Original subtitles

Mannix?

Hello, Pete.

This is Frank Devereaux.

How do you do?

Well, now that we all know each other, why'd you get me down here?

Because of this, Mr. Mannix.

Mr. Devereaux wants you to protect him.

I haven't been doing too good a job.

That's just until tomorrow morning, till he gets on a plane at 648.

That's $1 ,000, Joe.

Just till tomorrow morning.

Sorry. $5 ,000.

Please, Mr. Mannix.

There are some people after me. I've asked Mr. Neal to stay with me.

We've been ducking him all day.

Because of what's in that case?

That's right.

What is it?

A quarter of a million dollars.

Nice meeting you, Mr. Devereaux.

It's not hot, Joe.

But it is cash, and it is dangerous.

We've been running all day.

You were the only one I could think of that was honest enough that I could

Thanks, Pete.

It sounds like a job for the police.

It's not stolen, but it is vulnerable, Mr. Maddox.

Joe, it's clean.

You can check the serial numbers if you like.

Mr. Maddox.

And the body.

They're going to kill me.

They're going to kill me!

Driver, you generally meet clients on a deserted wharf in the middle of the

night?

Well, I told you.

Pete Neal called me, said the man named Devereaux was in trouble. I came to see

what it was all about.

All right, any hungry citizen picks up money, but why did the killer take the

body? Without a body, Lieutenant.

It's a little tougher to prove murder.

How many in the car? Any idea?

I'd say at least two. A driver, a man in the back, both shooting.

A quarter of a million, you said?

I didn't say that. Devereaux did.

Where did it come from?

He didn't tell me that. He just said it was clean.

We've had no report of a heist, and you don't steal that much without making

noise.

Well, I'd say find Devereaux. He must know the answer.

He want us to find your clients for you.

Wait a minute, Lieutenant. He's not my client.

But I still think you ought to find him.

I'm interested in improving your public image.

Thanks. Say hello to Peggy.

Senator Kramer says hello to Peggy. Joe, is it true Peggy tells me you had a

client shot out from under you?

Look, Albie, find out about a guy named Frank Devereaux. He was with Pete Neal.

And get me a rundown on Pete Neal, too, huh? Pete Neal, who once wanted to be a

private cop? Yeah.

Haven't seen him around in a long time.

Find out why.

I'll ask around.

I hope you don't mind, but I let Toby sit in here where he'd be out of the

Hiya, Toby.

Hi, Mr. Mannix.

Lookit. Ho, ho, ho, ho. Now that's great.

Mrs. Kingsley's got to pick him up here. She had to go to the dentist this

morning. Mind if I keep it?

You like it?

Oh, I think it's great.

It may help business. Might even help my image with Lieutenant Kramer.

Lieutenant Kramer was my daddy's partner.

Come, Toby. Mr. Mannix knows all that. Oh, Peggy.

Um... Would you check motor vehicles for a black 68 VIP, last three numbers 235?

Right.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Oh, just one moment, please.

It's Devereaux's wife.

Mrs. Devereaux?

Yes, I'm Mrs. Devereaux.

Who are you?

Joe Mannix.

Oh, Mr. Mannix. Will you come in?

Your husband hasn't come back yet?

No.

Mr. Mannix, you've got to help me find Frank.

If you don't, they'll kill him.

Who's they?

I don't know.

Won't you come in and sit down?

Thank you.

That's Frank.

Oh, you met him.

That's me before I had my hair cut.

Nice.

You've got to find him.

Mrs. Devereaux, let's start from the beginning, huh?

Why don't you tell me about Pete Neal?

He was a very good friend.

He was trying to help Frank, and they killed him.

Yes, I know.

Frank came home half crazy with fear.

He paced up and down the room all night.

He said he had to get away.

Now he knew he didn't have a chance, whatever he did.

You have no idea what he meant by that?

No. No, Frank doesn't tell me much about the business.

Well, what business is your husband in, Mrs. Devereaux?

He works for a company. He handles the books.

Where? In Las Vegas.

He works for one of the casinos?

For a Mr.

Wallach's.

Harry Wallach's?

