 Good evening, friend. This is your host to welcome you through the creaking door into the inner sanctum. Come in, please, do come in. Our little place may not be a mansion, but it has its advantages. For one thing, it's thoroughly scare-conditioned. The scream pipes are always in good working order, and we're very proud of our hot and cold running slaughter. At the Reds, quite reasonable too, we get a cut break. As the trunk murderer caught by the police and asked for the whereabouts of his latest victim, it's in the bank. Tonight's Inner Sanctum Mystery, bird song for murderer, was written by Lou Vittus and stars Ted Osborne in the role of Carl with Arlene Blackburn as Elaine. You've had your warning. Whatever happens from now on, you asked for. Just be sure the family is provided for, and now to our happy little anecdote. Bird song for... My name is Carl Warner. An undistinguished sort of name, but I'm an undistinguished sort of man, so the name fits, I guess. I'm not a young man any longer, but I don't mind that. I wasn't very happy when I was young. Now, well, at least I'm not unhappy. And late at night after Elaine has gone upstairs to bed, she's my wife. She's very pretty and younger than I am, and maybe I made a mistake in marrying her, but... Anyway, late at night, I go into the room where I keep the birds, and then listening to them sing. I get as close to happiness as I can expect. I stay an hour, and then I cover their cages. And then they know it's time to sleep, and they sleep. Even on the stormiest of nights. And this was a stormy night. The birds were still, and I'd turn to go upstairs when... Someone knocked at the front door. It was late. We know very few people. We kept to ourselves mostly Elaine and I, so... I worried a little when I opened the door. Yes? Mind if I come in, Mr. Warner? It's kind of damp out. Oh, uh, no, of course not. You seem to know me. I do, don't I? But I don't know you. My name is Brew. Chester Brew. Oh, uh, how do you do? Well, I'd do better if I was sitting down. I'm sorry, uh, please. Thanks. Chester Brew. I still don't remember. Doesn't matter. What, uh, what did you want? Nice place you got here. Much nicer than Cragmont. Cragmont? Cragmont Asylum for the Insane. You work there? I used to work there. This is all very interesting. Funny thing happened just before I left. One of the inmates escaped. Very neat job. Was helped from the outside. This appeared. Made quite a sensation. It must happen frequently. Not as frequently as all that. Besides, this baby was a homicidal lunatic. Homicidal? That's right. I don't see what all this has to do with me. I didn't say it had. There was one funny thing about this inmate. Was there? Loved canaries. Loved to listen to him sing. Psychiatrists at Cragmont found it very interesting. Birdsong was the only thing that kept the murderous impulse down. Mr. Warner, I'm out of work. That's too bad. You're not doing badly. Nice house furnishings. Didn't I hear canaries singing before I committed the house? Maybe you did. So, 5,000 in the morning? No. I think yes. Otherwise, Cragmont will be happy to hear from me. 11 Crescent Place. Room 2B in the morning. You can show me to the door now. Of course. Good night, Mr. Warner. Till we meet again? I watched him go into the blackness. And the blackness swallowed him. And then I went back into the house. I stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the bedrooms. And then I turned and went into the aviary. The birds were quiet. I thought for a moment of taking the covers off the cages and letting the birds sing. And then I thought that night it might be better if I didn't let the birds sing. Couldn't wait till morning, huh? I didn't expect...wait. That night. No! No! I shouldn't have let you...surprised...surprised... It has been a bad night. I couldn't have slept more than two or three hours. Fortunately, Elaine and I had separate rooms and had breakfast the next morning. She was fresh and young and beautiful. Carl? Hmm? Why are you staring at me in that funny way? Nothing. You really shouldn't read at meals. Oh, it's only the paper. So many exciting things happen. I can't wait till I get to them. Still... Isn't that terrible? A man was murdered last night. Not very far from here. In Crescent Place. Crescent Place? It's an odd name. Chester Brule. Carl, your coffee cup. I'm sorry, but I wish you wouldn't read the paper. It says it is canary. He had a canary, Carl. He was singing when the landlady found the body. Oh, that's pathetic. Elaine, I told you not to read that paper. Give it to me. You're tearing the paper up. What's the matter? I'm nervous this morning. I don't remember you ever having been like this before. I told you I was nervous. Look, darling, why don't you go into the aviary? Listen to the birds for a while. You love them so. They have such a nice effect on you. I went into the aviary and she suggested and listened to the birds. It was quite a little while before I stopped trembling. Carl? Yes, dear? Come into the kitchen. All right. I've been washing the breakfast