04x01 - Beamer's Last Case

[bunniefuu]

Look, Officer,
you better get down here

before this guy
kills somebody.

My banking representatives
will be by at 5:00

to cancel out the debt.

I guess they travel in pairs

'cause that way they have


Mind if I drive your car?

No, no.
Of course not, Mr. Rockford.

Hey, Jim or Jimbo,
like I told you.

I'm not the kind of guy
you can blow away
with a thr*at.

Do you understand that?
Well, I am.

Both you guys are dead.
I'm getting my g*n.

I'm gonna finish
both of you.

[PHONE RINGING]

ROCKFORD
ON ANSWERING MACHINE..
This is Jim Rockford.

At the tone,
leave your name and message.

I'll get back to you.

[BEEPS]

[TRAFFIC RUMBLING]
Jimmy, this is Angel.

Listen, I got this new pad
right over by
the Hollywood Freeway

and some friends are coming.

I borrowed your
record player.

[CAR DOOR SHUTTING]

[CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]

Phil, I don't know...

That ain't an answer, Manny.

Maybe we got some
trouble with the PI
that we hired.

He left about two
pounds of rubber

on the pavement on
his way out of here.

He could've been
on the extension
in the garage.

When your cousin Floyd
hired this Rockford guy,

you said you
could get rid of him.

I don't have to tell you
I got 200 grand

tied up in
taxis in this town.

Your cousin
don't want to sign
the affiliate's contract.

He breaks away,
all the other little
companies will follow.

They're gonna stampede me
right out of business.

If that happens, Manny,
you're going to end
up eating the cookie.

Come on, Phil. Don't worry.
I'll take care of it.

Do it so it
don't ricochet back
and hit my house.

Otherwise we're gonna
fast-fry more than
a couple of taxi cabs.

[DIAL TONE BUZZING]

It's a tan Firebird,
license number 856 OKG.

Look, Officer,
you better get down here

before this guy
kills somebody.

I mean,
you better get down here.

Mr. Rockford?

BEAMER:
Who is it?

Monica Steel.

I got the report you sent
and I looked at
the photographs

and it still
doesn't look like Ralph.

The exposures
aren't very good.

Okay. Just wait
a second there, will you?

[CAT MEOWING]

Hi. What's your name?

Your cat?

Cats. Listen,
about those transparencies,

I was working with fast film
in what we call
our available light

and sometimes
it gives you that
there muddy look

but all
the rest of the stuff,

the timetables and
the actuarial chart...

You said you were
going to meet me

at the Sand Pebble
and I went there.

When you didn't show,
I finally decided
to come here.

Look, you see,
we can't really talk here.

There's too
many distractions.

The phone keeps
ringing off the hook.

How about if we
took a ride in...

In your car?

You gonna leave your
cat locked up inside?

He stays in the closet.
He likes to
sleep in my shoes.

He's a crazy cat.
Bogey had cats.
Did you know that?

No.
Mind if I drive your car?

No, no.
Of course not, Mr. Rockford.

Hey, Jim or Jimbo,
like I told you.

ROCKFORD:
Well, it's always nice
to take a vacation.

Better to get
home again, Dad.

ROCKY:
You had me worried there
for a while, sonny.

I figured
something might have
happened to you,

cutting your
trip short 10 days.

Well, I guess
those Caribbean resorts
is mighty expensive, huh?

Yeah, well,
how's everything going?

Did you look after
everything for me?

Oh yeah, fine.
I dropped in on your
place couple of times.

Fed old Valentino.

You know,
it just can't help
feeling funny to me

that a fellow could
go through $1,500

in just a week and a half.

I thought you
figured the expenses
a lot closer than that.

Hot as blazes in San Juan.
Thanks for asking.

I'm sorry.

Doggone,
I just can't see how
you could've run out.

How did we figure it out?
There was 50 bucks a day

for your hotel room
and expenses on
the American Plan,

and then there was
the 10 days' fishing
boat and that was...

$200.

Yeah, $200.

And that's counting
the fishing lessons

which we figured
you didn't need.

Hey, Rocky.

How did it get like this?

I picked it up
Tuesday at Tony's
just like you told me.

I brought it here
and parked it.

Oh, sonny, look at this side.

It's all bunged up
over here, too.

No note or nothing.
Just...

Somebody hit it
and drove off.

Damn.

Angel.
He knew where the key was.

He's probably
been living here.

He probably
wrecked my car.

Well, I thought you told me
Angel was going visiting.

I thought you said
he was gonna spend


Yeah, that's right.

He doesn't get out
for three more days.

You know, it's funny
how wrong you
can be about a guy.

Now, you take old Angel.
Who would ever
have figured him

for going down on a farm,

riding horses,
milking the cows,
feeding chickens...

Dad,
it's not that kind of farm.

