- Someone is trying to kill a friend of Dominick's by detonating bombs and using marionettes and remote controlled toys. Tony's investigation brings him to a toy shop and he becomes the target of the mad man.
- Dominick's poker playing companion, Jackson Wyndham, has been receiving death threats, those threats which will be carried out unless he coughs up $500,000, which he is able to do, but which he refuses to do, not wanting to give into anyone, especially extortionists. The extortionists seem to be able to carry out heir threats if and when they so choose. As a successful businessman, Wyndham admits that he may have made a few enemies in his life, but none he knows would have any reason to kill him. Wyndham's executive assistant, Maggie Jones, hopes Tony can help in finding out who the extortionists are. One lead, Scott Joplin "Peacherine Rag" playing on what sounds like an old piano roll brings up other leads in the form of a curio shop owner named Millotson, and the Pinocchio Toy Company. Tony has to find the connection between these two and why those behind them chose Wyndham specifically as the target.—Huggo
- A man, Millotson, breaks into a home and rigs a Gatling gun that is mounted and standing on the floor. He hooks up a computerized timing and firing device.
Jackson Wyndham and his executive assistant Maggie Jones enter a nearby screening room and prepare to watch an old movie that's a favorite of Wyndham's. Meanwhile, sneaks into the projection room, chloroforms the projectionist Arnie unconscious. Below in the theater, Maggie says that she has to go but she has some paperwork to take care of. turns out the lights and runs his movie instead of Jackson's, then leaves.
The opening of the movie, the 1927 Wings, plays, but then switches to a color puppet show. One puppet addresses Jackson by name, saying that money can't buy security. When Jackson calls Arnie on the house phone, it gives off a beeping noise and the puppet in the film says that Jackson has activated a bomb and if Jackson hangs up or puts the received down, it will set the bomb off. The bomb will go off in a minute, and the puppet talks Jackson through disarming the bomb by first unscrewing the mouthpiece.
Jackson finds a small bomb inside, and the puppet tells him to remove it and detach the green wire. Once Jackson does, the puppet says that it can't remember what wires to pull. It advises Jackson to throw the receiver away, and Jackson does so. The bomb blows up a corner of the theater, and the puppet tells Jackson that they will can get through to him, and will and kill him, unless he pays $500,000.
Later that night, Tony is performing at the Castle. After Tony's set but before the next one, Dominick calls his friend and calls him up to the poker game he's in. Tony points out that he has another show in ten minutes, and Dominick says that Jackson is having a problem. The magician figures that Dominick means something other than cards and agrees to come to Jackson's house, where the men are playing.
Later, Tony arrives and the security men start to search him. Maggie comes in and vouches for Tony, and tells him that they're unde4r tight security. Dominick comes in, and Maggie explains that she asked him to call Tony because Jackson has been getting threatening notes over the past week. Jackson hasn't called the police because he believes in treating everyone, particularly extortionists, with the contempt they deserve. Maggie explains about the bomb earlier that night and she figures that Jackson is cared despite the façade he's putting on.
The trio go into the room where Jackson and the others are playing poker, just as Jackson wins again. Maggie excuses herself, and Jackson talks to Tony privately and says that he knows why he's there. The businessman says that he can't afford to give into extortion threats or there will never be an end to them, and Tony advises him to report to the police. Jackson thinks the best way to deal with extortionists is to ignore them, and Tony reluctantly agrees.
The players invites Tony to play poker with them, and he performs a card trick to demonstrate why that would be a bad idea... for them. A man, Millotson, calls Jackson and asks how he liked the film. When Jackson tells him that it's gone on long enough, Millotson says that Jackson needs another lesson. He tells Jackson and everyone that to hit the floor by the time he counts three. He does so and Tony sees the Gatling gun swivel around and yells to everyone to get down. They do so as the Gatling gun fires, while comes into the room where Millotson is on the phone and tells his father that the kids are ready. Millotson tells him that he thinks the Gatling gun might bring Jackson around,
The Gatling gun stops.
Millotson goes out to where a group of children are waiting. The nun who brought them thanks Millotson on behalf of the Holy Name Children's Home. Millotson says that the place deserves a last celebration before they move, and he and run a puppet show.
Later, Tony and Maggie watch the puppet film in the screening room. Once the film is over, Tony and Maggie leave. Dominick tells them that Jackson is okay but quiet than usual. They go to the study where the police are studying the Gatling gun. Lt. Hoyt says that they checked the house and confirmed that there are no more traps, and shows them the computerized timing mechanism. Hoyt tells Jackson that he wants to put him under a 24-hour guard, but Jackson tells him that he prefers to handle his own affairs. Maggie advises Jackson to let the police do their job, and Jackson agrees but says that he wants to be alone.
Once the police leave, Tony figures that someone is carrying out an old grudge. Maggie agree to put together a list of suspects, and Tony points out that the puppet show song seemed to be on an old roll like a collector's item. Jackson figures that it's police business and reminds them that they concurred the police should handle it
Tony goes to Millotson's magic shop and talks with the owner. Tony says that a curio shop recommended Millotson, and he's looking for original piano player rolls. When Tony whistles the tune from the film, Millotson says that he knows the tune but doesn't have it. A nun comes in to thanks Millotson for the puppet show and give him the key so he can pick up his equipment. Once Tony leaves, Millotson goes in the back where is working on a miniature airplane. Hal fusses over his father's health and confirms that Hal put plenty of plastique in the airplane. Millotson says that Tony was there looking for the rare tune that Hal put on the film, but dismisses it as a coincidence that Tony is looking for the same tune they used.
