Starsky and Hutch (1975) s02e22 Episode Script

Elena Murder murder! Matar, matar! We're closed.
Por favor! Mi amiga matar Policía! I said we're closed! "El close-o.
" "Va-moose.
" Boy, they ought to teach these people how to read before they let 'em in.
Hey you Hey! You broke my window.
Where are you? My window is broken! DISPATCH.
; All units, all units in the vicinity of 14th and Spruce, report of a burglar alarm at that address.
This is Zebra three.
We are responding.
Did you Did you get her? What? Did you see that crazy broad who busted my window? She was screamin' here, stupid, crazy broad, hollerin' and screamin', poundin' on my window.
And me I'm not even open yet! Hey, hey, hey.
Calm down now.
Who was she? What was she hollering? I don't know, Officer.
She was jabberin' in Spanish.
Well, did you manage to catch anything she said? She said a lot of things: "Poli-chia," papa-something-to-eat.
We don't cook it here, though.
Her mother, her ma-tar, her mother, her ma-tar What's the difference? Wait a second, wait a second, wait a second.
Did she say mother or matar? Matar.
What's the difference? She busted my window.
The difference is that in Spanish, matar means murder.
What murder? Will you tell this guy she busted my window? Hey, hey, you! Now, you said the girl that broke your window took off down the street, right? Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right, where'd she come from? I don't know.
How am I supposed to know? I'm in there making my batter.
People expect super pancakes from me in this neighbourhood.
Hey, hey! This girl came to you for help.
What'd you do for her? Do? What could I do? She busted my window! You know what's gonna happen when I report that? My insurance rates are gonna go sky high.
I'm just a small-business man.
Now I'm a bad risk.
Watch your step.
Give you a hand with that, Captain? Thank you, Hutchinson.
I've been looking for you two.
I just stopped here to get a little quick energy.
This the new diet you're on, Captain? Get all the food together at the beginning of the week, the first day, lunchtime.
Who do you think you are, Starsky, Milton Berle? What? I understand you two were asking about a young Latin woman.
I got a report on one in her early 20s.
It was just something that happened on our way to work this morning.
She might be in some kind of trouble.
Well, if it's the same one, she's not in trouble.
You can check on her at the morgue.
She was found at the foot of the Sixth Street bridge.
Probably killed someplace else, and then brought there and thrown off.
If it was supposed to fool us, it didn't.
Marks on her neck indicate she was strangled sometime around 6:00 this morning.
There's no ID.
Ginny, can I have a follow-up On your desk as fast as I can and still be thorough? Yeah.
Hmm.
Did I mention to you that she was very probably a seamstress? No, you didn't.
How do you know? Callus on the right index finger.
It's a seamstress trademark.
Also, there were traces of sewing machine oil and threads found under her nails, and more threads around the soles of her shoes.
That sandwich shop is in the garment district.
Yeah, I noticed.
She might have come from Central America.
Her shoes were from Costa Rica.
There's a label on the inside.
And according to the wear pattern, I'd say that she's had them about a year.
Oh, a photograph of the dead girl.
Medical science can tell us a lot about what happened to this girl, but we leave it to you to find out who she was.
This the girl that broke your window? Nope.
That's not her.
That's not the girl who came here this morning looking for help, huh? I told you.
She's not even close.
Okay.
Okay, maybe she works in the district.
Maybe she's a customer.
More likely just another wetback.
A wetback, huh? Well, you ain't gonna find the girl that busted my glass, or not this girl either, with her eyes closed, because they're afraid of cops.
How about a couple of my super pancakes on the house? You don't know what you're missing.
Haa! It's never easy.
Starsky.
A girl doesn't come running up to a sandwich shop screaming bloody murder for nothing.
Okay.
If our girl isn't the victim, let's figure her as a witness.
Listen to you, "our girl," huh? Yeah.
We don't even know who she is, what she looks like.
Yeah, but the killer's liable to.
You sure you know which one I'm talking about? Sí, Señor Wheeling.
Yes.
She live up the stairs.
Andrea Andrea Guiterrez.
I know.
Hmm when she comes back, I want you to call me at that number.
You got it? Sí.
I got it.
She hasn't been here since early this morning.
I told the old man to call me if she came back.
Look, you go up the corner and park.
Keep watch, just in case.
