08x07 - The Engineer

[bunniefuu]

I-I could go out and get a job.

You could too.

Oh, I'm too old to start all over again.

I mean, I gotta have a little pride.

You want me to be proud of you?

- No, but you will be-- - No!

You're only thinkin' about yourself.

You always have to be a bigshot!

You don't care anything about mom and me, do you?

- You just think about bein'-- - Now, listen!

See you later, fellas!

See you around.

[clattering]

[intense music]

[grunts]

It's stuck.

Come on, let me get it.

'It's a tight lock.'

'It's on electricity.'

It can't be. Your watch must be off.

My watch, I set it by the phone.

[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

"A Quinn Martin Production."

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring, Philip Abbott.

William Reynolds.

With guest stars..

Ed Nelson..

...Michael Strong..

...Patricia Smith..

...Robert Yuro.

Tonight's Episode... "The Engineer."

[dramatic music]

[telephone ringing in distance]

I've got you covered.

Don't make any wrong moves.

Just stay where you are.

You've just been robbed. Hit the alarm button.

I'll try to keep them in sight.

[tires screeching]

[alarm ringing]

[tires screeching]

[honking]

[tires screeching]

Slow down, there's a stop sign.

[tires screeching]

We're being followed.

[tires screeching]

Lose him!

[tires screeching]

[tires screeching]

What are you doin'?

Just shut up and drive.

You don't have to do that. I can lose him.

Hey, it's either him or us.

[g*nsh*t]

[tires screeching]

[siren wailing]

[tires screeching]

[door closing]

The hats and glasses.

[siren wailing]

[tires screeching]

[engine revving]

[male narrator] On the morning of May 24th, two armed men

robbed the Portland National Bank of Oregon

and escaped with $38,000.

FBI Inspector Lewis Erskine

who had been investigating a series of bank robberies

in the Pacific Northwest

took charge of the investigation.

when it appeared that Vernon Speer

a "10 most wanted fugitive," was involved in the robbery.

- Inspector. - Hello, Graham.

- Tom. - Graham.

Inspector, some of that stolen money was in new currency.

Packages of 50 dollar bills, still in sequence.

Those are the serial numbers.

Alright, enter these in NCIC right away.

Make sure they're distributed to all local banks.

Yes, sir. That's the, the man.

"Keep smiling," that's Speer's trademark, alright.

I thought Speer was last known to be operating

in the Salt Lake City area.

He was. We just arrested his former partner there.

And if this is Speer, he hasn't wasted any time

finding himself a new one.

Better get that note back to the bureau right away, Graham.

'And any latents in the pick-up truck.'

[Graham] 'Yes, sir'

Any word about the second getaway car?

No, the police lost it when they headed back

into heavy downtown traffic.

Oh, there's Sam Whitman. The man who chased the subjects.

Retired police officer.

Mr. Whitman..

- ...this is Inspector Erskine - Inspector..

- Special Agent Colby. - Mr. Colby.

Mr. Whitman.

We appreciate what you did, Mr. Whitman.

Well, it's kinda hard to shake an old habit

I guess, Inspector.

Did you get a good look at them?

No, not very good.

Now, the fellow that was holding the g*n on the teller..

...I'd say that he was about 35, about 6' 1"

'165-175 pounds.'

That description would fit Speer.

Now, the other fellow was closer to my age.

Or not that old, maybe about 45.



Inspector, he didn't seem to fit in somehow..

'I figured him for an amateur.'

How could you tell?

Well, it's nothing I could put my finger on exactly

but it's just a feeling.

Chalk it up to 25 years on the force.

Walter?

Hi, sweetheart.

Oh, I missed you..

You've only been gone two days.

Well, it seems longer.

Much longer.

What's new, huh?

Just more of the same bills.

Yeah.

Where's Brian?

Upstairs.

How'd you do?

Hey, Portland's a pretty lively town, lot of activity.

[chuckles]

I'm not worried about Portland.

