04x16 - The Judas Touch

[bunniefuu]

Open up. Police.

Open up in there!

Enough there to tempt anyone,
isn't there, Paul?

Let's go.

Don't move or I'll have to sh**t.

♪♪

Hello, Mr. Mannix.

Frank, uh-- Frank Walker, right?

Right.
Uh, it's been a long time.

How've you been?
Okay.

Hey, is this what the Chief
called me about?

Yes, sir.

What are you looking for?

I, uh, I think Chief Yaring
would rather tell you that himself.

Oh.

Hey, why the block in both directions?

Well, he could have someone
coming into town to help him.

He?

Like I said.

The Chief would like to tell it himself.

Go on ahead.
I'll call in and tell him you're on the way.

Thanks, Frank.

All right, Carl, now what's everybody
being so cute about?

First you call me and ask me
to drive up here, on the double,

more than a hundred miles, Carl.

Then Frank Walker acts like he's been
entrusted with the formula for the Q b*mb.

Simmer down, Joe.

Well?

Well, first of all, I would like to thank you
for getting me to hire Paul Parish.

I don't believe I ever did properly
thank you for that, did ?

You got me all the way up here
to make some gripe about Paul?

Something like that.

Well, taking him on got you more
favorable press coverage

than all your years
on the force put together.

Last year's newspaper
is just a blight on the ecology, Joe.

It's tomorrow's paper I'm worried about.

Why?

A man was k*lled last night
in a rooming house on Wayburn Street.

A John Doe, according to the newspapers,

because I told them I hadn't made
an identification. That's a lie.

The man's name is Barney Showalter.

Showalter?

Paul Parish's cell mate in San Quentin.

That's right.

And Barney Showalter just finished
serving his sentence three days ago.

Now, why would a big-time operator
like Showalter be in this town?

That's a good question.

Remember what he was doing time for?

He heisted grand
from an armored car.

And they're still looking for the money.

Well, we may be about to help him find it.

"I've found a fence who'll
pay fifty cents on the dollar.

Bring it to Number , Wayburn,
and wait for me to get in touch."

Somebody found a fence
for that kind of hot money here?

And where'd you get the note?

Off Showalter's body.
It was in his wallet.

No address, no signature.
Just the note.

Here's that in enlargement.

Notice this line.

Check the t's and the e's.

Hmm.

Here's a report I found in our files
right here in the office.

It's obvious that they were both
typed on the same machine.

Here's the signature
at the bottom of the report.

Paul Parish.

You mean the note and the report were
both done on Paul's office typewriter.

Without a doubt.

Well, dozens of people could have
had access to that machine--

Days, nights, weekends.
Oh, sure.

Especially Paul, right?

Okay, so Showalter was Paul's cell mate.

You found a note about the hot money
on Showalter's body,

and the note was typed on Paul's typewriter.
Now, is that it?

No, that's not it.
I'm just getting started.

When Paul ran, he took the money with him.

You really think Paul k*lled Showalter
for that money?

Look, suppose Paul didn't think
he was going to have to k*ll Showalter.

Suppose he figured that he could take
all the money for himself

and Showalter couldn't object
because Paul was a cop,

only Showalter didn't see it that way.

Come on, Carl, that's a lot of supposing.

Joe, the b*llet that k*lled Showalter
came from Paul's g*n.

The slug we dug out of here
came from Showalter's g*n...

and this sh*t came
from Showalter's g*n, too.

And that's the g*n you found
beside Showalter's body?

That's right.
Hmm.

You got a theory, Joe?
Because I would love to hear it.

Believe me, nobody in the world wishes
more than I do that Paul hadn't done this.

All that bragging I did about him
to the newspapers, that was on the level.

From the looks of things, the k*lling
just might have been self-defense, Carl.

Oh, no, no. Three years ago,
you talked me into believing

that Paul was just a patsy
on that holdup job,

but this time |-
I talked you into it?

Yeah.

All the evidence you dug up,
it made it seem

as though Paul didn't even know
his buddies had just committed a holdup.

Well, what about the testimony
of the holdup men

admitting that Paul didn't know he was
driving them from the scene of the crime?

