Magnum, P.I. (1980) s08e04 Episode Script
Tigers Fan
Tanaka dirty? You don't believe that.
Seems he signed out four ki's of high grade blow.
Only three of them made it back.
Do you buy this? We could be having a major crisis here.
You're stonewalling me, Page, and I don't like it.
What are you hiding? Why do I suddenly feel like a trout that's about to have the hook set? You guys see Rockford last night? Naw.
No, man, It was a good one.
Hudson, how can you waste your time on some detective show when public television's covering the Watergate hearings? I don't know.
Don you know your country's future's at stake? Spare us, Pogue.
The only time you watch anything on public broadcast is if Lester's Lanai Lounge had it on the tube, and then you watch two-thirds of it through the bottom of a beer mug.
Players inbound from the north, players inbound.
Rockford was great.
Jim was being driven nuts by this pain in the butt named Lance White.
This guy's Mr.
Perfect, right? He's finding all the clues, catching all the suspects.
Sounds like me.
Yeah.
At least the pain in the butt part.
Hey, hey.
You know what I can't figure out? Why that man just didn't burn those tapes? I'll tell you why.
Because he Okay, guys, on my mark.
Check.
You ready, partner? It's showtime.
Go.
Police, hold it! Watch your back! I've always loved baseball.
I think it has more of the American character than any other sport.
It's competitive without being cutthroat.
Basically simple, but capable of incredible complexity.
Baseball is played in parks, it has no clock except for the internal rhythm of each individual game.
This gives it thrilling bursts of action and moments of leisurely tranquility.
All in all, I'm convinced that baseball represents one of man's noblest endeavors.
Are you nuts? He would've beaten that throw by 10 feet! The situation I gave them was score tied, runner first, one out.
The runner should hold at third on a double.
But you said it was the eighth inning and that is the winning run! Exactly, but we cannot win if the runner takes a foolish chance and gets thrown out at home.
But Biff's your best base runner and your cutoff man was out of position.
Look, a runner at third can score on a sacrifice fly, a ground ball to the right, a wild pitch.
And he can be stranded on a double play, a strikeout A passed ball.
An infield fly.
Okay, okay, break it up or I'll have to run you in.
Great timing, Lieutenant.
Now here is a man who really knows something about baseball.
Okay, here's the situation.
I'll tell him! I made it up.
Eighth inning, score tied, runner at first, one out.
The batter hits a double in the left center field.
Now, should you try and score the runner or should you hold him at third? Are we at home or away? Play for a tie at home, a win on the road.
There, that proves it.
Proves what? You didn't say whether we were at home or away.
Thomas, all these guys live around here.
Obviously they're at home.
Hey, honcho, you think I could've scored? Probably, but you're rounding third too wide and you didn't touch second.
Yeah.
Your nephew's quite a ballplayer.
Fast, too.
Yeah, he's got his head on straight.
Someday he's gonna play in the majors.
Okay, okay.
Let's continue this situation.
Okay, remember, one out, the home team at bat.
Now you get back to third where you belong.
You know T.
C.
's problem? Football is his game.
Seems pretty knowledgeable to me.
He knows the book on baseball, but he doesn't have the gut instincts for it that you and I do.
See, we know the subtleties, the intangibles, the heart of the game.
You're right about one thing.
Sometimes the book doesn't cover the situation.
Still, once you go away from it, you're on your own, making all the decisions, playing it by ear.
It's kind of scary unless you can get someone to back you up.
I know what you're gonna do, T.
C.
Of course, the only place you can get that kind of support is from another gambler.
Somebody like you, maybe? You're gonna hit it exactly where you need to, just to prove your point! I got it.
All right! All right! Good play.
Good play all around.
Way to charge the ball.
Good throw! Good slide, Biff.
Good slide.
Good slide, son.
That's Hey, Lieutenant? I'm sorry, did you want to ask me something? Forget it.
How about that slide? I'm telling you, some day he's gonna play in the majors.
You've got it.
All right, all right, here we go, here we go.
Get your hands off my buns.
I've got to account for every crumb or Higgins is gonna have me shot at dawn.
Come on, Rick, be creative.
We're hungry, we're short of funds, call it a contribution to charity.
Yeah.
Be a little civic minded like us.
I mean, I donate time to coach a team, and Thomas is always willing to volunteer for a good cause, aren't you? Abso Why do I suddenly feel like a trout that's about to have the hook set? Trout? Hey, no trout.
That's tomorrow's catch of the day.
Don't worry, Rick.
Nobody's going to touch your trout.
Oh, sure, it's all a big joke to you guys.
I mean, what've you got to be upset about? I'm the one that's holding the fuzzy end of the lollipop here.
You guys can make up all the silly excuses you want 'cause you're in the clear.
Your job's not on the line.
If things go wrong, I'm the one who's hanging out there, twisting in the wind, all by myself.
And I'm the one who has to face Higgins and the board of directors and account for every item that is missing.
So I don't find anything funny about any of this.
You're forgetting one thing, Rick.
I can now control Higgins because I know his secret.
The Robin Masters theory.
It is not a theory, T.
C.
It is a scientific fact that every day grows more certain.
Jonathan Quail Higgins is Robin Masters.
Yeah, but I've seen 'em both together.
Exactly! Don't you see? Higgins writes these Robin Masters' novels and creates this playboy image for the writer.
So he goes out and hires someone to play the role.
One question, Thomas.
Why? Why? Take a look at Higgins' background.
