 My name's Regan. I work for Anthony J. Lyon, International Detective Bureau. They call me The Lion's Eye. Jeff Regan, investigator, starring Frank Graham as Regan with Frank Nelson as Anthony J. Lyon. So stand by for mystery and suspense and adventure in tonight's story of The Man in the Church. You'll find the Cosmopolitan building on 7th Street near Olive. A pile of Mike Granite holding up a brass clock that hasn't kept time since 1932. That's the year Anthony J. Lyon, the guy I work for, took out a 30-year lease on Suite 308. You can't miss it right after you get off the elevator, International Detective Bureau. Good bargain counter if you want to buy your trouble wholesale. Right after the SC game last Saturday I walked in. The Lion was at his desk. He had a sparkle in one eye and a jeweler's glass in the other. And even though he tried to cover up, I could tell he was looking at a $50 bill. Oh, oh, oh you Regan, I uh, I was just noticing the engraving on this bill. Intrigued, fascinating, a work of art really. Graham took a good picture. Yeah, it didn't be though. Ulysses Simpson Grant was one of our greatest presidents, Regan. So you're starting a collection. I've already started one. This is my first showing. All right. Who's the new client? Uh, client? Oh, I didn't get this from a client, really. Rather an old friend. Just a little errand. Yes, I called you in because I want you to do a favor for a friend. Last time we did a favor for a friend, he turned out to have a record as long as a rolled-up kite string. Oh, Pincall's not like that, not at all. Pincall? Yes, Charles Pincall, our, uh, my friend. He, uh, he wants a bonded licensed operator at his place at six o'clock tonight. Capital Hotel on Aliso Street. And just what does Charles Pincall, Capital Hotel, Aliso Street want this bonded licensed operator to do at six o'clock? No, see here, Jeffrey. There's no need to take that attitude. Old Pincall wants someone to deliver a cash amount of five thousand bucks. You took another job without asking any questions, didn't you? What do you mean, ask questions? When a man who lives in a two-bit hotel on Aliso Street needs a licensed operator to deliver five thousand bucks, there's questions to be asked. Well, I ask questions. Well, then give me some answers. All right, all right. Oh, I lied to you a little about his being an old friend. He isn't that really, but the man asked for help. I couldn't turn him down. He, he touched me in some way, Jeffrey. Here. There was a look about him. Gentle. Saw. A fifty dollar look. I tell you, Mr. Pincall was a distressed soul when he came in to see me. If you could have seen him so disturbed, so helpless. It was our opportunity to help a brother in distress. Charles Pincall is our brother, Rick. Come on, answers. Start talking. All right, all right. I'll tell you what I can. Pincall has a problem, but it's in strictest confidence. I told him I'd give him our best operator, you, Jeffrey. But I had to swear I wouldn't divulge details even to you. But I promise it's nothing illegal. Just a simple little job. My word, Jeffrey. If you're lying to me again. I'm not. Go see this man, Jeffrey. Take one look at him. You'll see I'm telling the truth. Now, I told him you'd be there. The reputation of the agency is at stake. You took his fifty bucks. Yes, I took his fifty bucks. And we're on the hook. Yes, we're on the hook. Okay, okay, Fatso. I'll see him. Just see him. But you stay right here. Stay here? What? Because if this ball has a curve on it, I'm coming back here to round that fifty dollars right down your throat. Well, the lion had put on a good act, and I went for it again. Maybe it was because I figured he lied so much, he'd accidentally have to tell the truth once in a while. Or maybe it was because he looked different when he was describing Charlie Penkole. Anyhow, it was dark on Elisa Street, and it was trying to rain. When I found a white blister over the sidewalk that blinked out, capital hotel rooms one dollar and up. I walked through a lobby that smelled like last year's laundry. Nobody was behind the desk, but I spun the register around and picked up a Charles A. Penkole in room age. It was upstairs, in between a broom closet and a fire escape. I didn't have to knock. A tall, big-boned man with a lot of gray hair had this shorter one by the lapels. Don't think this is why you've been out of touch. Yeah, Johnny, I've been out of touch, but I don't know how to handle a punk like you. Now listen to me. Get in my way once again, and I'll break your half. Look, I'm warning you. Shut up! All right, big shut up. Don't try a gun, you crazy child. Drop the heater, Buster. Elisa, drop it. I've got a lot of friends, Charlie. They always show up just in time. I remember you too, Mr. I