04x06 - The Ferret

[bunniefuu]

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

a 211 in progress.

One-Adam-12, handle code 3.

♪♪

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

see the man.
Possible 459 there now.

104 East River Street

at the rear of Atherton
Manufacturing Company. Code 2.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

That's just a couple of blocks.

Where are the rest of you?

There should be at least
three or four squad cars here.

What's your name?

I'm Curtis Atherton,
and this is my company.

Can you tell us
what this is all about?

The Ferret... I think we have
him trapped inside the factory.

You two better get some help.

- The Ferret?
- That's what he calls himself.

He's broken in here
at least a dozen times,

causing a great deal of damage.

My security people called
me at home and filled me in.

He's trapped in there right now.

For the last three weeks, this
nut has been sneaking in here

and sabotaging the factory.

We'll take a look inside.
Is there any other way out?

They're supposed
to be sealed off.

Take the front.

Did you get his plate?

No, too far away.

Like the man said, he's tricky.

I can't understand
why he's harassing us.

We've been ahead of
every anti-pollution measure

that's passed the
State Congress.

My partner got a good
look at him, Mr. Atherton.

- We'll do everything we can.
- Splendid.

You gentlemen may be able
to confirm a theory of mine.

What's that?

I've got a hunch that
this Ferret nonsense

is just a cover-up.

When you run a
company like this,

you have to fire people.

I'll bet he's just
some ex-employee

who's carrying a grudge.

It's possible, I guess.

I'll have my staff pull
the records and photos

of all the men that
have been recently fired.

I'd appreciate it if your
officers would stop by later

and see if The
Ferret is among them.

If he's in there,
I'll recognize him.

Still listening to police
calls, huh, Mr. Spence?

Yeah.

Say, Reed, what
does he look like?

Does he, uh, wear
a cape or a mask?

Jim and I would appreciate it if
you'd take it easy on this one, Spence.

And miss your deathless
encounter with The Ferret?

Got to be kidding.

This is going to k*ll
them on the city desk.

That's all we need,
a splashy news story

about some anti-pollution Zorro

who calls himself The Ferret.

If I know Spence,
that's a real possibility.

One-Adam-12, One-Adam-12,

see the man. A 415.257
North Dover Street. Code 2.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

That looks like our 415.

Hey, let me in. Hey, let me in.

Hey, let me in.

Hey, you've got
to help me, please.

- What's the matter?
- Yeah, it's Sue Ellen.

She's about to give birth to a
young'un. Something ain't right.

- Maybe you better show us.
- It's just a couple blocks
down here.

All right, come on.

How long has she been like this?

It ain't been long, honest.

She'd been hunkered down some,

but I figured that's because
the baby was coming and all.

- What's your name?
- Larry, Larry Dent.

You have a doctor?

We got a little ol' fellow back
home in Mississippi, not here.

We ain't been here
but a few months.

I'll get an ambulance.

I can hardly find her pulse. Better
take her ourselves. Give me a hand.

Wait here, please.

Get me a hemoglobin
on this woman, stat.

Are you Mr. Dent?

Yeah.

Has your wife been eating clay?

I can't rightly say.

Maybe she has, maybe she ain't.

I ain't home much during
the day. I couldn't say.

Mr. Dent, your wife
is almost comatose.

Do you understand
what that means?

It means unconscious and unable
to be revived. It's like a coma.

Now, don't you go
trying to scare me, Doc.

Me and Sue Ellen, we done
everything like we supposed to.

We said the words, and we
got a strong mojo working,

and if Sue Ellen is unconscious,

it's because that's
the way he wants it.

Who wants it, Mr. Dent?

I ain't saying.

What was that all about?

Sounds like he's got a witch
doctor, and he's scared to death.

There's a lot of them
on the south side...

Witch doctors and high priests.

They feed on people's
superstitions and fears.

That remark about
the mojo took me.

What's that bit
about eating clay?

There's a superstition that if
a pregnant woman eats clay,

she'll have an easy childbirth

and the baby will
be born healthy.

Actually, just the
reverse is true.

Most of the babies are born
either dead or seriously Ret*rded.

This clay is the red mud from
the Mississippi River Valley.

It has a high starch content.

That affects the
hemoglobin count,

which is normally 12 to 18.