It would've been fine if he'd turned out to be a military historian or a great literary giant but a writer of cheap pulp novels? Guns, girls and gore? Well, sounds pretty good to me.
Yeah, but see, Higgins can't stand that swinging lifestyle.
It's too much like his father's.
He wouldn't allow himself to succeed in that way, so He invented Robin Masters.
Geez, and I thought all fairy tales ended the same way.
They lived happily ever after.
Yuck! Do you buy this? Hey, if T.
M.
Says it's so, it's so.
After all, he's the expert in investigation and that's not all, you should see how much he knows about baseball.
Hey, open the door, pal.
Sure.
Hey, Thomas, how can Higgins invent another person? Well, it's not that difficult if you know what you're doing.
You get hold of a couple of pieces of key ID and then you just start to use the new identity to live the new life.
Before long, everyone accepts you as Robin Masters instead of John Doe.
I mean, it's really not that difficult if you've got a vivid imagination.
Anyone who can invent six bestselling novels could easily invent one bestselling novelist.
I'm telling you, I saw Higgins watching from the study window.
Actually, inventing another person isn't such a bad idea when you think about it.
Higgins? Magnum.
Higgins! You were saying? I don't wanna coach third base on Saturday.
What are you doing here? What have you got there? What are you looking for? How do you turn this thing on? What are you hiding? Button on the left.
I asked you first.
My Chinese puzzle box is missing.
I recall your asking about borrowing it.
Right.
I wanted to show it to some friends.
Yeah.
And to bet them 10 bucks a pop that they couldn't open it.
What is that? Yeah, what is that? A thing of rare beauty and value.
Men have patiently cultivated it, decade after decade, century after century, for no other reason than the pleasure it gives them.
Those not under its spell may think it frivolous, but for those who know its charms it is a wanton and demanding mistress.
Well, it looks like a bag of mud to me.
And within that mud is my own creation, the Lady Ashley Tea.
Tea? You violated my privacy looking for tea? Tea roses, Magnum.
The hybrid root clusters contained in this soil should merit another first prize at next year's Queen Emma Garden Festival.
You're really not going to coach? I'm busy Saturday.
Hey, Higgie baby, with all of your clubs and foundations, you probably don't have much time for anything else, do you? Such as? I don't know.
Say you maybe wanted to paint a picture or write a novel or two.
Well, your preposterous theory seems to have found an audience.
It's not preposterous and you know it.
Oh, really.
It may interest you to know that when I mentioned your idea to Mr.
Masters, he said You told him? Indeed.
What'd he say? He said he very much wants to discuss the matter with you during his next visit in person.
Oh, Rick, I've decided not to have you arrested for petty theft.
I'll just deduct the cost of these party materials from your salary and assess a moderate punitive fine.
I knew it! I knew it! I can't believe he told Robin.
So what? He's just another John Doe imposter, right? Oh, I can see you're enjoying yourself, T.
C.
, but we could be having a major crisis here.
I mean, no matter how carefully you figure things out, there's always the chance you missed something, some little detail that you just overlooked.
Yeah? Okay, I'm 99º/º sure that Higgins is really Robin Masters, but there is that other 1º/º that nobody could really be held accountable for.
Anybody could overlook some obscure point.
Could miscalculate somewhere along the line.
But it's that 1º/º that could mean disaster.
Now, this is modern coaching.
Instead of sneaking around trying to scout the opposition, I sent Orville to sneak around and videotape the opposition.
Uh-huh, are you ready now? I had a little problem with the focus ring.
That's a great shot, but where's the game? It's right there.
The guy just hit a base hit.
He's going to first.
Looks more like something crawling up the screen, a gnat in a baseball cap.
Are you telling me that that's as close as you got? T.
C.
, forget it.
You don't need it anyway.
All you need for Saturday's game Is a third base coach.
Especially one that knows everything there is to know about baseball.
Okay, okay, I'll do it.
Hello? Magnum, Lieutenant Page.
Yeah, Page, what's up? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for His names' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
For thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
Thou annointest my head with oil.
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Thank you.
Thank you.
T.
C.
Thanks for coming, Coach.
Listen, Biff, you take all the time you want I'd rather play.
I'll be at practice tomorrow.
From the day Yoshi joined the force, I thought about what might happen.
But it was always someone with a gun in some dark alley.
I never considered anything like this.
Car wreck? It's just a simple car wreck.
If there's anything you need, Barbara, any help with your brother's affairs, just don't hesitate.
I won't.
You take care of your mom, okay? Let's go.
We had a deal, Page.
I promised not to tell what I know and you promised to keep me informed.
So what's changed? It's been five days.
All you've managed to do so far is lie to Tanaka's family and plant a phony story in the newspaper.
I remember telling you that we had a better shot if the killer thinks that he can get away with it.
Oh, come on, Page.
Anybody over 12 knows that burning a body can't cover up gunshot wounds for more than a couple of days.
We'll release the true circumstances when we feel the time is right.
You buried a fellow officer today as an accident victim when he was killed in the line of duty, and the reasons you're giving me don't make sense.
Now you're stonewalling me, Page, and I don't like it! And what's more, I don't understand why! Lieutenant, Detective Clifton needs to talk to you about something.
Andrew Clifton? What are you two cooking up? Nothing.
So that's what this is all about.
Internal Affairs is investigating Tanaka.
Oh, no.
This is between you two.
I'm out of it.
I had a couple of uniforms who were helping themselves to some stereo equipment Save your breath, Lieutenant.
Just tell me why.
Read my lips.
It's another case.
Look, at best, Tanaka was out there playing cowboy with no backup.
