08x02 - Game Plan

[bunniefuu]

♪♪

♪♪

Jeannie?

Hey, sweetheart,
are you still here?

Honey,

isn't your mother
expecting you at her place?

♪♪

♪♪

Mr. Mannix's office.

Oh, uh, hello. This is
George Lassiter in Albuquerque.

May I speak to Joe, please?

Sure. Just a second.

Joe, George Lassiter
on the phone from Albuquerque.

Lassiter?

Hey, George, good to hear...

Hi, Joe.

Uh... how busy are you?

I'm drowning.
I'm up to my neck.

I'm going down
for the third time.

I need your help, Joe.

Can you get here right away?

Well, is it that important?

It's about Jeannie.

What's happened? I'll
tell you when you get here.

My secretary will be waiting
at the airport.

Joe...

I'm on my way.

Jeannie?

Jeannie?

George?
In here.

Forgive me for letting
myself in, George.

Um...

I've been expecting Jeannie
at my place for hours.

I-I've been trying
to call her all morning.

Saw her car in the garage.

Oh, no.

Now, don't tell me
she didn't phone you?

She did not.

Is something wrong?

No, nothing's wrong.

Can I fix you a drink?

No, it's a little early
in the day for me, George.

What's with Jeannie?

Kids.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, last night she had a...

a call from a girl she knew
at school, lives in Chicago,

and she asked her...
to visit her for a few days.

Jeannie seemed terribly eager.

Why didn't she call me
to see how I felt about that?

Well, I took it for granted
that she cleared it with you.

She must have been too excited.

I took her to the plane
this morning.

Is something wrong?

No.

No, it's just that
when it comes to Jeannie--

You know how much
she means to me.

How much she means
to both of us.

Excuse me.

Yes?

Oh, uh...

Yes, speaking.

I hope you're
following orders, friend.

No police.

No FBI.

Of course.

It's very important.

Yes, it is, friend.

Life and death.

It's a business deal.

I'm sorry.

I just need the details.

Okay.

This is what we want you to do.

Exactly what we want you to do.

Mm-hmm.

Yes, I understand.

I'll be there.

My secretary worries about me.

She was calling me to remind me

about a lunch at the club
with a client.

Client.

You know, George, living apart
doesn't just shut it all off.

I can still tell
when you're uptight.

Gloria...

This client at the club,

is that poker or gin rummy?

Okay, I won't press the point.

I'd better run along
and let you change.

I'll show myself out.

♪♪

Hello, Mr. Mannix.
I'm Dorothy.

George's secretary.

I remember you
from the last visit.

That's very flattering.

Mr. Lassiter's
waiting for you at the club.

Club?
Yes.

♪♪

♪♪

Five of diamonds, hm?

I think I can use that.

As a matter of fact,
I know I can.

How's two?

Hmm.

Well, let's see, and seven...

Puts you out in the first game.

Yeah, and that keeps the blitz
going on the other two.

Yeah.

George?

Joe.

George.
What are you doing here?

Well, I...
Uh, Al, I'd, uh,

like you to meet Joe Mannix,

an old golfing friend of mine
from way back. Al Ritchie.

Hello, Al. Joe Mannix.
Joe, it's a pleasure.

You a gin player?

Socially.
Let's take five, Al, all right?

Yeah, sure.
Joe.

Something from the bar, Joe?

Uh, coffee?
Yeah, coffee's fine.

Jack, coffee
and a scotch on the rocks.

Yes, sir.

Okay, George, now, just what
the hell is this all about?

Well... it was a false alarm.

I... I'm sorry,
I tried to call you,

but you'd already left.

Everything's
all right with Jeannie?

Absolutely.

I just got spooked.

Overreacted.

Overreacted to what?

Well, I know
this sounds ridiculous...

...but...

I thought Jeannie'd
been kidnapped.

And what made you think that?

Well...

I, uh...

I got up early and played
nine holes and came back,

and her car was there
but she wasn't.

Her room was a shambles,
and I checked with Gloria,

and she didn't know
where she was, either.

And that's when you called me?
Yeah.

And then an hour later
I found a note from her.

