04x23 - Shadow Play

[bunniefuu]

Flight for Phoenix

departing on schedule at Gate .

Flight for Phoenix, Arizona,

departing on schedule at Gate .

Mr. John Pear, please report
to the ticket reservation counter.

Mrs. Sargent?

I'm Lynn Sargent, yes.
You're Joe Mannix?

Yes.

Do you have identification?

Uh...

My letter mentioned
an identifying address.

What is it?

Now look, Mrs. Sargent--

Please, Mr. Mannix.

Stone Wheel at Oak Canyon.

Thank you.

I had to be sure you were Joe Mannix.

Your letter also said something
about a life and death emergency.

$,. That's very generous.

To do exactly what?

Deliver this package
to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Round trip air fare, $,--

just to save the cost of mailing this?

Please, Mr. Mannix!

I told you it was life and death.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Sargent,

Not unless I must have
a complete explanation.

But I need your help--

Hold it, Mister!

I'll take the package.

Well, this doesn't belong to me.

But this belongs to me.

Guards!

Okay. What happened?

Well, uh...

a couple of guys tried
to take this package from me.

What is it?

Well, I don't know.

It was given to me a few minutes ago
by a Mrs. Sargent.

Couldn't spot 'em.

Okay. It's all over, just break it up folks.

Who are you?

Joe Mannix, private investigator.

What's the thousand for?

Delivering the package.

But you don't know
what's in the package?

Mrs. Sargent got me up here from LA,.

With a letter about some
life and death problem.

When I got here she gave me
the package and the check.

And she took off
when the trouble started.

Yeah.

You better come along with us,

Mannix.

Why?

The package.

Well, I told you.
I don't know what's in it.

Suppose we find out.
Down at headquarters.

Yeah.

I

Come in.

Thank you.

Go on, Mr. Mannix.

Well, I took a flight from LA,.

And was met at the airport
by Mrs. Lynn Sargent.

And all I know is her name.

I never met or heard of her
before she wrote the letter.

And so you decided to fly out here.

The letter said life and death. So I came.

"Life and death"?

That's very apt from Mrs. Sargent.

Why is that?

Recognize this?

Looks like the girl
who met me at the airport.

Lynn Sargent.

Why?

It's new paper. Amateur wrapping.

This package technically
belongs to you, Mr. Mannix.

Do I have your permission to open it?

That's a very polite way
of putting it, Chief Belden.

San Plumus is a small town
but extremely wealthy.

I'm diplomatic.
It goes with the territory.

Be my guest.

Airline tickets and $,.

That's a high fee for delivering

a half-a-dollar's worth
of blank paper, Mr. Mannix.

Can you think of a reason?

Not a one.

I'd suggest you work up an answer.

Because until your story improves,
your situation won't.

And as it stands now,
it's a very ugly sort of hoax.

A hoax?

This is Lynn Sargent's signature card.

It matches the signature on the check.

The bank says it's good.

It was drawn three days ago

by a woman matching that photograph
and your description.

Which proves it all happened.

Except that Lynn Sargent is dead.

k*lled in a hit-and-run accident.

A month ago.

She was buried three days later.

Now she's dead, Mr. Mannix.

And I'd like to know exactly
who met you at the airport.

So would |.

Come on, Mr. Mannix, who sent you?

Somebody signing herself
as Lynn Sargent.

Why?

I don't know!

This woman met you at the airport?

That's right.

And handed you a check for $,?

I told you!

A check drawn by a dead woman?

A package of blank paper?

A delivery boy's job
at $ an hour, plus expenses?

Come on, Mr. Mannix!

Now look!

Don't you think I could work
up a better story than that

if it wasn't the truth?

It Tobias in LA said you were clean.

Honest, loyal to your clients.

She is no client.

All' I know is I came here,

met a dead woman at the airport

and was jumped by a couple of thugs.

All right, Mr. Mannix...

You can go.

Just like that?

I have no cause to hold you.

Then you do believe me?

Not particularly.

But neither have I any evidence
of illegal action on your part.

As yet.

