Post by owlcroft on Nov 20, 2014 19:43:32 GMT -5
It's a big day at the races for dedicated gambler, Gerald Hardcastle. He manages to clear over a thousand bucks on a cooperative nag. Unfortunately, that still leaves him a hundred thousand in arrears to a loan shark named Manny. The shark corners Gerald and takes him for a ride, advising him it's time to tap his rich brother in California for the balance.
A day or so later, at Gull's Way, the judge tries to figure out why his younger brother has suddenly blown into town. He's pretty sure the guy is up to no good. He'll probably be angling for a loan. Mark is just surprised to hear that there's another close Hardcastle relation that he's never met (or even heard of). He's even more shocked to find out that Milt hasn't seen his brother in ten years. He starts planning things for the two guys to do.
Gerry arrives, suitcase in hand and a smile on his face. He's effusive and instantly friendly to Mark. Milt is warily reserved. Mark has to practically drag him out to the patio to make nice with his brother. Even this leads to a blow-up fight in which Milt demands to know what Gerry is up to and Gerry gamely insists he has no ulterior motives and says he'll go to a hotel.
Nothing doing. Milt backs down and invites him to stay at the estate. He's still wary, though, and begs him to behave. Milt's having a special guest over to dinner Shelia Mooney. She's the presiding judge in the current high-profile Van Zandt murder trial. Gerald's heard about that one. Heck, they're even making book on the outcome.
That night at dinner, Gerald plies Mooney for inside details of the case. Even Mark knows he's out of line, but Mooney seems inexplicably charmed and eventually reveals that there doesn't seem to be much of a defense.
In mid-meal Gerald receives a phone call. It's Manny, telling him to join him outside. Gerald meets the man and passes along Mooney's assessment of the trial. He tells Manny he can bet the bank on it. Manny say if Gerald is wrong, he can expect to be killed.
The next day, Gerald insists on attending the Van Zandt trial. He has a ringside seat, along with Milt and Mark. The defense introduces a new witness, PI Horace Munson, who testifies that he was hired by the victim, retail magnate Harlan Eagle, to follow his fiancée, Trish Van Zandt. He can provide her with a detailed alibi for the day of Eagle's murder the case is headed for dismissal.
Big oops for Gerald, who's next seen hastily packing between making calls to arrange for an airline flight to somewhere he hopes Manny can't reach. Meanwhile, Milt is pondering the odd convenience of having just the right witness show up to exonerate Ms. Van Zandt.
Gerald tries to sneak out, is confronted by Milt, leaves anyway, and is attacked by Manny practically on Milt's front porch. Milt intervenes, and is told by Manny that Gerald now owes him a cool 200K. After Manny departs, Gerald comes clean, or at least a little cleaner. He promises to leave and take his troubles with him. Mark intervenes, luring Milt into the obvious rescue plan: prove Van Zandt actually did do the murder (though I'm not sure if the bookies allow for double jeopardy).
The three men visit Mooney and get a look at Exhibit A, Munson's journal, which looks a little too neat to be impromptu surveillance notes. They decide to visit Munson.
Meanwhile, Munson, the convenient witness, has other visitors in his office. It's Trish Van Zandt and Harlan Eagle's brother, Lionel. Munson is demanding additional money for lying on the witness stand. This probably isn't going to end well.
Milt, Gerald, and Mark arrive at the building. No one seems to be home at Munson's office. They search it, finding Munson's original notes, the ones that don't provide Van Zandt with an alibi.
At Lionel's office, Van Zandt assures him a dead Munson means the end of their troubles. Lionel muses about never having been good enough for his brother, Harlan.
Back at Munson's office, Milt studies the PI's original notes further. They seem to implicate Harlan's brother in his murder. They also find Munson's not very well hidden body
Enough for an arrest, you say? Not so fast. There's a fourth act. Milt goes to Lionel's office (as "Mr.Milton"), alluding to the information they've found. They agree to meet later that night at one of the Eagle department stores.
Meanwhile, outside, Mark explains Milt's M.O. to Gerald. They're interrupted by Manny and his henchmen, who pull up, slug Mark,and kidnap Gerald. Milt arrives just in time to hear the threat: pay up or else. He tells Manny to be at the Eagle department store that night.
Denouement time. The Eagle store is like the showdown at the OK Corral with all the involved parties converging on it for the 9 pm rendezvous. Mayhem ensues, both in the lot, where Trish Van Zandt plays bumper cars with the cops, and inside the store, where Manny, Lionel, Milt, and Gerald do substantial damage to the retail inventory.
Arrests are made.
In the epilogue, Gerald's cab to the airport comes in the nick of time. He and Mark were already deep in the discussion of pari-mutuel betting. The two brothers seem to be on slightly better terms, too. After Gerry departs, Milt even supposes that Gerald might be able to turn his life around.
