Magnum, P.I. (1980) s04e19 Episode Script

On Face Value

Thomas, how do you really feel about me? l like you.
You think l'll ever walk again? Sure.
What's happening? Just stay down and hold on! Why do these guys take a shot at me just because l took some pictures of them? The point is two men are trying to kill you.
And they're gonna kill you, too, and l'm not gonna let that happen.
(Magnum) Where are they? You sent me into a situation that could have got me killed.
[gun firing.]
(Magnum) One of the best things about living in paradise is that when you get a couple of days off you don't have to go someplace else to have fun and relax.
Instead, you can concentrate on some of the finer things in life.
Like art.
It comes in many shapes, and forms and textures.
You can find it anywhere.
Even in the sand.
And no matter how old or young you are there's an incredible feeling of pride when you create something with your own two hands.
No! lt's my castle.
Yeah, but if you pour water, aren't you gonna ru-- All right, go ahead.
Fix it.
What? Fix it.
All right.
All right.
But you gotta promise you're not gonna pour water on it again.
Now go get me some wet sand.
Way down by the water.
Way, way down there.
lf l get my own bucket and shovel, can l play too, please? l am creating a work of art here, Carol.
l prefer not to be disturbed by your juvenile behavior.
ls it some kind of detective's holiday? Charlie Chan's birthday.
A little R and R after a tough ca-- That's ruined.
Who's the kid? Oh, that's Keoki's nephew.
Keoki had to run an errand for Rick so l promised him l'd watch him.
Well, l just dropped by to tell you not to drive for a while.
What? The police will probably stop you.
Good luck on your castle, Thomas.
Wait.
Wait a minute.
Now, wait a minute, Carol.
Why are the police going to stop me? l don't know.
Something about unpaid tickets.
Parking tickets.
Wait! Wait.
Wait.
l don't have any parking tickets, except the ones you fixed for me.
You didn't fix them for me? But l was helping you.
l was working for the DA's office! Yes, that's right, you were.
Boy, did the DMV sure get ticked off when they're six months overdue.
You know what? They issued an arrest warrant for you today.
You were supposed to take care of those a long time ago.
Thomas, l, you know, l.
l put them in my file and l forgot about them.
What can-- l'm sorry.
l really am.
Sorry? lf those have been put away for six months l mean, with late penalties, that could be-- $653.
49.
However, if you pay it they'll drop the warrant.
l don't have that kind of money! You said you'd handle it.
Now, you gotta.
You promised.
l'm going to.
l promise.
lt's just that the paperwork could take me a long time and l'm so tied up with this case right now.
What case? Oh, it's just a little surveillance.
Since when did you get involved in surveillance? Well, it's kind of a special case.
l got a tip about a fencing operation in a warehouse on Kaliawa, and there may be somebody involved who l tried to prosecute last year.
Let the police handle it.
l did.
By the time they get to it, it'll be another two weeks.
Apparently they don't take me too seriously, so l'm gonna handle it myself.
You see, l just don't have the time.
Gee, Carol maybe if l handled your surveillance you could handle my parking tickets? That's a good idea.
Just simple surveillance? Very.
Hey, it's just, watching to see who's running the operation.
And you will take care of my parking tickets? What are friends for? Thomas, you be careful.
What's that supposed to mean? Just be careful.
lt could be a little dangerous.
Carol, now wait a minute! ln fact, it might be a lot dangerous.
You better be prepared for the worst.
Carol! No! (Magnum) Most people think a private investigator's life is filled with danger and excitement.
Sometimes it is but most of the time it's about as dangerous as watching Keoki's nephew destroy a sandcastle.
Take surveillance.
It's one of the more boring aspects of the job.
Especially when nothing happens.
I was starting to get the feeling that Carol's source was either wrong or too late.
[camera shutter clicking.]
Now, the trick of surveillance was knowing when something was a dead end.
And knowing just the right time to call it a day.
Then again, it pays to be patient.
l think we got a problem here.
(Magnum) I've always tried to keep my temper especially when it comes to business.
But some things you just can't ignore.
