Broadway Is My Beat and The Adventures Of Ellery Queen

Summary

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Case Closed! (RelicRadio.com) - Episode Summary

Air Date: September 10, 2025
Featured Stories:

1. Broadway Is My Beat – “The Charles Crandall Murder” (May 12, 1951)
2. The Adventures Of Ellery Queen – “The Adventure of Nick the Knife” (Aug 1, 1945)

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Episode Overview

This episode of Case Closed! immerses listeners in two thrilling investigations from the golden age of radio drama. The first story, Broadway Is My Beat, follows Detective Danny Clover as he delves into a tangled web of murder, robbery, and betrayal on the vibrant streets of 1950s New York. The second feature, The Adventures of Ellery Queen, challenges listeners with the infamous “Nick the Knife” serial attacks—a mysterious case that confounds police and ultimately tests Ellery Queen’s deductive brilliance.

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1. Broadway Is My Beat – “The Charles Crandall Murder”

Starts at 00:35

Main Theme

Detective Danny Clover investigates the killing of a man found in a Broadway alley, uncovering a connection to a stolen ring, a mysterious femme fatale, and a desperate longshoreman.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Developments

• Scene Setting & Discovery of the Body

  • The episode opens with atmospheric, poetic narration of Broadway’s energy and darkness.
  • [01:07] Det. Danny Clover: “The web of blood in the alley was already dust heavy… his hand still clutched to the bullet wound as if he tried to claw out the pain. Never made it.”

• Initial Investigation

  • Clover and his partner Muggerman locate only a parking ticket (for Charles Crandall) and an expensive watch, but no ID on the deceased.
  • [02:40] Muggerman (re: the ticket): “It's a ticket for parking made out to Charles Crandall... He can snap his fingers at it now, huh?”

• Interviewing Suspects/Persons of Interest

  • At Crandall’s boarding house, his landlady, Mrs. Scully, describes him as upstanding, recently engaged to Rosemary, and a longshoreman.
    • [04:54] Mrs. Scully: “Rosemary…Nielsen is something. Rosemary. Such a nice name for a girl gonna be married.”
  • Clover finds Crandall alive at the docks and brings him to the morgue. Crandall’s account reveals:
    • He met a woman named Helen at Solly’s Bar. She offered to get him a ring “half price”, took his parking ticket, and later turned up murdered herself.
      • [09:17] Charles Crandall: “She told me there was a jewelry store down the street… to pick out any ring in the window I wanted.”

• Bar and Tenement Leads

  • Detective Clover chases Helen’s trail through Solly’s Bar and her rented room, only to find her strangled—tying her death to the jewelry scam and murder.
    • [12:00] Muggerman (on Helen): “I told her to stay out of here. What’d you want me to do, hit her over the head with the bat?”

• Jewelry Store Investigation

  • At Scully’s Jewelry Shop: Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Scully recognize photos of the dead, but oddities—like missing and misplaced items—emerge.
    • [16:08] Mrs. Scully: “My, my. Look at him.” (reacting to dead girl’s photo)
    • [17:04] Mr. Scully: “If I had a robbery, I’d know I’d been robbed, wouldn’t I?”

• Linking the Loot

  • A layaway customer, Miss Christie, reports a stolen watch that matches one found on the murder victim, further implicating Scully’s store in the ring of thefts.
    • [23:21] Detective Clover: “That watch have a gold face, gold wristband...”
    • [23:35] Muggerman: “That sounds like the watch we found on that guy in the alley.”

• Confrontation & Confessions

  • Detective Clover confronts Mr. Scully, with Mrs. Scully involuntarily revealing inconsistencies about a missing coat and keys—unraveling Scully’s string of lies.
    • [25:42] Mrs. Scully: “George, I’m not gonna lie for you… You might as well know that after all, you’ve done something wrong.”
  • It’s revealed that Scully’s carelessness and his secrets with Helen led to robberies and ultimately two murders. Under pressure, Scully admits involvement.
    • [27:10] Detective Clover: “Tell her you killed Johnny Malloy. Only he didn’t have the loot. He’d already given it to Helen. So you had to strangle her to get it."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Broadway’s Atmosphere
  • [01:07] Det. Danny Clover: "Broadway shimmers and languor walks the street. ...you stand and watch or follow the crowd and lend your heart to the whispered cry that this day, this time, will not get away from you. But it does. It always does."
• On Regret and Consequences
  • [26:14] Mrs. Scully: “You lied to me, George Scully… not this, George.”
  • [27:25] Mrs. Scully: "But you promised you wouldn't. And now look at you, George Scully. You're a murderer."

Resolution

• Justice is served as Scully is taken away and Mrs. Scully refuses to cover for him anymore. The episode closes with Clover’s signature melancholy reflection on the city:
  • [28:15] Det. Danny Clover: “In May, the night sighs down on Broadway like a rosy promise. …Broadway. My beat.”

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2. The Adventures Of Ellery Queen – “The Adventure of Nick the Knife”

Starts at 30:11

Main Theme

A city is terrorized by a serial slasher known as “Nick the Knife”. With victims chosen seemingly at random, Ellery Queen and his father, Inspector Queen, must find the elusive criminal before he strikes again.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Developments

• Opening & Serial Attacks

  • The city is gripped by fear as young women are slashed by an unseen assailant.
    • [34:14] News: “…31st weekly victim since he launched his mysterious one man terror wave last Christmas Eve…”

• Police Frustration and Queen’s Involvement

  • Inspector Queen, overwhelmed, turns to Ellery for help. Ellery observes that only the regularity of the attacks and their profiling (attractive women) stand out.
    • [35:07] Inspector Queen: “I wish I could, Mickey. …the best you can hope for is a lucky break.”
  • Victim, Jane Stepley, is found—unusual for being "homely".

• Multiple Suspects and Red Herrings

  • Three men found at the crime scene maze—each suspect has plausible reasons to be suspected (ex-psychiatric patient, drug addict, butcher).
    • [40:30] Ellery Queen: “That’s your knife, Snow, isn’t it?”
    • [41:27] Nicky: “Recall this man’s wife left him for another man… tried to kill her with a knife.”

• Victim Interviews & Dead Ends

  • Jane, the victim, can’t positively identify her attacker; all three suspects are eliminated by logistical or psychological means.
  • Ellery Queen proposes a trap at the country hospital with the three main suspects as bait, but during the trap, another attack occurs in the city.
    • [50:37] Nikki: “Ellery, don’t tell me.”
    • [50:38] Ellery: “Yes, Nicky. Now I know who Nick the Knife is.”

• Brilliant Deduction & Twist Ending

  • Ellery realizes there were five people in the maze, not four—the fifth being Jane Stepley herself. She staged an attack on herself to throw off suspicion, having been the actual perpetrator all along.
    • [52:40] Ellery Queen: “There were five—five? Who was the fifth? Jane Stepley herself.”
    • [54:02] Ellery Queen: “She very nearly got away with it, poor thing.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Madness of the City & Investigation:
  • [39:38] Nikki: “The inspector was cruising… right in the parkway.”
  • [42:06] Hodges: “Isn’t that tree green?”
• On Deduction Logic:
  • [52:01] Nicky: “With three of the four possibilities eliminated, the fourth must be guilty. And that’s you. How’s my logic, Mr. Queen?”
  • [52:48] Ellery Queen: “Jane Stepley herself… This homely woman, brooding over unattractiveness, became psychotic and began hunting and attacking girls who were pretty.”

