"You wait here, now, Jud, boy." "Won't be long." "Bourbon, double." "How you doing, man?" "No sweat." "As soon as you get to town, you call Fife." "You'll get the bag from him." "Telephone number is KL5-8049." "K-L..." "Come on, man." "You got to have more brains than that." "Malloy here." "Jenkins is making a contact." "Caucasian, 40, stocky, bald." "Contact is leaving." "I will follow." "Where do you think you're going?" "What is this, a stickup?" "Why don't you just shut down that motor?" "Let's find out." "Ooh." "You sure are prepared." "Well, I can't say I blame you." "This is one tough neighborhood." "Let's take a walk." "Hey, look, if you want some dough..." "I want you to take a walk, Mister..." "Man." "Maybe you can help me." "I'm looking for an historical site on Thompson Street." "Go inside." "There's a map in the desk drawer." "Thanks." "Good morning, Mr. Phelps." "For years, the Syndicate has been operating openly in a western state through enormous bribes to a highly placed political figure known to us only by his underworld code name, C6." "Conventional law enforcement agencies lost their only lead to his identity when special agent Jack Malloy was killed while on surveillance duty." "We do know for certain that all organization payoffs for the area are handled by Syndicate veteran Harry Fife and his chief button man, Luke Jenkins." "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to learn the identity of C6 and get the evidence that will put him behind bars." "This tape will self-destruct in five seconds." "Good luck, Jim." "Harry Fife never makes phone contact with C6 from his house, so phone taps have been useless." "Also, he never uses the same bagman twice, so we haven't been able to make an identification." "Until now, that is." "When Luke Jenkins saw the bagman in the bar, he was afraid he'd been identified." "And that's where Jean Royce came into the picture." "Now, technically, Fife works under King Nicholson out of Chicago and a new man, named Harry Stargess, but he does run his own store." "And when he needed a new bagman for the run to C6, he took the one that Luke recommended, Jean Royce." "Casey?" "Um..." "Luke Jenkins." "Looks good, Casey." "There'll be no problem with clothes, Jim." "Jenkins wears a black leather jacket, white turtleneck sweater and black slacks like they were a uniform." "What about the payoff records?" "They're in Fife's safe." "I'll stick around till I have a chance to clean it out." "I shouldn't have any trouble opening it." "Good." "Now, Casey, you have Fife's telephone number." "You'll call him at exactly 9:00 a.m." "Right." "Now, are we sure that Luke Jenkins is the only one who knows Jean Royce?" "Yeah, we're positive." "But you will want Jean's car just in case Luke mentioned it to Fife." "Bob, what about Jenkins's dog?" "Everything is set." "I called Jenkins tonight." "He and the dog will be at the hospital tomorrow morning." "That's quite an animal." "The beeper, Casey." "Thanks, Willie." "Camera... for C6." "All right, Casey, there are only two keys to the bag that Jean will be carrying." "Harry Fife has one." "C6 has the other." "Now I want to warn you all." "We know for certain the organization has already killed once to keep us from identifying C6." "They won't hesitate to do it again." "Jean Royce?" "Who wants to know?" "You're under arrest." "Federal warrant, unlawful flight to avoid prosecution." "Please come with us." "You all set, Miss Royce?" "All set." "Come in." "Sit." "Sit." "Stay." "Morning, Mr. Fife." "I've got something to show you, Luke." "First, I got something to show you." "25-year-old sour mash from down home." "Now, you can't get this in the store, but if you could, it'd take that whole bag to pay for it." "Well now, that's real nice of you, Luke." "I'll tell you what you do." "You put that in the living room and we'll break it out later." "Sure thing." "Now, what was it you wanted to show me, Mr. Fife?" "Just this." "Well, I've seen a bag before, Mr. Fife." "But not like this one." "This is a special custom job for C6." "TNT... measured to simulate the exact weight of $100,000 in unmarked bills." "$100,000?" "Exactly the way C6 demanded it." "Which is why I've had this made up special for him." "Now, look." "This