The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents... Come
in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the
world of your own terrifying imagination. There
are people who suddenly find themselves tortured
and taunted by a fragile wisp of a memory. It's
intangible and veiled, and it hovers uncertainly
somewhere around the hazy borders of the conscious
mind. It's a memory of something they may have
said, or something they think they did. Exactly
what it was has been long forgotten. But now
it must be paid for. And the price? Life itself.
Yes? Are you Mrs. Louise Goodman? That's right.
Are you sure? I... Of course I'm sure. It's just
that I don't want to make a mistake. I'm Mrs.
Louise Goodman. Who are you? And what is it you
want? I want to keep my promise. Promise? What
promise? I promised I'd kill you. Remember? Our
mystery drama, A Little Night Murder, was written
especially for the Mystery Theater by Sam Dan
and stars Tony Roberts. I'll be back shortly
with Act One. Downtown at night, the city is
a deserted place. The lofty office buildings,
those gleaming towers of glass and steel, stand
quiet, empty and foreboding, like ancient temples.
And like the ancient temples, they also have
their priestesses. These are the ladies who enter
at night with mops and brooms and vacuum cleaners
to clear away the debris of the day's worship
and purify the offices. for tomorrow's rituals.
We are concerned now with one of these. A sturdy
middle -aged woman named Mary Margaret Cannon.
Steady, hard -working, no nonsense. But on this
Friday evening something seems amiss. Mary Margaret
is pale. She's nervous. And every now and then
she stops working and just listens. Someone there?
I'm so nervous, so jumpy, I'm so scared. Yeah,
but why? I just don't know. Dammit. Yes? I hear
someone coming. Are you sure? I hear someone.
Dammit. today he said he was sick they sent me
down to relieve him how'd you know my name well
Tom told me I asked him who's in the building
tonight and he said just mrs. Cannon but but
why Tom Tom doesn't know my last name any more
than I know his we're just Mary and Tom how did
you know Why shouldn't I know your last name?
You know mine. How? How would I know your last
name? Miss Jackson. Remember? Little Peter Jackson.
I never saw you before in my life. Oh, you did,
you did. Yes, you did. What? What do you want?
I want to keep my promise. What promise? I promised
I'd kill you. Why do you want to kill me? You
don't remember? Well, let me refresh your memory,
Mary Margaret Cannon. Twenty -three years ago,
you lived on Baxter Street, and one morning,
you walked into a little grocery store. Now,
now you remember. You have exactly thirty seconds
to live. Oh, please, please don't kill me, please!
Would you be saying your prayer? But I told the
truth! If it was the truth, then God will forgive
you. Pray, Mary Margaret Cannon. Pray! Listen,
listen. My husband and I, we have a little money
put aside. And I know exactly how you got it.
You can have it! All of it! Yes, I'll keep you
informed. Well, you got a pretty good one here.
Is this your first mad killer assignment, Lou?
Yeah, I guess so, Captain. Mad killers, mad bombers,
mad stranglers, you name it. You get one every
10, 15 years. You can count on it. You get a
rash of absolutely senseless killings. No motive,
no rhyme, no reason. Should we talk to our husband
again? What for? and how they neither of them
ever had any enemies. Captain Blake, suppose,
just suppose it isn't a mad killer. Four murders
in 11 days. Number one, Mrs. Martha Denson, shot
while parking her car late at night. Number two,
Mrs. Janet Drew, shot in her backyard. Number
three, Mrs. Louise Goodman, shot in her apartment.
Number four, this cleaning lady, shot while...
Could there be a connection? Do they have something
in common? There's no pattern. None of them knew
each other as far as we can make out, or even
had anything in common. That we know of. It's
the toughest situation in our business. A mad
killer. Okay, he's a mad killer. Every killer
is mad, but does this one have a method to his
madness? Yeah. He uses a .38 caliber revolver
and shoots women. The last one, Mrs. Cannon,
that's the problem. What kind of problem? Well,
he's a mad killer, you say, so he wanders around,
and if he gets a chance, he'll kill. He sees
a woman alone in a parking lot, Mrs. Denson.
He shoots her. He sees Mrs. Drew in her backyard.
He shoots her. He sees Mrs. Goodman alone in
her apartment. He shoots her. Okay, how do you
count to Mrs. Cannon? You're dealing with a mad
man, Lou. You can't account for anything he does.
All right. Three women are targets of opportunity.
