The Rockford Files (1974) s06e11 Episode Script

Jerseyites are among the most friendliest people that you're ever gonna meet.
Hey! Stole my car.
I want Lombard hit tonight.
I have never taken a case where I knew up front that I was dealing with organized crime.
We don't need you here.
You just keep it up, son, and I'm gonna find your off switch.
You two want to hustle.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You want to deal your way up.
(MACHINE GUN FIRING) Welcome to New Jersey.
(PHONE RINGING) ROCKFORD ON ANSWERING MACHINE: This is Jim Rockford.
At the tone, leave your name and message.
I'll get back to you.
(BEEPS) Mr.
Rockford, this is Betty Joe Withers.
I got four shirts of yours from the Bo Peep Cleaners by mistake.
I don't know why they gave me men's shirts, but they're going back.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING) (PHONE RINGING) (DOORBELL BUZZING) (MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO) (RADIO SIGNAL CRACKLING) BUTLER: (ON INTERCOM) Gentlemen, I'm sorry.
Mr.
Lombard does not wish to see you at this time.
Hey, Jeeves, did you tell this guy what we told you? Did you tell him there's a couple of guys out here who can help him with his problem he's havin'? A couple of guys who ain't afraid to jump in with both feet, get their hands dirty? A couple of I explained the entire situation to him, sir.
He thanks you for your interest, but he doesn't wish to discuss it at this time.
Good day, sir.
Hey, hello? Hello? MAN ON PA: The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only.
Well, I don't know.
I read the national crime statistics in the papers.
Newark sounds like a pretty rough town.
Let me tell you something.
I've lived in Jersey all my life.
And you know where I had to go to get mugged? (MUMBLING) Los Angeles.
That's right.
Broad daylight.
Right out in front of the Hamburger Hogan.
Guy with a Hawaiian shirt and rubber sandals, yet.
Sure, the east coast is starting to show its age a little.
But you should see the urban redevelopment we got.
And let me tell you, Jerseyites are among the most friendliest people that you're ever gonna meet.
Sid, it's been nice flying with you.
I enjoyed it.
Hi.
MAN ON PA: Please do not park in the white zone.
MAN ON PA: Attention.
Parking facility B is full.
Please use the available parking in lots A and C.
Thank you.
Hey! Hey! Stop him! He's got my watch! Hey, stop that guy! MAN: Get out of the way! (CAR ENGINE SPUTTERING) Hey! Hey, fella, that's my car.
Hey, hey! Come here.
That's my car.
May I say something, Officer? This whole thing is beginning to smell a little odd.
Do you know what I mean? I mean, we rent this man a car, and then somebody just happens to steal his watch? And then he just happens to leave his car with the keys in it.
In a high crime area.
I'm gonna ask you to come along with us, okay, sir? Just so we can get a few things straightened out.
You gotta be kidding me.
Look, my watch is gone.
My luggage is in the back of that car.
I'm here on a case in Short Hills.
I'm already late.
I am trying to help you, sir.
I'm trying to help all concerned.
You'll have to go to the Port Newark precinct and fill out a report.
Okay, it shouldn't take long.
Now, step this way with us.
Please? Now.
WOMAN ON PA: to Los Angeles is now arriving at Gate 5.
Hey, boys! EUGENE: Hey, Tony.
What do you say, doll? TONY: Nothing much, Eugene.
How you doin', Uncle Bep? It's lunchtime.
What am I, a magician? I can make 100 submarines all by myself? Abracadabra and the prosciutto jumps on the roll and the little red peppers make a conga line and walk right onto the paper plates, huh? I'll be out to help you in a minute.
I gotta do some things first.
Come on.
MAN: Hey, I ain't got all day.
Give me a number seven.
(PHONE RINGING) Yeah? Oh, hello, Mrs.
De Stantis.
Yeah, we're working on it.
Don't you worry about Nicky.
We're gonna talk to some of our people down at the Mayor's Office.
We're gonna get pressure put on those people down at the Police Athletic League.
(KNOCK ON DOOR) Yeah, I totally agree.
That boy's got God-given talent.
Hey, how you doin', bro? You come in the back way? Uh-huh.
I agree he should be on the starting lineup.
You got the three C's, chief? You betcha, boss.
Here you go.
MICKEY: Yeah.
One, two, three.
MICKEY: Okay, Mrs.
