 Mystery House. Mystery House. That strange publishing firm owned by Dan and Barbara Glenn, where each new novel is acted out by the Mystery House staff before it is accepted for publication. Mystery House. I like the title of the novel we're trying out tonight, Barbie. Killing in the market. It takes place in the stock market, does it? Nope, Dan. The wholesale flower market. Flower? F-L-O-W-E-R. Flower market. Oh, that seems like an odd place for a murder. Well, this is an odd murder. Flowers play an important part in it. Yeah, well, I don't see how flowers could be mixed in a murder. Sounds a little far-fetched. I'll bet it isn't, Mr. Glenn, because Mrs. Glenn is always mighty fussy about selecting novels that stick to close to reality, almost as careful as I am. You? Careful about what? Well, I'm careful about my part of the show, about sticking to reality and facts. Listen. Okay, places, everybody. Set the scene, will you, Tom? A killing in the market. Tonight's story opens in Doll Callaghan's garishly furnished apartment. A man seems to want to get in, rather badly. Doll, let me in. Wait, let me inside for a little bit, Pete. Angles, what's the matter with you? What are you coming in the back door for? Hey, you look like you've seen a ghost. I got him. No matter where I go, I got him. Angles makes sense. What are you talking about? What's the matter? I got him, doll. The jitters. I must be washed up. Oh, you make me sick. They're shaking like a scared cop. What's happened? Every day I get flowers. For a week now. Every day, flowers. That's why I haven't come near you. I don't want them to find out about you and me. It's driving me... Angles, you mean not Dusty. Don't tell me Dusty Lazarus. Angles, you mean Dusty Skip? No, he don't Skip. They game his papers. He's free. And he's driving me nuts with them nick-nick-nick. Nicotiana? Yeah. He's sending you, Nicotiana. Cut it out. What's so funny about that? That's what he sent me. He always gave me Nicotiana before they sent him up the river. Only he sent them to me because I was his girl. Nicotiana was his trademark. I know. But I never could figure out why a slicker like Dusty would fool around with a flower nobody else would be caught dead with. A creep like you wouldn't. But Dusty's the kind of guy that likes things pretty. And Nicotiana's one of the most beautiful flowers there is. They're different. They ain't blossom at night. Ah, they stink. It can smell them for blocks. And I can't get away from that smell. Follows me wherever I am. Maybe that's why Dusty gave them to you. Maybe he doesn't want you to forget him. Maybe he's a little sore because you moved in on me when he got that rap. Yeah? So what's he gonna do about it? He must be stir crazy. Sending me red and white flowers that only come out in the dark. Don't worry about Dusty. He's not the one that's losing his grip. Dye's nothing but a broken down flower peddler. He's Dusty Lozari, the biggest guy that ever hit this top. Okay. So he talks sweet and pays 35 bucks for a necktie. He's still nothing but a flower peddler. Dusty Lozari and doll Callahan. Everybody used to talk about us. Listen, doll. To all the kind they said, both smart. Cut it out. And the doll he had, he threw it around like it was nothing. Yeah? You're just lucky I was there to keep you from going to the pen along with him. Why? You framed him. You're the one... Now look. It was only to keep him from framing me. You ratted on him, you mean. You had to muscle it on his territory. Don't give me that. I notice you didn't have any trouble making the switch. What do you mean by that, mister? It don't make you sore to be riding in my limousine, does it? You don't mind the clothes I buy for you, do you? Why you... I could kill you for what you did to Dusty. Oh. Oh, now that Dusty's out of the who's cow. You want to go back to him, do you? Listen, you little... Take your hands off of me. Just remember, sweetheart. I can take care of you and Dusty. You make me laugh. Come here, doll. Oh, no. I'm getting out of here. I said come here. Take your hat off. You can't push me around. I'm leaving. Come here, doll. What are you so excited about? Keep talking, mister big. But I won't do you any good. You'll see the last of me when I walk through this door. What? Holy smoke. He's dead. It's Slugger. I told him to wait in a car around the corner. He should have. Oh, look. Look at that knife. Yeah. And look at his buttonhole. Of course she ain't. It's Dusty. He must have. Oh, no. No, it couldn't be Dusty. Come on. No. I'm not going to get caught with you. I said come on. You want me to slug you again? Let go of my arm. Come on. You're going to register at some hotel. When we were right now, you were going to get out of here. Dusty's probably hiding someplace close by. Come on. We'll take this stairway. You're a rat. But maybe you're right. Keep quiet. Now act like nothing was wrong when we go out the door. Dusty won't try anything on the street. I should have known better than to get mixed up with you. All right. Now quiet now. And don't forget. You try anything funny and I'll fix it until you can't talk. To Dusty or anybody else. Go ahead. Slap me again in front of all these people. Flowers. Hi from Minnie. Flowers for the