 Wait a minute. Have you heard the strange tales of the Whistler? The Whistler. I refuse to accept the responsibility of the failure of our marriage. I know who caused it, and I know who she is. I refuse to give you up to her. So, I have made a decision. Another Sunday night and again CBS presents the Whistler. The Whistler knows many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, many secrets hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. And so, I tell you tonight the unusual story of the other woman. Olivia Martin paces the floor of her bedroom. She's been pacing for hours, and it is now long past midnight. Her husband, Fred Martin, did not come home to dinner. He was detained at his office on business. So he said. But Olivia knows that it isn't his advertising business that detains him. And she knows too that tonight will be the climax and the final crash of their marriage. The end of everything for Olivia. She knows what Fred is going to say tonight. For months she has been fearful of this moment, and now it has come. You awake? Yes. Come in. I thought you might be asleep. How could I sleep? You know better than that. It's one o'clock, isn't it? Yes, Fred. I didn't realize it was that late. You don't usually bother to see if I'm awake. Don't I? For the past two months you've passed right on to your own room. Yes. Yes, I guess I have. Get your business settled? Yes. Yes, I have quite a bit to attend to. Have a dinner at the club? Oh, yes, at the club. Then why didn't you answer my call? I had you paged. They said you hadn't been there this evening. Perhaps I hadn't arrived yet. Really? What did you want? I don't know. I don't remember now what I called you for. I see. Well, I think I'll turn in. Good night, Olivia. Why don't you say it? Say what? What you came here to say. What makes you think I had anything particular to say? I know. I don't know how, but I've known all evening you were planning to tell me something when you got here. Oh, that's nonsense. No, Fred. I've known for months this was coming. I know what sort of business detained you. Another woman. What? First I believed you. As the weeks passed and I realized you were going colder, the whole thing became clear to me. And I knew you were evading me. That you were lying about those business appointments at night. Go on. We've been married ten years, Fred. I've done everything humanly possible to make our marriage a success. Have you? I think I have. At least I've tried. That's your opinion, Olivia. Why didn't you come right out and tell me about this woman at the very beginning? Why should I? Oh, Fred, I'm sick all over. I've tried not to believe it. Now let's not have a scene, Olivia. Would you expect me to do laugh at all? No, not you, Olivia. Certainly not you. I suppose you'll say it's all my fault. I'm to blame for everything. Well, isn't that what you're trying to say? I haven't said anything. Then why don't you say something? Why do you beat about the bush? You came here to say something? Say it. Very well, since you put it that way, I will. I'm going out of town tomorrow on business. I'm sending my things to the club. When I return, I intend to live there. Fred! Wait a minute, Olivia. I haven't finished yet. I want you to get a divorce on any ground you please. Desertion or whatever you wish. Divorce? Do you mean that? I do. Very well. If that's the way you want it, there's nothing else I can do. No, Olivia. Nothing. Good night. So Olivia solves herself to sleep. When morning comes, she finds Fred gone and his things already sent to the club. All day she wanders aimlessly about the house like a lost soul. Then as night falls and her loneliness increases she is seized with a horrible feeling of hopelessness. A strange depression comes over her and she sits down at the desk and writes a note. Fred, the very thought of losing you, the thought of divorce, the thought of giving you up for another woman is more than I can bear. The shame, the disgrace, the scandal of it all would, I know, drive me insane. Regardless of what you may think, I refuse to accept the responsibility of the failure of our marriage. I know who caused it and I know who she is. You'd never be happy with a woman of her type. You'd be throwing your life away. I refuse to give you up to her. And so I have made a decision. Goodbye, Fred. Olivia. Olivia addresses the note to Fred at his club, steps out and drops it in the nearest mailbox. She wanders about for a while then returns to the empty house, takes some sleeping tablets and goes to Ben. Then the next morning at Fred's office, Doris, Fred's private secretary, is going over some papers. Yes? Very well. Put him on. Hello? Yes, Mr. Goldberg. This is Doris Hammond. Mr. Martin's out of town for a few days. Yes. Well, Miss Bartow is head of the art department. I'll have her check