The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 2, Episode 24 - Everybody Gets Hit in the Mouth Sometimes - full transcript
While working as a dispatcher for a small trucking company, Kimble deals with it's owner and his guilty secret with a troubled woman.
You never worked for
West Mountain Express
and we both know it.
What did you do,
call Charlie Powers
and fix up an alibi
in case I checked?
No, I did not. Well,
somebody did.
Mr. Logan, I needed a job.
Gus needed somebody
with experience.
I lied. That's
all there is to it.
A man also lies when he's
trying to cover up something.
You say it was to
get a job. Maybe.
You cooperate and I'll give
you the benefit of the doubt.
Cooperate?
Whatever you heard in
the office a minute ago,
or whatever you
think you made of it,
you'd better forget it.
Because if you don't, I'll
run a police check on you
all the way back to
your great-grandmother.
Okay.
A QM Production.
Starring David Janssen
as Dr. Richard Kimble.
An innocent victim
of blind justice,
falsely convicted for
the murder of his wife,
reprieved by fate when
a train wreck freed him
en route to the death house.
Freed him to hide
in lonely desperation,
to change his identity,
to toil at many jobs.
Freed him to search
for a one-armed man
he saw leave the
scene of the crime.
Freed him to run before
the relentless pursuit
of the police lieutenant
obsessed with his capture.
The guest stars
in tonight's story:
Jack Klugman,
Geraldine Brooks.
The road of escape
has led Richard Kimble
to a new sanctuary.
The work: dispatcher for
Bullet Trucking Company.
No questions asked,
no references required.
A good job for a fugitive.
You're late, Pete.
Ah, transmission's throwing oil.
Had to keep
stopping to check it.
Gus left orders to take that
load to Colorado Springs.
Oh, he's all heart.
How many hours you
got left in your logbook?
Ah, around this
joint, who counts?
I count. How many
hours you got left?
Big zero.
All right. Take off,
take your eight hours.
Yeah? Who's gonna
deliver that load?
It'll have to wait.
You're the dispatcher.
No skin off of my nose.
Gus ain't gonna like it.
Take your tractor into the
shop and see if they can find out
what's wrong with
the transmission.
I want a candy bar! - Me too!
I want a candy bar!
I want a candy bar!
Shh!
Mr. Douglas? Yes.
I'm Lucia Mayfield.
Well, Gus said that I could
come by to borrow his car.
Is he here?
No, he isn't, but he left word.
The car's out front.
I'll get you the keys.
Oh.
Uh, and wasn't
there anything else?
Seventy-five dollars. Uh-huh.
There you are.
He said to keep the
car as long as you like.
Oh, thanks.
Uh, I don't believe
that I've seen you
around here before, Mr. Douglas.
I've only been here
a couple of weeks.
Oh, are you from in town?
No, California. Bakersfield.
Bakersfield? Really?
Well, my husband used to
haul produce out of there.
He was with West
Mountain Express.
Maybe you knew him.
Kenny Mayfield?
Kenny Mayfield.
I've heard the name, uh...
Does he work here now?
Oh, no, he was killed in
an accident two years ago.
Working for Gus.
I'm sorry.
Well, the children and I,
we had long talks about
that, didn't we? Huh?
Didn't we, you bad thing?
And we decided we're just not
gonna be sad anymore, huh?
Hm?
I don't know what we would
have done without Gus, though.
He's really been
like a father to them.
Will you listen to me?
Here you are, the
newcomer in town,
here's me talking
about myself. Heh.
Tell me, have you
found a house yet
for you and your
family, Mr. Douglas?
No, I'm at, uh, Mrs. Watson's.
Uh, no family.
Oh.
It must be awful
lonesome for you.
Mama, Jimmy hit me!
Jimmy, you come back!
I'm sorry.
It just seems like they don't
know how to act anymore
when there's a man around.
Well, I hope I'll see
you again, Mr. Douglas.
Hey. Where's Pete?
Why ain't he humping that
load to Colorado Springs?
I told him to go home. You what?
He had too many
hours in his log.
I want you to hear
this good, hotshot.
That truck costs
me 80 bucks a day.
That's how much I lose when
it ain't goin' down a highway!
Right now, 80 bucks I
can't afford. You got that?
You told me to watch
the logs, didn't you, Gus?
For me, not for the ICC.
You wanna play Santa
Claus, go get yourself a sled!
All right.
Wait a minute.
Since this load ain't
gonna deliver itself,
I think you and me
will change jobs.
I'm gonna sit on my duff and
make all the big shot decisions,
you're gonna jockey this
trailer to Colorado Springs.
You know I haven't been
checked out in semis.
Yeah, well, you will be
by the time we get back.
Go get a tractor and hook it up.
Let me make a living for a
change, will you, hotshot?
Take it easy, hotshot.
You can try to buck me,
but don't try to outwrestle
a truck, will you?
How long's that
car been on our tail?
Last couple of miles.
How fast we going?
Fifty.
Drop back to 40, will you?
Uh-huh, he slowed with us.
I'll bet you a buck
it's the road man
from the Trans Way
Insurance Company.
We haven't broken any laws.
Don't bet on it, hotshot.
You're an unqualified driver.
According to the
insurance company,
you aren't allowed to push
a kiddie car around the yard.
Let's trade places.
Keep rolling.
Hold it steady! Wanna
pile us into a ditch?
Remember, I've been
driving all the time.
What do you say,
Logan? Long time no see.
Like to take a look
at your logbook, Gus.
Figures. My pleasure.
Three hours left.
That's enough time. We're
only going to the Springs.
How about your safety equipment?
Flares, emergency
reflectors in the box.
Extra bulbs in the gin bin.
Fire extinguisher on the cowl.
Would you like
to look in the cab?
We even have clean ashtrays.
What's your name?
Bill Douglas.
You a relief driver?
I work in the office.
He just came along
for the ride, that's all.
Where are you from, Douglas?
