 My name's Regan. I get ten a day on expenses from a detective bureau run by a guy named Anthony J. Lyon. They call me the lion's eye. With Jack Webb as Jeff Regan investigators stand by for hard-boiled action and mystery and thrilling adventure in tonight's story of The Lost Lady. You'll find it in Hollywood, jammed in between Van S. and Wilhelm right off the boulevard, Taft Avenue. Starts at a furniture store, runs for about a block and then crosses Franklin. What happens to it after that? I don't know. I only go as far as the gray apartment building on the even number side, about the first thing you see. Figures that the guy who built my place never read the earthquake laws. A good crap game and shake it loose. Well, that's where I live. Apartment 308 in the back where I can keep an eye on a brass drain pipe and a tired-out palm tree. I got a coffee pot in the bed that comes out of the wall. It isn't much, but the phone company had to have an address. That's where I was last Monday night, about eight o'clock, when Cleveland fans were running up a house tab in an apartment above me when the phone rang. I thought it might be somebody from Boston who was the lion. Regan, I'm calling you from the office. I stayed late tonight. You should have joined the union. We got a new client. Yeah. Her name's Isabel Sanchez. I just talked to her. You make a date? She flew in from Mexico City tonight on American Airlines. She needs help. They're saying that about the Democrat. Comes from a fine family, lots of influence in Mexico. Try the State Department. She came all the way to Los Angeles to see her sister, but she's disappeared. Did you tell her about the missing person's bureau? I told her about you. What do you mean? You're going to find her, sister. I'm no St. Bernard. You'll do till I can feed one. Besides, she could... What's that got to do with it? Remember the Pan American. Yeah, well, don't make up a contract. I already... What else did you get? She'll tell you the rest. Don't you ever ask questions? That's yours. Is that all? That's it. I hope her check bounces. Don't... You can tell that the lion only stayed in the school long enough to learn how to spell dollar. It took me about 20 minutes to get over to her hotel. Isabelle Sanchez had a room on the sixth floor. I found it on the Wilshire side. 610 at once. She was a tall blonde girl, not the least bit pretty. She had a mouthful of good-looking teeth, but she never learned how to use them in a smile. No, Mr. Reagan. That's right. Come in. Please, excuse me. I'm still unpacked. Come in. All right. I'm so glad you're here. I suppose Mr. Lion told you everything. Your sister's missing. You want to talk to me? Yes. Oh, it's terrible. An awful vacant feeling. I was so looking forward to seeing Carmen again. We were very close. You talk like you don't expect to see her. Something might have happened to her. Like what? I don't know. She's always been so independent and... well... strange. Well, a lot of people have their own ideas. I'm embarrassed telling you this. You've got to tell somebody. Well, Carmen left home against my father's wishes. How old is Carmen? 22. What was the guy's name? What do you mean? Come on. I got to have it all, lady. There was a man in it. Yes. Martin Chambers. From here in LA? Carmen met him once in Mexico City. He thought she was in love with him. When was this? A year ago. She followed him back. Yes. He took a long time to catch up. I've been very concerned about Carmen. I received this letter from her a few days ago. It's the first word since she left home. Here. You can see it's not much. He asked me to come here. I took the first thing. What about this address? There's no such place. I want their rights on the airport. Who sent you to us? You're in the phone book. Is that all you got? Well, I have a picture. It isn't very good. There's a snapshot here. Blonde, huh? A little darker than mine. At the same height, we wore each other's clothes. Who else did she know? Just Martin Chambers. Oh, no. Now, wait a minute. She mentioned a doctor Menlo in her letter. Did she need a doctor? She just said he'd been very kind to her. That isn't very much to go on. I know, but you will follow every lead. Yeah, sure. What are you scared of? Why do you ask that? It's a warm night. You got the shakes. I had a long trip. Oh, yeah. I forgot. You know this Chambers? Yes. You like him? No. What's that you got there in your hand? An evening gown. Why? All our story was smooth, but the clothes didn't fit. All the labels that showed said New York City. I went downstairs to a phone booth and I got ahold of a friend of mine in the CAA. He checked into it and he told me that nobody named Isabelle Sanchez came in on that Mexico City flight. The whole thing looked phony like a fan dancer in long underwear. Well, it was about eleven o'clock when I got over to the lion's place. It was a cold night, but the lion looked warm. What do you want, Lincoln? I'm busy. You know, I've been looking at that Sanchez, Dean. Tell me about Lamont. No, I'm going to tell you about it right now. It's no good. What do you mean? It's