Broadway Is My Beat: The Sgt Gordon Ellis Murder Case 11/12/1949

Summary

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Episode Summary: "Broadway Is My Beat: The Sgt Gordon Ellis Murder Case"

Release Date: November 14, 2024
Host/Author: Choice Classic Radio
Starring: Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover

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Overview

"Broadway Is My Beat: The Sgt Gordon Ellis Murder Case" is a gripping episode from the renowned Choice Classic Radio Detectives series. Set against the vibrant and perilous backdrop of Broadway in the late 1940s, this episode delves into the intricate investigation led by Detective Danny Clover as he unravels the mystery surrounding the murder of Sergeant Gordon Ellis. The narrative seamlessly blends suspense, character development, and sharp dialogue, capturing the essence of old-time radio detective dramas.

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Characters

• Detective Danny Clover (Larry Thor): The protagonist, a dedicated and astute detective navigating the complexities of Broadway's underbelly.
• Sergeant Gordon Ellis: A police sergeant whose murder sets the central plot into motion.
• Tommy Mannon: A former convict with connections to high-profile individuals, seeking to make deals that could alter his fate.
• James Arnold: An attorney entangled in the case, representing dubious clients.
• Georgia Webb: A key witness whose testimonies hold critical clues.
• Janey: A florist with mysterious ties to the investigation.
• Officer Quinn: A colleague assisting Detective Clover.

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Plot Summary

Initial Setup

The episode opens with Detective Danny Clover stationed at the police headquarters on Broadway, awaiting his next case. He's introduced to Sergeant Ellis, who hints at underlying tensions within the police force and the complexities of the ongoing investigation into his own murder.

Danny Clover [00:55]: "Broadway. It's a journey to the end. Of all the streets in the world."

Confrontation with Tommy Mannon

Tommy Mannon enters the scene, expressing skepticism about the investigation and hinting at hidden dealings. His interactions with Clover reveal his distrust and the murky alliances that threaten the integrity of the case.

Tommy Mannon [02:04]: "I'm saving it for the DA after we talk, the DA and me, I got a feeling the state's gonna forget all about my manslaughter rap and let me out of Sing Sing for good."

The Murder of Sergeant Ellis

A pivotal moment occurs when Sergeant Ellis is found dead, dramatically shifting the trajectory of the investigation. Detective Clover grapples with the reality of his mentor's murder and the immediate pressure to solve the case amidst media frenzy and public scrutiny.

Danny Clover [03:04]: "He was dead, isn't he? Dead. Death and violence are easy commodities in the city."

Interactions with Janey and Janey's Clues

Janey, a florist with cryptic connections, provides Detective Clover with vital information through a bouquet, leading him to Tommy Mannon's whereabouts. This encounter deepens the mystery and underscores the interconnectedness of the city's characters.

Janey [12:17]: "The post office business is blooming. Danny, here's a posy for you."

Confronting Georgia Webb

Detective Clover seeks out Georgia Webb, a former witness, whose evasive behavior and tangled history with Tommy Mannon add layers of complexity to the case. Their tense dialogue uncovers inconsistencies in past testimonies, driving Clover closer to the truth.

Danny Clover [19:15]: "There are better ways of dying, you know."

Climactic Showdown

The investigation culminates in a harrowing confrontation between Detective Clover and the antagonist, James Arnold. Accusations fly as Clover pieces together the puzzle, leading to a dramatic revelation and resolution of the murder case.

Danny Clover [27:07]: "I'll try, Mr. Arnold. I really will."

Resolution and Aftermath

In the aftermath of the confrontation, Clover reflects on the case's impact on his life and Broadway's relentless pace. The episode concludes with a contemplative mood, highlighting the personal costs of justice and the ever-present shadows lurking on the city’s streets.

Danny Clover [28:05]: "Broadway. My beat."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Tommy Mannon [02:04]:
  "I'm saving it for the DA after we talk... I got a feeling the state's gonna forget all about my manslaughter rap and let me out of Sing Sing for good."

• Danny Clover [03:04]:
  "He was dead, isn't he? Dead. Death and violence are easy commodities in the city."

• Janey [12:17]:
  "The post office business is blooming. Danny, here's a posy for you."

• Danny Clover [19:15]:
  "There are better ways of dying, you know."

