← Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)
Stars on Suspense (Old Time Radio)
Episode 402 - Tony Barrett
02:19:19
Tony Barrett was a very busy radio actor, with recurring and regular roles on The Adventures of Frank Race, Defense Attorney, and Tales of The Texas Rangers. He could also be heard in guest spots on all sorts of mysteries, westerns, and...
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Vic Kennedy
Would you hand me that, please? Thank you. Now, let's see. Survey. Survive. Susanna. Suspect. Ah, here we are. Suspense. Meaning held in doubt, expressing doubt. The state of being uncertain, undecided or insecure. State of anxious expectation or waiting for information such as to keep one in suspense. Therefore delay acquainting him with what he is eager to know. Suspense. Hello, and welcome to Stars on Suspense. With another Hollywood legend in radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Our leading man this week is Tony Barrett. Now, you may not know his name, but if you're an old time radio fan, you'll almost certainly recognize his voice. Barrett was the epitome of an old time radio character actor, and he could be heard all over the dial in mysteries, dramas and westerns. His two big radio roles were as Mark Donovan, sidekick to the globetrotting gumshoe Frank Race, and on Tales of the Texas Rangers, where he acted as the show's narrator and also played supporting roles in the cast. Elsewhere on the air, Barrett could be heard on Richard Diamond, Broadway Is My Beat, the Whistler, and Let George Do It. Barrett's on screen acting career wasn't as prolific. Instead, he found enduring success in Hollywood as a writer. He started out doing that in radio, penning episodes of Tales of the Texas Rangers, Escape and yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Later, he'd write the bulk of the episodes for Peter Gunn, while also contributing scripts to Burke's Law, Honey west and the Untouchables, just to name a few. His biggest TV success came with the classic 60s cop show the Mod Squad, which he developed for television and where he also wrote several episodes. Today we'll hear Tony Barrett in four of his starring turns on Suspense. These all came in the mid to late 50s after suspense had lost Auto Light as a sponsor and when it had to turn to Hollywood character actors for lead roles without the budget to draw big name stars. All of the shows we'll hear today are encore productions of episodes that had been produced in the past with some bigger names attached. Plus, we'll hear one of his radio scripts presented on Escape. First up is Give Me Liberty, an Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast of an episode from March 29, 1955. This story was first performed with William Powell in 1948, but I find Barrett more believable as an embezzler whose trip to prison is derailed, literally in a train crash that kills his police escort. Now he's free to retrieve his stashed loot, but he can't free himself of his pesky handcuffs. Then he co stars with Charlotte Lawrence in Remember Me, another Armed Forces Radio Service rebroadcast. This episode Originally aired on May 3, 1955. This one was originally presented in 1952 with Dan Duryea and then again in 1958 with Jackie Cooper. Barret stars as a hold up man who's just killed a grocer after the man refused to hand over the money. Before he can make his getaway, a woman enters the store and recognizes Barrett as an old high school classmate. She's the worst kind of eyewitness for a thief and a murderer. So now Barrett has to figure out how to dispose of her. Up. Third, he's on a fishing trip where he may end up on the hook. It's over the bounding Main from June 21, 1955. This story was originally produced in 1950 with Dan Daly. Barret and his wife charter a boat for what should be a relaxing day on the water until he discovers his wife and the captain are having an affair and they plan to send him over the side to a watery grave. And we'll close out our run of suspense shows with the Flame from May 29, 1956. This one was first presented in 1951 with Cornel Wilde. Barret plays a pyromaniac who decides to help his friend in the only way he knows by using his deadly talents and his passion for fire. Finally, to wrap up the episode, we'll hear another side of Tony Barrett's talent with his escape show the Target. This one originally aired on CBS on September 18, 1950. Barrett wrote the script for this exciting adventure about a detective who's chased a fugitive from the United States all the way to an island off the coast of Chile. Actor and writer Tony Barrett wore many hats, and we'll hear as he tries on both of them. We'll kick things off with Give Me Liberty right after these messages. Are you looking for a smooth shave, men? Then try Fitch's no Brush Shaving Cream. It'll give you the kind of shave you want because 40 years of experience have gone into the making of this product. Fitch's no Brush contains a special skin conditioner ingredient that takes the work out of shaving. You won't have to struggle and scrape against stubborn whiskers because the skin conditioner prepares your face beforehand, it holds the whiskers up so your razor can zip them down closely and quickly. Even against the grain of a tough beard, your razor will glide swiftly, never nicking or scraping. 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Only by driving this great car can you enjoy its smooth power and solid roadability. And only by getting the facts about Ford's economy can you understand that so powerful, so smooth riding and so beautiful a car can cost so little to buy, to run and to maintain. Find out how much it saves you. Yes, before you buy any car at any price, it will pay you to stop by your local Ford dealers. Take the wheel of the 100 horsepower V8 or its companion in quality, the 95 horsepower 6. Once you've driven it, you'll agree the new Ford is the one truly fine car in the low price field. Do you like rich delicious chocolate flavored malteds? Well, you can make a malted just like that right in your own kitchen with Kraft chocolate flavored malted milk. Just make a tasty paste of craft chocolate flavored malted milk and a little milk in the bottom of a big glass. Fill the glass with chilled milk, stir it once more and there. A craft malted is mighty nourishing too because it's filled with all the food values in milk. Get a jar of Kraft chocolate flavored malted milk from your grocer and enjoy a Kraft malted off. And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense. Tonight, the story of a handicap capped man and the woman who holds the key to his freedom. We call it Give Me Liberty. So now, starring Mr. Tony Barrett, here is tonight's suspense play, Give Me Liberty. I embezzled a quarter of a million dollars. I want you to know that. Needed brains, planning, patience, I devoted three years of my life to the trick And I got away with it. $250,000. Of course, they caught me very easily. But they couldn't find the money. I wouldn't tell them where it was. I got seven years for it. My right wrist was handcuffed to the left wrist of a detective. And they put me aboard a train bound for the penitentiary. I could see that the detective had had instructions to soften me up. He was much, much too kind. You're comfortable, Mr. French. You want a magazine? Any. Anything. Like to be able to lift my hand without raising yours into the air. Can't you guide me without being quite so attached to me? Why, sure. I guess we can work that out. Tell you what. You sit next to the window. I'll kind of box you in. And that way you can wear the cuffs all by yourself and nobody loses. Yeah. Thank you. Let me get my keys. There. Funny thing. Most guys say the biggest trouble is when you read a paper. 5 inches of chain don't give you much room to turn a page. I'm not worrying. I'll have seven years for reading. Seven years? And a quarter of a million. Say, how smart does a guy have to be to get his hooks on so much lettuce? Would you like some of it? Are you kidding? Well, all right. Let's make a deal. You drop the key to these things on the floor and then go have yourself a nice lunch. Oh, sure. And when do I see Mr. French again? When I meet you. To pay off. Mm. I wouldn't be taking kind of a chance there, would I? You know, to tell the truth, you wouldn't be taking a chance at all. How come? Now? Why should I escape? Be on the run the rest of my life? No, no, this has to go according to plan. Planning. That's what gives a man his future. But you've got a long stretch ahead. How do you know that? Whoever's holding the stuff. It was a stupid conversation, and I was only making words. I looked out at the fields and brooks and houses rushing past. I wouldn't see these things for seven years, not counting time off for good behavior. But then I'd be free again, and I'd have my quarter million. Not a bad salary, huh? No. I'd use my brains for my salvation. Some guys will do anything for do not take you seven years. Hold on. There's another train on track. Our car lay on its side in flames, and most passengers who could move got through the broken windows. French, give me a hand. It was the detective, his legs pinned by the wreckage. You want to See me roasted. What can I do with my hands like this? Where do you carry the key? What do you want with a key? You can pull me out by an arm, can't you? Grab me by the hand. Get out of me. We'll both die here. If I can't use my hands, you can use them. Good enough. Where is that key? I can't find a fade in my pockets. Look on the. You're a liar piece of fire. Get me out of here, please. The only weapon was a suitcase. I kicked him in the face. I smashed the suitcase down on his head. And he didn't have the key. I emptied his pockets down to the last crumb of tobacco. While a fire crept closer. He hadn't the key to the handcuffs. And I wanted it. Because this wouldn't be an escape. This would be a disappearance. What a chance. What a chance. I would have my liberty. And I'd have my money. There's somebody in that car. Look like somebody move in there. Is there anybody in that car? Is there anybody? Hey, Pete. Hey, Pete. Make that extinguisher over this. I threw away his pistol. I wouldn't need a gun. I use my head. I squeeze my college ring on his finger. I switch wallets. There was a conductor out there. A crowd of passengers. I got to the opposite side of the car. No one, not a soul. And there wasn't a splinter of glass left in the window. I slid down the side of the car. I cleared the wheels. I struck the ground running. A few moments, a few hundred steps. And I was safe in the darkness. I was free. They'd think I was dead. And I had a quarter of a million dollars. You are listening. Give Me Liberty. Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, suspense. Tomorrow night, CBS radio's FBI in peace and war goes into a car stealing racket that involves a youth from one of the community's most respected families. Don't miss the facts about the neighborhood boy on the FBI in peace and war. Tomorrow night on most of these same stations. And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage. Mr. Tony Barrett, starring in tonight's production of Give Me Liberty. