 And now, Roma Wine, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wine presents Suspense. Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Mr. Robert Young, a star of you will never see me again. A suspense play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wine. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wine. Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live. To your happiness in entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glass full would be very pleasant, as Roma Wines bring you Robert Young in a remarkable tale of suspense. Walking out on me. What does it look like to you? Like you're walking out on me. Got everything you need? Well, at least I'm glad you're showing your true colors. I'd rather have thought it out now than later. It didn't take you long, did it, baby? Eh, if you're looking for your coat, it's in there. Thanks. Need any money? I don't need anything from you, including your wedding ring here. You know what you can do with it. Sure, Hockett. Well, take a nice quiet hotel. I don't have to pick a hotel, I'm no orphan. When you get good and sick of it, come on back. Maybe I'll still be here. You'll still be here. You'll never see me again as long as you live. You'll never see me again as long as you live, she said. If I'd known then what I know now, I guess that wouldn't have sounded so funny. All right, maybe I'm not the easiest guy in the world to get along with. But it's perfectly natural for a couple to have at least one good fight after they've been married nearly three months. I just wasn't going to be the first one to say, uncle, that's all. You'll never see me again as long as you live, she said. If I'd known then what I know now, I guess that wouldn't have sounded so funny. All right, maybe I'm not the easiest guy in the world to get along with. Uncle, that's all. Still, you don't wait around forever when your wife walks out on you, even if you are playing hard to get. So the third evening, I put in a call. I knew all along she'd head for her mother's place. Anyway, she'd practically told me where she was going when she left. Hello, is this Mrs. Alden? Yes. This is Ed. Janet's husband. Oh, yes. How is Janet? Wasn't she there with you? With me? By no, isn't she with you? No. That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed my hat and headed for the bus station. That was the only way she could have possibly gone to her mother's place at that time of night by bus. First, I wanted to find out if there was anybody who could positively identify her as having left. The guy at the ticket office wasn't very bright. Uh, to West Hampton? Well, seems like I remember somebody like that. It would have been Monday night, just about this time. West Hampton Monday night? Yeah, maybe. I couldn't be sure, though. Well, give me a ticket. Where to? Where do you think? West Hampton. Blonde, blue eyes, good looking. Sure, sure, I remember her. Where'd she get off? I think it was West Hampton. Close for the night, Mrs. Pumpsherall. I just want some information. Can you tell me where the Aldens live? Alden? Oh, yeah. There are those new people. Yeah. Well, you go up the crossroad there, to the left, going down the hill, and it's one, two, three, let me see. No, no, it's the fourth. Fourth driveway on your right. Did anyone ask you how to get there last Monday night? We're closed Monday, sir. And fourth driveway on your right. Oh, yes. Come in, Ed. I've been looking forward so much to meeting you. How wishes could have been under different circumstances, though. Yeah. I'm so sorry. I haven't heard anything yet. Oh, Ed, I'm not in to worry about. No. I can't understand it. It's not like her to do a thing like that. Oh, Ed, I want you to meet Mrs. Farley. We were just playing a little bridge. How do you do? How do you do? And this is my husband, Joe Alden. I guess that makes him your stepfather-in-law, doesn't it? Joe, this is Ed Bliss. How do you do, Ed? Well, I guess we'd better be going. Yeah, yeah, I guess we have. I certainly do hope that you're a wife. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Oh, you heard about it, did you? Well, Ed, you see, they dropped in a little while after you phone, and we thought it was all right. Well, that's all right. Well, thanks for asking. It's over. We'll come again real soon. We'll do that. Well, good night all night. Well, thank you. Goodbye. I hope you didn't mind about them. Well, I didn't think it was necessary to... Oh, that's all right. It's okay. Well, then, come on into the living room and tell us about it. Well, there's nothing much to tell that you don't know. Is there? No, no, I suppose not. Sit down. Thanks. Can't I get you something to eat? No, thanks. Or some coffee or something? I think I'll pass up the refreshments this time. Well, I know how you must feel. Yeah, I guess you do. But I still can't. But I just can't... You painted this room lately, haven't