 the signal oil program yes the signal oil program the whistler that whistle is your signal for the signal oil program the whistler i am the whistler and i know many things for i walk by night i know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows yes i know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak yes friends it's time for the signal oil program the whistler rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other west coast program in radio history and signal gasoline is tops two tops in quality it takes extra quality you know to give you extra mileage and signal is the famous go farther gasoline so look for the signal circle sign in yellow and black that identifies independently operated signal stations from canada to mexico and now the whistler strange story deal with death for scott reyney it all began with a question one that had been on his mind all day and as he hurried home that evening each step seemed to fan the fires of jealousy that burned within him there are always questions on scott's mind but this particular one had nothing to do with his work as a reporter for one of san francisco's leading daily rather it involved his wife evelyn and another reporter scott's long time rival a man named matt cregan now scott was certain that the rivalry between them was no longer confined to the newspaper business his wife evelyn had been acting strangely for weeks as scott faced her in their small apartment he spoke quietly evelyn what is it there were you with cregan at the yellow prattle bar yesterday afternoon why no scott okay okay evelyn i guess it's all pretty boring i guess what is oh listening to guys crying up their domestic troubles to you over the bar all goes with bar tender and maybe he ain't got the trouble to thank she lied didn't she i saw her here with cregan sure but maybe she had a good reason they've been friends for a long time he thinks yeah but he did a lot for her when she was singing in clubs around town looked after her pretty well some of the spot she worked in was operated by guys that was plenty tough she's uh pretty attractive your wife yeah yeah well i wouldn't know about evelyn's past she didn't ask me about mine that's how we got married gus no questions asked fix me another drink yeah sure oh i uh almost forgot about an hour ago and it was a call for you any message fella didn't leave one said he'd call back later well i'm not sticking around much longer oh you're good oh wow it's about time my dogs are killing me look you're supposed to relieve me at eight or five sure sure gus only there was a roadblock a little excitement down in the waterfront the kind of excitement fire and one of them cheap hotels you didn't stop find out how it happens yeah i didn't want old gus here to overwork three times i've ever bothered you i think i'll get down have a look what do i owe you gus uh oh you already caught the last one always on the beat a reporter is only as good as his last hot story this one ought to be hot enough anyway a fire sorry you came the story doesn't really interest you does it's got just something to keep your mind off evelyn the jealousy you feel about her uh friendship with matt cregan the fire at the cheap waterfront hotel is all over when you get there only a few people around curiously looking on in the lobby you see someone you know lieutenant shore police detective his reaction to seeing you is somewhat startling ranny oh you were always good at figuring things lieutenant that's the name scott rainy how did this happen an explosion upstairs anybody hurt yeah the man in room five is dead oh what's his name well his name lieutenant the hotel register gives the dead man's name is rainy scott rainy and it also gives you a home address you stare at lieutenant shore then at the hotel register that he hands you your own name leaps up at you from the pages and you wonder what it's all about who wrote your name there and why tell you what i think scott that explosion up there was premature a booby trap that went off at dress rehearsal instead of the regular show i don't get it you'll mind have right in the neck you could have been the intended victim somebody figured on getting you up to that run but why that's the tough part the rest is easy there's enough evidence left to convince me it was a rigged up deal wires connected to the wall eater hey hey wait a second huh i got a call tonight got this bar some guy said he'd call back maybe never got the chance he may be the guy who was setting that trap when he went off in his face he was probably going to get you over here in a phony tip what was he after was he trying to kill me frame me what listen scott uh maybe this sounds crazy to you but i have an idea how about playing dead for a while playing dead it just keeping out of sight for a day or two give us a chance to dig deeper into this thing figure out what it's all about now but a couple of guys know i'm not dead gus now the two bartenders at the old proto oh we'll handle them all right the person who'll do the worrying is the one who planned this thing let's not give it away and till you think it off oh here they come stuck into this room i'll talk to the other reporters go on inside well hi boys what can i do for you anything big to this waterfront fire lieutenant i'm yelling into it not a homicide is it the voices of the lieutenant's questionnaires drift over the transom to you you recognize them all reporters carter benson legrand and then one voice cuts through the most familiar one of all it's the voice of matt cregan isn't it scott your old rival have you made any identification yet lieutenant maybe we have cregan but whether we have or not we aren't ready to release anything well what name was the guy registered and we're not revealing that either oh you know huh okay have it your way lieutenant i can wait not worried about being scooped by your old pal what do