05x11 - The Man Outside

[bunniefuu]

Joe.

Who is it?

Alec?

I'm sorry to startle you,
but I didn't want anybody to see me.

It sounds serious.

I need help, Joe.. fast.

They say there's no fool like an old fool.

A woman?

Yeah.

Does Liz know?
No.

When did it start?

I met her a few weeks ago.

She seemed very impressed
that I was "the" General Holt.

It turned out to be a very costly
introduction.

She's trying to shake you down?
No, not her.

It's a woman photographer
named Carol Barr.

She does some work at the firm I'm with,
Coronet Electronics.

She introduced us.

Hmm. And set you up.

Yes.

About an hour ago at my cabin
in the mountains,

I was with this woman, and suddenly
the door was shoved open.

And Carol Barr snapped her pictures...
and ran.

I can still hear that camera clicking away
like an a*t*matic r*fle.

It took me almost an hour, driving like
the devil, to get back to my home.

Joe...

$, cash and bearer bonds.

Get the film back.

No bargaining, no questions,
just get the film.

Where do I find her?

Rosemont Drive.

Well, if the film is there,
maybe I can save you ,.

Don't even try, Joe.

I've got too much at stake.

My marriage, my reputation. You see,
I'm vice president of Coronet Electronics.

A scandal would blow me right out into
the middle of the street.

Okay, Alec. I'll pay her.

If you have to, promise her more.
I'll pay anything, just get the film.

You, uh, better have that drink.

♪♪

Miss Barr?
Yes.

May I come in?

I don't know what it is you're selling
at this hour, but I don't want any.

I'm not selling, I'm buying.

In that case, the store is closed.

You might at least listen to my sales pitch.

Check the registration.

Right.

Unless you have a warrant,
I think you better leave.

I'm not from the police.

Well in that case, I'm sure they'd like to
know exactly who you are.

The number is -.

You said you were a buyer?
That's right.

Of what?
Film.

What kind?
Fresh film...

sh*t in a mountain cabin
a couple hours ago.

Who are you?

Private investigator?
Mm-hmm.

Cash and negotiable bonds,
$,o's worth.

No fuss, no phone calls, no police.

That's the way my client wants it.

Your client?
A man pretty highly placed.

Well, I must say he's very prompt
coming up with the money.

Well, he thought it best to appeal
to your conscience quickly.

It's the sort of appeal I respond to.

Where's the film?

Still in the camera.

What are you doing?

Just checking.

Well, uh, thank you, Miss Barr.

Thank you, Mr. Mannix.

You see, I do have a conscience.

Hold it, Mannix.

Don't move.

All right, slow down here.

Look for a good spot along here
where I can finish him off and dump him.

Right.

That looks like a good spot up ahead.
Yeah.

Stop! Stop!

I'll go get him.
Hold it.

Let's get out of here.

Whatever you came up against with
on your head, Mr. Mannix,

just one more inch right here
on this side...

Well, you could have had a very bad fracture
and a massive blood clot.

It could have been fatal.

As it is?

As it is, just contusions and bruises.

Give me a half hour to complete your
paperwork, you'll be on your way.

Thanks, Doc.

Well, Joe, what happened?

Oh, nothing.

It was a rough night.
Very rough date.

She threw you all the way from where
your car was parked on Rosemont Drive

clear out to a gully
on the north side of the city?

She was a black belt.

It's nothing to me if you don't want
to press charges.

Against whom, Art?
She's really a very nice girl.

With a size- fist.

Joe.
General.

Are you going to be all right?
I phoned your office--

...to, uh, confirm our luncheon date, and
your secretary told me about the accident.

Uh, General, this is Lieutenant Malcolm
of the LAPD.

General Holt of Coronet Electronics.

And the Chosin Reservoir and the Punchbowl
and Panmunjom, as I recall.

It's a privilege, sir.
Thank you.

Are you here to investigate the accident?

No, it's just a sympathy call.

Mm. Our lunch date is still on.
The doctor says I'm free to go.

Well, I've got to get back.

Please to have met you, sir.
Take care, Joe.

See you, Art.

Joe, what happened?

I was jumped.
I had the film, but I lost it.

Two men h*jacked me
when I was leaving Carol Barr's house.

It must have been the same two men.

Your hijackers called me this morning,
came by to see me,

wanted to make a deal for the film.
I bought it.

What?
Forget it, Joe.

I got the film, it's over.
It's finished.

I don't want the police within a hundred
miles of this case. It's done.

