"Nam." "It keeps going back to Nam." "What?" "Why are you following me?" "Break his arm." "We're in the same business." "He runs drugs?" "Who's Kam Chung?" "A real heavyweight." "You can let go now." "What are you doing?" "Eight clicks?" "Maybe ten." "This village?" "Montagnards, friendly." "Mickey Mouse." "We ought to let your guys do it alone." "Uh-uh." "No way, pal." "You gotta go in and cover my buddy Thomas." "He owes me money." "Hey, thanks." "Taylor." "Hey, Smiley." "Your turn." "Even." "Your lucky day." "Want to do it again?" "Let me see." "That's nice." "He's just starting to walk." "You're a lucky man, pally." "Yeah, I know." "I know." "Come in, White Knight." "This is Castle Team." "Hello, Castle, this is White Knight." "Welcome to the board." "Thank you, White Knight." "Rendezvous as scheduled." "Over and out." "Let's go." "Taylor!" "Easy, pal." "Easy, easy." "Oh, God." "Oh, God." "It's cool." "It's cool." "It's cool." "Two weeks in Saigon and you'll be right back here." "Damn." "Taylor." "Ed?" "Oh." "Oh, oh, God!" "Oh, God, oh, God!" "Oh, God!" "Not having an office," "I wind up meeting prospective clients in all kinds of places." "Restaurants, parks, hotel rooms." "Once even in a steam bath." "But today was the first time in a military cemetery." "I read someplace that the past is like a shadow." "No substance, but always at your heels." "The cemetery was a reminder that Vietnam stays awfully close to my heels." "Mr. Hurst?" "It's Taylor." "Hi, I'm glad you could come." "Have we met somewhere?" "We were briefed together once, at Da Nang." "Operation Chessboard." "I was a medic in Castle Team." "Your buddy, T.C., flew us in." "Yeah, that's right." "Our teams never hooked up." "No, we got hit." "Uh, friendly fire." "Sort of, uh..." "My buddy, Ed Kanfer..." "His wife and kid, they live here." "Did you know him?" "No." "It's weird." "Uh, I live on the Mainland." "Seattle." "And over here everything seems so much closer." "Funny how those memories still get you." "I kept up with T.C., and he said I should give you a call." "He said that you'd do right by me." "You're a detective, right?" "Private investigator." "This isn't easy." "I hope you're not gonna think I'm a flake." "I doubt it." "Uh, this is Linda Greer." "My girlfriend." "Uh, three weeks ago, she came to Hawaii to visit an old roommate." "And I haven't heard from her since." "What about her friends?" "Family?" "Same thing." "You call the police?" "Oh, yeah." "They keep telling me about their backlogged cases, and how understaffed they are." "Let me ask you something." "You and Linda, was everything, okay?" "Oh, that's just it." "I mean, why this seems so awkward." "But I'm kind of afraid, uh, afraid I may have misread things, that I'm chasing after something that's a little unreal." "I've been known to do that, especially where woman are concerned." "But you can see that's why I have to find her." "I mean, not just to see if something's happened to her, but... but to know..." "but to really know." "Can you help me?" "Well, there's not much to go on." "What can you tell me about her friend?" "Uh, not very much." "Her name's Celeste, she works in some club in Honolulu, and that's all you've got, huh?" "Forget it, Thomas." "I gotta open for lunch." "Rick, it's not for me." "It's never for you." "It's always for one of your cockamamie cases." "No, it's for a buddy." "A vet." "Thomas, are you trying to manipulate me?" "Rick, I swear..." "You sure you want to tie a Windsor with this?" "Do you realize how long this'll take?" "What's wrong with the tie?" "Just get the ball rollin', that's all." "L..." "I don't know." "Half Windsor's a lot nicer." "It's not so bulky." "Thomas." "Do you realize how many clubs there are in Honolulu?" "I mean, I feel dumb even asking." "Blame it on me." "Ice Pick?" "Rick, here." "How're you doin'?" "How's tricks?" "Terrific." "Listen, um," "I'm..." "I'm tryin' to run somebody down and I have a little a bit of a problem." "I know it's a long shot." "But the only contact I got is a girl named Celeste who works tables and works some club in Honolulu." "I know it's not much to go on." "I even feel dumb asking' you." "But it's for a friend of mine, and..." "Oh, yeah." "Okay, great." "Celeste Cole." "The Wild