remember you too. Get out of here. Go on, get out. I remember this. I remember all of this. You're a pretty good soldier, what's your name? Regan. Oh, yes, I'm Thaks. Thaks, Regan. How do you use that thing, you know? We try to keep our clients alive until we've earned our fees. Clients? I'm from international. Oh. And if you're Charlie Penkole, you're a client until 50 bucks is used up. Oh, yeah, sure, sure. Come on in, Regan. Yeah, make yourself at home. It isn't much. The wire bed and the neon sign on sign have had better, Regan. Yeah. Hey, you want a drink? Why not? Well, they've got a lot of questions to ask, Regan. I'll answer them fast. Yeah, here you are. Thanks. Suppose you start with a punk. Johnny Lago? Mm-hmm. Look, he hasn't got anything to do with you and me. He's a separate fugitive. Sure, he's used up 38 before. You know him? I've seen him in the mugged files. Yeah, I can handle him. I want you to handle something else. Yeah. What's the look for? I've seen that kind of suit before. Did 10 bucks come with it? Yeah, just got out of San Quentin. Did 18 years. It's over. Time's served. It shows. You don't do that much vacation standing on your rear, Regan. It's hard to get any exercise in a 10 by 8 room. And the nights, too, are always a couple of million years long. You got somebody to worry about. Somebody like Lago? No, no, I tell you, he's nothing. I was in 29. He was a truck driver who had big ideas. He's still got him, but he's got nothing to back him up with. All right. You got somebody else to worry about? Yeah. His name is Sidney Chambers. I owe him some money. You sure you want a detective? I can pay Chambers, but I can't see him. I'm gonna be busy. You're bonded. I can trust you to carry the money. Messenger boys are bonded, too. It's a simple job, Regan. That's why I'd only pay the lie in 50 bucks to have it done. There you go. 5,000 right there. Go ahead, count it. I'll take your word. Where do I find your man? Sidney Chambers will be at the planetarium in front of the entrance. He'll be in a black suit wearing a white carnation to briefcase. And just like that, I walk up and hand him five grand. Just like that? How do you know I won't feel like taking a trip? I don't. But then I still haven't got anything to worry about. You got that much money? No, Regan. I got me. And Charlie Pinkle never let anybody put anything over on him. What about the state of California? It was a bum wrap. Oh, sure it was. Good night. I left him sitting there. He looked as happy as a U-Bangie with a fever blister. Maybe the line was telling the truth. So I put the five grand in my pocket, but it felt hot. Like a dynamite stick with a short fuse. It was 10 minutes to wait when I parked in front of the planetarium. A little guy in a black suit was standing at the entrance looking at his watch. I was afraid he was going to get trampled, but the briefcase and white carnation saved him. Going to the lecture? It's all about a trip to the moon tonight. Oh, here is it? Well, I don't think I'll go in. I'm expecting a friend. A friend named Charlie Pinkle? What? Pinkle. You're going to meet him here? Yes, but you can't be Pinkle. You're much too young. But I'm not Pinkle. I don't understand, Mr... Regan. Mr. Pinkle promised me faithfully he'd meet me here tonight. You had parents, didn't you? Name? I'm Sidney Chambers, but I... You got the briefcase to collect some money in. Did you bring it? Did you really bring it? How much expecting? $5,000 and not a penny less. All right. Well, say now. It's all there. It certainly is. It certainly is. It most certainly is. Yes, indeed. Thank you, Mr. Regan. If I hadn't seen him pat his bulged pocket, I'd have gone on home and played canasta with my landlady. But when I saw him drive away, I began to get a slow feeling. Like all my troubles were already started. So I crawled at my car and followed him. I was still following when he pulled up in Palos Verdes and parked in front of a little house, stuck up on a hill all by itself. I had that same feeling when I cut my engine and coasted to a stop and sat there thinking about nothing. I watched a light go on somewhere in the back of the house. I was just putting my cigarette out when the place lit up like a cop in the back. I pulled my gun and started from the door. But I wasn't fast enough to stop that black crook that was in the alley. I found Chambers wrapped around the dining room table. He was holding on to that briefcase, and the $5,000 was still there. But he'd never get a chance to spend it. He was all used up. You better have something good to say, Fatso. Regan, where you been? I've been looking all over the place. You know where I've been. I called his job. I took it three hours ago, and now I need those answers. Answers? You told me