this place, look at it!
Looks like the backroom
of Montgomery Ward's.
You ain't listening to me.
Sure I am, Rocky.
I want to speak to
Warren Jameson, please.
It's Jim Rockford.
I thought you'd be at the
country house four hours ago.
I got hung up.
I waited for you
as long as I could.
I've got to go back East
for a day on business.
I'm in town now, and I'll be here
an hour before I leave for the airport.
I'll expect you.
I'll meet you at Trattoria's
Steakhouse. It's right near the airport.
You'll meet me here. I still
don't want to be seen with you.
I got news for you. I don't really
care what you want anymore.
I only care what I want.
I'll be at Trattoria's Steakhouse.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
That's telling him, boy.
Rock, would you do me a favor?
Would you straighten up this place for me?
Sure, I'll be glad to.
You mean, it's not going
to cost me anything?
Look, I'm still your father.
Don't worry, I'll do it
all up nice. You'll see.
You're all right, Rocky.
Couldn't you get a
table in the kitchen?
I told you I don't want
to be seen with you.
Then let's get to the point.
I want you to fill me in on
what you got in New Jersey...
and then I want to
terminate our arrangement.
You're canning me? Right.
What if I don't
want to be canned?
In that case, my attorneys
will get in touch with you...
and explain the legal
facts of life to you.
I'm afraid they're going
to have to stand in line.
I believe I paid you
for some information.
Please recite it to me as
quickly as possible and leave.
There's nothing I'd rather
do than to get off this case.
You'd be surprised how
it's been snowballing.
Every time I look in
my rear-view mirror...
there's a new gray
Chevy following me.
You can take me off the case...
but who's going to take
those other guys off me?
What am I supposed to do?
Take an ad in the classified?
I haven't the faintest idea
what you're talking about.
I just don't think you've been
leveling with me, that's all.
Now, I know Chalmers
is at the center of it...
and the Federal Government is
interested, but they're not talking.
And then there's Torrance
Beck, this underworld character...
he was on the track for a
while, but he broke down.
There's you, and the two guys
who visited me in my hotel in Newark.
They were wearing sweat
socks and rubber-soled shoes.
So I figured they were
probably Newark heat.
But now I think they
might have been Feds.
What is it you want from me?
I just want to know what
the hell's going on, that's all.
I told you, I haven't
the faintest idea.
I think you're just
a little too edgy...
about Susan finding
out about all this.
Maybe I should just talk to her.
I told you the truth.
And I'm not used to taking
cheap shots from people like you.
Cheap shots? That kills me.
My only interest in having
Mark Chalmers investigated...
was exactly as I told you.
I happen to love my daughter.
And the thought of having
her marry a man like that...
turns my stomach.
I think he's a phony.
I don't know what he was involved
in before. You're probably right.
Whatever it was, it was
something very messy.
Ahem. Now...
Mark came to my
office this afternoon.
He's evidently found out
I was investigating him.
And he's worried plenty.
He told me if I call
off the investigation...
he'd never see
my daughter again.
He also promised not to tell
Susan that I'd had him investigated.
We shook hands on it.
Why do you want to find out
what I'd learned in Newark?
Insurance. If it's
slimy enough...
it's good insurance to
make sure he keeps his word.
You see, Rockford,
that's all I was ever after.
All this other stuff, I don't
know about, nor do I care.
You're through.
I've got everything I wanted.
And it doesn't bother
you that I'm left with...
a "Kick Me" sign?
I'm just supposed to be a
good sport about it? Is that it?
You're paid to take those risks.
Consider yourself terminated.
Send me a bill.
I've got a plane to catch.
Come in. It's open.
Don't you hit me with
no ashtray and I will.
Morning, Sonny. Hi, Rocky.
I want to thank you for
straightening this place up.
After last night,
I don't think...
I could have faced
it the way it was.
Don't give it a thought. It
was a pleasure. No charge.
How does it feel being
out of the gumshoe racket?
Pretty good, I guess.
What's that?
Those are job opportunities.
I spent the whole morning
scanning that page.
You'd be surprised
how many there are...
that don't mean a fellow's
got to get his skull crushed in.
Look, I even circled it, real
good ones for you there.
You did quit, didn't you?
Rocky, sometimes
you make me feel...
like a piece of
meat in a desert.
I ain't hovering. Honest,
I'm not, Son. It's just...
You can't sit around
idle all the time.
You got to get yourself a
nice office job like, you know...
At least till you stop
bleeding internally.
I can't.
Why not?
I'm allergic to
fluorescent lighting.
Fluorescent lighting.
That's very funny.
You'd rather stick
around here...
pressed against the
wall with an ashtray...
over your head?
I had a piece of steak in
here. What happened to it?
I had it last night.
I was hungry.
I also had eggs in here. Three
eggs. What happened to them?
I had steak and eggs.
While we're at it, how
about that bottle of Scotch?
You never said I couldn't snack.
No charge? I could have hired
professional house cleaners for a lot less.
Do you know how much
T-bone steak costs?
You bet I do. I ain't no dummy.
You sure ain't.
Here.
Hi.
Hi. It's Susan, isn't it?
Susan Jameson.
We met at Mark's club.
Yeah, I remember. Come on in.
Susan Jameson, this is
my father, Joseph Rockford.
How do you do?
Pretty good, thank you.
It's nice.
You should have
seen it last night.
Looked like the bottom
of a grocery sack.
What can I do for
you, Ms. Jameson?
You're the only private
detective that I know...
so I looked you up
in the phone book.
Jimmy is retiring from
the private eye business.
He's going into
something more stable.
He had a very bad year, you
know, financially and physically.
Rocky, buzz off.
Have you had breakfast?
No.
If you let me change, we'll
go get something to eat, huh?
There's a real nice
place over by the beach.
Just make yourself at home.
What do you want?
The tacos are good.
No, I can't get into
tacos for breakfast.
I'll have a taco and coffee.
Just coffee, please. Okay.
And lots of hot sauce, Louis.
All right.
What's your problem?
Well, it's a long story. It's...
I don't know where to begin.
You're not going to
start crying, are you?
I can't take that
before breakfast.
