04x08 - Breakthrough

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

Hey, my man, where have you been, huh?

Vegas?

You'll never believe this, Ernie.

I was on Staten Island ferry on a hot summer's night.

Nine o'clock, watching the lights.

Staten Island ferry?

You just don't understand me, Ernie.

Hang in there, Vinny.

Less than 20 hours to go, that's not so bad.

Yeah, longer than the two years I've done already.

What are your plans for tomorrow? Hm?

What, you go right back to work or..

The family gonna send you on a little vacation first?

[sighs] I don't know.

Gotta call Russell.

Look, Vinny, I..

I'm gonna be getting out in a couple of days myself, you know.

And I got nothing lined up, I-I was wondering if you could

see a way clear to recommend me into the family.

Huh? I mean, I really appreciate it.

'You've known me all your life.'

'I'd give Russell an honest days work for an honest days dollar.'

'Okay?'

'You can contact me'

care of general delivery, Chicago.

Bay Park Station.

Yeah, you're right, Ernie.

Excuse me a minute will you, Ernie.

Oh, yeah. Certainly. Mr. Darwin.

Well, Vincent.

Won't seem like same old world without you.

What are you talking about?

We'll both be out on the golf course

playing together by August.

I'll make you a bet, Joe.

Not a chance.

A hundred even money.

They're not gonna be able to keep a high commissioner

like you in here like a sardine.

Oh, I'll be out there, Vinny.

It's you I'm worried about.

I just heard a shocking piece of news.

Jack Bricker's dead.

Bricker?

Some young punk got into his town house

passed his bodyguards.

How?

I suppose somebody

told him about Jack's secret entrance.

Don't you?

Let's see now..

Vick Russell know where it was.

I knew.

And you knew, right?

Joe..

I don't see what Russell or I could have gained

but, Vin..

...you always did feel that Jacky was the guy

set you up for this income tax fall.

Listen, Joe.

Let me talk to the kid who shot him

if he says that I was the one who..

He didn't say anything.

He's dead too, Vin.

Let me kiss you goodbye before you go.

[dramatic music]

[grunting]

[music continues]

Goodbye, Vincent.

[theme music]

[male narrator] The FBI.

A Quinn Martin production.

Staring, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also staring, Philip Abbott..

...William Reynolds.

With guest stars, Mark Richman.

Edward Andrews.

And special guest star, Dorothy Provine.

Tonight episode, "Breakthrough."

[instrumental music]

On June 10th, Vincent Gray

syndicate enforcer

was released from Federal Penitentiary

into a world more hostile

than the prison he left behind.

With La Cosa Nostra's kiss of death on his cheek

Gray fled first to Chicago.

But any reprieve would be temporary now.

A fact known best to Vincent Gray himself.

[music continues]

I don't object to the time.

You can take all the time you want

but I think you're being very optimistic here.

This man is not going to cooperate with us

he's tied to the mafia. By oaths and blood.

He's scared out of his mind, Art, that makes a difference.

[chuckles] Never has before.

It has once.

He's involved in a burglary with a friend when he was young.

He didn't go along the actual job, but the other boy

tried to blame the whole thing on him.

And when Gray was picked up, he told the police

everything they wanted to know.

What are you saying, there's some sort of a parallel?

I think so.

His friends have let him down again.

Gonna k*ll him whether he's guilty or not

without a hearing.

Well, he knows he's not gonna get any help from you

or any protection.

What we can give him, Art, is a chance

to strike back at Russell and Darwin

that might be very tempting.

Back to the Cesar Hughes case now.

Another informants report came in last week.

Almost the same story.

Huges wouldn't let the family buy into his club in '65, so

Russell ordered Gray to blind him.

Darwin was in on the meeting.

The informant said the three of them had the asset with him

'when they went from Chicago to Hollywood.'

The thing is, Art, if we can get Gray on that

we might be able to make an anti-racketeering charge

stick on to two high commissioners.

