Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Welcome to the world
of terrifying imagination. The fear you can hear.
No breath of it yet as we begin our tale and
meet Steven and Simon Fairley. The occasion is
solemn, as death should be. But all else for
these identical twins is a wild sense of freedom
and expectation with no hint of the dark disasters
already forming. as they listen to the words
of their fathers' last bequests. And that the
whole of my estate shall be disposed of as follows.
To Stephen Fairley, my firstborn son, I leave
all my worldly goods in entirety. Well, thanks
a hunk for nothing, dear old dad. Well, there
is a clause that refers to you, Simon. Then let's
hear it. To my secondborn, Simon, I leave only
advice. Mend your ways. It is inconceivable to
me, and has been most of my life, that you could
be brother to Steven, much less his identical
twin. Now that's enough, Mr. Holcomb. Well, there
are some small bequest... No, we can take him
up later. I'm... I'm really sorry, Simon. Yes,
so am I, Steven. I never expected the old crook
to out -fox me. I hope he rots in hell. That's
a damnable thing to say. Precisely. Since this
family long ago decided I'm the devil's own,
why shouldn't I be his advocate? Or apostate?
To hell with it all, Stephen. And may I be the
last to join you. Our mystery drama, and death
makes even Stephen. was written especially for
the Mystery Theater by Ian Martin and stars Michael
Tolan and Paul Hecht. I'll be back shortly with
Act One. It was true of the Fairly Twins. Physically,
no one could ever tell them apart. But their
personalities... That was something else again
Stephen the quiet the considerate the steady
the accountable Simon the wild the unpredictable
the often cruel the man of success in nothing
Except for physical resemblance these two men
from the same mother seemed the antithesis of
each other Aren't you going a bit heavy on that
Simon? Oh, just getting all I can brother dear
while the getting is good Now that I'm a pumper,
I must make the most of every opportunity. Don't
be a fool. Here, give me that. Oh, such a waste.
But then you can afford it. You've had enough
today. Besides, I must talk to you. Well, you
mean there may be a chance that I'm not to be
cast out and told never to darken the door again?
Knock it off, Simon. I gotta talk to you, seriously.
And for Pete's sake, sit down. No, I think I
prefer to face the coup de grace standing back
to the wall. unblindfolded and unafraid suit
yourself but quit clowning and stay away from
the boo okay okay stevie forgive me it was just
dad's will i knew he didn't exactly approve of
me but wow finding out how much really threw
me for a loop that isn't as bad as it seems there
was a letter to me he didn't want to leave you
with nothing simon and he's asked me to set up
a trust to be administered by me to provide you
with a decent income Well now I think I I will
sit down How much the trust or the income now
the money in the pocket my one -hour older brother?
That's what I get while you're alive, right?
Yes a thousand a month tax free Twelve thousand
shimmering simoleons a year That's a generous
bequest from a man who could have bought Rhode
Island and still have had enough left over to
cut the national debt in half. What would you
have expected him to do? What he should have
done, considering who we are. What? Cut the estate
right down the middle. Left us each a half. You
know why he'd never have done that. Oh yes, only
too damn well. I was ten before I was old enough
to latch onto the truth. Why you were always
the favorite. No, no, favorite isn't even the
word. You know, he always blamed me for mother's
death. He hated me. That isn't true. The shoe
was somehow on the other foot. Your whole life
sigh. Expelled from school after school. The
girl, the car accidents, robberies, beating up
women. All the things he had to cover for you.
Yes, to save the precious, fairly name. All the
things I did to get his attention. To have him
treat me like a human being instead of a murderer.
You've been drinking too much. Oh no, Stevie
Boy. This is Simon Cold Sober. Simple Simon who
couldn't have his only parents love so he didn't
know any better thing to do than to reach out
any way to get him to even notice. We spent most
of our lives in boarding schools. You think he
offered me so much more? Yeah, only the whole
ball of whack. I was talking of love. That's
a word with no meaning in this house. Even between
us. What do we really know about each other?
