T.J. Hooker (1982) s05e01 Episode Script
The Ransom
("T.
J.
Hooker Theme" by Mark Snow) (classical music) - [Man.]
You're a super cop, Hooker.
And a good father.
But you're about to find out what it's going to be like without your little girl.
(classical music) (upbeat disco/funk music) - Hey, let me see that.
- [Chrissie.]
No.
- Oh come on, Chrissie.
Come on.
I'm gonna tell Daddy! Dad! - I've got it.
- Dad, she won't show me her new bracelet.
- Would you show him the bracelet and leave me alone? I've got a technique going.
I did it! - Yeah, you got it! - All right! - Yeah! - What do I get? All right, here you go, kid.
- Oh thanks, Daddy.
Oh, thanks for the bracelet.
- You're welcome.
- Yeah, thanks a lot.
I can't wait to show the guys back home.
- Don't you think you should pay for it before you go back to Oregon? Here.
- Thanks.
- Okay.
- All right.
- Work, oops.
Are you gonna be okay Monday when you have to send Tommy and Chrissie back to their mom's? - I've got no choice with Fran up there and me down here.
- [Chrissie.]
Daddy! Daddy, look here! - [Tommy.]
Dad! - Honey, I'm on a roll.
What do you want? - [Chrissie.]
Daddy, look.
Look here, isn't it perfect? - Oh, honey, don't you think one piece of jewelry a day is enough? - But it's not for me.
Mom's birthday is this Monday, remember? - Oh my.
- Hey, how's Dad supposed to remember when Mom's always trying to forget? - Thank you.
How much is it? - It's 125.
But it's a real nugget.
I panned for it myself in the Sacramento River.
- I'm sure your mom would be just as happy with a nice card and some flowers.
- Well, sure.
I mean, your mom's boyfriend probably takes care of this sort of thing, doesn't he? - Nah, besides, she talks more about you than him.
- She does? What does she say? - Well, mostly she loves to get your letters on the first of the month.
- Alimony.
- Yeah.
We'll buy it anyway.
Here.
(coughing) - There's fire, fire in there! Help! Help! - Stay with the kids.
Get out of here.
Go on, get out of here.
Get out of here, fast! (flames crackling) - Tommy, stay away from there.
You can get hurt.
(fire extinguisher whooshing) (screaming) - Gotta see if Dad's okay.
- [Woman.]
Oh! (fire extinguisher whooshing) - [T.
J.
.]
Get an ambulance.
- You saved my life.
Thank you so much.
Oh, Sam, it was, it was just awful.
- All right, everybody.
Nobody's hurt, fire's out.
Move off.
- [Tommy.]
Dad, you're a hero! - [Stacy.]
Are you okay? - Yeah, except for smelling like a backyard cookout.
- Oh, that reminds me, I'm hungry.
- That reminds me you're always hungry.
Well, let's find some lunch.
Where's Chrissie? - Thought she was right behind me.
- You know women.
I bet she's just still looking at that jewelry.
- Chrissie! Chrissie! - Hey, you took off so fast you forgot your change.
- Thank you.
My daughter, the little girl that was looking at the jewelry with me, did you happen to see which way she went? - No, I was watching the fire, but she can't be far away.
- Um, Stace, you head that way.
We'll go this way.
- [Stacy.]
Chrissie? Chrissie! - [T.
J.
.]
Chrissie! - [Stacy.]
Chrissie! (dramatic synth music) Chrissie! - Chrissie! (upbeat disco/funk music) I'm calling in the dogs.
Keep trying, Mike.
Random 30 to air one, come in.
- [Officer.]
We copy, 30, go ahead.
- [T.
J.
.]
What's going on up there? - [Officer.]
We're just starting our second sweep of the beach.
- [T.
J.
.]
What about the lifeguard stations? - [Officer.]
Checked 'em all out a mile each way.
No activity.
- [T.
J.
.]
All right, and don't forget the parking lots.
- [Officer.]
We took a look at everything by the pier.
We'll double check all of 'em.
- [T.
J.
.]
That's a roger.
Keep in touch, 30.
Out.
Come in 16.
- We just completed a house to house from the beach to 3rd Street.
- Anything, Jim? - Negative.
- Anything from Mike and the shepherd? - They're still trying to pick up a scent.
There's just been too many people been walking through here.
I'm sorry, Hooker.
Listen, do me a favor, will ya? How about taking Tommy home and staying with him? - I want to stay on the search.
I'd rather you asked someone else to watch Tommy, okay? - Hey, you're not to blame.
(tires squealing) (police chatter in background) - Why the hell are they standing around? We've got a missing child to find.
- We have radio contact with all units in the area and a perimeter search is started.
- What about the helicopter? Any further change? - Nothing from the one that's up there, but there's another one on the way to help out.
- Somebody's got my kid.
- We don't know that for sure.
- What the hell else could it be? - Maybe she wandered down to the beach.
- Nobody would've.
She wouldn't have done that without letting us know.
- Take it slow.
What can be done is getting done.
- When I find whoever took Chrissie.
- Hooker, if there was ever a time to keep your head clear, it's now.
We can expand a house to house and we can even go back over the territory around the pier.
- We're wasting time ourselves.
We can find her and have her back before dinner.
- All right, I'll take the streets west of the pier.
You commence a house to house.
Start here, work your way back to the pier.
- I'll start the first street on foot and then I'll meet you on the next corner.
- Okay, you got it.
(tires squealing) - [Jim.]
I've been looking for you.
Anything? - I may have turned something.
The woman I was talking to said the man renting that house has been arrested for soliciting sex with minors in the park.
She saw him take a little girl matching Chrissie's description into the house this afternoon.
- I'll call it in.
Four Adam 16.
- [Operator.]
17 Roger.
- Forget the call.
- Stacy, go slow.
We don't have proof that's your suspect.
- Are you gonna take the chance that that isn't Chrissie? (engine starting) Police! - What do you want? - [Stacy.]
Get out of the car.
- What are you doing? Oh, please.
- [Stacy.]
Get out of the car.
- What, oh my God, what did I do? Oh, what's wrong? That's my kid.
