07x01 - The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress

[bunniefuu]

Mr. Mannix?

That's right.

I must talk to you.

I... I've been
waiting for hours.

Come in.

Thank you.

You did say "neat,” Mister...?

Davis.
My name is Davis.

Emory Davis.

Thanks.

Well, it's difficult
to know how to begin,

since I've no idea how you feel
about the supernatural.

Well, I live in a pretty
factual world, Mr. Davis,

but I do try
and keep an open mind.

Well, that's all I ask.

See, for years, I have been
the recipient--

No, more truthfully,
the victim--

Of flashes of precognition.

I can actually see
bits and pieces of events

before they really happen.

Not just dreams, Mr. Mannix.

Events that really happen.

Well, the crystal ball
has been around

for a long time, Mr. Davis,

and there may be people
who can see the future,

and you may be
one of those people.

But, uh, I really don't see

where a private investigator
would fit in.

Please, hear me out, Mr. Mannix.

Please.

All right, Mr. Davis.

For two days, I have been
haunted by a vision.

A beautiful young girl,
wearing a polka-dot dress,

being sh*t at by a man
wearing a mask.

In your, uh, vision,

could you tell where
this was all taking place?

Outside the Glenville Hotel,
downtown.

There was a newsstand
at the corner,

and I could see the news dealer
and the headlines.

These headlines.

This is tonight's paper.

Exactly.

It's going to happen tonight,
if it hasn't already.

Have you, uh, talked to
anybody else about this?

I went to the police,

but I couldn't get past
the desk sergeant.

I was told that there are
too many real crimes

to add imaginary ones.

The Glenville Hotel.

Well, that's not a neighborhood
most people tend to visit

late at night, especially
a beautiful young girl.

But it is what I saw,
Mr. Mannix.

Oh, I haven't slept in days.

I don't know who the girl is,

but if anything
were to happen to her,

I could never forgive myself.

I see the doubt in your eyes,

but I have no place else
to turn.

Isn't there something
you could do, Mr. Mannix?

Well, Mr. Davis, uh,

if you've given up
two, three days sleep,

I guess I could give up
a couple hours--

Just to make sure
it's nothing more than a vision.

Come on, Joe, if we paid
attention to every crank lead

that came in, we'd never
get anything done.

Now, look, Adam...
Joe, there have been no reports

of m*rder*d young girls tonight,
in or out of polka-dot dresses.

And that's all that can be
said for that.

Oh, Lieutenant.
Yes?

That Hawaii
conference call will be

coming through in five minutes.

Hawaii?

Yeah, so you can see
I'm a little too busy

to be talking to you tonight.

They had a small meeting there,
you know, Appalachian style.

Syndicate boys.

Yeah, I caught that on the news.

Uh, penthouse at
the Monakara Hotel.

Yeah, the Honolulu police
nailed seven big ones, you know.

Headmen of anything
you want to name:

dr*gs, prostitution,
rackets, the works.

And you're handling
the extradition?

Yes. So you can see why
I don't have too much time

for clairvoyants who have
polka dots before their eyes.

This must be a slow time
for you, Joe.

Some client, huh?

Oh, I'm not getting paid, Adam.

Not in money, that is.

My client has promised
to let me in

on tomorrow's fifth race
at Hollywood Park.

I'll bet.

That's the news dealer I saw.

It's one minute to :.

If it doesn't happen
before midnight,

it will just have been
a vision, won't it?

No polka-dot dress.

Mr. Mannix...

That's the girl.

Excuse me, I'd like
to talk to you, miss.

Now, look, it's very important.

I haven't got time to explain.

But if you don't
get out of here right away,

you could be in great danger.

Let go of me

or I'll call the police.

Are you all right?

Uh...

Davis, call the police.

Oh, my...

What happened?

He's dead.

Do you know him?

No.

Are you sure
you don't recognize him?

No. Why should ?

Because he was
trying to k*ll you.

Miss Crane, please,
try to understand.

This was not just an attempt
to frighten you.

This man wanted you dead.

I do understand, but I've
told you I don't know why.

All right, all right,
let's-Let's start over again.

Now, look, you were
on your way home.

Now, you decided to go into
the Glenville bar for a drink,

is that right?
Yes.

