 Mystery House, that strange publishing firm owned by Dan and Barbara Glenn, where each new novel is acted out by the Mystery House staff before it is accepted for publication. Mystery House. Well, Barbie, the novel we're trying out for Mystery House tonight, Murder Hires a Hall. I've read it and I like it. Well, I do too. But we'll see how it plays. The whole point of having our publishing staff act out these stories. Yeah, I know, but I'd take a chance on this one without even trying it out. I disagree, Mr. Glenn. I don't think there's any point in taking chances on anything in this day and age. Yeah, Tom, but this story... Well, I'm not talking about stories, particularly. There's no need to guess on anything when you can get authentic, reliable information. I bet this is leading up to something. Of course it is, Mr. Glenn. Listen. Okay, places everybody. Murder Hires a Hall. Tonight's story takes place shortly after the close of the Second World War. It opens in the office of Robert Lawson, candidate for governor. Across the desk from Lawson sits Jasper Jade, known throughout the state as the boss. For the last time, Jade, the answer is no. No, no. Now, look, Lawson, I'm a reasonable man. I wouldn't be here talking to you if I were. I mean, you wouldn't be here if you didn't think you could buy me off. Oh, now look here, Lawson. That's not the way I like to hear young politicians talking to us. In the first place, Jade, I'm not a politician in the sense you and your gang use the term. I'm a... Yes, yes, of course, Lawson. You're one of our honored war veterans. You did a great job in the war, and there's every reason for you to expect to collect a reward now. Jade, I'm about to lose my temper. I'm a war veteran, yes, but I'm not running for governor to collect any reward. I'm sticking my neck out to clean up some very dirty politics. I'm going to mess with you alone, unresponsible. Oh, come now, Lawson. Look here. You don't like it when it's said out loud, do you? Well, I'm saying it out loud, and I'm going to keep on saying it as loud as possible before the greatest number of voters. I admire your courage, young man, but I'm beginning to doubt your sanity. Are you sure the War Department gave you a clean bill of health? Getting scared, Jade? Oh, don't make me laugh. How do you think I got where I am now? And where are you now? Boss, boss, Jade, dictator of the most corrupt political machine in the state's history. You think I want my name linked with anyone with your reputation? Apparently, you want to be elected. Don't worry about that. I'll be elected. Ah, but not without my support, you won't? Your support. The only purpose that would serve would be to whitewash you in the eyes of people who believe in me. You're being very foolish, Lawson. I grant you, I don't have an organization, Jade, but I do have the backing of thousands of people who would send you to prison if they knew as much about you as I do. Ah, careful, Lawson. Remember, I still control the courts. I know exactly what you control. And I give you my word right now. The first move I'll make as governor will be to clean out your mob. And you'll be number one to go to trial. Now, look, I'll make the offer once more. I'll endorse you publicly and ensure your election. If you play ball. Now, go ahead with your reform platform. We can make it look good. I need some new blood in my organization, and if you have the backing of people that I've never been able to reach, why, all right. We could, uh, make a good team, Lawson. You mean you think I'd make a good stooge? Well, of course I'd have to make most of the decisions. After all, my organization... Your organization. I wouldn't join your organization if it meant staying out of politics for the rest of my life. That's your last word. It's been my last word for the past half hour. Now, get out of here, Jade. Take your hand off my sleeve, young man. I'll leave here when I see fit. You'll forget, Jade. This is my office. This is my office, Jade, and I'm telling you to leave it. Hmm. Your office, is it? Well, I'll see that you never have another one. Maybe the voters will have something to say about that. Yeah? Well, perhaps we will give the voters the chance to show their sentiments about you. Are you threatening me, Jade? I'm warning you. Get out of here. Get out of here before I lose my temper. Got a place to bump into you. Goodbye. Karen, I'm, uh... I'm sorry I had to see this. This what? This intimate little farewell? Okay, you have your jokes. I'm sorry I have to be more serious about things like... I'm not laughing, Bob. I'm more serious than you are. I've got to persuade you to... Now, Karen, Karen, please don't start that again. Nothing can persuade me to give up this campaign. But do you know what it means, Bob? It's suicide, or maybe something worse. I've started it, and I've got to finish it. That's all. No, that isn't all. What about me? Don't you... Karen, you know I care more about you than anything else in the world. But, darling, I swore I'd break the yolk-boss Jade holds over the voters, and I'm going to do it. You mean that's more important than I am? Karen, of course it isn't more important than you. You're everything I want, but... But you want to be Governor Moore. No, no, of course not. But look, Karen, when I came back from the war, I was determined that I was going to see that people at home got some of the things so many soldiers died for. I