Zebra Club." "Hey, Ice Pick, thanks a lot." "By the way, the word is that you're gonna beat that rap." "That's great." "You just hang in there, baby." "Okay." "Ciao." "Ice Pick?" "He used to sell housewares." "The case had started off easier than I expected." "However, my first lead was hardly the place I wanted to find Taylor's girlfriend." "You couldn't even trust the beer in a joint like that." "Linda and Celeste were friends." "I sure hoped they weren't colleagues." "Uh, I'm looking for Celeste." "My friend Ice Pick says that, uh, she zebras here." "Mahalo." "Miss Cole?" "Okay, Bert." "Hold your horses." "Miss Cole?" "Who are you?" "Uh, my name's Thomas Magnum." "I'm a private investigator." "Can I ask you a few questions?" "Yeah, sure." "But give me a hand, would ya?" "These crazy things." "I never get 'em straight." "Hold them, will ya?" "Hold them?" "Yeah." "Oh." "Now, what do you want?" "Oh, I'm looking for someone." "I understand she's a friend of yours." "Her name's Linda Greer." "Who's looking for her?" "A buddy of mine was seeing her on the Mainland." "She came over here on vacation and disappeared." "He's worried about her." "You can let go now." "Oh." "Look, do your buddy a favor." "Tell him you couldn't find her." "Why?" "Look, right now, she's on the Naida, Kam Chung's yacht." "You don't know enough to be impressed?" "No." "Okay, Bert, I'm coming." "It's these damn ears." "Who's Kam Chung?" "A real heavyweight." "And Linda's not there to cook." "You savvy?" "I never get 'em straight." "Extraordinary." "Hi." "Sorry I'm late." "Not at all." "Uh, I brought you something." "For me?" "Go ahead." "Oh, thank you." "Oh, that's very nice." "Well, I figured, if, uh, we celebrate our success, it's got to happen." "What's the matter?" "You don't look too terribly happy." "Something's happened to Linda?" "No, no, nothing's happened to her." "Taylor, Linda's involved with another man." "Involved?" "What do you mean, involved?" "Well, I mean, well, she's with him." "Right now, on his yacht." "Did you see her?" "Oh, I found her friend, Celeste, and she told me." "Look, I'm sorry." "If you haven't seen her, then..." "Taylor." "Magnum, I've got to see her." "What's the point?" "Because I love her." "I'm not gonna give up just because she's met some guy with a yacht." "What's his name?" "Taylor, you said yourself, you didn't want to be chasing something that was unreal." "Well, this is..." "It's a dream." "I'd be taking your money." "Well, maybe dreams ought to be chased." "Maybe that's why we're alive." "The money doesn't mean anything to me." "The dream does." "That dream is all I've got." "If you don't want to go tilting windmills with me, I understand." "You can keep the bubbly." "No." "Actually, I don't mind tilting windmills." "I'll tell you what." "I'll see her and try and set something up." "Thanks, Magnum." "Contrary to popular opinion, private investigation is a very dreary business." "Endless stakeouts, tailings, and tedious detail work are the rule." "That is, most of the time." "Every once in a while, it's pure luck." "One phone call and I learned Kam Chung and his yacht were both up for membership in the King Kamehameha Club." "Luckily, I just happened to be on excellent terms with the chairman of the membership committee." "What are you doing?" "Really, Magnum, it's only powder." "Higgins, I still could have gone into cardiac arrest!" "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" "Any conception?" "A grown man, playing with a cannon." "The club's regatta is next week." "I'm simply determining the proper charge to salute the winner." "Uh, did the sound carry?" "Oh, it's just fine!" "Now, if you're finished on the firing range, Higgins," "I want to talk to you." "No, no." "Just a moment." "As long as you're here, take a few steps back." "Higgins, I've been thinking about the club." "That's good." "I want to become more involved." "What?" "I said I want to be more involved." "With what?" "The club!" "That's rather odd, isn't it?" "How was that?" "Just perfect." "My ears are still ringing." "What's so odd about it?" "What?" "What's so odd about it?" "You're not even a member." "Well, I'm Robin's guest." "That's almost a member." "Besides," "I thought maybe you could use an