Johnny Madero, Pier 23 47-06-19 (09) Find Pete Sutro

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Johnny Madero, Pier 23 – "Find Pete Sutro" (Originally aired: June 19, 1947)
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Summary by: [Your Name / Date]

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Episode Overview

This classic episode of "Johnny Madero, Pier 23" delivers a hardboiled detective tale set against the foggy backdrop of San Francisco's waterfront. Johnny Madero – a boat shop owner with a knack for trouble – is hired by a troubled man, Nat Finley, to track down a mysterious figure named Pete Sutro. What begins as a nebulous missing person job quickly spirals into a web of blackmail, murder, lost identity, and psychological manipulation, concluding with Madero unraveling a shocking truth about Sutro’s identity.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Beats

1. Setting the Scene: Madero’s Boat Shop & Nat Finley’s Plea

• [00:00–03:14]
  • Madero, in his trademark sardonic tone, sets up the gritty scene of San Francisco’s piers.
  • Nat Finley arrives, haunted by the recurring name "Pete Sutro," and hires Johnny to find him, offering $50/day and $200 bonus despite only knowing the name and a vague address ("General Delivery, San Francisco").
  • Quote: "For 50 bucks a day, I'll chase anybody's dream. Because with that kind of dough, you're rich enough to run down a couple of your own." – Johnny Madero ([03:28])

2. Others Want Sutro: The Motel Meeting with Marty Kane

• [03:14–06:20]
  • Madero learns that a tough named Marty Kane and a torch singer named Evelyn Day are also searching for Sutro.
  • Kane, armed and aggressive, reveals Sutro owes him money from a past deal.
  • Tensions run high, with threats and evidence (Finley’s check), but no new leads.
  • Quote: "You're tough, Kane. I'll bet you got your dandruff scared stiff." – Johnny Madero ([05:23])

3. Enter Sheila Finley: A Wife’s Desperation

• [06:20–08:49]
  • Madero returns home to find Nat’s wife, Sheila, pleading for him to drop the job, calling her husband "a sick man" with wild imaginations.
  • She offers Madero $500 to walk away.
  • Quote: "You're not building a case. $50 bucks a day buys a lot of hangover, lady." – Johnny Madero ([07:51])

4. Murder on the Waterfront: Inspector Warcheck Steps In

• [08:49–11:18]
  • At a bowling alley, Inspector Warcheck tells Madero that Marty Kane’s been murdered, with Madero a prime suspect due to his visit.
  • Madero insists Kane was alive when he left, but circumstantial evidence is stacking against him.
  • Quote: "Some days it's harder to duck trouble than a handful of pebbles." – Johnny Madero ([10:57])

5. Seeking Counsel: Father Leahy’s Raffle & Advice

• [11:18–13:47]
  • Madero visits the kindly Father Leahy for advice (and is pressed into buying raffle tickets).
  • Leahy and Madero recap: Finley’s delusions, Sheila’s payoff, and Kane’s murder. Leahy agrees to help dig for info.

6. Interview with Evelyn Day: Connections and Betrayals

• [13:47–16:12]
  • Madero finds Evelyn at the Jade Club. She reveals romantic history with Sutro in Detroit, and that Kane and Sutro were partners in a deal gone wrong—Sutro disappeared with the money.
  • Madero threatens, but Evelyn insists Pete was a "good guy," and blackmail with Sheila is mentioned.
  • Quote: "He was my boyfriend. But I haven't seen him lately." – Evelyn Day ([15:07])

7. Finley’s Collapse: Paranoia and Evidence

• [16:12–18:40]
  • Finley, now convinced his wife and Sutro are trying to "get him," scurries Madero away, confesses to finding the murder weapon in Sheila’s closet, and pleads with Madero to help clear him by finding Sutro.

8. Knockout and the Realization: Madero Framed

• [18:40–21:18]
  • Madero is knocked out as Finley hands him the gun.
  • Warcheck arrives, receives an anonymous tip and retrieves the murder weapon from Madero, who tries to plead innocence.

9. The Truth Unmasked: Identity, Memory, and the Fatal Showdown

• [21:18–26:32]
  • Father Leahy confirms Sutro’s involvement in a Detroit payroll robbery with Kane, and both Sheila and Evelyn were Sutro’s lovers.
  • Madero goes to the Finleys’; Evelyn and Sheila face off, and Evelyn recognizes Finley—her lost lover Pete Sutro, facially unrecognizable after an accident.
  • Sheila admits Sutro died "two years ago" as a cover; gunplay erupts. Evelyn is shot; Finley (Sutro) wrests the weapon and, tormented, exacts final vengeance on Sheila as she tries to escape.
  • Quote: "Try Pete. See how it sounds... You chilled, Evelyn." – Finley/Sutro ([26:00])

