 And now the Mole Mystery Theater, presented by M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skin. Jeffrey Barnes, welcoming you to the Mole Mystery Theater, a program that presents the best in mystery and detective fiction. Tonight's play is a modern, hard-boiled detective adventure by Leslie T. White entitled Radio Patrol. One of your popular young radio stars, Richard Coogan, will be heard in the leading role. Radio Patrol is the story of a young police officer nicknamed Lucky, who discovers himself in a dilemma where he must apparently let an innocent man hang or see his entire career ruined. The same as to Barnes, before the men in our audience learn all about Lucky, here's a word of advice inspired by Mr. Unlucky, the man who suffers from shaving tough whiskers. Men, heavy beards call for heavy cream. That's why lots of men call for Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream. Yes, sir, it's smooth, so smooth. It's slick, so slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shade you get with M-O-L-L-E. Mole, the heavier brushless shaving cream for heavy beards. So remember, if you have a wirely, hard-to-cut beard or a sensitive skin, the cream you need is Mole. Because it is a heavier cream, Mole not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straight and lets your razor sail right through them. So you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly with Mole. The heavier brushless shaving cream for heavy beards. Try it, Mole. And now for tonight's Mole mystery starring Richard Cougan, Radio Patrol. It was a Wednesday when the fun or trouble, according to how you look at it, started. My partner in Radio Patrol car number 23, Sam Brason, me. Oh yeah, Star's the name, Lucky Star. Boy, I needed it. Anyway, Sam and me stopped off the central station house with the daily precinct reports. You see, the reports go to Captain Rivers, chief of the detective bureau. Only first they go to his secretary, Karen Marshall. That's how it is. Captain's waiting for the report. Oh, here you are, honey. Am I going to see you tonight? Shh, the captain's door's open. Well, look, will I? When I get off, do it? Yeah, I'll pick you up in the car at the station house. Hey, is that the pest again? Oh, Captain Rivers, it's the patrolman's star. Oh, look, star, every time I look up, I see you lounging around like I work here. Oh, uh, yes, I mean... And I thought you were a harness bull. Yes, sir, I am, sir. Well, I'll not have harness bulls feathering up my bureau. No, sir. Now, if you want to hang around here, climb out of that uniform and start your loaf and eat in the morning. Yes, sir, but I'm on at four. See, what he... Hey, what's funny? Okay, Captain Rivers means he's taking you into the detective bureau. Okay, okay, it's all thanks for your precinct captain. I don't stand there gawking. Yes, sir. You start Monday. Now, beat it. I was still walking on air when I got into the patrol car. I didn't say anything to Sam Brace right away because he's... Well, he's funny. I mean, if he thinks a guy's got any drag, well, he can't blame him. All the rumors about graphs and patronage. Yeah, rumors. But Chet Sloan's death last year was no rumor. Sloan was put on as a special investigator. He was knocked off by Tony Jarco, a mug with a very nasty record. So I just sat there, not saying anything, and finally Sam broke the line. You're on a trance tonight. How do you take it? The arm? How will you take it? Straight? Sure. Starting Monday, Sam. Where can plane close? Yeah. Let's have it, Sam. Lucky it's swell. You got what it takes. Looks, ambition, friends. Gee, I'm just as surprised as you... I'm not a kid. You're put on the force by Alderman Terry Carmichael. You've been hiked by Captain Rivers. You can't miss. I wish you were coming with me, Sam. Not me. The prowl caused my speed. I got my pension to think of, and I want to live to collect it. A wife and four kids makes a difference. Singles, you got the world by the tail. I'm going to be married, Sam. Oh, sure. The Chief Secretary. You'll do okay, Lucky. Calling part 23. Calling part 23. Roaming house, one, two, six, seven, Doc Street. One, two, six, seven, Doc Street. Sick man, repeat. Calling part 23. Part two. That's the best thing about being a cop. You can always make a U-time. The sick man on Doc Street turned out to be a ratty-looking guy with a permanent wave in his nose. His eyes were closed. Took off the gray sheet he was wrapped in. He was fully dressed, even to his shoes. All dressed up, but he ain't going anywhere. Look at them holes in the stomach. Yeah, five slugs. Still breathing, Sam. Not for long. I'll go call the ambulance. You better make it quick. He ain't no hurry anymore. I bet there's no phone in this joint. All right, take it easy, Chum. You got stomach trouble. Don't need no cupboards. Stay hung, Tony. Jackal yet? Jackal? Yeah, Tony. Not yet, Chum. Dance is Saturday. Apprent of yours? I'm gonna die. Who did it? Tell a cop. Tell a cop when Terry Carmichael rubbed the cop. What's Carmichael got to do with it? He fixed me. Alderman Carmichael? He shot you? Yeah. That's why he fixed that special