03x24 - The Mechanized Accomplice

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

Gus!

Hi, man. I thought you abandoned me.

Never, baby. Come on.

Okay, Mr. Bond. Can peel out when ready.

Onward and upward.

[engine rumbling]

- You sure nobody saw you? - Yeah, positive.

Out the window, down the trellis

across the lawn..

Zap. Here I am, no problems.

Those dumb folks will never miss me.

- What about you? - What about me what?

Would you miss them?

Oh. My crazy mother, maybe.

I really feel sorry for her.

Sorry I've to leave her alone with that dumb old man of mine.

Spence, what makes him so dumb?

'No. But you're older than me.'

'But you're not like that.'

I can communicate with you.

I feel like I've known you all my life

instead of just a couple of weeks.

- Spence. - 'Mmm?'

How come you, how come you talked to me down here that day?

I don't know..

I guess I felt sorry for you.

I mean, you were so out of it.

[chuckling]

Poor little rich boy.

- How'd you know I was rich? - 'One of the guys told me.'

He said, "You see that pitiful kid over there?

That's Gus Kolner and his old man is a millionaire."

That got me.

You know, that got me.

So, I thought I'd rescue you and show you where it's at.

Okay, well, you say it but you don't do it.

Are you sure you're ready for this trip, Mr. Kolner?

[sighs]

Mr. Lang. I've been ready for 17 years.

Then, hang on, pal..

...because Haight-Ashbury is gonna freak you out.

[engine rumbling]

[instrumental music]

[car revving]

Fill it up, will you?

And, uh, I don't wanna wake up my pal.

[coin clinking]

[female #1] 'Operator.'

Uh, yeah, honey, I want



'Please deposit $1.25 for three minutes.'

Alright.

'Thank you. I am ringing.'

[telephone ringing]

- Hello? - 'Mr. Stefan Kolner?'

Yes.

I'm calling you about

your son, Mr. Kolner.

- Why, uh, you found him? - "Found him?"

'Uh, I'm in his room now. He's obviously run away.'

Y-you can tell him I had to call a doctor for his mother.

Where are you?

Well, we're quite a distance away.

- Uh, out of Idaho? - 'Yes.'

Alright, put him on an airplane, and I'll

send you a little reward for your trouble.

Well, okay. How about a $150,000?

How about what?

'I'll tell you where to drop the money, later.'

You see, Mr. Kolner, your boy didn't run away.

He's been kidnapped.

And unless you do everything I tell you to..

...he'll be k*lled.

[dramatic music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

William Reynolds.

With guest stars Andrew Prine..

...Will Kuluva..

...Bobby Sherman..

...and Lynn Bari, as Belinda.

Tonight's episode, "The Mechanized Accomplice."

[theme music]

[instrumental music]

[male narrator] Seventeen-year-old Gustav Franz Kolner

was missing.

Because he had no prior history of running away

and because of a persistent rumor that he had been seen

in the presence of an ex-convict

FBI man, Andrew Rae, in charge

of the Boise Resident Agency had immediately contacted

Bureau headquarters in Washington.

- 'This is his room.' - Andy, how are you?

Good to see you again, Inspector.

- Tom. - Andy.

That was a fast flight.

We've had no more ransom demands.

We still can't pin down the rumor of the ex-convict.

Now, Mr. Kolner seems to think this is all some kind of hoax.

One thing I'm fairly sure of.. This boy left on his own.

We've been over the entire house, the grounds..

There are absolutely no signs at all of outside entry

forcible or otherwise.

He pulled these blankets up over the pillows

then he packed a suitcase, climbed out that window.

- Mr. Kolner. - 'Mm-hmm?'

Did you have the feeling that the voice on the telephone

this morning might have been disguised?

No, it, uh, it wasn't Gustav's voice.

It, uh, might have been a friend's.

I-it sounded young.

I-I don't understand him or his friends.

W-when I was his age, I-I already owned my own bakery

i-in, in Munich.

I-I lost it all in the inflation.

I-I came to this country with nothing.

Nothing! And I started all over again.

Hmm.

W-well, what is he so unhappy about?

W-what is wrong?

He talks about th-the establishment.

