Stand By for Crime 53-xx-xx 03 Mark Adams Murder

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Stand By for Crime 53-xx-xx 03 Mark Adams Murder"

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Stand By for Crime 53-xx-xx 03 Mark Adams Murder," host Harold Olds takes listeners back to the Golden Age of Radio with a compelling crime drama. The story unfolds in Los Angeles, where a seemingly straightforward murder case reveals hidden depths and unexpected twists.

Crime Scene Discovery

The episode opens with Chuck Morgan, a dedicated newscaster from KOP, reporting a perplexing murder case. Mark Adams, a respected partner at a prominent stock and bond firm, was found dead on a desolate dirt road off Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica mountains. Adams had been brutally beaten and shot with a .38 caliber revolver. The circumstances surrounding his death puzzled authorities, as there were no apparent motives such as robbery or personal vendettas. Morgan narrates:

Chuck Morgan [00:36]: "Mark Adams was a partner in one of our leading stock and bond houses. He led a respectable, straightforward life since he moved here from Portland 10 years ago. Dozens of friends testified to that fact. He had no enemies."

Investigation Begins

Determined to uncover the truth, Morgan and his colleague Carol Curtis visit the Adams residence to interview the widow, Mrs. Ada Adams. Their arrival is met with visible distress from Mrs. Adams, who hesitates before inviting them in.

Interview with Mrs. Adams

Inside the Adams household, Mrs. Adams reveals a shocking secret that changes the direction of the investigation. Initially denying any motive, she confesses that her husband struggled with a severe drug addiction, a fact she had kept hidden to protect his reputation.

Mrs. Ada Adams [03:47]: "Mr. Morgan, my husband was a hopeless dope addict."

This revelation provides a potential motive for Mark Adams's murder, suggesting that his addiction drove him to desperation. Morgan reflects on the newfound information:

Chuck Morgan [04:24]: "If Mrs. Adams had told us that her husband was an escaped convict, we couldn't have been more surprised... A clever addict can conceal the effects of the stuff without much trouble."

Uncovering the Addiction

Mrs. Adams elaborates on how Mark's addiction began and the impact it had on their lives. She recounts a pivotal moment when she discovered his secret use of hypodermic needles, which led them to seek treatment together at a sanitarium. Despite a month of treatment, signs of relapse emerged, culminating in the night of the murder.

Mrs. Ada Adams [09:16]: "Mark opened the door but didn't turn on the porch light... I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew they were arguing."

The Diamond Ring Scheme

A crucial clue surfaces when Morgan discovers a classified ad in the Los Angeles Observer offering Mark Adams's 20-carat diamond ring for sale on the night of his murder. This ad suggests that Adams may have sold the ring to fund his drug habit, inadvertently putting himself in danger.

Chuck Morgan [13:35]: "It was a page from the classified section of the Los Angeles Observer... 'For sale. 20 carat diamond ring. Bring cash to 222 Beddington Street after 9:30pm July 24th.'"

Confrontation with Bugs Spencer

Morgan's investigation leads him to Bugs Spencer, a known gambler with a penchant for diamonds. In a tense encounter, Morgan confronts Spencer about the ring, suspecting his involvement in Adams's murder. The confrontation quickly escalates, resulting in Morgan being violently knocked unconscious by Spencer's henchmen.

Bugs Spencer [18:02]: "Well, if it ain't Mr. Chuck Morgan, the gent who talks in the radio without saying anything."

After recovering, Morgan contacts Lieutenant Bill Meigs to report his findings but receives limited support. Undeterred, he returns to the Adams residence to confront Mrs. Adams with the evidence.

Conclusion and Resolution

In a dramatic revelation, Morgan pieces together the mystery. He accuses Mrs. Adams of orchestrating her husband's murder to cover her own addiction, leading to the ultimate uncovering of the truth.

Chuck Morgan [22:28]: "You who are the dope addict, Mrs. Adams... You who sold your husband's ring because he'd give you no more money to buy dope."