Any luck? No, you? Nope.
Where do you want? I dunno.
I'll go here.
Why? Closer.
Oh.
Oh, my! Wh-what are you doing? I'm Oh Oh! Good heavens, did I do all of that? Please, let me help you out there.
No, that's okay.
You sure? Yeah.
Oh, well, at least you're in your old clothes.
I mean, it would be a shame if you were dressed in something decent.
What do you mean? I'll have you know that these are well, they're not exactly my best Oh, I'm sorry.
Now I've hurt your feelings too.
Well, it's just that you're dressed in that, uh Turn around.
Hmm? I mean, those old, uh Rummage sale chic, right? You're into that entire counterculture of dressing down instead of really getting into Look! Well, I, actually Say no more.
Okay, I'm on my way.
Really, I can't talk anymore.
I've loved being here like this, but I'll be running along.
We'll visit longer next time? Sure.
What's your name, anyway? Starsky David Starsky.
Of course it is.
What's going on in there? Hey, what is this, a playground? Get back to work.
What do you want? Sorry.
My name is Detective Sergeant Hutchinson.
I just wanted to know if they could identify a murder victim.
Let me see the picture.
Anybody in there recognise her? No.
Oh, me neither.
Guess you struck out.
Thank you.
I got a cop named Hutchinson nosing around trying to identify Elena's body.
Too close and too soon.
I don't think you're hearing me.
First you get rid of him.
Then you find out what precinct he's from.
What? I get the feeling that nobody around here wants to help us identify that girl.
I mean, we're not asking anybody to get involved.
They gotta be afraid of something.
Cheer up.
I think we just got lucky.
What? The owner of that factory Yeah? Is having a fashion show at the Stanton Hotel.
I spoke to her secretary.
She says she might be able to help us.
Huh.
Okay, Shane, on the platform.
Johnny, she's all ready.
What is with this shredding? Paul, braid it.
Do something.
Dee, come on, we don't have much time.
Go on ahead.
What's with this collar? I told you to put the fur on the other side.
Make it a little bit more blouson.
I don't know.
Maybe she should wear a T-shirt underneath it.
Lou? Pockets Do you have any other pockets? I think we're a little Let me see.
Put the hair back.
Excuse me, Lou? I don't have time.
Talk to Dorothy.
Okay, work with it.
Do something.
I don't know.
Honey, honey Oh, you've got that dress on backwards.
Change it.
My name is Hutchinson.
Yes? Police Officer.
My name is Brownley, and I'm a crazy person.
I mean, why else would I run this mess and talk to a poli Policeman? Yeah.
Okay, who's dead? Who said anybody's dead? Who are you? His partner.
Name's Starsky.
Nice name.
Well, Starsky, you know, just between you and me, cops are not known to bring good news.
When was the last time you went to somebody's house to tell them somebody didn't die? Look, uh Okay, which one of my relatives is it? It's not actually one of your relatives Where's Basil with the dress? He's over there.
He'll meet you.
Go ahead.
Oh, there, uh Excuse me.
He's cute.
I don't think so.
Well, maybe you're right.
What were you saying? Oh, uh We were wondering if you could identify this girl for us.
We think she works somewhere in the garment district.
Yeah, I know her.
Um she works worked here.
Her name is Elena something.
Murdered? Yeah.
Come with me.
I'll give you the address.
Hi.
Hi.
Remember me? Well, sure.
I mean, there's something about a snappy dresser with a name like Starchy that really embeds itself in your memory.
It's Starsky.
You see? Here, turn around.
What? Please turn around.
Put your arm out.
Thank you.
Uh, it's Laura.
What? My name, dummy.
Laura Stevens.
Oh, hi.
Hi.
Um, how do you look in a suit? Uncomfortable.
Why? I figure that if we are to continue this strange and wonderful relationship Relationship? Mm-hmm.
Eventually you're going to wanna take me someplace wonderful, like an expensive restaurant, so I'II, uh I think I got a possible address on that dead girl.
Oh, that's terrific.
We'll go just as soon as Uh Do you mind? No, she's changing.
Turn around.
Really? I was holding her clothes for her.
She was changing, that's all.
It's all right, Starsk.
It doesn't go with your eyes anyway.
Oh.
Yeah.
Elena is really dead? Afraid so.
