09x16 - The Animal

[bunniefuu]

Somebody comes in here, smile while we talk.

Look, why should I pay you that kind of money?

Call it back pay.

Now it's a 125,000.

Where's he getting that kind of money?

A better question is, how much more does he have.

Say it again. I wanna know exactly what you said.

You're hurting me.

What did you say on that telephone?

Sillman may keep that girl alive as a hostage

or he may k*ll her if he feels he can move faster

without her.

I'm not forcing him to make that choice.

Forget him.

[theme music]

[male narrator] "The FBI."

A Quinn Martin production.

Starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Also starring Philip Abbott

and Shelly Novack.

With guest stars Gary Lockwood..

...Meg Foster..

...Roger Perry..

...William Reynolds.

Special guest star Peter Mark Richman.

Tonight's episode, The Animal.

Excuse me. Sorry.

Excuse me.

Excuse, excuse me, please. Sorry.

Sillman's got trouble raising 50G for bail.

Keep that camera handy. You'll see him

spitting fire when he comes out.

Oh, yeah, sure.

[indistinct chatter]

- 'Oh, there's Sillman.' - 'Uh, Ben.'

- 'Hey, Sillman.' - 'Ben, Ben, uh..'

Do you think the government will offer you any deal, Ben?

Why the, uh, trouble raising bail?

You guys ever take a day off?

With your connections, a 50,000 bail

should be easy to arrange.

Hey, uh, I'm feeling sick.

- We hit the john, huh? - Excuse me, fellas.

[groans]

Can I see your credentials?

Check the stalls, Ed. I need some water.

Hey!

[muffled g*nshots]

Here. "Dallas Chronicles."

The neighborhood gotta get a picture.

- And you're Eben R. Peterson. - Yeah.

Wicks.

You're George Wicks.

Hey, uh, Ben Sillman's been living at your house

during the trial, hasn't he?

[muffled g*nsh*t]

[crowd clamoring]

Hold!

Get off me. Get off me!

[male narrator] On May 28, Benjamin Sillman, a reputed hitman for the mob

known as the Animal

convicted for federal income tax fraud

ex*cuted a planned and daring escape

from the Tucson Federal Courthouse.

George Wicks, a small-time gambler

was arrested at the scene

and confessed to aiding the escape.

Because federal officers had been assaulted

the FBI entered the case.

Uh, we're about to interview him now.

What about the marshals and the guard?

Are they gonna make it?

[Lewis on phone] 'The latest word from the hospital'

'is they're out of danger.'

Thanks.

Lewis, I have something here that might be of help.

'Informants in New York tell us'

'Sillman and the mob have had a falling out.'

They've refused to make bail

and wouldn't send him legal help.

That is interesting.

Well, times may change but not Sillman.

If it's possible, he's more dangerous now than ever.

You got it all, I even you told you

the kind of car he was driving.

It's too late to do those guards any good.

I had trouble remembering, that's all.

You remembered to bring in the g*n.

You know what Sillman is? He doesn't think, he does.

What would you do with a g*n at your head?

Ben Sillman had a g*n at your head?

No, he was smiling when he said it.

g*n in the washroom and a car waiting for him

if I still wanted to be friends with him.

Listen, Ben smiling and talking friends.

You don't need an interpreter. That's a g*n at your head.

He never mentioned where he might go?

Not even once?

Well, Ben's an East Coast man, so I kind of remember.

It was funny him wanting to know

if I had connections on the West Coast.

'I mean, if the old mob wouldn't help him'

what chance would he have in a strange territory?

So, uh, he asked you of names of people who might help him?

Yeah, somebody I knew with weight.

- Did you give it to him? - Sure.

Any name that popped into my head.

And what name popped into you head?

[George] 'Just a name. A nobody.'

- What can I do for you? - Uh, Wicks gave me a name.

I don't know any Wicks.

I want a passport.

Try the federal building.

You play long shots.

Know who I am?

Every paper in town's got your mugshot in it.

One passport.

How much and how long will it take?

Look, Wicks gave you a bum steer.

Six months ago, I gave up this line of work.

[groans]

The price and how long?

I want simple answers to simple questions.

I, I print and stamp the stuff.

Well, you don't have to convince me.

I mean, your references are good.

The paper is handled by somebody else.

All I get is print order.

Look, the man at the top handles everything.

Transportation out of the country

'new identity, everything.'

Well, who is this guy and where do I find him?

Sillman, you don't know

who you're dealing with out this way.

'He'll k*ll me for passing you along.'

I'll k*ll you right here and now

if the next word that comes out of that fat mouth

doesn't start with a name.

- Braden. - Full name.