Al right.

Do you go there often?

Once in a while.

In that neighborhood,
late at night?

Yes!

Were you going there
to meet someone?

No, no one.

Look, it's late, Lieutenant,

so if you're through
asking questions, may I go?

Come in.

We made him, Lieutenant.

I think you'll recognize
the name.

Thank you, Charlie.

Wessler, Richard Wessler.

Button man.

Miss Crane,
this is a hired k*ller.

A professional.

But why me?

Probably because he was hired by
someone who wants you dead.

Good morning, Peggy.

Good morning.

Hey, that smells good.

I'll do it.

I've been reading about you.

You'll do anything
to get your name in the paper.

Almost anything.

Peggy, get me a rundown
on a man named Emory Davis.

Who's he?

A clairvoyant.

A what?

A man who sees the future.

That's what I thought you said.

He helped me save
the Crane girl's life.

It was his vision that got me
to the Glenville bar.

Oh, Joe, you don't think
he's for real...

Let's find out.

I'll get right on it.

Oh, what about the girl?
She all right?

Yeah, I put her up at a place in
the canyon for a couple of days

until I can get this thing
straightened out.

I'll get on your fortune-teller.

Morning, Peggy.

Good morning, Mr. Foreman.

Joe in?

Hello, Bob.

Hi, Joe.

How are you?
Fine.

On my way downtown.

I thought I'd stop by
for a cup of that hot coffee.

Well, good. Peggy?
Come on in.

Thank you, Joe.

Oh, this is very nice,
very nice.

Thank you.

Hey, uh, last Sunday
on the boat,

you told me you were going off
on a month's vacation.

What happened?

Business.

I had to cancel the trip.

Here you are.

Oh, thank you, Peggy.

Nothing at all.

Okay, Bob... what's wrong?

Wrong?

Well, my office has been
on your way downtown for years.

This is the first time you ever
stopped in for a cup of coffee.

You know, Joe, I keep forgetting
what business you're in.

I'll, uh...

I'll level with you, Joe.

I need your help.

That girl who was
in the sh**ting last night,

Jennifer Crane...

What about her?

She was coming to see me.

Oh.

We're very close, Joe.

Well, that makes things a little
complicated, doesn't it?

Uh, how does your wife
feel about it?

Yeah.

Don't ask about my wife.

We're in the middle
of a divorce.

Might get messy.

Which accounts for meeting
places like the Glenville.

Yeah.

I think she's
having me followed.

Oh, I hate this sneaking around.

Jennifer does, too.

Just what would you
like me to do?

Find out who's trying
to k*ll her.

Name your fee, Joe.

Well, I was going
to do that anyway.

No charge.

No. I'll pay.

And, Joe, uh...

is she all right?

Fine.

And I'll tell her
you're worried about her,

and I'll also tell her
that you've hired a private eye.

Thanks for the coffee, Joe.

And, Joe, uh...

thanks for saving her life.

I got the first rundown
on Emory Davis.

Quite a character.

He offered his services

to New Orleans Police Department
last May.

And what happened?

Go down to where it says,
"Get lost.”

That's a direct quote.

A m*rder case,
solved without him.

Hmm.

What's "NJ, Buff, Phil,
local TV, one out of ten"?

Just what it says.

He had a local television show.

New Jersey, Buffalo
and Philadelphia.

You know, predictions.

One of them came true.

One out of ten.

Some odds.

Yeah, what about the odds
last night?

Jennifer Crane is alive.

I can't explain that... yet.

"Became local celebrity.

"Sold services
to private clients.

Bounced.”

Ah,

Which is your way of saying
the Philadelphia Police

found out and escorted him
to the city limits.

I knew you'd learn
how to read my notes one day.

Anything else?

Turn it over.

Economizing on paper?

Saving a tree.

Oh.

"Born New York City.

Real name... Karl Hammer."

Any police record?

That might take
a few more minutes.

Take the whole day.

Where you going?

To see my client.

Hi. How's the water?

Oh.

It's beautiful.

Everything all right?

Been so glad just to be alive,

I haven't had time
to think about it.

Have you found out anything?

Well, nothing that counts.

I still can't believe
last night happened.

Jennifer,
I think we ought to talk.

What is it?

