Original subtitles

Maybe the captain forgot to get his uniform out of the cleaver.

Relax, Chief. Enjoy yourself.

You ought to have a ball. Three whole days of fun and frolic at the National

Police Officers Convention.

I haven't missed one in 25 years.

Chief Ironside? Yes?

Flight 614 to Los Angeles will be boarding in about five minutes.

Falcon thought it might be more convenient for you if you wanted to

before the passengers start.

That's very thoughtful of you.

Good suggestion.

Come on, Mark.

Take it easy. Have a good time. See you in three days.

That's your plane.

It was my plane. What is it, a fuel explosion?

For a bomb.

For you?

Possibly with 80 to 100 passengers for that flight, it's hard to guess.

But I intend to find out.

Threads and burn marks are on the inside.

That's what Nagel of Bomb Squad says, too.

Five, nine, eight, or three.

Baggage check number imprinted by the explosion.

Well, Dennis, why don't you stop by?

How are things going?

Getting underway. When I gave you the authority to take over this

I didn't realize that you were taking over the airport, too.

Maybe there are other ways of doing it, Dennis, but this is my way. Any idea

what he was after?

Any one of a hundred passengers.

Well, get things back to normal as quickly as you can. Perhaps it's normal

some maniac to try to kill me or somebody else, but it's not normal to

hundred innocent bystanders in the attempt.

It's only sheer luck that none of the crew were hurt.

Besides, you do anything to get out of delivering that speech to the National

Convention. Three days, Shindig. I intend to get there.

All right, Bob.

Do what you have to.

Here's the passenger list on flight 614.

Two of the names on it don't seem to be in the terminal.

Harry Clinton and May Evans. We're checking them out now.

What about flight insurance?

So far, no unusually large policies on flight 614.

Bomb squad is pretty sure that suitcase containing the bomb belonged to a Harry

Clinton. Harry Clinton?

His name gets around, but you won't find him here. Or much of any place else.

He gave a phony telephone number and address when he purchased the ticket.

That's par for the course. Who sold him the ticket?

He picked it up here at the airport about 10 o 'clock and checked his

through to Los Angeles.

No description.

Too many other passengers.

Eve!

Eve, those addresses you were checking.

Clinton's is a phony one about Mayhem.

This is the address she gave for her ticket.

All right, maybe this one will be legitimate.

See if you can locate her.

Eight hours at the airport, and we're right back where we started.

Well, I think we can conduct the rest of this investigation from the office now.

I want to see typed notes of all interviews first thing in the morning.

Certainly, Chief. Also a list of all -known bombing M .O .s. See what the lab

has to say about that piece of timing mechanism.

Names of long -time pullers whose cases I was involved in released in the last

year.

Squeeze him to death? I'm trying to shut him up. Then let Eve do it.

Women are supposed to have a... Everything's going to be just fine.

Well, I don't seem to be doing too well either.

What kind of a person would leave a baby in the front seat of my van?

See if anything else was left.

The poor thing is just frightened to death.

He's got a right to be.

Being manhandled by a bunch of strangers in the middle of the night.

Perhaps you'd better give Mark a hand.

I've got my hands full now.

Unless you hold him here.

There you go.

Hey, you have quite a touch. Maybe you have a feature as a babysitter.

You don't have to be Dr. Spock to get along with kids.

There's a note scrawled on the windshield.

Keep my baby until... Until what? That's all.

Listen, we better have the police surgeon take a look at him.

Shall I call him?

No, we're all beat. Doc can do it at my office. And we'll call the juvenile

authorities from there. There you are.

Maybe I better take a horse and baby something or other.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Here. Here. Baby trusts you, Chief.

Doesn't everyone?

Yeah, he's a good, healthy boy, Chief.

There's nothing wrong with him that a quick change and possibly something to

won't cure.

Diapers and baby food don't come under our usual office supplies, Doctor.

Well, I'm going back to take a nap.

That's your problem.

