Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall, bidding you welcome
to the sound of suspense. Welcome to the fear
you can hear. Welcome to the world of mystery.
This is a tale of young love. The love of a charming
young man for a charming young girl. It is also
the story of a mother's love for her child. As
you can see, this story is positively dripping
with love. But don't be dismayed, because love,
like a door, has two sides. And when the other
side is hatred, it can drip with venom and gore.
You're a liar, Mr. Snowden. Don't you think I
know what you are? You're wrong, Mrs. Daniels.
I love your daughter. Why? Because I do, that's
all. You can't explain something like that. Listen
to me, young man. Even her own father couldn't
bear to look at Bonnie's face. That's why he
left her so much money because he felt guilty
for what he felt for his own Poor homely daughter.
Mrs. Daniels. Listen to me. You're a liar a liar
and a thief Our mystery drama the locked room
was written especially for the mystery theater
by Henry Slesser and stars Jack Grimes and Corrine
Orr. I'll be back shortly with Act One. We're
on a lonely highway that winds its way into the
hilly regions upstate. The hour is late, and
the sleek white sports car whose hood ornament
faces north is the only vehicle for miles around.
Even the sound of its purring engine doesn't
seem to disturb the quiet of the countryside.
But inside the car, the sound level is something
very different. Hey, uh, how much longer is this
gonna take? You said it was only 30 miles or
so to the house, and we must have driven 50.
We have not. You're not watching the mileage.
Listen, there are so many gadgets on this dashboard,
I wouldn't even know where the speedometer is.
But you do like the car, don't you? Like it?
Hey, Bonnie, do you know what I've been used
to driving all my life? Second -hand pickup trucks.
That's about all folks could afford. I hated
this car at first when Mother gave it to me.
I mean, she must have thought it was whatever
young girl wanted on her 17th birthday. But the
truth is, I was scared stiff of it. Well, why
should you be? I don't know. Just what? It always
felt like it was running away with me. Ah, but
now you're running away with it, and me. Oh,
I don't think that way. I don't feel we're running
away, Davy. Oh, of course not, kid. It was just
a figure of speech. Davy, look! We're almost
there! Oh, there's the old red barn I told you
about. Hey, great. Do I make a right here? Yeah,
a sharp right. And then straight up the hill
until you come to the side. Is it still there?
When was the last time you were here, anyway?
About 10 years. Oh, you're no kidding. Yeah,
that's right. I was only eight when we left.
Oh. Davey, there it is. You can see the chimneys.
Oh, wow. How many chimneys does the house have?
It seems like hundreds. There was a fireplace
in every room except the bathroom. Wait till
you see it, Davey. Oh, just wait! Well, there
it is. What do you think? Now, that's what I
call a real funky old house. How big is that
place? It has four floors and I guess about 30
or 40 rooms. I never counted them. All those
rooms? And nobody living in them? I know. It
does seem like a terrible waste, doesn't it?
Oh, Bonnie, you're speaking to one room Davey
Snowden, remember? The only place I lived in
my whole life with more than one room was the
farmhouse. That had three. Oh, I wish you wouldn't
keep talking about that. I mean, you know, how
poor you were. Okay, kitten. Rich little girls
get to feeling guilty when they hear stuff like
that. Look, let's not sit out in the car all
night, huh? Let's go look at that old haunted
house. It is not a haunted house. You sure you
got the key now? Yeah, right here in my purse.
And the lights are working? I told you, we rent
the place every summer. We have to keep the electricity
turned on. Well, let's go then. light switch
right near the door. Yeah, here it is. There.
Look at the size of this place. I know. It's
a terrible old barn of a place. That's what my
father called it. When he died, well, mother
just thought it was foolish, the two of us living
here all by ourselves. Looks kind of run down.
I'm afraid it is. The foundation is still solid.
