 Being a private investigator means two things. You can be sure you'll run into trouble, and you can never be sure you'll get out of it. Not much you can do about it, I guess, except like Julie always says. Walk softly, Peter Troy. And now Peter Troy investigates Pandora's Boxer. Women, as half the world knows, are just another word for trouble. I say half the world because only one half is made up of guys. And the other half being dolls, there's bound to be some difference of opinion on this matter. Be that as it may, there is a story about a doll called Pandora who was given a box which she promised never to open. But Pandora, being naturally smitten with curiosity, couldn't keep the promise and did in fact open it. And lo, as the man said, out flew all the evils in creation and spread over the earth and plague mankind forevermore. The doll slammed the lid, too late, of course, and trapped one small creature called Hope. The moral seems to be that all we have left is Hope, which is a pretty dismal prospect. But all this brings me to a rather more modern Pandora who was just about as expert as a namesake in loosing trouble on other people. Though in a rather different way. Jay, will you stop punching that thing and listen to me? I've got nothing to listen about, Pandora. Never got me trained into this. All the training in the world isn't going to help you get into trouble. Nobody's getting into trouble. I've heard about men like that. I've heard they even kill people sometimes. Oh, we're your little cheer up, aren't you? I'm trying to face the facts and get you to face them. Look, the facts are that I'm a fighter and I've got a fight coming off in two weeks and I'm in a winnit. Now, that's the whole situation. And this man who wants to throw the fight? Look, forget about him. I don't throw no fights. I never have and I'm not starting now. But he threatened you. Look, his threats don't worry me. He didn't have the nerve to come and see me. He would get a punch up the front for his trouble. You don't even know who he is. He probably represents some powerful people. Yeah, powerful crooks, maybe. And I don't have no dealings with crooks. I still don't like it. Well, who does? What can I do about it? I don't know. Look, I can't see what you expect of me. If I agree to throw this fight, I'll be no better than the crooks who offered to pay me. Now, is that what you want? No, of course not. Well, I'm glad of that. I mean, getting married to a crook wouldn't exactly be an ideal to begin into wet bliss now like that, would it? Oh, I don't know what to think. I realize what you say is true, darling, but... Well, I hate the thought of you getting into trouble, perhaps getting bashed or worse. Now listen... Oh, it's no good, Jay. Something's got to be done. Just can't sit around waiting to hear that you've had your face bashed in or that you've been killed. It seems she meant well. I guess dolls always think they mean well. Every time they set out to organize guys, they sure mean well. Even when they're driving, you're right up the wall. At about this particular time, I was having certain troubles of my own with my secretary, Julie. It can't be. Must be a wrong number. Yeah, let's see. Oh, no. Julie! Yeah? Julie, come in here. Something you can't find. I put everything in the top drawer, so... Never mind all that. Uh, this desk blotter. Well, what about it? It's new. It's clean. There's not a mark on it. Yes, nice, isn't it? I thought you'd appreciate having a clean one for a change. Mm-hmm. Where's the old one? Well, I threw it out. There was filthy scribbles and doodles all over it. Julie, are you aware that you've thrown out a list of very special telephone numbers? Phone numbers? Well, I'm not old blotter. Surely they couldn't... Oh, yes, they could. They were very important. Well, then it serves you right for scribbling them on a dirty old blotter. There's a proper place for phone numbers. The proper place for my phone numbers is where I write them. Oh, of all the dumb clocks I ever met, you are the... Excuse me? Huh? I'm looking for Mr. Peter Troy. There's no one in the outside office. Oh, that's quite all right. Come on in. Join the party. Bring your own shotgun or knuckle dust in. I don't understand. Nobody ever does understand Mr. Troy, so don't let that worry you, Miss... A best. Pandora best. Well, sit down, Miss Best. Now, what can I do for you? Well, I'm not sure. Yeah, well, everybody says something like that. Well, I suppose you just tell me a problem if you have a problem. Oh, I do. It's my boyfriend, Jay Reeves. Jay Reeves? Yeah, that name seems to ring a bell. Not very loudly, but it rings. He's a boxer. Ah, yeah, that's right. Of course. Uh, he's a wildaway, and he shows promise, too. Yes, that's what they say. He's fighting Harry Briggs in two weeks. Oh, swell. He should kill him. What? He should beat him, I mean. Now, what are you worried about Jay for? Someone has offered him money to throw the fight and threatened to beat him up if he doesn't. Yeah, who? Oh, I don't know, nor does Jay. It was just a phone call. Well, it was maybe just a crank, you know. There are lots of characters