 My name is Jeff Regan. I'm the lion's eye his private eye. I work for Anthony J. Lion head of the International Detective Bureau. He doesn't care where the money comes from just so long as it comes to him. He cashes in on trouble, for him it pays off. For me it's work. Here's the kind of adventure you've been waiting to hear. Hard-boiled action and mystery with radio's most exciting private detective, Jeff Regan. So stand by for trouble and suspense in tonight's story of the prodigal daughter. And now here's Jack Webb as Jeff Regan. Well this is the way it started. Melody was sitting in the outer office wearing her horn rim glasses. That told me that the client was in with a lion. I smiled at her and she blinked back, rolled her eyes toward the lion's den. He's polite today. Yeah I know on the phone I was Jeffrey. No. Yeah. Why do you stand for it? I wish I knew Melody. Buzz me in will you? Yes Melody. Mr. Regan dear now Mr. Lion. Oh well send him in, send him in. We're waiting. Good luck. Thanks. Ah Jeffrey, Jeffrey my boy. My boy come in, come in. There's someone here I want you to meet. Now then Jeffrey. Mr. Carter this is Mr. Jeffrey Regan one of my very best men. Jeffrey this is Mr. Daniel Carter. How do you do? How do you do Mr. Regan? Mr. Lion has assured me that you're a discreet young man. Well I always discreetness Mr. Carter. International detective bureau is ethically bound to employ sympathetic understanding personnel as well as alert productive operators. I hope that's true Mr. Lion. In my publishing business I never had the occasion to settle my trust on any one person. Very delicate situation Jeffrey. Yeah. Go ahead Mr. Carter. Everything said in this room is in the strictest confidence. Well I want you to know that it wasn't easy for me to come here. It's it's admitting defeat in a way. Patrice is my daughter. Five years ago she walked out so I I can understand in a way when her mother died I started sending her away to schools I I was no companion for her. Have you heard from her at all? Do you know where she is? I've never heard from her Mr. Regan since she left. I don't know where she is but I I want her back Mr. Regan. I can see how you feel. International is in business to make people happy. Now I've offered Mr. Lion a two thousand dollars fee if you can find my daughter two thousand bucks that figures. Now you can trust international to find your daughter and bring her back. Well then I guess that's all Mr. Regan. I'll go now. You'll let me know as soon as you find anything. Of course of course. And good day gentlemen. First international Mr. Carter. Good day. Here's your ticket. You leave on the Sunset Limited 145 today. I do. You're going to New Orleans to pick up that dame and bring her back. She was 19 when she left home and any dame who's 19 has a boyfriend next door. I found out that much in two phone calls. A boyfriend hasn't heard from her in over a year but that means she's got another boyfriend down there. Here's the New Orleans address. You knew all this. Here's the picture of it. She's just been staying away from the old man. This is going to be a nice piece of change. Who grand for bringing her back. Plus expenses. How do you know she'll come back with me. She walked out all alone. That means she wants to be all alone. Maybe we could make another thousand if some nosy newspaper guy just happens to get tipped and wants money to keep quiet. You're crawling with ethics aren't you. Melody I'll give you some Travis Jackson sympathetic understanding that I pack some things before you miss your trade just in business to make people happy. I want to be happy to beat it. Call me if you're running into any trouble. Two days later in New Orleans at the Roseville Hotel home of the original Ramas gin fizz. I figured it would take a lot of fizz to pull away that southern heat but everybody in the lobby seemed cool enough for the linens tropicals and sugar except me and a big perspiring man leaning against the CNS ticket counter. Smiled when he saw me and came across the lobby holding out his hand. Well I'm so glad to see you. We thought you'd never get here. Nice trip. Was all right. See the rest of the boys are headquartered in 810. Mighty anxious to meet you. They are. Mighty anxious. The Delta cotton growers are going to make it or break it at this convention. Now I want it was talking real sincere and bent over to make a gesture. The accent was funny but the bulge inside his double breasted gabardine coat was real enough. It was a 38 automatic. I say I'll take you up right now. Why don't I meet you up there later. Well all right if you'd rather. That's room 810. I'll go out and get a bite. You do that. About an hour. Clark. Yes Mr. Regan. How long have the Delta cotton growers been in town. Delta cotton growers have had their convention last May. Last May. Who's registered in room 810. Well we have no 810 Mr. Regan. That's what I thought. Thanks. What do you do with a big man phony accent 38 automatic and no Delta cotton growers convention. You tell me. Two hours later in a fresh shirt in a wrinkled suit I was still working on that one as I climbed the stairs the Ursuline Street address where Patrice Carter lived was one of those dirty unpainted department houses in the French Quarter full of heat and low watt light bulbs. The girl who opened the door was tall black haired wore a black dress the picture line and give me a patrice Carter was a blonde. Yes my name is Regan I wonder if I could see Patrice Carter but you you're a friend of hers yeah I'm from Los Angeles how do you do