01x21 - Eight to Five, It's a Miracle

[bunniefuu]

Mr. Mannix?

Will you go
in, please?

The bishop is
expecting you.

Thank you.

Ah, you'd be
Mr. Mannix.

I am delighted.

Thank you.

Sit down, please.

Mr. Mannix, I presume
Mr. Wickersham told you

why I asked
for your help.

No, sir.

Well, didn't it strike you
as odd

that a priest would have need
for a private detective?

A bit, yes.

And yet you didn't ask
Mr. Wickersham

for an explanation?

Well, uh, he wouldn't explain.

He said, uh,
I wouldn't believe him.

The problem is difficult,

urgent and delicate.

Mr. Mannix,

I want you
to investigate a...

a miracle.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Excuse me?

Where could I find
Father Mancino?

You almost found him
on your head.

I'm Father Mancino.

Father.

Well, what'll it be?

Communion, confession,
consolation,

or are you
a bill collector?

No. I, uh...

This color doesn't match.

You think
if I called it pop art,

I'd get away with it?

Why not?

They laughed at Michelangelo
when he laid down to paint.

What can I do for you?

I'm Mannix from Intertect.

And the bishop sent you?

Mm.
Now, there's
a man for you.

He probably thinks I'm crazy,

but he's giving me
every benefit of the doubt.

I'm supposed
to find out,

uh, why you believe
in this miracle.

Well, we've put
machines on the
moon, spy holes

in the heart
of an atom.

The bishop mentioned
the possibility

of your losing this parish.

What's the bishop to do
with a priest

who tells his flock

that a miracle appeared
on property

owned by
hoodlums?

Well, you'd be given
another parish, wouldn't you?

For me,
there is no other parish.

This one-- it's
a part of me.

Maybe when I
get it built up,

do the work that
needs doing.

I don't want to leave.

Look, Father, um,

I'm not a miracle expert.

I don't know
what I might turn up

or who might be hurt.

Come on, I'll show you
Mancino's mishegoss.

I can go over there myself,
Father, if you're, uh, busy.

You don't want me
to see the look

on your face
when you don't believe.

Oh, I don't want
to see your face.

It might make me believe.

♪ ♪

Old man Pucci
sent you?

No.

What are you doing here?

Oh, nothing. Uh...

Well, do nothing
someplace else.

A natural spring
that's pink

and smells like roses
is sort of unusual.

I thought I'd take a sample.

The old man
sent him.

You ain't gonna ruin this.

It don't belong
to him no more.

No matter what it says
in the Hall of Records,

it ain't his anymore,
and you can tell him that

from us.
If I see him.

You better believe
we just ain't talking, Mister.

Have all of you people

completely flipped?

I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix.

We thought the
old man sent him.

This is Rico Pucci's land.

No.

Cool it!

Pucci, huh?

I must say, Pucci's
past performances

have leaned toward
m*rder, not miracles.

The moment
the wrecker hit that wall,

the bricks fell away,

and there it was--
the cross.

And out of nowhere,
the spring.

Are you having that
analyzed?

Yeah.

Beautiful.

We can compare notes.

Hmm.

Mr. Mannix, this thing
didn't just grab me.

I checked and rechecked.

I checked with the wrecker
and the appearance of the cross.

I checked with the geologist
on the spring.

I really looked
for a natural explanation.

Well, uh, I've got
to be running along.

Uh, Mr. Mannix,

if you hear anything,

or, well,

if I can do anything,
just keep in touch.

Sure.

Hey, Mr. Mannix?

♪ ♪

Are you looking
for me?

I wasn't going to run.

I was just trying

to work up nerve
enough to talk to you.

All right, talk.

Well, uh,
don't you think

this is a little
public here?

Yeah, well, why don't we go
to my office? I'll drive.

All right.

Stanley Blake,
age , ex-con.

Anything else?

Well, we're getting
a rundown now.

Oh, uh, I wonder
if I can get a
fast analysis

on that from the lab.

Nice. A miracle?

I'd like to
think it is.

Not what Father Mancino
calls his mishegoss.