I-I-I'm not the establishment, I am his father.

And he's an only child?

I-I was...44 when I was married.

My wife was 42.

The boy was born the next year.

Uh, we were too old, but I, I wanted children.

Uh, I'd like to talk to your wife too, if I may?

Mmm, she's in her room.

I'll ask her to come into the study, uh..

Uh, l-l-look at that.

Pillows under the covers to fool me, can you imagine?

[sighing]

I'm not sure I understand, Mr. Kolner.

Why would the boy be out to think you'd check on him?

Hmm, I-I checked on him every night, at-at 11.

I see, and, uh, how old is he?

Seventeen. E-excuse me.

Lew.

Motivation for a runaway?

You'll notice that it's a week old

and it hasn't been signed.

Hmm.

Did he have many friends, Andy?

No, sir, no close ones we can locate.

You've talked to his teachers?

[Andy] 'Very briefly.'

He got an 'A' in music.

So, what music was he he interested in.

All kinds, all aspects, from performing to composing.

Primarily rock and roll.

[cars revving]

[instrumental music]

[guitar music]

[sighing]

Oh, come on. Don't stop now.

Eh, concert's over, I'm tired.

Hey, why don't we, uh, why don't we go out

and walk around town a little bit or somethin'?

In a minute.

Drink your coffee.

[sighs]

Hey, what're you working on anyway?

- This? - Yeah.

I'm making a clock.

- A clock? - Mm-hmm.

[chuckles] You just can't go out and buy one like everyone else?

Not this kind, man.

This is a Spencer Lang special. Very valuable.

This clock is gonna make my fortune.

- Is that right? - Oh, yeah.

Would you believe a thing like this

could be worth a $150,000?

[chuckles] I wouldn't believe a thing like that

would be worth a dollar and half, uh, but..

...I might not know the clock market as well as you do.

That's right, baby.

Hey, where'd you learn how to do that, anyway?

Oh, Washington State Pen.

- What's the matter? - Uh, nothing.

You know, there's one good thing about being in the cage.

They always teach you a trade.

[dramatic music]

Come on, man. So I did a little time.

What's the difference?

Uh, there's no, there's no difference, man.

You know it ain't a bad life.

Pretty good friends, good food..

...good hospital.

"Hospital?"

Yeah, I, uh, blacked out one day.

They said it was my heart.

You're kidding. What, at your age?

Ain't that something?

It don't seem right, does it?

So, anyway, I thanked 'em for the warning

and I said to myself, "Spencer Lang, you better

"go out and make your fortune, and spend it

while you've got a chance."

So, I thought of this thing and...here I am.

Spence..

Wha.. Hey, what's it gonna be?

That's a secret.

But you I'll tell.

It's gonna be a time b*mb.

Hey, Spence..

Ok-okay, you know, you are a big boy

you can do what you please, but..

You know, I left home to get out of trouble.

So, whatever you got in mind, I'd..

...just appreciate if you count me out.

Count you out?

That's right, and no hard feelings, I just..

'Well, you see, ol' doll, there would be hard feelings.'

'Cause I can't pull this off without you.

- Hey, Spence, listen. - 'Look, Gus.'

'Will you just relax?'

There'll be no problem. We'll talk about it later, okay?

[instrumental music]

Y-yes, co-come in.

Ruth, this is the FBI man in charge of the case

from Washington, Inspector Erskine.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

Won't you sit down please, Inspector?

Thank you.

What's happened?

Have they called back again?

No, they haven't, Mrs. Kolner. Not yet.

No, and they won't.

The-the-they know the trick isn't working.

He-he caught me off guard with that, uh, ransom foolishness.

He ran away with some friend and..

And they want some money, that's all.

I-I'm sorry I-I bo-bothered the FBI with it.

Well, suppose it isn't a friend.

He could've met some bad boy somewhere, couldn't he?

- He didn't.. - But suppose he did.

What if he's in trouble?

What if he's...scared?

Wh-wh-what do you think?

He is alright, isn't he?

Mr. Kolner, speaking of people he may have met..

Uh, have you heard him mention

any new names recently?

No.

Hmm.

I understand he likes music.

