Original subtitles

Well, what are you sore about?

I'm an eccentric.

I have a peculiar aversion to violence,

particularly when it's directed at me.

It's a nice, clean job, Walt.

Not a mark on him.

Oh, we'll keep him alive until we're sure he leveled.

It's your gamble, Fred. I'm just your broker.

What broker takes 50% of the profits?

I do.

Jim, I wouldn't give just anybody

the combination to my safe.

I trust you.

Beth's in jail.

Beth? What's she in jail for?

Three days.

Miss Davenport was here, Sergeant,

but she's no longer with us.

Could you be just a little more specific?

We'd like an answer, okay?

Officer...

Against the car. Move!

There's an explanation for this.

I can't wait to hear it.

This is Jim Rockford.

At the tone, leave your name and message.

I'll get back to you.

Mr. Rockford, Miss Miller of the Bartlett Book Club.

Great Detectives of America is not in stock,

so we sent you Cooking Made Easy.

Hope you enjoy it.

What do you want me to do?

You gotta get them off me.

I stop at a drugstore for a cup of coffee,

the next I know, they're questioning the waitress.

There's nothing I can do to stop that.

Well, there must be something.

I mean, get a restraining order,

or hit them with some statute. Invasion of privacy.

Invasion of privacy?

Mr. Bailey, you are under indictment for tax fraud.

Which is gonna be thrown right out of court

because all they've got is speculation.

And a lot of experience in building cases.

They compare reported income

with known expenditures.

If you declare an income of $50,000 a year,

and in the same year, buy five acres in Bel Air,

the aroma wafts all the way to Washington.

You think I'm guilty.

I think we got a lot of work to do before we go to court.

I'm busy all day.

How is 6:30 tonight?

What kind of representation am I gonna get

from somebody who thinks I'm guilty?

The best possible, guilty or innocent.

I'm an attorney, Arnold, not a judge.

Yes.

There's a call for Mr. Bailey on line two.

Thank you.

You can take it over there.

Arnold, if you decide to change counsel...

No, no, no. I'll see you tonight.

Okay. Sorry I have to go. I'm due in court.

Hello?

Arnold? Fred Metcalf.

You know better than to phone me.

How'd you know I was here?

I called your office.

Oh, that's great. Brilliant.

They've probably got the line tapped.

I gave a phony name.

Look, I gotta see you, now.

Hey, I'm being tailed.

Lose them. This is important.

Meet me at the usual place.

I can be there in half an hour.

I'm telling you...

I'm telling you,

be there, or I show up at your office.

Nobody followed you?

If they did, the Feds have their case against me and you, too.

You're worried about a lousy tax rap.

Better start worrying about staying alive.

What's that supposed to mean?

It means I think Jordan found out.

He don't like being ripped off.

Anyone tries, he does something permanent

as an example.

You brought me down here for that?

Jordan's your problem, not mine.

I don't even know the man.

You're in this with me.

It's your gamble, Fred. I'm just your broker.

What broker takes 50% of the profits?

I do.

It's your deal, Fred. Handle it.

I got problems of my own.

Hey, Jimmy! Do you know what time it is?

Yeah. Be right with you.

Well, you've been saying that for a half hour.

Look, on a good deal like this, if a guy don't hurry up,

someone will beat him to it.

Come on, Rocky, how many people are in the market

for a 40-foot semi?

Well, now, you'd just be surprised.

Oh, yeah?

It's a good investment.

Yeah. Well, certificates of deposit are a good investment.

You don't have to worry about the paint job.

You don't have to change the oil.

It's a good investment!

Look, I might even do some independent contracting.

No cross-country or nothing, short hauls.

But I could even lease it out, sonny.

Rocky, do you know what you're talking about?

I happen to be talking about trucking,

which is what I've done my whole life.

You know, Rocky, it's not just what you pay for the semi.

It's the interest on the bank loans,

the maintenance, the operating costs,

insurance, license fees.

I just think it'd be a big mistake.

Oh, you do, huh?

Yeah, I do. You know, there are national companies

in the truck-leasing business.

How you gonna compete with them?

Well, I'm not if somebody else buys that rig

before I get a chance at it.

Oh, Rocky.

All I'm asking you to do is go look at it with me.

You said you would.

Well, I know what I said.

Then you're coming?

What does it look like?

Rocky. Jimmy.

Hold on a minute.

Hello.

Yeah. Wait a minute.

Just slow down. Run that by me again.

You're kidding.

