 Get this and get it straight Crime is a suckers road and those who travel it wind up in the gutter the prisoner in early grave There's no other end They never learn From the pen of Raymond Chandler outstanding author of crime fiction comes his most famous character in The Adventures of Philip Marlowe Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe, we bring you tonight's transcribe story the fox's tales There are some times when the phone just never should have been invented Hello Marlowe speaking You remember me don't you Marlowe? Oh sure Barris. Do what can I do for you? And meet me here at the blue chip bar at once my look I can hardly hear you speak up William the blue chip bar. Yeah, it's a miserable cafe on Melrose near La Brea. Melrose near La Brea Yes, I met as you enter but be careful feel we can't afford to be seen and please hurry I'll pay you handsome to do what or to impersonate the blue chip was an indelicate assortment of stale smells surrounding pictures of lady-good-divers some without horses and featuring low lights lower clientele and the lowest grade of bar whiskey Against that backdrop my new client stood out like a Dresden doll in a police lineup Or a Metcalf in spite of the electricity in his voice There's only five and a half feet tall couldn't have weighed more than 130 pounds Including the glitter of honorary fraternity pins had dangled from his watch chain He was maybe 50 bald war glasses halfway down a long nose and at the moment Was as nonchalant as a five-inch firecracker with a sputtering fuse Quickly sit down sit down listen carefully. It's gonna be hard in here, but go ahead I am representing a man named Kuvion in a lawsuit Rudolph Kuvion. Yeah, he's a manufacturing chemist Hungarian born at present feel in a sanitarium The nervous system will take just so much. You know and look this Rudolph Kuvion is suing or being sued Which is suing and nobody less than his former employer the eminent Justin Shepherd Justin Shepherd He turns out cosmetics doesn't he make up lipstick that kind of stuff. Yes stuff Malo which includes a new and revolutionary nail polish that's worth a fortune Which was invented by your client and stolen from him by Justin Shepherd. Exactly. We're suing for 250,000 dollars in damages Malo, but we'll settle out of court for 150,000 dollars in cash. Hello not a cent less now the trial field has What's my Some brandy please The kitten pot like I said one of the things all right junior two beers skip the chatter. We got to catch a train Not awful you were talking about the trial arm Oh, yes now the whole point field is that every witness we had at the outset has so far either been bought off or frightened away I shepherd in his crew with one exception you're racing the whole huh? Yes, a man named Max Redmond He worked with Rudolph Kuvion years ago in Chicago when Kuvion first perfected the lacquer base Which makes the nail polish formula so valuable? Redmond's testimony could have swung everything all away and Justin Shepherd found this out. Wait a minute. What do you mean? What do you mean could have? Hey, we're even Malo the dead man I spoke of and Max Redmond are one and the same shepherd murder it worse He drove Max Redmond to suicide. Malo the man shot himself an hour ago. I don't follow that Well Redmond was staying here in LA with his wife now I'll tell you the address in a moment It's nearby and although neither shepherd nor his cronies ever got to see Redmond They knew where he was and where he came from with that they went to work black man Oh, yes years ago Redmond got in a jam I have no idea what it was something that he was conscious stricken about and shepherd uncovered it then got through to Redmond on the phone He struck home his black male price was Redmond silence, huh? Right you are Shepherd told him to get out of town, but when I talked to Redmond an hour ago He was positive that shepherd would demand more in the future Redmond was only hysterical said he wished he'd never heard of me or Rudolph Kuvion and then he hung up Well, when I got to his apartment, I found him dead shot by his own hand his pistol at the side Yeah, tell me Aaron, what about Redmond's wife? Well, her name is Louise She's out of town right now. He was afraid for her and made her go away At Henryville, you see what I'm getting at don't you the reason I want you to work for me. Yeah, I think so Sheppard and his buddies don't know Redmond's killed himself And if I give the impression by posing as Redmond that he's still alive and not leaving town Sheppard will figure that his black male angle didn't work her They'll get together with you and settle