Hey, stop!
This is my home. Hey!
[GROANING]
How'd you let them
do that to T.T.?
It's a big conspiracy, Cathy.
It was my decision.
You're not gonna
electrocute me,
you barren queen!
You have some
strange ideas,
and the next time
you bother my wife
with them,
I'm calling the police.
My name is Jack Muellard
and I never better
hear your name again.
Martin McClish,
State Inspector.
Your state inspector's
gonna have a very
funny accident.
[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]
ANGEL.. Jimmy, old buddy,
buddy. It's Angel.
You know how they
allow you one phone call?
Well, this is it.
ROCKY.. T. T. Flowers
used to say
that cities made
men poor and women old
and everyone lonesome.
So he bought himself 10 acres
way out in the country.
It was then in '35.
Him and his little
bride, Lou Ella,
they built a reaI
nice place there,
and they named it Freedom,
and they were raising
rabbits and chickens
and goats and turkeys
and bees.
And then Lou Ella
d*ed giving birth
to their little girl.
T. T., he raised her
as best he could
and he stayed right there
on the place,
all the time
watching the city
creeping closer to him.
I'd get out to Freedom
every few weeks to visit
with my friend.
I was there when
they took T. T. Flowers away.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I use to be able
to winter a hundred
colonies right here,
and never had
to feed once.
Now I gotta make sure that
my bees stick close to home,
'cause old Poison Thumbs
over there'll get them
for sure if I don't.
Damn idiot.
He's always trying
to belly-up my bees.
You know, I hit him once
right square in the butt
with a rock.
I know it's tough, T.T.,
but you're gonna
have to face up
to the fact someday
that these apartments
are getting closer to you.
Well, I'll never
face up to it!
I was here first!
Never know it, though,
the way the county
treats me,
with all their fines
and citations and taxes.
I ain't gonna pay them.
You ain't paid your taxes?
They're way overdue.
Rocky, I already
paid more in taxes
than it took to buy
the whole 10 acres!
Come on.
Let's milk old Spot,
and get you
some fresh eggs.
Hello, girl.
You sure you don't
want me to tell him?
It's sweet of you
to offer, darling,
but this one's
gotta come from me.
The deadline's only
three days away!
Now,
if you ain't gonna
pay your taxes,
at least get yourself
a lawyer.
You can't be obstinate
anymore without one.
I don't believe
in lawyers.
They're like drone bees.
Only one in a hundred
is any good.
That goes for
stockbrokers, too.
Cathy.
I ain't seen
her in years.
Every time I do, though,
she looks more and more
like Lou Ella, huh?
Yeah.
It's true.
But that's
where it stops.
T.T.: Hey!
We're back here!
Hi, Daddy.
[CHUCKLING]
Oh, you remember
old Rocky, don't you?
Hello.
Nice to see you.
Cathy.
Hi. Good to see you.
This is my husband,
Sherman Royle.
My pleasure.
Hey, how's about
I break out a little
carrot cake and cold cider,
and we have ourselves
a nice visit, huh?
Daddy,
we're not here
for a social visit.
We have some family
business to attend to.
You'll excuse us,
won't you, Mr...
Oh, it's all right.
I've gotta go back
to LA anyway, T.T.
No, no.
No, nonsense!
You finish
milking old Spot
and then
you and me will have that
carrot cake and cold cider!
All right. Bye.
Sorry that you don't
have time for a visit.
Well, we just
have a few minutes.
CATHY: We've gotta
talk about something...
T.T.: You're not talking
about that again.
CATHY: We've got to.
SHERMAN: No, it's a whole
different thing now.
T.T.: What are you
talking about?
You cannot stay here
any longer.
You're not taking
care of yourself.
CATHY: We can't
leave him here.
T.T.: Well, I ain't going!
SHERMAN: Now, wait a minute.
The food is much better,
there's a whole...
You've got no right
to stick me into
that kind of a place!
CATHY: Horizons Crest
is a wonderful place!
T.T.: Horizons Crest.
Black Horizons...
Now,
here come the boys
in their white coats
to drag me away like
I was some kind of
an idiot or something.
You're causing a scene T.T.
I'm not gonna do it!
No, sir!
Hey, take your hands
off of me!
There's no other way, T.T.
Let go of me! Rocky!
Rocky! Help me!