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. My first job after escaping was to break out of those manacles. I sat in a wheat field holding my arms overhead so the blood would run from my hands and wrists and leave them slim. Then I tried to pull them off. Didn't work. And I. I couldn't snap the chain. I twisted it. I'd pull at it I tried to fling my hands apart and it wouldn't break. I rubbed it against stones until my skin was torn, bleeding, and it wouldn't break. By this time it was morning. It wasn't until then that I knew I had to have help. I pushed through the wheat and the corn beyond it. I stumbled down a slope into a barnyard. Down, Jack, down. A woman was standing near one of the henhouses, a piece of chicken feed in her hand. What do you want? There was nothing I could say. She had seen the handcuffs. Come on. What do you want? I'm hungry. Where are you from? How'd you get away? Well, we were going up to the prison. There was an accident. Well, what do you want from me? Look, you lend me a file and if you could spare some food, I'll be glad to pay you. You don't have to pay me for anything. Wait here. Jack. You watch him. She went into the house and the dog got down on its belly and put its nose between its paws. And its eyes never left my face for a minute. Then through the stillness, I heard the cranking of an old fashioned wall telephone. And I knew what she. I couldn't get them off. I couldn't get the handcuffs off. I couldn't get anything to eat. I couldn't show myself. You know what it means to. To see food all about you not be able to buy it. Don't tell me I could have eaten corn, fruit and roots. I can tell you the nature of every dog in that area. The feel of every barbed wire fence and the sound of every rifle and shotgun. That was him, Harry. That was him down on the brush. Get around on the other side. I crept into a village one night. I forced up the window of a hardware store. I wanted a file, just a file. Do you know what they carry in hardware stores these days? Glassware. Kitchen gadgets, garden tools, Seeds, ovens, rat poisons, dresses. And I moved behind a counter. A hardware store has to have a file somewhere. My foot struck a wire stretched across the floor. How tired have you been? Have you ever been so tired that you thought you'd die? You wanted to die? On the evening of the fourth day of my liberty, I crawled quietly to the garbage can back of a roadside dine. I began to paw about for something I could eat. There was a step behind me. I turned. It was a boy. We looked at each other for a long moment. He was waiting for me to speak. I said, hello, sonny. Hello. You. You live in this neighborhood? Yeah. I. I don't. I'm Traveling with handcuffs on. Oh, these? Yeah. Well, a friend put them on me for a joke. Say, that gives me an idea, sonny. Look, would. Would you do me a big favor? Depends on how big I say it's worth. $10. You'll get me a file or chop them off with an axe or something like that, huh? No, I'll let you keep them there. They're fun. Nope. Well, then would you do something else for me? Depends. Well, you know, I'm a little embarrassed about going in a lunch wagon like this. Would you step in there and buy a few hamburgers for me? How much? Same $10. Let's see the money. I got it right here in my pocket, ready to jump into your hand. Lot of things a boy can buy with $10. There we are. How do I know it's good? Don't you trust me? Drop it on the ground. Drop it? Why you. Drop it and back away. Then I'll pick it up. Oh, say, that's very smart. All right. How's that? Far enough. I guess he picked it up, began to walk around the diner. When he was out of reach, he started to run. There's a convict out back. Papa guy with handcuffs on. I got away and I couldn't tear them off. I couldn't. I had $250,000 buried away and it was worthless to me. Do you know what can be bought with a quarter of a million? A man's soul can be bought for less. But I couldn't buy a 10 cent vial. I spent that night in a nest of cast off railroad ties stacked at a siding. When I opened my eyes in the morning, I had company. A very tough looking hobo in blue jeans and a navy coat. She was counting my money, smoothing each bill with loving care. She grinned when she saw that I was awake. Good morning, chum. You sleep like an honest man. What's the matter, chum? Never speak till they bring your orange juice? Look, look, I'm in trouble. I want you to help me to get the bracelets off. Yes, yes. Now chum, wouldn't that be kind of silly? I might lose all this hard earned dough. Look, there's more where that came from. A lot more. I'll make you richer. Yeah, yeah, I've heard that one before. So long, chum. Listen, listen. I've got a quarter of a million dollars. Yeah, I know. I get feelings. Look, come back, will you? It's true to. Don't you read the papers? I'm Earl French. I never heard of you. Look, look, just go into town. Buy one of the newspapers. Six days ago, I stole $250,000. Mm. And you're wearing those things so they won't pick your own pockets. Oh, please don't. Don't try to be clever. Don't you understand? I died in the train wreck near Scottsville. You. You're sure about that, chum? You died only a few days ago. No, no. They only think I did. Look, get those newspapers and come back here with a file and some food. Ah, chum, don't order me around. Just take it easy. Maybe I'll be back. I waited for her all through the long, blistering day, Crouching within the four walls of railroad ties. I knew she'd be back. She couldn't resist it. I knew she'd be back. Chum, it seems you were a very important guy in your time. You. You saw the papers? Yeah, yeah. And I got news for you, Mr. French. You are now burned to a crisp. That's the way they found you in the train. Recognize me by the ring on my finger? Yeah, yeah. You're dead, all right. You and 250 grand. All right, all right. We'll come to that later. Look, get to work on the file. Now, look, you're giving me orders again. I told you I don't like that. Please, give me the F. It's right here in my jeans. That's where it's going to stay until you lead me to my share of that dough. You get it. You'll get it, chum. You listen. I can pick up 500 fish by turning in an escaped prisoner. Or you can dig up that treasure chest and buy this file for half the dough. It's over a hundred miles away. I can't ride a train or a bus with these on my wrists. It's ok, chum. We'll walk. I've done it before. But we'll be seen. Not at night. Oh, How'll I eat? Where'll we sleep? You'll sleep in the woods, and I'll bring your grub to you. Me, I'll sleep in town, where I'll be snug and safe. You don't take this file from me, chum. Not till I see my half of the dough. And that's how it was. That same evening, we started a walk. At first, it wasn't as bad as I made it sound. It gave me time to think. And I knew I'd think of something. Don't start thinking. I trust you, chum. I don't. A lot of things can happen before we get there. No, I'll. I'll do what's fair. We'll split. We don't, I'll split your skull. And don't kid yourself that I won't. I've been waiting a long time for a break like this. We walked with the handcuffs digging so deep into my flesh that I began to believe they were part of me. Yeah. Yeah. She brought me food, but she wouldn't come close enough to hand it to me. And every time I reached for anything, it was torture. My hands and wrists, they were a mass of misery. As though I were a pet animal on a leash. My friend always walked six paces behind me. I. Oh, she was smart. I realized I had to get away from her. And soon, the morning, I decided to do it. She found me a shack to hole up in. I could hardly wait for her to leave. Going to town? This place looks good. I'll meet you back here tonight, all right? All right. See you tonight. Hmm. That's the way I like you, chum. Nice and agreeable. Well, why not? Why shouldn't I be? I'll see you tonight, as usual. Sure. Is anything special you'd like me to bring you to eat? No, nothing special, chum. I think you better turn around. Why? Because when I awoke with a dull ache filling my head, I found myself neatly trussed up. I could move a little, but not enough to get free. You talk about female intuition. She had guessed that I was gonna try to get away from her, and she'd just lead me to it. I didn't give up, though. She would have to make one mistake. The next night we'd stop for a rest. How can you be sure the stuff is still there? Look, it's safe. How do you know? What kind of a place did you hide it in? You'll see. Now get out that file. When I see the dough, little chum. Take them off, will you? How long do you think. Shut up. Wake up the neighbors. Now move. No. I said move. No. That money is mine. You'll never see it unless I want you to. And we'll go to it the way I say. Chum, you're making me mad. You get out that file and take these off. Now. Go on, get it out. I can give orders too. What do you think you are, an animal trainer? Now, that's not a bad idea, is it? But it happens I'm not an animal. And it also hap. What's that for? You can't frighten me with a knife. You use that on me and we both lose Out. You gonna get up? No. This will hurt. I'll kill you someday, I swear. I'll kill you. I had a husband like you. Brave enough outside. But once anybody put on the pressure. You talk too much. Go on. I'm calling you bluff. I'm sick of hearing you talk. All right. Keep away from me. We walked. How I hated her. And she. She was sure she'd beat me down altogether. Because she didn't even bother now to make lousy jokes at me anymore. Oh, she was very quiet after that. And a little careless. I stopped now and then. She'd bump into me in the darkness. But I just never had a chance to get my hands on her. Then a couple of mornings later, I said, here it is. What? The money. Where? We're standing over it. Are you trying to kid me? We're standing in the middle of the highway. You didn't do any digging here, chum. Look, there's a culvert running under the road here. A 24 inch pipe. Come on in the ditch. I'll show you. You didn't stick that dough in the pipe. It had washed away. It's not in the pipe. It's in a deep crevice between the pipe and the concrete. Pull out some of those stones. You pull them out with these hands. I can't touch anything without screaming. Pull them out. Frances. Help me, if this is a gag. She believed me. She had to. She saw the truth in my eyes. The money was there in my quarter of a million. She bent over to tug at the stones. She turned her back to me for the first time. That was it. That was the mistake I was waiting for. I sprang forward and I crashed. A hand comes down on her head, the back of her head. Her head, her neck. I gave all the pain, the pain in my wrist. But I didn't care. I didn't. I just didn't care. She was dead. I couldn't move my hands. My poor hands. Gotta wait till the shock drain all of them. I reach into her pockets for the file. It isn't there. Must be in this one. No, no. No file. She hasn't got a file. You never had one. A cheat. A dirty little cheat. Come on, little children. Come on, babies. 