assistant." "You must be joking." "Not at all." "Magnum, you'll forgive my skepticism, but your volunteering to work is quite out of character." "You see?" "That's just the kind of misconception that can occur when two people don't try to get to know one another." "The club has been very good to me." "I simply want to return water to the well, so to speak." "What?" "I simply want to return water to the well, so to speak." "You're serious?" "Absolutely." "You are actually willing to work?" "To assist me?" "Without remuneration?" "Why, Magnum," "I'm very pleased by this rare demonstration of responsibility." "You most certainly can be my assistant." "Great." "When do we get to work?" "You said something about interviewing prospective members, I believe." "Magnum, my responsibilities extend far beyond the membership committee." "I think you'd be much better suited to something more fundamental." "Fundamental?" "In my study are 3,247 member files which need collating and alphabetizing." "As my assistant, you can start immediately." "Luckily, the member files were next to the prospective member files." "Higgins hadn't interviewed Kam Chung yet, so I didn't get much." "He was being sponsored by Adm. Ivor Naismith, U.S.N., retired, and he owned an import company." "In my day, Adm. Naismith had been affectionately known as "Ivor the Terrible."" "I decided to try the import company first." "I figured Kam Chung to be a wealthy, possibly dangerous man." "The limo just had to be his." "Besides, it was the only car there." "Not a sound, or I'll break your arm." "Hi." "Why are you following me?" "What makes you think I'm following..." "Aah!" "Break his arm." "My name is Thomas Magnum." "I'm a private investigator, and I was hired to find someone." "Who?" "The lady you took to lunch." "Who hired you?" "I'm afraid I can't tell you that." "Break his arm." "Come on, Kam." "I got to get my nails done." "Who's this guy?" "You tell me." "Never saw him before in my life." "Wait, she's telling the truth." "Taylor hired me." "He was worried about you." "Who is this Taylor?" "I don't know." "Taylor Hurst, from Seattle." "Why don't you just see him, tell him it's over?" "He's lying." "I don't know any Taylor Hurst." "And I've never even been to Seattle." "Please, Kam, believe me." "Please." "I love you." "I don't know who you are, mister, or what your game is, but this is one lousy trick." "You just dropped this case, yes?" "Yeah." "Good." "Break his arm, anyway." "Just wanted to see your expression." "Lily, the next time I take a business trip," "I'm bringing you along." "You're more effective than a tranquilizer." "If he wants to see me, he talks to me in here." "It never ends, Lily." "What's the old expression?" ""There's no rest for the weary."" "Mr. Hiramoto." "Good afternoon, Rick." "I appreciate your seeing me." "Pull up a table." "Inger!" "That's okay." "It's..." "I insist." "Well?" "What do you want?" "Um, a buddy of mine needs some information about a guy named Kam Chung." "Does it hurt?" "Just a little." "Good." "That means it's therapeutic." "Great." "Course, uh, I don't expect the information gratis." "If you're ever in Brooklyn and you need anything, anything at all, you just give me a call." "You know what I mean?" "I hate the East Coast." "It's too cold in the winter, too humid in the summer." "Got any connections in Vegas?" "Sorry." "Well, then you just have to return the favor here." "I know Chung." "That is, I know of him." "He's a secretive man." "We're in the same business." "He runs drugs?" "I'm an importer." "Right, right, Mr. Hiramoto." "Kam Chung is new to the Islands." "He learned his trade in Vietnam." "I understand he used to be an ARVIN general." "ARVIN general?" "I thought he was Chinese." "Chinese extraction." "Yeah." "He did very well up there before the pullout." "He just bought an island off Molokai." "Great massage, huh?" "Oh, yeah." "Just great." "Don't get up on my account." "Oh." "I insist." "Rick." "Now turn over." "Where have you been?" "Where have I been?" "I've been out doing your legwork, that's where I've been." "And what happened?" "I got a massage." "You stopped for a massage?" "It was part of the deal." "Never mind." "Are you all right?" "Yeah." "Well, what did you get on