T.J. Hooker (1982) s05e05 Episode Script
The Assassin
(lively music) (suspenseful music) - It's the best I've ever done.
The range is exactly what you requested.
- And the silencer? - Built in.
- All right, let me see some ammunition.
- Mercury-tipped.
Neat, clean, explodes like a small grenade.
(explosion rumbles) Wasn't easy filling your order, the time pressure I was working under.
Normally, it would take four weeks to custom craft so delicate a weapon.
- I appreciate your labor, Emile.
I really do.
(dramatic music) (moves to jazzy music) (radio beeps) - [Dispatch.]
Four-Adam-16, we have report of a body being abandoned in the harbor at the peer, 16th and Waterfront.
Handle the call, code two.
- Four-Adam-16, roger.
(tires screeching) (dramatic music) I'll take the back.
(exciting music) (tires screeching) (siren blaring) - You okay? - Yeah, fine.
There's one that got away.
- Damn! Call it in.
See if they know who the witness was who saw the body dumped.
- Four-Adam-16 to dispatch.
(somber music) - [Hooker.]
I see they got you guys pulling dawn patrol.
- Oh yeah, we were gettin' spoiled with that normal We couldn't wait to start chasing the coroner's wagon at 5:00 a.
m.
- What'd ya got? - At first it looked like the usual, a guy who decided to take a dip in the Pacific with his clothes on.
- Off the Channel Bridge? - Not from the way the tide was last night.
Harbor master guesses he went in north of the bridge.
- How's the body? - Couldn't have been in the water too long.
- ID? - Nothing we could find.
But when was the last time you saw a jumper take the time to strip himself of identification? And we chased a guy last night after a report of a body being dumped.
- We couldn't find the witness who made the report.
That's only the start of what's interesting.
The captain of the patrol boat was involved in helping you last year when you were working plain clothes to break up that gun smuggling ring.
- Yeah, I recognize him.
- And he recognized the dead man as the one who got away.
Emile Kaplan, interested? - Always interested in tying up loose ends.
- The question is why would somebody kill Kaplan, if that's what happened? - If that's what happened, who killed him? - [Police Radio.]
Dump truck down on 18th Street.
If we could have a car come.
(suspenseful music) (bell rings) - [Announcer.]
And they're off.
Still Kicking spreads out to the lead from between horses as the field races by the stands.
There goes Dancing Dean up on the outside to grab the early lead now.
It's Dancing Dean curving around the clubhouse turn.
Still Kicking is close in second.
- Anything, Frank? - Chocolate Charlie got away in third.
- Negative.
- [Announcer.]
Followed up by Violet's First, the fourth horse, with Egyptian Femme in fifth.
As the field makes their way to the back stretch, Still Kicking with Jockey Tony Maker up front by half a length.
Here's Chocolate Charlie coming through on the inside.
Dancing Dean is right there, followed up by Violet's First and Egyptian Femme, and they're stride for stride around the far turn.
- You found the boat satisfactory, I take it.
- It'll do.
Now, my fee is half in advance, half upon completion.
- It's agreed.
The 200,000 was sent to your account in Mexico City this morning.
- [Announcer.]
Followed up by Violet's First.
- You'll find a map inside here with Tuesday's route.
- I can't be sure from this angle, but that might be the contact.
Get a lot of shots, Frank.
- Yeah.
- [Announcer.]
Still Kicking, they're heads apart down the front end by two lengths.
- The ETA of the plane at International is 1030 hours.
It'll be heavy security, both at the airport, and in route to the Trade Fair Center.
Now, if you're planning on-- - What I'm planning doesn't concern you.
- What concerns me is the fact that you may have only one shot, and we're paying a hefty price to make certain it's true.
- I'm the best, that's why I'm expensive.
If you didn't want the best, you wouldn't have gone to the trouble to find me.
- We have no argument there.
- So I suggest that you concentrate on coming up with the rest of my money and I'll take care of the execution.
- [Announcer.]
And widening the lead now as they race to the wire, and Still Kicking is home on top by a length and a half, then it was Egyptian Femme coming on for second, Violet's First was third.
Ladies and gentlemen, please hold all-- - He's gone.
Frank? - No sign of him.
- Oh, that's just terrific.
Check the exits, now, now! - [Announcer.]
Time of the race.
- Hey, you got something? - Confirmation that our midnight swimmer was Emile Kaplan.
He had a record for three separate convictions of selling shipments of stolen guns.
Served time on two of them.
- And the autopsy says he was dead before he hit the water? - No doubt about it.
There was no water in his lungs, no evidence of drowning.
- The cause of death? - A break in the cervical column.
The bruises indicate the neck was snapped by someone who knew his business.
- Sounds like a chiropractor I used to go to might be on the loose again.
- This Kaplan had a tool and die shop in South Beach, also listed as his home address.
Maybe he's back in the gun business.
- So somebody broke his neck over a gun deal? - Well, everybody wants a gun these days.
Crooks, straights, schoolkids, it's big business.
- Tell me about it, my nextdoor neighbor just bought a Saturday night special.
She tells me that curling up with it at night makes her feel safer.
(phone rings) - Hooker.
Yes, sir.
Right away.
- Sir? - That was downtown, Chief wants to see me right away.
- Oh, you're using his parking spot again? - Couldn't be that.
They'd have me towed away, just like they did the last time.
Here, you take the Kaplan tool and die.
Sniff around, see what you can find out.
I'll catch up with you.
- Come in, Hooker.
- Chief.
- T.
J.
Hooker, Tom Merrick, CIA, Stanley Vernon, State Department.
I'm gonna let these gentlemen fill you in, Hooker.
Mr.
Vernon? - I take it you're aware of the government's recent trade exchange agreement with the Soviet Union.
- Yes, I think I heard something about it on the news.
Isn't there a Russian delegation coming in to attend the International Trade Fair? - And then they'll continue on to Washington.
The delegation arrives Tuesday morning, and we're establishing heavy security.
- Chairman of that delegation is Dimitry Gorkov, we're expecting an attempt on his life.
