 And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. Good evening. This is Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. Tonight's story is a hard-boiled gangster tale, written by Mountain Ryerson and entitled, Alibi for Murder. It's about a very ordinary young man named Dave Whitman, who was destined from birth to be involved in two gangland killings. Yes, destined from birth. Puzzling? Perhaps it'll all be quite clear when you meet gangster Steve Yeager. Before you begin your story, Mr. Barnes, here's some good advice for men. If you have a wiry hard-to-cut beard or a tender skin, and that morning's shave of yours is just short of murder, then shave with Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes, sir, man. It's smooth. So smooth. It's slick. So slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless cream for tender skins. That's right. Mole is a heavier cream. The kind of cream you need if you have wiry whiskers or a tender skin. Because M-O-L-E is heavier, it not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straighter and makes them easy to cut. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly with M-O-L-E. The heavier brushless cream for tender skins. Mole. And now here is Jeffrey Barnes with tonight's M-O-L-E mystery. Alibi for murder. Three men stand in a windowless, ill-lighted little room in the huge warehouse. They are staring in awe at the unconscious man sprawled out in the rickety cot before them. Finally, one of the men speaks. It's unbelievable, Steve. I read about things like this, but I never expected to see it actually happen. How bad has he hurt that? One bullet grazed the back of his head. It's the slut buried in his shoulder might cause trouble. He should go to a hospital. Hospital? Nothing. You do this job yourself at my place. But Steve, it's dangerous. He could die. But he ain't gonna die. You're gonna make sure he don't. Okay, Steve, you're the big boss. You know, I never argue with you. Bob, yes? Yes, Mr. Yeager? You sure nobody knows about him except you? Well, it happened just like I told you, Mr. Yeager. I heard the shots while I was making my nice round to the warehouse. I ran outside and there he was laying in the heap on the sidewalk. And the car that the shots came from beating it away in the darkness. At first I thought this was you, Mr. Yeager. Well, you did, huh? You didn't catch the plates in the car, did you? No, it was too dark, Mr. Yeager. Okay, Pop, thanks a lot for calling me. I won't forget it. This is keeping under your scalp. Don't worry, Mr. Yeager. I won't say a word. I'm sure you won't. Better get back in your rounds now, Pop. I don't want to hold you up and make you late. Okay, Mr. Yeager, you're very considerate. Good night. Steve, you shut him in the back. What's that gag about dead men keeping their mouths shut, Doc? Okay, bust things up, make it look like a robbery. Then let's get this Joe over to my apartment. Coming out of it, Steve. I want to see what he does when he lamps me for the first time. He's lifting his head off the pillar. Looking around. He sees you. I wonder did I look as surprised when I first saw him. He can't figure it out, Steve. Guess he thinks he's looking in the mirror. It's okay, pal. You ain't seeing things. It's us, two of us. Two of us? That's right. This is me and that's you. You and me, they made one of us first and forgot to throw away the mold. That's unbelievable. You're almost identical twins. Same height, same weight, same face, the same coloring. What's your name, pal? Whitman, Dave Whitman. We found you in front of the warehouse down by the river. You had a nasty hunk of lead in your shoulder. Doc here had a rough time fishing it out. You were a doctor? Yeah, this here is Doc Kinsella. I'm Steve Yeager. You're going to see a lot of us. I don't understand what you mean, Mr. Yeager. Never mind. You got many friends in town, Whitman? No, I just arrived here tonight on freight. Right on the rails, huh? A hobo? No, just out of a job. That's what I had hoped to find here. I figured I'd find me a flop down by the river in that big building. My warehouse? Oh, it is? Well, anyway, all of a sudden, a car comes racing around the corner and lets me have it. I mean, that little lead party wasn't meant for you. That was a surprise cooked up for you, as truly. You, Mr. Yeager? Yeah, friends of mine. They took you for me. Then they bust in and murdered a watchman. But I don't get it. Forget it. So you're looking for work, huh? Any kind of work. Well, what would you say to a job with me? In your warehouse? No, not exactly. This linear, a lot bigger piece of change than working down there. I don't know what that slug did to my brain, but this is how it feels to be crazy. Brother, I want to stay that way. Yeah, I think you and me are going to get along OK, Whitman. I'll see if you can grab some sleep. Come on, Doc. Lock the door. Why? He can't... Lock the door. Why, Steve? I don't want anybody to know I got me a