Original subtitles

Once upon a time, there were three beautiful girls.

Two of them graduated from the police academy.

The other graduated from a top school for models.

And they each reaped the rewards

of their exciting careers.

But I took them away from all that and now they work for me.

My name is Charlie.

L-70, they're at Third and Main.

Couple going to airport.

T-36 go to Crest Hotel.

Pick fare in lobby.

F-24, pick up at 213 Elm Street.

Man wants the dog.

If you ask me, the train is still the best way to travel.

Unless, of course, you just don't have the time.

Then you have to fly.

Frankly, I prefer to fly even when I have the time.

Which I don't have very much of right now.

When we get to the hotel, wait for me.

She'll be waiting in the lobby and it will only be a minute.

Relax, buddy,

we'll get you there with plenty of time to spare.

At least 30 seconds.

All right, wait for me. I'll be right out.

Yeah. I'll be right over there

on that corner where that kid's selling flowers.

Okay. I'll be right back.

Hey, Tom, move it there, move it. Now, come on.

You know you're not supposed to park there.

Sarge, I'm just gonna get some flowers for Laurie.

I'll only be a couple seconds.

Seconds or hours or minutes don't matter.

You know better. You're not supposed to park there.

The law is the law.

I'll take my chances.

All right, Tom.

You break the law, you'll pay. They're gonna tow you!

Hey.

One of these days you're gonna cut one too close.

No way, man. Because I'm the Jammer, dig?

And the Jammer always scores big.

How about helping me score big

with a dozen of your best carnations?

Got you.

From my private stock.

Ah, beautiful.

Heh-heh. Later.

Aah! Tom!

Oh, my God.

Tom!

But Tom will be all right?

The doctor says that if Tom continues to improve,

he'll be out of intensive care in a week.

It's a lucky thing he bought you those flowers.

Yeah.

He was very lucky again.

Again?

There were other incidents like this?

Yes, there have been other incidents,

as the police call them. But nothing like this.

Somebody's trying to drive us out of the business.

Any idea who?

No.

Tom and I have been over the possibilities.

We keep coming up with the same thing.

Nothing. Please, will you help us?

Of course, we'll help you.

Laurie, why don't you start at the beginning.

About a month ago,

we received a threatening phone call.

He said he was gonna ruin us just like he'd been ruined.

And then about a week later,

things started happening to the cabs.

Tires blew, brakes failed.

In one cab, there was this electrical fire,

and now, this explosion that's almost killed Tom.

Did the bomb squad find any clues in the wreckage?

That's what I want you to find out.

Captain Brewster is willing to share everything with us.

Okay, I'll call him right now, set up an appointment.

You know, whoever arranged all those incidents

must be very mechanically inclined.

Sounds like we should get close

to some of the mechanics and the drivers.

Captain Brewster, please. Bomb squad.

Exactly.

Now, Kris, there's a restaurant

near the cab company garage.

A lot of the drivers hang out there.

And everybody knows cab drivers like to talk.

Especially to attractive waitresses.

Heh-heh. I get the idea, Charlie.

Uh, Charlie, shouldn't we check out everybody

who had access to Laurie and Tom's garage?

That's Julie's assignment.

You'll see her there, Kelly, when you start your new job.

What new job?

Charlie. No.

Thanks.

That'll be 6.50.

Here you are. Keep the change, mate.

You think we should have this cleaned?

Oh, don't worry. It will spend just fine.

What a way to start out.

Yeah, well, working downtown, it's never dull.

I believe you.

Oh, wait a minute. Maybe we better call first.

They might have a fare for you. Oh, right.

This is 7310. I'm empty

at Meadow Woods Studios. Come in.

Dispatch, come in.

Julie, it's Kelly.

Hi, Kelly, how are you doing?

Well, I just dropped off my first fare.

You could definitely say it was interesting.

Well, I got another one for you.

Mayfair Towers, 268 South 3rd.

The man will be waiting in the lobby.

I'm on my way.

All right. That's a double cheeseburger.

Uh, no fries and a coffee.

Yeah. Marian's got us on another diet.

I guess in the past 20 years,

we must have lost 500 pounds between us.

