The CBS radio mystery theater presents Come in
Welcome I'm EG Marshall. You're just in time
to join me for an adventure in suspense and terror,
the most heart -stopping terror of all. Not the
terror of the eccentric, the grotesque, or bizarre,
but the chilling terror that slowly emerges when
one discovers that all the standards, the laws,
the customs that have so naturally governed our
existence have suddenly been revoked or repealed
and no longer apply gone are the familiar the
everyday usages which regulated life in a comfortable
predictable flow and you are suddenly confronted
with a living nightmare of chaos and anarchy
i keep telling you my name is ruth renard where's
your identification i told you lieutenant all
my papers were taken Back at Reliance City, they'll
tell you. We checked. There's no record of anyone
named Ruth Renard. But there has to be. Who are
you? Ruth Renard. There's no such person as Ruth
Renard. What are you trying to do to me? I'm
Ruth Renard. No one ever heard of Ruth Renard
in Reliance City. Now why do you say your name
is Ruth Renard? Because it has to be. Now calm
down and try to think. Who are you? I'm Ruth.
Ruth? Yes? I don't know, I don't know who I am.
Our mystery drama, To Kill with Confidence, was
written especially for the Mystery Theater by
Sam Dan and stars Marion Seldes. It is sponsored
in part by Sinov, The Sinus Medicines and Anheuser
-Busch Incorporated. Brewers of Budweiser. I'll
be back shortly with Act One. And now back to
CBS Mystery Theater. There are men who give more
solid thought to the choosing of a car than to
the selection of a wife. There are girls who
will take more time and care in deciding on a
fall outfit than in picking a husband. Who is
to blame? A good deal of it can be placed on
the shoulders of society, which somehow tries
to imply that marriages are made in heaven. This
being the case, why bother being too careful
down here below? At any rate, let us consider
this extremely attractive newly married young
couple driving along a super highway near a Midwestern
city. Why don't we get off the turnpike, darling?
Is anything wrong? No, I just thought I'd like
a change of scene. Okay, next exit. You're an
angel. Well, it's getting on toward lunchtime,
and I think this is a town where they have a
place that serves the most fantastic sour braten.
Really? Mm -hmm, a landmark. You know, one of
those terribly authentic restaurants. Ruth? Dear,
you are in for a treat. Except for one thing.
What's that? I happen to despise Sauerbrunn.
I'm sorry. Don't be sorry, dearest. You and I,
what? Well, we'll never have days like this again.
Days like what? Well, let's call them days of
discovery. Days of getting to know each other.
Days of finding out about each other. Such as,
uh, you don't like Sauerbrotten. What don't you
like? Oh, I like everything. Even artichokes?
Especially artichokes. You'll have absolutely
no trouble feeding this. I think that's why I
fell in love with you. You're so even -tempered.
Oh, now, you don't know that for a fact. I may
have been on my best behavior all this time.
Well, I just can't picture you as anything, but...
But what? Sweet. Calm. Nice. Well, I, uh, tried
to keep my temper. I learned what it can mean
to lose it. Oh, what happened? Now, that was
a long time ago, darling. I found out what it
can mean to lose your sense of balance and values,
and... Well, I plan to make amends for all that.
Do you want to talk about it? No. And I'll tell
you why. Oh no, you don't have to explain. No,
what I'll have to do is explain why I won't explain.
Can you follow that? Sure. I have to put it all
completely out of my mind. I have to go so far
as to convince myself that it never even happened.
I understand. And I may have one or two deep
dark secrets of my own. Well, keep them. That's
what I dreamed about, to start a fresh, brand
-new, clean slate. Agreed? Agreed. Now, I'll
tell you what let's do. Let's have sour rotten
anyhow. Oh, no, no, no. Well, you have it. I'll
order something simple like hamburgers. No, no,
not in this place. Why? Well, you won't enjoy
lunch. The waiters are such frightful snobs if
they sense you're not there for the special.
Oh, it's that kind of a place. We don't have
to have lunch there. We can stay on the turnpike.
No, no, look, here's the exit. It's turned off.