You know anybody close to her who we might be able to talk to? She shared this apartment with her cousin.
What happened to her? She was strangled this morning.
Do you know her cousin's name? Andrea Guiterrez.
Andrea Guiterrez.
Do you have any idea where we might be able to find her? No I think she is hiding.
She was here this morning, and she was uh, how do you say muy asustada? Very frightened.
Sí, frightened.
She ran in and out.
Do you know where she was going? No, I told you.
She was very frightened but she did leave most of her possessions.
If she does come home, will you give us a call at this number? Sí.
It's very important.
Yes, I will.
Uh when we came out of the fashion show, did you notice a dark brown Ford with two guys in it? Oh, you mean the one parked in front of the green sports car with the top down, huh? What colour ties are they wearing, huh, Starsk? Okay, funny guy.
They just happen to still be with us.
Well, that's very good.
Thank you.
Got any suggestions? Well, I know one suggestion, up a dead-end alley around the corner.
Okay, out of there! Come on! Let's go! Okay come on.
Come on! Turn around, turn around.
Up against it.
You wanna tell us about this, turkey? Certainly, Sergeant Hutchinson But I think it'd be clearer if we talked it over with your commanding officer present.
Gentlemen, I don't know how I can make it any clearer.
As agent in charge of this city's Immigration Office, I'm asking you to stop your investigation now.
We can't stop it, not when a girl's life is at stake.
You mean Andrea Guiterrez? How did you know that? We just found out a little while ago.
That's what I was trying to explain, gentlemen.
You see, Andrea Guiterrez and her room-mate, her cousin Elena, the dead girl, were both mixed up in an operation smuggling illegal aliens from Central America.
An operation which my department is very close to breaking up if you will just butt out.
It never occurred to you to share that kind of information with us, did it? Captain Dobey I am here in the spirit of cooperation.
By whose definition? You're in here because my men brought you in.
And now you're trying to get us to call off an investigation.
That's not cooperation.
That's interference.
Well, I see that I've wasted my time coming here.
I'll have my department chief in Washington speak to your police commissioner.
Good day, gentlemen.
Well, Captain? Are we still on the case? By the time Sterling gets to his boss in Washington, and Washington gets to the commissioner, and the commissioner gets back to me it's Thursday.
If you two don't have this case closed, stay out of my sight.
Okay.
Well You're kind of jumpy, aren't you Harry? You're kind of lucky.
Yeah, well, forget the jokes.
What about the girl? Don't worry about her.
I got somebody covering the streets and the apartment.
Don't sweat it.
We'll get her.
Well, when you get her, then I'll stop sweating it.
Look, if you hadn't been playing footsies with Elena, she would have never stumbled on our relationship.
I wouldn't have had to kill her.
There's no sense sitting here moaning about the past.
Just take care of her.
I've got other things to worry about.
Oh? What are they? About how I justify killing two local cops if they get too close.
Starsky and Hutch.
What's happening? Hmm? It's just like I thought.
What? You're not gonna like it.
Hey.
We're buddies, right? Yeah.
Huh? Trust me.
I'll like it.
Okay.
Well, you know that our best and most reliable information here in the barrio comes from that bar, right? Yeah.
That's where Ramón hangs out.
Yeah, I know that.
Well, it's just like I thought.
You see, I busted the bartender in there about three years ago when you were on the east coast.
Uh-huh.
So I figure that if you just give me your gun and your badge, and I could teach you a couple of Spanish phrases real quick, and then you just go on in there, you could probably get right back out again without too much broken.
Well, that's an idea.
But? I don't like it.
Oh.
Está Ramón aquí? What's that? That's "Is Ramón here?" Huh? Hmm? Está Está Ramón Ram-on.
Ramón.
Ramón.
Aquí.
Aquí.
Good.
Why do I get the feeling way deep down that you're getting even with me for fixing you up on a blind date? Oh, Starsky, she was terrific.
You know I love lady cab drivers.
Besides, if anything happens, I'll be out here.
I can be in there in a flash, you know.
You know that.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's go over it one more time.
Hey I got it.
Una Superior por fav or.
Uh Está Ramón aquí? No.
Dónde está Ramón? Uh Está Ramón aquí? Ramón is amigo.
So you're looking for Ramón, eh, your friend.
You speak English.
Sí, Ramón mucho amigo.
