08x15 - Chance Meeting

[bunniefuu]

♪♪

Thank you.

Folks, you get ten minutes.

Ten minutes?

Oh... oh, honey?

Listen, I'm going to call Peggy

and tell her this bus
is going to be late.

Okay, I'm going to stretch
my legs.

Okay. Oh.

Clint?

Hey, Clint!

Come here!

Come here, old boy!

Come here, old boy!
Bill! Bill!

What's going on, man?
What's going on?

Not a hell of a lot.

Wow.

How long has it been?
Two years?

No, got to be more like three.

Well, I'll be.
Look at those threads.

Hey, I thought you got enough
of uniforms in Vietnam, man.

Well, at least the bread's
a little better in this one.

Yeah, I bet.

And the mortar shells
don't come lobbing in

all hours of the day and night.

Yeah, that's for sure.

Hey, you still down
in San Diego?

No, I'm heading on
back up to L.A.

I'm, uh, going to pull on
a uniform of my own.

Yeah?

Enrolling in the Police Academy.

Hey, great.

Hey, give them my name
as a character reference.

You'll make Lieutenant
in a week. Mm-hmm.

I won't mention all those bars
you and me busted up in Saigon.

Hey, Jesse!

Hey, that was Jesse Thompson.

Why didn't he stop?

Because it wasn't Jesse.

That's why.

Sure looked like him.

Nah.

You got old Company B
on the mind today.

You know where Jesse is
right this minute?

Hiding out
somewhere in Singapore

with a bunch of deserters.

His sister got a letter
from him about a week ago.

The bus
is now leaving for Los Angeles.

Hey, looks like your bus
is leaving.

All passengers aboard, please.

Say, look here,
until we get located,

you can contact me
through my wife's cousin.

Now, her name's Peggy Fair.

She works
for a private investigator

named Mannix-- Joe Mannix.

Got it. I'll come up
one of these nights,

and we'll tie one on
and swap lies

about how we won the peace
with honor personally.

Yeah, believe it.

Later, huh?

♪♪

He recognized you--
you know that.

So?

So I said you were hiding out
in Singapore.

You lied to Brother Bill?

Why?

He's going to be a cop in L.A.,

and I thought that...
What?

You thought he would turn me in?

Huh? A buddy from the Nam?

Come on.

Me and Willie, we're soul, man.

So, why did you go
out of your way to avoid him?

For his sake-- that's why.

I mean, you know Bill, man.

He'd want to try
to help me, for sure.

And I can't risk
having a buddy being busted

on an aiding a deserter rap.

That goes for you, too, Clint.

The minute-- I mean the second--

That things look like
they're going to get rough,

if you step back,
I won't say a word.

I'll understand.

Now...
Don't argue.

I mean, look, you got
that little kid to think about.

What happens to her
if you get in a jam, huh?

Thank you.

Hey, honey, you keep
an eye out for Peggy.

I'm going to go wash
some of the smog out of my eyes.

Okay?
Okay.

Attention, please.

The bus for San Diego
is now loading.

All passengers aboard, please.

I understand
you're joining the pigs.

Hey, what the hell is going on?

Sure would make yourself
a whole lot

of Brownie points, man,
if, uh, you were

to put the mouth on me,
huh, and turn me in.

Hey, look, I don't think
I could bring myself to do that.

Yeah, well, old buddy,

I'm going to relieve your mind
of that problem.

Because, you see, |, uh...

I just can't afford
to take that chance.

Oh! Excuse me.

Jobina!

Oh, Peggy!

Why did they k*ll him?

It was found on the floor
of the men's room.

No prints on it
except the dead man's.

You can give it back
to his wife.

Some punk out
for a couple of bucks, huh?

A couple of credit cards, maybe.

He'll probably load up on them.

If he does,
maybe we'll get a line on him.

Yeah.

There's
a tragic note in today's news,

one tinged with irony.

Two weeks ago, a young Vietnam
veteran named William Rogell

passed the Los Angeles Police
Academy's entrance examination.

Today, Rogell is dead,

stabbed to death
in a bus terminal washroom...

...for the few dollars
he had in his wallet.

Mannix.

Listen to me, Mannix,
and listen good.

Mrs. Rogell is in danger.

Who is this?

Never mind.

Just take my word for it.

Keep an eye on Mrs. Rogell,
or she could go next.

Hello.
Hello, Toby.

Oh, hi, Mr. Mannix.

Toby, let me talk
to your mother.

