The Fugitive (1963–1967): Season 3, Episode 17 - Wife Killer - full transcript

Johnson, can you hear me?

I'm doing everything
I can to save you.

And I'm gonna keep on trying,

but you have to
tell me the truth,

and you have to tell me now.

Did you kill her?

Did you kill my wife?

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:

Janice Rule, Kevin McCarthy.

Also starring Barry Morse
as Lieutenant Philip Gerard.

Barbara.

Why didn't you
write me or phone?

I'd have, uh... You'd have what?

Baked a fatted calf?



Marched on the brass bands?

Well, something like that. Mm.

How are you, Barbara?

How do I look?

Restless. No, just busy.

Romping my way
through middle age

with flashgun and lipstick.

They painted the police station.

Looks yummy.

There's no new angle

if that's what you're
looking for, Barbara.

The congressman's wife
was surprised by a prowler,

and he panicked and killed
her, and that's all there is to it.

The other two wire
services have put that out

two or three times already.

Well, I'll write it again if
I have to, but differently.

Through the eyes
of the hometown gal.

Still competing, huh?

And winning.

Don't worry, I'll give it
to you if I dig anything up

after I put it on
the wire service.

All right. Thank you.

Old Chief Blaney's
as imaginative as ever

picking up transients.

Five dollars to $3 he
gets his man that way.

No bet. You're too lucky.

Where the devil is he
keeping all of them?

Never been more than
eight people in that jail

even on New Year's Eve.

He's fenced in the
parking lot out back.

A regular concentration
camp. Charming.

Let's take a look.

Excuse us, please.

Excuse me.

We got a, uh, more interesting
type of, uh, transient here

than you do in the big
city, wouldn't you say?

No new angles, huh?

Whistle, Herb. Make
that man look up, will you?

Who?

That guy with the
one arm missing.

What for?

You told me once a reporter had
to have a memory like a sponge.

Remember the
Richard Kimble case?

How he kept talking about...
Oh, come on, Barbara.

Why do you wanna get
some poor bum into trouble

you never saw
before in your life?

Hey, mister, look up, will you?

A fugitive is usually
a man without a goal,

aimlessly fleeing the
furies that pursue him,

but for Richard
Kimble, there is a goal:

a phantom who has
himself become a fugitive.

And Richard Kimble, in
turn, now becomes the hunter,

but another hunter
is also on the move.

Here he comes.

Herb, Barbara, gentlemen.

Well, we found him.

His name is, uh, Walter Barker.

He's confessed to killing
Congressman Gilman's wife.

A transient? Yes.

He's got quite a record.

The M.O. fits and
so do the fingerprints.

Oh, I'm, uh... I'm having copies
of the confession made for you.

Uh, well, I guess that's it.

Chief, hold it for a second.

Oh, thank you.

You've all been very cooperative

and I appreciate it.

Oh, I'm sorry it didn't turn
out to be more exciting.

Hey, chief, how many arms
does Walter Barker have?

Oh, at least two.

Too bad, Barbara.

Looks like you missed
your, uh... What's that word?

"Stoop," isn't it?

No, no, that can't
be right. Uh, "snoop"?

I think the word is "scoop."

and you say it when you run
in and yell "stop the presses."

That's if you can run
in high-button shoes.

Don't sweat it, Barbara.

Your story didn't get
anybody killed this time.

There's only one thing wrong
with the newspaper business,

that's the people in it.

Come on, I'll buy
you a cup of coffee.

Clowns. No, no, no.

They're not clowns,
they're newspaper men.

And good ones.

Do you want that coffee?

All right.

Who's he?

Okay, Charlie.

All right, you men.

You'll be released in the
same order you were booked.

I'll take you three at a time.

Feeney.

Thomas.

Masmussen.

I didn't call your name yet.

Outside. But...

You heard me, outside in
the compound with the others.

I'll call your name
later. Now, get outside.

Let's go, move, move.

Okay, smiley, keep moving.

Hey!

Hey. Hey, somebody stop him.

That's Kimble.

Come on, doctor, I
think we can catch him.

Barbara!

Don't worry, Dr. Kimble,
we'll catch him.

You don't have a gun, do you?

No.

We're not going that fast.

It's enough for this road
if we want to stay on it.

Is he the right one? The
man you saw, I mean.

Yes.

Are you sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

Is there...

a way you can get your car

down to the
bottom of this gully?

Sure. What for?

You mean, he's still alive?

He's alive.

He must have been thrown clear.

No broken bones,
as far as I can tell.

I don't know how
bad it is inside.

What are you gonna do?

I've gotta keep
him alive somehow.

Listen, there's a girls'
camp not far from here.

A summer camp, probably
closed for the winter.

Why don't we take him there?
You can treat him yourself.

