04x13 - The Hero

[bunniefuu]

[instrumental music]

- Ann, you're really-- - No!

Let's get this business settled once and for all.

- Is this true or isn't it? - It's a mistake.

I've told you time and time again

I'm not the only Charles Burman in the Air Force.

I didn't write to them about Charles Burman.

I told them I was eloping with Charles Elton Burman.

Major. Hero.

Now, how many of those are there, Charlie

or whatever your name is?

"Regarding announcement of your marriage

"to Major Charles Elton Burman, US AF

"as guardians of your estate, we took liberty of contacting

"Washington, DC for further information.

"Files indicate Major Burman k*lled in action

August '67, South Vietnam."

It's a mistake.

And what are you doin' checkin' up on me anyway?

I wasn't checking up on you.

I thought I was sending my lawyer a wedding announcement.

Well, it just seems to me that

if a bride can't trust her husband..

Alright. Stop the car.

[intense music]

Go on. Pull over!

Look, I don't know what your game is.

- I don't know why you married-- - Alright, fine, fine.

Let's not try and talk reason, okay. Let's get hysterical.

Are you gonna pull over or am I gonna have to jump?

[music continues]

[tires screeching]

Ann.

Ann.

[music continues]

- Listen to me. - No!

Look, it was a gag.

It got out of hand.

I wanted to impress you.

I'm not in the Air Force.

You bit of a phony.

A phony?

A phony?

[dramatic music]

Phony?

[music continues]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin Production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr..

Also starring Philip Abbott..

William Reynolds..

With guest stars, Chad Everett..

...Kathleen Widdoes..

...Carmen Mathews.

Tonight's episode, "The Hero."

[dramatic music]

Late on the afternoon of June 8th



south of Coquille, Oregon

and to the body of Mrs. Ann Taylor Burman

strangled to death less than five hours

after her marriage to a man calling himself

Major Charles Burman, United States Air Force.

According to the eyewitness, the victim had been slain

by a man in uniform.

Almost at once, two more important clues were uncovered.

In Mrs. Burman's hand the officers found a button

and a scrap of cloth.

In her handbag, a telegram which provided a motive.

Both were sent immediately to the FBI in Washington.

The cloth is a very, very fine worsted, inspector.

You notice that there's a maximum of uniformity

in the fiber links.

The individual warp and weft yarns are clearly defined.

Anything unusual about the wool, Roy?

Can you tell, for instance, where it came from?

Oh, I'd say Australia as an educated guess.

It's Merino. No apparent weak areas.

Very good tensile strength.

It's a type of fiber you get from the sheep

of New South Wales or perhaps Western Victoria.

- Well finished? - Very.

Then the uniform was of good quality?

May have been tailor made?

- Oh, yes, sir, probably. - Hello, Art.

Hi. We located the minister who married them.

Here's his description of the groom.

"Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal?"

He's picked quite a background for himself.

Yeah, the hero.

- Roy. - Yes, sir.

How much wear this uniform had, can you tell me that?

Well, it's probably never been dry cleaned

'the luster is high.'

Would a tailor be apt to sell much of this material?

I mean, would this be one he'd remember?

Oh, I'd say so. Yes, definitely.

Especially if he'd made a uniform from it.

Well, the girl lives in San Francisco.

Why don't you get in touch with Al Bennett out there, Roy?

Give him a description of the fabric

and see what he can find out.

Yes, sir.

A place to start anyway.

[instrumental music]

What's the matter? I-is it the right size?

It's the size you asked for.

Well, I don't think it can be.

There's got to be some reason.

'Look at it.'

Eight and a half C?

I'm just crazy about this style.

Well, let's try it again.

Oh, for heaven's sake. Let me do it.

Uh, tell me, young man, uh, do the sizes every vary?

I-I mean between companies?

Am I boring you?

Well, I asked you if it was possible for sizes to vary.

There's got to be some reason for this tight fit.

There is.

'Your foot is too big.'

What did you say?

Take it off.

Why don't we try a half size larger..

