You recognize that, Rockford? Don't answer that.
Jimmy never killed nobody.
Jimmy's gun did.
(HORN HONKING)
You ever consider it might be to your benefit to cooperate?
What do I get? A gold star on my rap sheet?
Now I gotta find out what happened to my gun.
Why, I took it, of course. You did?
Those people are connected in someway or another
and if you don't prove it, I will.
(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)
BETTY.. It's Betty from up the street.
I'm phoning all the neighbors
because Spotty is loose.
If you see him, call me.
Oh, don't wear musk cologne.
Leopards have a thing about that.
Damn!
It's only a jelly glass.
The glasses are supposed to be kept in there.
Oh, now since when you been so particular about where things are kept?
Ever since I haven't been able to find anything.
I don't know why I let you talk me into it.
I knew it was a mistake.
Why does she have to hide things?
Viola ain't hiding things.
She just tiding up and you ain't used to that yet.
And I'll never get used to it, either.
Oh, now look, Son, you give her a chance.
She's only been here three weeks.
And three weeks it's been since I've seen my binoculars.
Viola would not take your binoculars.
I didn't say she'd take them.
She just squirreled them away somewhere.
Oh, look, you don't like cleaning up.
You don't have time for it.
And, well, this place was beginning to look downright seedy.
I never wanted to hire a maid. I never thought it was a good idea.
Yeah, well, anyone who keeps dirty laundry in their desk, I think it's pretty...
I knew right where to find it, didn't l?
I've got tickets to the ball game and I want my binoculars.
Oh, now, look, Viola will be here any minute.
She'll know where they are.
What makes you think she'll tell?
Pick me up around 5:00, Hank.
You will be done by then?
Won't take me that long.
There ain't much to this place.
Okay. See you at 5:00.
Oh!
Thought you'd be out and about by now.
I've been trying to find my binoculars.
They're right where I put them.
Well, that's not where I keep them.
Well, that's where I keep them.
That's where they ought to be kept.
You can't be too careful living at the beach with this damp air
and all the rust and rot.
How's your boy, Viola? Oh!
He's doing as well as can be expected.
Leonard's very sensitive, you know.
It's a big shock to his system, getting beat up like that.
You know, he only went to that there massage parlor
to talk young Danny Tortorello into going home.
Next thing they say,
Leonard's out in the sidewalk yelling all kinds of obscenities
at some man he don't even know.
Oh, isn't that awful?
The streets ain't even safe anymore.
Hey, Sonny, did you hear about Leonard?
Yeah, yeah.
Viola, are you going to keep my binoculars in there?
That's where I keep them.
I said to him this morning, I said,
''Leonard, you don't even have to think about looking for work,
''not until you get your strength back.''
He don't feel right, you know,
sitting around watching TV.
That boy never thinks about his health.
Well, anyway, I'm glad he's better.
Only not that much better.
Bye-bye, Viola.
Rust and rot.
Oh, she don't mean nothing. That's just her way.
OFFICER: Hold it. Stay where you are.
What is it with today?
We want to hear about last night, Rockford.
I know this may come as a blow to your ego, Lieutenant,
but I don't care what you want to hear about.
I have nothing to say till my lawyer gets here.
You ever consider it might be to your benefit to cooperate?
What do I get? A gold star on my rap sheet?
Okay, Rockford, you play it any way you want.
But I know where you were, I know what happened.
All I'm looking for is a why.
And I got you nailed down on this one, buddy.
I'm going to push it for all it's worth.
What's the matter with you?
You know Diehl doesn't like you.
Why do you keep making it worse?
Jimbo, all he wants to know is, where were you last night?
What is it gonna hurt to answer the question?
Hey, come on, Dennis.
What is this, huh? Good cop, bad cop?
Diehl goes slamming out of here and you turn on the charm.
I'm supposed to start answering and I don't even know why I'm here?
Am I your friend? Oh!
You're taking a long time to answer that.
You're my friend.
Then where were you last night? Home.
Doing what? Looking for my binoculars.
Alone? No, I organized a search party.
Of course, I was alone.
Any calls come in to verify that's where you were?
No, and why do I have to verify?
Because it's a lousy alibi.
For what?
Hi, Jim. Hi.
Has my client been informed of the charges against him?
No. We haven't filed any charges against him yet.
