In Chicago, it's 58 degrees in Midway Airport.
The WBBM news time is 10 51. The CBS radio mystery
theater presents. Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G.
Marshall. The fates, they say, weave the pattern
of our lives. Some there are who believe that
whatever happens to us is destined so to be,
while others talk of free will. However it may
be, certainly there is one element that touches
all our lives, the element of the unexpected.
How often have you asked, Why did this happen
to me? Rarely, if ever, have you found a satisfactory
answer. So it was one fatal night with Nell Pearson,
Mrs. Nell Pearson, widow, whose life was about
to be shattered by unimaginable, unexpected horror.
Is that Miss Pearson? Is that Miss Mates screaming?
Yes, yes. All right. Don't hear nothing now.
It came from her room. Oh, Charlie, I don't dare
open the door. All right. I guess I'll have to.
mystery drama, The Lodger, was written especially
for the mystery theater by George Lothar and
stars Kim Hunter. It is sponsored in part by
Buick Motor Division and Anheuser -Busch Incorporated,
Brewers of Budweiser. I'll be back shortly with
act one. The fates brought unexpected horror
that night to Nell Pearson's house on 9th Street,
where she rented rooms. Yet one wonders, was
it altogether unexpected? Could the frightful
things that happened have been avoided? Had she
been more alert, say, more sensitive to warnings
of impending tragedy? No matter now. What matters
is that earlier that day in the afternoon, She
had no idea that death, in its most grisly form,
was shortly to enter her house. Oh, my goodness,
Mrs. Pearson! Oh, my goodness! What is it, Miss
May? The headlines, look. Ripper Strikes Again.
Oh, good heavens, that's awful, perfectly awful.
Read it, Mrs. Pearson, read it. I am. No, no,
out loud. I mean, I want to hear. But you just
finished reading. Well, all right. Ripper claimed
another victim last night. Thursday night, Thursday.
He always kills on a Thursday. This time, another
attractive widow, Mrs. Henry Dogg. Always a widow,
always a widow. Miss Mapes, please. The body,
gruesomely slashed and mutilated, was discovered
by a neighbor who, hearing Mrs. Dogg's hysterical
screams, rushed to her apartment. There she found
the comely young widow lying in a pool of blood.
and a message scrawled in red lipstick across
one wall. Stop me. Please stop me. Excuse me,
Miss Pearson. Which windows do you want washed
first? Oh, I don't know, Charlie. You want to
get to that today? Well, it's kind of warm out.
I thought it'd be a good time to get started
on them. Well, you decide, Charlie. Suit yourself.
There's been another one, Charlie. Another what,
Miss Mapes? Murder by the Ripper. Another widow,
like always. You don't say. That makes a fifth,
don't it? A fifth in five weeks. One a week for
the past five weeks, and always on a Thursday
night between 11 and 12, and always a widow.
Oh, I better change my night out. What do you
mean, Charlie? Yeah, well, Thursday's my night
out, and you're a widow, Miss Pearson. You never
know, the police might start putting two and
two together. Oh, Charlie, you and your jokes.
I don't think that one's particularly funny.
I'm sorry, Miss Pearson. I was just funnin',
that's all. Well, take your fun out on those
windows. Well, I ain't gettin' right to it, Miss
Pearson. I ain't gettin' right to it. Maybe he
wasn't jokin', Charlie. Not jokin'? Well, Thursday
is his night out, and you are a widow, and, well,
who knows? Oh, Miss Mapes, if I had your imagination...
Excuse me. Yes? How do you do? My name is Tony
Adams. I saw your sign rooms. Wondered if you
had a vacancy maybe. Oh, yes, yes, I do. Won't
you come in? Thank you. I have a room on the
second floor front. It's very spacious, light
and airy, too. Fine, I'll take it. You haven't
even seen it. I've seen you. I don't go with
the room, Mr. Adams. Oh, sorry. I meant it as
a compliment, not a proposition. I'll show you
the room. This way. May I ask your name? Uh,
Pearson. Mrs. Eleanor Pearson. No. You've been
in town long, Mr. Adams? Oh, no, a few weeks.
I've been staying at a hotel, but, well, I never
did like hotel living. Oh, what do you do? Reporter.
I'm a reporter on the city sentinel. Oh, that
must be interesting. My husband always said newspaper
work must be fascinating. What did he do? Uh,
the room's this way. Why, uh, he was a riveter.