Resolution

• The true killer is revealed as the seemingly unremarkable Jane Stepley, whose jealousy and psychological distress drove her to attack others and eventually herself in an effort to elude capture. The conclusion is somber and thought-provoking—a classic Queen twist.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | Notes | |---------|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | 00:35 | Start of “Broadway Is My Beat” | Atmospheric intro by Clover | | 02:40 | Parking ticket clue revealed | “It’s a ticket… Charles Crandall” - Muggerman | | 06:04 | Interview with Crandall | Crandall alive, taken to morgue | | 09:17 | Crandall’s story of Helen & ring | “She told me there was a jewelry store…” | | 13:30 | Helen found murdered | Dead end comes to life | | 15:16 | Scully’s Jewelry Store investigation | Mr. & Mrs. Scully questioned | | 23:21 | Stolen watch connection | Layaway plan customer | | 25:42 | Mrs. Scully confronts George | “I’m not gonna lie for you…” | | 27:10 | Murder confession | “Tell her you killed Johnny Malloy.” | | 28:15 | Clover’s poetic closing | | | 30:11 | Start of “Ellery Queen: Nick the Knife” | Narrator’s cold open | | 34:14 | News bulletin—serial slasher escalation | 31st weekly victim | | 35:07 | Inspector Queen asks Ellery for help | | | 40:30 | Suspects questioned | Knife discovered | | 47:14 | Queen’s trap set at hospital | | | 50:37 | New city attack–twist | No suspects could be guilty | | 52:48 | Queen’s deduction: Jane Stepley is killer | |

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Episode Tone and Language

Both stories blend hardboiled noir with wry observation, deep emotion, and classic radio drama stylings. The dialogue is punchy, laced with period slang, and the characters’ introspection and wit bring depth to the suspense.

• Det. Clover’s melancholic, lyrical narration sets a darkly poetic, urban mood.
• Ellery Queen’s segment weaves efficient deduction with moments of dry humor and humanity.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This installment of Case Closed! weaves two intricate tales of mystery—one an atmospheric New York murder investigation that explores ordinary lives derailed by greed and desperation; the other a serial slasher case with a devastating psychological twist. Both keep the listener guessing until the final moments, delivering classic golden-age radio suspense and drama.

For full shows and more golden-age radio mysteries, visit relicradio.com.

Transcript

[Host]

Welcome back to Case Closed Mystery and Crime from the golden age of Radio. Every Wednesday@ Relicradio.com our first story comes from Broadway Is My Beat. This week we'll hear the Charles Crandall murder case for May 12, 1951. After that it's the adventures of Ellery Queen and the Adventure of Nick the knife. From August 1, 1945.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Broadway's my beat. From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.

[Narrator]

Broadway's My Beat. With Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover.

[Detective Danny Clover]

In the mid afternoon light of May time, Broadway shimmers and languor walks the street. The dream walk rhythm to the pulse of the sleeping neon, to the sun warmed blues yawned out of loudspeakers to the slow erratic dance of the litter of night held close, thrown away by a gutter wind. And with the rest of Broadway, you stand and watch or follow the crowd and lend your heart to the whispered cry that this day, this time, will not get away from you. But it does. It always does. The web of blood in the alley was already dust heavy, its threads leading you to the man huddled in a forgotten anguish against the flaking brick of an alley wall. His hand still clutched to the bullet wound as if he tried to claw out the pain. Never made it. And the other man leaning over him, being gentle and polite as he searched the dead man's pockets, then finding something and looking at it, then making the only observation left to him.

[Muggerman]

It's a nice day, wasn't it, Danny?

[Detective Danny Clover]

What did you find? Maggovan?

[Muggerman]

Found him like that, all broken up about the bullet in his chest. Tried to tell me why it was there. The word never got out.

[Detective Danny Clover]

It was phoned in.

[Muggerman]

Yeah, from the back room of a bar down the alley. A friendly chap wandered out for a breath of fresh air. Saw this, ran back to the bar, made his phone call, bought drinks for the house. He's still celebrating if you want to talk to him.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You talked to him?

[Muggerman]

Yeah. Friendly lush invited me to a cold beer. I didn't take it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

He knew this man never had the pleasure.

[Muggerman]

He told me all the citizens of the alley never had the pleasure. I checked.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Uh huh. What's that in your hand?

[Muggerman]

This? Oh, I almost forgot. It's a ticket for parking made out to a Charles Crandall over parked in the loading zone. He can snap his fingers at it now, huh?

[Detective Danny Clover]

This your witty day, Muggerman?

[Muggerman]

I try, Danny. Days like this, I guess I don't make it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Anything else, sir?

[Muggerman]

Not A thing. Nothing. Except that expensive watch on his wrist. You have to listen awful close to.

[Charles Crandall]

Even hear a ticking.

[Muggerman]

Very expensive. It's running. But in this alley, you can't hear a ticking.

[Detective Danny Clover]

No wallet, no identification. Just the parking ticket, that's all.

[Muggerman]

A wristwatch and a parking ticket. Not much for a grown man to leave behind him, is it, Danny?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Then the alley formerly known only to the chalk writers, the garbage collectors and the shortcut homers. Then the alley became cluttered with new faces, mostly scrubbed. The girl in the picture hat on the Pekingese. A maid in the baby carriage. The dad and his son. Mostly these, interspersed with enough men from the police department so that I could leave. I did. Back to headquarters briefly with the traffic ticket and to the traffic department long enough to check an automobile license number against a name and be given an address. And Charles Crandall rooming house on West 17th street and go there. Wait a few seconds until the woman at the front door had finished shaking out her mop.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Morning. Guess I should say good afternoon. House cleaning. You sure lose track of the time.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm looking for Charles Crandall. I'm from the police.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Oh, my. Charlie hasn't done anything, has he?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Is he home?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I wish you'd answer me. I'm his landlady, and I never had a better roomer than Charlie. What's Charlie done?

[Detective Danny Clover]

We found a man with a traffic ticket in his pocket.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Charlie told me parked illegally.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Is he home?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Why, no. Charlie hasn't been home for the last couple of days.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I see.

[George Scully]

Yeah.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Charlie's engaged, you know.

[Detective Danny Clover]

No, I didn't.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

He brought his young lady over just last week. Introduced Rosemary. Such a nice girl. Help me with the dishes.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Rosemary. What?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I don't remember quite. Nielsen is something. Rosemary. Such a nice name for a girl gonna be married.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Can you tell me why Charlie hasn't been home?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Of course.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Sometimes he stays at Rosemary's house. Her parents love him like he was their own. Like I feel about him.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Was Charlie about 5ft 11, blond hair.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Heavily built, but not fat, you understand. Charlie takes exercise every morning. When the chandelier shakes in the parlor. I know. Charlie's taking his exercises. And the chandelier shakes every morning before he goes to work.

