Hey, stop! This is my home. Hey!
(GROANING)
How'd you let them do that to T.T.?
It's a big conspiracy, Cathy.
It was my decision.
You're not gonna electrocute me, you barren queen!
You have some strange ideas,
and the next time you bother my wife with them,
I'm calling the police.
My name is Jack Muellard
and I never better hear your name again.
Martin McClish, State Inspector.
Your state inspector's gonna have a very funny accident.
(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)
ANGEL.. Jimmy, old buddy, buddy. It's Angel.
You know how they allow you one phone call?
Well, this is it.
ROCKY.. T. T. Flowers used to say
that cities made men poor and women old
and everyone lonesome.
So he bought himself 10 acres way out in the country.
It was then in '35.
Him and his little bride, Lou Ella,
they built a reaI nice place there,
and they named it Freedom,
and they were raising rabbits and chickens
and goats and turkeys and bees.
And then Lou Ella died giving birth to their little girl.
T. T., he raised her as best he could
and he stayed right there on the place,
all the time watching the city creeping closer to him.
I'd get out to Freedom every few weeks to visit with my friend.
I was there when they took T. T. Flowers away.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
I use to be able to winter a hundred colonies right here,
and never had to feed once.
Now I gotta make sure that my bees stick close to home,
'cause old Poison Thumbs over there'll get them for sure if I don't.
Damn idiot.
He's always trying to belly-up my bees.
You know, I hit him once right square in the butt with a rock.
I know it's tough, T.T.,
but you're gonna have to face up to the fact someday
that these apartments are getting closer to you.
Well, I'll never face up to it!
I was here first!
Never know it, though, the way the county treats me,
with all their fines and citations and taxes.
I ain't gonna pay them.
You ain't paid your taxes?
They're way overdue.
Rocky, I already paid more in taxes
than it took to buy the whole 10 acres!
Come on. Let's milk old Spot,
and get you some fresh eggs.
Hello, girl.
You sure you don't want me to tell him?
It's sweet of you to offer, darling,
but this one's gotta come from me.
The deadline's only three days away!
Now, if you ain't gonna pay your taxes,
at least get yourself a lawyer.
You can't be obstinate anymore without one.
I don't believe in lawyers.
They're like drone bees.
Only one in a hundred is any good.
That goes for stockbrokers, too.
Cathy. I ain't seen her in years.
Every time I do, though, she looks more and more like Lou Ella, huh?
Yeah.
It's true. But that's where it stops.
T.T.: Hey! We're back here!
Hi, Daddy.
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, you remember old Rocky, don't you?
Hello. Nice to see you. Cathy.
Hi. Good to see you. This is my husband, Sherman Royle.
My pleasure.
Hey, how's about I break out a little carrot cake and cold cider,
and we have ourselves a nice visit, huh?
Daddy, we're not here for a social visit.
We have some family business to attend to.
You'll excuse us, won't you, Mr...
Oh, it's all right.
I've gotta go back to LA anyway, T.T.
No, no. No, nonsense!
You finish milking old Spot
and then you and me will have that carrot cake and cold cider!
All right. Bye.
Sorry that you don't have time for a visit.
Well, we just have a few minutes.
CATHY: We've gotta talk about something...
T.T.: You're not talking about that again.
CATHY: We've got to. SHERMAN: No, it's a whole different thing now.
T.T.: What are you talking about?
You cannot stay here any longer.
You're not taking care of yourself.
CATHY: We can't leave him here.
T.T.: Well, I ain't going!
SHERMAN: Now, wait a minute. The food is much better, there's a whole...
You've got no right to stick me into that kind of a place!
CATHY: Horizons Crest is a wonderful place!
T.T.: Horizons Crest. Black Horizons...
Now, here come the boys in their white coats
to drag me away like I was some kind of an idiot or something.
You're causing a scene T.T.
I'm not gonna do it! No, sir!
Hey, take your hands off of me!
There's no other way, T.T. Let go of me! Rocky! Rocky! Help me!
