Original subtitles

♪ (theme music playing) ♪

Mannix s6e14 Light And Shadow

(indistinct conversations)

♪ ♪

Relax, dear.

What's the harm?

It's just his way of welcoming us back.

You know Snowy.

If he couldn't give a party for someone every other week,

I'm sure he'd suffer.

He shouldn't have brought Louise.

He had no right to do that.

She's supposed to be in school.

Well, that can't be helped now.

Besides, I should think you'd want to see her

after all these weeks away.

There is one very good reason she has no business here.

Nikky.

Well, if you feel that strongly about him,

we shouldn't have had him on the cruise.

♪ ♪

Mm, it's a marvelous party, Daddy.

And, Ali, I hope you don't mind my being here too much.

I am having fun.

What a thing to say, Louise.

Of course I want you to have fun.

Now, isn't she the sweetest stepmother in the world?

♪ ♪

Thanks, all.

Eh, as I was saying, that's what we want,

a nice family grouping.

Lawton would have gotten aboard somehow.

The Bramantes are news, like it or not.

Louise?

Dance?

Come on, Bruno, I'll take you out of all this

and give you another lesson in gin.

That is, if you have the courage after the last session.

Courage is the one thing I never run out of.

You know that, Snowy.

I'm sure you'll excuse us.

♪ ♪

Good old Bruno.

He just can't bear losing.

I guess it's only natural.

How else do you become the fourth richest man in the world?

Well, there are other ways to riches, aren't there, Nikky?

My dear Ali, I don't believe you've danced once today.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(indistinct conversations)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(two gunshots)

(music stops, excited chatter)

♪ ♪

(people running)

(screaming)

(door opens)

PEGGY: Good morning. Can I help you?

I'm Bill Moseley, Mr. Bramante's secretary.

I spoke with Mr. Mannix last night.

Oh, yes. Mr. Mannix is expecting you.

Won't you come this way, please?

Pleasure, Mr. Moseley. I'm Joe Mannix.

How about some coffee? No, thank you.

I've had about a gallon and a half already.

And not much sleep, huh? No, none.

If I had, at least I could have told myself

that last night was some kind of nightmare.

Mm. Uh, sit down.

You said that George Oliver, Mr. Bramante's attorney,

directed you to me.

Yes, and then Snowy Bartlett told me he knew you personally.

I take it that, uh, this was Snowy's party yesterday.

Yes.

I, uh, haven't had a chance to read that yet...

but I can guess that it couldn't look worse for her.

I would say that's a good guess.

In any case, Mr. Mannix, I've been authorized

to give you this as a retainer.

I would say this is a bit premature.

Mr. Bramante is anxious that you start immediately

to establish, uh, that the evidence against his wife

is insufficient... or in some way faulty.

Or even, let's say, pointing in another direction altogether.

What is foremost in Mr. Bramante's mind

is that his wife be exonerated.

If, of course, out of that some other suspect emerges...

Then all to the good.

Of course.

I think you'll find

that, uh, Nikky Lorenzo won't be universally missed.

Yes, I got that from Larry Lawton's column.

Along with his crowing about being the only newspaperman

at the party yesterday.

Ah, here it is.

"Sparkling Louise Bramante

"being stubbornly pursued

by the inveterate romancer Nikky Lorenzo."

Meanwhile, if I can be of some further help to you, Mr. Mannix.

Yes, you can start by expressing my thanks to Mr. Bramante

for this amount of confidence in me, but I can't accept it.

You mean you won't take the case?

Not until I at least meet my client.

Mrs. Bramante?

Hmm.

I could arrange that immediately.

Good. Then we'll see.

Oh, Mr. Moseley, you didn't mention it,

but, uh, do you think it's possible that she didn't do it?

I'll say this.. if, uh, she did, I'm certain that her reasons

would be acceptable to any jury in the country.

Good day, Mr. Mannix.

Seems to be a nice man.

Yeah, but a bit nervous,

when I read that, uh, young Louise Bramante

was being chased by Nikky Lorenzo.

The rest of it goes, uh, "While her devoted secret admirer

Bill Moseley simmers quietly on the back burner..."

