 And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tough whiskers or a tender skin. Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the Mole Mystery Theater, the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. Our guest player tonight is Richard Widmark, up-and-coming young star of stage, screen and radio. And our play, Double Cross, by Samford Flesinger. This is the story of Carl Cummings, whose plan for murder is complicated by his inability to decide on his victim. He only knows that someone must be Double Cross, but who? Well, perhaps you'd like to match Witts with our author, Mr. Flesinger, and see if you can come up with the answer to that question before the final curtain falls. Well, Mr. Fans, there's a challenge that should turn out to be fun. But say, man, if you're up against the challenge of shaving tough whiskers or a tender skin, that's apt to be a different story. So to make it fun, shave with Mole. Yes, sir, it's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier, brushless shaving cream for tough whiskers or a tender skin. Try it. Mole. And now for tonight's Mole mystery, Double Cross, starring Richard Widmark. The whole idea was nuts right from the beginning. I should have taken a walk around the park the second I thought of it, gone home and forgotten everything. But I didn't. I just walked through the door of Twin Oaks, sat down at the table, and winked at trouble through the smoke. Then waited for it to slink open. Hiya, sweetheart. Glad you got my invitation. How could I miss it? Pull up a chair, but don't put your pretty elbows on the table. Get him dirty. What do you want? Nothing on the menu. Huh. Good night. No, no, don't go. No? What's to keep me? I don't know. I guess I'm just in the dumps. Look, mister, I don't want to hear the next chapter, understand? You're in the dumps, so what? I'm in the dumps. So what? Everybody in this hole's in the dumps. And so what, and so what, and so what? Why'd you jump at a wink? Because I want a good time. It's not more trouble. What's it going to be, mister? Neither tonight. I don't like you. Oh, that's too bad. I like you. I'll pick you up tomorrow night. Say what? Here's a hundred. Get yourself dolled up. I want you to look like a lady. Why are you... You don't want the doll? Give it here. Tomorrow night at eight. How do you know I'll show? You have an honest face. See you tomorrow night. Hey, don't... Oh, what's a big idea of ruining the whole bottle by tossing your cigarette in it? Someone else could have finished it. Oh, I forgot to tell you. That's a lousy habit I've always had. When I'm through with something, nobody else wants it. That's a kind of guy I am, sister. Her name was Paula, Paula Stewart. Nice figure, cold black hair and brown eyes that sparkled out the words danger ahead. The way those highway signs do at night when your headlights hit them as you come around a curve. Yeah, she had the curves, too. Paula was waiting for me the next night. She waited for me every night. I waited, too. I had something on my mind. In about two weeks, I knew it was safe to tell Paula just what that something was. How come the long drive out in the country running short and dull? Would that make any difference? Sure. Thanks. The spot looks okay. Okay for what? I've got something to tell you. This ought to be good. No, I've got to be on a level with you. Don't do me no favors. It'll take more than a double-cross to break my heart. Paula, I, uh, I'm married. Paula, love of Pete, is that what you dragged me 40 miles out in this no man's land for? Who cares? Paula, you're terrific. Come here. You're pretty terrific yourself, grown-up kid. You know, you and I, we're a lot alike. We are? Yeah. We both like money. I was wondering where the payoff came in. I guess it's right here. Right here, baby. Okay, deal. It's an insurance deal. I don't think I like the card. It's a good deal, Paula. How good? 50,000 bucks worth of chips and a kitty. 50,000? What's the gimmick? Murder. Hey, that's some gimmick you got there. It's my wife Paula. She's the one who's insured. 50,000. Classy clothes, a swell apartment, ritzing nightclubs. Paula, will you help me? Paula, will you please? Does that answer your question? I spent months looking at you, sweetheart. Months. When I spotted you at Twin Oaks, I said to myself, there she is. Nobody else will fill the bill. Especially a bill for 50 grand. The next morning, there was an ad in the paper. Wanted young woman to do lighthouse work. Call in person. Mrs. Carl Cummings, 908 Webster Street. Paul, this is our new maid, mister. Stuart, just call me Paula. Well, we're glad to have you with us, Amy. Oh, you'll never know how glad, Paula. Taking care of the house has been a big job. I'm sure it'll be easy with you here. I'm sure it will. Is dinner ready? I'm all right. Paula, will you bring in the soup, please? Ah, it's a pleasure, Mrs. Cummings. Well, what do you think, honey? I think she's perfect. Looks a lot like you, don't you think? Same figure, same height, same color hair. But her face, darling, her face. When the time comes, I'll fix that so nobody can recognize it. I'll never forget that meal as long as I live. Amy, lovely, sweet little Amy sitting there across the table from me trying to pretend that everything was as usual. Paula serving dinner, dishes in her hands, money, and murder in her head. Her