250,000 beautiful little babies. Come on. I can't get a hole on it. Need another few inches. I can't. I can't with these handcuffs on. I need one arm free. You, Handcuffs? Yes. Don't break the chain. If I have to rip my hand, I'll get the money. I want My money. I want my money. That's the way I found him, Chief, sitting in the ditch beside the dead girl. He hasn't stopped babbling since. All right, lock him up. I'll notify the city authorities. Tell them we got Earl French here. Suspense, in which Mr. Tony Barrett starred in tonight's presentation of Give Me Liberty. Next week, suspense will bring you a repeat performance of one of the most controversial stories ever heard over your radio. It's called Zero hour, written by Mr. Ray Bradbury. Be sure to listen to Zero Hour. That's next week on Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's script was written by Herb Meadows. Music was composed by Lucian Morwick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Michael Ann Barrett, Lou Merrill, Helen Kleeb, Richard Beals and Jack Carroll. Ride a real squad car with night watch Thursdays on the CBS Radio Network. And now, tonight's presentation of radio's Theater of Thrills, Suspense. Tonight, the story of a man who allows himself to be trapped by his past. We call it Remember Me. So now, starring Mr. Tony Barrett and Ms. Charlotte Lawrence, here is tonight's suspense play, Remember Me. Oh, you just made it. I was closing. Now, what can I do for you? This is a sticker. What? Stick up. Stick up. Come on. I want the money. Oh, you can't do this. You can't. This as I can. I'll put all your dough in a paper bag and hurry. But I. I don't have much money. This is a small business. Come on. Empty that register. I want you get out of here. No, no, no, no. You can't take my money. I won't let you. Crazy old man. Get away from me. You can't rob me. You. You can't rob me. You can't. That is rude. Gotta get out of here. I didn't think you'd still be open, mister. Who are you? Where's Mr. Liebowitz? He isn't here. He had to leave. Is Mrs. Leibowitz sick again? Yeah. Yeah, she's sick again. I've been watching the store for him. I was just closing. Oh, well, maybe I better run upstairs and see if there's anything I can. No, no, no. There you. He took her to the hospital. They aren't here. Gee, I'm sorry to hear that. What are you looking at me for? Don't I know you? No. No, you don't know me. Look, I'm closing. You'll have to come back tomorrow. Harry. Harry Norris? Sure. We went to school together from Stuyvesant High. I'm Ruth Shaw. Remember? No. No, I. I don't remember you. No, I guess you wouldn't. But I remember you, Harry. Yeah, I guess you do. I just need a few things before you close, see? Here's a list. Yeah. You pull down the shades on the windows and throw the latch while I get them. Sure. All the people to run into. I haven't seen you since high school. Yeah. I see bread, coffee. There's a coffee. They're right there above you. The coffee. Oh, and potato salad. In the refrigerator. A pound. Look, do you have to have all this stuff right now? Of course I do. What's the matter? Nothing. I'll. I'll get the potato salad. You haven't changed a bit, Harry. I'd know you anywhere. You know, I never forget a face, Especially yours. It's too bad. She's kind of a pretty girl, but she had to walk in on. She does remember me. She could put a finger on me, but fast. When they find old man, leave with his body. That's too bad. Now I gotta kill her too. But not here. Somebody might have heard the shots. Call the cops. I gotta get out of here and take her with me. But I gotta be careful. Make her think I belong here. Get the rest of the stuff and get out of here. What else do you need? That's enough for now. I have more than I can carry as it is. That's all? Yes. How much is it? Three and a half even. Here. Sound enough? Well, it was nice seeing you again, Harry. I'd better go and let you close. Wait, wait. Don't. Don't rush off. Well, I've kept you as it is. That's okay. Okay. I'll. I'll walk you. We can talk about old times. Don't you have to do anything before you close? No, no. All done. Here. I'll carry the groceries for you. Oh, that's okay. I can carry them. I only live around the corner on 3rd Avenue. I'm going that way too. I'll carry this way. Come on. Well, I forgot. I need flour too. Flour? Yes. The large bag there on the stand. I'll get it. Okay. Okay. Here. 60 cents. We'll charge it. Let's get out of here. I can carry. All right, all right. Want me to get the light? Yeah, yeah, please. Nice of you to carry the packages for me, Harry. It's nothing. I haven't run into you before around the store. This is the first time I've watched this store off of Mr. Leibowitz. He must have left in an awful hurry. Yeah. Yeah, he did. His wife was pretty sick. Do you have to walk so fast? I'm sorry. Where did you say you lived? On 3rd Avenue, just around the corner. You live alone? Yes. You know, it's been a long, long time. Since high school. You got a good memory for faces. I know. I don't remember you. You wouldn't. You didn't know me too well. You used to say hello sometimes when we passed in the halls. You were a big shot football player and all that stuff. All the girls had a crush on you, Harry. Did they? Good. You been living in this neighborhood long? Too long. But the rent's cheap and I'm not far from work, so I stay here. Yeah, I know what you mean. That place up ahead with the ivy on the fire escape. Groceries getting heavy? No, I gotta think fast. No good here in the street to too many people around. Like she said, she lives alone. I've got to get inside with her. Alone in her apartment. Then I can get rid of her. I wish she'd quit talking. She asked too many questions. And this potato salad stinks. I hate potato salad with onions. I've got to get inside that apartment. Well, this is it. Pretty crummy, huh? What's it like inside? Just as bad. I fixed my apartment up some, but it's the smell these old places have. Can't get rid of it. I'd like to see it. See what you've done? Well, I don't know. The landlady's funny about visitors and it's kind of late. Oh, come on, come on. You can't carry all this stuff along. After you, Ruth. Well, okay. No, you go on up. I. I have to throw the light switch. All right. Which way? Upstairs. Right. The cross is getting heavy. It's the first door on your right. It's a cob. They could use more light on this stairway. It's not all this place could use. This it? Yeah. Here, I'll unlock it. Go ahead home. It's not bad. You fix it up by yourself? Yeah. Here, let me take the bag. So now I want to put this stuff away. Yeah, sure. Yeah. You fix this place up. Okay. Some view. Yeah, Leo. Goes right past the window. Should get used to that, too. Should have seen it when I moved in. Really a mess. Then I went to work on. I thought you were in the other room. What are you doing? I got flour on my skirt. Oh, I. I put some water on. Some coffee. That's a good idea. Come in the other room. Harry, I want to show you something. What? A picture of you. Of me? With a football uniform. Yet I still have our class book, your pictures in it. Sit down. Yeah, sure. Funny thing, running into you. I was going through the book a couple of weeks ago, and I was thinking about you. Wondering whatever became of you. You were thinking about me? Mm. You didn't know it, but I had a big crush on you when we were in school. No, I didn't know. I thought I was a big shot in those days. I. I couldn't see anything. He sure did. Look. Here's a picture of the Fourth of July dance in the gym. Yeah. Do you remember it? Well, I'm not sure. You asked me for a dance that day. Was I surprised. We know more than started. And they stopped the music to take this picture. You ran off to find Mona Stark. Mona? You remember her? Yeah. Yeah, I remember Mona. You were going with her when you quit school, weren't she? Yeah. What happened? We broke up. Why? I borrowed a car at my pal so we could drive up to Connecticut to get married. It was a big yellow convertible. Wanted to make a big impression. Mona liked to be impressed. Only my pal forgot to tell me it was a stolen car. What happened? Never saw her again. Saw a picture of her, though. On the COVID of a secret detective magazine. She had a gun in one hand, a bottle in the other, and some guy was choking. And she looked good. Well, enough of the good old days. What are you doing now, Harry? For a living, I mean me. Nothing worth talking about. How do you Happen to know Mr. Leibowitz? Mr. Leibowitz? He's the sweetest old dear. He'll take credit right up to his ears, but people always get around to paying him. You must know him pretty well to be left in charge of the store. Yeah, well, I. What's that? How do you put up with that? It shakes the whole building. You get used to it. Noisy, huh? Yeah. You could fire a cannon in here when it goes by and you wouldn't hear it. Get used to it. Well, I think the copy's ready. Only take a minute. You could fire a cannon. A cannon? She said a cannon. And I'm only carrying a.38. Sure, sure. All I have to do is sit and wait. We'll drink coffee. We'll chat about the good old days. And when the L goes by again, I'll be able to walk out of here safe and sound with nothing to worry about. Rosie won't be able to remember anything. Be dead. You are listening to Remember me Tonight's presentation in radio's Theater of thrills, suspense. Coffee will be ready in a minute. Harry, let her make coffee. Let her do anything she wants. She's only got a few minutes to live. Only until the L goes by again. Nobody's going to hear the shot. And Ruthie, who remembers me so well, will be out of the way. Hungry? Just fine. Two bodies a couple of blocks apart, and I'll be miles from here. All I have to do now is wait for the L. Wait. Wait for the L. What? I asked you if you were hungry. I could. No, no, no. No, thanks. Just the coffee. Okay. Sugar? Black. Here. It's hot. Good. Well. Huh? How. How long you lived here? Over a year. I wouldn't last overnight with that. L gone by the window like that. I'm used to it. Does it go by often? Never stops. I'll warn you next time I hear it. Coming. Yeah. Yeah, you. You do that, huh? Harry Norris here in my apartment. What? Well, I. I can't get over running into you like this. Oh, yeah. Well, that's. That's the way it goes. I can still see you the way you were in school. I remember a football game with Astoria High. You got knocked out and they carried you off the field. We were losing the game, and you came back in all bandaged up and put at the head. Yeah. I was very proud of you. I thought you were wonderful. They hardly knew each other. I knew you Well, I waited outside the gym that night to see if you were all right. I saw you leave. You had a little bandage right there where the tiny scar is now. Oh, this one. You. You waited around to see if I was okay? Yeah. I even followed you home that night. I was afraid you might pass out on the street and there would be no one to take care of you, so I followed you. Fool. Instead of going home, you stopped in at the pool room. I waited outside for hours. You did? Then it started to snow and I went home. That's funny. I don't remember seeing you, and yet you ride around so much. Funny. I was a pretty horrible looking kid. Yeah, maybe. But there's nothing wrong with you now, Ruthie. Well, what. What time is it? I don't know. The clock's in the bedroom. Oh. I wonder how Mrs. Leibovitz is doing. Mrs. Lebowitz. Oh, well, you can drop by in the morning and find out. You. You like living alone this way? Oh, love it. Floats him. Sometimes I have friends in the neighborhood, and we get together and have crazy times. How come you Never got married. I never met the kind of man I'd want to spend the rest of my life with, I guess. No boyfriends? No one. It's kind of your fault, Harry. My fault? Mm. When a girl has a crush on a fellow and nothing happens, she goes on thinking that maybe someday something will happen. And in the meantime, the other fellas just don't mean much, I guess. Rose, I. I don't get it. Did. Did you feel this way about me? I did once when we were in school. But I got over it. Huh. Did you? Sure, I guess. You're funny, kid. Get it, Harry? No. I wish I could remember you. What you look like. Like I said, I was pretty awful. What are you looking at? Your scar. It's no larger than a match head. Yeah. I can hardly feel it. You have another tiny scar in the side of your nose right here. Where'd you get it, Harry? I don't know. Fight, I think. Always a tough guy. That's why the girls liked you so much and treated them so rough. Did I? You ignored them most of the time. Yeah, well, you're ignoring me right now. Am I? Only inches between us. Then you ignore me. Ignore this if you can. Harry. Lucy. And this. I forgot to warn you. The hour just went by. Lucy, I got. What's the matter, Harry? I don't know. I don't