 Get this and get it straight crime is a suckers road and those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave There's no other end, but they never learn From the pen of Raymond Chandler outstanding author of crime fiction comes his most famous character in the adventures of Philip Marlowe Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe. We bring you tonight's exciting story the hiding place Hip chop. Yes, mr. Waltman The bookends Well, let me see now. That was the little Dutch figurines. Wasn't it the boy and the girl? All right fine Well, I'll have to oh Hold Hold the line a minute mr. Waltman tomorrow you you're back. Yes, mr. Brian Did you find him mr. Marlowe? Did you find chipper? Chipper is dead mrs. Bryant. Oh Take it easy mrs. Bryant maybe but I sit down here. No, I'm all right There's a customer waiting on the phone. I'll finish that Then I want you to tell me everything you found out about my son sure sure I'll only be a moment As Martha Bryant went to the telephone I braced myself for the story. I had to tell her I Tried to figure some last-minute way of making hard facts a little softer for a sweet brave gray-haired lady deserved a better break The first thought about what had happened brought the whole ugly business rushing back at me again Turned my mind back like a clock to where it had all begun yesterday morning in my office That same Martha Bryant full of hope and quiet courage had walked up to my desk Handed me a letter and asked me to find her son. His name is chipper mr. Marlowe or rather Chip now that he's a grown man. He's 22 He left suddenly without a word six months ago I've heard nothing until this morning when that letter there dressed a chip came in the mail postmarked San Louis a bispo Oh sit down. Won't you mrs. Bryant? Thank you Maybe I shouldn't have opened it, but Well, you see it's the first indication I've had and all that time that he's even alive really Dear Chip, it's been a long drag with the waiting is finally over darling time is now Meet me at 11 30 Monday night at the house with a big wheel sign Toby House with a big wheel. What does that mean mrs. Bryant? I have no idea But for some reason it frightens me 1130 Monday Monday night that must be tonight. Who is this Toby Toby? She's a very very beautiful young woman platinum blonde Chipper believed he was in love with her. I'm afraid. Oh Please don't misunderstand me mr. Marlowe. I'm not a possessive mother. I Knew I'd give chipper up someday only I Hope it would be to a nice and seer girl. Toby Packler isn't she's much too fast The kind who uses too much mascara and wears things like those little Anklets chains they called slave bracelets. I tried to find her after chip left, but she was gone too Tell me the junior son argue about Toby mrs. Bryant. No, no, I only saw her once He knew I didn't think much of her, but that didn't drive him away. Mr. Marlowe. What did I've never been able to understand After his father died chip became Irresponsible and a little while perhaps especially since I had to spend all my time running our gift shop on Ivar but He was a good boy really I Tried to convince myself that he left just to prove his independence to test his wings, you know But now now what mrs. Bryant? Now I'm worried That letter it puzzles me. I don't like it. Well, it made me nothing more than you're getting a daughter-in-law uses too much mascara I hope you're right. I Want chip to be happy to settle down now. I want to turn my business over to him and will you try to locate him for me? Here I have his picture here in my wallet See They chip looks a lot like his mother doesn't it? Yeah Please find out my son is all right Sure, I'll do my best My office window. I watched her leave the building saw us stop politely and answer a question For an oily sidewalk pass a by in a black pinstripe suit And move quietly on down the street toward a shop on Ivar Neat gentle very lonely woman. I Hope to find a happy story for in San Luis Obispo. She had one coming. I Was still hoping five hours later when I pulled into a mobile gas station in the little town at the foot of the Santa Lucia mountains 200 miles up the coast I Filled up asked a few questions and found out there were only four good hotels five not so good and two or three dozen motorcourts and That ran the gamut So even with nothing with the name Toby to go on the job wasn't completely impossible By the time I'd worked my way down into the motorcourts the Sun was sneaking off between the rocky hills toward the ocean and I was still collecting negative answers Until I tried a mirrored neon combination bar restaurant at motel called pinkies on the north edge of town Sorry miss an old Toby Packler registered here. Now. Wait a minute. You're sure she's a lovely platinum blonde about About what? Huh? Oh never mind skip it pinky. Maybe this is better Last across the lobby of the bar, I caught a man watching me It was the same oily character in a black pinstripe suit that I'd seen stop Mrs. Brian on the street outside my office back in LA He ducked away and I beat it into a bar Justin time to see him slip out a side door. So I followed it Outside a gravel path worm through a groove dejected pepper trees wound up in a lonely world patio And when I got there oily was out of sight The reason was simple the nose of his gun in my back said he was behind me on move Marlowe Well, well name it all Sure, I've been telling you every inch of the way since old lady Bryant went to see you this morning What's the connection oily exactly six long months of watching and waiting for what for a move a new two skunks I'd have to make some time and from the way you've been working You don't know enough to do yourself any good of me any harm. So take some advice go back to