 My name's Regan. I worked for Anthony J. Lyon Detective Bureau. They call me the lion's eye Jeff Regan investigators starring Frank Graham as Regan with Frank Nelson as Anthony J. Lyon So stand by for mystery and suspense and adventure in tonight's story of a tree grows in Encino There was a confused redhead with cool lips and a hot temper an An interior decorator who didn't want his orange trees moved and a strange little man who hired the lion detective agency To make sure he got himself convicted of murder a real sensible case It was about half past lunchtime when I reported back to the lion's office to see what was on tap for the afternoon plenty was Plenty in the form of a thin, haughty little man sitting across the desk from the lion Anthony J. Had his mouth wide open when I walked in I've been waiting for you. This is mr. McMurray Jonathan McMurray. Hey McMurray. Yes, Jeffery. He he thinks he needs our help not sure yet Mr. McMurray. Yes, I am quite sure it is your employer mr. Lyon who is not sure Oh, well now I wouldn't say that mr. McMurray yours is a very unusual case suppose somebody tells me what this is all About it. Well, Jeffery mr. McMurray will explain my own problems mr. Lyon Yeah, yeah as you explained them Mac mr. Regan. It's quite simple. I want you to prove I am guilty of murder what here quite simple Jeffery I have murdered my wife mr. Regan. I've gone to the police and confessed they refuse to believe me It's up to you to prove. I'm right. Yeah, I'll do us Jeff wait a minute. That's oh, let's get all the story Mac You killed your wife and the police won't believe you when on the morning of April 3rd at 3 a.m Three years ago three years. You see Jeffery. I told you this was a very lion I Had gone to bed early the night of April 2nd. I heard noises several hours later. I assumed they were burglars I went downstairs taking my gun of course and saw a figure breaking in naturally. I fired It was my wife your wife breaking into your own house. It seemed that way at the time Perhaps I was not fully awake. We all make mistakes. You know All make mistakes, of course. I do not believe in murder. That is why I am here The police wouldn't believe you nothing but a group of incompetent immoral civil servants Are we not paying them to establish law and order? I ask you mr. Regan are we finish the story? What happened after you shot your wife in the moment of utter weakness? I I lost my head. I fled the city and for three years You've hidden out only your conscience got to bothering you. You finally decided to cut certainly not The woman was dead. My problem was more basic down to the very roots of nature I wrestled shall we say with all the evil of the world and One where in San Francisco where I had established myself in business It was last week. I decided that I must pay the price or live forever in a morass of sin. I Have decided mr. Regan to make an example of myself Hey Jeffrey, perhaps we'd better explain to mr. McMurray that we're pretty busy this season. Maybe someone Mackie doing your wife get along we quarreled constantly when I married her I had assumed she was a woman of some inner dignity in spirit. I discovered she was no better What was his name? I Baked your part the other man. There was no other man. She had not sunk that low We quarreled about her work. It kept her out nights her work kept her out nights exactly She was an interior decorator Lois that was a name Lois was one of those soulless Moderns form follows function that sort of nonsense. I take it that you aren't modern. I sir I'm an architect an architect of the old school. I believe in the established order of things You mr. Regan are morally obligated to see that justice is done age every new year and they can't all make gentlemen Enough of this childish quibbling I assure you are going to take my case We took the little man's case We took it with cash in advance and both fingers crossed The lion fumbled for his fountain pen while McMurray calmly waited with his open checkbook There's only one place for me to go the police Tell me you were looking for me Regan, right? Lieutenant Canada just the man. I was looking for what's her name This time it's a him Jonathan McMurray never heard of what happened three years ago claims. He shot his wife Never heard of wife's name was Lois interior decorating. Oh, yeah Blonde about five five blue eyes age 28 weight 116. I remember you met it Nope, that was the description the husband filed with us yesterday when he came in When you told me her name. I remember it sure sure you did candid a Regan guys are a dime a dozen around a police station But dames with nice measurements. Oh That's