I was engaged to Mark Chalmers.
You probably met
him. He owns Mark's.
I never met him.
I know who he is.
He was my fiancé.
Last night, he called me
and asked me to have dinner.
But he was... I don't
know, but he was strange.
He told me that he couldn't marry
me, that he'd changed his mind.
He said he couldn't
see me again.
What do you want me to do?
It's not like he was dumping me.
I've had that happen
before, and it wasn't like that.
You know, I mean, he had tears.
Hustle it up, will you, Louis?
I'm sorry, really. I'm
not the weepy type. It's...
I'm still a little
knocked down by this.
Maybe you should have had one
of the tacos with the hot sauce...
then if you started crying,
you could blame it on the menu.
Yeah.
You're being very nice.
I know this is a terrible
way to start your morning.
Actually, it's a lot
better than yesterday.
Here's your sauce. All right.
Put it on my tab, will you?
Right.
Let's move over there.
Now, where were we?
He just said that he
couldn't marry me.
No explanation. Nothing.
I mean, he was just
as upset as I was.
Anyway, he just took
me home and he left.
What do you want? You
want me to find him or what?
I want you to find out why
he broke the engagement.
I mean, there must be some
reason, and it wasn't another woman.
Do you have any
family in Los Angeles?
Just my father.
What's his name?
Warner Jameson.
You talked to him about it?
We don't get along.
He didn't like Mark.
As a matter of
fact, he hated him.
But then, he hated
every man I ever dated.
I guess it's a father's
prerogative to hate what you like.
Or what you do for a living.
Can you find out for me?
What's the matter?
Can't you take the case?
Listen, Susan...
It's Sue.
I've got a little problem
of professional ethics...
that I got to clear up first.
What are you talking about?
It gets kind of involved.
What kind of ethics does a
private detective have to have?
My own kind.
It has to do with shaving
and looking into mirrors...
and a lot of other trite stuff
you've probably heard before.
Let me see if I can work it
out, and I'll give you a call.
How much do you charge?
$200 a day, plus expenses.
It's a lot.
Think so?
I was thinking
about increasing it.
No, I'll pay it.
Let me give you a call.
I just have to clear the
decks with an old client first.
I'll finish this taco and
I'll walk you to your car.
Come on in, Rockford.
Squeeze him, Mort.
Are you coming
with us, Rockford?
You all right, Dad?
Yeah.
What's going on?
You got the wrong guy.
I'm not even in the private
detective business anymore.
Ask anybody. Ask
my father. Shut up.
What's it going to take to
convince you guys I'm clean.
Listen, pal, you
got big trouble.
You're about to go see one of
the most important men in the outfit.
You try this cheap song and dance
on him, you know what happens.
No.
He tells me and Mort to
take you out somewhere...
and bury you up to
your ears in cement.
Well, look...
it's not definite I was
out of the business...
but I'm sure thinking about it.
Look, I don't want any
trouble, believe me.
Rockford, shut up.
It's a long drive.
Don't cluck it up.
Right.
Who's in there?
Shut up.
Be sure and tell him I'm not
on a case at the moment...
and I'm thinking
about leaving town.
Shut up.
Who's doing your material?
It's really monotonous.
Who's doing yours?
I am.
It shows.
All right, Rockford. Get out.
All right, Rockford. We're
not going to need you today.
I want you to start
walking. That way.
I catch you looking back, I'm
going to put a hole through you.
Now, get going.
Maybe someday, when all this is
over, you and I can have a beer...
and you can tell me
what all this is about.
Bye.
The Federal Building, downtown.
$10.45.
Here. Keep the change.
A $10 tip. What
do I got to do for it?
There's a trailer
parked by the beach.
2354, Pacific Coast Highway.
I want you to go inside
and there you'll find...
a very crotchety
old man tied up.
Untie him. You're kidding.
He's my father.
There's a punch line, right?
Whatever you got on the
meter, you get from him.
You keep the $10 tip.
Add another $5
and you got a deal.
You and my father are
going get along real good.
Sorry to keep you
waiting, Rockford.
It's not going to work, Shore.
I'm going to be long gone
before he ever gets here.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Now, what can I do for you?
I got picked up
again. Kidnapped.
That's the second
time in two days.
Now, don't you come down here to
bleed on me. I was trying to protect you.
I had you under
surveillance and you take off...
like a scalded duck and the LA
cops end up busting two of my men.
Those two guys were Feds?
What do you think?
When did you
switch to Chryslers?
When the mob
switched to gray Chevys.
I just came down here to
find out what's going on...
if it isn't too much
of an imposition.
You going to testify
at Beck's trial?
Are you going to level with me?
Sign the complaint
and I'll fill you in.
Fill me in and I'll sign
the complaint. Maybe.
All right. It's going to be in the
papers this afternoon, anyway.
Mark Chalmers is dead.
He was shot last night
in his club, after it closed.
He's dead? Yeah.
His name isn't Mark
Chalmers. It's Fred Willow.
He used to own a big
numbers operation in Newark...
and we sewed him up on a
good felony 10 years ago...
when he traded 20 years in the
pokey for some key testimony...
that landed five heads of the
largest crime organizations in jail.
We agreed to give
him a new identity...
and we promised to
the best of our ability...
to protect him from the mob.
Obviously, we failed.
And you think he
was hit by the mob?
It had to be.
We told him not to open the
club. I mean, that was stupid.
He should have gone into
something with a low profile...
something like beachcombing.
What if it wasn't the
mob that killed him?
You know, Rockford, you
are beginning to annoy me.
If you want to play G-man, go to
Washington and take the course.
That's funny. That's the
last thing I'd want to do.
Hold up a second.
It's just not going to work.
There's not enough time.
It takes 15 minutes for him to get
over here from the county courthouse...
and I've only been here for 10.
Come on, Rockford,
you know you can testify.
Against some guy
in organized crime?
Come on. They kill people.
We'll protect you.
What did you say
Chalmers' real name was?
Fred Willow. He
was a nice fellow.
Are you the U.S. marshal
with the subpoena for Rockford?
Yeah. He's still
up there, isn't he?
You bet. Shore's got him
locked in a room. You better hurry.
