The Rockford Files (1974) s01e18 Episode Script
Claire
1
Is this on the level, Claire?
Jim, they're trying to kill me.
Please, in one hour.
You care to answer that
or you want to get stuffed
in a bag and planted here?
I think I'd rather answer.
I need you to find someone.
His name is Charlie Manning.
Tail him.
He'll be looking for it, Captain.
He's a maniac in a car.
I'll never stay with him.
How do you know till you try?
I have tried two or three times.
Try again!
Now that he's dead, I have a
pretty good motive for killing him.
Unless the police don't know
you were his snitch.
I got city and county statutes
you never heard of.
I'll end up sending you
to the showers. You got it?
You got style, Captain.
I know.
This is Jim Rockford,
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
Mr. Rockford,
this is the Thomas Crown School
of Dance
and Contemporary Etiquette,.
We aren't going to call again.
Now you want these free lessons, or what?
Good afternoon, Miss Prescott.
Bit of a hurry today.
If anybody asks for
me, you don't know me. Please.
All right.
Claire Prescott,
what's her apartment number?
I don't know. We don't have
a Claire Prescott here.
Now, come on, pop, or I'm gonna spread
your teeth all over the sidewalk.
I'm very sorry, sir, but-- Come
on, let's check the boxes.
Yes?
Miss Prescott,
there are two men here.
They're inside looking at the
mailboxes for your apartment number,
I'm going to call the police.
No. No police, please.
I'll take care of it.
What's this check
made out to me for $225.66?
That one was a loan.
Remember, Jimbo, you was
all jammed up.
I loaned you that for your car payments.
I'm deducting it.
Yeah, but this check bounced, Rocky. You
remember I had to get the money from I?
By golly, I think it did bounce.
You know, you're right, Jim.
You can't deduct it
if it bounced.
No wonder you got
tax problems.
James Rockford,
private investigation and tax specialist.
Jim, thank goodness.
Who is this?
It's Claire,
What do you want?
I'm in trouble. I need help.
Where are you?
We've got to meet where
we used to go in one hour.
Is this on the level, Claire?
I remember getting
some very strange phone calls.
Jim, they're trying to kill me.
Please, in one hour.
You don't have to tell me
who that was.
Come off it, Rocky.
It was Claire Prescott,
wasn't it? Wasn't it?
Yeah, yeah.
How long has it been?
I don't know. You tell me.
What? Three years, maybe.
Just when you was beginning to act
like maybe you was gonna get married
she up and dropped you
like you were on fire.
No explanation, no nothing. It took you
six months to get back on your pivot again.
I'm intellectually
more mature now.
What makes you think
you are?
I didn't used to be able to
unscramble your tax problems.
You still can't.
I can handle it now, Rocky.
See you.
Hi, Claire.
You changed your hair.
I even did six months
as a brunette.
You look good, Jim.
I wanted to call you.
At least 20 times I had
that phone in my hand.
I guess I really
messed us up, didn't I?
Can we walk?
Hi, ladies. Remember us?
I don't think they do.
I don't think they're the same ones.
Three years is along time.
It's good, isn't it?
It feels so good
being together again.
Yeah.
It feels good.
How's your father?
Fine.
He never liked me.
Yeah
probably had his reasons.
It was hard on me, too, Jim.
I didn't want to end us.
I had to.
Claire, let's get to the point.
Why did you call?
Who's trying to kill you?
Or is anybody trying to kill you?
You've changed.
You used to be a hopeless romantic.
I'm willing to let you
off the hook for old times.
Something went wrong.
It didn't work out for us.
We both bled a little,
and now it's over.
You want my help.
Just tell me what's going on.
That's pretty direct.
That's the best way.
That's how
we got derailed last time.
And you're really not mad,
are you?
Not anymore.
I need you to find someone.
His name is Charlie Manning.
Why?
Is that important?
You said on the phone
they were trying to kill you.
Experience tells me that when people
are trying to kill other people
it's usually best to get plugged
into the problem up front.
I just said that.
I was afraid you wouldn't come.
That was charitable of you.
I do need help.
Go to the cops.
I can't.
Then I can't help you.
I'm not asking much.
I have an address.
All I want you to do is
go there and ask for Charlie.
He may be there.
He's 6 feet tall.
He has long brown hair
with a beard.
If he's not, talk to the bartender.
He can get in touch with him.
But you can't tell him it's me
who's looking for him.
You give him
your phone number.
When he calls you,
have him call me at my hotel.
I have the number right here.
What are you into, Claire?
I'm in trouble
with a loan shark,
but I can get out.
I really can.
But you've got to get Charlie
in touch with me.
I'd say "please," but maybe
that would make you mad.
I don't want to
trade on anything.
I just don't know
who else to call.
If you're being juiced by a
shark, you should call a cop.
I can't, and you've got to
promise me you won't either.
Do you promise?
Okay, I promise.
Will you go to the bar
and try and find Charlie?
Let me think about it.
Please. There's no time.
I know what I'm doing.