What's your name?

Sayres. Daniel Sayres.

How long have you been employed here, Daniel?

Well, just since this morning.

Ma'am, if I've offended you in some way, I--

Not some way. Every way.

You're inattentive, you're rude

and you certainly don't know your product

and I think these things should be reported.

- Ma'am. - Yes. What?

I'm sorry. I beg your pardon.

Uh, you just go ahead and look, okay?

Excuse me.

Look, don't lose your cool, man. It's almost quitting time.

Couple of minutes, you can go home

and take it out on your wife.

- I'm not married. - Well, that's even better.

Go on pick up yourself a nice little chick.

This your first time in Salt Lake?

Yeah.

I'll tell you where they congregate now.

Just drop into some of those bowling alleys

or driving ranges out along Carlisle.

- Carlisle? - Yeah.

Look, I know just how you feel.

Sometimes you'd really like to k*ll 'em, wouldn't you?

[dramatic music]

In a way it's like your business, Mr. uh..

- Uh, Bennett. - Mr. Bennett.

Oh, I don't say that bolts of cloth are as individual

as fingerprints, but a lot of them

have their own quirks, pattern..

- Excuse me. - Certainly.

Did you think you were being kidnapped

at the airport, inspector?

How are you, Al?

I thought it'd save time if you came right over.

Al.

- Is this the right one? - Louis Sogano.

He remembered the cloth. He remembered Burman.

Under that name?

Believe it or not, he used Smith.

[scoffs]

Mr. Sogano, Inspector Erskine, Special Agent Colby.

- How do you do? - How are you?

Mr. Sogano, I understand you made an Air Force uniform

recently for a man named, uh, Smith?

- Yes. - Could you describe him?

Well, he was, uh, dark blond, about six feet tall, 180 pounds.

Do you remember all your customers that well?

[chuckles]

No, but I remember this customer particularly

because I tried so hard to talk him out of his purchase.

Well, isn't that a little unusual?

You see, Sogano's doesn't make uniforms

but Major Smith insisted, so..

Oh, why did he insist?

Well, he said another of our customers had recommended him.

Uh, a man named, uh, Sands or Sales..

How did Smith pay for the uniform?

In cash. And it was uniforms.

He ordered two of them.

By cash, you mean bills as opposed to a check?

Yes, bills.

[scoffs] He laughed, he said it would probably break in

but he didn't care.

Mr. Sogano, I wonder if I could trouble you

for the address of this, um, Sands or Sales.

Yes, certainly. It won't take a moment.

- Thank you. - Excuse me.

Al, have you had a chance to look

into the victim's background?

Yes, her parents died when she was in her teens

and left her a great amount of money in trust

she was to receive it next month.

So our conman's still broke, huh?

Yes.

Well, this is urgent. I have to find another mark fairly soon..

Excuse me.

Mr. Erskine, I remember the man's name.

It was Sayres. And I was wrong.

Sogano's used to make uniforms at least during World w*r II.

We made a uniform for a captain

Anthony Sayres in 1942.

Well, thank you very much, Mr. Sogano.

I want him located as soon as possible.

Yes, sir.

I should say a nice material.

Uh, how much would a suit from this cost?

Oh, that's very reasonable. $350.

Oh. Thank you.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

I'm not making you nervous, am I?

[chuckles] No, I..

I just wish you wouldn't stand so close, I..

I wouldn't want to hit you.

Let me take a look at that grip.

Well, that's part of your trouble.

What?

Your ring. Why don't you take it off?

Oh.

Now, try.

Well, it's not quite it.

Here, drop this hand. Here.

[music continues]

Open this hand up just a little bit more.

There.

Doesn't that feel better?

Yes.

By the way, what's your name?

Margaret Kane.

I'm Fred Nolan.

Hello.

What?

[laughs] I said hello.

You're not afraid of me, are you, Margaret?

Of course not.

Should I be?

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Well, the bureau called Bennett again about ten minutes ago

with some additional information about Captain Sayres.

