08x12 - Touch and Go

[bunniefuu]

Is she dying?

When they took her to surgery,

Ms. Bennett was in shock and hemorrhaging badly.

I'm sure the doctor's doing everything he can to save the baby.

If you're telling the truth, you better hope she lives.

If you're lying...

If he was there and he called in for help, for whatever reason,

out of guilt, remorse, then we nail him.

Ben, you don't even know these people.

You're acting like it's a vendetta.

I've got to get this story, okay?

And he's still young and very naive.

I saw you in bed with him last night.

[theme music playing]

[music continues]

I have an eyewitness that says he saw you at the scene

when Jill Bennett had her accident.

That's a lousy joke, Ben.

It would be if it were a joke, but he also says that

you and she were arguing right before she went off the cliff.

That witness is wrong.

Then you weren't arguing?

I wasn't there!

And I don't think you think I was.

Really? Why not?

Because if your witness was telling the truth,

you'd be talking to the police instead of to me.

If that's a bluff, it's pretty good, except you've

got to remember it's not my job to talk to the police.

It is my job to report the facts.

Then we won't be seeing this on the evening news, will we?

Because it's not a fact.

[dramatic music playing]

[Gary] Is she dying?

When they took her to surgery, Miss Bennett was in shock

-and hemorrhaging badly. -From what?

The placenta tore when she fell.

I'm sure the doctor's doing everything he can to save the baby.

[announcements over PA]

[hospital din]

I'm sorry this is happening.

[sighing] Thank you.

[announcer over PA] Mrs. Abby Ewing, please call the hospital operator.

I told the kids I'd be home an hour ago.

-Will you be all right? -Yeah, I'll be fine.

Did you know?

That she was pregnant? No.

[announcer over PA] Mrs. Abby Ewing, please call the hospital operator.

[announcer over PA] Mrs. Abby Ewing...

I was just paged.

Right here, line one.

Hello?

Yes, this is Abby Ewing.

How did you know I was here?

Maria told me.

Well, I don't think you should just call me like this.

How's Jill?

[Abby] Well, she went into a coma.

I know. I... [sighing] I mean, is she still in surgery?

Yes.

Any prognosis?

No, not yet. Not as far as I know, anyway.

When they brought her in, they didn't know she was pregnant.

[Abby] Peter?

Peter?

Did you know she was pregnant?

No.

Do you think you're the father?

No.

Why did you call, Peter?

I called because we've got a problem.

What is it, Peter?

Ben Gibson is floating a rumor

that, uh, I was out there when Jill fell.

[hang up tone]

[intriguing music playing]

[Mack] Well, we have to talk to Michael and Paige.

-I-I don't know. -You don't know?

Well, I agree, we have to talk to them.

I just, I don't know what we should say.

I-I don't want to make a...

I don't want to say the wrong thing.

Say the wrong thing? What could be wrong?

They're the ones that were wrong.

We say they're wrong, right?

Well, was it wrong, exactly?

I mean, was it immoral, evil, or was it just foolish?

Well, don't overanalyze this.

It's plain and simple, black and white.

They were... they're kids and they were wrong to have sex.

Sex isn't wrong in and of itself.

-It's not. -Come on, Karen.

They were wrong for doing it.

That's plain and simple.

Well, maybe we should wait, then.

-You wait, I'm talking to them. -No, we've got to be careful.

I mean, the worst thing we could do is to make a big deal out of this.

Big deal? This is a big deal.

Your son and my daughter have had sex, in our house!

-That's a big deal. -Well, what are you going to say?

-Well, I'm going to tell them. -What?

I-I'm just going to, you know, I'll just...

-I'm... I don't know! -What are you going to say?

I-I don't know. I'm thinking about it.

-Mack, look. -What?

-Mack, don't get mad at me. -I'm not mad.

-I feel exactly the same way you do. -Come on, will you?

[Paige laughing] Hi.

-[Michael] Hi. -Hi.

-How was it? -How was the movie?

-P.G. -P.G.? Parental guidance.

-[Paige chuckling] -Good night.

-[Karen] Well, good night. -Good night.

-Good night. -[Mack] Night.

We'll be right up.