dishes, darling, and found this among them. A carving knife. Hmm, no funny. And besides, look at it. The blades all covered with brown stain. I see. Sure, I washed it after dinner last night. Did you use it for anything? No, darling. Give it to me. I'll wash it now. Oh, I can do it. I just wondered, oh, the door, will you... No, give me the knife. You answer the door. I said you answer the door. All right, but there's nothing to shout about. I don't know what's the matter with you this morning. I washed the knife. Quickly, but carefully. Very quickly, but very carefully. Didn't take long. The stains hadn't hardened much. The brown stains. Carl? Yes? Someone to see you were a man. What did he want? He didn't say except that it was important. I'll go see him. He said he's a lieutenant from the police. There are 17 steps between the kitchen and our living room. I know, because I counted them while I was walking to see the lieutenant break of the police. 17 steps to make my face. Polite, relaxed, smiling. What would I be able to hide the trembling of my hands? You're Lieutenant Gregg. My wife said you wanted to see me. That's right. Have I been parking in the wrong place again? I'm afraid this isn't so simple. You're beginning to fright me. What is it about? Murder. Oh, Mr. Warner, did you know a man named Chester Brewell? I can't say offhand. I've such a bad memory for names. I may or may not. Why? He's the man who was murdered last night. Well, if I'd murdered him, I'd certainly remember his name. Of course, of course. You understand this just routine. You see, we found your name and address in Brewell's address book. I see. We thought you might be able to help us. The fact that my name was in his address book doesn't prove anything. Prove anything? Of course not. Would the fact that Brewell used to be an attendant and an insane asylum mean anything to you? Why should it mean anything to me? Well, I didn't say it should, Mr. Warner. Well, it doesn't. I guess that's that. Sorry to bother you, but we have to check every possible lead. I understand. I'll be going along now. Well, let me take you to the door. What do you think there was a birdcage in Brewell's room with a canary in it? Singer, it's head off. Oh? Lots of people are fond of canaries. Oh, sure, sure. What was funny about it is that Brewell's landlady swear Brewell never had a bird. That, uh, that is funny. The way it looks, the killer knife, Brewell, and then left the cage and the bird in it behind him. Doesn't make any sense unless you figure the guy who killed Brewell was insane. Lieutenant Greg of the police walked down the front path across the sidewalk to a small black car and drove away. I shot the front door. The birds had been quiet, but the slam of the door maybe started them all. And I knew that somehow I would have to get to Cade and the bird in it out of Brewell's room. I didn't know how I'd do it, but I'd do it. No matter how insane it was, it was dark when I got to Crescent Street, dark on a lonely street. There was no one in front of the house, nothing to show that a man had died inside, horribly, the night before, blood welling from his throat. The door was open. There was a dim light in the vested pool, leaving the stairs beyond in darkness. I went up to the second floor. There was no one in the corridor. The door of 2B opened. And I went in. There was no light. The moon-classed pale glimmer over the room and someone in a chair near the window. For a moment I thought it was Brewell, but there was no blood. And then I realized, it was a policeman in uniform asleep. The cage was near the sleeping man. Would his sleep be sound enough? I reached out, lifted the cage, reached the door, and closed it. I was safe. That would be a problem. I should have killed it instead. I left it at a pet shop where I'd gone and done business once, and then went home. Yes? I'm so glad you're home, dear. That Lieutenant Greg is here again. He's in the bird room, dear. The bird room? Yes. I was in there with him for a while, but then I couldn't stand all the noise. Excuse me, Carl, but you know I don't like their singing. Why did you take him to the bird room? Well, he asked me to. All right. I'll go in there now. Well, don't let him keep you very long, darling. You're not well. I'll try not to let him keep me. Lieutenant Greg. Hello, Mr. Warner. Glad a collection of canaries you got here. Yes, I have. I like them, huh? I wouldn't be like to keep them otherwise, would I? Yeah, I suppose not. Were you home all this night? Of course. That is still about Chester Brule's murder. Uh-huh. Your wife and you sleep in the same room, huh? That's none of your... No. Well, convenient that way. Only trouble is she couldn't swear to your being around all night. Why, uh... Why should she have to? No reason at all, just the way a policeman's mind works. Funny thing happened a little while ago. Somebody walked into Brule's room and walked right out again. With that bird cage. Aren't the police guarding the room? It's supposed to be, but we slipped up. Say, remember my mentioning I thought the