something else Why didn't you book him candid look him for what the murder of his wife believe that nuts story are you kidding Regan? Do I look like I've been on the force that long and a man comes to you and confesses to a three-year-old murder He's got a motive and a complete story and you turn him away Oh take it easy Regan. Mr. McMurray may like the coziness of the gas chamber But it takes more than that to spend the taxpayers money sending him there like what like a corpus to like tie a Body you should excuse the expression. Nobody Regan Lois McMurray the little man's wife disappeared three years ago We can get at least two witnesses who say that when she got on the boat for South America. She wasn't dead She was very much alive Made sense sure real fine sense Candid told me as witnesses one Howard Nelson Whitmore interior decorator extraordinary the missing woman's ex-boss The other witness Mrs. Nelson Whitmore They'd been with Lois McMurray the day she'd sailed that was April 4th the day after McMurray claimed he'd killed her When a client buys a hundred bucks worth you give him a hundred bucks worth I Checked the address of Howard Nelson Whitmore and drove out Robertson Boulevard Beverly Hills It was chocolate brown and chalk white Twisted plywood and copper wire hanging from the ceilings Average family could live a year on the cost of one month's rent May I help you sir like to see mr. Whitmore you mean mr. Nelson Whitmore. It's hyphenated. You know how wonderful Could I see mr. Nelson hyphen Whitmore? Oh, didn't I tell you he's in conference with his wife We won't discuss the matter again. How it is that clear for the last time. It's absurd. Absolutely absurd We'll see how absurd it is after it's done, and it will be done. You understand is the last time I put up with any of your fantastic schemes. Now get out Hello Hello Where did you come from stranger your mrs. Nelson Whitmore for the time being within of course all things change You know that don't sure sure all things change Maybe you and I could talk about that. Oh, I'm sure we could mr. Regan Jeff Regan I'm sure we could Mr. Regan my card I'll be at home in an hour in Sino just often Tura You can't miss it She was medium-sized and red hair and And medium-sized and red hair She drifted out of the place like a pneumatic cloud looking for a bolder lightning the secretary watched her leave and swallowed a couple of times and looked at me and Spotted a couple of times you you may go in now mr. Regan. I Went in Mr. Howard Nelson Whitmore looked floored behind his desk his face flushed in his eyes liquid anger He was holding a long steel letter opener, which he tapped steadily against the desk my Secretaries that you wish to speak to me mr. Regan. Well, maybe you Maybe I ought to come back later. You can discuss whatever you wish to discuss right now your wife always like that I said we could discuss your business now Sorry Sorry, old man. I forget it. It's just Just that sometime Sometimes she drives me nearly out of my mind with her schemes her stupid idiotic schemes like what? And we have a small orange grove out in MC now Shouldn't say grow Bailey only ten trees. She doesn't like orange. No, she wants them move Can you imagine that she wants those ten trees uprooted and transplanted to some other part of our land? She says they're blend into the landscape better, and you don't think so of course. I don't think so But do those trees myself three years ago in the spring and plenty them where they are because because Well because that's where they belong trees belong certain places at it We'll not have you questioning me this way. I planted those orange trees where I wanted them planted and that's that In an effort three years, and they've stayed okay, okay, mr. Nelson Whitmore. They're your oranges, and it's your land I I don't know what's gotten into me mr. Regan letting a few orange trees have set me this way It's just that I don't like people digging around my yard. It's a good idea Never know what they might turn up What's that nothing? I Understand Union wife were with Lois McMurray when she sailed for South America a few years back. No, sir They died didn't get the name Mrs. Jonathan McMurray Lois used to work for you Yes, yes, of course In so long since then she left us for South America that is. Oh, yes, South America Yes, my wife, and I went with her to the boat funny thing. Um, you know her husband claims. She's dead Husband Jonathan McMurray, yes, of course the architect wondering idiot if ever I met one you like people don't you? I like decent people not narrow-minded big is like that McMurray fellow. He's still living in the dark ages Now but