But just maybe Tanaka dirty? You don't believe that.
Okay, if you don't want to talk to me, fine.
I don't like this any better than you do, Magnum, but I got my orders.
So from here on out, just stay the hell out of it! Our deal is off.
Over.
Cancelled.
What's the matter, Magnum? Having trouble getting special favors from the department now? I missed you at Tanaka's funeral, Clifton.
I guess you were too busy.
I had a strange feeling about the car accident.
Well, the police have been keeping it quiet while they investigate, but I just felt that you and Biff should know that he died in the line of duty.
Thank you, Thomas.
Yoshi always took pride in being a good policeman.
How's Biff doing? Come with me.
He built that for Biff.
He knows his uncle is gone but he won't let himself feel the loss yet.
He thinks he is being a man about it.
He's been buried himself in baseball.
The big game.
It's all he talks about.
I think he just needs a little time.
I suppose we all do.
I keep telling myself I have to sort through his things, but I promised a Detective Clifton I would look for Yoshi's bank account.
I guess he's investigating the case.
Yoshi and Rob when they were promoted to detectives.
Rob? Rob Slater.
Yoshi's partner for eight years.
More than a partner, a best friend, a brother almost.
It's ironic they were both killed in the line of duty.
I thought Yoshi would never get over it.
Well, when you lose a friend in their prime, you don't forget.
Especially when they die saving your life.
What am I going to do about the disposing of the crypt? Crypt? For some reason, Yoshi bought one.
I found receipts for payments among his things.
But his will indicated he wants to be buried with the family.
I don't understand why he did it.
Sometimes you have to make a leap of faith.
Often that leap takes you over a very steep cliff with a very rocky bottom.
However, in this case, my decision to leap was made easier by the fact that this was the only disorderly element in Tanaka's well-ordered life.
For some reason, my Aunt Sophie's parlor kept flashing in my mind.
The one that was neat and clean and smelled like a pine cleaner.
The one she only let you go into on very special occasions.
At first I thought she didn't want anyone scuffing up the polish on the floor.
But then, I realized.
It wasn't Aunt Sophie's parlor at all.
It was her shrine to Uncle Drew.
Her only living link with the man she loved and lost.
Kind of like what a man might do for a partner who died saving his life.
Especially if he wanted to leave a message behind, in case anything happened to him.
I could never forget this man's face.
His name is Grady Walker and he is the one who shot Rob Slater.
So, he's in prison? No.
That's one of the things that tore Yoshi apart.
Grady Walker never came to trial.
He supposedly had complete mental breakdown and was sent to an asylum.
What is it with you guys? You descend on a place like the locusts.
I'm not sure I follow you.
You said that you were from the State Attorney General's office, right? Yes, the Criminal Compliance Division.
We keep tabs on the criminally insane.
Well, Breslow was just here.
Robert Breslow, the Assistant Attorney General, your boss.
Yeah.
He didn't even know that he was inspecting the facility today.
Well, if we knew what was going on, we wouldn't be the government, would we? Who are you checking on? What? Who are you checking on? Walker.
Grady Walker.
He's here, all right.
Walker, Grady H.
Transferred here from Hilo State Hospital, June, '78, Will there be anything else? No, I think that's all I need here.
We can go whenever you're ready.
You have to see him, too? Afraid so.
Can't we skip it? I really don't have time to play tour guide.
I understand and I know how busy you are but if I could just see him now, you wouldn't have to drop everything later when I come back with a court order.
There he is.
Grady Walker.
Thank you very much, Doctor.
So, you're a friend of Andrew Clifton's? Isn't often Internal Affairs calls us and tells us to give free access to a civilian.
Well, I'm happy to be one of the favored few.
Well, to tell you the truth, I thought it was a scam until Lieutenant Page verified it.
Page? Yeah, nice guy, but a bad dresser.
He said you're a writer? Television? Oh, I used to be but I found it too demeaning.
I just do features now.
Movies.
No kidding.
Yeah, I'm interested in a case dating back to 1973.
It was a drug bust that turned into a shooting and a policeman was killed.
Yeah.
Well, if we have it, it's probably over here.
Here we go.
Boy, this is so embarrassing, especially for a writer.
I was gonna take some notes, but I don't have anything to write with.
Oh, well, that's no problem.
I'll get you a pad and pen from my desk.
Higgins! Magnum, you really are a man born out of your time.
You would've made such an effective town crier.
Did you put a new lock on the darkroom? No, a locksmith did.
Mr.
Masters recently forwarded a new Zeitlin 9000 camera with crystal locked strobe capabilities.
I didn't want it to escape before he had a chance to try it out.
Well, how did you like it? Okay, call it even.
Look, I need to get in the darkroom.
For? I need to enlarge this picture, see if it's been altered.
May I? I did a brief stint with Ml5 at the end of the war.
TDY, of course.
There were a remarkable number of phony documents floating around.
Passports, visas, birth certificates.
I recall our apprehending a German general who was trying to leave Europe disguised as an Albanian countess.
He got caught because he was too attractive to be an Albanian Countess.
Yes, it's a very nice job.
What we used to call, "Fine line lamination.
" You mean it's a phony? Quite.
The old picture has been shaved and the new one laminated over it.
I knew it.
The real Grady Walker's out on the streets somewhere.
How nice for him.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some very delicate surgery to perform on my Silver Tanaka.
Oh, that's very nice of you, Higgins.
I've decided the Lady Ashley Tea can wait one more year.
Well, thanks, for your help.