Mishegoss? What kind
of a priest did you
get wound up with?

Well, he's a nice
guy, but he may be
out of his league

if Rico Pucci
is involved.

Report on
Stanley Blake.

Thanks, Corey.
Yeah, here it is.

"Stanley Blake,
currently on probation

"after serving months

of a one-to-five sentence
for grand theft."

Widower, one daughter--
Sandy, unmarried.

His address isn't
in Father Mancino's parish,

but that's where
he picked me up.

Last conviction--
theft of test equipment

from the chemistry lab
where he was working.

Lab technician, huh?

Maybe he could have told us

what was in that miracle water
without the analysis.

Yes?

I'd like to see
Mr. Rico Pucci.

Come in.

I'm Rico Pucci.

Rico Pucci, Jr.

What can I do for you?

I'll talk to
your father.

Tell me what you want.

The property
on Twelfth Street

is in the name
of Rico Pucci, Sr.

I'll talk to him.

Don't you think I know
about the property?

Who told you I couldn't answer any questions?


Hey.

You're being very noisy,
Riccolino.

I can handle this.

I'm Salvatore Pucci.

Joe Mannix, Intertect.

Looking for your father.

Oh, he's out of the
country right now.
If you care to...

I was talking to him.
He can tell me...

Hey, get out of here!

What do you want
to tell my father?

Stanley Blake is dead.

In case you hadn't heard.

I don't know any Mr. Blake.

He was a chemist.

A friend of your father's?

Possibly so.

I'll deliver
your message.

Thank you for
your courtesy.

Blake did live
long enough to, uh,

talk a little.

Obviously, you think this
should be of interest.

Well, the name Pucci
was mentioned

in connection
with a miracle.

Do you believe
in miracles?

You're referring to the
cross and the spring?

I don't know
if that's your concern.

Assume it is.

We are only interested
in real estate development

on the land in question.

We plan to build on it.

There's big money
in miracles.

You know, you can milk every
dime there is out of those

poor people who think they're
paying for a piece of paradise.

We don't market fraud,
Mr. Mannix.

And that property
is too valuable

to be a shrine
to superstition.

We intend to build a shopping
complex, as planned.

Good. Then you won't mind
my exposing Blake

for putting chemicals
in that spring

and giving it color
and a nice smell.

Convince the priest,
you'd do us a favor.

He can't stop us,

but we would prefer to avoid

the inconvenience
he might cause us.

Who stands to gain
from a miracle,

if not the Puccis?

Father Mancino?

There's One who's been
in the miracle business

, years longer
than the Puccis.

But He wouldn't
need a poor man

like Stanley Blake
to assist Him.

I just can't
believe Rico Pucci

would fake a miracle.

It would destroy
his hope of Heaven.

I don't know what his chances
are of getting there,

but he needs the hope.

The sample submitted
for analysis

shows the major contaminant
to be an organic substance

of enormous complexity.

There are millions of
possible organic compounds.

Given six months,
I might-- underscore "might"--

give you an accurate analysis.

Well, can you make
an educated guess?

Mr. Wickersham,
any guess would be a weak maybe

on a couple of hundred thousand
possibilities.

Well, that spring water's
showing color for five days.

It doesn't seem
to get any paler,

and the scent still
remains the same.

I can tell you this much.

Whatever we're dealing with is
only slightly soluble in water.

That means a small quantity
would last a long time.

How long, I won't attempt to
guess, nor how it got there.

Thank you, Masson.

Yeah, Masson,
thanks a lot.

Now, this stream is above ground

just outside
the city limits.

It goes underneath the ground

right here
and meanders around

underneath the
Twelfth Street area.

I've checked it.

It's pure, ordinary water.

How many miracles do you want
on Pucci property?

That, too?

Yeah, he's owned it for years.

Now this stream
empties into a river.

It wouldn't be difficult
to divert part of it

to come up where that
building was wrecked.

Well, there's your answer.

Coloring matter dropped in there
and allowed to dissolve slowly.

It would show up downstream.

Now that's your
guess and I buy it.