before tomorrow morning when Redmond would have taken the witness stand Precisely filled a hundred and a half settlement as against a court award of a quarter of a million means a saving of a hundred thousand dollars to shepherd He'll pay it as long as he thinks Redmond still alive and willing to testify Well now Will you do it Marlo poses Redmond, huh? There's a thousand dollars in it for him. I Don't know a thousand dollars filled and Rudolph Kuvion helpers and sanitary and Max Redmond It's an awful lot to turn down, isn't it? Thank you Thank you Now then here's the deal. Oh wait a minute. How about that? No questions every minute counts. Yeah, I've got Redmond's top code right here Now you put it on when you leave and here are the keys to his apartment It's the garden court apartments on South Ogden South Ogden. Yes, right now You sneak inside a minute later very obviously go out again get into his car. It's a new green Nash Drive up into the Hollywood Hills along look out road why they will Redmond drove up there a lot now later Returned to the apartment you'll probably be followed as Redmond always was and the man would be big and muscular And in a black coupe now once they know that Redmond But that's you of course. Yeah, sure doesn't intend to leave town There may be an attempt in your life. So what's your step? Getting killed as Redmond destroys the illusion. We're out to create. That's not all it destroys May destroy me played his outline A minute after I drove Redmond's car out of his garage and conspicuously signaled a left turn with a plaid sleeve I picked up my escort his headlights stayed in my rear view mirror all the way along Sunset Boulevard and then up into the hills along Look out road. I drove slowly until I cleared a hairpin turn and spotted a flat open lot about a hundred yards ahead into my right It overlooked the city below and was dotted with cement bags piles of lumber and bulldozer that had gone to bed hours ago I swerved off the road sharply Cut my lights and parked close to the edge of the cliff Then I piled out of the car and quickly set up the oldest trick in the book I took off the plaid coat tossed it over a shoulder-high board jetting out of a lumber pile Topped it with my hat and ran for cover behind the bulldozer. I got there just as the black coupe will then cut its lights and round to a stop Then I saw something big and beefy get out and start toward the coat and ugly snub-nose gun in hand I reached for my 38 and slowly moved through the ankle-deep weeds Until I was only a few feet behind When he fired at the coat I was only inches away What does that make it my turn don't try it? You're not Redmond and not a lot of people drop your gun go on I'll ask the questions. What's your name? Gaffney Working for Justin Sheppard No, no, no, I was just you're just a liar That's nothing compared to what's in store for you And you were tagging me thinking I was Redmond to see if I was going out of town I had orders to knock you out. I mean knock Redmond off He didn't go straight for the airport That's all honest. I don't know anymore. Get up Oh Walk over to that tool bin there open it and get in Go on, go on keep moving and keep your hands open All right, I Want to have a little chat with Justin Sheppard his home address. What is it? He stays at hotels Right now, it's the big man pleasant Beverly Hills not quit. Well, yeah, that's all I know sure sure You see here, I believe you you've got such an honest face for a killer Sweet dreams buster Doesn't gladiola's and one dozen golden iris Yes, and deliver them here to the desk of the Peekman Plaza hotel No, it's not in Santa Monica. It's in Beverly Hills. It has been for years. Goodbye Stupid stupid people. Yeah, they just everywhere aren't they indeed? Oh May I help you sir? Yes. I was looking for mr. Justin Shepherd. Is he in? Oh, yes, sir You could almost reach out and touch it. No, really. Yes. That's he over there Reading the paper in the Louis 14th chair the Louis 14th. You see him the short round man To one side of that woman wearing that stunning taffeta that one stunning taffeta. You see it's Applicated with those bright red roses. Oh, yeah, I couldn't miss it turn right at the stunning taffeta. Good. Bye You're quite welcome sir. Welcome indeed. Goodbye. Mr. Shepherd. That's right My name is Philip Marlowe. I'm a private detective. I know I've heard of you. Huh? What's on your mind mr. Marlowe a chemist? What about him? What does he have to do with me Earl Gaffney who? who Who is Earl Gaffney a louse who missed like the rest of them will Max Redmond is still alive, and I intend to keep him that way Good