 Spence and the producer of radios outstanding theater of thrills the master of mystery and adventure William M. Robson There's an easily recognizable distinction between a bookkeeper and a bookmaker They usually are to be found one within and the other without the law But when a bookkeeper starts taking from a bookmaker such a nice distinction is apt to become Amid photo finishes scratch sheets and the morning wire With results ranging from well sheen to grand larceny from mayhem to murder Results which we hope will keep you in defense Listen listen then as frank love joy stars in win place or die She begins in exactly one minute memo on metal information about our military awards and decorations The highly rated air metal is a bronze compass rose Suspended by a pointer and charged with a swooping American Eagle clutching lightning bolts in its talon The ribbon consists of a wide blue band flanked by narrow golden orange bands with the blue repeated along the edges This dramatically designed decoration is given for meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight Under circumstances which do not justify awarding the higher-ranked distinguished flying cross The air metal was authorized for heroic action after September 8th 1939 it has proved to be a major source of pride to those airmen who have earned it and Stimulus to others for greater devotion to duty Extra service and extra accomplishment merits special attention and recognition The air metal pays tribute to those who distinguish themselves and do honor to their country and their branch of service While participating in aerial flight And now Win place or die Starring frank love joy A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense A salary will only go so far and a bookkeeper's salary like mine not quite that far But I thought I saw an hour tonight played it. It seemed like a sure thing You see there were only three of us in the main office of the Randolph Theater chain the boss me and Jeannie the galley was going to marry Yeah, honey, you're gonna take me to dinner tonight. Well, I don't feel much like going out Why don't you grab some frozen stuff and I'll come by your place broke again? Jeannie don't start that. You know, I got a lot of old bills You promised to give me so many each week to save for the house Well, I will next week. I'll start next week Joe, what's wrong? Yes, something wrong something. You're not telling a drop of Jeannie when you just drop it Randolph theaters Papa, yeah Yeah Yes, yes, I know I'm going out to lunch now. See you in a few minutes. Who is that? That's the guy. I'm working on a deal with I'll tell you all about it something You'll wait too long Joe, this is Rita. Oh Oh, I know Rita. Look, um I can't give you anything this week. Joe, I have the rent to pay and Jimmy needs clothes. Yeah, I know I know but I'm in a jam I should think you'd at least want to support your son. I'll get off my back. Will you maybe if that girl You're running around with down at the office found out you have an ex-wife and a kid to support you wouldn't think so much of you Maybe I ought to tell her You do that And you'll never get another dime Once one of them gets on your back. They all climb on but there was one I couldn't store Zid Curse I opened the bag with the cash receipts from the Tivoli theater changed the figures and took what I needed It was mounting up every day. It was mounting up and I needed a break to pay it back Well, they chum. Well, I had to make a phone call. I mean three days later I pay off on fridays. I like to collect on fridays. This is monday. Now. Where's the dough? It's right here. It's $54, right? That's right chum But this week remember win or lose Friday, I can find another book. Sure, but we all work for charlie bachmanus. You'll get it anyhow, joan He'll get it on friday Remember that There's nothing you can do when the ponies start running against you 100 was easy to cover but it got to be 200 500 nearly a thousand Is that the box office total for last week? Yeah, mr. Randolph wants to see it. Why does he want to see it? We checked it every once in a while doesn't he? Is something wrong, joan? Do I act as though there's anything wrong? Oh, hello, harper. Here's a tape with the randolph The grosses seem a bit low television or the weather maybe um What was the long haul it counts my profit for the year? We'll know that after the audit audit. Yes Well, that's right. You weren't with us last year. We make our annual audit the end of this month harper That'll be in eight days This is joe harper Yeah, harper a bet for cid curts book. All right. Sure. Uh, what's the line on sturdy duke in the sixth? They have the money you should walk in. Well, uh, I want a uh a thousand under nodes Yeah under nodes just a minute. Oh my god. I got work to do. Doctor said before the race Well, uh, okay. Tell him to meet me at the uh cafeteria About this bet, joe. Well, what's wrong with it? Nothing except I'd like to have the double for the race That's picminus's orders, but I haven't got it. That's what I mean, chum. You can't afford that kind of dough Oh, you've got to take the I don't got to do anything unless mcmanus taught me. Well, look said I'm going to tell you something. I'm not supposed to but Well, it isn't my bet What do you mean? I'm planting it for mr. Randolph Randolph Your boy. Yeah, I wouldn't kid me. Would you harper? No, sit, you know, yeah, I know you All right. Tell your boss. He's got a bet And the payoff day is right. It's sure I said thanks I'm glad it ain't your bet I've seen guys get themselves in a bind They bet two bucks and rules then it's a five ten a hundred And it gets to be a grand That's where the trouble starts hopper Losers start