 Suspense. This is The Man in Black, here again to introduce Columbia's program. Suspense. Tonight, heading our Hollywood cast are two noted leading men. One, Mr. Preston Foster, a star long established, the hero of many an adventurous film, the latest, the 20th Century Fox production, Guadalcanal Diary. The other, Mr. Dane Clark, a newcomer to the screen, whose auspicious debut in action in the North Atlantic has made him warmly welcome in these parts. Mr. Clark appears tonight as a young man who awoke one morning to find himself in a very serious jam. Mr. Foster is the San Francisco homicide detective who was willing to help his friend, up to a point. The play called The Singing Walls by Robert L. Richards, adapted from the story by Cornel Woolrich, is tonight's tale of suspense. If you've been with us before, you will know that suspense is a component of mystery and suspicion and dangerous adventure. In this series, are tales calculated to intrigue you, to stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious situation, and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment. And so it is with the performances of Preston Foster as detective Denny Sullivan and Dane Clark as young Tom Cochran, we again hope to keep you in suspense. My name's Joe Brotcher, huh? You come up here from Joe's place? What's that? Oh, you don't even know where Joe lives, huh? Me? No, I don't know either. I never seen Joe before in my life. How you feeling now, kid, huh? Sure, have a little more. It's good for what ills you. Ah, that's nothing. You're all right. Sure, I know. Let's get out of here. I know a better place. Come on, come on, I'll help you. Oh, that's not a window. It's bricked up. They put a building up right behind this one. That's right. It comes right out of the walls. Singing walls. Yeah, we got hot and cold running water here and singing walls. What I'm zup? That's the idea. Make yourself right at home. Hey, lie down. Lie down and take a little snooze. Sure, I'll be right back. What's the matter? Have a little trouble in here while I was gone? What's blood? Sure, blood. All over your shirt. Oh, him? Oh, he's all right. Just put him in the closet. Lock the door. Like that, see? Now you put the key right in your pocket so you'll know just where to find it. Don't worry. He'll be all right. No, I'm not going any place. I'll be back in just a minute. Here. Have another. Have another. I'll, I'll, I'll be back in just a minute. No. No, no. Let me out. Let me out of here. Tommy? Let me out of here. No, no, no. Tommy! What is it? The knocking at your door the longest time. Beam or something. What time is it? It's way afternoon. You came in pretty late. Did I? Toss me my bathroom, will you, sis? Don't you know what time you got in? Not exactly. Oh, Tommy. I know it's tough not having a job all these months, and I know you've tried, but this isn't doing any good. I know, sis, but last night was the first time in a month in any way it was different. I had a few drinks, but it was different. Something happened. What do you mean something happened? Well, it wasn't just the drinks. They were doped or something. Oh, Tommy. No, look, sis. It's not just an alibi. I don't remember where I was or anything. Only just now I seem to be dreaming about it. About what? About last night. I could hear you banging on the door all the time I was dreaming. And then it seemed as though I wasn't dreaming at all that I was remembering a lot of things. What sort of things? Well, it was all mixed up. There was a guy with a kind of a frog voice that kept giving me drinks. And I was sort of floating. Then there was a place that music came out of the walls. There was something about blood on my shirt, the key to a closet. Tommy, you're shaking like a leaf. Yeah. It was a pretty scary dream. If it was a dream? What you needed some good hot coffee. Now hurry up and get dressed and come on downstairs. Here, I'll get you out a clean shirt. I'd better wear the old one. I've only worn it once. No, but it's all messy. It does look kind of... Mildred. What? My shirt. Give it to me. Now what's the matter? Look, Mildred, that's blood. Well, I guess it is. I know it is, just like it was in the dream. Tommy, don't be so silly. You must have hurt yourself some way. But I didn't look. There wasn't a scratch on me. Well, then you got in a fight. Maybe. What else could it have been? Well, that's what I'm trying to think. Well, stop thinking and hurry up and get dressed. My goodness. Look at the way you threw your clothes around last night. Trousers on the floor. Here. Oh, dear. Everything's falling out of the pockets. I'll pick it up. You get dressed. Thanks. You were home with much, didn't you? Well, I didn't have much to start with. Well, I'll put it all up here on the bureau. 