arms the mechanism." "Now, when C6 turns the lock back the other way..." "He gets more than he bargained for." "Very good, Pete." "You know why I'm doing this, don't you, Luke?" "Sure." "He's gotten too greedy." "That is an understatement." "Don't you think we ought to check with Nicholson or that new guy they're running in on us, uh, Stargess?" "No, I don't have to check with anybody." "But there is a problem." "This bag is supposed to be carried by your friend Jean Royce." "Now, if she carries it, she's going to get blown up right along with C6." "It doesn't bother me what happens to Jean Royce." "Now, if it was Jud here..." "Which reminds me..." "Uh, Pete, you want to take a ride down to the vet?" "Okay, Mr. Fife?" "Yeah, surely." "Is there anything wrong with Jud?" "L, uh, had him in for a shampoo." "The vet gave him a blood test, called me last night and told me to bring him back again." "He's going to be all right?" "Sure." "Nothing's going to happen to old Jud." "Come on, boy." "Almost done, Jim." "Doctor, Mr. Jenkins is here with Jud." "He's here." "Ready." "I'm coming out." "I'm sure it's nothing serious, but it's better that we play it safe." "Sure, Doc." "Come on, Jud." "I never could handle that dog." "How about taking him back for me?" "Sure, Doc." "As always." "As always." "Ready, Barney?" "Ready, Jim." "I don't know why." "Jud just has to stay overnight." "Let's go." "So long, honey." "Hello?" "Mr. Fife?" "Yes?" "This is Jean Royce." "Welcome, Jean." "Be at my place in 30 minutes." "365 Alcorn." "Sure thing, Mr. Fife." "He won't give us any trouble." "Where's my friend Luke?" "You and Luke are pretty good friends, huh?" "Yeah, well, uh... he and my first husband served time together." "I got acquainted with his girlfriend and, uh, when the boys got back on the street, we palled around together." "Yeah, he told me." "Now, you know what you're supposed to do?" "Yeah." "Bag woman." "Skilled labor." "Luke told me what he offered you." "Look, uh, if you're asking me if it's okay, it's okay." "L, uh..." "I do need it up front, though." "Now, you get two now and three when you get back." "Did he tell you that?" "Sure." "Come on in." "Jean, how you doing?" "I'm fine, Luke." "See?" "Where's Jud?" "They want to do some tests." "Oh, he sure didn't look like anything was bothering him to me." "Are you ready to get going?" "Sure." "You busting me?" "You might call it that." "Now, that chain's long enough." "It shouldn't bother your driving." "Right." "Now, when you get to Los Angeles, the guy at the other end has a key to the bag." "He'll empty it." "You bring it back here and I'll give you the other three bills." "Who's the guy at the other end?" "Oh, don't worry about that." "When you get to Los Angeles," "I want you to drive to the big parking lot at Sixth and Walnut." "Park near the phone booth and wait." "Just wait." "All right, do you have the keys to your car?" "Sure." "Let me have them." "What do I drive to L.A.?" "There's a green four-door hardtop parked outside." "You drive that to Los Angeles." "All right, now, get started." "Okay." "So long, Luke." "See you around, huh?" "Sure thing." "Jean." "I want to be sure that that gets where it's going." "You drive real careful, now, huh?" "Fife had her switch cars." "What about the bag?" "She's got it." "Chained to her wrist." "The direction finder working?" "Loud and clear, Jim." "There won't be any trouble following her." "Okay, Willie." "If you have any problems, let me know." "Right." "He's been at it all day." "Money, man." "Money, it takes a lot of handling." "I like the way he handled that shipment to C6." "Happy hour, boys." "It's been a good day." "Luke, break out the sour mash." "Sure thing, Mr. Fife." "You know, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands." "Otherwise, you might just as well be an errand boy." "No, no, no." "The good stuff." "Luke, you're not going to find it in there." "The stuff you brought me this morning." "My present." "Tonight, Mr. Fife." "L-I mean, I thought you wanted to save that." "I was... for something special." "And this is special." "You know, our bag woman should be arriving in Los Angeles any minute." "Luke, will you get the booze?" "This here is good enough for me." "Well, it's