Ha-ha! It must be hard.

No.

I mean, I really enjoy gaining it back,

know what I mean?

Hey, I hear I missed all the excitement.

What excitement?

Wasn't one of your company cabs blown up?

What about it?

According to the newspapers,

it's a real mystery. The police can't figure out

why anybody would wanna hurt the Archers.

Cops don't know nothing about nothing.

I'll bet you know a lot about a lot.

I know some things.

For instance, I know better than to ask too many questions.

Uh, well, when does a person know

when they get to that one question too many?

I think you're just about there.

Why not? Apple pie?

Hey, what are you doing, lady?

What are you doing?

What does it look like I'm doing?

I'm working on a cab. Why?

What's it to you? I'm the new dispatcher.

If you're a mechanic, why didn't you check in?

I didn't know there was a new dispatcher.

Wait a minute, I don't answer to no dispatcher anyway.

You answer to this dispatcher

about anything that has to do with those cabs.

All right, lady,

I was working on the transmission

because it wasn't shifting right, okay?

Oh, yeah?

Well, I don't show a work order on the cab.

That's because I was just test driving the cab

and found out about it just now, you know.

Hmm. What's your name?

My name?

Heh-heh. My name is Jake.

Jake. Jake Barnett.

Oh. Oh, yeah, there you are.

Ah. Julie Rogers.

Eh. How do you do?

Hey, I'm sorry about screaming at you.

I'm new and with all that's going on...

It's all right. I understand.

How about I buy you a cup of coffee in the office?

No, I think maybe I better get back to the cab.

Come on.

I wanna know how this company works

and I've got a feeling you're just the guy who can help me.

Come on.

Oh, I'll tell you what I can.

Okay.

Hi.

Kelly, this is Julie Rogers.

Nice to meet you, Kelly.

Hi. You must be the dispatcher.

I have a thing about voices.

This is our mechanic, Jake.

How are you? Nice to see you.

You must be the man who's gonna take real good care of my cab.

Yes, ma'am, you bet.

Needs a good wash, Jake.

Well, I'll take care of it right away.

Okay.

What do you know about him?

He's a good mechanic. Anything else I should know?

Laurie, this isn't the time to be so trusting.

I guess you're right.

Julie, have you heard from Kris and Bosley?

Yeah, they're gonna meet us at the office.

In fact, we should get started.

I better go to the hospital and see Tom.

Laurie, everything's gonna be all right.

I know, Kelly. I really do. Okay.

See you later.

You meet some interesting people driving a cab.

For instance, I picked up a 5-foot-4 ventriloquist

with a 6-foot-4 dummy.

I hope you charged two fares.

I couldn't. The ventriloquist was sitting

in the dummy's lap.

Then there was this psychiatrist

who insisted on laying in the back seat

and telling me all of his problems.

Oh, no.

Heh-heh. Oh.

With all this, I didn't turn up a single lead.

The police weren't much help either.

The bomb squad thinks the device

was either in the back seat or under it.

Anything on Tom's last fare?

Yeah, he checks out.

Uh, local businessman meeting his girlfriend.

He just didn't wanna get involved.

Hmm. Are you trying to say

that he didn't wanna get his wife involved?

Probably.

But I'm gonna talk to him anyway.

What about witnesses?

Oh, there were plenty of them, but no one saw anything.

Townsend Agency.

Oh, hi, Charlie.

Angels, are you there?

We're here, Charlie.

Did you come up with anything on Jake Barnett?

Your mechanic is an ex-boxer and an ex-Marine.

He has a reputation as a tough guy.

No record?

Apparently not.

Bosley, I want you to go over his military record,

especially the circumstances of his discharge.

Right. And, Charlie, if he is a boxer,

he's gotta be licensed.

Uh, I'll take a look through the boxing commission's file.

You know, he mentioned someone named Marian.

Could be an ex-wife or a girlfriend.

I'll look for a marriage license.

What about rival cab companies?

There's plenty of competition for the downtown trade,

but so far, I can't turn up anyone

hurting bad enough to resort to violence.

Charlie, uh, did you find anything

on that list of Archers' former employees?

Not so far.