[hospital din]

[announcer] Inhalation therapist to ICU. Inhalation therapist to ICU.

-Coffee? -Uh, no, thanks.

How is she?

She's out of surgery.

When the anesthesia wears off, we'll know if

she's still in a coma.

What's the prognosis?

[sighing] About 50-50.



Well, that's the statistical prognosis for recovery, Mr. Hollister.

But if her condition remains stable, the odds get better.

What about the baby?

She was pregnant?

She lost the baby.

Paige.

Oh, I was just making some tea to help me sleep.

-I'm wide awake. -So am I.

-Would you like some? -Yeah, please.

I hope you don't mind me making myself at home.

[Karen] Of course not. This is your home.

Oh, you all have made me feel so welcome.

I'm so grateful to you and Mack.

And Michael's been fabulous.

-He's so sweet. -Yes, he is.

And he's still young.

And very naive.

Paige...

I saw you in bed with him last night.

The gentlest thing I can say is...

I don't think it was a good idea.

You're right. It wasn't.

It's just that...

No, you're right. I'm sorry.

When I got here, Mack was so preoccupied with finding you.

Eric buried himself in his work. But Michael...

He was so lonely.

So I spent time with him, you know, to distract him.

To keep him from going crazy with worry about you.

And we went out. We talked a lot.

And we became friends.

It just happened.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

It won't happen again.

The last thing that I ever wanted to do

was to hurt you or Mack.

[instrumental music]

[Mack] Responsibility means planning ahead.

It's being aware of cause and effect, Mike.

If I do A and B happens, then maybe I shouldn't have done A.

Well, don't do A if you don't want B.

I'm serious, Michael.

Don't think for a minute that I'm not serious.

Come on, Mack. I'm just as responsible as anybody else.

I haven't done anything wrong.

I haven't robbed a bank. I haven't k*lled anybody.

Why are we having this conversation?

Because your mother and I both think that it's wrong

for you and Paige to sleep together.

What's wrong with it?

You're almost related for crying out loud.

-Mike, you're too young. -We're not.

If your mother and I think you're too young, you're too young.

It's our house.

So you want us to move out?

Peter.

Would you excuse us for a minute, please?

-You're looking well, Ma. -I feel great.

I may be well enough to move off this ranch soon.

Abby's been just wonderful to me.

Now, you couldn't ask for a better hostess.

Well, I've loved having you here.

She's been the perfect guest.

[chuckling] Go on.

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better, Ma.

[Sylvia] I'm feeling more secure.

I put my story in writing.

I made it clear that you are not my son.

Whatever makes you happy, Ma.

It made me very happy to give the letter to my lawyer.

Mm-hmm.

To be opened in the event of my untimely death.

Do you still think I was trying to k*ll you?

Do you still deny it?

What the heck? Everybody else is trying to accuse me of something.

Why should you be any different?

You have an eyewitness?

That's incredible, Ben.

When are you going to broadcast? I want to watch.

Hollister denies he was there when Bennett fell.

So broadcast the denial, too.

-No. -No?

Not without corroboration.

Ben, opportunities like this don't come that often.

I need corroboration.

I'm hardly going to ruin a guy's career with gossip.

Stop worrying about him and worry about yourself.

And your family.

What did you just say?

I said, aren't you obstructing justice or something

by not taking this to the police?

I know my legal and moral obligations.

I broadcast news, period.

Look, you want me out of your life.

Bury Hollister with this story and I'll disappear.

What are you going to do about Ben Gibson?

What can I do? You're a public figure now, Peter.

Oh, come on. He's got it in for me.

-Why don't you k*ll the story? -You know, you're as paranoid as Sylvia is.

With friends like mine, who wouldn't be paranoid?

-Look, if I k*ll that story-- -Wait, now, it's not a story.

-It's just a rumor. -[sighing] All right.

If I try to k*ll that rumor, it becomes a story.

-So why don't you fire him? -On what grounds?

I don't know. Why don't you spread a rumor?

-Think of something. -He'll still have his story.

-His rumor. -All right.

And you don't want a libel suit.

No, of course not. But neither do you.

-No. -[Abby sighing]

Peter, I believe that you want Jill to recover, but...

