03x13 - The Dynasty

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

By the 30th.

Now if Rayburn is unable to supply the raw materials by then

have the legal department bring action

against them for breach of contract.

Four, tell Tony I looked into the plans

for the Ohio River factory and I agree with him.

Let's go ahead.

Five, on that bond issue..

[siren blaring]

Uh-oh.

I got a surprise for you, officer, no alibi.

I was speeding and I'm sorry.

John Graham!

Hey, what's the pitch?

- This him? - Yeah!

Get in the car, Mr. Graham.

Now wait a minute, I got $200 in here

I presume this is a hold-up.

Now, what do you want me for?

A very good question.

It must not be a hold-up. Get in the car.

[instrumental music]

[intense music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott.

William Reynolds.

With guest stars..

Russell Johnson.

Martin Sheen.

John Kerr.

And Edward Asner..

...as Walter Gretzler.

Tonight's episode..

"The Dynasty."

[instrumental music]

[male narrator] The son of one of America's richest and most prominent

industrialist's have been kidnapped.

Shortly before sunrise on Saturday, September 16th.

Officers of the Illinois highway patrol

found an abandoned sports car

on a secondary road near the Indiana border.

It had been stripped of wheels, radio

and all other valuable instruments and components.

The vehicle was registered to John C. Graham

of Flemington, Illinois a Chicago suburb.

Graham, a bachelor

had not returned home from his office the previous night.

Although this was not considered unusual by his maid.

What had worried her however was the arrival that morning

of a letter addressed to Graham's father.

Marshal Graham is vacationing in Europe right now.

So, the officer took the letter to the family attorney.

He opened it and then called us.

I wanted the lab and the identification division

to see it as soon as possible.

[knock on door]

Yes.

'Oh, Lewis. Come on in.'

'You know the SAC Chicago, don't you?'

- Of course. - Nice to see you.

- Morrowl, how are you? - Inspector.

Well, we've got a major case on our hand, Lewis.

John Graham's been kidnapped.

Here’s the teletype summary

and the ransom note.

Is this Marshal Graham's grandson?

- Uh, son. - His younger son.

He's the working head of the parent organization right now.

Marshal's retired.

The older son Philip started a new business

and made millions on his own.

"Three hundred thousand dollars for John.

Put ad John, write to dad."

Have you talked to the father yet?

Uh, he's on his way back from Europe now?

He’ll be landing at O’Hare tonight.

The attorney told us he's promised

to cooperate with us in every way possible.

We've assured them that we'll stay well in the background

until after Graham's son has been returned.

- Is Philip with him? - No, sir.

Philip and his father haven't spoken

to each for almost ten years.

We contacted Philip in Seattle.

He’ll be flying into Chicago, late this afternoon.

Staying at the Lenox.

He's already asked to talk to the agent in charge of the case.

Cecil, uh..

You say here that the car was stripped?

Yes, they took everything they could carry.

Right down to and including the wheels.

- Who are they? - Uh, we don't know.

I wouldn’t think the kidnappers would want to waste the time.

Might have been kids.

This is postmarked Gary, Indiana.

Where did the abduction take place?

On a back-country road on the Illinois-Indiana border.

'South of Chicago and Gary, but close to both cities.'

How did Graham happen to be on it?

That's the road he usually took home, from work.

Are there any houses around there?

One or two farms.

Tom..

'Why don't you try a few discreet interviews?'

I agree with Arthur, I think kids are our best bet

as far as the vandalism's concerned.

The first ones would have probably taken the whole car.

Three hundred thousand dollars.

No dates mentioned, no deadlines.

And no promise to send him back alive.

Are they being casual

or do you think they’ve k*lled him already?

[instrumental music]

[engine revving]

[intense music]

[music continues]

[knocking on door]

Come in, Norm!

- Is it in there? - No.

He’s fine, you don’t have to worry about him.

Well, what’s he breathing so hard for?

Who knows? Sinus trouble.

'He'll be alright.'

But I thought, maybe you gave him too many sleeping pills.

'Hey, Norm..'

When your dad and I were kids, he used to say to me

"Walt, if you're afraid of the dips

don’t get on the rollercoaster."

Yeah, yeah..