Mrs. Adams confesses to the crime, revealing the depths of her desperation and the lengths she went to maintain her façade.

Mrs. Ada Adams [22:49]: "I had to have some. I had to. Mark had seen the ad I put in the Observer. I got the gun out of the desk and I told him I'd kill him if he didn't give me some stuff. He refused. I shot him."

Aftermath

The episode concludes with a brief exchange between Morgan, Carol Curtis, and Lieutenant Meigs, highlighting the complexities and challenges of uncovering the truth in a world where appearances can be deceiving.

Lieutenant Bill Meigs [24:13]: "Well, that's great, Chuck. Make a good story, don't you think, Carol?"

Notable Quotes

• Chuck Morgan [00:36]: "Mark Adams was a partner in one of our leading stock and bond houses. He led a respectable, straightforward life since he moved here from Portland 10 years ago. Dozens of friends testified to that fact. He had no enemies."

• Mrs. Ada Adams [03:47]: "Mr. Morgan, my husband was a hopeless dope addict."

• Chuck Morgan [13:35]: "It was a page from the classified section of the Los Angeles Observer... 'For sale. 20 carat diamond ring. Bring cash to 222 Beddington Street after 9:30pm July 24th.'"

• Chuck Morgan [22:28]: "You who are the dope addict, Mrs. Adams... You who sold your husband's ring because he'd give you no more money to buy dope."

Final Thoughts

"Stand By for Crime 53-xx-xx 03 Mark Adams Murder" masterfully weaves a tale of deception, addiction, and murder, capturing the essence of old-time radio dramas. Through meticulous investigation and dramatic dialogue, Harold Olds delivers a story that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Transcript

[Nicole Byer]

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[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Wayfair. Every style, every home.

[Chuck Morgan]

Stand by for crime. Hi, Morgan speaking. KOP newscaster. Well, another of those unusual murders has occurred here in Los Angeles. Last week, a man's body was found on a lonely dirt road off Mulholland Drive up in the Santa Monica mountains. He'd been shot through the head with a.38 caliber revolver. He'd also been badly beaten. His name was Mark Adams. That's what made the murder unusual. Mark Adams was a partner in one of our leading stock and bond houses. He led a respectable, straightforward life since he moved here from Portland 10 years ago. Dozens of friends testified to that fact. He had no enemies. Robbery had not been the motive because a sizable sum of money had been found in the wallet he carried. Why then had he been murdered and his body left in the lonely Santa Monica mountains? That was a good question. I asked Bill Meigs of police headquarters if he minded of Carol Curtis. My secretary and I called on the widow, Mrs. Ada Adams. Bill said, heck, no, if we picked up anything to let him know. So Carol and I climbed into my jalopy and headed for the Adams residence, which was on Beddington Street. I guess this is it. Glamorphus.

[Carol Curtis]

I really hope she'll talk to us. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't.

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, if she doesn't, we'll come back another day. Ring the bell, will you?

[Carol Curtis]

All right.

[Chuck Morgan]

So Carol pushed the bell button. We heard chimes ring inside the house. After a minute, the door opened and a woman of about 40 wearing a long sleeved black dress appeared. It was obvious she'd been crying. You Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Yes, I'm Mrs. Adams.

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, I'm Chuck Morgan. This is Carol Curtis. We're from radio station kop.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, reporters. Well, if you don't mind, I.

[Carol Curtis]

We want to help you if we can, Mrs. Adams. Mr. Morgan has a reputation for aiding the police in these cases.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, you're that Mr. Morgan. Well, I'm sorry. I. I didn't mean to imply.

[Chuck Morgan]

I understand perfectly, Mrs. Adams. You're upset and confused and hardly know.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

What you're Saying yes, that's it exactly. Well, all right. You. You may come in if you like.

[Chuck Morgan]

Thank you very much.