you mean scott rainy oh oh no i'm not worried or isn't he a pal funny he isn't around yeah yeah it is probably will be yeah maybe so lieutenant maybe so something in cregan's tone bothers you doesn't it scott he isn't worried at all you're sure of it and suddenly you've made up your mind about something else when the other reporters have gone you have an answer ready for the lieutenant i've decided to string along with you lieutenant i'll play dead for a while just tell me what to do you don't do anything scott just keep out of sight the body will remain unidentified we'll let whoever did this sweat a while he might get careless to make a mistake when we break the case the story is all yours okay lieutenant but the story is only part of what i'm after with the prologue of deal with death the signal oil company brings you another strange story by the whistler if like most car owners you'll be using tomorrow's holiday for a drive somewhere you'll also be seeing a lot of signal service stations so it occurred to me that you might like to know a little more about this friendly organization which brings you the whistler well first of all signal products have always been sold only through independently operated stations the reason signal oil company believes that a man who has his own business naturally has more incentive to serve you better and secondly because you want top quality products for your car each individual signal station is backed by an organization which serves the many hundreds of signal dealers throughout six western states with facilities to bring you every latest advance in petroleum science obviously drivers must like this combination of signals personalized service plus fine quality signal products when you consider how fast signal has grown into an organization serving the entire west coast from border to border to see for yourself one of the good reasons for this increasing popularity drop into a signal station tomorrow fill up your tank and discover how you go farther with signal well scott you've decided haven't you agreed to play dead for lieutenant shore to give him an opportunity to investigate the strange motive behind the explosion in the waterfront hotel in an attempt to kill you there's something intriguing about the whole idea isn't there keeping out of sight sitting back watching waiting for developers and you'll be especially interested in the reaction of two people matt cregan and your wife evelyn look scott i'm going back to headquarters and see how the boys are coming along with the dead man's prince you'd better duck out of sight okay there's an apartment on ellis street i made arrangements to hide you there here's the address and the key thank you i'll call you the minute i find out anything if we're lucky we'll have the dead man's prince on fire all right lieutenant i'm sort of anxious to know who he is it's important to you isn't it scott to know who the dead man is the man you're certain set the death trap for you and that waterfront hotel room but more important is matt cregan and on your way to the hideout you see him walking up the street ahead of you you follow cregan as he wanders around the waterfront district looking into one bar than another at one place the golden hawk bar he stays there for over an hour and then finally comes out and continues his round he's searching for someone isn't he scott finally matt returns to his flat on washington street you're more than a little annoyed to see the lights in his apartment go out and you know he's gone to bed a quarter of an hour later you enter a small apartment building on ellis street the address lieutenant shore gave you as you open the door scott why is that oh lieutenant square of you then i'll just scouting around that could be dangerous i told you to stay out of sight sure sure you ever hear a dino karelli the gambler sure i've heard of him don't know him now no should i well he's the guy we pulled out of that hotel fire the man who registered in that room under your name karelli lieutenant i thought karelli was still up at tanquinon got out a couple of months ago been floating around town since then taking up odd jobs here and there you think somebody hired him to set that trap up for me tonight could be wait a minute that doesn't figure karelli was a gambler a big gambler not a trigger man karelli was a big man once but when he got out of prison two months ago he was just another guy and nobody and without dull maybe he wanted to pick up a few bucks still doesn't make sense maybe this will we checked up on him found he once served a prison term backies for a bank job in his early days karellis was a expert with explosives a soup artist oh that does sort of make a difference yeah my hunch is of course i may be wrong but it's possible somebody hired karelli to kill you scott now do you see why it's important you keep out of sight sure whoever tried to have you killed will probably try it again when he finds out this attempt failed so if you are smart you'll stay in this apartment what's that oh never mind scott it's one of my boys out front i told him to pick me up okay lieutenant i'll let you know how we make up we're going to start hitting a few of karelli's hang out starting with a golden hawk the golden hawk yeah you know where it is yeah i know it's beginning to add up isn't it scott the golden hawk bar one of karelli's hangouts and that's where matt cregan went tonight looking for karelli you're sure he's involved in the attempt on your life aren't you scott you're certain cregan's in love with your wife but there's no proof of it yet and that's what you need proof before you can make your move to handle cregan in your own way you pick up the telephone and dial too dangerous for you to leave the apartment so you're going to need someone to help you the thought of help that the police informer like jerry harris can give you oh hello jerry