You may express your gratitude by not slamming the door on your way out.
Not you again.
You better have your lab guys check that.
Where'd you get this? The picture's been altered by fine line lamination.
And how do we know? He's much too attractive to be an Albanian countess.
What? Oh, forget it.
You know, this is classified information.
You weren't supposed to take it.
Keep it down, remember, you're my accomplice.
That picture is bogus.
Looks like a plain old mug shot to me.
I'm telling you, it's not Grady Walker.
Come on, you gonna sing that song again? Read my lips.
Sometime when the real Grady was transferred from one hospital to another, he got someone else to take his place in the flesh and in the record.
And we can prove that? Just give it to your lab guys, they'll tell you.
Oh, swell.
I need to talk to you, Page.
Excuse us, Magnum.
That's all right, let him stay.
This happens to concern his main man, Tanaka.
Seems he signed out four ki's of high grade blow.
Only three of them made it back.
Page has the other one.
You don't remember, do you? Well, it was pretty crazy around here that night.
I just happened to be here when Tanaka fielded that emergency call.
He brought the stuff to you.
And I must've put it Left it You locked it in your desk.
Yeah.
That's right.
You locked it in your desk.
That was the night the The two hookers got in the cat fight Yeah, and over the john No, no, over the pimp and they wrecked the joint.
Yeah, tore it apart.
Now, wait a minute.
You're trying to tell me you kept a kilo of drugs in your desk for two weeks without noticing? Forget it, Page, I'm not buying that.
Well, the property numbers check.
So you can buy it, rent it, or shove it in your fat investigation folder.
And one other thing.
The guy gave 26 years to this department and you ain't spitting on his grave while I'm here.
Cat fight, huh? I'd better be going.
I'll let you know what they say over at the lab.
Oh, and one more thing, dude.
Stay the hell out of my desk.
Way to go.
Good catch, good hustle.
All right, look alive.
Let's get it together, babe, come on.
I got it! How do they look? Like a well coached team, what else? Here, Danny, hit a few.
Sure, Coach.
Look, I'm sorry I haven't been more help lately.
I've been kind of busy.
Yeah, I understand.
Kids really miss you, though.
The interference, the bizarre strategy, the arguments.
Well, I'm sure they're enjoying your managing style.
Dull baseball made boring.
How's Biff doing? Trying too hard.
Making every play as though his life depended on it.
And I guess in a way it really does.
Well, I was just passing by.
I've got some things I got to do.
What about Saturday? Oh, I'll be there.
Tell your outfielders to step into the catch when they got to make a long throw.
It gets the momentum going.
Oh, hey, Thomas.
If there's anything that I can do to help you catch Tanaka's killer, anything at all.
I can read you like a book.
Keep watching the sky.
I may send up a flare.
Boats are no different from a house or a car.
I got to have a warrant.
But that could take all night.
True, but I can't help it.
Look, a certain working girl of my acquaintance said there was a lot of talk tonight about one big score and then a permanent relocation to the mainland.
I'll try, but hey, I don't want you near that boat.
I'm just gonna keep an eye out.
Uh-oh.
What's the matter? I think they're shipping out.
Wait a minute.
I can't.
They may not be coming back.
Magnum A wise philosopher once said, "Look before you leap.
" However, an equally wise philosopher once said, "He who hesitates is lost.
" If I looked before I leaped and Grady came back to shore, everything would work out fine.
But if I hesitated and he sailed off into the sunrise Max.
Have a pleasant voyage.
Next time you're in these waters I won't be.
I'm dropping Hawaii from my route.
Hi, guys.
Now, hold real still.
I'm not used to this thing.
What are you, a cop? No, Grady, I'm a friend of one.
Walker! I told you, I was a friend of a cop.
Nice night for a walk.
What happened to, "I gotta have a warrant"? What do you mean? Well, somebody had to call in the troops.
Oh, you mean the anonymous tip.
Well, anonymous tip doesn't work in court very well.
But we don't have to worry about that now, do we? Only if they bring it up at Hightower's trial.
Who? Dr.
Hightower, out at the hospital.
Grady couldn't have done it without him.
I can show you where he lives.
I got to have a warrant.
All right, all you have to do is hustle and play your best and you can beat these guys.
Sorry.
About time.
What'd I miss? Just the coach's pep talk.
Oh, rats! Did anybody tape it? Have you seen Biff? He hasn't shown yet.
Thomas! Well, the dam finally burst.
I think knowing the whole truth and having it all settled helped a lot.
Hey, here comes Biff! All right! Sorry we're late.
We stopped by the cemetery.
Biff had to change in the car.
Biff, they'll be plenty other games if you don't feel like playing.
Absolutely.
And the guys would understand.
Thanks, Coach.
But Mom and I talked it over.
Uncle Yoshi would want me to play.
Come on, let's go join the team.
Will be right there, Coach.
Mr.
Magnum, we just wanted to thank you for what you did.
We'd like you to have this.
It belonged to Uncle Yoshi.
Thanks, Biff.
He always knew class when he saw it.
You sure about today? No, but I wanna try.
All right.
All right, okay.
Nice shot, Biff, nice hit.
Nice shot.
Okay, now, take it easy.
Only one out.
You're the tie breaker.
Ninth inning.
Get a good lead, Biff.
Biff, be careful.
Be aggressive, Biff! Wait for your pitch, Danny babe, wait for your pitch.
Be aggressive, Biff! Be careful, Biff.
Come on, Biff! Okay, hold him at third, Magnum.
