Typical MANNIX adventure, but the story is really not that bad. Credit much to writer Merwyn Gerrard, an enormously popular tv author, who produced and wrote the legendary macabre tv series ONE STEP BEYOND and the latter NEXT STEP BEYOND.
Here, Robert Lansing (a memorable dramatic actor in his second series appearance) plays police chief Yaring who calls Joe to his small town to trail a fellow cop turned thief --at least it sure looks that way. The catch is that Mannix is the lone hold out, believing the suspect innocent. He has a hunch. That spells lots of bruises. Brenda Benet (married to Bill Bixby, who would direct the final series episodes), plays Helen and Ruth Roman plays her mom, the consummate dramatic actress.
One thing is the geography in this story is off, and that caught me by surprise! Merwyn Gerrard did make a technical mistake here. The small town where Joe visits Robert Lansing is supposedly 100 miles north of Los Angeles. That would put it near Santa Barbara, though this was shot in rugged Griffith Park --no way a beach community! Also the Paramount Ranch was in this vacinity and may have been used. Always a go to place for the series with some beautiful backgrounds.
In the show me the money departement; the alleged killer stole $150,000 dollars, which in today's money market would equal about $1,172,000 dollars. Tempting stuff!
Worth a look for Robert Lansing and Ruth Roman , never to disappoint. SEASON 4 EPISODE 16 remastered color CBS/Paramount dvd box set.