Later, Millotson and Hal are in a van monitoring the plane as it flies overhead, via a camera mounted in its nose. Hal flies it over Jackson's house, and Tony and Maggie are outside. Maggie gives Tony a list of people with a grudge against Jackson, and Jackson comes out and joins them. Tony shows Jackson and Maggie a toy robot from Millotson's shop, which has the same mechanism in it that was on the Gatling gun. Meanwhile, Hal lands the plane nearby, while Tony tells Jackson and Maggie that the mechanism was manufactured by the Pinochio Company in LA. Jackson notes that they own the company.
Hal pulls the plane up to the edge of Jackson's property, and he and his father see Tony with Jackson and realize that Tony is helping Jackson. The son promises his father that he'll take out Tony. Meanwhile, Jackson tells Tony that he doesn't push his people hard enough to want to kill him, and Tony tells him that he should know for sure. Tony drives off, and Hal sends the plane after him. The magician sees it and takes evasive action, but it unable to lose the plane. He finally drives beneath an oil tanker that has stopped so the driver can open a country gate, and the plane hits the tanker and both explode.
Later, Tony goes to the Pinochio Toy Company, and shows the CEO, Thomas Donald, his "Anthony Blake Magic Kit". Donald says that he hates magic and hates toys, and he's the president because he's a cost accountant. Tony asks who created the robot because he would like to meet him, and Donald says that it was created by a small father-and-son company that they bought out. The president says that such people don't want to talk about finances and time planning, but toys. Once Tony goes, Donald calls his head researcher and tells him to start working on a magic kit.
At his home, Franklin gets a call from Millotson. Maggie looks on as the police try and trace the call, and Millotson says that it's time for Jackson to pay the $500,000. Jackson agrees and Millotson tells him to gather the money and they'll talk later.
Dominick brings food to Tony's penthouse, and finds Tony on the phone talking to a Mrs. Chandler, Donald's secretary. She's dug up information on Millotson, and once Tony hangs up he tells Dominick that they're going to the toy store he visited earlier since the secretary confirmed Millotson manufactured the robot.
Millotson insists that Jackson has to bring the $500,000 in person, and Jackson agrees. Once he hangs up, Jackson tells Maggie that he has to deliver the money personally, and she looks concerned about Jackson but doesn't say anything about her feelings for him. She finally hugs him and he hugs her back, and then they kiss. Jackson's lawyer Howard Sherman comes in with a briefcase holding the $500,000 and interrupts them, and insists on going with Jackson out of friendship.
Tony and Dominick go to the store, which is closed, and Dominick speaks to the Italian landlady. She goes back inside after arguing with Dominick, and Dominick tells the waiting Tony that the Millotsons live there but aren't there at the moment, and she was mad because they changed the lock. Tony picks the lock and the two men go in, and they go in the back room. Dominick finds a tray with marionette heads, and Tony finds a script with the puppet's dialogue from the film at Jackson's house. There's also a new script with Jackson's name on it, and Tony wonders where the new show is. He remembers the nun coming in when he was there, and Dominick says that the Holy Name Children's Home has just moved to a new building. Tony remembers the nun saying that she gave Millotson the keys, and Dominick knows where the old building is located.
Jackson drives to the dropoff location, unaware that Hoyt and one of his officers are following them. . Meanwhile, Howard says that the skill has been his all the time and draws a gun on Jackson. They pull into an alley and Hal drives a duplicate car off with a dummy in the front seat. Hoyt and his officer continue following them, unaware of the switch.
The original car pulls up to the children's home, and Howard takes Jackson inside. Millotson comes out with a gun and tells Jackson and Howard to both freeze. He handcuffs both men to chairs and begins a puppet "trial". The puppet judge calls the court to order and then tells Jackson that he's charged with murder. Howard is gagged and unable to make a counterplea, and the puppet prosecutor says that Howard is unfit to be a lawyer there because he's untrustworthy and schemed against his employer. and up to his ears in gambling debts. The prosecutor calls Curly Clown to the stand.
Tony and Dominick arrive at the children's home and Tony tells Dominick to stay in the Corvette and call Hoyt to come there.
The clown says that it's the first marionette Millotson made, and the Millotsons were making a small living until Donald offered them 25% of the net profits in return for their business. The judge notes that Donald's books have never shown a profit, and the Millotsons never received more than $10,000. Jackson insists that he's a fair businessman, and the prosecutor says that the Millotsons went to a lawyer who told them that even if their claim was good, it couldn't go to court for six years.
Tony sneaks in while the prosecutor tells Jackson that he murdered the Millotsons' dreams. The jury of puppets returns a verdict of guilty, and the judge sentences Jackson to execution. Scott and his father step out, Scott holding a gun, Millotson has the briefcase, and Jackson suggests that he contact Donald and they work something out. Millotson doesn't believe him and says that it's too late,
Tony swings one of the puppets down on its control strings, runs out, and handcuffs Scott. Dominick comes in and grabs Scott's discarded gun, and Tony tells Millotson that court is adjourned.
Later at the Castle, Tony is performing. Afterward, Tony goes over to a table with Dominick, Jackson, and Maggie. Jackson says that instead of he and Maggie being on their honeymoon cruise, he came back to manage his business affairs. Dominick says that he knows how Tony did his last trick, but Tony doesn't care to hear it and walks off. The owner says that magicians are sworn to secrecy so he can't tell Maggie and Jackson, and offers a toast to little work and much love.
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