30 Minutes to Curtain 1983-08-31 The Body in Bixby Slough

Summary

Podcast Summary: "30 Minutes to Curtain 1983-08-31 The Body in Bixby Slough"

Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Title: The Body in Bixby Slough
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Duration: 30 Minutes
Genre: Mystery and Adventure
Written and Directed by: Herbert D. Schmidt Jr.
Produced by: Steve Jell

---

1. Introduction: Setting the Scene

The episode immerses listeners into the gritty ambiance of 1938 Los Angeles, a city teeming with glamour yet shadowed by corruption and crime. The protagonist, Burt Winslow, is introduced as a hard-boiled private investigator with a troubled past in the police force.

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2. The Catalyst: A Murder in Wilmington

Timestamp: [02:33]

The story kicks off with Burt reading a newspaper headline about the murder of Nicholas Jackson, a former Los Angeles police detective. The body was discovered at Bixby Slough, suggesting foul play beyond a mere accident.

Quote:
Marianne Strossner: "The body of a former Los Angeles police detective was found at Bixby Slough, near Wilmington, Friday morning."

This revelation reignites Burt's desire to seek justice, especially since he had a close working relationship with Jackson.

---

3. Reconnecting with the Past

Timestamp: [03:02]

Burt reaches out to his old contact, Frank Finn, seeking information about the case. Their conversation reveals that Jackson was involved in charter fishing and was romantically linked to Nancy Peterson, a girl working at a shooting gallery.

Quote:
Ed Hayes (Burt Winslow): "I'm going after Nick Jackson's killer, Charlie. And I need your help."

Frank provides details about the victim's lifestyle, hinting at possible motives rooted in personal relationships and potential conflicts with oil companies.

---

4. Delving into the Investigation

Timestamp: [06:10]

Burt meets Nancy Peterson to gather more information. Their interaction is tense, with Nancy being initially uncooperative but eventually revealing Jackson's troubles with an oil company, implying a possible financial motive behind the murder.

Quote:
Marianne Strossner (Nancy Peterson): "Nick mentioned that he'd been having some trouble with an oil company. A Pathfinder, I think, over a community oil lease. If they got his property, they had the 75% they needed to drill the block."

---

5. Confrontation at the Ellington Hotel

Timestamp: [07:32]

Burt suspects foul play linked to the Ellington Hotel and decides to confront Eddie Leach, the hotel's proprietor. The encounter is fraught with tension, leading to a dramatic altercation where Eddie attempts to harm Burt.

Quote:
Ed Hayes: "Shine, mister? Sure, why not? You want to talk too?"

This confrontation culminates in Burt neutralizing Eddie, bringing him into the fold of the investigation.

---

6. Unraveling the Truth: The Climax

Timestamp: [21:37]

The investigation takes a pivotal turn when Burt confronts Jerry Goldstein, the Ellington Hotel owner, uncovering the truth behind Jackson's murder. In a tense standoff, evidence points towards self-defense, but Burt remains skeptical.

Quote:
Ed Hayes: "A man who kills in self defense doesn't prove it by murdering again."

The climax peaks as Burt engages in a deadly showdown with Jerry, resulting in Jerry's demise and further entangling the web of deceit.

---

7. The Final Revelation and Resolution

Timestamp: [25:19]

The episode culminates with Burt tracing Nancy Peterson to her residence, forcing a confession. It is revealed that Nancy, driven by love and coercion, was instrumental in the chain of events leading to Jackson's death.

Quote:
Marianne Strossner (Nancy Peterson): "I love Eddie. He took me places. He made me feel special."

Burt's relentless pursuit of the truth ties up the narrative, showcasing the complexities of love, loyalty, and vengeance in the murky underbelly of Los Angeles.

---

8. Conclusion: Reflecting on Justice and Morality

In the aftermath, Burt reflects on the nature of love and corruption in the "golden California paradise," pondering the blurred lines between right and wrong.

Quote:
Ed Hayes: "Maybe it's just the way love is. Ask Nick Jackson."

The episode wraps up with a somber tone, highlighting the enduring quest for justice amidst personal and societal turmoil.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ed Hayes (Burt Winslow):
  [01:53] "I don't push easy. No, Maisie, I'll never learn. And some people in this town are gonna be sorry."

• Marianne Strossner (Nancy Peterson):
  [06:10] "Nick mentioned that he'd been having some trouble with an oil company."

• Ed Hayes:
  [07:11] "It's gonna be fine. You and I are gonna go up together and see if the buildup was for real."

• Ed Hayes:
  [14:01] "It's gonna be fine. You and I are gonna go up together and see if the buildup was for real."

