Original subtitles

Hey, you!

Got to get off or pay for the return trip. We're at the beach.

I've got to meet somebody.

I got to stay here until he gets here.

Don't make me throw you off.

[Seagulls cawing]

[Waves crashing]

[Grunting]

[Harry choking]

Bye, Mr. Butler. That's right.

Yeah.

Beautiful.

Just relax.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

You did me good, Mr. Butler.

Just right.

Everything is gonna be all right now.

Some of these cases are still "possibles."

I don't have enough time to talk to the people listed on the AR reports.

I don't like it better than you do...

but we don't have time to screw around on dead-enders.

Okay.

How about this prosti Janet Nicolas. You got anything good on that one?

At first we thought that the pimp was good for it...

but he's got an alibi that won't quit.

Maybe it's a john. I don't know.

Dump it.

How about this wino they found under the pier? Butler. What's with him?

That looks like a mugging, except for one thing.

He had a pretty good bauble on his finger. A wedding ring with a half-karat stone.

We had it appraised for $200.

Some diamond. Probably wouldn't scratch glass.

I got a hunch it's more than a mugging. Let me hold onto it for a couple more days.

You got anything solid?

I got a feeling. I got a hunch.

Dump it.

(Rocky) I settled up with Mort.

He's got the cabin all stocked with Scotch.

We could really have ourselves a hoot, Son.

What have you got that's so important, you can't go fishing with your old man?

I ain't been a good father or something?

Come on, Rocky, don't get personal.

You're broke, right?

You should have took over my rig, Jimmy.

You would have made a heck of a good trucker.

But no, you got to be Sam Spade or something.

You're a vicious old coot.

Ten bucks says it's a bill collector.

Make it 20, plus welching privileges.

Are you James Rockford?

Yes I am.

My name is Sara Butler. I'd like to speak with you, if I may.

Sure. Come in.

I bet you're that Miss Butler from the bank, right?

I beg your pardon.

This is my father, Joseph Rockford.

How do you do?

Is this your office?

Yeah, it's cheap, it's tax deductible, earthquake-proof...

and when I get a job out of town, I take it with me.

I'd like to hire you, Mr. Rockford.

I'll be at Mort's cabin. You got the number.

[Snapping fingers]

And don't forget the welching privileges.

I won't.

Nice to have met you.

He's lost a bet. I gave him the right to renegotiate the loss.

He'd get me drunk and we'll settle for five bucks.

You want a cup of coffee?

No, thank you.

I hope you can afford me.

I'm sorry. What?

I like to get the business out of the way up front.

I don't want to shock you, Miss Butler, but I cost $200 a day, plus expenses.

Two hundred dollars?

Plus expenses.

And I only handle criminal cases that are closed.

I get myself messed up in a LAPD active file...

I get my can shot off.

Tell me how you got this wonderful finishing school approach, Mr. Rockford?

People come to me all the time and they all have problems.

Sit down. I used to be softhearted and I'd sit and listen.

But they couldn't pay the freight.

So they'd leave and be all depressed...

and I'd be depressed...

and it was turning me off my own business, so now I do it this way.

If $200 is the price, that's fine.

Money doesn't happen to be my particular problem.

I have enough money to hire a platoon of people like you.

That's Rockford with a "k."

Now, may I assume I have your attention?

What is it that I can do for you, Miss Butler?

My father was murdered.

The police don't seem to think it was very important.

Just a skid row killing.

Skid row?

My father was a wino.

Two years ago, my mother died.

After she died, it seemed to be all over for him.

I tried to make him forget, but he started drinking and ended up a bum.

Two months ago somebody killed him...

and nobody seems to care who did it but me.

Aren't the police on it?

There was a Detective Becker working on it, but they closed the case...

so he recommended I come to you.

If homicide can't solve it, there's a pretty good chance I can't, either.

I've just learned something that I think changes that.

Did you tell the police?

Yes, but they still don't think there's anything they can do.

What is it?

I'd like you to meet my brother. He can tell you.

Could you wait outside, Miss Butler?

I'd like to make a phone call.

Does that mean you'll take the case?