Now, would you like
a sh*t at convincing

the people in
Father Mancino's parish?

No, the bishop can decide
whether or not

he wants to continue
with the investigation.

I'm telling him we've nothing
to work with but guesses.

That's what we had.

Has something been added?

A dead man.

Miss Blake,

your father wanted
to talk to me,

but he was k*lled before
he could say anything.

Do you have any idea what
he wanted to say, tell me?

I don't know
anything about that.

Well, even if it's
some little thing

that seems unimportant,
it could give me a lead

as to who k*lled him.

Mr. Mannix, I hardly
knew my father.

I don't know the man
who k*lled him.

Whoever he is, you wouldn't
want to see him go free.

You're a private detective.

You get paid
for what you do.

Well, I mean, it's all right,

but it's not exactly lofty,
is it?

No.

So there's a... a reason

why you come digging
around here.

It's not pure
unselfishness.

Well, there seems to be
a miracle taking place

on the other side of town.
Have you read about it?

What if I have?

Well, miracles are supposed
to be good things.

Now a guy I like very much,
a priest,

stands to get hurt
pretty good by this one.

I don't see what that

has to do with me.

I think your father
arranged that miracle.

I met my father when I was
six years old, Mr. Mannix.

He, uh, he'd left my mother

and he'd only come back
because he was broke.

He only stayed a few weeks.

He made his next appearance
a year after my mother d*ed.

I was and he was
just passing through town,

and wondered if I could
loan him a few dollars.

I could and he left.

I didn't see him again
until last week, when...

I know he'd been in jail.

That last week, did he, uh,
have any visitors

or receive any calls?

Yes, he made one phone call
one night.

He said that he'd
made something in
the kitchen and...

and that it would work.

Did he say what?

No.

Did he drop the name
of the man on the phone?

I know he'd-he'd been
in the kitchen

because he made
an awful mess

of some pots
and glasses.

I don't know
what he was making.

I had a heck of a time
cleaning it up, though.

Well, thanks, Miss Blake.

I haven't been much help.

And I wasn't
very nice either.

Now why don't you let me, uh,
file my own complaints, huh?

Mr. Mannix?

If I should think
of anything else,
I'll-I'll call you.

You know, there's
no rule that says

you've got to remember
something before you can call.

I appreciate your frankness,
Mr. Wickersham.

Even before you called,
I'd been having second thoughts

about the investigation.

You believe it's a miracle?

It seems improbable,
doesn't it?

But then, miracles are,
by definition, improbable.

I've been asking myself,

"Who seeks to gain
by trickery of this kind?"

I can't answer that question,
can you?

You mentioned
the Puccis yourself.

The Puccis intended to build,

but neighborhood opposition
has caused a change in plans,

and they've given up
the idea of building

and are selling
the land as is.

They may have staged a miracle
to inflate the price.

I know the man who's buying,
Norman Kiley.

I don't think he can be duped.

Well, what about the people
who believe in the miracle?

Tomorrow or next week
or next year,

the spring may revert
to being plain water,

or it may not.

Meanwhile, members
of the parish

who haven't been
to church in years

are flocking to Mass.

Don't you think
I'd be wise to let God

determine if the miracle
of St. Angelo's is a fraud?

Oh, I learned
a long time ago

never to argue
religion with a bishop.

You should.

Bishops need to be
argued with occasionally.

Keeps them on their toes.

You will ask Mr. Mannix
to drop the case?

Of course I will.

If you're putting
that to a vote,

you can count me
on the side of the nays.

You know, Bishop,

you've got a pretty rough class
of miracles in your diocese.

Excuse me.

Mannix, what happened
to your face?

A funny thing happened on
the way out of your house.

You wouldn't
happen to know

a couple of gentlemen
who get their kicks

out of
hitting people?
What?

That's probably just a
coincidence

they were waiting for me.

I'd like to see Kiley.

Oh... funny.

For just a minute, I, uh,

I thought you'd
come here to see me.

No, I didn't know you
were working for Kiley.

Another coincidence.

You're hinting at something,

Mr. Mannix.

