The Rockford Files (1974–1980): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Deep Blue Sleep - full transcript
After a late night phone call Beth hires Jim to look for a missing friend who eventually turns up dead. The dead woman worked for a fashion designer who is unknowingly in up to her neck with some very bad 'fellas'.
$200 a day plus expenses.
Do you want the job or not?
There are other PI's
in the book.
Seven cents a mile?
BETH: I wanna know
who killed her.
Well, give them
a little time.
I wanna know now.
He does not believe
it is an accident.
Did you know
you were being backed
by organized crime?
I told you, I didn't ask.
Hey, I wouldn't do that
if I were you. They're liable
to be back any minute now.
When they do,
you tell them
I borrowed their car.
What are you, crazy?
(PHONE RINGING)
ROCKFORD:
(ON ANSWERING MACHINE)
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS)
WOMAN: Hi, Jim. Thanks
for the dinner invitation.
I'd love to,
but does it have to be
the taco stand?
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(RINGING)
Hello.
Mr. Rockford,
this is Margo Adams.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
BETH: Listen, Jim.
There's something wrong
with your phone.
I had to ask the operator
to clear the line.
Whatever happened to "hello"?
Jim, I got a call
from a friend of mine.
Her name is Margo Adams.
So did I.
She's in some kind
of trouble, isn't she?
I could tell by her voice.
I asked her what it was,
but all she wanted
was your phone number,
and then she hung up.
She hung up on me, too.
You didn't talk to her?
She just gave me her name
and hung up.
I called her house, and either
she's not answering her phone
or she's not there.
She sounded frightened,
didn't she?
I've never met the lady.
Well, she was terrified.
I'll take your word for it.
What kind of an attitude
is that?
Don't you think
you ought to do something?
Like what?
Well, like find out
what happened to her.
Hey, come on,
let's not run off
in a blind panic.
I've gotta know
what happened to her.
All right, I'll hire you.
When you say "hire"...
$200 a day plus expenses.
Do you want the job or not?
There are other PI's
in the book.
Seven cents a mile?
Jim...
Yeah. All right. All right.
What's her address?
140 West Spalding.
I'll meet you there.
If you're there before I am,
and she's not there,
there's an extra key
under the doormat.
That's the first place
I was gonna look.
(WOMAN SPEAKING
ON POLICE RADIO)
... 1-L-10. Roger.
6- A-11. 6-A-11.
Ambulance injury.
1760 Sycamore. Code 2.
All right. Where is he?
Inside.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
Hi, Dennis.
"Hi, Dennis."
Check the other rooms.
It doesn't look too bad.
Well, you won't be hurt
if I get another
medical opinion.
Listen, Jim,
I'm in no mood.
I was checking out
when Beth's call came in.
I had to come
halfway across town.
Peggy spent $20
on a standing rib roast,
which is gonna taste like
something out of
the Petrified Forest
by the time I get home.
Well, that kind of devotion
to duty makes us all
proud of you, Dennis.
Now, will you try to find out
who clobbered me?
Check the other houses.
Maybe we got
a little old
white-haired lady
who's keeping her eye
on the neighborhood.
You don't know who hit you.
Do you know why?
About an hour ago,
a friend of mine, Margo Adams,
called me up.
Then she called Jim.
She's in some kind of trouble,
but we don't know what,
because she hung up
on both of us.
That's why we came over here.
How did you get in?
She leaves an extra key
under the doormat.
So you're in here
without her knowledge
or her permission.
Well, we weren't the first.
The place had been tossed
when I got here.
Or she's a lousy housekeeper.
It's been tossed, Dennis,
and I got rapped on the head
when I came in.
Maybe the one
who did the rapping
was Margo Adams.
You weren't expected.
You could have scared her.
Dennis, something
has happened to Margo.
I want to file
a missing person's report.
And a John Doe assault
and battery complaint.
You can't file
a missing person's report
until someone's been missing
for 24 hours.
Right, Counselor? The key.
And I'll file the A and B,
check the place out,
and if she hasn't shown up
by tomorrow afternoon,
I'll put through the report.
Thanks, Dennis.
Why is Margo Adams
so important to you?
She's an old friend of mine,
has been since we were
10 years old.
Well, you never
talk about her.
I talk about her
all the time.
Susie.
Susie?
She changed her name to Margo
when she started to model.
Oh!
She doesn't have
any family or anything.
Jim, if I don't
help her, nobody will.
You've gotta find out
what happened to her.
Well, maybe she doesn't
want to be found.
No, I don't believe that.
Well, I don't know.
Margo's been living
in New York.
She only moved back out here
a few months ago.
I've been so busy.
We try to get together,
but I've only ended up
seeing her about four times.
Doesn't give you
much to go on, does it?
Not much.
Where does she work?
Clarke Fashions.
Talk to Adrienne Clarke.
Margo's her top model.
All right. I'll check it out
in the morning. Come on,
I'll follow you home.
I don't mind being alone.
I mind.
(DISCO MUSIC PLAYING)
Do something about that music,
Darren. If it's that loud
at the show...
It won't be.
I wanna run the lights
when we break.
Okay.
Who is that?
I don't know.
I'll find out.
You'll have to leave.
This is a closed rehearsal.
I'd like to speak
to Miss Clarke, please.
No, you have to leave.
If you want an appointment,
speak to Miss Clarke's
secretary.
Her office is...
Yeah, down at the end
of the corridor.
I've already talked to her.
She said an appointment's
out of the question,
but I'm gonna have one
just the same, sonny.
But, but...
Miss Clarke?
Give the girls 15 minutes.
Didn't the gentleman
explain to you
that I'm busy?
I'd just like
a couple of minutes.
I'm in the middle
of rehearsal.
My name is Jim Rockford.
I'm a private investigator.
I'd like to ask you
a few questions
about Margo Adams.
I don't care to
answer any questions
about Margo Adams.
Well, it's important.
I couldn't care less.
Oh, you're so busy being
Coco Chanel, you just don't
have time for other people.
Right, Miss Clarke?
No time at all.
I'm working for
Beth Davenport.
She's a friend of Margo's,
and Margo's disappeared.
Yes, I was aware of that
at 9:00 this morning.
Margo's my lead model,
and I had to replace her
at the last minute.
Now if she's off somewhere
nursing a hangover
or a broken heart,
I'm afraid
I'm a little short
on sympathy.
I can tell you all I have to
say about Margo Adams
in two words. She's fired.
Hi, Dennis.
I'm glad you got my message.
What've you got?
We found Margo Adams.
You got a positive ID?
Driver's license,
credit cards,
it's her car.
This place is off-limits
for skin diving,
but we got a couple of kids
who don't believe in signs.
They found the wreck,
called it in.
Body is still in the car.
She must have really
been traveling to end up
that far in the water.
Accident?
Could be.
We gotta check the car
for mechanical trouble,
check the body for alcohol.
We need Beth
to verify identification.
You'll tell her.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll tell her.
See you.
BETH: So she's in
the county refrigerator
with a tag on her big toe,
and that's the end of it?
Why don't the police
do something?
Come on. The police don't buy
the coroner's report
any more than I do.
