The Steel Trap

Jim Osborne, a long-time bank employee in Los Angeles, surveys the vault and calculates a plan to steal $1 million. He reasons that Brazil has no extradition treaty with the United States, so fleeing there might evade capture. He decides to act if the bank closes on Friday, hoping the theft will remain undiscovered until Monday.

Jim tells his wife Laurie that the bank is sending him to Rio de Janeiro on business and invites her and their daughter to join. Laurie is excited about the opportunity and travel, but she insists their daughter stay with Laurie's mother at first. Jim tries to reassure her and hints he will arrange for the daughter later.

With his insider access, the theft seems straightforward, but travel logistics are daunting. Direct flights are full and rush visas/passports must be arranged on short notice. The window to act shrinks as the week progresses.

The Osbornes embark on their plan but a series of delays and mishaps leave them unable to reach Rio on time. They miss a connection at New Orleans as they scramble to keep the scheme moving.

An airline employee grows suspicious of Jim's urgency and his heavy baggage and alerts a customs officer. The officer begins to scrutinize the situation more closely, sensing something is off.

Customs checks Jim's baggage and discovers the $1 million in cash. He suspects illegal export, but he cannot reach Jim's boss in time. Since there is no immediate violation, the officer lets them go, though the suspicion lingers.

The flight to Rio is called and leaves without them, leaving Jim and Laurie unable to reach Rio on Sunday. They realize the plan is slipping away and the risk of arrest grows larger.

Fearing arrest, Jim checks into a hotel under a false name. Laurie overhears the desk clerk call Jim by the alias and confronts him about the deception, forcing a blunt reckoning with the plan.

Jim confesses what he has done to Laurie, and she decides she wants no part in the crime. She leaves the hotel and flies back home to Los Angeles, ending the shared dream of wealth.

Within hours Jim realizes that his wife and daughter are more important than the fortune. He phones Laurie with a plan to salvage the situation, noting that only their money was used for travel and the bank's funds remain intact.

Jim hurries back to replace the money before the bank opens, managing to return the cash to the vault just in time. The emotional toll is heavy, and his colleagues send him home to recover.

After the tense attempt, Jim is emotionally drained but reunites with Laurie. The family begins to heal, and the near-miss serves as a turning point away from greed toward renewed commitment.