T.J. Hooker (1982) s03e01 Episode Script

(energetic, light rock music) (mystical music) (TJ grunting) (police radio beeping) - [Woman Over Police Radio.]
Five-Adam-19 and any other units able to assist.
a 211 in progress at First Metropolitan Savings, 612 West Nine; Five-Adam-19, your call.
- This is Five-Adam-22.
We're vying in on Five-Adam-19, South (mumbles) Hall.
- [Woman Over Police Radio.]
Roger, Five-William-22.
(suspenseful chase music) (screeching tires) (suspenseful chase music) (car doors slamming) (suspenseful chase music) - [Robber.]
Let's go, hurry up! - [Teller.]
Okay, okay! - [Robber.]
C'mon, hurry up! (car engine roaring) (suspenseful music) - Alright, hold it! - She's the prize; you want the prize, sucker? (suspenseful music) - Put your gun down! You haven't got a chance! (muffled speech) - [Robber.]
Get out of here! Get, go, go go! - Come on, let's go.
Let's go! (suspenseful chase music) - Hold it! (gun blasting) (woman screaming) (gun blasting) (woman screaming) (body falling to the ground) (suspenseful chase music) (police siren blaring) (screeching tires) (guns blasting) (screeching tires) (guns blasting) - Johnny.
Johnny? (Johnny gasping) Johnny.
(dramatic music) Johnny! Johnny! (TJ breathing heavily) (old fashioned, lively music) (repetitious knocking on door) - I thought you were dead; you alright? - Yeah, I'm fine.
Put some coffee up if you want.
I'll be with you in a minute.
(old fashioned, lively music) (door creaking) - Now I know why you always have me pick you up in front.
I can't believe you're livin' like this, Hooker.
Life goes on, you know.
You've been divorced nine months.
Fran and the kids are alive and well in Oregon.
- Love 'em to death, miss 'em like hell.
- Yeah I know.
It was hard on you and Fran, the final break.
- In the end, what hurts the most is when you realize that love isn't always enough.
(water splashing) (old fashioned, lively music) Easter in God's country.
- And you're livin' here in a motel? - Just temporary.
I'll find time to get an apartment.
- You gotta get out of here, Hooker.
It's the bad guys who belong the cells, not the cops.
- [TJ.]
I'll start looking next weekend.
- [Vince.]
Next weekend? Good, you were gonna look last weekend.
Instead, we looked for the Harbor Hill Rapist.
I can't believe you, Hooker.
- We found him, didn't we? You sure you don't want a quick cup of coffee? - Thanks, I already cleaned my gun.
(old fashioned, lively music) (mumbles) Hooker, are you alright? - Yeah, I'm fine.
(old fashioned, lively music) - You need to turn off the radio? - Can't find the on/off button.
It turns off by itself.
Don't you love modern conveniences.
- Come on, partner, perk up.
They're waitin' for us: The muggers, the rapists, the robbers, the killers.
- [TJ.]
Yeah, it's a jungle out there.
(old fashioned, lively music) - [Group.]
One, two, three, four.
One, two, three four; one, two, three, four.
(military cadence) One, two! - Alright Adam-11, the stolen car ring did its number again last night.
As you can see from your flyers, two Porsches and an El Dorado evaporated from the streets of our city in the early morning hours.
Now come on guys, you had a partial description of two of those car rustlers in the past five days.
Let's get with it.
Last item and possibly the hottest: South Bay Precinct has been playing tag with a gang of bank robbers for the past month and they're losing, even with the help of the FBI.
- What do you expect from South Bay? Miracles? (officers chuckling) - I'd settle for solid police work.
- Now I hope you gentlemen don't have to eat those words.
Hooker and I have been mapping the robberies and the pattern seems to be heading our way.
Now South Bay Robbery has compiled an MO sheet, which you have in front of you.
- The Captain's right, familiarize yourself with the details, hit the streets, and watch your backsides.
- What is it, Hooker? - The MO on those bank robbers.
- What about it? - Four men, large banks only in stocking masks.
The leader takes a woman hostage, two others spray paint the surveillance cameras and leap the counters.
They clean out the cages, the fourth covers the rear exit.
- Sounds pretty well thought out.
- Sounds like a bad dream to me.
(suspenseful chase music) - I mean you've seen my place at the marina.
