 Get this and get it straight crime is a sucker's road those who travel it wind up in the gut of the prison of the grave This time a twisted mind a hole cut in a wire fence and a corpse in a storeroom all added up to freedom But only for the one who had it coming From the pen of Raymond Chandler outstanding author of crime fiction comes his most famous character in the adventures of Philip Marlowe Now with Gerald Moore starred as Philip Marlowe, we bring you tonight's exciting story the bid for freedom Never fails When you worry over your bank statement, then hug your office phone from nine to five anxious for business Nothing happens But the minute you decide you'll get rich another day chuck the puny balance sheet into a bottom drawer and make plans You'll want it And that was exactly the way it played when at three o'clock on the kind of slate gray afternoon that Makes the beckoning Santa Fe railroad vacation billboards look a little more. So I left a note on my office door and headed outside and across The street for some real Hungarian goulash The second after a waiter disappeared into the kitchen with my order She was standing at my elbow not quite young not quite pretty Not quite blonde and when she spoke not quite sure of what she was going to say next you You're mr. Philip Marlowe, aren't you? I mean the private detective whose office is across the street. Yeah, that's right. I My name is Helen Asher. I have to find someone You do that kind of work. Don't you finding people? I mean that all depends miss Asher. Who's the person you have to find? Leon Rodel a friend You see I just got into town. I had his address in my handbag, but I lost it The handbag that is and I don't exactly know which way to just a minute miss Asher Let's take it a step at a time. Huh, and I sit down No, thank you. I'm in a hurry mr. Marlowe Leon Rodel is enlisted in the phone book. I've tried that and I don't know the name of his firm his business name He he deals in ceramics that all you can tell me. Oh, no, I have something else It's a name and an address here in Los Angeles Fortunately, that wasn't in my handbag, but here in my coat Know what miss Asher? On the street. What's on the street? Nothing. Nothing at all. Hey miss Asher wait a minute There'd been a sort of sad look about Helen Asher that Made me want to help her So after an even sad look at the plate of boulage that was coming toward me from the kitchen I followed her the street When I reached the sidewalk she was across the street in a cab in a way That might have been the end of it if something small and ugly that had been standing just outside the restaurant hadn't turned and moved into the alley alongside the building On a hunch that he'd had something to do with the sudden exit of miss Asher I followed him and found him standing next to a line of empty ash cans calmly lighting a cigarette Always running alleys to light your cigarettes. You always concerned. What do you know about Helen Asher? Helen Asher? I haven't any idea who you're talking about. Come on little man I'm talking about the gal who just got into that cab to the words begin to flow or do I ring him out of here? Get your hands off me. You're ripping my pocket. You're lucky. It isn't your nose. Come on talk. All right. All right It's no secret here. It's all in this letter. Look right here Tove is sharp pointed shoes and cut my shin where it really hurt By the time I was out of the ash cans back on my feet. I knew the damage had been more to my dignity than anything else I knew also that the little man was gone and I had no idea where It was halfway out to the street before I realized that I still had the little man's letter clenched in my hand It was from an Omaha life insurance company and addressed to one Elden Hook 31 Marlboro Drive Sunnydale, California Sunnydale wasn't just around the corner But the fear I'd seen in Helen Asher's face plus a score to settle with Elden Hook said the 20 mile drive into the San Fernando Valley was a minor point under the gray sky overhead that thickened by the minute Sunnydale about the size of the hole in a candy lifesaver looked as warm and cheerful as crepe paper in number 31 Marlboro Drive also gray was no improvement from the ponderous bleak stone buildings which said Queen Victoria should have slept there past the high thick wire fence that surrounded it to the wrought iron gate in front of me labeled Hillcrest sanitarium Key bot Took 10 minutes of softly phrased questions and answers to get the boss man at Dr. Channetti to the gate. I told him who I was and what brought me to him including the description of Elden Hook I don't understand Come in mr. Marlboro, please Elden hook has been with us as an attendant for more than a year now and his behavior has always been satisfactory Nothing