 I'm the whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. And now the whistler's strange story. Dark patterns. Norma Wells paced nervously back and forth across the living room of her bell-air home. Stop now at the window to glance out into the night, the surrounding hills bathed in bright moonlight. Still quiet, except for the barking of a dog nearby. And the barking stirs a strange, uneasy feeling within you, doesn't it? Something you can't explain, but it's there, building slowly. You whirless a sound. Yes? Norma, darling, this is Glenn. Glenn, how are you? I've landed. The Allison's came up to pick us up, and we're all going over to their place for dinner. Will you join us, darling? Glenn, if you don't mind, I'd rather not. It's nothing wrong, Norma. It sounds strange. I... I don't suppose you'll read the papers. Well, heaven knows. We've been much too busy getting about. Why? What's the output? Benji. Benji? Your business partner? Yes. There was an accident at Indian Lake last night. Benji was killed. Good heavens, darling. Well, how in the world... He'd gone up there for the weekend, took his boat out on the lake. And there was an explosion. Oh, darling, how frightful. You poor dear. It was... it was quite a shock. Oh, but of course. You and Benji were such good friends. What a perfectly awful thing to happen. Is there anything we can do? Oh, thanks, Glenn, but no. You're certain now. Harriet, I'll be more than happy. No, no, really. But it's sweet of you, Glenn. The moment after you hang up the phone, you return to the window. The dog has started barking and howling again, hasn't he, Norma? Yes, and you wonder why? Is there someone out there? You move quickly to the sliding glass door leading to the patio. Open it, and you turn on the floodlights. The patio is empty. You step outside and glance around. And then hurry down the driveway. And you're suddenly aware that your heart is beating furiously. There's a tight, dry feeling in your throat, isn't there, Norma? Now as you reach the road, you recognize the man as Arthur Morris, the neighbor. And then he hurries toward you. Good evening, Miss... well, hello. I don't know what's gotten into that dog. That's mine. Hiring that way. I'm sorry if he's doubted you. I put him on the porch again, but I don't know how long he could stay. Oh, that's all right. Just that I was wondering... He doesn't usually carry on that way. Unless there is someone around us, of course, of prowler. Did you see anyone? No, I haven't. That's funny. Of course it might be an animal down from the hills, and a possum, probably. Yes, of course. No need for alarm, I suppose. Oh, Miss Weld. Yes? Sorry to read about what happened to your partner, Mr. Sloan. I met him only once, the cocktail party you had last fall. Seems like an awfully nice fellow. He was. Yes, Norma. You owe your entire success to Benjamin Sloan, don't you? A fine home, money. A string of smart fashion fellow. You owe it all to Benji. The partnership you form with him. And now that he's gone, everything you have owned jointly will be all yours. As you're about to re-enter the house, you hear a car approaching. You turn and watch it pull up in the driveway. You recognize the man as he gets out. It's Fred Layton, the sheriff from Indian Lake. Good evening, Miss Weld. Good evening. I had to make a business trip to L.A. I thought I'd brought him to sea on the way back to the lake. Brought to this, too. I forget it might be important. Oh, yes. It's from our office files. Founded in Mr. Sloan's suite at the lodge. Yes, Benji. Mr. Sloan often took a folder of business letters with him to the lake. Thank you very much. It's OK. Tell me, have you found him yet? Afraid not, Miss Weld. We've had men dragging the lake since early this morning, but no sign of the body. I see. Strange. I was sure we'd have found him long before this. Yeah. Strange. Very strange. You watch the sheriff drive away, then turn and walk slowly into the house. There's been no sign of Benjamin Sloan's body, Norma, and that nervous, uneasy feeling within you continues to grow. You hurry to the telephone and call a malleable number. Is Mr. Mason M. Chang, Mrs. Miss Weld? Oh, no. Miss Oric is out of town, Miss Weld. I know, but he was to be back this afternoon. I've not come back, Miss Weld. I see. You're watching. Have him call me the minute he gets in, will ya? Yes, Miss Weld. I will tell Miss Oric to call. Something's wrong. You can sense it, can't you, Norma? You start pacing the room again, nervously twisting the handkerchief in your hand. The dog is barking again. And then suddenly you'll hear something else. A noise out in the patio. Quickly you turn off the living room lights. I'll send him a darkness for a moment. There's someone out there, Norma. Yeah, a man. You can see him moving toward you. You want to turn and run, but you can't. You can't move at all. Norma, are you in there? Oh, Rick. Tell me, Rick. That's the idea of turning off the lights. Come in. I heard a noise. Didn't know who it was. Why haven't you called me? I just got back from the lake. I was coming here when I saw the sheriff's car turn into your driveway so I drove down a block. Walk back. What did he want? Just saw some business letters Benji had taken within to the lake. He also told me they've been dragging the lake and they haven't found Benji's body yet. Yeah, I know. That's why I stayed up there as long as I did. Don't worry, they'll find it soon. Are you sure? Sure, I'm sure. Look, everything went just the way we planned. I set up the booby trap, saw Benji