 Stand by for crime Chuck Morgan talking You know speaking of unusual stories They never happen as frequently as most people think Especially when you're a newscaster like me with two broadcasts a day over KOP here in Los Angeles. I Made the mistake a couple of times of coming up with some off-trail material that really made good copy Now my listeners expect me to do it every time it isn't easy But occasionally I do get a break Like last week Things have been pretty dull and I was beginning to think my reputation might be at stake unless I pulled off some kind of scoop within the next few days And Well on Friday I got back to my apartment just before midnight looking forward to a nightcap and bed How did you get in here? Crawled in through the woodwork with the help of a skeleton key Say you're even better looking than they said who said friend of mine How about a drink dairy? How can I refuse so subtle an approach? There's a bottle of my way ahead of you dairy set ups are already Say when I Don't do that. I Don't want to seem rude, but I've always more or less thought of this apartment as my private domicile No, how can a man who's as much in the public eye as you ever think any part of his life as private? I said by that that you know who I am. That's why I'm here. Oh, I Have a favor to ask for a friend. Why doesn't the friend speak for himself? It doesn't he own a skeleton key You're cute. By the way, where were you a week ago last night? I Haven't the faintest idea. I got news for you dairy. You were with me. Is that a fact and what were we doing? We were at the Sun Beach nightclub dancing between the hours of 9 and 12 in the evening Sounds like fun. After would you took me home and arrived at your own apartment at 12 30 a.m What you mean you didn't ask me in for a nightcap the name and address are written right here in Case you're ever asked. I see Queenie, oh Rourke 999 South Belfast Drive Hmm Alright Queenie suppose we stop fooling around get down to cases. We're down to cases dairy except for this What's in the envelope my instructions for further exploits open it after I'm gone dairy and Dairy yeah, don't be sucker enough to get any ideas But wait a minute so long dairy. He's hoping you enjoy good health for a long time I didn't like that last crack As a matter of fact, I didn't like any part of this. I Felt like a dope for letting Queenie get out of there Well, it was done now I Walked over to the table picked up the letter and studied it for a minute. It was a plain brown manila envelope Robert Bokey Never know what was inside unless I looked if the Japanese peace treaty had fallen out of that envelope I wouldn't have been more surprised I stared down at the pile of bank notes lying on the table stared down at ten thousand dollars and one hundred dollar bills It's amazing how a man can forget where he was and what he was doing on a certain date when asked point blank March 28 Only eight days ago But as far as my memory served it was like every other routine day Something must have happened though some tiny incident that was worth ten thousand dollars to a gal named Queenie Maybe to a lot of other people Then I had an inspiration I paid a blonde secretary named Carol Curtis to keep track of details like that. Maybe she might have some ideas on the matter Hello, Glamopus Glamopus have an important question to ask you ready Where were we on March 28th Remembered what? Well, they smoke again. Oh, what did you say? Nothing Glamopus nothing? I was just thinking of something You do remember don't you sure sure of course? Well, don't be silly. How could I forget? Look Glamopus, I've got a wonderful idea tomorrow Saturday. No broadcast nothing to do all day long I've got a better idea. Let's start out tomorrow and relive every moment of March 28 Even to the smallest incident Yeah, yeah, just so I can propose to you again Yeah, yeah like an anniversary All right, honey. I'll pick you up at 11 in the morning. I picked up Carol to eleven straight up the next morning. I Was tempted to tell her about Queenie in the ten thousand bucks, but she was so excited about the anniversary gag I didn't have the heart to spoil her fun We drove down to Santa Monica headed north along the coast highway You know Chucky, I just can't believe it believe what oh that you could be so Romantic as to think of an idea like this Glamopus I come from a long line of romanticists as a matter of fact my great-uncle Charlie Morgan had five wives I've got news for you Chucky boy You're only going to have one on the other hand my great-uncle Phineas snog grass on my mother's side supported the school of thought That one wife was too many he lived to be 97. Did you bring along the lunch? Of course, I brought the lunch and your uncle Phineas snog grass on your mother's side can go jump in the lake Okay, Glamopus. I was just kidding you Now the idea of today's adventure is to do exactly