You know, this might be the work of a crazy

who just doesn't like taxicabs.

That's true.

But even the most unbalanced mind

has a logic all its own.

I know you're right.

It's just something about this case.

Yeah, I've got a hunch that we're overlooking something

that's gonna seem quite obvious when it's all over.

Hmm.

Hello? Is someone there?

I said, is someone there?

Flowers, lady?

Oh, no, thank you.

What's your name? They call me Jammer.

Why do they call you Jammer?

Because that's what I'm training to be.

You are looking at the next superstar

for the L.A. T-Birds. Ha-ha-ha!

Wow, the roller games. You must be a great skater.

Only the greatest.

Terrific.

Hey, were you around when Tom Archer got hurt?

Was I around?

I was the first one to him after the explosion.

Oh, you saw it?

Yeah, he had just bought some flowers from me.

You didn't see anybody messing around with his cab, did you?

Why you wanna know?

Well, if anybody's messing around with these cabs I drive,

I wanna know who it is.

I don't blame you.

Well, how about it?

Did you see anybody do anything to Tom's cab?

Well, his fare got out.

Tom came over to my stand.

No, wait, the old soldier, Sarge.

I saw him leaning into the cab while Tom was coming toward me.

Now, you don't think that old man put a bomb in the cab?

What do you think?

Well, everybody knows he's a crazy old fool.

And he was the only one?

Yeah, I'm sure of it.

If you think of anything and you can't find me,

one of the waitresses at the drive-in

is a friend of mine. Her name's Kris.

Okay.

Uh, looks like I have to go.

Oy. What a town.

Don't none of you L.A. cabbies ever cruise?

You have any idea of the price of gas?

Hey, better than you do, lady.

I'm turning on the meter.

Wanna pay for talking or riding?

Where to?

Wherever. I wanna see this town.

Uh, just follow the front of the cab.

I'll tell you where to turn.

Suit yourself, Mac.

Hey, that's my name.

Mac?

Mac Gossett from the Bronx.

You're long way from home, aren't you?

Yeah. I'm out here on my vacation.

I just been seeing that Olvero Street.

Heh-heh. You mean Olvera Street.

Olvera, Olvero, I don't know.

Why don't they use numbers out here?

Kind of cute, isn't it?

Cute?

How come everybody out here talks like... 7?

Hey, buddy, would you get the lead out, huh?

You drive like my mother!

What was I talking about?

Ha-ha. I think you were just about to tell me

how you were enjoying your vacation in L.A.

Oh, no, I wasn't because I ain't.

How can anybody live in this dump?

Manhattan. Now, there's a place to live.

Did I tell you what I do for a living?

I think you were just about to.

Yeah, I got my own cab. A lot like this one.

I could tell you stories about pushing a hack

that'd make your hair stand on end.

Say, you got a minute?

Hey.

Speak English?

Yeah, I speak English.

Thank God. Listen.

I got separated from my outfit over that bridge. It was awful.

A lot of guys didn't make it. I lost my rifle...

Sarge!

Wait! No, it's okay!

Oh, he thinks he's in France, in the war.

Get down!

Tanks are coming! It's okay, Sarge. Please!

It's not, they've got flame throwers! Can't you see them?

But they're our tanks.

Our tanks? Are you sure?

Yeah, I'm sure.

You all right? He didn't hurt you, did he?

No, no, thanks to Julie, he didn't even hurt himself.

Does this happen often? Too often.

That's not true. He just loses touch every now and then.

Happened so often that Tom fired him.

He ought to be back in the veterans hospital.

Jake, that's enough.

You go get him something to eat.

Take him over to the diner. Please, Jake.

Come on, Sarge. Come on. We're going out on patrol.

Jake, I don't have my rifle.

You just take the point and don't worry about that.

Poor man.

What did Jake mean about Tom firing him?

We used to let Sarge sweep up in the garage.

And he started having these flashbacks,

I guess you'd call them.

Evidently he carries a lot of guilt around

because he lost his weapon in the battle

and somebody must have died because of him.

Anyway, the flashbacks started happening too often

and it disrupted the business.

Do you know his real name?

