The Fugitive (1963) s01e19 Episode Script
Search in a Windy City
Dr.
Richard Kimble.
death row, state prison.
Richard Kimble is innocent.
Proved guilty, what Richard Kimble could not prove was that moments before discovering his murdered wife's body, he saw a one-armed man running from the vicinity of his home.
Richard Kimble ponders his fate as he looks at the world for the last time and sees only darkness.
But in that darkness fate moves its huge hand.
The Fugitive.
A QM production.
Starring David Janssen as the fugitive.
Pat Hingle, Nan Martin.
Also starring Barry Morse as Lieutenant Gerard.
"Search in a Windy City.
" Chicago.
Richard Kimble has come a thousand miles on hope and the slimmest of clues in his hunt for the one-armed man.
But ten days have passed, and now hope has turned to despair.
For in a city of millions, how does a fugitive go about finding a phantom? You say you've been looking for him everywhere and haven't found him.
I'm gonna tell you why you haven't.
Because he doesn't exist.
How long are you gonna keep on hoping when there is no hope? There's only one path to true salvation, my friend.
Now wait.
Wait- Just listen to me.
I can save you.
I have proof.
Absolute, incontrovertible proof.
Yeah? KIMBLE Mike Decker? Yeah.
Now, this has to be in confidence.
It's about a man you once defended in your column.
Who is this? About a year ago, during the trial, you wrote that you thought Richard Kimble was innocent.
Who is it? What about Kimble? Listen to me.
I do believe in Kimble's innocence.
Now, you said you had something to tell me in confidence.
Okay, I'm listening.
He's in Chicago.
He thinks the real killer might be here.
Somewhere in town.
Hey.
Hey.
This is Kimble, isn't it? Now, listen to me.
You can trust me, Kimble.
You hear? I wanna help you.
I'll be able to leave the office in an hour.
You meet me at my apartment.
No, not your place.
Okay.
Uh any place you say.
You just name it.
South Bailey and Tenth.
There's a theater.
Be out in front, 9:00.
Okay.
I'll be there.
In the deadly game of hide and seek, Richard Kimble has only one rule for survival: be suspicious of everyone.
Is it coincidence that three strangers should suddenly appear at the place of his rendezvous with Decker? Or are they just strangers? Richard Kimble's rule for survival: be suspicious of everyone.
But sometimes strangers are only what they seem.
And now the imagined threat is gone.
And with it, Mike Decker.
DECKER Yeah? Decker? Yeah? Are you alone? Sure.
Come on up.
I waited for you.
I know.
I saw you.
There were some people hanging around.
I thought it was a setup.
Thought maybe you'd said something to the police.
I told you I wanted to help.
Well, when you've been on the run from the law, you learn to be suspicious.
Okay.
Let's go upstairs and talk.
See, I, uh I found this girl in Omaha.
She said the man that beat her up had one arm.
She said that he warned her that if she went to the police, the same thing would happen to her that happened to that Kimble woman.
Well, everything about him added up, so I started looking for him.
What made you come here? I found out he'd bought a ticket for Chicago.
And you wasted ten good days looking for him by yourself.
I guess I could have called the FBI.
You should have called me.
Mr.
Decker, what makes you think I'm innocent? Three of your jurors held out six days for acquittal.
They thought you were innocent.
Why shouldn't I? Here, take a look at this.
This is the Kimble case.
An exhaustive study of the evidence, okay? Okay.
This is a newspaper sketch of the one-armed man from the description you gave them.
Now, think hard, Kimble.
Is there anything else you can add to that? He was about 40 or 45, dark-haired, right arm missing.
I was driving back home after an argument with my wife.
I saw him suddenly running from my house.
He acted scared.
He darted into the street.
I had to swerve.
The headlights picked him up only for a second.
Well, there's nothing more I can remember.
I'll know him if I see him.
Okay, let's see what we can do with this.
I'll have some copies made up, get 'em spread around town.
If he finds out, won't that scare him into running? Well, we don't know for sure he's still here.
Main thing is, if he is, it can turn up a fresh lead on him.
It can tell the police I'm in town too.
No, not if it comes from me.
They know all about the articles I've written defending you.
I'll see my editor first thing in the morning.
Ah, you better get yourself some shuteye.
Decker while you're at it, uh, maybe we ought to talk about this, huh? Maybe we had better have an understanding, Dr.
Kimble.
I'm willing to go all out to help you.
Money, contacts, influence.
Now, you know I can deliver or you wouldn't have come to me in the first place.
But I'm a temperamental guy, doctor.
If we're gonna play on the same team, I call the signals, I carry the ball, and that's the way it is.
What if I don't like the signals you call? There's the door.
I won't blow the whistle.
But then what? Look at yourself, man.
You've had it.
What do you think your chances are without me? In the parlance of your profession, doctor: prognosis negative.
And, yeah, I have a selfish reason for wanting to find the one-armed man.
I need a big story right now, and this could win me a Pulitzer.
Okay.
I'll be leaving early in the morning.
You're safe here.
My wife's away- She's out of town.
and I'll get rid of the maid.
You'll find pajamas, a robe in the closet there.
Have a good sleep.
I'll see you tomorrow.
"I Found the One-Armed Man" by Mike Decker.
Ten grand expenses is peanuts for that story, Fred.
Oh, come on, Mike.
I don't care what you say about him in your column, but don't try to sell me on Kimble's innocence.
I got an angle going that'll break that case wide open.
The next thing I expect to hear from you is, "Stop the presses.
" Heh.
No, Mike.
No, this isn't gonna work.
I'm sorry.
Fred, for ten G's I can make it work.
Look, when a gossip columnist starts slipping, the first thing he prays for is a newspaperman's miracle: coming up with a big story.
Well, miracles don't happen very often, Mike, and sometimes a guy gets so panicky that he'll do something real dumb like coming up with a phony.
Now, don't press the panic button.
Fred, will you please just wait a minute? Fred, Richard Kimble is in town right now.
I got him.
I can prove it.
