Starsky and Hutch (1975) s01e16 Episode Script

This is Zebra 3.
Request code seven at Dody's, 12th and Willow.
They make terrific hamburgers.
You know, you were right about these hamburgers.
- They are terrific.
- Yeah.
- You all right? - Yeah, I'm fine.
It's that tooth again, isn't it? You know something? You ought to be a detec - No, no, no.
Don't open your mouth.
- Why? You talk, you let the cold air in.
It aggravates the cavity.
Good evening, Mr.
White.
- Good evening, Mr.
White.
- What's Vic Rankin doing here? He said he had to see you.
Well, Toby asked him to sit in for a couple of numbers.
People seem to like it, so I let him play.
Get rid of him.
Mr.
White.
It might not be that easy.
He's pretty wound up.
I think he wants that money.
I said, get rid of him.
How about that! Out of sight.
Hey, man, you're still the greatest.
- Thanks, Toby.
- You got time to give us another? No, I'd like to, but I gotta see your boss about something.
Well, how do you follow that, huh? Guess I'll lay down a couple of yards of "Autumn Leaves" for you.
I hate to see good liquor go to waste.
Where's White? Sorry, Vic, I'm afraid Mr.
White ain't gonna have the time to see you tonight after all.
So go home, huh? Look, he's gonna have to make time.
He owes me $2000! Take a hint, Vic.
Get out of here while all your fingers are still in one piece.
Look, I worked for him for five weeks.
He never paid me.
I need that money.
- I don't want to tell it to you again.
- All right, all right, all right.
Next time, don't wait for me to tell you.
I don't want that bum around here.
Okay.
Mr.
White can you come out a minute and have a talk to Murray? Foote, I have other things to do.
Can't you handle it? Well, it's the cash register.
The tapes, they're are all messed up again.
All right.
I'll be out.
Okay.
Zebra 3, come in, please.
Zebra 3 here.
Over.
Have your pickle? Investigate a woman screaming at 211 S.
Barclay St.
Possible assault in progress.
- You all right to drive? - Yeah, I'm fine.
Now, Starsky, you know, sooner or later you're gonna have to do business with the tooth fairy.
How many times do I have to tell you? I don't know where he is.
I tried to warn your husband, Mrs.
Rankin.
No money in there.
Let's get out of here.
I better not find out you're lying to me, Mrs.
Rankin.
Have a good day.
- 259PCE.
- No, B.
- E.
- B.
It's E.
It's B.
Vic Rankin.
I used to buy his records when I was in high school.
- Are you related? - He's my husband.
Excuse me, Mrs.
Rankin.
Here you go.
Excuse me, have you got any whiskey? That's refreshing a cop who drinks on duty.
No, you don't understand.
I got a toothache.
Shucks.
Okay, Mrs.
Rankin.
What happened to your husband? Well, at the risk of shocking you Detective Hutchinson, the truth of the matter is that your high-school hero is trying to kill himself.
But he doesn't have the guts to do it all at once so he just does it an inch at a time.
Because my husband is a compulsive gambler and he just fell off the wagon so to speak, a couple of days ago.
So he's in some kind of trouble, huh? And that's what this is all about.
When Vic is gambling, he's always in some sort of trouble.
- Tonight, they say he stole $2000.
- Who is "they"? Gil White, he He's got a jazz club called GW's and Vic played there I don't know, about six months ago, but he never got paid for it.
So apparently he just broke into White's office tonight and took what he thought he had coming.
Mrs.
Rankin Vic worked for White six months ago.
How come he waited this long to collect his money? Why else? He heard about a big poker game tonight and he needed a stake and he had to steal that money.
Hi.
I'm Olivia.
Anything I can do for you? - Yeah, we'd like to see Mr.
White.
- I'll see if he's in.
Did anyone ever tell you you're as cute as a teddy bear? Follow me.
Can't help it.
Mr.
White says he'll be happy to see you now.
Oh, thank you.
- Mr.
White.
- Gentlemen.
Olivia tells me you're cops.
- That's right.
- Is there some sort of beef? Well, we thought you could tell us.
We just came from Evelyn Rankin's apartment.
Oh, yeah.
I'm sorry about that.
I heard my boys got a little rough.
I was just going to phone her and apologise.
That's it? You have a lady all busted up, and you're just gonna apologise? She file a complaint? If it'll make you feel any better, I'll offer to pay for damages.
What about the $2000 stolen from you tonight? If you want to file a complaint, we're police officers.
No, there's no need for that.
I'm afraid tempers got pretty hot earlier on.