We'll talk to your brother first, then I'll let you know. I'll be right out.

I'd like to run a credit check on a Miss Sara Butler.

Now that's dumb, Sara. I mean, that's just plain dumb.

I don't want to talk to you, mister, so you and my sister can just take a hike.

I'm not talking to anybody about my father.

He was just a drunk.

The hell with him.

He treated you like a queen.

Bought you presents, told you how pretty you were.

I got to carry his golf bags on Saturday and take out the garbage.

So you go ahead, Sara, you have sympathy.

But sympathy is an emotion that's counterproductive.

Would you rather I take Mr. Rockford to meet your Mrs. Elias?

You wouldn't.

Come on, Mr. Rockford. There's someone I'd like you to meet.

Sara, wait a minute. You can't do this.

Watch me.

You're a cop, huh?

No. What I am, sonny, is about 50 pounds heavier and one hell of a lot meaner.

So you better straighten up your act. I don't think I like you.

Yeah, okay.

But just don't bother Mrs. Elias. I mean, it's not even important.

Sara thinks it's a big deal, but it's not.

Tell me about it anyway.

This lady that I make deliveries to got kind of interested in me.

She heard about my mother dying and my father getting killed.

She found out that I wanted to be a doctor. That's all.

That's not all, Nick. Tell him everything.

She's offered to put me through medical school.

That's all?

I told you it wasn't much.

Will you tell him the rest?

She orders her pharmaceuticals from this drugstore...

and has them delivered to her house in Bel Air.

You see?

No.

Why would she deal with this drugstore? There's 15 or 20 that are closer to her.

She just does. Sara, don't blow this for me.

How many times does a guy get a chance to be put through medical school?

Don't mess it up.

The medical profession needs more sweet guys like you.

[Door closes]

All right. Yeah, thank you.

[Sighing]

What's wrong?

I was just beginning to like you.

I like you, too.

While we were out slapping your brother around...

I had somebody run a credit check on you.

Guess what I found out?

What?

You laid some bad paper on me.

People who like each other hardly ever do that sort of thing.

How stupid of me. That's my household account.

I'm sorry. I wrote it on the wrong bank

Knock it off, Sara.

These guys tell me that you're the only one in town with worse credit than me.

I had to do that.

This is important to me. He was my father.

Somebody killed him. They choked him with a necktie.

They took his shoes and left him on the beach.

They're not gonna get away with it. Not if I have anything to say about it.

I'm sorry about that check but nobody would listen to me.

Will you please take this case, Mr. Rockford?

Don't you see how strange it is?

Why would she deal with that pharmacy? It doesn't make sense.

What's that got to do with your father's death?

I don't know, but it is strange, isn't it? Admit that.

All right, it's strange, but it's not that strange.

Now that you've seen Nick, how many women do you think...

would be interested in sending him to medical school?

But we haven't seen Mrs. Elias yet.

She may look like she got dredged up out of the LA river.

Nick says Mrs. Elias is very attractive.

All right, Sara. I say that is a little odd, but...

it's still pretty thin.

I don't see how I can help you.

What is it with you? Are you independently wealthy...

or just on some kind of big case or something?

What do you do for a living when you're not writing bad checks?

I have a small bikini shop.

How much do you make?

Two hundred a week after expenses.

So you really can't afford me.

No.

If I don't think I can solve this case...

and I go ahead and take everything you make in one week...

for one day of my time, what does that make me?

I don't think that's your problem.

I think it makes me an unprincipled jerk.

Since I don't have any real close friends, I have to get along with myself.

So I don't take cases where I think I'm wasting my time or your money.

If you had any.

Wait a minute. What are you doing for dinner tonight?

What?

I know this restaurant out in the Valley. It's really very lovely. If you're free

Sara, don't do that.

All right I'll look into it for an hour or so, just for fun. No charge.

If it looks like it's gonna develop, I'll take it on.

Good.

Here. Don't drop it. It may bounce up and hit you in the chin.

Funny, very funny.

I don't know, Jimmy. Go figure.

If I didn't have to keep this job, I'd quit.

So quit.

You don't know what it's like being on parole.

You got sprung by the Governor. But me...