• James Arnold [21:35]:
  "You've been wondering what I'm doing at police headquarters."

• Danny Clover [27:07]:
  "I'll try, Mr. Arnold. I really will."

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Insights and Themes

• Moral Ambiguity: The episode explores the gray areas of morality, particularly through characters like Tommy Mannon and James Arnold, who operate within and manipulate the system for personal gain.

• Corruption and Power: The narrative delves into the corruption inherent in powerful circles, showcasing how influence can obstruct justice and perpetuate crime.

• Isolation and Loneliness: Detective Clover's solitary pursuit of truth on Broadway highlights the emotional toll of law enforcement and the isolation that can accompany dedication to one's duty.

• The Facade of Broadway: The vibrant and bustling streets of Broadway serve as a metaphor for the city's deceptive veneer, where glamour masks the underlying darkness and violence.

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Conclusion

"Broadway Is My Beat: The Sgt Gordon Ellis Murder Case" masterfully intertwines suspense, character depth, and thematic richness, offering listeners a captivating journey through the underbelly of Broadway. Detective Danny Clover's relentless pursuit of justice amid betrayal and corruption paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by law enforcement in a city brimming with secrets. This episode stands as a testament to the enduring allure of old-time radio dramas, blending storytelling prowess with timeless themes.

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Produced and Directed by Elliot Lewis
Written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin
Musical Score Conducted by Wilbur Hatt
Cast Includes: Jane Morgan, Peggy Weber, Doris Singleton, Charles Calvert, Joe Kearns, Herb Butterfield, and Sydney Miller.

Transcript

[Danny Clover]

Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for donating at choice classicradio.com 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.

[Danny Clover]

Broadway. It's a journey to the end. Of all the streets in the world. You turn a corner and you're there. You walk more slowly and lean your heart again like you were in church until it explodes in your face. Then you move swiftly and you're one of the crowd window shopping for kicks and bargains and heartbreak. And you'll find it because it's Broadway, my beat. The side streets are furious where they funnel off of Broadway. Then they trail down into limbo. Midway between the fury and limbo is a grey stone building. That's police headquarters. That's where I was standing in front of it, watching the patches of night sky bleed into each other. That was my detail. I was waiting for someone. Ah.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Hi, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Sergeant Ellis. How are things upstate?

[Sergeant Ellis]

Oh, I'm great. You know Officer Quinn, don't you? He drove Tommy and me down.

[Danny Clover]

Sure. How are you, Quinn?

[Sergeant Ellis]

You're fine, Lieutenant.

[Danny Clover]

Why don't you pull up in the parking area over there? We'll meet you in the squadron for coffee a little later. Good thing.

[Tommy Mannon]

Why don't somebody ask me how I am? I serve half my sentence. That makes me a semi approved citizen, don't it?

[Danny Clover]

You look okay to me, Tommy. Haven't changed since you were 16, Danny.

[Tommy Mannon]

I've known you a long time. You lie.

[Danny Clover]

Sing Sing doesn't agree with you.

[Tommy Mannon]

It's Sing Sing. You inhale and exhale. It's the only way you know you're living. So I make a deal.

[Danny Clover]

What kind of a deal, Tommy? I don't know.

[Tommy Mannon]

I'm saving it for the DA after we talk, the DA and me, I got a feeling the state's gonna forget all about my manslaughter rap and let me out of Sing Sing for good. And to you.

[Danny Clover]

Uh huh, too.

[Tommy Mannon]

Look, kid, when I finish spilling, some of the choicest names in the choicest circles are going to be. Never thought they could do before. Like getting sentenced. Like. Like breaking rocks. Like making license plates for automobiles.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Like mustache it, Tommy. Here, Lieutenant. I'll take off these cuffs between Tommy and me. There you are, Danny. Tommy's your prisoner. Danny.

[Danny Clover]

The car. Tommy. Don't be a fool. Come Back here. Let's get him. Ellis. Ellis.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Ellis. Oh, no.

[Officer Quinn]

I just got through.

[James Arnold]

Park in the car.