Alright, go ahead.

If you can find Gray before Russell's executioners do.

Uh, some ball in the corner pocket Mr. Russell.

Mm-hmm.

How about that?

Oh, that's right, that's right.

Go ahead, go ahead.

Just hanging yourself, you know.

[laughing]

This is a kind of a game that a man like you

shouldn't be too good at, Bobby.

Why? Sign of a misspent youth?

[laughs]

That's one of the reasons.

What's the other? Uh, eight in the corner.

The other is, I don't like to lose.

[laughing]

[clears throat]

- God! - Oh, tough luck.

- Oh! - Tough luck, tough luck.

Just one other thing, Bobby.

Whenever you're buttering up your boss

please, try to be more subtle.

Otherwise, it's very insulting.

Well, uh, I wasn't trying to butter you up

Mr. Russell.

'Yes, Ruth.'

Mr. Russell, there's someone here to see you.

Oh, no, no, no.

No, no, Ruth.

Not tonight.

- Well, he kind of insisted. - Pollack!

'Hold it!'

Alright, Ruth, uh, thank you.

Uh, thank you, you can go on back downstairs now.

In a minute.

Let's all just stay where we can see each other.

You sit down over there.

[intense music]

Well, well, Vinny.

[laughs]

Now, I'm not gonna say I'm not surprised.

We expected you to be half way out of the country by now.

[chuckles] Still it's a good idea, isn't it, you know

beard the lion in his own den, eh.

Does that suggest anything to you, Victor?

- Should it? - 'Yeah.'

Like, maybe a clear conscious.

I never set Jack Bricker up.

I never liked him

but I wouldn't pull a trick like that

without going to the commission.

I know you wouldn't, Vinny.

What are you saying?

I love Joe Darwin like a brother.

But that doesn't mean I'm blind to his faults.

Oh, no, no, no.

'Joe's a very emotional man'

he's been that way all of his life.

When he heard Jack was dead, he jumped to a conclusion

he was wrong, I passed the word.

Well..

You sure take a load off my mind, Victor.

Yeah, w-w-wo-would you put that g*n away now?

And don't go pinning any medals on me, no, no, no

you're-you're not out of the woods yet.

There were a lot of witnesses in that machine shop

a lot of big mouths.

Take a while for the facts to filter down.

But we don't want any young hothead

picking you off now, do we, Vinny?

Well, uh.. What are we gonna do about that?

Well, why don't you

uh, go away

for a couple of months, huh?

Take a little trip around Canada

some place it's beautiful now.

- Yeah, that's an idea. - Where you staying?

I'm at the, um, Compton Hotel.

Can I send you over anything? A car, some money?

No, no, no, thanks, Victor. I'm fine.

I'm, uh.. I'm sorry.

Oh, that's alright.

[sighs]

I feel kinda..

...foolish, you know.

Well, uh..

I'll see you around.

- Pollack. - Yeah, so long, Vincent.

Oh, Ruth, show Mr. Gray out, would you, please.

Yes, sir.

[instrumental music]

Well, now, who have we got available, Bobby?

What, to k*ll him?

Well, I can have Spencer brought in tomorrow.

That'll be fine.

[sighs]

It's kind of a shame to have to back Mr. Darwin

up in a mistake like that, right?

Well, I don't know, uh, th-the guy sold me.

I don't think he had Jack k*lled.

Vinny? I know he didn't.

Please.

Jack was like a millstone around my neck.

So, I cut him loose myself.

[music continues]

Inspector, welcome back to Chicago.

How are you, Kirby?

Gray's in room 312.

Checked in at 4:30 this afternoon.

Stayed out of sight till a little after eight

then drove to Vic Russell's place.

- To Russell's place? - Mm-hmm.

Something even wilder than that happened, he came out again.

Alive.

He's back in the room now.

Alright, let's all go.

[instrumental music]

[knocking on door]

Who is it?

[Kirby] 'FBI, Vincent. Kirby Greene'

Just a minute.