She's sick.
I'm taking her to the doctor.
- [Jim.]
Stacy.
- And for God sake's put your guns away.
She's scared to death of 'em.
- Mr.
Reynolds, we're looking for a missing child.
I'm sorry.
- Oh, you're gonna be a lot sorrier when I find a lawyer.
- Anything at all on Chrissie? - No.
At least we haven't heard from the hospital.
Or the morgue.
- I'm sorry.
I really thought I had something when I saw them carrying that kid.
I guess I got carried away.
- Forget it.
He decided not to press charges when he heard the whole story.
- You talked to him? - He feels the same way about his own little girl.
Said he'd a done the same thing.
- I could have killed him.
- But you didn't and that's the bottom line.
- I believed everything his neighbor said about him.
- The kooks come out of the woodwork in a case like this.
You know that as well as I do.
So stop chewing out your insides.
- Hooker, fire department called with a preliminary on the fire.
- Arson? - Bingo.
- you think the kidnapper set it? - Distraction, confusion.
Yes, I think he set it and it worked.
Did you get a composite description from the witnesses of the hamburger joint? - This is it.
He ran out just before the fire.
- You know him, Hooker? - I don't know.
He looks familiar.
But he knows me.
He knows me.
(classical music) - You said that my mommy was coming down from Oregon to surprise my daddy.
And that we were gonna go pick her up? Where is she? - Don't worry about it, kid.
I'm working on a real surprise for your daddy.
(classical music) (airplane engine whooshing) - [T.
J.
.]
Fran! - Hooker! Have they found her yet? - Not yet.
- Where's Tommy? - He's back at the house with an officer waiting for us.
We'll have to go straight there.
And then if you want me to take you to a hotel so you can rest up, I-- - All I want is my baby back.
- Get on the horn.
Find Hooker.
- [Fran.]
The kids said you'd moved back into a house.
- I thought they should have a place with a backyard when they came down here.
- [Fran.]
Nice.
- [T.
J.
.]
It'll do.
- I tried to reach you at the airport, Sergeant Hooker.
- [T.
J.
.]
About Chrissie? - Yeah.
- Mom! Mom, Chrissie's lost and we can't find her.
- Oh, I know, darling, but we will.
- We found this on the windshield of our squad car.
- You didn't see anybody hanging around your car? - We were blanketing the area looking for anyone who did.
- Prints? - We had it checked.
- Sergeant T.
J.
Hooker.
- Hey, that's Chrissie's new bracelet.
- I have her.
How do you like wondering if you'll ever see your child again? Welcome to hell, Hooker.
- Take up the rest of your watch outside here and I'll send backup.
I'm gonna hit the streets with Jim and Stacy.
Nobody in or out.
- [Dispatcher.]
Four Adam 30, we have the information you requested.
All units assisting in the search have now reported in.
Results negative.
And confirming your other request, a missing child report has been broadcast to all agencies.
- Four Adam 16, four Adam 30 on tact two.
- Go ahead, 16.
- [Stacy.]
Nothing with us either, Hooker.
We touched all bases and come up empty-handed.
Any suggestions? - There's nothing more we can do out here for now.
I'll see you back at the station.
Four Adam 30 out.
- Hello, Hooker.
- Jack, what are you doing here? - Well, I caught wind of that notice you sent to our handwriting specialist.
I asked for the assignment.
Unless of course you don't want the FBI in on this.
- You know better than that.
- How's Franny holding up? - You know Fran.
It's soft curves on the outside, pure steel underneath.
- I remember that time you told me the story about getting up in the middle of the night to chase those drag racing motorcycle freaks off the street.
When you turned around there was Franny backing you up with your service revolver.
- You came about that note? - Yes, we do what we could with the handwriting.
Now the psychological profile wasn't very pretty, Hooker.
Whoever wrote that note is definitely unbalanced.
On edge, very dangerous.
(classical music) - When are you gonna let me go home? - You're homesick? - Just want to go home.
- Well, I went through a lot to get you, kid.
I think I'll keep you around awhile.
- It was so dumb.
You lied to me.
About knowing my father.
About being his friend.
- Hey, shut up, you here? I'm no liar.
And I know Hooker, all right.
- Are you ever gonna let me see my mommy and daddy again? - That depends entirely on your daddy.
Now don't give me any trouble.
Hey, it's time for you to get to sleep, anyway.
Go on.
(classical music) - It underscores what I told you about the suspect last night.
The shakiness of the letter shows agitation.
The underscoring indicates determination.
- Look at the letters.
He's printed instead of written.
That's strange.
- Well, not if you're dyslexic and left-handed.
Es, Ss, Ns, are easy to reverse.
- Unless a person makes a real effort not to make a mistake.
- Now the majority of the people look at things from left to right.
What do you see? - A triangle and a circle.
- Me, too.
- Now a dyslexic will look at this picture from right to left.
Might see a circle and a triangle, the reverse order of what you see.
- That must raise hell with reading and writing.
- Marty Lathon.
That's who that is.
Marty Lathon.
Draw the nose, change the hair style a little bit and it's him.
He had so much trouble writing out reports he had to type them.
- Who is he? - An old partner of mine, for a short while.
He traded in his badge for a weekly paycheck with the mob.
- I remember now.
You stumbled onto the connection and turned him over.
- We put a dozen of his bosses away at the same time based on his testimony.
- Numbers, prostitution, drugs.
He was wading knee deep.
But kidnapping, that's not his style, Hooker.
- Martin Lathon.
Paroled three months ago.
- Motive, opportunity.
Pull everything you have on him, Stacy.
Friends, family, associates.
I want to find him, fast.
- I made those biscuits just for you.
How about having one? - I'm sorry, Mom.
My stomach doesn't feel too good.
You mind if I go out back for awhile? - No, you can't go anywhere.
- You know what your dad said, huh, Champ? Nobody in or out.
At least not for awhile.
(suspenseful music) (phone ringing) - [Fran.]
Hello? - I want to talk to Sergeant Hooker.
- [Fran.]
Uh, he's not here right now.
Can I help you? - Is this his wife? - [Fran.]
