04x10 - The Intermediary

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

At your convenience, sir. Thank you very much, sir.

Yes, sir, may I help you?

Mr. Toller is expecting me. My name is Grant.

Oh, of course, Mr. Grant. This way please.

Thank you.

[bell buzzes]

- Ah! - Mr. Toller.

How very good to see you again, Mr. Grant.

- Good to see you again, sir. - Did you enjoy your trip?

- Very fine. Thank you. - 'How is Chicago?'

Quite cool for this time of year. I was very surprised.

'Well, here's your ring.'

I think you'll be..

...very pleased with it.

Mr. Grant, what in the world do you think you're doing?

I'm robbing you, Mr. Toller.

Please put the ring in here.

I really don't understand. The ring is your property.

You brought it to me and asked me to set it.

I'd also like the tray of gems in your inner vault.

I see.

Well, I'm afraid you're out of luck.

- The vault's on a time lock. - True.

But this week it can be opened at 10:05 a.m. and 4:47 p.m.

'Can't it?'

How did you obtain the schedule?

We have about one minute left.

Mr. Toller, I'm not going to keep the jewelry

so you needn't worry about your collection

being broken up or disposed of.

That's terribly time consuming.

And I don't trust fences anyway.

So the collection will be returned to you

for a ransom payment.

Do you understand?

- I think so. - Good.

If you'll just open the vault, my partners and I will leave

contact you in due course and so on.

Your partners?

They're downstairs now. In your showroom.

They have g*ns, Mr. Toller.

If you trigger any of the alarms up here

or if I'm not back again by 5 o'clock

they'll k*ll at least two of your salesmen.

And I suppose anyone else who gets in their way.

Eighteen seconds to go.

The choice is yours, sir.

Please use your own watch, Mr. Toller.

It's probably more accurate than mine.

Mr. Toller..

'Slide it out.'

Lifting it trips an alarm at Guardian's

central security office I believe.

Doesn't it?

'I had all your security blueprints'

secretly micro filmed.

A man who used to work for Guardian's Incorporated

told us where they were kept, how to get out them.

In here, please.

We'll go downstairs now, sir.

Just one last thing, Mr. Toller.

I'm really very vain.

If this had been at my good side I, uh..

I might have left it.

My partners may still be here.

- No alarm for five minutes. - Excuse me.

Surely.

When will you contact us?

That depends upon the postal service.

However, I'll send the letter special delivery if you like.

Oh, you're too kind. Thank you.

You're welcome, sir.

And thank you.

Everything seems alright.

- I feel rich. - You are.

Thank you.

Big smile.

Thank you.

[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin Production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott

William Reynolds

with guest stars Monte Markham

Michael Strong

Burr DeBenning

and special guest star Maurice Evans.

Tonight's episode

The Intermediary.

The theft of over three million dollars

worth of mounted and uncut gems

from V.V. Toller And Company, New York

took place on a Monday afternoon.

On the following day, Tuesday, September 24th

the first ransom note arrived by special delivery letter.

The envelop was post marked Hartford, Connecticut.

Because the stolen property had apparently crossed state lines

the FBI entered the case at once.

How did this story get out in the first place, Mr. Toller?

A reporter I know called.

I didn't think it at that time.

I read in that note.

[knock on the door]

Oh, Lewis, come on, in.

- Chet, how are you? - Lou.

This is Mr. Victor Toller. Inspector Erskine.

- How do you do? - Mr. Toller.

We've run into a little trouble, Lewis.

What you've actually run into is a great big mouth.

Just ask my insurance company.

How bad is it?

We're up to our neck in cranks.

I thought I'd better check in with you personally.

My office started logging calls

ten minutes after the paper hit the streets.

New York police report the same thing.

Any pattern?

I've got the jewels

deposit the money in such and such a place.

What's the matter with these people?

Are they sick or something?

Do they think it's funny?

Did you receive any calls yourself, Mr. Toller?

Yes, about 30.

Finally I told my shop mangers to stop taking them.