I'll take you back
to your hotel.
No police. You promised.
I'll call you.
Becker. Becker,
this is Jim Rockford,
Can't help you, Jim.
How do you know
I want anything?
It's not the cocktail hour, Jim.
What, did you call to buy me a drink?
Not exactly.
Then you want something.
Yeah. You guys got anything on
a lady named Claire Prescott
and a guy
named Charles Manning?
What's the guy's name again?
Manning, Charles Manning.
Jim, let me run this through a computer.
Hold on a moment, okay?
Jim?
Yeah.
On the woman
Claire Prescott
no wants, no warrants.
Manning?
The same.
Jim, what's this all about?
I don't know yet.
Thanks, Dennis. I give you
a rain check on the drink.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Captain Highland?
This is Sgt. Becker.
What's up? I had a can“!
from a PI friend of mine.
Had me run a couple of names
through the computer.
He was asking about Charles Manning
and a woman named Claire Prescott.
I thought you'd want to know,.
You got an address on this,
what's his name?
Rockford,
Rockford.
Yeah' we got 3 mp sheet
an him. He did same time.
Get out to where he's at.
Pick him up, and get his butt in here.
I don't want to wait too long.
He might not be at home.
He might have called
from a pay phone.
Then if he calls back,
find out where he is, pick him up.
I want him in here.
I don't want any excuses.
Yes, sir. Captain,
keep your shirt on.
Hi.
What are you having?
Scotch and water, tall glass.
I'm trying to run down a friend of mine.
So buy a truck.
That's really funny
when Hoover was President.
I'm trying to bring it
back again. Who's your friend?
His name is Charlie Manning.
He's about 6 foot tall,
long brown hair, beard.
Know him?
That'll be 90 cents.
The name was Charles Manning
and that's $20.
So he comes in here.
Was he in tonight?
I don't remember.
Push yourself.
Yeah, I think he was.
What time?
A couple of hours ago.
Did he come in alone?
Yep.
Leave alone?
If he should come back,
would you have him give me a call?
$20 doesn't buy much
these days, does it?
Out!
I beg your pardon.
I said, out. All right, I'm getting out.
I'm getting out.
Evening.
You were asking about
Charlie Manning. I was.
I said, I was.
Who are you, speedy?
I guess there's no harm
in telling.
Usually, I don't like to spread my
name around when I'm on a collection.
But I guess it's okay
with you guys
since we're probably in the
same line of work, more or less.
I don't know you 10 seconds,
already I got a stomach-full of you.
Number one, he asked you
who you were
and why you was asking
about Charlie Manning.
You care to answer that
or you want to get stuffed in
a canvas bag and planted here?
I think I'd rather answer.
I'm a PI.
When things get a little slow, I do some
collection work for certain loan companies.
Which ones?
You don't find these guys
in the Yellow Pages.
Are you trying to tell us Charlie
Manning was into a loan shark?
That's about the size of it.
You're all through
lying to us, Rockford.
We know that's
a bunch of bull
'cause there's no vice cop
in with alone shy.
Charlie Manning is a vice cop?
Nobody's perfect.
Right.
Okay, Rockford, let's try again.
Why were you
asking about Manning?
You're not going to like this
at all. I don't know why.
I don't feel too well.
Let's take him to Tony.
Come on.
Let's get in the car.
Move, move, move.
All right.
Up, up. Come on, up.
Come on.
My, my.
What a refreshing change.
Here, catch.
Right-handed?
Reach in with your left hand.
Give me your gun.
Come on.
Okay. Now both of you,
give me your wallets.
Come on.
Okay, now, you, reach into the
car and get the keys. Move it.
Now see how far you can throw them over
that fence. Make sure you clear it. Go on.
That's a pretty good arm.
Okay, now, you first.
Get under the car.
Come on. You gotta be kidding.
Under or I'm gonna take you
off at the knees.
Now, you, go on.
Get under there.
Keep going.
If it's not going to
tax your brains too much
I want you to close your eyes
and count to 100.
No peeking.
What the hell are these?
Charlie Manning is a cop.
Where did you get them?
From two guys who chased me,
caught me, and tried to kill me
because I was asking about a cop named
Manning who you never heard of before.
Now I know you've got
a good explanation.
Capt. Highland?
This is Sgt. Becker.
I got Jim Rockford
in the office.
A couple of Sawtell's goons leaned on
him, tipped him about Manning.
Yeah, we'll be right down.
Come on.
You better start coming clean with
me, or I'm gonna press you flat.
I've told you all I'm gonna tell you.
You come clean with me, I will with you.
What could be fairer?
Who's your client?
That's privileged.
Lock him up.
On what charge?
We don't need a charge
for 24 hours.
All right, Captain,
you go ahead and roust me
I've done five years.
Jails don't frighten me.
I'll check into your hotel.
You can deal with my attorney.
Listen to me, hotshot.
Charlie Manning's on a very
important undercover mission.
He's supposed to check in
with me every hour.