Honey, I went to every aerospace plant they have up there.

I don't mind tellin' you.

They're more than a little impressed with my credentials.

A job?

Well, you know what the market is now on electrical engineers.

But just wait until some real nice opening turns up.

You know? I mean, a head of the department or something.

What do we do in the meantime, Walter?

It's been over a year.

Well, have a little faith in me, honey, huh?

Is that too much to ask?

Hey, dad!

Oh, hi, buddy.

- How's everything goin', eh? - Pretty good.

Miles phoned while you were gone.

Miles, what about this time?

Another golden opportunity as a-a bag boy

at the supermarket or something?

I'm just telling you he called, I don't know why.

- You finished your term paper? - Yeah, what a drag.

Brian has something to tell you.

Okay, let me, uh, let me get a drink first, huh?

This is good, son.

This is good.

'Okay, what is it? What's up, huh?'

Well, I-I got a real good job

in the hardware supply in the shipping department.

A job, huh? What about school?

Well, I thought I'd quit for a while.

'Only be temporary.'

No such thing as temporary, son.

I mean, you drop out, you drop out.

Okay, well, maybe I'll go to night school.

Brian, my answer is no. You want to get a job?

Alright, later. First, you..

You get yourself an education.

What good is an education? What good did it do you?

Look, I-I'm sorry.

I didn't mean that like it sounded.

It's okay!

Only if I hadn't gotten an education

I-I wouldn't have been able to buy this house.

I mean, what is it? All of a sudden

everybody's against me because I had a bad year.

We had a lot of good years too. Don't forget that.

And no one's given up on you, dad.

Okay!

As long as I'm alive, I..

I'm gonna will take care of my family.

And you gotta finish your high school and college too.

Hey, come on, huh?

Don't count the old man out yet.

I've got a lot of plans, big plans.

Make you...richer than you ever dreamed of.

Will you see Miles?

First thing in the morning, honey. I promise you.

I'll see Miles.

Okay?

[door opens]

Inspector, we just got a report that the second getaway car

has been found in a parking lot in Salem.

Agents are processing it now.

Any cars reported stolen there?

No, sir. Not that we know of.

[telephone buzzing]

We're covering the neighborhood with mug-shots of Speer.

Carter.

Yes, sir, he is.

Inspector, Mr. Ward.

Put it on the speaker, would you?

Yes, sir.

Arthur, Graham Carter and Tom are with me.

The Documents section has matched the handwriting

on the demand note with others by Vernon Speer we have on file.

'And the Identification division has matched latents'

'found on the getaway car with Speer's fingerprint record.'

Good.

Anything on his new partner?

There are no latents besides Speer's.

Have you developed anything?

Well, the second getaway car was found in Salem.

Right. Inspector..

Uh, Arthur hold on a minute. I think Graham has something.

Mr. Ward, a bartender in Salem

has just identified Speer's picture..

...as that of a man who was in his bar last night.

'And there was also a woman with him.'

Alright, check it out, Lewis.

Graham, call Salem, tell 'em we're on our way.

You don't like it.

I didn't say I don't like it.

You always look great, whatever you wear.

So, why buy anything new. Is that it?

Honey, you're know our situation as well as I do.

I didn't pay cash for it.

I charged it.

Well, what's the point of having credit if we never use it.

- Good morning. - Hi.

Walter, hey, you're just in time.

How do you think I look?

Sensational.

See.

Oh, well, I guess I better get going.

Hey, don't I rate a kiss?

You'll get me dirty.

See you later.

Bye, Walter.

She'll break me.

You just have to put your foot down, that's all.

[engine revving]

How was Portland?

Well, the same old run-around.

Well, I called you because..

...the boss said the night man here was quitting.

I told him about you.

Are you kidding? Can you picture me doing that?

An ex-department head with a 130 men under him?

What, pumping gas, cleaning windshields?

Well, I'm doing it.

I was your assistant.

Yeah, that's it. I just don't get it, that's all.

