The Adventures of the Falcon, starring Less Damon. Hello, Yes this is
the Falcon speaking. Oh reader, I'm glad you called Angel, but we'll
have to make it another time. A man has disappeared with some of his
company's money. His employers can't wait to find out what's become of them.
In fact, it looks like the suspense may kill them. Once again.
The National Broadcasting Company brings you The Adventures of the Falcon, dedicated to private
investigators everywhere, those hard hitting detectives who like Mike Wearing, risk their lives
to wait law enforcement agencies. You met the Falcon first in his best selling
novels, then you saw him in his thrilling motion picture series, and now
NBC is happy to bring you his adventures on the air. Yes, it's
Michael Werring, that freelance detective who's always ready with a hand for oppressed men
and an eye for repressed women. So join him now, And the Falcon
solves the case of the amorous Bookkeeper. It's late Sunday night in New York
and Lucille Landis is worried. Lucille is the tall, willowy brunette who is
gliding down the hall of the third floor in the Tremont Building. She stops
at the door of the Style Centereddress Company, pauses briefly with her hand on
the knob, then shrugs daintily and opens the door. Her partner, large
Ponchee Barney Murdoch, looks up from the books on the desk in front of
him as she enters. Oh, at last, come in, Come in,
all right, Bonnie, Now what is it? He was so excited
on the phone, I hear sit down. Well, I've been suspicious for
some time. Didn't say anything because I didn't want to alarm you. Well
if I was wrong, Unfortunately I am not well. For heaven's sake.
Will you tell me what it's all about. It would be pretty important to
get you to the office on Sunday and then have you sent for me.
Yes, it's pretty important. I've had an accountant down here all day.
What do you think? Something wrong with the books? Hard to believe.
Finch's been with us for well, almost from the beginning, and he's such
a mild little guy. What's wrong with you? Made a mistake? Mistake?
Yeah, quite a mistake to think he could get away with it.
He's been taking us Lucille for the last six months. Are you sure?
Oh, I can't believe it's all here black and white? How much?
Nearly thirty thousand dollars. No, that's important. Thirty thousand dollars in six
months. I thought our profit was off for the volume we were doing.
But I couldn't find anything. So I've had an expert go over it.
He's found where Finch has been juggling? What do we do? What can
we do? Have the police here when Finch comes to work tomorrow. I
hope he hasn't spent it all. Yes, I suppose so, poor little
fellow mart if he's a thief, thirty thousand, we can wave sympathy.
Well, now come on, let me show you. That's why I asked
you down. I want you to see what the accountant pointed out, so
you'll understand. You know, I can't make heads and tails out of figures.
I leave all that part of the business to you. If you say
Finch has been robbing us, well that's it. You ought to take more
of an interest. Well, I do in designing and production, But believe
me, body, when it comes to bookkeeping, I don't know a debit
from a ledger all right, lucill If that's the way you want it,
that's the way. Now that's called the police. Shall we here? I
am Oh the ceiling I've been looking for you. I didn't see in this
back booth. Oh, that's why I picked it. I don't want it
to be seen down. You don't have to worry. Cora doesn't know about
us, your wife, we have to worry about any more. Since what
do you mean the jig's up? Fannie had an account at work on the
books day. Oh dear to put it mildly, what do we do?
And you've got to get out of town. I knew it would come to
this sooner or later. I knew it good. Nothing like being prepared.
Well, we've got to California. We Oh, were you taking Corra?
No? No you? Oh? She don't be silly. But I don't
want to leave you. You don't have much choice. You'll join me later.