Yes, Harry Wallach's.

Mrs. Devereaux, tell me, what was your husband doing in Los Angeles last night?

Well, I told you, I don't know much about the business or the trips he

Trips? To New York, Europe, all over.

Do you have any idea where he might have gone this time?

No, he's just trying to hide.

Did you turn up anything on Pete Neal? Wanky, pull the hole in after him.

Did you turn up anything?

There it is.

Complete.

Peter J.

Neal.

Committed to Prescott.

What?

Peter J. Neal.

Committed to Prescott by Y .A., that's Youth Authority, at age 15

after numerous juvenile...

Arrests, mostly this area.

YA, Youth Authority, calls truancy incorrigible after

release, worked at minor jobs, has reputation as numbers runner,

but no arrests, no records since Prescott.

Yeah, he was last in Las Vegas until last month.

Vegas?

A gold piece, relief dealer.

He was there maybe three, four months. He's a drifter.

You think he pulled a job in Vegas to get that quarter million dollars?

No.

Anyone pulling a job that big would make noise.

At least some very loud whispers.

Where are you going?

Try my luck.

Mr. Wallach will see you now.

Ready.

Mannix. Hey, long time.

And after today, too.

You haven't changed.

Hey, you look great. How do you keep so trim?

I get shot at a lot.

Oh, you mean last time?

Forget it. I don't carry any grudges.

You were just digging in the wrong forest. One of my boys thought you were

deer. Time.

What's your pleasure?

I'd like to know about Pete Neal.

Neal, huh? Pete Neal. Yeah, he's one of my dealers, isn't he?

He was. He's dead.

No kidding.

That's too bad.

That's all.

Look, Mannix, just because I run a clean business doesn't make everybody who

works for me a saint. Guys get into trouble.

Well, this guy got in trouble with a quarter of a million dollars.

Where would Pete Neal get a quarter of a million?

My exact question.

What happened?

Well, whoever shot him knew he had the money.

Do you know anything about it?

What are you fishing for? You came here with something on your mind. What?

All right.

Now, where would a guy like Neil get a quarter of a million dollars?

He works as a dealer. He didn't make it getting tips.

And he couldn't steal that kind of money, even if you didn't have all your

lookouts. Now, what do you want me to say? You're answering all your own

questions.

Unless it's skim.

What are you talking about, skim? I run a clean place.

Time?

Suppose someone in your clean place had a bright idea.

How could a dealer get his hands on Skim? He couldn't.

Exactly.

Now, who could?

How about Frank Devereaux, Neil's pal?

Devereaux? What do you got on him?

Well, he was with Neil. They had a quarter of a million dollars to protect.

Now, how would you put that together?

So you figure that Neil and Devereaux stole from me and I had Neil killed. I

figure if you knew you'd lost that money, I'd have heard about it.

You answered yourself again.

No questions left. There is no skim.

Fine.

Oh, if I were you, Harry, and I had any foreign bank balances, I'd check them to

see whether a certain accountant who makes European trips neglected to make

last deposit.

Time.

I don't have an accountant who makes trips, and I don't have a European bank

account.

Well, then you got nothing to worry about, Harry.

Have you?

Give me the groin of bank in Switzerland.

And then find Frank Devereaux for me. I want to talk to him personally.

And snap it up. It's important.

That makes two of us, huh?

Where's Vegas?

Like Vegas.

There are 468 VIPs with those last three numbers registered in the state.

If it was from out of state, we're dead.

Godfrey's out. He had an accident. Car's been in the shop the last three weeks.

Lewisons are on vacation with the car. Supposed to be in Mexico, and I'm

checking that out.

That leaves David Solomon, 18, student at City College, and need a car leasing

company.

Car leasing company, huh? Now, that makes sense.

Get me Albie, will you, Peggy?

Oh, I'm sorry. No black 68 VIP with a license ending in 235. It's registered

you. Well, then it's a mistake. But I got all kinds of cars. I can order you

exactly what you want.

You know, you're gonna want FM in the air.

Excuse me.

Need a car?

Oh, yeah, lady.

Look, I... Excuse me.