Master Sergeant William Baker, U.S. Army, retired.

You don't think old Sarge...?

When did Tom fire him?

It was two weeks before the thing started.

Yeah, it's a real art getting out to Kennedy

in less than an hour.

You know, most people take the Van Wyck Expressway.

That's where there's a lot of traffic.

But I know this terrific shortcut.

You may wanna remember it in case you're ever there.

Let's say you're in Midtown, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.

You go cross-town to Third, then you go uptown.

You take the 59th Street Bridge over to Queens.

Get off the bridge you're at 22nd Street, right?

You take that. You follow it out to Northern Boulevard,

and you go toward Flushing Meadow

and you follow all signs to the airport.

You got that? All right. Now, I'm gonna give you La Guardia

because that's the tough one.

Oh, no, that's all right. That's all right.

Hey, suit yourself. I'm just trying to help.

Why can't I sweep up anymore?

Because you flip out like you did today.

Nobody can trust you anymore.

But why? Why?

I didn't do anything bad.

You didn't see how scared that new dispatcher was, did you?

I didn't mean to scare her.

I don't wanna hurt nobody. I just want my job back.

Well, you can't have it back. You're fired.

Listen, you just wait till Tom gets out of that hospital.

You just wait. I'll talk to him.

Sarge, Tom is the one who fired you.

He's not gonna change his mind.

Yes, he will. Yes, he will.

I want my job! I need my job!

You can't have it, Sarge.

They don't trust you.

Yeah?

They don't trust you either.

Sarge, what are you talking about?

They don't trust you any more than they trust me. Ha-ha.

How do you know that?

The other night, I went to the garage to see Laurie,

she was too busy.

I hid behind the cabs. I heard them talking.

Who?

Oh, Laurie and the dispatcher

and one of the new drivers, a girl.

Kelly Garrett?

What did they say about me?

Oh, lots of things.

They said you were a good mechanic

but they said Laurie, well, maybe she was too trusting.

Did Laurie say she thinks I want to hurt her?

Oh, no, nothing like that. They didn't...

Just, well, she just seemed kind of upset, though.

You know, what I think, Sarge? I think that new dispatcher

and that new driver could be cops.

Cops?

Yeah?

Why? Because of what happened to Tom?

Maybe they're trying to put you back

in the V.A. hospital.

No, Jake. No, I ain't going back there.

I ain't going back there! Don't worry about it, Sarge.

Don't worry about it. I'm not gonna let you go back.

I promise.

Well, you'll have to admit the weather's beautiful here.

You actually like the weather in L.A.?

Sure. What's wrong with it?

What's wrong with it? What's wrong with it?

It never changes.

The palm trees always look the same.

In New York, the seasons always change.

You can always tell what time of year it is.

I can drive by in my cab

and watch the trees change color.

Look, L.A's not all palm trees.

This is a sightseeing trip. Right?

Yeah. Right.

Why don't let me show you around?

There's some old parts of town up in the hills

where the trees change colors. You're gonna love it.

I doubt it.

Would you at least try to have an open mind?

All right. Lead on, Don Quixote.

See? Isn't it beautiful around here?

It's okay.

But it never rains around here.

It does too.

Take it from me.

There is no place in this world more beautiful

than New York City after a rainstorm.

Listen, Mac, if New York City is so great,

what are you doing out here?

Why don't you just go home, take two weeks,

drive around in your own cab

and watch the trees change colors?

What is it out here?

Ain't nobody out here friendly in this town?

Gee whiz.

You talk about New Yorkers. I can't believe you people.

Hey, where did you learn to drive?

Hold on, Mac. We don't have any brakes.

You're kidding. No, I'm not kidding.

You're not kidding.

Look, you can let me off anywhere along here.

Hey, are we in a movie or something?

Oh!

All right.

Oh.

Okay.

Ah.

Oh.

Are you okay? Yeah.

What? No guacamole dip?

Kelly, are you sure you're okay?

Oh, I'm fine. Really. I did learn one thing.

That kid that sells flowers down by Union Station

saw the old man, Sarge, doing something to Tom's cab

right before it exploded.

Laurie told me that Tom fired him

about two weeks before the trouble started.