[ON ANSWERING MACHINE]
Mr. Rockford,
this is Monica Steel.

I would appreciate it
if you would call me
to discuss these rates.

They seem awfully high.

Hey, gumshoe,
this is Manny Arturis.
Remember me?

Or do you just
cash the checks
and put the phone on answer?

You were supposed to meet me
at the cab company.

If you know
what's good for you,
you'll call me, Rockford.

Who are all these people?

James Rockford,
this is Sergeant
David Applegate

with the Traffic Division
of the Police Department.

We've had
a complaint on your driving

in the Bell Meadows
parking lot
from several citizens.

Would you please get
in touch with this office
as soon as possible?

The next one will probably be
an old m*rder warrant.

Mr. Rockford,
this is Pedro E. Ramirez.

I'm Mr. Delgado's
representative in Los Angeles.

He told me that
you left San Juan

owing the Hotel Casino
over $600.

I understand he's
given you two weeks
on this debt,

but I wanted to set up a time
and come and speak with you.

Looks to me like we
forgot to put roulette
on the old tally sheet.

Don't you start in on me, Dad.
Okay?

Well, you were supposed to be
down there fishing,

not throwing away
your hard-earned money
on them spinning wheels.

I was down there to relax.
I will pay them back.

You bet you will,
or Mr. Pedro
E-for-Executioner Ramirez

is gonna roll
the turf over you

and plant
a stone on your head.

Dad,
they don't do that anymore.

They g*n you down
from slow-moving Chevys.

[CAT MEOWING]

Valentino,
what are you doing in here?

Come here.

You been a good cat?

RECEPTIONIST:
And who should I say
is calling?

ROCKFORD:
Jim Rockford.

Mr. Arturis,
there's a man claiming

to be Mr. Rockford out
here to see you.

Oh, yeah?
You tell that bum
the next time I see him,

it's gonna be in
Small Claims Court.

What's going on here?

Oh, wait a minute.
You can't go in.

Hey, who are you?

Jim Rockford.

What are you guys,
a comedy act?

I'd like to know why

you keep leaving
threatening messages
on my answering machine

and just why you think
you and I are going
to Small Claims Court.

Hey, I don't know
who you are, mister,

but as far as
this Rockford stiff
is concerned,

there ain't no ''think''
about it.

And if he don't pay
me back my $400 in cash
by the 15th,

I'm gonna start
lugging away his TV,
his refrigerator,

and anything else I
can get my hands on.

What $400?

What am I talking to you for?
Go on, get out of here.

Hey, hey,
my name's Jim Rockford.
Here. Here.

He had lD, too. Get lost.

But my name is Rockford.

I been out of town.
I just got back.

I don't owe you any


and if you try
to take my TV
and my refrigerator,

I'll give you
a whole new outlook
on the taxi business.

Floyd, I got it.
It's a con game.

These guys are
running a con game.

Yeah, Mr. A comes in here
with your lD. Right?

I hire him, he skins me
for a cube of hundreds,
then he takes a powder.

Then along you come. Mr. B.

You say, ''I'm the real guy.

''I've been away on vacation.

''This Mr. A,
he's been using my name.
But I'm innocent.''

What am I supposed to say?

''It's okay.
I mean, mistakes happen.''

Is that what I'm
supposed to say?

Even though my
insurance man is out there
foaming at the mouth

over a couple of
medium-rare cabs.
No, it's okay.

I'm just going to eat the 400
'cause I been playing jacks

with a square ball
all my life.

I don't know
from last Tuesday.

Look, buster,
I don't owe you
any 400 bucks,

and I'm not
about to spend time
arguing with you about it

in Small Claims Court.

Let me tell you something.

Either you or
the other guy's going to pay,

'cause Floyd here
hired the Rockford Agency

to do investigative work
on some fire-bombed cabs.

Now, I knew that was
a dumb move

and I called Rockford
to cancel the deal,
but he don't call back.

He don't even report back.

No phone call, no nothing.

All I got is
another cooked taxi.

Either you pay up,
you pay here now,
or you get out of here,

or I'll put this thing
right between your ears.

You're a very hostile guy,
Mr. Arturis.

Yeah.
You catch on quick.
Come on.

Come over here.
You want it?

Well, I don't know, Rocky.

Who'd want to take over
my operation, anyway?

I mean, you strip
the whole thing down

and all you've got is


snarling at a $200
checking account.

Well,
maybe this guy doesn't know

the kind of money
bind you're in.

Or maybe he doesn't care.

Well, who is he? I mean,
he drives my car,
he wears my clothes.

I mean, what's in it for him?

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

You Jim Rockford?
Yeah, come in.

Boy, I hope I don't have to
come down here again.

I almost didn't get
my truck under that limb
on the access road.

I got your stuff
from Scotland Yard Products.

