The Night Holds Terror

Courtier, an employee of North American at Edwards AFB, stops to pick up a hitchhiker, Victor Gosset. The trio, later joined by Robert Batsford and Luther Logan, learns Courtier has only a few dollars in cash. They threaten to kill him but quickly hatch a plan to force him to sell his car and surrender the money to them.

The gang decides murder is unnecessary and instead schemes to coerce Courtier into selling his car and handing over the cash. They improvise a coercive scheme to seize control of the vehicle and its proceeds. The mood shifts from intimidation to a calculated hijack.

The group drives Courtier back toward his suburban life and forces him to his family home to spend the night. They intend to accompany him in the morning to collect the money and then flee with the payoff. The plan pivots from a quick raid to a staged hostage situation.

During the night, the gang maintains control through threats and intimidation, targeting Courtier, his wife Doris, and their two young children. The home becomes a pressure cooker as fear and coercion escalate. The family’s sense of safety is shattered by the intruders.

In the morning, Courtier and the gang escort the auto dealer and extract the money they demand. The plan hinges on a quick handoff before any counteraction can be mounted. Tension remains as the group contemplates their next move.

Logan reveals he doesn’t want to murder Courtier, proposing ransom as a means to buy time and improve escape odds. Batsford sets a ransom demand of $200,000, and Courtier’s father is given one night to obtain the money. The plan shifts from a direct killing to a high-stakes kidnapping scenario.

Doris contacts the authorities, triggering a police effort to trace the gang’s phone calls. Law enforcement works feverishly to locate the group and track their movements. The clock is ticking as investigators close in on the hideout.

With the trace underway, the hoodlums move Courtier to their expensive hillside hideout. The police tighten the net as the criminals consolidate their position away from the family home. Tension rises as the distance from help increases.

Friction within the gang spills over as Courtier and Logan attempt an escape. Batsford shoots Logan dead and recaptures Courtier, restoring control of the situation. The balance of power shifts back to the remaining criminals.

Doris stalls the gang by keeping the phone line active long enough for investigators to continue their tracing. The delay proves crucial as officers close in on the hideout’s location. The family’s safety hinges on the success of this procedural move.

A full-scale police operation erupts in a deserted industrial area, culminating in a gunfight near a phone booth. Batsford and Gossett are wounded in the exchange, while Courtier is finally reunited with his wife. The criminals are cornered as law enforcement closes in.

With the gang subdued and the fallout contained, Courtier and Doris are reunited and the immediate danger ends. The family begins the slow process of recovery as investigators wrap up the case. The harrowing night comes to a close with the couple secure and the criminals restrained.