you? Yeah, what about it? Nothing. It just looks a little funny, that's all. You think so? And that brick wall in front of the house is kind of new, too, isn't it? You know I'm a bricklayer by trade, don't you? Well, now that you mention it... Joe, how can you talk about... about... You better go on upstairs, Laura. Yeah, she's taking it pretty hard. Yeah. You seem to be bearing up all right, though. You haven't lost any sleep over it yet yourself, have you? I'm not her husband. Yeah, this isn't getting us anywhere. What was that? Laura. I guess she's going to bed. Oh. Well, I guess I better be going down to get that last bus. How about staying overnight? No thanks. Suit yourself. Oh, wait a minute. I'll put the porch slide on. I can see. That's better. By the way, what happened? What do you mean, what happened? I suppose you and Janet had a row. What's that got to do with anything? I hear you got kind of a temper. Were you a little too quick with a flat of your hand? What's all this for? The benefit of the neighbors? It might be. Have you notified the police, chef? No. And I don't like the way you ask questions. Okay, okay. Want me to walk down the bus with you? It's pretty dark. Maybe that's why I'd rather walk down there alone. Oh, now wait a minute, Ed. I think you got me wrong. All right. Maybe I have. Say goodnight to Mrs. Alden for me. Yeah. Let us hear from you. Don't worry. You hear from me all right. It was still plenty dark when I got back to town, but I took the shortcut at the corner just the same. I passed across the vacant lot. Between the lot and my house, there's a hedge. I was just going through it when I stopped cold. There was a light on in my house. Only it wasn't a regular light. There was a beam of a flashlight moving past the living room window. That could only mean one thing. Cops. Of course it was Joe Allen that tipped them off. I just waited and then heard the front door open and closed. I saw two men standing outside. And one of them went up the street. Pretty soon I heard a car drive off. The other man was at the shadow then, standing by a tree in front of the house. You could see he was expecting me to come from the other direction. I stepped through the hedge and went over to him. Would you be looking for anybody in particular? I might be. Who are you? Ed Bliss. Who are you? Detective Stillman, Bureau of Missing Persons. How'd you know anyone was looking for you? Oh, I'm just bright that way. Oh yeah? Well they like bright boys down at headquarters. Come on, let's go. For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Robert Young. And you'll never see me again by Cornell Woolridge. Roma Wines' presentation tonight on Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrill's Suspense. Between the acts of suspense, this is Ken Niles reminding you that it's really simple to please the palates of fastidious guests. If you'll just be sure to serve Grand the State Wines. For Grand the State Wines, presented by Roma, afford you the ultimate in wine excellence. Discriminating wine users know this and regard your offering of Grand the State Wines as a flattering gesture to their good taste. For in Grand the State Wines, particular guests find the brilliant clarity, full fragrance and mellow taste that distinguish truly outstanding wine. You see, Roma created this limited bottling of magnificent Grand the State Wines, especially to please those who know fine wine. With choices grapes, infinite patience, necessary time and age old skill, Roma master vintners endowed each Grand the State Wines with fine qualities of wine greatness. So the host who possesses all five Grand the State California Wines is sure of pleasing all tastes at all times. For smart entertaining, delight your guests with Grand the State Medium Sherry, Ruby Port or Golden Muscatel. For gracious dining, serve Grand the State Burgundy or Sauterve. Remember the name, Grand the State Wines by Roma, the crowning achievement of vintner skill. And now Roma wines bring back to a Hollywood soundstage. Robert Young, who has Ed Bliss in You'll Never See Me Again, continues a narrative well calculated to keep you in suspense. He stood there in the shadows watching my face, Detective Stillman of the Bureau of Missing Persons. I'd been expecting this to happen sooner or later, but now that it had, I was stunned for a moment. Well, come on, bright boy, they're expecting us at headquarters. Wait a minute, I want to talk to you. I'm in a jam. Oh, you're telling me. No, not the way you think. Will you come inside with me? I've been inside. Say, what kind of a furnace do you have in your cellar, Bliss? An oil burner. The kind that turns on automatic with an electric cut-in? That's right. Why, is there a fuse blown? How'd you know there was a fuse blown? Was that why you were searching my house with a flashlight? Or was it because you didn't have a warrant? See, you really are, bright