Let go of me. Hey, stop! Hey...
Hey, boys, boys, I haven't fed my chickens yet.
Daddy, please.
Stop! This is my home. Hey!
(GROANING)
Rocky!
(T.T. SCREAMING)
How'd you let them do that to T.T.?
Come on, Cathy, we're running late.
It's really for his good, really.
ROCKY: It ain't fair, sonny!
The only thing diminished about T.T. is his eyesight.
Dad, I can't just go butting in out there.
I mean, it's a family thing
and it's legal.
It's the money that's worrying you, ain't it?
Well, if that's what it is,
old T.T.'s got plenty!
You don't have to worry.
When he gets his honey in
and when he sells it, you'll get yours.
Yeah. But I can't collect my money unless I get him out.
Well, that sounds fair enough to me.
Lookie, sonny, look,
I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll...
Well, I'll sell my truck if it'll get you going, huh?
Oh, Dad! Come on, I know how you feel, but really, I...
No, you don't know how I feel.
Look at that! This morning I put my sock on inside out.
Now I suppose that means that I gotta start worrying about that little green van.
(LAUGHING) Oh, come on, Dad.
All right. All right.
I'll go out and see T.T. at Horizons Crest in the morning, okay?
Oh, thanks, Son. I'll see what I can do.
Oh, thank you.
There's just one thing I forgot to tell you.
He can't get no visitors and he can't get no phone calls.
That's family instructions.
I guess I'll just have to start with the family, then, huh?
I don't want to talk about this, Jim.
The Deputy Public Guardian's interview
of your father is three days from now.
If his report coincides with the information presented at the hearing,
the Diminished Capacity judgment becomes final.
Of course it'll coincide. Why wouldn't it?
Benjamin Crist is a very prominent psychiatrist and besides,
he's had T.T. under constant observation for the past month.
He convinced you that T.T. isn't capable of handling his own affairs,
and testified at the hearing?
It's called senility, Jim,
and it's tragic when it happens to someone you love.
What are you gonna do about Rocky if that time ever comes?
Well, I don't know.
Whatever I do,
I don't think I'll do it behind his back.
(SIGHING) I know.
I don't feel good about that, either.
Tom Brockmeyer says that's the way it's usually done.
Tom is Sherm's lawyer.
He said it would be easier on T.T.
if he weren't there at the hearing.
Well, too bad you couldn't find
a spare room for T.T. right here.
T.T. would not be comfortable here.
And Sherm is top customer's man at Reems and Fergus now.
We entertain constantly.
Well, if it's all right with you, I'd like to see T.T.
No. That's out of the question.
Dr. Crist says that visitors disrupt the smooth transition
into institutionalized life.
Please, Jim, just stay out of it.
It's hard enough on him as it is.
Well, I'm sure Dr. Crist knows best.
This is Dr. Crist.
Have Dr. Fellows join me in J wing observation.
(GRO ANING)
The chlorpromazine is wearing off now.
We'll start with half a dose of lysergic acid today,
double it tomorrow,
then finish it off with E.C.T. on Thursday.
I don't like it, Ben.
You never do, Norman.
Now let's get started.
I want him paranoid and disoriented by 9:00 a.m. Friday.
What's going on?
None of your business.
Everything in this lobby's my business, mister.
Including you.
Martin McClish, State Inspector.
This is a Title One inspection.
So just go on with what you were doing.
There's no inspection scheduled today.
Bone up on your Public House Act, son.
Title One's are unannounced inspections.
Paragraph 1 7 clearly states
that any employee who communicates with his or her superiors
the presence of the inspector
or interferes in any way whatsoever
with the inspector of the covert examination of the building,
is subject to a $1,000 fine
andlor 10 days in the county jail.
Now, what was your name, son?
Steve Fisher.
You mean, you're just gonna walk around?
Yeah. It's okay, Steve.
Dr. Crist and I have a understanding.
Of course, I still have to go through the motions,
so I guess we can start by checking the B.U. quotient
against the title sheet, huh?