- Assassination? - Not so much of the man, as much as a strike against what he stands for.
The beginnings of a trade liaison between the United States and Russia.
- How do you know there's gonna be an attempt? - We can't be certain but we've picked up bits and pieces over the last several months from our intelligence network about a certain group of conspirators.
Now, the attempt could take place here, during the trade visit, or in Washington.
- Suspects? - We think we know the trigger man.
The guy on the left there, his name is-- - Paul DeNiro.
Former Army Intelligence officer.
Trained executioner.
And he was phased out of active duty eight, maybe nine years ago, for mental instability.
- Well, there's nothing unstable about him now.
He's totally rational, he's deadly, and he's an expert marksman.
- Your service records indicate you served with him, Hooker.
- In Nam, one mission.
We didn't see eye to eye.
Who's the man on the right? - Major General Robert Selkirk, US Army retired.
- We took these photos earlier at Woodlawn Track.
Unfortunately, we lost DeNiro.
- DeNiro used to live in this city.
His ex-wife lives somewhere on the north side.
- She's a school teacher, she's outta town now, but DeNiro still might contact her.
- You know him, Hooker.
And you know more about how and where a man might lose himself in the streets in this city than anybody else.
- We've got less than 72 hours before the Russian delegation lands at the International.
(shop tools whirring) - He worked a lot at nights alone, private projects.
- What kind of projects? - Custom work, I guess.
I mean, we do mostly commercial work on consignment for larger companies, but Kaplan was a strange sorta cat in a lot of ways.
I mean, he had his own thing going most of the time, but he didn't talk about it.
- Did he keep files on his work? - Yeah, there's a cabinet out in back.
He kept his stuff in the old ledgers.
- What about guns? - What about 'em? - Was Kaplan into guns? - Kaplan? Nah, probably never saw a gun for real in his whole life.
I still can't believe anybody would try to kill him, you know? Must've been some kind of mistake.
- Did you know Emile Kaplan did prison terms for selling stolen weapons? - Ah, you gotta be kidding, man.
- We'd like to take a look at those ledgers, and any other files Kaplan might've had around.
- Help yourself.
(suspenseful music) (church bell chiming) - And in the latest extension of the United States' new trade detente with the Soviet Union, a Russian delegation will be in attendance at the inaugural of the city trade fair.
Led by the head of their trade commission, Dimitry Gorkov, the delegation will spend two days here on a tour sponsored by the State Department.
- First Red China, now Russia.
The next thing you know, they'll invite Castro here for a testimonial dinner.
- When will you need the rest of the funds? - On completion of the contract.
- All right, I'll transfer the rest of the money to the conduit account and make arrangements for cabling his account.
But I don't like this business with Kaplan.
Was it necessary to eliminate him? - He was the only link between DeNiro and us.
- Was DeNiro aware of that? - As far as he knew, it was just the first step in the contract.
- How does he plan to penetrate the target? - He hasn't committed to that.
DeNiro's mind works in a very set manner, identical to his counterpart at the end of the 11th century, when the order of the assassins was formed in Persia.
Human life had no value, so they sold their services and mental discipline to the highest bidder.
Once DeNiro's mind is committed, he becomes a skilled precision machine bent upon one thing only, the absolute destruction of his target.
- Thanks, Bernie.
Hey, just don't forget your friends, okay? Right, later.
I'm shooting blanks, Hooker.
Talked to every snitch, every contact who might have a line on a new face in town, and there isn't a rumble.
- You're trying to track a ghost, Jim.
DeNiro's whole life seems to have ended 4 1/2 years ago.
Europe to Canada, and no record of his ever having come back to the United States.
- But just happened to catch the feature race at Woodlawn Track.
- He's got phony papers all right.
Probably using an alias, maybe even a different look.
- But you clearly recognized him as the guy you served with.
- That's a face I'll never forget.
- Doesn't sound like he brings back fond memories.
- Not much about Vietnam does, and DeNiro in particular leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Our mission was sanctioned by the CIA just before the fall of Saigon.
DeNiro was out of control and some people got killed that shouldn't have been killed.
(phone rings) - Just got confirmation from Canada on the passport.
They got a guy up there, used to do big business forging papers for draft dodgers years ago.
Well, he just got picked up in Toronto on a drug bust.
Now, he admits he was detailed a passport, papers, a California driver's license in the name of Jared Morgan, now get this, for Paul DeNiro.
- They certain about the make on DeNiro? - Yeah, he was using another alias, but our people up there have the pictures I sent them.
Now, DeNiro or Morgan just flew into Chicago six days ago, and I'm checking the airline to see if there's a trail.
- Our stakeout on DeNiro's wife's house.
She's back in town.
- Let's go.
(jazzy music) She's around back in the garden.
Mrs.
DeNiro.
- Yes, what'd ya want? - We're the police, we'd like to ask a few questions.
This is Officer Corrigan, Mr.
Merrick from the CIA, and I'm Sergeant Hooker.
- I'm remember you, Hooker.
- I didn't think you would.
The only time we met was years ago.
- San Francisco after the war.
And Paul wasn't happy to see you.
You said you have some questions? - Yes, about your husband.
- Ex-husband.
- When was the last time you saw him? - Four, nearly five years ago.
- Was that here in the city? - Yes.
As far as I know, he's been abroad since then.
- Have you had any contact at all with him recently? Letter or postcard? - What's this all about? You said you're with the police now? - LCPD.
We believe your husband's somewhere in the city.
We'd like to talk to him.
- What's the CIA got to do with it? - It's just standard procedure.
We're cooperating with the police and the FBI in a certain matter is all.
- Standard procedure.
I've had a lot of years of that procedure.
The secrecy, the lies.
Don't come into my home now asking my cooperation, and feed me one of your phony government lines.
Why are you looking for Paul? - Can't tell you that, but it's urgent.
- Look, Hooker, from the moment he went with the agency to the day they phased him out because of what they term mental instability, our lives exist in a nightmare.
in which he changed from an idealist who loved the flag and his country, to a deranged mental case, who could take a human life without blinking an eye.