Thanks a lot.
Hello, Rocky.
I see he got to you, all right.
He got to me, all right.
Plus a $10 meter
fee. Plus a tip.
You tipped him?
The guy came all
the way over here...
on his own hook
and cut me free...
and I don't tip him?
I tipped him.
What am I supposed to do?
Write you a thank-you note?
What are you doing?
Hello.
Mr. Jameson, it's Jim Rockford.
Yes, what is it?
I thought you should know...
Mark Chalmers is dead.
I heard about it on the radio.
Some kind of a gang
thing, I think they said.
It wasn't a gang killing.
You seem sure.
I am.
I was picked up by the
gang after it happened.
They were still
interested to find out...
whether I knew where he was...
so they couldn't have done it.
That doesn't make any sense.
Sure, it does, if you
stop and think about it.
Well, who did kill
Mark Chalmers?
I think it was your
daughter that killed him.
Perhaps we'd better get
together and discuss this.
Yeah, I thought so.
I'll be over at your
place, say 20 minutes.
No, not here.
I'll meet you at the
country house in an hour.
All right, fine.
All right.
My daughter didn't kill him.
Yeah, I know. I lied to you.
I talked to Susan
before I came up here.
They were...
going to run away together.
I simply couldn't
let that happen.
I got him a great attorney.
He flew in from Texas.
But I don't know what
good it's going to do.
You know, I've tried to hate
him for what he did to Mark...
but I can't. He's my father.
You seem to be holding up.
I always hold up.
It's one of my best qualities.
It's just the first two
weeks that were the worst.
Where would you like to go?
Somewhere where
they don't sell tacos.
I know just the place.
You know, I just don't even
want to talk about it anymore.
I can't believe the
way people have been.
I feel like I'm watching
my life on a soap opera.
I mean, I know they mean well...
but I'm just tired of
the handwringing.
Maybe that's why I like
being with you so much.
You don't act as if I'm about to
come unraveled at any moment.
That's because
you're not going to.
Now, who are they?
What?
Don't they know I haven't
been on a case in two weeks?
I've had just about
all of this I can stand.
All right, what do you want?
Marshal's Office.
You've been subpoenaed
to appear in court...
on December 23,
Federal Court Building...
to testify in the kidnapping
trial of Torrance Beck.
Agent Shore says to say hello.
Come on, you guys.
Give me a break, will you?
detectives. It's a cop disease.
You guys sweep in here
like big turtle-necked vultures.
You stomp around in
my garden, then you split.
Look, hotshot, I've been
having a terrible day.
I got two loose teeth
that have been killing me.
I'll subpoena you for the trial.
You haven't lived till you've
tried to serve me with a subpoena.
You got a soft spot I
could hit blindfolded.
Your ethics are lousy.
What kind of ethics must
a private detective have?
You can't be that stupid.
Sure, I can. I've been
doing stupid things all day.
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your
name and message.
I'll get back to you.
You really want
Shim on the seventh?
Come on, that nag couldn't go a mile
in the back of a pickup truck. Call me.
Announcing the departure
of TransGlobal Aloha...
Flight 402...
to Honolulu, Tokyo, and Hong
Kong. Now departing at Gate 32A.
Maintenance porter to
TransGlobal service counter, please.
Arriving passengers
from Newark...
please report to TransGlobal's
passenger service counter.
Mr. Jameson, please.
This is Jim Rockford.
Yes, sir. I'm back.
It's hard to say. I
really don't know.
Something happened back there...
a little weird,
but I'll fill you in.
No, sir. I'd really like
to go take a shower...
and get changed. I'll drive up to
your place sometime this evening.
Yes, sir, fine. Thank you.
TransGlobal Skycap
to baggage area.
Motor vehicles, may I help you?
Registration, please.
One moment, sir,
I'll connect you.
Registration, may I help
you? Miss Brown speaking.
I sure hope so, honey. My friend
Eddie said maybe you could help.
But if you can't, I don't
know what I'm going to do.
Unless I see it again, which I
probably won't. I mean there must be...
eight million gray Chevys
in the city of Los Angeles.
Maybe you could start
at the beginning, sir.
I'm awful sorry,
but I'm real excited.
You see, I've been
saving up for two years...
to buy this one
certain kind of car.
And I was driving down
Melrose Blvd., and I seen it.
It was just beautiful.
It's a '67 gray Chevy coupe.
It's got a custom vinyl top,
mag wheels. Just the whole thing.
Just the way I wanted it.
Anyway, this guy had a "for
sale" sign in the back window...
and it had a
telephone number on it.
I tried to catch up with him, but I
missed the light. I almost got a ticket.
And Eddie, my friend,
he was with me in the car.
He got the license
number, and he told me...
maybe you could
tell me who owned it.
Well, I'm not sure. We're
not supposed to do that.
I see.
You see, Eddie, I told
you she can't do that.
That's against the
rules or something.
Look, maybe I could...
sneak a peek. What was
the license number on that?
Wait a minute.
It's 2-3-8...
W-X-C.
Like in Charlie. One moment.
That's registered to
a Martin Fishback...
237 Wilson Dr., Los Angeles.
237. Honey, thank you.
I really appreciate that.
Maybe I could return the
favor sometime. Thank you.
Would I be too nosy to
ask what you guys want?
Shut up and get in.
I suppose you're the guys
who went through my place.
I thought I told you to shut up.
Tell me what you want.
I'll probably give it to you.
I want you to shut up, Rockford.
Understand? Shut up.
Right. You want it, you got it.
All right, what do I do now?
You can take
those off, Rockford.
I don't know what's going on...
but believe me, I
don't want any trouble.
You already got trouble.
The only question is whether you're gonna
wake up tomorrow breathing air or dirt.
Come on. There's no
need to be melodramatic.
We've been watching you, Rockford,
and we don't like what you're up to.
So far, I'm not too
hot about it, either.
Who are you working for?
Now wait a minute.
We don't have much
time. Who is your client?
That's a little tough.
Who are you working for?
Let me finish my
sentence this time, all right?
I'd like to tell
you. I really would.
But it's professional
ethics, sort of...
not to reveal
who your client is.