don't really care about being Governor, but I'm going to see that Boss Jade is thrown out of this state, and if I have to be Governor to do it, I'll be Governor. Oh, stop that gala head stuff. Karen, what's got into you? I'm sorry, Bob. I didn't mean that. But, Father... What about you, Father? He's going to have to pull out on you. He's been my strongest backer. His newspaper is the one way I've had of reaching the voters. His support has meant everything. Yes, and if he continues to support you, he'll lose everything. But how? Even if I lose the election, you'll still... Winning or losing the election has nothing to do with it. You'll forget that Jade controls the only paper mill from which Dad has been able to buy newsprint. Well, there must be a way. There isn't any way. You know what the paper mill situation is. And without paper, Dad will have to quit publishing. Bob, you've got to give up. You've got to quit this useless fight against Boss Jade. It isn't useless. I'm going to beat Boss Jade if it's the last thing I do. Well, you can't do it alone. Well, I've certainly counted on your father's support, but if I have to do it alone without any newspaper backing me, I'm still going to do it. And what about me? What do you mean, Karen? Unless you announce your withdrawal right now. You and I are finished. But why? Karen, I can understand your father being forced to pull out. He has to think of his newspaper and all the people dependent upon it. But you, you and I, we belong together fighting the same battle. Don't you understand? I can't stand by and see my father ruined. But he won't be ruined if he withdraws his support. Unless you either accept the support of the Jade machine or withdraw completely from the election, Jade will expose Dad and break him completely. Expose your dad? Dad has spent his life as a crusading editor. When he hired a business manager, he didn't watch him closely. Now he finds that his business manager is one of Jade's men. And he's been so unscrupulous that Dad's paper and Dad will be completely ruined if certain facts are ever brought to light. But that's not possible. That's what I thought. But I saw the evidence. Jade's paper has it all set in type. Dad's picture and a complete set of facts that will force him out of business and make it absolutely impossible to defend himself. Oh, that's preposterous. We'll take it to court. Oh, you know that won't do any good. Jade controls the courts. But Karen, that's just one more reason for me to run Jade out of business. You haven't a chance without Dad's support. But I can't give up now. You can, Bob. You must. If you love me. You know I love you. That's why I have to make this fight, regardless of the consequences. You couldn't respect me if I turned out to be a quitter. I couldn't respect a man who brought about the ruin of my father. Well, I'm afraid your father will have to look out for himself. But what about me? Don't I count for anything? Karen, you know what you mean to me. If you really mean that, you'll sign this statement. But this is a statement of the public saying I'm giving up the fight. Darling, can't you see? It's the only thing to do. No, Karen. This is one thing I can't do for you. All right, Bob. If that's the way you feel about it. Wait a minute. What's that you've got in your bag? Oh, I didn't want you to see that. A gun? But why? I'm sorry, Bob. I tried to keep this from you. There are people who would go to any lengths to keep you from being Governor Bob. You mean they threatened your life? But you don't have anything to do with my political life. No, but everybody knows that you and I are going to be married. They figure threatening me is a way to get at you. Don't you worry, darling. Nothing's going to happen. But I do worry, Bob. Please, sign this statement now. Please, darling, let's both get out of this while we can. And admit defeat? Uh-uh. I'm scheduled to speak before a packed house tonight, and I'm going to blow the roof off. Oh, Bob, for me, please, sign that statement. Nothing doing, sweetheart. This is a fight to the finish. It's either Boss Jade or me. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, we're here tonight to hear from our next Governor, Robert Lawson. Cheating the people of this community have ever been subjected to. The facts, ladies and gentlemen, not a story but facts. How did you get backstage, Walker? Never mind that. I hear you're going to shoot the works tonight. That's right. We'll make a great story for that newspaper of yours if you print it, which you won't. That's right, Lawson. I work for Jade. I've been with this newspaper for years, and so far I've done a pretty good job of keeping the opposition in line. Oh, you admit you aren't bound by the great code of newspaper ethics, are you? Ethics? I'm too much of a realist. Enough of a realist to give you one more chance to call off this speech. Call it off? With 3,000 people out in front? With a statewide radio hookup? You can quote me as saying that I will definitely not call off this speech. I'll be on that stage in three minutes. Maybe. But let me fill you in on the situation first. The orders are that you are not to be permitted to finish your speech. It's too late now to stop me. Is it? You think you've got 3,000 friends out there? I've had rotten tomatoes thrown at me before. This time there won't be any tomatoes. That audience has been well sprinkled with ammunition, and I don't mean