Let go of me.
Hey, stop! Hey...
Hey, boys, boys,
I haven't fed
my chickens yet.
Daddy, please.
Stop!
This is my home. Hey!
[GROANING]
Rocky!
[T.T. SCREAMING]
How'd you let them
do that to T.T.?
Come on, Cathy,
we're running late.
It's really for
his good, really.
ROCKY: It ain't fair, sonny!
The only thing diminished
about T.T. is his eyesight.
Dad, I can't just go
butting in out there.
I mean,
it's a family thing
and it's legal.
It's the money that's
worrying you, ain't it?
Well,
if that's what it is,
old T.T.'s got plenty!
You don't have to worry.
When he gets his honey in
and when he sells it,
you'll get yours.
Yeah. But I can't
collect my money
unless I get him out.
Well, that sounds
fair enough to me.
Lookie, sonny, look,
I'll tell you
what I'll do.
I'll...
Well, I'll sell my truck
if it'll get you going, huh?
Oh, Dad! Come on,
I know how you feel,
but really, I...
No, you don't know
how I feel.
Look at that!
This morning I put
my sock on inside out.
Now I suppose that means
that I gotta start worrying
about that little green van.
[LAUGHING]
Oh, come on, Dad.
All right. All right.
I'll go out and see
T.T. at Horizons Crest
in the morning, okay?
Oh, thanks, Son.
I'll see what I can do.
Oh, thank you.
There's just one thing
I forgot to tell you.
He can't get no visitors
and he can't get no
phone calls.
That's family instructions.
I guess I'll just have
to start with the family,
then, huh?
I don't want to talk
about this, Jim.
The Deputy Public
Guardian's interview
of your father
is three days from now.
If his report coincides
with the information
presented at the hearing,
the Diminished Capacity
judgment becomes final.
Of course it'll coincide.
Why wouldn't it?
Benjamin Crist is a very
prominent psychiatrist
and besides,
he's had T.T. under
constant observation
for the past month.
He convinced you that T.T.
isn't capable of handling
his own affairs,
and testified
at the hearing?
It's called senility, Jim,
and it's tragic
when it happens
to someone you love.
What are you
gonna do about Rocky
if that time ever comes?
Well, I don't know.
Whatever I do,
I don't think I'll do it
behind his back.
[SIGHING] I know.
I don't feel good
about that, either.
Tom Brockmeyer says
that's the way
it's usually done.
Tom is Sherm's lawyer.
He said it would be
easier on T.T.
if he weren't there
at the hearing.
Well, too bad
you couldn't find
a spare room
for T.T. right here.
T.T. would not be
comfortable here.
And Sherm is top customer's
man at Reems and Fergus now.
We entertain constantly.
Well, if it's
all right with you,
I'd like to see T.T.
No. That's
out of the question.
Dr. Crist says
that visitors disrupt
the smooth transition
into institutionalized life.
Please, Jim,
just stay out of it.
It's hard enough
on him as it is.
Well, I'm sure
Dr. Crist knows best.
This is Dr. Crist.
Have Dr. Fellows join me
in J wing observation.
[GRO ANING]
The chlorpromazine
is wearing off now.
We'll start
with half a dose
of lysergic acid today,
double it tomorrow,
then finish it off
with E.C.T. on Thursday.
I don't like it, Ben.
You never do, Norman.
Now let's get started.
I want him paranoid
and disoriented
by 9:00 a.m. Friday.
What's going on?
None of your business.
Everything in this lobby's
my business, mister.
Including you.
Martin McClish,
State Inspector.
This is a Title One
inspection.
So just go on with
what you were doing.
There's no inspection
scheduled today.
Bone up on your
Public House Act, son.
Title One's are
unannounced inspections.
Paragraph 1 7
clearly states
that any employee
who communicates with
his or her superiors
the presence
of the inspector
or interferes
in any way whatsoever
with the inspector
of the covert examination
of the building,
is subject to
a $1,000 fine
andlor 10 days
in the county jail.
Now, what was your name, son?
Steve Fisher.
You mean, you're just
gonna walk around?
Yeah. It's okay, Steve.
Dr. Crist and I
have a understanding.
Of course,
I still have to go
through the motions,
so I guess we can start by
checking the B.U. quotient
against the title sheet, huh?
B.U. quotient?
