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NUMBER 13 and AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? NIGHT BEAT
00:58:43
Enjoy two episodes of Nightbeat with Frank Lovejoy as a hard nosed Chicago reporter
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It's night again in Chicago and that's when I start out looking for a story that'll make you say it takes all kinds to make a world. Yeah, it sure does. One by one I passed them that girl over there with her hair held tightly in place by a scarf each carefully marcel'd wave a hopeful insurance that she'll end up looking like somebody in a movie magazine or that that beaten old man picking a crumbled soiled newspaper out of a rubbish can. Why does he want a paper? He knows tomorrow will be the same for him no matter what happens in France or England or just around the corner. So tonight I found myself in a quiet section of the residential district. I wondered what was behind the lighted squares of glass and what went on. Who were those people and what were their problems? I kept going and I walked into. Hey. I kept going and I walked into. Hey. I beg your pardon. Oh, yes, I. I hesitate to bother you, sir, but do you have a match? I have a light. I'll let Bill. Thank you. There you are. Oh, just a moment. I am afraid I didn't get a light after all. What's the matter, Pop? Afraid to ask me for the touch? Here, please put your hands up. I'm not joking. I have a gun. Oh, I see it. Put your hands up. Okay, okay. Like this. I warn you, I. I'll shoot if you try anything. Well, rule number one, when facing a stick up man who's obviously pulling his first job, be very careful. It's not my first Oh, a hardened old offender. Hand me your wallet. What? With my hands in the air, put them down. But remember what I said now. Sure. Why is a nice looking old man like you doing this? Stop talking and hand me your wallet. All right. Good. Now turn around, face the wall and don't try to follow me. Pop, hand me the gun and tell me all about it. Don't come toward me. The gun, partner. Hand it over. We'll have a talk maybe over a cup of coffee. Stay away, I said. I should have had better sense. A novice at a stick up is like a kid with the Einstein theory. He doesn't know what it's all about. And he shoots out of sheer fright and nervousness that sharp, searing pain across my temple before I blacked out, told me a bullet had creased my skull. That's all I remembered until I woke up in a precinct police station. Well, coming out of it, huh, Stone? Oh, my head. I. Ooh. Kalski. Did you get him? Nope. Crawl car picked you up. Somebody reported a shot. Oh. Oh. And you brought me here. Wanna try sitting down? Oh, sure. No. How close was it? Quarter of an inch from pay dirt, I'd say. Kalski, you are now looking at a prize boob. Oh. Oh, yes, yes. I tried to take a gun away from a stick up. Man, you ought to have better sense. But this was different. I don't think he ever did it before. Die has to start sometime. But he want a description. That's what I'm waiting for. Randy. Man about 70. 70? 70. Oh, with a long white beard. Kalski, the man was about 70, a little over five and a half feet. Sure, sure. Name a Rip Van Wink. For all I know, it might be. When you find him, he'll have my wallet on him. Oh, and Kowski, he's nervous enough to take a shot at anybody. Next time he might be able to hold a gun. A little steadier and on target. So 10 minutes later, I left the precinct station. Kowski put out a call for the little old man who made like Jesse James. I went back to my desk at the Star. Maybe I had a story. I wanted to wait until the police picked up the old man because whatever made him turn bandit was a story. An hour passed, and I was just about getting ready to give up. Oh, hi, Mr. Stone. Hello, Larry. I didn't come in. This time of night, you're almost always out. Larry, you don't know how close I was to that. Permanently hurt your head? Yeah. How? Well, I was wearing my hat with A feather in the band, huh? Yes. I got mixed up in a badminton game. I don't get it. Well, you work on it, kid. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, oh, I get it. Feather, badminton. Hey, for effort, Larry. Oh, hey, hey, I almost forgot. Here's a package for you. For me? What is it? I don't know, man. RUP and see. Ah, that's working them out, kid. Where did you get this? Hey, that's a wallet with some dough in it. It's mine. I said. Where'd you get this? Dan gave it to him. Where is she? Left, I guess, by the elevator. Guess so. Least way she was waiting for it when I. You sure wasn't a man. I'm old enough to tell a difference. Oh, I stand here chewing the. Hey, hey, hey. What's going on? Hey, hey, hey, Mr. Larry. Stay by the phone. Take down anything that comes in. A woman who brought back my wallet had eight floors to go down on that slow night elevator. I had a chance to beat it to the lobby, so I took the stairs five at a time. And then I was in the lobby. But the elevator had beaten me down. I ran over to the night man. Hello. How are you? How are you? You didn't come down here. Yeah. How long you been down here? Oh, just a couple seconds. A woman ride down with you? Yeah, from your flow. She go outside? Hey, something wrong? Come on, Whitney, will you? Why all the first? Would you recognize the woman if you saw again? Oh, I guess so. Now take a look both ways. Tell me if you see her head on a little hat. Old lady. Too old. How old? 60, 65? Thereabouts. You see her? Oh, ain't sure, but I think that's her at the bus stop. Which side of the street? Other side, next block. Okay, thanks. See you later. Maybe it was she, maybe it wasn't. I hurried across the street just as a bus pulled up and took on a passenger. A little old lady wearing a little hat. I reached the stop as the bus was pulling away. Hey, hey. You always stick your head in front of buses like that, buster? Yeah, I get results in rides that way. There were other vacant seats in the bus, but the one I wanted was next to a little old lady. A little old lady whose eyes were red. Though she'd been having a real good old fashioned cry, she didn't even notice me sit down on the seat beside her. For