 Now, Roma Wines, present. Suspense! This evening, the dead of the night, starring Robert Cummings. Suspense is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live. To your happiness and entertaining guests. To your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glassful would be very pleasant. As Roma Wines bring you... Suspense! This is the man in black here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. Who tonight from Hollywood bring you in his first appearance in a radio drama, since his enlistment as United States Army Air Force Flight Instructor, one of the screens favorite young players, Mr. Robert Cummings. And so with the strange events which befell the young Californian named Jimmy Barton in the dead of the night. And with the performance of Robert Cummings, we again hope to keep you in suspense. Helen and I had never been apart since our folks died. Never before that summer when I got a job up at Lake Arrowhead. She was supposed to go with me, wait on tables or something. It was to be our vacation. But at the last minute, she decided to stay in LA. She figured her boyfriend, Steve, might be coming home on a furlough. I should have known better. My sister was such a kid, but I let her talk me into it. And I left her there alone. That was the beginning of the whole thing. That's when she met him, Phil Armstrong. If I hadn't gone away that summer, I guess Phil would be alive today. During the time that I was gone, Helen didn't write much. And what letters I did get didn't seem natural. So I was anxious to finish my job and get home. I expected to be at the bus station, but she wasn't. And when I got to the apartment, I could hear someone moving inside. The door was locked, so I knocked. Helen? Who is it? It's me. Is it me? Yeah, open the door. Hi, honey. Since when have you taken the lock in the door in the data? Helen, what did you do to yourself, your face? Were you in an accident? I fell, Jimmy. I fell and I hurt myself. Well, your eyes swole and shut. Let me look at it. Jimmy, I have something to tell you. What are these suitcases doing here? You and I are going away, Jimmy. We've got to get out of here. I packed everything. We're going no place till you tell me what this is all about. Well, Jimmy, while you were gone, I got married. Married? You mean Steve was here on his furlough? No, Jimmy. Not to Steve. But you were engaged to him? Yes, I know. I got a letter from him right after you left. He married someone he met where he was stationed. Oh, Helen. Gee, I was pretty upset, Jimmy. And that's when I met Phil Humstrung. But, gee, I think you might have. I don't even know the guy. No, neither did I. I was unhappy. Well, you just don't go off and marry someone you don't know. That's what I did, Jimmy. Now, we've got to get out of here. Well, but why? Because there's been trouble. What kind of trouble? I'm afraid, Jimmy. It's terrible. He takes something. I don't know what. But sometimes he's crazy. Helen. Yes? Your face. You didn't fall? No. He did that. I'll kill him. He'll kill you. That's what I mean. That's what we've got to get away. Well, you can get a divorce, can't you? He threatened me if I even tried to get one. Who put him under a peace bond? Well, what good would a peace bond be, Jimmy, if he killed one of us? So I let her talk me into running away. I guess I shouldn't have, but I knew that if I saw him after what he'd done to her, well, anyhow, I saved my salary and I had some gas coupons. We didn't know where we were going, but we started out. I don't know what he'll do when he finds I've gone. Helen, don't you think we ought to go to the police? I'm afraid, Jimmy. I know him. I know what he'd do if he found out we'd reported him. But they'd protect us, Helen. They'd protect us. But what if he got to us before they got to him? And she looked so frightened I thought it best to let her do it her way. We got to Santa Monica that night and we stopped at a motel near the water. Well, a week slipped by and Helen seemed to be forgetting. She didn't jump every time someone knocked at the door and she began to get a nice tan. I managed to get a job. It was at McGuffey's, Potluck Gallery, one of the shooting concessions on the pier. Then one night later, as I came home from work, I heard voices coming from our apartment. I knew who it was and I knew that from what Helen had told me, it would be foolish for me to go in unarmed. So I ran back to the shooting concession. It didn't take long, but when I got back, the lights were out and the sound of voices was gone. I tried the door. It was very dark and then my foot struck something soft and heavy on