You haven't informed him of the charges?
I suppose you've also neglected to inform him of his rights.
If you can give us an accounting of your whereabouts last night,
along with a reliable witness to back you up...
That's what I thought.
What was your relationship with Robert Reidy?
Who? Don't answer that.
Business? Personal? Don't answer that.
A relationship did exist.
We'll find out what it was.
You recognize that, Rockford? Don't answer that.
He doesn't have to.
It's the murder weapon used to kill Robert Reidy in his gas station last night.
We traced it to Mr. Rockford.
He has got his fingerprints all over it.
I'd call that probable cause, Miss Davenport.
Book him!
ROCKFORD: Well, sure wanna thank you for going bail, Rocky.
I don't think I could have eaten another county meal.
Where'd you get the five grand?
ROCKY: Oh, I got it. Where?
I took out a second mortgage on my house.
Oh, Rocky, I'm sorry.
Well, it ain't your fault.
This is one time I can say it ain't your fault.
I'll see you get it back, somehow.
You know that Lieutenant Diehl, he never did like you.
I'll bet he's the one who got you in this thing.
Diehl didn't have any alternative. Neither did the judge.
They do have probable cause.
I don't care what they got.
Jimmy never killed nobody.
Jimmy's gun did.
He hasn't been indicted, Rocky.
That was just an arraignment.
If we can prove that the gun was stolen...
The only way you're gonna do that is to find out who took it.
Any ideas?
Viola.
Who's Viola?
That don't make any sense.
Why would Viola want your gun? I don't know.
But she had a key, she had access to that trailer.
That gun's been in my cookie jar for a long time.
Well, I can't hardly wait to hear you explain that in court.
And where did you keep the weapon, Mr. Rockford?
In my cookie jar.
You think I will be indicted?
I think there's a possibility.
Who's Viola?
Oh, she's a very fine woman who's got no reason on earth to take Jim's gun.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, well, look,
now what if Viola happened to mention it to Leonard and he took it, huh?
She said herself he's always getting into trouble.
Of course, it's never his fault.
Now somebody beat him up last week.
What if it was Reidy
and what if Leonard decided to even the score?
What if? What if?
Give me the keys to the truck.
What for?
Give me the keys!
What are you going to do?
I'm going to go have a little chat with Viola and Leonard.
Who's Leonard?
LEONARD: Ma, somebody's at the door.
Yeah?
You must be Leonard. Yeah. Who are you?
I'm Jim Rockford. I just wanted to... Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Ma! I would have got it, honey.
Now you're supposed to be resting.
Yeah. Fat chance.
Oh. They let you out, huh?
Well, for the time being.
I didn't know whether I was supposed to come this week or not.
They put you back in jail,
you better let the office know.
Viola... I'll be frank with you, Mr. Rockford.
I don't much like what went on there the other day.
And I think I got a right to know
how come they hauled you off like that.
A man named Robert Reidy was shot to death with my gun...
I don't know anybody named Robert Reidy.
Do you? No, sir, I don't.
And I don't like the way that come out sounding.
Well, does Leonard know him? Leonard?
Viola, I'm in a lot of trouble.
Now I gotta find out what happened to my gun.
Why, I took it, of course. You did?
Ain't that what you come out here thinking?
Oh, it ain't the first time.
Something gets broke, something turns up missing,
Viola must have done it.
I never say boo to that.
I never say one single word.
Folks' gonna think what they wanna think.
But I got no intention of letting you stand there
saying that me and Leonard killed
some man we never even heard of,
with a gun we never even seen.
Well, you must have seen it when you were cleaning.
I keep it right in the... I told you I never seen it and I never!
I wouldn't have no cause to see it.
You ask anybody that knows me.
I never ate a store-bought cookie in my whole life.
Well, now, strange you should say that, Viola,
'cause that's just where I keep my gun.
In with the store-bought cookies.
(PHONE RINGING)
I got it.
Sergeant Becker.
Hi, Dennis, it's... I know who it is.
What's the matter with you, calling me here?
Relax, will you?
They don't know who you're talking to.
I got it, Billings.
Okay, Sarge.
Nothing but ears in this joint.
Can you tell me one thing?
It depends.
Boy, you're all cooperation.
Would it violate departmental standards to tell me if there's any kind of
investigation going on? Or am I it?