Closed, Joel

All right, Alec. It's your case.

Thanks.

And, Joe, please do drop by the house.

Liz would love to see you.

Yeah.

Peggy?

Hello.

Peggy?

Why didn't you answer the phone?

'Cause I asked her not to.

Put your hands on the desk
where I can see 'em.

Okay, where is it?

Where's what?

The film.

What film is it you want this time?

The film you took from Carol Barr.

You took that from me last night, remember?

And sold it this morning.

Don't be funny, Mannix.

This is the film we got last night.

The right film, please.

I told you I haven't got it.

Carol Barr must have
switched cameras on me.

You got approximately ten seconds
to come up with that film.

I can't give you what I never had.

What do you know?
One empty chamber.

Hold it.

He's gotta be tellin' the truth.
He wouldn't die for it.

Mannix, you better be telling the truth.

Operator, give me the police.

No police, Peggy, not yet.

Aren't you going to do anything?

Yeah.
I'm going to go see the General.

About what?

He told me those two sold the film
back to him this morning.

I want to know why he lied to me.

Joel

Hello, Liz.

Oh, Joel What a pleasant surprise!

It's been a long time.

Almost a year.

It's amazing. Men get older,
and women get more attractive.

Oh, thank you, Joe.

You should come see us every day.

Come on in.

Is Alec expecting you?

No, I just came by on the spur of the moment.
I needed some advice.

Oh. Well, he's in the study,
working on some report.

Coronet Electronics keeps him even busier
than the Army did.

I hardly ever get a chance to see him.

Hey, now those look familiar.

Oh, yeah.

You know, you were in quite a few of those,
you and Alec.

Hmm, and they're finally going into
the family album.

Yeah, it's one of those things
that you keep postponing

until the right reason comes along.

And what's that?

Well, we're finally going to have time now.
Alec has decided to retire.

Retire?

I thought he was very happy with his job
at Coronet Electronics?

Oh, he's really fed up with business
in general.

It's been a long time coming, but he finally
made up his mind, just this morning.

There's one taken in Seoul.
Seems like yesterday.

Now there's one I won't forget in a hurry:

Chosin.

The General and I were on our way
to an outpost.

We stopped near this farmer's cottage
for some water,

and suddenly, we were surrounded
by a half dozen of the enemy.

So then I said, "Let's try the Inchon
maneuver."

Hello, Alec.

Joe, It's been a dog's age!
How have you been?

Things been going well for you?

Not bad. Uh, but nowadays, you know,

a private investigator has to be
an electronic technician, too...

which is why I came by.

Oh, technical advice.

Acoustics.

Well, if this is going to be one of those
square roots of something or other,

I'll just get confused.

Joe, come and see us again real soon,
will you?

Promise.
Okay.

Excuse me.

Why did you come, Joe?

Why did you tell me you bought the film from
the two men who h*jacked it from me?

Because I did.

Then why did they come to my office
an hour ago trying to find it?

They took it from you last night.
You told me that.

They took what Carol Barr palmed off on me
for $,.

Alec, why did you tell me
you bought back the film?

Because I never should have
involved you at all.

I'm sorry you got banged up, Joe,
I really am.

Here, I'll make you out a check,
and we can close the books.

I didn't come here for a check, Alec!

I came here to find out what's going on.

If we couldn't wind this up last night,
there's not very much to be done.

I'll simply have to make
a clean breast to Liz.

That's not going to get Carol Barr
and those two hoods off your back.

You're still a vice president
of Coronet Electronics.

I'm retiring.
So Liz told me.

That's something else I don't understand.

Last night your job was one of the most
important things in your life.

That was last night.
Alec.. Alec, let me help you.

If there's anything that can be done,
I have to do it.

Last night I behaved like a raw recruit
under fire, but I got it back together now.

You think you can handle Carol Barr?

She probably still has that film and was just
playing it cozy to jack up the ante.

I'll try to deal with her directly.

Listen, Joe, I appreciate your offer of help,
I really do,

but I have to handle this myself.

Okay, Alec.

If that's the way you want it.

Peggy?
Yeah?

Do you have the daytime address
for Carol Barr?

Wilton Boulevard,
Carol Barr Photography.

Oh, good. Thanks.

You're going to see her?
Yep.

The General's at home on a b*ttlefield,
but blackmail, now that's another game.

I'm going to get that film back for him.

But, Joe, he took you off the case.

This visit's going to be unofficial.