the floor. I snapped on the switch and the room was flooded with light and I looked down into a dead man's face. Tonight for suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you a star, Mr. Robert Cummings, whom you've heard in the prologue to The Dead of the Night by Mel Dinelli, tonight's tale of suspense. Yes, it is true that our own wonderful vineyard country in California produces in Roma wines that discriminating people in many foreign lands as steam as an imported delicacy. Yet you here at home can enjoy these distinguished Roma wines for mere pennies a glassful. Daily with your meals or when entertaining or anytime, you can delight yourself and your guests with a wonderful taste that comes from age old wine making traditions perfected by modern knowledge. For a treat you are certain to enjoy, place on the table with dinner tomorrow night, a cool bottle of hearty, rich red Roma California burgundy. It doesn't matter what the meal is or what kind of glasses you use to serve Roma. It's good in any glass with any meal. Your family, your guests will find new pleasure in even the simplest foods. For Roma wine makes any meal a feast at only pennies a glass. Try it yourself tomorrow. Ask your dealer for R-O-M-A, Roma wine. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage Robert Cummings, who as young Jimmy Barton resumes his narrative concerning the death of a brother-in-law. In the dead of the night, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. It's funny how in the biggest, the most important, the most terrifying moments of your whole life, you remember little tiny insignificant things. I remember that I set my alarm. It was to go off at five o'clock. I'd set it to wake me up that afternoon and a bird started to chatter outside as I stood there shivering with cold and terror, looking down at that dead man's face. Although I'd never seen him alive. I knew this was Phil, her husband. There was a deep gash over his eye and the blood still flowed from it onto the floor. I stepped over him and I ran into the bedroom. Helen, Helen! But there was no one in the bedroom, nor in the kitchen. And then I heard the front door open. Close it, do you hear me? Be quiet. Jimmy, what have I let you in for? Stay where you are. Just a minute, Mrs. Gordon, I'll get something on. Just some friends of mine, Mrs. Gordon, they were having a party, they're gone now. I'm not dressed, I was taking a shower. Well, slip something on. Well, I'm tired, I just was going to bed. All right, Mrs. Gordon, just let me get some clothes on. I didn't know what to do. I knew she was determined to come in. Mrs. Gordon was a nosy old woman. She meant well. She'd taken it upon herself to mother Helen and me. She was always coming into the apartment with her pots of jam and her bowls of soup. I knew no matter what I said, nothing would stop her. What do we do, Jimmy? Take him by the feet. Oh, no! Helen, take him by the feet. It's no use, it's no use. We started half dragging, half carrying him towards the bedroom. The rug's slipping along the floor as we moved. We'd just gotten into the bedroom and then... I'm here, she might come into the bedroom. Pull back those shower curtains. Jimmy, Richie. Don't argue, pull him back. Just a minute, Mrs. Gordon. All the medicine, Jess. I'm coming, Mrs. Gordon. And you've hurt yourself. Now let me see your hand. Oh, it isn't bad, Mrs. Gordon. Oh, no wonder you didn't want me to come in. Where's Helen? She's out, she hasn't been here all evening. Well, let's look at that hand. Well, it isn't bad, Mrs. Gordon, really. You let me see that hand. Jimmy, this is a bad gas. Have you disinfected it? Yes, yes, I have. Well, let me bandage it for you. No, this towel's all right. It's not all right. Where are your bandages and things in the bathroom? No, no, I mean, I don't have any. Now you're just saying that, Jimmy Barton, because you don't want to be bandaged. You're not fooling me. I'm going right into the bathroom and get some... No, not the bathroom. I mean, I don't have any. Well, I'll just see for myself. No, no, Mrs. Gordon. Oh, this floor. Here, let's look at this medicine cup. Here's some tape and some gauze, too. Mrs. Gordon, can't we just do this in the living room? No, we'll do it right here. Now, here's some alcohol. Come on, put your hand over here. We stood there and she bandaged me and I kept wondering where Helen had gone. And then I saw the shower curtain move slightly and I knew for a moment I thought Mrs. Gordon had seen it, too. Just look at that shower curtain. Yes. Goodness, you've smeared that with blood, too. Well, I'd better clean things up for you