boy, aren't you? Well, come on, come on, we're going down here. Listen, I don't want to have any arguments. I want help, and I want it bad. Will you give me a break? What kind of a break? Oh, this is no place to talk. Will you come inside? Okay, but you better talk fast and talk good. Don't worry. The fuse box is right here. The flashlight, please. I always keep a couple of fuses on top of it. Oh, there they are. Let's go in the front room. After you. Okay. Now, what do you want to talk about? Oh, don't you understand? She's my wife. I'm scared. Then why did you run out? Why didn't you tell the police? Because at first I thought it was just one of those things. Anyway, I knew where she'd gone. Back to her mother's. How'd you know that? Because I went down after her. Because all kinds of people saw her go. Bus drivers, ticket sellers. Only when I got there, she wasn't there. How much life insurance did you carry on her, Bliss? $25,000. Wow, that's quite a lot for a $75 a week architect, isn't it? Our mother paid for it, a wedding present. For heaven's sake, what do you think I did? Buried her in a cellar or something? No. We know you didn't do that. We looked. Oh, cut it out, will you? I love her. Oh. I've only been married three months. Well, what do you want me to do? Oh, give me a break. Listen, if you take me down to headquarters now, it may be ours. Oh, it'll be ours, all right. And in the meantime, if there's still a chance, but there's got to be. She's somewhere and she's in danger. I know it. Yeah, how? I tell you, I followed her down to her mother's place in West Hampton. There's a guy at the station who remembers selling her a ticket. The bus driver remembers her getting off there. And then she just disappeared. Then what? I went down to her mother's house. They hadn't seen her. There's something funny about it. There's something funny about her mother and that stepfather. There's something funny about the house and about that room. What room? That living room of theirs. Listen, you've got to help me. Help me find her. You've got to go down there to West Hampton with me because I've got a hunch somehow that I'm the only one who can find her. All right, Bliss. All right, I don't know why, but I believe you do. Yes, and I shouldn't believe you either because... Because what? What, uh... What was your wife wearing when she ran out on you on Monday night? What was she wearing? Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. You must remember what she was wearing. Well, she's wearing a gray flannel suit, skirt and jacket, you know, pink silk shirt waist, patent leather high-heeled shoes, and one of those crazy little hats. Any baggage? Yeah, a little tan suitcase. You're sure of that? Sure. Well, that's why I shouldn't believe you. Why not? Because when you find somebody's clothes around, you usually start looking for the body right nearby. What do you mean? Well, they weren't burned up because that fuse had blown. But we found every one of those things in the furnace down in your cellar about 20 minutes ago. When he said that, I knew there wasn't much time. But he was going up to West Hampton with me anyway, and that was the main thing. Of course, first, he had to route out the bus driver and the ticket seller and check my story with them just to be sure I wasn't trying to pull a fast one. But that was all right, I expected that. Then we climbed into the police car and headed out to West Hampton. He believed me now, all right. That car couldn't have been pushed any harder if I'd been driving it myself. Still, it was broad daylight when we got to West Hampton. We parked the car a little ways down the road and walked towards the house. See what I mean, Bert? Take that brick wall, for instance. Well, what about it? It's new. What did he build that for? It's not tall enough to hide the road. It's not even tall enough to keep a dog out. What did he build it for? Well, maybe he built it to keep in practice. Come on, come on, let's go in. It's awful quiet. Yeah, well, why not? They're probably in bed, and that's where I would be if I hadn't let you talk to me in the bed. Listen, Bert, you don't think I... I'm here, ain't I? I'm here. I'm here. Listen, Bert, you don't think I... I'm here, ain't I? Go on, ring the bell. No answer? I'll keep trying. Shades are all down. I don't think... Well, come on, let's try the back door. Shades are down on this side of the house, too. Huh? Look! The garage is empty. Well, I guess our birds are through to Cooper, right? Bird, I don't like... Come on, come on, we'll try this back door anyway. Here's an axe. Yeah, wait a minute. Let me try my keys. Oh, nuts. This, uh... this is the way to the front of the house. I guess so. I've never been back here. Yeah, this is it. Here's the front hall. There it is. Bart, the room, the living room I was telling you about. Oh, what about it? Snap on the lights. I'll still say what about it. I