04x07 - The Nightmare

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

[birds chirping]

Hi.

Oh, honey, they're lovely. Thank you.

[man chuckles]

That's what I like to see.

A housewife improving her mind. What was it? Bach?

The Beatles.

The Beatles.

If you haven't tried it, don't knock it.

[chuckles]

Where's your sister?

Isn't she out there?

Well, she must be in her room.

- Isabel. - 'No, no.'

I'm glad I found you alone.

You can say..

...goodbye to her for me after I've gone, can't you?

I-I thought we'd have until October.

But the bank examiners came this morning.

They're going over the books right now.

So I...I drove out to see Archer.

- Howard. - Oh!

The timing is a little awkward but

but he couldn't get me a plane reservation.

Something about the Labor Day weekend, I don't know.

Anyway, he's trying to arrange something by car.

I have, uh..

...I've prepaid all your expenses.

Medical, everything, for over a year.

Naturally, I'll be in touch with you long before that.

Yes.

Well, that's fine.

- When do you leave? - Right away.

Good.

Oh, you know, I'm glad it's over.

I never particularly enjoyed

helping you do this when I was well, I..

I certainly haven't liked waiting since I got sick.

You know what I think I'll do instead.

I will call the police and turn myself in--

Howard. No.

Please.

Don't wreck everything just because I can't go with you.

'I'd be running with you if I could.'

'You know that.'

Oh, well, it's all my fault anyway.

Oh, my darling, it is not your fault.

What do you mean, this?

Gambling is the problem, our problem.

Sure, these bills were added pressure but..

They weren't the first and they're certainly not the main.

We've had our good times, darling.

And while they were good, we spent it all.

'But now our time has run out.'

Oh, darling.

You should take some extra cash too.

You're probably gonna need it.

Yes.

Little bit.

A few thousand.

Howard, what's happened?

- What have you done? - Isabel, get out.

You stole this and you're running away?

What's going to happen to her?

Howard, please, go, go.

Isabel!

- FBI. - Isabel.

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin Production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott

William Reynolds

with guest stars

William Windom.

Patricia Smith

Bruce Dern

Lee Meriwether

Lane Bradbury.

Tonight's episode The Nightmare.

On August 30th, the FBI was informed that

more than a quarter of a million dollars

had been embezzled from a federal bank in Pasadena.

Howard Dale Converse

an officer of the bank was missing.

FBI inspector, Lewis Erskine

was put in charge of the investigation

ordering surveillances established

on all public transportation facilities.

Well, his car, it's a convertible, green.

According to motor vehicle records

it was a gray hardtop.

Well, he's my brother-in-law. I ought to know his car.

Do you have any idea where he might have gone?

Yes, Brazil.

How do you know?

Thank you. I saw his plane ticket.

- What was the airline? - Nonstop to Rio.

- Um, KBL. - 'Miss Nugent.'

You are the one who phoned us this afternoon.

Well, of course.

Why?

You mean why did I call?

Well, because I, I'm a good citizen I hope

and I thought Howard was a thief.

And what made you change your mind about it?

I haven't changed my mind.

We already checked the air terminal, Miss Nugent.

There was one departure earlier this morning for Brazil

but it wasn't a KBL flight.

And none of the passengers aboard

answered your brother-in-law's description.

I really think you must be mistaken.

He is a thief.

We also have evidence that he was a gambler.

Why do you want Converse to get away now?

Because Marian does.

Because she loves him.

They did everything together.

Even the gambling b-before she got sick.

You're right, he had lost everything.

And then when Marian got sick, he, he couldn't borrow any more

from legitimate sources

so we had to go to a private lender.

And it cost him terrible sum.

Ten percent a week or something like that.

So he had to use the bank funds to cover it.

Marian finally convinced him he'd..

...he'd have to leave when the bank examiners came.

May I see her now?

Marian, are you alright?

Can you talk to this gentleman for a minute?