De Stantis.
Thank you.
Same to you.
She says God bless us.
See that? Hong Kong.
It's better than that Japanese stuff.
I know this guy, tells me that, like, the beauty shops and the chicks and like that are nuts for these Style Air blowers on account of Gore Vidal and all them famous haircut guys use them.
Ah, well, all I gotta say, Eugene, is these better move and they better move quick 'cause that was the last of our bread.
Okay.
I admit it.
We got a little cash flow problem at the moment.
So let's review some of the matters we got pending.
Eugene, we ain't got nothing pending.
We tell Goldy down at the newsstand, we're gonna use our connections with the Soul brothers to lean on whoever's knocking over the newsstand, right? Only Richie Soul won't take our phone calls.
So twice Goldy's been knocked over.
We'll get on it.
I think something's gonna break on that.
I met this guy on the 29 bus yesterday.
He says he knows a guy who knows who's boosting the newsstand.
Who? Couple of brothers.
From over in the Walt Whitman Apartments.
Real psychos.
They both done time for murder and aggravated assault.
I told him I'd get back to him about the exact names.
I didn't wanna get into it on the bus.
I figure it's not exactly the time nor the place, you know? Let's face it, Eugene.
We ain't operators in this neighborhood.
We ain't connected up right and we don't have respect.
Don't we always seem to be movin' in bigger and bigger circles? Take this Lombard thing.
That's why, Mick, I keep trying to impress upon you the importance of that.
Somebody throwing dead animals in his lawn? This is a deal that's gonna put us in the center of things? Mr.
Lombard is very upset about these dead cats and chickens.
He's been consulting the Bible about it.
Yeah.
No, my cousin Gina's husband, Ralph, helps out Lombard's gardener and Ralph told me personally.
Lombard don't wanna work with us.
He obviously thinks we're a couple of jerks.
Well, that's why we gotta work on this matter ourselves.
On our own.
We get the creeps responsible and, bing, we have Lombard's attention.
Ah, Eugene, they're probably just a bunch a neighborhood kids.
The butler'll give us $5 and a ride right down the driveway.
So what if it's kids, man? It's a foot in the door.
We get these creeps responsible, then we get to Mr.
Lombard.
We say, "Mr.
Lombard, here's a couple of guys "who took care of a very unpleasant matter for you.
"A couple of guys who would like to be remembered "should they need a good word from a man of your high caliber.
" Mick, that's how influence works.
One hand washes the other.
Eugene, you don't understand.
Lombard ain't even active in the outfit anymore.
He don't even handle half the action in North Jersey.
Tony Martine does.
Lombard's a born-again Christian.
Listen to yourself.
Will you listen to yourself? Suppose you were one of the top hats in the organization, head of your own family, and the State Department and Justice Department was always breathing down your neck.
Wouldn't you like to convince everybody that you was retired, religious, out of the rackets? Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll get us a couple of beers.
You said to watch for anything weird happening up by Devon Road where Mr.
Lombard lives, right? EUGENE: Yeah.
Well, just the other day, I saw some car cruisin' by there twice when I was walking home from school.
Here.
Got his license number.
Come on, kid, I mean, anybody can write down a license plate's number.
Now, what we're lookin' for is a punk on a tricycle, okay? Pennsylvania plates he gives us.
You guys said anything.
Now, I gave you something.
I want my money just like you promised.
All right, all right.
But forget the money.
Give me the keys, Mick.
Come on, kid.
I got something better than money.
Wait till you see it.
Here you go.
Here you go, kid.
That's pure rayon.
Last you a lifetime.
Ugh! Where'd you get all those, anyway? Well, uh, we're sort of the distributor for this area.
It's been over four hours.
I don't know what the holdup is, but this place is really jammed.
RENEE: Well, please keep in touch, Mr.
Rockford.
My father goes to bed early.
It's going to be hard enough to get him to talk to you as it is.
Yeah, well, I'm trying to get clear of this place just as fast as I can, Miss Lombard.
Oh, look, here comes somebody I might get some answers from.
I'll be talking to you.
Hey, Officer? Officer, my name is Jim Rockford.
I've been here since before 3:00.
Could you tell me when they're gonna get to me? The Lieutenant said About as much as he did.
Hey, Eugene.
I'm just thinking.
