 The public telephone in the all-night drugstore had ringed. One man called about a jewel robbery. Another spoke of murder. And the third man planned to double-cross them both. His timetable of crime was perfect. His own alibi airtight. Yet, three men would die. Hello crates, this is Sergeant X, opening the doors of the mystery playhouse. Well, tonight we have another story of the perfect crime as told by the Whistler. That is, it's almost perfect. The motive is furnished by a fortune in jewels and three slick gunmen try to outsmart the others. The tale is called, Death Marks the Double Cross. And fast action and unexpected murder marks just about every step. So, let's join the Whistler that leads us down the pathway of crime and violence. 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. To this day, the police records and newspapers of Portland attribute the robbery of the Swank Wellington Jewelry Store to a lone wolf. Perhaps it's because they refuse to admit the possibility that guilty accomplices still remain at large. As a matter of fact, it wasn't a lone wolf. True, Joe Strickland was alone, standing in the shadows at the back of the store when he saw the Watson turn the corner on his 11-15 round, then slunk down the alley to the back window. But at that same time, two other members of the corporation were waiting for him in a little black coupé parked near the highway in Tigard, a little town just out of Portland. They'd been there for almost two hours when Terry looked at his watch. Two minutes of one. It's an hour late. I'm getting uneasy. I don't want to say I told you so, Mike. What do you mean? He ain't coming? You're beginning to get the idea, huh? After all, where should he? He's taking all the risk. Ah, no. He wouldn't cross me. He knows better. You're pretty sure of yourself. Ah, maybe he had a way to the watchman's next round. Maybe if a tow car decided to park across the street, it could be a million things happen to make a guy late. The watchman hasn't changed his schedule for two weeks now. 11-15 and 11-45. Now what? Though maybe he wasn't detained. He said he could pull it in five minutes. Remember? Ah, he was bragging. Punk kid shooting off his mouth. Oh, well. Have it your way. There ought to be, uh, 10 or 15,000 in this, Mike. It's almost enough to make a punk kid forget to come home. Hey, I kill him. And he knows it. Remember what he was saying just the other day? Tired of Portland going south when the right time came. Maybe this is the right time. With 15 grand in his jeans. Well, you know what? I got an idea what he's thinking. What is it? That's what I said. There's something else. I, uh, I can't tell you. I promised him I wouldn't. What do you mean? Spill it. I said, spill it. All right. Strickland tried to make a deal with me after then. What? Yeah. It seems he felt you weren't necessary to the cooperation. And it might be a good idea to eliminate him. That you lie. Let me, let go of it. I didn't ask for it. Well, what are you doing till now to tell me for, huh? I promised the kid. Okay. I told him he was crazy. I told him he was killing me. You even know he was thinking about it. Okay, okay. Go on. I'm gone. Well, he said he couldn't see why. He was taking all the chances for a third of the pay off. A lot of things like that. A little rat. And he said he knew a fence named Bush downtown in the Grady Hotel where he could get rid of the doers. I was supposed to dip you out here somewhere and meet him tomorrow in Astoria. And when he saw I wouldn't go for it, he got scared. And I hit him a couple of times and he broke down. Yeah, yeah. That's all. He said he'd stay in line and made me promise not to tell you. I wasn't going to, but... I think the Grady Hotel, huh? Yes, room 108. I think I'll take a look. No. You might be wrong. What if he comes out here and we're gone? I guess Mr. Strickland's got to learn the hard way. What are you going to do? I'll call you at the drug store around the corner if he doesn't show up at the Grady. Okay. And if he does? I won't have to call you. Just look at the headline. The story of Wellington's jewelry store in Portland wasn't the work of a lone wolf. Joe Strickland did it all by himself. It's true. But there were two silent partners, both of them wondering why Joe was late. One of them determined to kill him if he