Two years after the fact.

Besides, looking at it now,
what did they have to lose?

Especially since he was their buddy.

So you've now managed
to talk yourself out of believing

that he was innocent of that charge, huh?

No. Paul's done that for me.

You wanted to see me, Chief?

Yeah, Frank. Mr. Mannix
has some questions for you.

Yes, sir.

Frank, how did you happen
to be here last night?

A call on my car radio
reporting a prowler at this address.

The call came into our switchboard.
We relayed it to Frank.

He was the officer cruising the area.

Did you talk to the caller?

Didn't leave his name.

We're questioning some of the neighbors.
we'll find him.

I understand that you had
a clear sh*t at Paul.

Yes, sir.

What stopped you from sh**ting?

They're friends, Joe.

Anyway, I was sure he couldn't get away.

But by the time I got outside, he was gone.

Hmm.

How much does Paul's wife know?

Helen doesn't know anything
except that he's missing.

Or if the does, she's more likely
to tell you than anyone.

That's why I called you.

No. No way.

Paul couldn't do anything like that.

That's what I would have said, Helen,
but, after all, he was there.

He did run off with the money.

I'm just looking for another explanation.

Explanation?

There was an explanation last time,
wasn't there?

But nobody would listen to him.

Not until he spent two years in that cage.

Forgive me, Joe.
I don't mean to take it out on you.

So that's what it's all about,

those unmarked police cars
cruising by all day long,

making believe they aren't looking.

They're looking for Paul.

I was beginning to think
that I was imagining things.

But can't you see, whatever really
happened there last night--

Can't you see
how Paul might panic and run?

The thought occurred to me.

Helen, I have to know something.

Were you and Paul having money troubles?

Money?

Why, you do think he did it.

I think I should know everything
that might be used against him.

I'm sorry.

Yes.

There were a number of debts
when Paul got out of prison.

And they keep piling up.

But Paul wouldn't k*ll for money.

What about Barney Showalter?

Paul ever mention him?

Yes, at first.

After all, they were cell mates
for two years.

But the way Paul feels
about being closed in.

Why, even as a kid, he used to camp out
for days at a time up in the hills,

all by himself, just to get away
from the walls and from people.

I just know he'd never
risk going back to prison.

That phone call he received last night--

Try and remember, Helen.

Did you hear anything at all?

I mean, was anything mentioned
that might help us?

He just said, uh, "police business."

He took his g*n, and he left.

Police business that nobody at police
headquarters knows anything about.

Uh, Helen, what about his mother?

Has Paul been seeing her?

Yeah.

How are things between you and her?

As usual.

The only thing we have in common is Paul.

And he's still a dutiful son,
and she's still--

Well, you remember Victoria.

Hmm.

She's not easy to forget.

There he is again.

Another policeman?

No.

I can't see him now.

Any idea who he is?

No. But he keeps watching this house.

You're sure he's not a policeman?

Yes. I know everyone on the force.

Besides, I remember seeing him out there
yesterday, before all this happened.

Now you just stand there and act
like you're talking to me, huh?

Hey, Smitty, will you get that, huh?

Why?

It couldn't be for me, now, could it?

Hello.

Hello, Mrs. Parish.

I know you, don't |?

Yes.
No, no, no. Don't tell me.

I never forget a good-looking man.

Yes.

Yes, you're that detective
that helped Paul.

And your name is, uh--

Joe Mannix.
Well, sure.

Come on in, Joe.

Hey, Smitty, get Joe a beer.

We're fresh out.

I bought a six-pack this morning.

Well, this'll only take a few minutes.

Oh, well, this is my friend Smitty.
Smitty, Joe.

Is it about Paul?
Is he in some kind of trouble?

Mrs. Parish, I'd like to ask you
a few questions.

Oh, sure.

Will you be a love
and get us some beer, huh?

Sit down, Joe.

He, doesn't have any claim on me
or anything like that.

We met a couple of days ago.

At Willy's. That's a bar.

He bought me a drink,
and, you know, like that.

He didn't just get into town,
by any chance?

Now, how did you know that?

Well, he's got that big-city look.

