 This is Ken Roberts inviting you to listen to another adventure of Casey Climb Photographers. Ace Cameraman who covers the climb news of a great city. Our adventure for tonight is a gun. Early evening, a dingy little neighborhood dead shot. Only a few pit canaries are there, half a dozen drowsy puppies, and the poker face fat man who is Paxton the proprietor. Then the street door opens and... Hello Paxton. Good evening, Mr. Mercer. You're, uh, all alone, I think. Yeah. What's that young bull terrier of yours need tonight? Well, I, uh, I just dropped in to say hello. Ah, that's good of you. You look as though you had something on your mind, Mr. Mercer. I, Paxton, I want a gun. A gun? I've been told you can get me one. I sell pet supplies, not guns. Whoever told you that... I got a phone call today from a man who said you, you knew the right people. He wouldn't give me his name, but he was obviously somebody who knows the spot I'm in. As you must know it, you hear all the neighborhood guys. I know Jeff Robbins gets out of city jail tomorrow after serving 60 days for throwing a punch at his wife because of you. I had nothing to do with her. Robbins is just a jealous fool. But you figure Robbins will come out of jail pretty sore at both of you. He's threatened both of us. And I need a gun to protect myself. How about her? Well, she'll be with friends. She doesn't know about it. But I can't disappear like that. I've got to be at my job. I don't want to go to the police for protection. I see. Will you get me a gun? Well, if I don't, you'll try to get it from somebody else. Yes. Well, Mr. Mercer, then I may as well get you a business. And I'll have to be too hard on your pocketbook. A good handgun fully loaded will cost you only 75 bucks. 75? Under the count of prices you usually run from 200 up. Yes, you don't know much about guns. No, I don't. I've got 75 on me. Give me the gun. Hey, I don't keep those things in stock. You'll get your rod tomorrow. That's Wednesday. You'll come to the back door of my shop for it. That's six tomorrow night. But Robbins will be released home before that. Well, he'll have a few things to do besides looking for you. He's half owner of the business for one thing, and will want to know how his partner's been running it. Besides, you know, Mr. Mercer, 60 days in jail can take the fight out of a fella. All right. I'll be at your back door for that garnet. Six tomorrow night. You and Miss Williams working the night shift this week, huh, Casey? Yes, at about 4 p.m. to midnight. With garnet. Maybe miss out on passes for Wednesday matinee today. Ah, working sure into fears with a person's relaxation. Well, there's one regular pleasure that I count on, boy, and I get it regardless, and it's putting on the old B bag. Annie has had past six a good time. Come on, let's find ourselves a table. I'm all for that, Casey. I can recommend our pigs, knuckles, and sauerkraut today, if you like it. We don't, we don't. Then I suggest, and we're both like this, I know. Tell the waiter, please, to tell the chef. Oh, excuse me. You're up a tall ring and tell us what. Oh, you can't do that. Bruno, cafe, tell the chef. Uh, Edward speaking. Yeah, they're here. The city desk. Oh, isn't that nice. Hello, Burke. Hey, look, this is supposed to be our dinner out. Okay, where do we go? He puts on the old B bag, regardless. Well, get up there right away, Burke. All right, so long. No, what is this inside? Murder. Some guy named Jeff Robbins has been shot to death. Well, the lady dinner problem is sore for him. Well, come on, Annie, come on, let's go. We're in this dark alley. We're in about 615, Miss Williams. The guy had been shot shortly before that. Shot? Point blank range, too, Logan. His overcoat's in. Well, I'll put it here, Casey. Twice to make sure. And we have the slugs. Uh, the dead man's man captain was Jeff Robbins? Yeah. He was stuffing his pockets to death in front of him immediately. He's a partner in a small chemical firm and just got out of jail. Just out of jail? By getting drunk and slugging his wife. He's just crazy jealous of her. Where's the reason, maybe? I don't know. She's quite a dish. Now, off the record for the time being, Miss Robbins was especially a green eye that were a guy named Mercer. Well, that sounds like something. Of course, your men are looking for Mercer. Well, I don't know where everyone who had any connection with Robbins. Oh, Captain. Yes, Sergeant? Isn't it's Bantry, Captain? Bantry? The dead man's business. Oh, yes. You are, Mr. I am, uh, Carl Bantry, Captain. Is, uh... Is that, uh, under the sheet? Yes. I'd like you to look at the body of Bantry. Yes, sir. We need your support and identification. Very well. I've known this man ever since. We went to college together and the war and since then, we've been business partners. I understand. And, Mr. Bantry, I've been told that many people, including his wife, found