tomatoes. Jade wouldn't dare. The gun will be found in the hand of some dope who really believes you're trying to take away his bread and butter. Even Jade wouldn't frame an innocent man that way. Don't be so naive, Lawson. I know you've got enough evidence to throw the book at Jade. Only that book is going to hit a lot of people, including yours truly. Talking won't help you. Now look, Lawson. In five seconds you'll be walking out on that stage. But if you say one word of what you promised to say, it'll be the last word you've ever said. Thanks for the entertaining conversation. That's my cue. Stop. Stop. Wait a minute. Stop. Ladies and gentlemen, without preliminaries, I would have come directly to the subject which is the principal reason you're all here tonight. I propose to tell you about one boss, Jade. Jasper Jade. Dictator of... The girl! Grab her! Somebody! She did it! Wait a minute. This isn't my gun. The body took a well-timed shot just in time to stop Robert Lawson from saying too much about his political enemy, Boss Jade. And it looks as if that somebody was trying to lay the blame on Karen Lenzie, Lawson's girlfriend. But let's see what the second act has to say about that. In the meantime... And now, the second act of murder hires a haul. The scene is backstage in the auditorium where Robert Lawson began the political speech which was interrupted by a bullet. Police Lieutenant Murphy has arrived. But I didn't do it. I know I didn't. Look, Miss Lenzie, tell me what happened. It will be much easier for everybody. But Lieutenant Murphy, I know I didn't... No, no. There's no use denying it. You came here with a gun. You were found right after the shooting with this in your hand. A gun that shot Lawson. But that isn't my gun. What do you mean it isn't your gun? Mine was a little pearl-handled revolver. I carried in my purse. That's a laugh. What do you think you are, a sleight of hand artist? Walker, be a little careful. We'd want to draw any attention. No, no, no, that now, Mr. Jade. Look, Miss Lenzie, the bullet that hit Lawson came from this gun. The gun you were holding. But it isn't my gun. I never saw it before. Where did it come from then? I don't know. All I know is that I came here trying to find Bob. The stage was full of people and I was jostled. I had my own gun in my head. What did she have a gun for? I brought the gun because I'd heard things. I knew Bob's life was in danger and I wanted him to have a gun to protect himself. I tried to attract his attention. You still haven't explained the other gun. I don't know. I remember passing Mr. Jade and then Walker got in my way. I was so confused I was only thinking of getting the Bob. Someone must have changed guns with me. That isn't easy to believe, Miss Lenzie. You don't have any reason to believe that this gun isn't yours. Well, of course it isn't mine. Bob would know. He knew I carried a pearl-handled revolver. Well, suppose we call the hospital. Chances are Lawson may be able to talk now. Operator, this is a police call. Get me the hospital in a hurry. Yeah. Look, this is Lieutenant Murphy. Is Lawson conscious? Okay. Ask him to describe the gun that Miss Lenzie carried in her purse. Yeah, yeah, in her purse. Call me right back. Look, Murphy, I know you've got a routine to go through, but you've practically got this thing pinned on the Lindsey, girl. You can't hold me here. I've got to get this story to the paper. Walker, quiet. Remember? Remember what, Mr. Jade? I don't like your tone, Murphy. I was just cautioning Walker that it's our duty to be cooperative. Well, nobody leaves here until I say so. Murphy speaking. Yeah? He what? He says it was a pearl-handled... Ah, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thanks. I told you. That isn't my gun. Maybe not, Miss Lenzie, but where is the pearl-handled gat? What'd you do with it? Well, it must have... Someone must have exchanged guns with me and all that confusion. Maybe. You say you saw Mr. Jade. I look here, Murphy. Now, you admit you were backstage. Well, of course I was backstage. I was late. I didn't arrive until... well, until just before you got here. Walker was here when the shot was fired. He can tell you that I hadn't arrived yet. What about the audience? You got 3,000 suspects out there. But we don't have a motor for any of them. And we do have motors for all three of you. I resent that, Murphy. I'll have you thrown off the force. Exactly. That might be your motor, Mr. Jade. Lawson was a threat to your power to dictate to the police department. You might easily have tried to kill him. Why, Joe, you're a man in my position. Stupid. Why, it's ridiculous. That's a nice point. You wouldn't stop to murder. But you might have hired someone. Someone like Walker. Wait a minute, Murphy. Supposing Ms. Lindsay's right. Maybe somebody did swap guns with her. You, Walker, you bumped into her. You think you can scare me? Where's the other gun? I haven't got it. I know you haven't got it. I've got it. What? Where did you find it? In Walker's topcoat pocket. Here it is. Pearl Handle and all. Why, you... I never... Well, Walker. I told you to be careful, Walker. This is our frame up. I never touched that gun. It begins to look as if the frame up was on Ms. Lindsay. You and Jade... Wait. This has gone far enough. I won't stay here and listen to such accusations. You know where to reach me. Now, just a minute, Jade. You're defying the law. That's impossible. I