[Danny Clover]

And I heard what happened. Quinn, go upstairs and put Tommy Manon's description on the wire. I want the whole city dragged for him, and I want him found and I want him brought to me. Do that, Quinn. Sure, but how about. How about what? Sergeant Ellis. He's dead, isn't he? Dead. Death and violence are easy commodities in the city. Easy to buy and easy to sell. A decent man named Gordon Ellis got here is free for nothing. The sudden mob that gathered around his shrunken body got bears at bargain prices, too. Headlines on the house. Criminal Escapes. Cop Murdered. And the sick taste was in my mouth. I just stood while the headquarter boys did what needed to be done. Then I went back to my office and locked the door and waited until the sickness was gone.

[Officer Quinn]

Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Danny. Yeah. Yeah. What do you want?

[Officer Quinn]

Oh, just to talk to you. Can't I talk to you, Danny?

[Danny Clover]

Yeah, come on in, son.

[Officer Quinn]

It was messy. What happened out there, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

You're selling something to Teglia.

[Officer Quinn]

Don't talk to me that way, Danny.

[Sergeant Ellis]

From you, it hurts so.

[Danny Clover]

It hurts, and I bleed for you.

[Officer Quinn]

Danny, that's not your mouth that says things like that.

[Danny Clover]

Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry.

[Officer Quinn]

Apologies are also not necessary. What happened could have happened to anyone, not just you.

[Danny Clover]

I was clumsy. I was clumsy and a man's life dropped under my hands. Vitaglia. Get me the file on Tommy Mannon. Everything, even the dust, it's wrapped in.

[Officer Quinn]

Okay, Danny. Okay, In a minute. You know, the way I figure it, this deal that Tommy Mannon wanted to make with the D.A. well, maybe it was kosher and maybe it was crumming. Maybe this whole thing.

[Danny Clover]

You're still here, Todtaglia. Danny.

[Janey]

Danny, darling, I've brought you your Posey. You can't face the world without a posy. Bend down so I can pin it on you.

[Officer Quinn]

Janey, how many times I have to tell you it ain't dignified. You should sell flowers in police headquarters.

[Janey]

And without a license, you're only a sergeant tart, Tagler. You will address me as madam. Stop squirming, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

All right, Janie. Tell me, doll, they are you still running competition with the post office?

[Janey]

Keep your nose to the smell in the flowers, Danny. It's healthier.

[Danny Clover]

The boys and the lamb, do they still send messages to their loved ones through old Janey? The subway Lily? Like Tommy Manning? Maybe.

[Janey]

Danny, darling, I'd rather be called Lily than be planted with one. So I'M not saying one way or the other.

[Danny Clover]

Yeah. Pay the lady for the posing. Tartaglia. Outside of headquarters and across the rooftops and down in the roaring avenues, the city had already grown restless for the nighttime. It was a time of big noise and prowling and secret laughter. And some were inside of it, and part of it. Tommy Mannum, hoodlum. Tommy Mannon, hoodlum. And I was living this piece of my life just for him. So I was prowling, too. And there was a place to go. A white marble house that overlooked the East River. It was on the other side of a world. A precise pattern of house lights strung like tinsel against the dark. The precise butler who opened the door and tilted his finger at the precise angle toward the waiting room. The decor of opulence that makes its own particular breed. And the precise amount of time that went by before the greeting from mine host.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Danny Clover. How nice. Won't you join us? We're in the library. Danny. This is a surprise. And a pleasant one. Oh, you know Mr. Arnold, don't you? James Arnold, the attorney.

[James Arnold]

Hello, Danny.

[Sergeant Ellis]

What brings you all the way out here, Danny?

[Danny Clover]

Thought you'd be expecting me.

[James Arnold]

I didn't know you were having company. Faulkner. I'll leave.

[Danny Clover]

Just stay awhile, Arnold.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Thank you, Danny. I was about to suggest the same thing. Now, why have I the honor?

[Danny Clover]

Had any other visitor lately, like Tommy Mannon?

[Sergeant Ellis]

Why should he come here?

[Danny Clover]

He's a wandering boy. You might be keeping a light in the window for him.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Tommy left my employ when he confessed to manslaughter.

[James Arnold]

Really, Faulkner. Maybe I'd better leave.

[Sergeant Ellis]

You're comfortable, Arnold. The drinks are all right. The hors d'oeuvres, fine, but then stay awhile.

