All language subtitles for Mannix S03E05 A Question of Midnight

Ben?

Ben?

Ben?

Please let us in,
Ben. Please.

I'm sorry to bother you
at this hour, Mr. Holland.

It's my boy, Jim,
he's sick, real bad.

Miss Palmer said we
should come see you.

He really needs
your help, Ben.

Take him into
the back room.

You're gonna be
all right now, son.

Daddy's here.

You'll be all right.

Take those off.

Okay.

You'll be
all right, baby.

Why didn't you call
Dr. Lewis?

Doc's away, and the phone lines
are down with the flooding.

Andrea said you might
be able to help.

You've got to get him
to the hospital.

We can't--
the roads are out.

Why don't you wait out
in the store, Mr. Cooper.

Can't be sure
without a lab test,

but it looks like
viral encephalitis.

What does that mean?

It means he could die

if Cooper doesn't
get him to the hospital.

We told you, the roads are out.

Andrea, I can't treat this boy.

What kind of treatment
would they give him
at the hospital?

Fluorazone for the
immediate crisis,

but I can't treat him.

You have a pharmacy
right out there.

Don't you hear anything?!

I can't treat him!
I'm not a doctor!

You were!

♪ ♪

Uh, Peggy, when you
come in this morning,

don't bother
to burn the coffee,

I'll be on my way out of town.

A girl I knew back in college
called me needing help.

Now, now, Peggy,
don't make noises,

I couldn't turn her down.

After all, she was
Queen of the Freshman Ball.

So, he, um, examines the boy,

gives him medication
and saves his life--

now, what's the big problem?

Well, Ben went
on trial today

for practicing medicine
without a license.

They took it away
from him two years ago.
Why?

Something happened
in the hospital

down in Pleasant Valley.

That's the county seat
about 12 miles from here.

What happened?

A man died on the
operating table--

an important
man in town.

Ben was charged
with criminal negligence.

There was some evidence
a-about a lab report,

a mistake of some kind.

They didn't believe Ben's story,

and I know he was
telling the truth.

How do you know?

I just know.

Are you in love
with him?

What difference
does that make?

People in love don't always
see things too clearly.

I know a mother and father
who see things very clearly--

their little boy is alive today
because of what Ben did.

So, just how
am I supposed to help?

You can park over there.

Find out who was
really responsible

for that man's death
two years ago.

Oh, that's all, huh?

There's Ben now.

Ben.

How did it go?

I'm out on bail.

I guess they figure
I won't run off to Brazil

with all the big money
I get out of this store.

This is Mr. Mannix--
he's a friend of mine

and a private detective.

He came here to help.

How do you do?

I don't remember
saying I needed help.

Well, if that's a sample
of his bedside manner,

he may be better off
running that store
than playing doctor.

I'll tell you, I may
be losing my grip
on the situation,

but did he or didn't
he tell you to hire
a private detective?

Well, not exactly.

But I'm sure he really
wants you to help him.

He can help me
by leaving me alone.

Ben, Mr. Mannix
is here to investigate

the charges against you.

There's nothing to investigate.

I'm guilty.

You saw me give that boy a shot.

I'm talking about the charges
they filed two years ago.

I was guilty of that, too.

Now, unless you're
interested in some groceries,

I'll go back
and finish my inventory.

H-He's just bitter,
that's all.

Yeah, I'll go
along with that.

Well, he's got every
reason to be.

Andrea, he says
he's guilty.
And I say he's not.

I know you'll
find the truth

if you just investigate
that Pleasant Valley case.

Wait. Even if
he is innocent,

I just can't investigate the
case unless I've got a client.

You do have
a client, Joe.

Who?

The Queen of
the Freshman Ball.

Dr. Escobar,
admitting desk, please.

Dr. Escobar,
admitting desk, please.

Oh, yes?
I'd like to speak to
the chief of staff.

Do you have
an appointment?

No. No, but it
is important.

Well, I'm sorry.

Dr. Bennett is
a very busy man.

And I'll have
to ask you to leave.

This area is off-limits.

Uh, Miss Kearsage,
what is it?

Good morning,
Dr. Bennett.

This gentleman
wanted to see you.

I was just
telling him...
Oh, may I help you?

Yes, my name is Mannix--
I'm a private investigator.

Oh?

Is there something wrong?

Well, I'm looking into a case

involving a man who once
was attached to your hospital--

Dr. Benjamin Holland.

Dr. Graham, admitting desk,
please.

Yes. Oh, uh, Miss Hapgood,
will you set up those X-rays

in the operating theater?
Yes, Doctor.

Mr. Mannix...