Well... Well, you did have your heart set on...
Uh -oh. What is it? Is something wrong? Well,
the car, I think it's that mysterious vibration.
Do you hear it? I don't... I don't know. Well,
that funny noise. Oh, Leo, darling, to me these
things sound funny all the time. Is it something
serious? Well, I hope not. Well... Well, look,
we have a thousand miles still to go. We'd better
have it checked. Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea.
Oh. But in case it is serious, do we have enough
cash? Well, that's no problem, darling. We'll
stop off at the first station that honors a transnational
credit card. But I thought the card's only good
for gasoline. No, all repairs do. Oh, look just
up ahead. There's a big blue transnational sign
that says Frank's Quality Service. Let's pull
in and have the motor checked. Well... Are we
in for some major surgery? Well, it's a rocker
arm. Well, what does that mean? Well, it means
more labor than anything else, and he's shorthanded.
In other words... In other words, it'll take
some time, darling. Well, did that fit in with
our plans? We did intend to have some lunch,
and we just... We, uh... We could do that, darling,
except, uh... What is it? Well, you remember
I told you what happened to me last time I needed
the emergency repairs. Oh, um... Well, that decided
me. When you're having work done in a strange
town, a place you don't know, you really should
stick around, keep an eye on it. That's right,
of course. Well, I know it'll be a bore for you.
Well, I could shop. Could you? Well, your birthday's
the day after tomorrow. I'd love an hour or so.
I'll look for something and I'll be able to surprise
you. Well, that's a great idea. Now, where's
this fellow, isn't it? Oh, yeah, Frank. Say,
Frank. Oh, yes, sir. Oh, Mr. Renard. Yeah, what
can I do for you? Uh, you've got about an hour
on my car. Oh, say an hour and a half and be
safe. Uh -huh. Well, my wife would like to do
a little shopping. Come on, you're in luck. We
got us a shopping center just three blocks from
here. It's called the Golden Mall. The Golden
Mall? Yeah, yeah. They got the top stores there.
All the big ones from New York, Chicago. How
do I get there? Oh, it's just three blocks up.
See that traffic light? Yes. You turn left, go
one block, there it is. The Golden Mall. Well,
thank you. She'll come back loaded with packages.
You won't thank me. Darling, make sure you remember
the name of this place. Yeah, yeah. It's Frank's
24 -hour quality service. Open 24 hours a day.
Everybody in town knows me. Let's see. It's exactly
12 noon. Darling, I'll see you at 1 .30. Make
sure you remember the address, ma 'am. It's 1776
Jefferson. I mean, how can you forget that one,
huh? Oh, is Mr. Renard there? He should be having
his car fixed. Mr. Renard? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah,
sure thing. Oh, hold on, huh? Mr. Renard! Hello.
Leo, darling. Oh, oh, for a moment, uh... What
is it, darling? Uh, nothing, dear. Nothing at
all. Uh, it must have been something. Well, well,
uh, yes. I just, uh, couldn't imagine he'd be
calling me here. Is everything okay? No. Darling,
what's wrong? I miss you, that's all. Do you
realize we've been separated for almost 45 minutes?
Oh. Do you miss me? Terribly. All right. I just
called you up to keep the record clear. Will
we be finished on schedule? Looks that way, about
another half to three quarters of an hour. All
right, I'll be there 1 .30 on the dot. I don't
like these long separations. Neither do I. Goodbye,
darling. Bye. Taxi! Taxi! Where to, ma 'am? 1776
Jefferson Boulevard. Okay. Heavy day in the stores,
ma 'am? Oh, no. I just bought a little present
for my husband's birthday. Excuse me. Let me
call it to the dispatcher. 37 headed south to
Jefferson. 1700 block. Just a minute. What? Why
are we stopping? Where did you say you wanted
to go on Jefferson Boulevard? 1776. That's a
number you can't forget. Well, maybe you can't
forget it, but you sure can get it mixed up.
