 And now tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense Tonight we bring you a story of a killer and the family which he held in a night of fear We call it strange for a killer So now starring mr. John Daner here is tonight suspense play strange for a killer How's this Henry oh swell anywhere along here thanks buck So you sure you don't want to stop in for a minute. You haven't seen the kid yet Have you yeah, I'd like to but I have to get home early myself tonight The wife's got some kind of meeting and I'll have to take care of my own. Okay. See you tomorrow. Yeah night Hank. All right Hold it right there. Oh I didn't see you officer What's wrong? You'll have to wait a while you can't go down that street But that's where I live My wife's waiting for me. You'll be a little late Well, I'll wait a minute. Will you keep your voice down and stay back and get hurt if you don't oh You after someone Roy Gillesca Gillesca, that's right, and he's been living in this neighborhood Where right across the street down three doors. There's a cop every 10 feet from here to the river You better go back in that drugstore and wait call your wife if you want. Yeah, I think I'd better Where'd you say he was crossing down three doors? Yeah We're in the apartment house right next to her You don't think they'll be be any shooting just tell her to stay inside and keep a door locked. She'll be all right. Oh Thanks Hi Charlie Hey, that's a list of guys there after you know been living in the boarding house right next to you Yeah, I know how long it's been going on. They've been here almost half hour now half hour What are they waiting for don't ask me I got here about 5 30 when the police were just coming in They only took about five minutes to cover the whole block and a party of six or seven and went in after them And they haven't come out. No, no, I've been watching. Huh. Why I wonder you haven't heard any shooting. No We ought to hear something by now does seem funny doesn't it? Unless he got out of his room. Ah, you couldn't get far. Oh Well, I want to get Jesse on the phone. She'll be wondering why I'm late What's the matter honey, I thought you weren't going to answer. Are you okay? Well, go ahead with this supper. I'm gonna be late Jess I Don't want to scare you but there's gonna be a little trouble next door Now I don't want you to leave our apartment. Yes The police are after someone who's been hiding out in the boarding house next to us now The whole block is surrounded and I won't be able to get home till it's over and you're not to come out Yes, there's nothing be afraid of Jesse. Just stay inside keep the door locked There's no need for that now. Mm-hmm. Goodbye, dear. What? Jesse Hello. Hello. Hey Charlie. Yeah How high is that boarding house? Is it three stories? That's right Just like your place and that alley between them. How wide is it? Hmm. It's pretty narrow. I guess but this is a cop on both ends and the roof Charlie could anyone make the jump across is it too wide for that? I don't know. Why? She didn't sound right, Charlie like Yeah Like there was someone with her Charlie. I Tell you I spoke to her on the phone about ten minutes ago and I'm I'm sure there's something wrong up there captain. What makes you sure? Well, she was afraid of something I know she was something right right there in the room with her Where do you live in the boarding house? No the apartment house next door on the third floor reader yes, sir Feral's got some men going to the apartment house next to Juleska stopping yeah, he's in there with her isn't he? He's in with my wife. I don't know fellow. He could be anywhere now. You didn't find him in his room No, he's not in the boarding house. I knew it He's with Jesse and my son take it easy hidden we got across the roof didn't he our apartment is on the top floor He could get in easy enough Maybe look let me go up there captain Please let me go up there No, I want to be with my wife and kid I'm sorry Hayden if it's true who use them as hostages to make us hold our fire It's better that they're only to what difference does it make but we're not even sure he's there You haven't given us any real proof. It's the only way you can make sure look now Look if everything's all right if he isn't there, I'll call a drugstore and have him tell you so if he is I'll Well, I'll let you know somehow we can think of some kind of signal You can't stop me anyway. It's my home My wife that's in danger. I have a right to be there. I could stop you mister. I Should stop you but you won't I? Can go all right listen to me. Yeah, you may be wrong about no. What do you want me to do? Go straight to your wife. Don't do any investigating on the way. No looking down the alley or around corners Getting your apartment locked the door behind you. He's trapped Hayden and he's scared now And he'll kill you if he thinks you're on to him I know it if he's not in your place when you get there call headquarters and ask for grimes I'll have him standing by he'll flash the message to my car hell if he is there Well, there's nothing I can tell you you'll be on your own, but don't try to signal Now if I don't get your call ten minutes after you go in we'll know yes, sir I can say this Hayden if he's there Don't try