would surprise me anymore today By the way, sir, what did you say that woman's name was? The one who approached you in the restaurant. Oh, Helen Asher. Is it possible that she was once a patient here, doctor? No What about Leon Rodel Leon Rodel? How do you know that name from Helen Asher? She was looking for him. That's why she wanted to hire me She knew he was here in Los Angeles Mr. Marlboro this woman was she young about 30 blonde. Yeah, that's right. Why why because this morning Earlier about six o'clock one of our patients escaped a woman You know as Helen Asher and we know as Charlotte Rodel Leon Rodel's wife. Oh She's insane. Uh-huh temporarily. Yes Come over here near the fence. I'll show you how she got away But how she managed to cut through enough of this thick wire link fence to make a hole large enough to crawl through It's beyond me here look behind this idea Uh-huh Even with a good wire snipper it would take hours to get through all these strands and wasn't she missed inside? Yes, but she was only gone minutes Apparently she had been doing a little at a time during her recreation period at night whenever she could Be careful of the birds and those bushes there mr. Malo. Yeah, I see what you mean tell me doctor the policeman notified of course at once the law compels us to and Frankly mr. Malo. I'm terribly worried. Oh, you see it was her husband Leon Rodel who had her confined here a year ago Six months after their marriage. She began to act strangely He felt it would be only with our help that she could ever regain her mental equilibrium. I Thought that we were accomplishing that apparently no obviously no But mr. Malo we must call the Los Angeles police right away and tell them that Leon Rodel now lives here Not in San Francisco. He must be protected. I see your point Yeah, she did break out She is trying hard to find Leo and three she ran from Elden Hook was very close on a trail That's right, mr. Malo. That's why I suggest that Leon Rodel discontinue seeing his wife as of last month He always left Charlotte very upset Now I better call the police. That's a good idea Although Charlotte didn't know where her husband was staying or what the name of the ceramics business was she Say duck Doc she claimed that she lost a handbag. Have you found it by any chance? Yes? We did we found it in the brush near the hole in the fence. I've got it right here in my desk Oh good Yes, here it is three eight four zero look out terrors look out terrace Got terrors that's right here in the valley up in the hills south of Ventura Boulevard Mr. Malo if possible, I'd like to avoid having the papers get hold of this The story. This is a rather exclusive nursing home. So well in a sense. You're already in this case Could you try to find Charlotte Rodel and bring her back here before the police do well dr. Channetti, I would be doing a great service for the woman and her husband I'll pay you your fee All right, dr. Channetti, I'll try I'll call you as soon as I have something When I first started from Alboreau Drive in Sunnydale It had been a combination of interest in a sad-eyed girl and a strong desire to punch Elden Hook on the nose Now it was business It took 20 minutes of fast driving to get over to look out terrors in the hills and separate Hollywood from the San Fernando Valley 3840 itself The house was a squat chunk of overly stucco at Arkea, California architecture at the top of a steep driveway When I was out of my car and walking toward the front door Everything was black Except tiny pinpoints of light sparkling up from the floor of the valley. I just left good evening I hope I didn't startle you mr. Rodel mr. Rodel. I know your name Yes, sir, and I know some other things as well like what oh incidental facts like Well, it's cold in there So you haven't been home in hours and and the refrigerator's empty. So you're only staying here off and on Also the old mail inside phone bills, etc. They don't have your name with this address So this is probably a friend's house which totals to what? zero, maybe Zero mr. Rodel like you're gonna total if you don't pay the money you order my good friend in San Francisco Yeah, you know who I mean don't you mr. Rodel? Yeah What I don't know is how good friend thinks I'm gonna raise that kind of dough I Made a funny. Oh, you're kidding. Yeah, what's 15,000 are you you? Shall I say an intimate friend of ordine blackburns? Oh? Ordeen blackburn yeah, ordine blackburn come off it boy. I'm thorough an ego sort I know that the lady from Bella has loaded and that she's nuts about you Oh fallen before I leave a word of advice Rodel One can't run away from his obligations forever And you won't be able to walk away after 24 hours unless of course you pay Good night Good night, eager till we meet again Oh Be some