on it right away. Yes. Yes, goodbye. Tell Rita Bartow to come in here, please. Miss Bartow isn't coming in today. She's staying home. It has a bad cold. I see. Well, we'll send Jack Mallory in then. Yes, Miss Hammond. Do you want to see me, Miss Hammond? Oh, yes, Jack. I understand Rita's ill isn't coming in today. No, I guess not. Well, Mr. Goldberg over at Lake Laboratories wants to know which ad she intended to run next week. Only Rita knows about that. Perhaps we'd better send them over to Rita's apartment and have her select the one she wants to use. Very well. Who shall I send? Well, I don't know of anyone who would rather go on that errand than you, Jack. Well, I'll go if you insist. I don't think I have to insist, especially where Rita's concerned. All right. I'll run over there. I thought you would. Thanks to her. See you later. Rita, this is Doris Hammond. Yes, Doris. How do you feel? All fair. Good. Mr. Goldberg wants to know which ad you selected for next week. I'm sending Jack Mallory over with the layout. He should be there in a short while. Very well. How I've forgotten which it was. And send Jack back as soon as possible. He'll hang around all day if you don't. All right. Well, don't worry. Goodbye. Bye. How do you feel? Oh, all right. Just didn't feel like coming to the office today. I thought you had a bad cold. No, not too bad. I'll be all right tomorrow. Mr. Goldberg wants you to select the layout for next week. Here they are. Which do you want? Well, I'd planned on this one. But I think you should make this section in red. Oh, I see. That's easy. I'll fix it up in a jiffy. It stands out better this way. We'll use this one for the week following. OK. You look mighty lovely, Rita. Thanks. Where were you going all dressed up? Well, I've got to go out of town this afternoon on that, uh, Henderson deal. I wanted to put it off until next week, but Mr. Martin insisted that I get it settled as soon as possible. I'll be back on the afternoon plane tomorrow. You shouldn't be running around too much, darling. Well, I don't really have a cold. It's that sinus. You've had a lot of trouble with that in the past year or so. Yes. There's nothing much can be done about it, I guess. Thank heavens it only strikes me in winter. Why don't you try a change of climate, Rita? Change of climate? I should think you'd like California. I've always wanted to go there. I've had an idea that I could do very well. Some nice jobs in the movie art departments. I'm not interested in movies. I thought about going out there and settling down. Buying a nice little home and really enjoying life. Why should a bachelor do all that? You have ideas about getting married, Jack? Yes. Yes, I have, Rita. Good. I'm glad to hear it. What time's your plane leave? At two. How about a little lunch while you're waiting? Something warm? Very well. Leave your bag here. We'll pick it up later. All right. I've got something important to talk to you about, Rita. Important? Yeah. I got a nice raise this week. That's fine, Jack. I want to ask you a question about you and me. Yes. Go ahead. No, no, not now. Come on, we'll talk about it during lunch. Olivia Martin having made a decision and formulated a plan visits her husband's office and calls on Doris, the secretary. Good afternoon, Ms. Hammond. Oh, how do you do, Mrs. Martin? I was just going out to lunch. Would you join me? I'm sorry, Ms. Hammond. I'm afraid I haven't time. I'd rather hurry. I have a number of things to do this afternoon. Can I help you? I suppose you're quite busy yourself. My work is always double when Fred leaves, Tom. Fred? Yes, Mr. Martin. Oh, my husband. I suppose it does seem strange for an employee to call him Fred. But for some reason I've gotten into the habit and can't seem to break it. He doesn't seem to mind, however. That's true. I can imagine he wouldn't after all you're like, well, like one of the family, aren't you, Ms. Hammond? Yes, I've been here for two years. You've been Fred's private secretary for how long now? Almost a year. It doesn't seem that long. Pleasant work, isn't it? Most interesting. You've no idea how absorbing this business can be, Mrs. Martin. But I realize it must have a certain amount of extremely interesting moments. You should come around more often, Mrs. Martin. How right you are. Things might have been different. Different? Yes. I mean, if I had taken an active interest in the business... Well, at times it gets rather dull waiting at home. Especially on long evenings when your husband has to stay in town on business. Oh, I suppose it is rather dull under those conditions. Yes. But I mustn't take up your time with personal problems. I want you to have a check drawn for me for $500. Very well. I'll attend to it at once. Have you heard from Fred, has he left? No, we're having... He phoned me this morning. He