02x12 - The Camel's Nose

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[woman on PA] 'Final call. Flight 577 is boarding at Gate 5.'

Is there something I can do for you?

No, no, thanks, I was just, uh..

Here you go, honey.

Uh, Captain Reedley.

- Yes. - Oh, I'm glad I caught you.

I thought back at the plant that

Mr. Foreman's flight left at 9:15.



No, Mr. Kessler said just chuck it in a baggage compartment.

A messenger will pick it up when you land in Washington.

- Got you. - Would you sign here, please?

- Down by the X. - Sure.

[woman on PA] 'Mr. Daniel Craig, Mr. Daniel Craig..'

- Here you go. - Thanks a lot.

Have a nice flight now.

Thank you.

Oh, Mr. Foreman, good to have you aboard.

How are you?

This way to the left.

[dramatic music]

[telephone buzzing]

Kessler.

No, Mr. Colton and I are still in conference.

He'll call down when he's ready to leave.

Your car is here.

Your reliable friends..

...isn't very reliable.

Wasn't he gonna call when he finished the job?

Why don't you go on home? I'll wait.

[Colton] Colton, Kessler, Foreman.

The triumvirates.

And then there were two.

Will you please go home?

How, umm, how's your friend gonna do it?

I wouldn't know.

Knife? Club? Noose?

[Kessler] 'Tell the chauffeur Mr. Colton's on his way.'

Oh, God, make it quick.

Make it quiet, please.

[dramatic music]

[expl*si*n]

[theme music]

[music continues]

[Marvin Miller] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin, Warner Brothers production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott..

Stephen Brooks.

With guest stars

Diane Baker..

Murray Hamilton.

And special guest star

Fritz Weaver.

Tonight's episode, "The Camel's Nose."

[instrumental music]

A routine inquiry into an airplane crash

quickly became an all-out investigation

of four separate acts of m*rder.

Eye witnesses told special agents of the FBI

that the Colton industries plane had exploded in mid-air.

And the residue of powder discovered on sections

of the baggage compartment

was forwarded to the FBI lab in Washington.

Analysis showed it had come from dynamite

with a high concentration of ammonium nitrate.

A mixture as deadly as TNT.

- Hello, Jean. - Hi.

He's on the phone.

- Oh. - With Mr. Hoover.

Inspector, did you see this?

Yes, I did.

[Jean] You knew him too, didn't you, inspector?

- 'Mr. Foreman.' - No.

[Jean] 'Yes. Don't you remember?'

He and his wife and Mr.. Oh.

- Here you go, Jean. - Good. Good.

Mr. and Mrs. Colton, all had lunch with Mr. Ward

one day last summer.

I remember the invitation. We were on a case.

Was he a friend of Mr. Ward's?

Oh, I don't think they were close friends.

They knew each other.

He was treasurer of Colton Industries

and Art's known Mrs. Colton since she was a little girl.

I think he gave her away at the wedding, didn't he?

Mm-hmm. Sweetest woman. Just a darling girl.

Oh, good. He's free now.

Oh, by the way, Hewlett of Defense was on the other line.

I told the secretary that you wanted to talk to him.

She said she'd have him contact you here when you got back.

Jean, did you get anything on the Detroit call?

I got through to their home but the maid said

Mrs. Colton hadn't come in yet.

- I left a message. - Oh, good.

Um, could you get me an aspirin, please?

- Yes, sir. - What have you got, Lewis?

The lab report indicates it was dynamite.

Probably in the luggage compartment.

Better assign Thompson to it.

What are you on now, Lewis?

The Robbins extortion.

Couldn't Thompson handle that?

Yeah, I suppose he could.

I'd like to wrap this up as soon as possible.

I'd like for you to get out there

tomorrow morning if you could.

Alright.

Probably run into some crackpot

or a madman.

But if it should be an act of suicide or m*rder

we'll put everything we've got on it.

Colton's got half a dozen..

[intercom buzzing]

...government defense contracts.

Company like that should be above suspicion.

