 My name's Regan. I get ten a day and expenses from a detective bureau run by a guy named Anthony J. Lyon They call me the lion's eye Jack Webb is Jeff Regan Investigator as CBS offers you hard-boiled action and mystery and thrilling adventure in tonight's story of the lawyer and the lady The Cosmopolitan building is on 7th Street near Olive downtown LA International detective bureau is up on the third floor sweet 308 Right across from an elevator that hasn't been inspected since 29 when the guy who built the place took a vacation up at Folsom. I Always use the stairs Well, the plaster is bad, but the rents cheap and the lion says his office is just the kind of place that invites business He's got a leather chair there about the shape of a fallen biscuit. That's for him to relax on And right next to a desk with some blank checks and an ink well, there's a hard straight chair That's for the client The lion got mad when our last customer asked if the chair was wired Well when I walked in last Thursday night about six o'clock he was staring at that chair wishful thinking Regan Christmas is coming Well, that's news. It's the time of year when everybody's nice to everybody else somebody give you a calendar I got better than that. It's a check from who his name's claimer. He's a big lawyer We need one again. He's our new client. He wants to see you. What about he'll tell you you tell me I want you to be nice to me. It's a big man. His office is in the Park Central building Abercrombie Cramer and Schmidt a trio. It's an important legal firm in this city. Well, what's the job? I told you he'd give you all of it Look the last time I waited for a client to talk he died Look here the kind of dough he pays you could do jelly to work for him and not ask questions You never learned. This is a certified check came by special messenger. He's waiting for you now What else the message said he wanted all this done? Confidentially no police you understand you'd kidnap your own mother for cash You're not alive and then you'd starve to death charging yourself ransom I'm gonna be patient with you. Regan. This is another rotten deal these big legal outfits can't afford to be dishonest You've been making a living doing it Cramer's a legitimate practice. I checked. I'll show you I pay your salary and I take things as I see them Well, you need stronger glasses Well, I left him sitting there holding the check up to the light he had both arms above his head He reminded me of a two-armed slot machine. I Walked the four blocks over to the Park Central building and an elevator operator with a cardboard collar took me up to the seventh floor Abercrombie Cramer and Schmidt had a flock of stables in the back with a fire escape The names were hung out in silver and figured if they were ambulance chasers. They used a motorcycle escort. I Opened the door and stepped into a green carpet that needed mowing And I heard a noise at the deep end where the trout stream should have been She had hair the color of smoke the rest of her spiraled up the match But she looked unhappy like a termite in the granite quarry She glanced at her typewriter and then up at me the Remington one We've already ordered our Christmas cards get them in July. Now, maybe I'm not selling you should you're the type Kramer in he might be but he never sends cards doesn't believe in Christmas. I'll he sent my office a check Did he what office is that? I'm Regan International Detective Bureau stick to greeting cards Kramer sent for me. Oh He wants protection, huh? You tell me maybe it's something else. Well, let's find out in a minute. He's busy right now What's the matter with Abercrombie? He's dead Schmidt wishes. He was Palm Springs with a hangover real nice bunch. How long you work for him too long my jokes are newer Well, Benny's making a move. Maybe he'll hire you. I don't like funny men What do you do when you're not working? All depends on who I'm with thought maybe you were anti-social That's Kramer's I was ahead of her trying the door, but it was locked from the inside she fumbled around on the desk and finally brought out a key Kramer was sitting at his desk holding on to the front of his shoulder his face was white and he wasn't feeling too good Firescape he got through there and he called Dr. Sorenson. This wouldn't look good in the papers. No pulley That's a big order. That's a big hole in his shoulder Now it was too late to start looking around the fire escape and when Dr. Sorenson showed up He called a private ambulance and had Kramer taken to a private hospital The doc said he wouldn't be able to talk until morning. Well, they wanted it quiet. There was no sense getting homicide all excited And he went to the hospital with him and I hung around the office for a little while Everything was locked up tight the files his desk and the liquor cabinet So I figured it was time to give the lie on the nod. I doused the lights and went downstairs Outside the street was kind of vacant