did? Yes. He left an important paper at home and he knew I was flying to Detroit tonight to visit my relatives. So he wants me to drop it off on the buffalo. Buffalo? I thought he was in Boston. Yes, he was. But he had to rush over to Buffalo. Some unexpected business came up and he says he needs you very badly. He wants me to come to Buffalo? Yes. I told him I'd notify you and bring you with me. I'll be leaving the airport about 5.30. Can you meet me there or shall I pick you up here? Well, I'll meet you at the airport. I'll have to run home for a few minutes. Is there anything in particular he wants me to bring? No. Nothing with the paper he left at home. Very well, I'll be at the airport around 5. Do you mind flying, Miss Hammond? No, not at all. That's good. My plane is a small cabin job. Might be a little bumpy, but I'm rather a good pilot. I'll see you at 5. Shortly after noon, rain begins to fall. Round 2, the storm becomes heavier. Then Jack returns. Jack, Mallory, where on earth have you been? Do you know what time it is? Yes, I'm sorry. I got to talking and didn't realize the hour. Well, what about the layout? Did we just select one? Yeah, this one. She made a couple of changes in it. So? What change? Oh, nothing important. Just one of this section is set up in red. It stands out better. Yes, so it does. Well, I'd better put it through right away. I'm sorry to have been so late with it. I'm glad you got back with it before I left. Left? Well, where were you going? Mr. Markingfond, he wants me to join him in Buffalo. Something important has come up. Buffalo? Mm-hmm. I thought he was in Boston. He had to run over there in a hurry. Buffalo, huh? Hmm. Strange. What's strange? Huh? Oh, oh, well, I mean his being in Buffalo. What's strange about it? Oh, I don't know. I suppose he could be in Buffalo. Well, what's the matter with you, Jack? All right. Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. You're mean over here. What? Why? A little closer. What? Hmm. What's the matter? Well, of all things. Now I've seen everything. You've actually had a drink. You have all people. Well, I don't approve of it as a rule, but I walked back from Rita's place. I got my feet a little wet in the rain, felt kind of chilly. I was afraid I was catching cold, so I dropped in at a bar on the way back and had a drink. Oh, I hope you don't get sick. Can't afford to have you and Rita both out. No. No, that's right. A lot of work to be done this week. Here, take all that top coat. It's, it's damp. Let me have it. Now hang it over the radiator. Well. What's wrong? Oh, on earth did you do this? You spilled ink on the front of your coat. Yeah. Well, what do you know? Fine thing. I just got it yesterday. I must have done that over at Rita's when I, I blocked that section in red. Don't forget it out as soon as possible. Hand me a towel from that closet and dampen it. Oh, don't bother, Doris. I'll have it cleaned tomorrow. Get some of it out now. Thanks. Come on. Isn't it hard to get off? It's probably dried in by now. The cleaner can get it out. Strangest ink I ever saw. Doesn't seem to be ink. More like blood, if you ask me. Blood. Let me see. This is strange. Let me see that layout. It does seem a little darker than this on the card. Maybe the cloth has something to do with it. Perhaps. Better let the cleaners worry about it. What time are you leaving, Doris? In a few minutes. I'm flying from the airport around five. Well, good luck, Doris. See you in a few days. Thanks, Jack. Take care of yourself. And lay off the liquor. That's bad stuff to get started on. Are you kidding? What do you think? For a few brief moments, Doris stands staring after Jack as he passes through the door to the outer office. Then she picks up the towel, studies it for a moment. Suddenly she tosses it into the desk drawer, leaves the office and goes home. Then around five Doris meets Olivia at the airport. Mrs. Martin, do you think we should try it tonight? You mean you'd rather not go? Are you frightened? Oh, no. No. I'm not exactly frightened. The storm's passed. What's wrong? I don't really know. Nothing, I guess. Well, nothing to worry about? I've flown this plane in all kinds of weather. Yes, of course. Well, we're all set. Let's climb in. I wish I could have talked to Fred. The slightest idea what this is all about. You know what it's all about. In no time at all. What? We'll get there in a couple of hours, don't worry. How far have we come now? Oh, I don't know. About 75 miles, I should say. Where are we? I can't see a thing. We're not far from Monticello. How can you tell? Can you see that down there? No, not too well. I'm flying by instruments. I hope we don't run into a storm. Frankly, I don't like to be in a plane during a storm. Well, I don't know of anyone who really does. We could have taken a train. We could