Yeah. Yeah, well, Rocky and I were just heading out the door.

Rocky's got something... Important.

Important that he...

Beth, just calm down.

I'll see you in about a half an hour.

Half an hour? That don't give us enough time.

That rig is clear up in Oxnard.

Yeah, well, we're gonna have to make a stop first.

Beth's in jail.

Beth? What's she in jail for?

Three days.

Contempt of court!

Do you believe that? Me, in contempt of court.

Do you believe that?

Well, under the circumstances, yeah, I believe it.

What'd you do? Nothing.

Beth.

Nothing!

I went to court, I presented my case,

got a dismissal, and ended up here.

Bum rap, huh?

You bet it's a bum rap.

It's that woman. That witch.

Judge Turman?

You see, I didn't even have to tell you who I was talking about.

Nobody ever gets out of her courtroom

without being penalized in some way.

If she doesn't hang the defendant, she hangs the attorney.

She doesn't belong on the bench.

Maybe so, but she's there and you're here,

and there's nothing either one of us can do about it.

I know it.

Hey, look, it's only three days.

You got nothing to worry about,

as long as you stay away from the spaghetti.

I've never been in a jail yet

where the spaghetti sauce wasn't a real killer.

Well, look, honey, Rocky's waiting out in the car.

We got a date with a semi in Oxnard.

You're not going?

Yeah. If I don't, I'm gonna hear about it for the next 10 years.

Jim, I need your help.

Oh, well, fine. Fine. You just make a list of what you need,

and on the way back we'll drop by your apartment, pick up whatever you want.

Not that kind of help.

I'm working on a tax evasion case.

I can't wait three days

to prepare the defense. I can't wait three hours.

And you want me to do what?

I've got all the material I need at the office.

Oh, you want me to call the office

and have them send it over here to you?

They closed at 5:30.

I've already made arrangements to meet my client here.

Would you go to my office?

Open the safe, I'll give you the combination,

and bring me back a large manila envelope

with the name "Arnold Bailey" written on it.

Come on, Beth.

I mean, Rocky's really ticked off at me already.

Anyone can play messenger.

Jim, I wouldn't give just anybody

the combination to my safe.

I trust you.

Thanks.

He keeps passing out.

We can dump some more water on him

if you want to talk to him, sir.

Did you get the information?

Oh, yeah.

Then I don't wanna talk to him.

You know where to find it.

Pick it up.

Oh, we'll keep him alive until we're sure he leveled.

You hurt like he does, you level.

Pick it up now. Tonight.

It's a nice, clean job, Walt.

Not a mark on him.

Except he can't walk.

He won't have to.

Okay. So long.

Well? What'd he say?

I told him we'd be there first thing in the morning.

Early.

Well, then it's still for sale.

Well, no thanks to you. It could have been sold.

Yeah, but it wasn't.

Jim!

Jim, what happened?

You all right?

Yeah. I think so.

Man, you were gone so long

I figured I'd better come look for you.

What is it? Huh? What is it?

I was carrying a big manila envelope.

I don't see nothing.

That's 'cause there's nothing left to see.

You say Rocky didn't witness the attack?

No.

No. I was waiting in the car.

You see, what was happening was,

Jim and me were fixing to go up to Oxnard.

I'm thinking about buying a semi.

Yeah. There were two of them?

No, no, no. Just the one.

It's a cabover with a 40-foot trailer,

beautiful paint job...

There were two of them, both of them about my height.

That's a swell description. Probably pick them up before morning.

I told you the lights were out, Dennis.

What am I, an owl?

Okay, Jimbo. I'll file a John Doe A and B,

which won't put you anywhere except on the record.

File it?

Well, what are you sore about?

I'm an eccentric.

I have a peculiar aversion to violence,

particularly when it's directed at me.

You got an aspirin?

Yeah. You got a headache?

No, I connected with one of those guys.

Feels like I hit a freight train.

Hey, you might've hurt something, Jim.

Maybe you ought to go see a doctor.

Oh, I'm all right, Rocky. I just gotta remember that,

the next time I run into those guys,

you can't play the jawbone and the human hand like cymbals.

You know what I'm thinking?

I think maybe you better try not finding them.

They done enough damage to you already.

Yeah. You know, we could work backwards on this thing.

We could find out from Beth what she kept in her safe.

That'd let us know who had a motive for ripping it off.

Well, I could get a lab team over there,

check the place out for prints.

How did they get into the safe?

I had the combination written down on a slip of paper.

It's an open case.

Hmm?

