 Suspense and the producer of radio's outstanding theater of thrills the master of mystery and adventure William and Robeson Murders tricky stuff to fool around with Like nitroglycerin H bombs in a woman's heart. You have to know how to handle it and when an amateur dabbles in the murder market Well as they used to say in ancient Rome caveat emptor let the buyer beware Listen listen then to what happened to such an innocent as Everett Sloan stars in Halibai Which begins in exactly one minute In the great legends of America. There was always room for the fairer sex now I don't know if you'd call stack of dollars the fairer sex or if she'd be what you might call a pin-up girl But she sure impressed many men along the Mississippi during the early riverboat days She had two diamond teeth with gold fillings and when she opened her mouth with a sunburst smile didn't they glitter She feared nothing and nobody her motto was come clean or come dirty and get cleaned She could put a knot on a bullies head so big He wouldn't know whether the knot was on him or he was the knot She had a full bosom or an eight gallon Stetson smoked charoots She ruled the levy with her big fist and her boyfriend claimed he liked her because she whooped him so good Yes, that was the gal called stack of dollars Folklore belongs to every nation's legendary past and I guess we Americans have our share of some tall ones and now Mr. Everett Sloan in Alibi a tail well calculated to keep you in Suspense There was nothing to it really once I'd made up my mind That was the hard part making up my mind Not that Hannigan would be any great loss to anybody including himself But after all you don't often go shopping for somebody to bump off your business partner Never mind how I found the address It was a grimy storefront between a press while you wait Taylor and a fly-blown fruit store Dusty cigarette stand-up posters littered the window Inside there was a stock of tobacco and candy that wouldn't have tempted a five-year-old Not much danger of customers disturbing you here a Pair of sharp eyes under a green eye shade were looking at me. Yeah, I I want to see Barney Oh, I I phoned him he he gave me this address back there Thanks. Are Are you Barney? So Well, I phoned you yesterday. My name is never mind. You wanted a job done. Is that it? Well, yes short job or all the way Short job. You just want to scare the guy you break his arm or rough him up No, no, this has to be all the way you see he's my business partner and the big chill is a thousand bucks in advance Thousand but I heard what you heard don't count mister Well, I I've got five hundred here I'll be able to get the rest easily enough as soon as soon as you get your mitts in the tiller No, it's it's not that way at all. It's just that Hannigan He put the money in the business and and he watches it like a hawk He'd slap me in jail in a wink if I probably is ready to slap you in jail already. No How did you know not I did guess? Well, as soon as he checks the books first of the month only Hannigan ain't gonna be around the first of the month, is he? That's right. If you get busy and scare up to the rest of the grand that is But there's no time tomorrow is the first so No, please Barney, you've got to trust me. I'll pay you on my word of honor on you or what? Oh, well, you know what I mean. I I swear it Barney Well, I Gotta have my head examined. Oh, thanks. Thank you. I'll take the five on account. Yeah sure here I'll uh, I'll get you the rest tomorrow. Okay. How about the subject? Where do we find him? Well, I don't want anything around the office. You understand he lives in the Gatesworth gates for a thing Better if we could catch him outside. Oh, well, he lives by the clock every night at nine Never later than 915. He goes to the drugstore across the street for a hot molded milk Helps put him to sleep fine. We can do a car job What's he looking like? I've got a got a picture here. I'll take it Now you'll destroy that Later, I don't think you appreciated mr. The favor. I'm doing you This is the first time I ever worked a job without the green stuff in my hands all of it Oh, I appreciate it. Honestly, I and I sure hope I don't have no trouble with you Oh, no, no, no, you can count on me. That's good. I hate trouble Now we got to fix you up with an alibi Me sure you With the cops gonna think of first when your partner gets the blast. Oh Don't worry. We take care of our customers Along get the first base You'll be all sewed up with an airtight alibi. Well, I I thought I just take a trip out of town wait to What for? Who are you gonna see? Why skip it? That's the first thing they all think of Well, I never thought that's the trouble with you amateurs you never think Well, if I I just stayed home with my wife now We can't have your visiting friends either. You'd blow the deal before you said three words. Oh, I don't think you're not Look, you're paying me to do your thinking mister. We got our own skins to look out for too And what business did you say you were in? Tea and coffee wholesale never stopped for a drink and you ain't