Oh, Mr. Mannix, one more thing.

It wouldn't be in the newspaper,

the report didn't come through until late, but, uh...

But what?

The murder weapon--

it was registered in Mrs. Bramante's name.

It's her gun.

I just didn't want you to be surprised when you heard it.

Thank you. It does help to know

that sort of thing ahead of time.

Good morning, Mrs. Bramante.

I believe you were sent word about me.

Please.

I'm not used to being handled.

Of course.

I can understand how unpleasant this must be for you.

But I'm sure George Oliver will have you out of here

in no time at all.

I doubt if the District Attorney thinks

you'll make a run for the border.

I'd rather you didn't put those on.

Then don't stare at me.

Sorry, bad professional habit.

I understand my husband has retained you to help on my case.

Actually, Mrs. Bramante,

I haven't decided to take your case yet.

There are a few things I'd like to know first.

What sort of things?

For one, did you do it?

I don't know.

I mean, I don't know what really happened.

And right here and now I'm not even sure it did happen.

I'm afraid it did happen, Mrs. Bramante.

I'd like you to try and remember everything you can.

I've been through it all with the attorneys and the police.

I'd like you to go through it again with me.

I'm sure you've heard it all already.

There may be something new you'll remember that could help.

Now, as I understand it, the party was underway on the bow

when you happened to see Nikky Lorenzo leaving.

Sit down.

I saw Nikky leave the party, so I followed him.

Why?

I wanted to talk to him.

About what?

A personal matter.

Personal matter?

You followed Nikky?

To his stateroom.

When I got there, I heard voices.

I knocked.

There was no answer, so I knocked again.

I opened the doors.

It was dark, I couldn't see anything,

so I stepped inside.

Nikky was standing with his back to me.

He started to turn.

That's when it happened-- a terrible explosion

and then a scream.

And I think a second shot.

I saw Nikky fall.

Then...

Then what?

Someone ran past me.

Who? I don't know.

All I could see was Nikky lying there and the gun beside him.

Your gun?

It looked like mine.

I keep it on the yacht.

That's why I picked it up.

You said you heard a scream.

It could have been mine.

And you have no idea who ran past you?

No.

Man or woman?

I don't know.

Considering Nikky's reputation,

a woman seems to be the logical choice.

Uh, how did Nikky happen to be on the trip?

We invited him.

You and your husband?

I invited him.

He gave every impression of, uh, enjoying himself.

(rustling)

This was taken in St. Thomas-- one of the stops on your cruise.

It's really very good of both of you.

Where was everyone else?

The photographers asked them to move away.

Your husband, too?

My husband doesn't care for nightclubs.

Unlike you and Nikky.

Here you are in, uh, Port Of Spain.

Caracas.

Aruba.

Acapulco.

Are you a collector of this sort of thing?

No, my secretary has a very good memory for pictures and a friend

that happens to work at one of the local news services.

Now, listen, however it is you are trying to say it,

Mr. Whatever Your Name Is,

and whatever cheap and offensive innuendos you are trying to use,

I was not having an affair with Nikky Lorenzo

and I don't need to hide behind these to say so!

If my husband thinks I'd even consider

accepting any help from you, he's very wrong.

Now get out.

Mrs. Bramante, you may find you need me.

I may be the only person

who isn't fully convinced you're guilty.

By the way, the name is Joe Mannix.

The blue pins are the crew, the yellow ones are the waiters,

and the red pins are your guests,

showing where everyone was when the shots were fired,

as far as the ones we were able to interview.

Now, uh, Nikky was in his stateroom,

Miss Bramante was just inside.

Now, you and Snowy

were in the lounge playing cards

and your head steward was someplace around here.

What does it prove?

For one thing, that, uh, this is incomplete.

We still haven't spotted where Mrs. Bramante was

or Mr. Moseley.

(phone rings)

Yes.

Speaking.

That's wonderful.

(whispering indistinctly)

My lawyers have succeeded in having Mrs. Bramante released.

You didn't have to make an appearance at all, Mr. Bramante?

