 And now, stay tuned for the program that has rated tops in popularity for a longer period of time than any other West Coast program in radio history. The Signal Oil program, The Whistler. Signal, the famous Go Farther gasoline. I invite you to sit back and enjoy another strange story by The Whistler. I'm The Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. And now for the Signal Oil Company, The Whistler's strange story. Little Red Book. It was night, and it was Panama City, and the few passengers on the Augusta Queen were waiting for the big freighter to resume her voyage to San Francisco. Larry Layton was even more restless than some of the other passengers. Also, he was bored. He'd had little success in trying to strike up an acquaintanceship with an attractive young woman on board. And now from the after rail, he could see her going ashore with a portly little gentleman, clad in ill-fitting white linens. It's annoying, isn't it, Larry? What such an attractive girl can see in a man like that? Then suddenly you decide that you must know. You flip your cigarette away, hurry to the gang plank, and walk ashore. Once ashore, you follow the girl and her companion, see them turn down an alley in back of a warehouse. You walk to the entrance to the alley and then stop, but the sound of their voices raised an anger. You little cheat. So that's it. That's why you've been playing up to me. Stop it, Roy. You're all mixed up. Not so mixed up that I don't know I talked too much after a few drinks into the wrong dame. You're voice-own. I'll teach you how to talk to Roy Tate, Julie. No cheap dame pulls anything on Roy Tate, understand? I'm going to... Julie... You freeze back into the shadows, don't you, Larry? A moment later, the girl runs past you. You wait for a moment, make certain no one is approaching, and then move down the alley. The man who called himself Roy Tate is quite dead, isn't he, Larry? A knife lying nearby. You lean down and quickly search him. The inside pocket of his coat is badly torn, but his wallet is there in a considerable amount of money. Quickly you pocket it, then wrap the knife in your handkerchief. It would be dangerous if it were found on you, but you're reasonably sure it won't be, and it might prove quite valuable later. You return to the ship and walk briskly up the gang plate. Well, Mr. Layton, you didn't stay ashore very long. Can't you mind about going into the city, huh? Well, I figure the Scotch is just as good in the ship's bar and a shorter walk. You're probably right. Oh, I am right. Hello, Curly. Want a dame? Sorry, baby. Not in the mood. Oh, nobody wants to do anything. A fine... Scotch and soda, Sam. Sure thing, Mr. Layton. Go easy on the lady. She's feeling low. You mean high. I don't remember her, Sam. She came aboard here in Panama. Been talking to me a mile a minute. First voyage, she said. Nobody's here or lonely. No husband. Yeah, well, I'm sorry. I like mine younger, Sam, and prettier. Oh, there you are. Thanks. Well, there's more what you mean. Oh, oh, yeah. Here's to Miss Fraser. Hello, Sam. Still nothing for me, beautiful. What? All this mileage together and not even a smile. Drink? Thank you. The same as yours. Oh, that's much better. Oh, Sam. I'm on it, Mr. Layton. Same, Mr. Layton. Miss Fraser. Can we make it, Larry, and, uh... Jewelry. Oh. Of course. And I'm Marie. Well, hello, Marie. I'm sailing tonight. You sure are. Oh, don't tease me, Curly. I'm just finally have a little fun. Sure, go on, Larry. Dance with the lady. Yeah, but I... How about I put on another lipstick? Oh, fine thing. I'll do the same for you someday. Come on, Curly. Okay. Cheer up. I might cut in. Okay. Come to my arms, Marie. Gladly, Curly. Gladly. It's all quite different than before, isn't it, Larry? Jewelry's a different girl. And you're amazed at her calmness after what you saw her do to Roy Tate only a short while before. The moments in the ship's bar stretch into hours. As along with other passengers, the two of you wait for the ship to get underway. You and Julie are dancing together now, and you make several attempts to learn what it was all about. You also wonder what Julie took from the murdered man. As you recall, that his coat pocket was torn badly. Perhaps it happened when she lunged at him, but you'd like to know for sure. One thing you do know, the girl in your arms can be as lethal and deadly as she is beautiful. You dance very well, Larry. Better than Roy Tate. What do you know about Roy? Very little. I spoke to him a couple of times on the voyage down. By the way, where is he? Didn't he go a show with