01x22 - The Baby Sitter

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

[car honking]

Goodnight.

[honking continues]

Tell him we're coming.

Please forgive us.

We're not always this disorganized, miss..

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot your name.

- We'll be right out. - That's alright.

- It's Mrs. Doucette. - Doucette, of course.

- Catch, Herb. - Uh, thanks.

I think I've told you everything.

There shouldn't be any problem with the baby, she's a doll.

We'll be back around one.

But you forgot to tell me the baby's name, Mrs. Wilcox.

- Oh, I'm sorry, it's Catherine. - Bye.

[door shuts]

Catherine.

Catherine.

[dramatic music]

[babbling]

Catherine.

'Oh, my..'

Oh, my, yes.

Just the way I dreamed you.

[engine revving]

[instrumental music]

Your mother's gonna be mighty upset.

I wonder if I ought to..

My dear..

...Ms. Wilcox.

I know..

...what you will be feeling..

...when...you discover..

...Catherine is gone.

But..

...this is...something..

...I must do.

The voices..

No.

No, she'd never..

...never understand.

But you will understand.

I'll make you understand, Catherine.

What a sweet little girl she is.

Sweet little girl.

Here, now..

Here we go.

Now, you say goodbye, Catherine.

Bye-bye, mama.

Bye, daddy.

[music continues]

[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin

Warner Bros. production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

Stephen Brooks.

With guest stars

Colleen Dewhurst.

Collin Wilcox.

Geoffrey Horne.

Davey Davison.

Tonight's episode

The Baby-Sitter.

[instrumental music]

[buzzer beeps]

Yes, Jane?

Oh, good, put him on.

Hello, Lewis.

Lou, apparently the babysitter

took the Wilcox' car.

According to a report, the car was seen

heading toward Westchester.

Giles, anything new?

[Giles on speaker] 'Yes, sir, I talked to the witness Anthony Garinski.'

'His description of the car checks.'

'It was a light blue Mustang, white convertible top.'

'Might've been a baby on the front seat.'

Contact the New York and Newark offices?

They're arranging with the state police for road checks.

Any sign of a ransom note?

Not yet. The parents have given us permission

to monitor calls.

Alright, then, keep us informed.

Middle-aged woman, stolen baby

and no ransom demands.

Think she's a psychopath?

Who knows? Parents well off?

No, they're just kids, just starting out.

Psychopath or not, it's pretty clear that she's an amateur.

Yeah, which increases the urgency.

She's picked an object that's easy to hide

difficult to identify and very simple to dispose of.

Pull out all the staffs on this.

The potential threat on that baby's life

'increases with each minute.'

[instrumental music]

[indistinct chatter]

[female #1] 'Hurry up!'

[indistinct chatter]

Catherine.

I nearly forgot.

[chuckles]

The mind plays funny tricks sometimes.

[baby crying]

Oh, now, don't you cry, darling.

I got your bottle right here.

There.

You see?

Might be a bit cold, but it's gonna taste mighty good.

Yes, it is.

Open.

Open up, there.

There, oh.

There's a darling.

There. Good, huh?

[chuckles]

Isn't that good?

Mm, you were mighty hungry.

Lucky your mommy had four bottles prepared.

Almost like she knew you were gonna take this

little trip with me.

Such a long way to go.

We've got to be there by April 2nd.

That's the day..

Goodness, I wonder what the date is today.

But I know it's still March

because, uh, I can still feel

that chill that comes with March.

March is my sister's month.

Stella's month.

[sighing]

March..

March, go away.

April, April..

...come out and play.

[Lewis] 'Now, which one of your friends'

recommended this babysitter, Mrs. Wilcox?

- Arlene Morgan. - Mm-hmm.

And her address?



The number she gave me was a telephone exchange.

I called it and she..

The woman..

...called back, she said she was available.

And she sounded nice.

Come on, now, honey.

[sniffles]

[Rhodes] Lou.

Look at this.

Imprints of two handwriting styles.

Did either of you use this today?

Yes, I did, why?

- Mrs. Wilcox? - No.

Recording equipment's in working order, inspector.

Oh, good.

Well, thank you both for your cooperation.

I pray somebody calls.