Kam Chung?" "He used to be an ARVIN general." "He also moonlighted as a drug runner." "Now he does it full time." "He lives on a little island off Molokai." "You know, if you want more information on this guy, why don't you talk to Higgins?" "He's interviewing him today about membership in the club." "I think a few words of thanks would be in order about now." "Nam." "It keeps going back to Nam." "What?" "His buddy, the team, Kam Chung." "Some word of thanks." "What about the girl?" "No, she's telling the truth." "Taylor's up to somethin'." "Look, see if you can locate the widow of a guy named Ed Kanfer." "He died in Operation Chessboard." "Wait a minute." "How am I supposed to do that?" "I don't know." "Try the phone book." "Why don't you try the phone book?" "'Cause I'm going to see Taylor." "Terrific." "Kanfer." "There are several things in my line of work I really hate." "But up near the top of the list," "I have to put being lied to by my client." "It definitely sours the relationship." "Taylor." "One good thing about a place like this:" "The locks are old, fairly simple, and a breeze to pick." "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" "I lost my key." "That's Mr. Hurst's room." "Can't be." "Hey, I'll call the cops." "You can't do this." "When did..." "when did he check out?" "He didn't." "Damn." "Deadbeats." "That's all I get." "Deadbeats." "That was the paddy where a sniper took out two of our guys." "And your dad's the one that got him." "Yeah?" "Yeah." "Oh, your dad, he was the best." "He always fought honorably, always with honor." "What about you?" "You were good, too." "You had to be good." "Nah, all I did was push pills and patch 'em up." "That sounds pretty good to me." "Mom, Taylor told me about this time" "Dad and him went to this movie in Saigon." "And there was this one-legged man selling watches in the men's room." "He told me, too." "Honey, would you leave us alone for a minute?" "We need to talk." "Okay." "See you later, right?" "Right." "You bet." "Ah, Donny's looking more like Ed every day." "Some kid." "He loves you very much." "Yeah." "Taylor." "You said this time..." "I'd stay." "I meant it." "Then why don't you move in?" "What do we need to wait for?" "What is it?" "I don't know." "It's just..." "Sometimes, when I remember..." "Do you think Ed wouldn't have wanted this?" "You and me?" "No, that's just it." "I'm sure he wouldn't mind." "But that doesn't make it any easier." "Taylor." "I loved him." "I always will." "But he's gone." "Eleven years." "That's an awfully long time." "Doesn't seem so long." "It does to me." "When I look at Donny or myself..." "When I think of all those nights alone..." "I buried Ed." "Don't you think it's time you did?" "I'm trying." "That's why I came back." "I just have to do it my own way." "Mary," "I love you." "Believe me." "I love you, too." "I love you, too." "Mrs. Kanfer?" "Give me a minute to get out back." "Taylor, what is it?" "I don't wanna talk to that man, you haven't seen me." "Mrs. Kanfer?" "Coming." "Just a minute." "Why?" "Trust me." "I'll tell you about it later." "Yes?" "I'm Thomas Magnum." "I'm a friend of Taylor Hurst." "Oh, he's not here." "Do you know where I can find him?" "Sorry." "No, wait." "Let me ask you something." "Do you know him well?" "I don't see how that's any concern of yours." "Well, the truth is, I'm a private investigator, and Taylor hired me to find someone he said he was in love with." "And It turned out she didn't even know him." "I can't help you, Mr. Magnum." "I think you can." "I think this has something to do with your late husband." "With Vietnam." "With Ed?" "Well, I don't know." "I" " I'd hoped you could tell me." "Mrs. Kanfer, I only want to help Taylor." "Mr. Magnum," "Taylor's been the best friend I've ever had." "After Ed died, he took care of my son and me." "He still does." "Believe me, I don't want to hurt him." "Well, neither do I." "He just has to resolve some things, that's all." "What things?" "Taylor never really got over Ed's death." "The way he died." "He just has some things to work out." "That's all." "So, if you just leave him alone..." "Mrs. Kanfer, your husband was killed on a mission, wasn't he?" "Yes and no." "Ed stepped on a mine." "Later, it turned out it