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Elliot Reed in dead of night a suspense play produced for Schenley by William Spear Suspense radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by roma wines That's r.o.m.a. roma wines those better tasting California wines This is the month of June when hearts are gay and wedding bells ring when the new bride is toasted in the brides of yesteryear are honored with traditional champagne So remember the occasion say it with roma champagne a superb bulk process sparkling wine and Discover better taste at its brilliant best You'll find the golden goodness of sparkling roma champagne the crowning touch to every festive occasion Whether it be wedding reception or anniversary formal dinner or just friendly entertaining at home yet for all its premium quality roma champagne now actually cost you less at new low prices roma champagne or any roma wine is your best buy in better taste and Now roma wines bring you mr. Elliot Reed in a remarkable tale of suspense Helen and I had never been apart since our folks died Never before that summer when I got a job at a mountain resort She was supposed to go with me wait on tables or something and it was to be our vacation But at the last minute she decided to stay in town. She figured her boyfriend Steve might be coming home on furlough. I Should have known better my sister was such a kid But I let her talk me into it and I went alone That was the beginning of the whole thing That's when she met him Phil Armstrong If I hadn't gone away that summer I Guess Phil would be alive today All during the time I was gone Helen didn't write much and what letters I did get didn't seem natural So I was anxious to finish my job and get home. I Expected her to be at the bus station, but she wasn't and when I got to the apartment. I could hear someone moving inside The door was locked so I knocked Helen who is it? It's me Jimmy yeah Open the door. Oh Jimmy just a minute Since when have you taken to locking the door in the daytime? What did you do to yourself your face? Were you in an accident? I Fell Jimmy. I fell and I hurt myself Your eyes swollen shut. Let me look at it Jimmy There's something to tell you what are these suitcases doing here you and I are going away Jimmy We've got to get out of here. I've packed everything. We're going no place till you tell me what this is all about While you were gone I Got married married You mean Steve was here on furlough No, Jimmy not to Steve not But you were engaged to him. I know but I got a letter from him right after you left He he married someone he met where he was stationed Gee I was pretty upset Jimmy and that's when I met Phil Armstrong But gee I think you might have I don't even know the guy. No, neither did I but I was unhappy You just don't go off and marry someone you don't know that's what I did Jimmy Now we've got to get out of here, but why because there's been there's been trouble. What kind of trouble? I'm afraid Jimmy. He's terrible. He he takes something. I don't know what but sometimes he's just crazy Helen Yes, your face You didn't fall No He did that I'll kill him or he'll kill you. That's what I mean. That's why we've got to get away You can get a divorce can't you? Oh, he threatened me if I even tried to get we'll put him under a peace bond What good would a peace bond be Jimmy? If he killed one of us So I let her talk me into running away. I guess I shouldn't have but I knew that if I saw him after what he'd done to her Well, anyhow, she looked so frightened. I thought it best to let her do it her way We got to Santa Monica that night and we stopped at a motel near the water Well a week slipped by and Ellen seemed to be forgetting She didn't jump every time someone knocked at the door. I Managed to get a job at one of the shooting concessions on the pier and we both began to feel good for a while Then one night late as I came home from work. I heard voices coming from our apartment I knew who it was and I knew from what Helen had told me it would be foolish for me to go in unarmed So I ran back to the shooting concession. I knew something was going to happen Didn't take long But when I got back the lights were out and the sound of voices was gone. I tried the door It was very dark and then my foot struck something soft and heavy on the floor I Snapped on the switch and the room was flooded with light and I looked down Into a dead man's face. I stood there shivering with cold and terror Looking down at that man Although I'd never seen him in life. I knew this was Phil her husband There was a deep gash over his eye and the blood still flowed from it onto the floor. I Stepped over him. I ran into the bedroom Helen Helen There was no one in the bedroom or in the kitchen and then I heard the front door open close that door Helen Close it. Do you hear me? Be quiet turn the lights out Be quiet. I tell you Stay where you are. Don't move Helen. I don't know keep quiet Jimmy it's Mrs. Gordon Just a minute Mrs. Gordon, I'll get something on Oh, some friends of mine, Mrs. Gordon. They were they were having a party. They're gone now You should be ashamed of yourself open this door. I want to talk to you. I'm not dressed. I was taking a shower I'm tired. I was just going to bed She has a pass key Jimmy All right. All right, Mrs. Gordon Just let me get some clothes on. I Didn't know what to do. I knew that she was determined to come in Mrs. Gordon is a nosy old woman But she meant well she'd taken it upon herself to mother Helen and me since the first minute She laid eyes on us and we'd had a time keeping her out of the apartment with her pots of jam and her bowls of soup What