07x10 - Search in the Dark

[bunniefuu]

Terry.
Dad?

No, don't say anything;
don't turn around.

I don't want anyone
to know we've met.

Now, if the answer is yes,
just touch your hair.

Did you pick up a package
at the airport locker?

Did you bring it with you?

Take it back to the apartment.

Put it in a safe place.

Do you remember that restaurant
where we had lunch last week?

Bring it there tomorrow at :.

Bring it in my briefcase.

Make sure that
you're not followed.

I'll explain later.

Good morning.

Morning, Peg.

Fresh and hot.

For a change, huh?

Thanks, Peg.

It's gonna cost you.

I need an extra half hour
for lunch.

I saw a darling dress.
Buy it.

We might as well
both be in debt.

How'd the party go last night?

Oh, as parties go...

it went.

I'll get it.

Hi, Art.

Good morning, Peggy.
I'll fix you some coffee.

No, thanks.

It's hot.

Thanks anyway. Is he in?

Mm-hmm, go on in.

Morning, Joe.

Hi, Art.

Coffee?

No, thanks.

It's hot.

I understand you gave
a party last night, Joe.

Somebody complained
about the noise?

We wouldn't hear
about that in Homicide.

That girl one of your guests?

Terry Graham.

Yeah, why?

They found her this morning
at Point Fermin Park.

What happened?

She was mugged,
a little chloroform.

Is she all right?

She's going to have a nice long
sleep, but she's coming around.

Any suspects?

No.

Do you have any idea what time
she left the party last night?

Oh, I don't remember
saying good night to her.

Uh, no, I don't know
what time she left, Art.

Did you notice what kind
of jewelry she was wearing?

Yeah, as a matter of fact,
we talked about it.

It was a brooch, uh...

She said it was imitation.

Her father gave it to her
for her birthday.

Stones about that size?

Yeah, I'd say something
like that, yeah.

Those aren't imitation, Joe.

They're the real thing.

Do you know anything
about the Graham girl's family?

Yeah, a father and stepmother
live at the Sunrise Towers.

Were they at the party?

Mrs. Graham was,

but Howard Graham
was out of town on business.

Howard Graham...

Howard Graham.

Why does that name
ring a bell with me?

His first wife was
the daughter of Robert Blakely.

Blakely the financier?

Yeah, that's the one.

You know, I've suddenly
got a strange feeling

that this was part of

a famous jewel collection
that Blakely owned--

The Auroras.

The Auroras!

A million-dollar
matched collection

that was stolen in New York
about five years ago.

The owner, Robert Blakely,
d*ed shortly after.

Hey, not bad, Art.

I do my homework occasionally.

Blakely had a daughter
that he disowned

when she married a man
that he didn't approve of--

Howard Graham.

You were hired to find
those jewels, weren't you, Joe?

Yeah, and I struck out.

The Auroras are still missing.

I've got an idea
they're about to surface.

Art, uh...

when can I see Terry Graham?

Sometime this afternoon.

Has anyone told her stepmother?

Oh, sure.

Mrs. Graham was very upset.

She wanted to hang
around the hospital,

but the doctor sent her home.

Well, maybe I better
get over there

and see if there's
anything I can do.

How awful it must
have been for her, Joe.

I could never have forgiven
myself if anyth...

If she had...

What time did Terry
leave the party?

About :.

She said she had
to meet somebody.

She wouldn't tell me who it was
or where she was going.

So I came home and waited.

For hours.

When she didn't return,
I started imagining

all kinds of things...

blaming myself.

Why didn't you call the police?

I don't know how
to explain this, Joe,

but all of a sudden, I knew
that the call Terry got

was from Howard,

and that he was in trouble.

What made you think that?

He's been acting
so strangely for weeks.

I didn't know what was wrong.

It was foolish of me, I suppose,

but, uh, I was afraid
to call the police.

Mm.

Lois...

you've heard of the Auroras?

Who hasn't?

They belonged
to Terry's grandmother.

But they were stolen.

I think your husband
has the Auroras.

Howard?!

That doesn't make sense.

That brooch he gave Terry
for her birthday,

it was part of the collection.

That's not possible.

I'm afraid it is.

But if Howard knew, how...
how could he let Terry wear it?

He probably figured that,
after all these years,

no one would recognize
the brooch alone.

Hello.

Yes?

Yes, right away.

Terry's awake.

{mechanical whirring

Thank you, nurse.

My father didn't steal
the Auroras, Joe.

He couldn't.

I'm sure he'll be able
to explain, Terry.

Something's happened to him.

I know it.

Something awful.

If he knew about me,
he would have been here,

no matter what.

