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Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Final Payment 09/15/1950
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Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. My school uses Podbean. My church too. I love it. I really do. 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@ChoiceClassicRadio.com get this and get it straight. Crime is a suck at road and those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison or the grave. There's no other end, but they never learn. From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of crime fiction, comes his most famous character in the Adventures of Philip Marlow. Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlow, we bring you tonight's exciting story, the Final Payment. Yes, sir. I'm Philip Marlow. Warden Riker said he'd see me at noon. Oh yes, Mr. Marlowe. The warden will be with you in just a minute. Excuse me. Warden's office, Sergeant Kennedy speaking. Who? Oh, the LA Tribune. Yeah, yeah. Scenario's execution. Okay, hold on. I got the dope here on my desk someplace. Excuse me, Mr. Marlow, it'd be just a minute. All right, press get hungry for the gory details about. Now, this is the third call this morning. Have a seat there. Yeah, yeah, here it is. Office of the warden, State Penitentiary, 10:00am September 8, 1950. Subject press release, paragraph 1. William Arthur, scenario 24, tried and convicted of the robbery murder of Emile Negrotto, Bakers Beach, California, last August 5, is scheduled to be executed in a manner prescribed by Law at 11:00 post Meridian this date. At this time, no stay of execution is anticipated. Sign. Stanley M. Riker. Warden. That's it, huh? No, you can't talk to the warden. That's why we go through all this press release junk. Yeah, well, we got our problems too, you know. Goodbye. Sorry, Mr. Model. Now your appointment with the warden, what was it about again? William Arthur, scenario 24. I'm a friend of his. Oh, oh, yes, yes, of course. I forgot you. Well, I hope I haven't offended Mr. Marlow, that is. I'll tell the warden you're here, sir. I knew I didn't have too much right to be mad at one Sergeant Kennedy. But today didn't matter. Cause I was mad at the whole world and in particular, what it had done to her. Used to be nice kid named Billy Scinero. And when I stood in Warden Riker's far from drab prison office and waited while a dapper man in gleaming Hickok cufflinks and soft gray gabardine got through talking to his wife in syrup sticky tones, I began to get mad at him too. But that drained out of me fast because when he hung up, he scraped the goo off his voice quickly shook hands like he meant it, and told Kennedy we weren't to be disturbed. When he spoke of Scenario, a lot of sympathy crawled in between the words, even when he came to the point. It's a breach of regulations for a condemned man to have any visitor other than the prison chaplain on the day of his execution, Mr. Marlowe. So, first of all, just how well do you know Scenario? Well, he sold papers on the corner near my office as a kid. We swapped gags twice a day. And when his father died and he quit selling papers, I never saw him again. Until a year ago when he got over involved with some tin horn gamblers. I managed to set him free as a private detective. As a big brother. Went to work at a San Pedro boatyard after that. Haven't seen him since. And then you have no idea why he's asked to talk to you today? No, I don't. Do you, warden? Mr. Marlow, do you recall the details in this case? Well, yeah, more or less. Let's see. An old man named Emil Negrodo and his wife were robbed of 100,000 bucks worth of uninsured jewels at their summer place at Baker's Beach. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. And Emil Negrotto was killed when he tried to interfere. Cenero was tied back to it by a single fingerprint and later identified by Mrs. Negrado. I. I believe she thought there were two more. Huh? Yes, but scenario denied this. Also, Mr. Marlow, you may recall that the jewels were never recovered. Scenario said they were lost at sea and the boat he fled in hit rough water on the way back to San Pedro. Now, Mr. Marlowe, do I begin to answer the question? I just ignored the jewels. I mean, Scenario may want to tell you that they weren't lost after all. They may want to tell you where they are. He may want you to do something about them. Sort of last will and testament. Is that in? From his point of view? Yes. And from mine, a very lucrative offer. Perhaps 50%, Mr. Marlowe? Why not 100%, Mr. Warden? Don't be a piker. I could always cross him up you know anything else? Or were you just letting me know why the state is allowing this visit? I was just letting you know what the state knows, Mr. Marlow. Uh huh. I know a little more. I know that Billy Scenario is through as a criminal in his heart. Not just because he's behind bars with worse to come. He's ready to die, Mr. Marlow. Almost anxious. Well then why the session? Why all the statistics? Why the invitation for me to play informer? For two reasons. First, I may be wrong about the boy. Completely. Thus his repentance is a fake. Which you don't