Mark winces. He's out $20. Gerald bet him that would be the first thing Milt would say.
Written by Donald Ross
Premiered February 10, 1986
A day or so later, at Gull's Way, the judge tries to figure out why his younger brother has suddenly blown into town. He's pretty sure the guy is up to no good. He'll probably be angling for a loan. Mark is just surprised to hear that there's another close Hardcastle relation that he's never met (or even heard of). He's even more shocked to find out that Milt hasn't seen his brother in ten years. He starts planning things for the two guys to do.
Gerry arrives, suitcase in hand and a smile on his face. He's effusive and instantly friendly to Mark. Milt is warily reserved. Mark has to practically drag him out to the patio to make nice with his brother. Even this leads to a blow-up fight in which Milt demands to know what Gerry is up to and Gerry gamely insists he has no ulterior motives and says he'll go to a hotel.
Nothing doing. Milt backs down and invites him to stay at the estate. He's still wary, though, and begs him to behave. Milt's having a special guest over to dinner Shelia Mooney. She's the presiding judge in the current high-profile Van Zandt murder trial. Gerald's heard about that one. Heck, they're even making book on the outcome.
That night at dinner, Gerald plies Mooney for inside details of the case. Even Mark knows he's out of line, but Mooney seems inexplicably charmed and eventually reveals that there doesn't seem to be much of a defense.
In mid-meal Gerald receives a phone call. It's Manny, telling him to join him outside. Gerald meets the man and passes along Mooney's assessment of the trial. He tells Manny he can bet the bank on it. Manny say if Gerald is wrong, he can expect to be killed.
The next day, Gerald insists on attending the Van Zandt trial. He has a ringside seat, along with Milt and Mark. The defense introduces a new witness, PI Horace Munson, who testifies that he was hired by the victim, retail magnate Harlan Eagle, to follow his fiancée, Trish Van Zandt. He can provide her with a detailed alibi for the day of Eagle's murder the case is headed for dismissal.
Big oops for Gerald, who's next seen hastily packing between making calls to arrange for an airline flight to somewhere he hopes Manny can't reach. Meanwhile, Milt is pondering the odd convenience of having just the right witness show up to exonerate Ms. Van Zandt.
Gerald tries to sneak out, is confronted by Milt, leaves anyway, and is attacked by Manny practically on Milt's front porch. Milt intervenes, and is told by Manny that Gerald now owes him a cool 200K. After Manny departs, Gerald comes clean, or at least a little cleaner. He promises to leave and take his troubles with him. Mark intervenes, luring Milt into the obvious rescue plan: prove Van Zandt actually did do the murder (though I'm not sure if the bookies allow for double jeopardy).
The three men visit Mooney and get a look at Exhibit A, Munson's journal, which looks a little too neat to be impromptu surveillance notes. They decide to visit Munson.
Meanwhile, Munson, the convenient witness, has other visitors in his office. It's Trish Van Zandt and Harlan Eagle's brother, Lionel. Munson is demanding additional money for lying on the witness stand. This probably isn't going to end well.
Milt, Gerald, and Mark arrive at the building. No one seems to be home at Munson's office. They search it, finding Munson's original notes, the ones that don't provide Van Zandt with an alibi.
At Lionel's office, Van Zandt assures him a dead Munson means the end of their troubles. Lionel muses about never having been good enough for his brother, Harlan.
Back at Munson's office, Milt studies the PI's original notes further. They seem to implicate Harlan's brother in his murder. They also find Munson's not very well hidden body
Enough for an arrest, you say? Not so fast. There's a fourth act. Milt goes to Lionel's office (as "Mr.Milton"), alluding to the information they've found. They agree to meet later that night at one of the Eagle department stores.
Meanwhile, outside, Mark explains Milt's M.O. to Gerald. They're interrupted by Manny and his henchmen, who pull up, slug Mark,and kidnap Gerald. Milt arrives just in time to hear the threat: pay up or else. He tells Manny to be at the Eagle department store that night.
Denouement time. The Eagle store is like the showdown at the OK Corral with all the involved parties converging on it for the 9 pm rendezvous. Mayhem ensues, both in the lot, where Trish Van Zandt plays bumper cars with the cops, and inside the store, where Manny, Lionel, Milt, and Gerald do substantial damage to the retail inventory.
Arrests are made.
In the epilogue, Gerald's cab to the airport comes in the nick of time. He and Mark were already deep in the discussion of pari-mutuel betting. The two brothers seem to be on slightly better terms, too. After Gerry departs, Milt even supposes that Gerald might be able to turn his life around.
Mark winces. He's out $20. Gerald bet him that would be the first thing Milt would say.
Written by Donald Ross
Premiered February 10, 1986