Wilton Boulev--

.

Isn't that also the address
of Coronet Electronics?

Yes, it is.

Good. Good, good.

Great. Okay, now one more.

Beautiful.

Good. Okay.

Okay. Good.

Beautiful, Michelle. Beautiful.

Okay. Now a profile. Good.

Oh, uh, thank you, Michelle.
You're finished for the day.

So is my back.

Do I hear complaints at $ an hour?

Here's your check.

Hey!

That's your overtime for last week.

My back just stopped hurting.

Same time tomorrow?

See me before you leave.

Well, what now, Mr. Mannix?

I didn't enjoy the pictures.
I'd like my money back.

Sorry.
The merchandise is not returnable.

But the film you sold me wasn't satisfactory.

Aw, was the General disappointed?

He was. So was |.

Your two partners caught up with me
outside your house.

Ex-partners.

Oh, well, then I can make a firm deal
for the film with you alone?

It's available at a fair price.

And will I get credit for my ,

Of course.
Consider it a down payment.

Good.
Let's talk total price.

,

Uh, you don't value your client very highly.

Why don't you name a figure.

,.

Well, that's quite a jump from last night.

Well, last night I didn't realize
how valuable the film was.

I see.

All right, $,.
Payment on delivery.

Are you authorized to make that offer?

I'm ready to leave, Miss Barr.

Thank you, Michelle.

: tomorrow morning.

And would you mind dropping these
in the mailbox as you go out?

Not at all. Bye.

Now as I was saying, about your authority
to offer that figure...

Last night I was given authority to
get the film back... at any cost.

Have it in small bills, please.

Where?
My house, :.

Fine.

Don't bother about dinner.

Hello.

Where've you been all day?
I've got to see you.

Well, I'm, uh-Pro just leaving.
Let's make it tomorrow morning.

Right now!

Give me a few minutes.

I'll change and drop by your office.

I'll be waiting.

Hello?

Hello, Liz. Joe Mannix.

Oh, yes, Joel

It was good to see you today, too.

Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, you just missed him.
He went out.

No, no, not to the office.

Well, would you tell him
it's urgent, Liz?

Yeah, the same technical problem I talked to
him about earlier.

Yes, yes, I'll tell him.
Bye.

Send her in, please.

Now, Paul, darling, what's wrong?

Don't play games with me, Carol.

Games are the furthest thing from my mind.

Just what are you trying to do?

What's financially best for both of us.

Did you really give Mannix
the wrong film last night?

I did.

And what did you do with the actual film?

Carol, they want it.

They want it now!

I know.
They called me this morning.

And what did you tell them?

I told them I'd sell it to them,
at a fair price.

You're mad.

This is not an auction.
I made an arrangement with them.

I know. They paid you a generous
$, in advance.

Of which I gave you half to get the film.

We'll give them their $, back.

They don't want the money.

Carol, you can't back out of a deal
with this kind.

Why not?

They're more vulnerable than we are.

Now you let me handle things, and I'll sell
the film to the highest bidder.

You're out of your mind.

No. That film is worth $,,
maybe $,.

And all you've got to do, Paul, darling,
is keep your cool.

Carol, where's the film?

At the right time, I'll deliver the film
to the highest bidder.

They'll k*ll us.

No, they'll pay.

And if they don't, the General will.

Yes?

Yes.

All right, I'll be right down.

Give me--give me a couple of minutes.

Did you talk to her?

Yes.

She's out of her mind
asking you for more money.

Did she give the film to Mannix?

No.

Does she still have it?

Yes.

Where is it?

I don't know.

I asked her.

A safe place she said.
She wouldn't tell me.

Find it.

Where would I look?
How would I know where?

It's either at her house or at her studio.

Look, |--| did my part.

Why don't you get it from her?

Our deal was with you.
We paid you. You hired her.

Suppose I give you the money back?

How would you like to make the trip down
without the elevator?

All right. I'll try.

I'll get the film.

Yeah. That ought to work just fine.

What happens if your little green-eyed friend
wants to count it

and gets past the real money on top?

Well, that's not the way it's going to work.
She only gets a quick look at the money.

Then you take her to Barney's darkroom
to develop the film.

That's right. And when I see that I've got
the right film, she gets the briefcase.

Aah! Aah!

I want to report a death.
Rosemont Drive.

Danny, do you know who called this in?

No, Lieutenant, anonymous.

All right to use this?
Yeah.

Nothing in here anywhere, and somebody's
searched the place wall to wall.

