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Richard Diamond 49-05-01 (002) Diamond In the Rough (AFRS)
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Richard Diamond 49-05-01 (002) Diamond In the Rough (AFRS)
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Dick Powell
Here's Dick Powell as Richard diamond, private detective. Good afternoon, Mr. Diamond. Oh, afternoon, Ed. Have a good lunch, Mr. Diamond? Too early to tell. Hey, you must shave with a dull race. You got a scratch on your face. I use a rake in your floor, Mr. Don. Thanks, Ed. Well, customers. Good afternoon, gentlemen. What can I do for. Oh, that was nifty, Ziggy. Is that Diamond? Yeah, Chino, that's him. Pick him up and drag him over to the chair, Ziggy. Sure thing, Chino. He's really at. Yeah. See if you can bring him around. Be a shame if he missed anything. Chino, would you mind holding my ass? Can handle it. Might break his jerk. A pleasure, Ziggy. Diamond. Diamond. He looks like he ain't gonna make it. Maybe you slapped him too hard. You hurt me, Ziggy. You know how careful I am. Yeah, trying to spit your water. I felt like I was lying in the middle of a crowded sink and someone had piled all the dishes on my head. They turned on the faucet, and I floated up with a dirty coffee cup and took a look around. I treaded water and squinted through my dewy eyelids at two of the ugliest dishwashers I'd ever seen. He's twitching. Oh, see? Ziggy's just lazy. Diamond, let us know when things start making sense. Oh, that's. That's a dirty trick. Well, he's talking screwy. What's a dirty trick, Diamond? I'm stuck in the drain. I think you hit him too hard. He's liable to be talking like that from now on. Give it time. Give it time. The Diamond. You'll pull yourself out. Yeah. How did you monkeys get in here anyway? He's back now. Go to work, Ziggy, but keep him with us. Hey, wait a minute. Can you hear me, Diamond? You don't like it? He's gonna be hard to get along with. Belt him across the ears. He'll listen. Hear me now? He's nodding his head. I guess he wants to keep his mouth shut so the teeth don't fall out. Fine. Now listen, Diamond. When you get a call from a Mr. Barton, turn down the job. Understand? Take you see if he's tuned in. Yeah, Gina. He says now he's got his silver arm. Remember, Mr. Barton, you don't want to work for him. Think he gets it? Should, you know. But he looks tired from the strain. Oh, then put him to sleep, Ziggy. Nighty night. Time. He didn't have to say nighty night. It was only two o'clock in the afternoon. He tapped me once more with a galvanized sleeping pill and tucked me away for a rest. The next thing I knew, a pair of gray suede gloves were patting my socks. Maybe he didn't want to leave any fingerprints on my bruises. Mr. Diamond. Mr. Diamond, can you hear me? Oh, well, you know, this. This can get monotonous. Go away. Should I call the police, Mr. Diamond? What? Oh. Oh, I. I was expecting uglier company. Could you sit up? I'm getting some of your blood on my shoes. That's tough. I'll turn it off. I'll bet your name's Biton. Why, that's right. How did you know? I'm lucky. Now get out of here. But I want to talk to you. I just had one long conversation, but it was too one sided. Go on. My health is doubtful, but it's fun to have it around for company. Maybe $500 would pick you up. It might for a while. But I don't like to waste that kind of money on funerals.750 so they line the coffin with velvet. A thousand. You're begging. To make a short life sound practical. If you do the job successfully, there'll be another thousand. You just bought yourself a corpse. Let me wash out. Talk some more. I can hear you. It's my son, Roger. He thinks he killed a man. He thinks? What do you want me to do? Find out for sure so I can brag about it. Ever heard of a John Alter? Sure. Walt Levinson sent him up five years ago on a manslaughter rap. Well, he doesn't like it up there and he'd like to get out. I don't blame him. What's this got to do with your son? I'm chairman of the parole board. Oh, you look much better now, Mr. Diamond. I can't stand the sight of blood. It doesn't bother me. It happens every week. So you're the chairman of the parole board? Yes. Some of Walter's friends promised to keep quiet about my son if I let Alter go free when he comes up before the board next week. And you think maybe your son was framed? Yes. About a month ago he met a girl in Florida. Her name is Lenore Brown and she's a friend of Alters. How did they spring the frame? I beg your pardon? You must associate with a higher type thug. Spring the frame. Made it look like your son killed somebody. Oh, well, when Roger, that's my son, went to pick up the Lenore girl at her apartment, he found her struggling with Some men, that happens. It looked like he was trying to kill her. There was a gun on the floor and she called to Roger for help. He picked up the gun and shot the man. She told Roger he had killed him and that he must get out. When we went back, they were both gone. About a month later, some of Alter's friends got in touch with me. Oh, and they forget about the killing if you let Alter