Mind if we look around? What? Mind if we look around? Oh, yeah, suit yourself.

Look, lady, I know I said we got insurance, see, but that doesn't mean

can go on dinging your fender for free.

Read your lease agreement.

No, it is not in the teeny print.

Look, lady, you watch television, right? You see the ads, number two leasing

company. They try harder because they're number two.

Imagine, lady, how hard we have to try.

Listen, we found it.

What are you talking about? I know every car in this lot.

Could I see your registration book?

SDI 235.

Yeah, that's white. You said black, but you want white. That's your car.

How long has it been white?

Since I got it from the factory.

Do you have a key?

Look,

we try hard, but there's a limit to this.

The sweet lunch car.

Oh, there's a spare in it.

It's been on the ground, but there's plenty of tread left on it.

When was this car out last?

Well, it got in last night, late.

There you are, Albie.

Watercolor. Is that paint?

No, it is kind of funny.

It was rented for a week, but the guy only kept it for a day.

Hey, what's this all about? What exactly are you looking for? Who rented it?

You got a copy of the rental agreement?

Yeah.

Well, they used a phony name. You just might give us a lead.

Boy, are you a cop.

Right. Ah, yeah. Wait a minute.

Let's take a look through the inside, Harvey.

pick, that's it.

Not much of a haul.

It's been torn up.

Figures. Whoever used it covered himself pretty well.

He sure cleaned it out.

Oh, no, no. We give these cars a complete going over.

Vacuum and wash the minute they get back.

You'll never, ever get a dirty car from here.

What about the vacuum? You got a trash bin?

Yeah, it's right around... Oh, today is Thursday. The trash has already been

picked up.

Oh, great.

Say, Albie, you got a pencil?

Yeah.

How long have you owned this car?

Seven months.

There's some lettering here.

J...

O, H, N, John, John.

Must be a name. There's another one in front of it. J, E, A, and Gene.

Gene John, Johnston, Johnson.

Squashed down in the seat. That hunk of paper might have been laying there for

seven months.

Well, maybe, but unless that toothpick's got writing on it, it's the only lead

we've got.

We're not even sure of the last part of the name.

Johnson, Johnson, Johnson, I, Johnson, J, J, A, Gene Johnson. Here it is,

1624 Meadows Place.

A hundred to one shot, and for him it works.

This is a recording.

You have reached a discontinued number.

Please be sure you are calling the right number and are dialing correctly.

Okay, so it was 101 to 1.

Hello.

Tom, you've come back to visit. How nice.

May I come in?

No.

You're not Tom.

How silly of me.

Answer me.

No, I'm sorry.

Oh, well, it'll come to me. Come in. Come in.

You're Mrs.

Johnson? Mrs.

Heavens, no.

I've had too many children to take time out to get married.

Oh, dear. Well, you know what I mean, all the boys I've raised.

You're not Martin, are you? No, no, I'm not one of your boys, Miss Johnson.

My name is Mannix.

Mannix. No, that doesn't ring any bells.

excuse the way the place looks. I don't have time to keep things in shape the

way I should.

Sit down.

Thank you.

This was an orphanage.

Orphanage? No, a school, mister.

Mannix, how long have you lived here?

Made the down payment in 1929.

Got my first boarding student that same September.

If you're not one of my boys, why did you come here?

To collect a bill?

Oh, no, no.

Good. My telephone's been disconnected, but we got along without modern

inventions like that when I was a girl. It's no great hardship.

Now, if the school's closed... When did it close?

1950. No, 1953.

Maybe 54.

The board...

Made a lot of trouble about my age, politics.

Brought in troops of fire inspectors.

Well, I suppose there have been a lot of boys through here in that time. Oh,

indeed. Yes, indeed.

Miss Johnson, would you still have a list of the names?

Oh, yes. I've got all my records stored up in the attic.

Or maybe it's the basement.

But I remember them. I remember every one.

Uh, Pete Neal?

Pardon? Uh...

Was there a Pete Neal here?

Neal?

No.

Many of my boys have become quite famous, you know.

Every once in a while, one of them drops by to visit.

You appreciate when someone remembers you.

