Cry Wolf

Written by
 Directed by
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## Briefing

A man uses a series of call boxes to make hoax calls. It's costing the department a lot of money and Getraer sets up a special unit to deal with the hoaxer.

## Traffic Violations

* Incorrect use of a call box - Apprehended.

## Report

Jon and Ponch are attempting to order taco's but can't be heard because Ponch has his radio on and the chatter is interfering. Jon switches off the radio and asks for the order again which is heard this time.

A man stops by a call box numbered SD 283 and tells the operator that a gas tanker has rolled over and reports people are hurt. The operator asks him for his box number and he tells her it's SD 285. The man gets in his red VW Beetle and drives off.

Jon and Ponch are waiting for their order when an APB alert goes out regarding the tanker. Baricza responds and so do Jon and Ponch leaving their taco order behind. The fire department, the paramedics a tow truck and an ambulance are dispatched.

Everyone converges at the call box numbered SD 285.

A woman in a blue convertible skids uncontrollably when she hits a wet patch of road. Jon and Ponch are behind her, Jon puts his brakes on just as he hits a wet patch caused by sprinklers and loses control of his bike and falls off.

Ponch stops beside him and helps him up, he's holding his elbow. Jon asks Ponch to help him get his bike up. The woman in the car gets out horrified at what happened and she pays particular attention to Jon's elbow. Jon apologises to her that it's not worse, she's a nurse and her name is Karen Wayburn. He tells her to move her car.

Getraer stops by to check on the major accident. Grossman tells Getraer that Baricza is checking the location. Getraer tells Grossman to check Mulholland just in case.

The man in the red VW Beetle is watching from an overpass.

Grossman returns and tells Getraer there's nothing. Getraer tells Grossman to clear up everything then to report to Central along with Baricza, Fritz, Poncherello, and Baker for a special assignment.

Jon and Ponch are checking over his bike. Karen tells Jon he should get his elbow checked out, Jon declines the offer and tells her to be on her way. They eventually arrive at call box 285 and Baricza mentions the state of Jon's uniform. Grossie informs them of Getraer's request. Ponch can't believe he didn't want to go to the hospital with the foxy nurse, and he should have his elbow x-rayed. Jon tells him it was purely professional interest and he misread her intentions.

Back at Central everyone who was requested is in the briefing room as well as the operator who spoke to the man. Getraer enters the room with Jay Higgins from the phone company. Getraer has assembled a special task force which will begin tomorrow once the tracing equipment has been set up. When the man calls again they're going to respond to the call as a team, when he annouces his box number the team is to cover a three mile radius around it. Fritz questions the tracing equipment, Higgins tells him the equipment will tell them which box he's really using. Grossie asks why they need to check the other boxes. Getraer tells him the trace takes time and they need to keep him talking so he hopes one of the team will be able to spot him. Getraer tells them that when a call goes down the man is close by. Jon is put in charge of the task force. Getraer notices Jon's uniform and mentions it. Ponch tells Getraer that he nearly got killed. When asked what happened Getraer agrees with Ponch that Jon should go to hospital to have it checked out.

The man sits in his bedroom with clippings on his wall regarding a fireman who died in the line of duty. There's a knock at the door and it's his sister, Sarah. Sarah asks Walt to lock the door to the house when he leaves. Walt tells her he left in a hurry because he had a job interview. Sarah gets excited and asks him where. Walt gets angry that she's treating him like a prisoner and she's his warden. Their father has been dead since Walt was 6.

Walt rings from box SD 424 to inform the operator that there's a huge brushfire burning on the San Diego Freeway. The operator tells him she needs his box number. He tells her it's SD 426 and then hangs up. The operator informs the fire department, the ambulance service and the paramedics.

Baricza is the first to arrive and there's no one there.

Jon goes to see Getraer and tells him they should ask the public for help since they notice things too. Getraer tells Jon that the Captain through of it this morning and it's a good idea. He tells Jon as soon as the tracing equipment is in place at 8 am tomorrow he wants his task force out there.

A man runs to a call box and tells the operator that a helicopter has crashed on the freeway. The operator tells Higgin's it's him and they start tracing the call. The man tells the operator his box number is SD 248.

An APB goes out to the special task force and Jon, Ponch and Baricza respond.

They arrive at box SD 248 and there is indeed a helicopter that's crashed just before an underpass. Ponch radio's it in. Jon checks on the pilot but he's concerned about the box on the helicopter. The box contains a rare blood pack for a hemophiliac and they'll die without it. Jon searches the chopper while Ponch tells everyone to get back behind their cars and to move the pilot to safety. Jon and Ponch manage to free the jammed case and ride to the Valley General Hospital.

Since they're at Valley General, Jon goes to have his elbow checked out. Karen notices that the x-ray room is free and decides to x-ray him first before taking down his details. Karen tells Jon he has very photogenic elbows and starts taking down his personal details. Ponch checks in on his partner and Mark brings in some flowers for her. She thanks Jon for the flowers. Jon is just as surprised as she is.

Sarah goes to Walt's room to ask for the TV set. Walt takes offense at the way she speaks to him, all Sarah wants is the TV moved to her room. Walt tells her she can watch it in his room since he's going out.