What is this?
Are you new here?
Bed units. Bed units.
Bed units?
I'm just the van driver,
usually, sir,
and the mechanic, too,
and I only work the desk
on Tuesdays
and Thursdays, so...
They don't even teach
the basics anymore.
Let me see
your room sheet, please.
Uh-huh.
Okay, okay,
that's perfect.
'Course,
I knew it would be.
I'll start with J wing.
Oh, and, son,
don't forget
paragraph 19.
You mean paragraph 1 7,
don't you, sir?
Paragraph 19 is the one
that reminds you
of the consequences
of paragraph 1 7.
What inspection, sir?
Right, Steve.
Right. You got it.
WOMAN ON PA..
Dr. Carl Rosen,
treatment room three, please.
Dr. Carl Rosen.
Treatment room three, please.
Mr. Flowers? T.T.?
[GROANS]
I can't see you, either.
Go away!
Here. Mr. Flowers,
here are your glasses.
Come on.
Yeah, there. Hi.
You're Rocky's boy.
Yeah, that's right.
I'm surprised
you remember me.
It's been a long time.
You always wanted
to soup up my tractor.
[CHUCKLING]
Yeah. That's right.
Rocky wanted me
to come and see you.
Why are you in here?
'Cause my cells are grey
with foul brood,
'cause of the barren queen,
'cause the nectar
flows to the north.
Oh, that's...
That's great.
Rocky's boy.
T. T... North.
Always to the north.
That guy told me
he was a state inspector.
Get me Dr. Crist
at his Beverly Hills office.
Bees.
Nectar flows
to the north,
and do you know
how many bee-miles
there are
in a pound of honey?
Honey flows...
Rocky's boy...
All right, Ben.
Whatever you say.
Any nitrous oxide left
from the robbery
of Crist's pharmacy?
One t*nk. Why?
Your state inspector's
gonna have a very
funny accident.
[HISSING]
Dad, I don't know.
He sounds like
he's gone bananas.
He can't hold a thought
long enough to complete
a sentence!
You gotta be wrong,
sonny.
He's as sane as I am.
He sure don't
belong in there.
Dad, I've done everything
I can do.
I tried.
Uh, yeah.
Dad, it isn't
such a bad place.
Sure.
Bye, Jimmy.
Yeah, Dad.
[CAR ENGINE STARTING]
[TIRES SCREECHING]
[HORN HONKING]
[LAUGHING]
[HORN HONKING]
[SIGHS]
Hey, what happened?
Well, someone
wanted me to die laughing.
So something's wrong
somewhere.
Well...
Okay, okay, I was wrong.
T.T.'s not in there
for his own good,
no matter what Cathy thinks.
But she sure
seemed convinced.
Maybe it was an act,
maybe someone
was very convincing.
Anyway, I gotta find out
if you can engineer
a Diminished Capacity
Judgment.
If you can,
you're in a lot
of trouble, Rocky.
Poor old guy,
he can't tie his shoes,
he can't remember
his address,
he can't forget 1929.
He doesn't trust banks.
He keeps money
stuffed in the freezer.
You know, he must have
about 10,000 shares
of Bartlett Oil,
original issues.
And you'll never guess where
he keeps the certificates.
Probably in his mattress.
Hey, how'd you know that?
It's quite common,
Mr. McMann.
Well, it sounds like
your father-in-law
is slipping away.
Have you suggested
managing his affairs
for him?
Oh, yeah. Twice.
The first time he tried
to burn his mattress.
The second time he just kept
flushing hundred dollar bills
down the john
until I agreed
not to bring it up again.
You know,
I don't think
he trusts me.
Do you have an attorney?
Oh, yeah.
But he's a friend
of the family,
and he wouldn't touch it.
Maybe you could
recommend one?
Well, I do know someone
who specializes in this
sort of thing.
Tom Brockmeyer.
Of course,
he's very busy
and rather expensive,
but I could give him
a call if you like.
Oh, I sure do appreciate it.
And don't you worry
about the money, now.
I just want what's best
for him, you know?
How can they do that
to a man?
Oh, crowded courts,
they're handing down
valid judgments every day.
And Brockmeyer
pushes it through,
Dr. Crist's expert testimony
ties it.
Yeah, but doesn't one of
those Public Guardians,
doesn't he have
to see T.T. first,
to make it finaI?