eyes met mine. They dared me to double-cross it. I wondered then if she knew that I would. I thought I would. Not again, Carl. I know the plan backwards. Yes, Amy, again. You see the way she looked at me? Yes, I saw. I don't like the way you said that. Carl. What? Just what does this Paula mean to you? For the love of Micah Bola, don't be questions. You know what she means to me, nothing. Don't ever ask me anything like that again. I won't. If you don't make me ask it. Now, what do you mean by that? I don't want to talk about it any more. Paula's just a way for us to collect your insurance. All right, Carl. You have your reservations at the lodge? Tomorrow night. I'll go up there, stay for a couple of days, and that's Tuesday night. I'll be back. But you see that you're on that Tuesday train for Tucson. All right. I already have my ticket. Tuesday afternoon, three o'clock. Good. I'll have my key. After I take care of Paula, I'll tear the house apart, make it look like a robbery. And then I'm going to go out I'll tear the house apart, make it look like a robbery. Then you go back to the lodge? Right. It's only a little over 50 miles. I can make it an hour. But are you sure that the police will believe that Paula's mean? I told you I'd take care of that. I'm going out for a walk. I've got some thinking to do. I've got to figure every angle. Carl. What? Who do you love, Carl? It's like I told you, Amy. Don't waste time asking questions. You already know the answers to. Nice night, ain't it? Oh, Paula. I saw you go out. Thought you might like company. Look, I don't think it was very smart of you to come out here. Suppose anything. What do you care about her? I don't want anything to go wrong. Nothing will go wrong. Unless you make it go wrong. You were awful lovey-dovey with her tonight. So? So I think you're either a darn good actor. Oh, what? I'm not so sure I know or what. All I know is I smell a rat. And believe me, honey, I've smelled plenty of them. Baby, there's no rat. What's the angle you've got to have an angle? I don't know. I haven't figured it out. But then I'm not very bright. Or do you already know that? Paula, it's all part of the act. Honey, I'm cold. Awful cold. You better go in the house. No, no, you don't get it. It's not that kind of cold. I'm scared. Now look if you want to back out. No, I'm not scared of that. Not in a million years. I'm scared because I've gone for you in a big way. I've never done that before. I don't want to get hurt. Paula, I'm crazy about you, too. Then put your arms around me. Oh, Carl. Still cold? I'd be a lot warmer if you'd kiss me. Oh, Carl, I love you so much. A moment later, she's gone. And I stood there alone in the darkness. My head felt like there was a lead pendulum inside, swinging back and forth, hitting first on the right side then on the left side of my skull. I saw Tuesday. I saw the lodge, the train for Tucson. $50,000 appear all at once and then dissolve into one bloody blotch, leaving me with the one naked thought I'd been trying to hide from myself. Paula had gone into the house. She wasn't in my arms. And I was cold. New plans had to be made. New plans for Paula and me. Later, when I went up to my room, I knew the moment I stepped in the door that something was wrong. I glanced over to where the glow from the streetlight cut across Amy's bed. She wasn't there. Amy? Amy. Turn on the light, Carl. Amy, where are you? Turn on the light and you'll see. Sure. Amy, what's it? Amy, put down that gun. Looks as if something has come between Carl Cummings and his wife, namely a loaded revolver. In just a moment, we'll bring you act two of tonight's mole mystery. Right now, here's Dan Seymour with a word about something that may come between a man and his razor. Men, if it's tough whiskers that come between your tender skin and your razor, shaving can be a painful affair. But you know, shaving needn't be due to death. Not if you shave with mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Now, that's right. Mole is just the cream you need for wiry whiskers or a tender skin. Because it is a heavier cream, mole not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straight while your razor breezes right through them. With mole, you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Try it. See, if you don't say, it's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tough whiskers or a tender skin. And now back to act two of Double Cross, starring Richard Whitmark. Sit down, Cole. Put down that gun, Amy. What's the matter with you? Sit down. No. Over there on the edge of the bed. That's it. Amy, I... I don't understand. So you wanted to go out walking? What kind of a fool do you take me for? You forget that I'm not an ignorant piece of trash you picked up between oats. All right, all right. So I made love to Paula. It's just part of the act, honey. I was gonna tell you about it. It was really very funny. Was it? Sure, the dumb dame thinks I'm nuts about her. I thought you were nuts about me, too. Amy, I am. How do I know? Because I tell you that's how. You told her, too. Well, Pete, say, Connie, if I didn't love you, would I be killing for you? How do I know you didn't promise to kill for her? Stop talking like that! It's not true. You're dreaming all this up. More than a dream, Cole. It's a nightmare. When I saw you take her in your arms and kiss