A guy like Lombard, a guy who's been in the mob all his life, a guy who's used to goin' to the mattresses and stuff like that, how come a guy like him is gettin' so jacked up about some kids throwin' dead pets on his lawn? I don't see your point.
Well, we keep thinking it's just kids.
Maybe Lombard knows it's not.
Maybe that's why he's scared.
You know.
You know what the mob does.
Like, they send warnings.
Dead fish wrapped in newspaper, a severed finger.
You know, Mick, you're always lookin' at things negative.
(EXHALES) You know, Mick, I'm thinking here.
What are we bustin' our humps for here? I mean, tomorrow we could check back with those kids, probably get a line on this mook who's throwin' the dead animals, and this way, we don't miss Carson.
Yeah.
Yeah? Let's go.
Walt a minute, get down, get down.
(SHUSHING) Listen.
They killed their motor.
(GUN COCKING) Get down.
I heard someone cock a shotgun.
Hey, did you see it? He flung a chicken.
Hey, you! Hey, kid! It's all over for you, Jack.
When my dad finds out about this, you creeps'll be worse off than those chickens.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're shaking all over.
Come on, scungille.
You got an appointment with the man on the hill.
EUGENE: You only got a few minutes, ace.
So you better start talking.
Is it you, or you got a partner? What's your name? Who supplies you with the chickens? Mr.
Lombard will be down shortly.
Right.
Say, Mick? Did you notice the old-time fireman's outfit? Did Mr.
Rockford call again while I was at the gym? Oh, yes, miss, he did.
It appears that he's going to be quite late now.
Apparently, the computer found some unpaid traffic violations in California and now he has to straighten all that out.
Oh, excuse me.
Are you waiting to see my father or something? Yeah.
Matter of fact.
I'm Mickey Long and this is Eugene EUGENE: Hey, Mickey, do you mind? The thing is, Miss Lombard, you see, we're from down Newark.
And we caught this kid throwing a chicken carcass onto your property.
Figure he's the one been causing your problems these last weeks.
Oh, is that right? What's your name? MICKEY: You're not gonna get nothin' out of him.
He's a professional hard guy.
He's a scungille.
You damn well better start talking, buster, because you're in big trouble.
LOMBARD: Renee! That's enough.
And I've told you about using profanity in this house.
Good evening, Mr.
Lombard.
I'm Mickey Long and this is Eugene Mickey, you mind? Mr.
Lombard, it's an honor to be under your roof.
Me and my associate, we're pleased Son, have I caused you any pain that I'm not aware of? Go rotate on it.
This kid's gonna leave here with his bicycle seat in his mouth.
Well, maybe somebody else egged you on to do this, huh? What's your name? Mr.
Lombard, if you like, me and my associate, we'll take this little dip outside and introduce his head to the cement.
No, thanks.
But I do want to thank you two fellows for bringing this young man to my attention.
I won't forget it.
Personally, Daddy, I think this little miscreant could use some knocking around.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
This young man knows what he did.
His punishment is between him and his God.
Daddy! Then I'm sorry.
I don't see why you were so upset to begin with.
Are you through with me, you old geek? Or you got somethin' else you want to say? Yes, my friend, I do.
Tell him.
Tell him, Mr.
Lombard.
Tell him what happens to creeps like him.
"But these, like unreasoning animals "Born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed "Reviling where they have no knowledge "Will, in the destruction of those creatures, also be destroyed" Second Peter, chapter 12, verse 12.
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
What? Now, you come along with me.
I got something I wanna show you.
MICKEY: Mr.
Lombard, what you were sayin' about showing your appreciation for me and Eugene LOMBARD: Yeah, come along.
Come along with me.
You wait here.
The Building Block.
Published by the Reverend Ron Garmes.
Ron Garmes? Also, two tickets to the Gospel Cavalcade of Stars.
We tape every Sunday from the studios of Station WHIS in Flushing, Long Island.
This week, we're having Jet's linebacker Gayle Stubbs, who came to Christ this year.
And also the Sandals, a Christian rock band.
I think you'll enjoy yourselves.
(CHUCKLING) Well, Mr.
Lombard, thanks, but this isn't what we had in mind.
And now for you, young fella, tickets for you and a guest, and this magazine, Sports and the Scriptures.
You'll do well to read it.
And now, thanks for stopping by, fellas.
Mr.
Lombard, Mickey and I, we appreciate this, really, honest.
