 In just a moment, suspense with Van Heflin. Hi, Mr. Martin. Hello, Frank. What are you doing out here? I've been fishing and not for auto light customers this time, Ab. Auto light customers? No. I don't think you'll find many cars in the middle of the bay. Auto light was just as spotless either. No cars, but there's plenty of auto light in power boats. You know, more auto light ignition systems are used in marine craft than any other brand? Old reliable is the first thought of boat owners, too, eh? It'd be hard to get back to town if you had a breakdown out here. Yeah, we wouldn't get back to hear your suspense show if that happened. Well, time up alongside and let's listen to it here. I've got my portable. Suspense. Auto light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations bring you Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills Starring tonight, Mr. Van Heflin in Anton Leader's production of Song of the Heart. A tale well calculated to keep you in. Suspense. Can you explain all that to the officer in the car, ma'am? Thank you. Can I help you? Please. I, uh... What? I have a confession to make. A confession? Please, are you the officer that I'd tell it to? Well, do I, I guess. My name is Neil Wilson. I live with Tanta Alice. Aunt Alice at 265 West 19th Street. All right. So? Last night, I guess it was early this morning, I killed Tanta Alice. Mike? Yes? You better get this. All right. Go on. You killed your, uh, Tanta Alice? Yes. How? I took a pillow and smothered. Go on. Could I tell you about it? I mean, all about it? Sure. Well, I have a fine job. I'm the general manager of the Handes Company. I've been with them ever since I got out of school. I'm an orphan. I live with my aunt with Tanta Alice. You live with your aunt? Yes, I don't remember. My parents, they died when I was just a little boy in an accident. Tanta Alice brought me up. She was like my own mother. Why did you kill her? I guess I should start when I met Muriel Jones. That was... I was only last Sunday at the annual company picnic. It was the first time I'd ever been to one. Usually, I spent Sunday afternoons with Tanta Alice. Everyone was at the picnic from shipping clerks to executives, everyone. But I sat off to the side by myself and... Well, that's the afternoon that I met Muriel. Having a good time? What? Oh, yes. Thank you. Isn't it a lovely day? Yes, it is. I'm Muriel Jones, accounting department. How do you do? I'm Neil Wilson. Yes, I know. Do you mind if I sit down here? Oh, no, please do. Thank you. It's really a beautiful day, isn't it? What are you staring at? I didn't... Don't you like my blouse? Oh, yes, very much. I wasn't staring. It's a present. Gift from a friend. Oh, really? I like it because I've been told I had pretty shoulders. Do you think so? Yes. Yes, I do. Did you come alone? Yes. So did I. I had several invitations, but I turned them down. Why? Did I turn them down? Huh. Because I knew you were going to be here. Really? Mm-hmm. I've seen you at the office. You always look so strict. I wanted to meet you and see if you were. Well, I'm flattered. You should be. Most of the time all the men chase after me. This is the first time I ever did anything like this. Got a cigarette? Oh, yes, I'm sorry. Here you are. Thanks. Match? Yeah. Thanks. And don't you smoke? Well, not just now. Thank you. Would you like to take me home? Well... Yes, I would. Should we go now? All right. Aren't you going to help me up? Yes, I'm sorry. Why, Mr. Wilson, how strong you... You smell of sunshine. What a pretty speech. Do you always kiss young ladies when you first meet them? I never have before. You never met a young lady like me before? No, no, I haven't. Don't kiss me anymore here. Take me home. I've been out with girls before, but nothing ever came of any of it. I'm too introverted, I guess, the first move in the ladies that I'd known previously were not the kind who'd make the move for me. But Muriel did, and I thought that that meant that she loved me. We drove for a while when we left the picnic, and then I took her home. I like your car. Would you like to go for a ride tomorrow? You mean you'll pick me up in the morning? Drive me to work? Well, I'd like to. Isn't that sweet? About $7.45? All right. I'll have some coffee ready if you like. Would you like having your morning coffee with me? Oh, I'm afraid I couldn't. Thanks a lot, though. It'll be all right. My girlfriend lives here with me. Oh, no, no, it's not that. I mean, I always have breakfast with Tanta Alice. Who? My aunt Alice. I call her Tanta. That means aunt. Oh. And this is silly. We're standing out here like we didn't have a place to go. Why don't you come in for a few minutes? Well, I'd like to. I know you'll excuse the looks of the house. I left this morning before I had a chance to straighten things up. You just sit down there. OK. Yeah, I'll put these things in the other room. Is there anything I can get you? No, thanks. I'm just very comfortable. That's good. This is nice. You're beautiful. Thank you. Just for saying nice things like that. Muriel. Muriel, I've... What? I've never known anyone like you. You're just saying that. No, no, that's true. Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes. So do I. And your girl and a fellow once you got married three days after they met. That was love at first sight, wasn't it? Yes, I'm sure it was. Is that the way you feel about me? Yes, yes it is. I knew the first time I saw you would be like this, didn't you? I hoped it would be. Give me a kiss. Will you marry me? I should be delighted. I drove home without knowing where I was going. I felt as though... as though I'd never breathed before that day. I felt that I was the luckiest man in the world. Oh, yes, Aunt Alice. Did you have a nice day at the picnic, dear? Oh, I had a wonderful day. Well, aren't you going to kiss me? Oh, sure. Why, Neil, dear, what's that on your mouth? What, where? It looks to me like lipstick. Where? On your mouth, dear. And on your cheek, too. Why, Neil, dear... Well, I was... You better let me wipe it off. Who is the girl? Do I know her? Her name is Muriel Jones. She works at the office in the accounting department. How is it that I've never met her if you've known her so long? Well, I haven't. I just met her today. You just met her? And she... Well, Aunt Alice, it was love at first sight. Was it, dear? Yes, we're going to be married. When, dear? Well, pretty soon, I think. Am I going to meet her? Yes, I'll bring her here to dinner tomorrow night. All right, dear, all right. We'll have a nice dinner for her. Well, you'll like her, Aunt Alice. She's a wonderful girl. I'm sure she is, dear. I'm sure. You better get some sleep now. Tomorrow is a work day, you know. Is there something special you'd like for breakfast? I won't be having breakfast here in the morning, Aunt Alice. Muriel's fixing coffee for me at her house. Just coffee? Well, that's not enough breakfast for a man with a day's work to do. No, no, coffee's plenty. You never had just coffee for breakfast, dear. No, it's enough. Thanks anyway. All right, all right then. I'll just have a little fruit juice here for you before you leave. No, no, never mind, Aunt Alice. You can sleep in the morning. I'm having breakfast with Muriel. I don't know what time it was when I woke up that night. I'd been dreaming of Muriel. I remember the street lights were out. What woke me was some music from downstairs. Aunt Alice hadn't gone to bed yet. She was playing one of her old phonograph records. It was a sweet, sad record. And it's a song that I'll never forget as long as I live. For Suspends, Auto Light is bringing you Mr. Van Heflin in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspends. Sweet little radio you have there. I'm sure glad we met you, Mr. Martin. Dad and I wouldn't miss Van Heflin for anything. He is great, isn't he? Can always count on him for a top performance. Just like Auto Light resists a spark plug, Jean Frank. Yes, half. And right now you can get Auto Light resistor spark plugs almost anywhere in the United States. It's sensational why no other spark plug will give and maintain such performance. You know, Auto Light Ignition engineered a 10,000 ohm resistor right into the Auto Light spark plug that permits a wider spark gap setting and maintains it far longer than any other spark plug. The Auto Light resistor spark plug is the best thing that's happened in spark plugs in years. A great new development of Auto Light Ignition engineers working with the country's leading car and truck manufacturers. They make a world of difference, all right. I know. Just had a set installed in my car. Yes, millions are switching to the new Auto Light resistor spark plugs. Now available at Auto Light Dealers, the country over. Avast with the sales talk, mates. Here's Van Heflin and Suspends again. And now Auto Light brings back to a Hollywood soundstage Mr. Van Heflin as Neil in Song of the Heart. A tale well calculated to keep you in. Suspends. Went to sleep and your aunt was playing this record. She's up to the end of the day. He met the girl. Yes, that's right. So what happened the next day? Well, the next day when I got up in the morning, time to Alice was already up. I don't know, maybe she hadn't even been to sleep. The table was set for two in the breakfast room. The toaster was out, my fruit juice was on the table, and she was frying bacon when I came downstairs. Good morning, Neil