Starsky and Hutch (1975) s01e21 Episode Script

I can't.
No, I can't.
I can't.
Please.
You have 24 hours to live, pig.
Count them, 24.
Hello? Hello? Who is this? Hutch.
Help.
Where's the doctor? Where's the doctor? Hi, buddy.
There's no effect on your heart yet.
We'll be sending you upstairs for some more tests.
You can sit up and rest for a while now.
- I'd like to talk to him.
- In a minute.
But first I'd like to ask you a few questions.
I understand you and Detective Starsky have been partners for some time now.
That's right.
Yes, he said you were his best friend.
Doctor, what are you trying to tell me? I don't think your friend is going to make it.
His relatives, other close friends should be notified.
What? Well, of course he's gonna make it.
You got him in a hospital.
You're running tests on him.
Does he know? He asked me to tell you.
Said he hates soapy scenes.
Yeah.
Hi, buddy.
How are you feeling, huh? Okay.
Could even think I dreamed it all.
The guy who did it, Starsk, was there anything about him? Nothing.
But I wasn't exactly rowing with both oars at the time.
The doc says I was drugged first.
Something to make me fuzzy enough so I couldn't object.
But you were clear enough to know what was going on? Whoever it was, he wanted to enjoy himself.
What about his voice? Did you, did you? Did you fix a pattern? Well it was about as dirty a laugh as I've ever heard.
I got a feeling it's somebody I know.
Dr.
Franklin? What about the 24 hours? Does it hold? If it's a progressive-type poison yes, its term could be predictable.
The blood sample taken at the puncture indicates a poisonous compound probably of the organic chloride grouping.
Unfortunately, it could be any one of 50 varieties and we can't prescribe the antidote with any certainty until we know the exact composition.
That plain enough? The part about the poisonous compound was, thank you.
You know, it's amazing.
You're well, you think they can cure everything.
You get sick, they can't cure the cold.
My best medical advice at the moment indicates a series of tests.
We'll be able to deduce certain things from changes in your body chemistry.
Doc, pursuing our own, as they say, line of expertise my partner feels he can deduce certain things faster than you can.
- That's part of his job.
- But you're not going.
Look, you're thinking the same thing I am.
We're looking for some flake who knows what was in that shot, right? - Right.
- Well, while I'm still feeling okay - We find him and ask him.
- Okay, where are my pants? I can't forbid this, but I think it's unwise.
I appreciate what you're saying, but it comes down to one question: Can you guarantee if I stay, you're gonna come up with the answer in time? Okay, then I'd like to take a shot at it.
Now, if we don't score by 10:00 tonight I'll come back and give you another crack at it, okay? Find my pants.
I got your watch.
You forgot my pants? You mean you want me to hit the streets with no pants, no badge, no gun, no dignity? What's the matter with you? Do you believe him? You're right, I should've left you lying on the floor while I decided which pair of your crummy jeans I should pack.
They're all looking at you.
This is Zebra Three.
Patch me through to R & I.
R & I, Collins.
Go ahead, Zebra Three.
Charlie, this is Hutch.
Pull every case we worked on in the past five years and have them on our desks.
- No chance, Hutch.
Everybody wants it yesterday.
Have you any idea of our workload? Collins, we'll be there in 20 minutes.
That's how long you got.
Hey, take it easy.
He's got no way of knowing what's going down.
Do it, will you, Charlie? It's that important.
Captain Dobey will confirm.
Have him call Receiving Hospital and check on Starsk.
Got any second thoughts about leaving the hospital? Do you? I could be wrong, but then, I'll be walking around tomorrow.
The doctor was pretty straight about our chances.
- Yeah.
- As I see it, it's "who do we trust" time.
Is that Huggy? - Hey, what it is? - Got a job for you.
Hey, I'm gainfully employed.
Honest.
I got a job as a travel agent.
It's a hard buck, but an honest one.
Need any airplane tickets? What have you heard about a hit going down? - On who? - Me.
Sparing the grim details some guy got into my house and gave me a shot.
Oh, you gotta be putting me on.
I don't think he was putting me on either.
Need your help, Hug.
You gotta ask? I'll do everything I can.
Something'll turn.
Thanks, Hug.