I had to do something.

I told you there's a better way.

Now, don't start that again, Walt.

Look, all it takes is a little courage.

I think you and I could pull it off.

I'm just not the right type, Walt.

I get the cold shakes filling out my income tax.

Even when I-I know I haven't done anything wrong.

[horn honks]

[music playing on radio]

- Can I help ya? - Fill it up.

[horn honks]

Never mind the hood, just get the windshield.

Hey, watch it! What are you trying to do?

Ruin the paint job?

Just run some water on it.

[sighs]

That'll be $2.95.

Keep the change.

[engine starts]

Miles, you know, I got a lot of respect for you.

Louise doesn't know what a, what a great guy she's got.

Walt, my, uh, my lunch break's at noon.

Pick me up, we'll talk.

Okay.

[instrumental music]

[soft jazz music]

- Miss Simmons? - Yeah.

We're with the FBI. My name's Erskine. This is Mr. Colby.

Miss Simmons, have you ever seen this man before?

Oh..

Oh, yeah, he was the guy with the redhead.

Um, they were in that end booth back there.

- You waited on him last night? - Yeah.

Um, but it's the first time I ever saw him.

What about the woman? Uh, do you know who she is?

[sighs]

No, I may have seen her 'round town, maybe.

Oh, but never in here.

You say she had red hair? What else?

Uh, I'd say she was pushin' 35.

'Although it's kinda hard to tell in this light, you know.'

Did they leave together?

No.

No, 'bout 11 o'clock, she got a phone call and cut out.

Now, he stuck around for some more drinks.

And then he left, um, thirty minutes later.

Did she act as if she was expecting the call?

Sorta.

When she came in, she and him asked

for that booth near the payphone.

Then she called somebody

to give him the number, I think.

'Uh, then a woman called'

'and she asked for the redhead in the blue dress.'

- Did she mention a name? - Maybe.

Um.

Oh, I guess she did. Only it's clean slipped my mind.

- Please try to remember. - Um.

Her name was Elliot.

Oh, now, how could I forget that name.

I once had a boyfriend named Elliot.

Yeah, I remember it now. It was Miss Marge Elliot.

That's the wildest thing I ever heard.

Angela's jewelry.

You must be out of your mind.

My guess is they get close to a million dollars

in gold and platinum bullion, stored in the vault.

At least a million, if that makes you any happier.

I know. I designed their security system.

When you were with Tacoma Electronics, right?

Before you came to work for me?

It was in your personnel record.

So, uh, that's what brought this on.

Do you have any idea how many security systems

they have in that building?

You name it, they've got it.

Point number one, you know where all of 'em are.

And point number two

they depend mostly on electrical power.

And you could knock out the power I suppose?

Right.

- How? - Well, that's my department.

I'll take care of the electrical engineering.

And you take care of the electronics, huh?

[sighs]

Okay.

So the power is out.

Now how do you open the vault?

'It runs on electricity.'

You mean to tell me a brilliant electronic engineer

like yourself can't figure something out?

[chuckles]

I thought so.

But I couldn't do it without

all the blueprints and specifications.

And they're all back at Tacoma Electronics.

Along with the manual code.

Then we all we have to do is get on the plans, huh.

[scoffs]

Now I know you're flipped.

How do we manage that?

There's only one way.

We steal 'em.

No sign of Speer, Inspector.

Could he be inside?

No, we spoke to the landlady.

Uh, she's the one who phoned Mrs. Elliot at the bar

last night because Mrs. Elliot's little boy is sick.

And she's, uh, been up in the apartment

a number of times today.

There have been no male visitors.

She's positive of that.

- Is she there now? - Yes, sir.

Well, maintain surveillance. We'll talk to her.

[knocking on door]

Shh!

Don't knock.

- Mrs. Elliot? - Yes?

We're with the FBI.

I'm Inspector Erskine, and this is Mr. Colby.

Oh.

- May we come in? - Oh, yes.

If you don't talk too loud.