25 cents in change and your keys. Now hurry. What did you say? I said hurry. No, no, no. Before that, what did you say? I said I'd put your change and your keys up in the bureau. Keys? Yes. Mildred, I only have one key. Well, there are two there now. I know. Let me see them. Here. One's the key to the front door. Another one. It doesn't belong to any door in this house. It's the key to the closet. What closet? Last night, it wasn't a dream. Tommy, what are you talking about? Mildred, you better call Denny right away. But he's on duty. I know, but get him over here right away. Tommy, what is it? Last night, I think I killed a man. Let me look at your eyes. Listen, Denny, I... Mm-hmm. You were doped, all right? Well, I didn't know what it was. Now, how much do you remember? Look, Denny, I hated to bring in on this, and I didn't know who else to go to. Skip it. Well, it's the use of having a brother-in-law who's a cop if he can't help you once in a while. How much do you remember? Well, just what I've told you. Just like it wasn't a dream. Only it wasn't a dream. You see, there was this guy, Joe, just some guy I'd known from someplace. I don't know where. You see, I met him on the street and he took me to the party. And then the guy with the frog voice began to give me drinks. And then everything got confused. And I was in another place with the singing walls and some harmonica playing or something. I don't even know whether it was in the same apartment, but that's where the closet was. What about the guy you... the dead guy? Well, at first he wasn't there, and then he was. He was sort of slumped over in a big armchair. Then frog voice put him in the closet. That's what I remember. And then he left. And then I suddenly seemed to realize that the guy in the closet was dead, and that's why I got out of there. I don't know how. You don't have any idea where it was? No, no, I don't even know where the party was. You've never seen any of these people before? Except this guy, Joe, who took me to the party. And that's all I know about him, Denny. Just a guy named Joe that I knew by sight from some place. I don't know where or his last name or anything. Not much to go on, is there, kid? No, not much. A guy named Joe, singing walls in the closet. Another guy with a froggy voice. But I'd recognize him or his voice if I ever saw him again. Tommy, you're in a jam. Well, it looks right now there's a dead man in a closet somewhere in this town, and you killed him. Oh, but Denny, I... Well, maybe it didn't. If we find him before somebody else does, maybe we can figure out what did happen. The way it stands now, you're it. I know. We haven't got much time, either. The place is an apartment. They probably would have found the body already, and I'd know about it. It's a hotel. They check the guests out by six o'clock. That gives us about four hours. Four hours. For the murderer to find the guy he murdered. It's kind of crazy, isn't it? Tommy, you know how I feel about it. You know, I don't exactly hate you either. You know, I'll do everything in the world I possibly can to clear you. Sure, Denny, I know. But I'm a cop, Tommy. If you did it, you know I'm going to turn you in, don't you? Sure. I know that, too. Okay, kid. Now, let's start from the beginning. What about this Joe? I... I don't know anything about him. You know his name. You know his face. Thank Tommy, thank. Well, I'm trying to. If I could only remember. If I could only remember. So, a guy named Joe brought you, huh? He came up here from Joe's place. What's that? Oh, you don't even know where Joe lives, huh? Me? No, I don't know either. I never seen Joe before in my life. You still don't get it, Tommy? No, no, I don't. You told me where Joe is. I have? Sure. You see the sign over that saloon? Yeah, Joe's place. But how do you know that? Tommy, you were playing with bad boys last night. And this is where bad boys hang out, among other places. He's got a name. It's run by a guy named Joe. He minds his own business as far as we know, but his customers don't. So? It all clicked when I remembered you said the guy from the Frog Boys asked you if you came up there from Joe's place. He didn't mean where Joe lived or anything. He meant this place. He thought maybe you were one of the boys. Yeah, but how did I ever meet this Joe? I've never been here in my life. There's another joint, a respectable saloon. The sort of cover, about three blocks from our house, the town tavern. Hey, that's right. Remember? No, Joe may or may not be in on this. Frog Boys made a big play to you that he didn't know Joe. Never seen him before in his life. His customers always cover him. It's better for them that way. But if my hunch is right, Joe is going to be plenty surprised when he sees you walking there. Me? Walking there? No, don't worry. Just walk in and sit down at the bar. You're not out in a couple of