I think you're afraid of what will happen if she does.

I could k*ll that story if you could guarantee me that when she wakes up,

she's gonna say you weren't there when she fell.

But for some reason, and I'm not pressing you, believe me,

I respect your right to keep every nasty little secret you ever wanted,

but you don't know what Jill will say when...

or if she recovers.

And that's why I can't help you.

-You're not asking me to sit on this story? -No.

I'm just trying to find out what you've got.

A possible eyewitness and a denial.

So, it's Peter Hollister's word against an eyewitness's.

[Ben] Yep.

Who do you believe?

[horses snorting]

[Peter] I'm not lying.

[Greg] Why would the eyewitness lie?

[Peter] I don't know.

-Who is it? -I don't know.

[Greg] You don't know. Is there anything else you want to tell me

about Miss Bennett's accident?

[Peter] She was pregnant.

-She lost the baby. -Was it yours?

No. It was Gary Ewing's.

-If you're not lying. -I'm not.

Why hasn't Ben Gibson...

aired his special eyewitness report?

Maybe he doesn't believe it himself.

Why did the eyewitness go to Ben Gibson in the first place?

And don't say I don't know.

[Ben] I don't know.

Who is it?

That's nobody that you would know.

Why are you the only reporter on this story, Ben?

I may not be the only reporter working on this story.

You'll have legal counsel look at the report before you broadcast it, huh?

Yeah, if I broadcast it.

It depends on what Jill Bennett says.

-[Greg] Were you out there when she fell? -No.

Were you out there before she fell?

Thank you, Alan.

Well, I guess it doesn't matter what I think.

Public opinion is going to make or break you.

But if you were out there, and you're lying,

you're making a bigger mistake by lying than you did

by going out there in the first place.

The voters can forgive politicians who commit sins,

but they can never forgive politicians

who lie about the sins they commit.

I not only won't be able to help you if you're lying,

I won't want to help you.

So if and when Jill Bennett comes to, you better make damn

sure that your story and her story are identical.

If you're telling the truth, you better hope she lives.

If you're lying...

[tense music plays]

[machine beeping]

[Gary] Uh, if you don't mind my asking,

what exactly is the story

between you and Peter Hollister anyway?

Um, I mind your asking.

[Gary] What is this guy to you?

Not now, Gary.

-[phone ringing] -[Val] Bobby's swim trunks ...

are in the lower left drawer in the nursery.

You see them? Hello?

Val, Dan Miller. Glad I reached you.

I'm on the set, so I gotta make this fast.

Yeah, sure, Mr. Miller.

How soon do you think you can get me some

script pages on Capricorn Crude?

Well, uh, I should have something for you in, uh...

oh, about a couple of weeks.

A couple of weeks?

Well, I could make it ten days if I push it.

Is that a problem?

Well, I was hoping we could have something on Friday.

Friday?

Anything. It can be anything.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just so we can get moving on it.

Well, yeah, uh, sure. What's the rush?

We just found out another network is working on a similar story,

and I want to beat them to the punch.

Yeah, but this is based on my life.

How could there be another story like it?

Well, both scripts are set in Texas.

I gotta go.

What?

I used to hate it when my father made me dress up for home movies.

Now I'm glad we have them.

Yeah, that's what you say to us every time you want us to smile for the camera.

Quit griping. You haven't taken home movies for two years.

Now, here's a place that will take everything we've got

and transfer it to video cassette,

the complete Fairgate-MacKenzie film library,

from 1952 to 1985.

Now, that's something worth playing on Paige's VCR.

All right. And we could take some more of these this weekend.

What happened to the griping?

Well, we just don't have any movies with Paige.

Oh. Michael, um...

I-I know you and Paige have gotten pretty close.

[scoffing] Mom, I ...

Michael, sit.

[sighing]

When you and Eric were little...

-Mom, I-- -Bear with me for a minute, Michael.

When you were little, the good news was

I was with you all the time.

-The bad news was... -You're with us all the time.

I set you up for that.

I always knew where you were and what you were doing.

I knew that would change as you got older,

so I-I tried to teach you how to be responsible.

