 In just a moment, Suspense with Ray Milan. Say, Harlow Wilcox, do you know what day this is? Do I know what day this is? Does a dame know what a date is? Does a truck driver know what a spark plug is? Well, I... Why, listen, my auto-light friend, this is the day you plagued me with silly questions. When I tell you about auto-light resistor spark plugs, auto-light staple batteries, auto-light ignition systems and 400 other auto-light... I guess I got you, Harlow. That's not the answer. Why, Hades? Ladies, of course that's not the answer. Here's the answer. This is SP Day. Auto-light resistor spark plug day. And, furthermore, it's the day before T-Day. T-Day? Sure, that's tomorrow. Truckers' Day. The day all the American Trucking Association fellows get together in Washington to chin, chuckle, and chortle over their carefree careers as their trucks cross the continent with no thought of trouble or terrain. Well, how come? Well, my friend, I wouldn't say that auto-light spark plugs and stay-full batteries are wholly responsible, but, uh, well, use your own judgment. I'll take your word for it, Harlow. Now, let's switch to suspense. Suspense. Auto-light and its 60,000 dealers and service stations bring you radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Starring tonight, Mr. Ray Milland in Anton Leader's production of Night Cry by William L. Stewart. A tale well-calculated to keep you in. Suspense. Report to the captain of the homicide bureau, Manhattan from Detective Lieutenant Mark Douglas. You know, we always say that the cat waits for the mouse to run, the dog waits for the cat to run, and the police wait for the killer to run. But if he's a smart killer, a real smart guy, he doesn't run at all but just stands and laughs or even walks quietly and easily away. He can really get away with murder. There's a lot of murder around homicide squad beside the stiffs we work on, like the knifing I got when they passed me up and made you, Lieutenant Knight, an acting captain and head of the squad. Funny how a little promotion goes to a guy's head. It was Friday that you got your promotion and that evening, after you'd sent for me, I had to warm a chair outside until you were ready to see me. Remember? Captain Knight will see you now, Lieutenant. Well, that's sweet of him. Sure. Why not? Congratulations, Captain Knight. That's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, Mark. You know, I didn't want this. I didn't do anything to get it. Sure. Of course, playing golf with a commissioner's brother-in-law had nothing to do with it. No, it didn't, Mark. The force isn't run that way. Now, look, I've worked with you for a long time and there's no reason why we can't get along fine. Sure, no reason? I'm the first to say that you're the best man on homicide, Mark. And, well, it's not my place to tell you, but I think you ought to know the reason why you didn't get the promotion instead of me. I'm listening. You know, Mark, the police department has come a long way from what it used to be. Now, take homicide. It's no longer a question of one man going out and sapping some poor devil until he gets a confession. All of us, detectives, identification, lab men, telegraph, the medical examiner's office, we're all one big team. You know, that sounds like the commissioner's number two speech for the Rotarians. But it's true, Mark, and that's why the police board didn't give you this job. In an age of cooperation, you're still a one-man force. How many killers did I bring in during the last five years? Every one you went after. I know that, and so does the police board. But a lot of them had marks on them that they didn't have before you went after them. And some of them had to be carried in. Sure, but I got them, and quick. Some of them I even had booked before that team you mentioned got around to deciding what killed the victim. I know that, but there's always a chance that the next time you'll bring in some guy who had nothing to do with it. Yes? He's on his way. It's a call. Now, you and Riley will take it. Now, look, Mark. Yeah? Riley's a good teammate for you. He's proud of the force, you know, and he'll be just as proud of your work as his own. And we'll talk about this later. After I bring in another killer. Where's the killer, Riley? In the 70s, near Riverside Gambling Joint. Some guy rolled a seven the wrong way? Could be. Say, Mark, I was sorry to hear about the... I forget about it, Dan. If I'd wanted a desk job, I wouldn't be a cop. I'd rather bring them in than look at them after they brought in. Come on, let's go. And for a minute, I didn't mind not getting the captaincy. There was something about being on a job, about starting out to look for a killer that beat anything in the world. The gut of the big brownstone that was the gambling joint. Riley and I walked up the front stairs through the rain. The patrolman on the door let us in. There were three guys in the foyer. One of them was a good-looking guy in a dinner jacket. With a look in his eye, that probably came from watching a lot of guys try to make a four the hard way. The second was a patrolman, still writing in his notebook. And the