Hmm. What music?

Jungle stuff.

Bang, bang, bang, that-that isn't music.

Does he play any instrument?

- No. - 'Yes.'

What do you mean, "yes?"

He plays the guitar. He was afraid to tell you.

He's been taking lessons from somebody downtown.

Sometimes in the afternoons

he would bring his guitar home and play for me.

He was very good.

One man told him he was the best

young guitar player they ever heard.

And what man was that, Mrs. Kolner?

[Ruth] 'Somebody who heard him where he took his lessons.'

[Lewis] 'Where was that?'

At a bookstore called Belinda's.

That place? You-you're jokin'?

No.

[Lewis] 'This man who praised him, Mrs. Kolner..'

Did Gus ever mention his name

or anything about his background?

Well, if he did I don't remember it.

But he was very impressed with this man.

He said that he understood what the world was all about.

[scoffs]

Guitar..

There's an instrument for the gods.

My grandfather was a..

...a concert violinist.

Now, I begged Gus to take lessons.

I-I bribed him, I ordered him. Nothing worked.

Guitar..

The pieces he played for me were beautiful.

Couldn't you get beauty out of even a penny whistle

if you loved it enough and listened for it?

[instrumental music]

[theme music]

[sitar music]

Honey, you look a little lost. Can I help you?

Uh, yeah, I was wondering if you had anything

on, uh, eastern religions?

Does Santa Claus have toys? That whole middle section.

Here?

That's, uh, very interesting music.

- Yeah. You like that? - Yeah.

It almost makes you wanna whistle it.

Say, you, uh..

You wouldn't wanna take sitar lessons, would you?

No, I-I'm afraid I'm not very musical.

That's the trouble with this town.

Everybody's a listener, nobody's a doer.

[Lewis] 'Oh, I dunno, I heard a pretty good'

'guitar player in here the other day.'

- Yeah, who was that? - Mmm, some kid about 17.

- I think his name was Gus. - Oh, Gus Kolner.

Hmmm, oh, yeah.

Gus has really got the touch, no question.

He's a nice boy, I'm gonna miss him.

- Why, did he go somewhere? - Oh, you know these kids,

The grass is always greener someplace else.

[chuckles] They've got no home.

No, I guess not.

You know I ask him what does he think

they're gonna find in Haight-Ashbury

that they can't get right here at my place

and they didn't know.

But it's the promised land.

It's a pretty long trip for a boy alone.

I think he said this other older fellow

was gonna drive him.

- Another musician? - Spence? Hah!

I don't think so.

No, he was just one of my Walla Walla drop-ins.

I get them all the time.

They stop by for a handout and then they move on.

He was here for a couple of weeks.

He fixed all my clocks.

He really dug these kids, he dressed like them

let his hair grow.

Tsk.

May I ask you something?

- How do they know about you? - Who?

'Well, you said something about drop-ins from Walla Walla?'

I thought maybe they were just out of the Washington Pen.

Oh, yeah. My husband's up there.

[telephone rings]

Belinda's.

Yeah, what's the title?

Spell it.

'Yeah?'

'Yeah.'

Okay.

- Did you hear? - Yeah.

Better check it with the warden.

Spence, Spencer, anything close.

I'll have the boy's description sent to San Francisco.

[instrumental music]

[gasping]

[music continues]

Hey, Spence?

[panting]

Hey, Spence?

[intense music]

[grunting]

[music continues]

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[intense music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

Hello, doll. Looking for something?

- Spence.. - Come on.

Let's go back to the room.

You know, you got the constitution of an ox.

I thought I'd put enough stuff in your coffee

to knock you out for a week.

I was out getting some dinner. What'd you do?

You climb out the window?

Gus, I'll k*ll you right now if I have to.

Now, let's go.

[music continues]

Spence, look..

[dramatic music]

Now, this is the latest picture you have of him?

Yes, th-that is the latest.

Better send it off to San Francisco too.

Yes, sir.

- You went through his closet? - Yes.

- Anything else missing? - No.

So, all he took was a green crew-neck sweater

a grey windbreaker and a couple of shirts.

I-inspector, I..

I just can't believe yet that

this is anything but a trick.