Right.

Frisco.

What's he doing here?

On business.
He doesn't talk much about himself.

Tell me, have you seen Paul or heard
from him since yesterday, Mrs. Parish?

Victoria, Joe.

No. No. Is he in some kind of trouble again?

He may be.

If he gets in touch with you,
would you tell him I'm in town?

I'm staying at the Weekender Motel.

I'd like to help him.
Sure.

Joe.

Don't think I don't have a mother's feelings
about her own flesh and blood,

but the thirty dollars a week
that Paul gives me,

well, kind of makes ends meet.

This kind of trouble, whatever it is,

could this cost him his job
or anything like that?

I mean, well, a girl's got bills
and things.

Sure.

Mrs. Parish--

Wait a minute.

Hello.

Oh, it's you.

Yeah. Yeah, he's here.

It's Paul's wife.

Yes, Helen?

Joe, I have to see you right away.
It's terribly important.

And |, uh, I can't talk about it
on the phone.

All right, Helen. I'll be right over.

Mrs. Parish, if there is anything,
call, anything at all.

Sure, Joe.

Where'd you get this?

In the mailbox.

When?

Just a little while ago.

It could have been there since last night.

There's, uh, $, there.

All tens and twenties.

Does that mean something?

Well, they can't be traced.

The rest of the money was in hundreds,

and the serial numbers on those
hundreds are on record.

And you think Paul would have known that.

"Kitten, forgive me.

"It seemed so easy.
The answer to all our problems.

"Try not to worry too much.

"I'll be all right,
and I'll find a way to see you soon.

I love you. Paul."

Kitten?

It's a special name for me.

My middle name is Catherine.

How could he have done it?
I really don't understand.

Unless he felt that everything was--
was piling up and closing in on him.

But even so.

Oh, Joe, I'm-- I'm so afraid.

Now take it easy, Helen.

What's going to happen to him?

You've got to find him
before he gets himself k*lled.

Sure.

Now, uh, I've got to leave.

You'll be all right here, alone?

Yes, he, uh, he might call.

I'll talk to you later.

Joe, please find him.

Hello.

Joe.

What's on your mind, Peggy?

I got a long-distance phone call,
and I thought you'd want to know.

Long distance from where?

From there.

When I heard who was calling,
I decided to tape it.

Listen.

Mr. Mannix isn't here, Paul.

I know it.

But you can reach him.

Tell him-- Tell him that was just a warning.

I could just as easily have k*lled him.

Tell him to keep his nose out,

to stay away from Helen and my mother,

or next time I will k*ll him.

I've got nothing to lose.

Tell him.

That's all of it, Joe.

He hung up before I had a chance to say
anything, but it sure sounded like Paul.

It was Paul, all right.

Sounded like airport noises
in the background.

Bye, Peggy.

Joe, what did he mean,
he could just as easily have k*lled you?

Joe?

Joe.

Southeastern Airways Flight
now arriving at Gate .

Southeastern Airways,
Flight now arriving at Gate .

Flight from Cheyenne
arriving in thirty minutes at Gate .

He hasn't come by here yet?

Are you talking to me?

Paul would spot you quicker than I did.
He knows you, doesn't he?

Look, I'm sorry but--

The Chief mentioned
you might be working on this.

He might spot me before I see him, but this
is the only way he can get to the plane.

The important thing is to keep him
from getting out of town.

That's one of the important things.

How many planes have taken off
in the past twenty minutes?

None. Next one out's for Santa Barbara.

Thanks.

May I help you?

Have you rented a car
in the past twenty minutes?

Why, yes, just a couple of minutes ago.

Whoever rented the car
had to show his driver's license, right?

It's part of the rules.

What was the name?

Uh, Paul Parish.

Where do you keep your cars?
Right out in the parking lot.

Thanks a lot.

But I'm not even sure I'm supposed to--
Hey, wait a minute.

Mannix, I warned you!

You had to stick your nose in.

Paul, you're only going to make
things worse for yourself.

Is there something worse than m*rder?

You're not convicted yet!

No, and they're not going
to get a chance

to put me into one of their cages again.