this is scott reyney oh hi what's up don't let anybody know you've talked to me jerry that little job for you well uh this can wait till morning but that's all i don't think i'll be on parole aren't you jerry there are certain things guys on parole are not supposed to do jerry you get what i mean nothing that could hurt you just tell a guy matt cregan cregan to report it yeah let me know what he does where he goes who he sees that's all and keep your mouth shut okay keep in touch with me at this number laughy yet eight nine seven one you got it you lie awake most of that night don't you've got thinking about it all cregan the death trap and karelly again your thoughts turn to your wife evelyn and you wonder what part she had in the attempt on your life or if it was just cregan's idea as you stare out of the window and watch the first gray streaks of dawn sweep in over the sleeping city your thoughts go back to karelly's trial ten years ago wasn't it you lean back in the heavy chair close your eyes you remember the trial well matt cregan covering the case was the only reporter who believed karelly's story and he played it up big perhaps that's the reason why karelly was willing to return cregan's favor and set up your death trap yes that's what you're thinking about when somehow you go off it's almost noon when the phone wakens you it's jerry with a report on cregan at first quick and drop the rod of your newspaper then you hit a half a dozen restaurants spend a couple hours at the hall of justice then back to his paper then out to your house my house oh yeah uh okay then what from the trucks to on the corner all right stay with him checking up on you isn't he's got as long as the body of the morgue remains unidentified he doesn't know for certain if you're really dead then throughout the day there are more calls from jerry of scott one bar after another falling alleys restaurants bullhalls half a dozen times today he's been to the same apartment on bush street whoever he's calling on here don't ignore dino karelly that explains why quiggan's been trying that apartment on bush street all day that's where karelly lives well not officially to the law he's got to finish room on film war only what they don't know is that karelly has another place to hang his hat a little apartment on bush what's the address six seven one apartment three okay uh where are you now at the palm grill just a couple of blocks down the street from there but don't let him out of your sight out yeah uh nothing nothing at all jerry it hits you suddenly doesn't it's cut all jerry has is the phone number of your hideout yet he knows where it is he said he was calling from a restaurant only a few blocks away from you you wonder if jerry is planning to double cross you you've got to find out now it's dark out and you decide to chance it you leave the apartment hurry down the street and finally you're standing in a darkened storefront across the street from the cafe you've only a few minutes to wait and then you see kregan and jerry come out kregan is doing the talking you've made a mistake haven't you cut calling in jerry to help you a few minutes later you see kregan get into a cab and drive off jerry turns and walks away on a darkened side street you catch up to him that's the second jerry hey what oh it's got what were you and kregan join about back there oh well he's got he's got wise he told me to quit telling him or he sucked my ears down how did you know i was in that apartment on ellis oh that oh it's easy i i remember the phone number i was up to the apartment a couple of times doing a little job for lieutenant shore okay how did kregan tumble to you well i uh i guess i got too close to that their phone booth and he spotted me he was calling somebody yeah some damn kept calling him honey from what i have already figured out blowing time would hurt a night i heard him say he had two tickets for the 11 o'clock plane leave and tell him listen jerry meet me at karelli's apartment right away what do you want apartments usually have locks i can use your talent jerry opens karelli's apartment easily you search the place thoroughly but there isn't a single clue here to link kregan with karelli all you find is a 45 automatic you slip it into your pocket glance at your watch only two hours left before kregan catches his plane and you're pretty sure you know who the second ticket for there's nothing else to do is this got you've got to face him have it out before he gets away shortly before 9 30 you enter the apartment house where kregan lives the hand in your pocket tightens around the gun as you hurry up the stairs and you wonder what he'll say when he sees you he's in for a shock isn't he scott when he discovers you're still alive and then as you reach for the doorbell at his apartment something you hear stops your hand in midair a laugh a woman's laugh coming from the inside well well well scott rainy boy reporter hi yes our first come on in i've been looking for you what yeah why did you to be the first to know right now i'm the happiest guy in the world scott and i owe it all to you i knew that it would break your heart what are you talking about hey honey look who's here well hello scott you remember vicki grind don't you pal you should you would have used this couple of months back remember i uh twisted your arm oh yeah yeah i remember say you're just in time to have a going away drink rather going away sure vicki and i get married pal come on have a drink let's bury the hatchet tonight i love everybody even you saw it first don't mind him scott mad keep telling me you're the best reporter in town garsey and a look scott they show you my heart's in the right place i'm going to give you a tip you heard about that fire in the hotel in the waterfront fire yeah the police say they haven't identified the body but i know better how's that a few good contacts at the morgue