small ones Sometimes he winds up betting his life In a moment we continue with the second act of Spence another visit with joe and daphne foresight All right, daphne just eating a midnight snack. What is that mess that mess Is a liver worse salami lettuce and peanut butter delight Nightmares and were like it What woke you up? My stomach was growling. What woke you up? You And I was dreaming such a pleasant dream. Oh What I dreamed all of our savings bond has matured and we're the cashing men that kind of a dream I can appreciate We were planning a trip around the world And you brought me a fur coat and I brought you that fishing tackle you want Oh, it was gorgeous. Well, it doesn't have to be just a dream Some of our savings bonds are ready to mature now joe Maybe we shouldn't cash them in they can go on earning interest, you know, and it adds up fast I know that's why we started buying savings bonds, remember With a bond a month on the payroll savings plan our money is saved automatically Stop waiting that sandwich under my nose. You're making me hungry Well fix yourself a sandwich ma'am. I got all the makings right over here. All right Move over you bond buying midnight maverick. I'm gonna fix myself a hounding And now Surring frank love joy back to a wind place or die The trouble with horses is they can't read at least they don't read the racing form Sturdy duke finished fourth next day time step finished out of the money Thursday atomic dust ran out By friday, I was into sit Kurt's book for 4600 bucks I waited all day for his call, but it never came I thought I had one more day When I got home I found I was wrong You keep late hours joe Kurt's yeah, Kurt's the guy who gets sore when people break dates with him. I tried to call you it did Funny, I never got the message It means us must be getting absentmind. I tried all day. I tell you the line was busy That's a pretty joe. There must have been booking a lot of action today to tie up your lines like that The play was light today joe very light. We had a bad week book got hit hard I'm glad you got 4600 for me joe You have got 4600 haven't you no, I haven't got it Oh, it's too bad I can't tell you how sorry I am joe. I saw the choke up. I can't find a word. I said now listen to me I'll have the dough for you tomorrow tomorrow sure. It isn't my fault. They weren't my bets You know that you told me Randolph was away all day. I even waited for him late, but he didn't even call me He'll be in tomorrow though. I'll get the dough for you. I'll get it All right, joe Got a good night's sleep kid I'll wait till tomorrow. Oh, thank you said you're a friend sure every day Except writing Yeah, and I said good night, joe Joe yeah, there's something I think you ought to know about that I hate a welcher Used to be an elevator operator in your office building You try to beat me out of a $20 bet I didn't like to do it But I gave him a That's a big idea Just telling you the story joe I get this other guy a lot hotter for a lousy 20 bucks. He was in the hospital for quite a while See you tomorrow, joe Good morning, jenny. Good morning. Good morning, holler. What is it? Oh a day like this. I'd rather play golf than work Tell me I'm dispensable jenny. You're not not today Couple of distributors coming in and mr. Charlie mcmanus calls you mcmanus I don't know anybody named mcmanus Who's he with I don't know, but he said you owed him $4,600 Well, I guess I should know him then shouldn't I Do we have a creditor named mcmanus on the books hopper? No, no, no, we don't Mr. I know he wasn't very pleasant about it. He wants you to meet him tonight with the money What did he say where in the bar at the tip top club? He said there'd be trouble if you went there by nine o'clock I don't like it mr. Randolph neither do I Jean you better call mrs. Randolph and tell her I won't be home for dinner You're going to meet this mcmanus. Whatever he wants. I certainly should find out about it Well, maybe he made a mistake. He might have you mixed up with some other Randolph. Let me go talk to him Thanks hopper, but when a man says I owe him money I prefer to talk to him myself In a moment we continue with the third act of Suspense another visit with joe and daphne foresight Joe Joe Joe's tap reading that paper and talk to me. I'm listening go ahead Well, I was talking to mrs. snider today. You know, she's the one whose boy had 31 percent flesh cavities Well, she thinks that we should buy bigger savings bonds. Uh-huh. She says that when people can afford it, it makes more sense Oh, she says there are a lot of different denominations. They start at 25 dollars But then there were 50 a hundred 200 and even 500 dollar bonds. Is that so? And then with the ones we've already bought through the payroll savings plan, we have quite a nest egg Are you listening to me? Uh-huh Did you know that the total accumulated compounded Semiannual interest of the series e savings bond will amount to 93 in the third percent of the original purchasing price uh-huh I thought so Joe What did I say? Uh You said that united states savings bonds are a safe easy way of investing I did that they help guide our country's freedom and They're the best investment in america's future I said something else too Oh, yeah You said that the total accumulated compounded semiannual interest of the series e savings bond will amount to 93 and 1 3rd percent Of the original purchase price Well, now how did you do that husband's trade secret? and now Starring frank love joy at three of When place or die It was a good thing saturday was a half day because I had a lot of things to set up I ducked out on genie when we left at noon All I needed from her was that she'd remember the phone call from