He's...with the FBI.

I'm Inspector Erskine, Mrs. Converse.

I'll try not to take too much of your time.

I don't know where my husband is.

And neither does she.

Yes, I told him Brazil but..

...he didn't believe me.

You're such a tower of strength in an emergency, Isabel.

I never knew a woman so good at spilling milk

and so quick to cry over it afterward.

She did you a great favor by calling us as soon as she did.

Oh, please.

She indicated that you and your husband had

planned this flight of his for sometime.

'And from the additional money that he stole'

I gather the arrangements were probably professional

as well as expensive, is that right?

If these men are criminals, Mrs. Converse

'you must realize that with the large amount of money'

'he's carrying, your husband is in great jeopardy.'

Where is he?

I really am quite tired.

I can't talk to you any longer.

I'll, um..

I'll leave my card here if you should change your mind.

Goodbye, Mrs. Converse.

Virge!

Hey.

- Why didn't you honk? - I just got in.

- Where's my passenger? - Archer's talkin' to him.

He'll be out in a minute.

Come here. I wanna show you somethin'.

I want you to meet my child bride.

You devil.

I went and done it this morning.

Meda Jo, you heard me talk about Cal Grimes.

Yeah, I heard you talk about him.

Hello.

[chuckles]

That old man in there is gonna have

a sweeter trip than he thought.

Here, take a look.

'Well?'

He is different.

Sure is.

I don't like him, but I guess he'll have to do.

[sighs]

Now, Archer, I need those.

Oh, Howard, you want all the camouflage you can get.

Now, believe me, I'm a man who knows about camouflage.

That's why I got into the nursery business.

Now look, Howard.

Just pay me the money and relax.

And when you get to Victoria, send me a nice picture postcard.

Okay?

There's an envelope in my coat pocket.

Six, seven, eight..

Ten thousand.

You got anything else?

Few dollars for food.

Well, look now.

Keep it hidden, huh?

Now, I got this nice young couple

to drive you up north.

I told 'em that you were a con man

who wanted to disappear for a while.

But you know, some people today will steal

the gold out of your teeth if there's even a gleam there.

Some of them will.

Now, Howard, now don't be bitter.

This is an expensive business to set up here.

Look, you know this guy, Cal Grimes, who dumped your car?

Now, he's out on parole.

Now, if the police tie him into something funny

he's had it, so I gotta make it worth his while.

[car horn honking]

Hey, come on.

So, Archer, this my passenger?

Here's your daddy.

Hiya, daddy.

I-I'm afraid I can't see you too well.

Perhaps you better tell me your name.

Virgil Roy Phipps.

Virgil Roy Phipps, Sr.

Very good, I like that.

Square them shoulders up though, daddy

and stand out with pride, so we can see, uh

some kinda resemblance.

Now, what did we say? Four hundred?

No, sir, I think that you know we said 500.

[chuckles] Right.

- Five. - Thank you very kindly.

Now.

These two will take you as far as the Oregon border.

Now you'll pick up your second ride

in Klamath Falls.

The Acme junkyard, huh?

Don't worry about a thing, daddy.

Just flip your stuff in the back here and hop on in.

No, no, I'll hang on to it.

Hi, I'm Meda Jo.

Hi.

[sighs]

Now, smile, daddy.

We're one big happy family.

We got holes in our pockets, but we got joy in our hearts.

- Right? - Right.

I bet you never drove in a car as fancy as this, did ya?

[Archer] So long, daddy.

How did you find it?

Uh, police got a tow-away request from one of

the local merchants that uses this alley and called us.

Converse could have dropped the car here and walked okay.

There's a bus station half a block south except, uh..

Except what?

We have a witness, uh

who said he got a good look at the driver.

His description doesn't exactly

fit that of a middle-aged banker.

Is your witness reliable?

- Uh.. - Hmm.

- Mr. Wentworth. - Hmm.