heat in here somewhere Operator I'd like the telephone number of a miss ordine blackburn and Belair. I don't have the address Yeah, no, I can't for the house burned down Yeah, that's it. What's the number please? Thank you Hello, miss blackburn blackburn. My name is Philip Marlowe. I'm a private detective with the moment is anxious to get hold of Leon Rodel, you know where he is Yes, I do, but I don't think please it's important Leon Rodel's life is in danger. I want to help him What's going on? There isn't time to explain believe me. That's what she said. Who said someone who called about 20 minutes ago I miss Helen Asher. Oh, she said she was supposed to meet Leon in the storeroom about purchasing some ceramics Did you give it to her? Oh, yes, I did. Oh great. She's the one who's after him. What's that address? Come on quick Well, there's plenty wrong for one thing I talked to you again, baby some other time Jump to a hasty conclusion didn't I yeah, you did eager you see, I'm really only a bill collected just like yourself So why don't we make up? Mother chance sweetheart, I wouldn't be happy that way. I wouldn't know when you were telling the truth and when you were Know what I mean Marlowe Now as I said before Good night In just a moment the second act of Philip Marlowe But first CBS will bring you the earth shaking premiere of a new opera tomorrow night an opera written by Alec Templeton With Charlie McCarthy as a lovelorn singing Bengal Lancer Templeton himself as a Maharaja and Ursul twang as a flying carpet salesman You can hear it on the CBS Charlie McCarthy Edgar Bergen show tomorrow night and don't forget Red Skelton Amos and Andy Eve Arden Horace Hyde and all the other CBS Sunday night stars will also be on hand on most of these Same CBS stations Jack Benny of course has heard in them all on Sundays Now with our star Gerald Moore, we return to the second act of Philip Marlowe and tonight's story the bid for freedom Gun butt I'd been slapped with felt like a log chain Next time would be different Waited to leave it drove away and went out and got my car and unwound my way down the hill again to Ventura Boulevard And I turned west and drove out to 3909 and a half It's a glass and neon super grocery store closed for the night The only light showing it Leon Rodel ceramic outfit trickled out on the ground in a narrow wedge What had to be a partly open back door And even as I watched that the wedge dance to a crazy pattern and disappeared I Ran for it and got there just in time to see Charlotte Rodel dart down the alley Second lady she vanished in the shadowy jumble of backyard buildings. I knew there was no use trying to follow her Instead I used the storeroom door open and looked into the room full of flower pot slant bases and dishes Nothing moved Charlotte I was sure it had a reason for running so I went in and tore the table in the corner where the only light was burning It was almost up to it before I saw the reason It was a good one Elden hook the sanitarium attendant was on the floor behind the table his body still trying to arch away from the knife and his back But I bet over on the open desires They were already cloudy I was close I Found the hole in the fence and I knew Audine what hook who did it? Can you tell me? Left Elden hook just as he was went to the door that opened the front of the ceramic shop The desk was there with a phone on it Got halfway through the homicide bureau number when a silhouette showed up at the curtains at the front door Put the phone down step back into the shadows and waited not necessarily mr. Rodell Who are you? Names Marlowe and private detective. You are Leon Rodell aren't you? Yes What are you doing here in my shop? You better finish taking your overcoat off mr. Rodell. I'll see your wife has run away from Hillcrest sanitarium my Charlotte is out. That's right. How do you know this? She came to me tonight under a phony name Tried to get me to locate you. She'd lost your address This is a shock mr. Marlowe terrible shocker Poor Charlotte what an awful thing this is for her. Yeah Excuse me. I need this sure. Oh, you know, thanks You see Marlowe. I've only been here in Los Angeles a month the last time I visited Charlotte That was about three weeks ago, and I hadn't planned to stay out wait a minute My wife is the only one who had my local address if she lost that how did you find me? That's a long story. I got the address Charlotte lost and I've already been up to your house But the last step was a call to a miss or Dean Blackburn or Dean. Yeah, she sent me up here Oh, then you know about our Dean and me a little Well, I suppose under the circumstances. That's hard for you to understand Marlowe and even harder to accept Not exactly under the circumstances Well, the law is not as generous as you