Right now, he's two hours overdue
and that can mean a lot of things
all of them bad.
If he's dead, and I can prove that you
knew something that could have saved him
you'll be an accessory
after the fact in his murder.
No, I'm not. I'm not even
gonna be a material witness
unless the DA can establish me
on preliminary, which he can't.
There's no foundation.
And he can't get me into
cross-examination for the same reason.
So thanks for the invitation,
I think I'll go fishing.
He's been around, Captain.
Look, Rockford.
Manning's more than just
a cop to me, you see.
I picked him out when he was a rookie. I
broke him in, and I don't want to lose him.
I'm sorry, Captain.
Who's Claire Prescott?
Is she your client?
What's Manning involved in?
What's the gig?
I can't tell you!
Where is she?
I just want to talk to her.
I'm sorry, Captain.
Lock him up.
Wait.
I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll meet you halfway.
I'll get her to come in,
but I won't take you to her.
What's the difference?
To me there's a big difference.
Take it or leave it.
Then you get her here fast.
That's up to her,
but I'll try.
Tail him.
He'll be looking for it, Captain.
He's a maniac in a car.
I'll never stay with him.
How do you know till you try?
I have tried two or three times.
Try again!
Yeah,.
Highland, this is
Jim Rockford.
Where are you?
At the Crest Hotel near the zoo.
You were gonna
bring her back here.
Not possible.
Why not?
She skipped. Stay where you are.
You're under arrest.
You came back here,
tipped her, and she took off.
That can't make sense
even to you.
Yes, it does.
It makes a lot of sense.
Look, I told you
how it went down.
I wanna get out of here.
You're not gonna arrest me
because you haven't
got a charge.
I'm gonna give you a tip,
buster.
You go home, and if she calls
you, you call me.
You understand? If you don't,
I'll find something for you, anything.
I got city and county statutes
you never heard of.
I'll end up sending you
to the showers. You got it?
You got style, Captain.
I know.
He reminds me
of my high-school gym coach.
He's okay.
He's just worried
about Manning, that's all.
For all he knows,
Charlie could be dead right now.
We don't know
who Claire Prescott is.
We don't know what her
connection with Manning is.
But if she's looking for him,
then she may know something.
Jim, you gotta help us
with this.
You gonna be following me
or what?
No. We got a couple a guys from
patrol who are working off duty.
That's great.
Tell them I'm on my way home.
I'll try not to lose them.
Be careful.
Where have you been?
Did Claire call?
You've been with her, ain't you?
Rocky, when you answer a question--
Look, I've been taking a nap.
I don't know. Maybe the phone rang.
I don't remember.
Rocky.
All right. She called
about an hour ago.
Hello?
Claire, where are you?
Did you find Manning?
No, but I found out about him.
He's a cop, Claire.
He's an undercover cop,
and he's missing,
How did you find out?
Never mind how I found out.
Why didn't you tell me?
I don't know. For a lot of
reasons, most of them sentimental.
There's not a lot of room
for sentiment in this.
I got knocked around
by a couple of goons
who work for some guy
named Sawtell.
Got a couple of cops outside here
watching me through binoculars
and there's a police captain named Highland
who is right out of a '405 movie
breathing all over me. So let's forget
about the sentiment and clue me in.
I'm sorry. I didn't want to
get you in trouble.
I know.
I believe that, Claire,
but somehow with us
it always ends up with me
sucking air into my pump.
I suppose it does.
Why don't you tell me what's going on?
Why are you in trouble?
I will, but you won't like it.
Where are you?
You've got to promise
not to bring the police.
That may take a little doing,
but I think I can arrange it.
I'm at the White Owl Lounge.
It's about 10 miles south of
the marina on the Coast Highway.
All right, I'll be there
as soon as I can.
I guess you know
how dumb that was.
Yeah, I know.
Rocky, you're gonna have to help me
get those two blue suits off my back.
How do I do that?
Run them out of here with a rolling pin?
I want you to put on this blue
blazer and go out and get in my car.
Don't let them recognize you, and then
take them on a tour of Santa Monica.
It's that serious?
Yeah, for a lot of reasons and none
of them have anything to do with love.
You're sure about that?
Who's sure of anything?
There's just an answer I never
got, and I want to get it.
Looky here, Son.
Don't forget about that little
room on the 5th floor
with the wire on the window, with that
lousy two-way phone we had to talk through.
I'm not gonna get beefed
on this, Rocky. Trust me.
What about all my notes?
I gotta take them in Wednesday.
When I get back,
we'll finish up.
You be careful.
Take care of yourself, too.
Hello.
Jim, this is Becker,
thought
you'd like to know
Charles Manning was found
shot to death in a hotel room.
Jim?
Yeah, I'm here.
Did you hear from the girl?
No.
Jim, you better be
straight on this.
You could end up an accessory to murder.
Highland thinks she killed him.
Thanks, Dennis.
Hi.
Nothing for me, thank you.
Manning is dead.
The cops found him shot to death
in a hotel about an hour ago.
