Hello, Yes, this is the Falcon speaking. Oh Sherry, I'm glad
you called. I let to cancel me out tonight, Angel, I'm all
jammed up. Some client of mine wants me to locate a missing girl.
He doesn't care what it costs, so naturally I'm going to shoot the works.
Once again, the National Broadcasting Company brings you the transcribed Adventures of the
Falcon, dedicated to private investigators everywhere, Those hard hitting detectives who like Mike
Wearing, risk their lives to aid law enforcement agencies. So join him now.
When the Falcon solves the case of the Killer's Key, it is early
afternoon in New York, and in a shabby rooming house in midtown Manhattan,
a nervous young man, Larry Gordon, gives himself a dose of artificial courage.
Then, deciding further treating as indicator, he starts pouring again. Who
is it? They lay? Open up? Wait a minute, Claire,
to get them everything you aside to Chicago and lare I made a reservation for
you on California Limited. What names do you use? Larry holkm good?
When's the plane leave? Eight twenty five tonight? Couldn't you get me out?
Sooner. No, listen, Mary, I still think you're making a
mistake. Running away is no solution. Are you crazy? Maybe this isn't
Badgesty, it's worse. If whatever lays his hands on me, that's it.
I think you're wrong. Look. I worked for the man for eight
shes. I know how his mind operates. I never should have opened my
apter those Treasury boys in the first place. You had to darling. Why
with someone twisting my arm? They got enough on him to send him up
for ten years. But without you they've got no cap I don't think that
mister doesn't know it. How do you want to help them? Pat,
Larry? I think you could have been followed. No, no, I
was very careful. Who was it? Campo Internal Revenue? Oh just met
a miss Camper? Look, sweetie, hay awful sort. They know I
told you where I was. What do you want me to do? Get
in the kitchen and for Pete's sake, be quiet, all right, I'm
coming with the camper. Hello, Larry, it's the hunt. Yes,
but I thought I would help. You'll forgive the deception. I did it
very well, don't you think Kemper Internal Revenue Department? You know the stage
may have lost a great talent. Listens to Hunt. I'm afraid I haven't
time, Larry. I'm pretty busy these days, coming internal revenue men out
of my hair. I wasn't gonna testify against you. No, No,
I was beating it. See I I got the tickets right here. So
you were bound for California. Huh. I have an opinion you couldn't have
chosen better. Where were you planning to stay? Why? Well, someone
should cancel the reservation since you're going elsewhere. No, now, don't have
a pleasant jurny. I'm going. Yeah, I'd like to see mister Hunt.
Please. Oh you a sergeant Corbett. You don't look like a soldier
to me. You're right, I'm with the police. Where's Hunt? Well,
it's like this, Sergeant Bruce to douce it. Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize we're entertaining. You ain't so entertaining you, Charles Hunt.
That's right, I'm Sergeant Corbett. Homicide. Ya, how morbid?
Well, somebody's got to do the job. You ever hear of a fellow
named Larry Gordon? This? Of course he works for me? Or should
I say he wants did? Why well? I'm being investigated on an income
tax matter, as you may have heard. I've heard, and since Larry's
going to testify against me, naturally I don't consider him in my employee.
Well, he won't need the job anyhow, pardon. He was knocked off
at three this afternoon. I can't believe it, or take my word for
it. I saw the body. I have an idea you, sir,
even before I did. You're not serious, I certainly am. We got
enough evident evidence. Yes, you see, by an odd coincidence, Larry's
girlfriend, Claire Marlowe was in the kitchen when you gunned him. Is that
what miss Marlo friends? Well? Well, what, well, it's the
way we figure it. We found her fingerprints. You're evading the question.
Has miss mallow accused me? Well, I I haven't spoken to her yet.
Why now she disappeared? She must have been scared that that. The
fact remains until you discover miss marlow you have absolutely okay, I don't worry.
We'll find her, and when we do, when you do, give
me a call. Okay, Hannah, I'll be seeing you shortly, and
then we'll see how you're creating a draft. Sergeant Well, Bruce, you
hurt. How can I help? But I'm not deaf. What do you
think I think when they find Claire Marlowe, I wouldn't want to be in
your shoes. On the other hand, suppose I find her first. Who's
that private detective Logan mentioned the other day? You mean Mike Wearring, see
the one they call the Falcon Yeah? Well, uh s a good boy
and look up his address. I think I've got a case for him.
That's the situations to Wearing So you see my problem? Oh, I'm afraid
I don't, mister Hunt. Isn't it obvious? I want you to locate
this Claire Mama. You said the police are looking for it. Unfortunately,
I haven't much confidence in them. Well, the jails are loaded with people
who thought that. Uh. Nevertheless, I'd like to see you take the
assignment. I don't like it. Why not? It smiles to me of
tampering with the witness corpor claims as Claire Marlowe can prove your guilty of Larry
Gordon's murder. But there's another sign to the coin. If missus Marlo says
someone else, she can establish my innocence. Yeah, I suppose that's true
enough. Well, if the police find it first, so much the better.