Got my what?

I don't know.
There's a whole list here.

The Electronic Carpet Sensor.

I think that's
the one I got in two parts.

The motor comes separate.
But I got that, too.

Electronic what?

And you got
your battery-operated

portable sand sifter
and fiber tester.

I think that's the big box.
Kind of light.

Electronic olive?
What the helI's that?

Well, that's a misprint. Look,
I'll get this stuff inside

except for that
Naguchi Console thing.
l think that's too big.

Naguchi XL 1500
Forensic Medicine Console
and Chemistry Shelf?

That's it.

Hey, hey, look,
I don't want all that.

I didn't order that.
Now, take it back.

To who? It's yours.
It's been paid for.

I mean,
I can keep it on the truck,

but I can't
guarantee my dispatcher
won't charge you for storage.

If you want
your money back,

I suggest you take it up
with Scotland Yard.

Is that supposed to
be some kind of cr*ck?

ROCKFORD:
Would you look at this?
There's boxes on top of boxes.

Here's one.

A police artist's sketch book
and magic pen.

What do you suppose
all this stuff cost,
anyway?

Plenty.

Especially the old
Forensic Medicine Console
and Chemistry Shelf

that's just sitting outside
waiting for me to
enlarge the door

so I can bring it in.

Okay,

so he found my charge cards,
which was in the desk,

and he put me in debt

to the Scotland Yard
Products Company of...

Oh, this is cute.
London, Illinois.

London, Illinois?

I wonder if that's
near Dublin, Michigan?

That's very funny, Rocky.
You ought to do it in an act

so you can do it for me
while I'm up in Sing Sing.

Oh, now, don't you worry,
sonny.

They'll take all
of this stuff back.

I hope so.
In the meantime,
we're gonna need radar

just to get in the kitchen.

Son of a g*n.

They do have
an olive in here.

Look.

Who'd want an olive
with a microphone in it?

Yes?
My name is Jim Rockford.

You left a message
on my answering machine.

You can't be.
This is ridiculous.

If you're Jim Rockford,
who's this guy?

I don't know.
I was on vacation.

I come back,
my car was wrecked,

somebody's been
living in my trailer.

On Cove Road?
That's right.

But I've told him things.

I've confided in things
about me and about Ralph.

How? Oh, no.

Get out of here, please.

He's already so jealous
about the two
times last week.

What two times?
What are you talking about?

Please.

Look, Mrs. Steel,
I've got to find this guy.

I've got to get to
the bottom of this.

I mean, he's running around
charging things
on my charge cards.

You don't know how Ralph is.
He's got a g*n.

All right, this guy
who's claiming to be me,

what did he look like?
Where does he hang out?

Look...

Average. Unattractive.

His clothes
never seemed to fit.

He spends most of
his evenings after 9:00

in a bar-restaurant
called the Sand Pebble.
They know him there.

I would like to know
the nature of the case.
Please.

Well, I was having an affair
about six months ago with...

Oh, dear God,
is this really necessary?

Please.

With Dave Morgan,

the assistant
basketball coach at
my stepson's school.

Ralph found out
last week, got angry

and put the guy
in the hospital.

Then he started
fooling around

and things have just sort
of been going downhill.

I was hoping that Mr...

That man claiming to be you
could get some evidence.

I'm just looking for a way
out of this soap opera.

Hi, there.

You looking for something,
pal?

Yeah.
I'm Dave Morgan's attorney.

I'm just asking
a few questions.

You were talking to this guy?
Monica, what's
the matter with you?

Now get inside. Get inside!

Look, he swung at me,
I swung back.

He wants to go to court,
I'm ready for him.

Well, you had more
provocation than that,
Mr. Steel.

Apparently you
thought your wife

was having
an affair with my client.

If I ever catch
her with that coach

or with the private
detective she hired
or even you, Clarence,

I'm coming out swinging.
Now get out of here.

I was just leaving.

Jim.

Tony.

Didn't I just send
this back to you?

Tone, I went on vacation,
I came back,

and it was like that.

Have you tried that out
on the friendly folks
at Pen Mutual?

No, I'm paying
for this one myself.

Maybe we could work it out
on an installment
like last Christmas.

If it works that way, Jim,
I'm gonna have
some collateral.

I went into
bankruptcy last year,
remember?

I got a bank reviewer
going over my books.

I need to hold onto
something that floats.

How about
an electronic olive?

Make out an estimate.
We can work out something,
Tony.

Hey, you want a ride
back to your place?

Hey, yeah, please.

Beamer! Beamer!

Hey, Beamer.
Hey, Beamer.

Yeah, Tone?

TONY: You got a shuttle.
Move it.

Hey, Jim,
did you ever read

that magazine,
Detective Digest?

No, I don't think so.
Sure, you have.

It's that one
about those
real-life detective cases.

