 Autolight and its 96,000 dealers present. Car springs you a story of murder and greed, early to death, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnais. Cap, uh, how's your team? Oh, just fine, Harlow. Just... My what? Your car's team. Didn't you know your autolight-equipped car carries a team around under its hood? You got me, Harlow. Yes. What the team have is the autolight electrical system in your car that produces and stores the electricity needed to start your car and keep it running. It also supplies electricity to your lights, heater, radio, even to your cigarette lighter. You mean the autolight electrical system in my car does all that, Harlow? It sure does have because all the units of the autolight electrical system are related like a team. My autolight engineering design and autolight manufacturing skill to give your autolight-equipped car the smoothest performance money can buy. Which would I like to hear, Harlow? So, friends, because only autolight original factory parts can give you the teamwork, balance, and perfect timing that was originally built into your car's autolight electrical system, it'll pay you in smooth, dependable performance to insist on autolight original factory parts in case replacements are needed. Remember, you're always right with autolight. Now, with early to death and the performances of Desi Arnais and Lucille Ball, autolight hopes once again to keep you in suspense. What'll happen to Duke? He'll get down with the plane. That's the same as murder. It's $300,000. I think it's worth it. Is Matt E.B. one out? No, no, I'll get the money. You call in, Ben. Right, Ben. N71533, calling Veracruz radio. N71533, this Veracruz radio. Go ahead. Veracruz, we're over the mountains. My oil line is clogged. We're in trouble. Do not try to drive it through. Pay it out. Okay? Over. N533, answer me. E.B. I got it, Ben. A full payroll. $300,000. All right, turn around. I'll buckle a case into your parachute harness. We wouldn't want this to burn up, would we? You call in the Veracruz? Yeah, yeah. They got the idea. They got it. Come on, baby. I'm not scared to make the jump, are you? Scared? After all the planning we've done? Let's get out of this thing. We've jumped together. I closed my eyes and counted just the way Ben had told me. And then I pulled the ripcord. The other once I was floating down dirt. It was all so easy. After a while, I was standing beside Ben, and he was helping me out of my parachute harness. We both looked over at the same time. Ben, do you think we should have strapped a shoot on him in case there's... I left a few lines wide open. When they find that plane, it won't be anything less. Come on, E.B. We got things to do. We buried the case full of money right there in the mountains. Where we'd keep until we came back to pick it up when things were safe. That's the way we'd planned it. Three days later, we staggered into a town called Acayupan, and made like the two survivors of a plane crash. They took us to the hospital in Vera Cruz, and we were treated for exposure. There were questions, all sorts, from the Mexican police, insurance investigators, agents, the whole bunch. But they were questions we could answer. We'd been rehearsing them for a year. When did you know the plane was having mechanical trouble this way? When Mr. Tabor came back from the pilot's cabin and told me to buckle on my suit. And you, Tabor? I was sleeping. The dude poked me up, told me the oil line was clogged up again. And you did jump? Yes. Miss What's the one first? I don't know. But the pilot's suit didn't jump. Yeah. You got a car seat? No. I was sent you to board. Well, I don't want to be aware of the... What cargo? The company payroll was on the plane. Mr. I'm only a co-pilot. They don't tell me those things. Did you know Miss Letcher? No. How would I know? The company was just sending me on my vacation. To understand I represent the bombing company. We're hoping to locate the wreckage and recover some of that cargo. I must have. I'm on the plane. Now then, will you please tell me what in your opinion might have stopped the pilot from saving his own life when he knew the plane was moving? We played it as straight and as dumb as we could. The more questions they asked, the more innocent we looked. And a week later when they found the wreckage and combed it over, they decided everything including the payroll had burned up in the plane. Ben kept on flying for them. I quit after three months and went back to New Orleans. All we had to do was wait. The first time the guy showed up, the guy in the dirty Panama suit with the three-day beard, the smile, and all the teeth, he didn't worry me one bit. You don't remember me, Miss Letcher? Go away. I'm waiting for a friend. You do not understand. I am your friend. Well, you're not the right one, so beat it. But we need you and I. Away. Well, nice to see you again. Goodbye. At the time you impressed Rico very much. I am Rico. Oh, the Senor Tabor. Hello, E.V. Who's this? I don't know, Ben. Allow me. My car. It's very true, and I print it myself. Rico Sebastia, Senor Tabor. What is he wanting? Sir, it's me. I am just explaining my admiration for the Senorita. And now for you too, Senorita. In a way we have also met before. Remember everything? Thirty-day tourism? Let us say incognito. What makes you think you know us, Pastor? I said I have seen both of you before. It was in the mountains, north of Acajuca, where I often