You just missed her.

She went out to get
some stuff for dinner.

Put Mrs. Rogell on.

She's out, too.

Mom thought a walk might

do her some good,
so she took her along.

Where were they headed,
do you know?

I said to get our dinner.

Yeah, I know, but where?

Well, I wanted a pizza,

so I guess she went
to the Italian deli.

Toby, can you tell me where?

You don't know
where Marioni's is?

Gosh, Mr. Mannix,
everybody knows Marioni's.

Toby, just give me the address.
It's important.

Corner of Claremont and Ninth,
across from the theater.

Thanks.

♪♪

Hi, Peggy.

I don't.

And I don't understand
any of this, Lieutenant.

Neither do we, Mrs. Rogell.

Not yet.

But this attempt on your life
tonight indicates

that your husband's m*rder
may have been premeditated.

Someone may be trying
to k*ll you both.

Oh, no, no.

I-I don't believe that.
I mean...

W-Why would anyone...?

For what possible reason?

We're hoping you'll be able
to help us find that out.

No, I can't.

I don't have any idea,
none at all.

Mrs. Rogell, surely...

Oh, please.

I don't want
to talk about it anymore!

I mean, I just can't
talk about it anymore!

Joe, we need
some kind of a lead.

When she settles down
a little bit,

try and talk to her, will you?

Joe.

Thanks, Peggy.

Feeling better?

Mm-hmm.

You, uh, think you're up to
answering a few more questions?

Mm-hmm.

Would you like some coffee?

No.

Do you know of anyone
that Bill might have

had a fight with lately--

You know, a run-in or a quarrel
or something like that?

No.

Did anything unusual happen
on the way up from San Diego?

On the bus, maybe?

No, no, nothing.

Except that...

Oh, but, well,
that couldn't have had

anything to do with Bill--
with what happened.

Why don't you tell me anyway.

Well...

Bill met a friend.

It was someone who was
with him in Vietnam.

Where did he meet this friend?

It was a rest stop in San Pedro.

In fact, Bill seemed upset when
he got back to the bus and...

Well, I thought
it was just because

seeing this friend
reminded him of the w*r.

What was the friend's name?

Clint.

Um, Clint something.

|-I don't remember
what his last name is.

What was Bill's outfit
in Vietnam?

It was Company B, the Fifth--

No, First Battalion,
th Infantry.

Now, why don't you try
and get some rest?

Peggy, first thing
in the morning,

call the Defense Department.

Get a rundown
on a Clint Somebody

whose hometown is
San Pedro, huh?

Right.

Clint Williams?

Yeah. What can I do for you?

My name is Mannix.
I'm a private investigator.

I wonder if you'd mind
answering a few questions.

About what?

Bill Rogell's m*rder.

Oh, yeah.

Was a terrible thing.

Bill and I were
in 'Nam together.

So I understand.

He tell you?

His wife did.

Oh, yeah.

Well, what's to investigate?

Way the news had it, it was just
some punk out for Bill's money.

The police have pretty much
given up on that theory.

Why?

Last night, an attempt was made
on Mrs. Rogell's life.

She okay?

Oh, fine.

That's good.

Uh, did the police grab the guy?

What makes you think it was
just one guy, Mr. Williams?

You have somebody in mind?

What do you mean?

Well, the assailant or
assailants weren't identified,

yet you jumped to the conclusion
that it was just one man.

Look, I haven't seen Bill Rogell
in two, three years.

You saw him yesterday,
didn't you?

Well, yeah, but just for
a minute or two. So what?

Why didn't you say so?

Because it wasn't important.

Look, Mr. Williams,
anything that happens to a man

just before he's m*rder*d
is important.

Look... he got off a bus
in San Pedro.

We rapped a little
and that was it.

What'd you rap about?

You know.

"How you been?
What are you up to?" Like that.

I'd like you to reconstruct
the conversation, word for word.

Why?

So far, Mr. Williams,

your meeting with Bill
is the only lead we have.

Now, look, you do want
to help catch

the man who k*lled Bill,
don't you?

Of course I do.

But I'm up to my neck right now.

Why don't you come by
my place this evening.

I get off work at : .

How about during
your lunch break?

I'm brown-bagging it today.

Got to catch up
on all this work.

Okay, what's the address?

Hay Street.

That's out Echo Park way.

Thanks, Mr. Williams.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

What are you,
freaked out or something, huh?

How do you figure
I'd do a thing like that?