It was your gun.
You're not even looking for anyone else?
Lieutenant DiehI's trying to prove a relationship between you and Reidy.
There wasn't any.
Then you've got nothing to worry about.
I'm out five grand in bail money,
Beth thinks there may be an indictment,
what do you mean I've got nothing to worry about?
You didn't know the guy, right?
Well, it was an execution type killing. Very personal.
We know it wasn't a robbery
because who wants to holdup a gas station at night?
There's nothing there.
Where's the station?
Do yourself a favor, stay out of it.
First I have to get out of it.
Reidy's Ready-Serve on Cahuenga.
Very well.
Very nice. Very nice.
It's a gas station.
Yeah, good location. Lot of commuter traffic.
You know, just as a matter of policy,
let's say that I'm not a regular,
you know, let's say you've never seen me before.
I never seen you before.
I come in here, cold, right? Would you do the windshield,
and ask to check under the hood?
What is this? Some kinda poll... Would you?
Well, yeah, but... Good, good.
Now that's where your repeat business comes in.
That's good customer relations.
How long you been with the firm, Brian?
I've been here a while.
What is it you want, pal?
Well, I just want to see for myself
if this is the all-fired good deal Leonard said it was.
So far...
Of course I'm not going to make any quick decisions
till I get a good chance to look at the books.
You're gonna buy the place?
Oh, no.
I just kind of looking it over, looking it over.
Well...
Do a little hunting, do you?
Oh, no, this don't belong to me.
This was Mr. Reidy's.
I was just keeping it cleaned up, you know?
Listen, you want me to show you around?
Well, maybe a quick once-over, yeah.
Mr. Reidy didn't do too much hunting.
He was into target practice mostly, I think.
Skeets, stuff like that.
We got a real good service department.
Sam, over here, he's the head of it.
Robert Reidy in this group?
Yeah, he's in there somewhere.
Sam's really good.
Now I could introduce you if you like.
Unless you're planning on bringing your own people in with you.
Was Reidy in the Fifth RCT?
RCT?
Yeah. Regimental Combat Team. I don't know.
That's before my time. That's Korea.
Listen. You wanna meet Sam? No. No, some other time.
I was supposed to meet Leonard here,
but knowing Leonard, he's always late.
I really don't have time to wait for him.
So why don't you tell him I showed up?
And that we'll be in touch, all right?
Leonard? Yeah. Leonard Wenke.
Well, you are bound to know him.
I mean, he is a good friend of Mr. Reidy's.
Leonard's the one who told me the station was on the market.
Never heard of him.
Of course I didn't know many of Mr. Reidy's friends.
Except Mr. Chalco.
He runs that cycle shop up the street.
Oh, they was real tight. All the time back and forth.
But Leonard... Yeah, well, it don't matter.
You know, knowing Leonard, he might not even show up at all.
Hey, Brian, you've been a big help.
Anytime, pal.
(SIREN WAILING)
I'll be with you just a moment. Right.
Well, listen, you boys just take your time.
I mean, the longer you look, the more sure you will be
you'll not get a better deal than that.
If you got any questions, well, you just give me a holler.
They ain't gonna buy anything.
You know, I get their kind in here a dozen times a day.
Yeah, well, I was looking for Mr. Chalco.
Well, you found him. And you got my attention, too.
But I got to keep my eye on them two out there.
If I don't, they will have that thing stripped down in five minutes
and there's not a thing I can do about it.
If I ask them to leave,
they'd start bellowing about their civil rights.
What about my civil rights, that's what I'd like to know.
Yeah, well, my name is Taggart, Mr. Chalco.
Happy knowing you, Mr. Taggart.
You know, I don't know where they come from.
You can hear them coming,
you can see them coming, you can smell them coming.
Yeah, well. Look, Mr. Chalco, I was...
Listen, you boys come back any time here.
If they are figuring on knocking this place over
they're in for one big surprise.
I have got more burglar alarms here than I got bikes.
Well, listen, what can I do for you?
If you don't see it, just ask for it.
Well, I'm not in the market for a bike right now.
But what I do have is a business proposition.
You mean, you're selling? Well, why didn't you say so?
I got no time to...
For something that stands a chance to make us both some money, huh?
Give you a good image and promote
good community relations, huh?
See, I've been checking out Reidy's Ready-Serve.
