 Now, Roma Wines present, Suspense, this evening, the dead of the night, starring Robert Cummings. Suspense is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines. Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live, to your happiness in entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right, now a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you... Suspense! This is the man in black here for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California, who tonight from Hollywood bring you in his first appearance in a radio drama since his enlistment as United States Army Air Force Flight Instructor, one of the screens' favorite young players, Mr. Robert Cummings. And so with the strange events which befell the young Californian named Jimmy Barton, in the dead of the night, and with the performance of Robert Cummings, we again hope to keep you in suspense. Helen and I had never been apart since our folks died, never before that summer when I got a job up at Lake Errahead. She was supposed to go with me, wait on tables or something. It was to be our vacation, but at the last minute she decided to stay in LA. She figured her boyfriend, Steve, might be coming home on a furlough. I should have known better. My sister was such a kid, but I let her talk me into it. And I left her there 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. During the time that 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 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? It's me. Yeah, open the door. Hi, honey. Since when have you taken to locking the door in the data? Helen, what did you do to yourself, your face? Were you in an accident? I fell, Jimmy. I fell and I hurt myself. Well, your eyes swollen shut. Let me look at it. Jimmy, I have 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 packed everything. We're going no place till you tell me what this is all about. Well, Jimmy, while you were gone, I got married. Married? You mean Steve was here on his furlough? No, Jimmy, not to Steve. But you were engaged to him? Yes, I know. I got a letter from him right after you left. He married someone he met where he was stationed. Oh, Helen, gee, I... I was pretty upset, Jimmy, and that's when I met Phil Armstrong. Gee, I think you might have... I don't even know the guy. No. Neither did I. I was unhappy. Well, 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 trouble. What kind of trouble? I'm afraid, Jimmy. It's terrible. He takes something. I don't know what. But sometimes he's... he's crazy. Helen. Yes? Your face. You didn't fall. No. He did that. I'll... I'll kill him. He'll kill you. That's what I mean. That's what we've got to get away. Well, you can get a divorce, can't you? He threatened me if I even tried to get one. Who'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 I saved my salary and I had some gas coupons. We didn't know where we were going, but we started out. I don't know what he'll do when he finds I've gone. Helen, don't you think we ought to go to the police? I'm afraid, Jimmy. I know him. I know what he'd do if he found out we'd reported him. But they'd protect us, Helen. They'd protect us. What if he got to us before they got to him? And 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. A week slipped by and Helen seemed to be forgetting. She didn't jump every time someone knocked at the door and she began to get a nice tan. I managed to get a job. It was at McGuffey's, Potluck Gallery and one of the shooting concessions on the pier. Then one night later as I came home from work I heard voices coming from our apartment. I knew who it was and I knew that from what Helen had told me it would be foolish for me to go in unarmed. So I ran back to the shooting concession. It 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. Tonight for suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you a star, Mr. Robert Cummings, whom you've heard in the prologue to The Dead of the Night by Mel Dinelli, tonight's tale of suspense. Yes, it is true that our own wonderful vineyard country in California produces in Roma wines that discriminating people in many foreign lands esteem as an imported delicacy. Yet you here at home can enjoy these distinguished Roma wines for mere pennies a glassful. Daily with your meals or when entertaining or anytime, you can delight yourself and your guests with the wonderful taste that comes from age old wine making traditions perfected by modern knowledge. For a treat you are certain to enjoy, place on the table with dinner tomorrow night, a cool bottle of hearty rich red Roma California Burgundy. It doesn't matter what the meal is or what kind of glasses you use to serve Roma. It's good in any glass with any meal. Your family, your guests will find new pleasure in even the simplest foods. For Roma wine makes any meal a feast at only pennies a glass. Try it yourself tomorrow. Ask your dealer for R-O-M-A, Roma wine. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. And now it is with pleasure that we bring back to our sound stage Robert Cummings who as young Jimmy Barton resumes his narrative concerning the death of a brother-in-law. In the dead of the night a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. It's funny how in the biggest, the most important, the most terrifying moments of your whole life you remember little tiny insignificant things. I remember that I set my alarm. It was to go off at five o'clock. I'd set it to wake me up that afternoon and a bird started to chatter outside as I stood there shivering with cold and terror looking down at that dead man's face. Although I'd never seen him alive. 