believe. No. What's the other reason? Look, Marlow, if anything goes wrong, you came in here as an informer. That's official. And unofficially? I want to give the boy a break. Senero asked to get you because he wanted to talk to the only person in the world he thought he could trust. And right now I think he has every right to justice such a talk, whatever it's about. I only wanted to be sure he talked to the correct party. That's all. Sergeant Kennedy will show you the way, Mr. Marlow, to scenario cell. I was a bit confused. Riker seemed anxious to help Cenero over some rough hours. And yet at the same time he was shrewd. In no time he'd work me around to where I'd be the fastest, most courteous informer on record. If Scenario was a fake, I thought. But I thought otherwise when I was alone with Scenario and knew that the Negrato jewels did still exist. Mr. Marlow, why are you looking at me that way? Don't you understand what I'm asking? Don't you see? Wait a minute. Take it easy, Billy. A step at a time. Now you say that the jewels never went overboard? No, I never even saw him. That was a cock and bull story. And yet you want me to get them. To get the jewels and return them to Mrs. Emil Negrado, is that right? Right. To Mrs. Negrado, the woman who identified me. The widow of the man I killed. Look, Mr. Miller, sit down here on the cot and listen. Okay, where's the beginning, Billy? Last August 5th, it was me and the other two. A big red headed louse named Jesse Tapp and a girl named Gloria. Gloria Konkowski. A blonde with a little scar on the bridge of her nose. Jessie's girl. Strictly flashy. We took my boat. It's a fishing smack. The Love Lady. We. We sailed from San Pedro over to Baker's Beach. I was the one who shot him, Mr. Motto. And the Jewels? They were in a leather bag. Jesse had them. But after the shot, we split up fast and ran. I hid until the next morning, then shoved off. And the love lady? I don't know about the others. I was picked up that afternoon. The rest you know, I'm not so sure. At your trial, you swore that I was alone and the jewels went overboard. Well, at first I thought that I might get off, so I had to climb up. But then I. Then everything changed. The verdict, huh? No. An old woman whose husband I killed. See what you mean? But you still didn't tell the authorities who the others were. No. And I won't today. Both Jesse Tap and that blonde can smell a cop a mile away. They'd only run and take the jewels with them. The Lord louse it up. I want the jewels back to the little old lady. I always liked you, Billy. I know how you work, Mr. Marlow. Got enough for you to start on. It only came yesterday. That's why this last minute rush, you might say, Mr. Marlow, I know where Jesse Tapp is. That also means glory isn't far away. From where? San Pedro, down near the docks. Now, look, there's a tough old guy who runs a dry dock and repair lash up for small boats. Name of Jomo. I worked for him a year ago. I also left him the love lady he spotted. Tap had his eyes open for months for me, no questions asked. He was here to see me yesterday. He's out to find where Tapp hangs out now. He's the one, you see. Yeah, but wait a minute. What makes you think Jesse Tapp still has the jewel? Because I saw him take him and run. And he's still hanging around San Pedro. Maybe he hit him where he can't get to him. Maybe he doesn't want to get to him until he's contacted the right fence. Anyway, Mr. Marlow, it's a chance I'd like you to take. For me. Of course, I. I can't talk about your fee. Look, kid, don't you think we ought to talk to the war? Mr. Marlow, I've done nothing but think. This is the only way it can possibly work. The only way it can help me and Mrs. Negrado both. Well, will you try it? Yeah, I guess so. Billy. One last thing, Mr. Marlowe. If you make it by before 11 tonight, get the word to me, will you? And if you don't make it, or it looks like you're not going to, don't lie. Okay. Okay. Time's up, Mr. Marlowe. Sorry. Scenario. It's all right, Kennedy. Don't mention it. So long, Mr. Marlow. Goodbye, Billy. It took five minutes for me to walk back to the warden's office and five more to lie to him about what Scenario had wanted of me and another 10 to get outside and head toward my parked car. I was thinking about what the condemned man had told me when I suddenly realized I was in the middle of a busy street and right smack in the path of a speeding car. Hey, what's the matter with you? What is that? Mister. Mister, you all right? You okay? Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay. Much obliged. I'll try to remember to look where I'm going next time. These jerks figure every street's an Indianapolis Speedway. And another thing, that geezer didn't stop either. I know, but if you're interested, I got a squint on him before. I was in that corner drugstore after a Coke. And while I was waiting, I happened to see this guy stand outside his car. And all of a sudden he got in the stop. You mean he got all that speed up just from the end of the street? Tell me, Finn, what'd he look like? He's tiny. Tiny like your pinky finger and elevating shoes on. Plus the fact he needed a shave. Say, I don't think it was purposeful, do you? Not an accident, I mean, I don't know. But either way, I'm much obliged to you, friend. Bye. Bye. I made a mental note about the small man with big heels and a beard and let it go at that. And I took one last look at the prison. Made me want to drive the 300 miles to San Pedro fast. It was some hazy place between late twilight and early evening fog when I looked Jomo in his water's Edge dry dock and repair shop and told him who I was. I was fond of that sinner old admiral. I. I'm glad I can help him some way. That both heroes Is, you know, the love lady putting her back in the water tonight. Ah, love lady. It might be what he needed to keep him out of trouble at that. It's hard to say, Jomo, but look, I don't have much time. Do you know where I can get next to this Jesse tap? I followed him just this morning from a bar on 3rd Street. He's hiding out in a warehouse. And Lookout Hill Road, it's shut down now. It won't open up again until. Holy Jomo. That noise that came from out here, there's someone there. Mr. Marlowe. Oh, no, not anymore there isn't. And there probably wasn't. I got me a clumsy little cat, Marlow. Always falling over. Jomo, you said look out Hill Road, right? Aye. Yeah. There's only a block long. The highest point in town. You just head straight up King street to the top. You can't miss the warehouse. Thanks, Jomo. You have no idea what this is all about, huh? Well, I wouldn't say that, Marlowe. But you see, I don't let myself think of some things too much. I keep my mind on boats more than people. Easier to understand. Easier to repair, too. Good luck, Milo. I was less than 10 minutes finding the deserted warehouse which ran true to form, rust, and every other window broken. When I was out of my car and moving around toward a side entrance, I saw something else. It was a girl, tall and blonde, standing in the deep shadow of a Fit Champoo billboard. When I started for her, she threw one scared look my way, then scrambled into her pocket for a key and made it just as she got it out and into the door lock. Let's not be hasty, honey. Get your dirty mitts off when you stop kicking. I will. Not before, sweetheart. Not before. Gloria. How do you know the name, Bright eyes? Ah, that cute little scar on the bridge of your nose. You should have ducked, kid. Not that it doesn't add character. Ah, go soak your head. I don't know you. You sure Jesse does. Jesse? Why? Anyway, name's Marlow. Here to see your boyfriend. Tap her schedule? It's a business appointment, Gloria. Business. Oh. Oh, yeah, sure. Fence, huh? Yeah, Fence, huh? How do we go up? Or throw pebbles at the window until Jesse comes out? Which we go up, now that I know who you are. You know, Jesse didn't mention you're coming. That's what I like about working with Jesse. Which way? Up these stairs. Kind of nice setup we got here, huh? Yeah, yeah. Sweet of the owners to let you have a key. Well, it wasn't exactly that way. Jesse had changed the lock. Yeah. Is that the door? One Mark President. Uh huh. Mr. Tapp's very own. Imagine Jesse as an executive. Funny, huh? Hey, Mr. Head of the Firm. You got callers. Jesse. That jerk's probably asleep. That's the way I figured. Asleep in a swivel chair. Hey, Mr. President, you got company. Hey, Jesse, come on, wake up. There's a guy here who wants Jesse. What is it? Mono. What's wrong with him? Too much to fix, honey. Head of the firm. Jesse's been shot to death. No, business as usual. Today. Dead. How do you like that? Not much. Maybe it's you I do business with, huh? What are you talking about? Now, look, I never like to get into money matters with names. But now I'm stuck. So let's get to work, you and me. Where are they, Gloria? Where are what? Come on, you coy little jerk. The stones. Negrado stones. I want to see him. I don't know where they are. He wouldn't ever tell me. Don't lie. You were his girl. Listen, mister, ever since I met that guy, I've been living on double talking, slaps in the mouth. I spent my nights dodging my own shadow. I'm glad it's over. Why'd you stick? Because of them stones. I knew I had him hid someplace. Figured maybe they'd get us away from here after all. He kept saying he had to wait till the time was right. That's all he'd ever say. Even to me, his girl. You know, with that talent, you ought to be in pictures, kid. Yeah. Believe me, mister, I learned the hard way not to try to pin. Jesse tapped down. You do whatever you want. I'm getting out of here before the. Just a minute. What? Somebody did this. Baby, I can name 20 who'd been tickled pink. Yeah, but I took a lot of chances setting up this deal to move the Negrado jewels. I wouldn't want to be edged out now by cheap competition like a squirt and build up heels. What's that? Nothing to swing in the dark. Excuse me. Sure. Now you excuse me. Strictly your problem, sucker. I stood and watched her as she walked away. I didn't know just what my next move should be. But then it hit me. Whoever had killed Jesse Tapp would go for her next. So when she hailed a cab at the foot of the hill, I ran to my car and I started after it. But by the time I got turned around, a switch engine playing shuffleboard with a string of boxcars cut in between