what we did last week As I recall we drove directly to Santa Barbara without a stop, right? That's right We had lunch on a beach and then we went swimming and then Once you start reliving a day like that Going over the same ground doing the same things the details come back with surprising accuracy We ate our lunch in exactly the same spot on the beach where we'd sat on a previous visit Later we had a swim Then sat on a rock and watched the Sun go down Still later we drove to the beach club and ate dinner on a terrace overlooking the ocean and Then danced to the strains of soft music. I guess it was then Then with Carol's blonde head on my shoulder and the moonlight dancing across the bay that I got carried away with myself At least Carol said it was and fed me a straight line for a queue when it came time to pop the question I Popped it But apparently the pop wasn't loud enough a fact that Carol made no bones about reminding me of the minute We got started along the road home Well Well, well what Glamopus you were a washout who was when you were Well, we came to the big moment that was the reason for in this attire day You sounded as though you were asking some male friend to meet you for lunch and talk about horse racing. Oh, oh, yeah Yes, that What are you looking for? I was like, oh, yeah, there it is that filling station. We stopped here for gas last week Remember, oh, I bother my whole day was spoiled back there at the beach club when you didn't do here Let's see 1015 right on the nose who cares what time it is Glamopus it was exactly 1015 when we stopped here last week. Besides, this is a time. Oh, here comes our same attendant Hello there. Good evening folks. How many well, but isn't the nice young couple who stopped here last week Chuck he remembers us remember you my dear. How could I forget such happy faces such such romantic looks Why I was almost as if as if well, you just become engaged. Why you little rascal to you Did we really shot that much? Oh my dear? You're looking at Roscoe bottle a man who in his youth was known throughout the length and breadth of the land as Crescent of a bottle Chuck. Did you hear? Oh, he's wonderful. Yes. I heard him. Look, Glamopus It was about at this point that you went into powder your nose while I Jiminy crickets It wasn't much But it was the first thing that happened during that entire day that might give me a clue as to what was behind Queenie's $10,000 You see the week before Carol had gone into powder her nose and I'd sat there waiting I've been reaching for a cigarette when a black sedan drove up to the pumps But timing was perfect because I found myself out of matches and I wanted to smoke badly I got out of my car and walked over to the black sedan Hi there you got a match sure Hey Ain't you Chuck Morgan? Joe Joe Delaney When did you get out Joe? Don't be funny Morgan. I ain't been in and you know it you haven't been in for six months You mean you're still beating up respectable citizens and dark alleys for a living Joe. Why are you? Joe Okay, your friend is giving you a good advice chum the last time you made a pass at me I came out with a broken wrist remember some time. I'll get you you two-bit punk. Don't forget that Some time. I'll get you shut up. I say you see Joe even your pals know what a rat you are And any time you want to even that score just let me know By the way, thanks for the match Remembering this incident didn't prove anything But Joe Delaney was a small-time operator whom I'd helped send up to San Quentin by exposing his rotten racket Naturally, he hated my insides and I had no love for him Well Carol came back this time from powdering her nose and Roscoe finished dusting off the windshield and came up for his money That'll be a two-twenty sir. Okay, Roscoe Hey, yeah Well by the way Do you recall the black sedan that was here at the same time we were last week black sedan? Yeah Oh now that's asking quite a lot of little old Roscoe Casanova bottle We that is I have many black sedans driving here every day It's only the ones that contain romantic couples like us that little old Roscoe remembers That's right miss little old Roscoe Casanova bottle. That's what they call yes Yes, you mentioned that before okay little old Roscoe Casanova butter. We will see you later So we scored a blank for the entire day worse Carol was mad because I hadn't put that certain oomph into popping the question And I was mad because my bright idea hadn't paid off So I left Carol at her apartment stubbornly refusing to come in for a nightcap and drove home My phone was ringing when I locked the door right don't tell your shirt Hello, that's you Chuck. Oh, hello, Pappy. Where you been for guys? I've been out proposing marriage to Carol Curtis. It's my day off remember. What are you been doing? No, wait a minute wait a minute let me get this straight But they escaped eight days ago in the story only just