I know.

[instrumental music]

Listen, uh..

Walt, why didn't they put the ad in yet?

They will.

Well, what do we do if he dies?

What do you mean, "If he dies?"

Well I mean, what if he has a heart attack or something?

There's a shovel..

The floor is dirt, what's the problem?

I don't think I could touch him.

Oh, sure you could.

No, I-I couldn't touch my folks in the funeral parlor.

You were a little kid, four or five years old.

That was a long time ago.

- Hey, Walt? - Mm-hmm?

You know what I used to think about you?

What?

Well, let me ask you, why did you keep

sending me money, all those years?

I don’t know.

You were my brother's kid.

[giggles]

You know what I used to think about you?

What?

[chuckles]

Huh?

Did you ever read Pinocchio?

Man, I never read nothin'

unless they serialized it in the San Quentin news.

Well there was this..

this man named Geppetto..

And he build a puppet ' Pinocchio '.

'And Pinocchio thought that Geppetto was his father.'

And Geppetto kept sending him money all the time, you know?

Yeah..

Well, when you came in here last month

that's the first thing I thought of.

Geppetto.

[giggles]

[intense music]

What did you think when I told you

I wanted you to help me kidnap him?

I didn't.

I mean, I guess I figured you knew what you were doing.

Listen, Walt..

we won’t have to k*ll him, will we?

We might.

But don't worry about it.

You won't need to lay a hand on him.

I'll do the job myself.

[intense music]

[instrumental music]

[knock on door]

- Philip Graham? - Yes, that's right.

FBI, Mr. Graham. I’m Inspector Erskine.

Oh, yes, come in, please.

Thank you.

I just got here, I've been unpacking a few things, I..

Oh, well, please go ahead.

- Come in. - Thank you.

You have a seat please?

Alright, let's talk about our problem.

What has the FBI got so far?

A ransom note

made up of words and letters cut out of newspapers.

’Pasted on ordinary dime store paper, no fingerprints.’

Your brother's car..

...stripped by vandals.

Fingerprints on that?

Yes, several.

Uh, Mr. Erskine..

You said, you were an inspector.

So, I take it you’ve worked on major kidnappings before.

How would you say this case stacks up

in terms of number of clues available?

I'd say there are probably more than usual.

So, you fully expect to capture the kidnappers sooner or later.

Oh, yes.

How soon.. How late?

As soon as possible after your brother's been returned.

So, that’s the important factor?

His return.

His safe return.

Yes.

Would you like a drink?

- No, thank you. - Mind if I have one?

Of course not.

Please.

I suppose my father's decided to pay the ransom.

So I understand.

Well he must be very worried.

He's always loved John.

John was the son who stayed home.

John..

John obeyed him.

He always thought that John and I hated each other

but we don’t.

Just that we never had anything in common.

John always tried to please him.

Well..

So did I, I suppose.

Only I could never do anything I couldn't live with

just to please him.

That's the difference.

Mr. Erskine..

...I have theory.

I’m convinced that the payment or non-payment of ransom

in a kidnap case doesn't make a dime's worth of difference

to the outcome, am I right?

Well, you see, Mr. Graham, when you’re involved with kidnappers

you're dealing with a kind of..

[sighs] ...human nitroglycerine.

There's no way to predict what persons like that are out to do.

Well, let me put it this way.

Is the payment of ransom any guarantee

that the victim will be returned alive?

No.

Alright, you've told me, you intend to

capture these criminals sooner or later.

Suppose we tell them the same thing.

Suppose I promise to pour a million dollars

into tracking them down if they harm my brother.

Suppose we make it absolutely pointless for them to k*ll him.

Wouldn't we in effect be forcing them to let him go?

There'd be no guarantee of that either.

But if I could get my father to agree

would the FBI object to the withholding of ransom?

Not if that was the family's choice.

But um..

From what I've heard of your father, I, uh..

[telephone ringing]

Excuse me.

[telephone ringing]

Hello.

Yes, just a moment.

- Erskine. - 'Hello?'

'Tom.'

Marshal Graham's plane landed a few minutes ago.

Good, have you had a chance to talk with him?

'He hasn't disembarked yet.'

Why not?

