03x01 - Log 174: Loan Sharks

[bunniefuu]

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,
a 211 in progress.

One-Adam-12, handle code 3.

♪♪

One-Adam-12, use caution.

RA-1 is en route.

One-Adam-12, roger.

Get an ETA on that ambulance.

This is One-Adam-12
requesting ETA for RA-1.

One-Adam-12,
approximately three minutes.

He's been worked
over pretty good.

Anybody know this man?

Come on.

Somebody must know
who he is. How about it?

I think he works in there.

- Who is he?
- His name's Jenkins, I think.

You think, but you're not sure?

Yeah, it's Jenkins.

What's his first name?

It's Roy.

Do you have any idea
what happened here?

No, I just got
here a minute ago.

- Same old story.
- Yeah.

Why don't you check
with some of the others.

He gonna be okay?

I don't know.

Is he a friend of yours?

No. I see him around
the plant now and then.

What division does he work in?

First division, punch press.

- Where do you work?
- Same.

How long have you and
Jenkins been working together?

A couple of years, I guess.

But you still don't
know him that well.

Just another guy I work with.

How'd you get that
bump on your head?

Oh, I forgot all about this.

I hit my head on a
workbench this morning.

That must have
been quite a thump

if you hit it this morning
and it's still bleeding.

It's nothing. Just a scratch.

Did you have
somebody look at it?

No, it wasn't that big a deal.

What's your name, sir?

Barnes. Charlie Barnes.

Mr. Barnes, I don't mean
to put you on the spot

or anything like that,
but there's something

going on around here
that we don't know about.

Now with a little of
the right kind of help

we can stop it.

But we need witnesses.

Somebody like yourself.

Sorry, I just don't
want any trouble.

I got to go. I'm late.

- Get anything?
- Nah. Same as before.

They're all scared to death.

I'll come by the
hospital in a few minutes

and get the report.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Think you can raise any
fingerprints off that club?

Well, I hope so.

Well, I guess you
know your business,

but I wouldn't waste
my time, if I were you.

- Why not?
- Because both of those dudes
were wearing gloves.

But I guess you
already know that.

Wait a minute. You mean,
you saw what happened here?

Sure, everybody saw it.

Those were a couple of
real mean dudes, huh?

I mean, they really laid
the wood to that poor cat.

I thought they were gonna do
my body damage for a minute.

You mean, you
tried to break it up?

I didn't try. I did.

Man, you should have
seen those two g*ons jump.

Hey, didn't those other
guys tell you anything?

No, not much.

Wow, it was right
out in front of them.

I mean, they saw the whole gig.

That guy you
were just talking to

tried to help and got
whomped flat on his can.

Huh. That's weird.

I wonder why they didn't talk.

I mean, how are you guys

supposed to put those
two ugly g*ons away

if nobody lays it on you?

Well, it's nice to know
there's at least one

full set of brains in the crowd.

What's your name
and address, son?

My name is Jim Russell.

I live at 320 South 1st Street.

Can you tell us what
happened here, Jim?

Well, I'm just pulling
in when these two guys

bail out of this groovy Mach 1

and start to lay into
this old cat with a club.

Then the other guy... you know,
the one you were just talking to...

He tries to help and he gets
cracked right across the skull

and down he goes.

It's like these two g*ons are
really getting the upper hand.

So I really get uptight

and I draw a bearing
straight for 'em.

I dropped the wheels in
low and hit the gas pedal.

You should have
seen those two g*ons

when they thought I was gonna
grind 'em up with the wheels.

Can you remember
what they looked like?

How could I forget?

Especially the guy who
ran after me after I stopped.

He came right up to
my door with a club.

So I threw the car in reverse
and knocked him on his bun.

Well, after that, it
didn't take 'em long

to decide they better split.

They crawled back
into that Mach 1, man,

and they pealed out of here,
red-lining it the whole way.

Did you happen to
get a license number?

No, I couldn't get it.

I followed them
for a little while

but there was mud or
something all over the rear plate.

I couldn't see all the numbers.

- What'd the car look like?
- Oh, man, it was groovy!