us. When that was over, Gloria was gone. I spent the next hour and a half raking the neon lighted muck along the docks, looking for her. With no success. Until finally, in a rancid backwash called the Reef, I got a break. But from another direction, the same unshaven little man with high heels who tried earlier to run me down was at the bar. Blinking back the sting of a straight shot. I watched while I picked up a handful of small change from the bartender. And when he pranced toward a phone in the hallway at the rear, I followed Him. It was too good to be a coincidence. Yeah, he had to try San Diego. Yeah. Christine Fuller, right? How much? Okay. Podbean, your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. Hello? Hello, Christine. Hi, baby. This is Fritz. Hey, listen, honey, I got it all set up. Yeah, I'm going right now. Right away? Yeah, it's dark now and everything's ready. I said everything, didn't I? I'll have them in an hour and be out of here. Hmm. Well, just be a good girl till I get there, understand? Yeah. I'll see you before morning. Ah, your little Fritz wouldn't let you down. You know that. Goodbye, baby. Hello, little Fritz. Hey, you. Come back here. Hey. Hey, what is this? Who are you? Guy you tried to run over this afternoon. Hey, now listen, slim, there must be some mistake. There isn't. You just made it when you knocked off Jesse Tapp. And now that I got your little Fritz, I'm gonna shake you up and down until a lot of answers or a lot of teeth start dropping out of here. Make up your mind. What's it gonna be? No. Leave me alone. Stop. What's going on here? Run along, buster. It's private. Oh, yeah, yeah, right. Big luck like you picking on a little guy like him. You'll be ashamed. Hey, don't you believe in the brotherhood of man? Yeah, but this weasel don't qualify enough. He told me, fellas he was going to rob me. Oh, he was, was he? Put him down. You. Come on. Come on. Turn loose something big bully. Come on, get him. Get him, Joel. Come on. Hit him over the head. Teach him not to fight. Come on, get up. Oh, nuts. He's all cold. Let's throw him out in the alley. Come on. Good idea. Hey, where'd the little guy go? Hey, he baited. Well, you'd think he'd stick around long enough to buy us a drink. Judging from the way my face felt, the two long shaman must have had barnacles on their fists. In the five minutes it took me to climb back on my feet, I thought some very unpleasant things about the brotherhood of man both fore and aft. But I Dropped him when I remembered the time was running out fast for my client. And I still hadn't got beyond the loose ends. I'd started with Tapp's girlfriend, Gloria and little Fritz. It was a hunch that took me up the hill of the old retired warehouse again. I parked a block away and started toward it on foot. When the glow from a lonely cigarette said that it wasn't quite as deserted as it should have been. The cigarette belonged to a woman who was someplace under a lot of makeup. Wow. Interesting evening. You asking me or telling me? Well, either it is, it has been, or it could be. Take your pick. You look like a bread boy. Hey. Hey, you look like you fell into a meat grinder. No, no. Just a philosophical discussion. Oh. Nice view from here. Not too bad. Girl like me needs a view once in a while. Keeps the past from crowding the future. And see the whole waterfront from here without smelling it. Yeah, that's great, huh? Now, look, you haven't seen anybody hanging around here in the last few minutes, have you? You didn't. Nobody hangs around this old dump. First time I've been up here in a month. Nobody's hung around here since old Tom died. Used to be the night watchman. And it was a lot of laughs for you. Old Tom. He had that upstairs room. That one. That one up there. And he's a Tom. I've. Hey, hey, that's queer. That's real queer. Look. What? Oh, a telescope mounted on the windowsill. Yeah. Old Tom never had a thing like that up there. What, are you supposed to put it there? I know who. Honey, my question is, why a telescope? It seems to be pointed down there toward the small boat anchorage. Yeah, Where a certain boat was in for paint and repairs. Tap could watch every step from here when the job was done. Holy smoke. It could be. Thanks, baby. You've been a big help. Sure. All things to all men. Have fun, sonny. My client's boat was a long shot, but it was the only bet I had. And it stayed a long shot all the way down to Jomo's dock. There, the odds began to drop fast to even money When I heard the motor running and found the door to Jomo's boathouse half open. It became odds on when I eased inside and stumbled over Jomo himself. Stretched out unconscious on greasy planks like a beached bull whale. I stepped over him, got my.38 in hand and edged out along the catwalk to the open dock where the boat scraped restlessly against the fenders. There were no lights except for a tiny spot, no bigger than the hole in the candy lifesaver that probed frantically along the seams inside the cabin. It was little Fritz with a shielded flashlight. Intent on finding something fast. I stepped into the boat, deliberately kicked over an oil can and crouched. The light went out. Who? Who's there? Somebody