I don't know.

[siren wailing]

Wait a minute, Lew.

Uh, let me get back to you. Something’s wrong.

[instrumental music]

FBI, what's going on?

Uh, sick passenger aboard.

- Do you know his name? - Marshal Graham.

[dramatic music]

[siren wailing]

What happened?

Well, the stewardess said he was evidently

under some sort of extreme tension during the whole trip.

He had a stroke while they were landing.

He can't say a word.

[dramatic music]

[instrumental music]

Alright, under the circumstances

I think you'd better, uh, hold on a minute.

Inspector, it's Colby. How's Graham?

- Alive, still paralyzed. - Oh.

By the way, Phillip's gone back to the hotel

to shower and shave. He said he'd be back in a few minutes.

Sorry, Tom. Go ahead.

Lew, we've located most of the heavier items

taken from John Graham's car.

Where?

An old shed about a mile north

of the scene of the kidnapping.

There's, uh, no sign of the thieves.

We have the approaches and the shed under surveillance.

How'd you happen to find it?

One of the farm boys we talked to, uh

had taken a rear-view mirror away from his little brother.

It was Graham's.

When we asked him where he'd gotten it

he led us to the shed, uh..

He'd stumbled across it on his way home from school.

Did the boy have any idea who the thieves were?

[Tom on phone] 'No idea.'

Alright. Continue the surveillance.

And follow anyone who shows up.

'Yes, sir.'

Inspector.

Inspector, any word?

No. I'm sorry.

This is my father's attorney, Darryl Sloan.

- Inspector Erskine. - How do you do, inspector?

- Mr. Morrow. - How do you do, Mr. Sloan?

I called the doctor just before I left the hotel.

He said my father was conscious.

Yes.

Have you spoken with him, inspector?

[Erskine] 'I saw him for a few minutes.'

I explained who I was, what was happening.

As far as I could tell, his mind seems clear.

- Can he talk? - Not yet.

Well, I suppose I can go ahead with the negotiations on my own.

If cash should be a problem

that is, if he can't sign his name

I imagine you could provide the 300,000?

Couldn't you, Phillip?

- I'd like to see him now. - Of course.

Be right here.

[knocking on door]

Just a minute, inspector.

There’s something I’d like to tell you.

The last time I saw him, he was in bed, too.

He had a cold, he was home from work.

He ordered me to rehire a man I had fired for incompetence.

I wouldn't do it.

So he picked up the phone and he rehired him back himself.

I left that night.

That was ten years ago.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

I, I tried to see you last night

but, uh, they wouldn't let anybody in.

I talked to the doctor this morning

and, uh

well, he tells me your paralysis will improve..

...with time and, uh, and work.

'Maybe a matter of years, but, uh, it'll improve.'

There's no further word about John, Mr. Graham.

'They appear to be waiting for the family'

'to make the next move.'

I’ll put the ad in the Chicago Post today.

Let me take care of that, Sloan.

Well, it's no inconvenience to me.

I can do it just as easily as anyone.

No, I want to do it myself if you don't mind.

Certainly not.

Meanwhile, I think we'd better start rounding up the cash.

I'll need your signature, Marshall..

...here on the bottom line.

'I asked the doctor about this.'

He said it was alright for him to try.

How in the hell we should do this?

[dramatic music]

Alright. Stop it.

Inspector.

I want your advice on exactly how to word this ad.

Mr. Graham..

...I wish you'd think this over very carefully

before coming to a final decision.

I wanna make it perfectly clear to these criminals

that the only way they can escape the death penalty

is to release my brother unharmed.

Absolutely no question of money.

Phillip, what are you talking about?

The ransom. I don't intend to pay it.

- But they'll k*ll him. - They may..

They may have already k*lled him.

They may be planning on k*lling him

the moment they get the money.

It's a classic way of gaining time.

You k*ll the victim and skip the country

while the family waits for his return.

Isn't that true?

It's possible.

But this is your brother's life you're playing with.

I am certainly as aware of that as you are.

But how do you think I'd feel

if I thought for one moment

that I'd caused my brother's death?

Well, what do you think it would do to him?

Inspector, in your experience--

No, Mr. Graham.