[Detective Danny Clover]

But you know where Charlie works, Surely.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Charlie's a longshoreman. That's another reason why he's not fat. Works the Peerless Steamship Line unloads. That's an idea. You want to talk to Charlie, why don't you go there? You're a policeman. They'll let you talk to him.

[Detective Danny Clover]

The foreman said your name was Charlie Crandall.

[Charles Crandall]

Yeah, that's right.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm from the police.

[Charles Crandall]

Oh. Oh, the parking ticket, huh? I'm not surprised.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I am. I didn't think you were alive, Charlie. Come on.

[Charles Crandall]

If I'm not being too previous. Where you taking me, Mr. Clover?

[Detective Danny Clover]

You'll see.

[Charles Crandall]

I had parking tickets before. Nobody ever took me by the arm and let me down a cold, damp hallway.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That so? Nobody ever?

[Charles Crandall]

Never. So help me, I've been missing out on things. Life has passed me by. Huh?

[Detective Danny Clover]

In here, Charles.

[Charles Crandall]

Don't tell me. Let me guess. It's a morgue.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Uh huh.

[Charles Crandall]

I keep looking at such things in the papers whenever you boys put on a safety campaign. Look, the paper says drive carefully or this on the slab is you. Because I got a lousy parking ticket, you're making me live it. This the new up to date method, is it? Chill in the air here. How come I'm sweating?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Take a good look, Charles.

[Charles Crandall]

I'm looking. I make your promise. I will drive carefully, observing all the traffic signals and I will never over park in a loading zone again. Promise? Cross my heart. Gypsy blood oath. If you want.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You know him.

[Charles Crandall]

Cover him up, put him back. I've had him.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I said something, Charles. You know him?

[Charles Crandall]

Who knows people who ask for this kind of thing? A shelf for a grave. I'm grateful to you though, Mr. Clover. You've introduced me to a new experience. You've given me a memory I never had before.

[Detective Danny Clover]

We found this parking ticket on him, Charles. Yours. Look at it. Yours. Why do things like this happen to a man like you?

[Charles Crandall]

It's very complicated.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I listened.

[Charles Crandall]

You sure you got the time? You got nothing better to do down here?

[Detective Danny Clover]

There's all the time you'll ever need.

[Charles Crandall]

Fortunate me.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That's right, Charles. Count your blessings.

[Charles Crandall]

What I'm building up to if you give me the chance. Last night was a blessing. Maybe this, what you're showing me, was a part of it. I wouldn't know.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Well, the mood hits you, the part you know. I'll wait.

[Charles Crandall]

Well, last night was my night in Solly's Bar on Third Avenue.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Oh. This man was found in an alley near Solly's Bar.

[Charles Crandall]

I wouldn't know about that. All I know is Solly's a man with an open ear. I cried into it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You'd had a tough day.

[Charles Crandall]

That too. I'm a longshoreman, remember? That too.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Sawyer cried a glass full of tears into Solly's ear.

[Charles Crandall]

Yeah? About the engagement ring I needed for my girl. Or my betrothed. I call her about the engagement ring I couldn't afford to buy for. Because a man like me don't lay away for things like that.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Must have been very dramatic.

[George Scully]

Yeah.

[Charles Crandall]

I put it on, maybe more than it needed was. A girl walks over to me, runs her fingers across the beard on my cheek. Tells me she has heard the whole thing. Or the big trouble I'm in with my betrothed.

[Detective Danny Clover]

She stopped your weeping?

[Charles Crandall]

You could say that. She told me there was a jewelry store, Scully's Jewelry Store, down the street to come with her to pick out any ring in the window I wanted.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Like a fairy tale.

[Charles Crandall]

Yeah, you could say that. So I went with her. Pointed to the fattest ring in the window with the fattest numbers. Star sapphire, she says. Meet me again tomorrow. I'll get it for your half price.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Good girl. To meet in a bar.

[Charles Crandall]

You'll never dream how good. After that she takes me back to Solly's. Lets me exchange my other sorrows with her.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You had more?

[Charles Crandall]

Only one more I could call to mind at the time. The parking ticket. She says, give it to me. I know where to fix it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You believed her?

[Charles Crandall]

I hear it's been done.

[Detective Danny Clover]

And that's the last you saw of the ticket?

[Charles Crandall]

The gypsy blood oath. If you still want it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Who is the girl?

[Charles Crandall]

Helen. Address Solly's Bar and Third. Go to a Mr. Clover. A girl like that can ease many sorrows. Just ask for Helen. They'll know.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Don't thumb through any travel folders, huh, Charles?

[Charles Crandall]

Why should I? I found a home here. Cover him up. Her. Mr. Clover. It's chilly in here.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Sally's Bar on 3rd Avenue. The boy had said, go there and ask about a girl named Helen. Because Charlie had given her a traffic ticket and the ticket had turned up on one John Doe. Dead on arrival. Third Avenue is a tenement five stories high and miles long. At nine o' clock the night is going full blast. The open air. Card games for juveniles only. The doorstep trysting places. And every seven minutes, the elevated screams. Somewhere between com choose Hong Kong Hand Laundry. Special attention paid to pleated dress shirts and the Blue Star Delicatessen. Cream soda and hot corned beef, two bits. Somewhere between there was Solly's Bar. I walked in.

[Muggerman]

What's yours, friend?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Beer. Make a draft.

[Muggerman]

One dime.

[George Scully]

Thanks.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Your name's Solly? You own this place? Yeah. So you work here every night? Yeah. Why skip any nights this week?

[Muggerman]

Hey, what's with you, buster? You spent the dime. Drink your beer, listen to the music.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'm looking for Helen. Oh, Helen. Tall, blonde, you know. Look, buster, you're here every night, aren't you? You ought to know. Helen.

[Muggerman]

I want to show you something, friend. See this? A ball bat. I bought it from a kid who swiped it from the Yanks dugout. I sawed it off. You want to hear how it goes? That's the way it goes when I slap it on a bar. You want to hear how it sounds. Otherwise, you want to cop, huh? Why didn't you show me the bash before?

[Detective Danny Clover]

What about Helen?

[George Scully]

I get it.

[Muggerman]

Don't be a cop. You figure I tell you about Helena?

[Detective Danny Clover]

What about her?

[Muggerman]

I told her to stay out of here. What'd you want me to do, hit her over the head with the bat?

[Detective Danny Clover]

The other night she was in here talking to a longshoreman named Charlie Crandall. You know anything about that?

[Muggerman]

Who's in trouble? She. It is Charlie.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Charlie Crandall was talking to you about an engagement ring. You remember that?

[Muggerman]

Who remembers for what reason? My ear gets bent. Helen. I know. You want her, huh?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Where do I find her?

[Muggerman]

You wait on that bar stool. She'll be in whispering at you for a drink. Well, you can't wait. Try the second floor. Back at the corner house at the end, this side of the street. Can't wait, huh?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Walk down to the corner house, which the sign at the head of the steps said, allowed no visitors after 10 o'.