Yes, it is.
- I'm the guy who's got your little girl.
- Oh please, is she all right? Where is she? - In 30 minutes I'm gonna call back.
Tell Hooker to be there to get the call.
- Let me talk to Chrissie.
Please let me talk to her.
For the love of God, please! (tone ringing) It's the man who's got Chrissie.
Get Hooker here fast.
- [Officer.]
Give me Sergeant Hooker fast.
(tires squealing) - Fran! - Here! - We're all set up for the call.
The FBI is on it.
When the call comes, they'll run a trace.
And then dispatch will broadcast the location.
You okay? - I'm doing better than Tommy.
- Is he sick? - Sick with guilt.
He said he made Stacy chase after him and that left Chrissie alone.
- That's crazy.
- No crazier than you running off to be a fireman.
Haven't changed, have you? - Now is not the time for that, Fran.
- Why not? This is now.
And your son is just like you.
No matter how many times I tell him he doesn't have to be a super man like his dad, it doesn't hit home.
(darts thumping) - Hey, that's pretty good shooting.
- Thanks.
- You thinking about Chrissie? - I was wondering where she is.
How she oughta be here with me.
- I'm the one who ran off, remember? - Yeah, but you had to help those people.
I didn't have to run after you.
- Well, Chrissie didn't have to run after somebody.
She could've called for help.
She'd be here now if she had.
We're all responsible.
(soft piano music) You, Chrissie, Stacy, me.
- All of us? - All of us.
(soft piano music) - [Tommy.]
Dad.
(phone ringing) - Hello? - It's been long time, Hooker.
- [T.
J.
.]
Where's my daughter, Lathon? - It's the suspect.
Start the trace.
- Hey, still on the ball, right? I knew you'd figure out who took her.
I know you've got the phone tapped, too, so listen fast.
- What do you want from my little girl? Money? What? - You think money's gonna make up for what's been taken from me? - I can't give you back your job.
- I want my family back, Hooker.
My wife, my kids.
They stopped writing when I was in your stinkin' prison.
I tried to find them and I can't.
They're gone.
Somebody else is living in my house.
- That has nothing to do with Chrissie.
Let her go, Marty.
- I had a little girl just like yours.
What happened to her after you put me in prison, Hooker? Did the mob hit her and my wife who were settin' them up for you? - I don't know.
I promise you I'll find out.
When Chrissie's safe with me.
- You find them.
You find my family! And then she stays safe.
You have till tomorrow morning, Hooker, and that's it.
- Wait a minute.
How do I know she's okay? Let me speak to her.
- Put your wife on.
- Mommy? Are you there? Daddy? - Chrissie, baby, are you all right? - Yeah.
I'm just a little bit scared.
- Don't be scared, pumpkin.
We'll get you back.
- Where are you, Chrissie.
Tell us where you are.
(tone ringing) - They made the trace.
Downtown, phone booth (upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) - [Dispatcher.]
Four X-ray 330, meet four Adam 16 on tack two.
- 30 roger, what do you have, 16? - An eyewitness said Lathon and a little girl of Chrissie's description took off in a late model orange Plymouth.
License plate starting at 2BAK.
They were last seen heading west on Maple.
Less than 10 minutes ago.
- [Man.]
Four x-ray 30, this is one Adam 10.
We spotted an orange sedan, license two-four-Adam-king-five-oh-six.
Northbound on Jefferson and Winthrop.
- Go to only.
Do not, I repeat, do not make contact.
My ETA is approximately five minutes.
- [Officer.]
Roger, four X-ray 30.
- Rolling backup.
(upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (tires squealing) - This is four X-ray 30.
I'm in pursuit of a possible kidnapping suspect in an orang sedan.
License number two-B-A-K-five-oh-six.
(tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (engine revving) (sirens wailing) (tires squealing) (car crashing) (suspenseful music) (tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (explosion booming) Chrissie! (explosion booming) Oh my God.
Chrissie.
Ah.
(police chatter in background) I want the manpower in this area doubled.
- We got every street in this part of the city covered.
Can't do any more.
- Except find him.
She was everything to me, Jim.
Everything.
- Hooker! They searched the car.
Chrissie's not there.
She's not there.
(dramatic synth music) - He was taking no chances we'd get Chrissie back.
He must've stashed her somewhere after the phone call.
- We went by Lathon's old neighborhood.
Check the neighbors.
- Had he been there? - Half a dozen times trying to find out where his family moved.
We ran down the agent who sold their house.
She said that Mrs.
Lathon was gone when the papers were transferred.
And attorney handled all the legal work.
- Check out the attorney.
Let's find her.
- That's the clinker.
He's no longer practicing in the state and it could take days to run him down.
- We have got one thing.
Lathon's son left a phone number with one of his friends.
- We checked it out.
It's the federal marshal's office.
- Federal marshal's office? Stacy, do me a favor.
Call Fran.
- You want us to tell her what happened? - Never held back on her while we were married.
I'm not gonna start now.
And tell her I'll be home as soon as I can.
- Just called 10 minutes ago.
That's some driving.
Look, I, what can I say? - What do you got? - Well, I just came from the lab.
We took the prints off the phone that your kidnapper used.
There are half a dozen smudges.
We couldn't identify them.
But there was a child's print, a thumb, an index finger.
Could be Chrissie's.
We're still looking to match it up with the others and see what we have on Lathon.
- I rather you were looking for Lathon's family.
- I thought your people were taking care of that.
- We did.
We got hung up at the US Marshal's Office.
- I see.
- Man informs on the mob and goes to jail.
Mob tries to cut that man where it hurts.
So they threaten his family.
What do you think the family does? - Call for help.
- Only Jenny Lathon didn't go to the police.
Her husband had been a cop.
She didn't want anything to do with us.
So she calls for the FBI, right? How am I doing? - Well, that's a possibility.
- Possibility.
Next you put the Lathon family into the federal new identity program.
Lathons disappeared, tucked away some place, under a new name, new life.
- Okay, so now you know.
- You knew it the minute I recognized Lathon's picture.
Why the hell didn't you tell me? - That didn't have any bearing.
