The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Quiet Magpie 08/11/1950

Summary

Summary of "The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Quiet Magpie"

Introduction

In the January 5, 2025 release of Choice Classic Radio’s episode titled "The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Quiet Magpie," host Choice Classic Radio presents a gripping installment of Raymond Chandler's iconic detective series. Starring Gerald Moore as the hard-boiled private investigator Philip Marlowe, this episode delves deep into a complex murder case involving familial betrayal, deceit, and blackmail within the affluent Calloway family.

Plot Overview

Courtroom Drama and Initial Suspicions

The episode opens in a tense courtroom setting where Vincent Calloway stands accused of murdering his father, Homer Calloway, the patriarch of the Calloway oil empire. The prosecution paints Vincent as a spurned son who harbored deep resentment towards his father for neglecting him and marrying an ex-showgirl, Joyce Calloway, against Homer’s wishes.

• Prosecutor's Argument (02:19):

  "Vincent Calloway murdered his father, Homer Calloway, in cold blood... Vincent grew from a pampered, coddled only child into an indolent wastrel of a man."

Vincent’s sudden marriage and his father’s decision to alter his will two days before the murder further solidify the prosecution’s belief in Vincent's motive.

Felix Loman's Mysterious Testimony

Felix Loman, a seemingly unreliable witness with a "jaded cherub face," testifies in court, providing what appears to be wavering and nonsensical statements. His erratic behavior raises Philip Marlowe’s suspicions.

• Marlowe’s Observation (04:45):

  "Felix Loman was a tired little man... acting like a man on the verge of collapse."

Post-trial, Marlowe meets with Loman, who reveals that his courtroom performance was a façade to buy time and assist Vincent Calloway’s innocence.

• Felix Loman’s Revelation (06:39):

  "My performance at the trial was a fake. A delaying action, Marlow. We need all the time we can get."

Investigating Joyce Calloway

Marlowe sets out to interrogate Joyce Calloway, Vincent’s wife, suspecting her involvement. His confrontation with her is terse, leading to brief hostility and evasive answers.

• Marlowe to Joyce (12:12):

  "I'm Marlow, Mrs. Calloway. Phil Marlow. Like to come in and talk to you a minute about your husband, Vince."

Joyce’s defensive demeanor only deepens Marlowe’s intrigue, prompting him to delve deeper into her connections with other characters, notably a man named Stoner.

Confrontation with Stoner

Marlowe tracks down Stoner, a suspicious character with distinct physical traits—two gold teeth and a dark beard. Their interaction is hostile, with Stoner refusing to divulge information, leading Marlowe to escalate the situation.

• Stoner to Marlowe (14:27):

  "You're no cop. What are you gonna do with me? What's your angle?"

Despite Stoner’s dismissive attitude, Marlowe persists, uncovering links between Stoner, Joyce, and Felix Loman, revealing a tangled web of deceit and blackmail.

Climactic Showdown

The investigation culminates at the Callaway Oil refinery in East LA. Marlowe arrives to find Felix Loman in a precarious situation, holding a smoking revolver with Stoner dead at his feet. A tense standoff ensues between Marlowe, Loman, and the formidable Joyce Calloway.

• Felix Loman's Ultimatum (23:32):

  "Marlowe, she's up there. She has a gun. Marlow, look up on that platform behind those pipes."

A heated exchange leads to Joyce Calloway attempting to manipulate the situation to her advantage. Marlowe, undeterred, confronts her, leading to her unraveling scheme.

• Marlowe to Joyce (24:01):

  "She'll get your lawman, you louse. Shoot. It'll be your life, Loman, if you don't drop that gun."

In the end, Joyce’s machinations are exposed, revealing that Felix Loman orchestrated the entire plot to eliminate Homer Calloway and set Vincent up for the murder, ensuring both their gains through blackmail.

Character Dynamics and Motivations

• Philip Marlowe: The quintessential detective whose keen intuition and relentless pursuit of the truth drive the narrative. His interactions are marked by sharp wit and unyielding determination.