a moment I just sat and watched her frail, blue veined hands pulling on a wet handkerchief and sobbing. There's something wrong, lady. No, no, no, I'm all right. Thanks for returning my wallet. There's $10 missing. Oh, I don't know what you're talking about. I. I don't know anything about your wallet. You know, be easy to check that. We get off and take a bus back to the Star Building. There's a night man and an office boy who saw it. This is my stuff two blocks from the paper. That's a short rhyme. Now, look, I don't know what this is all about, but I'm willing to learn. Now, you can either tell me here or we can go somewhere else. Can't you just forget it? Please. Forget it. I could have been killed. I know, I know, but he didn't mean it. Who was he? Or who is he? He's my husband. Oh. Well, do you want to talk about it? If I tell you why he did it, will you help him? Look, let's get off this bus. We'll take a cab. Dude. Well, where? I want to go home. I want to go home. All right, all right, I'll take you home. But something tells me I'm sticking my neck out. Will you sit down, Mr. Stoop? Now, not run away. Is your husband here? No. All right, let's have the truth. Mrs. Benson. Why did your husband hold me up? It was the only way he could get the money tonight. Why tonight? We need $200 by tomorrow morning. Oh, and why return my wallet to me with over $50 in it? Why didn't he keep it all? He needed just enough to. Enough for what? Mrs. Benson, I. I want to show you something. Something Then you'll understand. Here, look at these. Now, what are these? Look at them. Yes, I'm looking. What do they mean? Figures, problems. Pages of them. Notebooks. Fills his system. For winning it will let winning it. Oh, no. For the last 10 years he's done nothing but work on it. Well, there's always one of those. The big brain who can sit down and beat the little numbers of go round, see? Does he have any idea how many of these systems have put period to a lot of rosy dreams? He believes in it. Yeah, they all do. Harry's no fool. He's a brilliant man. Mr. Stone, he was a professor of mathematics. Was? Yes, but they said he was too old. Retired him. No other jobs. Nobody wanted a mathematician or a man almost 70. Yeah, but. But this gambling. He should know better. The odds are never with the player owner, with the house. At first it was just a hobby. He liked to work out the odds. And then when things got desperate yes. And now we have the saint. And tonight he's going to play his big system. Where? I don't know. I told you, I don't know. Did he take the gun? No, he left it here. Well, that's one good thing, anyway. What will you do now? I don't know. And the police, they're looking for him already. I'll get to him first, Mr. Stone. Why? He won't let himself be arrested like a thief. That's the last thing he said. He wouldn't let the police arrest him. You are listening to Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. So there I had it. A little old ex professor of mathematics with another system for beating an unbeatable game. There's something in each of us that makes every individual believe he's different. The I can do better philosophy is human. If it weren't, we wouldn't have the Brooklyn Bridge. The better mousetrap the. But a fellow who blinks his eyes in bewilderment and says, I thought I had it all figured out. Okay, I decided to go after Professor Benson. I headed for a spot where I thought I might pick up some information. What's in your mind? You only said you wanted to see me. Yeah, just for a minute, Cully. Okay. What? How's the game going? Win a little, I lose a little. You want in? No, not tonight. Tell the truth, Cully, I'm looking for a bigger layout. Blue chips here are 500. How big can you get? Some. But this is a private poker party. Yeah, I wouldn't want news of it to get around. Don't worry, Cully, I. I did you a favor. Now, remember, give me a break in your paper. Okay, what do you want? I want to know where there's a roulette layout. Don't know. You get around some, but I don't talk about it. Just this once, Cully. Why? I'm looking for somebody who might be playing. I gotta find him. Why? Oh, Cully, you're repeating yourself. Anything else? Maybe I'd do you a favor. This. No. Besides, I don't think there's a wheel in town. I think there is. Okay. You think? Now, so long. Oh, before you go. Yeah? If I were you, I'd make this the last stop. You ask funny questions and you might not get such funny answers. It was the same in the other three places. And after hitting each one, I checked with the police. But Professor Benson seemed to have got himself swallowed up somewhere in the thousand square miles of Chicago. And then I was on my way Again. Trying to remember all the likely places until. Hi. Mind if I walk with you? What if I did? Oh, I'd walk anyway. I need exercise. My doctor says so. You got a doctor? Yeah. What's your problem? Not much. You couldn't clean up, Stone? Oh, you know me? Sure. Everybody knows Randy Stone. You're real famous. Like you're getting even more famous tonight. What's the answer to that? You've been around a few places and that's illegal? No, but it's silly. Okay, so I'm silly. So long. Glad to know. Hey, not so fast, Stone. We gotta talk. On what subject? Money. That suits you. All right, all right, get rid of it. What have you got to say? Look, Stone, everybody wants peace and quiet. The whole world's in a mix up because one guy don't agree with the other guy, right? Oh, my, my, my. Another big thinker with brass knuckles. Yeah. Now, like I say, everybody wants peace and quiet. But there's a lot of guys have to make a living in a funny way. Why don't you get to the point? Sure. Now take you for instance, for example. Huh? If your boss says, stone, go out and see how many gambling joints are buttoned. So you being a nice hard working. Nobody sent me out for that. Okay, so nobody sends you, but somebody sends me. So what about it? Nothing. Only everybody likes to see everybody else happy. Maybe this could do it for you. How much is that? Grand. I'm stirring up a lot of muddy water, huh? Yeah, you've been at three, four places. Enter the car. Not for