I got to check in once a week with some fish called Norman Carter...

and I got to tell him how it's going.

If my brother-in-law didn't own this paper, I'd never have gotten out of prison.

No, I'm stuck, baby. I'm stuck.

I'm sorry to hear it, Angel.

Yeah, well, I probably had it coming.

I did that bank job.

Yeah?

When we were in prison, you must have told me 100 times you were innocent.

Well, I wasn't.

How about you? Did you do that thing?

No, I was bad-rapped.

Sure.

Look, I told you. Come on, be straight with me.

You were in on that robbery, right?

Wrong.

I don't believe you.

Nobody ever did.

Look, did you find what I wanted?

Yeah. I looked through some old society columns...

I came up with this stuff on that Elias twitch.

Here you go. Take a look at that.

That's kind of strange, huh?

Yeah. Sure is.

When did her husband die? What's the date?

It was in June of last year. Here it is.

Thank you, Angel. Let's have dinner.

I can't. It's a condition of parole.

I can't hang around with anybody I did time with.

Well, when you get off then.

Hey, Jimmy.

Just between us.

You were dirty, right? You did that thing.

No.

Come on, I'm not gonna tell anybody. What the hell? I just wanna know for myself.

No. I never pulled that job.

All right...

if that's the way you want to be about it, I didn't do the bank job, either.

I never thought you did.

I didn't.

See you, Angel.

The file is closed. I thought it was a mistake.

But we're getting a homicide a night down here...

and I've got to devote all my time to the ones that look solvable.

Dennis, let me have a look at the file, will you?

I can't do that, Jim. I can't even tell you about it.

Let's face it, every time you get lucky and you solve one of these dead cases...

it makes us look stupid. My captain hates you.

Dennis, look.

If you could tell me, what would you say?

If I could tell you, I'd tell you that the guy had a $200 diamond on his finger.

And for my money that doesn't check out as a robbery.

That's if I could tell you.

I see.

Well, I think I'm gonna poke around a little.

If you get anything solid, you'll let me know, right?

Right. And thanks for nothing.

♪♪[piano music playing]

I thought you said this place was informal.

What are you laughing at?

Nothing.

Listen, I thought we could work out a deal.

I'm sorry, I don't have specials anymore.

It's 200 a day, plus expenses.

Why so expensive?

It's not expensive.

It's just a little less than a good plumber would make...

if he doesn't work on the weekends.

Besides, it's dangerous.

Strange thing about unsolved cases.

There's always someone in the shadows who doesn't want them reopened.

You'd be surprised how nasty they can be.

What if I paid you on the installment plan?

I did that once and got stiffed. Ended up in Small Claims Court.

Would you care for cocktails?

Scotch and water, please.

Make it two.

I'm trying to hire you but I guess you just don't want to work for me.

You're not trying to hire me, you're trying to chisel me.

How big an installment?

Twenty-five dollars a week.

Is that all?

I'll pay you, Mr. Rockford, I promise.

That means if I work for you for one day, you owe me $25 a week for eight weeks.

Are you sure that's what you want to do?

Okay, we got a deal.

Why did you take it?

I looked into Mrs. Elias's background. I found something strange.

Three years ago, she was a dancer here in LA.

Did a lot of TV variety shows.

Why is that strange?

She married a man by the name of William Elias.

Mr. Elias was 68 years old...

and looked like he'd been dumped out of a vacuum cleaner.

But he had $10 million.

So they were married in Las Vegas and on their wedding night, he croaked.

But I don't see how that ties in with my father's death?

I don't either.

It didn't even happen within 10 months of when your father was killed.

But Nick's medical school offer...

that's also strange, and I don't like coincidences.

So, I'll look into it for a day or so.

Thank you, Mr. Rockford.

My father is Mr. Rockford. I'm Jim.

Thank you, Jim.

I don't mind telling you that his widow, Mrs. Elias...

was treated very badly by the authorities.

They felt she had killed him because of the amount of money involved...

and also because she was 30 years younger.

The fact that he died on their wedding night.

That all sounds pretty reasonable.

Maybe, but you should have seen his respiratory system.