Look, Chief, uh...

can you tell me a little bit
about Lynn Sargent?

Why?

Well maybe I can help find
out what this is all about.

Al right.

Her husband's a prominent local citizen.

Anthony Sargent,
investment broker.

Mrs. Sargent was run down near
her house about a month ago.

k*lled instantly.

That's not much to go on.

That's all we have.

The Highway Patrol have investigated
the case thoroughly.

If you want the details, ask them.

Mrs. Sargent went
for a walk at approximately

: in the afternoon
along Oak Canyon Road.

It's a back road, not much traffic.

And judging by the footprints,

she saw the car
come around this curve.

As it got closer, she tried to dodge.

The tire marks indicate the car skidded
and hit her about here.

You mean she turned around

and just stood there waiting?

Well, it happens that way,
Mr. Mannix.

An individual is shocked--
they freeze for a few seconds.

That's all it takes.

You're sure it was an accident?

Only her husband knew
she'd gone out for a walk,

and he was at home talking
to some business clients.

We checked it all out, Mr. Mannix.

So did the San Plumus Police.

Chief Belden told me.

Yeah.

Yeah, he's a little uptight about it.

He runs a good department
and doesn't much like this sort of thing.

It's still an open case.

There were no witnesses,

no clues on the car. Nothing.

It just... hit her and vanished.

It was a very nice funeral.

Mr. Sargent spared no expense.

Terrible, of course.

She was a lovely person.

And she was definitely
Mrs. Sargent?

What?

Well, who else could she be, sir?

After all, we knew her.

She was a prominent person
in San Plumus.

Who attended the funeral?

Mr. Sargent, of course.

And many friends.

And her sister.

Sister?

Miss Janet Kirby.

Charming girl.

She took it badly.

But the loss of a loved one...

She attended the funeral
and then returned immediately

to San Francisco.

Mr. Sargent was a trifle upset.

I think he expected her to stay.

But she insisted on leaving.

How do you know?

What?

I mean, did they confide in you?

I'm just curious, Mr. Prescott.

Well...

actually there was a touch
of bad feeling between them.

Yeah, I was a trifle concerned,

I mean, I heard the...the exchange.

Only because I was most anxious

to avoid any... difficulties.

I see.

Well, thank you, Mr. Prescott.

Yeah, Miss Kirby was emotional.

She had strong feeling.

And I...

well I was certain
that nobody wanted any trouble

especially Mr. Sargent.

Trouble? No!

I don't want any more, Mr. Mannix.

I've had enough.

You see, I loved my wife.

Now she is dead.

Dead!

It's strange you-- you say that

and you go through the motions,

cleaning up the bits and pieces of your life.

Then I woke up one morning

and I turned over to look at her.

She always looked so--
vulnerable asleep.

I looked and saw she wasn't there.

I broke.

Like a plate dropped on a stone floor.

I just broke.

I spent all that day and all that night

trying to face it.

Well, I came through
it all right, Mr. Mannix.

But I'm still vulnerable.

Like that plate, glued together,

but ready to come apart
if anybody hits me

in the wrong place...

I'm sorry, Mr. Sargent.

But, uh...somebody's
using your wife's name.

And I was jumped by two thugs.

I don't like being used as a target.

I'd like to know why it happened.

I can't help you.

Mr. Sargent...

I wonder if you could tell
me a little something

about your wife's family?

Her mother's dead.

Her father lives in Florida.

He's retired.

And she has a sister in San Francisco,

Janet Kirby.

Did they resemble each other?

Yes, a little, the way sisters do.

But Janet's dark, a little younger.

Would you know if their
handwriting was similar?

What?

Oh, the check.

No. The handwriting
was nothing alike.

The check must be a forgery.

Now look, I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix.

Maybe you're just innocently involved

in somebody's idea of a practical joke.

But I don't appreciate it.

I understand.

Thank you.

Mr. Sargent, I'm sorry if I bothered you.

Get in, Mr. Mannix.

I hope I didn't keep you waiting.

No, you're right on time.

Let's go.

What's the hurry?

We know where they're going.