what you think. I ain't paid to think. Only to carry out orders. This is one. Want the dough? Listen, I'm only looking. Yeah, yeah, yeah, looking for somebody. Cut it out. I'm telling the truth. I'm telling the truth too, Stone. Put your nose in one more place where they don't like stuck in noses and somebody will push it right to the back of your head. Sometime, somewhere, somebody said, there's nothing like a quiet fireside, complete with pipe and slippers. But can you make a career out of it? For that matter, can you make a career out of a hold up a creased skull and a nasty little hoodlum? Well, I was trying to. And just to find an ex professor who had a very common disease. I can't lose. Itis okay. I try one or two more places and then I'd quit. I got the same answer. And by this time the name of Randy Stone was enough to close more doors than a quarantine sign. I was asking for it. And I got it. Stone, huh? Here I am again. Oh, yes, I see. Okay, you win. Let's forget the whole thing. Just like that, huh? Over here, you guys. I brought some friends. I said you win. Let's forget it. Yeah, you was told. You didn't pay attention. Use your head, fella. Beat me up and every newspaper in town will get the story. They'll really split things open. I got orders. Oh, forget him. Go back and tell the guy. Besides, you ought to be a good example. Any other cookie who thinks he's a one man vice squad. You guys close it. Now listen to me. I'm not out to set up a knockover for anything. I'm hunting for someone. Don't go through that again. It's the truth. Max, start the ball roll. You're an idiot to think you could have had a grand instead of this. Hey, now, your nose looks much better. A professional working over is done with finesse. It's meant to stop just short of murder, but leave a nasty memory. When I came to, I was propped against a building in the alley. And the world at that moment was a bad place. And I was mad. And my anger was for the little professor with his system. Now, I really wanted to find him and turn him over to the police, but I couldn't find him. The way I'd started out, no one had talked. No one. Except perhaps one person. One of those strange, pathetic creatures known as a stoolie. I cleaned myself up at the nearest washroom, grabbed a cab and went to see him at a dirty, shabby rooming house. He was there. Look, Randy, you got yourself worked over already. What do you want from me, huh? Just a little information, Gus. Yeah, yeah, I know. Nobody comes to me. Except for that someday I'm gonna buy a chicken farm and get out of this business. Yeah. Now listen. You know everything that goes on in this town within limitations. Yeah, I know plenty. But not everything. Well, most of it. I want you to find out something for me. Yeah, there's a roulette wheel somewhere. I don't know nothing. Oh, come on, Gus. Come on, Randy. Sir, help me. Hope to kiss a pig. Nothing. Don't be afraid, Gus. I'm not starting a cleanup. I just want to find someone I know from nothing for $50. $50? Yes. It ain't good, Randy. I. I done a lot of favors for the cops. They shoot square with me. They. They kind of say I don't get hurt. But you. This isn't a crusade. I want to find someone. You leveling, Randy? I'm leveling. Well, if you ain't. If anything happens, both of us could end up real bad in the red. I do a nice business. All right, just between you and me, Gus. Now, how about it? 75 bucks. Okay, 75. Now, I haven't got it on me. You know I'm good for it. Then send it to me, not bring it personal. All right, all right, I'll send it to you. Now, who do you want to find? So I left it with Gus. And he arranged to call me at a pay station as soon as he learned anything. I waited in front of the phone for an hour, and then an hour and a half. All the while I wondered what was happening with Professor Benson. The thing was building up in my mind. It'd be ironic if his system worked. With my money. What would I do? What could I do? Whose money would it be? Then the call came through in the booth. Hello, Randy. Oh, yeah, Gus. Yeah, I got what you want. But you got a promise. No knockover. No, I told you that. Okay. There's a little guy like you told me about. He's playing the wheel. Where? Member the old Dixie Club. Yeah. Okay. There's a layout in the back. Everything from Pharaoh to one armed bandits, all fancy. And he's there. Yeah. And Randy, why, you better get there quick. Why, what's the matter? This guy's hotter than a two dollar pistol. And the boys running the joy to getting cross with him. All right, I'll see him. Hold it. You gotta know how to get in. Yeah, that might be handy. How do I do it? Well, when you get to the door, just say the name is McReady. See? Yeah, McReady. I went back to Mrs. Benson because I figured I might need her. Then the two of us went to the old Dixie Club. From the outside, it looked like a. But Gus knew what he was talking about. A knock on the door. It opened a tiny bit and I was McGreedy. Then the door opened all the way. Mrs. Benson and I went in back to a big room filled with people. But the dice game was deserted. So was the blackjack table and the Pharaoh layout. Also the poker tables. But the crowd pressed in against the roulette table. Around a little old man whose face was flushed and his skin glistened with perspiration. In front of him was a huge stack of chips. And as Mrs. Benson and I approached the table. Number 11, black. Hey, I won. I. I won again. It's working. You see, everyone? It's working. Hello, Benson. Stone, huh? Doing all Right. Huh? Please, your. You're not here to take me away. Well, that's the general idea, Harry. Come with us. Oh, no, no. Look, I. I've got all this, and there's more to come. Okay, okay, you're ahead. But there is something else. Earlier this evening, you. Here. Here's your money. Take it. Harry. I've never seen you like this, Dora. All this money yours. Yours and mine. Yeah. All right. Now, come on, pick it up and let's go. No, I won't let you take me till I pray to the anti. System. Yes. I've waited for this. Waited till I knew I was right. Now, you want to take it easy. What's your trouble, mister? Are you speaking to me? Right to