[Danny Clover]

Sit, Faulkner. When Tommy was brought back to New York, it was because he was going to turn state's evidence against some of the choicest names, he said. So you're a choice name. You and Arnold here respectively. An untouchable high class hoodlum. The attorney for an untouchable high class hoodlum. Real choice names.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Thank the police, Lieutenant Arnold. We're choice, he said. So go ahead, thank him. My not that way, Attorney. Mine. Thank him.

[James Arnold]

Thanks.

[Sergeant Ellis]

That's better. Go ahead, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

I think your gunsel shot down a policeman and helped Tommy escape.

[Sergeant Ellis]

But such a tactic would constitute a felony. Danny.

[Danny Clover]

I think that Tommy's being brought to town was a dodge. Tommy had powerful friends on the outside who knew when he would be brought down.

[Sergeant Ellis]

So you suggest we arrange this afternoon's fiasco?

[Danny Clover]

I'm suggesting it.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Oh, throw it Away. It ruins a good evening. It lends a bilious overtone to the fine conversation Arnold and I were having, doesn't it, Arnold?

[James Arnold]

Yes, it makes conversation bilious.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Exactly. I was explaining to Arnold the seven move mate that won Konstantinoff the chess championship in 32. Things like that devastate me.

[Officer Quinn]

Don't they?

[Sergeant Ellis]

You, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

You leave men like Faulkner in his toady and you have a feeling you've been playing mumblepeg with scalpels. Then you take a long walk into a dismal and frayed edge of the city. And it's a walk back into memory. The street where you were born is the same. The kids games are the same. The cruel words on their mind are not changed. The fly specked electric bulbs that hang in peeling hallways are still there. And the night sounds of a tenement still follow you as you climb the decaying stairs. Then you knock on a door that opens into a room where Tommy Mannon was born.

[Mrs. Mannon]

Too late. What do you want?

[James Arnold]

This man I might be.

[Mrs. Mannon]

You're peddling something. It's late and you come to the wrong place.

[Danny Clover]

Wait. I just want to talk to you. Don't you remember me, Mrs. Mann?

[Mrs. Mannon]

I stopped remembering a long time ago.

[Danny Clover]

I'm Danny Culver.

[Mrs. Mannon]

So you are. Face is cleaner than when I saw you last. How old were you, Danny? 10.

[Danny Clover]

It won't take long. Could we step inside?

[Mrs. Mannon]

We can talk here.

[Danny Clover]

Inside will be better, Mrs. Mannon.

[Mrs. Mannon]

All right, go on then.

[Danny Clover]

Who is it?

[Tommy Mannon]

Mrs. Manning. Who's your gentleman caller, Mrs. Manning?

[Danny Clover]

Hello, Mr. Ranham.

[Tommy Mannon]

Oh, I know you. You're Danny. Danny Culver. You're the cop who let my boy get away. Have a drink, Danny. You've been wonderful to my boy. Come on, Danny, have a drink.

[Mrs. Mannon]

No. Don't mind him, Danny. He means no harm. He's a drunken sot, but he don't mean no harm. Go back to your bottle, Mr. Mannon.

[Tommy Mannon]

I'll do that thing, dearie. I'll just do that.

[Mrs. Mannon]

You want to know if Tommy's been here, don't you?

[Danny Clover]

Has he?

[Mrs. Mannon]

When you were a kid, did you ever HEAR it said Mrs. Mannon was a liar?

[Danny Clover]

No.

[Mrs. Mannon]

Then you'll believe me when I tell you this. If Tommy so much as put foot in this house, I'd throw him back into the gutter he wallows in.

[Tommy Mannon]

That's no way to talk about Tommy.

[Danny Clover]

Tommy's hood. Tommy's smart.

[Tommy Mannon]

Smart? I drink to my boy Tommy.

[Danny Clover]

Then maybe you'll get a word to your smart boy, Mr. Miller. Tell him we want him. Tell him. We want him bad enough to hurt him. Good night, Mrs. Miller. I went back to Broadway for only one reason. I was hungry. And eating alone is the loneliest time a man can have. On Broadway there's always people. You can watch them and make up your own stories. Stories that didn't have murder in it. I dawdled over sputnuts and coffee, made up my story, then hit the street again. Part of it hit back at me and it had the smell of lavender and a bit of old Irish lace in it. Danny.

