01x04 - Slow March Up a Steep Hill

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

Mommy, what's the matter with that man's face?

Money in the bag and don't scream.

[screaming]

[g*nsh*t]

Alright! Now, no more noise!

Nobody move.

Here! Fill the bag!

[intense music]

Come on, come on, come on, come on.

[music continues]

[tires screeching]

[engine revving]

[theme music]

[male narrator] The FBI.

A QM Production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring, Philip Abbott.

Stephen Brooks.

Lynn Loring.

Tonight's episode, "Slow March Up A Steep Hill"

[instrumental music]

- Thelma. - Good morning, Mr. Erskine.

- Mr. Ward called. - Yeah. He got me at home.

Uh, tell him, I'm here. I'll see him in ten minutes.

- Jim in? - Well..

Evil Lou, good morning.

Hello, daddy. I dropped by to pick you up for lunch.

Uh-huh.

'And the funniest thing happened'

on the way to the office.

This man asked me to marry him.

[chuckles]

Again?

Yeah, well, you, uh, you know the FBI, Lou.

We're-we're nothing if not persistent.

And I said yes.

You know, her I'm not surprised at.

She's been spoiled rotten ever since her mother died.

She figured she can get whatever she likes out of me

by crooking her little finger.

It's you, I don't understand.

Well, it's not so complicated.

We love each other.

The girl is only 19.

Well, you were less than that when you were married.

Less than that when I was born.

She's got two years of college left.

Who needs a degree to be a good wife?

I'll tell you what you need. You need a little maturity.

- Maturity? - A little time to grow up.

- To look around. - I have looked around and I'm..

[intercom buzzing]

Yeah.

[Jean] 'Mr. Ward will see you and Mr. Erskine'

'right away, please.'

Right.

Bye.

I love my beautiful ring.

Don't worry. I'll take care of her.

How well would you be able to take care of her

if she's pregnant and you're lying in some gutter

with a b*llet in your head?

Well, I don't know.

How well could I take care of her

if she was pregnant and I slipped

in the shower and broke my neck?

You're not in the business of risking your neck in showers.

Look, Barbara is a big, strong, healthy girl.

I mean, if anything ever happened to me, she'd adjust.

If anything ever happened to her would you adjust?

Look, Lou, that was an unusual situation. Now, h-her--

The unusual part was that they ain't

for me, it hurt, she died.

It wouldn't have happened if she'd been married to a doctor

or a shoe salesman.

Well, it might.

Even a robbery must have an ambush.

Jim, wait.

This is a child you've known for less than six months.

I'll tell you something I knew after 20 minutes.

You know, I knew that Lou Erskine

would never approve

of his daughter marrying an FBI man.

I knew that we'd have to go ahead without your blessing.

So, we will.

'In St. Stevens, a week from Sunday.'

Now, we hope..

...that you'll be there to give her away, but..

...we are going to have that wedding.

Whether you're there or not.

- Hello, Jean. - Hi. Go right on in. He's--

- Lewis. - Yes, sir.

I began to wonder if you two gentlemen had gone fishing.

Oh, we, uh, we got hung up.

What are you doing? Does your neck still bother you?

No, no, no.

Did you go to a doctor?

Well, I haven't had time, Art.

Nobody in this organization, ever has time to go to a doctor.

Unless they need to lose ten pounds

and they're physical's due and they want some diet pills.

You had no business on that ladder in the first place.

You're lucky you didn't break your back.

Barbara and I tried to tell him, but oh no.

It was his sealing and he was gonna paint it if it k*lled him.

I hate to see you getting so stubborn, Lewis.

Be flexible, like me.

Let the kids take over a little.

They've got some good ideas too.

Remember, "The young shall inherit the Earth."

Isn't that the meek?

Meek, young, what's the difference?

You know what I mean.

Anyway I didn't call you in here for a philosophy discussion.

I've got a 91 I want you to look into.

The Exeter branch of the Maryland Federal

just outside of Baltimore.

'Hit three days ago, closing time.'

'A single, unsubbed, second of August.'

'Eighteen thousand dollars.'

Bank guard was k*lled.

He was very popular too, you know.

