All language subtitles for Dragnet S02E17 The Big Search.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city, Los
Angeles, California.

The engineers are already
laying out the freeways

they'll be driving on
20 years from now,

and it looks like
we're gonna need 'em.

There's just about
everything here

a youngster could want:
parks, and playgrounds,

sunshine, plenty of space,

and the whole Pacific Ocean.

We have good schools,
when they're old enough,

and fine medical
facilities, if they need them.

But here, as anywhere else,
children can get into trouble,

because they don't
know any better,

or trouble can come to them,

because they're
weak and innocent

and an attractive target.

When that happens,
then it's my job.

I carry a badge.

It was Monday, May 8th.

It was warm in Los Angeles.

We were working the day
watch out of Juvenile Division.

The boss is Captain Jack Morris.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

We were on our
way back to the office,

when a call came
in over the air.

Two young girls, ages 3 and 5,

had been reported
missing from their home

at 209 Bethel Street
in North Hollywood.

We had to try and find them.

The story you are
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

We've already made
both missing reports

and broadcast a full
description to all units.

- Yeah.
- The mother's alone in there.

Name's Mrs. Stanley.

The girls are
Diane and Virginia.

Mother missed them
about an hour ago.

She left them playing
out here on the front lawn.

You want to give
us a description?

Diane's 5.

Ginny's 3 years and 4 months.

Ginny's what her
mother calls her.

Both blonde, blue
eyes, fair complexion.

Both were wearing
cotton play dresses.

Diane's was blue
and Ginny's pink.

- You search the house?
- Top to bottom.

We're starting to
check the other places.

What about that house
for sale across the street.

- Is it empty?
- And locked.

The real estate agent is
on his way over to let us in.

When did Mrs. Stanley
last see the children?

Quarter of 4, maybe 20 of 4.

When did she notice
they were gone?

4:00 exactly.

She went outside to call
'em in to look at a TV show.

She start looking
for 'em right away?

She called them, and then
looked up and down the street,

then got in her car and drove
all around the neighborhood.

No sign of 'em.

How far could two little
girls get in 20 minutes?

Well, you'd be surprised, Joe.

The lawn needs mowing,

my kids can disappear
in a split second.

Funny woman, Mrs. Stanley.

- How's that?
- To listen to her, you'd think

there was a regular iron
curtain around this block.

What do you mean?

He swears her kids
wouldn't cross the street

unless she was right with them.

Yeah, well, there's
another possibility.

The mother says they were taught

never to talk to strangers.

Well, they were playing
pretty close to the curb here.

Maybe there wasn't any talk.

The father been notified?

He might give us
another slant on the girls.

- No, they're divorced.
- Yeah?

Mrs. Stanley says if we
don't find them on this block,

then he's taken 'em.

- Where's he live?
- She doesn't know.

When we left her, she
was trying to get her lawyer

on the telephone to get
her ex-husband's address.

Right.

- Are you police officers, too?
- Yes, ma'am.

Well, would you tell
Marian, uh, Mrs. Stanley,

I'll come sit with her
when you're finished.

She shouldn't be alone.

Tell her Grace
Bonney said, will ya?

Yes, ma'am.

- Yes?
- Mrs. Stanley?

- Yes.
- We're police officers.

- Have you found them?
- No, ma'am, not yet.

May we come in?

There are two policemen
looking for my girls right now.

Yes, ma'am, we talked to them.

I already told them
what happened.

Have your girls ever
disappeared before, Mrs. Stanley?

No, they haven't.

My kids are older now,

but they gave us
some bad moments.

Kids lose track of
time, wander off,

forget where they are.

No, if they're not
somewhere in this block,

then they're with my ex-husband.

It has to be that.

They wouldn't talk to
a stranger, take candy.

Do you have
Mr. Stanley's address?

No. I can't reach my lawyer.

Got a number from his secretary,

but Bert isn't there anymore.

He's moved, and they
don't know where he is.

Do the children have a dog?

No, why?

Well, sometimes you
find one, you find the other.

There's no dog.

Does Mr. Stanley come
to see the children often?

No.

- By choice?
- By choice?