It's your decision.

Once you've made it, we'll do everything in our power

to help you..

...but I can't make it for you.

[breathing heavily]

[dramatic music]

[sighs]

Okay.

Time for your pill.

Time for Johnny's pill.

Come on. Come on.

[clattering]

[dramatic music]

Boy, what's the matter with you?

'Now, I tell you to knock. I tell you over and over.'

'I mean, you act like you haven't got any good sense.'

You're gonna come busting in like that sometime..

...and you're gonna have two more holes in your forehead

and they ain't gonna be eyes.

Okay. Okay.

- I mean, you've gotta-- - Alright.

I'll knock, I'll kick, I'll scream.

- What do you want? - Just knock.

- Twice. - Alright, twice.

Twice.

And there's still no ad.

Well, well, well.

Look, what do you think's gone wrong, Walt?

'Hey, maybe we didn't put enough stamps on the letter, huh?'

[Walter] 'They got it.'

'Well, I think they're playing games with us, buddy boy.'

Why?

Make us write another letter, make a phone call..

'...get a fix on us.'

You know what I think we ought to do now?

What?

- k*ll him. - Oh, no.

Wait a second, Walt. Uh, look you said..

Or at least I thought you said we wouldn't have to do that.

It'd be the safest thing, Norman.

k*ll him, bury him

move on to something else.

[dramatic music]

[groaning]

- Get the g*n! - Hey, he's getting away!

- Get the g*n! - Where is..

Where is it?

[music continues]

Check outside.

[music continues]

[gate locks]

[music continues]

[clattering]

[music continues]

[door creaking]

- No, Walt. - Get away from me.

No, Walt, wait. What about the money?

Well, what if they want to talk to him or s-see his signature?

I mean, you said yourself they might want to do that.

Uh, we-we've come this far. Well, what's the point, Walt?

Alright.

[exhales sharply]

[breathing heavily]

- Tie him up over there. - Okay, Walt.

[breathing heavily]

Uh, he won't get away this time, Walt. You'll see.

- You make sure of it. - Oh, I will.

[breathing heavily]

Hang in there..

...Mr. Rich Guy.

[breathing heavily]

Well, that's very good.

[breathing heavily]

- Switch him around. - Okay.

No, he's not gonna get out of that. Don't worry, huh?

[breathing heavily]

You know, Walt, I bet they'll p-put that ad in tomorrow, huh?

They better do something by tomorrow, buddy..

...because that's when this show is over.

The last day.

Any more fun and games out of the Grahams..

...and our boy gets a b*llet in the head.

So, I wouldn't expect you to agree with me.

We haven't agreed on many things in our lives

'but I don't think that's because'

'we're so different from each other.'

'I think it's because we are so much alike.'

But I believe that the only way

to stop extortion and blackmail and kidnapping

is to take the profit out of it.

'And I believe that these kidnappers'

'will trade John for their own lives'

'in the final analysis.'

Of course, if I'm wrong..

...then someone, sooner or later

is going to tell you that I did it deliberately

'that I hated John and wanted to see him dead'

'consciously or subconsciously.'

If you believe that..

...then we really are a different breed

talking a different language..

...and, no way at all to communicate.

Well, here's the ad I've written.

John, write to dad..

...but there'll be no money.

"Send him home alive and there'll be

no further move against you on the family's part."

k*ll him..

...and we'll spend a million dollars

to send you to the electric chair.

Well, I hope that..

Mr. Graham, I called the newspaper.

You have exactly five minutes to phone your ad in

otherwise it won't make tomorrow's edition.

Have you come to a decision?

Yes, I have.

Operator, get me the Chicago Post please.

[instrumental music]

Hi.

Well, he's right here. Just a minute.

Inspector? Thank you. It's Colby.

Tom, any progress?

No. Not a thing.

When you first got to Chicago

you went over to Graham's car, didn't you?

- 'Yes.' - Was there any gas in the tank?

Uh, no, they'd siphoned that out too.

It's in a 10 gallon can on the shed. Why?

I keep wondering how the kidnappers stopped him.

He could've outraced any car on the road.

But no skid marks, he wasn't out of gas.

Could they have flagged him down, uh, asked for help?

