Eric hired you, right? Boy, he never lets up.
Just tell Eric to leave me alone.
I'm telling you to go to the police.
I can't.
Would you rather see your wife dead?
(WOMAN SCREAMING)
You mind if I look in the closet?
This is a murder investigation.
You answer questions and you stay out of the way.
If that lab report comes back and says there's human blood on that apron,
I go to the cops.
I'm not gonna waste a lot of time with you.
If you don't stop messing where you don't belong,
you're gonna wind up hanging on a meat hook.
(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)
MAN: Hey Jimmy, I tried to catch you before you left.
(CHUCKLES)
Hey buddy, I was wrong.
That rally in Mexico, that was yesterday.
(DOORBELL RINGING)
(RINGING)
Mr. Albach?
(TAPPING)
Hello?
(TAPPING)
Mr. Albach?
ALBACH: Down here.
(SCRAPING)
Is there some problem?
It's the trick-or-treat atmosphere.
Is that better?
Blinding.
You always hold business meetings in your basement?
Does it bother you?
Well, yeah.
Would you like to go somewhere else?
I guess not, since we're already here.
Well, this is one of my properties.
Someone told me there was some sort of leak here.
I don't see anything.
On the phone you quoted your price as $200 a day, plus expenses.
That's acceptable.
Well, that depends.
You haven't told me why you wanna hire me.
Well, my wife is missing. I'd like you to find her.
Well, there's no leak here.
Go buy a couple of 100-watt bulbs and call the police.
That'll solve both your problems.
Are you suggesting I'm not upset, Mr. Rockford.
You don't seem very upset.
Well, I am. Very.
Go to the police, Mr. Albach.
That's out of the question.
Here's a $200 advance and my wife's picture.
It was actually taken at the time of our marriage in 1968,
but she hasn't changed.
You haven't been listening, Mr. Albach.
You've been turned down.
You're just gonna have to find time to take a trip down to the station.
If I were to report this to the police, it could have serious ramifications.
This isn't the first time my wife's chosen to disappear.
She has a history of emotional problems.
Several years ago I requested police help in finding her.
At the time, I didn't know she had an almost pathological fear of the police,
of all so-called authority figures.
We found her, and it was very trying.
Under the circumstances, I can understand why you'd be
hesitant to involve the police,
but I don't do missing persons work.
What would you say to $250 a day?
The same thing.
Tracy's an out patient at the Vrenner Clinic.
She's been making very good progress.
I wouldn't wanna do anything to jeopardize that.
About a week ago,
before Tracy disappeared,
I noticed a car in the neighborhood.
As a precaution against perhaps planned robbery,
I made a note of the license plate.
Now, the day Tracy disappeared, so did the car.
Do you think there might be some relationship?
Might be.
Well, since I can supply a license number,
I imagine you have ways of finding the owner of the car.
Yeah, I could run a make on the license plate, but...
Then it's merely a question of going to the address of registration
and finding Tracy.
Mr. Albach...
Just let me ask you this.
Have you never done missing persons work?
Well, there have been occasions, but as a rule...
Let me guess as to those occasions.
Someone young, vulnerable, appealed to your sympathies, or a friend sought help,
or a total stranger,
but someone who stirred feelings of warmth and compassion.
I'm not a likeable man.
Isn't that your basis for refusing me?
No.
Be honest with yourself, Mr. Rockford.
Tracy needs help.
She's young and vulnerable.
ROCKFORD: I don't know, Dennis, I didn't see the accident.
I just heard the impact,
went outside, and some guy was laying rubber out of the parking lot
and I got the license.
Come on now, Dennis, you ran the plate,
why won't you give me the information?
Because you're not even sure he did it.
Just give me the name and address and I'll check.
If his car is wearing the missing paint from my right front fender,
then I'll know for sure.
You've banged up that car so many times, it's a wonder it even runs.
Hey, that car runs great.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) And I didn't bang it up.
Come in.
I'm just trying to find the guy who did.
Hi, Dad.
Well, try Max Savatgy.
Whoa, whoa. Savatgy? Is that with a G-Y?
Yeah, G-Y. Max Savatgy, 16150 Valley Vista Blvd, Sherman Oaks.
Hey, and, Jim, if it was Savatgy, that's a hit-and-run.
You gotta report that, you know?
