 Ladies and gentlemen, the American Broadcasting Company brings to its entire network one of radio's most unusual programs. Pat, no back. If you rob a few graves, you can pay the rent. Nobody cares if you got sore eyelids. You get that way from winking at too many things. It's a good living if you don't run short of bail bonds and bends a dream. I discovered that Friday night after the fight broadcast, I wound up in a little whiskey barrel on Powell Street. I had a Glasgow farmer out of the red when they closed the bar and I drifted across the street for a cup of coffee. When I came out, it was raining and the street was deserted. I stood in the doorway and watched the dull neons through the rain. They looked splotched and dim like watercolors rubbed with a damp rag. I was beginning to rain harder and I started out of the doorway when she ducked in and bumped up against me. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, just wait for your blockers on the next one now. I guess I bumped into you. Don't go out on a limb. I'm very sorry. I guess I didn't know where I was going. It seemed to be headed in the right direction. How do you mean? Forget I noticed. It's raining awfully hard. I wonder if you ever noticed how... When it rains, you feel lonely and lost? Yes, yes, I did. When it rains, you feel lonely and lost. Yeah, well, we're both great readers, so if you let me get by, I want to get a cab. Yes, I wonder if I could ask you something funny. The bars are closed. No, I meant coffee. I'll pay for it. All right. In here? Sure. Come on. The counter will do. All right. What's it going to be? Hey! You back again? Yeah, two coffees. How come? I'm nervous. Two coffees. You like a bear claw, maybe? You know what we want? Two coffees? Yeah. Be right with it. Thank you. I know it's funny asking you in here, but... I have to talk to someone. I don't know what I'm doing. I won't argue. I've been away for a while. I've been away a long time. Guess a long time. Yeah, the kids will be glad to see you back. Huh? Stop it, will you, sis? Get to the point. Put the show on the road. I think I've lost my memory. At least it seems that way at first. Who are you? I don't know. I suppose you don't believe it. No, but I convince hard. Here you are. Two coffees. Everything all right? Yeah, everything's fine. Be down here. Here. See anything else? You thought up a name yet, Buster? No, you'd be crazy to believe me. Guess you'd be crazy, but... No, look, lady. If you've got amnesia, see the police. You don't believe me. I don't know. Maybe you are a leveling. But if you're off your rocker, go to the police. But suppose... Suppose there's something that happened before and the police would be looking for me. Please. Would you try to help me? How bad are you? Do you know what town you're in? Yes. Have you been here before? Do you live here? I think maybe. It seems like a place I've been. All right, I'll put you in a cab. You go see the police. No. Funny, I... I think I'll go outside for a minute. I don't want Hilda to know. Please, I'm going to... Oh, please, help me. Mrs. Your girlfriend's on the floor. Yeah, any suggestions? No, she's your date. All right, here, give me a hand, will you? What way are you going to take her? Hospital. She's an amnesia case. I hope your memory's good. Huh? You'll need it for answers. Your girlfriend's passed out for good. Don't tell me. Feel her pulse, mister. You're going to have to start over because she's all used up. That's good. You got a wailing wall? Sure. Use the collar while I call homicide. It didn't take 20-20 vision to see I was in trouble. Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it wasn't. I didn't have any idea why she keeled over there, but with a figure like hers, I knew it wasn't old age. I called a homicide. Matt Hellman was going to be in the picture soon. And then I'd stand about as much chance as a cornfield and a stone quarry. Well, I went through the girl's stuff. She had no identification. There were a couple of snapshots of her, but no name. I told the waiter my name and where Hellman could find me. Then I got out of there. I looked up Jaco Madigan, an ex-doctor who liked his booze pretty well. Smart guy, but he used a mason jar for a jigger. I finally found him holed up in some after-hours joint on Geary Street. He was talkative. Hello, Patsy. A small jug for Mr. Novakwaiter. I want to talk to you, Jaco. Patsy, you shouldn't be here. It's after hours. Yeah, look, Jaco, I need some