Starsk.
Take a look at this one.
- Sorry about the static.
- Okay.
It's 11:36.
I always did think you were a clock-watcher.
Dave, there must be something you remember about this guy.
Eyes, hair, build? Did you hear that? He called me Dave.
Things some people do to get on a first-name basis.
Really.
All right, let's see.
Vaguely: White male, Any or all possibly inaccurate.
Pull the cards and run them against that make.
This way we'll eliminate the short, fat, black and female.
Then we'll run them against the in-prisons hospitals, out-of-towns Hutch.
Don't go away.
- Get you some coffee? - Great.
What you got, Cheryl? The hospital analysis of the chemical traces at the puncture.
- Black? - Fine.
Chlorohydrin, and what might be bromoacetone.
They couldn't get a fix on the rest.
Level with me.
Normal body functioning depends on the central nervous system transmitting automatic impulses.
To see, to breathe, to sweat, to swallow, cough.
Over-simplified, certain progressive poisons attack the central system and block the impulses.
- What happens? Uncontrolled perspiration, distorted vision loss of coordination, difficult breathing, coma.
When it gets bad, I can help the pain some, but Cheryl, he's gonna need the best the chemistry field can offer, right? How is it with your father? He doesn't seem to wanna see me or anybody.
- Can you ask him to help? I've already tried.
He hasn't returned my call.
Look, I'll go out to the house if I have to.
Thank you.
Twenty possibles reduced to these three primes.
Vic Bellamy, Janos Martini and Al Wedell.
Vic Bellamy.
We busted him out at the university with a suitcase of red devils.
Pimp, pusher, armed robbery, a couple suspected homicides.
- Really hated me.
No-taste bum.
- Here's Al Wedell.
Possible.
I busted him with six kilos of Mexican brown H.
Big dealer.
Knows about chemistry from testing his stuff.
He promised to waste us both.
Cold, calculating type.
Really thought his clients were dirt.
- Didn't have time for anybody.
- Janos Martini.
Good old boy.
Used to run a porno studio for the kinky trade, you know, whips, chains.
Beat his girlfriend half to death in front of a camera.
Good old Janos, mixing business and pleasure.
Well, we don't have an address on Janos but he shouldn't be too hard to find.
A nude girl, a brownie, and he's back in business.
What about the others? Wedell dropped out of action months ago.
Same for Martini.
The only address we have is on Vic Bellamy.
That makes him our first stop.
- Open up.
Police.
- In a minute.
We're gonna look awfully stupid if he goes out the back.
Don't shoot! I told you, in a minute.
- Vic! - Don't shoot.
- What's going on? - I don't know.
Ask them.
How long has he been in that cast? Four weeks.
Why? Hey, what is this? How about strike one? Sorry, lady.
- You got a feel on him? - Same as always.
A crumb.
- Want me to drive? - What, and get us both killed? Why am I trying to make you feel better? - You know something? - What? It's toughest on the ones left behind.
I'll believe that when I hear it from somebody who went first.
This is Zebra Three to Control, Detective Hutchinson.
Put me through to Dobey, will you? - Yeah, Hutch? - Scratch Bellamy.
Okay.
Listen, Cheryl's located four supply houses that handle chlorohydrin.
I'm getting teams out to them.
What about Wedell and Martini? - No, nothing yet.
- What the hell are you guys doing? What do you mean, what the hell am I doing? - Listen - Listen to me! - Wait a minute, I'm not through yet.
- Come on.
Captain, you'll have to forgive Hutch.
He's feeling a bit skittish.
Yeah, well - Tell him I am too.
- Hey, did you hear that? Captain, I think Hutch wants to apologize.
Oh, come on, let's not get sickening about this, huh? What about Martini's old girlfriend, Sweet Alice? Do you have a current address on her? Yeah, I've got an address.
Why didn't I think of that? That's a good idea, captain.
Hang a right.
Wait a minute, wait.
Maybe she's busy.
- How do we get invited in? - What if we slip $20 under the door? - Sweet Alice? - Yeah.
- Make it at least 50, huh? - Boy, you are romantic.
Hey, I'll take the back.
Wait 20 seconds and then knock.
Alice? Open up.