I don't think he does know
about you yet, Terry.

He probably thinks you're at the
apartment, waiting for his call.

When Terry leaves the hospital,
I want her to stay at my place.

When Howard calls,
you can tell him where she is.

That won't be necessary, Joe.

I'll be at the apartment
with her.

Sorry, Lois.

Why?

Whoever att*cked Terry
in the park last night

might think
she can identify him.

But I didn't see him.

I couldn't identify him.

But he doesn't know that.

Yeah, those are his eyes.

Kind of scary.

Chin was a little bit
more pointed, I think.

More like this?

Yeah.

Pleasant little thing, isn't he?

Hi, Chuck.

Hello, Joe.

What are you doing here?

I had a dinner date
with Peggy; we, uh...

got started a little early.

I think we have something, Joe.

Like what?

A man came to our apartment
last week.

I don't think I was
supposed to see him,

'cause father sent me
out on some excuse,

but I passed him in the hall.

Then I saw him knock
on our door.

We thought if we could
get his face on paper,

it would help,
so I called Chuck.

How did it turn out?

Have a look.

That's good, Chuck.

Thank you.

You know him, Joe?
Yeah.

He sells things.

Sells things?!

And not always things
that belong to him.

May I help you?

Hello, Jonah.

Been a long time, Mannix.

Last time we talked, Penny here
was just out of the egg,

so to speak.

Hello.

Something I can show you?

I've got a couple of nice pieces
of bronze you might like.

A real bargain.

You're going to wear
that out, Jonah.

What makes you so nervous?

Nervous?

Why should I be nervous?

Maybe you're, uh,
mixed up in something

that's way over your head.

Just what are you after, Mannix?

The Auroras.

Listen to him, Penny!

Penny.
Expecting to find the Auroras

in a place like this.

Give you my word, Mannix,

if I had the Auroras, I'd burn
this place to the ground

and give the insurance
to charity.

Why did you go
to see Howard Graham?

How do you know about that?

Did he offer to sell you
the Auroras?

The Auroras!

I'm in the antique business.

I want straight answers, Jonah.

Someone got away
with the Auroras last night

and almost k*lled Graham's
daughter in the process.

And you think I had
something to do with that?

I'm going to find out...

one way or another.

I'm not an evil man, Mannix.

If I help someone to dispose
of something they have for sale,

where's the harm?

I told Mr. Graham I'd try
to help find him a buyer.

What happened?

He never showed up.

Anybody else know that you, uh,
were dealing for the Auroras?

Nobody.
You're sure?

Yes.

You told Graham you were
going to find him a buyer.

Maybe what you really meant
was that you already had one.

Who could that be?

How about Hamilton Starr?

Starr?!

That's pulling one out
of the hat, Mannix.

The Auroras always had
a great fascination for Starr.

I've had the feeling
that if they showed up anywhere,

he wouldn't be far behind.

The last I heard
of Hamilton Starr,

he was cruising the Caribbean
on his boat.

Well, his boat is moored
at the marina,

just a couple
of miles from here.

Oh. Hello.

Leave me alone, Mannix!

Be a friend. Go away!

You told Starr, Graham had
the Auroras, didn't you?

Now don't lie to me, Jonah!

What could I do?

Looking into those blind eyes,

knowing he sees
right through you.

I had to tell him...
if I wanted to stay alive!

So, Starr had Terry Graham
followed from my place,

and wound up
with the collection.

I don't know anything
about that.

I'm sure you don't.

Look, Mannix...

I've never done you any harm.

If it gets around I talked...

...I'll never live out the day.

If anyone finds out, Jonah,
it won't be from me.

Jonah.

It'll probably be from Penny.

You wouldn't tell on me,
would you, old girl?

Hi, Joe.

Hello, Orville.

It's beginning
to look like old home week.

Drive into traffic,
okay, Mannix?

And head toward the marina.

Oh, you won't need that Orville.

I was planning
on visiting your boss anyway.

Oh, sure, you were.

Come on, move it.

...a little better.

Lassiter?

You want to talk to me, Mannix,

you can start
by calling me Captain.

Last time I saw you,
you were scrubbing the deck.

I'm off my knees now.

Evolution has come a long way,
hasn't it... Captain?

Come.

He was exactly where you said,
Mr. Starr, at Jonah's Place.

Welcome aboard, Mannix.

Well, how does he look, Orville?

Have the years
treated him kindly?

Looks about the same.

Well, you finally got your hands
on the Auroras, huh?

Magnificent, aren't they?

Banked fires
to warm a man's soul.

No wonder so many people have
d*ed for them through the years.

