04x16 - The Paper Palace

[bunniefuu]

RITA: They are following me.

Man, they are after me.

Police!

You like what she put down
for occupation? Poet.

She's just a friend.

A hooker. You bring a woman
like that into the house

and you want her to sit down
at the dinner table
with Eleanor and Sid Loft?

Look, Jim, I do what I do.
I'm not gonna apologize,
I'm not gonna explain.

I'm not asking you to.

Then believe me. I dealt
with a lot of weirdoes
since I'm 15,

and nobody
ever tried to k*ll me.

[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]

This is Mrs. Owens
with the Association
for a Better Malibu.

Thanks for your contributions.
We made great strides,

but it would help, dear,
if you could move
your trailer.

[PHONE RINGS]

BECKER: Hello?

Dennis? McRainey.

Listen,
I got Rita down here.

Okay, Mac, thanks.
Be right down.

Thanks for giving me
a call, McRainey.

I figured
she wasn't doing you
much good in the slam.

I didn't ask him to call.

I know. It's all right.

You like what she put down
for occupation? Poet.

"There was a young man
from Nantucket..."

Okay, Rita. Come on.

No, no. It's all right.

I like a snitch
with a sense of humor.

She's just a friend.

Sure.

Looks better without it.

You, of course, would know.

Thanks, McRainey.

You're the one
who should have said thanks.

McRainey did you a favor.

The next time
he'll think twice.

Yeah? With what?

That was a mistake, Rita.
McRainey is ticked off
at you now.

I'll send him
a thank-you note.

And working Wilshire
was a mistake, too.

I wasn't working Wilshire.

You don't believe me, do you?

Boy, this day
has been a real pig.

Rita.

How about a cup of coffee?

Come on, just a quick one.

Hi, Rita. How's tricks?

You know Billings.
That's his idea of humor.

Yeah, sure.
That makes it okay.

Get treated like a cockroach
around here.

What's the matter
with you today?

McRainey goes out of his way
to call me

so I can spring you,
which I do.

I bring you in here
for a nice cup of coffee.

You don't really want
to have a cup of coffee
with me.

Then what am I doing here?

You just want to give me
a pat on the head

before you kick me
back out on the street.

That way, the next time
you need information,

good old Rita will remember
and she'll come through
for you.

Well, that stinks.
If you think
that after 15 years...

Seventeen.

All right, 17 years.

For 17 years, I've always
treated you like...

A cop.

Oh, come on.

Which is okay.
I mean, that's just fine.

But please,
let's don't kid ourselves

that you're treating me
like a friend.

[SCOFFS]

Telling McRainey I'm a friend.

[VOICE BREAKING]
A friend would've believed
I wasn't working Wilshire.

[SNIFFLES]

A friend would've sent me
one Christmas card.

One lousy Christmas card

in 17 lousy years.

I sent you plenty.

I need a hankie.

I thought you said
Becker was having
a quick cup of coffee.

He could have had
a half a dozen by now.

He's with someone.

Would you at least
tell him I'm here,
Billings?

Hop to it, Billings.

Sergeant Becker
wouldn't want to keep
Mr. Rockford waiting.

After all, it must be
very important

for him to come down here
in person

instead of phoning in
his order.

Well, no,
I was in the neighborhood.

And you know what a kick I get
out of watching you play n*zi.

Rita, you're looking at things
the wrong way.

I'm your friend.

McRainey's your friend.

Rita, you got
nothing but friends here.

Becker.

What? Uh, yes, sir.

I want you to get down
to the squad room.
Get Rockford out of there.

Get him
out of this station.

And whatever
he came here to ask you,

the answer is no.
You got that?

Yes, sir.
Good.

[SOBS]

What the hell are you
crying about, Rita?

Didn't have change
for a five?

Look, you just hang in there.
I'll be right back. Okay?

What did you do
to make Chapman so mad?

I showed up. He's got
a rotten disposition.

Hey, Dennis,
I dropped by to ask you...
No.

Are you gonna
let me finish?

Whatever it is, it's no.

I got a couple of tickets
to the Lakers game
tomorrow night.

No.

Okay, don't forget
I asked you first.

Sorry you can't make it,
Dennis.

How you doing?

Lieutenant Chapman
didn't mean anything
with that cr*ck.

Oh, yeah, I know.
It's his idea of humor.
What a card.

Want some more coffee?

I want somebody
to talk to, Den.

You want to hear something
I do sometimes?

Sometimes I get so lonely,

I go down to the market
and wheel a cart around

and pretend
like I'm shopping

so I can complain
about prices and...

Doesn't matter what.

I mean, just so
I'm talking to a person.

You believe it?

