02x23 - Sky on Fire

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[intense music]

[birds chirping]

[knock on door]

Bellamy? Carl Platt.

Come in.

Sorry, I'm late.

This isn't the easiest place in the world to find.

- It's your cabin? - No.

Uh, the office handles the lease, I knew it was vacant.

Thought we could talk here.

This is a fire area, you know. There's no smoking.

[chuckles]

Habit.

Alright, Mr. Bellamy, uh..

...let's talk.

Did your sister put you up to this?

She strike you as that kind of girl.

I don't know what kind of girl she is

I only saw her twice in my life.

She loves you.

She needs help.

I told her I'd support the child.

And you'll support the child, and you'll pay for the pain

and the inconvenience and disgrace.

Well, suppose I say no.

Well, I don't know what choice I have

except to talk to the people you work for.

Unless you marry her.

I'm married.

I know.

I see.

Instead I thought you would..

How much?

Oh, let's say we start with 10,000.

[chuckles]

That's ridiculous, I'm an assistant cashier.

I don't make that kind of money.

Oh, you come into contact with that kind of money...hmm?

Forget it.

Bellamy, how long have you been married now? Three months?

What's your little bride going to think about this?

[groans]

[intense music]

Platt, get up.

Hey!

Platt?

[music continues]

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[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI.."

A Quinn Martin, Warner Brothers Production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr..

Also starring Philip Abbott..

Stephen Brooks..

With guest stars, Bradford Dillman..

Davey Davison..

Lynda Day..

Tonight's episode "Sky On Fire."

[intense music]

[fire crackling]

The Madison National Forest had exploded like a b*mb

but firefighters and equipment

poured into the area from all parts of the state.

And with the help of air tankers

in almost continuous flight

the blaze was driven back on itself.

Well, the danger of new outbreaks continued to haunt

the man responsible for the safety of the area.

Hopes rose that the fire had been localized.

- Mr. Wallace. - Yes, sir.

I'm Inspector Erskine, FBI.

- This is Jim Rhodes. - How do you do?

Oh, yeah, they radioed you were on your way, sir.

- You wanted to see the car. - We'd like to.

Well, there she is.

I know, normally you'd rather not have us move anything

but the fire was threatening the area

so, the Linville resident agent said

we'd better get it out of there.

I'm gonna take a look.

I'm sorry, the fire cut the cabin area off again.

Not much left to see anyway.

I understand you were one of the first ones up there.

Yes, sir. The main part of the cabin was still sanding.

We managed to bring the body out.

Your report said you were convinced it was arson?

Yes, sir, this one was set.

There's no doubt about that in my mind at all.

The fire started between the sofa and the hearth.

That means it had to be fed.

'We found some small iron weights on the floor'

'about an inch or so from the probable center of the blaze.'

Kinda standard weights used for holding down curtains.

Found several others over by the window area.

Somebody, uh, fed the fire with a curtain.

Highly suggestive.

Where was the body found?

'By the hearth. It was pretty badly burned.'

But the first medical exam did said he thought

the skull had been fractured.

Yeah, that's what k*lled him.

There's no smoke in his lungs

so he was dead before the fire started.

Do you think you can identify him?

We managed to get one print.

We'll need more than that, but at least we can use it

to confirm or eliminate leads.

Now, who did the cabin belong to, do you know?

A man named Cramer. He's in Europe now.

The place has been vacant about two months.

Lou!

Did you find something?

Yeah, this could be a wallet.

Belonged to the victim who were in business.

You mean to tell me you people can make

some sense out of that mess?

We can't, but the lab can.

- Thanks, Mr. Wallace. - Don't mention.

[man on TV] 'Though authorities announce that the main Madison blaze'

'has been controlled, further flare-ups'

'continue to plague the firefighters.'

'Evacuation of all homes in the foothills'

'east of Linville may become necessary.'

George, I didn't hear you come in.

Why didn't you yell or something?

Uh, well, I was just, uh, looking at this.

- What's that? The fire? - Yeah.

- Isn't it terrible? - Yeah, it's terrible.

[man on TV] 'Evacuation of all homes in the foothill'

'east of Linville may become necessary.'

They said it might have been an arsonist.

'Four deaths already, the guy in the cabin

'and then one of the helicopters crashed.'

I don't understand what kind of a nut

could do a thing like that.

[man on TV] 'Though authorities announce at the main Madison..'

Beats me.

[grunts]

- Hard day? - Oh, long day.

I bet you don't know what we're having for dinner tonight?

Well, uh, I'll take a wild guess, hamburger?