the guy's name is korelli dino korelli huh my spies also tell me he's got a little hideout on bush street under another name might be a big story there pal it's all yours i'm too busy getting married where are you going hey wait a minute how about that drink as you have run down the stairs you realize you've been all wrong haven't you scott you were quick eager to jump to the conclusion that matt cregan had hired korelli to kill you certain matt wanted you out of the way so he could marry your wife evelyn but it hasn't turned out that way has it you had it all figured out and you were completely wrong as you reach the street you realize too that now you'll have to start all over that you're no nearer to the answer than you were last night back at the apartment never streets the handout finished you by the tenant show you paste the floor for hours trying to think it out struggling to find the motive behind the attempt on your life and then yeah showy again know who she is well but uh what is it uh yeah i'm still here got one more thing then i won't need any more jerry call up my home and tell my wife that korelli wants to see her at his place right away i don't give her the address yeah don't tell her who you are just give her the message and hang up okay but i don't get it now i guess you don't but i think avalan will so we'll return in just a moment with a strange ending to tonight's story cars are a convenience anytime but just as it takes a long holiday weekend like this to make you fully appreciate how much fun a car can be it also takes a top quality gasoline to make you fully aware of how much performance your car has in it that's why i'd like to suggest that before you get out on the highway tomorrow you fill up with signal gasoline you'll have some pleasant surprises in store for you but naturally you'll enjoy excellent mileage mileage that has made signal famous from canada to mexico is the go farther gasoline well in addition you'll discover other benefits from the extra efficiency today's signal gasoline coaxes from your motor benefits such as smarter pickup and smoother power yes mileage and performance do go hand in hand so for the tops in driving pleasure fill up with signal and go farther all along you were certain that matt cregan was involved in the attempt to kill you weren't you scott certain he had hired korelli to set up the death trap but you were wrong now he's out of at least one person ever yes you're sure it was your wife and korelli who plotted your death in that cheek waterfront hotel that it had been korelli all along hard to imagine your wife in love with a man like korelli but as your friend gustav bartender said she'd been strong with some pretty tough characters in her work as a nightclub singer before you'd know her one thing you're sure of when jerry phoned her to meet you at korelli he didn't give her korelli's address if she comes it means she's been there before as you sit in korelli's apartment waiting for her you stare at the gun on the table at your elbow and then at your watch it's been over an hour now since she received the message come in surprised baby you watch her as she stands in the doorway a puzzle look on her face and then suddenly something happens to you doesn't it scott a moment ago you were going to kill her but now your hands remain motionless in your lap you find you love her so much you can't reach for the gun on the table oh darling you had me worried sick where've you been i guess i should have told you before mrs reiney scott was working for me tell it how about i'd better come along scott right now mrs reiney i think you'd better explain something to him you mean korelli have a little what's this all about oh darling i didn't want you to know ever your wife got a phone call tonight scott she came right down to headquarters and told me the whole setup you don't know this scott but a long time ago your wife was korelli's girlfriend what yes you see i was just a kid i didn't know what he did how he made his money and when i found out i stopped seeing him but he kept hounding me and then i heard he went to prison when he got out a couple of months ago he started in again he wanted me to go away with him to leave you he threatened me said if i didn't the threat scott was murdered he told your wife he'd kill you if she didn't go away with him everyone you see now why i was so worried i didn't know what to do darling i went to matt cregan's for help that's when i met him at the al prado bar and he promised to do all he could well it's all over we know now that no one hired korelli to kill him the booby trap was his own idea guess you'd better forget about it but i still don't understand lieutenant that phone call i got tonight to come to korelli's who i think you can forget about that too mrs reyney was probably some crank's idea wouldn't you say so stuff uh yeah yeah lieutenant a crank some uh poor dope let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the whistler each sunday night at the same time brought to you by the signal oil company marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil and fine quality automotive accessories signal has asked me to remind you to get the most driving pleasure drive its sensible speeds be courteous and obey traffic regulations it may save a life possibly your own featured in tonight's story where frank loved joy and ted decorsia the whistler was produced and directed by george w allen with story by steve hampton music by wilbur hatch and was transmitted to our troops overseas by the armed forces radio service the whistler is entirely fictional and all characters portrayed on the whistler are also fictional any similarity of names or resemblance two persons living or dead is purely coincidental remember at this same time next sunday another strange tale by the whistler marvin miller speaking this is cbs for columbia broadcasting system