Or is he in on it, too?
He doesn't have to be.
T.T. couldn't finish
a sentence this morning.
They got two more days
to mess with his mind.
Oh, let's turn around.
We can feed them animals
of T.T.'s anytime.
We'll go to the police!
With what, Dad?
It's all legal.
You mean,
shocking decent people
to make them crazy is legaI?
Well, it is supposed to
work the other way around.
I can't prove
a thing, Dad.
Crist and his lawyers
are working some kind
of racket,
but somebody else
put them up to it
and I don't think
it was Cathy.
What do you know about
T.T.'s son-in-law?
Oh, he's a rich stockbroker,
is all I know.
But, of course,
T.T. says that
he's nothing but a con man
with a diploma
and a place to hang it.
[DOG BARKING]
Oh, whoa! Whoa!
Are you all right?
Hey, what is that?
Well, that's
T.T.'s old well.
He was always
gonna fill it up,
roof it over
or something.
Oh, well,
there's no hurry.
Hey!
You can't do that!
Oh, this was a present
from Lou Ella's mom!
Now what're you doing?
My wife can't very well
conserve his estate
if she doesn't know
what it's worth,
can she?
I'm just collecting
all this stuff
so our accountant
can sort it out.
Quite a mess, huh?
Say, did T.T. mention
where he kept his will?
Well, if he did,
I sure wouldn't
tell you!
I see.
Who are you?
Jim Rockford.
I guess
you need the will
in case something goes wrong
and T.T.'s therapy
kills him, huh?
You have some
strange ideas,
and the next time
you bother my wife
with them,
I'm calling the police.
Why? You're afraid
she might pick up
on the fact
that you're using her
to seize controI
of T.T.'s estate?
Don't be ridiculous.
If Cathy hadn't had him
declared incompetent,
the county would have.
Freedom's a fantasy
they can't afford to
let T.T. keep any more.
Now get out,
or I'm calling the police.
I'm not going anywhere
till T.T.'s animals
are fed and watered.
They'll survive till
Animal Regulation comes
to get them.
Well, you can't take them
away from here!
Yeah, he can, Rocky.
But we're still not leaving
till they're watered and fed.
You need any help in here,
Mr. Royle?
Thanks, but I think
they're about to leave,
aren't you?
MAN: Whatever you say,
Mr. Royle.
We got the dump truck
and the dozer outside.
Mr. Muellard
will be here shortly,
but he told us
to get started.
So what goes?
Everything.
Start with the stuff
in the shed and yard
and we'll save the junk
in the house for last.
Wait a minute, pal.
What do you think
you're doing?
Hauling it all
to the dump
so we won't get any more
Health Department citations
against the estate.
Well, you can't do that.
No? Junk goes today,
animals tomorrow,
house and trees
the next day.
Freedom's been sold.
Now, get out!
You'll break
T.T.'s heart!
Hey!
Hold him, Mort!
These guys have
been hassling
Mr. Royle, sir.
I might have to tack this
on to your bill, Sherm.
You know,
your housecleaning contract
doesn't include live ones.
Maybe it should,
Jack.
That one's already
bothered Cathy.
Name's Jim Rockford.
Oh?
I'll bet you're
the Rockford that had
the car trouble today.
Matter of fact, I am.
Who are you?
My name is Jack Muellard
and I never better hear
your name again, mister.
The fellow that bought
most of T.T.'s land here?
Built these apartments?
That's right. And I'm starting
construction on the rest of it
the day after tomorrow.
You don't waste much time.
You waste time,
you waste life.
I schedule a job
right down to the last naiI
the day it's gonna be used
and it's never driven
by an overtime hammer.
And you just cost me
one minute.
Mort.
All right. All right.
Go to work, Mort.
You louse up
my schedule again, Rockford,
you'll get the second chorus.
Find it yet?
No, not yet, Jack.
All right. Lou,
go inside and give
Mr. Royle a hand.
Here. Use that.
All right.
Have any idea where
T.T. hid his will?
Oh, he had more
hiding places than
a blue jay, Jim.
Why?
I don't know
what their game is,
but maybe I can
slow them down a little
if I can b*at them
to that will.
I gotta go talk to T.T.
and find out where he hid it.
But you can't go back
to that Horizons Crest.