Oh, Joe, can't you hear that bunch down there if he had?

"The privileged rich"?

"Look what money can do"?

The D.A. would have had to hold her till the place froze over.

Well, uh, back to your daughter and Mr. Moseley.

Forget all that.

Louise had nothing to do with this.

It's all right, Daddy.

I, uh, went to the cabin behind Nikky's to freshen my makeup.

Mr. Moseley?

Same place.

I was with Louise.

Mr. Mannix, do you or don't you have anything of substance

for my wife's defense?

Yes, yes, I think I do.

I'd like to hear it.

Mrs. Bramante said that there was somebody

in Nikky's stateroom, who ran out past her after the shooting.

She never said anything about that earlier.

Snowy, the shock of a thing like murder can block out

all or any part of a person's recollection.

Now, we know in time that bits and pieces

or even all of it can return.

You say it can.

That doesn't mean it always will, does it?

No, but in the case of your stepmother,

part of her memory has come back.

And the rest, when-- a month, two months, a year?

I can't tell you that.

Mr. Mannix, as it stands now, the entire burden of guilt

rests purely on my wife.

No alternatives to that, none.

Not necessarily.

Peggy, tell Mr. Bramante what you found out

by talking to some of Nikky's gentleman friends.

Many of them sounded like they would like

to put a bullet through Mr. Lorenzo very happily.

With my wife's gun?

You are talking about people who correctly consider the man

an obnoxious philanderer.

I'm still talking about a solid alternative.

You mentioned your wife's gun.

Uh, you knew she had one then?

I must have, or else I wouldn't have mentioned it.

Well, put that together with the fact

that you might have suspected your wife

of having an affair with Nikky,

how about you as an alternative, Mr. Bramante?

Joe, what's the idea?

The idea is to prove

that alternatives are not hard to come by.

Bruno was playing cards with me in the salon.

He never left.

Then doesn't that demonstrate the error

of picking the first alternative that comes by?

I ought to dismiss you right now.

Mr. Bramante, I want you to realize

it takes time to build up a defense.

I try to dig deep.

Now if that bothers you...

Excuse me, sir.

I thought you'd like to know, Mrs. Bramante is coming aboard.

We'll talk later, Mannix.

The family would like to be alone, Mr. Mannix.

You understand.

Hmm.

Peggy.

Louise.

I think the less of this welcome home business,

the better for her.

Mrs. Bramante.

I'm very happy for you.

Thank you.

Hello.

Welcome home, darling.

Thank you.

BRUNO: We can talk later.

I'm sure you'll want to rest now.

If that's their idea of togetherness,

it loses a little something in the translation.

At least we know where Bramante and Snowy were

when Nikky was killed.

If you want to take their word for it.

Yeah, right now I'm more interested in Nikky himself

before he was shot and before that cruise in fact.

With maybe a little special attention to his love life.

Shouldn't be too difficult. It's the only kind he had.

You can get on with your work now.

Yes.

Why did you do it, Snowy?

Do what?

Lie for me.

You know I left that card table.

Oh, for two or three minutes to get a new deck of cards,

because you blew your top and tore up the old ones.

Oh, Bruno, I know you couldn't kill anyone.

My old friend, dear old friend.

Well, after all, what are old friends for?

Files, Mannix.

Name anybody important enough to get into my column,

and I've probably got a dossier the FBI would be proud to have.

That would take in the Bramante crowd, wouldn't it?

The Bramantes, huh?

See this?

On his last wife, Melina.

Now remarried, living in Cannes.

Staff...

Majordomo: Albert Higby, born Coventry, England.

Ten years service.

Friends: Snowy Bartlett.

Everything from his land developments

to his Middle East oil holdings to his favorite French wine.

How about the dead man, Nikky Lorenzo?

How about him?

Roger, where's my coffee and Danish

I asked for 20 minutes ago?

Well, the photos were just coming out of the lab,

and I thought I...

You thought. That's your trouble.

Stop thinking and do what you're told.

Right.

Shall I make that two?

No, he's leaving.

(drawer slides shut)

Those guys-- "Give us an equal shake,"

they're always saying.