California.
You work for a trucking
company out there?
Yeah, the, uh, West
Mountain Express. Bakersfield.
Nice operation.
Good management.
You must know their maintenance
foreman, Charlie Powers.
I've met him.
Charlie used to work for
a bus company in Denver.
Is that all? We got
a load to deliver.
Okay, shove off.
Let's roll, huh?
Gus, that, uh,
job I said I had with
West Mountain Express...
Logan bought your
story, didn't he?
Forget it. I ain't interested.
Douglas. Bill Douglas.
Yeah.
Well, write it down, will
you? So you won't forget it.
No, that's what he told Logan.
I was standing right there.
I don't know why he did it.
Come on, Charlie,
how's it gonna hurt you?
Good. All right, thanks.
So long.
What's the matter, Gus?
The well running dry?
What do you know?
You open up a cash
register and Ernie Svoboda
comes crawling out
of the woodwork, eh?
Ah, you got it all wrong, Gus.
I come by to do an
old buddy a favor.
Yeah, your kind of
favors I need like poison.
Why don't you let the
door hit you in the back?
You know something, you
must have a lot of worries
trying to run an
outfit like this.
I mean, maintenance,
new equipment, salaries...
Take a lot of money, I'll bet.
You worry about me, huh?
Well, sure, I'm
worried about you.
Like for example,
suppose one of your drivers
stops for coffee somewhere
and leaves the key in the ignition.
And then somebody comes
along and borrows the truck
and steals the cargo?
I mean, I'd feel sorry for you.
So would my friends.
They'd probably wanna
make it up to you somehow,
you know what I mean?
You wanna know something?
You're a slob,
Ernie. You know that?
You're a two-bit slob.
Right. So think it over, Gus.
I mean, I hear you're
having a little trouble
paying the bills.
Well, maybe your hearing's bad.
Listen, this kind of a
deal, Gus, nobody loses.
The insurance
company pays the claim,
and we get a
piece of the action.
I know a guy in New Mexico
made two grand in an hour...
Why don't you get out of here
before I break your head open!
All right, I'm goin'.
Don't cut your fingers
scrapin' for dimes.
I'm awfully sorry to
bother you at home.
Oh, that's all right.
I came to return Gus' car.
He wasn't at
the office, and I...
I didn't wanna
just park it there.
I thought maybe I
could leave it with you.
Well, sure, I'll
take care of it.
Thanks very much.
Bill, isn't it?
Yes.
I like first names better.
Well, so do I.
Well, I hope I haven't been
too much of a nuisance.
No. Mrs. Mayfield...
Uh, if I keep the car,
how are you and the
kids going to get home?
Oh, don't you worry.
I already left them off
at their grandmother's
for the night.
I can just catch the
bus across the street.
I don't think Gus would
mind if I drove you home.
He better not.
It was written up
in all the papers.
Pictures, everything.
But nobody really
knows what happened.
Truck turned over,
Gus was thrown clear,
Kenny wasn't.
Police reports said
that Kenny probably
fell asleep at the wheel.
What did Gus say?
Oh, he couldn't remember.
It all happened too fast.
You make it sound like,
uh, somebody else's story.
Is that because it still hurts
to connect it with yourself?
The nights keep getting
longer, if that's what you mean.
But this one's not going to.
How's Gus doing?
The office making
a lot of money?
I'm just the dispatcher.
Keeps the money problems
pretty much to himself.
Oh.
I thought you kind of
ran things at that office.
Like the music?
Oh, yeah, sure.
You don't act like it.
I guess I'm just tired.
Oh, it's right down
there, on the left.
You watch for the porch light.
I... I think there's some
wine in the refrigerator...
Oh, Lucia... Aren't
you gonna come in?
Well, I'd like to, but I think I
ought to get Gus' car back.
I've been alone for two years.
I know, Lucia...
I've been alone.
Ha-ha! We caught you again!
We caught you again!
Caught you again!
Turn off that light!
You filthy sneaks! Get to bed!
I lied to you.
The grandmother
they're supposed to be
spending the night with,
she lives in Arkansas.
I put them in the back room.
I thought they'd go to sleep.
Well, I guess you're right.
You'd better take Gus' car back.
Hey, Gus.
Gus.
What is it? Telephone.
I ain't here.
It's Trans Way Insurance.
All right, I'll take it.
Yeah. Gus Hendrick.
Hello, Mr. Halsey.
Well, I was meaning
to call you about that.
You see, uh, I've got a lot of
new business contracts coming up
and, uh, yeah, well,
they'll be coming
through any time now.
Oh, wait a minute here.
Look, all I'm asking for
is an extension of the
grace period, you know...
You can't do that.
I mean, you cancel me,
I'm out of the business.
I can't haul without
insurance, right?
Next Monday?!
Where am I gonna get...?
Yeah. Yeah. Sure I
heard you. Monday.
I heard you.
It's Logan, that's who it is.
He won't stop
until he finishes me.
If he can't bug me
himself, he gets one of his
office flunkies
to do it for him.
Maybe he's just
doing his job, Gus.
His job? To climb on
my back and stay there?
I know how you feel. It's...
Don't tell me you
know how I feel!
Nobody knows how I feel
unless they've had it like I have!
Up to here! Why don't
you get out of here?
Go ahead!
Okay, Gus.
Bill... Wait a minute.
Ah, I mean, I'm sorry.
I guess I needed somebody
to holler at. Come on.
I'll check the time cards.
Gus, I gotta talk to you!
What's the matter now?
Jimmy fell this morning and
he knocked a tooth loose.
It's one of those
permanent ones.
Look, it's in the front. Show
him, honey, show your Uncle Gus.
Mrs. Wilson! It's okay!
Mr. Hendrick is here.
I'll get a ride home.
Mrs. Wilson was kind enough
to take us to the
dentist this morning.
Yeah. Come in the
office. Here you go.
Hi.
Come on... Well?