You can see him for yourself if you want to.
All right.
I'll make a deal with you, Mike.
Five thousand expense, in exchange for your guarantee for a Kimble story.
I can't make a guarantee like that, Fred.
I may not be able to find the one-armed man.
I said a Kimble story.
Now, that yarn would be sensational, but just in case it doesn't work, there's another story that will still sell a lot of newspapers.
Oh, yeah.
Like turning Kimble over to the cops.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do.
But, uh, like I say, you do need a story.
Yep.
Oh.
Hello.
Who are you? Eh, George Blake.
A A friend of Mike's.
I'm just passing through town.
He invited me to stay overnight.
Oh, I'm his wife.
Haven't we met before, Mr.
Blake? Oh, I don't think so.
Uh, I'm sorry about all the mess.
Uh, he told me you, uh, weren't gonna be in town.
Yes, I thought I'd surprise him.
You're Dr.
Richard Kimble.
Dr.
Kimble, I can't believe it.
How did Mike ever find you? He didn't, I found him.
When? How long have you been here? Since last night.
I I don't want any trouble.
I'll just leave.
No, you don't have to run away because of me.
Didn't Mike tell you? I'm the one who got him to write those articles about you.
I researched the case for him.
I believed in your innocence from the beginning.
What are you doing in Chicago? There's just a chance that the man that killed my wife is here.
And Mike says he's gonna try to help you find him? Yes.
What does that mean? Hey, Kimble, you awake? I got good news.
The- Oh.
Paula.
Welcome home.
What, uh? What'd you do, bust out? No.
Graduated with honors.
Congratulations.
Forgive us, doctor.
It's sort of an inside joke.
Dr.
Kimble was just telling me you're going to help him.
Yes.
It's all set.
Paper's behind you a hundred percent.
What does that mean? Meaning five grand, and that's just for openers.
My editor says if I believe in you, that's good enough for him.
Just like that, huh? What if you're not able to come up with the story? You let me worry about that.
Don't you think Dr.
Kimble's entitled to some kind of guarantee? Well, what would you suggest? The Boy Scout oath, a pact signed in blood? What? Your word's good enough for me, Mike.
You got it, pal.
The main thing, Cogen, is the time element.
I want fast action on this.
Now, this is incentive dough.
You get me a lead on him, worth another C-note.
You finger him, you've found yourself a grand.
Okay? You know me, Decker.
Just keep that grand handy.
The way Decker's been throwing cheer around, I thought you might wanna know about it, sarge.
Looks like he's still harping on the Kimble case.
No sale, Wimpy.
There's nothing here for us.
Wait a minute.
I thought we had a deal.
I said any information we could use.
This isn't a police matter.
If Decker wants to throw his dough away, that's his business.
Sarge, how about a little carfare money at least? There you are, Wimpy.
Thanks.
Say, Al, don't we have a warrant from the Kimble case? Yeah, on Kimble.
No, I mean, it seems to me there was some kind of a request for information on this one-armed-man deal, about a year or so ago? I don't remember.
Take a look.
Yeah, here it is.
From a guy named Gerard.
Soup's on.
Oh, thank you very much.
I- I don't think I'm very hungry.
I know, it's the waiting.
Mike's doing everything he can.
You trust him, don't you? I have to.
When we first met, I got the impression that you didn't.
That was a- I guess that was a pretty rotten thing to say.
No, it's true.
At least, it was true.
I didn't trust him.
Not like I once did.
You know what I called Mike when we were first married? Sir Galahad.
Pure of heart, noble of mind, champion of the downtrodden.
Think there's still people like that in the world, doctor? I suppose so.
I used to think so.
Mike isn't one of them.
He's done some pretty awful things to his friends, to me.
I swallowed it for a while.
Then I- I started taking refuge in that other world.
Didn't Mike tell you where I've been the last three months? He just said you were out of town.
Oh, I was.
Most charming resort, dedicated to the proposition that all alcoholics can be cured.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
Oh, it's all right.
Doesn't bother me anymore.
They made me realize that if I want Mike, I have to accept him the way he is.
Love, honor, cherish.
Close my eyes to the cheating and the double-cross.
Mrs.
Decker, uh are you trying to tell me that I can't trust Mike? That his handshake and his word, they don't mean anything? No, you don't understand.
Mike's a louse about a lot of things.
But there's one thing he's kind of a fanatic about, his word.
"Thou shalt not give thy word in vain.
" Mike stakes his life on that.
You can too.
Okay.
You know, he's pretty lucky to have a wife that accepts him on his own terms.
He doesn't think he's so lucky.
He knows I don't like him.
What he doesn't know is I love him.
Ooh, talk about hearts and flowers.
I came in here to cheer you up.
You have.
So much so I think I'll have some of that.
I'm a little hungry.
Heh.
Sergeant De Santis? Yes.
I'm Lieutenant Gerard.
Oh, how are you, lieutenant? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow.
I managed to get away earlier.
Now, what about this one-armed man, sergeant? Well, like I told you on the phone, this is about all we've got.
And Decker's been passing these out to informers all over town? That's it.
Wonder if you'd do me a favor.
I'd like a roundup of all the most important stoolies in your file tonight.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm supposed to take my wife out for supper.
As a matter of fact, I'm late now.
I'll be glad to do it tomorrow.
That might be too late.
Thing like this could have brought Kimble to Chicago.
He might be here right now.
Of course, if you'd rather I talked to your captain? That won't be necessary, lieutenant.
I'll be glad to help you.
Hey.
Hey, Kimble.
Listen, boy, I think we finally got us a lead.
Now, sit down, sit down.
There's this stoolie named Cogen, he meets up with this guy that matches our description to a T.
And get this, the guy lets slip he's only been here about a month from out west.
The guy's scrounging.
Cogen tabs him to be on the lam.
So he says he's got this deal to pick up some easy dough if he can find a partner.
Well, the guy's interested, but he says he wants to blow outta town tomorrow.