The stone wheel at Oak Canyon.

Don't tell me.

This is Lynn Sargent's house.

That's right.

You're a very disconcerting man,
Mr. Mannix.

minutes from San Plumus.

All of it in silence.

Don't you have any questions?

Like just who you are?

At least.

I know. Janet Kirby out
of San Francisco with a wig.

I repeat-You're a very
disconcerting man.

I figured it was
too elaborate and expensive

to be a practical joke.

Somebody who knew Lynn Sargent

and cared for her very much
brought her back to life.

Like her sister.

Do you also know why?

No. But I imagine you'll
get around to telling me.

Come inside, Mr. Mannix.

It's been closed down
since Lynn's death.

The stone wheel.

Lynn found them in Mexico.

They're primitive cartwheels.

She brought them up here
for her house.

For her beloved husband.

I understand you had a quarrel with him
at the funeral.

I had reason to...

He m*rder*d my sister.

Why do you say that?

Anthony Sargent--

loving husband, successful
investment broker.

Only that's not all of it.

He's a front man for the Syndicate.

He invests their money
in legitimate businesses.

The new economics.

He has legitimate business
people as partners.

They don't know.

All those nice people who
let him make their deals.

And they cover up the dirty money.

He needed a front.

A home, a wife...

My sister Lynn.

Do you have any proof of all of this?

No.

Lynn found out.

She was the proof
that it was all happening.

And she's dead.

He k*lled her.

Miss Kirby, he has an alibi.

Of course!

He's an executive.

He wouldn't dirty his own hands.

He ordered it done.

But you can't prove it?

No.

I talked to Chief Belden.

Oh, he was very polite.

Yeah, he heard me out.

And then he warned me
about slander.

He said...| probably
just needed a rest.

What makes you so sure
about all this?

Lynn told me.

Before she d*ed.

She found out about Tony,
and she told me.

We were very close.

She was going to meet me
up in San Francisco,

so we could...

so we could talk it out.

But she never got there.

Hmm. So you, uh...
decided to pay them back?

Yes.

And you used me to knock
Anthony Sargent off balance.

Tell me, uh...

what was supposed to be
in that package

you gave me at the airport.

Evidence?

|--I told Tony that Lynn kept a diary.

I wanted him to think there
was proof of what he did.

I guess he believed it.

I'm sorry.

About using you, I mean.

But I wanted to make it all seem real.

Hmm.

Why didn't you just tell me about this
in the first place?

Would you have believed it?

Without any evidence?

Now there's proof!

Those two men who att*cked
you at the airport.

The police can't ignore that!

Tony sent them!

It won't stand up as evidence.

It's not enough, of course.

But there will be real proof.

I called Tony.

I told him that I'd be here waiting.

Ready to talk about
what was in Lynn's diary.

If you're right,

you're taking
a very dangerous gamble.

I've worked it all out.

I talked to Chief Belden.

He's keeping an eye on Tony.

Now if Tony comes
out here after me,

the police will be following,

and they'll have their proof.

Stay here!

Lock the door!

There's at least two of them.

One of them drove your car away
while the one was using a g*n.

Well, Chief Belden
should be here any minute.

That may not be soon enough.

If you're right and Sargent
had your sister k*lled,

he could have hired professionals

to come after you.

And I got you into this.

Forget it! You did tell the police.

Now all we've got to do
is figure out a way

to delay our friends out there.

How far are the nearest neighbors?

Over a mile.

Lynn loved this place because
it was so out of the way.

You stay here.

They've got the back covered, too.

The telephone!

Forget it!

I'm sure the lines are cut.

They're pros, all right.

What's upstairs?

Uh, bedrooms, study.

Well, I have a hunch
all they intend to do

is keep us pinned down
until Sargent gets here.

Why?

Well, he can't afford to have you k*lled

until he's sure how much
evidence you have

or who you might have talked to.

Or until he finds out

there never was any evidence.

In the meantime, we've got to try
to keep stalling them.

I hope that Chief Belden
gets here in time.

How did your sister find out

Sargent was working
for the Syndicate?