am the law. Get him back here. If anybody's being framed, it's me. Jade planned to murder Lawson. You can't let him get away. Look, Murphy, I didn't do it. Jade had a guy planned it in the audience. Forget it, Walker. Mr. Jade won't get very far this time. Lawson, it's about time you opened your eyes. Jade, who led you in here? Isn't this... Yes, this is the hospital, all right. Get out of here, Jade. I'll deal with you later. Don't get excited. I know this is a little abrupt, but it struck me that you might be in a better mood as a result of this freakish... Here, take a look at this. What is it? Go ahead. Take a look at it. You recognize it. It's a statement of withdrawal. The fact that you've been, uh, well, wounded gives you a fine excuse for eliminating yourself from the election. Very interesting. Go ahead. Sign it. That bullet hole in your shoulder, you can give up the campaign gracefully. Even your most rabid supporters don't expect you to go on getting shot. Aren't you forgetting something? Well, what? Don't you usually take care of people under these circumstances? What are you getting at? A little gift. A settlement. Oh, yes, the settlement. What? I said it, the settlement. Well, Lawson, I see that you were a practical politician after all. I did you an injustice. I thought your crusade was really on the level. Don't bother me with flattery. How much? Well, I guess we can come to terms. Let's say, uh, the same, uh, as the last payment you made on my case? What's that? Uh, oh, yes, you, uh, well, sure, sure, Lawson. It's worth that much to me. That'll make it nice for both of you, won't it? That makes everything perfect. Uh, give me a little time for the shoulder to heal. I don't want to give you a wobbly signature. That's fair enough. And you surprised me, Lawson, but you took a load off of my shoulders. Well, I'll run along now. Oh, no, you don't. What? Still got some business to attend to, Jade? Murphy, you showed up just in time. Where's Karen? Full of things, just we got to the hospital. I got her lying down in one of the other rooms. Listen, Jade, you can't hang this on me. You fright your own soul when you're out on a Murphy. That'll take a lot of fixing. I usually hear, Walker, I may have to get a new political reporter. After that skipper ruin in front of the witnesses, you're going to need a lot of new things, including a good lawyer. Murphy, get Karen in here. There are some things I want her to know. Okay. Walker, you know where she is. Murphy, I think we have everything just about cleared up. Lawson seems to think the shooting was one of those unavoidable things that politicians face. It might be silly to prefer charges. Lawson? I didn't say that, Jade. What's that? What have you got up your sleeve, Mr. Lawson? Here she is. Oh, Bob. Skip it, Karen. What's the matter, Bob? Another thing, Karen. Nothing that your friend, Jade, can't explain. What do you mean? Jade has just admitted the whole story. What? You mean he told you about giving me... Now you look here, Lawson. You can't prove a thing. Hey, somebody around here better start letting me in on this. What are you talking about, Mr. Lawson? I might have told most of this on the radio tonight, but the real clincher was the admission that Jade just made to me before you came in. Lawson, one more word from you. Hello, Jade. Don't forget I got you covered. Jade has been trying to get me to withdraw from the election for a long time. But I didn't get really suspicious until the other day when Karen came in with a statement she wanted me to sign. An agreement to get out of the campaign. You mean she didn't want to be engaged to a future governor? She told me a wild story about the pressure Jade was putting on her father's newspaper. I might have believed her if I hadn't noticed that the statement had been drawn up by Smith and Reynolds. The law firm for the... That's right, the dummy law firm set up for Jade and used by nobody but Jade. Then I began checking. You mean you found out about what was happening while you were overseas? Well, I did find out that Karen had seen a lot of Jade while I was in service, but the important thing I found was a canceled check. Signed by Jade and made out to Karen. A check for $50,000. The rest was a matter of talking to Jade and he all but admitted tonight that he had paid Karen to keep me out of the race for governor. I should have known you'd find out. But Jade kept after me... The shooting was the girl's idea, I swear it. Maybe so, but it wasn't exclusive. What do you mean, Walker? Jade had a gunman planted in the balcony right next to the fire exit, but the girl beat him to it. Jade made me do it. He told me I could make it look as if Walker had fired the shot. What do you mean? The girl's gun was found in Walker's coat pocket. Jade invented that story, I told you, about the guns. He gave me the second revolver, told me to hide my own in Walker's pocket. Jade wanted to get rid of Walker. I told you it was a frame up. Jade's been giving me the heat because... Because of me, Walker? He figured I was getting soft that I knew too much. You're fired, Walker. You'll never work on another paper as long as I have. As long as you what? Well, Miss Lindsay, looks like you picked the wrong man when you teamed up with Jade. I'm along both of you. I'm sorry about this, Lawson. Don't worry about it. I've learned my lesson. Next time I hire a haul, I'll know enough to look out for murder.