- Oh, you're tired of it. - No, no.

You're tired of me?

Oh, no. No.

Why do I love you so much, I wonder?

You can't help yourself.

You're caught in a web of passion and lust.

Yeah.

[telephone ringing]

For Pete's sake.

You better answer it. It might be that woman from Denver.

What woman from Denver?

I don't know. Some hysterical dame.

You're lucky I'm not the jealous type.

But if you know someone named Platt, I'll cut your throat.

Hello.

Oh, mama, listen

'we're just about to sit down at the table.'

'Can I call you back?'

- Well, do you? - 'Do I what?'

Know someone named Platt?

Of course not, it, uh, was a wrong number.

That's what I figured.

You'd never lie to me, would you, George?

- No. - That's what I figured too.

[dramatic music]

- Here it is. - Oh, good.

[clears throat]

'Knight!'

[telephone rings]

Lab.

Mr. Ward, they have Inspector Erskine now. It's Denver.

Thanks!

- Hello, Lewis. - 'Yes, Art.'

- Any progress? - A little.

That car that was left outside the cabin

it was stolen from a rental lot here in Denver.

Police have come up with a half a dozen known car thieves

to add to the SAC's list.

We're showing mugshots to the owner now.

The one who took the car picked the best one in the lot.

So, it could mean he'd been here before to look 'em over.

Hmm. Is there a Knight on your list of possibles?

- That's K-N-I-G-H-T. - 'No.'

Well, that's the only name we've been able to come up with

from the material you sent us. He's an MD.

Here in Denver?

I don't know, the town was obliterated.

The name's on a prescription.

And the name of patient is indecipherable

- Is there a date? - 'Yes. August, 7th.'

Right, I'll see what we can turn up.

- Lou! - Hang on, Art.

We got a possible identification.

Art, would you check the prints we sent you

against a Carl Platt?

- P-L-A-T-T! - Right.

That, uh, Denver boy?

Uh, last known address, Colorado State Prison.

Unmarried, parents dead, one sister, Mindy.

George?

Oh, George. Where have you been?

I must have called half a dozen times last night.

We went to show. Look, where are you?

Let me call you back.

[sobbing] Help me.

Mindy, would you quit it?

I had a accident.

I...I started thinkin' about us and everything

and I, I got, I got to drinking..

...and I, I fell.

George. George, I lost the baby.

'I'm going to die.'

'I know, I'm going to die.'

You, uh..

Honey, is that for me?

- What? - For me?

No, no, it's the office.

- Oh, you're late? - Yeah, I am a little.

Well, just let me heat the coffee.

Well, don't bother, uh..

Alright, now listen to me.

I want you to go to the hospital right now.

George, I can't get out of bed.

I, I can't find Carl. I-I called him, but I--

I want you to call an ambulance, charge it all to me

and I'll be up to see you tomorrow.

I'm sorry, honey, I..

I-I didn't mean to bother you.

[sobbing]

But I, I, I just didn't know what to do.

Tomorrow.

Coffee would be ready in a minute.

Why don't you look at the paper while you wait?

- Everything alright? - Yeah. Fine.

Well, they, uh, caught that arsonist yet?

Oh, now the police don't think it was an arsonist.

What do you mean?

Well, the police think the man in the cabin

might have been m*rder*d, and that the m*rder*r

set the fires to cover up his tracks.

- Oh. - What do you think?

Well, they don't know it was m*rder?

'But there haven't been any more fires.'

Now, wouldn't an arsonist keep it up?

Yeah.

Yeah, I suppose he would.

'I think the police are wrong to have start investigating'

'all the known arsonists on the books.'

I'd start looking for someone

who hated the man in the cabin, wouldn't you?

[dramatic music]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

- Bad, isn't it? - Yeah.

[music continues]

I think you've got a firebug on your hands, inspector.

It just doesn't feel right to me.

You know, the whole area

has been plastered with warning signs.

I can't see anybody bein' this careless.

Especially with that other blaze still smokin'.

I can't see how he got in here in the first place.

I thought all the access roads have been blocked off.

The main ones have, yes

but we can't patrol the whole perimeter.

Mr. Erskine, I don't like to belabor the point

but, well, wouldn't it be a good idea

to kinda keep an eye on the various crackpots around here?

Well, everyone with a record of arson is being checked out.

No lead so far.

I don't know.

I can see a m*rder*r lighten one fire

to cover his crime.

But why this one?

Maybe to make us believe he's a pyromaniac.

[man on radio] 'Dispatcher to 28.'

'Dispatcher to 28.'



'I have a Denver call for Inspector Erskine.'

