I Fly Anything 1951-01-30 Date With Death

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: I Fly Anything – Date With Death
Original Air Date: January 30, 1951
Release Date: February 28, 2025
Host/Author: Harold's Old Time Radio
Production: Produced by Frank Cooper and Cy Fisher in association with the American Broadcasting Company
Script: Abe Guinness and Arnold Pearl
Music: Composed and conducted by Basil Adlam
Director: Dwight Hauser
Narrator: Lou Cook

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Introduction

In this thrilling episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Date With Death," listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio, immersing themselves in the high-stakes world of air cargo pilot Captain Dockery Crane, portrayed by Dick Haymes. The episode masterfully weaves themes of heroism, deception, and the battle against a deadly typhoid epidemic, all set against the backdrop of 1950s aviation and international intrigue.

Main Plot Overview

Captain Dockery Crane is entrusted with a critical mission: transporting chloromycetin, a potent antibiotic, to combat a burgeoning typhoid fever epidemic on the remote island of Bjorka. As Crane and his crew prepare for the perilous journey, unforeseen challenges emerge, including severe weather conditions and an insidious plot to hijack the medical supplies for the black market. The episode crescendos into a gripping narrative of trust, betrayal, and the relentless pursuit of saving lives against all odds.

Key Characters and Their Roles

• Captain Dockery Crane (Dick Haymes): The seasoned and courageous air cargo pilot, committed to his mission of delivering vital medical supplies.

• June Dockery (Georgia Ellis): Captain Crane's supportive wife, assisting in the logistics and operations of the flight.

• Mr. Vandermeer (Dr. Hernando Carrillo): A representative from the International Health Organization, overseeing the mission's objectives and ensuring the chloromycetin reaches its destination.

• Dr. Hernando Carrillo: The true medical officer in charge upon arrival at Bjorka, whose identity becomes a pivotal element of the unfolding drama.

• Dolores: A mysterious patient whose fragmented memories and urgent pleas unravel the underlying conspiracy threatening the mission.

Plot Progression and Key Events

1. Mission Preparation ([00:00] - [04:45]):

   • Captain Crane receives landing instructions at LaGuardia Tower and engages in his trademark banter about the dangerous yet noble nature of his work. The seriousness of the mission is established as he discusses transporting chloromycetin to combat a typhoid outbreak on Bjorka.
   • June assists in final preparations, highlighting the importance and urgency of the cargo. Mr. Vandermeer arrives to provide official papers and emphasizes the critical nature of the mission.

2. Encounter with Adversity ([04:45] - [08:46]):

   • As the crew prepares for takeoff, a sudden storm warning complicates their approach to Bjorka. Despite warnings and the deteriorating weather, Captain Crane insists on proceeding, driven by the urgency to deliver the antibiotics.
   • Upon arriving, complications escalate as it becomes evident that someone aboard the plane is not who they claim to be, raising suspicions about the integrity of the mission.

3. Revelation of Deception ([08:46] - [17:51]):

   • Dolores reveals critical information about Dr. Carrillo's true identity, suggesting that an impostor has sabotaged the mission for nefarious purposes, likely tied to the black market demand for chloromycetin.
   • Captain Crane grapples with the betrayal, attempting to uncover the truth while battling the onset of typhoid fever himself, introduced through a treacherous injection by the impostor.

4. Climactic Confrontation ([17:51] - [24:20]):

   • The tension peaks as Captain Crane discovers the extent of the deceit, realizing that the chloromycetin intended for medical use is being diverted for illegal trade.
   • A rallying of the afflicted crew members ensues, uniting them against the corrupt forces threatening their mission and the health of Bjorka's inhabitants.

5. Resolution and Hope ([24:20] - [27:58]):

   • United in purpose, Captain Crane and the crew mobilize to expose and thwart the black market scheme, ensuring that the life-saving antibiotics reach those in dire need.
   • The episode concludes with a blend of relief and anticipation for future missions, underscoring the unwavering dedication of Captain Crane to "fly anything, anytime, anywhere."