Except this children we've been separated most
of the time and I always managed to get the short
end. Who was drafted while you and dad lived
at home and you joined the business while I...
crawled on my belly with the VC trying to do
what my father didn't have the nerve to do get
rid of me none of that was my fault no but Becky
was something else again you were missing in
action reported killed it was over two years
sigh I love Becky too and she turned to me yeah
too bad I returned before the marriage had taken
place still in my condition then it was hard
to think of us as identical twins Forty pounds
difference in weight made quite a difference,
huh? So she stuck with you and you won as always
Which brings us back to the immediate problem
Are you ready to cut the estate right down the
middle and give me half and don't be ridiculous?
But you are the brother who is all love the money
isn't dollars and cents Simon It's the shipping
business the holding company the import export
exchange a hundred interlocking all right then
buy me off A million, a couple of million, out
of those nice anonymous numbered Swiss bank accounts.
And then you can do what my father longed his
whole life to do, forget I ever existed. But
I still do, no way. Now in three to five years
you'd blow it all on women and every grifter
who got next to you with his get -rich -quick
scheme. No. Father was right. I may have found
him hard to la - Oh, you worked hard enough to
toady your way into his affections and perhaps
I was... Perhaps I was sorry for him. Who is
to say which of us caused Mother most harm? Caused
her to die in childbirth? Past history. Oh, no,
there are only two of us. Come on, Si, won't
you accept Dad's suggestion and mourn him in
some decency? Twelve thousand a year? I can't
live on that. It's free and clear. You have a
house to live in, food, no living expenses. All
right, suppose... Suppose I accept we'll make
it all legal the trust can revert to you if you
will by your 35th birthday and Becky She's already
made her choice, but what? Since your unexpected
return and father's death have delayed our marriage
and perhaps it's only fair But there's no way
I can prevent you seeing her again and now that
you're back to yourself physically And I suppose
you want to. You know our engagement party is
a week from tomorrow, but she won't be back from
New York till then. In spite of father's death,
we've decided not to call it off. You're invited.
And if you think you can replace me as the prospective
groom, what can I do to prevent you? But as far
as Becky is concerned, if you hurt her in any
way, twin brother or not, I'll kill you. Now
I must see about the funeral arrangements. Not
you, dear brother. I... I'm the one with everything
to gain. If only I knew the way. Steve! Why are
you so late? Would you believe a flat tire, tonight
of all nights? And Becky... It doesn't matter
now that you're here. But you've got to help
me, darling. We're gonna have to make a decision.
About what? Kiss me first. I don't need any invitation
for that. You've never kissed me like that before.
There's never been an occasion quite like this.
It looks as though it isn't going to be the occasion
we planned it to be. What does that mean? It's
father. You know how uptight he can get over
nothing. Nobody better. I grew up with one of
my own. I never heard you talk like that about
your father before. Oh, I just... I just meant
the generation gap. For me, that's what it is,
Miss Father. He's just laid it out flat. No engagement
tonight, no announcement, nothing. Then what's
the party supposed to be for? It isn't even a
party anymore. It's a sort of memorial service
for his old friend. He said it would be an insult
to Justin's memory to have gaiety and fun so
soon after his funeral. But I want us to be engaged.
I don't want to wait. Look, I have an even better
idea. What? Let's you and me slip out right now,
forget the engagement, and get married. But...
how? We have no license, or... Look, we're less
than 20 miles from a state where all we need
is the fee and two witnesses. Oh, you really
pull me over, Stephen. That's more the kind of
thing Simon would do. Well, Simon was a bit of
a whack, I guess. Simon was a lot worse than
that. The only thing that I could tell you about
your brother's... Well... That's past history.
How is he now? The very picture of health. It's
unbelievable. When he got back from prison camp,
I... I could hardly recognize him. He had a rough
time. I know. And that's why I was so ashamed
of myself for... For what? Don't... don't tell
this to anyone, Steve. But I... I always used
to be so scared after... after Simon and I had
broken off and it was you and me. Scared of what?
Just hold me. You're so uncannily alike. Even
I, who know you both so well, was scared I might
not be able to tell a difference. Oh, darling,
what a terrible thing to have to say or even
think. Don't think it. Put it out of your thoughts.
I can't. It's eerie, terrifying to even consider
I could ever mistake my kind, gentle, loving
Stephen for that. Wild, brutal twin who would
have destroyed... Shh, darling. Don't look back.