Too many somebodies probably will, that's usually..

...one of the problems once a case like this hits the papers.

I shouldn't have said anything, should I?

I've done everything wrong, I even gave

the picture of the baby out.

Don't you worry, it'll be alright.

Will it, Mr. Erskine?

Will it?

Yes, Mrs. Wilcox, it will.

You hold on to that thought.

[instrumental music]

Oh, dear God, where is she?

[female #2] I always used to leave him outside

when I went shopping.

Not anymore.

Not since that kidnapping.

What sort of woman would steal another woman's baby?

My husband says she must be some kind of a cook.

I think she must be.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

I suppose I'm somewhat to blame.

If I hadn't passed on that woman's name to Francine..

Where did you get her name, Mrs. Morgan?

The church.

It was tacked up on the bulletin board.

The name and a telephone number

that belonged to an answering service.

- No address? - No, I never knew her address.

She sat for me once when my neighbor's daughter

couldn't make it.

My son was just getting over a cold, I remember

and was waking up three and four times during the night.

She was wonderful with him.

How did you pay her?

- What? - Well, check, cash?

Oh, uh..

By check, probably.

Those things come out of my household account.

Then you must have a cancelled check

with her endorsement on the back.

I guess I must have.

[dramatic music]

We best be getting back to the car.

It's fine to just sit around but..

...we really don't have the time.

[music continues]

[male #1] 'There's no doubt about it in my mind, inspector.'

'The same person wrote both of those samples.'

Dear Mrs. Wilcox, I know what you will be..

...feeling when you discover Catherine is gone

but this is something I must do. The voices..

This is all you could recover of the message?

I'm certain that was all that was written, sir.

Voices?

Alright, I want a check on all the mental institutions

in this part of the country.

- Yes, sir. State, county-- - All of them.

And fast.

[instrumental music]

Do you want that peanut?

[music continues]

[music continues]

- How long has it been? - Nearly three hours.

See what's in in the mental institutions.

Yes, sir.

Now, if we can only find an automobile

with the keys in it.

Is that too much to ask?

Mama always left hers in the car.

Daddy was always worried making an issue out of it.

Maybe we'll be lucky, Catherine, yes.

All these automobiles

one of them ought to be for us.

No. No key in that one.

No.

No, we're not having any luck at all.

Oh, mama, help us, please.

Please, mama, please. Please.

I'm down to the last half dozen.

So far, there's no confirmation of a Mrs. Doucette

having been admitted in any of the..

...institutions canvassed.

We mustn't give up, we must have confidence.

We're right, we must.

Catherine, you just wait here, baby.

Now, be a good girl, and don't you cry.

[male #2 on radio] 'Car four to seventeen.'

'Car four to seventeen, come in.'

Go ahead.

[male #2] 'There's a private institution'

'outside of Greenwich called The Pines.'

'Patient name, Amy Doucette.'

'Fits our description.'

'She left 22 days ago.'

Good, thank you.

Seventeen to all units.

Maintain surveillance until further notice.

Seventeen, clear.

[Amy on stereo] 'Oh, yes, my daddy was a fine man.'

'Although he was so seldom at home'

'he was a traveling man and...well, you see'

'he'd be gone for long periods of time'

'and we didn't see him as much'

'as we would have liked to.'

There are one or two other tapes I could let you hear

without violating patient-doctor confidence.

But I can't imagine what help they could be.

What was your diagnosis of her illness?

She came to us for help but she didn't stay

long enough really, for a conclusive diagnosis.

She has regressive periods in which she relives

real, as well as imagined experiences.

Would you say she's a person who could be, uh

triggered into committing violence?

That's entirely possible.

It's probably been entirely possible all her life.

Could I have a copy of one of those tapes?

We'll need a sample of her voice.

What do you mean, in case she, uh...calls the parents?

Do you really expect her to call?

You're the psychiatrist, doctor, not me.

[Amy on stereo] 'March, March, go away..'

[dramatic music]

April, April

come out and play.

Well, at least I was able to find out what the date is.

We're in the very last day of March.

Tomorrow, and one more day traveling

we'll be at our destination.

April 2nd.

Catherine's birthday.