Two frantic telephone calls,
her apartment ransacked,
and she accidentally ends up
in 20 feet of water.
Now, for now they're just
throwing a blanket over it
and calling it an accident,
or suicide.
Margo would never have
killed herself.
I said "for now."
They're gonna be
chewing around
the edges of this thing
until they end up
calling it murder,
if they haven't already.
I wanna know
who killed her.
Well, give them
a little time.
I wanna know now.
Beth, the cops are on it.
That makes it an open case.
They're not gonna
pull your ticket
for asking a few questions.
I'd like to
help you, but...
Okay.
If the department gives you
any kind of flak, you get
my legal services for free.
Now would I offer that
if I thought you had a chance
of taking me up on it?
Please, Jim.
All right.
I'll ask a few questions.
Mr. Rockford.
Miss Clarke didn't want to
see you this morning,
she doesn't want to
see you this afternoon.
Well, I have some information
I think she'll want to hear.
I doubt it.
Is she in her office?
It's really academic,
Mr. Rockford, because
you're not gonna see her.
(INTERCOM BUZZING)
Yes, Miss Clarke.
Did you try
the New York call?
You can't go in there.
What?
You can't go in there!
Millie?
Stop!
What is going on?
Now sign that
in two places. Yes?
I'm sorry, Miss Clarke.
I tried to stop him.
Well, who is he?
That's all right, Millie.
Bob, call the police!
What?
Margo Adams is dead.
Well, that was pretty blunt.
Miss Clarke has
so little time.
You all right, Adrienne?
Yeah.
All right.
You're very dramatic
and more than a little brutal.
Now why don't you
get out of here?
No. I wanna know
what's going on.
That'll be all, Millie.
It's all right, Millie.
It's all right.
Mr. Rockford.
Margo and her car
were fished out
of a reservoir
about an hour
after I talked to you
this morning.
Time of death
was late last night.
I'm sorry.
I'm honestly very sorry.
Is there anything
I can do to help?
Well, you might answer
some of the questions
that we didn't
get around to this morning.
Of course.
Well, there's not very much
I can tell you.
I didn't know Margo well.
In fact, I don't suppose
I knew her at all.
She was an employee.
She did her job,
and she did it well.
Didn't you know anything
about her personal life?
Nothing.
And Mister...
Oh, this is Bob Coleman.
He's a friend
and business associate.
Mr. Coleman, what do you know?
I knew most of the girls
around here by sight.
Beyond that, nothing.
I suppose I shouldn't have
said those things
about her today,
but I was upset,
worried about the show.
There was nothing
you could have done
about it.
Now why don't you
take it easy.
Go get some rest, huh?
Would you mind if I talked
to some of the other models?
Well, not today.
They've got a show.
Maybe we should postpone it.
Let him postpone
the questions.
I mean, the girl is dead.
There's nothing we can do
about that.
Now 24 hours isn't gonna
make a lot of difference.
Business as usual.
Well, of course.
I'll be back tomorrow.
Are you all right?
Yeah, well,
an accident like that's
pretty hard to accept.
Miss Clarke's pretty upset,
but Coleman's taking it well.
Course, he didn't know her.
He knew her,
in the biblical sense
of the word.
Oh, I just got the impression
that Coleman and
Adrienne Clarke were close.
Does she know about
his relationship with Margo?
I've said too much already.
If you'll excuse me,
I have a lot of work to do.
"The quick brown fox..."
Hey, I always
keep my sources confidential.
What the...
Oh, you sure have a talent
for being where
you're not wanted.
Where did you get my address?
The phone book.
All right.
Well, get your car
out of here.
It'll take a minute.
Get it out!
That's okay.
It's just a courtesy call,
anyway.
I thought you might want
to explain why you claimed
not to know Margo Adams when,
in fact, you were
having an affair with her.
But Miss Clarke's
being very cooperative.
She'll fill me in.
You say one word
about that to Adrienne,
and they'll be scraping you up
in six counties.
Six? Why not just
one neat little package
like Margo?
I don't know what you're
trying to imply,
but I'll tell you one thing.
I don't know anything
about Margo's accident,
but I'm sure gonna
know about yours.
Well, before you take a bite
out of something,
you make sure it's something
that won't bite you back.
Really?
(HORN HONKING)
You wanna bite back?
Now I want you to stay away
from Clarke Fashions.
I want you to stay away
from this house,
and I don't wanna ever
have this conversation again.
Good, let's keep in touch.
Hurry up.
Mr. Coleman,
Mr. Davidson called
a half a dozen times.
He wants to hear from you
right away.
Well, get in touch with him,
tell him I'll call him
this evening.
He said right away.
It's a good deal.
I wouldn't want you
to lose it.
We can lay off $3 million
in that company, easy.
I can get him for you.
I told you I will call him
this evening. Now leave me
alone for a few minutes.
This is Coleman.
I want you to deliver
a message for me.
No, I don't mean tomorrow.
I am talking about right now.
Shut up and listen.
I'm gonna say this once.
There is a new player
in the game,
a PI named Rockford.
He's nosing around
Clarke Fashions, asking
questions about Margo Adams.
He does not believe
it is an accident.
He wants to know
who killed her and why.
Now you guys are blowing it.
If I can't trust the guys
I'm working with, maybe
I'll work with somebody else.
BETH: You gonna
tell Dennis
about Bob Coleman?
What would I tell him?
That he lied about
knowing Margo.
Well, that doesn't
prove anything.
I'd have lied, too,
under the circumstances.
Adrienne Clarke has
a lot of spirit
and a lot of self-respect.
If she knew Bob Coleman's
idea of fun on the side,
she'd take him off
at the knees, I think.
You mean,
he lied to protect himself
with Adrienne?
It's a possibility.
He had something to hide.
That's also a possibility.
Coleman wants to keep
the relationship secret.
What if Margo
threatened to tell Adrienne?
No, she wouldn't do that.
On the other hand, she might.
People in love
do crazy things.
Maybe Coleman killed her
just to keep things quiet.
Well, killing usually
has the reverse effect.
You're being logical.
Logic has nothing to do
with a crime of passion.
I'd heard that.
Jim.
No. You stay right here.
Let me check it out.
It's clean.
Can you tell
if anything's missing?
In this mess?
Beth, did Margo give you
anything to hold for her?
No.
Beth, I want you out of here.
I live here.
You also live in Pasadena.
Dennis Becker, please.
Your parents
back from Europe?
Yeah. A couple
of weeks ago.
We'll stash you with them
for a while.
Now wait a minute.
Beth, your friend is dead.
Somebody's looking
for something,
and they don't care
how they get it.
You're going to Pasadena.
Hey, Dennis? Dennis,
did you get a make
on that license number?
Yeah. When are you gonna
start giving your business
to the DMV?
Come on, Dennis.
Who owns the car?
It's a company car.
It belongs to George Macklan,
Macklan Produce.
Produce?
Yeah, like cantaloupes,
string beans.
I don't need a definition.
It just doesn't make sense.
So what else is new?
Somebody searched
Beth's apartment.
Oh. She all right?
Yeah. She's fine.
You want to check it out?
Yeah. I want to check it out.