My little boy is not feeling well

and he, just this minute, fell asleep.

What's this all about?

Do you know this man?

Why? Should I?

You were in a bar with him last night?

That doesn't mean you know a person.

Yeah.

His name is Vernon Speer.

We've been acquainted less than six months.

Do you know where he is?

No.

W-we dated for a couple of weeks, and that was it.

Till yesterday. He called me yesterday

and he asked me to come meet him.

Did he mention his plans?

[gasps]

That's funny you should ask that.

He wanted me to marry him?

[chuckles]

Can you imagine? I mean, I hardly know the guy.

He said he'd made up his mind the first time we met.

I must look a sight.

I wouldn't say so.

[chuckles]

Well, let's face it, I was tempted.

'I'm divorced, you know.'

Something made me turn him down, I don't know why.

Did Speer tell you where he was headed?

Reno.

Yeah, he said he had some business there

and we could get married there.

Do you know where he's staying in Reno?

No.

Nobody leaves me an address.

It's the story of my life.

Well, thanks, Mrs. Elliot.

Well..

I hope Bobby is better soon.

Thank you.

You see, that's the main building. Over there.

Alright, let's go.

Soon as he turns the corner, we can make a run for it.

It would take him at least 15 minutes

to complete his round.

I'm telling you, if we get caught--

Come on, will you. Quit worrying.

[music continues]

Okay.

[music continues]

They always keep the watchman's door unlocked.

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is drafting.

That's audio systems.

The file room should be the next door down.

[music continues]

What're you doing? Get in, get in here.

[music continues]

[bucket clanking]

[music continues]

Come on, come on.

[Miles] Funny, they used to be right here.

They had to make room for the new records.

I wonder where they keep the old ones.

Must be here somewhere.

- 64. - No, no, no, no.

It was 67.

- Sixty five. - Sixty six.

Sixty seven. That's it.

Let's see that.

[music continues]

That's it.

[music continues]

[music intensifies]

[grunts]

Did you have to do that?

Come on, it was either him or us.

Come on, let's get out of here.

[metal clanking on the floor]

[instrumental music]

[man over radio] 'Control to unit four.'

Four, go ahead.

[man over radio] 'Three $50 bills from the robbery'

'at the Portland National Bank'

'turned up at the Reno First National Bank.'

Do they know where they came from?

[man over radio] 'They were among receipts of a small casino and motel'

'called "The Golden Calf."'

'They were deposited at the bank earlier today.'

- Location? - 'On Marsh Avenue.'

'West of Arlington.'

Right, we'll be there in a few minutes.

Hi.

Hey, come on, take it easy will you?

Did you get it.

Straight from the city engineers' office.

Shows every electrical outlet in the area.

[chuckles]

Did you hear anything about the watchman?

Come on, will you stop worrying about it?

There was nothing in the paper.

Neither here or in Takoma.

That doesn't mean the police aren't investigating.

The police probably put it down to juvenile mischief.

'Besides if they suspected anything'

'then it'd take a month to go through those files.'

Well, how you doing?

I think I figured out something.

See now there's the vault, there's the corridor

'there's the time clock.'

Harold, what's going on?

Hey, what are you.. What are you doing here?

Why aren't you in school?

There's practice today. I forgot my sneakers.

Well, how many times have I told you

I didn't want you poking around

down here in the workshop.

I wasn't poking around.

I just heard voices so I came down.

Miles and I are trying to do something.

Why don't you get what you came for

and go on and clear out, huh?

- Okay. - Good.

You said there'd be absolute privacy.

I didn't know anybody was home.

[sighs]

- Well, you're a genius. Genius. - Yeah.

This is gonna be as simple as one, two, three.

[instrumental music]

[Lewis] 'Then he isn't registered here?'

No, sir, I only remember him

because they gave the crap tables a big play

a couple of nights ago.

He also got into a slight argument with the stick man.

Oh, what kind of an argument?

Nothing much, he had some new bills

and a couple of them stuck together.