- It was motive! The man was crazy from looking for his family.
- Look, Hooker.
His wife divorced him during the trial.
She got custody of the children.
She could do whatever she wanted.
- Except deprive a man the right to know that his children were alive and well.
- There's nothing I can do about that.
- Did you try? - Hooker, you know the policy.
Once they're gone, they're buried so deep, even the files disappear.
I can't do-- - Lathon's got Chrissie.
I don't want to hear I can't.
- You don't understand.
I tried this afternoon, after I heard what happened on the street.
I'm stonewalled by the brass.
It's out of my hands.
- No.
You're holding my little girl's life in them.
Help me, man.
- Wheeling and the fifth were holding out.
- [Stacy.]
What do you mean? - Marty Lathon's family was put under deep cover by the FBI.
And Wheeling knew about it the whole time.
- Do you know where Lathon's family is? - No, and neither does Wheeling, and that's our problem.
(phone ringing) - Officer Sheridan.
It's him, it's Lathon.
- Run a trace.
- Run a trace on 17.
- Hooker.
- You're runnin' out of time, Hooker.
- Where's Chrissie? - She's stashed away safe for now.
- Lathon, your family.
We're trying to locate them right now.
You hear me? - Hey, I don't believe you anymore.
I just don't believe you.
I've given up.
- Look Marty, I've never lied to you, not once.
You know that.
- Oh yeah, well you know something? I am never gonna see my kid again and you aren't, either.
(dramatic music) - He said I'm never gonna see Chrissie again.
- He couldn't trace it.
(dramatic music) Hooker, here's the registration on that burnt out car.
Lathon bought it cash on the line three weeks ago.
Where do you figure he got the money? - The mob is generous to cops on payroll.
He hadn't recovered his bank accounts yet.
- Where'd he buy the car? - Veil's Motors on West 3rd.
- That's here.
And the phone booth call that Lathon made to my house was traced to here.
- It's only a couple blocks away.
- And his old neighborhood is here.
- It's still the same area.
He's staying on his home turf.
- I'm betting on it.
- [Stacy.]
You'd win that one.
- [T.
J.
.]
What do you got? - A charred motel registration receipt for a month's rent.
It's signed M.
Lathon.
The lab guys found it in the glove compartment of the sedan.
- [Jim.]
What's the name of the place? - I'm not positive, but it looks like Pacific Crest.
Forensics thought it might be on Manrobia, but the apartment number was clear.
- That's only two blocks from where he made that phone call.
- It fits.
Let's check it out.
(upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) Stacy, you cover the back.
(suspenseful music) (door banging) - Cleared out.
Bed hasn't been slept in.
Three days ago.
What would he be buying from an RV place? - A ticket out of the city.
And a perfect way to keep a little girl from being seen and remembered.
Get me a chopper on standby.
Have them be prepared to go 250 miles out.
- You're going out of our jurisdiction.
- I'll go clear to hell if I have to.
(upbeat pop/rock music) - Ah, let me go! Let me go! Oh! - Stop it, stop it! Stop it! I'll tie you up again if I have to.
I'll put a gag in your mouth.
Now stop it.
- You're never gonna let me go home, are you? It's you and me, kid.
For all time, you and me.
I won't let anybody take you away from me.
Never! Never! Come on.
- [Chrissie.]
No! - [Marty.]
Come on.
- [Chrissie.]
No! - [Marty.]
Chrissie.
- Give me that chopper now.
(helicopter whirring) Come in, 16.
- Four Adam 16.
- Head west on I-5.
I'm doing an aerial search for a tan, Triumph gold motor home.
No tags.
Lathon bought it.
- We're rolling.
What have you got? - Campground directory that the salesman showed Lathon.
Reverse letters next to a circled campground.
- Dyslexia? - Right.
I remember it always got worse when he was under stress.
Look for the first campground just north of the Gorman cut off.
It's called Twin Oaks.
You might get lucky.
- Roger.
(sirens wailing) - My little girl is just about your age.
- Maybe you could still find her.
- No.
She's gone.
Little Millie's gone.
- But you don't want me.
You want your little girl.
You want Millie.
Let my daddy find her, Mr.
Lathon.
- He can't find her.
They're gone.
They're all gone.
Oh, they're dead.
They're all dead.
- Well, my daddy won't ever stop looking for me.
Never ever.
- You're right.
We have to get out of here.
- Where are we going? - Some place your daddy will never find you.
Nobody will ever find you.
(dramatic synth music) (helicopter whirring) - That's the campground.
Get us down closer.
(dramatic music) (helicopter whirring) (dramatic music) (helicopter whirring) There! It's Chrissie! The pickup is gonna hit her! Put us down now! (helicopter whirring) - Daddy! (upbeat pop/rock music) (punches smacking) Daddy! Daddy! (soft piano music) - Chrissie.
- Daddy.
- Dad? - Yeah.
- That looks abdominable.
- Abominable.
- Can I have a taste? - Get your hands off there.
(doorbell ringing) Doorbell.
- Don't worry, Mom will get it.
- Daddy? - Yeah.
- Yuck.
- [Fran.]
Hi.
- I have to talk to Hooker.
- Oh, okay.
- Maybe you'd both like to sing Happy Birthday in your rooms.
It's coming out the wrong end.
There we go.
- Why don't I help finish the icing while you go talk to Jim.
- Huh? Here.
- I brought a message from Wheeling.
He found Lathon's family.
- Did he find a way of telling them what happened? - Well, he said he hoped you were gonna do that.
- Oh, he did? Well, maybe he's right.
Maybe that's the way it should be.
Tell him I'll do it.
(icing squishing) - [Chrissie.]
On me.
- I didn't mean to do it.
Look at you.
(laughing) - Mom.
- What happened? - There was an accident.
- The wax paper burst.
- I thought you were supervising.
- Oh, I guess my mind was on the rhubarb pie in the oven.
- Rhubarb pie? That's my favorite.
- I know.
- [T.
J.
.]
What about Oregon? - Well, it's just below Washington.
And it's not going anywhere.
(soft instrumental music) ("T.
J.
Hooker Theme" by Mark Snow) (synth music)
J.