Those guys had demolished my camera and missed my head by inches.
I was mad.
[gunshots.]
(Magnum) But what the hell, it was only a camera.
And maybe these guys were just trying to scare me off.
When I write my book on being a first-class private investigator rule number 168 is going to be.
: If you're getting chased, you should be in a fast car.
Postscript to rule 168.
: No matter how fast your car is, there can always be one that's faster.
No matter how much I want to deny it there's something exhilarating about a confrontation.
Especially when you know you're in the right.
And especially when you're prepared.
I'm sorry, Thomas.
And l did try to get you released sooner but when a shooting's involved, they have all these reports-- What about my investigator's license? l'm going to do everything l can to keep them from pulling it.
Like you told me how dangerous this was? l told you it might-- You didn't tell me enough.
You sent me into a situation that could have got me killed.
Or somebody else.
l'm sorry.
That makes it okay? You're sorry? Well, tell that to Emily Jackson.
(woman over PA) Dr.
Gray to ICU stat.
Dr.
Gray to ICU stat.
Doctor? What can l do for you? l wondered how Emily Jackson's doing.
You a relative? Medical information can be given only to members of the immediate family.
l'm her brother.
Most of her injuries are minor.
They'll clear up in a few days.
But one of them has us concerned.
Her legs.
She has no feeling in them.
Now, l've called in a specialist.
l'm sorry to have to tell you this but l'm afraid your sister may never walk again.
Excuse me.
(Magnum) No matter how hard I tried there were two phrases I couldn't get out of my mind.
''Especially when you're right.
'' ''Especially when you're prepared.
'' If I hadn't been so ''prepared, '' Emily Jackson wouldn't be in the hospital.
Good morning, Magnum.
Here's Robin's camera, Higgins.
lt's ruined.
Save the speeches.
l've heard them before.
Cameras can be replaced.
Carol called me this morning.
l simply came by to see if l could be of any assistance.
May l have a cup of coffee, Magnum? A similar incident happened to me, you know.
lt was during the North African campaign.
lt was one of the darkest nights l can ever remember.
l was on sentry when l heard someone screaming and running toward me.
As was my duty, l shouted ''halt''.
l couldn't see a bloody thing and l couldn't risk a charge on the camp.
l was forced to fire.
When he fell, the light from our camp finally illuminated him.
He was a British soldier from another regiment.
Magnum, where are you going? To the hospital.
l wasn't finished.
Hi.
How's it going? Did l wake you? No.
The nurses pump so much dope into me all the time l don't know when l'm awake and when l'm dozing.
You know what l mean? Yeah.
Think you could talk to them about that? Yeah.
l guess so.
Where's your badge and white coat? l know Gonzo on Trapper John dresses like that, but l thought that was only on the tube.
Yeah.
l think so.
So, how am l doing, Doc.
Getting any better? l-- That bad, huh? No, you're fine.
Well, you're gonna be fine.
[phone ringing in distance.]
l gotta go.
Wait.
Aren't you even going-- Well, how's it going, Thomas? l love baseball.
Listen l heard about the accident.
lt made the six o'clock news.
When l was 10 years old my aunt Margaret took me to a Tiger game.
Thomas, listen, we know how you feel.
Was l 1 1? No, l was definitely 10 years old because it was August of 1956 and the Tigers were still in the pennant race.
That's real nice.
Thomas-- lt got to be the ninth inning and the Tigers were down 4-0, there were two outs.
There was a man on first and second and Harvey Kuenn was up and Bullet Bob Turley was on the mound, just throwing BBs.
Well, Harvey lined a single through the hole.
You know, there's nothing like the sound of a clean hit.
Thomas-- There's just no other sound like it.
lt's poetry.
Thomas-- That scored a run and it brought up Al Kaline.
Well, the crowd's going crazy and l dropped my snow cone down the back of the guy in front of me, and Bullet Bob he rears back and he throws one right by Al's head.
Well, it seemed like l don't know, 10 minutes before Al finally picked himself up.
And he digs in and Turley is just looking at him.