Kiss me, and then let's take off together. Oh,
Steve, I can't. That would be against here. Then
kiss me. No, not, not... I said kiss me! You...
You're not Stephen. Stephen would never... Stephen!
I've been looking for you everywhere, Becky.
Oh, I wish you'd found me sooner. What's going
on here? It doesn't matter now that you're here.
Seeing you together, there's no doubt that a
private... What is it? Look at that lousy brother
of mine. Steven, don't be silly. He was just
congratulating me. He's a little enthusiastic
for just an engagement, wasn't it? I haven't
told you the news yet, Steven. It isn't our engagement
we're announcing tonight. What? It's our wedding,
and as soon as possible, unless you object. No.
Of course not, but your father... Are you leaving
me? I'll arrange everything. If you leave, I'll
follow. When is the day? Just as fast as we can
get the license. Like day after tomorrow, or
the one after that at the latest. I wish you
didn't have to go, Steve. We should have been
the party tail -enders. I gotta get Simon home.
He's practically out cold. Come on, Simon. Come
on, get in. No, no, the driver's seat. You're
in no condition to drive. Well, you're a lousy
driver. I'm better at the wheel than you drunk
or sober. Would you get in the car? Now, Cole,
I hope someone's up to help lug him up to bed.
Well, good night, darling. Good night. Drive
carefully. The fog coming up. Yeah, I will. Goodbye,
my, uh, my almost wife. Goodbye, my almost husband.
I'll show them all. What? Yeah, I'll have her
if I want. I'll take everything you fucking want.
You can't do it to me. Will you shut up, Simon?
Will you just go back to sleep? Huh? Hey, the
VC got a roadblock, Lieutenant. Huh? Yeah, I
feel it in my bones right around the next bend.
So stop the convoy. I want to stop the... Steve.
Where are we? All right, all right. Take it easy,
Simon. We're just on the way home. How come I'm
not driving? Because you passed out. Well, the
road. Where's the road? We're off the road. Cut
it out, you fool. It's just off the road. No,
no. Off the road. Back to the left. Would you
like to back it back to the left? We've got to
go left. Going right into the ditch. After the
protesting scream of rubber, the quiet in the
forest is a stillness so thick it would almost
be touched. A rabbit stands frozen before flight.
The birds perch on the limbs, heads cocked, as
if waiting to decide which direction danger will
come from. The only thing moving now is one of
the twins, climbing from the twisted wreck. What?
Which one? I'll return shortly with Act Two.
The birds have risen and are off in a whir of
wings. The rabbit has long since reached the
safety of his warrant before Simon Fairley has
determined that the blood dripping in his eyes
is from a minor gash in the forehead. And the
rest of his aches and pains are just contusions
and bruises. Only now does he go to look at his
brother, pinned between the steering wheel and
the seat cushion. Steve? Steve, are you all right?
You're not dead you can't be Dead It would solve
everything it would all be mine had no blame
for me. He was driving Steve Steve do you hear
me? Damn it's so difficult to get at your heart
to hear Can't feel any pulse No more second -class
citizen. I'd be number one at last. The house,
the money, even... No. No, not Becky. She's beyond
me. Unless... I could get away with it. I already
did before I got careless and Steve turned up.
Yes, that's it. That's the way. Make an exchange.
Just get Steve out of his seat into mine. It's
gonna work it's all going to be mine What what
happened Steve you're You're alive. Yeah, I guess
so How are you? Hey, you're bleeding, huh? Oh,
I just I just cut my head a little. It's nothing.
Oh, I can't get up. I think I sprained my ankle.
Maybe I broke it. Here, give me your hands, all
right? Some sort of jagged rock under my back.
Could you move it or help me up? Let me see.
It's just a rock. Let me get rid of it and then...
Get rid of it? Or use it? What are you waiting
for? I, uh... I'm not waiting any longer. Well
then, for the love of... This time, you are dead.
But not Steven. Simon. No time to wait around.
There's plenty to do before someone finds you.
Go around and break the windshield. No, no, not
from the outside. The inside. Steve into my seat
and get into the driver's seat till someone finds
me. All right, fellas, finish up with the pictures
and then get those two guys free. I'll try to
move them. The ambulance will be here any moment.