[music continues]

It's open.

Hello, Vincent.

Come on in.

Mr. Greene, it's been a long time, hasn't it?

I didn't know whether that was really you out there or not.

- Who were you expecting? - Expecting?

Nobody.

Oh, this is Inspector Erskine.

- Mr. Erskine. - You, uh..

You always wait around in the dark like this?

The glare.

My eyes have been kinda hurtin' me lately.

Uh-huh, and the vase?

Oh, I was just on my way down to buy some flowers, you know.

- Brighten the room up. - I see.

Well..

What can I do for you, gentleman?

We heard you're in a little trouble, Vince.

- Who me? - Uh-huh.

Nah.

Where did you hear that?

What did you and Russell talk about tonight?

Russell, who?

You ought to know you can't afford to cross Joe Darwin.

So it really doesn't matter what he promised you.

- Is that a fact? - 'You can count on it.'

But you could cut them both down first.

Tell us what you know about the Cesar Huges extortion

we'll pick Russell up.

Inspector, I, uh..

I just don't know what you're referring to.

We know the three of you drove from Chicago to Hollywood

in April of 1965.

And we know you had the asset with you.

[laughing]

Listen, uh..

I'm a little sleepy, uh..

I'm sorry, maybe we can, uh

talk some more about this tomorrow, huh?

What makes you think there'll be a tomorrow for you, Vincent?

Well, I mean, barring accidents.

Look, I don't know what it was Russell promised you..

...but I've got a four year old niece who isn't that naive.

'Think about it.'

Suppose he does cancel Darwin's order, officially

would you fell better about the whole thing

if it's set on your tombstone

"k*lled by accident?"

Well, Vince?

Well, what?

It's your tombstone.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

[intense music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[tires screeching]

[engine revving]

[g*nf*re]

[intense music]

[engine revving]

[music continues]

[g*nsh*t]

[intense music]

[music continues]

[groans]

[g*nsh*t]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[engine revving]

[man on radio] 'Illinois license TD7305.'

I have it. What about the driver?

'Nothing yet, the area is being searched now.'

Right. And thank you.

Oh, Lou, we just got a report concerning Gray.

Couple of kids found an abandoned car

in an old rock crushing plant north of here.

No sign of the driver.

It was registered to a local rental firm.

Gray leased that car last night.

What's your surveillance on Russell?

Very discrete. Two agents.

Put more manpower on him

And I want the location of every executioner

who has ever been on his payroll.

Right.

[rumbling]

[instrumental music]

[dog barking]

And stay out!

Wait here a minute.

[barking]

Go on!

I catch you come in here again

I'll bump your head off!

Uh, he doesn't look to scared.

Oh, he thinks he's smarter than I am.

Look at him sneer.

Why don't you show some respect?

[barking]

Yeah, he'll be back.

He sneaks in here and steals food

and then goes to sleep in the best bed.

If you want room and board in my place, buster

you'll pay for it, just like any other human being.

- Is this your place? - Yeah, why?

No, reason, uh..

I, uh, I use to live here.

You did? When?

A long time ago, a family named, uh

Drummond had the house next door.

They had two boys named Jim and Ted.

Gee, I don't think there's anybody around here

by that name now.

What about a bar called the, the Crows Nest, down the street?

Well, I've been here two years

and I don't think I ever heard of it.

Listen, if you came back to look around or anything

well, just go right ahead.

That's alright.

- Thanks. - Yeah.

[instrumental music]

This will be fine, buddy. Thanks.

[barking]

Okay, you asked for it.

Oh!

Oh, I'm.. I'm so sorry.

Why didn't you say something.

I heard him barking and I thought that..

Isn't there something I can do?

What's your name?

Why? Are you gonna sue me?

No, I'm just gonna try to rent a room, you got one?

Here?

Oh, w-well, sure. Wait a minute.

You want a room, why didn't you say so.

Uh, it's Irene Minnock.