Well, his desk calendar listed a dinner engagement in Chicago.

He was late leaving the office, he had to go home, change

drive all the way back.

I don't think he would've stopped under those conditions.

Well, something convinced him to pull over.

No matter how they did it, uh, it was a good trick.

That stretch of road is, tailor-made for a kidnapping

it's quiet as the moon.

Once they knew he took that route every night

all they had to figure out was, how to stop him.

Alright, continue the surveillance.

Let me know the minute anything happens.

- Cecil? - Yes, sir.

I want a mechanic to go over every inch of Graham's car.

Ask him to look for anything

that might have been tampered with.

Right.

Cecil, if you were in a hurry

what'd make you slow down on a lonely road?

I don't know. Accident ahead?

- Chicago Post, inspector. - Oh, thank you.

- How 'bout a siren? - It's a thought.

See if you can get any kind of rundown on ambulances

police or fire in the scenario at the time of kidnapping.

- Right. - Here we are.

'Well, they've got a choice now.'

'One way or another.'

[intense music]

[music continues]

- Well, where's the paper? - He didn't deliver 'em.

- He didn't deliver 'em? - 'No.'

- 'Maybe his truck broke down.' - Aw, come on!

Oh, it's happened before.

Hey, fella. Hey, fella?

He's alive, leave him alone.

Hey, Graham.

What's wrong with you?

Nothing, I..

I just thought maybe you had..

I told you I wouldn't touch him until I saw the paper.

Yeah, well, you know, I can't figure out

what-what went wrong, Walt.

You know, maybe they're on strike.

What'd you do, have a couple of beers?

Who me? No.

He's never been late before.

Oh, listen, sometimes, he don't even hit this place.

Where can I pick up another copy?

Well, let's see, uh, there's a place

about a half a mile down the road.

- I'll get you a copy, Walt. - Sit down.

Oh, no, that's alright. I can get it.

I said, sit down.

Will you sit down.

Sure, Walt. Sure.

[intense music]

I'll be right back.

[music continues]

No fires in the area for several months.

No ambulances, no police seen on or near that stretch

of highway at any time during the day of the kidnapping.

What about the mechanic's report?

Well, the car had taken considerable punishment.

Graham apparently drove at a top speed

whenever he thought he can get away with it.

The car was currently in excellent condition

but there was evidence that several parts have been replaced

he must've had a minor accident at some time.

Yes? Inspector, it's Colby.

Yes, Tom.

Two little mice with shotguns

just walked into the trap.

Boys, late teens, early twenties.

Did they stumble into it or they seem to know

where they were going?

[Tom] 'They knew.'

- Pick 'em up. - Yes, sir.

[intense music]

Get back. Get back. Get..

[music continues]

This is the FBI.

Throw out your g*ns.

[g*nf*re]

I've been in that shed. There's no other way out.

I'll give you five seconds to throw out your g*ns.

[hissing]

[coughing]

Hey! Don't sh**t, alright! Don't sh**t!

'Hey. Don't sh**t!'

Alright, hands up.

Okay.

[intense music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

Easy, fella, easy.

Shh.

Can you hear me?

Listen, uh, no one helped you, right?

Okay. Um..

Look, uh..

I'm gonna untie your hands, see, and then I'm gonna take off.

And, uh, the rest is up to you, the door's open.

Okay?

But, nobody helped you.

Right?

Okay. Easy, now.

Here we go.

[door opens]

[intense music]

[chuckles]

Walt?

[telephone rings]

Hello?

'No, I'm afraid you have the wrong extension.'

'This is a private room.'

Alright, we'll start again.

Name is Robert Hendricks, 23 years old.

Look, what did you do with my brother?

- He's being interviewed. - Where?

What were you doing in that shed?

Look, Jack, I asked you a question.

Now, you let your stinkin' Gestapo hurt that kid and I'm--

That kid's 21 years old. He's literate.

He read and signed the same waiver you did.

He can call a lawyer anytime he wants to and so can you.

Now, what were you doing in the shed?

Pickin' mushrooms.

You got quite a record.

All frame-ups.

Society really picks on you, huh?

Yeah, I get along.

Must've taken you a while to strip the car.