Uh, he was married, 1937, to a Ms. Eugenia Stafford.

And one child, a boy, Daniel, was born in 1938.

That'd be about the right age for Burman.

Yeah, about.

- Any other children? - No.

No arrest record on the son, I suppose.

Uh, no, he registered for the draft 1956

rejected on physical grounds

hypertension, high blood pressure.

Last known address was Kingman, Arizona.

Where's the mother now?

Well, we don't have a current address on her.

Widow of an army officer? She'll be in the pension rolls.

Well, she, uh, apparently went to Canada after Sayres' death.

I called our liaison representative in Ottawa

and asked him to see if he can locate her.

Here it is.

[instrumental music]

Did Captain Sayres have any brothers or sisters?

No, he was an only child.

There was one cousin in Ireland.

Sayres went to visit the family when he was in his teens

but I don't suppose anyone there would remember him now.

Well, somebody remembers him.

Those flowers can't be more than a week old.

Memorial Day?

I talked to the caretaker.

He told me he's found the grave decorated

on every national holiday for the past three years.

By Daniel Sayres himself?

If we're lucky.

See that we have some agents out here on surveillance

during visiting hours.

Next holiday is when? 4th of July?

It'd be a long wait till then.

Maybe we won't have to wait.

Look at his date of birth.

[Colby] 'Tomorrow.'

Oh, it's so lovely. It's really beautiful.

- Do you know, that's the.. - Thank you.

The nicest, most loveliest birthday present..

Oh. Excuse me. I'm sorry.

Clumsy.

What's that, friend?

You heard me, friend.

Come on, it's alright. It's alright.

So pretty.

You know what I'm going to buy for you?

A new set of golf clubs.

I-I think it's terrible every time we come here

you have to rent yours.

You have so much money

you just don't know how to get rid of it, is that your problem?

[laughs] Yes, that's me.

Poor little rich girl.

Most of it untouchable, I suppose.

Stocks, bonds, security, that sort of thing.

No, not all of it, I have some of my own

in my own name in the savings account

for sudden little extravaganzas like these.

Hmm.

Well, in that case, then, uh, what kind of clubs

do you have in mind?

Tam O'Shanter? Pebble Beach? Saint Andrews?

[horn honking]

Ah, for crying out loud, it's my mother.

- Hi, mom. - Hi. Happy birthday.

What are you doing, checking up on me?

[chuckles] Yes, I suppose so. A little bit.

Oh.

Well, here is the mysterious Major Nolan.

- Fred, Julia. - Yeah.

- How do you do? - Hello.

Oh, look, look what he gave me for my birthday.

How lovely.

Tin soldier cluttering up the place.

Excuse me.

What is your problem, friend?

No problem, friend.

You said you want to talk to me. Go ahead, talk.

[dramatic music]

Fred!

Fred! Let him go.

Let him go, Fred. Let go of him!

No!

Are you alright?

Yeah.

Did you get hurt?

[music continues]

She arrived about half an hour ago.

She was still at the grave.

- Just the one woman? - Yes, sir.

[sighs]

- Mrs. Anthony Sayres? - Yes.

I'm Inspector Erskine, Mrs. Sayres.

This is Mr. Colby. We're with the FBI.

Oh.

Well, you see, I-I really didn't know

whether I was supposed to register

with the immigration department or not.

'I asked my landlord and he didn't know either.'

Uh, no, that isn't why we're here.

You-you see, the-the problem is

I never did get my final Canadian paper

so...I don't think I'm-I'm technically an alien.

Well, you mean you have been living in Canada

but you're back in the United States permanently now?

Yes.

How long have you been gone, ma'am?

Three years.

Mrs. Sayres, when was the last time you saw your son, Daniel?

Oh.

Daniel, so that's it.

Mrs. Sayres.

I told him it was against the law to wear uniform

when he was never in the service.

He said he was in the Air Force, but I knew he wasn't.

He picked some high and mighty rank..

- What was it? - Major.

He just had to pretend to be better than his father.

Why? I don't know.

