05x05 - The Life of Riley

[bunniefuu]

I've been seen with Farrah.

I've never been with anything less than a
nine.

So fine.

I've been on fire with Sally Field.

Gone past with a girl named Bo.

But somehow they just don't end up as
mine.

It's a death-defying life I lead.

I take my chances.

I die for living in the movies and TV.

But the hardest thing I
ever do is watch my leading

ladies kiss some other guy
while I'm bandaging my knee.

I've

never spent much time in school,
but I've taught ladies plenty.

It's true I hire my body alphabetically.

Hey, hey.

I've gotten burned over Cheryl Teague's
blowin' up for Rockin' Welch.

But when I wind up in the hay,
it's only hay.

Hey, hey.

I might jump an open drawbridge or Tarzan
from a vine.

The producers of the picture we're working
on are gonna be at this party tonight.

The very same producers
who've just signed a three-picture

deal and still haven't hired
their stunt coordinator yet.

And you know who else is gonna be there?

That little actress you had your eye on.

The one you thought was the first 11 you
ever saw.

Look, guys.

At 7 o'clock this morning, I drove a car 60
miles an hour through a four-bedroom house.

At 11.30, I took a bike, laid it down,
and skidded 135 feet across the asphalt.

Now, at 11.45, I had to do
the whole thing over again

because somebody's dog got
in the way and ruined the shot.

And after lunch, guess what happened?

They set me afire and pushed me off a four
-story building.

And I think I deserve a little relaxation.

Well, the party starts in about an hour.

How long you wanna soak?

About a week.

A bubble bath, Seavers?

Whatever happened to macho men?

Look, I'm not going after any skimp.

I'm right in the middle of a picture.

Not anymore.

I went on the set and explained my problem
to Stevie.

Stevie?

Your director.

You talked to Mr. Spielberg?

Nice kid.

He agreed to let you out of your contract,
so now Jody and Howie have the job.

What?

Hold it, Colt.

Pearl, you've gone too far this time.

I'm not working for you.

Put that plug back.

The skimp's name is Simon Gordon.

He ran out on me when they jailed him for
busting up a county hall of records office.

It's worth five grand.

Pearl... I traced him through a credit
card authorization to a Sacramento motel.

Here's a picture of him.

Well, forget it.

Pearl, give me that towel.

The way that water's
draining, I would say

that you had about ten
seconds of decency left.

Pearl... Five
seconds and draining.

Pearl... All right, all right.

Here.

You know, Sebers, this was one time I was
hoping you'd have a little more gumption.

Every lonely highway,

shining night,

raining out of motion, makes it hard to
reason...

Hey, Simon Gordon.

I'm

an officer of the courts.

Skipped bail on a friend of mine.

I'm taking you back to L.A.

Please, not now.

You don't know what you're doing.

I gotta get back to that gas station and
talk to the owner of that blue VW.

It'll just have to wait.

It can't wait.

That might be the man who kidnapped my
daughter.

Look, I really appreciate what you're
doing.

I'll be taking him back to L.A.

as soon as you check out his story.

Good.

Do me a favor.

Try to stay off the hoods of police cars.

Gordon's telling the truth.

His daughter Riley was abducted about
eight months ago.

The Volkswagen was reportedly involved.

Look, I can imagine how you feel.

Because I got a little son myself.

So, I know what he's going through.

Well, let's check it out.

Thanks.

Come on.

That's it.

The Volkswagen.

It's got a 7 in license plate.

Gordon said the only witness remembered a
blue VW and a 7 somewhere on the plate.

If you've got any idea
how many blue VWs in

California must have a
number 7 in their license.



Well, that's my point exactly.

You can't possibly check everyone out on
your own.

Why don't you hire a private investigator?

I had one for six months.



I thought I'd check out the rest on my
own.

Bosses?

Can I help you?

Yeah, we're looking for the owner of this
car.

You found him.

Bob Miller.

I own the station.

Is there a problem?

There's a possibility that this car may
have been involved in a kidnapping.

Yeah, my little girl.

Easy, easy.

Take it easy.

You're not being accused of kidnapping Mr.
Miller.