Why don't you just
come out and say it?

Somebody wanted me worked over,

so they had me picked up
at your place.

Now, I come here and find you
working for the man

who's going to buy the miracle
property from the Puccis.

Your name is Mr. Mannix.
I, uh...

assume you want
to see Mr. Kiley.

If you'll wait just a minute,
I'll tell him you're here.

Mr. Kiley?

A Mr. Mannix here to see you.

A private detective.

No, I don't know.

Fine.

If you'll wait just
a minute, he'll be with you.

I've seen injured
innocence.

I'm a little more impressed

with a touch of
truth now and then.

Mr. Mannix, come in.

Have a seat.

Thank you.

If you're investigating
the Pucci property,

Mr. Mannix, I'll hold up my
purchase until you've finished.

Are you aware of
the Pucci reputation?

Of course.

I sold Mr. Pucci his home
down the hill years ago.

And I've had
other dealings with him

now and again since then.

This deal is different.

How?

The religious aspect.

Oh, has the price
been jacked up?

Quite the contrary.

That property should
be worth a million.

I'm buying it for half that.

That's what worries me.

Well, when, uh, Pucci's willing
to give something away,

it's time to worry.

He agreed, on the grounds
that I donate the land

to the church through
a foundation I'm setting up.

We'll both receive
certain tax benefits,

but that's hardly my motive.

I've got my hands
and my pocketbook

full with this subdivision.

I've got more land than
I know what to do with,

and more money I'm just
not interested in.

Now, let me get this straight.

You don't want money,

you just want to make
a charitable contribution.

I've got an option to buy
I haven't exercised yet,

simply because Pucci's
generosity is a bigger miracle

than a stream and a cross.

I can believe that last,

but the first is sticking
in my craw.

I want the chem lab
to phony up a report.

Show that miracle water to be
cheap perfume and vegetable dye.

I'll be in to pick it up.

Yes?

Mr. Mannix is here
to see you.

Yes, you tell Mr. Mannix to...

come right in.

I, uh, ordered
a lab report.

I have it.

A fake. Under the imprint
of Intertect.

Come on, Lou,
don't play big daddy with me.

I need the report.

If this were an ordinary case,

there'd be no question.

Well, it isn't.
So ask the question.

I know your methods:
Anything goes as long as you

come up with the right answer.
Well, not this time.

Lou, I didn't come here
to argue.

Time's running out.

I want to know
who'll see this report.

Nobody, if you don't
give it to me.

Regardless of your good
intentions,

I can't afford to have
Intertect appear unethical

in this situation.

There's too much emotion
riding on this case.

And in religion
and sometimes politics,

we go by the book
and we walk on eggs.

Okay, Lou.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute, now.

You never gave up anything
in your life without a fight.

You're too stubborn.

Do you see me
fighting?

What are you going to do
about this report?

Well, I, uh,

have a couple of, uh,
Intertect letterheads.

I thought I'd have a fake
analysis typed up

on one of them.
That's forgery!

Mm-hmm.
And blackmail!

Now wait a minute, Lou, you
can't have 'em both.

I mean, if I forge a
report, then I don't
have to blackmail you

to get the one that's on
your desk, right? Right.

All right,
you get the report.

I won't thr*aten you.

Threats never
stopped you, anyway.

But I'd suggest you talk
to Father Mancino

once more before you destroy
somebody's faith.

Now, you poke the chief
of police in the mouth,

I'd probably back you.

I'd figure you had
justification.

Take on a politician,
no matter how big,

and I'd be in your corner.

But this is religion,
where the heart is.

And a lie can hurt and bleed.

There's a lie making the rounds
now, Lou,

disguised as a miracle.

I hope you're sure, Joe.

I wouldn't want to be
responsible for tearing it down

if it happened to be true.

Wait.

We've had a
lot of excitement

in this parish--
a miracle.

But there's one thing

that I think slipped
somebody's mind.

A miracle is the handiwork
of God, not God Himself.

I've got a hunch some of you are
kind of mixed up.

You're hooked on the deed
and not on the doer.

