06x17 - Center of Peril

[bunniefuu]

[intense music]

Don't turn around.

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Let's go.

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[whirring]

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[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI.."

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr..

Also starring Philip Abbott..

William Reynolds..

With guest stars, Vic Morrow..

...Gary Collins..

...Susan Howard.

Tonight's episode, "Center Of Peril."

[instrumental music]

In the early morning hours of October 13th

Kansas City Missouri police began their investigation

into a major art theft.

The portrait of a man

painted over three centuries ago

by the Dutch master Frans Hals

was valued at almost $1 million.

The one eyewitness provided local police

with a license number

and description of the vehicle involved.

When police in neighboring Kansas

received the all-points bulletin

they reported that the sought after vehicle

had been found abandoned.

Because the stolen vehicle used by the thieves

had crossed state lines, the FBI entered the case.

- Noel, how are you? - Well..

Inspector Erskine, nice to see you again. Tom.

- Noel. - This is Mr. Atwood.

Director of the museum.

- How do you do? - Mr. Atwood.

- How do you do, sir?. - How do you do?

Any idea how they entered, Noel?

Well, it appears they got in through the roof.

Agents are at the museum now

winding up the crime scene search.

Inspector, it was a Frans Hals, a national treasure.

Is there any way we could get it back?

It's a little early to say yet

Mr. Atwood, uh, they may already have a buyer

or they may try and sell it back.

Inspector, this is the main floor above the Briggs rotunda'

'where the painting was hung.'

'And notice this door to a small utility closet off the side.'

Now, that door was always locked.

They couldn't have entered that way.

There's evidence they did.

- Any sign the door was forced? - No, sir.

Then what makes you think they got in that way?

Well, this will explain it.

These pictures were just developed.

Now, here's a blow-up of one side of the doorjamb.

Now notice the dark specs here

'they appear to be flakes of gold leaf'

'in the picture frame.'

But why a utility closet?

Well, there was a stairway inside leading to a ladder

which gives access to the roof through a trapdoor above.

Any indication that door had been forced?

Yes. On the outside.

Now this is a trapdoor area on the inside

'again, more gold leaf flakes along this edge on the frame.'

But I don't understand how they could've

gotten on to the roof in the first place.

Well, an eyewitness identified a cherry picker

'at the scene of the crime, Mr. Atwood.'

- Cherry picker? - Yeah.

That's a truck with a telescopic arm

for working at great heights.

[telephone buzzing]

- Yes. - 'Inspector Erskine, please.'

Oh, yes, just a moment.

- Inspector, it's Mr. Ward. - Oh, thank you.

Alright.

Yes, Art.

[Arthur] 'Any leads yet, Lewis?'

Well, I'm just being brought up to date on the theft.

From what you've been able to learn so far

does this case follow the same pattern

as the Renoir theft last month in St. Louis?

Very much so.

Judging by its scope and size

we're obviously dealing with someone

who has powerful connections.

Well, I've been going over the list of possible buyers

we may have a stroke of luck there.

'Do you remember Ronald Decker?'

Yes, I do as a matter of fact.

Uh, he was convicted about '63 or '64

fraud against the government

and living in Europe I believe.

That's right.

Well, for sometime Decker's been acquiring

a very impressive art collection.

We checked with the top galleries in New York and London

and Decker's representative has let them all know

that he's after a major Hals painting.

Half an hour ago, his representative

landed at Kennedy, cleared customs

and bought a seat on the next plane to Wichita.

'Agents have him under surveillance.'

Hm, doesn't much sound his other paintings are gonna be

offered back to the museum, does it?

Well, whatever the next move, it's likely to happen there

and soon.

Oh, we'll be ready.

[instrumental music]

Where?

Jay, burn this.

How does it feel to be in the big leagues, huh?

Phew!

Oh, hand me that, will you?

[laughing]

Listen, you tell your girlfriend, any time she wants

I can get her 200 for a landscape, huh.

You know, it's funny when I found you two kids

'you were taking chances for nickels and dimes.'

We managed.

Yeah, but now look at you, your cut for the Renoir's

was, uh, was 8000.

This time around you and Yvonne get to split

you're gonna get to split, um, 50.



Yeah, 50,000, enough to get married on.

Oh, yeah, but..

We've been, uh, you know, talking about it.

Yeah, well, marriage is nice.

The thing is, Porter..