before Helen gets home. I will scare the life out of her. I'll clean it up, Mrs. Gordon. You've done enough. Thanks very much for taking care of this hand. Well, all right. If you don't want me to. Now, you'd better get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Jimmy. Good night, Mrs. Gordon. Oh, Jimmy. Helen. I had to hide something. I know it was the only thing it could do. Jimmy. Yes? Jimmy, I've- First thing in the morning. Where are we taking him? I don't know. I've got to think. Here, Helen, you try and get some rest. Jimmy, let me go to the police. Let me tell them that I did it. Let me tell them what he was. They won't do anything to me. No, no. You try and rest. What time is it? About six. Six? We've got two hours before the painters get here. This is the car. No one will see us if we take him through the service porch into the garage. And what? I don't know, but that'll get him out of here anyway. I think I can do it alone, Helen. Listen, Jimmy, we're in this mess because of me. I'm going to help you. I'll be ready in a minute. When I went into the bathroom, the shower curtains were standing open. His legs had slipped from their crap position, and they'd pushed themselves into the room. He sat there with his head twisted down and his chin digging into his chest. I took a washcloth, and it was awful. I wiped the blood off his face. Just in case anyone saw us, they might think he was just sick. I tried to lift him, but I slipped. And his head made a hollow sound as it thumped down on the shower floor. Helen, help me get him into the luggage compartment of the car. Where are we going, Jimmy? Helen, won't you please stay in the apartment, please? No, no, I couldn't. I'm going with you. Helen, haven't you done enough? I'm going with you. Too late now to wish that I hadn't. To the pier, the Santa Monica Pier. Beyond the concessions, you can drive a car on the end there. Lucky it's a foggy. Yeah. What time is it? Five of seven. We'll have to act fast. This fog will be clearing soon. It'll be harder to get him out of this car. You stay here. I can manage this alone this time. Oh, I'll help you, Jimmy. You stay here. Do you hear me? All right, call me if you need me. I'll go around the back. Keep your eyes open. Yeah. Someone's coming. Who is it? Jimmy, it's a policeman. What? It's a policeman, Jimmy. Oh, it's all right. I know him. It's Red Davis. He's the beach patrolman. Oh, uh, hello, Red. How do you get your sleep? Didn't you close up after that swing ship dance last night? Yeah, Red, but I couldn't seem to remember if I'd locked up the old shooting gallery, so I came over this morning to have a look around. I see. Oh, I'm sorry. This is my sister. Red, this is Helen. This is Red Davis. How do you do? Hello. So you're an early riser, too, huh? Yes. Well, the fog's clearing up. It looks like we're going to get some sun today for a change, huh? Yeah. Well, I guess I'll be getting back. I think I'll try and catch a few more hours of sleep. Well, so long. Oh, say, say, Jimmy. Yeah? Say, Jimmy, I have to take my wife over to the nursery today to pick up some plants and stuff, you know. And I don't have a trunk on my car. I wonder if you'll let me have yours. You have to drive me over to Malibu this afternoon, Jimmy. Yeah, yeah, I'd forgotten. I better. Well, you can drive over in my car. How's that? What do you see? The brother of yours thinks I'll wreck that beautiful car. Good. Isn't that, Red? OK, then I'll be over about noon. I'll leave my car for you until I get back, huh? Well, I won't be home at noon, Red. All right, I'll meet you at the entrance to the park. The entrance to the pier. How's that? Oh, all right, Red. Well, so long. Well, if I didn't, he'll go to the department looking for us. And you don't want any policemen over there, do you? Of course not. We've got to get out of here fast. We'll go along the ocean. The fog cleared up rapidly. It was almost eight o'clock, and some kids were already out on the beach playing around. Then I saw a group of early picknickers. They were unloading their blankets, umbrellas, and things. I guess it was from them I got the idea. From seeing them. Jimmy, your gas is pretty near on empty. Yeah. You got any more coupons? No, they're all used up. We're going to have to do something soon. I know, Jimmy. We can't go back to the motel with the painters there. And we can't leave him in the car. Red's lab will see us and pin us down to using it. There's only one place left. Where, Jimmy? Helen, listen. I'm going to let you out of this car. You can't help me with what I've got to do now. No, Jimmy, I'm staying with you. Don't