Hello, Ward.

Oh, it's for you, Jim.

Thank you. Hello?

You're investigating all the insurance aspects?

Yeah, Jim's already started on it.

Lewis..

Does it seem a little, um, unusual to you

that the treasurer of a company

would be taking a night-time flight to Washington?

Yes, it did.

As a matter of fact, have a call in to Hewlett.

If Foreman did have an appointment with Defense

he'd know about it.

But don't get me wrong, don't think for a minute

I think there's anything shaky about Colton Industries.

Oh, thanks, Jean.

Colton's a good man.

I know him.

Nevertheless, it's an angle

I wanna have thoroughly investigated.

By the top investigator in the bureau.

Because I do know some of the people involved.

You understand exactly what I mean?

- You bet. - Alright, Dave.

Uh, KBL noon flight arrives at Metropolitan 1:40 p.m.

- Fine. Notify Thompson. - Yes, I'll take care of it now.

[intercom buzzing]

Yes?

Mr. Hewlett for Inspector Erskine.

And I've Mrs. Colton now on two.

Alright.

It's Hewlett, for you.

Yes, Dave.

Uh, Lou, in regard to your question about Paul Foreman?

[Inspector Erskine] 'Yes?'

Now, Foreman did call here yesterday afternoon.

I wasn't in. And when I tried to get him back

his secretary said he had left.

Dave, what are Colton's outstanding defense contracts?

[Hewlett] 'Well, their biggest is an airplane-parts deal.'

'Uh, gyroscope components.'

How big? Could they go under without it?

- 'They might.' - What's the delivery date?

Well, let's see. The first consignment's already..

Well, it's already on its way to Vietnam.

Okay, thanks.

Lewis..

Stick around.

Hello. Elyse?

Oh, Arthur, how good to hear your voice.

I can't tell you how shocked I was at the news, Elyse.

How's Mrs. Foreman taking it?

Awfully hard. It all happened so quickly.

[Arthur on phone] 'Yeah.'

And now the newspapers are hinting

that someone might have put a b*mb on board.

Now, that's just driving her crazy.

Arthur, that's something

your people would investigate, isn't it?

[Arthur on phone] 'Yes, it is.'

That's what I told Steve.

I said, "Darling, don't worry."

The FBI will have the whole thing

cleared up in a couple of weeks.

Why should Steve worry?

Oh, they're bidding on some big new contract.

Uh, he said, now all he needed

was a phony hysterical newspaper scandal

because the FBI was investigating

Colton Industries.

Well, I said to him, "Don't fret."

I said, "I'd be in Washington on Thursday for mom's birthday."

So I just look in on you, and use my enormous influence

'and make you call off the whole thing.'

You think you could manage that?

[Elyse] 'Oh, sure.'

All I have to do is to open my mouth

and you'd slap me to jail for trying to bribe

a federal official.

[chuckles]

'Isn't that a great relationship?'

You love me.

But you'd flush me right down the drain

if you had to.

It would break my heart.

Some consolation.

Well, you're gonna come see me anyway now, huh?

Oh, I suppose.

Well, goodbye, sweetheart, and give my best to Steve.

[Elyse] 'Yes. Goodbye.'

Art, why don't I handle it?

I could send my request straight through the associate director.

No need for you to get involved in it.

They're my friends. I am involved.

[instrumental music]

You alright?

Top notch.

Feeling like a million.

You ought to eat something.

You should've shown up at the commissary.

Did you eat?

The point is, you should've come by.

'People wanted to express their sympathy.'

Line workers, office girls. Everybody liked Paul.

They all knew what good friends we were.

[laughs]

'Look, Steve, it's over with.'

Brooding about it is not gonna change a thing.

Four people.

"Just leave it to me", my junior partner says.

If Paul Foreman won't listen to reason

well, we'll just get this reliable friend.

That'll take care of everything.

Before he turns us all in.

Well, I guess we're lucky Paul Foreman didn't take

the TransAtlantic to Europe.