B.U. quotient?
What is this? Are you new here? Bed units. Bed units.
Bed units?
I'm just the van driver, usually, sir,
and the mechanic, too, and I only work the desk
on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so...
They don't even teach the basics anymore.
Let me see your room sheet, please.
Uh-huh.
Okay, okay, that's perfect.
'Course, I knew it would be.
I'll start with J wing.
Oh, and, son, don't forget paragraph 19.
You mean paragraph 1 7, don't you, sir?
Paragraph 19 is the one that reminds you
of the consequences of paragraph 1 7.
What inspection, sir?
Right, Steve. Right. You got it.
WOMAN ON PA.. Dr. Carl Rosen, treatment room three, please.
Dr. Carl Rosen. Treatment room three, please.
Mr. Flowers? T.T.?
(GROANS)
I can't see you, either. Go away!
Here. Mr. Flowers, here are your glasses.
Come on.
Yeah, there. Hi.
You're Rocky's boy.
Yeah, that's right.
I'm surprised you remember me. It's been a long time.
You always wanted to soup up my tractor.
(CHUCKLING) Yeah. That's right.
Rocky wanted me to come and see you.
Why are you in here?
'Cause my cells are grey with foul brood,
'cause of the barren queen,
'cause the nectar flows to the north.
Oh, that's... That's great.
Rocky's boy.
T. T... North. Always to the north.
That guy told me he was a state inspector.
Get me Dr. Crist at his Beverly Hills office.
Bees.
Nectar flows to the north,
and do you know how many bee-miles
there are in a pound of honey?
Honey flows...
Rocky's boy...
All right, Ben. Whatever you say.
Any nitrous oxide left from the robbery of Crist's pharmacy?
One tank. Why?
Your state inspector's gonna have a very funny accident.
(HISSING)
Dad, I don't know. He sounds like he's gone bananas.
He can't hold a thought long enough to complete a sentence!
You gotta be wrong, sonny.
He's as sane as I am.
He sure don't belong in there.
Dad, I've done everything I can do.
I tried.
Uh, yeah.
Dad, it isn't such a bad place.
Sure.
Bye, Jimmy.
Yeah, Dad.
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(HORN HONKING)
(LAUGHING)
(HORN HONKING)
(SIGHS)
Hey, what happened?
Well, someone wanted me to die laughing.
So something's wrong somewhere.
Well...
Okay, okay, I was wrong.
T.T.'s not in there for his own good,
no matter what Cathy thinks.
But she sure seemed convinced.
Maybe it was an act,
maybe someone was very convincing.
Anyway, I gotta find out
if you can engineer a Diminished Capacity Judgment.
If you can, you're in a lot of trouble, Rocky.
Poor old guy, he can't tie his shoes,
he can't remember his address,
he can't forget 1929.
He doesn't trust banks.
He keeps money stuffed in the freezer.
You know, he must have about 10,000 shares of Bartlett Oil,
original issues.
And you'll never guess where he keeps the certificates.
Probably in his mattress.
Hey, how'd you know that?
It's quite common, Mr. McMann.
Well, it sounds like your father-in-law is slipping away.
Have you suggested managing his affairs for him?
Oh, yeah. Twice.
The first time he tried to burn his mattress.
The second time he just kept flushing hundred dollar bills down the john
until I agreed not to bring it up again.
You know, I don't think he trusts me.
Do you have an attorney?
Oh, yeah. But he's a friend of the family,
and he wouldn't touch it.
Maybe you could recommend one?
Well, I do know someone who specializes in this sort of thing.
Tom Brockmeyer.
Of course, he's very busy and rather expensive,
but I could give him a call if you like.
Oh, I sure do appreciate it.
And don't you worry about the money, now.
I just want what's best for him, you know?
How can they do that to a man?
Oh, crowded courts, they're handing down valid judgments every day.
And Brockmeyer pushes it through,
Dr. Crist's expert testimony ties it.