[Carol Curtis]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Won't you sit down? Comfortable?

[Chuck Morgan]

Tell me, Mrs. Adams.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Yes?

[Chuck Morgan]

Can you think of anybody, any friend or business associate who would gain by having your husband out of the way?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, no, there's nobody. Nobody at all.

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, there had to be a reason for him being shot. Mrs. Adams, no one would be more apt to know that reason than yourself.

[Carol Curtis]

If there's anything you'd like to tell us in confidence, we'll respect your wishes.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Well, I. Yes, there is something.

[Chuck Morgan]

Good.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

I know I should have told the police, but in the excitement, I. I somehow felt that I could keep it a secret. If Mark had died any other way, I could have.

[Chuck Morgan]

Keep What a secret, Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, it's horrible. Because of the. The way that Mark died. There'll be an investigation. They'll find out. It'll. It'll be in all the papers. The disgrace of it. Mr. Morgan, if I tell you, will you help me keep the secret?

[Chuck Morgan]

By doing so, I'll not obstruct justice. I will, of course.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Do you promise?

[Chuck Morgan]

I promise.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Very well. I know of your contacts with the police department. Lieutenant Meigs called to say you were coming out. Because of your friendship with Lieutenant Meigs, you can help maintain Mark's reputation even though he is dead. Mr. Morgan, my husband was a hopeless dope addiction.

[Chuck Morgan]

If Mrs. Adams had told us that her husband was an escaped convict, we couldn't have been more surprised. I knew Mark Adams by reputation, had met him on one or two occasions. He was a man of integrity, good habits. Neither I nor anyone else, I was sure, would suspect him of being a dope addict. Still, a clever addict can conceal the effects of the stuff without much trouble. Except perhaps when he needed a shot and couldn't get it. Well, this was a motive for murder, all right. But we had to have a lot more of a story than we knew. Now, it's rather a startling bit of news, Mrs. Adams.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

I know. I know. It's going to come as such a great shock to so many people who knew and trusted Mark. You will try to keep it from the press, won't you, Mr. Morgan?

[Chuck Morgan]

Have you told anyone else about this? Oh.

[Bugs Spencer]

Oh, no.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Not a soul knew it. Mark was very clever about keeping his secret. As you may know, dope addicts can do that.

[Carol Curtis]

How long had he had the habit, Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Well, I don't know for sure. It was about a year ago that I first learned about it. I'd been Away for a few days and returned earlier than I expected. It was the middle of the afternoon and I was tired after my trip, so I lay down for a nap. When I awoke, it was almost dark. And Mark was just entering our bedroom.

[Mark Adams]

Blasted light.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Hello, Juan.

[Mark Adams]

What? Ada. What the devil are you doing here?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Why, darling, aren't you glad to see me? I caught an earlier train.

[Mark Adams]

Yes, of course, of course. Look, Ada, why don't you run downstairs and see the dinner? I'll be with you in a minute.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

But, Mark, do you. Mark, what's that you have in your hand?

[Mark Adams]

Never mind. It's nothing. Now, look, let me alone. Get out of here.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Why, it's a hypodermic needle. Well, Mark, you're not. Oh, no, no, you.

[Mark Adams]

Yes. Now you know. At least I won't have to fight that part of it any longer. Wait.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Mark went into the bathroom. He was gone about 10 minutes. When he returned, he was completely relaxed, seemingly normal. I couldn't believe the change that had come over him.

[Mark Adams]

I'm sorry, my dear. No. I'm almost glad you found out. It's been pretty bad trying to keep my secret.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, Mark, this is awful. It's terrible. How long have you.

[Mark Adams]

It began in Portland, just before we came down here. You'll recall I didn't get that promotion at the office I was promised after old Hartley died. When Thompson gave the position to his son, I was pretty disappointed. A lot more so than even you suspected. I had to have some escape.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

And so you resorted to dope.