You're talking about Paige and me.

I'm talking about responsibility.

And I'm talking about you and Paige.

I think your relationship has gone too far.

Mom, Paige and I are in love.

In love?

"In love" can mean a-a lot of things.

It means in love.

She loves me, and I love her.

[carousel organ music plays]

No, we weren't in love.

-It wasn't love. -"Wasn't?"

It's over between Michael and me.

Does Michael know that?

He understands.

And he agrees.

Good, because I didn't think it was healthy.

Well, we're comfortable just being friends.

I only hope that

one day I'll be lucky enough to find the kind of relationship

with a man that my mother had with you.

Well... we were young, very young.

I know all about Mother and you.

I found this with her things after she died.

She wrote it after I was born.

She never mailed it.

Well, thanks for lunch.

[engine starting]

Maybe you shouldn't show that to Karen.

[instrumental music]

[Anne] Mm, full.

-My stomach hurts. -Oh, no!

No, it's not the food.

It's, um...

[indistinct song on radio]

I don't know, I never had a stomachache like this before.

Well, what is it?

It's I love you.

I love you.

-Does this mean... -[chuckling] Yes.

I'll do it.

What the hell? I'll do it.

Are you sure you're ready?

I'm ready.

-Positive? -Positive.

You're not afraid?

Yup, of-of course I'm afraid.

But I love you.

So I'll do it.

-I'll meet your parents. -[giggling]

[carousel organ music plays]

[office din]

[computer whirring]

[computer keys clacking]

[intriguing music plays]

Paul Kelly.

Oh, so you're an English major, huh?

-Yes, ma'am. -Oh, that's great.

Oh, excuse me.

I didn't realize you had company.

Oh, Mama, this is, uh, Bradley Rothman.

[Val] He's applying for the job as my personal secretary.

Oh, I'm so pleased to meet you, Bradley.

And I am the mother of this famous author.

-[Val] Oh, Mama. -Pleased to meet you.

You are so young, Brandy.

-Bradley. -Oh.

Have you ever worked before?

Well, I've had some part-time jobs.

-I just graduated. -From high school?

College, ma'am.

Oh, well, good for you, Brandy.

-Mama... -Oh, yeah, now, if you'll excuse me,

I'll just pick up a little around here.

-[chuckling] -Well, um ...

Here's what I think that I need a personal secretary for.

Things have gotten so, you know, hectic around here

with all the writing that some days, you know,

I, I don't have time to grocery shop.

-I think I can handle that. -Oh, good.

And we are very particular about the brands we buy, for instance.

Or go to the post office or, you know, run errands or pick up

the dry cleaning or maybe, say, make appointments,

you know, mostly with studio people.

And cancel appointments.

Oh, yeah, that, too.

And you'd probably end up having to go to the toy store.

-Now, wait a minute. -What?

Going to the toy store with my grandchildren is one of my particular pleasures.

But, Mama, sometimes you don't have time for that either.

You know, sometimes my husband and I,

we sort of like to get a little surprise for them.

-Yes. -[Val] Um, what else?

Oh, yes. Uh, answer the phone.

Very, very important.

We have an answering machine now,

and I answer it when that's not working.

But, Mama, you haven't learned how to operate the answering machine yet.

-[Bobby cooing] -Oh, you having trouble with that, Bobby?

What do you need, sweetie? Let me see.

There you go. Good boy!

Yeah, mostly, I mean, you know,

return phone calls because I don't seem

to have time anymore with all this, you know?

And so it's just like, you know, watch the kids

and sort of pick up around the house.

You have someone in this house who already

has done all those things on that list.

But, Mama, you can't do everything,

and I don't want to have to ask you to.

Now, if you watch the kids, and Bradley here does

everything else, then, then I can write.

Well, I have been trying my best around here.

I know you have, Mama. I think we both need help.

Bradley, when can you start?

Uh, don't you want to know if I can type?

[Val] Uh, no, I don't.

[horse neighing]

[Greg] Oh, Mack. Good of you to come.

-Yeah, how you doing? -What can I get you?

-Uh, I'll have a beer. -One beer it is.

And then you can tell me, uh, why I've been invited

to whatever this is I've been invited to.