except for a steamroller with whiskers washing down the gutters It dodged around a big green car parked by the curb and then it swiveled hip to run my car Where a little guy in a trench coat was leaning in looking at my registration tag When I tapped him on the shoulder, he looked confused like he was trying to catch a cyclone on a paper bag You are looking for something. Oh, no, no, no just Looking yeah, that's right looking come on blow your nose a little cold That's all tell me about it before your throat gets sore. I told you just looking Car belongs to the finance company case you got extra keys. No, no, no, no, no problem Bar to buggy in my life. You can't drive. How'd you guess? Come on you. Let's pour it out. Sure. Sure. You the guy what guy Guy says there Regan I might be Don't want to make a mistake deal with you somebody wants to see you who guy Well, I don't know him. Yeah guy says please reads Emily post. That's right friend of mine Ways 285 pounds He's across street in the ice cream parlor last tool on the end Well, I'll tell you somebody else is carrying my books home today. Oh, we wouldn't care big man Gonna see him. Can't he walk says if you argue mention a named Kramer Now you're gonna see him. How can I miss he weighs 285 pounds? No, it didn't figure but sometimes you look and nothing figures Kramer had taken one in the shoulder and before he'd been able to talk the lights had gone out and he wound up in a hospital Well, somebody had an angle and maybe it was the guy across the street. I Found him sitting all alone About 300 pounds of beard in a plaid coat He was picking all the strawberries out of his ice cream Hey, you sent for me Vegan you got it have something Great banana split here four kinds of ice cream. I'm on a diet. Oh, I never worry about things like that That's a mistake. You only live once Know me you got a name Spec Jameson You know me now You got a grudge with Kramer. Yeah, the shot at him from the fire escape. I Did when half hour ago? Anybody see me. No, that's good How'd I do? He got it in the shoulder. He'll live up to that point. It could have been me Well, it's gonna make a good story for the police for anybody I'm clean as a whistle You sure you won't have something now. Look. I got a date fat. So let's span this out How about Kramer? Oh Yeah What'd you say he was hospital? Oh, yeah He hire you for protection Maybe Regan you got a lot to learn about life. No just about living You catch on quick to what? Now you take me for instance your complexion is not so good It'll improve besides I don't like trouble Regan. You'll have to get used to it It's just there's some things a man can't stand can't take lying down name three No, I just want you to understand and know what I'm doing. That's all And this is what I'm doing Back on your feet Yeah, they serve that ice cream and big dishes. Don't you boost? Take off the knuckles. Why are we in there's some more metal in my pocket. I don't need a Geiger counter I said you were smart Now get this It's a clean sweep You're staying out of it. Suppose I stick around and I'll unglue you I Left him sitting there with his ice cream Wouldn't have done any good to trade fists with him But there was something in the way he talked about Kramer and the shooting that made it a Sunday puzzle I found a phone booth and put in a call to the lion Regan where you been you see Kramer. What'd he say when I which one do you want first? What about Kramer? He was all shot up target practice some guy with a grudge if he plays like that Look, they'll want to see you no police remember what you're talking about another bum client Why do these things always happen to me because your palm is faster than your brain every case has it look This is a three-ring circus, and we haven't even got any peanuts Maybe I should have found out what he won. Oh, you say that now Who's got the grudge a sweet tooth calls himself speck James speck. Where's he fit it? He wouldn't stand still to show me his tea leaves. You talk to him. We met when people start asking questions We don't want to be stuck without any answers you get out and run down some dope on this man speck. What are you gonna do? Don't worry. I'll take her on my end. Yeah, most people do Well this job had more ups and downs than the Berlin airlift I Turned the phone book over to some drunk with a beer breath, and I walked over a couple of blocks to the morgue I mean the one where they keep dead newspapers. I got a friend who works in the file room of the LA Times After 15 years of it. He's got about as much adrenaline as an old magazine in the attic Oh, no, I never heard of a speck Jameson probably a nickname, isn't it? You know speck short for glasses Yeah, I caught the drift. Yeah, I thought I was gonna say spectacles. Didn't you? Hey, look, let's try this for size. Yeah big fat guy, but always hungry. Ah Mention any friend Kramer and he wasn't a friend Like Adams and last Thursday's paper. What do you do executed