I hit a cop?
Let me out of here.
Not until you tell me what you're running from.
Warren is a brilliant chess player.
He's a turkey.
Warren Weeks? That don't seem possible.
What are you doing?
It's called Grand Theft Auto.
(SIREN WAILING)
Warren, will you stop the car?
Cuff them both.
Oh, come on, Dennis. Why me?
I've been rousted by the cops,
by a couple of ex-Harvard hot dogs.
Jim, Warren just called. You've got to stop him!
(PHONE RINGING)
ROCKFORD ON ANSWERING MACHINE.. This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS)
PHIL.. Jimmy, it's PhiI in Puerto Rico.
This is real important.
(STATIC CRACKLING) ...he'll pay $20,000.
(STATIC CRACKLING) Call him at 221-6228.
MAN: This is it, Bonner.
(GAMBLING MACHINES CLANGING)
Jim?
Hi, Warren. What are you doing down here?
Rocky told me where to find you.
Thought you only played the flute.
Oh, no. That's on Tuesday night.
(SIGHING)
You don't want to play anymore?
How about you, Warren? You want to play?
You know, I tried to reach Beth, but I can't find her anywhere.
Maybe you're looking in the wrong places.
I have to talk to someone.
(SIGHING)
Has it occurred to you to leave a message with her answering service?
You see, Jim, this is important.
Okay, Warren, what is it?
Well, we can't talk here.
Why not?
Because I'm in trouble. I... I'm in bad trouble.
Maybe we should go to your place. It's probably safe there.
Safe from what?
They're looking for me.
That doesn't exactly pin it down, Warren.
Warren?
Oh, how did they find me?
Who are those two apes?
Hey, what are you into?
Weeks. No!
Hold it!
You drive very well. Thanks.
Who did I hit?
I wonder if I've done the right thing.
Maybe I should have gone down to the station with them and answered their questions.
I hit a cop?
Why'd you let me do that? What's the matter with you?
Well, I guess I panicked.
Yeah. Well, I know the feeling. I got it right now.
It was the shock of hearing it that way. I mean, over the radio.
Wanted for questioning.
I mean, I've never even had a moving violation.
Why do the police want you?
(SIGHS)
Robert Bonner was killed tonight.
Bonner, he's the Vice President at Lefcourt Electronics.
Bob and I had an argument today. It was nothing serious.
I just lost my temper, that's all.
And then his secretary gave out a statement
that made it sound as if I killed him.
But don't worry, Jim.
I mean, I know that I can straighten this whole thing out.
Hmm.
Assault on a police officer, flight to avoid arrest.
Flight to avoid what arrest?
Hey, I thought I was getting away from a couple of gunslingers.
I wasn't wanted for anything.
You would have been if you'd stuck around for a few minutes.
Chapman, I came in here on my own to iron this thing out.
Now I brought Weeks in with me.
I didn't have to do that.
And what am I supposed to do?
Give you brownie points because you're trying to keep your butt out of a sling?
Book him.
Well now, wait a minute. I didn't know they were cops.
A couple a guys walk in, I never saw them before,
they look like a couple of goons.
They did not identify themselves as police officers.
Now you go ahead. Ask them.
They didn't identify themselves
because you didn't give them a chance to. You just fell on them.
And that's gonna cost you your license.
The hell it is.
You've been asking for this for a long time, haven't you?
I mean, I heard about you while I was still down at Wilshire division.
You got a big smart mouth, with contempt for the law,
and the people who try to enforce it.
Not all of them, Lieutenant.
(CHUCKLES)
Book him. Book him. Book him. Book him!
Get him out of here!
Did I ever sue?
Ought to sue them for false arrest.
The important thing is that you're out.
No, Beth. The important thing is
I never should have been in.
Jim. Oh, Jim. Gee, I'm sorry.
I tried to get you out last night.
Do you know they kept telling me that you were being held on suspicion?
They didn't hold you?
Oh, no, no. I explained everything.
They don't have a case against me.
Warren, would you mind if I spoke with Jim just for a couple of minutes?
Oh, no. Of course not. And then we could have lunch together. Okay?
Oh, I can hardly wait.