Wait a second.
You telling us that Rankin didn't steal any money? That's right.
Not a nickel.
Let's just say what happened tonight was a disagreement among old friends.
How quaint.
- Lf that's all, gentlemen - Yeah, that's all.
Thanks a lot.
- Man, that is weird.
- It is? - No.
- Oh, yeah.
- Well? - Well, what? Well, what do you want to do? Well there can't be that many big poker games in town.
Yes, Mr.
White? Those two guys who just left are cops.
You and Lemke hit the streets.
I don't care what it costs, find Rankin and put him away.
This time for good.
Yes, Mr.
White.
Poker's sure getting popular.
That's the third big game, and still no Rankin.
- I need chips.
- That's what I'm here for.
A thousand.
I call.
I call and I raise you another 500.
- I'm out.
- Too much for me.
Pass.
Five hundred more to you, Rankin.
- What, you got a bad memory? - No, what's that supposed to mean? Can't you remember you got an ace buried? We ought to bury him.
This stuff he's been giving us all night is counterfeit.
- What are you talking about? - The creep's a rip-off artist.
Now, wait a minute.
I didn't I think he's killed him.
You're sure it was Rankin? - Yeah.
- He's still alive.
Okay.
Who started this whole fight? Rankin, all the way.
We caught him playing with queer.
- With who? Oh, counterfeit.
- Yeah.
He bought in with counterfeit 20s.
Yeah, see for yourself.
That was his.
It's pretty good paper, Starsk.
About how much money was here? Oh, it's all his.
It's exactly $2000.
- Would you excuse us for a minute? - Certainly.
Starsky.
Remember that flyer sent by the Treasury Department? Oh, yeah.
They said there was a rumble that somebody was Somebody was gonna dump about a million in cash on the street.
Right.
Suddenly, a lot of things are starting to make sense.
Listen, would you excuse us for a minute? Like why White would send over thugs to Rankin's apartment to look for money he told us was never stolen.
Are you starting to get a bad feeling? - Oh, this is private.
- Good.
If Rankin got the money from White, then he can put White in prison which means White has a good reason to kill him.
Who is it? - It's me, Foote.
- Come in.
We covered the streets.
Now, Rankin doesn't have that many friends.
If he turns up, we'll find him.
The people in St.
Louis are very unhappy with us for letting that $2000 get out before they were ready.
We'll get Rankin, Mr.
White.
You can count on this.
I have to get this to a safe place.
After that, I'll be back here.
Oh, Foote don't make me wait too long to hear from you.
You know, that is really funny.
I mean, Vic is in trouble and you two hotshots come in here asking for help.
Look, lady, we don't have a lot of time.
So we just thought that maybe as his loyal, loving wife you might care whether he was killed or not.
Now, don't you ever talk to me about loyalty again.
And don't come in here with any cheap shots like that not until you have lived with him for 12 years.
Not until you have pulled him up out of the gutter and nursed him back to health because he has stolen somebody's money.
Look, Mrs.
Rankin, I don't think that you quite understand the situation.
Now, if we are right Mr.
White is going to try to kill your husband.
Then let it be over with.
Because I can't I can't pick up the pieces not anymore.
Twelve years is long enough to ride any losing streak.
Mrs.
Rankin where would he go? Does he have any friends? You have not been listening to anything I have said to you, have you? He does not have any more friends.
They are all gone! - Hello? - Evelyn, it's me.
- Oh, Vic.
Where are you? - I'm in trouble, honey.
I know.
The police are here, and they say you shot a man.
- The police? Don't tell them anything.
- No, Vic, listen.
You have to give yourself up because the man you shot is gonna be all right but you're in danger.
Vic? Hello, Vic, this is Detective Hutchinson.
We want to help you.
Oh, no.
- Mrs.
Rankin.
- He sounded so scared.
Yes.
Mrs.
Rankin, there has got to be somebody that he would go to.
- Belinda Williams.
- Belinda Williams? She used to sing with Vic a few years ago.
Do you have any idea where we may find this Belinda Williams? I don't know, but Vic might because oh, about seven or eight years ago she got pretty heavy into drugs, and she doesn't sing anymore.
I guess she just makes her living any way she can.
Starsk, this is Belinda.
- Belinda.
- Who is it? Belinda, it's me, Vic.
Vic Rankin.
- Belinda? - Okay, okay, I'm coming.
Well, what are you looking at? What'd you expect? Nothing.
You look fine, Belinda.
How did we end up like this? Belinda, look, I'm in trouble.
I need a place to hide.