Cast your bread upon the waters, you know.

Um...

Pete Neal would be about 35.

He was probably in school about 20 years ago. I would say sometime between 1945,

48. There was never a Neal in my school.

Are you sure?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with my memory, mister.

Somebody may want a cup of coffee, Albie.

Do you know how many cups of coffee I had these past two days trying to stay

awake on the job?

Put it on the expense account.

Now, what about Devereaux?

He's an accountant for Harry Wallachs. Only he makes payoffs for Harry.

Pickups. Schleps like I do, only he ain't no partner either.

Now, those vacations in Europe, that covers the stash away money.

Now, I figure that quarter million... Skim money from one of the casinos.

You knew that.

You ought to check with me. We're duplicating.

Mannix.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Devereaux.

Frank's home, but he's packing.

He says he's got to get away, out of the country.

Where are you?

I'm at home.

If he knew I was calling you, he might even... I don't know what to do.

You stay right there.

Joe, please.

he could do is tell me what's going on when I'm here.

He's upstairs.

We better go on up alone.

If he's home...

Just a guess, Lieutenant.

But it could be the whole ballgame. Well, let's hear it.

I don't think he shot himself.

Keep guessing, Doc.

The powder burns were inconsistent with suicide.

I'd say the gun was fired at about two feet from his temple.

Suicides don't usually make it that difficult for themselves, if not

Just a guess, gentlemen.

Don't hold me to it. Let me know.

You know, if he's right, whoever was firing at me had already killed

and wanted me on the scene when he was found.

Why?

Well, Lieutenant, if I was a man with a suspicious nature, I'd begin to think

somebody wanted me tied into all of this.

I was there when Pete Neal was killed and when Devereaux turned up dead.

Like maybe I shot him with his own gun before I called you.

And all that beautiful money's still missing.

See, even you're beginning to have your doubts.

Coming, Kramer?

Mrs. Devereaux, I still think there's a chance you can help us find the man who

killed your husband.

How?

Well, uh... I'd like you to go over and over it in your mind.

Every detail of every day for the past few weeks.

Try and remember anybody he might have mentioned, any name, anybody he might

have talked to on a telephone.

Anything at all.

No matter how unimportant it may seem.

I'll try, Mr.

Mannix.

I don't think I can help you, but... I'll sure try.

I'll be in.

I've been thinking about it all night. I got it figured for Harry Wallachs.

It was skim money Devereaux was supposed to deposit in a Swiss bank.

Wallach's found out Devereaux and Neal were gonna double -cross him, and he

moved to get it back.

Wallach's rented the car, painted it, and had one of his goons kill Neal.

Yeah, and he killed Devereaux for revenge.

It all makes good sense, Ollie, but it's just a little too pat.

What was Neal's background?

I did all that, remember?

Well, I remember that at age 15, he was sent to Prescott by the youth authority

as incorrigible.

At 15, a man is whatever he's gonna be. Now...

What'd he do before that? Where'd he start?

That's all I was, Joe. Oh, Albie, the man didn't hatch out of an egg at age

Dig. Joe, he's dead. What's he... Albie, you find out what he did, who he knew

when he was a kid, and you may find out who killed him and who's got the money.

Well, I thought we decided Wallach's got the money.

Mr. Mannix's office.

Mannix?

Oh, Miss Devereaux.

I've been thinking over what you said, Mr. Mannix.

And it came to me a little while ago.

I know who killed my husband and Pete Neal.

No, no, don't come here. They might be watching.

I'll meet you.

Where?

All right.

About 15 minutes.

Oh, and make sure no one's following you.

You keep thinking, Albie.

Okay, I got no questions anyway.

I don't even want to know.

Albie called. Said he had something on Pete, Neil, but it wasn't too important,

so he's still digging.

Peggy, call the garage. My car needs fixing again.

What happened?

Well, my pretty client set me up for an ambush.

Mrs. Devereaux? Mrs. Devereaux.

Now, you've got a kid waiting at home.

Good night, Peggy.

Hello, Mannix.

Harry, a little off your beat, aren't you?

I move around a lot.

Yeah, I remember that about you.

Except when it comes to money.

