Agent Carter Baum Quotes in Public Enemies (2009)

[Agents Baum and Purvis are briefing the Chicago field agents]

Agent Carter Baum: According to the bank teller Barbara Patzke, this is John Dillinger's coat. It's made by Shragge-Quality out of St. Louis. Price: $35 dollars. Windproof, 32 ounce wool. Top stitching.

Melvin Purvis: [nods approvingly] Thank you, Agent Baum.

[Baum steps aside]

Melvin Purvis: Agents in our offices across the country are identifying every store in the United States that sold this overcoat. Then, we will cross-reference every Dillinger associate, in locales where that coat was sold. He was in a place, he got cold, he bought a coat. Unless he was traveling through, he was being harbored nearby. If he returns, we will be there. It is by such methods that our bureau will get John Dillinger.

[turns to Doris Rogers]

Melvin Purvis: Now Doris, would you please contact the Chicago area telephone exchange supervisors? There are six. Request appointments for Carter Baum and myself.

[as she does that, Purvis turns back to his agents]

Melvin Purvis: Gentlemen, shortly you will be provided... Thompson submachine guns, BARs, and uh, .351 Winchester semi-automatic rifles. We are pursuing hardened killers. It will be dangerous. Those of you who aren't prepared for that should go. And if you are going to go, please go now.

[No one leaves]

[Purvis and Baum are listening in on a wiretapped call]

Agent Carter Baum: This is a phone conversation from a car dealership twenty-seven minutes ago. Harry Berman.

[He pushes down the needle to play back an acetate disk]

John Dillinger's voice: When you drop it, leave the keys on the floorboard.

Harry Berman's voice: I got a DeSoto.

John Dillinger's voice: Okay.

[Purvis takes off his headphones]

Melvin Purvis: How did we get to Berman?

Agent Carter Baum: Off the Dillinger coat. The coat was bought in Cicero, Illinois, a few doors down from Berman's dealership. Now we know Berman. He's been supplying cars to the Syndicate since Capone. When Dillinger bought that coat, he must've been at Berman's switching cars.

Melvin Purvis: Soon as they call to drop the DeSoto, we'll tail it. I want men on this, around the clock.