Bob Foreman came to my office
this morning.

Oh?

He's worried about you.

I can tell from your expression
that he told you about us.

Yes, he did.

Well, I didn't feel
it was important

that the police know
I was on my way

to the Glenville Bar
to meet Bob.

It might have hurt him.

I can understand that, but, uh,

the police are going
to have to know.

Did he also tell you
we had dinner together earlier?

No.

I told him I...

I wasn't going
to see him anymore.

Hmm.

That he didn't mention.

I was tired of feeling
humiliated all the time.

Of sneaking around.

The lies
and secret arrangements.

I called it off for good.

Well, uh... why were you going
to meet him again at midnight?

The phone was ringing
when I got home.

Bob said he had to see me
to talk to me one last time.

It was important.

We had meant something
to each other, so I agreed.

Does all of this add up
to anything?

Well, uh, at least it explains
what you were doing there.

But not why anyone
would want to k*ll me.

Mm.

Jennifer, uh, I don't want you
to answer the phone

unless it rings
three times, stops,

and then rings once again
and stops, okay?

Sure.

Mannix.

Joe, I've got Emory Davis
on the other line.

He sounds very upset,
and he wants to see you.

He says it's urgent.

I'm on my way, Peggy.

Who is it?

Joe Mannix.

Come in.

Come in, Mr. Mannix.

Uh, please sit down.

Oh, can I get you something?

No, thank you.

Uh, you told my secretary
it was very important.

Oh, yes. I had...

well, I guess you might call it
another vision.

Mm.

And what this time?

The same girl.

Uh, more g*nshots in the night,
but this time, certain death.

You must warn her, Mr. Mannix.

I left her a little while ago,
and she wasn't in danger at all.

And I'm the only one
that knows where she is.

But I know what I saw.

After last night,
there is reason

for concern, isn't there?

About your predictions--

I did a little checking,
Mr. Davis.

Or would you prefer, uh,
Karl Hammer?

Oh...

Emory Davis is simply
a professional name.

It has been for years.

Maybe it's your profession
that's questionable.

I know about your TV shows,
your private practice,

charging fees for your visions.

That is true.

I had to earn a living,
so I told fortunes.

I read the Tarot cards.

I, uh, I made some predictions--

Harmless ones
to make people feel better.

That's all.

In other words,
you made your living

by taking advantage
of people's gullibility.

Uh, maybe even
including me, hmm?

But, Mr. Mannix, you saved
a girl's life last night

because of something I saw.

Al right.

Be skeptical, but...

at least be open-minded enough
to believe

that I might have the gift.

Well, I know I cannot call on it
whenever I want to,

and so, occasionally,
I have exercised

some mild deception for money.

A man, after all, must eat.

But this girl is in
continuing danger, Mr. Mannix.

That was quite clear.

More g*nshots and death.

I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks for the reading.

I appreciate you
looking after her, Joe.

I really do.

Well, I can understand
your concern for the girl, Bob,

but, uh, there is one thing--

She told me she had just
broken off your romance.

Well, I'm sorry, Joe.

I should have been the one
to tell you about that.

That's why I...
that's why I asked her

to meet me at the Glenville Bar.

I thought I could, well,

talk her into believing
in us again.

While waiting at the bar,
the sh**ting began.

I just...
well, made myself scarce.

Incidentally, uh,
you are being followed.

You saw the man?

Yeah, this morning,
when you left my office.

Now, the question is,

did he follow you last night
to the, uh, Glenville Bar?

No, I don't think so.

I was very careful.

It wasn't too difficult
for him to follow you here.

What do you mean?

He's outside.

Sure it's the same man?

How do I get out the back way?

There's a stairway
down the hall.

What are you going to do?

I think it's time I met him.

Do you know a six-letter word
for "don't move a muscle"?

Freeze?

Very good.

Now, stand up slowly.

I'm clean, Mannix.

I'm a private eye,
just like you.

Gerald Stockton.

Jerry... fellow professionals.

Who you working for, Stockton?

Oh, come on, Mannix.

You've been tailing
Robert Foreman.

And now he knows--
I just told him.

You've blown your cover,
Stockton.

You think that
was a nice thing to do?

Who's paying you?

You've got nothing
to lose now, Stockton.