We just want to ask you a few questions.

Please.

Please.

I'll help any way I can.

Are you the only one who drives this car?

Yeah.

I drive customers home when they leave
their cars in for servicing.

I have the only set of keys.

The car's kept at the station all the
time.

On last October 28th, was this car in Los
Angeles?

No.

The car's never been in Los Angeles.

As a matter of fact, last October 28th,
I was in Europe.

Yeah, why don't you prove it?

Mr. Miller, you're protected by law.

You don't have to... It's okay.

I've got my passport inside the office.

I'll get it.

Okay.

Take it easy.

Like the gentleman said, on October 28th,
he was in Barcelona.

Spain.

Couldn't someone else have used the car?

Someone had to run the station.

My mechanic, Rusty, he didn't have the
keys.

Even if he did, he wouldn't leave.

Nobody would be here to watch the station.

Thank you, Mr. Miller.

We're sorry we bothered you.

It's all right.

I'm sorry.

Guess I'll be taking Gordon back to Los
Angeles now.

Thanks a lot.

Good.

Take care of it.

What was that all about?

That guy's kid was kidnapped by someone
driving a blue VW last October.

Thought you did it?

No.

No.

They were just checking out the car.

Yeah.

Better get back to work.

Mr. Davis wants his car by 5.

You know, Gordon, it's getting late.

I think I'll check us into a hotel.

We both had a long day.

Since Riley disappeared, they've all been
long.

We'll head back tomorrow.

I'm just gonna skip bail again.

Well, I doubt if you'll make bail now.

You may have to spend some days in jail.

Well, I wonder if those would be the days
I might have found Riley.

Mr. Trenton.

Rusty.

I think we've got a problem.

Sorry about having
to do this, but... I know.

You're just doing what you have to do.

You know, did it ever occur to you that I
might be doing what I have to do?

Well, getting arrested
and skipping bail doesn't

sound like a very good
plan for finding your daughter.

Look, I was in the L.A.

Hall of Records tracking down a possible
lead on Riley.

It was Friday, and they
were closing up for the

weekend, and I still had
one more book to go through.

One more book!

I got into a fight, and they arrested me.

Yeah.

Well, I'm sure that if you'd
have shown up in court, the

judge would have taken
your story into consideration.

And what if he didn't?

What if he locked me up for 30 days?

Look, I can't take that chance.

Who's gonna look for my little girl?

What about your wife?

She died a couple months after Riley was
born in a car accident.

I'm sorry.

What about the police?

Look, just drop it.

I gave the police a photo of Riley,
but it wasn't a current photo.

You know, kids change so
much in such a short period

of time, they said it might
not be any help at all.

I'm sure they're doing everything they
can.

There's just not much they can do,
Severs.

Do you have any idea how many kids
disappear every year?

I'm sure it's thousands.

Now try 1,200,000.

Can't be all kidnappings.

No, luckily they're not.

About a million are runaways, and another


And the rest?

The rest are stranger abductions.

But if your child is
one of these, then none

of those other statistics
mean a damn thing.

Look, I just have to get Riley back.

She's all I got.

Then you're gonna need some rest.

You're thinking on leaving.

Remember, I'm a light sleeper.

Severs?

Yeah?

Thanks a lot for going back to that gas
station today.

I know you didn't have to do that.

Rusty, you wanna come over here and give
me that date again?

Sometime last October.

Sometime last October.

Great.

Great.

Sometime last October.

Okay.

Here it is.

October 28th.

Little girl.

About two.

Dark hair.

Mr. Trenton, you gotta do something.

Yeah?

What should I do, Rusty?

Let you kidnap her again?

Yeah, if that's what it takes.

Great.

Great.

You pick her up.

The adoptive parents give
a photo to the police who

identify her as the same kid
who was picked up a year ago.

You and me, we spend the rest of our lives
behind bars.

Well, her father's still looking for her.

And he's gonna go on looking for her.

He got close once, he came up empty
-handed.

Now, everything is going to be okay,
okay?

Okay.

So, I have a job for you tomorrow.

Oh, Mr. Trenton.