- Vietnam changed a lot of us.
- It wasn't just Vietnam.
There were dirty jobs before and after.
Too many dirty jobs, till his mind snapped.
- Here's a number that you can reach me at, should you make contact.
- The divorce was a bitter one, Hooker.
There's no reason for him to contact me.
- Well, thank you for your cooperation.
- He said when he saw you that time in San Francisco that he thought you were two of a kind when you first thrown together in Nam, and that he liked you, but that he wound up disappointed in you.
- Paul had a lot going for him.
We could have been friends another time, another place, but not the way it was, not when I can still see the faces of the men who were with us, who didn't come back because of him.
(somber music) - Well, from what we just heard it sounds like you knew DeNiro a lot better than you said, huh? - We had a lot in common, we enlisted together.
His wife said Paul DeNiro was different.
She's right, we all were.
She said he was deranged.
He's not, but he's deeply disillusioned, and he's out there with a gun, and I can assure you, to stop him, we're gonna have to kill him.
(dramatic music) - Hello.
- Hi.
- I'd like to rent a safe deposit box, please.
- Of course.
This way, please.
- [Stacy.]
Hooker, about those ledgers we brought in on the Emile Kaplan killing.
- Yes.
- He was into gun dealing all right.
Stolen guns and custom crafted items.
He had his own tailor shop.
Those private projects he worked on at night were guns made to order for the discriminate buyer.
- What about names, who'd he work with? - The ledger was full of possibles that I'm running down now.
There were two names that jumped out at me.
- [Hooker.]
Jared Morgan.
- I figured it's gotta be the Morgan-DeNiro connection we're looking for.
It looks like a custom purchase to be delivered on the sixth.
- That's the day Kaplan was killed.
- It's the last entry in the ledger.
- Could be DeNiro bought himself a new piece from Kaplan right before Kaplan went to the big gun shop in the sky.
- R.
Selkirk, did he buy a piece? - No, that came off the crosscheck of the ledger names with Kaplan's old tool receipts.
Robert Red Selkirk, major general retired.
He's got a place in Santa Costa.
(suspenseful music) - Yes, can you tell me what your visiting hours are, please? (slow jazz music) - I've got the real beauties locked up downstairs in the playroom.
Everything from Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Peacemaker, to a Russian automatic rifle that I liberated from a North Korean general.
- Is that how you got the nickname Red? - You've been reading my press clippings.
I did an Audie Murphy against the commies on a little hill in Korea, picked up a chest full of ribbons for it.
- Was it worth it, General? - [Robert.]
Worth what? - Taking the hill.
I understand you suffered some of the heaviest casualties of the war.
- It's worth it anytime you stop the enemy.
Hill, village, border.
If you don't stop the enemy one place, you're gonna have to stop him another.
But you didn't come here to listen to me spout military philosophy.
- On the contrary.
Your military philosophy is very enlightening.
I'm Sergeant Hooker, this is Officer Corrigan.
- My man tells me your ID's authentic.
I believe he also told you that I'm entertaining guests.
- I'll make it short and sweet.
- Good.
- Does the name Paul DeNiro mean anything to you? - DeNiro.
No, should it? - We have photographs of you with Paul DeNiro, General.
Taken yesterday at Woodlawn Track.
- Well, I don't know what kind of crime that would be if I was there, but I was nowhere near Woodlawn, and I don't know a Paul DeNiro.
- You're sure about that? - I was attending a board meeting.
I'll be glad to provide verification if necessary.
- What about Jared Morgan, is that name familiar? - I know a Kimberly Morgan.
She was a stripper who performed at our service clubs.
But no Jared Morgan that I recall.
- It's the alias Paul DeNiro uses.
- Is that so? Well, who is Paul DeNiro? - Professional assassin.
- Really? Well, gentlemen, I wish I could contribute something that would help, but-- - Did you ever purchase any guns from an Emile Kaplan? - It's obvious that I've got a lot of guns, collected over a lifetime.
But the name Kaplan, what can I tell you? My memory's as good as the next, but I'm not a computer.
- Well, our computer has a long file on you, and on Emile Kaplan.
Berlin, just after the second world war, the two of you had graduated from college, you served in the OSS together.
- I've served with a lot of people, in a lot of places, in a lot of wars, and, Sergeant, you're coming very close to spoiling my dinner party, if this is gonna take much longer.
- Emile Kaplan's body is lying in the morgue right now.
That's killing number one.
I have reason to believe Paul DeNiro's planning another one.
I know your record and your politics, and I don't wanna see you make the mistake of planning any war games in my city.
- Is that about it, Sergeant? - Not quite.
If you can find Paul DeNiro, stop him, because if you don't, I'll nail him and you, and anybody else on your political team.
Now that's it.
- My man will show you out, sorry I couldn't help.
- Those pictures of him with DeNiro aren't a lie, so what he just fed us has to be.
- He's into it all right, right up to his purple heart and silver star.
(dramatic music) - Mrs.
DeNiro? - Yes.
- I'm glad you came.
I wasn't sure whether you'd be visiting today.
- Is something wrong with Kevin? - It's not Kevin, it's your husband.
- Husband? - He says he's been out of the country and he hasn't seen Kevin since he left, so we didn't see any harm in letting him visit as long as he understood that Kevin couldn't communicate.
They've just been sitting like that, the both of them, like statues, for over an hour.
- Oh, Paul.
He doesn't speak yet, Paul.
And he has trouble responding to strangers.
- I'm not a stranger, I'm his father.
- Paul.
He's got brain damage, Paul.
The tests are inconclusive, but the doctors feel there's still some hope for him.
(somber music) - Mrs.
DeNiro? Your husband left this.
- What you were saying about DeNiro, that he got a lot of people killed, what was that all about? - I was a scout, one of the best.
So when the CIA wanted some information about a particular troop buildup, they sent DeNiro and me in to check it out.
- Enemy territory? - Seemed like it was all enemy territory.
But when the thing went down, I found myself separated, in a village about 30 miles north of Saigon.
There were four of ours, wounded, Americans, waiting for a ride out.
