 Murder by Experts. The Mutual Broadcasting System presents Murder by Experts with your host and narrator, the noted mystery writer, Brett Halliday. Mr. Halliday is creator of the world-famous detective character Michael Shane, author of 25 mystery novels, and whose latest work, This Is It, Michael Shane, has just been published. Good evening. This is Brett Halliday. Each week at this time, Murder by Experts brings you a story of crime and mystery, which has been chosen for your approval by one of the world's leading detective story writers. Tonight our guest expert is the noted mystery novelist Ursula Curtis. From the thousands of thrillers she has read and heard, Ms. Curtis has selected a fast-moving, intriguing story of a man seeking to use the elements to cover murder, as written by that master of suspense, Harold Swanton. And now we present Lawson's Erby in Conspiracy. So I'm a murderer. So people look at my picture in the papers and point out it and shudder. I wonder how many of them are entitled to do that. I wonder how many of them are murderous, too, in their minds, but only the law between their hands and the throat of someone they hate. You take a city, see? A city full of people, the pious and the profane, the innocent and gilly, with their loves and hates, their pride and avarice and jealousy. And in that city a pronouncement is made, that on this date between this hour and that one, there is no law, no retribution, that the crime of murder will go unpunished. How many of them would stand still? How many? Would you? Sounds like a philosophical problem. But it happened. The city was Greendale, Oregon, and the thing that set it free from the law for 24 hours was the Columbia River. Argon times, Kennecott speaking. Joe, this is Flonai. Just got a report on the sheriff. It's getting tough out on the 7th Street levee. Yeah, I just heard the news over the radio. If there are the busts through, they'll start looking for Greendale somewhere off the coast of Japan. What, they got the army out there? Tell those in Grungeo. Let me might hold another hour, maybe more, but you'll go tonight and I want you there when it happens. You're liable to pick me up off the coast of Japan. Not in the boat after you, sweetheart, but phone that story in first. You know, color stuff. I was there. I saw it happen, hot coffee, sweating soldiers, and this is nature. Got it? Yeah. Okay, Chief. Great. Now get going. You've got 15 minutes to get there. In 10 minutes I was driving through Greendale, a low, flat, flimsy town with nothing between it and the Columbia River but a levee. Flonai was right. The levee gave way. Greendale would go down the drain like wet corn flakes. I hit 60 on Willamette Avenue, heading toward the 7th Street levee. That's when I passed Maryland's apartment. And that's what started me thinking again about Maryland. She was beautiful. She was that two-timer. She was the one human being on this earth I wanted to kill. I'd promised myself weeks before that I'd get her out of my mind that hate was no good for anyone, but she kept coming back. That vicious, heartless laugh of hers. The brittle voice. The way her eyes could smile at you while she drove a French heel into your stomach. Oregon Times reporter, how's it look? You can see for yourself. Look at that river boil down there. Levees like a hunk of Swiss cheese. Men, trucks, equipment, fighting the river in the glare of those gas lamps. Leaving sandbags, pouring gravel, trying to save a town they all knew was doomed. My eyes took it all in. My pencil was making notes with you. My mind was on Maryland. Wondering if she was back in that apartment in Greendale hoping she was asleep that somehow she'd get washed out the sea with the rest of the rubbish. Then suddenly, everything stopped still. My pencil stopped writing. My eyes shut out the scene in front of me. It was so simple. I could kill Maryland. The river would cover for me. I was punching any longer. We're licked. Pull the equipment out. Take your car and beat it down to Greendale. Tell them they've got five minutes to get to high ground. Understand? Yes. They say all murderers are crazy. Maybe they're right. All I know is that I hit 70 on the river row down to Greendale. Hoping against hope that Maryland would still be in that apartment so I could kill her before the flood came. They're flood on the way, baby. Yeah, it came over the radio. I was just throwing a few things together to take with me. You're wasting your time. What do you mean, Joe? Hey, what are you going to do with that lamp? You aren't going, baby. Look, honey, don't be silly. I'm not going to lug that lamp out of here. You aren't going anywhere. No, no, you're not. Joe, crazy Joe! Then set the lamp back on the table. I began to feel dizzy. The floor seemed to be swaying underneath my feet. I wasn't faint. Just dizzy. The door was open. Then I watched it close, then open again. I wasn't dizzy at all. The building was swaying. The flood had come. I ran into the hall. Right smack into a guy. A little pasty