not for me." "You know, I happen to have a real thirst for that 25-year-old sour mash." "Now." "Look, I tell you, I brought that for you as a present." "I'd feel real bad guzzling it up myself." "I'll get it, Mr. Fife." "You fix it." "Let me, Mr. Fife." "Thank you." "Two rocks, Mr. Fife." "Just as you like it." "To Jean Royce." "To Jean." "Would you lock up, please, Miss Stewart?" "Yes, Doctor." "Thank you." "See you tomorrow." "Martin Animal Hospital." "No, I'm sorry." "The doctor's gone for the day." "Okay, thank you." "Bye." "Yeah?" "We're in the L.A. parking lot, Jim." "Waiting for contact." "Okay, Willie." "Keep me posted." "Right." "You know what I like about you, Luke?" "You're cold." "Cold." "The way you handled Jean this morning..." "There was no other way to handle it." "A lot of guys would have squawked." "What was there to squawk about?" "Nothing, except that you brought her in." "I'm going to ask you to set up some new bagmen for me in the northwest this week." "Including a special like the one this morning." "You mean, like Jean?" "Exactly." "Three new bagmen and one that we don't mind losing." "You know what bothers me?" "Is that I wasted two bills on that dame." "Sure won't be anything left of them." "Another drink, Mr. Fife?" "Why not?" "Pete?" "I'm fine." "I've got some new people in mind, Mr. Fife." "I'll check on them." "Speaking of which, I better get down to the vet and check on Jud." "I thought he was supposed to stay overnight." "Well, maybe I can spring him." "I sure miss that hound." "See you later." "Jud!" "Luke, what's happening?" "!" "Get up." "Right in there." "All right, now, who are you?" "Where's Luke?" "You'd better start talking now." "You see, Mr. Fife..." "Are you all right?" "Yeah." "Get him." "Hold it!" "What's this?" "Please call 476-7310." "I'm not calling anyone, young man." "Not yet." "Please." "It's a matter of life or death." "476-73 10." "Hello?" "Uh, this is Dr. Manning." "There's a black man here, badly hurt." "He asked me to call this number." "Where are you?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Fife." "I thought he was out." "They had to take Luke out at the vet's." "But that guy that they sent in..." "Wow, what a job they did on his face!" "Why'd they do it?" "Well, I figure that it had to do with the bag woman." "See, Luke knew Jean Royce." "That dame we sent to L.A. was a cop." "How you going to handle it?" "Well, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy it." "You see, she was supposed to identify C6, but instead she's just going to get blown up right along with him." "From Fife?" "Yeah." "Uh, give me the bag." "Uh, I'm afraid I can't." "Whose idea was this?" "Fife's idea." "He wants your man to empty it, and he wants me to bring it back to him." "Get in my car." "Well, we could use mine." "Don't give me a hard time, baby." "Just get in." "Sorry, mister." "Doctor?" "Doctor?" "Yes?" "I talked to you on the phone." "The man that was hurt, where is he?" "Oh, I couldn't handle it here." "I called an ambulance." "He should be at the hospital by now." "I notified the police." "They'll want to question him." "I have to talk to him." "I have to." "I don't know if he'll be able to talk." "Well, how bad is he?" "A bullet wound." "A graze really, but you might liken it to a bad blow on the head." "He started to go into shock." "He's still your patient, isn't he?" "Yes." "Then come with me to the hospital, Doctor." "It's urgent." "There may be other lives involved." "All right." "Sit down." "Where is he?" "Hello?" "Trouble." "Fife's playing games." "He sent the bag chained to some dame's wrist." "That Fife's a beauty, isn't he?" "I didn't figure you'd want me to come to the house, so we're at the office." "Okay." "I'll be there as soon as I can." "Right." "What's happening?" "Just relax." "They've sedated him heavily." "It's standard in a case like this." "Can you wake him up?" "I'm afraid not." " Doctor, it is very..." " Bag." "Bag..." "Got to..." "Barney?" "Barney, it's me, Jim." "Barney, what is it?" "I'm afraid it's hopeless for the time being." "How long?" "Well, it's up to him." "He's obviously fighting it." "Where's the nearest public phone?" "One floor down." "I'll show you." "I can assure you he's in no danger." "Other