 Stand by for crime Newscaster and radio station KLP here in Los Angeles You know murders become such a commonplace crime that it takes one of unusual violence or fiendishness to really make an impact on the public Now we had one of those especially fiendish murders in LA not long ago a young couple parked up a moholland drive Their murdered bodies have been found horribly mutilated mutilated in fact beyond recognition The police car had happened along five minutes after the tragedy And found a man standing over the slash bodies with one hand on the door of the car His name was Eddie Flores a parolee He seemed dazed when the cops approached him But he snapped out of it when they accused him of the crime He slugged one of the cops managed to evade the other and got away by jumping over a steep embankment and disappearing into the brush By Wednesday Eddie Flores still hadn't been taken into custody And Thursday morning I arrived at my office around 11 o'clock Found Carol Curtis my blonde secretary waiting for me with a look of concern and a gorgeous face What's the matter glammifers have a hard night? Yeah I had a hard night wondering why you didn't take me to dinner after your 11 o'clock broadcast like you promissed all that Well, you see glammifers. I had something we'll talk about it later Right now. There's a female waiting to see you in the outer office female. Is she good-looking? Well, what do you care if she's good-looking or not good-looking girls are always easier to talk to that's why I hired you Oh, is that oh What was that you say? About to get you who is she what she want? Oh Chuck. Do you really think yes now? Who is she? Oh? You're so romantic. Well, hold on to your hat. She's Eddie Flores girlfriend Eddie Flores Come on. What are we waiting for Chuck wait? She's a nice little thing and the nice of the better Rather with a direct quote from Eddie Flores girlfriend help my seven o'clock broadcast, but Chuck if you'll only Hello, I'm Chuck Morgan. I understand. You know where Eddie Flores is hiding out Chuck I didn't say that anything you care to say miss Constance Emily Constance is the name mr. Morgan and answer your first question. Yes, I do know where Eddie's hiding out You do hold this smoke what a break look I'll tell you what I'll do Emily if you tell me where he is I won't say a word to the police until after my seven o'clock broadcast isn't he wonderful miss Constance if I were you I'd tell him to drop dead shut up glammifers besides that Emily I'll pay you $1,000 in cash and you have six hours to shift Eddie to a different location. Well, thank you very much mr. Morgan, but the $1,000 doesn't interest me However, I'll be glad to tell you where Eddie is hiding you will Emily before you say any more Let me tell you about this man. You won't have to miss Curtis. Thank you just the same I know a lot about mr. Morgan. I never miss one of his broadcasts. I Know he's fair and honest and tries to help people like Eddie who's falsely accused of something he didn't do No, no, not another one of those here. I go again. I'm sorry mr. Morgan if that isn't true You're on the right track Emily stick with it The big lug is putting on his usual act. It inflates his ego Now you tell him your story exactly as you told it to me glammifers I don't know why I didn't fire you months ago, and I don't know why you didn't take me to dinner last night Well, but that's something we'll talk about later Okay, Emily tell him there isn't much to tell except that Eddie didn't murder those two people If you'll only see and talk to him, you'll know I'm telling the truth Would you do that mr. Morgan? No In the first place Emily if I knew where Eddie Flores was hiding I'd be duty-bound to tell the police In the second place the evidence is too strong against the boy Then the third place he jumped his parole which is practically an admission of guilt Well, don't give up Emily he'll weaken if he doesn't we won't have any story tonight I can understand your feelings mr. Morgan That's why I I Have a proposition to make a proposition. I wish I had the words to convince you that Eddie is innocent But only Eddie can do that That's why I'm willing to take you to him if after you've talked to him. You're still convinced. He's guilty Then Eddie will let you take him to the police. It's a good deal for everybody Chuck It's Eddie's only chance and when lose a draw you have a good story Makes sense still I have one more offering to make mr. Morgan. Yeah, what is it? Eddie knows who owned the car in which the murdered couple were parked Now as Carol said when lose a draw I'd have a story if I took Emily Constance open a proposition So directly after my seven o'clock broadcast I headed for the address Emily had given me It was no wonder the police hadn't been able to pick up Eddie Flores He was hiding out in the last place. I or anyone else would expect to find him in an apartment in Longwood Towers The swankiest and most expensive apartment house in Wilshire Boulevard It didn't make sense because Eddie had been working part-time in a trim nursery earning less than 50 bucks a week I survived the lofty looks of the uniform dorm and and the uniform elevator boy and found apartment 1121 Oh, hello, mr. Morgan. We've been waiting for you. Hello Emily Quite a pleasure boyfriend picked offers hideout It costs 500 a month in advance It took every cent Eddie and I could scrape together, but we knew no one would look for him here And you don't expect to be here for more than a month. We hope that Eddie will be leaving tonight Oh, here's Eddie now Eddie, this is mr. Morgan. Hello, mr. Morgan So you're eddy flores Well, Eddie, you're about 15 years younger than I thought you'd be How what are you son 21 21 and already a parolee You're off to a bad start Eddie. Do you know why I'm a parolee, mr. Morgan? Why should I know our care? That's