home. Yeah, sometimes all right. Tell you what we'll do You know the pelican? Yeah, the other pelican. That's sick. Somebody'll meet you. You stick with him and you'll be in the clear Yeah, but who I'm thinking of a guy I can trust name Allen. It's got a couple of restaurants It can be some of them coffee catch Well, if you think it's necessary Hey mister Here's your five bills back. Oh, what do you mean? Get yourself another boy. Oh, no now wait a minute You can't back out on me now. If Hannigan gets a look at those books. I I'll do anything you say the pelican at six mr. Allen. Well, that's better Now you just follow orders and everything's gonna work out just dandy I Walked out of Barney's with a feeling of elation As for Hannigan, I felt no qualms about ending his miserable existence He was old withered a man who had never in his selfish life done anything to help or comfort another I Had taken him into the business when I needed money He had plenty of that, but I saw a mighty little of it No, I wasn't at all. Sorry. I'd gone to Barney Oh, of course Barney'd been a little too pessimistic about this alibi business No reason I couldn't handle it myself Why I could go into the pelican right now and more likely than not run into somebody I knew But when I got there there was something different about it The neon signs weren't lighted and there was a notice nailed to the door closed for violation Yeah, how about that mark what padlocked and I got it. Oh, oh, hello Lee Well the pelican isn't the only place in town. Let's drop around to Moriarty. No, I uh, I'm afraid I can't Lee I'm not since you look like you could use a drink anyway I haven't seen you for a month this Sunday, and I'm not gonna let you get away before I buy you a piece of booze There isn't much you can do with a persistent pal Nothing much without making him suspicious So I went along Anyway, I still had plenty of time Sure Barney made it sound hard building himself up Sitting at Moriarty's with Lee. I I had to laugh to myself at how easy it was Why I could take this fellow here a casual business acquaintance inviting to dinner spend the evening with him And I'd have my alibi the The shock of finding the pelican clothes wore off the pleasant inconsequential chit chat over the smooth martinis was soothing and And then I was jolted. I can't see how you stand it mark Tied to a skin flint like Hannigan just because you need his capital and if it was me, I'd be tempted to bump the old kudo What happened man? Oh Here my handkerchief. Oh No, it's not your fault. I I've got to go. I just remembered appointment Possessed me to talk about Hannigan Barney was right dead right. I couldn't trust myself to face an evening with anybody. I knew I'd give myself away sure I Looked at my watch. It was 6 30 and I was supposed to meet Barney's man at six I hurried back to the pelican It was still dark, of course And there wasn't anyone waiting around who looked like he might be waiting for me So I I waited and waited and I got more and more frightened Something had slipped. I didn't have any alibi going for me Then I realized I Couldn't go through with it a Prison term for embezzlement was one thing But the chair for murder. I had to get in touch with Barney There there was another bar across the street the Green Parrot. They'd have a phone They did but the booth was occupied a blousey blonde Her boyfriend stood by the door weeding slightly Keep ringing a dolly keep ringing Well, we got to get a girl for less detail. He'll get all that see all the cold You know a minute. I got an idea. I'll call Helen. She's all honey. Well, you love it Oh, just a minute. I got a number right here some place. Look miss. Could I place a call if you don't mind? It's important. Well, you got a nerve. We was here first. Well, it's important or I wouldn't ask I'll find another phone. But this is the only one around here Yes, yes, I will thanks thanks ever so much Hello, is this Barney? No Barney ain't here. Oh, well, can you tell me where I can reach him got no idea Well, when do you expect him back? He ought to be around sometime. Well, how soon I don't know He don't tell me nothing, but I've got to reach him right now. Can you get a message to him? I could try What's on your mind? Tell him tell him this is the party. He sent to the pelican at six o'clock. Yeah Yeah, well well the pelicans padlocked. I've been waiting outside, but the other party didn't show up the one I was supposed to meet where you at now. I'm across the street the green parrot Look have Barney call me will you Just a minute, please listen the number is grant 4937 you give some guys at least they want to make it I'll be through in a second. We've got that grant for 937. Yeah, I got it. I'll tell him when he comes in Okay, okay, I'm finished very much Okay, honey, now what's that? I Took a seat at the bar where I could keep one eye on the padlock door of the pelican across the street and the other on the phone booth And then I started sweating it out. I Didn't need the silly cuckoo clock over the bar to tell me the passing of the minutes until