 Stand by for crime Chuck Morgan speaking newscaster and radio station KLT here in Los Angeles You know, it's an interesting job this newscasting Sure, most days are like routine stories routine happenings Every once in a while something comes up. That's different This was a half a million dollars different. I mean that jewel robbery out in Beverly Hills last week They got away with a huge diamond clip and other trinkets which belonged or had belonged to Oscar tenant the movie mogul You probably read that Oscar had passed into the great beyond a month before Well, his widow Dora tenant a wheelchair inflated decided to have a private showing for a small group I was invited as was my boss Papi Man's good owner of KLT And of course Carol Curtis my blonde secretary had a tag along So directly after my seven o'clock broadcast the three of us had dinner at the Plaza hotel and then headed out for Beverly Hills What's the purpose of this show Chuck the old lady won't ever want to know how rich she is No, baby. I think it's a release of a long period of frustration frustration How can anybody who owns a half a million dollar diamond be frustrated? That's a fine clam of us The well-remembered Oscar tenant was kind of a screwball about his money. He started with nothing You know made a lot fast. That's right. He began buying things He could never afford before and stashing them away He got a bang out of knowing he had the stuff even though he never used it Do you mean Mrs. Tenant was never allowed to wear the diamond clip? That's it exactly all her friends heard she had the clip And we're asking to see it but Oscar'd never let her take it out of the safe People began to wonder if the oversized diamond really existed so now she's going to prove to everybody that it does exist That's the way I figured Peppy golly. I can hardly wait to see a rock that size Chuck do you suppose no, but you don't even know what I was going to say. Yes, I do. I can't afford even a little one Chuck after all we are engaged and happy would be no I said you tried having happy deduct payments my salary once before and I was broke No, no, no, no The tenant estate was one of those rambling one-story deals with a lot of rolling lawn and shade trees Must have been about 830 when we turned it to the drive Oddly enough the house was almost dark As a matter of fact it looked to us as if only one light were burning and that in the rear of the house That's funny place looks deserted. Yeah You sure you haven't got your date mixed choice. This is ten instead of the six today is a sex, isn't it? That's right. I happen to know because yesterday was the fifth and tomorrow is the seventh right girl Okay, you two stay here. I'll go up and find out what the score is Maybe it was crazy But as I walked up to that darkened house I had a feeling that something was very wrong about all this No reason except for the darkened house and the fact that there were no other cars parked on the drive But it turned out that those reasons were enough I pushed the doorbell button heard chimes way inside the house For a minute nothing happened Then I heard a step behind me and thought something all too familiar pressed them to the small of my back All right, mister. Get your hands up With the devil are you never mind who I am you're under arrest for stealing the tenant jewels It was dark on the veranda The man with the gun was only a vague shape The gun barrel was still an uncomfortable pressure in my back So I decided not to make a hero out of myself, but do as I was told All right, so I'm a jewel thief. I came back to give myself up. What do I do now? Get inside sure honey. Don't get trigger happy with that gun. I bruise easily This was crazy And the pitch darkness of the room we entered I could have at least grappled with the man with the gun He must have known that I took a chance one wildly connected with thin air and there was a snap of the switch The room was suddenly flooded with light Across the room one hand still on a wall sweats the gun in the other the small gray hair guy of about 50 In the middle of the floor was a woman in a wheelchair. She too was gray haired about the same age She was leaning slightly forward There's a bright gleam in her eyes a sort of eager Anticipatory love as though she were enjoying the situation So this is what a jewel thief looks like upon my soul. You look exactly like a human being All right, I'll go along with the gag. I am a human being Ordway don't let this man's innocent appearance deceive you keep him covered one false move and he gets it Well, you tell me what a false move is so I won't