Rita, you must have
some friends.

Yeah?
Where would I get them?

Oh, yeah,
there's this old lady I know.

That's it.

Most people make friends
from who they work with.

So where does that leave me?

Well, we work together
from time to time.

Oh, yeah. But with us,
it's strictly business.

I mean, friends sit around,
they talk
about lots of things.

Not just business.

Okay. We'll do that sometime.

Friends get together. Like...

Well, I'm a pretty good cook.

If we were friends,
I could make dinner
some night

and ask you and Peggy over
and...

You know, sometimes
when I call you at home,
she answers.

She sounds real nice.

We could
get to know each other.

[STAMMERING] Well,
I'll mention that to Peggy.

There's a thing with Scotty

and there's also
the problem with a sitter,
but...

Sarge.
What?

Your wife just called.
She wanted me
to remind you,

you need
a few bottles of soda
for the party tonight.

I'm not having
a party tonight.

She said you're...
I don't care what she says.

It's not a party,
just a dinner for a few...

Friends?

A hooker. You bring a woman
like that into the house

and you want her to sit down
at the dinner table
with Eleanor and Sid Loft?

Eleanor and Sid Loft.
We don't even like them.

Louder, Dennis.
They may have missed that.

It's not like
she's wearing an ID tag.

They're not gonna know
she's a hooker.

Oh, of course not.
It's not as if
you couldn't tell

just by looking at her.

She was feeling rotten.

[EXCLAIMS]
And your clever solution

is to bring her home
so we can all feel rotten.

[GROANS]

Dennis!

You know, if a lousy permit
means more to you
than a human being...

Denny, we need that permit
if we're going to build
the apartment over the garage.

It blocks the Lofts' view.

Look, I'm not going to argue.
I owe Rita.

I don't know how many
good busts I've made

with information
that she's given me,

and she's never asked me
for one damn thing.

She wants dinner,
dinner she gets.

Now smile, will you?

I always wanted a parrot,
but I'm afraid
of catching a fever.

Oh, hey, Peggy,
you've really
outdone yourself.

I mean,
for a last-minute
get-together...

We were invited
two weeks ago.

[PEGGY CHUCKLES]

I think if we just pass it,
it'll be easier.

That's a good idea.

You know, Jim and me
were talking about animals.

I am crazy about animals.

You got a pet, Jim?
Oh, yeah, yeah.

Well, I got a
four-legged acquaintance

who drops in
when the spirit moves him.

RITA: I bet
I can guess what.

You're a big man.
You'd have a big pet.

You're a dog person.

Cat. Big cat.
Valentino.

No kidding.

Some roast beef, Sidney?

Oh, thank you.

No, no, Sidney,
take some roast beef.
There's plenty.

Well, I don't mind if I...

Sidney isn't
much of a meat eater,

particularly
so late at night.

It's a little after 8:00.

Yes.

You know the one animal
I can't stand?

Monkeys.

[COUGHS]

RITA: They are mean,
they are filthy.

I had one once.
I only kept him
a couple of weeks.

They make the place so smelly.

Now, you take cats.
All you need is a litter box
and that's it.

But that monkey.

He made
all over my new couch.

He made all over the floor.

You just had to walk into
my front door,

you were
up to your buns in...

Broccoli?

Thank you.

You know,
you're crazy about animals,

I am crazy
about professions.

I mean,
they really interest me.

Take modeling.

That is what you do,
isn't it, Miss Capcovik?
You're a model?

Capkovic.

SIDNEY: Capkovic?
Yeah.

I could have served earlier,
but I didn't know.

You know, I mean,


Many people
enjoy a late dinner.

You and Dennis here,
you friends quite a while?

Yeah, for a little while.

How'd you two happen to meet?

Dennis,
I think you forgot the wine.

Yeah. Be right back.
Excuse me. Thank you.

Couldn't have been
at the station.

I mean, what would
a model be doing
at the police station?

[SIDNEY LAUGHING]
I'm telling you, Peggy...

Peggy, this is really great.

I mean, Yorkshire pudding
and everything.

Thank you.

Of course,
I can remember a time...

I think it was in the '50s.
Big scandal.

They rounded up
all these girls,

took them up
right off the street,

and every single one of them

was carrying a hatbox,
claiming to be a model.

Guess what they were?

Do you have any idea
how long it's been
since I had Yorkshire pudding?

SIDNEY: Prostitutes.

Every last one of them
a common streetwalker.

Now, I haven't thought
about that in years.

Funny how it jumped
into my mind

when you mentioned
being a model.

Well, shall we have coffee
in the living room?

I just opened the wine.

Well, if you'll excuse us,
I think we'll just
eat and run.