You made the rule, I didn't make it.

You don't work on open cases.

Now, you filed a police report,

and that makes it police business.

I'm the one that ended up eating six feet of shag rug,

and that makes it my business.

Well, you can't go around changing the rules just to please yourself.

Oh, yes, I can.

Well, I'll order the lab team over there,

then we'll go over to Beth's apartment.

Yeah, well, she's not at her apartment.

No? Where is she?

She's in jail.

I'm afraid she's not here.

Well, of course she's here.

She's serving three days for contempt.

I was with her just a few hours ago.

My name's in the visitor's book.

Elizabeth Davenport?

Miss Davenport was here, Sergeant,

but she's no longer with us.

Could you be just a little more specific?

Well, she was transferred to the prison ward in County General.

What's she doing in a hospital? What's wrong?

We'd like an answer, okay?

Our security system's as good as any in the country.

I don't know how it could've happened.

What happened?

She was poisoned.

Now, how come you two get to see her, and I don't?

We can't all go trooping in there, Rocky.

Well, I'm tired of waiting in the car.

Well, nobody said you had to wait in the car.

You can wait in the hall.

Dr. Fernandez, outside call on line nine.

Dr. Fernandez, outside call on line nine.

Hey.

I warned you about the spaghetti.

I'm here, too.

And Rocky's outside.

Doctor says you're gonna be fine.

You came close, you know that?

Yeah. I know.

We talked to the investigating officer,

but we'd like to hear it from you, too.

You feel up to it?

Just tell us exactly what happened, Beth.

I got permission

to see a client,

Arnold Bailey.

I'm working on a case.

During the meeting the matron brought in a pot of coffee.

Did you ask for it?

No.

I thought it was a nice thing for them to do.

Drank about a cup and a half.

Did Bailey drink any?

What was in the coffee?

Sodium cyanide.

It's very fast acting, so you became ill within minutes.

It's probably what saved your life.

Who would want to kill you?

The poison was meant for Bailey,

must have been.

Why?

Oh, it couldn't have been for me.

Well, he could've arranged for the coffee.

It doesn't make sense.

He's the one that called for help.

Well, what was he supposed to do

with a guard standing right outside the door?

So what's his motive?

Well,

you're his lawyer.

He could have told you something incriminating

and had a change of heart about it.

That's ridiculous.

He'd know I couldn't testify against him in court.

Well, two guys jumped me

when I went to your office tonight.

They took the envelope with Bailey's name on it.

You're kidding.

Along with everything else that was in the safe,

cleaned it out.

It wasn't an ordinary theft, Beth.

Not when it ties in with an attempted murder.

I'd like to have a list of everything that was in the safe.

To the very last piece of paper. Okay?

I'll do what I can.

You get some sleep.

We'll be back in the morning.

All right, Jim. I gotta make a call.

I'll meet you in the car.

All right, Dennis.

How is she? Did you tell her I came to see her,

but they wouldn't let me in?

Yeah, I told her.

Oh, man, it's a terrible thing, isn't it?

Oh, this fella over there, Arnold Bailey,

he's the guy was with her when she was took sick.

Oh, yeah?

Dr. Virginia Williams to ENT.

Hi, Mr. Bailey? That's right.

Jim Rockford. I'm a friend of Beth Davenport's.

Yes. Your father mentioned that you were visiting her.

How is she?

Alive.

Doctor give you any idea about how long she'd be hospitalized?

You worried about your indictment?

Mr. Rockford, I've never seen you before in my life.

I'm not about to discuss my case with you.

I discuss it with my attorney.

Period.

Beth almost dies and he's worried about a tax beef.

Mr. Bailey,

you have lousy priorities.

I should have known if you said you were buying it'd be something like this.

Best tacos in town.

For breakfast?

You ever tried it?

Pass.

What did you hear from the lab?

Nothing.

You mean they turned up nothing,

or they told you nothing?

I'll have another cup of coffee.

And another taco, please.

Well, they dusted the safe in Beth's office.

It was wiped clean.

So that angle's dead.

Real pro job.

I got the list from Beth this morning.

And?

And I'll check it out.

Not much to go on. Just a bunch of names.

And every time I asked her a question,

it was "privileged information."

Dennis,

what's this, "I'll check it out"? We'll check it out.

Since when did you join the LAPD?

Come on, Dennis.

Go fishing.

I'm not gonna step on any departmental toes.

I'll keep a low profile.

You're out.

Someone tried to kill Beth,

and I got fed into a kicking machine.