Suddenly I came to myself Seven o'clock and that confounded couple was still at the phone booth Marie They can all have dates try another one. Oh, here's a girl Look miss before you make that call Listen, I'm waiting for a very important call. Won't you please stay off the line for a few minutes? No, but this is vital. It's a matter of life and death. Oh No, I mean it Material but I go ahead go ahead. Don't pay attention this small look at you. Let me please you you've got to get off That's wrong. Listen boss the funds fund, but you watch out how you talk to my girl. I don't care I thought you don't care. How well are you listening to me? No, you listen to me It couldn't have lasted very long but by the time they pulled the drunk off of me somebody had yelled copper And there was a big police man filling the door. Okay. Okay. Now what gives here? Oh, please officer. All right, break it up Now which one started this no, I didn't I didn't That's enough. I better take the both of you. No, but officer. I please Wait a minute. That's my call. That's the call. I've been waiting for a long will you? Don't give me any trouble. No, no, but I must answer that phone I've gotta come along quietly or do you want to sample the end of this night stick? No, but you can't do this. I can't can I please what do you think of this? And I move both Oh brother you pack a pretty good punch might will be pretty good boys Don't you worry honey, don't worry beyond the ball. No, please let me answer that phone. I said move In just a moment we continue with Suspense This is Johnny Baker with communism on the spot In the ancient world the top authorities on myths were the Greeks in our time the communists have that distinction One of the top myths they've been circulating is that the Communist Party is a workers party Some of its members no doubt answer that description, but these have always been sort of window dressing Actually, the party is a political machine made up overwhelmingly of state officials the military and industrial leaders The workers in the Soviet Union like everyone else take their orders from above From the bosses of the Communist Party, which isn't a workers party at all But as a regimented bureaucracy whose members have only one interest themselves And now we continue with the second act of Alibi starring mr. Everett Sloan a tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense The phone kept ringing in my ears the phone with Barney on the other end Barney and salvation and Here I was in the squad car speeding toward the police station handcuffed to a stupid drunk Was a good fight a while alas there wasn't a fella I listen I tell you the truth I'm just as happy to get away from that pink. I figured I'd pop her off on lefty. It could be another girl Don't be like that won't be like that You worried about the little woman, baby. No Come to think of it the only time my old lady ever believed me when I stayed out all night I was in jail. She could check up on that Oh wonderful alibi jail Alibi oh the very best take it for me Yes, of course What a fool I was I didn't need Barney now Sure, it wasn't the most delightful way to spend the night in the drunk tank, but there'd be no question It was perfect Barney could go ahead and kill Hanigan now and I could relax The police car slowed down and pulled up to the curb Only it wasn't the police station. It was a downtown corner by a cab stand. All right, you two get out. What? Get out. Yeah, you two promised to quit acting like a couple of college kids You can hop into a cab and go home officer. Yeah, I'm officer the gentleman. Yeah Yeah, I don't see any reason where the city should put you up for the night There Cups are off. Ah now go on go straight home. Yeah, I show up. I'll show up But officer now what? Well, I want to go to jail. I don't be a chop charm. You what I I Want to go to jail why? Well, I I can't exactly say you better exactly say I'm giving you a break Yes, I know only only what only just don't turn me loose Okay, buddy. I won't That's you get going boy. Yes, sir So I never heard the like wanting to go to jail. Yeah Sounds funny, I guess sure does Sergeant will be interested in it and the lieutenant They'll want to ask you a lot of questions, mister That hadn't occurred to me Of course they ask questions Questions I couldn't answer beginning with the first fateful one Why did I want to be in jail when my partner was being assassinated? I? Stiffened with panic silent with shock And then the police cars swung into a side street which had just been watered down It went into a skid the officer tried to pull out But he couldn't and he crashed into a pole throwing both of us clear He was out cold and I I seem to be all in one piece I had to get away from there now I had to get the Barney and call off the killing too many people would ask much too many questions I landed out of there fast and ran three blocks until I found a drugstore with a phone Is Barney there no he ain't oh, I thought he was well he ain't listen I called before I left a message for Barney remember yeah I give it to him well