• Ed Hayes:
  [23:13] "You're through, Leech."

• Marianne Strossner (Nancy Peterson):
  [27:14] "I loved him. He didn't shoot Nick. Why didn't you kill me?"

• Ed Hayes:
  [27:46] "You're a nice man. I can see why Nick liked you."

---

Insights and Themes

• Corruption and Morality: The narrative delves deep into the pervasive corruption within Los Angeles, highlighting the challenges of maintaining integrity in a flawed system.

• Redemption and Vengeance: Burt's journey is as much about seeking justice for his old friend as it is about redeeming his own tarnished legacy.

• Complex Relationships: The interactions between Burt, Nancy, and Eddie underscore the intricate web of personal relationships entangled with professional obligations.

• Hard-Boiled Detective Archetype: Burt embodies the quintessential private eye, tough yet morally conflicted, navigating a city rife with danger and deceit.

---

Conclusion

"The Body in Bixby Slough" masterfully captures the essence of Golden Age radio dramas, blending suspense, intricate character dynamics, and a compelling mystery. Through Burt Winslow's relentless pursuit of truth, listeners are treated to a rich tapestry of 1930s Los Angeles, teeming with intrigue and timeless themes of justice and human frailty.

---

Join us next week on "30 Minutes to Curtain" for another enthralling adventure into the golden age of radio storytelling.

Transcript

[Bob Lyons]

American Giant makes great clothing. Sweatshirts, jeans and more right here in the U.S. visit american-giant.com and get 20% off your first order with code STAPLE20. That's 20% off your first order at american-giant.com code STAPLE20. 30 minutes to curtain. Yes, it's 30 minutes to curtain. Bringing you a weekly half hour of radio entertainment. Each week at this time we bring you mystery, comedy, adventure, romance, fantasy and fun. This week in our premiere standby for mystery and adventure as we take you to 1938 Los Angeles and a classic detective story with that hard bitten private eye, Burt Winslow. In a story written and directed by Herbert D. Schmidt Jr. The body in Bixby Slew. And now, here's the play.

[Marianne Strossner]

Hi, Burke. How'll it be?

[Ed Hayes]

The usual, Maisie. And turn down the noise. My head feels like Hank Greenberg just bounced it off the wall at Nevin Feels.

[Marianne Strossner]

One bowl of chili, one cup of coffee coming up.

[Ed Hayes]

Don't forget the Daily News.

[Marianne Strossner]

You think you can read it?

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, I can look at the pictures.

[Marianne Strossner]

You'll never learn, will you, Burt?

[Ed Hayes]

No. Maisie was right, you know. I'll always be a sucker for jasmine and a jolt of gin. And now that I'm a private investigator, I got time between jobs to get angry about this town. La. City of Angels. What a laugh. I'd been driven off the force because I tried to take down a politician with his hand in the pocket. To the simple, hard working citizen. They stuck me behind a desk, hoping I'd quit. And I did. But I never forgot. I don't push easy. No, Maisie, I'll never learn. And some people in this town are gonna be sorry. I don't.

[Marianne Strossner]

Here's your coffee. I'll have your chili in a minute.

[Ed Hayes]

Thanks, Maisie.

[Marianne Strossner]

Say, did you see the story in the paper about the ex cop that was killed down in Wilmington?

[Ed Hayes]

No. Where?

[Marianne Strossner]

Page three.

[Ed Hayes]

I know Wilmington pretty well. I never heard of the page three.

[Marianne Strossner]

You're really suffering, friend. I'm talking about the paper.

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, yeah, here it is. The body of a former Los Angeles police detective was found at Bixby Slough, near Wilmington, Friday morning. Lt. Charles Brandt at the San Pedro station said Nicholas Jackson, 38, had been shot in the head with a small caliber weapon. Investigating officers suspected the victim had been murdered elsewhere and the body dumped where it was found, near the corner of Normandy and Vermont avenues.

[Marianne Strossner]

Didn't you know him?

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah. Yeah, I knew Nick Jackson. Here's a buck, hun. Keep the change. I gotta go.

[Marianne Strossner]

Hey, what'll I do with the chili.

[Ed Hayes]

Call the fire department. I'll see you later. I drove west on 10th street, past Earl C. Anthony's Packet Agency, and then turned south on Figaro and headed for Wilmington and San Pedro. Last night's drunk slowly vanished into memory. I hadn't seen Nick Jackson in 10 years. He stayed on Vice when I was sent downtown. Then he, too, became a civilian. I never found out why. Maybe he couldn't stand working with crooked cops. We had worked well together. In fact, he was the best partner I ever had. I'd known Charlie Brandt, too. He was the only good cop in Hollywood. That's why they sent him to Pedro. By the time I drove past Exposition Park, I'd already decided there wouldn't be any expense account on this case. Nick and I had let 10 years pass, and I was sorry we had. It was time for me to pay a long overdue debt to Nick Jackson. Come on in. Hello, Charlie. Hello, Bert.