- Full name! - W-William Braden.

Where do I find him?

His office.

Carter, West 11.

Braden Construction Company.

[chuckles]

[groans]

What kind of an animal is he

that Avery was so frightened

he wouldn't even call an ambulance?

He did tell you if it was Ben Sillman?

Oh, yeah. Yeah, he, uh..

He wanted me to get a car and leave the city. He..

Well, he's afraid they're going to k*ll him for talking.

You know the name your husband was forced to give?

[sighs] No, no.

Only that he told it to Sillman.

Thanks for calling us, Mrs. Derek.

Of course.

Well, if Derek's back in the passport business

we know what to expect.

I doubt Derek will give us his name.

He's probably sorry he told his wife as much as he did.

I'll send a written confirmation to your office.

I have a Ben Sillman..

[indistinct]

Don't you take a chance walking around here?

We heard about Derek.

Maybe you're the one taking a chance.

What else is there for a guy like me except taking chances?

I've been taking them for big wheels like you

ever since my old man shoved a g*n in my hand when I was 15.

You know how he died, Braden?

Somebody shoved him off a roof just like this one.

Someone like you who didn't need him anymore.

You understand?

'I didn't take any garbage from Derek'

and I'm not taking any from you.

Where I come from, you got the cash

the deal is made and business is always business.

Okay, let's talk business.

Passport and out of the country, I want a price?

Seventy five thousand dollars.

Well, the going price is from ten to twenty.

You're getting a special price.

It must be your personality.

'Now get out of here.'

Alright, you got a deal.

If you couldn't raise bail for 50,000

how are you raising 75?

That's my problem, Braden.

You named the figure and I said it was a deal.

I'm giving you a phone number.

Call me..

...when you get the money in your hand.

But no later than noon tomorrow.

If we can't move fast, I'm not moving at all.

Not with the kind of heat you got.

You'll have a call tonight, Braden.

Keep somebody's ear by the phone.

See you later, John.

Two coffees, please. Black.

He made the connection with a William H. Braden.

There's a big if.

Seventy five thousand in cash.

What are the arrangements?

Passport and transportation out of the country.

Where's he gonna get that kind of money?

[chuckles]

Looks like that pretty arm of yours is coming back.

I'll, uh, see you at clubhouse.

[Ben] Lathan.

She's pretty good or you're pretty bad.

What are you doing here?

Need 150,000 by midnight tonight.

You should grab a shower and get working on it.

[scoffs]

Are you crazy? Get lost.

Somebody comes in here, smile while we talk.

Look, why should I pay you that kind of money?

Call it back pay

an extra piece of action from the Newark days.

Newark? Look, the mob split

a million and a half dollars as their take.

I mean, how many times do I have to pay?

Once more.

To Ben Sillman who for a grand a week made it work.

Who gave your stories the kind of competition you liked

little or not.

That was ten years ago. Look--

Shut up, Steve.

I've got the whole ballgame on the line.

I don't care about the mob, you, yours, you name it.

It's number one.

And you're buying a little black book from me.

- What book? - Come on, Steve.

Dates, names, places.

That store in Yonkers that got firebombed somehow.

The price you paid to Mattheson.

That little accident that happened at Crenshaw

brought him in line real fast.

How? Why? Where? When?

That little book covers some 14 months.

- Turning on your own kind, huh? - With pleasure.

- Still got that fancy yacht? - Yeah, why?

- Where you keeping it? - AvalonBay, but it's--

Inform the captain. Tell him to take a couple of days off.

- Starting now. - I can't reach him until later.

- It's his day off. - I'm takin' the day boat.

I'll be there in a couple of hours.

Just another tourist.

[sighs] Where's the book?

Ready to be mailed to the government.

Be in your boat at midnight tonight with the cash.

We'd like to see Mr. Braden.

FBI.

Uh, Bill is out on the balcony sunning.

Please, come in. I'll take you there.

Bill, some FBI men to see you.

Honey, uh, while you're walkin' him

see if the smoke shops has those cigars I ordered, hmm?

- What is it? - We'd like to talk to you.

I'm Inspector Erskine. This is--

Make it short, huh?

Do you know a man named Benjamin Sillman?

Not offhand.

Are you sure?

When and where would I know him?

Are you talking about one of employees?

Sillman is a federal fugitive.

Then how would I know anything about him?

I won't ask you to join me. I know you're both in a hurry.

I don't think we got your answer about Sillman.

You saying you never heard of him?

What's he done?

He shot two federal marshals

while escaping from the courthouse.

Don't know him. Never heard of him.

- What business are you in? - Real estate.

If you didn't learn that before coming up here

you're not earning your money.