third was a guy on the floor, dead. He was partly on his side and there was a knife in his back. He was wearing a suit that had cost plenty before he spoiled it by bleeding all over it. The patrolman saluted as we came up. Corporal, sir, the doorman called me off the beat. The dead man's name is L. O. Morrison. Mr. Carlstrom here is the owner of the club and he says... Save it, Cork, until we ask for it. Yes, sir. What do you think, Riley? He's dead all right. Take another look at that stiff. He's got a fresh cut over one eye, which he must have gotten before he was killed. Yeah, you're right. It wouldn't be that bruised if he got it when he was killed. Well, let's find out how he got it. All right, you. Yes, Inspector? Not Inspector Lieutenant. Lieutenant Deglin. Oh, yes, I've heard of you, Lieutenant Deglin. Well, stick around and you'll get some firsthand knowledge. What kind of a joint is this? This is a private club. The members have their own keys and let themselves. Oh, a key club, huh? Is that right? Who's the dead man have a fight with? I don't like to say this, but I have a fight with Kendall Payne. I asked Mr. Payne to leave. Kendall Payne, isn't that the guy who was a war hero? Yes, that's right. War hero, huh? And he's still fighting the war. Well, having a key could come back after you throw him out. Yes, he could have come back. Was he alone? No, Miss Morgan Taylor was with him. Where's Payne Lev? Well, here's his address book, Lieutenant. Payne is in here. Thanks. Okay, Dan, you can finish up here. I think I'll look up this war hero. Mark, don't you think you ought to wait for the medical examiner and the ID boys to arrive? Why? The doctor told me this guy is dead, and the identification would tell me he had a fight with Payne. This murder is tailor-made, and I'm going down and try Payne on for size. There was a short street just off the Hudson River with a lot of artists and duck walloppers live. There was a dim light in the hall, and I went up the stairs. Lights spilled out from under the door that had Payne's name on it, and I knocked. All right, it's open. He was sitting on the bed. He had an army kit bag open and partly packed. There was a white bandage over his right eye, and the drawers of the bureau were open. Now, what do you want? Little talk. Your name, Payne? Yeah, but you're not anyone I know. Beat it. We'll get acquainted. This badge will introduce us. You know what you can do with that badge? You know, I almost forgot you were a hero. How long have you been here, hero? Maybe an hour. Now go on, get out. How'd you get to be a hero, Payne, with a knife? Look, I don't know you or your badge. Now go on, get out. You're a little punk, aren't you, hero? Especially tough for a boy who's just killed a man. What are you talking about? Where's the game you were with? Maybe she can tell you about the guy you had a fight with, then went back and killed. Look, you keep her out of it. Look, sonny, you were maybe tough overseas, but back here you're just another meatball. Now talk. What are you, a tough cop? Well, let's see how tough... Sure, I'm a tough cop. Three times. No more than that. He fell. His head hit the edge of the bed, then he slumped to the floor. His breathing was heavy for a minute, and then it... And it stopped. I stood looking at him, rubbing my knuckles. Then I reached down and felt his wrist. There was another trial that taxpayers wouldn't have to pay for. I got up, went to the phone, I'd seen it in the hall. Daglin here, look, I just... Oh, wait a minute, Mark. Hey, close that door, will you? Now that the case is broken, Mark, they're talking their heads off. Case is broken? Yeah, it was Carlstrom. He got panicky and started to run. You know, Riley, when they run, he shoots. He nailed him in the shoulder and Carlstrom thought he was going to die and confess. The dead man was into the gambling house for 50 grand and wouldn't pay, so Carlstrom stuck the knife into him. Hello? You still on? Yeah, I just dropped some change. Did you find pain? I think he's cleared out. Closing the bathroom stuff's all gone. He has? I probably saw something, he didn't want to get mixed up in it. Well, we can always put out an alarm on him. Go home and get some sleep, Mark. Sure, I'll get some sleep. Well, I hung on, hung up, walked back into Payne's room. I looked down at him, thought it was a lousy time to make a mistake. Well, there was only one smart way out. I had to bring candle pain back to life long enough to be seen taking a run-out powder. I needed some good, reliable witnesses. That way, I could get away with murder. For Suspense, Auto-Light is bringing you Mr. Ray Milland in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense. Our nation, do you say so much about Auto-Light spark plugs in so short a time? Why, that's easy, Hap. Do you want the high points and the low down on these master magicians, these motor marvels, these monuments to Auto-Light ignition engineers? Well, plug one ear and spark to this. Well, if I must. By Cornelius, I'll plug these Auto-Light resistor spark plugs any time, any place. Do you want your engine to idle smoothly as a sultan's harem, purr