Well, of course, Dennis. You know I always go by the book.
Hey, thanks.
You ain't gonna wear that.
Well, what's wrong with it?
I've got a bottle of champagne in the pick-up.
Oh, Fannon. Was that today?
Yeah, he's launching his new boat.
We was all going out and were gonna make a full day of it.
Aw, I'm sorry, Dad. I was really looking forward to that, too.
Yeah, well, so was Fannon, so am I. You forgot.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry.
I got backed into a job I didn't want to take
from a guy I don't even like.
You know, I don't do missing persons work. You know that.
Is that what you're doing for this guy? Why?
It's a one day job and it's 250 bucks.
I'm gonna be eating the balloon payments on this trailer this month.
Yeah, you'll probably be refinancing it, that's what usually happens.
Yeah, well, hey, you tell Fannon if he goes out again tomorrow
and he needs somebody to crew, I'm his mate.
Oh, you'll be working or something.
It's a one-day gig.
Sure.
That's all.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
(WOMAN SOBBING)
Mrs. Albach? Tracy?
WOMAN: No!
(CAR STARTING)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
Get that off of my desk.
What happened to your face?
Get that off of my desk.
Does it hurt? What happened, Dennis?
I hit the dashboard of a squad car.
Well, what was it, a Code Three? A high-speed chase?
No. I went out to lunch with Lieutenant Chapman.
He was driving, talking about some new directives that went down.
He ran a red light.
(CHUCKLING) That's beautiful.
Hey, hey, Dennis, come on now, huh?
There's really something very nice about Chapman running a red light.
Don't you mention that, ever.
Now, what are you going through this guy Savatgy's trash for?
He either hit your car, or he didn't.
Well, it's not quite that simple.
Hey look, Dennis, would you run it through the lab for me?
I wanna know if that's human blood or animal blood.
What are you talking about? Human blood.
That's a butcher's apron. "Savatgy Brothers. Prime meats."
Yeah, Savatgy probably got it that way by hacking up a side of beef.
Why throw it in the trash can?
Maybe he didn't like looking at it. I know I don't.
Come on now, Dennis. Run it for me, will you? It could be important.
You wanna tell me just what's going on?
I'd like to, but I can't.
Then the answer is no.
First I run plates for you, now I'm supposed to run lab tests.
This is not your branch office.
How many times I gotta say it?
Okay.
I'll just take it to a private lab.
Jim, I wanna know what's going on.
Then run it, Dennis.
If that's human blood on there,
there's nothing can stop me from giving you chapter and verse.
Billings.
Yeah, Sarge.
Run this trough the lab.
That Billings is really a nice guy, isn't he?
You gave it to the police? I believe my instructions were quite specific.
The police were not to be involved.
The police aren't involved, but they ought to be.
Well, if you gave them the apron.
That's all I gave them.
I didn't mention you or your wife.
But weren't there questions?
None that I answered.
ALBACH: Oh, I'm glad to hear that.
ROCKFORD: Mr. Albach, I don't think you fully appreciate what has happened here.
I heard sounds of a woman crying.
I found a blood-soaked apron.
And nothing whatever out of the ordinary inside the house.
Incidentally, how did you get in?
I picked a lock. Mr. Albach...
Why can't we assume that the apron is exactly as it appears to be?
A butcher's apron.
We can't assume anything.
Your wife may be having more than just emotional problems here.
She may be in very grave danger.
Doesn't that concern you at all?
What does it take to activate your defrost cycle?
I may not display my emotions, Mr. Rockford, but that doesn't mean I'm without them.
Are you concerned about Tracy or yourself?
Both of us.
Because you're afraid?
Because of the element of danger which may now exist?
It's a pretty stupid time for 20 questions. How do I feel? Am I afraid?
I'm telling you, go to the police.
I can't.
Would you rather see your wife dead or just a little upset?
Would you like me to tell you what the problem really is?
Yes.
About six months ago,
Tracy was involved in a nasty episode with a cab driver.
A cab driver.
Blows were exchanged.
We kept the affair out of the papers, but we couldn't keep it out of court.
Now, if things get nasty again, and the police are in it,
she could be committed.
Tracy couldn't stand being locked up.
It would kill her.
Now, I'm willing to make it $300 a day.
I want you to continue working for me.