help. What do you know about amnesia? Oh, a temporary blessing. I thought I had it myself once. Oh, stop it, will you? But it just turned out to be a case of bad bourbon, a peasant's drink I've decided. Get up the street level long enough for me to talk. I'm in trouble. Yes? I met some blister tonight who took a dive after one cup of coffee. Oh, I see. She had amnesia, or she thinks she did. Oh, she's dead. Why worry about amnesia? It's a minor ailment. Because Hellman's gonna think I had something to do with it. She picked out my lap. Don't you see how it's gonna add up? I have high hopes. I gotta do something to hurry. Was she a nice girl? Yes, I guess so. How come you met her? What difference does it make? Tell me about amnesia. Could she phony it? Maybe, not for long. What makes you think she did? I don't know. She acted like a butterfly with a jag on, and she had it straight for me. It just doesn't add. No. What cell block can I find you in? You can get off your spine and go to work for me. You know the hospital circuit? Hit them all and find out everything you can about recent amnesia cases. Well, how far back do I go? Until you find one of the jibes with this girl. It's impossible. Where do I start? I feel like Noah when they told him to beat the flood. She's blonde, blue eyes, expensive clothes. How big? Just the right size for a good dream. Start checking now and give me a ring at my place. No identification? None, none. She only said one thing when she fell. Oh, something crude? No, she mentioned a gal by the name of Hilda. That should be easy to trace. Sure. Just look it up in the phone book. You will find it somewhere between Hellman and homicide. Right, lover? Well, there wasn't anything I could do for the next few hours except sublet from an ostrich. I had to keep undercover because all I had to work on was a couple of snapshots and a girl named Hilda neither figured to get me out of this mess. Hellman was bound to ask a lot of questions because I had as much business being with a dead girl as Lucky Luciana when a finishing school. After I left Jaco, I took a sea car downtown and I went home to grab some sleep. When I walked in the apartment, the lights were out and that didn't make any difference. Hellman's badge was shining like a lake in Ireland. He was making himself at home with my ice cubes. Hello, Novak. Put the light on so I can watch you turn pale. All right, Hellman. Get to the point. Sure. Who was your girlfriend? I don't know. She was the coy type. Who are you, Novak? You're going to look good sucking your thumb in the gas chamber. I suppose your coroner is full of good news. She died of an overdose of sleeping pills. The coroner's report is murder. How about the space marked suicide? No dice. You don't take sleeping pills then tour the town for a spot to take a nap. So she died in the coffee joint. What am I supposed to do? Carry a stomach pump? You're supposed to tell me who she is. We'll go from there. I don't know. Neither did she. I've got that down as a lie. You file it any way you want, Hellman. She was amnesia. Who are you, Novak? All right, hire a medium then. She came into the restaurant a total stranger. We got social, but she died a total stranger. How are you going to prove it? I don't know. If I knew who she was, I wouldn't play footsie with you. Do I have to draw a map? She came in trying to sort out her marbles and never got there. I see. What did you find out? How about clothes markings? That's your department. How about laundry marks? I don't know. I guess you washed your own. Look, Novak, you're a big boy now. You're in a spot. If you want to help, now's the time to do it. You've got everything I know. From here on, you work the ball downfield. All right. Now from time to time. When you see a guy grinning out there, that'll be me coming to pinch you from murder. Well, that'll take lots of doing, mister, and lots of proof. You remember that. I'll try, Novak. But I may get amnesia. Good night, big shot. Backed into my headache and went to bed. Oh, sure. I was in a spot now. The scorecard said murder, and I was the medallist on the first round. If the police didn't know who she was, that meant she had no record we could work on. I still had the funny hunch about that guy pulling a phony. But if it was phony, I was worse off. I had all the best arrows in town pointing to me. Once Helman began to build a case, I could throw away those vacation folders. I slept until about nine. The phone began to