Well, because
he doesn't want to,

or doesn't he have
visitation rights?

He's not allowed to see them.

The judge made that very clear.

I have a restraining order.

I can have him
arrested if he tries.

When was your divorce final?

A year and almost three months.

Well, now, in that time,

did he ever try to
see the children?

He used to call
asking if he could.

How recently?

He stopped finally.

When was that?

A year, I don't
remember exactly.

I'm sure it's almost a
year since he called.

Does he pay child support?

Yes.

- Alimony?
- Yes.

- On time?
- Now he does.

- How do you mean?
- He didn't at first.

I had to go back to court,

and then the payments
began coming regularly.

I guess he must've found
a job he could hang onto.

I don't know how. He
didn't when we were married.

Why was that?

He's a drunk, a terrible drunk.

What bank are your
alimony checks drawn on?

United American.

- What branch?
- I don't remember.

Well, the bank name's enough.

May I use your
phone, Mrs. Stanley?

Yes. Oh, it's in the kitchen.

Uh, this way?

Yes. I'll go with you.

Oh, that's all right. Thank you.

Now, try to take it
easy, Mrs. Stanley.

We'll get his address.

Did the little girls ever
express any desire

to see their father?

No, they understand.

- They do?
- Yes.

Well, if he were to
drive by the house

and stop and talk to them,
would they leave with him?

They'd be polite,
but that's all.

Well, would they go with
him, if he asked them to?

I don't know what you mean.

I've told them how I
feel about their father.

They understand.

Have they ever told you
how they feel about him?

They're too young to know.

If he took them, he
may have broken the law,

but they're not in any danger.

If he's drunk?

And he'd have to be
to dare to take them.

He's not allowed.

There's a court
order against it.

You could arrest him.

- Yes, ma'am.
- For kidnapping!

No, not quite.

Technically, it would
be child stealing.

If he's got them,
what's the difference?

- A big one.
- Yes?

He's their father.

It was 5:29 p.m.

The real estate agent took us

through that house
for sale: nothing.

Call North Hollywood.
Get as many additional units

out here as they
can spare, will ya?

We're on our way to
check out the husband.

- Right, Sergeant.
- We're near the railroad
yards, aren't we?

Four blocks south of here.

Mrs. Stanley swears her
kids won't cross the street.

Well, there's always
a first time, Reed.

Be a million places to
hide in the railroad yards.

We've got the time.
Let's check 'em.

Stanley lives at 1008
York Street, apartment 14.

That's about ten
minutes from here.

- Where's he work?
- Salesman

for the United Plywood Company,
13th and Main, downtown L.A.

- Yeah.
- He didn't show for work today.

- Oh?
- Called the office

this morning, said he was sick.

5:40 p.m. Because
of the late hour

and the ages of
the missing girls,

the North Hollywood
Division watch commander

said he would
contact both Van Nuys

and Foothill Divisions
for assistance.

The Juvenile watch commander
said he would dispatch

at least one more
unit immediately.

We found the apartment
house where Bert Stanley lived,

5:50 p.m.

Yeah? Who is it?

Police officers. We'd
like to talk to you.

Uh, just a minute.

- Bert Stanley?
- That's right.

Police officers. My
name's Gannon.

This is Sergeant Friday.

What's the trouble?
All right if we come in?

It's sort of a mess, but...

Do you mind if we look around?

It's all right with me.
I've got nothing to hide.

Have you seen your
two children today?

Today?

I haven't seen Diane
and Virginia in over a year.

Well, no, one day
about six months ago,

I drove by the house and
saw them out in the yard.

Did they see you?

No, they were
playing with a little dog.

It's real nice of Marian,

finally letting them have a dog.

See them? What do you mean?

What's this all about?
Something happen to the girls?

Your ex-wife has
reported them missing.

Missing? For how long?

Since 4:00 this afternoon.

What could've happened?

That's what we're
trying to find out.

Now, have you been out
of your apartment today?

No, I've been too
sick, been in bed,

some sort of flu bug.

Doctor said it might
be the 24-hour kind.

Yeah.

I don't like to lose
time from work.