The wind had blown it
off the bar.

A friend
had driven her to the airport

and... put her
on a plane to Chicago.

Chicago?
What's in Chicago?

A wedding.
Girl from school.

She was invited
to be a bridesmaid.

Ah,

Well, I... must admit,
I like it a lot better this way.

After all, Jeannie
is my only goddaughter.

Just sorry I won't get a chance
to see her or Gloria.

Oh, you mean you've
got to go right back?

Yeah, I'm up to my neck.

The world's
full of people in trouble.

George...

you want a sh*t at getting
your eight grand back,

you better hustle, boy.

Oh, uh...

I'll be right with you, cowboy.

Eight grand?

Is he that good?

His cards are.

Ah. You know, the last time
I heard from you, George,

you told me
you'd kicked gambling

and you were trying to put it
all back together with Gloria.

I still am. But this Al Ritchie
showed up from Fort Worth

claiming to be
the best gin player in Texas,

and I couldn't resist
taking a cr*ck at him.

I apologize again.

Aw, forget it.

Joe, can I give you
a ride to the airport?

Oh, no, no, no, don't bother.
I'll catch a cab.

George, be sure
and give Jeannie my love, huh?

Will do.

Nice to have met you, Joe.
Likewise.

Joe Mannix!
Heard you were in the club.

Well, sweet-swinging Sam.

Still a scratch player, Joe?

When the wind's right.

I'll set you up
in a foursome, if you like.

No, thanks. I got to catch
a plane back to L.A.

Hey, that's a big game
in there, huh?

From what I hear, Al Ritchie
only plays for heavy money--

And he's good.
Yeah? Well, uh,

George Lassiter
was the runner-up

in the Vegas
Gin Rummy Tournament.

b*at the best in the country.

Al Ritchie that good?

For George's sake, I hope not.
Yeah.

Well, I got to run.
See you, Sam.

So long, Joe.

♪♪

Right.

Right. Thank you.

Mr. Mannix, I've checked
all the flights to Chicago

that left this morning.
No Jeannie Lassiter?

Not on any
of the passenger manifests.

Well, thanks for your trouble.

Not at all.
Come back and see us.

And here's
the keys to your car, sir.

You'll find it in space
number . Yeah, thank you.

Oh, by the way, do you have
a map of the surrounding area?

Oh, yes, sir.

Right here.

Pleasure doing
business with you.

Thank you, sir.

Southeastern Airlines Flight

now arriving at gate .

Southeastern Airlines...

♪♪

Okay, Mannix is staying
at the Rodeway Inn.

I'll get his room number
and get back to you.

Yeah, operator,
I'd like to call long distance.

Area code -

- .

Mr. Mannix's office.
Yeah, Peggy?

Joe! How's Jeannie?

I'm not sure yet.

Listen, Peggy, I need
a rundown on a card hustler.

Mainly gin.
His name is Al Ritchie.

Works out of Fort Worth.

Got it.

How are things going
at the office?

Only about
frantic phone calls.

And Tri-County wants
your report by yesterday.

Give them a big kiss for me.

Oh, listen, Peggy,
I'm going out now.

If you get any kind
of a make on Ritchie,

I'll be back at, uh...

uh, : .

Okay, Joe.
And... take care.

Thanks, Peggy.

♪♪

♪♪

Joe!.

Oh, how wonderful
to get your call!

Hey, it's great to see you.

Oh, it's good
to see you, too, Gloria.

You didn't tell me--
are you in town on business,

or are we just lucky?
I was just passing through.

I thought I'd grab the chance
to see George and you,

and I was hoping
to see Jeannie, too.

I'll bet she's
prettier than ever.

Yes, she is, but she's in
Chicago staying with a friend.

Oh, really?
Any special occasion?

No, no, just a visit.

I guess maybe she's finding
things a bit sour around here

between George and me.

Gloria...

It's really none of my business,
but if there's anything...

Thanks.

And who knows?

He's given up
his heavy drinking.

He hasn't touched
a deck of cards in six months.

Only that's not true anymore.

He's just recently
gone back to his old habits.

I know. I have my spies out
day and night.