10. Resolution: Madero Sums It Up

• [26:32–28:11]
  • Madero puts the pieces together: Sutro lost his memory after the robbery and accident; Sheila married him for a fresh start and the loot; Kane and Evelyn tracked the couple down, resulting in murder and madness.
  • Quote: "Seems that Sutro and Kane were in a big robbery in Detroit... Sutro got smashed up in an auto accident, never made it. Face had to be remodeled... Sheila made her pitch. She promoted a wedding and cut herself in on half the stolen cash." – Johnny Madero ([27:01])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On San Francisco’s lawless charm:
  "You rent boats and do anything else you can blame on your environment. It works out all right. But pretty soon word gets around you got a reputation that doesn't pay to argue..." – Johnny Madero ([00:38])

• Finley’s haunted mind:
  "Lately a name has been ringing in my ears. Just a name. Pete Sucho... It's a nightmare." – Nat Finley ([02:08])

• On detective work:
  "For 50 bucks a day, I'll chase anybody's dream." – Johnny Madero ([03:28])

• Identity confusion revealed:
  Evelyn (to Sheila): "You'll give him another name and another face. But you can't give him another voice. That's Pete Sutro." ([24:26])

• Tragic denouement:
  Finley/Sutro: "I told you, Madero. Pete Sucro was gonna kill me in the end." – ([26:36])

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Important Timestamps

• Nat Finley’s first visit and job offer: [00:50–03:14]
• Confrontation with Marty Kane: [04:41–06:20]
• Sheila Finley's payoff and plea: [06:57–08:49]
• Discovery of Marty Kane's murder; Warcheck’s accusations: [09:34–11:18]
• Consultation with Father Leahy: [11:45–13:47]
• Interview with Evelyn Day: [13:47–16:12]
• Finley’s paranoia and reveal of the murder weapon: [17:24–18:40]
• Madero knocked out and Warcheck’s intervention: [19:07–21:18]
• Father Leahy’s discovery and final confrontation: [21:44–26:32]
• Truth revealed, gunfight, and final confessions: [24:03–26:32]
• Post-mortem wrap-up by Madero: [26:41–28:11]

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Tone and Style

The episode brims with classic noir narration—cynical, fast-talking, world-weary, but laced with gallows humor. Witty imagery and snappy dialogue keep the story moving at a brisk pace, as Madero’s dry delivery contrasts sharply against the desperate, fraught characters he encounters.

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Conclusion

“Find Pete Sutro” delivers an intricate mystery blending amnesia, blackmail, and femme fatale intrigue, culminating in a dramatic reveal that transforms the entire investigation. Madero’s journey from a routine missing persons case to the heart of a tragic criminal romance is a classic Golden Age radio twist, told with style and dark wit.

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Madero, pier 23. You know, the only time San Francisco really gets hot is when a tourist calls it Frisco. And then it gets warm enough to give a sleigh dog a Southern accent. Down around the waterfront they don't care so much. And for a buck you can insult anybody but Joe DiMaggio. The piers stretch out like a big yawn. From south of a ferry building clear to the China Docks. You pushed over on one side so you won't notice. About the same spot you'll find dust. In a bride's parlor, you find Pier 23. From there it's a short skip to Johnny Madero's Boat Shop. My place. The sign outside looks honest, but down here the only sign people pay any attention to is rigor mortis. I rent boats and do anything else you can blame on your environment. It works out all right. But pretty soon word gets around you got a reputation that doesn't pay to argue. Because even if you're leveling, you make as much headway as a whistler with a split lip. I found that out last Wednesday afternoon. I was looking out the window watching the tide come in when somebody in back of me coughed. When I turned, Nat Finley was standing there in the office. He didn't say anything for a minute. And you noticed his eyes were as soft as the inside of a woman's arm. They had one of those far away looks you couldn't follow with a roadmap. And then I saw the rest of them. He wasn't flabby, but he was on the way. And you got the idea he was an ex fighter who settled down with a restaurant.

[B]

I. I got the right place, haven't I?

[A]

If a woman screams, you haven't. What's on your mind?

[B]

That's a good question, Madero. That's a good question. That's what I want you to find out.

[A]

Look, fella, maybe I don't even want to be friendly. What's on your mind?

[B]

I don't know, Madeiro. I don't know.

[A]

All right, you convinced me. Now back out of here and we'll both be in the dark.

[B]

Wait a minute, Madeiro. Listen to me. My name is Nat Finley. My wife and I live up on Nob Hill. And I've been retired for a while, see?

[A]

I don't, but go ahead.

[B]

Well, you gotta help me, Madero. I'll pay you 50 bucks a day to help me.

[A]

At that price, it won't be help.

[B]

I want you to find someone for me. But I don't know who or why.

[A]

Yet we're back to that again, huh?

[B]

Oh, listen to me. Lately a name has been ringing in my ears. Just a name. Pete Sucho. Pete Sucho. Over and over again.

[A]

So you read it somewhere.

[B]

I don't know where I picked it up. For the last week, the name Pete Sutro has been on my mind. It's a.

[C]

It's a nightmare.

[B]

You gotta do something about it, Maddale.