If your reliable friend would've opened up the--

Alright, alright! So, it was a tragedy, but it's ended.

Will you stop? What's ended?

Deaths.

Haven't even begun yet.

Look, Mike, maybe we could call the parts back

and then out of the country.

No, why not? We could be a tool.

See, we could say we made an honest mistake.

Look, I changed government specifications sheets.

That's a very difficult mistake to make, honestly.

I changed maximum stress--

Yes, that makes more important--

No, you listen.

I came in this room yesterday and I said

"Steve, it's sink or swim."

I can't keep Paul quiet any longer.

Shall I have him k*lled? And you said yes.

Honest mistake.

We had our choice, and we made it.

And how many planes are gonna crash because of it?

No planes are going to crash.

"No planes are gonna crash."

Eighty-five percent of those parts

are defective, 85%.

[intercom buzzing] Look, will you drop it!

'Who will I talk to about it?'

Yes?

[secretary] 'I have a call for you, Mr. Kessler.'

'A Mr. Milton.'

'Will you talk to him there?'

No, I'll take it in my office.

Who's Milton?

Nobody. I'll handle it.

[dramatic music]

Yeah.

The mail just came. I just called to thank you.

You there, Mr. Kessler?

Yeah, I'm here.

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

Nothing much.

I asked you to do me a little favor, quiet, simple.

You spread it all over the front pages.

Hey, hey, hey, come on, come on.

Ya knock a guy off that rich in an alley

you're gonna spread it over the front pages.

Then I thought this one was kinda clever.

I mean, gettin' your dame is one thing, Mr. Kessler

but a contract like this, you know what I mean?

[Mr. Kessler] 'You got paid for it.'

I got paid for it.

Did I get paid enough?

Are you're gonna give me trouble now, Billy?

[chuckles] I guess I am, Mr. Kessler.

I mean, it seems like it's always one doggone thing

after another, doesn't it?

I'll be talkin' to you.

[intense music]

Care to join me for lunch, Mike?

Now, that it's all settled, and over with?

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

These are the obviously exploded fragments

from the crash site.

Most of them came from the rear right corner

in the baggage department.

And this?

I had no luck in matching that so far.

I can see it's been exposed to intense heat

but it doesn't seem to have been part of the plan.

Lou, I've, uh, I've just been talking to the local insurance..

Rhodes, Judge Parker. SAC, Detroit.

- Doug, how do you do? - How are you?

Well, there's, uh, there's not much to report really.

Former secretary had no coverage at all.

The, uh, pilot and the co-pilot had the usual company policy.

And Foreman had about $80,000 worth

but the contracts had been drawn aback in the early '50s.

So there's really nothing unusual

nothing suspicious.

Uh, Doug, may I see the file manifest, please?

No baggage.

Not unless you count the attache case

Mr. Foreman brought aboard.

- Those have been recovered? - Yes, sir.

It was pretty badly charred

but there was no indication it had been

in the general expl*si*n area.

What was in the case, Doug? Do they know that?

We're unable to tell. I've sent the ashes to the lab.

What about airport security?

Could someone have put a b*mb aboard the plane

before takeoff.

I don't think so, inspector.

They maintain a tight patrol here.

I interviewed the guard who was outside the Colon hangar.

He said the only one who had approached

the baggage compartment was the pilot himself.

And he doesn't list any.

He might just have been checking.

Have a talk with the operations officer

gate guard, stewardesses

who might have seen him. Find out if he carried any.

And, uh, mail that scent to Washington for analysis.

And get me a list of employees

discharged within the last year or so.

Anyone who might have had a grudge against

an executive within the company itself.

Alright.

[instrumental music]

[man groaning]

Darling, darling, it's alright.

It's alright now. Yes. I know. I know.

[panting]

I, I thought it was..

What?

[sighing]

What time is it?

It's almost 3:00.

- In the afternoon? - Mm-hmm.

I can't just lie..

Easy, just take it easy now, lay back.

I'll get you an aspirin.

Here.

[groaning]

Now, easy.

[grunting]

- Okay? - Yeah.