spitting image. Sit down, Doc. Steve, what exactly do you want with Whitman? I want him so I can be in two places at once. There's a few things I've been wanting to attend to for a long time, Doc. Only I needed an alibi. I don't follow you, Steve. It should be simple for a guy with a brain big enough to enter an MD. If I had a big brain, Steve, I'd never allowed myself to be handed my walking papers by the Medical Association. All right, Skip it. Now, look. I don't like the kind of competition that's crawling into this town. You mean Goldie Mays? For one, Slapsy Higgins, number two. Who's gone when do you think it was the other night? Slapsy's. He goes in for that strong arm stuff. Goldie's too wise for that stuff. I know, Steve. I heard Goldie's lined up with a lot of tinhorn politicians in town. Guys who can do you lots of harm. Which means that Goldie and Slapsy got to be discouraged. But quick. And Whitman, even though he don't know it, he's going to help me do it. Well, kid, you're looking fine. No one had guessed that 10 days ago you had a slug in you. Yeah, Doc. All right, Whitman, let me look at you. And keep that bow tie straight. And it keeps twisting. Well, don't let it twist. And don't drop the bottom button on your tucks. Yeah, pull that handkerchief out of your pocket a little further like that. Okay. All right. Let's go to the mirror and see. Well, Doc, what do you say? Except by instinct, Steve, I'd say it was improbable. Even your own mothers could tell you apart. I hardly know which of us is me. Neither one of us is you. We're both me. And don't forget it even for a second. Yeah, okay, Steve. Now you're going to my nightclub with Doc. Your nightclub? That's right. The Silver Swan. I own it. Doc will point out everybody in the place to you. Anything and everything you need to know about him. You're getting a spot and you don't know what the answer is. Just stick us a guy in your face and let Doc do the talking. You got it? Yeah, I got it. And there's only one rub. What's that, Steve? Lorraine. Oh, Lorraine, she's your girl, isn't she? How do you know about her? I read all about her in those clippings in your press book. Things at your nightclub. Is she really as pretty as that photo on a piano? Never mind how pretty she is, Lorraine. Steve, you usually kiss her when she comes over to the table. If he doesn't kiss her, she might get suspicious and ask questions. Okay, Whitman, you'll have to kiss her. But make it quick. When you do kiss her, grab her like I do. Come here, I'll show you how. Maybe you two would like to be alone. Shut up! Don't you dance with her or anything, Steve? No, kiss her quick, Whitman, and get rid of her. Tell her that you and Doc got important business. Say you'll see her after the last show. By that time, I'll be there and you'll be back here in the penthouse again. You understand? I understand, Steve. Doc, this is just about the greatest experience in my whole life. Yes, the club starts to ride pretty high at midnight Saturdays. This place must have cost Steve a small fortune. It did. You better close your mouth and stop gaping like you never saw it before. Don't forget, you're supposed to be the person who owns it. Here comes the waiter. Order rye highball. But I like scotch and soda. Steve likes rye highball. Oh. Even to Mr. Yeager. Hiya, Doc. Hello, Mike. What'll it be, Mr. Yeager? Here you go. Yeah, Mike, rye highball. Coming right up, boss. See that white-haired man with the party at the ringside table over there? Yeah. That's John Martin, city magistrate. Wave to him. Okay. He a friend of Steve's? Yeah. Sort of. Steve must know important people. Yeah. Remember me, Mr. Huh? Why, all a surprise. You look as if you never saw me before. Hello, Lorraine, Lorraine. Hi. Well, who would you think I was? Why are you staring? Oh, I was just thinking. I don't know whether I ever told you before, but you know that photo of you doesn't have to, you justice? No, Steve, you never told me. Oh, yeah. Do you mind if I kiss you? You don't usually ask, do you? No, I guess not. Anything wrong? Hardly. You look stunned. Maybe because you never kissed me like that before. It seemed to be something different. Steve, don't forget we've got a lot of important business to talk over. Oh, yeah, yeah, business. I'll see you after the last show, Lorraine. Doc and I've got some important angles to work out. Yes, sure, Steve. I understand. See you later. Gosh. Now, look, kid, don't let's get any silly ideas. She's all wrapped up with a big, expensive tag on the Reed's hands-off property of Steve Yeager. Yeah, yeah, I know, Doc. Oh, there's the signal from Steve Whitman. Now, you slip into his office, not the back door. Steve will take your place, and none the wiser. You sure nobody caught wise? He wasn't me sitting at this table all the while, Doc? No, and Steve, not even Lorraine. Uh-oh. Hang on to your bridge work, Doc. Here it comes. Where? Through the front door. McAfee and Fennec. Yeah, the headquarters