• Felix Loman: Initially perceived as unstable, Felix is later unveiled as the mastermind behind the conspiracy against the Calloway family. His duplicity serves as the cornerstone of the episode's suspense.

• Joyce Calloway: Portrayed as an ex-showgirl with a dubious past, Joyce’s role evolves from a possible victim to a calculated antagonist involved in orchestrating her husband's downfall.

• Stoner: A minor yet pivotal character whose mysterious behavior and connections to Joyce add layers to the central conflict.

Notable Quotes

• Philip Marlowe’s Insight (15:28):

  "Feeling of being hit from behind becomes more or less routine... Every time it happens, I rolled over onto my back in that mucky hallway at Stoner's rooming house."

• Felix Loman’s Admission (09:24):

  "Give us your best, will you?"

• Marlowe Confronting Joyce (25:17):

  "And Vincent in this place, Felix would be set. Your husband he could fool."

Themes and Insights

"The Quiet Magpie" delves into themes of deception, familial discord, and the lengths individuals will go to secure their interests. Marlowe's journey highlights the intricate dance between truth and manipulation, showcasing the detective's reliance on observation and intuition to peel back layers of deceit.

The episode also underscores the perils of unchecked ambition and the corrupting influence of power within a family business. Vincent’s transformation from a coddled son to a suspect reflects the destructive impact of paternal neglect and familial expectations.

Conclusion

In this riveting episode, Philip Marlowe navigates a labyrinth of lies and conspiracies to uncover the truth behind Homer Calloway's murder. The climax unravels Felix Loman’s scheming, revealing a meticulously planned plot driven by greed and power. Marlowe’s triumph serves as a testament to his unwavering commitment to justice, cementing his status as a formidable detective in the Golden Age of Radio.

Listeners are left with a satisfying resolution, yet the intricate character dynamics and suspenseful narrative ensure "The Quiet Magpie" remains a memorable installment in Philip Marlowe’s detective adventures.

Production Credits

Produced and directed by Norman McDonnell, with the transcribed script crafted by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt, this episode features a stellar cast including Harold Direnforth, Lynn Allen Wilms, Herbert, Charles Lung, Bill Johnstone, and Ralph Moody. The atmospheric special music, composed and conducted by Richard Arendt, perfectly complements the noir ambiance of the story.

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Note: This summary intentionally omits advertisements and non-content sections from the transcript to focus solely on the narrative and character developments within "The Quiet Magpie."

Transcript

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[Felix Loman]

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[Felix Loman]

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[Philip Marlowe]

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 [e-mail] get this and get it straight. Crime is a sucker's road. Those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave. There's no other end, but they never learn.

[Narrator]

From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of crime fiction, comes his most famous character, the Adventures of Philip Marlowe. Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe. We bring you tonight's transcribe story, the Quiet Magpie.

[Prosecutor]

That's a lie.

[Philip Marlowe]

A deliberate, dirty lie.

[Judge]

Counsel, will you restrain the defendant, Mr. Calloway, from making another such outburst?

[Prosecutor]

Proceed, Mr. D. Thank you, your honor. As I was saying, ladies and gentlemen, in further proof that Vincent Calloway murdered his father, Homer Calloway, in cold blood, the state has established that a violent hatred existed between them. A hatred that crystallized through the years as Vincent Calloway grew from a pampered, coddled only child into an indolent wastrel of a man, content to lavish on himself the profits from the Callaway oil company, his father's business, without once lifting so much as a finger in the firm's behalf.

[Philip Marlowe]

That's not true.

[Joyce Calloway]

I worked in.

[Judge]

The counsel for the defense will advise his client that the court will not countenance another interruption of this sort.

[Prosecutor]

Thank you, your honor. A hatred, ladies and gentlemen, that reached explosive proportions when Vincent Calloway recently took as his bride an ex showgirl, a woman with a long and tarnished history of flagrant fortune hunting. A woman whom he flaunted in the face of his father's expressed wishes and deep desires to the contrary. Further, the state has proved that just two days prior to his murder, Homer Calloway had decided definitely to change his will. Why?