They tried to k*ll you.
Yeah. Muellard knew
about that, too.
ROCKFORD: Yeah. Well,
we've only got one van
and if it's not running
for the Gray Panther rally,
I'm in a lot of trouble.
Yeah.
My name is Steve Fisher.
I'm the mechanic here.
Yeah. And you better honk
when you pull in
so the night man will know
you're hooking up.
All right?
Yeah. Thank you.
[BUZZING]
Where's Dr. Fellows?
With Flowers, sir,
waiting for you.
[HONKING]
T.T.: ...and I'm only
a piece of wood washing
up and down the beach.
FELLOWS.. He's an old man,
Ben.
The LSD took a lot
out of him.
Any more,
he may not be alive
for the Public Guardian's
interview.
All right,
we'll back off tomorrow.
But we'll come in heavy
with E.C. T. the next day.
Add a dash
of retrograde amnesia
to his disorientation
and we've
created a textbook case
of Chronic Brain Syndrome.
T. T... ...back out to sea,
back up on the beach.
And I'm digging in
this time,
you fouI-brooded drones.
[DOOR OPENING]
Sand and water,
sand and water washing
up and down the beach.
And back on up to sea
and back up on the beach.
Yeah, well,
dig in again, T.T.
It's me, Jim Rockford.
Hey, Rocky's boy?
Yeah, yeah,
that's right.
Rocky's gonna be glad to hear
you're hanging in there.
That's quite an act.
Ain't much of an act, son.
I've been some places today.
Way out in space
and all over the ocean,
but I'm back
on dry land now.
Yeah.
They're gonna try
a new drug on me
day after tomorrow.
It's E.C.T.
But that's not a drug, T.T.
That's electroconvulsive
therapy.
What?
Shh.
Why? Why?
What did I ever do to them?
What are they trying
to do to me?
Easy, easy, T.T.
Rocky and I are trying
to get you out of this.
Well, how are you doing?
Well, not too good
up to now.
Your son-in-law, Sherm,
has had Freedom stripped
of everything you own.
It's being hauled
to the dump.
Old Spot and Murph?
All my animals
to the dump?
No, no, no.
Rocky's got
some of your friends
to take care of the animals.
They're slipping them
out of Freedom now,
all but the bees.
Well,
thank God for friends.
Yeah, but I don't know
what we're gonna do
about the bulldozer.
Sherman is selling Freedom
to Jack Muellard.
I told you to keep
those doors locked.
Hey, that's the van.
Yes, sir,
but it's all right.
The radiator's sh*t
and the guy said it needed
a new core or something.
Well,
Steve Fisher ordered it.
Here's the paperwork.
I'll be at home,
Norman.
I'll write a new will.
Leave Freedom
to the Sierra Club.
How about that?
It's no good, T.T.
You've been declared
incompetent.
Nothing you sign is valid
unless it's dated
before the court
stripped you
of your rights.
Now, where's the deed
to Freedom?
The deed to Freedom.
It's with all my important...
It's with my wedding license
and my will.
In the living room?
Where?
It's right beside
Lou Ella's picture.
With all the chopping
they've done in there,
T.T.,
I'm afraid
they probably found it.
Chopping?
Well, you gotta stop them.
I'll try, T.T.,
but they're running
a big game.
Twenty-four hours just isn't
much time to do anything.
I'll try to prevent
the therapy treatments
and then if I have time...
No, don't worry about that.
Just stop Sherm
from selling Freedom.
'Cause Muellard
will take her off
at the subsoil.
ROCKY.. T. T. Flowers played
music to his bees
and talked to his trees.
Of course,
no one ever asked him
if they answered him back,
or if they did,
what did they say?
The city just decided that
there was no room anymore
for a man
who talked to trees.
But T. T. always said that
the city might surround him,
but they'd never
pave him under,
because he was there first.
And he was right.
But the city didn't care.
Let me get this straight
if I can.
What you're saying is that
a Beverly Hills psychiatrist,
an Encino stockbroker,
a San Marino lawyer
and the biggest subdivider
in the next county,
all got together
to do an old man
out of three acres
without the daughter's
knowledge,
but with her consent
and full cooperation?
I don't know if they
all got together,
Dennis,
but they're all
doing it to him.
There's nothing
to tie them together
and from what you said,
I'd say the old man's
right where he belongs.