But you haven't eaten.

Sidney.

I'm sorry we can't finish
the conversation.

I know there's a lot of things
you could tell me
about modeling,

lots of things
I've never even heard of.

Tricks of the trade?

[DOOR OPENS]

BECKER: Good night, Sid.
Eleanor.

[DOOR CLOSES]

I'm sorry, Peggy.

So am I.

Dennis and I
have been talking
about building an apartment

over the garage
for my sister,

but, you know,
I don't think
Dorothy would like

living next door
to people like that.

Hey, I know it's late.
It's almost 8:30,

but I like late dinners.

Could I have
some wine, please?

Me, too.
All right.

Me, too.

Hey, you didn't have to
drive me home.

There's a bus,
stops right at the corner.

Oh, I'm happy to do it.

Well, listen,
to tell you the truth,

I feel much better
when somebody can walk me
right to my door.

Yeah.

I mean, this neighborhood
has gone down into the toilet.

I mean,
a couple of nights ago,

I was walking home
kind of late from a movie

and I spot this blue Mustang.

So I figure, "Yeah."
Yeah, it's looking for
a house number, right?

Forget it. I see
that they are following me.

So I get right to this spot,
the car stops,

and two guys
come boiling out of it.

What happened?

Well, I made it
to the apartment.

But, man, they are after me.

I mean, they started
pounding on the door,
I started screaming.

[EXCLAIMS]

I guess I scared them away.

Hey, would you like
to have some coffee?

Oh, it's getting
a little late. Thanks.

Oh.

Can I take a rain check?

Sure. Anytime.

Hey, thanks a lot.

Peggy and Den
have some real nice friends.

Yeah, they sure do.

Good night.

Good night, Rita.

Good night.

[BOTH SPEAKING FRENCH]

Rudy!

[SCREAMS]

Police!

Police! Police! Help!

Police!

Jim?

Jim?

Oh, Jim, please.

You didn't come around
for a while, you know.

Boy, you had me scared. Here.

What is it?

A nice, stiff belt.

I don't think my head
could handle it.
Thank you.

Maybe a little hot soup?

No, no.

Well, I gotta do something.
You could have been k*lled.

So could you.

Yeah.

You have no idea why?

I mean,
you never saw these guys
before the other night?

You're sure of that?

I don't know why,
I don't know who.

Oh, boy.

Look what they done
to this place.

You can't get these anymore.

Faviotas went out of business
two months ago.

You have any idea
what time it is?

Around 3:00.

A. M?
Mmm-hmm.

Oh, well, those two g*ons
are long gone by now.

[GROANS]

Might as well
let Becker sleep in
this morning.

You got a couple of aspirin?

Hey, I know that Chapman
would love to see me suffer,

but is there anything
in the official police manual

that would specifically
deny me an aspirin
under these circumstances?

Den, he got an awful clunk
on the head.

It's a wonder
he didn't get amnesia.

Yeah. He might have
forgotten my phone number.

Water?

Why don't you take my coffee?
I haven't touched it.

Thanks.

Is that report complete?

As complete as can be
under the circumstances.

Suspect. Two male Caucasians,

both approximately six feet,
both French-speaking.

That's about it, isn't it?
Oh, no. One goes
by the unusual name of Rudy.

Any idea
where to start looking?

Well, you might start
by running that license plate
I gave you.

Right. A blue Mustang.

Now, you can't actually
put the two suspects
in the car,

but we'll let that go
for the moment.

We do have a license plate.

PCE 727,

or PCE 772,

or possibly PCE 277.

Dennis,
I didn't write it down.
That's what I remember.

And that's
what's in the complaint.

A complaint, I might add,
that anybody in this office
could have taken.

See all these people?
They're all trained
to take complaints.

A-ha.

Is that what
you're mad about, huh?

Now, I waited until 5:00
to wake you up.

Now, you think you could
assign a couple of men to her
for protection?

You know what it would take
to get an order like that
okayed?

Chapman will think
it's some john with a beef.

What does he think
I've got up there,
a revolving door?

What does he think,
I don't remember faces?

Those guys were not johns.

I never saw them before.

Rita, I'll run the plate.
I'll follow through.

In the meantime,
don't go back
to your apartment.

Oh, sure. I'll just
check into one of
your Beverly Hills hotels.

I needed the change.

Rita, can I see you
for a moment?

Alone?

RITA: What are you doing?

BECKER: Take it.

Hey, Dennis,
that's not why I said that.

This'll take care of you
for a couple of days.

What are you doing?

Aspirins help?

Not as much as the question.

It's so comforting
to know that you care.

Well, why don't you two guys
get out of here
before Chapman signs in?