All right. I'm gonna
drop her off in Pasadena,
and I'll leave the key
with the manager.
All right.
Right.
Where's your phone book?
Behind the bar.
What are you looking for?
Got it.
Jim!
It's okay. I'll return it.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
Miss Clarke.
I'm not going to ask you
to sit down, Mr. Rockford,
because I don't
want you to stay.
Now, if that is
less than gracious, I'm sorry,
but I've had a long day.
Thought you wanted
to help.
I do,
but I've already told you
everything I know about Margo.
Well, Miss Clarke,
I just left my client.
Her apartment's
been ransacked.
Why tell me?
You're the only one
who knows who my client is.
You're not suggesting that
I had anything to do with it?
What would I be looking for?
Whatever got Margo killed.
Her death was an accident.
It was murder.
Murder? But who?
Let's talk about Bob Coleman.
Let's not talk at all.
Did he ask you
who my client was?
Did you tell him?
No, I did not.
Now you've been
crashing around here
like a bull elephant,
asking questions
and making accusations.
Bob has no more interest
in your client than I have.
Well, he was
having an affair with Margo.
You say that with
a great deal of authority.
And you don't seem
particularly surprised.
It would be unrealistic
for me to believe that
Bob leads a monastic life,
but it's not something
we've ever discussed,
and I certainly
have no intention
of discussing it with you.
I resent your prying,
and I resent
these personal questions.
I don't like it any better
than you do, Miss Clarke.
I'm looking for
a motive for murder.
Then look someplace else.
I have a feeling I'm looking
in exactly the right place.
COLEMAN: All right.
You pulled me out
of a very important meeting.
I've gotta get back.
What is it?
Yesterday you asked me
who hired Jim Rockford,
and I told you.
Yeah. Davenport
or something. So?
So yesterday,
somebody took
her place apart.
And?
What were they looking for?
How should I know?
Bob, I don't like
what I'm thinking,
but I know that if you wanted
an apartment searched
(SNAPPING FINGERS)
You could have it done
like "that."
Well, what reason
would I have?
Margo and Beth Davenport
were very good friends.
And you and Margo
were even closer.
When did you find that out?
The day it started.
I may work 24 hours a day,
but I'm still a woman.
I'll take your word for it.
Okay, Bob, I understand
and I'm not angry,
but I don't know
what's happening. Jim Rockford
said Margo was murdered.
Well, am I supposed to
have the answers?
You always have.
Was she murdered?
Honey, just keep control,
will you?
It's bad for your image.
Besides, you're gonna wanna
make a nice impression
on the new owners.
What are you talking about?
We're selling Clarke Fashions.
You can't!
The deal is made.
What was it you think
I had you sign yesterday?
You told me
they were contracts.
Ah, you see the mistake
you made?
You should always,
always read the fine print.
Don't ever take
anybody's word for it
in business.
I built this company.
You can't sell it.
You built it on my money,
and I can.
Well, at least give me
a chance to buy it.
Hey, it's an open market.
All you have to do
is come up with
$3.5 million dollars
by next Tuesday.
I can't raise that much.
Well, it's not as if
you wouldn't be
a part of the business.
We've sold your services
for the next five years.
I don't understand.
It's all part of the deal,
your contract.
But why?
Why didn't you tell me?
Any questions you have to ask,
you should have asked
three years ago.
I'm asking now.
You're like
a baseball player, baby.
You've been sold
to another club.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
May I come in?
You can even sit down.
There's very little reason
for you to be nice to me.
Well, when somebody
comes charging into your life
like a bull elephant,
there's even less reason
to be gracious.
If you'd reacted
any differently,
I'd be wondering why.
I suppose that takes care
of the apologies.
Why did you come
to see me last night?
You didn't learn anything.
Oh, sure I did.
I learned I was wrong.
I thought you might go
quick-stepping right over
to Bob Coleman,
but I sat outside
your apartment for two hours,
you never showed.
I had my hat and coat on
for about a minute and a half.
No.
Have a seat.
What is it you want,
Miss Clarke?
I want to hire you.
I already have a client.
Can't you have two?
We're both interested
in the same thing,
who killed Margo.
No. Beth wants the truth.
And you want
to clear Bob Coleman.
I want the truth, too.
All right.
Tell me what Bob Coleman
has to do with your company.
You want my help,
that's part of the deal.
Now what does he do?
What difference does it make?
Whatever happened to Margo
is tied into Coleman
and Clarke Fashions.
He handles the bookkeeping.
Oh, come on.
Are you trying
to sell me that?
You want me
to buy Bob Coleman
as a CPA?
I made a mistake coming here.
Then leave.
I don't have
anybody else to go to.
Then level.
I don't want to be
an accessory to murder.
I think Bob killed Margo.
Why?
I don't know.
Who is he?
Come on.
Come on, jump in.
You got something
you're afraid to say, say it.
Come on.
Just let it go.
Say it!
Three years ago,
I had a shop on West Adams.
Just me and a rebuilt
sewing machine that took
a year and a half to pay off.
That bobbin tension
was never any good.
I'm a woman. I'm black.
That doesn't change
inside the ghetto or out.
I had talent. I had ambition.
I pushed and shoved
and worked
until there wasn't
any part of me
that didn't hurt,
but I just couldn't make it.
Then I met Bob Coleman.
I was whipped.
I wasn't going anywhere.
Then, one day, he backed
a green station wagon
up to the rear door.
You know what was in it? Cash.
As much as I needed.
And you didn't ask
where it came from?
You bet I didn't.
I wanted out,
and it got me out.
Well, you're gonna have
to ask the question now.
What's Bob Coleman into?
He finances companies.
In cash?
Did you know
you were being backed
by organized crime?
I told you, I didn't ask.
Well, you're gonna have to
turn over the rock.
There are billions of dollars
in syndicate operations,
but it's dirty money,
and it's traceable.
So they make
cash investments
in legitimate businesses,
hang on to them for a while,
then sell them,
then the money's clean.
They're taking
$2.5 million dollars
out of Clarke Fashions.
Bob sold the company,
but I think
I know how to make him
change his mind.
He made the mistake
of telling me about
his insurance policy.
He keeps a written record
of all his transactions:
Names, dates,
how much they put into
a company,
how much they get out.
There's a cardinal rule
in the mob.
"You put nothing in writing."
Well, he did.
It's a lever.
Are you interested in pinning
a murder rap on Bob Coleman
or saving your company?
Am I supposed to let it go
without a fight?
In this case, yes.
We go to the police.
No!
I don't wanna go
to the police.
If I do,
that's the end of everything.
What other choice
do you have?
We go to Bob Coleman's house
and confront him.
He can't afford to let that
information out, that he's
been keeping records.
We go to the police.
If we do,
I don't say anything.
I'm gonna see Bob.
If you don't wanna come
with me, I'll go alone.
(SIGHS)
If Coleman told you
about his book,
he could have told Margo.
Now let's say she found it
and took it.
It would give her something
to hold over his head
and keep him in line.
And he killed her
in order to recover it?
Then why was
your client's place searched?
Because the book obviously
wasn't at Margo's.
Beth is her one close friend.