[George Scully]

Clock.

[Detective Danny Clover]

And the other sign at the end of the corridor. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Wash out the bathtub and the door that was swinging open briefly, then closing, opening. Helen. Helen. Get no answer. The tenement draft swings the door open and presents a room. A torn apart room. Nothing was in its place. Nothing was undisturbed except the girl on the bed. The strangled girl with the tumbled blonde hair. The dead girl. The murdered girl.

[Narrator]

You are listening to Broadway's My Beat, written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin and starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Anyone interested in an auto ride from Hollywood all the way to New York? A fella in Hollywood named Jack Benny has to make the trip. He's got a fine Maxwell automobile and.

[Detective Danny Clover]

He'S looking for someone who loves sharing.

[Narrator]

The scenery and the expenses. For full details and fascinating highlights, be listening to CBS's Jack Benny show this Sunday evening. And remember, E. VARDEN as our Ms. Brooks will be on hand, too.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Springtime on Broadway is like springtime on a thousand other main drags, except for one thing. Mother Nature doesn't function on Broadway. Nothing grows. It gets constructed, but nobody bothers. There's the salary to be earned, baseball scores to be considered, the weather to be discussed. However, as in all times and places, there are the crackpots, some even delirious enough to give you odds that Broadway's liable to get blown off the face of the earth. You waste a shrug on that one and flip the newspaper over another page. Scan the quarter column on the right hand side. Girl murdered in tenement house. Police seek link with death of unidentified man, which was straight reporting. I know because I was the policeman directly concerned. Next morning, open the notebook and scan the personal brand of shorthand. See now an item. Charlie Crandall had been taken by the hand and led to the window of Scully's Jewelry Shop to pick out an engagement ring. Go there, look in the same window and walk into the store.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Good morning.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Oh, good morning. I'm Danny Clover from the police.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Yes?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I'd like to see the manager.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Well. Well, I guess I am until Mr. Scully comes in. What did you want to see him about? I'm his wife.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Take a look at this picture, Mrs. Scully. Have you ever seen this man before?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Might have, but I don't know him personally, if that's what you mean. Maybe I've seen him someplace. Who is he?

[Detective Danny Clover]

The man we've got in the morgue. Now, take a look at this picture. Young girl also in the morgue.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

How terrible.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Do you know her?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

She could be anybody. Somebody's sister or sweetheart. In the morgue? In a police morgue. What happens to people, Mr. Clover? What? My, my. Look at him.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Hello, honey.

[George Scully]

Like it?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Blue coat and brown pants. Well, it's different, George.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

I took my brown coat to the cleaners on the way to work. It got soiled. Oh, sorry, dear. This gentleman.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Oh, this is Mr. Clover, George from the police. And this is my husband, Mr. Scully.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Something I can do for you, Mr. Clover?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Just take a look at a couple of pictures. Garrett.

[Charles Crandall]

This one?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Never saw him. Take a look at this.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

No her either. Dangerous characters, huh, George?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

They're dead. They're in a police morgue.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

No, I don't know either of them, George. I'm talking to the gentleman, Louise.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

But I'll forget if I don't tell you now.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

My wife is forgetful, Mr. Clover. That's a good kind of wife to have. What is a dick?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Mrs. Reed was in here for her diamond brooch. I couldn't find it.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Why not? Why couldn't you find it?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Mrs. Reed was furious. You promised her you'd have the catch. Repaired by this morning.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

It's ready. Why couldn't you find it, Louise?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I looked. It's not there on the repair rack. I looked all right, but I couldn't find it.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Call up Mrs. Reed and tell her your husband's here, Louise. Tell her to stop in for a brooch. Well, do it, Louise.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You're not missing anything from the shop, are you, Mr. Scully?

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Missing what?

[Detective Danny Clover]

I don't know.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

I don't understand what you're talking about.

[Detective Danny Clover]

A robbery, anything like that.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

You're joking. If I had a robbery, I'd know I'd been robbed, wouldn't I? You want anything else, Mr. Clover? No. Then you'll pardon me, won't you? Sure you will.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Gino. What's the matter, Titaglia?

[Gino / Tartaglia]

You got a big sadness from your office window, Danny. You can see the harbor in the yarn.

[Detective Danny Clover]

It makes you unhappy, huh?

[Gino / Tartaglia]

Lady Jane Pugh, the ne' er do well, girl detective from London town. She has pushed off from our fair shores, Danny. The paper said she grew lonesome to eat an English kipper in the fog.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That happens to a girl sometimes.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

You're fighting me, Danny. Don't do that at a time like this.

[Detective Danny Clover]

There's only one thing to do with a grief like yours, Gino.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

Tell me, Danny. Don't tease me with it. Tell me.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Bury it. And work, you mean.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

I tried, Danny don't. Help. There it is, on your desk.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You buried your grief in this envelope.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

A part of it. The rest. What's in the envelope is news from the FBI concerning the fingerprints of the man now in the morgue whom you found bullet holed in the alley. They matched them to a minor hoodlum, name of Johnny Malloy. Used to work our fair city. Crossed a few sweaty palms with silver. Address unknown. I informed them his new address finally.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Caught up with him. Don't you know?

[George Scully]

Yeah?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Danny Clover speaking.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

This is Rosemary Nelson, Mr. Clover. Can you come to our house right away, please?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Who did you say?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Rosemary Nelson. I'm Charles Crandall's fiance. He told you about me? He says it's about the ring he gave me. The engagement ring. I don't want it, nor him anymore. Please come.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What's your address, Rosemary?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

The brownstone with the marble stoop. 1827 West 58th.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You'll be here right away.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

You going out, Danny?

[George Scully]

You mind?

[Gino / Tartaglia]

If you want to leave me alone with a memory, it's all right.

[Charles Crandall]

Go ahead, Danny.

[Gino / Tartaglia]

I'll be all right. I've been alone before.

[George Scully]

Bye, Danny.

[Charles Crandall]

Don't pay any attention to her, Mr. Clover, she's upset. A lover's quarrel upsets a girl like Rosemary. I know we've had them before.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That's all it is, Rosemary. Just a quarrel that needs a policeman to referee it.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Look at this ring, Mr. Clover.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Beautiful star sapphire.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Take it. I don't want it. Give it back to whoever Charlie got it from.

[Charles Crandall]

You know where I got it from, who I got it from, how I got it. Don't make a tear stained production out of it.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I'm not crying, Charlie. Not anymore. That's one thing I used to like about you. You never gave me a reason to cry.

[Charles Crandall]

You got a star sapphire, didn't you? Is that what eats you? Because you never had a thing like that before? Because the star shoots pains through your head?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Leave me alone. Just you leave me alone, you hear?

[George Scully]

Rose.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Rose.

[Charles Crandall]

Hiding.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Where'd you get the ring, Charles?

[Charles Crandall]

Honey? Rose, baby, listen to me. I told you I'd tell the police.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I dropped into Scully's jewelry store a little while ago and noticed a little square, clean place in the window. Like where a ring box had been. This the ring, Charles?