Last night you nearly added
Terry Graham's name to the list.

I had nothing to do
with the att*ck on Miss Graham.

You expect me to believe that?

When you're sitting here
gloating over this collection?

My dear fellow,

these are nothing but paste.

Your eyes are deceiving you.

You're a man
of keen senses, Mannix.

Use them.

These have no melody,

no... heat.

The Auroras burn and sing.

That's why I've wanted them
all my life--

Not to sell,

just to own that fierce light.

It would be almost
like having my sight back.

So I planned.

For years, I planned.

Blueprints
of Robert Blakely's house,

the design of the safe,
servants' schedule,

night watchman's rounds.

Right, Orville?

How can you forget?

And finally,
five years ago, I moved.

There was only one thing
I couldn't anticipate--

The worthless imitations
in the safe.

Someone had beaten me
to the Auroras.

Howard Graham.

Exactly. Yeah.

Rather a bitter joke
on Mr. Blakely,

wouldn't you say?

Hoodwinked by
the son-in-law he despised.

Took me years
before I was sure it was Graham.

Then Jonah came to my rescue.

He told me that Graham was
prepared to deal for the jewels.

I sent Orville here
on his trail,

he saw the girl come
into the park,

and there were the Auroras
within arm's length.

Orville lost them

as a runt hound
might lose a hapless rabbit.

I did the best I could.

Yes.

And that's the pity of it.

Sorry, Mannix.

The point is,
someone else got the Auroras,

which is the reason for your
being my guest this morning.

Who else could have known
Graham had them?

Who else, indeed, Mannix?

Mannix, I want the Auroras.

I'm willing to pay you for them.

But, unless I get them soon,

there's going
to be more blood on them.

If there is, Starr,

I'll find you.

Don't try to thr*aten me.

I've lived in the dark too long
to be frightened by anything.

The Auroras, Mannix.

Hard way, the easy way...

it's up to you.

We'll soon have them, Orville.

Did I offend you?

It's... you know,
it's in front of people.

Sorry.

We make a good pair, you and I.

You're my eyes,

and I'm your brain.

It's a very satisfactory
arrangement.

Mannix.

Joe, are you in some kind
of trouble?

What makes you say that?

Art Malcolm called.

He wants to see you downtown.

Said it was urgent.

And he said it
in his policeman's voice.

Okay, I'm on my way, Peggy.

Hello, Jonah.

You wanted to see me, Art?

Yeah.

We had quite
an interesting conversation,

Jonah and |,
after you left the shop.

Really?

Tell him what you told us.

What did you tell them?

The truth, Mannix,

about how you offered me
the Auroras to sell for you,

and how I turned you down.

I'm sorry, Mannix,
but if I'm put away,

who's going
to take care of Penny?

You do understand,
don't you, Mannix?

I'm beginning to.

All right, Jonah...

you can go now.

Oh, make sure
you can keep yourself handy,

in case we need you.

I'll be where I always am,
Lieutenant-- me and Penny both.

Sorry, Mannix.

You believe him, Art?

Sure I do.

Any more dumb questions?

What next?

Find the Auroras
and turn them over to us.

That's all?

I guess they are getting
to be a bit of an embarrassment.

You were on the trail
of them once.

I thought you might get an idea
about where to look.

As a matter of fact,

I've already got one.

Jonah.

Hello.

Hello? Hello?

Jonah.

It's your friendly
police department, Joe.

You said you had an idea.

I thought I ought
to find out what it was.

You know, Art, my respect
for you increases every day.

I'll put that in my memory book.

That burglar alarm an accident?

Burglar alarm
to report an accident.

Lieutenant, Jonah's dead.

That's the accident.

Let's go inside.

Call it in, Charlie.

Yes, sir.

He's been dead for a couple
of hours, by the looks of him.

That lets you out, Joe.

Oh, thanks a lot.

Penny.

What were you doing here,
anyway?

Trying to find the Auroras.

Those were your instructions,
weren't they?

How'd you know Jonah had them?

He told you I had them,

so I figured
he was protecting someone.

Himself?

I think Jonah's the one who
grabbed the jewels in the park.

How did he know they'd be there?

He had a deal
with Howard Graham.

Then he followed him

to get the Auroras--
without having to pay for them,

saw Terry, grabbed her.

Apparently somebody else had
the same idea.

Took the jewels out of the safe
and put Jonah in.

Oh. Hello.

Yeah, not exactly
a fair exchange

from Jonah's point of view.

Any idea who might have done it?

I could make
a pretty good guess.

Hamilton Starr, huh?

We've had a -hour surveillance
at the waterfront.