You maintain a plane at the Long Beach Airport?

Well, you have been earning your money. Half of it.

- I keep two planes. - What are they used for?

Flying perspective clients to developments.

You know, uh, this does happen to be my day to relax.

Avery Derek isn't relaxing.

He's in the hospital with a brain concussion.

Never heard of him.

'Oh, inspector.'

Sorry I couldn't help.

Maybe you have.

Alright, what was that all about?

Maybe he'll have second thoughts about helping Sillman.

[telephone ringing]

Franklin.

Stay there till Sillman calls.

- What will I tell him? - Tell him we're not interested.

- He'll go through the roof. - Do as you're told.

Kiss him off. He's bad news!

[coughs]

Hey, uh, run me out to that yacht, the Deserter II.

I'm finished for the day, mister.

Oscar picks up the afternoon runs

and he's on the other side of the pier.

Yeah, well, you're here. You run me out.

Listen, mister, I've been going since 4:00 a.m.

and I am tired and I am very hungry.

You walk over to the other side of the pier

and Oscar will give you a ride out.

'You now, he'll be glad with the business.'

He's got kids and all that.

- Is something wrong? - No.

Oh, sorry. I can't give you a ride.

Uh, give me the FBI, please.

Yeah, uh, the man whose picture was in the paper yesterday

uh, I think I recognized him.

Yeah, that's his name.

Well, you see I'm on Catalina Island

and, um, he's asking me to take him out to a yacht.

Um, maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right. Bye.

- Who did you phone? - Uh, just, um..

A girlfriend.

Well, start the motor and head out.

Any place above the town.

Well, if that's a real g*n..

...how do I know you're not gonna k*ll me

no matter what I do?

Well, this is real g*n and it doesn't make

as much noise as your mouth does, so let's move it.

I'm sure we'll have her address.

- Hi, Lew, welcome to the coast. - Tom, good to see you.

Chris, you've met our bright new agent in charge.

- How are you doin'? - How's he treatin' you?

He's nothing but trouble.

Well, I'm glad to see he hasn't changed.

Come on.

Lew, this is Commander Munson.

Inspector.

We think the woman who made the call

was running a shore boat service.

- She hasn't called again? - 'No, nothing so far.'

But there is one woman who runs a shore boat during the day.

Her name is, uh, Paula Taylor.

The commander thinks he might have her address.

Uh, here it is.

The complete list of all the service people.

Paula lives at, uh, 1/11 North Road.

Thank you.

Commander, how many yachts would you say

are in the harbor?

- Not more than half a dozen. - Uh-huh.

Well, Tom, get a list of the registered owners, will you?

Yeah.

This is Munson, Catalina. Give me Long Beach headquarters.

Oh. Do you have to do that?

Take it easy.

Will you, please, be careful with those?

I paid $30 for those glasses.

- What do you use them for? - To brush my teeth.

To check posts to see if somebody's honking

and wants to come in.

My cold's getting worse.

Can I ask what we're doing up here?

- Waiting. - So what do you need me for?

You're needed.

Oh, you mean, like, if some cops come

for a hostage or something like that, huh?

Yeah, something like that.

Look, man, I swear.

I did not tell them the name of the boat.

I forgot it.

Now I didn't tell them my own name.

How much you wanna bet? Right now, they're sitting there

thinking that it was just a dumb prank call?

Shut up.

[sneezes]

- I said I was getting a cold. - Won't you shut up?

[Tom] 'Second is the Brightest Star out of Monterey'

owned by D.M. Jameson.

Then there's the High Breaker out of San Francisco.

The owner is Melvin Foster.

The Deserter II out of Long Beach owned by Steven Lathan.

And the last is the Big Girl

out at Marina Del Rey owned by Robert Carrier.

Steven Lathan.

It does seem familiar, doesn't it?

I wonder if that's the same Steve Lathan

that had big connections in the East a few years ago.

Do you suppose you could run us out to the boat?

You'll be there in five minutes.

Can I ask you a question?

How long we gonna have to be sitting up here?

Till I say we leave.

[sighs]

Look, I know there's no one on the Deserter now.

You're waiting for a friend to meet you onboard?

Oh, I wish he'd hurry up and come.

'Cause I'm gettin' really chilly.

Can I go get my jacket, please?

Anything. As long as it'll keep that mouth shut.

Thank you.

[horn honking]

[grunts]

Alright.

Say it again. I wanna know exactly what you said!

You're hurting me.

What did you say on that telephone?

I told them that I thought I recognized you.

- That's all I said. - No, no, no.

- You named the boat. - No, I didn't.

I swear, I didn't.