His arteries were hard enough to pound through two inches of concrete.

There is no way it could have been induced by electric shock or drugs or something?

No. As I said, Mr. Rockford...

Mr. Elias had a cousin who was trying to cut himself into the will.

He had four different doctors examine the body after I did.

They all came to the same conclusion.

Mr. Elias died of a very natural and inevitable heart attack.

Thank you.

Mr. Rockford?

Are you planning to reopen the case?

Because if you are and you're interested in a medical opinion...

you're wasting your time.

Thank you for seeing me, Doctor.

[Phone ringing]

Hello.

Hello. Mrs. Elias?

I don't know whether you remember me, but this is Dr. Seelman.

Yes, of course I remember, Doctor.

You did the autopsy on William.

I didn't want to bother you, but there is a man up here...

who seems quite interested in the coroner's report I filed.

How strange.

I felt very badly about the way you were treated when your husband died.

Thank you, Doctor. You wouldn't happen to have his name?

Yes I do. I have his card.

James Rockford.

It says that he's a private investigator who specializes in closed cases.

There's no address on the card.

I see. Thank you very much, Doctor.

Mrs. Elias...

if you ever get up to Las Vegas...

I hope we might see each other.

Yes, of course, Dr. Seelman. I still have your number.

Let's make a date and plan on it. Could I call you back later?

Of course.

Yes, I'm always in the office.

Thank you very much, Doctor. Goodbye.

[Yells]

[Phone ringing]

Yes.

Jerry, telephone.

Hello.

Hello, Jerry, it's Milly.

I was just about to call you. Where's this week's check?

Forget the check. It'll be there. I've got to see you.

I think we're in trouble.

Hi.

Hi.

I just got back from Vegas.

The coroner who did the autopsy says, that Mr. Elias died of a heart attack.

He swears it's legit. There is no possibility it was induced.

If there was some connection between my father and Mr. Elias, maybe he's lying.

Why?

Maybe she paid him.

There were four other doctors involved.

If you want my opinion, it's a dead end.

Does that mean you're off the case again?

I didn't charge you for the time, 10 hours, driving up to Vegas and back.

I just...

put in seven cents a mile and the gas...

and the time I spent working on it up there and the two phone calls here.

It comes to $75. It's tax deductible. This is your receipt.

What kind of a jerk are you?

My own kind, I guess.

Look, Sara, I'm sorry.

I know you want to find out who killed your father, but...

If you wanna take the advice of a friend, forget it.

Even if you find out who killed him...

he'll still be dead and you won't feel any better about it. Believe me.

You don't know anything about it.

You're standing there with your seven cents a mile and your two phone calls...

and you're trying to tell me about my father.

I'm going to find out who killed him.

It was nice knowing you, Sara.

I think you better bury your father before he buries you.

[Door closes]

[Phone ringing]

Yes?

It's Jim Rockford.

I was thinking there's still one other thing I could look into.

What's wrong? You just figure out you're overdrawn at the bank?

You don't have to get smart.

I might take a look at Mrs. Elias.

If she's sending eight other guys through medical school...

maybe you'll give up on all this.

How about it? If that's the case, we got a deal?

You there?

Yes.

Tell you what I'll do. I'll make this half-price.

Thank you, Jim. But don't hurt Nick's chances for medical school.

Damn it! What's wrong?

I tore my picture. I'll call you later.

You don't look much like a dean of admissions.

What do I look like?

You look like a truck driver in a suit.

I'm not.

Actually, being a dean of admissions is quite a challenging job.

Most people don't realize it, but...

at Mollar we have at least 1,200 applications for every opening.

Twelve hundred.

What a job you must have screening them out.

I had no idea.

Most of those are multiple applications.

That means they are people who are also applying to other medical schools.

I see. What is it you want of me, Dean...

Simpson. Carter Simpson.

It says that you're the one who is going to pay for...

Nicholas's education at Mollar.

And since you are not related to Nicholas Butler...

we just wanted to make sure that you're willing to pay for the whole four years.

What we're trying to determine is just how...

deep your interest in Nicholas really is.

I don't think that came out the way I wanted it.