So you give 'em a camera, make 'em an assistant even,

ten minutes later they've forgotten how to take orders.

Now, uh, about Nikky and the Bramantes...

Get lost, Mannix, your friendly visit's over.

What?

Am I some kind of a nut?

I develop a regular library on the Bramantes

that's finally going to pay off big,

and now I open it up to you?

That's what you were after, wasn't it?

For one thing.

I thought you might be able to give me a lead

that could help Ali Bramante.

Or hang her.

Ali Bramante's been helped from the day she was born.

As they say.

That's one of the things.

The other is, uh... exactly where you were on the ship

at the time of the shooting.

Don't tell my I'm a suspect.

Actually, Mr. Bramante's steward said you were in Cabin C.

Said he put you there when you asked for a place

to jot down some notes for your column.

Guest lists, things like that.

So why ask me?

I thought it best to double check,

seeing that Cabin C is right next

to the cabin that Nikky was in.

And that makes me a suspect?

Well, it doesn't help when you stop to consider

that eight years ago, Nikky Lorenzo made a play

for your wife and broke up your home.

And not long after, she was a suicide.

I was sorry to learn that part of it.

Where did you get that?

Let's just say that not all

of your old newspapers colleagues

remain lifelong friends.

Listen, Mannix, I'll admit

I'm not sorry that crumb is dead,

and I'll admit I was getting ready to pay him back,

but not that way.

Then what way?

It's got nothing to do with this case.

You may not be the best judge of that.

Mannix, this could be a big mistake,

getting into something that, believe me,

is none of your business.

Well, you know what they say, Lawton.

Sometimes the best payoffs come from the biggest mistakes.

(door opens)

(door closes)

PEGGY: I see you're still on Lawton.

MANNIX: Yeah.

Now, what did he mean, "pay Nikky back"?

How? Have him beat up, blackmailed

or say bad things about him?

Nikky? (chuckles)

Oh, Peggy, by the way,

you were gonna check on Nikky's recent activities.

Albee's on it. I called him this afternoon.

Oh, good. Thanks.

You know, why don't you go home and get some rest, huh?

Joe, with all the classy suspects,

why are you still concentrating on Lawton?

Good night, Peggy. See you in the morning.

Good evening.

Who are you?

A messenger.

Now, look... (grunts) PEGGY: Joe!

Get yourself another case.

Otherwise, we'll see you just once more.

Joe, are you...?

It's all right, Peggy.

Be happy.

Yeah.

We must be doing something right.

(door opens)

PEGGY: Morning, Art. Hello, Peggy.

No need to ask if he's in. I can see him.

How are you, Joe?

Hi, Art. Something wrong?

That's what I'm wondering.

Those guys that worked you over last night, who were they?

Muggers. They're everywhere these day...

How did you know?

I've got my pipeline, too.

Peggy...?

Joe, I was worried.

Yeah, I know.

Joe, I know that you're working for Bruno Bramante.

If you're withholding vital information...

You know something, Art?

You sound like a guy who's not at all sure of his case

against Ali Bramante.

In his cabin, with her gun?

Come on.

Art, you want some coffee?

No, thanks, Peggy.

At least he's polite.

Which is a lot more than your boys were to Peggy yesterday.

Joe, I didn't say they were impolite.

Just immovable.

Look at the coroner's report on Nikky Lorenzo.

Now, is that asking too much?

Joe, the pressure I'm getting from upstairs on this case

you wouldn't believe.

Anyway, that report is classified.

All right, then you can understand why

I can't reveal information about my two callers last night.

Now, look!

Ah, well, what really throws me is the attitude of your boys

when I ask them to have a look around Bramante's ship.

That boat is under security guard.

No unauthorized visitors.

Thought there might be an exception.

You thought wrong.

Well, I guess I can understand that pressure from upstairs

cutting a guy off at the knees.

All right.

The coroner's report.

What do you want to know about it?

Routine stuff.

Condition of the body, for instance.

He was hit twice.

Powder burns? None.

Which means that the gun had

to be fired from at least, uh, six to eight feet away.