What better place to put it
for safekeeping?
Look, if we're gonna
do this thing,
we're gonna do it carefully.
We're not going in
threatening.
Coleman has all the answers,
so if we play it right,
we might end up with a few.
Whatever you say.
You always get your way?
I always try.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
What's happened?
I don't know.
All right. I'll check it out.
You stay right where you are.
Stay put.
Time of death?
Last couple of hours,
no more than that.
One bullet in the throat,
one in the mouth.
What does that tell you?
That he was a talker.
His friends didn't like it.
They signed their name,
so nobody else gets ideas.
All right.
Thanks, Doc.
I'll punch in with you
soon as I get the report
from the autopsy.
Hi, Dennis.
What's happening?
Who's that?
Why don't you wait
until the investigation
is over?
I'll copy you along with
the Lieutenant.
What are you doing here?
I came to see Coleman.
Why?
I got some questions
I'd like to ask him.
He's fresh out of answers.
That's him on the way
to the meat wagon now.
Let's try this over again.
What are you doing here?
Look, Coleman was having
an affair with Margo Adams.
I think he killed her.
At least,
I thought he killed her.
What else do you know
about him?
I know he was
financing companies
out of the back
of a station wagon
in cash.
Now, Dennis, if I were you,
I'd check on his background.
He's connected.
What would we do without you?
Bunch of stumblebums
running the department,
and you're always
right around there,
saving us.
You knew.
Did you find a record book?
What record book?
Well, the book that Coleman
kept all his transactions in.
You didn't know.
Where'd you get
this information?
Well, I don't know, Dennis.
I just talk to so many people,
I can't remember
where I heard that.
I'm asking as a cop.
And I'm answering
as a citizen,
a cooperative citizen.
It'll come back to me,
but there is a record.
It's probably what they were
looking for when they searched
Margo's place
and Beth's.
Who is "they"?
Oh, come on, Dennis.
I gotta leave something
for you guys to do.
Where you going?
Home, take a shower.
Stay out of it.
Stay out of it.
You're a very nice lady.
No fuss and nobody gets hurt.
We will pay you
to cooperate.
I don't have much choice.
Oh, yeah,
you got a choice.
What are you
going to do
to me?
What are we gonna do to you?
Nothing. Not a thing.
Just gonna put you on ice
for a while
till your company's sold.
No talking to cops,
to private investigators,
to nobody.
Oh, yeah, we got some papers
you forgot to sign.
There were police
at Bob's house.
Did something happen to him?
Hey! Hey!
Right now you're an asset.
Like "that"
you become a liability.
(PHONE RINGING)
Macklan Produce Company.
Yeah. I'd like to speak to
George Macklan, please.
I'm afraid
that's impossible, sir.
Well, this is,
this is Captain Perkins
from the LA Fire Department.
A brush fire broke out
behind his house.
It's urgent I talk to him.
In that case,
just a moment, sir.
I'll trace him for you.
I think I can get him
on his car phone.
One moment, Captain,
I'll patch you through.
Thank you.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Is this Mr. Macklan?
Who's calling?
Well, I'm a friend
of Adrienne Clarke's.
I don't have
conversations with people
who don't identify themselves.
You're about to
make an exception.
Bob Coleman kept a record
of all his
financial transactions,
a written record.
I see. Is that all?
No, no. Coleman's dead.
Now my guess is that
you had to make a choice
between the records and a guy
that was unraveling
and ready to go to the DA,
but I can help you.
The cops are gonna
go through Coleman's house.
I know that he kept
the book hidden there.
There's a safe.
Now it seems to me
that if the cops
find those records,
you and your friends
stand a chance to lose
a lot of money,
not to mention,
a half a dozen
tax fraud cases.
Of course, I don't know
what you're talking about.
Of course.
Look, why are you
so anxious to help me?
Well, you I could
care less about,
but Adrienne Clarke
is a dear friend.
If the cops find the records,
she goes down the drain
with everything else.
Okay. You told me.
Goodbye.
Ray.
I know you broke up
everybody's apartment
looking for those records,
but did you ever
go through Coleman's house?
Yeah, but I had to do it
very carefully.
I didn't want to tip him.
He have a safe
in that house?
I don't think so.
I never saw one.
Well, I just talked to a guy
who says those records are
in a safe in Coleman's house.
If he had a safe,
Mr. Macklan,
I'd know about it.
Yeah?
Well, you worked
for him five years,
and you didn't know
he was keeping records
of all our transactions.
Maybe you didn't know
he had a safe.
Now it seems to me
that you did a damn poor job
of watching him.
Now get over there
and go through that house
thoroughly!
MACKLAN:
...find anything, huh?
I told you,
I went through that place
front and back, nothing.
There's no safe.
I told you there was no safe.
I don't like it.
I don't like it.
There's something rotten here.
I don't like it.
I'm telling you,
nobody followed me back.
Well, if there's no safe,
somebody is setting us up.
Now let's get her
in the car.
Nobody followed me back,
Mr. Macklan.
I was very careful.
Get her in the car.
On the double, Dennis.
I don't think
there's much time.
They may move her.
You got a gun, Jim?
No. So get a move on.
And don't come
in here like it's a
New Year's Eve party.
(HORN HONKING)
Any sign of those cops?
Oh, yeah.
They're chasing some kid
down the street.
Hey, I wouldn't do that
if I were you. They're liable
to be back any minute now.
Well, when they do,
you tell them
I borrowed their car.
What are you, crazy?
Just tell them Sergeant Becker
said it was okay.
Sergeant who?
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
Officer in trouble.
2365 South Central.
Will somebody
get the hell over here?
I'm out-numbered.
All right,
this is Sergeant Becker.
Move those three units
down the other end
of the building.
Set up a CP.
Get a couple of snipers
across the street.
We have two male Caucasians,
one female hostage.
Go through the warehouse!
OFFICER: Out of the car!
Out! Out! Out!
They were gonna kill me.
They said they were
gonna kill me.
I know. I know.
It's all right. Come on.
Come on. It's all right.
Oh, Adrienne,
it's beautiful.
Well, it's
not Clarke Fashions,
but then it's
not West Adams, either.
How's business?
Oh, keeps getting better.
A lot of my old customers
have looked me up.
Do you know I'm even selling
to my probation officer?
I've said before,
there should never have been
any probationary period.
Porter's down
on two counts of murder,
and Macklan's an accessory
before the fact.
You had
nothing to do
with it all.
Beth,
I built my company
on dirty money.
I had a lot of questions
to ask three years ago,
and I didn't ask them.
They could have
put me away.
Oh, not a chance.
Not a chance.
You had a good attorney.
I know.
I think I'm gonna browse,
okay?
You know, I still find it
hard to believe
that Ray Porter
tried to take over
Bob's territory.
Well, Coleman
never should have kept
that record book,
even if he did keep it
in a safety deposit box.
It made him a weak link.
If Porter hadn't
taken him off,
someone else would have.
Porter swears that
Margo's death was accidental.
Do you think it was?
The only thing accidental
about it was killing her
before he found
the record book.
Hey, you're gonna make it
on your own this time?
I'm gonna try.