And, well, it's not official yet
but you maybe looking at the new owner.
You bought Bob's old place?
Just how's that supposed to make me money?
Well, that's because I happen to be a firm believer in tub-thumping.
Huh? Publicity.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease
and the high profile company gets the higher profits.
Now what I propose is a publicity tie-in
between your cycle shop and my gas station.
I don't think I could afford...
Now hear me out, hear me out, huh?
I'm talking about a minimal financial outlay
and maximum results.
Now I know this kind of thing works.
I used it in my flagship operation in Modesto.
I used it in Salinas, Fresno...
Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait just a minute.
Used what? Promotion.
Look, let's say that you and I went in together,
and we sponsored an enduro or motocross.
Now I don't know what kind of advertising budget you carry,
but I know this kind of thing pays off in goodwill.
Well, just how much would I have to kick in?
Oh, well, we send out some flyers,
now that doesn't cost much.
And, then for the grand prize, you could put up a year's free service.
Not including parts.
And then I'll throw in a year's free gas and oil.
We will make Chalco's Cycle Shop and Reidy's Ready-Serve...
Oh, oh, hey, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
(STUTTERING) About what?
Oh, well, you and Reidy were good friends...
Yeah, yeah, we did go back quite a ways.
He sure deserved better than getting blown up by some punk kid.
Well, I mean, It's always some punk kid. Oh, yeah.
Hey, Walt? I'm busy right now.
Don't let me hold you up.
Hey, listen, I'll get in touch with you later
and we'll work out the details. Fine. Fine.
Say, listen, if you should run into Leonard...
Who? Leonard Wenke?
That name's not familiar.
Oh, really? I thought he mentioned that he was a friend of yours.
No. Hey, really, it's not important.
No. Hey, I'll be talking to you later, Walt.
You betcha. Take it easy.
What were you doing talking to that guy?
Well, I mean, he's taking over Reidy's old place.
The hell he is. What's the matter with you? We don't have enough trouble?
What did he ask you? What kind of questions?
Well, look here, all he wanted to do is sponsor a motocross
or something like that. His name's Taggart.
Rockford. His name's Rockford!
Does that mean anything to you?
Rockford?
Better get on the phone fast.
The one who makes the mess is the one who cleans it up.
That's the way I feel about it.
Red-Eye Leader, this is Red-Eye One.
Uncle Julius just picked up the Christmas trees.
ROCKFORD: The kid at the gas station never heard of Leonard Wenke.
Chalco never heard of him.
Well, maybe Leonard never had nothing to do with it.
Maybe. But Chalco said some punk kid shot Reidy.
Well, that don't mean it was Leonard.
There's lots of punk kids.
Yeah.
Chalco's got a hate on for anybody under 40.
Hey, Sonny, would you please quit pacing up and down?
I ain't gonna have no nap left on my carpet.
There isn't any nap on it now.
I don't know, Dad.
It just doesn't make any sense.
The more I look, the deeper I get into this thing.
You mean because that Reidy fellow once served in Korea?
Yeah, in the Fifth RCT. 24th Division.
I recognized the patch, a Taro leaf.
DiehI's been looking for a connection between me and Reidy.
That's my old outfit.
Well, there's 3,000 men in a battalion!
That's close enough for Diehl.
I just hope he doesn't find out.
Would you give me a lift home?
Yeah. What are you gonna do?
I don't know.
I got no leads, I got nothing.
Well, they can't put you in jail for something you didn't do.
Isn't that what you said
just before I spent those fun-filled years in Quentin?
(OFFICERS CHATTERING ON POLICE RADIO)
ROCKFORD: What a mess.
You ought to consider yourself lucky.
Do you mind if I don't?
If I'd wanted a skylight, I would have had one put in.
Who saved you the trouble?
That's what you're supposed to find out.
Well, we know it happened some time after you'd gone to sleep.
Can you pinpoint the time?
My clock blew up along with my bed, my stereo...
It's not so bad. You had a little fire damage,
some water damage...
Yeah. Yeah, that's from putting out the fire.
Normal amount of damage from concussion.
What's normal about a grenade in your bedroom?
So, it's a mess. Does that make you feel better?
Yeah.
We're about through in here, Sergeant.
Yeah, what did you find out? Enough to run through the lab.