anything brave. You know what I mean Yeah That's about all just be careful. We want this man Hayden. We want him badly But we don't want anyone hurt getting him You understand I do Thanks Farrell's holding up his men, but he wants to know the score Get over to my car reader have his men surround the apartment house block every exit put someone on the fire Escaping on the first floor, but no mist No noise Do it quietly Okay, Hayden You can get going. Yep. If he's not there get the call in right away. Sure Jesse Jesse He's everything. Okay. Is it come in? You sounded funny over the phone. I thought there was something wrong. It's okay Isn't it? Why don't you answer me? Henry Henry Get your hands over your head get up against the wall Don't make any noise or I'll kill you You're listening to strange for a killer tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills Suspense The money you meant to save but never actually did will never see you through an emergency Start immediately to put regular sums aside through your bank's bond a month plan or through weekly payroll savings deductions United States savings bonds are safe to invest in because they're as sure as Uncle Sam and When you need them you've got them And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage. Mr. John Daner starring in tonight's production Strange for a killer a tale well-calculated to keep you in Suspense what you thinking, but don't you try it? Mr. There's a 45 I'm not afraid of your gun. That's because you've never been hit You're big getting me and I know what you're thinking, but don't you try it I'm warning you You'll never know what it means to wish you could die till you get a slug in the stomach. That's all right. I Know he means it It won't do any good, you know No matter what happens to us no matter how long you stay here They'll get this and it guys just like me those blue suits don't make them superman and make mistakes like everyone else They've already made a big one how They shouldn't have sent you My wife didn't sound right when I spoke to her over the phone. I came up to find out why yeah She gave it away She's sorry about that Jesse. It's all right Henry. Please. It's all right. He hurt you Jess Never mind. She just got out of the hospital. Would you like to see her go back? I? Hope they kill you They might I Thought about it. I Guess maybe you better start thinking about it, too Because it's gonna happen the next time you make a crack like I'm gonna ask you a couple of questions And you're gonna give me the right answers the right answers mr. The first time you get hurt bad What do you want to know? What were you when you made that phone call? drugstore Across the street and your wife don't sound right. You think maybe something is wrong. Yes You want to get up here you want to find out why? Yes, what takes you so long? What we don't hear you coming up the stairs till almost 15 minutes after she hangs up. What are you doing all that time? Oh No, no, no At first I wasn't sure she did sound like there was something wrong It was only after I hung up and got to thinking about it that I started to worry and then I made up my mind to come up But that was later you don't stop to talk it over with the cops Why should I? How could I know it was you in here? Cops all over the block looking for me searching every building streets probably closed off and your wife sounds scared over the phone But you won't say why sounds like someone's with us. You don't say who but you don't think it might be me Well, yes Maybe I began to yeah, but you don't say nothing to the cops though. No Just come up all by yourself. Yes You sure of that? Yes, I I'm all right. All right. What's the big plan with you on a cops? I don't know I Don't know about their plan. I don't know what they're going to do But they know you're in here don't stop mister. I did go to the police when I thought it was you here with my wife I Don't think they believe me at first but I talked the captain into letting me come anyway If you weren't here, I Was supposed to call him right away if I was nothing Just wait and if they didn't hear in 10 minutes and meant meant I couldn't call You were in this room You're a lady Go get the kid. No, no, why do you want him? We'll do anything you say. You don't need touch our kid You look okay You don't want to hurt the kid Get him lady Henry. It's all right. I'm sure of it You haven't got much time Juleska. You know it Killing our baby is something you wouldn't do You can bring it me and Jesse If you say so, you're so sure this is the end of the line for me And those cops down there they're so sure well, I'm telling you I got lots of time and you're gonna help me take it Yeah, yeah Back up to the wall and peel off that jacket What come on take off the jackets roll on the floor sure Why not what are you going to do? I'm not gonna do anything You're gonna take it for a while What do you mean? You don't see it, huh? I'm kind of surprised. Well, I don't see any way out for you. That's what you mean They know you're here. Yeah. Yeah, they know I'm here you made sure that didn't you so they're covering every way out doors windows alleys What do you suppose would happen if I tried one of them? I Think they'd kill you. Yeah. Yeah, I Start