Go! Go! I'm ordering you, hold him at third! Someday, he'll be playing in the majors.
Seems he signed out four ki's of high grade blow.
Only three of them made it back.
Do you buy this? We could be having a major crisis here.
You're stonewalling me, Page, and I don't like it.
What are you hiding? Why do I suddenly feel like a trout that's about to have the hook set? You guys see Rockford last night? Naw.
No, man, It was a good one.
Hudson, how can you waste your time on some detective show when public television's covering the Watergate hearings? I don't know.
Don you know your country's future's at stake? Spare us, Pogue.
The only time you watch anything on public broadcast is if Lester's Lanai Lounge had it on the tube, and then you watch two-thirds of it through the bottom of a beer mug.
Players inbound from the north, players inbound.
Rockford was great.
Jim was being driven nuts by this pain in the butt named Lance White.
This guy's Mr.
Perfect, right? He's finding all the clues, catching all the suspects.
Sounds like me.
Yeah.
At least the pain in the butt part.
Hey, hey.
You know what I can't figure out? Why that man just didn't burn those tapes? I'll tell you why.
Because he Okay, guys, on my mark.
Check.
You ready, partner? It's showtime.
Go.
Police, hold it! Watch your back! I've always loved baseball.
I think it has more of the American character than any other sport.
It's competitive without being cutthroat.
Basically simple, but capable of incredible complexity.
Baseball is played in parks, it has no clock except for the internal rhythm of each individual game.
This gives it thrilling bursts of action and moments of leisurely tranquility.
All in all, I'm convinced that baseball represents one of man's noblest endeavors.
Are you nuts? He would've beaten that throw by 10 feet! The situation I gave them was score tied, runner first, one out.
The runner should hold at third on a double.
But you said it was the eighth inning and that is the winning run! Exactly, but we cannot win if the runner takes a foolish chance and gets thrown out at home.
But Biff's your best base runner and your cutoff man was out of position.
Look, a runner at third can score on a sacrifice fly, a ground ball to the right, a wild pitch.
And he can be stranded on a double play, a strikeout A passed ball.
An infield fly.
Okay, okay, break it up or I'll have to run you in.
Great timing, Lieutenant.
Now here is a man who really knows something about baseball.
Okay, here's the situation.
I'll tell him! I made it up.
Eighth inning, score tied, runner at first, one out.
The batter hits a double in the left center field.
Now, should you try and score the runner or should you hold him at third? Are we at home or away? Play for a tie at home, a win on the road.
There, that proves it.
Proves what? You didn't say whether we were at home or away.
Thomas, all these guys live around here.
Obviously they're at home.
Hey, honcho, you think I could've scored? Probably, but you're rounding third too wide and you didn't touch second.
Yeah.
Your nephew's quite a ballplayer.
Fast, too.
Yeah, he's got his head on straight.
Someday he's gonna play in the majors.
Okay, okay.
Let's continue this situation.
Okay, remember, one out, the home team at bat.
Now you get back to third where you belong.
You know T.
C.
's problem? Football is his game.
Seems pretty knowledgeable to me.
He knows the book on baseball, but he doesn't have the gut instincts for it that you and I do.
See, we know the subtleties, the intangibles, the heart of the game.
You're right about one thing.
Sometimes the book doesn't cover the situation.
Still, once you go away from it, you're on your own, making all the decisions, playing it by ear.
It's kind of scary unless you can get someone to back you up.
I know what you're gonna do, T.
C.
Of course, the only place you can get that kind of support is from another gambler.
Somebody like you, maybe? You're gonna hit it exactly where you need to, just to prove your point! I got it.
All right! All right! Good play.
Good play all around.
Way to charge the ball.
Good throw! Good slide, Biff.
Good slide.
Good slide, son.
That's Hey, Lieutenant? I'm sorry, did you want to ask me something? Forget it.
How about that slide? I'm telling you, some day he's gonna play in the majors.
You've got it.
All right, all right, here we go, here we go.
Get your hands off my buns.
I've got to account for every crumb or Higgins is gonna have me shot at dawn.
Come on, Rick, be creative.
We're hungry, we're short of funds, call it a contribution to charity.
Yeah.
Be a little civic minded like us.
I mean, I donate time to coach a team, and Thomas is always willing to volunteer for a good cause, aren't you? Abso Why do I suddenly feel like a trout that's about to have the hook set? Trout? Hey, no trout.
That's tomorrow's catch of the day.
Don't worry, Rick.
Nobody's going to touch your trout.
Oh, sure, it's all a big joke to you guys.
I mean, what've you got to be upset about? I'm the one that's holding the fuzzy end of the lollipop here.
You guys can make up all the silly excuses you want 'cause you're in the clear.
Your job's not on the line.
If things go wrong, I'm the one who's hanging out there, twisting in the wind, all by myself.
And I'm the one who has to face Higgins and the board of directors and account for every item that is missing.
So I don't find anything funny about any of this.
You're forgetting one thing, Rick.
I can now control Higgins because I know his secret.
The Robin Masters theory.
It is not a theory, T.
C.
It is a scientific fact that every day grows more certain.
Jonathan Quail Higgins is Robin Masters.
Yeah, but I've seen 'em both together.
Exactly! Don't you see? Higgins writes these Robin Masters' novels and creates this playboy image for the writer.
So he goes out and hires someone to play the role.
One question, Thomas.
Why? Why? Take a look at Higgins' background.
It would've been fine if he'd turned out to be a military historian or a great literary giant but a writer of cheap pulp novels? Guns, girls and gore? Well, sounds pretty good to me.