you. Who are you? I happen to run this place. Well, it's slightly illegal. Who are you? I'll tell you. He's a newspaper man. His name is Stone. He wants to take me away. Stone, huh? How'd you get in here? I know a man named McReady. I wish I knew how you got to know him. I was introduced. Now, let's cut out the small. Five grand isn't small talk. That's what he's into me for. Any objection if he takes it and leaves? I won't. You listen to me, Harry. Don't you know what you've done tonight? Yes, I do. I've won for it. All right, then take it and leave. No. No? I said no. For 40 years I gave everything I had to other people. What did they give me? A gold watch and a wonderful speech. Dora and I couldn't eat the speech. Maybe if you spent over half your life. Over half your life trying to. Harry. All right. Well, what do we do now? It's up to him. He's playing a closed table. If he wants to go on. All right, I do. I'd answer you, Stone. Now, what'll happen? What do you mean by that? Figure it out. I see. You know what could happen, don't you, Stone? Sure. I've met a few muscle boys already Tonight. Could get worse. Okay. All right, Benson, it's your funeral. You've got $5,000 in front of you. Now, you can take it and leave, or you can play. Suit yourself. I'm going to play. No, Harry, no. I've got two more numbers, Dora. Two more. Okay. Place your bet. Benson. Yes. 27 red. $1,000. Will you take that much? I'll cover it. Go ahead, Harry. For the last time, do. No matter what we say, he'll do it. Let him go. 27, red. All right, spill it. Sure. And be careful. Yeah, I'll be careful. Please. Spin the wheel. Harry. What's the matter? Nothing, Nothing. Go on, spin it. Number 27, red. You see? You see? You thought I was crazy. But look at it. Look at it. I, I I've won again. I. Come on. Help me. Get him away from me. Take him into my office. Where do you get him away from here. Yeah, sure, sure. You've got to play one more number. Give me a hand, somebody, please. Come on, come on, come on. All right. I'm a couch. You don't understand. There's one more number. My. My money. Where is it? It's at the table. And take it easy. No, my money. Somebody will steal it. It'll be all right. Dora, go back and get it. Dora, go. I'll call for. No, no, no. Let me help. Lie down. Lie down. My mother. Get it, Dory. Get it. All right, all right, all right. Stay with him, Mrs. Benson. Don't let him up. Yes. Well, how much does he have coming? Including the last spin, 41,000. Can you cover? I'll cover. All right. Cash these. Wait a minute. Maybe he wants to play some more. He's finished playing. Cash these. Okay. Eddie, get 41,000 in the safe. No, leave it there. What? Leave it there. What are you talking about? He wants to play it. Oh, he's crazy. Let me talk to him. No, no, he won't listen. He wants to play it to the end. He made me promise I would. Well, you want to. I promised. All of it? Yes. Can you cover that much? Not at 35 to 1.20cents on the dollar. Take it or leave it. Take it and I'll spin. Leave it and I'll close the wheel. Now I'll play. Oh, for the love of heaven. Mrs. Benson, there's $41,000 here. Do you realize you can lose? He said I couldn't. I bet he's got. I promised I'd play it on number 21. Oh, let me talk to him. Let me. No, no. I made a promise. Play it. 41,000 on number 21, red. Is that what you want? Yes. All right. A fair spin. A fair spin. And the last one. Go ahead. Please, go ahead. All right. 21 red. Number 13, black. How about that fellow? Are you satisfied, Mr. Bessel? Yes. Yes, I am. I didn't want it to win. I didn't want that money because it killed him. It killed him. Yes. Yes, he's dead. What bonus is Benson? What can I say? Oh, he was so sure. So sure. And I lied to him. I lied, but I didn't want it. It killed him. You lied. No. No, you kept your promise. You played for him here. But his system. It's why, Mrs. Benson, you played 21. I know. And his last number was 13. Well, here I sit back in the office, wondering, watching the lights go out in the dingy gray of dawn creeping through the streets. And somewhere out there is an old woman, a lonely old woman who could have had almost $50,000, but at the loss of something that no amount of money could buy back for her. The man who quit while he was ahead. Yep. Where there's a winner, there's a loser. That's the way it's been. And that's the way it'll always be. Oh, well. Copy boy. Nightbeat A dramatic series stars Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Listeners, as we go into a new year, we all have a lot on our plates. There are backpacking trips across Europe to plan, personal best to crushing the gym and capsule wardrobes to create Good thing. Our sponsor, NerdWallet is here to take one thing off your plate. Finding the best financial products. Introducing NerdWallet's 2025 Best of Awards. List your shortcut to the best credit cards, savings accounts and more. The nerds have done the work for you, researching and reviewing over 1100 financial products to bring you only the best of the best. 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Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required card has no cash access and expires in six months. Night Beat hi, this is Randy Stone I cover the night beat for the Chicago Star. My stories start in many different ways. This one began in the shattering turmoil of a manhunt and ended in the quietness of the morgue Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. People are always telling me how lucky I am to have a job where all I've got to do is walk around Chicago at night looking for a story. It's a dandy little sure. All you need's a pneumonia jacket, an extra set of arch supports and a goodly supply of penicillin and you're all set. The city at night. Fascinating. That old nose for news, frozen stiff and ready to fall off. Those eagle eyes so watery and bloodshot from the wind they wouldn't serve a self respecting canary. Yes, sir, it's lovely work if you can get it. Brothers and sisters, have I got it. I guess I was just bitter. I'd walked from the Loop to the near north side waiting for a story to tap me gently on the shoulder. And so far it was no hits, no runs