You can come back down there. Okay, Miss, nothing
for you. Move along. Oh, Sergeant, please. You've
got to let me get through to Steven. Stephen
who? Stephen Fairley. I heard about the accident.
You know Stephen Fairley? We're going to be married
next week. Okay, cut your motor. Come on out.
Look, Miss... Elizabeth Rundell. Oh, sure. I
thought I recognized you. Well, what is it, Sergeant?
Can't you take me to the car? He's not badly
hurt. Look, Miss Rundell. Do you happen to know
who was driving the car? Yes, as a matter of
fact, they do. It was Steven's. You sure of that?
Quite. They'd only just left an engagement party
at my house, and Simon had had too much to drink,
so Steven took the wheel. They look so like each
other, I can't blame you for not... They don't
look nothing like each other now, my lady. Well,
they're not... Steven isn't dead. The passenger
is dead, the driver is alive. That's your guy.
How bad off he is, we won't know until we get
him to the hospital. Nurse? No, Steve. It's me,
it's Becky. I'm... I'm sorry. You want the nurse?
No, no. It's just this bandage. It's half over
my eyes. You'll be able to tell me from Simon
from now on easily with this scar I've got over
my eyes. Haven't they... Haven't they told you
about Simon yet? What do you mean, told me? He
wasn't... He... Oh my God, now... Now I remember.
I was... I was half out when they found me, but
I... His head must have gone right through the
windshield. Is... Is he dead? Yes. You're a foolish
kid. It's all my fault. I should have put the
seatbelt on it. Oh, darling, don't blame yourself.
Just tell me what happened. It was the damn fog
and Simon's drinking. I was taking it quite easy,
but you know that big hollow on Hillsdale Road
shortly after Grey's Corner? Mm -hmm. Well, just
as we hit that, the fog was like a smoke screen.
And at the same time, Simon woke up from some
drunken dream about Vietnam and went crazy. He
grabbed the steering wheel and threw us right
off the road and into the tree before I had a
chance to break. The wheel and the seatbelt saved
me. Although I did take a pretty good crack across
the forehead, but Simon... Well, forget about
that now, dear. It's over and done with. Just
let's get you well home. Oh, I'm fine, Becky.
I've gotten a clean bill of health. Nothing broken,
just a few bruises and a little embroidery above
my eyes. You think you can manage a slightly
piebald groom with a bandage headband? Oh, now
look, Stevie. We can't have the wedding as we
planned it now. Why not? Well, how would it look?
I don't care how it looks. It was my father and
brother and there was little love lost among
us. I can tell you the truth now, dear. But I
thought you and your father... My father was
a hard man. Selfish, domineering, insensitive.
He was more like a machine than a man. He was
proud of me not because I was his son but because
I was his heir. Something to perpetuate the fairly
name. Some sort of... Pseudo -Immortality. Well,
I'll make it up. I'll make it up to you. The
past, Steve. Our future will be a long and lovely
one. With no twins? Well, I can't promise that.
Well, they skip generations. Now look, you run
along and plan something lovely to wear for tonight.
Tonight? Yes, darling. I've already arranged
the whole thing with Cook and Butler. You and
I are having our engagement dinner alone at the
house tonight. I'll send Gray with the car to
pick you up at 7 .30. And please forgive me for
troubling you with affairs of state, so to speak,
the very day you're out of the hospital. That's
all right, Mr. Holcomb, but I am a little short
of time. Yes, of course, by all means. What I
need is a number of signatures from you. Signatures?
No, just some legal papers and certified checks
which can't wait. Damn. Well, look, you'll have
to give me a day or so until they can take the
bandage off this right hand of mine. I can't
sign anything until they do. Oh, my apologies.
I hadn't realized, of course, that everything
can be delayed. Except for one thing. What? Well,
there's a piece of... Correspondence, I don't
quite understand. Apparently some sort of a private
deal between you and Pessin Joglu and Company.
Who? Pessin Joglu and Company, a Turkish import
-export firm with whom we have some dealings.