I mean, it really was.

You know, what I couldn't do
with a set of wheels like that.

The chicks would really flip.

Well, could you
describe it for us?

Just like it was here.

It was a Mach 1 Mustang, 1970.

It was candy-apple red, man.

Had a black interior

with carburetor
scoops over the hood.

And it had chromed hood pins,
man, with a wooden steering wheel.

- And a set of racing skins.
- Skins?

Yeah, tires.

That about do it for ya?

Yeah. That'll do it
just fine. Thanks.

- Jim?
- Yeah, Dad?

What's going on?

Well, nothing, I'm just
talking to the officers here.

A guy at the plant
got worked over

and I was just
telling them about it.

What'd you tell 'em, Jim?

Just what I saw.

You'd better get
in the car, son.

- But, Dad, I've got a...
- I said get in the car.

- Huh?
- Get in the car now.

Your son's a
witness, Mr. Russell.

Go find yourself another one.

I don't want my
kid involved in this.

Look, Mr. Russell,
this is the third beating

we've had on this parking
lot in the last month.

Now, we can't get to the
bottom of this without witnesses.

So far, your son's all we got.

I'll say it again. Jim's
not going to get involved.

Mr. Russell, let me
explain something to you.

Today a man from your plant
was beaten with a baseball bat.

Right now, he's unconscious.

Last week it was
a fractured skull.

A man's head was
split open with a tire iron.

He's still in a coma.

The week before the
man was beaten so badly

his neck was broken.

He's got a wife, three boys,
and two little girls at home.

And right now,
he's lying paralyzed

in county hospital
like a vegetable.

And we haven't been
able to do anything to stop it

because, so far,
nobody but your son

has the guts enough or
brains enough to help us stop it.

I'm sorry, officers, but you'll
just have to find some other way.

I won't let Jim have
any part of this.

It's none of his
business, anyway.

Isn't it?

Of course not. He's
just a school kid.

Why should he get mixed
up in something like this?

It's simple, Mr. Russell.

Because how are we gonna
put ugly g*ons like that away

unless some cat lays it on us?

Just what in the
heck does that mean?

Ask your son, Mr. Russell.

I've known that
man for 27 years.



And I know he hasn't got an
enemy in the world, so help me.

So who in God's name would
want to hurt him like this?

Broken arm. Severe concussion.

Four of his fingers crushed.

A smashed kneecap.

Who on earth would
do a thing like this?

I was hoping you could
help us answer that question.

Mrs. Jenkins, has your husband
mentioned anything to you lately

that might indicate he's
in some kind of trouble?

No, nothing.

Has he had any
problem on the job?

Does he get along well
with the men he works with?

As far as I know.

- Everybody seems
to like Roy...
- I'll get it.

Does your husband like
to bet the horses, ma'am?

Oh, he likes it all
right, now and then.

He hasn't been betting,
though lately, like he used to.

After that one spree
at the track last year,

that was enough for him.

Did he have a bad day?

Well, to be frank,

it was more than just a bad day.

There for a while, he was going
out to the track every Saturday.

In fact, we got behind
in our payments.

It was touch and
go there for a while.

We lost our credit.

We're just now getting
our heads above water.

Is your husband still playing
the horses, Mrs. Jenkins?

I don't know, but I think so.

Once in a while.

Has he been bringing
home a full paycheck?

Oh, yes.

Except for what he needs
to pay back that loan.

You know, that
time we got behind,

he borrowed $200 so we
could kind of get caught up.

Do you know where
he borrowed the money?

Yes. At the plant.

But I don't know the
man he borrowed it from.

Is the loan all paid back now?

No.

No, but he's... he's
paying on it regularly.

$20 every week. He never misses.

You know, I don't
think I understand.

Why all these
questions about the loan?

- What are you talking about?
- Well, nothing, ma'am.

We're just trying to find
out if there's any connection

between the money
your husband owes

and the beating he
took this afternoon.

Well, it just doesn't
make any sense.

I just can't
believe... Believe it.

Well, maybe it isn't just
the money, Mrs. Jenkins.

