 Yes, Roma wines taste better, because only Roma selects from the world's greatest wine reserves for your pleasure. And now, Roma wines, R-O-M-A. Roma wines present... Suspense! Tonight, Roma wines bring you Mr. Richard Conte in Win, Place and Murder. A suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma wines by William Spear. Suspense! Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma wines. Those better tasting California wines enjoyed by more Americans than any other wine. For friendly entertaining, for delightful dining. Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma wines bring you Richard Conte in a remarkable tale of... Suspense! Most of this took place because you can lead a horse to water. And sometimes you can make him drink, but you can never make him win a race. I learned that from a horse named Mosquito down at Tropical Park. I was in New York and things weren't easy. The private detective business had gone flatter than the glass of beer in a boiler room. I needed to borrow money, but the only place I could get it was from a girl named Laura Lee. I've been going with Laura before I got hit by that monsoon at the $2 window. I could marry if she could shake her father with $5 million in a big stick. Anyway, I scratched together a little dough and I'd sit in my office brooding about how crime doesn't pay. It didn't help anyone when Laura took an office across the hall and called herself a private detective. With $5 million you can afford to play games. After that things went from bad to worse. And then last week, Thursday, I noticed in the paper Mosquito was running down a Jamaica. I picked up the phone and called a bookie joint run by a guy named Joey Gault. And that's how it started. Let me talk to Joey Gault. I got a bet. He can't talk now. It's only going to take a minute. Why you want him for? I told you I want to make a bet. Joey, you know that horse Mosquito? Hold on. Look if I wanted to talk to everybody in town I'd rent a subway. Let me talk to Gault. Who is this? Chris Draper. I want to give Joey a bet. What do you mean? I got the right thing at Jamaica. What do you mean he's not taking any more bets? I should have known then. But I'm the kind of guy finds out about an earthquake when the repair squad arrives. If Joey Gault wouldn't take my bet somebody would. It was almost 12 so I put on my coat and started for a bookie joint down on 45th. On the door I hung a sign that said out to lunch back at one o'clock. I always hated to walk out that door because I had to look at the sign across the hall. Laura Lee, licensed private detective. A dame that couldn't find a spoon of sugar in a candy factory. But she had the scratch and that's what counts. I walked down a 45th street and put my last hundred bucks on mosquito to win. It was raining and so I ducked into a drugstore for a sandwich and a cup of coffee. After that I strolled up toward my place again. I stopped a couple of times once in front of a bookstore. The window was full of books on how we had to have a peaceful world. Three of them are written by generals who wouldn't know peace if somebody lugged it in on a hunk of toast. It was about a quarter to one when I walked up to the door of my office. Somebody made some changes and I got the fastest slow burn in history. My sign was gone. But there was another one that said gone for one week. Please inquire at room 205, Miss Laura Lee. I brushed into one of my office and called the Intersecting Switchboard. Come on, come on. Yes, yes, yes. What's the matter? Don't you answer these things? Well I only have two hands, Mr. Draper. I bet you've got two heads to go with them. Look, nobody's calling his phone for a week. Have I not been getting any calls? Of course, Mr. Draper, you've had it. I see. When did I give him? Oh, Miss Lee told me. When did she say that? My rent. Not a thing, baby. Get a pad of paper. I've got a message for you. Hello, Draper. Just a minute. I held onto the phone and looked up from the desk. The room was full of muscle. A guy named Mike Farago, a collection boy for Joey Galt. I'd seen him around before, a broad guy with a smile like an undertaker. Where's Pilsen? Ah, hello. I just called your office. What happened over there? Don't make me keep repeating, will you? Where's Pilsen? I don't know any Pilsen. You don't sound sure. I'm awful sure, Farago. I don't know any Pilsen. You're a nice guide, Draper. You shouldn't have made it tough. Now wait a minute. Put that away. It'll go off in my face. That's so you can say it. Look, you're trying to find a guy named Pilsen. I don't know him. I never heard of him. As far as I'm concerned, you just dreamed him up. The boss don't think that. Huh? Pilsen just knocked off the boss. He killed Joey Galt? Yes, right. Just walked into the gun out of his umbrella and shot Joe right in the ticket. Shame. Oh, I'm sorry for Joe. Well, I hope they let him make book there. Everybody's got regrets. We got him about you, Draper. I don't know your boy, Farago. Well, you had your chance, Draper, now. Hello, Lieutenant? Lieutenant. But I'm not phone. I got him on the wire, Mike. You should have asked. Hello, Lieutenant. I've got one of Galt's boys right. All right. He's pushing me around a little. If he pushes too hard, you know where to look. I'll win this one, Draper. But I'll be back when you're not so lucky. I'm always lucky. I don't believe it. I've seen your mutual tickets. I'll be back. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. As soon as he walked out, I started hating her again. Laura Lee, girl detective. I knew now where the business was going. For weeks, she'd been bypassing me on every client. I wanted to shoot her in the head. But I controlled myself and started across the hall to strangler. Look, Laura, I want to talk to you. Watch out, Chris. Come on. Watch out, will you? Hi, Chris. Who is he? A client. One of mine? Oh, please, Chris. I didn't mean anything to those signs. I just wanted to show you, darling. Please, Chris. If you'd marry me, things like this wouldn't happen. Will you marry me? On my dough, who is he? Who? This on the floor, he's not a carpet. Who is he? I don't know. He gave me this ticket. Let me see it. Checkstand, Grand Central Station. Don't tell me you wanted you to pick up a suitcase. How could you know that? Look, I spent my life in this jungle. You know a phony pitch when I see it? It's not a phony, Christopher. He's a nice old man. All right. He's a nice old man. You don't mind being shot. He offered me $100 to pick up the suitcase. Before bits, any red cap in town will do it. The guy's a phony. Somebody was watching for the bag. He couldn't use a red cap, and I was going to pick it up and meet him at track 17 at two o'clock. You see? Help me roll him over. Well, Christopher, he's a very important man. They don't wear ragged collars. Pops are nice. There. Here's his wallet. You're right. He is an important man. Let me see. Let me see. Frank Pilson, age 47, cashier everywhere, umbrella company. Pilson, yeah. Pilson. You've got yourself a tough client, baby. This guy's wanted for murder. He couldn't be. He shot up a bookie named Joey Gold. Oh, there's some mistake. Joe doesn't think so. Well, the police will find out. They'll understand. You'll have to make a bigger sale. All the hoods in town want them. Well, I don't believe it. I'm going to take the ticket and meet him with the suitcase. Now, give me that ticket. No, now you stay away from it, Chris. You're not big enough, sweetheart. Let's lose. Are you going to marry me, Chris? Not today. All right, Chris. I'm sorry, darling. I don't know where she learned that trick, but by the time I got to the elevator, it was on its way down. When I got to the street, she was up near 7th Avenue, climbing into a cab. There was only one other cab in sight, but I couldn't do business there because Farago moved into it and started to follow Laura. If I was going to get there, I had to grab a cab down the street. I turned and ran right into a lieutenant from homicide named Herbie Knapp, a guy that learned how to dress from Brooks and how to talk from Damon Runyon. Hello, Chris. How are the horses? Look, Herbie, I got to run. I asked you how the horses was. A mosquito in the first. Now, let me go by. Herbie, I got to get a cab. Wait, wait. It's a shame. You got to stay here a minute. Likewise, it's a shame about Joey Gold. I don't have the time, Herbie. Somebody walks in an hour ago and shoots him right on the price tag. Yeah, yeah. I heard about it. Yeah, you know, it's most uncharitable to kill a bookie, especially he is an honest bookie. Stay here. All right. I'm not going anywhere now. And all in sundry along Broadway say Joey Guilt is honest as the day is long and part of the night, too. He never welches. Well, this comes about probably because no one ever has a winner with Joey, though. If you got a pitch, make it, Herbie. I am asking you the whereabouts of Pilsen. Who? A citizen named Pilsen. He drops one of your cyclers in Gold's place. That proves I got a printer's bill. That proves more. A few minutes after Joey dies, a phone rings and it's you, Chris, pretending you want to place a bet. Well, I put two and two together and I don't want four. I want Pilsen. All right. He's up in 205. You'll find him up there. We'll both find him, Chris. I gotta go, Herbie. You go on up. You know, being a cop is no fun. Likewise, it's lonely. You'll come, too. I could see Herbie wasn't going to let me chase that cab. So I got him up to room 205. I opened the door to Laura's office. He's in here. Check him and let me get... Hey! He is a wee fella, Chris. He is so wee, I do not see him. And you know I couldn't see him, either. And why I couldn't see him was that he wasn't there. Lieutenant Knapp of Homicide looked at me and I looked at Lieutenant Knapp of Homicide. But at that moment, he looked better than I did. And that was because I was gaining weight. In a couple of minutes, I expected to be heavier by 13 ounces, which is the standard weight of a pair of handcuffs. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Richard Conte in Win, Place and Murder. Roma Wines' presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrill's Suspense. Between the acts of suspense, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines. You receive an extra dividend without cost every time you buy Roma wine. That extra dividend is the fuller bouquet, richer body and better taste you enjoy in all Roma California wines. That extra dividend of better taste is the reason why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. Yes, Roma Wines taste better because Roma selects and presses California's choicest grapes. Then, with ancient skill and resources unmatched in America, Roma Master Ventures guide this great treasure unhurriedly to tempting taste perfection. These choice wines are placed with Mellow Roma Wines of years before and from these reserves, the world's greatest reserves of fine wines, Roma later selects for your pleasure. Whether your favorite is Sherry, Port or Muscatel, you'll find more real enjoyment with Roma. So, buy Roma tomorrow. That's R-O-M-A. Roma wine, your best buy in good taste. And now, Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Richard Conte as Chris Draper with Wally Mayer as Mike Farago in win, place and murder. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. I felt embarrassed to say the least. Here I've invited Lieutenant Nap Up to meet somebody who was of mutual interest to both of us. And now I had to pick up the check. Well, he was here five minutes ago. Hey, look, Chum, don't pull my leg on account of I will use it in your teeth. Well, he was here five minutes ago. I hit him and thought he was out. He must have gone down the fire escape. Well, first you never hear a pilsen, then you have him upstairs, and now he goes out the back way, huh? Whose place is this? It's a girl's office. Miss Laura Lee, debutante detective. How come pilsen was here? He came by mistake. Well, that's the way I'm taking you to the jug. I have a brother more Handel's case is cheap. Look, would I hide him on you, Herbie? I'm taking you downtown, Chris. Well, wait a minute, Herbie. Unless you pull pilsen out of the woodwork. All right. He's over in my office. Oh, that's better. Across the hall here. Did he go down the fire escape on this side, though? No, he's over here in the closet. I had to lock him in. There. You can have all five feet of them. Where? Where? I don't see no. In the back there. Oh, let me see. Sure. Look him over good. Hey, wait a minute, Draper. Sorry, Herbie. Hey, hey, hey, let me out. I told you I was in a hurry. I'll shoot the bullet out. Bring all the tenants in. The police force will look funny locked up in the closet. I'll be back in an hour. An hour? Wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait a minute, Chris. Yeah. Look, that Philly mosquito. She's running on the first. Like crazy, the word is. Look, if you keep me in here an hour, I will not get a bed down, Chum. Suppose she wins. She's a 58-to-1 shot, too. Oh, 50. Oh, Chris. Look, I will consider it a great favor if you put 20 skins on Mosquito's nose. All right. I'll give it to Lou Golding. He works the corner. Pass it under the door. What if it sticks? If it's horse money, it's thin. Pass it under. All right. You got it? Yeah. Be sure she wins. I'll tell her about your 20 bucks. Thanks, Chris. Thanks. I won't forget you for this. Go easy. She may lose. That's what I mean. It looked like a good trick, but I knew it wasn't. If I didn't find Pilsen, Herbie would come out of that closet burning like horse raddish in the floor fairness. And that give-and-take about the horses didn't mean a thing, because he's the kind of guy who could win the Grand National and put the kids to bed without supper. I had to get to track 17, and I had to head off Laura somewhere in between. I walked to the corner and got down Herbie's bed, and then I cut down 44th Street to Grand Central. The station was jammed with Scarsdale Club women trying to look 36 with 46 hips. But I spotted Farago right away. You couldn't miss with his face. Most witch doctors would have turned it down. He was standing over by the telegraph window watching the check stand, and Laura was there looking around nervously. And finally the guy behind the counter handed her a small black bag, and she started for the Vanderbilt Avenue exit. Farago dropped the telegram blank and started after her. If he ever got to her, she'd be counting the bruises with a slide rule. So I cut across and bumped into Farago near the stairway. Watch out. It's too late to get her now, Farago. Get out of my way. Come around either way, mister. Okay, bum you ass, boy. Come on, come on, break it up. Come on. I want to fight, get a match made. You're a cop. He was bothering a lady. Where is she? She's gone now. What did she do? Ride a deer? I just walked up. Were you bothering a lady? I don't know none. Forget about it, both of you. Get out of here. Okay, okay. I'll tag you later, Draper. And you'll get moving too, Farago. I'm sorry about this trouble. Here, you want a cigar? Is it one of those nickel things? Yeah. You keep it. I don't smoke