What's it like?

Fancy enough to have
first aid equipment.

Okay.

I think we better make a deal.

What kind of a deal?

Well, I want an
exclusive on you, on him,

on everything that's happened
and that's going to happen.

All right.

One more thing: You
have to promise to testify

that you forced me to
help you, if it comes to that.

All right.

It'll take me about ten minutes.

You say you heard this
man shout, "Stop him!"

Yes, sir.

But you didn't get
a good look at him?

No, sir. He was
way around the back.

No word from the roadblock.

We might have been
too late in setting it up.

We'll do everything
we can to help you,

but, actually, it... It could
have been almost anyone.

Some enemy of
the man who ran off.

Another transient, maybe.

I realize that.

And thanks for
your offer of help.

The first thing I'd like is
a radio car and a driver.

I'll see to that myself. Oh,
uh, Warren, come with me.

Uh, three people
were on the street

who say they saw this
man get into a brown hardtop

driven by a woman.

Do you know who that
might have been, Mr. Malone?

Uh...

I'm asking you a
question, Mr. Malone.

The woman who drove the
hardtop. Do you know who she was?

There are quite a few hardtops
around town, lieutenant.

Brown ones too.

Yes.

One more thing.

I'd like to talk to this
reporter who wrote the story

that brought me here.

Um, Barbara Webb.

I'm pretty sure she's
left town by now.

Where's her home?

Dayton.

I have her number in
my office if you need it.

Thank you.

Oh, uh, did she drive
here, Mr. Malone?

I believe she did.

What type of car?

Brown hardtop.

I found this by
the swimming pool.

A resuscitator, isn't it? Yes.

What do you think?

Well, he hasn't lost much blood.

Concussion, probably.

Shock.

I don't know how deep.

Respiration fair, pulse fair.

At least he's alive, hm?

You're a reporter all
the way, aren't you?

If I weren't, you
wouldn't be here.

You wouldn't have found him.

What are you gonna
do if he doesn't make it?

You're not living up to your
end of the bargain, doctor.

If I'm gonna write a story,

I've gotta have a few
answers to questions.

All right, I'll give them
to you, but not right now.

Hm.

A man of many identities,
not one of them the same.

Oh, wait. Here are two of them.

Looks like a receipt
for a blood donation.

He sold a pint of blood for $6.

Fred Johnson.

Well, at least
you've got a name.

I'm gonna need another
one of these, Miss Webb.

Oh, no, I'm not leaving here.

This is where my story is.

I've gotta keep this man alive.

How do I know you can?

How do I know that
while I'm away he won't die

and there'll be nothing
to keep you here?

You're my story, not him.

Anyway, from my point of view,
it doesn't make any difference

whether he lives or dies.

Yes, it does, because
he's going to live.

I'm going to see to it.

Even if I have to use
force to take your car keys

or whatever else I have to do.

You're threatening me, doctor.

I have a lot more to lose
than just a story by trusting you.

This man killed my wife.

You might be a witness
to his confession.

That way, it makes a
better story if he stays alive,

even from your point of view.

Okay.

Need anything else
besides the oxygen tent?

I need a... I need an IV kit.
Do you know what that is?

Mm-hm. You'll
need a prescription.

Don't worry about a thing.

I still have a few
friends in this town.

Anything else?

I need a quart of, uh,
ordinary saline solution

with five percent glucose.

And some food.
Soup, I guess. Any kind.

I think you're right about
it being a better story.

If I don't change my
mind, I'll be back alone.

Car 7, over.

Car 7. Go ahead.

Any sign of her? Over.

No, no sign of her, but
I'll be here. Don't worry.

Car 7 out.

Out.

Well, she hasn't
checked out either.

So we'll just have to wait.

I guess you've seen that
message from her Dayton office.

They haven't heard from
her, and her landlady hasn't.

She's still gotta be
around here somewhere.

Did you know this Barbara
Webb when she lived here?

Only to say hello to.

She worked on the paper.

She was Malone's secretary

and then his top
reporter, wasn't she?

Yes, then she went to Dayton
and the bigtime wire service.

Do you know if there
was ever anything more

than a business
relationship between them?

Well, I... I hear
there was at the time.

I... I think they were
gonna be married.

Yeah?

Well, what happened?

He fired her about
three years ago

and then she left for
Dayton a week later.

I hear he's been back there
to visit her a time or two,

but this is the first time
she's been back here.

He fired her? Yes.

You remember that Wilcoxen
case about three years ago

where the, uh...? The
banker was kidnapped?

Oh, yeah, the man
was killed, wasn't he?

Well, the Webb girl
was covering the story.

She got hold of some information
which she shouldn't have,

and she printed it,
which she shouldn't have.

