 Autolight and its 96,000 dealers present Suspense tonight Autolight brings you Miss Claire Trevor in angel face a suspense play produced and edited by William Spears The flowers are blooming this spring Hey, hey, hey, hey, you better save that for the bathtub or consult a voice expert seems to be an expert for everything these days Everything from voices to spark plugs take auto light spark plugs for instance They're designed by auto light ignition engineers the men who engineer spark plugs just as they engineer coils Distributors wire and all the other important parts of the ignition system to work together as a perfect team Why the skill of these ignition engineers has made auto light spark plugs world famous for their quality and dependability Ignition engineered auto light spark plugs you might say yes, sir And these same auto light engineers developed the famous auto light resistor spark plug one of the greatest advances in spark plug design for Automotive use in the past 20 years real experts. Hey, welcome, right you are hap so friends See your friendly auto light spark plug dealer tomorrow have him replace worn out spark plugs with world famous ignition engineered Auto light spark plugs and whether you choose the resistor type or the regular type You can't buy up better spark plug for your car because you're always right with auto light And now with angel face and the performance of Claire Trevor auto light hopes once again to keep you in Suspend did you wish to see I see her already if you don't mind out of my way Really you're supposed to get yourself announced honey. The name is Wheeler. Does it mean anything to you? I had caught Ruby Rose Redding the noted burlesque queen at breakfast time hers not mine Quarter to three in the afternoon Breakfast with a tomato and lettuce untouched and a glass of bromo seltzer She banged her cigarette to death against an ashtray and looked me up and down Like auditioning me for her current chorus line Wheeler, what's it supposed to mean? Are you his mother? I'm a little young for the part But I'm the only one he's ever had. Oh now I get it the big sister act Okay, run through it once then get out of here. Sure. I don't mind coming right out with it in front of you made if you don't yeah Take a look around the block a couple of times Well, take him again, maybe you can get him tomorrow already I'll give it to you short I Want you to lay off my brother your brother now. Let's see. What am I supposed to have done to him? He's been spending money like wild money that doesn't come out of his salary and another thing He started wearing a gun about two weeks after you started wearing him Did I teach him to shoot it too? No, but I think some of your friends may have how you've been reading the gossip columns Well, I read them too some big gun from Philly is supposed to be paying my rent Forget it, honey. That's my publicity Now will you get out of here and let me get my massage look Give him a break. Would you? Pick on someone your own size well of all Hey, I've heard of wives pulling this bit and even mothers and once in a picture. It was the old man now It's a sister. Well, send grandma around the mall Beat it. I walked out past her if she touched me. I I think I'd have murdered her Oh, I went for a walk. Why aren't you at work? I Quit my job. You did Chick You aren't going to Chicago with that dame. Are you why Chicago? Well, it's in variety Ruby roses opening a club there It also says a big shot gangster from Philly is backing it. Oh, what? Well, does he know about you? What are you trying to do scare me off? Oh, no, you're such a big shot. That wouldn't work all that about that guy That's nothing but publicity Ruby told me all about. Oh, yeah, sure Look sis, you don't know her like I know chick. I'm not gonna let you get mixed up. No cracks Jerry Look Ruby rose ready makes good money. All right, but the rent on that plush line Wraptrap she lives in if you can call it living is around 3,000 a month not somebody's paying those bills and nuts What do you really know about more than you ever will leave? I'm in show business to you lay off. Will you? Chick wait listen. I heard enough chick. Please get away from the door Jerry Never raised a hand to you in my life, and I don't want to now I won't let you go chick not for her not for something that ought to be washed out of your hair would get out of my way Oh, don't go chick. You're heading straight for the eight-ball chick Chick don't go to her Disalve to girl sitting at kitchen table playing very solitary solitaire About four that morning. I was looking for an aspirin When the doorbell buzzed chick I Yo cherry Wheeler, aren't you? He was nice. I found out his name later Lieutenant Nick