The last time we had lunch
he spent 45 minutes on the Steinitz Gambit
and how Strogovitch electrified the chess world
in the 1960 Leningrad championship.
Warren is a brilliant chess player.
He's a turkey.
He's my cousin.
Jim, he doesn't realize the trouble he's in.
I'm the one who spent the night on the county bed.
And everybody has apologized.
Now will you listen to me?
The cops don't have a case against him,
but they're trying to build one.
There was no eyewitness, no murder weapon.
They did find Warren's lighter next to Bonner's body.
Well, maybe he killed him.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
He couldn't have dropped his lighter there.
He doesn't even park anywhere near Bonner.
He parks on the next level up.
Somebody's trying to set him up.
Yeah.
Well, the cops let him go, Beth.
And told him not to leave town.
Whoever killed Bonner must be somebody who's in the company,
somebody who knows about the argument between Warren and Bonner.
They used it to make him the patsy.
Well, what did he do? Hit Bonner with his flute?
It wasn't a fight, it was an argument.
Warren asked Bonner to help him try to find a job.
He has one.
Yeah. Well, Lefcourt fired him yesterday.
Jim, somebody planted that lighter.
How do we find out what else they phonied up?
Oh, well, the cops'll talk to everybody at the company.
And ask them all the wrong questions.
You could ask the right ones.
They haven't charged him, Beth.
And I'm not gonna interfere with an active police investigation. Uh-uh.
Jim? No, Beth.
Please?
You know, my next attorney is gonna be a foundling,
someone with no known living relatives.
My business manager handles my personal tax returns, Mr. Taggart.
If the IRS is conducting an audit, maybe...
The IRS?
Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Lefcourt.
Maybe your secretary misunderstood me.
Oh. Here.
Department of Human Resources?
Isn't that the unemployment office?
Oh, well, we prefer to call it
the Department of Human Resources.
I'm attached to Executive Reassignment.
That's a new program. Well, not exactly new.
I mean, we initiated that just shortly after the economic slump.
You know, most people think we deal only in
punch press operators and shoe salesmen.
But we have a really marvelous department
dealing solely on the executive level.
Get out of here.
I beg your pardon.
A lot of people try to force their way into my office,
for one reason or another,
but nobody has ever tried anything as patently absurd as that story.
The Department of Human Resources
does not have field representatives
to find jobs for their clientele.
Sunnyvale Employment does.
Oh, you thought I meant the government agency.
No, no, no, no, no. We're a private concern.
Yeah. No, the only thing we have in common is that
we're in the same business.
Well, we did kind of borrow
the Department of Human Resources tag.
But it gives it more dignity. Don't you think?
Personnel is on the third floor.
Yeah, but personnel can't give me
the insight that I'll need, or the entrée.
No, I want to talk to all the people that Mr. Weeks worked with
on a day-to-day basis.
Warren Weeks gave me as a reference? Well, yes.
He was employed by Lefcourt Electronics for better than eight years.
And he was fired in eight minutes.
Yes. And I wonder if you could...
And believe me, this is confidential.
Could you tell me why you fired him?
I didn't.
But Mr. Weeks said... This is a multi-nationaI corporation, Mr. Taggart.
I have neither the time nor the inclination for hiring and firing.
I pay people to do that sort of thing.
Who did fire him?
Robert Bonner.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment.
(BUZZER SOUNDING)
Yes?
WOMAN ON INTERCOM.. Mr. Lefcourt, Senator Claremont on line one.
He's calling from Washington.
I'm out.
But, Mr. Lefcourt, he says it's urgent.
He's called three times.
I'm out!
Any information you want on Mr. Weeks you can get from personnel.
His record speaks for itself.
Good day, Mr. Taggart.
Mr. Taggart?
Well, at least Chapman let you out.
Malicious mischief. What kind of charge is that?
Suppose it was the best he could come up with.
You're my attorney, Beth.
You're supposed to get me out of trouble, not get me into it.
Now, I'm not gonna help Warren by hanging myself.
Then who is gonna help him?
Well, he's not exactly on death row.
He hasn't even been charged. I have.