They happened along, or he happened along, and
that was it. But he went out of his way to kill
Mrs. Cannon. Look, he had to slug the night watchman.
He had to take the elevator up 12 stories to
find her. It means he wasn't just out to kill
any woman. He wanted that woman. Why? That's
good thinking, Lou. And if this were almost any
other kind of cake... Blake? What? Oh, no. Not
another one. Okay, okay. I'll send her in. Did
they tell you about nuts while you were getting
your college degree? This one coming in sounds
like a 14 -carat nut to me. Captain Blake? Yes,
I'm Captain Blake. This is Detective Parker.
How do you do? I'm Miss Maitland, Alice Maitland.
I own a bookshop on 3rd Street, and... Well,
it's about the murders. Do you know anything
about the murders, Miss Maitland? I... I know
who's going to be killed next. You do? Who? Me.
Uh, why do you say that? I... I have a premonition.
I see. I know what you gentlemen must be thinking.
You're convinced I'm a hysterical woman or a
crank. No, but I... Miss Madeleine, do you have
any enemies? I don't know of any. Well, we know
there's a homicidal maniac, Luce. It's true,
he may strike at anyone. That's not why I'm here.
I know he's going to strike at me. Well, what
reason would anyone have for killing you? What
reason was there for killing those other women?
Hey, you say your shop is on 3rd Street. I'll
see that the officer on the beat keeps an eye
on the place. Yes. I just thought I should tell
you. That's all anyone can do, I suppose. Goodbye.
Goodbye, Miss Maitland. Now, Lou, you have just
conversed with an authentic member of the Nut
Club. I don't know about that, Captain. She's
a charter member. She belongs to the I'm the
next victim chapter. I still say she's not a
nut. Maybe not. Maybe she's just some poor little
dame half scared out of her wits. Oh, she was
calm. She was very calm. As a matter of fact,
it's as if she knows what she's talking about.
May I help you? Remember me? Yes. You're one
of the detectives I spoke with. Yeah, Lou Parker.
Tell me why you came to police headquarters with
a story that... Well, rationally, it doesn't
make sense. You said as much yourself. You felt
that you had made yourself seem somewhat ridiculous.
But now... Well, forget all that. I'm willing
to assume that your story is true, that you really
are next on the list. Then you do believe me?
I'm willing to accept what you say. But you have
to help me. Does anyone have a motive for wanting
to kill you? No. You never did or said anything
that may have hurt someone? I can't remember.
A disappointed boyfriend? I never really disappointed
anyone that way. And yet you insist someone wants
to kill you. I know it sounds ridiculous. There's
a reason for feeling the way you do. If only
we could uncover that reason. Excuse me, that's
my phone. Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Miss Madeleine?
Yes. What is it? You seem rather pale. Oh? What
happened? When I picked up the phone, there was
just a click on the other end. As if someone
had just hung up. Well, why should that seem
to upset you? Well, because it's happened before.
It has? Yes. Frequently? I mean often enough
so that it really isn't just an accident? Three,
four, perhaps five times a day. When did it start?
I'd say about two weeks ago. I remember it happened
three times the night the first of those women
was murdered. Why didn't you tell us this before?
I didn't think it was anything important. May
I use your phone? It's back there in the office.
Okay, how long will it be a moment? May I help
you? Yes. Is your name Alice Maitland? Yes. Can
I do anything for you? Well, you see, I came
here because I have to keep a certain promise
I made. will about this young man. He has at
least one redeeming feature. His word seems to
be as good as his bond. But will he be able to
keep this particular promise? This problem will
be our primary concern when we return shortly
with Act Two. At one time, a young man named
Peter Jackson has made the same promise to several
women. A promise that he would kill them. So
far, he has kept his promise four times. Now,
he is in a bookshop owned by a Miss Maitland,
apparently ready to fulfill promise number five.
I came here because I have to keep a certain
promise I made. You made a promise? Oh, yes.
And I came here to keep my word. Miss Maitland,
I think we're... Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know
you had a customer. What sort of promise are
you talking about? Oh, I had promised a special
person I would buy her a book. I came in here
to... Any particular type of book? Yeah. Yes.
A good murder mystery. Oh, well, we have the
latest Jonathan Merriweather novel. No, I don't
dig him. Nothing happens. You got anything by
Mike Stilson? Now, there's a guy who really writes
murders. I mean, he kills somebody every other
page. Oh, we're sold out on the latest. It's
called Blood on the Street. Yeah, that's the
one in which this guy kills all those dames.