investigator guy, Sloan. Carmichael wanted to go, so he got us to frame Tony Jackal for knock it off Sloan. But he never paid us off. Hey, he's built a cupboard. It's getting dark. Take it easy. Did Carmichael hire you to kill Sloan? Yeah. And print that. And fix up Uncle Terry, that slug of yours. Captain Herbert? Yeah, Herbert. I'm right here in the bed. Take it easy now. Was Jericho with you when you shot Sloan? No. Tony was downtown, lifting the card game. It was... Little Joe? I might go hired to get me covered. Don't let me. Don't let me. Pull back the sheet. I was so lost in what the guy told me. I didn't see my partner, Sam Brace, come into the room. Standing in the doorway when I turned around. Gone? Huh? Yeah, yeah, he's gone. Sam, you heard what he said? I didn't hear a thing, Lucky. Are you kidding? You heard him say he knocked off Sloan at Carmichael's orders. Nope. Didn't hear nothing like that. And you're a fool if you did. Now listen, Lucky, for the third time I'm telling you I'm not interested. Sam, they're gonna hang Jaco for killing this guy confessed to. Jaco's a rat. Okay, sure, but he didn't kill Sloan. And this guy did. And he says Terry Carmichael... Lucky, like I said before, I got a wife and four kids. I want that pension. But Sam, we just... He's smart. You're getting a swell chance in the department. Uncle Terry put you on the floor. He's your friend. He's my alder. Okay, an old man rivers likes you. And you got a swell girl. Add it up. I have, Sam. But it doesn't come out that Jaco should hang for killing and didn't do. All right. Jump, blow your top, stir up a big smell. For what? Can you prove anything? Not yet. No. Have it your way. Grab a few slugs on the front page. And then start looking for a new job. In some other business. After that, he wouldn't talk. Oh, and I got off duty. I took Karen to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. She liked a place because you got little slips of paper telling your fortune in rice cakes. She was kind of like a kid. Thank you, Witte. And more rice cakes, please. Yes, please. Aren't you satisfied with the fortunes we got in the first one? Oh, Lucky, I'm so happy. He's been good to us. So good. You like Captain Rivers a lot, don't you? Well, it's because he's so solid. You need it in police work. He's kept me from getting cynical. He's a real square shooter. Oh, Lucky, did you hurt yourself? No. It's just an accident. Well, Lucky, your hand, it's trembling. We had a messy business tonight. Honey, it'll be over starting Monday. Karen, tell me something. Was Tony Jocko's appeal turned down? Jocko? Yeah. Oh, yes, it was denied today. Whatever made you think of that? He dances on Saturday. Oh, please, Lucky, do we have to talk about executions tonight? They make me a little sick. Yeah. And after what I heard tonight, they make me a lot sicker. That did it. I couldn't hold it anymore. The whole rotten story spilled out. The guy with the five slugs in him and what he said after he kept off and what Sam Brace said. Karen kept her eyes glued to those little rice cakes until I was through. And she looked up. What are you going to do? What can you do? Do. Jocko's innocent, Karen. There's only one thing to do. You realize what you're saying? Well, you'll ruin Captain Rivers. You'll hurt Uncle Terry. All I know is that an innocent guy shouldn't have. All I know is I love you and everything we have at stake. Our future, our whole life. Hey, wait a minute. You sound just like Sam Brace with his pension. Yes, and it's four kids. And if you had a family, you'd understand. Oh, Lucky, think of us. I'm trying to. But you'll be broken. You know that. Yeah. And why? Why? It isn't even true. You know Captain Rivers wouldn't be in a thing like this. He wouldn't ever. The man must have been lying. Not when they're that close to death. Well, I don't care. I don't about anything except us. What'll it be? What it has to be, Karen. I think we'd better go home. Well, you haven't touched your rice cake. I don't have to, Lucky. I know what's on that little piece of paper without seeing it. What, Karen? It says...it says you've made a mistake about a recent relationship. You'd better break it off before it's too late. Curtain falls on Act One of tonight's Mollay Mystery. Karen and Lucky seem to have different viewpoints on the same subject. But then, as the old saying goes, true love never runs smooth. Isn't that right, Dan? Well, maybe so, Mr. Barnes, but you know lots of men will say that love runs smoother when a man gets a clean shave every morning. Yes, sir, man, and that's the kind of a shave you get with Mollay. The heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. Because Mollay is heavier, it not only softens your whiskers, it stands them up straight while your razor cuts them off smooth and slick. With Mollay, you shave faster, closer, easier, and you shave painlessly. Try it. See, if you don't say, it's smooth, so smooth. It's slick, so slick. It's a smooth, smooth, slick, slick shave. You're gapped with M-O-L-L-E. Mollay, the heavier brushless shaving cream for tender skins. And now this is Jeffrey Barnes returning