Always had gum for the kiddies. That kind of thing.

Anyway, the SAC is up to his neck on a fur hijacking

so I think it'll be a good idea if you two helped him out here.

Where were the witnesses?

"Age unknown, height average, weight average."

Heh, well, when some maniac's waiving a 38 around

you tend to go a little blind.

Exeter branch.

- Yeah, what's the matter? - I don't know.

Cap, full face mask.

I get the feeling I've read this whole thing somewhere before.

Well, Lewis, how soon can you have the deck cleared

for this one?

We're on our way.

You almost through with the Pattinson report?

Yeah, one more page of notes to dictate.

- Jean, pick up in 45 minutes. - Yes, sir.

Could you call Joanna Lawrence in Identification.

Tell her, I'm coming over.

And ask her if she's got a prior file on the Exeter branch

at the Maryland Federal.

Ah, Lewis.

Spare in mind, he's already k*lled one man, you be careful.

The only time I take chances, Art, is when I'm on a ladder.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

[clears throat]

Well, for heaven's sakes.

Is it a bird or a plane?

Just little ol' me. Super Agent.

[chuckles]

Back like a speeding b*llet from Seattle.

I, um, adored your postcard.

Yeah, I'm sorry about our date, Joe.

Ooh, what the heck.

I mean, after all, every little cloud has a silver lining.

If I collect enough unburned candles and old wine

I could open up a little shop.

Maryland Federal, Exeter.

Thanks.

Well, there was a prior robbery then.

Mm-hmm, there were two.

August the second, 1938.

And then again on August the fifth, same year.

How do I remember that?

"Suspect was taken into custody in September, 1938.

Wayne Powell." P-O-W-E-L-L.

"Indicted on two counts of bank robbery

"one count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

"Found guilty.

"Sentenced to 30 years in the Federal penitentiary.

'"Parole from Atlanta, in June '43.'

"Violated Parole. Returned to prison, May '44.

Released from custody in December of last year."

- Released? - Mm, that's the last notation.

Uh, Erskine. Get the SAC Baltimore, please.

- I like your hair. - Thank you, kind sir.

Mr. Rice, please, Erskine calling.

I'll be in the radio room.

[intercom buzzing]

- Rice. - Uh, Dave. Lou Erskine.

On that Exeter, 91.

- How'd you hear so fast? - What do you mean?

Robbery in progress. He's hit the same branch again.

[instrumental music]

[Wayne] 'Alright, ladies. In back. Come on sweetheart. Let's move it!'

[lady screaming]

[Wayne] 'Come on, come on. Hurry it up. Get away from that desk, there!'

In the middle of the floor, in the middle of the floor!

Right together. Alright.

Alright, now, come on! Hurry it up in there!

I can't seem to..

[police sirens blaring]

[tires screeching]

[intense music]

[g*nshots]

[screaming]

[screaming]

[tires screeching]

[g*nshots]

[music continues]

[police sirens blaring]

- Another 91. Same branch. - I heard.

Special agent took a slug in the chest.

And what's his condition?

He's dead.

[instrumental music]

[indistinct chatter]

[Lewis] 'And he was dressed, exactly the same, Mr. Werth.'

- 'As far as you can remember.' - 'Yes.'

[Lewis] 'Same gunny sack, same revolver.'

Everything, the same.

In your first report, Mr. Werth, you said the suit looked funny.

Can you elaborate on that now?

Well, funny, baggy.

Um, double breasted and, uh..

You mean, it was the wrong size?

Well, I mean it was old fashioned.

You know, double breasted and, uh..

Yes, uh, anything else?

About the suit?

More of the man's general appearance.

Tone of voice, accent.

To tell you the truth, Mr. Erskine

I'm so tired, I doubt if I could give you a general description

of my own wife.

And that's a woman whose appearance sticks with you.

[chuckles] Alright, Mr. Werth.

Thank you. You've been very helpful.

Oh, no. Thank you.

Say, uh, do you think you could, uh

provide me with a couple of guards?

I mean, if this man's going to keep on coming back--

Oh, I don't think he'll try it a third time, Mr. Werth.

But I'm sure the police will keep an eye on the bank for you.

