 you finding life rather dull dreaming again of exotic places wishing you were somewhere else we offer you escape escape with us now to Mexico City and the story of a man caught up in a terrifying web of murderous intrigue as Patrick Quentin tells it in his exciting story the follower my name is Litten Mark Litten I'm a petroleum engineer just back from three months in Venezuela I hadn't cabled my wife that I was coming home to New York because I wanted to surprise her we'd only been married two weeks Ellie and I before I went on the trip and I was crazy to get back to three long empty months and now in a matter of seconds we'll be together again Ellie Ellie it's me Mark Ellie Ellie are you here oh let's cut out the comedy to hey who are you what's the matter what's wrong with you when he would Corey good lord it was the guy Ellie had thrown over to marry me Corey Lathrop and he was dead I saw the two bullet holes in his chest turned sick he'd been dead quite a while maybe a day or two and he didn't look much like the socialite man about the club's member of the state parole board society lawyer he just looked dead I recognized that torn piece of negligee in Corey's hand I ought to I'd seen it often enough on Ellie first thing that to do was locate her fast no no not the police not yet not without knowing what it's all about who else then certainly not her society friends they wouldn't tell me if they knew I was an outsider big prospects but no money the dark horse who'd rushed Ellie off her feet now no chance there maybe some of her other friends though she messed around with just for thrills because she was rich and bored maybe the gambler Victor tutorial yeah that was it anybody knew what had happened to Ellie Victor would be the guy really beat the odds mr. Litten very few people I'd let come back here to my private office oh thanks Victor of course you're different though you're married a little Ellie I do anything for Ellie how is she by the way I was hoping maybe you'd know now why would I know anything about it you're a friend of hers aren't you well you sure I knew wellie long before she met you it's a great little kid too much money for her own good but still you know where she is Victor no I don't but she wasn't here a couple of nights ago sorry one of the roulette tables Ellie sure has a weakness for roulette yeah well I can't remember now that was a night she got into me on credit for $20,000 $20,000 I guess the guy she was with was bad luck for her that knows in the air what was his name Lathrop Corey Lathrop Lathrop somebody ought to smash that guy he's just too good to live yeah yeah yeah look Victor about that money Ellie oh don't worry I had about mr. Litten Ellie's a friend of mine she'll pay when she gets the dough you know these little cafe cookies understand gambling how it works and they always pay off every one of them pays in the end back at the apartment again I sat in the den smoking one cigarette after another tried to think it out started to get dark and I still sat there not knowing where to turn stopped cool hello may I speak to a mrs. little please well she isn't here right now may I take a message I'm mr. Litten oh well this is Franchot's originals mr. little we have those two new suits ready to send out and I find a note here with him it is a request to forward the suits by her mail to hotel Granada Mexico City Mexico City oh we Mrs. Lidon evidently telephones the message but I did want to confirm the address is that correct mr. Lidon hotel Granada Mexico City yes yes that's right she flew down there for a few days I'm nice I do hope that she enjoys her trip well I I'm sure she will goodbye Mexico City so that's where she'd gone well whatever the game I was sure of one thing I was on her side when loser draw that meant following her on the next plane south to Mexico City from the airport I phoned the police told them where they'd find Corey's body and hung up I beg your pardon is the desk clerk around for a sis and you are I am the desk clerk can I help you senior yes I believe my wife is registered here Mrs. Mark Lidon Lidon that is not a very common name senior no I guess it isn't well that is a very nice jacket you are wearing senior soft and warm like the breath of a senior thank you thank you it must take many pesos to buy a jacket like that I really don't remember now if you'll be kind enough it must be very nice to have many pesos look what are you after a tip senior how much well you're in a pobrecito has five sisters to support and only one very small job 20 pesos 10 15 it is only pesos and you are not like dollars all right all right here gracias now we are friends the seniorita is registered in room 522 522 okay thanks but wait senior what she is not there now oh where is she the seniorita is go to the bullfights I think but no matter senior you are her husband you are my very good friend so I let you wait in her room for only 10 pesos more look if you like golden eggs don't kill the goose but senior you do not look at things the right way for only 25 pesos you now have Oscar for your very good friend Oscar sent a bellboy up to let me end a 522 when it gone I open the two traveling cases in the closet and search through a mess of clothes and the usual feminine what not I don't