Leave town? Why don't you shut up? So Cogen thinks fast, and he says, "That's okay.
" He says, "That's okay, 'cause tonight is the right night anyhow.
" He sees this guy doesn't wanna be pressed, you know? He won't tell him where he lives or anything like that.
So Cogen plays it cool, gives the guy his telephone number and says to call him.
He's supposed to call Cogen, when? Tonight, 9:00.
Ah, don't worry.
Don't worry.
Cogen says the guy's tongue is hanging out.
He'll phone.
Well, then what? Cogen says the deal's on and they better get together.
Then he calls us here.
By five minutes after 9, we're gonna know where the meeting place is.
We move in, you put the finger on him.
Well, pal, I come through for you? Get your coat, Cogen.
You taking me in? What for? For questioning.
Come on.
Now, look, I'm expecting an important phone call.
It's a business deal.
Give me a couple of more minutes, huh? For your kind of business? Heh.
You must be kidding.
Oh, come on, fellas, what's a couple of minutes? I mean, this- This- This call means an awful lot to me.
Look, just about three minutes, please.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah? Listen, you louse, you better talk quick and make sense.
What do you mean, you missed him? Listen, Cogen, I'm not buying alibis tonight.
You better find that guy.
I'm tellin' you straight, find him! Cops picked Cogen up for questioning.
He missed the call.
Don't you think you ought to try and cheer him up, Mike? It's been a rough night for him.
My neck's on the chopping block and you want me to cheer him up? Well, it's not that bad for you.
Oh, yeah? I blow most of my expense dough on one lousy lead.
And then my stoolie's gotta go and blow that, and you say, "It's not that bad for you.
" Get some more money from Mr.
Connelly.
You said he was behind you all the way.
Paula, the five grand is the limit.
And then only on my guarantee that I give him a story.
What kind of a guarantee? Guarantee of a story.
A story.
Happy ending, fine.
Sad ending, that's just okay too.
Just as long as I deliver a story.
A Richard Kimble story.
No.
You gave him your word, Mike.
Your word.
Paula, what do you want me to do? Tell that guy the truth? That I had to get down on my knees to Connelly and beg him for a chance to deliver even this much? He trusts you.
I tried.
Paula, I tried for him.
I tried.
Well, isn't there still a chance Cogen might find him? Haven't you still got time? I don't know.
I Yeah, I guess I could stall Connelly a little while longer.
But if that one-armed guy skips town, I'm dead, because I promised to deliver a Kimble story one way or the other.
"Promised"? You even turned that into a dirty word.
Listen to who's talking.
Now, when did you become a saint, woman? Well, you're not even human anymore.
Why did Joe Bronski blow his brains out? Because of you.
Your double-cross.
Oh, you had to have that story.
Shut up.
That was rotten, but this? Oh, no.
Well, I'm gonna tell Kimble the truth.
Paula, you so much as open your mouth, and I'll- You know something? You know what, baby? Boy, we're acting like a couple of jerks.
This kind of talk is stupid.
It's all my fault.
Honest, I I don't blame you for being so upset, Paula.
Like you said, baby Well, you were right.
It's been a rough night for us all.
That's the whole trouble.
We just gotta relax.
Talk this thing out sensibly, Not be at each other's throat.
No, Mike, please.
Please.
Here.
Aw, baby, one little drink's not gonna hurt you.
Oh.
I'm sorry I had to leave you alone, pal.
A little problem with Paula.
She's back on the booze again.
Well, what happened? Ah, I don't know.
Just one of those things, I guess.
Let's talk about you.
This thing tonight was a kick in the guts to you, but don't worry.
Even if that one-armed man has left town, we're gonna find him, I guarantee it.
Are you-? You still with me, pal? I think so.
Okay.
I got a hunch tomorrow's gonna be our day.
You keep a good thought.
Okay.
Fred? Oh, hello, Mike.
Come in.
This is Lieutenant Philip Gerard.
This is Mike Decker.
Something I can do for you, lieutenant? I understand that you've been passing these out around town, Mr.
Decker.
I know all about you, lieutenant.
Hope you don't mind my having so much faith in Kimble.
Five thousand dollars' worth.
That's quite a lot of faith.
Unless, of course, you have something more definite to go on.
Like what? Like maybe working directly with Kimble on this.
Okay, lieutenant, you got something to say to me, you just stop beating around the bush and spit it out.
I'm just trying to keep you out of a jam, Mr.
Decker.
Aiding and abetting an interstate fugitive is a felony.
Yeah? Yes, he's right here.
Hang on a minute.
Mike.
This is Decker.
Mike? Cogen.
Can you talk? No, he, uh- Ahem.
I'm busy right now.
You see me in my apartment later.
What were you saying? Oh, yes, lieu- Oh, yes, about this, uh, aiding and abetting an interstate fugitive.
Well, next time I run into one, I'll keep that in mind.
Next time may be too late to do you any good, Mr.
Decker.
Last night I had the local police pick up a few stoolies.
The word is that you've got somebody who claims he can identify Richard Kimble's alleged one-armed man.
Well, Mr.
Decker, there is no one-armed man.
That was just a product of Kimble's imagination.
I think Kimble's talked you into helping him.
Now, where is he? Bunch of stoolies fill your ear.
You believe 'em? You tell me where to find Richard Kimble, you'll not only be in the clear, but you'll be in a very good position for an exclusive story on his capture.
That's right.
Lieutenant, you got yourself a deal.
The minute I find out where he is, I'll let you know.
You think about it, Mr.
Decker.
The time has come, Mike, for you to turn in a story.
I haven't got it yet.
Not the one I want.
I don't care which one you turn in to me, whether it's the capture of the one-armed man, if there is such an animal, or the capture of Richard Kimble.
I want it tonight.
Mike Decker in? What? Mike Decker.
Is he here? Is he in? Come in.
Mike? Mike? A-are you Mrs.
Decker? Huh? A-are you Mrs.
Decker? Yeah.
Would you give Mike a message, please? It's very, very important.