Uh, uh Está Ramón aquí? What kind of person would be a friend to an informer? Eh? A guy who would turn in his own camaradas.
Well Eh? Ramón isn't exactly a friend of mine.
As a matter of fact, I don't like him much either.
You know I think maybe you are a snitch too.
Please Okay, snitch, you want Ramón? You take this street down to Atlantic.
Sí.
To St.
Luke's Hospital.
Sí.
There, you'll find Ramón.
Thank you, uh, gracias.
You see, Ramón, he had a he had an accident today And I think maybe you are going to have one too, Señor Snitch.
Hey, Miguelito.
How about letting somebody else have some of the fun around here? After all, he had the last live one.
How about it, amigo? Relax, amigo.
You're a cop, right? Yeah.
I'm on your side.
Oh! But we have to make it real good.
Oh, yeah! Oh, gotta stop that.
I'm sorry, man Huh? But I'm from Immigration Oh.
Undercover.
Okay.
What do you wanna do now? Unless you want to blow my cover, you handcuff me, and you drag me roughly to your car.
Don't That rough enough? Here you go.
You'll feel a lot better.
Come on.
You wanted to see me? Yeah, Captain.
This man on my left? His name is Paco Ortega.
He helped me out of a jam tonight.
He's with Immigration.
Café? Por favor.
Con mucho gusto.
You work for Sterling? Not quite.
Remember that smuggling ring Sterling was telling us about? He thinks that Sterling is the head of it.
What makes you think that? Sterling is the agent in charge of the local office here.
He's conducting this investigation into the smuggling ring personally.
And he's doing a crack job too.
Unfortunately, the only people he's caught so far are the illegal aliens.
And they are shipped back to Central America so fast, no one can talk to them.
Well, maybe that's the way it is.
Now, that's like saying all there is to a rattlesnake is his noisy tail.
Let me explain, Captain.
The smuggling ring brings illegal aliens for $700 apiece.
They go to work in the garment district, not very high-paying jobs to begin with, but then they find out they have to kick back half their pay to Sterling or be deported.
Now the poor souls are working for half pay and still trying to buy groceries.
Don't they have somebody to complain to? No one, and I mean no one.
They dare make a beef, they get beat up, and they get deported.
And they end up little more than slaves.
Well, what about the dead girl? Was she a part of this organisation? No, she was a victim, but she must have found out something very important, because suddenly she was bragging about coming into a lot of money, enough to go back home in style.
And, my friends, that can get you killed in some circles.
Detective Hutchinson.
Señor Hutchinson, this is Moreno, the super in Andrea Guiterrez's apartment building.
Uh, yeah, Mr.
Moreno.
What is it? It is Andrea.
Is she back? Sí I mean, no! She is here, but not inside.
She's outside waiting across the street.
Earlier, she walked by several times.
I think she's afraid to come in.
We'll be there as soon as we can.
Let's go.
Moreno's seen Andrea.
Wanna come along? Yes, of course.
Nice meeting you, Captain.
Adiós.
No! No! Hold it right there, Wheeling.
You're under arrest.
At least I'm not going by myself.
Drop it.
I said, drop it! Hey, what is this? Huh I mean, you heard him.
But I just saved your skin.
What is this? He said he was going out shooting.
Hey, you, what's your name? Who are you? Ortega.
You saw what happened.
You tell these guys what happened.
That man was our prisoner.
You just blew away our prisoner! Oh, now, wait a minute.
You're gonna have to prove that.
Now, I would appreciate you helping Captain, Hutch is upstairs with the girl.
The girl upstairs is an illegal alien.
As such, she belongs to me.
No one belongs to anyone.
Why are you so interested in this girl upstairs? I just like doing my job, Captain.
So do we.
Hey.
I don't know where you're coming from, but you're a little too glib with your words, and you're a little too fast with your gun.
Now, that girl upstairs is a material witness to a murder.
Now, as such, for her own protection, she's a prisoner.
She's our prisoner.
Well, you just murdered our last prisoner.
Look.
Hey.
You go up those stairs, I promise you're not gonna get past the first landing without a severe limp.
Captain is this your department's official position? My advice to you would be not to go upstairs.
Andrea, did Elena know something about Harry that the rest of you didn't? Not Harry.
She said she had some papers that they would have to give her money for.
