Original subtitles

I'm sorry to have to give it to you this way, Rudy, but you see, you've got to

go back.

Richie's murder must be answered for.

What happened?

I was fingered for Kepler. That's what happened.

That Rudy.

That old Rudy Kepler. He's something, isn't he? I went in on this deal to get

Kepler.

So we missed.

So we got Richie, not him.

So we get him back into the country, so then what?

Can't even get him to die at a cemetery.

There's no question about it, Arthur.

The fingerprints prove Kepler was in that car.

Why, after a year, has he risked coming back?

Could be a lot of reasons.

Maybe he just found out who killed his brother. There's no place that anyone

could hide from you, is there?

Is that all you have to say?

My good friend Nick?

Picking up the rent where I left off?

All right, get it over with, but don't hurt me. Don't let me feel pain.

Like my brother Richie felt no pain.

The FBI.

A Quinn Martin production.

Ephraim Zimbalist Jr., also starring Philip Abbott and Shelley

Novak, with guest stars John Vernon, Joan Van

Ark, James Gregory, Vic Mojica.

Tonight's episode, The Vendetta.

Rudy? Hey, Rudy!

Hey, Frankie, baby!

Junior!

Get some age.

Oh, what a surprise.

Like sunshine, a rainbow.

Hey, Rudy, these boys are yours. You trained them pretty good.

We could have used them back in the States, huh? They're well paid, too.

Henri and Pierre.

Hey, Pete, my friends. My family.

Extra blood relatives.

Seeing you guys like this makes me feel alive again. You know, a year.

Yeah. That's a long time to be without family.

You're a mess, sir, Rudy.

New Orleans isn't the same without you.

Well, you can thank Uncle Sam for that.

He almost buried me.

Rudy Kepler.

He's still alive.

And living good, eh?

On rape, yeah?

Fix some drinks.

Tonight we're gonna get drunk, eh?

You should have told me you were coming. Well, I didn't know myself, Rudy. Just

one. Sure.

Nice place, eh?

Yeah, yeah.

Rudy, I gotta tell you.

Well, things ain't... Well, they're not just how you think.

What? What isn't how I think?

Why are we here, Rudy?

Well, you said it's a surprise, eh? Like a birthday party.

No, Rudy.

It's not that kind of a surprise.

All right.

Forget the birthdays.

They just bring you one year closer to the end anyway.

Now you tell me.

What is what?

Rudy, it wasn't any government agency people, no federal bureau that killed

brother.

You and Richie were set up. Nick Thomas pulled the trigger.

Nick was next to flesh and blood.

He was almost as close to me as Richie.

Nick took your girl, Angie, got her to sell you out.

Angie was the one that set you up.

You and Richie.

Set you right up, right in front of Nick's guns.

Oh, he's come right out with it.

He admits it.

You know what?

Every day, little by little, he's dipping into your take.

A lot of the boys are falling in line behind him.

He's telling them.

You know what he's saying? You ain't the head of the family anymore.

He says.

Who says?

He's doing it.

You know, a lot of the boys agree with him.

They don't like the idea of paying you a million bucks a year tribute while

you're laying around here doing nothing, just sitting in the sun.

You got any proof?

Check it out.

Call one of the boys. You got a telephone?

Not about that.

About Nick and Angie setting me up. About killing Richie.

There we are.

What's this?

Nick, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't care anymore about Rudy.

Just let him rot in Haiti. As long as I have you, nothing else matters.

You sure about that, Angie?

I'm sure.

It's you I love.

That old bum.

I wish he could hear you say that.

I'd like to see that two -bit nothing cut down to size.

I don't believe it!

That couldn't be Nick and Angie.

Do you remember Pidgey King, Rudy?

It took a lot of doing, but I got him on his next bodyguard.

He planted the tape recorder, got the tape back to me.

I don't believe it.

You've taken off a lot of convincing, Rudy.

Jojo. Show him.

I'm sorry to have to give it to you this way, Rudy, but you see, you've got to

go back.

Richie's murder must be answered for.

I'm going to make a call to New Orleans.

In one hour, the swamps will have him.

And the boys will be breaking their necks to get back in the line.

What happened to you down here, Rudy?

We're talking about life and death, and you're fooling around with some silly

doll.

Did the sun get to your head?

Which doctor gave me this?

He healed my wounds.

He said it would protect me against my enemies.