Even though I'm not sure what my next move ought to be?
Well, you can think about it. Give me a call.
I'll leave it all in your hands.
All right, Mr. Albach.
But there's one thing I think you ought to know.
If that lab report comes back and says there's human blood on that apron,
I go to the cops, whether you like it or not.
Hey. Your name Rockford?
What about it?
Hold it right there.
You got a name to go with that order, or you want me to make a guess?
Max Savatgy.
I'm not gonna waste a lot of time on you, so listen, and listen good.
Did you ever see the inside of a meat locker?
If you don't stop messing where you don't belong,
you'll spend the rest of your life in one.
Where's Tracy Albach?
Forget Tracy Albach.
Leave it alone.
Is that you, Sonny?
Is she all right?
Leave it alone.
If you don't, buddy,
you'll wind up just another sirloin hanging on a meat hook.
What's that guy's beef?
Is that supposed to be funny or something, huh?
Hey, what'd I say? What'd I say?
Will you come sit down, Sonny? Your supper's getting cold.
It's ringing.
It's been ringing for the past three hours.
Yeah. Well, he's not at his office.
Look, I caught it, I cooked it, the least you can do is to eat it.
Yeah, well, let me try Albach at his home one more time, huh?
Let me ask you a question, Rocky.
If your wife just took off, you know, and pulled a disappearing act.
Just vanished. What would your attitude be?
Your mom never left the house without she left me a note
telling me where she was going, what time she'd be back,
and what I was allowed to help myself to in the icebox.
If she didn't leave a note, and just took off.
Nah, she wouldn't.
Well, if she did,
wouldn't you be sticking pretty close to the telephone, waiting for it to ring?
Of course you would. That's exactly what you'd do.
Okay, where's Albach?
Well, I don't know.
But, if you don't come sit down, I'm gonna have to put everything back on the stove.
Okay, okay. I'm coming.
(SIGHS)
You should have seen old Fannon's face when I hooked this beauty.
He wasn't catching nothing on that line of his, not even an old boot.
You know, there's something strange about this Albach.
There's something I can't pin down.
Why don't you try it with a little of that tartar sauce?
In fact, I can't pin down anything.
We got blood-soaked aprons, homicidal butchers.
I hit Albach with a new piece of information,
he just nods and starts asking me questions.
I gotta tell you, I'm confused.
You know, that ain't no ordinary tarter sauce out of a bottle.
I made it up myself, special.
I just don't believe it. I really don't. I mean,
I swear I am more concerned about Albach's wife than he is.
Where could he be, huh?
Well, I don't know, but he's probably having coffee and dessert about now.
Yeah, well, he might feel differently
if he ever came face to face with a butcher Bigfoot.
And that's another thing. I got a picture of Tracy Albach.
Tracy and Max Savatgy are just about as likely a couple as
Queen Elizabeth and Don Rickles.
(BUSY SIGNAL) Aha, it's busy.
Well, good, then you can come sit down, eat some, and try him again later.
Yeah.
(CHUCKLES)
No.
No, he was probably sitting up in his office all this time
and he just won't answer the phone.
I'm gonna go down and have a little talk with him.
Well, I'm gonna leave the dishes for you.
WOMAN: He's still sending the limo every night, after a whole month?
Poor old guy.
What about Phil, has he been around?
No, that's not why I've been away. I told you, I've been busy.
Oh, the Alvardo's home base, George, you know that.
Why do you think I'm calling in?
No, really, any day I'm gonna be walking in and ordering a piña colada,
and you're gonna be yelling because I don't order beer.
Oh, yes you do.
Uh, look, George, I have to go now.
Yeah, say hi to everyone for me, okay?
You better get out of here, mister. There's a guard in the building, you know.
Yeah, I know. I signed in with him.
You're Tracy Albach.
I know who I am. Who are you?
Jim Rockford, I'm a private investigator.
Oh, no.
Eric hired you, right? Boy, he never lets up.
Excuse me.
He's worried about you, Mrs. Albach.
Why? No, forget I said that. I don't wanna know why.
Just tell Eric to leave me alone.
I'm sick and tired of people following me.
Is that what you think? That people are following you?
Well, people are following me. You're following me.
Oh, I see.
Eric told you I'm some kind of a head case.
You... Well, he said you had problems.
We all do.