out of Sing Sing? That's right. I don't remember reading anything about it in the papers. Well, you're the first one outside of Alter and his friend who know anything about it. You see, they say they're hiding the corpus delicti. So there was no report of the murder. Keeping a sieve handy isn't that easy. Why didn't you call the law? If my son did kill this man, that's the first thing I intend doing. But I have a feeling this man is not dead. Oh, you. You think maybe they staged the killing? Put blanks in the gun and after your son beat it, the stiff walked out under his own steam. That's what I want you to find out. If my son is innocent, I want you to bring the parties responsible to justice. Amen. Here's a check for a thousand dollars. If you find the girl and prove my son innocent, there'll be another thousand in your pocket. I'll sort the holes. Well, thanks, Mr. Barton. I'll start right away. Goodbye, Mr. Diamond. You can reach me at the Wentworth Hotel. I'm staying there until this matter gets cleared up. I won't get in touch with you unless I find something. The guys who worked me over are pretty set in their ways. And there's no sense in you tripping over a lot of dead bodies. I looked at the thousand dollar check and thought about the beating the two polite gunos had given me. That was a toss up. If I'd spent a thousand like I knew I would, I'd be dead anyway. The two goons were probably still hanging around building. And if they spotted me, they'd guess I'd taken the job. When I get more than 10 bucks in my pocket, I smile all over. I went out the back way and through the alley. Had to start somewhere. So I headed for the 5th Precinct Police Station. When you're looking for a killer, homicides got all the roadmaps on murder. An old friend and ex partner was in charge. The men who worked at the tail called him Lieutenant Levinson. But he had a couple of friends who still called him Walt. I was one of them. You earned that right when you worked for a guy for six years. After I left the force, Walt started doing a solo. But he now had a sergeant who stumbled around after him. His name was Otis and he had the biggest feet in the state of New York. Every time he took off his shoes, I wanted to grab a champagne bottle and launch them. I don't think he liked me. When I walked in, his face always looked like an advertisement for a sour stomach. Well, Richard diamond, private detective. Well, Sergeant Otis, Homicide's answer to the missing link. What was that last word? You're half safe. I said link walled in. Yeah, you turn the knob and you push. Why don't you get that uniform cleaned? Some dad's gonna get up and walk to the station without you. Well, hello, Rick, if you've got. You almost get tired changing your face every day. Somebody have you around again? Been catching up on my patty cake or. Tell me, did you ever know a bit of fluff named Lenore Brown? Sure. John Alder's expense account. Used to hold hands before I sent him up. Know where I can find it? Alder's still got her staked out. When they leave stir he's going to come back and dig up the claim. You better forget about it. She's got the antidote for lonely nights, but some of Alder's boys are protecting it. I know. Yeah, they gave me a pep talk this afternoon and I listened to him. It's better watching the game from the bench. You never can tell. I might make a score. Well, you're outweighed, outclassed and liable to be outlived. She used to work at the Black Swan in Florida. Her daughter was trying to get a parole and she came to New York to be close to him. Any lying on her here in town? No, but if she's seeing older, you might spot her on a vista's day. Now look, Rick, why don't you stop chasing two bit thugs and come back on the force? I never had ultrasis when we were working together. You know how I feel about that. Walt, I'm a restless guy. Sometimes I like to sleep late in the morning. Okay, Rick. Want me to call the warden and tell him you're coming? Yeah. Thanks, Walt. Take it easy. Bye, Rick. Be a good boy. Yes, Paul? Mr. Richard diamond to see you, Warden. Oh, send him in. You can go on in, Mr. Diamond. Thanks, Paul. Well, Rick, how are you? It's been a long time. I know a lot of guys who wouldn't like to hear that. Warden. How are you? General what's on your mind? I hear Johnny Alter's been having company. I'd like to take a look at her. Oh, Ms. Brown. Well, I can't blame you. I just want to spot her and see where she goes. You can't miss. If she walked through the yard, there'd be a jailbreak tomorrow. What time are visiting hours? Well, if she's seeing Alter today, she should be downstairs right now. Pardon me a second. Yes, Warden? Paul, has Lenore Brown come in today? Yes, she has, Wharton. She's in seeing Alter right now. Thanks, Paul. She's downstairs, Rick. Like to take a look? Yeah, I'll have Paul take you down. On second thought, I'll go myself. There she is, sitting at the end table talking to Alda. Oh, now I know why Alter needs a lot of money. She's wearing enough of mink to carpet Radio City. You should get a load of her on a warm day. Coat doesn't stop me. She'd show up even if she's