ring, and I rolled over expecting to hear Gabriel on the other end of the line. It was just Jocko. Hello, Novak talking. This is Jocko. I've been working all night. We'll build a monument later. What'd you find out? The morning paper says the girl was murdered. Yeah, Helman gave me a preview. What'd you find out at the hospitals? Yeah. Well, you're a big help, Jocko. Don't hang up until you hear about the girl. Go ahead. How's the description? Who's he? I'll get right down there. Thanks, Jocko. You saved my life. Chance, even if the odds looked bad, I called up Halpern's office. He said he wasn't in. I tried him at home. It was listed for a place up on the Pacific Heights, and I took a cab over there. When I walked in the lobby, I could tell old man Halpern was making as much money as you can without your own printing press. The apartment made Buckingham Palace look like something George had picked up in a fire sale. The doorman was a sober-looking specimen, the kind of guy that breathes every other Tuesday. He gave me the fish eye as I went up the elevator to the third floor. Halpern's apartment was at the east end. The butler showed me in, and I waited in the living room. It was a real cozy place about the size of a small rugby field. A door opened on the side, and 200 pounds of regency oozed into the room like a wet ghost. Good morning. I'm Mr. Taylor. I'm Novak. Where's Halpern? Mr. Halpern is away on a business trip. I'm Mark Taylor, the family lawyer. I believe that's the phrase. Well, I'll drop by later, huh? Perhaps I can help you. I take care of most of Mr. Halpern's business now. Did you know his daughter? Yes, yes. It was quite tragic. That's what I hear. She was a victim of amnesia. She forgot all the details of her home. Must have been a temptation. Did the police ever do anything on it? The police were not advised, Mr. Halpern hired private detectives, but she was never found. Yes, it was quite tragic. You were your morning a long way, Taylor. She'd be about 25 now, wouldn't she? Taffy hair, blue eyes, nice figure. I believe she had leanings in that direction. Why, Mr. Novak? I think I may know where she is. You don't know what that would mean to this family, Mr. Novak. You don't know what it would mean to me, Mr. Taylor. Here's a snapshot. Let me see it. Well, Taylor, this is not a B movie. This is a picture of Marsha Halpern. You sure? I don't make many mistakes, Mr. Novak. All right, if you've used up your quota. She's downtown. I'll get in touch with Mr. Halpern right away. No, take your time. She's dead. When? Last night, she got sleepy. What? Yeah, that's right. Somebody gave her enough sleeping pills to stock a drugstore. I see. After all these years, to come back, and then this. It was most... Most tragic? Yes, yes, I was about to say that. It would be a great blow to Mr. Halpern. It would be a very great blow to Mr. Halpern. Have the police any ideas? A few. Do you know anybody named Hilda? No, why? Just sweeping out the corners. When's Halpern due? This afternoon. I'll arrange it. Excuse me, please. Hello, this is Mark Taylor. Now, that can't be right. Well, what did it happen? Yes, please, keep me advised. You want to wear a purple suit, Taylor? I have bad news, Mr. Novak. Raise yourself. I'm lightheaded. Go ahead. Mr. Halpern was killed in the motor accident last night. His car plunged down and ravine the Sacramento. That's very strange. Yeah, it must have been a great blow to Mr. Halpern. I left there and went downstairs. All the way down, I had the funny feeling that something was wrong. The way a person feels when he goes into a doctor's office with an incurable disease. It may have been Taylor. I don't know. He seemed all right, but... I still had that feeling that something was out of place, like a broken line in a perfect picture. I crossed the street and called Helman. It was too early in the day because he was as sad as a tap dancer in moccasins. Helman talking. This is Novak. How's the case? You look better every minute. How's the identification? We're moving. That's right. Her name's Marcia Halpern. She disappeared in 1941 with amnesia. San Francisco. Yeah, she's the daughter of Emory Halpern. And we'll check with old man Halpern. You better send your best man because he rolled a car and killed himself last night. Where? Sacramento. I got news for you, too. Yeah? We got a statement from that waiter. Who wrote it? He says you're chummy. I knew her for five minutes. With you, that's a... You suit