Warren says Perry Lefcourt fired him.
Perry Lefcourt says it was Robert Bonner.
Now, why would Warren lie about who fired him?
I'm out of it, Beth. Just ask Warren.
You don't like him.
That's it, isn't it?
I'm just crazy about him, Beth.
He has an IQ of a 158
and you just dismiss him.
You make fun of him because he plays the flute.
Now what's funny about playing the flute?
He talks about it all the time.
Well, you talk about fishing all the time.
And the Rams.
Mr. Rockford?
Todd Alcott.
May I have a moment of your time?
Oh, I've had a bad day. I don't think so.
You could save us all a lot of time
if you'd just come down to the Federal Building and answer a few questions.
This is an official request on behalf of your federal government.
I've just dealt with an official request
on behalf of my local police department,
and I'm tired of answering questions.
You're not being very cooperative.
Why should I cooperate?
We're conducting an investigation.
I'm not at liberty to deal in specifics at this time.
Who is he? Your local boy scout?
When you are, give me a call.
Suit yourself. You can expect a grand jury subpoena.
If I agree to the questions,
may I have an attorney present?
You're entitled to have an attorney present during questioning,
but it isn't really necessary.
You mind if I'm the judge of that?
ROCKFORD: My lawyer's not at home,
and she's not back in her office yet.
Self-incrimination isn't to our advantage. Information is.
However, if you want to wait...
No, I don't.
Your name is James Rockford? Mmm-hmm.
A verbal response, please.
My name is James Rockford.
You reside at 29 Cove Road, Malibu, California?
Yeah, and you're gonna have to come up with
something more provocative to hold my interest.
What do you know about Bolivia?
Coffee? Juan Valdez?
Uh, no. No, that's Columbia. Sorry.
We're serious, Mr. Rockford.
So am I.
All right. Let's try something else.
What do you know about General Miguelito Varga Lopez?
I've never heard of him.
You have heard of Warren Weeks.
Oh, well.
Look, if this has anything to do with Warren,
it has nothing to do with me.
I don't believe that.
Well, I'm not surprised. I keep saying it and nobody pays any attention.
We happen to have it on good authority...
What authority? The cops? Perry Lefcourt?
I know Daddy Warbucks has a lot of clout.
Did he set you two federal types in motion?
You're not at liberty to say, huh?
Okay.
It looks like you better get that subpoena.
(PHONE RINGING)
Oh, hey, excuse me, a minute, pal.
I'm with HUD down at the end of the hall and I've got a complaint.
I'm sorry, but do you realize
that there are never any paper towels in that men's room?
I've never noticed it.
Yeah. Well, that's probably because you don't have to
walk all the way down to your office
and dry your hands on typing paper.
But it's the tenants in 244. I've seen them.
I mean, those guys use paper towels like they're going out of style.
No. There's no tenants in 244.
244 is empty. Oh, sure.
Sure. There's two guys. Two lawyer types.
Oh, those two guys. Oh, no, no.
They don't work in the building.
But I heard they were sent down from Washington, temporarily.
Yeah. Well, who are they?
I've tried to talk to them. They're not overly friendly.
Yeah. They don't have to be.
Hey, I don't know who those two guys are,
but they got some kind of clout.
We're not even supposed to clean out office 244 after dark.
As if I give a hoot about what the Congress is up to.
Hey, Congress?
I mean, they act like cops.
Hey, listen, mister, I don't know about you,
but I'm just a GS3,
and if those guys are down from Capitol Hill,
they can take all the towels they want out of that bathroom
and I could care less.
Well, thank you, anyway.
Mr. Rockford?
They couldn't have gotten one this soon.
I beg your pardon?
Oh, I, uh...
I'm expecting a legal document.
I'm Gareth Hudson.
Vice President of Lefcourt Electronics.
Gareth?
I knew a Gary Hudson once.
He was the fattest kid in the sixth grade.
I understand you're trying to help Warren Weeks.
I want to help him, too. Why?
Because he's my friend.
Perry Lefcourt doesn't run everybody.
It just looks that way on the books.
He doesn't know I'm here.
Warren's in big trouble, and it's going to get worse.