Okay.

I'm working for his wife.

Or I was.

Trying to get
some divorce amm*nit*on.

She figures he's cheating.

What did you find out?

Well, if he's cheating,
he's pretty good at it.

I haven't picked up
a thing so far.

How about last night--
say, about midnight?

Where'd he go?

Well, he left his boat
at the marina about :,

took off along Washington.

Right about Lincoln, he lost me.

A whole half mile.

Keep up the good work, Stockton.

Joe!

Hi, Peggy.

You're late.

Did you get that rap sheet on
our friendly mystic?

Mm-hmm.

Here it is.

Nothing spectacular.
Mostly bunco.

Operating a crystal ball
without a license.

The question is
why did he come here

and why these particular
visions?

Visions?

Joe, that's plural.

Yeah.

He had another one.

Same girl...
"g*nshots and death.”

Joe...

the first time,
it almost came true.

You don't think maybe...?

He has the gift?

Mannix.

This is Jennifer Crane.

Something wrong, Jennifer?

Well, I-I-I-I don't know.

Uh, I thought I heard someone
outside a few seconds ago,

and I-I thought
maybe I'd better call you.

I'm glad you did. Now make sure
everything's bolted,

and then lock yourself in
the bedroom.

All right, I...

Joe?

Jennifer?

Jennifer!

Hello?

Hello?

The line went dead.

Call Adam and fill him in!

Right.

By

by

By

by

Jennifer...

Help!
Shh!

I told you to stay inside.

But someone's in there.

I better get you away from here.

Oh!

You all right?
Yeah.

Come on.

By

Shh. Take it easy.

Oh, God...

She's alive.

Get an ambulance.

Oh, you'll find one of them over
in the stable.

Tony.

I guess the sh*t scared her
and she slipped and fell.

Oh-- Doctor, how is she?

Well, she has a simple fracture

of the right arm,
and a mild concussion.

Can we talk to her?

Not just yet.

It's really very important.

I'm sorry, Mr. Mannix.

She wouldn't
make any sense, anyway.

She's under sedation.

Tomorrow morning, I'd say.

Joe, you figure out
who's after her yet?

It wasn't her they were after.

Well, then who?
Me.

You? Why you?

I can't answer that yet.

Well, then,
what makes you think so?

Well, there was
someone in the house.

How rough would it have been
for them to break through

a bedroom door
to get to the girl?

It was a setup.
They were waiting for me.

All right, what about the
sh**t at the Glenville?

Well, that was a setup, too.
If I'd got sh*t saving the girl,

you and your boys would've spent
all of your time looking

for a motive for someone
to k*ll Jennifer Crane.

I would've been an innocent
bystander-- a dead one.

And just who decoyed you?
Both times?

Yeah, I know.

A man who has polka dots in
his dreams.

Police! Open up!

Okay, Charlie, open it.

Davis?

Davis!

"I have nothing to live for.

It's best this way.
Emory Davis."”

Charlie, get an emergency unit
over here.

Davis, did you write that note?

Did someone force you
to take those pills?

Who?

I saw it.

My own death...

everything...

right down to the pills.

I didn't believe it...

Pretending all those years.

I have the gift.

I really have the gift.

Davis, who sent you
to my office?

By

Joe!
Peggy?

I was so worried.

What happened?

Didn't Adam call you?

Yes, but he was back
on that Hawaii thing

and left a lot of open spaces.

I'll fill you in tomorrow.

Now, it's getting late.
Why don't you get home?

I'm sure Toby is screaming
his head off for dinner.

Toby might not be the most
gifted child in the world,

but he can put a TV dinner
in the oven.

Yeah.

Oh, Joe, Adam did say
who was sh**ting at you tonight.

Um... a Joseph Purvin.

Purvin.

Another hired g*n. Detroit.

Joe, there's an awful lot
of professional g*ns around.

Wonder what that poor girl did
to make anyone so mad at her.

It's me they're mad at, Peggy.

Now, go home.

You.

All along.

Emory Davis set me up.

But, Joe, why?

I think I'm about to find out.

Oh, I get it.

You're going to sit here
and wait, alone,

so that they can try again.

That's right.

Oh, Joe, call Adam.