You don't want to go to 1776. Why? Because there
ain't nothing on that 1700 block worth going
to. Well, I distinctly remember it. Look, ma
'am, I know this town. Give me a street, any
street, I'll run it down. On 1700 block of Jefferson,
you got the old foundry, and it's been deserted
these past 18 years. And Frank's 24 -hour quality
service station. No more, you don't. Why can
you say that? Well, I can say that because Frank's
been dead, but see... It's three years now. Well,
the sign says... Nobody ever bothered taking
the sign down. It's too much trouble. That part
of town. You can write it off. Well, I spoke
to Frank this morning. No, lady. You didn't speak
to Frank. Believe me. Nobody spoke to Frank in
three years. Well, maybe... Maybe St. Peter.
Although I don't think Frank could have caught
up there. My husband is having his car fixed
at Frank's right now. Yeah? So would you please
take me to 1776 Jefferson Boulevard? But Pam!
Now, I could... Shall I call a policeman, or
shall I hail another cab? Well, ma 'am, here
you are. 1776 Jefferson. And it says Frank's
Quality Service, so I was right. What were you...
trying to look at what else it says in the windows
those big signs this property for sale no look
ma 'am the place is empty it's been empty since
frank died but it can't be we were high school
pals frank and i look i was here just this morning
i was here i remember going to frank's week we
drove in and those signs weren't up there There
were cars parked and men working in there. And
we went to the funeral. He told Leo, my husband,
he told Leo that the rocker arm needed fixing.
Ma 'am, are you sure you want this place? My
husband, I left my husband here. No, ma 'am,
I'm afraid you didn't leave anything or anybody.
Leo is in there, in that garage. Away you're
going! Can't you see it's locked? It's been locked
for three years. There's nobody in there. I'm
telling you, there's nobody in there. What happened
to my husband? What did they do to my husband?
Calm down, ma 'am. Think. Are you sure this is
the same? I'm sure. I know. Don't you try to
talk me out of it. I know. I was here exactly
one and a half hours ago. I was here. This place
was open. This service station was operating
and there was a man here. How do you know his
name was Frank? Because the name was written
on his shirt. I don't know what's going on. I
want my husband. I want my husband. Now what
happened to him? Ma 'am, try to hold onto yourself.
Don't pass out, please. Don't faint on me. I
don't know what to do. Let me help you back to
the cab. Oh, Leo. Leo, what did they do? Oh,
no. 37. 37. Come in, quit fooling, answer me.
This is 37. Get me some cops. Get an ambulance.
Get everybody over to 1776 Jefferson. On the
double, huh? Well, how do you figure it? Frank's
24 -hour quality service. Now you see it, now
you don't. Nightmare? Illusion? Reality? Which
are we dealing with? Could it be a mixture of
all three? I'll return with some answers but
also with some more questions when I return in
just a few moments with Act Two. Why don't you
do some shopping while I'm having the car checked?
Asks newlywed Leo Renard of his wife Ruth. Reasonable
enough. And so, when her shopping is finished,
Ruth returns to discover that the car is gone.
Leo has disappeared, and the service station
has been closed these past three years. And you
insist you actually were at that particular service
station, Mrs. Renard? Doctor, I know you are
trying to be helpful, but we aren't going to
get anywhere. Why do you say that? Well, to begin
with, we have a severe difference of opinion.
But you... Please, let me finish. You think I'm
crazy. That isn't true. Well, you have a medical
term for it, I'm sure. Something to take the
sharp, rough edge off it. But at this point,
according to you, I'm not behaving normally.
Now, does that state the case? Well, um... Look
at it rationally. Which, according to you, I'm
not doing now. That service station has been
closed for three years. The man who owned it
and ran it has been dead all this time. Then
how do you account for the fact that my husband
and I were there this morning? Would you agree
to submit to some tests, Mrs. Renard? I'll agree
to anything at this point. I'll agree to anything
that will convince you that I am as sane as you
are. And once we establish that and you start
believing me, then perhaps we can find out what
happened to Leo. Yes? May I come in? Who are
you? Lieutenant Powell, City Police. Suppose
you can come in? What do you want? I want to
help you. But you won't help me by telling me
I'm crazy. Why would I do that? Because that's
all the others can think of. Well, to begin with,
you don't look crazy. Well, thanks. Do you have
any influence around here? A little. What do
you need? What I need is to get out of this hospital.