know. Must be getting soft in the head. I come up here to do something now. No, I can't. The things you said, the way you act make me feel like I mean something to you all the time. I didn't know you were alive, honey. Look, if I really mean anything to you, you'll help me. I. I need help. Only can I trust you. Ruthie, are you home? Who's that? I don't know, honey. Is. Jimmy. Who? Well, never. Don't make us, Dooley. Have you seen Ruth? I heard her come in a while ago. Didn't see her, though. What are you banging on her door for? She doesn't answer. Do you have a key? A key? Well, I think so. Get it? Don't know what you're so excited about. Maybe she's asleep. Baby, you're going to do just as I say. You're going to get hurt. Now, you see this? 38? It's going to be against your side, just like this. Act like you better sleep and answer that guy. Get rid of him. Do you understand me? Okay, now look, I'm taking my hand away from your mouth. Be careful. I don't want anybody to know I'm here. Get rid of him. I'll get rid of him. What's going on out there? Ruthie? Jimmy, is that you? Yeah. Are you all right? What do you want? It's late. Of course I'm all right. Why didn't you answer when I knocked? I've been asleep. What do you want? Oh, nothing, honey. I was worried about you. You said you were going to stop by old man Lebowitz's place for groceries on your way home. I did stop there. Was everything okay? Tell him yes. Yes, everything was all right. Mr. Lebowitz was held up tonight and shot. Mrs. Lebowitz came down to the store and found him dead behind the counter. True. I heard you, Jimmy. The neighborhood is full of cops. They say it happened less than an hour ago. You can see why I was so worried. Get rid of him. I'm all right, Jimmy. I'll see you tomorrow. Okay. Don't I get a good night, kid? I'm not dressed. Good night. Okay. Good night, honey. Ms. Dooley, forget about the key. She's all right. You killed him. I killed him? You're gonna kill me. I'm gonna kill you? Yes. You have to. I could fix you good with the police. Yes, you could. This will teach you to remember. Old school sweethearts. You almost got it before, but you mixed me up a little. You made me forget what I come up here to do. Trying to make me think you cared about me. I did? Yeah. Does everyone in the building stop by for a good night? K? I don't care who he is. Why the routine with me, what we have? Harry, why don't you give yourself up? You heard Jimmy. The neighborhood is full of police. You can't get away. I've been a tighter spots than this. I always get away. Here it comes. Ruthie. Harry. Sorry, baby. I won't tell anyone. Sorry, baby. Don't kill me. Sorry, baby. It's all right. It's all right. Is he dead? Opposite. Yeah. I. I didn't know whether you'd get here in time. We finally found that trail of flour you left in the store up here. We hit the door just as the elk passed close. You really used your head, spilling flour along the way. Did you see him shoot the old man? No. When Harry opened the refrigerator to get some potato salad, I saw Mr. Lebowitz's legs sprawled out on the floor. When he came from behind the counter, he left tracks of blood. I see. How'd you keep him here so long without us killing you? We had a lot to talk about. I knew Harry, a long time ago, there were things I remembered about him, but he. But he didn't remember me. Suspense. In which Mr. Tony Barrett and Ms. Charlotte Lawrence started tonight's presentation of Remember Me Spence is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's script was written by Mr. Gus Bayes. The music was composed by Lucian Morowic. And conducted, directed by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Joe Kearns, Lee Millar, Ellen Plea and Jim Nusser. And now, tonight's presentation of radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills, Suspense. Tonight, the story of a fishing cruise and bait. That was a life insurance policy. We call it over the Bounding Main. So now, starring Mr. Tony Barrett, here is tonight's suspense play, over the Bounding Main. Ouch. Oh, for heaven's sakes, Marty, when are you gonna put a light in this garage? I'm sorry, honey. I've forgotten. You forgot. You forgot. Too bad you can't forget to wake up some morning. Now, look, just because you had a couple too many drinks at the Warren's, you don't have to get nasty. I had too many. Are you kidding? I watched. You don't think I didn't. Oh, come on. Let's go in, huh? I've got to be downtown early. For what? So you can make enough to buy a house at Catalina like the Warrens, get a new car. There's a little thing called money, but you wouldn't know. You've got to find the right job. Look, are we going over that again? Yes, we're going over that again. I'm ashamed when I go out. Did you see what she was wearing? Will you keep your voice down? The neighbors. You say that again and I'll kill you. You'll be sorry in the morning. I'll be sorry, all right. Sorry like every other morning, because you'll be here. I guess a lot of it was my fault. I wanted the right kind of a job. Was hard to find. Ever since Claire got rid of Lou Barras Herx, we've been living pretty close. And Claire just wasn't used to it. The Warrens made it worse. They were well healed, and I was supposed to keep up with the Warrens. I knew I couldn't ever do it. Maybe Claire knew too. Claire had got the invitation for us to go with the Warrens to Catalina. So now we were driving down 22nd street and San Pedro to the landing. It was nearly three in the morning and very dark. There was a light fog drifting in the harbor. Don't forget to lock it. Sure, sure. Look, out for the fishing rods, will you? You better give me the keys. You're so careless. I won't lose them. I know you. All that junk in your pockets, you'll lose them. Don't worry, I will. Why don't you let me hang on to them? We'll be in a nice mess if you. All right, all right. Here, take them. Thank you, dear. I guess we were the first ones here. Don't see Bob's car. Oh, I forgot to tell you. We're meeting them at the isthmus. On the island? Yes, they've been there all week. You didn't say anything about it. I thought. Well, for Pete's sake, what difference does it make? If you're worrying about chartering a boat to get us there, you can stop. It's all arranged. Bob's paying for it. They know you're broke. Sure, sure. You blab that to everyone. I was a great guy when I had it, huh? Well, you lost it, so let's not talk, shall we? That's okay with me. That must be the boat down there. The Pelican. That the name? I think so. Yes, that's it. Watch your step, huh? Why the devil you wear shoes like that on a fishing trip? Because they're all I have. Hello. Anyone aboard? One minute, senor. Senor Evans? Yeah, that's right. Come on board. Sir, if I may help the lady. Thanks. Phew. You can sure tell this is a fishing boat. You were Captain Understanding? No, sir. I'm Ignacio Beckham. I helped run the engine. You thought you looked a little young. Where is he? He went there short for a minute, senor. Well, I'm ready anytime he is. Here, sonny, take my stuff below. See, senora? Right away. Smart looking kid. Oh, gosh, I'm sleepy now. You wake up when we get going. Oh, boy. Boy, smell that air. You know, honey, I. I think we're gonna have fun. Well, there must be a bunk somewhere. I'm going below. Ah, come on. Stay with me. I'm sleepy. Okay, but you be sorry. I'm gonna start trolling as soon as we clear the harbor. Wake me up when we get there. Senor, there is a capitan coming down the dock. Oh. Oh, yeah. Now we get started. Yes, I. I read what the albacore running. It may be, senor. I've only been working at the pelican for two days. All set? Yes, Captain Moran. Let's go then. I'm Mr. Evans. The wife is below taking a nap. All right, cast off, all. You think this fog will lift? Might Any idea how far offshore we might hit? Albacore. There's no telling. How long do you figure for us to reach Catalina? That's on the farm. Oh, well, I. I guess I'll go and get my alpha. Break up. Yeah, why don't you do that? You sure that feather's the best lure for him? Well, I've got many albacore with it, senor. If they're hungry, they'll take it. But this time of night, you'll probably only get shark. Well. Hey. Hey. Hey. Stop the ball. Let him take it. Give him life. Give it to him. He's got it. Count five, senor. Slow. Now. Now, senor. Strike him a big one. I'll say. Hey. Hey, it's not the ball. Will you. What's the matter with him? I'm gonna lose my line. I can't hold him. Brace yourself against the rail, senor. Look, go tell that fool to start the boat, will you? Yes, capitan. Out the rail. Are you hurting him? No. Thanks. You had to push me. I have gone over. I cannot understand the rail breaking. What the devil was Moran trying to do? We could have been killed. You tell him to stop. He speeds up. Perhaps he did not hear, but I want a few words with that joke. Hey, you. You and I always almost went under the drink. The rail at the stern broke. Well, that's too bad. I'll have to get it fixed. Yeah. The devil were you trying to do? The kid yelled for you to stop. Sorry. I thought he wanted me to put about. Thought you'd lost your tackle. I Darenate lost my skin. Ignacio hadn't been so quick on his feet. Sorry. And that was all I got. He just turned back to the wheel. And then. Then something stuck in my memory. I kept thinking I'd seen the guy before. Never talked to him. Never met him. But somehow I knew his face. I looked him over, but I couldn't pin it down. I started back aft when all of a sudden Clara came out on deck. She rushed to the stern, looked over, then spun around and saw me. She had a strange look in her eyes. Her face was very white. Hey, what's the matter? You sick? No, I. Yes, I. I think I'm seasick. Yeah, there is a bit of a swell. Look, stay on deck. You'll feel better. No, I'm gonna lie down again. Okay. Gee, you look pretty bad. Come on, I'll help you down. I'm all right. Go on back up. No wonder you feel lousy. The smell. Oil and dead bait. Look, I'm not kidding. You'll feel better up there. Let me alone, will you? What's the matter with the engine? How should I know? Look, you take it easy. Yeah, I'll take it easy. What's wrong, Moran? Nothing serious. We'll be on our way in a few minutes. Look, sir. Looks like the fog's getting thicker. Don't you think you ought to sound the horn? Sound the blank. Oh, that swell. This tub's in great shape. It'll do. Where's the kid, Nacio? Below, honey, down the trouble. Now, look, why don't you just relax? I'll go and help him. It was a fine way to relax. Drifting in the Catalina Channel with no motor, no foghorn, and you couldn't see more than 20ft out. After a while, I folded up with my back to the bait tank. I dozed off. When I woke up, we were still drifting. The fog was even thicker. I started to look for Moran. He wasn't anywhere on deck. I felt that something was wrong besides the mortar. When I heard the voices, I knew it. But you go soft on me now. I've done my part of this, you're doing yours. I can't. I can't. You don't have any choice. I can't stall him with the bum motor gag much longer. Oh, please. I don't get it. Comes crawling to me with this big idea. Why get squeamish? He's worth a lot more dead than alive. 20 grand, isn't it? I just. I can't do it. Listen, baby, There's a lot of dough invested in the sky and it's going through on schedule. And there isn't any backing out. You are listening to over the Bounding Maine. Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Driving hazards are many for the unwary motorist. Excessive speed means more blowouts. More blowouts mean more fatalities. And since more cars are on the roads than ever, there are more fatalities than ever too. Drive to survive. And now we bring back to Our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Tony Barrett, starring in tonight's production of over the Bounding Main. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. I don't think I was scared. Not at first, that is. You can only take in so much and then something in your mind shuts it off. This fishing trip, it was Clara's idea. And the only thing she planned on hooking was a twenty thousand dollar policy and the life of Martin Evans. I moved away and toward the stern. I needed help now. Maybe there was somebody I could count on the young deckhand. Ignacio. I found him all right. Sprawling, his face in the bow, lying over the anchor. Kid. Kid. Come on. Ignacio. Hey, wake up. Wake up. He smelled like a distillery. I shook him, slapped him as hard as I dared. But he went right on sleeping. Captain Moran had taken good care of the only friend I had. With the mickeys poured into him, he'd be lucky if he ever woke up. And now I was good and scared. Moran would be coming up on deck. Then I remembered it. The gaff. A hole with a razor sharp hook at the end. I moved to the stern, quietly, feeling with my feet because I couldn't see. Now and then I tripped over something, fell to the deck. It was the gap. I grabbed and got up. Evans. Evans. Hey, Evans. I know you're here. Evans. Evan. Can you hear me? I heard him all right. I wondered how I was to die. I had a picture of knives, guns, axes, robes. Suddenly, something clicked into place. Rope. There was a coil of heavy rope on the forward deck. A coil of heavy rope on the forward deck. All right, Evans. You can't get very far. Getting tired. Want to go around again? Keep away from me. After all, is it my fault if a new deckhand I hire gets crazy, grunting, shooting up the ship? He'll tell. He'll tell. Mutiny. Murder. Ignacio won't even remember it. Isn't it funny what liquor will do to a kid? Penalty for mutiny is a rough one. Sorry he had to kill you. You won't get me. You won't get. He decided to swim for it. Well, that saved a lot of trouble. I lay quietly on the deck. If Moran should notice the missing coiler rope, it wouldn't take him long to figure out exactly what made that splash in the water. He couldn't see any better than I could. But as soon as it got light there I'd be, right out in the open without a prayer. The only thing I gained was a few hours at the most. So I huddled against the rail and I hung onto that fishing gaff, waiting. Then I heard Claire and Moran coming out on deck. I guess that's the best way. Can't miss if you don't lost it up. Those cops are smart. One little angle. Where I stand, stories don't match it. Well, you just keep your head. Don't worry about me. This is important now. Once more. Not again. Once more. Who heard the shot? I did. And I rushed on deck to see Ignacio struggling with Marty. Ignacio had a gun. Ignacio had a gun. He and Marty fought and they hit the Side Marty went overboard and our engine's dead. He just disappeared in the darkness. Right. Can't we start back? I gotta change some parts first. Make it look like the engine really was out. You see? Every little angle counts. Well, I wish it was over. For Pete's sake, remember, my name is Moran and you never saw me until you got on board the Pelican. There's no way they can check. I don't even have the locket anymore. Good. I'm gonna fix the engine. As soon as it gets light, we'll head back to the locket. I'd forgotten all about Clarence locket. But when she mentioned it, the last chunk of the puzzle dropped into the slot. And I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. The little locket, heart shaped with Claire's picture on one side. And Lou Barris is on the other. The one she wanted to keep for sentiment's sake. Her first husband, Lou Barris. The guy I remembered from the picture. Captain Moran. That's who he was. It all figured. Lou scores a triple play. Gets his wife back with 20 grand and a purse. And pays off Martin Evans with a one way trip to the bottom of the ocean. Then I thought of the dinghy. She was swinging from the stern about 25ft off. It was a chance. A chance if I could get to it. I could hear Lou working on the engine. He'd done a good job when he made it quit. I only hoped it would take him a little longer to repair it. I got up, started back. The water was almost oily and the boat laced up and down. Somehow in the dark I found the dinghy line. Was about to pull on it when I saw Claire come on deck. I didn't move as she came toward me. If you make a sound, I'll hook this gaff right through your throat. Marty. I returned from a dead and I haven't anything to look. Pull on this rope. But I. Pull on it. You and me are getting another dinghy. All right. I'll figure it out. Didn't you? But you got one thing. Lou has to marry you again and collect the dough if you're not alive. Marty, please. I'm sorry. I am. Give me that robe. Don't you move. I've been wrong. I know it. Yeah, sure. I'm glad you're all right. I've been wrong about us. Don't worry. I won't kill you unless I have to. There. My no insurance policy. Get over into the boat. I can't. Sure. Sure. It's little and the ocean's big, but we're going just the same. Claire. Not a sound. Get in, Claire. She's ready to go. Smooth and neat. As long as I had a gaff at Claire's neck, Lou couldn't do a thing. His one bullet would cost him, Claire. 20,000 bucks, maybe his life. We drifted off a bit. I reached for the oars, but there weren't any. There weren't any oars. When I looked up, I saw Moran standing in the stern of the Pelican. Evans, I can see you. There aren't any oars, are there? That's right. You try to shoot me in, Claire's a gonna too. I got the gaff. Claire. I'm gonna put him out. Don't worry. Why don't you answer him, honey? Don't you understand? I'm sorry. I don't want you to die. I want to be with you. I was wrong, but. You were wrong. We're gonna find out. We're gonna paddle. Paddle with our hands. If we can lose him in the fog, we'll be all right. Just remember this. If he finds me, it's too bad for you. Now paddle. Get over on the side. Look out. Look out. She's stepping. Look out. Look. You lost it. The gaff. Yeah. Yeah, I lost it. It doesn't matter now. Maybe you'll believe me. I want to help you get away from him. Believe you. If he finds us, as soon as I see the boat, I'm gonna knock you out and throw you overboard. That's how I believe in a paddle. Claire. Claire. Evans, don't be a fool. You'll script out the st Sea, watch the water jumps up. You haven't got a chance. Stop battling. Be quiet. Listen to me, please. I love you. I'm on your side. I won't let him hurt you. Shut up, Evans. Evan. A patch of fog dissolved for a second. And in the darkness I saw a darker shape. It was the Pelican. And I knew that Lou had seen us. I reached for Claire. That fell a shoulder, then her neck. Claire, are you all right? Yes. He's lost the gap. She was telling him to shoot me. And suddenly it didn't matter anymore. The Pelican loomed over us. Sinclair twisted away from me and I didn't care. I was tired. Come on, Evans, get up here. How much you found on deck? You first, Clara. Give me your hand. All right, Evans, get out of there. Get it over with. I'm staying. Give me the gun, Lou. Let me do it. Are you kidding? No. Give it to me. I hate him. Oh, baby. I'll do it. You better tie the dinghy on then. I can't hold it. Yeah. Yeah. Hold the gun. Give me the rope, Marty. I don't want you to drift away now. I got out of the dinghy. Stood on deck looking down at what used to be Lou Barris. Clara handed me the gun and just stared at me. We didn't say anything for a long time. Fog is lifting. Yes. It's getting lighter. Yes. Sun will be breaking through soon. Do you believe what I told you before? Yeah. Yeah, I believe you now. I'll try to make it up to you. Sure. Well, you better get going. We going back to San Pedro? Yeah. Guess I can figure out how this thing runs. Marty. What about me? Well, I gotta tell the police. Oh. Maybe it won't be too tough. I don't know. It's all right. It's better. Marty. Yeah? Do you still care? I mean, I. I was gonna kill you back there, and I didn't. You figure it out. Suspense, in which Mr. Tony Barrett starred in tonight's presentation of over the Bounding Main. Next week, the story of 12 men and women and the fate of an accused murderer. We call it the Holdout. That's next week on Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's script was written by Jimmy Barnett and Gloria Elmoy. The music was composed by Rene Garaghan and conducted by Lut Bluskin. Featured in the cast were Charlotte Lawrence, Don diamond and Jack Crucian. Join the FBI in Peace and War, Wednesday nights on the CBS Radio Network. And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding Theater of thrills, Suspense. Tonight we bring you a terrifying study of a pyromaniac. We call it the Flame. So now, starring Tony Barrett, here is tonight's suspense play, the Flame. Hey, that's a big one. Boy, what a monster. Still, a lot of people left in the building. Started on the ground floor? I guess so. I don't know. I just got here. Hey, you know, mister, the first floor, what a mess. I wonder how it got started. Some joker in bed with a lit cigarette. Probably fell asleep. No, no, that wasn't the way it started. Wasn't, huh? You mean that it didn't take more than a little cigarette to start a fire like that? The whole apartment building's just about gone. Well, maybe the guy who owns the building started it. You know, for. For the insurance and all. Well, he didn't have anything to do with it. Look at it burn, will you? Makes kind Of a pretty pattern against the sky, though, doesn't it? Pretty pattern? Are you kidding? Hey, what are you doing? What? What are you doing with that paper? I'm drunk. Red. Big now. And I went climbing and just. They put it out. Then there were big, black, ugly clouds of smoke. But I had the picture I'd drawn on the fire. Just. Just a pencil sketch. I'd color it when I got home, just the way I remembered. Reds, oranges, pinks. So I go home when I get there. My sister, Sister Mary Lee, is still up. She's in her robe. She should be in bed. She has to get up and go to work early in the morning. Why is she up at this hour? Andy. Yeah? Where have you been all night? I had supper ready. You promised me you'd be home. What happened? Andy, don't just stand there. I asked you what happened. Nothing happened. I just went for a walk. A walk? What's the matter? Nothing. Nothing. Just leave me alone. Mary. Lady, you have to nag at me all the time. I'm not nagging at you, Andy. I'm just worried. And I get nervous when I worry, that's all. Well, forget it. I'm home and I'm all right. So just don't worry yourself anymore. Okay? Okay. Andy, wait a second. I wanted to ask you for a big favor. Can't you ask me tomorrow morning? Mary Lee? I'm awfully tired. You know Mr. Boyajian, the dry goods store man, Andy? Sure, I know him. He's one of my favorite people. What about him? Well, this morning they took his wife to the hospital. To the hospital? What? Well, she's sick. Very sick. Andy, tonight on the way home from work, Mr. Boyajian stopped me and asked me if I'd talk to you about helping him. Well, sure I will, but how? Well, he may have to spend some time at the hospital with her. He doesn't have anybody he can leave in the shop to take care of it, and he thought maybe you'd help him out. Well, that'd be all right with me, but I don't know anything about the dry goods business. Oh, it isn't hard, Andy. I told him I thought you wouldn't mind at all. Besides, it'll give you a little something to do to. To keep you busy. You won't have to. Well, go ahead, say it. You won't have to roam the streets like a bum, just like Pa used to