And you make sure
she gets to a hotel all right.

Yeah, sure, sure.

Really going to miss you
at that Laker game tonight.

You got a particular hotel
in mind,
or you want to shop around?

You said last night
you're a PI.

I guess you work
kind of steady, huh?

No, not steady
at all. No.

Then you're looking
for work?

No. I thought I'd go home,
take a little nap

and then catch
the Lakers game

with a couple
of Annie Oakleys.

Now, there's a motel
up on Bundy.

It's not too great
on the outside,
but looks like it's clean.

Should be safe.

Jim, I want to hire you.

Hey, come on. Come on.

Well, you said
you're looking for work.

Rita, all you have to do
is stay out of sight
for a couple of days.

Dennis will run those plates.

Well, yeah,
what if the car's hot?

Then I gotta stay out of sight
for another two days
and another, right?

How long? And all the time
those psychos
are waiting on me.

Hiring a private detective
is expensive.

Well, how expensive?

$200 a day plus expenses.

Okay.

There's only about
a hundred and a quarter there.
You'll have to count it.

I'll have the rest
for you tomorrow.

Rita, I don't want
to take your money.

Now, let Dennis
handle things.

He's getting paid
to do that job
and he's good at it.

Jim, he is going under
for the third time
in red tape.

Look, I am scared to death.

I am so scared,
I don't even know
how I'm still walking.

Look, Jim, I do what I do.
I'm not gonna apologize,
I'm not gonna explain.

I'm not asking you to.

Then believe me. I dealt
with a lot of weirdoes
since I'm 15,

and nobody
ever tried to k*ll me.

They want to k*ll me.

You think staying alive's
not worth a lousy $200 to me?

Okay, okay, Rita.
We'll work out something.

First we gotta find
a place to stash you.

Maggie.
I thought about it already.

She'll take me in,
no questions asked.

Who's Maggie?

Not what you think.

Well, Burt, for a woman
that's alone too much,

I've got a full house.

Miss Capkovic.

Hi, how are you?

That's right,
you two know one another.

Let's see.
This is my good friend
Rita Capkovic.

This is
Mr. James Rockford.

And this is Burt Woodruff
and that's Henry,

Dr. Helpern.

Doctor?

Well, he's just paying
a social visit, dear.

Margaret...

Oh, Burt, let's not argue.

As you can see,
I'm perfectly comfortable.
I'm perfectly safe.

I'm not at all alone.

As a matter of fact,
Rita's coming to spend
several days with me.

All right, Margaret.
Have it your way.

I intend to.

Well, we have to be
running along.

Nice to have met you,
Mr. Rockford.

Mr. Woodruff.
Nice to have met you.

We'll see ourselves out.

Right.

Bye-bye, Henry.

HELPERN: Goodbye.

Bye.
WOODRUFF: Bye.

Now, what are the plans?

Okay. I hide out over here
and Jim stakes out
my apartment.

In case they come back?

What a brave thing
for you to do.

Yeah, well, I'm not too happy
about that part of it,

but then,
there doesn't seem to be
any alternative.

But imagine
breaking into your own home,
attacking you.

This used to be
such a good neighborhood.

That's a terrible experience
for you.

Yeah. That's what I get
for drinking California wine.

Hmm?

The two men spoke French.

Oh. Well, that doesn't
necessarily mean

they come from France,
does it?

Where, then? Hungary?

I remember my husband,
years ago,

had an interest
in a Canadian hockey team,

and they spoke French.

The Ottawa Otters.

And then there's Martinique
and some of
the African nations.

French is
a universal language.

Boy, Maggie,
you know everything.

You know, she has been
around the world.

She knows all kinds of people.

She can even read a menu
and order in French.

Very good.

And you know
what she's eating
when I first meet her?

It's a wonder
she didn't drop dead.

She's eating anything light.

To carry.

So I says,
"Dummy, use the carts."

You're not supposed to
take them off the premises.
There's a fine.

Oh, if you're
a regular customer,

it's all right
if you just borrow it
and take it back later.

Is that exactly
what I told you?

You see,
you can ask her any question
about books, about art.

She's got all the answers.

But she's a real nit
about walking around sense.

Yeah, yeah.
Well, look...

Where are you going?

I've got a couple of things
I have to do.

I'm going to need
the keys to your apartment
for tonight.

Oh. What things?

Oh, the two tickets
to the Laker game.

I might as well
give them to Dennis.

Well, that's not
going to take too long.

Well, I have to practice
being gracious.

You two take care.

And I've got something
I want you to do, all right?

Hey, we gotta
think about dinner.

It really ought to be
something special.

Trout.

Yeah, French trout, okay.