why I asked Emily if she'd try and get you to come here I agree. There's no reason why you should know or care why any parolee did time But when one of them affects you personally I think that should change the complexion of things I don't get it. Well, let's look at it this way. I'm a parolee. I try to get a job I have to explain about my past what happens Everyone turns me down simply because I've been in jail They don't even want to know why it was there. They aren't interested Is that fair? Maybe you got something there Eddie And guys got a couple strikes on them after he's done time and tries to go straight Just why were you in jail? I was in college at the time studying forestry One night a bunch of us went to a roadhouse and had a few A guy named bob tell me jone the car we were in He'd been drinking straight shots. The rest of us didn't know that Bob hit a man on the way back to school and almost killed him All of us got a year for it. That's me It was when I got out on parole and tried to get a job that I realized how much the world is against a man who's done time You think that I'm in a position to give these parolees a break? Well, yes, you've got a reputation for things like that. Now wait a minute. Eddie take it easy Seems to me you're getting off the subject You said nothing yet to convince me you aren't guilty of those murders What were you doing up in moholland drive anyway? I I was taking a walk You were what? Please believe him mr. Morgan Eddie's interested in forestry in nature. That's all he cares about He spends all the time he can out in the woods even at night There's a lot to interest a man in the woods at night, mr. Morgan Even if the woods consist of the brush you find upon moholl. Okay. Okay. So you were taking a walk. What happened? I came to this park car. I thought I recognized it I stepped off the road for a closer look and Found the bodies I was standing with my hand on the car door when the police arrived. I got scared I knew I didn't have a chance. That's why I ran Why did you know you didn't have a chance because the car belonged to max roister and last summer during vacation I got a job driving for him When I found out what he did for a living I tried to quit And he had some of these boys beat me up. Are you talking about max roister the numbers racker kings? Yes, that's right I even had a modi for wanting to see him dead, but he isn't dead. It wasn't max who was murdered. I didn't know that the Bodies were so badly mutilated. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's right Eddie your story is cockeyed enough for me to almost believe it. Oh, thanks But look mr. Morgan whether you believe it or not I'm giving myself up to the police tonight. Why I've only waited this long because I wanted to talk to you Everyone's against me I hoped I I'd have you on my side When I went out of there with mixed feelings of doubt and certainty I was more than halfway convinced that he was telling the truth If he turned himself into the police within the next half hours, he promised it. Do I be practically sold? But what can I do? To vote some time to try and to sell the public on the idea that jail bird should be given a break What would that prove? Andy floris didn't need me. He needed a smart detective who could prove a minister of murder Well, I got back to the station about 10 o'clock Happy man's field owner of k.o.p. And caro were entertaining a guest in my office It's about time you got back. Where you been? Where have I been caro? Didn't you tell pappy? No, I was going to and then something happened to change my mind Something happened to change your mind. Wait a minute Uh chuck. This is peggy melbourne. She's a friend of max roister. Hello, mr. Morgan Peggy's got a story to tell you chuck better listen I'm listening. I'll bet I can guess where mr. Morgan's been during the past hours So he's been talking to eddie floris that where you been chuck. What makes a young lady think that's where I've been Because I know eddie and I know it's exactly the sort of thing he'd do He worked for us um for max for a while He used to listen to every one of your broadcasts and talked about him all the time He used to say that if a guy ever got into a jam Chuck morgan would be the man to see to get him cleared. I see go on While the kid was an actor he had us fooled for a long while Said he was studying forestry or something then one day we found out he was stealing our receipts He and max had a fight max beat him up a sort of doggy dog routine. Huh? It was then it isn't now Max quit the racket three months ago. He's going straight. We're gonna be married. Well, well max He's quit the racket chuck. There's a scoop for you quit isn't the word to describe it Retired would be better. Why I'll bet max roister hasn't that's not fair of either of you A man tries to go straight and he gets a reaction like this every time What's wrong with the numbers game? Is it any worse than betting that the racetracks are playing poker or invested in the stock market? No one's forced to buy a number Well, the only thing I can think of that's wrong with the numbers game is that it's illegal So you think that any floris has sold me a bill of goods Oh, sure. He knew he couldn't stay and hide and forever So he picked the one man he hated and tried to frame him making you the goat That's not an unusual experience that jug quiet clam of us now look peggy Yeah, there's something about all this that smells to high heaven either you or eddie floris is an awful liar Right now. I don't know which one of you is putting on the act Would you believe it if I told you eddie floris gave himself up to the police a half hour ago? No, he's not that much of a sucker. What if he has he hasn't if he told you that you were a fool to believe him I know that little weasel better than anyone. Well, let's find out