A couple from Reno have paid a large sum
of money for a speedy adoption.

They want a little boy, about two.

Fair complexion.

That was the best night's sleep I've had
in about a year.

I'm glad one of us enjoyed it.

My back is k*lling me.

You should have got a room to two beds.

Not when you work for Curls Furling.

She believes in the no-frills approach to
bounty hunting.

I still don't see how you can eat tacos
for breakfast.

Hey, come on.

It's better than those donuts.

It's fattening.

It's sugar.

Gives me energy.

Oh, yeah.

Putting pictures on milk cartons started
about a year ago.

There's 150 other companies that have now
joined in.

They put it on.

Buses, billboards, grocery bags.

Anywhere things can be seen.

Riley?

No, she wasn't one of the lucky ones.

See, not every kid gets to have their
picture displayed, but maybe next month.

I'm sorry.

You know, from the
minute your child's born until

the day you die, you
never stop worrying about it.

Every cough, every bruised knee.

Do everything you possibly can to protect
them.

You see, I was...

I was in my house on the phone.

And Riley, she ran out through the front
screen door.

She couldn't have been out of my eyesight
for more than a minute.

You can't blame yourself for that.

I ran...

I ran outside and she was gone.

It was a neighbor of mine who tried to
chase this blue Volkswagen.

But it just sideswiped a parked car,
turned a corner and disappeared.

That's why you were checking that blue VW
out for dents.

You know, let's take another look at that
VW while we're still up here.

I don't like driving till late afternoon
anyway.

Eat your donut.

Which fender?

Right front.

Sometimes you can feel signs of bodywork.

Can you tell anything?

Doesn't even look like a new fender's been
put on either.

As soon as bodywork was done on this
fender, it had to be a bonding job.

What's that?

It's a magnet.

It clings to metal.

If this fender's been bonded, it won't
stick.

This fender's been bonded.

Then this is the car that took Riley.

We don't know that.

All we know is that it had some fender
damage.

Let's see.

The guy who owns the car said he was out
of the country at the time.

What day of the week was Riley kidnapped
on?

Sunday, just like today.

The guy who owns the station said no one
used the car when he wasn't here because

no one would be left to take care of the
station.

On a Sunday, it wouldn't matter.

It's closed.

Right, but who?

Duck.

That's a mechanic.

I saw him in the service bay yesterday.

Well, it can't be him because the owner
said he didn't have a set of the keys.

He could have hot-wired it.

Is that his car?

No, that sheet of paper he took off the
windshield.

It'd be a work order for servicing.

He wouldn't write up his own car.

Well, let's grab him.

No, no, no.

I got a better idea.

Let's follow him.

Come on.

Now, if I get any closer, he'll spot us.

You'll just have to trust me.

Look, I know how you must feel,
but please sit tight.

All right, but you stay right there.

Right here.

Colt, he's going to grab that kid.

Hey, hey, stop!

Where did you get this car?

Never mind, I don't want to know.

Colt, this is the guy.

This is the guy that took Riley.

There he is.

Don't lose him.

Look, I wouldn't have jumped that truck if
I was planning to do that.

You just be thankful I'm a man who
believes in the court system.

Where is she?

We don't know.

Now, he claims...
No, no, no, no, no, no.

He's the one that kidnapped my child.

Let's hear the detective out.

I can understand your frustrations,
Mr. Gordon.

Now, we questioned the
suspect, and he claims that

he has no knowledge of
your daughter's kidnapping.

Well, he's lying.

That man took my child.

What about the VW, the debts?

It's just not enough.

Damn it, it's enough for me!

Where's he going?

We're releasing him.

We have nothing to hold him on.

Wait a minute.

I know you can't tie him to the Gordon
kidnapping.

But what about what just happened at the
park?

Hey, hey!

Where is she?

Where is she?

I want to take protection from my client!

Look, get protection, Mr. Trenton.

Get him out of here, Severs.

We've done all we can for him.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

I just stopped that guy from kidnapping a
kid at the park.

And you're telling me you can't hold him.

Did he touch the child?

No, I didn't give him a chance.

So the fact of the matter is he never laid
a hand on anybody.

