The ordeal of the Courtier family began when a hitchhiker was given a ride. Gene Courtier knew it was risky to pick up hitchhikers, but he figured everyone did it--what was the harm just this once? However, he didn't realize his passenger (Victor Gosset, played by Vince Edwards) would carjack him and have criminal cohorts lying in wait.
Gosset demands Gene's wallet and becomes angry when he finds only $10 inside. He forces Gene to pull off into the desert, where Gosset's fellow robbers Robert Batsford (John Cassavetes) and Luther Logan (David Cross) join them. Batsford upbraids Gosset for snatching a Mercury instead of a Lincoln.
Batsford wants to kill Gene but Logan doesn't, since they'll net only $10. Batsford doesn't care. He orders Gene to remove his jacket and shoes and lie face down on the sand.
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| An original vintage linen-backed still. The snipe on the back reads: "ON THE SPOT - David Cross, John Cassevetas [sic] and Vince Edwards threaten to kill Jack Kelly in Columbia's Terror In the Night [working title]" |
He fires a couple of shots near Gene's head to show him they mean business:
Then, Batsford realizes they might not have to kill Gene after all, if they can have his convertible. Gene anxiously agrees to sign the pink slip over to them so they can re-sell the car and keep the money.
Gosset and Logan drive Gene to where he bought the car to see what they can get for it.
While waiting for the car to be appraised, Gene spies an open side door inside the dealership and plots his escape. But, then he fears that other innocent people in the showroom may be harmed if he suddenly bolts from his trigger-happy captors.
Gosset and Logan are offered $2000 for the vehicle (the salesman in the center is played by Barney Phillips). However, the dealership has only $500 on hand and can't give them the rest of the money until the next day.
Please stay tuned for Part III!
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