Yeah, but see, Higgins can't stand that swinging lifestyle.
It's too much like his father's.
He wouldn't allow himself to succeed in that way, so He invented Robin Masters.
Geez, and I thought all fairy tales ended the same way.
They lived happily ever after.
Yuck! Do you buy this? Hey, if T.
M.
Says it's so, it's so.
After all, he's the expert in investigation and that's not all, you should see how much he knows about baseball.
Hey, open the door, pal.
Sure.
Hey, Thomas, how can Higgins invent another person? Well, it's not that difficult if you know what you're doing.
You get hold of a couple of pieces of key ID and then you just start to use the new identity to live the new life.
Before long, everyone accepts you as Robin Masters instead of John Doe.
I mean, it's really not that difficult if you've got a vivid imagination.
Anyone who can invent six bestselling novels could easily invent one bestselling novelist.
I'm telling you, I saw Higgins watching from the study window.
Actually, inventing another person isn't such a bad idea when you think about it.
Higgins? Magnum.
Higgins! You were saying? I don't wanna coach third base on Saturday.
What are you doing here? What have you got there? What are you looking for? How do you turn this thing on? What are you hiding? Button on the left.
I asked you first.
My Chinese puzzle box is missing.
I recall your asking about borrowing it.
Right.
I wanted to show it to some friends.
Yeah.
And to bet them 10 bucks a pop that they couldn't open it.
What is that? Yeah, what is that? A thing of rare beauty and value.
Men have patiently cultivated it, decade after decade, century after century, for no other reason than the pleasure it gives them.
Those not under its spell may think it frivolous, but for those who know its charms it is a wanton and demanding mistress.
Well, it looks like a bag of mud to me.
And within that mud is my own creation, the Lady Ashley Tea.
Tea? You violated my privacy looking for tea? Tea roses, Magnum.
The hybrid root clusters contained in this soil should merit another first prize at next year's Queen Emma Garden Festival.
You're really not going to coach? I'm busy Saturday.
Hey, Higgie baby, with all of your clubs and foundations, you probably don't have much time for anything else, do you? Such as? I don't know.
Say you maybe wanted to paint a picture or write a novel or two.
Well, your preposterous theory seems to have found an audience.
It's not preposterous and you know it.
Oh, really.
It may interest you to know that when I mentioned your idea to Mr.
Masters, he said You told him? Indeed.
What'd he say? He said he very much wants to discuss the matter with you during his next visit in person.
Oh, Rick, I've decided not to have you arrested for petty theft.
I'll just deduct the cost of these party materials from your salary and assess a moderate punitive fine.
I knew it! I knew it! I can't believe he told Robin.
So what? He's just another John Doe imposter, right? Oh, I can see you're enjoying yourself, T.
C.
, but we could be having a major crisis here.
I mean, no matter how carefully you figure things out, there's always the chance you missed something, some little detail that you just overlooked.
Yeah? Okay, I'm 99º/º sure that Higgins is really Robin Masters, but there is that other 1º/º that nobody could really be held accountable for.
Anybody could overlook some obscure point.
Could miscalculate somewhere along the line.
But it's that 1º/º that could mean disaster.
Now, this is modern coaching.
Instead of sneaking around trying to scout the opposition, I sent Orville to sneak around and videotape the opposition.
Uh-huh, are you ready now? I had a little problem with the focus ring.
That's a great shot, but where's the game? It's right there.
The guy just hit a base hit.
He's going to first.
Looks more like something crawling up the screen, a gnat in a baseball cap.
Are you telling me that that's as close as you got? T.
C.
, forget it.
You don't need it anyway.
All you need for Saturday's game Is a third base coach.
Especially one that knows everything there is to know about baseball.
Okay, okay, I'll do it.
Hello? Magnum, Lieutenant Page.
Yeah, Page, what's up? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for His names' sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
For thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
Thou annointest my head with oil.
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Thank you.
Thank you.
T.
C.
Thanks for coming, Coach.
Listen, Biff, you take all the time you want I'd rather play.
I'll be at practice tomorrow.
From the day Yoshi joined the force, I thought about what might happen.
But it was always someone with a gun in some dark alley.
I never considered anything like this.
Car wreck? It's just a simple car wreck.
If there's anything you need, Barbara, any help with your brother's affairs, just don't hesitate.
I won't.
You take care of your mom, okay? Let's go.
We had a deal, Page.
I promised not to tell what I know and you promised to keep me informed.
So what's changed? It's been five days.
All you've managed to do so far is lie to Tanaka's family and plant a phony story in the newspaper.
I remember telling you that we had a better shot if the killer thinks that he can get away with it.
Oh, come on, Page.
Anybody over 12 knows that burning a body can't cover up gunshot wounds for more than a couple of days.
We'll release the true circumstances when we feel the time is right.
You buried a fellow officer today as an accident victim when he was killed in the line of duty, and the reasons you're giving me don't make sense.
Now you're stonewalling me, Page, and I don't like it! And what's more, I don't understand why! Lieutenant, Detective Clifton needs to talk to you about something.
Andrew Clifton? What are you two cooking up? Nothing.
So that's what this is all about.
Internal Affairs is investigating Tanaka.
Oh, no.
This is between you two.
I'm out of it.
I had a couple of uniforms who were helping themselves to some stereo equipment Save your breath, Lieutenant.
Just tell me why.
Read my lips.
It's another case.
Look, at best, Tanaka was out there playing cowboy with no backup.
But just maybe Tanaka dirty? You don't believe that.