Think about it. You won't join me. You want to get rid
of me now? Think you're acting so so cold. I'm worried, that's
all I should think. You'd want to go with me if you really love
me. Let's not go to that now. Sometimes I think I just wonder
if you've just been using me to juggle the books for you. Now that
I'm no more use to it, I'm tipping you off and I so you
can get away. Yes, but well maybe you don't want me talking,
but I don't. But I've got to know the truth. I've got to
let go my britz. Do you love me? Anthemy, Lucie? Do
you love me? Do you well? You asked for it. I know
it. I know it all the time. Look in the mirrors sometimes since
she did you think for one minute? Don't say it. I didn't think
even for one minute, not really. I pretended that's all. The whole
thing was just like a dream, just a daydream. Now it's turned in
nightmare. I'm sorry, honestly, you better be for yourself. You're in
this with me, Lucille, and I may decide not to go to California.
I may stay see and I may talk. I don't think she don't
be silly. You juggled the books, you took the money, and there's
nothing to prove you gay any of it to me, or that I knew
anything about it. But you wanted me to get out of town with hell
parking for your sake and Boddy because I don't like unpleasantness. I can deny
anything you say, but I'd rather not be bothered a little unpleasantness. That's
all you're afraid of. Well, just don't underestimate me, You'll see.
I'm warning you now, don't underestimate me. Thanks for the tip. Bonnie
Murdoch underestimated me, had cost him thirty thousand dollars. Cora underestimated me.
She wouldn't believe I could ever have a woman like you. Well I did.
Maybe someday people will find out that Elliott Finch's is Oh what am I
talking about? Lucille? Don't leave me, please, I'm scared. Good
Night, Finch. You she hates me? No, she doesn't even hate
me. What am I going to do? What am I going to do?
Yes, Michael Wearing, that's right. My name is Bonnie Murdoch Style
Center Dress Company? Want to hire? I never was much good on hamsteaching.
All right, you've had your joke. Now may I come in sure?
Thanks? They called you the folk and some such father al, don't
they? Oh? I haven't called Herricana fall all in the book. Well,
I'm not much for fancy names, but I understand your shop can deliver
the goods that's what I want? Or just what goods do you have in
mind? I want you to find a man for me. What man name's
Elliott Finch? Bookkeeper worked for us until the day, didn't show up for
work this morning, and his wife doesn't know where he is. How much
did he get away with? How do you know about that? And when
the bookkeeper disappears and his boss rushes frantically to a detective, good you're on
the poll thirty thousand wearing thirty thousand? Nice round simoleans to coin a couple
of cliches. Finch certainly believed in making Hay and brother, that ain't hay
much in it for me? Your fee fifty dollars a day in expenses.
I'll give you five hundred dollars if the job's done in less than ten days.
Keep the change not fair enough? Tell me something without that? Why
did you discover Finch's defaultation yesterday and today Finch disappears? Yeah, I've been
wondering about that. Don't see how he knew he'd found out about him?
Well? Who didn't know besides yourself? Just the accountant I had work on
the books and my partner Lucy Landis, but surely neither of them who trust
them implicitly, of course, as much as you trusted Finch until this happened.
What are you trying to suggest? I'm just thinking out loud, and
in my business, you don't get very far if your thoughts are all sweetness
in life, very good wearing, suspicious of everyone, probably just as well,
although I don't think. Then I leave the speculation to you, all
right, modak, And as soon as I have something concrete, I'll let
you know what is it? Are you missus Finch? Yes, my name
is Michael Waring. I am looking for your husband. He isn't here.
I know that. How do you know? What do you want with him?
Are you from Style Center? In a way? Get out of here?
Go on back to mister Murdoch. Tell him all he's lost is thirty
thousand dollars. I've lost a husband. Oh perhaps I can help help Hellio.
It's gone run away and he's not too well. Mister what did you
say? Your name was Wearing? I'm telling you this jail would kill him.
He's never been strong, but he was a good husband and a good
employee for twenty five years and then well, we all make mistakes, temptations.
I know how you feel, missus Finch. Oh no, you don't.
You wouldn't be here trying to find him so you can take him to
jail, so you can kill him, all right, missus? What was
that? What a door closed in the back of the apartment. I didn't
hear anything. Maybe the wind, maybe a husband. No, he isn't
here. How do you know? Maybe he just came in the back,
didn't He wouldn't. Let's go, No, Elliott, Elliott, if you're
here, get out. There's somebody here looking for you, all right,
Coral Elliott. He wants to take you to jail. Not going to take
me to jail. Where did you get that gun? I found it?