Plenty of furniture. Hey, come on, show me the
rest of the house, huh? What would you like to
see first? Well, upstairs. That's where the bedrooms
are, right? Yes. Well, that's the first thing
we have to do. Decide which bedroom we want.
Oh, Davy. Do you love me, Bonnie? Oh, you know
I do. Say it. I love you. Say, I love you, Davy.
I love you, Davy. Well, in that case, let's pick
out the bedroom. How many choices do we have?
At least ten. Oh, it might take us all night.
Come on. I don't like the look of that one. It's
too yet gloomy. That was my mother's room. You
mean your folks had their own room? That's right.
Well, maybe that's how they do things when you're
rich. But me, I'm just a country boy. Now, let's
see about this door. Hey, uh, this one's stuck.
No, it's locked. It's always been locked. What
for? I don't know. Well, what's behind it? Another
bedroom? Honestly, I don't have the faintest
idea. It's been locked ever since I can remember.
Daddy once told me never to go near this room.
Once I remember my mother talking about it. Sort
of nervously. Oh, that sounds very mysterious.
What do you say we break it in, huh? Oh, Davy,
no, we can't do that. Well, gee, aren't you curious?
Maybe it's full of hanging women, like in Bluebeard's
castle. Or maybe that's where the family jewels
are hidden. Oh, let's leave it alone, Davy. I
was always scared of that door. Yeah, but what's
it locked for? Seems to me when a door is locked,
that means there's something pretty interesting
behind it. Stance to reason, right? Well, I'm
sure it's just some old storeroom or something.
Bonnie, listen, there could be something valuable
in there, something worth money. And since the
house is yours... I mean, this is your house,
isn't it? Your father left it to you, didn't
he? Yes. Well, if there's anything valuable in
there, it belongs to you. Oh, Davy, all those
promises. Not to talk about money. I'm not talking
about your mother's money. I'm talking about
what's yours, rightfully yours. But the house
isn't really mine. Not yet. Not until I'm 21,
and that's almost four years from now. Now, don't
be technical. Oh, Davy. Okay, okay, if that's
how you feel about it. We've got plenty of time
anyway. Davy, remember what you said about the
fire? It's getting late, Bonnie. Don't you think
we should be in bed? Couldn't we have a fire
first, please? Sure, anything you say. We want
this night to be perfect, don't we? Yeah, I guess
I am a little like that. boasts all about my
poor childhood, as if it's a badge of honor or
something. We didn't light fires because they
were cozy and romantic, only because they made
us warm. They're not very warm at that. Locked
rooms. Yeah, that's really something, a locked
room. The only room in our place that had a lock
on it was the outhouse. Even that didn't work.
Hey, you asleep? Hey, kitten, wake up. It's time
to go to bed. Come on, Bonnie. Wake up. Hey,
what's that? Pete's sick. There's a car outside.
Hey, Bonnie, wake up. There's somebody coming
up. What? We got company. Oh, no. Well, who is
it? Oh, Davey. It can't be. Yes. That's her car
outside. You can see it through the window. You
mean it's a neighbor or something? No! It's my
mother! Oh, wow. Oh, I have to let her in. She
knows I'm here. She saw my car outside. Oh. I'm
surprised you two aren't in bed already. That
was the general idea, wasn't it? Mother, please
let me explain. I suppose you're David Snowden?
Yes, I am, Mrs. Daniels. I see we have no trouble
recognizing each other. Bonnie, fix your clothes.
They're a mess. I was just lying on the rug in
front of the fireplace. Yes, I've... I've heard
all about you, Mr. Snowden. Thank goodness I
had the sense to think of this place when Bonnie
didn't show up at home. You have it all wrong,
Mother. Davey, tell her. Mrs. Daniels... Never
mind. I understand everything. I was afraid something
like this might happen as soon as Bonnie started
mentioning you in her letters from school. Bonnie,
get your things. We're going home. Mrs. Daniels,
listen to me. Sorry to break up your party, young
man. We're married, Mrs. Daniels. What did you
say? Bonnie and I were married this afternoon.