- Alright? - Alright.

- Elyse? - Yeah?

What did I..

What did I do last night?

You locked yourself in the den

and you drank a brand-new fifth of bourbon.

Hm.

I have to get back to the office.

Why?

Your best friend's dead, mourn a little.

The company won't go to pieces.

Well, I wouldn't have awakened you now

except Mike's here.

- Hm? - Yeah.

I told him to wait until tomorrow

but he said he had to see you.

- Mm. - Now, now, just a minute.

Just a minute. Darling, please.

- Please? - Ooh.

- Well, let the pills work. - Oh.

[instrumental music]

Ah.

How's the headache now?

[chuckles] It's over.

- It's better. - Steve.

Steve, listen, why don't we just take off?

Go around the world while there's still one left?

I can't, Elyse. I can't.

You can't or you don't want to?

Send Mr. Kessler right away, would you please?

Alright.

You've made your money, you've built your company.

Yeah, I made my money.

I made my commitments.

I made some wrong decisions.

How wrong?

Well, we could lose everything, if we're not careful.

Well, I wouldn't care.

Elyse, don't ever romanticize

loan payments and leftovers at least.

They're not romantic.

Oh. Well, I still wouldn't care.

I love you.

I hope I'm not disturbing you.

You know, Steve, I don't think your wife likes me.

Does that wound you?

Of course.

You're too sensitive for your own good, Mike.

Yeah, no question.

That's why I can't make important decisions

alone anymore.

There's only one important decision that concerns me

and that's that shipment to Vietnam.

- It's too late to start.. - Too late for a lot of things.

Including Billy Milton.

[sighs] What does that mean?

He called me at home again last night.

He told me what he wants.

[sighing] How much?

Ten thousand.

[sighing]

- Pay him. - Yeah?

What about the next ten thousand, and the next?

Pay him. What else can we do?

There is another way to handle it.

I know, I know, it, it doesn't appeal to our urbane taste

does it?

[instrumental music]

But the more you think about it, the more sense it makes.

Our lives depend on this one creep

keeping his mouth shut.

Think about it, Steve.

I won't do it until you say yes, but think about it.

'Think about it, Steve.'

Okay, now, where were we?

Uh, yes, Nancy, you, you were telling me about the customer

who seemed to be waiting for Captain Reedley.

Oh, yes.

Well, I noticed him because he kept looking at the clock.

And then, he'd been here quite a while

without buying anything.

- Ah! Reminds me. - With someone..

Oh, you don't have to buy anything.

I mean, you can if you want to, but..

I want to.

I mean, I'm just tickled to death to talk to the FBI.

- Here you go. - Oh, thank you.

- You're welcome. - Do you want some candy?

Uh, no, thank you.

[woman on PA] 'Flight 577, non-stop to Washington.'

Anyway, what was I saying?

Uh, yeah, anyway, you were telling me about

the-the customer who went up to talk to Captain Reedley

when Reedley came out of operations, right?

Yes. Mm-hmm.

Did he, uh, give Reedley anything?

Like a, a suitcase, or a package or anything?

- I don't think so. - What did this man look like?

Oh, he was about forty, kind of heavy set.

You know, sort of beat up.

Like, a.. Like, what? Like a, a black guy?

- That sort of thing? - No.

You.. With the ear, what is it called?

- Cauliflower? - That's right. Cauli..

Wait a minute.

He did give Captain Reedley something.

It was a case or something.

[instrumental music]

Did you talk to San Francisco?

[Kessler] 'Yes.'

The exact time of departure is classified information

of course.

The Air Force assures me

the shipment's already over the pacific.

Look, Steve, I suggest we drop this whole subject.

I made the call you asked me to make.

Any more unusual interest on our part

and people are gonna remember it.

You mean, they may see a connection

when planes start falling out of the sky?

No planes are gonna fall.

Have you given any thought to the other problem?

Here's $10,000 for your friend Milton.

Of course, you know this won't be the last $10,000.

You could be wrong.