'Well, it's not that I'm personally afraid you understand

I mean, uh, here there's a man standing there with his g*n

pointing directly at my head and I'm just as calm as a cucumber.

How do you account for that?

Very easily. I'm lyin'.

Baggy pants, double breasted suit.

Sounds like a burlesque comedian.

Dave

you remember an old timer named Wayne Powell?

'Family lived in West Virginia, near Capre Falls.'

- Bank robber? - Uh-huh.

He hit this branch twice, when it was new in 1938.

Once on August the second and again on the fifth.

Where is he now?

Good question. He was released from Atlanta in December.

I'll get right on it.

What's that?

It's the b*llet he fired to the door.

And a description of the car.

A witness isn't sure of the last two digits

but it was a Delaware plate.

Dave, who's the resident agent at Capre Falls?

Ira Barber.

Call the switch button, and tell them they can reach

us through Barber's office in the next three or four hours.

By the way, how's that pretty daughter of yours?

Oh, she's fine.

Fine.

[engine revving]

Looks as though someone was having a little target practice.

I'll see what I can dig out.

Ira, how long has this place been abandoned

as far as you know?

Oh, mid 50s at least.

Powell family still on the land?

Yes, sir. Uh, Wayne Powell's sister pays the taxes on it.

- Does she live around here? - No. Butte, Montana.

[intense music]

Check that door.

[music continues]

Okay in here.

[music continues]

'Mr. Erskine.'

Want to take a look at this?

[music continues]

[Ira] 'Powell, trying to recapture his golden youth?'

[Lewis] 'Hm. Maybe.'

Well, someone has been staying here.

Have a crew go over the whole place for prints

the front porch, this room, closet, whatever.

Well, I found three good ones.



Ira, the, uh, special agent

who was k*lled, Harron, uh, was he married?

Yes, sir.

Do you have Mrs. Harron's address?

No, I can get it for you.

[intense music]

[Lewis] 'And you understand, Mrs. Harron, that you also have'

'the special agent's insurance fund benefits.'

If there's anything else we can do, I--

No. Really. I'll be fine.

I'm a very good manager.

How long had you and your husband been married

Mrs. Harron?

Fifteen months, Monday.

It's funny.

My sister was here just before you came

and...and she was crying.

And she was saying, what a shame it was.

'You know about how short a time we had together.'

But..

...I don't feel that way.

I mean it...it was a wonderful time.

More than a year.

And that's better than nothing.

[phone ringing]

[Jim] 'The Harron residence.'

'Yeah, speaking. Do you want to talk to..'

Okay, I'll tell him.

It was Dave Rice.

They found Wayne Powell.

The, uh, Dewey Hotel on Lombard Street.

Well, that didn't take so long, did it?

I think we may have caught the man who shot your husband

Mrs. Harron.

I'm going over to talk to him now.

I'll let you know, when we are sure.

See you tomorrow.

[intense music]

Congratulations. Where is he?

- That's Powell? - That's him.

He's got quite an alibi.

He's been drunk for the past two weeks.

I guess, we go back to the beginning

and start all over again, right?

[intense music]

[engine revving]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Knock, knock.

Jo!

You're supposed to say, "Who's there?"

[chuckles]

- Whose there? - Art.

Art, who?

Aren't you ever going to keep a date with me, inspector?

It's not tonight?

Oh, Jo, I'm sorry. I..

Look, let-let me call the restaurant and tell 'em

we'll be a few minutes late.

Oh.

Closed.

I'll tell you what.

I know a place that stays open all night.

It won't be squabbled with Chablis San Quan Tu

but if you'll settle for a hamburger and a cup of coffee.

[chuckles]

Joe. Forgive me. It won't happen again.

It will. But you're forgiven anyway.

And, you will be again.

Give me 30 seconds.

It's funny.

My father always thought he could work 25 hours a day too.

When he died, I swear I'd never fall in love

with a man like that.

But..

...I guess never is a word without much meaning at all.

What?

[chuckles] Nothing.

Is it anything you can talk about, Lou?

No, no. It's just..

Just the Powell case?

Wayne Powell hit that Exeter branch, I know it.

And yet I know, he couldn't have.