Now if it's all right with you
guys, I'd like to call my client...
from a pay phone and ask him if
it's all right if I give you his name.
If he says it's
okay, I give it to you.
Just one call, that's all. But
I really should check first.
How about it?
You lose.
Wait a minute.
Where are you going?
Is it worth it, Mr. Rockford? Is
it really that important to you?
Think about it. I'd
be interested to know.
Think about what? I don't even
know what you guys are all about.
What's going on?
I thought you understood.
We're making the arrangements.
It'll be about five minutes.
You see, Mr. Rockford,
you're dead.
Is it worth it, Mr. Rockford?
Is it really that
important to you?
Think about it. I'd
be interested to know.
I am ready for a drink.
I want another drink.
♪♪
Boy, it's really something,
isn't it? Yeah, it sure is.
There he is.
That good-looking
one in the blazer.
So that's Mark?
Come on, I'll introduce you.
Now don't say too much.
Be reserved and offhand.
You mean, I can't slap him on
the back and call him buddy?
Hardly.
Kathy! Loren. How are you?
Loren Tarr, Jim
Rockford. Hi, Jim.
I haven't seen you
around here before.
I haven't been here before.
Jim's an old friend of mine.
No kidding? That's great.
What do you do, Jim?
He's a corporate
insurance profile analyst.
But my brother sells
used cars in Montana.
Yeah.
Say, Kathy, how about some
backgammon? Sue and Sybil have a table.
We want a chance to get
some of our money back.
Now come on, you took
us pretty good last time.
Go ahead, honey.
I'll just browse around.
Maybe get something to eat,
spill something on my shirt.
Jim's such a kidder.
Go ahead, have fun.
Nice to meet you, Loren.
Scotch on the rocks, please.
Are you really a
private detective?
You must be mistaken. I'm
a corporate profile analyst.
What the devil is that?
I rummage around
little companies.
Dredge up tax loopholes,
that sort of thing.
He said you're a
private detective.
Him? Yeah, him.
I bet you don't even know what
a corporate profile analyst does.
Sure I do, sort of.
It's true. You are a detective.
I think that's
marvelous. You do?
Sure. You're the first
private detective I ever met.
Let's just keep it
between ourselves.
A thing like that gets
out in a place like this...
I start growing
bouncers from both arms.
It's a deal. I'm Susan Jameson.
Jim Rockford.
If you worked in one
of my companies...
and kept me waiting the
way you did this afternoon...
I'd warn you once. If it
happened again, I'd fire you.
That's one of the advantages
of my job, Mr. Jameson.
I don't have to put up
with remarks like that.
Pity we aren't the same age.
I could take you out
behind the woodshed...
and we could bash
it around for a while.
I don't go in for
that kind of thing.
Did you see Mark?
Yeah. And?
I think he spends too much
time under the sun lamp.
I could have told you that
without paying you $200 a day.
He's also had his nose fixed.
Your daughter was out there.
What do you expect?
She's engaged to the man.
You're still
pulling to the right.
You're gonna have to
anchor that set screw.
You know, we do seem to grate
on each other a bit, don't we?
I don't think that
would happen...
if I carried a briefcase
and wore a tie.
I think the problem is that
you just don't have anything...
that I want bad enough
to go to all that trouble.
What else did you find out?
I ran a check on him through
some of my own sources...
and I didn't come up with
any more than you did.
He's so clean he squeaks.
No police record.
Good credit references.
Honorable discharge
from the Navy.
Two special merit citations for
action off the waters in North Korea.
He put out a fire in a gun
battery and saved two guys.
Mark Chalmers is a
real gold-plate special.
Everything about
the guy is phony.
I've played handball with him.
That Ivy League accent
of his is a phony, too.
Get him down a couple of points
and a New Jersey accent pops out.
Real gutter Jersey.
He's a sharpshooter of some kind,
and we're gonna end up proving it.
I want to talk to
you about that, too.
I think I'll drop out. I just
don't like this sort of thing.
What sort of thing?
Helping frustrated old men break
up their daughters' romances.
It just makes me feel like I'm
taking anything that comes along.
I'll send you a bill.
You're through when
I say you're through.
Would you mind putting that
thing away? I'm afraid of guns.
I've booked you on
a flight to Newark.
The plane leaves at
4:00 this afternoon.
Maybe you didn't
hear what I said.
You'll do what I say...
or I'll make a few calls to
the local power structure.
They're friends of
mine. In 10 minutes...
you'll have civil servants
dropping out of trees on you.
That trailer of yours...
doesn't look like R1 zoning
to me. Maybe get it moved.
Have your income
tax return bounced.
Maybe have the cops...
review that investigator's
license of yours.
I shoot a mean
game of dirty pool.
Think about it.
You really shouldn't
threaten me.
You got a soft spot I
could hit blindfolded.
What are you talking about?
All I have to do is
call your daughter...
and tell her you're
having Mark investigated.
Your ethics are lousy.
Yeah, I know.
Why don't we just break
and go to neutral corners?
I'll send you a bill.
You pay me my fee...
and we'll stay out of
each other's way. All right?
Now wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
This isn't going
to be easy for me.
I'm not used to saying please...
but I am going to say please.
Please, Mr. Rockford.
I know...
I probably do seem like a frustrated
old man to you. Maybe I am.
But my only child...
is about to marry that phony.
Don't you see what it's doing to me?
You can't let me down now.
I need your help, Rockford.
And you want me because
we get along so good. Is that it?
You won't take anything from me.
You probably won't take
anything from anybody else.
I think you know
what you're doing.
Why do you want
me to go to Newark?
Because Mark...
Here are some photographs
of him, by the way.
He once mentioned a
certain street in Newark.
It's a street that people who don't
live in Newark always mispronounce.
They call it "Tal-ma-dige,"
the way it's spelled.
Mark pronounced it correctly...
and when I asked him if he'd
ever lived there, he got very uptight.
And he said no.
I think he's lying.
What do you say?
Coach?
Rockford? Right, Jim Rockford.
Jim, I'm going to
give it to you straight...
because I don't want we should
have no problems about this later on.
You see, my trouble is...
I got this giant
hatred for private
detectives. Now you've
probably heard of it.