We picked up a couple of partial prints on
the back doorknob.

.

Charlie, this is Malcolm.

What was the address where Joe Mannix's car
was found the other night?

On this street?
That's what I thought.

Give him a call. Ask him to stop by
and see me, will you?

Thanks.

Don't move!

Now turn around.

Hello, Joe.

You told me you'd make your own deal
with Carol Barr,

but did that include an illegal search
of her studio?

I could be looking for publicity photographs.

Carol did a lot of work for
Coronet Electronics.

You, uh, used the past tense.

Didn't you know?
Carol is dead.

I heard it on the car radio.
An accident they said.

m*rder.
How do you know that?

There was someone in her house
when she was k*lled.

Have the police made an identification?

I don't know, but if they find the film
you're looking for,

the DA will have all the motive he needs
to hang it on you.

Joe, I wasn't at her house.

I've never been to her house.

If somebody committed a m*rder,
it was not me.

You've got to take my word on that.

I believe you, Alec.

Carol Barr is still dead.

Just another reason why I've got to find
that film.

Alec, what's this all about?
I was almost k*lled.

Carol Barr puts a price of a price of
$, on a strip of film.

Then she's m*rder*d during
a search of her house,

and you take a chance coming here
to look for it.

Now what's going on, Alec?

I told you, blackmail.

Oh, not for a compromising picture!
There's something else behind all of this.

What do they want?
Why haven't you leveled with me?

I can't!

I can't.

You'll just have to take me on faith.

And you don't want my help.

Well, I haven't had much luck trying to find
the film myself.

Are you asking me back on the case?

We always did work well together, Joe.

Yeah.

Good morning, Art.
Hello, Joe. Come on in.

I got your invitation.

Thanks for stopping by.

Peggy said it was urgent.
Something I can help you with?

I think we've found your black belt.

Oh?
And who might that be?

Carol Barr.

Oh, yeah, I read that this morning.
How do I fit into it?

Your car was found in front of her house
the night we fished you out of the gully.

Coincidence.

Oh?

That, too?

What's my connection with this?

The County Hospital.
You and General Holt.

Well, that was just a lunch date.

A lunch date or a triangle?

You, the General for a client,
and Carol Barr.

You think I can help you with the m*rder?

I don't know, Joe.

Anything else, Lieutenant?
No. Thanks, Helen.

Well, Joe, can you help us?

Hmm?

Oh, I'll try, Art, if I can.

The General was involved with Carol Barr,
wasn't he?

Oh, now you know I don't believe in that
cocktail party gossip.

You and he saw action in Korea, right?

Yeah, and we've been friends ever since.

Joe, you will cooperate if the m*rder
evidence points to the General?

Yeah.

Remember that.

Of course I remember. It was right after you
came into Carol's studio.

And she said, "See me before you leave."

And when I came back out, she handed me
the envelopes to mail for her.

Would you...

And there were about five of them, right?

Four. I remember.

Did you look at them?
The addresses I mean.

Of course. Every little bit of prying helps
in my business.

Uh, do you remember any of the addresses
they were going to?

All of them.

There were two to the Martel Agency,

one to the Fashion Group,
and one that made no sense.

Why is that?

Well, it was addressed to herself.

It had a little packet or something
or other inside.

Was it addressed to her home?

No, right back to her studio.

Does that make sense?
To send something back to yourself?

Well, for Carol Barr it did.

Thanks, Michelle, you've been a great help.

Anytime. And...soon?

Soon.

Well, there you are, Joe,
ready for your sneak preview.

Ah, good.
I'll take it from here, okay?

I don't mind sticking around.

Thanks a million, Barney, but it's private.

Okay, if that's the way you want it.

Top secret?
Department of Defense?

Joe, you don't think--
No, I don't.

All those men? The money?
The General involved with spies?

Is that possible, Joe?

Not Alec Holt.

But if he has nothing to worry about,
then why all those lies?

That's something I'm still going
to have to find out.

Yeah?

Oh, he did, huh?

Well, you follow him and keep in touch.
We'll be right behind you.

Al right.

I, uh, found the film.

Fine, Joe.

I'll take it.

It's too late for that, Alec.

I developed it.
I know what it is.

Joe, please.

Can't do it, not without some explanation to
justify my turning it over to you.

Rather than to the authorities?

Yeah. I suppose in your position.
I'd do the same thing.

Oh, Alec...

Alec, I can't believe you're mixed up in
something like this.