I was the surgeon
the night that Dr. Holland

left his post of duty

and, uh, sent up
the wrong laboratory reports

to the operating theater.

As a result, my patient,
Mr. Hilliard, died.

I think you can understand
why we here at the hospital

would rather not be reminded
of what happened that night.

Naturally.

Well, uh, thank you
for your time,

Doctor.

Nurse, can I see the, uh,
the morning patients?

Oh, certainly, Doctor.

Excuse me.

I'd, uh... like to
ask you a few questions

about Dr. Holland.

Um, I'd really rather
not talk about it.

Uh, it just brings back
all those memories

of that awful night.

I-I'm sorry, I'm...

I'm a little shaky.

I'm prone to migraines.

Uh, how close were you to,
uh, the Hilliard case?

Very. Uh...

I was there when...
Mr. Hilliard died.

And how was
Dr. Holland involved?

Uh... Dr. Holland was
Chief of Neurological Service

at the time, and...

one of his duties
was to wait for a report

from the pathology lab
on a cardiac test

made the day before
on Mr. Hilliard.

If the results were negative,

we could operate
using a general anesthesia.

If the results
were positive, uh,

general anesthesia
would be too dangerous.

But before the report came in,

another call came up
for Dr. Holland.

Dr. Holland.

Telephone call.

Dr. Holland here.

Who?

Yes.

Yes, I understand.
How bad is it?

No, I can't-- I'm on duty.

Couldn't you call...

I'm trying to understand,

but I can't leave the hospital.

No, of course
I haven't forgotten.

All right, look,
don't do anything.

Just stay there--
I'll be over as soon as I can.

What time is the test report due

on the surgery patient?

11:30, Doctor.

Ring up the lab for me.

Oh, but we're supposed to wait

for that report in writing,
Doctor.

Just make the call,
Miss Hapgood.

Yes, Doctor.

It's ringing, Doctor.

Dr. Holland later testified

that the lab told him
that the test was negative.

So he ordered
a general anesthetic,

and then he left the hospital.

Well, when did the
operation take place?

At ten minutes after 11:00

right after Dr. Holland
gave the authorization

for the general anesthesia.

I was relieved
at the nurse's station

and told to report to surgery.

Scalpel.

Cotton.

I'm not getting
any pulse, Doctor.

Cardiac massage.

It was no use.

At 11:35,
he was pronounced dead.

Ten minutes later, we received
a written report from the lab

stating that the test
on Mr. Hilliard was positive

for cardiac disease

and that cyclopropane
was not to be administered.

I don't get it.

You said that Holland
had called the lab.

The lab denied ever
receiving the call.

On top of that,
Dr. Holland had left his post.

When they asked him why,

he said that he'd left
on an emergency call.

Who was the call from?

He refused to say.

And you say the lab denied

ever giving Dr. Holland
the test results over the phone?

Yes.

Miss Hapgood, did you actually
hear another voice

on the other end answer
when you called the lab?

No.

I'm, I'm sorry, I...

I don't feel very well.

Well, you've been very
helpful, Miss Hapgood.

If you think of anything else

that happened that night,

I'd appreciate
your calling me.

I'm staying at
the Panorama Motel.

I'll get you!

Children, time
for your baths.

Go on, I said inside.
Go on, now.

I'll be right in. Go on.

Yes?

Oh, my name is Mannix.

Hey, those are
nice-looking kids.

Yours?

I'm sure you know
they're not mine.

Now, how would I know that?

Oh, let's not be cute.

They're the Hilliard children.

I'm their governess,
Riva Daniels.

And you're the private detective
who's come to town.

Word does get around.

And what do you want here?

Help.

Really? For whom?

Benjamin Holland.

He won't find any help
in Pleasant Valley.

Why not?

Benjamin Holland had
a responsibility.

He ran away from it.

And the children's father died.

They're orphans
because of Benjamin Holland.

Well, there may be more
to that story.

What makes you think so?

Well, uh, people around here
are just a little too touchy

about something that happened
two years ago.

Well, maybe they'd just like
to forget what happened.

Well, someone is trying
to forget something.

There is nothing for you here.

This is a close-knit
community, Mr. Mannix.

They don't like intruders.

Well, I, uh, I certainly
understand that.

But I do have a job.

All I want to know is
who made that phone call to you

on the night of the operation.

I don't remember.

Come on, Holland, now you
don't forget a phone call

important enough to make you
leave your hospital post.

Now look, I didn't
ask you here,

and I'm getting tired
of the quiz show.

Now will you please leave?

It's your store.

Joe.

Are you quitting the case?

I don't know.

I'm beginning
to get intrigued by it.