And then he lets go with another high, inside fastball.
(Carol) Hey, Thomas! Hey, Thomas, l've been looking for you.
Yeah, so what happened? l got the pictures developed.
What pictures? No, what happened to Al? Not Al.
Jimmy and Mark Kiedash.
Hey, l heard about those guys.
Pretty rough.
Thomas, what happened to Al Kaline? Did he win the game? Huh? The game? Al stroked one inside the line.
The Tigers won.
[exclaiming.]
Thomas, l had no idea that the guys in that warehouse were the Kiedash brothers.
l thought they were in prison.
They got out a year ago.
Come on, have a seat.
What were they in for? They beat a man to death with a bumper of a '51 DeSoto.
Why were they out of jail? Because they served their time.
What there was of it.
Believe me, Thomas, l didn't know.
l thought that the guy that l sent you to watch was Ozzie Franklin.
He's a small-time fencer of stolen cars.
But these guys, they're into a whole new line of work.
They rip off computer secrets.
These guys don't sound exactly like the computer type.
They aren't.
They go to computer companies and they muscle technicians into handing over secrets and then they sell them.
We think to the Japanese.
But up until now, we didn't know much about them.
So you see, finding them at that warehouse, that was just dumb luck.
lt was bad luck.
[people chattering.]
l know somebody who'd agree with you.
Well, now that l know who we're dealing with, l can get the police involved.
l'm gonna start working on a court order.
Hey, Thomas, where are you going? (Magnum) One of the best things about having friends is that you've got someone to talk to when you're in trouble.
You don't even have to talk about what you're talking about.
If you know what I mean.
Now, I don't know why I was thinking about baseball but I do know that I'd forgotten the lesson Al Kaline had taught me back in 1956.
Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and get back in the box.
Hi.
l noticed you didn't have any flowers, so l.
You're not a doctor, are you? No, l'm not.
Then who are you? What do you want? A friend.
l hope.
Look, they may keep me doped up around here, but l can still recognize my friends and l don't know you.
But that's all right.
You're the only visitor l've had, so l guess l can't be choosey.
l'm the one who shot your car.
And you're here in my room? You know that l can't move my legs, mister? Yes.
You here to ease your conscience? No, l just wanted to know how you were feeling.
Get out.
l want to help.
l don't want your help! And l don't.
Just take your flowers and your phony guilt and get out of here! Get out of here! Get out of here! Will you go! Stop looking at me! [sobbing.]
l hate you! [slapping.]
My Lord, what happened? lt's nothing.
l'm sorry.
Well, your guest will have to leave.
l'm sorry.
l really.
Can l get you anything? l'd kill for a television set and a pack of cigarettes.
(Magnum) I wasn't sure why I went back to the hospital.
Except that maybe Emily was right.
Maybe it was to ease my conscience.
But once I was there, I know why I stayed.
There was just something about her.
I guess it was her refusal to feel sorry for herself that made me want to stick around.
So Ruby says to me, ''You get one more customer asking for you l'm going to have to change the name to Emily's Beauty Emporium.
'' Oh, yeah? You must be pretty good.
Best there was in Saginaw.
Guess that ain't saying a whole lot.
[people chattering on television set.]
What? l don't know.
lt just hit me, l can't be a beautician no more.
But, hey, we got to have a positive attitude.
l'll walk again, right? Right.
And if l don't, what the hell, l'll just sue you for a couple of million.
l'm only joking.
Visiting hours were over a long time ago.
Right.
l'll be back first thing in the morning.
Promise? l promise.
Listen, if it's not too far out of your way could you bring me some Yellow Zonkers and a couple of Yankee Doodles? What are they? No, never mind.
l'll find them.
(man on TV) Do you want to continue for $500? Okay.
Question number two-- [switching channel.]
[woman chattering over PA.]
Doctor? Yeah? How's Emily doing? Oh, her minor injuries are healing nicely.
But still no feeling in her legs.
What did the specialist say? Medically, nothing seems to be wrong.
But that's often the case with spinal injuries.
There can be trauma we can't detect.