don't know, but don't you get something funny about it? No, what? The lights. Or something about the fresh paint. The rug. There's something, though. I know there is. Oh, come on, come on, we're wasting time. There's something screwy about the whole joint. We went over the place from top to bottom. I wanted to get back to that room, and time was awful important. But Bert Stillman wanted to look into everything, which was only right and natural. Then we ran into something that was just about the last thing I expected. Say, uh, what's the store here? I don't know. I thought we'd covered everything on the ground floor before. Locked. There must be some sort of back bedroom. The keys won't fit this one. Funny, the only room in the house that was locked. Well, maybe we've got what we're looking for. Uh, give me that axe. But Bert, don't you see? If she was here and then gone, they must have taken her. She's probably... Oh, who's she? Mrs. Alden. Your wife's mother? Yeah. Say, uh, where's your daughter? Oh, please. Please. Come on, come on. Where is she? I don't know. Was she here? Where's she now? I don't know. Did she leave with your husband? I don't know. Why didn't you tell me she was here the other night? Joe told me not to. She was here. And the next morning, Joe told me she'd left. And this morning, he left you to go. What did you lock yourself up in here for? I knew when Joe left this morning that something... something terrible... and when you came, I was frightened. Come on, come on. Where? Don't you get it? For some reason, the stepfather's put the snatch on her. We've got to put her call through the headquarters and get the highway patrols on the watch form. Well, what about her? She comes along. Come on, come on. Bert, yes? There's something wrong about this. You'll bet your life there is. No, I mean, why would he do it? What motive would he have? Let me worry about the motive. You worry about your wife. And it's got some connection with what's wrong about that room. Whatever it is. Well, you forget about the room. We've got to get going. I want to look at it just once more. Listen, you listen. Do you want your wife back or don't you? There's no time to stand with her. Bert, I've got it. Got what? It's lopsided. Don't you see? It's not on a square. How do you know? I'm an architect. It's in the middle of the ceiling. The windows aren't in the middle of the wall. So what? The design of the rug is wrong. It's cut off too close to that wall. It's... Bert. What? That wall. That's why the room has just been repainted. That's why I built the brick wall in front of the house. I don't get it. One wall of this room is a dummy. Built out in front of the real one. That's why the room looks lopsided. That's why I built the brick fence to get bricks without a rousing suspicion. Which wall? That one. And Bert, it must be hollow. Give me that ax. You don't think this... The Janet. Bert, give it to me. Get back. Get back. You hurt me. Get back. Mrs. Alder. Did you... Mrs. Janet. Get me. Could you? He couldn't have done a thing like that. Didn't... Didn't you say your wife was... was young? 23. Well, then you can look. This is an older woman. Dear... Oh. You know her? No. Well, there's your motive. Yeah. But... But who could it be? I don't know. Well, she... She must know. The mother. She can't even talk. Say, Ed... Ed, you would know if she was the mother, wouldn't you? Of course I... What? No, I wouldn't. I never saw Janet's mother until I came here to the house Monday night. Mrs. Alden. Mrs. Alden, answer me. I've not, Mrs. Alden. That's Mrs. Alden. It was just a question of time now, whether we'd get back there in time to stop it. It all fit together now. And what Bert didn't know, he got out of the woman on the way back. Did you know of Joe Alden before? No. Not before I came to their house in East Porto to take care of her. I was her nurse and... and Joe and I... Well... Look at the idea of the killer. You were Joe. He did. When he saw me giving her a sedative one, she was pretty sick. She meditated, huh? Why did you do it? Marnie, of course. She kept a lot of bonds around the house. That's what Joe wanted. Is that why you moved from East Port to West Hampton? Yes. Nobody knew us from West Hampton. We moved in at night. They thought there was only the two of us. They thought I was the real Mrs. Alden. When did he do it? About a week after we got there. One night. By morning, she was... where you found her. We were doing better than 80 most of the way. But I still didn't think we'd make it. Naturally, Bert was afraid to put the local cops around the house for fear Alden would spot them first and take Janet away. And... And... Do it somewhere else. We hadn't done it already. Because Bert had the picture cold now. Janet had come to the West Hampton house and found her mother was missing before Alden had been able to make a getaway. So Alden had to kill Janet too. He knew where