I suppose the police think
I killed him.
I don't know
what the police think.
All I know is you sucked me into
this thing, whatever it is
and you're playing me off
against the cops.
If you're guilty of anything,
I'm an accessory after the fact.
I'd like some answers, Claire.
I'm sorry, Jim. I didn't mean to
get you hooked up in my problems.
That sounds nice, honey,
but it's pure baloney.
Can't you have
3 “Ne faith in me'?
I'm not even sure I know you anymore.
Three years ago I thought I did.
But I don't think I knew you
even then.
Three years ago, when I called to break
up, he was in the room with me.
He made me call.
Manning?
Let's move.
Why did Manning
make you call me?
It's hard to
know where to begin.
I was working at the restaurant
and Mr. Harris had
just made me the hostess.
Do you remember?
Yeah.
He wanted me to
run some errands for him.
Don't tell me you were hustling
shoe boxes around town.
Yes, stupid, huh?
Didn't you ever look inside?
No.
No, he told me
they were cash receipts.
What was it?
Numbers or narcotics?
Narcotics.
Charlie Manning was working the
restaurant undercover as a waiter
and he caught me.
Jim, I came so close to
calling you and telling you.
But he had me cold on a
transporting narcotics charge.
He said if I didn't work undercover
for him, that he'd have me arrested
and I'd go to jail
for five years.
What's the matter?
You should have called me.
I could have saved you a lot of grief.
But he had-- Nothing, nothing.
It's an old police trick.
He didn't have a good case
against you.
Maybe he didn't have probable
cause before he arrested you
or he violated your rights.
But you can bet one thing
if he had
a prosecutable case
he would have ended up booking
you and fingerprinting you.
And now that he's dead,
I guess I have a pretty good motive
for killing him.
Unless the police don't know you were
his snitch. Did he ever tell them?
I don't know.
He was strange.
He didn't talk to me like I was a
person, more like I was property of his.
He wouldn't let me be
around anyone
unless it was people he wanted
me to find out something about.
That's why he wouldn't
let me see you.
I guess it doesn't make
any difference, anyway.
I've helped him arrest at least 30 people.
If they ever found out, I'd be dead.
If the police found out,
they'd want me to testify
and I wouldn't
live through the trial.
What do you want me to do?
I don't know.
I really don't know.
I guess I want you
to believe in me.
Do you have any money?
I think I can get about $500.
I want you to leave town
and not come back.
I'll call my dad.
He'll bring the money.
How come you believe me?
I don't know, Claire.
But I do.
Hello 7 Yeah, hello.
Dad?
Rockford.
Who is this?
It's get-even time, Rockford.
Who is this?
You got my wallet.
I got your old man.
Do you hear me, Rockford?
Yeah, I hear you.
Good. Now here's how it goes.
You want your old man.
We want the girl.
I don't know where she is.
Then we might as well shoot
him and get out of here, right?
Look, I'd like to help you--
Drop it, Rockford,
Either we get the girl now, or you
never see your old man breathing again.
Now what's it gonna be?
Okay. She's with me.
I'm about 10 miles up the
coast, Where?
You want to make an exchange,
we'll pick a neutral spot.
Okay.
There's a parking lot on the north
side of the Santa Monica Pier.
We'll see you there in half an
hour, Half an hour.
And Rockford, we see one blue suit,
we're gonna put a bullet in this old jerk.
Come on.
What's wrong?
Jim, what is it?
The two goons who work
for Sawtell have my father.
They told me that if I didn't turn you
over to them, they're gonna kill him.
Jim, I'm so sorry.
Here, there's about $40 here.
Catch the first bus south.
Get into Mexico.
Maybe I should stay.
Maybe I should
What? Trade yourself
for my father?
Would you do that, Claire?
Here. You take the next bus.
You got the girl?
She's in the truck.
Bring her here!
You go get her.
I want to see my old man.
Put your hands where I can see them.
Hold it right there, Rockford.
How you doing, Rocky?
I'm okay.
Okay, out.
Come on, Rocky.
Come on, Rocky.
Watch it, Rocky.
Come on, Rocky.
Becker.
We've picked up Cassell.
These guys ain't talking much, Captain.
We'll
turn it all over to the DA.
Give them the evidence.
They'll all start talking.
We'll need the girl, Rockford.
I can't help you, Captain.
She's a material witness
in Manning's murder.
She didn't see it.
I'd like to hear that from her.
You just heard it from me.
I'm gonna bust you, hotshot.
Everything from breaking into a
store, stealing a dummy
aiding and abetting a
fugitive-- Hotshot
you do that and I'll just let the papers
in this town know about Claire Prescott
and how Manning turned her out.
And just how was that?
He conned her.
We'll look at his logs. We'll see
just what kind of case he had on her.
You're in some big trouble, Rockford.
I don't think so.
Where is she? Where is she?
Rockford!
Where is she?
Where is she?
If you don't tell me
Where is she?
I'm telling you,
I'm going to have charges against you.
Rockford, where is she?