And if a green station wagon
comes backing into your life?
I slam the door.
Right.
Of course now,
if it's something
in a baby blue...
Do you want the job or not?
There are other PI's
in the book.
Seven cents a mile?
BETH: I wanna know
who killed her.
Well, give them
a little time.
I wanna know now.
He does not believe
it is an accident.
Did you know
you were being backed
by organized crime?
I told you, I didn't ask.
Hey, I wouldn't do that
if I were you. They're liable
to be back any minute now.
When they do,
you tell them
I borrowed their car.
What are you, crazy?
(PHONE RINGING)
ROCKFORD:
(ON ANSWERING MACHINE)
This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS)
WOMAN: Hi, Jim. Thanks
for the dinner invitation.
I'd love to,
but does it have to be
the taco stand?
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(RINGING)
Hello.
Mr. Rockford,
this is Margo Adams.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
BETH: Listen, Jim.
There's something wrong
with your phone.
I had to ask the operator
to clear the line.
Whatever happened to "hello"?
Jim, I got a call
from a friend of mine.
Her name is Margo Adams.
So did I.
She's in some kind
of trouble, isn't she?
I could tell by her voice.
I asked her what it was,
but all she wanted
was your phone number,
and then she hung up.
She hung up on me, too.
You didn't talk to her?
She just gave me her name
and hung up.
I called her house, and either
she's not answering her phone
or she's not there.
She sounded frightened,
didn't she?
I've never met the lady.
Well, she was terrified.
I'll take your word for it.
What kind of an attitude
is that?
Don't you think
you ought to do something?
Like what?
Well, like find out
what happened to her.
Hey, come on,
let's not run off
in a blind panic.
I've gotta know
what happened to her.
All right, I'll hire you.
When you say "hire"...
$200 a day plus expenses.
Do you want the job or not?
There are other PI's
in the book.
Seven cents a mile?
Jim...
Yeah. All right. All right.
What's her address?
140 West Spalding.
I'll meet you there.
If you're there before I am,
and she's not there,
there's an extra key
under the doormat.
That's the first place
I was gonna look.
(WOMAN SPEAKING
ON POLICE RADIO)
... 1-L-10. Roger.
6- A-11. 6-A-11.
Ambulance injury.
1760 Sycamore. Code 2.
All right. Where is he?
Inside.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
Hi, Dennis.
"Hi, Dennis."
Check the other rooms.
It doesn't look too bad.
Well, you won't be hurt
if I get another
medical opinion.
Listen, Jim,
I'm in no mood.
I was checking out
when Beth's call came in.
I had to come
halfway across town.
Peggy spent $20
on a standing rib roast,
which is gonna taste like
something out of
the Petrified Forest
by the time I get home.
Well, that kind of devotion
to duty makes us all
proud of you, Dennis.
Now, will you try to find out
who clobbered me?
Check the other houses.
Maybe we got
a little old
white-haired lady
who's keeping her eye
on the neighborhood.
You don't know who hit you.
Do you know why?
About an hour ago,
a friend of mine, Margo Adams,
called me up.
Then she called Jim.
She's in some kind of trouble,
but we don't know what,
because she hung up
on both of us.
That's why we came over here.
How did you get in?
She leaves an extra key
under the doormat.
So you're in here
without her knowledge
or her permission.
Well, we weren't the first.
The place had been tossed
when I got here.
Or she's a lousy housekeeper.
It's been tossed, Dennis,
and I got rapped on the head
when I came in.
Maybe the one
who did the rapping
was Margo Adams.
You weren't expected.
You could have scared her.
Dennis, something
has happened to Margo.
I want to file
a missing person's report.
And a John Doe assault
and battery complaint.
You can't file
a missing person's report
until someone's been missing
for 24 hours.
Right, Counselor? The key.
And I'll file the A and B,
check the place out,
and if she hasn't shown up
by tomorrow afternoon,
I'll put through the report.
Thanks, Dennis.
Why is Margo Adams
so important to you?
She's an old friend of mine,
has been since we were
10 years old.
Well, you never
talk about her.
I talk about her
all the time.
Susie.
Susie?
She changed her name to Margo
when she started to model.
Oh!
She doesn't have
any family or anything.
Jim, if I don't
help her, nobody will.
You've gotta find out
what happened to her.
Well, maybe she doesn't
want to be found.
No, I don't believe that.
Well, I don't know.
Margo's been living
in New York.
She only moved back out here
a few months ago.
I've been so busy.
We try to get together,
but I've only ended up
seeing her about four times.
Doesn't give you
much to go on, does it?
Not much.
Where does she work?
Clarke Fashions.
Talk to Adrienne Clarke.
Margo's her top model.
All right. I'll check it out
in the morning. Come on,
I'll follow you home.
I don't mind being alone.
I mind.
(DISCO MUSIC PLAYING)
Do something about that music,
Darren. If it's that loud
at the show...
It won't be.
I wanna run the lights
when we break.
Okay.
Who is that?
I don't know.
I'll find out.
You'll have to leave.
This is a closed rehearsal.
I'd like to speak
to Miss Clarke, please.
No, you have to leave.
If you want an appointment,
speak to Miss Clarke's
secretary.
Her office is...
Yeah, down at the end
of the corridor.
I've already talked to her.
She said an appointment's
out of the question,
but I'm gonna have one
just the same, sonny.
But, but...
Miss Clarke?
Give the girls 15 minutes.
Didn't the gentleman
explain to you
that I'm busy?
I'd just like
a couple of minutes.
I'm in the middle
of rehearsal.
My name is Jim Rockford.
I'm a private investigator.
I'd like to ask you
a few questions
about Margo Adams.
I don't care to
answer any questions
about Margo Adams.
Well, it's important.
I couldn't care less.
Oh, you're so busy being
Coco Chanel, you just don't
have time for other people.
Right, Miss Clarke?
No time at all.
I'm working for
Beth Davenport.
She's a friend of Margo's,
and Margo's disappeared.
Yes, I was aware of that
at 9:00 this morning.
Margo's my lead model,
and I had to replace her
at the last minute.
Now if she's off somewhere
nursing a hangover
or a broken heart,
I'm afraid
I'm a little short
on sympathy.
I can tell you all I have to
say about Margo Adams
in two words. She's fired.
Hi, Dennis.
I'm glad you got my message.
What've you got?
We found Margo Adams.
You got a positive ID?
Driver's license,
credit cards,
it's her car.
This place is off-limits
for skin diving,
but we got a couple of kids
who don't believe in signs.
They found the wreck,
called it in.
Body is still in the car.
She must have really
been traveling to end up
that far in the water.
Accident?
Could be.
We gotta check the car
for mechanical trouble,
check the body for alcohol.
We need Beth
to verify identification.
You'll tell her.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll tell her.
See you.
BETH: So she's in
the county refrigerator
with a tag on her big toe,
and that's the end of it?
Why don't the police
do something?
Come on. The police don't buy
the coroner's report
any more than I do.
Two frantic telephone calls,
her apartment ransacked,
and she accidentally ends up
in 20 feet of water.
Now, for now they're just
throwing a blanket over it
and calling it an accident,
or suicide.