Yeah, but doesn't one of those Public Guardians,
doesn't he have to see T.T. first, to make it finaI?
Or is he in on it, too?
He doesn't have to be.
T.T. couldn't finish a sentence this morning.
They got two more days to mess with his mind.
Oh, let's turn around.
We can feed them animals of T.T.'s anytime.
We'll go to the police!
With what, Dad? It's all legal.
You mean, shocking decent people to make them crazy is legaI?
Well, it is supposed to work the other way around.
I can't prove a thing, Dad.
Crist and his lawyers are working some kind of racket,
but somebody else put them up to it
and I don't think it was Cathy.
What do you know about T.T.'s son-in-law?
Oh, he's a rich stockbroker, is all I know.
But, of course, T.T. says that he's nothing but a con man
with a diploma and a place to hang it.
(DOG BARKING)
Oh, whoa! Whoa!
Are you all right?
Hey, what is that?
Well, that's T.T.'s old well.
He was always gonna fill it up,
roof it over or something.
Oh, well, there's no hurry.
Hey! You can't do that!
Oh, this was a present from Lou Ella's mom!
Now what're you doing?
My wife can't very well conserve his estate
if she doesn't know what it's worth, can she?
I'm just collecting all this stuff
so our accountant can sort it out.
Quite a mess, huh?
Say, did T.T. mention where he kept his will?
Well, if he did, I sure wouldn't tell you!
I see. Who are you?
Jim Rockford.
I guess you need the will in case something goes wrong
and T.T.'s therapy kills him, huh?
You have some strange ideas,
and the next time you bother my wife with them,
I'm calling the police.
Why? You're afraid she might pick up on the fact
that you're using her to seize controI of T.T.'s estate?
Don't be ridiculous.
If Cathy hadn't had him declared incompetent, the county would have.
Freedom's a fantasy they can't afford to let T.T. keep any more.
Now get out, or I'm calling the police.
I'm not going anywhere till T.T.'s animals are fed and watered.
They'll survive till Animal Regulation comes to get them.
Well, you can't take them away from here!
Yeah, he can, Rocky.
But we're still not leaving till they're watered and fed.
You need any help in here, Mr. Royle?
Thanks, but I think they're about to leave, aren't you?
MAN: Whatever you say, Mr. Royle.
We got the dump truck and the dozer outside.
Mr. Muellard will be here shortly,
but he told us to get started.
So what goes?
Everything. Start with the stuff in the shed and yard
and we'll save the junk in the house for last.
Wait a minute, pal. What do you think you're doing?
Hauling it all to the dump
so we won't get any more Health Department citations
against the estate.
Well, you can't do that.
No? Junk goes today, animals tomorrow,
house and trees the next day.
Freedom's been sold. Now, get out!
You'll break T.T.'s heart!
Hey!
Hold him, Mort!
These guys have been hassling Mr. Royle, sir.
I might have to tack this on to your bill, Sherm.
You know, your housecleaning contract doesn't include live ones.
Maybe it should, Jack.
That one's already bothered Cathy.
Name's Jim Rockford.
Oh?
I'll bet you're the Rockford that had the car trouble today.
Matter of fact, I am. Who are you?
My name is Jack Muellard
and I never better hear your name again, mister.
The fellow that bought most of T.T.'s land here?
Built these apartments?
That's right. And I'm starting construction on the rest of it
the day after tomorrow.
You don't waste much time.
You waste time, you waste life.
I schedule a job right down to the last naiI the day it's gonna be used
and it's never driven by an overtime hammer.
And you just cost me one minute.
Mort.
All right. All right. Go to work, Mort.
You louse up my schedule again, Rockford, you'll get the second chorus.
Find it yet?
No, not yet, Jack.
All right. Lou, go inside and give Mr. Royle a hand.
Here. Use that.
All right.
Have any idea where T.T. hid his will?
Oh, he had more hiding places than a blue jay, Jim.
Why?
I don't know what their game is,
but maybe I can slow them down a little
if I can beat them to that will.