[A]

Change your diet. That might help.

[B]

I want you to find Pete Sutro. Find out who he is, whoever he is, why he's bothering me. If you do, I'll give you a $200 bonus.

[A]

Look, Finley, is this a job or a career? There must be a dozen Sutro's from here to Jersey City.

[B]

Maybe. But the Pete Sutro I want lives right here in this town. He's got to.

[A]

There's a law.

[B]

Listen to me, Mayero. Last night I kept hearing the name Sutro again. Only this time there was an address too. It was care of General Delivery, San Francisco. So he's gotta be somewhere in this town.

[A]

Why don't you check the phone book?

[B]

I have and the city directory too, but so far I haven't been able to locate him.

[A]

And I will, huh?

[B]

Well, if you don't, you're still getting 50 bucks a day. What, are you worried about that 50 bucks a day?

[A]

It might turn out to be a dream too. You better throw in some advance money.

[B]

Sure. Maddale. I brought a check along, just in case. Will $100 cover your doubts?

[A]

Yeah, if the bank can cover your check.

[B]

If they can't, you don't have to do the job. That fair enough?

[A]

Will you.

[B]

Will you start looking right away?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But you got to be careful, Madero. My wife's never to know about this. Understand?

[A]

Why?

[B]

Because. Well, she. She doesn't like the idea. She. She thinks I'm a little crazy looking for a name like this. She hates me. I think she thinks I'm crazy.

[A]

Don't worry about her, Finley. Until she starts mixing your night. For 50 bucks a day, I'll chase anybody's dream. Because with that kind of dough, you're rich enough to run down a couple of your own. When Finley left, I called the bank and found out his check had solid backing. So I went down to Lofty's and I put out some feelers on Pete Sutro. It didn't take long before one of the boys came up with a lead. A couple of other people were looking for Sutro too. One was a guy named Marty Kane. The other was A torch singer named Evelyn Day. The word was that Sutro and Evelyn used to trade match notes in Detroit. Well, I phoned the Jade Club where Evelyn was working. But she wasn't due for an hour. So I decided to give Marty Kane first try. He was living in a motel out in the marina. So I went out. There was a sign outside that said modern cabins. But you knew. Abe Lincoln did better in Illinois. The cabins were the size of an upper birth. With enough holes to start a punch board. That didn't leave much privacy. You had more chance of keeping a secret from Mata, Harry. I asked the manager where Kane's place was and he pointed to the end cabin. I went over, knocked on the door. Kane opened it and glared. His eyes were the color of Saturday night on a week old Jag. And he was so chunky he figured he'd be harder to move than an icebox through a basement window.

[D]

Oh, you.

[A]

My name's Madero. Johnny Madero.

[D]

Don't rhyme with anything. What are you looking for?

[A]

A guy named Pete Sutro. I hear you got the same idea.

[D]

So you got ears. I'll invite you in.

[A]

I can't turn you down.

[D]

Yeah, that's what everybody says about this gun. Let's sit down. You get me nervous.

[A]

Put away the gun and we'll both be calm.

[D]

After you tell me what you know about Sutro, I'm tracking down a dream. Yours?

[A]

Clients. You sound anxious. What's your pitch?

[D]

Oh, wild one? Just say he owes me some dough and I need it bad.

[A]

Now you got the muscles.

[D]

Take in laundry, I'll put you through the ring up first. I want to lead on Sutro.

[A]

Yeah, we both do. But I'm not going down on my knees.

[D]

Get up, Madero. I don't want to make a liar out of you again.

[A]

You're tough, Kane. I'll bet you got your dandruff scared stiff.

[D]

Yeah, and I'll start on yours. Now what sutra you 50 bucks a day.

[A]

A guy named Nat Finley hired me to track him down. Does that make you happy?

[D]

No, just ambitious. Who's Nat Finley?

[A]

He came in and paid me to find Sutro. He said the name was giving him nightmares.

[D]

Sounds like a bedtime story, Madero.

[A]

Well, if you don't like it, jazz it up. It's the truth.

[D]

I read the wrong papers. Give me another version.

[B]

All right.

[A]

If you don't believe me, Kane, make up your own. Here's Finley's check. Can you read?

[D]

If you'll help me with the big words. Give it here. That's Finley. Yeah, that Finley. You weren't lying. Looks like a good check. I'll take a chance. I'll cash it for you.

[A]

It's giving you IDs, huh?

[D]

Yeah, and the first one's about you. Here's your Domadera. Now get out. Get out quick.

[A]

Oh, you're too good to me, Kane. Suppose the check bounces?

[D]

It won't, Madeira, because I ain't gonna cash it.

[A]

I couldn't figure it. Kane looked at the check and smiled like a guy who just learned all about the atom bottom. I walked out. The only thing I knew for sure was the demand for Pete Sutra was big enough to start a business. Boom. I headed back to my apartment to see how much lip I could bring down with an ice bag and a little pressure. When I got there, the door was open and the light was on. Inside, things looked even brighter. A brunette was draped over the couch like she paid the first installment on it. It was about 25, with a pair of legs that would have made a silkworm turn over and write a fan letter. She wore a tan business suit, and the way it was rumpled up, you knew office hours were over. When she saw me, she began to vibrate like an alarm clock at 6 in the morning.

