 As our story opens, we find Dr. Danfield, authority on crime psychology in his office, dictating to his pretty young secretary, Rusty Fairfax, period paragraph. And I therefore want to set forth the following incident to establish my theory firmly that it's the common everyday citizens who, upon reverting to the criminal type, betray more cunning than the seasoned professional. It was at approximately 10 o'clock in the morning a few weeks ago when Oliver Norton, New York's most famous play producer, arrived at his palatial office. Good morning, Mr. Norton. Good morning, darling. Any important calls this morning? Yeah, Phil Saffron called. He'd like you to meet him for lunch. Yeah, let me see. I have that Carlson matter. Paul Saffron asked me to make it tomorrow. Anything else? Nothing important. Good. Cancel anything that's on the calendar up to three o'clock. I have some things that I want to attend to along. Yes, sir. Carl, who let you in here? Hello, Oliver. Nobody let me in. I came up in the private elevator and sneaked in when your efficient secretary went out to powder her nose. Well, of all... Oh, look here, Cora, this sort of thing has got to stop. You're interfering with my work. You don't want to see me? Well, yes, of course I do, but during working hours... It was you who suggested that I come up during working hours. Well, it was different then. And I mean, oh, hang it, Cora, you must realize that there's got to be an end. Yes, I should have known that the first time I came here for a job, shouldn't I, Oliver? Only a naive little country girl would have believed you. Do we have to go through all that again, Cora? I'm not going to be brushed off so lightly, Oliver. Look, Cora, you must understand one thing. Working on my sympathies isn't going to do any good. I don't feel like a hero. I told you in the very beginning what might happen. Which is another way of saying that you don't love me anymore. I never did love you, Cora. I know that sounds brutally frank, but I'm sorry if you fall in love with me. Darling, you're wonderful. You really are. Know something? Compared to a naive country girl, you're positively stupid. Oh? Can't you know why I listened to all your smooth talk and pretended to believe everything you said? Pretended? Of course. I came to New York because I wanted a career on the stage. I believed I had talent as an actress. Can you deny that I have that talent, Oliver? Well, to a certain extent, you really... I must have put on a convincing performance to have completely fooled the great Oliver North. Oh, really, Cora? Aren't you being a little ridiculous? Perhaps. I'll know in a minute. Just what does that mean? First, Oliver, let me assure you that I'm not the least bit disturbed that you've cast me aside like an old glove. Well, excellent. The neither of us has any regrets. None at all. We both had selfish motives at the beginning. We both were completely satisfied with the bargain we made. Exactly. Frankly, Cora, you're showing more good sense than I believe you capable of. And now, dear, if there's anything I can do to help you... Oh, there is, Oliver. Definitely. Well, what is it, dear? I want the leading feminine role in your play Midnight Sun. Oh, come on, dear. You know very well that's one wish I can't grant. Oh, yes, you can. And you're going to. You're reasonable, Cora. You're not the type to play the role of Elsie Wood. And even if you were, well... Uh, I promised the part to someone else. To Lola Crothers? Yes. Did you tell Lola Crothers that you'd also promised it to me? Naturally not. Now, look here, Cora. Did you tell Lola Crothers that you also in love with me? I wasn't. I just told you that. You said you were, and I pretended to believe you. It was a very enlightening experience. It taught me so much about Oliver Norton. What are you getting at, Cora? Well, we women have a code among ourselves, Oliver. If one of us benefits by an experience, we share the profit. Oh, come on. Let's not be melodramatic. So you're going to tell Lola about us, unless I give you the leading role in Midnight Sun. Oh, I'm going to do a lot more than that, Oliver. I'm going to write an article for newspaper publication entitled Adventures with Oliver Norton. Oh, that's childish. No newspaper in the city would be interested in such an article. Oh, yes, they would, Oliver. Take a look at this. Hmm, see, Miss Cora Rogers. That's 5524, always. Cora. This letter says that the New York Express would be interested in purchasing some letters, which I wrote to you. I wrote you no letters? Really, Oliver? You're going to be surprised when my article appears. Why, you can't do this. It's blackmail. It's a definition of character. Well, how quickly you catch on to things, Oliver. Now, listen, here it is in a nutshell. As far as everyone else goes, I'm still the naive little country girl who came to New York to go on the stage. Oh, that's sure if I are a human interest stuff. And the fact that the great and mysterious Oliver Norton