[Frank Finn]

Long time no see.

[Ed Hayes]

How have you been? No complaints other than occasional morning headaches.

[Frank Finn]

What do you need?

[Ed Hayes]

I'm going after Nick Jackson's killer, Charlie. And I need your help.

[Frank Finn]

Well, a nursery man called us yesterday morning. His kid had been playing down at Bixby Slough. The kid and his friends found the body when we got there. We found Jackson and a recent set of tire tracks. Nothing else. He'd been shot and then dumped.

[Ed Hayes]

How was he dressed?

[Frank Finn]

Better than most. Had a suit on, no rips. Didn't look like he'd been in a fight.

[Ed Hayes]

What's he been doing since he left the force?

[Frank Finn]

Had a small charter fishing boat. He ran out of Long Beach. He was seeing a little girl who worked the shooting gallery at the Pike. A blond, name of Nancy Peterson.

[Ed Hayes]

Anything else?

[Frank Finn]

Well, he had a little place on Ops street in Wilmington. Lived alone, drank a little, played the ponies. Nothing out of the ordinary.

[Ed Hayes]

What about the weapon?

[Frank Finn]

The examiner dug a.25 caliber slug out.

[Ed Hayes]

Of the back of his skull.25 caliber? That's the kind of toy a woman carries.

[Frank Finn]

Or a guy who doesn't want a bone showing under his coat.

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah. Listen, Charlie, I'm going to check on the girl. You can reach me in Long beach at the Wilton if anything else turns up. Sure.

[Frank Finn]

But do me a favor, Bert. As much as I like you, I know you come on pretty strong sometimes. Stay out of trouble and keep in touch.

[Ed Hayes]

I hear you, but I owe Nick. Don't get in my way, Charlie.

[Frank Finn]

I'll call you.

[Ed Hayes]

Thanks. As I rode the ferry to Terminal Island, I thought that Charlie had looked Awfully weary. Maybe I'd been lucky quitting the force when I did. Nick had been lucky, too, until a couple of days ago. And I knew that out there, somebody else thought he was lucky. But his luck was going to run out. And I was going to be there when it did. Nancy Peterson?

[Marianne Strossner]

Yes.

[Ed Hayes]

My name's Winslow. I was a friend of Nick's.

[Marianne Strossner]

You're a little late, Mr. Winslow.

[Ed Hayes]

I know you're upset, but I'm a private op, Ms. Peterson, and I want to find Nick's killer.

[Marianne Strossner]

You think you're the only one?

[Ed Hayes]

Are you going to help me or trying to win a debate now? I don't have time to score points. My rhetoric's a shade on a disagreeable side.

[Marianne Strossner]

I'm sorry, Mr. Winslow. I've answered too many questions today. I didn't mean to snap at you.

[Ed Hayes]

Tell me what you know about Nick.

[Marianne Strossner]

Not a lot. I only met him a few months ago. He taken me to Santa Anita for the Coconut Grove. We'd been out on his fishing boat when he wasn't running a charter. And I'd been to his place in Wilmington. He treated me nice. I liked him.

[Ed Hayes]

How'd you meet?

[Marianne Strossner]

He came by the gallery here. He was a good shot. Took me out after work that night.

[Ed Hayes]

When was the last time you saw him?

[Marianne Strossner]

About three days ago. We went to Colorado Lagoon for the day at a picnic on the sand. Later he took me home, said he'd call me. He never did.

[Ed Hayes]

You ever meet any of his friends?

[Marianne Strossner]

Couple of guys he knew at the track. That's about it.

[Ed Hayes]

Nobody else?

[Marianne Strossner]

He likes being alone with me. Mr. Winslow. No, nobody else.

[Ed Hayes]

Well, that doesn't tell me very much. And call me Bird.

[Marianne Strossner]

Nick mentioned that he'd been having some trouble with an oil company. A Pathfinder, I think, over a community oil lease. If they got his property, they had the 75% they needed to drill the block. Could that mean anything?

[Ed Hayes]

I don't know. I've never enjoyed the luxury of being a property owner, but I'll check on it.

[Marianne Strossner]

Call me if you hear anything. Please Berth. My number is 62385.

[Ed Hayes]

Got it. And if you remember anything else, you can get in touch with me at the Wilton.