You've seen Stacy's; there's a vacancy coming up at the end of the month.
- I'm not sure I wanna cut into your single's scene, partner.
(police radio beeping) - [Woman On Police Radio.]
Four-Adam-30 and any other units in the vicinity: a 211 silent at National Savings, 4121 Wilton Boulevard.
30 handle Code Two.
(police siren blaring) - Four-Adam-30, that's a roger.
(energetic police chase music) (police siren blaring) - Four-Adam-16, we're rolling backup to three.
(energetic police chase music) (police siren blaring) (screeching tires) (energetic police chase music) - Let's go! (screeching tires) - It's him! The One-Handed Man.
(screeching tires) I can't let him take the hostage.
(screeching tires) (vehicles crashing) (energetic police chase music) (gun blasting) (screeching tires) (gun blasting) (screeching tires) (vehicle crashing) (energetic police chase music) (guns blasting) The One-Handed Man, I want his name.
His name, give me his name! Give me his name! - Hooker, he's dead.
- I wanted him alive.
- Call an ambulance.
Get out a broadcast on the getaway car.
Lincoln license EWI489.
The One-Handed Man, you know him.
- Five years ago, he killed my partner.
(ominous music) (soft, nostalgic music) - Hooker, how come you never talk about Johnny Durrell? - It's just hard to.
When you lose a partner, it's almost like losing your wife.
(children chattering) Day in day out, your life is in his hands; his in yours.
When he goes down, a lot goes with him.
- I'm not sure how well I'd handle that.
- Well I haven't handled it, and I won't until I nail Johnny's killer.
- I'll wait.
Johnny's widow remembers you with Johnny and that's the way it ought to stay.
(children chattering) - Hi sweetheart.
She gets more beautiful every time I see here.
- [Carol.]
You should see Little John.
He looks more and more like his dad.
- I'm sorry I haven't been by in a while.
This place brings back memories.
Johnny and I through our first baskets here.
(ball smacking concrete) (Carol laughing) The backboard was made of wood then.
The ball didn't come off as hard as it does now.
I got some news for you.
The man who killed Johnny, the One-Handed Man is back.
Back in town, back robbing banks and I'm gonna get him.
- I knew you'd never give up.
- I want him so bad I'm grasping at straws, any straw that might bring him in.
(children chattering) - I don't understand, Hooker.
- When I was leaning over Johnny's body in the bank, he was trying to tell me something.
Later in the hospital, he regained consciousness for a moment and he talked to you.
You told me that what her said was personal and I'm sure it was, but (dramatic music) I can't help feeling there was a message in there for me too.
I mean he was such a good cop.
- I can tell you his exact words.
"Love you, kids; Wish I, so many things wanted.
"Red Ford, "Carol, Carol.
" That was it, he was gone.
So you see it was personal, and the part about the car, we'd been talking about buying a new one.
- I'm sorry to put you through it again.
(soft, nostalgic music) - It's alright.
(children chattering) Finally there's been time.
I've started living again.
I'm getting married.
- Carol, that's terrific.
- I met him at Little John's school.
I know it comes as a surprise, it did to me too.
He's a teacher too and he likes the kids.
They need a father, Hooker.
- You don't have to explain it to me.
I think it makes all kinds of sense.
- I'll always love Johnny.
I'll always love the time we had together, but I need somebody.
- We all do.
(soft, nostalgic music) (Carol weeping) (somber music) - The pickup truck was stolen last night and the getaway car was grabbed this morning.
- No ID on the guy I had to shoot.
- Crime report said they got $40,000 in cash and another five in Traveler's Checks.
- Any trace on the missing teller? - Nothing so far, but we're gonna keep looking.
- Hooker, what went down? - We sealed up the harbor and he still got away.
(phone ringing) - Did you get a clean look at him? - Yeah, same guy alright.
The same one I keep seeing in my nightmare.
- Not one eyewitness in the South Bay area picked up on his missing hand.
He must be damn clever at concealing it.
- Just as clever as he was five years ago and just as methodical.
The only change in his MO is he switched from a plastic to a stalking mask.
- Is he still toting a .
22? - Still.
(phone ringing) Still taking a girl hostage.
I'm afraid we're gonna find that girl dead the same way we found the others.