[E]

Good evening.

[A]

I won't argue, but you got the wrong room.

[E]

Will I regret it?

[A]

I don't know you that well.

[E]

You'll catch up with the crowd. My name is Sheila. I'm Nat Finley's wife.

[A]

You should be somebody's wife. It cuts down on the risk.

[E]

I want to talk to you.

[A]

Go ahead. I'll try not to stare.

[E]

Let's have a drink first, Mr. Maderon. Maybe it will cloud your vision.

[A]

Yeah, and the issue too, huh?

[E]

You serve strong stuff, Mr. Madero. Soda.

[A]

I'm all charged up now, lady. What's on your mind?

[E]

I have a problem. Maybe you can help me.

[A]

Maybe it's too late. I'm listening.

[E]

It's about my husband, Ned. He tries, but he can't hide much from me.

[A]

I'll let you have the same trouble. Look, lady, you're working too hard for a sale. If you got a point, make it.

[E]

All right, Mr. Madero. We'll skip the intermission. My husband saw you tonight and sold you a wild story.

[A]

Yeah, but it paid off so far. I'm not complaining.

[E]

But I am. I want you to drop the whole silly job Nat gave you.

[A]

You're not building a case. 50 bucks a day buys a lot of hangover, lady.

[E]

You don't understand, Mr. Madero. My husband is a sick man.

[A]

Yeah, I know. He can't sleep at night.

[E]

He has a large imagination. And it's been getting worse lately. He dreams up things. Sometimes I think. Sometimes I think he's a little crazy.

[A]

Maybe it's a hobby. He can afford it.

[E]

There are some things even he can't afford.

[A]

Yeah, like finding Pete sucho.

[E]

That's right, Mr. Madero. There is no such man.

[A]

A guy named Marty Kane will give you odds.

[E]

Who did you say?

[A]

Marty Kane. He cashed in your husband's check, you know.

[C]

No.

[E]

No, I never heard of him.

[A]

You don't sound so sure. Marty was talking about sucho.

[E]

All right, Mr. Madero. I'm talking about something else now.

[A]

Money so far.

[E]

You're whispering, shouting, Mr. Madero. 500 bucks worth. I'll give you 500 to drop the job and forget everything.

[A]

All right, baby. You twisted my arm.

[E]

You. You won't Let me down, Mr. Matero, will you?

[A]

If I do, it'll be nice and easy. Finley had the kind of a wife you meet with a panther. She picked up her purse and peeled off 500 fish. She wasn't talking anymore, and when she swayed out she wondered how much night practice she'd given that rumba. Well, it was all washed up with the Finlays. It felt good already. So did the doe. I felt like a guy whose name was just picked in a chain letter. My mind was free for the better things in life. So I called up a girl out on Van Ness and told her to meet me at the Regent Bowling Alley. I got there before she did, so I started warming up the alley. A few minutes later, it got a lot warmer because Inspector Warcheck of San Francisco Homicide began spoiling my game.

[F]

Hello, Madero. That was a nice strike.

[A]

You're in the wrong kind of alley, Warchick.

[F]

What do you want, some pointers? You got time?

[A]

No.

[F]

I can see how you hold a bowling ball. Now show me how you hold a gun, huh?

[A]

All right, Warchick, what's on your mind?

[F]

I was on Marty Kane's.

[A]

A guy named Pete Sutro. He owed Kane some money.

[F]

And you paid off.

[A]

I paid him a visit. We had something in common, and you.

[F]

Must have bought him to death. Kane couldn't quite stand a couple of slugs in his forehead, so he quit.

[A]

Well, what do you want me to do, Warcheck? Break the news to his wife?

[F]

Just tell me about the argument you had.

[A]

Was a monologue. Kane wanted to know where Sutra was hiding. I only knew one answer. So he did all the talking.

[B]

Oh, you should have said.

[F]

Please, it's not polite to interrupt a.

[B]

Guy with a gun.

[A]

Look, War Chick, what makes me the blue plate special?

[F]

The motel manager. He said you go into Kane's room and then he heard a struggle. And then later on he heard a shot.

[A]

Did he hear who won? The fourth. Listen, copper. A guy named Nat Finley hired me to find out who Pete Sutro was. The name was playing tag in his brain all week and he wanted to know why.

[F]

Does that sound like a check with Finley?

[A]

He's the guy who made it up.

[F]

What if he let you down and.

[A]

Work on his wife? She's not bad looking and she paid me to drop Finley's account.

[F]

I'll check both your alibis, Manero. In the meantime, I want to line you up.

[A]

While you're making the rounds, look up a gal named Evelyn Day. She knew Citro, too.