It's a cop disease.
You guys sweep in here
like big turtle-necked vultures.
You stomp around in my
garden, and then you split.
Leaving me stuck with a mess.
So here you go, sport.
Now you want my advice...
you pick up your goodies, and
you hop a freight out of town.
I'm just trying to get
along, Lieutenant.
I'm checking in like I'm supposed to.
If I turn up anything, I'll give it to you.
I'd just like a little
help, that's all.
I don't want to get
along, Rockford.
I don't want to help you. I don't
want to hear nothing about you.
I only have one interest in you, and
that's in getting you out of this town.
Did you check with L.A.? Yeah.
The cops there said
you were a flake.
Yeah, well, I...
Goodbye, Jim.
You get to the airport
by taking Valley Street
and turning right
at Airport Drive.
Take Valley Street, and right
at Airport Drive. Yeah, I got it.
Lieutenant, if you
ever get to L.A...
why don't look me up? We
could probably have some fun.
Maybe roll a few
drunks, or something.
♪♪
I asked around, pal.
Nobody seems to know him.
Keep it. My phone
number's on the back.
You said you was at
the Holly Motel? Yeah.
There's some guys in back who might
know him. They know everybody else.
But I can't get in
there for a while.
What? Do you got a card
game going back there?
What are the stakes?
You couldn't cut it.
Costs $50 to buy a hand.
How do you get a seat?
No way, they got to know you.
Well, who's the guy? If he's from
around here, maybe we know him.
I don't want to bother you guys. You're
nice enough to let me sit in your game.
No problem. Couple of guys
got hung up. We had room.
I think Larry's still gonna make
it. Yeah. So who's the guy?
We know a lot of people. Ask around,
maybe we can help you find him.
I got a picture of him with me. I
don't know if he looks like that now.
He probably had a nose job. You know
Hollywood, everybody gets a nose job.
You know something?
Larry could help us in this.
He could run it in that
computer, or something.
Larry? Yeah,
you're in his chair.
When he gets here,
we'll show it to him.
I've already seen it, Rockford.
This guy's gonna make a movie.
Wants to use the bar for a location.
I think I'll just cash in
my chips and hit the road.
Leave them.
You're kidding.
There's over $200 here.
You're gonna make a movie?
How would you like to
make a documentary?
About our county jail.
On what charge?
Film-flamming friends of
Detective Lt. Larry Pierson.
That's good for 90 days
county time, Rockford.
Sentence suspended if you're on
the next flight back to Tinseltown.
You guys are really something.
You want me in this game
to keep guys like this away.
I'm an hour late, you
give this hustler my chair.
What was that you said, Larry?
It was Valley Street to Airport
Drive and then turn right?
This is a hot seat, Larry.
All right, I'm leaving.
Just let me get my stuff.
You can tell Lt. Pierson to
relax. He's going to get an ulcer.
Don't know what you're
talking about, friend.
Yeah? Yeah.
You travel kind of light.
You guys aren't cops? No.
Who are you?
We're with the
chamber of commerce.
That's funny. I
really like jokes.
I'm trying to get out of town
before the cops have me...
swinging a brush hook
on the county roads.
So if you'll let me get my
stuff together, I'll be on my way.
We want a little
talk with you first.
About what?
You've been spreading these
around town. We want to know why.
If you have any
information about him...
that relates to his background
here in New Jersey...
there's a $5,000 reward.
Sounds like you
already know where he is.
If you gentlemen have
any information, I'll buy.
We want to know why we're giving it.
We're cautious about this kind of thing.
Hi, how's it going?
How about it? Tell us
why you wanna know,
we'll tell you what we
know. Straight trade.
You tell me what you know...
I'll give you the
$5,000. That's a trade.
Who are you working for? Myself.
I don't think so.
You couldn't come
up with the $5,000.
You buy your underwear
at a discount house.
Why don't you come to the point?
You don't want the money. You just
want to know who I'm working for, right?
As long as you put
it that way, yeah.
I'm not telling. You
can't be that stupid.
Sure, I can. I've been
doing stupid things all day.
Why don't you two guys head on
back to the chamber of commerce?
Okay.
It really doesn't matter. I'll
tell you what you do, Rockford.
You go back home
and tell your client...
what he's doing is very
dangerous and very stupid.
If he wants to be smart, he'll stop
investigating Mark Chalmers. You got that?
Sounds like a threat.
It's not a threat.
It's what you call sound
advice, Mr. Rockford.
Good night.
M-N-U 8-0.
No.
0-8-9.
M-W-N.
0-8...
Arriving passengers
from Newark...
please report to TransGlobal's
passenger service counter.
Mr. Jameson, please.
This is Jim Rockford.
Yes, sir. I'm back.
It's hard to say. I
really don't know.
Something happened back there...
a little weird.
But I'll fill you in.
Put him in the car.
What do you mean? I'm busting with
good information. You should listen to it.
Put him in the car.
Come on, pal. Have a heart.
I'm sorry about that,
pal, just a reflex action.
Move him out.
Go!
Federal officers! Everybody
out of the car with your hands up.
Come on, he's got to be kidding.
Get out of the car
with your hands up.
Put it away. We have attorneys.
I'm Jim Rockford.
I know who you are. These
men took you from your trailer...
at approximately 3:15 this
afternoon, apparently against your will.
If you prefer charges and will
agree to testify against them...
I'll charge them
with kidnapping.
That's ridiculous.
Tell him, Jim.
You book them. I'll testify.
I'll inform you of your
rights. You are under arrest.
If you do not have an attorney,
one will be provided for you.
I have one.
He makes more in one month than
a creep like you makes in a lifetime.
I should advice you, sir, anything
you say may be used against you.
Want some more coffee?
No, thanks. I'm fine.
Now, if you'll just sign the
complaint, we'll be on our way.
Pal, do you want to do
me a favor? Sure, name it.
Would you tell me
what's going on?
Simple. You sign the complaint.
The federal prosecutor will prosecute.
And these guys will become permanent
members of the federal penitentiary.
That's not what I
mean, and you know it.
You look a little tired. Why
don't you just sign this...
and go on back to your trailer,
and get yourself a little shuteye.