Okay, if you don't want to talk to me, fine.
I don't like this any better than you do, Magnum, but I got my orders.
So from here on out, just stay the hell out of it! Our deal is off.
Over.
Cancelled.
What's the matter, Magnum? Having trouble getting special favors from the department now? I missed you at Tanaka's funeral, Clifton.
I guess you were too busy.
I had a strange feeling about the car accident.
Well, the police have been keeping it quiet while they investigate, but I just felt that you and Biff should know that he died in the line of duty.
Thank you, Thomas.
Yoshi always took pride in being a good policeman.
How's Biff doing? Come with me.
He built that for Biff.
He knows his uncle is gone but he won't let himself feel the loss yet.
He thinks he is being a man about it.
He's been buried himself in baseball.
The big game.
It's all he talks about.
I think he just needs a little time.
I suppose we all do.
I keep telling myself I have to sort through his things, but I promised a Detective Clifton I would look for Yoshi's bank account.
I guess he's investigating the case.
Yoshi and Rob when they were promoted to detectives.
Rob? Rob Slater.
Yoshi's partner for eight years.
More than a partner, a best friend, a brother almost.
It's ironic they were both killed in the line of duty.
I thought Yoshi would never get over it.
Well, when you lose a friend in their prime, you don't forget.
Especially when they die saving your life.
What am I going to do about the disposing of the crypt? Crypt? For some reason, Yoshi bought one.
I found receipts for payments among his things.
But his will indicated he wants to be buried with the family.
I don't understand why he did it.
Sometimes you have to make a leap of faith.
Often that leap takes you over a very steep cliff with a very rocky bottom.
However, in this case, my decision to leap was made easier by the fact that this was the only disorderly element in Tanaka's well-ordered life.
For some reason, my Aunt Sophie's parlor kept flashing in my mind.
The one that was neat and clean and smelled like a pine cleaner.
The one she only let you go into on very special occasions.
At first I thought she didn't want anyone scuffing up the polish on the floor.
But then, I realized.
It wasn't Aunt Sophie's parlor at all.
It was her shrine to Uncle Drew.
Her only living link with the man she loved and lost.
Kind of like what a man might do for a partner who died saving his life.
Especially if he wanted to leave a message behind, in case anything happened to him.
I could never forget this man's face.
His name is Grady Walker and he is the one who shot Rob Slater.
So, he's in prison? No.
That's one of the things that tore Yoshi apart.
Grady Walker never came to trial.
He supposedly had complete mental breakdown and was sent to an asylum.
What is it with you guys? You descend on a place like the locusts.
I'm not sure I follow you.
You said that you were from the State Attorney General's office, right? Yes, the Criminal Compliance Division.
We keep tabs on the criminally insane.
Well, Breslow was just here.
Robert Breslow, the Assistant Attorney General, your boss.
Yeah.
He didn't even know that he was inspecting the facility today.
Well, if we knew what was going on, we wouldn't be the government, would we? Who are you checking on? What? Who are you checking on? Walker.
Grady Walker.
He's here, all right.
Walker, Grady H.
Transferred here from Hilo State Hospital, June, '78, Will there be anything else? No, I think that's all I need here.
We can go whenever you're ready.
You have to see him, too? Afraid so.
Can't we skip it? I really don't have time to play tour guide.
I understand and I know how busy you are but if I could just see him now, you wouldn't have to drop everything later when I come back with a court order.
There he is.
Grady Walker.
Thank you very much, Doctor.
So, you're a friend of Andrew Clifton's? Isn't often Internal Affairs calls us and tells us to give free access to a civilian.
Well, I'm happy to be one of the favored few.
Well, to tell you the truth, I thought it was a scam until Lieutenant Page verified it.
Page? Yeah, nice guy, but a bad dresser.
He said you're a writer? Television? Oh, I used to be but I found it too demeaning.
I just do features now.
Movies.
No kidding.
Yeah, I'm interested in a case dating back to 1973.
It was a drug bust that turned into a shooting and a policeman was killed.
Yeah.
Well, if we have it, it's probably over here.
Here we go.
Boy, this is so embarrassing, especially for a writer.
I was gonna take some notes, but I don't have anything to write with.
Oh, well, that's no problem.
I'll get you a pad and pen from my desk.
Higgins! Magnum, you really are a man born out of your time.
You would've made such an effective town crier.
Did you put a new lock on the darkroom? No, a locksmith did.
Mr.
Masters recently forwarded a new Zeitlin 9000 camera with crystal locked strobe capabilities.
I didn't want it to escape before he had a chance to try it out.
Well, how did you like it? Okay, call it even.
Look, I need to get in the darkroom.
For? I need to enlarge this picture, see if it's been altered.
May I? I did a brief stint with Ml5 at the end of the war.
TDY, of course.
There were a remarkable number of phony documents floating around.
Passports, visas, birth certificates.
I recall our apprehending a German general who was trying to leave Europe disguised as an Albanian countess.
He got caught because he was too attractive to be an Albanian Countess.
Yes, it's a very nice job.
What we used to call, "Fine line lamination.
" You mean it's a phony? Quite.
The old picture has been shaved and the new one laminated over it.
I knew it.
The real Grady Walker's out on the streets somewhere.
How nice for him.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some very delicate surgery to perform on my Silver Tanaka.
Oh, that's very nice of you, Higgins.
I've decided the Lady Ashley Tea can wait one more year.
Well, thanks, for your help.
You may express your gratitude by not slamming the door on your way out.
Not you again.