Would you please tell him the guy he wants is going to be at the bus station.
He's leaving town in an hour.
Do you understand that? Lady, it's very important.
W-would you mind repeating it, please? The man he wants, is leaving town.
Bus station.
Hour.
Yeah, in an hour.
It- It's important.
Please remember to tell him, huh? Don't worry.
Don't worry.
You- You won't forget, huh? No.
All gone.
Paula.
Hi.
Hi.
Who just came in, Paula? Buy you one? No, thanks.
Who came in, Paula? Good.
That leaves that much more for me.
Oh.
Hi.
Paula, who came in? Nobody.
Hey, you know what you are? No.
You're a nice guy.
Yeah, but what did nobody want? Nothing.
And so am I, so are you, and so is the little man with the message.
What little man with the message? The little man with the message who left the message.
That's what little man with the message.
And I'm nice and you're nice.
Yeah, what message, Paula? Huh? Paula, was the message for Mike? Hey, what are you doing? I wanna know about the message, Paula.
Oh, we're gonna play games now.
Okay.
Well, let's see.
The message was very important.
Oh, yeah.
Was it about the one-armed man? Mm.
Paula, what was the message? Hey, what are you doing? Come on, we're gonna have some coffee.
No, leave me alone.
I don't want any coffee.
Let me be.
I'm trying to think.
It was something about- I was- I was supposed to tell Mike the man he wants The man he wants is leaving town in an hour.
Did the man say where Mike could reach him? Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
It's my turn now.
What's black, and white, and, uh-? What else did he say? Something station.
Station.
Train station? Bus station? Bus? Yeah! How'd you know? What-? What bus station? Paula, where? That bus that just left.
Where's it going? Uh, which one? The one that just left.
Oh, oh, that one.
Uh, Florida.
When does it make its first stop? Well, it- It picks up some more passengers at Chicago Heights, if that's what you- Chicago Heights.
An escaped murderer named Richard Kimble.
I never heard the name, lieutenant.
No, perhaps not.
But your husband seems to have been taking a special interest in him.
Oh, well, there's so many poor people Mike tries to help.
I can't keep track of them.
He's very sincere about helping them, you know.
Yes, I'm sure.
Uh, has your husband been home nights these last few weeks? Oh, yes, he's always home at night.
We're very devoted.
Really.
Who's been occupying your den at nights, Mrs.
Decker? The den? Well, you see, I- I lied to you, lieutenant.
We're not devoted.
Mike stays in the den.
Isn't it the truth that Kimble's been living here? No.
I told you, I never- Come on, now, Mrs.
Decker.
Where is he? I keep telling you, I never heard the name.
All right, Mrs.
Decker, I believe you.
Um when's Kimble coming back? I don't know.
He just ran out.
Ticket, please.
Hey, mister, your ticket.
There was a one-armed man aboard, what happened to him? Oh, him.
He got sick just after we left.
He asked me to stop and let him out.
Where? I think it was the intersection of Prairie and 69th Street.
He sure didn't act sick the way he was running.
Did you see which way he went? No.
You after him? Yeah.
Yeah? KIMBLE Mike, can you talk? Yeah.
Where are you? I saw him.
The man we're after, I actually saw him.
Where? In a bus.
He saw me and got off before I could get to him.
Look, you wanna meet me here? We'll go after him together.
Now, hold it.
Wait a second, pal.
Let's not blow it now.
Where are you? I don't know exactly.
Somewhere in Chicago Heights.
Okay, you meet me at my apartment.
We'll make our plans from there.
No, n- You're wasting time, Mike.
Shut up and listen.
Now, you said he saw you? Okay, use your head.
That means he's gonna get out of town just as fast as he can.
And I got the contacts that'll know how and where.
All right.
Get your people started.
I'll be at your place in about an hour.
Now, don't try to be heroes.
Let him walk in and come up to Decker's apartment.
Just make sure he enters the building and goes upstairs, you understand? All right.
You two take the front.
You take the service door at the back.
Okay.
All set? Yeah.
Two at the front, the other in the rear.
He'll have to buzz to be let in, won't he? That's right.
This unlocks the door in the lobby.
Fine.
I think that takes care of everything.
You're awfully quiet, Mike.
You're working out the story in your mind? How's this for a title: "I Double-Crossed Richard Kimble," by Mike Decker.
No, that's really not in keeping with your public image, is it? Well, let's see, how about, um: "I Risked My Life to Try and Save Richard Kimble From Capture.
" It's a little long, but that's the right idea, isn't it? You act as though your husband had done something to be ashamed of, Mrs.
Decker.
On the contrary, the shameful thing would be allowing himself to go to prison to protect Kimble.
Maybe you think there's something glamorous about him.
I assure you, there isn't.
Not glamorous, lieutenant.
Innocent.
Yes.
A number of women have felt that way about him.
Purely emotional.
What about the one-armed man? Or don't you wanna believe Dr.
Kimble actually saw him? Oh, he probably did see a one-armed man.
I have no doubt he really thinks that a man of that description murdered his wife.
But that's only because he can't, or won't, differentiate between reality and fantasy anymore.
Dr.
Kimble murdered his wife, Mrs.
Decker.
Take the jury's word for it.
He's late.
Mike? Sir Galahad.
Yeah? Is everything all right? Yeah, sure.
Come on up, Kimble.
No, don't! Gerard's here! Keep 'em here.
I'm out on bail.
So this will probably be my last column, at least for a while.
I'm guilty of aiding and abetting Richard Kimble's escape, and under the law, the judge must sentence me to a minimum of one year in prison.
Oh, Mike.
Mike.
Why don't you shut up? To say that I'm scared is putting it mildly.
I'm scared to death, but I think I can make it.
Uh I know I can make it.
If Richard Kimble should read this, I want him to know, I wish him all the luck in the world.
You keep a good thought, pal.
Now many months a fugitive, Richard Kimble walks the night again, but no longer in despair that he is hunting only a phantom.
He has seen the one-armed man, and it has given him hope.