argue, Helen. I'm not leaving you, Jimmy. Get out of this car. Do you hear me? Jimmy, please. Now get out. I won't do it, Jimmy. Yes, you will if I have to push out. Jimmy, you're hurting me. There. Now go back to the motel. Get off that running board, Helen. I can't leave you alone, Jimmy. I want to help you. I'm not blaming you for killing him, Helen. But now you've got to help me do as I say. What, Jimmy? What? I don't blame you for what you did. He deserved it. But now you've got to help me handle things. Jimmy, you've got to let me... Goodbye, Helen. Jimmy! Oh, Jimmy, don't leave. I watched her out of the mirror. She kept calling me. I drove on as fast as I could. I knew what I had to do when I was one chance in a million. But I had to take it. And I didn't want her to be part of it. If I could keep him on the beach that whole day, then maybe I'd be able to get rid of him when night fell. I wanted to drive further along, but I was afraid I'd run out of gas. So I settled for a deserted strip of beach, not far from the motel. I had my swimming shorts and a blanket and a towel in the car. And I got out. I looked around carefully. And then I opened the luggage compartment. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. But I... I started taking his clothes off. I managed to get my shorts onto him. Lucky we were pretty near the same size. And then I... And I closed the door. And I went out onto the beach and I spread my blanket out on the sand. And then I went back... Went back for him. When there were no cars inside, I carried him over where I'd spread my blanket. And I placed him onto a face down with his hands folded over his head, as though he were just sunbathing. Then I... I spread my towel out a short distance from him and I laid down on it. And I... I tried to look relaxed. People didn't start to arrive until about an hour later. And gradually little groups of sunbathers started to form. He and I, we looked no different from the others. No one paid any attention to us. I was beginning to feel that everything was going to be easy once it was dark again. But... Oh, hello, Mrs. Gordon. Isn't she in the apartment? No. What time did you go out this morning? I couldn't sleep. Didn't Helen come in at all last night? Yes, she did, but she left early too. Said she was going into Los Angeles. I was so worried about her. Well, the painters came, Jimmy, and everything's a mess. I think I'll sit down here with you a while. You're not with anyone, are you? No. No, I'm not. Goodness, I wish I brought along some oil. Looks like it's going to be a hot day. You know, these days of start-off foggy are very deceiving. Yeah, yeah, they are. This is a real treat for me, Jimmy. I never get out on the beach. I think I'll have a nice day of rest and re-change. Later we can get some sandwiches. The treat's on me. Well, Mrs. Gordon, I hadn't planned on spending the day at the beach. Oh, it'll be good for you, Jimmy. Not healthy for a boy your age to be working all night and sleeping all day. But, Mrs. Gordon, you see, I... Jimmy? Which one? Why that one right there? Well, no, I don't know him. Well, he's lying so still. His back's going to get an awful burn. Yeah. Well, do you suppose he's asleep? It isn't good to sleep in the sun, you know. Mrs. Gordon, do you think that the painters will be finished by this afternoon? Huh? Oh, well... Well, I hope so. My impression can get an awful burn in a day like this. You know, someone ought to speak to him. Mrs. Gordon, wouldn't you like to go for a walk? Oh, I'm not one for walking. You go ahead if you like. Come on, Dick, pinch it over here. Oh, those kids. You children, stop that. Don't stand all over me. No need to play here. There's a playground over by the pier. Now you just get away from here. Now they'll get what's coming to them. Mrs. Gordon, sure you don't want to get some sandwiches or something. I'll just stay here and... Not until I see those two hoodlums get what they deserve. Why... Gee, I'm sorry, Mrs.... Ball's right in the crook of his arm. He's pretending he's asleep. He's not going to hand it to them, but just wait till they reach for it. He'll give them something besides their ball all night. I don't know what to do with him. Well, nevertheless it did. And then she started moving toward him. I knew it was useless to try and stop her. And then she reached over and put her hand on his back. And suddenly she was screaming. And someone called the police. I wanted to run, but I knew that would be the wrong thing to do, so I just stayed there, numb-like, watching things. When the police came, they started questioning everybody. Mrs. Gordon