Come on, I'll help you.
Let's do it.

Oh, and listen,
I'll take these
back to the market

so they don't send the fuzz
for you.

[LAUGHING] Oh, Rita.

Do you have any almonds?
I think so.

Okay.
Let's see.

[PHONE RINGING]

RITA: [ON TAPE] Hello?

MAN: Hey, Rita, your line's
been busy for half an hour.

I'm down here
at the Wilshire West,
room 802:

Hey, why don't you
come down.

Forget it, buddy.

[KNOCKING AT DOOR]

BILL: Rita! Rita!
You in there?

[PHONE RINGING]

Rita, come on, baby!
It's Bill. Open up!

RITA: [ON TAPE] Hello?

Rita, is that you?
It's me, Jake.

Hey, honey,
you know, you promised
you'd call me tonight.

I've been waiting
to hear from you
for two hours.

What happened?

[MEN SPEAKING FRENCH]

[BURGLAR ALARM RINGING]

[g*n FIRES]

Maggie!

[CAR TIRES SCREECHING]

Thank you for calling me,
Lieutenant.

Miss Capkovic said you were
a friend of the family.

There'll be an autopsy,
you know, after which...

Yes, yes, I'll handle
all the arrangements.

Just let my office know
when the...

When it's all over.

[WOODRUFF SIGHS]

She was
an obstinate old woman.

Always had to have
her own way.

I told her to move
out of this neighborhood.

I've been telling her that
for years.

The neighborhood
didn't k*ll her, Mr. Woodruff.

When we had
the burglar alarm installed,

I told her
to have the windows wired,

but no, she wouldn't go
the additional expense.

But the alarm went off.

That's correct. She went
for the panic button.
That's why they sh*t her.

I'm the reason she's dead.

Stop that, Rita.

You know it's true, Jim.
You know it's my fault.

Maggie was your friend.

You came to her as a friend,
she took you in. That's it.

Yeah, but if I hadn't
come here... lf...

I don't want to hear
any more "ifs."

You want to know
who was responsible?

The two psychos
who pulled the trigger.
They're responsible.

I think it would be nice
if the police found out
who they were.

The police investigation
is no concern
of yours, Rockford.

What two psychos?

I thought we were dealing here
with burglary.

None of my concern, huh?

I two-step
around Rita's apartment
with these two yuks,

I get a near fracture
at the base of the skull,

I get a headache
I haven't been able to shake
for 24 hours,

and it's none of my concern?

I absolutely insist
on being told what's going on.

In the absence
of any living relatives,

and as an old friend
of the family,

well, I think someone
should represent Margaret
in this affair.

Margaret Gillson
was a lovely lady.

She's dead.
There's not anything
any of us can do about it.

I think
even Lieutenant Chapman
would agree with me

when I say
we have to concentrate
on keeping Rita alive now.

ROCKFORD: You know,
maybe I ought to give Peggy
another call.

Well, she said
she'd have Dennis call you
as soon as he got back in.

Hey, wasn't it neat
Dennis was able to take Scotty
to the Laker game?

Yeah.

Hey, listen, sonny,
I want you
to tell this young lady here

to drink every bit
of this coffee.

It's got
lots of cream and sugar,

and you didn't eat
a bite of your dinner.

I forgot to warn you
about Rocky.

He's just about


[LAUGHS]

Well, you two
have been through a lot
from what I can tell,

which ain't very much.

Don't try to understand it,
Rocky. We don't.

You really think
them two fellas
is waiting for you

back at the trailer?

Well, they could be.
I mean, if they followed us

from Rita's
to the police station
to Mrs. Gillson's,

they could have made me.

[VOICE BREAKING]
I can't believe
I'll never see her again.

Hey, come on, now. Easy.

Just drink your coffee.

How much sugar
you put in this?

A little quick energy.
Go on, take it.
It won't hurt you.

Sure. Then we can all
sit around and watch
my teeth fall out.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Hey, Jimbo. I just got home.

Man, you wouldn't believe
that traffic.

Oh, hey, Dennis...
And the game!
Listen to this.

There's three minutes
on the clock,
the score is all tied up...

PEGGY: Dennis!

Jim, hang on.

Dennis, what did you
feed Scotty at the game?

He's throwing up
all over the bathroom.

Jim, I gotta go.

Dennis, what've you got
on that plate I gave you?

I haven't had a chance
to run it.

Well, when you
gonna get on it?

Come on, sport,
you're cleaning it up.

Yeah, sure.

[PHONE HANGS UP]

Well, thank you, Dennis.
Thanks.

He's gonna get right on it.

Got a make on those plates.

I hate to tell you this,
buddy. It was stolen.

I knew it. What'd I say?