Themes and Insights

• Heroism and Sacrifice: Captain Crane epitomizes the selfless dedication of individuals who risk their lives to serve the greater good, highlighting the moral imperative of delivering critical aid despite personal and external challenges.

• Deception and Trust: The narrative delves into the complexities of trust within high-stakes missions, exploring how deception can undermine essential humanitarian efforts and the resilience required to uncover and overcome such betrayals.

• Public Health and Ethics: The episode underscores the importance of responsible management of medical supplies, emphasizing ethical considerations in combating epidemics and preventing the exploitation of life-saving drugs for profit.

• Resilience in Adversity: The characters exhibit unwavering determination in the face of adversity, illustrating the human capacity to persevere and find solutions even when circumstances seem insurmountable.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Captain Dockery Crane ([00:44]): "You know me. I fly any transcribe."
  Sets the tone for Crane's fearless and versatile nature.

• Captain Dockery Crane ([03:12]): "I think we know, Mr. Vandermeer. Full cargo of chloromycetin isn't for laughs. I think it is a typhoid epidemic."
  Emphasizes the gravity of their mission.

• Mr. Vandermeer ([06:10]): "Capitan Crane, can't you see what's happening? You almost didn't make the landing yourself."
  Highlights the worsening situation and the impending threat to the mission.

• Captain Dockery Crane ([08:30]): "Dr. Carillo. My father. Where are you, Father?"
  Reveals the emotional turmoil and the personal stakes involved.

• Captain Dockery Crane ([16:35]): "Maybe. But what would they have done with your father? What you're saying is true."
  Acknowledges the truth of Dolores's claims, propelling the plot forward.

• Captain Dockery Crane ([21:27]): "How, Dr. Carrillo? How are they doing this? What does it have to do with the chloramycetin?"
  Expresses urgency in understanding the antagonist's motives.

• Captain Dockery Crane ([24:20]): "They've given me the fever. Is this really true?"
  Confronts the reality of his compromised health and the elevated stakes.

Conclusion

"Date With Death" stands as a compelling installment in the I Fly Anything series, capturing the essence of mid-20th-century radio drama with its intricate plot and dynamic characters. The episode skillfully intertwines action, suspense, and emotional depth, providing listeners with a captivating narrative that underscores the timeless values of integrity, courage, and the relentless pursuit of justice. As Captain Crane battles both external threats and internal doubts, the story serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit in the face of epidemic and deception.

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Note: This episode is a transcribed program produced by Harold's Old Time Radio, faithfully preserving the stylistic and narrative nuances of classic radio shows from the Golden Age of Radio.

Transcript

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Foreign.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Starring Dick Haynes as air cargo pilot Captain Dockery Crane. Cargo 91743 to LaGuardia Tower. Requesting landing instructions please. Over. LaGuardia, the 91743, your number two to land. Visibility seven miles. Wind northwest 290 degrees, 20 miles. Altimeter setting 025. You'll be clear to land on Runway two one. That's you, Crane. That's me. Dockery Crane. What are you bringing into our fair city this time, Crane? Cabbages, kings or crumbum? No, you're wrong all the way, buster. I'm bringing in a dent in my rudder, a dram of drugs and a date with death. You know me. I fly any transcribe. The American Broadcasting Company presents Dick Haynes as a fast moving, hard hitting, romantic air cargo pilot Captain Dockery Crane. In I fly anything. My name is Dockery Crane and my business is the wild blue yonder business, the pickup and delivery business. By air. You get yourself a crew, a hangar, a secretary, a teletype machine, a certificate from the cab and a great big pile of hope. And your motto is Anything, anywhere, anytime. I fly anything. I wasn't putting on a rover boy act when I told the tower I had a date with death. I would have preferred a date with a lively redhead. Who wouldn't except a guy already married to a redhead? But time was running out. Death is one date. You shouldn't keep waiting around too long. Hey, June.