What sort of problems am I supposed to have?
I mean, do I talk to light bulbs? Do I think I'm a toaster? What?
Now, what is it this time?
This time?
Well, there have been a half-a-dozen different stories,
and a half-a-dozen different private detectives.
I mean, he's insanely jealous.
And the operative word there is "insane."
I've asked him to get help, he won't.
He won't?
No. He's gotten progressively worse. He spies on me.
What do you think he hopes to find?
Well, Mrs. Albach, when I came in, you were on the phone,
you were talking to somebody named George. Uh...
You mentioned a poor old guy and a limo, somebody named Phil.
That's none of your business.
Then there's Max Savatgy.
TRACY: What about Max?
ROCKFORD: Oh, well, Max called on me today at my place.
He told me to stop looking for you
or I was gonna end up in a deep-freeze, stamped "USDA Prime."
Well, he has a temper.
I'm sorry he threatened you.
He's really a very gentle man.
Are we talking about the same Max Savatgy? The butcher?
What kind of snob are you? So, he's a butcher.
Would it make a difference if I was having an affair with an executive,
or an artist, or a publisher?
Max is a butcher.
I like him.
He's also a goon.
Look, Mr. Rockford, my life is my own.
Now, you tell Eric to leave me alone. You leave me alone.
I mean it.
(BUSY SIGNAL)
(TIRES SCREECHING)
(RINGING)
Want me to get it?
No, don't bother.
Hey, I thought you were gonna leave the dishes for me.
(CHUCKLES)
It's probably that Mr. Albach again.
I told you he called you three times.
Oh, let it ring.
Oh, Rocky, that is great.
Well, it's cold now.
Mmm, the flavor's still terrific.
I mean, it's great.
You want me to heat it up for you?
Hello.
Mr. Rockford, where have you been?
I've been trying to reach you. Didn't you get my messages?
Yeah, I got them.
It's just been a long day, and I don't feel like playing any more games tonight.
Games?
Yeah. I ran into your wife, Mr. Albach.
We had a nice talk.
You saw Tracy? Is she with you now?
No. She went her way and I went mine.
She says you're the cuckoo, Mr. Albach.
All she wants is to be left alone.
I see.
I think we ought to meet somewhere to discuss this.
Fine, fine. How about under the Santa Monica Pier around midnight, huh?
That ought to appeal to your sense of the dramatic.
No, I've got a better thing, one I like a lot better.
Why don't we just forget the whole thing?
I'd be willing to pay you an additional $50.
I'm not interested.
All right. 100 then.
That would make it $400 a day, that's twice your going rate.
You could make it 800 and I still wouldn't touch it.
I don't know what you're up to, but I don't handle domestic cases,
and I don't work with people who don't level with me.
Well, think about it, please.
I'll call you in the morning.
The answer's gonna be the same in the morning, Mr. Albach.
Goodbye.
I don't handle domestic cases.
You done the right thing. You bet.
Hey, I didn't like that guy from the beginning. I don't owe him a thing.
No, I'll tell you something else, too.
Your business is bad enough
without monkeying around with people like that, got trouble in their head.
Yeah, you're right. Well, what am I, a chaplain or something?
No, I don't like being played for a sucker.
You know, Albach wants me to find his wife, right?
So, he gives me a picture.
Does he give me a current picture? No.
He gives a picture taken in 1968. A wedding picture.
Why? Because it is a wedding picture.
Young couple, they have high hopes for the future, they're just starting out.
Trying to push my sympathy button. Well, it doesn't work.
No, good.
Hmm.
Pretty little thing though, ain't she?
Oh, yeah.
I wonder who Max Savatgy is.
Oh, no, no, scratch that. I don't care. And I don't care what Tracy says,
it's a combination that just doesn't work.
Yeah. It's no concern of yours. Not no more.
None whatsoever. I mean, who cares?
Take the Savatgy house, and the crying, and the apron in the trash can.
I mean, that whole thing was just too neat. Almost like it was staged.
You know, if I was gonna wonder about something, I'd wonder about that.
And look at this, you see her shoes?
They weren't wearing shoes like that in 1968.
Well, maybe she had foot trouble.
Yeah.
Yeah, she's probably having some foot trouble.
Hey, where you going?
I thought you said you was gonna leave it alone.
I can't, I just can't.
(INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)
What'll you have?
Piña colada.
Huh?
Piña colada.
Hey, hey, you're not gonna make it, are you?
What are you, a comic or something? This is a bar.
You order a piña colada, I'm not gonna make you a tuna fish surprise.
Now, you want one, or what?
Just a scotch and water back-up.
I guess you straightened up your act some. She said you'd belt me.
Tracy.
She said just come in and ask George for a piña colada,
and you... Well, maybe you're not George.
Are you a friend of Tracy? Yeah.
Why didn't you say so? She put you up to this, right?
Yeah, yeah. Then you are George?
Sure, sure. I'm George. That Tracy.
She sure loves a good gag.
Always pulling something around here.
Place ain't the same, you know.
What do you mean? She's not around here anymore?
Nah.
Well, that's too bad.
She said, "You ever want to get in touch, just check the Alvarado."
I really thought I'd find her.
Not for a month maybe.
You know Tracy, she don't even drink. She orders these fancy things just to bug me.
What a sense of humor.
Mmm, mmm.
Gee, a million laughs.
You know, George, it's kind of important that I find her, you know.
She's worked with me on projects before and, well, I've got a game set up now
and I don't want to use just anyone. I want somebody I can really trust, you know?
I figure if I'm gonna lay out 500 clams,
I'd better lay it on her, right?
500? Minimum.
Did you try her apartment?
I don't know her address.
I figured the way she talked about the Alvarado, she might have lived here.
Yeah, she just about did.
Her apartment's that big brown ugly job. Two blocks up, one block east, first floor, rear.
Thank you, George.
Hey.
Tell her she shouldn't be a stranger, huh?
(WOMAN SCREAMING)
Hey. Hey.
Let's see, blond, blue-eyed, mid-thirties, muscular build, six-one, six-two.
That's all you got?
Well, I've only seen him twice. I wish I'd gotten the make of his car.
Well, maybe he was thoughtful enough to leave us some prints.
Well, I got a feeling you're gonna find more prints than you know what to do with.
And maybe her trick book?
Found her ID, Sarge. Name's Tracy Marquette.
Thought you said the name was Tracy Albach.
That's the name I was given.
Maybe it's a maiden name. What is this guy Albach like?
Three piece suit.
So, Marquette could be an alias and she's trying to protect her name.
Maybe.
Well, you don't sound too sure about that.
I'm not. Hey, you mind if I look in the closet?
You gotta be kidding, do I mind?
(CHUCKLING) Okay.
Hey, this is a murder investigation.
You answer questions and you stay out of the way. That's your part in it.
Got it?
I got it. Okay, okay.
I just thought you might like some provocative questions to hit Albach with
when you get a chance to talk with him.
Like what?
You finished in that closet?
Yeah, Sarge.
Like what?
Well, like why did he give me this picture,
and told me it was a wedding picture taken in 1968.
Well, it doesn't look like an Elks' picnic.
Well, it's supposed to be a wedding,
and it's supposed to be taken in 1968,
but her shoes are of a very recent manufacture.
I really should have noticed them sooner, but I wasn't checking out the wardrobe,
I was checking out the face.
You mean this picture could be a phony?
Why?
I told you the questions were provocative.
(PHONE RINGING)
Dennis Becker, please.
Yeah, Dennis, this is Jim. I'm at Albach's office.
There's no point in meeting me here. He's cleared out.
Are you sure?
I'm sure as I can be, you know,
there's not a thing in here.
You think he heard about Tracy's murder?
For all I know, he arranged it.
He didn't even leave any lint.
Neat guy. Oh yeah, he's the ideal tenant.
Dennis, it's gonna leave a lot of questions unanswered, like, who was Tracy Marquette?
Where does Max Savatgy fit into this?
Or, why the bloody apron?
I told you the lab report said it was steer's blood.
I'd already figured out that much when I ran into Tracy here,
but why plant it in the first place?
I'll check the building manager and maybe get a lead on Albach.
You'll probably find that he rented this place by the week, paid in cash,
and left no forwarding address.
But I'll tell you what is a possibility, the trash.
I thought you said there wasn't any there.
Not here, in the back of the building.
Albach wouldn't cart off every rubber band, paper clip, slip of paper he had up here.
He'd toss it.
Well, how big is the building?
Big.