Police.
Do you mind if I go in there, sir? Sir? Appreciate it.
You can go.
- Hey, Hutch? - Sorry, Alice.
- Hi, Handsome Hutch.
- Let me in.
Hey.
Well, howdy, Starsky.
Y'all come on in and have a drink.
- Hiya, Sweet Alice.
- Hey, did you stop by to bust me or just for a little friendly conversation? I know.
You're looking for somebody.
- How do you feel about Janos? - Oh, my.
Time heals.
I just mildly hate his guts now.
Well, then you wouldn't mind telling us where he is.
Knowing he wouldn't find out it was me that told you.
Nope.
Okay.
He's got a little business ingeniously called "Sex-sational Films.
" He bought himself a grocery store.
He's calling it a sound stage.
Somewhere on Channing Avenue, I think.
Hey, what's the matter? - Thanks, Alice.
- Thank you.
Hey, wait.
What's the beef? Nothing trivial, I hope.
- No, afraid not.
- Hey, are you all right, Starsk? Man, you're just sweating all over the place.
You got a fever? Yeah.
Oops.
We gotta go around back.
Would you mind moving? Does that handle it? - You got a warrant? - No, I don't got a warrant.
- You got a warrant? - Nope.
Well, that about covers it, huh? Yeah.
You know something, Starsk, he's right.
We can't go on in there without probable cause.
Like stupid here taking a swing at us.
Wait a second.
Which one of these flakes are you calling stupid? The creepy-looking one.
Gotta be more specific.
The guy who never picks on anybody his size.
Gets his kicks intimidating young girls and old women.
Now, you two turkeys better split.
If you're here when we come out Can you believe they bought that, huh? Starsk.
Hey, easy, easy, easy.
Easy.
You gonna make it, huh? My stomach hasn't hurt this bad since Aunt Rosa sent me her chicken soup.
Easy.
Easy, now.
Come on.
Just try to relax.
Take it easy.
She never could get the hang of it.
She made great won ton though.
- You think you can make it? - Yeah.
Give me a minute.
Okay? - How do I look? - You look terrible.
You okay? Yeah.
Okay, Ginger, this isn't a gum movie.
Take it out of your mouth.
All right.
Could you give us a little feeling? Come on, come on.
All right, everybody.
Settle down.
Stand still.
This will be a take.
Roll film.
Cut! Hey, Janos, old buddy.
You remember Janos, huh? Hey! - Where were you at 4 this morning? - Are you guys crazy? - What's the beef? - Don't answer with a question.
At my apartment.
We started shooting at 5.
- I was here at 4:30.
Ask the crew.
- Come on, Janos.
You expect us to take the word of these flakes on anything? Tell him a funny story.
I don't feel too funny this morning, Janos.
So I want you to pretend I told you a real knee-slapper.
- What do you guys want? - I want you to laugh.
Oh, Jesus.
Hey, careful with that lens.
It cost 2500 bucks.
- Well, now, that's funny.
- Yeah.
I bet it's worth every penny too.
Gives a great close-up.
- Laugh, Janos.
- Wouldn't wanna lose my pension now.
You can laugh better than that, Janos, huh? You're right about this thing giving great close-ups.
Oh, please, don't drop that lens.
I'm in hock to my wife's brother for that.
Laugh, Janos.
Come on, Janos, laugh! Give it to me from the belly! Unfortunately, that's not it.
Thanks, Janos.
Great performance.
Really great.
- Well, that's 12 hours gone.
- Yeah.
The pessimist says the bottle's half empty and the optimist says it's half full.
Oh, it hurts, Hutch.
Oh, God, it hurts.
I know.
I know.
Buddy, I'm here.
I'm here.
How are you doing, huh? I'm scared.
Well, I don't know what there is to be scared about.
We've still got seven hours.
Oh, that's right.
Just enough time to catch the double bill at the Rivoli and finish that book I was reading.
Well, we know it's not Bellamy and we know it's not Janos.
- All we've gotta do is to find Wedell.
- Only he ain't turning up.
We got a whole police force looking in this city, and he ain't showing.
That's because you and me aren't on the streets.
As soon as we get back on the streets, we'll turn that turkey.
- Probably find him in a trash can.