It was a fragmentation grenade.
Just a guess,
but I'd say surplus from Korea.
Korea?
Well, there's only one difference between the grenades
they used in Korean War and those that they used in Nam.
The fuse length was shortened from seven seconds to four.
You couldn't have got out of here in four seconds.
I'll copy you the report.
All right. Thanks a lot.
Any ideas?
I spent yesterday nosing around Reidy's gas station.
And I dropped in on one of his friends.
I didn't think I turned up anything.
But I must have made somebody nervous. Now who?
Good Lord!
I hope you don't expect me to clean it up.
After our little chat, I didn't think you'd show up.
I don't walk off a job without giving notice.
I'm giving notice. Fine.
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello. Oh, yeah, yeah, he's right here.
It's for you.
Sergeant Becker.
Oh, yeah, Mazursky. Let me get something to write it on.
Yeah, go ahead. How's Leonard?
Keeping his nose clean.
Which is more than I can say for some.
Seems every time I'm out here, so are half the cops in LA.
What'd you do this time? I ducked.
BECKER: You got a spelling on that?
Maybe I can vacuum.
I don't know. The van don't show up.
I gotta transfer three times to get here.
And now this.
You don't have to worry about changing the bed. There isn't any.
I got a name with that plate number you gave me.
Lee Ronstadt. Know him?
Ask her if Leonard knows him.
He don't know nobody named Lee.
I know all of Leonard's friends.
You sure you got the right number?
U-99959. Red panel truck.
Well, I'm gonna take a backup unit and check him out.
I'm going with you.
Jim... You do all the talking.
I just want to see what kind of guy
drops a grenade down a ventilating shaft.
I'm gonna get dressed now, Viola, if you don't mind.
Big deal.
O'Hanian, you go around back.
Billings, you cover us from here. Okay, Sarge.
You get back in the car.
ROCKFORD: Hey, I didn't come all this way to wait in the car.
I won't get in your way.
Suppose this guy Ronstadt hands you another pineapple?
You know how it's going down, Dennis.
He's going to deny the whole thing.
Maybe.
But you let me handle it and you keep your mouth shut.
Would I interfere?
Well, come on.
Yeah? I'm Sergeant Becker from the Police Department.
What do you want? I'd like to speak to Lee Ronstadt.
I'm on hold. What?
I've been trying 20 minutes to get through and now I'm on hold.
You better come in.
(RAY CHATTERING ON RADIO)
RAY.. ...wanted to make a personal contribution towards solving it, so...
BILLY.. So I tore out all the flowers.
My wife like to kill me.
Is Mr. Ronstadt at home?
Shh. Planted cactus instead.
We got ourselves a garden takes no water at all.
Well, next to none.
Ma'am, there are some questions... Just a minute.
That was Billy of Pacoima with his ideas on beating the water shortage.
Let's see who's up next.
Hello, this is Ray Parton. You're on the air.
This is Lee Ronstadt.
Come on, Lee, you're not a first-time caller.
You know you're not supposed to give your last name.
And how about turning down the radio so we don't get any feedback?
Yeah, okay, it's down.
Now, you wanna know what I think about the water shortage, right?
Right.
There isn't any. What do you mean, there isn't any?
Look, Ray, I heard all about your so-called drought.
The fact is, we got plenty of water.
Is that so? Where?
Okay, I'll tell you where it is.
We're selling it to the Arabs. The who?
The Arabs!
They got nothing but sand and money.
Look, Lee, get to the point.
Listen, if you were sitting in the middle of a desert,
what would you be looking to import?
Lee, you're pretty off base today. Water.
And who suffers? We do.
I can remember a time, here in California,
when we grew tomatoes the size of cantaloupes,
and cantaloupes the size of...
That's a pretty flaky theory. Who would sell our water?
Well, it's them bleeding hearts back in Washington, that's who.
Trying to keep the whole world happy
and to hell with the American people.
Well, I got my sprinklers going,
and I'm gonna keep them going,
and to hell with the Arabs.
Okay, Sergeant, what do you want?
Are you Lee Ronstadt? That's right.
Is there a Mr. Ronstadt? There was.
Passed on eight years ago.
Well, we're investigating a little incident that
happened late last night or early this morning in the Malibu area.
Do you own a red panel truck?
No.
Well, we... Sergeant Becker traced the license plate to you.