[Philip Marlowe]

Why?

[Prosecutor]

Other than to eliminate his son from its benefits.

[Judge]

The court requests that the prosecution confine itself to the fact. Continue, Mr. Deasy.

[Prosecutor]

Very well, you, Honor. The facts are eloquent enough. Homer Calloway was murdered before his desired changes in his will could be executed. Next, we learned that on the night of the murder. A desperate effort was made by the killer to cloud the real circumstances of the crime by setting the scene to look as though Homer Calloway had surprised a common thief robbing his private office. This clumsy attempt was at once proved by police officers to be completely faked. The motive was robbery, all right, but on a grand scale. Now, ladies and gentlemen, let us proceed to tighten this web of proof around Mr. Vincent Calloway. Let us show beyond any doubt that it was he.

[Philip Marlowe]

There was no doubt about it. Vincent Calloway was losing the fight for his life. DT the crisp tab colored assistant DA Was cutting into ribbons when they called Felix Lohman to the stand. I turned around and took a good look because it was Felix Loman who had telephoned me earlier and hired me to come to the trial and be on hand when he testified. He was a tired little man with a jaded cherub face who got up and walked unsteadily down the aisle to the bailiff's table. He acted like a man on the verge of collapse. Are you all right, Mr. Lowman?

[Felix Loman]

Yes, yes, yes, I believe so.

[Prosecutor]

Raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you're.

[Philip Marlowe]

About to give to be the truth.

[Prosecutor]

The whole truth and nothing but the truth shall help you God?

[Felix Loman]

I do.

[Prosecutor]

State your name.

[Felix Loman]

Felix Loman.

[Philip Marlowe]

Take the stand.

[Prosecutor]

Now, Mr. Lowman, will you please tell this court what your association with the late Homer Calloway was?

[Felix Loman]

Why, yes, sir. I was Homer's best friend for many years. I was his personal advisor and confident.

[Judge]

Until I. Mr. Roman, the man's ill. Get a doctor.

[Felix Loman]

No, no, no.

[Judge]

That.

[Felix Loman]

That won't be necessary, sir. It's nothing, really. I have a friend here, Mr. Marlow, Philip Marlow. He'll help me.

[Prosecutor]

Is there a Mr. Marlow here?

[Philip Marlowe]

That's the way it played. My client was helped to his feet, and as I half carried him out of the room, I heard the judge adjoining court for the day. All the way down to my cough, Felix Lohman stayed as limp as a damp bedsheet. But the minute we drove away, began a recovery that couldn't be credited to the fresh air alone. When we'd gone a few blocks west on Wiltshire Boulevard, a smile spread over his kewpie doll face like warm syrup over a waffle.

[Felix Loman]

That's a good restaurant. Pull in there, Marlow.

[Philip Marlowe]

All right.

[Felix Loman]

I feel like a piece of pie.

[Philip Marlowe]

Now, look, Mr. Lohman, not 10 minutes ago you were dropping dead in a courtroom. Now you feel like a piece of pie. What is this?

[Felix Loman]

Come on, let's Go inside where we can talk. My performance at the trial was a fake. A delaying action, Marlow. A bit for time. And believe me, we need all the time we can get.

[Philip Marlowe]

To do what?

[Felix Loman]

To save young Vincent Calloway's life. How about this booze?

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, yeah, sure. So you think he's innocent, is that it?

[Felix Loman]

Why, I have known Vince since he.

[Judge]

Was just a boy.

[Felix Loman]

He's no killer. Couldn't be. It's completely alien to his nature.

[Philip Marlowe]

From what I heard in that hard boiled court today, you'll need a little something more tangible than that. Mr. Loman.

[Felix Loman]

I've got something.

[Joyce Calloway]

Care to see the dinner men? You gentlemen?

[Felix Loman]

No, just a big piece of cherry pie and a glass of milk for me.

[Philip Marlowe]

Just coffee, thank. Now, Mr. Loman, sell me. According to the DA, Vincent had plenty of motive.