Pencola'd filled in on the background of this thing. Well, it's time you shared a sequence with me. Regan, I can't tell you anything. You'd better. A job. All for $50? There's no time for that now. You said it. After you left, I'm Charlie Pencola, an old-time racketeer. And he just got out of Sam Quinton. And somebody's already dead. I got this. I'm calling you from my house in Palos Verdes. It belongs to a little guy named Sidney Chambers. I made the delivery and decided to follow him home. Just as I got here, somebody blew his fuse. What happened to the $5,000? The killer's stealing? It's still here. Still there? Good! I thought that'd get action. I was still there, but I wasn't listening to the lion. I was looking at the traffic cop standing in the doorway. He was looking at what was left of Chambers, at the money spread all around. And then it was me. And I began to feel helpless, like a fiddler without a chin. I'll take your gun. Go ahead, finish your call. I want a lesson. It isn't important. Sid, huh? You, uh, got anything to say, mister? Huh, huh? Hmm. Nice gun. Yours? Yeah, it's my gun. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. Just been fired. Those bullets won't match up with the ones in him. You got this all wrong? Money, too. Well, well. Motive? I'll be in plain clothes this time tomorrow. Look, the guy who did it's making time right now. You'll be surprised the kind of drivers we have around Los Angeles. I'm working Palace Verties. I stop a minute, I hear noises like guns. And I just cruise around on my bike where I think I hear the noise. And I find you. All right, killer move. My turn to make a call. I leaned into his gun, spun around and not just whisked down. The bullets went wild and I hit the light switch. Come back here, come back! That gave me time enough to get through the door. He lost me when I ran up the hill and back at the house toward the oil derricks. But I knew we'd keep out on looking. And so would every cop in Los Angeles. I had as much chance as a snowball in a Turkish bath. None of it made sense. I delivered Penko's five grand of a little guy named Sidney Chambers. Before I knew it, a question mark and a black coupe blew out Chambers' life. But he left that five grand scattered all over the place. And an eager cop who likes double-breasted suits tagged me for the job. Well, when I broke away from that cop, I knew I'd have to get some answers. I made my way back downtown and dropped into the Capitol Hotel. Any key fitted room H. It was as clean as a bookie's stall when a long shot comes in. No Charlie Penko, nothing. The newspaper clipping on the dresser with an ad on how to handle your muscles on one side and part of a society column on the other meant nothing. But the knock on the door had possibilities. Charles, are you in there? Are you asleep? Charles, that's... She was a tall grey-haired woman in a fur coat. She didn't look like Penko's kind of company. Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought this was Mr. Penko's room. He's left town. Maybe I can be of help. No, no, I'm sure you can. I just made a mistake, that's all. I'm sorry, I bothered you. I'm terribly sorry. Well, just a minute, I... Relax. You can see her later. Inside. Come on in, boys. Come in. I wanted Charlie, but you'll do for now. You got a parade permit, Largo? An uneven. This is going to be a quiet little party. You and me and my friends this time. Don't they talk? Sure. Surely talk. Boys, there's a friend that's Charlie Penko. Hello, hi. See? All right, friend of Charlie Penko's. We had all the introductions. Now let's have a party. You took my gun away tonight. I told you I'd remember you. This is going to be fun. Hold on. Here we go with feelings. Oh, she's getting old. She's getting heavy. All right, don't let her boss in. You're just getting the good stuff. Well, it was almost morning when I started to come around. I was still in room H. Some cold water and a trip to the drugstore didn't make me feel any better, but I had some answers to find. The morning papers were full of the brutal murder of city employees in each chamber. They run out to tell how he worked in the Hall of Records. My name was in the article. They'd match the bullets and my gun didn't figure. But homicide had wanted some answers and I didn't have any to give them. I started with that clipping I'd found in Penko's room. It wasn't much, but it had names. Something about a Meredith Gibbons in a Donald Townsend getting married. There was an address in the phone book, Sherman Oaks. Nice house on a nice street. Good morning, darling. I didn't expect you so... Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were Donald. My name's Regan. I'd like to see Meredith Gibbons. Why? Why I'm Meredith Gibbons? Well, please come in, Mr. Regan. Thanks. I'll have to apologize for the appearance of the house I'm packing and all. I'm being married this afternoon. Yeah, I've read about that. Mr. Regan, I'll have to apologize again. I don't believe I know you. No, you don't. Look, I won't take a lot of your time. I'm a private investigator. I'd like to ask some questions. Well, certainly, Mr. Regan, but I don't know... Hey, darling, I'd like to... Oh, Donald, you're here. Good morning, sweetie. Donald, this is Mr. Regan. He's a private detective. He wants to ask me some questions. Oh? Well, glad to meet you, Regan. What's this all about? Probably nothing. Just a lead. Look, do you people know a man named Pencall? Pencall? Oh, no. No, I... It's important. His name's Charles Pencall. No, no, Mr. Regan, I don't... Ah, sorry. Now that the wine... All right. Does the name Sydney Chambers mean anything to you? Oh, sorry again, Regan. Nothing again. I can't think so well. I'm very hurt. Oh, Donald. No, Mr. Regan, I've never heard that name before. You're looking for these names? One of them's dead. Which one? Chambers. He was shot last night. Oh, dear. You've got to find Pencall. Well, sure wish we could help you more, but... Tell me, Regan, why did you come here? I found this clipping about your marriage in Pencall's room. That's funny. Truly, Mr. Regan, I never heard the name before. Donald, you have so many things to do today. Oh, Mother, I want you to meet Mr. Regan. He's a detective. This is my mother. How do you do, Mr. Regan? It was the same grey-haired woman I'd met the night before in Charlie's room. I had to hand it to her. She didn't raise an eyelash. She looked right through me like she was meeting me for the first time. I didn't give her away. There was something in her eyes that said, downed. Mr. Regan, I know you'll excuse us. We have so many things to do. Perhaps Mother can help you. Sure. Bye, Regan. I hope you find your man, Mr. Regan. They look like a real nice pair, Mrs. Gibbon. They're wonderful children, Mr. Regan. Wonderful. You know what I have to ask you. Yes, I know. The man's been killed. Sit down, Mr. Regan, please. Thanks. That lovely girl who just walked out of the doors, Charles Pencall's daughter. Oh. Yes. Charles married my younger sister in 1929. She never knew what Charles did for a living. She was in the hospital, Mr. Regan, dying while Charles was in court. And when his sentence was pronounced, his daughter was born at a hospital in Glendale. That'd be marvellous. Yes. Go on. Before Charles began his life sentence, he took what money he had left and established an irrevocable trust fund for her and for me. It was his plan. I adopted illegally. He promised that he'd never write or bother in any way and he hasn't. Oh, after so much heartache for her real mother, he was trying to do one decent thing. It worked out? Yes. Yes, he kept his word. He was paroled last week. I read it in the papers. And you went to see him at his hotel? I met you there. Yes. I went to see him last night. The parole officer gave me his address. A little man had been here last week on some pretext for another and I was worried. I thought he was a friend of Charles who might want to make trouble. Nobody else knows about this adoption? No, no, no one, Mr. Reagan. No one at all. Just Charles and I. My sister, well, she had the baby under my name. I see. I read the morning papers. The little man, the one who called on me last week and acted strangely was murdered last night. His name was Chambers. I read about it in the paper. Yeah, that's right. And the police are looking for you, Mr. Reagan. Oh, please, I can't ask you to continue being a fugitive. I know you didn't kill him, but if there's any way at all, Mr. Reagan, oh, listen to me, Meredith can't become involved in something like this. If there's any way to keep her out of it, Mrs. Gibbons, I'll do it. Oh, thank you, Mr. Reagan. Thank you. When I left there, I had a pretty good picture of the whole thing. A check with the Civil Service Commission did the rest as far as Chambers Park fitted in. Besides working at the Hall of Records from 1932 on, he'd worked at the city moored before. And before that, the county hospital was in orderly. And before that, a private hospital in Glendale. But that still left Johnny Largo on stage. The lion had part of it when I found him at the office. Reagan! Who'd you expect? Never mind. Anybody see you? You're a hot boy. I know, I know, but those things will happen. Where's that five grand? A cop on the Palace Verde's division is looking at it. Huh? Don't you read the papers? They're looking for me. They want to talk to me about a murder. Oh, and I wanted to see how that much money looked all at once. What have you been telling Homicide? That I don't know anything