[chuckles] Well, you know Yvonne.

She wants a, a house, and, uh

and kids, and dogs, and..

What I'm trying to say is that we want out.

Out? Out? You just got in.

'We're just barely scratching the surface.'

Don't you know the big boys in the organization

are beginning to take notice?

Well, I don't know, Porter, you know

there's a lot to be said about the square life.

Oh, I know, look, I'm not putting

you and Yvonne down for wanting that.

You know what I do once in a while on a Sunday?

I get a chef's hat, yeah, I put it right on

'barbecue hamburgers and have the kids over.'

Barbecue hamburgers, me, just like the rest of 'em.

But I'm gonna tell you something, no matter what game

you're playing, no matter what game you're playing

there's just winning and losing.

The rest is just window dressing.

Don't you know that yet, Mark?

[telephone ringing]

Hello. Yeah, I'll hold.

Uh, Mark, excuse me, huh?

Oh, yeah.

Hello, Mr. Alister.

How you do, sir?

Oh, I'm fine, but you're in big trouble.

What do you mean big trouble? Everything went just perfectly.

I was just getting ready to drive over to Wichita

I'm supposed to meet Decker's man there tonight.

Decker is dead.

Dead? What do you mean dead?

Buried under an avalanche in Switzerland.

I don't believe it.

Count your blessings, Porter. You're well out of it.

- Hey, wait a minute. - No, you wait a minute.

I went out on a limb for you before.

It was a new field and the idea appealed to me

but your buyer is dead.

What do I do with the painting?

How do I know? Burn it.

Burn a million bucks?

Where are you gonna find another buyer for it?

It'll take months to find somebody like Decker

and there is no guarantee you ever will.

There's another way.

No, no, I'm not interested.

A buy-back.

Sell it back to the museum?

Too risky, no, I don't think the mob will go for it.

But, you, Mr. Alister, would you go for it?

I mean, supposing I pulled it off

are you prepared to say the organization

is willing to write-off $750,000?

Alright.

There's a meeting tonight, I'll bring it up.

But just remember, I gave you an out.

If anything goes wrong from now on, you're on your own.

[intense music]

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That's it. That's fine.

It isn't fine.

One just doesn't replace a painting by Hals.

It's part of our tradition, our culture.

It's amazing how, uh, emotionally involved one gets.

I suppose that must seem a little strange.

But the Hals was a painting

that I've been trying to get our board of directors

to purchase for over seven years.

I understand, Mr. Atwood.

Tell me how long have you been director here?

Almost nine years.

Excuse me, Mr. Atwood

your secretary has been trying to find you.

There's a call for you in your office.

Thank you.

[instrumental music]

- Hello. - 'Mr. Atwood?'

Yes.

We have the Hals.

- Who is this? - Never mind that.

Do you want the painting back, it's gonna cost you $750,000.

'Now, that's a bargain price.'

You are the fourth person who's called

claiming to have the painting.

Yes, but, Mr. Atwood, how many of your callers

mentioned the fact that the stretcher bars of the canvas

'were held to the frame with 18 round-head brass screws?'

There's no point in any further discussion

unless we can arrange to have an expert

'examine the canvas'

'and to authenticate that it's not a copy.'

Well, um..

I'll have to get back to you.

[instrumental music]

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You seem convinced.

I am.

He was too reasonable

calm, knowledgeable, in fact.

Mr. Atwood, how hard would it be actually

to determine whether or not the painting was genuine?

Oh, there are several people at the museum who could do it.

Do you suppose I could get away with it?

You, inspector?

Well, yes, you'd have to take a crash course

'with one of our experts.'

Shall we get started?

In doing this test, inspector

you would use a miniscule sample from a section of the painting

that is not too important to the--

like, uh, here for instance.

Will that little bit give you the information you need?

Oh, yes!

And this we would examine under the microscope.

To determine the ground color.

Very good.

And Hals, you recall, used a very light ground

always eager he was to get to the subject matter.

But won't they expect more sophisticated equipment

like X-ray or chemical analysis?

No, not if you are well informed.

You see, those things are no longer entirely reliable.

I see.

Mr. Perriere, what can I do if I, if I need to stall for time?

Oh, yes, of course.

I have here for you some photographs.

Close views of the entire portrait of a man.

Now, look carefully.

This is where the forger is most often exposed.

'Here...you see how the paint has cracked'

'over the centuries?'