you? Yes, he did. But he didn't come back with you. No. Roy isn't going to come back, Larry. No. He's meeting another ship. Going back where he came from, you mean, huh? Something like that. Let's not talk about him anymore. Okay. Just wonder. I didn't see him taking any luggage ashore. What the person think it's odd? His luggage is ashore. Roy sent a message back with me. He wanted his luggage to be in an international hotel. Hell for arrival. He's there now. I see. Well, I, uh, glad he thought of everything. He did. Funny. What's funny? You two seem so, well, chummy on the voyage down and now you don't even seem to miss Roy. You want me to miss him? No. And why are you so concerned about him? Okay. What's okay? Like you said. I'm not going to talk about him anymore. That's better, Larry. Hey, wait a minute. Sam, Sam, is that sailing time? Sure it was sailing. That's right, Mr. Layton. Almost 12. Come on, Julie. You want to go out on deck? Watch it get underway? No, thanks. I'm going to turn in. That's a good idea. I'll go with you, Curly, and then we'll come back and dance until morning. Oh, now, wait a minute, Marie. You two fight it out. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Sam. Good night, Miss Fraser. No, Curly, we got the whole bar to ourselves. You and Sam have the whole bar to yourselves. I'm awfully tired, Marie, and I'm turning in, too. Oh, nobody wants to have any fun. Fine. That's where I came in. Good night, Marie. Good night, Sam. Good night, Mr. Layton. You go out on deck, wander along the rail, watching the deck crew as they work to get the ship underway. You know which state room is Julie's, don't you, Larry? 11B. You're still wondering if she took anything away from Roy Tate. There has to be a reason for murder. Outside of 11B, you pause and look around. No one is watching, and the porthole is partially open, the light from inside shining through. You glance in just in time to see Julie staring at an ordinary little address book, slowly turning the pages. You wonder if the book was Roy's and what it means. And you wonder further when you observe Julie carefully circling an address, and then hiding the book behind a wall mirror. And then quite suddenly the light goes out. You leap back and hurry away. You switch steps along the deck and you bump squarely into another passenger. Oh, I'm sorry. All right, Curly. Anyway, everybody's in a hurry, don't you think? Everybody's either running after something or away from something. Don't you think so, Curly? Don't you? Yeah, I suppose they are. I'll start running, Curly. We're getting underway. And I'm too bad nobody wants to have any fun. This could be a very interesting voyage. That's right, Marie. It could be a very interesting voyage. A word about popularity. A friend of mine, when he's dining out, always chooses a restaurant that's crowded. They must have something, he says, to be so popular. Well, by the same token, Signal Gasoline must have something when you consider that last year motorists bought a lot more gallons of Signal Gasoline than during any other year in signal history. What is that something which accounts for such increasing popularity? It could be the good mileage which has made Signal known throughout the Pacific Coast States as the go farther gasoline. It could be the way cars respond with life and zing to a gasoline that's engineered to help your engine run more efficiently. But frankly, friends, just as sure as my name is Marvin Miller, you're never going to know all the good reasons why so many drivers are switching to Signal until you try a few tank pulls in your own car. Why don't you, this week, and see if you don't agree with me? You get a full measure of all the things that make driving more pleasure when you fill up with Signal, the famous go farther gasoline. It's tantalizing, isn't it, Larry? The question mark that surrounds Julie Frazier. You know that she killed a man in the back alley of Panama, a man named Roy Tate. Why? You wonder if it hasn't something to do with a little red address book which Julie keeps hidden in her stateroom, and you're determined to somehow examine that book. But your opportunity doesn't come until the morning the ship approaches San Francisco's Golden Gate. You enter the dining room quite late to learn that Julie hasn't appeared for breakfast. Good morning, Curly. Your little playmate isn't here. I'll have you all to myself. Marie, the name is Larry. I like you. Good, good. I like you, too. I'm glad, darling, because after little Julie gives you the brush off. You think she'll give me a brush off? Well, yes. I've