Please, I don't want to listen to any lectures. I took the money,
I admit it. I can't pay it back either, but I'm not
going to jail. I'm sorry about this, Cora, but you know the
whole story. You know. There's nothing I can do. So this is
all that's left. Goodbye, Cora bench wait. During the months to come,
General Mills has planned to bring radio listeners an excitingly new half hour show
each weekday evening not just one, not two, but six thrilling half hour
shows. Two of these shows have already joined the Wheaties Big Parade. On
Monday's Night Beat brings you tales of newspaper columnist Randy Stone, who hacks stories
out of the shadows to make good reading in the morning papers. Join us
here tomorrow for Night Beat, and then on Wednesday you can follow the past
moving adventures of Brian Dunlevy on a dangerous assignment. More to come in the
Wheaties Big Parade of NBC Shows will be a follicking series starring Penny Singleton and
a comedy detective series with a feminine punch starring Sarah Berner. Dementia X,
NBC's exciting science fiction series, will also join the Big Parade, along with
true stories of North America's oldest law enforcement body, Texas Rangers. You will
hear all of them in the Wheaties Big Parade of NBC Shows. Now back
to the Adventures of the Falcon. Half an hour has passed since Elliot Finch
tried to shoot his way out of his troubles by putting a bullet in himself.
Finch has been rushed to a hospital, and now Mike is talking to
Cora Finch, who was just recovering from the shock. Is there anyone you'd
like me to get to stay with you? Only Elliot? That's impossible.
Well, if you'd help me, perhaps, could I do you say?
Mister Finch was a model husband. He was. Men don't just change overnight
unless something happens. What happened to make him suddenly take money from the firm?
I told you temptation finally got the better of him. What temptation money?
And it took its time. He'd been with the company for years.
It grows with time, and that's all. He didn't have any sudden need
for money. No, what did he do with the money? Please?
After what I've been through, do I have to go through this third degree?
I'm just trying to help like you helped Elliott. Helen didn't kill him?
Oh look, missus Finch. In the first place, I had nothing
to do with your husband shooting himself. In the second place, he's not
dead. And then the third place, no, not dead. Well didn't
you know? But they carried him out. The doctor told you. I
was so dazed. You're telling me the truth? Yes, of course,
you're just trying to fool me. All right, call the hospital. He's
really live. Elliott's really live. I'm sorry. Now that's better. Now
do you want to call? Yes, give me the phone. Yes,
mister Wearing is here, mister murdach, all right, send him in already,
Oh Wearing, come in, come in and in news. Yeah,
I found Finch, What good boy? That was first. And I'd love
to take Bowers Murdoch, but I'm afraid I don't break one on this.
He walked in on me, that's all, walked in on you. Where
at his home? I thought he'd skipped now he had no place to go?
Well, where is he in the hospital? He tried to kill himself,
tried to tried to you see, they're working on him now. He's
still unconscious, but the doctor's give him a good chance. He tried it
while you were still at his place. That's right. Why do you let
him do it? He had a gun? What could I do? Guns
don't usually stop the folk, and do they sometimes don't want to get in
a rut. Did he say anything about the money to his wife? It's
gone all of it? So she said, where gambling? So she didn't
say another woman. Maybe maybe where's your partner, Lucillo. She hasn't come
in yet today. Interesting coincidence, wouldn't you say? What? They have
to finish? The dirty workers discovered he doesn't come to work, and neither
does Lucille. Oh, she often doesn't come in until afternoon. It's afternoon.
You're hinting at something, Wearing. You hinted at it before. I'm
just trying not to overlook any possibilities. Well, there's a sergeant Corbett is
the police here you want to talk to just a minute. Must be something
about the robbery, Wearing. I'll see him in a minute. It's not
just the robbery, Murdoch. Corbett is with a homicide squad. Homicide?