It's not going to be my problem much longer, you can believe that.

When's Juvenile Hall sending someone over? There seems to be a bit of a

What problem?

Here, let me talk to them.

This is Robert T. Ironside. I want you to send someone over here to pick up an

abandoned infant.

I know, Chief. There's no one available right now.

I'm not asking for a riot squad. One officer can handle it. I read you,

But believe it or not, we don't even have one officer available.

Why not?

Sir, if I told you the kind of night we've been having... And of course, my

staff and I have been living it up all night. Now you get someone over here.

Sir, Chief Ironside, is the baby sick?

No, I've seen to that.

And it's in your office now. Nice and warm.

all that let us assume that i have the usual heat turned on and the roof is

still attached to my office yes and just keep it for a little while longer we'll

pick it up in the morning it's morning now

It's not that bad, Chief. For a few more hours, it's awfully late.

That's not the idea.

What is the idea?

There are regulations for this sort of thing. All written out.

Sealed, stamped, and delivered.

The law clearly states that any infant or minor, abandoned, lost, or subjected

to mistreatment, must be immediately remanded to the custody of the juvenile

department.

And who around here is going to break the law?

No one.

That's right, no one.

I've got better things to do than run a nursery.

Eve, look up in all my drugstore.

Get some baby food and diapers.

Disposable ones.

And don't you stare at us. There's some milk and crackers in the kitchen.

I wish somebody would tell me what's the big deal in

taking care of a baby.

Juvenile hall.

We don't need that bunch to tell us what to do. Hmm.

Miss Evans?

It's still not going to work.

How about the sleeves?

Oh, they're too long. You'll have to trim some off of them.

This is big enough for eight kids.

What is it? I don't know, but he claims it's a baby shift.

Maybe he had to be changed into something clean.

Anyone have a better suggestion?

How about some breakfast for him? It's ready. All right, breakfast time.

Simply keep trying, I guess. What a way to run a nursery.

I never tried to run one before, Chief.

Eve, babies, even at a very tender age, have established likes and dislikes.

Apricots.

There's a possibility he doesn't like apricots. Perhaps he prefers peaches,

banana, banana pineapple, or prune.

Oh, he'll eat it.

He's just tired and cranky.

There's a time for being cranky.

Time for eating.

Babies know that. Maybe you'd better tell him. He doesn't seem to hear Eve

well. An excellent idea, Mark.

Very well, then.

Now, the first law of infant feeding procedure is no more than the baby.

Mmm. Mmm.

Good.

Now that's something.

Nothing to it.

Now that he's eating, why don't I go and buy him some clothes?

On our budget?

Would I have to run this office?

Let Juvenile Hall do it.

They've got the money.

Well, Sergeant, don't stand there gaping like a tourist.

Get the bottle from the stove.

Test it.

Test it?

Oh, sure.

Ed, on the vein in your wrist where the blood's near the surface.

If you can feel the milk, then it's too hot.

Has to be body temperature.

I can't feel anything.

Then it's just right.

I didn't know you're such an authority on babies, Chief.

Sergeant, when you know all there is to know about me, I'll be working for you.

Here, you finish it up.

But don't rush him.

Sergeant Brown, May Evans has been identified as an employee of Falcon

And it seems one of the passengers interviewed last night remembers talking

her just before the explosion.

The infant's name is Bobby.

Bobby? Right.

Same as yours, Robert.

Did anyone ever call you Bobby?

Not recently.

We're still checking out the cons who've been released lately, including the

ones who might have been out to get you. Forget them, at least for now.

You don't think it could have been someone with a grudge against you? I

was someone with a grudge against Bobby's mother, May Evans.

Where would you say she is now? Ed, I haven't the faintest idea.

But if I'm correct, and I'll continue that presumption until proven incorrect,

she'll try to contact me.

Okay.

This is Chief Ironside.

I'm Myra Brinker, juvenile officer.

This is Sergeant Brown. Do you mind if I sit on my feet? I just...