do we do Jimmy? Helen take him by the feet. No Helen take him by the feet We started half dragging half carrying him towards the bedroom the rug slipping along the floor as we moved We'd just gotten into the bedroom and then She might come into the bedroom quick the bathroom What if she comes in here pull back those shower curtains Jimmy? We can't don't argue pull them back I'll double them up now pull the curtains together just a minute Mrs. Gordon Get me a razor out of the medicine chest Here, what are you gonna do? Never mind stay where you are I'm coming Mrs. Gordon Just as I suspected you've been fighting you've hurt yourself here. Let me see your hand. It isn't bad Mrs. Gordon No wonder you didn't want me to come in. Where's Helen? She's out. She hasn't been here all evening here Let's look at your hand. It isn't bad. Mrs. Gordon. You let me see that hand there But Jimmy this is a bad gas. Have you disinfected it? Yes. Yes, I have well. Let me bandage it for you No, this towel is all right. It's not all right. Where are your bandages and things in the bathroom? No, no I don't have any you're just saying that Jimmy Barton because you don't want to be bandaged You're not fooling me and I'm going right into the bathroom and get some no not the bat I mean I don't have any. Well, I'll just see for myself. No, no, Mrs. Gordon Jimmy you've dripped blood all over this floor here. Let's look in this medicine closet There I knew it. Here's some tape and some gauze too. Mrs. Gordon Can't we do this in the living room? No, we'll do it right here now. Here's some alcohol. Put your hand over here We stood there and she bandaged me and I kept wondering where Helen had gone And then I saw the shower curtain move slightly and I knew For a moment. I thought Mrs. Gordon had seen it move to Jimmy just look at that shower curtain. Yes. Goodness. You smeared that with blood, too I'd better clean things up before Helen gets home. You'll scare the life out of it. I'll clean it up, Mrs. Gordon You've done enough. Thanks very much for taking care of this hand. Well, all right if you don't want me to Now you'd better get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Jimmy. Good night, Mrs. Gordon Jimmy, I had to hide some place It was the only thing you could do Yes, all right, Mrs. Gordon, I'll be up first thing in the morning. Good night. Good night I have to get him out of here. Yeah, where are we taking? I don't know. I've got to think Helen you try and rest Jimmy. Let me get to the police Let me tell him that I did it. Let me tell him what he was. They won't do anything to me. No, no, you try and rest What time is it? About six. Well, I've got two hours before the painters get here. What are you going to do? Well, there's the car no one will see us if we take him through the service porch into the garage Then what I don't know, but that'll get him out of here anyway. I Think I can do it alone Helen. Listen Jimmy. We're in this mess because of me and I'm going to help you I'm going to help you For suspense Roma wines are bringing you Elliot Reed in dead of night from a wine's presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills suspense presented by Roma R. O. M. A Roma wines those better tasting wines that come from California's finest vineyards to enrich your table to enhance the hospitality of your home To bring you better tasting wine Roma selects and presses California's choicest grapes then Roma ventures with ancient skill and winemaking resources unmatched in America Guide this sun drenched grape treasure unhurriedly to tempting taste perfection these fine wines are placed with other Roma wines of years before and From these reserves the world's greatest reserves of fine wine Roma later selects for your enjoyment Now you can enjoy the premium quality of your favorite Roma, California wine at savings up to 20% Tomorrow as a special after-dinner treat try rich Roma port or mellow muscatel Be sure to ask for Roma America's favorite wine and now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Elliot Reed as Jimmy Barton With Kathy Lewis as Helen in Dead of Night a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense When I went into the bathroom the shower curtains were standing open His legs had slipped from their cramped position, and they pushed themselves into the room His head twisted down in his chin digging into his chest. I took a washcloth and I It was awful Wipe the blood off his face Just in case anyone saw us They might think he was just sick Then I tried to lift him But I slipped and his head made a hollow sound as it thumped down on the shower floor Helen helped me get him into the luggage compartment of the car. Where are we going Jimmy? Helen? Won't you stay in the apartment, please? No, I couldn't I'm going with you Alright, come on Lucky it's so foggy. Yeah What time is it five or seven the fog will be clearing soon It'll be harder getting him out of the car. I mean what Jimmy. There's a Santa Monica pier You can drive cars out to the end of it. Maybe yeah It's worth a try anyway We'll have to act fast that fogs clearing you stay here. I can manage alone this time. I'll help you Jimmy You stay here this time. All right Call me if you need me. I'll go around to the back. Keep your eyes open Someone's coming. Who is it? I can't see Jimmy it's it's a policeman. What it's a policeman It's slugger Vanda. He's patrolman on the pier. Oh Hello slugger. Well, when do you get your sleep Jimmy while you're working? Yeah slugger, but I couldn't seem to remember if I'd locked up the old shooting gallery So I came over this morning to have a look around. Oh, I see This is my sister