Yeah, like spider webs.

Precisely.

But the webs are very intricately woven by time.

They are infinite in their design

'and would require infinite patience to reproduce.'

In other words, I could take as much time as necessary

to compare the photographs with the canvas?

Exactly. And you can take all the time you need

to study Hals' brushstrokes.

[dramatic music]

[engine revving]

Get the painting ready, I want to call Atwood.

Porter, I don't like it.

Why do they need to send an art expert?

Because they want to make sure it's the original painting

before they buy it back.

Yeah, I know that.

- But it could be a trick. - That's right.

So to play it safe, we'll check with Yvonne

there's a good chance

she'll know the expert they are sending.

So you go to town and find out what she came to know.

Hey, hey, Porter, I..

My deal was to get the painting.

I don't want any part of this.

What do you think, this is a social club?

Once you are in, you're in until we tell you different.

Hey, Mark, come on, things aren't so bad.

Pretty soon you'll have more money you saw

in your whole life.

I'll tell you what, when this is all over

you fly down to Puerto Rico

take Yvonne, two weeks on me, it'll be a wedding gift.

- Porter.. - Mark, don't be simple.

Go to Puerto Rico

when you come back things are gonna look different.

[dramatic music]

If I catch..

If I ever catch you juicin' on this job again

I'll k*ll you, you hear me? I'll k*ll you!

[telephone buzzing]

Yes?

I'll take it.

Hello?

The art expert you mentioned

is he in the museum now?

No, but he can be here in a few minutes.

Alright, here's your routine.

Your man will use your car.

The instructions are over the visor on the passenger's side.

If he's fouled, the whole deal is off, is that clear?

Yes.

By the way..

...what's his name?

Orlinger. Warren Orlinger.

Do you know him, Yvonne?

I'm not sure. I might have seen him at the museum.

Look, I have to get to work. I'm late.

What's this all about?

Porter lost his buyer.

He's gonna sell the Hals back to the museum

but before the museum springs for it

they want to send an art expert to make sure we're not

selling them back a phony.

'Porter wants you to see what you can find out.'

Mark, didn't you talk to Porter?

Yeah, I talked to him.

Oh, what did he say?

You want a quote?

"You don't get out till we tell you."

[sighs] We should have never gotten in this deep.

Honey, Porter is like everybody else.

He must have put you in a cage.

Cages have keys.

Yeah, if you got the courage to use it.

- You have the courage. - Not without you.

Mark, is this what you want? Just me?

Because I want you to know that you're free.

'You're not tied down to me.'

- I know that. - Do you?

Because I don't want to be your jailor.

Like Porter.

Hey, honey, I love you.

Listen, once this thing is over with, we got the money

I really think we can make it.

'I mean, for the first time in my life I really believe it.'

But how?

Mark, if we run, they're gonna come after us.

Uh, for a while maybe, but they'll forget us.

We're not that important.

Only to each other.

I'll see what I can find out.

Be careful.

How will I get in touch with you?

I'll call you.

[instrumental music]

Here we are.

Thank you very much, Mr. Perriere.

You are a good student. You will be just fine.

You, uh, have my cover story in case they call again?

[Perriere] 'Yes, I have that.'

Oh, one other thing

'they may want to move quickly once contact's made.'

- You have the cash on hand? - Oh, yes.

Well, I guess that's it.

Good luck.

[dramatic music]

Operator, this is mobile.

A-X-1-9-2-2-1.

I'm calling 5-7-0-6-2-1-1.

[telephone ringing]

- Yeah? - 'Porter.'

'He's getting ready to leave.'

You sure he's alone?

- Yes. - 'Alright.'

Stay with him. Just stay with him.

[dramatic music]

Now, all these are new ones the old ones are on the desk.

You take the desk over there, please, I'll take this one.

Thank you.

- Mr. Perriere. - Yes.

I was wondering

would you mind if I took the day off?

'I must have caught the flu or something.'

Oh, no, of course not.

Uh, before I forget, I was cataloging

and there was a call for a Mr. Orlinger.

'I didn't know who he was, so I had the call referred to you.'

Thank you.

I thought I knew everyone at the museum

but Mr. Orlinger must have escaped me.

Oh, he's in and out, you know.

I'm sure you have seen him around.

Oh, I'm sure if he's here, then I've met him.

I hope you feel better.

- Thank you. - Yes.