[F]

Go ahead, run the police force. Tell me what to ask her.

[A]

Forget it, Warchick. You're not the type. Warcheck stood there for a second, wiping his teeth with his tongue. If he'd done it on the outside, it would have been a contract job. And then one of the bowlers in a tight pair of slacks brushed up against him and went out. He looked at me once more and headed after her. Well, I didn't feel much like bowling either. So I left the note at the desk for the girlfriend and started out. I knew I was in trouble. Some days it's harder to duck trouble than a handful of pebbles. I told myself I didn't kill Kane, but that was like trying to fight a fire with an anti smoke law. The big question was Pete Sutro. Who was he? There were other questions. Like why did the Finley dame buy me off? And why did her husband want Sutro in the first place? Well, there were no answers. And I felt about as safe as an alligator walking through a handbag factory. So I looked up the only good guy I know, a waterfront priest named Father Leahy. I found him in his room flipping through a couple of raffle books.

[G]

Hello, Johnny. Just in time to buy a ticket. The Boys Club is raffling off an electric toaster.

[A]

I'm already a little burned, Father.

[G]

I'm in a spot, Johnny. The boys gave me a quota to fill. I got stuck at a banker's luncheon all afternoon. You know what they're like on risk.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[G]

I've got to sell some tickets.

[A]

All right, I'll buy a couple. But I need your help. I'm in trouble.

[G]

You'd better buy five. At a time like this, both of us can afford to be generous. What kind of trouble?

[A]

This won't take long, Father.

[G]

You always say that, but it adds up. You don't realize it, but I lose whole weekends that way.

[A]

Will you please listen? Father Warchick wants to pin me down on a murder. He's got the weight.

[G]

Who's dead?

[A]

A guy named Marty Kane. I saw him a couple of hours ago and he was still alive when I left.

[G]

Can you prove it?

[A]

Well, that's gonna be tough. The clerk at the motel saw me go into Kean's room just before he got tumbled.

[G]

So far you don't have a way out. Why not plead insanity?

[A]

I would, but I'm afraid of the competition.

[G]

What do you mean?

[A]

A muddled up guy named Nat Finley hired me to chase down the name Pete Sutron. He claimed the name was haunting him.

[G]

I know how he feels, Johnny. I don't think the Bishop likes me either.

[A]

My only lead was Marty Kane. He seemed to want Sutro worse than I did.

[G]

Sutro is certainly popular for a dream. Do you think he'll ever materialize?

[A]

I don't know. But I don't think Marty Kane was killed over a dream.

[G]

If he was, it must have been quite a nightmare. Did you look up your client again?

[A]

I didn't have the time. His wife paid me to drop the whole job. She said Finley was a harmless duck with a pail full of wild ideas.

[G]

Does the husband feel the same way about his wife?

[A]

Do you want gossip, Father, or do you want to help me?

[G]

That's an unfair question, Johnny. Either way, I'm embarrassed.

[A]

Please, Father, will you check up on a few people for me? Yes, yes. Look up teen's friends. And if you run out of those, try his enemies. Find out who might have had an urge to kill him, will you?

[G]

It's a tall order, Johnny. There may be a lot of people involved.

[A]

I can use them all, Father.

[G]

I know. But can they all use an electric toaster?

[A]

When I left Father Leahy, I knew I still had one base to tag. It was Sutro's ex flame, a doll named Devil. And Day I drove down to Eddie street and I parked near the Jade Club. Well, it's not a bad place, but on a slow night, even the winos are afraid to go in. Inside it was dark enough to hide the decimal point on a check. And over by the bar there was a piano playing music that nobody was listening to. Then Evelyn came out and right off he started hunting for the Nearest fire exit. She had red hair, about this side of 98 degrees. And she wore a black evening gown that held up by one strap and a prayer. She was the kind of a girl who could wear a Mother Hubbard. And make it look like a negligee. And when she sang, it came out low enough to strike oil. After she was through, I asked the bartender to give her a message. She walked over to me and she wasn't happy one way or the other.

[C]

Are you the man who wanted me?

[A]

One of them your Evelyn, huh?

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

What'll it lead to?

[A]

A crisis if you don't sit down.

[C]

All right, you've got me interested. Now, what's on your mind that we can talk about?

[A]

My name's Madero. Now, let's start with a friend named Pete Sutro.

[C]

Let's continue. What do you want to know about him?

[A]

Where is he?

[C]

Are you a cop, or will you pay for the right answer?

[A]

I need too many of them, baby. I'm way out ahead in a murder derby. And I'll pitch homicide. Anybody I can get.

[C]

What do you want Sutro for?

[A]

I think he shot Marty Kane.

[C]

Someone should have. But you're betting on the wrong horse.

[A]

Your Prejudice Sutra was your boyfriend? That's right.

[C]

He was my boyfriend. But I haven't seen him lately.

[A]

All right, then. What was the last thing you did with him?

[C]

I'll read my diary to you someday.