You know, Persian rugs, tabare, ancient jewelry,
inlaid cabinets, silk screens, objects of many
discopiance. But I don't know what... Consignment,
this letter, opened by mistake after your father's
death, refers to... Damn this forehead bandit,
you read it to me. Oh yes, very well. Oh, omitting
the formal address. It reads... Dear Stefanos,
we are still awaiting payment, consignment YB382
-7. We are informed that delivery has been received.
Unless your check for $48 ,000 or equivalent
reaches us within the week, we will be forced
to take action against you. We know this must
only be an oversight of your sincerity, Demetrius
Peasant. Why don't you just pay it? Mr. Fairley,
no one else in the company knows anything about
this consignment, except you. Me? Well, of course.
Look, it's a perfectly normal deal. Just... Just
pay him the money. Oh, a check that size would
have to be count assigned by you, sir. And with
your hand... Well, by tomorrow, I may be able
to manage. Have we time? According to the letter,
to the end of the week or the beginning of next,
I don't think it's that important. All that puzzles
me is the nature of such an expensive secret
and... Shall we say a personal concern? I don't
think I have to account to you for that. Oh,
not to me, but eventually when the books are
out... You must know it was a wedding present
for my wife. Wife -to -be, that is. It was my
father's idea. A necklace. Apparently he got
sick before he issued the check. Is there any
reason why I can't close this matter? No, no,
no, not at all. Everything is yours now, Stephen,
eh? Well, I mustn't delay you. You will be postponing
the wedding this Saturday, I suppose. No. Well,
but there's scarcely time for your brother's
funeral. It was Simon's desire to be cremated.
It's already been done. There will be no funeral.
Ah, I see. Perhaps you're right, Stephen. There's
been enough sorrow for you in the past few days.
You have a right to some happiness. That briefcase
is very heavy. I'll carry it to your car for
you. Well, perhaps it's better I leave it here.
Then you can sign at your leisure. Good idea.
And now... Oh, yes. Now, of course, I must be
off. Well, I expect you'll be taking a honeymoon,
you and Becky. So we won't be seeing you at the
office for quite a while. No, not for quite a
while. Here you are, Mr. Holcomb. Let me help
you in. Ah, thank you. Now, call me as soon as
you're ready with those signatures. The signature.
I better get up to Steve's room and start learning
to copy it. And what the devil is that business
with the tape? I've got to get away from here
fast. There's so many things I don't know about
Steve. Everything's working too well to make
any mistakes now. I guess I have time to go through
Steve's desk before I have to get dressed. Damn!
It's locked! Naturally, Simon. Among your other
unpleasant characteristics, you've always been
a sneaky little snoop. Steve! Not exactly in
the flesh, of course, thanks to you. Only the
mouth and the chin and the hair matted now with
dry blood would serve to identify Steve. The
rest of the face is a horror of torn flesh. and
the white shards of shattered bone, out of which
wreckage stares the one uninjured eye, pouring
with deadly intensity into the terrified face
of the man who was once his image. I'll return
shortly with Act 3. and fascinated by that single
hypnotizing eye, Simon is forced for what seems
an eternity to focus on his twin's ruined face.
The mocking smile and the white even teeth. A
ghastly contrast which multiplies the horror
of the broken skull above them. At last, with
a supreme effort, he tears his eyes away to find
himself staring at the reflection of his own
countenance in the mirror above the desk. Oh,
God, no. Don't cover your face, little brother.
Leave me at least with a memory of how I once
looked. You're dead. Cremated. You can't be here.
As I said, not in the flesh, but, uh, we are
hatched from the same egg, Simon. You can't get
rid of me so easily. I shall always be with you,
uh, in spirit, shall we say? No. No, leave me
alone. I will. When it serves me. Or you. Steve,
I didn't mean to. Of course you did. I might
possibly have done the same if our positions
had been reversed. What? You have a lot to learn
about me, little brother, which you would have
in time. To avoid breaking open my desk, let
me offer you the key. Steve, I can't rummage
through your things now. The key? Take it. Why
not? And since time is short before the dinner,
I'll even help you understand a little better.