I just want the additional insurance. In my position, I need it,
all right, Hunt, I'll do what I can, that's all I
ask. You do what you can, and from that point I hunt,
it's up to me. Yeah, you're the superintendent at Shrack. My name
is Mike Wearing. Wonder if you could give me some information about one of
your tenants. Oh, Claire Marlowe, you a cop? Why say tell
the other fella everything? I knew? What other fellah? Twelve thin fella
vot chosi. Oh you must mean Sergeant Corbett. Yeah, that's his name.
I don't know what you've told Corbett? Why not tell me? I
don't know nothing. Came home yesterday like she was scared of something, went
right to her room. How long did she stay? Oh maybe ten fifteen
minutes. Did she have a grip with her when she left? Nope,
just a pocket book. And she didn't say where she was going Nope.
And I didn't ask. I believe a fellow should mind is out. If
it needs one thing, it's another. Excuse me a second? Sure?
Yeah, what you know? Special to livery from Claire marrow Let me see
that. Hey, what you're doing in just a minute. Dear Hermann,
please don't tell anyone you've heard from me, anyone at all. I wonder
if you'd be good enough to do me a favor. I've made arrangements with
North American band Lines to move my stuff on Wednesday. They know where to
deliver it. My bank book is in the upper right hand drawer of my
dresser. If you take it with the enclosed with doors slip, I'm sure
you'll have no trouble getting the money. Will you please bring it over to
me at the Kenton Hotel. I'm using the name Claire O'Brien here. Why
if she want to use her name like that for kentam Hotel? And hey,
where you're going have to report to my client. You've been a great
help Herman. Thanks a million, Bruce. Yeah, I believe that's the
poon. I believe you're right. I don't you think you should answer?
What's the point, mister Hunt? It's probably for you you know something,
Bruce. I'm beginning to dislike your attitude. No answer the phone, we
still say it's a waste of time. Yeah, I'd like to talk to
Gerald Hunt. Please want it, But I tell you it's for you.
Who is it the falcon? All right? Oh? I don't think I've
been eating you anymore today? You mean you want me to leave? That's
what I want? A far be it for me to hang around on not
one. Hello, I've got good news for you, Hunts. Really really
look at Claire Marlow. That is wonderful. He's staying at the Kenton Hotel.
She's registered under the name of Claire O'Brien. I needn't tell you how
happy I am with your services, mister Wearing. I was lucky. Let's
say we both were. You may have been fortunate to find Claire, but
I was lucky to find you. I would have had a difficult time of
it without you. I don't think nothing of it. When are you planning
to see Claire immediately? You're familiar with the old proverb he who hesitates his
last, Well, in my position, I can't afford to waste a second.
Goodbye, mister Wearing, Thanks ever so much. You and your children
can expect to live long, thanks largely to better medicine and surgery. But
you could expect to live even longer were it not for the danger of automobile
accidents in the fifteen to twenty five age group alone, traffic accidents wiped out
three one hundred thousand years of life last year. Had the six thousand,
five hundred automobile victims in this youthful group lived out their lives, think how
much richer and happier America would have been if driver education could be taught in
all of our high schools instead of only a third of them. It might
someday help to save the life of your own son or daughter. If your
schools don't have them, demand driver education for your children and then your own
automobile. Remember to drive as though your life depends on it. It does.
And now back to the Adventures of the falcon. An hour has passed
since Mike Wearing reported to his client Gerald Hunt where Claire Marlowe could be found.
And now in that young lady's hotel room. All right, all right,
you guys, come on, let's hurry it up. Get out of
here. Oh David, if you can find any prints around, I doubt
it, and I move the body in asans. Now you better wait for
Louis. He may want some more pictures. Right, Hey, Ravie,
how you going on that? Oh? You boys? Carry on i't get
it. I'd like to Sergeant Corbett, hey, what are you doing here?
I came to see Claire Marlow? Okay, look? Oh no,
oh, yes, there's this close enough? Or would you like to hold
her hand? I don't think she'd get a kick out of it, neither
do I. What do you want with it? That's a long story.
Well, I never knew you to tell any other kind, So let's get
started. Well, a client of mine wanted me to find her, and
you dead. I was lucky. I wonder who's your client? I'd rather
not say, Oh, you'd rather not say, uh, looked blunkhead and
innocent girl has been murdered. Nobody knew where she was hiding out and if
you found all right, all right, you don't have to draw me a
diagram. I was responsible. Yes, indeed, you set her up for
a clay pigeon. I've known stupid jerk in my time, but a ball.
Never mind the name sergeant. I can think of a million to call
myself. Well, who's your client? Or maybe I can guess don't bother.
Look, Mike, don't try to hold out on me. I'm not
going to I admit I was a patsy. In this case, you were
a patsy? What about her? Well? I know, I know someone's
going to pay for it. Hey, wait a minute, where are you
going when I have a word with my client? After that you can have
him. Frankly, I thought it will be much left. I'll be seeing
your sergeant. Yeah, it's hunting. Who are you? Never mind,
I'll announce myself now wait a sad Bruce, try and keep me off through
skill. The gent's going to drink? Sure where you have, busty a
little privacy because you leave me alone with your boss. What orders I take?
