 And now, stay tuned for the program that has rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other West Coast program in radio history. The Signal of Whistler. Signal, the famous to sit back and enjoy another strange story by 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. And now transcribe for the Signal Oil Company the Whistler's strange story. The Man in the Trench Coat. It was clearly a mistake, a perfectly natural understandable mistake. It could have happened to anyone, and it happened to Wally Layton. But he wasn't yet aware of that mistake as he strove out of the North Beach restaurant. The trench coat draped over his arm and walked back to the parking lot. As he approached his car, Wally reached into the coat pocket for the keys. And a strange puzzled expression crossed his face as he withdrew an unsealed envelope and opened it. Money, Wally. Money. A lot of it folded neatly inside the envelope. And you wonder how it got there. Suddenly you're aware of footsteps behind you. Quickly you slip the envelope back into the coat pocket. And then as you're about to get into your car... Hey, you. Just a minute. You talking to me? Yeah, hand it over. Hand what over? My coat, the one you just picked up in the restaurant. This? Oh, I'm afraid you're mistaken. Hand it over, I said. Look, fella, this happens to be my coat. Why should I hand it over? Look, this is reason enough. Yes, I never argue with a gent when he's waving an automatic in my face. Okay, pal, here's the coat. Thanks. My mistake. Yeah. And just to make sure it doesn't happen again. The gun butt catches you on the side of the head and you fall back against the car, slip down to the pavement, and for a few seconds a black fog envelops you. Then as you shake it from your brain, stagger to your feet, you see the man with the gun drive away in a big gray sedan. Then you return to the restaurant. Thank you, sir. Come back again. Oh, Mr. Layton, you forget something? Yeah, Dino, it looks like I forgot my top coat. Your top coat? But you had it over your arm when you left a few minutes ago. It wasn't mine. There's mine still hanging where I left it. Oh, good boy. Look, Dino, I've done some things for you. Again? Yes, sir. Well, then tell me, a man just left here right after I did bought my build from a stash, wear the brown suit. It was his coat I took. What was he? No suit. Let me see now. That's a big sedan. Maybe he's a regular customer. Oh, sure, sure. That's a car there. Carter? Oh, sure, that's a chick Carter. He's, uh, he's in trouble. What? Oh, you're a private eye, ain't you? And when a private eye starts asking questions? Oh, no, no, nothing like that, Dino. I was just curious, that's all. The name chick Carter means something to you, doesn't it, Wally? Yes. He's a racketeer specializing in blackmail. And as you drive downtown, you wonder about the money in Carter's coat. Arriving at your office, you're surprised to find a light still burning inside. Well, hello, Edna. You still here? What are you typing? My resignation. Oh, now, honey. Get yourself another secretary. Oh, come on now. What are you so about now? We had a date tonight for dinner, remember? I know. It slipped your mind. Well, now look, Edna, baby, I was tied up to see a client. Honest, honest. Anything happen today while I was out? The landlord was in again, and your tailor. He's going to snatch your shoulder pads right out of your suit any minute now. Everything else? Yeah. How do you spell ish? Just what are you writing? A letter to my Aunt Hazel in Petaluma. How's the egg business? Just standing. I'm accepting her offer. What offer? Well, she's looking for a nice young couple to take over the ranch for her, and we are a nice young couple. I hate eggs. You turning me down? That's right. Do me a favor, will you? Get my engagement ring out of the pawn shop so I can throw it at you. Oh, now, Edna, baby. Look, were you kidding me about having a client? Nope. Who is it? Well, I don't know yet. What do you mean? Now, look, honey, look, I ran into something big tonight. Something that sounds promising. It might even be terrific. Uh-oh. Here we go again. You string along with me, baby, this one time. Haven't I always? Now, look, I got to get on this right away and see a guy. I'll call you sometime tomorrow. Not here you won't. You really serious about quitting? No. No, I'll be here all right, but the phone might not be. You see, the jingle people were here today. They want the phone or their money. You're quite anxious to follow up your hunch, aren't you, Wally? Yes. And five minutes later, you walk into a small bar, not far from the Hall of Justice. Walk straight back to the man at the piano. Hello, Prince. Hiya. Oh, don't let me interrupt you. I won't. I want some information. On credit? Yeah, sure. I can't hear you. These cufflinks to blind you've always liked. They're yours. Suddenly, I'm tuned in. You've heard of Chick Carter? Uh, yeah. I've heard. You know where he's staying? These cufflinks solid gold. Solid. He's staying at the Alba Hotel. Well, not much class. Wouldn't do for Carter to look too prosperous. The cops might want to start asking questions. What's his financial position at the moment? Lovely. Loaded? Yeah. And he ain't winning at poker. He's losing. Think he's in business again? I would say he has another pigeon. Yeah. A dame, maybe? A