minutes. I'll know you recognized the guy and we're on the right track. I'll come in as though I didn't see you and go into the phone booth. And then what? Then we'll see. Okay, kid? Okay. Oh, one thing. Huh? If he offers you a drink on the house, take it. Sure. Oh, here goes. What a big man. Here. Well, he got you. Oh, it doesn't matter. Suit yourself. Well, what do you know? Tell me. Hi, Joe. Hey, what are you doing down in this part of town, kid? Oh, I had to come down to see a guy. I didn't know you had this place. Oh, just a little sideline? That's where our face started, you know. Sure, I know. One beer? That'll be 10 cents. Hey, no, no, none of that. You got to have one on me, kid. A real drink. What do you have? Well, a scotch. Okay. A scotch for the gentleman, Larry. The very best. You understand? Oh, yes, sure. I'll take right. Hey, Tommy, that was some party last night, huh? What? Yeah. Hey, where'd you disappear to? I was looking all over for you. You know, that's a funny thing I don't even remember. I get it. Well, the guy has to cut loose once in a while, huh? Yeah. One scotch, the very best. One ride. Well, here's to you. Wait a minute. Hey, who are you? Uh, uh, this is my brother-in-law. Denny, this is Joe. Say, you must have got those drinks mixed up. You never drink scotch, Tommy. You only drink rye. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, you take the rye and give Joe the scotch, and I'll take your beer. Yeah, I don't like scotch. I never touch it. Okay, I'll take it. Thanks. By the way, Joe, you haven't got a little bottle I could pour this into, have you? Say, who do you think you're kidding, bud? I'm from headquarters. There's my badge. Oh. Oh, now, wait a minute. I didn't know that you... I suppose you don't know what I'd find in this drink if I took it down to be analyzed, either. Hey, now, look, I don't want any trouble. I never had any. They can tell you down at headquarters. Of course, it's a matter of a dope. You can't buy your way out of this one, Chum. I want talk and I want it quick. What kind of talk? Where'd you take Tommy last night? It was just a little party, a private party. Yeah, and they slipped things in people's drinks there, too. Now, I don't know anything about that. Now, honest, I hardly know the people. Who's the guy with the frog voice? Voice? I don't know any guy with a frog voice. Now, look, I told you I don't want any trouble. They can tell you that down at headquarters. Listen, there's a narcotics wrappin' this for somebody, and it could be you. Where was the party? Caught in the square west. Number 75. Some people named Surrell. Come on, Tommy. You're coming too, Joe. Just in case. Surrell, AJ. Does this look like the place, Tommy? Looks like it. Could be. Everything has been so confused since last night. Well, this is it. It better be. Mrs. Surrell? Yes? I'm from police headquarters. Oh? Mind if we come in and look around? Oh, I'm...no. Come on, Tommy. You too, Joe. By the way, you two know each other? Oh, space familiar. I think he's been here on a couple of parties, so we kind of get crazy parties. All kinds of people wander in and out. Is that what the trouble is? It might be. You know anyone with a froggy voice? No. Not that I can remember. Okay. Let's look at the apartment. Well, this is the hall, of course. And here's the living room. Joe, you stay here in the hall. And you better be here when I get back. I'll be here. So this is the living room? Uh-huh. This is the bedroom. Looks kind of messy now. You see anything? No. Over here's the kitchenette. I see. That's about all there is to it. Uh, what's that room there? Oh, that's just a sort of storeroom. Well, I think we better look at it, though. Come on. All right. There, see? There's nothing much in it. An old armchair and a bed. We use it as a guest room sometimes. Can we eat that closet? Well, there's nothing in there. It's a lot of old odds and ends. Open it. Well, it's locked. All right. Unlock it. I'm not sure where the key is. And lady, you better find it. Well, I'll try. It'll be right back. Is this it, Tommy? Well, there was a closet like that. And a window just over there where that one is. And the armchair and the bed. Don't you remember? I can't, Denny. Let me have that key. Wait a minute. Here she comes. I think this is it. Try it. Sort of stick sometimes. I'll help you. There she comes. See? Just a lot of old junk. Uh-huh. Oh, come on, Denny. You sure? Sure. I'm sure. Come on. Well, I guess that's all, Mr. Sorrell. Thanks for showing us around. That's all right. Hello, Joe. Still here, huh? You don't mind if I stay here and visit a while, do you? Oh, I guess not. Well, goodbye. Bye. Thanks again. Well, goodbye and good luck, copper. I'm sorry, Denny. That was a try. What do we do now? I don't know, Tommy. I don't know. Think, Tommy. Think. You