She heard Tony
talking on the phone one day.

He thought she was out shopping.

Wait a minute.

What's the matter?

I just want to make sure
there's nobody in the house.

Janet!

Now you wait here.

I'm going to check out the rest
of the upstairs.

I'll be right back, huh?

Joel

Outside!

One of the men who att*cked you
at the airport.

We better get downstairs.

While I'm making my move to the back,

I want you to push this furniture out
in front of the window

so that they can see it
from out front, okay?

Why?

I want to confuse them.

Keep them wondering
what we are up to.

All right. But what are we up to?

I'm going to open up
the hunting season.

Be careful.

Janet, look out!

Come on!

Why didn't you burn him?

You heard the orders.

Nobody gets hurt. Now, come on!

The distributor's gone.

We'll have to make a run for it.

Hi, I've been looking for you two.

We were held prisoner
at the house by two men.

Take it easy, Miss Kirby.

We're all okay now.

Where'd you get that?

I took it from one of the men.

They're the same two men
who jumped me at the airport.

And you just took it?

That's right.

Very impressive.

Very good try.

Try?

Try. As in try and fail.

Go get in the car, Mr. Mannix.

Those men? They work for you?

That's right.

Just as Mr. Sargent and |
work for the same people.

You see, it's a very large organization.

Come on.

Clowns!

You told us not to hurt the girl.

We didn't want to take any chances.

Aw, you wouldn't.

You can't imagine the labor
problems we have these days.

Well, what about the girl?

We'll wait for Mr. Sargent.
He'll talk to her.

I'm going to bring up my car.

Here. Put these on them,

if you can figure out the mechanism.

What are you going to do with us?

That's up to your brother-in-law.

Come on, get 'em on.

Get your hands out.

I don't believe it.

Now get up there and wait for Sargent!

Then what?

That's up to him.

We could go in after them.

And get the girl k*lled?

It'll be dark soon.

There have no way out.

We wait.

They're going to have to
come in after us soon.

Belden's office may call in for him.

Somebody might go by.

They can't let this run on too long.

Heh. It's almost funny, isn't it?

Counting on Belden to go after Tony
when he works for Tony.

That's what the law of statistics
says about long sh*ts.

Mostly, they lose.

The dice are still rolling.

Sargent still has to find
out how much you know.

I saw myself as a one-girl crusade.

But I couldn't live with it.

Knowing that Lynn had been k*lled

and not trying to do
something about it.

So I just went ahead and did
everything wrong, didn't [?

No.

You did force Sargent out into the open.

And now Chief Belden.

My office knows where I am and why.

Belden can't keep a lid on it forever.

Either way, we've got a chance.

He and Sargent don't.

Well, Tyson told me.

What a mess.

But we can't risk k*lling the girl
until we know what she has.

So we go in.

He's got a r*fle.

How many cartridges?

Five in the clip.
Maybe one in the chamber.

All right. Start diverting him.

Keep him busy.
I'll go in through the side.

Now, Belden, you cover this area.

Blake, you come with me.

Sargent just arrived.

What are they doing?

I don't know.

But I can cover the front
more easily from upstairs.

Come on.

Here, this will do.

It's okay.

They're just putting lights
on the target.

They have no way of knowing
we're not down there.

Now you stay here.

I'm going to check our friends outside.

They must be in the house by now.

Hit the brights!

Joel

Get him out of the way first.

Then we can talk.

Here. That convince you?

Put him in the closet.

Let's get into the other room.

Janet!

Over there.

Okay.

For openers, I'm here to help you.

Why?

Did she tell you who I am?

Really am, I mean?

Some of it.

Okay.

Fact-I front for
a combine of hot money.

I find places to put it,
legitimate places.

And your wife discovered that.

Yes.

And it hurt her.

I thought she was going
to walk out on me.

So you had her k*lled!

No, Janet.

I told you I loved her.

Look, what if she had turned me in.

What do you think
would have happened?

I'd've wound up with
a small fine and a tax audit.

I don't understand.

Oh, Janet...

Maybe I am a little
outside of the law.