about it. Well, maybe I better make a call. Now, look, look, Jeffrey, we've got to find out who tagged Chambers. It's the only way we can square ourselves with Homicide. Are you afraid of that jailhouse coffee? But please, please, I had another one of my attacks today. I don't know when you were out there somewhere in this vast city, hunted because of my indiscreteness. Jeffrey, I've done you wrong. You're going to drown in those tears. Oh, now please, please, find out who killed that poor man, Chambers. Square yourself with the police. Make a clean breast of everything. Well, then you start giving me more answers. I'll help you in every way I can, Jeffrey. All right, where does Johnny Largo tie in with Charlie Pencor? Largo? Oh, it's an old-time feud. I went through the 1929 morgue piles. Largo tried to kill Pencor over some money or something. He claimed Pencor held out on him. Nothing else? Nothing else. Why, you got a lead? What does Largo do now? He runs a joint in Gardena that fronts for a roulette wheel. Hey, hey, where you going? To try my luck. By the way, what happened to your face? It got stepped on. Somebody had big feet. Yeah, six of them. Bye. I knew I was coming into the home stretch. I made Largo's place about three o'clock that afternoon, but I was too late. Three squad cars were piled up in front, and the morgue wagon was there. I checked with the driver, looked inside, and saw that their customer was Largo. He was extremely dead. It was easy to see Pencor was making the rounds. First, chambers. Second, Largo. He figured to have one more stop, and I found it. That black coop was in front of St. Am's church in Sherman Oaks. Inside, Meredith Gibbons and Townsend were kneeling at the altar. There were a lot of people watching. But the one I was interested in was the guy in the dark suit. He was standing in the back. Hello, Regan. I came to get you, Charlie. Yeah, I figured you would. They don't like murder in this state, no matter what it's for. The state doesn't know chambers was trying to buy that kid up there out of her life. So to keep your daughter from knowing who her old man was, you hired me. So you could get a line on chambers, follow him, kill him. He was just a name on her phone to me. You had to tag him for me. It was the only way to treat him. Somehow, he knew she was my kid. He had all the facts for blackmail. He waited 18 years to trap me. Largo was just a sideline. He was until he found out I'd killed chambers. You see, he was following me that night in Palos Verdes. So you treated one blackmail for another. Yeah. And no way out. We'd better go, Pencor. Yeah. Not just a minute, Reagan. I want to see you walk. She looks just like a mother. Reagan, it's a matter. Largo threw some that connected here. Put your arm in back of me. Hold me up, Reagan. At least, though she gets my hat, I don't want to ruin anything. Please. But, Donald, there's Mr. Reagan. He came to our wedding. How nice. Hello, Reagan. Hello. We're so happy. Did you ever find the man you were looking for? Yeah. I found him. I'm glad. We're so very happy today. We sure are. Mr. Reagan, do I know your friend? He looks familiar. No, no, you don't know me. Not at all. Good luck. Thank you very much. All right. Okay, Pencor. Thanks, Reagan. Oh, get me out of here quick. There were four of Largo's slugs in him. He died in the ambulance. Homicide knew about the old feud and not satisfied them. Why Pencor killed Johnny Largo in those two hoods. But they were bending their eyebrows trying to figure out why Pencor killed Chambers. I didn't figure it was up to me to explain it. The next morning when I came into the office, somebody was just leaving. The lion had one arm around her shoulder. Oh, no, no, just part of our service. Glad to be of help. Oh, Reagan. Oh, Mr. Reagan. Hello, Mrs. Gibbons. Oh, I just came by to thank you. To thank you for everything. I didn't know that people could be so understanding. I didn't know. Thank you. Thank you so much. Fine figure of a woman, Reagan. Fine figure of a woman. And what else does she want? She just came to thank us, that's all. Reagan, you don't think that after all that's happened... Yes, I do. Well, that certainly doesn't show a very good opinion of me. How'd she get the address? Well, I gave her a call. Give me. Now, you don't really think... I said give me. It's just a small check. A gesture of her appreciation. No. Reagan, that's dope. You got paid for this once? Yes, but this was a bonus for the rest of it. After all, international has expenses. This is a legitimate... Oh, well... Maybe this time you're right. Jeff Regan, investigator is written by E. Jack Newman, directed by Sterling Tracy and stars Frank Graham as Regan, with Frank Nelson as Anthony J. Lyon. Original music is by Dick Rung.