and no errors. The streets were empty. Everybody was home, hugging a radiator. And then far away, I heard that lonely blues in the night sound. A police siren. And then another, and another. Then it seemed like there was a whole chorus of sirens singing about what a cruel, cruel world it all was. And then one siren separated itself from the rest and came closer. A prowl car coming down the street, stopping just a few yards away from me and a police officer jumping out of it and hurrying to a call box. The officer passed under the street lamp and I saw the excited look on his face and I thought, all right, Stone, you lucky dog, let's go to work. This is Malach. Yeah, okay, we're on our way over there right now. Right, Officer. Just a second. What do you want, mister? What's up? Sounds like every squad car in the city's on the loose. Look, I got no time, mister. Read it in the papers tomorrow. Oh, I never touch the stuff. Look, the name of Stone, Chicago Star. Oh, reporter. Well, mildly. That's a general call, isn't it? I got no time to stand here, Gavin. I'll give it to you fast. Gig Sanvers. Busted loose. Sanvers. Great. When and how? Read it in your paper, Stone. All right, cross and let's move. They got him trapped. Gig Sanders, two time loser. A killer loose in a city of 4 million people and everyone is enemy. I hurried to a phone, checked with the police and then drove over to that part of Chicago called the Badlands, that strange area Belonging to every city, surrounded by business section, yet itself rundown, deteriorated, filled with tenements and abandoned factories. It was there the police had thrown a cordon around a boarded up building. My pass got me thrown up to the front line. And police Captain Arlen. Hello, Stone. Are the hunt's on? Huh? I don't know. We'll see in a minute. Sanders in that building got a tip? He would be. Wait a second. All right, Billings, turn the searchlights on the building. Keep two of them on the roof. Run the others back and forth. Right. Sticking around, Stone? Yeah, I guess so. You sure Sanders is in there? No, but we couldn't afford to pass up the tip. The tip? Where'd it come from? Anonymous. Just a. But Sanfords knew this neighborhood like the back of his hand. Likely to be here. Captain Ireland. Ready with the speaker now. Okay, bring it here, Malach. It's quite a crowd. Gathered for the kill. Yeah, making it tough for us. Sanford is armed like an artillery corps. And if he's in there. I see what you mean. How'd he get away? Haven't got the full details yet, but he was being taken to the death house. Killed a cop. He's a nice boy. Here you are, Captain. Okay. All right, here it goes. Sanvers, Sanders, Listen to me. There's no way out of that building that isn't covered. Come out with your hands in the air. We'll give you 20 seconds. Hear that, Sanvers? 20 seconds. We'll count them off for you. What if he doesn't show? Tear gas first? Then we'll go in after him. If he comes out with his hands up, he goes to the death house. If he doesn't, he'll come out. Rats always believe there's a chance to beat the chair. Well, his life is hope. No sign of him. Malachi, come here. Yes, sir. Take the microphone. When I give the signal, start counting off 20 seconds. Yes, sir. He giving him more than 20 seconds? Not him, the crowd. They won't push in so close when the counting's to us. Oh, look at them. Look at those faces. Perfectly normal human beings for 23 and a half hours of the day. Give them something like this for 30 minutes and they become a mob. Waiting, watching, hoping for the kill. People. Randy. Want to change them? Yeah, sure. We'll retool and put out a nice new eight cylinder model with a convertible sole. Get ready, Manochek. Yes, sir, Captain. There's my story. Sandra. Oh, no, no. That's for the front page, boys. That mob. That's my story. Look at that young couple right over there. Look at those two. They're hoping Sanders will come out shooting. Otherwise they'll want their money back, huh? I suppose so. I'll see you later. Where you going? I want to stand by that couple and listen to them. All right, Malach, start counting. But warn him first. Once more. San verse. San verse. We're going to start counting right now. Come out with your hands in the air or we'll cut you in half when we come in after you. 1, 2, 3, 4. I edged my way behind the young couple. They look so nice and so human. But here they were the same as all the rest. Go back just a little over a thousand years. Put on a toga and take a seat in the Colosseum at Rome. Have a great day watching the gladiators butcher each other. Cheer for the lions. Or if you prefer, people cheer for the slave to kill the lion. Makes no difference. It's all the same holiday somebody gets killed. 20. And then it started. Let him have it. It was all over in a few moments. The tear gas, the police rushing in with their masks on. The crowd straining forward to get a glimpse of Sanders. But there was no sanvers when the police came up. Nobody in there. Captain Ireland, he must have been. No, sir, not a soul. We've covered every inch. I watched the crowd, and strangely enough, there was relief on their faces. And even a little shame that they'd hoped for the kill. The young couple in front of me. He wasn't there, Ken. He wasn't there. I know. Come on, let's get out of here. Quick. Ken. Ken. I'm sick. Evie, hold on to me. Let us through, please. Let us through here. This way. Come on. Will you clear the way, please? She's sick, mister. Maybe it's a natural reaction to disappointment, huh? Nothing. Nothing. Come on. We'll get through this way. Will you let us through, please? Excuse me, will you, please? Thank you. She's got to sit down, mister. She's got to. Okay. Yeah. Here's my car. Let it get in here. He wasn't there. He's. He's loose. Never mind. Come on, baby. I'll get you home. You better let me drive him. No, we'll be all right. I'm sick. Just a little while, Evie. We'll be home. Look, fella, it's easy to see. What's the matter? She can't walk home in her condition. It ain't far. A block would be too far. I'll get a cat. No, I don't want Anybody around us don't want anybody around you. That's a laugh. You