[Marianne Strossner]

Don't worry. I will. And be careful. Berth. Thanks, Nancy.

[Ed Hayes]

Thanks, Nancy.

[Marianne Strossner]

You're a nice man. I can see why Nick liked you.

[Ed Hayes]

Sure. A nice man. Was that some kind of a gag? Nice men don't hunt killers. Nasty men hunt killers because killing's a nasty business. It's not Sherlock Holmes. Little Frenchman with pencil thin Mustaches musing over logic problems. Murder isn't logical, it's brutal. Little old ladies and gentlemen sipping sherry in drawing rooms may serve as murders in English detective novels, but they don't serve in LA or any other place in the real world. They don't fit. And something about Nancy Peterson smelled. And it wasn't her evening in Paris. She told me no more about Nick than a casual acquaintance. She bothered me, but I couldn't finger the reason why. I walked around the pipe thinking I wasn't doing a very good job of it. And then by the merry go round, I saw a pair that really convinced me I'd snap. He was dressed in a tuxedo and she in an evening gown. Oh, they might have been in fashion at the Pacific Coast Club, but at the pike they stood out like long hairs at a jam session. Shine, mister? Sure, why not? You want to talk too?

[Bob Lyons]

Or is you just want the shine?

[Ed Hayes]

Some people around here don't like to talk. Well, depends on what you have to say, buddy. Now, there's a fin. If you got some information I can use. Ask away.

[Bob Lyons]

I'm a captive audience.

[Ed Hayes]

You see many people dressed like that couple over there by the merry go round? Sure don't, mister.

[Bob Lyons]

Tuxedos don't serve no useful purpose on a roller coaster.

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Now, where would you go around here if you were dressed up?

[Bob Lyons]

I'd be over at the Ellington Hotel.

[Ed Hayes]

It's by the shooting gallery down by the arcade. Draws a lot of dressers and I hear there's tables upstairs. Hey, you just earned yourself a fine. Thanks, mister. It was no work at all. Good evening, sir. Welcome to the element room. Good evening. I know the tire doesn't go with a coat, but I'm looking for some action. Action, sir? Yeah. I understand you cater to a very well dressed clientele. I'm afraid I don't understand, sir. Well, does the name Nick Jackson ring a bell? Nick Jackson, sir? You think a 10 spot might serve as a hearing aid? You're most generous, sir. I'm sure I can be of assistance. If you'll just wait here a moment. You may go in now, sir. As I stepped through the door into what looked like an office, I caught a brief glimpse of something moving to the left and behind me. Then the 20th Century Limited crashed into the back of my head and the lights went on and off everywhere. As I fell through the searing pain into the nothingness of a Southern California suckers bleed. I was walking down a dark passageway and a door Slammed metal on metal and the smell of roses. Four of them crawl over my chest and onto my face like spiders in a sewer. I was drunk. I seemed to be. But then I've been drunk before, nearly every night. But my head was still making trouble and I knew I'd been sapped. At that point, I didn't care. I didn't care at all about shooting galleries, cheap politicos or bodies in swamps. I wanted to die, it hurt so much. Die for about 48 hours. And afterwards I'd thank somebody for the trip my way.

[Marianne Strossner]

All right, wake up, Winslow.

[Ed Hayes]

You've been frowned. There were some choice words I wanted to say to the voice that interrupted my nightmare. And all of them had four letters. And somebody grabbed me and I was suddenly being slapped like a dame who didn't know when to go home. I got mad. Not angry, mad. And being slightly deranged, I began to come to.

[Frank Finn]

Hey, Bert, you all right?

[Ed Hayes]

Never felt better.

[Frank Finn]

You know where you are?

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, you tell me. For some reason, it hurts to talk.

[Frank Finn]

You're the guest of the Long Beach Police Department. They found you passed out in an alley near Lincoln park, smelling like a cheap distillery. The Long beach cops called me when they found my name in your notebook. I never knew you to leave a bottle anything but empty. But passing out an alley just isn't your style.

[Ed Hayes]

I was set up, Charlie.

[Frank Finn]

Yeah, I know. You wouldn't spill that much. You got any ideas who your friends were?

[Ed Hayes]

It had to be the desk clerk.

[Frank Finn]

What desk clerk?

[Ed Hayes]

Hey, didn't somebody tell me I'd been strung? Hey, I'm going back to the Wilton and get a shower and a change of clothes. I'll talk to you later.

[Frank Finn]

I thought I asked you a question.

[Ed Hayes]

You did. Thanks, Charlie.

[Frank Finn]

I'm having trouble, Bert.