Then I stand very still.

I notice a lot of people are getting that way.

You, um... You got a piece of your equipment in my office. I thought you

need it again.

Thanks. Yeah, Drake?

Where is it, Mannix?

The money?

Come off it, Harry.

That's pretty good cover you figured out.

You come to me so I don't suspect you.

Then you leave a little bug behind. Find out what I'm up to.

Where would I get the money?

Well, you were there when it disappeared.

You were there when Neil was killed.

And Devereaux.

They can't talk, but you can.

Oh, I don't blame you, Mannix.

I'm not even mad at you. I just want the money back.

Now, you may not believe this, Wallachs, but Gloria Devereaux just set me up for

an ambush.

We're wasting time, Mannix.

Could I trouble you to open your jacket very slowly, please?

Only for an old friend.

You have an excellent memory, Mannix.

You don't need a reminder, do you?

I told you, I don't know where the money is.

He needs a reminder.

It's a pretty good likeness.

Your secretary's kid draw this?

That's right.

Well, I'm going to leave you now before we ruin our friendship. You have until

six o 'clock tomorrow to get that money back to me.

It'd be a shame if something happened to a kid with such talent.

Wallace!

You can use muscle on me, that's one thing.

You touch that kid, it'll be another.

Very protective, Mannix.

That's exactly how I feel about my money.

What are you looking for?

I don't know my business, but you look awful. You can't keep drinking and

staying up nights without it getting to you. I'm no health fanatic, but...

Albie, Peggy says you got something on Pete Neal.

Just the name change. The record's blank, but I'm still digging.

What name change?

Joe, you gotta get over this. Albie, what name change? Pete Neal's real name

Pierre Nielsen. That's Swedish or Danish or something.

Pierre Nielsen, huh?

Albie.

I love you. Love can come later. What's such a big deal about a name change?

Lots of people change their names. I'll change my name. Make me a partner.

Where now?

They're driving a jackpot again.

best. Those birds are jubilant, although I suppose the heavier fabric would wear

better.

Good afternoon, Miss Johnson.

Oh! Oh!

You're the nice young man who's not a bill collector.

Welcome! You brought me luck.

Miss Johnson.

Yes?

You're sure this time, aren't you? Yes. An hour ago, it was the yellow. Well,

I'm absolutely sure now.

for the present.

Tell everyone we'll start working early tomorrow morning.

All right, men.

That's all until tomorrow morning.

There seems to be a great deal of activity going on.

Hello, Mrs. Devereaux. Where are you going?

Who are you?

Well, I'm sorry about your husband.

I was his employer.

Oh, you're, uh... You're Mr. Wallace.

Frank used to worry about you a lot.

He had a lot to worry about.

Uh, well, uh... What he wants.

People have a ridiculous idea of my methods, Mrs. Devereaux.

I'm a businessman.

No emotion, no anger.

I've suffered a financial reversal. I simply want to make good the loss,

all.

Well, what can I do to help that?

Despite our recent differences, I'd like to take care of Frank's funeral.

We had a fine association for many years.

Where's the money, Mrs. Devereaux?

What money?

I don't know anything about that.

I really want to know.

Frank never told me anything about money or anything.

I was just something he owned.

It's the truth, Mr.

Wallachs. Yes, you're the perfect dumb blonde, Mrs. Devereaux. Meaning, of

course, you're not dumb.

I think Mannix had it straight.

You tell me if I'm wrong, hmm?

I'll just tell you anything I can.

You set Mannix up as your alibi.

He sees Pete Neal killed and the money stolen.

He's honest, so he tells me about it. I'm not so honest, so I don't believe

But you've really got it made when poor Frank finds himself on the wrong end of

a double cross and turns up dead.

With Maddox again on the scene.

Now, if Maddox just turns up dead, little Mrs.

Devereaux is free as a bird, a rich bird.

That's not true, Mr. Wallachs.

That's not true. It is true, Mrs.

Devereaux, but...

There's a school run by an old woman.

Mrs. Johnson.

Johnson School.

It's on Meadows Place.

You'll find the money there.

All of it.

I'll have your lock fixed.