her, I had a thought. How much easier it would be for you to kill me. How much simpler it would be than our complicated little scheme. Amy, come here. But I... I'm sorry, I... It's all right, baby. It's all right. I can't cry. Hold me close, Todd. Closer. Oh, I wish... I wish you were all over now. Just a few more days. Just a few more days. Those few days crawled and it wasn't all over. I didn't go to the lodge and mixed up in the reservations I told Amy. It was a mix-up, all right. And I didn't know just how to unravel the whole rotten business. The next week I postponed my trip again. Amy nearly blew the roof off the house. Amy, you're not going to lodge. I told you, Amy, I don't feel good. And how do you think I feel? I'm telling you, Cole, I can't go on like this much longer. Either get this over and done with or forget this. You're not so loud. You want quality here? And that's another thing. I'm sick of whispering in my own home. I'm sick of the smug way she smiles at me as if I were the maiden. She's your wife. Amy, stop it. Every time she looks at me, I know a sucker if you only knew what I know. What does she know that I don't know, Cole? Honey, you're imagining things. And so are you if you imagine I'm going to stand for any more delays. If you leave for the lodge next Saturday night or... All right, Amy, next Saturday. No more delays? No more delays. I'll go downstairs and phone the lodge for reservations. You'll see that you keep them this time. Don't worry. I'll keep them... It's Paula. The store's going downstairs. Is she supposed to be here? There's only one way to find out she's there. Paula? You wanted to see me? Mr. Cummings? Paula, come in here in the den. Hurry it up. What's the matter? Have a fight with her? Now this is no time to start saying. It's all set. What's all set? The stage. The crew is ready to go up. The winds are coming down. That's all I'm interested in. Next Tuesday night, Saturday night, I'm going to the lodge. I'll be back Monday night. Rance at the house. And... And take care of Amy. Then what? Then get back to the lodge. So far I don't see what you need me for. Maybe that's one of the things I'm not supposed to see. You give me one hour to get back to the lodge. Then you find the body and call the police. Hello? Who? Well, yes. She's right here. Hold on. It's for you. Thanks. Hello. You're early. From now on, call when I told you to. Yeah, I'm okay. Yeah, thanks for the budget. Yeah. Talk to you tomorrow night, huh? So long. Light me a cigarette, will you, Dreambox? Who is that? Just a friend. Why do you call here? Just checking. Checking what? Checking to see if I'm okay. Carl, I'm such a doper. I'm always thinking somebody might double-cross me. So I told Jerry this pal of mine to call me every night. Jerry's a swell old guy. Sort of a mother to me, you might say. Like you lost it. Yeah, just cool off. If you're on the level with me, I'll keep right on talking with Jerry and everything will be okay. Dumb like a fox, aren't you, Paula? Mad? Mad? Oh, I guess not. Just a little hurt to think you don't trust me. It's not that I don't trust you, Carl, baby. Just that I'm nuts about you. And like I told you before, I don't want to get hurt. Don't worry, sweetheart. You won't get hurt. You know? Somehow I got a feeling I won't either. Now, how about a nice, friendly cigarette, huh? We sat there in the den, our cigarettes filling the room with smoke. Only a tiny nightlife burned so we could stare at each other through the sandy darkness without being self-conscious. I felt my hot feet drain these pacing footsteps in our room just above the den. Paula heard them too, but they didn't bother her. She was expecting a phone call from Jerry, her pal, tomorrow night. She knew she was safe. Or was she? Saturday evening, I packed the leave for the lodge. I took along enough clothes to make it look like I intended to stay out my whole two weeks' reservation. By 7 o'clock, I was ready. Amy saw me out to the car. Be careful, Carl. Please be careful. Now, don't worry about me. You just be on that Tuesday train for Tucson. Yes, sir. Whatever you do, don't take anything with you. If Paula even guesses that you're going away with... She won't. Now, kiss me goodbye. See you in Tucson, darling. Yeah. See you in Tucson. Two hours after leaving Amy, I was in my car. Watching the lodge disappear in the rearview mirror, heading back home again. I'd arrived there an hour before, registered, gone to my room, leaving instructions not to be disturbed. I'd left through a rear window. No one had seen me leave. No one would see me return. My alibi would be perfect. I pushed the accelerator to the floor and I hit the road for murder at 90 miles an hour. It was 2.50 in the morning when I got home. Every window on the block was... It'd all be over in 15 minutes and I'd be heading back to the lodge. I was pretty proud of myself. Not a sign of a nerve. Like the thief I was supposed to be, I went into the house. As noiselessly as possible, I crossed the hall to the steps. Then up to the second floor. I stopped for a second. Outside her door. Long enough to catch my breath and get the gun out of my pocket. Then I opened the door. So long. Sweetheart. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment we'll bring you at three of Double Cross. Now a word from George Putnam. One thing to remember about the most common type of dandruff is that many outstanding authorities say it is not a natural condition, but actually is caused by a germ called Pityros poromo valley. Now the only way you can get real relief is to destroy this germ. And simply washing or brushing away loose dandruff won't do it. But double dandering will. Yes, double dandering really works because it gets at the cause of this dandruff and kills it. Actually kills the germ on contact. Results with double dandering have been remarkable, even in many stubborn cases. And the thing that makes double dandering so amazingly effective is a special ingredient, an active antiseptic that's so wonderfully efficient, many hospitals use it. In double dandering we call it Alzan. So stop trying to combat this dandruff with ineffective methods that actually are no better than plain water. Use double dandering and destroy the cause. Get double dandering tomorrow. Your money back if not satisfied. Carla. Carl. I just did it. She's dead. Yeah. Yeah, I heard the shots. Yeah, you could. I suppose your friend called tonight. You can, you can put the gun away, Carl. I suppose you'll call again tomorrow night. I wouldn't try anything if I was you, Carl. Sorry, Paula, I've thought it all out. When two people know a secret, it's not a secret anymore. I've got to protect myself. Then all that talk about your loving moments. I do love you, Paula, but I don't trust you, just as you don't trust me. Carl, please. It wouldn't work, Paula. Someday there'd be a slip. I only get $50,000 out of this. I can't afford to take chances. Carl, don't. I'm going to miss you. Look, Carl, no. I think I'll even miss Amy. Thanks, Carl. What? I dropped that gun. Amy. I said drop it. Amy was still alive. But there she stood. Her blood reddened in your nightgown where my bullet had hit. But alive. And a gun in her hand. Amy, my arms tired. I've written out the whole story. What else do you want me to do? Sign your name. You sign it. Me? Why should I? As a witness. Oh. What are you going to do with this confession? Turn it over to the police? Pick up this gun, Paula. Give it to me. Get up by the barrel. Thank you. Amy, now. Now look here. Let's. Amy. What did you do? No. No, Amy. Please. No, please. Operator, get me the police department. The cops? Oh, you must be nuts. I'm getting out of here before. Stay where you are, Paula. This gun still has bullets in it. Hello? Police department? Mrs. Carl Cummings. I live at 908 Webster Street. Please come at once. Something terrible has happened. You're crazy. They'll arrest you for murder. Could have been an accident, Paula. Accident? After all, I know Carl will be coming back tonight. Tell me he's going to lodge for two weeks. Naturally, when I saw a man prowling around the house, I thought it was a burglary. That's my story of... I live. I don't want any part of this. Sit down. You're not going anywhere. What are you going to do? Just wait for the police to get here. If I can. You're not going to make it, Mrs. Cummings. You're going to die any minute, Mrs. Cummings. I'll die when I'm ready. Stop polishing that gun and make it go off. The police are coming. Paula, please, Mrs. Cummings. Please don't make me stay here. I'm afraid you must. You see, I haven't quite... Come on. All right, Mrs. Cummings. Stay right where you are. Now Paula's in charge. You bet she is, honey. The first thing I'm going to do is take care of Carl's confession. And I can't think of a better place to get rid of it than in your fireplace. They won't do, Paula. Shut up. And now so long, Mrs. Cummings. And don't think it ain't been nice. You just burned your chance to escape, Paula. Huh? Oh, you're talking crazy. Why do you think I was polishing that gun? How should I know? I didn't want my fingerprints on it. I didn't want anyone's fingerprints on it. Except yours. You're holding the gun that shot Carl. What are you getting at? You're also holding the gun that... that shot me. What? No. Please, say hey, Paula. I hope you have a good story for them. I don't... Mrs. Cummings. Mrs. Cummings! Mrs. Cummings are going to blame me. I didn't do it. You got to tell him I didn't kill you. Don't leave me alone, Mrs. Cummings. You got to tell him. Mrs. Cummings, you got to tell him. Mrs. Cummings, you got to tell him. You got to tell him you got to tell him you got to tell him. Mrs. Cummings. inviting you to be with us next week when the Mystery Theatre presents beautiful silence starring Barry Kroger the original music for the Mystery Theatre is composed and conducted by Alexander Semler Richard Widmark was starred any similarity between the names and characters used on this show and any actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental sometimes when we're tired we make mountains out of molehills we putter around to leave the easiest job seems impossible if you're that tired and pale besides your doctor may find you have a borderline anemia resulting from a ferronutritional blood deficiency then you need ironized yeast tablets they help build up your strength by building up your red blood cells so take ironized yeast tablets to get back your color your vigor your driving energy ironized yeast tablets and now this is Dan Seymour again saying goodnight until next week at this same time when the Mystery Theatre presents beautiful silence this is NBC the national broadcasting company