***SPOILERS*** This trio of kidnappers lead by the just released from prison Charley Springer, Eugene Roche, in a home invasion kidnap successful businessman Andrew Harvath Sr., Dabery Coleman, son Andy Jr, Parker Stevenson, after they or better yet Springer gunned down his girlfriend Tina, Susan Pratt, in what seemed like just for the fun of it! It soon becomes apparent that Crazy Charley as he was known in the can, prison, wants to show the police that he means business and that business is that killing or murder is part of his make-up.
It soon becomes interesting when Charley, by phone, insists that Let. Det. Mike Stone, Karl Malden, be put on the case in getting Andy Jr. released for a pay-off of $1,000,000.00. It soon turns out that Charley has had it in for Stone since it was him who had Charley sent up the river, prison, some 15 years ago and now want's to get his ravage against him. And he's using poor Andy Jr, whom he plans to murder along with Let. Det. Stone, as bait to get to Stone! Let. Det. Stone who's been working for the last 48 hours straight without any sleep is not exactly in the best of shape to go through all the acrobatics that Charley Springer has panned for him. But go he does and by the time it, the merry go round, ends Stone together with Andy Jr. is in Charley's custody and he knows that he'll never see the light of day or the next morning with Charley and his two associates Eddie & Willis, Joseph Hindy & Martin Kove, ready to snuff him and Andy Jr. out before the calvary or police come to their rescue.
***SPOILERS*** Using simple psychology Let. Det. Stone turns both Eddie & Willis against their boss Charley Springer hinting that he's going to check out with all the ransom money and leave the two out in the cold if not, by murdering, the morgue. With both Eddie and Willis more interested in what Charley has planned for them then anything else both Andy Jr. & Let. Det. Stone get the break that they needed to make their escape as well as has have the time for the police lead by Let. Det. Stone's partner Insp. Dan Robbins, Richard Hatch, come to their recuse. As for the by now totally crazed and scattered brained Charley Springer in an attempt to save his sorry a** he tries to bribe Let. Det. Stone with the kidnap, or half of it, money to let him check out to Mexico with the other half. Which shows to Let. Det. Stone and everyone watching just how totally crazy he really is!