Because I told you
he was going to be a cop

and you thought
he'd blow the whistle.

On me, huh?

The best friend
he ever had in the world?

Man, you sure have a low opinion
of the late Billy Rogell.

Well, last night,
somebody tried to k*ll his wife.

Yeah?

Where'd you hear that?

From this Joe Mannix
I told you came to see me.

Hmm.

I suppose the description
of the k*ller fit me, huh?

Well, no.

He said the man
wasn't identified.

Yeah, well, you can call Tom
over at Garrity's Bar.

He'll tell you I was there
half the night.

Now, is that straight?

Hey, don't take my word for it,
all right? Call him.

No.

I believe you.

Let's just forget it.

How can I forget a thing
like that, huh?

How can I forget
that accusation, man?

Like I'm some kind of monster.

I said I was sorry.

Okay, old buddy.

Okay.

I guess you just, uh, blew
your top, huh, without thinking.

The jeep's a rental,
according to the DMV.

Leased by Fleetway Car Rental
to a man named Jesse Elkins.
Mulholland Highway.

Now, that's a bar, Joe,
but I found out

that this Elkins
rents a room in the back.

Okay. Check with
the Defense Department again.

See if there was somebody with
that name in Bill's outfit, huh?

Right.

Well, hi, there.

What's your name?

Ah, you want to play
hard to get, huh?

I don't blame you.

Is your daddy home?

Your daddy is Mr. Williams?

Well... sooner or later,

I'll just bet you
that we're going to be friends.

Mrs. Gamble!

Hi, darling.

You have a nice day?

Mrs. Gamble's going to
take you inside now,

then I'll come in,
we'll have dinner, okay?

I won't be more than
a minute, sweetheart.

Promise.

Sure a pretty little girl.

Well, don't think she's shy
or dumb or anything.

She's smart as a whip
and can talk a blue streak.

Thing is, she's--
well, she's sick.

Autistic, the doctors call it.

Kids don't communicate.

They just live in a world
inside their own heads.

There's no way to reach them.

Except, Jeanine's
going to get over it.

I just know she is.

Is there some kind of treatment?

Well, the Neuro-Psychiatric
Institute

down at UCLA
has made some progress.

Trouble is, they only
take in-patients.

What's wrong with that?

bucks a day.

Mm.

There must be
some kind of state aid.

Forget it.

Nobody's going to treat my kid
as a charity patient.

Look, you're here about my talk
with Bill Rogell, right?

Yeah.

I don't see how I can
possibly help you.

It was just, you know, talk.

Your phone call to me last night
wasn't just talk.

Don't bother denying it.

That handkerchief over the phone
bit doesn't really work.

Now, then.

You sit right here, darling.

I'll get you a glass of milk,
and your daddy will be in

in a minute,
and then we can have dinner.

Okay?

What about that call?

Well, it's just that-that
Bill seemed troubled

when I talked to him.

About what, I don't know.

So when I heard
he'd been k*lled,

I just had this crazy hunch
his wife might be in danger.

I think it was
more than a hunch.

Well, I don't care
what you think!

Maybe you'd better start caring,

'cause if you're withholding
facts about the case,

you're an accessory.

You think I'd protect the k*ller
of a guy who saved my life?

I owe Bill Rogell, mister!

He dragged me out of a rice
paddy, my leg all sh*t to hell.

And got me to an aid station,

through a half mile
of V.C. sn*pers.

Okay. You owed Bill Rogell.

Maybe you can tell me, Williams,
how it is you found time today

when you were
up to your neck in work

to rush off
and meet Jesse Elkins.

What, you tailed me?

That's right.

Now, just who is Jesse Elkins?

Another buddy from Company B.

When he heard
about Bill's death,

he called and said he wanted to
talk about going to the funeral,

or maybe what we could do
for Bill's wife.

Come off it, Williams.
I was there.

I saw you grab his shirt and
half shake the life out of him.

Now, what are you really
trying to hide?

Mr. Williams,
if you don't come in,

Jeanine won't eat her dinner.

I'm coming.

Look, Mannix,
I have nothing to hide.

So just get off my back!

Operator, I'd like
mobile unit JR - .

Hello.

Joe, I checked.

There was no Jesse Elkins
on the roll of Company B,

but there was a Jesse Thompson,
hometown: Gardena.

Nice going, Peggy.

And, Joe...

he's listed
as missing in action.

I

Hey, Thompson?

Not bad, just a flicker.

You must be getting used
to the name Elkins.