Don't you want to know
who I'm working for?
Seems to be everybody's
favorite question.
That's a local matter,
and I'm not interested.
I'm only interested in
putting Torrance Beck in jail.
Now, if you'd just sign this.
Not until I know
what's going on.
Nothing's going on.
Then how come everywhere I
go I keep getting pounded on?
I'm sure you're gonna find
that's all over with now...
if you'd just sign
the complaint.
I've changed my mind.
If I'm not under arrest,
I'd like to get out of here.
You don't want to
mess with me, Rockford.
You get difficult and I'm
going to jerk you up tight.
I'm a taxpayer. Big deal.
Who is Mark Chalmers?
Mark Chalmers? I don't
know who you're talking about.
Like hell you don't.
Rockford, I work for the
Federal Justice Department.
I am attached to the
Organized Crime Strike Force.
Torrance Beck is a
member of organized crime.
I was staked out on him...
and I followed Harry to your
trailer, and I saw him pick you up.
I then followed the car
back to Beck's house...
and called for assistance. Lucky
break. We got them all on kidnapping.
That's great. You mean, you
were standing outside my trailer...
while those two hoods turned
my place into a room full of junk?
That was the only
way. I had to wait to see
where it went, and
then hope for the best.
I want to get out of
here. Tell them to move.
When you sign the
complaint, Rockford.
Look, hotshot, I've been
having a terrible day.
I got two loose teeth
that have been killing me.
I got this sinking feeling
in the pit of my stomach...
that I'm the only guy in the game
that doesn't know what trump is.
I have been followed by
criminals and threatened by cops...
and now I come up on you.
You got all the answers and you
stand there like some big, leafy elm.
Fine. You want to play it
that way, that's okay with me.
But I'm not signing that
complaint till I get clued in.
I have told you all
that I could tell you.
Then let me outta here, or I'm
going to slap a lawsuit on you.
I'll subpoena you for the trial.
You haven't lived till you've
tried to serve me with a subpoena.
That's one of my career
specialties: ducking process servers.
Okay, Mr. Rockford, you can
go. But if you'd like a little advice...
from a representative of
your federal government...
go out and buy yourself
an extra toothbrush...
and then pack it in your wallet.
You try to arrest me on
some trumped-up charge...
and I'm going to testify
against my federal government.
And Torrance Beck is going to get away
scot-free and charge you with false arrest.
It's been swell.
Come in.
Hi.
What are you doing?
Just what it looks like.
I was getting ready to rap you
on the head with an ashtray.
I like the way you
rearranged the furniture.
Looks nice.
That's just what I
need right now, Rocky.
A bunch of smart remarks
about what this place looks like.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.
What did happen, anyway?
I got slapped around in here.
I'm still waiting for
somebody to tell me why.
You mean, you don't know
why? That don't make sense.
I know. I'm thinking of
quitting this case I'm on.
Now that does make sense.
If you want my opinion...
you should quit the
whole lousy racket.
I'm thinking about that, too.
As long as you're quitting...
it don't make no difference that
you stood up a fellow named...
Warren Jameson.
Warner Jameson?
Yeah, that's the
one. He called me.
Got my number out of
the phone book, I guess.
Did you know that there's only
three Rockfords in the phone book?
There's you, there's me.
There's that guy from
Detroit that got beat up...
'cause they thought he was you.
That little guy with
the broken glasses?
What did Jameson say?
He said that he was on his
way up to his country home.
And he was up there then...
and he was waiting for you, but
you didn't show, and where was you?
Good, let him cool
his heels for a while.
I didn't like him much
on the phone, either.
He did leave me a number...
but as long as you're not interested
anymore, I guess you won't need it.
Jim, when will you ever learn?
All these fellows want is for
you to take the thumping for them.
Look at this place, look at it!
Looks like the backroom
of Montgomery Ward's.
You ain't listening to me.
Sure I am, Rocky.
I want to speak to
Warren Jameson, please.
It's Jim Rockford.
I thought you'd be at the
country house four hours ago.
I got hung up.
I waited for you
as long as I could.
I've got to go back East
for a day on business.
I'm in town now, and I'll be here
an hour before I leave for the airport.
I'll expect you.
I'll meet you at Trattoria's
Steakhouse. It's right near the airport.
You'll meet me here. I still
don't want to be seen with you.
I got news for you. I don't really
care what you want anymore.
I only care what I want.
I'll be at Trattoria's Steakhouse.
I'll be there in 20 minutes.
That's telling him, boy.
Rock, would you do me a favor?
Would you straighten up this place for me?
Sure, I'll be glad to.
You mean, it's not going
to cost me anything?
Look, I'm still your father.
Don't worry, I'll do it
all up nice. You'll see.
You're all right, Rocky.
Couldn't you get a
table in the kitchen?
I told you I don't want
to be seen with you.
Then let's get to the point.
I want you to fill me in on
what you got in New Jersey...
and then I want to
terminate our arrangement.
You're canning me? Right.
What if I don't
want to be canned?
In that case, my attorneys
will get in touch with you...
and explain the legal
facts of life to you.
I'm afraid they're going
to have to stand in line.
I believe I paid you
for some information.
Please recite it to me as
quickly as possible and leave.
There's nothing I'd rather
do than to get off this case.
You'd be surprised how
it's been snowballing.
Every time I look in
my rear-view mirror...
there's a new gray
Chevy following me.
You can take me off the case...
but who's going to take
those other guys off me?
What am I supposed to do?
Take an ad in the classified?
I haven't the faintest idea
what you're talking about.
I just don't think you've been
leveling with me, that's all.
Now, I know Chalmers
is at the center of it...
and the Federal Government is
interested, but they're not talking.
And then there's Torrance
Beck, this underworld character...
he was on the track for a
while, but he broke down.
There's you, and the two guys
who visited me in my hotel in Newark.
They were wearing sweat
socks and rubber-soled shoes.
So I figured they were
probably Newark heat.
But now I think they
might have been Feds.
What is it you want from me?
I just want to know what
the hell's going on, that's all.
I told you, I haven't
the faintest idea.