[sighing]

Not yours, sweet Catherine.

I meant my own Catherine.

My poor, dear Catherine.

Well, only two more days.

Two more days and we'll be waking up my baby.

Watching her eyes open up.

Her two eyes, that are like..

...souvenirs of a picnic time sky.

Uh-uh.

We're almost out of gas.

And I'm clean out of money.

Wait now, let me think for a minute.

[babbling]

Well, we're not too far from Baltimore.

That's where Stella lives.

She wouldn't dare refuse me.

Oh, she'll flutter and cluck about for a while but..

...she's too scared not to..

...lay us a nice golden egg.

Yes, that's just what we'll do.

We'll go to see Stella.

On the very last day

of her month.

March, March

go away.

[instrumental music]

[car door shuts]

[doorbell ringing]

[doorbell ringing]

Probably sleeping.

Well, she don't have much, poor thing.

Spinster woman.

Yes?

Who is it?

It's me, honey.

'Open the door, quick.'

Amy?

[Amy] 'Stella, do you hear me?'

Open up this door.

Open it at once.

Amy.

You better go away.

The police are looking for you all over.

Your name's in all the papers.

You open this up before I break this door down

and get my hands on you myself.

Do you hear me, Stella?

'Stella!'

Stella!

How dare you keep me waiting?

Stop that staring.

Haven't you ever seen a baby before?

Well, don't just stand there glued to the carpet.

Put on some lights and let me see what you done

with mama's house.

Mmh-hm.

Well..

Looks dead.

Just like you.

[baby crying]

Oh..

Now you be a good little baby

and I'm gonna get you something to eat real soon.

The little girl has to have some milk.

Do you have some vegetables you can mash up?

- The kitchen. - 'Wait..'

Stella

you're forgetting your manners.

You could offer me a bourbon first

thank you very much.

Amy..

Please, you.. You can't stay here.

No ice.

I don't take ice.

I...remember.

[sighing]

I'm gonna need some money, Stella.

Amy..

Why did you do it?

- A little baby. - And a car.

You do have an automobile, don't you?

Amy, please. Don't ask me to help you.

I said, do you have an automobile?

No.. Yes, it..

Do you know what day this is, Stella?

It's the last of March.

It's the last night of your month.

That was always an unlucky night for you, wasn't it?

Remember, it was, uh..

the last night of March..

...hmm, how long ago..

...you were invited to Paul Fredrick's party.

Not me.

No.

Because you told him I had fits.

So I wasn't invited.

You remember that, Stella?

Amy, I...I didn't, I never did.

I was pretty

and I could dance. Ooh!

I could dance better than you.

Yes.

And I was so much in love with Paul Fredericks.

'And he was in love with me.'

Yes.

Yes, he loved me.

Until you told him I had fits.

Amy, I didn't.

I never said that to him, I..

Ah..

"Doesn't Stella look lovely

"in her new lovely

white party dress?"

Mama said.

"Isn't she a doll?

Doesn't she just look scrumptious?" Mama said.

Oh, careful, darling.

Don't flounce around in front of the fire place like that.

That white net is highly inflammable.

Oh..

...how lovely Stella looks

in her miles and miles

of white inflammable net.

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

No!

No! Don't!

[crying]

[dramatic music]

[crying]

[Amy] 'Stop that crying.'

'You're gonna scare Catherine half to death.'

Now, why don't you run out in the kitchen

and get Catherine and me something to eat?

Well, Catherine..

Let's see.

Well, what do you think, Catherine?

You don't think it makes me..

...look too hot, do you?

[phone ringing]

Hello?

Hello?

'Hello?'

Is this Mr. Wilcox?

Yes.

Who-who is this calling, please?

I-I just want to relieve your mind.

I've seen your baby

and she's well and unharmed.

Um, won't you please tell me what your name is?

[Stella] 'Please, just, just take my word for it.'

Um, I, I've taken so many phone calls

I don't know what to believe anymore.

Won't you please tell me your name?

I-I can't, I'm scared.

Uh, Catherine, is, uh, very susceptible to colds.

Um, is-is she warmly dressed? Is she coughing?

Don't you worry, you just tell your wife

there's nothing to fret about.