Would you, uh, mind telling Inspector Erskine here

what you told me.

Why? You lose your nose?

[chuckles] No.

He don't trust me.

He wants to see if I can come up with the same story twice.

Can you?

What do you know about winos?

What should I know?

Well, first we size people up pretty good.

We got a lot of practice at it.

'Second, we know when we're sober'

and, and when we ain't.

Now, you take me.

I got a gauge up here that tells me

just how far down the bottle I am.

Registers every stage from, uh, a-a gentle glow

to dead drunken in a doorway.

Uh, what was your gauge showing when that car was left here?

Well up in the safe zone.

And when I tell you that driver was 5 feet 11

dark-complexion, dark hair, about 28-30 years old

'you can take it for a fact.'

Mr. Wentworth, I'd like you to look at some mug shots.

- Would you mind that? - Oh, no.

Cedars is lettin' out, street's fillin' up.

You're cutting into the heart of my work day.

Oh, well, when you appeal to my citizenship

you touch me in a very tender spot.

Okay. Let's try it.

You surely are talkative. Jabber, jabber, jabber.

Ain't exactly it, eh? Have to know a man's life story

but I sure would feel more comfortable

if I knew his real name.

Virgil Roy Phipps Sr.

You know somethin'.

I didn't like my real daddy much either

[honks]

Fill her up, will you there?

You wanna get out and stretch your legs?

We'll be driving straight on.

You look a little peaked in face.

How you feel?

Absolutely lost.

Oooh-ee.

Look at that.

No, sir, he's at the airport.

We're still checking on three international flights

that left before we could establish surveillance.

- Alright, then tell him that-- - Oh, just a minute, Mr. Ward.

He just walked in.

Any luck?

Wentworth's back.

He's looking over the rest of the mug shots.

Mr. Ward.

Yes, Art.

Lewis, we've come up with an analysis for the mud samples

you took from Converse's car.

It contains a variety of flower seeds

some fern particles and leaf mold.

'It all seems to suggest a commercial nursery.'

- Hm. Anything else? - 'Nothing significant.'

- Okay, Art, thanks very much. - 'Good luck, Lewis.'

Worth found his first possible.

Calvin Wade Grimes. He's a Texan.

Just been reported to us as a parole violator.

Well, he was in California before he was employed

by a firm in Arcadia, a wholesale nursery.

[birds chirping]

Well, listen, that don't look like the same guy to me.

Uh-huh.

Look there. That's gotta be him.

What do you think he carries that bag

with him for all the time?

Well, that don't mean he's got all that money on him.

I think it means he's got five or ten thousand dollars

in there at least.

Here he comes.

- Ready? - Just about.

Not with you stumblin' around here, daddy.

I think you could use yourself a pair of spectacles.

I'll tell you what I'm gonna do, daddy.

You pay us the money that you owe us

the next town we get to, I'm gonna buy you a pair.

What money?

You mean to tell me you thought we were doin' this for nothin'?

Huh?

Why, you owe us $2,000.

One thousand dollars per day.

Archer paid you.

Now, if you think I'm gonna hold still for any sort of bla--

Take a look at that, huh? What is that?

That's not me.

Well, I bet you 10 cents to $2,000 that it is you.

I'll tell you what, how would you like to bet a phone call

to the, uh, FBI?

What about it, boy?

Mm-hm.

Morning.

- Preston Archer? - Yeah.

My name's Erskine. This is Mr. Colby.

FBI? What'd I do?

You have a man named Cal Grimes working for you, Mr. Archer?

Yeah.

[Erskine] 'Where was he last Friday, do you know?'

- He was right here. - All day?

Whole day, yeah.

- And where is he now? - He's out makin' deliveries.

- I could have him call you. - No, we'll, uh, we'll wait.

You, uh, mind if we look around?

For what?

Flowers, plants. This is a nursery, isn't it?

Go ahead.