But there's a chance that she could get better? Hey, never give up hope.
We'll get her into therapy so her muscles don't weaken.
Look, if there's anything l can do to help.
Well, l don't think Emily needs the hospital anymore.
Actually, the best thing for your sister is to get out of here.
But she needs care and therapy.
lt will take a lot of hard work.
But mentally.
Mentally, the benefits will be tremendous.
You think you and your family can handle that? **[Classical music playing.]
[applauding.]
That's pretty good, Higgins.
How long have you been standing there? About 16 bars.
What do you want? l have a favor to ask.
lt's.
lt's a big favor.
But it means a lot to me, and l want you to consider it very sincerely before you answer.
Emily the girl in the accident is being released from the hospital in a couple of days and l want to move her here to the estate.
She can't walk, Higgins.
And she needs therapy and someone to take care of her.
lt's quite all right.
She doesn't have anyone else.
Her parents are dead.
She doesn't have any friends on the island.
She's just all alone.
Magnum, l said it's quite all right.
l'll fix up a room on the first floor so she won't have to worry about stairs.
[clock ticking.]
[crickets chirping.]
Just one question.
Are you doing this to help the young lady or yourself? Both, l guess.
[clock bell tolling.]
l suggest you be careful, Magnum.
Don't get too caught up in all this.
Higgins, the story you were telling me about the British soldier that you shot was that a real one? His name was Roger Thornby.
Just a poor chap who couldn't stand the days of waiting while bombs flew over his head.
And l killed him.
l never forgave myself.
He had a family.
When l returned home, l went to see them.
He had a wife and young Roger, Jr.
l started going to see them every day.
Making sure they had enough to eat.
Doing chores that needed to be done.
l was trying to replace the life l took with my own.
Well, that's understandable.
Quite.
Or so l thought at the time.
But l eventually came to realize that l was doing it more for myself than for them.
l became more of a burden than a help.
A reminder.
A painful reminder.
So, finally l left and never saw them again.
l continued to send what money l could.
And only stopped a few years ago when Thornby's son finished university.
l'm going where? Robin Masters' estate.
That way l can be sure you're taken care of and help you with your therapy.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
What's the matter? l hardly know you.
l mean, what if you're some weirdo and you take me to this creepy old estate and turn me into your prisoner or slave? Emily, l think you've been watching too much television.
You're going to live in the main house with this nurse we hired and Higgins.
l live in the guest house.
Who's this Higgins guy? Well, he sort of runs the place.
He's a nice guy.
Well, l mean, sometimes he yells too much, but, well see he and l have had our differences, but basically.
The important thing is that he's always gracious to his guests.
You'll like him.
Let me see your face.
What? l'm a face interpreter.
lt's sort of a hobby.
l can see if someone's telling the truth.
Come here.
This used to drive them crazy at Ruby's Beauty Emporium.
l'll bet.
Okay, you're telling the truth.
(Magnum) Here we are.
Look at this car.
l could die.
l could really die.
There we go.
Now, be careful.
ls an estate the same as a mansion? Kinda.
Watch it.
There you are.
You comfortable? You bet.
Good.
Thank you.
Thanks.
l guess your car was totaled, huh? My car? Oh, that wasn't my car.
l borrowed it from a neighbor.
lt's a good thing he had insurance.
[giggling.]
(man) Come on, man, move it! Get that thing outta the way! Get it out of here! Can we get out now? The doctor said one hour of exercise in warm water.
l think he meant in a Jacuzzi.
Aren't there sharks in here? No.
l was really bored one day, so l watched a documentary.
lt was about how sharks are attracted to certain kind of movements and Thomas, l'm moving just like a wounded seal.
Well l don't think the sharks around Oahu are used to seeing any kind of seals.
Besides, there's a great, big reef out there.
And this tidal pool was built a long time ago to keep sharks out and sea turtles in.
The local people used to raise them for food in here.
Thomas.
What? You got a girlfriend or anything? No.
Well, don't give up women on my account.
lt's not right you spending all your time with me just 'cause you feel sorry for me.
l don't feel sorry for you.
l like spending time with you.