Open the desk. Left -hand pigeonholes are a false
front. No, no, here, let me. There are all my
secrets. Now, while you read them, I'll tell
you about the most important items. But, why,
why are you helping me? Because I want you quite
as thoroughly damned as I am. I'll make it brief,
as you read. Demetrios is in the drug business.
For years I have used father's impeccably accredited
import firm to cover for deliveries. You... you
in drugs? You'll find the evidence in the papers
you're leafing through. Wicked Simon, the black
sheep. Stupid Simon, really. We were twins in
more than the outward look, believe me. The difference
was that you didn't have enough sense to bury
your faults. I was smart enough to keep them
covered up. But not smart enough to realize you
had as little squibbles as I had when it came
to the point. Alright, so you lost. Why not let
me have my innings now? Why not? I'll even be
of help. Until you have studied my signature
enough to mask it, I'll even sign your papers
for you. No, don't worry. The hand that guides
the pen may be of the spirit world, but the pen
and ink are finite enough. Go on. Get ready for
romance. This... this letter that came from your
Demetrius, shall I... shall I pay this? Oh, let
me see. Oh, that double -dealing crook. Nah,
don't pay him a cent. I've already made arrangements
so that he will be paid in full. Yeah, free...
And you? I will not be so easy to forget, dear
twin brother. We are bound together by special
hoops of steel. As long as I walk this house,
I shall be unavoidably hard to escape. Well,
go on. It's time for you to be all that Becky
expects of me. Of you? Aren't I what you hope
to become? It's really too hot for a fire, but
I couldn't resist it. I find it irresistibly
romantic, even if I were bathed in sweat, which
I'm not. Can I make you another drink? No, thank
you. I want to enjoy this dinner and remember
it. There's champagne. I'd be disappointed if
there worked. I don't want ever to disappoint
you, darling. Oh, my darling Steve. Not you,
ever. I'll try to live up to your expectations.
Do you love me? I love you. I've always loved
you. Now that I came so close to losing you,
I love you even more. Oh, it's a terrible thing
to say, I know, but thank God it was Simon instead
of you. Shh, darling. Let's not spoil the evening.
I've sent all the servants out, you know. We're
all alone. You sure you don't want another drink?
No. But can I make a confession? Of course. I'm
famished. Mademoiselle, a selfie. May I escort
you to your table? Thank you, Monsieur. Oh, Stephen.
How pretty the table is. My favorite roses. But
why... Why what, Becky? Why is it set for...
for three? You don't mind my joining you, Simon,
do you? Suitably dressed. White tie and tail.
The face mask I thought was a stroke of genius.
It hides the damage so nicely. Did you say something,
Steve? Damn Joseph, he's in his dotage. I suppose
he's so accustomed to setting for three that
he just... Don't blame the poor butler. I set
the third place. Damn you! I won't have it! There's
only... Steve! Steve, what is it? I'm sorry,
Vicki. I can't help it. It's all spoiled now.
But let's get out of here and eat somewhere else.
I... Gotta get away from this house. Steve, you're
not eating a thing. I'm sorry, dear dear. I know
it must be foolish to you, but that extra chair
set for a dinner, it threw me. Well, it was unfortunate,
I know, and you wanted everything to be just
right. But don't blame poor old Joseph too much.
After all these years of setting the table for
you and your father... Simon. That's what did
it to me. See, I could see him sitting in that
chair with his face. You didn't see him after
the accident, thank God, but he... Steve, it
wasn't your fault. He was the one who grabbed
the wheel and pulled you off the road into the
tree, wasn't he? Simon. Yes, Simon was the one,
all right. That's true enough. So you mustn't
take the blame. As long as I've lived in that
house, he'll haunt it. The memory of him, the
battered face. Well, we'll solve all that. You
won't live in the house. You'll move out to a
hotel tonight, and after we're married on Saturday,
when we come home from the honeymoon, we'll buy
a new house. Hey, wait. I... I have an even better
idea. Maybe we'll never come back. Never? Maybe
we'll settle in Rome or Paris or the Costa del
Sol. Or just travel. I've always wanted to see
Mont Saint -Michel and the Tivoli and Taj Mahal.
That's my girl. That's what we'll do free souls
with never a look behind Becky Becky we've got
it made you and me from here on in Oh God you
again always always my dear twin we're prisoners
in the same jail What does that mean this house?