They were ripped off
at the Forum.

Oh, terrific.
That narrows it down
to about 10,000 cars.

Some guy
went to a hockey game,
came out...

A what?

A hockey game. You know,
with the sticks and the puck.

Becker.
ROCKFORD: Dennis,
who was playing?

You ran a plate
for Rockford, right?

It was the men Rita saw
leaving the Gillson house.

It was their car
I was trying to trace.

Was it the Ottawa Otters?
Yeah.

It's official
police business,
Lieutenant.

I'll tell you what's official.
I want to see you
in my office right now.

All three of you.

Chapman.

Chapman.

What is it?

If you'd just lay off
one minute, we might
be able to give you

some hard facts
in a very soft case.

Mrs. Gillson said that
her husband, at one time,

owned part of
the Ottawa Otters.

Ottawa Otters,
Muskogee Muskrats,

what difference
does it make?

Chapman,
Mrs. Gillson was k*lled

by the same two guys
who att*cked Rita.

I mean, they spoke French.

Now, the Ottawa Otters
are a Canadian team.

Many Canadians
are French-speaking.

Quelle surprise.

Well, now,
just take your time.
Try to put it together.

Oh, I've got it together.
I'm going to speak frankly
to you.

We all know each other
so well.

Practically family.

I've known Rita here
ever since I worked Vice,

a long, long time ago.

How many times
did I bust you, Rita?

Let's just say
we were seriously considering

putting up a small,
bronze plaque.

The Rita Capkovic
Memorial Holding Cell.

Is that about it, Chapman?

Oh, don't go sensitive
on me, Rockford.

You're two of a kind.
Anything for a buck.

Lieutenant...

Shut up.

Now, I'm going to tell you
how it went down.

Rita here collects weirdoes.
That's her business.

Only this time,
one of them
busted a main spring.

A-ha!
There were two men involved.

Oh, two?
Well, that makes a difference.

You want to talk
about the band
at the Waldorf Astoria?

That's a rotten thing
to say.

I'll tell you what's rotten.
You know what's rotten?

A nice little old lady
letting somebody like you
through the front door

and ending up dead.

Is it gonna make you
feel any better
if Rita ends up that way, too?

End of discussion.

Now, I want you
out at Jackson High
in the Valley.

You're about to conduct
a very exciting seminar
in traffic safety.

And you two, get out of here.

Now, Chapman,
you can't just dismiss this.

If Rita thinks
it's important enough
to pay me $200 a day...

Where'd Rita get $200?

Well, she didn't have
the full $200,

but she gave me
$125 down and...

Is that the $125
you got from me yesterday?

Is that the $125
you requisitioned
from the department?

You know, Rita,

maybe we're just going
at this whole thing
the wrong way.

Yeah. Well, maybe I just
ought to leave town.
I mean, if Chapman...

Oh, now,
forget about Chapman.

Here, sit here.

Now, what I'm saying
is that these two guys
who k*lled Maggie,

everybody's assuming
they were after you
and k*lled her by mistake.

Yeah,
but that's what happened.

But maybe
it wasn't a mistake.

Oh, come on, Jim.

No, no, Rita.
I was careful.

When I drove you
over to Maggie's,

I had both eyes
on the rearview mirror
at all times.

Now, I would swear
we weren't being followed.

So how'd they know
where to find me?

We told them. We walked
right into Maggie's

and announced that
you were gonna stay there
for a couple of days.

There's this Dr. Helpern
and Burton Woodruff.

What do we know about them?

Well, Dr. Helpern,
I never met before,

but Woodruff,
he was an old friend of hers.

He used to bring her
a check over
every month or so.

He was her husband's partner.

In the Ottawa Otters?

I don't know about that.
He was a furrier.

Maggie said her husband
owned a hockey team.

She told you
that Woodruff was a furrier?

Yeah.

What are you doing?

I'm looking up Woodruff.

She didn't say
he was retired,

so he's bound to be
in here somewhere.

Wilson, Windham...

Ah, Woodruff.

Woodruff and Gillson,
Furriers.

I'll put it back, okay?

Hey, the fur business
is just a subsidiary.

They're all part of
the Canadian-American
Trading Company.

But if Maggie's husband
was into this kind of setup,

why was she living
in that dump on Western?

One of the questions
we'll have to ask
Mr. Woodruff.

ROCKFORD:
The Canadian-American
Trading Company

is a conglomerate.

A lot of fingers
in a lot of pies.

I'm not exactly
the wizard of Wall Street,

but it's gotta be
worth millions.

Woodruff and Gillson
were partners.
Partners suggests 50-50.

Maybe Maggie's husband
sold out before he d*ed.