Somewhere, sometime, they will meet again.
Richard Kimble.
death row, state prison.
Richard Kimble is innocent.
Proved guilty, what Richard Kimble could not prove was that moments before discovering his murdered wife's body, he saw a one-armed man running from the vicinity of his home.
Richard Kimble ponders his fate as he looks at the world for the last time and sees only darkness.
But in that darkness fate moves its huge hand.
The Fugitive.
A QM production.
Starring David Janssen as the fugitive.
Pat Hingle, Nan Martin.
Also starring Barry Morse as Lieutenant Gerard.
"Search in a Windy City.
" Chicago.
Richard Kimble has come a thousand miles on hope and the slimmest of clues in his hunt for the one-armed man.
But ten days have passed, and now hope has turned to despair.
For in a city of millions, how does a fugitive go about finding a phantom? You say you've been looking for him everywhere and haven't found him.
I'm gonna tell you why you haven't.
Because he doesn't exist.
How long are you gonna keep on hoping when there is no hope? There's only one path to true salvation, my friend.
Now wait.
Wait- Just listen to me.
I can save you.
I have proof.
Absolute, incontrovertible proof.
Yeah? KIMBLE Mike Decker? Yeah.
Now, this has to be in confidence.
It's about a man you once defended in your column.
Who is this? About a year ago, during the trial, you wrote that you thought Richard Kimble was innocent.
Who is it? What about Kimble? Listen to me.
I do believe in Kimble's innocence.
Now, you said you had something to tell me in confidence.
Okay, I'm listening.
He's in Chicago.
He thinks the real killer might be here.
Somewhere in town.
Hey.
Hey.
This is Kimble, isn't it? Now, listen to me.
You can trust me, Kimble.
You hear? I wanna help you.
I'll be able to leave the office in an hour.
You meet me at my apartment.
No, not your place.
Okay.
Uh any place you say.
You just name it.
South Bailey and Tenth.
There's a theater.
Be out in front, 9:00.
Okay.
I'll be there.
In the deadly game of hide and seek, Richard Kimble has only one rule for survival: be suspicious of everyone.
Is it coincidence that three strangers should suddenly appear at the place of his rendezvous with Decker? Or are they just strangers? Richard Kimble's rule for survival: be suspicious of everyone.
But sometimes strangers are only what they seem.
And now the imagined threat is gone.
And with it, Mike Decker.
DECKER Yeah? Decker? Yeah? Are you alone? Sure.
Come on up.
I waited for you.
I know.
I saw you.
There were some people hanging around.
I thought it was a setup.
Thought maybe you'd said something to the police.
I told you I wanted to help.
Well, when you've been on the run from the law, you learn to be suspicious.
Okay.
Let's go upstairs and talk.
See, I, uh I found this girl in Omaha.
She said the man that beat her up had one arm.
She said that he warned her that if she went to the police, the same thing would happen to her that happened to that Kimble woman.
Well, everything about him added up, so I started looking for him.
What made you come here? I found out he'd bought a ticket for Chicago.
And you wasted ten good days looking for him by yourself.
I guess I could have called the FBI.
You should have called me.
Mr.
Decker, what makes you think I'm innocent? Three of your jurors held out six days for acquittal.
They thought you were innocent.
Why shouldn't I? Here, take a look at this.
This is the Kimble case.
An exhaustive study of the evidence, okay? Okay.
This is a newspaper sketch of the one-armed man from the description you gave them.
Now, think hard, Kimble.
Is there anything else you can add to that? He was about 40 or 45, dark-haired, right arm missing.
I was driving back home after an argument with my wife.
I saw him suddenly running from my house.
He acted scared.
He darted into the street.
I had to swerve.
The headlights picked him up only for a second.
Well, there's nothing more I can remember.
I'll know him if I see him.
Okay, let's see what we can do with this.
I'll have some copies made up, get 'em spread around town.
If he finds out, won't that scare him into running? Well, we don't know for sure he's still here.
Main thing is, if he is, it can turn up a fresh lead on him.
It can tell the police I'm in town too.
No, not if it comes from me.
They know all about the articles I've written defending you.
I'll see my editor first thing in the morning.
Ah, you better get yourself some shuteye.
Decker while you're at it, uh, maybe we ought to talk about this, huh? Maybe we had better have an understanding, Dr.
Kimble.
I'm willing to go all out to help you.
Money, contacts, influence.
Now, you know I can deliver or you wouldn't have come to me in the first place.
But I'm a temperamental guy, doctor.
If we're gonna play on the same team, I call the signals, I carry the ball, and that's the way it is.
What if I don't like the signals you call? There's the door.
I won't blow the whistle.
But then what? Look at yourself, man.
You've had it.
What do you think your chances are without me? In the parlance of your profession, doctor: prognosis negative.
And, yeah, I have a selfish reason for wanting to find the one-armed man.
I need a big story right now, and this could win me a Pulitzer.
Okay.
I'll be leaving early in the morning.
You're safe here.
My wife's away- She's out of town.
and I'll get rid of the maid.
You'll find pajamas, a robe in the closet there.
Have a good sleep.
I'll see you tomorrow.
"I Found the One-Armed Man" by Mike Decker.
Ten grand expenses is peanuts for that story, Fred.
Oh, come on, Mike.
I don't care what you say about him in your column, but don't try to sell me on Kimble's innocence.
I got an angle going that'll break that case wide open.
The next thing I expect to hear from you is, "Stop the presses.
" Heh.
No, Mike.
No, this isn't gonna work.
I'm sorry.
Fred, for ten G's I can make it work.
Look, when a gossip columnist starts slipping, the first thing he prays for is a newspaperman's miracle: coming up with a big story.
Well, miracles don't happen very often, Mike, and sometimes a guy gets so panicky that he'll do something real dumb like coming up with a phony.
Now, don't press the panic button.
Fred, will you please just wait a minute? Fred, Richard Kimble is in town right now.
I got him.
I can prove it.
You can see him for yourself if you want to.