- Let's hope this robbery homicide gets a line on him fast.
- The same way they did the last time? - You never let up on them, do you? - They never worked that case hard enough.
- That's what you thought.
So you decided if they couldn't find the One-Handed Man, you would, but they didn't and you didn't.
- No, now he's back and I have another shot at him, this time I'm gonna get him.
- You're a divisional narc the first time you went up against him Hooker, now you're in a uniform and black and white with the front end bashed in.
- Do you think that makes a difference? Look Captain, five years ago I came outta the hospital and my partner didn't.
I traded in my gold shield for a set of blues for one reason: to get back on the streets and hit crime as it comes down, not after the fact.
- You had an opportunity to do that today, Hooker.
Unfortunately it didn't pay off, so now the case out of your hands.
Wrong, that case is mine until it's done.
(suspenseful crime music) (soft orchestral music) - Hooker, you'll love the marina.
The manager gave me the key to the vacant apartment.
- We'll take a look and have a glass of wine.
It'll be an early evening.
- I appreciate the thoughts guys, but I have a couple of things to do.
(door squeaking) - He's out on the track tonight.
Track that's taken him back into the past.
("Rockit" by Herbie Hancock) (audience cheering) (retro electro music) - Long time making phone calls, Hooker.
- You were terrific.
It's quite a spot you got here.
- It's a big improvement over what I had when I was drinking and you befriending me.
- Is that what I did? - (giggles) Some front you and your partner had.
(sighs) Flash clothes and white rolls just in from Tucson.
To me you were better than Christmas.
- Until you found out that we were really narcs and what we were after was an interval local suppliers.
- What are you after this time? - That Westside Disco that you used to dance in? - Busy Bee.
Haven't been there in years.
- It's closed, I checked it out.
You kicked it, good for you.
- You can get over anything.
- That bartender at the Busy Bee, the one you duped me into-- - Freddie Hamilton? Freddie put you into regression and tracking you to that bank got your partner killed.
Wouldn't think you'd ever want to see Freddie again.
- I wanna speak to him.
- Haven't seen him since the day I turned my back on the Westside.
- You must still see some of the same people.
- Not really.
Look around you Hooker, everything changed.
- Look, five years ago I was playing a role.
I did a number and it was my job, but I liked you.
- I liked you.
I wouldn't fight hard to like you again, but I don't suppose it could go anywhere.
- I don't suppose, but I still want to talk to Freddie Hamilton.
- I don't believe in old time sake, Hooker.
- That's too bad Evelyn, because that's one of the few things I do believe in still.
(somber crime music) - We got a preliminary report back on the guy with the shotgun, his name was Ted Lindley.
- Two priors for armed robbery and possession in sales and narcotics.
- You got that, Romano.
- Probation said he walked through the gates of San Quentin a month ago.
- Yeah but we just found out that he had needle marks on his forearms which means he probably shot up before the bank job.
- That fits the pattern and Hooker wounded the One-Handed Man's partner five years ago.
He was also a user and a dealer.
- Right.
Hey, anything on the bank teller? - It just came in, Adam-15 found the link in a bag in an alley.
She was in the trunk shot, left to die.
- She's critical but they're hoping she'll pull through.
- [Woman on Police Radio.]
Four-Adam-30, Four-Adam-30, your request on a whereabouts of Alma Prentice believed tied to the first Metropolitan savings robbery five years ago.
Confirmed she is still employed at Rainbow (mumbles).
- Four-Adam-30, roger.
(groovy retro music) - Okay, everybody up on the horse, come on.
(children laughing) Okay come on, up.
There right, okay? Alright.
Okay, Harvey go.
(carousel music) Back so soon, Hooker? Seems like you were here just a couple of weeks ago.
- A month.
- Well I hope the questions have changed.
- They haven't.
- Well neither have the answers.
Your partner's five years dead, Hooker.
Isn't it time you put him to rest? - New development.
- Yeah? - Bank robbers.
Young girl taken hostage, shot.
I thought that you might have heard about her.
- I didn't.
- The man with one hand was runnin' the show.
He was the same 22.
- So what? - So I thought it might jog your memory.
Might break through the shield that you've been putting up all these years.
I know you know them, Alma I know.
- If I didn't know the One-Handed Man five years ago or a month ago, I don't know him now.