The detectives questioned the mother.

She has no knowledge of anyone trying to
abduct her son.

If anybody's in violation of the law,
Severs, I'm afraid it's you and Mr.

Gordon.

What?

My client was assaulted!

Your client tried to kidnap a child.

He did kidnap a child!

Mine!

For God's sakes, will somebody help me
here?

So what was that all about?

Well, I called Trenton's law office.

It seems defending kidnappers is a new
sideline of his.

He's primarily a family lawyer,
specializing in adoptions.

That doesn't make any sense.

Why would a family lawyer take on a
criminal case?

Well, apparently he has a personal
interest.

We're not leaving Sacramento until we find
out just how personal it is.

Thanks, Colt.

You know, this is the first
time since this whole thing

started that I don't feel like
I'm completely alone on it.

I

want to get back to the hotel.

I want to call and get some friends up
here from L.A.

I want to see just what kind of adoption
lawyer Trenton is.

I hear what you're saying, Mr. Williams,
and your account is paid in full.

No, there was just some unforeseen red
tape due to the interstate adoption laws,

but I'm... No, no, I apologize.

Once again, I apologize.

I'm sure I'll be able to cut through that
very quickly and I'll get back to you.

Good.

Thank you.

Goodbye.

Get it.

This morning was a little too close for
me.

That problem hasn't gone away either.

I followed the bounty hunter like you told
me.

They're at a hotel a few blocks from here.

They've been in their room for a couple of
hours.

I ain't gonna stay here till they nail me.

I told you.

You should have pressed charge.

I told you!

I can't afford any police investigation.

Now, you lay low for a while.

I'll use Andy instead.

Not me.

I'm not doing anything until they're out
of our hair.

Now, you listen to me.

And you listen to me good.

Both of you do whatever it takes to ease
your mind.

I don't want to know about it.

Now, my two o'clock appointment is here.

Why don't you both just slip out the back
door?

Please.

Thank you.

Let's go.

Come in, please.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

No problem.

I'm Howard Munson.

This is my wife, Jody.

We want to thank you for seeing us on such
short notice.

No problem.

No problem.

Please sit down and make yourself
comfortable.

Thank you.

So, how did you hear about me?

Well, to be honest
with you, you're not the

first adoption attorney
that we've talked to.

We've been having kind of a difficult time
meeting the adoption standards.

Your name has come up several times as the
best in the field.

Well, I certainly hope I can live up to my
reputation.

What seems to be the problem?

You appear to be a suitable couple.

We are.

We make a very comfortable living and we
have a good home.

It's... it's just not fair holding Howie's
house against him.

Look, Mr. Trent, six years ago I was
involved in a robbery.

I spent three years in state prison.

But it was a five-year sentence.

He got off early for good behavior.

They said he was the ideal prisoner.

Yeah, I haven't been in any trouble since
I got out.

I met Jody and we got married and we'd
like to raise a family.

Unfortunately, we're not capable of having
our own.

So you decided to look to adoption,
but every time you turn around,

your past record keeps popping up too,
don't you?

Well, first of all, I
have to tell you that the

adoption laws are there
for the welfare of the child.

Now, no one wants to place a child in a home
where he or she might become endangered.

We know that.

We just want a child to love.

I know.

I'm sure you do.

And I think I... I might be able to help
you find that child.

Oh, Mr. Trent, you don't know what that
would mean to both of us.

First of all, you're going to have to be
put on probation so that the State

Adoption Bureau can watch you and make
sure you're suitable to adopt.

How long would that take?

Well, in special cases such as this,
as long as a year.

A year?

Yeah.

Well, we were hoping we'd do it sooner
than a year.

Actually, after the year's
probation, then you'll both be

put on a waiting list that's
already about two years long.

Howie?

Thank you, Mr. Trent, for your time.

I'm sorry, really.

You'll find this is the same wherever you
go.

Well, then we'll go out of state.

Money isn't an object.

We want to find a child.

I'll tell you what.

Why don't you leave your phone number with
my receptionist?

I have some friends at the State Adoption
Bureau.

Let me talk to them,
see what I can come up

with, and I'll get back
to you later on today.