now is breaking Okay, Pappy, I'll be there in ten minutes you won't be anywhere in ten minutes dairy Just sit down and Relax six months ago, Benny Benet gangdoms number one racketeer in LA had been convicted on an income tax evasion charge And sentenced to from five to ten on the rock He promised to escape and now it apparently succeeded The police had kept it quiet hoping to pick him up before the press found out lost up any plans They might have by snooping around Escape occurred eight days ago Eight days ago. I had stood five feet from Benet when I was talking to Joe Delaney I've always thought that a girl with a gun presented a rather ridiculous spectacol Queenie was no exception. I Figured I could talk her into listening to reason easy That hope was short-lived Well, if it isn't Queenie O'Rourke you must be getting to feel at home around here more so than you think Stay right where you are, dearie. You handle that gun like an expert and shoot it like an expert Keep away from me. Hey you guys All right, Morgan quit making like a hero. Well Benny Benet the big shot himself and Joe the rat too. I told you I get to you two bit pumpkin now my time is here Morgan get on that phone call your radio station Tell him you got a lead down in the southwest section you're following it up and then what and we'll all just sit Down and relax and enjoy ourselves to the heat so don't be a fool, but they if I don't show up at the station in ten minutes Half the staff will be here looking for me now They won't Morgan because you're gonna do like I said Call old man Mansfield and tell him you got a lead and you're gonna keep on calling him on and off all night Making him think you're hot on the trail of Benny Benet and if I refuse to make those calls You won't friend You get feelings just like everybody else You ready Joe you're darn right. I am got your gun on him makes one move now blast him wide open Then let's go This is what I'm waiting for Can't you stop that pacing Carol? You're making me nervous. Sorry Pappy. Oh Pappy. You do think there's something wrong with him Don't you you're scared just like I am. I don't know in the first place Chuck wouldn't have disobeyed your orders and where could he possibly get a tip at that time of night? And why didn't he tell you about it and why will quit it quit it? You're getting hysterical Maybe I am but you can't convince me that Chuck isn't being forced to make those calls and people don't force Chuck to do Anything so what does it mean? It means he wants us to know he's being forced for a reason. What reason he's being held prisoner somewhere where Carol are you sure Chuck didn't talk to anyone while you were celebrating your? Anniversary yesterday. I've already told you a hundred times No one but that character the filling station and just what was the nature of that dialogue chitchat He said he remembered us and we said we remembered him and he said he was a romantic creature at heart and then just before we left Say wait a minute well Just before we left Chuck asked him if he recalled that a black sedan had been at the filling station While we were there eight days before well, did he? No, but I do it contained two men Chuck bar to match from one of them sounds normal What happened to make you remember it so clearly because Chuck recognized the man He said his name was Joe something and Chuck was responsible for sending him to San Quentin That must have been Joe Delaney. Chuck really laid that guy out That was it Joe Delaney Could it mean anything Papi? Well Joe was a bodyguard for Benny Benet That's it Papi The other man in the car was Benny Benet and they thought Chuck recognized no if they thought Chuck recognized Benet They wouldn't waited this long. Oh, yes, they would they knew the story wouldn't break for a week So they took their time Knowing that when the story did break Chuck would remember Joe Delaney. Oh, you're grabbing at straws Karen. Oh, no I'm not Listen, they were waiting for Chuck when he got home last night They let him answer your call and then they grabbed him and did what with it kept him right there That's where he is now and so has Benny Benet. Oh, don't you see it Papi? It's the perfect hideout for them. It's just a wild enough theory to have some merit still. It's the only answer Chuck's taking a beating from them to make it look authentic when he makes his phone calls He knows if he can keep them there long enough. We'll figure out what he's doing. Oh, Papi. I know I'm right Well, but first we've got to find out if he is there and I know just how we can do it Listen Papi if you'll just lend me your ear Queenie hey Queenie that coffee ready. Yeah, I'll be ready in the middle. Okay, hurry it up, huh? Joe hey Joe, huh? Oh, no, hello boss. What time is it and say the clock? Wake Morgan up. It'll be a pleasure Come on. Jerk wake up. Oh Why wake up I said this way me none of y'all left. Okay. Okay, so