Look, if you're interested in that kind of stuff,
all you have to do is read the newspapers. Do
I tell you what to read, buddy? Sorry. I could
order the book and have it day after tomorrow.
No, that'll be too late. Well, try us again.
Sure. Well, there's a guy with gruesome tastes.
Well, takes all kinds. Hey, you know, he's a
great Mike Stilson fan, and he thinks nobody
knows it. Who? My boss, Captain Blake. You're
kidding. Hey, this is the very first time I've
ever seen you smile. Oh, I smile a lot. It's
just recently. I told Captain Blake about the
calls. And? You never know. He just grunted and
said, I'll stay with it. What time do you close?
Just about now. I'll take you home. I live in
this building. Two flights up. Well, how about
some dinner? Oh, you don't have to. You asked
for police protection. Is that the reason? Line
of duty? Well, yes and no. I'd like to. Except
that, well, it's the end of the month and I'm
swamped with paperwork. Well, this neighborhood
seems safe enough. It's busy. And that diner
across the street stays open all night. Look,
keep this card handy at all times. It's got a
special phone number. Now use it. Anytime you're
disturbed by anything at all, no matter how slight
or trivial, don't feel embarrassed. Just get
on the phone. Well, I've already told the officers
everything. Yeah, I know, Mr. Kennan, but I just
have one more question. It's very important.
What could be important? Harry's dead. You said
that Mrs. Cannon had no enemies. I'll take that
back. She had a great many enemies. But when
we asked you last night, you said she had none.
Sometimes when you think about a question, you
see it in a whole new light. Can you name some
of these enemies? She was good. She was on...
I'm sure she was, but just tell me this. During
the past ten days or so, would the phone ring
and then go dead as soon as you picked it up?
Yeah, now that you mention it, it happened. Often?
At least two, three, maybe four times a day.
I see. Is the name Alice Maitland familiar? Alice
Maitland. Think. Alice Maitland. You know, there
is something familiar about it. The Alice Maitland...
Think of the type person with whom you could
associate that name. Now, would she be a movie
star, a librarian, a teacher, a woman who might
own a bookstore? No, none of those. I think of
a little girl. A little girl named Alice Maitland.
Did she live in the neighborhood? You know, these
past couple of years, my memory, it just comes
and goes. Right now, it's gone. Well, if ever
you remember why and how you know Alice Maitland,
call the number on this card. I'll have another
cup of coffee, please. Are you waiting for somebody,
mister? Well, not exactly. Why do you ask? Oh,
you've been sitting around for hours drinking
this stuff. Is the coffee in this joint that
good? Look, don't be frightened. Oh, who's frightened?
Well, you are, so just look at this. Oh, you're
a cop. I was beginning to think you could be
that mad killer. Well, it could be just about
anybody. I hope I didn't scare you too badly.
Well, the truth is, I wasn't that much scared
for myself. No? What? You've just been staring
at that building across the street. I got the
idea you were watching for something. Are you?
Well, maybe. Could I have a change for the telephone,
please? Thank you. Now, where have I seen him
before? What did you say? Nothing, just talking
to myself. You do that a lot, don't you? Do what?
Talk to yourself. Well, that was a short call.
She wasn't home. Ah, it's too bad. Did you find
the book? What book? The one by Mike Stilson.
Oh. No. Well, keep looking. You know the best
way to stop talking to yourself? No. Get married.
The light went on in her room. What's that? He
went to the booth, he only had time to dial,
and the light went on and I was... Who's Alice?
Could be a coincidence. Wait a minute. Alice,
it's Lou Parker. Did I wake you? No. I'm up.
Did your phone ring just a minute ago? Did it
ring? Well, I don't know. What do you mean you
don't know? Well, I'd fallen asleep, and I must
have been having a bad dream. I think I heard
the phone, but it could have been in the dream.
Anyhow, I did wake up suddenly, and I turned
on the light. Could it have been the ringing
of the phone that woke you? I don't know. Did
I hear it ring or did I dream it was ringing?
Why do you ask? I'm just checking. Anyhow, I'm
glad you're okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Good
night. That was a short phone call too. Yeah.
How is she? Who? How do you know I called my
girl? I told you I read character. Do you also
read the future? Like an open book. Well, I sure
hope so. Captain, we got ourselves the killer.