Was Howard Converse a customer of yours?

I, uh, I didn't catch the name.

Howard Converse.

No.

I noticed an orchid like that in his wife's room.

Maybe you just forgot.

'I mean, he'd be listed in your books'

if he had bought it here, wouldn't he?

Yeah.

Was Converse here last Friday?

No.

That's an odd-shaped piece of glass, isn't it?

Oh, I'm, uh, usually not so careless.

I-I dropped a water tumbler out here the other day.

Really? Well, this almost looks as though it came from a..

...lens of some kind.

No, no. It was a water tumbler.

Grimes?

[tires screeching]

Hold it, Grimes! FBI!

[tires screeching]

LA 20, Grimes is headed your way in a truck, stop him.

Alright, Grimes, out of there!

Well, good afternoon, sleeping beauty.

We was beginnin' to wonder if you was dead over there.

- Where are we? - In God's country, man.

Look at them mountains.

'They are really somethin'.'

[glass clinking]

Here, take a pull on this.

- Oh, no, I.. - Go ahead, come on.

It'll do you good.

How...how far is it to Klamath Falls?

- I said-- - I heard what you said.

We're about 70 miles, somethin' like that.

Seventy miles?

But you told me it wasn't more than 30

when I closed my eyes a while ago.

- No, it wasn't. - Well?

Well, the fact is you were sleepin' so soundly

that Meda Jo and I didn't have the heart to wake you up.

Won't they be expectin' me at the Acme junkyard?

I kinda doubt it.

Well, Frank Higby, he's about as reliable

as a three-dollar watch.

He's a mean man, I'm gonna tell you that.

If he's to find out what you was really all about

he'd rob you blind and dump you in a ditch.

Pull over, please.

[chuckles] Come on, daddy.

I said pull over!

Wait a minute, I know what you're upset about.

Because we didn't talk it over with you first

but you ain't gonna walk all the way back

to Klamath Falls now.

Well, I can try.

Hey, listen, I'll tell you what.

Why don't you come on along with me to join me?

I mean, we was gonna go up north and take in the rodeos anyway

isn't that right, honey?

See, we were goin' to Redmond, then we were gonna go over

to Benton City and onto Omak

'and we'd have you into Canada before you even knew it.'

It wouldn't put us out one bit.

No, she's right. We'd love to have you.

I'll tell you what, to make it worth our while

let's just say, uh, full price $5000.

Let's just say I've made a big enough fool of myself already.

- Where you goin'? - Home.

[intense music]

- Virge. - Don't worry, honey.

- That man ain't goin' nowhere. - What'd you do?

Dope the liquor?

Come on.

[truck engine rumbles]

Hang on, baby doll.

We're gonna bulldog us a rich, blind old steer.

[tires screeching]

[tires screeching]

You lookin' for these, are ya? Huh?

'Anybody needs glasses as bad as you'

I figured they bound to have an extra pair

so I looked in your suit coat and there they was.

[g*nsh*t]

Well, look who's here.

And he never spoke of a man named Preston Archer?

No.

He's an ex-convict.

A former usurer, fence, extortionist.

He operates a wholesale nursery in Arcadia now.

We believe your husband was there Friday afternoon.

Why?

A piece of glass we found on the greenhouse floor

turned out to be a fragment from a pair of eye glasses.

'The prescription matches his.'

Piece of glass? You mean, they broke--

Shut your mouth, Isabel.

Mrs. Converse, what did Archer have to do

with your husband's disappearance?

Nothing. I don't know.

We found the car in downtown Los Angeles.

The man who abandoned it there works for Archer.

The point is sooner or later

I'll be able to tie Archer into this.

'But meanwhile, time is on his side.'

You're not interested in helping Howard, you just..

Mrs. Converse..

...I'm tryin' to make you realize the danger he's in.

They made a bargain with Howard, they'll keep it.

Why should they?

- Well, out of.. - 'Out of what?'