'Special Agent Rhodes.'

- Put him through. - 'Go ahead, Denver.'

Lou, I found the MD who issued that August prescription.

Uh, that is I found his receptionist

Dr. Knight's not in right now.

- What's the patient's name? - 'Mindy Platt.'

Alright, ask her to come in for an interview.

Uh, well, we-we've got a little problem, Lou.

She.. I don't know where she is.

Now, you see, the receptionist prefers not to give out

any information without the doctor's okay.

- Even the address? - 'No, not even that.'

And Ms. Platt's number isn't in the phone book, so..

Alright, keep looking for the doctor.

I'll be in Denver by..

...2:30.

Alright. Bye-bye.

- Uh, now, Miss-- - No!

- No what? - I won't tell you.

I just started here yesterday.

And Dr. Knight said to me

he said, "Ruth, I don't care what you do.

"You can be late, you can misspell names

"you can chew gum

"but don't you ever give anybody anything out of our files

without checking with me first."

Yes, I understand that, but you can give me

Dr. Knight's phone number, can't you?

Not if it's in the files.

Uh-huh.

Uh, uh, could I see the phone book again, please?

[instrumental music]

Thank you.

[instrumental music]

[woman on PA] 'Calling Dr. Dennis. Dr. Dennis..'

Sir? I'm sorry, no visitors.

- Is this Ms. Platt's room? - Yes.

Well, I'm her, uh..

Uh, she called me, she asked me to..

I see. Are you George?

Well, alright, you can see her, but just for a minute or two.

Thank you.

Hi.

Hi.

How do you feel?

Don't ask.

I-I brought you a bouquet.

[sniffing] Well, they are beautiful.

[sniffles]

Oh, hey, look, will you stop?

I-I stopped by the desk, I paid all the bills, cash.

Oh, George, you can't afford that.

I never wanted you to have to do all that.

It's my fault you're here.

No more than mine.

I wouldn't even have bothered you

if I could have found Carl.

Yeah, well, uh, I remember once you told me

he, uh, wasn't very dependable.

You never did meet Carl, did you?

No.

That's funny.

All the things we've been through together..

...we hardly know each other.

I guess we never will now.

Mindy, you're going to be alright.

Oh, I-I didn't mean that.

I mean..

Well, you're married and everything..

What kind of girl is she?

She's a sweet girl.

Did..

Did you know her when you asked me to dance?

We'd had a fight. She gave me back my ring.

You were engaged?

That's wild.

Mindy..

I wish I could have had that baby.

Yes, so do I.

'It just doesn't seem right.'

You do one wrong thing..

...and then you do another to fix it.

And then you got to do another and another..

'...and it just gets worse.'

Hm. Yeah.

You know..

...there aren't any villains in the world..

...there are mistakes.

Right.

Mindy, look, I-I better call the nurse.

No, I'm, I'm alright now.

You sure?

I wish I could die.

It'd be better for everybody.

[exhales deeply]

[instrumental music]

Is there any place else he might have gone?

- I don't know. - Does he belong to a club?

I don't think so.

Alright, John. Thank you.

SAC's office.

Washington has a match on that fingerprint.

The man in the cabin was Carl Platt.

Wait here for Dr. Knight.

- 'Doctor?' - Yes.

- Dr. Knight? - Yes.

I'm Inspector Erskine, FBI.

This is Special Agent Rhodes.

Doctor, you issued a prescription

on August 7th to a Mindy Platt.

Yes, a vitamin, mineral, and fluoride supplement.

She was pregnant.

Uh-huh. Do you know where she is at the moment?

Unfortunately, I do.

Physician's hospital. Room 212.

She was admitted this morning.

She'd had a bad accident and a miscarriage.

I saw her on noon, as a matter of fact.

She is a very sick young lady.

I was called to Colorado Springs on an emergency

or I probably still would be there.



Well, thank you, doctor.

[instrumental music]

Sorry, Mindy, I'll have to go now.

I'll just, um..

I think everything's been taken care of.

If you need more money, you call me at the office, huh?

Goodbye.

Mindy.

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

He was about 25, brown hair, brown eyes

under a lot of strain.

Did you have much chance to talk with the girl?

No, she was pretty sick when they brought her in, inspector.

Most of the questions we asked had to do with her condition.

Hm.

Did you have any other visitors besides the man you spoke of?

No.

- Did you see him leave? - No, sir.

So, you don't know whether he was with her when she died?

'No, sir.'

One thing I know is his first name was George.

- George, huh? - Yes, sir.

She talked a lot about somebody named George

while she was delirious.