Anything you can do for us, we'd really
appreciate it.

Okay.

My pleasure.

Thank you.

Yeah, this is Carl Trenton.

I'd like some information from the state
penal file on, uh, Howard Munson.

Right.

That's perfect, Howie.

Yeah, the files that Pearl
planted in the state computers

will validate that story
if Trenton checks it out.

Let us know when he calls back.

Thanks.

Well, we've laid the bait.

Now we wait for him to grab it.

What exactly is Trenton doing?

My guess is he's selling babies.

What kind of man could do something like
that?

Well, the same kind of man
who preys on couples who

want a child so bad to love
that they'll pay any price.

And how do these couples live knowing they
have a kidnapped child?

Well, I'm not sure they know.

I think they're led to
believe that Trenton pulls

strings to get them a
child without a weight.

They don't ask questions.

So do you think Riley was adopted by
someone?

That's what I'm hoping.

Let's call the police.

I'm afraid we've exhausted their help.

They won't even listen unless Howie and
Jody come back with some positive proof.

I got it.

Hello?

Mr. Gordon?

Yes?

I've got your daughter.

Who is this?

Listen carefully.

I want you and your friend to take the
state highway north out of town.

Turn off on Teller Road and go east a
quarter mile.

Take the dirt road.

I'll contact you.

Is she all right?

Yes.

I want to return her to you.

But if you don't show or you call the
cops, your baby's dead.

Call if they got Riley.

Let's go.

No, wait.

We have to wait till Howie and Jody call.

No, they said they'd give her back to me.

No, that's a lie.

They're just playing out their hand.

No, no.

They said they'd k*ll her if we don't go,
Colt.

They may not have her.

And what if they do?

If they had her, they'd demand some sort
of ransom.

I'm telling you, it's a trap for us.

Look, and I gotta take that chance.

Look, please just don't try to stop me.

I have to do this.

I know you do.

If we're going into a trap, we're gonna go
in prepared.

Come on.

See if you can reach that bag in the back
there.

Okay.

What's it for?

That's my stunt gear.

I think we're gonna be in for a bumpy
trip.

Simon, put on this helmet.

You sure this stunt equipment works?

I'm living proof, aren't I?

This

probably isn't the appropriate time to
tell you this, but you were right.

I should have listened to you.

Yeah, I'm just lucky to be alive and to
hear you say that.

Come on.

We got quite a hike back to the highway.

Ah, this is a difficult situation.

Adoption will not be easy.

Well, you said on the phone you thought
you could help us.

Otherwise, we wouldn't have come on here.

No, I didn't say it was impossible.

But because of your record, the amount of
strings that need to be pulled in order to

speed up the adoption process is
considerable.

You have our full cooperation,
Mr. Trenton.

Good.

Good.

Now, first of all, this is going to be
very expensive.

We already told you money is no object.

We're talking in the neighborhood of $50
,000.

Well, if that's what it takes,
fine.

Good.

Good.

Now, second of all, and most important,
because of the long waiting list involved

with adoptions, if word were to get out
that you received special treatment,

undoubtedly there would be unfavorable
reactions.

Oh, we won't say anything.

Well, you'll be doing yourself a service.

See, the state can take away your child as
quickly as they give you one.

We understand.

Good.

Now, the other
part... Excuse me.

I hate to interrupt, Mr. Trenton, but I
need to talk to you for a couple of minutes.

Forgive me.

This is obviously a business matter.

I won't be but a moment.

Why don't you take this
time to think about the sex and

the age of the child you'd
like, and I'll be right back.

Take your time.

Colt was right.

Trenton must have arranged Riley's
kidnapping.

Yeah, you know what scares me is how many
others there may have been.

We got to call Colt.

No, first we'll get some physical
evidence.

I'm going to nail this guy good.

What are you two doing here?

Just thought you'd like to know.

We won't be bothered by that bounty hunter
anymore.

Excellent.

Excellent.

We got to hurry, Howie.

There's no file with Gordon's name on it.

I don't know.

Maybe it's under some sort of a code or
something.

Wait, wait.