yourself. I'm busy. Yeah, where you going? Same place you are, Helman, Sacramento. If I didn't move fast, I was deader than a Philadelphia nightclub. When they start taking statements, you can wire for flowers. I called Jaco and told him to check up on old man Halpern's estate. I borrowed a car and drove up to Sacramento. The accident was just outside of there. When I got to the spot, Helman was already in charge. He's going to make a fight for the job and last judgment. They were down on the ravine and Helman was beating around the bushes making more noise than a Venetian blind and a typhoon. Hello, Helman. Did you find anything? Get your own hashtag. I'm busy. Where's the body? You get the blues if you don't see one corpse a day. He's up in town. Do you notice those tracks up there in the road? Yeah. Double tracks don't mean a thing. Oh, sure. Maybe two cars fell down and one got lost. Wake up, Helman. If he drove over the side, he sure had a tough time making up his mind. When you're through on that pipe, I'll send over another. I'm going over the car. Helman went over the car and I started looking through the bushes. I don't know what I expected to find. Maybe an old boy's scout. After about 10 minutes, I shifted over the other side and it showed up right near the ground under a bush. Helman must have seen me because he came right over. What is it? What did you find? A handkerchief. Oh. That's funny. What's funny about it too? It's a handkerchief. The old man had a nose, didn't he? Well, he must have loved it then. This handkerchief is loaded with perfume. Take a whiff here. Yeah. Recognize it? Sure. I don't know about you, but I smell a rat. This was the first break and Helman knew it. I went back to town. I tried to get in touch with Jaco, but he was running up a tab somewhere, so I drove over to see Mark Taylor again. When I got to the apartment, I found out he wasn't in, but the pinch hitter was all right. When she opened the door, I got a nice warm feeling like a melted cheese sandwich. She was standing there in a dark, silk evening gown. It was strapless and she had no worries. When she spoke, it was like saying, put another log on the fire. Good evening. Taylor in here? Won't you come in? Sure. Mr. Taylor won't be in for a while. I'm waiting for him myself. I see. I'm Pat Novak. Is it urgent? Anything I can do? Let it work. You get my vote. Who are you? I'm Hilda Travis. I'm a friend of the family. Which family? Would a drink take off the rough edges, Mr. Novak? It might. Good. I'll make one. I brought Taylor a present. How nice. A girdle maybe? Or am I being catty? No, I hank at you. This one. Do you like it? Should I? I thought you might want it for a keepsake. I found it in a ditch up in Sacramento about 10 feet from Emory Halpern. Poor Emory. You should drink. Thanks. Poor Emory. It's full of perfume. You want a smell? That wouldn't do any good. You want to know if it matches my perfume. It's your idea. Go ahead. All right. Now, closer. That's it. See? Yeah. It's early in the evening, Mr. Novak. Don't blow our fuse. I won't until I find out who killed Marcia Halpern. Good luck for everybody's sake. By the way, the police think you killed her, don't they? Did Taylor brief you? A little. I asked him this morning if he knew a girl named Hilda. He must have forgotten. Yeah, everybody's got amnesia. Just to make things easy, did you kill her? Just to make them hard, did you? I see. Well, just tell Taylor I called. Don't be a savage, Mr. Novak. You haven't finished your drink. And it's raining outside. I'll finish this one. That's good. Sit down beside me here. We'll finish our drinks and pray for our cloudburst. She turned out to be an old-fashioned girl. She had about eight of them before I got out of there. I tried to pump her, but she wouldn't talk about Marcia Halpern. I just became a family friend. After I left, I had ducked into a drugstore and started phoning Jaco. I finally caught him at the hunt room. He'd worked his way below the label already. Hello, Batchy! Yeah, what'd you find out? I just heard a funny story. It's old. What about Halpern? Who's next in line? Good boy, Jaco. New club. Go on. For instance, he's no talent scout. Meet me down in homicide in ten minutes, Jaco, if we're lucky we'll show Helman something. How to draw to an inside straight. Hurry up and don't stop for a bracer. He explained everything I could to Helman when Jaco got there. I went over it for him and sent him out on an errand. He was to meet