yell at me. All right, all right. I like Mr. Boyajian merrily. I'll watch his store for him, Mr. Boyajian, was a man who looked like Santa Claus. He had wonderful small eyes and big red cheeks. He laughed all the time. And when he laughed, his small eyes got big and they twinkled just. Just like stars. Or like. Like the flash of flame when you strike a match. And it suddenly flares up with colors and warmth. And you get a funny sensation in your stomach. Yes, that was Mr. Boyajian, the man who owned the dry goods store on Union street. Following morning, Mr. Boyajian wasn't laughing. There was no twinkle in his eyes. He looked sad. Sitting behind the counter, Mr. Boyajian. Oh. Oh, Andy, is you. Hello. Excuse me. Andy, my mind is not on what is happening. It is on this music. I am far away when I listen. Music? Yes. It is the kind of music that the missus and I used to dance to when we was like your age. It's a folks dance, Andy, from the old country. Oh, it's pretty. I like it, Mr. Boyart. And about your wife. I'm sorry she's sick. Oh, you're sorry? Everybody is sorry, Andy. The whole neighborhood. Everybody tells me how sorry they are. But me, I am sorry most of all. Is it very serious? Yes, very. Well, don't you worry. They'll take good care of at the hospital. I know they will. Oh, I'm sure they will. She'll have the best there is to offer. She would if I could afford it. Afford it? Yes. You see, this sickness did special kind doctor. This special doctor cost extra money. It's kind of money that I, as proprietor of this small dry goods store, do not have. I wish it was something I could do. Ah, you're a good boy, Andy. Good heart, you know, I wish I could have a son like you. Thank you, Mr. Boyage. Thank you. I don't make the money I used to make. I can't work as hard. Sometimes I think I'd be better off if this place should burn down. I get the insurance money. Insurance money? Yeah, from fire insurance company. I never thought of that. You never thought of what, Andy? Oh, what I mean was I never thought of things like fire insurance. Of course, to do a thing like this, to even wish it, is against the law. Fire insurance is for the protection. Of course. Of course. Well, Andy, if you come to stay, I. I go to hospital. Yes, yes, you. You go right ahead, Mr. Boyajian. I'll take care of everything. Oh, you just leave everything to me. Mr. Boyajian looked so sad and so tired as he walked out the door. Why did there have to Be terrible things like this in the world. Why couldn't everything be beautiful and good? Beautiful and good, like a nice big fire. Clean, warm, burning, all the evil and hurt. Was so simple I had to laugh. I decided I'd use the plumber's candle and the celluloid. That way all the evidence would be disturbed. There'd be no way of investigating the claim. I started to get really excited about it. I bought what I needed. I went home. I got out Mary Lee's cake tin. I went into my room and I started to experiment. Andy, I wondered if you'd go down to. What are you doing? What? What are you doing? Trying to start a fire. No, nothing really. Nothing at all. Just a little gag. Gag? With my best cake tin. I'm sorry. Gag for what? Well, Needles and I, we. Needles. Andy, you've been down to that pool room again, haven't you? So? Oh, Andy, what's the matter with you? What do you mean? I mean, other fellas your age, they're out getting jobs, doing things. But you, all you do is hang around that pool room down by the sound. Take walks at night, draw pictures. What's wrong with my drawing pictures? Does it offend you? I don't know. I'm so disgusted, I don't know anything. You're so right. You don't know anything. You're just like pie. You look like him, you act like him. You don't know anything. Just like PI. Shut up. Get out of my room. Get out before I kill you. I took a long walk. I thought about leaving Merrylee, going away. But I had no place to go. I found myself down by shipping piers. I noticed a small barge loaded with crates of some kind. Wooden crates. Oh, it looks so beautiful. The red flames licking against blue sky and blue waters. I felt better now. I started for home. I began to make plans for Mr. Boyajian's store. I had the equipment, but I needed his key. I had to get his key without him suspecting anything. It wouldn't be good for Mr. Boyajian to know what? He might try to stop me. I was sure he didn't like fires as much as I did. The next afternoon in the store, just before I was ready to leave, I asked him about the key. Key, Andy? Yes, Mr. Boyd. Yes. But key? What for, Andy? Well, I. I just thought that maybe tomorrow morning you'd like to get over to the hospital earlier. I could open up the store for you. Oh, Andy. Already, you've done so much for me. It's nice. No, no, no. No, no, no trouble. Believe me, Mr. Boyajan, no trouble at all. I'd be happy to do it. You know, to tell the truth, I. I would like to get over a little early. Oh, sure you will, Andy. Like I said before, such a good boy. There. There never was a good boy with a big heart. You're the only person who ever said that to me, Mr. Boyatchen. Oh, @ least I know his joke. You tell on me. Here. I give you Mrs. Boyajan's key. How's that? That's fine, fine. And don't you worry about a thing. I'll sell out tomorrow. I'll make you lots of money. I joke with Mary Lee at dinner that night. It surprised her, but it put her in a good mood. The nicest part about the plumber's candle was that I could measure it to burn to any time. An hour would be plenty of time. About 9:30, I told Mary Lee I was going down to the corner drugstore for a few minutes down on Union. I waited until the block was almost deserted. Then I let myself into the dry goods store. Mr. Boyajian had a crate of little Girls. Dresses he just received would be perfect tinder. I lined the strips of celluloid up, and I set the plumber's candle on top of the crate. Then I struck a match and lit the candle. I watched the flame burn for just a moment. Then I went back to the apartment and I waited. Mary Lee was darning some socks. I sat for almost an hour coloring my pictures, getting nervous. And when it was time, I asked her to go get some ice cream with me. When we got down to the street. Mary Lee, look. It's a fire. What? Come on, come on. Oh, Andy, I hate fires. I hope it's a false fire. No, no, no, it's not false. Look, there's smoke. Plenty of smoke. Look. Hey, there it is, Mary D. There it is, right over there. Andy. Andy, it's Mr. Boyanje's driver. Well, for heaven's sake, what do you know? Mr. Boyajan's dry code Store. Oh, isn't it terrible? He hasn't got enough trouble as it is. Oh, don't you feel sorry for him, Mary Lee. He's got insurance. I know, but how do you know, huh? We got to talking the other day. He told me about it. Hey, Andy, what do you say, huh? Hot one, huh? Oh, hello, Needles. Yeah, real hot, huh? Andy, who's that there carrying out? Oh, the old man, Mr. Boyatchin somebody, as he was passing by on his way home. He saw the fire, rushed inside trying to put it out. Boy, that was a crazy thing to do. Is he? Is he? Yeah. Look at those flames lick up with the sky just like a torch. Lovely, lovely torch. Oh, it's beautiful. You are listening to the Flame. Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, suspense. A card shark discovers he isn't as sharp as he thinks when the FBI and Peace and War follow his trail. Tomorrow night, working a three way racket in the guise of a retired army colonel with a convenient wife and son around to add to his aura of respectability, the card shart comes up with an electronic gimmick that sparks some strange results for a highly dramatic demonstration of why crime doesn't pay. Don't miss this next exciting adventure of the FBI in peace and war. It's yours for the listening over most of these same stations tomorrow night. And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage, Mr. Tony Barrett, starring in tonight's production, the Flame, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. Most everybody in our neighborhood felt sorry about poor Mr. Boyajian. I wish he hadn't tried to put out. I didn't go to the hospital with Mary Lee to see his wife. But I did go to Mr. Boyajian's funeral a couple of days later. He didn't look worried anymore. Instead, he looked very peaceful lying in his casket. I must admit that I did feel some remorse. But the thing that bothered me the most of all was the fact that I hadn't been able to draw a picture of the fire. It was the following Friday night that I dropped into the pool room down near the sound. Needles was all alone. Hi, hotshot. Hi, Needles. I'll play some pool, okay? Where you been? I've seen you around since the funeral. You're in there. Go ahead, Andy. You shoot first. Hey, good break. Hey, that was tough about old man voyage, huh? Yeah. Too bad. You shouldn't have tried to put it out. Yeah. You know, first I thought the old guy started himself, you know, to collect the fire insurance, though. But I guess he didn't. Mrs. Boyard, you don't get the money, though, won't you? Well, you can never tell. There were some fire insurance coppers around a couple days ago, you know, asking questions. But I gotta investigate before they pay off. You're shot, huh? Huh? Oh, yeah. Nice. He talked to a lot of people in the neighborhood. Hey, talk to you, Andy. You were working for him, weren't you? Helping him out so he could go to the hospital. Probably Find out if it was a cooked up thing or not. What? What do you mean, cooked up thing? Well, you still can't toss out the idea. Maybe Boyajian himself started the fire. He didn't. How do you know? He got burned, didn't he? Maybe he got caught or trapped. Couldn't get out. Shoot again. Andy, that's ridiculous. He couldn't have started. Well, how do you know he couldn't have? He just couldn't have. Why? Why? Because. Because. Yeah. Because nothing. Nothing shooting because you started it. Is that maybe why I said shoot, Needles? What'd you want to do, Andy, Help the old guy out? I said shoot. That was right decent, you know that. And a mighty fine job, too. Hey, how much we in for? I wasn't in for anything. Sure? Oh, sure. It's just for the kicks, huh? Sir? Noodles, don't get me mad. Put down a queue. Yeah, I was only kidding. You start fires just for kicks, huh? Oh, boy, that's a laugh, huh? Oh, sure. Look, Andy, don't get so I was only kidding that Needles was the type of guy that got into all kinds of trouble. I wish he didn't get on my nerves so much. Later I got home, opened the door of the apartment, and I suddenly got a funny feeling. I don't know what it was, but I was sure it had something to do with the man who was sitting in the living room with my sister. And when she introduced him as Inspector Shapiro of the fire insurance company, I knew why I had this strange feeling in my stomach. He's investigating about the fire in Mr. Boyajian's store, Andy. Oh, Mr. Boyajian was one of my very best friends. I was very sorry. I understand. I went to the funeral. Well, before we can pay Mrs. Boyajian the money she has coming, I have to make sure the fire wasn't started purposely. Purposely? He means somebody did it just to collect the money. That's right. So far we haven't been able to learn how it was started. I see. Andy, the night of the fire, where were you? Oh, I can answer that, Inspector. He was right here in this room with me. I see. I remember I was darning some socks and Andy was drawing. Oh, Mary Lee, he doesn't want to hear about that. He loves to draw. Oh, you want to be an artist? No, no, no. I. I just like to draw. I see you worked for Mr. Boyajian while his wife was in the hospital. At least that's what your sister here told me. I did it to help him out. I didn't do it for the money. Well, did