out that window and every cop down there comes to make sure I don't finish the trip Maybe a couple come running up here That leaves lots of cops down on the bottom of the fire escaping a couple cops up here in the room But not many anywhere else, huh? Any alley or in the streets or down to the river They'll all be watching a guy in the fire escape, won't they? And the guy in the fire escape He don't need to be me does he? He won't work You're crazy to think that'll work. I gotta take that chance now You're going out on a window mister and you're gonna take your time doing it. They've seen me They know what I look they saw a guy in a leather jacket right close up Now you're a guy in a white shirt three stories over the street coming down a fire escape that makes you a different guy That makes you ride your leska Little guy bring a man You won't He's asleep What's his name Johnny Johnny? It's a nice original name Cuckold kid, too. I Yeah, don't guess you're gonna put up any arguments. I missed No No arguments. Yeah I'll be right here with the wife and the kid until I see our little scheme is working So don't you try little tricks on the way down? No, what does he mean Henry? What's gonna happen you can read about in the papers lady now go turn out the light a lot turn it off Don't you try nothing either one of you you got your kid in here now And there's no telling who'd get hit if I had to shoot while turn it out Jesse Are you the window you can't let him go out there Jesse It's all right Hold on to Johnny Wait for me It'll be all right Stepped out onto the iron platform below on the street a Man could feel every eye And then I knew there was a part of the plan he hadn't told me I jumped back against the wall But it was already too late From the window behind me Juleska fired down into the police their guns flew up automatically and everyone was aimed at me Pain pain Waves of pain voices voices I knew Don't touch him. Let him alone. He's losing blood. I've got to get a doctor. You'll get a doctor lady Well, why don't you go? What are you waiting for? Haven't you done enough hurt and you just stand there? I thought you wanted to get out. Well get out get out get it And it'll be all right. Don't try to move darling. You'll be all right. He's Mr. No, I ain't got a little scheme Don't look like it's gonna work. It should have no reason it shouldn't But they're moving up on the stairs right now Don't move Henry. We'll get a doctor. It'll all be over in a minute. Yeah, you're glad, huh? No No, I'm not glad It's ugly all of this I feel sorry for you Don't lady I've been running for a long time I think it's gonna feel good to stop. It's a funny thing when they're after you when you're running away You look the same you act the same as you always did but it's it's different on the inside you're tight twisted No matter what you're doing you you can't relax you can't get a Good deep breath Yeah, I think I'm glad Those guys Gonna do a lot of bragging tomorrow Saw they finally get me you killed a man. Yeah One day you're just a guy and Then something happens and you're a killer. Won't you go now? Please? Sure. Sure. I'll go Why not? Don't make much difference now buddy Listen to me, you know what I mean, don't you? You're just a guy Yeah Put your gun down Maybe they'll give you a chance what chance I've been waiting for a chance all my life Give her the gun It'll be better. Look forget it. Will they get out of the way lady? I'm going off. You wouldn't you wouldn't try Oh, why don't you let me have your gun get back get way back jesse? It's all right. Henry. It's all right. That's it Stay there I'm you'll stay Just like that Okay, son. Hold it right there. Don't come any farther There are six guns on you jeleska You haven't got a chance I dropped that thing and come down with your hands over your head Jesse Yes Why Didn't it work? They shot at me And then there was at least A half minute when he could have got out that door. Why why didn't he? What made him wait? Oh, don't dog. Darling. It's all over now. No. No. No. What what happened? Tell me when the police fired he started at the door But he came back Henry He went out into the fire escape and lifted you in the room Then he started for the door again But it was too late Is he all right? I don't know. I think so. Will you get a doctor, please? All right. Take it easy mister. You're gonna be okay. He's just lazy Yeah Sure It's funny. Huh? No Not funny strange strange For a killer Suspense In which mr. John Daner starred in tonight's presentation of strange for a killer Next week tune in again for radios outstanding theater of thrills suspense Suspense is produced and directed by antony ellis Tonight's script was written by robert eson. The music was composed by rinne gettergau and conducted by wilbur hatch Featured in the cast for tony barrett eve mcvay jack cruisin lennard wine rib charles seal and tom mckay Tomorrow night on cbs radio hear the scientific touch on the fbi in peace and war A new wrinkle in criminology and an exciting wrinkle in countermeasures Remember on most of these stations every wednesday night the fbi in peace and war Stay tuned now for douglas edwards with the news followed by disc derby Night the whistler brings mystery on the cbs radio network