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

Don't turn around.

Now put this blindfold on.

You follow instructions well, Mr. Orlinger.

They weren't difficult.

Take off your blindfold as soon as we reach our destination.

The quicker you finish your examination

the better off we'll be.

We don't want to hurt, you see.

You just follow instructions that what we tell you

and everything will be alright.

This is okay. It's just stuff he needs to do the job.

Alright, let's go see the painting.

Now, here you'll have two steps right here in front of you.

I'll follow in that car. I wanna call Yvonne.

[music continues]

[engine revving]

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All I was told was that there was a telephone call

for Mr. Orlinger.

Probably checking to find out if there is a man named Orlinger

on the museum staff.

Who got the call?

- Ms. Shelby did. - Who is she?

She is a volunteer worker.

I wonder why she got the call.

I don't know.

I don't recall the name Shelby.

Was she on the list of employees you gave me yesterday?

Come to think of it, I didn't include her name.

'You see she's not on salary, she's a volunteer worker.'

Well, I'd like to talk to her. Is she in the museum now?

No, she was not feeling well.

I told her she could take the day off.

You don't think she may be involved in this, do you?

How long has she been with the museum?

About two months, she does cataloging for us

on a volunteer basis.

You know, she's like so many women who majored in art

studied abroad, and suddenly find

they have a lot of time on their hands.

What else do you know about her?

'Not much.'

Other than she's obviously worked in museums before.

Very knowledgeable.

Cooperative.

Mr. Atwood, was she here the night of the robbery?

I think so.

Yes.

You have her home address?

I'll get it for you.

I'll call the bureau right away.

[dramatic music]

Yvonne, this is Porter.

'What did you find out about Orlinger?'

I checked him out. He's on the staff.

Do you know him?

Well, I guess I have seen him around.

What do you mean you guess?

I can't swear to it, if that's what you mean.

That's exactly what I mean.

In case you don't know it, you and your boyfriend

are in this up to your necks.

Now, if that museum send a ringer

'you better be here to tell me, you understand that?'

Yes.

Alright, you got a pencil?

Yes.

'Alright, here's how you get here.'

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

Alright, the painting will be in front of you.

You'll be working with your back towards us.

At all times there'll be a g*n pointed

at the base of your skull.

If you so much as try to turn around

it's gonna go off, do you understand that?

Perfectly.

The case is here. You gonna need anything else?

No.

Take off your blindfold and start working.

[sighs]

[instrumental music]

Oh, you couldn't have missed her by more than ten minutes.

I was just coming back from shopping

and I ran into her in the front of the building.

Did she say where she was going?

Well, yes, she said her mother was ill

and she'd be gone for a few days.

Do you know where her mother lives?

Some place in Missouri, I think.

Look, I'm just her roommate.

'I haven't known her that long.'

What kind of car does Ms. Shelby drive?

A white Cougar with a black top.

[sighs]

Why they pick you for this job, Mr. Orlinger?

I purchase paintings for the museum

'arrange their exhibitions.'

Well, then you've seen the Hals before.

Oh, yes.

Do you like Hals' work?

He's a great master, but he doesn't happen to be

one of my personal favorites.

Who is?

Oh, in that century I, I'm very fond of Vermeer.

Are you familiar with Vermeer's Nursing Child?

I think you'll find Hals painted that.

'Do you mind if I go back to work now?'

He's testing the pigment.

Oh, what do you think?

He seems to be on the level.

We'll know for sure when Yvonne gets here.

Noel.

Yes.

- Find something? - Yeah, a telephone pad.

- Can we, uh, pull the blinds? - Mm-hmm.

I can make out Route 40.

And 2-R.

Yes, but that cuts clear across the state.

Hmm.

Ms. Evans, does..

...Route 40 or 2-R mean anything to you?

No.





Back road.

Railroad.

- A ranch maybe. - Mm-hmm.

I'll start an immediate canvas

and check out all the possibilities.

Hm.

Ms. Evans, may I use your telephone?

[instrumental music]

Tom, I'm glad you called. Where's Lewis?

Well, he's already gone, sir.

Well, it looks like we may have some trouble on our hands.

That name check you requested, Yvonne Shelby.

'Well, that's an alias of a woman named Yvonne Simpson.'

She was convicted of interstate transportation

of stolen property eight years ago in Los Angeles.

Inspector Erskine headed the investigation

'and he made the arrest.'