Oh, how can you be sure of your guy? I saw him
in the bookshop. Does that make him a suspect
maybe he likes to read? Then again in the diner.
He may have been hungry. He didn't eat. He just
went into the phone booth. He didn't even make
a call. He was in there just long enough to let
the number ring and then he was out. So? So the
light went on and Alice is in Miss Maitland's
apartment. You mean he called her and hung up?
Well... Well what? She isn't sure. How can she
not be sure? The phone rang or it didn't? It
isn't that simple. You see, she was asleep and
she can't be sure. If it was the ringing of the
phone that woke her up or if the ringing of the
phone was part of her dream. Good luck. Well,
Captain Blake, there's something about this guy.
He's young, about 30 -ish, thin, blonde, very
hard -lined. It was Mount Lowe. I think you better
report him for general duty. This case is getting
to you. Well, Captain, I'll please... There's
no reflection. It's even to your credit. It shows
you care about people. Captain, let me have one
more day. All right, Lou. 24 hours. I'm sorry
I've caused you so much embarrassment, Lou. It's
all right. Captain Blake is unhappy. He'll get
over it. He thinks I'm crazy. Well, he thinks
most people are crazy. Lou, you can't keep guarding
me forever. He has to strike at you soon. That's
the pattern. He's done four murders in 12 days.
That's one every three days. This is the night
of the 15th day. He's due. Unless... Unless what?
Unless I've scared him off for a while. No, no.
Keep away from your window. Why? Well, if he's
around, we'll be tipped off. But could I have
scared him away? After all, how would you know
I'm a cop? You never saw him before? Never. We
have to assume he's our killer. What is the only
thing we know about him besides his general physical
description? We know he wanted a book by Mike
Stilson. Blood on the Streets. But he could have
made that up on the spur of the moment. People
rarely make things up in the spur of the moment.
He knows what he's doing. He's out to frighten
you. The phone calls are a part of it. That book.
There's something in it that would cause you
to be frightened. But what? I don't know. I've
never read it. Well, he figures you did. After
all, you own a bookstore. I have to sell books
by Mike Stilson, but no one can force me to read
them. Well, the clue is in that book. Wait a
minute. It's Lou Parker. Do you know it's two
in the morning? Yes, sir, but I'm calling on
the line of duty. You live dangerously, Lou.
What is it? Captain, you've read all the books
by Mike Stilson. What? Don't deny it, sir. It's
a known fact throughout the department. You mean
you woke me up at two in the morning dressed
as - Line of duty, sir. Captain, what's the story
of blood on the streets? Oh, I hope your patrolman's
uniform still fits. I'll be able to prove this
is the line of duty. Yeah, I was pick up in your
extension. Well, in a nutshell... be similar
no but it has to think I hope you don't mind
if I answer your phone hello yes good work we
better hang up what is it Lou right now right
here and now we're gonna find out if that telephone
should At least young Peter Jackson is something
of a sportsman. In his own way, he warns his
intended victims. He even tries to give them
clues. This time, has he given one too many?
We'll be back shortly with Act 3. Imagine your
life without it. And the way the telephone works,
it requires two people to complete a call. However,
some of the most eloquent conversations can be
carried on when there's no one at the other end,
as you shall hear. seconds and then he ran out
of here. Did you see which way he went? He didn't
even pay his check. Which way did he go? Look,
you've got nothing to worry about. You'll get
him. What are you saying? He ran into a cab that's
usually parked outside. All right, could you
describe the cab? I don't have to describe. I
know. Look, all I want is the... I know the cab
driver. He's a schoolteacher with days and moonlights.
His name is Vic Wilson. Does he have a radio?
They all have radios. How could he make a living?
What's the company? Oh, what a great witness
I make. Jefferson. You even got the number on
the card in the phone booth. Blondie's in for
it, huh? This is a police call. You have a driver,
Vic Wilson. He's on a job right now. The minute
he checks in, have him report back to the diner
at 3rd Street, to Detective Parker. Yeah, how
do I know it's my badge Get it Can't be too careful
that maniac running around loose. Where'd you
take your last fare? 790 Chris. Oh, what is it?
Apartment building how big Six family and say
attached. No, so myself It's an empty lot on
either side to renovating the neighbors. It's
about time. He lives there. I've been taking
that for the last couple of days He comes out
of the diner, he gets into the camp, that's where
he goes. That's good enough. Was he a bad boy?