They blamed her for
the victim being killed.

Oh, I don't know whether
it was her fault or not,

but Malone was pretty sore.

He fired her the very next day.

It doesn't seem to have
changed his feelings towards her.

Car 7 calling
headquarters. Over.

What is it, Warren? Over.

She just went in
to the hotel. Over.

Lieutenant's on his way. Out.

Okay. Over and out.

You're sure this
is Malone's office?

Yes, sir, the back
door, but I don't get it.

Hospital, groceries, gas...
Now an old boyfriend.

We'll wait five minutes.

If she doesn't come
out by then, we'll go in.

Herb, I need your car keys.

Barbara, where the
devil have you been?

I'm on the biggest
story of my life,

but somebody's following
me. A police car, I think.

They're parked
outside. I need your car.

Switching cars isn't gonna
help if they know you're in here.

Barbara, listen.

You're in the biggest
trouble in your life

if you're up to what
I think you're up to.

No matter what happens,
I can't get into any trouble.

Herb, please, it's the
biggest story of my life.

Thank you.

Now, listen, get... Get in my car
and make sure they follow you.

Where? Anywhere.

Just keep them busy
till I can get away.

You mean I play decoy?

Herb, trust me.

Give me one more chance.

One more favor, please.

All right. Which
way are you going?

North.

Barbara.

Barbara, listen.

If there's any trouble,

I'll contact you
on your CB radio.

You promise? I promise.

All right.

How many pictures do you
need? Hard to tell, doctor.

I wanna make sure the
supply's as great as the demand.

Something wrong?

Well, he's been unconscious
for some time now.

I'm not sure I should
continue treating him.

Is he going to die?

He might.

Johnson, can you hear me?

We're doing all
we can to save you

and I'm gonna keep on trying,

but you have to
tell me the truth,

and you have to tell me now.

Did you kill her?

Did you kill my wife?

How do you feel at this moment?

I just feel tired and exhausted.

How long have you been awake?

Uh... Uh, since I
read your article

and saw the
pictures on Thursday.

This is Saturday.

Listen, why don't
you go to sleep?

I can watch him.

Listen, you're not
gonna do him any good,

the shape that you're in.

Now, come on, get some sleep.

Here you go.

All right, but just
for half an hour.

If he wakes up,
you'll... You'll call me.

Okay.

Why don't I...?

Why don't I type up a
confession so he can sign it?

Good idea?

Good idea.

Malone. Up late,
aren't you, lieutenant?

I wanna talk to you.

Well, is this an arrest?

No, but it could be arranged.

No need for that.

Come on in.

Come on in.

Sit down.

I wanna know who that man was
with Barbara Webb this afternoon

and where she's gone with him.

I don't know.

I hope you enjoyed your
drive this evening, Mr. Malone,

because it's gonna cost you.

You'd have a tough time
proving I broke any laws

and you know it.

Now, I've been a newspaperman

almost as long as you've
been a cop, lieutenant,

and I am not easily intimidated.

There's something
else we both know:

If that man with her
is Richard Kimble,

Miss Webb will go to
prison for a long time.

I was just out taking
a little drive in her car.

You fired her for
just this sort of thing,

but you're still in love
with her, aren't you?

None of your business.

You know, I dug out the files

of the Kimble
case this afternoon,

and the state disproved
Kimble's story of, uh,

seeing a one-armed man.

At least, that's
what convicted him.

Do you share that view?

The jury chose to believe
that Kimble invented a man

with one arm.

Well, then, why are you
looking for Kimble around here,

if that man is an invention?

Because he's come to
believe there is such a man.

Any psychiatrist will tell you

such a delusion is
by no means unusual.

In fact, I've discussed Kimble's
obsession with several of them.

It's the only way he can
live with his own conscience.

You're pretty sure
of that, aren't you?

Yes, I am.

I can't help you, lieutenant.

But you would if you could.

Please...

Please...

Will you sign a confession?

Here.

Doctor.

He's dead.

He's lying on the floor, dead.

I heard him fall,

but by the time I got
to him, he was dying.

But I got him to sign this.

A deathbed confession is
admissible evidence anywhere

and I'll witness it.

Here.

Oh, no, I don't want to
give him anything to eat

until he's fully conscious.

It's for you, doctor.
Barley soup.

Thank you.

How's he doing?

No change.

He's not any
worse either, is he?

I don't know.

He could have internal injuries,

damage to the heart,

an infection somewhere.

Does it really matter?

I have no way of
taking his blood pressure

or getting a blood count.

He's sleeping part of the time,

probably he's
conscious or he's faking.

The oxygen is running
out and so is the IV.

He has to go to a hospital.

I don't really understand.

Does it matter whether
he lives or dies?

What?