Now, that doesn't sound like

your way of
doing things, Gloria.

It's not.

Oh, damn it, Joe, I do love him.

And we have everything we need.

A lovely home,
a wonderful daughter,

good friends.

And a lot of good years
together.

It's all there.

If only he'd...

If only I'd...

Sorry.

Gloria...

like I said, if there's anything
I can do-- anytime, anywhere.

Just keep your fingers crossed.

I will.

Give my love to Jeannie, huh?

Of course.

I'm, uh, sorry I can't stay.

I'll try and get back.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Well, this should be safe.

Well, I'm not collecting ladies,

but... I do have
a nice little run on hearts.

That's gin, pal.

Oh, no.

I'm loaded.

George?

Excuse me, Al.

Well, what is it?

Let's take a walk, huh?

I told you,
I just put her on the plane.

The note said Chicago,
and I believed her.

Including the bit
about the wedding?

Sure.

You're playing this
awfully cool, George.

Getting hot won't help.

Has, uh, Jeannie dropped out
of sight like this before?

Joe, I don't want you to call
out the bloodhounds and then...

What?

Well, find her
shacked up in some motel.

She's a big girl now.

She crosses the street
all by herself.

Stop worrying.

She's your daughter, George.

That's right.

By the way, how are you doing
with the Texas Tornado?

Well, the cards
are still running his way.

Ah. Maybe I better
get back to the wars.

Thanks again
for your trouble, Joe.

Forget it.

Mannix... a little advice.

There's a plane to L.A.
every couple of hours.

Be on the next one.

Hello.

Joe?

Yeah, Peggy.

Are you all right?
You sound terrible.

Uh, no, I'm fine, fine.
What'd you get on Ritchie?

Professional card shark,
a real mechanic.

He was big-time about ten years
ago, but he lost his touch--

And his bankroll.

You're sure?
Positive.

He just doesn't have it anymore.

Minor leaguer.
Plays in small games now,

whenever he can find
somebody to stake him..

Yeah, well...

thanks, Peggy,
that's what I wanted to know.

Okay, Joe.

♪♪

Joe?

Joe, I got here
as quick as I could.

Do you want to fill me in
on the details?

Well, I guess the police
would call it a mugging.

Well, is there
anything I can do?

Yeah, George.

You can stop lying to me.

What's that supposed to mean?

Let's turn all
the cards face up.

You knew all along

Jeannie didn't go
to Chicago for a wedding.

Well, I knew... Gloria didn't
know anything about a wedding.

I might not have... I checked
all the flights to Chicago.

Now, Jeannie's been
kidnapped, hasn't she?

You're hoping to get her back

by losing that ransom money
to Al Ritchie at gin, right?

Joe, you're really reaching.

Come on, George,
you can take a hack like Ritchie

with an arm in a sling!

Oh, I admit
that's a beautiful gimmick:

you pay the ransom money;
it's all legal.

You can't even
complain to the police.

Now, that gin game's
a payoff, isn't it?

No.
Knock it off, George!

You're right, Joe.

She's...

she's been kidnapped.

Now, what can I do?

If I want to get Jeannie back,
I have to follow orders.

Don't be stupid!
You can't trust them!

I have to.

George...

how do you know
you'll even get her back?

I don't know.

But if I pull out
of that game...

Well, I'm not
gonna take a chance

on what they
might to do Jeannie.

At least make them
prove she's all right!

I can't even
get in touch with them.

All right,
we'll make the kidnappers

get in touch with you.

How?
Is Al Ritchie in on this?

No. He thinks the game's legal.

You could take him?
Yeah.

Oh, I could cut him up
like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Okay, you start
carving up Ritchie.

And, George, make sure you
put the Kn*fe in all the way.

Throw me a card, will you?

You can't use it, Al.

The sevens are dead,

and you discarded
the diamond six...

♪♪ plays ago.

Remember?

Yeah, I remember.

If I couldn't remember cards,

I wouldn't play for money.

And I'd remember, for example,

the eight of spades,
the nine of spades...

and the ten of spades.

That makes it gin.

Somebody give me a new deck.