Margo would never have
killed herself.
I said "for now."
They're gonna be
chewing around
the edges of this thing
until they end up
calling it murder,
if they haven't already.
I wanna know
who killed her.
Well, give them
a little time.
I wanna know now.
Beth, the cops are on it.
That makes it an open case.
They're not gonna
pull your ticket
for asking a few questions.
I'd like to
help you, but...
Okay.
If the department gives you
any kind of flak, you get
my legal services for free.
Now would I offer that
if I thought you had a chance
of taking me up on it?
Please, Jim.
All right.
I'll ask a few questions.
Mr. Rockford.
Miss Clarke didn't want to
see you this morning,
she doesn't want to
see you this afternoon.
Well, I have some information
I think she'll want to hear.
I doubt it.
Is she in her office?
It's really academic,
Mr. Rockford, because
you're not gonna see her.
(INTERCOM BUZZING)
Yes, Miss Clarke.
Did you try
the New York call?
You can't go in there.
What?
You can't go in there!
Millie?
Stop!
What is going on?
Now sign that
in two places. Yes?
I'm sorry, Miss Clarke.
I tried to stop him.
Well, who is he?
That's all right, Millie.
Bob, call the police!
What?
Margo Adams is dead.
Well, that was pretty blunt.
Miss Clarke has
so little time.
You all right, Adrienne?
Yeah.
All right.
You're very dramatic
and more than a little brutal.
Now why don't you
get out of here?
No. I wanna know
what's going on.
That'll be all, Millie.
It's all right, Millie.
It's all right.
Mr. Rockford.
Margo and her car
were fished out
of a reservoir
about an hour
after I talked to you
this morning.
Time of death
was late last night.
I'm sorry.
I'm honestly very sorry.
Is there anything
I can do to help?
Well, you might answer
some of the questions
that we didn't
get around to this morning.
Of course.
Well, there's not very much
I can tell you.
I didn't know Margo well.
In fact, I don't suppose
I knew her at all.
She was an employee.
She did her job,
and she did it well.
Didn't you know anything
about her personal life?
Nothing.
And Mister...
Oh, this is Bob Coleman.
He's a friend
and business associate.
Mr. Coleman, what do you know?
I knew most of the girls
around here by sight.
Beyond that, nothing.
I suppose I shouldn't have
said those things
about her today,
but I was upset,
worried about the show.
There was nothing
you could have done
about it.
Now why don't you
take it easy.
Go get some rest, huh?
Would you mind if I talked
to some of the other models?
Well, not today.
They've got a show.
Maybe we should postpone it.
Let him postpone
the questions.
I mean, the girl is dead.
There's nothing we can do
about that.
Now 24 hours isn't gonna
make a lot of difference.
Business as usual.
Well, of course.
I'll be back tomorrow.
Are you all right?
Yeah, well,
an accident like that's
pretty hard to accept.
Miss Clarke's pretty upset,
but Coleman's taking it well.
Course, he didn't know her.
He knew her,
in the biblical sense
of the word.
Oh, I just got the impression
that Coleman and
Adrienne Clarke were close.
Does she know about
his relationship with Margo?
I've said too much already.
If you'll excuse me,
I have a lot of work to do.
"The quick brown fox..."
Hey, I always
keep my sources confidential.
What the...
Oh, you sure have a talent
for being where
you're not wanted.
Where did you get my address?
The phone book.
All right.
Well, get your car
out of here.
It'll take a minute.
Get it out!
That's okay.
It's just a courtesy call,
anyway.
I thought you might want
to explain why you claimed
not to know Margo Adams when,
in fact, you were
having an affair with her.
But Miss Clarke's
being very cooperative.
She'll fill me in.
You say one word
about that to Adrienne,
and they'll be scraping you up
in six counties.
Six? Why not just
one neat little package
like Margo?
I don't know what you're
trying to imply,
but I'll tell you one thing.
I don't know anything
about Margo's accident,
but I'm sure gonna
know about yours.
Well, before you take a bite
out of something,
you make sure it's something
that won't bite you back.
Really?
(HORN HONKING)
You wanna bite back?
Now I want you to stay away
from Clarke Fashions.
I want you to stay away
from this house,
and I don't wanna ever
have this conversation again.
Good, let's keep in touch.
Hurry up.
Mr. Coleman,
Mr. Davidson called
a half a dozen times.
He wants to hear from you
right away.
Well, get in touch with him,
tell him I'll call him
this evening.
He said right away.
It's a good deal.
I wouldn't want you
to lose it.
We can lay off $3 million
in that company, easy.
I can get him for you.
I told you I will call him
this evening. Now leave me
alone for a few minutes.
This is Coleman.
I want you to deliver
a message for me.
No, I don't mean tomorrow.
I am talking about right now.
Shut up and listen.
I'm gonna say this once.
There is a new player
in the game,
a PI named Rockford.
He's nosing around
Clarke Fashions, asking
questions about Margo Adams.
He does not believe
it is an accident.
He wants to know
who killed her and why.
Now you guys are blowing it.
If I can't trust the guys
I'm working with, maybe
I'll work with somebody else.
BETH: You gonna
tell Dennis
about Bob Coleman?
What would I tell him?
That he lied about
knowing Margo.
Well, that doesn't
prove anything.
I'd have lied, too,
under the circumstances.
Adrienne Clarke has
a lot of spirit
and a lot of self-respect.
If she knew Bob Coleman's
idea of fun on the side,
she'd take him off
at the knees, I think.
You mean,
he lied to protect himself
with Adrienne?
It's a possibility.
He had something to hide.
That's also a possibility.
Coleman wants to keep
the relationship secret.
What if Margo
threatened to tell Adrienne?
No, she wouldn't do that.
On the other hand, she might.
People in love
do crazy things.
Maybe Coleman killed her
just to keep things quiet.
Well, killing usually
has the reverse effect.
You're being logical.
Logic has nothing to do
with a crime of passion.
I'd heard that.
Jim.
No. You stay right here.
Let me check it out.
It's clean.
Can you tell
if anything's missing?
In this mess?
Beth, did Margo give you
anything to hold for her?
No.
Beth, I want you out of here.
I live here.
You also live in Pasadena.
Dennis Becker, please.
Your parents
back from Europe?
Yeah. A couple
of weeks ago.
We'll stash you with them
for a while.
Now wait a minute.
Beth, your friend is dead.
Somebody's looking
for something,
and they don't care
how they get it.
You're going to Pasadena.
Hey, Dennis? Dennis,
did you get a make
on that license number?
Yeah. When are you gonna
start giving your business
to the DMV?
Come on, Dennis.
Who owns the car?
It's a company car.
It belongs to George Macklan,
Macklan Produce.
Produce?
Yeah, like cantaloupes,
string beans.
I don't need a definition.
It just doesn't make sense.
So what else is new?
Somebody searched
Beth's apartment.
Oh. She all right?
Yeah. She's fine.
You want to check it out?
Yeah. I want to check it out.
All right. I'm gonna
drop her off in Pasadena,
and I'll leave the key
with the manager.
All right.
Right.
Where's your phone book?
Behind the bar.
What are you looking for?