[June]

June answered, will you D. Can't you see I'm busy? Where's Buzz, for heaven's sake?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

He's checking the loading. Oh, come on, June. I got to finish his flight plan. Well, step on it, will you?

[June]

Hello? Oh, yes, sir. Just a moment.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Dockery.

[June]

It's Mr. Vandermeer from the International Health Organization. He wants to know how soon we're taking off.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

20 minutes, soon as we're loaded.

[June]

20 minutes, sir? Yes, I'll tell him. He'll meet you at the plane, Doc.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Well, I've got no room for him. This is an overseas flight. Look, I got a crew of seven. You and the cargo. I'm only flying a DC4, not a trolley car.

[June]

Take it easy, Lindbergh. He's only coming down to give you your official instructions.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Oh, well, that's better.

[June]

And besides, who said there was any difference between a DC4 and a trolley car except a pair of wings?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

You can say that again, June. At least a trolley car collects nickels and dimes for every trip it makes. We wouldn't even make that much for this hop.

[June]

Hey, I thought we Were all real happy to get a load that was important for once and the heck with.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

A doe yeah, the heck with a dough it's the story of my life. Oh, the truth is, baby, this darn flight is so important, it's. It's got me a little scared, whether I can pull it off or not.

[June]

I guess when so many lives depend on you, it does scare a guy a little.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

A little? Look, June, I haven't been so scared since the time my mother caught me with a cookie jar. That's where my father kept his money. Is a cargo aboard? Buzz? Check. How about the crew aboard? Where's June Dockery? Filling a thermos bottle. She likes her coffee over the ocean. She's queer that way. Have you seen Vandermeer? The International Health Organization? He's supposed to be here for the takeoff. Now, hold your horses, baby. Here he comes now.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Hello, Captain Crane. Hello, Mr. Simpson.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

We're ready, Mr. Vandermeer. Stuff's aboard, sir. Good.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Here are your official papers, Captain. Now, Dr. Hernando Carrillo is in charge.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Overseas, and we'll turn the cargo over to him.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I don't have to tell you how serious your mission is.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

I think we know, Mr. Vandermeer. Full cargo of chloromycetin isn't for laughs. I think it is a typhoid epidemic.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Luckily, it's still restricted to the island of Bjorka. If it spreads to the Spanish mainland.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

It'D be a catastrophe. How long will the flight take you? Well, if June doesn't take all night getting that coffee. We should get to Lisbon, Portugal, in the morning, refuel, and then it's just a short hop to the island of Bajorca.

[June]

So here's the coffee. What are we waiting for?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

You. What'd you have to do, go to Brazil for it? Up you go. Lady first. Out.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Lisbon. Come on, Mr. Vandermeer.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

I'm going up front, doc. So long, Mr. Vandermeer. Goodbye, you two.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Have a good flight.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Is there Anything else, Mr. Vandermeer?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

No train, no farewell speeches?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Just get there.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

It's important.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Don't worry about it. If there's any way to set a plane down on Bayorka. You know me anywhere. Anytime I fly anything, I keep telling myself, this is emergency flight 91743, USA emergency flight USA calling Lisbon, Portugal. Approaching at 4,000ft from northwest. Landing instructions, please. Over.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Lisbon to Emergency flight. Lisbon to Emergency flight.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Come in, USA Come in. Landing instructions, please. Requesting landing instructions. Over. This is Lisbon. This is Lisbon. Storm warning.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Storm Warning.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Training fail for you. Prepare for emergency landing.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Rain squad, prepare for emergency landing.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Tower, this is air France Flight 3.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I'm in trouble.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Can't save. Lost a field.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Lisbon tower to air France Flight 3. Fly east at 3000. We will give you compass reading in five minutes.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Are you the guy who says I can't take off a Bayorka?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Capitan Crane, can't you see what's happening? You almost didn't make the landing yourself.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

