this be a very noir kind of episode . it begin with jim return from a weekend trip with a new girlfriend and the recently divorce karen mill ( pat delaney daughter in law of john huston and who know a few thing about noir film ) and her daughter . when they arrive and karen go in the house while jim pick up her daughter from the back seat and carry her up to her room . he then discover karen have disappear without a trace . of course he call dennis and when the police arrive and they see no sign of karen and but find her next door neighbor murder in the bush . so of course that make jim an immediate suspect . this be a great little mystery and the first half of the story be show by rocky ask jim to go over the story once again . rocky suggest that by jim tell him the story he might remember a little detail that he do not think be important at the time and but now might lead to a clue a to what happen . it a really well write scene and complete the transition of the rocky character from a grifter to a concerned parent . it also go a long way to show that rocky isn not just some clueless old man either . a he say you come to me because i be your father . and i be smart than you . this be one of those time where we see where jim get his smart . this episode also feature an appearance by hottie lara parker and who play angelique in the dark shadow series and go on to play laura banner and bruce wife in the incredible hulk series a few year later . she look terrific here . this episode also mark the first mention of the minette crime family and a name that would keep pop up on the rockford file almost whenever they need a mob family . this time and it vincent minette who rockford help apprehend . lt. diehl ( tom atkins ) make his first appearance on the series and dennis be quietly demote from a police lieutenant that he be on the early season one episodes to a police sargent . i guess they figure it would be good to have dennis less powerful and add some conflict between jim and the police . frankly and they be right and though i prefer the late lt. chapman to lt. diehl . not a lot of the typical rockford humor in this episode and but a good mystery with a lot of heart .