Original subtitles

♪ (THEME MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

Here are your tickets, Joe.

Oh, thanks, Peg.

The plane leaves at 11:00.

A rental car will be waiting for you at the other end,

and I confirmed your reservations at Turtle Lake.

Oh, great.

You have a shack with running water.

Oh! The lake.

Mm. Seems you've thought of everything.

Except the fish.

There, you'll have to muddle through without me.

I think I can manage.

(CHUCKLES) Just have a good time.

Mm-hmm, thanks, Peg.

(PHONE RINGS)

Mr. Mannix's office.

Oh, yes, Miss Thompson.

Oh, I'm sorry, you just missed him.

Oh, very hush-hush.

No, he couldn't even tell me.

But just between the two of us,

I'd say that he's really after some big fish.

♪ ♪

Mannix s7e07 Silent Target

♪ ♪

(STEAM HISSING)

(HISSING CONTINUES)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

MAN (OVER INTERCOM): Help you?

Hello.

MAN: Need something?

My car overheated down the road a couple of miles.

I'd like to use your telephone.

That's tough luck.

Wish I could help you, Mister...

Mannix. Joe Mannix.

I'd like to use your telephone.

Dead.

Winds tore the lines down one night last week.

Well, do you have a car or a truck

that could take me to a garage, maybe?

I'd be glad to pay.

My son took the car into Reno.

He gets bored up here.

No telling when he'll be back.

Is there any place else around where I can get some help?

Not for 20 miles.

Why don't you come on up?

You're not making any money standing down there.

My name's Murrell.

J.H. Murrell.

Mr. Murrell.

What brings you up to this part of the country, Mr. Mannix?

Well, I just flew in from I.A. to do some fishing.

I hear they're hitting pretty good at Turtle Lake.

Turtle Lake?

That's the back end of the world.

A fisherman goes where the fish are.

I hope I'm not intruding.

I like a full house. It gets lonely up here.

My son goes up to Reno,

I'm stuck here.

These are paying guests;

people who want to get a divorce.

There's a residency requirement in this state.

Don't any of them have cars?

My son picks them up at the airport,

when he's around.

Frank Durovic, Joe Mannix.

His car broke down.

Tough.

Elena, this is Joe Mannix.

Hi.

Hello.

I'm sure he could use a drink.

Excuse me.

Scotch and water, right?

How'd you guess?

You look the type.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, is that good or bad?

I'll let you know.

I'd like for you to meet another of our guests.

Joe Mannix, Carlos Hendry.

Half-Apache, he claims.

Comes in handy in the desert.

This your first trip out here, Mr. Mannix?

Yes.

Hope you enjoy it.

Thank you.

Uh, his car broke down.

What's wrong with it?

Water pump.

That's about as unlucky as you can get out here.

Yes, I was thinking that myself.

Well, there hasn't been a vehicle made

Carlos couldn't fix with a nail file,

some chewing gum and a paper clip.

Your drink all right?

Yeah, fine.

You a mechanic?

I'm... in sales.

Selling.

But I know engines.

Well, you, uh...

think you could fix my water pump?

Have to see it first, wouldn't I?

Yeah.

Uh... anytime you're ready,

if you don't mind a little hike.

What's wrong with driving down?

I, uh...

thought you s...

♪ ♪

Seven ball in the side pocket.

We found his car okay.

And?

Just a lot of fishing and camping equipment.

Is that all?

He told the truth.

The water pump's out.

I.A.'s checking out his driver's license and everything else.

And if he checks out okay?

We send him on his way.

He's trouble.

There's something about him.

(DEVICE BEEPING RAPIDLY)

I'll cover.

What do you say, Harry?

Didn't expect you so early.

Murrell around? He's inside.

Elena?

She's waiting for you. As always.

Have a good time?

Always do.

Miss me?

Always do.

Murrell.

Here's your subject.

(WRY LAUGH)

Gentlemen.

DUROVIC: Hi, Harry.

SANTEE: Harry.

Murrell... give me the details, huh?

Well, he arrives at LAX at 5:10.

There'll be reporters, so he'll have to stop on the landing ramp

after the other passengers are off.

They figure if you do your job,

he'll never get to finish his interview.

Anything else? That's all.

Yeah?

So why all the long faces, huh?

Something's wrong.

MURRELL: Maybe.

Like what?

Some dude came hiking up here.

Said his car broke down.

For real?

It could be.

Said he was on a fishing trip.

A plant?

We don't know.

Anyone thought of asking him?

I had Elena fix his drink.

He's out.

At least until tomorrow.

And none of you guys know whether he came alone or not?

MURRELL: That's right. But we're working on it.

So far, all we know is that he's out of L.A.

Name's Joe Mannix.

Mannix?

What is it, Harry?

I want to see this guy.

I want to see him now.

I know this clown.

Dump him.

Dump him...

...or I don't do the job.

HARRY: He's a private cop.

HENDRY: At least he's private, not the law.

MURRELL: Come on, Harry.

You know who goes into a garbage business like that.

Not this guy.

This guy's trouble and a half.

Okay.

It's still possible he's here by accident.