- What is? - My name.

We don't communicate very well, do we?

- No. - Well, come on.

Come on, you're a wreck!

[barking]

[instrumental music]

Do you think it's Gray?

Take a look.

Hold it! Hold it!

[music continues]

It could be Gray but I can't tell.

The face is to badly smashed.

He evidently fell from one of those catwalks.

And there's a b*llet wound in his chest.

First, find out who he is

get his prints and send it in to Ident right away.

- Right. - Oh, and Kirby..

Send this to the lab, will you?

[Kirby] '"Canada."'

Ask document examination

what he crossed out in the border.

Right.

[instrumental music]

[knocking on door]

- Yeah? - It's me.

Everything work alright in here, Mr. Smith?

Yeah, yeah, I guess so.

Oh, I better make sure if you don't mind

'cause I may not get a chance to come around..

[whining]

I'll k*ll him.

I'll k*ll him!

No, that's alright, leave him alone.

He's earned it.

Anyway you told me he always picks out the best bed.

Makes me appreciate the room more and more.

Well, if you don't mind.

Creep.

Say, it might seem funny of you

being a guest now in your own house.

Yeah.

My ma used to do her sewing in here.

- Yeah? - 'Yeah.'

We had the whole floor.

My ma and dad, me and my, uh, five brothers.

That's a big family.

Yeah, they all used to drive me nuts.

People everywhere looked.

I use to sneak up on the roof and hide

just to be alone for a minute.

Uh, where are they now?

I don't know.

I got out of here when I was, uh, 14.

First time I've been back.

They never wrote?

[exhales]

[sighs]

Well, looks like everything's alright in here.

Uh, how about you?

[Irene] Well, guess everybody wants what they haven't got.

I was alone, so I worked and I saved

until I can get myself a place like this.

- Can I help you with that? - No, it's alright.

Just like those people around in there.

Uh, what about your people? Where are they?

Well, I don't know. They didn't write either.

- Uh, let me do that. - That's okay. Ah.

Look, you oughta move this just slightly over here.

No, it's perfectly alright.

Why don't you give me the bulb let me do it.

No, it's okay.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Are you hurt?

No. No, no, I'm not hurt.

[sighs]

Well..

...better go buy a new one.

Yeah, good, why don't you, uh

why don't you go do that.

[clears throat] You want me to mail that for you?

You think you could?

I mean without

setting my, uh, my letter on fire or somethin'.

Yes.

Give it a try.

[instrumental music]

Okay, stay with him.

Call in as soon as he alights.

No, Gray's taller than that.

He'll probably be travelling alone.

Alright, thank you.

Nothing from the border.

Bobby Pollack just left Russell's house.

Surveillance reports he is driving towards Bay Park.

[intercom buzzing] What's in Bay Park?

- Erskine. - Hello, this is Tom.

Yes, Tom, what have you got?

Uh, two things.

First, uh, Ident says the prints that you sent him

belong to a mafia hit man named, Kenneth Spencer.

Kenneth Spencer. And what else?

'We examined the map under infrared light.'

Yeah.

Found that the words that were crossed off

are Jim, Ted and the Crows Nest.

C-R-O-W-S N-E-S-T.

Followed by question marks.

So, uh, we looked through all the names in Gray's file

found reference to two brothers, uh

who were members of the same g*ng.

James and Ted Drummond.

You think you can locate him.

Oh, we have.

Uh, James is dead.

Ted is now serving a life sentence in Atlanta.

'But since the Drummond's and Gray were next door neighbors'

'since kids in Milwaukee.'

'I phoned the agent in charge up there and asked him'

if the Crows Nest meant anything to him.

He said, it was not a current spot

but when he looked it up he found that there had been

a bar by that name in the same old neighborhood.

Better get up there as soon as you can.

I'll alert the SAC in Milwaukee.

- 'Yes, sir.' - Talk to you tomorrow.