Besides, I've got
an obligation to my client.

Do you want me
to stay on it?
Of course.

You know there are certain
things about this case

that he's hiding.

For instance,
who called him away

from the hospital
that night.

Are you sure you want
to find out about those things?

I'll take my chances.

I sure hope he's worth it.

Just a minute!

Just a minute!

Mr. Mannix,
you had a phone call.

A Miss Hapgood at the hospital
said it was important.

Did she say anything else?

Well, she said she
had something for you.

Asked you
to meet her at,

52 1/2 Cedar Lane.

It's over on
the other side of town.

They tell me you've got
some messed-up ribs.

I'm Sheriff Reardon.

How did I get here?

We found you lying
in the street.

A clear case of urban blight.

We also found your car
and brought it down.

It's parked in
the hospital lot.

Thanks.

Just part of the service.

We figured you'd need it
to drive out of town

after your hopefully
speedy recovery.

I plan to stick around a while.

You might find that
embarrassing.

Why?

Trespass,
illegal entry,

destruction of private property,

sleeping in a public place.

All of which adds up
to a maximum

of 260 days in jail.

Well, you can throw a bunch
of phony charges at me,

if you like, Sheriff,
that's fine.

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe
you've got a few reasons

of your own for wanting
me off this case.

What might they be?

If I find out,
I'll let you know.

Just be careful, Mannix.

Oh, I see you're alive and well.

Does that surprise you?

Why should it surprise me?

Listen, I know what you're
trying to do, but it's hopeless.

All you're going to do

is hurt a lot of innocent
people, including yourself.

Seeing that you're so concerned,
I hate to disappoint you,

but I've decided
to stay.

I kind of like this town.

You're making a big mistake.

I don't think so.

It seems a lot of people
have a lot of things

to hide around here.

Now, that makes
for a good mystery.

That's how I make my living--
finding out things.

All things come
to an end, Mr. Mannix.

Sometimes rather
abruptly.

Miss Hapgoo--

I...
What is it?

I'll call an ambulance.

Operator, send an ambulance
to 19 Maplewood Drive.

Yes, a woman is critically ill.

I think she may have
been poisoned. Yes.

Call...

Call...

Call to lab...

Wrong...

ext...

ten... ten...

...sion.

Oh, can I give you a hand?

No, thanks.

You can follow me
out to the trash bin

if you have something
to tell me.

You know, Holland,
one of the things

my father always used to
tell me when I was a kid:

That was never depend on
somebody else for approval.

It's been a valuable lesson.

Having troubles, eh?

Well, maybe it just
isn't tourist season

in Pleasant Valley.

Maybe you're finding out there's
nothing for you to investigate.

On the contrary, there's a lot
more now than there was before.

Do you remember a nurse
named Miss Hapgood?

What about her?

She's dead.

Dead?

Yes, she was killed last night.

I feel partly responsible.

Why you?

Well, I started the ball rolling
by asking a few questions.

Now, does her, uh, death
mean anything to you?

Why should it?

Well, I haven't got
all the pieces yet.

I was hoping maybe you'd help.

I hardly knew her.

She was going to tell me
something about your case.

There's nothing to tell,
Mr. Mannix.

So young, so devoted,
just taking her life?

Sorry, Doctor, but I think
somebody took it for her.

But... Why?

Miss Hapgood was mixed up

in what happened
to Dr. Holland two years ago.

Well, you must be mistaken.

She was about to tell me
something about the phone call

that night at the lab
just before she died.

Oh, I'm very shocked
about this, Mr. Mannix.

I knew that she was,
uh, very agitated...

and she was
taking medication,

but I thought that was because
she was working so hard.

And yesterday, when she
asked me for a few days off,

well, naturally, I said yes.

I had no way of knowing.

Was she involved
with anyone?

Involved?
You mean, romantically?

It happens.

No, not to Miss Hapgood.

She was a loner.

Shy. Withdrawn.

If anything was happening,
we would have known.

Well, thanks anyway, Doctor.

Well, I'm sorry I can't
be of more help.

On the phone,
I understood you to say

you have some, uh...
tax problems.

Doesn't everyone?

Oh, Riva Daniels
seems to think

you're the best tax lawyer
in the whole state.

Well, I managed
to save her father, Dr. Daniels,

a little money.

Lovely girl, Riva.

I was glad to help.
Pull up a stool.

I see, in your case, uh,
long term planning:

estate evaluation,
insurance evaluation,

business overall,
and so forth.

Well, that does sound
a little expensive.

Frankly, I'd be very happy

to just settle
for some one-shot information.

Such as what?