The wind has risen.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Two planes overturned right here on the field. Emergency calls are coming in from all over the area. I cannot let you pull out of here for Bjorka. You'll never make it.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Look, what do you think this is? A five dollar an hour sightseeing bus? I'm flying. There's an epidemic on bca. My plane is loaded with chloromycete and those people are dying.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

You don't have to lecture me. I know people are d BCA My own mother and father live on that island. Your crew is willing to take the risk?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Yes.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Just pray the emergency landing lights are still working on Bellorca.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Capitan.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Good luck. How long has he been circling over Bianca?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Almost ten minutes now, Dr. Carrillo.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

A young man with courage, that Captain Crane. He should have stayed in Lisbon until after this storm. It's madness for him to try landing here in Belloca.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Oh, if only they can get their landing lights working in time. He's pitch Black.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Bianca, those two men coming this way, do you know them?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Those two men? No, no. Dr. Carrillo.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Excuse me. I know you are waiting for the plane, but are you Dr. Carrillo? Yes. Oh, I am so glad. Doctor, we heard you were coming to the island. What can I do for you? My. My friend here, his wife, she has come down with typhoid fever. How long ago? Several hours. He brought her down here in his car. We heard you were out. Take me to your car. Bianca. When Coverton Crane lands, tell him I'll be back in a moment. This way, Dr. Carrillo. That black car over.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

He's coming in.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Salvador is going to make.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

The name is Dr. Carrigan now. Carri. Do you understand?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Yes. I'm sorry. Oh, he smashed the wheel. In the end.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Everything changed. Are you all right?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Not even a scratch. Are you Dr. Carrillo?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Yes, I am. Dr. Carillo. You're happy you made a safely Capitan train? Happier than you can imagine.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Good and hot. That's the way I like coffee.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

And now I'm sure you both want to get some sleep. Besides, the funicula is already Loaded. And it's being held for myself and Bianca here. I do not like to keep the funicular waiting.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

The funicula? Haven't you ever heard of her?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Oh, sure, sure. There's an Italian song we used to sing when we were kids. Funicula, Venicula. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

What's that got to do?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Very simply, a funicular is a little car or bus suspended from wires. That's the only way to get up to the village on top of the mountain.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Well, what do you know?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I think we had better go now, Captain Crane. I wish we could thank you in some way.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Well, there is something. I'd like to ride up in the funicular with you. I want to take a look at what's happening up in the village. I'd hate to go back without at least one look at the sick people.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Of course, you must come up and see the hospital.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

But, Dr. Carillo, you have not forgotten the poor man we have to take up to the hospital with us.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

What happened to the guy? Typhoid?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

No, no, no, no, no. It was an accident. Badly burned, he is all bandaged up and waiting in that car you saw outside. But first, Captain Crane, I must inoculate you against the fever. And then we will.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Well, Buzz went back to the ship, and I to the trolley on wires. The ride in the long black car to the funicula wasn't much fun. The guy in the bandages right up to his nose must have been unconscious. But once we got inside the funicula, I took a second look at Bianca. Funny, somebody must have heard me say I'd prefer a date with a redhead instead of with death. But I hit the jackpot. Cause here I was sitting next to a redhead and heading up the mountain to a whole village of death.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

You have never ridden in a funicular, Capita?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

No, certainly not with anyone like you. The closest I ever got to a funicula was a ride on the shoot des chutes in a place called Coney Island.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

You know, they tell me American men are very aggressive. Capitan, is that true?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Well, first, let me ask you a question. Are you related in any way to Dr. Carrillo? Well, I mean, are you his wife, sister, sweetheart, cousin maybe?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

No, just his assistant.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

In that case, how aggressive do you like your American men, Captain?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

I think you have answered my question. You don't have to, Dr. Carrillo. The man in the bandages.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Go on with your conversation with Capitan Crane. I will tend to our friend in the bandages.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