I don't know.
Is this on the level, Claire?
Jim, they're trying to kill me.
Please, in one hour.
You care to answer that
or you want to get stuffed
in a bag and planted here?
I think I'd rather answer.
I need you to find someone.
His name is Charlie Manning.
Tail him.
He'll be looking for it, Captain.
He's a maniac in a car.
I'll never stay with him.
How do you know till you try?
I have tried two or three times.
Try again!
Now that he's dead, I have a
pretty good motive for killing him.
Unless the police don't know
you were his snitch.
I got city and county statutes
you never heard of.
I'll end up sending you
to the showers. You got it?
You got style, Captain.
I know.
This is Jim Rockford,
At the tone, leave your name
and message.
I'll get back to you.
Mr. Rockford,
this is the Thomas Crown School
of Dance
and Contemporary Etiquette,.
We aren't going to call again.
Now you want these free lessons, or what?
Good afternoon, Miss Prescott.
Bit of a hurry today.
If anybody asks for
me, you don't know me. Please.
All right.
Claire Prescott,
what's her apartment number?
I don't know. We don't have
a Claire Prescott here.
Now, come on, pop, or I'm gonna spread
your teeth all over the sidewalk.
I'm very sorry, sir, but-- Come
on, let's check the boxes.
Yes?
Miss Prescott,
there are two men here.
They're inside looking at the
mailboxes for your apartment number,
I'm going to call the police.
No. No police, please.
I'll take care of it.
What's this check
made out to me for $225.66?
That one was a loan.
Remember, Jimbo, you was
all jammed up.
I loaned you that for your car payments.
I'm deducting it.
Yeah, but this check bounced, Rocky. You
remember I had to get the money from I?
By golly, I think it did bounce.
You know, you're right, Jim.
You can't deduct it
if it bounced.
No wonder you got
tax problems.
James Rockford,
private investigation and tax specialist.
Jim, thank goodness.
Who is this?
It's Claire,
What do you want?
I'm in trouble. I need help.
Where are you?
We've got to meet where
we used to go in one hour.
Is this on the level, Claire?
I remember getting
some very strange phone calls.
Jim, they're trying to kill me.
Please, in one hour.
You don't have to tell me
who that was.
Come off it, Rocky.
It was Claire Prescott,
wasn't it? Wasn't it?
Yeah, yeah.
How long has it been?
I don't know. You tell me.
What? Three years, maybe.
Just when you was beginning to act
like maybe you was gonna get married
she up and dropped you
like you were on fire.
No explanation, no nothing. It took you
six months to get back on your pivot again.
I'm intellectually
more mature now.
What makes you think
you are?
I didn't used to be able to
unscramble your tax problems.
You still can't.
I can handle it now, Rocky.
See you.
Hi, Claire.
You changed your hair.
I even did six months
as a brunette.
You look good, Jim.
I wanted to call you.
At least 20 times I had
that phone in my hand.
I guess I really
messed us up, didn't I?
Can we walk?
Hi, ladies. Remember us?
I don't think they do.
I don't think they're the same ones.
Three years is along time.
It's good, isn't it?
It feels so good
being together again.
Yeah.
It feels good.
How's your father?
Fine.
He never liked me.
Yeah
probably had his reasons.
It was hard on me, too, Jim.
I didn't want to end us.
I had to.
Claire, let's get to the point.
Why did you call?
Who's trying to kill you?
Or is anybody trying to kill you?
You've changed.
You used to be a hopeless romantic.
I'm willing to let you
off the hook for old times.
Something went wrong.
It didn't work out for us.
We both bled a little,
and now it's over.
You want my help.
Just tell me what's going on.
That's pretty direct.
That's the best way.
That's how
we got derailed last time.
And you're really not mad,
are you?
Not anymore.
I need you to find someone.
His name is Charlie Manning.
Why?
Is that important?
You said on the phone
they were trying to kill you.
Experience tells me that when people
are trying to kill other people
it's usually best to get plugged
into the problem up front.
I just said that.
I was afraid you wouldn't come.
That was charitable of you.
I do need help.
Go to the cops.
I can't.
Then I can't help you.
I'm not asking much.
I have an address.
All I want you to do is
go there and ask for Charlie.
He may be there.
He's 6 feet tall.
He has long brown hair
with a beard.
If he's not, talk to the bartender.
He can get in touch with him.
But you can't tell him it's me
who's looking for him.
You give him
your phone number.
When he calls you,
have him call me at my hotel.
I have the number right here.
What are you into, Claire?
I'm in trouble
with a loan shark,
but I can get out.
I really can.
But you've got to get Charlie
in touch with me.
I'd say "please," but maybe
that would make you mad.
I don't want to
trade on anything.
I just don't know
who else to call.
If you're being juiced by a
shark, you should call a cop.
I can't, and you've got to
promise me you won't either.
Do you promise?
Okay, I promise.
Will you go to the bar
and try and find Charlie?
Let me think about it.
Please. There's no time.
I know what I'm doing.