know what I'd expected to find in Ellie's luggage blood stains are gone I I don't know and then I heard the key in the lock I didn't move I didn't say anything Ellie baby who the devil are you I could ask the same question with a lot more reason to will you get out now or shall I call the manager look there must be some mistake here there certainly is this is room 522 and my wife's clothes are in those bags you've been going through my things your things not unless you happen to be Mrs. Mark Litten that's exactly who I happen to be on our wait a minute honey I'm Mark Litten oh please that's a real old one and I'm just not in the mood I'm Mark Litten no matter what and you're impersonating my wife I'm Mrs. Mark Litten and you're trying to impersonate my husband now get out or so help me I'll phone the manager wait let me make a call first just so happens I know the Spanish words for police and American Embassy you wouldn't I wouldn't huh hello wait no don't okay now what's the game where's Ellie I don't know I've never met your wife I was desperate that's all and when the chance came along I took what chance what were you desperate about I'd come down here for a week and got stuck I didn't know you needed papers to get back across the border proof of citizenship I mean you see I've lived in New York all my life but I was born in Czechoslovakia go on well I was broke too I didn't know what to do that's when I ran into this bartender George and he fixed everything up fixed it up how well he said this Mrs. Litten your wife it just got in from the States and wanted to disappear for a few days she was looking for somebody to take her place here at the hotel so George arranged the whole thing brought me here gave me her tourist card that's all I know about it what were you supposed to get out of the deal just the tourist card I could use it to cross the border Mrs. Litten was going to say later she'd lost it and get a new one anyway that's what George said George huh where does this George work well it's one of the American bars he's off duty now though why can I find him well sometimes he hangs around the salon did his boards a cantina over near the plaza look if this is all the truth how come nobody here at the hotel noticed the switch when you took my wife's place she checked in during the night and stayed out of sight no one's seen her but the night clerk Oscar I think his name is Oscar that boy really gets around he's the day man now Mr. Litten what are you gonna do with me I don't know yet what's your name Frankie okay come on Frankie let's go find George there he is Mr. Litten he just came in the short blonde guy looks like a man of rooster yes George over here George cocky and tough I know the George we've been waiting here for you I was beginning to think maybe you've been called back to work at the bar no I'm off duty this is Mr. Litten George Mr. Mark Litten from New York oh okay if I sit down sure George that's the idea hey I suppose you're looking for your wife that's right what is she you've been away somewhere haven't you out of the States yeah and your wife wasn't expecting a back so soon no she wasn't well I'm afraid you're out of luck Mr. Litten she took a plane to Guatemala this afternoon no no no you wouldn't be lying with you George don't push me Mr. Litten your wife's missing and you're all upset about it but don't try to push me where is she George I just told you that's all I know about it I'm just a guy who helped her out of a jam what kind of a jam all I know is what she told me said she'd run out on a big gambling debt in New York and they were sending a gunman after her she had to get away you see that's where I came in Mr. Litten she wanted someone to take her place here cover up her trail how did she get out of Mexico when you've got her tourist card she had a passport with her she didn't need the card I see well I still think you're both lying oh Mr. Litten I warned you about you can do you're talking to the police in the American Embassy that's who I'm going to talk to don't be a fool Mr. Litten be a fool to believe the story of yours you don't know what it's all about you're not gonna do anything with this blundering around except get your wife killed go back to New York and stay out of it skip it Frankie when I want your advice up what's the idea of the gun George the idea Mr. Litten that all three of us get up from this table quietly and walk out of the canteen I see you're not going to the police Mr. Litten nor to the American Embassy you're coming with us suppose I don't you well shall we go sure why not a quietly Mr. Litten just like three friends sure George I'll go quietly all right now give me that gun give it to me all right now get up on your feet nice going Frankie come on George let's get out of here wait wait give me that bottle he's still conscious yeah George you didn't have to hit him again shut up Frankie we're in it too far to turn soft harder now come on let's go escape under the direction of Norman McDonald returns in just a moment the book of etiquette loses a lot more pages tonight when Jack Benny tries to ingratiate himself with a suave oh so social Ronald Coleman's yes Ronnie and Benita will be Jack's guests on CBS tonight and on the Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen comedy hour Charlie will try to enlist in the Air Force and end up as a skyrider advertising pumpernickel bread Red Skelton Amos and Andy Coralus Archer and Eve Arden as our miss Brooks will also be on hand on most of these same CBS stations with their famous brands of CBS Sunday Night Comedy and now back to escape when I came to a half-hour later Frankie and George were gone the only lead to LA I had gone and I left the canteen and flagged a taxi in the whole picture there was only one man who might be able to help me now I headed for the Hotel Granada and Oscar too bad too bad it is most unfortunate that you have such a very bad accident senior you should come to me I would have tell you this along the list boy she's not a good place for tourists Oscar you're a chiseler a liar and a crook senior that is a very bad way for friends to talk to each other you'd sell out your own mother for ten pesos you are what they call a very scenic man senior I would never do such a thing not for ten pesos why didn't you tell me there was another woman living here posing as my wife but you are her husband's senior and one must be very careful with husband Oscar I've played along with you as far as I'm going to I think it's time you talk the whole thing over with the police the police senior now you are not speaking like a friend and just when I was going to tell you about something for free tell me about what about the lady who is pretend to be your wife she has come here while you are gone what she reads a telegram which is come for mrs. Liedon then she has checked out of the hotel I didn't think she had the nerve to come back here maybe you like to know what the telegram is said huh it was not sealed so tight of course I'd like to know what the telephone all right all right how much 200 pesos for free huh okay here's 150 and that's all you get the telegram say plans changed go to hotel Casa Miranda a capulco a capulco who was it signed by it was only the one name Victor I hit my first lucky break in a capulco I came in from the airport and went to the Casa Miranda hotel and halfway across the lobby I ran into Frankie mr. Liedon what are you doing here looking for you how did you find out easy I'm one of Oscar's very good friends I'm not telling me where's George in Mexico City oh please mr. Liedon don't try to interfere leave right now you're going to ruin everything I hope so where's Ellie she's not here she's in Mexico City oh please I know you're trying to help her but you don't understand you're only making things worse you mean worse for you worse for everybody Ellie too you don't even know what it's all about and you're going to get yourself killed where's Ellie I promise you in a week everything will be fine where's Ellie you've got to believe me you have it there you are mr. Liedon are we ready to go yes yes I'm ready anytime senior goddess very well aren't you going to introduce me darling introduce you yes yes senior Gonzalez this is my husband Mark how do you do senior Gonzalez you just arrived unexpected I see and are you planning to go out to the villa with us mr. Liedon oh I don't think sure sure sure definitely I'm in on this too you know you know what is involved then well naturally the little woman always tells me everything and you have no objections well it's all right with her it's all right with me you are a very broad-minded man mr. Liedon shall we go senior Gonzalez made a brief phone call at the hotel desk then we got into a black chauffeur driven limousine headed out along the shore highway skirting the sea about three miles out of town we turned into a private roadway stopped in front of a large Spanish villa I regret the necessity of asking you to wait here on the veranda for a few minutes mr. Liedon but I believe it is better that you don't come down to the boat house with us sure sure that's fine just make yourself comfortable mr. Liedon this they shouldn't take long all right belly baby what are you doing here mark mark it's wonderful you're here darling but you shouldn't have come what have they done to you baby nothing nothing mark I'm all right but you're not darling they'll kill you you've got to get out of here we'll both get out we've got time Frankie and Gonzalez have gone on down to the boat house yes I know you know yes Gonzalez phone from town they won't do anything to you if you leave right now Victor promised me Ellie what are you talking about I didn't want you to get mixed up in it mark I wanted it to be all over before you came back from Venezuela I think you better tell me what this game's all about I had to do it Victor made me do it I lost a lot of money at his club and he said if I didn't he'd kill me if you didn't she didn't what bring a load of dope across the border for him dope that's another one of his rackets along with gambling he gets it down here from Gonzalez so Victor hasn't been after you who've been on his side all the time but then what if Frankie and George come in they're both working for the police they kidnapped me from the hotel gave me drugs so Frankie could take my place and meet Gonzalez they plan to get the dope and Gonzalez delivered to Victor and then have the police move in on everybody I got away though phone Victor he came down here so that's why