We're having a warm spell down here.

Down here? Where are you?

[dramatic music]

[Stella on stereo] 'I just want to relieve your mind.'

'I've seen your baby, she's well and unharmed.'

On the basis of this, you wanna institute

a three state search for a long distance call?

What makes this voice any different from the others

that came over the Wilcox phone?

Listen to this, alright, it's Mrs. Doucette.

[Amy on stereo] 'Not that I consider myself sick, doctor'

'but it would relieve my mind some if you could just tell me'

'that I don't have anything to fret about.'

Woman on the phone.

[Stella on stereo] 'Please don't worry.'

'You just tell your wife'

'there's nothing to fret about.'

'We're having a warm spell down here.'

Mrs. Doucette.

[Amy on stereo] 'Mama was delighted.'

'We were having a warm spell that spring.'

'And mama, she just blossomed in the warm weather.'

It could almost be the same voice.

Not the same.

They're similar enough to assume they belong to people

with the same geographical background.

Possibly even the same family background.

Possibly even sisters.

Yeah, it's hard to pinpoint the exact origin.

There's a blend of influences in both cases

as though they moved around a lot as children.

How do you know we're down to one of three states?

Well, the voice on the phone referred

to where she was as, "Down here."

Oh, so you called the weather bureau

and found out what three southern states

were having a warm spell?

Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina.

Alright, go ahead, Lewis.

[crickets chirping]

[humming]

We'll be there tomorrow.

Tomorrow, tomorrow.

I'll have my own little Catherine back.

And you, Catherine, little Miss Wilcox.

You'll start on that long sleep with the angels.

Well, I'm sorry.

But you see

I need my own baby so bad.

So very bad.

[continues humming]

Yes, it could have been a payphone.

And we're hoping it was a person to person call

placed with an operator.

- Is Triesta there? - Alright, thank you.

Do they understand the urgency now?

Okay, thanks.

Another 24 hours gone.

[phone ringing]

Erskine.

Alright, thank you.

Still nothing?

- I thought you were asleep. - I am.

[sighing]

[phone ringing]

Erskine.

Yes.

Yes.

What was that name again?

- Wainwright, thank you. - Is that it?

Ms. Stella Wainwright, 201, North Jefferson Way

Baltimore, Maryland.

I've told you, sir, I've told you twice now.

I saw this little baby in the park

and she looked exactly like the little kidnapped child.

I mean, she looked exactly like the pictures

of the little kidnapped child that they show on television

and I just felt so sorry for the parents that, I just had to call

and let them know that she was alive.

That's all, I'm sorry.

May I ask, why you didn't identify yourself on the phone?

Because I didn't wanna be annoyed with questions.

But it seems I'm being annoyed anyway.

Ms. Wainwright, what is your sister's married name?

Is it Doucette?

Please don't make me talk about her.

She'll come back.

My life won't be worth anything.

You saw her, she had Catherine Wilcox with her.

'She was alive and well as you told Mr. Wilcox.'

You don't know my sister.

She'll find some way to get back at me.

Ms. Wainwright, you called the baby's home

because you wanted to reassure her parents.

You cared enough to do that.

'Don't stop now.'

That baby's life may depend on what you tell us.

We don't need that tidy, old wig anymore.

'Cause we're home, honey.

We're back where my Catherine is.

I wonder if anybody will recognize me.

Been years.

Except I didn't have many friends here.

And I have changed.

Anyway that.. That old wig hurt my head.

I just don't care if anybody recognizes me.

I won't think about it.

Oh, yes.

We got so many things to do.

before we get my Catherine.

First, we'll have something to eat.

[baby babbling]

Yes, I know.

I know.

You're hungry and you're tired.

And the world's just a terrible place.

Everything's gonna be alright, you'll see.

Please, I-I've told you. I don't know where she went.

All I know is that, she did say several times

that, she had to be somewhere by the 2nd of April.

- Okay. - It's today.

Uh, Ms. Wainwright, are there any other identifying

features about your car?

But I told you, about the fact that

the right side of the car is dented.

Uh, yes, I told them that.

- Well, that's all, I guess. - Thank you, that's it.

What about your sister's husband?

I don't know, I never met him.