I think you're just
a little too edgy...
about Susan finding
out about all this.
Maybe I should just talk to her.
I told you the truth.
And I'm not used to taking
cheap shots from people like you.
Cheap shots? That kills me.
My only interest in having
Mark Chalmers investigated...
was exactly as I told you.
I happen to love my daughter.
And the thought of having
her marry a man like that...
turns my stomach.
I think he's a phony.
I don't know what he was involved
in before. You're probably right.
Whatever it was, it was
something very messy.
Ahem. Now...
Mark came to my
office this afternoon.
He's evidently found out
I was investigating him.
And he's worried plenty.
He told me if I call
off the investigation...
he'd never see
my daughter again.
He also promised not to tell
Susan that I'd had him investigated.
We shook hands on it.
Why do you want to find out
what I'd learned in Newark?
Insurance. If it's
slimy enough...
it's good insurance to
make sure he keeps his word.
You see, Rockford,
that's all I was ever after.
All this other stuff, I don't
know about, nor do I care.
You're through.
I've got everything I wanted.
And it doesn't bother
you that I'm left with...
a "Kick Me" sign?
I'm just supposed to be a
good sport about it? Is that it?
You're paid to take those risks.
Consider yourself terminated.
Send me a bill.
I've got a plane to catch.
Come in. It's open.
Don't you hit me with
no ashtray and I will.
Morning, Sonny. Hi, Rocky.
I want to thank you for
straightening this place up.
After last night,
I don't think...
I could have faced
it the way it was.
Don't give it a thought. It
was a pleasure. No charge.
How does it feel being
out of the gumshoe racket?
Pretty good, I guess.
What's that?
Those are job opportunities.
I spent the whole morning
scanning that page.
You'd be surprised
how many there are...
that don't mean a fellow's
got to get his skull crushed in.
Look, I even circled it, real
good ones for you there.
You did quit, didn't you?
Rocky, sometimes
you make me feel...
like a piece of
meat in a desert.
I ain't hovering. Honest,
I'm not, Son. It's just...
You can't sit around
idle all the time.
You got to get yourself a
nice office job like, you know...
At least till you stop
bleeding internally.
I can't.
Why not?
I'm allergic to
fluorescent lighting.
Fluorescent lighting.
That's very funny.
You'd rather stick
around here...
pressed against the
wall with an ashtray...
over your head?
I had a piece of steak in
here. What happened to it?
I had it last night.
I was hungry.
I also had eggs in here. Three
eggs. What happened to them?
I had steak and eggs.
While we're at it, how
about that bottle of Scotch?
You never said I couldn't snack.
No charge? I could have hired
professional house cleaners for a lot less.
Do you know how much
T-bone steak costs?
You bet I do. I ain't no dummy.
You sure ain't.
Here.
Hi.
Hi. It's Susan, isn't it?
Susan Jameson.
We met at Mark's club.
Yeah, I remember. Come on in.
Susan Jameson, this is
my father, Joseph Rockford.
How do you do?
Pretty good, thank you.
It's nice.
You should have
seen it last night.
Looked like the bottom
of a grocery sack.
What can I do for
you, Ms. Jameson?
You're the only private
detective that I know...
so I looked you up
in the phone book.
Jimmy is retiring from
the private eye business.
He's going into
something more stable.
He had a very bad year, you
know, financially and physically.
Rocky, buzz off.
Have you had breakfast?
No.
If you let me change, we'll
go get something to eat, huh?
There's a real nice
place over by the beach.
Just make yourself at home.
What do you want?
The tacos are good.
No, I can't get into
tacos for breakfast.
I'll have a taco and coffee.
Just coffee, please. Okay.
And lots of hot sauce, Louis.
All right.
What's your problem?
Well, it's a long story. It's...
I don't know where to begin.
You're not going to
start crying, are you?
I can't take that
before breakfast.
I was engaged to Mark Chalmers.
You probably met
him. He owns Mark's.
I never met him.
I know who he is.
He was my fiancé.
Last night, he called me
and asked me to have dinner.
But he was... I don't
know, but he was strange.
He told me that he couldn't marry
me, that he'd changed his mind.
He said he couldn't
see me again.
What do you want me to do?
It's not like he was dumping me.
I've had that happen
before, and it wasn't like that.
You know, I mean, he had tears.
Hustle it up, will you, Louis?
I'm sorry, really. I'm
not the weepy type. It's...
I'm still a little
knocked down by this.
Maybe you should have had one
of the tacos with the hot sauce...
then if you started crying,
you could blame it on the menu.
Yeah.
You're being very nice.
I know this is a terrible
way to start your morning.
Actually, it's a lot
better than yesterday.
Here's your sauce. All right.
Put it on my tab, will you?
Right.
Let's move over there.
Now, where were we?
He just said that he
couldn't marry me.
No explanation. Nothing.
I mean, he was just
as upset as I was.
Anyway, he just took
me home and he left.
What do you want? You
want me to find him or what?
I want you to find out why
he broke the engagement.
I mean, there must be some
reason, and it wasn't another woman.
Do you have any
family in Los Angeles?
Just my father.
What's his name?
Warner Jameson.
You talked to him about it?
We don't get along.
He didn't like Mark.
As a matter of
fact, he hated him.
But then, he hated
every man I ever dated.
I guess it's a father's
prerogative to hate what you like.
Or what you do for a living.
Can you find out for me?
What's the matter?
Can't you take the case?
Listen, Susan...
It's Sue.
I've got a little problem
of professional ethics...
that I got to clear up first.
What are you talking about?
It gets kind of involved.
What kind of ethics does a
private detective have to have?
My own kind.
It has to do with shaving
and looking into mirrors...
and a lot of other trite stuff
you've probably heard before.
Let me see if I can work it
out, and I'll give you a call.
How much do you charge?
$200 a day, plus expenses.
It's a lot.
Think so?
I was thinking
about increasing it.
No, I'll pay it.
Let me give you a call.
I just have to clear the
decks with an old client first.
I'll finish this taco and
I'll walk you to your car.
Come on in, Rockford.
Squeeze him, Mort.
Are you coming
with us, Rockford?
You all right, Dad?
Yeah.