Why, you wouldn't give him a star for good conduct,
teacher. Throw on those searchlights, Haggerty,
and hand me that bullhorn. We know who you are,
and we know you're in there. We'll give you exactly
60 seconds to come out. Keep behind the car,
Lou. A nut like this one might want to take some
people with it. You've had your minute. Come
out, or we'll come in. All right, let's get in
there fast. Then what happened? Oh, he's smart.
He has himself dropped off at a false certain
address in case he's being tailed, and then...
then he sneaks out. Makes sense. Of course, Captain
Blake doesn't believe a word of it. But, Luke...
Oh, come on. Six families live in that house.
Six ordinary law -abiding families, and we rouse
them at five in the morning and search the place.
How angry is Captain Blake? Well, if he ever
gets over it, I may wind up working nights in
charge of the property office. Otherwise, I'm
pounding a beat down along the docks. It's my
fault. No. How do I really know I'm in danger?
Why isn't this the product of an overwrought
imagination? And the phone calls? Coincidence.
And the guy in the bookshop? And we see him again
in the phone booth, just before your telephone
rings? It could all be coincidence. I can't accept
that. Captain Blake does. As far as I'm concerned,
you're in danger. And you're convinced of it
too, aren't you? But I don't have to be right.
We can't take any more chances. I'm gonna stay
here with you for another hour. By then the stores
will be open and we'll buy you a small .25 caliber
revolver. No. I'll arrange for a permit and I'll
show you how to use it. But I can't stand the
sight of a gun. Alice, if a man is determined
to kill you, all the advantages are on his side.
We have to reduce the odds. I couldn't own a
gun. I couldn't use one even if it meant saving
my life. Now, Alice, I don't want to say that
sounds silly, but... Lou... I don't think I can
ever forget. Forget what? Well, I was... I was
standing right next to a man once who... Who
was killed by a gun? When? Oh, years ago. I was
about six. Who was killed? A very nice man. He
was our grocer, Mr. Jackson. It was the day after
New Year's, and Mama sent me out to buy... To
this day, I remember. A quart of milk, a half
pound of butter, and a jar of strawberry jam.
Then this man came in he had a gun it was a holdup
and suddenly there was a loud explosion and a
Terrible flash of light. Oh It was terrible mr.
Jackson fell to the floor He was dead the man
ran away was he ever caught oh, yes Just a few
hours later. I had to go to the station house
to identify him Do you realize what you've just
told me? This is it you identify the man He was
sent to jail now years later. He wants his revenge,
but that's not what happened No Well, you see
I was so frightened I wasn't sure I really couldn't
identify him And he went free yes, so why would
he want to kill me now? Then that gets us nowhere
either The others couldn't identify him either
The others? Yes There were other people, but
No one was sure of him Now if you had identified
him and sent him to prison It makes sense to
suppose he'd want revenge, but you didn't Now
whoever and wherever he is today, he's happy.
But the fact that you failed to identify him
could have made someone else unhappy. What do
you mean? Oh, the book, Blood on the Streets.
It's about a man who killed people who did his
father an injury. Did this grocer have a son?
I think so. I think a little boy used to play
in the store. But it's so long ago. Who could
that be? I'll take him. Hello. Mr. Parker, this
is Terry Cannon. Remember me? Yes, Mr. Cannon.
They said I could reach you at this number. And
now, it came to me. What came to you? I was trying
to puzzle out one name. Alice Maitland was so
familiar. You know, I'll say, about 23 years
ago, Mary Margaret was in a grocery store and
a man was killed in a hold -up. I took her down
to the station house to identify the gunman.
And could she? Well, not so she really couldn't
be sure. Anyhow, another one of the witnesses
was a little girl. Her name was Alice Maitland.
And I remember her because she was the most terrified
little thing I'd ever seen in my life. Thank
you. Thank you, Mr. Cannon. Finally, I've got
you all tied together. Who? You and those women
who were killed all come together in a little
grocery store some 23 years ago. Finally, now
we know who we're looking for. I'd like to see
the look on Captain Blake's face when I tell
him this. Well, good to see that look, friend.
Lou! I know you got a gun on the shoulder holster.
Just lay the phone down. Slow. Easy. Now, raise
the hand. Slow. Easy. That's fine. Just keep
him there. I guess your name is Jackson. Peter
Jackson, Jr. You figured it out. So I figured
I'd have to come back and get both of you. The
hands stay up. It's too late, Peter. We know
about you. You know about me, but the other cops
don't. See, I was in the house across the street
when you staged the raid. I thought I'd die laughing.