another bum client. She gave me 200 bucks. Her clothes are out of New York. Maybe she came the long way. She didn't come in on American. So she's got a donkey. All you got to do is find her sister. I just told you she's a phony. Let me worry about that. Well, you can start now. Here. What's this? It's a letter and a picture. That's all the lead I got. Now, wait a minute, Lincoln. What about our contract? New Year's is coming up. You'll need confetti. Do a thing like that. We got a moral application. And 200 bucks. I'm thinking of our reputation. I've given our word. Take it back. That girl's a stranger in a foreign land. She came to us for help. Oh, stop it, will you? There was a quarter in the bay. You'd drop your mother overboard and tell her to hold her nose. You'll get not a line. We can... If she came up with Kelp, you'd ring her out for iodine. That's enough. We got a case and you're going to handle it. You're going to handle it. I quit. I know this girl looks suspicious, but we have to give our clients the benefit of the doubt. Why didn't you send her to missing persons? I'll keep this picture and check with her first thing in the morning. You follow up that memo in the letter. Well, a guy named Chambers has got priority. Who's that? The girl's got a love story. It's getting cold out here. Check me in the morning. I'll do that. Remember, Regan? We always work hand in hand. Yeah. That's why I never wear a ring. Well, it was too late to do anything else, so I went home and pulled that bed out of the wall. The next morning, I found a Martin Chambers listed in the city directory with an address on Laurel. It turned out to be a two-story apartment building about the color of a bride's blush. And it was wrapped around a swimming pool the size of a bird bath. Chambers' name wasn't on the mailbox, but a skinny guy with a load of bed sheets told me I could find a manager in apartment 15. When she answered the door, her voice sounded like a beer truck in low gear. Hello, Sonny, looking for an apartment? You got one? No. Come on in. We're having some coffee. You want some? No, I'll pass. You don't know me, do you? I just got here. I played the phallus in 26. Ah, them was the days. Write it up and sell it to the movies. Damn, slobs. Central casting had called me in four years. You got a card? Afra, SAG, and the Musician's Union. I played French horn. None of them call me. I figure it's a record band. I'll talk to Petrello. I hate this dump. A third husband gave it to me. By the way, what are you doing here, Sonny? I'm looking for a man named Martin Chambers. What do you want him for? Talk to him? Cops. No. The day that guy moved in, I had him picked for a jiggaloo. His hair was too curly. Some women like that. Not me. I used to have to chase him around the swimming pool to get his rent. You're using the past tense. Where is he now? Forest lawns. That's one way to break a lease. He got boozed up about six months ago and drove off Malibu pier. Took him three days to fish him out. Straighten his hair? Yeah, sure did. Oh, wait a minute here. I kind of like you, Sonny. You get around, don't you? Yeah, when the weather's good. Ever run into Louis B? No, not yet. If you do mention my name, will ya? What is it? Just say that goalie McMaster's was asking for him. He'll remember old goalie. How could he forget? Callison 26. When I left, she was thumbing through an old variety. She looked unhappy like a banjo player with a paper pick. Well, what she told me about Chambers took the leading man out of the picture, but there was a bit player named Menlo. Well, I called the office of the Paul Menlo, but they said he wasn't in that day, so I drove out to his address in Encino. It was a ranch house poured all over the top of a hill. From the looks of the place, Dr. Menlo must have been getting overseeling for his cough drops. I parked my car by the gate and followed the flagstones up to the front door. When I pressed a button, I heard something that sounded like chamber music. The door opened in the middle of the second course. Good morning. I want to see Dr. Menlo. Your name, please. Regan. You'll have to call the doctor's office, Mr. Regan. I already did. And they must have told you that the doctor doesn't see any patients at his home. Yeah, well, I'm not sick. Keep it up, and you will be. Beat it, pilgrim. No, I came here to see the doctor. You don't want to see you. Now, get your hands off me, punk. Once I hit a guy in the ear, it busted his leg. Doc! I can handle this guy, Vicki. Stop that. Get out, Pat. Be in the back if you want. You ever been a referee? I've been a lot of things. Come in, Mr. Regan. I apologize for him. He's so eager. Isn't this better? No, everybody's eager now. Anxious is a better word. Hmm. I like blue surge. It's an effect on me. You the doctor's helper? I hold his stethoscope. My name is Vicki Starr. I'd like to see him. He's busy. Where do I wait? It might be quite a while. Vicki, just open the bottle. Well, and I'm right on time. Paul's not sociable like me. He drinks alone. He gets more that way. Let me entertain you. What can you