You listen to me.

You forget about that silly doll and no telephone calls.

You got to go back yourself.

You're the one that's got to make him answer for Richie's death.

What are you doing now?

Goodbye, Nick.

He's paid to drive, that's all.

Knows nothing about my private business.

On the night of November 11, Rudy Kepler, a syndicate boss, returned to

United States.

Kepler, a federal fugitive, was wanted by the FBI for interstate flight to

prosecution for murder.

Earlier that same night, an informant alerted the FBI in New Orleans that

was arriving by private plane somewhere near New Orleans.

A search for the landing field was launched.

When an apparent gangland shooting was reported by the local police, Erskine

Special Agent Chris Daniels arrived at the remote airstrip.

Inspector Erskine, FBI.

Guy was shot in the head, is all we know of.

No idea of any kind on him. We found a couple of cartridge cases, but no

What's his condition?

Bad. He's lost a lot of blood. It'll be like the siren all the way, if he lasts.

Who discovered the victim?

We got a call from some hitchhiker. He was going to use that shed over there

the night.

He found him.

Where is he now?

Over there, sir.

Uh, Inspector Erskine, FBI.

This is Special Agent Daniels.

I don't know anything.

It's dark.

I was looking for a place to sleep, and I practically fell over his body. Did

you see or hear anything?

Well, that's all I know.

Thank you very much.

Well, it looks like Kepler landed here.

We'll keep the field under surveillance.

That man who was shot, I sure wonder how he fits in.

He may talk if he winds up in the hospital.

It's going to be a little difficult if it's the board.

The hotel or the office?

18 Bourbon Street.

What's there?

A joint with a Creole named Lafayette.

How reliable is he?

That depends on his mood and the price.

He was running guns in South America. He nibbled on both sides of the cake.

Maybe the time he did in the penitentiary has curbed his appetite.

Hope he has a line of capital by now.

I didn't know about the airstrip.

Thank you.

Well,

you are going to invite me to sit and have a drink with you, aren't you?

Well, if we weren't, it wouldn't really help, would it?

Alphonse. My friends have invited me to have a drink with them.

I trust you are here to celebrate success.

We found the asterisk, if that's what you mean.

But we came in second.

From a humble servant and to the cause of justice in which he serves.

Somebody at that airfield stopped a bullet.

You got any ideas?

I'll need some time to ask questions.

While you're asking, find out if Kepler was really on that plane.

Want a lot for a drink?

You get that nose ears working and we'll talk about it. Tell me something,

Inspector.

As it crossed your mind, it was Kepler who was supposed to be lying on that

field, dead.

That's the rumor on the street.

The word is there is going to be a bloodbath.

Take that now, Frank.

I'll give it back to you when I get on that plane again.

I finished what I came here for.

I won't be needing this place anymore.

You can have it.

It's a gift.

You know, at least one thing hasn't changed.

I wonder how Nick got a word on me so quick.

I'm going to try to have me hit the minute I get off the plane.

Well, you know this town, Rudy. For the right money in the right place, word

travels fast.

There's no morality anymore.

Everybody can be bought these days.

I didn't thank you for what you did to the field.

Ah, forget it.

It's just that I'm ashamed.

I'm embarrassed. I'm hurt to think that Nick could get to one of my people.

You still move pretty fast for an old dog.

All right, first things first, even before business.

My brother, Richie.

Where is he?

He's buried, Rudy.

He was buried nice.

Under a tree, where it's always cool.

Fresh flowers every day.

I want to go to his grave, pay my respects, kiss the stone where he lies.

And then I'll take care of the ones who killed him.

Severe knife wound causing deep penetration of the spleen.

Oh, gentlemen.

Kind of you to see a doctor.

This is Special Agent Daniels. I'm Inspector Erskine.

How do you do?

I've been in surgery half the night. This is the first break I've had. Can I

offer you some coffee?

No, thank you.

Well, let's see. You're here on that gunshot case, bullet in the head.

Unfortunately, it's hard to keep track of them on this floor these days.

Stabbings, gunshot wounds, you name it, a jungle.

Oh, here you go.

on the table nearly five hours.

He's still in intensive care.

What would you like to know?

Did he say anything?

Afraid not, Inspector. He's been unconscious all this time.

Is he going to make it?

Well, he's got a chance.

That bullet stopped that short of entering his brain.

