A Counter潮
Oh, why not call it a day, Miss Mangrove?
I just want to get out your letter to your father.
Oh, yes, well, you'd better do that.
Is that inventory report ready yet?
No, sir, not until tomorrow.
Oh, well, better get that letter finished up and then lock up.
Good night.
Yes, sir.
Oh, Miss Mangrove, tell me something.
Do you think I'm running the company all right?
I mean, do you think Dad will be satisfied when he gets back?
Of course, Mr. Susan.
Good.
Put a P.S. in there.
Tell Dad to enjoy himself, to have a good time.
Yes, sir.
No, never mind.
I'll leave it out.
Good night.
Good night.
Good night.
Good night.
Everything all right?
It was almost too easy.
All right.
I'll have some photos that's made.
You're all right, kid.
It's a setup for a good loft man like you, Tony.
Right up your alley.
Big load of skins.
Mostly sables and mink.
I'll get you a copy of the layout.
You'll get paid 35% of whatever the furs bring.
40%.
I'll be right back.
Hello, Maura.
Phil Sukon.
Oh, fine.
Say, listen, doesn't the Furriers League keep a couple of detectives on retainer?
Yeah, for security checks.
Oh, would you give me the name of one of them?
No, no, nothing wrong.
It's just that I'm being a little cautious with Dad out of town.
Yeah, how do you spell that?
B-A-R-N-E-T-T.
That's two T's, right?
No, okay.
I'm sorry to drag you down here after hours, Mr. Barnett.
Forget it.
If a faucet leaks, you call in a plumber, don't you?
Sure.
Same with a security leak.
Oh, but I'm not exactly sure there has been a leak.
That card could have worked itself loose by itself.
But I've got to be sure.
See, my father's gone away on vacation and he's left the entire business in my hands.
Congratulations.
Thanks.
The combination's to ten vaults here.
They're not all in this building, are they?
Oh, no, we rent space in nine other buildings.
They're scattered throughout the wholesale district.
Do you have time locks on your vaults as well as combinations?
No, Dad feels that only banks should have time locks.
He's rather set in his ways.
He's also an optimist.
Whose idea was it to stick the combination in the bottom of a drawer?
Dad's.
He says everybody does it.
Sure, every crook knows that everybody does it.
Did you ever pull this card off yourself?
Oh, no, it was there just for an emergency.
You see, every loft manager knows his own combination.
Oh, that card's been stuck on the back of that drawer for, oh, at least five years.
You mean to say you haven't changed the combinations on your vaults in five years?
Well, I once suggested to Dad that they be changed, but he almost took my head off.
Said it was an unnecessary expense.
I think your dad's been living in a cloud.
You better get those combinations changed right away.
What?
Oh, you don't know Dad.
He won't like that.
He'll like it better than empty vaults.
Oh, okay, but he'll never understand it.
How are your alarm systems?
Oh, I've got all that data right over here.
Complete diagram of all the wiring, the vaults, buildings, watchman schedules.
Ah, Curry Security made your installation.
They've been out of business since 48.
Who's doing the servicing in the vaults now?
Nobody.
I mean, we do it ourselves.
It saves us money.
Another idea of your dad's?
I'm afraid so.
Have you ever had copies of these made?
No, why?
Somebody has.
Take a look.
There's a slight depression around the edge of each page.
Could have been made by a platen.
That's used to hold copy flat under a photostat camera.
Oh, you're kidding.
I wish I were.
Take a look at the bottom of this drawer.
You say the card's never been pulled off, yet there seem to be two sets of tape marks.
These look like the marks where the card originally was, and these look like new marks.
Who has access to these offices?
Well, it's my dad and I, of course, and the three secretaries.
And then there's one office girl and the cleaning woman and the porter.
The upstairs maid.
Say, you've really got me worried.
What do you think I ought to do?
The first thing to do is to make sure of your security checks and talk to all your watchmen.
Well, if Dad ever finds out about this...
I'm trying to protect you from burglary, not from your father.
I can't guard ten loft buildings, but I can have your combinations changed right away,
and I can check your alarm systems and your watchmen.
Aside from that, I can't do anything but wait for the burglary.
Wait for the burglar.
What?
This here's the Sukon building.
This here's the floor, second from the top.
Here's the vault.
You're in good shape, Tony.
You always make everything sound so easy on paper, don't you, Johnny?
I'm telling you, you could lean against that and fall right in there.
I got a kid nephew, three years old.
He could crack it.
Well, what's the matter? You didn't ask him.
He want more dough for the trick than I did?
Tony.
Tony, fella.
This is Johnny Stack.
Did I ever give you a bum steer?
Now, look, what do you want from me?
Combination.
Time checks.
Blueprints.
You got everything here but a police escort.
With my plans and your crew, it's a breeze.
How about a drink?
Kid, get us a drink, will you?
Something on the rocks.
Make mine light, will you?
What's up here over the vault?
Just an office.
Some company makes maps.
I'm a next door worker.
You got me fixed up next door?
Sure.
Sure at least.
While you're there, you're the chum of paper novelty company.
Okay.
Now, let's see.
I make a lateral bore through this wall into the wall of the next building.
And five feet down through the floor.
That's a lot of work.
Is it worth it?
Sure.
That's why I picked this number two vault.
It's loaded.
I'm getting paid peanuts for this job.
And 40% of what's in there.
What's in there?
A whole load of skins, Tony.