I'm looking into a case
that you were involved in

a couple of years ago.

Mm. Which case was that?

Do you remember a
Harrison Hilliard?

I understand you were one of
the attorneys for his estate.

Just a minute.
Mr. Mannix, who are you?

Well,
I'm a private investigator.

You're not a friend
of Miss Daniels'.

Well, I never said I was.

It's a matter of public record

that you handle
the business affairs

of a number of people
here in Pleasant Valley.

That means you came here
under false pretenses.

Oh, no, no, no, I didn't.

I do have tax problems.

You see, I'm beginning
to doubt my ability

as a private investigator,

and that could have a serious
effect on my personal income.

I only handle clients whose
income is worth protecting.

Like your own?

Mr. Stillwell, you seem to
do pretty well for yourself.

That's hardly any
of your concern.

No?

Two years ago, you were an
ordinary struggling attorney

with a law firm that handled
the Hilliard affairs.

Hilliard dies,
and the next thing we know,

you've got a whole building
named after you.

Mr. Mannix, if you find anything
illegal about my success,

I suggest you bring it
to the attention

of the proper authorities.

Well, I hope your success
lasts a little longer

than Miss Hapgood's did.

Miss Hapgood?

Yeah, she was a nurse
at the hospital.

She was murdered.

It will be in all
the papers tonight.

They meant it to
look like suicide.

But I guess there's
no reason for you to worry

about such sordid affairs.

Hold all calls,
and I'm out for the afternoon.

This is Stillwell.

Listen, there was a man here
by... by the name of Mannix.

He's a private investigator.

He knows about Hapgood,
and he knows it was murder.

Well, what if he finds out
about us?

Well, whatever we do,
I suggest that you do it now.

Don't shoot.
I come in peace.

Pleasant surprise.

I got bored. I...
I hope you don't mind.

Not at all.

Would you like me
to fix you one?

Yeah, on the rocks, fine.

Really?

I asked the manager
to let me in.

Mrs. Tucker is a friend of mine,
in case you're wondering.

Well, I was wondering why.

Oh. Yes.

Well, every time I see you, I...

I seem to have a penchant
for being rude to you,

and I... I just wanted
to apologize.

Well, it didn't bother me.

I'm a hardboiled private eye
in the classical tradition.

Oh, you mean you don't
have any feelings at all?

Practically none.

Hmm. Somehow I find
that hard to believe.

To friendship?

Apology accepted.

Mmm.

Now, why don't you
get comfortable, hmm?

Somehow, I think
I should have said that line.

Riva.

Yes?

You're really much too nice
a girl to get mixed up

in a thing like this.

I enjoy kissing you.

Well, I didn't mean that.

I mean, you're thinking that if
I got more interested in you,

I'd be less interested in
why I came to Pleasant Valley.

You really have no
feelings, have you?

Well, there's a difference

between using love
and enjoying it.

You made that phone call to Ben
Holland that night, didn't you?

No.

You might as well tell me.
I'll find out.

There is nothing
to find out.

I'll dig into
everything you ever did,

anyone you ever talked to.

You know something
I've got to know,

and I'll find out
one way or another.

Now, why did Holland leave
the hospital that night?

Let go of me!

Who?

My father.

He was a great physician,
a great teacher.

Ben Holland owed him everything.

I had to call Holland
that night.

He was the only one
we could be sure of.

Dr. Holland,
telephone call.

Dr. Holland here. Who?

Yes?

Yes, I understand.
How bad is it?

No, I can't.
I'm on duty.

Why don't you call...

I'm trying to understand,
but I can't leave the hospital.

Of course,
I haven't forgotten.

All right, look,
don't do anything.

Just stay there.
I'll be over as soon as I can.

I got here as soon as I could.

Oh, Ben.
Where is he?

He's in here.
Please hurry.

Is he gone?
Yes, he is.

Hello, Ben.
Thanks for coming.

What's wrong, Dan?

I got a bad pain
in the lumbar region.

Don't touch it!

I... I need...

I need morphine, Ben.
Half a grain.

If it's that bad,
I'd better look you over first.

The morphine
will be sufficient, Ben.

Oh, Ben, just give me
the morphine!

Good night, Dan.

Thank you for coming,
Ben. Good night.

How long has this
been going on?

He's had the lumbar
condition for a year.

I'm not talking
about the lumbar condition!

How long has he
been hooked?

He's up to a half
grain of morphine!

That's an addict's dosage.

How long has it
been going on?

For six months.

It started with the pain and...

He's been retired for a year.

How does he get the stuff?

I don't know!

What are you going to do?

He's dying, you know that.