I asked this fellow if he was the one. He said yes.

Then you only got the first name?

That's all.

See you..

I just talked with the charge nurse

the girl tried to get one phone call through last night.

She couldn't make it.

The call was out of the city, and the operator held the ticket

in case she wanted to try again.

The call went to K-0-5-67-38 in Linville.

Long distance information had a name and address.

It went to, uh, George Bellamy, 23 Stoneridge Drive.

Round the clock surveillance

but no contact till we're on the scene.

Alright.

[instrumental music]

[man on TV] 'The plane you now see has flownover 50 storeys'

'dropping thousands of tons of borate bombs'

'as part of the hours long battle'

'to control the neuer-holocaust.'

- One more? - Yeah.

How about turning that thing down, huh?

- Oh, sure. Ah, let's see-- - Double scotch on the rocks.

Double scotch on the rocks.

'...as a disaster area.'

'Forestry service personnel'

'continue to keep a close watch on the overall..'

Quite a mess, huh?

Yeah.

- Any more k*ll? - They've been lucky.

I wouldn't want to be in there, I can tell you.

They say the whole forest could go.

Hm.

Well, I guess, uh, whoever set it

figures if you're going to start a fire

you might as well start a good one.

They, uh, catch that pyromaniac yet?

What pyromaniac?

You know, the guy that just started--

Oh, listen

if there was some nut behind all this

you would have a fire from one end of that forest to the other.

You couldn't stop a pyromaniac once he got started.

No, no. This was m*rder.

You see, somebody k*lled this guy in a cabin, and tried to--

Oh..

Well, what about the second fire?

What about it?

Well, I mean, no, no m*rder*r--

I-I heard it was a spark, the wind.

Come on, now, will you? It had to arson.

[instrumental music]

Arson.

Double scotch.

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

Well, Douglas?

Wife came out a few minutes ago, inspector

left a letter for the mailman.

She's apparently alone in the house.

What do we know about Bellamy?

Well, he has no local arrest record.

Here's an account of his known movements over the past week.

DMV shows two automobiles. '57 Sedan, that's in the garage.

'67 Ford station wagon, that's missing.

Alright, let's issue an all-points bulletin

on the station wagon.

Yes, sir.

The legal owner is the Linville National Bank.

Bellamy's employed at Hoving Metals

as an assistant cashier.

Have you talked to his employer?

Mm-hmm, wife phoned in this morning

and said he was out of town on a personal business matter.

Expected back sometime this afternoon

but she didn't know when.

Jim.

[instrumental music]

[doorbell ringing]

- Yes? - Mrs. Bellamy?

- Yes. - FBI.

- 'Is your husband here?' - No.

May we come in?

Uh, yes, certainly.

Thank you.

When do you, uh, expect him back?

Well, any minute, uh, unless he stops by at the office first.

- I see. Where did he go? - To Denver.

Did he say why?

Uh, he had some personal business to attend to.

I, I really don't know what..

Well, you see, George doesn't like me

to ask a lot of questions, so I don't.

Mrs. Bellamy..

...do you know a man named Carl Platt?

No. Platt. The name sounds familiar.

Couldn't you tell me what this is all about?

He was k*lled in the fire at Hallowell Creek.

I wondered if your husband might have mentioned him.

No.

Mrs. Bellamy, do you know most of your husband's friends?

Well, some of them. I..

A wife can't be expected to know everyone her husband's ever met.

Uh, Platt, where does he live?

In Denver.

Look, I don't know what you think George has done

but I know him. He wouldn't do anything wrong.

Mrs. Bellamy, do you remember where you were

on Monday morning?

Yes. Right here.

That was the morning the fire started, right?

Mm-hmm. Was your husband here with you?

No, he was at work.

He called in sick that morning.

Are you trying to tell me George had something to do

with starting that fire?

Oh, listen, I-I trust him.

He wouldn't be guilty of anything like that.

I know, I know that I may sound silly. I..

I don't know that much about his life or, or where he goes

or who his friends are..

...but I trust him.

I guess I'm the sort of person who has to trust someone.

Very pretty.

Yeah, pretty.

Uh, hit me again, will you?

Celebrate my anniversary.

I think you've been hit pretty hard already, buddy.

Oh, look, uh, I'll ease off, huh?

Which anniversary?

Oh, three months tomorrow.

Three months? And you're in here?

What happened? Have a fight?

Why, you're going to give me advice or something?

Only thing in a place that's free.

[sighs]

- That bother you? - No.

Uh, uh, wh-what were we, uh..