[Ed Hayes]

Why?

[Frank Finn]

Well, the locals here in Long beach aren't being very helpful. They say they'll investigate Jackson's connections. And Long Beach? They've let me know I'm not welcome.

[Ed Hayes]

Well, talk to some of the top brats I have.

[Frank Finn]

LA and Long beach don't get along too well. They don't share jurisdiction with us on big cases. There are, if you can believe it, even more palms greased here than in our place.

[Ed Hayes]

Well, you're gonna need me then. If your hands are tied, you've got the idea.

[Frank Finn]

Stay out of alleys.

[Ed Hayes]

You ever hear anyone being bumped over Community oil lease, Charlie?

[Frank Finn]

Not in this country.

[Ed Hayes]

Why? Well, no reason. Get out of here, Bird.

[Frank Finn]

I'll call you in the morning.

[Ed Hayes]

The shower felt good. And a dowson of Bay Rum was a welcome change from the rotgut cologne I'd been wearing. I decided to sense my frontal assault on the Ellington had been a disaster. Disaster. I'd try a different approach, this time with some artillery under my coat. So when I hit the pike, I saw the back exit of the hotel cracked open and I entered cautiously this time into the red and glow of a stairway. At the bottom, a brunette in white heels and a strapless dress was struggling to get her escort to his feet. A pasty faced kid in his early 20s, a boy who hadn't found his stomach for liquor or the way to stay awake on a good looking broad. Looks to me like he's gone.

[Marianne Strossner]

Sure he is. All that big talk about gamblin and free liquor and then the jerk passes out on me. Gee, I wanted to have a good time. Is there anything wrong with that? No, the whole evening's wasted.

[Ed Hayes]

It's gonna be fine. You and I are gonna go up together and see if the buildup was for real.

[Marianne Strossner]

What about Freddy?

[Ed Hayes]

He'll more than likely wake up later and take a red car home. His skull will pound for a couple of days. He'll feel some guilt. He'll call you around the middle of next week.

[Marianne Strossner]

You sound like you've been there, mister.

[Ed Hayes]

Call me Bert.

[Marianne Strossner]

I'm Brandy.

[Ed Hayes]

Hmm. You look like cognac to me. Let's go.

[Marianne Strossner]

At the door you're supposed to say Joe sent me.

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, that's original. I wonder who thought that one up.

[Marianne Strossner]

I don't know. That's just what Freddy told me. He was going to say.

[Ed Hayes]

Brandy wasn't exactly a female Einstein, but she was a ticket past the thug who grunted and opened the door at the mention of Joe's name. The size on him made my feet sweat and I was glad I hadn't gotten cute and tried out Beasy or Spike on him. He didn't look like he was paid to have a sense of humor. Brandy giggled like a teenager on a first date when she saw the layout. The room was filled with tables. Craft, roulette, blackjack. The joint was jammed wall to wall, people, floor to ceiling smoke. We circulated, the smoke didn't.

[Marianne Strossner]

Isn't this great?

[Ed Hayes]

Sure, kid.

[Marianne Strossner]

I mean, look at all these people. They're so beautiful. They must be somebody.

[Ed Hayes]

Sure, kid. Everyone here is a big shot until he wakes up tomorrow. A couple of seas light and wonders where it went.

[Marianne Strossner]

Are you always so serious?

[Ed Hayes]

Only in places that serve free drink.

[Marianne Strossner]

Oh, I nearly forgot. Give me a scotch on the rocks, will you, Burke?

[Ed Hayes]

Sure, doll. I'LL meet you by the roulette.

[Marianne Strossner]

Hey, are you trying to lose me?

[Ed Hayes]

Never. Now be a good girl and wait by the wheel. I think I see an old friend at the bar. Old friend? Eddie Leach. Vice at Hollywood with Nick and me. Only Eddie's been caught running numbers at a time when he should have been raking off the booze. Eddie had an impeccable sense of bad timing. He was years ahead of the rest of LA's finest. So the big boys downtown had asked Eddie to find another job. They didn't give him a pension. By that time, he didn't need one and they didn't need the publicity. Hello, Eddie.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Bert.

[Ed Hayes]

How's it going?

[Jerry Goldstein]

Nothing to kick about. Drink?

[Ed Hayes]

Sure.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Scotch all right?

[Ed Hayes]

Fine.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Give me a refill on the scotch. Rocks for my friend.

[Ed Hayes]

Sure, boss. So you're the man here. Man's gotta work, you know. Nick's dead. I heard.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Too bad.

[Ed Hayes]

He come here.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Why would he do that?