take the boat, I saw the explosion. Everything is okay, Norma. Nobody could have survived that explosion. Then why haven't they recovered the body? I don't know. Give them time. I don't like it, Rick. I don't like this at all. Something's wrong. Now, take it easy, Norma. Suppose Benji is alive, Rick. Alive. And he suspects we set that trap for him. Well, if I haven't seen it, stop talking like that. I can't help it. I just can't help feeling that he's alive. He couldn't. I tell you, Benji couldn't have survived that explosion. All right, Rick. All right. Perhaps I'm mistaken. My nerves. Nerves say same things sometimes. You're right. Benji couldn't be alive. I saw it with my own eyes, the explosion. It happened in the middle of the lake. He couldn't have lived through it. I'm sorry I got so upset. Let's have a drink. Now, I could use one. Sure. We'll have a drink, Rick. Forget Benji. There's nothing to worry about. But there is, Norma. Yes, a lot to worry about. You can't explain the feeling you have that something is wrong. But you know you've got to calm Rick. Show him you're not afraid that everything's all right. Long after he's gone, you think about what's happened. Try to convince yourself that perhaps it really is only your imagination because your nerves are on edge. Still, you spend a sleepless night aware of every sound outside. Wondering, waiting, watching. Early the following morning you get into your car and drive up to Indian Lake to the Sheriff's office. Well, good morning. Good morning. Glad you're here. Sit down, please. Thank you. I was about to call you. Yes, we found Mr. Sloan. Oh, you have. He recovered his body less than an hour ago. I see. You're certain, of course, that it's... Oh, that it found all the identification we needed on the body. I don't think you'd want... No. Uh, tell me, Miss Wells, did Mr. Sloan have any enemies? Enemies? Benji? Yes, you see a guest at the lodge just returned from a hunting trip up into the mountains. When he heard about Mr. Sloan's accident, he came straight to us. Oh? It seems he happened to see someone hanging around Mr. Sloan's boat on the night of the accident and acting suspiciously. He didn't think too much about it then, of course, but when he got back this morning, heard what had happened... You mean you think that perhaps it wasn't an accident that someone deliberately planned to kill Mr. Sloan? There is that possibility. Oh, but that's incredible. Perhaps. Still, if we could find the man who was seen hanging around the boat... Do you have a description of him? Well, vaguely, yes. Kirkland thinks he might recognize the man if he saw him again. Benjamin Sloan is out of your way, isn't he, Norris? You're certain of that now, and that's a relief. But there's something else to worry about. Rick? Yes. He was seen near Benji's boat on the night of the accident and there's a man who can perhaps identify him. A few minutes later, you leave the office. The sheriff walks with you out to the street. Going to stay on here at the village for a long while? Yes, I'll be checking in at the lodge if I can be of any help to you. Thank you. Oh, incidentally, I talked with Mr. Sloan's brother this morning over the phone. Thanks. That's right. He gave me a list of some of Mr. Sloan's friends, acquaintances. I see. He didn't seem to know very much about his brother's activities. However, he said they hadn't seen one another too often during the past several years. Yes, that's true. Nothing wrong between them, I suppose. No. They were on the best of terms. It was just that, well, they had different interests and Frank did send a great deal of time back east. Uh-huh. He mentioned that. Anyway, here's a list of names he gave me, mutual friends of theirs. I think you could add to it as well. May I ask what this list is for? Oh, we're just checking. That's all routine. We'd like to talk with some of these people and dig up something. You really think that Mr. Sloan's accident wasn't an accident, don't you? As I said before, Miss Wells, it's a possibility. You spend the greater part of the day in your room at the lodge, thinking over your next move, don't you, Norma? Wondering how much the police really know if the sheriff has told you everything. And then late that afternoon, there's a knock on your door. Oh, sweetheart. Rick, what are you doing here? Well, you don't seem very glad to see me. Come in. I heard about Benji on the radio. That's why I drove up here to be with you. Come on, smile. Everything's okay. Get away from me. What's the matter, honey? You. Baby, what's wrong with me? Everything. Someone saw you hanging around Benji's boat the other night. What? Well, it can't be. Take the sheriff's word for it. Someone saw me? Wait a minute. I better get out of here. As fast as you can, Rick. Well, this isn't good. Not good at all. I'm in a jam, huh? What am I going to do, Norma? Take it easy. They don't know who you are. They just have a description. Yeah, but if they start checking. I know. You better get back to Malibu right away. Look, Norma, you're going to stick by me, huh? Of course. We'll figure something out. Sure. Sure. We'll figure something, Norma. Now, go on. We'll talk this all out later. Okay. Okay, but when, Norma? Tonight. I'll be at your place in Malibu around nine or so. Rick, it's Norma. Jane is there. Jane was out for the evening. I sent him out so I could talk to you alone. This is serious business, Norma. Sit down. Rick, I've been thinking things over. Have you, Norma? Well, still have I. What does that mean? Here. Maybe you better look