It keeps you up on
what CCI is doing.
All the latest stuff.

I was reading this
story the other day

about this PI
out in South Philly

working on this simple
accident investigation
on a hit-and-run...

You're gonna turn right
up here at the next corner.

Yeah, okay, I will.

Now, anyway,
so he's checking out this gig
for a couple of days

and all of a sudden
these two
outfit guys show up,

try and blow him away.
No kidding?

Yeah. PI, you know,
he's going nuts,

can't figure out
why they would want
to whack him

on this
sleazy accident thing,
know what I mean?

Two more days go by,
two sh**t out of
Tampa show up, wacko,

they try it again.

You know,
if you go down to Vermont,
you take the freeway.

Yeah, I know.
That's what I'll do.

So, you know, it turns out
the PI is fooling around

with one of those
lD changes, you know.

The guy in the accident

turned out to be
a federal plant
who's working in the mob

who are trying to
take down this bank
in Connecticut.

Only the mob
doesn't realize this PI's
about to blow the whole gig

because of this
stupid accident.

How do you like
that story?

It sounds like a good one.

Good one? Are you kidding?

The PI ends up in court
testifying against the mob.

Two days later
he's having dinner,

ends up eating
a six-pack of lead,

does a swan dive
in a plate of pasta.

Beats working in
the auto repair business,
doesn't it?

You know, Jim,
you really ought to
get this magazine.

You get to read the stories
tell them to broads,
you know.

Hey, you better
get over to the left,
you're gonna miss it.

Okay.

Let me guess. Mr. Ramirez.

I thought I'd come by
and set up a timetable.

Would you mind getting off
my Naguchi 1500
before you bust it?

For a man who owes money,

you seem to be having
a lot of new things delivered.

I was just looking
through your window.

Why don't you come back
in two weeks, huh?

I'll have $600 for you then.

I was thinking more like


Mr. Delgado gave
me two more weeks
on the debt.

You can
call him and check it.

That'll be fine,
except that I bought

the paper from Del
two days ago for $500.

That leaves him out of it.

You have to deal with me.

The way I see it, two weeks
is just plain out
of the question.

Well, the way I see it,
the debt is owed

to the Occidental Hotel
in Puerto Rico.

And you're just
a guy with a long story
and great taste in clothes.

My banking representatives
will be by at 5:00

to cancel out the debt.

Have the money.

Representatives, plural?

That's right.

I guess they travel in pairs

'cause that way they have


I don't ask them how
they do the addition.

What counts is that
it comes out all right
in the end.

Mr. Rockford,
it's been nice
dealing with you.

We also do loan work.

When you get current,

you may want
to remember us
for a loan sometime.



It's a tough business.
People just don't
understand our side of it.

Rockford. Hey, Rockford,
you got a call.

How are you, sweetheart?
It's been a long time.

I'll talk to you later,
all right?
Hi, Dave, how are you?

Guy or broad?

It's a guy.

Give me another
deck of Luckys,
will you, Dallas, old buddy?

Rockford here.

Hey, Richie, partner,
how are you?

Sure, put her on.

Hey, this broad here
is dynamite.

Hey, sweetheart,
how you doing?

Yeah, yeah, sure.

Listen, I'm sorry,
I can't make it.

I'll be out of town
for about a week.

Yeah. I'm working on
a little jewel recovery case

down south with
el cuerpo de policia.

No, no. Rio. Yeah.

Hey, of course I love you.

Look, will you take it easy?

When I get back in town,
I'll give you a call
and work something out.

All right, sweetheart?
All right, take it easy.

I'll get back to you.
Bye-bye.

Thanks for the cigarettes.

Sit down.

What's the matter with you?

Hey, Jim,
what are you doing here?

What am I doing here?
You got to be kidding.

Would you excuse us, ma'am?

What's the matter, Jim?

What kind of ditzel are you?
Using my name, using my car,

ordering carpet
fiber testers,

electronic olives,
chemistry sets?

Who's going to pay for that?
I don't use
that kind of stuff.

I know, but...

Nobody uses
that kind of stuff.

Did that stuff get here?

I been waiting
a week for that stuff.

This guy giving you
some trouble, Jimbo?

Hey, why don't you
go make a martini
and stay out of this, huh?

Hey, Rockford,
you want me to
put this guy down?

He's not Rockford.
I'm Rockford,

and I'm taking him
out of here with me.

Hey, come on, now.
Come on, what is this?

He's our friend.
He's one of us.

He's got a g*n.
You think I'd let him

handle me like this
if he wasn't healed?

Hey, wait!

BEAMER: See you, Dallas!
Thanks a lot!

ROCKFORD:
I'm not armed!

All right.
All right. Hold it.

Hold it. Just let go, pal.

Nice place you got here.

Somebody call the cops.