But I don't k*ll people.

I don't throw bombs.

I just play a little cute with money.

And that's a sin
only if you're caught.

Certainly not enough
to k*ll somebody for...

much less, Lynn.

But she was k*lled.

I didn't think so at the time.

I really thought it was an accident.

I never believed they would do it.

Maybe I wanted to forget
who my bosses are,

where the money comes from.

You know, I said I don't k*ll people.

But they do.

They k*lled her...

because it was good business.

Belden.

He has his own connections
with my people.

But I'm going to use him.

My wife was m*rder*d.

And I'm going to find out
exactly who did it.

Tony...

Janet, I really loved her.

You know, when I heard Belden
had you two bottled up,

I thought I could get you out.

Well, the odds are a little more even.

At least, we both have g*ns.

Tell me...

does Belden take orders from you?

If it's business, yes.

We might have a chance.

Belden, I got them!

Well, well...

Where's Blake?

Mannix got him.

No loss.

What does she know?

She doesn't know a thing.

There's no evidence.

No diary, nothing.

You're positive?

Oh yeah.

I checked her out on some of the things

that Lynn would have put in her diary.

She came up empty.

She doesn't know a thing.

Just a nasty suspicious
little mind, huh?

Well, I must say,

you certainly caused a lot
of trouble, Miss Kirby.

I meant to.

It'll be forgotten.

When they're dead.

Mm-hmm.

But I want
it done professionally

like last time, like my wife.

That was an accident.

Aw come on.

It was a neat job, but it was a job.

You don't have
to spare my feelings.

She found out what I did for a living,

and she had to be eliminated.

And here I thought
you were mourning her loss.

I was her husband. I had to look sad.

I was fond of her, all right.

Not enough to be stupid.

I'll keep these two here with me.

It's my house,
nobody will suspect a thing.

You two can go.

Make a call.

I want the same guy
to take care of them

that k*lled my wife.

The same way.

One neat accident.

I don't think so.

I'm telling you.

And I say "no".

I'm still the Police Chief
of this town, remember?

I can't cover up
two more accidental deaths.

Especially your wife's sister
and a private detective.

Miss Kirby here has gone
to an awful lot of trouble

to raise a ghost.

Well, she raised it. People are talking.

Then you'd better let us go.

I'll do it for half the money, Mr. Sargent.

And you'd probably mess it up.

No, I say we take them out of the State.

Arizona, in the boondocks.

Dump the bodies down
an abandoned mine shaft.

You know something, Belden.

I couldn't care less what you think.

I want it done my way.

Mr. Sargent,
you're the financial wizard.

Anything this heavy, I'll handle.

That's my end.

Or should I say theirs.

Sargent!

Did you ever wonder how the k*ller

pinpointed your wife's hit?

What?

You were the only one who knew
when she went for that walk--

He's stalling. He's tricky.

Come on, bring him along, Tyson.

No, no, no. Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

We have some time.

And I'm curious.

Somebody had a string
on your wife, Sargent.

It had to be somebody local,
who wouldn't be noticed.

Somebody who knew the area.

One of the locals. It adds up.

It had to be somebody
that your wife trusted.

She didn't run from that car
until the last minute.

She stood still while that
car was bearing down on her

as if she couldn't believe it.

Or she knew the driver
and felt safe.

Janet, I was in a business meeting.

You could have rigged that alibi.

But he didn't.

He really did love your sister, Janet.

But the Chief here,

when I showed him the signature
on that check you gave me.

He said it was Lynn Sargent's.

All the time he knew it was a forgery.

He was in charge of the
investigation all along!

Your wife just stood there,
Sargent.

While that car was racing down on her.

A police car.

She was
a law-abiding citizen.

And she trusted the police.

Right, Chief?

You, Belden?

Al right.

Nothing personal, Mr. Sargent.

But our mutual friends felt
that your wife was going

to ruin a very profitable
arrangement.

You kept reassuring them.

They kept saying, "But he loves her".

You k*lled her?

It was very quick, painless.

She didn't feel a thing.

Are you okay?

It's all right.