[Felix Loman]

Oh, he hated his father all right. We all did one time or another, Marlow. And got hated right back too. Homer was that kind. Dry, hard, lonely, lived on work and nothing else. But the rest of that motive stuff.

[Philip Marlowe]

You mean about the will?

[Prosecutor]

Exactly.

[Felix Loman]

Vince expected several years ago to be cut out of his father's will. He was resigned to it. So that's out as a motive for Vince.

[Philip Marlowe]

Well, aren't you forgetting? That was before Vince married a very expensive little plaything. Maybe she changed his economic philosophy.

[Felix Loman]

Now you're getting warm, Marlow. But you're still a little off.

[Philip Marlowe]

How do you mean?

[Felix Loman]

The girl's name is Joyce. I'm sure she couldn't change Vince that much, not drive him to murder. But I'm also sure that Joyce herself would try anything. Well, that's where you come in, Marlow. Something's fishy, my boy. Extremely fishy. That's fine, thank you.

[Philip Marlowe]

Now tell me, what fishy feelings are you trying to say? You think Joyce is a killer?

[Felix Loman]

I don't know. I don't know. But I do know that item one, Vince was worried about her for some reason a few days before his father's death.

[Philip Marlowe]

So?

[Felix Loman]

So when it's mess broke, I checked up on her myself. Followed her home a few times. That's at 2313 North Ogden. And item two, I saw a man hanging around the place. A fellow with two gold teeth right in front and dark five o'clock shadow, kind of whiskers. I followed him once. Know where Angel's Flight is?

[Philip Marlowe]

Sure.

[Felix Loman]

That's where I locked him. But I learned that his name is Stoner.

[Philip Marlowe]

Stoner, huh? What about item three?

[Judge]

Blackmail.

[Felix Loman]

I don't know how or where, Marlow, but it's there.

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, and Vincent's caught in the middle and good and tight.

[Felix Loman]

Yes, you've got to find out about this fast. I wish I could go along, but Joyce knows me too well. And that Stoner has spotted me also. I'm afraid. So I guess it's up to you.

[Philip Marlowe]

Okay, I'll get started. I can reach you. Where?

[Joyce Calloway]

Home.

[Felix Loman]

That stone.

[Philip Marlowe]

396-3962.

[Felix Loman]

And Marlowe. I'm just an old fuddy duddy, but that boy Vince means a lot to me and time is awfully short. Give us your best, will you?

[Philip Marlowe]

I left little Felix Loman ordering a big piece of cherry pie and went outside. It was almost dark. I decided to try Joyce Calloway on the north ogden Drive sector first. I finally located number 2313, which was neatly hidden in a series of obtuse redwood angles surrounding me. Rose tinted glass front door to an extravagant duplate. I was about to push the buzzer when the door closed at the side of the house. So instead I stepped back into a dense clump of handy landscaping and waited. It was a man, and enough light filtered along the walk from the street lamp to show his heavy dark beard even after a fresh shave. The light also glittered off a pair of gold teeth front and center that he whistled through as he passed. Whatever had happened inside obviously hadn't worried Mr. Stoner much, but it began to worry me. I decided to take my chances on picking him up. Later, after he'd gone, I went up to the door again and the girl who walked through the entrance hall and taught me looked as soft and as glossy as a well brushed kitten. Maybe it was her yellow shoulder length hair or the flowing folds of the black velvet Hooters gown. In either case, it was even better with the rose colored glass door out of the way and the unmistakable scent of Taboo in its place.

[Joyce Calloway]

Yes? What do you want?

[Philip Marlowe]

You're Joyce Calloway.

[Joyce Calloway]

That's right.

[Philip Marlowe]

I'm Marlow, Mrs. Calloway. Phil Marlow. Like to come in and talk to you a minute about your husband, Vince.

[Joyce Calloway]

What about him?

[Philip Marlowe]

It'll keep long enough for us to go inside, huh?

[Joyce Calloway]

Well, well. All right. Come on. This is my apartment.