I gotta go talk to T.T. and find out where he hid it.
But you can't go back to that Horizons Crest. They tried to kill you.
Yeah. Muellard knew about that, too.
ROCKFORD: Yeah. Well, we've only got one van
and if it's not running for the Gray Panther rally,
I'm in a lot of trouble.
Yeah. My name is Steve Fisher. I'm the mechanic here.
Yeah. And you better honk when you pull in
so the night man will know you're hooking up. All right?
Yeah. Thank you.
(BUZZING)
Where's Dr. Fellows?
With Flowers, sir, waiting for you.
(HONKING)
T.T.: ...and I'm only a piece of wood washing up and down the beach.
FELLOWS.. He's an old man, Ben.
The LSD took a lot out of him.
Any more, he may not be alive
for the Public Guardian's interview.
All right, we'll back off tomorrow.
But we'll come in heavy with E.C. T. the next day.
Add a dash of retrograde amnesia to his disorientation
and we've created a textbook case of Chronic Brain Syndrome.
T. T... ...back out to sea, back up on the beach.
And I'm digging in this time,
you fouI-brooded drones.
(DOOR OPENING)
Sand and water, sand and water washing up and down the beach.
And back on up to sea and back up on the beach.
Yeah, well, dig in again, T.T.
It's me, Jim Rockford.
Hey, Rocky's boy?
Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Rocky's gonna be glad to hear you're hanging in there.
That's quite an act.
Ain't much of an act, son. I've been some places today.
Way out in space and all over the ocean,
but I'm back on dry land now.
Yeah.
They're gonna try a new drug on me day after tomorrow.
It's E.C.T.
But that's not a drug, T.T.
That's electroconvulsive therapy.
What? Shh.
Why? Why? What did I ever do to them?
What are they trying to do to me?
Easy, easy, T.T. Rocky and I are trying to get you out of this.
Well, how are you doing?
Well, not too good up to now.
Your son-in-law, Sherm, has had Freedom stripped of everything you own.
It's being hauled to the dump.
Old Spot and Murph?
All my animals to the dump?
No, no, no.
Rocky's got some of your friends to take care of the animals.
They're slipping them out of Freedom now, all but the bees.
Well, thank God for friends.
Yeah, but I don't know what we're gonna do about the bulldozer.
Sherman is selling Freedom to Jack Muellard.
I told you to keep those doors locked. Hey, that's the van.
Yes, sir, but it's all right. The radiator's shot
and the guy said it needed a new core or something.
Well, Steve Fisher ordered it.
Here's the paperwork.
I'll be at home, Norman.
I'll write a new will.
Leave Freedom to the Sierra Club. How about that?
It's no good, T.T. You've been declared incompetent.
Nothing you sign is valid unless it's dated
before the court stripped you of your rights.
Now, where's the deed to Freedom?
The deed to Freedom.
It's with all my important...
It's with my wedding license and my will.
In the living room? Where?
It's right beside Lou Ella's picture.
With all the chopping they've done in there, T.T.,
I'm afraid they probably found it.
Chopping? Well, you gotta stop them.
I'll try, T.T.,
but they're running a big game.
Twenty-four hours just isn't much time to do anything.
I'll try to prevent the therapy treatments and then if I have time...
No, don't worry about that.
Just stop Sherm from selling Freedom.
'Cause Muellard will take her off at the subsoil.
ROCKY.. T. T. Flowers played music to his bees
and talked to his trees.
Of course, no one ever asked him
if they answered him back,
or if they did, what did they say?
The city just decided that there was no room anymore
for a man who talked to trees.
But T. T. always said that the city might surround him,
but they'd never pave him under,
because he was there first.
And he was right.
But the city didn't care.
Let me get this straight if I can.
What you're saying is that a Beverly Hills psychiatrist,
an Encino stockbroker, a San Marino lawyer
and the biggest subdivider in the next county,
all got together to do an old man out of three acres
without the daughter's knowledge,
but with her consent and full cooperation?