Is that how you've got it figured?

Now it's your turn, Joe.

Those two guys last night-- what were they after?

Not much.

They just told me to get off the Bramante case.

Any idea who sent 'em?

I haven't got one bit of proof, understand that, Art.

But Larry Lawton the columnist could have hired them.

I know I shook him up a little.

Oh, that doesn't make any sense.

Why?

Well, Lawton called us last night

and asked for police protection.

Did you give it?

We'd no sooner started questioning him--

who was after him, what the problem was--

and he backed off.

Confessed he'd had a couple of drinks.

Admitted he's threatened at least once a month

about something he runs in that column.

(phone rings)

I'll get it, Peggy.

Mannix.

Yes, he is.

Malcolm.

What?

When?

I'm on my way.

Looks like one of those threats came due.

Lawton?

He's dead.

Peggy.

Lawton's assistant probably hated him.

See if you can talk him into

letting me take a look at the files.

I'll do what I can.

How long you gonna be guarding this place, Officer?

(excited muttering)

(tires squeal)

(tires squeal)

Hey! Hey, what is it?!

What's going on?

(tires squeal)

Joe, I told you to stay off of this boat.

Art, your, uh, guard is hurt.

He's below the gangplank.

Ron.

What happened?

Everybody asleep?

I think so, sir.

You see that it stays that way till you hear from me.

My guess, Art, is that a couple of guys were looking

for something in Nikky Lorenzo's stateroom.

I think we ought to see if they had time to find it.

Sorry, Lieutenant, zero.

All right. Wait outside, Ron.

Ah, I guess we were too late.

Unless we've been hunting the wrong kind of thing.

Meaning what?

Maybe they came to destroy something,

not take something off the boat.

Like some kind of evidence?

Why not? Put a torch to it if they had to.

It's happened.

I don't know. I just don't...

What is it?

That may be it.

What?

What you just said.

What? You mean burn the boat?

MANNIX: Not exactly.

But if that's what they had in mind, they're in luck.

This wouldn't put out a match.

Heroin.

I'd say worth half a million, at least.

Got it.

And they identified both of them?

Right.

I'll call you later.

Things breaking all around, Joe.

That was Albee.

Ever hear of a Sandpiper Motel?

Yeah, it's out on Coast Highway, isn't it?

And one of Nikky Lorenzo's favorite retreats.

Two months preceding the cruise, he checked in there

no less than four times with the same roommate.

This one.

Hmm.

(sighs)

There's some things you never get used to, Peggy.

Even when you know what you're going to find.

(door opens)

(door closes)

MAN: Mannix.

(engine starting)

You should have stayed dumb and alive.

Yeah, well, unfortunately I ran across

one of Larry Lawton's files including a letter he left

in case something happened to him.

That's too bad.

So I left a letter too, in case something should happen to me.

What happened to you?

Oh, I was just shaken up a bit, Mrs. Bramante, uh...

Oh?

In more ways than one.

Come up. I'll fix you a drink while you tell me about it.

What will you have?

Oh, Irish whiskey's fine.

Thank you.

Bruno is out on the deck playing cards with Snowy.

I'm sure he'd like to hear what you have to say, too.

I'd like to talk to you alone first.

As you wish.

What do you know about Nikky Lorenzo's romantic interests?

Everyone knew about Nikky, Mr. Mannix.

Maybe not about a particular affair

before the last cruise.

I'll nail it down for you.

A locale, for instance.

LOUISE: I'll be in the lounge, Bill. I'll mix us a drink.

Oh, sorry.

Don't be, Miss Bramante.

As a matter of fact,

we were just talking about Nikky Lorenzo.

I think you might be interested.

Oh?

There's a place out on the Coast Highway Nikky used to go to.

The Sandpiper.

And always with the same young lady.

I didn't tell him, Louise, believe me, I didn't.

No? But you knew, didn't you?

You knew all along.

Yes, I knew.

What I didn't know was how to break it up.

So you could have him to yourself?

That's why you took him on the cruise.

That was your doing.

Just so you could have him to yourself.