What you need is rest. What I need is my husband.
I spoke to the doctors. What did the doctors
say to you? You're suffering from shock. I'll
buy that. You evidently can't face the fact that
your husband has deserted you. No. That's off
the mark. All right, tell me about it. I've already
told it to three different police officers. Yeah,
but I'm the one that counts. How long were you
married? Two weeks. Where? Is all this important?
Everything's important. We were married in the
Lion's City. By whom? Well, what does that have
to do with it? By whom? The Justice of the Peace.
His name? His name was Dunleavy. Well, that's
what the sign said. Emma Dunleavy, JP. How long
did you know your husband? Well, it was one of
those love at first sight things. But of course,
you being a cop, you wouldn't believe in that.
Oh, but I do, I do. It's the only way. Tell me
about him. Well, he was in town on business.
What was his business? Why is that your business?
Why is that an unreasonable question? Because!
Because you don't know and you're ashamed to
admit it. That's a lie! Instead of asking, maybe
I better tell you a few things. You don't really
know what he did for a living, if anything. That's
just... It's all right. You don't have to say
anything. Let's talk about the money. The money?
The money you gave him. How do you know? My dear
Mrs. Renard, you are now a member of a certain
unfortunate sisterhood. What are you insinuating
about my husband? Let's stick to the facts. How
much of your money does he have? It's not my
money any longer. It isn't? Oh, when we married,
we agreed to share everything. And how much did
you share with him? Well, I had an inheritance
from an aunt who died and she left me a... Yeah,
she'd left you... $51 ,000. I see. I don't know
what you think you see. We were going to invest
it in the new business. What new business? He
was interested in real estate and... I was a
public stenographer. at the hotel where he used
to have dinner, and that's how we happened to
meet. And we were going to go to Florida and
get into a land development deal. $51 ,000 in
cash? No. Bonds. We put it in bonds. Negotiable
bonds, no doubt. Well, we had to be able to raise
cash in a hurry. Of course. Well, it just wasn't
my money. He had close to $50 ,000 of his own.
You know this for a fact? Well, that's... That's
what he said. Look, Mrs. Renard, I want to help
you. I want to find him. Hopefully we can recover
all or at least some of your money. Why do you
insist that he ran out on me? I've told you what
happened. You simply can't face the truth, can
you? And you've created an hallucination about
a garage. Don't you start behaving like a psychiatrist,
too. Look, the sooner we get you to face reality,
the sooner we can get you to think rationally
and maybe give us some leads. Look, I told you.
What we have to do is get rid of this service
station delusion of yours. But it isn't a delusion.
I spoke to the doctor. Lying around here in bed
isn't doing you any good. I asked him if I could
get you to work with me. You can't remain here
indefinitely. You're going to have to start some
kind of new life for yourself. Are you saying
that Leo is... I'm saying one way or another,
Leo is gone. No! Right now I'll go talk to your
doctor. Pick you up in about an hour, is that
all right? Wait, I want to thank you. Yes, well,
maybe now you're beginning to face reality. Maybe.
Maybe. Maybe what? Oh, I don't know, I'm so...
Sure, it's a bad spot to be in. You're really
very kind. No, I'm not. It's just the technique.
Don't let it fool you. Well, at least you've
made me feel better. You're ready to face it?
I think so. Whatever it is, I guess I'm ready
to face it. You wanted to see what Mrs. Renard
was carrying when she was brought here, Lieutenant?
It's important, Doctor. Well, we're about to
give her her things back. since we're releasing
her. Just her clothes. That's not important.
Her handbag. And this package. It's from M 'ladies.
Well, that's the most exclusive women's shop
this side of New York. I suppose she believed
in treating herself right. Why not? It was her
money. Anything in the handbag? The usual odds
and ends. Papers? We couldn't find any. Driver's
license? Nothing. No credit cards. No identification.