I'll take you back
to your hotel.
No police. You promised.
I'll call you.
Becker. Becker,
this is Jim Rockford,
Can't help you, Jim.
How do you know
I want anything?
It's not the cocktail hour, Jim.
What, did you call to buy me a drink?
Not exactly.
Then you want something.
Yeah. You guys got anything on
a lady named Claire Prescott
and a guy
named Charles Manning?
What's the guy's name again?
Manning, Charles Manning.
Jim, let me run this through a computer.
Hold on a moment, okay?
Jim?
Yeah.
On the woman
Claire Prescott
no wants, no warrants.
Manning?
The same.
Jim, what's this all about?
I don't know yet.
Thanks, Dennis. I give you
a rain check on the drink.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Captain Highland?
This is Sgt. Becker.
What's up? I had a can“!
from a PI friend of mine.
Had me run a couple of names
through the computer.
He was asking about Charles Manning
and a woman named Claire Prescott.
I thought you'd want to know,.
You got an address on this,
what's his name?
Rockford,
Rockford.
Yeah' we got 3 mp sheet
an him. He did same time.
Get out to where he's at.
Pick him up, and get his butt in here.
I don't want to wait too long.
He might not be at home.
He might have called
from a pay phone.
Then if he calls back,
find out where he is, pick him up.
I want him in here.
I don't want any excuses.
Yes, sir. Captain,
keep your shirt on.
Hi.
What are you having?
Scotch and water, tall glass.
I'm trying to run down a friend of mine.
So buy a truck.
That's really funny
when Hoover was President.
I'm trying to bring it
back again. Who's your friend?
His name is Charlie Manning.
He's about 6 foot tall,
long brown hair, beard.
Know him?
That'll be 90 cents.
The name was Charles Manning
and that's $20.
So he comes in here.
Was he in tonight?
I don't remember.
Push yourself.
Yeah, I think he was.
What time?
A couple of hours ago.
Did he come in alone?
Yep.
Leave alone?
If he should come back,
would you have him give me a call?
$20 doesn't buy much
these days, does it?
Out!
I beg your pardon.
I said, out. All right, I'm getting out.
I'm getting out.
Evening.
You were asking about
Charlie Manning. I was.
I said, I was.
Who are you, speedy?
I guess there's no harm
in telling.
Usually, I don't like to spread my
name around when I'm on a collection.
But I guess it's okay
with you guys
since we're probably in the
same line of work, more or less.
I don't know you 10 seconds,
already I got a stomach-full of you.
Number one, he asked you
who you were
and why you was asking
about Charlie Manning.
You care to answer that
or you want to get stuffed in
a canvas bag and planted here?
I think I'd rather answer.
I'm a PI.
When things get a little slow, I do some
collection work for certain loan companies.
Which ones?
You don't find these guys
in the Yellow Pages.
Are you trying to tell us Charlie
Manning was into a loan shark?
That's about the size of it.
You're all through
lying to us, Rockford.
We know that's
a bunch of bull
'cause there's no vice cop
in with alone shy.
Charlie Manning is a vice cop?
Nobody's perfect.
Right.
Okay, Rockford, let's try again.
Why were you
asking about Manning?
You're not going to like this
at all. I don't know why.
I don't feel too well.
Let's take him to Tony.
Come on.
Let's get in the car.
Move, move, move.
All right.
Up, up. Come on, up.
Come on.
My, my.
What a refreshing change.
Here, catch.
Right-handed?
Reach in with your left hand.
Give me your gun.
Come on.
Okay. Now both of you,
give me your wallets.
Come on.
Okay, now, you, reach into the
car and get the keys. Move it.
Now see how far you can throw them over
that fence. Make sure you clear it. Go on.
That's a pretty good arm.
Okay, now, you first.
Get under the car.
Come on. You gotta be kidding.
Under or I'm gonna take you
off at the knees.
Now, you, go on.
Get under there.
Keep going.
If it's not going to
tax your brains too much
I want you to close your eyes
and count to 100.
No peeking.
What the hell are these?
Charlie Manning is a cop.
Where did you get them?
From two guys who chased me,
caught me, and tried to kill me
because I was asking about a cop named
Manning who you never heard of before.
Now I know you've got
a good explanation.
Capt. Highland?
This is Sgt. Becker.
I got Jim Rockford
in the office.
A couple of Sawtell's goons leaned on
him, tipped him about Manning.
Yeah, we'll be right down.
Come on.
You better start coming clean with
me, or I'm gonna press you flat.
I've told you all I'm gonna tell you.
You come clean with me, I will with you.
What could be fairer?
Who's your client?
That's privileged.
Lock him up.
On what charge?
We don't need a charge
for 24 hours.
All right, Captain,
you go ahead and roust me
I've done five years.
Jails don't frighten me.
I'll check into your hotel.
You can deal with my attorney.
Listen to me, hotshot.
Charlie Manning's on a very
important undercover mission.
He's supposed to check in
with me every hour.