No! It was only to get him away from you,

hoping that would break it up.

And to keep your father from finding out how far it had gone.

It's all right, Mrs. Bramante.

I've known all along about, uh... Louise and Nikky.

Your father could never be that understanding.

I'm sorry, Ali.

If you really want to make amends,

why don't you take her off the hook?

She's been covering for you from the start.

I don't understand what you mean.

I mean about exactly where you were when Nikky was killed.

She told you. She was putting on her makeup.

In a cabin already occupied by Larry Lawton? Wrong.

She was in Nikky's cabin

and ran out past Mrs. Bramante after the shooting.

Isn't that right?

(sniffles)

Uh, that day during the party,

I think for the first time

I really saw Nikky for what he was.

So...

I followed him to his cabin

to tell him I wouldn't see him anymore.

Only that.

And that's the truth, Mr. Mannix, all of it.

My message for Nikky was considerably stronger.

I was about to tell him that if he didn't leave right then

I'd have to go to Bruno.

As much as I didn't want to do that.

Oh, Ali, I'm so ashamed.

I was just so afraid they'd think I did it.

Anyone would be afraid.

And neither one of you could have shot him.

You were both too close.

The only possible place those shots could have come from

was through the porthole outside.

What's all this? Is this a private party?

(sniffles)

Mannix, what have you said to my child?

Your child, as you put it, has been saying a few things to me.

So has your wife.

In fact, Mr. Bramante,

we've been talking to each other,

which apparently hasn't been the custom around here

for some time.

Who do you think you are?

No trusting, no confiding.

Just suspecting and guessing wrong.

Your secretary here guessed

that your daughter needed an alibi, so he gave her one.

He said he was in that cabin with her, and he was lying.

Which pretty well sums up the climate around here.

I should have fired you the first day.

Maybe, but let me tell you something first.

I got a look at Larry Lawton's research this afternoon.

Especially the file on Nikky Lorenzo.

He was all set to clobber Nikky with it,

till Nikky got himself killed.

Did Lawton have something on Nikky?

He had solid proof that Nikky was up to his ears

in drug traffic.

That's how he made his living.

Nikky Lorenzo? The playboy?

Yeah, the great traveler Nikky. A real jet-setter.

He no sooner got back from a trip,

then he'd send off a great big fat deposit

to his Swiss bank account.

Delivery and payoff. Oh, and this last job--

it was going to be the sweetest one ever.

After all, what narcotics agent is going to check out

the Bramante ship down to the last plank?

And Lawton had that file?

Plus his own desperate plan to get something for his snooping.

Which was to shake down Nikky's buyer.

And I'm guessing Nikky had that plan for himself, too,

for a bigger cut, and they both wound up dead.

Then if Bill's story about being with Louise

was a lie, where was he then, really?

He was up near the bow, brooding.

One of the crew members saw him there.

Mr. Bramante, tell me, isn't it possible

that you could have left your gin game

with Snowy for a minute or two?

Joe, are you seriously suggesting that a man like Bruno

with all his legitimate interests...

Now Snowy, let's talk about your oil companies

and your land developments.

You know what Lawton found out?

That most of your companies

are nothing but dummies-- shells.

Now where does your play money come from, Snowy?

(nervous chuckle)

Are you suggesting

that you would believe a sleazy blackmailer?

Oh, and that welcome home party you threw on the ship--

that was just a big cover-up, wasn't it, Snowy?

Champagne flowing, music blaring,

and you're all set to take the heroin

and get off the ship when you ran into Nikky, who threatened

to blow the whistle on you unless you raised the ante.

So you grabbed Mrs. Bramante's gun and you killed him.

Then he did try to shake you down.

(gun splashes)

I'm sorry, Joe.

So am I, Snowy.

What can I say, Ali?

You've just said it.

Daddy...

There's uh...

There's so much I want to say.

Baby, why don't you tell him about it, uh, inside?

Will you call me tomorrow?

Of course.

You've given me back much more than my freedom.

We try and throw in a few fringe benefits whenever we can.

Good-bye, Mrs. Bramante.

Good-bye.