I've got the license right here. It's true, Mother.
We were married in Elkton. That can't be. You're
underage. Not in Elkton, Mother. Eighteen is
old enough. Davey and I are married, so you can't
tell us what to do. For the love of heaven, I,
uh... I think I have to sit down. Oh, well, here,
Mrs. Daniels, I'll just get the sheet off this
chair. Mother, please try to understand. I...
I understand, Bonnie. I... I went through a dozen
Davies when I was your age. Oh, Bonnie. Oh...
Oh, my poor Bonnie. Well, you don't have to feel
sorry for her, Mrs. Daniels. Don't I? No, because
I love her. I suppose you have no money. Mother!
Be quiet. No, Mrs. Daniels. My family were farm
people. My father's dead, my mother's alive,
but I don't even know where. But you don't have
to worry about that, Mrs. Daniels. I didn't marry
your daughter because of money. Didn't you? No,
I didn't. Bonnie and I talked about it. I almost
didn't marry her because of that, because of
what people like you would say. You're a liar,
Mr. Snowden. Don't you think I know what you
are? You're wrong, Mrs. Daniels. I love your
daughter. Why? Because I do, that's all. You
can't explain something like that. Listen to
me, young man. Even... Her own father couldn't
bear to look at Bonnie's face. That's why he
left her so much money because he felt guilty
at what he felt for his own poor, homely daughter.
Mother, don't, please. Mrs. Daniels, listen to
me. You're a liar. A liar and a thief. Stop it!
Stop it! You've got a smooth tongue, Mr. Snowden.
A handsome face and a smooth tongue. And I'm
sure you've convinced my daughter that you're
utterly sincere. But it's only her heart you
want to steal, not her fortune. I love Bonnie.
That's all there is to it. We're married and
there's nothing you can do about it. You're quite
wrong. There's everything in the world I can
do about it. I intend to have this marriage annulled
immediately. You can't do that. You have no idea
how much money can do, young man. Bonnie, I'm
going home now, and I want you to come with me.
No, no, I won't. Don't make it any worse than
it is now. I won't go with you. Do you see how
it is, Mrs. Daniels? Yes. I see how it is. Very
well, Bonnie. But you'll regret this. Mark my
words. Mother! I can't live without Davey. If
you make us separate, I'll never forgive you.
You will, darling. Strangely enough. I'll kill
myself. Do you hear, Mother? I'll kill myself
if you do this. Now, don't talk nonsense. You
think your heart will break. But it won't. A
heart doesn't break. It withers. That's what
I don't want you to find out. Goodbye, Bonnie.
informed us, the course of true love never did
go smooth. And perhaps the same applies to the
course of untrue love. But let's not judge the
sincerity of young Davy Snowden just yet. Let's
wait and see what happens next to the newlyweds
when we return shortly with Act Two. Now let's
return to the locked room. The door we're looking
at right now isn't the door to the old Daniel's
mansion upstate. This door is reached by walking
up several long flights of stairs before you
can read the faded numerals 4G. Are we there,
Davey? Yeah, honey, here we are. Hey, you're
wounded pretty bad. No, I'm all right. I warned
you that I'm not very strong. And I warned you
that a fourth -floor walk -up is no fun. We don't
have anywhere else to go, Davy. Yeah, I know
that all right. Well, brace yourself. Here's
the Snowden residence. I suppose I should carry
you over the threshold. Well, come on in, come
on in. Don't just stare at it. It's not at all
bad, Davy. Really. Oh, you don't have to say
that. Don't... Don't say anything except I love
you. That's always nice to hear. You know that
I love you, Davy. Then close the door and show
me. Oh, Davy. Davy, I'm so worried. Yeah, I knew
that my room would affect you that way. I don't
care about the room. Anywhere is all right if
I'm with you. We'll get along. And then I'll
have the money my father left me. Yeah, yeah,
and three years, if you survive that long. I'm
sure my mother will change her mind about us.