anyone come in while you were there? Someone who may have talked to him? Mr. Shapiro, if you're trying to prove that Mr. Boyajian started the fire himself, you're wrong. He wasn't that kind of man. I know he didn't start the fire. Well, I guess you're a blind alley for us, too. I kind of hoped that you'd be able to. Oh, no, no. I'm sorry. But believe me, Inspector, when I tell you that Mr. Boyajian didn't start that fire. For one thing, would a man burn himself up in a fire that he starts? That'd be a crazy thing to do, wouldn't it? Yes, Andy, that's definitely a crazy thing to do. Inspector Shapiro was not a stupid man. I could see that I was gonna have to be a little more careful. For a little while anyway, until the investigation. Investigation was over. I hoped that nothing would go wrong, that Mrs. Boyajian would get the money. About two weeks later, I saw Needles was standing in front of the pool room down near the sound. He called me over. He said he had something very important to talk to me about. So we went into the back room of the pool room. He closed the door. Cigarette? Andy, you know I don't smoke, Needles. Oh, sure, of course not, pal. Of course not. Well, hot shot, how's fire buggin these days? Is that supposed to be a cute remark, Needles? Ah, what's the matter with you? Can't you take a little, kid? Not that kind. It's the idea of striking the matches. Hmm? Oh. Oh, yeah. Just a nervous habit. A nervous habit? Pretty flame, huh, Andy? Say what you have to say. I was thinking about poor Mrs. Boyajian, Andy. What if they hold up the claim, huh? Poor Mrs. Boyajian. You're not saying anything. I got a friend, he owns a small warehouse a couple blocks from here. Andy, he don't make much money with this here small warehouse, and he'd like to get rid of it. One night this place burns down just like that. He's very, very sad. But then he gets happy because he collects quite a bit of fire insurance. Fire insurance? Yeah, fire insurance. Now, my friend would pay good money if his warehouse burned down. Good money. You would. You could help out poor, poor Mrs. Boyagin, Andy. I don't know. I just think of the fun. You'll have a flame and you'll make it. I'll make it? That's right, Andy. Next Friday night. You'll make it. Friday night seemed a long, long Way off. A couple of times I wanted to go for walks. But then I kept thinking about the big one I was gonna make on Friday night. And I decided not to go for any walks. I got some money from Needles. I bought all the stuff I needed. The celluloid, the plumber's cannulas. And then on Thursday, I met Needles friend. And he took me on a tour of the warehouse. It was a three story building. When I finished going through it, I decided it would be best to start two fires on the third floor. One on first. When I got home, I let myself in. But I. I didn't close the door because I heard voices coming from my room. It was Mary Lee and that. That voice that gave me the funny feeling. You never bothered to look at this scrapbook. Why? He draws pictures. Miss, your brother is a very dangerous man. I never suspected anything. I never bothered to look at the pictures he's drawn. You'll have to be turned over to the authorities. They'll give him proper medical treatment. He's a dangerous man with a dangerous sickness. I had to act now and act fast. I called Needles. Told him we had to burn his friend's warehouse tonight. Tonight? Tomorrow night wouldn't be any good because I'd have to leave Seattle now. He didn't want to at first because we hadn't planned it that way. But then he finally agreed. He met me in front of the warehouse a little before nine. I set the two fires up on the third floor. And then we went down to the first and I started another one. All right. All right. Come on. No, no, no. Wait, wait. Let's. Let's watch it for a while. You crazy? Watch it. This place is gonna go up like a tinderbox. We'll have a caught. I said I wanted to watch it for a while. I'm gonna draw a picture. You're not. Come on, Andy. Let's get out of here. Oh, you go ahead, Needles. I'll be along in a little while. Come on, Andy. Come on. Don't be crazy. I'm glad I brought my pencil and pad, Willie. I think this is gonna be a beautiful. And it was. It had wonderful colors. The flames, they were all around me now. Not an awful lot of smoke here inside the building. Just. Just flames. Beautiful colors. Just beautiful reds. Deep reds and blues and greens and yellows. I had a feeling this was gonna be my best picture. My very best. The most beautiful flames I'd ever seen. Thrilling. And the picture. The picture. Now just one big flame. Flame. Suspense. In which Mr. Tony Barrett starred in tonight's presentation of the Flame. Next week we bring you a story of death and 11 roses. We call it the 12th rose. That's next week on suspense. Suspense is produced and directed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's story was written by Richard Petticini. The music was composed by Lucian Morowek and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Alan Reed, Joyce McCluskey, Jack Crucian, Joe Duvall and Herbert Ellis. If a moratorium were declared suddenly on all crime, accident, sickness and conflict among human beings, do you know who would be the most surprised man in the world? The policeman on the beat in a big city. Because his daily routine is trouble. An extraordinary situation for anyone else is just part of the day's work for him. Every Thursday night, 21st Precinct brings you hard hitting drama as realistic as life itself. About people in trouble, about people who make trouble. And about the men who help preserve law and order. Don't miss the excitement of 21st Precinct on the air over most of these same stations this Thursday night. Stay tuned now for five minutes of CBS News. To be followed on most of these same stations by my son, Jeep. America listens most to the CBS radio Network. Tired of the everyday grind? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you escape. Escape designed to free you from the four walls of today. For a half hour of high adventure. You stare down from the heights of your plane and your brain keeps whispering. It's Massafuera. That's all it is. Just an island 300 miles off the coast of Chile. But both you and the beautiful girl beside you know it's more than that. It's the last stop, the last time around. A death trap from which there is no escape. Listen now as escape brings you Tony Barrett's story. The target, the drink, senor. You see how quick. Another one of your talents. You can make like a waiter when necessary, huh? In Chile, senor. Amanda's many things to believe. The waiter was busy, so I got the drinks. It's not a reason for anger. All right, Pepe, all right, forget it. You. You are angry. Look, let's not play games. He's an hour late. Now. Where is he? Perez? He will be here. I watch with great care. He has not come in yet. Trust me, senor. I haven't got much choice, have I? His being late, Is that part of the build up? Part of the sale you demand? Promptness in informer, senor. You ought to be used to it by now. Huh? You never get used to it. Because you want something. An assurance at this time you're buying the right thing. The magic word. Whereabouts of Arthur Master Matson. And you'd fall for it every time. And move on to where the whispered words said to go. Caracas and Lima. Gojibamba. And now sit in one more crummy little bar, wait for one more sly little man with a word for sale. How long you search for him, this Arthur Matson? A year? You're watching that door. You're sure Perez hasn't come in? I'm sure. You know him? I know Perez, senor. Why don't you relax yourself, senor. Think. Think of something of more pleasantness. Like what? Like the lady of great beauty in the next booth. From your country, is she not, senor? Yeah. Way off base. Okay. A joint like this, she must be out of her mind. That's fine. All we need now is our beef. Go see what it's all about, Patty. See? I'll be right back. Senor. Senor Kennedy. Come here, quickly. Abby, what is it? Look, senor. There on the floor. Is he dead, seor? What do you think? That knife's got him pinned to the floor? I. I'm sorry. For your sake, senor. What are you talking about? The dead one. He is the one you are waiting for. He is Barris Barrett. Another blank. Another dead end. What is it? What happened? Forget it. I've got to see. You wouldn't want to. It used to be a man named Perez. Listen, get me out of here now. Please. I can't be found here. Relax. It's a killing. Want a drink? I've got to get out. Please. Pepe, wait here for me. Come on, lady. Stay close to me. There's a cab. Aren't you coming? No, no, you'll be all right. Cops will be here in a few minutes. A lot of questions. They'll want answers. Tell the driver. Cuevas Hotel, Senorita. A hotel Cuevas. I'm at the Royale. Call me in an hour. Who will I ask for? Kennedy. Vic Kennedy. My turn. Eve. Eve Coleman. Your call. In and out. She was. She was lovely, senor. Yeah. What will you say if the police ask about her? That she didn't like blood. Bueno. Come on, Pepe. You know what the deal will be. The cops will come, they'll see. They'll ask questions and it'll end in drinks for everyone because life here is cheap. No, I didn't make it that way. Come on, I'll buy you a drink. We'll drink to Perez. He was an informant, Senor. You always drink to a dead man, Even if you wouldn't give him the time of day while he was alive. If you say so, senor. I say you. You are unhappy man, senor. I'm sorry for that. Yeah, I'm an unhappy man. Once in your room, you will sleep, senor. I told you I want to talk. Come on. Buenos nothing. Any messages for me? No, senor. You sure? No phone calls? No, senor. I am sorry. Get me Ms. Eve Coleman at the Hotel Cuevas. Of course. You take it in your room, senor. I'll take it here. Momentita, senor. You sure you don't want stick around, Pepe. Hola, senorita. Con manistaki. Senor Kennedy, you said senorita Eve Colma. That's what I said. I. I am sorry, seor, but there is no one registered there by that name, Seor. All right, all right. Forget it. The lovely one who did not like blood. Yeah, this ain't my day, senor. Why do you. I told you I didn't want to sleep or want to talk. Well, well, well. Do come in, dear boy. Do surprise. Yeah, I was under the impression this was my room. That's not much of a greeting for a man that's come all the way from Hartford just to see you getting all your manners. Kennedy, this is Pepe Galvan, Mr. O'Brien. Pepe, Chief claims man of the company that puts clothes on my back. Be nice to him. He's a big man. I. I think I better social call O'Brien come 2000 miles just to see me? You're spending company money. Well, we've plenty of it, dear boy. Even after pouring your exposure expenses down the drain. Considerable expenses, I'd say. Sit down. You can take me off at any time you like. You got a better man? Put him on it. Oh, now, dear boy. Temper, temper, temper. Wouldn't be fair to you, would it, Kennedy? After all, Arthur Matson was in your custody when he escaped with his bank's hundred thousand. You come all this way just tell me that they have a new idea back home, Kennedy. That perhaps you're not trying too hard to find Arthur Matson. That from your point of view, it might be just the thing you don't want to do. I'll make myself clear. You don't have to fire me, O'Brien. I quit right now. Don't be an idiot, Kennedy. You could tell them they were right. You'd never get another insurance job as long as you live. You know Santiago Kennedy. Boats still run. I can get there. Why? Well, they didn't come down here just to fight with you. You got one last chance. Now listen to me. Massafuera is an island 300 miles off San Diego. I know where