people might be." "Barney." "Jim." "Casey." "You got to stop her." "Bag." "I think she's carrying a-a bomb." "Hello, Jim?" "I've been trying to get a hold of you." "Willie, you've got to stop Casey." "She's carrying a bomb." "Well, I lost her." "There was an accident, and the directional system went out." "Hello?" "Terry Fife?" "This is Stargess out of Chicago." "You've heard the name?" "Yeah, I heard it." "Oh, right." "King Nicholson said we were going to meet." "What is it?" "I'm in town on business." "I just got a phone call from the boys back east." "I've got some information for you." "It's urgent." "What kind of information?" "Stay where you are." "I'll be right over." "Something wrong?" "Yeah." "I mean if, uh, you didn't have that thing chained to your wrist, you and I could have a big time later tonight." "Tough." "Yeah." "Come in." "Look who just got here." "They took me out at the vet's place." "We know all about it, Jenkins." "Why don't you fix yourself a drink?" "Harry Stargess." "Yeah, he's waiting for you." "Harry Stargess, Mr. Fife." "Mr. Fife." "Glad to meet you, Stargess." "This is Pete Walker." "This is Luke Jenkins." "Hey, Luke." "Yeah, we, uh, almost got together in Miami last winter." "I checked into the Seamount just after you checked out." "As a matter of fact, they gave me your suite." "Stargess, I'm a very busy man." "What do you want?" "If you want to see Miami again, you're going to have to be a little more careful about your employees." "That's what I'm here about." "Well, talk." "That bag woman you sent to L.A. today... ls a cop?" "Is that what the boys sent you here to tell me?" "What's the matter, they think old Harry Fife is slipping?" "How did you find out?" "My business." "Now, more important, what are you going to do about it?" "Again, it's my business." "But you just tell them that I've got everything under control." "For your sake, I hope so, because C6 is the most important man we have on the west coast." "Greedy." "He's worth every cent he gets." "No, he asked that I double the bundle." "No, he didn't ask." "He demanded." "He could ask for five times what we're paying him." "We'd be glad to give it to him." "You know how much he means to the organization?" "Millions every month." "He's irreplaceable." "Like I said, Stargess, I have everything under control, so don't you worry about a thing." "You know, I'll look forward to meeting you again next time you have something urgent to tell me." "All right, the boys are going to be glad to hear you're on top of the situation all the way." "Gentlemen." "You got trouble, Mr. Fife." "Yeah." "Luke, this is what I want you to do..." "How do you do, young lady?" "I'm sorry I kept you waiting." "No sweat." "Al." "When you get back, tell Mr. Fife that I don't approve of his new method of making deliveries." "I'll tell him." "I'll let you get on your way." "Yeah?" "Hold it!" "Jenkins says don't open that case." "What's going on, Jenkins?" "The number is area code 213- 749-1190." "Get me a location fast." "She's a cop and she picked up the wrong bag." "It has a present in it for a fink up north." "I see." "That's very interesting." "Thanks." "Hello?" "Willie, she's at 4727 Marshall Boulevard, suite 2601." "Got it." "Right." "I'm sorry." "You're very charming in your own way, but you and the police have made a bad mistake." "The police?" "Have you flipped?" "Let's drop the pretenses." "Your jargon is beginning to irritate me." "You can help me and you can help yourself." "Do the authorities know who I am?" "Have you been sent here to incriminate me or is your assignment merely to identify me?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "I'm afraid you don't understand." "Your life is at stake." "You'd better start knowing what I'm talking about." "Look, I'm doing a job for Mr. Fife and that's all I'm doing." "All right." "You're going to be stubborn." "I'll tell you what I'm going to do." "I'm going to take the chance that nobody knows about me and that you were sent here to find out who I was." "So, Al here is going to get rid of you, before you can tell anyone." "Nice and neat, Al." "Then get rid of the body." "Look, you're making a mistake!" "Hold it!" "Are you all right?" "Just" "How you feel?" "Feeling fine."