Mink and sable mix.
$300,000 worth retail.
I can get 185.
Figure 40% of that.
Is it worth it?
Mm-hmm.
How about the transportation?
A six by six pulls up to the loading platform Tuesday, nine o'clock.
You load it and blow.
We drive our own cars to the drop?
Sure.
You know where it is.
The first will be there when you get there.
Okay.
Now, let's get back to my 40%, huh?
The buyers will get there about noon Tuesday.
We sell.
We split.
We're off to the races.
Why couldn't you do it all this week?
Why do you have to wait till Monday night?
You're scared?
Just relax.
You don't go into anything you're not ready for.
And maybe you better stay home next week.
Just get sick.
I'll get a phony doctor to verify it.
Just stay home.
But, Johnny, you're going to let me...
You heard me.
I get lost for a minute.
Now, where were we, Tony?
Just one more thing, Johnny.
About the night watchman.
I suppose when he walks in and surprises us,
do we quiet him?
I didn't hear that.
Well, you better shake your ears, Albie.
Now, let me tell it to you this way.
Some things I don't put in my plans.
A smooth job should run without it.
If it happens...
I don't want to know about it.
You're sensitive.
One thing to remember.
Somebody's got to punch the clock of stations on time.
I've got a man.
I'm furnishing everything.
But don't worry, Johnny.
There won't be any noise on this job.
You're all right, Tony.
I got everything figured.
The newspapers say a heavy rain all night Monday and all day Monday.
You know, rain makes a nice noise when it hits an old tin roof.
Hey, maybe if we cut the weatherman in,
he'll throw in a little thunder, right?
Oh, where is it?
Where is it?
Oh, I find myself almost wishing there will be a robbery.
If there isn't, my father will claim all this is an unnecessary expense.
But I guess we are right, aren't we?
We do want to prevent a robbery, don't we?
I think we've taken every necessary precaution, Mr. Sukine.
The watchman here will keep on his toes.
Don't pass any key boxes when you make your inspection tours.
And be sure you hit all of them on time.
Yes, sir.
You're the manager of this loft, Feldman.
You've got a real responsibility now.
I know it, sir.
There's your new combination. Memorize it.
Yes, sir.
Yes, and for heaven's sake,
don't ever paste it on the bottom of the drawer.
What's above and below this loft?
A map company's above and a furniture store's below.
Keep your eye on both of them for the next few nights.
Yes, sir.
When did you load this last?
Oh, about a year ago, I guess.
Clean it and reload it.
Think your father can stand the price of some new cartridges?
Get them. I'll pay for them myself.
Yes, sir.
Got that memorized?
Yes, sir.
Well, we've got eight more to go.
Let's drive over to loft number three.
I'll come back tomorrow to check your alarm system.
Here's my phone number.
If you see anything suspicious, phone me.
Yes, sir.
I must say, I feel a lot better now.
I may even be able to sleep tonight.
You won't sleep so well when I tell you that anybody could break into this vault
with the sharp end of a carrot.
Oh, I do hope I don't end up hating my father.
Hi, Johnny.
Hi.
How's it going?
I got a good crew.
Like two of them.
I'm glad you're here.
I'm glad you're here.
I'm glad you're here.
How's it going?
I got a good crew.
Electrician, plasterer, finisher, couple of guns.
Well, time to come right, huh?
It'll be worth it.
Come here.
See this place marked off?
That's where we're going through.
I'll be right back.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
I want to take a look at that truck.
If I give you the high side, read it to a phone
and get the cops down here.
Hello.
Hello.
All right, gents, the merchandise is yours.
I'd advise you not to hang around here.
Come on, boys, the shop's closed.
Hey, who's this?
A private cop.
A snowman, huh?
Is there a beef out?
How did he find the scalp?
I don't know.
But we got to lose it.
Got to lose him too.
Now, wait.
I don't play these games.
I told you that.
You do as you like.
I'm getting out of here.
Just a minute.
Nobody gets out of here until I settle a couple of things.
Well, the cops will be down on us.
Real cops.
Look, you're not getting out of here with that loot so easy.
It's mine.
40% of it ain't.
60% you got for planning this.
Drawing them pretty pictures.
That was a breeze, huh?
No slip ups.
I looked kind of hard at them pictures,
and I didn't see any cops.
Maybe there ain't any.
Or maybe this is just a fancy way of conning me
and my boys out of our dough.
Believe me, Tony, I didn't know anything.
Yeah, well, so I don't think that you earned your 60%.
Okay, keep it.
But this shanness is for real.
It's no con.
I made a mistake.
I admit it.
Well, I'm different.
When I make a mistake, I dump it in the river.
Get some rocks.
I'm gonna pack up a box.
Hey, now, you can't do that.
You're gonna have company.
He's going with you.
I'd rather go alone.
Cops.
Cops, I told you.
Don't shoot him.
That's Barnett.
You guys got tear gas?
Yeah.
Well, have a couple of bombs in there.
Let me out of here.
All right, let's get him out of here.
Come on, let's get him out of here.
Oh, Miss Mangrove.
Yeah?
I want you to telegraph my father.
Never mind that.
She's not telegraphing anybody.
Well, never mind that.
She's not telegraphing anybody.
One mink, two sable.
Now, where's that silver fox gone?
I don't know.
This is Mike Barnett.
Turn to this same channel next week for another exciting case from the file I call Follow
That Man.