do? Watch. Oh, no, no. Easy, baby. I don't know how to fix a fracture. I've already got a man that can do that. I want one with brains. What's the matter with the doctor? He keeps his and Cole's storage. Hasn't used him for a long time now. Oh, I don't know. He's done all right. Good place. He'd be selling papers if his wife hadn't left him a good insurance policy. What, you like his money? Don't get me wrong. I like being secure, but the girl has feelings, too. Mm-hmm. In the beginning of the show. I'm glad I met you. Why? We're going to have some nice afternoon. It's football season. I have some free time. Why don't you hear me on the piano, for instance? Now, I don't sing. I'll teach you. Paul says I should have an outside interest. Oh, keep looking. He'll find one. You smile, garbage. You talk nasty. You started this conversation, sis. Max is still in the kitchen. I came here to see Menlo. You didn't say what about? I'll tell him. There's the phone. Call and make an appointment. Yeah. Oh, Vicky, who is it this time? His name's Regan. He hasn't got a business card. Have Max Romard. You, Dr. Menlo? Yeah. Should I turn all my patients over to another doctor? Yeah, well, I know one you forgot. Tell me who? Carmen Sanchez. Go ahead, Vicky. I'll talk to him. Watch yourself. Paul, he doesn't know how to be nice. It'll only take a minute. I'll crack the mic. The nurse. She's out of uniform. We're casual. You said I had a patient named Carmen Sanchez. Who told you that? Somebody she knew. You're a relative? Friend. You heard some wrong information, mister. I never heard of Carmen Sanchez. I read about you in a letter. There's still been another Menlo. No, there's only one with a license. You're big, too. 25 a day? 10. I work for another guy. Who? Lion. Lion's eye. Okay. You're still at the wrong house. You want to show me your files? Why not? Learn. Okay. Now, keep it duplicated at home. Help yourself. Want a drink? Too early. You don't mind if I have one? No. Anything? Not under Sanchez. No. Now, do you believe me? She could have used another name. Got any ideas? Lion girl, 5'4", brown eyes. He's not. Do you ever know a man named Chambers? Yeah. He's in high school. Back in Denver. Grover Trot. That doesn't help. I'm sort of retired now. That's what Vicki said. Nice girl. Talks to everybody. You satisfied? Not yet. Don't munch it. Always glad to help out. There's easier ways to make a living. Yeah, I haven't got a wife with an insurance policy. A year ago, I'd have broke you in half for that. Now, it doesn't matter. You can find the door. I'll be back. Don't bother, Regan. Doctor will be out. I left him sitting there with a glass of rye in his hand. It wasn't much of an interview, but there was a story somewhere. What Menlo didn't have in his files, he was keeping in his head. I figured he might open up if I showed him that snapshot in the letter. Well, I drove back to town. I put in a call to the lion. Nobody answered at the office, so I went home. When I opened my door, I caught a loaded taboo. Isabelle Sanchez was wearing a dress she must have put on with a shoehorn. He's got the nicest janitor. He thinks I'm your sister. Where'd you meet him? He was in the lobby when I came in. I've been waiting for you. Yeah, well, we got an office, you know. No one answered when I rang. I wanted to be sure and see you before I left. Taking a trip? I leave for Mexico City first thing in the morning. Well, it was a short visit. It was long enough. What about your sister? That's what I came here to tell you. I found Carmen. Oh, you did? Oh, rather, Carmen found me. I feel foolish now, calling in a detective service and all that. Why? Well, Carmen came to my hotel about noon today. And you imagine she's been looking for me. Last night, you said she didn't have an address. Well, that was another silly thing. Only a firm estate. He's not very good at details. Where is she now? Well, she's out buying a few things and packing. I've convinced her to come home with me. All right. Now you want to know what I found? Well, I know. Should I? I have my sister. You were worried about a man named Chambers last night? Carmen told me she hasn't seen him for months. Did she tell you about her doctor? No. I met him. Only you said he never saw her. Oh, is that so? Well, Mr. Regan, I do appreciate your services. Please thank Mr. Lyons for his kindness. I'm sorry. I won't be able to see him. He's going to be sorry, too. You're giving this envelope for the $100 in it. You're paid up. It's for all the unnecessary trouble I've caused. And, Mr. Regan, it's all confidential. You read the contract. I wouldn't want any of this. You're wrong. You know some of the wrong kind, do you? Doesn't everyone? Right here, there. This is a mistake today. No, I didn't. Good. It's all over. I didn't see you. What kind of file? Dead, not claimed. What do you mean? Comments. You were listening to the story of the lost lady tonight's adventure with Jeff Regan, the investigator. Before we continue with tonight's story, here's an important message from the Adjutant General's office. The Army Nurse Corps Reserve still has commissions