night, mr. Shepherd. See you in court. The effect was great The fat man's mouth fell open and his chin jellied all over his chest Let it go at that the illusion was established as far as Justin Shepherd and company were concerned Max Redmond was very much alive and kicking up the kind of trouble that they didn't want But 20 minutes later when I let myself into the dead man's apartment and walked into his bedroom. I Knew the illusion was only an illusion Max Redmond's body was sprawled with a crazy angle across the bed. I Wondered what he could have possibly done to take this easy way out. I Stopped wondering when the front door closed Was a woman with the deepest brown eyes I'd ever seen What are you doing here? Who are you? My name is Max Redmond. You're lying Where is Max? Tell me where is he? He's in the bedroom Your friend of his I'm his wife and I'm going to speak to him. Don't try to stop me. I won't mrs. Redmond Go ahead in just a moment the second act of Philip Marlowe, but first Bing Crosby climaxes his season on CBS this Wednesday night with a terrific lineup of top talent Arthur Godfrey Bob Hope Perry Como and the four Crosby sons who've attracted nationwide attention as his guests earlier this year Bing Arthur Godfrey Bob Hope Perry Como and the youngsters will be heard in a great musical roundup of the season's top tunes So be listening this Wednesday when on most of these same CBS stations the Bing Crosby show comes along with these top guests Now with our star Gerald Moore the second act of Philip Marlowe and tonight's story the Fox's tale Louise Redmond's dog troubled eyes stared at the bedroom door for an instant And she doubted past me and inside When she saw him she froze her eyes on the gun at the dead man's side One hand trembled so to mouth Hang out to yourself, baby Max Where did you do it? Why your husband had proof that a fat buzzard named Justin Shepard swindled a fortune from Rudolph Covey and an old friend of his Max was gonna offer that proof tomorrow morning in court. He wouldn't kill himself because of that Well, there must have been something in his past that he couldn't live with any longer. You know what it was Louise I don't believe any of this. You were in here posing as Max. You're responsible for his death Give me that gun It's better Smart enough to give in fast anyway I sit down over there and listen Why are you here and Philip Marlowe hired by Aaron Metcalf, you know him. Yes, he found Max like that They couldn't let Shepard know that the case against him was dead So he hired me to keep up the illusion that Max was still alive that nothing was wrong That calf is sure that Shepard will crack before morning But we'll need your cooperation Louise How about it, huh? When you took that gun away from me you smashed my only picture of Max You couldn't even leave me that intact I'm sorry. I Know it's gonna be tough on your baby, but Yeah, wait a minute. Wait a minute Louise did did Max write that on the picture there? Yes to my Louise With love Louise listen to me now this backhand script was Max left-handed Yes, but what is that? He was shot in the right temple. You mean that someone killed him. That's the general idea Yeah Justin Shepard the man Max intended to testify against and unless he's a lot slicker than I think But he has an assistant a tough one named Gaffney was watching this place when I took over If he did it then followed me wouldn't have had a chance to report to his boss I don't understand followed you where other that lot on look out road where Max liked to go I caught Gaffney there and filed him away in a tool bin. I Better go and have another chat with that boy right now you wait here. Now look baby. We can't quit You've got to finish the job Max started for his old friend Covey and and better than that Maybe we can get Max's killer too. Are you game? I'll do as you say As I went out the Redmond's car several things bothered me And not the least of them were Louise Redmond's dog D-Bies When I got in the car, I felt the pistol that had killed Max was in my pocket where I dropped it after I'd taken it away from the girl I Pulled it out and looked at it It was a Belgium Browning 765 automatic. I Broke it apart and then on a hunch. I slipped it back together got out of the car again and took the gun up to Louise I Don't know much about guns Marlo. All you may have to do is point at Louise the threat will probably be enough In case it isn't that's the safety catch there on the side I'll be back as soon as I can when I pulled out onto the vacant hilltop lot I said at the tool bin in the headlights. I was out of the car and waiting through the