Went on home. One man actually called me there.

Oh, is your number listed?

Of course not.

Oh, I see what you mean.

How could the general public have known my private number?

Doesn't the same apply to the thief?

How could he have known it?

There's something you should know, Lou.

'Mr. Toller was interviewed by a magazine six months ago.'

In that article, he admitted to having a bad memory for numbers.

Said that he wrote everything down in a little book

he kept by his bedside.

Now, that book has disappeared or was stolen.

Did you keep any other private information

in the book, Mr. Toller?

Yes. The unlisted number.

Could you describe the voice on the telephone?

Was it Grant do you think?

Well, he said it was Grant.

But so did a lot of the other callers.

He said he was annoyed with me for having talked to the papers

but he'd still return the stones

if I dropped off the money.

Of course, I said I wouldn't pay out a cent

until I'd had an intermediary check that

the collection was genuine and intact.

'He said he'd think it over and call me back.'

An intermediary.

Mr. Toller, how difficult would it be to determine

whether the collection was genuine?

Any of my employees could do that.

Could I do it?

- You? - Why not, Art?

Suppose we turned our problem to advantage.

After all expert testimony in court

would be worth a good deal.

We're not gemologist here, Mr. Toller.

Could Inspector Erskine be taught

what to look for in three days, do you think?

Well, yes.

Why don't I fly to New York with him?

Alright, it's worth a try.

Oh, that's very good of you, Mr. Ward.

Thank you, Mr. Toller.

- Here. - Thanks, buddy.

It's worth a fin. Now, don't worry about it.

It's a private gag, okay?

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nsh*t]

What time is it?

He'll be here.

Oh, don't worry about it.

Why don't you let me make you a drink?

I asked you a question, Billy.

[g*nsh*t]

It's a little after five.

How little?

Oh, about 45 minutes.

Then, it's a quarter to six.

Quarter to six, yeah.

Which makes him exactly 3 hours and 45 minutes late.

Now, look, Tom, he's young, he likes the girls.

Sometimes he gets hung up.

You see.

I told you he'd get here.

[intense music]

Tom!

[g*nsh*t]

Where have you been?

Well, Tommy..

With a girl?

Well, in a way.

Let me tell you what happened, I..

[grunts]

Now you listen to me, lover boy.

You are in the big leagues now.

This isn't some two-bit second story job you can pick up

and put down whenever you please.

This is a career.

You understand me?

If you just do as you're told

you'll end up with more money

than you ever saw in your life before.

But if you cross me, Jack

you miss one more appointment

fool around with one more girl

make one mistake..

...I'll cut you in two, Jack.

So help me.

Here.

[panting]

Alright. Meeting's call to order.

I've been thinking about Toller's proposition.

And I think we'll accept it.

You mean, let him send a man?

Unless I hear some objections.

Billy?

No!

Jack?

Good.

Then let's go compose us a letter.

Of course, there are some tests you could use

to verify if a stone is genuine, but no expert would need them.

You'll have to rely primarily on cut and color.

Now, let's see how much you've learned.

What have we here?

Uh, it's a diamond.

Blue-white.

Round cut.

And it's flawless.

Can you guess its weight?

Oh, about one karat.

One karat, very good. One hundred points.

Now this one.

That's costume jewelry.

Back has foil on it. It's, uh..

Glass.

Now this one.

That's a diamond

but it's flawed.

'How?'

Carbon spots on it and some of the..

Some of the facets are poorly angled.

It has a brilliant cut.

- How many facets are there? - Fifty-eight.

- 'Did you count them?' - No.

How can you tell then?

Uh, stones of this brilliance

with proper girdling usually have 58 facets

whatever their size.

Usually.

Uh, except in very old stones.

Ah. How many facets have the old stones got?

There wasn't any consistency. Usually about half.

Now, these.. Uh, name this cut for me, please.

Round.

[bell buzzes]

Quite rare, isn't it?

No, it's the most common.

- Marquise. - Mm-hmm.

And this one?