Which means there'd be a lot of coffee grounds, and chewing gum,
and half-eaten lunches, and tea bags.
Dennis, I think it's worth a try.
Yeah, I can see that. Let me know if you find anything.
(DIAL TONE)
Hello there.
Be right there.
New arrival.
Just trying to get her settled in.
Now, sir, how may I help you?
Uh, it's these eight adult male white rats.
Mmm-hmm. What about them?
Now, wait a minute, the doctor knows the condition of sale.
The doctor?
Dr. Von Albach.
Now, we've been through all this before.
Now, If those animals died, that's not my fault.
When those animals leave here, they are in prime condition.
No, sir, no exchanges, no refunds. All sales final.
Yeah, well, I'm not trying to return them.
I'm just trying to find them.
I beg your pardon? Yeah, well, it's really very simple.
I ran into Eric the other day, Dr. Von Albach, and I hadn't seen him in years.
I didn't even know he had a title in front of his name.
We sat down over coffee and we talked about how we were gonna keep in touch,
and he pulled out this invoice and he was gonna write his address down there.
But, you know, we got to talking and...
Oh, I think I understand.
But I don't have his address. You see, either the doctor or somebody from his department
comes and picks up the animals, we don't deliver.
Department?
Yes, he's a visiting Professor of Behavioral Sciences at Pepperdine.
Has some sort of a lab set up there.
Behavioral sciences, like Pavlov's dog,
white rats running through a maze, that sort of thing?
Well, that's an over-simplification, but studying behavior,
yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, Mr. Kreski, Dr. Von Albach just returned.
Yes, I thought I caught a glimpse of him.
I told him you were here earlier and that you'd be coming back.
Fine, that's down the hall and...
He said he'd see you in the lab. Yeah.
Four doors to the left.
Four doors to the left, thank you.
ALBACH ON RECORDING: I believe my instructions were quite specific.
The police were not to be involved.
ROCKFORD: The police aren't involved, but they ought to be.
ALBACH: Well, you gave them the apron.
ROCKFORD: That's all I gave them. I didn't mention you or your wife.
ALBACH: Voice stress evaluation update?
We'll have a complete printout tomorrow morning.
ROCKFORD: Mr. Albach, I don't think you fully appreciate what has happened here.
I heard sounds of a woman crying, I...
Simple auditory cues with visual reinforcement.
ALBACH: Nothing whatever out of the ordinary inside the house.
Incidentally, how did you get in?
ROCKFORD: I picked a lock, Mr. Albach.
ALBACH: Why can't we assume
that the apron is exactly as it appears to be?
A butcher's apron.
ROCKFORD: We can't assume anything.
Voice peak. Subject shows signs of stress at this point.
That's your perception of it, Nick.
Let's wait for the hard data. All right, that's enough.
Now, Mr. Commandini. The voice peak you noted came on the phrase,
"We can't assume anything."
Subject at this point appears both confused and frightened.
Now, it is of the utmost importance
when this juncture of fear and confusion is reached,
to maintain a Satisfactory Emotional Posture, or SEP.
This is for you, too, Mr. Posner.
Sorry, Doctor.
Subject must be given emotional reassurance,
followed by monetary reinforcement.
I cannot stress enough the sequential importance here.
ER then MR.
Now, the intensity of existing psychological deficits gives rise to acute anxiety,
which must be countered before compensatory factors are introduced. Any questions?
I got a whole lot of questions.
Mr. Rockford, what are you doing here?
Try that on the old voice stress evaluator, pal.
If you've come here to complain, I'd like to remind you you were well paid
for being a research subject.
And Max Savatgy was probably even better paid to fall on me.
He was instructed to use non-critical physical persuasion.
To threaten, to intimidate, not to physically harm.
COMMANDINI: That's right, sir.
I was present when Dr. Von Albach gave him his instructions.
It was to be strictly non-crit.
Just threaten and intimidate.
Absolutely.
Yeah, well, one of your players didn't get the message straight.
Tracy Marquette is on ice downtown.
Somebody got very critical with her, they broke her neck.
You want to tell me what's going on,
or you want me to stuff you into one of these computers?
It's terrible. This is terrible.
Murder totally invalidates the entire experiment.
What... The experiment? What are you talking about?
I regret Miss Marquette's death, of course, but it has nothing to do with me.