You know, putting in beams on new skyscrapers.
Dangerous work. You've been a widow very long.
Oh, it's close to three years now that... How
do you know I'm a widow? Don't look so surprised.
For one thing, you talk about your husband in
the past tense, and for another, you're not wearing
a wedding ring, and... Well, rooming houses are
run by widows more often than not. Oh, you're
very observant. I'm a reporter. And that's my
job. Yes, I suppose it is. Here's the room. Fine,
just fine. You haven't seen it. You're not even
looking at it. Why look at a room when I can
look at you? Mr. Adams, let's get something straight.
I've had more than one male border make a pass
at me, and everyone found himself out on the
street in short order, bag and baggage. Now,
if you're after a room, fine. But if you're after
something else... Ah, come on now, Nell. Mrs.
Pearson, if you don't mind. Okay, okay. I've
got to get back to the papers. See you later.
But you haven't even asked the price. It'll be
okay, whatever it is. It's $80 a week, including
breakfast and dinner. Whatever you say. Nell,
whatever you say. Well, I never... doesn't look
at the room, doesn't care about the price, just
drops his top coat on the bed and he's off. Oh,
I'd better hang his coat in the closet. It'll
get all creased. Oh, no, what was that? Fell
out of his pocket. Rolled under the bed. Would
roll under the bed, of course. Make me get down
on my knees and... Why? Why, it's a lipstick.
What in the world would he be doing with a lipstick?
Oh, now why did you go and turn the TV set off,
Charlie? You know I like to see who played what.
Well, I'm sorry, Miss Mapes. I forgot. Pretty
good movie, huh? Oh, it was all right. You like
it, Miss Pearson? What? What'd you say, Charlie?
Well, I just asked if you liked the movie. How
could she? She didn't even see it. Of course
I did. Well, you may have been looking at it
for two hours, Mrs. Pearson, but you certainly
weren't seeing it. You were thinking of something
else. Well, me, I saw it and I liked it. Oh,
10 .30. I'm off to bed. Oh, by the way, I finished
the window washing today, Miss Pearson. Oh, good.
I'm glad they only got to be washed twice a year.
It's a big job. It took a whole week. Well, good
night. Night. Good night, Charlie. Mrs. Pearson,
now I'm not one to pry, but... Why don't you
tell me what's bothering you? Bothering me? Now,
you know something has been bothering you since
that Mr. Adams arrived. Now, when was it? Now,
that was... Well, this is Thursday, and he took
the second floor front last... Friday, it was.
Mm -hmm. Now, I'll tell you something. You just...
You haven't been the same since. Oh, it's nothing,
Miss Maeve. It's nothing at all. You don't fool
me. Something's worrying you. I know it is. Well,
I might as well tell you it's... it's this. What?
Well, it's a lipstick. Why should a lipstick
upset you? Well, it was in his pocket the day
he arrived. His topcoat pocket. It fell out when
I picked the coat up. So? It's the same color.
mandarin scarlet the ripper uses to scroll those
awful messages with oh and you think oh you don't
think he's the ripper oh no no no no of course
not well then why the worry i i don't know it
just bothers me a little that's all and now if
you're all that worried you could maybe you did
check on him check on him Well, I'll find out
if he really does work for the city sentinel
and like that. You could call the paper. Oh,
I'm just being silly. That's all. Of course you
are. Mountains out of molehills. I'm off for
a bed. Oh, are you sleeping better since we exchanged
rooms? You've no idea. The traffic isn't anywhere
near so loud. But what about you? Oh, I don't
mind it. I told you that months ago. I know.
And I thank you. Stop worrying now. Here's the
lipstick. I certainly don't want it. Good night.
Good night, my dear. Sleep well. I wonder. City
Sentinel, I'd like to speak to Mr. Tony Adams,
please. Oh, I see. I wonder if you could tell
me, has he been with the Sentinel long? Six weeks?
Thank you very much. Six weeks. It was just six
weeks ago on a Thursday. Just six weeks. weeks
ago today that the ripper oh my god charlie charlie
where are you haven't told me i have to go up
my shoe miss mapes miss mapes oh charlie good
lord miss pearson was that miss mapes screaming
yes yes don't hear nothing now it came from the
room Charlie, I don't dare open the door. Yeah,
well, I guess I'll have to then. Oh, no. Oh,
no. Blood. Blood all over. Hey, Miss Babes, look.