Got it.
Jim!
It's okay. I'll return it.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
Miss Clarke.
I'm not going to ask you
to sit down, Mr. Rockford,
because I don't
want you to stay.
Now, if that is
less than gracious, I'm sorry,
but I've had a long day.
Thought you wanted
to help.
I do,
but I've already told you
everything I know about Margo.
Well, Miss Clarke,
I just left my client.
Her apartment's
been ransacked.
Why tell me?
You're the only one
who knows who my client is.
You're not suggesting that
I had anything to do with it?
What would I be looking for?
Whatever got Margo killed.
Her death was an accident.
It was murder.
Murder? But who?
Let's talk about Bob Coleman.
Let's not talk at all.
Did he ask you
who my client was?
Did you tell him?
No, I did not.
Now you've been
crashing around here
like a bull elephant,
asking questions
and making accusations.
Bob has no more interest
in your client than I have.
Well, he was
having an affair with Margo.
You say that with
a great deal of authority.
And you don't seem
particularly surprised.
It would be unrealistic
for me to believe that
Bob leads a monastic life,
but it's not something
we've ever discussed,
and I certainly
have no intention
of discussing it with you.
I resent your prying,
and I resent
these personal questions.
I don't like it any better
than you do, Miss Clarke.
I'm looking for
a motive for murder.
Then look someplace else.
I have a feeling I'm looking
in exactly the right place.
COLEMAN: All right.
You pulled me out
of a very important meeting.
I've gotta get back.
What is it?
Yesterday you asked me
who hired Jim Rockford,
and I told you.
Yeah. Davenport
or something. So?
So yesterday,
somebody took
her place apart.
And?
What were they looking for?
How should I know?
Bob, I don't like
what I'm thinking,
but I know that if you wanted
an apartment searched
(SNAPPING FINGERS)
You could have it done
like "that."
Well, what reason
would I have?
Margo and Beth Davenport
were very good friends.
And you and Margo
were even closer.
When did you find that out?
The day it started.
I may work 24 hours a day,
but I'm still a woman.
I'll take your word for it.
Okay, Bob, I understand
and I'm not angry,
but I don't know
what's happening. Jim Rockford
said Margo was murdered.
Well, am I supposed to
have the answers?
You always have.
Was she murdered?
Honey, just keep control,
will you?
It's bad for your image.
Besides, you're gonna wanna
make a nice impression
on the new owners.
What are you talking about?
We're selling Clarke Fashions.
You can't!
The deal is made.
What was it you think
I had you sign yesterday?
You told me
they were contracts.
Ah, you see the mistake
you made?
You should always,
always read the fine print.
Don't ever take
anybody's word for it
in business.
I built this company.
You can't sell it.
You built it on my money,
and I can.
Well, at least give me
a chance to buy it.
Hey, it's an open market.
All you have to do
is come up with
$3.5 million dollars
by next Tuesday.
I can't raise that much.
Well, it's not as if
you wouldn't be
a part of the business.
We've sold your services
for the next five years.
I don't understand.
It's all part of the deal,
your contract.
But why?
Why didn't you tell me?
Any questions you have to ask,
you should have asked
three years ago.
I'm asking now.
You're like
a baseball player, baby.
You've been sold
to another club.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
May I come in?
You can even sit down.
There's very little reason
for you to be nice to me.
Well, when somebody
comes charging into your life
like a bull elephant,
there's even less reason
to be gracious.
If you'd reacted
any differently,
I'd be wondering why.
I suppose that takes care
of the apologies.
Why did you come
to see me last night?
You didn't learn anything.
Oh, sure I did.
I learned I was wrong.
I thought you might go
quick-stepping right over
to Bob Coleman,
but I sat outside
your apartment for two hours,
you never showed.
I had my hat and coat on
for about a minute and a half.
No.
Have a seat.
What is it you want,
Miss Clarke?
I want to hire you.
I already have a client.
Can't you have two?
We're both interested
in the same thing,
who killed Margo.
No. Beth wants the truth.
And you want
to clear Bob Coleman.
I want the truth, too.
All right.
Tell me what Bob Coleman
has to do with your company.
You want my help,
that's part of the deal.
Now what does he do?
What difference does it make?
Whatever happened to Margo
is tied into Coleman
and Clarke Fashions.
He handles the bookkeeping.
Oh, come on.
Are you trying
to sell me that?
You want me
to buy Bob Coleman
as a CPA?
I made a mistake coming here.
Then leave.
I don't have
anybody else to go to.
Then level.
I don't want to be
an accessory to murder.
I think Bob killed Margo.
Why?
I don't know.
Who is he?
Come on.
Come on, jump in.
You got something
you're afraid to say, say it.
Come on.
Just let it go.
Say it!
Three years ago,
I had a shop on West Adams.
Just me and a rebuilt
sewing machine that took
a year and a half to pay off.
That bobbin tension
was never any good.
I'm a woman. I'm black.
That doesn't change
inside the ghetto or out.
I had talent. I had ambition.
I pushed and shoved
and worked
until there wasn't
any part of me
that didn't hurt,
but I just couldn't make it.
Then I met Bob Coleman.
I was whipped.
I wasn't going anywhere.
Then, one day, he backed
a green station wagon
up to the rear door.
You know what was in it? Cash.
As much as I needed.
And you didn't ask
where it came from?
You bet I didn't.
I wanted out,
and it got me out.
Well, you're gonna have
to ask the question now.
What's Bob Coleman into?
He finances companies.
In cash?
Did you know
you were being backed
by organized crime?
I told you, I didn't ask.
Well, you're gonna have to
turn over the rock.
There are billions of dollars
in syndicate operations,
but it's dirty money,
and it's traceable.
So they make
cash investments
in legitimate businesses,
hang on to them for a while,
then sell them,
then the money's clean.
They're taking
$2.5 million dollars
out of Clarke Fashions.
Bob sold the company,
but I think
I know how to make him
change his mind.
He made the mistake
of telling me about
his insurance policy.
He keeps a written record
of all his transactions:
Names, dates,
how much they put into
a company,
how much they get out.
There's a cardinal rule
in the mob.
"You put nothing in writing."
Well, he did.
It's a lever.
Are you interested in pinning
a murder rap on Bob Coleman
or saving your company?
Am I supposed to let it go
without a fight?
In this case, yes.
We go to the police.
No!
I don't wanna go
to the police.
If I do,
that's the end of everything.
What other choice
do you have?
We go to Bob Coleman's house
and confront him.
He can't afford to let that
information out, that he's
been keeping records.
We go to the police.
If we do,
I don't say anything.
I'm gonna see Bob.
If you don't wanna come
with me, I'll go alone.
(SIGHS)
If Coleman told you
about his book,
he could have told Margo.
Now let's say she found it
and took it.
It would give her something
to hold over his head
and keep him in line.
And he killed her
in order to recover it?
Then why was
your client's place searched?
Because the book obviously
wasn't at Margo's.
Beth is her one close friend.
What better place to put it
for safekeeping?
Look, if we're gonna
do this thing,
we're gonna do it carefully.
We're not going in
threatening.
Coleman has all the answers,
so if we play it right,
we might end up with a few.