[A]

Now look, baby, you got a choice. I'm gonna rough you up or let the pros do it.

[C]

Let go of my arm, Madero, or I'll call a bouncer.

[A]

Call Sutro. Now start talking before I bruise you up good.

[C]

Slow down, Madero. You're out of my weight class. Yeah, I'll tell you what you want to know.

[A]

Should I take notes, or is this going to be quick?

[C]

I don't know. Depends on how sentimental I get.

[A]

It's all right. I got a handkerchief.

[E]

Okay, I'll tell you.

[C]

I used to be Pete Sutro's girl in Detroit. Then one day he skipped out and left me hanging on the barn.

[A]

Don't worry, baby. You haven't withered yet.

[C]

I started looking for him and so did Kane.

[A]

Why? King?

[C]

He and Pete had a deal together. Pete ran out with all the dough.

[A]

Your boy should have run for Congress. He's got a nice record. What kind of a deal did he have with Kane?

[C]

I don't remember.

[A]

All of a sudden, huh?

[C]

I'm shy when it comes to strangers. Let's just end it by saying Pete disappears.

[A]

Let's say you're dummying up.

[C]

I love Pete and I wouldn't want anything to happen to him.

[A]

Do you carry a picture with that torch, baby?

[C]

Sure. Want to see? Here's a snapshot of Pete in my locket. Do you know him?

[A]

Not this season, though.

[C]

I want him back. He was a good guy.

[A]

Yeah, your boy worked up a lot of people. He made number one nightmare for a guy named Nat Finley.

[C]

I heard. And I want to see Finley too.

[B]

You saw me miss. And I want to talk to Madero.

[C]

Hello, Finley.

[B]

I got to see you alone, Madero. And I got to see you now.

[A]

You lost your option. I'm freelancing again.

[B]

Well, you can't walk out on me.

[A]

This is going to hurt, fella. Your wife paid me to drop the job.

[B]

That's what I got to talk to you about.

[C]

Madeira.

[B]

I think she wants to drop me, too.

[A]

Finley grabbed me by the arm, and you could tell he was scared. His jaw was shut tighter than a wall safe and his Adam's apple wrote up and down like a yo, yo. Evelyn wanted to compare notes with him on Sucro, but right now, Finley was as friendly as a no limit poker game. He hustled me out of the Jade and into a waiting cab. He wouldn't say anything because of the driver, so he sat in one corner, rubbing his hands and looking straight ahead. When we got to the office, Finley paid the bill and we went up the ramp. Inside, he had a little trouble getting started. Like a big family leaving on a picnic. And then he got his voice.

[B]

I'm in a bad spot, Madero.

[F]

I need help.

[A]

Have you tried classified?

[B]

I'm trying new. I tell you my wife's out to get me. She keeps telling me I'm crazy. She's trying to talk me into it.

[A]

A lot of wives feel that way, Finley. She'll get over it.

[B]

Yeah, well, I'm Adele. She's trying to send me to an asylum. She and Sucho.

[A]

You got enough worries to start a peace conference. What brings Sucho back into the headlines?

[B]

I. I found a letter in Sheila's purse. Kane wanted $10,000 from Sheila to keep quiet about Sucho.

[A]

All right. Quit prodding me with ghosts. So your wife had a past and.

[B]

She and Sucho have a future. Unless. Unless you help.

[A]

Help me? I tell you.

[B]

I tell you Sucho's behind the whole thing. He and my wife must know each other and they're trying to get rid of me.

[A]

You're getting a complex, Finley. Slow down.

[B]

Well, you gotta help me.

[A]

Well, who's Gonna help me? I got a murder rap to beat.

[B]

I'll clear you, Madera. I'll clear you if you help me now.

[A]

You couldn't clear your own throat in an empty tunnel. What makes you 8ft tall?

[B]

This gun in my hand.

[A]

Stop pointing at fella. You're too nervous to aim.

[B]

Well, you don't understand it. There. I'm not pointing it at you. I'm giving it to you. This is the gun that killed Kane.

[A]

You were there when it happened?

[B]

No. But either my wife or Sutra was.

[A]

When did you dream that of?

[B]

An hour ago. I found it in my wife's closet. Two slugs are missing in her. I got a feeling it killed Kane.

[A]

Send it to Homicide. They'll let you know who did it by return mail.

[B]

I can't, Nadal. I can't just yet. I don't know whether Sheila or Sutra did it. I got a feeling inside. You've got to find Sutro or you'll end up killing me.

[C]

Yet.

[A]

That's a prediction.

[B]

Wait a minute. Someone's coming down the hall. Hide the gun. Madero. They're after me now. They got the light shielders.

[A]

Lay low. They're aiming for something bigger.

[B]

What are you gonna do, Madero?

[A]

Just waiting for something to happen.

[B]

Madero. Madero. I guess it happened.