[telephone ringing]

Andy.

Hello.

Hello, Mr. Kolner.

Where is my son?

He's with me. He's alright.

Do you have the money?

Of course not, not yet.

You'll have to get it by tomorrow.

Drop it in the emergency fire-phone box

just the other side of Thornhill

on Cold Canyon road..

...outside of Oakland.

Oakland?

- California? - 'California. Got that?'

- Yes. - 'Tomorrow afternoon.'

- 'At 4 o'clock.' - Listen, if--

'And I warn you, Mr. Kolner..'

If you're late, or if there are any slip-ups at all

my accomplice will take care of your boy.

There won't be any second chance.

Wa-wait a minute. Wait!

[dramatic music]

Andy was having a call traced when I came in.

- Was that, uh? - What did you find out?

Well, the only ex-prisoner who fits all the requirements

is a man by the name of Spencer Lang.

He's 29 years old.

He was released about four months ago

after serving eight years of a life sentence.

'They tell me that he's read everything available'

'about, uh, the flower children.'

And the trade they taught him was watch repair.

What about past accomplices?

None listed in his records.

You sure?

According to his MO, he always worked alone.

No luck on the telephone call, inspector.

Well, what do we do now?

[instrumental music]

I-I mean, i-if they set it up somehow between them?

Mr. Kolner, why do you keep coming back to that?

Because I don't trust him.

I-I can't trust him, wh-why should I?

He's never given me any reason to.

It's just the sort of thing he'd plan.

[music continues]

Listen, your own men told me, he left here by himself.

Nobody put a g*n to his head.

Well, maybe they didn't have to.

Maybe all they had to do was offer him a lift. We don't know.

- No, he's trying to worry us. - 'Worry you?'

'By having a friend tell you he's alive and well?'

Wouldn't it have worried you a lot more

to have heard he's dead?

Or not to have heard anything at all?

Well, maybe he wanted the money.

[music continues]

[sighing]

Alright, let's examine that.

Does he need money?

- Well, does he? - No.

A-at least he's never cared about it before

one way or the other.

A-and, to be realistic, he-he could've gone

to his mother I suppose, for cash, if he'd..

...been afraid to come to me.

She has her own accounts.

I'll see about the cash, I can arrange to have it

waiting for me in San Francisco.

Wh-what was he in prison for, by the way, this..

...Spencer Lang?

m*rder.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]

[clock ticking]

[alarm ringing]

Just like clockwork, huh?

There's one thing I don't want you to worry about

and that's accuracy.

I mean this instrument won't gain or lose

more than a minute within the next 6 hours.

So, you don't have to worry about her exploding

before she's supposed to.

'In fact, I don't want you to worry about it'

blowing up at all, because somebody will be here

to turn it off before 6 o'clock.

That is, if daddy-o does everything he's told.

[ticking continues]

I'll call the police from the airport and tell them

exactly where you are.

I mean it.

I stick to my deals. Always have.

If everyone else in the world did that

it'd be a pretty nice place to live in, wouldn't it?

But some clowns always gotta get cute..

Let's just pray that your daddy ain't one of those.

[ticking continues]

Now, here comes the nasty part.

I'm gonna leave, I won't be back.

So, I gotta have some insurance that you're going

to stay quiet and stay put.

Feel that string?

Gonna tie the other end of it to the clock..

And if you flounder around, man

that's the one way you can explode before six.

It's well after 12 now.

I'll pick up the money by four.

I should be at the, uh, airport by 4:30.

And police should be here...about 5 o'clock.

[ticking continues]

[dramatic music]

So, adios, man. And good luck.

[door shutting]

[sighing]

[instrumental music]

[Allen] 'I have agents looking for them here'

in every club and coffee house in Haight-Ashbury.

It's generally a closed world, though..

If a kid wants to vanish in there, he can.

[intercom buzzing] Yes.

[female #2] 'Inspector Erskine is here now, Mr. Bennett.'

Oh, good.

- Hello, Allen. - 'Lewis.'

Arthur, I thought you were in Honolulu.

Just got in. Got a couple of hours between planes.

Thought I'd see what was happening with you.