No, no, don't look. Oh, God. It's the work of
the ripper. Oh, my God. I've never seen no one
slashed up somebody. The mirror, Charlie. Look
at the mirror. Words. Words scrawled in red.
Lipstick. Mandarin scarlet lipstick. Stop me
before I kill again. They must, they must stop
him. Let's get right down to the living room
and phone the police. Yes, oh yes. The front
door at this hour? I'll go. Oh, Mr. Adams. Hello,
Charlie. Sorry I bothered you. Forgot my key.
Hello, Mel. Excuse me, Mrs. Pearson. I know.
Why the stairs? Can't be the first roomer who
forgot his key. Mr. Adams. Oh, my Lord, Mr. Adams.
What is it? Upstairs. Upstairs. Upstairs what?
Oh, never mind. I'll see for myself. The police.
Let's call them, Miss Pearson. Miss Pearson.
Did you... Charlie, did you... Miss Pearson,
what is it? The look on his face when he saw
me standing here. Did you see the look on his
face? Well, yeah. I couldn't figure why we were
staring at him. He couldn't figure out how I
could be standing here. Huh? Why? She's been
killed by the Ripper, Miss Mabes killed by the
Ripper, and he always kills widows. Hey. Yeah,
come think of it, that don't make no sense. It
does, if you remember that we changed rooms.
Miss Pearson? Miss Pearson, are you saying that...
The ripper mistook Miss Mapes for you? Oh, I'm
the only widow in this house, Charlie. Come on,
let's call the cops. Operator, the police. Give
me the police. Put that phone down, Charlie.
Miss Adams, what do you... Give me the phone.
Charlie, no, the police. Yeah, yeah. Hello, this
is Charlie. Give me that phone. So weaving their
pattern of the unexpected, the fates bring together
on this fearsome night an innocent spinster named
Miss Mapes and the Ripper who mistook her for
Nell Pearson. I'll be back shortly with Act Two.
In Chicago, it's 58 degrees in Midway Airport.
The WBBM News Time is 10 51. Mrs. Nell Pearson
feels that she's about to faint. As she sees
her new border, Tony Adams grabbed the telephone
away from Charlie, the handyman, break the connection
with police headquarters, and then begin to dial
another number furiously. Charlie stands as if
turned to stone. Nell grabs the back of a chair
for support as... Give me the city desk. Hank
Adams. The ripper is stuck again. Time. 1115
Place 129th Street rooming house owned by mrs.
Eleanor Pearson widow what? No, not her one of
her boarders. I miss maids I Must have made a
mistake Hank I know I know but it isn't a widow
this time now. Stop talking and take this will
you? One of the ghastliest bloodiest murders
he's yet committed the ripper slashed his Sorry,
I had to grab the phone out of your hand Charlie,
but a scoops a scoop. Ah, yeah sure now Give
me your stories. We'll start with you now. Tell
me what happened. I'll come now snap out of it.
Stop staring at me and tell me what happened.
I I Heard her scream. She screamed and screamed
and screamed. Where were you? Here right here
She'd just gone up to bed. What were you doing?
I had just telephone um someone then the screams
began and i ran upstairs and charlie was there
on the landing and we went into a room and there's
there she was she i've got to sit down yeah what's
the matter let me help you don't touch me okay
okay all right charlie let let's have it from
you oh well uh like miss pierson says I heard
Miss Mapes screaming and went running to see
what was going on. You must have moved fast.
Your room was in the basement, isn't it? Oh,
well, I wasn't in my room. I was in Miss Pearson's
room just across Miss Mapes. What were you doing
in Miss Pearson's room? Yes, what were you doing
there? Well, you remember when you changed rooms
with Miss Mapes a couple days ago? Yes. And there
was that leak in the bathroom when I fixed it?
Yes. I just went up to check on it, is all. I
didn't know you changed rooms, now. No. You didn't,
did you? That would account for... Why don't
you say it? The Ripper mistook Miss Mapes for
me. Because he didn't know about the change of
rooms. You were lucky, now. Very. This time.
Now, please, please, Mrs. Pearson, we're here
to help you at police headquarters. And I understand
why you're worried. It is possible the Ripper
mistook Miss Mapes for you. He did, he did. Yes,
but now there seems to be something else on your
mind. Something to do with one of your boarders,
you're saying? His name is Tony Adams. He's a
reporter on the City Sentinel. He rented a room
at my place just a week ago today. That was the
day after the last murder. Ah, yes. I know well
after he rented the room he left to go to the
newspaper and I I picked up his top coat to hang
it in the closet and This fell out a lipstick.