I've got a personal interest in this one.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Buy your own breakfast.

Hey, I only had the coffee.

I already gave the list to Dennis.

Well, Dennis doesn't wanna play show and tell,

so now you're giving it to me.

Did you make a duplicate?

I'm an attorney. We're crazy for paperwork.

All right.

Well, this is pretty cryptic.

"Maynard Forbes, certificate."

What kind of certificate?

Oh, come on, Jim. That's...

I know. I know. That's privileged. Right?

"Frances Bagley, last will and testament.

"George VanDeusen, last will and testament.

"Hallie Chilberg, assignment of rights."

Privileged? Mmm-hmm.

"Fred Metcalf, letter."

Well, you can do better than that. I mean, that's it?

Letter? What kind of letter?

I don't know.

Beth, someone tried to kill you.

Now, you can carry confidentiality too far.

I just told you, I don't know.

He just gave me a letter to hold for him.

When?

About five years ago.

Oh, well, that can't be it.

"William Thornton, last will and testament."

You lose many clients?

What kind of a letter would you keep in an attorney's safe

for five years? Who is Metcalf, anyway?

He's the Vice President

of the American Brotherhood of Affiliated Machine and Textile Workers,

but I don't think the letter would have anything to do with union business.

I represent Fred personally, not the Local.

Did he say anything when he gave it to you?

No. He just asked me to hold it for him.

But he didn't tell you not to open it.

He didn't have to.

As a matter of fact, he told me I should open it if anything happened to him.

Well, Beth!

It probably had to do with the administration of his estate.

Is there any connection between Bailey and Metcalf?

Not to my knowledge.

Did you tell Becker about the letter?

No.

And what Metcalf said?

No. Why?

If he calls you, you tell him.

What are you gonna be doing?

I'm gonna be checking on Metcalf.

Oh, you're feeling better.

Tell her to snap to it with that, okay?

You know, I ought to throw the book at you.

For what?

For interfering in a police investigation.

I'm not interfering. I'm helping.

The police department doesn't want your help.

Look, Dennis,

they're releasing Beth from the hospital tomorrow.

Now, I think somebody's liable to take another crack at her.

So don't tell me not to help.

If you got anything solid to go on, turn it in.

We'll follow through.

Will you follow through on a hunch?

'Cause that's all I got.

All right. Spill it.

Well, Metcalf was a union biggie.

Vice President in charge of guess what?

Pension fund.

Bingo.

And that's a multi-million dollar temptation.

Do you think he was skimming?

It's possible.

Whatever it was, he was in it with somebody he didn't trust.

Five years ago he gave Beth a letter to hold for him

and instructed her to open it if anything happened to him.

An insurance policy.

Yeah. I think he probably wrote everything down on paper.

Names, dates, the works, as protection.

Only they beat on the soles of his feet

until he told them where it was.

And then they canceled the insurance and the insured.

And if they think Beth read that letter,

then the attempt on her life starts to make sense.

You don't know how good it feels to be out of county hands.

Oh, I have an idea.

I am so sick of county clothes and county food.

When you get me home I'm gonna make an enormous omelet.

Mushroom, maybe.

How does that sound? Mushroom, a little cheese.

Yeah. I'll have to stop and pick up some eggs.

Oh, I have eggs.

Yeah, but I haven't. You're coming home with me.

Why?

I want to keep an eye on you

until we find out who iced Fred Metcalf.

Without knowing what was in the letter, that could take a long time.

Yeah. Yeah, it could, couldn't it?

What are we gonna do, Jim?

I mean, I can't hide out forever.

And how long can you devote riding shotgun with me?

Honestly, I'm all right.

Yeah.

We'll never lose them in this traffic. It's too dangerous.

Somebody's gonna get hurt.

Keep driving in circles, but don't leave the yard.

Right where you are.

Officer...

Against the car. Move!

There's an explanation for this.

I can't wait to hear it.

You know, I think you should arrest those two guys over there.

Okay. I arrested the two guys who you say were chasing you.

But do you know how many violations you racked up?

I was trying to get arrested.

Well, congratulations. You made it.

Well, what was I supposed to do, Dennis? I couldn't shake them.

Now this is the second attempt on Beth's life.

Why don't you just run a check on them, find out who they are?

I know who they are.

You want to share it?

Yeah.

Walter Rayner, Howard Nystrom.

Never heard of them.

Who do they work for?

They're self-employed.

I'll bet.

Well, if they are, they're doing pretty good.

They got some high-priced legal talent.