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[Felix Loman]

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[Joyce Calloway]

Use.

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[Joyce Calloway]

Now what is it?

[Philip Marlowe]

Well, first I'd like to congratulate you. The moral support you didn't give him today was real great. Too busy shopping to drop in at your husband's murder trial?

[Joyce Calloway]

Why you.

[Judge]

Oh.

[Philip Marlowe]

Okay, baby, I asked for it.

[Joyce Calloway]

I didn't go because Vince said that he didn't want me to. Now get out. And the next time your lousy district attorney's office wants to find out something, you can.

[Philip Marlowe]

Just a minute. I'm not from the da. I'm strictly freelance. The moment I'm interested in a small matter of blackmail and how a man named Stoner ties in.

[Joyce Calloway]

I don't know what you're talking about. You'd better get out of here.

[Philip Marlowe]

Now. Listen, baby, I'm tired and it's late. I want to know about Thona.

[Joyce Calloway]

I don't know any Thoner.

[Philip Marlowe]

Okay, let's make it easy. He's a bird with a heavy beard and two gold choppers. And I just saw him leave by your side door about five minutes ago. Does that help?

[Joyce Calloway]

You're crazy. There's been nobody else in here tonight. Get out of here.

[Philip Marlowe]

Sure, sure. You know, Joyce, you're either awfully dumb or awfully scared. I don't know which. But neither one is going to pay off for you. I promised. Starting at Angel's Flight and working west, it took three solid hours of scraping through the scum on Bunker Hill before I got a lead on a guy named Stoner. And another hour went by before I actually found the Sway Back three story rooming house he called home. The scaly front porch was a clutter of big rusty bird cages and the mangy inmates of which complained as I ease the rickety front door open and pushed my way into a moldy smell thick enough to chew. A ragged row of tin mailboxes said Stoner's room was second floor rear. So I started up. I got as far as the landing when I heard a voice in the hall above. I went on slowly until I could see it was Donut. Just back to me, talking on the whole phone. I got my.38 in hand and listened.

[Judge]

Yeah, uh. Well, listen, Joyce, don't worry. I'll take care of him. Yeah, I'll be watching for him. Yeah, I'll meet you, just like I said. Only remember, it's not good for us to be seen together now, so be careful. Yeah? Yeah, okay. Goodbye.

[Philip Marlowe]

Joyce. You didn't start watching Fast enough, Stoner.

[Judge]

Who are you?

[Philip Marlowe]

I'm Marlo. The guy little cutie pie just tipped you off about. Don't move those hands, Stoner. I just love to collect that mouthful of old gold you're wearing.

[Judge]

You're no cop. What are you gonna do with me? What's your angle?

[Philip Marlowe]

I'm gonna spill the truth out of you, Goldie. To keep an innocent guy from taking a rap for a murder you and his own charming wife cooked up.

[Judge]

What makes you think I'm connected with that?

[Philip Marlowe]

Maybe I've got eyes in the back of my head.

[Judge]

That so? You ain't got eyes in the back of your head because if you did, you'd duck. Oh. See what I mean, Milo? Thanks, pal. Let's get out.

[Narrator]

In just a moment, the second act of Philip Marlowe. But first, although the intention of the entire world is now focused on the critical situation in the Far east, there are still tragic remnants of another war in Europe, there are still hungry people, children who need clothes. There is still sickness and the ever present misery and poverty. Now, as before, it is your job to help these people. Help them through your generosity, through care. One ten dollar care package can feed and clothe an entire family in France, in Italy, in Germany. Send hope to these destitute peoples of Europe by showing you care through care. Now, with our star, Gerald Moore, the second act of Philip Marlo. And Tor the quiet magpie.

[Philip Marlowe]

Feeling of being hit from behind becomes more or less routine. An explosion against the back of your head. Your backbone is suddenly electrified and your legs melt and a chunk of the floor rushes at you from a cockeyed angle. Where it connects, there's a second explosion and you start down that long black corridor, very sick to your stomach. It's routine, all right. That doesn't make it any easier. Every time it happens, I rolled over onto my back in that mucky hallway at Stoner's rooming house and forced my eyes open. As I did, I felt a stinging pain like a pinprick in the center of my spine. Then, as things started back into focus, I saw a beer bottle gripped in a fat, freckled hand that belonged to a fat, freckled face that peered into mine. Started the conversation just before I could get the pin prick in my back.