Still trying to fill an inside straight, huh? I shot a man.
The police are after me.
I just need a place to rest and think.
I haven't slept all night.
Sure.
It's not much, but you're welcome to it.
Thanks.
Sure.
Vic, I'm kind of strung-out.
You wouldn't have any bread on you, would you? No, I'm all tapped out.
Funny money? No, I haven't heard a whisper.
It could be important, Huggy.
What are you gonna do when you find all that bogus bread? Buy yourself a dental clinic? You're hilarious.
Anyone ever tell you that? My cousin Elijah, he always used to say: "Be true to your teeth, and they'll never be false to you.
" Hey, this lovely could be your connection to Belinda Williams.
Hey, Orange.
Huggy Bear, I heard you wanted to see me.
Yeah, I'd like you to meet a couple of friends.
Starsky.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Sorry.
- Hutch.
- How do you do? - Hi.
- This is my dog, Sandy.
Hey, love, I'd like to ask you a question.
All right.
Goodbye.
I didn't know Little Orphan Annie was still around.
Yeah, she's developed.
Rooming house over near the docks, - Thanks.
- Thanks, Hug.
See you later.
Hello.
- Mr.
White? - Yes.
This is Belinda Williams.
I talked to your man, Foote, last night.
He said you'd give me $100 for Vic Rankin.
Here it is.
You turned me in! It's not what you think.
I needed a fix.
- How do you get out? - There's no other way - There's no other way to get out? - No, no! Hold it.
Police.
Don't shoot.
Don't shoot.
That was foolish.
Yeah, Detective Starsky here.
Yeah, I want a black-and-white at 211 Farrington St.
Yes, right away.
I lost him.
Meet the Queen of the May.
Who's the goon? That was Ernie Lemke.
Three guesses where he works.
- Garth White's Jazz Club.
- You got it.
I wonder who told White's people that Rankin was here? You needed a fix pretty bad, huh, Belinda? What would you know about it? Well, I know that you were a friend of Vic Rankin's and that, probably, he came here for some help.
So what? What's Vic to me? He's just some guy who used to play the piano.
I could have gotten $100 for him.
You have any idea where he might have run to? No.
He couldn't have gotten far.
He's wounded.
How badly? I don't know.
I don't know.
Look I didn't want to sell him, but, I mean, what else could I do, you know? Now that he's gone, what am I gonna do? That's a good question.
Go on, Belinda, die a little.
With Lemke working at the jazz club I'd say that gives us cause to search the place, don't you? Yeah, maybe we'll find his curly-headed friend.
If we get lucky, maybe we'll find something else too.
Get the sneaky feeling friend White is here? Take a break, huh? Hey, he works slow enough as it is.
What do you think you're doing? You guys got a warrant? We don't need a warrant.
We're looking for an armed and dangerous felon known to frequent this joint.
And you think he's hiding in there? Well, you never can tell about these criminal types.
Damn clever, some of them.
All right, wise guys.
I'm easy to live with.
What's the problem? - A goon named Ernie Lemke.
- Oh, you're looking for little Ernie? We've got little Ernie.
The guy we're looking for is the curly head who runs with him.
Hey, hey, that's my private office.
You got no business in there.
You never can be too sure, you know.
If we'd had our way we would've busted in the other night after that card game was over.
We'd still have had a pretty good chance of finding counterfeit money around here.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Oh, I'm sure you don't.
Any more than you know about Lemke and his pal trying to kill Vic Rankin.
- They tried to kill Rankin? - Worse than that.
They missed.
Well, I assure you, I had nothing to do with that.
I know that Rankin has owed Lemke some money but I had no idea it would come to this.
You know something? When you lie, the hairs on the back of your neck curl up.
You sweat, White.
Because after we've got Rankin, we're coming back for you.
Well, so much for this terrific idea, huh? You'd have thought that he'd move by now.
Well, maybe he has.
- Such a thing as telephones, you know.
- Oh, yeah.
Yeah, but who's White gonna call? Lemke's in jail, and his curly-headed friend's on the run.
Maybe his curly-headed friend will call White and when he does, White will make a move, probably to meet him.
- Clever, huh? - Yeah.
Bet you're dying to know how I figured that one out.
Starsk, why don't you give it up? The tooth isn't going to fix itself.
- Stranger things have happened.
- No, they haven't.
Zebra 3, come in, please.
Zebra 3 here.
Over.
See the man on the corner of Marshall and Chandler regarding the purchase of a dental clinic.
Dental clinic? How are we gonna keep an eye on White if we have to meet Huggy? Hey, remember those jewellery robberies last year? No.