- Sure.
Hit the streets, run down a few alleys.
- Bust down a few doors.
- Get a few snitches working.
The guy won't have a chance.
Cheryl, will you hurry up with that stuff? Here, this will help.
Boy, that arm's been really getting it.
- You okay? - Oh, yeah.
I'm fine.
The room's in pretty bad shape, but I'm doing just fine.
I can't give you anything stronger without knocking you out.
Please, that's all I need.
What's the good of all your books and your junk, your toys, your stuff if it doesn't do anything? What's happening here, Cheryl? - Nothing very good.
- You're doing all you can, Cheryl.
I did go out to campus.
Dad was in a faculty meeting.
He couldn't come out.
- Wouldn't, I guess.
- What's the matter with him? How come you make excuses for him? Softly.
Don't antagonize the people I need.
He's doing all he can.
He sent his assistant to the lab to run a spectrograph on the slide from the hospital.
He's a new boy.
Knows his trade too.
Even learning the composition won't help unless they know the proportions.
- There's no way of testing that.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well That brings us back to finding Wedell.
You can stop looking.
- We just located your third possible.
- Wedell? He's been dead four days.
Heart attack.
Detective Hutchinson? - Yeah? - Oh, excuse me.
But I'm supposed to look at some pictures.
Ted, will you help this lady out, please? But they told me to speak to you.
You see, I work at Crawley Pharmaceuticals.
I was at the doctor when you folks came around.
Bad cold.
Ted, do you still have those pictures around here? Here, lady, have a chair.
Hey, you want this water? You know if this was a cowboy movie I'd give you my boots.
You're my pal, Hutch.
Officer Lady, lady, please.
I'm busy.
Ted, will you? But the pictures I mean, the man, I do recognize this man.
This man? Vic Bellamy.
This man came into your place and bought chemicals? No, not chemicals.
That's what's so strange.
I mean, that's why I remember.
He wanted to buy all the materials to make a leg cast.
Thank you.
Thank you, lady, very, very much.
I'll take it.
I'll take it.
I've, as they say, a vested interest in this case.
Besides, he's our only lead.
Listen.
I've gotta get out of town.
I need the money now.
They got me staked out.
Starsky and Hutchinson.
They were here a while ago.
They just came back.
- Where is he? - I didn't wanna lie.
He made me.
- Where is he? - The roof.
Stay here.
- Has he got a gun? - Yes.
- He made me lie.
- That's terrific.
Vic? Vic, it's not murder one yet.
What was in the hypo? Vic, give it up! Vic! Hold it! Hold it! What's the matter, Hutchinson? You lose your piece? Maybe you're afraid to shoot, huh? Kill me, and you kill your partner.
Right? You're dead, Hutchinson.
Thanks, buddy.
What'd you have to do that for? He was the only guy that knew.
Seemed to be a good idea at the time.
I'm sorry.
We're gonna have to take him upstairs now.
If his timetable is right, he's got less than two hours.
Hey, buddy.
I have to go now.
Okay.
Hey.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, okay.
Well, that's it, huh? No, that's not it.
Look, Hutch, we only have two hours.
I don't care if we got two minutes, we don't give up.
We've missed something, captain.
We've been in such a hurry We've rushed right past something important.
Hutch, we put 200 names in the computer.
We get 20 possibles and three primes.
It's not our fault if they all wash out.
They didn't all wash out.
Vic Bellamy didn't wash out.
He was Vic Bellamy only had a 10th-grade education.
How did he get the smarts to pull this off? - You think somebody hired him? - Absolutely.
Don't you? - Right.
- Somebody's gotta tell me who.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
For Vic and you and me and your partner.
- Stop being sorry.
- I'm sorry.
Honest.
Help me! Vic wasn't smart enough to do this by himself.
He had to have help.
Who helped him? - I don't know.
- Who helped him? - I don't know.
- Tell me! I don't know his name! - Tell me! - He hired Vic.
- Who? - He has to do with the university.
Hello, Cheryl.
It's 2:30.
I'm sorry it's late, but I have to talk with you.
It's been quite a while.
- Come in.
- Thank you.
Dad, why haven't you wanted me to come and see you? Are you somehow blaming me for Jerry? Your brother's dead.