Nick Butler is a very bright young man, whose mother and father are both dead.

I'm very wealthy, so I've decided to do this boy a favor.

Does that answer your question?

Yes, almost. Just one other thing.

The school would like to know if you could set up some sort of trust...

to guarantee the full four years.

Believe me, it's not that we don't trust your word...

it's just that we have to have certain guarantees.

After all, it's going to come to almost $15,000 a year.

Call my attorney. He'll take care of all the arrangements.

That's wonderful. Thank you.

You know, Mrs. Elias...

since you are interested, we have other needy applicants.

Perhaps you'd be interested in helping some of them.

No, Nick is my only charity case.

Goodbye.

That's a lovely pool.

It is.

Must be comfortable on a warm day like this.

Goodbye, Dean Simpson. Call my attorney.

[Screaming]

What was he doing here? What are you doing here?

You don't even know who he is, do you?

Yes I do. His name is Simpson.

His name is Rockford and he's the man you sent me to follow.

What is this $8.62?

That's tax. There's no sales tax on a personal service.

It's not a sales tax. It's a federal tax.

It's part of the fee. I just break it down separately for my own records.

Who's buying the hotdogs? Me.

I have to tell you something.

You certainly have been a new experience for me.

Sara, if Mrs. Elias had said anything I could sink my teeth into...

I would have kept on. But I called her attorney and he's setting up the trust.

I don't know what her interest in Nick is.

But I'm at a dead end.

I even tried to get friendly but she wasn't buying.

Maybe your rates were too high.

No need to get nasty.

This is the second time you've quit and I'm still getting these slips of paper.

I'm not even sure you're really off this case. I'm not sure, either.

You go home. I'll call you later.

Hey!

[Engine starting]

♪♪[music playing]

Hello, Jim. How are you, Harry?

The usual? Yeah, please.

What are you gonna have? Bourbon and water.

[Audience clapping]

[Water running]

Hey, pal, I got myself a real problem.

Could you loan me $20? I'm with this girl from the office...

I figured, I put enough booze in her and let her watch the acrobatic dancers...

I could make a score but I'm running out of dough.

I put 10 scotch and sodas in that broad, she's drinking me under the table.

Just let me have that $20. Give me your address, I'll mail it to you.

I'm awfully sorry.

I'm good for it. Everybody knows I'm good for it, pal.

[Drum roll]

[Audience clapping]

[People whistling]

You've got to be one of the dumbest-Iooking apes I ever saw.

Of course, you big muscle-bound guys, you're usually compensating...

for feelings of inadequacy.

Meaning?

You know, queer.

That's fine, mister. That's just right.

Everything is gonna be all right.

[Yelling]

The trouble with karate, Jerry, is it's based on the ridiculous assumption...

that the other guy will fight fair.

You're making a big mistake.

You better tell me what you're up to, Jerry...

otherwise I'll leave you here for the weirdoes that hang out in this joint.

I come into this toilet and you sucker-punch me.

You got a big problem, mister.

I saw you following me yesterday, Jerry.

I just refuse to believe that anybody would be ridiculous enough...

to follow me in a red Cadillac convertible.

There you are again today, chrome hubcaps and all.

Let's get that straight, Jerry.

I know you're following me. What I don't know is why.

Okay, so I've been following you.

I thought you was that guy that was seeing this chick I know.

She asked me to scare you off.

I can see you're the wrong guy.

What do you do for a living? Nothing.

Nothing? There are all kinds of nothing. What's your flavor?

I play the ponies.

All right, Jerry, one more time and I'm gonna have to mark you up, son.

Why are you following me?

You just help yourself, mister, and then you get out of the country.

Because I'm gonna find you and when I do I'm gonna mess you up real...

I'm sorry. I didn't know the room was being used.

It's okay. We're almost through. I'll just wait outside.

It's okay. You can stay.

Jerry, one other thing.

If you hear back from some people...

that somebody's looking through your background...

into your bank account, business associates...

don't worry about it, it'll just be me.

[People chattering]

Goodnight, Harry. Goodnight, Jim.

[Yelling]

[Knocking on door]

I'm back on the case. My regular rates.