Ponch is talking to Karen on the phone, he's set up a date for them at 7:30. Jon walks into the room and Ponch gives him the good news about their double date. Jon doesn't seem all that happy about it so Ponch tells him he'll cancel the arrangement. Jon rubs his head with his pencil and Ponch knows he doesn't have to make that call.

Ponch has booked the reservation under his name and when he arrives there the maitre d' gives Ponch the look over and tells him his table isn't ready. Another group of four enter the restaurant and they're early. They get shown to their seats immediately. Ruth asks Ponch what's going on. The maitre d' checks the reservation list and tells Ponch his name isn't there. Jon tells him his name is there under his thumb. The maitre d' tells them they'll have to wait. Ponch tells him to take them to their table or they'll find one they like. The maitre d' takes them to their table. Ruth tells Ponch she wants to try the escargot. Ponch orders it for the whole table. When it arrives, Jon is shocked their snails but when he tries it he likes it. The waiter brings them their mains and Jon doesn't know what it is, Karen tells him what it is and that he'll love it. Jon can't wait because he's starving. The waiter lifts the lid on his dinner and it's a quail with a couple of carrots and a few stems of broccoli. Jon tells her he can't eat it since it reminds him of the parakeets he used to raise.

Jon drives Karen home, she tells him she would invite him in, Jon tells her he has to get going too and helps her unlock the door to her house. She asks if she'll see him again, and Jon takes her by the shoulders and kisses her.

Ponch notices Jon is looking different today. Jon smiles.

A woman is driving her beat up Mustang down the street and stops and struggles to get out, she leaves the car in the road and runs off shouting to someone called Jeff to get it out of her car. Jon and Ponch arrive and Ponch tells Jon he'll move it. Ponch parks the car to the side of the street and puts the car in parking. A snake appears and starts wrapping itself around Ponch's boot. Ponch freezes and attempts to get out of the car but the door is jammed. Ponch shouts for Jon, but Jon is walking away from the car. He honks the car horn to get Jon's attention.

Ponch tells him there's a snake in the car and Jon attempts to open the door but it won't budge. Jon asks for Ponch to push his shoulder in to the door. Once open Jon pulls Ponch free but the snake has wrapped itself around Ponch's leg and the steering wheel. Jon tells him it's a boa constrictor. When Ponch is free of the car the snake is still wrapped around his leg. A boy comes screaming down the street telling them to leave Ralphie alone. Jeff tells them he was cleaning out Ralphie's cage and put him in the car.

Back at Central, Walt is making another call from call box SD 253. He tells them he's ringing from San Diego 255. He reports a Greyhound bus went over the overpass and onto the freeway. Jon and Ponch implement the special detail. Higgin's comes back with the correct number for the call box and the operator informs Jon and Ponch to check out call box SD 253. Ponch spots Walt at the call box. They ride past his car and then U-turn. Walt sees them coming and reverses onto a slip road used for traffic to merge with the freeway. But since this is a off ramp there are cars coming off it so Walt doesn't get very far before he has to ditch his car and run on foot. Jon and Ponch continue their pursuit on their bikes. When they catch up to Walt, Walt threatens to jump off the overpass. Jon calls it in discreetly. Walt sees a patrol car below and loosens his grip on the rail, Ponch lunges forwards and manages to grab both of his arms, Jon joins in helping him up.

Jon and Ponch are double dating again at the same French restaurant, Jon is going to watch Madame Butterfly with Karen. Ponch tells Jon he's ordered something special. The waiter comes out and lifts the lid on their meals. Hamburger and fries.

## Notes

* Jon is a Leo.
* Jon was born in Rawlins, Wyoming.
* Robbie Rist appeared in many TV shows over the 70's and 80's, The Brady Bunch, Big John Little John as well as Battlestar Galactica 1980.
* Ellen Travolta is the sister of John Travolta.
* This episode departs from the usual outcome ending in the end credits and goes back to their reaction to the meal at the French restaurant the first time round.
* Anyone watching the MO of Walt's use of the call box numbers would know he adds 2 to the number he's at. However, because Central didn't trace the calls until the last incident they wouldn't have known this.

### Codes Used.

* 11-98 - Meet the officer.

* 11-48 - Transportation request.
* 10-19 - Return to Station / En Route to.
* 10-21 - Phone.
* 11-80 - Traffic Accident; major injuries.
* 11-79 - Traffic Accident; Ambulance dispatched.
* 10-22 - Cancel or disregard.
* 10-97 - Arrived at the scene.
* 11-24 - Abandoned Vehicle.
* 10-28 - Request Vehicle Registration Information.
* 10-4 - Message Received.
* 11-82 - Traffic accident; no injury.

### Quotes

* Jon/[Ponch]: Name's Jon Baker. You know yours? [Uh-huh. Officer Egg-in-the-Face.] Really.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Larry Wilcox: Jon Baker
* Erik Estrada: Frank Poncherello
* Robert Pine: Joe Getraer

### Recurring

* Brodie Greer: Baricza
* Paul Linke: Grossman
* Lew Saunders: Fritz

Others

* Kathryn Holcomb: Karen (Wayburn)
* Brad David: Walt
* Charlene Dallas: Ruth
* Melinda Fee: Sarah
* Robbie Rist: Jeff
* David Staller: Walter
* Alyscia Maxwell: Kathy
* Ellen Travolta: Helen