hunted high-powered riflemen. I saw you parachute out and land safely with a box. I witnessed the plane crash. And later I saw you both start through the woods, without a box. I would need help to dig in every ravine. Official help. Unless, of course, you would help me. And then I would know exactly where to dig. I would hate to talk to the official, because I know they would listen. What do you want? A small pit in some idiot. Only one little quarter of a big $300,000. Well, you have my card. We talk later when you feel better. Ask the legal. Ken, what do you think? I don't know. Just tell them they broke his cards. And we've got a third partner. Oh, Ben, I wish we hadn't waited. I wish we'd just taken the money and got on that boat of yours. All right, all right. This guy ain't going to let me find him. Give me that card. What are you going to do? I'm going to go see him. Find out just how tough he is. Ben. It's the only way. Be careful, Ben. I'm scared. Will you stop worrying? I wouldn't just like a baby. I had another drink and Ben left for a week, though. I went back to my apartment and waited for his phone call. After two hours, I couldn't stand it any longer and took a cab over there myself. It was in the French Quarter. A dull gray place with lots of iron grill work out front. A man in a black hat and French coat answered the door. Come in. Come in. You'd be Miss West. Who are you? What is it? I'm Lieutenant Mayor, Mr. Sargent. You want to tell it now? Tell what? Okay. Well, lady says you rented this place three months ago. Why? She's a liar. I never... So you meet Ben Table when he comes in from the trip? What? You know Ben Table. While it says he's a professional pilot. You and a crash with him a few months ago. Show us, Sargent. Ben. You put those bullet holes in it? Oh, Ben. He wasn't shot here. Who helped you move in? No, no, it's a trick. Rico planned this. He planned it. Rico? Who's Rico? Rico's the... The man that helped you move the body here? I won't say anything. I won't say a word until I see a lawyer. And I didn't say a word. Ben was dead. There was nothing I could do about that. Of course, Rico had killed him. Had been planning to kill him all the time. I was sitting in my cell the next day when I had a visitor. Good morning, Senorita. You? See? You're in trouble. Rick was here to help. You did not think I would leave town when my friend is in trouble. You killed Ben last night. I only meant to kill him slightly. Quiet! Quiet, please. You have no thought. I'm going to turn you in so fast. Why are you now saying? Ben Tabor is dead. It's unfortunate what I have to kill him. And your position is very parallel. The police are highly suspicious of you. They are talking of a falling out among thieves. Recalling the plane incident and the payroll which might not have burned. I knew help things along by renting a place under my name and taking Ben there after you killed him. It was just a small trick. Now I have a big one. An alibi for you. What alibi? I have many friends who will testify you spent last evening with me. Until I get out, you get nothing. There is going to be a coroner's inquest this morning. They cannot indict if we come to turn. How much? One quarter of 300,000 for the trouble. One quarter for the alibi. Half. I can see where you rise that this is a grief. Here is the opinion of this court that Benjamin James Tabor met death as a result of bullet wounds inflicted by person or persons unknown. This coroner's jury is convinced that the material suspect, or any EV Webster, will be released on the suspicion of murder charges previously made. Testimony of the witness is a conviction. You are free now. You are angry. I have caught you so much trouble. You are a murderer. You murdered before I, the pilot. Senorita, we are partners now. Let us not talk of such sense. Let us rather make plans to settle up our little account. Yeah, I was just thinking about that. Oh, we're going to get along fine, you and I. Signed. Rico played his cards pretty well. But there were some things he hadn't planned on. I'd kill, then he'd kill. The way I looked at it, it was my turn again. The light is bringing you Lucille Ball and Desi Arnais in early to death. The production and radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Suspends. It's important is the electricity to the running of your car. Well, that's you. When I step on the starter, I use electricity. When I radio, I use my lights, electric windshield wipers, and heater. When I light a cigarette, I don't know, I guess electricity is as important as gasoline. Right, you are half. And all the electricity used is produced and stored right under the hood of your car. An auto light designs and builds complete electrical systems used as original factory equipment on many of our finest cars. We need auto light makes the starting motor, distributed generator, and all the other electric units. That's it, half. In an auto light equipped car, all the electrical units and all their thousands of component parts are related by auto light engineering, design, and manufacturing skills to give the smoothest performance money can buy. It's winning team. Right, half. That's why it's just good business to treat your car's electrical system to a check-up now and then. By your nearest authorized auto light service station, as a dealer who sells your make of cars. In either case, or at the garage you'll return shop where you see the auto light