Crime Wave

Hiya.

Hear that record? I wrote in and asked for it.

- Fill her up. - That's Gershwin.

They're playing it especially for me. You know, the Night Watch program.

That sure is a swell platter, ain't it? That's Doris Day singing.

- It's regular. - Yes, sir.

If any cars come, Morgan, you're selling gas.

Right.

Keys.

These hicks stash their dough all over the place in case of a holdup.

They don't trust anybody.

Hey, where's Snider?

He went home sick.

I'm taking his place.

Who are you?

Friend of Snider's.

I never saw you before.

That's funny. I've been around.

Do you have any identification?

Sure.

- Is he hurt bad? - Bad enough.

You drive the car, Morgan.

- How am I gonna drive with a slug in me? - You'll drive.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Operator, police!

Police department 22.

I want to report a holdup and the shooting of an officer.

Just a minute, please.

I can't tell for sure, but I'm afraid the officer's dead.

He was a swell guy, a friend of mine.

What's the address?

Gas station on Maple between 7th and 8th.

- Your name, please? - Gus Snider. I'm the night man here.

Hurry and get an ambulance over here.

All units in the vicinity on Maple between 7th and 8th,

it's a gas station, a 211 and shooting just occurred,

an officer involved. 187, handle call, code 3.

It's the phone, Steve. It's the phone.

- Hello. - Steve?

- Yeah. - Steve Lacey?

Yeah.

Hello.

Hello, this is Lacey.

Hello!

Who was it?

I don't know. They hung up.

- Probably was the wrong number. - No.

He asked for me.

Then he hung up.

I think I know that voice, but I can't place him.

Why didn't he tell me what he wanted?

Well, who could it be at this time of the night

except one of those men again?

Go on.

"One of those men again." Say it. An ex-con, like me.

Sure, they're always passing through town,

trying to put the bite on me for this or that.

I told you how it'd be.

And I didn't mind, did I? I love you.

I wanted you, and now that I've got you, I care a lot less.

I can't figure it. What do you see in a guy like me?

I see a guy who's swell, who's kind and strong.

That's what I see.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6.

Take a roll on Olympic.

Unit 1A-14, 1A-14,

1300 block, South Flower, a 390 fight.

Yes, there were two of them.

The man behind the wheel was dark, needed a shave,

something wrong with his nose and no hat.

That's right. The other one, he looked kind of normal.

The one who socked me was strong as a bull.

All units, all units, 211, and the shooting of officer at gas station

on Maple between 7th and 8th.

The two suspects are white, male Americans.

Number one, approximately 40 years,

175 pounds, black hair, brown eyes.

The heat's on all over town.

... approximately 40 years, 5'10",

175 pounds, black hair, brown eyes,

dressed in a gray suit and wearing a gray hat.

Hello, Lefty. Where're you going?

Chicago. What's the idea?

I think Sims wants to talk to you.

- What about? - He wants to know what you know.

I know nothing.

Take him in.

Now, look, you're making a big mistake.

... New York, now ready.

Gate number 17.

Dragnet's been out for some time, brought in quite a crowd.

- You wanna see them? - No, I'll look later.

- You say they took 130 bucks? - Yes, sir.

I know that's chicken feed to some, but it's a big night for us.

- Chicken feed, huh? - Yes, sir.

Are you sure there were only two of them?

Why, yes, that's all I saw.

One night last week, three men stuck up a lunchroom in Modesto.

A couple of days later, they put the bite on a gas station in Merced,

and after that, a hamburger stand in Tulare.

Each time, a different car, every job a soft touch.

Chicken feed, eating money.

You talking about the three cons that busted out of Quentin 10 days ago?

I am. They didn't want to stir up too much excitement

so they grabbed their chow money in little towns off 99.

And the three of them kept heading south.

There were two of them.

Take a look. Doc Penny.

It all happened so fast.

No, sir, I didn't see him.

Gat Morgan? Ben Hastings?

I'm sure about him, and him, too.

He was standing at the wheel and this guy told me to fill up the tank.

You know, I had a feeling there was another guy in that car,

but I never got a chance to look because they hit me over the head.

All right, all right, you hold it quiet. Let the lady talk.

What happened between you two?

Oh, it was just one of those things. You know how it is.

Jess and I have been going together for years and tonight...

I was tired and wanted to go home and go to bed.

We got back to my apartment

and I wanted to go out and have a little fun or something and,

well, we had sort of a little lover's quarrel.

It was nothing, nothing at all.

We don't really fight. We're just sort of playful.

The last time I threw a lamp at him he thought it was cute,

but tonight he forgot himself and screamed

and the neighbors called the police.

It was ridiculous of them to call the police

especially as we have invited them to all our parties.

Do you have an aspirin?

Stop that crying. It won't get you to first base.

Your boyfriend was Ben Hastings, wasn't he?

Yes, but I haven't seen him in four years.

But he still has a wire on you and now he's loose.

What would you do if he rang your doorbell some night?

Well, if you think I'd cover up for him, you're crazy.

Not after what he did to me. I wouldn't help him or any of his friends.

If he rang my doorbell, I'd run, I'd hide.

I hate his stinking guts.

I've been the pipeline at the department ever since I was paroled.

You shouldn't have picked me up in the middle of the night

and brought me down here.

You know what'll happen to me when them boys find out that I'm the pigeon?

We want you to buzz around

and see what you can pick up off the grapevine.

Then get me some other way. Don't send cops out to get me out of bed.

I live in a decent neighborhood. I've got a good job.

Let me keep it, will you?

He's right. You shouldn't have brought him in. Let him go.

All units, all units.

Car used by three escaped convicts

who held up gas station and shot an officer

has been found abandoned at the junction of Glenwood and Highland.

This is a stolen car.

Bloodstains on the front seat indicate that one of the suspects is wounded.

Use caution in apprehension as these men are armed and dangerous.

Kelly, dig into the files quick

and get me a list of the ex-cons living in that vicinity

within a two-mile radius of 7th and Maple.

- Hop to it. - Yes, sir.

Car 46, car 46.

Sergeant Ryan, call dispatcher. Sergeant Ryan, call dispatcher.

Unit 1A-16, 1A-16, code 6. Figaro and Olympic.

You own this Rx hospital?

No, I work there.

- Yeah. What's your name? - Hessler. Otto Hessler.

What are you doing out this time of night?

I went to pick up a patient.

Unit 1A-14, 1A-14.

1300 block, South Flower, a 390 fight.

All right, thanks. Go ahead.

Here's some more.

Here's another one who lives near there.

Bannerman, safecracker.

He used to be the best box-man on the West Coast.

He did time with our three upstate.

No, they'd never contact him. He's become a hopeless drunk.

They'd know they couldn't trust him.

Here's a prospect.

Fordyce. You'd better keep abreast of the times, Kelly.

They've got this guy in the county jail.

Yeah, now here's one.

If I was on the run and needed a cover, I might contact a lad like this.

Steve Lacey, did five in Quentin, paroled two years ago.

He'd have known those three up there.

Lacey's kept pretty straight since he got out.

Yeah, I know.

Sober, industrious, expert mechanic on airplane engines.

A pilot before they sent him up.

Now works at a private airport in Sunland, right?

- Right. - Call him.

Don't answer it, Steve. Let it ring.

He'll just want what they all want.

Let him think you're away and that you're not here

and he'll leave you alone.

Once you've done a bit, nobody leaves you alone.

- Somebody's always on your back. - Steve.

No answer.