[Charles Crandall]

Yeah. Yeah, you need an engagement ring, lonely man. Take it. Looks like I don't need it anymore.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Ellen Griffith get it for you like she said she would? Half price and everything.

[Charles Crandall]

Half price and everything. You could go ask her, except I read in the paper she's dead. So you'll have to take my word for it.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

You were with her. You were with her and she sold you the ring. And now she's dead. And you want me to wear it. Get him out of here. Get him out.

[Charles Crandall]

Yeah, why don't you do that, Mr. Clue? It ain't the same between Rose marrying me anymore. So why don't you do like the pretty girl asks?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Let's go, Charles. I'm sorry, Rosemary.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Leave me alone.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Just you leave me alone, you hear?

[Charles Crandall]

What are you waiting for, copper? What is.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Come on.

[Charles Crandall]

What, are you gonna hold me on suspicion of murder until they come up.

[Detective Danny Clover]

With a new one?

[George Scully]

Danny.

[Charles Crandall]

Danny. Over here in a squad car.

[Muggerman]

Woman down at headquarters. Danny turning the air blue with complaints about Scully the jeweler.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Says he tell us about it on the way down, huh, Muggleman? It'll pass the time for all of us. You, me and our boy Charlie.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Well, finally.

[Muggerman]

This is Danny Clover, Miss Christie.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

What am I supposed to do? Put two fingers in my mouth and whistle?

[Detective Danny Clover]

You made a complaint about a jeweler named Scully. What's the complaint?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Don't talk to me like that.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What is this?

[George Scully]

I'll handle it for You. Danny.

[Muggerman]

Now look, Ms. Christie, you told me something about a watch and about Scully's jewelry store. I want you to tell Mr. Cloak.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

What's the matter? You got amnesia? Sonny, please tell him it's about my layaway plan. Whirl that around for a while.

[George Scully]

Danny, this is a mad dream.

[Detective Danny Clover]

We lost that one. Try another move, Ms. Christie.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I told you it was my layaway plan. My layaway plan?

[Detective Danny Clover]

You mean you bought something for Mr. Scully on a layway plan?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Get down. Don't you, boy.

[Detective Danny Clover]

What did you lay away, Miss Christie?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

A watch for a man's wrist. I'm cartin' figured a bullet make him happy.

[Detective Danny Clover]

You still haven't told us what the complaint is.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

That's Scully. For 11 months now I've been paying down on the watch save come in with the last payment in my hot little fist. No watch. Scully tries to sell me another one.

[Detective Danny Clover]

That watch have a gold face, gold.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Wristband, and if you flip open its back side, there's 17 jewels visible to the. If you'll pardon the expression, naked eye.

[Muggerman]

Hey, Danny, that sounds like the watch we found on that guy in the alley.

[George Scully]

Yeah.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Entertainer. Mugaban.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

You heard what the man said, Sonny.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Entertainer.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Then a squad car and on the way to Scully's jewelry shop. The gathering together of the after images of two people's dying item. Ms. Christie. The fact that her wristwatch had disappeared from Scully store had turned up on a murdered man's wrist item. Helen. The fact that she had gotten a star sapphire from Scully at a big saving. The fact that she'd been murdered. Inclusion. Mr. Scully had been robbed or he'd been giving away merchandise. Anyway, it was a conclusion that needed. Mr. Scully.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

What can I. Oh, hello, Mr. Clover.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Is your wife here? Scully?

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

In the back sorting stock.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Get her.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Well, if it's important, Mr. Clover, but she's busy. Get her, Mr. Clover. Hell.

[George Scully]

All right.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Louise. Louise, come here for a minute.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I haven't finished the stock.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

George, leave it and come here. Mr. Clover, once.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Who?

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Mr. Clover, you remember the policeman?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Well, tell him to come back. George, if you stop me in the middle of the stock, I'll forget what I've done.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Don't Worry about it, Mrs. Scully. It won't take long.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

What do you want? I told you I couldn't recognize those people.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I know. Your husband couldn't either.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

What's the matter? Don't you believe us?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Yeah, don't you believe us?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Tell me something, Mrs. Scully. Did your husband ever locate Mrs. Reed's diamond brooch? The one that needed the catch fixed?

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Why? Ask her. Ask me?

[George Scully]

Yeah.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Yeah, I found it.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

You mean I found it, George. You remember we laughing when I found it in the repair case? After looking there a dozen times, I just couldn't understand it.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Because when you looked a dozen times, it wasn't there. Tell her where it was, Scully.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

What are you trying to do to us, Clover?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Tell her where the brooch was, Scully. And the wristwatch and the star sapphire ring.

[George Scully]

Oh, my.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

He's crazy, Louise. I don't know what he's trying to do.

[George Scully]

Oh, my.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

George. Well, George, I'm not gonna lie for you. You might as well know that after all, you've done something wrong. I know I'm a plain woman, George. And I'm in my 40s and I make myself forget a lot of things, but not this, George.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

She doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

You lied to me, George Scully. You said you took your coat to the cleaner's and you never did. When I was in there today, the cleaning man asked me about you. Said you hadn't been in for such a long time.

[Narrator]

I told you a little white lie, Louise.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

I lost my coat.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Must have lost the keys to the store, too. Is that why we've been using mine?

[Detective Danny Clover]

Is that how that hoodlum Johnny Malloy looted your shop, Scully? Walked in and took your coat when you had it off?

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Well, when it's hot, a man takes off his coat.

[Detective Danny Clover]

But your keys were in the pocket. Why didn't you report it to the police?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

Because you were with that woman again, weren't you, George? That's why you couldn't report it.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

But I was only drinking with her in a bottle.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I don't care what you were doing. After all, you promised me. Louise, I, I, I lied for you about the pictures. But I'm not going to lie anymore. Not about her, even if she is dead.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Louise, what do you want me to say?

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I don't know.

[Detective Danny Clover]

Tell her you killed Johnny Malloy. Only he didn't have the loot. He'd already given it to Helen. So you had to strangle her to get it. You got it. Hey.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

I don't know what got into me, Louise. I didn't want you to know it. Such a beautiful night. I was walking along. I stopped to light my pipe. It was in front of the bar. And I heard a tap on the window. It was Helen. She waved me in and I.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

Just didn't want you to know.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

But you promised you wouldn't. And now look at you, George Scully. You're a murderer.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I think we better go, Scully.

[George Scully]

Louise, you gotta help me.

[Mr. Scully / George Scully]

We'll get a lawyer. He'll tell you what to say.

[Mrs. Scully / Louise Scully]

I won't lie, George. I just am not going to lie anymore.

[Detective Danny Clover]

In May, the night sighs down on Broadway like a rosy promise. Someone smiles and takes your hand, whispers, and for an instant the lights are brighter, the noise louder and your scream mixes well with the scream of the night. It's Broadway. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway. My beat.