The next thing I knew, the choppers that we thought were coming in to evacuate the wounded, were shooting up the jungle.
- An airstrike? - Called in by DeNiro.
He said he saw the Cong moving in.
It was never proved, but I heard rumors afterwards.
The real reason was he and the village chief had a drug deal that fell apart, and he was breaking up the partnership.
- A lot of casualties.
- Three villagers left alive.
And one other American beside myself.
The rest of the village was blown away.
(radio beeps) - [Dispatch.]
Four-X-Ray-30, you have a message from a Mrs.
DeNiro, urgent.
- This is Four-X-Ray-30, let's have it.
- He didn't say anything about where he was going or staying.
He just left that.
He must have brought it to give to Kevin.
He never even took it out of the bag.
See, our little boy had brain damage at birth, and Paul never could accept it, still can't.
- You said something about a prescription.
- Oh, yeah.
This prescription slip was in the bag too.
You see, Paul has an allergy, and I thought if he left the prescription at a drugstore, maybe he hasn't picked it up yet.
- I'll have Stacy meet us.
- Thank you for your cooperation.
Your little boy, is he gonna be all right? - Yeah.
Would it be all right if I kept the boat? - Of course.
- Thanks.
(somber music) (moves to suspenseful music) - DeNiro's already been here, picked up his prescription and left.
The druggist said he had a cab wait.
- Did you get the company? - Stafford Cabs.
- Get to the dispatcher.
Get a trace on where that cab was heading.
(soft piano music) - Hi.
- Hi.
- You look very alone.
- Just came in for a quiet drink.
- Which means you'd rather be by yourself, right? - Yeah, I think so.
- I know exactly what you mean.
Sometimes I get so wound up inside, I just wanna be alone and get my head straight.
Then again, there's other times when I think I wanna be alone, but what I really need is to be with someone.
- You're hustling me, how much? - You're quick.
Hundred bucks, more if there's extras.
- Pass.
- Come on now, we can work something out.
- Hey, sugar, I didn't get your name.
Look, I changed my mind, okay? Where's your car? - The black one.
- Black one? Oh, good.
Come on.
(ominous music) - Name's Gail.
- Jared.
Jared Morgan.
(exciting music) (tires screeching) (horn honks) - [Jim.]
Hey, that's DeNiro.
- Did you get a license number? - Yeah, a partial, One Henry Boy Ida Seven.
- Put out an APB, get a partial on the computer.
- I should've said something before I approached the car, but with the girl, I wasn't sure.
I wanted to get a better look.
- Now he knows we're onto him.
That means one of two things, either he drops the contract, or he gets twice as tough to catch.
(dramatic music) - You must have a death wish.
- Well, the guy coming up to the car was with Vice.
- You know him? - No, I just know the type.
Hey, I'm married and you're hookin'.
I can't afford to get involved in a bust.
You get the picture? - Sure.
I can't afford a bust.
- Well, you can now.
- State Department security will be responsible for the airport.
The motorcade will pick up the Russian group at the plane, and take them nonstop to the Trade Center.
- The route's been given a tight security check.
It will be double-checked and heavily patrolled during the motorcade also.
- What about helicopters? - We'll have three up.
I've asked the chief to clear some men for a rooftop duty.
- Still nothing on the car.
- We'll stay with this.
All street personnel with talkies will be in open communication with the rooftop observation posts.
Sheridan, Corrigan and I will be roving.
(ominous music) - Jared? (gags) - Dimitry Gorkov, head of the Soviet Trade Commission, was first to disembark the Russian plane.
This is the route the visiting delegation will take.
From International airport, they will pass here on their way to the downtown trade center.
They'll be accompanied by State Department officials.
- [Jim.]
The officers were making their usual rounds when they spotted this little number.
One Henry Boy Ida Seven Three Two.
- The manager of this apartment says it belongs to a tenant named Gail Milton, apartment 210.
(ominous music) Looks like she picked the wrong guy to get friendly with.
- We're gonna need the car in the crime lab.
(moves to suspenseful music) - Bleach, freshly used.
Not by the lady, if you take a look at her roots.
- Looks like the man's got himself a new hairdo.
- And we're not looking for a beard anymore.
He used a razor.
- This is a receipt for a safety deposit box, with a bank address on the motorcade route, in the name of Jared Morgan.
(exciting music) (tires screech) (tires screech) Sergeant Hooker.
- Yes, sir, what can I do for you? - I'd like to ask you about a customer of yours.
- He checked in but he didn't check out.
- Was the safety deposit box returned? - No, that's when he would've had to check out.
- Can you give us a description of Morgan? - Yes, he had close-cropped blonde hair, and dark-rimmed spectacles.
He walked with a limp and he used a cane.
- That's not Jared Morgan.
The Jared Morgan that checked out that box was dark, had a beard, no glasses, no limp.
- But it's the same signature.
- Which compartment did he use? - This one right here.
- Costume rentals.
- Wait a minute, did either one of you see a nun in here in the last few minutes? - Not anyone who checked out while I was here.
- Yes, it struck me as being odd, because they're not supposed to have any personal property, are they? I mean, not like this.
- The one that was leaving when we came in.
(ominous music) (moves to exciting music) Jim.
(church bell chiming loudly) DeNiro! (gunfire ricocheting) Hold it! Stop! He wouldn't stop.
He's dead.
- You didn't kill him.
He died a long time ago.
- I guess you know booking me is going to be an exercise in futility, Sergeant.
My attorney will have me out for dinner.
- Well, let's just say I need the practice, and when I get through with you, the Feds will be all over you like a bad suit.
- Well, then I hope you have something more to build your case on than a few eight-by-10 glossies.
- Don't worry about it.
We'll think of something to make it work.
- Conspiracy to commit murder? - For openers, and you won't be lonely.
We're rounding up your friends to be booked with ya.
- This won't change a thing, you know.
Military action, assassination, they're both the same.
- Is that right? - You have to stop the enemy one place or the other.
- Yeah, hills, village, border.
- Exactly.
- You may be right in this case, General.