[A]

Somebody turned a flashlight in my eyes and then hit a four bagger. If they hung around, they could have seen me do a couple of quick quivers a chorus girl would have been proud of. I laid there in the dark for a while. If you're gonna look messy, a blackout isn't a bad place to do it. After a while, I tried to get up, but my stomach fell as empty as a horse. Laugh at a funeral. I sprawled out again. And I tried to figure how a name like Pete Sutro could start so much pain. Then the lights went on. They should have stayed off because Warcheck was breathing over me like a steam engine with a broken heart.

[F]

Hello, Madero. Does the light bother your eyes?

[A]

Yeah. Warchick, get out of it.

[F]

Get used to it. It's a lot stronger down at headquarters. Tell me about the gun on the floor.

[A]

I heard you were coming. I wanted to commit suicide.

[F]

He didn't try hard enough. Just got a phone tip that said you had the gun that killed Marty Kane.

[A]

Hand it to me. All right, copper. I'll make it easy for you. Finley left the gun here before somebody sapped me.

[F]

Who's somebody? Don't any of your friends have names?

[A]

Sure. Check with Finley. He was here when it happened.

[F]

It was dark. Madero. How did he see with an electric eye?

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

Maybe he smelled his wife's perfume. Look her up too.

[F]

Sees that.

[A]

Interesting, huh? Kane used to think so. What do you mean? He was blackmailing her.

[F]

Look, my Darrow. A grocery list is blackmailed to you. I put you on the inside.

[A]

Bentley found a letter in her purse. Kane wanted 10 grand to keep quiet about Sutro. Finley told you all about it, huh? He can't keep a family secret.

[F]

The wife tumbled Kane to keep him quiet. Is that the idea?

[A]

Well, this is your good day, Warcheck. Find Sutro now and you've licked the whole thing.

[F]

No, you find him, Madero, and we'll give you a reward.

[A]

You're too generous. What's the fetch?

[F]

Sutro's wanted for a payroll robbery in Detroit. He's been out of sight for a year now.

[A]

He hasn't been out of mind, though. Finley thinks his wife is carrying on a sideline with him.

[F]

Look, Madero, I. Talk to your boy Finley. He's got enough dreams to start a mactor's factory. I don't believe him. I don't believe you.

[A]

You don't believe the world is round. Take stock, Warchick, and start learning.

[F]

Yeah, I will. I will. Let's see how much the fingerprints on.

[B]

This gun teach me.

[F]

You've got a story. I'll stay after school.

[A]

You'll still wear the dunce cap.

[F]

That's all right, Madero. There'll be a badge on it.

[A]

Warcheck wrapped the gun up in a handkerchief. And if it killed Marty Kane, I might as well start writing letters to the governor. The gun was a plant. But I had about as much chance of selling that to Warcheck as a pair of short pants to a reform school. Warcheck stood there and smiled. Then he walked out. There were a lot of questions again. Like who sapped me? And did Finley really have a story. The more I thought about it, the more snarled it got. Then the phone rang.

[G]

Yeah, Hello, Johnny, this is Father Leahy. Are you still free?

[A]

Yeah, but I'm breathing hard. How'd you make out?

[G]

Fine, Johnny. I sold 10 raffle tickets.

[A]

What'd you find out?

[G]

Warcheck just got a teletype. Sutro pulled a payroll robbery in Detroit. They think Monty Kane helped him.

[A]

Well, that figures. What else?

[G]

Sutro and the DOE are supposed to be somewhere in town.

[A]

Yeah, even the bloodhounds are worried. How does Sheila figure?

[G]

She and a girl named Evelyn were both in love with Sutro. But rumor has it that Sutro's favorite was Evelyn.

[A]

What about Finley?

[G]

Sheila must have got tired of sharecropping, so she settled for Finley. They both came in from Detroit about a year ago.

[A]

But Father, it's still fuzzy. Marty Kane was blackmailing Sheila because of Sutra. There must be a tie.

[G]

Evelyn's asking the same question and she thinks Sheila knows the answers. She's on her way to the Finley place for a showdown.

[A]

Thanks, Father. I'll tag along and grab a seat on the sidelines.

[G]

It'll be a free for all if those two girls tangle.

[A]

Don't worry, Father. They won't get in my hair.

[G]

Don't be too sure. Samson had trouble with one girl.

[A]

When Father Leahy hung up, all the pieces began to fall into place. All but one. Where was Sutro? It was around somewhere. But it was like throwing a headlock on a shadow. I grabbed the cab out to the Stafford Arms and when I got there the doorman looked at me as if I just blown up an orphan. I took the elevator and got off on the sixth floor. Then I leaned on the doorbell and Sheila answered. She was wearing a pair of rose colored lounging pajamas and I've seen baked potatoes with looser jackets. You must have been surprised. But she didn't blink an eyelash.

[E]

Are you pausing or opposing, Mr. Madero?

[A]

I'm looking for trap doors.

[E]

Oh, I thought you're going to look that way. Come inside.

[A]

Yeah.

[E]

Now bring that gleam in your eye over to the fireplace. We'll warm it up a little.