It's an interview.

And you've been invited because I need your help.

Oh.

-What's up? -I don't know.

What's all this mystery?

There's no mystery, gentlemen. I got a problem.

Somebody is trying to hang my younger brother.

Destroy his political career before it gets off the ground.

Break his ankle, so to speak, in the, uh, starting gate.

-Is this for the record? -No.

-But that's what the interview's about? -Yes.

You'll tell me when it's on the record.

No, you'll tell me. Jerry!

[intriguing music plays]

[Greg] Gentlemen. I'd like you to meet Paul Kelly,

the eyewitness, the man who claims that he saw

Peter Hollister on the cliff with Jill Bennett.

I saw him. You can believe it.

You believe that, Mack?

Who put you onto this guy?

That's privileged information. You understand that.

I also understand that I have severe questions

about the ethics of what we're doing here.

[Greg] Ethics? You're trying to hang my brother out to dry

based on this guy's good word.

Let's find out how good his word really is.

Listen, why would I tamper with a witness

and invite the special investigator out here?

I'm really glad you came, Mack.

What was she wearing?

A red jacket and gray pants and a light sweater

with a thing here at the neck.

Oh, and black shoes.

You could have got that information from the hospital staff.

-What was he wearing? -Uh, blue jeans and a light blue shirt.

Um... Oh, tennis shoes. Oh, no, running shoes.

The expensive kind.

What kind of cars were they driving?

He drove off in a convertible.

Uh, wood panels on the side.

New. Uh...

She had a little blue foreign car.

That's public record.

-Police check the area for tire tracks? -Good question.

No, the ambulance and ranger vehicles

completely obliterated any tire tracks in the area.

[machine beeping]

[Gary] You're gonna get well.

You're gonna get well.

You are going to get well.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hollister.

Mr. Ewing refuses to leave the room,

and regulations don't allow more than one visitor at a time.

Oh, whe-when she comes out of the coma?

When she begins to breathe on her own.

We'll have to clear the room until she's completely conscious.

Okay.

[sighing]

[Jill] Peter, don't make me make this choice.

Peter, listen to me! Peter...

[screaming]

Peter!

[Ben] What were they talking about?

[Paul] Oh, I was too far away to hear.

[Ben] But you could hear them arguing.

[Paul] Well, you can tell when people are arguing.

-[Ben] Did he hit her? -[Paul] I didn't see him hit her.

-You said she fell. -Yes.

-Where was he when she fell? -Well, as close as I am to you.

-Did he push her? -No, not... Not as far as I could see.

What did he do when she fell?

Well, he looked around.

See if anybody was watching, I guess.

Then he got in his car and drove off.

-What'd you do? -Well, I went to get help.

-The ranger station? -What?

Did you go to the ranger station for help?

-No, I hiked back the highway. -To use the pay phone?

-What? -Did you call a doctor?

-No, I called emergency. -An ambulance?

No, he couldn't have called an ambulance, Mack,

because there's no record of any call for an ambulance or the emergency room.

[Paul] Uh, the emergency number, I called the emergency number.

-[Ben] 911? -Yeah, 911.

-What'd you say? -[Paul] Hm?

What'd you say to the 911 operator?

You gotta be kidding.

-What is this? -Never mind. It's not important that you answer.

I mean, they record all the calls that come in for 911.

[Mack] Right, well, just get a copy of the tape

and listen to your voice.

You didn't call the 911 operator, did you?

I was going to call.

The ambulance was on its way before I got to the phone.

You're a lousy witness.

Who put you up to this?

[Jean] The witness served his purpose.

You just didn't use him.

[Ben scoffing]

The irony, which will surely be lost

upon your superiors, is that Hollister may have been there,

or at least he may know something more about Jill Bennett

than he's willing to tell us.

But a bogus witness? It is clumsy, it is stupid,

makes Hollister look upright and noble by comparison!

We never intended for it to stand up in court.

We were just using him to start a rumor to see what that rumor would turn into.

-No witness, no story. -Like hell.

Your story is the questionable relationship between Hollister and Bennett.

What's the relationship?

I don't know and I don't care.

You just put enough questions in the public's mind

to finish his career.