Maybe. Maybe Woodruff
just kept bringing
those checks around

because he's a good old boy
and he didn't want
to see Maggie do without.

Hey, he used to
bring her papers, too.

I know
because she used to complain
all the time

about how she hated
to sign all that stuff.

I am still waiting
to see this little lady

take her first bite
of solid food.

I'm not hungry, Rocky.

Well, no wonder
you're all skin and bones.

I am?

Are you about through
with this mess?

Oh, yeah. Don't worry, Dad.
I'll clean it up.

Listen, did you
find the team picture
of the Otters?

I think it was in
a hockey magazine,

had a hockey player
on the front.

You know, PI work is not
what I thought it would be.

A lot of run-jump?

Well, not so much paperwork.

I hate to tell you this, Jim,
but it's very dull.

I don't know. I always
kind of thought of this stage
as restful.

When do we see Woodruff?

When I have all the questions.

And I think I've got plenty.

No, I don't recognize
anyone in the picture.

Well, now,
they divested themselves

of their interest in the team


So maybe the guys
who came to the apartment
aren't on the current roster.

Personally,
I never cared much
about hockey.

All those fellas
getting their heads
split open,

blood all over the ice.

I never went to a game
when I didn't catch cold.

Well, that's about
all we're gonna get
out of research.

Now we see Woodruff?

No. Now I'm gonna
introduce you

to a very important part
of detective work.

Hey, I thought you was
gonna clean up here.

ROCKFORD: Yeah, later.
Later.

[DOOR CLOSES]

"Later. Later."

RITA: Man, we've been
sitting here for hours.

If you ask me...

All right,
even if you don't ask me,

I think we're going about this
the wrong way.

Well, wait a minute.

I think I ought to go
back to my apartment.

They tried
to hit me there before,
they'll try it again.

Then we catch them.

We've got it, thank you.

All right,
just follow my lead.

Your invitation, please.

We don't have one.

Oh, I'm sorry, sir.
This is a private party.

Yes, I know.

You see, we plan to do
an article on the hockey,

the Ottawa Otters at play,
that sort of thing.

Whatever happened to Graham?
Graham is our still man.

We lost him on the freeway.

He'll show up.
He always does.

I wonder
if I could speak to someone
in authority?

I'm with the restaurant.

Oh, well, we plan
to mention the restaurant
and the surroundings.

The friendly atmosphere.

I can't see that
that would do any harm.

Publicity for the team
and all.

Oh, well, you really
have an eye for opportunity.
That's good.

Of course,
if they do object...

Oh, they won't object.
We're talking about
national publicity.

Oh, well, my name is Guellow.
Alfred Guellow.

Did you get that,
Miss Sanders?

Guellow?

Thank you. Thank you.

Oh! Oh, that's very kind.
Thank you.

Where did you get
that card you gave him?

I printed it myself.
I have my own printing press.

Yeah, but how did you know
that you wanted to pretend

to be from some magazine?

Well, I don't like
to box myself in,

so I'm in the fur business,
mining engineering...

I'm also with
the Canadian Government
in several capacities.

I always feel better
when I come prepared.

Let's go.

Back east, New York.

Excuse me a minute.

Mr. Rockford,
Miss Capkovic.

What are you doing here?

Oh, you know how it is.
Anywhere there's a party.

What do you want?

He comes right to the point,
doesn't he, Rita?

Let's see.
What do we want?

Something small, you know,
just to show good faith.

How about
a couple of fur hats?

Get out of here.

And none of that fun fur.

I want something
that has a lasting value,
like sable.

Do you like sable, Rita?

Oh, I'm crazy about sable.

If this is your idea
of a joke...

It isn't.

You ought to see
the rest of the list.

I have no interest
in your list.

Get interested.

That is,
if you want to hang on to
the Woodruff-Gillson empire.

There's plenty for everybody.

There was probably
more than enough for Maggie.

Did you steal everything
her husband left her?

You know,
you can walk out of here
or I can have you thrown out.

You do that, Woodruff,
and I'm going to have to start
blowing the whistle.

You have no proof.
You have no...

Hey, that's right.
That's right.
It's just theories.

But if the cops dig
deep enough,

I'm sure they'll come up
with enough paperwork

to substantiate
those theories.

Now, you think
about that, okay?

Oh, and don't forget the hats.

RITA: You sure
this is gonna work?

Well, I sure would
hate to think that

anything this uncomfortable
wasn't going to pay off.

You know
what I don't understand?

If Mr. Woodruff
was stealing from Maggie
and she found out

or he was afraid
she was going to find out,

then, okay, that's a reason
for k*lling her.

But why would he
want to k*ll me?