[A]

It won't look good in company.

[E]

Why? Who's company?

[A]

Evelyn's a little late. She got tied up, sharpening her claws.

[E]

Evelyn who?

[A]

Hold out, baby. She's got a better question than that.

[B]

Like what?

[A]

Like worse. Beats the key. Sounds like a friend.

[E]

It's too early. That's probably my husband, Matt.

[B]

Oh, hello Madero. I'm glad you're here. Somebody's been following me.

[E]

Oh, you're dreaming again, darling.

[B]

You see?

[A]

What did I tell you?

[B]

It wasn't a dream. That must be her.

[C]

Hello, Sheila.

[E]

Remember me?

[A]

You.

[E]

You must have the wrong place, lady.

[C]

Not the right idea. I want Pete Sutro back.

[E]

You want too much.

[C]

I'll grab anyway. I've come for Pete. Sheila, you came too late. He's dead.

[E]

Pete Sutro died two years ago in Detroit.

[C]

You hear me? He's dead. Not dead enough. You're lying. Sheila, Pete Sutro is standing right behind you.

[E]

What do you mean? That's my husband. That's Nat.

[C]

So you gave him Another name and another face. But you can't give him another voice. That's Pete Sutro.

[B]

What are you talking about? What are you saying? I'm not Pete Sucho.

[C]

Don't you remember me, Pete? I'm Evelyn. Oh, what did I do to your face, darling?

[B]

My face? I was in an accident. It's hard to remember things.

[C]

Remember the payroll robbery, Pete? You were supposed to come back to me.

[B]

Payroll? Robbie, it was an accident. I was hurt. I can't remember anything else. It's so hard to think you were there. Sheila, what happened?

[C]

Go ahead, Sheila. Tell him what happened. Tell him that he's Pete Sucro. Tell him that you stole him from me. Tell him that you killed Marty Kane.

[E]

All right, Evelyn. I'll tell it to you. First, it was a good campaign, but I'm voting you down.

[B]

Put away the gun.

[E]

He won't stand. Pete Kenpeck.

[A]

Now.

[B]

What are you doing, Sheila? You'll hit him. I'll try.

[A]

You.

[B]

You shot him. You shot Evelyn. Please.

[C]

You remember me. She. She broke us up for good. But you. You remembered me.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, I remembered Everman. I'm beginning to remember a lot of things now.

[E]

Then forget them, miss. Just you and me now.

[C]

We're married.

[B]

You are? You married? A guy named Nat Finley.

[C]

Stay away from me.

[A]

Nat.

[C]

Nat.

[B]

Try Pete. See how it sounds? Give me the gun, baby. You chilled, Evelyn.

[A]

Let go.

[E]

You didn't need her.

[A]

Not anymore.

[B]

I got the gun now.

[C]

No.

[E]

Please, Nat.

[A]

Please.

[B]

Tell me it's a dream, baby. Tell me I'm crazy.

[C]

You are, Nat. You are.

[A]

Get out of my way.

[E]

I'm getting out of here.

[B]

You're not quick enough.

[A]

The gun's empty now.

[B]

Yeah, so is everything. I'm tired, Madero. Tired.

[A]

Hold out. It's gonna be a long trip.

[G]

Yeah.

[B]

I told you, Madero. Pete Sucro was gonna kill me in the end.

[A]

Yeah, you talked yourself. Warcheck got the whole story the next morning. Seems that Sutro and Kane were in a big robbery in Detroit. The plan was for Sutro to carry all the dough and meet Kane and Evelyn at their hideout. But Sutro got smashed up in an auto accident and never made it. Sutro's face had to be remodeled. And when he lost his memory, Sheila made her pitch. She promoted a wedding and cut herself in on half the stolen cash. Changed his name to Nat Finley and brought him out to San Francisco. Kane and Evelyn got wind that Sutra had taken off to the coast. So they followed. They couldn't find him. And for a year, Sheila and Sutro got along without a hitch. Then Sutra began hearing his real name in his own mind. And before Sheila could do anything, I'd already shown her husband's. Check the cane. He recognized Sutro's handwriting right away. And so he started to blackmail Sheila. He didn't make any yardage because Sheila stopped him with a.38. And then she tried to convince her husband that he was crazy. Evelyn won in the last round when she recognized Sutro's voice. But Jane turned out that Sutro had been chasing himself until he caught himself. Well, Warcheck asked only one question. How can a guy forget his own name? I don't know. A lot of hotels would like to know that, too.

[H]

Johnny Madero. Pier 23, starring Jack Webb as Johnny Madero, has been presented by the Mutual Network. Johnny Madero is written by Herb Margolis and Lou Moreheim. Gail Gordon played Father Leahy. Bill Conrad played Inspector Warcheck of Homicide. John Garfield played Nat Finley. Others in the cast were Gene Rogers, Joan Banks. Original music was composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. And the entire production was directed by Matt Wolf. Tony lefrano.

[G]

This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.

[A]

It.