I learned never to get dropped off where I live.
That way you don't get surprised. You won't get
away with it. Oh, I'll get away with it. She's
the last one. I'm sorry about you, but I'll walk
out of here. And who knew it was me? But why
her? She was just a kid. She lied. But I didn't
know. I really didn't know. Yeah, that's what
they all said, but they were lying. They were
bored off. All of you were bought off. Come on,
Peter, talk sense. My father is murdered, and
the law lets a killer go free, and you want me
to talk sense? Does it make sense that five people
who were standing right there couldn't recognize
him? But I couldn't be sure. I really couldn't
be sure. My father, he never hurt a soul in his
life. If a hungry person didn't have a penny
in his pocket, he could still walk out of that
store with a loaf of bread or a bottle of milk.
If your father was that kind of man, what would
he think of you killing innocent people? My father
believed in justice. But you knew who the killer
was. Why didn't you go after him? Yeah, I did.
I did, but I was cheated. I spent years on his
trail, and when I friendly caught up with him,
he was in his grave. Well, my father wasn't going
to be cheated out of everything. If I couldn't
have the killer, at least I could get the people
who helped him. Let me explain something. The
law! You don't want to explain anything. You
want a store. You want a chance to go for your
gun. Well, you won't get it. See, I'll kill you
first. And then her. There's such a thing in
this world as justice. If the law won't give
it to you, then you make your own. And that's
why you're doing this? A justice? That's right.
That's wrong. You're doing it because you love
to kill. That's a lie. Ah, it's the truth. Look
at yourself. Look at how you're enjoying this.
I'm doing what has to be done. You killed those
four women and you enjoyed it You have 30 seconds
to live say your prayers. How long do you think
you have to live? You're gonna keep killing and
you'll be caught you can't stop I Hate killing
come on. You'll love to see people under the
gun how they squirm and sweat you're eating this
up Look at your face in that mirror. Look at
that grin Like a wolf. See how flushed and excited
you are. Look at yourself. Look! Break your arm,
Trumpet! Very good work, Lou. Very good. One
more second and we would have had to gun him
down. This way we can take him home alive. Captain
Blake! Somehow, I'm gonna get back here. Get
back to you, Miss... Alice Maitland. I'll keep
my promise. Hagerty. Gordon. Cuff him. Hustle
him back to headquarters. Look, Alice, don't
worry about him. Are you all right, Miss Maitland?
Yes. I think so. You shouldn't be. It was a rough
experience. Why did you come back, Captain? Well,
I guess we both solved it, Lou. You broke it
by pure and simple brain work. I waited for a
miracle. Oh, did you get it? Yeah, I got it.
I got it because of this little machine. Mary
Cannon was killed in an office. She managed somehow
to throw the switch on a dictating machine. A
secretary came into work this morning and she
heard Peter Jackson and she didn't stop running
until she got to my desk. Listen. You might want
to know what happened to Peter Jackson. He's
in a hospital for the criminally insane. For
his sterling leadership in cracking the case,
Captain Blake will probably become the next chief
of police. Detective Parker will probably become
Detective Sergeant Parker. And Miss Alice Maitland
will probably become Mrs. Lou Parker. So you
see? Sometimes, we can give you a happy ending.
I'll be back shortly. The story you have just
heard is concerned with the most precious concept
the human race has ever created. Justice. And
when you think of Peter Jackson, perhaps he proves
the point made by a great poet. When a man takes
justice in his own hands, he will soon shape
her to his own ends. Our cast included Tony Roberts,
Susan Grossman, Jack Grimes, Brianna Rayburn,
and Robert Dryden. The entire production was
under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now...
A preview of our next tale. How has life gone
with you all these years? Oh, as all lives go,
I suppose. There's been the good, the bad, and
different. Yes, but mine has been mostly bad.
I've prospered my importing business in Baton
Rouge. Ruination, that's been my lot, my fate.
The fate of the House of Usher? Well, if you
are... financially in need. No, no. No, no, no.
I speak of another kind of ruination. Decadence.
I speak of the evil. The evil that molders within
my body, my mind. My house. House? Oh, no. No
house this. A tomb. A tomb that houses the living
dead. You are ill. Yes, I lied. I... I am ill
with fear. This is E .G. Marshall inviting you
to return to our mystery theater for another
adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant
dreams.