then then he has been calling me where from now How should I know he don't tell me where he goes, but I listen I give Barney the number what more do you want? I guess nothing. I was you I'd stick by that phone Barney don't like creeps that waste his time Thanks, thank nothing of it. Well, that was that I had to get back to the green parrot Dangerous as that was and wait for Barney's call. I had less than an hour to make that connection Hey, wait a minute you yes, did you the guy cause a combustion here sure you are hey We're doing back here look bartender the officer let me go he realized it wasn't my fault All I wanted was to answer the phone outside. I don't want no troublemakers in it No, but but if you'll just listen I wasn't making any trouble. It's an important call I had to get to the phone sure look you breaking my heart come on out of you get out of I throw you out No, you can't That's it. That's Barney. I didn't say hold on Hello Barney Barney, where you've been keeping yourself anyway never mind that now Barney Alan The man you told me to be he never came. What do I do Barney? What's going on that it's nothing listen Barney that's not the point. I want to call it off call it up Yes, you you can keep the money. I I can't go through with it. You can't go through it. No, that's a laugh Well, tell me what to do Barney. Tell me what to do Please just one more second Skip it. Skip it, but hurry. I've only got a second. What do I do come to 9th and blossom somebody will meet you on the corner 9th and blossom. I got it. Thanks Barney All right bartender. I'm going. Oh, so you're good. Oh And don't come back. It's guys like you give a place a bad name I Hit the sidewalk with a jar that shook my spine and And then a pair of solicitous hands helped me to my feet It was Harry the drunk I've been handcuffed to You shouldn't have tried to go back in there. I told you that barkeeper was tough. Yeah. Yeah, thanks Hey, did you see Dolly there my girl? No, no, I didn't I had my own problems the difference who wants it Oh, I could tell you what pal. You'll be we'll get a couple of girls. Look, I've got an appointment that now Let go of my arm. Will you hey taxi? Hey, how'd you get away from the cops? 9th and blossom driver hurry. Oh, yeah gotta date. Oh, well, maybe she's got a friend. No, I don't get in here Look, it's not that kind of a day. You'll have to get out. Don't you try to ditch your old pal? You've got to get out Did you say Alan? We sure that's me. How are you? Why didn't didn't you tell me who you never asked me Alan and I was trying to get rid of you And I thought Barney bungled the whole deal and here you've been hanging on to me like a leech I Might have known he'd handle this in his own way I'll say don't you think we ought to be some place where more people can see us, huh or for Well, it's it's nearly nine o'clock the time. I need the alibi when when Barney is killing my partner Alibi kill You're Alan you said so well, yeah, yeah, you're in the restaurant business for me You're not in the restaurant business Barney didn't send I don't know Barney. I don't know what you're talking about Hey, wait a minute Maybe I do know what you're talking about So that's why you wanted to go to jail. Oh, please Got away from that fast It was five minutes to nine and ninth and blossom was still a block away I forced my pounding hard until I thought it would burst I'm getting there Barney I I Didn't know you were gonna meet me. I'm inside out the street. Oh, sure Barney sure. Oh I thought I I'd never make it Barney What happened? Where was Alan? Don't worry everything's taken care of but I I don't understand you amateurs never do Wait a minute. What kind of a place is this? Garage go to the head of the class What but what kind of an alibi could I have here with you? Where's Alan the man I was supposed to meet him. He's busy busy. I told you there's a change in the plan He's alibi and for another customer You're part in a matter of fact Hanigan see you're real smart tonight, ain't you? You see I got the thinking I never worked on credit. Why should I start now? I take a chance on the mixture of five bills. So I just put it up to Hanigan You what sure you saw the point right off Handed up the whole grand right on the line cash money cash for what? Yes Well, what's that gun for what do you think? Oh No, no Hanigan wouldn't do that not to me. Why not you was gonna do it to him. No No He's the guy. All right, buddy. I'll let your hands You won't get out of this one. Oh officer You saved my life you you you saw you you heard what he was gonna do. We heard everything, buddy everything You two make a nice Paris cellmates amateurs Suspense Which mr. Everett Sloan starred in alibi written by Lawrence Goldman listen Listen again next week when we return with another tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense Supporting mr. Sloan and alibi were Ted Dacorsia eddy mar Sandra Gould Peter Leeds Jack Moyles and Jack Crucian Suspense has been brought to you through the worldwide facilities of the United States armed forces radio and television