- It's a problem. - Hm, you'll solve it.

You won't let it go until you do.

- Jo. - Hm.

Do you consider me a stubborn man?

Well, now are you, uh, talking about

the Powell case or, uh, the kids?

Maybe, both.

Maybe more.

Yes. You're a stubborn man.

You make mistakes.

Good heavens, you're-you're a human being.

If you think you're right, you..

[sobbing]

- What's the matter? - What's this?

Jo.

Oh, don't look so smug. They're not for you.

Just a combination of cheap mascara and slow starvation.

Oh, come on, let's go

while I still have strength enough to walk.

[instrumental music]

[dramatic music]

It's the right year and model.

Check the plates.

[music continues]

This is it.

'No sign of him?'

He was hurt.

See what you can pick up.

I'll radio in.

Uh-huh. Yes, sir.

Uh, no, he didn't

but, uh, he assumed..

'Yeah.'

'I know that, sir.'

'Well, I'm sure he knows it too.'

'Right.'

Yes, sir, goodbye.

What did Jean want?

It's a report from Columbus, they found the car

with the Delaware plates in Irvine

outside of Zanesville.

Apparently, he missed a curve.

"Blood on the left front window and the seat

no sign of the driver."

Zanesville, huh?

While you were closing in on a wino in Baltimore.

There's a connection, Art.

Somebody was staying in the Powell cabin.

Sure, a vagrant... with an imagination.

'You found the clothes and you found the clippings.'

Maybe.

What's troubling you, Lewis?

A wedding?

So you know about that?

Well, I think the whole bureau knows about it.

If she shown me that ring once

'she showed it to me a hundred times.'

I know it's none of my business, but frankly

I think she and Rhodes would make a pretty nice match.

So do I, in two years.

Are you afraid it's gonna be another Ruth?

'Another stray b*llet.'

Well, I think that's a risk

Barbara's gonna have to weigh and make a decision on.

That's trouble. She's not weighing anything.

And I made the mistake of saying no instead

of "Well, we'll see"

and now they both have to prove how wrong I am.

And why not?

Think about it, Lou.

It's a game we all play.

'Children against the parents.'

King of the hill.

I mean, there you are.

Experienced..

...secure..

...little bit arbitrary..

...chief investigator..

...top troubleshooter for the bureau.

And here comes Jim.

Well, I think he loves you about as much as he'd..

...love his own father.

But I think he's gonna do the best he can

to knock you off of that hill.

'And I think you're gonna do that best you can'

'to keep him down.'

Maybe it makes for a tougher breed that way, I don't know.

But I do know that it's gonna be that way

just as long as there's a breed left.

"King of the hill.."

You see, what I mean?

Do you know what I'm getting at?

Art, will you excuse me, there's something I want to check on.

- Well.. - Thanks.

You're welcome.

[intense music]

- Anything? - No.

Oh, I was just gonna call you. Uh..

Finger print identification said the prints in the cabin

definitely are not Powell's.

Hm.

Do we have a striation match?

Yes, sir, I think we do.

Care to take a look, inspector?

[intense music]

So we know that the b*ll*ts we found up at the cabin

came from the same g*n that k*lled Harron.

Have you sent the Powell file back yet?

Not yet.

Hm. Thank you.

[music continues]

Thelma, can I see the Powell file?

- Yes, sir. - Hello, daddy.

- Hello, Barbara. - Hi.

- Hi, Barb. - You're busy.

And I don't want to interrupt anything.

But I just saw the seamstress and I wanted to tell you that

you'll hardly have to alter my wedding dress at all.

Do you know that mother must've been almost

exactly my size when you were married?

Thanks, Thelma.

Almost.

Daddy.

Really, I don't know what I'll do

if you aren't in St. Stephens to walk down the aisle with me.

I'll be there, if you're there.

Well, daddy, I'm going to be there. Believe me.

What're you looking for?

Relatives. Brothers, sons..

Nah. All he had was one sister.

No kids.

Let's go have a talk with Wayne Powell.

[intense music]

Is that better?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go ahead, go ahead.

Wayne, were you born at home, in a cabin?

Yeah.

Yeah, my sister Berneda and me, we was both born in a cabin.