The minute we reach the chateau. Being used for a. I forgot About Bianca. Forgot about being tired. Forgot about everything. Except how glad I was that a couple of guys named the Wright Brothers had invented airplanes and that a guy like me had learned to fly one. And the fellow who made me feel that way especially was a male nurse. The only professional in the place. Until Dr. Carillo walked in.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Dr. Carillo. Bianca, you don't know how glad I am to see you. How badly you are needed here. And you. You must be Captain Crane.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Yes, I am.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Captain. Do you have any idea what typhoid fever does to people? The way it races to a town. Like fire. Like a terrible fire. And you brought help. Chloromycetin. At risk to yourself. Every one of these people would remember you, Captain. Carl. Some of the chloromycetin was sent up here the moment the plane landed. You have given injections? Yes, Dr. Carillo, the moment it arrived. Most of them have had some care. Most of them are asleep. I see. And now, Carl, tell me about my daughter. I'm afraid she's not too well, Dr. Carillo. The fever is high.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Your daughter, Dr. Carrillo.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

This morning, after working without sleep all.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Night, she came down.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I would like to see her, Carl.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Here she is, Doctor.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Her chart, Carl. Fever, pulse. I see. She had a shot of the new chloromycetin just a little while ago. Yes, yes, of course.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Shall I wake her, Doctor? Karelia.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

No, no, no, no, no. Let her sleep. The poor child needs all she can get. There, you see? We have awakened her.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Dr. Carrillo.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

See Dr. Carrillo. My father. Where are you, Father?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Right here, dear. Right here beside you.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Oh, no. No. You. You are not my father. Father, where are you?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

There, there, there you are feverish, dear.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

I'm afraid. Please. Please, someone. Please. Dolores, try to control yourself. Of course. This is your father. Would I lie to you? No, no. You are Bianca. Yes, Bianca. I know you. But him, he is not my father.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Dolores. Dolores. Carl tells me your fever has risen. Now, you be a good girl. I will give you a sedative. You'll get your sleep.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

No, no, I won't let you. You are.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Dolores, it is all right if you don't want your father to give you.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

A said if you.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Please. Please, somebody. My father. He was supposed to meet an airplane from America. Yes, yes, that is it. He was supposed to meet Captain Crane.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

What did you do with him, Dolores? I. I'm Dockery Crane. Dolores, this is your father. He met me at the field. Those people wouldn't lie to you.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Bianca, I think you'd better show Captain Crane to A room for the night. I will stay here a while with Dora.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

No.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

No, please, Captain Crane, don't leave me.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Captain, I am sorry to expose you to this, but fever is a terrible thing.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Good night, Dolores. You get a good rest, and I'll see you in the morning. I hit the bed and caved in like an empty sac. But I couldn't sleep. I couldn't even shut my eyes. I hadn't even thought of counting sheep. When I heard my door opening slowly, I saw the figure come staggering toward me. And for a second I was sure the fever had gotten me. Then I jumped out of bed and caught her just as she was about to keel over.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Get the captain to crying Dolores.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Dolores, you're a sick girl. What are you doing here?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Captain crying Here, here.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Let me put this blanket around you.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Captain crying. Don't say a word. I don't have much time. And you. You must believe me. The man you met is not my father. There is something wrong. I know I'm ill, but please, please believe me. Ask him. Ask him my mother's maiden name. Ask him where he was born. That will prove I'm right. If he is my father, he would know my mother's maiden name and where she was born. Please. Please.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

All right. All right, Dolores. I will. I will. But now you must get back to bed. You're sick.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

My mother's name was A Banet. She was born in Geneva. Ask him. Ask him.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

But why? Why should anyone want to impersonate your father? For what?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

The drugs? Maybe? For the drugs? I don't know. I can't tell you. But everything here. Since the war. Everything here has different value. Chloro. Chloro Mac. And brings a great price on the black market. Maybe.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Maybe. But what would they have done with your father? What you're saying is true. Where's your father? Your real father?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

I was hoping you might know. Maybe they hurt him. Maybe they brought him here as prisoner.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