Oh, now that doesn't sound right. No. She said
she was going off just briefly to shop and she
didn't want to be loaded down with a big handbag.
So she just took her small purse with some money
and makeup and left everything else in the car.
There is this snapshot. Must be Leo. It'd have
to be Leo. You know something? He looks familiar.
He looks familiar because you've convinced yourself
he's a confidence man. That's right, he has to
be. A smooth, experienced operator too, which
means he's been around. Which means he may have
done time, which means there's a make on him.
His photo's been passed around throughout the
country, and I would have seen it, and so maybe
I'm remembering it subconsciously. All you cops
are getting into psychiatry these days. Is that
good or bad? Listen, let me borrow this snapshot.
I'll have the boys run it down. Yes, Lieutenant,
I've decided. I've called a hotel. I'll take
a place there, and when my money runs out, which
will be pretty soon, I can find a job. I intend
to stay here until... Until what? Until I find
Leo or learn what happened to Leo. You say you
were married by Justice of the Peace in Reliant
City. That's right, and I'll never forget the
man's name, Emmett Van Levy. That's what the
sign said in front of his house. Who recommended
him? I mean, how did you know to go to him? Well,
we got our license, and we were driving along,
and we saw the sign. Who was driving? Leo. Go
on. Well, that was it. We went inside, and we
were married. I don't think so. What do you mean
you don't think so, Lieutenant? What would you
know about it? All I'm saying, I don't think
you were married. Just a minute. The ceremony
was performed. We checked the city hall in Reliance
City, and there's no record of your marriage.
But there has to be. Ruth Olsen to Leo Renard.
No record of anyone named Renard getting married
to anyone at all. What are you trying to do to
me? And there's no justice of the peace named
Emmett Dunleavy in Reliant City either. But that
was his name, the sign distinctly said that his
name. I know it's hard to face so many disagreeable
facts all at once, but there's no help for it.
Oh, I know what you think. You think Leo is a
confidence man who was out to swindle me. I'm
going by what appear to be the facts in the case.
I'm going by experience. Well, I wouldn't fight
you except... Except that you love him. Well,
love doesn't make you blind. It's just... Well...
One fact I simply cannot account for. Yeah? No
matter what anyone says. Leo and I stopped at
that service station. No matter what anyone says,
it was open for business. No matter what anyone
says, there was a man named Frank, and he said
he'd fix the car in an hour and a half, and that
I'd have time to go shopping. Well, here we are.
As you can see, closed, deserted. Parent sign
on the window. Face it, Ruth, face it. But it
was real. so real transnational gas pumps okay
i call their office they told me hasn't been
a delivery here in three years since they cancel
the franchise because the owner frank walker
had died it was real it was real now think think
what what did happen i i just don't know oh god
lieutenant am i am i losing my mind The service
station was there. A man named Frank was there.
We heard him speak. Or did we? Did the conversation
actually take place at 1776 Jefferson Boulevard?
Or was it all taking place in the mind of Ruth
Renard, whose last name may not even be Renard,
since there's no record of her marriage either.
I'll be back shortly with Act 3. This is WBBM
Chicago She still insists she left her car there
to be fixed under the watchful eye of her husband
the authorities insist that Leo ran out on her
or Perhaps there never was a Leo and she creates
this fiction because she cannot accept reality
well What is reality? Well, come on. Let's take
a look at the place. As you can see, Ruth, deserted.
But as you can see, Lieutenant, it's spic and
span. How clean this place looks. Does this have
the appearance of a shop that's been closed for
three years? Oh, where's all the litter that
would collect? Why aren't these windows grimy
and dusty? I checked it out with the real estate
people. They keep the place shaped up. After
all, they are trying to get rid of the place
now. I was inside this place yesterday. But there's
a padlock on the door. Whatever you want to say,
however you want to say it, I know this. I was
here. Okay, let's go inside. The real estate
people gave me the key. You don't believe me.
It's obvious by your manner. That's no good.