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 and I ran into the bedroom. Helen! Helen! But there was no one in the bedroom or in the kitchen. And then I heard the front door open. Jimmy! Close that door, Helen. Oh, Jimmy! Close it, do you hear me? But I let you in four. Mrs. Gordon. Just a minute, Mrs. Gordon. I'll get something on. What is it? Just some friends of mine, Mrs. Gordon. They were having a party. They're gone now. I'm not dressed. I was taking a shower. Well, put something on. Well, I'm tired. I just was going to bed. Jimmy, I told you I wanted to talk to you. Now would you open this door? She has a past here, Jimmy. All right. All right, Mrs. Gordon. Just let me get some clothes on. I'll get you to a- I didn't know what to do. I knew she was determined to come in. Mrs. Gordon was a nosy old woman. She meant well. She'd taken it upon herself to mother Helen and me. She was always coming into the apartment with her pots of jam and her bowls of soup. I knew no matter what I said, nothing would stop her. What do we do, Jimmy? Take him by the feet. Oh, no. Helen, take him by the feet. It's no use. It's no use. We started half-dragging, half-carrying him towards the bedroom. The rug slipping along the floor as we moved. We just got into the bedroom and then... Time's up, Jimmy. And as long as your good mother doesn't hear and look at you, I'm going to myself. We can't leave him here. She might come into the bedroom. Quick, the bathroom. Ah, you! What if she comes in here? Pull back those jar curtains. Jimmy, we can't... Don't argue. Pull them back. I'll double them up. Have you been a fire? Just a minute, Mrs. Gordon. Give me a razor. I'll have medicine for jazz. I'm coming, Mrs. Gordon. You've been fighting and you've hurt yourself. Now let me see your hand. It isn't bad, Mrs. Gordon. Oh, no wonder you didn't want me to come in. Where's Helen? She's out. She hasn't been here all evening. Well, let's look at that hand. Well, it isn't bad, Mrs. Gordon, really. You let me see that hand. Oh, Jimmy, this is a bad gas. Have you disinfected it? Yes, yes, I have. Well, let me bandage it for you. Well, but this towel's all right. It's not all right. Where are your bandages and things in the bathroom? No, no. I mean, I don't have any. Now you're just saying that, Jimmy Button, because you don't want to be bandaged. You're not fooling me. I'm going right into the bathroom and getting... No, not the bathroom. I mean, I don't have any. Well, I'll just see for myself. No, no, Mrs. Gordon. Blood all over this floor. Here, let's look at this medicine closet. Here's some tape and some gauze, too. Mrs. Gordon, can't we just do this in the living room? No, we'll do it right here. Now, here's some alcohol. Come on, 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, too. Jimmy, just look at that shower curtain. Yes. Goodness, you smid that with blood, too. Well, I'd better clean things up for you before Helen gets home. I will scare the life out of you. 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. Oh, Jimmy. Helen. I had to hide something. I know. I know. It was the only thing it could do. Jimmy! Yes? He ain't done tomorrow. So you have to be out of here these days without making him wait for the tennis to get up, you know? All right, Mrs. Gordon. I'll be out first thing in the morning. Mm-hmm. Good night. Good night. I would have to get him out of here. Yeah. Where are we taking him? I don't know. I've got to think. Here, Helen, you try and get some rest. Jimmy, let me go to the police. Tell them that I did it. Let me tell them what he was. They won't do anything to me. No, no. You try and rest. What time is it? About six. Six? We've got two hours before the painters get here. What are we going to do? This is a car. No one will see us if we take him through the service porch into the garage. And 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. I'm going to help you. I'll be ready in a minute. 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. He sat there with his head twisted down and his chin digging into his chest. I took a washcloth, and I... it was awful. I wiped the blood off his face. Just in case anyone saw us, they might think he was just sick. I tried to lift him, but I slipped. His head made a hollow sound as it dumped down on the shower floor. Helen, help me get him into the luggage compartment of the car. Where are we going, Jimmy? Helen, won't you please stay in the apartment? No, no, I couldn't. I'm going with you. Helen, haven't you done enough? I'm going with you. Too late now to wish that I hadn't... Where are we going? To the pier, the Santa Monica Pier. Beyond the concessions, you can drive a car on the end there. Lucky it's so foggy. Yeah, what time is it? Five o' seven. We'll have to act fast, because the fog will be clearing soon. It'll be harder to get him out of this car. You stay here. I can manage this alone this time. Oh, I'll help you, Jimmy. You stay here. Do you hear me? All right, call me if you need me. I'll go around the back. Keep your eyes open. Yeah. Someone's coming. Who is it? Jimmy, it's a police. What? It's a police. Jimmy. Oh, it's all right. I know him. It's Red Davis. He's the beach patrolman. Hello, Red. How do you get your sleep? You close up after that swing ship dance last night? Yeah, Red, 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. I see. Oh, I'm sorry. This is my sister. Red, this is Helen. This is Red Davis. Hello. So you're an early riser