dame, usually. Thanks, Vince. You've been grand. Yeah. It sure is a nice tune, ain't it? The following morning, you pick up Carter's trail. Keep a close watch on him in the days that follow. Day after day, you keep after him. Finally, at the end of the second week, your patience is rewarded. In a crowded cafe, you see a woman brush past Carter's overcoat hanging on the rack. You see your slip and envelope into the coat pocket. Then hurry out. You've found the pigeon you've been looking for. Haven't you? Hello, Edna. Well, you certainly caught me at a most inopportune moment. I just took off my face. Hey, look, don't you know it's after midnight? I just dropped by to tell you the good news. Well, something to do with Carter? What else? Well, all I know is that you've been tagging him around for days, but you haven't told me why. I'll break it down to you quickly, honey. His business is blackmail, and tonight I saw a dame make a payoff. She slipped an envelope into his pocket. Who is she, do you know? It didn't take long to find out. She's Louise Murdoch. The Louise Murdoch? Franklin Murdoch's wife? Yeah, his former secretary. She married Murdoch six months after his first wife died in an accident. What does that mean? Well, the police were never too sold on the idea that it was an accident. I don't know if they are yet. So? So here's Louise the second Mrs. Murdoch paying off a blackmailer. Why? Well, there could be a lot of reasons. What I'm interested in is where you fit in. In a setup like this, there's always room for a smart guy to make a few bucks. And you're the smart guy? Right. Yeah, you'll see, baby. Oh, summertime, you naturally do more pleasure driving. But to make sure it'll be a pleasure, make sure your tank is filled with the gasoline that gets the best performance out of any car of any age. Fill up with Signal Ethel, the premium grade of Signal's famous go farther gasoline. Then step on the gas pedal and feel that invitation to go places. You won't mind even those steep hills because the Signal Ethel sweeps you smoothly over the top. You'll still be relaxing in high. You won't even mind city traffic because Signal Ethel's peppy pickup will keep you out front of it. Yes, this super powerful super fuel is fairly packed with pleasure. So why not get your full measure? It's so easy. Just drive into a signal station and fill her up with Signal Ethel. Then you'll know what Marvin Miller means by pleasure driving. You're certain you've stumbled onto something good, aren't you, Wally? A simple case of blackmail and you feel it may be well worth your while to follow it up. Next morning you decide to risk a personal call on Louise Murdock at the Murdock Townhouse on Pacific Heights where, posing as a newspaper reporter, you learn she's horseback riding in Golden Gate Park. The park offers a better chance for an uninterrupted chat in the house, doesn't it, Wally? Yes. So you drive out, park your car, seat yourself on one of the benches near the bridal path and wake presently a rider approaches, a woman you recognize as Mrs. Murdock. Oh, Mrs. Murdock! Mrs. Murdock! I see you for a minute. Yes? What is it? Oh, Wally Layton's the name. I'm a private investigator. Oh? I thought we might have a little chat. What about? Blackmail. Blackmail? That's right. Maybe I can get you off the book. I'm afraid I don't know what to... I was at the Regis Cafe last night. So, you were at the Regis... Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not the owner of the trench coat. I still don't know what you're talking about. Well, maybe you need a little time to think it over, huh? Okay. Look, I'm on my way out to the beach. I'll be on the midway having a cup of coffee and the diner right next to the merry-go-round. I'll be there one hour. Well, sit down, Mrs. Murdoch. Coffee? No. I want to know what you have in mind, Mr. Layton. I want to know right now. Sure you do. All this ridiculous talk about blackmailers. Ridiculous? Oh, come now, come. I saw what happened last night. I saw you put the money in Carter's coat. Everything. And Mrs. Murdoch? Yes? This man you're dealing with, he's well known in the gentle art of shakedown. The police would be very interested... We'll leave the police out of this. Will we? Well, that depends, Mrs. Murdoch. But I can get you off the hook. You insist I'm on one? I do. If you weren't, you'd still be on that horse trotting about enjoying a ride in the park. Go ahead. You're doing the talking. You're making it very difficult, Mrs. Murdoch. What's opposing? Only supposing now that you were paying off somebody for something. Amusing thought. Oh, not too. But it might be more amusing if the man you're dealing with suddenly found the heat on him so strong that he just might find it smart to forget the Murdochs. This does sound interesting, Mr. Layton. Just how could you bring that about? Well, I have several ideas. Like I told you, I'm a private investigator and I have some pretty good connections. I see. Naturally to arrange things for you. You would expect a small fee. Let's just say a fee. But it'll be a fair shake this time, Mrs. Murdoch. Honest wallet they call me. Yes, I'm sure of it. All right? I'd like the arrangement, Mr. Layton. I think it might work. Of course the evidence this man holds happens to be trumped up. Oh, sure, sure. Also, just so we understand one another, it's my husband who's