User Reviews

A Highway Patrolman issues a routine traffic citation to Vince Garrow. Garrow, who has ties to a big time racketeer is soon later found murdered. The Patrolman reports that Garrow had a passenger and an investigation reveals that the passenger and owner of the car Garrow was driving was Sam Dahlquist, a magazine writer specializing in crime exposés. Dahlquist's life is in danger as the racketeer, Jake Mallek, is determined to prevent Dahlquist from finishing the story he's doing on Mallek's criminal activities. Mallek's henchman Yeager ( who drives a beautiful 1957 Chevy Be Air) goes after Dahlquist. Fortunately, Chief Matthews is also looking for Dahlquist and prevents his murder from happening. At the end, Matthews tells Dahlquist "You write on dangerous subjects, next time let's collaborate." Stuart Whitman makes one of his 12 appearance as Sgt. Walters. Whitman was in a season one episode as a different character. As to be expected from this series, this was a well written and entertaining episode.

**SPOILERS** Not a terrible episode, and definitely easy to believe it was taken from a true event. Crime writers, and newspapermen have always been at risk when it comes to dealing with criminals; racketeers are just that much more dangerous. The sexy dispatcher from a previous episode was floating around in the background during conversations between Broderick, and Stuart Whitman; she should have been a regular, and the actress who played Dahlquist's daughter (very pretty, and a good actress) did a good job of expressing fear, and indignance.

Everybody drove Plymouths, except the H.P., who were still in Mercurys; actually only one for Mathews, and Walter, and a Lincoln for Dahlquist. When he got to the cabin, Dahlquist reached above the door to get a key, and then pretended to unlock the cabin door. A screen door? with NO lock? Then. the inside door (the one that SHOULD have been locked, was wide open. Sloppy direction. Next, Dahlquist has a hunting rifle with a scope, Opens fire without any warning, but can't zero in on the bad guys who have been sent to kill him.

While this happens, Mathews stops the daughter, gets her to finally give up where her dad is, they get there and stop the bad guys from burning Dahlquist out. Pretty good ending with one dirtbag turning on the other, but there were some cheapskate tricks that could have easily been done right; I give it an 8.

Review - Magazine Writer Concise episode, one officer with Dan, two henchmen, one boss crook, two innocents inadvertently working against the HP, or at least not working with full cooperation. Everyone was believable in their roles with kudos to Thomas B. Henry with decades of credits, very recognizable character actor. Here a routine traffic stop leads to a suspect, then a potential victim, while the HP search for him and the murderous henchmen. HP background checks, including a coroner report, help Dan and Sgt. Walters get to the spot where the criminals are apprehended. The uncooperative daughter, thinking her father is accused of a crime, hampers the search for the bad guys. The use of DMV records, Dan's memory for associated crime members, and the confession of the suspect's daughter lead to the capture of the bad guys before there was any more bloodshed. Stuart Whitman is a nice add-on to every episode until he split for other television roles.