Nobody left that boat today,
which leaves one prime suspect.

Howard Graham?

That's right.

Art, I know Howard Graham
well enough

to know he couldn't do that.

You also know him
well enough to know

that he couldn't have stolen
the jewels in the first place?

I still say he didn't do it.

Do you have any idea
where Graham is now?

No, but I'm sure he'll try
and see his daughter Terry soon.

{

I realize that circumstances
cause me to be suspect,

but I didn't k*ll Jonah.

Thank you, sweetheart.

And I was at my hotel
all evening.

Mr. Graham, you understand that
I'm going to check this out,

so there really isn't
much point in your lying.

I'm not lying.

I was playing cards
with the night clerk.

You can ask him.

But you did steal
the Auroras originally?

Yes.

Yes.

I'll get back to you,
Mr. Graham.

I wish you'd told me.

I wish I'd never seen
the jewels.

They-they belonged
to you all along.

I wanted you to have
your birthright.

Because I...

cheated you of it.

You didn't cheat me.

Then you're...
you're not ashamed of me?

I love you.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Graham,
just a second, please.

Joe, Lois Graham
is on the phone.

Hello, Lois,
where have you been?

I've been trying to...

What man?

He came to the apartment
looking for Terry.

When I told him she was gone,
he pointed a g*n at me,

forced me to go with him,
and then made me call you.

What does he want?

The Auroras.

If you don't give them to him,
he's going to k*ll me.

He'll let you know
where and when.

Let me know, uh, how?

He didn't say.

I'm frightened, Joe.

Lois?

Lois!

What is it, Joe?

They were after Terry,

but they're holding
Mrs. Graham instead.

Well, why?

What could they want?

The Auroras.

I'm supposed to hand them over.

You?!

You don't have them,
do you, Joe?

No.

I'm having a tough time
convincing anyone of that.

Do you have any idea
who does have them?

Yeah.

So far, most of my ideas
about this case have been wrong.

Well, let's hope this one isn't,
for Mrs. Graham's sake.

You can say that again.

Well, sir, there's a,
a candle and a round table

and a, a rug in the front.

Foreground, Orville--
perspective.

Excuse me, sir,
yes, right, foreground--

And behind that is a window
with a little barn.

The colors, Orville.

The barn's red--
it's a red barn--

And there's show on it,
white show.

White show?

When I die, Orville,
I'm leaving my eyes to you.

They belong with your brain.

Go on.

Uh, there's a curtain, uh,
in the window and, uh...

Who is it?

Mannix.

Who invited you here?

Let's talk, Starr.

Mannix, what are you doing here?

I want to talk
to you, Starr, alone.

It's all right, Lassiter.

That means you, too, Orville.

You can't trust him.

Allow me to decide that.

All right, Mannix, we're alone.

I want you to release
Mrs. Graham now-- no haggling.

My dear fellow,
I may have to haggle

for the truth,
because I know nothing

about Mrs. Graham's
disappearance

or her present whereabouts.

You're lying.

You're perfectly free
to search the boat.

You could be holding her
anywhere.

I could indeed, but I'm not.

I have no reason
to deny the truth

if I thought it would lead me
to the Auroras.

And you didn't have
Jonah k*lled?

No.

Why should ?

I think he had the Auroras.

I think he got them
the other night in the park.

It's possible.

He was a greedy man.

Are you telling me
that whoever k*lled him

didn't find the Auroras
in the safe?

Apparently not.

And now this someone is under
the illusion that you have them?

That's right.

The idea does have a certain
currency, doesn't it?

If we can find out
who took Mrs. Graham,

it might point the way
to the Auroras.

Indeed it might.

You can help.

How?

I need the imitations.

For the ransom, of course.

Very good, Mannix, very good.

It's at moments like this
that I most resent

being chained to the darkness.

Orville!

Yes, sir?

Bring the jewel box.

Yes, sir.

There.

You see how willing
I am to help?

What's that?

I'd guess Mrs. Graham's
ransom instructions.

Someone just slipped it through
the mail slot.

What does it say?

"Leave jewels at discarded
anchor on rocks

at Point Fermin."”

But doesn't it mention
Mrs. Graham?

When they get the jewels,
they'll release Mrs. Graham.

Do you believe that?

No, I don't.

What are you doing, Joe?

Whoever's after the Auroras

knows there's a stone missing
out of the brooch.

Don't you think they'll realize
that that's not the real thing?

Not even an expert could tell
the difference

without a jeweler's loupe.

By the time they find out,

I hope to have Lois Graham back
safe and sound.

By

by

by

By

by

by

Enjoy your swim, Lassiter?

Now put that down
and keep your hands in sight.