Sprung them just like that.

You think you could do the same for us?

Jim, it's me.

I'm gonna drive up to...

...to Oxnard. I'm gonna...

I'll call you right back.

Hi, Rocky.

I was just talking to your machine there.

Hey, what are you all dressed up for?

Well, I'm driving up to Oxnard to see that semi.

I thought you wanted me to go with you.

Well, I did,

but your time's sort of been taken up the last couple of days.

Sit down. Sit down, Beth.

I'm glad to see you're feeling better.

You know, I stopped into the hospital to see you, but they wouldn't let me in.

Jim told me. Thanks.

Hey, Rocky, we'll go up there this afternoon and take a look at it.

I can't wait any longer.

I'll bet you that Pete Schofield read that ad.

I'll bet he's on his way up right now.

I'm only asking for a few hours.

You don't buy a semi just like that.

I mean, there's paperwork and all that.

Besides, I got something I gotta check out,

and I can't take Beth with me,

and I can't leave her alone.

You can, but you won't.

Well, she could drive up to Oxnard with me.

I don't want her leaving this house.

Jim, if Rocky has some...

What do you say, Rocky?

Just a few hours?

Maybe less.

How's your pinochle?

Thank you, Rocky.

Want a coffee?

Oh, thanks, I'd love it.

Now, I don't want you leaving here.

What are you gonna do? I'm going out.

Jim, aren't you gonna tell me where you're going?

No. You probably wouldn't approve.

Jim, I'm worried.

Who put up the bail bond for Arnold Bailey?

Solly Marshall. Why?

I'll tell you later.

Tell me now.

Beth, I am swinging wild.

I'm just playing hunches, that's all.

Bull! You've got something and I want to know what it is.

Well, while you were talking to Dennis,

I got on the phone to Bailey's office.

He has dropped out of sight.

I got his secretary just a little confused,

and she told me that Arnold Bailey was Fred Metcalf's stockbroker.

So, what does that prove?

Well, for one thing it proves they knew each other, and for another,

it gives me a queasy feeling about Bailey,

which, I've gotta admit, I've had from the start of this thing.

What are you gonna do?

Well, since I can't find out where Bailey disappeared to,

I'll just go have a little talk with his bail bondsman.

What on earth could Solly possibly tell you?

Maybe plenty.

Hey, Solly, you're just the man I want to see.

Not now, Jim. Got no time.

Hey, Solly, Solly. Come on, do yourself a favor.

Now, take a break. Come on. Sit down.

Solly,

nobody likes losing money, right?

What do you expect, an argument?

What's it worth to you if I clue you in on a possible skip?

What skip? Who? Who?

Well, wait a minute. First we have to deal.

How about

$500?

I ain't gonna pay you no $500.

Not until you tell me how much he's into me for and what was the bond?

If I tell you that, Solly,

you'll be able to figure out who it is and you won't need me.

Jim, would I stiff you?

Sure you would.

So what do we do?

Well, I won't give you the exact figure,

but I will say it is sizeable.

Sizeable? What is sizeable?

$20,000, $30,000?

I'm not gonna tell you, Solly.

But, let's just say it's $35,000, huh?

Now, if it's $35,000 and your client skips,

that's 35,000 less $3,500 that he put up.

That's $31,500 out of your pocket.

And then insurance will cost you about $1,000.

But then let's say it's $50,000. If it's $50,000...

$1,000!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

$500.

That's it. Who's the skip?

No, possible skip. Arnold Bailey.

Oh, come on, Jim. That's a crummy tax beef.

And it was only a $20,000 bond.

Solly, Solly.

Hey, first timers are big skippers. Everybody knows that.

Now, you take a hooker with a client list,

she's gonna be there forever.

But your average stock broker type...

I know. I know. I know.

Well, now, I know a couple of things about him.

He is not at his house, and he's not at his office.

So where is he?

How do I know?

Come on, Solly, don't tell me you didn't stay with him for a couple of days

just to see that he wasn't liquidating his assets.

You always do.

Well, I put a tail on him for a couple of days after I bailed him out, but...

And?

Where does he go? Who does he see?

I got so many people to keep track of. I...

Bailey. Bailey. The athletic club. He's a French food nut.

See, there's this little place on...

Who does he see, Solly?

You mean see regular?

Yeah, regular.

There's this... Some dame. A secretary.

He's got an apartment off Verdugo Lane.

Two Twenty Seven Sixteen.

Two Twenty Seven Sixteen.