She was working for you.
She was participating in a simple charade.
I had never seen her prior to hiring her,
nor did I expect to see her subsequent to the completion of her task.
Doctor, you were right. You're not a likeable man.
I'm working on a $200,000 grant from the Department of Labor.
This is a government study I'm conducting, it happens to be important.
Well, Tracy Marquette's death's important, too.
Here, Loyalty and Incidence of Task Completion for Monetary Reinforcement
by Self Employed, High Risk, Day-workers?
That's my study.
And I'm the self-employed, high-risk day-worker?
One of them.
The test is highly complex.
I don't know that I could properly translate it into layman's terms.
Try.
Your profession made you eminently qualified for your role as perceiver.
Miss Marquette, Mr. Savatgy, the bloody apron were what is termed, "Stimulus material."
To see if I'd run chicken?
To test your loyalty and task-completion capabilities under stress,
with monetary reinforcement the sole motivational factor.
In other words, you hire me, start throwing bricks at me with one hand
and $100 bills at me with the other, just to see which way I jump.
200 grand for that?
Well, think of the possible applications.
The police department, for example, how much do you pay a man going into a life-or-death
situation to motivate him properly?
The government has a vital interest in this. How do you motivate people?
Yeah, well, how did Tracy get involved in all this?
Mr. Commandini, Mr. Posner and I found her on one of our field trips.
What do you know about her?
All that was necessary.
Several years ago, she had some theatrical experience,
age and general appearance were suitable,
and she needed money.
The same might be said of Mr. Savatgy,
with the exception of the theatrical experience.
Although, he handled his role quite well.
Did she tell you anything about her personal life?
I wasn't interested in her personal life.
She may have mentioned some details, but I don't recall them.
I don't believe that.
Well, you have to understand.
Because I'm a psychologist, because I have a "Doctor" on my name,
people are constantly trying to consult me about emotional problems.
That's not my field of interest.
What did Tracy consult you about?
I don't recall.
Oh, something about trouble with a boyfriend, and...
No, I don't remember.
When people talk and you make what sound like appropriate responses, like, "Hmm,"
or, "Well," they assume you're listening. I wasn't.
Yeah, if she talked, you heard her.
It's floating around in that one-track mind of yours.
All we have to do is jog your memory.
You wanna go down to the station, we'll talk to Sergeant Becker?
No, there can't be any police involvement.
It could jeopardize my grant.
Yeah, well, so would a telephone call to the Department of Labor.
You know how they'd react if I told them that you had something to do with the
murder of a prostitute, huh?
You know how they operate. You're the expert on fear and confusion.
Now, please, Mr. Rockford, I'll do whatever I can to cooperate,
short of going to the police, you have my word on it.
Well, surely there's another way.
What kind of a creep are you?
Let him go, George.
Let me finish with him, okay? What are you talking about?
Taking people and treating them like chimpanzees.
What kind of a thing is that to do?
George, let him go, he's trying to help.
You wanna find the guy that killed Tracy, don't you?
Creep.
I saw the guy who did it.
He was tall, you know, good tan, blond.
Built like a lifeguard.
Phil? Phil wouldn't lay a hand on her.
Phil. That was a name she mentioned. That was the boyfriend.
The one she was having problems with.
Matches the description.
Phil was not her boyfriend, he was just a friend like we all was.
I mean, there was nothing going on between Tracy and Phil.
At least, nothing that I knew about.
He even fixed her up with the old man.
What old man?
Yes, yes, she was very upset about that.
Was that the old guy that sent the limousine to pick her up every night?
Yeah, he'd come in here a couple of times, too.
I mean, at first, in a wheelchair.
Can you figure that? Tracy and an old goat in a wheelchair, holding hands?
He's gotta be 80 years old. Weird.
I didn't say nothing, I mean, I didn't think it was my place, you know?
Who was the old guy?
You can see him on the movie every Sunday afternoon.
You know, where they dig up the real oldies? Billy Baines.
Why not simply call the police?
I intend to.
Your pursuit of this matter after all monetary incentive has been removed...
Phil saw me, I saw Phil.
Is that an incentive you can understand?
Come in, boys. Come in.
(LAUGHING)
We want to thank you for seeing us, Mr. Baines.
Billy, everybody calls me Billy.