you to act two of Radio Patrol starring Richard Cougan. It was after 2 a.m. when I left, Karen. It was close to four when I wheeled the car up to the gate in front of the state penitentiary. Two of the longest hours I ever spent, and time ticking by, pulling Tony Jarco closer and closer to the gallows. Got the deputy warden to pass me in. The night sergeant took me for the long walk down the corridor, the death house. Is there anybody for all you singers now? Company. My mouthpiece said not to talk. Your mouthpiece quit worrying about you. But, Tony, you say you didn't knock off Sloan? Well, okay. Where were you when it happened? I was with friends. Okay, Pa, go on and dance. I had a tip-off, you were icing the card game, but if you'd rather dance... No, Corporal, no, wait a minute. Don't you see, I couldn't have made a sticker even for an alibi. It was a fourth offense. Life, it meant. Yeah? So the mouthpiece said to climb up and wait for a break. Ha, ha, great break you got. Now, what about a guy called Little Joe? Little Joe? I sure, Corporal, Little Joy Faye. He's the guy who tipped me off to the game. He's a pal. Oh, sure, some pal. Wouldn't you burn for a murder he committed? What? He put five slugs into the stomach of another pal. Guy knocked off tonight. Guy called Brown. A runny little punk with a nose. That's lightweight. He used to be a fighter. Well, look, it's all in one package, Tony. Now, come on, spill it. What do you know about the Sloan killing? Nothing. I heard talk all right, lots of talk. But I don't know nothing. You wouldn't lie to me? Mouth? Listen, Corporal, I don't want to die here. I don't want to die. I began to turn everything over in my mind. I'd called headquarters and asked if word be spread around town to see if anybody could locate Little Joey Faye. A tip from a stool pigeon was my only hope, because Tony danced in 48 hours. On the other hand, if I did pick up Little Joe, it meant blowing the lid sky high. Terry Carmichael, Captain Rivers, and Karen. That really hurt. Yeah, I was a pretty lonely guy on that drive back to town. Nothing to keep me company with. The monotonous purr, the motor. It came Saturday night. Nothing on Little Joe. Me, dog, tired. And in an hour, I had to go out on patrol. Tony Jarca was going to dance at midnight. And then the break came. As I stepped up to the steps of headquarters, a guy tapped me on the shoulder. A weasley guy with a baby face with a potential voice. Hey, Copper. Yeah, the price is a soft buck. What are you peddling? Looking for Little Joe Faye. So what? He's skipping town in about an hour. Still, so what? So he's going to stop off first and kiss his dog goodbye. Yeah. Look, I can't stand here under this streetlight. A soft buck, Copper. Okay. Here, keep running. Arms. Apartment 312. That piece of pipe away. Easy, Copper. What are you looking around for? Little Joe. He ain't here. Joe, I thought... Don't think. Look, Copper. You look just like your pictures, Joe. Yeah, the ones you saw couldn't have been very flattering. Well, look here. Here, you were looking for me. Get rid of the punk. Hey, you look... Shut up, Eddie. He stays lucky. Okay. Lightweight was tougher than you thought, Joe. Five slugs couldn't stop him from talking. I'll remember that. Can't you stop him from talking? We've got places to go. Angel, you're madness. You're so strange. Another thing, Joe. They're hanging, Tony. Go to Mara. Tell me, Lucky, is this Jaco relatively yours? How about a sensible question? How about the train, Joe? I've never been on a real poem, and I don't want to miss it. Quiet, Angel. Look, Stump. The word was around you were a right cop. I'm dumb. So what? It's too bad, Lucky. Oh, Joey, save the flowers. Lucky, uh... I'm sorry. Lucky, uh... I want you to call your girl. We're not talking to each other. Don't make trouble, Lucky. You gotta tell her you won't be in for a few days. She's to fix it with your captain. Wait a minute. You can't swing that. The boys will start asking questions when I don't show up at duty. Uh-huh. But you forget... there's a woman in this case. Hey, there's always a woman. Come here, Angela. Right here. Send her out, baby. Angel, you're a good girl. That was for our friend. Now, Lucky, uh... we have to drag your girl down here. Okay, okay. You win. What do I say? Uh... Lucky, you got any family? Brother. St. Louis. That'll do. Tell your head he's very sick, and you have to fly to St. Louis. And, uh... Lucky. Don't say the wrong thing. Do you understand? Oh, Lucky. Lucky, darling. It's okay, honey. I'm all right. Listen. I haven't got much time. I gotta fly to St. Louis. My brother, Al. Yeah, you know. Alan St. Louis. Sick. Very sick. I'm flying on the next plane. Honey, I want you to square it with the captain. How long will you be gone? I don't know. One second, honey. You'll wire up from St. Louis. Karen, I'll wire you when I get there. I don't worry. Don't you worry, Lucky. I'll fix it all right. That's all. You should've let me said goodbye. Oh, you'll prick in my heart. There's your baby. Throw some drinks together. It's nine o'clock. In three hours, an old pal of mine will