Who are you?
Joe Mannix.

I'm a private investigator.

So, what else is new?

You mean besides your new name?

Yeah, well, we can forget
about this Elkins business.

Might save time.

Time for what?

Well, maybe you'd like
to take a minute

to tell me how it is
a G.I. missing in action

is out on the Mulholland Highway
having a drink.

I guess I'm lucky.

You mean lucky you deserted
and got away with it?

Yeah, okay.

But I paid my dues first, man.

months, I paid 'em:

turning green with jungle rot,

slogging through snake-filled
mud up to my hips,

rousting villages
and burning hooches

and k*lling
little brown men and...

body-sacking the buddies
they k*lled back.

Or, uh, maybe you think
I got these, uh,

in Bible class for reciting,
"Now I lay me down to sleep.”

No, you don't get
the Purple Heart

or the Bronze Star
in a Bible class.

Are you m*llitary?
Was.

In a good w*r, huh?

No w*r's a good w*r.

But if there's one you object to
you say it out loud.

Oh, yeah, yeah,
conscientious objector, huh?

Maybe that comes
over a man slowly.

I didn't realize what a...

immoral w*r this was
until I saw Saigon.

Packs of...
draft-dodging Viet kids

buzzing through the streets
on motor scooters,

snooty fat-cat Viet generals

getting fatter on corruption.

And the black markets--
you know they had

more American goods
than we did?

Yeah, well, after
what I'd been through,

that turned me off.

I got drunk...

and I cried for all the buddies
I had sent home in sacks

to make the 'Nam safe
for the landlords.

Next time we went into combat

I just took me a walk.

What do you say
we take a walk right now?

Over to the sheriff's station.

The bottom line?
The bottom line.

Well, uh...

at least give me a little time
so I can, uh...

straighten out my affairs, huh?
How much time?

I don't know.

Couple of days.

Okay.

But if you don't
turn yourself in by then,

I'll be coming after you.

Hey, Tom, bring us
another pitcher!

I

Yeah.

Joe, you're not
gonna report him?

No, not yet, Peggy.

I want him for m*rder,
not desertion.

I think he k*lled Bill Rogell.

Motive?

Well, maybe he thought
Bill would turn him in.

Maybe some other reason.

If I give him a little rope,
we might find out.

Peggy, I'll call you back.

♪♪

I Rock-a-bye baby

I On the treetop... D

You try it, honey.

That's fantastic, sweetheart!

Beautiful!

Well.

What's happening?
Good evening.

Hey, hey, hey, what's happening?

Who was that playing,
man, you or Jeanine, huh?

That was both of us!
Yeah? All right!

She's coming along
really good, huh?

Hey, man. Yeah.
Yeah.

And I got some more good news.

My bundle arrived
from Hong Kong.

Just before closing.

Yeah, all right.

Tomorrow's Sunday.

So you can pick it up
Monday afternoon.

Why not Monday morning?

Nah. Has to be processed.

I don't want the chief inspector
to get suspicious.

You're right, man.
You're right.

Jesse?

I'll bet you thought
I was gonna stiff you, huh?

There it is, man--

$ , on arrival.

Good as my word.

When do I get
the other $ , ?

After I get the package, okay?
Meet me in the parking lot, huh?

Hey.

Doesn't it make you
feel great, man, huh,

making the establishment pay
for wasting two years

of our lives over there
in that lousy jungle, huh?

Anyway...

your kid's doing all right, huh?

That's good.

♪♪

You again.
Now, look, Williams,

you're up to your ears
in m*rder.

Now, you think the whole world's
gonna just go away

while you sit around
and read your Sunday paper?

I'm involved in nothing.

You call Jesse deserting in
the face of the enemy nothing?

What Jesse did is between
him and his own conscience.

That was a pretty
lousy w*r, Mannix.

Yeah, well, the right sort
for Jesse, then,

'cause he's a pretty lousy guy.

Jesse has his good side.

Like what, murdering Bill Rogell

because he thought
Bill might turn him in?

Now, that's not true!

You admit he had
a motive, don't you?

Well, maybe it
looks that way to you,

but I just don't believe it.

You mean you won't
let yourself believe it.

I'd like to know why.

Listen, Mannix...

every Sunday I read
the comics to my little girl.

Now, that's ten times
more important to me

than anything you have to say.

Jesse? Yeah.

Lit out yesterday,
right after you was here.

Paid up what he owed me,
packed up, gone.

Any idea where?