Here, I'm going to
get my wallet.

My name is Jim Rockford.
I'm a private detective.

The guy's been running
all over town using my name.

He's been using
my credit cards
and he wrecked my car.

Oh, come on.
No, you come on.

I came in here to
straighten this thing out,
they grabbed me

and you came down
on me with a shotgun.

Well, if you're Rockford,
then who's he?

His name is Freddie Beamer.
He's a mechanic's assistant.

He works at Tony's
Auto Body Shop, or did.

My guess is he
just hit the street,
came down laying rubber,

and that's the last
we're going to see of him

and I'm gonna get
stuck with the bills.

The hell you say.
The hell you say.

I want my wallet back,
and now.

Who's going to
pay his tab here?

I don't care.
Get it from
Chuckles the Clown.

I'm sitting on
a 50-buck bar bill.

Hey, Brenda, baby,
find a charge card,
make Mr. Rockford up a slip.

Hey, come on, now.
I am through paying
for Beamer's party.

I want my wallet
and I want it now.

You make a move

and you're going to get
the pellet concession
right in your guts.

All right, all right.
We wait for the cops.

And suppose my
story checks out?

What happens then, Wyatt?

You get to take a fall
for aggravated as*ault,
as*ault and battery,

attempted homicide,
extortion and
illegal detention.

And if I don't get my
wallet back right now,

you get to take
half of the extortion,
Brenda, baby.

[FINGERS SNAPPING]

Good night, Wyatt.

[g*n f*ring]

[CAR HONKING]

Jimbo.

Hey, Fred, Freddie.

Hey, Jimbo,
it didn't come.

All right,
you just lay still.
Don't say anything.

Be quiet now.

I'm telling you,
it didn't come.

Yeah, this is an emergency.
I need an ambulance
at 29, Cove Road.

A man's been sh*t.

The bulletproof
vest didn't come.

ROCKFORD:
I've got to know what
and who he's dealing with.

BECKER: Come on, Jim.
I been questioning him
for 20 minutes.

He won't talk.

Hey, listen, I'm sorry, Jim.
I know you must be bugged.

Hey, Freddie,
what's done is done.

Right now, though,
is a good time

to get everything
out on the table, you know?

I called the editor
of Detective Digest magazine.

He's flying a guy
out here to talk to me.
How do you like that?

And listen, about the stuff,
I'm going to take
it off your hands.

It may take me a while
to get the money
end worked out,

but I really figure
I'm going to be
needing it because, Jim,

I'm staying in the business.

Fred Beamer, PI.
How do you like that, huh?

Well, I think
the important thing
right now, Freddie,

is to find out
who sh*t you.
You know?

I wouldn't worry
about that too much, Jim.

I got some pretty hot
leads myself already.

Well, good.
That's what I was hoping for.

What Dennis and
I want to know
is your client list.

I know about Mrs. Steel
and the Quick and
Ready Cab Company,

but I don't know
all the details.

You see, those
people are a little upset

over the way you
handled things,

so if there's
anything important,
you know, any other case?

Jim, have you ever heard
of client confidentiality?

Well, yeah, Freddie.
But what's
a little shop talk between

a couple of guys
who've been using
the same name? Mine?

Let's just suppose
I started yammering
away here, Jim.

How much respect
would you have for me?

Well, I'd have lots, Freddie.

After all, you'd be
helping out a colleague.

Jim, it's not the point.

When that guy
from Detective Digest
magazine gets here,

I want to be
able to talk to him

with a totally
clear conscience.

Freddie, let me put it
to you another way, huh?

Kind of PI to PI.

Maybe I'm having
a little trouble of my own.

Maybe the guys
who sh*t you
were trying to get me

and got you by mistake.

What kind of trouble
do you have, Jim?

It's an old debt that
I'm seriously in arrears.

I mean, those guys were
waiting for me there,
you know.

If you give them
a bad time, who knows,
maybe they sh*t you.

But it still remains, Jim,
we got the same code.

Now, I can't understand
why you can't see that.

We got the same code,
Freddie.

And we got the same name
and the same car,
the same clothes.

The only thing
wrong with all that

is they all
belonged to me first.

Now, can you get
that through your head?

Do you
understand that, Freddie?

Jim, if you're gonna
get angry,

I'm just going to
have to ask you to leave.

Let's go, Jim.

No, no.

Okay, Freddie,
I've got a little
surprise for you.

Yeah? What?
Six months to a year
in the county clanger.

Come on, Jim.

It is against the law

to break into people's homes
and steal their lD,
use their credit cards.

I got a market list of charges
against you and
I'm pressing them.

Maybe I can keep
you off the streets

so I can find out
what's going on.

It may interest
you to know that

Sidney Pearlman
happens to be my attorney.

Now, how do you like that?

That doesn't
interest me, Freddie.