I don't know if they all got together, Dennis,
but they're all doing it to him.
There's nothing to tie them together and from what you said,
I'd say the old man's right where he belongs.
Okay, so his lifestyle doesn't help his case any.
But since when is eccentricity punishable by torture?
And besides, Muellard knew about the attempt on my life, which ties him to something.
Or did you forget somebody tried to kill me yesterday?
Look, Jimbo, what can I do?
Well, did you run a check on the nitrous oxide tank?
Yup.
Dr. Fellows ran an inventory against supply and accounted for every tank.
So there's nothing there.
And Fellows is the director of Horizons Crest.
Well, he's in on it, too.
Oh, good, now I can add a Woodland Hills doctor to your list of co-conspirators.
That's right, Dennis.
And there was a serial number on that tank.
That's something else you were gonna check into right away.
It was stolen along with a lot of narcotics from the Bio Beverly Pharmacy
about six months ago,
which makes it a very cold lead.
Well, what about Sherm Royle?
Did you run a financial check on him?
I didn't have to. Milt Rosen already had it on file.
Milt? The SEC's onto Sherm?
Was. They got word that he ran short against the box
with some stocks that the company held in trust.
He guessed wrong and he took the pipe in a rising market.
Well, that could become very, very expensive.
Well, Milt's information was that Sherm lost $400,000.
By the time the SEC got to the books,
he already covered his losses.
Mmm-hmm.
Yeah, and he had to mortgage his socks to do it.
I mean, this guy's in debt up to his neck.
There's no law against borrowing money.
He blew $400,000 and he could only borrow $300,000,
which makes him $100,000 shy.
He needed it in a hurry. Now where did he get it?
Well, it's too steep for a shark.
What's he gonna use for collateraI?
T.T.'s land.
Muellard must have advanced Sherm $100,000 against the purchase price.
And Sherm guaranteed delivery of land he didn't own,
which not only is illegal,
but it ties them together in a conspiracy.
Now all you gotta do is prove it.
Well, tomorrow morning
they're putting the wires to T.T.
and they're tearing down his place.
Now come on, Dennis, I could really use some help.
I'd like to help you, Jimbo,
but T.T.'s place is in the next county.
Mr. Muellard, that guy Rockford's
poking around the Hall of Records.
Go to the office. Meet Lou and Mort.
When Rockford gets home, kill him.
Hey, hey, you! What are you doing
going in there without a hardhat?
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm looking for a builder by the name of Hank Gidley.
Well, I'm Gidley. But just wait there a second.
Here, put this on.
Go ahead.
Last time the safety inspector caught a man without one,
I was shut down for six hours and fined 200 bucks.
Yeah, I read about that. Yeah? What?
Public records, yeah.
You've had more variances denied,
more work declared not up to code,
than any other builder in the county,
which either makes you a lousy contractor,
or at the top of somebody's list.
Like Jack Muellard's.
Hey, who are you, anyway?
I'm a private investigator
and I'm looking for anything I can get on Muellard.
Well, Mr. Muellard happens to be considered
one of this county's most upstanding citizens.
Well, I'm looking to change all that, but I need some help.
Nothing I could tell you would change it.
You can't beat Muellard. Nobody can.
Why, he's turned so many orange groves into high tax-flow buildings
that they call him ''Sir'' down at the assessor's office.
Hey, give me that.
And when it comes to local government,
there are no corners he can't cut.
And no corners he leaves uncut
when he puts up a building, either.
How does he get away with it? It's simple.
When you're Jack Muellard, you buy it.
Inspectors, zoning changes, variances.
He even has enough clout to arrange for an overassessment of property value.
Which forces the owners to sell,
and then he steps in,
helps the poor guy out
by buying it up at a bargain rate, huh?
Yeah.
Well, what's to stop you from just offering a little bit more?
What do you think the reason is behind
all those delayed starts and variance denials?
Go for any of Muellard's actions,
his pals down at city hall smother you with red tape.
No way to prove it, either.
Yeah, it's beginning to look that way.