[Narrator]

Broadway's My Beat. Stars Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. With Charles Calvert as Tartaglia and Jack Crucian as Mugavan. The program was produced and directed by Elliot Lewis, with musical score composed and conducted by Alexander Courage. In tonight's story, Lou Merrill was heard as George Scully, Jeanette Nolan as Louise Scully, and Adam Williams as Charles Crandall. Others in the cast were Peggy Weber and Joy Terry. Say there Sing It Again's current phantom voice is really a phantom. For the past two Saturdays, he's mystified everyone. Jan Murray's call and his coast to coast Sing It Again phone tonight. Jan may call you if you can name the Phantom. She's worth $3,000 in cold, hard cash. So stay tuned now for Sing It Again, which follows immediately on most of these same CBS stations. Joe Walters speaking. This is cbs, where you laugh at Jack Benny every Sunday night. The Columbia Broadcasting System.

[George Scully]

You all remember reading about it in your newspapers five or so years ago. The attacks always were grouped. The weapon was always a sharp knife. The victim was always an unusually attractive young lady. The newspapers called it the Case of Nick the Knife. Hello, creeps. This is D4Y opening the doors of the Mystery Playhouse. You can come in. We won't hurt you tonight. Not very much, that is. Our tale is concerned with a terror that ravaged the city for many months. It was solved finally by your good friend Ellery Queen, who's here to tell you all about it. Well, tonight's mystery is the grim tale of a crime that terrified a city. I call it the Adventure of Nick the Knight.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Well, I'll say good night here a.

[George Scully]

Little, but, Gladys, your house is a block away.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, you know, Pa, he gets awful mad when I stay out this late.

[George Scully]

With a fella I know, but I don't like you walking the rest of the way alone in this dark neighborhood. Glass.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Are you sweet? Well, good night, Louis.

[George Scully]

Okay, good night.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Gee, actually, it is dark tonight. I sure hope P Ain't waiting up for me.

[George Scully]

I.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Who's that under the tree. Pa? Pa, is that you?

[George Scully]

Well, here's the launch. Beautiful. Here's where I shovel off. Oh, gee, Jimmy, you can have my way. Gabby, it's pretty fun to be in the Waterfront tonight.

[Nikki / Nicky]

You'd care a lot, wouldn't you, if.

[George Scully]

Something happened to me so chalk like. Hey, now it goes.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Come back, Jimmy.

[George Scully]

You didn't even k. Oh.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Jimmy.

[George Scully]

Jimmy.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Coming back. Jimmy, is that you? I'm hearing things. I better be getting back home. What is. What is somebody. What is. You had better stop following me or I'll call a policeman.

[George Scully]

Again tonight. Claiming his 31st weekly victim since he launched his mysterious one man terror wave last Christmas Eve, 20 year old Henrietta Rutherford of the Bronx was found unconscious on a dark path in Central park by a park patrolman less than three hours ago. And in all previous cases, Nick the Knife's attack consisted in slashing his victim's wrists and face with a sharp instrument. Police are investigating, but so far, still, as usual, no clues have been turned.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Up to the identity of Inspector.

[George Scully]

You work pretty late yourself tonight, dad. No say innocent Ellrit. There's the radio. Well, we should have the late news on that.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Any clue in this one, Inspector?

[George Scully]

Nope. Girl died without recovering consciousness. Oh. In spite of all our warnings, these girls will keep frequenting lonely spots after dark. And he gets them.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Ellery, couldn't you help find out who he is?

[George Scully]

I wish I could, Mickey. Of course. This fiend, the papers of name Nick the Ninth are psychotic, probably paranoid, but that's not much help. As far as victims, there's nothing in common, except they're all female and attractive. I'm afraid, dad, the best you can hope for is a lucky break. Better come soon, son, or I'll be out of a job. Well, I'm going to bed. Night.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Night, Inspector. Which reminds me, I'm tired. Would you hand me my hat?

[George Scully]

Ellery, just where do you think you're going? Going home after midnight. Hello, Nikki. Oh, El, that's.

[Nikki / Nicky]

That's ridiculous.

[George Scully]

Is it? Come on, I'll see you.

[Nikki / Nicky]

This is the first time we've been out together since you took me home last week. We ought to make it a habit. Oh, this new park is beautiful.

[George Scully]

Ellery.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Ellery. Oh, never mind. When you're thinking up a new mystery plot, a girl may as well be playing solitaire. What's that over there?

[George Scully]

There, that's the entrance to the maze.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Entrance to the what?

[George Scully]

The maze. M, A Z E Theseus Killing the Minotaur.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, you mean a labyrinth.

[George Scully]

Oh, in parks, they're called mazes, Nicky. A crazy arrangement of crisscrossing paths that get nowhere. This one is enclosed in high walls and has a glass roof over it.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, how silly.

[George Scully]

No, it's fun. There's only one exit. That gate there where the policeman is talking to.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Well, he's talking to Sergeant Feely.

[George Scully]

My Georgie, Is it the sergeant? Thanks, gentlemen.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Hi, sergeant.

[George Scully]

How you doing? Admiring the new park. How about you? Nick the knife case. The inspector figures the opening of a new park will draw a neck like a fly in a mustard. The place is. I mean, it's filled with extra detail.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Yes, a good thing too. Sergeant, who's that handsome young cop you were just jabbering with there at the entrance? Why, he's disappeared.

[George Scully]

Yeah, I told him to go inside and have a look around. Nice kid. And the cop? He's just been reinstated in the force. He stopped on Nancy sniper's bullet a couple of weeks before V. E day and got his honorable discharge.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Sir, I'm hunk of name, I'm sure.

[George Scully]

If you want to meet officer, indicate Nikki. Sergeant Z.

[Nikki / Nicky]

A girl screaming Nikki, you stay away.

[George Scully]

Call now. Don't argue. Nikki.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Do it.

[George Scully]

I counted an extra one to die with me. Billy, we are last night. I'm going in white for n. No, no, Vicky. Billy, you stay here. This is the only exit from the maze. Nobody's come out since that girl scream. Next the knus trapped inside. We got him. I better whistle for Al too. If anyone tries to get out, shoot the kill. Another dead end. Blast his knees.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Indicate.

[George Scully]

Officer, where are you? Blow my whistle again so I can stand still or I'll blow a hole through your back. Drop the gun. Drop it. Okay, now turn around and keep your hands high. Oh, policeman, I thought You're Indicate, aren't you? I'm Ellery Queen. Inspector Queen's son. Yes. Where's the girl? You seen a man, Officer? Officer, for heaven's sake, we're wasting time. Only man I've seen in here is you. How do I know this isn't a trick? Reach in my pocket, you'll find my wallet. Identification? Yeah. Satisfied? Okay. Sorry. Here's your gun, Mr. Queen. Follow me. Fine. To girl. Yeah. Take this turn. Is she dead? No. She's bleeding bad, though. Had to apply tourniquets to both her wrists. Here, through this hedge. Mr. Queen. There she is, Officer's pretty fairly gonna give the trick, Officer. Good work. Nice unconscious. I wonder who she is. I can tell you, Mr. Queen. Her name's Jane Stepley. How do you know? I Recognized her. She lives in the boarding house where I room. I passed her in the hall lots of times. Not much to look at, huh? Well, next change is pattern. All right. A daylight attack on a homely girl. I better take a look around. All right, but watch yourself. Indicate. Watch yourself. Jane Dickley leads into your face. Ambulance, Billy. Thank you. Follow my voice, Billy. Come on, son. Dad, how did you get here so quickly? Right here.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, Nicky. The inspector was cruising in a squad car right in the parkway.