If our friends spot any
police around, they won't show.

They're pros.

Now, go home, Peg.

But, Joe...

Go home, Peggy.

By

by

by

Yeah, that's right.

Yeah, I got it.

Another hit man.

This time from New Orleans.

They're coming from all points
of the compass.

They really want me dead.

Well, the news is better
from across the Pacific.

Honolulu got seven out of eight.

Who got away?

Well, he didn't get away
exactly.

He just didn't show up
at the meeting.

Know who he is?

Uh-uh.

He wasn't a member of any
of the Syndicate families.

See, all we know about him

is that he's their front man
on the West Coast.

Tobias.

Yeah, Peggy.

Yeah, just a second.

Yeah, Peg.

Joe, I ran it down.

I'm at the Pandora Boutique
in Century City.

The polka-dot dress came
from here.

Jennifer Crane buy it?

Not exactly.

It was charged
to Robert Foreman.

Uh, what's the, uh, date
on the sales slip?

The th.

Well, what do you know?

Is that important, Joe?

That's the day Emory Davis
walked into my life.

Thanks, Peg.

By

Joe?
Hmm?

Something wrong?

Maybe.

Maybe something very wrong.

Hello, Bob.

Hi, Joe. Come on in.

Drink?

No, thanks.

Ah, come on, Joe. Relax.

Well, I haven't been able
to do that lately, Bob.

Not since you put out
a contract on me.

You're good, Joe.

I'm sorry about that contract.

Why, Bob?

Well...

that Sunday we were supposed
to take that cruise,

you arrived minutes
too early.

That was unlucky.

A mistake.

Because you got a good look
at John Crowley.

And after the raid in Hawaii,
you figured,

if I saw a photograph of him,

I'd recognize him
and put it all together.

Well, Joe, you're here,
aren't you?

So you sent Emory Davis to me
with a built-in vision.

You bought a polka-dot dress

and told Jennifer
to wear it that night.

I had to make a choice.

You don't know the men
I work with.

If they found out that you'd
made the connection,

I'd be a dead man--
like that.

So it was either me or you.

Sorry, Joe.

I'm sorry, too, Bob.

By the way,
why didn't you go to Hawaii?

I'm lucky, I guess.

I wasn't due there
till the third day.

On the second day,
they got nabbed.

I had to change my plans.

And I'm afraid you're going
to have to change them again.

Mannix.

You know a six-letter word
for "don't move a muscle"?

Put the g*n on the bar.

So you weren't following him;
you were working for him.

Mr. Foreman pays me well.

I mean, there I was,
digging for divorce amm*nit*on,

and I find out hubby
is the Syndicate laundryman.

So you know I'm not going to let
anything happen to old Bob here.

He, uh, really pays, Mannix.

Stockton's a good man
to have around.

No hard feelings, Joe.

You know what to do.

Move.

By

Okay, Mannix,
let's make it nice and quick.

It's going to be nice and quick
for you, too, Stockton.

What do you mean?

Once you k*ll me, Foreman's got
no more use for you.

You're expendable.

You're crazy, Mannix.

You better listen, Stockton.

Foreman's been looking
for a simple way

to get rid of you--
now he's got it.

Tomorrow or the next day,

a couple of private eyes
wash ashore.

The police figure
they've knocked each other off.

It's simple.

No, just... just doesn't scan.

I can prove it.

How?

Take the boat back.

I'll be in there, out of sight.

You tell Foreman
you did the job.

If nobody takes a sh*t at you,

fine, you can still
take care of me,

but if they're waiting for you
with a g*n, you'll be ready.

Say you're right-- then what?

We go to the police,
and Foreman is through.

Think about it, Stockton.

He's got no reason in the world
to keep you alive,

but he's got an awfully good
reason to k*ll you.

Hi, Jerry.

Everything all right?

No sweat.

Uh, pull over and tie up.

Right.

Get rid of him.

You all right?
Yeah.

Keep an eye on him.

I got him.

No hard feelings, Bob.

Joe...

how would you like to be rich?

I figure I'll live a lot longer
just being smart.

Uh, give me Lieutenant Tobias.

This is Mannix.

I mean real rich, Joe.

Adam?

That Hawaii case--

How would you like to make it
eight out of eight?