[Ed Hayes]

Well, Nick liked to gamble. Eddie. Let's stop the tap dancing.

[Jerry Goldstein]

What if he did?

[Ed Hayes]

You know Nancy Peterson?

[Jerry Goldstein]

Who's she?

[Ed Hayes]

Friend of Nick's.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Why would I know her?

[Ed Hayes]

Well, you'd make a good private operator, Eddie. You ask a lot of questions.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I don't have to answer yours.

[Ed Hayes]

No one said you did, Eddie. Not if you're worried I'm falling asleep.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Winslow, why don't you disappear, huh?

[Ed Hayes]

Sure, Eddie. But don't get nervous. I'm not going to disappear.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I never liked you, Bert.

[Ed Hayes]

I'm trying, Eddie. I'm deeply hurt. Maybe you had me stiffed early this evening, Eddie. And don't try it again. I'm running out of clothes and patience.

[Jerry Goldstein]

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

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah? That's the desk clerk downstairs.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Take your drink and flow.

[Ed Hayes]

Not a bad idea. Just don't be in the way when I do, Eddie, or they'll never find the pieces.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Still got the same temper?

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah. Think about that, Eddie. It could get you out of a jam sometime. Now, what with Eddie the Muggin in my free visit to Long beach jail, I was done in for the evening. It was a few minutes before one when I picked up the scotch and found Brandy making her sixth consecutive pass at a guy at the craft stable. I took the drink to her, but she'd already found the bar by herself. She slobbered her phone number in my ear and I left the Yellington. I needed some sleep. I didn't know any more about Nick's murder than I had earlier and that upset me. After a few hours tack time I was going to start upsetting some people myself.

[Marianne Strossner]

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[Bob Lyons]

Yeah.

[Frank Finn]

Wake up, Prince Charming. It's 10 o' clock.

[Ed Hayes]

Leave me alone.

[Frank Finn]

I've got some news. Jackson had been doing some heavy gambling at the Ellington Hotel there at the Pike. And you'll never guess who the proprietor is.

[Ed Hayes]

Eddie Leach.

[Frank Finn]

I thought you were going to keep in touch.

[Ed Hayes]

After I saw Elites, I came back and went to bed. I was dead.

[Frank Finn]

Not as dead as you could have been.

[Ed Hayes]

Now what's the rest of the news?

[Frank Finn]

In Jackson's log, we found that he had taken Eddie and the Peterson dame out on a few Sundays. That he was free.

[Ed Hayes]

I'm almost awake.

[Frank Finn]

And the Peterson dame has been seen in some of Long Beach's hotspots recently with guess who?

[Ed Hayes]

Eddie Leach. Hey, you do good work, Charlie.

[Frank Finn]

And kind of you to say so. You mind letting me in on what you found out?

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, nothing, pal. The big zero. My talk with Leech was about as fruitful as a pair of mules mating.

[Frank Finn]

What are you going to do today?

[Ed Hayes]

Have another talk with Eddie Leach. He gets more interesting all the time.

[Frank Finn]

Good hunting.

[Ed Hayes]

Thanks, Charlie. Hey, you got a very sweet voice for someone with a wake up call.

[Frank Finn]

Goodbye, bird.

[Ed Hayes]

I just finished my shower and got my robe on when. Who is it? Bellboy. I didn't call for anything. Message for Mr. Winslow. Just a minute. I'll take the message. Two tree trunks resembling Hood pushed their way through the door. One I knew, the one with the knife. The comical doorman from the Ellington. Did Joe send you? Wouldn't you like to know his friend vanished after I broke his nose with a table lamp. Pre depression stuff. Good weight to it. It's you and me, fatso.

[Jerry Goldstein]

There's three of us.

[Ed Hayes]

You forgot the knife. All the neighbors will appreciate you not bringing a cannon. His hands had been as quick as his brain. I levered his elbow with an arm bar and he managed to impale himself with a shiv. I was losing my faith. And thugs. I frisked him and found a.38 strapped to his shoulder. I got humble fast. If I hadn't been in a hotel, I'd be as dead as he was. I didn't care much about his friend. There was someone I wanted to see. Eddie Leach. I took my time dressing stuck to 38 my belt. I was smiling. Fate had turned the dice my way and I wasn't gonna pass them now. I drove out to Leech, a small mansion in the Naples section of East Long beach, with the same stupid grin on my face. Things were beginning to make sense. And that spelled trouble for Eddie Leach. May I help you, sir? I want to see your boss. Mr. Leech is not in, sir. Out of my way, Ball. Leech. But I tell you, Mr. Leech is not in. I left the boss butler at the door, brushing him off like a fly in a dung heap. I found Leach in his study reading ledgers at his desk.