Kenneth Spencer and a friend named Stan Jason own a garage

on Florence Avenue.

And they both worked for Russell in the past.

- Anything on Jason? - Quite an arrest record.

as*ault with a deadly weapon, suspicion of m*rder.

Matter of fact, we've had him under investigation

for several months.

His garage seems to be the center of

a good deal of interstate car theft activity.

We may even have enough evidence for a warrant right now.

- Call US attorney. - Right.

[instrumental music]

[siren buzzing]

Okay, load it.

[music continues]

[car door closing]

[engine revving]

Get outta here.

[music continues]

Stan Jason?

Yeah.

FBI, Jason.

You're under arrest for interstate car theft.

Jason, stay where you are.

[g*nsh*t]

[dramatic music]

[man on radio] 'Control to unit one.'

'Control to unit one.'

- Have him send a doctor. - 'Come in, unit one.'

Who hired Spencer?

Russell?

[breathing heavily]

You never give up, do you?

Russell..

'...through Bobby Pollack.'

Two reports, Spencer's car was just found abandoned

on the outskirts of Milwaukee.

And Pollack finally stopped in Bay Park.

- Where? - Post office.

Picked up a man we've identified as Ernie Flood.

Drove him right back to Russell's.

[breathing heavily]

Mr. Flood. Well..

[chuckles] How nice of you to come, Mr. Flood.

I'm Vic Russell.

It's a real honor for me to meet you, Mr. Russell.

[chuckles]

I've been wanting to meet you for years.

- Sit down. Sit down. - Thank you, sir.

You know, any friend of Joe Darwin's..

Well, he's a friend of mine.

He's a-he's a real sweet guy, Mr. Russell.

Uh-huh.

As a matter of fact, I got real close to Mr. Darwin

uh, after Vince left.

Uh, Bobby tells me that you mentioned something

about Vincent on the telephone.

Oh, yes, sir, I did.

Uh..

Well, before we, before we talk about that

Mr. Russell, uh..

...uh, I'm-I'm kind of at loose ends now, you know

and, uh, if-if you need a real good man in your organization

I've-I've got a lot of experience.

How about $300 a week to start, Mr. Flood?

- Ernie. - Oh.

[chuckling] Ernie.

I understand, uh..

...Vincent left Chicago in kind of a hurry.

Mm-hmm.

I know where he is.

'If you're still lookin' for him.'

Now, why should you think that I'm..

...still looking for him?

Oh, well, Mr. Darwin told me.

I'm a real company man, Mr. Russell.

That's why I think I could be valuable to you.

If Vinny broke a rule

then I think he should pay for it.

I know where he is.

You could send a couple of guys.

You know who'd have the best chance of taking him, Ernie?

Who?

A friend.

Uh, someone like you for instance.

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

Hello, Irene.

Oh.

You frightened me.

Hi.

You, uh, lookin' for somethin' up here?

Oh, no. No, I..

No, I often come up here and just look at the stars.

To be alone for a while, you know.

Get away from everything.

[whispering] Yeah.

Well..

You like a cigarette?

I didn't mean to interrupt.

That's alright. Please.

Don't go. Here.

[instrumental music]

Thank you.

Aren't you afraid I'll, uh

trip and knock you off the roof or something?

[chuckles]

- Want the truth? - Yeah.

Well, what's life without a little risk, huh?

My sentiments exactly.

Now, of course, I'm not usually so accident prone

it just seems that something always happens

whenever I want to impress somebody.

I mean, wh-whenever I want somebody to like me.

I have another fault.

I talk too much.

No, it's true, I mean it.

A woman should be more mysterious.

And I need people too badly

and I let them know it too soon.

'And I shouldn't do that.'

You mean, you..

...you shouldn't need people or you..

...or you shouldn't let them know about it.

Oh, there's nothing wrong in needing them.

I mean, I couldn't live without needing them.

You must get pretty involved, huh?

Yes.

Don't you?

Well, in my business I try not to.

Why?