Burns The other one had a face like one of those cobblestones They dug out of 8th Avenue when they tore up the trolley tracks your brother What time do you leave here this evening? I really couldn't say I've My crocs out of order miss Wheeler your brother was going to Chicago with Ruby Rose Redding the dancer you knew that didn't you oh Now why would he go anywhere with anyone with a name like that your brother went to the Alcazar apartments at 815 tonight and beat up This wedding thing what then he put his two big thumbs on her throat and throttled her until she was dead You're just saying that He's just saying that isn't me Well, he didn't do it please please he didn't do it All right, I I didn't know about him and Ruby Rose, but I've been on the squad eight years Angel face and we never in all that time caught a guy as dead to rights as your brother He showed up with his release in the foyer of the Alcazar at exactly 12 minutes past eight tonight He said to the dorm and what time is it that miss Redding center baggage down yet? We've got to make it train Well, she had sent her baggage down and then she changed her mind. She had it all taken back upstairs again There's your motive right there. Well, that doesn't prove anything She's the dormant rang her apartment and said through the intercom mr. Wheeler's here And she gave a dirty laugh and sang out I can hardly wait I don't see that so what so she was alive at 13 minutes past eight the dormant went out for coffee at 815 At 820 Ruby Rose asked the operator to give her the police. She was shrieking with fear at 832 I arrived your brother was crouched over shaking her and she was dead There were two thumbprints on her neck as well as the marks of a big signet ring where she'd been pummeled the initial W for Wheeler Is that a case or isn't it? What was chick wearing that ring when you arrested him? But there's a ring mark on his right third finger where he got rid of a ring He'd been wearing a long time. He pawned it. He needed money Lost it. Well, even if he did hit her How do you know somebody else wasn't in that apartment just before chick showed up? Where was that that French maid of hers discharged got her notice in two weeks pay and left around six story checks Did chick confess? Oh, no. No, he was crouched over shaking her trying to restore or he said all right All right, I'll tell you everything Write it down. Yeah, that's more like it. I went there this afternoon and told her if she didn't lay off my brother I'd kill her I Came back home found chick packed up ready to leave. I I tried to stop him. He hit Asked the neighbors. They heard his rowing. He struck me and I couldn't stand it I beat it up to her place in a taxi got there first went in the back way and and Gave her one last chance to leave him alone She wouldn't take it She was all soft and squashy and I just grabbed her by the neck and pushed hard I've got big thumbs, too Got all that color Yep, well that about puts a lid on it. Let's go. Yeah, let's wait a minute Yeah, ain't you afraid aren't you going to take me who wants you? Oh, you think this is one of those phony confessions Well, maybe the newspapers won't think so and they'll be right. Maybe you did do it at that. Maybe I'm underestimating you Oh, she's wearing pajamas. You're right. That was a good guess See you later, angel face The way he said it. I couldn't tell whether it was a threat or a promise. I Never saw him again until after the jury had found my brother guilty of murder in the first degree Auto light is bringing you miss Claire Trevor in angel face tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills Suspense Speaking of expert experts. Did you say that reminds me of auto light ignition engineers the men who design and build complete ignition systems Used as original factory equipment on many makes of America's finest cars. They're ignition experts So naturally they know how to build auto light spark plugs So they'll work as a perfect team with all the other important parts of the ignition system That means they know how to build into spark plugs the best in quick-starting smooth the performance and gas Marley J Harlow righto and say it's the skill of these same auto light engineers that made possible the development of the auto light Resistor spark plug one of the greatest advances in spark plug design for automotive use in the past 20 years edge-wise How's that again? Have just trying to get a word in edge wise Well, here's the last word hap see your friendly auto light spark plug dealer tomorrow Have him replace worn-out spark plugs with ignition engineered auto light spark plugs Whether you choose the resistor type or the regular type you'll be right because you're always right with