found Joe. Now what about those singing walls? We got hot and cold running water here. And singing walls. Yeah, listen. What? That's it. The singing walls that Muska heard last night. You sure? Sure. I remember the piece, the harmonic and everything. It's coming from right around here someplace. Denny, it's coming from there or pop and the one we just left, Sorrell's. Well, come on. This must be the place, Tommy. The closet, now the music. They must have been pulling a fast one on us. Well? All right. Quit stalling. Come on, Tommy. Stalling? You heard me. You two brushed us off pretty slick, didn't you? Hey, now listen, I told you I don't know anything about this, but if you... Where's the music coming from? Well, from the radio. The radio? Yes, I turned it on in the kitchen just now when I started to fix dinner. It's a little portable. Here, see? Okay. I don't get it. What did you mean by... Skip it. Well, Tommy, here we go again. I don't care. That was the music I heard. And that's the same number and it sounds like the same band. Hey, wait a minute. Now what? Where's your phone? On the desk. Tommy, look and see what station that's coming over. All right. WBTA. It's a local station. Thanks. Hello? Operator? Get me station WBTA. Okay. A radio station. I don't know what the number is. Just get it. This is a police call. Thanks. Maybe wrong, Tommy, but I got a hunch. Hello? WBTA? What's that band you've got on now? I don't care if it's an electrical transcription or a Mickey Mouse cartoon. What's that guy's name? What? Turn off that radio. Now, what was that guy's name? Yeah. Mm-hmm. Well, where can we get ahold of this guy? Where does he hang out? I see. Five nights a week, huh? That include the night? Thanks. It's a small-time band leader, Tom. A man he can have on his harmoniers, he calls himself, and he plays at a place called the Silver Slipper out in a concourse. Come on. Coming. You better get on that phone, Joe. You dumb. You would have to turn on that radio. There's a Silver Slipper right over there. Okay. Let us out here. Right. There you are. Thank you, sir. Look, familiar to you around here, Tommy? Oh, I'm afraid it's a bum-steered any. Look, kid, here's the way I figure this music deal. You may have heard a recording of this band the way you did a little while ago, but there's a good chance you actually heard the guy himself. Do you know what time it was when you heard it? Well, it was just night. That's all I know. All right. They don't make recordings often of unknown bands. And this Silver Slipper isn't on the air. So maybe you're out here someplace and you haven't heard the band itself. Maybe. I know it's kind of a long shot, kid, but right now it's the best we got. Let's case the joint. Don't look like there are any rooms with closets and a Silver Slipper. Say, what about that crummy-looking hotel next to it? Yeah, I was just thinking. If you were in a room with a closet and all that and you really did hear this band, that hotel's the only place you could have been. Oh, I wish I could remember something. The shape you were in, you probably signed your own name, too. By the way, what time you got? 10 to 6. 10 to 6. The deadline's pretty close, kid. Yeah. This better be right. What a dump. I could only remember. Now there's a clerk we'll see. Say, you got a guy named Tom Cochran here? Tom Cochran? I don't know. It's all right. We're friends of his. Let's see. When did he register? Last night. Mm. Sure, here it is. Tom Cochran and Ben Doyle, room 209. I don't think they're in now. No? No. Well, they were out at a big party last night. Probably haven't pulled themselves together yet. As a matter of fact, that's where we came to see them. Should I ring again? No, we'll sort of surprise them. OK, right up those stairs. But they've got to be out by six or pay for another night. No, we'll take care of that. Let's go, Tom. Denny, did you see that handwriting on the register? Yeah. It was mine, all right. This is it, Tommy. One way or another. Yeah. Here's 209. Don't put your hand on that door now. Fingerprints. Use your handkerchief. It's locked. I got some keys. It's an easy lock. Here we go, kid. Denny, this is it. Close that door. Yeah. There's the closet. Give me the key. Here, you better hold my gun on that door just in case. All right. Denny, look out. He was just falling. He's dead. Oh. Gee, this is awful. You remember now? Yeah. But I can't put it together. Let's have a look. Oh. Stabbed. Here's his driver's license. Benjamin Doyle. Give me it. Hello? Oh, yeah. We found them all right. No, they're going to keep the room for another night. No, no, no. There's not a thing we want. We're in for it now, kid. Denny, look on the floor over there. Class night. Covered with blood. That's what did it, all right? Yeah. Hey. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's mine. Tommy, why didn't you tell me? Honest, Denny. I didn't even know I'd lost until I just saw it there now. Finger prints all over. It's clear as though they've been made in ceiling wax. Right-handed, aren't you, Tommy? Yeah, right-handed. Let me see your right hand. It doesn't take an expert to read these. Those prints are yours, all right, kid. Yeah, I guess they are. And you still don't remember? Honest, Denny, I don't. Can you think of any other explanation? No. There's a guy with a frog voice, but... I must have just dreamed him up. I don't know. All right, kid. I guess this is it. You did all you could, Denny. Don't feel bad. You can plead insanity or something. Maybe we can prove you were doped. Maybe. You'd better call headquarters, Denny. Let's get it over. All right. So where are you going? I'm going to have a phone from here. The clerk will wait for me. There's no use getting all the wolves on us before we have to. Aren't you afraid that I'll... No, no. Well, I won't. I just have him send a detective car. You won't have to go on the wagon. Thanks. But I'll let me have my gun. Sure. I'll be back. I'll hide out for a couple of minutes. You look kind of sick. I am. That's the idea. Take a little snooze. I won't be gone long. Get a little sleep. Do your good. I'll be right back. Have a little trouble in here? Blood. Sure, blood. All over your shirt. Oh, he's all right. Put him in the closet. Lock that door. Keep right in your pocket. I'm not going any place. Back in just a minute. Sure. I'll be right back. Be right back. You! Yeah, me. Hey, what are you going to do with him, Froggy? Get him in the other room until his copper friend misses him and starts looking. Listen, I don't want to be in anything like this. Shut up! You're in it up to your neck. Come on, you, get up. Okay. Get going. I'll have to haul you. Open the other door, Joe. Sure. Get in there. Is that the guy, Frog? Yeah. Listen, Froggy, this don't look so good. There was people who knew you were getting ready to give it to Doyle. Sure, sure. That's why I framed this guy. Oh, the trouble I went to doped him and brought Doyle in there when he was out. Planted a key on him, bloodied him up with a knife in his hand. I still don't see how he ever came to in time. Yeah, but he did so what? We frame him again. Music? You like music, don't you? You're pretty sweet about music, ain't you? Well, for your information, that's harmonica hell rehearsing for the night. And in this room, it comes through the window. On account of the reservoir window. But in the other room, it comes through the walls. On account of the rate, no window. Catch on. Better close the window, Joe. No, no, wait a minute. Yeah, I do like music. Do you mind if a guy in a spot like I am hears a little music? What about it, Froggy? Sure, sure. Leave it up and let's have music while we work. It'll cover up the noise if he makes any fuss. So what's the new angle? Knock him out. Jump him in the park. Dead by his own hand. Remorse. We leave the gun beside him and plant some adorable stuff on him. Yeah, yeah, I got it. All right, get going. Get going. Tie him up. Right. Yeah. Put a hand to him. He needs him out. Yeah. Put a card around him. He's drunk, see? And we're taking care of him. Okay. What? Run him back. Nobody else here is going out that way. All right, all right. You ready? Just a minute. All right, take a look. All right. Take a look at the door. Okay. All clear? Yeah. Let's go. Lock the door after we go on. Okay. Down the hall at the back stairs. Hey, what the? All right, drop those guns and get out of here. Cover them, you guys. I got it. What do you say, sir? You'll find out, Graziana. Get that guy out of the guy's mouth and untie him, Mike. Sure. Denny. I heard the music. I hoped you would. I asked him to leave the window. I heard the conversation, too. Enough. Okay, boys. Take him down. All right. Come on. Come on. Say, who are those guys? Graziani's a mobster. Doyle was one of his boys who double-crossed him. How do you feel? Okay, I guess. That was kind of close. Yeah, all the way around. Look, kid, I... Skip it, Denny. I'm sorry, Tommy. Honest. I thought you did it. Denny, until just now, so did I. And so closes the singing wall, starring Preston Foster with Dane Clark. Tonight's tale of... Suspense. This is your narrator, the man in black, who conveys to you Columbia's invitation to spend this half hour in suspense with us again next week at this same time. When Miss Lillian Gish and Mr. Rattle Krueger will star in the suspense play, Marry for Murder. The producer of these broadcasts, William Spear, who with Ted Bliss, the director, Bernard Herman and Lucy and Marrowick, conductor and composer, and Robert L. Richards, the radio author, collaborated on tonight's suspense. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.