The stickman didn't notice it at first.

Did he seem to know anybody around here?

Well, he seemed friendly with Bernie Ellis one of our guests.

Mr. Ellis is in 110.

Thanks, we'll see if he's in.

Oh, he's in alright.

Room service tells me

he had an all-night poker game in his suite

and is still going strong.

[dramatic music]

See you later, fellas.

[music continues]

See you around.

[music continues]

[plates shattering]

[music continues]

[g*nsh*t]

FBI!

[g*nshots]

Better get an ambulance.

[automated message] 'At the tone, the time'

'will be 2:15 exactly.'

[beeps]

[knocking on door]

I was wondering where you were.

What kept you?

Louise.

She's gonna leave me, Walter.

Huh? Wha-what happened?

Tonight, I..

I saw her packing her bags.

She said she's gonna visit her sister.

I know. I know.

I know I'm never gonna see her again.

I got into this whole thing on account of her.

Now there's just no point in going on.

Alright, alright.

You just take it easy, huh?

Hey, come on.

I don't know maybe, maybe you're right on this thing, you know.

But I'll tell you one thing, if you wanna keep Louise

your only chance is to help me pull this thing off.

You know that, don't you?

Don't you see, Miles?

It all boils down to one thing...money.

That's what it's all about.

Either you have it or..

...or you're nothing.

'And no one cares how you get it'

'just as long as you've got it.'

- What if we're caught? - Ha. Not a chance.

The way we've got this thing laid out..

Look you're almost there.

A couple of hours..

...you'd be set for life.

Alright, you want the filling station

the rest of your life?

Come on.

Okay.

Okay.

Now, all we've gotta do is steal a truck

and be at the power depot by four.

Hey, kid, what are you doing up?

I couldn't sleep.

Well, then wait in the car, huh, Miles?

[sighs]

Well, you, you got school tomorrow

you better hit the sack, huh?

I heard.

Heard, what?

Don't do it, dad.

Oh! What you heard..

No, it's not what you're thinking.

Don't do it.

[sighs] Come on. Sit down, huh?

Come on, sit over here.

Come on.

You see, Miles and I

we're working on this new project, you know.

The only thing is it has to have a little hush-hush..

Dad, I'm not a kid anymore, don't try to snow me.

Alright, son.

It's just...a man

can't just lie down and die.

Look, you-you think I'm doing this for myself?

I mean, just for me?

Aren't you?

You're not doing it for us.

Mom and I don't need a lot of money to get along on.

Look, you-you could sell the house.

I-I could go out and get a job. You could too--

Oh, I'm too old to start all over again.

I mean, I gotta have a little pride.

And you want me to be proud of you?

Well, I'm not.

Not anymore.

- No but you will be. And so-- - No!

You're only thinking about yourself.

You always have to be a big shot.

You don't care anything about mom and me, do you?

- You just think about-- - Now, listen!

[music continues]

Brian, son-son, I'm sorry.

So am I, dad.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

And you can call a lawyer if you wish.

Yeah, I know.

Who is your partner in the Portland bank robbery

on May 24th?

You really think I pulled

that job, inspector?

Yes, I do.

Okay.

Who was he?

I met him in a bar in Portland.

He had quite a few.

He was some kind of engineer.

He talked about this big job

he had in some aerospace program.

But he hadn't worked in over a year so he was plenty hungry.

He seemed smart enough, I needed a guy, so I took a chance.

What was his name?

You want me to end your laugh?

He tried to palm off some phony tag on me

like a Smith or Jones.

How did you know it was phony?

Because his car was parked outside

with the registration.

'His real name was Walter Swenson.'

Did you notice an address?

It was, uh, some suburb in Seattle.

Have Seattle check with aerospace firms.

I want photographs and fingerprints on file.

[instrumental music]

Hey, feed me those numbers again.

Low metal bands

number 8766, 8784.

Okay, got it.