bring her out here to this? Why didn't you take her on a nice tour through the packing house? Shut up. What right you got to talk like that? The Founding Fathers gave it to me. You don't know nothing about her. You don't know. Ken. Take me home. Look, my car is still here. You're in no spot to refuse help, no matter what your reason. Now, come on. Let him. Let him take his. Kenny, please. All right, come on. They live very close. It didn't take over three minutes to get to their tenement building. I wanted to take her to a hospital, but she refused. She refused in a way that made me look at her hard. And there was another thing. The way she reacted when the police found out Gig Sanders wasn't in the oil factory. Terror, that's what it was. Sheer terror. And I helped her husband carry her up the stairs. And into their meager little flat on the couch. Mister? Yes? Okay. There, now. We got a phone. What for? Call a doctor. We ain't got a phone. But there's a drugstore. No, Ken. But, baby, we gotta get out. We ain't got time for a doctor. Now. Just let me rest. You're in no condition to refuse a doctor. I'm all right now. Yeah, yeah, sure. It ain't gonna be for three weeks. That's what the doctor said. Three weeks. And you drag her out to that Great Exhibition. Why didn't she shut up? Told you before, you didn't know nothing about it. Mind your own business and leave us alone. What are you looking like that for? What's the matter with you? With both of you. Nothing. Oh, yes, there is. You're scared stiff. Of what? Please go. Like Kenny says. Leave us alone. Let me phone for a doctor from the drug store. I won't come back. Just the doctor. No. We ain't got time, Kenny. Don't you know that? We ain't got time. He's loose, Ken. He's loose. Easy, baby, don't. You're talking about Gig Sanders, aren't you? Why? Why are you afraid of him? Do you know him? Come on. What about a talk? No, not to nobody. You're scared of Sandras. Why? Look, mister, you helped us. All right? Thanks. Now get out of here. We gotta tell somebody. I said nobody. You know what'll happen. We gotta tell Mr. Who are you? My name is Stone. Chicago Star newspaper. Newspaper? That frighten you? Maybe he can help. Maybe he can. Nobody can. You know that. I'll tell him. Evie. Shut up. It was Kenny who tipped the cops. Evie. I had to tell somebody. Maybe he can help. That's the truth. Kenny, I. Yeah, it was me tipped the cops that Sanders was in the factory. I thought he might be, but he wasn't. All right, all right. Now tell me something else. How do you know so much about it? Come on. If you want me to help, I gotta know you're on the level. So tell me. Tell him. How do I know that he won't go straight to the police? How do I know that? We gotta trust somebody. We gotta. Can we trust anybody? Well, try it and see. I. Him and me in the same gang Once I did time, but I got out before he did. I went straight because. Because? Go ahead. It was for me. Oh. All right. Now, how about the tip to the police? There'll be a reward. You know Sandra's is big time. I didn't do it for no reward. Okay, okay. I'm sorry, Mr. Stone. Help us. How? How can I help? By getting out now and keeping your trap shut up. And that'll help? No. You'll be back where you started. Your wife knows that as she wouldn't have asked me to help Giggle come after us. How would he know that you gave the information to the police? He'll guess. We used that factory plenty of times for a hideout. Nobody else knew how to get in. There's a cell away. All right. Let me ask you another question, Kenny. What? Why did you tip the police? Gig? Gig hates me. Why? Kenny married me while Gig was still in the pen. Oh, you were his girl? No, I never was. I never was his girl at all. I was like everything else. Gig liked everything was his, no matter who it belonged to. To him, a girl was like anything. Ellis. His gun, clothes. Anytime Gig Sanders wanted something, it was his. I never loved him, I told him. But I just laughed. Like what I felt didn't mean nothing. I see. And now? Now he's loose. He hates me because of Evie. And he's gonna know I tipped the coppers, Mr. Stone, if it's the last thing he does. He's gonna get us, Ev. You are listening to Nightbeat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Those kids were scared. Plenty scared. I asked them the only question that made sense, and I got my answer. Gotta the police? Sure. A guy who serves time goes to the cops. He tells him he gave him a bump steer. They got every copper in Chicago around that factory while Gig gets away someplace else. Yeah, yeah, sure. They'd Believe me, Wouldn't they? Well, try it. I'll go with you. Listen, you don't know I changed my name. I moved all over the state looking for a job. This is the only place I could get one. I had to come back here. So what does that prove? It'll be in the papers. He'll lose his job. Mr. Stone, I can't do that. Not with Evie. Then what do you want me to do? Look, maybe if I give you a list of the places the coppers might find Gig. Maybe you could tip him. What if he doesn't show up? There ain't many places he can go. Look, maybe by this time he's out. Maybe even out of the state. He's killed an officer. He won't dare to stay here, Gig. As long as he knows Evie and me are still alive, he'll stay. He hates me so much he'll take that chance. Does he know you'll live here? No. I ain't even seen any of the old bunch at all. I moved around. Always moving. Keep away, Mr. Stone. Go to the police, but don't tell them nothing about me. Will you get it through your head that they'll protect you? Even so, Gig's got friends. If they find out it was me. All right. Yeah. So you guy go to the police. All right. Where's the drugstore? Right at the corner. You'll see it. All right. Stay right here. Keep your door locked until I get back. It was a short minutes to the corner drugstore. I put in my call and started back to the flat. The street was quiet, deserted. The dirty tenements a solid block of ugliness against the night. I reached the tenement entrance and I was just about to start up the steps. Hey, pal. Huh? Don't turn around. And? Nice and quiet. That's it. What is this, a