Where's Lois Graham?
Who?

I'm gonna ask you once more,
and then I'm gonna stop asking.

Where is she?

She's in the bedroom.

Show me.

All right, Lassiter,
over to the table.

Put your hands on it.

Move.

Now, put your feet back.

Come on, you know how it's done.

Now, you stay there
until I tell you you can move.

Lois?

Lois.

Joe.

It's all right.

I feel so...

dizzy.

You've probably been drugged.

Now, you just take it easy
and get your bearings...

while I have
a talk with our host.

You ought to be
grateful, Lassiter.

If Starr had found out
you were double-crossing him,

you'd have been
back on your knees

just before he told Orville
to blow your brains out.

How you feeling, Lois?

I never felt better.

Don't move.

Don't turn around.

Hands on the table.

You know how it's done.

Nice going, sweetheart.
Hm.

So the two of you k*lled Jonah.

Well, knowing Jonah,

we figured he probably
took the jewels for himself.

So Tony and I persuaded him
to open the safe.

And when the Auroras
weren't there,

you put Jonah
in the safe instead.

Well, unfortunately for Jonah,

he talked more
than his mynah bird.

That's what convinced you
I had the jewels, huh?

Jonah told you?

He was very convincing, Joe.

Well, I'm afraid you've
opened the wrong safe again.

Yeah? And what's in the box?

Hamilton Starr's set.

Paste.

You know, Mannix,
I've seen Starr's set maybe...

a hundred times.

There's no stone missing
from this brooch.

Only the real one.

Well, uh, I can explain that.

I took the stone out
earlier this afternoon.

Nice try, Mannix.

Put everything in the car.

I'll take care of him.

Don't let him change
that position.

Why, Lois?

Why not?

Why shouldn't
I have the Auroras?

Don't move.

Look, Joe,

I discovered early on
that when Howard married me

he didn't want a wife,

he only wanted
a nurse for Terry.

Not once in ten years

has he treated me as a woman.

Then I met Tony,
and my life began again.

He was the one who told me that
Howard had stolen the jewels.

I knew
he hadn't stolen them for me.

They were for Terry.

I decided he should
pay me back for my life.

It won't work, Lois.

It will.

I will make it work.

What I'm trying to tell you is
you won't get out of here.

There's nothing to stop us now.

Lois...

the police have been
one step behind me all day.

Then why aren't they here?

It's no bluff, Lois;
they will be here.

You're good, Joe,

but I'm not buying.

You're still shaving it
a little close, Art.

Sorry, Joe.

Charlie.

I had to lay back
to give you a chance, didn't I?

They were in it together.

It's all right, Mrs. Graham,
your friend will live.

He'll stand trial.

Well, that only leaves
the real Auroras.

There's only
one possible answer:

They're at Jonah's place.

What?!

Yeah, they've
been there all along.

Hello.

Oh. Hello.

Jonah.

Hello.

Not there.

They've got to be here.
Penny.

It's not there.
You have eyes, Orville!

Use them!
Jonah!

What do I pay you for?

Ha-ha-ha.

Orville.

Orville?
Shut that bird up!

Hello.
Will you shut up!

No.
Jonah...

Wait.

There was only one
living creature

Jonah would have trusted with
anything that belonged to him.

Hello.

Who'd ever think of looking
for something of value

at the bottom of a birdcage?

Look.

Hello.

Orville!

Hello.
I can't open it, Mr. Starr.

Mr. Starr, I can't open it.

Penny.

Well?

Hmm?

It's just, uh, birdseed,
Mr. Starr.

Are they beautiful, Orville?

As beautiful as we thought?

It's like I told you, Mr. Starr,
it's nothing but birdseed.

Nothing but a pair of eyes,
after all, aren't you, Orville?

You just couldn't keep the greed
out of your voice.

You're right, Mr. Starr.

You're always...

you're always right.

Yeah, I got 'em.

You can have 'em.

Give them to me, Orville.

Sure, come on.

Huh... Come on.

Come on, take 'em.

Take 'em for all your insults!

No, no...

No, over here, come on...
Hello.

Come on over here.
Come on.

Come on, boy, here!

Come on!

Come on, take 'em
for always putting me down!

Come running over here!

Orville.

It's Joe Mannix, Starr.

Put down the g*n.

Don't come any closer, Mannix.

This is Lieutenant Malcolm.

I'm here
with two police officers.

It's no use, Starr.

The treasure hunt is over.

Now put down the g*n.

Put it down, Starr.

Get an ambulance.

Mannix...

the light in them...

is it fierce?

I've never seen anything
to match it.

Then it was worth it.