too, huh? Yes. Well, if fog's clearing up, it looks like we're going to get some sun today for a change, huh? Yeah. Well, I guess I'll be getting back. I think I'll try and catch a few more hours' sleep. Well, go along. Yeah, go along. Oh, say, say, Jimmy. Yeah? Say, Jimmy, I have to take my wife over to the nursery today to pick up some plants and stuff, you know, and I don't have a trunk on my car. I wonder if you'll let me have yours. You have to drive me over to Malibu this afternoon, Jimmy. Yeah, yeah, I'd forgotten. Well, you can drive over in my car. How's that? What you see is... The brother of yours thinks I'll wreck that beautiful car. Isn't that, Red? Then I'll be over about noon. I'll leave my car for you to like it back, huh? Well, I won't be home at noon, Red. I'm... All right, I'll meet you at the entrance to the pier. How's that? Oh, all right, Red. Well, it's a long... Yeah. Look, I didn't. He'll go over to the department looking for us. And you don't want any policemen over there, do you? Oh, no, no, of course not. We've got to get out of here fast. 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 picknickers. They were unloading their blankets, umbrellas, and things. I guess it was from them I got the idea, from seeing them. Jimmy, your gas has been near on empty. Yeah. You got any more coupons? No, they're all used up. We're going to have to do something soon. I know, Jimmy. We can't go back to the motel with the painters there. And we can't leave him in the car. Red's lovelaceous and pinnish down to using it. There's only one place left. Where, Jimmy? Helen, listen. I'm going to let you out of this car. You can't help me with what I've got to do now. No, Jimmy, I'm staying. Don't argue, Helen. I'm not leaving you, Jimmy. Get out of this car. Do you hear me? No. I haven't had to argue with you. Jimmy, please. Now get out. I won't do it, Jimmy. Yes, you will if I have to push you out. Jimmy, you're hurting me. There. Now go back to the motel. Get off that running board, Helen. I can't leave you alone, Jimmy. I want to help you. I'm not blaming you for killing him, Helen, but now you've got to help me do as I say. What, Jimmy? 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 go. Goodbye, Helen. Jimmy! Oh, Jimmy, darling! I watched her out of the mirror. She kept calling me. I drove on as fast as I could. I knew what I had to do when I was one chance in a million. But I had to take it. And I didn't want her to be part of it. I could keep him on the beach that whole day. Then maybe I'd be able to get ready from when night fell. I wanted to drive further along, but I was afraid I'd run out of gas. I settled for a deserted strip of beach, not far from the motel. I had my swimming shorts and a blanket and a towel in the car. And I got out. I looked around carefully. And then I opened the luggage compartment. It was the hardest thing I've 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. And then I closed the door. And I went out onto the beach. And I spread my blanket out on the sand. And then I went back. Went back for him. When there were no cars inside, I carried him over where I'd spread my blanket. And I placed him onto a face down, with his hands folded over his head, as though he were just 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 sunbaters started to form. He and I, we looked no different from the others. No one paid any attention to us. I was beginning to feel that everything was going to be easy, once it was dark again. But... Oh, hello Mrs. Gordon. Isn't she in the apartment? No. What time did you go out this morning? I couldn't sleep. You couldn't come in at all last night? Yes, she did, but she left early too. Said she was going into Los Angeles. Oh, well, I was so worried about her. Well, the painters came, Jimmy, and everything was a mess. I think I'll sit down here with you a while. You're not with anyone, are you? No. No, I'm not. Goodness, I wish I brought along some oil. Looks like it's going to be a hot day. You know, these days of Saturday off foggy are very deceiving. Ah, 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 and for change. Later we can get some sandwiches. The seats are on me. Well, Mrs. Gordon, I hadn't planned on spending the day at the beach. Oh, it'll be good for you, Jimmy. Not healthy for a boy your age to be working all night and sleeping all day. But Mrs. Gordon, you see, I... Jimmy, do you know that man over there? Which one? That one right there. No, I don't know him. He's lying so still. His back's going to get an awful burn. Yeah. Well, do you suppose he's asleep? Isn't good to sleep in the sun, you know? Mrs. Gordon, do you think that the painters will be finished by this afternoon? Huh? Oh, well, I hope so. My, a person can get an awful burn in a day like this. You know, someone ought to speak to him. Mrs. Gordon, wouldn't you like to go for a walk? Oh, I'm not one for walking. You go ahead if you like. Well, I... Come on, Dick, pitch it over here. Oh, those kids. You children, stop that. You're getting sand all over me. Oh, sorry, baby. No need to play here. There's a playground over by the pier. Now, you just get away from here. Don't pay no attention to her. She don't own the beach. Pitch it over here. Oh, come on, that chick. I am the reason. Bam. Now see what they've done. They've hit that poor man. Now they'll get what's coming to them. Mrs. Gordon, sure you don't want to get some sandwiches or something. I'll just stay here and... Now until I see those two hoodlums get what they deserve. Gee, I'm sorry, Mr.... Could we have her ball? Now, look at that. Ball's right in the crook of his arm. He's pretending he's asleep. He's not going to hand it to them. But just wait till they reach for it. He'll give them something besides their ball. What are you waiting for, Dickie? It's our ball. Just take it. Oh, hey, Mr. Could we have... Go on, take it. Here, I'll get it. He's cold. You see? His arm's like ice. I just touched it. You probably hurt him. No, ball like this couldn't hurt anybody. 