Right now, he's two hours overdue
and that can mean a lot of things
all of them bad.
If he's dead, and I can prove that you
knew something that could have saved him
you'll be an accessory
after the fact in his murder.
No, I'm not. I'm not even
gonna be a material witness
unless the DA can establish me
on preliminary, which he can't.
There's no foundation.
And he can't get me into
cross-examination for the same reason.
So thanks for the invitation,
I think I'll go fishing.
He's been around, Captain.
Look, Rockford.
Manning's more than just
a cop to me, you see.
I picked him out when he was a rookie. I
broke him in, and I don't want to lose him.
I'm sorry, Captain.
Who's Claire Prescott?
Is she your client?
What's Manning involved in?
What's the gig?
I can't tell you!
Where is she?
I just want to talk to her.
I'm sorry, Captain.
Lock him up.
Wait.
I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll meet you halfway.
I'll get her to come in,
but I won't take you to her.
What's the difference?
To me there's a big difference.
Take it or leave it.
Then you get her here fast.
That's up to her,
but I'll try.
Tail him.
He'll be looking for it, Captain.
He's a maniac in a car.
I'll never stay with him.
How do you know till you try?
I have tried two or three times.
Try again!
Yeah,.
Highland, this is
Jim Rockford.
Where are you?
At the Crest Hotel near the zoo.
You were gonna
bring her back here.
Not possible.
Why not?
She skipped. Stay where you are.
You're under arrest.
You came back here,
tipped her, and she took off.
That can't make sense
even to you.
Yes, it does.
It makes a lot of sense.
Look, I told you
how it went down.
I wanna get out of here.
You're not gonna arrest me
because you haven't
got a charge.
I'm gonna give you a tip,
buster.
You go home, and if she calls
you, you call me.
You understand? If you don't,
I'll find something for you, anything.
I got city and county statutes
you never heard of.
I'll end up sending you
to the showers. You got it?
You got style, Captain.
I know.
He reminds me
of my high-school gym coach.
He's okay.
He's just worried
about Manning, that's all.
For all he knows,
Charlie could be dead right now.
We don't know
who Claire Prescott is.
We don't know what her
connection with Manning is.
But if she's looking for him,
then she may know something.
Jim, you gotta help us
with this.
You gonna be following me
or what?
No. We got a couple a guys from
patrol who are working off duty.
That's great.
Tell them I'm on my way home.
I'll try not to lose them.
Be careful.
Where have you been?
Did Claire call?
You've been with her, ain't you?
Rocky, when you answer a question--
Look, I've been taking a nap.
I don't know. Maybe the phone rang.
I don't remember.
Rocky.
All right. She called
about an hour ago.
Hello?
Claire, where are you?
Did you find Manning?
No, but I found out about him.
He's a cop, Claire.
He's an undercover cop,
and he's missing,
How did you find out?
Never mind how I found out.
Why didn't you tell me?
I don't know. For a lot of
reasons, most of them sentimental.
There's not a lot of room
for sentiment in this.
I got knocked around
by a couple of goons
who work for some guy
named Sawtell.
Got a couple of cops outside here
watching me through binoculars
and there's a police captain named Highland
who is right out of a '405 movie
breathing all over me. So let's forget
about the sentiment and clue me in.
I'm sorry. I didn't want to
get you in trouble.
I know.
I believe that, Claire,
but somehow with us
it always ends up with me
sucking air into my pump.
I suppose it does.
Why don't you tell me what's going on?
Why are you in trouble?
I will, but you won't like it.
Where are you?
You've got to promise
not to bring the police.
That may take a little doing,
but I think I can arrange it.
I'm at the White Owl Lounge.
It's about 10 miles south of
the marina on the Coast Highway.
All right, I'll be there
as soon as I can.
I guess you know
how dumb that was.
Yeah, I know.
Rocky, you're gonna have to help me
get those two blue suits off my back.
How do I do that?
Run them out of here with a rolling pin?
I want you to put on this blue
blazer and go out and get in my car.
Don't let them recognize you, and then
take them on a tour of Santa Monica.
It's that serious?
Yeah, for a lot of reasons and none
of them have anything to do with love.
You're sure about that?
Who's sure of anything?
There's just an answer I never
got, and I want to get it.
Looky here, Son.
Don't forget about that little
room on the 5th floor
with the wire on the window, with that
lousy two-way phone we had to talk through.
I'm not gonna get beefed
on this, Rocky. Trust me.
What about all my notes?
I gotta take them in Wednesday.
When I get back,
we'll finish up.
You be careful.
Take care of yourself, too.
Hello.
Jim, this is Becker,
thought
you'd like to know
Charles Manning was found
shot to death in a hotel room.
Jim?
Yeah, I'm here.
Did you hear from the girl?
No.
Jim, you better be
straight on this.
You could end up an accessory to murder.
Highland thinks she killed him.
Thanks, Dennis.
Hi.
Nothing for me, thank you.
Manning is dead.
The cops found him shot to death
in a hotel about an hour ago.