holdup? Sure, a holdup. Now, listen to me. Take out a cigarette. What? Take out a cigarette. That's it. Now light it. Act natural. Good boy. Now, where are you? In your car, at the curb. Smart boy. Don't turn around. I said take a look up and down the street. I am coppers. No. Knock him out of the car. You're gonna do like I tell you. Understand? What do you want? Who? You don't know who I am, Stone. Yeah, I guess I do. Listen, I'm going up to that plat. You come. Don't do it, Sandras. Sure, I'm gonna do it. This gun says I can do it. Leave the two kids alone. Yeah, all alone. You're wasting time, Sandbus. Time you could use to better advantage. Sure. Now step back a couple of feet. I'm getting out. Just stand there. Keep smoking a cigarette. Walk ahead of me. Straight on that house. Move. Stop. You. Sanders. You're not going to do this and still have time to get away. Real concerned about me, ain't you? Don't worry. I'm a big boy. All right. Give him a break. Sure, like they was going to give me. Now listen. You're going back up to that flat. You're gonna knock on the door and you're gonna tell them to let you in. That clear? What if I don't? So be a hero. I'll get in anyway. It's just easier this way. Okay, I. All right. So let's go. Slow walk up the stairs was a nightmare. I walked down the hall toward the flat. The flat where those two kids waited behind the door that they thought had keep the terror and death away from them. Then knock. Who is it? Answer. Sandus, please don't do it. We're going to answer him. Who is it? Answer. It's Stone, Kenny. But I. He was the long inside. Shut her up or I will. Evie, don't. Stone. Lock that off. All right, Kenny boy, over on the couch. Gig. Gig. Don't hurt Evie. She's gonna have. I see. Yeah. Congratulations. Listen to me. Shut up, Stone. What? Get over to the couch. On your way. Turn out the light. Stay in line with the window so I can see against the street lamp. Now sit down. We'll talk. You gonna listen to me, Keek? Sure. I'm a wonderful listener. Only make it good and funny, huh? Even me fell in love, Keek. You ain't gonna blame us for that. Evie and you fell in love. You think I worried about that? You think I cared what she did? Nah, it's what you've done tonight. He was afraid, Sanders. Afraid that you'd come after him because of Evie. I thought about it, mister. Yeah, Plenty. But I figured. Let it go. It ain't worth it. But this tonight is something different. Ken and Stooley. You'll never get out of Chicago, Sanfords. Every cop in the city will be looking for you. That's nothing new to me. Now you, Kenny boy, you did tip the coppers, didn't you? Kick. Listen, we're nothing. You haven't got a chance, Humbers. No chance. I always got a chance. My luck's good. You know why I wasn't in that factory, Kenny Boy? Because my luck held. I had to get some dough first. And you know where I was? In that crowd. Just standing there watching. You were in the crowd? Yeah. Like watching my own funeral. Only the coffin was empty. And I saw you and Evie, Kenny. That's how I knew where the chip come from. All right. You see? Now be smarter. You got us where you want us. We can't make a move. But if you kill us, you'll kill the time you need to get away. I got ways. Like I come here. I followed you in a cab, then hid in your park car. Now ain't that smart, Evie? You ain't said nothing, Jake. You gonna kill us? Yeah, I'm gonna kill you. Sandras. You set your luck. Held. It can't hold forever. What you're doing now is giving the police minute after minute to catch up with you. And they will. Sooner or later. You killed an officer. Santa's. You know what that means? Him or me? It had to be that way. Doesn't have to be this way. This way, what Kenny done was to save Evie's life and the baby's. Right or wrong. That's why he did it. What would you have done to save your own life? I killed a cop. That saved my life. That answer you? Yes, I guess it does. So it makes sense. That's a radio there by you, ain't it? Yeah. Send it on. We're all going to sit here and wait for the news. I'm going to see how I'm making out. We sat in the semi darkness of the room. The only light came from the window that faced the street. Then the 11 o'clock news broadcast came on. Meeting tomorrow will tell us more. Tonight in Chicago, the city's manhunt goes on for Gig Sanvers, convicted and sentenced killer. Acting on an anonymous tip, the police surrounded the old Phillips factory. But Sanders had not been there or had escaped before the cordon could be drawn tightly. Meanwhile, rewards totaling $2,800 have been offered. Shut up. 2,800. A real nice nest egg, huh, Kenny boy? It wasn't any reward. Now, Sanders. What do you want, Storm? You said you were smart. So what are you getting at? Maybe you forgot one thing. Yeah? You came here in a cab. So the driver get a look at your face. Don't give me that. The cops would be here long before now. Oh, no. Sanders. Only about a half hour's gone by since they tried for you in the factory. Figure it out. By the time the cab driver reports, by the time the police check. Shut up. You're wasting time. You got half a chance if you Take it. Yep. Yeah. Yeah, I guess you talked me into it. Okay, I'll get going. Gig. No. Please, no. Not Evie. Not the baby. The baby. Evie. I could have been rotten in that factory by now. What satisfaction will you get from this sandwich? Satisfaction? Everything in the world. You were friends? Yeah. Friends. Did you tell them how good friends we were, Kenny? Did you tell him how we played in the same dirty, stinking streets? Are we at the same street slopping you off in asylum? Did you tell him all that? Yeah. Did you tell him how I was always the one to get Kenny out of jazz when we were kids? They tell you that, Stone? No. But you're thinking of it. Remember it. I am. Oh, I am. All Kenny wanted was a decent life. Even though it cost mine, huh? He wanted to live for his wife and their baby. And I want to live for what? You shouldn't have said that, Stone. I didn't have nothing against you till you said that I was going to that death house. When I busted loose, I figured a million ways to get away and I took the chance. When it come. I