Thanks.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Hey, Mannix!

Throw your g*n down!

Or do you want to match it
against this r*fle?

Huh?

Come on, Buck,
give the man his property back.

Hey, Mannix, I'm sorry
I can't stay for the fun.

I got to go turn myself in,

like a good deserter should.

You hear about the new amnesty?

Isn't that great.

Hey, maybe I'll serve a spell

in a V.A. hospital, you know?

As a medic, and, uh,

Joe Mannix'll be
my first patient...

who didn't make it.

♪♪

Hey.

I'm not going through with it.

Come on, man, count it.

I mean it, Jesse--
I can't do it.

I'd say you had a real
big problem, then, Clint.

I don't think so.

No?

What about that
sweet little kid of yours, huh?

It's my kid I'm thinking about.

Now, what happens
if something goes wrong

and I end up in the slammer?

Who takes care of Jeanine then?

Okay.

That's how you feel.

I didn't think I could
sell you this easy, Jesse.

Well, you know
my philosophy, Clint.

Every man lives
by his own light.

I do; how can I say
you shouldn't, man?

You could do me
one favor, though. sh**t.

Get that package
mailed back to the sender, okay?

It'll save me a lot of bread.

Yeah. I can handle it.

Hey, how about letting me

buy you a drink, huh?
No hard feelings.

Sure.

Bourbon, huh?

All right. Hey, Tom!

Let me have two bourbons, huh?

♪♪

All right!

To good old Bravo Company!

All right.

♪♪

What happened to you?
A few of Jesse's bike buddies

tried to dust me off.

Mrs. Gamble,
would you get that, please?

Why? I thought
maybe you could tell me.

Mrs. Gam...

Hello?

Hey, look, man,
if you're worrying

about, uh, your little girl,
you can relax, okay?

She and the old lady,
they're, uh,

spending some time with me.

Now, listen to me, Jesse...

Hey, look, I thought maybe
you'd like to speak to her.

Hm?

Say hello to Daddy, sweetheart.

Come on.

Oh, wow, man, I forgot--
she's not the talkative type.

Mr. Williams, we're all right.

Jeanine is being a good girl.

We're-we're all right.

Mrs. Gamble...

Now, you listen to me, Clint.

It's going to be dark
in about a half an hour,

and I want you to meet me
at the warehouse

at : on the dot, okay?

Wear your uniform.

That way we can snow the guard.

And we're gonna go in and
we're gonna find that bundle,

you got it?
Now, you listen,

you bring Jeanine with you.

Uh-uh, man, no way.

You get her after the delivery.

Now, look, Clint, uh...

you know I don't want
to hurt your little kid, man,

but, uh... if you force me to,
I mean, you know, it's...

I'll be there.

Warehouse, : .

Right on, bro. Later.

I'll call the police.

No.

She's my kid!
It's my decision!

You get the law into this,
and Jesse'|| k*ll her

just like he did Bill Rogell.

You knew it all along, huh?
No, I didn't.

He told me he was
at a bar all night,

and I believed him.

But I don't now.

What's he after
at the warehouse?

Dope. He shipped it to himself
from Hong Kong,

hidden inside
some Chinese bric-a-brac.

I was supposed to get $ ,

for passing it
through inspection.

Thirty thousand?

I wanted it for Jeanine!

But today...

I went to Jesse
and called the whole thing off.

At least I thought I did.

There's just a chance I know
where he's holding them.

Well, let's go!
No, no.

I don't know how long
this is gonna take.

I want you to get down
to the warehouse

and stall him as long
as you can. Okay.

♪♪

♪♪

Come on, Clint, man,
you're stalling.

Let's find that horse.

I can't remember
if it was stored

in section six or eight.

You know what, man?

In about two seconds,
I am going to call Buck

and I'm gonna tell him
what to do with your kid.

No. I'll find it.

Go.

Mrs. Gamble, can you drive?

Yes.
Now, I want you

to get to the nearest phone,
call the police,

tell them the customs warehouse
is being robbed.

All right.

You'll be home
in no time, Jeanine.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

You better spike
that cannon, daddy-o...

or he goes bye-bye.

Clint! Clint, take it easy!

Let the law handle him.

Is she all right?

She's fine, Mr. Williams,
just fine.

Funny thing,
she's still up.

It's like she's waiting for you.

Hello, sweetheart.

Daddy?

Oh...

That's wonderful, darling,
just wonderful.

Can you say it again?

Daddy.

♪♪