I suppose the police think
I killed him.
I don't know
what the police think.
All I know is you sucked me into
this thing, whatever it is
and you're playing me off
against the cops.
If you're guilty of anything,
I'm an accessory after the fact.
I'd like some answers, Claire.
I'm sorry, Jim. I didn't mean to
get you hooked up in my problems.
That sounds nice, honey,
but it's pure baloney.
Can't you have
3 “Ne faith in me'?
I'm not even sure I know you anymore.
Three years ago I thought I did.
But I don't think I knew you
even then.
Three years ago, when I called to break
up, he was in the room with me.
He made me call.
Manning?
Let's move.
Why did Manning
make you call me?
It's hard to
know where to begin.
I was working at the restaurant
and Mr. Harris had
just made me the hostess.
Do you remember?
Yeah.
He wanted me to
run some errands for him.
Don't tell me you were hustling
shoe boxes around town.
Yes, stupid, huh?
Didn't you ever look inside?
No.
No, he told me
they were cash receipts.
What was it?
Numbers or narcotics?
Narcotics.
Charlie Manning was working the
restaurant undercover as a waiter
and he caught me.
Jim, I came so close to
calling you and telling you.
But he had me cold on a
transporting narcotics charge.
He said if I didn't work undercover
for him, that he'd have me arrested
and I'd go to jail
for five years.
What's the matter?
You should have called me.
I could have saved you a lot of grief.
But he had-- Nothing, nothing.
It's an old police trick.
He didn't have a good case
against you.
Maybe he didn't have probable
cause before he arrested you
or he violated your rights.
But you can bet one thing
if he had
a prosecutable case
he would have ended up booking
you and fingerprinting you.
And now that he's dead,
I guess I have a pretty good motive
for killing him.
Unless the police don't know you were
his snitch. Did he ever tell them?
I don't know.
He was strange.
He didn't talk to me like I was a
person, more like I was property of his.
He wouldn't let me be
around anyone
unless it was people he wanted
me to find out something about.
That's why he wouldn't
let me see you.
I guess it doesn't make
any difference, anyway.
I've helped him arrest at least 30 people.
If they ever found out, I'd be dead.
If the police found out,
they'd want me to testify
and I wouldn't
live through the trial.
What do you want me to do?
I don't know.
I really don't know.
I guess I want you
to believe in me.
Do you have any money?
I think I can get about $500.
I want you to leave town
and not come back.
I'll call my dad.
He'll bring the money.
How come you believe me?
I don't know, Claire.
But I do.
Hello 7 Yeah, hello.
Dad?
Rockford.
Who is this?
It's get-even time, Rockford.
Who is this?
You got my wallet.
I got your old man.
Do you hear me, Rockford?
Yeah, I hear you.
Good. Now here's how it goes.
You want your old man.
We want the girl.
I don't know where she is.
Then we might as well shoot
him and get out of here, right?
Look, I'd like to help you--
Drop it, Rockford,
Either we get the girl now, or you
never see your old man breathing again.
Now what's it gonna be?
Okay. She's with me.
I'm about 10 miles up the
coast, Where?
You want to make an exchange,
we'll pick a neutral spot.
Okay.
There's a parking lot on the north
side of the Santa Monica Pier.
We'll see you there in half an
hour, Half an hour.
And Rockford, we see one blue suit,
we're gonna put a bullet in this old jerk.
Come on.
What's wrong?
Jim, what is it?
The two goons who work
for Sawtell have my father.
They told me that if I didn't turn you
over to them, they're gonna kill him.
Jim, I'm so sorry.
Here, there's about $40 here.
Catch the first bus south.
Get into Mexico.
Maybe I should stay.
Maybe I should
What? Trade yourself
for my father?
Would you do that, Claire?
Here. You take the next bus.
You got the girl?
She's in the truck.
Bring her here!
You go get her.
I want to see my old man.
Put your hands where I can see them.
Hold it right there, Rockford.
How you doing, Rocky?
I'm okay.
Okay, out.
Come on, Rocky.
Come on, Rocky.
Watch it, Rocky.
Come on, Rocky.
Becker.
We've picked up Cassell.
These guys ain't talking much, Captain.
We'll
turn it all over to the DA.
Give them the evidence.
They'll all start talking.
We'll need the girl, Rockford.
I can't help you, Captain.
She's a material witness
in Manning's murder.
She didn't see it.
I'd like to hear that from her.
You just heard it from me.
I'm gonna bust you, hotshot.
Everything from breaking into a
store, stealing a dummy
aiding and abetting a
fugitive-- Hotshot
you do that and I'll just let the papers
in this town know about Claire Prescott
and how Manning turned her out.
And just how was that?
He conned her.
We'll look at his logs. We'll see
just what kind of case he had on her.
You're in some big trouble, Rockford.
I don't think so.
Where is she? Where is she?
Rockford!
Where is she?
Where is she?
If you don't tell me
Where is she?
I'm telling you,
I'm going to have charges against you.
Rockford, where is she?
I don't know.