known a million like her. They always do. And when she does, you can come back to Marie. I'll make you forget all about her. Hey, you know, I'm beginning to think you mean it. Oh, I do, Curly. You're what I've always wanted. And Julie's just playing with you. I can tell. And you're not? You know I'm not. The minute I saw you, I knew you were the one guy I needed. I'm very determined, too. Marie, you amazed me. Now you run on knock-dutifully on Julie's door. See if she's seasick or anything. I can wait. Yeah, like I said. I am. Well, that's something. Curly, supposing I told you that I was a very wealthy widow. Well, that's something, too. I've read about things like this. You don't believe me. Oh, now don't be hasty, Pet. I tell you what, I'm working on a deal. Now, if it falls through... Then you'll come back to me? Uh-huh. How sweet. Yeah, well, eat your breakfast and keep thinking about me. Oh, I will, Curly. I will. You shake your head as you leave the dining room. Marie is certainly a strange one, isn't she, Larry? But harmless. And you've other more important things on your mind. On the way to stateroom 11b, you see Julie approaching and hide behind a lifeboat until she passes. A moment later, you're trying the door of her stateroom. Find it open. Inside, you cross to the wall mirror, take down the little red address booked from where you watched Julie hide it. Quickly examine the addresses inside. You find one carefully circled and you copy it down and place the book back in its hiding place. And then you freeze in your tracks, almost afraid to breathe. Miss Frazier, it's the steward. Miss Frazier, you hold your breath, hoping the steward will go away to the stateroom and find you there. Finally, he does leave. You hurry back to your own stateroom. That afternoon, Marie bids you a terrible goodbye and insists on your writing down an address where you can reach her in San Francisco. And then later on, you're on deck with Julie as a tug pulls your ship slowly toward the docks. Well, here we are. It's all over. It doesn't have to be Julie. I mean, can't I see you to your hotel? No, Larry, I'm sorry. I have other things to take up my time in San Francisco. Well, I guess Marie was right. She predicted you'd brush me off. Says that's when she's moving in. Well, I'm not brushing you off as you put it. I'm sorry, Larry. It's something I can't explain. Perhaps we'll meet again sometime. Julie, if you're in trouble, if you need a strong arm, man. No, I'm not in trouble. Well, it's... Goodbye, that's all. It has to be. Okay, Julie. It's like you said. Goodbye. But you've no intention of letting Julie get away from you, have you, Larry? No. It's simply that you'll have to play things her way at the moment. As the ship ties up, you're the first to shore and make your way out to the Embarcadero and start down the street. Care, mister? Yeah, yeah. Here, I'll take your bag. Thanks. Where to, sir? I don't know yet. Don't know, huh? No. Oh. You just sit a while, huh? You don't mind? Why should I mind? So we sit, so you pay. I gotta turn on the media now. Oh, sure, sure. Hey, it looks like quite a town, Frisco, huh? Please. What? San Francisco. Oh, sorry. I was out here on the coast once before, about five years ago. Never got up here, though. Had business in Los Angeles. LA, huh? Los Angeles. Oh. Nice town. Wait. Start up, start up. Huh? See that young lady over there? Yeah. When getting into that care? That's right. There's ten bucks in it for you if you don't lose her. I won't lose her. Ten bucks says I won't. You follow Julie's cab to a large downtown hotel. As you hurry inside, you see her enter the cocktail lounge. You slip into a back boot and watch as she slides the little red book across to the bartender, then turns and walks away. Your eyes follow her as she moves through the lobby toward the desk. Then you lean back and order a drink. You're still puzzled about that little red book, aren't you, Larry? What it means? Why has she left it here? Then you decide it's time for a showdown. You finish your drink and then step across to the hotel desk. Good afternoon, sir. Miss Julie Fraser, please. What's her room number, Clark? Miss Fraser? Let me see. I believe she just checked in. I'm surprised that you, old man, that you'd forget her so quickly. Miss F is a very attractive young lady. I'm sorry, sir, but we have no Miss Fraser. Now look, she was here just a few minutes ago. Blonde, medium height, wore a tan coat, brown hat. Oh, that young lady. Yeah, yeah, that young lady. Come on, what's her room number? Oh, she isn't staying here, sir. But