Please had quite it. This is chuck Morgan. Get me bill Megs. Will you? Hello bill I suppose you know about eddie floris turning himself in What? Well, how about one of your sub station? Well, no in a minute, huh? I see Well, okay, are you positive? No, that's right. Fingerprints don't lie Okay, bill. See you See you Well, what was that all about? Did eddie give himself up? No, eddie didn't give himself up And they've identified the body of the man who was murdered. Well, who was it? Max Royster Sucker Morgan had gotten himself behind the eight ball garden And his glamour person remarked it wasn't unusual The trouble was that most times before I'd seen an out and had taken it This time I couldn't see anything but a lot of ribbing from pappy and caro for the next few weeks But should be tougher to take than my regular weekly beatings Which is why the next morning after confirming that eddie floris hadn't checked in at police headquarters I told caro to get into a pair of slacks and take a ride with me up to moholland drive Well, what I can't figure out is how bill identified the corpse of max roister From what you told me his face was mashed to a pulp and all identification marks removed from his clothing You're too used to thinking i'm the only smart man in tongue glamour person Bill smart too. No, don't be so modest. First he identified the automobile That took a little doing because max had used an alias when registering the car Once he had that problem unraveled all he had to do was check max fingerprints with those on file headquarters Not bad Chuck, do you really believe that max had given up the number's racket? I believe everybody That's why i'm always getting myself one of these jams And here we are here. We are where this is a turnoff where the murder took place. Oh, come on. Let's get out Oh, what a wonderful view from up here. Chuck. Yeah, that's hollywood over there all the glitter and glamour of Chuck, do you ever wish I were a movie star? You are you're a del jergens. I quit facing for compliments Let's get going. Go work today work I didn't know we were coming up here to work Hey, what kind of work are you talking about? I hope look lambabus. Why don't you take the car and go home? I'll walk back. Oh chucky boy. I'm sorry What do you want me to do? We're going down into that canyon and look around Now don't ask me what we're looking for. I don't know, but I'll recognize it when I see it. That makes sense No, wait, I didn't mean it. Let's go Well, I'm certainly glad you told me to wear my slacks. This is no place for nylons Did you think that was the reason I told you to wear your slacks? Well, if it wasn't Oh, you cute kid Well, let me tell you something chuck morgan. I look just as good in slacks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, okay glamour I was only kidding. Yeah funny man What what's the work for we found it you mean we found what we came looking for but didn't know what it was But we'd recognize it when we saw it. Yeah Well, I don't see anything or what is it a rock a rock Now look you told me not to make gags and hold that glamour purse This is a special kind of rock. It's a pretty jagged hunk of granite, isn't it? See those dark stains would chuck that could be yeah, it could be blood And this could very well be the weapon that the murderer used to bash in the faces of maxi reister and his girl friend Doc glamour plus chuck someone's shooting. Yeah, I'll get behind this boulder Hey, that was too close for comfort We crouched there for at least five minutes while the marksman had fun chipping off hunks of boulder close to our heads After a while the shooting stopped I cautiously stood up to look around A police car was coming around a curve in the mountain road About a mile ahead but closer to us someone with a rifle was getting into a parked car Glamour plus and I started up the side of the canyon by the time we reached the road both the rifleman and the police car disappeared We walked over to where the rifleman had been parked Look around for empty shells glamour plus you're always good evidence Well, what are we going to do if we find some turn them over to the police Then we'll go find the rifleman. We'll seize his rifle turn that over to the police. Okay. Okay. I'm laughing Well, there aren't any empty shells that I can see now, but here's something All right A perfectly formed footprint in this damp spot on the ground. Well, what does that prove nothing yet? I'll just dig it up with my knife And if it holds together until we get back to town we'll have something that'll make bill mags happy Now how in the world is a dug-up footprint going to make bill mags happy because bill will compare it with Impressions of the footprints he found on the scene of the murder if they check then we'll know that the man Who was shooting at us is the same man who committed the murders so So we'll know. Uh-huh. Well, look we'll know that oh skip it. Come on. Let's get out of here. Okay We drove back to town I dropped carol at the studio and drove over to headquarters I turned my footprint over to bill mags and ran into another blank wall The murderer of max roister had been thorough and more ways than one The police hadn't found a single footprint at the scene of the crime Well, anyway bill promised to make an impression of the footprint I brought him And I also turned over the bloodstained rock asked him to dust it for fingerprints On the way back to the studio, I got started off in a line of thinking that I couldn't shake off It was still with me when I went on the air at 7 o'clock After the broad gas I checked through the telephone directory found the address I wanted And by 7 25 glamour person I were headed for north beachwood drive up in the hollywood hills So where are we going now you'll see Now don't tell me it's another one of those. I don't know what