Come on.

Oh.

- Where are we go-- - Go!

- Where are we going? - Get in.

Leave me.

- Just shut up and get in. - Alright.

You know, one more cute move like that

I'm liable to forget what good friends we've become.

Now drive.

[telephone ringing]

Yes.

Um, uh, I have a phone call to make

and then I'll be right down.

Yes, sir, Mr. Lathan, I'll tell them.

He's making a call. He'll be right down.

No, we'll go up.

Yes, this is Steven Lathan.

I'm expecting a very important phone call from a man

who'll identify himself as Ben.

Will you tell him to meet me at the Catalina Casino

on the balcony at 6 a.m.?

[knocks]

Funny.

Our elevator's the only one working at night.

Maybe he took the rear stairs.

Does he usually work this late?

Not usually, but it's been a busy day for him.

Some big business deal in the wind, I think.

What makes you say that?

'Well, I drive Mr. Lathan around sometimes.'

Pick up a few extra bucks as a chauffeur

when he visits one of the stores.

Today we spent about two hours in and out of banks.

Okay, throw a sandwich together or something.

Look, I told you, the Willers

only use the house on the weekend.

There's not gonna be anything to eat in here.

Okay, well, look anyway and don't turn on the lights.

Yeah, Steve Lathan.

What? Where is he?

Look, my name doesn't matter. Come on.

Yeah, Ben if you want.

Yeah, okay. Catalina Casino, 6:00 a.m. Anything else?

Okay.

[telephone ringing]

- Yeah. - Put Braden on.

He's not here. It's all off.

What? Well, look, wait a minute, uh..

- 'Get a hold of Braden now.' - He's not interested.

Sillman.

Look, we made a deal.

Tell him to drop dead and do everybody a favor.

Hey, I just heard Braden's voice.

You put him on the phone right now.

You're on your own.

'Tell him I'll raise the ante.'

Raising the ante?

Tell him he could take that ante and..

Look, uh..

Tell him, I'll make it an even 100,000.

He says 100.

Just like that?

Hold on, Ben.

Oh, Ben, um, I hate to keep you hanging high and dry

but there's some people asking questions.

Braden, we made a deal.

Yeah, and I apologize for that

but when certain people start pushing me

the price has to be right.

Look, I'll have 125,000 waiting for you.

You'll have or you have it now?

- I'll have it in a few hours. - 'Where are you?'

Uh, uh, uh, Catalina Island, Avalon.

Do you know where Eagle Ledge is?

Nah, nah, but I can find it.

Be there at 9:00 in the morning.

I'll be flying an amphibian.

Okay.

Now it's 125,000.

Where's he getting that kind of money?

A better questions is, how much more does he have.

We'll pick him up

and at about 3000 feet over the ocean

we'll, uh..

...have a little heart-to-heart talk with him.

Here. That's all there was.

What did you cut it with?

What do you mean, what did I cut it with?

The pumpernickel.

When I was a kid, I used to watch

my old lady sharpen knives.

She cut real neat slices.

[grunts]

I am tired and I am hungry and I'm sick.

My whole life is just totally loused up.

So, mister, if you're gonna k*ll me

will you just go ahead and do it?

You know, I don't care anymore. I just don't care.

Oh, come on, baby. Everybody cares.

I mean, everybody's gotta have something to live for.

Even if it's a stupid dream.

Like the one I had when I was a kid.

You know, the only thing I wanted to be

was a shortstop in the big leagues.

Only my old man, he had bigger ideas for me.

I don't know.

I'll probably go the same way he did.

The only difference is when I go..

...I'm not going alone.

[Lewis] 'The morning forecast for the windward side..'

...is 3 to 5 foot northwest swells.

That means, we can eliminate the entire windward shore.

Except for Cat Harbor and points along the south shore

where he'd be spotted by anyone swimming or sailing.

We can be sure of one thing.

He's made arrangements to be taken off.

Probably in an area of maximum privacy.

We've got a lot of isolated spots, inspector.

No, we're looking for one where an amphibian can set down.

Close enough to swim or wait out to.

You sure it's gonna be a plan, inspector?

[chuckles]

Commander, we're not even sure he's on the island.

But if Braden's made a deal with him

it's likely he'll use his seaplane to get him off.

Here or here.

Stoney Cove, Eagle Ledge.

They look like the best possibilities.

The island airlines generally lands

at Cat Harbor during the season.

They come in over the Isthmus

land, pick up passengers and take right off.

Braden could have that in mind.

There's one big problem.

We can't use road blocks. We can't use helicopters.

Sillman may keep that girl alive as a hostage.