who like to play tricks like that. I don't think so. Jay believes he's genuine, but he's decided to ignore the whole thing. I'm afraid for his welfare. I've heard how rough some of these fight crooks can be. Yeah, yeah, but, then, if we don't know who they are... I just want you to protect James, Detroit, until after the fight. He's so stubborn, he'll never agree to throw the fight. Yeah, well, you've got to admire him for that kind of stubbornness. I suppose so. But in that case, I want somebody around him all the time to see that he doesn't get hurt. I couldn't bear if anything happened to him. Then he's a very lucky guy to have such a devoted fiance. Okay, Miss Best, I'll protect Jay Reeves for you. Yeah, it's a nice spot for a training camp, huh, Joey? Very. I didn't know that Jay Reeves was such an important fighter that he put a board to set up his own camp. Oh, he isn't. The guy who owns this place just rents it out for all sorts of things. Oh, at present, it's a training camp. Oh, alright, there's our boy. Yeah, but I have a word with him. What for? You said he bit your head off when you first told him you were here to protect him. Yeah, yeah, a funny thing, right? Why should he care whether he has protection or not? He refuses to worry about the crooks who threatened him. Yeah, that's what I mean. Oh, Jay. Oh, what? Oh, it's you again, is it? Yeah, it's me. Oh, and I'd like you to meet Miss Summers. Women aren't allowed in a camp. Oh, Julie isn't a woman, really. She's a secretary. Very funny, I don't think. Now, see, it's what I told you before, you're not wanted. Your fiance, Miss Pandora Best, hired me. Yes, and I told her what I thought of her for doing that, too. So? She wants you to stay. Well, that's it then. But I don't. Now, look, this is my training camp, and I don't want a lot of fat feet tamping all over it, looking over me shoulder. Flat feet? You, uh, you don't like policemen? That's right, I don't. But Mr. Troy's a private detective. That's rather different, isn't it? A cop's a cop, private or otherwise. Now, Troy, if you get off this property, I'm gonna have your phone off. Now, about these crooks who threatened you, you've got no idea who they are. Well, I told you I haven't. They're clear off, will you? No. Listen to me, Troy, I'll... Now, get down. Get down. You too, Troy. I had a bullet go over my head. Yeah. Someone tried to kill you. Well, that doesn't make sense. Oh, I don't know. You refused to throw that fight, didn't you? Well, yes. Well, killing someone's a... Murder. Now, maybe you've got some idea of the kind of characters you're up against. God, I don't believe it. I just don't believe it. Would you like us to use that as your epitaph? Right now, it looks very much as though you're gonna need one. Oh, Troy, I just knew something would happen. Those men are ruthless. What men? Why, the men who want Jay to throw the fight, of course. Oh. I hope this isn't going to frighten you off, Mr. Troy. Frighten me off? Oh, no, don't you worry about me, Miss Best. When I take on a job, I see it through to the end. Oh, I'm glad. Because now more than ever, Jay needs your protection. I don't want you to leave him day or night. In fact, you should be within now. Well, don't you worry, Miss Best. Leave him for a while. That's because I know he's safe. And it won't be for long. I've got a few things to organize around here. Well, just don't take any notice of Jay. He won't like you around, but I want you to be there. Sort of pop up now and then. Pop up? Yes, it'll do him good, reminding what he's up against. Make him more careful of his own well-being. I've got to go now. I'll see you later, Mr. Troy. And don't leave Jay for long, will you? Pop up. Well, now I've heard everything. Yeah, well, let's see. What on earth are you doing? Oh, hi, honey. Oh, what's new in town? Nothing much. I looked at the mail. It can all wait. What are you looking at that ball for? It's got something I want. Where's that pocket knife? There I got it. You're looking terribly fresh here. I can't help that. I'm investigating. Yeah, this is where we were standing when that shot was fired, you remember? Of course I remember. One of us could have been killed. You think so? Yeah, look, I'm standing on this step. And I can just reach the spot where the bullet went into the wall. It's at least two feet over the heads of anyone standing where you are. Yes, that's odd. The gunman must be a rotten shot. Yeah. Now, Julie, the guy who fired this bullet is not a rotten shot. At least that's my guess. Why? Well, you'll find out. So that's the bullet? Well, it's small, isn't it? Yeah, but it had a terrific punch behind it. Now that is very interesting. Not to me. I don't know why you're bothering with it. Well, we'll just have to explain it all to you, honey, won't we? And some other things as well. Other things? Such as why Jay Reeves hates policemen. Well, come on, let's go. Where? Police headquarters. Have a little chat with our old chum inspector, Caswell. Assignments in which characters take pot shots at me or someone standing close by are not the most popular with me. And normally, Jay Reeves' emphatic insistence that he didn't need a bodyguard would have been enough excuse for me to tell Pandora that I wanted out. But that was the point. It was maybe just a little too emphatic. And then again, the shot not only missed Jay and Julie and me, but it missed us by a mile. So off to annoy Inspector Caswell I went, dropping Julie at the office on the way. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Inspector, what do you mean nothing? You asked me what I make of this bullet, so I'm telling you. Nice to have seen you, Troy. I'm sure I've got in again something. Inspector. Let's say about next Christmas 12 months. I'm sorry, I'll be tied up then. So let's make it right now. Now look, Troy. I'd like a rundown on this bullet. Now it looks to me like maybe a .25 from a high-powered rifle, probably. Now I want to know what rifle and who fired it. Is that all? You wouldn't want the family tree of the man who made it, I suppose. No, thanks. Just the guy who fired it. Or something close to that. Yeah, my guess is there aren't too many models of the rifle in this country. And my guess also is that the gunman was a pro. Yes, well how about guessing his name and giving up wasting my time? Oh, thanks, Inspector. I knew I could count on you. Now ballistics lands on my query in no time. All they need is a word from you. Look, I haven't said I'll do it. Oh, and another thing, I'd like to know what records has on one J Reeves. Alias, maybe a half dozen names. Reeves. That's right. J Reeves. He's a boxer now, but who knows what he might have been. He could have done time. And if so, I'd like to know something of his prison record, his behavior and so forth. Nothing else, Father, about it? I mean, this was going to waste only about a day of the department's time. We wouldn't want to stint there. Oh, now there's that nasty, bitter tongue of yours again, Inspector. You'll never win friends and influence people that way. I don't want to influence anybody but you right now. And you, why want to influence out of my office? I'm already on my way. Oh, Inspector. Goodbye, Troy. You'll call me, won't you? At the office, let's say in about an hour. The matter you raise is one more properly handled by the police. And therefore I suggest you contact them, yours faithfully, et cetera. Good. That's got rid of the correspondence. And a dreary lot it was. What's the time? 2.30? I wonder what's keeping the Inspector. Perhaps he won't ring. You should be nicer to him, Pete. After all, he is a very busy policeman. Well, I'm busy too. And I want to wind up this J Reeves thing. Why? Julie, it has a phony ring to it. And phony cases can mean trouble. Seems pretty straightforward. I can understand Pandora best not wanting her fiance to be beaten up or something. So can I. Well then, don't bug me, Julie. I'm just trying to think it out. And with very little to go on, that isn't easy. Oh, let's hope this is the Inspector. Peter Troy. Caswell Troy. Oh, yes, Inspector. What kept you? See, Herr Troy, I have more things to worry about than your trifling cases. And as it is, I've pushed this inquiry of yours as hard as I thought. Yes, I'm sure you have, Inspector, and I appreciate it. Now, hold it while I get a pen. He is not very happy. Who would be with you needling all the time? Stop teasing him. Oh, go on. He likes it really. Yeah, fire away, Inspector. Well, right, first the bullet. It came from a high-powered rifle, all right? Mm-hmm. It's a Du Plessis .25. Du Plessis? You don't hear of them very often? Very few around. Imported, of course. Now, in this, sir, J. Reeves. Yeah? You were right. Well, don't sound so surprised. Now, he served three years for breaking and entering, and released about two years ago. Mm-hmm. What about his jail reign? Not the best. Seemed to have an almost pathological dislike of guards and police. Anyone else would forgive him all this. Mm-hmm. He was fairly well-behaved as long as he wasn't taking direct instructions from someone. Hated to be told what to do or supervise. Made him nervy and upset. Oh, that's swell. Thanks, Inspector. That's what I wanted to know. I can't see how that could help anyone, but it's your business. Well, um, goodbye then. Oh, Inspector, wait on. Yes? That rifle, the Du Plessis. Did M.O. come up with any names? Mm-hmm. Time for another. Two of them are accounted for. They're in jail. Mm-hmm. And the third? His nickname from the habit of... Always using a telescopic sight. Yeah, I know him. Well, thanks a lot, Inspector. You've been a big help. I'll buy you a nice cup of tea one day. Goodbye now. Well, he certainly had a lot to give him. He has more than he realizes, I think. Right, Julie, I'm off. Now, you stick around here and don't leave the office. I'll be phoning in. Oh, where are you going? To have a little chat with a creep called Telly Slater. Marvin, how about a little service here? Oh, right in it. In a minute. I'm not an octopus, you know? Yeah, I'd never guessed it from the look of your face. Hello, Telly. What's the idea of coming up close like that and blowing right down my ear, Al? You don't mind if I sit at the bar alongside you? How do you tell me? I don't mind if you