But, like, what we had in mind was, like, you know, one hand washes the other.
What? Well, you know.
Like, we know this guy whose newsstand keeps getting knocked over.
Now, maybe since you've seen how we work, maybe you can get some of your people to put the word out that if it ever happens again, somebody's gonna get pensioned off to the bottom of the Passaic River.
Oh, I see.
You two want to hustle.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You want to deal your way up.
Right.
Right.
I understand ambition.
But so does the Lord.
I don't wield power, anymore.
He wields his power over me.
A blow off.
A total, complete blow off.
I don't believe it, man.
I mean, some guys, you know, they fall in a sewer, they come out with gold watches in each hand.
Me? I work like a slave and what do I get? Nothing.
And then you don't face up to it? You come sneaking in the back door at this hour on a school night? You listen to me when I'm talking to you! Now, what in the Lord's name made you throw dead chickens on Mr.
Lombard's lawn? What are we raising here, an animal, huh? You don't like old man Lombard.
You're the one who's always saying he's a creep.
I hear you from the TV room, complaining to Mom.
And now, just 'cause I don't like him, either, I get all this trouble and stuff.
Incredible.
You hear that? Incredible! You did it for me, is that what you're saying? Where? Where does he learn these things? Honey, if you would just stop yelling at him.
Boys grope around for male role models and what their fathers think of them is especially important to them.
And so they try, in their own way, to be rough and tough.
He is 12.
It is an age of transition.
Transition? He's gonna transition his way right into military school if he keeps this up.
From now on, I want him to see that child psychologist two times a week, not just on Wednesdays! He can miss his drum lessons! These guys beat me up.
They hit me with a fungo bat.
They punched me around.
I know, I know.
You told me.
Big men beating up a little kid.
You gave me their names.
I'll look into it.
Anthony.
Anthony.
Anthony, now, listen to me.
Even if Daddy doesn't like Mr.
Lombard, that's none of your business.
That's Daddy's affair.
You understand that? (CHUCKLING) Now, you see what happened, huh? You put Daddy in a terrible position.
Very awkward.
Now, go on.
Now, you go on up to bed, hmm? Go.
Yeah, it's me.
Listen, I've been thinking it over.
This thing dragged on long enough.
Yeah, that.
Now, listen, it's upsetting everybody, my whole family, now.
So I want Lombard hit tonight.
Now.
No, just a message he can't forget.
And listen, I want you to track down a couple of guys for me.
They live in Newark.
A Mickey Long and another comedian named Conigliaro.
Yeah.
Mr.
Rockford.
What's left of me.
What happened? When you called from the police station you said you'd be up in an hour.
It's almost 1:00.
I went to my hotel and they let the room go because I was late.
So, I've been spending an hour or so looking for a vacancy.
No luck.
Oh, how awful.
On top of everything else that's happened.
Yeah, well, I'm sorry to put you in this position, but I don't know where else to turn.
Would you happen to have a spare room that I could use, until I get a hotel room tomorrow? Oh, sure.
Don't you have any luggage? Well, no, no.
You see, the luggage was in the car that was stolen.
I think I'm just gonna look at it like my dad would, and figure that whoever stole it needs it a lot more than I do.
We can certainly wait until morning to discuss the case.
Have you eaten? No.
Let's see what we can do to give you at least some kind of welcome to New Jersey.
(TIRES SQUEALING) (MACHINE GUN FIRING) (RENEE SCREAMING) (GASPING) Welcome to New Jersey.
WOMAN 1 ON RADIO: 1187, clear.
WOMAN 2 ON RADIO: 1813, clear.
I'm gonna be frank with you, Renee.
If I'd known about your father's past life, I wouldn't have come here to begin with.
Well, does it have to matter? Look, Renee, I'm sorry.
I'd really like to help.
But I have never taken a case where I knew up front that I was dealing with organized crime.
It's too risky and complicated.
But the reason I called you instead of someone local was because of the way you handled that mess with Gordon and me when I was at UCLA.
Gordon was just a sick graduate student.
He didn't own machine guns and have button men on retainer.
Mr.
Rockford, my father walked away from the Martine family when I was 15.
Cut off all his contacts.
He's given away most of his money to charity, spends his time working as a lay preacher with the Interfaith Council.
Renee, I think you knew there might be this problem when you didn't level with me on the phone about your father's background.