All right.
I'll make a deal with you, Mike.
Five thousand expense, in exchange for your guarantee for a Kimble story.
I can't make a guarantee like that, Fred.
I may not be able to find the one-armed man.
I said a Kimble story.
Now, that yarn would be sensational, but just in case it doesn't work, there's another story that will still sell a lot of newspapers.
Oh, yeah.
Like turning Kimble over to the cops.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do.
But, uh, like I say, you do need a story.
Yep.
Oh.
Hello.
Who are you? Eh, George Blake.
A A friend of Mike's.
I'm just passing through town.
He invited me to stay overnight.
Oh, I'm his wife.
Haven't we met before, Mr.
Blake? Oh, I don't think so.
Uh, I'm sorry about all the mess.
Uh, he told me you, uh, weren't gonna be in town.
Yes, I thought I'd surprise him.
You're Dr.
Richard Kimble.
Dr.
Kimble, I can't believe it.
How did Mike ever find you? He didn't, I found him.
When? How long have you been here? Since last night.
I I don't want any trouble.
I'll just leave.
No, you don't have to run away because of me.
Didn't Mike tell you? I'm the one who got him to write those articles about you.
I researched the case for him.
I believed in your innocence from the beginning.
What are you doing in Chicago? There's just a chance that the man that killed my wife is here.
And Mike says he's gonna try to help you find him? Yes.
What does that mean? Hey, Kimble, you awake? I got good news.
The- Oh.
Paula.
Welcome home.
What, uh? What'd you do, bust out? No.
Graduated with honors.
Congratulations.
Forgive us, doctor.
It's sort of an inside joke.
Dr.
Kimble was just telling me you're going to help him.
Yes.
It's all set.
Paper's behind you a hundred percent.
What does that mean? Meaning five grand, and that's just for openers.
My editor says if I believe in you, that's good enough for him.
Just like that, huh? What if you're not able to come up with the story? You let me worry about that.
Don't you think Dr.
Kimble's entitled to some kind of guarantee? Well, what would you suggest? The Boy Scout oath, a pact signed in blood? What? Your word's good enough for me, Mike.
You got it, pal.
The main thing, Cogen, is the time element.
I want fast action on this.
Now, this is incentive dough.
You get me a lead on him, worth another C-note.
You finger him, you've found yourself a grand.
Okay? You know me, Decker.
Just keep that grand handy.
The way Decker's been throwing cheer around, I thought you might wanna know about it, sarge.
Looks like he's still harping on the Kimble case.
No sale, Wimpy.
There's nothing here for us.
Wait a minute.
I thought we had a deal.
I said any information we could use.
This isn't a police matter.
If Decker wants to throw his dough away, that's his business.
Sarge, how about a little carfare money at least? There you are, Wimpy.
Thanks.
Say, Al, don't we have a warrant from the Kimble case? Yeah, on Kimble.
No, I mean, it seems to me there was some kind of a request for information on this one-armed-man deal, about a year or so ago? I don't remember.
Take a look.
Yeah, here it is.
From a guy named Gerard.
Soup's on.
Oh, thank you very much.
I- I don't think I'm very hungry.
I know, it's the waiting.
Mike's doing everything he can.
You trust him, don't you? I have to.
When we first met, I got the impression that you didn't.
That was a- I guess that was a pretty rotten thing to say.
No, it's true.
At least, it was true.
I didn't trust him.
Not like I once did.
You know what I called Mike when we were first married? Sir Galahad.
Pure of heart, noble of mind, champion of the downtrodden.
Think there's still people like that in the world, doctor? I suppose so.
I used to think so.
Mike isn't one of them.
He's done some pretty awful things to his friends, to me.
I swallowed it for a while.
Then I- I started taking refuge in that other world.
Didn't Mike tell you where I've been the last three months? He just said you were out of town.
Oh, I was.
Most charming resort, dedicated to the proposition that all alcoholics can be cured.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
Oh, it's all right.
Doesn't bother me anymore.
They made me realize that if I want Mike, I have to accept him the way he is.
Love, honor, cherish.
Close my eyes to the cheating and the double-cross.
Mrs.
Decker, uh are you trying to tell me that I can't trust Mike? That his handshake and his word, they don't mean anything? No, you don't understand.
Mike's a louse about a lot of things.
But there's one thing he's kind of a fanatic about, his word.
"Thou shalt not give thy word in vain.
" Mike stakes his life on that.
You can too.
Okay.
You know, he's pretty lucky to have a wife that accepts him on his own terms.
He doesn't think he's so lucky.
He knows I don't like him.
What he doesn't know is I love him.
Ooh, talk about hearts and flowers.
I came in here to cheer you up.
You have.
So much so I think I'll have some of that.
I'm a little hungry.
Heh.
Sergeant De Santis? Yes.
I'm Lieutenant Gerard.
Oh, how are you, lieutenant? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow.
I managed to get away earlier.
Now, what about this one-armed man, sergeant? Well, like I told you on the phone, this is about all we've got.
And Decker's been passing these out to informers all over town? That's it.
Wonder if you'd do me a favor.
I'd like a roundup of all the most important stoolies in your file tonight.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm supposed to take my wife out for supper.
As a matter of fact, I'm late now.
I'll be glad to do it tomorrow.
That might be too late.
Thing like this could have brought Kimble to Chicago.
He might be here right now.
Of course, if you'd rather I talked to your captain? That won't be necessary, lieutenant.
I'll be glad to help you.
Hey.
Hey, Kimble.
Listen, boy, I think we finally got us a lead.
Now, sit down, sit down.
There's this stoolie named Cogen, he meets up with this guy that matches our description to a T.
And get this, the guy lets slip he's only been here about a month from out west.
The guy's scrounging.
Cogen tabs him to be on the lam.
So he says he's got this deal to pick up some easy dough if he can find a partner.
Well, the guy's interested, but he says he wants to blow outta town tomorrow.
Leave town? Why don't you shut up? So Cogen thinks fast, and he says, "That's okay.