[tense music plays]

[Karen] How's Jill?

She's still unconscious, and the situation's a mess.

Somebody's trying to smear Peter Hollister,

trying to tie him in with Jill's accident.

-Oh... Poor Gary. -Yeah.

-So... -What?

-What'd he say? -Who?

-How'd it go with Michael? -Oh...

He said they're in love.

-In love? -His exact words.

-Well, he's in for a shock. -Why?

-She says it's over. -What?

Mm-hmm. [chuckling]

Well, he'll survive.

-We all survive our first love. -Oh...

I even got this.

I had stationery like this years ago.

Paige's mother wrote it and never sent it.

-Paige gave you this? -Yeah.

She thought I should have it.

Her mother wrote it just after she was born.

Go ahead, read it.

It's personal.

-[chuckling] Personal? -Yeah.

It's 20 years ago. Go ahead, read it.

-No. -No?

I'd read one of the old letters from your old boyfriends if you'd let me.

I wouldn't let you.

Why? Are you ashamed of your old boyfriends?

Tell me what's in it.

Love and passion and youth.

Go ahead, read it. You'll understand what Michael's going through.

Oh, you had to remind me.

[sighing] Now I'm sorry that I asked Paige to move in with us.

-Why? -You know, it seemed like the right thing to do.

It was the right thing to do.

Things will never be the same around here.

Oh, don't blame yourself, honey.

I'm... I'm just...

-What? -I'm so mad at myself.

Why?

I'm not satisfied with anything I said to either of them.

I wanted to be progressive, not make a big thing about it.

In my gut, I just want to shake them

and tell them what they did was wrong.

Yeah.

Well, I kind of did that with Michael,

and I'm not so sure that that was the right thing to do, either.

Well, it's all over.

[Michael] But why is it over?

Because it has to be.

I love you, Paige. I love you.

Michael, you're sweet.

I don't want to see you get hurt.

But I don't want to upset your mother any more than she already is.

Mom? It's because of Mom?

She wants what's best for you.

Did she ask you to stop seeing me?

I happen to agree with her.

To hell with Mom.

Michael, I promised her I wouldn't.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

[instrumental music]

[Ben] We've got to figure out a way to make some more

-time to spend with the kids. -Yeah.

Maybe we should take a vacation. You've been working hard.

Oh, come on.

You're working just as hard.

I know, but I...

I've spent a day at the office, and I've spent a day with the kids,

and I can definitely tell you that the harder of the two

is spending the day with the kids.

[Val chuckling]

[sighing]

You know the tape on the answering machine that records messages while I'm writing?

Mm-hmm.

Well, I got one today that I would like to burn.

-Oh, just ignore it. -No, I can't ignore it.

Bobby must have picked it up while the recorder was going,

and he told Murray, "No, mommy busy."

"Mommy no play."

Murray thought it was cute. [chuckling]

-I felt... -Terrible.

Yeah, I did.

The tape.

-His voice will be on the tape. -No, I erased it.

-I have to go. -Go?

-There's something I have to do. -Ben, come on.

It's after midnight.

-What are you doing? -Mack, the 911 tape.

If Hollister was out there and he called in,

his voice is gonna be on the recording of the tape.

Yeah!

No, now.

Ben, what are you doing?

I'll be back in one hour.

[sighing] Oh, God.

[sighing] I'll be right here.

Jerry, I really appreciate you handling this for us.

For you, Mack, no problem.

How often do you change these tapes?

Well, we record over the cassette copy of each day's calls,

but we keep a master copy for two years.

Now, the masters don't leave the building

except as evidence in court, so you have to listen to them here.

-Sure. -Wait here, and I'll get you the one from three days ago.

[police station din]

[sighing] You know, if Hollister wasn't out there,

his voice isn't gonna be on this tape.

Right.

[Ben] If he was out there and he didn't call for help,

his voice isn't gonna be on this tape.

But if he was out there, and he did call for help

for whatever reason, out of guilt or remorse, then we nail him.

Nail him.

For calling for help?

-For lying. -And that's important to you?

To me, it is, yeah.

Ben, you don't even know these people.