- Are there any other relatives? - Okay.

No. Oh, well, yes.

I mean, they were.

Uh, she had a, a baby daughter.

I got this announcement

right after the baby girl was born.

- Named Catherine, of course. - Catherine?

Oh, yes, that was always her favorite name.

According to this, she'd be about ten now.

Well, I reckon she would be if she lived.

But then, I got this announcement

a few months later.

It's a death announcement.

Who were these mailed from?

This says Charlotte, North Carolina.

Ms. Wainwright, is your sister in the habit

of visiting her daughter's grave

on the anniversary of her death?

Mr. Erskine, I don't know anything

about my sister's habits

except that she is wicked and cruel.

Thank you, Ms. Wainwright.

Mr. Erskine..

I do hope that, that baby girl will be safe.

Good day.

That death announcement seems to have some significance to you?

- You see the date on it? - No.

- April 2nd. - The grave site?

We can fly to Charlotte in less than an hour.

There now

just the way my own little Catherine used to be.

Come on now.

Upsy-daisy. Ah!

Ah, it's just the same now

when I come to wake her up as it was when I left her.

Same hour.

Four o'clock on a sunny afternoon.

[female #3 on P.A.] 'Now arriving at Gate-A.'

Hewitt Wood, inspector.

- Hewitt, this is Jim Rhodes. - How do you do?

You get the information I called you about?

Yes, and we went through the records of City Hall

and found one death certificate for a Doucette.

A Mr. Henry Doucette.

- No Catherine, huh? - No, sir.

Alright, let's try the undertakers

and leave the police to help us cover the local cemeteries.

Any luck?

None of the west side establishments

list a burial record of a Catherine Doucette.

Nothing here either.

How about the cemeteries?

No one answering Mrs. Doucette's description.

What do we do now?

Try to figure out where our thinking went wrong.

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[male #3] '"...in who we trust'

"that he will yet deliver us.

"With the Lord as my shepherd.

"I shall not want..

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

'"He leadeth me beside the still waters.'

'"He restoreth my soul.'

'"He leadeth me in the path of righteousness'

"'for his namesake.'

'"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.'

'"I will fear no evil..'

My daddy used to say

"We mortals crawl from the darkness

through the darkness and into the darkness."

Isn't that a sad thought?

[male #3] '"Thou anointest my head with oil.."'

But we mustn't be sad today.

This is a happy day.

[male #3] '"Surely goodness and mercy'

'shall follow me all the days of my life."'

Hold it.

"AN-4772."

Three to control.

[male #4 on radio] 'Come in three.'

Doucette car spotted.

Sacred Soul Cemetery.

Three miles North of Charlotte on City Highway 321.

[dramatic music]

- Anything? - Nothing.

- I think I better report in. - Alright.

[Lewis] Ben.

- Any sign of the woman? - Not yet.

We were checkin' the cemetery.

I was just about to report in.

[dramatic music]

She said, she saw someone off that way.

Look, we've only a short way to go.

Just a few more steps. Look.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[baby crying]

[crying continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[crying continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[crying continues]

[sobbing]

Catherine.

[sobbing]

[sobbing continues]

[sobbing continues]

[crying continues]

[music continues]

Daddy?

I came back to get Catherine.

Look, her eyes are open.

See, daddy.

Why, it's Catherine.

You got her for me, remember?

When mama brought Stella home from the hospital

you brought Catherine for me to be my very own.

Daddy

why do you need another little girl?

Is she prettier than I?

Am I uglier than her?

You hate me now.

No.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Doctor says, she's as healthy as ever.

No bad effects at all.

She even gained half an ounce.

Apparently, Mrs. Doucette was as careful with Catherine

as she would have been with her own child.

The reports have been so confusing.

Did she have one of her own?

She went through the ritual of sending out

birth and death announcements

but apparently there never was a baby.

What's going to happen to her?

It's in the hands of the United States attorney now.

But she's so obviously not responsible.

The law makes distinction in these cases, Mrs. Wilcox.

If she's found to have been legally insane

at the time of the kidnapping

she'll be confined to an institution.

Mr. Erskine

bless you, bless you both.

[music continues]

[theme music]

[music continues]

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