original factory parts signs, you can be sure of getting auto light original factory parts. Auto light, auto light. Garnes and Lucille Bell. In Elliot Lewis' production of Early to Death. A well calculated to keep you in suspense. Rico made me give him all my money. He bought himself some shoes, shaving equipment, tobacco, a couple of sets of dungarees, and some shirts. I thought that maybe when he got cleaned up he wouldn't look half bad. But all it did was make the meanness in him a lot easier to see. You keep staring at me. Why? Because I'm going to keep my eye on you night and day, Buster. I don't know how you ever got the feeling that I couldn't be trusted. Didn't I get you out of jail? Yeah, but something tells me I've been a lot safer left in. Well, when you have that money in your hand, you will feel much better. You and your friend Ben bought a boat. How did you know we had a boat? Because I have seen it. You have kept it in the harbor of Biloxi, Mississippi. It has the name Intrigue. Very funny, huh? Yeah, with a scream. We took the train down to Biloxi, and in two days he had the Intrigue ready to move. The boat was a 40-foot auxiliary slope, and I knew nothing about it. But as usual, Rico knew everything. He pulled out the beer cruise. And then I knew what I had to do. When we hit port, I was going to take off and feed him to that money. I knew I could get to it before he could. And then I'd go right through the other side of the mountains, and he'd never find me again. It was night when we pulled in the beer cruise. We tied up, and he decided we'd bunk in until morning. I waited until I thought he was asleep. Then I walked quietly over to him. And hit him with a piece of 2x4. He never moved. Four hours later, I hired a car and drove to Akiyuki. It was early morning when I got to the only hotel, a small beat-up plaster building. When I asked for a room, I got a shock. Say, senorita Webster, we have been expecting you. A room is ready. Expecting me? You were expecting me? Say, senorita, come this way, please. He moved down the corridor, and I followed. We reached the door, and he swung it open, bowed and walked away. I couldn't believe it, but I knew what I was going to find even before I saw it. Do you like the room? Rico, I... You're gonna know what to say, huh? No. Well, I do. Rico! Then next time you try something like that, I'll take care of you quick. You might have killed me. It could all have been so easy, but you had to make it hard. You're gonna take all the money. That's what you want. You're a bad judge of character. You think I am the kind of man who might kill you once you show me exactly where the payroll is buried. Did you ever think I might kill you for not showing me? I made up my mind right then. I was gonna kill Rico long before he saw that money. Later that day, while he was out arranging for horses, I went looking for a weapon of some kind. I'm sorry, senorita. Nowhere in Akayuko is there a small gun such as you described. Perhaps you try better cruises. I haven't got time. I want it now, and I'll pay anything. But what good is money when there is no gun? Don't you have a black market here or something? For what you want, a gun? For protection. That's all? Un momento, senorita. Here. Here is the greatest we will protect in the whole world. Eight inches long, sharp as a razor. I don't know anything about a knife. What is there to know? Just... And the throat is cut? That is if you want to cut a throat. I strapped the knife to my leg under my Levi's. We went to the hotel to wait for Rico. He came back late in the afternoon with horses and supplies. A group of peyons watched us go. And I knew they thought we were both crazy heading into those hot brown hills. We went about 12 miles the first day and made camp. I was so nervous I couldn't eat or sleep. I was afraid to take my eyes off Rico. We made a fire and put our bed rolls on opposite sides, and I lay there half the night watching the flames slowly die out. Rico's eyes were shut. He was breathing regularly. I took the knife out and walked over to him. His head was back, his throat was completely uncovered. I started the knife downward. That is fire enough with the knife. Let go of me. Isn't one murder enough? Drop it. All right, you'll break my wrist. Why do you keep doing this things all the time? I have told you where a nice guy I am, and you do not believe me. I have to sleep with one eye open. You... Now, now. No tears. You are only doing what you think is best. But Gully, I better be careful of you, eh? He was laughing at me and there was nothing I could do. For the next three days and nights I didn't sleep a minute. We rode deeper and deeper into the hills. I never felt so alone and helpless in my life. I didn't speak to him and he didn't speak to me. He just kept on hour after hour. Finally, we began to get near the ridge where Ben and I had buried the payroll. I was trembling with excitement. But Rico was too calm. Whoa, whoa, whoa there. Where are you going? Huh? Uh, whatever you go, senorita. Show me the place you were standing when Ben and I parachuted out of the plane. Why, um, it was over there, on the ridge. What ridge? That one. Eh, there. You didn't see us that day. You've never been in this country before. Oh, no. Why do you say this? Because that's where we been. We're on the ridge, senorita. Lead me to it. Pronto. Pronto. And me again, it was a trick. The whole thing and Ben and I had fallen