You said yourself. He's just a small-time punk.

No. No, I'm not wrong.

It's precisely because he's been a small-time punk all his life

that he's never gonna let us off the hook.

He's been a pig.

Then why did you use him?

Could I advertise in the classifieds?

Look, Steve..

do you want to give up the company

you've spent 20 years of your life to build?

He would never go that far.

Well, that's what he's gonna want.

- How can you be so sure? - Oh, believe me, I'm sure.

He would never do a thing like that.

That's what he's gonna want, everything we've got.

'Everything, Steve.'

[instrumental music]

Now, you just let me handle this.

[lab technician] It's a fairly uncommon alloy.

Eighty-two parts aluminum, sixteen parts zinc

two parts copper with traces of partinium.

- What's its commercial use? - Lightweight carrying cases.

The manufacturer is Wyeth Materials, Bloomington.

They gave us a list of three firms

in the Detroit area that use the product extensively.

[telephone ringing]

Metallurgy.

Uh, Mr. Ward, your call to Detroit's ready now.

Uh, Lewis..

[Mr. Erskine] 'Yes, Arthur.'

In regard to that unidentified fragments you sent in..

'Yes.'

It was part of a lightweight carrying case.

Uh-huh.

Alright, could you possibly get a lead on the manufacturer?

We've, uh, turned up a witness who thinks she saw a man

hand a case of some kind to the pilot

just before he boarded the plan.

She half remembers him signing for it.

[Ward] Well, it, uh, just happens

that the lab has already given me a list of companies

who use this particular item in Detroit.

You got a pencil?

Uh, just a second.

Go ahead.

That's, uh, Smith Precision Tools

Halton Fairland Incorporated

and Morgan Aircraft.

Colton Industries wasn't one of 'em, huh?

- It wasn't. - I'll check on all three.

[instrumental music]

- None of them, Nancy? - Well, I don't know.

Gee, I'm sorry, I just can't be sure.

All I can remember is that ear.

[g*nshots]

[clicks]

[intense music]

[glass shatters]

[music continues]

[glass shatters]

[music continues]

[theme music]

Straighten out that back hand, Fred, before you challenge me.

I.. Then I'll give you and three and serve. Oh, sorry.

- Mr. Adams? - Yeah?

I'm Inspector Erskine. I called last night.

Oh, yes, uh, Mr. Morgan said you'd be by.

I, uh, I told him I hope that you, uh..

wouldn't wanna go rummaging around in my files

like a bull in a China closet.

Oh, uh, would you mind?

I, uh, I missed my breakfast.

- Uh, would you care to join me? - Uh, no, thank you.

Mr. Adams, uh, do you list your employees

by prior occupation as well as sex, age and so forth?

Oh, yes, yes. Mm-hmm.

I'd like to know if you have any former boxers

or wrestlers working in Morgan Aircraft now.

[chuckles] Well, we don't use a computer..

Mister, uh, Erskine.

However, if, uh, Mr. Morgan insists on it

we'll put, uh, some extra people on it

and have an answer for you, in say..

a week or ten days.

Would that be satisfactory?

No, it wouldn't.

[intercom buzzing]

Hello?

For you.

- Erskine. - Lou, this is Jim.

I picked up a Detroit PD homicide locate this morning.

[Erskine] 'Yeah?'

Saloon keeper named, uh, Billy Milton

was found beaten to death in his own bar

at about 9:30 this morning.

He was k*lled sometime last night.

Used to be a professional middleweight

about twenty years ago.

Any motive?

[Jim] 'There's nothing established yet.'

There is a lot of, uh, lot of money

lying around the bar but that wasn't even touched.

What about prints?

The whole place was wiped clean.

Except for a pool ball

that they found stuck in the drain behind the bar.

Had a couple of good clear latent

and they weren't Milton's.

Oh, yeah, by the way, uh..

a neighbor of Milton's said

that he held a part-time job

as a security guard.

- Where? - Well, he wasn't sure.

But I was wondering if it could've been Morgan Aircraft.