shows up at Bush's, the fence's room at the Grady Hotel at the wrong time. Terry Dexter waits on the street corner until Mike's car has disappeared. Danny soldiers toward the all night drug store on the highway smiling in quiet. Yeah, make me a ham sandwich and a cup of coffee. William, you'll bet. Yeah, when's the next bus to Portland? Oh, afraid you're going a long way, brother. Let's see, you just missed the 115. Next one's 315. Don't run so often this time of night. Two hours, eh? Oh, nothing much I can do about it. I'll be right back at a couple of phone calls. Hello, Joe. How did it come out? Who's this? Terry. Where you been? I didn't know that drug store. What's the idea of sending me up to your apartment? Don't worry about it. What do you mean, don't worry? I'm going nuts. Take it easy. How did the job go? It went well. It went well. It wasn't sloppy. It wasn't followed. Okay. Okay. Take the wet highway out of town and I'll meet you across from the drug store. Yeah, I'll be right out. And listen, lock my apartment and leave by the back way. I don't want anyone to know you've been there. You understand? But Terry. But what? You and Mike aren't both wondering what happened to Joe Strickland. Now one more call to prepare for Mike's arrival at the Grady Hotel. A room 108, please. This first? Yes, sir. This is Joe Strickland. I called you yesterday. Oh, yes, Mr. Strickland. I'll be in to see you in about an hour. What is it, please? A jewelry. 15 grand at least. Thank you. Goodbye. Here's your sandwich, sir. That's great. I'm a little hungry. You'd have more cream if you wanted. That's all right. That's really a tough break. Hmm? Missing that 115 bus. Two hour wait is no joke. Oh, I don't mind. I'll just soon be here. Anywhere else? The next two hours? Yes, Terry. The little drug store in Tigard is a good place for you during the next two hours. A place to sit at the control board and pull switches. Or perhaps you're more like a man with an intricate dig saw puzzle fitting the pizzas together carefully. Each one adding a little to a picture of $15,000. The next piece moves slowly into places. Mike enters the Grady Hotel a few minutes later and walks down the corridor to room 108. Yes. Open up. What do you want? You know what I want. Just a moment, please. Oh, I thought you were... Who'd you think I was? All right. I don't know why. You was expecting someone? Nothing here. I haven't time for this. I'll get you a hand, Mr. Bush. We've got plenty of time. Mind if I make myself at home? Well, I was about to retire, Mr. Fliegel. Mike Fliegel. You usually up this late, Mr. Bush? It's two o'clock. Yes, Mr. Fliegel. I generally stay up late. Stay up. That bed over there looks like you just got out. Or maybe someone might have telephone, huh? Someone with a little business for you. That doesn't concern you, Mr. Fliegel. I'll have to ask you... Oh, but it does. Philip, William. I didn't come here to play games. Who's coming here? Nobody. Mr. Fliegel... Wait a minute. Get away from that phone. Give me that note. That's better. Huh. Pickle. Jewel. $15,000. Well, ain't that a coincidence, Mr. Bush? He's just a boy I'm interested in. See right where you are, Fliegel. You're playing a little rough, ain't you? Huh? That kind of artillery wasn't made for little jokers like you. Stop, I can't... Better put it down, Mr. Bush. Now you wouldn't want to flock a cop's up here any more than I would. Come on, come on. Yeah. Like I was saying, Mr. Bush, punks like you shouldn't play with 45s. They're liable to kick right back in your face, ain't you? Get out of here. Oh, really, Mr. Bush? You're in no position to be asking things. Now when's he coming here? Like, I don't know. Okay. I won't press the point. Now just sit back and relax, hmm? Be nice and fresh to Greedem when he comes. Outside line. Hello? Hello. Uh, I want to put a call through to the payphone and the all night drug store in Target. Yeah, in Target. Yeah, well... Who is it? Telly. I was right, huh? Yeah. We're going to do it then. What do you think? Listen, Mike, I don't want any part of this. Don't worry. You'll think about the other way, huh? To East Highway? Yeah. Okay. All right. Yes. People have a stain. We'd have wanted to know if I caught the bus. Yes. Well, it's funny they called you on the payphone. Yeah, mm-hmm. Now I guess I'll