make one, huh? My such impudence You'll be singing a different tune my fine young friend when you're languishing in the local Bastille the local best Oh, don't try begging for mercy. I intend to be absolutely heartless in this matter Well, are you going to make a full confession or shall we? What's the word odd way sweat? Yes sweat or shall we sweat it out of you? I'd like to be sweated you would Wait, did you hear he wants to be sweated? Oh, I'm afraid you'll have to mother. Did you What in the world is going on here? Oh come in my dear. I want you to see what a real live jewel thief looks like a jewel thief Who where? Surely you don't mean mr. Morgan What was that is a pal the man Ordway is pointing the gun at is Chuck Morgan a radial newscaster I know him anywhere. Oh No Mother, this is absolutely the last straw. I should think you'd be ashamed of yourself How in the world are you going to apologize to mr. Morgan? What if he uses the story on one of his broadcasts will be the laughing stock of everyone in town That must be the rest of my gang now, so I let them in I'll go Yes, we're looking for Chuck Morgan. Is he here come on in pappy Carol? I was just about to be sweat Oh, what do you mean sweated? Yeah, and what's the idea of leaving us sitting out there in the car, please mr. Morgan? Do you mind? Okay, okay, we'll keep it our secret. Thanks Mrs. Tennant. This is my secretary Carol Curtis my boss. Happy Mansfield. Mrs. Tennant her daughter Isabel and Ordway, how do you do? Well, when does the show start I've got to get back to the station But I don't understand it was tomorrow night that I plan to put the jewels on display So you did get the dates mixed after all Chuck well in my memories taking a bad turn for the worst I was positive you said the six mrs. Tennant. She did but Isabel darling mother I was sitting right beside you when you called mr. Morgan. You asked him out for the six. Oh Dear, oh, I'm so sorry. Will you ever forgive me dear people? Well, where's the harm now that we're here? Why can't we have a look at the jewels? Why that simple they've been stolen stole Do you mean you were actually serious when you thought that I had of course dear boy? Why shouldn't we think that you were the culprit mother? I don't believe it It's another of your wild attempts to be dramatic. Well, then look for yourself my dear. I will I don't get this Seems as though something's wrong sometimes. Oh, I assure you my dear There's not a thing wrong the jewels were stolen about 15 minutes before mr. Morgan arrived 15 minutes before Have you notified the police? No Ordway, and I plan to capture the thief ourselves. We almost did too. I mean Mrs. Tennant Pardon us if we all seem a trifle confused But just why did you think the thief would return because he didn't get the diamond clip, huh? Ordway, and I knew that when he discovered that fact he'd return so we turned off the lights and waited Uh, I mean we douse the glim. Oh, I'll be darned. Where is the clip now? Right in the safe in a separate package where I placed it last night ready for the showing It's true. The jewels are gone. Of course dear all but the diamond clip. That's still in the safe I'm afraid you've over done it this time mother The diamond clips gone too There wasn't any doubt about the sincerity of Mrs. Tennant's concern when she heard that the half million dollar diamond had actually vanished If she'd been playing a dramatic sub to now the show was over the old lady practically threw a fit Still for my money nothing much tied together about this career fair However, I smelled a story and a good one. So I decided to stick around Pat they want to call it cops. There's a velvet what you could for a mother who by now was having genuine hysterics How Ordway Carol and I went into the room where the wall safe was located And it wouldn't take a very smart safecracker to bust that one open How many know the combination order just Mrs. Tennant and her daughter. I think What do you fit into the picture by the way? Why I've been sure for her gardener and general handyman for the Tennant's for years There's only one window in this room Chuck up there. It's too small for anyone to get through small man I'd be able to do it. What's outside order a flower garden, sir You suppose you could scare up a flashlight so we could have a look. Oh, yes, sir There's one right here in this drawer good Carol take a look at Mrs. Tennant away Yes, you need a doctor if the police arrived. Oh Hello, Pappy get through the police. No Chuck this may be a screwy deal, but there's a lot about it that isn't screw. Yeah, the telephone wires