Probably.
The argument that Warren had with Bonner,
it isn't anything that doesn't take place
ten times a day in any company.
It's just that Bonner's secretary got a little hysterical.
She called the police and she talked to the media.
And Lefcourt took it from there.
Oh, look, Mr. Hudson,
there's something I ought to explain to you.
I am no longer involved with Mr. Weeks.
Lefcourt knows Warren was having an affair with his wife, Catherine.
Warren didn't mention it to you?
Well, we're not really that close.
I tried to reach Warren and I couldn't.
It's important for him to realize
that Lefcourt knows about him and Catherine.
If I see him...
He's got to be warned.
I don't know how you fight a man like Perry Lefcourt.
I just want Warren to realize what he's up against.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello.
Hello. Beth, it's Jim.
Oh. Well, if you're calling to apologize...
Apologize?
I've been rousted by the cops,
by a couple of ex-Harvard hot dogs.
Apologize? Then why did you call?
I want to talk to Warren. Do you know where he is?
Well, he's here, but he isn't feeling well.
Well, put him on.
No.
You're upset and you're angry.
Beth, put him on.
Jim? What's the matter?
Warren, what do you know about Bolivia?
Bolivia?
Well, I did a feasibility study there for the company about five months ago.
And you dealt with somebody, a GeneraI something Varga Lopez?
How did you know that?
Well, for some reason the federal government is fascinated by the subject.
Well, I can't imagine why. It was all fairly routine.
I got a feeling it's important.
It's coming straight from Washington.
The grand jury is gonna want to ask us both a lot of questions about it.
Well, there won't be a lot. I can tell them about it.
I did a half a dozen studies just like it in Milan, Hokkaido, Brussels.
You're a real master of indirection, aren't you, Warren?
Well, let me tell you something,
I don't care about Bolivia,
and I don't care who you've been playing house with,
including Mrs. Lefcourt.
Now, wait a minute.
I don't like being hassled.
I got into white water trying to find out who was bad-rapping you,
and you never once mentioned that Perry Lefcourt had a really swell reason
for wanting you out of the way.
You have no right to talk like that.
Catherine is a wonderful woman.
She is bright and she's kind.
Gareth Hudson asked me to warn you about it.
Okay, you've been warned.
Okay. Thank you!
Hey, you, I want to talk to you.
What's the problem, Mr. Lefcourt? Get security.
I don't think we should discuss this in public.
I have nothing to discuss.
You're trying to make it look like I killed Bonner.
You found out about Catherine and me, huh?
And that's why you're doing it?
Okay. I love Catherine,
and I'm gonna ask her to marry me.
I'm sure she'll be deeply moved.
What do you plan to offer her, Warren?
Rag rugs, chintz at the window?
Very romantic and very naive.
Mr. Weeks was just leaving.
Get your hands off me.
This doesn't settle anything.
I am not going to let you get away with this. I'm not!
Hey, I thought you said this morning
you wasn't gonna be able to make lunch.
Is that enough fries for you?
You said you was gonna be helping Warren Weeks.
Let's change the subject, all right, Rocky?
Well, it ain't as though I was butting in on something that don't concern me.
I know him, too, you know?
I said let's not talk about it. All right?
Say, these, these potatoes reaI?
What do you mean reaI?
Well, you know I don't like those ready-made potatoes,
all cold and frozen.
The Galloping Gourmet. Just eat, will you?
Warren Weeks. He always seemed like such a clean-cut boy.
Rocky, I told you I didn't want to talk about it.
Yeah. Well, you're not. I am.
Rocky.
Well, anyway, I'm sure glad whatever trouble he got himself into,
you was able to get him out.
Yeah. Well,
I didn't.
It was that bad?
You couldn't do anything?
I didn't say that. There's nothing I will do.
I walked away from it.
Oh, Jim, he's Beth's cousin.
And that's the only reason I got involved with the yuk in the first place.
He lied to me, he let me belt an officer,
and now he put a federal grand jury on my case,
and I'm spending more time down at Lieutenant Chapman's office
than I am here.
Warren Weeks? That don't seem possible.
Yeah. Well, you always were a sucker for a short haircut.