Is Berneda married?

Well, she was, but-but her husband died.

Any children?

No. No. No children

How about you?

Me? You..

[laughs] What?

None that I know of.

Uh, you've been back to the cabin lately, Wayne?

No.

I didn't know it was still there.

Yeah. Lot of your old pictures around.

- Yeah? - Mm-hmm.

Old clothes, even the cradle you made.

I didn't make no cradle. What cradle?

Well, the date on it is 1943.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

I wasn't there anywhere around there in '43.

That was the year you were paroled.

There'd be a record on it. Do you want me to check?

Oh. Oh, yeah, '43 the..

Now I do kind of remember.

Maybe, maybe, I did carve out a cradle.

For your son?

Yeah. Yeah.

Who is the mother?

Oh, wait a minute, wait a minute.

I-I, I think that the name is, uh..

...Phyllis, Fitty, Fay..

She's a cute little girl.

Dancer.

She, uh, didn't have no place to go

so I said, well, come on up to the cabin

there's plenty of midwives around and hills--

Was the birth recorded?

No, no.

What did you name him?

Well, uh..

I wanted to call him after my dad.

So..

We named him Wayne Everett.

You went back to Atlanta.

What happened to Wayne Everett and his mother?

Well, she died and, uh..

There was these neighbors

they were going to coast anyway

and so..

...they took the boy

out to, uh, Berneda

in Butte, Butte, Montana.

Uh-huh. And Berneda kept him?

No, she, she had to put him in a

in a children's home.

You registered as Wayne Everett Powell?

No.

She wrote a letter and said he wasn't entitled to our name

and so she called him by, uh, uh..

Simmons and that, that was Fay's name.

Yeah, Wayne Everett Simmons, Butte, Montana?

Yeah. Yeah.

Well, if you're about done with me, I'd like to get myself a..

...a bite to eat.

No, uh, just a minute, Wayne, uh..

Has the boy..

...tried to look you up?

Well, no. He, he wouldn't even know he had a father.

Unless he asks Berneda.

Well, uh..

He, he wouldn't know where to look for me.

He, he wouldn't know... Where would he start?

At the cabin?

I don't know.

Well, uh, if that's all..

Well, thanks, Wayne.

No. Thank you, thank you.

So the light at the end of the tunnel grows a little brighter.

Well, they'll check the name out.

If nothing turns up

we'll contact the children's home in Butte.

Trace all babies admitted in that general time span.

Dave, will you call the switch board

and tell them Jim and I'll be at the cabin stakeout.

If this kid's here, I think that's the hole

he'll try to crawl into.

[intense music]

[music continues]

I don't know maybe, you just live right, Lewis.

I tried to catch you in Baltimore, but you'd left.

So I figured I'd pick you up here and take you with me.

- Take me where? - Columbus.

There's a report your fugitive may be in a hospital there.

- Powell? - Powell? Are you back to him?

Yeah, not the old man. He had a son.

Wayne Everett.

Why would he go to Columbus?

Why does anybody go anywhere?

Because the mood takes them.

Evidently he smashed his arm up pretty good

in that wreck outside of Zanesville.

He checked into the Queen of Angels Hospital

under the name of Brody.

'One of the interns heard him bragging about that'

'Maryland Federal job, he called the field office.'

Now they'll pick him up and you can question him

when you get there.

- It just doesn't fit. - What doesn't fit?

He's the right age, mid-forties.

Mid-forties?

That's wrong by about a generation, Art.

'This boy was born in '44.'

Look, Art.

The man who was bunking in that cabin is the same man

who robbed the Maryland Federal.

The prints, the b*ll*ts, everything checks out, okay?

Okay.

Now, Wayne Everett Powell was born in that cabin.

He was taken to Montana when he was a baby

and put in an orphanage there.

Never knew his mother, his father

never knew his identity until he grew up.

And found out that his father was Wayne Powell

do you follow me?

I don't necessarily agree with you, but I follow.

Alright, he comes back

sees the pictures, reads the clippings.

His father was somebody.

Maybe, he wants to be an even bigger somebody.

Oh, Lewis..

'Well, what's the alternative?'