He gave me something
to settle my stomach,

shot me full of antibiotics.

No one's seen the
girls since 4:00?

No one we've
checked with so far.

And Marian thought I
might've taken them.

Well, it came up.

She must've said some
bad things about me.

They're true, of course.

Is that right?

I'm an alcoholic.

The judge was right about
me not seeing the kids.

I know that now, but
in another two months,

I'm going to court again.
I've set a goal for myself.

Two more months.

You on the wagon, are you?

I don't call it that.

I'm an alcoholic,
pure and simple,

but I don't drink anymore.

On the wagon implies
that I expect to drink again,

but I can't. I know
it's a disease.

There's no cure, no such thing

as becoming a normal
drinker, so I don't drink.

I don't take that first drink.

In two months,
I'll be a year sober.

- Program works.
- Program?

AA. I'm with it, and
I'm gonna stay with it.

Something's happened to my kids,

I don't know what I'll do.

What's being done?

Checking you out
is one of the things.

Yeah, but we've
gotta look for them.

We've gotta find them.

Are you going back
to Marian's house?

Do you have a car?

It's at the garage for a
six-month service job.

I called them to come
get it this morning

when I knew I
couldn't go to work.

All right, we'll give you
a ride out to the house.

Is their dog missing, too?

You know, the girls
always wanted a puppy.

That time I saw them in the yard

playing with the dog, it made
me feel good, you know?

Marian's a real bug on
keeping a clean house,

but maybe once
I got out of there,

a dog didn't seem so bad.

Your children don't
have a dog, Mr. Stanley.

- We asked.
- Oh.

Well, Marian's got a
thing about germs, too.

Is that right?

I guess she hasn't changed much.

6:30 p.m. We dropped
Bert Stanley off

at his former home.

At the same time, we
obtained four snapshots

of Diane and Ginny,

taken within the
last three months.

Sergeant Leonard
Simeon came out with a unit

from Central Juvenile
to coordinate the search.

Because of the
number of undesirables

known to frequent
the railroad yards,

he agreed that the
yards should be covered

as quickly as possible.

Two additional units went to
assist the men already there.

The remaining units were
assigned search areas

in the residential blocks
around the Stanley home.

In all, seven units
were involved.

This included the detective unit

from North Hollywood Division

and two men
working the day watch

out of Central Juvenile.

Some of the Stanley neighbors
offered to join in the search.

6:58 p.m. Bill and I took
the 700 block on Elm.

We searched it thoroughly.

We questioned anyone
who might've seen the girls.

No one had.

We repeated the
process in the 800 block.

We checked everywhere two
small children were likely to be.

Youngsters that age
are particularly attracted

to places they can crawl under

or get into and hide.

What do you think you're doing?

Police officers.

- Oh.
- What's your name?

George Selfridge.

You still don't have
the right to just barge in.

This is private property.

A couple of little
girls are missing.

We're looking for them.

Well, they're not around here.

This your refrigerator?

What about it?

It's a misdemeanor
to leave a refrigerator

so it can be closed and not
opened again from the inside.

Well, I didn't know that.

A kid climbs into
one, closes the door,

can't get out again, suffocates.

It only takes a few minutes.

You read about it all
the time. Yeah, yeah.

You'll have to
dismantle the latch

or take the door off altogether.

Now, if you prefer,
we'll do it for you.

Nah, I'll take care of it.

Now!

I'm eating dinner! I
said I'd take care of it!

We'll be back in 15 minutes.

What's the rush? I mean,
what are the chances

a kid's gonna climb in there?

One in 10,000?

A lot of people
figure it that way.

So there you are.

That's how the kids get killed.

We searched the
rest of the block

and the adjoining playground.

There was no sign
of the two little girls.

We checked back at
the Selfridge garage.

The refrigerator
had been dismantled.

7:30 p.m. We returned
to the Stanley house.

Sergeant.

Picked up a friend of
yours at the railroad yards.

Hello, Sergeant, Gannon.

Vernon Hale, isn't it?

G. Vernon Hale, Jr.

We handled Vernon
a couple of years ago.

We told him his rights.
He asked for you.

Wouldn't talk to anybody else.