Yes Mandarin scarlet the same color the ripper
uses crawl those horrible messages like last
night on the wall of miss Mates room Well, it
seems to me you're letting your fears run away
with you building up a case in your mind. Well,
what about last night? He just happened to come
home minutes after the murder, he says. And you
think... I think he was lying. I think he killed
Miss Mates, left by the fire escape at the end
of the second -floor corridor, and then pretended
he'd just arrived home, claimed he'd forgotten
his key, so he'd have a witness to prove an alibi
if he needed one. Well, it's clever thinking,
if that's so. He's a clever man. Believe me,
he is. And I'm afraid of him, Lieutenant. Terribly
afraid. Well, I'll tell you what. The managing
editor of the Sentinel is a good friend of mine.
Let me just give him a ring and check on this
Tony Adams. What? It's interesting. Your friend
Mr. Adams was hired away from another paper,
a Metropolitan Daily, because of the record of
scoops he'd built up in a little more than a
year. Scoops? Oh, that means... He always managed
somehow to be on the scene of the crime first.
An unusual record. A most unusual record. What
do you think? Oh, I know what you think. He committed
the crime so he could get the scoop now now now
I didn't say that mrs. Pierce, but that's what
you're thinking well Either he's a remarkable
police reporter or he's the ripper Lieutenant
I want protection. You've got to protect me.
I want a policeman in my house night and day
until that ripper is caught Tell me do you have
a room available in your house? Well Oh, well,
there's Miss Mape's room. Why? Well, look, don't
hold me to this. What with one thing and another,
we're shorthanded right now. But if I sent one
of my men to act like he was a boarder... Oh,
I'd make room for him. You can be sure of that.
Oh, hell. Charlie said I'd find you down here
in the laundry room. Oh, what is it, Mr. Adams?
What do you want? One thing I want is for you
to call me Tony. One thing I want for you is
to stop calling me Nell. Oh, come on. What have
you got against me? Look, Mr. Adams, I've got
a lot of work to do. Well, not much sense asking
you now. What is it? Why, well, I was going to
ask if you'd like to go to the movies with me.
I figured that'd be your answer. What other answer
would you expect? There was a murder in this
house last night, a gruesome murder. Not only
that, but the victim was a friend of mine. And
you have the indecency to ask me to go to a movie
with you? Yeah, I guess you could look at it
that way, only... Look, I wish we could be friendlier,
that's all. I'll level with you now. Excuse me,
Mrs. Pearson. I've been thinking of settling
down for some time now. I've been looking around,
you know, keeping my eyes open. From the minute
they fell on you, Mrs. Pearson. Damn it, Mel,
listen to me. Take your hands off me. I don't
call laying my hands on your arm exactly putting
my hands on you. Don't touch me. Don't even touch
me. What is it with you? Well, don't just stand
there looking at me. What is it? I just want
to be left alone. You just want to be left alone,
or you just want to be left alone by me? Answer
me. By you. Sorry. I won't trouble you again.
Good night. What are you doing there? Charlie.
I come down to tell you there's somebody upstairs
looking for a room. A man or woman? Man. Well,
if you'll excuse me, Mr. Adams. How long were
you standing there, Charlie? Me? I just come
down. Why? Nothing, Charlie. Nothing. How do
you do? I'm Mrs. Pearson, a landlady. My name
is Bowen, Lawrence Bowen. I saw your sign out
front. I wondered if you had a vacancy. Yes,
I do. A bed sitting room. Would you care to see
it? If it's not too much trouble. No trouble
at all if you follow me. Did anyone recommend
you here, Mr. Bowen? Well, no. I couldn't say
I was recommended, although... Yes? Well... You
might say I heard what happened here last night,
and I... Well, that's why I'm here. Well, here
we are. This is the room. So this is where it
happened? Yes. What a shame to die like that.
Maybe you could fill me in on some things. I
got a lot from Lieutenant Goldman, but I'd like
to hear your side of things. Well, it's like
this, Mr. Bowen. Is Mr. all right? Or should
I call you sergeant or something like that? Oh.
Better keep it Mr. I understand. Did Lieutenant
Goldman tell you about my finding the lipstick?