[music continues]

[electricity sparking]

[music continues]

[music continues]

You got here pretty quick. I was just about to call you.

Yeah, we've been having trouble with this section all night.

What's that?

Oh, this is our auxiliary power. To run our tools with.

You guys are pretty smart. You bring your own electricity.

Yeah, I heard that one before.

Hey, where are your power boxes?

I'll get a man to show you.

[man over radio] 'Control to S-E-seven.'

- Go ahead. - 'Inspector.'

'Witnesses has definitely identified the picture'

'of Walter Swenson as Speer's accomplice'

'in the Portland bank robbery.'

'The US attorney has authorized a warrant'

'for Swenson's arrest.'

Ten-four.

[music continues]

That thing won't budge without electricity.

Is that so?

Yeah, it does look like we're gonna

make the eight o'clock opening.

Uh, the power room's over here.

You guys need anything just whistle..

Hey, what's the idea?

Get his keys, keys.

Keys!

Inside. Inside.

Don't forget his feet.

[music continues]

Hey, are you sure the vault will unlock?

Doesn't work on electricity.

No, no, no, no, it works on a spring.

Otherwise, every time there's a temporary power failure

it will disrupt their whole business schedule.

What's the matter?

- What's the matter? - It's 17 minutes.

The power, the power's been off 17 minutes.

Come on, come on.

[grunts]

He's never left the house before without telling me.

I don't understand it.

Brian..

...these men are from the FBI.

Do you have any idea where your father might've gone?

h*-how should I know?

Can you tell us when he left, Brian?

I don't know, I was sleeping.

Mrs. Swenson.

Could he have left during the night?

I-I don't know. He never came to bed.

You see, Walter has a workshop in the basement

and sometimes when he works late

he just stretches out on the couch

so as not to disturb me.

That's what I thought happened.

But this morning he's gone.

Was he in his workshop last night, Brian?

No. Hardly ever uses it anymore.

That's not so. He's been working there with Miles.

Brian, you're hiding something. What is it?

If you know anything, please tell them.

Don't you understand, in your father's present state

there's no telling what he might do.

These men may be able to stop him.

I-I don't know, what they were gonna do.

"They?"

Who, dear?

He left with Miles Currier.

'They were supposed to be working on a new project.'

'It was supposed to be a secret.'

What was it, Brian?

Well, it may not mean anything.

But...I saw a name on an envelope.

An envelope in the workshop.

What name?

"Angelus Jewelry."

- Okay. - How much time?

- About 40 seconds. - Okay.

Manual.

Clear it.

Yeah.

Eight right.

[Miles] Eight right.

Six left, one turn.

Yeah.

Seven left, two turns.

Seven left, two turns.

- Yeah. Time? - Okay.

Four seconds. Two.

Okay, open.

[grunting]

It's stuck.

Come on, let me get it.

[grunting]

'It's a tight lock. It's on electricity.'

It can't be. Your watch must be off.

My watch, I set it by the phone.

You left this on seven.

This would turn the zero.

[grunting]

Okay, go.

[music continues]

Yeah, fill up the toolbox first.

[music continues]

[tires screeching]

Is the building supervisor here?

- FBI, where's the vault? - Lower level, why?

Anybody there?

Just Mac, one of our guards

and two men from the power company.

- Show us please. - Joe, go with 'em.

[sighs]

[grunts]

We'll be right back. We need some new equipment.

[music continues]

FBI.

[metal clanks]

[tires screeching]

[g*nshots]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

It's all here, sir. Just the way it happened.

If you'd sign it.

Your wife and son have asked to see you.

I don't wanna see them yet, no.

Not for a while.

It's up to you.

Inspector, if you see my son

tell him I'm sorry.

Of course.

[male narrator] Vernon Speer and Walter Swenson

were tried and convicted in Federal Court

of bank robbery and assaulting federal officers.

Swenson and Miles Currier

were also found guilty in State Court

of armed robbery and as*ault with a deadly weapon.

[theme music]

[music continues]