took a personal interest in me will make it even better. Don't you know that this will ruin your chances on the stage forever? Of course I know it. And I know also it'll ruin the great Oliver Norton forever. I know it'll ruin your play, and I know it won't do Lola Crothers any good. You see, Oliver, we're going to rise or fall together. That's the bargain we made. And so you're willing to throw everything overboard just to... Yes, yes, I'm willing. Are you? No. Cora, does your newspaper friend know that you're here in my office now? No, but he will, is there? And you sneaked in without my secretary or anyone else seeing you? Would you have seen me if I'd announced myself? No. I wanted to give you a chance, Oliver, so I... What are you locking the door for? Cora, you made one big mistake. You forgot that there's another answer to the problem. Oliver, what are you going to do? No, you keep away from me. You forgot, my dear, that Oliver Norton's reputation is impeccable. He doesn't become involved in shoddy affairs. No one would believe that he was capable of... Oliver, please, I won't publicize. No, don't you... Underestimate it, my dear. This will prove how wrong you were. In a moment of return for the second act of Danger Doctor Dan Field, but first, I'll back to Michael Dunn for the second act of... Danger Doctor Dan Field. Oh, Dan, I think Kevin's here. Captain Otis is waiting for you in the problem office. I know he is, Miss Fairfax. I've already talked to him on the phone. Pick up your notebook and come along with us. Dan, wait a minute. The university call. Never mind the university. This is more important. But, Dan, your lecture. Oh, all right. Hello, Captain. Sorry I'm late. I thought you had to say over the phone interest me very much. I hoped it would, Doc. I also hope that you'll agree to help me out. Frankly, I wouldn't dare to tell my theory to anyone else. Very flattering. Oh, well, come in, Miss Fairfax. Sit down, please. And take notes on the conversation, will you? I'm ready anytime. Fine. Captain, there's just one question I want to ask you. Why do you associate the obvious suicide of a young actress whose body was found in a respectable apartment house with Oliver Norton, the producer? Well, Doc, maybe I'm crazy. I haven't been here reason, except that I can't think of anyone else who would murder the girl. And what makes you think she was murdered? Well, there you've got me again. If anything ever looks like suicide, this does. All her things were in order, and the cracks around the windows were plugged up with ceiling wax. And she was lying on the floor with her face within a few inches of the gas jet. Did she have a motive for suicide? Yes. She'd come to New York to go on the stage, and had been doing pretty well. Recently, she'd been telling her friends that she was going to play the role of Elsie Wood in Oliver Norton's new play, Midnight's Son. I seem to remember reading about that in the theater pages. Yes, and we could go, Oliver Norton announced that Lola Crothers was going to play the lead, didn't he? Yes, yes. We hadn't talked with Norton yet, but we've checked his word about yesterday. He was in his office all morning, and our autopsy proved that it was approximately 11 o'clock yesterday morning that Coral Rogers died. Did the autopsy prove that she died of gas poisoning? Well, that's hard to say. There was gas in her lungs, but there were also indications that she was strangled. Hmm. Very interesting. So you think she might have been murdered, eh? Well, actually, my only reason for thinking she was murdered, Doc, is that as far as I can learn, she wasn't the type of girl who would commit suicide. Too strong a character. Well, then it's a job for the police. Dr. Denfield has an important lecture. Miss Fairfax, please. You were going to say, Captain Otis? Well, I'm shooting in the dark, Doc. Of course, I'm guessing. I haven't got one piece of concrete evidence. And because of that, you don't want to stick your chin out. You want Dr. Denfield to do it instead. Miss Fairfax? Well, she's right, Doc. 100% right. Oliver Norton's a big man, an important man, and his reputation is without a flaw. And if it became known that the police were investigating him in connection with this suicide, well... I see what you mean. Now, well, just why do you think I'd risk my reputation? Doc, your business is studying unusual types of criminal minds. Well... Suppose you found out that Oliver Norton was the murderer. Now, here's a man who's had a normal everyday life. He's enjoyed fame and wealth. Now, suddenly he turns around and becomes a murderer. Well, wouldn't you... wouldn't you call that unusual? Yes, yes, you're quite right. But suppose he isn't the murderer. Then where will Dan be? Well, he won't have lost anything, Miss Fairfax. Doc, don't you know Oliver Norton? I've met him on one or two occasions, yes. Well, there you are. Doc here calls on Oliver Norton. He knows that Norton used to work with Coral Rogers. He asks