Emerald or square cut.

Pear shaped.

Well, Mr. Erskine, you've certainly done

your homework well.

Is he ready for the finals, Mr. Toller?

Special delivery. Postmarked Boston this time.

"Okay to send intermediary.

"Instructions in Trans Continental bus depot

box 463, 11 p.m. Friday."

Is that from Grant?

[Lewis] 'A thin cross behind the T.'

'M is smudged.'

Well..

Yes, we'll go with this one.

Here's Mr. Erskine's cover story, Mr. Toller.

Name, address, birthday, years of employment with you.

Social security number.

Anything you might need in case the thieves call in to check.

I see.

I'll fill the bureau in.

Oh, by the way.

Grant may want to move quickly once contact's made.

- Do you have the cash on hand? - Oh, yes.

Thank you very much, Mr. Toller.

'Oh, uh..'

...good luck, Mr..

...Mr. Raymond.

[telephone rings]

Hello.

[Jack] 'Brad Green there?'

- Go ahead. - He's in.

He's about..

He's about six feet tall, dark haired.

No hat.

He's wearing a dark blue pinstripe suit.

- 'You're sure he's alone?' - Yes.

He didn't signal anyone, drop any notes?

He just picked up the ticket and got on the bus.

Alright.

Check the locker.

If he left any kind of message, call me back.

[Tom] 'If the locker's empty, just come on back in here.'

- 'Meet us at the cabin.' - Alright.

And meet us. Don't you fool around. Don't--

Look, man, I have had it up till here with your lectures!

I am a big boy now, so get off my back.

Check the locker.

[doorknob clicks]

Sshh.

[clatter]

The shop?

'George.'

Call the police.

[smirks]

Put your hands up.

[g*nsh*t]

George!

[grunts]

- George! - Unh!

[tires screeching]

Honey, are you alright?

I'm alright.

[panting]

He just knocked the wind out of me.

What was he after?

Where did you take these?

I think it was near Toller's Jewelry.

Monday.

Wasn't that the day it was robbed?

Yes.

Oh, yes.

When I spotted him, he'd already had the drawer open.

We think that is the picture he was looking at.

What happened after he ran outside, Mr. Kern?

You follow him? Did he have anyone with him?

I don't know.

Roberta called the police when they got here.

They looked all around, but he was gone.

We showed them the photo.

When they found out it was taken outside of Toller's

I guess they called you right away.

I'd like to take this with me, Mr. Kern.

Have a blow-up made.

Sure, but why don't you let me do it for you here?

Wouldn't that be more convenient?

Yes, it would. Thank you.

Do you want the whole thing enlarged?

Uh, no.

Just this section

'right here.'

Looking for someone?

Don't turn around.

Mr. Grant.

You notice the car parked to your right.

Black top.

That's where we're going.

Get in.

Would you put these on, please?

A kind of blindfold.

I must advise you not to try to take them off.

All clear?

I have an associate in the back to watch you.

Don't be alarmed. It's just a precaution.

What do you think?

I could get it a little bigger, but you'd lose almost

all of the definition.

That's perfect, Mr. Kern.

Here, take this down.

Uh..

"...Pennsylvania.



Call the Philadelphia office.

Have them check with DMV.

I want the name and address of the owner as soon as possible.

[honks]

Wait.

Where is Jack?

I don't know.

He left at the same time the bus did.

He should've beaten it to Mountain Springs

at least by half an hour.

Now, look, Tom, it's a long trip.

Now, he could've had a flat.

Bring him in. I'll get the stuff ready.

Alright. Get out.

No!

Erskine!

[dramatic music]

Alright.

Billy.

Billy?

Yeah.

Come on, man, what's the matter with you?

Uh, nothin', nothin'.

[Tom] 'Listen, you wanna, you wanna sit down or something?'

[Billy] 'No, no. No, I'm, uh, I'm fine.'

- Yeah. - Sure?

[chuckles] Really, I..

I'm fine.

Let's go.

Straight ahead.