Okay, so his lifestyle
doesn't help his case any.
But since
when is eccentricity
punishable by t*rture?
And besides, Muellard knew
about the attempt on my life,
which ties him to something.
Or did you forget somebody
tried to k*ll me yesterday?
Look, Jimbo,
what can I do?
Well, did you run a check
on the nitrous oxide t*nk?
Yup.
Dr. Fellows ran
an inventory against supply
and accounted for every t*nk.
So there's nothing there.
And Fellows
is the director
of Horizons Crest.
Well, he's in on it, too.
Oh, good, now I can add
a Woodland Hills doctor to
your list of co-conspirators.
That's right, Dennis.
And there was a serial number
on that t*nk.
That's something else
you were gonna check into
right away.
It was stolen along with
a lot of narcotics from
the Bio Beverly Pharmacy
about six months ago,
which makes it
a very cold lead.
Well, what about
Sherm Royle?
Did you run
a financial check on him?
I didn't have to.
Milt Rosen already
had it on file.
Milt?
The SEC's onto Sherm?
Was. They got word that
he ran short against the box
with some stocks
that the company
held in trust.
He guessed wrong
and he took the pipe
in a rising market.
Well, that could become
very, very expensive.
Well, Milt's information
was that Sherm lost $400,000.
By the time the SEC
got to the books,
he already
covered his losses.
Mmm-hmm.
Yeah, and he had to
mortgage his socks
to do it.
I mean, this guy's in debt
up to his neck.
There's no law
against borrowing money.
He blew $400,000
and he could only
borrow $300,000,
which makes him
$100,000 shy.
He needed it in a hurry.
Now where did he get it?
Well, it's too steep
for a shark.
What's he gonna
use for collateraI?
T.T.'s land.
Muellard must have
advanced Sherm $100,000
against the purchase price.
And Sherm guaranteed
delivery of land
he didn't own,
which not only is illegal,
but it ties them together
in a conspiracy.
Now all you gotta do
is prove it.
Well, tomorrow morning
they're putting
the wires to T.T.
and they're tearing down
his place.
Now come on, Dennis,
I could really use some help.
I'd like to help you,
Jimbo,
but T.T.'s place
is in the next county.
Mr. Muellard,
that guy Rockford's
poking around
the Hall of Records.
Go to the office.
Meet Lou and Mort.
When Rockford gets home,
k*ll him.
Hey, hey, you!
What are you doing
going in there
without a hardhat?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm looking for a builder
by the name of Hank Gidley.
Well, I'm Gidley.
But just wait
there a second.
Here, put this on.
Go ahead.
Last time
the safety inspector
caught a man without one,
I was shut down for six hours
and fined 200 bucks.
Yeah, I read about that.
Yeah? What?
Public records, yeah.
You've had more
variances denied,
more work declared
not up to code,
than any other builder
in the county,
which either makes you
a lousy contractor,
or at the top
of somebody's list.
Like Jack Muellard's.
Hey, who are you,
anyway?
I'm a private investigator
and I'm looking for anything
I can get on Muellard.
Well, Mr. Muellard
happens to be considered
one of this county's
most upstanding citizens.
Well, I'm looking
to change all that,
but I need some help.
Nothing I could tell you
would change it.
You can't b*at Muellard.
Nobody can.
Why, he's turned so many
orange groves into
high tax-flow buildings
that they call him ''Sir''
down at the assessor's office.
Hey, give me that.
And when it comes
to local government,
there are
no corners
he can't cut.
And no corners
he leaves uncut
when he puts up
a building, either.
How does he get
away with it?
It's simple.
When you're Jack Muellard,
you buy it.
Inspectors, zoning changes,
variances.
He even has enough clout to
arrange for an overassessment
of property value.
Which forces
the owners to sell,
and then he steps in,
helps the poor guy out
by buying it up
at a bargain rate, huh?
Yeah.
Well, what's to stop you
from just offering a little
bit more?
What do you think
the reason is behind
all those delayed starts
and variance denials?
Go for any
of Muellard's actions,
his pals down at city hall
smother you with red tape.
No way to prove it, either.
Yeah, it's beginning
to look that way.
Tell me,
what do you know about
a place called Freedom?
Oh, prime hunk of land.
A crazy old beekeeper
owns it.