It's bad for me to have an obvious manner. I'm
sorry. I know you're trying to be nice. I'm only
trying to find some answers. Come on in. Well,
does it look familiar? This only makes me more
certain. I was here. I stood right here at this
counter. when Leo came out of the shop, which
is right through that door, with Frank. Yeah?
And told me what had to be done with the car.
What you're saying is this visit only reinforces
your conviction that you were here. Absolutely.
Well, let's stay with that for a little while
anyhow. How long were you gone? Exactly an hour
and a half. I've already told you. I know, I
know. Are you sure? Positive. And what did you
do? Already? Never mind. I went to this golden
mall. Yes, and? And I shopped. Buy anything?
Well, I wasn't in too much of a mood for shopping.
I missed Leo, and I was hungry. So I ran into
a shop and I picked up a nightgown. That took
an hour and a half? No, I wandered around. I
looked in windows, had a cup of coffee, and I
even called Leo. I was away from him for three
quarters of an hour, and I missed him so much
I just had to call him. You called Leo here?
Yes, here. Here. I don't see a phone here. Well,
there must be. I phoned him. I spoke with him.
How can you... Well, where's the phone? I don't...
Maybe... Maybe it's in the office. The office?
Well, maybe the man, Frank, has a private office,
and that's where his phone is. Well, let's look
around. Yeah, you're right. He's got a little
cubbyhole here with a desk. Sure enough, a phone.
Well, finally, have I said something you can
believe? The phone's dead. No dial tone. I guess
it isn't connected. I spoke on that phone to
Leo. And the man, Frank, he answered it. Sure.
Oh, your tone of voice. Please, I don't mean
anything. You can't help it. You want to be nice
to me, but you think I'm crazy. No, I'm trying
to go along with it. With what? With everything
you say. What we need right now, more than anything
else, is a break. Who knows? Maybe we'll get
one. Kind of you to take me to dinner. It's a
line of duty. I can even put it on my expense
account. You said that you had an important development.
I think we do. Well, can you tell me? We think
we know who Leo is. What do you mean? You know
who he is? His real name is Wallace, Leo Wallace.
It's impossible. Let me finish. Listen. We had
his picture. Where? How? I mean, how could you
get his picture? It was in your handbag. Oh.
I ran it through the routine and there's a very
strong likeness to a Leo Wallace, a very skillful
confidence man. Oh. A Leo had turned in a very
big score. He'd flim -flam some old gent out
of about a million and a half dollars. Well,
I don't believe it. Maybe you'd better hear it
first. He denied it. The jury voted against him.
He got a minimum of 10 years, but there was an
appeal. Just a few months ago, they found some
irregularities in the trial and he was free.
Oh! How about the money? The money? The money
he's supposed to have stolen. Oh! He did steal
it. He has it hidden somewhere. So you see, there's
a motive on someone's part to get him and get
at the money. I never dreamed that... that Leo
could... Well, as I say, we can't prove it. All
we know is that your Leo's picture looks like
this Leo Wallace. Then I don't have to be crazy.
This could have all been just a plot, don't you
see? You thought Leo was out to steal my money,
and as it turns out, there were people after
Leo. They could have arranged the whole service
station set up. Well? Well, it's... It's not
impossible. Well, then can't you do something?
How he could have arrived at this service station
is something I'll get to later. The fact is,
he did go there. Well, I tell you he did. Me
did. If only we can put him there, things would
make sense. You wouldn't be crazy. We'd have
a lead. Why pick Frank's service station? It
isn't the first one you came to. It was the first
transnational gas station, and that was his credit
card. Are you, uh, are you capable of being objective
right now? I'm trying to prove to you I am not
crazy. Well, pretend for a moment that all this
happened to somebody else. Pretend this is a
story I'm telling you. I don't see why. A young
woman tells a cab driver to take her to a non
-existent gas station. But I have been there
with my husband. We don't know that. We only
have your word for it. So, when they arrive...
She becomes hysterical and she tells a story
you've told us. Okay, we check, we find out there
is no record of the girl's marriage. No record
of the justice who she claims married her to
her husband. Her husband is most likely a notorious
confidence operator, newly released from jail.