he was taking her because of the clothes and the furnace of my house. That was the tip-off that Joe was going to try to plant it on me. The only break I had. At least I knew where to look if I could get there in time. At the outskirts of town, we picked up a police escort. Bert made them lay off and we got near the house. We drove up the side street and parked the little ways off. We walked up to the house. There was a car in front of it. That Alden's car? Yes. All right. Now, you're coming in with this lady, but the first sound out of you and I'll shoot and I mean that. I know. Got your keys, Ed. Yeah. Go up on me. Smell it. Come on, get that cloth off her face. It's too late. Can't you see? Yeah, yeah, I'm afraid, Ed. All right. Hey, wait a minute. What are you doing carrying a gun, Ed? I got a permit. Anyway, what's the use of asking questions like that now? She's moving. Well, she's alive. Here. Come on, Ed. Give me a hand. Quick. Ed. Here, Ed. Come on. Help me. Hey. Hey, Ed, where are you going? You could at least have done it yourself instead of hiring a murderer. The money? What do you think? For fun? Anything to make you happy. Would have been perfect if Alden had killed her. He first got her in the cellar like I told him to. Maybe he had a sneaking idea I was going to double-cross him. He was stalling until the last minute. I don't know. Anyway, won't do him much good where he is. What did, uh, what did you have on him, Ed? The mother, his wife. I'd been up there before, alone. I knew he'd killed his wife because I'd seen a picture that Janet had of the real wife. I spotted the room right away. Told Alden I'd split the money with him if he took care of Janet. And, uh, he didn't. Go on. I knew I could pick a fight with Janet, and I knew she'd run up to her mother. And I went up there to make it look good. After I left, Alden was to call the cops like he did. You'd take me down here to headquarters, and while you were giving me the old third degree, Alden was supposed to plant the body in the cellar. That way I was in the clear, because you know I couldn't have done it while I was down here talking to you. You know she hadn't been there before because you'd looked. That's why I planted the clothes in the furnace, remember? So you would look. I had an alibi. Nobody had a thing on Alden, unless I squawked, and he had to take that chance. Yeah, looked pretty good there for a while, didn't it? Yeah, yeah. Your, um, your wife's outside and you want to say anything to her? Oh, just tell her, I said, you'll never see me again. Suspense. Presented by Roma Wine, R-O-M-A. Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. And now here is our producer, director, William Spear, with a basket of grand estate wines. A gift for the distinguished star of tonight's suspense play, Robert Young. Bob, these grand estate wines are our way of thanking you for a really wonderful performance. Well, thank you, Bill, for this wonderful basket. You know, Mr. Young, each grand estate wine is a limited bottling about standing excellence. Presented by Roma, the greatest name in wine. Each precious bottle is distinguished by brilliant clarity, full fragrance, and mellow taste. Yes, the name grand estate wine stands for the ultimate in wine goodness. I'm impressed, and I've learned something. Well, discriminating wine users everywhere are learning, Mr. Young. They're finding out that grand estate wines offer a rich new experience in wine enjoyment. Choices, grapes, and the patient perfection of wine making serve to establish grand estate wines by Roma as the crowning achievement of Vintner's skill. Very convincingly spoken, Ken. And Mr. Young's gift basket of grand estate wines will convince him still more. Bob, it's always great to have you on suspense. I'm sorry we had to make such a heel out of you at the end, but that's what you get for being such a two-way stretch of an actor. Well, I'll get a two-way verdict on the show when I get home tonight. Kids will be furious because they know I'm such a nice guy, but my wife will say that suspense is the only show that ever lets me play my true villain itself. How is Betty? Fine. Well, congratulations again, Bob. I hear that Lady Locke, the picture you've just finished at RKO, is swell, while I'll be looking forward to seeing it. Well, you're very kind, Bill. Who's on suspense next Thursday? It's a double threat. Lloyd Nolan and Vincent Price and play about two lifelong enemies who go away on a hunting trip together, both knowing that only one of them is ever coming back alive. Well, it sounds terrific, Bill. I won't miss it. It's well. And now, Bob, with my compliments and Roma's, here's that gift basket of Grand Estate wines. Thank you again. Good night. Next Thursday, same time, listen to Vincent Price and Lloyd Nolan on Suspense, presented by the Roma Wine Company, Fresno, California. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.