But who what? What homicide? Asked Corbett here, send a side.
Nay, you said Finch tried to kill himself, Wearing. That's suicide,
not murder. Besides it didn't work, That's right, hello, Corbett Wearing.
Well, now my days complete? And what can we do for you?
We can sit tight and keep your mouth shut. I want to talk
to mister Murdach. But what's it about, sergeant? Your partner, little
sale landis she's been murdered. What what do you know about it, Murdoch.
I guess that's about all I can tell you. Sergeant. All right,
Murdach, stick around. We may want to talk to you again.
Sure thing, Good day, Sergeant hong By wearing Bye bye, Corvid.
I'll see you down a headquarters later. There are a few things I like
to find out, and you think we can help you. You flatter the
department wearing I thought you're the guy who likes to tell us, not ask
us. Oh you're all right for routine, Corbett. If it's simple,
he expects us to give him what we got. After that, it will
Covid in spite of yourself charm not out. Why call Butt? You do
care? I've got work to do, all right, Wearing your friend.
The sergeant's gone. You can stop being cute. I want results and I
want him fast. What results? Proof that Finch killed Lucille And if he
didn't he did must have She got him to jockey the book machine. Look,
it's your idea. You've been hinting at it right along. Yeah,
tell me something, Murdoc. What just when did you catch on to my
hint? A way a merite wearing I don't like that kind of a question.
You are supposed to be working for me. Why so touchy, Murdoch,
All I said, I know what you said. Now listen to me.
I hired you to find Finch. You did, okay, Now I'm
hiring you to prove he killed Lucille for an additional thousand dollars. You want
the Joba, don't you. Why are you so anxious to pin this on
Finch because he killed Lucille she was double crossing you. Get out of here,
Wearing. I'll get somebody who can take order. Now, now,
not so fast, Murdoctor, job's a job, and money's money. You
want me to nail Finch? Okay, I'll nail him. I just wondered
why you're so anxious because he's guilty. Oh all right, if you say
something, well, if you don't think so I do? I do?
All right? Then? After all, Murdoct, the customer is always right.
What more proof do I need? Hello? Sergeant told you i'd be
around, yeah, wearing? Hell, what have you got for me?
You? Nothing? And I look, Corbett, if you want me to
solve this case for you, like Wearing, We've taken care of that little
detail already. You've made an arrest me. Well, we know who we
want, we know where to find him. You got the wrong man,
Oh, we have not truly, And you know I'm talking about I don't
need to. I know you Corbett bound to be wrong. I don't know
why I put up with this guy. You can't do without me. Now,
would you like me to tell you who really killed the landis girl?
Yeah? Tell me Elliott Finch? Oh, Finch, that's right. Just
how do you know it was Finch? Because I know which side my bread
is buttered on. That makes a lot of sense, says to me,
I like butter all right. Now, would you like me to tell you
who pulled the job? Yeah? Who did it? Finch? What?
Only I happen to be able to prove it? I don't believe it.
It took the bullet out of Finch's shoulder. It came from the same gun
that did the murder. No, there must be some mistake. There's no
mistake wearing the sergeant. If you and I agree with each other, one
of us is bound to be wrong. Right. Next Sunday, along with
the high spirited Adventures of the Falcon, include two new dramatic Sunday mysteries from
the celebrated Office of Strategic Services. NBC presents fully authenticated stories of the USS
in action during World War Two. Cloak and Dagger presents actual cases adapted from
the famous book of the same name. Another of the startling UNBC presentations is
The Big Guy. He's Joshua Sharp, who supports two wonderful children while working
as a keen, quick witted detective. To his two children, He's Joshua
Sharp, the fabulous hero, giant among giants. He's the Big Guy.