So I'd love him more, I guess. But it didn't work.

I said, "Oh, quit trying to impress me."

I said, "You aren't impressing anybody, Daniel."

Uh, when was this, ma'am?

When I came back, in-in 1965.

I...I haven't seen him since.

'I hear from him, but I haven't seen him.'

'He sends me little gifts, nothing sensible'

'nothing I can use.'

Has he been doing that again?

Wearing the uniform, I mean?

Are you going to arrest him?

Well, if it may turn out that way, Mrs. Sayres, yes.

I..

[sighs]

I said something terrible to him once.

I said, "Your father didn't have to pretend to be a hero

he was one."

[instrumental music]

And then I said

"You aren't half the man your father was and never will be."

'I did it all wrong all of his life.'

Uh, human being can't help what they are.

Really, I-I don't think

he's been such a terribly bad boy.

If he has been lying, or if he's hurt someone

I have a little money.

Has he hurt someone?

Did he hurt someone in the past?

No, he..

Sometimes he loses his control, but..

Mrs. Sayres, if you should hear from your son again..

I won't.

I know, but if you should, we'd appreciate a call.

This is the telephone number and address

of the FBI office in San Francisco.

You mean, turn him in?

Don't you think I've done enough to him already?

Don't you think I owe him something?

Don't you think you owe something

to the person he may hurt next?

Good day, Mrs. Sayres.

Well?

Put her house under surveillance.

Let me know when she leaves town.

Yes, sir.

[sighs]

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Here we are. Thank you very much.

And do come back.

- Okay, what happened? - Nothing happened.

Look, are you going to let old doc Muhrer help your man.

I mean, don't tell me nothing happened.

You come in whistling every morning for a week.

[chuckles] I know you got some wild

little mystery lady on the string, huh?

Look, Muir, I appreciate your--

Well, what's the big crime?

You meet a cute chick, you have a little healthy fun.

And yesterday, you had your first fight, am I correct?

Matter of fact, I did get into a fight yesterday.

Sort of reminded me of..

Forget it.

I don't want hurt her.

We, uh, made a date.

Fine, go talk to her. I-I mean, you can leave right now.

I-I'll cover for you.

Look, Muir, I gotta cut out of this town, I have to.

Now, how do I go about getting a final check?

See somebody in accounting or--

Dan, wait a minute. Why don't you at least call her?

I mean, you said this girl has everything. Looks, money.

[chuckles] Why cut off your nose to spite your face?

Yeah.

[door opens]

[dramatic music]

[man on phone] 'Carlisle driving range.'

This is Major Nolan.

Has Margaret Kane arrived there yet?

'No, sir, not yet. Can I give her a message?'

There's Mr. Sayres. Right down there.

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

I know. No, I don't think so.

Sayres was taller than that

and he uses an Air Force uniform.

'Alright, yes, if it fits in with our description.'

Sayres and the girl he strangled

were married in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Agents in Grants Pass located a garage

he rented the car from.

He dropped it off on the afternoon of the m*rder

in another branch of the same company in Klamath Falls.

Yes, thank you.

Now, they checked the airport and bus terminals.

They found a clerk who thinks that she may have sold him

a ticket to Salt Lake.

'Uh, she said that he, uh, appeared to be alone'

seemed nervous.

Uh, fits Sayres' general physical description

but he wasn't in uniform.

- Yes? - Contact Salt Lake office.

Excuse me, inspector. His mother's here.

Uh, send her in, please.

Mrs. Sayres.

Won't you sit down.

Mr. Colby, of course, you know, and, uh, this is Mr. Bennett.

How do you do, Mrs. Sayres?

Have you found him yet?

Not yet.

I was thinking all day yesterday about what you told me

about Daniel hurting somebody

and I want to ask you a question.

I.. I read in the newspapers a while back..

...about a girl who was k*lled up on the beach in Oregon..

...by an Air Force officer they thought.

Yes.

Is that why you want to find Daniel?

Yes, Mrs. Sayres, that's why.

He..