I know you. New
people make me nervous.

He took a little girl
down to the culvert,

beat her pretty bad,
fractured her cheekbone,

a couple of ribs, knocked
out some of her teeth.

You're a tiger,
aren't you, Vernon?

I don't know what come over me,

and it was just that one time.

Where'd you get those
scratches on your face?

We had to tackle him.

He tried to take off running,
as soon as we stopped him.

What were you running for?

I felt like it.

A citizen's got a right
to run if he wants to.

I might take it into my
head to run some right now.

I wouldn't, if I were you.

Couple of cops come up to
me, only means one thing.

Something's happened to a kid.

That's right. You've
got the track record.

I don't know anything about it.

I didn't do it! It was
just that one time.

What were you doing
between 3:30 and 5:30 today?

I was laying up down
there by the yards,

right where they found me.

- Yeah?
- That's the truth.

Did you see anybody,
talk to anybody?

Like who? Like a
couple of little girls.

No, I did not!

That's all you were
doing this afternoon,

just lying around, huh?

- That's right.
- Can you prove it?

I thought you fellas
were gonna treat me right.

I ain't gonna talk
to you no more.

We shook him down. He was clean.

Well, we'd better hang onto him.

Wait a minute! There
was this yard cop.

He walked by two,
three times looking at me,

but I wasn't really
on the yard property,

so there wasn't
nothing he could do.

- All right.
- He'll tell ya.

We'll hold you until we
check with that railroad officer.

That ain't fair! I'm clean!

I did my time, and that
ought to make me even!

You got no right!
Just forget me!

- What about that little girl?
- What about her?

When do you think
she's gonna forget you?

Bill and I went
back into the house

to tell the Stanleys
what was being done

to find their little girls.

- No sign of them?
- Not yet.

We're doing everything
we can, Mrs. Stanley.

You can't watch them every
living second of the day, Bert!

I try, but you just can't!

You keep saying that. Now don't.

- I told you how careful I am.
- Yes, ma'am.

And how they understand
what I've taught them.

That's right.

If children can't play
in their own front lawns

and be safe... On
their own lawns!

I did look out just five,
ten minutes before.

I know what a good
mother you are,

so you don't have to
defend yourself to anybody.

Something terrible's
happened to them.

I know it. So do you.

That's not true, and
no, we don't, ma'am.

It couldn't be anything else.

They've been gone
over four hours now.

It's getting cold out, isn't it?

A little.

It's going to be dark soon.

It'll be light for
another hour or so.

When the sun goes
down, it gets cold.

It does that in California.
They're not dressed for it.

They'll be getting hungry,
too. It's past their mealtime.

I try to run things on
a schedule now, Bert.

Yeah.

That's important for children.

You're the one with children.

That's right, ma'am.

Don't you agree about
keeping them on a schedule?

Well, it's a good idea, sure.

Of course, the kids
sometimes have different ideas.

I pray to God they're hungry!

Pardon?

That'll mean
they're still alive!

7:40 p.m.

We continued talking to
Bert and Marian Stanley.

No, no salesmen.

No one came to the
door at all this afternoon.

Would you like
some coffee, Marian?

I'll make some.

Coffee? You never made coffee.

I do these days.

You do?

It's all I drink.

Since when?

In two months, it'll
be a year, Marian.

I've been trying to earn the
right to see my girls again.

It's a little late.

You were always drunk when
you called me to see them.

Always that dog business.

You knew I didn't want
them to have a dog.

I know, but that's past.

That dog you were
telling us about.

- What?
- I was telling the officers
about the dog

I saw the kids with
when I drove by once.

Is there a dog in the
neighborhood here

that they play with?

They know how I feel
about animals in the house,

germs, tracking in dirt,
shedding, all those things.

That may not stop them
from playing with dogs.

The Bonneys had a gray
poodle they let run loose

until I complained about it.

It wasn't a poodle
I saw them with.

Oh, I don't know what dog, then.

My kids were always
bringing home strays.

The neighbors used to call
our house the city pound.

Maybe it was that
Edna Felton's dog.

What's the difference?

- Edna Felton?
- I remember her.