Joe, you can understand that the Army
was my whole life.

Outside of Liz, my only life.

I lived according to its ideals of discipline
and duty.

Honor and sacrifice and devotion to my
country were part of me.

And then, my guard down,
the enemy slipped through.

Well, that is no more excusable

than if I had sold the documents
to Carol Barr for cold cash.

And that weakness, that-that mistake,

I find--I can hardly admit to myself,

let alone tell you or somebody else
the whole story of what happened.

It's time you did, Alec.

Now, Liz, there's no need for any
further explanation.

Oh, yes, there is.
The need is mine.

I won't let you demean yourself anymore,
not for me.

Joe, everything Alec told you is true.

Except the weakness, the mistake...

was mine, not his.

He's been protecting me all along.

Liz, please.

I'm not going to try to defend myself.

I just want to explain how desperately
lonely it's been for me.

For Alec, there was one w*r, and another.

And then Coronet Electronics...

offices worldwide, and Alec going all over
on goodwill missions.

We didn't have any life together.

Sometimes I didn't see him for months.

And then...

last year...

sometime in June,

he came home, on his way from
Hong Kong to London.

He brought Paul Glydor with him,
for a business conference.

Unless Washington comes up with a lot
of flak, you know,

and it causes a lot of major changes,

I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be
through by, what, three weeks from now,

possibly four.

Really?

I'll be held up with the Pentagon boys
around the clock for the next couple of days.

It shouldn't take longer than that to get a
definite answer one way or the other.

Personally, I think we're a shoo-in.

We've got a fine product, and Coronet is
batting a thousand.

It stopped last month

when Alec finally came home to work on that
secret project for the government.

He worked here,
summarizing technical reports.

And then the night before last,
he got a phone call,

asking him to come to the office to pick up
some classified material.

A few minutes after he left, Paul arrived.

I didn't know he was coming.

He said he had to talk to me,
said it couldn't wait.

So we went out to the summerhouse to talk,

about Alec, his being home,
about what we were going to do.

I suddenly realized we'd been out too long,

and I insisted on getting back to the house
before Alec came home.

I'll be just a second, Paul.

Paul!

I got everything.

I don't understand.

The General doesn't ever have to know.

Paul!

Just remember, that to a jury,
you'll look like an accomplice.

I found her sitting there.

She told me what had happened.

And I realized it was as much my fault
as anybody else's.

I'd built a life that included Liz, but which
kept her safely locked away...

at home, alone.

I came to you.

I couldn't tell the truth.

I just hoped that Carol Barr was greedy
enough to take the money for the film.

No duplicate negatives, no extra copies?

None. She d*ed before she had a chance
to make any.

Well, then, no harm is done.

With the film b*rned...

I wonder.

With Carol Barr dead
and Lieutenant Malcolm on the case,

it could still bust wide open.

I'll take that chance.

No, Alec!

You tried to protect me once before,
and I won't let you do it again.

We've got to tell them everything
that happened.

Liz, if there's an inquiry,
you might be implicated.

You might have to go to prison.
I couldn't stand that.

Wait a minute, Alec. She wasn't working with
them, she was being used.

I'm sure the authorities will take that
into account.

Get down!

Stay down.

Hello.

Is that you, General Holt?

This is Joe Mannix.

All right, Mannix, we've come for the film.

Try Carol Barr.

She had it until you found it.

Sorry, we don't have it either.

You were at Carol Barr's studio.
From there you went to a photo lab.

Now we know you found the negative.

That's right, but we b*rned it
when I got here.

That better be a lie, Mannix,
or you're all as good as dead.

They've cut the line.

What did they say?

They'll k*ll us all if they don't
get that film.

Burn it, Alec.

No.

We'll try to hold 'em off.
We can always burn it later.

We may not get the chance.
Then they'd have it.

Please, Alec, burn it.

Any ideas?

They're all bunched up out there.

How do you feel about the Inchon maneuver?

Yeah.

Maybe a vertical envelopment.

Right.

The other side.

All right. There's only the General
and his wife left.

All right, let's go get 'em.

Freeze!

Get over there!

Looks like we lost this one.
Let's get out of here.

Come on.
Aah!

Get up!

Wait!

Paul Glydor?

You k*lled Carol Barr, didn't you?

I didn't mean to.

She fell.

I didn't realize what I was getting into.

I didn't realize.

You'd better get back to Liz.

Alec--
It's all right, Joe.

Joe, we've decided we're
going to tell them everything.