[Tommy Mannon]

Danny Clover.

[Danny Clover]

Why, Janie, have you been following me?

[Janey]

The post office business is blooming. Danny, here's a posey for you.

[Danny Clover]

You've already pinned one on me today, remember?

[Janey]

Ah, but this is a very special posey. Here, take it.

[Danny Clover]

Thanks, Janey. I've always wanted a cornflower.

[Janey]

I got it from a florist who says he's a dear friend of yours.

[Danny Clover]

Thank him for me.

[Sergeant Ellis]

You thank him, Danny.

[Janey]

He doesn't live too far from here. You could get a cab. 2620 West 10th street, first floor back.

[Danny Clover]

Oh, for whom do I ask?

[Janey]

Ask for Tommy. Go quickly, Danny dear, and ask for Tommy Mannon.

[Danny Clover]

10Th street was a quarter of an hour away and number 2620 was a hole in a block long of piled red bricks. First floor. Walk back and you know when you've come to the end of the hall, when you can't quite walk through the final shad. Tommy. Tommy Mann. Open up, Tommy. It's Danny Clover. There was Tommy Mannon all right, but his status had changed. He wasn't running anymore. He was seated in a wooden chair in front of a wooden table, beeping almost slyly over a bowl of waxed fruit. I walked over to him, put my hand on his shoulder. Yeah, it was Tommy, man and all that. And his status had rarely changed. He wasn't living anymore.

[Narrator]

You're listening to Broadway's My Beat, starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover.

[Danny Clover]

At 9:00 in the morning, Broadway is a five minute stopover for a million people. For these people, it's the five minutes that are important. It gives them time to adjust themselves to the world. It's assuring. Translux assures them that there's been a change in the weather and the headlines show them that the daily murder has taken place. The tabloids yelled cop killing. That was a piece in the Item about me, continued on page 23. On page 23 it said that I was standing right there when Officer Ellis was killed. And I didn't Know did it in my office at headquarters. A police sergeant named Taglia had a word for it.

[Officer Quinn]

Hmm.

[Danny Clover]

Would you mind repeating that? Huh? Never mind. You got the date I asked for?

[Officer Quinn]

Oh, sure, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Okay, brief it to me. Yeah.

[Officer Quinn]

Danny. Yeah. On June 17, 1944, Tommy Mannon confessed to beating up and killing one John Westwood.

[Danny Clover]

Huh.

[Officer Quinn]

This was what is known as the aftermath of a drunken brawl. Manning was convicted of manslaughter. End of brief. Real brief, huh?

[Danny Clover]

Yeah, it ran about like that. And the other thing, Tattaglia, about the newspapers. You fix that?

[Officer Quinn]

Oh, yeah, I fixed it, Danny, like you said. Not a word to the newspapers about finding Tommy Manon, dead or alive. Especially dead.

[Danny Clover]

Okay. The coroner's report.

[Officer Quinn]

Yeah, yeah, I briefed that too. Like this. Tommy Manon was dead on arrival. Not a mark on his body. He wasn't poisoned? No Heart failure. Mysterious, huh?

[Danny Clover]

Tartaglia.

[Officer Quinn]

Okay, okay. Tommy Manon was drowned.

[Danny Clover]

Drowned?

[Officer Quinn]

So it says on the report. Mannon was, and I quote, forcibly held with his head underwater until he was drowned. And I unquote. Yeah, they figured was in that fruit bowl on the table. Water was still clean to the wax fruit. Twist, huh?

[Danny Clover]

Yeah. Funny. Killer. You got that list of character witnesses at Mannon's trial?

[Officer Quinn]

Yeah, yeah, there was one. And the one was one Georgia Webb address the Brighton Hotel for Women.

[Danny Clover]

Brighton Hotel for Women, huh? That's quite a show place, Danny. Uh, this one I'll brief for my. The Brighton Hotel for Women stands at the edge of the park. From its blood granite threshold you can watch the old men playing at bowls on the green. Through its plate glass doors you look in on a pink plush world, A world of plaster cupids and crystal chandeliers with electric candles and mirrors the reflection of mirrors. The room clerk is a crone in taffeta and tobacco stained fingers who point you to a satin tuft elevator. And the fifth floor is a hallway lighted with rails of fluorescent lamps. Some doors stood open. Georgia webs was closed.