LA leave it Alone leave what alone? It's none of your business people. I'll take over from here But just in case you're running the chip Bryant or Toby on your way out of town Tell them for me they're not cutting Lou race out of his share of 110 grand I'm gonna get it one way or another So you won't forget Brick floor of the patio finally stopped pushing I was alone Except for my ugly thoughts. I Knew I was on the right track But from the sound of things chipper Bryant was much less a mama's boy than his mama believed I made sure Lou race was nowhere around the motel I went into the bar again to see what a double scotch would do for my headache The bartender obviously was the type who got around so I took a chance and asked him about Toby Packley It was no good When I described Toby as a beautiful platinum blonde a girl sitting alone two stools down a Girl with a short ragged mouse brown hair and extremely flat miss form face Dropped her eyes and looked away. I Suddenly felt very cheap I Flipped a silver buck on the bar and got up, you know, it was the kind of dumb stunt. You can't apologize for you. Just leave It was halfway to my car before I realized the girl had followed me out I turned and watched the come toward me The garish neon light her face was jarringly unreal the color and texture of hard putty. I uh, I Heard you inside when you asked about Toby Yeah, I thought you had Do you know her miss Palmer? Yeah, I know her. She's one of my few friends. What do you want with Toby? Well, my name is Marlowe. I'm from LA. I want to talk to her about a fellow named Chip Bryant She's my only lead Chip Bryant. Yeah, she never mentioned that name to me. Anyway, you're too late. Mr. Marlowe, what do you mean? Toby left town this morning. She left town. Oh, no, she's going up north to Seattle. I think on some kind of Personal business. Now listen, did she ever say anything to you about a house with a big wheel? Where it was what it means house with a big wheel. Yeah, you know, I'm afraid not I'm sorry. Mr. Marlowe. I guess I'm not much help. I Good night. Thanks. Anyway, and good night miss miss Yeah Yeah, Palmer Good night. The girl walked back to the bar the little gold chain I'd spotted around her ankle glinted in the brittle light It was like an echo of a memory. A slave bracelet on her was as out of place as a morning glory and a bed of toadstools But that gave me a crazy hunch. I hunched that somehow in the last six months a gorgeous blonde named Toby Packler Had become a drab brown head with a flat stiff face So I didn't chase wild geese to Seattle instead. I got in my car and I waited An hour went by and it was almost dark before she finally came out again Step down into a sleek new convertible and drove north out of town I followed as she turned off a neglected side road and for eight miles twisted through jagged rocky hills toward the mountains And suddenly from the crest of a small rise. I saw what she'd been heading for an old stone house squatting in a grove of eucalyptus trees The girl I figured to be Toby Packler. It slowed almost to a stop. I watched the creep along until she was out of sight And I got out of my car and I went down for a closer look Round brown shingled couplers reared proudly out of choking over growth and on a huge rusty iron gate in front Was the name Escobar But in the trees behind the house. I saw more Turning slowly in the stream. There was a giant water wheel a big wheel Drove fast back to town and stopped at the only place I could figure for a quick answer The opposite of the San Luis Abysso Daily Eagle the night editor was strictly old-school from green eyeshade to sleeve gutters But still very much on the ball. So you want to see the issues of exactly six months ago? Yes, yeah, that'd be November about the eighth ninth and 10th He uh, son. Thanks. Thanks a lot. I'm right the sort of cinch it Rip those copies So by the way, what story are you looking for? Oh small something on a party named Toby Packler It's not here. Wait a minute. Maybe it'll be in Yeah, sure. Sure. This is it on page three a Woman identified as Toby Packler of Los Angeles Suffered severe injuries they hadn't faced today when the car she was driving skidding into a bridge abutment two miles north of here So that's how come the face Miss Packler's condition was announced as critical by Clark emergency hospital attention. Hey, is that all you wanted? That's enough That answers your question young man. I put these copies away. I had a bit careful Wait a minute wait a minute that headline. What was that? Let's see that Santa Barbara jewelry store, uh Daring thieves escape with gems valued at a hundred and ten thousand a hundred and ten grand Remember that two men and a woman got away clean to never caught a woman You don't mean there's a connection between these stories, dude I don't know ask me again after I've checked in at the old Escobar place Adam Escobar's place out in the hills You're joking son What in the world could that crackpot possibly have to do with the jewel robber in a car wreck six months ago It beats me, but there's some time you can count on it I think you're crazy, but if you're going out there, maybe you should be now. What's that supposed to mean? You'll have something in common with Adam. He's living his own private dream world for so long He's a forgotten what the real world's all about Goodbye, son. I'll see you later. I Hope In just a moment the second act of Philip Marlowe But first the fun is always fresh and furious when Groucho marks takes over on CBS Wednesday nights with his wonderful quiz You bet your life Groucho the master of ad-lib teams up pairs of opposites and then goes to work with his quips and questions Very very solid with laughter this Groucho Mark show here