You're right.
I don't blame you for wanting out.
I can understand your attitude.
Ah, for what it's worth, I don't really think that was an attempt on your father's life.
I mean, you're not gonna spray the statues and the juniper bushes when you want someone dead.
My advice would be to keep talking to your father.
Find out who's trying to pressure him and how.
And then get him to cooperate with the police.
Your relationship with him is the best weapon you've got.
Well, you must be exhausted after the day you've had.
I'll have Robertson make you up a room.
You can get an early flight out tomorrow.
(MUSIC PLAYING) Hey, Mickey, why don't you go pre-slice the turkey roll like Uncle Bep wants.
You use half the office, right? So, how come I gotta work off the whole rent? Eugene, remember what them radicals used to say about power coming out of the end of a gun? Well, I guess people are gonna say, with you, power comes out of the end of a mop, huh? Very funny, very funny.
(KNOCK ON DOOR) Would you quit your bellyaching? Open the door for Vito.
Funny guy.
(EXCLAIMS) God love us, what a life.
Hiya, Mickey.
Eugene? Oh, I'm sorry.
Mr.
Conigliaro.
MAN ON RADIO: Coming up on 1:00 now, here's John Cunning with the news.
CUNNING: In other New Jersey news, police are looking for a suspect after a shooting incident at the Short Hills home of Joseph Lombard late last night.
Police could offer no motive for that machine-gun attack in which no one was wounded.
Lombard, alleged to be a former top figure in the powerful underworld syndicate now known as the Martine family, was unavailable for comment.
That must have happened last night after we left.
Here we spend all night chasing a kid with a chicken and we miss this.
Hey, remember that license plate? The one the kid gave us? Pennsylvania plates.
Yeah.
Well, he said that car was cruising Lombard's house.
Maybe it was a scout car, or maybe they were the ones.
The ones who did it.
Right, yeah, yeah.
Listen, we We run that plate, man, and we may just deal ourselves right back into this.
No.
I'm tired of you always pumping me for favors and appointments.
This isn't the police station.
It's just the steno pool of the Mayor's Office.
How would I run a license plate? Well, then, talk to one of the guys on the Mayor's security staff.
Tell 'em some car banged your car and took off.
Look, lay a little vulnerability on him, cross the legs, cry into a tissue.
You really can be revolting, buster, you know that? Kathleen, what do you got against me? No, seriously.
I like you.
I really like you.
I never done nothing to you.
So how come you don't like me? You're a hustler, Eugene.
You're insincere.
There's 15 sides to your face and you talk out of every one of them.
What's so insincere about sucking up to a guy? Oh, dear God.
Wait a minute, wait a minute, look.
Now, look, Kathleen.
I mean, you are friends with a couple of guys on the security staff, right? I mean, you've even dated a couple of them.
I don't think they'd mind if you used their names to call the cops.
They would mind if they found out.
Nah.
Like the guy you told me about? He wouldn't mind.
Who? George Bizak? Ron Allen? Who? You know, look, man, forget it.
I guess it's too much to ask.
And quite frankly, my feelings are hurt here.
No, hey, that's just the way I feel about it.
Yeah, this is George Bizak, Mayor's security.
I need a run on a Pennsylvania tag.
EUGENE: So you see, Mr.
Lombard, this car is registered to one Albert Constantine, Philadelphia.
Now, Mickey and I, what we was thinking is maybe this Constantine is a shooter for the south-side outfit.
You could find out, take some action and protect yourself.
"They have eyes, yet they see not" Gentlemen, I appreciate you bringing me this information.
But how am I gonna tell you this so that you'll really understand it? I'm finished with all that.
So I'm not interested in your information.
Mr.
Lombard, you don't understand.
They're gonna kill you.
Mr.
Long, in my past I have done many things that haunt me.
And now, if the good Lord chooses to visit burdens upon me for what I've done, that's the way it's gonna be.
There's nothing I could do that would change his plan for me.
Now, again, I thank you.
You know, Mick, you want my opinion.
Faith is a wonderful thing.
But this is Jersey and that guy's gonna wind up eating a Magnum.
You know what? I'm thinking to myself.
If this guy's not interested in covering himself, there's still people who care about him.
What, the Martine family? Mmm-hmm.
Yeah, we get word to 'em about this guy from Philly, they'll take care of him.