What's going on?
You got the wrong guy.
I'm not even in the private
detective business anymore.
Ask anybody. Ask
my father. Shut up.
What's it going to take to
convince you guys I'm clean.
Listen, pal, you
got big trouble.
You're about to go see one of
the most important men in the outfit.
You try this cheap song and dance
on him, you know what happens.
No.
He tells me and Mort to
take you out somewhere...
and bury you up to
your ears in cement.
Well, look...
it's not definite I was
out of the business...
but I'm sure thinking about it.
Look, I don't want any
trouble, believe me.
Rockford, shut up.
It's a long drive.
Don't cluck it up.
Right.
Who's in there?
Shut up.
Be sure and tell him I'm not
on a case at the moment...
and I'm thinking
about leaving town.
Shut up.
Who's doing your material?
It's really monotonous.
Who's doing yours?
I am.
It shows.
All right, Rockford. Get out.
All right, Rockford. We're
not going to need you today.
I want you to start
walking. That way.
I catch you looking back, I'm
going to put a hole through you.
Now, get going.
Maybe someday, when all this is
over, you and I can have a beer...
and you can tell me
what all this is about.
Bye.
The Federal Building, downtown.
$10.45.
Here. Keep the change.
A $10 tip. What
do I got to do for it?
There's a trailer
parked by the beach.
2354, Pacific Coast Highway.
I want you to go inside
and there you'll find...
a very crotchety
old man tied up.
Untie him. You're kidding.
He's my father.
There's a punch line, right?
Whatever you got on the
meter, you get from him.
You keep the $10 tip.
Add another $5
and you got a deal.
You and my father are
going get along real good.
Sorry to keep you
waiting, Rockford.
It's not going to work, Shore.
I'm going to be long gone
before he ever gets here.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Now, what can I do for you?
I got picked up
again. Kidnapped.
That's the second
time in two days.
Now, don't you come down here to
bleed on me. I was trying to protect you.
I had you under
surveillance and you take off...
like a scalded duck and the LA
cops end up busting two of my men.
Those two guys were Feds?
What do you think?
When did you
switch to Chryslers?
When the mob
switched to gray Chevys.
I just came down here to
find out what's going on...
if it isn't too much
of an imposition.
You going to testify
at Beck's trial?
Are you going to level with me?
Sign the complaint
and I'll fill you in.
Fill me in and I'll sign
the complaint. Maybe.
All right. It's going to be in the
papers this afternoon, anyway.
Mark Chalmers is dead.
He was shot last night
in his club, after it closed.
He's dead? Yeah.
His name isn't Mark
Chalmers. It's Fred Willow.
He used to own a big
numbers operation in Newark...
and we sewed him up on a
good felony 10 years ago...
when he traded 20 years in the
pokey for some key testimony...
that landed five heads of the
largest crime organizations in jail.
We agreed to give
him a new identity...
and we promised to
the best of our ability...
to protect him from the mob.
Obviously, we failed.
And you think he
was hit by the mob?
It had to be.
We told him not to open the
club. I mean, that was stupid.
He should have gone into
something with a low profile...
something like beachcombing.
What if it wasn't the
mob that killed him?
You know, Rockford, you
are beginning to annoy me.
If you want to play G-man, go to
Washington and take the course.
That's funny. That's the
last thing I'd want to do.
Hold up a second.
It's just not going to work.
There's not enough time.
It takes 15 minutes for him to get
over here from the county courthouse...
and I've only been here for 10.
Come on, Rockford,
you know you can testify.
Against some guy
in organized crime?
Come on. They kill people.
We'll protect you.
What did you say
Chalmers' real name was?
Fred Willow. He
was a nice fellow.
Are you the U.S. marshal
with the subpoena for Rockford?
Yeah. He's still
up there, isn't he?
You bet. Shore's got him
locked in a room. You better hurry.
Thanks a lot.
Hello, Rocky.
I see he got to you, all right.
He got to me, all right.
Plus a $10 meter
fee. Plus a tip.
You tipped him?
The guy came all
the way over here...
on his own hook
and cut me free...
and I don't tip him?
I tipped him.
What am I supposed to do?
Write you a thank-you note?
What are you doing?
Hello.
Mr. Jameson, it's Jim Rockford.
Yes, what is it?
I thought you should know...
Mark Chalmers is dead.
I heard about it on the radio.
Some kind of a gang
thing, I think they said.
It wasn't a gang killing.
You seem sure.
I am.
I was picked up by the
gang after it happened.
They were still
interested to find out...
whether I knew where he was...
so they couldn't have done it.
That doesn't make any sense.
Sure, it does, if you
stop and think about it.
Well, who did kill
Mark Chalmers?
I think it was your
daughter that killed him.
Perhaps we'd better get
together and discuss this.
Yeah, I thought so.
I'll be over at your
place, say 20 minutes.
No, not here.
I'll meet you at the
country house in an hour.
All right, fine.
All right.
My daughter didn't kill him.
Yeah, I know. I lied to you.
I talked to Susan
before I came up here.
They were...
going to run away together.
I simply couldn't
let that happen.
I got him a great attorney.
He flew in from Texas.
But I don't know what
good it's going to do.
You know, I've tried to hate
him for what he did to Mark...
but I can't. He's my father.
You seem to be holding up.
I always hold up.
It's one of my best qualities.
It's just the first two
weeks that were the worst.
Where would you like to go?
Somewhere where
they don't sell tacos.
I know just the place.
You know, I just don't even
want to talk about it anymore.
I can't believe the
way people have been.
I feel like I'm watching
my life on a soap opera.
I mean, I know they mean well...
but I'm just tired of
the handwringing.
Maybe that's why I like
being with you so much.
You don't act as if I'm about to
come unraveled at any moment.
That's because
you're not going to.
Now, who are they?
What?
Don't they know I haven't
been on a case in two weeks?
I've had just about
all of this I can stand.
All right, what do you want?
Marshal's Office.
You've been subpoenaed
to appear in court...
on December 23,
Federal Court Building...
to testify in the kidnapping
trial of Torrance Beck.
Agent Shore says to say hello.
Come on, you guys.
Give me a break, will you?