[Jerry Goldstein]

You got here quick, Bert.

[Ed Hayes]

But you don't look pleased.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I'm not. I pay somebody to do a job. I want it done.

[Ed Hayes]

That must mess up your books there. Not much, as long as we're discussing business. Eddie, who'd you pay to kill Jackson?

[Jerry Goldstein]

No one. I did it myself.

[Ed Hayes]

Just a confession.

[Jerry Goldstein]

More of a explanation.

[Ed Hayes]

I'll explain. You and Nancy Peterson.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Easy. The broads got taste.

[Ed Hayes]

Yeah, so do people with head colds, but not much.

[Jerry Goldstein]

When Jackson found out about Nancy and me, he saw red. He came up to the Ellington and caused a scene. I took him back to my office and tried to reason with him. Nancy's got a choice, I told him. He laughed and drew a gun. I'm making Nancy's choice. For he said, Ernie the doorman walked in. Jackson turned to see who it was. I got my piece out and shot him.

[Ed Hayes]

Wrong, Eddie.

[Jerry Goldstein]

What do you mean?

[Ed Hayes]

I don't know. I just know that's not the way it happened. You wouldn't want me out of the way if it was.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I'm telling you the truth, Bert. I don't have to tell you anything. I could have denied having any part in bumping Jackson. I'm clean, Bert. It was self defense.

[Ed Hayes]

Well, if it was self defense, why'd you haul the body all the way over to Bixby Slough?

[Jerry Goldstein]

My operation at the Ellington doesn't need that kind of publicity. It just seemed more convenient to have it appear that Jackson died in the LA territory to keep the locals off my back. But that doesn't change the fact that it was self defense.

[Ed Hayes]

You've been working too hard to convince me otherwise, Leech. A man who kills in self defense doesn't prove it by murdering again.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I couldn't let you interfere with me, Bert. I'm riding high now and you aren't going to mess that up. You're always a tough guy, Winslow. But you don't look so tough to me.

[Ed Hayes]

I'm not tough. I'm just tired of being leaned on by guys like you.

[Jerry Goldstein]

You won't have to worry about that anymore.

[Ed Hayes]

This time you're gone.25 caliber automatic. Oh, very smart, Eddie. Go ahead, shoot me with it. Dump the body in Bixby Slough. You think Charlie Brand won't know what went down? You think the Long beach cops are going to cover up for you forever? You know better, Leech.

[Jerry Goldstein]

I'm not going to dump you, Winslow. You're going to disappear, feed the fishes. No one's going to miss a drunk. Drunks disappear all the time.

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, you already tried that one, Eddie. You should have had me killed then. Because your boy's dead in my hotel room, Leech. Stuck with his own shiv. And it won't wash this time. The fingers on you if anything happens to me. You're through, Leech.

[Jerry Goldstein]

Not yet, Winslow.

[Ed Hayes]

Goodbye, Eddie. I'd gotten to him finally. I'd wiped a smug look off his face permanently. Eddie Leach was a poor shot when angered, but he made a great target. He slumped over the desk, bleeding on the books, his operation drowned in a flood of red ink. The butler entered the room, gave it a fast white eyed once over and left without even saying goodbye. I walked over to the desk, wiped the prints off the.38 I shot Eddie with, the one from my belt that his boy had given me, fitting it should be used on his Boss. I laid the.38 down on the Mahogany desktop and picked up the.25 that lay next to Leech and stuck it in my pocket. I felt like something of a collector making a trade.

[Frank Finn]

Lieutenant. Brad.

[Ed Hayes]

Charlie. This is Bert. I think I got our murder weapon.

[Frank Finn]

That's strange. I thought I had a lot on it myself.

[Ed Hayes]

What do you mean?

[Frank Finn]

Two months ago, Nick Jackson bought And registered a Smith and Wesson.25 caliber automatic.

[Ed Hayes]

Well, so far it fits the description of the one I got in my pocket.

[Frank Finn]

Where did you find it?

[Ed Hayes]

Eddie Leach tried to use it on me.

[Frank Finn]

What have you been doing, Bert? What happened?

[Ed Hayes]

He's dead. And so is one of his boys. Leeches at home and his thugs in my hotel room.

[Frank Finn]

Where are you?

[Ed Hayes]

Head leeches.

[Frank Finn]

Great, Bert. You've got some explaining to do and I want to hear it now if I'm going to save you from the Long Beach Bulls.