We did stop you, didn't we? (lively music)
The range is exactly what you requested.
- And the silencer? - Built in.
- All right, let me see some ammunition.
- Mercury-tipped.
Neat, clean, explodes like a small grenade.
(explosion rumbles) Wasn't easy filling your order, the time pressure I was working under.
Normally, it would take four weeks to custom craft so delicate a weapon.
- I appreciate your labor, Emile.
I really do.
(dramatic music) (moves to jazzy music) (radio beeps) - [Dispatch.]
Four-Adam-16, we have report of a body being abandoned in the harbor at the peer, 16th and Waterfront.
Handle the call, code two.
- Four-Adam-16, roger.
(tires screeching) (dramatic music) I'll take the back.
(exciting music) (tires screeching) (siren blaring) - You okay? - Yeah, fine.
There's one that got away.
- Damn! Call it in.
See if they know who the witness was who saw the body dumped.
- Four-Adam-16 to dispatch.
(somber music) - [Hooker.]
I see they got you guys pulling dawn patrol.
- Oh yeah, we were gettin' spoiled with that normal We couldn't wait to start chasing the coroner's wagon at 5:00 a.
m.
- What'd ya got? - At first it looked like the usual, a guy who decided to take a dip in the Pacific with his clothes on.
- Off the Channel Bridge? - Not from the way the tide was last night.
Harbor master guesses he went in north of the bridge.
- How's the body? - Couldn't have been in the water too long.
- ID? - Nothing we could find.
But when was the last time you saw a jumper take the time to strip himself of identification? And we chased a guy last night after a report of a body being dumped.
- We couldn't find the witness who made the report.
That's only the start of what's interesting.
The captain of the patrol boat was involved in helping you last year when you were working plain clothes to break up that gun smuggling ring.
- Yeah, I recognize him.
- And he recognized the dead man as the one who got away.
Emile Kaplan, interested? - Always interested in tying up loose ends.
- The question is why would somebody kill Kaplan, if that's what happened? - If that's what happened, who killed him? - [Police Radio.]
Dump truck down on 18th Street.
If we could have a car come.
(suspenseful music) (bell rings) - [Announcer.]
And they're off.
Still Kicking spreads out to the lead from between horses as the field races by the stands.
There goes Dancing Dean up on the outside to grab the early lead now.
It's Dancing Dean curving around the clubhouse turn.
Still Kicking is close in second.
- Anything, Frank? - Chocolate Charlie got away in third.
- Negative.
- [Announcer.]
Followed up by Violet's First, the fourth horse, with Egyptian Femme in fifth.
As the field makes their way to the back stretch, Still Kicking with Jockey Tony Maker up front by half a length.
Here's Chocolate Charlie coming through on the inside.
Dancing Dean is right there, followed up by Violet's First and Egyptian Femme, and they're stride for stride around the far turn.
- You found the boat satisfactory, I take it.
- It'll do.
Now, my fee is half in advance, half upon completion.
- It's agreed.
The 200,000 was sent to your account in Mexico City this morning.
- [Announcer.]
Followed up by Violet's First.
- You'll find a map inside here with Tuesday's route.
- I can't be sure from this angle, but that might be the contact.
Get a lot of shots, Frank.
- Yeah.
- [Announcer.]
Still Kicking, they're heads apart down the front end by two lengths.
- The ETA of the plane at International is 1030 hours.
It'll be heavy security, both at the airport, and in route to the Trade Fair Center.
Now, if you're planning on-- - What I'm planning doesn't concern you.
- What concerns me is the fact that you may have only one shot, and we're paying a hefty price to make certain it's true.
- I'm the best, that's why I'm expensive.
If you didn't want the best, you wouldn't have gone to the trouble to find me.
- We have no argument there.
- So I suggest that you concentrate on coming up with the rest of my money and I'll take care of the execution.
- [Announcer.]
And widening the lead now as they race to the wire, and Still Kicking is home on top by a length and a half, then it was Egyptian Femme coming on for second, Violet's First was third.
Ladies and gentlemen, please hold all-- - He's gone.
Frank? - No sign of him.
- Oh, that's just terrific.
Check the exits, now, now! - [Announcer.]
Time of the race.
- Hey, you got something? - Confirmation that our midnight swimmer was Emile Kaplan.
He had a record for three separate convictions of selling shipments of stolen guns.
Served time on two of them.
- And the autopsy says he was dead before he hit the water? - No doubt about it.
There was no water in his lungs, no evidence of drowning.
- The cause of death? - A break in the cervical column.
The bruises indicate the neck was snapped by someone who knew his business.
- Sounds like a chiropractor I used to go to might be on the loose again.
- This Kaplan had a tool and die shop in South Beach, also listed as his home address.
Maybe he's back in the gun business.
- So somebody broke his neck over a gun deal? - Well, everybody wants a gun these days.
Crooks, straights, schoolkids, it's big business.
- Tell me about it, my nextdoor neighbor just bought a Saturday night special.
She tells me that curling up with it at night makes her feel safer.
(phone rings) - Hooker.
Yes, sir.
Right away.
- Sir? - That was downtown, Chief wants to see me right away.
- Oh, you're using his parking spot again? - Couldn't be that.
They'd have me towed away, just like they did the last time.
Here, you take the Kaplan tool and die.
Sniff around, see what you can find out.
I'll catch up with you.
- Come in, Hooker.
- Chief.
- T.
J.
Hooker, Tom Merrick, CIA, Stanley Vernon, State Department.
I'm gonna let these gentlemen fill you in, Hooker.
Mr.
Vernon? - I take it you're aware of the government's recent trade exchange agreement with the Soviet Union.
- Yes, I think I heard something about it on the news.
Isn't there a Russian delegation coming in to attend the International Trade Fair? - And then they'll continue on to Washington.
The delegation arrives Tuesday morning, and we're establishing heavy security.
- Chairman of that delegation is Dimitry Gorkov, we're expecting an attempt on his life.
- Assassination? - Not so much of the man, as much as a strike against what he stands for.