[Georgia Webb]

Come in, come in, whatever you are.

[Danny Clover]

Georgia Webb.

[Janey]

Whatever you are.

[Georgia Webb]

It's nice today. They're good.

[Danny Clover]

Who?

[Georgia Webb]

Gods, wisdom, whatever it is that brought you to me. Come in, sit down, pour yourself a drink. And maybe you don't drink.

[Danny Clover]

I'm Danny Clover.

[Georgia Webb]

You didn't have to tell me that. What's in the name? As they say.

[Danny Clover]

I'm Danny Clover, Broadway special detail.

[Georgia Webb]

Oh, off duty.

[Danny Clover]

No, Georgia.

[Georgia Webb]

I take it all back. Everything I've said, I take it all back.

[Danny Clover]

I've been catching up on my reading. Only today I read where you were Once. Tommy Manon's girl.

[Georgia Webb]

Tommy Mannon?

[Danny Clover]

Yeah. A punk who ran away. I thought maybe you ran here so he'd refresh your memory so you'd remember his name. Tommy Mannon.

[Georgia Webb]

If I knew him. It didn't make an impression. You know, there are men like that.

[Danny Clover]

You testified at his trial. You gave your name, your address and your testimony in a loud, clear voice. Clear enough and loud enough for me to hear five years later.

[Georgia Webb]

It's true. Your ears are cute.

[Danny Clover]

Maybe you left something out five years ago, Georgia. Something you'd like to tell me now about Manning?

[Faulkner]

Americans are durable. We take pride in hard work and high quality. American Giant makes durable quality clothing right here in the USA because what we wear reflects who we are. When you buy American Giant, you're not just wearing the best clothes money can buy. You're helping keep jobs and pride in your own backyard. Premium clothing built to last decades. Like it should get 20% off your first order at american-giant.com with code right here, 24.

[Georgia Webb]

Was it Tommy Mannon?

[Danny Clover]

Tommy Mannon?

[Georgia Webb]

Why didn't you ask him? Where do you find him?

[Danny Clover]

I found him. That's why I'm asking you. Because Tommy was dead.

[Mrs. Mannon]

Oh.

[Georgia Webb]

How'd he die? Natural causes? Or did you shoot them? Because you're a policeman, you can kill people.

[Danny Clover]

Someone pushed his head in the bowl of water, and Tommy Manon was drowned. That's how he died. Oh. We don't like the way he died. Because it could happen to other people. Like you, maybe.

[Georgia Webb]

Good.

[Danny Clover]

Goodness. So maybe now you'll remember some things that Tommy didn't get to tell us.

[Georgia Webb]

Drown.

[Danny Clover]

There are better ways of dying, you know.

[Georgia Webb]

It's convincing how you talk. Tommy was a jerk. A jerk who made deals. Everything with a deal. Even the manslaughter rat.

[Danny Clover]

Explain it to me.

[Georgia Webb]

Tommy didn't kill that man. He was in Baltimore when it happened. But he confessed to it for $20,000. He confessed to it?

[Danny Clover]

He gave five years of his life for $20,000.

[Georgia Webb]

Tommy, the dealmaker. The poor crumb.

[Danny Clover]

Why doesn't somebody answer that phone?

[Georgia Webb]

They will.

[Danny Clover]

Just go over it again, George. Georgia. You're saying a man was killed, that it was all a frame? Who made the deal with Tommy? You, dearie.

[Georgia Webb]

All right. I'll be a minute, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Okay. This is Georgia.

[Georgia Webb]

Yeah. Wait a.

[Mrs. Mannon]

All right.

[Janey]

All right.

[James Arnold]

Yeah.

[Georgia Webb]

You can go now, policeman. Your time's up.

[Danny Clover]

What?

[Georgia Webb]

Get out. Everything I told you was a lie. All the talk I made. It was no good.

[Danny Clover]

That phone call have anything to do with it?

[Georgia Webb]

Yes. You ask me and I tell you yes.

[Danny Clover]

I told you not to talk anymore. Who told you that?