It all has to end somewhere and..

...why start a game you can't win?

You mean, why get up in the morning

because you'll just be sleeping in at night?

It's because of the day.

'Because of what might happen.'

- Might rain, you know. - Ahh.

Haven't you ever been in love with anyone?

I don't know.

- I don't think so. - I'm sorry.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

[door opens]

[knock on door]

Hi, Lou.

Well, there's nothing new, he hasn't made an appearance yet.

You still convinced he's in there?

Well, according to neighborhood gossip

there's a new boarder in the rear apartment.

'He answers Gray's description'

and he's given the name Vincent Smith.

[sighs] Might as well find out.

I mean, even if it is Gray in there, Lou, uh

I mean, wouldn't you run into the same problem?

If he didn't believe you before why would he listen to you now?

This time we got a statement signed by Stan Jason.

Oh, Lou?

[instrumental music]

Doesn't look like he belongs in the neighborhood.

It's Ernie Flood.

He was just released, Pollack and Russell

talked to him in Chicago yesterday.

[music continues]

Better alert your agents over there.

Flood may not be the friend Gray thinks he is.

Interesting business this..

...being in love.

I told you.

Yeah.

Think of all the time I've...wasted.

Think of all the time we've got.

[music continues]

[knock on door]

[sighs]

No.

Wait.

Vincent!

Yeah? Who is it?

It's me, Ernie.

He's a friend of mine.

I gotta see him alone for just a minute.

Why have you got that?

One minute, I'll explain the whole thing to you.

Ernie, buddy, come on in.

[g*nsh*t]

[screaming]

[intense music]

[grunting]

[g*nsh*t]

[music continues]

Oh.

Emergency call to all units.

Agent's in trouble, I'm going over there.

[dramatic music]

This is the FBI! Stay in your rooms!

When it's safe, an agent will notify you.

Lou, agents in the back think there's a girl

in the room with him.

Have your men hold their fire.

[music continues]

Gray, this is Inspector Erskine.

- Get back here. - Uh.

[g*nf*re]

Look out your rear window.

Vince, let me help you.

There's no help for this problem, sweetheart.

This is one of those rainy days, huh?

- Better go in the other room. - No. No.

- Go ahead. - No!

[Erskine] 'Gray, listen to me.'

If we have to come in there to take you, we will.

But wouldn't it be smarter if you told us

who hired Spencer.

[instrumental music]

Nobody hired him.

He just didn't get the word.

Then who told him where to find you?

Suppose you tell me.

He had a visit from Bobby Pollack

the night you got in.

Pollack told him where you were and paid him fifteen hundred

for the job. The money came from Russell.

'You'd have found it if you'd look through his wallet.'

It's all talk, man!

It's in black and white, signed by Stan Jason.

Gray, they're not gonna stop unless you help us stop them.

Alright..

...at least send the girl out.

[instrumental music]

Go on outside, miss.

He's coming out too.

[music continues]

Drop it, Gray.

Don't be a fool, there's always something to live for.

[g*n thuds]

Alright.

[instrumental music]

The asset was Russell's idea.

Joe Darwin had been trying to buy in at Caesar Huges Club

for a couple of years.

So finally Russell wrote Caesar a note saying

"We'd blind him if he didn't play ball."

Who else went to Los Angeles with him?

Just Russell, Joe Darwin and me.

Who did the actual blinding?

Russell.

He said it was his baby, he wanted the honors.

Alright, Gray, thanks very much.

Russell.

Well, Vincent.

Did you sing pretty for the gentlemen?

Beautiful, Vic. Just beautiful.

Well, you hear it.

[dramatic music]

Inspector, you don't mind if I call my lawyer, do you?

Not at all.

[male narrator] Joseph Darwin, Victor Russell and Vincent Gray were convicted

of interstate transportation and aid of racketeering.

State charges of attempted m*rder are pending.

All are serving sentences in the federal penitentiary.

[theme music]

[music continues]