I own a white panel truck.
Virgil bought it.
When he went, I didn't bother selling.
Don't use it much, but it comes in handy.
Hauling things to Goodwill and stuff like that.
Were you in the Malibu area last night?
No. Neither was the truck.
It was locked up in the garage.
Do you mind if we have a look at it?
Wouldn't mind, but can't do it.
Loaned it to my sister-in-law this morning.
She's moving to Castaic with the kids.
Would anyone else have access to the truck?
No.
You live alone?
My boy lives with me.
Uh-oh.
I learned my lesson with Henry a long time ago.
Gave him the keys, he took the truck out,
drove it around some dry crick bed.
It cost me close to $300 to get the insides put right.
And that's the first and last time I ever let him drive it.
Kids got no respect for property.
How old is the boy?
32.
Anyway, Henry's not even in town.
He's up at Sparks, Nevada on vacation.
You must have got that license plate number mixed up.
Yeah. Well, thanks a lot, Mrs. Ronstadt.
Aren't you going to ask her about the... No!
You wouldn't happen to have any hand grenades around the house...
Sorry for the trouble, ma'am.
Did you have to ask her that?
Does she look like the kind of woman
that got hand grenades tucked under her hairnet?
Well, I wasn't wrong about the license plate,
and I'm not too sure about Henry, either.
How long has he been in Sparks?
You didn't bother to ask that.
You're wrong, Jim, admit it.
Oh, come on, Dennis, are you going to take the word of a woman
who leaves her sprinklers going full blast all day long
just to get even with the Arabs for buying our water?
So she's weird. That doesn't mean that she's lying.
Go get, O'Hanian.
Run her through the computer, Dennis.
And Henry, too. And while you're at it,
you might as well punch out Reidy,
and Chalco and Leonard and Viola Wenke.
You're taking that servant of the people thing a bit too far, buddy.
Dennis, you see that car? I saw it when I came in.
Now it's got to belong to her.
It's a two car family.
Dennis, look at the bumper.
You see it?
Now Reidy had a bumper sticker on his pickup.
It's anti-gun control, but it has the same feeling.
Feeling? What do you mean, feeling?
Got a million bumper stickers all over town.
I'm telling you, Dennis,
those people are connected in someway or another
and if you don't prove it, I will.
You're good at this sort of stuff, Sonny, but, me...
Oh, you'll be fine, Dad.
Just read what I wrote down on the paper there.
Well, supposing this fellow here starts to ask me some questions?
Dad, I can't call him.
He might recognize my voice. Now it's important.
If Chalco admits that he knows Lee Ronstadt,
then I know I'm on the right track.
Well, all right, all right.
But if I mess up, don't you go yelling at me.
You will be fine.
CHALCO.. Chalco's Cycle Shop. Hello.
Mr. Chalco? Yeah.
This is Otto Brubaker from Costa Mesa.
Yeah. What can I do for you, Mr. Brubaker?
It's about this newspaper that we're putting out.
The Right On Target.
That's sort of a double meaning, if you get the drift.
Yeah, yeah. So?
So, we're planning to publish it once a month,
to start with, that is.
And what we're aiming to do is,
we want to give you the news right straight out.
None of this here left-wing glop like them
present day newspapers is doing.
Are you looking for a subscription?
Oh, no. No, no, no, no, sir.
What we're looking to do is to spread the news. Yes.
Mrs. Lee Ronstadt gave me your name.
She said you'd be interested.
Lee Ronstadt?
Mmm, yes. I had the pleasure of meeting her and her son, Henry
at the Stars and Stripes Forever meeting a few months ago.
They're fine Americans, them two, you betcha.
Yeah, well, I mean if Lee Ronstadt is interested in it,
I guess I would be, too. Yeah.
Fine. Fine.
Well, you will be getting the first publication
in just a couple of weeks
and say, Mr. Chalco, would you let me know what you think of it, huh?
Yeah, yeah.
I'll do that, Mr. Brubaker. Yes.
Thanks for calling.
Okay. So long.
I knew it. I knew it.
(RINGING)
Yeah.
ROCKFORD.. Dennis? Where've you been?
I've been trying to get you all day.
Didn't you get my messages?
I got them.
Listen, why didn't you tell me
that you were in the same outfit with Reidy in Korea?