face guy standing right outside the door. Mr. Fleming out of here. You can't stop me. Wait a minute. Let go of me, dear. Let go. Oh, you're shelling for help? No, that was good. Get on the stairs. The door was open. Water pouring in. Put deep in the lamp. Don't. Please don't let me go. There's a solo chap. A solo chap. It was all a chance he needed. He scrambled outside into the flood. Took off down the street with me after him. But it was two feet deep now, and the buildings were beginning to move. Help! Help! I was gaining on him. 30 feet, 20. Then fucking wire graze him. There was a crackle of flame, and he went down. So I stopped worrying about him. Started thinking about me. Of course, the flood must have hit it in that moment. Suddenly, everything was water. I was tossed down like a peanut shell in a typhoon. I remember reaching out for something solid. Finding it, and then nothing. Just relax now. You're all right. In the hospital. What happened? You're a lucky man. They picked you up right in the middle of it. Had quite a time making you let go of that telephone pole too. Telephone pole? Nothing wrong with you, but a few bad bruises and shock. No, it's... Give me a hand with this patient while you're over it. Yes, doctor. Just take it easy now. Everything's all right. Yeah. Everything's all right. I don't know how long I slept. One hour. Maybe six, but... It was still dark when I suddenly found myself awake. And a cold sweat listening. Floor. That's where she was. On the floor. Dad. The flood? Not the flood officer. Murder. It was murder. No! No! He saw me. He saw me. Fight. Terrible fight. Tried to kill me. Water. Water all over. Flood. By now I knew his voice. He must have picked us up together. Put us in the same hospital room. A thousand crazy thoughts hit me all at once. Kill him right there. Jump out the window. Run. Anything but face it when he woke up. He started to get out of bed and then stop. Someone else in the room. What do you make of it, nurse? I don't know, doctor. The man's had a terrible shock, of course. Amazing he wasn't killed. I know. He's been going on like that for an hour. The same thing over and over. Murder. Something about the flood covering it up. Then a fight. It might be all right. I think we'd better at least pass it on to the police. Still, it might be the result of a shock, of course. The fact that he repeats it over and over detail, over detail. The death staring in the face like that. You don't stop to think about consequences. The explanations could come later. I had to get out of that room right now. I fumbled in the dark for my clothes. Through the lawn, stepped out into the hall. Well, Paul, you're there. Where do you think you're going, little man? Oh, Flournoy, I... I get tired of sitting around here. I thought you might need some help. Oh, you thought I might need some help, eh? Yes, Mr Flournoy. You're number one patient's about to blow the joint. Oh, look, Chief, I... Joel, leave it to me, will you? So, you're a hero. You drive like mad to warn the town and get caught in the flood. You don't have to go overboard. Mr Flournoy's been pacing the hall like an expectant father. Well, eh... Thanks, Chief. I am not gonna lose my best reporter because he's too dumb to know when he ought to stay in bed. Of course, that sweetheart is just where you're going. I look cheaper. Hey, don't butt in. You've been through hell tonight. You're lucky you're alive. Now, get in that room and get back to bed. The doctors ought a hypo to make you sleep and nurse. Yes, sir. Just to make sure he doesn't get me more wild ideas, give me his clothes. I was late. But I do it. They hustled me back to bed. And the nurse poked a needle into my arm. And I let go. I let the dark close in on me. Not caring now. I was tired. So tired. Oh, good morning, Mr. Keneckar. About time you woke up. It's almost 10 o'clock. What's 10? How about some breakfast? Well, no. No, no, no breakfast news, are ya? Well, looking for your roommate? He's still asleep. We put the screen around his bed to cut down the light a little. Oh, I see. Mr. Willis is waking up, too. I better have a look. Oh, wait a minute. Yes? No. No use disturbing, Mr. Willis. Let me get dressed and get out of here first. Don't only take me a minute. Nurse? Oh, I'd better get rid of that screen. Yes, Mr. Willis. Well, how are you feeling this morning? Better, thanks. I saw her start for the screen. Get the screen out of our way. Turned away just in time. My stomach was tied in knots. How about some breakfast? No, it could happen any minute now. I don't know. Any minute, Mr. Willis would point the finger at me and say, there's the man. Mr. Keneckar. Yeah, yeah. This is Mr. Willis. Oh, hello, Mr. Willis. How do you do? Mr. Willis had a little flood trouble, too. Nurse, those bandages on his head... Here, now take it easy. Electric shock. He's blind. I know now how that guy in Louisiana felt when they sat him in the electric chair and the switch didn't work. Willis, the guy who saw me standing over Marilyn's body just