Let's see, now, ...

and --
that's a blitz.

You got me
bleeding from every pore.

Thank you.

Why don't you check the score.
Excuse me, Al.

This is George Lassiter.

What are you trying to pull?

Nothing.

I've decided to hold off losing
until I know my daughter's safe.

She's safe.

Don't worry about it.

But you better start
losing again, or she won't be.

I want to talk to her.

I want to know she's all right.

No dice, Lassiter.

No talking.

I want to know
if she's alive and well.

I want proof.

Your friend Mannix sees her,
will that do?

That's acceptable.

Okay.

Tell him this is
what we want him to do.

♪♪

♪♪

Far enough.

Turn around.

Don't look around, Mannix.

Here we are.
Get out, Mannix.

We're gonna walk
the rest of the way.

♪♪

Okay, hold it.

Okay, Mannix...

take the blindfold off.

Don't look around,
or I'll have to k*ll you.

Is that the girl, Mannix?

That's her.

Does she look all right to you?

Yeah.

Okay, put the blindfold
back on very carefully.

Okay, let's go.

She was playing ping-pong?

By the pool, and enjoying it.

Who was the boy?

Well, he had dark hair.

I'd say, uh, five eleven,
about a pounds, uh,

mid- s.

A southpaw.
You know him?

No.

Who does Jeannie blame for
the bust-up of your marriage,

you or Gloria?

Well, both of us, I guess.

Let's suppose that
the money is just a token,

that, uh, what she really wants

is to make both
you and Gloria suffer.

No, I don't buy that, Joe.

Not Jeannie;
she wouldn't do that.

Okay, then, uh,
do the sensible thing--

Go to the FBI.

No. All that
leaves us is a long sh*t.

Joe, will you stop maneuvering!

Now, they've got Jeannie--
you saw her.

And I made a deal, and I'm
gonna go back to that table

and lose the money.

George...

if it's straight...

if she has been kidnapped,

they know that
when the game is over

she'll be able to identify them.

They'll k*ll her, George.

"Mannix, there's
a : plane to L.A.

Get on it,
or good-bye to the girl.”

You're right.

They're animals.

What's your idea?

Well, you're gonna have
to keep cutting up Ritchie.

That'll buy some time...

for me to try and find Jeannie.

You're on.

Yes, sir, Mr. Mannix,
what can I do for you?

You have a white twin-engine
Beech Baron with red markings

flying out of here?

Yeah, it belongs
to Randy Bartlett. Why?

Was he flying this morning?
As a matter of fact,

he filed a flight plan this
morning going to Scottsdale.

Uh, takeoff time: .

Uh, can you plot
an approximate position for me

at : this morning.

Sure thing.
Let's look at the charts.

This would be Bartlett's course.

He figured
he'd cruise at about .

Elapsed time...

minutes...

which would put him...

right about there.

♪♪

♪♪

Sensational driving.

You deserve an award.

Sensational kissing.

You deserve an award.

Now, hang on.

Thirsty?
Mm-hmm.

I'll open some beer.
That sounds terrific.

I'll see you
at the refrigerator. Yeah.

Jeannie.

It's Joe.

Joe!

Jeannie, it's good to see you.

Oh, Joe,
what are you doing here?

Daddy didn't tell me anything
about you coming up.

I would've stayed home.
You mean you had a choice?

Sure.

Jeannie, your father thinks
you've been kidnapped.

Kidnapped?
Why should he?

I left a note for him
telling him where I'd be.

Well, he didn't get it.

But |-I left it on the dresser.

He was supposed to tell Mom.

Apparently, somebody read it and
made sure your father didn't.

Why?

So they could collect
a good-sized ransom for you.

Joe, you're wrong.
You must be.

Jeannie, now, we haven't
got time to argue.

I've to get you out of here.

Wh-Why don't I just call Dad

and tell him
I'm perfectly all right?

Wouldn't that be simpler?
I'm afraid not.

But-but why not?

Jeannie, he won't let you.

Who?! Your friend.
And he's part of the setup.

And it's beautiful.

The victim didn't even know
she was kidnapped.