Now,

what I need from you are some facts.

Place found, time, date, any indication of parentage, what other information you

may have.

And I could use a cup of coffee, Chief, if you have one.

Mr. Sanger?

Two sugars and a cream. Lots of cream. Lots of cream.

Ah, last night was a doozy. From Heath Ashbury to North Beach.

Young stinkers all over the place.

Now then, about that information.

Wouldn't you like to meet the child?

What for? All I need are the vitals.

Thank you.

It's not bad.

Miss Brinker, this child is a little more than a vital statistic.

Not to me, it isn't. He?

Well, he, it. What's the difference? Like the coin says, TV pluribus unum,

out of many.

This one's name is Robert.

Now, suppose you tell me what you're going to do with him.

Well,

first he'll be assigned a case number. Robert wouldn't be very practical.

And, of course, he will receive the care and attention as provided by law.

We try not to show favoritism, so no one can complain you understand.

Of course.

We wouldn't want number 537 to get more attention than number 943.

Chief, I inside.

We try to do the best we can under inadequate circumstances.

People who leave stray children around can't expect us to put them up to the

risk. Can they?

Thank you for the coffee, sir.

Anything?

Miss Brinker, you take one more step towards that door, and I'll have you

arrested for illegally detaining my material witness.

What did you do? Buy out gums?

Bobby will be the best -dressed man on the force.

Man, I still can't get over the look on her face when you let her have it. Chief

Ironside, you'll hear more about this.

Is she really going to report you?

Yes, and I've asked for a copy of the report.

I've got something for him, too.

There you are. Look at that.

Anytime you're ready.

We've got things to do other than playing with dolls.

Somewhere in this city is a man who likes to play with dynamite.

Originally, May Evans was May Stallings.

She worked for us as a stewardess out of Chicago.

She resigned seven years ago to get married.

Do you know her husband's name?

When she turned up here at San Francisco about six months ago, she said she'd

been married and divorced from a man by the name of Harry Evans.

But nothing about a child?

There's no record of it.

What about friends in the office?

Apparently, she didn't try to make any.

Why'd you hire her again?

Well, her old record was excellent.

Would you have Miss Wallace come in here, please?

Miss Wallace, work with her. She'll be able to tell you.

Miss Wallace, this is Sergeant Brown.

Sergeant. Hello. Won't you sit down? Thank you.

I'm wondering, Miss Wallace, if May Evans' trip wasn't rather sudden.

Well, yes.

She decided to take a little vacation. Why?

Well, around six, she said she wasn't feeling too well.

So as long as she had some thick leave coming, she took it.

Did anything happen around 6 o 'clock to upset her?

Not that I know of. You were busy at that time.

Yes, very.

Did you notice anything or anyone unusual?

No.

After she made up her mind to go, she simply made her own reservation.

Tell me about her son.

I didn't know May had one.

The way I figure it, last night around six, May Evans saw someone who

her.

She took off in a hurry, board a plane with a bomb planted on it by Harry

Clinton.

There we are.

That should do it. Put him in.

Now, all you have to do is give him a little shove every once in a while.

keep him occupied.

Sure, push the chief.

Push him, next I get a rickshaw.

Well, he's out of the way. We can have a little peace and quiet.

There has to be a connection between Maeve's ex -husband, Harry Evans, and

bomber, Harry Clinton.

You think they could be the same man.

Well, it makes sense.

I'll start checking out Harry Evans in Chicago.

Chief Ironside's office.

Just a moment.

Juvenile Hall.

Why, hello, Miss Brinker. How is the report coming along?

Fine. Don't worry about that.

I'm not worrying. I'm just looking forward to seeing the chief's copy.

Officer Whitfield, since the juvenile authorities are supposed to know what is

going on, and since, thanks to your boss, we don't, I thought maybe you

explain the meaning of an outside telephone call here concerning the child

found.

There could be many explanations, Miss Brinker.