Robbins a difficult man to get along with. Well, just, Robbins did drink too much and he was subject to fictive wild temperament of unreasoning jealousy, but I liked him. He was a loyal friend and a brilliant chemist. You and he were in the chemical business, Mr. Bantry? Yes, Mr... Casey's my name. Morning Express. I'd like some pictures of you if you don't mind. Oh, very well. Thank you. Well, just go on talking to Captain Logan. I'll get some un-posed shots of you. Oh, there's one more question I'd like to ask you. First, Casey, you're waiting until I ask my question. Oh, all right. And now, Mr. Bantry, tell me what you know about Robbins recent imprisonment for a thousand batteries and his attitude toward a man named Hugh Mercer. You've learned about Mercer? Yeah. You thought there was very bitter toward Mercer, wasn't it? He made threats of what he'd do to him after he got out of jail. Yes. You think that Mercer may have killed him in order to avoid fulfillment of those threats? I'm asking what you think. I know very little about Mercer. Oh, what do you think? What do you know? He's a rather good-looking young fellow who's probably attractive to a certain type of woman. This is Robbins, sir. The boys are bringing in Mercer now, Captain. Yeah? Hey, this I want. You fellas have got to believe me. You've got to believe me. This is Mercer, Captain. They picked him up as he tried to hop a bus six blocks from here. Oh, he did, eh? And they found this, Captain, a 38 revolver in his pocket, fully loaded, except for two slugs that have been recently fired. I've never fired that gun. I didn't know it had been fired. I bought that gun from Plaston tonight to Pet Shop, man. He's worried. Found it. I'm telling you the truth now. You've got to believe me. Tell me the truth, Mercer. Tell me all about this gun and Pexton's Pet Shop. You've seen freely a bit, Pexton, that you, Mercer, came to your Pet Shop last night. Yes, Captain. His statements about last night as you just led them to me are substantially true. But his continued statement in which he claims that he received the gun from me tonight is altogether untrue. You deny that Mercer came to the back door of your shop at six tonight and paid you $75 in exchange for a loaded 38 revolver. Of course. Now, look, Captain, I've been in business at the same address for nearly eight years. The cops know me well. I definitely do not keep guns at my place or sell guns. Somebody told Mercer to get dead. Well, we have only his word for that, Mr. Kidd. But why should he have propositioned you that part of his story isn't true? Well, frankly, I think it is true. I figure somebody told him he could buy a gun for me as a joke. I suppose you want us to believe that you strung along the joke with no idea of providing him with a gun. Well, I strung him along because by letting him think I'd get him an illegal gun and keep, I figured he wouldn't shop elsewhere. And then, if he'd come to my place tonight, I intended to talk him out of the gun idea. If that failed, well, I meant to notify the cops. Why didn't you notify the cops first? He'd have denied anything I said and I'd prefer to keep out of other people's business. Well, because you're delayed, Robbins was killed tonight by Mercer. You're sure Mercer did the job? Well, the murder bullets were fired from the gun that was found, Ellen. Oh, I see. Hatchden, you knew Robbins, didn't you? Well, he came into my place occasionally to buy birdseed for a pair of finches I sold his wife several years ago. You know, Mrs. Robbins better. She's been in my shop more often. We understand she's a fine-looking gal. I understand. You haven't seen her yet? Yeah, she was a little hard to locate, but she's being brought here to headquarters now. Oh, I see. I don't know where we are for now, Hatchden. Go home. Don't discuss our conversations with anyone. And be back here at headquarters at 10 tomorrow morning. I'll be here, Captain. Good night. Good night. Well, I think that guy's in the clear, so please just let him walk away. Anyone with his excess blubber won't walk too far, Casey. And he tells a straight believable story. I mean, he was ready with a lot of good answers. Well, you don't think he's on the level, Casey? Well, you know, if Mercer was a perfect sitting duck for a frame-up, he was scared of Robbins' threats and a lot of people knew it. Hatchden might have slipped in that gun as Mercer claims after it had been used to bump off Robbins. Well, that'd mean Hatchden bumped off Robbins. Where's his motive? Oh, don't forget, there's a good-looking dame in his picture. You mean Hatchden might be gone and Mrs. Robbins so gone he'd knock off her husband and pay my boyfriend? Well, that sort of thing has happened. No, he will never sell that overstuffed birdseller to me as a guy who kills her love. No, to me either. Well, I'm afraid I agree with you, as a matter of fact. Hatchden might take