as contentedly as a Persian kitten, run as tirelessly as a perpetual motion machine? Well, I... Then you want Auto-Light resistor wide gap spark plugs. Why, that wide gap in these new Auto-Light resistor spark plugs means as much to your car as Donald Duck means to duck them, Chessie means to cat them, Lassie means to dog them. No. By Cornelius, when you replace your old narrow gap spark plugs with the new Auto-Light resistor wide gap spark plugs, your car refuses to be satisfied just to run better, save gas and save dough. With Auto-Light resistor spark plugs, you cut interference with radio and television reception. That's important, mighty important. And what's more important, you ought to get all your neighbors to march right down with you to buy a set of Auto-Light resistor spark plugs tomorrow morning. Do it right away, Hap, don't keep me in suspense. OK, Harlow, here is suspense. And now Auto-Light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Ray Milland as Detective Lieutenant Mark Daglin in Night Cry, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. As I said before, Captain Knight, the cat waits for the mouse to run, the dog waits for the cat to run and the police wait for the killer to run. Only I wasn't gonna run. I stood there and tried to figure how to have candle pain seen running away. After that, pain would be just another guy who got scared and beat it. I'd still be Lieutenant Mark Daglin, the guy who didn't make mistakes. It took me a while in the night in the rain to do what I had to do. Quite a while. But I finally got to my own apartment. I still had pain's kit bag with his name stenciled on the side, but I could get rid of that later. I tossed it on the floor behind my desk and went to sleep. When I got the headquarters the next morning, it was late. Pain's disappearance had the DA demanding we find him. Dan Riley was already out trying to trace Pain and I could just imagine him bulldogging along from one witness to one other. And then you said... Suppose you go up to Connecticut, Mark, and talk to Pain's girl, Morgan Taylor. Just routine. Just routine? Okay, I'll take care of it. I found where Morgan Taylor lived from the Greenwich Post Office. A low, rambling white house set back from a treeline road. The girl who answered my ring had dark hair that came down around her shoulders and wide gray eyes that were sure and young and lovely. Yes? You miss Morgan Taylor? Yes, I am. I'm Lieutenant Mark Daglin of the New York Police. Oh? You know where I can find Kendall Pain? Oh, the silly fool. He said something about leaving last night, but I thought he was just being dramatic. When was this? Well, I... I went down to his place with him last night after we left the gambling club. I've been seeing a lot of Ken, but I just couldn't keep on. He was always getting into fights and picking arguments, so I told him I wouldn't see him anymore. That's when he said he'd leave. And that's the last time you saw him? Yes. But there's something else. Well, yes. There wasn't time for my train yet, so I walked around in the rain. Then I remembered that I had a date to meet Ken in town tonight, and I went back to tell him I wouldn't be there. But he wasn't in his room. I had no idea he'd really left. You think you might have gone back to the gambling club? Why do you ask that? Well, after you left the club last night, a man was killed. The man, Pain, had a fight with. And you think he ran away because of that? Well, he might have. Ken was, well, pretty neurotic. You in love with him? Oh, I'm very fond of Ken. But that's all, Lieutenant. But I'd hate to think that anything happened to him. You've no idea where he is now. If you'll wait a minute, I'll go with you. I was just getting ready to leave myself. He might show up to keep that date with me tonight at Mourney's on Bleaker Street. We can wait for him there. She rode back to New York with me. And after the first few miles, we stopped talking about Kendall Pain and talked about ourselves. She was really a beautiful girl. And I kept glancing sideways at her profile. Maybe this case was going to turn out better than I thought. When we hit town, I called you Captain Knight. Remember? I was doing, not mentioning what nice work it was turning into. Then Morgan and I went on to the restaurant. Just played around, I guess. I know what you mean. Look, it's past eight, Morgan. What time was Pain supposed to meet you? Seven? It looks as though I've been stood up. He must be pretty scared to stand you up. If it were me, I'd risk even a murder after keeping the date. Thank you, Mark. Wanna take me to dinner? That's a good thing you asked me. I was just about to put my handcuffs on you so you couldn't get away. I got into headquarters early next day. I just finished calling Morgan to say good morning. I'll make a date for that night. And the desk sergeant said that you wanted to see me. I went in and Raleigh was with you. Well, we got a couple of things on pain, Mark. We wanted you in on them. Sure. Dan, I was a nice job on Karlstrom. He was certainly a scared guy. You know, one thing about killers, they always make a break for it sooner or