How'd you find that out?
I didn't. Diehl found out.
He gave it to the DA.
Dennis, there are 3,000 men in a battalion!
That's close enough for Diehl.
I also ran those names through the computer.
They came out clean, unconnected.
They don't even live in the same parts of town.
Yeah, well, I had Rocky phone Chalco today.
And he as much as admitted he knew Ronstadt.
As much as? You're gonna have to do better than that.
Then get it for me. Talk to him.
Dennis, do you want me to be indicted?
All right. I'll stop by the Cycle Shop
the first thing when I go in tomorrow morning, all right?
I'll meet you there.
Wrong.
I'll let you know what I find out, if anything.
I gotta tell you this, I don't buy it.
As if there could be some connection
between a motorcycle dealer and a lady in a hairnet.
(PHONE DISCONNECTING)
Chalco said you was supposed to get him out of town.
Chalco don't give orders, he follows them.
I'm Director of Ordnance.
And shut up about Henry. He's here to help.
He's the reason we're in this trouble.
I should have let Reidy go to the Feds.
That wouldn't have been a mess?
He wasn't going to the Feds.
Every time Bob got a couple a beers under his belt,
he started talking that way. He never done nothing.
You had no call to shoot him.
Look, I'm tired of hearing about it.
All right.
Henry should have checked first.
He made a mistake.
It would have come down to that sooner or later. Reidy was weak.
He was smart enough not to go around
killing people with a gun belongs to a private detective.
I didn't know he was a detective.
That's the kind of thing you're supposed to find out.
Now, we got to move all the stuff.
It's done! That's it!
That's not it, Lee.
That phone call Chalco got yesterday?
Ten to one it was someone calling for Rockford.
And Chalco goes ahead and admits that he knows you.
That ties Chalco to you, that ties me to the both of you,
that ties up the whole thing!
I'll take care of Rockford.
With another hand grenade?
What's the matter with a hand grenade? The cops can't trace it.
It didn't do the job, that's what's wrong. You missed.
You missed with a hand grenade.
I won't miss next time.
Stay out of it, Hank.
You keep him out of it, you hear?
(HORN HONKING)
How come Chalco's so late?
Truck was overheating. He probably had to pull into a gas station.
Now you boys are gonna have to help him offload.
He's got my whole garage in there.
(EXPLOSIONS)
Well, Walt always open by 8:00.
I can't believe it.
I just can't believe this, man.
I...
You're sure it was Mr. Chalco?
Looks that way.
He was observed driving off in a truck
early this morning.
How many locks you got here, anyway?
(RINGING)
Sergeant Becker.
Hey, Dennis,
do you know how long I've been waiting at Chalco's?
You said you were gonna be here early.
I told you I'd be in touch.
Which is what I've been trying to do.
What's going on?
A black and white and some plainclothes men just rolled in
with Chalco's mechanic in tow.
Chalco had a little accident this morning.
What kind of an accident?
He blew himself up.
We still don't know what he was doing
driving around Canoga Park with a truckload of dynamite.
Dynamite? Yeah.
Don't know what set it off.
Even if it was old and starting to sweat,
you know, dynamite is pretty stable.
And lucky he was out in the boondocks when it happened.
Where did it happen? I mean, exactly.
A county access road runs by the Zuckerman tract.
Where's that?
Nowhere. It's nothing but undeveloped property.
Dennis!
Van Owen off-ramp and you hang a right.
But there's nothing out there, Jim.
But get this.
His wife said that they own some property in Arrowhead.
She said she didn't know where he got the dynamite,
only that they were gonna blow out some tree stumps.
Arrowhead? By way of Canoga Park?
I know, wrong direction.
Lee Ronstadt lives in the Valley.
Not in Canoga Park.
Look, do you think she's going to admit knowing Chalco anyway?
We'll see what turns up at the cycle shop,
we'll see what turns up at the house.
If anything points to Mrs. Ronstadt, then we'll see about that.
Thanks.
CLAMSHELL: You see who it is?
HANK: Rockford. You sure?
I wonder what we should do.
Nothing. Cops have already been all over it.
There's nothing to see.
I don't know. Red-Eye Leader said...
Red-Eye Leader? You always call her that.
She's your mother! She's Director of Ordnance.
Okay.
If he leaves, we follow him. We're supposed to watch the field.