we're looking for, but we'll recognize him when we see it No, this is one of those I know what we're looking for, but I don't know what we'll find when we get there. Let's get out I feel like I'm playing blind man's bluff. Very good. Similar very good And there's the house No lights. That's bad Well, come on. Let's get out with it It was a rather large stucco house almost completely hidden by shade trees We went up the walk and onto a vine covered porch. I struck a match Found a doorbell button and pushed it Nothing happened We waited a few minutes then went around to the rear There was another porch here. This one was screened in Overhanging tree branches made the place as black as ink I let another match Tried the screen door It was unlocked. We stepped cautiously inside The match in my hand went out Wait a minute. Glamopus. I find another match. I feel like a thief Jack, look out Jack I was out like a light He ends up time later I heard Glamopus calling me from a great distance Jack, are you all right? Jack, are you all right? Jack, speak to me. What? Glamopus, where are you? I'm right here How do you feel? Great What happened? You were slugged and I was practically choked to death. They tied us both up and left us here Where's here and who are they? We're somewhere in that house and I don't know who they are All I know is that there were two of them Look for the past five minutes. I've been trying to get my nail file out of my purse It's in my hands behind my back right now. Glamopus, you're a genius. Let me back up to you We scuttled around on the floor until I could get the ropes about my wrist across the edge of the nail file That was slow work, but finally a strand of rope parted A minute later. I was free and I was loosening Glamopus Let's get out of here. There's no place for us. No, we'll come this far. Let's finish the thing What are you going to do? Light a match first and see what we are. It's just a room. There's a door over there. Come on Okay We crossed to the door listen to minute Heard nothing then tried the locks the door opened inward Across this second room was another door shaft of light showing beneath it We started toward it when suddenly Chuck listen. Yes, I hear it Look someone on the floor a man and a woman both bound and get head It's Eddie floories and Emily quick glamopus help me and I am We made short work of entire Eddie and Emily Eddie's shoes were off, but they were on the floor beside him and the first thing he did was to put them on Well, thank heaven someone found us. Are the police with you mr. Morgan? They were going to kill us. I'm sure of it Oh, you poor kid. No, we're alone. Who took your shoes off, Eddie? They did That was last night They brought them back this afternoon. There's an easy answer to that Listen It's the doorbell in the other room Hello, Peggy. May I come in? It's pappy. Yes, mr. Manfield. What are you doing here? Well, I got to thinking about things and I wanted to ask you a few questions. That's all What kind of questions? When you were at the station yesterday you acted as though you didn't know max roister was dead So good old pappy's figured it out. Well, it seemed to me that if max was missing for even a day You'd know about it. As a matter of fact, that's the reason that I I see Don't shoot now joe. I want to hear what else grants has to say. Okay, pig I wouldn't shoot at all if I were you joe You two didn't think that I came here alone. Did you the police are all over the place I was at this point. I thought I'd better get into the act If pappy was kidding about the police he'd be shot down like a clay pigeon I was willing to take that chance I opened the door crack and almost hit the back of joe Who's standing near the door holding a gun which was aimed at pappy pappy was near the front door Peggy was over on one side of the room partly turned away from me This was going to be easy. All I had to do was bang the door open and it would knock joe seligy We don't scare that easy grants at the cops are with you. Why didn't you bring them inside? Because first we wanted to hear you admit that you shot max roister and his girlfriend and then bashed in their faces with The shop rock You did it because max had thrown you over for the girl. He was with that night You thought you had a perfect opportunity to frame eddie floris for the job too bad grants You're a nice old coop, but you know too much. Let him have it Hadn't been kidding when he said the police were all over the place They were they swarmed in like ants when the payoff came Pappy at the real show He knew carol and I were inside because he'd seen my car at the street He'd persuade a bill mags to wait out on the porch until he pappy had talked to confession out of peggy the old goat Still by the time we got back to the office. I was a bit sore Yes, sure sure you did all right pappy, but you were certainly taking a chance with joe's gun pointing down your gullet Now don't get sore just because pappy stole some of your thunder as chuckie boy. I'm not getting sore I wasn't taking any chance chuck. I saw you standing behind joe Oh, don't try to pacify him pappy. You did the whole thing yourself He did not I found the rock with peggy's fingerprints on it and I found the footprint footprint Yeah, the footprint the footprint was planted up there by peggy She poured water on the ground and made a mud pack. This is southern california. You know, it hasn't rained here for months Peggy was wearing eddie shoes. That's right carol. We've got to give the devil his douche give the devil his Okay, I give up it was pappy's show all the way through Do you mean you're going to give all the credit to pat? Why not sure? Why not? Why not? But chuck it was you who talked to eddie and you found the rock and you who got your brain bit out Don't laugh her first. You're wonderful Sorry you chuckie boy