Okay.

Ask your witness to take a look at the body.

See if she can make an identification.

[Jim] 'Alright.'

Mr. Adams, would you please check your files

for a William Milton?

He may have worked here as security guard.

Milton?

I think you're way off base, inspector.

I'm positive we never had a Milton here.

Milton. Milton. Milton.

Milton. Milton. Milton.

Hm, "William Milton. Security guard."

- Ex-boxer? - Ex-boxer.

And was very highly recommended.

- From where? - Uh, "Colton Industries."

Personal reference by Mr. Kessler.

You, uh..

Tsk. You use a case here made by Wyeth.

Yes.

Could Milton have had access to those cases?

Yes, probably. Why?

- Did he steal one? - He may have.

[chuckles] Terrible, terrible!

They cost almost $4 a piece.

How lucky for us that you were able to catch the thief.

Thanks for you cooperation.

Inspector..

I was only joking.

After all, even the FBI is human.

Isn't it?

Elyse.

- Arthur. - 'Come in.'

- It is so good to see you. - Come in.

[chuckling]

Jean, this will be fine if you make that correct--

I probably came at the wrong time.

Now, if you're busy, just tell me and I'll..

You'll do what?

Kick and scream, and hold your breath

until you're blue in the face?

Kick? Why, I never did that.

Oh, yes, you did, right here in this building.

[chuckles] Twenty years ago.

Oh, h*-h*.

How's the family?

Wonderful!

Julie is old enough for kindergarten.

Sit down, please.

So she brings home all sorts of interesting things.

Maps, drawings, garter snakes.

[laughs] Garter snakes?

Yes.

[laughs]

Steve's working terribly hard..

...but that's his life's story.

How's Mrs. Foreman taking it?

Oh, my.

I spoke to her on the phone last night. She..

She said that bureau agents were going to interview her today.

Yes. That's right.

The paper seems to feel that's very significant

an, an inspector of the FBI probing us.

Well, I tell you, Elyse..

We get that in any investigation.

Well, it's not just the investigation, Arthur.

It's the headlines, the newscasters.

The things that they hint at.

'Well, Steve's very worried.'

He thinks that this could hurt the company badly.

I don't know.

Destroy confidence.

I mean, you have a lot of power.

Lot of responsibility.

Aren't they the same thing?

No, they're not.

You know, there was a time, Elyse

when the bureau had power without responsibility.

They had the power to investigate

or to refrain from investigating.

And a lot of people asked for favors

people with influence in one sort or another

political or personal.

And sometimes those people got what they asked for.

Did your father ever tell you the story

of the camel with the cold nose?

[chuckles]

Is that the one who persuaded the driver

to let him put his nose inside the tent?

- That's right. - Yes.

And then came the head

and then the shoulders and finally, the driver was..

[clicks tongue] ...kicked out.

And the tent belonged to the camel.

Well, we'd nearly lost the tent

before Director Hoover took over.

And it's taken a long time to get it back.

We cleaned things up.

People still say, "Why don't you bend just a little bit?"

Uh, or, "Wink once or twice."

It's an awful big camel out there.

You know, Elyse, investigations clear people, too.

I know. I know, Arthur.

You think someone may have wanted Paul Foreman dead.

Paul didn't have any enemies.

When did you talk to him last, Mr. Kessler?

Oh, about 4:30 that afternoon.

Uh, he said he was going down to Washington.

I asked him if there's anything I could help him with.

He said no. It just concerned an auditing procedure

that he liked to suggest some changes in.

Just a routine business trip?

Hm, yes, as far as I know.

I wish Steve was here.

He-he might be able to fill you in on it a little better.

Hey, well, sit down. Sit down, gentlemen.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

Where is, uh, where is Mr. Colton now, sir?

He went to the airport, to meet his wife.

She's flying back from Washington.

Mr. Kessler, do you know a man named William Milton?

[intercom buzzing]

Yes?

[secretary] 'Can you talk to the superintendent

'at plant number two, Mr. Kessler?'