- One of these days you're gonna tell me the truth.
I'm gonna keep coming at you 'til I hear it.
(carousel music) - It was him wasn't it, Hooker? Hey hey, what's the matter? Did he give you a hard time? - Lying's always hard for me, Jack.
I never do it except for you.
- Hey come on, it's a cheap price considering all I've done for you and yours, now isn't it? - Okay, alright, that's why I let you use the apartment upstairs.
I like running this round.
The kids, the people who work on the pier, they're like a family to me.
- Hey hey hey hey, we're not gonna be here forever.
Come on.
- Just take care of your business and go, alright? - Come on, Alma.
- Okay? Just get outta here! - Was it who we thought it was? Hooker? - Yeah we should've wasted him five years ago.
- Hey this Hooker has got a bad rep, man.
- Listen to me Clay, we've been together for a long, long time.
I've never disputed any of your choices, but we oughta pack it in.
Hey and besides, we got $100,000 in the kitty.
We can go back to Mexico and live until-- - I'm callin' the shots! Hey come on Tommy, we got a nice easy thing here.
They must've built 1,000 new banks since the last time we worked this territory.
- Oh and besides yeah man, you got Alma to do all your errands.
- Don't start with me, Fleming.
You get on my nerves and I'm gonna feed you to the fish (fist thudding) right underneath this pier.
- Full autopsy results (mumbles).
- They just came in.
There was heroin in his system apparently injected within 12 hours of his death.
- Ted Lindley was released from San Quentin a month ago.
That means right after he got out, he was already hooked up with the man with one hand and knocking over banks in South Bay.
- He also found himself a drug connection and a place to stay.
- That means there's gotta be a tie buried somewhere in the past, maybe with Alma Prentice despite what she claims.
- This woman, Alma Prentice, I know she ties into Johnny Durrell's killing, I don't understand-- - Five years ago in a robbery, I shot and wounded an ex-con named Lou Gresham.
He was killed tryin' to escape the hospital.
He'd grown up practically an orphan, had one relative, and wasn't already in or on their way to jail.
- Alma Prentice.
- And you think she knows who the One-Handed Man is? - Could be.
If Lou Gresham mentioned him to anyone, it had to be to Alma.
What was the message? - An Evelyn North called, she wants you to call her at this number.
- Evelyn North.
(phone ringing) - Hello? - Evelyn, Hooker, got your message.
- Still interested in finding Freddie Hamilton? - You bet I am.
- I made some phone calls.
Found out he's running a new place downtown, the Mali Bar.
- Just like the old days, I owe ya.
- I'll keep that in mind, huh? - Thank you.
(phone clicking) (cars roaring) (horns honking) - Run a check on this card and bring it back to me.
And George, don't stop with the credit check.
I want a complete reading on these people.
- Yes sir.
(retro tropical music) - You looking for me, Hooker? Or just checkin' the place out? - What do you think? - Evelyn help you find-- - Forget Evelyn.
Five years ago Freddie, you duped me and my partner to Lou Gresham.
A drug dealer got the idea that robbing might be easier.
- Ancient history, Hooker.
Dead and buried with (Gresham and your partner.
- Not for me it isn't.
I'm looking for a killer, man with one hand.
A man Lou Gresham worked with five years ago.
He's back in town and I am betting he's getting drugs for his new boys from an old connection, you.
- You're dreamin'.
- You do any good lately for a guy named Ted Lindley? - Never heard of him.
- He bought it tryin' knock over a bank a few days ago.
The man with one hand was with him.
- You're talkin' about a thug, Hooker.
You're in a beautiful restaurant in this sophisticated part of town and you're talkin' about a thug? Yes, George? - A number one Mr Hamilton, they verified directly with Denver.
- Terrific, thank you.
You finished with me, Hooker? - Now who's dreaming? (soft groovy music) (guests chatting) - Thank you but-- - But what happened to your credit card? Welcome to the Mali Bar.
- You know, we have a place a lot like this in Denver.
You remember the steakhouse near the art museum, don't you Charlie? - I don't forget any of our times together, darling.
Like I mentioned earlier, we'd kind of like to make a day of it.
- I don't want you two nice people to feel let down in any way.
Now I can leave here in about 30 minutes when the lunch hour's over and maybe then we can do a little shopping together? - Sounds good to me.