Tell me, what do you know about a place called Freedom?
Oh, prime hunk of land. A crazy old beekeeper owns it.
Muellard's been chipping away at him for years.
But I hear the old guy would rather let it go for taxes
than sell Muellard another inch.
I may bid on it myself if it goes on the county auction block.
Well, it's not going on the county auction block.
Someone paid the taxes this morning.
...by a check drawn on the Muellard Escrow Corporation two hours before the deadline.
Sherm is not going to let the place go just for taxes.
The title transfers to Muellard tomorrow,
but the money changed hands two months ago
and Sherm's already spent it.
He couldn't afford to pay the taxes. He's broke.
Come on. Sherm's a brilliant businessman.
He's not gonna sell something he doesn't even own.
Oh, just land that he doesn't own
to cover the bath that he took
for selling stocks that he doesn't own.
But for Muellard to collect, you had to be convinced
that T.T. belonged in a home
and that Freedom should be sold.
I'm at a dead end, Cathy.
You're the only one that can put it right.
It is right.
Daddy's at Horizons Crest for his own good,
and nobody influenced me, including Sherm.
It's a big conspiracy, Cathy, and I don't blame you for being...
It was my decision.
And a hard one. And, damn it, I've made it.
Who picked that place?
Dr. Crist, but I looked at a lot of other places
before I decided this one was right for him.
And who found Dr. Crist?
Sherm's lawyer, Tom Brockmeyer.
He's also Muellard's lawyer.
Now get him out of that geriatric jungle tonight
and tell Sherm that you don't want to sell Freedom.
Now do it, Cathy.
You know, Sherm and I have been married for over 1 4 years.
And you're saying to me that I don't even know the man?
Well, you know your father,
and he's buying a broken heart at 8:00 a.m.
(CLEARS THROAT)
Your union know what you're doing?
You're real cute, aren't you, you old snake?
Let's go.
Where are we going?
We'll have a little walk down to the end of the pier.
Oh, yeah?
(GRUNTS)
(ROCKFORD GROANING)
You got him. That was good shooting, Winch.
Well, what do you want for proof, Dennis, my body?
This is the second time somebody's tried to kill me in two days.
Yeah, I know he's a pillar of the community.
No, I won't tell you where I am.
Muellard provided an airtight alibi? Mmm-hmm.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
What happened, sonny?
I just come up from your place.
There's cops and firemen all over the joint.
Looks like a pickup exploded.
Yeah, a stolen pickup
from Muellard's construction yard and I'm the suspect.
I can't even go home.
If the cops don't get me, Muellard's goons will.
A judge needs some sort of proof, Jim.
He won't take any action without it.
You gotta do something.
No, I'm finished, Dad, and so is T.T.
I did everything I could except break him out of Horizons Crest.
ROCKFORD: Crist is here.
ROCKY: Is that bad, sonny?
Only if he sees me. Otherwise, it's in our favor.
Any man that drives a car like that has gotta have a crush on it.
Pull up next to that curb over there.
Sloppy eating habits are a sign of rebellion.
I want Mrs. Gilmore's freeway-watching privileges suspended indefinitely.
Make sure she knows why.
(RINGING)
Ben Crist. May I help you?
Jack Muellard, Ben. Look, we might have a problem.
Rockford's still at it.
I thought you had that under control.
Do you think he'll come here again?
Well, it's hard to say.
There's an APB out on him, though, so he'll have to be careful wherever he goes.
Want me to send some of my boys over?
No. There are two attendants here who'll handle anything I tell them to.
Okay, Ben. There's probably no sweat, but keep your eyes open.
Thanks, Jack.
Have Steve and Arnie report to me,
then prep Flowers for electroshock.
But, he isn't scheduled... I'm rescheduling it for tonight!
Now do what I tell you. Stat.
Okay, you give me a couple of minutes inside before you start the horn.
Now if that horn runs down before we get out,
then you take off, 'cause we're in a lot of trouble.
I can't go away and leave you in there.