man who'd killed Brule and left the bird cage behind him must be insane? You did say something of the sort. Yep, and then there's the fact that Brule used to work with insane people. Begins to mesh, huh? I know very little about police work. Well, I hope I'm not boring you. Anyway, it occurs to me maybe I'd better take a trip up to Cragmore. I suppose going to Saloms or any place else is a part of your job. Sure, sure. Did I mention Cragmore wasn't a Salom? Why, you must have. Yeah, that is a... Well, run up there and I wouldn't be surprised if I get all the answers. What do you think? I think I'm going to... Carl, I... Ah, what is it, Elaine? Well, it is. It is so late. I thought... I can take a hint, Mrs. Warner. Don't bother showing me the door. All right. He seems like a very nice man. She... Carl, stop it. What? That stare. If I didn't know you so well, I'd say you were... were going mad. Go to Betty Lane. All right, Charles. Carl, look. Look at what? The window. The garden. Lieutenant Greg didn't go away. He's down there. Get away from the window. Go to bed. He looks as if he's waiting down there for something. I knew what he was waiting for. Elaine went to bed to sleep. I went to my room. I didn't put the lights on. From my window I could see him. He was very still in the house and outside. I went away from the window. I sat down. I knew I mustn't go to sleep. Things happen when you sleep. Terrible things. But I hadn't slept well the night before. Not well at all. And I'd been the strain of the day. It was night now and dark and still. Gargon? Gargon? Gargon. Oh, it's such a lovely morning, Carl. Lovely. I looked for Lieutenant Greg as soon as I got up. He wasn't in the garden anymore. He must have got tired, gone home, or back to headquarters. Wherever policemen go. Oh, dear, that's the Swenson's dog. And he got into our garden again. I'll have to get him out. Elaine, don't. Darling, he'll dig up all the flowers looking for bones. I better go. Elaine! Maybe... Maybe he won't be there. Maybe somehow the truth isn't the truth and I'm not... Elaine, where are you? Here. What? Lieutenant Greg. Come inside. Where are you going? The kitchen. What are you doing? The drawer, silverware. Yes. Yes, it's here. The carving knife. That's right. Carl, I thought you washed it last night. I guess you didn't. You'd be wrong. I did wash it last night. The stains of silver? The stains. These are fresh ones. Elaine, get out of my way. I've got to go to the bird room. Oh, Carl. Please don't go away from me. I was holding the carving knife in my hand. I started to put it down. And then I held onto it anyway. It would make taking the covers off the cages awkward, but I held onto it anyway. The birds were still. They'd remain still unless I took the covers off. Elaine. Carl, you must tell me. What's wrong? Don't come any closer. Elaine, please. Not any closer. You've got that knife in your hand. Yes. The one with the brown stains. Oh, Carl. Don't say anything. Carl, the night before last. Elaine, don't ask questions. That's dangerous. You were out of the house last night when Lieutenant Greg was killed. I was asleep. You have the knife, Carl. Yes. Give it to me. No. Please, Carl. No. Stay where you are. All right. Now, may I keep the knife? Because look, Carl. A revolver. Yes. Lieutenant Greg's revolver. I looked at her. There was a flush on her cheek. She was fresh and young. And very beautiful. And quite insane. Elaine, give that to me. Oh, no. No, I took it from Lieutenant Greg last night after he stopped crying. He always cried when you... Elaine. I didn't like the way you'd been looking at me, Carl. You were thinking bad things about me. You were thinking that maybe you'd have to send me back to Cragmound. I wasn't. You were, Carl. I knew you were. After Chester Blue died. Elaine. Stop where you are. All right, but... Keep your hand away from the birdcage. Don't pull the covers off. Don't! Ah! Ah, ah, ah. I'll hurt you. Never mind. I didn't want to. Carl, are you going to cry like the others? I'll try not to. Because I wouldn't like that. I know. I'm sorry I hurt you. Doesn't matter. It was my fault. I loved you too well. I really killed those others. Not you, my dear. That's a very silly thing to say. And I'll become quite angry. I am quite angry! Don't pull the covers off the cage. Speaking to you about those birds I don't like. I loved him. He didn't cry. He didn't cry. There it is. The story of a couple of love birds who, instead of belling and cooing, went in for killing and shooting. Because it was all little Elaine's idea. All Carl did was cover up. Too bad he got shot for it. However, the police would have mad him for murder anyway. So you could say he paid a high cover charge. Be with us again next week at this same time for another Inner Sanctum Mystery. This program was originally heard in the United States over CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System, and has been rebroadcast for servicemen and women overseas through the facilities of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education.