dear. Good morning. Early, aren't you? Breakfast will be ready in just a moment. I'm not having breakfast at home. I told you that last night. Oh, that was last night, Neil dear. Today is another day. I'm having breakfast with Muriel. I have to go now. I'll see you this evening. We'll have a nice dinner, Neil dear. I'm bringing Muriel home for dinner with me. Tonight? Oh, but dear, that's hardly warning enough. You said last night that you wanted to meet her. But so soon, dear? Now listen to me. I'm bringing a girl home for you to meet. I love this girl. I want you to be nice to her. I don't want a fiasco like the last time. Neil, please dear. I don't want you pouting and sulking this time. I don't want to have to apologize for your actions. I think that will be all, Neil dear. I think that's enough. If you aren't going to behave yourself properly, just say so now and we'll not come home for dinner. That's up to you. I'm only thinking of you. Now don't be cross. Give me a big smile like you used to when you were a bad little boy. All right. How's that? Oh, you can do better than that. Oh, please, Tante Alice, I'm late. I'll see you dinner. All right, dear. You call me from the office if you decide to bring her home for dinner. We'll be home for dinner. I'm telling you now, I don't have to call you from the office. You call me, dear. You see the last time I tried to bring a girl home Tante Alice had acted just the same way. She'd behaved so badly that I'd never done it again. That had been after the junior class party at high school. It's 13 years ago and I'd never done it again. I waited for Muriel after work that evening and we drove toward my home together. Hold your head still so I can kiss you. Let's get married tomorrow. Hi, Mr. Wilson. Hi, son. No, really. What about your aunt Alice? What about her? She won't be angry at me? Stealing you away from me? How should she be? Well, the way she's hung on to you. For instance, why doesn't she live by herself? Well, I don't know. We've been together so long. Sure, but after all, she's only your aunt. You've got a life of your own to lead. She's got enough money to live by herself. Well, it's not money. She's quite wealthy. How did you know she had money? Oh, I heard someone at the office talk about it. Oh, look, incidentally, Aunt Alice might act a little strangely when I bring you in the house. Just don't pay any attention to her. If she tries to do anything or say anything to upset you, promise me that now. I promise you. I can understand her being upset if someone taking you away from her, though. After all, it takes one to know one. The rest of the ride home, we didn't talk to her just that close to me, and she held my hand in hers. I mean, I'll take your coat. Oh, thank you. Come on, let's go into the living room. Oh, what's that, a plane? Oh, that's the phonograph. Pretty old machine, isn't it? Well, that's the record scratching. That's what she was playing last night. What is it? French? Yes. Aunt Alice has a collection of old records. This is the first time she's played them in years since I was in high school. Where is she? I don't know. She must be in the kitchen. Well, I might as well sit down and guess. Oh, I forgot to ask you. Are my seams straight? What? Oh! Yes, sir. They look straight. So hard to keep your stockings straight. I never can get mine long enough. Well, good evening, working people. Oh, good evening, Aunt Alice. And this must be neighbors. No, no, it's Muriel. Muriel, this is my aunt, Miss Alice Trimble. Aunt Alice, this is Muriel. Miss Muriel Jones. How do you do? Oh, please sit down. Dinner will be ready soon. Is the phonograph too loud? I was just playing some old records. Yes, it is a little loud, Aunt Alice. That's better. Is there anything I can do to help? No, no, that's all right, dear. Just last minute, things like the gravy. I'll do them in a bit. I'll just sit here with you two young people for a while. Oh, my, I've had a day. Preparing to meet Neil's latest young lady. He always does this to me. Calls suddenly in the middle of the afternoon and says, I'm bringing a young lady home for dinner. Why do you say that? Mostly wants to marry, as though he thinks. As he said, he wants to marry you. Be careful of him. He's a devil. Aunt Alice, please, now that's not true. Can you imagine wanting to get married before you really get to know someone? Did Neil tell you we're going to get married? He did ask you then. Oh, Neil, shame on you. Shall we have our dinner? In a moment, dear, in a moment. You poor little girl. Neil has been acting the down one with you also. You poor dear. Well, excuse me, I'll let you hear some of my records while I make the gravy. Would you like me to help? No, no, you stay