'A sense of honor? Ethics?'

How did your husband meet Archer?

He...he heard Archer had money to lend.

Do charges of 10% interest a week strike you as ethical?

I told him about that.

No, they don't seem ethical.

What was the bargain?

Archer promised..

...to get Howard out of the country

for $10,000.

He promised it in your presence?

Yes.

Where was your husband going?

Canada.

Victoria.

Do you know the route?

No.

Uh..

They had planned to, uh, take a plane.

Then they decided on a car.

Thank you, Mrs. Converse.

Sh..

Oh, God!

- Meda Jo! - What?

Come here!

[Virgil groans]

- Don't you fret none. - What's the matter with you?

Didn't you hear me call you just now? Huh?

Yeah.

Well, then why didn't you come runnin' right away?

I almost tore my finger off!

I could have bled to death by the time you come over there!

Oh, yeah, I can see that's a real terrible wound

you got there.

Boy, oh, boy, this is some fine honeymoon.

Here I am doin' all of this stuff for you.

That's right, honey. I'm doin' it for you!

What you doin' is you're lookin' for a lonely spot to k*ll him

and leave him in.

Meda Jo, I'm warnin' you.

Look, when the dope wears off

the man's gonna get up and go for help.

Didn't he tell us he was gonna try and walk home, huh?

Well, that means when he gets there

he's gonna tell the people that we tried to rob him!

Now, that's gonna mean trouble for us!

Well, it doesn't mean the gas chamber.

Honey, come on, we could bury the man any place out here.

No one would ever find him and who would know?

I would!

It ain't like he's a stranger.

Darlin', 'cause we call the man daddy that don't mean nothin'

I know that.

It's just I don't want him to be k*lled.

[vehicle approaching]

[intense music]

Just relax.

'What do you say there, officer?'

I saw your hood up. Having trouble?

No, it's about okay now. I got it all fixed up.

Unless you like to stick around

'help me cuss out a few old used parts'

and cuss out the sun.

- Everything alright? - Yes, sir.

He's just been feeling a little poorly.

I think he has a touch of the flu.

Maybe you, uh, better try your engine while I'm here.

Okay.

[engine sputters]

[engine revs]

There we go. Thank you.

[engine starts]

No, they just asked me a couple of questions.

They haven't charged me with anything.

Now the problem is, I can't locate Phipps.

No, no, I checked with Higby.

They never got to Klamath Falls or if they did they..

[car approaches]

Listen, I'll call you right back.

Boy, you guys never give up, do you?

You're under arrest, Archer

for harboring a federal fugitive.

What?

You have the right to remain silent

and to notify your attorney.

Alright, please, Mr. Archer, put your hands behind your head.

Shame on you, inspector.

Trying to bluff an old poker player like me.

You want to see my hand?

That's what I'd like.

He's on his way to Canada by car.

Cost him $10,000 to start.

He pays you with stolen bills.

We've got serial numbers.

More?

We have roadblocks on every highway into Canada

from the ocean to the Montana line.

And if we find him dead, Archer

we'll amend the charge against you to m*rder.

'How does that grab an old poker player like you?'

Who's got him?

A rodeo tr*mp named Virge Phipps.

They set out of here on a '57 Camper.

Texas plates. I don't know what the number was.

It was Phipps, Converse, and Phipps' wife..

...a little redhead about 20 called, uh..

...Meda Jo.

What's their route?

Well, it was due north.

What do you mean was?

They never got to Klamath Falls.

This Phipps ever serve time?

- Yeah. - What for?

m*rder.

Mornin' to you.

- Lovely mornin'. - Yes, ma'am, it sure is.

Your daddy ain't sick?

No, ma'am, ain't nothin' to worry about.

[grunting]

Help. Help.

It's okay. We'll get you to a doctor as soon as we can.

Looked down the neck of a bottle last night.

This morning, he's full of repents.