Here's our file.

But it's grouped with files that are
listed only by numbers.

Grab it and get out of here.

Come on.

What are you two doing?

Rusty, Andy, get in here.

Right, thank you.

Howie and Jody left a message they were
going over to Trenton's over an hour ago.

They should have checked in by now.

Maybe they got too late.

That's what I'm afraid of.

Well, I'm not waiting around any longer.

Trenton's office is only three blocks from
here.

They tried to k*ll us.

They're not going to stop now.

Come on.

I don't know who you two are.

But you're going to be very sorry you ever
set foot in this office.

You're the one who's going to be sorry,
Trenton.

And I just wish I was sitting on the jury
that's going to put you away.

No, no.

See, that's never going to happen.

Don't be so sure.

Cole knows exactly what you're up to.

Oh, right.

You're working for Seavers.

Well, then there's no problem.

See, he doesn't know anything.

Dead men can't think.

My friends took care of that.

Rusty, I presume you'll take care of these
two?

You take care of them, Mr. Trenton.

They're just as much your problem as mine.

I'm going to get the little girl.

She's the only one tying me to this.

Rusty, you're going to ruin everything.

No more orders.

Just, uh, burn these files.

Then no one has to know what's going on
here.

What about them?

Eliminate them.

Walt, you're a liar!

The files!

Riley!

Where is she, Trenton?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Where is she?

I don't know what he's talking about!

She's in those files there.

They're coded, but I know she's in there.

It's all just numbers.

I don't know what they mean.







That's what?

These are dates.



That's the day she was kidnapped.

Here it is.

She's living at Dos Passos.

That's not far from here.

I'm going to need some wheels.

I rented a Jeep.

It's out in front.

All right, call the police.

Tell them what's happened.

Keep an eye on them until they get here.

Colt, I'm coming with you.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Come on.

It's

on the other side of those hills.

I did a picture up there last year.

Man, how many miles?

He's got about a five-minute jump on us.

It's about 15 by highway.

Six by way of the Crow.

We're taking a shortcut, so hang on.

Simon, see if there's a map in the glove
box.

You'll have to direct me once we hit the
street.

Okay, make a right at the second block up
here.

All right, it should just be around the
next corner.

There he is!

Riley?

Daddy!

Daddy!

Yeah, yeah, I'll hold.

Who

are you talking to?

Detective Roberts in Sacramento.

I'm on hold.

What are you so excited about?

I am the winner of a sweepstakes.

Look, I've never won anything before.

I've either won a color television,
a stereo, or a microwave oven.

Wait a minute.

Let me see.

Wait a minute.

It says you have to
show up at some sort of a

sales presentation in
order to claim your prize.

So what?

Big deal!

Big deal.

It says you have to bring your husband
along.

My husband.

This letter is addressed to Mrs. Howard
Munson.

That's funny.

They must have pulled that out of the
state's computer.

What are you doing?

Well, he's married to you long enough.

I have an announcement to make.

I called a new truck.

Yeah, well, now wait.

What's the catch?

No catch.

I just hang on to the pink slip until you
work and pay the price off in bounties.

Yeah, yeah.

Thank you, Detective.

Bye.

Well, that was the Sacramento police.

They've built quite a case against Trenton
and his th*gs.

And they've traced five more children.

They took the children
through Trenton's

files and returned them
to their real parents.

Well, I talked to the couple that had
Riley.

And they said the state
adoption agency is going to see

if they can't get another
child as quickly as possible.

Wonderful.

What are you going to do now, Simon?

Well, Riley and I have a lot of time to
make up for.

Dad.

And then I realized that
there's a lot of parents

out there going through
the same thing I did.

So I figured I might start a
program for kidnap prevention

with a counseling center
for victims and their parents.

Well, I can't think of a better person to
do that.

And all of this wouldn't have been
possible without you, Colt.

You know, Riley here has never had a
godfather.

And I was wondering if you might be
interested in the position.

You bet.

Sure.

What do you think?

You know, Riley, Colt works in the movies.

He knows all the big stars.

Yeah.

Colt, what's Kermit the Frog really like?

Kermit the Frog?