fly to the moonsport. But don't do things that startle me, see? I can get very nasty when I'm startled all of a sudden, like... Funny you should say that, Telly. I can get very nasty without even being startled. Like this. Now just act nice and peaceful, Telly. Nice and peaceful. Like we're having a friendly little chat. Those guns got a silence on it. I could knock you off and be out of here before anyone knew anything had happened. No, no, no. Take it easy. Now, softly, Telly, softly. Nice and friendly, huh? What do you want with me? I don't know you. Do what? All you have to remember is that you're a sleazy little creep and I'm a very terrible and ruthless killer, Telly. I'd just as soon shoot you as by your beard. Now, wait a minute. You can buy me off if you like. Buy you off? I ain't got nothing else. Oh, yes, you have. You've got information. Information like who paid you to take a shot at J. Reeves and Miss. You are you. What's this got to do with you? Oh, goodbye, Telly. I can't say it was nice knowing you. No, no, no, no, no. No, don't shoot. I'll tell you, it was Shade Hanson. Hanson? That's right. He wanted to scare Reeves, I suppose. Reeves wouldn't go along with fixing his next fight, so Shade wanted me to scare him. Somers, isn't he? That's right. Peter Troy's secretary, Miss Best. May I come in? Well, yes, I suppose, sir. Thank you. Actually, I just came to pick you up, Miss Best. Where to meet Mr Troy? Isn't he down at the training camp? No, no, he's in town. You'll see, he's found out who it is behind the threats to Mr Reeves. What? Yes, a man called Shade Hanson. He's the head of a big gambling ring. He's the one who got that man to ring Mr Reeves and try to get him to throw the fight. How did Mr Troy find out? I don't know, but it's wonderful, isn't it? We're all going to see Hanson and tell him we know all about the dirty trick he was trying to pull. That'll fix him. He won't dare do anything. Won't he? Oh, dear no. He likes to keep undercover. If Mr Troy threatens to tell the police about him, he'll leave Mr Reeves one and truly alone. Well, shall we go? Stay where you are. What? What are you doing with that gun? I'm aiming it right at you. And that's obvious, isn't it? Sit down in the chair, Miss Somers. Have you gone out of your mind? Do as I tell you. Sit down. And don't fool yourself into thinking I won't shoot. You've put me in such a position I wouldn't think twice about it. Put you in a position? Sit down, I said. That's better. Court should do pretty well to tie you up for a while. And don't try anything. I have no intention of tempting to use that gun. I can assure you, for obviously, not yourself. I am very much myself, and I mean to stay that way. Which means I intend to get out of town before that Phil Troy goes to see Shade Anson. Why, for heaven's sake, Anson was threatening your fiance. Fiance? Oh, you don't really think I'd ever marry that punch-drunk idiot? I was working for Anson. He recognized Reeves as a good fighter six months ago. He wanted to be sure that he had him where he wanted him. I see. That's got you nicely trust, I think. Now, something for a gag. Can't have you screaming for help for a while. Look, you can't leave me here like this. Sorry, but I have to. And Shade finds out it was through me that Troy got on to him. My life won't be worth tuppence. Now, open your mouth. Oh, no, please don't. Sorry, it's tight, but that's the only way. That's it. Well, goodbye, my dear. I hope somebody finds you before too long. You're not leaving us, Pandora, surely? Troy, how... I thought that you... I know. That's what you were supposed to think. I sent Julian to see you first just to give you the chance of showing your hand clearly. It was a mistake. Oh, no, it wasn't. Oh, hi, Julie. I'll be with you in a minute. Yeah, it's pity you overplayed that hand, Pandora. When you found you couldn't persuade Reeves to throw the fight, you figured maybe you could rattle his nerves so he'd lose anyway. Smart, aren't you? Yeah, I'm smart. Smart enough to notice that Reeves hated having anyone around as bodyguard. It really did rattle him. Ever since his prison experience, he was like that. And then you got handsome to have a gunman make like he was trying to kill Reeves to rattle him some more. He'd have been a nervous wreck before the fight if I'd had my way. Yeah. Only you picked on the wrong private investigator to help you with your dirty work. Oh, and if you're worried about what Shade will do to you, don't be. The police are gonna take good care of you, Pandora. Good care. Mm-hmm. No. Okay, Julie, okay. Wait till I get the gag off. Now, what were you trying to say, honey? Oh, I've only one thing to say to you, and that's walk softly, Peter Troy. Inspector Caswell dreamed up a nice little charge for Pandora, and her boxer friend had no more trouble from Shade Hanson who knew when he'd had enough after I gave him a friendly talking to him. And the thing that sticks in my mind about this case, though, is the effectiveness of that gag Pandora put on Julie. You know, I figured out three smart ways to gag Julie myself sometime. All I need now is the nerve to try them.