Ain't sure whether he's half dead or half alive.

Well, I guess I know all about that.

My second husband, he used to really cut loose.

[chuckles] Me oh my.

Things was never dull when that man was alive.

Uh-huh. Same with old dad here.

Never dull.

[engine starts]

Hope to see you folks again sometime.

[telephone buzzes]

- Yes? - 'Inspector Erskine.'

Thank you.

Lewis, where are you? Klamath Falls?

No, Wenatchee. We flew out this morning.

A county sheriff up here saw a circular on Phipps's camper

and he remembered spotting two men and a girl

in a similar vehicle just out of Yakima.

- Think he hit pay dirt? - 'Looks pretty good.'

'We've been contacting motels and camp grounds'

'with the amended descriptions.'

Particularly the older man.

His hair was dark and he wasn't wearing glasses

but the sheriff's pretty sure it was Converse.

I got a helicopter standing by

'and roadblocks throughout the area.'

No, the older of the two would have dark hair.

Be in his late 40s.

Well, uh, could they have been driving one of the campers?

- From Texas? - Yes, ma'am.

Well, sounds like the same bunch.

Yes, I saw him.

May I have your name again and exact address?

Yes, sir.

Um, Aunt Florrie Buell.

And I'm on Highway 6

about 40 miles north of Silver Springs.

Yes, ma'am, I've got it. Thank you.

Lou.

Where you going? What are you doing? Sit there.

Where's that whiskey bottle?

Meda Jo, Meda Jo, please don't call him.

The next time we stop, he's going to k*ll me.

You know that. He has to m*rder me.

- You be quiet. - Help me.

But what are you afraid of?

You afraid that I'm going to go to the police.

I can't. I'm a fugitive myself.

All I want from you is to, is to tell me

when it looks a little safer.

When it looks as if there might be some softer ground

an embankment or something.

You can't see what you're doing.

You'll break every bone in your body.

I'll worry about that.

Whatever happens it won't be your fault.

Look, you can keep the money.

'Just, look, pretend that you were sleeping.'

When you woke up, I was gone.

Please, Meda Jo.

Look, it-it, it's my only chance.

What's that? A helicopter?

Chopper to ground unit one.

One, go ahead.

The camper is on a logging road

in the northwestern corner of grid section L.

Right, we're on our way.

This is the FBI. Pull over.

FBI, Meda Jo, it's finished.

Do you think we could make it now if we jumped?

Well, I'm going with you or without you.

Okay.

Now.

- Meda Jo! - Oh, no.

Come on, he's got a g*n.

[g*nsh*t]

[chopper whirring]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nshots]

[g*nsh*t]

Check 'em.

Stand up.

I guess that's about all.

I knew I was in trouble

from the time that Phipps showed me the newspaper

but I didn't really start to get worried

until after we'd passed Klamath Falls.

Do you know where he was scheduled to stop?

[sighs] Yes, a-a place called Acme Junkyard.

Uh, they mentioned the name of a Frank Higby.

Alright, Mr. Converse, thanks very much.

[Colby] 'Oh, thank you.'

Wh.. Well.

Oh, just a minute. Did you get through?

Yeah, she's on the line now.

She?

Marian?

We, uh, we thought you might like to talk to her.

Thank you.

- Hello, Marian. - Darling.

How are you?

Fine. Fine.

How are you?

Honey, I talked to the doctor.

He says the worst part's over now.

I'm gonna get better.

He says it's just a matter of time.

Oh, thank God for that.

At least, it wasn't all for nothing.

[male narrator] Howard Dale Converse was sentenced

to a federal penitentiary.

Prosecution of Mrs. Converse

as a co-conspirator was declined.

Virgil Roy Phipps and Meda Jo Phipps

were found guilty of kidnapping.

Preston Archer was convicted of harboring a federal fugitive

and Calvin Wade Grimes was returned to federal prison.

[theme music]