Warren Weeks.
Will you stop saying that?
(CHUCKLING) Well, I don't know.
He always seemed like such a clean-cut, nice boy.
He always seemed so...
Dull?
Dull. Yeah.
Well, he's making up for it.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Jim, Warren just called. You've got to stop him!
Who is he gonna kill this time?
Oh, don't say things like that.
Look, I know I've got no right to ask you.
I know how much trouble he's caused you, but...
But he's your cousin.
Jim, we know Perry Lefcourt is behind this entire frame,
and Warren is on his way over to his house right now.
That's the worst possible thing he could do.
At least he's consistent.
Oh, try to head him off, will you?
If you left right now you could probably intercept him.
I don't want to intercept him.
Oh, Jim, don't say no.
This is the last time I'll ever ask you to do anything for him.
I promise.
Okay, Beth.
You know something, Rocky.
There's a lot to be said for friendship,
and there's a lot to be said against it.
Wait, wait, wait, wait. What's the problem?
Let me out of here.
Not until you tell me what you're running from.
Jim, I didn't kill Lefcourt. I swear.
He was dead when I got here.
Well, why did you come here at all?
Because there was a message on my answering service
and they said that it was from Lefcourt.
(SIREN WAILING)
How did the police get here so fast?
Cause somebody called them.
Probably the same person that called you.
Well, they're never gonna believe I didn't kill him. What am I gonna do, Jim?
Well, get in the car.
It's gonna be a lot easier on you
if you turn yourself in voluntarily.
Yeah. But what about the police? They're not here yet.
If we stand around talking about it, they will be. Get in!
I left my car down at the bottom of the hill.
Okay.
It's a backup unit.
Must've come in on a Code Two. You better stop, Warren.
Warren, will you stop the car?
(SIREN WAILING)
What's the matter with you, Warren?
There's a wedding here.
Go on. Pull in there. Hang a left.
ROCKFORD: You drive very well.
You also just made me an accessory after the fact!
Thank you.
There's nothing like running amok to straighten things out. Come on.
Come on, buddy, move it! Move it.
Get your hands up.
(PIANO PLAYING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
We're never gonna get out of here.
Do me a favor, Warren, and shut up.
Hey, how are you? Glad to see you. Hi.
Yeah. You seen Herb around?
Herb? Yeah.
Yeah, he said he was looking for a place to hang his coat.
Oh. Well, he'd be in the house in there.
Hey, thank you. We'll get together on that Santa Cruz deal later. Okay?
Yeah, we'll talk about Santa Cruz later.
Bye.
Okay. What?
You didn't come with a coat.
Shh.
They just came in.
Let's get out of here. Okay.
ROCKFORD: There you go. MAN: What kind of car?
Company car.
It was, uh... I'll find it.
I knew you would.
What are you doing?
It's called Grand Theft Auto.
I'm looking at a rap for aiding and abetting, Warren.
You think I'm gonna be worried about a little detaiI like stealing a car, huh?
Hey, Jim, I got you in pretty deep, I know.
I'm sorry.
Well, I'm not interested in sorry.
I'm interested in out from under.
ROCKFORD: Okay.
Now, I'm gonna get Beth. We're going down to the station,
and you're gonna get me off the hook. And that's it.
You think they're going to arrest me?
I hope they throw the book at you. Now, get out.
Jim, what if... The floor is not open to questions, Warren.
Warren!
(KNOCKING AT DOOR)
Hi. Hl, Beth.
Where's Warren? Did you miss him?
Unfortunately, no.
Well, what happened? Is he all right?
The family genius?
Why worry about a guy with an IQ of 185.
His IQ is 158. You wanna bet?
Sergeant Becker, please.
(PHONE RINGING)
Sergeant Becker.
ROCKFORD.. Hey, Dennis. Jim. How you doing?
(SNAPS FINGERS)
Fine, Jimbo. How about you? Fine.
Oh, glad to hear it.
You know, I was just going to give you a call.
I got a little time off.
I thought we might do some fishing.
Maybe you might check with Rocky, see if he wants to...
Sergeant Becker, please.
What was that all about?