Hooker Theme" by Mark Snow) (classical music) - [Man.]
You're a super cop, Hooker.
And a good father.
But you're about to find out what it's going to be like without your little girl.
(classical music) (upbeat disco/funk music) - Hey, let me see that.
- [Chrissie.]
No.
- Oh come on, Chrissie.
Come on.
I'm gonna tell Daddy! Dad! - I've got it.
- Dad, she won't show me her new bracelet.
- Would you show him the bracelet and leave me alone? I've got a technique going.
I did it! - Yeah, you got it! - All right! - Yeah! - What do I get? All right, here you go, kid.
- Oh thanks, Daddy.
Oh, thanks for the bracelet.
- You're welcome.
- Yeah, thanks a lot.
I can't wait to show the guys back home.
- Don't you think you should pay for it before you go back to Oregon? Here.
- Thanks.
- Okay.
- All right.
- Work, oops.
Are you gonna be okay Monday when you have to send Tommy and Chrissie back to their mom's? - I've got no choice with Fran up there and me down here.
- [Chrissie.]
Daddy! Daddy, look here! - [Tommy.]
Dad! - Honey, I'm on a roll.
What do you want? - [Chrissie.]
Daddy, look.
Look here, isn't it perfect? - Oh, honey, don't you think one piece of jewelry a day is enough? - But it's not for me.
Mom's birthday is this Monday, remember? - Oh my.
- Hey, how's Dad supposed to remember when Mom's always trying to forget? - Thank you.
How much is it? - It's 125.
But it's a real nugget.
I panned for it myself in the Sacramento River.
- I'm sure your mom would be just as happy with a nice card and some flowers.
- Well, sure.
I mean, your mom's boyfriend probably takes care of this sort of thing, doesn't he? - Nah, besides, she talks more about you than him.
- She does? What does she say? - Well, mostly she loves to get your letters on the first of the month.
- Alimony.
- Yeah.
We'll buy it anyway.
Here.
(coughing) - There's fire, fire in there! Help! Help! - Stay with the kids.
Get out of here.
Go on, get out of here.
Get out of here, fast! (flames crackling) - Tommy, stay away from there.
You can get hurt.
(fire extinguisher whooshing) (screaming) - Gotta see if Dad's okay.
- [Woman.]
Oh! (fire extinguisher whooshing) - [T.
J.
.]
Get an ambulance.
- You saved my life.
Thank you so much.
Oh, Sam, it was, it was just awful.
- All right, everybody.
Nobody's hurt, fire's out.
Move off.
- [Tommy.]
Dad, you're a hero! - [Stacy.]
Are you okay? - Yeah, except for smelling like a backyard cookout.
- Oh, that reminds me, I'm hungry.
- That reminds me you're always hungry.
Well, let's find some lunch.
Where's Chrissie? - Thought she was right behind me.
- You know women.
I bet she's just still looking at that jewelry.
- Chrissie! Chrissie! - Hey, you took off so fast you forgot your change.
- Thank you.
My daughter, the little girl that was looking at the jewelry with me, did you happen to see which way she went? - No, I was watching the fire, but she can't be far away.
- Um, Stace, you head that way.
We'll go this way.
- [Stacy.]
Chrissie? Chrissie! - [T.
J.
.]
Chrissie! - [Stacy.]
Chrissie! (dramatic synth music) Chrissie! - Chrissie! (upbeat disco/funk music) I'm calling in the dogs.
Keep trying, Mike.
Random 30 to air one, come in.
- [Officer.]
We copy, 30, go ahead.
- [T.
J.
.]
What's going on up there? - [Officer.]
We're just starting our second sweep of the beach.
- [T.
J.
.]
What about the lifeguard stations? - [Officer.]
Checked 'em all out a mile each way.
No activity.
- [T.
J.
.]
All right, and don't forget the parking lots.
- [Officer.]
We took a look at everything by the pier.
We'll double check all of 'em.
- [T.
J.
.]
That's a roger.
Keep in touch, 30.
Out.
Come in 16.
- We just completed a house to house from the beach to 3rd Street.
- Anything, Jim? - Negative.
- Anything from Mike and the shepherd? - They're still trying to pick up a scent.
There's just been too many people been walking through here.
I'm sorry, Hooker.
Listen, do me a favor, will ya? How about taking Tommy home and staying with him? - I want to stay on the search.
I'd rather you asked someone else to watch Tommy, okay? - Hey, you're not to blame.
(tires squealing) (police chatter in background) - Why the hell are they standing around? We've got a missing child to find.
- We have radio contact with all units in the area and a perimeter search is started.
- What about the helicopter? Any further change? - Nothing from the one that's up there, but there's another one on the way to help out.
- Somebody's got my kid.
- We don't know that for sure.
- What the hell else could it be? - Maybe she wandered down to the beach.
- Nobody would've.
She wouldn't have done that without letting us know.
- Take it slow.
What can be done is getting done.
- When I find whoever took Chrissie.
- Hooker, if there was ever a time to keep your head clear, it's now.
We can expand a house to house and we can even go back over the territory around the pier.
- We're wasting time ourselves.
We can find her and have her back before dinner.
- All right, I'll take the streets west of the pier.
You commence a house to house.
Start here, work your way back to the pier.
- I'll start the first street on foot and then I'll meet you on the next corner.
- Okay, you got it.
(tires squealing) - [Jim.]
I've been looking for you.
Anything? - I may have turned something.
The woman I was talking to said the man renting that house has been arrested for soliciting sex with minors in the park.
She saw him take a little girl matching Chrissie's description into the house this afternoon.
- I'll call it in.
Four Adam 16.
- [Operator.]
17 Roger.
- Forget the call.
- Stacy, go slow.
We don't have proof that's your suspect.
- Are you gonna take the chance that that isn't Chrissie? (engine starting) Police! - What do you want? - [Stacy.]
Get out of the car.
- What are you doing? Oh, please.
- [Stacy.]
Get out of the car.
- What, oh my God, what did I do? Oh, what's wrong? That's my kid.
She's sick.
I'm taking her to the doctor.
- [Jim.]