It amuses me.

Let's get out
of here, Dennis.

Hey, you got a good
set of earplugs, pal.

[WOMAN CHATTERING ON PA]

Okay, Dennis, file.
Just file charges.

What are you going to do?
Are you kidding?

We have our code
of ethics, you know.

Where'd he get a name
like Sidney Pearlman?

Detective Digest,
''Strange Cases
From My Files.''

It's a weekly feature.

Here, here.
''Harrowing legal experiences

''by America's
premiere defense attorney.''
He reads that stuff, Dennis.

He is 100% chucklehead.

BEAMER..
Stake out on Quick and Ready,
May 16, '77.

Observed suspect
in brown hardtop convertible
entering cab company.


fire-bombed last night.


exits cab company

and drives away
in a brown car.

Get the license number,
dummy.

Update on brown
hardtop convertible.

Good boy.

It has a light landau top.

Manny Arturis and
his cousin Floyd

exit cab company
and head to their car.

It is 10:00 p.m.

It's cold out here
and black as
the back of the moon.

As I sit watching these men,
two men who I've
come to admire,

standing up against
a huge cab company,
trying to make a go of it,

I'm reminded of...

Of the grit, the lousy
toughness of this b*at,

of how a guy has to...
Strike that.

Well, I'm glad you called.

I've only been
leaving messages
all over town.

What have you got?

Bad news.
Your friend Beamer,

he does more than read
about Sidney Pearlman.

Pearlman gets his car fixed
the same place you do.

They know each other.

He's out? How long ago?

Two hours.
He bailed out on Little Sam.
A $300 bond.

Where'd he get $300...

Oh, no.

You got all your cards back,
didn't you?

Yeah, I think so.

So relax.
So what else is new?

Well, I got some of
Beamer's stakeout tapes.

Anything on them?
I don't know yet.

It's about two-thirds
Lux Radio Theater.

But there must be
something there.

I'll take time and
plow through them.

I also got a call
from Tom Shaffer in Arson.

He's been working
on the fire bombings
of those cabs.

Apparently Phil Moreno
and Manny Arturis

have some kind
of a connection.

Phil ''Golf Bag'' Moreno?

The same.

Yeah, well,
thanks a lot, Dennis.

You're welcome.

Hold on. Wait a minute.
Will you hold it?

Please,
what are you doing here?

I'm still on the case,
Miss Steel.
I've got some new info for...

You lied to me.
Leave me alone. Go away!

Monica!
I'll handle it.

Damn it, Monica...
Great. Now you've done it.

Mr. Steel,
I think it's about time
we had a little talk.

It's not bad enough
you gotta go
sneaking off with this guy,

but you gotta hold
your meetings right out here
in the front yard

so all our neighbors can see.

Please.
It's not what you think.
Oh, yeah?

She's right, Mr. Steel.

Hold on. Wait a minute.

I told you to stay
away from my wife.

I'm gonna k*ll you,
you little cretin.
Mr. Steel...

Whoever you are,
you're not gonna
be able to walk.

Get your hands off me!

MONlCA: Both of you!
Both of you, stop!

Would you
please keep it down?

Hold it. Just hold it.

You are dead.
Both you guys are dead.
I'm getting my g*n.

I'm gonna finish
both of you.

Come on, Freddie.
Let's go.

Listen, mister,
I've been sh*t at before.
I'm not the kind of guy

you can blow
away with a thr*at.
Do you understand that?

Well, I am.
Excuse the intrusion.

ROCKFORD: We'll be on our way.
No harm done.

Hey!
Let's go, Freddie.

BEAMER: I had the situation
totally under control.

I don't know what
you came here for.

I don't know
what you pulled me
off that guy for.

I can handle a guy like that
any day of the week.

ROCKFORD: Freddie,
let me tell you something.

A guy like that
could go get a g*n

and sh**t you,
me or both of us.

Yeah, well, sometimes
a private detectives
gotta take risks.

Well, not me.
I make a habit
of avoiding risks.

That's why I still
got a full set of teeth.

How'd you make bail anyway?

I used me card.
I used my credit card.

What credit card?
Let me see your wallet.

Why?

What are you doing?

What are you doing?
You nuts?

What are you doing?

Just get out, Freddie.
Now, I'm not kidding.
Now come here.

Now give me your wallet.
Just give it here.

Why?
I want to see that card.

I have a crazy feeling
that I left one in
my old checkered coat.

Look, Jimmy...
Give it to me, Freddie.

Take it.
I'm through with it.

Freddie,
what did I ever do to you?

Nothing, Jim. I like you.

But you have no idea
what it's like to spend
your life under a car.

Tony's a nice
guy and all that,

but every time some joker
overflows the toilet,
it's, ''Hey, Beamer.''