" He says, "That's okay, 'cause tonight is the right night anyhow.
" He sees this guy doesn't wanna be pressed, you know? He won't tell him where he lives or anything like that.
So Cogen plays it cool, gives the guy his telephone number and says to call him.
He's supposed to call Cogen, when? Tonight, 9:00.
Ah, don't worry.
Don't worry.
Cogen says the guy's tongue is hanging out.
He'll phone.
Well, then what? Cogen says the deal's on and they better get together.
Then he calls us here.
By five minutes after 9, we're gonna know where the meeting place is.
We move in, you put the finger on him.
Well, pal, I come through for you? Get your coat, Cogen.
You taking me in? What for? For questioning.
Come on.
Now, look, I'm expecting an important phone call.
It's a business deal.
Give me a couple of more minutes, huh? For your kind of business? Heh.
You must be kidding.
Oh, come on, fellas, what's a couple of minutes? I mean, this- This- This call means an awful lot to me.
Look, just about three minutes, please.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah? Listen, you louse, you better talk quick and make sense.
What do you mean, you missed him? Listen, Cogen, I'm not buying alibis tonight.
You better find that guy.
I'm tellin' you straight, find him! Cops picked Cogen up for questioning.
He missed the call.
Don't you think you ought to try and cheer him up, Mike? It's been a rough night for him.
My neck's on the chopping block and you want me to cheer him up? Well, it's not that bad for you.
Oh, yeah? I blow most of my expense dough on one lousy lead.
And then my stoolie's gotta go and blow that, and you say, "It's not that bad for you.
" Get some more money from Mr.
Connelly.
You said he was behind you all the way.
Paula, the five grand is the limit.
And then only on my guarantee that I give him a story.
What kind of a guarantee? Guarantee of a story.
A story.
Happy ending, fine.
Sad ending, that's just okay too.
Just as long as I deliver a story.
A Richard Kimble story.
No.
You gave him your word, Mike.
Your word.
Paula, what do you want me to do? Tell that guy the truth? That I had to get down on my knees to Connelly and beg him for a chance to deliver even this much? He trusts you.
I tried.
Paula, I tried for him.
I tried.
Well, isn't there still a chance Cogen might find him? Haven't you still got time? I don't know.
I Yeah, I guess I could stall Connelly a little while longer.
But if that one-armed guy skips town, I'm dead, because I promised to deliver a Kimble story one way or the other.
"Promised"? You even turned that into a dirty word.
Listen to who's talking.
Now, when did you become a saint, woman? Well, you're not even human anymore.
Why did Joe Bronski blow his brains out? Because of you.
Your double-cross.
Oh, you had to have that story.
Shut up.
That was rotten, but this? Oh, no.
Well, I'm gonna tell Kimble the truth.
Paula, you so much as open your mouth, and I'll- You know something? You know what, baby? Boy, we're acting like a couple of jerks.
This kind of talk is stupid.
It's all my fault.
Honest, I I don't blame you for being so upset, Paula.
Like you said, baby Well, you were right.
It's been a rough night for us all.
That's the whole trouble.
We just gotta relax.
Talk this thing out sensibly, Not be at each other's throat.
No, Mike, please.
Please.
Here.
Aw, baby, one little drink's not gonna hurt you.
Oh.
I'm sorry I had to leave you alone, pal.
A little problem with Paula.
She's back on the booze again.
Well, what happened? Ah, I don't know.
Just one of those things, I guess.
Let's talk about you.
This thing tonight was a kick in the guts to you, but don't worry.
Even if that one-armed man has left town, we're gonna find him, I guarantee it.
Are you-? You still with me, pal? I think so.
Okay.
I got a hunch tomorrow's gonna be our day.
You keep a good thought.
Okay.
Fred? Oh, hello, Mike.
Come in.
This is Lieutenant Philip Gerard.
This is Mike Decker.
Something I can do for you, lieutenant? I understand that you've been passing these out around town, Mr.
Decker.
I know all about you, lieutenant.
Hope you don't mind my having so much faith in Kimble.
Five thousand dollars' worth.
That's quite a lot of faith.
Unless, of course, you have something more definite to go on.
Like what? Like maybe working directly with Kimble on this.
Okay, lieutenant, you got something to say to me, you just stop beating around the bush and spit it out.
I'm just trying to keep you out of a jam, Mr.
Decker.
Aiding and abetting an interstate fugitive is a felony.
Yeah? Yes, he's right here.
Hang on a minute.
Mike.
This is Decker.
Mike? Cogen.
Can you talk? No, he, uh- Ahem.
I'm busy right now.
You see me in my apartment later.
What were you saying? Oh, yes, lieu- Oh, yes, about this, uh, aiding and abetting an interstate fugitive.
Well, next time I run into one, I'll keep that in mind.
Next time may be too late to do you any good, Mr.
Decker.
Last night I had the local police pick up a few stoolies.
The word is that you've got somebody who claims he can identify Richard Kimble's alleged one-armed man.
Well, Mr.
Decker, there is no one-armed man.
That was just a product of Kimble's imagination.
I think Kimble's talked you into helping him.
Now, where is he? Bunch of stoolies fill your ear.
You believe 'em? You tell me where to find Richard Kimble, you'll not only be in the clear, but you'll be in a very good position for an exclusive story on his capture.
That's right.
Lieutenant, you got yourself a deal.
The minute I find out where he is, I'll let you know.
You think about it, Mr.
Decker.
The time has come, Mike, for you to turn in a story.
I haven't got it yet.
Not the one I want.
I don't care which one you turn in to me, whether it's the capture of the one-armed man, if there is such an animal, or the capture of Richard Kimble.
I want it tonight.
Mike Decker in? What? Mike Decker.
Is he here? Is he in? Come in.
Mike? Mike? A-are you Mrs.
Decker? Huh? A-are you Mrs.
Decker? Yeah.
Would you give Mike a message, please? It's very, very important.
Would you please tell him the guy he wants is going to be at the bus station.