with the young lady. Uh, Muriel, is it? I can handle things alone, this once. And after all, if she should ever come back here again, I want her to think kindly of us. Wasn't that a nice dinner? Very nice, thank you. Did you enjoy your dinner, Neil, dear? Yes, it was very nice, Aunt Alice. Muriel, would you like a cigarette? Thanks. Neil, dear, don't you think you should take the girl home now so that we can go to bed? Well, you can go, Aunt Alice. We'll sit here for a while. Well, all right. I'm very tired. Good night, young lady. I do hope you stop in and see us again someday. I'm always delighted to meet Neil's friend. Neil, dear, you haven't oiled my door. What am I going to do, weather? What am I going to do? I don't think I've ever been treated that way. Oh, I'm sorry, darling. Please believe me. I'm sorry, but what can I do? Can I get rid of her? Just leave. When we're married, we'll leave. No, she'll follow us. I'm all she has in the world. I wish she were dead. Neil. No, I wish she were dead. What good is she to anyone, hanging on for dear life to me, holding me, afraid that I'll go out on my own and have my own life and that she'll have no part of it? Oh, sure, she's been good to me. She'd work for me, but I've been good to her, too, and I've helped her. We'll go away together. She won't follow us. Have you enough money? Well, I think so. Yes, I have enough. And then there's always her money. She has it lying all over the house. She doesn't believe in banks. Oh, you could take some of that. I think that's fair. Yeah. Oh, listen. We better be quiet. She'll hear us. Well, I'll turn the phonograph on then. She won't. You're right, though. Well, what? What use is she? She has money, but she doesn't need. She's unhappy living alone. Would kill her to live alone and get... I hate to say this, dear. I won't live in the same house. No, no. I don't blame you. I was thinking here are a lot of people whose time is finished. Yeah. You know, they've done all they're good for. I read once where Eskimo's put their aged people on ice floes and pushed them out into the ocean. No ceremony, no sorrow. Just that it's the end of their time of use. Well, isn't that that? Neal. You know, it would be doing her a favor. She wouldn't know. Well, you could say she wouldn't live long without you, Neal. She'd probably die of loneliness. She's never been alone. And if she is going to follow us, like you said, then I'm sorry I can't marry you, Neal, and that's hard for me to say because I love you. I don't think I've ever been in love before, never before you. I need you, Mary, very badly. I think that we should have the opportunity to make good with our lives. Sure we should. But how? As gently as possible? Yes. I think, uh... What? Well, after she's asleep tonight, just put a pillow over her face. No one will ever know. It would be doing her a favor, Neal. Look, they couldn't tell. I mean, they... How could they? She's old. She's mothered in asleep. Yeah, that's right. And we could use her money to go away. After all, she won't need it. That's true enough. It's here, now? Well, all of it. It's in cash, $5,000 or something. Mary, look. You do love me now, don't you? No, I do. Kiss me. What was that? Oh, Tante Alice. Yes, Neal. The record player. I'm so glad you children enjoyed it. Isn't it a lovely song? You know what it means? No. No, I don't. Turn it off, please, nearly. Sorry. Oh. I feel so odd tonight. I think I should like to tell you a story before I go to sleep. Would the girl mind? Go ahead. That record tells a story about a boy and his mother. The boy lived at home with his mother. And the boy met a girl. And the mother didn't like the girl and warned the boy away from her. But the girl used all her wiles on the boy and the boy turned against his mother. And the girl told him that proof of his love for her would be that he killed his mother. And proof of the killing would be that he brought the girl his mother's heart. And so the poor boy killed his mother and took her heart to bring it to the girl. And on the way he stumbled and fell. And the heart escaped his hands. And before he could get to his feet again, or even see if he was injured from the fall, the heart spoke. And the heart said to him, Are you hurt, my son? I cried when I heard that song the first time. Such a sad. You'd better go to sleep now. It's late. Good night, dear, dear. Well, what an unpleasant story. She knows all sorts of things like that fable sort of. She gets older, she quotes unto me at great length. Will it take a long to go to sleep now? No, no, no. She's told me a story. Now she'll go right to sleep now. We sat there and waited. Not saying anything, not touching one another, just waiting. Finally