Every time
an engine gets fouled

and somebody
doesn't want to swallow
a ton of sludge,

it's, ''Hey, Beamer.''
Let me tell you something.

My life's been
going down the drain

like a crankshaft
full of old oil.

I had to make
a move and I did
and look what happened.

Oh, yeah.
Pretty terrific, isn't it?

You betcha.

I got an honest-to-God
b*llet wound here.

I got clients who need me.
They might be mad at me,
but they need me.

Better than that,

the editor of
Detective Digest
is coming out here

to ask me questions
about one of my cases.
Now, how do you like that?

Which one?
That's what I'd like to know.

Come on, Freddie.
I mean, you'd tell him.
Why won't you tell me?

Because I really don't know.

I must have
turned up something,
but I don't know what it is.

What about the guy
who visited Manny Arturis
on May the 16th?

That's when you
were staked out
at the cab company.

I can't remember dates.
I staked that place
out for a long time.

The 16th.
At night?

Yeah. The night of the 16th.
You remember?

It was dark as
the back of the moon.

Oh yeah, yeah, sure.

What did the guy look like?

Was he medium height,
black hair, sharp,
pointed nose?

That's the guy.
You know that guy?

Yeah, I think I just
might know that guy.

Yeah, that could be
Phil Moreno.
He's a local mobster.

A sh**t, huh?
Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Freddie,

I'll tell you what.

I got an idea.

Why don't you and I
hook up on this one, huh?

Jim, that's what
I always wanted.

All right,
I got a job for you.

Now, it involves
going out of town.
It's not exactly Rio...

That's all right.

...but it's important
if we're going to
cr*ck this case.

That is fantastic.
Let's get moving, Jimbo.

All right.

Hey, Jimbo,
when the job's tough,
we're the men, right?

WOMAN ON PA..
Your attention, please.

Calways Limited Special
to Stockton, San Francisco
and Sacramento

is now ready for boarding
at gate number four.

Why Eureka?

Hey, you don't want to
go up there, Freddie,
it's all right with me.

But that's it on
the partnership.

I don't work with
guys who don't cooperate.

Jim, are you sure
the mob hangs out in Eureka?

I thought it was
a little small farming
town or something.

Do you know who owns
all those olive groves
up there?

You heard of Big
Jack Christiani,

the artichoke king of
Northern California?

Where you been, Freddie?

I thought you knew
everything that was
going on in this state.

Yeah, yeah, sure,
I've heard about that stuff.

Phil Moreno came
out of that valley.

The mobsters own most of it.

I'm sure you've heard
of Tombstone Tommy Ricco.

Yeah, Torpedo, right?

No, Freddie. The fed.

Oh.

He was in charge of
the organized crime
strike force

up in Redlands, '73.

He broke up
the Manetti-Russo
drug ring.

He sent almost 20
mobsters back to college.

Oh, yeah. That guy.

Now, look,
when you get up to Eureka,

I want you to
go to the Texaco
and ask for Bill.

Bill will put you in touch
with Tombstone Tommy.

I want to know if
Moreno's been up there
in the last two weeks,

if he's been
involved in anything
like buying used cars.

Anything that would tie him
to the taxi business in LA.

What we're trying to do
is get a line
on the connection

between Moreno
and Quick and Ready, right?

Hey, you got it, partner.
And one other thing.

Yeah?
Be careful.

Now,
that little town up there
looks like it's sleepy,

but right
underneath the surface,
you know what's buried.

Stiffs, right?

No, no, Freddie,
organized crime.

Now, be careful.
These guys are tough.

Hey, Jim, I can handle this.

You get yourself in a motel
and then you call me.
You leave a message.

But whatever you do,
you stay up there.

I'll be up there in a flash,
and Tombstone Tommy,
you and I,

we'll throw
a net on these guys.

Who knows? We might even
get the cover of
Detective Digest.

Hey, Jim, I'm not just
in this for the press,
you know.

I know that.
Hey, you be careful.
Have a good trip.

[WHISTLING SOFTLY]

How you doing?

MANNY.. Yeah, who is it?

Mr. Arturis?
This is Jim Rockford.

Look, mister,
I don't want to talk to you
or the other guy.

I just wanted to tell you
that Freddie Beamer's
out of the hospital

and he may be around
to talk to you again, so...

Look, I can control him.

If he shows up,
please don't hurt him.

Hurt him?

Why would I want
to hurt him?

Somebody already
took a sh*t at him.

He's filing
charges with the DA.

You tell that guy
that if he comes around here,

I'm going to introduce him
to a lug wrench.

You tell him that, okay?

I'm a PI.
I'm working on this
mob thing out in Eureka.

May sound strange to you.

I don't guess you never heard
of the artichoke king
of Northern California.

You probably still think
that those olive
groves up there

still belong to
Del Monte, right?

I really don't want
to talk about it now.