questions because he's gathering material for his next lecture. No. Oliver Norton would immediately become suspicious. I don't think so, Miss Fairfax. This is the sort of thing that Doc does all the time. He's saying he's not a detective. Well, everybody knows that. The last thing the public suspects is that the police believe Oliver Norton had anything to do with this suicide of Coral Rogers. No, it wouldn't work. Besides, it would be dangerous. That's enough, Miss Fairfax. Captain, if you can convince me that Coral Rogers was murdered, I'll be glad to do what I can. Well, that's not going to be so easy. But come on over to her apartment and take a look yourself. This is it here. Hey, there's still a smell of gas in the place. Well, we purposely kept the windows closed until we completed our investigation, Miss Fairfax. Rather expensive appointments for a comparatively unknown actress, wouldn't you say so, Captain? That's right. Miss Rogers, with the help of Oliver Norton, had done very well for herself. I see. Is the room in the same condition as when the cleaning woman discovered the body? Yes, yes. Miss Rogers was found lying there on the floor near that gas heater. The burn match on the rug was apparently used to melt the ceiling wax. Why don't you dust the burn match for fingerprints? Wouldn't that tell you something? It'd be practically impossible to get a print from the match that size, Miss Fairfax. The safety match and, uh, unusually small. Find anything, Doc? Oh, no, no. Just looking around. Hmm. Seems odd that anyone would have enough ceiling wax on hand to seal up all the windows. Not on the contrary. It wouldn't take as much as you think. A little more than two-thirds of that stick on the dresser with Oliver's needed. We also found some envelopes that Miss Rogers had sealed with the same wax, so we know it wasn't brought in from the outside. How about fingerprints on the stick of wax? Oh, we tried that, but they weren't any. All wiped off. They were? Well, it seems funny to me that anyone who was going to commit suicide would bother to wipe their fingerprints from the stick of wax. A very clever observation, Miss Fairfax. Captain, I suspect you knew one of us would ask about that. What's the answer? Well, frankly, Doc, it establishes my theory more firmly that the girl was murdered. I thought if you discovered it for yourself... I see. You're sure you didn't wipe the prints off yourself, Captain Otis, just so we... Miss Fairfax, let's not try to be too clever. Captain, are these articles on the table the contents of Miss Rogers' purse? That's right. All her personal things are right there. Let me see. Anktiff, keys, lipstick, cigarettes and lighter, a charger plate, vanity, wallet, changed purse, newspaper clipping. Well, this is amazing. What's amazing about it? I've got the same going to junk in my purse. Have you indeed, Miss Fairfax? Captain, are you positive that these are all the things that were found to Miss Rogers' purse or on or near the body? Yes. Why? Miss Fairfax, I want you to call Oliver Norton immediately and make an appointment for us to see him. Dan, do you mean you think... I mean, Miss Fairfax, that now I'm not only positive that Coral Rogers didn't commit suicide, but I can tell in a very short time whether or not Oliver Norton murdered her. Yes? Hello, are you Mr. Norton? Yes, I'm Mr. Norton. Well, I'm Miss Fairfax. Dr. Denton. Oh, yes, of course. Well, of course. Come in, Miss Fairfax. How is Danfield, by the way? Isn't he here? Oh, still ten minutes to the time of our appointment. Oh. Well, then perhaps you can give me some warning as to what to expect from Danfield. Didn't he tell you over the phone? No, my secretary took the call. She tried to put him off, but he really said he was coming out anyhow. Quite a character, Danfield. Yes, quite. I guess I'd better let him tell you what it's all about, Mr. Norton. Oh, oh, well then, what should we talk about? Well, it's been a nice day today. Ah, but warmer than yesterday. The day before was really hot. Well, did you notice the day before that? Let me see. That would be Wednesday. Why, I thought it rained on Wednesday. This Fairfax, you're wonderful. I must congratulate Danfield on his choice of secretary. But come now, hadn't you better tell me what Danfield's got in his mind so I can prepare myself for that? I'm sorry, Mr. Norton. Dan wouldn't want me to, I'm sure. By George, I know. You do? It's about Carl Rogers' suicide. It must be. What makes you think that? What do you know she worked with me? Oh, what a tragic thing to happen. Injustice when she was about to appear as my leading lady in Midnight's Sun. What? But I thought that Laura troubles you. Oh, no, no, no. Probably read that in the newspapers. I don't know how they got hold of the story. I denied it as soon as I couldn't. Used to be, I announced definitely that Cora was to have the part. What time yesterday? What time? It was sometime in the morning. My secretary phoned it in. Was it before 