advance. After that, we'll see what we can do with this smart cop. This is Jeffrey Barnes again. In just a moment, we'll bring you Act 3 of Radio Patrol. If Dandruff is spoiling the appearance of your hair and you've been trying to combat it with little or no success, listen carefully. Many outstanding authorities say that the most common kind of Dandruff is caused by a germ called pity, called form ovale. Now, ordinary Dandruff combating methods are no more effective for fighting this germ than plain water and brushing. For, like water, all they do is remove loose dandruff. To get real relief, this germ must be destroyed. Double dandering really works because double dandering actually kills this germ on contact. Even in many severe cases, results with double dandering have been remarkable. Now, the amazing effectiveness of double dandering is due to a special ingredient. And active antiseptics are wonderfully efficient. Many hospitals use it. In double dandering, we call it alzan. So try double dandering and see if you don't agree that most ordinary methods can't compare with its Dandruff combating effectiveness. Get double dandering tomorrow. Your money back if not satisfied. And now this is Jeffrey Barnes returning you to the final act of tonight's play. Funny what you think about it like that. Like the difference between a smart cop and a dumb one. A difference that hadn't been so obvious to me before. Like remembering suddenly that little Joe and Alderman Carmack both smiled the same way. Their eyes not laughing at the rest of the face. When Joe put his glass down I knew the time was up. Even though it was still an hour before Tony Jarca was to hang. Okay, Lucky, we're off. Eddie will keep you good company Oh, are you kidding? Well, not lucky. It's just for a few days I'm going on business. Yeah, a business of being 200 miles from here when Eddie's taking care of me. I'm surprised that you're thinking that. Come on, Angel. Button up your mink coat. Mink? Oh, you. It's genuine sable. Dive. Okay. I'm going to clean the barrel now, Eddie. Just get dirty again. Quiet. I got to think. Just quiet, Eddie. Well, let's chew on this for a minute. There's Stooley who tipped me about Joe being here. He got another fin for going to the station house and telling him I was coming over. Got it? What do you think I'm playing with this rod for? Practice. Wait a minute. You pull it now and you'll last up Joe's alibi. You see, the whole idea was for him to be hundreds of miles away when you take care of me. His whole idea? Well, he should have thought of that when he caught Angie from off of me. Yeah, but listen, Eddie. He can't. He can't. Don't you see the boys will be here any minute. Save the corn, chump. Listen, what you got on me, I ain't waiting around. And if that lousy's up Joe's alibi, well, let him cry about it. Angie and me will send him flowers and a pen. Okay, cover. Shut up, listen. Shut up. We'll wait. Joe. Did you forget something? Joe, I was just cleaning the rod. I swear, Joe. Joe, on your hands. What's that? Bracelets. Watch this gun, Lucky. I'm back, copper. You stand back, Eddie. Look out, Lucky. Captain Rivers and Sam Brace picked him up getting into their car. I got the story from Sam, where Captain Rivers was calling the warden to get a day of execution for Tony Jarco. You see, Karen had gone and dumped the whole thing into Captain's lap. He blew up. Said he'd personally go after Alderman Carmichael if he could find one reliable witness. Yes, sir. I sure felt good knowing the old man was on the square. It felt awful good looking at Sam's leathery old puss. I'm watching it slowly crack into a smile. All right, kid. Fine. See, Sammy sure got here quick. Yeah, I was with the old man when your call to Karen came in. Number 23 was parked at the curb. Here we are. Hey, copper. Oh, he talks. What is it, punk? Just that curiosity. How'd you find this place? Let me tell him, Sam. You know how to trace in calls? I'm not a quick kid. What I want to know is why the call was traced in the first place. Listen, Joe. It just happens that I don't have a brother in St. Louis or anywhere else. And even if I did, he can bet his name wouldn't be Al. Why? Because my name's Al. Well, say it again, it's no trouble, huh? Right. Neat, huh? I knew it would be another night for God. For God? Why? The woman in the case. There's always a woman. And now this is Jeffrey Barnes inviting you to be with us next week when we present an original radio play by Irene Winston entitled Alias the Best Man. Arnold Boss, star of the recent Broadway hit revival of The Fun Page, will be with us to play the leading role. Alias the Best Man is the story of a man who stood before the altar at his best friend's wedding and vowed to win the bride to himself even if he had to commit murder. A strange and bizarre story of a strange man. Music for the Mystery Theater is by Jack Miller. Radio Patrol was adapted for radio by Leon Meadow. This is Dan Seymour saying good night until next Friday at the same time when the Mystery Theater presents Alias the Best Man starring Arnold Moss. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.