the same day and sing sing? Spec Jameson Release from Quentin day for yesterday. Let me see Don't says serve full ten-year sentence continuous on four counts somebody threw a book at him Yeah, maybe tell you in a minute try December 38 You take these yeah Look at the funny skirts short. Weren't they hey, here's one war impossible says Let's stick to the subject November 17th Jameson appeal denied read it Lot of stuff. He was in a rocket going Judge said unusual completeness of prosecutions case made retrial impossible Continuous sentence upheld. Who was the judge? Oh govern. He's dead. Oh, here's what you want special prosecutor Joseph W. Kramer Excuse me, Joseph W. Kramer was brilliant. Let us work for the forces of good in Los Angeles Yeah, mr. Regan. Yeah, this is Emmy mr. Kramer secretary. Are you always this hard to find? Depends on where you look mr. Kramer wants to see you. You talking now He's feeling much better. The doctor said it was just a flesh wound. What kind 38 All right, where's the hospital? It's a little place on Hawthorne. Mrs. Kramer will show you If you don't mind going by the Biltmore and picking her up. I haven't got my car use mr. Kramer's it's in the garage there She expecting me. I've phoned 15 minutes good. He wants to thank you for what you did What'd I do kept the police out of it? It's his show, but it may close. What do you mean? I ran into speck Jameson. Oh Now you still want the police out of it. I don't know mr. Kramer will tell you when he sees you Sound like you're changing jobs So I went over to the garage and I picked up his car and then I drove to the hotel entrance while I was arguing with a cab driver Mrs. Kramer walked out 45 little tired around the eyes She was wearing a white sheet double bed size under a mink coat that must have set somebody back $10,000 She didn't look like a wife that Kramer had I hope this isn't inconveniencing you. No, it's not. Are you sure my husband's all right? He's talking according to emmy emmy She's there with him. He's his secretary Funny isn't it? I'm his wife yet. She spends more time with him than I do That's business even now When he's been hurt, she's there first. She was there when it happened, of course. I guess I Never mind You're a detective aren't you? Yeah, that's right Mr. Kramer hired you to protect him from that Jameson. I never found out maybe I've been so worried about him At the trial Jameson said he'd kill him if it was the last thing he ever did You know, I always thought it was taking an awful Hey, take it easy lady You know the story emmy Young pretty I Have to spend my time at bridge parties Does it help No How long you've been married to him? Next month 18 years. I don't look the same way anymore. Neither does he you funny what life does to you, isn't it? I was his secretary once That's how I met him look how far to the hospital. It's only a few more blocks. You go straight hang on What do you know that drives a big green Nash no one well He knows us been following it since we left the hotel Is he still with us, yes, I can't understand a thing like this happening Why would anybody want to follow up? Maybe it's a friend of your husband's James. He tried once tonight. Maybe it'd be better to get you Come on get out get out The green Nash had been tailing me. I shook it on the last corner There are lots of them, but it might have been the same one that was parked by my car downtown earlier Oh, it made no sense, but I wasn't taking any chances only before I could get the door open the Nash came sliding around the other side of the block I shoved Mrs. Kramer into the floorboards and slid under the Lot of glass got broken fast by the time I could separate my teeth from the clutch pedal the car had gone I shook Mrs. Kramer, but she didn't shake. She was dead You're listening to the story of the lawyer and the lady tonight's adventure with Jeff Regan investigator Listen, this is good news good news for you if you're between the ages of 20 and 26 and a half married or single a high school graduate and while to fly for the United States Air Force Yes, the Air Force Aviation Cadet program is offering you the opportunity to become a pilot officer in the mightiest Air Force in history You can be one of the Air Force's men of renown and there's more offered than the pride You feel and being a member of America's flying team for after your 52 weeks of training You'll graduate as a second lieutenant in the Air Force with an income of more than 300 dollars per month Remember the Air Force offers you what it offered General Jimmy Doolittle General Carl Spatz and General Hoyt Vandenberg now at 42 the Air Force Chief of Staff Call at your local Army and Air Force recruiting station tomorrow apply to become an aviation cadet And now back to the story of the lawyer and the lady and Jeff Regan investigator It all made sense like a you bangie with a piccolo It started when the lion sent me over to see a lawyer named Kramer I got there just