The man in the bandages.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Oh, what. What man? Captain Klein. What man in bandages?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

This.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Captain Crane.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Thank heavens I found you, darling. Captain Crane. You should have called me immediately. In a case like this, overexertion might be very serious. Bianca, take. Take her back.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Come on, dear. I'll help you back to your bed. Yes. Yes, I. I will go now.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Dr. Carillo.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Yes, Crane.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Doctor, this. This whole thing. I'm not used to being so close to an epidemic.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Would you like a sedative, Crane? It would put you to sleep.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

That wasn't what I had in mind, Dr. Carillo. Dolores asked Me to put some questions to you. I think I owe it to her, sick as she is. I hope you don't take offense.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I'm used to feverish patients. Craig.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Doctor, what was your wife's maiden name?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Her maiden name was Ibanet, and she was born in Geneva. And I loved her very much. You know, Crane, if you don't get some rest, you might suddenly come down with typhoid.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

I stood there in the middle of my empty room, feeling like a jackass who just tried to pass himself off as a racehorse at Hialeah. Nobody likes to be taken for a sucker, least of all yours truly. And Dolores had kicked my pride right in the seat of its pants. She'd said something about the chloromycete and the black market. She'd hinted that I'd gone to all this trouble just to be played for a patsy. I couldn't take that idea, beating my brains out all the way back to the States. I opened the door to the hallway slowly and shut it fast. Maybe I was wrong, but I could have sworn Carla ducked behind a statue in the hall the minute he saw my door opening. There was a ledge about a foot wide outside my window. It probably lead to another window down the building. I knew I'd have to take the ledge if I wanted to check Dolores's story. I wanted to find the man in the bandages, the man who might be the real Dr. Carillo. I'd gotten off the ledge into the main room of the place without being seen. There was nobody around except typhoid patients. Most of them were asleep. Some were moaning. At the back of the building was a narrow staircase, probably used by the servants in the chateau a long time ago. I was about halfway up, my head on a level with the upstairs floor when I stopped. Bianca and Carla just come out of one of the rooms.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

What do you think, Bianca?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

I don't like it, but if that's the way it has to be.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Well, how will we get rid of him?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Have him buried with the rest of the epidemic victims? The bodies are quarantined. Nobody will know.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

As soon as they were gone, I got to the door of the room they just left. It was dark, pitch black. The shades were drawn. I don't think I'd have seen them except for the white bandages. Who are you? I've got to find out who you are.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Go away. Please leave me alone.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Look, whoever you are, you've got to listen to me. I'm Dockery Crane. I'm Captain Crane. I flew the ship in tonight. With a chloromycete.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

You're lying. You're a thief and the murderer of sick people like the others.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Go away. Please. Please. This is to help you. You've got to tell me. Are you Dr. Karina? You.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Am I Dr. K. I don't know myself any longer. Tell me. Am I Dr. Kagilo?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Look, I'll prove to you I'm not lying. Dolores came to me earlier. She tried to make me believe that something was wrong. That the man posing as Dr. Carillo wasn't her father. Now, is that you?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Fool. Can't you see what they've done? They lied to me about the sick woman in a car. And then.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

You are the real Dr. Karelia. Yes.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Yes. What have they done to Dolores? What have they done to her?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

I'll help her whatever way I can. I promise you that.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Think that Bianca and Karl. My own assistance. To think that they would do this just for Mommy. To rob the sick for their own profit. What lost soul?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

How, Dr. Carrillo? How are they doing this? What does it have to do with the chloramycetin? Look, I almost killed myself and seven other men flying the stuff in here.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Carl is supposed to prepare the drug. Instead they steal it and sell it.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Listen. Listen. Listen to me. Dr. Carillo. My friends are down at the landing field. I have a crew of seven men. I'll get to them in a minute.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Did you not learn as a child not to disobey doctor's olives?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Why you.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

I warned you that if you did not get some rest, you might come down with typhoid. And I'm afraid that I was right too. Carl, give me a hand. Creak.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