paying off, not me. I'm simply a go-between. Naturally. Are you sure you won't have that coffee now, Mrs. Murdoch? All right. Might warm me up. Yes. It'll help, Mrs. Murdoch. That puts the fact that we're... Well, working together. You don't believe anything she said, do you, Wally? Or anything she tells you in the next half hour? But it doesn't matter who's guilty or what's been done. Just so there's something in all this for you. And there seems to be, Wally. Yes. There should be money. And there's also Mrs. Murdoch. She's an exciting person, isn't she? And when you have lunch together the next day to discuss your plan, you find yourself even more impressed by Louise Murdoch herself. You find that you want to linger in the corner booth of the quiet little café as long as possible. This whole thing is going to take time, Mrs. Murdoch. I understand. But you just leave it to me. I'll get the guy on the run. I'm sure you will, Wally. Of course, you know I'm stalling just to talk to you. I rather thought you were. I'm kidding. Are you, Wally? Sure, I... No. No, I'm not kidding. Naturally, I'm going to take care of this thing, but I... Well, I hope that that won't wind everything up. Aren't you forgetting that... That you're a married woman? Yes. Yes, you make me forget lots of things. You say all the right things, don't you, Wally? You make me think of all the right things. No, we're both wrong. We're very wrong. Funny, those lyrics don't seem to match the music. Please, Wally, let's forget it for now, shall we? We'll forget it. For now. Louise has made you almost forget something else, hasn't she, Wally? Yes, the fact that you're engaged to Edna, whom you've scarcely seen since Louise Murdoch became your client. In the days that follow, you find excuses to be with Louise Murdoch more and more, giving her one excuse after another for your lack of progress. And you're almost sure she feels the same way about you. Doesn't mind the situation being dragged out in the least. And you know you don't really intend to do anything about Carter, the man who was blackmailed. Not anything that is, except watch for the next payoff and plead him to the money. But you do want to talk to Louise. Be sure of her feeling for you. Explain that the two of you can leave together. And there's one other thing you must be certain of. Next day after lunch, parked in a secluded spot on the beach road, you learn what you want to know. Louise, you sure what you told me in the beginning, it's your husband who's being blackmailed, not you. Well, that's what I told you, isn't it? Yes, yes, but I've got to know for sure. You do know I told you. I... I couldn't lie to you, Wally. Don't you know that? Yes. Yes, I... Yes, I do. Oh, Wally, I... I don't know. I just don't know. Don't know what? I don't understand it when this is over when... when I won't see you anymore. Well, I've got some ideas about that, too. Any chance for you to get away and have dinner with me tonight? Yes, Wally. I'll make it somehow. Good. I'll tell you everything I've got on my mind. Tonight. You still don't quite believe her, do you, Wally? And you determined to test Louise? Find out for yourself whether it's Louise or her husband, who is the subject of Carter's blackmail. And the test is simple and fallible, isn't it, Wally? Louise has already told you the next pay-off is to occur the next evening at eight o'clock. And it will happen in the same way as before. Another envelope, bill with currency, 20,000 this time. The overcoat hanging innocently in a restaurant. At dinner that evening, you watch your expression closely as you tell her what's on your mind. Why not, Louise? Why not, why not keep the money? We could get out of town together. It would give us a real start somewhere else. No, Wally. My husband would be exposed immediately if that money wasn't received. He must have done something pretty vague. What was it? That's something I can't talk about. Not even to you. You're that concerned about him? I mean, considering the way we feel. I can't be that unfair, Wally. Or that careless. Sorry. Sounded like you still doubt me, but you think I'm afraid of myself. Maybe it did sound that way. Oh, look, honey, you don't love Murdoch. Not anymore, not ever, if you ask me. Maybe that's right. It's taken me a while to find it out. Look, Louise, look. You know I love you, don't you? I... I hope so. And you either love me or you don't. If you do, you've got to leave, Murdoch. I'll be waiting, Louise, tomorrow night at nine o'clock at my apartment. I'll have two plane tickets. Get away from here a long way. You want me to bring the money to you instead of giving it to Carter? Why not? As far as your husband's concerned, the money's gone anyway. Think it over, Louise. Like I said, I'll be waiting. Somehow, thinking about it after you leave her, you're more certain than ever that she's the guilty one, aren't you, Wally? That you'll never show up at your apartment for the money. You decide to take things in your own hands. So, next evening, a few minutes before Louise is due to make her pay off to Carter, you're loitering near the cafe where the money is to be passed. And soon Carter appears, confidently approaching the place. You step back into the protective shadows of an alley. And then as he passes close to you... Carter! Come here. Look, pal, what's the gun for? We'll skip the