Now, Jimmy, you don't
ask your Uncle Gus
for anything this time.
Remember, it
hurts your lip to talk.
It don't look bad.
I mean, everybody gets
hit in the mouth sometime.
Oh. That's just what
I'd expect you to say.
You should have talked
to the orthodontist like I did.
His teeth are in terrible shape!
Why, if he doesn't
have braces right away,
they're gonna be
crooked the rest of his life!
A lot of kids have
crooked teeth.
Oh, well, not my son! No.
Not if I have to scrub floors.
Uh-huh. How much
is it gonna cost me?
Well, an orthodontist
is not just a dentist.
Yeah, I know, I know. How much?
Three hundred dollars to start.
Three hundred dollars to
start? To straighten a tooth?
Oh, what's the use
even talking to you?
You're not even
trying to understand!
He's gonna have to have
braces for at least two years!
And last month, Lucy had to
have dancing lessons, right?
This kid had to get on a plane
and go visit his grandmother.
Now he needs clothes,
and then he needs a bicycle!
I mean, when's it stop?
You told me
that I could always
come to you for help.
Not now, Lucia. Maybe
in a month, but not now.
We don't wanna
be a burden to you...
Oh, come on, don't
start that up again.
Well, you must know that
things haven't been so easy for us.
When Kenny was alive,
he could always find a way
if there was a little something
extra that we needed.
He never came to you for
anything. You know that.
He worked hard for you.
Even that last haul.
Maybe that accident
never would have happened
if he hadn't been so tired.
That's what I think.
That's what I think at night.
I think what would have happened
if he hadn't been
along with you.
Lucia, I've been
thinkin' about something.
I mean, I been givin'
it a lot of thought.
You know how you're
always talking about
wanting to move back East,
like, Chicago, you know?
Yeah. I thought about it. Why?
Well, suppose I could fix it
up that you can move back.
Into a nice apartment, have
nice clothes, things like that.
Well, that would
take a lot of money.
Well, maybe I could
get my hands on, uh,
2,000 bucks?
That is a lot of money.
How long do you think it
would take you to get it?
A couple of days.
What about Jimmy's teeth?
Oh, come on...
All right, I'll throw in the 300
as a going away present, okay?
Oh, you. Gus.
You, Gus, you.
I think a change might
be just what I need.
Good.
Hotshot, how much money
we got in the cash register?
Three hundred and fifty dollars.
Give me 300 of it, will you?
We got drivers
that have to be paid.
I said give it to me!
You see? Huh?
Mama fixed up
everything all right. Huh?
Kind of a light
lunch, ain't it, Gus?
Come by to tell jokes?
I come by because you called me.
Maybe I'm interested
in a deal, huh?
What kind of deal?
I got a load of electronic parts
goin' to Albuquerque
this afternoon.
They're insured for 25,000.
That's what I call a fat load.
But you know that...
That electronics stuff.
You gotta have a buyer
for that kind of merchandise.
I have to talk it
over with my friends.
Wait a minute.
I want 3,000.
One now, two in
a couple of days.
Five hundred now.
Fifteen hundred
when the job is done.
You know you're still a
slob, Ernie? You're still...
Hey, wait a... Wait a
minute. Take it easy.
All right, you got a deal.
Well, let's see the money.
I, uh...
I didn't think you
called me over here
to talk over old times,
so I brought a little extra.
Ten big ones.
Hey, uh, you know where
the Half Way House is?
We'll set it up there.
I'll call you here after
I talk to my friends.
Hey, give me some whisky.
That's it, Lou.
They're working.
Lock it off and seal it.
Surprise.
Lucia.
Well, that's a big reaction.
I thought my new outfit
would at least get a whistle.
Looks very nice.
Come on, how about
you get rid of your pencils
and let a lady take
you out to lunch?
Well, I've got this,
uh, scheduling to do.
I don't think you
heard me, Mr. Douglas.
I said I'm buying.
It's free.
You are going out on the
town with a wealthy woman.
Oh, come on, Bill.
Don't play so hard to get.
I feel too good.
I feel just like someone
just let me out of prison.
And I wanna celebrate.
Three hundred isn't going
to last you very long like that.
Oh, don't you worry about that.
I'm getting a lot more tomorrow.
Say, $2,000 to be exact.
From Gus?
Maybe I got a long-lost
uncle who wants to be nice.
And, if you're nice too,
I might just let you
help me to spend it.
I don't think you'll
need any help.
Maybe you're right, Billy boy.
Maybe I won't.
Wrong address, driver!
Nice try, wrong address.
Can I join you?
What are you doin' here?
Oh, well, you know, Lou
fixed the lights on the trailer.
There was a short in the wire.
You came down here
just to tell me that?
No, it's lunchtime.
Thought I'd get a sandwich.
You make it to go.
What are you lookin'
at?! What are you look...?
Now...
Hey, Lucia came by
a few minutes ago.
What for this time?
One of her kids break
their arm or something?
She was talking
about, uh, money.
A lot of money. Uh...
Two thousand dollars.
So what?
Well, you already gave her 300.
Yeah. And 200 before
that, and 150 before that,
and 50 before that,
and as far back as you
can count before that!
You know, it's none of
my business, Gus, uh...
But I know that Lucia's husband
worked for you
when he was killed.
Well, I get the feeling that
she's sort of leaning on you,
like a charity case.
Kinda stickin' your nose in
where it don't
belong, ain't you?
You know, you haven't
got enough money to pay
the insurance
premium on the trucks.
If you don't have insurance,
you're out of business.
Well, where's Lucia
gonna get the money then?
What are you talkin' about?
Here's the money. Open there.
Hey, this morning
you were broke.
You find a money tree?
What are you, some
kind of wise guy? No.
Just wanted to know
where it came from, that's all.
You know, you not
only got a big mouth,
you got a big nose
too. You know that?
You know, you were right.
It ain't none of your
business what I do!