Mr. Regan I'm Janice King Patrice's roommate please come in right this way. Maybe it was because of two big rooms I followed her through were dimly letter maybe it was a sweet six smell of flowers I don't know but perspiration began to trickle down my back and I braced myself when Janice King opened another door. Here you are Mr. Regan. He's young lovely and blonde with a burning candle at her head and feet lying in state very dead. Patrice Carter I just stood there in the dark room and I looked down at her I think there were other people in the room feeling the same as me thinking same thoughts I must have stayed that way for five minutes then I felt Janice King touch my arm did you know Patrice very long. No I didn't she asked to have it this way I know how you must feel being a friend Mr. Regan look Miss King I didn't know her at all and I didn't know that she was passed away I'm a private investigator I was hired by Daniel Carter located his daughter Daniel Carter you know that she had a father yes Mr. Regan I knew she told me about him she told me everything all you want the first one has been here looking for there have been other detectives and lawyers trying to get her to go back Carter knew she was here if he'd loved her for just one unselfish moment she'd never have left him well Mr. Regan she's where he can't bother her anymore she's where he can't ever see her tell him that when you go back tell him she's going to be buried tomorrow tell him he can stop hiring lawyers and detectives to find us why don't you take him a copy of her death certificate that ought to satisfy him now get out the whole thing it looked too easy right from the beginning I took her advice and I went down to the morgue to get the dope on Patrice Carter's death there was one white coat there a little man with a bald head who introduced himself as Oliver fig so you're from Los Angeles so how are things in Los Angeles what you say your name was Regan international detective bureau came here to locate a girl named Patrice Carter I just came from her apartment mm-hmm and she's dead yeah I know how might I wiggle herself to death did a dandy strip number Joe gloriosos joint stripper yeah you got him a Los Angeles ain't you seen that card of damn lots of times great well I thought maybe you could give me a copy of the death certificate I gotta take something back sure sure glad to do it oh she was a real girl shane dirty shane so how is things in Los Angeles and let's see blankie no not the same guy blackly like a homicide they fished him out of the river Mississippi mud get it got it yeah how are things in Los Angeles yeah Carter Patrice Carter 731 Earthline mm-hmm Carter's report referred to dr. Emmett Swarzy yeah same guy three days ago of leukemia let me see that sure leukemia and she knew sure you get to plenty advanced on leukemia any doctor tell you almost to the day nothing else mean was there something fishy about it all kosher so how's things in Los Angeles any relatives none listed well that's it I guess can I have a copy sure sure take that we got funny more lots of people want death certificates for legal reasons I once knew a guy who saved them like cigar bands or stamps one whole wall of his bedroom painted with nothing but death certificates imagine all homicide so how's things in Los Angeles yeah this is fine Oliver see around better here things are better in Los Angeles well there wasn't anything more to do after that but go back to the hotel and try to get a reservation out of town when I asked for my key the clerk passed me three printed messages telling me that a mr. lion of Los Angeles had been calling when I got to my room he called again Reagan that's you where you been keep your shirt on come on tell me did you see her yeah I saw her but you say she's gonna play ball how's when you come back she didn't say anything and we aren't coming back what do you mean she's dead what the EAD dead she can't do that it happened three days ago leukemia now wait a minute all men caught us paying us two thousand dollars to bring her back they're gonna bury her morning and they don't want any interference she was laid out her roommate laced me up and down for working for the old man named a Janice King good looking brunette I told Carter we'd bring back his daughter and we will there's two thousand bucks in this and you know how I feel about money yeah I know so get busy now look I've done a lot of dirty rotten things for you but he's an old man and he's sick and I'm he doesn't wear dark glasses because it's a sunny day he's almost blind I go on over and get that roommate and bring her back he'd never know the difference I won't do it offer her 500 bucks to come here and pose as Patrice Carter for a week and she could take a powder I won't do it I'm calling Carter first thing in the morning and telling him you found his daughter and that you're on your way back to Los Angeles I won't do it let me take you away from all then come on it's not how I was in the French quarter they served a thing called a Sazerac and promised a very good floor show at one o'clock I sat there watching the piano player and feeling kind of sorry for myself I figured I had more trouble than anybody else so I had three for Regan was about then a tall redhead with a long cigarette holder eased off her stool at the other end of the bar had a ball headed guy on the head and came over my way she gave me time enough to get a whiff of her perfume and then leaned into me me too I'm the new headliner I'm gonna dance pretty soon you ain't anti-social are