Ask him to hold, please.

[secretary] 'Yes, sir.'

I'm, I'm sorry, what was that name again?

William Milton.

Milton?

No.

I read he used to work here as a security guard.

I see..

I might remember him, if I saw him.

Ah, did we let him go?

That's how I understand it, yes.

Hmm.

Well, I'll-I'll check into the files.

And now if you'd excuse me just a moment, gentlemen.

Certainly.

[Mr. Kessler] 'Yes, yes, right.'

Very short memory.

Considering the warmth and the recommendation.

Very short.

Call Identification.

Ask them to run a check at those pool-hole fingerprints

in the non-criminal file.

Names.

Michael Kessler and Steven Colton.

Alright.

Yeah, Frank, I'll come down and see you a little later, huh?

Okay.

[intense music]

[theme music]

Okay, Tom. Good, thanks.

Girl positively identified

Milton's the man she saw at the airport.

Thank you.

The, uh, Detroit police have any record on him?

Yes, sir. A list of minor offenses, going back to..

...1951.

Last booking, February 5th, 1965.

Felony as*ault.

The case was dropped

when the complainant failed to appear in court.

February the 5th.

That's the day he left Colton Industries.

- Same day, huh? - Mm-hmm.

Obviously the cause of dismissal.

You know, when he applies for a job at Morgen Aircraft

he's warmly recommended by Michael Kessler.

The man who dismissed him.

Why? What, a personal favor or something?

You know that could make more sense than you think.

Rumor has it that, you could get almost anything at Milton's Bar.

From a couple of scalp tickets on the 50 yard line

to an expensive companion.

Kessler must have had a lot of visiting firemen

to take care of.

Maybe he was doing his friend a favor, huh?

Question is, was his friend doing him a favor?

And he delivered a b*mb to Captain Reedley.

[dramatic music]

[woman on PA] 'Telephone call for Mr. Steven Colton.'

'Mr. Steven Colton, telephone, please.'

Hello, this is Mr. Colton. Is there a call for me?

'Yes, sir. One moment, please.'

Hello.

Where have you been?

Who is this? Mike?

I, uh, went to dinner. Lisa's plane's been be delayed.

What's the matter?

I don't wanna talk on the phone.

Come by the office, now!

Lisa's due in any moment.

Drop her off at your house on the way.

[instrumental music]

Just came in.

We got a positive ident on the thumb and fingerprints

on the pool wall.

Michael Kessler.

Alright, we'll notify to trade homicide.

And contact Colton.

Make an appointment for him to come in to the office

tomorrow morning.

By that time Kessler should be in custody and booked

on a homicide charge.

'We'll make arrangements to question both of 'em.'

Anything yet on the ashes in Foreman's briefcase?

Yes.

There were specifications for the gyroscope.

We restored and erased her.

New alterations.

And there was a further change to satisfy

government's testing standards.

All we needed was a motive.

Now, Lewis, I'm leaving the office now.

I'll be Detroit in two hours.

Alright, there's no reason why he should--

I know.

I suppose you or any other agent in the bureau

could wrap this up.

But I want to do it, personally.

We'll meet you at the airport.

[instrumental music]

[telephone ringing]

Hello?

'Is Mr. Colton there, please?'

Who's calling?

'Douglas Parker, FBI.'

Well, this is Mrs. Colton. My husband isn't home right now.

Could I help you?

Do you know where I could reach him, Mrs. Colton?

Well, I-I don't. I'm, I'm sorry.

'I see.'

Would you care to leave a message?

No, we'll check back later. Thank you.

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

Arthur. How are you?

Did they pick up Kessler?

Well, they've got his apartment staked out. No sign of him yet.

What about Colton?

I called Colton's house again.

The maid thinks that he's gone to the office

and his wife's gone after him.

- Did you try there? - Switchboard's closed.

Well, let's go.

[intense music]

[Steve] 'It's time we stop running scared'

'and took these things squarely in hand.'

Steve?

[Mike] 'Get hold of yourself. You realize we have no choice.'