as far as his wife's concerned Lois, so she's gone out of the country. Yes As far as I know it was three years ago Hey Three years ago this week. Maybe there's more more Well, that's you mean mr. Egan more than you know that you aren't telling me like why did she suddenly leave for South America? This is McMurray saved the South America with With an admirer in other words. She ran out on her husband precisely not that I could blame the poor girl McMurray never gave her a divorce. She was literally forced into it all fits Except for one little item is McMurray claims. He shot his wife on April 3rd You claim she sailed for South America April 4th somebody's lion Somebody was lying a decorator named Nelson Whitmore or an architect named McMurray Or maybe it was a bigger switch both of them lying Maybe the answer to that one would be with a fire-breathing redhead named mrs. Nelson Whitmore She'd said she'd be home in Encino It was an invite. I wasn't gonna pass up. I Got out there on 530 the sun dropping down behind the valley hills the grass around the place soft and moist and The ten orange trees lining the driveway to mrs. Nelson Whitmore's house It was redwood siding sprawling over a hillside weaving around like a giant snake ranch type for millionaires Complete with gravel driveway four-car garage and swimming pool. I rang the doorbell Hello, mr. Egan. I Knew you were too intelligent to turn down my invitation Red hair red dressing gown same texture soft and silky a Film of expensive gauze covering golden tan skin This way mr. Regan drink some mix You thought of everything if we don't think of ourselves No one else will what does that sound like a broom right? Sit here nice furniture Herman Miller mr. Regan foam rubber throughout You didn't come to this guy's furniture Did you came to discuss a friend of yours and says Claire Her name is Lois Lois McMurray Lois McMurray You know her quit Starling Am I stormed can't take you that long to think up an answer Why do you want those orange trees moved? Your mind does travel doesn't that's still no answer Very well Jeff You're being a kid. You know a real kid. I get paid to be a cad You're a private detective. I Thought so look Claire. There's a big fancy game in progress. Somebody's playing somebody else for a sap I get paid to find out who by the hour that must make you terribly expensive Jeff who paid you Uh-uh wrong pitch lady give me answers instead have it your way I want the orange trees move because I want the move I don't have to answer for that to you order my husband couldn't be because you think there's something under the ground You ought to know about Fantastic idea talking. I won't be questioned this way. Do you hear what McMurray didn't leave on any both for South America? Did she get out you and your husband a lion aren't you get out of my house I Got out out of the Redwood mansion out down the gravel driveway past the orange trees toward my car when it happened Inside the living room The smell of cordite behind the thick blue clouds stood Mrs. Claire Nelson Whitmore Stood staring at me a day's look on her face a gun hanging lint my hand at her feet The haughty little man named Jonathan McMurray dead Claire Nelson Whitmore looked at me blinked twice and Collapsed unconscious at my feet It started when the lion and I were hired by a self-righteous little man named Jonathan McMurray He claimed he'd shot his wife three years ago and wanted us to prove it Only I met an interior decorator and his wife who claimed they'd seen the McMurray woman leave on a boat for South America very much alive The only thing that made sense was that I was standing in the living room of the decorator's wife Claire Nelson Whitmore, and she was lying unconscious at my feet and next to her was my client Jonathan McMurray not unconscious dead I Called lieutenant Canada police headquarters and waited for Claire Nelson Whitmore to supply some answers Thanks Thank You Jeff you kill McMurray he came at me after you left the house Came through the back door. He had a gun. You had a gun. I was frightened just before you got here this afternoon I I heard a noise. I thought it was a truck backfiring from the highway, but it scared you enough to get a gun He shot first mr. Regan he shot first he shot missed and then you fired back I had to mr. Regan. I had to it was self-defense two guns on the floor Claire yours McMurray's both of them hot The police will decide You could save some time by talking now Jeff I'm confused. I'm terribly confused. I don't know where to turn that makes sense. I Didn't mean anything earlier today. I didn't mean anything Jeff all in fun a great big pitch like that