[Ed Hayes]

No, Charlie. Some things are just beginning to make sense and I can't drop it now. I'll get in touch. Listen, Bert, I had one more stop to make. I left Eddie's and pulled over to phone booth on Second street to grab Nancy Peterson's address. 433 and a half Coronado Avenue. Not a bad section of town. Nice little California Spanish tile roof neighborhood. Palm trees lining the sidewalk. The kind of street you'd find on a postcard in a bus station. When I reached 433 and a half Coronado, I was laughing at myself.

[Marianne Strossner]

Who is it?

[Ed Hayes]

Burt Winslow.

[Marianne Strossner]

Just a minute.

[Ed Hayes]

Take your time.

[Marianne Strossner]

What are you doing here, Burr?

[Ed Hayes]

May I come in?

[Marianne Strossner]

Certainly. Sit down. You haven't told me why you're here.

[Ed Hayes]

I want to tell you a story, Nancy.

[Marianne Strossner]

I'm do at work at four Bird. I don't have time for stories.

[Ed Hayes]

Oh, it's a wonderful story, Nancy. A love story. It'll break your heart. It's about Nick Jackson. He fell in love with a little girl in a penny arcade. She worked a shooting gallery. Now remember that? It's important, he wanted to say, from fresh little punks at night. So we bought her a gun. But she wasn't safe. From the punk, sure, but not from Eddie Leech. She fell in love with Leech or his money or his power. How am I doing?

[Marianne Strossner]

Stop it.

[Ed Hayes]

Burn. Not a chance, baby. So she told Jackson about Leech and that made Jackson furious. He was a man in love, remember? He took her up to Leeches to have it out. He took her to Leeches and he got shot and wound up in Bixby Slough. And who shot him? Easy? I asked. Eddie Leach. He said he did it.

[Marianne Strossner]

He did? When?

[Ed Hayes]

Certainly he did, because he was shielding somebody. Somebody with a.25 caliber automatic. The killer, a crack shot. Somebody who works in a shooting gallery. Lace knew that she could ruin him by tying him to the killing. He'd been paying through the nose to run his gambling operation. Gambling, not murder. He couldn't have taken the heat. He protected her. She protected him. But she blew the whistle on me when I showed up asking questions about Jackson. I wound up in an alley. When I kept up the pressure, two guys showed up at my place to ice me.

[Marianne Strossner]

Stop it, Bert.

[Ed Hayes]

You killed Nick, didn't you?

[Marianne Strossner]

Nancy, I didn't mean to. He threatened Eddie. He pulled a gun on him. I had to do it. I love Eddie. He took me places. He made me feel special.

[Ed Hayes]

He didn't, Nancy. His money did.

[Marianne Strossner]

It wasn't the money. It was Eddie.

[Ed Hayes]

You recognize this?

[Marianne Strossner]

My gun. Where did you get it?

[Ed Hayes]

From Eddie. He's dead. No.

[Marianne Strossner]

No, he's not. Give me that.

[Ed Hayes]

Give me back that gun. Nancy. Eddie's dead. I killed him.

[Marianne Strossner]

No, you can't have it. Not until you tell me the truth. Tell me you're lying. Eddie's alive.

[Ed Hayes]

He's dead, Nancy.

[Marianne Strossner]

I loved him. He didn't shoot Nick. Why didn't you kill me?

[Ed Hayes]

Put the gun down, Nancy. We have to go.

[Marianne Strossner]

I'm not going anywhere. Not without Eddie.

[Ed Hayes]

Sometimes my job gets to be more than I can handle. I spent some time with Charlie and the Long beach cops and headed back up Figaro to la. I couldn't get to sleep. The picture of Nancy pointing a.25 at her breast and pulling the trigger didn't want to go away. Nick Jackson and I were even, but it took a quarter of the bad stuff before I could pass out and forget how rotten love can be in this golden California paradise. Maybe the neon night fires fry their brains so that lovers are blinded to by the flash and the glitter and go crazy in the harsh light of the sun. Or maybe it's just the way love is. Ask Nick Jackson.

[Bob Lyons]

The Body in Bixby Slough was written and directed by Herbert T. Schmidt, Jr. Produced by Steve Jell. Technical staff C.R. brian III and Roy Scott. Sound patterns by John Greifendorf, Phil Campbell and Barbara Watkins. Featured in the cast were Ed Hayes, Marianne Strossner, Frank Finn and Jerry Goldstein. Also heard were Jeanette and Stan Rayburn, Gloria Frank and David Tierney, Dave Smith, Bob Lyons and R.F. clancy. This is Bob Lyons inviting you to join us again next week at the same time for the premiere of that fast paced quiz, the man says yes, starring Bob Shannon, right here on 30 minutes to curtain.