slugger. How long this is slugger Vanda. How do you do? Hello? Well, you're an early writer too, huh? Yes, well the farce clearing up looks like we're gonna get some Sunday day from change. Yeah Well, I guess I'll be getting back. I think I'll try and catch a few more hours sleep So long Oh say Jimmy. Yeah, Jim I have to take my wife over to a nursery today and pick up some plants and stuff And I don't have a trunk on my car. I wonder if you let me use your car I what you you have to drive me over to Malibu this afternoon Jimmy. Yeah, I'd forgotten My car. Well, you see other things. I'll wreck that beautiful car. Oh, it isn't that slugger Okay, okay. I'll be over about noon. I'll eat my car when I get back. I won't be home at noon slugger I'm not interested to the pier. How's that? Alright slugger Why'd you say you'd meet him? Oh if I don't he'll go over to the apartment looking for you I mean for us and I don't want a policeman going over there As we drove along the ocean the fog cleared up rapidly It was almost eight o'clock and some kids were already out on the beach playing around Then I saw a group of early picnickers. They were unloading their blankets and umbrellas and things. I Guess it was from them that I got the idea From seeing them Listen Helen, I'm gonna let you out of this car You can't help me with what I have to do now. No Jimmy. I'm staying with you. Don't argue Helen I'm not leaving you Jimmy. We can't go back to the apartment with the painters there And we can't leave him in the car Slugger's liable to see us and pin us down to using it. There's only one place left. Where Jimmy? Helen get out of this car to you here. Well, but Jimmy I haven't time to argue with you Get out. I won't do it Jimmy. Yes, you will if I have to push you out. Jimmy, you're hurting me Now go back to the apartment get off that running board Helen. I can't leave you alone Jimmy I want to help. I'm not blaming you for killing him Helen, but now you've got to do as I say What did you say? I don't blame you for what you did. He deserved it But now you've got to help me handle things. Jimmy, you've got to let me explain. Goodbye Helen She kept calling me I drove on as fast as I could I Knew that what I was gonna do was one chance in a minion, but I knew I had to take it And I didn't want her to be part of it If I could keep him on the beach that whole day Then maybe I'd be able to get rid of him when night fell It wasn't until after I stopped that I realized I'd driven right back to a strip of beach not far from the apartment I had my swimming shorts and a blanket and a towel in the car, and I got out looked around carefully And then I opened the luggage compartment It was the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life But I started taking his clothes off. I managed to get my shorts onto him Lucky we were pretty near the same size Then I closed the door And I went out onto the beach and I spread my blanket out on the sand And I went back for him When there were no cars in sight I carried him over to where I'd spread my blanket And I placed him on it face down with his hands folded over his head as though we were sunbathing Then I spread my towel out a short distance from him and I laid down on it and I tried To look relaxed People didn't start to arrive until about an hour later and Gradually little groups of Sunday there started to form He and I we looked no different from the others No one paid any attention to us And I was beginning to feel that everything was gonna be easy once it was dark again, but Hello, Mrs. Gordon Isn't she in the apartment? No, and what time did you go out this morning? I I couldn't sleep. They didn't hell and come in at all last night. Oh, yes. Yes, she did But she left early too Said she was going into Los Angeles. Oh and I left her a note to tell her I was going down the beach today I was so worried about her Say the painters came Jimmy everything's a mess. You know, I think I'll just sit here with you for a while You're you're not with anyone. Are you know? No, I'm not Wish I brought some oil along looks like it's gonna be a hot day These things these days that start off foggy or deceiving, you know, yeah Yeah, they are this is a real treat for me Jimmy. I never get out on the beach I think I'll have a nice day of rest for a change later. We can get some sandwiches the treats on me. Well, Mrs. Gordon No, I hadn't planned on spending the day at the beach. It'd be good for you Jimmy Not healthy for a boy you're raised to be working all night and sleeping all day, but Mrs. Gordon night Say Jimmy, you know that man over there Which one that one right there No, I don't know him. He's lying to steal his back's gonna get an awful burn Yeah, you suppose he's asleep. It isn't good to sleep in the sun. Mrs. Gordon Will the painters be finished by this afternoon? I hope so You know a person can get an awful burn on a day like this somebody ought to speak to miss this Gordon Wouldn't you like to go for a walk? Oh, I'm not one for walking. You can go ahead if you like. Well, I come on dick pitch it over here Those kids you children stop that you're getting sand all over me There's no need to play ball here. There's a playground over by the pier now get away from here I don't pay no attention to her. She don't own the beach pitch it over here Now see what they've done They've hit that poor man now. They'll get what's coming to Mrs. Gordon Now you're sure you don't want to go up and get some sandwiches or something. I'll stay until I see those two hoodlums get what they deserve Look at that balls right in the crook of that man's arm. He's pretending you to sleep He's not gonna hand it to