Last warning, Joe.

I'll k*ll you if you try to take me.

Paul, you just can't keep running!

You're right. But I'd rather be dead
than spend the rest of my life in stir.

Paul, there are other ways.

Not for me, there aren't.

Do me a favor, Joe.

Tell Helen--

Tell her...

I'm sorry.

Paul!

Paul!

Doctor Halleren, Doctor Halleren,
please call .

Red blanket.

Is there a family, Mr. Mannix?

There's a wife and a mother.

We'll need some information from you.

The nurse at the desk
will give you a form to fill--

How is he, Doctor?

Well, frankly, at this point,
I'm surprised he's still alive.

We'll have to operate,
remove the b*llet,

determine the damage.

And his chances?

Well, the prognosis is not favorable.

If he survives surgery, if--
Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Where've you been all day long?

Around.

Around where?

Around here and there.

With who?

Vicky, now you know I came
down here on business, right?

I know I sent you out about three hours ago
to buy us some beer.

Now what'd you do, find yourself some
cheap little alley cat at Willy's bar?

Vicky.

Why--

Why would I want to do that

when I've got you here waiting for me?

Hmm?

Paul, uh, you know that kid of yours?

Is he in some kind of trouble?

Could be.

Joe Mannix didn't tell me anything.

You know,
I thought you weren't coming back.

You, uh, you hear from him?

Why are you so interested in Paul?

I'm not.

I mean, but he's your son.

Perhaps I can help.

What are you really after?

It's Paul, isn't it?
Something to do with Paul.

It's really not me, is it?

Vicky, do you know something?

You're starting to imagine things.

No.

What I've been doing is kidding myself.

Huh.

There's no fool
like an over-the-hill chick, is there?

You must have been having
a pretty good laugh on me.

No.

It wasn't that at all.

Is something wrong, Officer?

You're wanted downtown.

Me?

What for?

The warrant says for hit-and-run
and aggravated as*ault.

You've got to be kidding.

When was all this supposed
to have taken place?

This afternoon.

Oh, well, I'm in the clear.

You see, Mrs. Parish and |
have been together all day, here.

Isn't that so, Vicky?

No. He's lying.

Next time try a different bar.

Joe, I know this has been
a rough one for you.

It hasn't exactly brought me
any satisfaction, either.

I want to thank you for what you've done.

You're closing the books?

What else is there?

Loose ends.

Like?

Yaring.

Yeah.

It's Frank.
He brought that guy in, Smitty.

You still want to talk to him?
He's one of the loose ends.

Why? Because Helen Parish thought she saw
somebody watching her house yesterday?

Joe, she's so upset,
she's likely to say anything.

Because I happen to think
he's involved in this somehow.

All right, Frank, we'll be right down.

Look, I want to help the police
as much as the next guy,

but I've got a right to know
what this is all about.

Why did you come to this town?

I've got to have a reason?

I'm just passing through, that's all.

Why did you arrange to meet Victoria Parish?

Arrange?

I picked her up in a bar.

Oh, a thirty-year-old buck like you

picking up a forty-five-year-old woman
in a bar.

Now, there's nothing unusual
about that, right?

Is that some kind of crime in this town?

Why have you been watching
Paul Parish's house?

Watching? You're crazy.

Listen, Chief, cooperating
with the police is one thing, right?

This guy is no policeman.

Now, I've got the right to have a lawyer.

Smitty, is that your first name or last?

Chief, unless there's some formal charge.

Now, somebody tried
to run Mr. Mannix down with a car.

So what are you looking at me for?
All I did was drive down to the corner bar.

May I see your driver's license, please?

Yeah. |-

Oh |, uh, came off without it.

You were driving a car without a license?

Well, I guess, you know,
that's technically against the law.

Yes, it is.

Carl.

There's something I want to show you.

What?

It won't take a minute.
Come on. Frank.

All set.

A friend of yours, Smitty?
No, I--

I never saw him before.

I think you're lying.

I think you knew Barney Showalter very well.

You need a charge to hold him on?

Okay, I'm going to press charges
of hit-and-run.

That way you can hold him
while you send his prints to Washington.