Oh, I know you think you're escaping it for a
while, but that's only temporary. Take it from
me. Becky and I are off for a honeymoon. Of course.
Not till Saturday, though. That seemed a little
early to be packing. Might as well start sometime.
You seem to be planning to take quite a wardrobe.
Well, on a ship, there's plenty of room. Plenty
of distance between here and there. What do you
mean, there? Oh, wherever. What were they, Rome?
Paris? Mont -Saint -Michel, the Taj Mahal, the
very poetic one. Damn you! Do you know everything?
One of the few advantages of being a ghost. And
you? You can go everywhere? No, there are limitations.
Now, I'm tied to this house. And you're welcome
to it. Thank you, Simon. Or should I call you
Stephen? Oh, it's so confusing since you switched
identities. Which, by the by, reminds me. While
you were dining and making all your escape plans,
I signed all the papers Old Lawyer Holcomb left
so you are free to go. I, uh... I suppose I should
say thank you. Call it my wedding gift. What
about the check for that Demetrius or whatever
his name was? Oh, forget about that. That was
a private deal. He doesn't need your check. Other
arrangements have been made to satisfy that debt,
believe me. So, this, as the word goes, is goodbye.
Yes. I'm sorry I won't be able to attend the
wedding and give the bride away. I never intend
to come near this house again. Pity. I'm afraid
you're going to be disappointed. You like the
cabin all right, Becky? I couldn't be more pleased.
How about your new husband? Ditto. Well, just
keep feeling that way. Darling, you'll have to
excuse me for a minute. Why? I don't know. The
assistant purser just told me someone from the
office needs an OK or something before we sail.
He doesn't have a pass, so they wouldn't let
him aboard. I'll be back in 10 minutes. Don't
miss getting back on the boat. Don't you worry.
It took me long enough to catch it. Mr. Hood?
Yeah. You from Fairleigh Company, son? Yeah,
right. You were Stephen Fairleigh? Yes. Good.
I got a message from you from my boss. Will we
step over here to my car? Well, the boat's too
near sailing. You just tell me here. At the car.
I just play real cool, Mr. Fairleigh, and don't
make any sudden moves. The jab, you feel, is
the muzzle of a short barrel 38. Okay. Should
we step over to the car? Where? Where are you
taking me? Little spot on the Jersey Flats. Ain't
exactly quicksand, but you'd be surprised how
fast that slime sucks up a body that ain't moving.
You're... you're not gonna kill me. You know,
dope is a funny game. Using your business as
a front was a great way for us to get the stuff
in. But when you try the old double R, Mr. P,
that was crazy, Steven. No, look, you don't understand.
I'm not Steven. What? Steven is dead. I'm Simon.
I had nothing to do with this. No, look, when
we had the automobile accident, all I did was
change places. I mean, Steven was driving and
I was... Oh, for God's sake, look, I just got
married. My wife is... Please, you better listen!
Okay. Dump them in the swamp and let's get out
of here, Giorgio. Well, here we are, Simon. Back
home again. Table set for two this time. That's
all there is. The rest are gone. Just you and
me. I know how it feels, but you might as well
face it. Eternity is such a long time. And since
we were twins, it seemed a shame... Simon was
alive and Stephen dead. This way, I'm still dead,
but even Stephen. A footnote to the tale you
just heard. Mr. Hood's quagmire proved less effective
than its reputation, and Simon's body was recovered.
Since he had served in the army, an examination
of his fingerprints established the deception.
about the death of the twins. The tangled result
of the estate is unimportant since there was
no heir. But at least Becky gained a measure
of peace in finding out that she had not tied
her life to a man who would have ruined it. I'll
be back shortly. Whenever the dead try to control
the living, The seeds of disaster are sown. At
the beginning of our tale, Justine Fairly lay
in his bed, whitened with the wax of death, his
stubborn mind at peace with the thought that
he had settled the future of his twin sons. Six
transit Gloria Mundi so passed the triumphs of
this world. He could no more control the accident
of their birth than he could their deaths. Our
cast included Michael Toland, Paul Hecht, Joan
Lovejoy, and Ian Martin. 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.