take a walk for a few minutes. Okay. 315, remember? Yes. Well, Terry, it's all working out beautifully, isn't it? You figured everything down to the last detail. And the next piece slides into place within a few minutes. You pace up and down in front of the drug store a few times, and then a cab pulls up to the curb. Terry? Terry, Terry, listen. Take it easy, Jones. What's the matter? Look, here it is. All of it. And you take your cut, and I'll take mine, and we'll separate now, huh? Right away. Nothing went wrong, did it, Jones? No. No, Terry. Everything's fine, see? I just want to... What do you mean? Hmm. That's bad. Basically, it oughta been a thousand years ago. I want to get going, Terry, right now. You're sure nothing happened. No, Terry. Honest. What about the watchman? Well, what do you mean the watchman? It was 1115, 1145, isn't it? Oh, yeah. Just like you said, Terry. I was out of the store by 1130. They're sitting in your apartment and... What, Terry? And the thinking of Mike. Oh, why did we do it, Terry? I told you it's suicide to cross that guy. He'll kill him for it. Oh, that's it. Oh, don't worry about Mike, Terry. I just carry him. He's really wanting to kill you. To kill you? He believed you? Yeah, hook, line, and sinker. We'll be out of the state before he wakes up. Oh, I still don't like crossing, then, Terry. Just like I told you. We all agreed... I'll be a jerk on your life. He's been a leak in my throat long enough. I did the case work. You did the job. He's just looking for a free cut. Okay, Terry, anything you say. Just give me my cut and let me... Yeah, not so fast. We're going to fence it tonight. It'll be too hot to handle tomorrow. There's a man named Bush in the Grady Hotel downtown. Here's the address. I want you to go there alone. Alone? Well, what do you mean? I don't trust him. He says he has the 15 grand ready, but I want you to check first. Keep the stuff to be called. I can't go back to town, Terry. We're going to fence. Listen, you don't know. You don't know why I can't... I'll tell you, Mike is in Astoria. Now, beat it before someone wonders what we're doing here. Look, Terry, can't we do like I said? Don't argue. You're all set. There's a way for you. All you have to do is make the check and call me at the drug store. All right, Terry. Would you... Oh, another thing. Give me a gun. Huh? The fence doesn't like his customers coming here. Keep it. Give it back to your living. Well, the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to make a picture, aren't they, Terry? You can see the 15,000 pretty clearly, right in the center of it. All it needs is a little routine work around the edges. There ought to be a warm reception for poor Joe Strickland when he walked into that room at the Grady. Mike is a pretty hard man to explain things to when he gets in the wrong frame of mind. He has a careless habit of shooting first and then thinking afterwards. Yeah, it's a quarter of three now and things are probably beginning to happen down in Mr. Bush's room. Hello, Joe. How are you, Doc? Stay right there, Joe. How did you get... You ought to know me better than that, Joe. I play for Keats. Right, Mr. Bush? I'm dreadfully sorry, Mr. Strickland. You two know each other, I see. I'm only by telephone, I'm afraid. What do you mean? I never talk to you. Oh, it's no use, Mr. Strickland. He knows everything. Okay, okay, come on, let's go. What do you mean? What do you expect? A bronze medal? Listen, there's something wrong. Shut up. You don't have to tell me there's something wrong. Come on, come on, we're going. And give me the stuff. I haven't got it. You what? Terry's got it. I left it with him. Don't give me that. Put up your hands. You... You haven't got it. Where are you hiding it? I tell you, Terry... You're lying, red. I ought to let you have it right here. Come on, come on, we're going. He put hands on the wheel, Joe. You got me all wrong, Mike. Honestly, it wasn't my idea. I want to know what you did with the stuff. You're going to tell me or hate you. Mike believed me. It's like I told you. I left it with Terry. He told me to meet him at his apartment. And what was he doing with me and Tyler? I don't know. He said you were in Astoria, something. I didn't want to. Mike, you got to believe me. I don't. I'm talking ain't going to do you much good, Joe. This