Step up.

Through the door.

Alright, now straight ahead.

Stop.

Arms up.

There's a chair beside you.

I want you to sit down at the table.

You sure you don't need a drink or something?

Um-hm.

Alright, Mr..

Mr. what?

Raymond.

[Tom] 'First name or last.'

[Erskine] 'Last.'

'Leonard Raymond.'

[Tom] 'Why did they pick you for this, Leonard?'

[Erskine] 'I do appraising for V.V. Toller.'

'Make estate purchases.'

Represent the company at auctions.

So you've probably seen all these stones before

at one time or another.

Yes.

Alright.

The stones are under a black velvet cloth

in front of you, Leonard.

You can look at the table and everything on it.

But don't turn around.

'Do you know what this is, Leonard?'

I have no idea.

It's a g*n, Leonard.

'It'll be aimed directly at the back of your skull.'

It'll be fired if you turn your head so much as one inch.

Do you understand?

I understand.

Take off the glasses.

Turn back the cloth.

[dramatic music]

I, uh..

...I have some things in my pocket I'll need.

Go ahead.

[telephone ringing]

Kern's.

Yes, he is. Hang on.

- Mr. Colby, it's for you. - Thank you.

Uh, Colby.

Just a minute.

Okay, go ahead.

D-A-L-E.

He has a cabin, where?

What's his address in town?

That's an apartment?

And how many convictions?

Alright, maintain the surveillance on the apartment

until I get back to you.

Alright.

- Colby. - Thank you.

- Any luck? - Yeah, maybe.

The car's registered to an ex-convict.

An ex-con?

Well, no wonder he didn't want his picture taken.

Especially outside of a shop that had just been robbed.

Especially since he's on parole right now

for a prior conviction for jewel robbery.

What's next?

Well, I'd like you to look at some mug shots

and see if you can identify him as the man who was in here.

Be glad to.

I was wondering, Mr. Kern, do you know anything about

a little town in Pennsylvania called Mountain Spring?

Yes, it's quite a well-known resort in the hills

west of Allentown.

A lot of summer cabins around there.

Uh, be kind of dead now that school has started.

Why, is our man from around there?

Yeah, he has a place up there and he hasn't been seen

around his apartment in Bethlehem for few days.

I was wondering..

Get on the radio right away. Call Randolph.

Tell him we need a helicopter.

And call Philadelphia. We're gonna need some agents up there.

Mr. Kern, thank you very much.

- And thank your wife for me. - Sure.

Alright, Leonard..

...are you satisfied?

Stones are genuine.

The...collection's intact.

Put the glasses back on.

Hands behind your back.

I don't understand.

Well, we have a kind of a problem, Leonard.

There's no telephone out here.

So we're going to have to record your voice

and, uh, send it back on tape.

Toller ought to have it by mid-afternoon and, uh..

...two of my friends will keep you company here

until I've returned with the money.

And then we'll let you take the collection home.

How does that sound?

I think they want a direct exchange.

Stones for the money.

Well, we all want things we can't have, Leonard.

Alright, I want you to speak in a normal tone of voice.

I'll have the microphone directly in front of your mouth.

We better take these in sections.

Why don't you identify yourself first.

Then tell them in your own words about the collection.

Suppose they don't agree to your idea of an exchange?

I think they will.

We'll get to that point later.

Alright.

I'll say go..

...start the machine and you begin.

Ready?

'Go.'

Mr. Toller, this is Leonard Raymond.

I've examined the collection.

It's all here.

Untouched.

Stop.

Tell them to drop the money in a plain suitcase

on County Road, 520 north of Allentown

'when they see a white cloth tied to the fence.'

You'll be released with the collection

after that's done.

[recorder clicks]

[Tom] 'Go.'

Apparently they're going to hold me here

until they have the money.

They want you to drop it in a plain suitcase

'on County Road, 520'

'north of Allentown'

'where you see a white rag attached to a fence.'

After that they'll let me go and take the collection with me.

[recorder clicks] Stop.