I'm sure of it. As soon as she gets to know you.
Oh, Bonnie, couldn't you tell? It was hate at
first sight. She took one look at me and it was
hate kill. Davey, do you think she can really
do what she said? Get our marriage annulled?
I don't know. It was a legal marriage. I mean,
you didn't need parental consent in that state.
But she's so... She's smart about such things.
She's run my father's company since he died.
She has all these lawyers on her payroll. Stop
worrying about it, Bonnie. But what if she could
do it? I couldn't stand that, Davy. Stop worrying,
I said. You got one thing going for you, kitten,
and that makes all the difference in the world.
Your mother loves you. She wouldn't hurt you
for anything. Davy, tell me the truth. Do you
think I'm homely? I think you're beautiful. I
know that isn't true, but I'm not really repulsive,
am I? Are you kidding? Come here. Oh, Davey.
It's true about my father. I know that. He was
so disappointed that I wasn't pretty. He must
have needed glasses. Who's that? Nobody even
knows I'm here. Hello? Yeah, that's right. Who's
this? My name is Hedinger, Mr. Snowden. I'm an
attorney, Hedinger and Dolls. We're on Vanderbilt
Street. Yeah, so? One of my clients is Mrs. Harriet
Daniels. I'm sure the name is familiar to you.
Yes, I've heard of her. I was wondering if we
could get together to discuss a certain matter
regarding her daughter Bonnie. You mean my wife
Bonnie? Is it, Davey? Yes, that's right. I wonder
if it would be convenient for you to come to
my office sometime this afternoon. Well, I'm
sorry, Mr. Heddinger, but Mrs. Snowden and myself
are a little busy at the moment. Well, what about
tomorrow, then? Would that be possible? Isn't
my father's lawyer? Yeah, one of them, anyway.
I beg your pardon? All right, Mr. Heddinger,
I'll come to your office tomorrow. Say, about
10 o 'clock? I'll be there. Well, it looks like
the fun is starting. Oh, Davey. Please sit down,
Mr. Snowden. I think you know the situation as
well as I do. And you've probably anticipated
my first question. Well, I'm not sure I have
unless it's why don't I just go away and stop
bothering her daughter. It's something like that
But it would be hardly sensible to expect you
to do such a thing without Incentive. Oh now
wait a minute. Don't don't tell me I'm about
to get an offer. I'm a money offer Nobody's talking
about a bribe. I assure you There's a practical
reason for such an offer Anomal proceedings no
matter how certain we are of success Cost money.
Mrs. Daniels could actually realize quite a savings
if you cooperated for some flat figure, say $5
,000. Not unreasonable of her. Do me a favor,
huh? You tell Mrs. Daniels that I wouldn't give
up my marriage license for one million bucks.
I notice you specify one million. So long, Mr.
Headon. Please sit down. That wasn't all I had
to tell you. Okay. What else is there? We can
sue for annulment on a few other bases. Such
as what? Falsification of your marriage certificate,
for instance. Falsific? What the heck are you
talking about? Your, uh, age, for instance. You're
not 24, Mr. Snowden. You happen to be 30. Well,
what's so important about that, for Pete's sake?
You gave your age as, uh, 24. Well, so what?
Everybody knocks a few years off their age at
some time or other. It's just business. Let's
see. Your business is straightforwarding, isn't
it? You work in a three -man company. At a salary
of $145 a week. Surely you didn't think it was
necessary to dye your hair or anything like that
for the sake of executive advancement. Look,
Mr. Heddinger, first of all, I'm 29, not 30.
I am a few days premature, I suppose. You'll
be 30 next week, won't you? Happy birthday, in
case I don't see you. I just didn't want Bonnie
to think I was too old for a... Don't make everything
so difficult, Mr. Snowden, because you know how
it's going to end. Mrs. Daniels is the most determined
woman you've ever met in your life. She, uh...