later. Yeah, most of them do. What's doing on pain, Knight? Let Raleigh tell it. It's his story. There's nothing much except I talked to a number of people who think they saw him. I got a couple of them outside. Might as well bring them in, Raleigh. Yeah, okay. Morning, Gold. Sure. This is Captain Knight. Mr. Gold? Lieutenant Tecklin, Gold. Mr. Gold is a cab driver. He got out of bed to come down and help us. Sure, Chief. Anything to help you guys out? Okay, Gold, tell him the story you told me. Sure. Like I said, I picked up this fair down town last night about one o'clock. Big guy with a bandage over one eye is carrying one of those soldier kit bags, you know? Wanted to go to the station, Grand Central. Was in a bag tamper. Now, take a look at these pictures. Where did I put that other? Oh, here it is. Well, it might have been either one of these two. They look a little alike. Without the bandage, I couldn't swear which one. Okay, thanks, Gold. If we need you later, we'll call on you. Sure, sure. Anytime, Chief. Anytime at all. Pretty close. One of the two was a picture of pain. Who was the other one he thought looked like pain? An old newspaper picture of you, Mark. Me? Yeah, you didn't know I collected all your publicity, did you? It'd been funny if he just identified you. Yeah, yeah, very funny. Who was your other witness, Riley? An old lady who lives in the house across the street from Payne's place. Will you come in now, Miss Meacham? Miss Meacham, this is Captain Knight. How do you do, Miss Meacham? How do you do? This is Lieutenant Teglund. Mrs. Meacham, Mark. I've seen you, Lieutenant. You have? Oh, yes. Oh, well, maybe it was when I was over to Payne's the other night, huh? Oh, no, I didn't mean there. In the papers. Oh. Your picture's been in the papers a lot. Yeah, I guess it has. Mrs. Meacham, Detective Riley tells me that you saw several things the other night. Things that puzzled you. They certainly did puzzle me, Captain. You see quite a few things in the neighborhood, Mrs. Meacham? Well, some say that's all I do. Well, I say when a body gets old like me, there ain't much left but looking. Of course. Now, what did you see the other night, Mrs. Meacham? Let's see. Oh, that was night before last. Well, like I told Mr. Riley, I couldn't sleep. So I was up late and I saw Mr. Payne and his girl go in, but I didn't see her come out. You didn't see her come out? I made tea. Might have missed her. I have to have my tea, you know. But I did see her go back in later. How much later? Maybe half an hour or maybe more. But before she came back, somebody else left. Well, that must have been Payne. Well, I don't rightly know. He was wearing a bandage and was carrying his kit bag, but he didn't wave to me. Didn't wave to you? Oh, Mr. Payne always waved to me when he went out. So it was mighty funny he didn't that time. Well, maybe he just forgot. What happened after that? No, sir, he never forgot to wave. Oh, well anyway, about 20 minutes later, Mr. Payne's girl came back. She stayed just a little while and then went away. That's very interesting, Mrs. Meacham. Is that all? Of course it is. And that was a lot for a neighborhood where nothing ever happens. Well, thank you very much, Mrs. Meacham. We'll call you if we need to talk to you again. Well, I won't remember any more than I have. Well, let's go, boys. How are we going? I've been behind this desk so long, Mark. I'm getting calluses. I'm going over to Payne's room with you and Riley. The room was as I remembered it, except there wasn't anybody on the floor and the police technicians were there. Now, let's see now. The old lady says she saw the girl come in twice, but never saw her go out. Any other way out of here, Riley? Through the window. Let's take a look. You man through with this window? Yeah, all through, Captain. On plenty of prints of some guy, probably this Payne. A few prints of a small man or a woman. Let's look at this window. I stood watching. They weren't going to find anything looking out of the window. Maybe they'd see the pry marks in the wood and find the sash weights were missing. But that wouldn't mean a thing. Suddenly, Riley let go of the window and... Watch it! It almost took my fingers off. Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. Hey, Al, the sash cords have been cut and the sash weights are missing. So what? I see what you mean, Dan. The river's near here, isn't it? That's what I was thinking. Okay. We'll call the Harbor Patrol and see what we get. So Riley had finally bulldogged into something. The walk down to the river was short. Shorter than the last time, it seemed. The police tugged with stirring the mud of the river bottom with its grappling hook. When Payne's body finally came up, the dirty water cascaded from the blanket shroud and the sash weights dripped in mud. Well, that's that, boys. Payne didn't run away at all. Somebody killed him. I think we can wrap this one up fast. How'd you figure that, Knight? Well, it's easy, Mark. The girl had a fight with him. She's the only one seen going in the other night. Her prints are on the window. She probably killed him, dressed up in his clothes, made it look like