auto light Now auto light brings back to our Hollywood soundstage our star Claire Trevor in angel face a tale Well calculated to keep you in Suspense I Was coming out of the courtroom in a wet hen frame of mind and Guess who had an umbrella? Hello angel face get away from me you put your hat a girl feeling better already Just keep out of my way wait a minute angel Let go of me you need help baby. I'm trying to give it to you All right Tell me the name of the little man who wasn't there wasn't where in that courtroom Standing trial for her murder in place of chick. Can't you see it's got to be another oh What's the use of trying to send you go on sell me convince me your brother didn't do it And I'm with you up to the hill. Why did you wait till now to say that we didn't give me anything to go on nothing But that phony confession of yours when it was better than the purge of testimony of that doorman and that phony French maid And you you set up there with your face hanging out and put in your two cents worth look angel face I was sent by my superiors and answer to the patrolman's call that night question check and put him under arrest Don't hold that against me. What do you care whether I hold it against you? You really don't know no Look in the mirror sometime and find out Right then I decided to stop holding it against him that he was a detective. I kind of like the guy and maybe Just maybe he could find a way to help clear my brother and Over a couple of Manhattan's in a cheery little bar. I told him so Uh-huh. Well, you got a plant angel face here. Are you going into a blind? I think I'll start with that French maid. Why her she left two hours before the murder. That's love Yeah, maybe so but she was grease plenty to soft petal of one right name that belongs in this case She may not have been there, but she knew who to expect around She may even have tipped him that Ruby Rose was throwing him over for chick But if she's been paid off enough to commit perjury, what makes you think she'll tell you anything? I'll club it out of her if I have to wait a second here Try this first use a little intimidation when it may work 150 bucks. Hey, aren't you married or anything? Not yet ain't no faith. I has her address Suzette Leblanc real name Susie White 435 West 54 The street had been roped off and there was a block party or something going on Anyway, it was noisy. I elbowed my way up the steps of 435 and found Susie White's name on the bell panel I broke my best finger nail on the button No response. I pushed into the hall past the drunk falling out And fought my way through the fumes to the stairway Her door was standing open lock was broken and the molding was a mess of splinters This was the point where the private eye always finds the dead body, but I didn't find anything Somebody had taken the room apart. I wondered if they had found what they were looking for When I hit the street again the ugly face front I had passed coming in was standing by the front steps And there was a fresh wood splinter clinging to the elbow of his coat I remembered the splinters on the broken door upstairs I stopped next to him and made like straightening my seams. I look good that way Then I started walking fast So did he I Pause and some of some steps leading down to a basement apartment and waited for him Hello, beautiful. Well, how are you? Just fine. Is this your house? Yes, indeed I'll buy a little drink, baby. Uh-huh. You'll fight me in. Sure. You go first He hit the line railing with his head on the way down and the paving stones at the bottom to the rest It was right there in the first pocket I looked in behind his wallet a letter addressed to Ruby Rose Redding and post mark Philadelphia I'm over here. Hello angel face. I know I know you didn't find her. I may as well tell you why she doesn't live there anymore What they fished her body out of the Hudson about a half hour ago. Oh What are you smart detectives calling it suicide? I might as well Listen, she was being paid off to keep quiet about a certain friend of Ruby roses He must have decided he didn't dare leave any bets uncovered. What's certain friend for instance this certain friend for instance I Watched his face as he read it. I knew every word of it by heart. It said dear Ruby I hear you've been running around with some punk. I don't believe a word of it But you better get rid of them before I hit town will be a new York Friday night milk PS the Chicago dealers off and giving you featured spot at the Calcutta instead About that punk drop him or I drop you milk So that's a missing name milk Miletus Lay's rough too runs a Calcutta club and Friday night Nick the night. She was killed Miletus the initial on that ring could have been