- Is Kolner with you? - Oh, he's at the bank.

They're making up the ransom package now.

- Mmm. - How's he holding up?

He's nervous.

Think he's finally aware of the danger the boy's in.

He asked me to deliver the briefcase

and I said I would.

He's k*lled a man carrying money before.

He just might think it'd give him a bigger getaway jump.

He might. Any leads on him, yet?

There's not a thing.

I've been telling Mr. Ward, man can disappear

in Haight-Ashbury for weeks if he wants to.

Provided he conforms to the landscape.

Looks right, talks right, thinks right..

It's only when he gets out he's noticeable.

[instrumental music]

Yes, sir. You're next.

Shape it up a little?

Cut it off.

All of it?

Give me the squarest cut in your book, man.

What'd you do? Find a job?

Okay, my friend, when I finish with you

you're gonna look so normal

you can walk into a bank and get a loan.

Even your own mother wouldn't know you.

Kinda like going underground, ain't it?

- Whole new life. - That's what I'm after.

Man, I don't blame you.

- You're native? - Nope.

Where you live? One of those transient places

over on Sherlock Street?

- Mm-mmm. - Maryland?

No.

I feel sorry for you people.

'They oughta condemn those dumps.'

'They wouldn't be worth the rent even if they were free.'

Come on, man. Cut the hair. I've got a date.

[dramatic music]

[clock ticking]

[intense music]

[panting]

[engine rumbling]

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[engine rumbling]

[birds chirping]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[chirping continues]

[music continues]

All units.

The package is being picked up.

[clock ticking]

[intense music]

[Manager] 'Yoo-hoo. Anybody in?'

[mumbling]

Rent receipt. The manager.

[grunting]

[music continues]

[ticking continues]

[gasping]

[instrumental music]

[dramatic music]

HT 1, all units.

Subject is still in sight but he hasn't moved.

I'm going up there.

[music continues]

Spencer La..

[intense music]

[music continues]

[theme music]

SF 32 to dispatcher.

Go ahead, 32.

'Please inform Bennett'

'that the subject turned up at the rendezvous point'

'but he appears to me to have suffered a heart attack.'

Lewis, this is Arthur.

Did you get a chance to talk to him at all?

He was dead when I reached him, Art.

'Any sign of the boy?'

Nope.

Or the accomplice?

I'm not sure.

'What do you mean?'

I found a dynamite cap in one of Lang's pockets.

You suppose the accomplice isn't human?

It might be the kind of thing he'd think of.

I'm going to establish a grid search

of the entire Haight-Ashbury area.

Private homes, apartments..

How many extra units are available to me here now?

How many?

- Ten. - Ten.

Better send them all and as many more

as Owen can spare.

I've instructed the ones assisting me

to initiate a search here.

I'll stay with the body till they arrive.

Alright, Lewis.

Thirty two, clear.

[sighs]

[clock ticking]

[upbeat music]

[gasping]

[mumbling]

[banging on wall]

[man #1] 'Shut up in there'

No, no.

No, tell them he's older than this. He's seventeen.

No visible scars or marks.

[beeping]

Yes?

Alright, cover the whole grid system again.

Clubs, coffee houses, hotels everything.

But...didn't he say anything?

Didn't he give some indication of what he'd done with the boy?

As I told you, he was dead when I got there.

Suppose he brought Gus along.

Did you locate his car?

It was empty.

But we have agents combing the entire sector.

If Gus is out there they'll find him.

But you don't think he's out there.

I don't know.

Frankly I'd be surprised if a man with Lang's background

would take a chance like that.

No, it's far more likely

that he would establish a hideout

and see to it that Gus was kept right there.

You see, the more these people move around

the more apt they are to draw attention to themselves

and that can be dangerous.

Then you don't have any leads at all, nothing.

- No-nowhere to begin. No-- - We have one lead, Mr. Kolner.

Maybe an important one.

Lang's appearance.

He was wearing conservative new clothes.

Some with Haight-Ashbury labels.

He might have talked too free to a clerk.

And he'd also gotten a haircut.

So the barber that did the job might be able to help us.

If these people can be found.