What do you mean?

It's only an educated guess,

but maybe somebody's
trying to prove a point

and they decided to make
Roy their prize example.

All units in the vicinity
and One-Adam-11,

One-Adam-11, a


at the liquor store.


Suspect last seen walking
southbound from the location.

Described as a male Caucasian,

wearing a plaid
shirt and khaki pants.

One-Adam-11, code 2.

That's close enough.

We'll cover from
Bushyard and Kelmore.

Wait for the
supplemental from 11.

All units who are
supplemental on the 211

that occurred five minutes ago,

at 507 Moorpark.

Suspect is described
as a male Caucasian,

55 to 60 years,


Wearing a cowboy
hat, plaid shirt,

khaki pants, and cowboy boots.

Suspect used a 6-inch
blue steel revolver.

Last seen walking eastbound
on Bushyard, from Owens.

Suspect was HBD.
Frequency 1, clear.

A drunk stickup man.

That's a switch.

Let's cruise the park.

Nothin'.

Check that tree up there.

One-Adam-12, code 6, Adam.

Wilshire Park,
northeast section.

- Possible 211 suspect.
- Watch yourself.

One-Adam-12,
roger. Code 6, Adam.

Northeast corner, Wilshire Park.

Possible 211 suspect.

Police officers,
mister! On your feet!

Oh, wouldn't you know it.

Come on, on your feet!

Keep your hands
where we can see 'em.

Let's go. Feet back
and spread 'em.

My daddy said there'd
be days like this.

He's clean.

Sure fits the description.

I might fit that,

but I don't fit nothing else.

sh**t, I can't even rob
a lousy liquor store right.

You're under arrest.

You have the right
to remain silent.

If you give up the
right to remain silent,

anything you say can and
will be used against you

in a court of law.

You have the right to
speak with an attorney

and to have the attorney
present during questioning.

If you desire an attorney
and cannot afford one,

one will be appointed
to you without charge

before questioning.

Do you understand these rights

as I've explained them to you?

Yeah.

That's wonderful.

That's just wonderful.

That's the only
thing in this town

I've been offered
free of charge.

I guess the ride
downtown's free too.

On the house.

Where's the g*n
you used tonight?

It's gone. Gone.

Everything's gone.

Even the money.
Two whole dollars.

$2?

- Is that all you took?
- Yep.

I felt sorry for that
poor liquor store man.

He made me feel downright
ashamed of myself.

Ended up talking me
into two lousy dollars.

So where's the $2
and where's the g*n?

I... I told ya, I
got neither one.

What'd you do with them?

When I come out
of that liquor store,

I quick moseyed over to the
other side of the park there,

just minding my own business,

and this Jasper
comes out of the bush

and jumps all over me.

Thumped on my head
like a big, base drum.

You mean that you were robbed?

Picked cleaner than
a Christmas goose.

Took my g*n,

and the money,

and my Sam Houston watch fob,

and my last half-pint of wine.

Just like Daddy said, it
could only happen to me.

Well, I guess I go to jail, huh?

That's about it, friend.

All the major industrial
areas, city-wide.

Here, three beatings.

Here, two beatings
and a firebombing.

Here, a felony hit-and-run.

All brutal, and
all professional.

Now, the information we've
come up with in Intelligence

is that the take-over
started about six months ago.

A few hoods moved
in from the east

and started
infiltrating the factories.

First bookmaking,

and then, when they got
the bettors in deep enough,

they started a loan
shark operation.

It'll be the labor rackets next.

And after they bury
the victims deep in debt

and things are going smooth,

a few beatings
shut everybody up.

Well, do you think Roy Jenkins
was tied up with these hoods?

We're sure of it.

It started with a $200 loan.

He was paying it
back $20 a week,

and after a while, that
didn't even cover the interest.

Jenkins started to kick
and they worked him over.

How big do you think
this operation really is?

Well, it'd be rough to guess at,

but we figure that
the bookie operation

runs $200,000 a month.

We figure that the loan sharking

would run about $100,000
a month in interest alone.

Any idea who's involved?

Organization people.