[Mark Adams]

I had a friend who used some occasionally. He assured me it offered complete freedom from care and that it was easy to break the habit.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, Mark, you fool. Don't you know that it's more habit forming than anything you could possibly have done?

[Mark Adams]

I didn't then. I do now, much to my sorrow.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

But, Mark, what are you going to do? What are we going to do? They'll find out sooner or later at the office. They're bound to. It'll be the end.

[Mark Adams]

They won't find out, Ada. They mustn't. Not ever. But how can you can help me, Ada? Look, Ada, you must. I'm gonna break myself of the habit. I have a vacation coming up. I'll go to a sanitarium.

[Chuck Morgan]

I'll take the cure.

[Mark Adams]

Look, I'll be off the stuff forever. Only you'll have to go with me, Ada. I'll need your strength desperately. Ada, will you help me fight this thing?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Of course I will, darling. I'll do everything possible. Oh, my dearest, we'll fight it together and win.

[Carol Curtis]

And did your husband go to the sanitarium, Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Yes, he went, and I went with him. We stayed a month. It was pretty horrible the way Mark suffered, but it was worth it. At least I believed so at the time.

[Chuck Morgan]

Was your husband cured, Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Well, I thought so. I think Mark did too. After the month was up, we came home. And for a time, everything was fine. Then I began noticing the inevitable signs. Signs I had learned to recognize at the sanitarium. A brightness in his eyes. A controlled nervousness followed by complete relaxation. At first I closed my eyes to those things, telling myself I was overly suspicious because of. Well, of what had happened before.

[Chuck Morgan]

But you knew in your own mind he was using the stuff again.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

I had to face it. At last. Two nights ago, I started out to attend my bridge club. I drove around the block and parked across the street from our house. And an hour passed. And then a man came along the street. His hat was pulled down and both hands were deep in his pockets. I got down out of sight and waited until I heard him climbing the steps to our porch.

[Carol Curtis]

And then what happened?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Mark opened the door but didn't turn on the porch light. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew they were arguing. After a while, they went into the house. I got out of my car and started across the street. I'd reached the sidewalk when I heard the shot.

[Chuck Morgan]

Did you see the strange man again?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

No. I'd forgotten my key. I guess I became panicky. I kept pounding on the door and screaming. After a long while, someone came and then the police. I must have fainted. When I came to, I was lying on the living room couch. The house was full of policemen. There was blood on the floor. But both Mark and the strange man were gone.

[Carol Curtis]

And the next time you heard of your husband was when they found his body up on Mulholland. Oh, what a horrible experience.

[Chuck Morgan]

How much of this have you told the police, Mrs. Adams?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Only that I'd forgotten my key and came back for it. And heard the shot and began pounding on the door and screaming.

[Carol Curtis]

And you haven't any idea who the strange man was?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

No, none at all.

[Chuck Morgan]

A strange man could have been any one of several dozen dope peddlers in the city. Well, it's going to be quite a trick to keep this away from the press. The police will have to know.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Oh, but you promised.

[Chuck Morgan]

Only if I didn't have to obstruct justice. Mrs. Adams, this dope angle not only gives a motive, but narrows the Number of suspects down considerably.

[Carol Curtis]

But, Chuck, isn't there something you can do?

[Chuck Morgan]

What?

[Carol Curtis]

Well, think of how terrible it will be for Mrs. Adams if it becomes known that her husband was an addict. It's she who has to face all those people, you know.

[Chuck Morgan]

Yeah, I know. Well, let's talk it over with Bill Meggs. He's a good guy. Maybe we can dream up something he can rest assured of. One thing, Mrs. Adams. No one but the police will be told about your husband being an addict. Until we pick up his murderer. I didn't call Bill Megs at once. I couldn't get the picture of the distress in Mrs. Adams eyes out of my mind. Maybe somehow it would be possible to crack this case without letting it become known that Mark Adams had been an addict. I didn't know how, but for lack of something better to do. And to give me time to think, I headed the jalopy up towards Mulholland Drive.