Let him lie.
No.
Tell me.
It's important to me.
You're important to me.
I can't help thinking that when you told the police you lit the fuse.
Jerry was peddling drugs on campus.
I just wanted him to stop.
I just wanted to help.
Jerry was a good boy.
Hutch, what are you doing here? Cheryl, I may need your help.
Bear with me.
I wanna talk to your father.
Detective Hutchinson, you're not welcome in my home.
We've gone way past that.
- What are you talking about? - Ask your father.
He knows.
I just spoke with Vic Bellamy's widow.
Vic Bellamy? The man your brother was pushing dope for when he was killed.
If you don't leave my house peaceably I'm going to have to call the campus police.
You'll find them busy, professor.
They and some detectives are opening up your laboratory.
But why? They'll look for a poisonous compound injected into Starsky.
Cheryl, your father is the man who wants to kill him.
That's insane.
Yes, I guess it is.
At least, that's what the defence attorneys will plead.
But you see, Cheryl, your father contacted Vic Bellamy a few weeks ago after he got out of prison.
The two of them held a grudge against me and Starsky.
It was a perfect partnership, wasn't it, professor? Dad, please, tell him it isn't so.
Tell him.
Yes, professor, go on, tell me.
- Where did I make my mistake? - The compound itself.
It was far too sophisticated for anybody as simple as Bellamy.
- Dad - You'll not find anything in the lab.
Well, then they'll come here.
They'll tear this It is here, isn't it? Of course it is.
There's enough stuff for both Starsky and me.
- Dad, Dad, please, what is this all? - Just shut up! Can't you ever keep your mouth shut? - You have it all figured out.
- Yes.
- But why? - Because they killed my son.
They killed Jerry.
Professor, you don't think You don't think that we wanted to kill him, do you? I read your story in the police report.
Dad, Hutch tried to protect you in that report.
Jerry was an addict, stoned out of his mind constantly.
That's a lie.
Sir, his mind had already been taken over.
His brain was soup.
- No.
- We tried to calm him down.
We tried to bring him back to the house.
It's in the report.
He grabbed my gun.
It went off accidentally.
It's not his fault.
He was spaced out.
Stop it.
Professor, I'm asking you.
I'm begging you.
- Please, stop this before it's too late.
- My boy is dead.
He was a good boy.
He's dead.
I'm asking you to save my partner's life.
Professor, give it to me.
Give it to me.
- Give it to me.
- Dad, please.
Dad, it's all right.
It's all right.
It's over.
It's over.
Two cc's hydrochloride.
One cc bromoacetone.
Four cc's benzyl cyanide, one cc diphenylamine.
Yes, I think your friend is gonna make it.
Thank you, doctor.
Hey, hey, hey.
What are you doing here? Come on.
The doctor returned me to work as soon as possible.
Well, sit over here.
Watch yourself.
How are you feeling? You look awful.
- Oh, I'm okay.
- You don't look okay.
- I'm okay.
- I'm gonna talk to those doctors.
Wait a sec, wait a sec, captain.
The doctors say recovery has to start somewhere.
It's best to become active as soon as possible.
You don't look like you'll be active to me.
What do you think, Hutch? He looks terrible.
You ought to go home till you get better.
- No.
- How long before you'd be recovered? - Couple of weeks.
It's not that import - Shut up, Starsky! We know more about this than you do.
You're gonna take two weeks off.
Well, if you insist - Would you get me a glass of water? - Yeah, sure.
- Captain Dobey here.
- Hey, captain.
Yeah, tell Starsky I got his reservations.
Starsky's confirmed for two weeks in the pleasure capital of the Caribbean.
Hutchinson, get on that phone.
It's important you hear this.
Would you mind repeating that? Well, it's this great little hotel in St.
Thomas.
Yeah, all the New York secretaries go there.
Yeah, it'll be full of all the kinds of girls Starsky says he wants.
It's got the other stuff he asked for too.
Tennis, scuba, marlin fishing.
It's the greatest.
Yeah, we'll take the proper action.
Thanks very much.
- Thanks, buddy.
- Yeah.
What do you think you're doing? Is that any way to treat a convalescent?