Mr. Ward, everything here points to her having fingered the job.

I know.

That's what worries me.

Where's the woman now?

[instrumental music]

Hi, honey.

My bag's in the back.

What about Orlinger? You remember anything about him?

Don't worry. If I've ever seen him before, I'll remember.

[instrumental music]

Orlinger, keep your head down, don't look up.

[dramatic music]

Well?

Yes, I know him.

How much longer are you gonna be?

Oh, uh, couple of hours, maybe less.

What took you so long?

I'm tired. I've been driving, remember?

I'm gonna go into town for some things.

Mark, you come with me.

In case you need anything, Jay will be here.

I'll be back.

[door closes]

You have any coffee?

Yes, I think there's some out..

Inspector Erskine.

Well, Ms. Simpson.

I wondered if you'd remember. It was a long time ago.

Why didn't you tell them who I am?

Because I didn't want anybody to get hurt.

And what do you plan to do now?

What difference does it make?

No matter what I do, I lose.

You'll lose a lot more with a m*rder charge against you.

If I were to help you, would you be willing to make a deal?

I think you know that's impossible.

Oh, I'd be running a risk.

What if Porter found out I lied to him?

If he thought anything was wrong

I don't believe he'd have left us here alone, do you?

[sighs]

I don't know what to do.

Think about it, Ms. Simpson.

It's probably the most important decision you'll ever make.

[bell ringing]

[dramatic music]

Thank you.

Yeah, this is it.

I'll radio the, uh, agents on the canvassing operation

that we found the car, and, uh, have them concentrate

the search in this area.

- They can't be too far away. - Uh-huh.

- Is Orlinger finished? - Not yet.

Are we gonna keep Orlinger until the exchange with the museum

is over?

That's right, once he verifies the painting

we'll make a recording of his voice saying

that it's the original. We'll send it in to Atwood.

'While I stay here with Orlinger'

you and Jay go into town and pick up the money from Atwood.

And how does Atwood know you'd give him the Hals back?

Because you and Jay will have the painting

when you pick up the money.

Well then Orlinger is really our trump card.

That's right.

What?

- Mark, it won't work. - Why not?

Orlinger is an FBI agent. His real name is Erskine.

He arrested me in Los Angeles eight years ago.

You satisfied, Mr. Orlinger?

Painting is genuine.

Tie his hands.

But I don't understand.

Just don't turn around and don't worry.

We're gonna just make ourselves a little recording.

Jay! Jay!

'Jay! Get back here.'

[dramatic music]

[tires screeching]

[music continues]

Mark, I think it's Jay.

[music continues]

Mark, he's gaining on us.

[music continues]

[music continues]

Hang on.

[tires screeching]

[music continues]

[music continues]

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[tires screeching]

[music continues]

- You okay? - I think so.

[music continues]

[music continues]

It's clear now. Come on.

Hold it!

Throw the g*n back.

Okay, let's go.

[dramatic music]

[helicopter whirring]

Alright, Jay, that's enough.

You two had it made, you could've had it all

but the minute things got tight, you panicked.

Listen, uh..

...Orlinger, he's an FBI agent.

[Porter] 'You told me that the minute you took off'

'with that, you split.'

'What difference does it make who he is?'

'We held al the cards and we still do.'

Jay, you hold them here.

'Call Atwood.'

[helicopter whirring]

[indistinct chatter]

[dramatic music]

Hold it.

[music continues]

[groans]

[music continues]

[music continues]

Let's go.

[music continues]

Helicopter to the ground units

subject running north along railroad tracks.

Cut him off.

[music continues]

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[music continues]

[g*n fire]

Take it down.

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

There's certainly no way we ever could've made it.

Too bad you couldn't have convinced Porter of that.

As it turned out, it didn't make any difference.

It may make a great deal of difference...to you.

Remember what I said? How I lose no matter what?

- You still did the right thing. - I hope so.

[instrumental music]

Authentic?

If you'll accept my expert opinion.

[chuckles]

[male narrator] Porter Bent, Mark Donald Gaynor

Jay Richard Yarborough and Yvonne Simpson

were found guilty of interstate transportation

of stolen property.

Bent, Gaynor and Yarborough were found

guilty of interstate car theft.

Bent and Yarborough were also convicted of as*ault

on a federal officer.

They were sentenced to terms in a federal penitentiary.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]