Now you take this money and you
go down to Trans Way Insurance
and you pay the premium, $955,
and you make sure you get
a receipt. Because nobody...
Nobody's gonna knock
Gus Hendrick off the road!
Nobody nowhere!
Okay.
Come on, time to get going.
Leave me alone. No, come on.
I said, leave me alone!
Oh.
You okay, hotshot?
Forget it, uh, I mean,
no hard feelings?
I don't know where
you got the money.
I think it's trouble.
I don't need any.
I'll pay the insurance
payment for you,
finish the day, and
then I'm taking off.
He's finished with that.
Oh, Mr. Williams, State
Patrol, Sergeant Fountain.
Yes, sergeant? That's right.
They use a big silver bullet
with red lettering on
the side of their trucks.
Uh, no, Mr. Logan is
leaving in a few minutes.
Right.
Excuse me.
I'd like to see Mr. Halsey
in the accounting
department, please.
Oh, he just stepped
out for coffee.
Care to wait?
Thank you.
There seems to be a lot
of excitement around here.
Like the Normandy
invasion. Thank you.
Uh, the Bullet Trucking
Company. I overheard.
Is there anything wrong?
Mr. Douglas.
I'll be glad to answer
your questions.
Come in.
Sit down.
No, thank you.
Let's, uh... Let's you and me
save ourselves some time, Logan.
What was it you thought
you heard out there?
Nothing.
I was waiting to see a man
in your accounting
department, that's all.
Okay, I'll lay it on the line.
Gus Hendrick is a shoestringer.
He makes his own
rules and breaks the rest.
We've paid out a great
deal of money in claims
because of the way he operates.
Wrecks, damaged cargo.
A man like him makes it
rough for the good outfits.
Call it my "rotten apple
in the barrel" theory.
Try to get rid of
the one that stinks,
so it won't damage the others.
You understand me so far?
I'm not sure.
I called the West Mountain
Express this morning.
That outfit you
said you worked for.
I taped the call just in case
I might need it for reference.
You sure of that, Charlie?
Yeah, Mr. Logan. I
remember Bill Douglas for sure.
Nice guy. Real nice guy.
Okay, I just wanted to check.
Sure.
By the way, Charlie,
you, uh, happen to
remember how Douglas
lost those fingers
on his right hand?
Yeah, it was an accident.
Uh, I don't remember exactly.
I think he was changing a tire.
Feeling better?
Got me mixed up with
somebody else, that's all.
You never worked for
West Mountain Express,
and we both know it.
What'd you do, call
up Charlie Powers
and fix up an alibi
in case I checked?
No, I did not. Well,
somebody did.
Mr. Logan, I needed a job.
Gus needed somebody
with experience. I lied.
That's all there is to it.
A man also lies when he's
trying to cover up something.
You say it was to
get a job. Maybe.
You cooperate and I'll give
you the benefit of the doubt.
Cooperate?
Whatever you heard in
the office a minute ago,
or whatever you
think you made of it,
you'd better forget it.
Because if you don't, I'll
run a police check on you
all the way back to
your great-grandmother.
Okay.
Hello. Have you seen Gus?
No, I called there. He
left about 20 minutes ago.
Yeah, if you see
him, let me know.
Okay.
Looks like that tip we
got was on the level.
Here.
Yes sir?
Fill it up.
Hey, uh, listen,
maybe you'd better change
the oil and give me a lube.
I'm gonna get a bite to eat.
I'm sorry, sir, the
lube rack's closed.
What do you mean closed?
Don't ask me. Boss
says keep the door closed,
I keep it closed.
Chances are, that's the man
who's gonna steal the truck.
Hey, Gus. Douglas
said you were sick.
I'm takin' your haul
to Albuquerque.
No, I'm takin' it.
You okay?
I'm okay. I said I'm takin' it.
Hello?
Who is this?
Look, never mind! Just...
Just tell Gus the whole
deal is off. You got that?
The whole place is
swarmin' with cops!
Hey, what's with Gus?
One minute, he's sick,
the next minute he ain't.
Ask me, he's
gassed. Where is he?
Takin' that load to Albuquerque.
It's a setup!
Gus, get off the road!
- Hotshot, listen...
- Don't talk!
Listen, hotshot.
Everything I got,
I want you to
give to Lucia, see?
The money and the
car keys in my pocket,
it belongs to...
It belongs to her.
Her husband.
You know, Kenny?
He wasn't drivin'
the truck. I... I was.
And I fell asleep at the wheel.
I was pushin' too hard.
Like now, I...
I was six hours over the log.
He warned me.
But I needed the dough.
It was... It was
like killin' him.
You do that for
me, hotshot, huh?
You better stay here
and watch the traffic.
And also call the station. We
probably need an ambulance.
Huh?
No, he's had it.
Well...
Truck looks like it went
off that curve doing 70.
Gus never did
anything in a small way.
Like somebody didn't
wanna stick around
and answer questions.
Uh-huh.
Got a pretty good idea why.
Sergeant, you'd
better put out a trace
for a man named Bill Douglas.
Your mother home? Maybe.
Well, well.
Billy boy.
Changed your mind, huh?
Lucia, Gus is dead.
Huh?
He was killed.
An accident on the
Half Way House.
Well, so it finally
happened, huh?
Just like it did to Kenny.
He, uh, left you
the car and...$43.
That's all?
Just a... A beat-up
old car and...
And a couple of bucks?
That's all?
Well, that's all he had.
Hey, wait a minute!
What about the 2,000
bucks he promised me?!
What am I gonna do?
What about the kids?
Hey, wait a minute. You
can't just walk out of here!
Ow! He hit me!
He hit me! That
man hit me, Mama!
He hit me! He hit me!
Shut up or I'll give
you another one.
Get in the house.
Justice can be delivered
by a final act of violence,
or it can be elusive
and taunting,
as it has become
for Richard Kimble.