nickel cigars. I didn't say you had to smoke it, officer. Just chew it. Farago was up the stairs and out the Vanderbilt exit. But I knew Laura had time to disappear in the crowd, and Farago didn't know about gate 17. I went over toward the information desk, and then walked back to the gate. I didn't see Laura at first. The crowd was starting to gather for the Chicago train. Laura was over on one side, scared and hugging the wall so tight she could have hired out as a mural. Chris! Give me that bag. No, you get out of here, Chris. Hand me the bag. I'm taking over from here. You go away, Christopher. If you don't go away, I'll scream. If you stick around, you'll be screaming out of a hole in your throat. I told you up in the office. Homicide wants your boy. He didn't kill anybody. Chris, I don't want you to make a mistake. Look, baby, I like your knees, but not on my neck. No. I got homicide breathing hard. Now, give me the bag. No, I'm not putting on. No, Christopher, please. Who are you saving this time, fella? Wait a minute, officer. You need a white horse. Uh... Is he bothering you, lady? Yes. I know how she works across the hall. Well, sometimes that helps. Goodbye, fella. I never saw this man falling all my bone days. Now, look. Don't get the wrong idea. This is important. On your way, fella, stop bothering the lady. It's important, I tell you. It's a matter of life and death. That's the first time I ever heard a guy put it that way. The cop watched me as I walked off and the way he stood at the gate, I knew I wasn't gonna get to Laura with a shortwave radio. It was 1.45 and Kylson had a few more minutes before I had to show. I took a chance and called his office. Looked as if I wasn't gonna get anywhere because the girl on the board had locked your I want to talk to mr. Piltson Is he the cashier over there? How long has he been there? Insurance company. We're just investigating a policy. How about his personal habits? His habits the big two women in gambling are you sure he's over 40 He gave a mr. Gault as a reference. Do you know if he ever calls up there? It used to be Do you know if he went there today? What payroll I didn't know about that Would it be risky to ensure him? Oh, I see how much is in the payroll? I don't know. We'll make a guess That's right. What maybe I? Was out of the woods on that one anyway Piltson had taken the payroll to square up with Joey Galt Why did Piltson knock him off and why did Joey Galt had a five-and-dimer run up a tab like that? They were big questions and the answer walked right by the telephone booth I was just coming out of the booth when Piltson hurried around the corner. All I had to do was reach out and yank him Don't hurt me mister. You can have the rest of the money what money the other 26,000 payroll though I didn't want to take it, but he made me take it your friend made me take it. I don't have any Farago, he made me take it. He's on the other team. I'm Chris Draper You're mr. Draper, but Miss Laura Lee said that yeah, I know she said she was handling my cases Why did you want a detective? I was in trouble. I thought you can help me. I can't square a murder rap. I Just took the money. There's no murder. Gold's cold enough to prove it gold. You'll want it for murder You've got to help me mr. Draper tough enough by yourself. No, no, mr. Gold was all right I left here and Farago were talking Farago. He's the one who fixed it up so I could go to Chicago Why he said I get in trouble unless I skipped he said to take what was left to the payroll and skip He said I had to do it throw a lot of sevens before two o'clock No, but I got scared when Farago came down the stairs He gave me the gun and said I had to take care of myself But I got scared and that's why I went to see you He didn't like me. You're guessing now. He wanted that money. I know he kept asking where it was I didn't tell him and then I got away from him and I came to see you You've got to help me on that much story. Please mr. Draper. I didn't kill him. I wouldn't do that You can ask anyone and I asked Joey Gault I Rushed a pilsen up to my office. Maybe was banging around the closet like a carpenter's apprentice All right, come on out heavy How was it Humiliating that's how it was by the same token. It is distressing. Yeah, likewise It is distressing to throw you in the clink. You don't have to here's your boy Pilsen He goes to the clink tool tell him. No, mr. Draper to tell him no drag draper's got won't pull a flea over a silk thread You go to the clink person. He says he didn't do it Chris I want to talk to you now wait a minute Laura Mr. Pilsen Christopher I want to know what you are doing Draper Who is this Julie with a loose tonsil here now? Wait a minute calm down Laura. Give me that back Hey, we do me a favor this afternoon I would not do bush or a favor do me a favor and get in that closet with Pilsen You've miscounted the holes in my head. It'll only be for a while. Please hurry. Do me a favor. You can't lose anything now That's it. Just stay in that closet Chris. I got the only son stroke in