I don't understand that,
either,

but if he shows up,
we'll ask him.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

Oh, hi, yeah.

Yeah, it has been.

How you doing?

Well, no.
I'm afraid I couldn't.

No, I mean, not tonight.
You understand?

No, no, I'm really tied up.

Listen,
some other time, okay?

And thanks for calling.

[KNOCKING AT DOOR]

[INAUDIBLE]

Yes?

MAN: Come on, open up.

Who is it?

Is that you, Rita?

Who is it?

Sid Loft.

[INAUDIBLE]

Come on, open up, Rita!

Rita, come on,
open the door!

Rita!
Come on, open the door.

[POUNDING ON DOOR]

What are you doing here?

I'm sorry,
I should have called first.

I didn't know
you already had a party
going on.

What do we do with him?

We get rid of him.
You walk right out of here

and you go
directly to your car.

Who are you
ordering around?

I went to a lot of trouble
to get out tonight.

I don't have time
to explain, Sid.

You don't have to explain.
We're all adults.

We can work something out,
right, honey?

Just a second.
What do you think I am?
What do you think I am?

And after the way
you treated me the other night
at the Beckers'.

[RATTLING]

What nerve!
I made a special trip...

Shut up.

[SHUSHING]

All right, get in the kitchen.
Not you.

[g*n FIRES]
ROCKFORD: Becker!

Police. Freeze.

Drop it.

BECKER: Cuff them.

Have Burton Woodruff
picked up.

Sid, what are you doing here?

Look, Dennis,
please don't tell Eleanor.
It's all a mistake.

It'd k*ll her
if she thought...

And it wasn't like that
at all.

Look, you want that permit?
You got it.

I'll push it past Eleanor.
Just don't tell her.

Gee, Sid,
what do you want me to do?

What can I do?

There was a sh**ting,
you're a witness.

I'm going to
have to take you in,
get a statement.

They'll want to put you
on the stand.

There'll be the press,
cameramen, interviews.
What can I say?

Come on, Rita.
Can't I help you
with something?

Hey, this is my party.
I do the work.

Just put this on the table,
okay?

She ain't gonna let me
in my own kitchen,
she sure ain't gonna let you.

Hey, Dennis, do they know
how much Woodruff stole
out of Maggie's estate?

Not yet.
She should have been
worth millions.

She thought she was.

But he rigged
her business statements

so it looked like
a paper palace.

Stealing from widows.

Do you know
what the Good Book says

about stealing
from widows and orphans?

It don't pull no punches.
No, sir.

Excuse me.

If only Maggie
hadn't changed her will.

There you go
with the "ifs" again.

If she'd just left it
the way it was,




maybe Mr. Woodruff
wouldn't have got scared

and he could've got by
with what he done.

Putting me down
for a million dollars.

Like I'd know what to do
with a million dollars.

Well, you're gonna
wind up with $300,000.

What are you gonna do
with that?
Buy yourself a house.

You can't go wrong
buying land.

Yeah, I thought about that,

but, well,
I'm used to apartments.

A house sounds like something
I'd just rattle around in.

It sounds too big.

Oh, no. Look at mine.
I don't rattle around.

It ain't too big for me.

You know, Rita, I think
that real estate would be
a good investment for you.

Yeah?
PEGGY: Yeah.

What do you think, Jim?

I think you ought to spend it
whatever way makes you happy.

Good. Me, too.

So when that garage apartment
of yours gets built,

I'm gonna furnish it.

No, Rita...

Hey, no argument.

I'm gonna buy all the rugs,
the chairs, the lamps,

and all the pots and pans.

Rita,
that's out of the question.

Who says?

The department.

I'm a police officer.
I can't accept gifts
for doing my job.

You can't?

No, I can't.

But thanks anyway.

Okay. Okay.

Everybody out.

Come on, come on.

Everybody outside.

Isn't it beautiful?

Oh, well, now, hey,

that is more like it.

Oh, it's got a custom body
and it's got all kinds
of things I forget.

You like it?

Oh, who wouldn't?
I mean, it's a beauty.

It's yours.

Oh, hey, Rita,
no, I can't.

Hey, come on. You're not
with the department.

Nothing's stopping you.

I can't accept
a gift like that.

It must have cost...

Hey, didn't you tell me
I should make myself happy?

Yeah.

Well, this makes me happy.

[HONKING TO THE TUNE
OF LA CUCARACHA]

Even after I help Monica
get her teeth fixed

and do a couple of things
I want to do,

I'll still have plenty
left over.

No, no. Hey, Rita,
I can't accept this.

I mean, I appreciate it.

I really do appreciate it.

But it's just absolutely...

It's out of the question.