[Georgia Webb]

A man who likes it when people are dead. Now you understand why I've got nothing to say to you. You understand nothing you can do or think of can make me talk to you. Yeah, that's how it is, Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Bo. And that's how it was. She really meant it. It was noon when I left the Brighton Hotel for women. I told myself I could think better if I walked. When the walk was over, I might as well have taken a cab. Nothing came. No answers to anything. No progress. Except that I was back at headquarters. In the first floor hallway, there's a bulletin board listing sheriff sales, police details and used radios at a bargain. There was a man looking at it. He saw me and moved his lips over his teeth. This was supposed to mean he was smiling, which was supposed to mean he was glad to see me.

[James Arnold]

Hello, Lieutenant. Remember me?

[Danny Clover]

James Arnold, isn't it? Faulkner's attorney.

[James Arnold]

Yes, Faulkner's my client.

[Danny Clover]

You mean your work for him? Your is flunkey, Mr. Clover.

[James Arnold]

I work for many people. My association with Faulkner is neither more nor less intimate than my association with my other client. Understand?

[Danny Clover]

I work for many people.

[James Arnold]

You've been wondering what I'm doing at police headquarters.

[Danny Clover]

I'll be frank with you. I haven't given you a thought.

[James Arnold]

I know. That's how I affect people. Can we talk?

[Danny Clover]

Aren't we?

[James Arnold]

Of course. I mean in private.

[Danny Clover]

This is private.

[James Arnold]

Of course.

[Danny Clover]

So talk.

[James Arnold]

Of course. Good things could happen to you, lieutenant.

[Danny Clover]

Every night, Mr. Arnold. Every night. I say, let good things happen to me. Now you know a secret.

[James Arnold]

Fine things, Lieutenant.

[Danny Clover]

Like silks and satins. Like mink.

[James Arnold]

People are interested in you and want the best for you.

[Danny Clover]

People want that. What people?

[James Arnold]

People. Nice people who want to see you get along.

[Danny Clover]

Mind if I interrupt?

[James Arnold]

Of course. Interrupt.

[Danny Clover]

It's about Tommy Mannon, isn't it?

[James Arnold]

Of course.

[Danny Clover]

Now go on. It isn't much.

[James Arnold]

The nice people don't know what happened to Tommy. They don't want to know. They want this case closed as if Tommy were dead. Dead? They want this case closed. You can arrange it. Then nice things will happen to you.

[Danny Clover]

I'll try, Mr. Arnold. I really will.

[James Arnold]

Splendid, Lieutenant. The nice people will be happy. You too.

[Danny Clover]

Goodbye.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Mr. Clough.

[Danny Clover]

Yeah. Metaglia.

[Officer Quinn]

Yeah, Danny?

[Danny Clover]

Send out a pickup for Georgia Webb. Brighton Hotel for women. Pick her up and bring her down.

[Officer Quinn]

Item 2.

[Danny Clover]

Call the press room and give them the whole story on Tommy man. And tell him we found him dead, drowned Everything. The works?

[Officer Quinn]

Yeah.

[Danny Clover]

Danny, tell them this. Tell them we've got a witness who confessed everything named Georgia Webb. She talked her head off. Got that?

[Officer Quinn]

Yeah.

[Danny Clover]

Then do it.

[Officer Quinn]

Okay. Danny, where are you going?

[Danny Clover]

Home, Tartaglia. Home? I'm going to sleep. When I got home, the landlady had left two things for me. A bowl of matzo ball soup and a manila envelope. They both looked inviting, so I tried the envelope first. $5,000. The nice thing that Arnold had promised would happen and became so fast to such a nice, round sum. What more could a man want out of life? $5,000 in a dish of matzo balls. I ate the soup, kissed the landlady, put the $5,000 in an envelope addressed to the D.A. pulled a chair over to the window and sat there watching the city burst into fragments of electric flame. I must have sat there a long time, because when I awoke, the night had a new shadow. The shadow of a man named Faulkner.

[Sergeant Ellis]

I brought you the morning paper, Danny. He got your name all over it, splashed in red ink.

[Danny Clover]

I knew I'd make it someday. Thanks, Faulkner. Here's a nickel for your trouble.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Red ink would be blood in the later editions. Danny.

[Danny Clover]

Rotten place to sleep. A chair. Like some coffee? You can think better if you have coffee and light.

[Sergeant Ellis]

They tell me you're a man of virtue, Clover. Gratitude's a virtue. So whoever told me lied.