[Carol Curtis]

Was it somewhere along here that the body was found, Chuck?

[Chuck Morgan]

According to Bill, it's about 100 yards down this road. Yeah, this is it. Well, let's get out and take a look around.

[Carol Curtis]

I can't imagine what you expect to find. The police aren't stupid, you know, and they've already been here.

[Chuck Morgan]

I know the police aren't stupid. Stupid only seem to be one set of tire prints.

[Carol Curtis]

One set. I can see a dozen. But what if I couldn't?

[Chuck Morgan]

All the prints were made by the same set of tires. Those were probably on the police car. What I want to know is where are the prints made by the tires of the murderer's car?

[Carol Curtis]

And how did his body get here? You say there are no prints of a second automobile.

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, I'll tell you how I think it got here, glamour puss. Look up there. That's Mulholland Drive curling around the side of the mountain.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, I get it. The body was thrown out of a car up there and it rolled down here.

[Chuck Morgan]

Smart girl. Bill said Adam's clothes were torn, his body cut and bruised.

[Carol Curtis]

Well, then we're wasting our time looking for tire prints.

[Chuck Morgan]

Maybe. However, the car up there probably stopped so the murderer could get the body out. Now, if the road had soft shoulders, there'd be tire prints up there, wouldn't they?

[Carol Curtis]

And you don't think Bill Meigs thought of that?

[Chuck Morgan]

Sure I do. I think he's already made an impression of the prints and is checking them at the police lab.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, what makes you think that?

[Chuck Morgan]

Bill told me.

[Carol Curtis]

Why, you so and so. And you made me think that.

[Chuck Morgan]

Don't get sore. Glamor bliss. I'm only stalling for time so my conscience won't bother me for not reporting Mrs. Adams story to Bill.

[Pappy Mansfield]

Got a 2013-2018 RAM with a Cummins diesel. Well, you're about to get paid. Complete your emissions recall 67A and get a $200 cash card, a free warranty extension, and up to 13 chances to win $10,000. That's how you win, win and win again. Visit CumminsWinWin.com to learn more. No purchase necessary. US residents, excluding New York, 18 and old. Complete service by August 23rd. C [e-mail]. cummins, Inc. Oh.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, I hope when you do, tell him he put you in jail for a year for obstructing justice.

[Chuck Morgan]

A year? Now come, come, Glamorpus. What would you and Pappy do without me? For a year, Glamour purse and I have been walking around While talking, I stepped behind a bush and saw something quiet lying on the ground. It was a page from a newspaper. Nothing unusual about that, except that this page was folded neatly and the date line was staring up at me. It was dated July 24, the day Mark Adams had been murdered. I picked it up and unfolded. It was a page from the classified section of the Los Angeles Observer.

[Carol Curtis]

Why so interested in a page from the Observer, Sherlock? Nobody ever reads that scandal sheet.

[Chuck Morgan]

Certainly not a man of Mark Adams high standing still. It could have fallen out of his pocket when he rolled down the hill.

[Carol Curtis]

Well, what are you reading?

[Chuck Morgan]

Classified ad. That's underlined in pencil.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, this is a fine time to go looking for Bob.

[Chuck Morgan]

Shut up, Clamorpuss. Let me read. For sale. 20 carat diamond ring. Bring cash to 222 Beddington street after 9:30pm July 24th.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, Chucky boy, you don't mean. Not at last. Oh, darling, you'd have to give me one that big. Honest, I'd be satisfied.

[Chuck Morgan]

Ma' am, will you stop that gibbering? Don't you know what this means?

[Carol Curtis]

Well, then you're not going to.