We're supposed to use our heads.
Hank, you already made that mistake twice.
You're gonna shut up or you're gonna go on report.
There he goes.
MAN: Zuckerman tract, Canoga Park.
Here it is.
Of course, I can only give you the current owners.
On a title search you gonna have to go to the Assessor's Office.
Well, I just want to know who owns the land now.
Here we are.
It's quite a large tract.
It's been subdivided into parcels of an acre, acre and a half...
Well, I can't tell which parcel it is.
Would it be possible to give me all the names?
Look, I don't really have time... It's important.
Okay, we got a Fridell, Jerome and Lucille.
Kelley, Matthew and Eleanor...
HANK: What's he want at the Hall of Records?
I mean, what's he gonna find out there?
CLAMSHELL: He come straight from the field here.
I mean, what do you think he's gonna find out?
He's checking on who owns that land.
How long ago did Lee buy it?
She didn't buy it.
Dad did.
Which one? Come on, Hank, she's been married five times.
Virgil.
We got a Ronstadt. Virgil and Lee.
Lynch, Winona...
Was that it? Winona Lynch? Yeah, thanks.
You got a pay phone around here?
Yeah, it's on the hallway.
Sergeant Becker.
I'd like to speak to Sergeant Becker, please.
How long ago?
Do you know when he'll be back?
No, I have to talk to him.
Look, could you tell him to call Jim Rockford? He has my number.
Thank you.
There he is.
You got no right to make this kind of decision.
That's up to the Security Council.
We gotta stop him.
Hank, you've done this twice and you've seen what happened.
I'm telling you, we gotta check in.
We do that and he gets away.
(SIREN WAILING)
Mom never should have let you have the car.
DIEHL: Okay, Andy, lock it up and let's get moving.
Be careful with that stuff, fellows.
Is that it, Mrs. Ronstadt?
We got it all?
How about it, Hank? There's some more over by...
Give them your name and shut up.
That's all they got a right to ask.
Your name.
That's international law.
What international law?
I think she means name, rank and serial number.
This isn't Anzio, it's Canoga Park!
Mrs. Ronstadt, your son's already told us about your paramilitary operation.
Now, stockpiling that kind of ordnance is against the law.
We got a right to bear arms. It's in the Constitution.
Well, it's not spelled out in the Constitution,
that doesn't mean hand grenades and bazookas
and automatic weapons.
Why don't you keep your mouth closed, mister?
You got no part of this.
Your son tried to kill me.
He tried to frame me for Reidy's murder.
That's a lie.
It kind of turned out that way,
but it wasn't anything I planned.
It was more like an accident.
What's the matter with you? Didn't I teach you nothing?
We'd better clear the area, Lieutenant.
They're ready to detonate.
You're not gonna blow it all up?
Just the dynamite, Mrs. Ronstadt.
The weaponry, we will take in for evidence.
We was ready.
We was prepared.
Who were you expecting?
ROCKY: Who were they expecting?
BECKER: The enemy. What enemy?
Who knows, Rocky?
They are all certifiable bananas.
They are sitting there watching through their binoculars...
I thought you quit. I did.
I have an apology to make.
Seems like I talked out of turn.
Police had me down at the station.
First time I've ever been
to a police station in my whole life.
What about the apology?
I'm getting to it. I'm getting to it.
It was that first day I was here, remember?
You know, I'm not the type that just cleans where it shows.
So when I opened that cookie jar,
I was fixing to rinse it out.
And you found my gun.
Which I happened to mention to the van driver.
Hank Shleger.
It did seem like a funny place to be finding a gun.
I never figured that he was the kind of a guy
that'd steal it and go off and commit murder.
So,
if you were so inclined,
I suppose you could say, in a way that,
I had something to do with the fix you got yourself into.
That's an apology?
That's it.
She's saying she's sorry, Jimmy.
And the police did drop all charges against you.
Yeah. Sure. Sure. And I'm out of five grand.
Oh, I'll see that you get it back.
I'll clean your house for you once a week till it's paid off.
No, no, Viola, just forget it, all right?
No, I pay my debts.
Viola, I wouldn't hear of it.
There's nothing more to be talked about.
It's all settled.
And since I apologized to you,
I think it's only fair that you apologize to Leonard.
Leonard? Leonard.