He's leaving town in an hour.
Do you understand that? Lady, it's very important.
W-would you mind repeating it, please? The man he wants, is leaving town.
Bus station.
Hour.
Yeah, in an hour.
It- It's important.
Please remember to tell him, huh? Don't worry.
Don't worry.
You- You won't forget, huh? No.
All gone.
Paula.
Hi.
Hi.
Who just came in, Paula? Buy you one? No, thanks.
Who came in, Paula? Good.
That leaves that much more for me.
Oh.
Hi.
Paula, who came in? Nobody.
Hey, you know what you are? No.
You're a nice guy.
Yeah, but what did nobody want? Nothing.
And so am I, so are you, and so is the little man with the message.
What little man with the message? The little man with the message who left the message.
That's what little man with the message.
And I'm nice and you're nice.
Yeah, what message, Paula? Huh? Paula, was the message for Mike? Hey, what are you doing? I wanna know about the message, Paula.
Oh, we're gonna play games now.
Okay.
Well, let's see.
The message was very important.
Oh, yeah.
Was it about the one-armed man? Mm.
Paula, what was the message? Hey, what are you doing? Come on, we're gonna have some coffee.
No, leave me alone.
I don't want any coffee.
Let me be.
I'm trying to think.
It was something about- I was- I was supposed to tell Mike the man he wants The man he wants is leaving town in an hour.
Did the man say where Mike could reach him? Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
It's my turn now.
What's black, and white, and, uh-? What else did he say? Something station.
Station.
Train station? Bus station? Bus? Yeah! How'd you know? What-? What bus station? Paula, where? That bus that just left.
Where's it going? Uh, which one? The one that just left.
Oh, oh, that one.
Uh, Florida.
When does it make its first stop? Well, it- It picks up some more passengers at Chicago Heights, if that's what you- Chicago Heights.
An escaped murderer named Richard Kimble.
I never heard the name, lieutenant.
No, perhaps not.
But your husband seems to have been taking a special interest in him.
Oh, well, there's so many poor people Mike tries to help.
I can't keep track of them.
He's very sincere about helping them, you know.
Yes, I'm sure.
Uh, has your husband been home nights these last few weeks? Oh, yes, he's always home at night.
We're very devoted.
Really.
Who's been occupying your den at nights, Mrs.
Decker? The den? Well, you see, I- I lied to you, lieutenant.
We're not devoted.
Mike stays in the den.
Isn't it the truth that Kimble's been living here? No.
I told you, I never- Come on, now, Mrs.
Decker.
Where is he? I keep telling you, I never heard the name.
All right, Mrs.
Decker, I believe you.
Um when's Kimble coming back? I don't know.
He just ran out.
Ticket, please.
Hey, mister, your ticket.
There was a one-armed man aboard, what happened to him? Oh, him.
He got sick just after we left.
He asked me to stop and let him out.
Where? I think it was the intersection of Prairie and 69th Street.
He sure didn't act sick the way he was running.
Did you see which way he went? No.
You after him? Yeah.
Yeah? KIMBLE Mike, can you talk? Yeah.
Where are you? I saw him.
The man we're after, I actually saw him.
Where? In a bus.
He saw me and got off before I could get to him.
Look, you wanna meet me here? We'll go after him together.
Now, hold it.
Wait a second, pal.
Let's not blow it now.
Where are you? I don't know exactly.
Somewhere in Chicago Heights.
Okay, you meet me at my apartment.
We'll make our plans from there.
No, n- You're wasting time, Mike.
Shut up and listen.
Now, you said he saw you? Okay, use your head.
That means he's gonna get out of town just as fast as he can.
And I got the contacts that'll know how and where.
All right.
Get your people started.
I'll be at your place in about an hour.
Now, don't try to be heroes.
Let him walk in and come up to Decker's apartment.
Just make sure he enters the building and goes upstairs, you understand? All right.
You two take the front.
You take the service door at the back.
Okay.
All set? Yeah.
Two at the front, the other in the rear.
He'll have to buzz to be let in, won't he? That's right.
This unlocks the door in the lobby.
Fine.
I think that takes care of everything.
You're awfully quiet, Mike.
You're working out the story in your mind? How's this for a title: "I Double-Crossed Richard Kimble," by Mike Decker.
No, that's really not in keeping with your public image, is it? Well, let's see, how about, um: "I Risked My Life to Try and Save Richard Kimble From Capture.
" It's a little long, but that's the right idea, isn't it? You act as though your husband had done something to be ashamed of, Mrs.
Decker.
On the contrary, the shameful thing would be allowing himself to go to prison to protect Kimble.
Maybe you think there's something glamorous about him.
I assure you, there isn't.
Not glamorous, lieutenant.
Innocent.
Yes.
A number of women have felt that way about him.
Purely emotional.
What about the one-armed man? Or don't you wanna believe Dr.
Kimble actually saw him? Oh, he probably did see a one-armed man.
I have no doubt he really thinks that a man of that description murdered his wife.
But that's only because he can't, or won't, differentiate between reality and fantasy anymore.
Dr.
Kimble murdered his wife, Mrs.
Decker.
Take the jury's word for it.
He's late.
Mike? Sir Galahad.
Yeah? Is everything all right? Yeah, sure.
Come on up, Kimble.
No, don't! Gerard's here! Keep 'em here.
I'm out on bail.
So this will probably be my last column, at least for a while.
I'm guilty of aiding and abetting Richard Kimble's escape, and under the law, the judge must sentence me to a minimum of one year in prison.
Oh, Mike.
Mike.
Why don't you shut up? To say that I'm scared is putting it mildly.
I'm scared to death, but I think I can make it.
Uh I know I can make it.
If Richard Kimble should read this, I want him to know, I wish him all the luck in the world.
You keep a good thought, pal.
Now many months a fugitive, Richard Kimble walks the night again, but no longer in despair that he is hunting only a phantom.
He has seen the one-armed man, and it has given him hope.
Somewhere, sometime, they will meet again.