Stacy.
- And for God sake's put your guns away.
She's scared to death of 'em.
- Mr.
Reynolds, we're looking for a missing child.
I'm sorry.
- Oh, you're gonna be a lot sorrier when I find a lawyer.
- Anything at all on Chrissie? - No.
At least we haven't heard from the hospital.
Or the morgue.
- I'm sorry.
I really thought I had something when I saw them carrying that kid.
I guess I got carried away.
- Forget it.
He decided not to press charges when he heard the whole story.
- You talked to him? - He feels the same way about his own little girl.
Said he'd a done the same thing.
- I could have killed him.
- But you didn't and that's the bottom line.
- I believed everything his neighbor said about him.
- The kooks come out of the woodwork in a case like this.
You know that as well as I do.
So stop chewing out your insides.
- Hooker, fire department called with a preliminary on the fire.
- Arson? - Bingo.
- you think the kidnapper set it? - Distraction, confusion.
Yes, I think he set it and it worked.
Did you get a composite description from the witnesses of the hamburger joint? - This is it.
He ran out just before the fire.
- You know him, Hooker? - I don't know.
He looks familiar.
But he knows me.
He knows me.
(classical music) - You said that my mommy was coming down from Oregon to surprise my daddy.
And that we were gonna go pick her up? Where is she? - Don't worry about it, kid.
I'm working on a real surprise for your daddy.
(classical music) (airplane engine whooshing) - [T.
J.
.]
Fran! - Hooker! Have they found her yet? - Not yet.
- Where's Tommy? - He's back at the house with an officer waiting for us.
We'll have to go straight there.
And then if you want me to take you to a hotel so you can rest up, I-- - All I want is my baby back.
- Get on the horn.
Find Hooker.
- [Fran.]
The kids said you'd moved back into a house.
- I thought they should have a place with a backyard when they came down here.
- [Fran.]
Nice.
- [T.
J.
.]
It'll do.
- I tried to reach you at the airport, Sergeant Hooker.
- [T.
J.
.]
About Chrissie? - Yeah.
- Mom! Mom, Chrissie's lost and we can't find her.
- Oh, I know, darling, but we will.
- We found this on the windshield of our squad car.
- You didn't see anybody hanging around your car? - We were blanketing the area looking for anyone who did.
- Prints? - We had it checked.
- Sergeant T.
J.
Hooker.
- Hey, that's Chrissie's new bracelet.
- I have her.
How do you like wondering if you'll ever see your child again? Welcome to hell, Hooker.
- Take up the rest of your watch outside here and I'll send backup.
I'm gonna hit the streets with Jim and Stacy.
Nobody in or out.
- [Dispatcher.]
Four Adam 30, we have the information you requested.
All units assisting in the search have now reported in.
Results negative.
And confirming your other request, a missing child report has been broadcast to all agencies.
- Four Adam 16, four Adam 30 on tact two.
- Go ahead, 16.
- [Stacy.]
Nothing with us either, Hooker.
We touched all bases and come up empty-handed.
Any suggestions? - There's nothing more we can do out here for now.
I'll see you back at the station.
Four Adam 30 out.
- Hello, Hooker.
- Jack, what are you doing here? - Well, I caught wind of that notice you sent to our handwriting specialist.
I asked for the assignment.
Unless of course you don't want the FBI in on this.
- You know better than that.
- How's Franny holding up? - You know Fran.
It's soft curves on the outside, pure steel underneath.
- I remember that time you told me the story about getting up in the middle of the night to chase those drag racing motorcycle freaks off the street.
When you turned around there was Franny backing you up with your service revolver.
- You came about that note? - Yes, we do what we could with the handwriting.
Now the psychological profile wasn't very pretty, Hooker.
Whoever wrote that note is definitely unbalanced.
On edge, very dangerous.
(classical music) - When are you gonna let me go home? - You're homesick? - Just want to go home.
- Well, I went through a lot to get you, kid.
I think I'll keep you around awhile.
- It was so dumb.
You lied to me.
About knowing my father.
About being his friend.
- Hey, shut up, you here? I'm no liar.
And I know Hooker, all right.
- Are you ever gonna let me see my mommy and daddy again? - That depends entirely on your daddy.
Now don't give me any trouble.
Hey, it's time for you to get to sleep, anyway.
Go on.
(classical music) - It underscores what I told you about the suspect last night.
The shakiness of the letter shows agitation.
The underscoring indicates determination.
- Look at the letters.
He's printed instead of written.
That's strange.
- Well, not if you're dyslexic and left-handed.
Es, Ss, Ns, are easy to reverse.
- Unless a person makes a real effort not to make a mistake.
- Now the majority of the people look at things from left to right.
What do you see? - A triangle and a circle.
- Me, too.
- Now a dyslexic will look at this picture from right to left.
Might see a circle and a triangle, the reverse order of what you see.
- That must raise hell with reading and writing.
- Marty Lathon.
That's who that is.
Marty Lathon.
Draw the nose, change the hair style a little bit and it's him.
He had so much trouble writing out reports he had to type them.
- Who is he? - An old partner of mine, for a short while.
He traded in his badge for a weekly paycheck with the mob.
- I remember now.
You stumbled onto the connection and turned him over.
- We put a dozen of his bosses away at the same time based on his testimony.
- Numbers, prostitution, drugs.
He was wading knee deep.
But kidnapping, that's not his style, Hooker.
- Martin Lathon.
Paroled three months ago.
- Motive, opportunity.
Pull everything you have on him, Stacy.
Friends, family, associates.
I want to find him, fast.
- I made those biscuits just for you.
How about having one? - I'm sorry, Mom.
My stomach doesn't feel too good.
You mind if I go out back for awhile? - No, you can't go anywhere.
- You know what your dad said, huh, Champ? Nobody in or out.
At least not for awhile.
(suspenseful music) (phone ringing) - [Fran.]
Hello? - I want to talk to Sergeant Hooker.
- [Fran.]
Uh, he's not here right now.
Can I help you? - Is this his wife? - [Fran.]
Yes, it is.
- I'm the guy who's got your little girl.