Scares the pants off me, I can tell you. Oh,
well, that's your problem. If she has to spend
a million dollars to get Bonnie out of your clutches,
she'll do it. I'll guarantee you 10 ,000 if you'll
sign an agreement. I'm sorry, Mr. Hedinger. No
can do. You're a stupid boy. Do you know that?
Sorry, I take that back. A stupid man. So long,
Mr. Hedinger. Give my best to Bonnie's mother.
Until it were both very happy. Oh, Davey, it's
horrible. We don't have a chance. I know we don't.
Well, it doesn't look good, that's for sure.
You should have told me the truth. You should
have told me you were really 27. I don't know.
I just... I just didn't want you to think that
I was still an undergraduate at that age. There's
got to be some way out, Davey. There has to be.
If you could just talk... She won't give me the
chance. She's made up her mind that all I want
is your lousy money. Well, what if there wasn't
any money? What if I signed away the rights to
the money my father left me? That would make
her believe us, wouldn't it? Well, that's pretty
drastic, Kitten. I mean, that money is yours.
You know, when you come of age, you're entitled
to it. I don't care about money, Davy. Well,
you don't now, maybe, but later... I couldn't
have you making that kind of sacrifice for me.
Bonnie, you'd probably hate me for it later.
Oh, I could never hate you. I love you so much.
I think I'll love you after I'm dead. Davey?
Davey, what are you thinking? Nothing. Davey,
you don't care about the money, do you? Please
talk to me. Bonnie, I have an idea. I have a
very crazy, very good idea. About what? I wouldn't
blame you for not going through with it. I'd
understand. But what is it? You remember what
you said, what you told your mother up at the
house about you killing yourself? Yeah, I remember.
Well, she didn't believe you, of course. What
if your mother really thought you were serious
about killing yourself? Wouldn't that make her
change her mind in a hurry? Well, yeah, I suppose
it would, but we could never fool her about such
a thing. No, no, no. If we were smart, we could.
No. She's smarter than both of us put together.
I know her, Davey. There's just no fooling her.
Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait. Don't throw
it away so fast. Let's talk about it. Let's think
for a minute. But it just wouldn't work. Yeah,
but if you really did try, Bonnie, only you didn't.
Try too hard, only enough to make it look good.
How could I do that? There's a couple of ways.
Gas, for instance. We could fix up a phony gas
suicide. Bonnie, don't look like that. I'm sorry.
All right, forget it. Forget I ever said it.
No. No, go on. It could be something like sleeping
pills. You've got sleeping pills, haven't you?
Yeah, I have. Well, you wouldn't have to take
more than two. Maybe three. Now, that won't hurt
at all. And we'd make her think you took the
whole bottle. Now, don't you see how easy that'd
be? Yes, I suppose so. Oh, Davey, hold me, please.
Kitten, you could write your mother a letter.
You could tell her what you were planning to
do, but that I don't know about it, see? You
could say you were going to swallow the whole
bottle of pills. But you'll actually take just
a few. Then when your mother shows up here...
I'm so scared, Davy. I promise you nothing will
happen except that your mother will know that
you meant it, Bonnie, about loving me so much.
You do love me, don't you? Yes. Yes, Davy. I
do. I do. There's another famous saying about
love. that it conquers all. Presumably that includes
time, distance, and mothers -in -law. But will
love and deception succeed together? We'll find
out shortly when I return with Act 3. Things
seem very normal in Apartment 4G. the one -room
residence of the newlyweds Bonnie and David Snowden.
Music is playing on their transistor radio, a
frozen dinner is thawing slowly, and Bonnie and
David are hunched over the kitchen table composing
a letter. The only thing that makes this domestic
scene a bit bizarre is that they are collaborating
on a suicide note. Dear mother, I warned you
what I would do. if you tried to get our marriage
annulled. Tonight, I'm going to take a whole
bottle. Davey, do we have to have that music?