And if I'm wrong, you can sue me
for false arrest.

Okay, okay.

Look, I don't want to get mashed
in the middle of any m*rder rap.

No, I didn't k*ll Barney.

I didn't even know he was dead.

But you'd figure out the rest of that as soon
as you heard from Washington anyway.

I want to get this on paper.
Take him upstairs.

Go ahead, Frank.
Yes, sir.

Come on, let's go.

The rest of what?

Who knows?

You throw out the right bait,
you're bound to catch something.

Chasmin. C-H-A-S-M-I-N. Thomas J.

How long were you in San Quentin?

Three years, less a few days.

Anyway, I knew that Barney
was due to get out a few weeks after me,

and I figured he'd head for that grand,

so I just hung around.

Why, exactly, are you spilling
your guts to us this way?

I'm a two-time loser.

I haven't done anything
that I can be sent back up for,

and I don't want anybody
to get the idea that I did.

All right. So you took a room
in San Francisco

right across the street
from where Barney Showalter took his

so you could keep an eye on him, right'?

Yeah.

And the day after he got out,
a letter came for him.

I checked the mailbox,
and I checked the postmark.

He got no other mail?
Nobody came to see him?

No, none that I know of.

But he bought a bus ticket for here.

You know, I knew that Paul Parish
had been Barney's cell mate,

so I put two and two together.

When did he pick up the money?

I guess he must have picked it up
somewhere before he got here.

You know, I couldn't follow him everywhere.
He knew me.

So you came here,
latched on to Paul's mother,

and kept an eye on his house,

figuring that one way or another
you'd find out when Barney arrived

and contact him.

Yeah.

What about last night?

Did you follow Paul to Showalter's room?

No.

No, when Parish came back home for dinner,
I went out to get some for myself.

I guess that's when he took off.

That's it.

That's all of it.

What about the hit-and-run charges, Joe?

Hmm.

I'll drop them--
for the time being, at least.

I don't know what he's talking about.
I never touched him.

You just stay in town
until I make sure you didn't.

Wait in the outer office
until this gets typed up.

Make sure he signs it, Frank.
Yes, sir.

Let's go.

How much of that do you believe?

It all fits with everything else we know.

Yeah.

But then it could be a pack of lies.

That letter that brought Barney Showalter
here, for instance.

If Paul wrote it--

If Paul?

If Paul wrote it, how would he know
where to send it?

Well, they could have arranged things
before Paul's release.

A year and a half ago?

And Paul came here, got a job,
piled up a great record

just waiting for Showalter to get out?

Come on, Carl, you don't really believe that.

All right, Joe.
Have you got a better explanation?

Paul is my prime suspect.

I don't even know if he'll
pull through to defend himself.

What I've got is $,
of the stolen money

and enough evidence to convict Paul twice.

Joe.

What's bugging you?

Something.

I don't know what. Something.

Hi.

Helen.

How is he?

Well--
Still in surgery.

Over three hours now.

Listen, I have to get back.

You'll call me
when you hear something, huh?

Yes.

How are you, Helen?

Well, it's just the waiting.

Doctor?

He's come through surgery.

Then his chances are better.

Yes, but it'll be a matter of some hours

before we can arrive
at an accurate prognosis.

I suggest you go home and get some sleep.

Thank you, Doctor.

I'll drive you home, Helen.

I'll be just a minute.
Fine.

Doctor, what about brain damage?

Well, it's difficult to say.

If he recovers consciousness--

If?

Well, there's no need to alarm Mrs. Parish,

but he barely made it
through surgery, Mr. Mannix.

His life signs are still quite depressed.

But if he recovers consciousness,
we'll know better then.

Thank you, Doctor.

Come in.

You wanted me, Chief?

Yeah, come on in, Frank.
Sit down.

Hello, Mr. Mannix.
Frank.

Any word on Paul?

Last I heard, his condition hadn't changed.

Unless it does soon,
he probably won't pull through.

Frank, I've got to get back to I A,

but before I leave, I'd like to make sure
we haven't missed anything.

Well, whatever I can do to help.

Did Paul ever mention anything to you

about Barney Showalter
talking to him about the money?