[George Scully]

Oh, stay back, Nicky. Ambulance men here. You better get us to the hospital fast. Her name is Jane Stiffley. Dad, I can wait. Where's the officer who's here? Indicate searching the maze, Sergeant. Did you have any luck at the entrance? Ah, just one guy, master, trying to get out. And who do you think it is? All right, ambulance men, we'll see you at the hospital. You men drinks. No summers over here. No summers. The hop head dad dies in, doesn't it, sir?

[Nikki / Nicky]

What a ready little man. And look at his eyes, Hillary.

[George Scully]

Just pinpoint effects of the drug. He takes me. Oh, let me go. You got me wrong.

[Nikki / Nicky]

I need the knife to go. Will you?

[George Scully]

Up to the eyeballs. What did you do with the knife?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Knife? Not a caveman, me. Let me go. Will you let me go?

[George Scully]

Let me go. I just found another shrub tossed away.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, what a wicked looking thing.

[George Scully]

That's your knife, Snow, isn't it?

[Nikki / Nicky]

No, no, no, I didn't cut nobody.

[George Scully]

Why waste time at smacker? He's a hobby. He was the only one in the maze, so he's Nick Thomas.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Listen, I come here, pick up some pennies here. I won't lie to. I'm a dip, see? Okay? I'm a dip. I ain't no dame cutter. I from Dallas, Sandra. So I think I better faint. See, if this cops don't bring him.

[George Scully]

Downtown, he'll talk that.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Officer Endicott with another prisoner. Oh, but Ellery, that little man can't be Nick tonight. He's. He's so jolly looking.

[George Scully]

Yes, now, Officer, Inspector, I found this one here in the maze, roosting up in a tree. A tree. Hiding, huh? What's your name? Hodges. Joyce K. Hodges. Ellery, the K is for Kennicut, but I. I changed it to K for Kilmer. Joyce Kilmer. Hodges. You see, I. I love trees. You love trees? Yes. Trees are so green, you know, Trees are so green.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Joyce K. Hodges. Ellery, that case in the papers two years ago.

[George Scully]

Yes? That's dad. Recall this man's wife left him for another man, particularly Nastiness Hodges tried to.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Kill her with a knife. Now look at him.

[George Scully]

Yes. Mr. Hodges. Yes. Ever been in a big sort of hospital? Oh, that. I'm perfectly well now, you know. I see. Do you recall your wife, Mr. Hodges? Gloria? Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. She was young, I suppose. Really very young. Very pretty. Oh, parks, parks. How I love parks.

[Nikki / Nicky]

And trees.

[George Scully]

Isn't that tree green?

[Nikki / Nicky]

What tree? Hillary, he's looking at me.

[George Scully]

Take him away. Come on, little acorn bastard. Now, can not only be snow some as the hop head, but Mr. Joyce skim at trees, Hodges. Right, baby. Now take it easy, Inspector. Take right easy, baby boy. Just found another one. Another one? Sure there aren't any more. Well, now, he's the last one of the boys. Found him laying under a bush, sleeping. Sleeping? Bring him here. Okay. Come on.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Is that the man? That tremendous Batman? Look at his hand.

[George Scully]

He is a brute, isn't he? What's your name? Adolf Blutner. Blutner. What do you do for a living, Blutner? Butcher. Butcher? You working at your trade?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Plutner.

[George Scully]

Right. Laid off? Not for months already. No meat? No meat. It's too bad. You enjoyed your work? Yeah. Sharp knife. Cut meat, wood. But now no meat. No good. What were you doing in here today, Blutner? My head hurts. I'm lonesome. I like see people. Ah, pretty girls. Yeah, yeah, pretty girls. Like Frulein.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Uh, me. Ellery.

[George Scully]

There you are, Blutner. Take him away. All right, now pray em to headquarters. Come on. Well, dad, it looks like a job. Yep. Unless this latest victim can identify one of the three as her assailant. As soon as Jane Stepney can be questioned, we'll take some as Hodges and Bluter down to the hospital and have a pick out nick the knife.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Dr. Barrow. Dr. Barrow. Eller, you're sure they can't do any harm calling Dr. Barrow? I don't like them so close to me.

[George Scully]

Ah, they can each want his handcuffed. Detective. Here's the doctor. All right, Inspector, fine. Get those mugs in their feet, Bailey. Okay, man. Wait a minute. Are you three butter? Behave. You understand?

[Nikki / Nicky]

No, no, please. Please don't bring the Mrs. Stephanie, doctor. Somebody, please. No, no.

[George Scully]

Oh, now just calm down, Ms. Stephanie.

[Nikki / Nicky]

May I?

[George Scully]

Yes, go ahead.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Jane. Jane, listen to her. Nobody's going to hurt you anymore. They just want you to look at these three men, that's all. He cut me. He cut me.

[George Scully]

Take it easy, Ms. Stephanie. Have them out of here in no time at all. Thomas, step forward into the light near the bed, will you? Take a good look at this man, Ms. Stephanie. Was this the man, Ms. Stepwick?

[Nikki / Nicky]

I don't know. Take him away, please. Take them all away.

[George Scully]

I need a shot.

[Detective Danny Clover]

I need one.

[George Scully]

Bad. Step back, Thomas. Take it. Bring Hodges over here. Could you look at this one, please? She isn't a very green tree, is she? Was it this man, Ms. Stepwith?

[Nikki / Nicky]

I. I don't know. I don't know.

[George Scully]

Tag him aside. Okay, New bludner. Nice to watch this guy. I have knife. You do not touch me.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Adam, keep him back. Jane, Just this last one. It was this big fat man, wasn't it? How can I tell who it was when I didn't see who it was? I. I was walking along in the maze when all of a sudden I was grabbed from behind. Somebody very strong. A man's sweaty hand. I screamed and I struggled. And then my face and my wrist and. That's nice. My face. They won't let me see my face.

[George Scully]

Your face will be all right, Mr. Stanley. I've spoken to the doctors and they say you'll be out of here in a week. And when you're all rested and healed with a little plastic surgery.

[Nikki / Nicky]

I knew it. I'm just thinking for life. I knew it.

[George Scully]

We're finished anyway, Doctor. Okay, outside. Finished his ripe. Unless the medics can tell us which one of them is Nick the Knife.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Or the eminent Mr. Queen can come up with one of his brilliant suggestions.

[George Scully]

As a matter of fact, I have one. But is it Ellie? No, dad. You turn somersaudia some blutner over the psychiatrist first. I don't want to make this suggestion except as a last resort. Come in, son. You too, Nicky. What's up, dad?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Elder was just going to take me to dinner when we got to your call to come to headquarters.