Okay, okay. I didn't know it was bothering you.
I'm nervous enough as it is. Okay, I said. Dear
mother, I warned you what I would do if you tried
to get our marriage annulled. Tonight, I'm going
to take... A whole bottle of sleeping pills.
Oh, Davey, it just doesn't sound right. It's
not so bad, Bonnie. Look, maybe you'd better
put in something about me not knowing about it.
I think that's important that your mother realizes
that I had no idea you were gonna try to take
your life. Maybe you'd better write it, Davey.
I'm just no good at this sort of thing. Yeah,
I guess you don't have much experience writing
suicide notes. Well... I just can't help feeling
it's wrong. Wrong what? How? Well, you know.
No, no, no, I don't. The only thing that could
be wrong about it is if it didn't work. But OK,
if you've got cold feet, OK, we'll let your mother
go through with it. We'll let that lawyer Hedinger
get our marriage annulled. Is that what you want?
You know it isn't. Then have you got a better
idea than this? Have you? No. Then tell me what
you want to do, Bonnie. You name it. Tell me
what to write in the letter. Well, the first
line is okay. Only after that, I think you should
say, um... Davey doesn't know I'm doing this.
I didn't want anyone to know so that nobody would
stop me. Wait a minute. Not so fast. Well, you
don't have to put it down exactly the way I said
it. Make it sound like yourself, you know. Yeah,
I'll try. And, uh... What else? Oh, yeah, say
something about doing this because I love Davey,
because I can't live without him. Yes. That'll
make her understand. You see, she'll realize
that you might try to kid yourself again if she
broke us up. And if she loves you, she won't
want that to happen, Bonnie. You see? Yes, yes.
Hey, come on. You're getting tears all over the
letter. Oh, Davey. Go on, Bonnie. Now sign it.
That's right, that's just perfect. Aunt, you
got that one? Here. Okay, if I get it into the
mail now, she'll have it tomorrow morning. Now,
she should have phoned here as soon as she receives
it. Davy, she might even call the police. Well,
it doesn't matter who she calls. Police, the
doctor, they'll be okay. I mean, you'll really
be asleep, auntie. You'll take just enough pills
to put you into a nice, deep sleep. Understand?
Yes. I understand. Now, I'll be right back, sweetheart.
I'll just run downstairs and mail this, huh?
All right, Davey, but hurry, hurry back. I don't
want to be alone. What time is it, Davey? Nine
fifteen. Do you think Mother got the letter this
morning? Well, you never know with a post office
these days, but it could happen. Even if the
letter gets there, she might not be home. She
might have left the house early. Doesn't matter,
Bonnie. Sooner or later, she'll see it. Well,
I just don't think it's gonna work, Davy. There.
That must be her. Do you think it is, really?
There's no doubt about it. I don't know anybody
who'd call me this early in the morning. Well,
how about the people at your office? No, no,
no, no. I'm away on a two -week honeymoon, remember?
They don't even know I'm in town. Well, Davy,
shouldn't you answer it? No, Kitten, no. Don't
you understand? She's got to get worried enough
to do something. And you've got something to
do, too. You mean, take those pills. That's right,
Bonnie. Hey, you see? She stopped calling. She's
probably on her way over here right now. Get
the pills, Bonnie. Yes, I have them right here.
There are only three of them. Okay, I'll get
you a glass of water. All right. Davy, you're
sure it'll be all right? I'm sure, Bonnie. It
takes like a dozen of these things to hurt you.
You just take a couple. Yeah, no, you better
make it all three just to make sure you're fast
asleep when your mother gets here. She's only
about half an hour away. Well, it's time enough
if you take them now. Yeah, all right. You can
trust me, Bonnie. You know that. I won't let
anything happen to you. Yeah, I know that. I
know that, Davy. Okay, now come on. Take the
pill, sweetheart. Yes. There. That wasn't so
hard, was it? No. Now all you have to do is go
back to bed. Go to bed and sleep. That won't
be so hard either. Even without the pills. I
slept so badly last night. Yeah, I know. Davy?