We've known pretty much
who it was at the start.

But we couldn't make a
move without evidence.

That is, until now.

Your young friend, Jim Russell,

really came through
like a champ.

He identified
these two boys here

as the muscle.

The first one's Jack Bennett.

The other one's Paul Bertino.

Two small-time
hoods from New York.

They're only little fish,

but they fit in perfect
with the overall conspiracy.

Young Russell's identification

gave us our first shot at
really reaching these guys.

We're going to the grand jury
for secret indictments tomorrow.

How'd you get the boy's
father to cooperate?

Well, that wasn't easy,

but we worked on
him like a Dutch uncle,

and he finally gave in.

I asked Mac to have
you boys in before roll call

because we've got some witnesses

that are gonna testify tomorrow

about some of the
hoods' operations

inside the plant.

Naturally, the names
are under wraps.

But I want you guys

to stick close
to the parking lot

around quitting time.

I don't want any of our
witnesses scared off.

Mr. Russell!

It's Jim.

I just finished
talking to my wife.

He's overdue from school.

Is that unusual for him?

Absolutely. He's
never been late, never.

He was supposed to
check in for work at 3.

He didn't show up.

Where does Jim
work, Mr. Russell?

At Dale Woods Market, corner
of Western and Hawthorne.

I'm sure something's
happened to him!

That grand jury
subpoena for tomorrow...

I never should have let him.
You've got to do something.

This is One-Adam-12, requesting
One-L-20 meet us on Tac 2.

One-Adam-12, roger.

One-L-20, One-L-20, meet
One-Adam-12 on Tac 2.

Come on now. Just
how long can it take?

The watch commander's doing
everything he can, Mr. Russell.

We just have to stick
it out in case he needs

anything more from you.

We've got Communications
making broadcasts

every 15 minutes.

Every car in the
city's watching for him.

One-L-20 to One-Adam-12.

One-Adam-12, go.

Intelligence and four
radio cars are rolling.

Requesting additional
I.D. on subject.

Does he possibly wear
Ben Franklin glasses?

One-Adam-12, that's a roger.

L-20, I think we've scored.

Adam-11 located a newsboy
across from the market.

He saw two men escorting a boy

matching the
subject's description

into a red Mustang.

One-Adam-12, roger.

Any further description
on the vehicle?

Roger.

Hood scoop, black
interior. No further.

Vehicle last seen
southbound on Rosedale.

One-Adam-12, roger.

They've got Jim.

They've got my son.

That's almost it.

We've covered just
about every block

the Sergeant assigned.

Only two locations left.

That could be it.

Beautiful.

- See anything?
- Yeah.

A couple of guys in there that
match up with our mug sh*ts.

- They're sitting in the den.
- What about the boy?

There's no sign of him.

If he's in there, he
must be in another room.

No sense waiting.
You've seen the inside.

- What do you think?
- There's only one way.

We'll kick the back. When you
hear the door, you take the front.

Give us 30 seconds.

Freeze! Don't try it!

Let's go. Up against the wall.

Come on. Move it!

Feet back and spread 'em.

Where's the boy?

Take a look around.

He looks okay.

Yeah. Tough kid.

Hi, fellas.

Hi, yourself.

What have you been
doing? You're late for work.

- Yeah, how about that.
- Quite an experience, huh?

Yeah, not too groovy either.

Hey, what about my dad?

I bet he's really flippin', huh?

You wouldn't want it
any other way, would ya?

I guess not.

What about that grand
jury thing tomorrow?

- Is it still on?
- Yeah, if you're up to it.

No sweat. It's like I
said, I gotta do my thing.

But if somebody doesn't
do something fast,

there's gonna be trouble.

- And deep trouble.
- What are you talking about?

Oh, take a ride in that
groovy car of theirs.

Man, that's a crime to
treat a fine machine like that.

I mean, it's downright criminal!

If I had that car, if
it belonged to me,

I'll tell you what I would do.

The first thing I would do

is put the front
end in alignment.

Then I would balance
the front wheels,

and then I would put a
Boss supercharger on it.

Man, that machine
would move so fast.