M as well as W I never thought of that But Miletus spells real dough, baby. Your brother wasn't even carfair to ruby ruby. Oh, maybe she was scared of Miletus And maybe she wanted out could be you could sell me, but I convince easy from you, baby You're not selling it to the grand jury She had something on Miletus and that's why he couldn't afford to lose control of her Well, what ruby rose redding could squeeze out of a man I can yeah what he squeezed out of her He could also squeeze out of you namely your breath. Oh, yes, but I have a friend on the force Oh, maybe really rude ruby rose had a friend on the force too. Why do you say that? She didn't it would be the only department she missed Oh, what now come and catch my act at the Calcutta club I'm looking a little higher. Don't be coy. Look. I sing and dance and that's all you got any numbers with you numbers Look, what are we wasting time for? Let's meet the guy who does the hiring. Hey, wait a minute. Mr. Miletus wants you Where she says she wants to meet you mr. Miletus so why not? Well Hello Hello yourself. Oh, mr. Miletus. You know, I've always wanted to work for you Okay We start the Calcutta tomorrow night. Oh, thank you Buy yourself some up-to-date lyrics get yourself a dress mac will tell you the kind I like The silver dress they put on me fit like a wet compress I wore it for two nights and milk Miletus sat at his table On the third night after my last spot after the orchestra had gone away I got the message from Garcia Hello, baby. Hello Angel face, huh? Yeah. Mm-hmm. My name is say angel. So I call myself angel face. Good tag Sit down angel face I gave him my warmest high voltage smile and took out my compact I saw my eyes in the mirror and in each iris. There was a little electric chair with chicks strapped in it That made it a lot easier to keep the high voltage running through milt Miletus He was good-looking in a swarthy loose lip sort of way Nothing to tag them as a gangster except his name and a habit of keeping his right hand in his coat pocket all the time As if he were holding a gun We talked through the bottle of champagne and he ordered another I kept smiling because somehow I had to get into his apartment We went back to what we've been talking about and I said Well Some night I might just feel like changing the scenery around me Dissolve to girl entering the Miletus apartment on park avenue It was a duplex with a two-story living room and a bedroom opening Opening off a balcony I decided to start at the top and work down in case I needed to get out of there fast I gave his bedroom the suspicious wife treatment In the night table, I found the nine letters to ruby rose and a bunch of treasury certificates The kind doctors have to make out to get narcotics In a box containing studs cuff links and 132 caliber bullet I found what I was really looking for I never really expected to find A signet ring with the initial M on it And I got the bell I thought fast If Miletus was out of town everybody who knew his private number would know better than to ring it If he was checking up on me, I had nothing to lose so Hello Oh, Nick Oh, what a scare you gave me. Listen. I've got all I need some dope certificates The rest of the letters and best of all a signet ring with his initial How am I doing? Not so good. Miletus just got back sores the devil over a phony wire Somebody sent him a decoy amount of time Well, that was me only I thought he'd stay overnight at least How did you know I was here angel face? Did you really think I'd let you go into this alone? I'm downstairs now. I've been watching every minute. Oh, I wish I'd known I wouldn't have been so scared He ought to be scared. He left the club five minutes ago. It must be all right. Nick. Now look angel face Nick Someone just came in take it easy, baby sarge and colin. I'll be right up I went out onto the balcony that overlooked the living room Miletus was there He looked surprised and pleased when he saw me Then the man with him looked up and I I nearly plunged over the rail It was ugly face the masher. I had kicked down the flight of stairs Miletus turned to him. Good offer. I'll call. Can't you see I have company? Wait a minute. That's her the dame I was telling you about Don't be calling my lady friends dames. I'm trying to tell you Come here angel face. Come on down. Don't be scared. Oh, sure mil. Why should I be afraid of you? At last, uh, finally you wanted a change of Hey, look boss. Get out bro. Get out Okay, milt. It's your party. Come here angel face. No, no, no. Wait a minute. What for? I'll a girl like some soft lights and a little sweet music, you know Okay, I'll go mix us a drink He came back from the bar on tiptoe with a drink looking like a