after about an hour, Muriel suddenly kissed me. She kissed me hard and she held me close to her. Then I got up and I walked quietly over the time to Alice's door. I opened it and I walked into her bedroom. She was sleeping on her back. I took a pillow from her shades and then, just as I was about to put it over her face, I thought I saw her eyes move. Waited. Now I was mistaken. She was sleeping soundly, just as she always did. I lowered the pillow softly over her mouth and nose and then I held it there. I watched her chest until there was no movement from her breathing. Then I opened her bureau drawer and took out her money box. Then Muriel and I left the house. All right. Yes, yes, all right. Don't feel badly. You did a good thing. It's just like a mercy killing. It was for her own good. I know that. We've got each other now in a whole life to live together without any interference. I know. I'll drive. Poor baby. You're upset. All right. Can I have the keys? Yes, yes, right here. Oh. What? What? Did you take the pillar off her face? Oh, no, no, no. I forgot. Run back into it. You can leave the box on the seat. Hurry now. Carl leave and I knew what it meant. And I didn't do anything about it. I just stood there. I wanted to cry. I didn't go into Tanta Alice's room. I just stood there. After a while, I opened the front door again. We sat down on the steps and waited for the light to come. And all night long, I heard the record playing in my brain. And I heard Tanta Alice saying, and the heart spoke. And the heart said to him, are you hurt, my son? Is that it? That's it. I'll tie it up for him to sign. All right, Mike. She's driving my car, but I don't care. I mean, if you want to catch her, she's driving my car. We'll catch her. What do I do now? You come with me. Funny you were coming in here this morning. Although, of course, we'd have had a routine investigation anyway. Because the pillow was still on her face? Well, yeah. Although she might have had a heart attack or the pillow might have smothered her without her knowing it. Most accidental deaths are pretty strange. Much stranger than the planned ones. No, I meant that you didn't look at the room very closely when you went in there to kill your aunt. Yeah, in here. What do you mean that I didn't look at the room very closely? Your aunt was a pretty smart cookie. And I guess she was really looking out for you, warning you with that song, anticipating what you were planning. We were over there this morning. The door was open, the prowl car spotted it and went to see what was cooking. Must have been after you left to come down here. They found your aunt's body, but they turned in a sort of routine report. Routine? Well, this case looked open and shut. Because right next to the bed on her night table, in her own handwriting, your Tanta Alice left a suicide note. Thank you, Van Heflin, for a splendid performance. Mr. Heflin will return in just a moment. Boy, that shows a knockout. Well, thanks for letting us listen, Frank. Always glad to do a friend a favor. Well, you must have lots of friends, Frank. You do plenty of folks a favor. Telling them about auto-light resistor spark plugs. Well, half every car owner who switches to auto-light resistor spark plugs does himself a favor. When you replace your narrow-gap spark plugs with the sensational, you-wide-gap auto-light resistor spark plugs, you can tell the difference in your car. You got advantages like smoother idling and saving gas. So always remember, auto-light means spark plugs. Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs. Auto-light means batteries. Stay full batteries. Auto-light means ignition systems. The lifeline of your car. And now, here again, is Mr. Van Heflin. It's always a great pleasure to join Tony Leeder and his fine cast of suspense actors on radio's outstanding theater of thrills. And speaking of thrills, there are plenty in store for you next week, when suspense brings you wonderful Madeleine Carroll in The Morrison Affair. Another gripping study in... Suspense! Mr. Van Heflin appeared by arrangement with Metro Golden Mayor, producers of Julia Misbehaves, starring Greer Garson and Walter Pigeon. Lorraine Tuttle played the part of Tata Alice and Betty Lou Gerson was Muriel. Tonight's suspense play was written by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowick and conducted by Lud Luskin. The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Leeder. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Madeleine Carroll in The Morrison Affair. Quite suspense show. Go slow. Death and danger travel in fast company. Good night. Switch to auto light. This is CBS, where 99 million people gather every week the Columbia Broadcasting System.