[Chuck Morgan]

Beddington street is the address of the Adams family. Whoever answered this ad in the paper is the man who murdered Mark Adams. Now, the conclusion of standby for crime. All dope addicts need money. Yeah. Mark Adams made desperate by his cravings and probably decided to sell his ring. Inserting the ad in a paper that he knew his friends never read and naming a date for the transaction when he knew his wife would be at a bridge club. Well, I felt that the advice of an older and wiser head Wouldn't hurt this situation any. So Carol and I drove back to the station and told our story to Pappy Mansfield, owner of kop.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

We're looking at it purely from a news angle, Chuck. You may have something. However, the police have got to catch your murderer first.

[Chuck Morgan]

Unless I beat them to it.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

You?

[Carol Curtis]

Here we go again.

[Chuck Morgan]

Look, Patty, I've got an idea. You know Bug Spencer, the gambler? Sure, sure. Everybody does. Well, Bugs has a penchant for rocks. Diamonds. Big ones, little ones, medium sized one. He owns a dozen of them.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

Everyone knows that too.

[Chuck Morgan]

Now, maybe a shot in the dark, but it seems to me that a rock the size of the Adam's diamond would make his mouth water.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

Oh, so you're going down and ask Bugs man to man if he shot Mark Adams so he could get that diamond without having to pay for it.

[Chuck Morgan]

All right, all right. Be sarcastic. I'm going to ask Mrs. Adams to describe the ring. Then I'm going to find out if Bugs has it. If he has, I'm going to ask Bill to arrest Bugs and charge him with Adam's murder. That way we won't have to even mention the fact that Adams was a dope addict.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

You know something, Chuck?

[Chuck Morgan]

What's that, Pappy?

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

It's a hot day outside. Yeah, the Thermometer's up over 100. There's a rumor around that today's heat will break all known records. Now, if this happens and you wrote a story for your 7 o' clock.

[Chuck Morgan]

All right, all right. I'm dying laughing. Just for that, I'm going to show you something. I was a jackass to ask anyone's advice. Go jump in the lake, both of you. Goodbye. I was mad. I got out of there and headed for Beddington Street. Rang the doorbell of the Adams Hall. Mrs. Adams, still in her morning dress, invited me in.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

A ring? A diamond? Oh, yes, Mark did have one. A rather large one, wasn't it?

[Chuck Morgan]

I mean, when you identified the body, Mrs. Adams, did you notice whether or not the ring was missing?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

No. That is, well, I was too shocked. It was the last thing that I understand.

[Chuck Morgan]

A ring such as the one owned by your husband was advertised for sale on the Observer. This address was given. The buyer was asked to appear after 9:30 on the night of your bridge club.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Do you mean that Mark sold the ring so that he could have more money to. To buy dope?

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, most dope addicts are forever in need of money. Mrs. Adams, it's possible that ring buyer murdered your husband. If you describe the ring as accurately as you can, we still might be able to pick up the murderer and keep the knowledge a secret that your husband was an addict. I was still mad. Otherwise, I might have had the common sense to call Bill Meigs before going down to see Bugs Spencer. But I didn't. I drove down to 9th street and found the building where Bugs maintained his so called office. I got by the dame at the desk and located Bugs private sanctum. He was sitting behind a big horseshoe desk, as flashily dressed as ever. There was a diamond ring the size of a marble in his left hand. Two of the strongarm boys flanked the desk on either side.

[Bugs Spencer]

Well, if it ain't Mr. Chuck Morgan, the gent who talks in the radio without saying anything. What's in your pea sized mind, Morgan? You want to lay a bet?

[Chuck Morgan]

Yeah, I want to lay a bet. But I can tell you where you got that ring.

[Bugs Spencer]

Quite a rock, huh? Brand new. Okay, what do you want to bet?

[Chuck Morgan]

Oh, maybe 10 years up at Q. I might even go higher than that. Yeah?

[Bugs Spencer]

How high?

[Chuck Morgan]

How about the gas chamber?

[Bugs Spencer]

Look, you saying I knocked somebody off to get this rock?

[Chuck Morgan]

Where did you get it?