Well here we go.
- I was afraid he'd change his mind.
- I brought along some company.
You remember George? - Sure.
You never know when you're gonna get ripped off in this world.
- I knew you wouldn't mind.
- We don't mind as long as you two don't mind doin' the time.
- Freeze both of you, you're under arrest.
(feet shuffling) (gun blasting) - Drop the gun now! (energetic chase music) (foreboding music) - You're in deep this time, you're gonna be real deep.
(mumbles) for the last time, now I'm gonna catch it on you.
You hear me, scum? You're gonna gimme what I want.
(dramatic crime music) (nostalgic music) (door knocking) - What you do want? What are you doing here? - I just got word that the cops grabbed Freddie.
- Oh God, does he know where you're stayin'? - I don't know, I can't take any chances.
I might need to move in a hurry, I need that 20,000 that I left with you.
C'mon, where is it? (money shuffling) - It's all there.
Jack I'm scared, please.
I want you to go now and you said there won't be any trouble.
If the find you at the merry-go-round, I'll lose everything.
Please, I want you to go now.
- What is this Alma, are you cavin' in on me? It's lucky for your brother Ray (mumbles), you forgotten? If I'd yanked him up off that bank parking lot five years ago, you wouldn't be just in a wheelchair, no he would be dead, dead just like your cousin Lou.
- I think about Ray a lot.
I wish I could see him, I wish I could help.
- We can do something about that.
I'm headed back to Mexico after just one more job.
You come with me, you can see your brother Ray and I'll show you a good life.
- No thanks, but I like my life here.
Here! - You owe me, Alma.
(dramatic crime music) (door slamming) - When Ted Lindley his town after leaving San Quentin, he had to have already met a friend who had already found a connection.
A friend with one hand.
- Jack Clayton, he came up from Mexico about a month ago.
- Jack Clayton, how long have you known Jack Clayton? - I don't know, it's five, six years.
He spent most of his time in Mexico ever since-- - Ever since he killed my partner and came back when Lindley was cut loose.
- Yeah yeah, they both came to see me that first night on the streets.
- Where can I find Clayton? - I don't know.
Believe me Hooker, I don't know! He always found me, I never went looking for him.
(typewriter keys clicking) - Is that the info on Jack Clayton? - Yeah, he's got a heavy record Hooker, mostly armed, look at this.
- Nevermind, what about his known associates? - Here they are, just three of them with a rundown on each.
This Thomas Vishitty, Theodore Lindley, we'll scratch him, and Raymond Ford.
- Hold on a second, lemme see that.
As Johnny lay dying, he said something to his wife about a Red Ford, she was talkin' about buying a new car for the family.
But I got a Here it is, Raymond Ford nickname Red.
- He wasn't talkin' about a new car, he was trying to give his wife message for you about a guy named Red Ford.
- Just like Johnny doing his job either, he was dying.
- So Red Ford had to be one of the bank robbers five years ago.
- Probably the one that dropped his mask, Johnny must've recognized him.
- Hey, look at this.
One of the people authorized to correspond with Ford while he was in prison was his sister Alma Prentice.
- Bingo, that's the tie I've been looking for.
Let's go talk to the lady.
(door knocking) - Who is it? - Hooker.
- You just don't give up, do you? It's five in the morning.
- This won't take long, Alma.
Junior, I'd like to handle this alone, there's a lot of water under the bridge between Alma and me.
- (sighs heavily) Are we gonna go through this whole thing again, the same old dance? - Your brother Red ford.
You never told me you were married.
You never told me your maiden name was Ford.
You never told me you had a brother, you never told me he was a bank robber.
- I couldn't! The man he ran with saved his life.
- Five years ago? - Yes, he took him to Mexico, he took care of him.
My brother's in a wheelchair.
- The man we're talking about has one hand, his name is Jack Clayton.
This is the time to tell the truth Alma, where's Clayton? - I can't tell you that, I owe him.
- I told you this is the time.
Another girl may die, another innocent bank teller just like the one Clayton grabbed when he was working with your cousin and your brother.
Want me to tell you what they did to her before they shot her? You wanna help him get away so he can do it again? - Okay.
(sighs heavily) He forced me to open up a room for him upstairs with his friends over the merry-go-round.
- Give me the keys.