He's in Salt Lake City. Or was.

'He sent me a gift from there, a handkerchief.'

I had it in my purse all the time I talked to you.

I'll see about the plane tickets.

[woman on phone] 'Yes?'

Get me the agent in charge, Salt Lake.

Mrs. Sayres, was there a return address on the package?

- No address. - Was it mailed by the store?

No.

John, Al Bennett. Hang on, please.

Do you still have the handkerchief with you?

Yes.

Thank you.

It's from Van's Bootery.

John, regarding Daniel Sayres, he may have made a purchase

'in a Salt Lake store called Van's.'

'V as in Victor, A-N-S.'

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

[knock on door]

Yes? Who is it?

[knocking]

[music continues]

May I come in, Mr. Sayres?

The name is Nolan.

Is it? Alright.

May I come in, Major Nolan?

Yes. Of course, please do.

Now, just what's going on here?

What do you think is going on?

I don't know.

Some sort of con game, I suppose.

If you think that, why didn't you send the police up here

why would you come yourself?

Because I don't like involving my daughter in a scandal

if I can help it.

But I will send for them if you force me to.

- You've been to the shoe store? - Yes, I have.

And you think you've discovered

some fantastically terrible dark secret about me?

I've discovered that you're not the person

you've claimed to be to my daughter.

Not at all.

You've discovered that I'm not the person

I claimed to be to the manager of the shoe store.

What?

[chuckles]

You see, I made a bet with a friend of mine

that I could get a job and hold it for two weeks

'without anyone discovering that I was actually'

officer on leave from Vietnam.

But, uh, due to your instincts, Detective Julia

I seemed to have lost the bet.

[scoffs]

Don't you believe me?

Oh, please.

- Who are you calling? - Who do you think?

Wake up down there.

- Does Margaret know about this? - 'Not yet, but she will.'

[groans]

[man on phone] 'Yes?'

'This is the desk.'

'Hello?'

'Hello?'

'Hello?'

'Hello? Hello, this is the desk.'

'Did you ring, sir? May I help you?'

No, uh, I've changed my mind. Thank you very much.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Well, I never knew much about him.

I-I mean, I-I liked him, but.. What did he do?

This, uh, this woman you spoke of

did she tell you why she wanted to see him?

Oh, no, she just asked if a Daniel Sayres worked here

and I said yes.

Well, but he was already gone

by the time we tried to find him.

And you gave her his home address?

Well, his hotel, yes, sir.

- How old a woman was she? - Ooh, I don't..

Well, roughly, was she in her 20s?

Oh, no, I'd say, maybe mid 40s.

Oh, then this probably wouldn't be the girlfriend he mentioned.

Oh, no, the way Jim talked about her

she sounded more like 23, 24.

- Uh-huh. - Uh, Lou..

- May I talk to you a minute? - Excuse me.

Just got a call from the agents at the hotel.

- The manager's back now. - Still no sign of Sayres?

Well, he locked the door to his room

but he didn't leave the key at the desk.

You better go over there yourself.

Alright.

[instrumental music]

[car horn honking]

Darling, I'm sorry, I'm late.

That silly hairdresser of mine, he just..

Margaret.. Margaret, will you marry me?

- What? - I just got my orders.

I have to be in San Francisco tomorrow

and it's Vietnam again.

It'd have to be today, now.

Alright. Now.

- We'll fly to Nevada. - Yeah.

- I'll get rid of the cab. - Alright.

Won't be needing you anymore.

Thanks.

Who're you calling, your mother?

Yes. She doesn't seem to be there.

There's no answer.

Come on, we'll try again on the way.

Okay.

You may have to pay the minister.

I've got several accounts in San Francisco.

That's very..

I suppose you might want to close out your account.

You won't be Margaret Kane after today.

I guess you're right. I must have at least $10,000, I think.

Mrs. Nolan. Mrs. Margaret Nolan.

Oh, mother would be surprised.

[dramatic music]

- How is she? - Bad.

The ambulance attendants wouldn't move her

until after the doctor had given the okay.