are Has no room for understanding Insanity isn't grounds for divorce until after three long years have passed and maybe miss blackburn doesn't want to wait that long To be frank. I don't know. I'm in love with her. I think she loves me. I Haven't had the courage to tell her about Charlotte. Yeah, maybe you won't have to Charlotte called her up tonight before I did is a miss Asher She must have gotten our Dean's name and phone number from you some way in that last visit of yours No, that's impossible. Yeah, she got it some way Well, do you know where Charlotte is? We've got to find her. She's not responsible. She might even be dangerous. It's an understatement Rodel She's deadly Deadly hmm. I don't understand. Come here over behind that table there where the light is what go ahead and look When I showed up here tonight, I saw Charlotte running away. I came in and found that The attendant of the sanitarium. Yeah He knew she'd escaped he found the hole in the fence where she got out and he's been following her on his own strangely enough He's dead Marlowe. He's dead hook. He's he's dead Rodel Sorry Marlowe, she must be completely mad We've got to stop her where she might go for our Dean next or you yeah, what can we do? Well, you can go home. She doesn't know that address up there. So you'll be okay on that score. All right, but uh Rodel listen keep your doors locked up there. Will you? You said Charlotte. I know I know I'm not thinking about Charlotte now. There's something else The guy in San Francisco that you owe all that money to What about him? Santa mug down here who intends to collect it. I've tangled with him already means business. So be careful Rodel And I'll see you as soon as I can Watch them go out the door limply his head down He looked about as tough as a bowl of whipped cream And I went back to the desk again and saw that he'd left his overcoat where he dropped it on the chair. I Called the police gave him the word on Charlotte when that was over I had to switch on the desk light to check the sanitarium number before I could call dr. Cinelli That's when I saw the letter lying on the desk and important letting But for one reason only It was addressed to Leon Rodel at his house on lookout terrace Was an open invitation to anybody who'd come to the shop looking for that particular piece of information There was no doubt in my mind that Charlotte had seen it which made it long past time for me to get up there and on the double I turned headed for the door and stopped all in one motion It's a pair of headlights slashed the windows and then blinked out. I Step back out of the circle of life in the desk map and waited a Second later the Hulk of Mr. Eager filled the open back door He was still very sure of himself He took in the storeroom with one long glance and then sidled through the clutter as death plays a rumba Dancer taught the door where the desk and I were waiting The instant he got within reach I swung You again you dirty Major pitch once big man. Why don't you sit on it? That squares the stuff of that clip on a chop. You gave me Oh, no No, not quite Even Stephen now big man. He went down that time He took the chair Odell's overcoat and half the stuff on the desk with him He was still moving trying to free himself the tangle so I reached for him again But got only a fistful of the overcoat Rodell had left behind and suddenly my hand stung like I'd grabbed the wrong end of a bumblebee I jerked it back and looked at the pop Something was stuck to my skin something I couldn't understand Until finally realization who threw the molasses in my brain I left and ran all the way to my car and almost sprung the frame twisting up lookout terrace I Parked down the hill from 3840 and ran as far as the house next door where I got to the back hop the fence and got my gun in hand As I expected Leon Rodell was there and so was Charlotte and a coupe The door open was poised at the top of the precipitous driveway like a lead car and a roller coaster In the car we haven't much time I'm back with your address and I had to find you didn't I? You did find everything and then I learned about your shop and I went there But you shouldn't have done that Leon, Leon, I saw what you'd done to that Mr. Hope from the Sanitarium You killed him with a knife I had to Charlotte. He's been spying on us all the time He knew all our plans and he wanted lots of money to keep quiet That frightens me Leon. I wish you had Stop it Charlotte. It doesn't matter anymore. It doesn't matter anymore Don't kid yourself Rodell I found Leon by myself, so I really don't need you after all I only wish you were right baby. Don't move Rodell Oh, but you don't understand Mr. Marlowe Leon and I are going away together I understand all right more than you do now Charlotte and I think