is your last trip. Look, there's an oil station. And why don't you call the drugstore? Yeah, that's it. Terry's gone by now, I'm sure. You said you told him to stay there another hour. Well, if he's gone, would he believe me? He'll be there. Give me a chance. Mike, call him. I tell you, it's a double-cross. He's gone with the stuff. Pull in. Now remember, I'll be right behind you. Yes, sir. How many? Uh, just one of you with the phone. Okay, right over there. Come on, Joe. Stay in front of me. One-fourth move. Yeah, Mike. Down. I was... Shut up. Lieutenant's watching us. We're talking for a party by the name of Dexter. He's, uh, he's expecting a call. It's like you're wrong, Joe. What'd you expect? Hello? Hello, uh, Terry? Yeah. Mr. Strickland and I have taken a ride, Terry. And, uh, he tells me he saw you an hour ago. That's what I want to know, Terry. Uh, wait a minute, Terry. What's he doing, Joe? What do you mean? He's standing. Standing over there, will you? You raise your hand again, and I'll plug you right here. Uh, go on, Terry. What about Joe? What? He tells me he left the stuff with you. Wait a minute. Terry! Terry, you don't know what you're doing! Terry, he's gonna kill me! You can't do it! You can't! He's taking both of us for a ride! Both you and me! Shut up, you're right! Come on! That's it. Right there by the pump. You better take care of the phone. And don't try to pull anything, Terry. One fancy move, you'll be down the next room. 9S6157. Got it. Smart guy, huh? Smashing my phone. Thinks this is the only phone in the neighborhood. Sitting in the drugstore in Tygaard, you don't see that happen, Terry. But don't worry. You'll know about it soon enough. Everything comes to him who waits. And the pieces are all falling into place now. Certainly a popular man tonight, Mr. Dexter. Don't believe I ever saw so many incoming calls on that phone. My friends never give me a moment's rest, even at three in the morning. What kind of business you in? Oh, a little bit of everything, I guess. You know, if I was you, I'd plug that phone and it... What's the matter? That police car outside. Oh, yeah. That's Mack, the night patrolman. Pulls in every night about this time for a cup of coffee. Oh. Hello, Henry. Oh, hello, Mack. How are things? Okay. A little busy tonight. How about a cup of coffee, Henry? All ready for you. Ah, thanks. That's what I needed. Haven't seen a night like this since I've been on the floor. Pretty busy now, soon. That one-armed paper hanger ain't it it, brother? You got a donut, Henry? Ah, sure. Here you are. Ah, good. Yeah, holed up. Murdered. Never seen anything like it. The guy was just bumped off on a service station the other side of town. Yeah? You, uh, got anything on who did it? It ain't even going to trial, brother. Radio patrol picked up the guy. Did he talk at all? When I say picked him up, that's what I mean. He was going 70 when they drilled his rear tire. There ain't enough of them left to recognize him. Uh-oh. There's your bus, Mr. 315, right on the nose. Well, see you later, Henry. Thanks for the hospitality. Very pleasant to all of you. That's funny. Huh? To look at that guy's face when I was talking to him then. Almost as if he was ready to butt out laughing. He surely must be happy about something. No wonder Terry Dexter couldn't help grinning as he walked outside and onto the bus to town and his apartment and the bag in the closet packed for a long trip. The jigsaw puzzle was all together now. Every piece in place. And it made a picture of $15,000. With no splits to make, no silent partners with grasping hands. No. Fate must have been the silent partner in this. He hadn't dared to hope that Mike would be eliminated so easily. He thought perhaps of tipping off the police about the murder maybe planting the gun you have in your pocket. After making suitable arrangements for the jewels, of course. Mike wasn't much of a worry after all with a murder wrap hanging over his head. Yes, Terry. You'll get the jewels. And all you have to do now is pick up that bag at your apartment. Your double, double cross works beautifully. Only, are you sure you didn't double cross yourself? Too? You must be Mr. Dexter. Who are you? Keep your hands away from that target. Lieutenant Walker of the Homicide Squad. What are you doing here? You haven't got any time to