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 then she reached over and put her hand on his back. And suddenly she was screaming. And 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 just stayed there, num-like, watching things. And then the police came. They started questioning everybody. Mrs. Gordon was first. Why? Why? He'd been there all morning. I came early and he was here already. Just like that. You know, with his face down. Just like... Was there anyone else around when you arrived? Around? Yes, Jimmy was here. He was here all alone with him. Weren't you Jimmy? Yes. Yes, I was. Yes, you see, you were... Doesn't anyone know this man? Do you know him? I told you kids to keep away from here, now. Did you hear me? We discovered him, didn't we? I've had enough of him for us. Yeah. And you don't even know a clue when you see one. Look at his fingernails. What's that? Oh, the child's right, officer. What's that? Now just look for yourself. Let me see that. Yes. It looks like powder. Something flaky. Are you sure none of you people around here recognize him? Recognize him? Well, I've never seen him. Officer! Why that? Right that he's lying on. Well, it's from my motel. See? It's stamped right under where you moved his hand. Oh! Oh, dear. Look for yourself. See? It says seaside motor cabins. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. And you're sure he wasn't registered? Well, I'm positive. Is there anyone else around here from your hotel? From your motel? Jimmy, look. Jimmy! Jimmy! Here comes Helen. Look, she's crying. Mrs. Gordon, I ask if there was anybody around here from your motel. Huh? What's that? Yeah, yes. Jimmy Barton here. And that girl. You see, she's his sister. They've been with us for several weeks. Jimmy. What have you got to say, Jimmy? And suddenly, everyone was looking at me. And at Helen, as she ran towards us. And like a fool, I started to run too. In Helen's direction to ward her off. I didn't get far, however. Someone caught me with the arm. Jimmy! Jimmy, I've been looking all over for you. Don't say anything, Helen. Let me do the talking. Don't say anything. Jimmy, when you forced me out of the car this morning, you didn't pay 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've done it. I'm sorry, kid. Helen. Helen, are you telling the truth? I swear, Jimmy. Phil and I were quarreling. He'd been taking something again. He was like crazy. This guy, Phil. And I knew there'd be trouble when he came home from work. So I got out the back way and I went looking for you on the pier. When I couldn't find you, I went back to the motel. And I found him on the floor. I thought you... But, Helen, why didn't you say so? You didn't give me a chance, Jimmy. You just did it for granted that I did it. 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 motel while I was going to wait for you. While I was there, I remembered about Phil last night. Strangely, he'd acted. And I hadn't been able to walk straight. And I'd almost fallen several times while we were quarreling. And then I saw the gas heater, Jimmy. There was a sharp edge on the top. It was...it was bad. He must have fallen. He must have. Oh, but Helen, we've no way of proving that. There was something else, Jimmy. Yeah, what? The wall above the heater was scratched, as though someone had clutched at it to save himself from falling. There might be fingerprints. There might be. Oh, no, that's no... Wait a minute. Plaster! Plaster! Hey, Red! That flaky stuff you found under his fingernails, that might have been plaster! And it was. Well, that's about it. Everything checked back at the motel and the autopsy showed he was full of dope. But I guess it was really Mrs. Gordon who saved our necks for us. Besides talking so loud and so long that they'd probably acquitted us just to get rid of us, she did dig up a witness who'd heard Helen and Phil quarreling, and had 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. And so closes the Dead of the Night, starring Robert Cummings. Tonight's study in Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed by William Spear. If you are one who does not yet know how much and how delightfully Roma wines can add to your meals, well, let me urge you not to miss out any longer on such a treat as this. There's nothing complicated about it. Just get and serve Roma wine with meals or any time in any kind of glass you wish. Try the many different kinds of Roma wine until you find those you like best of all. Try Roma California sherry with its wonderful nut-like flavor as an appetizer. Then hearty Roma burgundy or the deliciously delicate Roma sautern with the meal. These superb wines make even the simplest meal a feast. Yet they cost you only pennies a glassful. Get some tomorrow. And if your dealer is temporarily out of Roma, please try again soon. Ask for R-O-M-A, Roma wines. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than any other wine. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Mr. Charles Lawton as star of Suspense. Presented by Roma wines, R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.