have been cut No kidding. No kitty. Tell you what suppose you stick around here while I drive down and report this. It's a good deal Pappy see you later So Pappy went off after the cops Carol went into lend a hand with Mrs. Tennant and Ordway and I went out the back door and around the house toward the flower bed There were no trees on the side of the house The stars were bright so Ordway didn't switch on his flashlight Which turned out to be a lucky thing And maybe it wasn't We were within five pieces of the flower bed when Ordway suddenly yelled look out, sir It was too late Something hit me behind the ear with the force of a pile driver. I went down and out and stayed down and out for a long time At least it seemed that way to me Then I saw the stars of above dancing around like pinwheels From a long way off the boys kept saying over and over again. Mr. Morgan. Are you all right? Mr. Morgan are you all right? Mr. Morgan Mr. Morgan Shall I get a doctor mr. Morgan? No never mind a doctor who? What hit me? I don't know who it was sir. He jumped from behind that shrub. He had something in his hand a Club of some sort. I yell, but he was too quick for me sir. Yeah, what happened? He ran also like a flash. I should go after him by two days and sir I I thought you needed attention and well, I knew he couldn't get away. What do you mean? He couldn't get away. Well because he ran in that direction, sir There's an eight-foot wall that nobody could get over without a ladder Now the only other avenue escape is through the house or right past here Which means the man who hit you must be hiding on the grounds right now The conclusion of stand by for crying Well if the man who belted me was still on the grounds I intended finding him my head was pounding like a voodoo drum I wasn't very steady on my feet as Ordway and I started out in the direction he'd indicated Which accounts for the fact that I stumbled into the general handyman when he suddenly stopped Sorry, what's the matter? Oh careful, sir. I just saw a movement behind that shrub. Yeah, we'll turn your flashlight over that way. Yes, sir Founder the battery seems to be dead Disgain, sir. Look, you just moved. Yeah, there is something there. Come on, Ordway. Let's move in Ordway and I began moving cautiously toward the shrub It was a vague shape beside it a shape that stood motionless into where we're almost up to it then The man whoever he was must have held a track record. He was away from us like a streak of light We kept after him spreading out a little so when he came to that eight-foot wall I'd have to turn back and run into one of us. Well, he came to the eight-foot wall and he turned back right into my arms I'm in a flying pack. I'll grab them around the knees brought them to the ground Ordway can't running over from himself across a guy's chest pinning them to the ground. We've got him, sir. We've got him Get up on your feet, Jada. Keep your hands off me. Who do you think you're throwing around? Who do you think you're floating behind the air with a baseball bat, huh? Don't anybody with anything. Ordway, tell his jerk whoever he is who I am So, you know the young man do yardway. Why? Why it's mr. Avery sir. Yeah, who's mr. Avery? Mr. Paul Avery. He's a he's a friend of Mrs. O'bill. I see this is a way he does this courting a well, mr. Paul Avery Let's get back to the house so we can take a look at you and ask a few questions Paul Avery kid about 20 or 21 years old was sullen and defiant He didn't want to go back to the house, but he went with my help When we got there we found Carol and Isabelle alone in the living room The latter took one look at our prisoner and let out a cry. Paul. Oh Paul, what have they done to you? It's okay, Isabelle. I'm all right. They came charging at me and I ran I guess I thought I was some kind of prowler so the idea was more than that In fact, we're practically sure he was the man who socked me behind the ear with a pile driver socked you Well, you big bully Jack, are you all right? Of course. I'm all right. I've already told you I didn't sock anybody I was just coming here to see Paul Avery. What are you doing here? Haven't I forbidden you this house? Haven't I told you a hundred mother, please? No, Isabelle. I made up my mind about this young man some time ago He's not to be trusted Oddway, what is Paul Avery doing in this house? I'm sorry, Mrs. Tennant we we found him prouling about the grounds and Morgan had been attacked and we thought that naturally you thought that It was Paul Avery who stole my jewels. I just examined the safe myself, and I'm sure of it Oddway, will you