The Rockford Files

Why would he want to kill me?

Angel, I'm not in a very good mood.

You wouldn't shoot me for a lousy hundred dollars, would you?

You sure you don't want me to stay?

Oh, old fishing buddy.

People kill because they don't like their zip code.

Oh, come on, how often?

Once is all it takes, Dennis.

You know, I'd just feel bitter if you told me what you were going to do.

No, you wouldn't.

Shoot him, Jimmy, shoot him!

Hold it, police!

Reservations.

On this flight proceed to gate 27, we're checked.

Delta Airlines flight 288 to Atlanta and Miami... Hey, Carol, did you have a good flight?

Thank you, partner.

You're getting to be a regular, aren't you?

Sorry, I don't understand.

I'm with TCA Reservations.

Uh, Detroit, St. Louis, now you're coming in from Miami?

In one month, that makes you a regular.

You must handle thousands of people.

You couldn't possibly remember each name and destination.

Well, I don't remember them all, just some.

Well, in this case, you're mistaken.

Wasn't it about two weeks ago?

I'm telling you, you're wrong.

I'm sorry.

I thought it was right after that holiday weekend.

Never been to Detroit.

PSA flight 641 to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego is now in the final boarding process at gate number two.

All aboard, please.

You.

All right?

Oh, Jim, it's okay.

I didn't know what to do.

It's okay.

I was afraid to go home.

I was afraid to go back to my car.

Not that it would have done me any good.

I lost my keys, my bag, everything.

All right, don't worry about it.

Everything's going to be all right.

I'm here.

I couldn't even buy a cup of coffee.

Been that kind of a day, huh?

I'm sorry.

I guess I could have handled this better.

You're doing just fine.

I'm not so sure.

I've never been so scared in all my life.

Did you talk to cops?

One day you may come at a tempted rape, a mugging, what?

They didn't know.

They searched the area and said my handbag was gone, but, I don't know, I guess it

could have been robbery, but anybody could have taken it.

I'll tell you, if that car hadn't come along.

You know, Jim, how I felt tonight?

Hmm?

Mortal.

No, I mean, I know I am.

We all are, but we all walk around acting like we're in mortal.

Well, you gotta watch that kind of thinking.

That's the kind of thinking that'll have you rushing into a burning building or trying to stop a runaway train or...

Missing your shuttle?

What?

Oh, the employee's parking lot is over on the north side of the field.

They have a shuttle, and it runs every half hour.

I missed it, so I cut across the main lawn.

I seem to be making a lot of mistakes tonight.

You know, I even had an argument with a passenger.

I mean, I've never done that in my life.

Well, we better get you home.

We'll check out your horoscope in the morning paper, all right?

Okay.

Jim, honestly, I'm all right.

I just don't think you ought to be alone.

Well, my roommates are out of town.

How many you got?

Five, counting me.

They're always out of town.

That's one of the nice things about living with stewardesses.

Minimum expense and maximum privacy.

Well, I still don't think you ought to be alone.

Why?

Personal opinion.

What do you mean?

All right.

Your purse is missing, right?

Your driver's license is in your purse, right?

And my address is on the license.

Right.

I'll take the couch.

What about tomorrow night?

Oh, well.

And the night after that?

Well, it's natural for you to be nervous the first night, but you'll get over that.

Not with you.

Not with somebody babysitting me.

Look, I'd love you to stay, but not tonight, okay?

Anyway, I'm sure whoever stole the bag ditched the ID right away and all they wanted was the money.

All right, but if you hear any sounds, go bump in the night, or you decide you don't like the sound of silence.

I'm just a couple of minutes away.

And a good friend.

You sure you don't want me to stay?

There's somebody in the house.

I can hear them downstairs.

Where are you?

Bedroom.

Lock yourself in.

I have.

Call the cops, and I'm on my way.

All right.

Where is he?

Up there.

Shh.

Shh.

Stay here.

Where is he?

Somebody call the cops.

What's wrong out there?

What's the matter?

Martin's here.

I think he's gone.

He tried to kill me.

Why would he want to kill me?

You sound like you know him.

I don't.

Not really.

He was dark and I can't be sure.

And it doesn't make any sense.

But I think it was Mr. Farrell.

I don't believe in coincidence, Dennis.

Neither do you.

Now, there were two attempts on her life, and I believe they were both connected.

If you could just find the bullet.

We can't.

Well, if we could get a ballistics check, we could get a positive ID.

Now, there was one shot.

The whole place came alive, and the guy took off.

What do you think, Dennis, huh?

Well, I think you lead a very exciting life.

Oh, come on, Dennis.

Another way out.

It was nice meeting you, Mr. Hennepin.

Wait a minute.

Where do you think you're going?

Home.

Well, just maybe, maybe I'll get a couple of hours sleep before I have to come back here tomorrow.

Are you sore because I woke you up?

You bet I'm sore.

You know, there's other guys in the same line of work.

Some of them even work the night shift.

I thought he was a friend.

He is.

He just has to get his full eight hours.

You made a police report.

Why call me?

I thought you'd take a personal interest.

Good night, Jim.

Well, wait a minute.

Where do you think you're going?

Are you not going to do anything?

What can I do?

Look, I'm sorry.

I know you're scared, and I'm sorry.

But three black and whites rolled onto the scene, they

fine-sitted your place, and they didn't come up with anything.

Now, what am I supposed to do?

Well, I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but on an attempted murder,

I think you could start with an APB.

An APB on a man neither one of you can identify driving a car, neither one of you can identify.

It was Mr. Farrell.

You're willing to swear to that?

Well, it was dark.

Swear under oath?

No, I can't swear.

But it looked like him, and we'd had that argument.

Well, airline passengers don't kill reservation clerks because they said

hello, or because they couldn't get a window seat.

Well, now, what police manual says that?

People kill because they don't like their zip code.

Oh, come on, how often?

Once is all it takes, Dennis.

Come on, I know you don't have enough to book him on, but at least you could call

him in for questioning, sweat him a little bit.

I thought you weren't going to tell me my job.

Well, I changed my mind.

Look, James.

If I thought you had anything, you know I'd help you.

But what you've given me is solid smoke.

And besides, Farrell is a lousy candidate for assassin.

I don't care what the computer says.

Nobody is that clean.

Timson Farrell is.

He cut his teeth on good conduct medals.

We don't even have him for a parking violation.

He wears three-piece suits, goes to Chamber of Commerce lunches, takes out half-page ads in a phone book.

Is that all it takes?

An advertising budget?