Why would I lie about... Would you continue,
please? We know very little about the girl herself.
She worked at the hotel in Reliance City as a
public stenographer for only a month. There's
no family. I lost my parents years ago. I'm an
only child. I had one aunt who's dead. Well,
everything is so vague. We can't find anyone
who's ever seen this girl with her husband. But
we stopped at three motels between here and Reliant
City. No one remembers seeing a Mr. Renard. You
can check their registers. They must prove their
Mr. and Mrs. Renard stopped there. So the clerks
remember a Mrs. Renard. That's because I went
into the lobby to sign the registers while Leo
took care of the bags. Once again, we have that
same problem. Admit it now. If this were someone
else's story, would you believe it? All right,
I know. It sounds... But if it is a hallucination,
where did it start? No! It's real! It's... You
said to the cabbie that you bought a gift for
your husband. I did. No. No, you didn't. You
bought a nightgown at the lady. Oh, but I...
Why would you lie? Oh, maybe it isn't a lie.
Maybe subconsciously you know you don't have
a husband, therefore you really couldn't buy
him a present. Then... then why would I have
his picture in my purse? You may have found it...
somewhere. Maybe without knowing it you... you
fell in love with his picture and... Why is it
all so real? I keep tripping you up all the time.
Your story has so many holes. For instance, why
do you say you called from the mall? Well, that
phone has been disconnected for three years.
But I did call. You have to believe me. That
means I have to believe you. The whole story,
all of it. All of it is true. And yet, I can't
check any of it. Wait a minute. There's one part
I can check. And if you're telling me the truth
about that one little part, then the whole story
could make sense. What is that part? No. No,
I don't want to get your hopes up. I'll... I'll
see you at the hotel. Oh, but I'd like to know!
There isn't very much I can do about it till
the morning anyhow. Sergeant Flowers? So, Lieutenant
Powell, Sergeant, there's a telephone at 1776
Jefferson Boulevard. You got that? Yes, sir.
It should have been disconnected for about three
years. I want you to find out if it was temporarily
restored to service recently. If so, buy home.
Somebody had to pay a deposit. I want the name
and address. Yes, sir. I want that information
immediately. Okay, Leo, take a little drink.
That's good. It'll make you feel better. There
you are. Now, you gonna be sensible? You can
drop dead. Leo, as long as you're willing to
catch, I can pitch. Be reasonable. I don't want
all the money. I don't care if you kill me. It
didn't come to that. Now look, the old guy's
dead. You can't give it back to him anymore.
He has a family. And every one of them a millionaire.
Leo, why should the rich always get richer? I've
seen crooks like you go soft, start to worry
about right and wrong. Believe me, it don't last.
It wears off. I'm only trying to save you from
yourself. Punk, I should have recognized you
with that gas station. Hey, it was not a great
wig and a mustache. I look good in it, huh? Leo,
back in the jailhouse, I protected you against
all those dudes who wanted to shake the secret
out of you. I saved your life. You promised me
my peace. I'm entitled. I'm entitled. I'll kill
you. Hi, you punk. You're at the end of the line.
You blew it. You blew it. You'll kill me for
nothing and this time they'll send you up for
life. Never! You think I'm not gonna kill you
if you don't lead us to the door? That's wrong.
I'll kill you. Go ahead, punk. Go ahead. Please,
Leo, don't make me do it. Hit him one more time
or I'm gonna blow your head off. Keep your hands
up high where I can see them. That's good. Bill,
Eddie, hustle this one down to headquarters.
You sucker. We could have been rich. We could
have been rich. What do you get out of it this
way? So, you're Leo. You all right? Yeah. Takes
more than a punk like you. Let me get you untied.
I guess she was telling the truth all this time,
huh? Can you stand it? Yeah, yeah, okay. You're
quite a guy, Leo. I have to go to headquarters
to book him. I'll need you, too. Sure. I know
you want to see Ruth. Why don't I drop you off
at her hotel? You'll want to be alone for a while.