Yes, yes. Where did you find it? Well, I didn't
find it, actually. It fell out of Mr. Adams'
pocket. And of course, when I saw it was Mandarin
scarlet, my suspicions were aroused right then
and there. Yeah, same shade of lipstick the Ripper
uses to write his messages. You found the lipstick
and that aroused your suspicions. In other words,
you think he could be the Ripper. I'm practically
sure he is. Which is his room? Right there, that
front room at the end of the corridor. I'd like
to have a look at that. Is he out of the house?
He may be Though he was downstairs just a little
while ago wouldn't want him to find me in his
room Maybe you could check and find out. Oh,
of course. I'll do that. Be careful Don't say
or do anything to make him suspect. Oh, I won't
I won't Oh Charlie, where's mr. Adams in the
sitting room and say you're gonna write some
letters. Oh There's something wrong with Pearson
You act upset. No, no, no, I'm not upset. Not
in the least. Thank you, Charlie. Oh, you've
finished writing your letters. Huh? Yes. How
did you know I was writing letters? Oh, I noticed
you're holding some letters in your hand. I assumed
you'd just written them naturally. Naturally.
And now I'm going out and naturally post them.
Say what? That's none of my business, I guess,
but you two at each other's throats or something?
As you say, Charlie, none of your business. He's
gone. He just went out to mail some letters.
How long will it take him? Well, the nearest
box is two blocks away, at least five minutes.
Have you got a key to his room? Master key, yes.
Have it right here. Have to move fast, but go
ahead. Open his door. Now, while I'm looking
around, you better go to the head of the stairs
and keep an eye out for him. Yes, yes. Let's
see. Suitcase. It's open. Good. That does it.
Mrs. Pearson. Come here a moment. Yes? Have a
look inside his suitcase. What? Lipsticks. Three,
four... Six of them. And all of them, Mander
and Scarlet. Then I... Then I was right? You
were more than right. You were smack on target.
And look here, under these shirts. A knife! A
long knife! Butcher's knife, Mrs. Pearson. The
knife, I'm sure, that was used on all six victims.
Oh, Lord, be with us, but... What are you going
to do? For the moment, nothing. Nothing? You're
not going to arrest him? Well, we could arrest
him. I don't think we'd be able to hold him.
Evidence like this is purely circumstantial.
When we nail this bird, we want to nail him for
good. Oh, I don't know. Maybe you ought to talk
to Lieutenant Goldman and get his opinion. I
will. You can depend on that. And I'll do it,
Mrs. Pearson, not you. I don't understand. If
Adams is planning to murder you, he's keeping
tabs on you. So don't try to contact the lieutenant
in any way. Leave all that to me. Well, I will.
Oh, Mr. Bowen, I can't tell you how glad I am
you're here. There's no question about it now.
He is the Ripper. He was planning... He was planning
to kill me. Well, he won't. I'll see to that.
And that's a promise. Protected by Mr. Bowen,
Nell Pearson feels safe. Well, safer than she
did. But all too often, the fates are at work,
weaving, ever weaving the unexpected. I'll be
back shortly with Act 3. This is WBBM Chicago
News Radio 78. With Officer Bowen in the house
to protect her, or perhaps I should say, Mr.
Bowen, now Pearson seemingly has nothing to fear.
But note that I say seemingly, and having noticed
it, let's move on, you and I, to the dining room
in Mrs. Pearson's rooming house some days later.
In fact, the evening of the following Thursday.
Delicious meal, Mrs. Pearson, as always. Thank
you, Mr. Bowen. Sure is. Oh, Mr. Bowen. Yes.
Oh, you won't mind my asking. I haven't had the
chance before, but do you mind telling me what
you do for a living? A salesman. Insurance. Oh?
You sound surprised. No. No, not really, except...
I'd have thought you were in something that keeps
you outdoors a lot of the time. In your ruddy
complexion. Like what? Oh, I don't know. Building
trades, maybe. Foreman of some kind of outdoor
crew. Policeman, even. Oh, I'm sorry. slipped
no insurance salesman mr. adams and that does
get me out and around a lot you know i suppose
it does yeah you're a reporter a crime reporter
i hear are you involved in this ripper business
very much been involved in nothing else since
i came here to join the sentinel do you or uh
do the police have any idea what he's like the
kind of man he is what makes him commit these
terrible murders well we do and we don't i What
I mean, everything we know is conjecture, theory.