a big chance for big dull, but not for a dame. Mercer did the killing, Casey. Yeah. I guess so. Come in. Mrs. Robbins is here, Captain. This I want to see. And you will follow her to the party, Sergeant? Yes, sir. Yes, as I phoned you. She left the friends nice and told us she was staying with her this afternoon and went to another place. Later, her husband might find her. She was at this party when Robbins was killed, so she's in the clear. Yeah, I figured that since we got Mercer and his gun. Sergeant, you consider her the heartbreaker we've heard described? Oh, yeah. And she used a beautiful perfume. Of course, you will. Hey, you'll notice it yourself, Captain. Uh, bring her in. Uh, yes. You will. Oh, perfume. Some of these cups are yours, honey. The captain's ready for you, Mrs. Robbins. Thank you. Captain. I am Captain Logan, Mrs. Robbins. How do you do? She is good looking. So are gold-plated dumbbells. It doesn't make me think of dumbbells. Please, sit down, Mrs. Robbins. Thank you, Captain. No, you'll find this chair the best, I think. Thank you, Mr. My name's Casey. Hmm. No, just relax, Mrs. Robbins. We realize you think you've had some very shocking news. And I said, add to your trouble just a few routine questions. And then you can go home. You're so kind. Uh, may I have a drink of water? No, I'll get it. I'll get it. No, I've got it. Casey. Well, Logan. Hmm. It's such a juvenile exhibition as you and Captain Logan put on, Casey. Like a pair of freshman wolves. We've been doing anything of the kind, and I'm tired of hearing you nag too, and I just piped down so I can watch the film. I'm sorry, just. It's okay. I have been catech. But would you mind giving me a good explanation of why you and Logan treated her so tenderly? She was scared, Logan, and I'm trying to relax her, that's all. Well, even you must admit she loosened up and talked freely before we let it go. You didn't tell you anything about her husband's murder. Well, I think she told us all she knew. I don't. For my money, she put gun. For just that purpose I'm driving to Paxton's apartment next to his pet shop as soon as I dropped you off at your place. You're driving to Paxton? My surprise visit might catch him off guard. I'll go to Paxton's with you. Then nag me all the way oh no you won't. I'll promise not to say another word about your treatment Mrs. Robbins. I'll even agree that she's beautiful, brainy and use a fine person. Yeah, I can't ask all that. Just keep an open mind, kid, about her and Mercer and Paxton. Paxton can't be in there. Oh try this door. It's locked. Come on in, Anne. Well we can't walk in. Yes we can't. I came here to see Paxton so I'm going to... Casey look there! What? She's lying beside that chair. This is all twisted and... Wait a minute. That guy's dead, Annie. How come I don't burn? He's got rotten business. He's been poisoned. He's been corrosive. Acid poison. I can smell it. Hmm. So can I now. And I... I smell something else. Oh I... Perfume. This is Robbins perfume, Casey. Well Casey, with a scent of a very distinctive perfume floating in the air of this room am I still supposed to keep an open mind about the fascinating Mrs. Robbins? Well why should she have killed Paxton? Like Mercer, Paxton was in love with that woman. She used both him and Mercer to rid herself of a jealous, brutal husband. Both Mercer and Paxton? Yes. Mrs. Robbins persuaded Mercer that he needed a gun to protect himself from her husband. She knew he couldn't be depended upon to kill anybody, even in self defense. Paxton was made of stronger stuff. Last night at her urging, Paxton got Mercer to come to him for a gun by means of that mysterious phone call. And tonight Paxton shot Robbins a short time before Mercer was to call for the gun and then gave him the murder weapon for the cops to find on him. Well then you figure Mrs. Robbins wanted Paxton, her accomplice, out of the way. Yes. She came here as soon as she was released by Captain Logan, suggested that Paxton set out high balls and there were two empty glasses on this table, Casey, and spiked his drink with poison. It's a good theory, Annie, but... Casey! Huh? Something in his red man's hand. Something that looks like this. Let me see it. Yes, it's a piece. An entire corner torn from a $100 bill. Cops didn't sting, Annie. That perfume isn't simply floating in the air. This piece of a $100 bill is soaked with it. Now it's... Yes. Because you had it in your purse. She paid Paxton money for the murder of her husband, Casey, and then killed him to get the money back. And as he was dying, she tore it from his hand. The way it looks, kid. Well... You won't bring in the cops on this yet. We're calling on Mrs. Robbins first, and right now. Mr. Casey, why have you and Mrs. Williams come here having disturbed your sleep, Mrs. Robbins? You're after what has happened today. Wouldn't you please tell me... Where did you go after Captain