you mister no red I'm just lonesome for home where's that Los Angeles hey that's a good time and what are you doing here work I'm a new stripper oh yeah you told me that's a tough racket pick them up and put them down put them on take them off ten years now how about drink no I never went I'm working later maybe maybe are you sure you ain't anti-social I look all right don't I mean I ain't slipping no hard feelings red I just want to see your face crazy I'm on stand still no in the light what's the matter something wrong with me not a thing not a thing baby you're just fine how long did you say you've been dancing dancing ten years like a whole still that makeup you wear it all the time have to in my business let me scare there for a minute you're gonna grab a hold of a girl like that red you mind if I ask you a personal question well now wait a minute I just met it's about your face what's the matter with my face that's beautiful oh sure good at grease paint and makeup using it heavy like that for a long time it's hard to get off huh oh can't ever get old when you've been in the business as long as I've always gonna have some of it on yeah that's what I thought is that what you want to ask me that's it wait get more personal than that you're the screwy but I like you and I like you red thanks hey where you going what about the drink after my number rain check me red I got things to do I had to go back to Janice King's apartment was sticky sick kind of New Orleans night from one lighted street I turned off on Ursula in a darker dirtier street I stopped right in the middle of the block all kinds of people have followed me at one time or another and I followed all kinds of people but this had a professional feel to it stood there listening remembering my automatic in my suitcase back at the hotel it only took him a second he was a professional all right all I could see was well-pressed gathering two arms and a hand-painted tie the next thing was a gun butt carefully wrapped in a white linen handkerchief settled slowly against the side of my head one of the well-pressed arms reached over and held me under the shoulders I yelled at the top of my lungs but there wasn't any noise Regan of international was out as cold as I can appear we'll return to Jeff Regan investigator in just a moment an easy way to save for future security is by a payroll deduction for savings bonds or if you're not paid on a salary basis you can purchase savings bonds at your nearest post office bank or savings and loan association office now is the time to ask your employer to start deducting for savings bonds or to buy a bond on your own if no other plan is feasible your bank will deduct enough each month from your savings or checking account to buy a savings bond for money in the future by United States savings bonds you'll be glad you did and now back to the story of the prodigal daughter and Jeff Regan investigator look at that oh isn't that all plan him all dressed up we won't pay any attention to him honey the next thing I know a man in a straw hat and a holo shirt was kneeling down beside me carefully smelling my breath easy easy now buddy easy even making a whoopee yep that says rack will do it every time oh you know you folks visiting down here ought to be more careful get your suit all dirty hit me on the side of the head sometimes the side of the head sometimes the back no different style always wind up in same place on the street somewhere had enough for the night yeah bloody I'll take you to your hotel huh that's my cab I nearly ran over you your first trip yeah well you know better next time easy now did you see my friend hmm big man gabardine soup see nobody want to look for him later see what you're hunting for my wallet somebody take it no nothing's missing everything's right here hmm honest town oh yeah you're so right well you feel better when you get back to your place yeah sure sure it wasn't quite right I didn't feel better until the next morning when I got a telegram and read found out Carter's broke come back forget the whole thing lion and that was the first good news I'd had in three days oh it's you what are you doing here she's buried gone yeah I know I came back to see you wait a minute you can't come in here I just did what do you want now you yes you I was hired to come to New Orleans and bring Patrice Carter back to Los Angeles she's dead and buried and you know that's what you say that's what a death certificate says is only one thing I learned lately don't believe what people say don't believe what death certificate say I don't know what you're trying to do but I'll stop it will you I know you're Patrice Carter and I know the girl was buried yesterday with the real Janice King and I know somebody's trying to make a monkey out of you and a monkey out of me I'm a enemy if I have to I can have that body exhumed I can go into fingerprints and birth marks you and a lot of things but I don't think I'll have to you see Patrice Carter wasn't the type to do a striptease for a living you're just trying to make something out of nothing I'll call the police and have them arrested last night I ran into the redhead who took her place she told me what a tough life of it ten years of wearing grease paint can be kind of rough on your skin the dead girl I saw had those kind of marks the girl I'm looking for couldn't have been in the business that long why don't you leave me alone I don't know who talked you into a thing like this but it's all wrong he's an old man now he broke and lonely and wants to see I don't know what