You're acting like it's a vendetta.

I gotta get this story, okay?

Tape is missing.

[suspenseful music]

-[Mack] Are you ready? -[Karen] Yeah.

All right. I have to make a quick phone call, and then I'll drive you.

-I'll wait for you downstairs. -Okay.

[Lilimae singing]

Okay, now, this has to go to Mr. Dan Miller--

-Mama, could you please hold it down just a little bit? -Oh, I'm sorry.

At Romalar Productions, and I've got his address

-over here on a card. -[Lilimae singing]

-Mama. -Oh, I'm sorry. -[phone ringing]

You'll get that.

Listen, guys, let's go on in and have some breakfast. Come on.

Eat some breakfast...

[indistinct chattering]

-[Bobby crying] -We got him. We got him.

Hey, morning, sleepyhead.

-It's 9:15. -Well...

Some of us have been up since 4:30.

Well, that's some terrible habit.

You're gonna have to get over it.

Now, who is that?

[Val] That's my new personal secretary.

Where did he come from?

What do you mean, where did he come from?

-An agency. -An agency?

-Yeah. -[Bradley] Excuse me.

Uh, Mr. Gibson, there's a Mr. Mack MacKenzie on the phone for you.

Would you like to speak to him, or shall I take a message?

No, I'll talk to him.

[Bradley] Mr. Gibson will be right with you, Mr. Mackenzie.

What do you know about this guy?

I checked his references.

His references? He could be his roommates or his cousins.

Ben, would you stop it?

He is a nice young man.

Come on.

Yeah?

Well, that's nice you have time for your neighbors, Mr. Gibson.

Give me a break, would you? What have you got for me?

That's the first time a 911 tape has ever disappeared.

What's your theory?

Nothing I could ever prove.

-Want me to look into it? -No.

Believe me, it would do no good.

[operator] What is the nature of your emergency?

Hello? 911 police emergency.

[Peter] I want to report an accident.

What you listening to?

Oh, it's just a politician running off at the mouth.

-Put on whatever you want. -All right!

Mom never lets me listen to KMZR.

-[rewinding squeaks] -Oh, yeah?

Well, look, let's tape it.

Then you can listen to it later.

[rock music plays on radio]

All right!

[music on tape]

[Laura] Jason?

Ah-ha. Turn that off.

Go get in the car, honey. We're late for school.

[Jason] See?

I really wish you wouldn't encourage that kind of music around here.

You know, he hears it everywhere he goes.

Well, I'll force him to learn Beethoven's piano concertos.

-That'll fix him. -Good.

[buttons beeping]

-[phone ringing] -Hello?

Thanks for the name of the eyewitness.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You may have saved Peter's career.

Does Peter still have a career?

I guess that depends on Jill Bennett.

Good luck.

Good luck to us both.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Peoria, sir.

How long have you been with the agency?

-Well, I just graduated, and-- -How long?

Two weeks. Not quite.

Let me ask you something.

Are you Jean Hackney's idea of a practical joke?

I beg your pardon?

[Ben] Do they place everybody

who has no secretarial skills

as quickly as they placed you?

Well, um, maybe I was just lucky.

Lucky? Or working for the company?

-What? -[phone ringing]

-Gibson residence. -[Val] Ben?

Uh, coffee?

Yes, sir.

What are you doing?

-I don't like strangers in the house. -Shh!

This whole scriptwriting thing is getting completely out of hand.

Out of hand? I thought that I was just getting it under control.

Now, what is it that you want?

Maybe I don't know what I want.

-[Bradley] Excuse me. -That was a Gary Ewing from the St. Agnes Hospital, sir.

A miss Jill Bennett is showing signs of regaining consciousness.

It's a hospital regulation, and there's nothing I can do about it.

I'll let you know as soon as she's fully conscious

and the doctor permits visitors.

[indistinct announcement over PA]

[tense music]

You know, you are really beginning to get on my nerves.

What the hell makes you think I care about your opinion?

What do you expect to get out of all this?

I don't expect anything. I love that woman.

Jill Bennett is conscious. Mr. Ewing?

She's specifically asked to see Mr. Hollister.

[instrumental music]

[theme music plays]