lady. What's that old dame doing way up here? Hello, Minnie. Got a nice bouquet for me today? Flowers for the lady. You like these. My best bouquet for only 50 cents. You never remember me. Do you, Minnie? No, I don't remember. That's why I sell flowers. Such pretty flowers. Flowers. Flowers for the lady. Well, you hurry up. Let's get out of here. Goodbye, Minnie. Come on. Hey, Taxi. Hey, what do you think you're doing? I found it. So long angles. Here. Catch the bouquet. Tiana. Step on it, driver. Don't let him catch us. I'm Dusty. It's been a long time. I figured we ought to have a chat just for old time's sake. You're sure that's all you have up your sleeve? Same old Dusty. You know, you should have been on my team. You're smart. You'd have been a big shot on the police force. Yeah. Well, I think I've had my taste of being a big shot, Andrews. Yeah, I suppose you did. By the way, Dusty, what are you doing now? Oh, same old thing. Only this time it's legal. I'm operating a little flower shop. Yeah, that's what I hear, Dusty. You still go for those things nobody else likes. What do you call them, Nick? Nicotiana. Still my favorite flower. And... And? Still my trademark. Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that, Dusty. There's a little matter of the... And a matter of one stiff, formerly known as slugger riley? That's it, Dusty. Slugger was found with a knife in his back and your trademark in his buttonhole. Is that one of the old times you wanted to discuss, Andrews? Well, I did have that on my mind. But there's some other things, too. The real reason I asked you to drop around was this. I want your professional advice. Oh, something about flowers? You planning a party? Oh, forgive me, Dusty. I should have said you were a former profession. You see, I have a problem. An unexpected murder, slugger riley. Now, here are the facts. Riley was the chauffeur of a guy named Angles, who's the boyfriend of a gal named Dowd Callaghan, at whose residence the murder was committed. Now, anybody driving a car for a guy like Angles might expect to get knocked off someday. But the interesting thing is that Riley was very healthy, until, shortly after a former friend of Angles was released from prison. Well, offhand, I'd guess that you were talking about me. I might be, Dusty. Anyhow, this former friend comes home from prison to find that his girl is now holding hands with a guy who muscled in on his old racket. A perfect case of circumstantial evidence. So I thought, Dusty, but it also occurred to me that I was dealing with a very smart character. Meaning? Meaning he was so smart, he might plant his trademark on the body and figure I'd think he was too smart to do anything that looked so stupid. An interesting theory. But aren't the odds in favor of somebody else? An unknown assailant making use of the trademark in order to confuse the police? Maybe, maybe. However, I still like my theory. My trouble is that I don't want to make an arrest until I'm sure of getting a conviction. And so you'd like to... Sorry, Dusty. One of your competitors. Well, hello, Minnie. Oh, Dusty, thanks for the dress you brought me. I'm saving it for Sunday. You two know each other? Oh, for years, Andrews, have many. Get the captain one of the special bouquets. He's interested in Necociana. Necociana? Oh, it's not hard to find if you're looking for it. Necociana for Captain Andrews? Are you sure, Dusty? Yeah, quite sure, Minnie. And I'll have to make something special. Wait until I find my knife. I'll keep it in my basket somewhere. Oh, here it is. Here's my knife. Knife? That looks like a bayonet. From the old act, I keep it sharp to cut my flowers. Yeah, Minnie was in Fordville. She did a knife-throwing act here. You lost your husband that way, didn't you, Minnie? Lost him, sure. Never could keep his papers off other women. You see, Minnie and her husband used to take turns throwing knives at each other. And every time it was old Vic's turn to be the target, he'd watch the audience for good-looking girls. Well, one day he moved his head a little too much, and Minnie's knife got him by accident in the temple. He can't see no more women nowadays where he is. Well, that'll be all, Minnie. Stop it again tomorrow. You're all right, Dusty. You want me? No, everything's fine, Minnie. I'll see you tomorrow morning at the market. Come on, Dusty. Now, before we were interrupted, you were saying... Dusty, I've been thinking. I'd like to spend a day at the market with you. I find I'm getting interested in flowers. Anything I can do for you, Miss Callaghan? Captain Andrews. Anything wrong, doll? What are you doing here? You're not... I might ask you the same thing. I'm looking for a friend. I think I ought to warn you. I have a date with him at five o'clock. Maybe. Minnie, Minnie, have you seen Dusty Lozari? You know him, don't you? I never see what I tell, and I never tell what to see. Morning, Minnie. She's a queer one, that. You be careful, doll. You may end up with a basket of flowers. Don't joke with me, copper. I can still outsmart you. When I find Dusty, I'm going to tell him you're here. Do that. Tell him I'll be right where I said I'd meet him. I've got to find Dusty before that wise guy Andrews gets him. What'd you