Or he may k*ll her if he feels he can move faster without her.

I'm not forcing him to make that choice.

[bells tolling]

- 'Who's she?' - Never mind who she is, Steve.

- You got the 150? - What is she doing here?

Let's make a quick count.

- Ben, I want an answer. - Don't worry about it, Steve.

She's showing me around the place.

Mister, I don't know who you are, but he's gonna k*ll me.

'Please, I haven't done anything.'

Would you tell him to let me go?

I promise I-I won't tell anybody, please.

Alright, where's the book?

- I'll mail it. - You'll what?

Well, you didn't expect me to carry it with me, did you?

[laughs]

Well, that's bright.

With me dead, where do you expect the book to be mailed?

Where is it?

You paid, I'll deliver.

When?

I'll make a call, it'll be in the office mail.

I'll get back to you real soon.

Look out!

[screams]

[sobs]

Now listen, sweetheart.

- You keep one thing in mind. - Okay.

I'm getting just about as tired of you.

- Hmm? - Okay, okay.

I gave him the money.

He's crazy, uh..

The girl's with him.

Our people will pick him up at the hospital.



Braden's on his way to Long Beach Airport right now.

Have you notified Commander Munson?

Yeah, they got a cutter and chopper waiting for us.

Let's go.

The brush this thick all the way to Eagle Ledge?

Man, do you know what kind of walk it is from here?

Get out and lead the way.

Long Beach Tower, this is 93 Gulf.

'We request permission to taxi to runway 25 right.'





[man on radio] 'Carolina 1, Carolina 1. This is Long Beach Control.'

This is Carolina 1.

He's filed a flight plan, inspector.

Santa Barbara, San Francisco and return.

- Do you want us to move in? - Not yet.

Any problem in keeping him on radar?

There may be if he heads as far north as Santa Barbara.

Alright, tell the naval base at Point Sierra to be on the alert.

Looks like he's coming down from the north.

Eagle Ledge.

Makes sense if the rendezvous was south of Avalon

he'd have headed south, then cut over.

Long Beach Tower, this is 93 Gulf.

Ready for takeoff.





[Tom] 'Carolina 1.'

Go ahead.

We found the girl's car, Lew.

The engine is still slightly warm.

I'd say it was abandoned about half an hour ago.

Stay with it, Tom.

Till I get a bearing on Brandon's plane

it looks like Eagle Ledge.

Right, 10-4.

[groans]

Can we stop a minute, please?

Please.



He is holding on 2-7-2, inspector.

Direct heading to Santa Barbara.

Alright, Frank.

- Breathe normally. - What?

They're losing altitude. Going under the screen.

He's dropping off the radar, inspector.

Means he'll be making his turn.

[laughs]

The trick is not to hold your breath.

[groans]

Will you give me a minute, please?

- Up. - Ah, please.

Please let me go.

- Please. - How far is it to the ledge?

It is just over the ridge, but I can't go on, please!

What are you doing this for? I am a nobody.

Right now, you're the most important chick on this island.

But I never hurt you. I was always trying to help you.

Well, you just keep helping me or it's over right now.

Okay. Okay!

[telephone rings]

Go ahead, Point Sierra.



Point Sierra has a bearing 1-8-9

approximately 18 miles north of Catalina Island.

Alright, Jim.

Catalina 1 to all units on the special.

Eagle Ledge is confirmed as target area.

Wait here.

[pants] Why don't you let me go?

I mean, what can I tell them that they don't know already?

I can't even guess that.

You saw me hit Lathan.

If I ever get picked up, it'll be a m*rder rap.

You're in, baby, all the way to the end.

[muffled g*nsh*t]

[screams]

[screams]

It's alright, miss. We're with the FBI.

He's down there by the water.

You take care of her.

Hello, Lew.

We got the Taylor girl. She's safe and sound.

Sillman's headed down toward the water.

We're going after him.

There he is.

Open the door.

There's a boat!

Forget him!

We better wash him off.

Lieutenant, cut them off!

We were set up.

They were waiting for us. Just waiting for us.

He still scares me.

I don't think you have to worry about him anymore.

- Ready to go home? - Home.

Oh, you don't know how nice that word sounds to me.

Hey, you know what? I think I lost my cold.

[chuckles]

[male narrator] Ben Sillman was tried and convicted

by California authorities

of kidnapping and attempted m*rder.

He was also found guilty in federal court

of escape and assaulting federal officers.

George Wicks pleaded guilty to his part in the escape.

William H. Braden and John Franklin

were convicted of harboring a fugitive.

Investigation of Steve Lathan's organized crime activities

resulted in state and federal grand jury indictments.

[theme music]