Oh - The one where we staked out the four - No, three people.
- At three locations.
- No, four locations.
No, four different people at three locations.
Three people at four locations.
- All at the same time.
- That's what I said.
- Hey, buddy.
- Who, me? - Yeah.
You want to make 20 bucks? - What you got in mind? - See that Rolls-Royce over there? - Yeah.
- The one with a flat tire.
- That ain't got no flat tire.
- It does now.
- Yeah.
You're a cop! Look, when the guy comes out to fix that tire I want you to call me.
Yeah.
You won't forget to bring the other half when you come by? If it's all the same to you, I'll mail it to you, okay? Okay.
Right there.
All right, mama, work it.
Hey, you folks sure take your time about getting to a place.
Then again, Starsky, you didn't have to rush so fast and get your clothes wet.
That's very funny, Hug.
Take a powder, Pepper.
Get me a coffee, black with sugar, okay? What do you fellas think of my latest enterprise? She could shake up any market, couldn't she? And gives the best spit-shine in town.
Yeah.
Hey, you got something for us, Hug? I'm not sure.
Got something, maybe nothing.
You guys know a cat named Spaceman Sam? Spaceman Sam Carter.
Yeah, he used to play drums for Rankin.
He did time too, didn't he? And worked in the hospital as an orderly.
Yeah.
- And Rankin contacted him? - I'm not sure, but somebody tried.
Left messages at two or three different places.
Said the man who needed him was hurt and that Spaceman should remember the carnival.
Carnival? The Mardi Gras Ballroom.
About 12 years ago Rankin used to play there you know, when he was very hot.
Thanks.
See you, Hug.
Hurry, hurry.
I bet that's his car.
- I got blood.
- I got blood here too.
After you.
Vic Rankin? Vic? Police.
We wanna help you.
- I'll take the stairs over there.
- Okay.
Rankin? Starsk.
- Ambulance.
- Right.
That man I shot, you're sure he'll be all right? He's gonna pull through.
I've done a lot of stupid things but I've never done anything like this before.
Counterfeit money.
I've really made a fool of myself this time.
Now, look, I'm ready to make any statement you want tell you anything I can but I'd appreciate it if I could see my wife.
Has anybody called Evelyn? Vic Has anything happened to Evelyn? She was forcibly taken from her apartment about an hour ago.
Oh, my God.
If I talk now, they'll kill her.
The fact of the matter is, Vic that White doesn't even know you're in custody.
He's passed the word on the street that he wants to make a trade.
My life for hers, huh? That's right.
We'll do everything we can to protect you, Vic but at best, it's a long shot.
Well, haven't you heard? Those are my favourite odds.
All right, what do you want me to do? - Mr.
White? - Yeah.
Vic Rankin sent me to talk about a trade.
Come on in.
I've never been so scared in my life.
Do what we told you, chances are we'll get out of this okay.
Whatever you do, will you watch out for? - Hey, relax.
- Don't worry, huh? - Hey, Hutch.
- What? - You gotta promise me one thing.
- Yeah, name it.
When we get through this don't ever let me talk myself out of it again.
- The dentist? - This thing is killing me.
Starsky, it's your own fault, you know that.
I'm gonna be over at the counter - Hey, here.
- What? You better go around and cover the back.
I will.
Vic? Keep moving to the centre of the floor.
How do I know it's not a trap? Come on, White, you know that's not my style.
All I'm interested in is Evelyn's safety.
Vic, run! Don't worry about me.
Where's curly? I don't know.
Maybe he moved around back.
Do you think we should move? We can't.
She's in the line of fire.
All right, Vic, we're here.
Then let Evelyn go.
- Come on, get out of the way.
- I said, let her go! Vic, I'm not leaving without you.
Please, Evelyn, for me! Come on.
All right, get out of here.
She's on her way out, Vic.
Vic! I'll get him.
Hold it! Police! You're gonna be all right.
Well, looks like I finally won the long shot.
- Yeah, me too.
- What you got there, Starsk? Well, Monsieur White did me a favour: - He kicked me in the jaw.
- Terrific.
You were holding the other side of your face this morning.
Hey, they seem to like him.
He's like a different person.
Yeah.
Oh, hey is he going to those Gamblers Anonymous meetings like the judge said? Yes, officer.
You know, I think he's really gonna make it this time.
But listen, guys, no kidding, thank you for getting him this job.
It wasn't easy, you know.
What I'm trying to figure out is, does she keep that dog for protection or companionship? Starsky, shut up.
Listen.