twins. Well, well, if any, my two old sidekicks. Sergeant McAfee and Joe Fennec, grab chairs and sit down, boys. What are you drinking? Sorry, Steve, but, uh, this isn't that kind of a visit. Goldie Mayes has just been bumped. Goldie Mayes? That's not an hour ago, Steve. No kidding, man. Oh, that's tough. Goldie was an OK guy. What, uh, what's that got to do with me? Uh, Captain got an idea in his head. He wants you brought to headquarters for a question. Mc, I've been here in the club with Doc ever since midnight. You sure, Steve? All the time? Sitting right here at this table, we were. Of course, though, except for about three minutes when I went into the office to write out a check. And we have everybody here in the club to prove we were here. There's John Martin, Health Commissioner Wood, they all vouch for you. Sure, you want me to call them over? Skip it, I'll talk to them later. Sorry, Steve. Yes, we made a mistake. Yeah. I guess you did. As the curtain falls on Act One of our story, it looks as though Steve Yeager has an iron-clad alibi as far as the death of Goldie Mayes is concerned. In just a moment, we'll see what the next move is. Before you continue, Mr. Barnes, I'd like to say something to our men listeners. Men, I've been asking you for quite a while now to use Molle brushless shaving cream. Well, if you haven't used it yet, why not give your beard and skin a real break and try a Molle shave? When you do, I'm sure you'll find that Molle lives up to everything I've said about it. I've pointed out that Molle is a heavier cream, and it is. The kind of cream you need if you've got a wiry hard-to-cut beard or a tender skin. It not only softens your whiskers, it holds them up better and lets your razor breeze right through them. In other words, when you shave with Molle, you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Now, maybe that sounds pretty strong, but if you'll just try a Molle shave, I think you'll agree with me when I say it's smooth, so smooth. It's slick, so slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave that you get with M-O-L-L-E. Molle, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Molle. Now back to Jeffrey Barnes and act two of Alibi for Murder. By a strange coincidence, the down-and-out Dave Whitman is a perfect double for the notorious gangster Steve Yeager. While Dave poses as Yeager in the director's nightclub, the gangster commits a murder. Now Yeager and his sidekick doc are entering Yeager's apartment. Do you think that McAfee's push when I told him I was sitting in a club all the time? And how quickly you back down, we started rattling off the names of the witnesses who saw you in the club? Yeah. Whitman, what do you call this? You've got your old clothes on. Clothes you had on when we picked you up. You've been taking yourself a quick run-out, Potter Whitman. That's exactly what I'm taking, Mr. Yeager. I didn't expect you back quite so soon. There's a note in your room telling you I'm resigning the fine job you gave me. Resigning? Yeah. When I took this job, I didn't know it included murder. You might have. I heard all about it on the radio a few minutes ago. Charlie McCarthy's on the radio. You don't believe everything he says, do you? It won't work, Steve. You wanted me to take you a place at the club tonight so I'd be your Alibi while you kill a man named Golly Mies. This thing all wrong. Ah, Steve, you're the one who's got it wrong. I'm washed up. I'm gone. Stay away from that door, Whitman. That's all I have, Steve. Sure. I'll let you go right on your... Kiss it! Okay, Yeager. Two can play at that gate. I wouldn't try it, Whitman. You might find a little tough opposition in this gun I'm holding. Yeah, take this handkerchief and wipe the blood off your mouth. I don't like the sight of blood. That's better. If you're smart, Whitman, you'll also get any idea you might have about squawking of the police right out of your brain. That's right. I guess you want to sit on my lap in the electric chair. What do you mean? No one would believe you and Steve weren't in on this thing together. Nobody'd ever believe you didn't know what you were doing. Doc's right. Get smart. Yeah, smart. There's plenty in this for you. Now, what about it? I don't seem to have any choice. Now, we'll work the same game Monday night. Okay. And look, Whitman, just in case you try anything, Doc's gonna have a gun on you from the time you walk out this door until you get back again. Right, Doc? Check. Doesn't this club ever have a slow night? Doc, it's jam-packed again tonight. Yeah. What do you keep looking around over your shoulder for? Expecting somebody? Obviously not, Doc. Hey, where are you going? To meet the somebody I was looking for. She just came through that little door we were talking about. Wait. Come back here. Oh, Steve. You sound surprised. It's the first time I ever saw you come to meet me. Anything wrong? Wrong? Yeah, you stepped back away from me as I went to kiss you. Oh, I'm