your differences are but I want to take you back what do you say he was so off he hated I know he did I never want to see him again what's he been telling you everything he doesn't know anything they'll never know anything this your boyfriend he had a phony accent I tried to shake me down in the hotel lobby get out of here I play ball and you had to quit trying it all fits now this guy's been holding your hand for the last year he's been real sympathetic and get off before I throw you out he told you how to trade names with that poor kid who was dying of leukemia he told you to send me to that morgue for a death certificate and he dropped me in the gutter last night to make sure I had it you know this character baby's office not a private detective from Los Angeles has been getting paid to make love to you know I told you to shut up oh he was good at the side street work but this was an apartment he didn't have enough room to move fast I let him have the top of my head under his chin for a starter and then I took a lot of feet in my face but when he started across the carpet pulling for that 38 I saw my chance she stood there and watched him go down true it's not true you just didn't make more trouble for me you just the internet am I I thought I recognized the touch here here's his wallet look for yourself here catch Timothy Conover private investigation well on kid I'll take you back home Orleans I would oh I didn't know you had someone with you I'll see you later Melody the lion in oh yes but I wouldn't go in he's in a bad mood what else come on Pat back to do I suppose you run an expensive counter to choke a horse let me tell you that it's all coming out of your salary we didn't make a nickel on that Carter thing and who's this Patrice Carter how do you do Mr. Lion I thought I told you to leave her down there because that old schmo was giving us the runner around hasn't got a nickel of his name besides she's dead yeah she's dead that's right here's a death certificate to prove it now listen to me before you blow the rest of your cylinders I went to a lot of trouble to bring this girl here well you can send her back where she came from and I'll take her fair out of your salary on the plane coming back Mr. Reed and explained a great many things to me about myself and about you Mr. Lion well I wish you'd explain something to me when I was a baby my father placed a trust in a large holding company under my name fifty thousand dollars and I can claim it any time after my twenty first birthday yeah how old are you now old enough mr. Regan found out that much I made a phone call to Dun and Brad Street know a lot of things go on go on nothing more Mr. Lion except I claimed that trust today and I'll be glad to pay you the two thousand dollar fee that my father promised you well well now that's very generous of you miss Carter international detective bureau is proud to have had a small part in bringing you and your estranged father together I'm not going back to him Mr. Lion I don't want to see you now now my dear you're upset leave her alone lion now look I tussled with a private detective named Conover down in New Orleans he'd been hired by old man Carter to convince Pat that she should switch names with a burlesque girl who was dying of leukemia Conover does a good job when the girl dies Conover wires Carter Carter comes to you you call me in and hustle me off the New Orleans where according to a perfect setup I find a phony Patrice Carter dead bring back a death certificate which you turn over to Carter and then he walks right down and collects that trust fund which reverts the original maker only on death him with that story about being old and lonely and wanting only to see his daughter telling me he'd pay me a $2,000 fee why that dirty crook he's no better than I am he tried to make a sucker out of me he did you fell for the whole thing trust fund in your name well young lady you can sit right down here at my desk and make out your check and then I think that as long as you're in town you might just drop over and see your old father international detective bureau is in business to make people happy that's all did everything come out all right yeah I guess so she's writing a check that's what he wants cigarette yeah why do you do it hot in here in there air feels good makes you clean he doesn't care whether it's homicide or arson or a lost daughter just people getting kicked around he makes money on it I help him he didn't answer me why do you do it I don't know Melody I don't know remember an easy way to save for the future is to buy United States savings bonds you can buy bonds at your nearest post office bank or savings and loan association or you can ask your employer to start deducting for a bond a month on the payroll savings plan a bond a month is good security for the years to come for money in the future by United States savings bonds now you'll be glad you did Jack Webb is featured as Jeff Regan investigator with Wilms Herbert as Anthony J. Lyon and Laurette Phil Brant as Melody night's cast included Betty Lou Gerson as red Lou Krugman as Conover Theodore Von Els is Mr. Daniel Carter Eve McVeigh as Patrice Carter and Harry Lang as house things in Los Angeles remember it CVS same time next week for hard-boiled action and mystery with radio's most exciting private detective Jeff Regan as he tells the story of the lonesome lady Jeff Regan investigator is written by E. Jack Newman produced and directed by Gordon T. Hughes with original music by Del Castillo this is CVS the Columbia Broadcasting System