[George Scully]

Doctors are stymied to make the knife case. I was so afraid of that. We shipped some of this brew. Turn Hodges up. To the state hospital in Stonewood 10 days ago, and they've been under observation ever since. We got a lot of fancy reports on them, but nothing that says this guy is Nick the Knife.

[Nikki / Nicky]

So it's your move, Mr. Queen.

[George Scully]

Yeah. What do you have in mind, mister? A trap. Trap? What kind of trap, sir? It's obvious that Nick the Knife isn't normal. He gets murderous impulses. When the impulse seizes him, he's got to use his knife. He can't resist it. What's more, he gets those impulses regularly. All 32 attacks or one week apart. But now it's two weeks since he's attacking the stepli der. Girl, he's overdue. If right now, tonight, he thought he was free and had a knife, well.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Then I'm glad he's not. Oh, you mean.

[George Scully]

Yes. We can read about trapped right at Stonewood State Hospital. Now, let's see. It's 7 o' clock now. The fast car. We can make it in two hours. So it'll be dark by the time we get there. Darkness, lonely country, woods all around. It's a perfect setup. Say, that is an idea, Inspector. We can take up a big squad, Release Blutness. I'm Mrs. Hodges. See that there are some knives around. They could swipe before we turn them loose. Have each one tailed by three or four of our best men. Son, I buy it. There's only one thing.

[Nikki / Nicky]

You bet. You've got everything for your trap up there but the bait. Mr. Queen. A pretty young girl. Why are you looking at me? Oh, no. I should say not. If you have any fantastic idea that.

[George Scully]

I. Nicky, I've got it all figured out. You don't think I'd put you in any real danger, do you?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Now, there's no use talking. I simply refuse to tell I'm any danger for you.

[George Scully]

Nikki, you don't have to be sick. Scared, Ms. Partner.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Relax. Man sits me here in this glade all alone under a bright moon at midnight with a nice coating. Maniac prowling in the woods looking for me. And he expects me to relax right.

[George Scully]

Here behind this bush. I can touch you.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Why did I ever let you talk me into the wolf.

[George Scully]

Surrounding this blade? All of us are armed. The knife hasn't a chance to get near you.

[Nikki / Nicky]

I suppose he's given you a written guarantee. Ellie, Someone's coming right here.

[George Scully]

Nikki.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Something's gone wrong. You got your gun?

[George Scully]

Yes. Keep behind me. Here he comes. Maestro.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, it's Sergeant Field.

[George Scully]

Dad, what is that? We just got word. Nick and I struck again.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Again?

[George Scully]

Another successful attack. Where, dad? Back in New York. In the same park where the Steps girl got it in the city. But with how?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, how.

[George Scully]

Who knows how?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Come on back to headquarters.

[George Scully]

Phoebe. Well, what's the hospital say? Girl just died, Inspector. Oh, the poor thing. This is the cop that found her. A. It's officer Indicate again. Hello, sir. Inspector Queen. I've made my written report. I want to hear it Indica. Yes, sir. I was making my usual quarter of 10 rounds in the park there. In the park? In the maze, Inspector. I wasn't in there three minutes when I heard a girl scream from inside the maze. No, no, Sergeant, outside. In this case, I Ran out and started looking. Screams stopped. Took me a few minutes to locate her. Finally, I found her. Francis Kalberg of First Avenue, Manhattan. By that time, she read badly. No doubt. I suppose it was Nick the Knife's work etiquette. Both wrists slashed and the girl's face all cut up, just like the others. Was Nick the Knife all right? What was that time again, Officer? She screamed at 10 minutes of 10, Inspector. That's it. What's that? Myself.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Ellery, don't tell me.

[George Scully]

Yes, Nicky. Now I know who Nick the Knife is. But I don't understand it. None of our three suspects can possibly be Nick the Knack.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Why not, Inspector? Suppose one of them managed to give his trailers a slip tonight and came back to the city?

[George Scully]

Impossible, Nicky. Just before we started out for Stonewood State Hospital, Ellery said it was seven o', clock, that it was a two hour drive by fast car. That means the earliest we could have got there was 9pm Even if you figure that we let them go as soon as we got there at 9 o', clock, what's the earliest one of them could have got back to the city? The same two hours fast drive. We're 11 o'. Clock. But when was the attack on the city park? Tonight at 10 minutes to 10. Over an hour before any of the three could possibly have gotten there. Bloy. Three suspects and three eliminates. Wait.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, what idiots we've been. There weren't just three suspects. There were four.

[George Scully]

Four? But the only ones we found in the maze after the attack on Jane Snapley were Snow, Summers, Trees Hodges and Butcher Butner.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh, no, Sergeant. There was one other man in the maze, only you'd never dream of suspecting him. The policeman who supposedly found Jane's unconscious body, Officer Endicott. Me, Miss? Me. Nick the knife? Yes. With three of the four possibilities eliminated, the fourth must be guilty. And that's you. How's my logic, Mr. Queen?

[George Scully]

Hello, dad. Endicott can't possibly be nectarinized. Began operations in New York City last Christmas Eve. And I told you myself, Ms. P, that Endicott had just rejoined the force. He stopped the Nazi bullet a couple of weeks before VE Day, and that was May 8th. So he was in the American army in Germany, at least until the end of April. How could Endicott have been making attacks in New York once a week for over 30 weeks, beginning last Christmas Eve?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Oh. Exit. Officer Endicott, I'm awfully sorry.

[George Scully]

It's quite all right, Miss. Where does that leave us? Four suspects and all four Eliminated. Why do you say there are four suspects there? Hm.

[Nikki / Nicky]

Yeah.

[George Scully]

Because there were only four people in the maze during the attack on Jane Stapley. There were five. Five?

[Nikki / Nicky]

Who was the fifth? Celery?

[George Scully]

Jane Stepley herself. Jane Stapley herself. But Mersto, she was the one attacked with a knife. And she attacked herself. The. The knife. Ellie. No other possible conclusions. Only five people were in the maze during the attack and four eliminated. So the fifth must be Nick the knife. Yes. Even if the fifth was the victim, it's not so strange. This homely woman, brooding over unattractiveness, became psychotic and began hunting and attacking girls who were pretty. Then what happened? Into the boarding house at which she roomed came a new boarder, a policeman. Now you yourself Etiquette told me how you'd keep running into her in the house. That's how you recognized her in the maze. To Jane Stepley's disordered mind, the sudden arrival of policemen to live in her boarding house meant only one thing. That she was being watched. In cunning desperation, she decided to banish the policeman's non existent suspicion that she was Nick the knife by staging an attack on herself on his beat. For he'd be sure to find her bleeding and unconscious. And she very nearly got away with it, poor thing.

[Host]

There's more from Broadway as my Beat, Ellery Queen, Case Closed and all of the other Relic Radio shows at the website relicradio.com you'll find our shoutcast stream there as well, streaming away 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with even more old times radio. If you'd like to help support it all, visit donate.Relicradio.com or click on one of the support links in the show notes. Thanks to those who have helped out. Thanks for joining me this week. Be back next Wednesday with another hour of Case Closed.