- Oh please, is she all right? Where is she? - In 30 minutes I'm gonna call back.
Tell Hooker to be there to get the call.
- Let me talk to Chrissie.
Please let me talk to her.
For the love of God, please! (tone ringing) It's the man who's got Chrissie.
Get Hooker here fast.
- [Officer.]
Give me Sergeant Hooker fast.
(tires squealing) - Fran! - Here! - We're all set up for the call.
The FBI is on it.
When the call comes, they'll run a trace.
And then dispatch will broadcast the location.
You okay? - I'm doing better than Tommy.
- Is he sick? - Sick with guilt.
He said he made Stacy chase after him and that left Chrissie alone.
- That's crazy.
- No crazier than you running off to be a fireman.
Haven't changed, have you? - Now is not the time for that, Fran.
- Why not? This is now.
And your son is just like you.
No matter how many times I tell him he doesn't have to be a super man like his dad, it doesn't hit home.
(darts thumping) - Hey, that's pretty good shooting.
- Thanks.
- You thinking about Chrissie? - I was wondering where she is.
How she oughta be here with me.
- I'm the one who ran off, remember? - Yeah, but you had to help those people.
I didn't have to run after you.
- Well, Chrissie didn't have to run after somebody.
She could've called for help.
She'd be here now if she had.
We're all responsible.
(soft piano music) You, Chrissie, Stacy, me.
- All of us? - All of us.
(soft piano music) - [Tommy.]
Dad.
(phone ringing) - Hello? - It's been long time, Hooker.
- [T.
J.
.]
Where's my daughter, Lathon? - It's the suspect.
Start the trace.
- Hey, still on the ball, right? I knew you'd figure out who took her.
I know you've got the phone tapped, too, so listen fast.
- What do you want from my little girl? Money? What? - You think money's gonna make up for what's been taken from me? - I can't give you back your job.
- I want my family back, Hooker.
My wife, my kids.
They stopped writing when I was in your stinkin' prison.
I tried to find them and I can't.
They're gone.
Somebody else is living in my house.
- That has nothing to do with Chrissie.
Let her go, Marty.
- I had a little girl just like yours.
What happened to her after you put me in prison, Hooker? Did the mob hit her and my wife who were settin' them up for you? - I don't know.
I promise you I'll find out.
When Chrissie's safe with me.
- You find them.
You find my family! And then she stays safe.
You have till tomorrow morning, Hooker, and that's it.
- Wait a minute.
How do I know she's okay? Let me speak to her.
- Put your wife on.
- Mommy? Are you there? Daddy? - Chrissie, baby, are you all right? - Yeah.
I'm just a little bit scared.
- Don't be scared, pumpkin.
We'll get you back.
- Where are you, Chrissie.
Tell us where you are.
(tone ringing) - They made the trace.
Downtown, phone booth (upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) - [Dispatcher.]
Four X-ray 330, meet four Adam 16 on tack two.
- 30 roger, what do you have, 16? - An eyewitness said Lathon and a little girl of Chrissie's description took off in a late model orange Plymouth.
License plate starting at 2BAK.
They were last seen heading west on Maple.
Less than 10 minutes ago.
- [Man.]
Four x-ray 30, this is one Adam 10.
We spotted an orange sedan, license two-four-Adam-king-five-oh-six.
Northbound on Jefferson and Winthrop.
- Go to only.
Do not, I repeat, do not make contact.
My ETA is approximately five minutes.
- [Officer.]
Roger, four X-ray 30.
- Rolling backup.
(upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (tires squealing) - This is four X-ray 30.
I'm in pursuit of a possible kidnapping suspect in an orang sedan.
License number two-B-A-K-five-oh-six.
(tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (engine revving) (sirens wailing) (tires squealing) (car crashing) (suspenseful music) (tires squealing) (sirens wailing) (explosion booming) Chrissie! (explosion booming) Oh my God.
Chrissie.
Ah.
(police chatter in background) I want the manpower in this area doubled.
- We got every street in this part of the city covered.
Can't do any more.
- Except find him.
She was everything to me, Jim.
Everything.
- Hooker! They searched the car.
Chrissie's not there.
She's not there.
(dramatic synth music) - He was taking no chances we'd get Chrissie back.
He must've stashed her somewhere after the phone call.
- We went by Lathon's old neighborhood.
Check the neighbors.
- Had he been there? - Half a dozen times trying to find out where his family moved.
We ran down the agent who sold their house.
She said that Mrs.
Lathon was gone when the papers were transferred.
And attorney handled all the legal work.
- Check out the attorney.
Let's find her.
- That's the clinker.
He's no longer practicing in the state and it could take days to run him down.
- We have got one thing.
Lathon's son left a phone number with one of his friends.
- We checked it out.
It's the federal marshal's office.
- Federal marshal's office? Stacy, do me a favor.
Call Fran.
- You want us to tell her what happened? - Never held back on her while we were married.
I'm not gonna start now.
And tell her I'll be home as soon as I can.
- Just called 10 minutes ago.
That's some driving.
Look, I, what can I say? - What do you got? - Well, I just came from the lab.
We took the prints off the phone that your kidnapper used.
There are half a dozen smudges.
We couldn't identify them.
But there was a child's print, a thumb, an index finger.
Could be Chrissie's.
We're still looking to match it up with the others and see what we have on Lathon.
- I rather you were looking for Lathon's family.
- I thought your people were taking care of that.
- We did.
We got hung up at the US Marshal's Office.
- I see.
- Man informs on the mob and goes to jail.
Mob tries to cut that man where it hurts.
So they threaten his family.
What do you think the family does? - Call for help.
- Only Jenny Lathon didn't go to the police.
Her husband had been a cop.
She didn't want anything to do with us.
So she calls for the FBI, right? How am I doing? - Well, that's a possibility.
- Possibility.
Next you put the Lathon family into the federal new identity program.
Lathons disappeared, tucked away some place, under a new name, new life.
- Okay, so now you know.
- You knew it the minute I recognized Lathon's picture.
Why the hell didn't you tell me? - That didn't have any bearing.
- It was motive! The man was crazy from looking for his family.