My father's Mr. Baines.
(LAUGHS)
That one's older than me.
You know, I had some pretty good material, top writers, best gag men in the business.
But don't blame that one on them.
So, you're friends of Tracy's, huh?
Yes, sir.
Ah, she's a great girl. Lot of laughs.
You know, a lot of people look down on a May-December romance,
but there's still some fire in the old furnace, you know.
I got a million of them.
Sit down, boys. Sit down.
You know, I don't get much drop-in trade lately,
and I always look forward to having company, especially young folk.
Yes, sir, that Tracy's a real nice girl, why didn't you bring her with you?
Well, that's one of the things we ought to discuss. You see, Tracy Marquette...
Mr. Baines, you met Tracy through Phil D'Agosto, didn't you?
Phil, yeah, real nice boy. He's a good driver.
I don't know what I'd do without him.
You know, it's very hard to get help to live in lately,
and I don't know why that is.
He's here? He lives on the estate?
Sure.
You seen Tracy around lately?
Yes, as a matter of fact...
You know, I haven't heard from her in over a month.
But I know what she's up to.
She's making herself scarce so I'll have time to miss her.
Well, I sure miss her.
I wish you'd tell her to stop playing games and come on back.
Say, tell her I've got a new 16-millimeter print of Broadway Billy B:
That's one of her favorites.
You know, she knows that dialogue better than I do now.
In fact, lots of times we just sit around and go through a few of the old routines.
Oh, she's great.
Mr. Baines... Billy...
Tracy won't be coming back.
Sure she will, she's playing games. Now, what does she want?
Well, whatever it is, you tell her she's got it.
Well, Tracy can't come back.
She's...
She's dead.
Oh, no.
No, you're lying.
He's lying, isn't he?
No... No, she was murdered by Phil D'Agosto.
Oh, dear God.
(SOBBING)
I'm gonna have to call the police, Billy.
Oh no, you're not.
Phil, why? Shut up.
What are you gonna do, Phil? You gonna kill us all?
If I decide to go that way, you're first.
Mr. D'Agosto, you're under a great deal of stress,
and it's at times of extreme stress that mistakes are made.
BAINES: How could you kill her, Phil?
How could you kill that little girl?
I said shut up, or I do you all right now.
Now, just listen. Here's how it's gonna be.
You're gonna give me enough money to get out of here,
to get out of the country. You hear me, old man?
Tracy said you had cash squirreled all over the place.
Okay, where?
There's some in that box over there.
There's only a few hundred here.
Oh, well, there's some more in this desk back here.
Why don't you just wheel around and get it for me?
ALBACH: It should be said,
that I am presently working under a grant from the United States Government.
Now, if anything should happen to me, it might be construed as a federal crime.
You'd have to answer to the Department of Labor.
Doctor, why don't you just...
(GUNSHOT)
(GROANING)
You won't mind now if I call the police, huh?
You need some help there, Rocky?
No, you fellows stay right where you are.
I just want you to eat.
No jumping around, no telephones or nothing.
Alright. Hey, hey.
Wait till you taste this, huh?
Caught, cooked and served by one, Joseph Rockford.
Well, it looks great.
Go on, dig in.
It is. What'd you put in this sauce? A little dill?
Oh, a little of this and a little of that.
It really is great, Rocky.
Hey, you know that guy, Von Albach?
Yeah. I'm trying to forget him.
Well, we've got Phil D'Agosto booked on murder one.
Now, this guy Von Albach asks us
if he can give him a "multiphasic personality" test.
You believe that?
You'll probably end up letting him have it.
How's D'Agosto gonna plead?
Accidental homicide.
He wanted Tracy to help him bilk the old man,
she didn't wanna play, so he roughed her up to change her mind.
Ended up breaking her neck.
Uh, you're right, Dennis. I did use a little dill in that.
I thought so.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
I'll get it.
And a little clarified butter. That's the secret.
Sorry to intrude. This won't take long at all.
Doctor, we're trying to have a nice quiet little dinner.
It occurred to me there's no reason the experiment should be a total loss.
We'll salvage what we can. The cards we'll get to in a moment.
First, just a few questions.
No.
It's really very simple. Just answer true of false.
"I often feel I have nothing important to say."
Let me ask you a question. Just answer true of false.
"I like my front teeth."