it is, sir. A return on an office wanted. Describes an American living there. The description fits Arthur Madsen. You hear me? I heard you. Now take a look. Do, dear boy, do, eh? And I'll tell them back in Hartford that you're still trying. Bye, dear boy. Bye, Pepy. You really know Santiago? Si, senor. You still got a job. Get down the docks. Get passage for both of us for tomorrow. Si, senor. Is a three day trip. You know, on a fruit boat. I'd have to make this one if it was a rowboat. Pick me up in the morning. The cabin is not so bad, Senor. You wish to? I'll go out on deck for a while. You unpack. See, senor, I do that. I never even said thanks, did I? Vic. Vic, you're angry. No, you're angry. You helped a girl who never said thanks and never called. Why? Was it too much trouble? Poor Vic. Sweet Vic Pigeon Vic. Si, senor. This is a hotel Cuevas. No, senor. He's no lady here by name of Eve Coleman. Sorry. Now why? A joke? A whim. What? Not a whim. I want an answer. It's too long a story. Vic. Sweet Vic. I got the time. We got the time. You're what? Wasting your weight. You talk too much, you know that? Yeah. Bad habit. Let's go sit down. I'll set up these deck chairs. There you are. Happy? What do you think? Deck chairs should always touch closer, darling. Better. You know, someday somebody's going to get smart and make a deck chair for two. You're quiet. It's the setup to sit with a girl like you. To look out at places with names like Antofagasta Galdera. You could get to like it. Yes, Eve. Yes, Eve. The way you ran out on me in Taltan. Now you're here. Ah, questions. I can see them coming. Where are you going? To get dressed. I'll see you dinner, darling. You'll be pleased, senor. Sit down. You. You look like a man who is in love but is not happy about it. Something wrong, senor? Old, hammered. Occupational hazard. You always add two and two don't come up four. It's bad if it comes four. Too easy. Bad again. I want you to get a radiogram off for me. To Hartford, Connecticut. To an insurance company. What Is it, Vic? Nothing. Nothing, the man says. Just like that. And his eyes narrow and his lips tighten and he wonders how to begin. And when I ask him, what does he say? Nothing. That's what he says. And he fingers a sheet of paper in his pocket. Hopes I don't notice it. Very pretty. You're good with words. I got a present for you. A new set of words. And they hurt. Vic. Please. Because they tell me something. That there is no Eve Coleman. Only a girl who calls herself that. A girl who's. Who's really Mrs. Arthur Matson. Yeah, that's who I am. Mrs. Arthur Matson. Any complaints? And he. Vic. Hi, Vic. You are listening to the Target. It tonight's presentation of Escape. Tune in Monday night and meet Corliss Archer here on CBS radio. Remember, on most of these stations. Every Monday night. Come on and meet Corliss Archer. And now back to Escape and the second act of the Target. Where is it? It's Laura. Invite me in, Vic. You're another way in. They asked me if you were seasick when you didn't show for dinner. I'm sick. I missed you. Yeah. Did it hurt to stay away from me, Vic. Tell me how much it hurt. Get out of here. Is it the name? Is that what bothers you? Why don't you try it, darling? It's easy. Laura Madsen. Nice. What is it? Will you? What kind of dame are you? You ask that? You look at what a child who reached for the moon in sulks because he found it a different color. You can't afford to sulk. Vic. Not you. What? The last time I saw my husband was an hour after his escape from you. How does a little man like Arthur Matson get away from a man your size? Vic. How he buys us. You're out of your mind. You want the price? $5,000. Arthur told me. Hurting me won't change it. Darling. Doesn't change anything. Eli dear. You hear what I say? I don't care. Don't you understand that? Not about any of it. I love you, darling. I. I say it. I want to hear you say it. Vic. I love you. Laura. Senor. You find out anything? Catch my. My breath. Where is she, Pepe? Where? I've tried her cabin every place. Every place. Easy. Easy. Senor. I just found out from one of the seamen. He saw her leave the moment we ducked. She was the first one off. What? Well, she couldn't. You sure is what he say. It must be so. Senor. She's nowhere to be found. I'm Sorry, senor. Now, you take stuff to the hotel. I got things to do. Deal with a Santiago policeman of the day. Which hotel, seor? What's the best casa? San Diego. Right on the beach. Is nice for swimming. All right, that's it, then. Last time around. Might as well go first class. Must have been a long visit with the police. It's after 8, senor. Haven't seen the chief yet. He's at the other end of the city all day. Should be here in any minute. Did I see you in the morning? You like the room? The radio? Yeah. Senor Kennedy? That's right. You Captain Delgado? Very late. Delgado. With much apology. For what? Come on in. For taking so long to return your call. Ah, forget it. You didn't know I was coming. But of course I did, senor. Your Senor O'Brien said so. Sit down, senor. Drink? Nice idea, senor. Very nice. O'Brien phoned you, huh? See, I think we talk for maybe 20 minutes. A long time. Yeah, O'Brien can talk. Here's a drink. Gracias. My Spanish is not good translation. To each what he deserves. Or you call philosophical, no? Yeah. Well, I'm sure O'Brien told you the whole setup then. See? Everything. What do you think is possible this Arthur Madsen is on Massafuera? If so, he won't be hard to find. A wild island, senor. Beautiful, but no different than it was thousands of years ago. Primitive, huh? See, they will know if an American lives on that island. They don't. You know, O'Brien, amigo, he asks me the same question, and I try to explain to him. Explain? Explain what, Delgado? The simple fact that Massafuera is just an island and that I have no. How you call, jurisdiction there. Comprende? Yeah. Yeah, I understand. Then we have no problems. None. Bueno. The day has been long, and the bed will be. As a friend, if there is anything I can do for you here in Santiago, you will give me that pleasure. You've done it already, senor. And then I say good night to you, senor, and good hunting. I hope you find this Arthur Mattson before she does. She? The young lady. The lovely young lady who asks my lieutenant about Mattson only this afternoon. Buenas noche. Open your eyes, Vic. For me. Laura. Laura. A man on a loan on the beach at night is trying to wash something out of his mind. Oh, Laura. No questions. No. Where have you been? I know where you've been. Doesn't matter. Say it, Vic. I want to hear it. I love you, Laura. Again. I love you. Sweet pictures, Laura. Isn't he worried? Vic Matson. What are we gonna do about him? Kill him. And, darling, why, Laura, why? You've always known you'd have to do it, not listen. You took a bribe, darling, remember? I don't want my Vic in prison. I want him with me, close to me. Kill him, darling. Laura. All that money. Little nothing like him, sitting on an island with all that money. Our money. You hear me, darling? You understand? Our money, Laura. There's a plane in the morning. They must have wear it. We'll be on it together. We'll be honored. Like man hunting, Laura. Oh, not eight hours of it. Elgato didn't tell me it was all uphill, Nick. Huh? What is it? Clearing just ahead. I think it's the top. It better be. Come on in. Time for dinner, Mr. Kennedy. I waited almost a year for you. You're looking well, Arthur. Tired, but well. Hello, Arthur. You want to freshen up, my dear? Arthur? While you do, I'll entertain Mr. Kennedy. Show him what my island has to recommend it. Freshen up, Laura. Matson. Now let me play host, Kennedy. I'm out of practice, but let me try. Your drink, Laura. Yours. Kennedy lost his mind. Is that what you're thinking, Kennedy? That Arthur Matson lost his mind? A man who shows you a shabby little house he loves and the stone terrace he built himself and makes you a drink as civilized people do. Values change, Kennedy. This is all I care about now. This terrace, the view from it, even the rocks a hundred feet below. A great lesson, Kennedy. From here, everyone's a little man. I'm glad you're happy, little man. How am I going to die, Kennedy? Will you use a knife? A gun? How? What's the matter with you? I don't mind. Not really. I've had a year away from her. A whole year. You'll pray for your island. It won't take too long. You're crazy. Laura's doing better with you, Kennedy. You're going to kill for her. I only stole. You stole for yourself, Matson. That's what she fed you. Oh, poor Kenneth. Shut up. Shut up. You told him I had the money, Laura. Lovely. Lovely. Kill him, Vic. Now what are you waiting for? Who's got it, Matson? Who? She has, you idiot. She's always had it. But I'm the only one who knows it, aren't I, Laura? With me alive, you'd never be safe. Never. Be completely sure you're going to do your own killing. Let him live too long. Vic. He shouldn't have said that. Don't move, Vic. You're gonna kill us both, Laura. Both? Like you killed the little man in the bar back in Tal town? I bought that, darling. You were getting too close. Say goodbye, Arthur. Nicely. Not alone. I won't go alone. Vic. Help. Help me. Help. You don't need help. Not anymore. I need it now. Under the direction of David Friedkin and Morton Fine, escape has brought you the Target, a story by Tony Barrett. Featured in the cast were Whitfield Connor and Mary Jane Croft. Also heard were Edgar Barrier, Herb Butterfield, Hans Conreid, Melissa Milo and Jay Novello. Your announcer, George Walsh. The special music for Escape is composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Next week you're at the end of a journey. You've committed murder to make a barren wasteland of India silent, desolate, where there is a cave and a carved image of the goddess Kali, whose heart is a ruby big as a grenade and which is guarded by a smiling old man from whom there is no escape. So listen next week when escape brings you Ross Murray's story, the Red Heart of kal. An honest doctor resists temptation but gets into trouble anyway. Tomorrow night when Mr. And Mrs. North bring us their latest thrilling mystery. Don't forget, CBS Radio has a date for mystery with Mr. And Mrs. North tomorrow night. And you're welcome too, on most of these same stations. Stay tuned now for Night Watch, which follows immediately over most of these stations. Where there's Gunsmoke, there's Western Adventure. Monday nights on the CBS radio network. We just heard Tony Barrett in Give me Liberty, Remember Me over the Bounding mane and the flame. Plus, we heard the script he wrote for the Target that will do it for this week's episode. Thanks so much for joining me. I hope you'll be back next week for more stars and old time radio thrillers. In the meantime, you can check out down these Mean Streets, my old time radio detective podcast. New episodes of that show are out every Sunday. If you like what you're hearing, don't be a stranger. You can rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find the show. And if you'd like to lend some support, you can visit buymeacoffee.com meansts otr. Now, good night until next week when I'll be back with another Hollywood legend starring in tails. Well calculated related to keep you in suspense. Ladies and gentlemen, the chief hope of our enemies is to divide the United States along racial and religious lines and thereby conquer us. Let's not spread prejudice. A divided America is a weak America. Through our behavior, we encourage the respect of our children and make them better neighbors to to all races and religions. Remind them that being good neighbors has helped make our country great and kept her free. Thank you.