all in fun Police believe me not me lady the police. They're the ones who got to believe you Lieutenant candid came in with a photographer and three detectives An ambulance showed up a couple of minutes after that with a medic and two stretcher bar is I Gave candid the whole story the business about the orange trees included He listened nodded for one of the detectives to take notes and then told me to stick around He and another guy went into Claire Nelson Whitmore Ten minutes later. He came back out Couldn't get much Regan. I thought maybe the dead man's gun had been fired twice hers three times She wasn't hit Regan. She didn't say anything about McMurray's wife Lois. Nope. Nothing. You hadn't already told me Just one thing bothers me Regan just one thing those orange trees. Why does she want to move? No, she says they look better somewhere else. You think it's as simple as that I don't think anymore. I gave it up and McMurray hired me if you're looking for logic in this one candid forget it And He's an awful good-looking dame Regan. Yeah Partial to red heads sure red heads and oranges Regan I think I'm gonna dig for oranges. You figure it that way, huh? Lois McMurray disappeared three years ago And that's when the orange trees were planted Howard Nelson Whitmore the red heads husband made a special point of telling me that candid Oh now Regan he laid it out like a bad joke in a comedy routine You mean you think he deliberately wants us to look candid you dig. I'll try another idea Okay, Regan I'll dig Candid called the city and the city sent out the diggers Maybe I was off base. Maybe I'd had too many weird stories for one day But the orange tree routine smelled as phony as Limburger in a perfume shop. I Called my boss the lion Anthony J. Lyon detective agency and me fatso get your pencil Jeffrey. I've been trying to get in touch with you Okay, you have Jeffrey that McMurray fellow called here about two hours ago. What Jonathan McMurray He told me to tell you to forget everything. He told you that He said something about going back to San Francisco that Divine law would right the wrongs or something like that plan. Are you sure is something wrong Jeffrey? Just one little thing flat. So McMurray is here with me now I wanted to ask you dad fatso Yeah, now listen line, I've got an idea. I'll need your help I want to complete check on Lois McMurray Jonathan's wife I want to know where she was born how many kids in the family if her parents are living where she made a wreck husband everything Are you out of your mind? Don't argue fatso just get busy But Murray gets this money worth fatso dead or alive. I Went outside Candid was watching the diggers How many trees counted now we dug up four of them six to go find anything dirt Still hopeful, huh? Still hopeful. I called Howard Nelson Whitmore's office. He'd left there a couple of hours ago Just after you did his secretary said Think you left for point South. I don't know Regan. I don't like it any of it Except the redhead you're a partial the redheads remember. I'm looking for a blonde now a Deceased blonde who left for South America you told me about it. All right, so maybe she didn't leave for South America Maybe she's dead Regan dead and buried Buried under one of those orange trees. That's a good guess. You got anything better to offer. Nope See you around candid That's when I got an idea a halfway idea that kept growing until it was a big full-blooded 100% idea Claire Nelson Whitmore said she'd heard a noise like a truck backfire from the highway. She said that's why she'd gotten out the gun Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe there was one story in the tangle of lies. You could believe I Decided to believe it and that was an answer in itself Behind the house the garage was built for four cars. It was loaded Servants quarters and then over a couple of yards swimming pool I headed that way checking the garage trying the door to the servants quarters finding bushes shrubs with nothing behind them Up the hill the swimming pool quiet Still like a mirage in the desert Emerald pool tile and brick oval shape expensive Claire wasn't lying. She'd heard that noise. I Found her husband Howard Nelson Whitmore in the swimming pool In the swimming pool with a hole in his back Candidate in his boys puffed up the hill to the pool in a hurry when they caught my signal and I went down Down to the house to the room of Claire Nelson Whitmore Don't get up lady. You're not gonna have words You may feel worse but the police said I could rest yeah, that was before they found your husband dead in the swimming pool What you didn't know about that huh Howard when they