at tonight's paper. The story is on page one about Benji. So? So there's nothing there about a witness, see? Nothing about someone being seen around Benji's boat. The police know what they're doing. Really, Norma? What are you getting at? You said you'd been thinking things over. What are you a plan? I think you'd better leave town, Rick. I'd suggest Mexico. Yeah, sure. That's exactly what I figured you had in mind. What do you mean? Get out of town, the lady says. The cops are looking for you. They will be. Who says so? You. Look, Rick, I'm only telling you what the sheriff told me. Someone saw you hanging around Benji's boat. It's the truth. Is it, Norma? I think you're lying. What? I think you're taking me for a ride, see? Sure, you're crazy about me. So I do your dirty work, get rid of your partner so you can have the business all yourself. Only, I think you're stringing, little old Rick. I don't follow this at all. Like I said, I do your dirty work and then you dream up a little yarn to scare me out of town. Why would I do that? Maybe there's another guy you're interested in, huh? Harry Grayson, maybe? Harry Grayson? Don't be a fool. Grand's my best friend. Oh, sure. If that would stop you, is it Harry? Rick, you're talking like a child. Am I, Norma? Rick, listen to me. I'm not making all this up. What I've told you is the truth. Someone did see you hanging around Benji's boat. Someone who might be able to identify you. Sure, sure. So now I'm supposed to clear up. Mexico, huh? It's safe, Rick. Please. Sorry it won't work, Norma. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here. You're being a fool, Rick. Now listen to me. Save your breath, Norma. I'm staying right here. It's no use, Norma. Rick has made up his mind. Think you're going to double-cross it, and he refuses to listen to you. You drive on back to your home to think things out. It's only a matter of time before the police get around to him, and then it'll be all over. You're certain that Rick will crack, tell everything. And that's something you've got to prevent from happening. There is a way, isn't it, Norma? Yes. And suddenly you realize how little Rick actually means to you. Rick was only a means for you to get what you wanted. And now that you have it, he's no longer important. It's on your mind all that night what you must do. But the following morning, you receive a telephone call from Sheriff Layton. Do you happen to know a man named Regan as well as Mike Regan? Is he Mr. Sloan's shopper? Why, yes, but Mr. Sloan fired him quite some time ago. Regan, as I understand it, was pretty sore about that. He threatened Mr. Sloan. Yes. Now that you mention it, he did. Regan was seen hanging around Indian Lake by several people on the night of Mr. Sloan's accident. He was? Yes, and the description we have of the man seen near the boat fits Regan pretty well. Well, I don't know what to say, Sheriff. I wouldn't want to throw suspicion on anyone unfairly, but Regan was frightfully angry when Mr. Sloan discharged him. Regan said he'd get Mr. Sloan if it was the last thing he ever did. Any idea where we might locate him? I guess as a matter of fact I do, you see. After Mr. Sloan fired him, Regan came to me and asked me to help him find a job. I felt sorry for him and told him I'd see what I could do. He leave an address with you? Yes, he did. The Arch Motel, Ocean View. Oh, I know what brings you around this afternoon. Mind if I come in? I've got some news. Come in. I got yourself the hook, Rick. Completely. You sure? Positive. Remember Mike Regan, Benji's chauffeur? Regan? Yes. Sheriff Layton called me this morning and told me Regan was seen at Indian Lake the night of Benji's accident. Well, that was all I needed. What do you mean? I gave the sheriff a story that will convict Mike Regan for Benji's killing as sure as if he'd done it. I told him Regan had threatened to get Benji if it was the last thing he ever did. His ads up beautifully, Rick. Someone saw him near the scene of the accident. His reputation's not too good and my story supplied the motive. You're certain you're in the clear now, aren't you, Norma? You and Rick? Yes. Because a man named Mike Regan was seen at Indian Lake on the night of Benjamin Sloan's accident. And now that you've told the sheriff your little story, you're certain that Regan will be picked up by the police because they know that he had threatened Sloan at one time. Norma, do you think they'll find Regan? I'm sure of it. Oh, I've got to warn him. Warn him? Wait a minute, Rick. Look, Norma, that accident I said I rigged up the booby trap on Benji's boat, I... I didn't do it. What? I wanted to, Norma, for you, but at the last minute I lost my nerve. I couldn't go through with it. I couldn't. I didn't want to tell you because of what you think of me, that I was soft-wheat. But I am Norma, I am. What are you trying to tell me, Rick? I knew how much Regan hated Sloan, so... so I hired him to do the job. Oh, you... you fool! You're still this fool! Okay, okay, sir. Now I've got to get to Regan and warn him. The cops drive him. He's liable to spill everything in there. Rick, what's the matter? What? Oh, Miss Wells. This, I gather, must be Rick Mason. I'm Sheriff Layton, Mr. Mason, and this is Lieutenant Kincaid. Are you going somewhere? Why, yes. If it's Regan you want to see, we'll be glad to take you to him at police headquarters. He told us the whole story. Join us again next week when, once again, the United States Air Forces in Europe presents the Whistler. This is Air Force Sergeant Don Cormes speaking.