please search mr. Avery's pockets? Yes, ma'am. No, wait a minute. I didn't rob any safe I only came here to see Isabelle. We were going to meet out there. All right, steady, son steady I'll only take a minute and it'll be painless. This is ridiculous. He certainly doesn't look like a safe cracker to me No, let's see here. Oh What's this? Oh It's one of mother's rings. I knew it. I knew it the minute I laid eyes on that young man He's a thief Paul Avery. Where's my diamond clip? I don't know I don't even know what a diamond clip looks like. Let's start with the ring then How did that happen to be in your pockets on that? I don't know and I never saw it before. Oh, that's rich That's very rich indeed never saw it before then. How did it get into your pocket? I'd like to know well Someone must have put it there. Yeah. Yeah, that's it Someone had to put it there and who else had that chance but the Ordway in the sky here the idea the very idea Accusing Ordway or mr. Morgan mr. Morgan. I demand that you arrest Paul Avery at once Well, I'm not a policeman Mrs. Tannin If I were I think I'd ask a few more questions and search a few more pockets before I arrested anybody There wasn't anything to do but hang around until Papica back with the police At my Suggestion Paul Avery agreed to remain at the house. It looked pretty bad for him if he didn't that was all right with Dora Tennant She was posited the kid had the diamond clip and she kept ranting on about how she was going to have him arrested the instant the cops arrived I looked around for a flashlight that to work couldn't find one. So I got a handful of matches from the kitchen Carol and I went outside and started around to the flower bed Papi's been gone long enough wonder what's keeping him. I was wondering myself Chuck. Do you think Paul Avery is a thief? Could be Or how about Ordway? Could be You didn't slip the ring into Avery's pocket. Did you? Oh, that's a bright question. Okay, okay But I've known you to do such crazy things when unraveling one of these mysteries What's this here? The flower bed beneath the window of the room on the safe slot. Get it. Oh, what do you expect to find? Oh, no, no, let's have a look Looks like a freshly planted bed. There certainly aren't any flowers. As a matter of fact, there isn't anything. Wait a minute. Here's something This rounded mark in the dirt near the edge of the lawn here. It looks like what's the imprint of the tall and man shoe? That's exactly what it is. Glamorous Someone came up to the edge of the bed leaned over to pick up something. But what? There's nothing there now We're not out. We don't have another match. There we are. Look, I'll be the man I stand on the edge of the lawn like this with the toe of one shoe in the flower bed I lean forward and hey What is it? I still don't see anything that depression and the soft dirt over there. Chuck Someone threw something. Yeah, the box containing the jewels out of the window and then picked up. No, no, no No, that's wrong. Glamopus the diamond clip was in a package by itself Remember a diamond clip wasn't way enough to make a mark in the dirt that deep and be shaped like that either about three inches long and rounded Then what? Then what didn't make it? Think how much a drop is that from the window, which is eight feet, maybe? Yeah Now how much would an object dropping eight feet have to wait and make an impression that deep and soft dirt the consistency of which I know a good one like that too. If a boat is traveling to west at a rate of 25 miles an hour How old's the captain? Sorry Glamopus. I was trying to figure something out. Oh, you were just showing off and I'm not impressed So let's get back to the business at hand. Okay, let's go go where aren't you going to try and figure out what was dropped from the window? I did didn't you hear me? Do you mean you weren't kidding with all that double talk? Of course not. Didn't I ever tell your school? I was up. Where's it mathematics? I remember once my teacher said Morgan. Oh is about you're looking for someone. Yes I'm looking for you May I talk to you a minute? Sure. Go ahead. Shall I leave now stick around Glamopus? Isabel doesn't mind Well, do yes about of course not Mr. Morgan Paul didn't steal mother's jewels. I'm sure of it. What makes you so sure? well Because I love him my figures. Oh quiet Glamopus Isabel is the reason your mother doesn't want you to marry Paul because she thinks it doesn't have enough money That and and because she doesn't want me to leave her Since father died she leans upon me heavily for companionship and comfort Does that recall your father