keep those hands up. No. Thirty-eight, huh? That isn't mine. It's too soon. Fine. Not very smart, Mr. Dexter. An idiot would know better than to walk around with a rod as hot as this. Oh, I'll keep those hands up, my friend. Now, take another look. Yeah, let's see. Insane coat pocket. You're a walking brief of the prosecution of baggage jewelry. Now, what would you be doing with that, Mr. Dexter? I didn't do it. I should tell you that anything you say I'll be held against it. But you couldn't say anything that matters now, not when we add this to that dead watchman in the next room. What? What are you talking about? What are you trying to pull, Dexter? You ought to be smart enough to know when you're late. You robbed the store at 11.25. Oh, we even know the time. The watchman came back accidentally in time to see you leaving and followed you here. You didn't know it until late. So you waited for him in the doorway downstairs and plugged it. Well, that was stupid because you must have known the shot of you hurting and investigated. But the prize was pulling him into your own bedroom with a blood trail to lead us right to him. Fixed on that little part. That's right. And then to chop it off. You trot back now with the gun that killed him and the jewels in your coat pocket. Ha-ha. Well, that's not mistaken, Mr. Dexter. Your trial will be one of the shortest in history. That was Death Marks the Double Cross, one of the Whistler's better yarns. Next time, we're going to meet an old friend of yours, Lamar Cranston, better known as the Shadow. In this episode, he'll investigate the mysterious case of the flaming skull. It takes all of the shadows old-time ingenuity to crack this one, but perhaps you'll get a better idea of the difficulty of the problem if we step down to the green room to hear a bit of the rehearsal for our next show in the mystery playhouse. Follow me, please. Come. Come, come. Well, this is a fine thing, Mr. Cranston. A fine thing indeed. What's eating you, Margo? What's eating me? The question I've been wanting to ask you is sitting around like a bump on a log all day. I was thinking. No, worrying about the flaming skull. Suddenly, at seven o'clock tonight, you announced we're going for a drive. Where? Visit a friend. Why? Pick up a clue on this case. Who's the friend? Dr. Neil Harrison. I sent Steve Grant to see him yesterday afternoon. It's just possible that Steve might have said something to Dr. Harrison that would give us a clue. Then all that worrying, I mean thinking this afternoon, didn't help? No inspiration? It certainly did help, Margo, but right now, the fire of inspiration needs a little more coal. To be shuffled on by Lamont Cranston's stilker. No, no. Lamont Cranston's shadow. Next patient, please. Yeah, that's odd. Waiting room's empty. I could have sworn I heard a patient come in. Who's that? You're a patient, Dr. Harrison. Patient? Where? An invisible patient, Dr. This is absurd. It's some trick. Who are you? Men call me the shadow. The shadow? You have heard of the shadow, Dr. Harrison. The shadow seeks only one thing. The truth. The truth about what? The truth about all things. The truth about Steve Grant. Grant? Oh, yes, yes. He came to you yesterday? Yes, Lamont Cranston sent him. You treated him? No, I did not. Why not? The truth, Dr. Harrison. Yes, I'll tell the truth. I could not treat him. He... Dr. Harrison. Right here, Margo. I heard your thought I was waiting in the car. Shhh. Someone fired through the window while the shadow was questioning Dr. Harrison. The doctor's dead. Oh, come on. We've got to locate that killer if we can. But it's dark, Lamont. Careful, careful. We must run off this way. Do you know who killed the doctor? Oh, I'm afraid we'll never find out now. Lamont. Yes, Margo. Look. Look running down the street. Run yourself. Oh, Lamont. Yes, I see it, Margo. It's a flaming skeleton. A flaming skeleton is no easy thing to explain. Lamont Cranston is battled, Margo Lane is puzzled, and the police don't believe the story at all. But something, or someone, did commit one of the most bizarre of all crimes. So, join us next time for the surprising explanation of the weird puzzler, the case of a flaming skull. This is Sergeant X, closing the doors of the mystery playhouse. Good night. Sleep tight. This is the Armed Forces Radio Service.