I saw her. She merely wished to know the correct time. But... Thanks, loads. You hurry outside, but Julie is nowhere in sight. You've let her get away, haven't you, Larry? And you're certain now you've lost her for good. And you still don't know why the little red book is so important. Why, Julie, kill the man for it. However, there's still the address, isn't there, Larry? The address you copied from that little red book. The answer you're looking for could be there, couldn't it? You set out for that unknown address. Glad you're carrying Julie's knife in your pocket in case you need a little protection. Well, hello, Larry. As they say so often, fancy meeting you here. I've been expecting you. Come in. Thanks. That's a dance. Have a drink? Yeah, a scotch, if you haven't. Anything else if you haven't. You're easy to please me. Not always. Meaning what? I'm very particular about women. Are you? Yeah, really. Soda? Yeah, soda. You know, Larry, I must say I'm surprised. Oh? But it turned out to be you. I thought a moment ago you said you were expecting me. Well, I was expecting someone, but I didn't know it would be Larry Layton. Not sorry, are you? Of course not. Here's your drink. Thanks. Not joining me? No, later, perhaps. Do you mind if I sit down? Oh, no, no. Lots of room here. Oh, thanks. Tell me something, Larry. Did you expect it to be me? Let's say I was counting on it. Very much. Then you knew all along. A board ship on me. Maybe. Oh, silly, really. You could have saved yourself all this trouble. Why didn't you tell me then? I was in no hurry. Oh, weren't you, God? Besides, you know, you weren't much help. When I tried to see you home, you fobbed me off with something about leaving it as just a shipboard friendship, remember? That's right. I did say that, didn't I? And so you had to go to the cocktail lounge, get my address, and there you are. Yeah, here I am. You have the money? Money? The payoff. Well, that's something we should talk over. Talk over? Honour. I'll take it easy, baby. Look, the job's done a deal-to-deal. You would have bring the money to the address circled in the little red book. No negotiating, no questions asked. Relax. Sure, I'll relax when you hand over that 30,000. 30,000? Ha, ha, ha. Oh, we could have an awful lot of lives, baby. We? What are you talking about? A partnership. When we collect that deal, we'll split it. When we collect? But I thought that you... That I was the payoff boy? The happy chappy with all the folding stuff? Ha, ha, ha. No, no. I see. Oh, Julie, Julie, how could you be so stupid? Oh, no. Now look, handsome, if you think you're going to muscle in. Think. I am in, Julie. Are you really? Yeah, we just sit here. Wait till the payoff comes along. Oh, you fool, you ruined everything. I have how? The book when you pick it up at the bar. Don't you see? How is the party who's supposed to pay off going to know this address? Take it easy, baby. I didn't pick up the book. I didn't have to. Well, come here, help. Haven't we better answer that? That's right. Yes. No, don't send it over here. I'll come and pick it up. You better change your mind, sweetheart. This knife might slip. Wait a minute. What are you saying? Hello? On second thought, I think you better bring it here. Yes. I'll be waiting. So the payoff is on its way over, huh? Yes, but it won't do you any good. I'm not splitting that money. Fifteen thousand of pieces and bags. I'll keep the whole thirty thousand. You'll see. I don't think you will, Julie. Can I please that knife? Bother you? Being so close to your lily white throat or you're just remembering what happened with Panama? Panama? That guy Roy Tate was a sucker to trust you, baby. He's the guy who did the job, huh? Whatever it was, told you how he was going to be paid for it. You killed him for that little red book, circled your own address, knowing you'd get the payoff. No, I didn't. Sure you did, Julie. With this knife. Where did you go? Oh, no. Oh, yes. I saw you. It's your knife, baby. I want you to have it. Always. I'll just take the whole thirty thousand. Dollars! The two things you want to be sure of when you buy a new battery are one, power. Plenty of power for quick starting, plus the many electrical needs of your car. And two, long life, so you won't have the expense of buying another battery soon. Well, tonight I want to tell you why for power and economical long life, you just can't beat today's new signal deluxe battery. First of all, improved micro porous rubber separators allow freer flow of acid between the plates, yet are impervious to the action of the acid. Results