Hey, I know a guy who runs numbers for the Martine family from high school.
He'll pass the word upstairs.
Sure, and listen.
Tony Martine is Mr.
North Jersey.
We could come out of this in a very strong position.
Oh, hi.
Hi.
Where you off to? I'm being packed off to Stockbridge for my own safety.
I dance up there most of the year.
I was only down here for a visit.
My father should leave, too.
But he says he has too much evangelical work to do.
My plan is to get up to Massachusetts, then concoct some phony crisis in my life to force him up there.
I'm pretty sure this plan of mine will work.
Thanks.
I should have thought of it before spending $800 to fly a private detective out here.
Private detective? Well, you should've told us.
You know, we got a lot of connections.
We can do things a PI can't get near.
Yeah, where is this gumshoe, anyway? Gone.
On his way back to California.
(GRUNTING) ROCKFORD: Hey, help me.
I'm getting mugged! Get me some help! (GROANING) MICKEY: Where is he? I'm freezing my tail off.
EUGENE: Quit bellyachin'.
He'll be here.
Long, Conigliaro? Come here.
Come on.
Take the jump seats.
No smoking.
MICKEY: Good afternoon, Mr.
Martine.
I'm Mickey Long and this is Eugene Conigliaro Mickey, Mickey, do you mind? Now, Mr.
Martine, we are happy that we can be a help to you and a certain friend in this matter, and that a tragedy can be diverted.
Also we would consider it an honor if you would be our guest for dinner while we talk this matter.
I'm not sure if you're familiar with Danny's Chop House out on Route 22.
It's Hey, let's hear it.
You have information of a specific nature for me on the shooting? See, we figure this Albert Constantine was in the car casing Mr.
Lombard's house.
Or maybe he was one of the guys in the car that night.
And what with Mr.
Lombard's former activities, it's better you see this than the cops.
Oh, absolutely, absolutely.
The police we don't need in this.
Thank you.
Now, you guys have gone through a lot of trouble for this.
There must be something in this that you want.
Am I right? To be remembered.
Plain and simple.
You know, you remind me of somebody.
Really? Yeah.
I can't place the face but I'll be damned if you don't remind me of somebody.
Don't he, Eugene? Could've been a little kid? No, I don't think so.
You sure? About 12 years old, got knocked of his bike, slapped around? Mr.
Martine, let me say first that we didn't know.
And B, that's some spunky kid you got.
I tell you what happened Hey, you pinhead! You guys keep causing me terrible problems, you know that? Now, we're gonna pass on Danny's Chop House.
Because there's somebody I want you to meet.
This is Albert Constantine.
And this is Albert Constantine, Jr.
EUGENE: Mickey, wait! EUGENE: Run, Mickey, run! Go, Mickey! (KNOCK ON DOOR) Hello? Mr.
Lombard? Anybody here? (KNOCK ON DOOR) MICKEY: Mr.
Lombard? What are you doin' in here? How did you get in? The gate was open, so we just Then we knocked, but What do you mean the gate was open? Who (EXCLAIMING IN FRUSTRATION) Never mind.
It doesn't make any difference now, anyway.
Mr.
Lombard? Uh, sir? If I may, is there somethin' wrong here? (LOMBARD SIGHS) Renee.
They kidnapped Renee.
Look, Mr.
Lombard.
I don't know exactly what's going on here now, but maybe we know something that can help you out here.
You see, a couple hours ago, Eugene and me, well, you see we got in We kind of got into a hairy situation with a Mr.
Tony Martine.
Yeah, I know all about Tony Martine.
He's the prime mover behind this.
He has my daughter.
He phoned about a half hour ago.
This really comes as a blow.
I mean, up until today, we thought you guys was friends.
Yeah.
What exactly do they want from you, anyway? What do they want? What do they always want? They want their way! (EXCLAIMING IN FRUSTRATION) I've fought against their evil.
I've resisted their pressure.
But I can't anymore.
Not now.
So I guess they'll get their way after all.
In little less than an hour, I'm gonna be driving into Newark for a meeting with a very important man.
And I'm gonna put pressure on and on and on and on.
I've been to so many meetings like this before.
But not for the last Mr.
Lombard, I don't know what's going on here, but you don't seem to be in any shape to drive.
So, uh MICKEY: We'll take you.
EUGENE: Yeah.