for it. He pulled out the gun and I rode in front of him, bleeding into the spot. When we got there, he made me go to work, digging. The case was there. The money was damp but good. Rico took a bundle of bills in his hand and looked at them long and thoughtfully. And he turned towards me with a gun in his hand. Now. Rico, please. You know what I'm going to do? Rico, you can have all the money, but don't shoot me. Please, Rico. Shoot you, Iggy. Again, you have misjudged me. I am breaking up in the garden. I am throwing away the bullets. And I'm throwing the gun away in another direction. Rico. Rico, I should have believed you. I said all I wanted was half. And that's all I'm going to take. Now, don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. It was like being born again. I tasted food for the first time in days. I even talked to Rico like I talked to any human being. We put the money in the saddlebags and started through the mountains toward Mexico City. Rico said people might recognize the serial numbers on the bills and we had to be careful how we unloaded it. We sold the horses in the first village and took a plane in the Mexico City. I stayed at the hotel. Our Rico went out to do the bargaining. He said it would take two or three days. We bought some new clothes and first night we went dinner dancing. And I suddenly got an idea. You're looking at me in a different way, Evie. That's true, Rico. I know you now. But you're really like it. The more I know you, the better I like it. Ben Tabor liked you too. But poor Ben is dead. Why the last? I'm not for you, Evie. How do you know? You haven't really seen my best side yet. I am just a war brat. Sold your fortunes. So who am I? Do you think I came out of a girl's school yesterday? No. But we're from different worlds. Rico, see if this brings the world any closer. Wow. You like me, don't you? Yes. The kiss was nice. I have a feeling about this thing. That feeling? That you're only trying to get my half of the money back. Here in Mexico City, in Anacayuca, they had them all sizes and shapes depending on the kind of a victim you had in mind. I paid the top price. We kept the money in the hotel room. And the second day, Rico, while he was out making deals, I made my plan. I was going to kill him when he came back and slip out of the hotel at night. I'd be in Europe before anybody found out who I really was. I started waiting for him. I see you have been waiting, Evie. Yes, I thought we might talk. I have something to tell you. Something that will affect your whole life. I'll bet you will. Well, the deal's off. See? Evie. All the weeks and hours that you kept me on the end of a gun. Now it's your turn. Evie. Evie. How does it feel, Rico? Think of me spending all that money. Evie, get me a doctor. Get your own doctor. Evie, you're a very stupid woman. I was almost a very stupid woman because I was going to kill you. Now I'm just going to leave you here with a bullet in your shoulder. And after I'm gone, you won't say a word because you're in no position to. I know all about you. You won't even get out of this hotel. You see, even now, you're being watched. What are you talking about? You don't know all about me, Evie. I am a Mexican police officer. As it turned out, he was. He had killed Ben Tabor in self-defense and that's why the American police had let me go. He had led me right to Mexico City where he had jurisdiction. And he wasn't unloading the money on the black market. He was verifying serial numbers. I should have killed him then, but I didn't. Rico was right. I didn't murder with a knife. Ours Lucille Ball and Essie Arnaz. Friends, this is Harlow Wilcox again to remind you that AutoLite, world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment, makes over 400 fine products in 28 plants from coast to coast. These include generators, starting motors, distributors, ignition coils, and all the other units that make up the complete AutoLite electrical system used as original factory equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars, trucks, and tractors. AutoLite makes a complete line of batteries for automotive use and a complete line of ignition-engineered AutoLite spark plugs, all backed by the constant AutoLite research and precision built to the exacting standards of AutoLite engineers. So remember, you're always right with AutoLite. This week on Suspense, our star will be Mr. James Stewart in The Rescue. And in weeks to come, you will hear such famous stars as Anne Baxter, Rosalind Russell, and Charles Boyer. All on! Produced and directed by Elliott Lewis, with music composed by Lucian Morrowek and conducted by Lud Bluskin. Early to death was written for suspense by E. Jack Newman and John Michael Hayes. Tonight's cast include a Jack Krushen, Anthony Barrett, Tom Holland, and Joseph Kerns. Desi Arnaz may be heard on his own program, on your tropical trip on this same network. And remember, next week on Suspense, Mr. James Stewart, as a man who tries to save a girl's life, The Rescue. AutoLite resistor type or standard type spark plugs, AutoLite staple batteries at your neighborhood AutoLite dealers. Switch to AutoLite. Good night. Preparedness is the best protection. Your federal civil defense administration urges you to obtain the official instructions and learn them thoroughly. Remember, air raid safety, like traffic safety, depends on knowing and following the rules. This is CBS, The Columbia Broadcasting System.