cat stalking a bowl of cream I threw up my first line of defense. I picked up my person made like making up my face Well, honey, what's the big idea? I'm just putting on my face. Oh, you don't need it My pearl leave it there. Oh, I will not those are my things You haven't any right. Hey, what's that just things of mine some letters. Let me see though. No What else did you lift out of my room? I I was jealous her letters sit down You were plenty jealous jealous of the whole united states treasury milt, milt, open up. Stay where you are. What's up, Rocco? I try to tell you about the game She's trying to frame you. She's wheeler sister. You weren't at the trial. You weren't filled. Shut up about wheeler Let's get you so excited. There's cops all around the building two detectives coming up. Okay, Rocco My cheap little I'll fix you even if they get me. I'll fix you you're wrong milt I took those things because I knew they were coming here. I did it for you. Oh for me. She's saying I looked up at miletus There was blood running down the part of his hair He dropped down to his knees beside me like he wanted to apologize But he didn't say anything then he fell over on his side and didn't get up anymore His right hand the one he always held in his coat pocket was grabbing at the rug There wasn't any thumb on it And there'd been two big thumb marks on ruby's throat That wasn't necessary nick You didn't have to kill him He let go of her when we came in I I know I I shouldn't have but he had that right hand in his pocket always I thought he had a gun in there All right, man Anyway, I saved the state some money. You got that stuff angel face. It's over there in my purse. Good Nick Ruby rose was throttled by a man with big hands two big thumb marks on her neck Look at miletus No, right thumb. Yeah That's bad angel face. I make What? This is ring here Isn't this your fraternity ring Don't move nick Yeah Yeah, I guess it is Do we have to mention all this coli? Yeah, nick I think we'd better So that's about it captain As you know sir nick met ruby rose while he was doing undercover work on milk miletus Yeah, but I didn't know it'd gone on seeing her after he left the assignment I guess nobody did except me Yes, that and sergeant coli clinched the whole thing with that ring. Well miss wheeler the Ring clinched the case all right, but not against miletus An m upside down see is a w But an m sideways Is a greek letter and nick planted it in miletus's apartment for me to find, huh? It was nick's fraternity ring. Yeah, that's right He was probably afraid you were digging too deep to find the real killer So he killed miletus to make you drop the case. Oh his plan might have worked without coli here Well miss wheeler, this isn't exactly good news, but thank you for filling in some of the blanks. Oh captain. Yeah When will chick be free? Uh, it takes a little time, but he'll be home I guess he learned about women the hard way, huh? Oh, he hasn't learned anything yet That kid brother of mine. Just wait till I get him home Suspense presented by auto light tonight star miss claire trevor Hello, the expert will clocks the bright never will desert the cause of auto light Because folks auto light makes more than 400 products for cars trucks planes and boats in 28 plants coast to coast These include complete electrical systems used as original equipment on money makes of america's finest cars Generators coils voltage regulators wire and cable starting motors electric windshield wipers All engineer to fit together perfectly work together perfectly because they're a perfect team So friends if your auto light equipped car needs replacement parts Ask for and insist on auto light original factory parts at your neighborhood service station car dealer garage or repair shop Remember you're always right with auto light Next thursday for suspense our star will be denis o' keith the play is called very much like a nightmare And it is as we say a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense Tonight suspense play was produced and edited by william spear and directed by norman mcdonnell Music for suspense is composed by luchin morroweck and conducted by lud bluskin Angel face is an original play written for radio by cornell woolrich Claire trevor may currently be seen co-starred with fred mcmurray in borderline In the coming weeks you will hear such stars as charles boy a edward g robinson and jack carson Don't forget next thursday same time auto light will present suspense starring denis o' keith Auto light resistor or regular spark plugs auto light stafel batteries auto light electrical parts at your neighborhood auto light dealers Switch to auto light. Good night This is cbs the columbia broadcasting system