The car did break down.

There was fishing equipment.

It's window dressing.

He's here on business.

I tell you, somebody knows something.

MURRELL: About us? About this place?

Or the hit you're going on tomorrow?

No hit!

Not with him alive behind me.

No sweat.

When he wakes up...

Now!

Look, Harry, don't throw your weight around with me.

I live here!

I want to know what he came here for, what he knows.

Murrell, if I don't make this hit tomorrow,

my pigeon's gonna be out of the country.

And on this particular job,

we both know there is no second chance for me...

or for you.

Okay, after we talk to him in the morning,

we dump him.

Good.

See you later.

♪ ♪

You mind telling me what this is all about?

You want to get away from here, don't you?

Do you know a way?

Yes.

Well, what about you?

Suppose they guess you're the one that turned me loose?

Harry will take care of me.

Harry who?

Harry Tass.

Harry Tass?!

Here?

You know him.

Yeah, I know him.

He wants you dead.

Yeah...

You'll have a good head start.

They don't expect you to wake up until morning.

Hey, by the way, uh... thanks for that message.

(DOOR SHUTS) Otherwise, I might have

finished that drink. Shh!

(FOOTSTEPS IN DISTANCE)

Are they all in the same business as Harry?

Yeah, it's a pool.

You know, like a secretarial pool?

Only this is one for hit men.

A place to cool off between jobs...

draw weapons, get assignments.

Is that why Harry's here, to get an assignment?

When?

Where?

You better worry about yourself.

Who's Harry's target?

Drop it.

I know Harry Tass enough to know

that he's only used for top jobs.

I said drop it.

Did he say anything?

Give any hints?

Harry is my man.

You're just passing traffic.

Well...

the man he's gonna kill must be somebody pretty important.

Doesn't that mean anything to you?

No, not if it'll hurt Harry.

He's your man.

That's right.

We can go now.

♪ ♪

Elena?

Elena?

Here's the key to that station wagon.

You better come with me.

If Harry finds out, he'll kill you.

No.

I need him and he needs me.

He'll know who gave this to me.

I'll take my chances.

Elena...

Good luck.

Good luck.

(GASPS)

Out! Out!

I wonder how he found the keys to my station wagon.

Guess he was just lucky, huh?

All right, Mannix, let's talk.

Who helped you?

One of your people out there?

We know the fishing trip's a cover.

Talk.

And maybe we'll discuss your problem.

Murrell.

Mannix...

you know me, right?

I know you, Harry.

I don't play games, right?

True.

Whoever sent you here, they've thrown you to the wolves.

Is it worth it?

No.

Okay.

Talk.

Well, to begin with, they know.

What?

About your hit.

You'd be walking into a hornet's nest.

Who was the leak?

Who?

Him.

What happened? He broke out.

He has to be out there.

Some things we got to get straightened out, right?

Right? Yes.

It's just for my own peace of mind.

Without peace of mind, I... I can't think straight.

Whatever you say, Harry.

Now tell me...

why?

I mean, what are you, huh?

You see a new pair of pants, you go ape?

What'd you do, fall in love?

No.

I love you.

You know, until I picked you up,

you had to fight the cockroaches for your breakfast.

What are you now?

What did he say to you?

What did he promise you?

What are you getting out of it?

I don't even know myself.

Nothing.

You still love me, huh?

You still want to stay here, that the story?

I only know I didn't want you to kill him.

Look, you've seen me go on lots bigger jobs before,

bigger names than some two-bit private cop.

You never said boo.

Names.

All those others were just names...

But this one... I could see.

I talked to him.

Don't you understand?

That all there was to it?

No.

He looked at me like I was a human being.

How do I look at you?

Like the way you look at your car.

He looked at me like I was somebody.

♪ ♪

It wasn't Murrell who told him about the hit.

Now that leaves you, baby.

I didn't tell him anything, Harry.

He knows what you do.

He just guessed.

Does he know who, where, when?

No!

I swear I didn't tell him!

He doesn't know!

I don't know.

I don't know if you're straight with me or not.

But this job I got to do tomorrow pays me 20 grand

and I only get one shot at it.

I know I gotta have myself some peace of mind.

You understand me, don't you, baby?

Yes.

Yes, Harry.

I wish there was more time.

I hate doing it to you, of all people.

I always liked you.

I looked forward to coming back here, but...

Baby...

I gotta have peace of mind.

Harry!

Come on. Let's go.

Running in the desert at night,

that is a sure way to end up with the vultures.

We'll just have to find some cover and wait till daylight.

Let's go.

MURRELL: What happened?

Mannix came back. He took Elena.

And he'll know better than to move at night.

Well, we don't take any chances.

You and Santee take the car

and cover the section down to the highway.

Tomorrow's roundup time.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

MURRELL: Anything, Harry?

No.

We'll keep 'em between us and the highway,

back 'em up into the mountain.

(WIND WHISTLING)

Is that a house or is the sun getting to me?

(WIND WHISTLING)

Face it.

We're finished.

You got a lot more mileage left than you think...

without Harry Tass.

What's it to you?

I don't like walking away from unfinished business.