Well, yeah, he did say something about it.

But it's the kind of thing
that men talk about in prison.

Well, that's just it.

Why would Paul even mention it
if he was planning something like this?

I agree with you.

I mean, the thing about Paul, Chief,
is he believes in people.

He was a patsy once because it didn't even
occur to him that anyone would use him.

But that still didn't change him.

He was the perfect patsy for a frame,

so whoever masterminded this whole thing
would get away clear with the money.

Like Smitty, for instance.

He could have been in on it with Showalter
and then double-crossed him.

Did you two ever think
of collaborating on science fiction?

Oh, sure, we're reaching,

but-- but someone else could have
typed that letter to Showalter

on Paul's machine to set him up.

Right?
Right.

And got him to Showalter's room
on some pretext,

make him his prisoner
when he ran from the rooming house,

held a g*n on him, and forced him
to write the note to Helen,

phoned my office,

and then fed him the lines that he
shouted at me from inside the cabin.

And then that someone ran out the back
of the cabin after he sh*t Paul

before you broke in, is that it?

Well, it's all possible, Carl.

All right, all right.

Would either of you like to take a flyer
at why Paul ran with the money?

Well, being found like that,
with Showalter's body,

it's, well, if it was a frame,
it's easy to see why he might panic.

You put all of your ifs
and your maybes together,

you come up
with the biggest pile of nonsense

I have ever heard from two grown men.

Trouble with you, Carl,
is you've got no imagination.

Can I use your phone?

As long as you don't call anyplace
as far out as your theory.

If Paul dies
without regaining consciousness,

we'll never realize just how far out it was.

Dr. Carter, please.

That's all for today, Frank.
Thanks.

Dr. Carter, this is Joe Mannix.

What's the latest on Paul--

Oh?

I see. Good.

Yeah, thanks.
Thanks very much, Doctor.

Well, he's alive, and his life signs
are growing stronger.

The doctor now believes
there's a better than even chance

that he'll regain consciousness.

He was almost optimistic.

If Paul lives, he can tell us exactly
what happened.

Maybe you'd better stick around, Joe.

Well, I can't.
But if you need me, I'll be back.

Oh, uh, Frank, I'm depending on you
to keep the Chief here honest.

He seems a little too eager
to tie a ribbon on this one.

Oh, nurse, is there anything?

Doctor Ward, .
Doctor Ward, West, please.

If he dies, Joe, I'm--

You can't blame yourself, Carl.
I was the one who was set up.

That phone call from the airport to make sure
I'd followed the car into the hills.

Yeah.

He must have had Paul with him
all the time, on the floor of the car.

And when I lost the car at the intersection,

he threw a couple of wild sh*ts
at me from the cabin

to make sure I knew where they were

and I'd be a witness
to Paul's supposed su1c1de.

Yeah, but you didn't buy it
from the very beginning, Joe. Why?

Well, I just couldn't believe
that I'd been that wrong about Paul.

Doctor Hein, outside call.

When a cop goes bad,
it's poison for everybody.

Well, it happens.

I was so sure I knew Frank,
I didn't even look at him.

After all, he was a first-rate policeman
for a lot of years.

I guess you never know
how a person is going to react

until they get a chance to grab $,.

Yeah, but to set up a friend, too?

Friendships have been broken up
for a lot less.

He set him up all the way.

He probably called Paul,

told him there was a dangerous hood
holed up in that rooming house.

That prowler call--
that had to be Frank, too.

Yeah.

Oh, Doctor?

In a moment, Mr. Mannix.

Mrs. Parish,
your husband is asking for you.

Hi, Kitten.

Hi.

He's going to be all right, huh, Doc?

Oh, I'd say he's good
for another seventy years.

Well, that winds that up.

Except for one thing.
What?

You sure jumped at my suggestion
to put on an act to force Frank's hand.

So?

Well, I've got a feeling you were
putting me on all along, needling me,

so I could prove that you were wrong
about Paul because you wanted to be.

One thing about you, you certainly have
a very rich imagination, Joe.

No kidding.

Come on, I'll buy you breakfast.