Is being fired really enough reason to almost kill someone?

Kelly, he's a shellshock case.

This morning, I saw him completely flip out.

He thought he was back in France

during the Second World War.

Then an hour ago, Kris called me,

told me that Sarge and Jake were having coffee.

She couldn't hear what they were saying,

but he seemed pretty upset. Right, Jake?

That's right.

I think we have a number one suspect.

Laurie, what's wrong?

Ah. Oh, nothing is wrong.

Just that my husband's in the hospital,

you and your fare are almost killed,

and I'm scared to get in my cab.

And I wouldn't blame the drivers

if they never came back to work again.

Oh, Laurie, don't cry.

We're making progress. We really are.

You can't let him win just because you quit.

It just feels like I don't have much left.

If we're right, you won't need much more.

Come on. Let me take you home, okay?

As soon as I fill out the police report,

I'll meet you at the office.

Okay.

Laurie, wait a minute.

"I know who cut your brake line.

Meet me at the drive-in in an hour."

Maybe the police can lift some prints

from the paper or identify the handwriting.

In less than an hour?

Oh, you're right. I'll tell Kris you're coming.

Jake. You gotta promise me

that I won't have to testify in court.

Testify? What are you talking about?

Never mind that. I know you and that Julie are cops.

Look, we're not cops. We're private detectives.

Your note said you had some information?

All right, just promise me

that you will keep my name out of it, okay?

Well, I can't promise you anything. But I'll try.

All right. Last night, I went back to the garage.

I forgot my time card and today is payday.

I heard a noise by the cabs, so I decided to look around,

considering what's been going on.

I heard a hood slam and Sarge came up between the cabs.

I didn't think anything of it until what happened today.

You didn't actually see him tamper with the car?

No, I didn't actually see him.

But I'll tell you something else.

Sarge was married. His wife used to take care of him

when he came home from the V.A. hospital.

He was married?

He was married.

But about two years ago,

his wife was killed in a traffic accident.

She got hit by a cab.

I know he'd been acting crazy.

I knew something was gonna happen to him.

Do you have any idea where he lives?

Yeah. The last I knew, he lived in a room

in a hotel over on Fifth Street.

Oh, God. He's a good guy, it's just that...

Yeah, that he's sick and he needs help.

Thanks to you he's gonna get it before it's too late.

Yeah. Remember, keep my name out of it.

On What's up?

Sarge's wife was killed by a cab.

I think I know where to find him.

Julie and Bos can meet us there.

Where's the phone?

Come on.

Sixth floor. Room 627.

You sure he's up there?

The desk clerk said he hadn't been out all day.

Okay, where's Bosley?

He's checking the accident report on Sarge's wife.

I don't think we ought to wait.

Julie and I will go up. Maybe he'll talk to us.

I'll tell you what, I'll go around back

and cover the fire escapes, just in case.

Good idea. Okay.

Who is it?

It's Kelly and Julie from the garage.

Let us in.

Sarge, wait!

Can you pick it? Not fast enough.

Look out.

Kelly, above you.

He's heading for the roof.

Ah! Sarge, wait!

I only wanna talk to you.

No. No, I'm not going back to that place!

Oh.

Bos. Kris, what happened?

It's Sarge. He tried to jump, but he didn't make it.

Oh, no. It wasn't him.

What? The story that Jake gave Kelly

about the old man's wife being killed

by being hit by a cab. It wasn't true.

What wasn't true?

Sarge's wife didn't get killed by a cab.

She died of a heart attack in her sleep seven years ago.

Oh.

You're saying Sarge died for nothing?

Oh, God.

Yeah, we... We were wrong.

We were wrong.

Kelly, you're being too hard on yourself.

There's no way anyone could have predicted

the old man's behavior.

I shouldn't have been so fast to believe Jake Barnett.

We all believed him.

Julie's right, Kelly.

We're all equally to blame.

It doesn't help.

I know what might help.

Nailing Jake Barnett.

Kelly, slow down.

If he's not guilty, why did he lie to me?

He had the same opportunities

to sabotage the cabs. More, in fact.

But why? What would his motive be?