them, but just wait till they reach for it. You give them something besides their ball What are you waiting for dickie? It's our ball. Just take it go on take it here. I'll get it Thanks, mr. Boyo Hey, he's cold What did you say? He's cold lady his arms like ice. I just touched it. Oh, I don't you'll you probably hurt him Ah little boy like this couldn't hurt nobody. Well, nevertheless, it did here. Let's have a look And then she started moving toward him I knew it was useless to try and stop her And she reached over and put her hand on his back And suddenly she was screaming Before long there was a crowd of people around us and someone called the police I wanted to run, but I knew that would be the wrong thing to do So I stayed there numb like watching things When the police came they started questioning everyone Mrs. Gordon was first he'd been there all morning I came early and he was here already just like that with his face down just like he was sunbathing Was there anyone else around when you arrived? Well, yes, jimmy was here. He was here all alone with him. Weren't you jimmy? Yes Yes, I was doesn't anyone know the man Hey, I told you kids to keep away. Do you hear oh, we discovered him didn't we but hadn't been for us Yeah, we don't even know a clue when you see one look at his fingernail see the child right officer No, what's that? Let's see Yeah, it looks like powder or something flaky Are you sure none of you people around here recognize him? Well, I've never seen him Officer that blanket he's lying on it's from my motel See it's stamped right under where you moved his hand see side motor cabins Sure, he wasn't registered. I'm positive. Is there anyone around here from your motel? Look look jimmy Here comes Helen she's crying. Mrs. Gordon. I asked you if there's anybody around here from your motel Well, yes, yes jimmy barton here and that girl she's his sister. They've been with us for several weeks And suddenly everyone was looking at me and at Helen as she ran towards us And like a fool I too started to run in Helen's direction to ward her off I didn't get far though for someone caught me by the arm Jimmy I've been looking all over for you. Don't say anything Helen. Let me do the talking. Don't say anything When you forced me out of the car this morning You said you said you didn't blame me for having killed him Helen. Be still don't Jimmy. I didn't kill him I thought you had I was helping you get rid of him because I thought you'd done it Helen Are you telling the truth? Bill and I were quarreling. He'd been taking something and Jenny was just like he was crazy And I knew they'd be trouble when you came home from work. So I got out the back way and I went looking for you on the Pier and what I couldn't find I went back to the apartment and I found him on the floor. I thought you but Helen why didn't just say so Didn't get me a chance Jimmy. You just took it for granted that I then who did kill him Helen? That's what I'm trying to tell you Nobody killed him. What are you talking about? I went to the apartment a little while ago to wait for you While I was there. I remembered about Phil last night I was changing he'd acted Jimmy and how he'd almost fallen several times or we were quarreling And then I saw the gas heater Jimmy that there was a sharp edge on the top of it with blood on it He must have fallen he must have Helen we've no way of proving that there was something else Jimmy The wall above the heater was scratched that there might be fingerprints There might be officer That flaky stuff you found under his fingernails That might have been plaster. Uh-huh. I think we better get down to the station. Oh, jimmy. They've got to believe us Don't cry Helen as long as we know that we didn't do it. That's all that matters Everything's gonna be all right Don't cry anymore Well, that's about it Lucky for us everything checked pretty well back at the motel and the autopsy showed he was full of some kind of drug They call it highly toxic But I guess it was really mrs. Gordon who saved our necks for us Besides talking so loud and so long that they'd have probably acquitted us just to be rid of her She did dig up a witness who'd heard Helen and Phil quarreling and who'd seen Helen leave alone after he threatened her Well, everything's all right now Helen and I are beginning to forget But it's mrs. Gordon who's making quite a nuisance of herself on the beach these days As she goes along poking all the sunbathers and asking if they're sure they're all right Oh, we will hear from the star of tonight's show mr. Elliott re Thank you very much It was a great pleasure to appear on tonight's broadcast of suspense For the next three weeks suspense will originate from new york when you will hear evil agallion Alan Baxter and gloria swanson. Good night. Tonight suspense play was written by melden ellie next thursday same time You will hear miss evil agallion as star all suspense Produced by william spear for the roma wine company of fresno california Among americans whose wine sellers are superbly stocked. The choice is cerie sta bla nca cresta Crest of blanca Yes, the best serve cresta blanca california wines from the finest of the vines As the perfect prelude to dining or for distinguished entertaining serve a cresta blanca cherry They're among the great cherries of the world and there's one for every taste every occasion Your dealer features these famous cherries as well as other choice cresta blanca wines at unusually attractive prices chenley's cresta blanca wine company livermore california. Listen to suspense next week same time same station This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system