Frankie was impersonating you George used to be one of Victor's boys then he got sent to prison he just got out on parole it was through Corey he began working with the police Ellie tell me the truth you killed Corey didn't you I had to mark he was going to turn me in he was on the parole board and George reported to him so so he found out about me he's gonna turn me in all the time you've been in it up to your neck it'll be all right mark Victor'll fix it about Corey I mean we'll pretend it never happened just another thrill highly I've been crazy about you but I guess I haven't known you very well you know I thought this fooling around the clubs with Victor and the others was just bored little rich girl stuff but it goes a lot deeper than that doesn't darling I had to do this don't you understand what was I only just another thrill something different for a while no no that's why I did it for us I mean Victor was threatening me he'd have told you all all kinds of bad things about me that's why I had to is Victor down at the boat house yes what are they gonna do to Frankie I don't know they're gonna kill her aren't they why I suppose I don't know what's the difference anyway who cares she doesn't matter don't you see that it's us that counts that's why I did what I mark where you going to get her out of it if I can that's the least I can do no come back bye mark no no I ran down the driveway toward the boat house I was sick sick inside and all over sick from seeing Ellie the way she really was for the first time dazed with the shock they looked at me startled when I burst through the door Frankie pale but defiant sitting in a chair against the wall with Victor and Gonzales bending over it well there's quite a surprise mr. Liddon you're supposed to be escaping yeah I know I talked with Ellie generous of you Victor letting me go all we do anything for Ellie she's a great little kid right Gonzales yes indeed a most charming young woman she wanted us to let you go so we said okay that's too bad you had a blunder on down here that's all right Victor I wanted to see Frankie I tried to keep you out of it mr. Liddon I guess now you know that's right Frankie no I know that's too bad mr. Liddon but you ought to have taken Ellie's advice oh no Victor you're all mixed up I'm in on this too now hmm you know any game Ellie plays I played too well we figured you for one of those moral guys real gone on a kid huh yeah yeah real gone on the kid well fine mr. Liddon join the party thanks we're trying to get this little cookie to tell us where George is she doesn't wanna count to ten and then how about it honey I told you I don't know where he is mm-hmm it's too bad one two better talk Frankie three I stood there watching them trying to figure a play Victor held a gun pointed at Frankie's head and Gonzales probably carrying one six whatever the play it had to be fast seven eight nine Victor don't hurt him Victor Ellie he doesn't know what he's saying about trying to help Frankie I mean he's out of his head and says living you fool that's a game Victor swung the gun toward me Ellie jumped and wrapped his arm and hang on guns was just drawing his gun when I hit him and we both went down as he scrambled to get up I drew back my foot and kicked him in their head I fumbled on the floor for his gun and from the corner of my eyes so Victor turned his own gun point blank on Ellie busy turn toward me I was up on my knees Gonzales gun in my hand and I let him have it are you all right mr. Liddon yes Frankie I'm all right yeah baby Mark it would have worked out all right no sure Ellie course it would have we better get her to a doctor mr. Liddon I wanted it to please believe me I've done bad things Mark but I could have changed you sure honey I know I can go up to the house and phone for a doctor no she doesn't need a doctor she's dead that was it whatever Ellie was whatever she'd done I'd loved her more than anything else in the world a love like that becomes a part of you and even when it gets diseased has to be cut out it leaves a deep wound takes a long time to heal I'd known more about it I may have acted differently she might still be alive I don't know as it was I'd done the only thing I could I'd follow the I'd follow the clear to the end under the direction of Norman McDonald escape has brought you the follower by Patrick Quentin especially adapted for escape by Les Crutchfield Bill Conrad was starred as Mark Liddon featured in the cast where Georgia Ellis Harry Bartell Virginia Greg Luke Krugman Sydney Miller and Don Diamond the special music for escape was composed and conducted by Del Castillo in just a moment we're going to ask you to stay tuned for Bill Goodwin and dollar a minute but that reminds us that starting next Sunday dollar a minute will move back a half hour and be heard on most of these same CBS stations at this time that is the time you've been listening to escape today the new addition to the CBS Sunday afternoon line up next Sunday will be Rachel mate the comedy quiz starring Joey Adams so now stay tuned for Bill Goodwin and dollar a minute which follows immediately on most of these same CBS stations today and will be heard a half hour earlier next Sunday this is Roy Rowan speaking this is CD as the Columbia broadcasting system