I'm awake. Are you now? Wow, that's enough Joe. Oh boss enough. I said, okay Okay, sit it on there. Now listen everybody Who would that be Morgan? I don't know the paper boy. I guess let him go away We don't want no one to know Morgan's here. Oh, wait a minute. I got a better idea Answer the door Morgan That little kid you just got in but you got another hot tip on banana You're leaving for Long Beach in five minutes the kid will be sure to tell someone as phone calls Speaking on a sound like a setup. That's not figuring but I Sure it is All right, Morgan get going and remember this heater of mine will be aimed right at the back of your head every minute. Okay Hello son. Hi, Mr. Moore Gosh, what happened to you? Well, I I got banged up a bit last night chasing Benny Benet around on just got in a couple minutes ago Gosh, you sure did. Do you think the police will catch him? Mr. Morgan do you invite if I don't catch him first I'm leaving for Long Beach in about five minutes. Do you think he's down there? I think so. You got my paper there? Yeah, here it is Thanks so long. Hey, wait a minute. I guess you forgot to pay me pay. Oh, yes, sure. I'm sorry Here's a buck keep the change. Gee. Thanks, Mr. Morgan sure Nice going Morgan. You're learning fast. Yeah, too nice going Morgan you ever seen that kid before What's the matter, Benet getting the jitters I asked you a question sure I've seen him before I see him every morning Didn't you hear him call me by name sure boss this punk is so slap happy He ain't got sense enough to try pulling a fast one and still ain't so sure You give him anything besides that dollar sure I handed him a large Mandela envelope containing a full story of your escape I composed it while I was sitting here with my hands tied funny man Hey, boss, you want me to work this Joker over again and wait a minute. Let me think I Got a hunch my hunches ain't never wrong. We got to get out of here. You're a dope and they where are you going? Every spot in town is covered by now. Hey, he's right boss. We leave this place We ain't got a chance sure and we stay here. We ain't got a chance either mr. Morgan wants us to stay Why mr. Morgan? I just can't stand being left alone. I see I was right Okay, Joe tie him up. We'll make him talk and that's all he said Jimmy that he was going to Long Beach Yeah, that's all miss Curtis. Gee was his face a mess. Oh Pudge and when you asked him for your money, he gave you a dollar and told you to keep the change That's right. Mr. Mansfield. Well, that proves Chuck knew it was a gag. How does that prove it? Well, never mind now son Carol you're sure you want to go through with a plan. Oh, yes, Pappy. Let's hurry. Okay. I'll check with Bill Megs You get started when you see my signal. All right, Pappy. Be careful now Hold it Joe. He's had enough That guy can sure take a lot. Hey, he's out cold. Get some water Queenie. Okay hold it Chuck Chuck. Who's that? I don't know, but I don't like it Carol Curtis Morgan's blonde secretary. Yeah quite a dish to remind that Joe I mean Queenie get over there behind the door. What's gonna do boss gonna let her in She knows Morgan's here. She wouldn't keep pounding on that door. We got to talk to that babe and I get going you Chuck, please let me in. Pappy wants to see you. Who are you? Come on in sister. I want it For Benny Bonaise capture goes to Carol bless her It was she who remembered the fire escape and offered to attract attention to the door while Pappy Bill makes and a half a dozen Cops got set outside the back window Carol stayed after the others had gone to nurse my wounds Take it easy glamour pause. Oh, don't be such a baby. Yeah, let me put the salve on that cut over your eye And Joe Delaney packs a mean wallop I just wish they'd let you have five minutes alone with Joe Delaney before they sent him back to San Quentin Hmm. Why what would I do? You'd knock the spots off him Glamour for sure wonderful come to think of it. I mean it mean what you are wonderful. Oh Chucky boy You're just saying that because you think I'm wonderful You know it really was smart of you to figure out about that news boy Wasn't it though? I knew that Benet wouldn't remember that you worked late So you slept late so you got a new boy to deliver my paper instead of the regular one Sure, the regular one knowing you slept late left your paper outside the door and went away So you reasoned that when I saw a new boy who knocked on the door until I opened it I'd figure you knew I was being held prisoner and would hold out a bit longer But what cinched it was when the boy asked you to pay him That really must have convinced you Well as I mentioned before glamour push you're wonderful the next time I get to pop that question again, it's going to have However, you know, there's one thing that you and Patti forgot. What's that? Today is Sunday and on Sunday. I always get up early to pay the paper boy