What took you so long?

We got somebody interested in us.

Which means I turned over at least one of the right rocks.

Come on, I want you to get dressed in something sexy.

I'm gonna offer you a chance to get some of your money back.

I don't know that I... I don't have time to argue.

Now remember, something slinky.

Slow down. I'm gonna end up looking like the Bride of Frankenstein.

We only got a few more blocks to go. I'm gonna let you off across the street.

Remember, he's the big muscle-bound ape with a black turtleneck and a plaid coat...

and he's probably got a nice bruise on his right jaw.

You hit him? You bet.

How brave. Hope that doesn't cost me extra.

You keep up this chickenhearted routine of yours and it sure will.

Okay, where's the poison?

It's not poison. What do you take me for? It's knockout drops.

Here.

How much money am I gonna earn back?

I usually pay my operatives $20 an hour for this sort of thing.

Twenty dollars an hour to pick up some guy who's probably an emotional cripple...

and is gonna try and rape me?

He's not gonna try and rape you.

I won't do it for less than 50.

Who sicced you on to me? The cops.

It figures. All right, 50.

♪♪[music playing]

Come on trampy. Just don't talk too much.

I can handle it. Yeah, I think you can.

[Engine starting]

[Sara chuckles]

What I want to know is, what does the other guy look like?

He's trashed up good. I must have busted half his ribs for him.

Yeah?

I really like a man who can handle himself, you know.

Is that right, baby?

That's great 'cause you're in for a real treat tonight.

Okay, baby, the social hour is over.

Don't rush me, Jerry. I got to get in the mood.

Mood for what? We're not in high school. Come here.

Why don't we just finish these first, okay?

You got to be the squirreliest chick I was ever with.

Wait a minute. What's wrong?

I know where I seen you.

You used to go with Frankie Bader. Come here.

I never knew a Frankie Bader. How about if I get you a drink?

You all right? Yeah. He's in there.

Did you have to let him paw you like that?

Paw me? What are you talking about?

I saw you outside the bar, playing slap and tickle.

I was right across the street. What is this?

Forget it. We got to go through this place.

What was I suppose to do? I was trying to pick him up.

I said forget it. Let's move.

I don't want him to wake up and catch us.

Why? Are you afraid of him? You're damn right I am.

Look through those drawers there.

What are we looking for? We'll know when we find it.

[Drawers opening]

What's that?

Those are losing tickets at the track.

Some big-time gambler we got here. He saves his old tickets.

Did you find something? Yeah, his trophy case.

We made one nice connection. Who is it?

That's Mrs. Mildred Elias.

Yeah, here it is. This stuff is dusty.

They tried to get me down here at first to get into re-filing.

I told them it took me half an hour to find a name in the phone book.

Sara, could I have a picture of your father, please?

(Angel) You think these two guys are mixed up together?

Police buried the wrong one? (Rockford) No, they died 10 months apart.

Mr. Elias had an open-casket funeral with all his friends there.

Is this all you need, Jim? Yeah. Could I keep this, Angel?

Sure. Thanks.

Me and Jimmy go way back a long ways together.

We was in the pen together. We were both framed.

[Door closes]

Jim, were you really in prison?

Does it matter? Of course it matters.

I spent five years in a state pen.

For what? Armed robbery.

Did you do it? Would you believe me if I said no?

Probably not.

Then let's don't mess with it.

I'm sorry, Jim. That was really mean.

If you told me you were innocent, I'd believe you. I really would.

It's not important to me anymore. It used to be.

I wanted everybody to know I was innocent.

The Governor gave me a pardon, said it never happened.

I took that pardon and I had it framed and I put it up on the wall in my office.

Then one day I looked at it...

and suddenly it wasn't important anymore, so I took it down.

And you think I ought to take my father's picture down?

I won't tell you what to do, Sara.

I gave up that habit while I was in prison.

That's one of the more constructive things I learned while I was there.

Somebody killed him and whoever it is ought to be caught.

The trick is not to get caught yourself.

You're talking to an expert.

I spent five years of my life in that trap.

It's hard to climb out.

You're a sentimentalist. How strange.

Not really.