signal deluxe batteries deliver up to 35% more power. Secondly, signal deluxe batteries are guaranteed, not just for the usual 12 or 18 months, but for a full 30 months on a service basis. That makes the cost per month so low you're actually saving money while you're enjoying the extra power and dependability of a signal deluxe battery. So before you buy any battery, get your signal dealer's trade-in offer for your old battery. Find out his convenient credit terms. Prove for yourself that today's smartest battery buy is today's finest battery, the new improved signal deluxe battery at Signal Service Station. For a moment you're stunned, aren't you, Larry? At the realization that Julie Fraser is actually dead at your feet, then the whole weird story whirls across your mind, the way Julie killed Roy Tate in the back alley of Panama. Your own confused wondering is to the reason, the little red book she took from him, the way she circled her own address instead of his. And now finally what it all added up to from the beginning, that Julie had found out how Roy Tate, the professional killer, was to be paid off. She hadn't counted on your interference, had she, Larry? No. And now you've put her out of the way, hurriedly hidden her body behind the Davenport. And it's you that waits in her quiet apartment for the payoff money. And finally... Well, Fraser has a boyfriend, huh? Yeah, that's right. Look, Julie had to step out. We're working together. You can leave the door with me, huh? I think I'd better have a look around. Hey, a badge. You're a cop. Right, slave homicide. Wait there in the hall, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Well, what do you know? Come to pick up a murderous, find her dead, and the guy that killed her waiting for her. Now, look, I don't know anything about that. David, I'll let the prince on the knife will settle that. I guess you don't know some other things. Sarge, bring Marie in here. Marie? Curly. Oh, Curly. I don't get it, Marie. Oh, it's my fault, Larry. Curly, I'm the one who would make the payoff for that Griselli killing in the east. But Cindy could give me the money to come out here to make the payoff. Get the address from that little red book. Then I could ideas of my own. Keep talking, Marie. Curly, here seems to be very interesting. When Roy Tate left New York by boat for San Francisco, I figured he was a trigger man. So I flew to Panama, caught the Augustus Queen for San Francisco. I thought I could talk Roy into a 50-50 split of that payoff money, but Roy Tate wasn't a bore. He had been. That's what I found out when we reached San Francisco. I read in the papers that a man identified as Roy Tate was found stabbed to death in Panama. How did you happen to tie Julian with it? I picked up the little red address book the way I was supposed to and called the phone number. When I recognized Julian's voice, I saw my chance. To do what? Get rid of her. Dipped the police off. She was getting the payoff. Oh, I didn't bring in the cops to trace my call so quick and pick me up when I walked out of the phone booth. But why, Murray? Why did you want Julie out of the way? She meant nothing to you. No. But she meant something to you. I'm sorry it turned out this way, Curly. You see, I thought we'd have such good times just to tour us with that $30,000 to pay off money. Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program, The Whistler. Each Sunday night at this same time. Meantime, signal oil company and the friendly independent dealers who help you go farther with signal gasoline. Hope you'll remember, regardless of what gasoline you use, you'll enjoy more miles of happy driving if you drive at sensible speeds, obey traffic regulations, and avoid taking chances. You may even save a life, possibly your own. Featured in tonight's story were Bill Foreman as The Whistler, Gerald Moore, Betty Lou Gerson, Gigi Pearson, Harry Lang, Joe Forte, and Herbert Litton. The Whistler was produced by George W. Allen and directed by Robert Haffker, with story by Joel Malone, music by Wilbur Hatch, and was transmitted overseas by the Armed Forces Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional and all characters portrayed on The Whistler Any similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Remember to tune in at this same time next Sunday when the signal oil company will bring you another strange story by The Whistler. Marvin Miller speaking for the signal oil company. Stay tuned now for our Miss Brooke starring Eve Arden, which follows immediately over most of these stations. This is the CBS Radio Network.