have. But on this particular trip, I was in somewhat of a hurry to get to my destination. Tell me, Doris, may I call you Doris? Of course. Aren't you just a bit upset over this trip? What do you mean? Just that. Do I seem upset? Yes, you do. Something praying on your mind? Yes. Yes, there is something bothering me. So? What is it? I'd rather not say. A guilty conscience? Guilty conscience. Isn't that what it is? What are you talking about? Are you looking forward to a nice visit in Buffalo? I don't know. I don't consider it a visit. It's part of my job. And a very pleasant job, too. I'm sure you'll miss the job that is attendant interests. Working late at night, several nights a week with Fred. What do you mean by that? Why should I lose my job? Your job isn't all you're going to lose. Do you know what you're saying? Yes. And you know what I'm talking about. You're crazy. Fred isn't in Buffalo. Where is he? I don't know. But wherever he is, you'll never see him again, you little chief. Put this plane down and let me out. You're a man. I'm going to put it down straight down and it's no. What? Fred won't think you're so affected the next time he sees you. No. No, you're out of your mind. You can't do this. You can't. You can't. Put that key back in the switch. I won't. By some strange quirk of fate, Olivia is foiled in her plan of suicide and murder. A farmer rushes to the crash, finds Olivia thrown clear and still alive. Now an hour later in the farmhouse. What? Why? Who are you? I'm Doc Sanders. Doctor? Where am I? You're on Jake Barrett's farm. Found you right after the crash. Breathe me, you're mighty lucky. Lucky? What do you mean? You were thrown clear when you hit the tree tops. Got off with a few scratches and a couple of rattling good bumps, but not a busted bone any place. Well, what happened to my passenger? Well, I'm... I'm sorry to say she... she's dead. Dead? She's dead. Yeah, she wasn't as lucky as you. I... I'm lucky, am I? Don't you think so? No. No, I don't. I'm not lucky. That isn't the way. Oh, no, no, take it easy. I know how you feel, but you couldn't help it, ma'am. These things just happen sometimes. No. No, they don't just... What were you going to say, ma'am? Nothing. I... I wasn't going to say anything. Oh. Well, they located your husband, ma'am. Jake's driving you back to New York tonight. Now you'll be all right. Now you are on the spot. Your vicious plan was only partly successful. Now you've got to face Fred, and how are you going to explain the situation? How are you going to explain Doris' presence in your plane? Fred arrives in town, spends a few hours at his club. Then in the morning, he visits Olivia. Hello, Olivia. Oh, Fred, it was terrible. Yes, I know. I'm very sorry, Olivia. I don't know what happened, but the motor cut off. I couldn't find a clear spot any place. I thought I saw a clearing, but it was more trees. And with no motor, I couldn't pull up. You were very fortunate. Yes, I suppose so. Where were you going? Why, well, after you left, I got to thinking things over, and I just couldn't remain another night in this house alone. So I decided to go to my sister's in Detroit for a while. Why did you fly? I don't know. I was flying away as fast as possible. Wasn't it a rather bad night for flying? No, I've flown in worse weather. The storm had cleared. I see. I was never so shocked in my life. Oh, Fred, I'm so sorry. I'm terribly sorry. No, no, no, no. You couldn't help it. It was just one of those things. I know how you feel. Doris was a... Well, she was a lovely girl. Shame. She had everything to live for. I know how you must feel, Fred. Yes, I'll certainly miss her. Can you ever forgive me, Fred? Of course, Olivia. I never want to fly a plane again, never. Tell me, how did Doris happen to be with you? Where was she going? Well, she said she wanted to visit some friend in Buffalo. Ask me if I'd drop her off there. How did she know you were flying that way? Well, you see, I... I went to your office and told her I was going to Detroit and asked her to draw some money for me. Told I'd be glad to put her down in Buffalo. That's all. I can't imagine why she'd leave the office in the middle of the week to visit friends out of town. That wasn't like Doris. Maybe she had some business to attend to on the side. Maybe. I can't imagine what it might be. Maybe. Maybe it was personal business. Possibly. Are you telling me the truth? Why? What do you mean? Have you told me the real reason you wanted to leave town? Well, certainly. Weren't you... well, running from something? What would I be running from? You were carrying out a plan, weren't you? Plan? What plan? Didn't you have a definite idea in mind when you wrote that note to me? Note. Note. It seems you've forgotten the note. Why don't you tell me the truth, Olivia? Yes. I did make up my mind, too, to