What's hers?

My guess is Mrs. Dent's is
probably somewhere around 2 or 3.

Last few weeks, she's
probably been a walking zombie.

I was wondering if you
could give me some help.

I'd like to get one
of these suppliers.


born in this hospital

come from women who eat clay.

If you could get
into Dent's apartment

and find the clay and
the name of the supplier,

I'll go out on a limb
and sign a complaint.

Can you get in there
without a warrant?

I think so, if we can get
Mr. Dent to cooperate.

He's pretty spooked.

If we put it to him right,
I don't think he'll object.

If you find it, give me a call.

Um... what's a mojo?

It's a prop used by witch
doctors and voodoo men.

It's usually a bat's
eye encased in plastic

or a gold-plated beetle...
The spookier, the better.

For casting spells?

If she's been eating clay

and having spells put
on her for nine months,

there's a good chance
this baby will be born dead.

It's such a terrible waste.

Fellas can search all you like.

It ain't going to
change nothing.

Mojo's been working for us,
and it's got the right power.

You know what that thing can do?

Why, it can... it can make things
happen anywheres in the world,

not just nearby, but anywheres.

Why, even if Sue Ellen and
me was to go back to Mississippi,

it would still be
working for us.

Postmark's from a
town in Mississippi.

I'll call the doctor
and tell him that.

You got a phone around here?

Try next door.

Who is T. Leland Sabeth?

You don't want to go
mixing with Mr. Sabeth.

Why not, Mr. Dent?

If he gave your wife this clay, he
could have seriously hurt your baby.

Oh, it ain't so. No, he
put the mojo on Sue Ellen.

Well, did he tell you if
Sue Ellen took the clay,

it would help her
out with the baby?

Sure, but we knowed it anyways.

Folks back home been
eating clay to have babies

far back as I can remember.

When we first moved to the city,

we's afraid we
weren't going to get it,

but Mr. Sabeth, he's been
giving it out to folks up here.

What is it, Pete?

I just spoke to the
doctor, Mr. Dent.

The little boy was born dead.

That can't be. No,
the baby's healthy.

I'm sorry.

Mm-mm. That...

That's a good,
strong, healthy baby.

We had the mojo.

It was working for us.

It's got power half
way around the world.

I think your wife's
going to be okay.

Look, we'll drive you back
to the hospital. Come on.

What do you think, Pete, we
got time to see T. Leland Sabeth?

We'll make time.

It's part of the
initial investigation.

This is One-Adam-12,
show is Code 6

at 2300 South Arden.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

Troubles of this
world will pass away

in the spirit of mojo.

Trust in the power of your mind.

I pray in the spirit of mojo.

Looks like a Halloween party.

Maintain the circle, and
the devils will be purged,

chased out and damned,

for the evil spirits
cannot penetrate here.

The mojo can protect or curse.

It can reach anywhere.

T. Leland Sabeth?

Reverend Sabeth, yes.

What denomination
is that, Reverend?

That's an archaic
concept, Officer.

We do not think in
terms of denomination

but in terms of
personal salvation

through the
cleansing of the mind.

What do you want?

Did you give this to
Mrs. Sue Ellen Dent?

Is something wrong, Officer?

This was in a wrapper
with your address on it.

It was found in her apartment.

I don't suppose there's
any harm in telling you.

Yes, I gave this to Mrs. Dent.

Do you have any
more of it on hand?

You sound upset, my child.

Come on, how about it?

How is Mrs. Dent?
Has she had the baby?

The baby was born dead.

How sad.

There's quite a bit
of that down here.

I do the best I can
to try and help them,

but I'm not a doctor, you know.

Just what are you?

I told you. I'm a reverend,

a man of the cloth,

and don't you
come barging in here

with any of your
indignant accusations.

I know my rights.

I do not recommend,
nor do I prescribe.

I don't call myself a doctor.

I only make things available
to people who want them.

In Mrs. Dent's case,
it was that box of clay.

That is not a crime,
and I doubt very seriously

that either Mr. or Mrs. Dent

will want to file a
complaint against me.

Let us conclude our
talks in the other room.

What's the matter?

You afraid to let these people
see you for what your are?

In matters of the spirit,

absolute faith is essential.

No harm done.