died of a series of heart attacks which began about a year ago? Yes, that's right, and it was right after that your mother became confined to her wheelchair. Yes, I Think her invalidism was due partly to the fact that the doctor told her father a little chance of recovering Pardon me for asking a dumb question, but what's all this got to do with the stolen jewels everything Glamopus everything come on Let's go inside and I'll tell you why I Kind understand why you've asked us all together in this room. Mr. Morgan And I kind understand either why that man hasn't returned with the police. What was his name? Mansfield. Oh, yes, that was it Mansfield or was it he who stole the duels? Perhaps I have something there Perhaps he isn't Mr. Mansfield or you're not mr. Morgan Well, mr. Morgan are you through Mrs. Tender? I'm not sure I like the tone of your voice I'm afraid you're gonna like it less when I finish How would you like to know where your diamond clip is what you know where my diamond clip is? Oh, yes, I know well then give it to me at once just a minute Don't you want to know where the other jewels are that we're stolen? All right? Yes, of course, but it's a diamond clip That's important. It's worth more than all the others put together. Yeah, that's a point That's the reason you forgot your dramatics and practically had hysterics when you learned that the clip was missing Because the diamond clip mrs. Tender was the only jewel that was really stolen Playing a hunch with only a few facts to back it up, but I'd looked as though we're going to pay off Ordway was standing there the outside doorway the flashlight still bulging in his pocket Looked at me gladly as I walked up to him All right, Ordway hand it over and what over the diamond clip of course Are you kidding? Well, you can search every pocket in my clothes and you won't find it. That's a good deal I'll start in this pocket containing the flashlight. Just let me remove it. Give me that give you a lot of way the flashlight Why it doesn't work? You said so yourself Kind of lied for such a big flashlight or it where I wonder why I'll tell you why One of the battery cells have been removed You took it out and threw it out of the window so you'd have a safe hiding place for the diamond clip which you stole You later recovered the self in the flower bed after you slugged me Ordway not you Don't act so shocked mrs. Tendon. It was you who stole your own jewels you and Ordway That's why you weren't worried and you could play it dramatic until you found out that the clip was gone, too You didn't want that stolen because there was no way of recovering it without admitting your guilt and an insurance company Wouldn't pay off without a real tough investigation Why the idea the very idea this is terrible Nowhere near as terrible is the fact that you're no more an invalid than I am. What's that? What's that you said? It's what you said to give away your little game You said you examined the safe yourself for the missing clip That safe is more than five feet above the floor and you couldn't very well search it from a wheelchair Could you mother wait a minute isabel you better hear the rest of your mother's selfish tale When she knew your father couldn't live more than a year after his heart attack She decided to make herself dependent upon you so she'd never be left alone So she can find herself to the wheelchair and worked in your sympathy Then Paul Avery came along and you fell in love with him. Your mother was threatened with being left alone again So she conspired with Ordway to have some worthless jewels stolen and to plant one on Avery Then she invited me out so the business would receive a lot of publicity Only Ordway couldn't resist such a golden opportunity to pull a double cross and steal the clip am I right Mrs. Tenor am I guessing You couldn't have done such a dreadful thing all right boy in in the rest of you the show's over I'll build the first one who moves so I'd forgotten about Ordway's gun. Now. That's me. I was beginning something important For me this time. I wasn't too worried. I'd seen something that Ordway couldn't have because this position near the door Outside a card stopped at the foot of the brand of steps Happy men's field and two uniformed policemen and gotten out of it So I only stood there and watched I Watched Ordway back up to the door Thinking this was perfect timing and that Papi was as is usually the case going to have the final word Ordway put his hand behind him and opened the door and There were Papi and two cops waiting All right, Ordway the show's over for you to get your hands up