before the flood hit, was blind from that jolt of electricity he got when the pole fell. I, uh, I took my time now waiting for the strength to come back to my knees. I dressed carefully and left. Florinoy was waiting for me in the hospital lobby with someone with him. This is Lieutenant Belchow of homicide, Joe Keneckar. I heard about you, John. Nice work. Thanks. Homicide? Yeah, we got a murder on our hands. Oh, the Lieutenant has a murder. We got a story. A great one. What's that? Conspiracy. Huh? Oh, wait a minute, Florinoy. No, no, that's right. Conspiracy to commit murder. A partnership. We know who won the partnerships already. Yeah, who? The Columbia River. The cover-up. Accessory after the fact. I don't get it. Florinoy is trying to say we picked up a woman's body this morning. Knocked around pretty badly, no identification yet. He thinks she was murdered. I don't. You still think Willis is making it up? The guy took 220 volts with the water up to his knees. His head is still spinning. He's not responsible for what he says. Willis? A little guy up in your room upstairs. Uh, do you hear him say anything in his sleep last night, Joe? No, I, uh, I don't remember much, of course, but... Sure, sure. I still don't get it. Come on, I'll tell you about it on the way up. We're going to have a little talk with Mr. Willis right now. Gentlemen, I can't remember now. I don't know what happened. It's all very confusing. You've got to try, Willis. Look, chief, the guy's sick. I don't know about that. What do you mean, Florinoy? Willis, you've had a pretty rough ride during the past 18 hours. I know that. I want to make it as easy for you as I can. Well, then please go away, will you? Sure. After you level with us. Ten minutes ago, I was willing to write this thing off as a flood death. Now, I'm not so sure. Listen, Lieutenant, I told you what... You've got to understand one thing, Willis. If it's murder, one thing can lick us. Time. We've got to move now. So let's go over it again. Pete, say, Florinoy... Come here. The guy's off his base. Can't you see that? I don't think so. Well, all you have to do is look. Sure, he's shaken up, but there's something else. He's scared. You had a fight with someone. Fell down the stairs, almost drowned. I told you I was dreaming. You don't dream the same thing over and over for an hour and 20 minutes without a reason. And we picked a woman's body out of the wreckage this morning. She could have been murdered. She could have lived in that apartment on Willamette Avenue. Who was she? We don't know. There's nothing to identify her. Now, Willis, I asked for a straight story when I got here. I haven't got it yet. If I don't get it, I might jump to the standard conclusion. What's that? That you murdered her. But that's not it at all. A man did it. I saw him. He tried to kill me, too. He'll try again. Just give us the story. Well, I ran into the building because I thought I heard someone call for help. A woman. The water must have come when I got to the second floor hallway because the building started to sway sort of and the doors flew open. I saw him standing there. She was dead on the floor. That's when he came after me, tried to kill me. We rolled down the stairs to the bottom and he hit his head on the door. And you broke loose? Yes. I don't remember anything after that. That's all, eh? That's enough. Uh, Mr. Willis, what did this man look like? Oh, uh, dark hair. About six feet, I guess. Medium belt. About your size, Joe? Yeah. Do you think you could identify him? If I could see him, yes. Yes, I could identify him. Now, please, please let me rest. I'm not very well... Sure. Thanks, Willis. That's what we came for. We'll get back to you when you feel better. What about his eyes? The doctor says it's temporary due to shock. He might get his sight back any time. Any time? Yeah. How was that for a story? Oh, it's a great one, Chief. It's a great one. I wanted to scream it in his ear right then. Tell him the other half of it. That this was the craziest setup he'd run into if he'd lived a thousand years. Yeah. How's that for a story, Flournoy? Right here in your office, the guy you're talking to. Good old Joe Kennecott, the boy wanted. It's also the murderer looking for... ...a human drama, a study in psychology. He is a law-abiding guy. We don't know who he is. Maybe a bookkeeper, maybe a drug clerk, anyone. He goes to the line, cuts his lawn on Sunday, turns his paycheck over to his wife, obeys traffic signals. You know, the flood comes. Willis had me. And I know it. I learn out now. They've had that for a second. I have to stop Willis, too, before he opens his eyes. And that wasn't exactly cinch. You turn your witness probably top-watching him every second. Waiting for those bandages to come off... He kills. ...so he could put the finger on me. It was 11 that night. Just 23 hours after I killed Marilyn did. Flournoy rushed into my office. Joe, get your coat, huh? We're meeting Belshore at the hospital. Mr. Willis just came out of it. He can see. To Flournoy was