was first. Why? Why? He'd been there all morning. I came early and he was here already. You know, with his face down. Was there anyone else around when you arrived? Around? Yes, Jimmy was here. He was here all alone with him. Weren't you Jimmy? Yes, yes, I was. Doesn't anyone know this man? Do you know him? I told you kids to keep away from here now. Did you hear me? We discovered him, didn't we? Who when you see one? The child's right, officer. Now just look for yourself. It looks like powder. Something flaky. Are you sure none of you people around here recognize him? Recognize him? Well, I've never seen him. Officer! Why that blanket he's lying on? Well, it's from my motel. See, it's stamped right under where you moved his hand. Oh, for yourself. See, it says seaside motor cabins. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're sure he wasn't registered? Well, I'm positive. What else around here from your motel? Jimmy, look. Here comes Helen. Look, she's crying. Mrs. Gordon, I ask if there was anybody around here from your motel. Huh? What's that? Yes, yes, Jimmy Barton here and that girl. You see, she's his sister. They've been with us for several weeks. Jimmy, what have you got to say, Jimmy? And suddenly everyone was looking at me. And at Helen, as she ran towards us, like a fool, I started to run too in the direction to ward her off. I didn't get far, however. Someone caught me with the arm. Jimmy, before you... Don't say anything, Helen. Let me do the talking. Don't say anything. When you forced me out of the car this morning, you said you didn't pay me for having killed him. Helen, be still. Don't... Jimmy, I didn't kill him. I thought you had. I was helping you get rid of him because I thought you've done it. I'm sorry, kid. He'd been taking something again. He was like crazy. And I knew there'd be trouble when you came home from work. So I got out the back way and I went looking for you on the pier. When I couldn't find you, I went back to the motel and I found him on the floor. I thought you... But Helen, why didn't you say so? You didn't give me a chance, Jimmy. You just took it for granted that I did it. Who did kill him, Helen? That's what I'm trying to tell you. Nobody killed him. What are you talking about? I went to the motel a while ago to wait for you. I remembered about Phil last night. Strangely, he'd acted. I hadn't been able to walk straight and he'd almost fallen several times while we were quarreling. And then I saw the gas heater, Jimmy. There was a sharp edge on the top of it with... he must have fallen. He must have. Oh, but Helen, we've no way of proving that. There was something else, Jimmy. The wall above the heater was scratched as though someone had clutched at it to save himself from falling. There might be fingerprints. There might be. Wait a minute. Plaster! Plaster! Hey, Red! That flaky stuff you found under his fingernails that might have been plaster! And it was. Well, that's about it. Everything checked back at the motel and the autopsy showed he was full of dope. But I guess it was really Mrs. Gordon who saved our necks for us. Besides talking so loud and so long that they'd probably acquitted us just to get rid of us, she did dig up a witness who'd heard Helen and Phil quarreling and seen Helen leave alone after he threatened her. Well, everything's all right now. Helen and I are beginning to forget but it's Mrs. Gordon who's making quite a nuisance of herself on the beach these days as she goes along poking all the sunbathers and asking if they're... they're sure they're all right. And so closes the Dead of the Night starring Robert Cummings. Tonight's study in Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by The Fair. If you are one who does not yet know how much and how delightfully Roma wines can add to your meals, well, let me urge you not to miss out any longer on such a treat as this. There's nothing complicated about it. Just get and serve Roma wine with meals or any time in any kind of glass you wish. Try the many different kinds of Roma wine until you find those you like best of all. Try Roma California sherry with its wonderful nut-like flavor as an appetizer. Then hearty Roma burgundy or the deliciously delicate Roma sautern with the meal. These superb wines make even the simplest meal a feast. Yet they cost you only pennies a glassful. Get some tomorrow. And if your dealer is temporarily out of Roma, please try again soon. Ask for R-O-M-A Roma wines. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Charles Lawton as star of Suspense. Presented by Roma Wines R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.