Yeah, thanks. You can both come down later. There's
no hurry. Just a minute. Leo! Oh, Leo, Leo, darling!
Hello, Ruth. Oh, Leo, how did you... What made
you... No, no, I don't want to talk. I just want
to hold... Crazy no, but I would be if I couldn't
figure it out That gas station that was all a
setup How did they know I would stop right there,
huh? How could they be sure somebody had a loose
in the gasket just enough to make that noise?
Somebody had to say let's get off the highway
at that particular exit Somebody had to practically
lead me by the hand right into the center. Leo,
why would I? A million and a half bucks, that's
a big enough lie. Leo, I love you. Oh, sure.
How can you even think that? And it's the right
way to do it, too. I disappear. You become the
poor, distraught, deserted wife. The mobsters
figure you've been double -crossed, too. The
heat's off you forever. Oh, Leo, how can I convince
you? What can I say? It's a great plan, baby.
Even the phone call, that little cubby hole office.
The only place in the station that isn't open
to view from the street. The only place where
it's safe to jump me. That's why you installed
the phone, get me out of sight, distract me.
Leo, please. But the punk blew it. He gave his
right name to the phone company, his correct
address. So they were able to check him out.
The punk wanted to save a 30 buck deposit for
30 bucks. He blew his shot at a million and a
half. Leo, I swear to you. He always was a punk.
And now for you, baby. Leo. Leo. Why are you
looking at me like that? I think I'm gonna kill
you. Leo, it's all in your mind. Oh, sure. Oh,
I swear I had nothing to do with it. I love you.
I love you. Let me prove it. Quiet. Here. Look.
That's my purse on the night table. See? In the
purse there's a .22 caliber revolver. Look inside
it. All right. You'll find it. Now, if you really
think I'm guilty, go ahead and kill me. Will
you kill me? What are you waiting for? You see,
you can't do it. You love me. You can't do it.
Leo, don't be crazy. Lieutenant Powell, Leo's
gone crazy. Just stay where you are, Powell.
Just stay there. Leo, what are you going to do?
Are you out of your mind? I let you come up here
alone so you could figure it out for yourself.
Yeah, I understand, and I have to kill her. Lieutenant,
you can't just stand there. There's nothing he
or anyone else can do, Ruth, except... Except...
Hey, Paul. If she goes to jail, what can she
get? At least ten. Ten. Ten, huh? In ten years,
that... Beauty, that terrible, overpowering beauty
of hers that blinds you, that beauty will be
gone. She'll be old, old, worn and bitter, as
good as dead, with almost half a lifetime still
in front of her. Leo, give me a chance. If I
kill her now, it's too easy. It will be over
in a second. Take her, Lieutenant. Take her.
We'll kill her the right way, legally. Leo, Leo,
I love you. Oh, I love you too, Ruth. I love
you more than anything in this whole wide world.
But I'll get over it. You'll never get over me.
Oh, I'll get over you, baby. And if I can't,
if I don't, if I still love you ten years from
now, I'll be waiting for you outside the prison
gate. Did Leo get over Ruth? Or did his love
continue? Did he meet her at the prison gate
ten years after? We don't know. It hasn't been
ten years yet. What a story that would make.
And we hope all of us will be around ten years
from now to hear it. I'll be back shortly. As
we said earlier, most men devote more time to
the choice of a car than to the study of the
girl they pick for a wife. Why? Well, perhaps
it's because all of us love suspense. We delight
in being surprised. Another reason why you should
always listen to our program. Let us fill your
normal and natural need for suspense. And thus,
you are free to be more rational, sober -minded
in real life. Our cast included Marion Seldas,
George Petrie, Larry Haynes, and Gil Mack. The
entire production was under the direction of
Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theatre was sponsored
in part by Buick Motor Division, the Kellogg
Company, makers of Kellogg's Special K cereal,
and New Sugar Free Diet 7 -Up. This is E .G.
Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery
Theatre for another adventure. in the macabre.
Until next time, pleasant dreams. CBS News is
next on WBBM Chicago.