For him, justice hides around
the next bend in the road,
beyond the next mountain,
on the bus that
is just pulling out.
Somewhere,
sometime he will find it.
And so he moves on.
West Mountain Express
and we both know it.
What did you do,
call Charlie Powers
and fix up an alibi
in case I checked?
No, I did not. Well,
somebody did.
Mr. Logan, I needed a job.
Gus needed somebody
with experience.
I lied. That's
all there is to it.
A man also lies when he's
trying to cover up something.
You say it was to
get a job. Maybe.
You cooperate and I'll give
you the benefit of the doubt.
Cooperate?
Whatever you heard in
the office a minute ago,
or whatever you
think you made of it,
you'd better forget it.
Because if you don't, I'll
run a police check on you
all the way back to
your great-grandmother.
Okay.
A QM Production.
Starring David Janssen
as Dr. Richard Kimble.
An innocent victim
of blind justice,
falsely convicted for
the murder of his wife,
reprieved by fate when
a train wreck freed him
en route to the death house.
Freed him to hide
in lonely desperation,
to change his identity,
to toil at many jobs.
Freed him to search
for a one-armed man
he saw leave the
scene of the crime.
Freed him to run before
the relentless pursuit
of the police lieutenant
obsessed with his capture.
The guest stars
in tonight's story:
Jack Klugman,
Geraldine Brooks.
The road of escape
has led Richard Kimble
to a new sanctuary.
The work: dispatcher for
Bullet Trucking Company.
No questions asked,
no references required.
A good job for a fugitive.
You're late, Pete.
Ah, transmission's throwing oil.
Had to keep
stopping to check it.
Gus left orders to take that
load to Colorado Springs.
Oh, he's all heart.
How many hours you
got left in your logbook?
Ah, around this
joint, who counts?
I count. How many
hours you got left?
Big zero.
All right. Take off,
take your eight hours.
Yeah? Who's gonna
deliver that load?
It'll have to wait.
You're the dispatcher.
No skin off of my nose.
Gus ain't gonna like it.
Take your tractor into the
shop and see if they can find out
what's wrong with
the transmission.
I want a candy bar! - Me too!
I want a candy bar!
I want a candy bar!
Shh!
Mr. Douglas? Yes.
I'm Lucia Mayfield.
Well, Gus said that I could
come by to borrow his car.
Is he here?
No, he isn't, but he left word.
The car's out front.
I'll get you the keys.
Oh.
Uh, and wasn't
there anything else?
Seventy-five dollars. Uh-huh.
There you are.
He said to keep the
car as long as you like.
Oh, thanks.
Uh, I don't believe
that I've seen you
around here before, Mr. Douglas.
I've only been here
a couple of weeks.
Oh, are you from in town?
No, California. Bakersfield.
Bakersfield? Really?
Well, my husband used to
haul produce out of there.
He was with West
Mountain Express.
Maybe you knew him.
Kenny Mayfield?
Kenny Mayfield.
I've heard the name, uh...
Does he work here now?
Oh, no, he was killed in
an accident two years ago.
Working for Gus.
I'm sorry.
Well, the children and I,
we had long talks about
that, didn't we? Huh?
Didn't we, you bad thing?
And we decided we're just not
gonna be sad anymore, huh?
Hm?
I don't know what we would
have done without Gus, though.
He's really been
like a father to them.
Will you listen to me?
Here you are, the
newcomer in town,
here's me talking
about myself. Heh.
Tell me, have you
found a house yet
for you and your
family, Mr. Douglas?
No, I'm at, uh, Mrs. Watson's.
Uh, no family.
Oh.
It must be awful
lonesome for you.
Mama, Jimmy hit me!
Jimmy, you come back!
I'm sorry.
It just seems like they don't
know how to act anymore
when there's a man around.
Well, I hope I'll see
you again, Mr. Douglas.
Hey. Where's Pete?
Why ain't he humping that
load to Colorado Springs?
I told him to go home. You what?
He had too many
hours in his log.
I want you to hear
this good, hotshot.
That truck costs
me 80 bucks a day.
That's how much I lose when
it ain't goin' down a highway!
Right now, 80 bucks I
can't afford. You got that?
You told me to watch
the logs, didn't you, Gus?
For me, not for the ICC.
You wanna play Santa
Claus, go get yourself a sled!
All right.
Wait a minute.
Since this load ain't
gonna deliver itself,
I think you and me
will change jobs.
I'm gonna sit on my duff and
make all the big shot decisions,
you're gonna jockey this
trailer to Colorado Springs.
You know I haven't been
checked out in semis.
Yeah, well, you will be
by the time we get back.
Go get a tractor and hook it up.
Let me make a living for a
change, will you, hotshot?
Take it easy, hotshot.
You can try to buck me,
but don't try to outwrestle
a truck, will you?
How long's that
car been on our tail?
Last couple of miles.
How fast we going?
Fifty.
Drop back to 40, will you?
Uh-huh, he slowed with us.
I'll bet you a buck
it's the road man
from the Trans Way
Insurance Company.
We haven't broken any laws.
Don't bet on it, hotshot.
You're an unqualified driver.
According to the
insurance company,
you aren't allowed to push
a kiddie car around the yard.
Let's trade places.
Keep rolling.
Hold it steady! Wanna
pile us into a ditch?
Remember, I've been
driving all the time.
What do you say,
Logan? Long time no see.
Like to take a look
at your logbook, Gus.
Figures. My pleasure.
Three hours left.
That's enough time. We're
only going to the Springs.
How about your safety equipment?
Flares, emergency
reflectors in the box.
Extra bulbs in the gin bin.
Fire extinguisher on the cowl.
Would you like
to look in the cab?
We even have clean ashtrays.
What's your name?
Bill Douglas.
You a relief driver?
I work in the office.
He just came along
for the ride, that's all.
Where are you from, Douglas?
California.
You work for a trucking
company out there?
Yeah, the, uh, West
Mountain Express. Bakersfield.