Fishing.
Becker. Dennis.
Why did you hang up?
I didn't want the call traced.
Just how much trouble am I in, Dennis?
Oh, well, what are you talking about?
The flight to avoid arrest, Grand Theft Auto,
or that dusty old A and B from yesterday?
I'm talking about the Lefcourt murder.
You want me to tell you how hot you are?
I'll make a deal with you.
Come on in, give me your version,
and I'll have them call off the APB.
An APB, huh? Thanks, Dennis.
Honey, I'm gonna have to borrow your car.
Why?
Because Warren stole the car that I stole.
Could I have your keys?
Oh, Jim, I wish you'd tell me what's going on.
What happened to Warren?
Oh, he's probably getting a flute lesson.
Jim.
Beth, I've tried to help him. You've tried to help him.
I've racked up a dozen felonies,
the LAPD's about to drop a net on me.
I'll get you out of it. I promise.
The only thing that's gonna get me out of it is
if I hand the cops whoever killed Perry Lefcourt.
Thanks for the keys.
(DOOR CLOSING)
Who is it?
I... Excuse me.
I'd like to ask Mrs. Lefcourt a few more questions.
Well, I don't know. She's trying to sleep.
CATHERINE: Hilda, who is it?
It's a policeman, Mrs. Lefcourt.
Yes?
You're Catherine Lefcourt?
That's right. What can I do for you?
I'm sorry to inconvenience you,
and I'm sorry about your husband,
but there are a few questions.
There've been a great many questions.
All right. Come in. Thank you, Hilda.
Now, what would you like to know?
Well, Mrs. Lefcourt,
we are aware of your relationship with Mr. Weeks.
You're aware because I volunteered the information.
Who are you?
Well, I wasn't here when you were questioned earlier,
but in going over this statement...
I was asked if I knew of any reason
why Mr. Weeks might want to kill my husband.
I told the truth.
Well, good. Good.
Most people usually leave something out
when they're talking to the police.
They usually have something at stake,
their peace of mind, their reputation.
My husband was murdered today.
I didn't think this was the appropriate time
to be concerned about my reputation.
Are you sure the murderer was Mr. Weeks?
I never said that.
I didn't accuse Warren.
You placed a motive on him.
Mrs. Lefcourt, the same motive could apply to you
if your husband decided to interfere with your relationship
with Mr. Weeks.
My husband never interfered in my personal affairs.
Is that all?
Well, not quite.
How much will you inherit, Mrs. Lefcourt?
I'll answer any further questions at your headquarters
with my attorney present.
At my headquarters?
I'm not with the police, Mrs. Lefcourt.
Hilda said you...
Hilda jumped to a conclusion.
I'm trying not to do the same thing.
I didn't kill Perry.
What would you think if you were me, Mrs. Lefcourt?
You with all that money
and Warren Weeks, a born patsy.
ROCKFORD: What is this, prune?
Well, it's all I could get.
Hey, listen, sonny. Say, do you think it could be that Mrs. Lefcourt?
I don't know.
Both she and Warren had a motive.
But what about Bonner, huh?
I just don't know, Rocky.
The two murders have to tie together.
Now, that means it's an in-company, high-level play.
Give me the keys to the car.
Here.
Where are you going?
I'm gonna try out a theory.
And you better keep this door locked.
(PHONE RINGING) Right.
Yeah. I know.
All right. Talk to you later.
Hi, Jeff.
Your mailman give you another hot tip?
You keep tabs on what's going on
inside the big companies, don't you, Jeff?
I'm a broker, right? I'm doing business.
What's happening with Lefcourt Electronics?
Anybody inside the company been unloading a lot of shares the last couple of days?
Lefcourt's blue chip.
Murders don't change that. Nobody's selling.
You sure? Yeah. I'm sure.
Jeff, there's got to be something going on.
Now, they handle a lot of government contracts, don't they?
So?
Well, have you heard anything about any trouble?
Maybe a congressionaI investigation?
No, but I'm really not into that.
Well, somebody around here must be.
Jim, I'm very busy.
Jeff, it would be good to know, right?
Bernie? Jeff.