was planted by smugglers." "They weren't even Vietcong." "They were drug runners." "Sure, I know the island." "No sweat." "You know somethin' funny?" "I have never been able to get into fishing'." "Course, with my delicate skin," "I've got to be very careful of the sun." "That's too bad." "It's a great way to spend your free time." "Free time?" "Man, I don't know nothin' about no free time." "Most of mine is spent dodging Thomas' clients' bullets." "Okay, I'm ready." "All right, just give me a second." "I'll be right with you." "You know, I didn't realize there was good fishin' over there." "I've taken a lot of fishermen out, but never there." "Well, that's why the fishing's so good." "Two days?" "Yeah." "I'll meet you here." "I hope you like Opakapaka." "I love it." "Hurry." "He wants drinks in 20 minutes." "I'll be ready." "Make it good." "This is important." "No, no, no!" "Get out of here." "You're late." "You're getting real undependable." "Come on." "Undependable?" "Undependable?" "Uh-uh, You just want something out of me." "That's what it is." "T.C., I gotta get to an island off Molokai." "Come on." "I just come from an island off Molokai." "Taylor?" "Fishin'." "No, hunting." "He's gonna try and kill someone." "Mr. Higgins, I'm so glad you could come." "The pleasure is mine." "I hope you found Howard's seamanship adequate." "More than adequate." "Good." "I hope my hospitality will compensate you for the trip, and that you'll find me worthy of the club." "Thank you." "You don't get much rain out here, do you?" "No, not too much rain at this time of the year." "Sometimes, it gets a little warm." "Please, sit." "Thank you." "To the club." "To the club." "Since I'm constrained to ask a few questions, perhaps we should get them out of the way." "By all means." "Now then, uh, if you were admitted, would you plan on entertaining, uh, show people?" "Show people?" "Never." "Good." "Do you consider the club a suitable place to conduct business?" "In my opinion, one's business should be left at the office." "How very true." "The island's just ahead." "We'll be there in a couple of minutes." "Hypothetically speaking, of course, do you consider it more important to pay one's tailor or one's gambling debts?" "One's gambling debts must always be paid." "They take priority." "I quite agree." "It's amazing how many people consider these questions trivial." "Uh, at the regatta ball, what do you consider proper dress?" "Dress whites for naval officers and, of course, white tie for civilian members." "I admire your sartorial taste, but we would not expect more than black tie." "How unfortunate." "Yes." "Set her down there." "We'll ruin the party." "Better us." "Higgins ain't gonna like this." "Good Lord." "Uh, friends of yours?" "Hardly." "No." "Allow me." "Magnum, of all the unmitigated gall." "I'm glad to see you, too, Higgins." "What are you doing?" "I'm trying to stop a murder, I think." "It's an execution!" "Don't even think about it." "Throw your gun aside." "Over there." "Taylor, what's the point?" "Ed was my buddy, Magnum." "We all lost buddies." "Not the way Ed got it." "So I made him a promise." "I knelt over his body and I made him a promise." "They'd get it the same way." "Ed never asked for that promise." "And it won't help him now." "Or help Mary, either." "Taylor, I know that anger." "I know how you feel." "But this won't make it go away." "Stay where you are." "Put down your gun, Taylor." "I mean it, Tom." "I don't think so." "All right." "But he's gonna tell you." "He's gonna tell you all about it." "Bin Loc. 1971." "Bin Loc. 1971." "I don't understand." "I commanded a division which was..." "Louder!" "I commanded a division which was operating in the area." "And running drugs." "Some of my subordinates, perhaps." "But you're the one with the Swiss bank account, General." "It was a long time ago." "Some things were unavoidable." "You're buying time." "You're gonna hit him the same way." "Don't come any closer." "Magnum!" "Was there anything I could have done?" "Should have done?" "I ask myself the same thing." "I guess Taylor wanted this." "At least, a part of him did." "Why?" "Sometimes it's hard to be the one who came back." "Tell me, Thomas, when's the war going to end?" "I don't know."