You think l'll ever walk again? Sure.
No, l mean really-deep-down- in-your-heart believe? And l want your face for this one.
Oh, come on, Emily.
Let me have it.
l told you l believe you'd walk again.
l want the truth.
l think you've had enough therapy for one day.
Thomas.
l really believe you'll walk again.
l see hope.
Lots of it.
But you have your doubts.
Come in, you two! Lunch is ready! lt's all right, Thomas.
Hope's good enough.
All right, let's go.
Here we go.
You really didn't have to go to all this trouble, Mr.
Higgins.
Thomas and l could have picked up some burger and fries on the way to the hospital.
Burgers and fries are hardly satisfactory nutrition for someone who's recuperating.
How do you really feel about me being here, Mr.
Higgins? Well, it certainly cuts the sting out of having to live with Magnum.
Does that mean you don't mind? Yes.
Come here.
What? She wants to read your face.
l beg your pardon? lt's kind of like a lie detector, and she's pretty good at it.
My God.
Thanks, Mr.
Higgins.
l just wanted to make sure l wasn't a burden on anyone.
[tires screeching.]
Emily, get down.
What's happening? Just stay down and hold on.
[radiator hissing.]
(Higgins) It wasn't your fault.
Look, l appreciate what you're trying to do, Higgins, but you don't understand.
You couldn't possibly have known they were after you.
That's not the point.
The point is that, no matter what you say or what l say, if l hadn't lost my temper that girl wouldn't be sitting in a room right now watching TV from a wheelchair.
[intercom buzzes.]
Yes? (Carol) Thomas? Come on in, Carol.
Magnum, your attitude is admirable, but perhaps ill-considered.
Be that as it may, the point is two men are trying to kill you.
You don't do yourself or Emily any good if you don't protect yourself.
You must consider keeping a gun with you.
l put that away.
l got here as soon as l could.
You got the pictures? lt's nice to see you, too, Thomas.
How are you, Jonathan? This just keeps bugging me.
Why do these guys take a shot at me just because l took some pictures of them? Camera shy? Very funny.
Perhaps you photographed something they don't want seen.
(Carol) Like what? Maybe this is something.
There's a logo on the briefcase.
And some initials.
Y.
K.
May l see it? That's the logo of the lkeguchi Corporation.
A Japanese electronics firm.
Yoshio Kawatormari.
What? Y.
K.
He's the vice president of the lkeguchi Corporation.
At least he was until he turned up dead here two weeks ago.
And the Kiedash brothers inherited his briefcase.
He must have been buying computer secrets from the brothers and the deal went sour and they killed him.
That's why they're after you.
l gotta get these to the police.
l'll walk you to the door.
Carol.
Hmm? About the last few days.
Oh no, l deserved it.
l was wrong.
lt was my-- No, l was upset and l'm afraid l took it out on you.
No, l should have given you more information, l was wrong.
lt was my-- Carol, please? Could you at least let me apologize? Do you always have to have the last word? Me? Yes.
Do you know that you-- l accept your apology, Thomas.
Thank you.
But it really was my fault.
Good night.
(Emily) Thomas.
Emily.
What are you doing up? l'm worried about you.
Especially after what happened this afternoon.
This is what l do for a living.
lf you're thinking about going after those guys because of what happened to me.
Don't, please.
l don't want revenge.
l'm out of it.
The police are gonna handle it.
Now, you better get to bed.
We got a lot of work to do tomorrow.
Give me your face, Thomas.
Emily.
Please, l really need to see it.
Thomas, how do you really feel about me? l like you.
Could you ever l mean, if all this hadn't happened and we had met somewhere else, do you think you would have wanted to spend time with me? Sure.
Thanks, Thomas, for everything.
Right, l'll see you tomorrow morning, eight o'clock.
Feeding time for the sharks, right? Right.
Good night.
Morning, Higgins.
She's gone.
She left at six this morning.
What? How? l helped the taxi driver lift her into the car.
And you didn't tell me? She asked me not to.