Yes, Kitten? Please kiss me. Kiss me. Good night.
One second. Oh, Mrs. Daniels. Where is she? Where's
Bonnie? Well, not to take it easy. She's sleeping.
Is she all right? Well, what are you talking
about? Of course she's all right. She's just
asleep. She likes to sleep a little late in the
morning, that's all. Bonnie? Bonnie? Hey, now,
what do you think you're doing, Mrs. Daniels?
Let her sleep, will you? She's had a bad night.
Look. Look at her color. Look at her. Can't you
see this isn't normal? Well, she's always a little
pale, so what? Bonnie. Bonnie, can you hear me?
It's Mother. Oh, dear God. Hey, what's the matter
with you? You idiot! Where were you? I phoned
here about an hour ago. The phone just rang and
rang. I was out. I went out to get the paper.
I just got back a couple of minutes ago. Bonnie,
darling. Wake up. Wake up. Why didn't I call
somebody? Why didn't I call a doctor? A doctor?
What for? Here. Read this. Well, what is it?
Where's your telephone? Where is it? Good Lord,
this letter is... We need a doctor, you idiot.
Bonnie, maybe... Oh, no. Mrs. Daniels. She's
dead. She's dead. Oh, she can't be. She's just
sleeping, Mrs. Daniels. She took the pills. All
those pills. There weren't that many in that
bottle. Maybe she'll be okay. I'll get the doctor.
It's too late. Too late. She's not dead, I tell
you. Bonnie. Bonnie, wake up, Kitten. Wake up.
It's all right. Everything's all right. Bonnie,
for Pete's sake, it's all over now. You've got
to wake up. Oh, she's so cold. Bonnie, wake up!
Leave her alone. Actually, that poor girl alone,
even now. Mrs. Daniels, I swear there weren't
many pills in that bottle. It wouldn't have taken
many. Not with Bonnie's heart. It wouldn't take
so... Well, it wouldn't take many. What are you
talking about? Barney had rheumatic fever when
she was 12. Her heart's been weak ever since.
No. No. Barney, please. Please. You've got to
wake up. Yes. Walter Hedinger, you remember me,
I trust? Yes, I remember you. Sorry to disturb
you. I realize that you're still in mourning,
of course. What do you want? I was wondering
if you might be able to attend a meeting in our
offices at 10 .30 tomorrow. A meeting? What for?
What are you talking about? I've got nothing
to do with my wife's estate and you know it.
Bonnie wasn't dead two weeks and I got a letter
from you telling me so. Well, there is still
something that Mrs. Daniels wishes to discuss
with you. Something beyond the, shall I say,
legality of the situation. Look, if Mrs. Daniels
thinks she can make some kind of trouble for
me... No, no, no, no. It's nothing of the kind.
Don't try to kid me. She still blames me for
Bonnie's death. She'd do anything she could to
hurt me. I assure you... advantage that's correct
because I can promise you one thing mrs. Daniels
wants to do the right thing please come in mr.
Snowden yes yes how are you mrs. Daniels I'm
as well as I can be thank you yes of course don't
look stricken young man Nobody's going to hurt
you. Have a chair. Thank you. Well, let's get
started, shall we? Mrs. Daniels, as you know,
we've already informed Mr. Snowden that he has
no legal claims on your daughter's estate. Yeah,
I know all about that. But did you explain why?
You see, Bonnie's inheritance from my late husband
wasn't due until she reached the age of 21. Since
her death, it automatically reverts to me. I
didn't expect anything, Mrs. Daniels. A very
kind of you, I'm sure. However, Mr. Snowden,
the fact that you did marry Barney imposes a
certain kind of obligation on me. Some kind of
gesture regarding your welfare. I don't understand.