[Bugs Spencer]

I bought it.

[Chuck Morgan]

That's a switch on your usual practice. Who'd you buy it from?

[Bugs Spencer]

A guy.

[Chuck Morgan]

What's his name?

[Bugs Spencer]

I don't know. I didn't ask him.

[Chuck Morgan]

Did he live on Beddington Street?

[Bugs Spencer]

Hey, what is this? Where do you think you are? Coming in here and asking me questions.

[Chuck Morgan]

Take it easy, Bugs. Take it easy. You know from past experience it's smart to answer my questions. Bill Meggs is on his way down here right now. I'm just trying to give you a break.

[Bugs Spencer]

What kind of a break?

[Chuck Morgan]

The man you bought that ring from is dead.

[Bugs Spencer]

Okay, so he's dead. Let him be dead. Who cares?

[Chuck Morgan]

He was murdered.

[Bugs Spencer]

Okay, so he was. What do you mean murdered? Oh, look, Morgan, I didn't murder nobody. See, I got this ring strictly legit.

[Chuck Morgan]

Then you better start dreaming up some new alibis. Because I've spent the morning busting your old ones wide open.

[Bugs Spencer]

Well, how do you like that? Boys, did you hear what this punk said? He says we ain't got an alibi. Max, you got that bill of sale?

[Chuck Morgan]

Yeah, sure.

[Mark Adams]

Get this boy.

[Bugs Spencer]

Hand it to Morgan. Take a look at that newshound. It's a bill of sale for a diamond ring, ain't it? It's signed by the guy who sold me the ring. All you gotta do is compare that handwriting with his and you'll find out what a jerk you are.

[Chuck Morgan]

Now wait a minute, Bugs. This isn't.

[Bugs Spencer]

I ain't waiting for nothing. Morgan. You got your nerve coming in here, shooting your mouth off. But I'm kinda glad you did. You know why? Because now I got an excuse to throw you out. A good excuse. And I ain't gonna be responsible for what you look like afterward. Boys, show Mr. Morgan the door.

[Chuck Morgan]

It'll be a pleasure, Bugs. Boys had a peculiar way of showing me the door. I didn't see the door at all. I was unconscious when I went through it. I woke up in an alley behind the 9th Street. The sun was beating down full force on my face. Flies were buzzing around a cut above my left eye. And I was soaked through with sweat. I got up on my knees and peeled off my coat. It was an outside water faucet and a patch of shade on the west side of the alley. I crawled over there and soaked my head into the cold water. Five minutes later, I was in a phone booth talking to Bill Meggs. That's right, Bill. That's the address. What? Am I sure? Was I ever wrong? Yeah, I am laughing, too. Okay, Bill. Thanks. I'll be waiting. Well, I got in the jalopy and headed for Beddington street to report to Mrs. Adams about the ring. She acted as though she'd been waiting for me and seemed almost cheerful. She was slipping on the jacket of her long sleeved dress when she opened the door.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Well, you certainly made a fast trip, Mr. Mountain. Morgan. Sit over there, won't you?

[Chuck Morgan]

Thank you.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Did you find the man who bought my husband's ring?

[Chuck Morgan]

Yes. It was Bug Spencer. The gambler. Just as I thought.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Did he confess to murdering Mark?

[Chuck Morgan]

Well, no. Bugs isn't the confessing type. Tell me, Mrs. Adams, why do you suppose your husband advertised the ring and the observer instead of in the paper that a more, well, conservative and possibly wealthier type of reader would buy?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

I suppose he didn't want any of his friends to read it.

[Chuck Morgan]

But didn't you know that most banks subscribe to practically every newspaper published in the city? Legal and probate notices of great interest to bankers.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Well, I don't believe I understand what you mean. Did someone stop out front?

[Chuck Morgan]

Yeah, I think that's Lieutenant Bill Meigs of Police Headquarters.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Lieutenant Meigs. Will I let him in?