Are you asking me to believe

that a vagrant named Brody

happened to walk in one night?

Why are we wasting so much time?

What is it you want?

I think they've treed the wrong cat in Columbus, Art.

If Wayne Everett Powell is scared, hurt, tired.

I think sooner or later he'll comeback to that cabin.

- Why? - Because it's home.

Because it's gotta have an emotional tug for him

What do you base that on, tea leaves?

I based it on years of experience.

Art, what in the world is the bureau paying me for

if it's not instinct based on experience?

Lewis.

I could order you to go to Columbus.

Are you ordering me?

Maybe what I ought to do is give you some time behind a desk.

Let some less rigid man handle the field.

It's up to you, of course.

You're still sticking to your g*ns?

You still want to stay here?

Yes, sir.

This isn't your stubbornness.

You're not just painting another ceiling, are you?

Not this time.

Do it your way.

[instrumental music]

And now the mosquitoes start.

Well, Art said, "Maybe, you just live right."

[scoffs]

[music continues]

Nothing?

You know, Lou, he still might have

tried to check into one of the local hospitals.

Yeah, we'll be notified.

Uh, Lou..

Well, for what it's worth.

I just want you to know that when you were trying

to sell Ward back there you

you sold me.

'I think Wayne Everett's our boy.'

That is if the old man's telling the truth.

Yeah, provided that, of course.

Yeah, what I, what I mean is, uh..

I just want you to know

that if it turns out you're wrong

then we're wrong together.

You figure we're wrong?

- Nope. - Neither do I.

Message for you.

Thanks, Ira.

From Arthur.

Picked Brody up, he's confessed.

Oh, Lou.

They want to see me in headquarters.

Well, uh..

I'll take the car, you hitch a ride with one of the men.

No, I'll go with you.

What for?

Well, you're gonna send everybody back anyway.

- Aren't you? - Not in your life.

Not until I see that Brody's prints

match the ones in the cabin.

Tell Ira the stakeout stays on till he hears from me.

Yes, sir.

Frogs?

[dramatic music]

It's the FBI, Powell.

[Lewis] 'Drop your g*n, raise your hands.'

[g*nshots]

Powell, it's over.

Come out of there with your hands raised.

[g*nshots]

Tear gas.

Last warning, Powell.

Come out. Now!

[groans]

Powell?

[groans]

[Lewis] 'Powell!'

[g*nsh*t]

[coughing]

Let's go.

[intense music]

[music continues]

Well, he found his way home.

[instrumental music]

[Arthur] 'Apparently, Brody decided he wanted to get'

'his name in the papers.'

'Claimed it was all a big joke to begin with.'

'And he had hurt his left arm'

so he began hinting around that he was the one

that was wanted for the Maryland Federal case.

What's this?

Oh, yeah, thank you.

And Miss Erskine's downstairs.

She wonders, if she can get a free lunch from one of you.

Mm, Yeah, tell her to come on up.

I think maybe, we can arrange something.

What kind of a record did Brody have?

[Arthur] 'Oh, just about what you'd expect.'

Petty burglaries, selective service violations.

The Columbus police were glad to get him.

Here you are, Jean.

Almost as glad as the bureau was to get Wayne Everett Powell.

You know, Lewis, if you want a man who makes

a mistake, you ought to admit it.

So thank you for reminding me

that there is a considerable difference

between stubbornness and the courage of one's convictions.

Well, that's about all.

Oh, see I did talk to, uh, Dave Rice this morning.

He offered a job to Mrs. Harron at the Baltimore field office

and she said she'd like that.

Good.

You'll join us for lunch, Art?

Uh, no, you go on, I'll talk to you later.

- Oh, say, Jim. - Yes, sir.

Just how formal is that St. Stephens thing going to be?

My wife wants to know.

Well, as a matter of fact, sir, uh

you see, Barbara and I have decided to postpone the wedding.

'At least for a while.'

[Arthur] 'Oh, for how long?'

Well, let's just say until we get

her father's official permission.

You have it, just as long as you wait two years.

Well, I think maybe, we can change your convictions

before then, Lou.

- Care to bet? - Ah, not in the bureau.

[chuckles]

[theme music]