Do we have her name
on the list of neighbors?

She moved out
after her father died.

It's that house that's
for sale across the street.

I remember.

She works in a bar
as a cocktail waitress.

I was sorry when
her father died,

but I wasn't sorry
when she moved.

She was a very bad
influence on Diane and Ginny.

Bad? How?

Just bad, that's all.

Every time the kids would
come home with some silly notion,

I'd know right away
where they got it from.

I suppose that sounds
picky, but it's true.

What kind of a notion?

You wouldn't understand.
She was spoiling them rotten.

I'd tell them one thing,

and she'd tell them
something else.

I had to put a
stop to it, that's all.

How do you mean?

They were not permitted
to go to her house anymore.

When was this? A
couple of months ago,

before she put the
house on the market.

Do you know where she lives now?

No, I don't. Why?

You said she worked in a bar.

Jimmy Lindy's Bar.

It's on the corner of
Chandler and Ventura,

about a mile from here.

What's this got to
do with the girls?

Maybe nothing, but it's
better than standing still.

We knew it was an outside chance

that the two little girls
could've found their way

alone to a location a
mile from their own home,

but it was all we had to go on.

We drove over to
Jimmy Lindy's Bar.

8:10 p.m. We talked
to Edna Felton.

You're sure checking out
the long shots, aren't you?

It's about all we have.

Did the girls know
where you worked?

No. Oh, I mean,
I don't think so.

Diane... she's the oldest one...

She's a real bright little girl.

I suppose, if she overheard
the name of the place,

she'd remember.

They liked you, didn't they?

I liked them. I'm not married.

I had a father to take
care of and everything.

What I'm saying is I
don't know kids real well,

and those two, they give
me a real kick, you know?

They were so serious
about everything.

I had to laugh.

I don't imagine you heard
too many kind words about me

from Marian Stanley.

We wouldn't know
about that, ma'am.

Yeah, well, I don't want
to say she was wrong.

I don't want to say anything
mean about her now.

She's gotta be dying.

Those two little girls,
they're her whole life.

Like I said, I don't
know kids real well,

and who am I to
say she was wrong?

When did you last see them?

Oh, gee, let me think.

Uh, oh, not since I put
the house up for sale.

That was about two months ago.

My dad left it to me, but I
don't need a place that big.

Of course, Mrs. Stanley
put a stop to them

coming to visit me before then.

She was wrong
about Missy, though.

I will say that.

- Missy?
- My dog.

I keep her cleaner than a lot
of people keep their children.

- Boy, that's funny.
- What's that?

I've been half worried out
of my mind all afternoon,

since I've come to
work, about my dog,

and here's a woman doesn't
know where her kids are.

Doesn't make sense, does it?

Something happen to your dog?

She got out.

I've got this ground floor
apartment with a little patio,

and that darn gate was
open, and she got out.

I've got a tag on her with
her address and everything,

if someone found her.

I'm just hoping she's come
back, when I get back from work.

Where is your apartment?

On Myrtle Street,
113 Myrtle Street.

Is that near where
you used to live?

Five blocks.

Myrtle Street runs
parallel to Bethel, east.

What's your apartment number?

12. You going there?

Yes, ma'am, we'd like
to, if it's all right with you?

Well, of course. Take
a look inside, will you?

- I can't get away right now.
- You'll give us the key?

You don't need a key. I
left the sliding door open,

and a nightlight on
in the living room.

Oh?

Well, in case Missy comes home.

9:35 p.m.

As far as we could piece
out the story from the two girls,

Edna Felton's dog
must've strayed back here

to her old neighborhood.

Your little girls started
to play with the dog

and then followed her back to
the Felton woman's apartment.

Sorry we took so long
getting them back to you,

after we called.

We had to have Miss
Felton come to the apartment.

The dog wouldn't
let us near the girls.

Wouldn't let you near them?

No, ma'am.

You know, a dog's
kind of a nice thing

to have around with kids.

So's a father.

The court, after
hearing testimony

from both Bert
and Marian Stanley,

modified the original order
so that Bert Stanley would,

in the future, have
reasonable visitation rights

with his two daughters.