What made you think the owner wasn't coming back?

Will you stop, I never stripped a car in my life.

- Including Graham's? - Including Graham's.

Alright, now, you listen to me

and you listen hard because you're in trouble.

You figure you can do a petty theft sentence

standing on your head, don't you?

'Can you do a kidnapping?'

[laughing]

That's pretty good.

But you're reachin'.

Alright, think it through.

You're right on the outside edge of an FBI case.

Haven't you started to wonder why we

happen to be interested in a car stripping?

Alright.

- Who got snatched? - 'The owner of the car.'

Now, why did you pick that particular one

and what you think he wasn't coming back?

We saw the cops pick him up.

'He was speeding.'

They give him the red light, he stops, two men get out.

Uniformed?

No.

We figured they were plain clothes.

Was the car marked?

Black sedan with a red light.

I remember it had a Indiana license plate.

We thought that was kinda strange but

figured we were probably over the state line.

Anything else?

Uh-uh. We didn't stick around.

You got a cigarette?

How were these two men dressed?

Suits, shirts, hats.

Did you get a look at their faces?

Uh-uh.

Can you give us their approximate height, weight?

Average height, average weight, I don't know.

Where'd you get this?

I don't know.

When were you in Tyler, Indiana last?

Never in my life.

[Lewis] ’These people generally work for you? ’

Alright.

Honest.

I found those by the car.

Where is Tyler?

Right across the state line, outside of Gary.

Call a resident agent, tell him to put

a discreet surveillance on Norman's Garage.

Tom?

[intense music]

How's this, Walt?

How am I doing Uncle Walt?

A little deeper.

Deeper?

What are you gonna do, put us both in?

Man, I ought to, huh?

The way you kidded me about that newspaper.

Oh, no, I wasn't kidding.

That delivery boy just missed us.

Uh-huh.

[Norman] 'Well, it's lucky, you found another one, huh?'

Right.

[laughing]

What'd you think, Walt, when you came back in here

and saw me tyin' up his hands again?

Oh, well, I didn't know what to think, you know.

I mean, it almost looked like you were tryin' to

untie his hands, Normy.

Oh, no, no.

Well, he was almost out of there when you came in.

Hmm. I'll be darned.

Yeah. Now, what would I want to untie his hands for?

I'm with you, buddy. All the way.

Good...buddy.

[intense music]

Pretty hard work, you know.

You're almost there.

[intense music]

It's quiet.

Let's take a look around.

[intense music]

'Norman?'

Re-capping service. We’re here to pick up the tires.

Anybody in there?

[muffled screaming]

Norman, are you alright?

[muffled screaming]

We better call the police. I'll wait here.

Over here.

- Norm! - FBI. Hold it.

[g*nf*re]

Here you go.

Are you alright? - Yeah, I'm fine.

We'll be outta here in a second.

[instrumental music]

What made them decide to kidnap John in the first place

or was that just an accident?

It seems, your brother hit a soft shoulder

on that same stretch of road about two months ago.

He called Norman's towing service and mentioned that

he always took the same route home.

Later on, Norman passed that information on to his uncle.

It was Gretzler who dreamed up the kidnapping.

Well, is John here?

He's in with his father.

I understand, Marshall can move his hand now.

- Yes. - Can we go in?

Of course.

Well, he can almost talk.

Boy, you ought to feel that grip.

Marshall, I've brought a power of attorney

for you to look over.

'You'll need someone to handle your affairs'

'while you're recovering.'

'Someone to sign papers in your name'

'someone you can trust.'

Now, John here is president of the company.

I assume, that's the name you want me to designate him.

No? Well, who then?

[instrumental music]

I think that's a wonderful idea.

That is, if it's alright with you, Phil.

Yes.

Yes, certainly.

[instrumental music]

[door knock]

Uh, you ready to go, Lew? The car’s outside.

How's everything here?

Everything's fine.

[male narrator] Walter Gretzler did not survive his wounds.

Norman Gretzler was convicted of kidnapping and is currently

serving a life sentence in a federal penitentiary

Robert Hendricks and his brother were found guilty

of assaulting federal officers.

And state larceny charges against them

are still pending.

[theme music]

[music continues]