Romano, we can get lucky enough to hit Clayton and his gang.
We're gonna need backup.
- I'll call Corrigan and Stacy.
- Hooker, there's one more thing I have to tell you.
Clayton said that he was gonna do one more job before he went back into Mexico.
- No he's not ;cause I'm gonna do a job on him.
One that will put him behind bars for the rest of his life.
(dramatic music) (screeching tires) (dramatic chase music) - They got Fleming, Clay.
They also got 20 grand and our shotguns.
- It had to be Alma gave us away, had to be.
(dramatic music) (door kicking open) (mumbles) - Drop it and get on the floor! - (mumbles) We'll head back to Mexico.
On our way out, we'll take down that bank just like we planned.
The two of us, we can handle that.
- Whatever you say.
- Before we take that bank though, we're gonna pick up Alma.
Take her with us, teach her a few lessons.
(dramatic music) (screeching tires) - Stacy and Corrigan can secure things until the detectives arrive.
Meanwhile, we'll take our friend down to the precinct and book him.
- Yeah what then? We're off duty.
(dramatic music) - I'm not letting go, (mumbles).
I'm coming back on my own.
(dramatic music) (energetic chase music) - So what do you think the odds are of Clayton showing up? - A long shot.
(birds chirping) Except for the $20,000 in a shoe box upstairs.
- Yeah, I'd like to see his face when he comes around to collect it and runs into four detectives.
- He's not gonna get that far.
I have waited a lot of years for Clayton.
He shows, he's mine.
(police radio beeping) - [Woman On Police Radio.]
Four-Adam-Nine and all units in the vicinity of 1819 South Coronado.
A reported 207, suspects are in a dark blue Chevrolet sedan.
Four-Adam-Nine, see the woman? - Three streets over? Isn't that Alma's address? - Clayton must have grabbed her.
Let's see if we can grab Clayton.
(car engine roaring) (screeching tires) (dramatic chase music) - Hooker, dark blue Chevy sedan.
- They've got Alma, we'll stick as close as we can and wait for an opening.
(screeching tires) (dramatic chase music) - Alright Alma, it goes like this.
I go in, I check the bank.
If it looks all right, I come back out.
Then the three of us go in.
- There they are.
- We take it down.
- Uh huh.
- And you carry out the money.
- No, I can't.
- Tommy.
(dramatic music) (ominous music) - Find a phone, call for backup.
(ominous music) Don't even breathe.
(dramatic music) Alma, get out and stand on the curb.
You put the gun down on the seat real slowly.
That's a good boy.
Now, come on out real slow.
Get on your knees, hands behind your neck.
(door slamming) Nail 'em to the pavement.
- Tommy! - Hold it! (dramatic chase music) - Freeze! Spread eagle on the pavement.
(dramatic chase music) (gun blasting) (dramatic chase music) (suspenseful music) (gun blasting) (gun blasting) (suspenseful music) (metal scraping floor) (suspenseful music) (gun blasting) (glass shattering) (gun blasting) (Clayton breathing heavily) - I almost did it.
I almost made it away from you for good.
- Wrong, Clayton.
I'd have hunted you down even if it took five more years, or a lifetime.
(Clayton spitting) (cheerful, festive music) - I owe you more than I can say, Hooker.
- You don't owe anyone anything anymore.
- Come on, you went to bat for me with the DA.
If you hadn't, they would have put me away for harboring a fugitive.
- That's a fair trade.
Your testimony is gonna put Clayton and the others behind bars for a long time to come.
- What's gonna happen to my brother? - They're extraditing him.
He's gonna have to stand trial for what he did.
- You don't feel sorry for him? - Nuh uh.
- That's he in a wheelchair? - No.
I feel sorry for my old partner, Johnny Durrell and his wife and his kids.
- You say it like it is, Hooker, and you're right.
I know.
Okay everybody, mount up.
Come on, find a horse.
Those of you on the ride, get off.
- There's nothing like a merry-go-round, Hooker.
It's magic when you're a kid.
- Even when you're not.
I couldn't think of a better way to spend 50 cents.
- I remember when I used to put my kids on those horses.
It was 25 cents then.
(cheerful, festive music) - Everything changes, Hooker.
- And stays the same.
(lively retro music) (energetic chase music) (dramatic music)