do something terrible. I was going to kill her and myself. I couldn't stand it any longer. But after I mailed it to you, I seemed to come to my senses. I saw things clearly, and realized how awful such a thing would be. I just couldn't go through with it. So you decided to forget the idea and go on to Detroit? Yes. I swear I changed my mind about killing her. I couldn't be a murderer. You really expect me to believe that? I know what you think, the note, and everything that's happened. That note is certainly definite evidence against you. Note. Yes. Oh, Fred, I swear I didn't. That's easy to say, but the note is too convincing. Where is the note? You must destroy it. Don't tell anyone about it, please, Fred. What time was it when you visited my office? I don't know about noon, I think. And you mailed the note the night before? Yes. And you made up your mind to leave town? You went to the office, told Doris about it, and left at five. Yes, yes, that's right. And what did you do in the meantime? Oh, I can't remember. I'm so confused. I went shopping for a while. Are you sure? I don't know. I don't know, but I swear I changed my plan by the time morning came. You're going to have a hard time proving all that. It's the truth. Why shouldn't they believe the truth? The circumstances all tie in too well. We had separated the day before. I moved to the club. Several people knew about that. And in the note, you said you knew who the other woman was and stated clearly what you intended to do about it. I know, I know. Then how else can the police look at it? Police? What do they know about it? They've been putting two and two together. But the note? How do they know what's in the note? They were waiting for me when I got back from Boston. They had already found the note. They showed it to me. That's where you made your big mistake, Olivia. Fred, they really think I killed her? Murdered her? They do? What are they going to do? The detectives are here now. They want to talk with you. The detectives? Yes. I'll be calm. Very well. Come in, Captain Evans. Thank you. Olivia, this is Captain Evans. And this is Lieutenant Davis. How do you do? Good morning, Mrs. Martin. Did you gentlemen wish to see me? Yes. We'd like to ask you a few questions. Yes. Yes, of course. But I haven't done anything. I'm absolutely innocent. Yes, I know, Mrs. Martin. We don't want to upset you. Just answer a few questions. Very well. Is it true that your husband left you a few days ago with the idea that you were together divorced? Yes. He took up residence at his club? Yes. You believed that your husband was in love with another woman? I did. Did you know who that woman was? I... I did. Did you object to his leaving you, getting a divorce? Yes. Yes, I did. Well, after he left you, did you write this note to him? Yes. Yes, I wrote it, but I... You mailed it to his club? Yes. Next day, you got some money at his office about noon and exactly five o'clock you took off in your plane. Yes, but I... I'd changed my mind. I couldn't go through with it, and I didn't. I swear I didn't. Where were you, Mrs. Martin, between noon and five o'clock? I went about town. I... I did little shopping. I don't remember what else I did. Can you prove where you were during that period? No, I don't see how I could. No one was with you during that time. Did you frequent any establishment where you were known? No, no, I didn't. I... I saw no one. I knew. Are you sure, Olivia? I'm unpositive. What difference does it make where I was between noon and five o'clock? It makes a lot of difference because it was about that hour that Rita Bartow was stabbed to death in her apartment. Rita Bartow? The head of the art department? That's right. The weapon's not been found, and there were no clues to the identity of the murderer, excepting your note to your husband. But... but Rita Bartow? What have I to do with her? You said in your note here that you knew who the woman was. Rita Bartow was the other woman. What? Then... then what about... What about who? What were you going to say? Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything. Not one thing. Oh, yes, you were, Olivia. Yes, you were. You were going to say that you killed the wrong woman, poor, innocent Doris Hammond. Of course, we know you didn't kill Rita Bartow because Jack Mallory killed her when she turned him down and said she was going to marry Fred Martin. And Doris was the only one who knew about the bloodstains on Jack's coat. She was the only one who could have pinned it on Jack and cleared you, Olivia. But Doris is dead now, and you killed her. Killed the very one who could have saved you. What a shame. CBS has presented the Whistler. Next week, same time. Either Whistler will return to tell you another unusual tale. Good night. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.