at this Wednesday and every Wednesday and most of these same CBS stations Now with our star Gerald Moore the second act of Philip Marlowe and tonight's story the hiding place The road I had thought of Adam Escobar's place is just another hundred year old country home You know the kind bigger Lou Frankel like an aging nobleman who would retired long ago with his memories Now that I was there and at the rust that I engage that resented my intrusion out loud had changed my mind. I Saw now it had to be a degenerate nobleman Also, the nobleman had to be flat-broke. I saw it everywhere an aim Escobar on the gate and copper lettering It turned a sickly spotted green The scuffed faded family crest in laden tile in the cement walk was cracked and crumbled The exquisite stained glass door was cracked all the way down the middle Only the engraved card in the slot under the knocker that said Adam Escobar a squire was neat and new landed gentry's last ditch stand I Was about to knock one you need not bother knocking sir. I saw you coming up the walk. I am Adam Escobar It was a small slight man of maybe 60 plus with a large head held high in spite of the frayed cuffs Patent of the slippers that were cracked and peeling I introduced myself then followed me to a musty living room There while he apologized for no longer having any servants and porters each some brandy from a cut glass to can't I told them all about my search for chip Brian complete with Toby and no race Frankly, mr. Marlow. I am puzzled Your drinks are confused. What does all this have to do with me? Well, maybe nothing mr. Escobar But the only guess around is that the jewels were hidden here on your property a house with a big waterwheel the night of the Robbery six months ago Reason sir the police probably sure you wouldn't want to be picked up the stuff on him Salute under yours. Thank you Then then mr. Marlow soon after they did that hit the jewels I mean the girl the one with the injured face had that accident those are the circumstances Oh more or less and if I've added right companies coming by 1130 It's 1030 now It might be a good idea if you left the home grounds for a while me leave my own home because of some thieves because of three Come on mr. Escobar. It's that or the police and I'd rather not have the minute for a while I still owe my client the slight benefit of the doubt that's left you think I am afraid is that what you are trying to say No, of course not, but I don't see why you should stick your neck out these people have nothing to do with you You are wrong, sir every honest man has something to do with every criminal his duty. I know that now mr. Marlow If I had known it many years ago, I might still have both my wealth and my property intact Well, okay, who knows when I come back it may be back, but where are you going, sir in a town? I'd still like to catch up to chip Bryant before the reunion I don't think there's gonna be the time or place for conversation Conversation with that Bryant hoodlum about what sir, but a mother mr. Escobar A nice old lady who doesn't deserve a kick in the teeth Back in San Luis Vismo, I returned to the missing person door-to-door canvas for the third time that night Only now I can find myself to the wrong side of the tracks exclusively in the deeper the dive the better I didn't figure the chip Ryan would show anywhere else Now after a half a dozen quick stops number seven proved lucky It was a cramped greasy bar with a sawdust and cigarette butt floor and a single customer I hadn't found chip, but I was close to the depth of mr. Lou race The barkeep of all the fat wearing a sweatshirt the size of a tent at his back to me when I entered so did race So when I tapped the tricky man on his padded shoulder and he turned he was surprised to see me swing That's like I was an old debt this Just in case I can't got your time. I'll get up get ready to answer a few simple questions I'll pay you for it unless you want to be up to your rolling chins in trouble with the law junior Don't try to help the clientele the cops Okay, okay, why didn't you say so? I don't know nothing about this guy, and I don't know enough now Come on race you talk or eat sawdust which I know What what do you want one you chip Ryan and Toby Paco stuck up that Santa Barbara jewelry store six months ago, right? Yeah, yeah, we did it, but they crossed me up It was when the cops were coming in we split splitter you played hooray for Lou race and ran without worrying about the others Oh, what's the difference a reason Toby and chip Ryan won't tell you where they hit the jewels That's a difference. That's your standing on one ear people Toby had a different reason for crossing me like what? Like a full-on love with that last Bryant the kid she baited in the coming along with us My flap on her baby blues the kid who was supposed to drive the car period That's how she crossed me anyone else. Yeah, that's upper. Where's Brian now one of two places Either with Toby Packler By the time I made it to the door The second company Sam spade was across the street behind a parked car and streaking for an alley in the middle of the block Just as I thought I was gonna lose and he came abreast of a dark doorway And I saw it an arm raised quickly the glint of a knife blade the arm drop Choppy whoever it done it slid away in the dark is suddenly as he appeared and I was next to race There was only the call his car to black ivory handled knife Driven to their hilton between the dapper man's shoulders It was going out fast How did happen shut up race race, do you know who got you? Yeah Black ivory handle. Yeah, why why was it mean who's belong to race? What kid? He's dead, huh Yeah And so are all the prayers of one mrs. Martha Bryant Who she never mind never