April. Yeah, that's a boy All right now get in there Pilsen. When do I get off? I'll let you know Keep stealing about the desk no help me get this bag open there Now we'll have a look Yeah, Pilsen's laundry 26,000 green shirts here help me put them on the table How do you know there's 26,000 just put the door on the table? Hello for a go I was afraid you'd follow her just a scoop it in the bag Draper You don't need this you got the rest of Pilsen's payroll. I'm just greedy Put it in the bag. It's Pilsen doesn't get much out of this. He gets a lesson Well, he was right then you were after that dough you knocked off gold and took the dough Pilsen paid him And I want the rest of that clear Chris. I was right Pilsen didn't do it That's right for a go palmed off the murder gun on him. Well, I won't let him take the money Give me that back Get down on the floor and pick it up while you're down there. Say a prayer for me What do you mean he's hot now his only chance is to knock us off. That's right now hand me the bag Thanks, it's the only way for a go, but it's a big mistake as I was saying to look I'll worry about that Draper I'm sorry about you lady. I got regrets, but I'll get over use your head for a go if Herbie were here Sorry Pick an angel Draper Barago, I don't want to fast-talk you but there's a copper in that closet. Don't kid me. He'll step out of there He'll put you away for good. I wasn't born yesterday, but you'll die today, mr. You're a bum horse player But but you hit it on the nose This time he looks pretty herbie. Yeah Hmm or such characters get sleepy along about this time if you roll them you'll find a 20 grand he killed gold for I Guess that answers everything. Yeah. Yeah, except one thing. Huh? How mosquito makes out in the first race? Oh, I forgot all about it. Give me that phone Switchboard get me Lou Golding's place She's do this time. I know it herbie. All right in such cases. I say heaven bless her. Hello How about the first to Jamaica? How they finish? She won her be what yeah, she came in and paid 58 to one. How do you like that for a horse 58 to one? Think of it Laura a hundred skins at 58 to one It's more than that it's enough to get married on you've got to do it now Chris. You've got to marry me now Well, okay, I accept What do you think of a herbie isn't she a knockout She the most beautiful thing you ever saw in my point days course she is I tell you herbie They'll never be another Philly like mosquito There's always a kicker along Broadway that price of 58 to one was too big Lou Golding couldn't stand the belt When herbie and I went around a collect they said he'd skip town Now I'm broke Laura top heavy with dough won't let me out of that marriage deal She even claims herbie for a witness I could get a smart lawyer and wriggle out But I got a sure thing in highly our next Tuesday So I need a hundred bucks Laura says she'll give it to me if I marry her. I don't know It may be worth it This is a sure thing a very sure thing Erica's favorite wines This is Truman Bradley bringing back for the curtain call our suspense star of the evening Richard Conte Richard most of our listeners know you as not standing young actor Well, we'd like to tell him something about you. They may not know for example the fact that you're an artist Off the screen as well as on I have no Michelangelo Truman Painting is just a hobby with me like having friends over for dinner and then talking about acting all night Well Richard here's something to make your talking sessions even more friendly and companionable a gift happer of Roma wines with the Compliments of Roma that greatest name in wine. Thank you. That's an idea for holding my listeners You're right at dessert time or after dinner serve that fine Roma, California port and you'll really have an appreciative audience For ruby red Roma port has a rich full body a mellow natural sweetness that everyone enjoys You'll find Roma port is the ideal finishing touch to a fine dinner a luxurious taste treat later in the evening with cake or fruit Say no more Truman. Just give me the Roma basket one more word Richard and it's important too Remember that in all Roma wines you enjoy an important difference an Extra premium goodness in fuller bouquet richer body and better taste Yes, Roma wines taste better because only Roma selects for better taste from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines That's why more Americans enjoy Roma than any other one You've counted Conti with Truman and thank you and good night Next week part of the country goes on daylight saving time if your city remains on standard time suspense will be heard one hour earlier Check your local newspaper for time Richard Conti appeared through the courtesy of 20th Century Fox producers of the late George Apley Tonight suspense play was from the story by Emil C. Teppermann Next Thursday you will hear Miss Ava Gardner as star of suspense Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma wine company of Fresno, California This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system