I'm not business!

Not yours, anyway.

Look, I'm just a dumb broad

who went for the shortcuts

and had a good run for her money while it lasted.

You are my business now.

All right.

If I'm your business...

I'm gonna tell you something...

and you better listen because I'm not gonna say it twice.

There's some heavy foreign dude changing planes

at the L.A. airport at 5:00 this afternoon.

Now, I don't know who he is

or what makes him worth a $20,000 contract.

All I know is he's got something to do with oil.

Now, if you can work your way out of this sand trap,

the dude may still be alive tomorrow.

Stay here with me, and he's cold meat...

and so are you.

What happens if Harry doesn't get there?

It's off for good.

The foreigner goes home.

Yeah.

That's something, anyway.

I'm telling you this so you can

make it out of here on your own...

'cause this is as far as I go.

(JEEP APPROACHING)

Get up, Elena.

(SIGHS)

And do what, salute the flag?

We're getting out of here. Both of us.

I told you, I can't.

And I say you can.

I bet you believe there's a Santa Claus!

That's right.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Murrell.

There were fresh footprints out there.

They were here just a few minutes ago.

(ELENA SIGHS)

No wheels, no water,

50 miles to the nearest traffic cop

and five of the best hit men in the country

close enough to breathe on us.

Oh, man, I should've cut my throat while I was ahead.

Oh... (GRUNTS)

That's what I liked about you right away,

always looking on the brighter side.

Pollyanna... that's me.

Can you still see them?

No.

If they think we got away,

they might stop looking for us.

They might.

Not Harry.

They still think you're some kind of decoy for the law.

I mean, it's business with them.

If they lost us, they'd scatter.

With Harry, it's... it's different.

It's personal.

He'll never give up.

To Harry, we're like a...

a wound that has to be healed before he can go back to work.

He'll even risk that $20,000 contract

to square himself with us first.

Only it won't be much of a risk for him.

That's some fellow you picked out for yourself.

Well, there's another side to Harry.

You can still say that?

I guess I just did.

They have to be inside the circle.

Let's close it up, huh?

First, we better get you to your car.

You want to catch the plane to L.A.

No.

There's still time.

We'll take care of them, Harry.

How far do you think they can get?

They are mine.

You said it yourself, Harry.

If you miss the appointment,

our clients won't forget or forgive.

Two bodies.

Then you talk to me about business.

(ENGINE STARTS)

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING IN DISTANCE)

See, the-the thing...

Wait, wait... wait a minute.

Let's make a run for it.

Are you all right? Good as I'll ever be.

Let's go.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)

Go on!

Come on! You can make it without me!

Let's go!

(GUN FIRES TWICE)

You should have caught that train.

Well, if he didn't like my shooting at him,

he just might complain to the law.

You think people still go to the law?

Sometimes.

How many bullets you got left?

Why?

You better save one.

For who?

If and when they're ready to kill me, they'll...

they'll do it without much fuss.

I can count on Harry for that much.

But you...

well, if they catch you...

I don't even want to think about it.

I've got to stop.

All right, let's take a minute... over here.

(ELENA GROANS)

(PANTING)

You all right?

Yeah.

Only don't enter us in any mixed doubles.

You look more like the stickball type.

(CHUCKLES) Right.

Where I come from, if you had a dime for ice cream,

you better have a stick in your other hand.

I'm sorry... we should get moving.

If we can stall Harry for another hour,

he won't get to I.A. to do that job.

No.

Guess she's told him everything by now, huh?

You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

Hey.

Don't you ever say that about Elena again.

Never again.

Okay, Harry.

No sign of them.

Got to be back there somewhere.

Just a matter of time.

(HELICOPTER APPROACHING)

Yeah, maybe our friend on the train got my message.

They won't see us.

Hey! Hey!

Stay down. But they...!

Shh! Be quiet!

Hold it.

What's the matter?

I thought I saw them over there.

(ELENA GASPS ANXIOUSLY)

Quiet.

♪ ♪

(GROANS)

Are you all right?

No... my feet.

Can you make it back to the house alone?

Yeah. Yeah.

Where are they?

They're out there somewhere, in the brush.

Let's go.

One thing.

You spot them, don't shoot.

They're mine.

♪ ♪

We've been going in a circle.

I know. Why?

Well, when that helicopter heads back home,

I want to make sure he sees us.

Which better be pretty soon.

(HELICOPTER APPROACHING)

Here he comes.

Now, you just stay put.

What are you going to do?

Try writing a letter to Santa Claus.

What...?

♪ ♪

They're coming!

(GUN FIRES)

(GUNFIRE)

Just keep him pinned down, huh?

(CLICK)

Harry!

Here I am!

Elena, get back!

Do you want me back, or do you want me dead?

Harry?

Harry, we could still make it.

We could still get away... just... just you and me.

We could just start all clean.

(FIRES)

(NO VOICE)

OFFICER (OVER PA): Hold it right there.

We've got you all in gunsight.

Drop your guns.

Elena.

First time Harry ever killed anybody for nothing.

(GASPS)

(HELICOPTER LANDING NEARBY)