The beginnings of a trade liaison between the United States and Russia.
- How do you know there's gonna be an attempt? - We can't be certain but we've picked up bits and pieces over the last several months from our intelligence network about a certain group of conspirators.
Now, the attempt could take place here, during the trade visit, or in Washington.
- Suspects? - We think we know the trigger man.
The guy on the left there, his name is-- - Paul DeNiro.
Former Army Intelligence officer.
Trained executioner.
And he was phased out of active duty eight, maybe nine years ago, for mental instability.
- Well, there's nothing unstable about him now.
He's totally rational, he's deadly, and he's an expert marksman.
- Your service records indicate you served with him, Hooker.
- In Nam, one mission.
We didn't see eye to eye.
Who's the man on the right? - Major General Robert Selkirk, US Army retired.
- We took these photos earlier at Woodlawn Track.
Unfortunately, we lost DeNiro.
- DeNiro used to live in this city.
His ex-wife lives somewhere on the north side.
- She's a school teacher, she's outta town now, but DeNiro still might contact her.
- You know him, Hooker.
And you know more about how and where a man might lose himself in the streets in this city than anybody else.
- We've got less than 72 hours before the Russian delegation lands at the International.
(shop tools whirring) - He worked a lot at nights alone, private projects.
- What kind of projects? - Custom work, I guess.
I mean, we do mostly commercial work on consignment for larger companies, but Kaplan was a strange sorta cat in a lot of ways.
I mean, he had his own thing going most of the time, but he didn't talk about it.
- Did he keep files on his work? - Yeah, there's a cabinet out in back.
He kept his stuff in the old ledgers.
- What about guns? - What about 'em? - Was Kaplan into guns? - Kaplan? Nah, probably never saw a gun for real in his whole life.
I still can't believe anybody would try to kill him, you know? Must've been some kind of mistake.
- Did you know Emile Kaplan did prison terms for selling stolen weapons? - Ah, you gotta be kidding, man.
- We'd like to take a look at those ledgers, and any other files Kaplan might've had around.
- Help yourself.
(suspenseful music) (church bell chiming) - And in the latest extension of the United States' new trade detente with the Soviet Union, a Russian delegation will be in attendance at the inaugural of the city trade fair.
Led by the head of their trade commission, Dimitry Gorkov, the delegation will spend two days here on a tour sponsored by the State Department.
- First Red China, now Russia.
The next thing you know, they'll invite Castro here for a testimonial dinner.
- When will you need the rest of the funds? - On completion of the contract.
- All right, I'll transfer the rest of the money to the conduit account and make arrangements for cabling his account.
But I don't like this business with Kaplan.
Was it necessary to eliminate him? - He was the only link between DeNiro and us.
- Was DeNiro aware of that? - As far as he knew, it was just the first step in the contract.
- How does he plan to penetrate the target? - He hasn't committed to that.
DeNiro's mind works in a very set manner, identical to his counterpart at the end of the 11th century, when the order of the assassins was formed in Persia.
Human life had no value, so they sold their services and mental discipline to the highest bidder.
Once DeNiro's mind is committed, he becomes a skilled precision machine bent upon one thing only, the absolute destruction of his target.
- Thanks, Bernie.
Hey, just don't forget your friends, okay? Right, later.
I'm shooting blanks, Hooker.
Talked to every snitch, every contact who might have a line on a new face in town, and there isn't a rumble.
- You're trying to track a ghost, Jim.
DeNiro's whole life seems to have ended 4 1/2 years ago.
Europe to Canada, and no record of his ever having come back to the United States.
- But just happened to catch the feature race at Woodlawn Track.
- He's got phony papers all right.
Probably using an alias, maybe even a different look.
- But you clearly recognized him as the guy you served with.
- That's a face I'll never forget.
- Doesn't sound like he brings back fond memories.
- Not much about Vietnam does, and DeNiro in particular leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Our mission was sanctioned by the CIA just before the fall of Saigon.
DeNiro was out of control and some people got killed that shouldn't have been killed.
(phone rings) - Just got confirmation from Canada on the passport.
They got a guy up there, used to do big business forging papers for draft dodgers years ago.
Well, he just got picked up in Toronto on a drug bust.
Now, he admits he was detailed a passport, papers, a California driver's license in the name of Jared Morgan, now get this, for Paul DeNiro.
- They certain about the make on DeNiro? - Yeah, he was using another alias, but our people up there have the pictures I sent them.
Now, DeNiro or Morgan just flew into Chicago six days ago, and I'm checking the airline to see if there's a trail.
- Our stakeout on DeNiro's wife's house.
She's back in town.
- Let's go.
(jazzy music) She's around back in the garden.
Mrs.
DeNiro.
- Yes, what'd ya want? - We're the police, we'd like to ask a few questions.
This is Officer Corrigan, Mr.
Merrick from the CIA, and I'm Sergeant Hooker.
- I'm remember you, Hooker.
- I didn't think you would.
The only time we met was years ago.
- San Francisco after the war.
And Paul wasn't happy to see you.
You said you have some questions? - Yes, about your husband.
- Ex-husband.
- When was the last time you saw him? - Four, nearly five years ago.
- Was that here in the city? - Yes.
As far as I know, he's been abroad since then.
- Have you had any contact at all with him recently? Letter or postcard? - What's this all about? You said you're with the police now? - LCPD.
We believe your husband's somewhere in the city.
We'd like to talk to him.
- What's the CIA got to do with it? - It's just standard procedure.
We're cooperating with the police and the FBI in a certain matter is all.
- Standard procedure.
I've had a lot of years of that procedure.
The secrecy, the lies.
Don't come into my home now asking my cooperation, and feed me one of your phony government lines.
Why are you looking for Paul? - Can't tell you that, but it's urgent.
- Look, Hooker, from the moment he went with the agency to the day they phased him out because of what they term mental instability, our lives exist in a nightmare.
in which he changed from an idealist who loved the flag and his country, to a deranged mental case, who could take a human life without blinking an eye.
- Vietnam changed a lot of us.
- It wasn't just Vietnam.