he was leaving, then came back and dumped the body. It's the girl all right. But listen, this Taylor girl couldn't carry a big guy like that. Couldn't she? She was in the ambulance service overseas, Mark, and carried soldiers around. Civilians aren't any heavier. I'm putting out a pickup on the girl. That's the way it was. I had an out, but it was the one out I didn't want. I didn't want the chair getting Morgan Taylor, not when I wanted her. I'd have to fix it some way. I had to go home and think. Well, I hadn't been there long when Morgan stood in the doorway. Her eyes tired and frightened, her face white. She went past me without speaking and over to a chair. When she looked at me, I knew I was right. I had to find some way to save her. I'd just heard. They want me for the murder of Kin. I know, honey. Why did you come here? Why? Why? Because where else would I go, Mark? But you're not forgetting that I am a cop too. If you want to take me in, Mark, I'll understand. I only want to take you one place, Morgan, and that's not headquarters. But I've got to take you in. Whatever you say, Mark. But I'll get you out, honey. You won't be in there long enough to remember even what it looks like. After they booked red headquarters, I went back to the apartment. I had to figure out some way to save her and myself. But first I had to get rid of that kit bag. If she'd seen it, everything would have been ruined. Besides, it was stupid to leave it around. Then I had an idea. There was one way out. That was to write this report to you, Captain Knight, and get out of the country. Then when she was freed, she could join me. She was worth running for. Only wouldn't really be running. I was walking away. Well, that's that. So long, Captain Knight. I won't be seeing you. I picked up the kit bag with Payne's name on the side, went down the steps. Hello, Mark. Riley, what? I think I got a lead on the girl, and I thought you'd want to be in on the kill. But I got her, Dan. I just turned her in. What? Where'd you find it? What's the bag? Oh, nothing, Dan. Nothing. Payne. Mark. Look, I found it. Where? In his apartment. I was there yesterday, and we were all there today. Look, what's the matter? Do you think I'm lying? I don't know, Mark. Say, what time were you at Payne's the other night? Look, Dan, I got something to do. We'll talk about this case later, huh? Wait a minute, Mark. That cab driver picked out your picture, as well as Payne's. The old lady said she'd seen you. Maybe they knew what they were talking about. Listen. You weren't surprised when we found those sash weights going, or even when you saw Payne's body dragged out of the river. There's nothing worse than a couple's turn bad. Mark. Get out of my way, Dan. Hey, Mark. I had to run. Everything had been crowding in all day. That cab driver, the old lady, the kit bag, and now Riley. Pushing in like a bulldog with his questions. I had to run and keep running. I had to get away before he could ask another question. Mark, don't run, Mark. Don't. You shouldn't have run, Mark. You know what happens when a guy runs. Thank you, Ray Mellan, for a splendid performance. Mr. Mellan will return in just a moment. Say, Haro, what about auto lights? What about auto light resistor spark plugs? Stay full batteries, ignition systems, and over 400 other automotive aviation and marine products? Yeah. Let's save it for next week, Cap. While we salute the safest, surest, sanest drivers under the sun. And by Cornelius, I didn't say under the sod. That's the truck drivers of America, Cap. Dependable as a donut is dunkable, as a resistor spark plug is sparkable, as an auto light product is superbable. Say, these wonderful truckers have got me wound up-able. I'm delighted. I'm auto-lighted. By Cornelius, I'm excited. Haro, before these good friends have been good-nighted, remember... Auto light means spark plugs. Ignition engineered resistor spark plugs. Auto light means batteries. Stay full batteries. Auto light means ignition systems. The lifeline of your car. Now here again is Mr. Ray Milland. It has been such a pleasure to appear here tonight with this great cast of suspense actors, and I'm expecting almost as much pleasure from listening next week, when radio's outstanding theater of thrills brings you loose-heeled ball in a little piece of rope. Another gripping study in... Suspense. Ray Milland may currently be seen in the Hal Wallace production, So Evil My Love. Tonight's suspense play was adapted from the novel of William L. Stewart, Night Cry, which will shortly be made into a motion picture. The music was composed by Lucian Morrowack and conducted by Lud Bluskin. The entire production was under the direction of Anton M. Lieder. In the coming weeks, suspense will present such stars as William Powell, Agnes Moorhead, John Garfield, Edmund O'Brien, and many others. Make it a point to listen each Thursday to suspense. Radio's outstanding theater of thrills. And next Thursday, same time, hear Lucian ball in a little piece of rope. Suspense show. Drive as if your life depends on it. It does. Good night. Switch to auto light. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.