foot high foxtail grass before I noticed that the The stick I'd shoved through the hasp was now on the ground. I ran the rest of the way and jerked a lid open Gaffney was gone. I Started to close the lid but stopped at something in the bottom of the bin I don't like that coiled rattlesnake better It was a glistening sticky puddle and it was blood The screamer jumped from a hull over side the lot I ran toward it saw two kids at a parked car scared stiff and staring into a Tangular brush in front of them There's a man down there. He's hurt bad where show me in that brush We both saw he stood up just a second ago and he started tortoise. It was a lot all over Many fell down again. Okay. Get your girl out of here. Get back to your car. Okay, mister Hey, holy cats, you're Philip Marlowe the detective All right, be a good fan and stay out of the way the guy's dangerous go on. Yeah, okay Gaffney who did it Gaffney? Yeah Spill Who Gaffney who know who? Yeah, hey Mr. Marlowe did you did you did you find him mr. Marlowe? Yeah, I found him son. He's dead Hello, do me a favor. Will you get to a phone report this to the police? Oh, yeah, sure. I'll get in touch with him as soon as I can. Okay. I'm sure mr. Marlowe. Yeah, right away My next stop had to be Justin Sheppard's hotel and now I had more to go on and a couple of hints from left field Just as I pulled up in front I saw Sheppard behind 16 cylinders of imported limousine swinging away from the curve It seemed in no particular hurry so I tell them far enough to realize that he could be heading for Max Redmond's apartment And I took off through the side streets wide open I got back to the apartment in time to brace Louise for Sheppard's visit But Marlowe, what what can I do? Maybe I'd be Maybe a better let him in go ahead stand the side young woman. I'm coming in please do Sheppard You again nice of you to drop in. What have you got in the bag lunch? Don't be facetious and don't worry. It's all here I know when I'm beaten. I suppose it would be quite pointless to ask where Redmond himself is completely pointless at this late date Very well And I assume I'm to leave this with you. That's right. It had better be right my boy Believe me Just a minute How come you're running your own errands you took care of that yourself earlier tonight You're a competent man. You should be working for me Working for you has a straw back Sheppard But your mufted Gaffney didn't die right away Gaffney is dead Hey lived long enough to tell me was framed Sheppard by you When you can prove that I'll be at my hotel But I advise you not to push your luck Marlo you let him walk out. Yeah, the guy was right, baby. So far. We've got no proof of any of it except this bag and whatever is money Boy, it it filled with bundles of bills big ones At least it at least a hundred grand Holy smoke excuse me Who you call somebody you'll be very interested in this You just wait and see All right, this is Marlo. I'm at the Redmond place and get this Justin Sheppard walked in here Dumped a hundred thousand bucks on the table and left again not a half minute ago Yeah Don't touch it. I'll be right there. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. There's more go on Louise Redmond came back Louise She's here now Worst than you think because that's still not all what you mean that you can bet your briefcase on the fact that Max didn't kill himself in the first place. He was murdered Sit tight. I'll be right there Come on in aren't the money Marlo. Where is it in the bag there on the table? Yeah Excellent ironbound evidence best in the world. We'll have this impounded right away and oh Mrs. Redmond I I can't tell you how sorry I am my dear. Thank you, mr. Metcalf But I'm grateful to you and mr. Marlo here that Max's death wasn't entirely without purpose at least What about that Phil can we prove he was murdered? Well the bullet ended his right temple, but he was left-handed That's about all we got Simple as that and yet it went by me completely. I doubt we can stick anybody for it. Why not now because his killer may be already already what Already dead another killing Well, what are you talking about man one Earl Gaffney shepherds gentle assistant what I liked him in a tool bin with somebody found him there and shot him They're keeping quiet Justin shepherds himself Surely now look if we can't get him from Max. We'll nail him for Gaffney. Don't count on it Listen, we've got that fat lizard right where we want him now first of all it won't fit on why not if shepherds sent Gaffney to get Max then killed Gaffney Why did he bring all this dough here to bribe a dead man? Yes, you're making