No one has ever laid eyes on him, except his
victims, of course, so we can't be sure that
the picture we've built up is close to the truth
or not. Still, it ought to be fairly accurate
as far as it goes. How far does it go? I mean,
what is your picture of him? Well, we estimate
he's between five foot eleven and six feet. We
get that from the height of his victims and the...
downward direction of some of the knife thrusts.
Must we talk about the ripper at the dinner table?
Oh, I'm sorry, but Mr. Bowen asked and... Well,
there must be something else you can talk about.
After all, there has been a murder in this house
and it was the ripper and this is Thursday and
the night that he commits these terrible crimes.
Really? Oh, Mel, I am sorry. Me too, Mrs. Pierce.
I'm awfully sorry. All right, just stop talking
about it. I certainly won't. It is Thursday night,
and that means I've got to take myself out of
police headquarters. I'll be right in the scene,
is that it? I'm always on the scene, Mr. Bowen.
It's my job. Well, here we are, Mr. Bowen. Come
in. Well now, this is very nice, very comfortable,
Mrs. Pearson. I can't understand why Miss Mapes,
poor woman, wanted to change rooms with you.
Oh, the noise of the traffic bothered her. Oh,
no traffic noise that I can hear. Oh, that's
because it's so late. It's nearly 11, but Miss
Mapes usually went to bed quite early. I see.
Better lock the door, Mrs. Pearson. Oh, but with
you here to protect me? Well, the fewer chances
we take, the better. Well, I'll lock it. Good.
Now, all we have to do is just sit and wait.
Till midnight, that is. After midnight, you'll
be safe. At least till next Thursday. You mind
if I turn on the TV? Oh, of course not. Why should
I? Well, you'll want to read your newspaper you
brought, won't you? Well, not necessarily. I
thought I might kill time while waiting, but...
No, go ahead. Go ahead, turn it on. We can catch
the 11 o 'clock news when it... Oh, excuse me.
Hello? Mrs. Pearson? Yes. This is Lieutenant
Goldman, police headquarters. Oh, yes. I just
wanted to let you know you have nothing to worry
about tonight. Oh, I'm sure I don't. I feel perfectly
safe. You'll feel even safer when Officer Randolph
gets there. Did you hear me, Mrs. Pearson? I...
I... No. What did you say? I've sent one of my
men, Officer Randolph, over to your place. He
ought to be with you in about five or ten minutes.
I'm very sorry I couldn't send anyone to stay
with you through the week, but as I told you,
we're shorthanded. You understand? Mrs. Pearson?
Yes, I... I understand. Good. What friend calling
to see if you're okay Yes, yes, well you are
all your worries will be over by midnight Would
you would you like something to drink oh no,
no I'd like a cup of coffee myself. I'll just
run down to the kitchen now Can't take a chance
of letting you out of my sight, Mrs. Pearson.
And now, it's 11 o 'clock. Plan when the Ripper
does his killing. Even though he doesn't want
to. Doesn't, doesn't want to? No, he doesn't
want to kill. He has to. How, how do you know?
Why else would he screw all those messages? Please
stop me. Don't let me kill again. I always wear
the same kind of lipstick, Mandarin Scarlet.
Why a lipstick? One of these. Why one of these?
You... You're... You're... Yes? You're... You're
the Ripper? I'm sorry to say that I am, Mrs.
Pearson. I wish I was. Look, you... You don't
have to be. I do. I do. I can't help myself.
I just can. Right now, this minute, I know what
I'm going to do. And I don't want to do it. But
I know I won't be able to help myself. They must
catch me, Mrs. Pearson. They must catch me. They
must stop me. They are going to catch you tonight.
There's a police officer on his way here now.
He'll be at the front door any minute. But you
won't be able to admit him. Someone will. Charlie
will. I don't see how. What do you mean? You
don't see how he'll ring the front doorbell and
keep ringing until someone answers. No one will
hear the doorbell, Mrs. Pearson. I disconnected
it. The newspaper you brought. Not to read. To
carry this. The knife! The butcher's knife! Heaven
help me! Heaven help me! Yes, send them in. Come
in, Adam. I got a message you wanted to see me
when I came in. Ah, yeah. Coffee? Never turn
it down. I just wanted to let you know I assigned
a man to stay with Mrs. Pearson between 11 and
midnight, and another hour or so after that,
just to be sure. Thanks a heap, Lieutenant. I
appreciate that. I think you're more worried
about her than she was about herself. Well, to
tell you the truth, I'd have stayed with her
myself if I didn't have to cover headquarters.