No, I, uh, I was just saying

I thought, uh, maybe you had a little trouble with the wife.

Oh. Oh, no, no. No, no, not my wife.

Uh, another girl.

[clicks tongue] She died.

- Hey, uh, buddy-- - 'You mentioned advice.'

What kind of advice you have for a guy who's going downhill

faster and faster?

He can't stop.

He cannot stop.

Hey, look, uh, maybe..

I said it was arson!

What is the matter with everybody, huh?

[door shuts]

Operator, give me the police.

[intense music]

[man on radio] 'The subject was intoxicated.'

'Rambling in conversation, emotional.'

Did anybody get a look at the man's car?

''67 station wagon.'

'License number O-A-4-6-1-2.'

We have it. Six clear.

I better tell the inspector.

Thanks for your cooperation.

And if your husband should turn up

I'd appreciate it if you let us know right away.

You still don't know anything for sure.

It's all just theory, just..

[doorbell ringing]

Well, excuse me. May I speak with Inspector Erskine?

We have a line on Bellamy, sir.

He apparently stopped off at a bar

in a small town called Fair Bird.

It's about halfway between Denver and here.

He seemed so interested in the fire on TV

that the bartender called the police.

- Are they holding him? - 'No, sir, he left the bar.'

Drove off in the northwesterly direction.

The bartender got a description to the man's car.

It's Bellamy's.

He's heading toward the forest.

Right.

How many helicopters can we put in the air right now?

I'd say, half a dozen, maybe more.

Let 'em all.

I want as many men in cars standing by as you can spare

ready to move at the first sight of a new hotspot.

- Right. - He's been lucky.

If he tries this again, he may get caught himself.

A good east wind and the whole town could go

before we could evacuate the foothills.

Inspector, help him, please.

Don't let him get hurt.

[instrumental music]

[dramatic music]

[helicopter whirring]

[helicopter whirring]

H-12 to Unit A. H-12 to Unit A.

Unit A. Go ahead.

We're over Foothill Road.

We just spotted a car driving erratically.

Right. We're looking for a '67 station wagon.

License number O-A-4-6-1-2.

Roger. H-12 clear.

- There's Foothill up ahead? - Quarter of a mile.

[helicopter whirring]

'67.

[helicopter whirring]

H-12 to Unit A. H-12 to Unit A.

- 'Come in.' - Go ahead.

- Fire, brand-new one. - Where?

Foothill Road.

About a mile north of Stone Mountain Trail.

- What about the car? - It checks.

He's proceeding north on Foothill.

Stone Mountain Trail is five miles in.

Unit A to all units

subject's car has been sighted on Foothill Road

proceeding north. Move in. Repeat, move in.

[dramatic music]

[tires screeching]

He must have turned off into the trees.

I'll circle around.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[helicopter whirring]

There he is.

H-12 to Unit A.

- Go ahead. - Subject's car sighted.

He's proceeding north again on Foothill Road.

I think he knows we spotted him.

'Stay with him.'

Hold it, Unit A. He's turning off on to a side road.

Pine Creek Road, proceeding east.

[dramatic music]

[fire crackling]

We can't get through that.

Inspector, Stone Mountain Trail connects with Pine Creek Road.

It's a picnic area.

- Back up. - Alright.

[music continues]

[helicopter whirring]

Unit A to H-12.

- Are you still with him? - Yes, sir.

Subject still proceeding along Pine Creek Road.

[music continues]

Picnic grounds.

He's pulling off into the picnic area now.

If he continues, he'll be on Stone Mountain Trail

heading straight for you. It's the only way out.

[dramatic music]

[tires screeching]

[helicopter whirring]

About half a mile here.

[music continues]

George Bellamy?

'This is the FBI.'

'Come out with your hands over your head.'

Bellamy!

'We've got every road in these mountains covered.'

There's no way for you to get out.

[instrumental music]

Look out!

[music continues]

[intense music]

[man on TV] 'Of the three separate fires set by the arsonist'

'authorities report two to be under control'

'with the third expected to be contained by nightfall.'

'Damage is estimated in the millions of dollars..'

[instrumental music]

All that destruction, people k*lled.

How could you ever imagine your own husband would..

Will they let me see him?

Of course.

Here.

[instrumental music]

Funny I, I loved him, married him, trusted him..

...and I never really knew him at all.

[male narrator] George Bellamy's crimes caused the destruction

of 10,000 acres of national forest.

Indicted by a federal grand jury

Bellamy was found guilty of m*rder

and is currently serving his sentence

in the Federal Penitentiary of Leavenworth.

[instrumental music]

[theme music]