She said a lot of money.
They? Andrea, who was Harry's partner? I don't know.
I can't tell you.
Andrea She doesn't have to.
But why was Sterling so conveniently staked out at her apartment tonight? Andrea No.
Andrea You don't understand.
He has great power.
He made Elena do things.
He has no power.
He pretends to be big, but it is not the same thing.
Café? Sí.
I can bet my life on it.
She knows enough to put Sterling behind bars, but she's too afraid to tell us.
And by tomorrow, he will have a court order taking custody of her, and then we'll never have a case.
Paco there may be one way.
What are you talking about? Something that Sterling is very much at home with.
A crooked cop.
Yeah.
It's Officer Ortega, line four.
He says you know him from last night.
Uh, thank you.
Well, Officer Ortega, what can I do for you? Mr.
Sterling, I just thought I'd call you and let you know that from now on you can count me in as your new partner.
In the Immigration Service? You might say that.
You know, I've been checking into Harry Wheeling's operation for a long time, and I was all set to move in on him when you shot him.
Well, you were going to arrest him? Arrest him? Are you dumb, man? I meant to cut myself a piece of the easy money.
Hey, that's a nice set-up you guys put together.
You know, I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about.
Now, here I'm willing to trade you Elena's little package of souvenirs of you and her together.
You know, motel keys, postcards, pictures I'm here willing to trade you all of that for a little partnership.
And what do I get in return? Dumb questions.
Now, would you rather I give it to those two yo-yos, Starsky and Hutch? Well, you're the cop.
Yeah, I'm a cop, just like you are an Immigration Officer.
And we are in it for what we can get out of it.
You and me, partner, we're gonna get out plenty.
I'll meet you at the Convention Centre, Oh, by the way, you won't have any trouble recognising me.
I'll have a nice big envelope for you in my hands.
Think he'll go for it? If we have him pegged right.
You have to remember: My name is Ortega, and I speak English with an accent, and even though I don't think with an accent, he's been dealing with us aliens for so long, he won't think I'm that bright.
Oh, he'll be there, all ready to grab that envelope and stomp me in the mud.
Hola, Señor Capitán.
I am here at the fountain with our white-faced friend and Charlie Chaplin.
I hope it's a good show.
Look, when I get the envelope, he turns his back, I'm going to start shouting, and then you shoot him.
Don't worry, it it'll be an official accident.
Yeah, that crooked cop is gonna die a hero.
Let's go.
Ortega? You see, I told you you wouldn't have any trouble recognising me.
You got something for me? Hey, not so fast.
Don't prospective partners usually talk over a few terms first? Tell me, how did, uh How come you ended up with the envelope, and not Starsky and Hutch? Now, that's the advantage of having two languages, señor.
Andrea tells me one thing in Spanish.
I tell them a whole other thing in English.
Could I have that envelope now? Please? Please? Wow! The grand Señor Sterling, champion of the wetbacks, said "please" to a common chicano.
Gimme that damn thing.
Hey, hey, hey.
Give it! Okay here.
Western Savings Bank? In a safety deposit box.
Now, you wouldn't think I'm that stupid.
You scum! Sterling! Over here! Go, get him! Paco! Behind you! Paco, how bad is it? It'll do, man.
Go, get out of here.
Go! Hey, you did that pretty good.
It's my pleasure.
Ever think of going into the movies? What'd you have in mind? Oh, I don't know.
But hurry up, you'll make the second matinee.
You don't mind if I wash up, do you? I don't know which gave me more pleasure, finding Harry's safe deposit box, or hearing that Sterling broke down and confessed.
Ah, Paco, sit still.
I'll get it.
You said they'd be glad to see us.
They are.
They just lack couth.
Sure, come on in.
Oh, thank you.
How was dinner? Ah, dinner was terrific.
I mean, the food was delicious, the service was excellent The atmosphere was romantic.
Mm.
Is there more? There's always more, Paco.
Please.
Hmm? Please, yes.
Oh, no.
Mm-hmm.
Up.
He claims it was an injury suffered in the line of duty.
A likely story.
Then, as we're leaving the restaurant, who do we run into but the fashion editor of the Times, who knows me, and who says, "Laura, why is your date wearing a blue tennis shoe?" You know what he says? Because a red one might clash with my tie.