Actually, begged would be a better description.
Magnum, wait.
Don't go after her.
You had no right.
l think she left because she's in love with you and feared you didn't feel the same way.
Did she say that? No, l just presumed from what she said-- Don't presume, Higgins.
You can't replace what Emily has lost with your life.
She has to go out on her own now.
Think of Emily, Magnum, not yourself.
(Magnum) I guess nobody likes to think of themselves as selfish or self-centered.
I know, ever since the accident, I believed I was only concerned about Emily.
But what Higgins had said brought the truth home to me.
I'd been thinking only about myself.
I hadn't even bothered to ask Emily where she lived.
She lives on Waiaka Road.
You work fast.
l found out this morning.
Along with some other information.
The car that Emily was driving when she had the accident.
Yeah? She borrowed it from the Kiedash brothers.
(Magnum) My dad once told me there's a connection between people called trust.
That no matter how bad things get you can count on that connection to pull you through.
What he didn't tell me was that when someone you care about lies to you that connection is very painfully broken.
I didn't want to lose that connection with Emily.
I was ready to accept almost any explanation from her.
Until I saw how complete her lie really was.
You could walk all along, couldn't you? So, big deal.
A lot of people do.
You lied to me.
Sorry.
That's not good enough.
Well, it'll have to do.
l don't have to justify anything to you.
l mean, what do you know, anyway? You ever eat in soup kitchens, sleep in bus stations? No.
You sleep in a big estate and you eat fancy foods with names nobody can even say.
So just leave me alone.
This isn't you.
Yeah, well, then who is it? Emily.
Look at me! Look at me! They beat you up.
Don't you get it? They were after me, not you.
They would've killed me, except they need me to get to you.
What are you talking about? They wanted me to call you at six.
Tell you l was in trouble.
When you came they were gonna be here waiting for you.
So where were you going? To the police station, then the airport.
l thought l'd come clean with the cops and get the hell out of this paradise.
Where are they? l don't know.
The hell you don't.
You were working for them.
l just ran errands.
l was just lookout once in a while.
Where are they? l don't want to tell you, okay? You'll get hurt.
Just let the police handle it.
There's no time for that.
Look, Emily.
They're gonna kill you, too, and l am not gonna let that happen.
Where are they? Thomas.
You may find this hard to understand, but no guy ever treated me like you did.
You took care of me.
You answered my dumb questions without making fun.
God, you have the best face l ever read.
l didn't lie to you.
l didn't get the feeling back in my legs until we got to the estate.
l was just so afraid.
lf you thought that l was getting better that you would you'd send me away.
l'd never see you again.
Oh, Emily.
l mean, if you got better l wouldn't stop caring for you.
l'd still be your friend.
You believe me? l do.
Where are they? (Magnum) A person makes a 100 decisions every day.
Some you think about, some you don't.
And then there's the one you agonize over.
[cocking.]
[man laughing.]
(Jimmy) Do what l tell you, or something.
But she didn't do it.
So l belted her again.
[man laughing.]
Guys, get down.
Jim.
Mark! Hey! [yelling.]
[speaking in Cantonese.]
[groaning.]
Come on, let's get out of here! [clanging.]
[birds chirping.]
Thanks, Mr.
Higgins, for everything.
l'm gonna miss you.
And l you.
And as soon as you finish writing your memoirs, send me a copy.
Just can't get enough of those stories.
l'll send you Magnum's copy.
Good-bye.
You're really lucky to have a friend like that.
l saw on this soap once where this guy-- You're gonna miss your plane.
Yeah, l guess l'm stalling.
You know, there's no reason why you can't stay.
No, l don't belong here.
Michigan's my home, back at Ruby's Beauty Emporium.
Hawaii may be a paradise for most people, but for me it was just a nightmare.
Except for meeting you.
[groaning.]
l'll never forget you, Thomas.
And l'll write you every day.
Let me see your face.
What? Come on, hand it over.
l see good intentions.
Lots of them.
But only two letters.
And an occasional card at Christmas.
You leave the face readings to me, okay?
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