I wonder if you can tell me

which one is the Bailey apartment.

Hello?

I been sitting on him like you said.

He's got a visitor. Who?

Tall guy, dark hair. I've never seen him before.

Stay where you are. I'll be out there.

If they make a move, you move. Got it?

That's what I'm here for.

Yes? Mr. Bailey in?

If that's the cab, tell him to wait.

It isn't.

What are you doing here?

I was going to send him away, Arnold, but...

It's all right, honey. Go inside and finish packing.

All right.

You forgot to say, "May I," Mr. Rockford,

so you can just take a couple of giant steps back out that door.

And if you don't, I'll...

You'll call the cops?

Or call your secretary?

Hey, you really should, you know.

She's worried about you.

She thinks you're out someplace brooding over Fred Metcalf's death.

Fred Metcalf?

Yeah, you remember Fred?

The guy in charge of that nice, big, fat union pension fund?

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

and I haven't got time to listen.

I'm going on a business trip.

It's just been canceled.

Who do you think you are? Now get out of here!

Any time you're ready.

Arnold?

Look, you stay out of this.

All right, what am I supposed to have done?

Come on, tell me. What?

Well, I think you tried to kill Beth Davenport.

Of course, you were more successful with Metcalf.

That isn't true. I had nothing to do with Fred's death.

Well, you look number one to me, pal,

and I think for once the cops and I are gonna be in total agreement.

Well, this is ridiculous. I'm getting out...

Now, hold it.

I can't swim!

I didn't murder him. I didn't.

You're making a mistake.

Make me believe it.

I can't.

We were in it together, but it was his idea.

He was in charge of the pension plan.

He had me invest in high-yield bonds.

I phonied the investment portfolio

so it'd look like the bonds were returning 5% when they were returning 8.

We divided the 3% profit.

How much profit?

$600,000. We split it, 50-50.

That's supposed to convince me you're innocent?

Sounds more like a motive than an alibi,

particularly if you got tired of dividing.

I didn't kill him! Believe me, I didn't kill him!

Well, then who did?

I can't tell you.

Oh?

Okay. Okay. Let me out.

Please.

Now, who killed him?

Martin Jordan.

Who's Martin Jordan?

He's connected.

Organized crime?

Yeah. They took over the union a long time ago.

Lately, they've been checking up on Metcalf.

He was afraid something might happen,

but he thought he had protection.

Oh, the letter he wrote tying Jordan to the union.

Yeah. That's right, but it didn't save him.

When I found out Fred had been killed

I thought maybe he told them about me,

so I decided to bail out.

All right. Let's go downtown, make it official.

Hold it.

I think you better come with me.

Mr. Jordan.

Now.

Slide across.

Get in there.

Give me the gun.

Okay,

everybody out of the pool.

You know, Arnold Bailey shouldn't have talked till I got to the station.

Didn't anyone bother to tell him that?

Beth, you couldn't stop him from talking,

he was trying to get out from under a murder beef.

You haven't got anything to worry about,

he's turning State's evidence.

If he hadn't been so anxious to spend his money,

he wouldn't have had the IRS after him in the first place.

Well, their collection technique's a little easier

on the subject than Jordan's.

Metcalf didn't spend a dime, he ended up dead.

They recovered the whole $300,000?

In Jordan's possession.

Makes a neat package to take into court.

Hi.

Hi, Rocky. Oh, hey, Rocky!

Look, I'm really sorry. I forgot.

I'm not even gonna try to lie to you about it, I just plain forgot.

It don't matter.

Well, it does to me. Let me tell you what happened.

No, it don't matter.

Well, stop saying that.

Look, I'm the one knows how I feel.

I got a right to say it.

Or you giving me orders on that, too?

I never give you orders.

You told me not to buy that semi.

That wasn't an order. That was advice.

You know, old Pete Schofield, he run up to Oxnard and had a look at it.

I hope he didn't buy it.

Honey, you know what? He said he wouldn't have it

if it was under his Christmas tree with a red ribbon on it.

He did?

Old Pete, he knows trucking, you know.

He said this fella that had it

let it sit outside till it just turned plumb into junk.

Ruined, that's what it was.

No wonder he wanted to sell it, huh?

It would have been a waste of valuable time going up there.

Well, Rocky, I'm really glad to hear that.

I admit that I didn't think it was too good an idea,

but I'm just glad I'm not the one that made you lose the deal.

Don't give it another thought.

Waste of valuable time.

But,

there's this one I heard about

over in Lancaster.