a wild ride through the rain to the hospital. To me, it was a procession. From condemned row to the gas chamber. And there was no way out. No way out. Come on, Joe. Flournoy, Kennycard. And you got here in a hurry. Let's go up. You better wait here. They're bringing him down. Gonna take him over to headquarters. Oh, there it comes now. It's got out of the elevator. Flournoy, wait a minute before you go. What is it? About this guy, Willis. Flournoy, there's something I want to tell you. Hey, Kelly. If you're looking to go, hold the pots as ordered there immediately. The main levy? Holy cow, she'll take the whole north end of town. All right, Kelly. Oh, let me go with him. No, I'm at bat this time. Kid, I'll go with the lieutenant. You take care of Mr. Willis. Yeah, yeah. I'll take care of Mr. Willis. I turned the collar of my overcoat up. Kept my face away from him as I bundled him into the car. The back seat, of course. Kept me until I got him away from there. Alone. Just stay on North 2nd Street away, Mr.... Kennycott. Yeah, Mr. Kennycott. I guess it's best you take me home under the circumstances. You, uh, live in the north end? Yes. Good. There's the kind of luck you can have only once. Well, a split second before the axe fell. Just as I was about to lay the lieutenant's lap, the river saved me and would save me again. He lived in the north end, right where the second flood would hit when the main levy went. He wouldn't get away this time because I'd made sure. And no matter what the question was, I had the answer. Willis lived in the north end. I was driving him home. There's a deserted section. Manufacturing district. There's dark. Blinding rain. Just right. Then... Stop the car, Mr. Kennycott. Huh? I said stop the car. What's your idea? Shut up. Now get out. Hey, look, wait a minute. Did you hear what I said? This is a .38, Kennycott. Bad mistake, Kennycott. Mistake? That woman they found this morning. They'll never identify her. I made certain of that. She's my dear departed wife. Willis, you... You know I killed her, Kennycott. You saw it when the door flew open. Wait! Wait a minute, Willis. Thought it'd make a nice piece of blackmail, didn't you? That's why you didn't identify me. But you made a mistake. I'd never hold still for blackmail. You knew I was in the other bed at the hospital. Sure. I faked the blindness. Tried to get something over my face before you woke up. Okay, Kennycott. Listen to me, Willis. I didn't see your wife. I didn't know you, my dear. I thought it was you who saw me when... Give me that gun. Give it to me. Let go. Let me go. I got the gun. You will shoot me, will you? No! No, Kennycott! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Take care of you, Willis. I learned something, Florna. I could kill. Something... Something like the Columbia River. Washed the law away. It wasn't such a coincidence after all. Two guys. Same town. Same apartment house. Two women. They hate it enough to kill. I'm... I'm sorry for you, Joe. Skip this sympathy, Chief. I know I'm gonna die. And so the curtain falls on Conspiracy, which was chosen by guest expert Ursula Curtis. Ms. Curtis is author of the newly published novel The Second Sickle. And now as host and narrator of Murder by Experts, it's my privilege to welcome and introduce to you Mr. Lawrence G. Blockman, Vice President of the Mystery Writers of America, an organization of nearly 300 of America's foremost writers of mystery and detective stories. Mr. Blockman. Thank you, Brett. Each year, the members of the Mystery Writers of America are called upon to vote for what, in their opinion, is the best radio mystery program of the year. To the winning program goes a statuette of Edgar Allan Poe, known as an Edgar, which is to mystery writers what an Oscar is to Hollywood. Five of the foremost radio mystery programs are voted upon by our members. The winner, by an overwhelming majority, was Murder by Experts. It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Mystery Writers of America, to present to Robert Arthur and David Cogan, the producer-directors, the Edgar Allan Poe Award for the best radio mystery program of 1949. Mr. Cogan. Mr. Blockman. It makes me very happy to receive this tribute from the Mystery Writers of America. On behalf of Mr. Arthur and myself, I want to take this opportunity to thank those who made the winning of this award possible. The writers and actors who lent their talents to this program, our music director, Emerson Buckley, our arranger, Richard DuPage, engineer, Don Williamson, soundman, Walter Shaver, our announcer, Phil Tonkin, and a mutual broadcasting system. And, too, I want to thank our many listeners for their thousands-of-kind letters. Tonight's play, Conspiracy, was written by Harold Swanton. In our cast were Lawson Serby, Miriam Wolfe, Ronald Dawson, Frank Barons, and Robert Donnelly. All characters in our story were fictitious, and any resemblance to the names of actual persons was purely coincidental. Phil Tonkin speaking, this is the Mutual Broadcasting System.