And if she'd have let me. Let you? For some reason
or other, she won't have anything to do with
me. Me, I go for her. Turns me on, you know what
I mean? But I can't get to first base with her.
You ready for a shock? What? I didn't tell you
this before because I didn't get the chance.
Too damn busy with one thing and another, including
putting a check on you. I don't get you. I had
you checked out up and down and sideways because,
well, you're not going to believe this. Mrs.
Pearson was convinced you were the ripper. Nell
Pearson thought I... Excuse me. Goldman. No one
answers. That doesn't make any sense. She's there.
I talked with her on the phone 10 minutes ago.
Tell them to try again. And tell him to make
sure he's got the right house. He's rookie. The
guy I sent over to stay with Mrs. Pearson says
nobody answers the doorbell. Not out of order,
is it? Well, I know how. I've got a key. Maybe
he went to the wrong house. Yeah, maybe. Look,
you don't know what you're saying. I never tricked
you. Oh, yes you did. You say you changed rooms
with that Miss Mace because she wanted to. But
what you were doing was tricking me, that's what.
You're all alike, you widows. Vile, vile, vile.
Please, please believe me. Believe you? Believe
a widow? Never again, never again. I believed
one. I married her. But never again. You know
what the Chinese say? Fool me once, shame on
you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I learned that
from her. She was nuts about everything Chinese.
Pagodas all over the house, Chinese screens,
parading around. She was always parading around
with dresses slid up to here, up to here. Even
her lipstick, this Mandarin scarlet. Listen to
me. But I paid her back for what she did to me.
I paid her back. That night, that Thursday night,
when I came home unexpectedly and found her,
her and him, he ran. He got away, but she didn't.
Oh, she didn't. I got a knife in the kitchen,
a butcher's knife, and I came into the bedroom
and I slashed and stabbed and stabbed and I ripped
my door. I killed her once and then again and
then again and again. The killer doesn't want
to kill you now. Please, oh please. You go on
first, huh? A slash across the face, a slash
across your beautiful lying face. It'll do you
no good to run. They all tried that and they
failed. Help! I can help you now. Stand back,
Adam! I'll kill you! I'll kill you! Nella, you
all right? Oh, thank God you're here. Thank God.
But how? The powerful Lieutenant Goldman sent
over said no one answered the doorbell. Seemed
odd to me, so I decided to come over and check.
Lieutenant Goldman came too. Oh, Tony, Tony.
Take it easy now. Here. Sit down. That's it.
Can you ever forgive me? I misjudged you so terribly,
so terribly. That's for sure. What about him,
Lieutenant? He's gone. I hated to kill him, but
I had no choice. Not the way he came at you,
Swain. That butcher knife. Hey, what are you
doing? Calling the Sentinel. What else? I've
got another scoop. If you don't mind. Hey, what...
Operator. Give me police headquarters. Well,
that's gratitude. I lead you to the Ripper and
you swindle me out of my scoop. You'll get your
scoop. And the way Mrs. Pearson is looking at
you, I'll say you get another. Hello, this is
Goldman. Give me homicide. Well, I know. What,
Tony? This is Lieutenant Goldman. You know I've
been crazy about you since I laid eyes on you.
You do know that. I... yes. Yes, I guess I do.
Well, that movie I asked you to go to, they've
held it over another week. Will you go with me
some night? I'd love to. Anytime. Any night.
But Thursday. Weaving and spinning, the fates
create the warp and woof. of our lives. And always
through the pattern runs the scarlet thread of
the unexpected, sometimes for good, sometimes
for evil. And make no mistake, as the unexpected
awaited Nell Pearson, so it awaits you. I'm sure
you'll want to know that Nell and Tony are married
now. Tony's on his way to becoming managing editor
of the Sentinel. And Nell? On her way to becoming
a mother. And so the fates weave a happy ending.
For once. Our cast included Kim Hunter, Michael
Wager, Robert Dryden, Mary Jane Higby, and Joe
Julian. The entire production was under the direction
of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theater was sponsored
in part by the Kellogg Company, makers of Kellogg's
Special K Cereal, New Sugar Free Diet 7 -Up,
and CONTAC, the 12 -hour allergy capsule. This
is E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our
Mystery Theater for another adventure in the
macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.