Every available law enforcement officer

in San Francisco has been interviewing

barbers and clothing salesmen since 4:30 this afternoon.

Of course it, it might have been too late even then.

He didn't say how long we had.

He just said, "Be on time.

No slip-ups."

Alright then, keep expanding the search area.

Do you have enough photos? Good.

Yes.

[upbeat music]

[mumbling]

[instrumental music]

You take the clothing store. I'll try the barber shop.

Closed, closed.

[music continues]

Thank you.

I'm sorry to bother you but it's very important.

What's wrong?

Have you, uh, have you ever seen either of these men before?

[Freddie] 'Yeah. This fellow was in today.'

I gave him a haircut.

- You sure? - Positive.

Did you ever see him before today?

No.

Any idea where he's living?

No.

Like I said, he-he was just

a stranger off the streets

as far as I was concerned.

What'd he do?

We're trying to locate a friend

of his and, uh..

We think they may be roaming together.

Well, I'm sorry.

How was he dressed?

Just...like all the hippies.

Did he mention anything to you about, uh

buying some new clothes?

No.

'When he left here, did you notice'

'if he went into any other shop on the street, uh..'

Uh, wait a minute, wait a minute.

He, uh..

He talked about a new life.

Start a new life.

Gettin' a job, something like that.

Yeah?

He looked fed up with the hippies, you know?

I asked him if he lived over

on one of those trash heaps on Sherlock Street.

He said no. And then..

Now look, this is just an impression on my part.

You're doing fine. Go ahead.

Well, I mentioned Maryland.

Asked him if he lived over there.

Those dumps are almost as bad.

And what did he say?

Well, he said no.

But I thought at the time

I guess I've hit it, and he's ashamed.

Maryland?

Yeah, it's a, it's a little dead-end

kind of a street up the hill.

- Well, thank you very much. - Sure.

[dramatic music]

[clock ticking]

Well, if anybody around here have seen either Lang

or the boy, they won't admit it.

Woman in particular is all up in arms

about the FBI asking questions.

- Is she the manager? - Yeah.

Well, let's see what she's got to say.

[Manager] Brother.

I told you to get out of here.

Now I ain't gonna answer any of your lousy questions.

Was this man ever a tenant of yours? His name is Lang.

If you think I'm gonna help you Cossacks

crucify some poor kid, go on..

This poor benighted kid happens to be a convicted m*rder*r.

And now we believe he's deeply involved in a major kidnapping.

And if you know this man's whereabouts

and refuse to tell us

you may be responsible for this boy's death.

Well?

Uh, uh, l-l-let me see the pictures again.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's him.

Where is he?

Um, number seven. I-I-I'll show you.

[dramatic music]

[intense music]

[clock ticking]

You're absolutely sure there's only two of them.

Yeah, just the two of them.

I saw the older man leave

so maybe the boy is still in there.

Hurry, please.

Alright.

[music continues]

You got a key?

Open it up.

[dramatic music]

[mumbling]

[Gus panting]

[alarm ringing]

[theme music]

Mr. Ward's plane just left. Colby's on his way back now.

So then he, uh, just set the alarm, and he cut out.

And that was around, uh, noon as far as you could tell.

Yeah, he said it was noon. A little after.

Hmm. Six hours, that's a long time.

I-I could start my own company at seventeen, but I..

[sighs] I don't think I could have waited six hours

to be k*lled without breaking.

I don't think I was mature enough for that.

I'm very proud of you, Gustav.

Dad, I'm..

I'm sorry I put you and mom through this.

I'm sorry I left without telling you.

I-I'm sorry you felt so alone.

But I, I think it'll be different from now on.

So do I.

Well, I..

I-I told his mother

I'd be back as soon as we can charter a plane.

Uh, are we through?

All through.

Oh, uh.. Don't forget these.

Ruth told me you play this very well.

I'd like to hear you sometime.

- Thank you, inspector. - Goodbye.

- Goodbye. - Gus.

[male narrator] Spencer Richard Lang died

of a coronary attack six months short of his 30th birthday.

The body was claimed by Lang's mother

and taken to Spokane, Washington for burial.'

[instrumental music]

[theme music]

[music continues]