pulled him out. They found a bullet in his back No answer lady the whole thing comes in one big package you tied the ribbon on it. Give me the phone Oh, Jeff. No, I can tell you Maybe but I want to be sure real sure just give me the phone Yes, Jeff I Gave the operator the number and the redheaded woman sat frightened on the bed while I taught Her eyes looked at me cutting deep Staring through the tension knowing what was happening and hoping it wouldn't happen. I Got the lion and I got my answer Well, the redheaded woman sat staring at me on the bed What What did you find out about Lois McMurray? What I thought I'd find out that she's from Chicago. She has no brothers or sisters, but her parents are both dead She's alive. Yeah She's alive Jeff What does it matter about her Lois McMurray met Jonathan in Chicago just after she got out of prison Murray made her his project for the year salvation his version of She married him. She married him because you didn't know what else to do She married him because girls with prison records don't have a lot of choice She married him and he converted her Wonjin he taught her to live a decent life as he called it. She was his project. Remember the straight now She didn't love him. She never loved who could but she was a confused woman. She needed something somebody She got little Jonathan McMurray crackpot crusader. Oh, she got it And she learned to hate him Everything about him ate This is cool to his self-righteous concede, but he wouldn't give her a divorce. That was wrong She didn't appreciate his good deeds. Yeah Yeah, Lois You hated him And then you met Howard Nelson Whitmore. He was the opposite of McMurray clever crafty and in love with you He cooked up a scheme whereby you could get rid of Jonathan. He framed up that burglar routine Jonathan fired out of the shadow that night three years ago only when the lights came on you were on the floor playing dead I had to Jeff don't you see I had to Constantinimo living that way being a prisoner of the man. I hated anything was better than that I just like Howard figure Jonathan ran he ran a long way Because he wanted to make an example of himself You and Howard spoiled that you were alive not dead that infuriated him his one chance in life to be a martyr And you and Howard ruined it for him. That's why that's why he shot Howard and then came after you vengeance Wrath of the righteous divine law. He called it. He was gonna be a martyr after all You know that I can shoot first you know, it was him Jonathan me When I came around Howard Nelson Whitmore got scared of his story about seeing Lois before South America He knew we couldn't make it stick. So he tried that orange tree routine while I was in his office Thank you to cops might dig but they'd never find a body no corpse no crime It's a whole story lady you died your hair red no relatives to identify you you forgot about being Lois McMurray She's dead Please I don't stay there All right, Mrs. Whitmore open up. That's it Lois Candid's no dumbbell. If he doesn't know that I Know her nose, but me I Know I'll testify for you Lois But I won't lie for you You've got hands candid open it up yourself They took Lois McMurray down to headquarters and got the full story from beginning to end Sure, she was booked on a couple of accounts, but nowhere in it could they stick a murder charge Had made lieutenant candid an unhappy man After all he figured maybe the chief would begin to think he was partial to redheads When I got to the office the next morning my boss Anthony J. Lyon looked as cheerful as a kid with the measles Hi, Fatso. Oh, hello Jeffrey. Hi stay alive Real nice day. Is it Jeffrey? I am I didn't know What's eating you we just wrapped up a hundred dollar case just like that. Yes, Jeffrey. I know a hundred dollar case Wait a minute, Fatso. We did get paid didn't we? McMurray may have been a murderer, but not paying would be something else to him You know I send a cheat. Yes Jeffrey. Mr. McMurray didn't plan to cheat us He in fact he said he'd send me the money later later look When I left the office this morning you had his checkbook out and you were reaching for your fountain Jeffrey I tried to tell you on the phone. There was a mistake in the contract. They were well He wanted his lawyer to win it. There was a legal question Jeffrey I ran out of ink Jeff Regan investigator is written by William Fruge and William Fife field produced and directed by Sterling Tracy and Stars Frank Graham as Regan with Frank Nelson as Anthony J. Lyon Original music is by Dick around Bob Stephenson speaking inviting you to be with us again for more suspense and mystery and adventure with Jeff Regan in