Whatever you say.
You always get your way?
I always try.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
What's happened?
I don't know.
All right. I'll check it out.
You stay right where you are.
Stay put.
Time of death?
Last couple of hours,
no more than that.
One bullet in the throat,
one in the mouth.
What does that tell you?
That he was a talker.
His friends didn't like it.
They signed their name,
so nobody else gets ideas.
All right.
Thanks, Doc.
I'll punch in with you
soon as I get the report
from the autopsy.
Hi, Dennis.
What's happening?
Who's that?
Why don't you wait
until the investigation
is over?
I'll copy you along with
the Lieutenant.
What are you doing here?
I came to see Coleman.
Why?
I got some questions
I'd like to ask him.
He's fresh out of answers.
That's him on the way
to the meat wagon now.
Let's try this over again.
What are you doing here?
Look, Coleman was having
an affair with Margo Adams.
I think he killed her.
At least,
I thought he killed her.
What else do you know
about him?
I know he was
financing companies
out of the back
of a station wagon
in cash.
Now, Dennis, if I were you,
I'd check on his background.
He's connected.
What would we do without you?
Bunch of stumblebums
running the department,
and you're always
right around there,
saving us.
You knew.
Did you find a record book?
What record book?
Well, the book that Coleman
kept all his transactions in.
You didn't know.
Where'd you get
this information?
Well, I don't know, Dennis.
I just talk to so many people,
I can't remember
where I heard that.
I'm asking as a cop.
And I'm answering
as a citizen,
a cooperative citizen.
It'll come back to me,
but there is a record.
It's probably what they were
looking for when they searched
Margo's place
and Beth's.
Who is "they"?
Oh, come on, Dennis.
I gotta leave something
for you guys to do.
Where you going?
Home, take a shower.
Stay out of it.
Stay out of it.
You're a very nice lady.
No fuss and nobody gets hurt.
We will pay you
to cooperate.
I don't have much choice.
Oh, yeah,
you got a choice.
What are you
going to do
to me?
What are we gonna do to you?
Nothing. Not a thing.
Just gonna put you on ice
for a while
till your company's sold.
No talking to cops,
to private investigators,
to nobody.
Oh, yeah, we got some papers
you forgot to sign.
There were police
at Bob's house.
Did something happen to him?
Hey! Hey!
Right now you're an asset.
Like "that"
you become a liability.
(PHONE RINGING)
Macklan Produce Company.
Yeah. I'd like to speak to
George Macklan, please.
I'm afraid
that's impossible, sir.
Well, this is,
this is Captain Perkins
from the LA Fire Department.
A brush fire broke out
behind his house.
It's urgent I talk to him.
In that case,
just a moment, sir.
I'll trace him for you.
I think I can get him
on his car phone.
One moment, Captain,
I'll patch you through.
Thank you.
(PHONE RINGING)
Yeah.
Is this Mr. Macklan?
Who's calling?
Well, I'm a friend
of Adrienne Clarke's.
I don't have
conversations with people
who don't identify themselves.
You're about to
make an exception.
Bob Coleman kept a record
of all his
financial transactions,
a written record.
I see. Is that all?
No, no. Coleman's dead.
Now my guess is that
you had to make a choice
between the records and a guy
that was unraveling
and ready to go to the DA,
but I can help you.
The cops are gonna
go through Coleman's house.
I know that he kept
the book hidden there.
There's a safe.
Now it seems to me
that if the cops
find those records,
you and your friends
stand a chance to lose
a lot of money,
not to mention,
a half a dozen
tax fraud cases.
Of course, I don't know
what you're talking about.
Of course.
Look, why are you
so anxious to help me?
Well, you I could
care less about,
but Adrienne Clarke
is a dear friend.
If the cops find the records,
she goes down the drain
with everything else.
Okay. You told me.
Goodbye.
Ray.
I know you broke up
everybody's apartment
looking for those records,
but did you ever
go through Coleman's house?
Yeah, but I had to do it
very carefully.
I didn't want to tip him.
He have a safe
in that house?
I don't think so.
I never saw one.
Well, I just talked to a guy
who says those records are
in a safe in Coleman's house.
If he had a safe,
Mr. Macklan,
I'd know about it.
Yeah?
Well, you worked
for him five years,
and you didn't know
he was keeping records
of all our transactions.
Maybe you didn't know
he had a safe.
Now it seems to me
that you did a damn poor job
of watching him.
Now get over there
and go through that house
thoroughly!
MACKLAN:
...find anything, huh?
I told you,
I went through that place
front and back, nothing.
There's no safe.
I told you there was no safe.
I don't like it.
I don't like it.
There's something rotten here.
I don't like it.
I'm telling you,
nobody followed me back.
Well, if there's no safe,
somebody is setting us up.
Now let's get her
in the car.
Nobody followed me back,
Mr. Macklan.
I was very careful.
Get her in the car.
On the double, Dennis.
I don't think
there's much time.
They may move her.
You got a gun, Jim?
No. So get a move on.
And don't come
in here like it's a
New Year's Eve party.
(HORN HONKING)
Any sign of those cops?
Oh, yeah.
They're chasing some kid
down the street.
Hey, I wouldn't do that
if I were you. They're liable
to be back any minute now.
Well, when they do,
you tell them
I borrowed their car.
What are you, crazy?
Just tell them Sergeant Becker
said it was okay.
Sergeant who?
(POLICE SIREN WAILING)
Officer in trouble.
2365 South Central.
Will somebody
get the hell over here?
I'm out-numbered.
All right,
this is Sergeant Becker.
Move those three units
down the other end
of the building.
Set up a CP.
Get a couple of snipers
across the street.
We have two male Caucasians,
one female hostage.
Go through the warehouse!
OFFICER: Out of the car!
Out! Out! Out!
They were gonna kill me.
They said they were
gonna kill me.
I know. I know.
It's all right. Come on.
Come on. It's all right.
Oh, Adrienne,
it's beautiful.
Well, it's
not Clarke Fashions,
but then it's
not West Adams, either.
How's business?
Oh, keeps getting better.
A lot of my old customers
have looked me up.
Do you know I'm even selling
to my probation officer?
I've said before,
there should never have been
any probationary period.
Porter's down
on two counts of murder,
and Macklan's an accessory
before the fact.
You had
nothing to do
with it all.
Beth,
I built my company
on dirty money.
I had a lot of questions
to ask three years ago,
and I didn't ask them.
They could have
put me away.
Oh, not a chance.
Not a chance.
You had a good attorney.
I know.
I think I'm gonna browse,
okay?
You know, I still find it
hard to believe
that Ray Porter
tried to take over
Bob's territory.
Well, Coleman
never should have kept
that record book,
even if he did keep it
in a safety deposit box.
It made him a weak link.
If Porter hadn't
taken him off,
someone else would have.
Porter swears that
Margo's death was accidental.
Do you think it was?
The only thing accidental
about it was killing her
before he found
the record book.
Hey, you're gonna make it
on your own this time?
I'm gonna try.
And if a green station wagon
comes backing into your life?
I slam the door.
Right.
Of course now,
if it's something
in a baby blue...