If they don't agree..

...if we don't have the money by six o'clock this evening

at the latest..

...we'll cut your throat.

[recorder clicks] 'Go.'

If you don't do what they say..

...they'll k*ll me.

[recorder clicks]

[car honking]

[sighs] It's him.

Now, don't go off half c*ck!

Well, how have you been, MacKenzie?

So you do remember me.

It took a while.

But you have a very distinctive laugh.

And of course, it helped when he called you Billy.

I should have told him outside who you are.

Yes, I kept asking myself why you didn't.

'But then he might have got to wondering'

where you met an FBI inspector before.

I might even have had a chance to tell him about the time

Billy MacKenzie turned his old friend Jake t*rd into the FBI.

I ought to sh**t you right now.

If you had a g*n, Billy

you'd have used it the minute we were alone.

Freeze! Or do you want me to call him back?

You'll be putting the g*n to your own head.

I might.

But I think I could take you along with me.

'Even though t*rd's dead'

'every hood in the East Coast would give his right arm'

'to know the name of the man'

who set up Les Miller's g*ng for him.

You know, I used to wonder

how many men you've betrayed.

You can't say anything without committing suicide.

No.

But then neither can you, Billy.

Unh!

What's the matter with you?

Are you crazy? Huh?

Are you deaf? I warned you once, I warned you a hundred times.

- Tommy, will you listen to me? - Not a word you, Jack!

I ran out of gas.

You're lyin'.

But it just doesn't matter anymore.

Man, you I can't afford.

Tommy! Billy!

[intense music]

[grunting]

[g*nsh*t]

He was out to k*ll me, Billy.

- Why? - I don't know, he was mad.

Because I was late.

'I ran out of gas.'

Billy, what do you wanna do? Forget the whole thing?

No.

A million and a quarter, huh?

It's all set.

Tape's been cut.

Everything's ready.

We just, uh, deliver it, pick up the money.

We do? You mean leave the collection here with--

'No, I mean, we take the collection.'

We keep it and the money.

Why not?

I say, uh, we can fence the stones for a million.

That's two and a quarter with the ransom.

You ever gonna need anymore than half that? Hm?

I'm not.

There is still the man that they sent.

That's right.

Alright.

I'll do it.

Give me the g*n.

Come on.

- That seems a little.. - Little what?

Maybe we ought to just think about it.

What if we just left him here.

Let him get out of it on his own.

- Didn't Tommy tell you? - Tell me what?

He let your name drop.

The man's got your name.

Now, uh, why not, uh

dig a little hole for both of them.

Okay?

Shovels around the back porch.

Bring two.

I'll be with you in a second.

[chopper whirring]

[g*nsh*t]

[chopper whirring]

Jack Dale.

'This is the FBI.'

'Stop your car.'

[tires screeching]

[intense music]

Chopper to ground unit.

[siren blaring]

'Subject's car is a hundred yards'

'ahead around the next curve.'

'Block him off.'

Ground unit to chopper, will do.

[siren blaring]

[tires screeching]

[chopper whirring]

Chopper to ground unit.

Dale may have survived.

So call an ambulance and get to him as quick as you can.

[intense music]

[panting]

- 'Mr. Toller.' - Mm-hmm.

Is the collection intact?

Is it what?

Intact, uh, is everything there?

Oh, certainly, certainly.

Then will you sign for them, please, sir?

Yeah, well, the damage was to one setting.

Very minor thing.

Thank you.

I, uh, I might make one official suggestion, Mr. Toller.

Um-hm?

If you must write down time lock schedules and private numbers

it might be good idea not to tell magazine interviewers

where you keep them.

Uh. Yes, I'll do that tomorrow.

[male narrator] William MacKenzie was found guilty of the interstate

transportation of stolen property

and is serving a term in the federal penitentiary.

Jack Dale survived the automobile crash

and was tried on a state charge of m*rder.

He was convicted of the sh**ting of Thomas Waters

and received a sentence of 30 years in prison.

[theme music]