[Judge]

Well, well, well. Look what the cat has dragged in. And who are you, chum?

[Philip Marlowe]

A jeweled T. Man, you need. Oh. Oh, my back.

[Judge]

What's the matter, chum?

[Philip Marlowe]

A little gold ornament?

[Judge]

Well, you must have rolled onto it, chum.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, whoever slugged Me must have dropped it.

[Judge]

What is it? It looks like a bird or something.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, a magpie in flight.

[Judge]

Looks like it broke off or something. Probably a pin from some babe's handbag or bracelet or whatever.

[Philip Marlowe]

It's yours, maybe, huh?

[Judge]

Well, if it was alive, it might be. Birds are my speciality, or ain't you noticed?

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, you're the landlord here. That's.

[Judge]

That's right. So now back to you. Who are you, chum, and how come you folded up in my hallway?

[Philip Marlowe]

Now, it's a long story, and I won't keep you from your birds with it.

[Judge]

Hey, hey, wait a minute now. Don't let the Audubon pitch throw you, chum. I've got a couple of hobbies.

[Philip Marlowe]

Like sticking your nose in other people's business?

[Judge]

Like bending noses that get stuck into my business. So clear out, chum, and stay out, or you'll see what I mean.

[Philip Marlowe]

Okay, sure. Whatever you say, bird lover. After all, this is your nest. So long. I figured it would play smoother if I left my tail between my legs and waited for him to return to his birds and beer. So outside, I let 10 precious minutes go by before I made my move. Then it was around to the back, up a lopsided, rusted fire escape, and in through an open window to Stone his room. There I hoped something would tell me where he was going to meet Joyce Calloway. But after wasting another 10 minutes, it turned up nothing more than the two words Gate l scribbled on the back of an old envelope, which could have meant airport, train station or bus depot if they meant anything. I went for the hall phone I'd overheard Stoney use and put through a call to my client, Felix Lohman, to bring him up to date.

[Felix Loman]

Arnold, this is splendid. Why, from what you see, Vincent Calloway is practically a free man now. Now, so I understand Stoner and Joyce Calloway were going to blackmail Vincent, kill Vincent's father so that Vincent would inherit a fortune and thus be a more profitable target for blackmail. Is that it?

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, more or less. With, of course, everything backfiring when Vincent was arrested for the murder. But look, Mr. Lohman, we'll add and subtract later. Right now we gotta catch up to him.

[Felix Loman]

Yes, but where?

[Philip Marlowe]

You.

[Felix Loman]

You said Stoner got away.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, that he was heading for a meeting with Joyce Calloway. See, I got one thing to go on. I found the words Gate L scribbled on an envelope. Do you have any idea if it would mean a train depot or a bus Gate l yeah.

[Felix Loman]

Is that what you said? Gate L?

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, yeah. Does it mean anything to you?

[Felix Loman]

Of course. Gate El Mal. This is at the oil refinery, the side entrance on Lafayette Street.

[Philip Marlowe]

Holy smoke. Say, Loman, what's the address of that place? It's East LA, isn't it?

[Felix Loman]

Yes. 1100 South Cooper, between Kendall and Lafayette streets. Covers the square block.

[Philip Marlowe]

Now look, Loman, do you have a gun there in your place, I mean.

[Felix Loman]

A gun?

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah. Well, good. Get it and go over to the refinery right away. I may need someone who knows the inside. The names and numbers of all doors, windows and pipes. You got that?

[Felix Loman]

Yes. But why not the police?

[Philip Marlowe]

Because they come with bells on. We can't take a chance.

[Felix Loman]

All right, just as you say.

[Prosecutor]

I'll be waiting for you.