in time to meet Emmy his receptionist and find Kramer with a bullet in his shoulder The hospital took over and I left that's when I ran into speck Jameson an ex-con who Kramer put away some ten years ago He turned out to have a lot of stomach and a big hate for the lawyer And then I got a call from Emmy to pick up Mrs. Kramer I did and the shots began and she ended up a candidate for the city morgue Well, I called homicide and I sent out some boys to clean up I gave them what I knew and I moved on out to see Kramer The angels of Mercy Hospital turned out to be a private place off Hawthorne Two stories of cement set down in the middle of a clover field It figured that they only held a thermometer to patients that could make a big noise with a cash register Kramer showed in an upstairs room next to a fire escape It was climbing into an overcoat when he saw me he looked unhappy like a pointer with a broken tail Well Regan, I'm glad you came to see me. Tell me that later. What do you mean? How's the shoulder? Oh a little annoying, but it's all right now that figures why it was a neat shot Just enough to raise a little fever. What are you driving at? Give it a chance. It'll sink in. Come on. Let's get out of here Pick up my wife downtown. Yeah, good good. She worries a lot You know tell you what Regan. I'll send a check around in the morning for another hundred and all right make it a thousand What's that for insurance against guys like you never mind that Rick? Why didn't you tell the lion what you wanted in the first place? I didn't know I got another story Well, you're wrong. You knew speck Jameson was out. No reason. I should tell you that I'm rehearsing a witness. That's all what yeah now. Let's hear what you did to him Nothing not a thing. He can tell you that in 38. You got the book thrown at him was a public enemy so smog Regan a man in my position. Maybe that's it. Maybe you're the kind of shyster that builds a rap on convictions Grant you would help that's all you want so he hated you he made threats. What cooled him off $10,000 when after I discovered he meant business. I sent someone with the money Figured Jameson forget everything for cash men of his stripe always will you made a mistake? Everybody does sometimes. I guess Jameson is still using his gun But my shoulder will mend your wife won't What do you mean? She's dead No, I'm a side will tell you different. I Better go down to see them. Yeah, that bullet was meant for me. Like you said everybody makes mistakes Well, we climbed in the taxi and headed for headquarters Kramer looked confused Mumbled a few words about what a good cook is where I've been How he'd always tried to protect you from the stuff that he'd done to make a success He was the kind of guy that always figured it was better to make a deal and face facts now. He had to face a backfire Now there were a couple of newspaper photographers in front of the place Kramer shoulders dropped a couple of notches Then he headed for inside. I started in behind him, but an arm stopped me Regan come here. What are you doing out of bed? Shut up get back in the taxi. Look out that meter old bite I'm not paying the fare You know the cops are gonna love you for this they can hear your side of it later sure and you'll stand behind me Now Regan, I'll tell you how I figure this She gets killed was a mistake. Oh, that takes a big brain Kramer's got enemies said Emma enemy Didn't know why friggin to get Kramer That's the last chapter and we write the next one turn in said enemy and we'll pick us up a nice fat reward Homicide started with Jameson already. They're gonna be surprised. What do you mean? He didn't do it How do you know I look into things? That's how I know Well, all right big shot open it up. It goes this way 15 minutes after I talked to you I put a call into the cops saying what then I don't like my operator being threatened by ex-con What happens you tell me the police themselves take Jameson on a circulation He was locked up before Mrs. Kramer got far He's sitting in the Hollywood station house right now with a smile on his face talking. No Eatin ice cream Well, now it really made sense like a mermaid on a bicycle if Jameson didn't throw the lead I had to find out who did The taxi dropped me off downtown across in the park central building and I started up the elevator to Kramer's office It figured it'd be the time to get a look inside that locked desk When I opened the door marked Abercrombie Kramer and Schmidt the place was dark I moved into Kramer's office and started a little work on the desk Took me about 10 minutes to get inside Nothing showed in the first two drawers, but in the third I picked up a box of panatellas and I looked under it That's where I found a 38 with one bullet missing Well ballistics could do something about it So I crammed it in my overcoat pocket and I started outside That's when the door opened and the little guy with a runny nose walked in He was wearing a suit the