This church is a
part of your lives,

with or without miracles.

Am I getting through?

Don't give God faith
times seven on Sunday

when there's no faith
the rest of the week.

Don't worship a miracle

that doesn't reflect a
constant love of God.

Do it like it should be,
is what I'm saying.

Father, was, uh,

what I just heard
your way of saying

that you're not too sure
about that miracle?

A cop-out?

I've never been sure
there was a miracle.

I've just never been
sure there wasn't.

And I like to give God the
benefit of the doubt.

Collections bad?

Too good. These people

can't afford to give
what they're giving.

I tell them not to give so much,

and they sneak money in
behind my back.

Some of them
will go hungry.

Father Mancino!

He is all right,
Father.

He's all right.

I'm hot.

Do I gotta wear
all this junk?

Shut up your mouth.

I touched his head,

with the water from the spring,
and the fever went away.

The doctor told me.

Oh, he's gonna
get cold, Father.

Only if you put him in an
icebox, and maybe not then.

For the Holy
Mother.

You've given enough.

Buy Tony a new football.

Yeah, Mom, why don't you?

Shut up your mouth!

For the Holy Mother.

You can't knock
it, Father,

if that spring water
did cure him.

If.

I asked the doctor.

A big help.

Maybe yes, maybe no.

He didn't know for sure,
because he didn't know

what Tony had
in the first place.

Hey, here I am doing all
the talking, as usual.

Have you got some news?

Like the doctor,
I'm not much help.

I can't prove
a thing,

but I can shake
you up.

Start shaking.

Well, a man's
been m*rder*d.

I've been, uh, b*at
and pushed around,

probably by some
of Pucci's g*ons.

Now, m*rder and beatings
don't just happen.

Somebody's
behind this

who's got a lot of
money at stake.

Must it be related
to the miracle?

I don't know how,
but it is.

Somehow Pucci has got
to be behind all this.

You don't learn easy,
do you?

g*ns aren't necessary,
Mr. Mannix.

Neither are gorillas,
but you use them.

Well, they carry out their
habits of the old days.

They don't like snoops.

They won't bother you.

Since when?

Now, when I say so.

What's he want?

Do you have another message
for my father?

What do you
want?

You wanted me
to convince the priest.

I can do that now.

You can go ahead
with your building.

The miracle's a fake.

Liar!

Go ahead, Mr. Mannix.

What's it worth to you
for me to tear up

this chemical analysis
of the spring water?

You worry me,
Mr. Mannix.

In my present condition?

I've asked questions
about you.

Nobody doubts
your intelligence
or your skill.

Thank you.

You come here
attempting blackmail.

And you're shocked?

You blunder in here
like an amateur.

Now, how do you expect
to get away with that?

Nothing ventured.

No, I don't believe you.

What's your game?
What are you really up to?

I tell you, you untie me

and we can negotiate
for the answer to that.

Blackmailers have been k*lled,
Mr. Mannix.

Aren't you afraid of that?

Oh, I was.

But I'm not now.

You wouldn't be talking
to me if...

Now listen,

I'm not an animal.

I don't k*ll
without a reason.

I don't do that.

If you could be trusted,

you'd be paid
to keep your mouth quiet.

There's too much risk
in trusting.

Now, you don't make any trouble,

you'll be freed in a couple
of days, maybe a week.

Otherwise...

If he knows
about the spring,

maybe other
people know, too.

Anybody that knows will
come to us for a payoff.

I'd k*ll anyone
who'd talk.

Well, I'll keep your
offer in mind.

Meanwhile, let's just hope
that time runs out.

Who are you?

You'd be Rico Pucci, Sr.

Answer me!

Mannix.

Private detective.

What are you doing here?

Just putting together the pieces
of a puzzle.

While you're supposed to be
in Sicily, the land is sold.

You're in
the clear.

You didn't even know
about the phony miracle.

The miracle
on my land is real.

It's a sign
of God's forgiveness.

It's a good act,
but I don't buy it.

You're crazy!

The cross and the spring come
from God.