you better go in the house and wait for us Please do as I ask Some trip you had in mind Rodell Your wife in this coop and straight down over the bank strictly solo She didn't even suspect Keep your hands off me Sure, sure. I'd never get him clean again It'll give me great satisfaction to drop you with a bullet And I'll do just that if you take one step before the police get here So stand still Rodell Real still Dr. Janetti I'm sorry you were worried and I'm awfully glad I'm back So am I my dear and we'll talk more about it in the morning What you need right now is a good night's rest in your own bed Well you're right doctor. I'm very tired Good night Mr. Marlowe And thank you Good night Charlotte She still doesn't realize that she And it's a good thing. Plenty of time for that later when it can come gradually At this point she could tear herself to pieces over a thing like this Yeah Her husband of words is at a runaway and helps to do it for the sole purpose of getting her out where he can kill her How much security in that setup huh? No You mentioned another woman Mr. Marlowe Miss Baudine Blackburn Oh Baudine, gullible rich girl without much on the ball Rodell planned to marry her and solve all his money problems Believe me Doc he had him big ones I see Well she's better off this way Six months of marriage to Rodell and she'd have been a candidate for your sanitarium or so He's that kind of a guy And my late employee Eldon Hook Well he knew that Rodell had been urging his wife to run away and that he cut that hole in the fence Hook found out that Rodell was interested in Baudine and he tried to shake Rodell down Signed his own death warrant on the spot You know it's sometimes frightening to me Mr. Marlowe You realize how many warped and twisted minds there are that never get help until it's far too late But there's always some good in every bad thing they say What about this case? Charlotte, I expect her to recover completely soon Because now the main contributor to her neurosis so to speak is gone forever That was Leon Rodell Yeah well Doc, it's a long way back to Hollywood I better get going Just one thing more if you don't mind Charlotte would have died in a smashed car and what would have passed for an accident Also she'd have been blamed for Hook's murder if you hadn't found out the truth about Rodell I'm very curious You remember the birds that grew along your fence outside? The birds have blasted neurosis Yeah but as you just said Doc, there's always some good in every bad thing Rodell told me that he hadn't been up here for three weeks And yet tonight his overcoat was loaded with birds I got one in my hand from it That gave me a hunch Often there on it played Disappointed? To the contrary, satisfied completely Good night Mr. Marlowe Good night Doc As I left Hillcrest Sanitarium and drove back across the wide flat San Fernando Valley Dark and quiet in the hour just before dawn I found myself being grateful for a lot of little orderly things Things like the clear white line down the middle of the road The rhythm of the motor in my car and the prospect of going home To my own secure apartment And then I wondered about Charlotte And the sort of nightmare jungle the world must be to a mind Twisted suddenly Out of focus Where there is no symmetry or logic But Nightmares can be banished, huh? Fears driven away And in time with Dr. Chinetti's help she'd come out of it alright But the others Others like Hook and Rodell To them the jungle is home No nightmare of that They live in it by choice Until one way or another they're destroyed Choked to death by the very tangle they hide in Well That's fair enough The adventures of Philip Marlowe bringing you Raymond Chandler's most famous character Star Gerald Moore are produced and directed by Norman McDonnell And are written for radio by Robert Mitchell and Gene Levitt Featured in the cast were Gene Bates, Larry Dobkin, Yvonne Patey, Harold Deeranforth Jack Edwards and John T. Smith The special music is composed and conducted by Richard O'Runt Be sure and be with us again next week when Philip Marlowe says This time a fireball too handy with a target pistol Let me down a rocky road past the sleazy money grubber to a curly headed corpse And it might have gotten worse If I hadn't slowed down at the hairpin turn Battered but unbowed by his bout with Fred Allen last Sunday night Jack Benny will be back at the same old stand tomorrow night Jointly as ever and why not Jack has just been elected the king of hearts by the American Heart Association Listen for Jack Benny tomorrow on CBS This is Roy Rowan speaking Now stay tuned for gangbusters which follows immediately over most of these same CBS stations This is CBS where Philip Marlowe takes the case every Saturday night The Columbia Broadcasting System