We removed it all right, but we still don't know yet the extent of the damage.

Meaning? Meaning he may or he may not regain consciousness.

remember anything that's the medical picture right now and the police haven't

come up with a match on his prints and neither has the identification division

what about the bullet extracted by the police well the police still have it

their main evidence in an attempted murder case when they're through with it

have them send it to the lab right away i will

I get rid of those weeds.

Nick, he's like an animal. He's got no respect for the dead.

Trying to make a hit here in a cemetery.

Okay, Nick, now I'll find you and put you in your own grave.

Spread the word around.

I want him to know that.

Thank you.

It was Russell.

He's at the police garage.

A couple of hunters found a car in the swamp, blood all over the seat, bullet

holes in the windshield.

You think it ties in the coupler?

He does.

Some bits of crushed bean plant inside the car check out to be of the same

species from the bean field where the victim was found shot.

This being the fact, we can also assume that the car may have been in the field

when the shooting occurred.

Police checked with the NCIC.

It was a stolen car.

Driven across state lines.

There were two cartridge cases found in the car.

Same type as the police found at the field.

Also, a gun was found in the car.

They had a chance to examine it yet?

The lab's working on it now.

The gun had been altered and the serial numbers filed off.

How about the bullet they took out of the victim?

There's no report on that yet.

Well, where does that leave us?

With the driver.

Now, the wounded man and the driver may be one and the same.

These bloodstains and the blood type I got from the hospital match.

The police lifted prints off the rearview mirror, the steering wheel, and

door trim.

All belong to the same person.

Not the wounded driver.

There's no question about it, Arthur.

The fingerprints prove Kepler was in that car.

Why, after a year, has he risked coming back?

Could be a lot of reasons.

Maybe he just found out who killed his brother.

If we can find Kepler first, we can give him a different kind of revenge.

We can give him an opportunity to blow the lid off the whole New Orleans

organization.

Erskine, what have you come up with?

Nothing.

The street is a grave.

No one is talking or seeing.

All right, start with this.

Kepler's here in New Orleans.

Where do we find his girlfriend, Angie Cameron?

The last I heard, she was living in the French Quarter on Place Moulade.

She certainly moved out quickly, very quickly.

How quickly is very quickly?

Two days ago.

Left all of her furniture.

Half of her clothes.

She was behind in her rent.

Spent it all on jewelry. You know the time.

Did she happen to say where she was going?

No. Did she have any visitors just before she left?

I only manage this building.

Thank you.

Come to think of it, there was something.

She was on the phone when I came into the apartment to take the suitcases out.

When she hung up, she said... Goodbye, Mother.

I don't even know why I should remember it.

Everybody has a mother.

There's no place that anyone could hide from you, is there?

Is that all you have to say?

My good friend Nick picking up the rent where I left off?

All right, get it over with, but don't hurt me. Don't let me feel pain.

Like my brother, Richie felt no pain.

Why did you do it?

You think I wanted to set you up?

It was Nick.

He told me if I didn't do what he wanted, he'd make sure that every time I

looked into a mirror and saw my face, I'd wish I were dead.

He made me believe that you couldn't be saved, that you'd be caught.

The government would put you in prison for the rest of your life.

And he hurt me.

You'll never know how he hurt me.

What he did to me.

I wish I was dead.

I understand.

It must have been terrible for you.

I always loved you, Rudy.

And where is he?

Where can I find him?

Please.

Where can I find him?

Please, Rudy.

You said you were sorry. You said you couldn't help yourself. Now you tell me

where I can find him and then I'll know how much you really love me.

I'm afraid.

Tell me.

All right.

I'm listening.

Every day at noon, he works out at a health club.

Where? What health club?

John!

That's a good girl, Angie.

You don't have to worry.

Nick will never hurt you again. That's a promise. My promise.

You get into trouble, you know where to call me. The Lodge.

You know where that is.

And when you hear Nick is dead, I'll be gone.

So let this be my last goodbye.

urgent, wants to see you right away.

10 -4, Lafayette.

It cost me more than a drink, Inspector.

But the word is that your fugitive friend is on the hunt for Nick Thomas.

He's already staked out, waiting for little Nick to surface.

Dominic's Health Club.

Merci, mon Dieu.

You'll keep getting in better shape every day.

Yeah, got longevity running through you, man. I can feel the vibes coming out of

your body.