[Lewis] Is she conscious?

Well, she has been off and on.

Name is Julia Kane.

I'm Inspector Erskine, Mrs. Kane.

Please try to answer these questions as well as you can.

Why did you come here?

Why did you want to see Daniel Sayres?

Major Nolan.

That's what he told you his name was?

To me..

...and Margaret.

Who's Margaret, Mrs. Kane?

Daughter.

Did you have a chance to tell her

you thought Major Nolan was an imposter?

Where is she?

'Is she at home?'

Date..

With him.

Do you know where they were going?

Maybe..

...Carlisle driving range.

Get right over there, then call the US Attorney

and see if they'll authorize a warrant.

We'll find her.

Thank you.

Sayres will have to move fast now.

Alert all security houses

the train, bus and air terminals.

And see that the state highway patrol

gets the description of both of them.

Oh, one thing more

find out where she banks

and have them keep us informed of any withdrawals.

Okay.

[dramatic music]

[laughs] I guess you really thought I flipped.

He kept saying, "What do you mean you want cash, Ms. Kane?"

And I kept saying, "Cash, cash.

What's the matter? Don't you have any?"

Well, you finally broke him down.

- That's the important part. - Here, you take it.

- Huh? - It's yours. Take it.

It's yours. Or it will be when we're married.

Oh! I can't wait to tell mom how happy I am.

Can we call her next time we stop?

Sure. Next time we stop.

[music continues]

[car horn blaring]

Margaret Kane closed her savings account

about 15 minutes ago.

The cashier said that she seemed highly emotional.

Said something about getting married today.

- It means Nevada. - Yeah.

I asked the highway patrol to establish a roadblock

on the state border.

I told them that they might be in a rented car

'and I'd send them a description as soon as possible.'

Well, the fellow here said he saw him leave in her car.

'All plate description's already in the air.'

Let's get after him.

[dramatic music]

[siren blaring]

[instrumental music]

[chuckles] Hey, that was pretty.

What are you looking for?

News.

[laughs] What's the matter?

This doesn't have a shortwave band on it, does it?

Oh, shortwave? What's on shortwave?

- Police calls. - Police calls?

Why do you want to listen to police calls for?

Well, how do I know you had an account with that bank?

Maybe you robbed the poor schnook.

[laughing]

You can relax, my sweet baby.

You're absolutely safe with me.

You don't have a thing in the world to worry about.

[laughing]

[siren blaring]

[instrumental music]

- Hm, there. - There what?

Over there. See those buildings?

'There must be a telephone there.'

Come on. Let's stop.

- Margaret, can't we, uh-- - Oh, Fred, please.

Alright.

Hm. Telephone.

[siren blaring]

What's that? A police car?

[dramatic music]

[siren blaring]

The girl either jumped or was pushed out of the car.

Pick her up.

We're still after Sayres.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[tires screeching]

[music continues]

[g*n fire]

FBI, Sayres, drop the g*n.

Sayres.

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

[siren blaring]

Man with a chest wound.

Straight ahead, in the ditch.

Lou.

[dramatic music]

Fred!

What's happening?

He's been shot, Ms. Kane.

But I.. I don't understand.

The man who drove me here, he said his name wasn't Nolan.

It's true. His name is Daniel Sayers.

But...that's not possible.

Listen, you, y-you call my mother

M-M-Miss Julia Kane.

S-s-she'll tell you who he is.

We already talked to your mother, Ms. Kane.

But I don't understand. How did you..

She's been hurt.

Sayers hit her when she was trying to call the police

to turn him in.

She'll be alright. She's in the hospital.

We'll take you there in a moment.

[instrumental music]

Why were you after him?

For ill*gal wearing of the uniform..

...and m*rder.

[music continues]

[music continues]

[male narrator] Daniel Joseph Sayers, alias Major Charles Burman

alias Major Frederick Nolan

was critically wounded while resisting arrest.

Sayers died of his wounds three days later

without regaining consciousness.

[theme music]