I'll catch a plane for Vegas in the morning and call you then.

It's gonna cost you, sweets.

I know it's gonna cost. You just get the plane.

It'll run you $10,000. That includes everything.

Okay, stay handy.

Morrie, I'm buying you...

so don't bring in any out-of-work bouncers.

I'll be at the casino. All right.

What are you gonna do, kill somebody else?

Shut up. No, I won't shut up. I don't want any killing.

I never knew about that old man, Butler.

I don't want to be a part of any more killings.

You got us in trouble and if I could get away with it...

I'd pull your chain right now.

I need $20,000.

Give it to me. No, I won't.

Jerry, are you crazy?

Jerry! The money! My money!

[Panting]

Wow.

I almost killed the Golden Goose.

I kill you, I'm out of business, right, baby?

I need $20,000.

I'm not gonna pay you to kill someone.

Please, Jerry. Hey, baby...

we're not gonna kill anybody.

We're just gonna rough them up a little and then buy them off.

Give me the money.

I don't have $20,000 here.

I'll have to get it in the morning.

Okay. I'll spend the night.

Won't that be fun?

Sara?

I want you to tell me about your father. The last year or so.

There's some connection between your father and the late Mr. Elias.

We have to find it.

There's not much to tell, really.

He used to be an advertising account executive and then after mother died...

he just went downhill.

I used to go to skid row and try and bring him home...

but it never did any good. All he ever wanted to do was drink.

One time I couldn't find him for three weeks and I was afraid that he was dead...

and that they'd buried him and I'd never know where.

So I took time off from my work to look for him and then I couldn't find him.

One day I was in St. Anne's Mission and I looked up...

and there he was and he was so drunk...

So I took him out and I fed him and I asked him where he'd been.

He said he'd been to the desert for his health.

And then another time... When was that? What was the date?

It was sometime last year. I can't remember.

I think I know when it was.

It was the first two weeks in June.

That's right. That is when it was. How did you know?

Come on, let's get going. Where are we going?

Pick up something at my place, make a phone call. We're going to Vegas.

Come on, get going. For what? Get dressed.

I'll explain later.

[Crickets chirping]

[Phone ringing] In the name of the saints. All right, I'm coming.

Hello? Hi, Rocky. It's me.

Hey, Jimmy, you gonna get up here after all?

No. I need some help.

I'll help you bait a hook if you can get up here.

They're really biting, Jimmy.

You still buddies with the guy in the City Administrator's office in Las Vegas?

Yeah.

I have to get into City Hall in Las Vegas tonight.

Can't do it, Jimmy. Why not?

He lives in a trailer park and he ain't got no phone.

Trailer park? What are you talking about?

Well, he ain't exactly a City Administrator.

But you said...

I know what I said, but I was exaggerating a little.

Is he an Assistant City Administrator? No.

Just what is he, Dad?

He's a janitor in the City Administrator's office.

You're some kind of a liar. I wasn't lying. I wouldn't lie, Jimmy.

Now, think about it.

What I said was that he was cleaning up in the City Administrator's office.

That's what I said.

Rocky, does he have a set of keys? Can he get me into City Hall?

I don't know. It's Saturday.

I'll pay you $50, plus welching privileges.

Jim, you're not in any trouble, are you? No, Dad, I'm okay.

Okay, I'll see you in five hours. Right.

What's that? That's my gat.

You mean you didn't have a gun on when I picked up Jerry?

No, why?

What if he'd tried to rape me or something?

He wouldn't do a thing like that.

Besides, I don't have a permit to carry a gun.

(Sara) Okay, I'm gonna ask you once more and I want an answer...

why are we going to Vegas?

(Rockford) I got a wild idea.

If it's right, it might explain everything.

All right. Tell me what it is.

I'm superstitious.

You're just afraid if you're wrong, you'll look stupid.

That, too.

What I need to know is, who performed the wedding ceremony...

for Mr. And Mrs. William Elias? It was June of last year.

Pretty important, to get us up at 6:00 a. M?

It is. How important?

I didn't say anything to him. It'll come out of your end, Rocky.

Forget the shakedown, Arnie. He ain't going for it.