killed a cop. A cop. And I know what happens to a cop, Jenner. I know. Come on. I guess you were right about that cabbie. The minute the cop will all be set up and ready to get me. Yeah, but I killed a cop. That's how bad I wanted to live. But nobody wants me to. Nobody, you hear? Nobody. Listen, Sandra. You listen. Listen. A couple of weeks ago, there was a leopard. Lucy. You know what the people said? You know, Stone? Yes, I know. They felt sorry for the leopard. That's right. Everybody wanted that leopard taken alive. Nobody wanted it killed. But me. Me. I'm a human being. And they want to see me cut to pieces. Maybe. Because that's all the difference in the world between you and that animal. Is there? Is there? You're gonna tell me the leopard would know better if he killed to get away? Well, I don't. No. Because that's the way I learned to live. Because you didn't want any other way, Sanvas. Because it was the easiest way. You grew up in a gutter. You never wanted to get out of it. Other men did. I ate all of that. I've gigged Sanvers, Gig, Sanders, Gig. They're all around. You ain't got a chance. Ah, that's dandy for you. Just what you want. No, Gig. No, I swear it ain't. You swear. Now you listen. I'm going out. Yeah, but not with my hands up. And I ain't gonna Die alone. Sanfords don't do one last decent thing. Let these kids alone. Gig, listen. I'll go with you. Kenny. No. Gig. Gig, I'll go with you. It'll be you and me again, like it always was. I hope you get away. We can do it together, Gig. We always used to. Me and you. Remember? You're crazy, Kenny. If they think you're going out with him, you won't have a chance. He'll cut you down with him. You won't. Kenny, stay here. I gotta do it, Evie. You gotta see that. I have to do it, Gig. You wanna kill me? All right, I'll be dead if that's what you want. But I'm going out with you. I got a gun. I got a gun. Kenny, put it down. Don't. So you got a gun? You got a gun. All right. Shoot me. Why don't you shoot me? I coulda anytime we were sitting here. But you didn't. You was always soft, Kenny boy. You see, Stone? That's the difference between him and me. Then shoot me. Go ahead. Kill me now. But even if you don't, I'm going out with you again. Kenny. You're not talking sense. Sanvers. Sanvers, we know you're in there. Sanvers. This is Captain Ireland. Listen to me, Sanfords. I'm listening, copper. Sanfords, there are innocent people in that building. We'll give them time to clear. They. If you've got any human decency left in you, wait before you do anything. But I warn you, Sanvers, come out with your hands in the air. What are you gonna do? You know what I'm gonna do. Coppers. Coppers. I'm coming out. Right out the front door. Tell everybody else to stay and tell them. All right, Sanvers, but with your hands up. Now, listen, people. Stay in your rooms. Lie down on the floor and stay away from windows and doors. I'm coming. Coppers. Don't kill your kids, Sanvers. Go out with your hands in the air. Oh, sure, sure. Now. Evie. Kenny. Gig. Sanvers. Do it then, Gig. Do it and get it over with. Kenny. Kenny boy. Get where I can see your face. Thank what you're doing. Sandra, stop. And the light by the window. Kenny, now let me look at you. You said you'd go out with me. Yeah, Kenny, don't lie to me now. Don't lie now. Go with you, Kate. Swear it's the truth, Kenny. Swear it's the truth. I don't have to swear it. Kick. You're looking at me. Yeah. Okay. I'm going out alone. And what about Kenny? Evie, I can rot in this thinking world. I can rotate. Not me. I'm going out. I'm going out and meet all the coppers in Chicago. Jig, stay where you are. He's gone. He's gone. Sanders, come out with your hands up. Hello, hoppers. Well, there's $2,800 lying down there. Kenny better go down and pick it up. I don't want it. You had all the chance in the world. Why didn't you kill him? I couldn't. Gig Sandras was my. Now it's almost dawn again and I've written another story. It's a story that began a long time ago when a man looked up and answered a question with another question. Am I my brother's keeper? There's an answer to that and our society has made it. Yes, you are your brother's keeper. But the kept must be worthy of the keeper. Copy boy. Night Beat, a new dramatic series, stars Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone. Tonight's story was written by Russell Hughes. Night Beat is edited by Larry Marcus and directed by Warren Lewis. Music by Frank Wirth. Others in tonight's cast were Ted De Courcia, Georgia Ellis, Shepard Menken, Louis Haight, Herb Ellis and Alan Slate. Frank Lovejoy will next be seen in Milton Spurling's production Rock Bottom, released by Warner Brothers. Throughout the week, NBC brings you the very best adventure mystery dramas on the air. You'll hear action packed, fast moving plots to hold your interest right up to the smashing climax on NBC's thrilling mystery shows. During these stellar programs, you'll hear mystery and intrigue, adventure and high tension drama match your powers of observation against the best in detective fiction. In solving crimes and unraveling intrigue, there's fast moving action to lift you from beside your radio into the romantic land of mystery and adventure. These exciting dramas are as interesting as tomorrow's race results today. And you will hear them every night over most of these NBC stations. Remember, if it's mystery and adventure dramas you're tuned for, tuned for the best on NBC. Listen next week at this same time and every week as Randy Stone searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness. The stories that come out of the shadows to find their way into Nightbeat. If you love your phone, but not your carrier, just switch to T Mobile. You can keep your phone, keep your number and we'll help pay it off up to $800 per line. You can also use our savings calculator to compare our plans and streaming benefits against Verizon and AT&T. So switch and keep your phone, keep your number and keep more of your moolah. AT T Mobile com up to 4 lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days with device intelligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.