Joe.
Your Eminence.
I thank you for coming.
Cardinal Finnerty? I know that this is delicate for you, politically.
That's why I thought it best that we don't meet at your office.
You're right, Joe.
This whole flap has become a regular hot potato, image-wise.
And it's very difficult for me, Joe.
Now, you must know that.
But the position of the Archdiocese has to remain unchanged.
The Holy Mother Church simply cannot allow a man like Vincent Martine to be buried in consecrated ground.
LOMBARD: I understand your position, but as I told Monsignor Kelly on the phone, I resisted coming to you for over a week.
But Renee, Your Eminence, she's only 26.
She's an innocent in all this.
Listen to me, Joseph.
As your good friend who sat beside you on the Interfaith Council for six years, you must know I certainly don't wish any harm to come to Renee, but the church cannot yield to terrorism.
I told Anthony Martine, Vincent's cousin, Vincent was a notorious sinner.
And in addition, he died by his own hand.
A suicide.
He died unrepentant, in a state of sin.
I'll pray for Vincent's soul every day, every hour, for the rest of my life.
That's not gonna get it, Joe.
And as a former Catholic, you know that.
(GRUMBLING) Here's a man who made no effort to lead a Christian life.
He confessed to shooting three people.
He was convicted and rather than spend one day in jail, he laughed at the court and killed himself.
If we allow Vinnie Martine to be buried in blessed ground, it's like we're saying to all the others, and to ourselves, too, "Go ahead, laugh at God's Commandments.
"It's okay because, in the end, something will be worked out.
" I know, I know, but What do I do? My kid.
You know what to do.
You know where your power and your hope come from.
Put your faith in him.
Remember, He loves children.
He watches out for them.
We'll talk again, Joe.
Remember, I'll always be there.
Yeah, I didn't know where to tell the police to drop me off.
I mean, you know, I don't have anything.
They took every penny I got.
They took my wallet.
They took my airlines ticket.
They took my traveler's checks.
Well, that's no problem.
I'll just call National Express.
Yeah, well, they weren't National Express traveler's checks.
Oh, really.
Well, most people carry National Express.
Well, I don't.
All right? I was thinking maybe Miss Lombard could advance me plane fare to Till I get to LA.
I'm afraid that's impossible, Mr.
Rockford.
Miss Lombard is in very serious trouble.
Well, I think you were right not to call the police.
At least not yet.
A guy like Tony Martine has to have his pockets full of cops.
How do you like this? All of a sudden, the gumshoe's dominating the conversation.
Yeah, you are so hot to get back to LA? Go ahead.
Go surfing or join a cult or somethin'.
We don't need you here.
You just keep it up, son, and I'm gonna find your off switch.
Hey, he's right.
Knock it off, fellas.
If I was Mr.
Rockford, I'd have done exactly the same thing.
Nobody could've prevented her from being grabbed off the highway.
Did Martine give you any idea when he might call back? He just said something about somebody being at the phone at all times, and if I gave him some good news, he'd let me talk to Renee again, and then he'd release her unharmed.
Any hunches where they might hold Renee? (GRUMBLING) I wonder where Vinnie Martine's body is right now? They've been moving him from mortuary to mortuary, and then Tony said they ran out of their string.
Something about some law governing the length of time that a funeral home could hold an un-cremated or an unburied cadaver.
Well, they're gonna have to have Vinnie's body on ice.
They gotta keep it cold someplace and some place private, too.
Yeah, that's right.
That's right.
Rockford's right.
Yeah, they probably got him in the house in the basement, right? Then keep puttin' ice on him, like a beer cooler.
That's how we'd do it.
Yeah, I know.
Do you think another possibility might be a large freezer? I say the thing is Mickey and I hit the streets, check out our contacts, right? See if we can get a line on a Martine meat company or freezer house like To what possible end? 'Cause it's better than sitting around talking, that's why.
Yeah, right.
Well, yeah, yeah, that's not a bad notion, not a bad notion at all.
Uh, we'll stay here and watch the phone.
You guys hit the bricks, okay? We'll be talking to you, Mr.
Lombard.
Look, if there's a chance in hell, we'll come through for you.
They mean well.
Just a little limited, you know? (DOOR CLOSES) Who are they, anyway? Well, to be perfectly honest with you, it beats me.
Just a couple of guys from Newark.