Do you remember a student named, uh, Pierre Nielsen?

Are you a friend of Pierre's? Have you seen him lately?

Yes, he's one of the ones who came back.

I'm not blaming the others.

Life's an evolving process, and you have to go on still.

Nice to be remembered.

I'd like to hear about all your students, Miss Johnson, but I'm

Pierre Nielsen. When did you see him last?

Why, yesterday.

Are you sure?

That's why I was in such a hurry about the painting.

Whenever he stayed here, he'd sleep in his old dormitory bed, and he was

complaining about the wallpaper peeling.

Well, it was unsightly, but the house is firm as a rock.

Your change of fortune.

Did Pierre have anything to do with that?

Oh, no.

You brought it about.

Asking all those questions about boys who'd gone here to school.

Well, there had been quite a lot of them. So I went down to look at my

And I found the money.

I don't even remember when I put it away.

I guess maybe I have been getting senile, living here alone with nothing

But that's all changed now.

Feel like a young girl again.

I don't mean to pry, Miss Johnson, but do you have any idea how much money you

saved? I didn't count it, but it must be quite a lot because I was always very

frugal.

This money you found, I wonder if I could see it.

Well, I guess it's all right. You have an honest face.

Come with me.

Oh, I hope you're in shape.

It's quite a climb back up.

Well, I'll do my best to keep up with you, Miss Johnson.

Imagine anybody opening a school right at the beginning of a depression.

Miss Johnson, the money?

Well, I was just explaining how it all came about.

It's right over here.

You know, it was a

foolish thing to forget.

I'm really glad I did because if I'd had the money, I'd probably have spent it.

And this way it comes just like a, well, it's a windfall.

You know, we always used to take a group photo every year.

I don't remember where those pictures are, but they'd be interesting to see.

I'll get one for you. You'd probably like to see it.

Let me see.

Yes.

Miss Johnson, do you have any idea how much money is in this case?

I do.

More company.

How do you do?

Are you friends, Mr. Mannix?

Yes, ma 'am. We're very close.

Oh, good.

I'll take it now,

Maddox.

Bring it up.

You were in this with Gloria Devereaux?

We almost made it.

Where is she?

Cops should have her about now.

What do you mean?

She used to meet me at the airport.

I called her.

You weren't going to share this with anyone?

How would he ever share it with me?

What was all that noise?

Pierre!

You see?

I'm sorry, Miss Johnson.

Gloria Devereaux was driving the car that night. Neil pretended to take a

bullet, then jumped in the car and started shooting.

Want to come by the station and help straighten this out, Joe?

Yeah, I'll be down in a few minutes. Okay.

Miss Johnson.

What a tragic thing.

What I've tried to do with my school, with my life, is to teach boys

the right path so they wouldn't end that way.

If Pierre is the only student who went wrong, Miss Johnson, I'd say you have a

pretty good average.

Now you can start all over again.

You're right.

I'd be very ungrateful to look on the gloomy side of things now that I've been

given another chance.

With young teachers to help me.

But I'd forgotten that's all over, finished.

Why's that?

I haven't any right to the money.

And I've given so much of it in advance to the contractors and

painters.

Mr. Mannix.

Oh, I get it. Bye.

Miss Johnson.

The courts will decide what's to become of that money.

But I'd guess that you've got as much right to it as anyone. After all,

possession does count a lot.

And a skim doesn't really belong to anyone except for taxes, of course.

Joe, I've been looking everywhere. I finally traced you here. The police

up Gloria Devereaux. They did?

Don't you understand?

If they can get her to talk, we might get a lead on who killed Devereaux.

they already know.

They do?

Yeah, Pierre Nielsen, alias Pete Neal. He came home.

The police just left.

Why do I always have to find out about things secondhand?

I feel like a kid in short pants.

Are you one of my boys, too?

Oh, no, ma 'am. Albie went to public school. But I'm sure he'd like one of

cookies. Oh, she has wonderful cookies, Albie.

Oh, uh, Miss Johnson.

Good luck.

Goodbye.

I know what boys like.

We'll have some tea with our cookies.

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

Well, it's something.