Muellard's been chipping away
at him for years.
But I hear the old guy would
rather let it go for taxes
than sell Muellard
another inch.
I may bid on it myself
if it goes on the county
auction block.
Well, it's not going
on the county auction block.
Someone paid the taxes
this morning.
...by a check drawn on the
Muellard Escrow Corporation
two hours before the deadline.
Sherm is not going
to let the place go
just for taxes.
The title transfers
to Muellard tomorrow,
but the money
changed hands
two months ago
and Sherm's
already spent it.
He couldn't afford
to pay the taxes.
He's broke.
Come on. Sherm's
a brilliant businessman.
He's not
gonna sell something
he doesn't even own.
Oh, just land
that he doesn't own
to cover the bath
that he took
for selling stocks
that he doesn't own.
But for Muellard to collect,
you had to be convinced
that T.T. belonged
in a home
and that Freedom
should be sold.
I'm at a dead end, Cathy.
You're the only one
that can put it right.
It is right.
Daddy's at Horizons Crest
for his own good,
and nobody influenced me,
including Sherm.
It's a big conspiracy, Cathy,
and I don't blame you
for being...
It was my decision.
And a hard one.
And, damn it,
I've made it.
Who picked that place?
Dr. Crist,
but I looked at
a lot of other places
before I decided this one
was right for him.
And who found Dr. Crist?
Sherm's lawyer,
Tom Brockmeyer.
He's also Muellard's lawyer.
Now get him out of that
geriatric jungle tonight
and tell Sherm that
you don't want to
sell Freedom.
Now do it, Cathy.
You know, Sherm and I
have been married
for over 1 4 years.
And you're saying to me
that I don't even know
the man?
Well, you know your father,
and he's buying
a broken heart
at 8:00 a.m.
[CLEARS THROAT]
Your union know
what you're doing?
You're real cute,
aren't you,
you old snake?
Let's go.
Where are we going?
We'll have a little walk
down to the end of the pier.
Oh, yeah?
[GRUNTS]
[ROCKFORD GROANING]
You got him.
That was good
sh**ting, Winch.
Well, what do you want
for proof, Dennis, my body?
This is the second time
somebody's tried to k*ll me
in two days.
Yeah, I know
he's a pillar
of the community.
No, I won't tell you
where I am.
Muellard provided
an airtight alibi?
Mmm-hmm.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
What happened, sonny?
I just come up
from your place.
There's cops and firemen
all over the joint.
Looks like
a pickup exploded.
Yeah,
a stolen pickup
from Muellard's
construction yard
and I'm the suspect.
I can't even go home.
If the cops don't get me,
Muellard's g*ons will.
A judge needs some
sort of proof, Jim.
He won't take any action
without it.
You gotta
do something.
No, I'm finished, Dad,
and so is T.T.
I did everything I could
except break him out
of Horizons Crest.
ROCKFORD: Crist is here.
ROCKY: Is that bad, sonny?
Only if he sees me.
Otherwise, it's in our favor.
Any man that drives
a car like that has gotta
have a crush on it.
Pull up next to
that curb over there.
Sloppy eating habits
are a sign of rebellion.
I want Mrs. Gilmore's
freeway-watching privileges
suspended indefinitely.
Make sure she knows why.
[RINGING]
Ben Crist.
May I help you?
Jack Muellard, Ben.
Look, we might have
a problem.
Rockford's still at it.
I thought you had that
under control.
Do you think
he'll come here again?
Well, it's hard to say.
There's an APB out on him,
though, so he'll have to be
careful wherever he goes.
Want me to send some
of my boys over?
No. There are two attendants
here who'll handle anything
I tell them to.
Okay, Ben.
There's probably no sweat,
but keep your eyes open.
Thanks, Jack.
Have Steve and Arnie
report to me,
then prep Flowers
for electroshock.
But, he isn't scheduled...
I'm rescheduling it
for tonight!
Now do what I tell you.
Stat.
Okay, you give me
a couple of minutes inside
before you start the horn.
Now if that horn runs down
before we get out,
then you take off, 'cause
we're in a lot of trouble.
I can't go away
and leave you in there.
Now don't worry.
We'll be out with plenty
of time left over. You ready?
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah?
Gelson Funeral Parlor.
I'm here to pick up
the Smith remains.