I mean, he's a
confessed murderer.

He'll probably be tried,
convicted and executed.

And besides all that,
he murdered your wife.

Yes, I know.

Oh, I see. It's the doctor bit.

Arrowsmith,
Hippocrates and all that.

After all the running and
the fear and the misery.

One of us is going to
have to get in that car

and find a phone.

Don't you understand?
He'll deny everything.

Probably.

But I do have a witness.

Yes.

There's a citizen's
band radio in Herb's car.

I can probably
reach him right now.

Tell the ambulance
crew to bring some,

uh, type B negative whole blood.

You know, the police
will probably come along

and your Lieutenant Gerard.

I hope so.

Seems to be holding his own.

Probably a lot better
off than I realize.

Can you tell me what
your personal feelings

about the man are?

I think you better ask
me that some other time.

I will. You're my
exclusive, you know.

My pleasure.

Think you'll ever
get married again?

I don't know.

Maybe.

You throw away
more than you keep.

Practice makes perfect.

Practice makes a lot of paper.

I really thought he was dead.

He was going to sign it.

I'll swear that he did sign it.

But he didn't.

That's the first
thing he'll tell them.

And any handwriting analyst
in the world would back him up.

It's gonna make it a lot
harder without that confession,

but I gotta find a
way to make him do it.

You're not going to
turn yourself in, are you?

He's got to tell them
what he told me.

But what if he doesn't?

He will.

But you said they'd
spot the forgery.

The confession is a forgery.

I mean, is there
any other evidence?

No.

What happens if
you turn yourself in

and they can't make him confess?

That's a switch.
Don't tell me you care.

I just don't wanna see you dead.

The story came first.

I only honestly wanted to help.

Doctor, you've
gotta get out of here.

There's nothing
more you can do here.

Johnson's certainly not gonna
get up and run away now.

Doctor, go.

Tell Gerard I swear
this is the man.

Tell him he must
get a confession.

Tell him everything
that happened here.

I'll try to get in touch
with him myself.

I will.

Fred Johnson.

What?

That's his name.

Warren, check those cabins.

You two come with me.

Better give me that.

Where's Richard
Kimble? He's innocent.

That's the man who
killed Kimble's wife.

He confessed to it.

Barbara, listen,
please. Don't...

I want Kimble. Where is he?

I don't know.

He... He left when
I was calling you.

He was here and
you brought him here.

Of course I brought him
here, but if you'll just...

You'll have plenty of
opportunity to explain.

You're under arrest.

Not a sign of him, sir.

All right. Take Malone's car.

Dr. Kimble asked him,
"Did you kill my wife?"

and he nodded, "yes." I saw him.

Of course he nodded.

He was afraid Kimble
would stop helping him.

But your problem is still this:

Either you tell me
where to find Kimble,

or you go to jail.

Lieutenant, no matter
how she feels now,

she certainly wouldn't
have helped Kimble

originally unless
he'd forced her.

I could say that to a jury,

and they would
probably believe me,

but it is not true.

And I do not want this
story colored by one untruth.

Kimble recognized that man from
my feature story and came here.

I helped him chase him.

I watched him save his life,

and I witnessed a confession.

You've got to make
that man confess.

He's guilty. I know he is.

He's guilty of car theft.

That's all we know up to now.

We sent an officer
to the hospital

to keep him under surveillance.

But you will talk to him again
about Kimble, won't you?

Oh, yes, and about you.

And if he confirms
that Kimble was there,

you've bought
yourself a lot of trouble.

Lieutenant, your home
office wants you on the phone.

I'll take that camera,
please, Mr. Malone.

Ah.

Well, I'll probably do
my best writing in a cell.

Oscar Wilde did, you know.

Oh, maybe the one-armed
man... What's his name? Johnson.

Will keep quiet about it.

Be better off if he does.

I've got over 30
pictures of Kimble

and Gerard's got the camera.

Well, what good is
an empty camera?

Another favor, huh?

I'll collect someday.

You know, I think
maybe you will.

One forty-five over
70 with a pulse, 80.

You're in pretty good shape
for an ambulance case.

I should be in such good health.

Well, I'll line up a ward bed
for you and get you some chow.

You hungry? Yeah.

Good. You have to be to
eat the food around here.

Cassidy.

Yeah.

Sure, send him up.

You're gonna have,
uh, company for a while.

A cop.

I'd like to make a
person-to-person call

to Lieutenant Philip Gerard

at the Baker City
Police Department.

Yes, it's G-E-R-A-R-D.
That's right.

I'll wait.

And Richard Kimble waits,

not yet aware that
his hope for salvation

has again disappeared.

Waits to be reminded by
Lieutenant Philip Gerard

that he is still as much
a fugitive as before.