Three Secrets

It looks just like milk.

Mommy, when are we getting home?

Santa Rosa Tower to NC1202.

Can you read me? Over.

Santa Rosa Tower to NC1202.

Can you read me?

Give me a call, please. Over.

Give me traffic control center at Oakland.

Santa Rosa Tower to NC1202.

Can you read me? Come in, please.

Control Center? This is Santa Rosa Tower.

We've lost contact with a private plane,

NC1202.

Last contact on 931,

25 miles Northeast of Bishop.

Right waist to pilot.

Think I've spotted the wreckage, sir.

At 3 o'clock.

That's it all right.

Pilot to crew.

Ready camera.

We'll make two runs over the area.

On course, sir.

Okay, Mahoney, start your camera.

Yes, sir.

Good sharp picture, Sargeant.

It's that new camera, sir.

This was the first run, 10:53.

Well, they must have been killed instantly,

if that's any consolation.

Photographic Center, Hugh speaking.

One moment.

Your call to the sheriff's office, Captain.

Yes, this is Captain Draper at Hamilton Field.

We've located the wreckage of the plane.

It's up on Thunder Mountain.

A ledge on the Southwest side.

Altitude about 12000 feet.

Three bodies, man, woman and child.

No, not yet.

We'll get their identities from the CAA

and we'll let you know.

In the meantime do what you can

to recover the bodies

It'll be tough getting up those cliffs.

And how. Good-bye, Sheriff.

Captain, look at this.

It's a picture we made on the second run.

Look at the kid's position.

He moved. He's alive, sir.

Why that tough little sun of a gun.

Get me the sheriff's office, quick.

What was the difference in time

between those pictures?

Seven minutes, sir.

The second run was 11:00 on the nose.

Ask the operations officer to come here.

Sheriff, Captain Draper. About that crash.

Get a party start up Thunder Mountain

right away.

The kid's alive.

Hardin.

Forget it.

I want a picture of Thunder Mountain.

A winter shot.

Something grim and dramatic

if you've got it.

Plane crash.

Kid trapped in the mountain alone.

Parents dead. Name of Peterson.

West Los Angeles. Check the home.

And you'll get more if you get that first.

I saw, I've heard.

Five years old today.

That's why they were flying back.

So as Johnnie could have his birthday party

at home.

I baked that cake for him this morning.

Chocolate, his favorite kind.

Look around the living room.

Oh, Lord... Lord, he'll be so cold up there.

Oh, Lord.

Sure it's tough. But a kid can take a lot.

They'll get to him in time,

don't you worry.

He's such a happy boy.

Always laughing.

Even when he was a baby.

You been with the family a long time?

I brought that baby up.

I went with them when they got him.

Got him?

Carried him home in my arms.

That sweet little face.

You mean he was adopted?

That didn't make any difference.

Mr. and Mrs. Petersen loved him

like he was their own flesh and blood.

Where did they adopt him?

Here in Los Angeles.

I mean which foundling home. It's important.

It'll help Johnnie.

Oh, why...

The Shelter.

Have the Petersons got any relatives?

No.

No, Johnnie was all they had.

Who was Johnnie's mother, do you know?

No.

Hardin.

Wow, that's great.

Look, in a few minutes this place

will be crawling with reporters.

Tell them what they want to know,

but it'll be better for Johnnie

if they don't know he was adopted.

I'll keep my mouth shut, but those other guys

will spread it all over the front page.

All right, sir.

A couple of those, Tony.

Right.

I'll see you at the office.

I've already told you, Mr. Harden.

We're not at liberty to give you

the name of the mother.

But you of all people must realize,

with the boy's foster parents dead,

we'd be doing him a service

in locating his mother.

Her circumstances may have changed.

She may want the child now.

I'm Sorry.

Circumstances don't alter our rules.

Haven't you heard?

Rules are made to be broken.

That boy is a foundling again.

The Petersons had no family.

He'll become a ward of the State.

Is that what you want?

Mr. Hardin...

For 18 years we've worked hard to gain

the absolute confidence of the people we deal with.

Both the mothers and the foster parents

know that they can rely on us.

Mrs. Gylwin we all know the really splendid job

you're doing here.

And my paper would like to help

in any way possible.

What would you say to a big special feature

on The Shelter?

Pictures and a good quote from you.

I gave up being vain about my pictures

twenty years ago.

Good day, Mr. Hardin.

I'll have to try some other way.

I don't think we've seen the last

of Mr. Harden.

I'm afraid he's only the first, Harriet.

Well, we'll be ready for them.

Open the safe, please.

We placed 4 children born on September 14th.

A girl and two... three boys.

Then there are 3 women who could be

the mother of that child.

No one's going to see those records,

do you understand, Harriet? No one.

Not even ourselves.

Is that you, Bill?

It's me, Mrs. Chase.

Josie, would you get the lights on,

please.

Sure you couldn't use some help, Susan?

It's practically done.

He'll only be gone three days.

Susan.

Yes.

Would you like me to stay here

until Bill comes back?

Thanks, mother, but I'll be fine.

Is anything wrong, mother?

I was only thinking I don't see

as much of you as I used to.

You don't have to pretend.

I know why you're here today.

Of course you do, darling.

Your husband's going on a trip.

I thought you might like company.

I suppose the date today had nothing

to do with it.

All right, Susan, I admit I was worried.

Look, mother, let's get this straight

once and for all.

I'm happier than any girl deserves to be.

I have a wonderful husband,

we have a wonderful life.

What's past is past.

We decided that five years ago.

I don't steal upstairs once a year

to wring my hands and shed quiet tears.

I wrapped up my girlish grief, tied it in a ribbon

and locked it away for good.

This is just another day.

So what are you worried about?

Forgive me.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, mother.

You will stay, won't you?

Yes, of course, darling.

That must be Bill.

You go on down, I'll finish packing.

Thanks. Don't forget the shaving cream.

Hi.

Hello, darling.

Was it my imagination,

or did you just kiss me?

I've got to pack.

It's all been taken care of.

Mother's finishing it. Come on.

I'll fix you a drink.

Lucky me.

Anything new on the Johnnie Peterson thing?

Who's Johnnie Peterson?

You mean you haven't heard?

No.

Oh, you disappoint me, Mrs. Chase.

A good American housewife loves her radio first

and her husband second.

I've been getting you ready for a trip,

remember?

I haven't had time to hear anything

about anything.

You poor overworked slave.

Well, that's more like the man I married.

So is that.

Bill, mother's in the house.

She is, eh? Lucky for you.

She's going to stay with me

while you're gone.

Good, keep you out of trouble.

Maybe you don't want this drink.

Quiet, I've been thinking about a martini

all the way home.

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