[Felix Loman]

I'm closer than you are. There at Angel Flight. Goodbye, Marlow. A million thanks for what you've done already. Why, without you.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about it later, Mr. Loman. Goodbye.

[Judge]

And to me. Hello.

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, fine.

[Judge]

Don't move an inch, chum. You'll get this beer served, bottle and all. Now, nosy, what made you come back?

[Philip Marlowe]

Buried treasure. You see, it's up here. I know one of you little birds.

[Judge]

Shut up. Remember, smart bloke, you're an Ousebreaker. And anything I do to you is okay with the law. Now, what's with you and Stoner?

[Philip Marlowe]

Why do you keep a diary?

[Judge]

Now, a neat bank balance and all of it comes from cutting in on the right thing at the right time. So once more, chum, what's with you and Stoner?

[Philip Marlowe]

Well, you see, we went to the same prep school and I promised the headmaster I'd always keep an eye on.

[Judge]

Okay, snooper, you asked for it.

[Philip Marlowe]

A light gun I figured. Right, bird boy. Bum aim goes with a bum pepper.

[Judge]

You're only just beginning, sweetheart. It's black in here, like a pit. When I get my hands on you, you're going to be sorry.

[Philip Marlowe]

Hear that? Well, talk up, talk up.

[Judge]

Come on, yellow belly, let's hear from you. Come on. Okay, so it's Ayden Seeker.

[Philip Marlowe]

No hey Boy, and you're it. Now listen to the birdies sing, chum. It was a 20 minute drive from Angel's Flight to the Callaway Oil refinery in east la and all the way through the wide deserted streets of the city's heavy industries called home. After three tries, I found the sliding gate marked L on one side of it and folded up like a marionette on his day off was the night watchman unconscious, blood oozing from a Small cut on the side of his head and inside, thousands of square feet of pavement dotted with a dozen different kinds of massive black metal oil tanks that were ringed with fat pipes and skinny ladders and in the pale glow of a half moon, looked like the kind of distorted stuff bad dreams are made of. I slipped my.38 out of its shoulder holster, moved into the narrow shadow of a long, low building, and slid a careful step at a time toward a center structure was shaped like a giant fishbowl on stilts. And then I heard it. It come from someplace just under the fishbowl. As I ran toward it, I was ready for what would be left of Felix Loman. I started to curse myself forever, letting him come on ahead on his own. But when I was close enough to where I could see, I quit calling myself names. Felix Loman was there, all right, but very much alive. Alive and holding on tight to a smoking revolver that was still pointing down at the crumpled form of Stoner at his feet. Stoner, who was very dead.

[Felix Loman]

Marlowe, she's up there. She has a gun. Marlow, look up on that platform behind those pipes.

[Philip Marlowe]

Hold it, Loman. Get down. But, Marlow, you must get down. She's got cover up there. We haven't.

[Felix Loman]

I don't care. You rotten, scheming woman.

[Philip Marlowe]

You are going to pay for all this. You are going to die even as you killed Vincent Sa. No, Ph. I didn't. I didn't. Yes. Yes, Mrs. Calloway. There's no other way out for you. It's too late for you and your lies.

[Felix Loman]

It's your end, Joyce Calloway.

[Judge]

An end you deserve.

[Philip Marlowe]

She'll get your lawman, you louse. Shoot. It'll be your life, Loman, if you don't drop that gun. Well, dear client, what's your answer? Do you drop it, or do I shoot again? No, no, I drop it. Okay, Joyce, come on down. Get a good look at your husband's benefactor. Coincidentally murdered Homer Calloway. Murdered his accomplice Sona here, and tried to murder you.

[Felix Loman]

My sho.

[Philip Marlowe]

You know, for a smart guy, you're pretty stupid, Loman. You should take better care of your cufflinks. That gold magpie shines in the moonlight, especially when you extend your arm to shoot people. Here. Loman's the mate, the one that broke off in the hallway at Thona's place. That much of you can still be patched up.

[Joyce Calloway]

All right, Mr. Milo. Now that Vincent's lawyer has heard it and the police have written it down, the press have printed It. How about me? I don't follow it.