When I came to, it wasn't the bump on my head that bothered me. I had bumps before. It was the fever and chills running through me. In the spot on my arm where the phony doctor must have injected me with typhoid germs instead of endotoxin. The sounds around me. I could tell I was on the main floor, but in a room by myself. I got out of bed and fell flat on my face. But somehow made it to the door. Nobody around. Maybe they hadn't expected me to come too so fast. I sized up the big room full of fever patients and picked out a big guy who didn't look as sick as the rest. Are you asleep?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

No fever. I. I can't sleep.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Look. Look at me. Do you recognize my face?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Of course. I will always remember it. Earlier tonight when you came in with Dr. Carillo. You are the American Pilot. Thank you.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Thank you. I don't have much time. I need your help. The man I came in with is not Dr. Carrillo. What? Don't talk. Listen. Listen. He's a black marketeer stealing the drugs I brought from America. The real Dr. Carillo is a prisoner upstairs. I need your help. They've given me the fever. Is this really true?

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Yes.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

I swear it.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

But what can we do?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Any one of us alone doesn't stand a chance. But if somehow we could spread the word among all the men in this place. We're half dead, but we're also half alive.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

My wife, she is from the village. She is a cleaning woman here. When she stops by my bed, I will have her spread the truth.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

My husband told me, and the American told him. Spread the word.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

Pedro's wife? Yes, the American told him. Spread the word.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

You must.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

You must. I know you are weak. We are all weak. But together, we are stronger than they are. All of us, dear. All of us. Tell the American we're ready.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

We are ready. 80 or Hunter, I don't know how many are here. My. My wife is a good woman.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

They're waiting for you. Good. Tell her to.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

You are very sick.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

So is. So is everyone else here. We'll get well together. Not at all. Look, tell your wife in a half an hour, all of us. Everybody into the main office. Please don't hurt them. We've got them. But don't hurt June.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Yes, boss.

[Mr. Vandermeer]

He's coming, too.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

What have we got? A payload back?

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

How about that?

[June]

Been in a coma for 24 hours and all that's on his mind is a payload.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

June. June. Buzz. Hey, relax, sonny boy. It's 24 hours since you stormed the Bastille, June. What?

[June]

Yeah, yeah, you're half dead. But you want to know, did I get a return payload in Barcelona?

[Captain Dockery Crane]

How did you know?

[June]

Because I know you well enough to know it's not my great, big, beautiful pair of eyes you're interested in.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Why, June, how could you say a thing like that? You know I'm always interested in the great, great big, beautiful pair of eyes.

[Dr. Hernando Carrillo]

Yeah?

[June]

Well, your dreams are coming true, lover boy. You got a payload back of 12 of the most beautiful pairs of eyes you've ever seen in your life.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

No kidding. Man, oh, man. A dozen Spanish dancers, maybe, huh?

[June]

A dozen Spanish cows, Captain Crane.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

Oh, well, one thing's sure. If we run into bad weather going back, we'll have the best darn milkshakes you've ever seen. You have been listening to the fifth in a new series starring Dick Haymes as air cargo pilot Dockery Crane in I Fly Anything with George Benneman as Buzz and Georgia Ellis as June. And there goes the Teletype with next week's cargo load.

[June]

Doc, an urgent on the teletype man by the name of Brad Barton wants to know if you'll fly up to the timber country of in Minnesota and pick up a passenger.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

A passenger I can pick up on any street corner.

[June]

Yes, but for this one you'll get $15,000.

[Captain Dockery Crane]

For $15,000, I'd even be the passenger. Tell him. Sure. Anything, anytime, anywhere. I Fly Anything. I Fly Anything starring Dick Hayes was produced by Frank Cooper and Cy Fisher in association with the American Broadcast. The script was by Abe Guinness and Arnold Pearl. Music was composed and conducted by Basil Adlam. This transcribed program was directed by Dwight Hauser. This is Lou Cook speaking. This program has come to you from Hollywood.