He'll be asking
for the medication
several times a day.

You're to call me and only me,
do you understand?

You're to tell no one.

Ten days later, my father died.

By that time, all the trouble
with Ben had broken out.

Why didn't Ben say

where he'd been
that night?

Ben worshipped
my father.

He would never have done
anything to hurt his good name.

He said that the mix-up
with the lab report was enough

of an excuse for the hospital
to get rid of him,

and it really didn't matter
where he'd been that night.

Mm. Where did your father get
his drug supply?

He never told me.

He was a doctor.

I suppose he had some way
of obtaining the drugs.

Wh-Why does it matter?
I mean, you know the truth now.

Your work's done.

Not all of it.

How did a bright doctor
like Ben Holland make

the mistake of getting a simple
positive/negative lab report

wrong on the telephone?

I don't know.

Somebody does.

Maybe the same person who
arranged a little surprise

for me at Cedar Lane--

like getting from the second
floor to the first floor

without benefit of the stairway.

I wish I could help you, Joe.

And I have, I've told
you everything.

I know.

I guess I should have told
the truth a long time ago.

But Ben wanted it this way.

I guess I'd better be going.

On your stomach.

I didn't know
you made house calls.

Only on special
occasions.

And the good lawyer,
Stillwell.

It's all coming in loud
and clear now.

You're the one that supplied
Riva's father, Dr. Daniels,

with the morphine.

He was a man in need.

Well, on the day
of the operation,

you withheld his usual dosage.

You knew that by 10:30,
he'd be climbing the walls.

You also knew that Dr. Holland
was the only other person

he trusted enough
to ask for the morphine.

Now, drugs are like watches,
Mr. Mannix.

You can time their reactions
almost to the second.

And when a woman like
Nurse Hapgood is in love,

she doesn't ask questions.

Not even when she's asked
to dial the wrong extension

so that a doctor can be given
a phony lab report.

Let's get it over with.

It won't take a minute.

So when I came to town

and started asking Nurse Hapgood
questions,

she cracked under the strain.

So she had to die
before she could talk.

And so do you, Mannix.

Now, you don't think
you'll get away with this?

Hello.
This is Dr. Bennett.

I want you to send an ambulance
to pick up a patient

at the Panorama Motel.

What's next?

I've just given him
a dosage of I cc morphine.

I had no way of knowing

that he was a dope addict.
you understand.

He phoned me and
complained of dizzy spells.

When I got here,
he was unconscious.

After he's admitted,

I'll prescribe a routine
dosage of pirimine

to strengthen the heartbeat.

And it will act quickly
in combination

with the morphine...

and it'll kill him.

Dr. Bennett,
everything's ready for you.

Room 510.
Nurse Riley will assist you.

510. Come along,
Miss Riley.

Put him right in there.

Have this filled
immediately.

Yes.

Here, I'll do it.

You fix his arm.

Get another one, fast!

Yes, Doctor.

Still don't understand it,
Mannix.

Well, I'll try
and explain, it, Sheriff.

Oh, would you hand me
those shoes, please?

You see, Hilliard's
estate was worth

about three-and-a-
half-million dollars.

Once they got Hilliard
out of the way,

there was nothing
standing in the way

of anyone who wanted
that fortune, except
those two children,

and Stillwell had the
power to use that money

pretty much the way
he and Bennett wanted.

So they needed a patsy
to take the blame.

Right.

Mannix, I don't know
if you're smart,
lucky or talented.

I sometimes wonder the
same thing, Sheriff.

I'm also wondering who
got you to come after me.

Oh, we got a phone call
from a lady friend of yours

when she saw you get

an unexpected visit
from Dr. Bennett.

Hmm... Riva Daniels, huh?

I guess she thought
you were in a little trouble

when the ambulance
carted you away.

Riva-- I've known her
since the day she was born.

Taking care of those kids,
I guess that's her way of trying

to make up to them for what
happened to their father.

She's a nice girl, Mannix.

I think somebody
ought to tell her that.

I think somebody will.

Say, Mannix...

what'd you get
out of all this?

Three cracked ribs.

I've already had two offers.

I've hardly had time
to put up the sign.

Maybe it's a mistake
switching professions.

It's no mistake, Ben.

You're going to be offered
your old job at the hospital.

I've decided not to go back
to Pleasant Valley.

I like it here.

The air is clean,

the view pleases me.

Besides, there's plenty of work
to keep two doctors busy.

Mr. Mannix, if I forgot
to say thanks-- thanks.

The other day, you said
there was a difference

between enjoying love
and using it.

You wouldn't care to make that
a little clearer, would you?

No harm in trying.