wearing a tent. How long has she got? The daughter? About another five minutes, Warden. Maybe I'll let you put me away for a couple of years. Something like that to look forward to on Visitors Day. I might go for the change. Well, you'd get tired of just talking. Think what you could do on the outside. Yeah, I am, but it would probably send me right back up here. You want to stick around till she's through talking? Thanks, Jeremiah. I'll wait in front till she comes out. I hung around by the big gray buildings until she came out. She walked over to a long white convertible and got in. Now I know what the guy meant when he wrote, ask the man who owns one. I decided to let her buy me a new fuse. And I walked over to the car going to town. Oh, back up three feet and I'll let you know. Okay. Mm. Your tailor couldn't do all of that. Get in. Visiting? Yeah, the warden's an old friend. How many years did you know him? Baby, I've been going home every night all my life. Every night? Well, almost. What do you do with the almost? Depends. Everybody likes something different. You must get tired thinking up new ideas. Oh, I don't think much. It's more fun being surprised. What are you stopping for? We just got started. Surprise. Oh, yeah, and the nickel plated one. Look, baby, you don't have to pull a gun. If I'm getting fresh, I'll get out and walk. You'll sit right there, Diamond. Oh, name dropper. Expecting company. And you've met them. Before. Honey, that's nice. I wouldn't want you to get stuck with the introductions. That's your friends coming along in that car. It should be. Now, hold real still. They'll only shoot you this time. Sometimes you're lucky. When a dame's got a gun on you. You don't stand much of a chance. Unless she's got her mind on something else. This one did. And when she looked up in the rear view mirror to make sure it was her boys, I tagged her. My two playmates were just pulling up in the green sedan. When I went out of the car like a dry transmission. There he is. He's like with no. He let go just as I dived off the side of the road and hit the center embankment. I rolled at the bottom and came up looking like an exhibit for smallpox. He's down the hill. Go get him, Ziggy. There was a line of trees just off to the right. And I got to them just as Ziggy tried again. He needed a rifle. I was running through the trees then. And I could hear Ziggy somewhere behind me. Falling all over himself. I pulled my gun and thought about a waiter. For him. I could give him so many holes he'd whistle in a high wind. But I had another idea. I stopped and listened. He's around here somewhere. Well, come on. We'll spread out. That toy's right down the middle. They were somewhere behind me, and both of them were looking. I got him. Get off of me, you melon. Get off. I got on a new suit. Oh, my deepest apologies, Gino. I thought you was Diamond. Can't you tell a difference? Ziggy. He's got on a blue suit. I'm a little colorblind. Now, let's find Diamond. They started hunting again. And I cut off to my left and headed back to the highway. I reached the hill that sloped down from the highway. And I went up fast. The cars were about a hundred yards down the road. And I used my last lung getting there. Lenore was still out, just like I'd left her when I put her to sleep. I went over to the Gunsles car and lifted the hood. Chino and Ziggy could apologize all night while they look for a new distributor. I went back to the white convertible with the unconscious nylons and got in. I noticed something lying on the seat. It was her purse, and she didn't wake up when I grabbed it. Doing a rummage job at 80 miles an hour isn't easy. But there wasn't much of Interest, anyway. Just a little black book. I needed a gimmick, so I stuck it in my pocket. I put the purse back on the seat just as she started coming around. Wow. Now that's it, baby. Sit up and look at the pretty scenery. How did you get here? Where's Ziggy and Chino? Playing Peter Pan. Jaw hurt? Yes, you heal. Play rough when you get hurt. Where do I take you? My apartment, I guess. You're gonna ask a lot of questions and I don't talk much. We might as well figure out something to fill in the law. I drove to her place on East 51st and walked into the the door. She looked at me like a fat woman eyeing a French pastry, and her mouth slipped down to her shoelaces when I gave her a peck on the cheek and left her standing with an old front doorknob in her hand. I knew she wasn't going to spill anything, even if I got her drunk. Besides, she could probably drink Tony Galeno under the table and still be sober enough to play hopscotch. I went back to the office and took out her little black book. There were a lot of names, and some of them I knew. Chino and after it likes his work. And Ziggy and after his name has own gun. Yeah, Richard diamond, too. I never did figure out what the three stars were for. I forgot all about my daily calling when the phone rang. Yeah? Hello, Rick? Oh, no. Call Mr. Richard diamond to the phone. Chop chop. He's got a date and she doesn't like being stood up. Hello, Helen. Hi. What was all that about? Forget you