Helman and come up to Taylor's apartment. I went on ahead. It was about eleven o'clock when I knocked on the door. Mr. Novak, so soon. Yeah, I'm coming in. Hello, Taylor. I won't say you're wearing out your welcome, Mr. Novak, but it's getting very thin. You better take time out and pack your bags. Is that nice, Patsy? Because a guy named Helman wants you for murder. We've been over that once, Mr. Novak. We've got a whole new infield this time. Helman thinks you killed a girl named Helen Dupre. I don't know a girl named Helen Dupre. The bank vouchers say yes. They say you brought her over here six weeks ago. Wait a minute, Patsy. Oh, you made the team, too, Angel. They got you all fixed up for old man Halpern's case up in Sacramento. Get out of here, Novak. I left a drink here. Find a bar there. Get out of here. I wouldn't want to jam this gun through your face. Come on in, Helman. Did you bring him with you? Yeah. Come in here, fella. Is that the girl? Yeah, that's her. Where'd you see her before? Sacramento last night. He's crazy. It's a plant, Mark. Tell him more, Junior. You sure she's the one? Yeah. She was on the road and I seen her at the car with his old fella. Hang on, lady. The road gets bumpy from here on. My lights were out, so I guess she didn't see me. Take this little guy out of here. I got a story. I seen you hit the old fella, then start the car down the bank. I didn't hit him on the head. I told you that, Mark. Yes, you did. Tell him, Mark. Tell him I was here. How can I, when you tipped our mitt? That's right, Taylor. Get out while you can. Tell him I was here, Mark. Oh, you little fool. Don't you know you told him already? You're a bum guy, Mark. You've been a bum guy all along. I keep my mouth shut. I'll give you a chance to talk. I'll tell you about him, Novak. Shut up, you little half-wit. You're all right on the straightaway, but you're a bad guy in the curves, Mark. Keep still, Angel. First tin horn punk like you all talk lots. You'd better say it fast. You get any prize in the house, Taylor. Take your choice. Are you working for a living, Hellman? Yep. All right, then. Let's go. Yeah. See you downtown, Novak. Is she all right, charcoal? I'm out of practice. Well, Patsy, do you like it this way, baby? No complaints. I've always gone first class. I wouldn't like it the other way. Yeah. I could have used a little more time, but I'm not greedy. Still raining out there, Patsy? No. Let's stop raining. We're getting the clear up and over. Come on, Jaco, I'm talking to myself. Well, it seems that Marcia Halpern was dead for years. Somewhere on the other side, a girl named Helen Dupre got the story out of her. She looked a lot like Marcia Halpern, so she waited until after the war and contacted this Mark Taylor. They cooked up a hoax and the pot boiled over. She was supposed to fake amnesia and stumble into the hospital. The pictures in the wallet would be printed. Mark would identify her as Marcia Halpern. The same night, they planned to kill the old man the way they did. That way, Helen Dupre and Mark could split the dough, but they figured it wrong. Another girl named Hilda Travers had this story, too. She put the squeeze on Mark, and he blundered. He found out he didn't need a phony Marcia Halpern after all. The new claws and the will gave Mark the dough. So he loaded Helen Dupre with sleeping pills while Hilda gave the old man his last ride. All he had to do was wait for the dough and then split with Hilda. A few things went wrong. Sometimes it only takes one. Helen did her part, but she was no burnhard. And then at the last minute, she knew something was wrong and mentioned Hilda. I kind of began to wonder when Mark identified that picture so fast. After more than eight years, he identified it immediately. And then there was that handkerchief. From there in it was freewheeling. All we had to have was a witness. Well, that guy from Sacramento? Well, he was some actor that Jaco picked up in the hunt room. Hellman finally cleaned up the mess. Taylor's in the clink. Of course, the girl already picked up her end of the check. She was nice, too, if you don't mind claw marks. Well, it all worked out, and Hellman's happy, except that actor keeps calling him up for parts. The American Broadcasting Company has just brought you the third of a new series, Pat Novak for hire, starring Jack Webb. Jaco Madigan is played by Jack Lewis. Inspector Hellman is played by Raymond Byrd. Music was composed and conducted by Bassem Abloh.