Logan told you you might leave headquarters? Be home. And you've been here ever since? Yes. You didn't go to Paxton's pet shop. I know, why should I? Well, the point is, did you? I certainly not. Paxton has been... Now, wait a minute. That handbag on your table meant to be carried when we met at headquarters, isn't it? Yes. Perfume? It was dropped after I came home, and a perfume flask inside was broken. What are you doing with my bag? I want to see what's in it. Give it to me. You are? Not only break a flask of perfume in your bag, but you leave a watt of $100 bills in it, with a torn off corner. It's perfect. That's what you two are talking about. And I don't know where all that money came from. It came to my bag. Did I come home alone? If you... No, you killed Paxton. Let's tell her you contrived your husband. And the police won't think about it. Now, wait a minute. Wait. Yes? Mr. Casey, you must believe me. You didn't come home alone, Mrs. Robbins? Somebody paid your cab fare? Yes, Mr. Bantley. Bantley? My husband's partner. He was waiting outside a police headquarters. Who, when you dropped your bag and broke that perfume flask? It was Mr. Bantley who dropped the bag. I've accidentally stepped on it. Oh, yeah? Who inherits your husband's share of the limited Bantley chemical firm? I do. Was your husband insured in favor of his partner? No. They talked about partnership insurance, but couldn't afford the previous. They planned to take it out after the formula was perfected and sold. Their formula? It was something they've been very excited about. It's a chemical process that will improve the quality of cheap men plastic. But they said it would make us rich. Has Bantley discussed this formula with you? No. He knows how ignorant I am about such things. Mrs. Robbins, I want you to phone Bantley. And ask him to come here right away. Come here at this hour? Yeah, I've got an idea. He's still awake waiting for news about you rather than from you. Now, if you were to tell him that you've learned something about that formula, that it's been sold, for instance. Mr. Casey. No, never mind. Wait a minute. I've built out a complete plan of action for you by the time he can get here. And then, I want you to offer him a drink. But why? We'll be here out of sight. And I'm playing a hunch. Come in, Mr. Bantley. Mr. Bantley? Oh, hey, have I stopped being called? That remains to be seen. Let me close the door. I've been talking to you about that formula. Carl, we've been friends a long time. Let's stay that way. I made friends now. Of course, of course, Ella, my dear. Now, don't you worry. Why don't we have a drink? Would you like one? Well, yes. Yes, I would if you would join me. I will. I have everything right here. You heard nothing more from the police since you left headquarters? No, I should have. I simply wondered. Bye for you. Thanks for me. Yes, thanks. Now, what about that formula? Who's been talking to you? No, I was free. I just wanted to make sure that I received a full half share of the money that formula brings again. Oh, is that all? Well, don't you worry. You get just three shares of the profits from that formula. Let's drink to it. All right. But put a little more rye in my glass first, huh? Certainly. They win. Uh, that's fine. Here you are. Well, give them now. We'll clean glasses and bottoms up. She doesn't drink that. What? Take that glass from Mrs. Robbins, Anne. And don't spill that bottle. I've thrown it. It's the evidence we need. Then let me go. I don't want to. Oh, Japan, please. I'll use this to keep you here. It's the case that he poured something into your glass while you were fixing his drink. Well, Casey, the same poison used on pasties. Poison? Yes. I don't understand. I don't get it all yet. Anne, get the cops here. They'll make this character talk. We'll all be interested in what you'll have to say. What advantage confessed to the cops, Casey? Well, we have to both die now. And you can read it in the morning express, Ethelberg. I don't want to wait to read it. Well, OK, impatience, then. I'll tell you. That formula, a process to toughen cheap plastic, was perfected during Robbins' stretch in jail. And it can be sold for at least 100 grand. Bantry wanted all of it. With the promise of a few thousand, he persuaded Paxton to frame Mercer with that gun after Bantry killed his partner with it. Bantry shot Robbins? Yeah, and passed the gun to Paxton. And then he poisoned Paxton and hung a pretty little frame around her. And he was gotten away with it. It's our Mr. Casey. No, it's nothing, Anne. It's all right. It merely had an inspiration. If our Mr. Casey wasn't so pigheaded as to think a good-looking gal can do no wrong. My great gift for character reading gets no respect from certain people, ever. I'd like to meet Mrs. Robbins, Casey. You say she's a blonde? Yeah. Blonde. Wow. Yo, I mean, they're Blue Note Café Ethelberg speaking.