conversation, Carter. I haven't much time. This gun is just to get you close enough? Well, yes! He looks strange to you, doesn't he, Wally? Huddled in the heat near the alley wall. You wonder if you hit him harder than you should have. Then you notice that he must have struck the wall as he fell back. You kneel down quickly. Listen, straighten up as you realize that he's dead. You grab up the overcoat he was carrying, hurry into the cafe. Once inside, you hang up the overcoat, then stroll into the bar, where you watch the cafe entrance unobserve. Just as you expected, it's only a few minutes before Louise arrives to keep her appointment with Carter, admitting her guilt as far as you're concerned. You reflect that it's too bad that at least you'll have the money she leaves, and there's still Edna. Louise moves forward, slips the envelope into the pocket of the trenchcoat you snatched from Carter. You wait until she turns and hurries out. Then you stroll casually to the overcoat, slip it on, and walk rapidly to a drugstore three blocks away, where you enter a phone booth. Hi, Edna, baby. How would you like to go on a honeymoon to Rio de Janeiro? I'm in no mood for a gag. Oh, this is no gag, baby. That guy I told you about just paid me off big to forget about that case I've been on. Now, wait a minute. I'll pick you up in about an hour. I told you in the right kind of a setup a smart guy could always pick up a few bucks. In the good old summertime, when you head for new places or the wide open spaces, it's mighty handy to have a good map in the car. And there's no map handier than the free ones you'll find at signal service stations. No need to squint to find where you're going on a signal map. They're jumbo size for quick, easy reading. And no need to wrestle with them, getting them open or folded again. Signal maps have the new accordion fold for more convenient handling. But that's only the beginning. In addition, signal road maps contain a guide to interesting places to visit, plus a traveler's radio guide so you can follow your favorite programs as you travel, plus enlarged sections of metropolitan areas. And if you happen to need a street map to guide you in the larger cities of the Pacific Coast states, signal stations have them free too. In fact, whether you need a free map, some helpful advice, and a tank full of the famous go farther gasoline, you'll find those friendly independent signal dealers have just about everything it takes to make your driving in the good old summertime or anytime more pleasant. Back at your apartment with the money in the pocket of the stolen trench coat, you're satisfied that you're in the clear, aren't you, Wally? You have no fear at all when the telephone rings. Louise will say nothing, and Carter is dead. No one else will associate you with either Carter or Louise Murdoch. It looks clear and clean, doesn't it, Wally? And you're sure you can go your way. And then... Hello? Wally, it's Louise. Yeah. Wally, I started your apartment tonight with the money. Oh, sure. I did, Wally. I want to go away with you. I mean it. Sure, sure you do. That's why you went to the cafe. I had to go onto the cafe, Wally, and Leifman was following me. He had a gun. Look, what are you trying to tell me anyway? Wally. Sit down. Over there. Give me the police department. Yes, sir. Hey, wait a minute. What's the idea here, pal? I'm calling to report a murder. Where? Department D, 3151 Whitton Street. Who's talking? I'll tell you when you get here. I'll wait for you. You're crazy. There hasn't been any murder. There's going to be one right now. Blackmailer. What? You're Murdoch? Yes. Oh, wait a minute, Murdoch. I can explain. That trench coat there explains everything. I saw my wife put the money in it. The last 20,000 I had. You've broken me, Blackmailer, all the way. Now I'm losing my wife. Somebody I once murdered for. You... Then it was you who was paying off. She's fallen for another man. Now I've got nothing more to live for. So it's the end of the line. For you too, Blackmailer. Oh, wait, Murdoch. That money wasn't... Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program the Whistler each Sunday night at this same time. Meantime, signal oil company and the friendly independent dealers who help you go farther with signal gasoline hope you'll remember. Regardless of what gasoline you use, you'll enjoy more miles of happy driving if you drive at sensible speeds, obey traffic regulations, and avoid taking chances. You may even save a life. Possibly your own. Featured in tonight's story were Bill Foreman, Wally Mayer, Betty Lou Gerson, Gigi Pearson, John Stevenson, and Shepherd Menken. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen, with story by Adrian Sean Doe, music by Wilbur Hatch, and was transcribed and transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional, but the pictures portrayed on the Whistler are also fictional. Any similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Remember to tune in at this same time next Sunday when the signal oil company will bring you another strange story by the Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for the signal oil company. Stay tuned now for our Miss Brooke starring Eve Arden, which follows immediately over most of these stations. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System. Thanks for watching.