out there or. Speak up. Oh, yeah. Gun over the side and stand real still. Do it now, little man, or I'll blow you in too. Wait. Hey, who are you? It's me, Fritzi Marlow. So Tap hid the stones right here on Billson Arrow's boat, huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. They're still here. Fortune. Hey, look, we played smart this time for both. I want a few things straight first. Correct me if I'm wrong. Tap hid the jewels aboard here after the robbery without Cenero's knowledge. But after Cenero was caught, he gave the boat to Jomo, who kept it locked up inside there. Which meant the Tap had to wait until Jo Mode finished his repairs before he could get back. The stones again, huh? That's right. They were too hot to handle anyway. They had to be hid someplace. They were safe here. So I stir up another fuss. What else you want to know? Are you gonna explain to your little sugar in San Diego that Christine fully accouts who tonight? When you don't show up for a few years, we can do business. And another thing. How'd you get into this act in the first place? I got ways like a couple of friends on the inside. That figures. One of them must be on the inside of the state pen. That's how come you hooked onto me so fast with that car. Who is it? A guard named Kennedy. He's a pig, A cut rate chimp. The other friend is behind you with a gun. Oh, fine. That's my baby. I'll take your gun now, Mr. Marlow. Stop it. Put it away, Fritz. Did you find the stones? Not yet, but it won't be long now, Sugar. Marlow, get in that cabin and run this boat. We're going out. Go on, move. Oh, no, wait a minute, baby. We don't know anything about boats. We're not taking any more chances here. Untie that rope at the back, Fritz. That's called cast off the stern line. Shut up. Get inside, Marlow. Go on. Sure, sure. Well, Skipper, where to? Just head for that open part out there. Hey, it's gonna be rough. Well, that warm out at us, baby. We've been through plenty together, huh? Yeah, like putting Jesse Tapp out of the Way for a starter. Sure. What? He. He was a pushover for Gloria here. Why, you. So it was little Gloria who killed him, eh? All right, so it was me. Fritz called me up and warned me you were coming here to Pedro. And I overheard you when you talked to Jomo. I knew you'd get to Jesse and make him spill. So I killed him. It's gonna have to be done sooner or later anyway. The old double cross. Yeah, the old double cross. So what? That's a game the smart ones always play with the suckers. Always win. Not always, Fritz. Oh, often enough to make a. What? Hey. Hey, Gloria. Gloria. What? No, no, no, no, don't. Glory, no. Keep your hands on that wheel, Marlo. I heard Marlow's crack about that Christine Fuller. Fritz, you louse. Straight ahead, Marlow. Now what, baby? Still got me to worry about. That's too bad. You're a nice guy. Where are we? Well, the channel's way over there where that buoy is. That means that a big rock pile called the Breakwater is right. Right off our starboard bow. If I don't turn, we'll hit it. And I'm not feeling better now. Mr. Marlow? Yeah. Thanks, Lieutenant. That water was awful cold. You said it. Have another cup of couscot mud. Do you good. Oh, thanks. Look, I was wondering if. If we located the girl you told us about. Yeah. Yeah. She wasn't as lucky as you were. However, your boat hung up on the rocks. The boys found all that jewelry in the cabin in this leather baggie. Well, we'll be in a couple of minutes. Good. I'll just have time to call a young guy and tell him he can close out his books. They balance. Now he's paid up in full. When I got through to Warden Riker, told him all that had happened and gave him the message for Billy scenario, he thanked me and said the kid was facing 11 o'clock. Like someone who. Who had the weight of the world lifted off his back. A back that should have been part of a football team. A back that should be tanned from the sun at the beach. A back whose arms should be around a lovely girl. A back knelt in prayer for a better world. A back strap to the electric chair. The adventures of Philip Marlow, bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous character star Gerald Moore, are produced and directed by Norman McDonnell and written for radio by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt. Featured in the cast were Wally Mayer, Bill Johnstone, David Ellis, Tom Holland, Larry Dobkin, Doris Singleton, Lou Krugman and Michael Ann Barrett. This special music is composed and conducted by Richard Arant. Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlow says, this time I found a corpse in a flower shop. A gypsy who read her own fortune in dollar signs, in a death struggle 20ft from a crowded merry go round. All because a man forgot one white carnation. Grand Central Station. The very name itself creates a tingle of excitement. Grand Central Station, that busy, gigantic railroad terminal where every day hundreds of vital human dramas occur. It is these human dramas you hear every Saturday over most of these same CBS stations. This is Roy Rowan speaking. And this is cbs, where you also enjoy Junior Miss every Saturday in the daytime on the Columbia Broadcasting System.