[Philip Marlowe]

For instance?

[Joyce Calloway]

Well, Felix Lohman killed Homer because Homer no longer had any use for him. But with Homer out of the way.

[Philip Marlowe]

And Vincent in this place, Felix would be set. Your husband he could fool.

[Joyce Calloway]

Yes, but the way the whole thing boomerang.

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, that was just bad luck. You see, he staged a robbery at Homer's office just to throw the law off. Well, it didn't. But more than that, it almost nailed Vincent. Still with me.

[Joyce Calloway]

Oh, the second half over here.

[Philip Marlowe]

Oh, I see.

[Joyce Calloway]

What was the blackmail? How come?

[Philip Marlowe]

Well, that was Felix again. And out of a whole cloth. You see, if Vincent lost his trial, Felix lost everything he killed for. So using Stoner, he had me playing follow the leader.

[Joyce Calloway]

Like Stoner pretending to have just left my place when you arrived.

[Philip Marlowe]

That's right. That and Stone is setting everything up nice and neat. You see, he was on the phone all right. But when he knew that I was there, he pulled a switch and very carefully finded the name Joyce. He did?

[Judge]

Uh huh.

[Philip Marlowe]

And last of all, Stoner being killed by Felix, who no longer had any use for him and had a lot of reasons to fear him in what was supposed to be self defense. Get it?

[Felix Loman]

Get it?

[Joyce Calloway]

He gives you a little to go on and then a lot more each time you get there.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah. At the right moment, he brings you in with a phone call that tells you to come at once to the refinery.

[Joyce Calloway]

Oh, if you want to help Vincent, how close I came.

[Philip Marlowe]

Yeah, well, thank you, Mr. Milo Correction. Like Mr. Magpie, he told me that Felix was the one who dropped me in the hallway at Stoners, remember?

[Joyce Calloway]

Oh, yes.

[Philip Marlowe]

That made adding the rest easier.

[Joyce Calloway]

Yes, but how fast you add when it counts. Well, good night, Mr. Marlow. Thanks again.

[Philip Marlowe]

By the time I pulled up in front of my apartment on Franklin, the black in the sky had started to melt into a slate gray and my eyes ached for the long sleep that they had come. Well, I sat there for a minute, I lit a cigarette and I thought about birds. Did you ever stop to think how some people remind you of birds? For instance, the landlord. If ever I saw a vulture in pants, he was it. And my client Loman, a hawk with horn rims. And Joyce, a pouter pigeon. And then there's Marlo. I wonder what kind of a bird I am. A dead pigeon.

[Narrator]

The adventures of Philip Marlowe 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 transcribed cast were Harold Direnforth, Lynn Allen Wilms, Herbert, Charles Lung, Bill Johnstone and Ralph Moody. The special music is composed and conducted by Richard Arendt. Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlow says this.

[Philip Marlowe]

Time an eager young kid took a beating in an alley, a lobster face began to boil and a pair of month old corpses got together. All because a woman in a dark tunnel kept a secret that didn't belong to her.

[Narrator]

Most of us approve of saving for a rainy day. But these days it's hard to have enough left over to save. It's easy to put off the saving until tomorrow and that tomorrow never seems to come. The best way to make yourself save a little every payday is to join the payroll savings plan where you work or the bond a month plan where you bank. Money invested in United States Savings Bonds today will make possible many dreams for tomorrow. So arrange to save with United States Savings Bonds. Remember, automatic saving is sure saving. Every Friday night, CBS brings you stories taken from the files of parole boards of the 48 states. With only the names changed, these stories give and detail the events of a criminal's life up to the time he is up for parole. Then, before you hear the board's decision, you can make up your mind. Is this man ready to be set free? It's been hailed by press and public alike as an outstanding anti crime show. And you can hear it now by staying tuned because up for Parole follows immediately on most of these same CBS stations. This is Roy Rowan speaking. This is CBS where you find and songs for sale Every Friday night, the Columbia Broadcasting System.