Nice operation.
Good management.
You must know their maintenance
foreman, Charlie Powers.
I've met him.
Charlie used to work for
a bus company in Denver.
Is that all? We got
a load to deliver.
Okay, shove off.
Let's roll, huh?
Gus, that, uh,
job I said I had with
West Mountain Express...
Logan bought your
story, didn't he?
Forget it. I ain't interested.
Douglas. Bill Douglas.
Yeah.
Well, write it down, will
you? So you won't forget it.
No, that's what he told Logan.
I was standing right there.
I don't know why he did it.
Come on, Charlie,
how's it gonna hurt you?
Good. All right, thanks.
So long.
What's the matter, Gus?
The well running dry?
What do you know?
You open up a cash
register and Ernie Svoboda
comes crawling out
of the woodwork, eh?
Ah, you got it all wrong, Gus.
I come by to do an
old buddy a favor.
Yeah, your kind of
favors I need like poison.
Why don't you let the
door hit you in the back?
You know something, you
must have a lot of worries
trying to run an
outfit like this.
I mean, maintenance,
new equipment, salaries...
Take a lot of money, I'll bet.
You worry about me, huh?
Well, sure, I'm
worried about you.
Like for example,
suppose one of your drivers
stops for coffee somewhere
and leaves the key in the ignition.
And then somebody comes
along and borrows the truck
and steals the cargo?
I mean, I'd feel sorry for you.
So would my friends.
They'd probably wanna
make it up to you somehow,
you know what I mean?
You wanna know something?
You're a slob,
Ernie. You know that?
You're a two-bit slob.
Right. So think it over, Gus.
I mean, I hear you're
having a little trouble
paying the bills.
Well, maybe your hearing's bad.
Listen, this kind of a
deal, Gus, nobody loses.
The insurance
company pays the claim,
and we get a
piece of the action.
I know a guy in New Mexico
made two grand in an hour...
Why don't you get out of here
before I break your head open!
All right, I'm goin'.
Don't cut your fingers
scrapin' for dimes.
I'm awfully sorry to
bother you at home.
Oh, that's all right.
I came to return Gus' car.
He wasn't at
the office, and I...
I didn't wanna
just park it there.
I thought maybe I
could leave it with you.
Well, sure, I'll
take care of it.
Thanks very much.
Bill, isn't it?
Yes.
I like first names better.
Well, so do I.
Well, I hope I haven't been
too much of a nuisance.
No. Mrs. Mayfield...
Uh, if I keep the car,
how are you and the
kids going to get home?
Oh, don't you worry.
I already left them off
at their grandmother's
for the night.
I can just catch the
bus across the street.
I don't think Gus would
mind if I drove you home.
He better not.
It was written up
in all the papers.
Pictures, everything.
But nobody really
knows what happened.
Truck turned over,
Gus was thrown clear,
Kenny wasn't.
Police reports said
that Kenny probably
fell asleep at the wheel.
What did Gus say?
Oh, he couldn't remember.
It all happened too fast.
You make it sound like,
uh, somebody else's story.
Is that because it still hurts
to connect it with yourself?
The nights keep getting
longer, if that's what you mean.
But this one's not going to.
How's Gus doing?
The office making
a lot of money?
I'm just the dispatcher.
Keeps the money problems
pretty much to himself.
Oh.
I thought you kind of
ran things at that office.
Like the music?
Oh, yeah, sure.
You don't act like it.
I guess I'm just tired.
Oh, it's right down
there, on the left.
You watch for the porch light.
I... I think there's some
wine in the refrigerator...
Oh, Lucia... Aren't
you gonna come in?
Well, I'd like to, but I think I
ought to get Gus' car back.
I've been alone for two years.
I know, Lucia...
I've been alone.
Ha-ha! We caught you again!
We caught you again!
Caught you again!
Turn off that light!
You filthy sneaks! Get to bed!
I lied to you.
The grandmother
they're supposed to be
spending the night with,
she lives in Arkansas.
I put them in the back room.
I thought they'd go to sleep.
Well, I guess you're right.
You'd better take Gus' car back.
Hey, Gus.
Gus.
What is it? Telephone.
I ain't here.
It's Trans Way Insurance.
All right, I'll take it.
Yeah. Gus Hendrick.
Hello, Mr. Halsey.
Well, I was meaning
to call you about that.
You see, uh, I've got a lot of
new business contracts coming up
and, uh, yeah, well,
they'll be coming
through any time now.
Oh, wait a minute here.
Look, all I'm asking for
is an extension of the
grace period, you know...
You can't do that.
I mean, you cancel me,
I'm out of the business.
I can't haul without
insurance, right?
Next Monday?!
Where am I gonna get...?
Yeah. Yeah. Sure I
heard you. Monday.
I heard you.
It's Logan, that's who it is.
He won't stop
until he finishes me.
If he can't bug me
himself, he gets one of his
office flunkies
to do it for him.
Maybe he's just
doing his job, Gus.
His job? To climb on
my back and stay there?
I know how you feel. It's...
Don't tell me you
know how I feel!
Nobody knows how I feel
unless they've had it like I have!
Up to here! Why don't
you get out of here?
Go ahead!
Okay, Gus.
Bill... Wait a minute.
Ah, I mean, I'm sorry.
I guess I needed somebody
to holler at. Come on.
I'll check the time cards.
Gus, I gotta talk to you!
What's the matter now?
Jimmy fell this morning and
he knocked a tooth loose.
It's one of those
permanent ones.
Look, it's in the front. Show
him, honey, show your Uncle Gus.
Mrs. Wilson! It's okay!
Mr. Hendrick is here.
I'll get a ride home.
Mrs. Wilson was kind enough
to take us to the
dentist this morning.
Yeah. Come in the
office. Here you go.
Hi.
Come on... Well?
Now, Jimmy, you don't
ask your Uncle Gus
for anything this time.
Remember, it
hurts your lip to talk.