It's big, you know.

I don't want to talk
about it right now.

Yeah, well,
I can control him.

So if he shows up,
you just call me.

You said somebody
tried to k*ll him?

That's right.
He saw the guy.

But I guess that's
between him and the DA.

Yeah.
Now, the guy's real name
is Beamer, huh?

That's right. Fred Beamer.

I'll see you, Mr. Steel.

You just make sure
you're not seeing Monica.

See, Tombstone Tommy Ricco
blew their cover in '73.

Sent about 20 of
those mob smart-heads
back to college.

What's college?
The pen. Prison.

Hey, Pedro, come on.

When I arrived,
I saw that blue Cad
just sailing out of there.

I don't need
a program to figure out why.

And I don't need
a program to tell you

from some bumbler named...
Whatever.

Beamer.
I'm just looking to get paid.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Well, let's hope
Beamer doesn't finger you

or your banking
representatives
in some police mug book.

Look, get off my phone,
Rockford.
I've got business.

Yeah.

Like I told this guy,

there's not a mobster alive
I wouldn't take to the mat.

There's something
you gotta understand
about these guys.

They're scum.

You confront them,
nine out of 10 back down.

What about the 10th guy?

[MlMlCS g*n f*ring]

Do I carry a g*n?
Yeah, I carry a g*n.

Sometimes it
takes more than a g*n
in this game.

My stuff. I forgot my stuff.

Listen,
it was nice talking to you.
I gotta get out of here.

Hey, stop the bus, will you?
Stop the bus.

Hey, Dennis,
we're in business.

Did you get a plate?

Yeah. It's a dark
brown sedan, a landau top.



Looks like he's
going around the block.
He's cruising.

Isn't that
the car Beamer spotted?

Right. Phil Moreno.

That makes it
the cab company.

Why would they
want to k*ll Beamer?

Manny promised Phil Moreno

that his cousin Floyd
would sign
the unified cab contract,

only Floyd wouldn't do it,

so Manny
obviously agreed with Phil
to fire-b*mb his own cabs.

Beamer must have ended up
in the middle somehow,

now they're
trying to k*ll him.

Oh, no,
you won't believe this.

What? What's wrong?

Beamer just showed.
He's about to get it.

All right, stay quiet.
Let them light on something.

Meanwhile,
I'll get some help over here.

Right.

Get in the car.
Get in the car!
What are you talking about?

Come on, get in there.
Come on!

They got him, Dennis.

They're coming your way.

[CAR HONKING]

Southbound on Denton.

Suspect's vehicle
is being pursued
by a red and gray truck.

CB Channel 14, closing out.

Get that shotgun out
of the bag and use it.

[SlREN WAILING]

[g*n f*ring]

Freeze.
Okay, out.

POLlCEMAN:
Hands on top of the car.

Come on, buddy, move it.

All right, come on, Beamer.

You just couldn't
stay up in Eureka,
huh, Freddie?

You had to come
back and eat a b*llet.

What's going on here, Jim?

I'll fill you in later.

Don't forget to fill
me in before that guy

from Detective Digest
magazine gets here.
Okay, old buddy?

Oh, yeah, right, old buddy.

Yeah, it's all here,
except for the vest.

If I had that vest,
it would have been
a totally different story.

Yeah, why don't
you go get your car,
pull it up,

and we'll start
loading these goodies,
all right, Beamer?

You sure them guys
from Scotland Yard

ain't going to be
coming back at you
for all this stuff?

Beamer called and
took me off the hook.

Well, I don't like you
hanging around
with that guy, sonny.

You'll get yourself
into more trouble.

Don't worry, he's okay.

You just have to
know how to handle him.

Once you get the hang of it,
you can stay out of range.

Here for the appliances.

Oh, yeah.

Okay, Herb,
start with the TV.

And maybe Jim here will
give you a hand with some
of the other things.

Are you kidding?
I'm not trucking my
own stuff out of here.

Oh, Jim, you're
taking this awfully hard.
Look at me.

I'm probably going to
just about break even
on this deal,

and you don't stay
in this business long

if all you do is
just break even.

Hey, who pulled that
U-Haul in out there?
I can't get my car in.

Now, you just
wait your turn.

We'll be through
here in just one minute.

Who is this guy, Jim?

You going to let him
take your TV set like that?

Yeah.
Wait a minute.

Is this that guy Ramirez
you were telling me about?

I thought you said
you were going to
flatten his arches.

Beamer, lay off.

Can I help you
with that, pal?

Hey, Jim,

guys like us don't
have to stand for this
kind of thing, you know.

Look, Beamer...
I told you.

I know all about you,
you know, gaucho.

You bleed people, right?

Every time you
make an appearance,

a hundred toilets
flush all over town, right?

Herb, ice this guy.

No, I'm Rockford!