Listen, I just got a weird rumble
on Lefcourt Electronics.
You hear anything about some government investigation?
Yeah. All right.
Yeah?
No kidding.
No. No. I understand. Of course.
Of course. Not a word. All right. Thanks.
I was right, huh?
The Senate Subcommittee on Multinational Corporations
is about to fall on the entire operation.
The one that's investigating corporate bribery.
I didn't know that Lefcourt Electronics was into that.
When you go after government contracts,
you go through government officials.
And they go through your pockets.
How did you know?
Bernie said it was all very hush-hush.
I guessed.
Now look, Jeff.
Senator Claremont put in a call to Perry Lefcourt,
for the third time,
and Lefcourt got uptight and wouldn't take the call.
Then I got detoured by a couple of law doctors,
councils to the committee, I imagine.
Who do you think the senators will call to testify?
Officers of the corporation.
That many?
Well, they'll only be going after the top.
With Lefcourt and Bonner out, that would be Thomas Van Heusen,
Gareth Hudson.
Maybe Harold Whitbeck.
Here's the rest.
Okay. Thanks.
Hey, Jim... One phone call. Local.
I'll make it fast.
Hi, Gary. Having a little problem?
Yeah. I called the Auto Club, but they haven't shown up yet.
Oh, Rockford.
I thought it was the Auto Club.
What seems to be the trouble?
Well, I thought they would tell me.
All the problems at the office and now this.
Umm.
What are you doing here?
Problems at the office.
Yeah, you said you wanted to help Warren.
I did. I mean, I do.
Uh, would you mind kicking it over?
Oh, yeah.
I need information.
Whoever killed Lefcourt and Bonner
is somebody high up in the executive structure.
(CAR ENGINE STARTING) I think it's all these smog devices.
Can't see the engine for all these hoses.
I figured after two murders
the killer would want to leave town in a hurry,
but he would want to unload his stock.
Everybody seems to be holding what they got.
Oh, look, I'd really like to try to help you,
but I got to get to the office.
Maybe I'd better take a cab.
Oh, here. Let me take a look at it.
Seems like you're not getting any spark.
You know, I'll tell you what it just may be.
It's those metering jets. Right?
Now I had trouble with them before.
Yeah, maybe, but I was talking about the murders.
Warren has a theory. It's pretty interesting, too.
Where's your screwdriver?
It's right there. Right.
That Senate investigation?
Warren seems to think there's pay dirt there.
What Senate investigation?
Your operation in Bolivia. Remember, Mr. Hudson?
Oh, yes.
The company is into big-time bribery,
so all the higher ups would know about that.
So the murders weren't to cover up the bribes.
Then what?
What does Warren think it was?
Well, the money was to be paid in large sums in cash.
Now what if Robert Bonner started skimming
and Perry Lefcourt found out about it?
That would give Bonner a reason for killing Perry,
but they're both dead.
And Bonner was killed first.
Exactly. That's Warren's point.
You want to get in and hit it.
But don't put your foot on the throttle, huh?
What's his point?
Well, Warren seems to think that Bonner had a partner somewhere.
Somebody who was skimming with him.
That's where you come in.
Now wait a minute. What are you implying?
Thomas Van Heusen, the Director of Contracts.
Warren seems to think he's a candidate. Hit it.
(ENGINE RATTLING)
Warren was always terrible at sizing up people and situations.
Van Heusen was Perry's sergeant in the Army.
He's been with the company for 30 years.
Well, Warren seems to think that Bonner had a partner somewhere.
Now look, can you use your car?
Give me a push so I get started?
You can't push start it.
A catalytic converter. Right?
You see what I mean about those smog devices?
It's an automatic.
Look, Mr. Hudson, would you do me a favor
and check out Van Heusen's lifestyle, huh?
See if he's living a little high on the hog?
I think that Warren's theory's pretty good.
All we need is that final piece.
All right. I'll do what I can.
But how do I get in touch with Warren?
Oh, he'll be in contact with his cousin.
I took a room for him at the Sunset Lodge Motel on Sunset.
He knows the cops are looking for him,
so he needs a place to hole up.
She'll send him over there after dark.