say, sugar? Angles, what are you doing here? Get out from behind that screen. Oh, no, babies, you come here. Keep your hands away from me. Get away, or I'll scream. There's a cop right down there. You got me all wrong, doll. All I want to do is talk to you. Don't worry about Dusty. He'll wait for you. Dusty. Oh, no. No tricks. I'm going to find Dusty right now. Okay, sweetheart. I'll see you later. Great scot. Look at that knife. She's dead. Dead. And with a sprig of Necociana blooms in her hand. Don't touch that knife. Somebody give me a hand. Here you, Angles Byron. Where'd you come from? I, uh, I... Well, me and the doll have been having some trouble, so I followed her down here to try to make up. How long have you been here? Oh, just got here. You seen Dusty Lazari? I ain't seen anybody. I knew I shouldn't have trusted that guy. There's nothing he wouldn't try to get away with. There's a slugger and doll haven't been any great blow to society, but we can't let murder go unpunished even so. The question is, who should we punish? And, uh, that's a question that'll be answered in the second act of a killing in the market. And now, act two of a killing in the market. It's still early morning in the marketplace where florists come to buy fresh stalks of flowers for the day's trade, and in the empty booth in which doll Callahan was killed by a knife are police Captain Andrews and Angles Byron. Hey, what's happened? What's all the excitement about? Okay, Dusty. Start talking. Where have you been? I'm sorry, Andrews, I seem to be late. Late? Listen, Dusty, I've taken your oil for the last time. I trust you just overnight, I trust you, and I got another murder in my hands. Another murder? What do you think's under the canvas? What? Doll? Well, great Scott, Andrews, you don't think... All right, Dusty, I've played along with you far enough, and I'm going to get tough. Why weren't you here at five o'clock? Well, I got your call. What call? What are you talking about? Well, Sergeant, somebody or other phone from headquarters said you wanted me to stop there and pick you up. You don't expect me to believe that. Andrews, it's true. Call your office. They'll tell you I was just there. I was trying to pull a fast one, Andrews. You don't think you'll check on him? On the contrary, I wish you would call. He's bluffing, Andrews. Anybody can see that. You shut up, Ingalls. I'll handle this. Dusty, Dusty, I've been looking all over for you. Yeah, hello, Minnie. I'll see you later. What's the matter, Dusty? She make you nervous. Dusty, you know what you told me about... Yeah, later, Minnie, later, later. Captain Andrews has some business he'd like me to help clear up. But Dusty, you told me... What did he tell you, Minnie? Maybe that's more important than Dusty would like to admit. Not now, Minnie. I assure you, Andrews... What's this all about, Minnie? You heard what Dusty said. You think I'm going to tell you? Well, Minnie, I'm an officer of the law. You can't talk that way to me, you know. Maybe Captain Andrews is right, Minnie. I don't want to get you in trouble. No, I'll not say a word. Not me, Dusty. You know you can trust me. After all the things you've done for me. For crying out loud, Andrews, you're going to let Dusty and that feeble-minded old dame cross me up? What are you going to do about it, doll? Hey, Minnie, stop it, stop it! Get that out of her. I'll have to lock you up. That old dame's nuts. Minnie, wait a minute. You want to make in trouble for both of us. I think you better run along now. That's right, Minnie. There's no place for you. Dusty, Dusty, don't make me do this. It's all right, Minnie. It's all right. It's better for you. Go along, Minnie. I'll run dumb. She'll be strung up. Minnie! Now, don't do that again. Now, go along. I'll see you soon. You two going steady, Dusty? Oh, cheap hood. It wouldn't occur to you to be kind to a poor old... Don't call me names. Who's got a record? You or me? Shut up, both of you. Well, I'm sorry, Andrews. I lost my temper, I guess. You and your fancy talk. What's the matter with you, Andrews? Why don't you lock them up? You're going to let doll lay there while you two practice your manners? All right, Angles. That's enough. We'll get to your late girlfriend soon enough. Now, Dusty, we've still got to settle this business of where you were at five o'clock. Well, I'll do everything I can to cooperate. Call your office. I'm going to do that, Dusty. There's a phone down there in that next booth. But just remember, I can see every move you make. So don't force me to use my gun. I'll be right here when you get back. You've got a lot of crust for a guy with a pedigree, Dusty. You know you ain't got a chance of beating this rap, don't you? What makes you think I have a rap to beat, Angles? I'd plan to eliminate anybody out of concentrated on you instead of the doll or slugger Riley. Don't give me that mush talk. Don't forget you're not a cannonball anymore. I can cleave you any time you say the word, any time, see? You haven't learned, have you, Angles? What do you mean? You framed me once, but you won't get away with it again. Oh, that's a lot of faker rule. Don't worry, Angles. Don't worry. I'm not going to bump you off. I learned too much up the river to try that again. But there are other ways. You talk like you're stir-crazy. Yeah? Well, let's see what Andrews has to say. He's coming back now. Okay. So you fixed it so the cops would say you were at the police station. But the important thing is, you didn't keep your date with Andrews. And what? And Andrews knows Dahl was murdered while you were gone. That's still going to seem mighty funny to him. You'd love to pin this on me, wouldn't you? You did it. You and Nicosiana. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. I'll be seeing you, Dusty. I done my days work. Well, gotta hand it to you, Dusty. You've got an alibi. But confounded, I know you're too well. You're still mighty done it. Maybe, but it seems to me you're building up a circumstantial case without any real motive. Motive? Don't you call what Dahl did to you enough of motive? Surely you don't think I'm carrying a torch for the girl just because she switched her angles when I was convicted. That's not what I'm talking about. Angles told us to do the Dahl Callaghan squeal on you. Yeah? I don't get it. It was an anonymous telephone call that gave us the evidence you were convicted on. Angles claims that call came from Dahl Callaghan. I don't believe that, Andrews. Sounds good enough to me. Dahl wasn't the kind of a girl to cook up a story on me. That call came from somebody. Yeah, well, who made it isn't important. I was running the mob and Angles wanted to move in. So he planted the evidence that got me convicted. Doesn't hold up, Dusty. I can figure how Angles might want to get rid of Dahl. She was always crazy about you. That slugger was his own bodyguard. Sure. That was a trap for me. There had to be some reason for getting me back into prison. An angle. So he knocked off slugger to make it look as if I'd killed him. But he made one big mistake. What? He used a knife. I never used a knife in my life. I never even used a gun. I used my brains. Yeah, you always did. But you made a mistake too, Dusty. You didn't count on my finding the knife Minnie always carries. Yes, Minnie. Technically, she's responsible for both murders. Slugger and Dahl Callahan. But you're morally responsible because you hired her to do both jobs for you. Minnie? Oh, you're not serious. You got careless when you had Minnie kill Dahl. You went with me to establish your alibi. I'm putting both you and Minnie under arrest and making it stick. Come along. Well, I'm okay. But you mind if I get a flower first? The stuff I bought's over in my truck. You're losing your grip, Dusty. Is it that I'm going to let you get away in that truck? No, that's fine. Come on. Yeah, you're roughly suspicious, aren't you? Why wouldn't I be? Well, maybe I can get a flower from Minnie. She should still be around here. Hey, Minnie! Oh, Minnie! Don't get too smart, Dusty. I won't hesitate to shoot you and Minnie both if you try any fast ones. And if you think that knife... Ah, there she is. And Minnie! Yeah, you got any fresh Nicotiana, Minnie? Keep your hand out of that pocket, Dusty, or I'll have to shoot. I just want to get some money to pay her, Andrew. Good morning, Dusty. Oh, that's all right, Dusty. You don't need to pay me for a little Nicotiana. See? It's real fresh. Just cut this morning. I haven't even opened out yet. It won't chill sun down. Real fresh. Yeah. Real fresh. Nicotiana in my truck. It's fresh, too. Not opened out yet. Andrews. What? Don't you see, Andrews, the bouquet of Nicotiana we found on Doll's body, it was opened out. But there isn't a sprig of the stuff in the flower market this morning that's open. That Nicotiana Doll had wasn't bought here this morning. It was yesterday's cutting. Yeah, I don't see what... Check with the station. They'll tell you I didn't have any Nicotiana when I was there. The sergeant cracked wise about it. But I'd gotten any. I'd have had to buy it here after I got here. And it wouldn't have been blooming. No move. I'm talking to you, too, Andrews. You're covered. Put that gun down, Angles. You can't get away with it. That's a good tip, Angles. Killing your cop would make it tougher on you when they catch you. Shut up, both of you, and listen to me. I had everything you both said. That part about the Nicotiana... I'll bet you enjoyed that, didn't you, Angles? Ah, your flowers. Yeah, flowers for your grave, Angles. It seems funny that a pretty little flower could send you to the electric chair, doesn't it? Shut up. I didn't kill her. It's many. You could have had flowers left over from yesterday. I got all fresh flowers. There ain't a leftover sprig of Nicotiana in my basket, see? Just a minute, many. Now, what do you think? Don't reach for that knife, many, or you'll get out. Try to shoot me, you dirty little crook. But... my side, that knife... I'll take that gun, Angles. Thanks. Well, smart boy. Okay. I knew I was stuck when Dusty popped off with that stuff about the flowers. Get me to a hospital, can't you? I'm in bad shape. First knife I've thrown in 30 years. But you can't say I've lost my touch, there, Dusty. Ah, you were terrific, many. You know, you ought to go back in the vaudeville. Not me. I'll stick the flowers. All except Nicotiana. Yeah, maybe you're right, many. Maybe we both ought to give up Nicotiana.