Hey, you'll live to be at least 100.

Jojo, how did Nick get such big ideas?

It's the times, Rudy.

Things are changing.

Nobody wants to wait their turn anymore.

But in the years, like you and me, to get to the top.

Yeah.

Remember when we made our move to take over the DiCarlo operation?

You talk about a plan backfiring.

We staked him out for a month.

Knew every move the big ape took, even what he brushed his teeth.

I'll never forget it.

7 .30 on a Sunday morning.

Now, sit.

We hit Takano now.

When he's alone and asleep like a baby.

We broke in the back door, raced up the stairs, while the cops were coming in

the front door.

We made such a racket it gave the caller time to get to the roof in nothing

flat. In his underwear.

That's right, in his underwear.

And the next morning, they blasted his picture on the front page, being shoved

into the wagon in his polka -dotted shorts.

It was some plan we made, Riddick.

We were young.

We moved too fast.

But it taught us a lesson, Giorgio.

Never make a move unless you know exactly what you're doing.

That's what you used to tell Richie when he got out of line.

I had such plans for that boy, Giorgio.

He was a smart kid.

He learned fast.

He would have taken over the organization, made it even bigger.

That's what Nick was afraid of.

He knew he didn't stand a chance to be number one as long as you and Richie

still in the picture.

In his back, Giorgio, Nick emptied his clip in my

brother's back.

I pray there's a place where he'll burn forever.

I'll drop you at your place.

There's something I gotta do on my own.

Time to keep...

Mr. Martinez has got a bad tick.

You ought to put him on tranquilizers.

Relax, Joey.

One jog around the block and I'll do you good.

Oh, oh, oh. Hey, around the neck.

Soak up this one. Okay, boys.

Let's go.

You got a shot?

FBI.

Somebody just tried to pull Nicky Thomas' head off.

Lee, I don't want you to think that I had anything to do with it. Did you see

the gunman? I didn't see nothing.

I didn't hear nothing.

I don't know nothing.

Reminds me of the three monkeys.

In this part of town, mister, that's how you stay alive.

I was fingered for Kepler, that's what happened.

I nearly got my eyeballs shot out.

Somebody sold me out.

Somebody on the street.

Somebody on the inside, but somebody.

That Rudy.

That old Rudy Kepler, he's something, isn't he?

You can never underestimate him. He's, uh... I don't know, maybe he's got some

kind of magic.

Don't give me no magic talk.

I put my neck on the line with you a year ago.

I went in on this deal to get Kepler.

So we missed.

So we got Richie, not him.

So we get him back into the country, so then what?

Can't even get him to die at a cemetery.

Listen to me, Nick.

I listened to you a long time ago.

Zero.

So over a million dollars a year goes down the drain to him.

And that should have stayed in our pocket.

Nick, I told you. You got half my action, haven't you?

Ah, you still got it. So come on, don't panic.

You say.

You say don't panic.

I was set up, not you.

Yeah, yeah.

Nick, I tell you.

We send out Joey Martinez to buy off them two bodyguards.

You're beautiful.

Yeah. Send out Joey Martinez.

Yeah. That's a beautiful idea.

I sent out Joey Martinez with 25 ,000 apiece.

Those two bodyguards to be back on that plane from Haiti without Kepler.

And Joey came back.

And what did Joey say?

What did Joey say?

Still want to know what Joey said?

No.

Two bodyguards must have gone back to Rudy and told him about us trying to

him off.

He's dead.

No matter what it takes.

He's dead.

This bullet was removed from the man found at the airfield.

And this bullet was taken from Richie Kepler's body.

As you can see, Both bullets were fired from the same gun.

So it's a contract on Kepler or a move to take over his operation.

Or both.

That means Frank Bonner or Nick Thomas.

Inspector, I've got Angie Cameron's mother's address.

I'm always amazed.

You plant a seed in the earth and weeks later, something grows into life.

I don't know if I've made myself clear, Mrs. Cameron.

We're trying to find a federal fugitive named Rudy Kepler.

We think your daughter knows where he is.

You already said that, Inspector.

Well, then where is she, Mrs. Cameron?

Why, Angie?

The reason's obvious.

We know she was in touch with you just before she left her apartment.

And that she left abruptly and hasn't been back since.

I promised Angie I wouldn't tell anyone where she is.

I've never broken a promise to Angie.