[Chuck Morgan]

He won't be coming in for a moment or two. He wants to pay a visit to the garage first.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Garage?

[Chuck Morgan]

Yeah, he wants to check the tire prints he made in Mulholland Drive last night. With the treads on your tires, Mrs. Adams.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Tires on my car?

[Chuck Morgan]

That's Right. You see, when you parked, you wanted to get close to the embankment so you wouldn't have too far to carry your husband's body.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

What?

[Chuck Morgan]

The right front wheel of your car was in the soft dirt off the pavement.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

No, no, you mustn't believe that.

[Chuck Morgan]

You must believe that antics are very clever and cunning, especially when they've had a shot. You must have had quite a joke that night, Mrs. Adams.

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

No, I didn't. Well, you can't believe that everything I told you was true.

[Chuck Morgan]

Yes, the story you told was true, every word. Only you had the characters mixed. It's you who are the dope addict, Mrs. Adams. You, who went to the sanitarium. You who pretended to be cured.

[Carol Curtis]

No.

[Chuck Morgan]

You who sold your husband's ring because he'd give you no more money to buy dope. No, the ring wasn't on his hand when you viewed the body, and you know it. He hadn't worn the ring for years. If he had, there'd be a mark on his finger, which there wasn't. How did it happen, Mrs. Adams? Did he catch you trying to steal the ring? Or did he find your supply of junk and wouldn't let you have any?

[Mrs. Ada Adams]

Yes, he took it away from me. I had to have some. I had to. Mark had seen the ad I put in the Observer. I got the gun out of the desk and I told him I'd kill him if he didn't give me some stuff. He refused. He said he was going to put me away again. So I. I shot him.

[Chuck Morgan]

I'm sorry, Mrs. Adams. Believe me, I am. Because now Mark isn't here to help you fight this thing. Hello, Bill. Come. Well, sometimes the job of a newscaster isn't as pleasant as it might be. Bill took Ada Adams off in the squad car and I had her back for kop. Both Pappy and Carol were there, looking cool and relaxed.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

Oh, hello there, Chuck. Back so soon?

[Carol Curtis]

What happened to your eye, Chucky boy?

[Chuck Morgan]

I ran into a door.

[Carol Curtis]

Was it opened or closed?

[Chuck Morgan]

That's a typical question. Well, Pepe, I've got all the facts on the weather story.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

No kidding. How hot is it outside?

[Chuck Morgan]

109. It hasn't been 109 since 1868. Five people have died of the heat, seven are prostrate, and a man fried an egg in vine street this morning.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

Well, that's great, Chuck. Make a good story, don't you think, Carol?

[Carol Curtis]

I can hardly wait to hear it.

[Chuck Morgan]

Oh, you just try hard enough and I imagine you can stand a glamour puss. Well, I've got to get busy and bat this out of my typewriter. I'll devote the entire broadcast to work.

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

You will not.

[Chuck Morgan]

Huh? What's that, Pappy?

[Lieutenant Bill Meigs]

All right, all right. We apologize. We shouldn't have made you mad. Now, how'd you know?

[Chuck Morgan]

No. No what?

[Carol Curtis]

Well, you'd have to rub it in, Chuck. Bill called and told us everything. We've been sitting here on pins and needles waiting for you to tell us how you KNEW it was Mrs. Adams who murdered her husband.

[Chuck Morgan]

Oh, that so You've been sitting here in this nice, cool office all this time while I've been out in the sweltering heat.

[Carol Curtis]

Oh, stop reminding us how you have seen. What's the sweltering heat got to do with knowing about Mrs. Adams Guild?

[Chuck Morgan]

Everything. It's sweltering hot outside. Mrs. Adams was wearing a black wool dress with long sleeves. Why the woman in her right mind would wear such a dress in this heat? There had to be another reason. She wanted to cover up something. Marks made by a hypodermic needle. Well, shall I write the story on the heat, Pappy?