I come back
to find it happened.

A true miracle.

You were chosen?

For the good life you've led?

Salvatore, Riccolino!

Come!

Madman!
Papa? Papa?

Hey, Papa.

That man said
the miracle is a lie.

No, Papa.

No, no.

Now, he said it.

I want the truth.

Papa, you want the truth,

but you don't want
the truth from him.

He tried to extort money.

He's a nobody,
he'll be taken care of.

Why did he say it?

Tell me!

He's a cheap detective
looking for a handout.

Papa, on my hope
of Heaven,

that man is lying.

On your hope
of Heaven?

I'm tired.

You get the rest
of the men.

I want Mannix shut up.

Old Man Pucci believes
in that miracle.

Your forged analysis doesn't
prove a forged miracle.

His sons know it's a lie.

Are you sure, Joe?

Well, I haven't got a
guarantee from your computer,

if that's what you mean.

Look, now, why would
they want to keep me
quiet for a week?

To put over a deal?

Oh, yeah, sure, they're rushing
to sell that property

for half of what it's worth,

so I won't blow their
big chance to lose money.

Very logical.

Joe, I'm just trying
to eliminate...


Yes?

Ma-Mannix?

Joe.

Mannix.

Please, please help me.

What's wrong?

Th... th...

they're going to k*ll me.

Where are you?

I...

One week, Mannix.

Take a vacation... out of town.

If you stay,
you got a reservation for a pew

at a lady's funeral.

How'd you
get in here?

Never mind.

Go on, k*ll me; I won't
tell you anything.

I haven't asked yet.

Hey...!

Once more and you'll be
talking in a whisper

as long as you live.

What do you want?

An address.

Now, what are you going to do
when I send you back

to Papa and big brother
crying like a baby, huh?

What do you want?

Where's the girl?

I don't know.

I don't!

Please, please!

It's you or the girl.

Now, which one
do I worry about?

You all right?

Yes.

How'd he get you?

I found an envelope
in my father's coat.

It was addressed
to Father Mancino

with a hundred
dollars in it.

I was on my way to the
church when he grabbed me.

Your father
a Catholic?

No, I don't understand why
he'd give money to the church.

Well, that hundred dollars
must have been

to pay for a guilty
conscience.

They k*lled him
so he wouldn't be able

to tell me
about that miracle.

Come on, let's go.

Excuse me, I'm looking
for Father Mancino.

He's away.

Any idea where?

Administering last rites
at the home of Rico Pucci.

Thanks.

♪ ♪

You wait here.

...receive your confession

and give back to you
that robe of grace

which was first given
to you in baptism,

and I, by the power given
to me by the Apostle See,

grant you a full pardon and
remission of all your sins

in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God has forgiven.

The miracle is real.

Yes, Papa.

You did it
for him?

My father is dying,
and he's afraid.

Stanley Blake didn't have time
to be afraid.

I told you the truth;
I didn't know him.

Will you testify
against the man who did?

I don't inform.

Rico Pucci is going to learn

about the miracles
of modern chemistry.

No, no.

Now, you listen,
we were blackmailed

to keep from telling
my father the truth.

The man is waiting
downstairs for his pay.

Papa!

Papa!

Mr. Mannix.

Papa!

Teach chemistry
to my father now.

Teach it now.

It wasn't a miracle,

Father.

You'll have your proof.

Kiley arranged the miracle,
and then he came to us.

Papa was dying.

A miracle on Pucci land
would seem

like a sign
of God's forgiveness,

and Papa would die happy.

Kiley said
that if we didn't sell him

a million dollars worth of land
for half a million dollars,

he'd tell Papa
there was no miracle.

Mannix, behind me.

Kiley!

Throw the g*n
down here, Mannix.

Throw it down
or I'll k*ll her.

Stay back.

Are you crazy?
Stay back!

It was my sin...
that was my penance.

Is he all right?

He'll be fine.

I'd like to thank you,
Mr. Mannix.

For destroying
a miracle?

You can't destroy
what never was.

But Salvatore Pucci

saving your life...

I think I have my miracle.