Next Sunday, along with the Adventures of the Falcon, make a day to
hear fully authenticated stories on Cloak and Dagger and a new and different kind of
detective, Joshua Sharp, the Big Guy. Hear them all next Sunday over
most of these same NBC stations. Now back to the Adventures of the Falcon.
It's twenty minutes since Mike Wearing and Sergeant Corbett startled each other by seeing
iy to lie on a case. Now they're at the hospital to see Elliot
Finch. They find Missus Finch in the waiting room. Hello, Missus Finch,
how's your husband? He's regained consciousness, but I haven't been able to
talk to him yet they're giving him a transfusion, and then they say I
can go in again, not until I do. Who are you? Oh?
Excuse me, missus Finch. Iss is Sergeant Corbett of the police.
I might have known. Can't they give him any rest? Even now?
I'm sorry, missus Finch. I'll bet you are. I can see it
written all over you. Why do they always have to have families? You
stay here with her wearing I'm going in what I had better do? As
he says, Missus Finch, I don't know why you all have to pick
on Elliott anyway. He doesn't have the money. He only took it because
that woman made him. She's the one who has it, Lucy Orlanders.
Yes, if you want the money, ask her now. We'd like to.
But there's one catch. Well, what's that she's dead? How did
that happen? Somebody killed her? But what I'd like to know, Missus
Finch, since you know about your husband and miss Landers, how come you
didn't tell me about her before? Because I didn't. I don't have to
account to you now, but you did accompt to me everything except that you
knew about miss Landers. Why do you make so much of that because you
must have had some reason for holding back. I'm not holding back. I've
just told you about it. No, that's what puzzles me. It must
be awful what your kind of work makes you suspicious of everybody and everything?
Still is better than being afraid of everybody and everything? What do you mean
by that? I'll tell you later. He comes a sergeant again, Well,
Covid s Fench can go in now. She wants what did he say
to your covied? He has a story. Yeah, he admits he was
at Lucy Orlandis's, but he says he got there after the murder. He
found the gun then and took it with him. How he got it gone?
Miss landers Is you You weren't here about the money. This was about
the murder, easy, missus Finch. You can't think Elliott did it.
You'd never hurt anyone. He didn't do it. Why can't you leave him
alone? A man has a murder, Gune, you don't just leave him
alone? He yeah, yeah, yeah, you buyers ali by Corvid for
now. He's not going anywhere, that's right. But suppose I could rip
his alibi right down the middle? Right? How I suppose I could prove
he took the gun with him too. Miss Landers's that he went there to
kill her. He can't. It's a lie. Missus Finch told me her
husband admitted taking the money, but she tried to conceal his connection with Miss
Landers. Now why I told her this because she knew what was going to
happen and she wanted to protect Finish. No, couldn't you see him take
the gun? That would frighten her to trying to hide his affair with Miss
Landers. No, you must believe me. I wouldn't shield Elliot, not
if he were a murderer. You know, you try to protect him when
you knew he was a thief. I didn't. You didn't want him jailed
for it. You seem to think it was all right for him to take
the money. He said he was just yielding to temptation. Your only criticism
was of the police and need for wanting to catch him. But what could
I do? He's my husband and I love him naturally. I don't want
to see him go to jail. Nice code of ethics, anything he does
is okay as long as he's your husband. Embezzlement. You don't understand the
trouble is I do Corbett. I think you have a case. You can
make an arrest. No, Elliot didn't kill that woman. I tell you
he didn't. I will see. But he's sick. This, this might
kill him. Let him alone till he's stronger. Then you'll see he'll be
able to mean, there'll be time to think up another alibi. It's no
use, missus. Why do you have to be so hard, so unfeling.