Now don't worry. We'll be out with plenty of time left over. You ready?
Yeah. Okay.
Yeah?
Gelson Funeral Parlor. I'm here to pick up the Smith remains.
Smith? You sure you got the right place?
Yeah. Horizons Crest. Arthur P. Smith.
An open-casket funeral, 9:00 a.m.
Hey, I'm running a little late, huh?
But there's no death certificate on the board. Oh, yeah?
What's your name?
Brubaker.
Well, let's check it out, huh, Brubaker?
I got one in the wagon and Mr. Gelson's got
an embalmer waiting on overtime, you know?
Well, all right. Come in.
But I still think you're wrong.
I sure do appreciate this, Brubaker.
I... Like I say, I'm running late.
You know, maybe I did make a mistake.
No, it's Arthur P. Smith, room 28.
But Charles Bennet's in room 28.
Let me see that.
Oh. Well, yeah, Bennet's a new arrival.
Smith passed on during the day shift. Yeah.
(HORN BLARING) At 9:22 a.m.
Boy, you guys don't even let the beds cool down.
Look, 93o/o occupancy.
You must be making a fortune.
You gotta excuse me. I gotta go shut that horn off.
I'll be right back. Oh, yeah, all right.
Come on, Arnie, let's go.
Brubaker, take care of that!
Arnie, take the desk.
Steve, get that horn stopped,
then find out what happened to Brubaker.
(SNORING)
Maybe if you disconnected the battery?
T.T.: No. No, you don't.
You're not gonna electrocute me, you barren queen!
You got no right!
Mr. Flowers, no one's going to electrocute you.
Nurse, old man Jackson's not in his room.
The new patient in 28 heard him run into the storeroom.
Dr. Crist wants you to search every square inch of it, stat!
I found Brubaker, sir.
He's trying to disconnect the horn.
Tell him to yank out the wires. It's driving me crazy.
He has, sir, lots of them.
It's your car, sir.
What?
Oh, can't you people let me alone?
Hey, hey, hey, it's me.
Son, you scared the hell out of me.
Hold it, Brubaker. Hold it. That's a $26,000 automobile.
I'm sorry, sir. I can't seem to locate the short.
Then why didn't you disconnect the battery, you idiot?
Look what you've done.
But I did disconnect the battery, sir.
Get on this. Yeah, okay.
We're in a lot of trouble now.
BRUBAKER: Well, now, who put that there?
Rockford.
All right, T.T., we're gonna be moving fast.
If I have to let go of you for any reason, just hold on.
If I have to leave you for any reason, I'll try to get back.
If I don't, you're on your own. You got it?
Call the police. Stay behind the desk. Get Arnie and seal it off.
WOMAN ON RADIO.. One X-ray 23.
See the man. Horizons Crest Rest Home.
1 1295...
Your call is code three.
(WOMAN CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)
Jackson isn't in his room, sir.
It isn't Jackson I'm worried about. It's Flowers.
But Flowers is in his, and Jackson isn't, sir, and you said...
Jackson's tranqed. He hasn't left his room in six months.
You see? He's in his room.
How did I do?
Just fine.
Get back on here and cover yourself up.
I'm gonna try to buy us some time. Go ahead.
Couldn't we go out a back door?
Every door around here needs a key to unlock it.
CRIST: There. You see, I was right.
(PEOPLE MURMURING)
NURSE: Oh, don't worry, sir, the emergency equipment
switches automatically to the auxiliary power.
MAN: It's all right.
ROCKFORD: Okay, T.T., we're moving.
Jackson's missing.
Jackson is missing.
Jackson's missing.
He is not missing.
Go back to your rooms. Now.
You see? Everything is all right.
Will you take care of this, please? Yes, I will.
Come back to your rooms and I'll explain it all to you later.
If we don't get out of here before the cops arrive, we're cooked.
What's going on down there? The lights are going on and off.
Darned if I know. All I know is somebody said it was your fault.
Something about Jackson missing.
(SIRENS WAILING)