And if they
can keep it that way,

there wouldn't be
a crime committed.

But Ric's in love with me.

He wouldn't be part
of anything like that.

Jean..
Hey, honey,
I thought we had a date

by the fridge.

Oh. Hello.

Ric, I'd like you to meet
an old friend of the family's,

Joe Mannix. Joe,

this is Ric Haggard.
Mr. Mannix.

It's okay, isn't it,
if I use the phone?

I'd like to call my dad.

Why, sure. Why not?

Drink, Mr. Mannix?

What'll it be?
Bar's stocked. Scotch? Beer?

I'll get it.

Beer.
Ah. Okay.

Is Dad at home, Joe,
or at the club? At the club.

Uh, honey...

No more phone calls.

It's been fun, but it's over.

It's all over.

Hang up.

Okay, now, we're gonna have
a little bit of a wait.

A couple of my friends
are driving out from town.

I really pick 'em, don't I?

Now, cut it out, Jeannie.

What do you get
for your trouble, Ric,

a whole fleet of dune buggies?

Your father can afford it.

Oh, yeah, and your daddy's
on welfare, right?

You'd think so, the way I have
to beg for everything I get.

Oh, poor little rich boy--
is that it, Ric?

Jeannie, you
wouldn't understand.

How did he get
you out here, Jeannie?

With his soft brown eyes.

The "I love you" act.

It wasn't an act.

Huh! I'm suddenly sick.

Do you think it was something
somebody just said?

All right, don't believe it.

Everything
would've been all right

if you'd stayed out of it.

But I didn't.
Nobody's gonna get hurt!

Guaranteed?

I made them promise.

Nothing happens to Jeannie;
that's part of the deal.

You know, Ric, whatever
they're cutting you in for,

you're getting shortchanged.

Save the advice, Mannix.

I don't need it.

Now that Jeannie
knows the truth,

you think they'll just
let her walk out of here?

No one'|| hurt me.

Ric won't let them.

Don't push it, Jeannie.

You wouldn't sh**t me,
would you, Ric?

No. But I might put a slug in
Mannix if he doesn't sit down.

Let's go, Jeannie.

Hang on.
Here we go.

Hey! That's Mannix!

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

How's three?

You're k*lling me.

Jack, give me
another sh*t of bourbon.

Make it a double.
Yes, sir.

Give me the cards.

Cut the cards.

I'm sorry, I'm through.

You what?

Man, you're into me
for a lot of money.

You owe me $ , .

You can't just quit.

Why not?

Rules of the game:
any player can stop at any time.

It's not a lifetime career,
Al, just a card game.

$ , , right?

, uh, got my checkbook
in my coat in the locker room.

I'll... I'll go get it.

Al right.

Sam, this is Ritchie.

I got a problem.

Ritchie, I couldn't care less
about your problem.

You're through.

Now, you get out of that game
any way you can.

So write him a phony check.

And, Ritchie... get out of town.

Joe. What happened,
did you decide to stay in town

and play
a little golf after all?

No, Sam, I got hung up.

Oh, on what?
A little extortion.

Oh?

You ought to have
these walls soundproofed.

Why? You hear something?

Yeah. Al Ritchie
getting his orders.

What orders? He just called
and asked my advice.

I told him to pack it in,
that's all. Bad swing, Sam.

The police have already
picked up Ric Haggard.

Uh, Ric... Haggard?

And he couldn't talk
fast enough.

Now, let me give you
a little piece of advice, Sam,

before I turn you over
to the cops.

Don't try and hustle
another man's game--

And cheap crooks are mine.

So long, Sam.

♪♪

Baby.
Dad!

Oh...
George, you louse.

I thought you said you
were cutting down on gambling.

Well, so did |, but you know
I could never resist temptation.

Why didn't you tell me?

It was a terrible wringer.

I didn't want
to put you through it.

Well, I'll
forgive you this time,

but if you ever do this again,
so help me, I'll divorce you.

Wait, wait, don't you understand
what she's trying to tell you?

That she loves you, and...

And he's trying to say...

Yes, I know.
I heard him.

Joe.

Okay. So long, Joe.

Good luck!