[Drawer opening]

And wilt thou pledge thy troth to her in all love and honor?

In all duty and service. In all faith and tenderness.

...joined in marriage, I require him now to make it known...

or ever after to hold his peace.

Louis Delgado, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wife?

(Louis) I will.

I figure it's this next street up here, but I can't tell.

Look at your map.

I looked at the map but I can't figure it out.

Read the numbers. I'm reading the numbers.

You may kiss the bride.

Thank you.

Mr. Baker.

Where, here? Yes.

Get in and lie down.

Get in!

[Horn blaring]

[Tires screeching]

Jerry, let's go!

[Horn blaring]

Just keep coming, baby, you're doing fine.

What the hell's wrong with you? Shut up and don't lose him.

Come on.

We're not losing him. We're not gaining on him, either.

Come on.

[Horn honking]

Hold on.

(Rockford) Mildred and her $10 million bridegroom

left the wedding party in LA.

They flew to Vegas, checked into a motel and then old man Elias died.

Before the wedding? You've got the rest of it figured out?

Yeah.

She calls Jerry Grimes and tells him she just lost $10 million.

Jerry says, "Did you sign all the papers...

"license, and all that?" She says, "Yeah, but he died."

Jerry says, "Just sit tight. Throw an electric blanket on him, keep him warm...

"and I'll be there soon as I can with a substitute.

"Then you can get married, and then call the doctor."

So he picks up my father because the age was right.

Your father hangs around Vegas for a while.

When he gets back to LA, he sobers up long enough...

to figure out that Mrs. Elias inherited $10 million.

He wouldn't do that. I mean, he wouldn't blackmail them.

Maybe he wouldn't. But they killed him.

I wish we would've caught them. I...

We'll turn it back to the cops and eventually they will.

At least, we'll get it out of the inactive file.

Hang on.

[Machine gun firing]

[Gunfire continues]

Get down.

[Airplane engine faltering]

We hit him.

[Horn honking]

You fellas need a lift? Turn around.

Move back here. Put your hands on your head.

Stop right there.

Move.

All right, up you go. Up. Inside.

Inside.

In. All the way in.

In.

Go ahead, honey, you're driving.

Fine. Get off of me. Get your hands off me, I'm coming.

One more time, where did you get it? What?

The gun. You ain't got no permit to carry a gun.

You're missing the whole point.

These two guys tried to kill a minister by the name of Baker. We witnessed it.

Did you call Detective Becker in Los Angeles and give him the information I gave you?

Yeah. And?

He said he'd call back after he'd checked it.

What about the signature cards in the minister's record book?

Did you have them checked against the marriage license?

We're doing all of that.

But in the meantime, where did you get that gun?

I don't know how to tell you this...

but you just can't go around shooting down light aircraft with handguns.

[Phone ringing]

Yeah, this is Mitchell.

Yeah, okay.

Do you know this Rockford fellow?

I'm not done with him yet.

I've got a whole omelet cooking up here.

I'm holding two guys on suspicion of murder.

There's gonna be an FAA investigation into that crash...

I got a minister in a hospital.

I don't know, I'm just gonna hold everybody till I get it figured out.

Okay, I'll tell him.

That was Becker in LA. He said to tell you they picked up Mrs. Elias.

Are you really gonna hold him? You better believe it.

I gotta see him. He's my son.

Relax, pop, we got him in custody.

What's he in for this time?

Shooting down a light aircraft with a handgun.

(Mitchell) All right, Rockford, let's go.

What's the charge?

How about vitamin deficiency?

How about material witness? You can go.

Can I have a moment with him, please?

Jim, I'm really sorry. I feel so responsible for this.

They can't hold me too long.

I'll only charge you half-price for the time I spend in jail.

You're kidding. Yeah.

Come on.

Take care of her, will you, pop?

Look at that.

Back in the pokey again.

The last time, it took me five years to get him out.

I had to hock my truck and everything to pay for the lawyers.

I haven't got anything to hock anymore.

Who's gonna pay for his lawyers this time? Maybe I can.

The belt.

I'll bet you don't get many winners around here.

Ain't that the truth.