So if you come up with anything,
I mean, anything at all, let him know, huh?
It'll give him something solid to hand to the police.
Maybe this'll work out pretty well.
But before I hit Van Heusen's bank and financial records,
maybe I'll just subtly pump him.
I'll give him a call right now.
Maybe get a ride to work.
Good.
Sure is a lot of wires.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello. It's Gareth Hudson.
You hear from Warren?
ROCKFORD.. Yeah. Beth just put him in a cab.
He's on his way over here. Should be here any minute.
What about Van Heusen?
Well, as near as I can determine,
he's living well within his income.
Well, whatever he skimmed
might be in a safe deposit box or a Swiss bank.
I got one more angle I want to check out.
What's that?
Well, Bonner spent a lot of time at a place
called the Green Willow up on the Strip.
The main attraction was the cashier.
She goes on duty at 9:00.
I thought I'd go up there and have a talk with her.
What about Warren?
Oh, he'll be all right.
I'll just leave him a note telling him I'm still working on it.
Well, I'm sorry I couldn't be of any more help.
Hey, don't worry about it.
We're on the right track, and thanks, Mr. Hudson.
Okay.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
HUDSON: Warren?
(WATER RUNNING)
Warren? It's Gareth Hudson.
All right, Hudson, get up.
(BOTH GRUNTING)
Are you about through with all that?
How did you know?
I didn't.
You were just another possibility.
That friendly little visit that you paid me at my trailer.
I don't like the idea of you using me to deliver a message to Warren
to trigger him into a showdown with Lefcourt.
That made me think a little.
Where is Warren?
Beats me.
Tell me something, Gary? What was it gonna be this time, huh?
Suicide?
Warren just couldn't live with all the pressure and the guilt?
I got nothing further to say to you.
If you're gonna make some macho citizen's arrest,
you go ahead and do it.
It's a good idea.
Hold it, Gareth.
Now you can make it easy on yourself.
I got the murder weapon.
It wasn't my fault.
I didn't want to kill anybody. It was Perry's fault.
You didn't know him, Rockford. I've seen him destroy people.
I couldn't let Bonner go to him.
He thought we could deal with him,
throw ourselves on his mercy.
Perry never showed any mercy.
You killed Bonner
so Lefcourt wouldn't know that you two were skimming, huh?
So why kill Lefcourt?
Bonner had already told him everything.
So when he was killed, Perry put it all together.
You know the deaI he offered me?
He wanted me to take full responsibility for those bribes,
so the investigation wouldn't reach all the way up to him.
And in return, he wouldn't turn you in for Bonner's murder.
Yeah.
He wanted me to fix it so Warren would take the rap for that.
(SIREN WAILING) That's Perry Lefcourt.
He'd have had me on a string for the rest of my life.
Both of you, stay where you are.
All right. What's the problem here?
Marty, put us code four at the location. Where's Weeks?
I didn't promise you Weeks.
I promised you Bonner's and Lefcourt's killer. Here he is.
Cuff them both.
Oh, come on, Dennis. Why me?
You want the charges, you'll hear them later.
I've had a very long day.
(POLICE RADIO CHATTERING)
All right. You'll have to sign for it.
I know, Sergeant.
It's like riding a bicycle.
Once you learn, you never forget.
Hey, where have you been?
Oh, I was running the problem through the computer.
I figured it was the logical approach.
Insufficient data.
I spoke to Catherine.
Well, that must have been quite a conversation.
Oh, come on, Jim. Give him a break.
He's been through a lot.
You know, I never meant anything to her.
I mean, I loved her. I honestly loved her.
And, um...
I was just an object.
What kind of an object?
You know.
A sex object?
I don't want to think about it.
Hi, Jim, I got rid of the GTA,
the flight to avoid arrest and the A and B charge. See you tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
That's all they've got on me.
Well, there were a couple of late entries,
possession of an unregistered handgun
and carrying a concealed weapon.
Oh, Jim, I'm sorry.
I know what you've been through.
But it isn't Warren's fault, it's mine.
If it hadn't been for me, you'd have stayed out of it.
But he is your cousin. Yeah.
He's a turkey.