There were dirty jobs before and after.
Too many dirty jobs, till his mind snapped.
- Here's a number that you can reach me at, should you make contact.
- The divorce was a bitter one, Hooker.
There's no reason for him to contact me.
- Well, thank you for your cooperation.
- He said when he saw you that time in San Francisco that he thought you were two of a kind when you first thrown together in Nam, and that he liked you, but that he wound up disappointed in you.
- Paul had a lot going for him.
We could have been friends another time, another place, but not the way it was, not when I can still see the faces of the men who were with us, who didn't come back because of him.
(somber music) - Well, from what we just heard it sounds like you knew DeNiro a lot better than you said, huh? - We had a lot in common, we enlisted together.
His wife said Paul DeNiro was different.
She's right, we all were.
She said he was deranged.
He's not, but he's deeply disillusioned, and he's out there with a gun, and I can assure you, to stop him, we're gonna have to kill him.
(dramatic music) - Hello.
- Hi.
- I'd like to rent a safe deposit box, please.
- Of course.
This way, please.
- [Stacy.]
Hooker, about those ledgers we brought in on the Emile Kaplan killing.
- Yes.
- He was into gun dealing all right.
Stolen guns and custom crafted items.
He had his own tailor shop.
Those private projects he worked on at night were guns made to order for the discriminate buyer.
- What about names, who'd he work with? - The ledger was full of possibles that I'm running down now.
There were two names that jumped out at me.
- [Hooker.]
Jared Morgan.
- I figured it's gotta be the Morgan-DeNiro connection we're looking for.
It looks like a custom purchase to be delivered on the sixth.
- That's the day Kaplan was killed.
- It's the last entry in the ledger.
- Could be DeNiro bought himself a new piece from Kaplan right before Kaplan went to the big gun shop in the sky.
- R.
Selkirk, did he buy a piece? - No, that came off the crosscheck of the ledger names with Kaplan's old tool receipts.
Robert Red Selkirk, major general retired.
He's got a place in Santa Costa.
(suspenseful music) - Yes, can you tell me what your visiting hours are, please? (slow jazz music) - I've got the real beauties locked up downstairs in the playroom.
Everything from Wild Bill Hickok's Colt Peacemaker, to a Russian automatic rifle that I liberated from a North Korean general.
- Is that how you got the nickname Red? - You've been reading my press clippings.
I did an Audie Murphy against the commies on a little hill in Korea, picked up a chest full of ribbons for it.
- Was it worth it, General? - [Robert.]
Worth what? - Taking the hill.
I understand you suffered some of the heaviest casualties of the war.
- It's worth it anytime you stop the enemy.
Hill, village, border.
If you don't stop the enemy one place, you're gonna have to stop him another.
But you didn't come here to listen to me spout military philosophy.
- On the contrary.
Your military philosophy is very enlightening.
I'm Sergeant Hooker, this is Officer Corrigan.
- My man tells me your ID's authentic.
I believe he also told you that I'm entertaining guests.
- I'll make it short and sweet.
- Good.
- Does the name Paul DeNiro mean anything to you? - DeNiro.
No, should it? - We have photographs of you with Paul DeNiro, General.
Taken yesterday at Woodlawn Track.
- Well, I don't know what kind of crime that would be if I was there, but I was nowhere near Woodlawn, and I don't know a Paul DeNiro.
- You're sure about that? - I was attending a board meeting.
I'll be glad to provide verification if necessary.
- What about Jared Morgan, is that name familiar? - I know a Kimberly Morgan.
She was a stripper who performed at our service clubs.
But no Jared Morgan that I recall.
- It's the alias Paul DeNiro uses.
- Is that so? Well, who is Paul DeNiro? - Professional assassin.
- Really? Well, gentlemen, I wish I could contribute something that would help, but-- - Did you ever purchase any guns from an Emile Kaplan? - It's obvious that I've got a lot of guns, collected over a lifetime.
But the name Kaplan, what can I tell you? My memory's as good as the next, but I'm not a computer.
- Well, our computer has a long file on you, and on Emile Kaplan.
Berlin, just after the second world war, the two of you had graduated from college, you served in the OSS together.
- I've served with a lot of people, in a lot of places, in a lot of wars, and, Sergeant, you're coming very close to spoiling my dinner party, if this is gonna take much longer.
- Emile Kaplan's body is lying in the morgue right now.
That's killing number one.
I have reason to believe Paul DeNiro's planning another one.
I know your record and your politics, and I don't wanna see you make the mistake of planning any war games in my city.
- Is that about it, Sergeant? - Not quite.
If you can find Paul DeNiro, stop him, because if you don't, I'll nail him and you, and anybody else on your political team.
Now that's it.
- My man will show you out, sorry I couldn't help.
- Those pictures of him with DeNiro aren't a lie, so what he just fed us has to be.
- He's into it all right, right up to his purple heart and silver star.
(dramatic music) - Mrs.
DeNiro? - Yes.
- I'm glad you came.
I wasn't sure whether you'd be visiting today.
- Is something wrong with Kevin? - It's not Kevin, it's your husband.
- Husband? - He says he's been out of the country and he hasn't seen Kevin since he left, so we didn't see any harm in letting him visit as long as he understood that Kevin couldn't communicate.
They've just been sitting like that, the both of them, like statues, for over an hour.
- Oh, Paul.
He doesn't speak yet, Paul.
And he has trouble responding to strangers.
- I'm not a stranger, I'm his father.
- Paul.
He's got brain damage, Paul.
The tests are inconclusive, but the doctors feel there's still some hope for him.
(somber music) - Mrs.
DeNiro? Your husband left this.
- What you were saying about DeNiro, that he got a lot of people killed, what was that all about? - I was a scout, one of the best.
So when the CIA wanted some information about a particular troop buildup, they sent DeNiro and me in to check it out.
- Enemy territory? - Seemed like it was all enemy territory.
But when the thing went down, I found myself separated, in a village about 30 miles north of Saigon.
There were four of ours, wounded, Americans, waiting for a ride out.