had a date with me? Yeah, yeah, I did. And I'm sorry, baby, but right now I'm being chased like a hopped up fox. And I haven't had time to curl up and relax. You're impossible. I know it. I know it. Want your sorority pen back? Well, I'll make up my mind. When you get here, I'll give you my Lone Ranger magic decoder. You fool. Are we still going steady? Oh, yes, Rick. What am I gonna see? Oh, honey, right now I got some reading to do. Why don't you go to a movie? Little Women Pass the senses. I'll be over later. I'll probably end up marrying an usher. Don't be too late, Rick. I won't. Besides, we get along better early in the morning. Bye. Bye, baby. I sat there for a minute, thinking about Helen Asher and wondering why I hadn't learned how to butter my bread. She was everything a guy should want. $10 million playing multiplication in the fat trust fund. A figure that would snarl of any quiet intersection and a mind that would give a master's degree an inferiority complex. Diamond, you fool. Well, Lenore Brown's little black book was a poor substitute for an evening with Helen. But three items put me in second gear. They weren't hard to find. Take out all the men's names and there they were. Three addresses. One was in the Village, another in Harlem, and the last was somewhere in Chinatown. All of them were a setup for a dead man who wanted to make himself scarce. I wanted to talk with Barton before I started hunting, so I call the Wentworth. Wentworth Hotel. Mr. Barton, please. Yes, sir. I'll ring him. Hello, Mr. Barton, this is Diamond. Oh, yes, Diamond. Did you find out anything yet? Not yet. But tell me, did your son tell you what his victim looked like? Why, yes. He said he was a dark man with a scar from his nose to his chin. He said he'd never forget it. Oh, well, thanks. Maybe I'll call you tomorrow. I hope you clear this thing up in a hurry. So do I. I want to get my nerves untangled. I took the easy address first, grabbed a cab and 20 minutes later I was walking down the steps of a little dive on the east side of Greenwich Village. It was a shabby little place and the customers had enough long hair to give a toupee dealer the DTs. A fat waiter walked over and eyed my clean shirt. He was wearing an apron that looked like he'd made the salad on it. He was swell. You wanted something, Mac? Yeah. Oh, a pound of egg noodles. Just sweep them up off the floor. Do you know anyone named Lenore? Lenore? Oh, sure. Lenore Brown. Hey, she comes in about once a week. Listens to the kid at the piano. Now, why would a classic day like that go out with him? He don't play the piano so good. You ever see a guy with her? Dark man with a scar from his nose to his chin? No, no, she always does a single. Yeah, well, thanks. Hey, you still want those noodles? I walked out, got back in the cab and marked off Greenwich Village in the little black book. The second address was on the fringe of Harlem. The Hill, they call it. The night was black and the fog had rolled in off the east river and staked out a claim all the way to Lenox Avenue. As I walked up to the old brownstone, my nerves started screaming. Sos. I stopped cold and looked down at two gleaming eyes like two pieces of polished glass shining in the glare of the dim street lamp. As I got used to the darkness, I could make him out. He was a big white, battle scarred bulldog and he had some ideas of his own. He started shuffling in slowly jerking back his lips and showing a row of white teeth. Hold it, Lucifer. I hadn't heard him come out on the porch. He was a big man wearing an off white undershirt. And from what I could see, he looked meaner than his dog. The animal stopped, but he kept facing me, showing off his toothpaste smile. He won't hurt you, mister. Unless I tell him to. Now think about it for a while. I'm a poor substitute for horse meat. What do you want? Do you know a Lenore Brown? You a cop, shamus? Beat it. Looks of her. Thanks, pal. I couldn't hold my breath much longer. You can come up on the porch. You're looking for Lenore Brown, huh? Yeah, Noah. I met her. My wife works for. Is your wife in? Yeah. Esther, come here. Some private dick wants to talk to you. She's Ms. Brown's private mate. Yeah. Your husband tells me you work for Ms. Brown. Yeah. What's she done? She got many friends? Men friends. Now you know a dark man with a scar? Oh, sure. I know lots of them. What are you talking about, woman? Oh, I. I met someone who Ms. Brown knows. What did you mean by that, mister? Look, I really don't know anybody with a scar. Now you better be. Yeah. Get moving. I want to talk to you, woman. Get it? Yes, honey. I knew she was going to get bruised, but he looked rough enough to cut my windpipe. And I wanted someplace to pour my coffee down in the morning. So I got out of there fast and headed for the last address in the little black book. The place was on one of those narrow, dark streets. It was so quiet you could hear yourself change your mind. A sign above the door read Tangy, so I pushed it open and went in. If I didn't find a man with a scar here, I was out on strikes. It was a little restaurant on the bottom floor of