No, it's another side of that rotten work. I'm in well,
Corbett, Okay, please, nothing else will stop you. I'll confess I
killed him. I did. She's sure determined to protect that guy. Only
she happens to be telling the truth. A but just said. I didn't
say anything. I simply asked some hypothetical questions. But now I am saying,
Missus, Finch killed Miss Landis Corbett. You said before I can arrest
bench for the murder. No, No, I said you could make an
arrest. You can, So what are you waiting for? Yes, mister
Wearing is online one, mister Murdak, Right, hello Wearing, what news
hell? I've wrapped it up. You did pinch? Yep? I hung
it on him. He's been an arrest yep. Right, Come on over
and tell me about it. I'll give you a check. I was not
much to tell. You wanted me to prove Finch killed miss Landers, so
I did good. Yeah, forced the real murderer into confessing. What.
Yes, Missus Finch didn't like her husband being ruined by another woman, so
she eliminated the other woman. Missus Finch. And that's right, Murdoch,
she's the one who killed your partner. But I didn't think you'd mind it
turning out like this. All you really wanted was me to prove you didn't
do it right. You're wearing But I was so sure as I know you
want to be careful about that, Murdoch. You know there's a theory we're
supposed to operate on that a man is innocent until he's proved guilty. Not
a bad idea. I'll see you around a good luck so smart wharing you
were lucky. That's all was I called it. You thought Finch was our
boy. It just happened. Missus Finch broke down and I had nothing to
do with it, not intentionally, I suppose. I tell you I suspected
her almost from the first minute I met her. More hypothetical questions no,
no, on the level. Okay, you suspected her, You suspect everyone,
That's what she said. But I picked her as the best bet.
Why because one of the first questions she asked me was are you from Style
Center? Why does that prow nothing? But she followed it up with get
out of here, go on back to mister Murdoch. The Style Center isn't
just mister Murdoch. It is or was Murdoch and Lucille Landers. The cor
of Finch had already crossed off Landers, and I couldn't help wondering why I
say, And then what clinched it was her holding back on me about Finch's
tire with the Landis woman, although she knew about it all the time God
abandoned. She was protecting her husband like you suggested that the hospital, except
that when she heard her husband was better, that he would live and could
talk, suddenly she told me about him and Lucille Landis. Oh. I
didn't know that, so she couldn't have been trying to protect him, or
she would have continued to keep quiet. So you figured she wasn't covering for
him but for herself. Sure, she didn't want us to know that she
was wise to her husband and the landist woman, because then we wouldn't know
she had a motive to kill her. Uh huh. But once she found
out her husband was gonna live and might admit he had told her the whole
story, she decided to spell the works. That's right. She thought it
would look better coming from her than it would if we latched on to it
ourselves. But instead it cooked her. Well, she's not cooked yet,
Corbett just about with the confession and all, but I was her final judgment
until the jury comes in. Why so cautious all of a sudden, Mike,
just like to practice what I preach, and I've been preaching. Is
not a little lout of character for you? Could be? The fact seems
to me this whole case is out of character for you. I'll come and
there are only two gals in it. One of them gets herself bumped off,
you pin the job, and the other one and that leaves your holding
hands with me. No, no, no, you're overlooking one thing.
Corbett. White sat the receptionist in Murdoch's office. She's waiting and I'll just
have time to pick her up. So here's where you get off. Good
night, sergeant, The Case of the Frozen Letters. The Case of the
Frozen Letters, that's the title of next week's Adventure of the Falcon, when
Mike Waring learns that a person who drives to keep his mouth shut may wind
up silent as so be sure to listen next week at the same time to
another exciting adventure of the Falcon. The Adventures of the Falcon are based on
the famous character created by Rexel Drake. Produced by Bernard elle Schubert, written
Tonight by Jerome Epstein and directed by Richard Lewis. Music was conducted by Harry
Sosnik. Les Damon was starred as the Falcon with Ken Lynch as Sergeant Corbett.
Tonight, theod Gild on the Air presents a thrilling courtroom drama starring lovely
Paulett Goddard, the wonderful Pad O'Brien, and handsome Tom Drake. The story
is the highly dramatic trial of Mary Dugan. Here all three top stars in
the Trial of Mary Dugan. Later on Theodore Guild on the Air. This
program came from New York. Peter Robert speaking