color of an avocado and his face looked like a fried banana You from the cleaners Sit down we can we're gonna talk I'll take it standing We prefer you sitting It's your gun more natural that way You got a name buster they call me the dub the bird no cracks just a dub Peace mission it is rested All right, what is it this time? Where's Kramer China? You're an unlucky contestant if you don't like my answers try somebody else That's what I'm doing correct the mistakes like shooting the wrong guy like leaving a witness I had to get rid of my Nash on a kind of you you killed her now you're waiting for her husband Of course, I killed her but don't try to change a subject So you I'm talking about now well I don't like the spotlight they should have stuck to your nose in here Reagan it'll bleed let's start with yours I dove for him and the gun went off only it wasn't pointed at me Kramer was standing in the doorway pulling a trigger like a kid at a bubblegum machine Figured the floor was safer so I flattened out the dub tried the same only he hit the wastebasket Did I get him he looks as dead as he'll ever be a cheap murdering let me hold the gun. Yes Reagan there's a bottle in the cabinet there sure Now what are you gonna do now? I don't know Call the police I guess I thought you were with them I came down on their car to get some of my files on the old Jameson case. Yes You want to tell me? Oh, it's about as you know, it was a small-time grifter I gave myself a big name by prosecuting him built my business and the reputation that gave me you told the police why he hates you Oh, yes, I intend to stand trial for killing this man You're growing up Kramer was he anyway the dove no drivers life. Oh, yes here dog Reagan look at this. It's a lot of money. It's $10,000 Same amount of money. I sent to Jameson to stay away from me Looks like the chickens came home to roost doesn't it? Mm-hmm. Yeah, it does. Well Police are waiting. I better go and tell them about this go on coming. No, I'll meet you there Kramer. I got a late date. I gave the boys downstairs the high sign then I moved out of there fast I found Emmy's place just off Normandy It was a brand-new duplex with a gilded's driveway and stocks and bonds for awnings For a business girl. She really did all right. I Was a couple of hours overdue, but the girl with the smoky hair knew how to wait It was a candle burning in her window and two more in her eyes It took me a little time, but now you're here. Uh-huh Well, aren't you going to do something about it? Yeah Talk mr. Regan. What's the matter with you? I've been working hard. Oh, is that all now listen lady This is just too pat too neat the ends tied together like Siamese twins. I'm alone Yeah, but you don't want to be your boss just rubbed out a killer named Dove what it was self-defense I'm a witness and he'll be out of it inside a week Well, then what are we bothering about a guy named Jameson? Nobody will believe him Why should they because they didn't hire the dove who did you? Mr. Regan. All right. Maybe it was your boss. He primed me with a story about giving Jameson 10 G's Only whenever saw that dough was the dough. Well, that was his price for killing Mrs. Kramer You're out in the field mystery. I was working. You were keeping me outside till Kramer could throw a small bullet into his shoulder Why would he do that to point up that Jameson was still after him, but he was I figure different and homicide's gonna like my way I don't even know what you're talking about Well, this gun has a different version. Where'd you get it Kramer's bottom drawer The caliber is gonna fit the hole in your boss's shoulder Well, that's it You've got it all now Yeah You know You got a real nice hair Yeah That's San Quentin water is gonna ruin it Well, the whole thing came apart like a paper hat in a shower bath Seems it when Jameson got out of prison and threatened Kramer the lawyer and his secretary figured that it was a good time to get rid of the Wife, I suppose she interfered with their skiing or something Anyway, they hired the dove to do the job and and got rid of him just so he couldn't ever come to bat for the fall guy Jameson Yeah, they had a perfect frame fixed for him and I was picked to decorate the edges only it didn't work Everybody was positive about this one Kramer knew he was gonna win Amy knew she was in for a big cut and the lion knew he was gonna collect a fat fee Well, they should have all figured it. This is the year for upsets Jack Webb is featured as Jeff Regan with Herb Butterfield as Anthony J. Lyon It's CBS at the same time next week for more hard-boiled action and mystery with Jeff Regan Investigator written by Jackson Gillison D. Jack Newman Produced by Sterling Tracy featured in tonight's story were Carol Matthews Marvin Miller Luke Krugman Herb Bygren Mary Lansing and Larry Dodkin Original music for this program is by Milton Charles. This is Bob Stephenson speaking This is CBS the Columbia Broadcasting System