mind listen call the cops tell her my name is Philip Malo I'm a private detective and I may be able to explain all this later right now I'm do it a house with a water wheel and explain that later to if I'm lucky Mr. Malo I'm glad you're here, sir. It is almost 11 30. I know have you seen anyone mr. Escobar No, sir, and I have been watching very closely and in readiness My father on this pistol. Oh, well, I hope it's been oiled since now look I didn't locate ship break Wait a minute. Isn't that a car there turning off the road without any lights on yes And going along the side of my property line back to the water wheel it is a woman mr. Malo Yeah, no doubt named Tony Packler now look you stay here, mr. Escobar and keep that blunder bus ready Don't forget ship Bryant's you out here Tony's a killer keep your eyes open. We'll stand a better chance meeting him one at a time Around the side of the house quickly then kept close into a long line of eucalyptus trees that ended at a crumbling building That had once been servants quarters After that it was only 20 yards of the water wheel 20 open yards the huge ancient circle of hand human wood that Complained against the side of a dreary squat stone mill that had long ago died of old age There in the faint half light of a hazy moon. I saw Toby Packler kneeling at the corner of the building and with both hands working furiously to loosen a stone the size and shape of a Football it was a gun on the ground next to her and move closer my hand tight on the 38 in my pocket And I waited till she had the stone out And that baby ends a six months old secret That wasn't bad aim just a warning Toby How do you know my name? I reach your mail? I get back over to your homespun safety deposit box there and take the jewels out go on all right. I Shouldn't my soldier you won't go any place with them Chip will see to that he'll They're gone. Get back. They're not here. I'll tell you do you understand. They're gone Now tell me is this why you hit him Nobody else knew race a chip Ryan race didn't even know about this place Drop your gun do it This packet mr. Adam Escobar Esquire What do you know about Jules You see this back at night six months ago when you stood over there on the other side of the water wheel and told Bryant that you had hidden the jewels and would tell him where later on I was listening you know, they were here I'll tell anything to anybody It was of course quite by chance that I overheard you but after you had that accident with your car I searched as diligently as though I were a partner searched me specular for money That could mean so so much to me But I found nothing then where are they you ready to tell me where are they? Do you know that I see this hiding place? Yes It was where chip Ryan stood Therefore the jewels are no doubt buried What do you mean? I Think Toby that he killed chip Ryan almost six months ago and that he buried him here on these grounds without knowing the chip It already found the jewels what? Chip Dead quite dead. I Killed him two days after your accident. I found him searching for the jewel. No No, you're lying chip was supposed to go back to Los Angeles and wait until I was well wait for my letter He didn't Toby come out here found the jewels and was killed by our host No wonder I couldn't find them these months type search day in and day out scratch them dog in cold and in rain by Zoning by dog. No wonder. I buried them with him. Yeah, but you didn't bury his knife Did you that you kept and used on a little race tonight? Why so you can shoot me then him But so that if I'm very lucky, I can run away to live some more Oh, we don't live with a smashed ugly face I got to lose even one. I pretty face is gone another step the man. I love Escobar turn around point that gun at me Now it's self-defense Toby Toby's a bad. Yeah real bad I Had so much once with face a Guy named chip Jules at everything I Was a big wheel Hortman the bookends will be sent out to you this afternoon at the latest Thank you for calling Goodbye I'm sorry to have kept you mr. Marlowe. I may be hard for you to believe But in the minute I was on the phone And even while I talked I Think I saw chip us whole life before me. I know what you mean Well, this is Brian. I found out that Your son chip Yes You found out what mr. Marlowe. What are you staring at? I Showcase there our mother's day display. It's attractive Isn't it? Yeah, very Mrs. Brian Chip was killed in a storm at sea of a week a week after you saw him It was off San Francisco. His body was never recovered. I Was told that he was on his way to a new job in Canada at the time and Incidentally that letter from San Luis Obispo that that was all a mistake That girl never saw a chip Outside I left my car where I'd parked it and walked through the busy city street You know, it's a funny thing Lies can cause more trouble in this world than almost anything else they say And at the same time And sometimes bring the most happiness The adventures of Philip Marlowe bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous character star Gerald Moore Are produced in written by Norman McDonald and written for radio by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt Featured in the cast where Virginia Greg Joan Banks her Butterfield Louie Gene height Bob Griffin Howard McNeer and Lee Malar The special music is composed and conducted by Richard Iran Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlowe said It started at dawn in a Los Angeles taxi and wound up that night on a cliff in the middle of the Pacific All because of a Dutchman with $50,000 a corpse in a lily pond and an Oriental with a chauffeur who wanted a cloak made of nothing but feathers This is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system