- Look, Hooker.
His wife divorced him during the trial.
She got custody of the children.
She could do whatever she wanted.
- Except deprive a man the right to know that his children were alive and well.
- There's nothing I can do about that.
- Did you try? - Hooker, you know the policy.
Once they're gone, they're buried so deep, even the files disappear.
I can't do-- - Lathon's got Chrissie.
I don't want to hear I can't.
- You don't understand.
I tried this afternoon, after I heard what happened on the street.
I'm stonewalled by the brass.
It's out of my hands.
- No.
You're holding my little girl's life in them.
Help me, man.
- Wheeling and the fifth were holding out.
- [Stacy.]
What do you mean? - Marty Lathon's family was put under deep cover by the FBI.
And Wheeling knew about it the whole time.
- Do you know where Lathon's family is? - No, and neither does Wheeling, and that's our problem.
(phone ringing) - Officer Sheridan.
It's him, it's Lathon.
- Run a trace.
- Run a trace on 17.
- Hooker.
- You're runnin' out of time, Hooker.
- Where's Chrissie? - She's stashed away safe for now.
- Lathon, your family.
We're trying to locate them right now.
You hear me? - Hey, I don't believe you anymore.
I just don't believe you.
I've given up.
- Look Marty, I've never lied to you, not once.
You know that.
- Oh yeah, well you know something? I am never gonna see my kid again and you aren't, either.
(dramatic music) - He said I'm never gonna see Chrissie again.
- He couldn't trace it.
(dramatic music) Hooker, here's the registration on that burnt out car.
Lathon bought it cash on the line three weeks ago.
Where do you figure he got the money? - The mob is generous to cops on payroll.
He hadn't recovered his bank accounts yet.
- Where'd he buy the car? - Veil's Motors on West 3rd.
- That's here.
And the phone booth call that Lathon made to my house was traced to here.
- It's only a couple blocks away.
- And his old neighborhood is here.
- It's still the same area.
He's staying on his home turf.
- I'm betting on it.
- [Stacy.]
You'd win that one.
- [T.
J.
.]
What do you got? - A charred motel registration receipt for a month's rent.
It's signed M.
Lathon.
The lab guys found it in the glove compartment of the sedan.
- [Jim.]
What's the name of the place? - I'm not positive, but it looks like Pacific Crest.
Forensics thought it might be on Manrobia, but the apartment number was clear.
- That's only two blocks from where he made that phone call.
- It fits.
Let's check it out.
(upbeat pop/rock music) (tires squealing) Stacy, you cover the back.
(suspenseful music) (door banging) - Cleared out.
Bed hasn't been slept in.
Three days ago.
What would he be buying from an RV place? - A ticket out of the city.
And a perfect way to keep a little girl from being seen and remembered.
Get me a chopper on standby.
Have them be prepared to go 250 miles out.
- You're going out of our jurisdiction.
- I'll go clear to hell if I have to.
(upbeat pop/rock music) - Ah, let me go! Let me go! Oh! - Stop it, stop it! Stop it! I'll tie you up again if I have to.
I'll put a gag in your mouth.
Now stop it.
- You're never gonna let me go home, are you? It's you and me, kid.
For all time, you and me.
I won't let anybody take you away from me.
Never! Never! Come on.
- [Chrissie.]
No! - [Marty.]
Come on.
- [Chrissie.]
No! - [Marty.]
Chrissie.
- Give me that chopper now.
(helicopter whirring) Come in, 16.
- Four Adam 16.
- Head west on I-5.
I'm doing an aerial search for a tan, Triumph gold motor home.
No tags.
Lathon bought it.
- We're rolling.
What have you got? - Campground directory that the salesman showed Lathon.
Reverse letters next to a circled campground.
- Dyslexia? - Right.
I remember it always got worse when he was under stress.
Look for the first campground just north of the Gorman cut off.
It's called Twin Oaks.
You might get lucky.
- Roger.
(sirens wailing) - My little girl is just about your age.
- Maybe you could still find her.
- No.
She's gone.
Little Millie's gone.
- But you don't want me.
You want your little girl.
You want Millie.
Let my daddy find her, Mr.
Lathon.
- He can't find her.
They're gone.
They're all gone.
Oh, they're dead.
They're all dead.
- Well, my daddy won't ever stop looking for me.
Never ever.
- You're right.
We have to get out of here.
- Where are we going? - Some place your daddy will never find you.
Nobody will ever find you.
(dramatic synth music) (helicopter whirring) - That's the campground.
Get us down closer.
(dramatic music) (helicopter whirring) (dramatic music) (helicopter whirring) There! It's Chrissie! The pickup is gonna hit her! Put us down now! (helicopter whirring) - Daddy! (upbeat pop/rock music) (punches smacking) Daddy! Daddy! (soft piano music) - Chrissie.
- Daddy.
- Dad? - Yeah.
- That looks abdominable.
- Abominable.
- Can I have a taste? - Get your hands off there.
(doorbell ringing) Doorbell.
- Don't worry, Mom will get it.
- Daddy? - Yeah.
- Yuck.
- [Fran.]
Hi.
- I have to talk to Hooker.
- Oh, okay.
- Maybe you'd both like to sing Happy Birthday in your rooms.
It's coming out the wrong end.
There we go.
- Why don't I help finish the icing while you go talk to Jim.
- Huh? Here.
- I brought a message from Wheeling.
He found Lathon's family.
- Did he find a way of telling them what happened? - Well, he said he hoped you were gonna do that.
- Oh, he did? Well, maybe he's right.
Maybe that's the way it should be.
Tell him I'll do it.
(icing squishing) - [Chrissie.]
On me.
- I didn't mean to do it.
Look at you.
(laughing) - Mom.
- What happened? - There was an accident.
- The wax paper burst.
- I thought you were supervising.
- Oh, I guess my mind was on the rhubarb pie in the oven.
- Rhubarb pie? That's my favorite.
- I know.
- [T.
J.
.]
What about Oregon? - Well, it's just below Washington.
And it's not going anywhere.
(soft instrumental music) ("T.
J.
Hooker Theme" by Mark Snow) (synth music)