available for graduate registered nurses between the ages of 21 and 45. If you believe you qualify for a commission in the Army Nurse Corps Reserve, apply to the Adjutant General, Washington, D.C. And now, back to the story of the lost lady and Jeff Regan, the investigator. Well, there are enough angles in this thing to write a new geometry book. Isabelle Sanchez came to Los Angeles to find her sister, Carmen. She called in the lion who started me digging. A doctor named Menlo out in Encino used a milk bottle for a jigger. He was heavy on green stuff but light on memory and gave me nothing but an ice cube. His girlfriend, Vicki, was a little different. She gave me a warm glow, but I still drew a blank on the missing sister. Then Isabelle walked into my place and said she found Carmen and called off the chase. That's about when the lion rang and said that he found her too, only his version was a little different. She was holding down a plot in the county cemetery, even dead a year. I caught a cab and I went over to her hotel. A small man with a bald head opened the door and looked at me like I was trying to crash a coming out party. Yes? I'm looking for Isabelle Sanchez. Are you a friend? She won't think so. She's not available. All right, I'll wait. What I mean is, could you come back later? What's wrong with her now? Well, you see... All right, come on, Buster, let's throw it in gear. Are you a guest of the hotel? No. Could you please tell me the nature of your business? I want to see Isabelle. I'm sorry, I can't let you in until you tell me who you are. Regan, international detective viewer. She's a client. Oh, come in. I'm Dr. Stanwick, the house physician. She need one? Not anymore. Look for yourself. How long has she been this way? Two hours, I'd say. The fellow boy found her a few minutes ago. She drank a lot. Alcoholic poisoning. Yeah. Oh, Mr. Regan, on the thing like this, occurs naturally we don't like it to get around to the other guests. You'll use discretion, I presume. I'll be as quiet as she is. Thank you, Mr. Regan. We appreciate it. The elevator's to your right. I got a good memory. How are you doing? What are you doing here? I've come to talk to our client. You don't need a Ouija board. Whatcha mean? She's dead. Why'd you let that happen? She wouldn't have done you any good. Whatcha talking about? Yeah, all right. You go to Isabelle. You say her sister's buried on the county, but it'll take a little cash to keep it out of the newspapers. Not so now. Go back to your contest blanks. Big shot. That Sanchez team didn't come from Mexico, and she wasn't rich. I told you that yesterday. All right, we'll close the Sanchez case. Oh, no, we won't. It's still wide open. Where are you going? To buy an air wing. Well, I went down to the Hall of Records. It's a frown building off-temple. It leans over like an old lady with a short cane. I took the elevator upstairs, and I walked down to vital statistics. The place was empty except for a guy sitting behind the desk. He had on a black suit with dust on his shoulders. His fingernails were dirty, and he was reading a dictionary. He must have been at a good part because he looked mad when I nudged him. We're not out of thoughts. Quick shove it. I want some information. That's what I'm here for. I'm a public servant. Now, let's get to the death files, will you? You're a morbid guy. You got a lot of stuff from births and marriages. Ask me something about that. Carmen Sanchez died a year ago in August. Tell me what's wrong. Okay. I'll just spell it. Just like it sounds. Sanchez. Cetatine. Salas. Tanaki. Sanchez. That's what happened to old Sanchez. No wonder I ain't seen him around. Get the Sanchez. All right. I got the Sanchez. Carmen. 22. Data death. 837. Alcoholic poisoning. She drank a lot. Who signed the certificate? P. Menlow. Empty. Thanks. Next time, make it something hard. All right. Try this. Menlow's wife died about the same time. Masters. Marie. Melbourne. Babbitt. Babbitt. Menlow. Sylvia. 349. 247. Alcoholic poisoning. Certification. P. Menlow. That guy can't keep a patient. Well, I left when I went back out into the street. It was almost five and the traffic was heavy. I started to cross the street to a sandwich shop on the corner. A yellow cab raced me to the sidewalk, but I won. I went inside and a skinny waitress with peanut-colored hair brought me a cup of stale coffee and a burnt hamburger. I sat there and I tried to figure it. It was like swimming through a tidal wave and hip boots. Three deaths from the same thing in Menlow's name on every one of them. Well, the answers weren't in the coffee cup, so I went home, picked up my car and drove out to Menlow's place in Encino. The drive was nice and so was the reception. I built a fire. I forgot the marshmallows. And we'll think of something else. You know, I'm not mad anymore. I'm still looking for your doctor. Let me take care of it. No, I want to see him. And you'll have to wait again. When's he going to climb out of that bottle? We had dinner at a place on Ventura. Paul found the bar. He'll stay till it closes. I better go there. Questions again? Maybe. I