Would you click the call over here, please?

Hello?

Hello? Hello, may I help you?

Yes. I'm with the San Francisco Dispatch, and I'm trying to check on a

that a baby was found last night in a police car.

It's possible. A lot of odd things happen. Why are you interested?

Well, that sort of situation doesn't happen very often.

I thought it might make a good story.

How is the baby? Is he all right?

Hold on, please. I'll see if I can find out. It's Tracy's call.

Hello, this is Officer McGraw. Can I help you?

Yes.

I'm interested in finding out about...

Not enough time.

Hi, Chief. Hi.

How's Bobby?

Pleased his punch with his new playmate. That laundry basket playpen was a great

idea. What about the meeting in the commissioner's office?

Still going on. Randall's conferring with the FAA. The FAA is conferring with

the FBI.

The whole alphabet's getting into the act.

Meanwhile, we had a call from Bobby's mother.

You sure?

Positive.

Good work.

Well, not that good. We lost her.

Don't worry. She'll try again. And again and again.

How can you be so sure?

Eve, what's stronger than the maternal instinct? Can you tell me?

Well, I'm hardly qualified to answer that at present, sir.

It's possible, of course, that she can't call again soon, or as soon as she'd

like to.

Then what'll you do?

Well, I'll make her contact me, naturally.

A dollar type from Chicago just came in. No Harry Evans known or wanted by the

authorities there.

There are plenty of Harry Evanses listed in the Chicago directory.

We are not interested in plenty of Harry Evanses. Just the one formerly married

to Mae Stolling. Right. And I have Chicago now checking out the marriage

divorce records to pick up a line on the Harry Evans.

Mark, where is that medical file I asked you to get from Falcon? Right there on

your desk.

She doesn't appear to have had an unusual medical history.

And what's the most unusual disease you'd say the Evans woman has had?

Rheumatic fever.

30 years ago, it was much more prevalent than it is today.

It's usually considered a childhood disease.

And it isn't common in San Francisco?

No. Although it is apparently a strep infection, and it may show up as scarlet

fever or acute strep nephritis.

All right.

Now, may Evans blood type?

Type O, RH positive.

Thank you, Doctor.

We don't know who he is, only that he was abandoned at the airport.

What's your special interest in the kid, Chief? He was left in my van.

Oh, come on, level with us, Chief. What's me trying to pull?

Have I ever used my friends of the press for devious reasons? If I really

answered that, my editor wouldn't have to bail me out of your can.

This infant needs a blood transfusion as quickly as possible. What about blood

banks? They have plenty of blood.

You have exactly pinpointed the problem.

You need a special kind of blood.

It's necessary that the blood be type O with an RH positive factor.

And that the donor must have had rheumatic fever at some time.

That's why we're appealing directly to the public.

Will the prospective donors call you, Chief? There's a special number.

986 -0710.

That's right.

Tell them to hurry.

May Stallings was married to a man named Harry Higdon. Not Harry Evans, as she

told Falcon.

There was a reason for it. What?

Because a year after their marriage, Higdon made an abortive bomb extortion

attempt on a Chicago bank.

No one heard, but he pulled a 7 to 10.

Where'd he serve it?

Not in stir, as you'd expect.

In a psycho ward.

It was May's testimony that put him there.

Eve, how many calls?

Fourteen so far.

Six men, and we don't need.

Five women, wrong age, too old for me.

Two possible, right everything.

And one doubtful.

What do you mean, doubtful? A man offered to donate.

When I turned him down, he offered the services of his wife.

Are you sure that water's not too hot?

I'm sure, and he's sure.

Be careful he doesn't hit his head. We haven't hit it yet, and we don't intend

to.

Did you put any bath oil in?

We don't have any, but we found some nice, soft liquid dish soap, and it

Soap makes a baby slippery.

You watch he doesn't fall.

I guess most anybody can do a wash job, but it takes a real expert to put on a

polish. Here, you want to get polished?