The next thing I knew, the choppers that we thought were coming in to evacuate the wounded, were shooting up the jungle.
- An airstrike? - Called in by DeNiro.
He said he saw the Cong moving in.
It was never proved, but I heard rumors afterwards.
The real reason was he and the village chief had a drug deal that fell apart, and he was breaking up the partnership.
- A lot of casualties.
- Three villagers left alive.
And one other American beside myself.
The rest of the village was blown away.
(radio beeps) - [Dispatch.]
Four-X-Ray-30, you have a message from a Mrs.
DeNiro, urgent.
- This is Four-X-Ray-30, let's have it.
- He didn't say anything about where he was going or staying.
He just left that.
He must have brought it to give to Kevin.
He never even took it out of the bag.
See, our little boy had brain damage at birth, and Paul never could accept it, still can't.
- You said something about a prescription.
- Oh, yeah.
This prescription slip was in the bag too.
You see, Paul has an allergy, and I thought if he left the prescription at a drugstore, maybe he hasn't picked it up yet.
- I'll have Stacy meet us.
- Thank you for your cooperation.
Your little boy, is he gonna be all right? - Yeah.
Would it be all right if I kept the boat? - Of course.
- Thanks.
(somber music) (moves to suspenseful music) - DeNiro's already been here, picked up his prescription and left.
The druggist said he had a cab wait.
- Did you get the company? - Stafford Cabs.
- Get to the dispatcher.
Get a trace on where that cab was heading.
(soft piano music) - Hi.
- Hi.
- You look very alone.
- Just came in for a quiet drink.
- Which means you'd rather be by yourself, right? - Yeah, I think so.
- I know exactly what you mean.
Sometimes I get so wound up inside, I just wanna be alone and get my head straight.
Then again, there's other times when I think I wanna be alone, but what I really need is to be with someone.
- You're hustling me, how much? - You're quick.
Hundred bucks, more if there's extras.
- Pass.
- Come on now, we can work something out.
- Hey, sugar, I didn't get your name.
Look, I changed my mind, okay? Where's your car? - The black one.
- Black one? Oh, good.
Come on.
(ominous music) - Name's Gail.
- Jared.
Jared Morgan.
(exciting music) (tires screeching) (horn honks) - [Jim.]
Hey, that's DeNiro.
- Did you get a license number? - Yeah, a partial, One Henry Boy Ida Seven.
- Put out an APB, get a partial on the computer.
- I should've said something before I approached the car, but with the girl, I wasn't sure.
I wanted to get a better look.
- Now he knows we're onto him.
That means one of two things, either he drops the contract, or he gets twice as tough to catch.
(dramatic music) - You must have a death wish.
- Well, the guy coming up to the car was with Vice.
- You know him? - No, I just know the type.
Hey, I'm married and you're hookin'.
I can't afford to get involved in a bust.
You get the picture? - Sure.
I can't afford a bust.
- Well, you can now.
- State Department security will be responsible for the airport.
The motorcade will pick up the Russian group at the plane, and take them nonstop to the Trade Center.
- The route's been given a tight security check.
It will be double-checked and heavily patrolled during the motorcade also.
- What about helicopters? - We'll have three up.
I've asked the chief to clear some men for a rooftop duty.
- Still nothing on the car.
- We'll stay with this.
All street personnel with talkies will be in open communication with the rooftop observation posts.
Sheridan, Corrigan and I will be roving.
(ominous music) - Jared? (gags) - Dimitry Gorkov, head of the Soviet Trade Commission, was first to disembark the Russian plane.
This is the route the visiting delegation will take.
From International airport, they will pass here on their way to the downtown trade center.
They'll be accompanied by State Department officials.
- [Jim.]
The officers were making their usual rounds when they spotted this little number.
One Henry Boy Ida Seven Three Two.
- The manager of this apartment says it belongs to a tenant named Gail Milton, apartment 210.
(ominous music) Looks like she picked the wrong guy to get friendly with.
- We're gonna need the car in the crime lab.
(moves to suspenseful music) - Bleach, freshly used.
Not by the lady, if you take a look at her roots.
- Looks like the man's got himself a new hairdo.
- And we're not looking for a beard anymore.
He used a razor.
- This is a receipt for a safety deposit box, with a bank address on the motorcade route, in the name of Jared Morgan.
(exciting music) (tires screech) (tires screech) Sergeant Hooker.
- Yes, sir, what can I do for you? - I'd like to ask you about a customer of yours.
- He checked in but he didn't check out.
- Was the safety deposit box returned? - No, that's when he would've had to check out.
- Can you give us a description of Morgan? - Yes, he had close-cropped blonde hair, and dark-rimmed spectacles.
He walked with a limp and he used a cane.
- That's not Jared Morgan.
The Jared Morgan that checked out that box was dark, had a beard, no glasses, no limp.
- But it's the same signature.
- Which compartment did he use? - This one right here.
- Costume rentals.
- Wait a minute, did either one of you see a nun in here in the last few minutes? - Not anyone who checked out while I was here.
- Yes, it struck me as being odd, because they're not supposed to have any personal property, are they? I mean, not like this.
- The one that was leaving when we came in.
(ominous music) (moves to exciting music) Jim.
(church bell chiming loudly) DeNiro! (gunfire ricocheting) Hold it! Stop! He wouldn't stop.
He's dead.
- You didn't kill him.
He died a long time ago.
- I guess you know booking me is going to be an exercise in futility, Sergeant.
My attorney will have me out for dinner.
- Well, let's just say I need the practice, and when I get through with you, the Feds will be all over you like a bad suit.
- Well, then I hope you have something more to build your case on than a few eight-by-10 glossies.
- Don't worry about it.
We'll think of something to make it work.
- Conspiracy to commit murder? - For openers, and you won't be lonely.
We're rounding up your friends to be booked with ya.
- This won't change a thing, you know.
Military action, assassination, they're both the same.
- Is that right? - You have to stop the enemy one place or the other.
- Yeah, hills, village, border.
- Exactly.
- You may be right in this case, General.
We did stop you, didn't we? (lively music)