It don't look bad.
I mean, everybody gets
hit in the mouth sometime.
Oh. That's just what
I'd expect you to say.
You should have talked
to the orthodontist like I did.
His teeth are in terrible shape!
Why, if he doesn't
have braces right away,
they're gonna be
crooked the rest of his life!
A lot of kids have
crooked teeth.
Oh, well, not my son! No.
Not if I have to scrub floors.
Uh-huh. How much
is it gonna cost me?
Well, an orthodontist
is not just a dentist.
Yeah, I know, I know. How much?
Three hundred dollars to start.
Three hundred dollars to
start? To straighten a tooth?
Oh, what's the use
even talking to you?
You're not even
trying to understand!
He's gonna have to have
braces for at least two years!
And last month, Lucy had to
have dancing lessons, right?
This kid had to get on a plane
and go visit his grandmother.
Now he needs clothes,
and then he needs a bicycle!
I mean, when's it stop?
You told me
that I could always
come to you for help.
Not now, Lucia. Maybe
in a month, but not now.
We don't wanna
be a burden to you...
Oh, come on, don't
start that up again.
Well, you must know that
things haven't been so easy for us.
When Kenny was alive,
he could always find a way
if there was a little something
extra that we needed.
He never came to you for
anything. You know that.
He worked hard for you.
Even that last haul.
Maybe that accident
never would have happened
if he hadn't been so tired.
That's what I think.
That's what I think at night.
I think what would have happened
if he hadn't been
along with you.
Lucia, I've been
thinkin' about something.
I mean, I been givin'
it a lot of thought.
You know how you're
always talking about
wanting to move back East,
like, Chicago, you know?
Yeah. I thought about it. Why?
Well, suppose I could fix it
up that you can move back.
Into a nice apartment, have
nice clothes, things like that.
Well, that would
take a lot of money.
Well, maybe I could
get my hands on, uh,
2,000 bucks?
That is a lot of money.
How long do you think it
would take you to get it?
A couple of days.
What about Jimmy's teeth?
Oh, come on...
All right, I'll throw in the 300
as a going away present, okay?
Oh, you. Gus.
You, Gus, you.
I think a change might
be just what I need.
Good.
Hotshot, how much money
we got in the cash register?
Three hundred and fifty dollars.
Give me 300 of it, will you?
We got drivers
that have to be paid.
I said give it to me!
You see? Huh?
Mama fixed up
everything all right. Huh?
Kind of a light
lunch, ain't it, Gus?
Come by to tell jokes?
I come by because you called me.
Maybe I'm interested
in a deal, huh?
What kind of deal?
I got a load of electronic parts
goin' to Albuquerque
this afternoon.
They're insured for 25,000.
That's what I call a fat load.
But you know that...
That electronics stuff.
You gotta have a buyer
for that kind of merchandise.
I have to talk it
over with my friends.
Wait a minute.
I want 3,000.
One now, two in
a couple of days.
Five hundred now.
Fifteen hundred
when the job is done.
You know you're still a
slob, Ernie? You're still...
Hey, wait a... Wait a
minute. Take it easy.
All right, you got a deal.
Well, let's see the money.
I, uh...
I didn't think you
called me over here
to talk over old times,
so I brought a little extra.
Ten big ones.
Hey, uh, you know where
the Half Way House is?
We'll set it up there.
I'll call you here after
I talk to my friends.
Hey, give me some whisky.
That's it, Lou.
They're working.
Lock it off and seal it.
Surprise.
Lucia.
Well, that's a big reaction.
I thought my new outfit
would at least get a whistle.
Looks very nice.
Come on, how about
you get rid of your pencils
and let a lady take
you out to lunch?
Well, I've got this,
uh, scheduling to do.
I don't think you
heard me, Mr. Douglas.
I said I'm buying.
It's free.
You are going out on the
town with a wealthy woman.
Oh, come on, Bill.
Don't play so hard to get.
I feel too good.
I feel just like someone
just let me out of prison.
And I wanna celebrate.
Three hundred isn't going
to last you very long like that.
Oh, don't you worry about that.
I'm getting a lot more tomorrow.
Say, $2,000 to be exact.
From Gus?
Maybe I got a long-lost
uncle who wants to be nice.
And, if you're nice too,
I might just let you
help me to spend it.
I don't think you'll
need any help.
Maybe you're right, Billy boy.
Maybe I won't.
Wrong address, driver!
Nice try, wrong address.
Can I join you?
What are you doin' here?
Oh, well, you know, Lou
fixed the lights on the trailer.
There was a short in the wire.
You came down here
just to tell me that?
No, it's lunchtime.
Thought I'd get a sandwich.
You make it to go.
What are you lookin'
at?! What are you look...?
Now...
Hey, Lucia came by
a few minutes ago.
What for this time?
One of her kids break
their arm or something?
She was talking
about, uh, money.
A lot of money. Uh...
Two thousand dollars.
So what?
Well, you already gave her 300.
Yeah. And 200 before
that, and 150 before that,
and 50 before that,
and as far back as you
can count before that!
You know, it's none of
my business, Gus, uh...
But I know that Lucia's husband
worked for you
when he was killed.
Well, I get the feeling that
she's sort of leaning on you,
like a charity case.
Kinda stickin' your nose in
where it don't
belong, ain't you?
You know, you haven't
got enough money to pay
the insurance
premium on the trucks.
If you don't have insurance,
you're out of business.
Well, where's Lucia
gonna get the money then?
What are you talkin' about?
Here's the money. Open there.
Hey, this morning
you were broke.
You find a money tree?
What are you, some
kind of wise guy? No.
Just wanted to know
where it came from, that's all.
You know, you not
only got a big mouth,
you got a big nose
too. You know that?
You know, you were right.
It ain't none of your
business what I do!
Now you take this money and you
go down to Trans Way Insurance
and you pay the premium, $955,
and you make sure you get
a receipt. Because nobody...