mcmanus and I knew she would But I needed more from my ex-wife lita I needed an alibi Yes, honey What are you doing here, Joe? May I come in? Oh, sure Rita I I got to thinking about you and jimmy. I've brought him a couple of things. Where is he? At a movie he goes every saturday afternoon with the other kids. Well, I'm sorry. I missed him, but It's nice to be alone with you for a while Three years is a long time leader So what are you trying to say that I miss you? I'm sorry about what happened to us I couldn't do anything else, Joe Not after the way you treated me And you looked out. Well, I've been sorry ever since You've got another girl. Well, it's no good, honey Nobody's any good with you Take me back leader honey Joe, I I mean what to say What'll I tell my family and jimmy? We'll tell them together tomorrow. I'll rent a car. We'll go for a sunday drive The three of us, okay? Oh, yeah, that's my girl You did There's something I'd like you to do for me. What Joe? Well, I'm in a little jam. I've got to straighten it out tonight Anybody should ask you. Would you say I spent the evening here? Will you? Say from about eight until midnight Is that why you came Joe? Because you're in trouble. No, I'm not in any real trouble. I just have to settle something before we can start out together again Will you do it for me, honey? I'll do it Joe I don't know why I could I'll do it. It was a setup a sure thing. It couldn't miss I went home and got the gun the war souvenir. I picked up for a few bucks no registration to be traced And at 830 I was in an alley beside the tip top club when mr. Randolph pulled up in a taxi and paid off the driver All right, keep it changed Randolph what? Who is it? Oh, it's me Joe harper harper What are you doing here? I came down to help you out help me with what? What do you have to do with it? You come back here in the alley. I'll explain it to you It's fine up in the tornado. Oh harper. What is it harper? I walked away from it before the crowd gathered. I bought a ticket and went in to see a movie When I got out the midnight edition of the sunday papers were off the press it was all there on the front page Bookmaker arrested for murder of theater owner Charles mcmanus charged with shooting I went home. I had company again. I knew I would but this was company. I didn't have to worry about You knew about mcmanus's phone call to mr. Randolph. I didn't take the call lieutenant. I heard genie That's mr. Thorpe come with the Randolph about it Randolph say he knew this mcmanus. No, he denied it You get along with your boss. Oh sure Well, the only story checks out with mr. Hoops. Oh, by the way, she tells me that you two are engaged. Yeah, that's right Saturday night is a big date night. How come you two weren't together? Oh, well, uh, lieutenant. I uh, I've been married before I've got an ex-wife and a kid. I was visiting men. Ah, I see Well, I think you'd better come in with me. What for? What for? Well, you're Sort of a witness your testimony won't help this with mcmanus any and he has some bad boys on his payroll Oh, you mean you want to take me into protective custody? Yes, that's right. Just for a couple of days We've gotten this thought too. Well, uh No, I don't I don't think I'd better Well, you don't have to come in of course, but it would be safer. Well, thank you just the same lieutenant But but I'm all right. I'm not afraid I wanted protective custody bad, but I couldn't take it. I'd remembered something just in time the auditor They'd be in monday randolph's death wouldn't stop that and the books had to balance I went down to the office and started the work I worked the rest of the night and all day sunday changing figures erasing slowly and carefully Then I took some petty cash slips randolph had signed and changed the amounts by sunday night. I had it right on the nose I put the books away got my code and The phone The office phone ringing on sunday night. I didn't want to answer it, but I had to Hello Lisa, what's the matter? Why are you calling me at the office? I've been trying to get you at home all day Well, how did you know I was here the detective there? What detective? He answered the phone at your place He asked me who I was and I told him and he asked me where you were last night Or you told him I was with you Why Rita why because I was told Joe I didn't know about the murder and that cock corrigan He's on his way up here I dropped the phone and ran into the hall and then I heard it the whine of the night elevator stopping the door sliding open Hello, chum said you've got to listen to me time to listen chum the payoff day has been changed. It ain't friday anymore It's now there was a fire ax on the wall. I tore it loose and threw it at him It hit him and knocked him down. I turned and raced for the stairway, but he was on his feet left I took the stairs forward a time, but he was right behind me only one more place for the lobby But I'd never make it now An iron gate stretched across the stairs and by the dim night bulb. I read the sign this exit closed after 6 p.m Looks like you lost another photo finish. Say it. I'll get the money for you. I'll get it. I ain't money anymore chum You bet your life, joe And you lost the bet You lost the bet, joe You lost the best Lovejoy starred in william and robeson's production of Win place or die by joe mercott Supporting mr. Lovejoy in win place or die were jone banks ellen morgan jota saddus bill quinn and jack crochin listen Listen again next week when we return with stan freeberg in alibi me Another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense Suspense has been brought to you through the worldwide facilities of the united states armed forces radio and television service