sorry, Steve. You look bewildered. I am. Why? Why, you kissed me just now. You kissed me like that Saturday night when I came to your table. Something about it seems so different. Oh, Steve, we got business to talk over, remember? Oh, yeah, Doc. I'll tell you what. You sit down and get all the details worked out, and I'll come back and I'll get the whole thing out with you. But, uh, is that argument in my pocket might not wait? Are you trying to tell me you'd use an argument like that on Steve Yeager in front of all these nice people? But... I said sit down, Doc. Now, I mean sit down. Okay. Okay. I'll be waiting. Doc seems to be kind of unhappy about something. Doc's getting older, eh? No more romance. I never heard you mention the word romance before. Well, there's a lot of words you probably haven't heard me say that you're gonna hear. Shall we dance? Love to love. Yeah? I've been wondering lately. Are you really in love with a guy named Steve Yeager? That's a funny question. But now that you've asked it, I always liked your looks and type, Steve. But except for twice, I'm afraid I've never been really in love with a man inside. You said except for twice? That's right. Saturday and... Tonight? Uh-huh. I just can't explain it, Steve. I suppose it sounds kind of silly. But you almost don't seem like the same person. Now, how do we get back here in the gambling room? Maybe because I said I felt lucky. How lucky? Tonight, just about the luckiest person alive. You got a quarter, lady? Could be. Why? Let me have it. We'll pour our interest. I've got a dime. A very lucky dime. I thought you never did. This is a special occasion. Let's have the quarter. All right. Here you are. Here, you drop this lucky dime into your purse. There. But I... Come on, let's try our quarter on these slot machines. All right. This looks like a lucky machine. Here, you drop in the quarter. Okay. Now, I yank the lever. All those little feels are spinning just like my brain. It's all so mixed up. Four bars. Jackpot. All those quarters. Oh, there must be easily ten dollars. Tell you what, you take these quarters to the cashier and get one blue chip. Steve, I'm so sorry to be long. Shut up. Where's Whitman? Been cooling my heels in this office for the past half hour. You know I can't leave you until he comes. He was at the big table, Steve. Let Lorraine walk away with five Gs. Five grand. The dealer naturally thought he was you. Every time he smiled, the dealer touched the little button under the table, and the bell stopped and the number Lorraine had her chips on. You're a stupid fool. This is all your fault. But, Steve... Shut up! Get him over to the penthouse and keep him there. I'll be over later. Okay, Steve. And I'll break his neck when I get him that punk. Hey, boss. Yeah, Louis? The headquarters twins just came in. Says they want to buzz you about the murder of Slapsy Higgins. Okay. Tell Lorraine I want her in here. Lorraine ducked out a few minutes ago, boss. Where'd she go? I don't know, but she looked them off a hundred... Hurry. I wonder. You wonder what, boss? Nothing. The car out back? Yeah, nearly. Okay, Louis. I want you to drive me home. Fast. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a few moments, we'll bring you Act 3 of Alibi for Murder. When you have dandruff, you might just as well try to combat it with plain water, as with most ordinary hair preparations. For such products, simply remove loose dandruff and you can do that with plain water. To do more, to fight dandruff effectively, use double dandering. For double dandering is a scientific product that does what most ordinary hair preparations can't do. It goes to work on your scalp and actually kills on contact the germs that many outstanding authorities contend are a cause of a common type of dandruff. Now, the reason for double dandering's amazing effectiveness is that it contains a special ingredient called alzand, an active antiseptic so remarkably efficient, many hospitals use it. Among hair preparations, double dandering and double dandering alone contains alzand. So stop trying to combat dandruff with preparations that can't compare with double dandering. If you're not satisfied, return the empty bottle and get your money back. Buy double dandering at your drugists. Lorraine, you shouldn't have come here to the penthouse of Lorraine. You're not Steve Yeager. Oh, darling, I'm glad, I'm so glad. Lorraine, darling, I tried so many times to tell you the truth tonight, but for once Doc's right, you shouldn't have come here. Who are you? My name's Whitman, Dave Whitman. Don't say any more, Whitman, I warn you. Steve used me as his alibi for murder. I would have made a break for it, but I couldn't go without you. With that money we won tonight, Lorraine, I hoped we could go away somewhere and start over. You've got to go, Lorraine, and Steve finds you here, he'll kill both of you. Steve. Steve, I didn't hear you come in. You just drove me over from the club. Well, it's like something out of the movies. The big hero with a protecting arm around the girl's waist. It's kind of corny, Whitman. This is why you took the quick run out from the club, Lorraine. I was right, there are two of you. But not for long. Whitman, where those rags you first came in. Why? Don't ask questions, where are they? In the bottom of the closet in the bedroom. All right, Doc, keep that gun of yours aimed at his shirt stud. I got me a quick change to make. Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. Well, Doc, what are you gaping at? Gosh, Steve, you look just like Whitman did that first night to close everything. Even he must up here. Yeah, not to dump these things. Hey, that's your wallet and credentials you're putting on the table. Well, neither anymore. Now, Doc, I'll take your ride. Sure, sure, Steve. Here, but I don't understand. It's simple, Doc. This is the end of the line. This is where you three get off. Three. And Steve Yeager goes on alone. But, Steve. You've outlived your usefulness, Doc. Besides, you and these two are the only people in the world who know I have a double. But, Steve, I wouldn't talk. You know that. I know you haven't talked so far. But, Steve, I'm not a popper. Slaps you, Goldie. I'm your friend. Taking no chances, Doc. You at this two-time endame and the phony Steve Yeager get the lights blown out here and now. Steve, no, please. I had it figured out for a long time, Doc. You and a dame get it with my gun. Then, while you're dying, you give it a Whitman here with your gun. Anyway, that's how it's going to look to the cops. You're going to make them think Dave is you? That he killed Doc? That's right. Gonna look swell in a tabloid. Doc can sell a foolin' around with Steve Yeager's girl. And who walks in but Steve? You'll never get away with it, Yeager. Why won't I? The cops haven't even got a fingerprint of me. I'll just fade into the old zone and become a character named Dave Whitman. But why, Steve? Goldie's gone. Slaps is gone. You've no more competition in town. Yes, Steve. Too bad Doc wasn't a bad guy. You ain't shittin' Mac. What? Doc was the best. Louie. He's frontin' dropped the gun. Don't be crazy, Louie. Take that rod out of my back. Drop what I said. I don't know what you're doin', Louie. Shut up and turn around so I can look at ya. All right, you satisfied it's me? Steve. And another Steve over there. Am I seein' double or somethin'? Person I'm seein' double. I'm Steve Yeager. This guy's just a hobo. I don't know. I'd say you look more like the hobo on M-Close. Louie, don't be stupid. I'm Steve. I tell ya, look at me. Yeah, yeah, Louie. Look at us. Good. I'm all mixed up. It's simple, Louie. It's just a shakedown. He found out he looked like me, killed a couple of people, and then tried to blackmail me. He's lyin', Louie. I'm Steve Yeager. If he was Steve Yeager, would he shoot Doc Canceler, his best friend? No. No, I guess he wouldn't. Louie, he's tryin' a confusion. Look, they're my credentials in the table. No, Louie, they're my credentials. I just told you he was tryin' to shake me down. I want to be sure. I wouldn't want to pull his trigger on the wrong guy. Don't be pullin' it on the wrong guy if you kill me. Wait a second, Louie. You know whose girl Lorraine is, don't you? Sure. Everybody knows that. She's Steve Yeager's girl. Then ask her which one of us she loves. It's a trigger, dirty rotten trigger. That wasn't very smart. Him tryin' to rush my gun. Gosh, I didn't want to kill a guy. But would you suffer yourself, Steve? He was grabbin' for my gun. He was either him or me. We've got to get out of here quick before the police comes. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we've got to get out of here. You go ahead, Louie. A few things I've got to clean up here. Yeah, okay, boy. Quick, lock the door. Bye. Good. Now then. What are you doing, Dave? The only thing we can do... I'm calling the police. Any place where people won't take me for Steve Yeager's ghost. Brother, what a job it was straightening out that mess with the police. Yeah, especially after they picked up Louie and insisted you were Steve. What are you thinking about, darling? Well, honey, two weeks ago I rode into town in a freight car with a thin dime in my pocket. Now I'm riding out of town with a world in the palm of my hand. And now this is Jeffrey Barnes again inviting you to be with us next week when we present a great study and suspense entitled The Creeper by Joseph Rusko. The original music for the Molle Mystery Theatre is composed and conducted by Alexander Semmer. Alibi for Murder was written and adapted for radio by Martin Ryerson. Elsbeth Eric, Mandel Kramer and John Sylvester were featured in tonight's program. This is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday at this same time when the Mystery Theatre presents The Creeper. Tonight's Mystery Theatre presentation came to you from Radio City in New York. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.