Good afternoon, Miss Brinker.

I see you brought your report.

Let's see how you like this one.

A show -cause order from juvenile court. I'll take the infant now, if you don't

mind. Very interesting.

When did you get this order from juvenile court?

Less than a half an hour ago.

Here's an order from superior court, granting my petition for temporary

guardianship of the infant.

It precedes your order by several hours.

It may have been just outside.

The photograph checks.

How's Bobby? Asleep?

You keep him that way and keep him in your room.

And don't wake him up, okay?

You intend to stay, Miss Brinker.

Do so under my conditions.

Sit down and don't say a word.

Keep eye inside.

Chief, this lady very kindly came down to donate blood for the little boy.

Yes. How is he?

He's doing fine.

Oh, I thought he needed a transfusion, an emergency.

It was a false alarm.

You know how doctors are sometimes.

I'm so glad.

There's no danger now.

But it was good of you to be concerned.

Well, you know, babies, they're also sort of helpless.

Thank you for coming.

It was just one of those things that happened.

I saw his picture in the paper just as I was leaving town.

But I could donate blood if it became necessary later.

I thought you were leaving town.

Yes, that's true, but... It might be better if you'd stay at that.

No, no, I do have to leave.

But...

I did make a special trip down here.

Would you... I mean, could you just let me see the little boy?

I'd love to see him.

He is a nice little boy, isn't he? One of the best.

And very affectionate. I know.

I imagine he must be.

I wonder what kind of a mother would abandon a son like that.

It must be very hard to guess.

Especially in this day and age.

If a mother needs help, all she has to do is to go to the authorities.

She must have had a reason.

I suppose so.

But it's hard to understand it.

Maybe.

She just thought that... Well, sometimes authorities

simply can't do anything.

I'd better go now.

Can I get in touch with you later, in case something develops?

No, I won't be coming back.

Miss Whitfield will give you five dollars to cover your expenses for

here.

I couldn't take that.

I was glad to come.

Okay, sir.

I felt so sorry for her, I could hardly keep from crying.

Police, men, and women don't cry.

Well, I hope your plan works, because she sure needs help.

Seems everybody needs a little help these days. Look at it this way, Eve.

May Evans is going to lead us to Harry Higdon.

Or rather, he'll find her.

Why not warn her, Chief?

I planned to do exactly that once I knew who she was, but you saw how she acted.

Practically a nervous wreck.

She couldn't carry out any part of a plan.

You know, I think... Miss Brinker, if you're about to get maudlin, don't.

I'm just a cop doing a job.

Chief, could I ask you something? What is it?

What are you going to do next? I'm not going to do anything.

Harry Higdon will do it for me.

Now, look, Bob, I can't let the city airport and juvenile hall and 16 federal

agencies at the same time. Would you like me to lend you one of my staff?

Very funny.

All right.

One, it's not the airport, just Falcon, which is involved.

Two, the government will go its own way no matter what we do.

As far as juvenile hall is concerned, when I close this case, I may go down

there and give them a few pointers.

According to Officer Brinker, it's the whole juvenile authority which is

up all the fuss.

Incidentally, Officer Brinker now seems to be on your side. Now, just what did

you do to her?

Charmed her, of course.

Anyway, the whole juvenile department seems to fear that you're deliberately

holding the child. Sure, I'm holding him.

The court believes that message left by his mother was a direct consignment to

my custody, at least temporarily.

Do you believe that? The court believes it.

That's good enough for me and for you too, Dennis.

Eventually, he will have to be turned over to the proper authority.

I'm the proper authority. Besides, I need that baby.

I simply refuse to believe you have to keep him in your office.

That's all. You talk as if I like having that kid around. Look, I'll be happy to

get rid of him. As soon as I can turn him back to his mother.

I thought you were trying to solve a bombing case. Instead, you're running a

missing persons bureau.

And if necessary, I'll run every other kind of bureau.

The baby and his mother are the crux of the bombing.