Nobody's gonna knock
Gus Hendrick off the road!
Nobody nowhere!
Okay.
Come on, time to get going.
Leave me alone. No, come on.
I said, leave me alone!
Oh.
You okay, hotshot?
Forget it, uh, I mean,
no hard feelings?
I don't know where
you got the money.
I think it's trouble.
I don't need any.
I'll pay the insurance
payment for you,
finish the day, and
then I'm taking off.
He's finished with that.
Oh, Mr. Williams, State
Patrol, Sergeant Fountain.
Yes, sergeant? That's right.
They use a big silver bullet
with red lettering on
the side of their trucks.
Uh, no, Mr. Logan is
leaving in a few minutes.
Right.
Excuse me.
I'd like to see Mr. Halsey
in the accounting
department, please.
Oh, he just stepped
out for coffee.
Care to wait?
Thank you.
There seems to be a lot
of excitement around here.
Like the Normandy
invasion. Thank you.
Uh, the Bullet Trucking
Company. I overheard.
Is there anything wrong?
Mr. Douglas.
I'll be glad to answer
your questions.
Come in.
Sit down.
No, thank you.
Let's, uh... Let's you and me
save ourselves some time, Logan.
What was it you thought
you heard out there?
Nothing.
I was waiting to see a man
in your accounting
department, that's all.
Okay, I'll lay it on the line.
Gus Hendrick is a shoestringer.
He makes his own
rules and breaks the rest.
We've paid out a great
deal of money in claims
because of the way he operates.
Wrecks, damaged cargo.
A man like him makes it
rough for the good outfits.
Call it my "rotten apple
in the barrel" theory.
Try to get rid of
the one that stinks,
so it won't damage the others.
You understand me so far?
I'm not sure.
I called the West Mountain
Express this morning.
That outfit you
said you worked for.
I taped the call just in case
I might need it for reference.
You sure of that, Charlie?
Yeah, Mr. Logan. I
remember Bill Douglas for sure.
Nice guy. Real nice guy.
Okay, I just wanted to check.
Sure.
By the way, Charlie,
you, uh, happen to
remember how Douglas
lost those fingers
on his right hand?
Yeah, it was an accident.
Uh, I don't remember exactly.
I think he was changing a tire.
Feeling better?
Got me mixed up with
somebody else, that's all.
You never worked for
West Mountain Express,
and we both know it.
What'd you do, call
up Charlie Powers
and fix up an alibi
in case I checked?
No, I did not. Well,
somebody did.
Mr. Logan, I needed a job.
Gus needed somebody
with experience. I lied.
That's all there is to it.
A man also lies when he's
trying to cover up something.
You say it was to
get a job. Maybe.
You cooperate and I'll give
you the benefit of the doubt.
Cooperate?
Whatever you heard in
the office a minute ago,
or whatever you
think you made of it,
you'd better forget it.
Because if you don't, I'll
run a police check on you
all the way back to
your great-grandmother.
Okay.
Hello. Have you seen Gus?
No, I called there. He
left about 20 minutes ago.
Yeah, if you see
him, let me know.
Okay.
Looks like that tip we
got was on the level.
Here.
Yes sir?
Fill it up.
Hey, uh, listen,
maybe you'd better change
the oil and give me a lube.
I'm gonna get a bite to eat.
I'm sorry, sir, the
lube rack's closed.
What do you mean closed?
Don't ask me. Boss
says keep the door closed,
I keep it closed.
Chances are, that's the man
who's gonna steal the truck.
Hey, Gus. Douglas
said you were sick.
I'm takin' your haul
to Albuquerque.
No, I'm takin' it.
You okay?
I'm okay. I said I'm takin' it.
Hello?
Who is this?
Look, never mind! Just...
Just tell Gus the whole
deal is off. You got that?
The whole place is
swarmin' with cops!
Hey, what's with Gus?
One minute, he's sick,
the next minute he ain't.
Ask me, he's
gassed. Where is he?
Takin' that load to Albuquerque.
It's a setup!
Gus, get off the road!
- Hotshot, listen...
- Don't talk!
Listen, hotshot.
Everything I got,
I want you to
give to Lucia, see?
The money and the
car keys in my pocket,
it belongs to...
It belongs to her.
Her husband.
You know, Kenny?
He wasn't drivin'
the truck. I... I was.
And I fell asleep at the wheel.
I was pushin' too hard.
Like now, I...
I was six hours over the log.
He warned me.
But I needed the dough.
It was... It was
like killin' him.
You do that for
me, hotshot, huh?
You better stay here
and watch the traffic.
And also call the station. We
probably need an ambulance.
Huh?
No, he's had it.
Well...
Truck looks like it went
off that curve doing 70.
Gus never did
anything in a small way.
Like somebody didn't
wanna stick around
and answer questions.
Uh-huh.
Got a pretty good idea why.
Sergeant, you'd
better put out a trace
for a man named Bill Douglas.
Your mother home? Maybe.
Well, well.
Billy boy.
Changed your mind, huh?
Lucia, Gus is dead.
Huh?
He was killed.
An accident on the
Half Way House.
Well, so it finally
happened, huh?
Just like it did to Kenny.
He, uh, left you
the car and...$43.
That's all?
Just a... A beat-up
old car and...
And a couple of bucks?
That's all?
Well, that's all he had.
Hey, wait a minute!
What about the 2,000
bucks he promised me?!
What am I gonna do?
What about the kids?
Hey, wait a minute. You
can't just walk out of here!
Ow! He hit me!
He hit me! That
man hit me, Mama!
He hit me! He hit me!
Shut up or I'll give
you another one.
Get in the house.
Justice can be delivered
by a final act of violence,
or it can be elusive
and taunting,
as it has become
for Richard Kimble.
For him, justice hides around
the next bend in the road,
beyond the next mountain,
on the bus that
is just pulling out.
Somewhere,
sometime he will find it.
And so he moves on.