Mr. Snowden, you seemed most impressed by that
old house we own upstate. You recall the one
I mean? Yes, of course. It was once valued at
a great deal of money. And it's yours. What was
that? I'm deeding you the property. It would
have been Bonnie's in a few more years. I have
no further use for it. You may have complete
possession of the land, the house, and everything
in it. Everything? You really mean everything?
Of course. Mr. Heddinger will see to the formalities.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. What?
Gee, Mrs. Daniels, I... Please don't thank me.
I can stand anything from you now except gratitude.
Good day. Well, let's take care of the details.
Mr. Hedinger, could I ask just one question?
Yes. When Mrs. Daniels said I could have everything
in that house... Well, there are certain places,
locked rooms and things like that. Am I entitled
to all of the contents? You're entitled to every
stick in the place, Mr. Snowden. In fact, Mrs.
Daniels left you this full set of keys. Oh, look
at it. Look at it. It's all mine the whole house
mine God knows how much it's worth Hey sure,
it's run down, but the furniture alone Now where's
that light switch and here it is And what did
Bonnie call it a terrible old barn Yeah, but
it's all mine sweetheart. It's Davy's bar now
Maybe it's not a million bucks, but it's something.
Where are the rest of the keys? A dozen keys,
but one of them must open that door. Yeah, one
of them will do it, so let's just get going,
baby boy. It was really something, her giving
me this house. No bless oblige, I guess. I got
to give the lady credit. She's got class. Let's
see. It wasn't this floor. No, it was the next.
It's gotta be a very good reason for locking
up a room. There's gotta be something very valuable
inside. Yeah, that's the door. That's the one.
Okay, now to find the key. No, no, not that one.
This is, no, it's obviously too small. How about
this one? No, that didn't do it. This one's too
big. No, not yet. I hope it's here. The lawyer
said they were all here. I'll try this one. Well,
it slipped in all right, but will it turn? Wait
a minute, it's stuck, but I think it's gonna
do it. I think it's gonna work. That did it,
that did it. The lock's open. Now all I gotta
do is open the door. Pretty dark in there. Shades
it down. Uh -huh. What? I see a lamp over there.
Some more sherry, Walter? No, thank you, Mrs.
Daniels. Stop looking so grim, Walter. Sit back
and relax. Mrs. Daniels, I can't help but worry
about... Oh, about what happened. Worry? About
that scoundrel? You know what I mean. When that
police lieutenant questioned me about Snowden's
death, well, I didn't actually lie to him, but
I didn't tell him the whole truth either. You
were completely honest, Walter. I'm sure you
were. No, I wasn't. You see, I'm absolutely sure
you knew what you were doing when you deeded
that house to him. Of course I knew what I was
doing. I was being generous. But you knew what
would happen, didn't you? Yes, Walter, I knew.
I knew there was no treasure behind that door.
Only the rotten floorboards that made us shut
up the room fifteen years ago. I used to argue
with my husband about it. I used to say that
we should have the floor repaired before someone
fell through to the basement. But he was a strangely
miserly man sometimes, not nearly as generous
as I am. Now drink your sherry, Walter. Well,
what can you say about an 18 -year -old girl
who dies, or her 30 -year -old lover, for that
matter? Regretfully, this love story has ended
with both the lovers gone. which ought to make
it twice as popular as the movie. I'll be back
shortly. David Snowden isn't the last victim
you'll hear about on our radio mystery theater.
We intend to bring you the final dying screams
of many, many more. That's a specialty of radio,
of course. which explains why we give all our
actors scream tests. Our cast included Carmen
Matthews, Corrine Orr, Jack Grimes, and Sidney
Smith. The entire production was under the direction
of Hyman Brown. This is E .G. Marshall inviting
you to return to our mystery theater for another
adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant
dreams.