She's running from Higdon's revenge.

Isn't this all theory, Bob? You haven't talked to Higdon. Of course I haven't

talked to Higdon. And I don't have to talk to him to tell you that his wife's

testimony sent him up as a psycho.

Then she had another man's son.

Now, either factor is enough motive for an unbalanced man. Both are more than

enough. Why didn't she come to the police for help? For what?

Higdon was released. He's not wanted.

And if he didn't make or imply any threats, what could we have done?

Nothing.

What happens when Higdon finally catches up with her?

I catch up with Higdon.

Eve, don't you realize boys that age need exercise?

Well, of course.

What do you suggest?

Well, put him on the pool table. Let him crawl around.

Do him good.

Strengthen his muscle.

This just came in at communications.

Thank you.

Well, Chicago finally got off its duff.

Telephoto of Higdon.

Ironside.

Yes, sir.

She checked in here a few minutes ago. King's Hotel.

Room 720.

What's the address?

That's not too far from here.

What's the phone number?

We just received a photo of Higdon a few minutes ago.

I'll send it down with some more men.

And keep May Evans under tight security.

Thank you.

There come Sophie, please.

Thank you.

Thank you.

To buy your coat.

Why?

I could use it.

So could I.

Give you, uh... 25 bucks.

Can't buy another one for that.

You own it, don't you?

Sure, the cheapskate.

35.

Keep talking.

King's Hotel.

I'm in a lunchroom across the street.

Some guy just gave me 40 bucks for my uniform coat.

I have him.

He's in the hotel, Chief.

Hold it.

Now you hold it.

Careful with that.

It will alter the whole place. You're right.

And you and everybody else can join me.

Another inch and up we'll go.

Hollis, Kingston, the way you're gunning.

Good thinking.

Why don't you try a little of it?

Put that dynamite away.

We'll talk things over. Why should I? Because you're a pretty smart man.

But you can't always have all the breaks.

I do pretty well. Not always.

Take the plane, for instance.

That didn't come off. It nearly did.

Next time it will.

You think so?

Certainly.

Equipment, timer, everything worked perfectly.

It wasn't my fault the plane didn't take off on time. I want to warn you.

You have the right to remain silent.

I want to warn you. You're going to die.

You have the right to an attorney.

We'll need an ambulance first.

You're a loser, Higdon.

You lost in Chicago.

You lost at the airport.

You're losing now.

You stay where you are.

A man with dynamite isn't very big.

It's the explosive which makes him think so. I'm going to let you have it.

What made you take such a chance, Chief?

What chance?

Anyone knows you can throw a stick of dynamite and it won't explode without a

detonating cap.

Yeah, well, how'd you know it wasn't capped? Well, Higdon had used dynamite

before. You might call him an expert.

Any dynamite expert knows better than to walk around with a stick of capped

dynamite in his pocket. It's too dangerous.

Detonator might explode it. It could have been hidden in his hand if he was

holding it by the cap then.

That's when I had to get close enough to find out.

I hope you don't feel that I'm presuming, but... Well, to put it

what about Bobby's future?

After all you've done, you're not presuming.

He's going to have to go to school.

Before you know it, he'll be starting to college.

Oh, I know. He'll grow so fast.

Is that good?

Well, my husband comes back from Vietnam.

May I bring him up to meet you?

He's an officer in the Marines.

I'd like that.

You expecting him soon?

Oh, I hope so.

Well, until then, anything comes up, you can always come to see me.

Thank you.

All ready to go.

Well,

in that case, I better leave.

That's enough for now. That's enough for now.

Would you hold him?

You're sure you can get along?

Yes, we're going back to the apartment.

Money?

Money was never our problem.

I'm not even going to try to thank you.

What can I say?

That's as good a way as anything.

Come on, big boy.

Come on. We're going home.

Yes, we're going home.

Come on.

Hey.

You don't want to leave this, huh?

At least now we'll have a little peace and quiet around here.