Not from the time she was a little girl.

You realize the possible consequences, Mrs. Cameron.

I went all through this when Richie Kepler got killed.

Don't you people ever give up? Don't you ever stop hounding? A year and you're

still on me.

The case won't be closed until we find his brother.

Not for me. You don't get him. He's got a much better chance with us than with

Nick Thomas.

Look, I can't help you.

You know that harboring a federal fugitive can make you an accomplice.

Leave me alone.

Please. Get out. Just get out.

Is that really what you want?

I'm not sure about anything anymore. Just go.

Hello? Baby, it's Nick.

Nick, I can't... Don't argue.

You get Rudy out of his place.

You get him to where you are and keep him there with you.

You keep him 20, 30 minutes and then you get him back out there.

You understand?

I can't do that.

Oh, yes, you can.

What did I say?

You told me you were afraid to stay alone.

Afraid to talk on the phone.

Nick... Please, haven't I done enough?

Do what I tell you.

He'll believe you.

All you have to tell him is somebody's been watching the place, that maybe I

traced you.

You want to get away, get out.

I don't know if he still trusts me, Nick.

He's always had a thing for you.

He'll buy what you say.

Just tell him you love him and make it convincing.

Understand that?

You shall.

You know I love you.

You say things like that, makes me feel young again.

I mean them.

Rudy, there's something I've got to tell you now.

You already have.

You said you love me.

That's all I need to know.

So I got taken tonight, huh?

Must be saving another bullet in that gun for me, Frank.

Don't bother to explain.

Must have hurt to see all that money slipping through your hands and come to

eh, Xavier?

Hurt enough to want to kill me?

And you, Giorgio, you talk to me about revenge.

What a sweet line you give to me in Haiti.

But I suppose it's a poor family that has no beggars, traitors, or fools in

So I'm the fool.

We stop all the talk, all the sentiment.

Let's finish this.

The quicker the better.

And if I have to get the kiss, it should come from the new generation, Nick.

It should come from you.

So come on, Nick.

So give your first kiss to an old dog.

I'm ready, Nick.

What do you think you're doing? Tell your punks to give my boys back their

Go ahead.

You can't get at me outside the country, so you got to bring me back, eh?

And you make it look good when one of your hitmen misses.

I love your cover -up, Frank.

And the cemetery, miss, was real class.

You try so hard. I play along with you.

But I know sooner or later, you gotta come out in the open.

I let you swing the rope.

I let it keep getting bigger and bigger.

So now it fits all your necks.

In 30 minutes, I'll be flying over those swamps.

And you'll be in with the rest of the snakes.

Angie, you were my woman.

That was a contract.

But when you set me and Richie up, that was the end.

Rudy, listen to me, please. I tried to tell you outside.

I listened to you once.

Now you belong to them.

You said I should revenge Richie's death, didn't you, Frank?

Okay, that's what I'm doing.

Not pins to kill.

But bullets.

Okay.

Get him out of here.

Let's go.

Come on. Move it, man.

Okay, you two, come on.

Come on, let's go.

It was for you. It was for your life.

I tried to tell you outside.

I couldn't let Nick kill you.

All right, go against the wall.

Against the wall.

I called the FBI and told them. I only let Nick think I was delivering you to

him. You've got to believe this, Rudy.

Well, the doctor says he'll be up and around in a few days, Kepler.

As soon as you're strong enough, we have a lot to talk about.

Why not?

Like I said, there's no morality anymore these days.

How many years do you think I'll get, Inspector?

I'm not the judge.

Well, I am.

And I'm going to take...

Every one of them with me.

Every one.

Nobody's going to dance on my grave.

Or Richie's.

Rudy Kepler and Angie Cameron gave information to the FBI that helped

top leaders running organized crime in New Orleans.

Xavier Paradine, tried and convicted in state court of conspiracy and attempted

murder. M. Giorgio...

tried and convicted in state court of conspiracy and attempted murder.

Nick Thomas recovered from his wounds and was tried and convicted in state

of conspiracy and murder.

Frank Bonner, tried and convicted by the state of Louisiana for conspiracy and

for the murder of Richie Kepler.

Henri Flambeau and Pierre Lacluche turned over to the Immigration and

Naturalization Service for deportation.

Rudy Kepler...

Tried and convicted in state court of murder, extortion, and bribery.

Sentenced to prison.