[Danny Clover]

It hurts you whenever people lie to you?

[Sergeant Ellis]

It hurts me when a man of virtue is ungrateful. You shouldn't have booked Georgia Webb. You shouldn't have made a talk. You shouldn't have taken my $5,000.

[Danny Clover]

I've been naughty, haven't I?

[Sergeant Ellis]

I have one question for you, Detective. Mine. One little question.

[Danny Clover]

Your gun gives me three chances. I'll guess in one. You want to know what Georgia told me?

[Sergeant Ellis]

Possibly. Possibly? It doesn't matter, but tell me anyway.

[Danny Clover]

You're bluffing, Faulkner. Your act is precious. Is that the word? But you're bluffing. You're scared to death.

[Sergeant Ellis]

So tell me why explicitly?

[Danny Clover]

Because your life depends on Georgia. Only I've got her tucked away where you can't touch her. Explicit, huh? Put away the artillery, Faulkner. Could be deemed ungracious for guests. Come in.

[James Arnold]

Hello, Denny. Oh, you already have a visitor.

[Danny Clover]

It's your counselor, Faulkner. Happy day. Come in, Arnold.

[James Arnold]

But now I don't have to come in. You already know what I came to tell you.

[Danny Clover]

Tell me anyway.

[James Arnold]

Why only that Faulkner is your man. The man who killed the policeman. The man who killed Tommy Manning.

[Sergeant Ellis]

Are you insane, Arnold?

[James Arnold]

Watch him, Danny. He's dangerous.

[Danny Clover]

Are you double crossing?

[James Arnold]

I told you he was dangerous, Dan. He would have killed us folk.

[Danny Clover]

Yeah, you shot him good the first time, Arnold. Why did you waste another bullet? Come on, let's take a walk to headquarters.

[James Arnold]

Is it necessary?

[Danny Clover]

Yeah, it's necessary. I want to straighten out the records.

[James Arnold]

Please, no jokes.

[Danny Clover]

Okay, no jokes. I'll be real sincere. Tommy. Manon took your wrap, Arnold. You were the one who committed the manslaughter. Faulkner supplied a pigeon for you. Pigeon? One of his hoodlums, Tommy Manam.

[James Arnold]

May I smoke?

[Danny Clover]

Sure. Faulkner had to supply a pigeon because you knew all about Faulkner's operations. He was supposed to pay Tommy 20,000 for taking the rap.

[James Arnold]

Faulkner's lying on the floor over there. He's dead. You'll need proof of all this.

[Danny Clover]

That's proof enough. You shot Faulkner in cold blood so that he'd never talk to. Go on. When Tommy was transferred to New York, Faulkner went gunning for him. So Tommy wouldn't talk. Only he missed and shot the wrong man. He killed a cop instead of Tommy.

[James Arnold]

How does all this theorizing concern me?

[Danny Clover]

When you boys finally caught up to Tommy, you drowned him in a fruit bowl. Let's go, Arnold. I'm gonna book you for the murder of Tommy Manning.

[James Arnold]

You forgot something, Danny. I've still got my gun.

[Danny Clover]

I hadn't forgotten. It was the chance I took. Arnold had already used two shots on Faulkner. I had to get him to throw away the other four. All the while I've been talking to him, I'd been edging toward the light switch. Now I flipped it. 1.

[Officer Quinn]

I'll kill you, Clumper.

[Danny Clover]

I had one advantage. I knew the apartment. Arnold didn't. The blackness. He could only fire at sound. I swept an ashtray off the table. 2. I picked up a book, heaved it at the window. Three. One more. I grabbed a chair. And kill you.

[Officer Quinn]

Four.

[Danny Clover]

Okay, Arnold, Like I said, let's get you booked for murder. Broadway. It stretches out in front of you. Livid scars slashed into the night. It's a cruel and fantastic carousel. A palace of fun, a hall of mirrors. You pay your way and you take your choice. Me, I get in on a pass on my 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 and is written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin. The musical score was conducted by Wilbur Hatt and the program was produced and directed by Elliot Lewis. The cast tonight included Jane Morgan, Peggy Weber, Doris Singleton Charles Calvert, Joe Kearns, Herb Butterfield and Sydney Miller.

[Danny Clover]

This is the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.