It's there. We just can't find it.

Well, I've put together an extensive file

on Jake Barnett and he's never been arrested,

and his military record is clean.

Well, can I see that?

Yeah. Sure.

You know, Kelly, there is another possibility.

Which is that Jake did not lie to you.

But told you exactly what Sarge told him.

Why would Sarge make up a story like that?

I don't know.

But anyone who has flashbacks about the war

could well have hallucinations about something else too.

There's nothing in here about Jake's wife.

No, there's no record of his ever being married.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

The first time I ever met Jake,

he mentioned a woman named Marian.

What did he say? He said something about a diet that...

That over the past 20 years

they probably lost 500 pounds together.

It certainly sounds like a man talking about his wife to me.

Something's not right here.

Bosley, didn't you compile a list

of all the accidents involving the Archers' cabs?

Yes, I've got it right here.

Uh, there is a notation made here of an accident

that happened two years ago

at the corner of First and Hill.

A woman was hit and killed by a cab.

Her name was Marian Reed.

Does it list an address?

Yes. 2642 Carroll, Apartment 4.

It says right here

when Jake Barnett renewed his driver's license

three years ago,

the address he gave was 2642 Carroll, Apartment 4.

So they were living together.

Why would he tell me a story like that?

The truth had to come out.

He's crazier than Sarge ever was.

And a lot more dangerous.

Well, I'd say that Jake Barnett's our man, all right.

But we're gonna have to catch him red-handed to prove it.

Huh, that's gonna be tough. He knows we're on to him.

Well, we can't spend the rest of our lives

protecting a cab company.

We won't have to.

What do you have in mind?

I think I'm gonna have a little talk with Mr. Barnett.

What good would that do?

It depends on who's listening to what we have to say.

Jake, something's wrong with my cab.

Can you take a look?

What's the matter with it?

I don't know. The engine's really running rough.

Why don't you take a ride? You'll see.

Uh, so, what's wrong with the cab?

Nothing.

I just wanted an excuse to talk to you alone.

Talk to me? About what?

You know what about.

You mean about old Sarge?

It's over. He's dead.

I don't think it is over.

Why not?

Sarge's wife died seven years ago in her sleep.

Why would he tell me that she was hit by a cab?

I don't think he did.

I think maybe you'd better stop this cab some place.

Yeah. How about that parking lot?

Yeah, that'll be fine.

This could be it.

Jake, I know about Marian.

Marian? Don't you even say her name.

She shouldn't be alone with him.

I'm gonna take a cab. At least I'll be close by.

Okay.

But I have to say her name.

I have to keep saying Marian's name

until you admit the truth.

I didn't do anything.

Two years ago, Marian was killed by a cab.

You were so full of grief and anger

that you wanted to get even with the cab company.

You got a job with them, so you could figure out what to do.

You decided to put them out of business.

You almost did that, Jake.

Almost? I did it. They can't get drivers.

And the ones they do have, nobody will ride with.

In a month, they'll be busted.

Wrong, Jake. I'll drive for them.

I have friends that will drive for them.

We're not gonna let you put them out of business.

We're not gonna let you win.

Your friends might not be so brave

if something happens to you.

Nothing's gonna happen to me.

Don't you be so sure.

Give up, Jake. They taped the whole thing.

Wait, Jake.

What happened? Let me drive. Move over.

7310, come in.

7310, come in, come in.

It's no use.

Cover the rear.

Drop it! Or you'll go down with it!

Jake, please, there's no place else to run.

According to people who knew them, Angels,

Jake lived with Marian Reed for more than 20 years.

It's amazing they never married.

Apparently, they were more married

than most people who have the piece of paper.

They must have been very much in love.

I guess that's what flipped him out.

Well, all I can say is, I'm glad it's over.

Thanks to all of you.

Well, actually, Kelly gets most of the credit.

Where did you learn to drive like that?

Oh, I just sort of picked it up along the way.

Not that kind of driving.

I'd bet you went to some kind of driving school.

Well, to the tell you the truth, I learned from this guy

I used to go out with him in my old neighborhood.

You mean, you drove racing cars?

No. He drove stolen cars.