11 o'clock? Well, probably. Otherwise it wouldn't have made the afternoon editions. Hello. Yes, this is Norton speaking. It can't be true if it is. Oh, what's that? Danfield? Well, you don't mean it. Is something wrong with Dan? Who's that on the phone? Just a minute, Miss Fairfax. Oh, what was he doing? Very well. I'll be there immediately. Who was that? What's happened to Dan? That was the night watchman in my office, Miss Fairfax. He just found Dr. Danfield lying on the floor beside my desk. Shot. In a moment we'll return for the third act of danger, Dr. Danfield, but first, now back to Michael Dunn for the third act of danger, Dr. Danfield. Well, let's hurry. Yes. I'm afraid hurrying isn't going to help matters, my dear. This is my private elevator. My office is on the second floor. Dan can't be dead. He can't be. Can only hope for the best. I don't know what he was doing in my office this time around. What did the watchman say? Did he say that Dan was dead? No, no, my dear. Many said that Danfield had been shot. Here we are. Well, we're there. I'm afraid the implication wasn't very encouraged. Which way is your office? This is it. Directly across the hall. I'll tell you I'm all right, Captain. I'll pick it please. Oh, oh. Here's Miss Fairfax and Mr. Norton. Dan, your face is covered with blood. Oh, Dan, I'm so glad you're alive. Alive? Miss Fairfax, whatever gave you the impression that I wouldn't be. Well, you were shot and all that blood on your face. I'm near scratch. Hello, Norton. Apparently we got mixed up on our appointment. Mixed up? But you said you were coming out to the house. Miss Fairfax, you made the appointment with Mr. Norton for here in his office, didn't you? I made it. Well, Dan, listen. Of course you did. Well, Captain, I think I can give you an answer in a very few minutes. My answer? But listen, Doc, I don't see... Naturally you don't, Captain. Norton, while waiting for you to keep your appointment, I read in the newspapers that you decided to give the leading feminine part in Midnight's Son to Cora Rogers. Yes, yes. It's a pity she didn't know about it before she tragically took her own life. She didn't take her own life. She was murdered. Captain, will you do as I suggest? Yes, but... Norton, may I have the address of Miss Lola Crothers, please? Lola Crothers? No, look here, Dan. It was Lola Crothers who shot at me tonight. She did so because she thought that the man sitting at your desk was you. I want to ask her one question. Then I think we'll know who it was who murdered Cora Rogers. Please explain what this is all about. Why did you tell Mr. Norton that you'd made the appointment with him at his office? Dan? Hmm, hmm. What was that, Miss Fairfax? Appointment? Oh, skip it. Yes, yes. Very good idea. What would such a person do under such conditions? Dan? Hmm? Another question, Miss Fairfax? Yes. What's the question you want to ask Lola Crothers? It's not a very difficult question. I merely want to ask her at what time she called at Mr. Norton's office on the day of the murder. How do you know she called there? I don't, Miss Fairfax. Oh, that tells me a lot. Well, when you discover whether or not she was there and at what time, what's it going to prove? I've already explained that, Miss Fairfax. It's going to prove who murdered Cora Rogers. Oh, by the way, what did you and Mr. Norton talk about at his house tonight? The weather. Oh, very interesting subject, the weather. Don't know what we'd do without it. No, indeed. Well, I believe this is Miss Crothers' apartment building. Come along, Rusty. We're about to meet another unusual type. It looks as though Miss Crothers weren't at home. Yes, it does. Doesn't it, Miss Fairfax? Well, if she were, she'd have heard you knock by now. That's the fifth time. This is unusual. I'll try the door. Well, that's odd. What's the matter? The door's unlocked, but it seems to be stuck. Stuck? Yes. There we are. Dan, look here at the door frame. Yes, I see it, Miss Fairfax. The door was stuck with ceiling wax. Dan, I smell gas. So do I. I'll find the light switch. There. Dan, on the floor, near the gas heater. Quickly, Miss Fairfax. Open some windows while I turn off the gas. It's a pity we didn't get here sooner. I'm afraid it's too late. Dan, is she... Yes, I'm afraid she is, Miss Fairfax. Oh, Dan, this is awful. She died exactly as Cora Rogers died. Cora's windows were sealed with wax, too. Oh, there's the box of matches on the floor, and there's the newspaper telling of Cora Rogers getting the lead in Midnight's Son. You're right in every respect, but one, Miss Fairfax. What's that? Well, the Crothers didn't die in the same manner as Cora Rogers. The ceiling wax, which caused the door to stick, indicates that no one left this room after the wax was applied. Then... then Laura Crothers did commit suicide. Yes. Please get Captain Otis on the phone and ask him to come up here and bring Oliver Norton with him. Good heavens, this is terrible. I can't imagine Laura doing such