know some swell answers. How about you two? I've worked for him a long time. One year. How did you know? This is my night off. You hear all along? Isn't it terrible? Anything can happen. How do you like it? You're away? That's better. Now, let's have a nice quiet evening. Just you and me. I had a feeling you'd be back. Is that why you wore that? Like it? Well, you've got talent, lady. Just go with me. You've been a famine of men like you. You don't look underfed. Why didn't I meet you sooner? We didn't travel in the same crowd. Let's start over. Do you keep his files? What's that got to do with us? They'd never pass inspection. Are you talking about something I should know? Carmen Sanchez. What about her? She died. Menlo signed her death certificate. Paul's lost love, patient. He's not very good. Did I tell you I played the piano? He told me some other things. Did I? They make a good story. I don't like stories. Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. I thought we were going to have a nice quiet evening. The girl walked in his office one day and dropped dead. Good opening. Why'd she do that? Alcoholic poisoning. She was a nobody named Carmen Sanchez. The story's getting dull. There was a snapshot in her pocketbook. When did the action begin? Right now, lady. The doctor's wife had an insurance policy. He convinced her to take a trip. Why do you want to do a thing like that? So he could pull a name fix and collect his wife's insurance. He had a body. No one will ever believe this, Sloth. He buried an empty box. How do you know? I'm going to have somebody dig it up. What about the body? He turned that over to the county. Everybody lives happy ever after. Don't you like him, Angie? You're going to have to take up a harmonica, lady. Why? The gas chamber isn't big enough for a piano. Who's going to the gas chamber? You, maybe. An insurance fraud's one thing. Murder's a longer rap. You haven't touched your drink. I don't like mine that strong. Now come on, lady, get your coat. Max! I thought you were alone. I lied. Hello, Reagan. You look excited. It's tough, Max. Yeah, it's easy. Sloth and he must. He's in a white room on the trip, Andy. I tried to move my hand, but it felt like a grand piano. So I just lay there. Pretty soon, somebody put something damp on my face and I began to see things. Vicki was there. Max. So was Menlo. If I'd have had a deck of cards, you could have played a Pinappa game. Menlo looked kind of upset. Like an ostrich with a sore throat. He had a needle in his hand. I get the shakes. You're all right, Paul. Now go ahead. Just like Isabella. You should have stayed out, Reagan. I wanted one more. Look at you, baby. I hate to see the nice ones go, but it'll all be over in a minute. All right, Paul. Give me a drink, Pinky. Never mind. Hurry up. Gonna have a drink. You're too slow, Max. Yeah. Keep away from me, Max. I'll kill you. Put down that gun. I told you to keep away. Menlo slugs with Kara Max, but Vicki shot Menlo twice. And his knees knocked together. He began to pitch around like a toy balloon in a hurricane. He dropped his gun, but he held onto the needle. Then he slumped forward and made a grab for Vicki, and they both went down. He jammed the needle into her arm. The same stuff you used on Isabelle? Yeah. I'll straighten them out. Reagan. He'd never make it. Please, Reagan. Give me five good reasons. I got Vicki. I'll never use a needle again. And you only gave me two. Well, we didn't hear from the suburbs, but there were enough ballots to make it an election. How much I'd got the insurance commissioner down there, and he threw in a vote. Seems that Isabelle Sanchez was Menlo's wife only. Her name was Sylvia. When a dame named Carmen Sanchez dropped dead in his office, Menlo got kind of ambitious. He talked his wife into the switch, and, well, everything might have worked out. Except one night when he was seeing elephants, he told Vicki the whole thing. He set the squeeze play with Max and the dugout. When Sylvia got back and saw how things were, she called herself Isabelle Sanchez and went to the lion with a story about a lost sister. I was hired for scare work, and when she figured they had enough, she called me off, but it didn't take. And you know the rest. Well, the insurance company issued a fee for exposing it to fraud, and the lion got his picture on page one. It was right next to Vicki's. He was wearing one of those French swimming suits. The lion said, that'd do us a lot of good. It did. We each had a free bathing suit. Jack Webb is featured as Jeff Regan with Herb Butterfield as Anthony J. Lyon. It's CBS at the same time next week for more hardball news. Next week for more hardball action and mystery with Jeff Regan, the investigator. Written by E. Jack Newman and Larry Roman. Produced by Sterling Tracy. The role of Vicki Starr was played by Yvonne Patey. Lorraine Tuttle was Isabelle Sanchez. Ken Christie played Dr. Paul Menloff. And Larry Dobkin was Max Brenner. Original music for this program is by Milton Charles, Bob Stephenson speaking. This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System.