a two story building. A quiet waiter slipped up and drove me to a booth. He shoved the menu in my hand and disappeared before I could ask him anything. The place was empty except for an old couple sitting near the door. The waiter said something to them and they looked quickly over at me and then they left in a hurry. The room was completely empty now. Even the waiter had disappeared. I looked up at a flight of stairs. At the far end of the room, a pair of very healthy ankles came into view and they were holding up a pair of legs that ran my blood pressure up to 190 again, I eased my gun out and held it under the table. Lenore turned the corner and started down toward my booth like a loose snake in a rabbit pen. Mind if I sit down? It's your party. Shame on you. Don't you know it's not nice to pilfer a lady's handbag? Now Mama will have to thank. Looks like the last address paid off. If you're buying shrouds, it's in. Where's the guy that young Barton was supposed to have killed? Upstairs. But he's very unsociable. Hates long conversations. I only need a couple of lines. He can't even do that. He likes to keep on breathing. Old man Barton figures alter framed his son. He's not gonna let your boyfriend out of Sing Sing until he finds a man with a scar. Think he can do better than you did? I found him. Was it worth dying for? I don't know. I can tell you better after I talk to him. Mama's gonna have to spank sooner than she expected. Come in, boys. Wow, look who's here. Her mama's two big idiots out collecting blood again. Where are your buckets? Oh, he's bitter. Peasant. You've. You've met Gino and Ziggy before, haven't you? Yeah, on the end of a fist. They want to show you the town. I know the beat. I'll bet you've never seen it from the bottom of the East River. No, but if you'll put on a bathing suit, I might buy the idea. Too bad we'll never make the beach together. I'd like to show you the sight. Boys, you better help Mr. Diamond out of the booth. I think he's stuck. You know how it is. The boys like to keep moving. So do I. I shot once and caught Ziggy in the stomach. And I dumped the table over on Chino. He grabbed like he was gonna waltz with it. I didn't even have to get up. I just shot him through the COVID Chop. Lenore was out of the booth fast and running for the stairs. Look out, Tony. Look out. I caught up with her at the foot of the stairs. And as she started up, I saw him standing on the upper landing, scar and all. All meaning. Gun in his hand. He missed me, but nailed her halfway up. She spun around and fell all over me. But I point a gun pretty good from a prone position. You should have kept your nose up, mister. A bad landing washes you out. I called Lieutenant Levinson, squared myself. Then Homicide came down and cleaned things up. They were all dead and I figured I never would reach the beach anyway. I phoned Barton, who took his son down to the morgue to look over the night's take. Young Barton identified the man with the scars, the one he thought he'd killed. They gave me the notch and I made another call. This time to a pair of silk pajamas with an understanding heart. It was late, but I was hungry. Hello? Good morning, Mr. Diamond. Isn't it rather late to be calling? You know something? You're right, Francis. It's 2:00am Time for all good butlers to be Betty by. Ms. Helen is in the library, but I'm not sure whether she wants to see you. Well, you just run along and get some sleep. I'll find out and let you know. Very good, sir. Confidentially, she's a little peeved. Look. Chin up, Mr. Diamond. Francis, if she gets tough with me, I'll knock her teeth out. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. Frances, Is that who I think it was? Oh, hi. The food was cold a long time ago. So is my date. I'm sorry, honey. Oh, that's all right. The fire's almost burned down. It's 2:00 in the morning. Mr. Mr. Diamond, I've sat through two features of Tom and Jerry in the fourth chapter of Batman. Hots of Freight. Come on, don't scold, baby. I haven't in weeks. But I've been rehearsing this for the past two hours and you're going to listen. And that's another thing. You never play when I want you to. Only when I've got you on the carpet. That sounds like fun. Now stop being glad. If you think for one minute you can turn me out of your face with the sunshine, put on a great big smile. Now stop that and listen. Okay, okay, I'll shut up. Well, go on. Oh, now you made me forget what I was going to say. Well, if you can't remember, honey, hold a good thought. It's a big wide wonderful world you live in. When you're in love, you're a master of all you survey. You're a gay Santa Claus. I just remembered. Too late now, honey. I'm rolling. There's a brave new star spangled sky above you. When you're in love you're a hero. A Nero Apollo, the Wizard of Oz. Oh, Rick, how do you do you? A kingdom, power and glory Rich youh Diamond, starring Dick Paul was previously released over the National Broadcasting Company for listeners in the United States and has been re released to you men and women overseas by the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education.