Huh.
Well, I don't know how much I'm gonna be able to help you on this thing, Mr.
Lombard.
I mean, it's not my turf.
I would like to give you the benefit of any experience that I might've had in this kind of thing.
Like what? Well, first of all, and it's gotta be your decision, but you should be thinking about contacting the FBI.
And the stall is important.
It buys you time to make some of the big decisions.
So when Martine calls, you tell him that you haven't been able to get in touch with Cardinal Finnerty yet.
But you're trying.
You're trying very, very hard, huh? (PHONE RINGING) Yeah? EUGENE: What, are you still there, Rockford? Look, I don't talk to you.
Let me talk to the man.
You're a real dim bulb, you know that, pal? He's trying to grab some sleep.
You're tying up the phone.
All right, all right, all right.
Look, give him this message.
We got a line on this restaurant that Tony Martine's godson owns.
It's called Bally's Clam House, right? So we go down there and all of a sudden it's closed for renovations.
Then who do we see goin' in the back? Al Constantine.
So we figure they got the stiff here in the freezer, right? Or else why is Al Constantine here? Maybe he's guarding it.
Yeah, but you don't know for sure.
Will you let me finish? Okay.
So we go up there, right? And we listen, and we only hear one other voice besides Constantine.
So, the thing is, we got a plan.
We'll lure these two walyos outside and we deck 'em, then we take off with the casket.
Mickey went to get his old man's piano dolly.
What? Look, they got Renee Lombard, right? Well, we got Vinnie Martine, so we deal.
They give us Renee, or they got nothin' to bury except Vinnie's bathmat.
Wait a minute.
Are you crazy? I gotta go.
I see Mickey.
(SCOFFING) I heard the tail end of that on the bedroom phone.
They could ruin everything and get themselves killed doing it.
Bally's Clam House, do you know where that is? Yeah.
You'll have to direct me.
And, uh, we're gonna have to call the police.
We don't have any other choice now.
(CLATTERING) John? What are you doin'? Was it a cat? EUGENE: Stay here.
I'm going home for a minute.
What? Wait a minute, wait a minute.
I can't hear you.
John? (GROANS) Ready? Heave.
Straighten up slowly.
Abby, go get Al.
I don't care what's wrong with him.
Get him on his feet.
Tell him to bring the car around.
Step back from my cousin.
ABBY: Al, Tony needs you.
I'm gonna take you guys out to the meadows where I am personally gonna blow you away! Tony, they're both down! (GUN FIRING) ABBY: Come out of there! Hey, you! Get him off! (EUGENE YELLING) Hey, scungille, over here.
Over here, you big jerk.
Come on.
Freeze! Everybody.
You.
Get out of there.
Get over there.
You, too, get Get Hey, man, you're making a mistake.
You're gonna be embarrassed.
We work here.
We're salad chefs.
Shut up.
There's Tony Martine.
(SIREN WAILING) Mr.
Lombard? There's a young woman back in the restaurant.
I believe it's your daughter.
What are you worried about? At least Mr.
Lombard saw to it that you got paid.
Us, he gets out of jail, and nothing.
Of course, you never know, you know, with these guys like Mr.
Lombard.
They don't operate like other people.
I wouldn't be surprised if, in a week or so, we didn't get a call to come on down to Zimmer Cadillac 'cause there's two Sevilles waitin' for us.
That's how these guys operate, Mick.
Yeah, well, at least Renee Lombard invited me up to Stockbridge.
I'm a guest at this dance-prom thing they're doing.
Then we're goin' up to the Springsteen concert in Boston.
If you ain't in a coma by then.
Did you ever see that kind of dancing on educational TV? No, Mick, I saw right away how it is with a snobby chick like this Renee Lombard.
Take presents.
You want to buy her something for her birthday, right? Start talking at $200.
You notice her feet? Those toes don't know from American shoes.
It all comes from Italy, Mick.
Italy.
Remember them guys who used to paint chapel ceilings? They now make shoes.
And they don't work cheap.
Hey, Rockford, listen.
About your luggage and watch that was stolen.
Maybe Eugene and me, we can do something.
Talk to some people.
And maybe you'll get it parcel post at your doorstep.
Wow.
We ain't saying, "Count on it.
" We're saying it could happen.
Yeah, anything can happen.
Absolutely, that's how guys like us operate.