You better have your lab guys check that.
Where'd you get this? The picture's been altered by fine line lamination.
And how do we know? He's much too attractive to be an Albanian countess.
What? Oh, forget it.
You know, this is classified information.
You weren't supposed to take it.
Keep it down, remember, you're my accomplice.
That picture is bogus.
Looks like a plain old mug shot to me.
I'm telling you, it's not Grady Walker.
Come on, you gonna sing that song again? Read my lips.
Sometime when the real Grady was transferred from one hospital to another, he got someone else to take his place in the flesh and in the record.
And we can prove that? Just give it to your lab guys, they'll tell you.
Oh, swell.
I need to talk to you, Page.
Excuse us, Magnum.
That's all right, let him stay.
This happens to concern his main man, Tanaka.
Seems he signed out four ki's of high grade blow.
Only three of them made it back.
Page has the other one.
You don't remember, do you? Well, it was pretty crazy around here that night.
I just happened to be here when Tanaka fielded that emergency call.
He brought the stuff to you.
And I must've put it Left it You locked it in your desk.
Yeah.
That's right.
You locked it in your desk.
That was the night the The two hookers got in the cat fight Yeah, and over the john No, no, over the pimp and they wrecked the joint.
Yeah, tore it apart.
Now, wait a minute.
You're trying to tell me you kept a kilo of drugs in your desk for two weeks without noticing? Forget it, Page, I'm not buying that.
Well, the property numbers check.
So you can buy it, rent it, or shove it in your fat investigation folder.
And one other thing.
The guy gave 26 years to this department and you ain't spitting on his grave while I'm here.
Cat fight, huh? I'd better be going.
I'll let you know what they say over at the lab.
Oh, and one more thing, dude.
Stay the hell out of my desk.
Way to go.
Good catch, good hustle.
All right, look alive.
Let's get it together, babe, come on.
I got it! How do they look? Like a well coached team, what else? Here, Danny, hit a few.
Sure, Coach.
Look, I'm sorry I haven't been more help lately.
I've been kind of busy.
Yeah, I understand.
Kids really miss you, though.
The interference, the bizarre strategy, the arguments.
Well, I'm sure they're enjoying your managing style.
Dull baseball made boring.
How's Biff doing? Trying too hard.
Making every play as though his life depended on it.
And I guess in a way it really does.
Well, I was just passing by.
I've got some things I got to do.
What about Saturday? Oh, I'll be there.
Tell your outfielders to step into the catch when they got to make a long throw.
It gets the momentum going.
Oh, hey, Thomas.
If there's anything that I can do to help you catch Tanaka's killer, anything at all.
I can read you like a book.
Keep watching the sky.
I may send up a flare.
Boats are no different from a house or a car.
I got to have a warrant.
But that could take all night.
True, but I can't help it.
Look, a certain working girl of my acquaintance said there was a lot of talk tonight about one big score and then a permanent relocation to the mainland.
I'll try, but hey, I don't want you near that boat.
I'm just gonna keep an eye out.
Uh-oh.
What's the matter? I think they're shipping out.
Wait a minute.
I can't.
They may not be coming back.
Magnum A wise philosopher once said, "Look before you leap.
" However, an equally wise philosopher once said, "He who hesitates is lost.
" If I looked before I leaped and Grady came back to shore, everything would work out fine.
But if I hesitated and he sailed off into the sunrise Max.
Have a pleasant voyage.
Next time you're in these waters I won't be.
I'm dropping Hawaii from my route.
Hi, guys.
Now, hold real still.
I'm not used to this thing.
What are you, a cop? No, Grady, I'm a friend of one.
Walker! I told you, I was a friend of a cop.
Nice night for a walk.
What happened to, "I gotta have a warrant"? What do you mean? Well, somebody had to call in the troops.
Oh, you mean the anonymous tip.
Well, anonymous tip doesn't work in court very well.
But we don't have to worry about that now, do we? Only if they bring it up at Hightower's trial.
Who? Dr.
Hightower, out at the hospital.
Grady couldn't have done it without him.
I can show you where he lives.
I got to have a warrant.
All right, all you have to do is hustle and play your best and you can beat these guys.
Sorry.
About time.
What'd I miss? Just the coach's pep talk.
Oh, rats! Did anybody tape it? Have you seen Biff? He hasn't shown yet.
Thomas! Well, the dam finally burst.
I think knowing the whole truth and having it all settled helped a lot.
Hey, here comes Biff! All right! Sorry we're late.
We stopped by the cemetery.
Biff had to change in the car.
Biff, they'll be plenty other games if you don't feel like playing.
Absolutely.
And the guys would understand.
Thanks, Coach.
But Mom and I talked it over.
Uncle Yoshi would want me to play.
Come on, let's go join the team.
Will be right there, Coach.
Mr.
Magnum, we just wanted to thank you for what you did.
We'd like you to have this.
It belonged to Uncle Yoshi.
Thanks, Biff.
He always knew class when he saw it.
You sure about today? No, but I wanna try.
All right.
All right, okay.
Nice shot, Biff, nice hit.
Nice shot.
Okay, now, take it easy.
Only one out.
You're the tie breaker.
Ninth inning.
Get a good lead, Biff.
Biff, be careful.
Be aggressive, Biff! Wait for your pitch, Danny babe, wait for your pitch.
Be aggressive, Biff! Be careful, Biff.
Come on, Biff! Okay, hold him at third, Magnum.
Go! Go! I'm ordering you, hold him at third! Someday, he'll be playing in the majors.