'We have to brave it out.'

[Steve] 'Braving it out? It has nothing to do with braving it out.'

- You listen to me. - No, listen to me!

If they come back here again, it's all over.

I can't face them anymore.

Oh, yes, you can. You have to.

Well, who are you to tell me what I have to do? And what..

Elyse..

The FBI telephoned. They wanted to talk to you.

They wanted to...talk to me.

Um, go home, Elyse. Go home.

- What's-what's over, Steve? - Please, go home.

- 'No, why should she?' - Please, go home, El..

She's overheard part of it. She'll guess the rest.

- Please, go home, Elyse. - No, no, no, no, no.

Tell her the truth. She's your wife.

You've given her a fine home, three cars.

She's never asked where it came from before

or maybe it's time she'd knew.

Please be quiet.

You see Elyse should

take out a little bit too much.

You got a little bit behind.

You had to make a delivery date. You make it.

You lie a little, you cut a few corners

'but you make it.'

'Next corner, you cut a little deeper'

'then you alter a few specifications.'

The plane?

Paul found out.

The plane went down because we hired a man to k*ll him.

No.

Not "We."

[Mike] Oh, yes, Mrs. Colton. "We."

I put the question to your husband

and he said, "Sure, k*ll my friend."

Elyse.

No.

[Steve] 'Let me explain, honey.'

Elyse. Elyse!

[door slams]

She'll be alright, she'll keep her mouth shut.

You're sure, of course.

Why?

If at all she doesn't..

...keep her mouth shut..

I mean, she knows Arthur Ward

but she just accidentally let

something slip out.

What's your point?

Well, I mean, I don't think we can take that chance, Mike.

Do you? Huh?

Quit it.

Oh! Too wild to consider? Why?

She doesn't like you, you don't like her.

What'll it be next time, dynamite pool cues?

Hey, wait a minute. Where do you think you're going?

- The FBI. - Oh, no. Oh, no!

Oh, yes. Right here, right now.

Not after 20 years.

Alright, who you think--

Not after 20 years!

[indistinct screaming]

- No! No! - Yes!

[intense music]

[music continues]

Hey, Elyse!

Elyse!

Oh, Arthur, Arthur!

Take it easy. What is it? What is it?

- No. No. - Take it easy.

[intense music]

[screaming]

No!

Steve!

- Oh! No! - Elyse, Elyse!

- It's Kessler. - No.

Come on in. Now, stay in the car.

Stay in the car. Elyse!

No! No!

[intense music]

Steve?

Is he dead? It's my fault.

Steve, I'm sorry.

But it's my duty to advise you

that anything you say may be used as evidence against you.

You have the right to remain silent--

Alright, I know. I know, I know. I know.

Arthur, you, uh, you-you better call

the defense department.

We shipped out 27 cases of..

...component parts under the purchase order 1953J.

Eighty-five percent of the components

are potentially defective.

Hairline fissures resurfaced and repainted.

Where are they now?

Vietnam.

That's what Paul Foreman wanted to tell the department.

That's why we k*lled him.

[intense music]

My best friend.

My two best friends.

[sighs]

For 20 years.

And I k*lled both of them.

[instrumental music]

Howdy, Mrs. Colton.

Arthur's on his way.

Thank you.

Can I get you some coffee?

No, thank you.

Hello, Elyse.

May I see him now?

Sure.

Mr. Rhodes and Mr. Parker are with him.

They're going to have to stay with them.

You'll have a few minutes before the arrangement.

Thank you, Arthur.

He's my husband, and I can't..

I know.

Show Mrs. Coleman to the commissioner's office, please.

Long night, Arthur?

The longest.

[Marvin Miller] Steven Colton was tried and found guilty

of first degree m*rder.

He received the death sentence.

But before it could be carried out

he died of natural causes in the federal penitentiary.

Alerted by the FBI, the department of Defense

flashed an emergency warning to our overseas forces.

The defective components shipped by Colton industries

were removed and destroyed.

No planes were lost.

[theme music]