a thing. Aren't you, Mr. Norton? Well, perhaps you can. Up until the time I talked to you at some length, I couldn't imagine a man like you murdering a girl like Cora Rogers. Not true to type at all. What the devil do you mean by that? Well, naturally, I mean that you murdered Cora Rogers. Excuse me for interrupting, Doc, but unless you can prove that... Oh, I can prove it all right. Of course he can. I don't know how, but I know that Dr. Danfield wouldn't make a statement like that unless he could prove it. Thank you, Ms. Fairfax. Well, Mr. Norton, would you like to have me tell you how this all came about? I'm always interested in stories if they're good. Stop me if I'm wrong. Don't worry. Let's hear it, Danfield. Cora Rogers came to your office yesterday morning and pleaded with you to give her the lead in Midnight Sun. No one knew she was there. How do you know that? Well, the answer is obvious. We talked to your secretary and some other office workers, the operator of the public elevator, and nobody saw her. Does that answer your question? This is so ridiculous. It's silly. Ms. Rogers threatened you probably with some kind of blackmail. In a fit of rage, you strangled her into unconsciousness. This is the most fantastic mission I know. At that point, Mr. Norton, you ceased to be a normal everyday citizen. Your mind reverted to the crafty cunning of the criminal. So what did I do? You carried Ms. Rogers to the kitchen, which composes a part of your elaborate suite of offices and allowed her to inhale enough gas fumes to finish the job you started. So that's why it was difficult to tell by the autopsy just how Ms. Rogers died. Yes. Still being motivated by the criminal instinct which was now uppermost in your mind, Mr. Norton, you called the press and released the story that Ms. Rogers had been given the part in Midnight's Son. And that night he carried Ms. Rogers' body to her own apartment. Exactly, Captain. First of all, however, Mr. Norton held several conferences in his office. The body during this time remained in the kitchen. So that established the fact that Norton was in his office all day. Yes. And when Lola Cruthers read the announcement in the evening paper, she phoned Norton, who told her flatly her contract was canceled. And that's why Lola came down here a couple of hours ago and tried to kill Norton. That's right. Everything worked out as a perfect alibi for Norton. But how about Lola Cruthers? Did Norton murder her, too? No, Lola Cruthers committed suicide. When she shot at me and missed, she realized I'd recognized her. I think that she'd intended to take her own life anyhow after she'd killed Norton. So she did it in the same manner that Coral Rogers had died, hoping that the similarity of the two suicides would reflect unfavorably on Norton. Yes. Lola thought that Ms. Rogers had committed suicide. She'd known that Ms. Rogers had been murdered. I think it would have made a difference. Well, Norton, you haven't stopped me for quite some time. An experienced producer never interrupts a good performance. Yes. You were correct in your re-enactment, Bambu. But you forget that Oliver Norton is famous for producing dramatic climaxes. Watch out, Doctor! You're going to shoot him! Stand back, damn you! Oliver Norton plays this scene alone! In a moment we'll return for the conclusion of our story, but first, I'll be back in just a few seconds to tell you how my understanding of the criminal mind solved this case. Now for the conclusion of... Dr. Danfield. Very end paragraph. It was, of course, my knowledge of the criminal mind, plus the fact that merely by the process of elimination and the establishment of motives, I was able to piece together the movements of Oliver Norton, and thereby... I'm not through, Ms. Fairfax. Dan, do you mean you were only guessing when you told us how Norton had murdered Coral Rogers? Of course I wasn't guessing, Ms. Fairfax. I never guessed. The murderer had to be Norton. Anyone who studied the human mind as much as I... Now, just a minute, Dr. Danfield. How did you know that Coral had been murdered in the first place? The first place? Don't pretend innocence. When we first visited Coral Rogers' apartment, you said you knew it was murder. How'd you know? Well, it was the burned matches we found on the floor, Ms. Fairfax. Burned matches? Yes. Yes, you see, they were safety matches, as you, of course, remember. Well... Well, safety matches come in boxes, Ms. Fairfax. As a matter of fact, they're useless without the box to strike them on. And if you'll recall, we found no box. People do things instinctively if it has become a long habit with them. Oliver Norton instinctively placed the box of matches back in his pocket after melting the ceiling wax. Oh, Dan. I've got to break down and admit it. You were terrific. Say, you know something? What's that, Rusty? There's one thing I like about these cases. When they're all over, you start calling me Rusty. Then... And then? This. You're quite a girl, Rusty.