Mrs. Dent's baby was born dead.

The doctors at the hospital said
it was because she ate that clay.

I must ask you to leave.

Listen, if you people
need medical help,

go to County General.

The doctors
there will treat you.

If you can't pay, the county
will pay the bills for you.

Trial and error,

trouble and terror.

The mojo works for
those who know her.

A sacred eye, the curse is high.

Trouble and terror
will soon be yours.

Let's go, Jim.

We sure shook him up.

You believe a phony like that?

He actually put a hex on me.

With the doctor's complaint,

we might be able to hit
him with a hex of our own.

Let's turn it over
to detectives.

First, let's find a shady spot

where I can write this thing up.

Here comes MacDonald.

Hi, Sarge. You wouldn't happen
to have the ball scores, would you?

Got to stick to the
front page, Reed.

- How come?
- Well, you're all over it.

Just thought I'd warn you
before you go into the station.

You're going to take a ribbing.

Okay, let's have it.

Nice.

Spence really put the
Indian sign on you, Jim.

It goes something like this.

The Ferret is Robin Hood.

He sneaks around at night,

forces industries who are
polluting the environment

to see the danger
of their pollution,

and you are the cop
who's pledged himself

to capture this likeable rogue.

Anything else?

Yeah, the department
switchboard is lit up

with calls from irate citizens

who think we ought
to put Reed in a cage.

The sacred eye
and the curse's eye.

Knock it off.

It'll blow over.

At least he hit a good target.

Atherton Manufacturing

has one of the thickest
folders in the APCD.

We're just doing our job,

and now all of a sudden,
I'm the creep of the week.

If that story had come
out on Mac or me,

would you have needled us?

- Well, I...
- Just a little,
maybe one wise crack?

Yeah, but maybe just one.

Okay, so take it easy.

You know, it is pretty funny.

There's a candidate
for a moving violation.

Let's pull her over.

Try the reds.

We're really making a
big impression on her.

Better call it in.

This is One-Adam-12
requesting wants and warrants

on Ocean Sam Ida 267.

One-Adam-12, Ocean Sam Ida 267,

no wants, no warrants.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

Good afternoon. Uh,
fill it up with regular,

and don't forget the windshield.

One-Adam-12,
One-Adam-12, see the man,

information
regarding 459 suspect,

104 East River Street,

Atherton Manufacturing
Company executive offices.

One-Adam-12, Roger.

You must be the officers
from the factory this morning.

- That's right.
- And you're Officer Reed.

I recognized you from your
picture in the newspaper.

Yes, ma'am.

Gee, I sure hope you get him.

Excuse us, ma'am. We're
supposed to look at some pictures.

Oh, Mr. Atherton is
tied up for a minute,

but if you could take
a seat in the alcove,

I'll tell him you're here.

Thank you.

Beginning to feel
like Clark Kent.

Don't let it get you.

I wonder if that guy
really is an old employee.

I'd say it was a long shot.

This is some of the pollution
you are dumping into the river.

Ask Mr. Atherton if
he likes the smell of it.

Hey, stop that! What do
you think you're doing?

You, uh... You guys
sure get around.

What's your name, Mister?

Ralph Salisbury,

also known as The Ferret.

Okay, Mr. Salisbury, let's go.

Why, you caught him.
You finally caught him.

What a mess.

It'll take hours to get
that smell out of there.

We'll probably never get
the smell out of the river.

This ecology kick is great
fun for you dropouts, isn't it?

You can run around
with your little signs

condemning things
you don't understand,

but let me tell you something.

Business is competitive.

The products we make help
the economy of this country,

and you've cost me a fortune.

Do you know that
almost no marine life

grows in Los Angeles Harbor?

The river you're polluting

doesn't have any
fish in it anymore.

That stuff all over your
shoes is 40% toxic acid.


one kind or another,

and 100% deadly.

On a pollution scale of


Atherton Manufacturing is
an ecological disaster area.

What do you know about
pollution and ecology?

I have a doctorate in the field.

I don't...

I don't imagine that story
made things too easy for you.

No, I'll live through it.

- Anyway, I'm sorry about it.
- No, it's okay.

Oh, could you do me
one more favor, Officer?

Yeah, if I can.

Would you please pick that up?