Smith?
You sure you got
the right place?
Yeah.
Horizons Crest.
Arthur P. Smith.
An open-casket funeral,
Hey, I'm running
a little late, huh?
But there's no death
certificate on the board.
Oh, yeah?
What's your name?
Brubaker.
Well, let's check it out,
huh, Brubaker?
I got one in the wagon
and Mr. Gelson's got
an embalmer waiting
on overtime, you know?
Well, all right. Come in.
But I still think
you're wrong.
I sure do appreciate this,
Brubaker.
I... Like I say,
I'm running late.
You know,
maybe I did make a mistake.
No, it's Arthur P. Smith,
room 28.
But Charles Bennet's
in room 28.
Let me see that.
Oh. Well, yeah,
Bennet's a new arrival.
Smith passed on
during the day shift. Yeah.
[HORN BLARING]
At 9:22 a.m.
Boy, you guys don't even
let the beds cool down.
Look, 93o/o occupancy.
You must be making
a fortune.
You gotta excuse me.
I gotta go shut that
horn off.
I'll be right back.
Oh, yeah, all right.
Come on, Arnie, let's go.
Brubaker, take care of that!
Arnie, take the desk.
Steve,
get that horn stopped,
then find out
what happened
to Brubaker.
[SNORING]
Maybe if you disconnected
the battery?
T.T.: No. No, you don't.
You're not gonna
electrocute me,
you barren queen!
You got no right!
Mr. Flowers, no one's
going to electrocute you.
Nurse, old man Jackson's
not in his room.
The new patient in 28 heard
him run into the storeroom.
Dr. Crist wants you to search
every square inch of it, stat!
I found Brubaker, sir.
He's trying
to disconnect
the horn.
Tell him to
yank out the wires.
It's driving me crazy.
He has, sir,
lots of them.
It's your car, sir.
What?
Oh, can't you people
let me alone?
Hey, hey, hey, it's me.
Son, you scared
the hell out of me.
Hold it, Brubaker. Hold it.
That's a $26,000 automobile.
I'm sorry, sir.
I can't seem to
locate the short.
Then why didn't you
disconnect the battery,
you idiot?
Look what you've done.
But I did disconnect
the battery, sir.
Get on this.
Yeah, okay.
We're in a lot of trouble now.
BRUBAKER: Well, now,
who put that there?
Rockford.
All right, T.T.,
we're gonna be moving fast.
If I have to let go of you
for any reason, just hold on.
If I have to leave you
for any reason,
I'll try to get back.
If I don't,
you're on your own.
You got it?
Call the police.
Stay behind the desk.
Get Arnie and seal it off.
WOMAN ON RADIO..
One X-ray 23.
See the man.
Horizons Crest Rest Home.
Your call is code three.
[WOMAN CHATTERING
ON POLICE RADIO]
Jackson isn't
in his room, sir.
It isn't Jackson
I'm worried about.
It's Flowers.
But Flowers is in his,
and Jackson isn't, sir,
and you said...
Jackson's tranqed.
He hasn't left his room
in six months.
You see?
He's in his room.
How did I do?
Just fine.
Get back on here
and cover yourself up.
I'm gonna try
to buy us some time.
Go ahead.
Couldn't we go
out a back door?
Every door around here
needs a key to unlock it.
CRIST: There. You see,
I was right.
[PEOPLE MURMURING]
NURSE: Oh, don't worry, sir,
the emergency equipment
switches automatically
to the auxiliary power.
MAN: It's all right.
ROCKFORD: Okay, T.T.,
we're moving.
Jackson's missing.
Jackson is missing.
Jackson's missing.
He is not missing.
Go back to your rooms. Now.
You see?
Everything is all right.
Will you take care of this,
please?
Yes, I will.
Come back to your rooms
and I'll explain it all
to you later.
If we don't get out of here
before the cops arrive,
we're cooked.
What's going on down there?
The lights are going
on and off.
Darned if I know.
All I know is somebody
said it was your fault.
Something about
Jackson missing.
[SIRENS WAILING]
03x14 - The Trees, the Bees and T.T. Flowers: Part 1
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Follows ex-convict turned private investigator from his mobile home in a parking lot on a beach in Malibu, California.
Follows ex-convict turned private investigator from his mobile home in a parking lot on a beach in Malibu, California.