sense. I knew you'd say it go on. Okay, try this for size Max Redman never intended to testify in court He wasn't after a legal settlement because then the money would go past him to root off Kuvian There's bribe here is all Max was after but somebody was in it with him. You're crazy. How dare you say she's right Marlo Now you're talking like a fool am I? Max no doubt got into a beef with his partner over the split of the bribe and was shot That's a guess Aron, but this isn't Gaffney got it because Max's killer couldn't figure how much Gaffney had heard and seen in here He couldn't take a chance you see But whoever killed Gaffney had to wade through the same weeds I did and that vacant lot to get to him and Most of the weeds up there are foxtail grass. You know the kind that comes off on your clothes that sticks in your socks like little darts That's right Aron take a look your argyles are loaded with the stuff. I Don't have to look You're a bright boy Phil. Thanks. It went just as you outlined it up to this point I'm sorry. You got so much of it right because you can't think of everything. You might be surprised Don't reach for your gun Aron. I'll drop you Was a filthy scheme Come on hand it over your gun Why should he? Here you are Now you drop it Marlo go on well The heartbroken little wife with a very same gun you so generously gave me that's what I meant Marlo You can't think of everything The reason I are going away tonight together and we're taking that money with us and still Marlo I know more about guns than I pretended sure you do sure I had a hunch about you early tonight, baby Your homecoming was too pat and you know what? It didn't bring back so much as an overnight bag And what's more when I took that gun away from you you practically handed it to me You're acting all the way. I'm not now. I'll kill you Marlo Let me shoot him shoot shoot shoot shoot. I can't shoot the gun Aron. It won't fire Oh Fulan I took one of the parts out before I gave it back to you, sweetheart You couldn't make that go off with a blow That's right Aron help the lady Believe me sissy you'd get the same thing right now before one good reason I'm gonna need you intact in that car tomorrow morning By the time the police showed up Aron Metcalf dynamic barrister and Louise Redmond beautiful dream I were already coming apart at the seams Two hours later when I finally got away from it. It was still screaming hysterical insults at each other Now before I went home I stopped by the sanitarium just long enough to shake hands with Rudolf Kuvian It turned out to be a nice quiet thoughtful old guy And I assured him of a fair shake that was long overdue I guess it made him happy It was hard to tell Because the look on his face said that maybe the real price In things other than money Have been much too high Well, that's the way it is with some characters They're human the adventures of Philip Marlowe bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous character star Gerald Moore are Produced and directed by Norman McDonnell and are written for radio by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt Featured in tonight's transcribe cast where Howard McNear Lou Krugman Rick Valin Parley Bear Georgia Ellis and Hugh Thomas the special music is composed and conducted by Richard Orant Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlowe says This time there was a fish that talked with a lisp a hot blonde with cold cash on a mind And a corpse with dirty French cuffs and I mixed with them all without ever getting out of my own bed This Wednesday night on CBS Dr. Christian will bring you the prize winning script in this year's nationwide contest CBS cordially invite you to hear dr. Christian starring Gene Herschelt every Wednesday and most of these same CBS stations This is Roy Rowan speaking You can say for your future today the United States savings bond way Savings bonds are one of the surest safest investments you can make because they're backed by uncle Sam himself You are sure of getting back four dollars for every three dollars you invest when the bonds mature in just ten years Safe because even if the bonds are lost destroyed or stolen your government will replace them at no charge and Bonds are simple and convenient to buy Ask your employer to set aside an amount of money from your pay the amount you decide on Automatically systematically you'll purchase savings bonds If you're self-employed have your bank purchase a bond a month for you regularly save for your independence By United States savings bonds This is CBS where Berns and Allen are heard every Wednesday night the Columbia broadcasting system