I take from him? You better get miss walk Papers hunts really,
mister Werving, and't you being a bit high handed? Tell him to blow?
All right, Bruce, here me go as long as you put it
that way? All right? Now? What was the idea? Hans?
What was what I did? Don't give me any double talk. I'm in
no mood for it. Oh it's easy, I'll show you no that you
made a sucker out of me. You got me to find Claire Marlow so
you could kill her. You mean Claire's dead, as if you didn't know,
But I didn't. I suppose you don't remember me phoning you at one
thirty this afternoon. I told you where you could find her. I could
blow my brains out not calling on her first. But you didn't make that
mistake. Did you let me go? I'm sure I'll let you go.
My confessions are in order. You killed her, didn't you? No,
come on hand, I'm going to get the truth. If I have to
break every bone in your body. You murdered that, just as you murdered
Larry God. I swear I didn't. Where's your coach? I'm not going
with you? Yes you are. I promise to deliver you the sergeant call
it down the head course. And that's one promise I ain't tend to keep.
Now. We had to go quiet now, okay, so come on,
get up. We got a long, rough trip ahead of you.
And hey, Maddie, here's sergeant Carlon reported in Yet just about two minutes
ago, Well where's Hunts? Hey couldn't find him? You mean he skipped?
Yeah, Colin said the place was a shambles. Well, get a
forty seven OD. I want every bus and train depot watch and cover the
airfields. If Hunt gets away with he won't Hey, never mind Maddie.
All right, from inside, let me go. What's the idea, Mike,
what's the matter with you? Sergeant? Don't you recognize him? Who
would? He looks? Wait a minute, it's Hunt, that's right.
Well what happened now? He had a little accident. Go on, Hunt,
sit down. You slug him, sergeant? You know me? Well
that's why I asked, listen, Mike, why don't we both listen?
All right? Hunt, make like a birdie. I don't know what you're
talking about. Look if I've got to bounce you around again. What's going
on here? He admitted to me that he murdered Claremarl. I lived what
I couldn't help myself, Sergeant, he would have killed me. And it's
not too late, now, do you deny? I deny everything. I
was supposed to make that admission to protect myself. Under the circumstances, I
felt I was justified. Look, sergeant, could you leave us alone for
a couple of minutes. Don't be as sad, and it's all right for
you to talk. But I feel responsible for that girl's death. If I
hadn't found her, she would still have been alive. I phoned him at
one thirty and i'd to wait a minute. When did you phone him at
one thirty? Oh? No, why, what's the matter. Do you
realize what you've done? You've just given him an alibi? Are you not?
Claire Morlowe was killed at a quarter to one, what forty five minutes
before you called him? That means that means he couldn't have killed her.
Look Hunter five onion and justice? Did you have I want to do any
good? IDVI? I said, I was sorry, I'm at all.
Good day, gentlemen. I trust I'll never see either of you again.
Well, welcome home, misterie hot. I see you've taken over. Bruce.
I didn't think you'd mind you like some champagne. No thanks, you
don't know what you're missing. This is a bitter end. Hey, tell
me, it's the only thing when you're celebrating? Is that what you're doing?
Sure? Aren't you back? I'm flattered. I didn't dream you cared.
Yeah, I was real worried. I had a feeling I was never
going to see again. Hey, you ought to do something about that eye
that Mike wearing. Can really dish it out, Bruce, joke is over.
What's the meaning of this? I told you. I was celebrating.
Surely it don't be grudge your ex employee a bottle of champagne. My ex
employing, well away, I see it. I've been working for you for
seven years, sir, so I decided it was time I bettered myself.
Abster all, this is the land of opportunity, and you feel opportunity is
knocking at your door. Definitely, be sure you won't join me in a
drink. Enough of this nonsense kept me my robe. You don't seem to
understand I'm through taking orders with what I got I want? Have you got
on for one thing? You knocked off Larry Gordon and Claire Marlowe. This
becomes a shock to you. But the police, I I'm satisfied I had
no hand in either. You say I have an unimpeachable anibi. Is that
a fact? Yes? It now develops that Ms Marler was matter at forty
five minutes perfomance to wearing reported the whereabouts to me, Well, what do
you know? I know you've been taking too much for granted, I don't
think so I have to know how it work. You do? Yeah,
I was going through your clothes hunt Well, I thought maybe you wanted me
to send them out to the cleaners. Anyway, in your pocket I found
this card Lawrence Reagan Private Investigations. So I wondered what you would want for
two private detectives, And just like that, it came to me you were
going to use wearing as an alibi. I'm mistaken. Well, it's an
easy way to check. Who are you calling? The boy Sherlock Lawrence Reagan?
Nothing ridiculous? Am I hello? Let me talk to mister Reagan.
Please. This is Bruce Webster. I worked for mister Hunt. Well,
the boss would like to know whether you have any luck finding Claire Marlowe.
What's the matter with the guy's he's Blona Hughes, I reported back to him
at eleven o'clock this morning. Is at the Kenton Hotel, registered under the
name of Claire O'Brien. I guess it kind of slipped his mind. What's
going on? Nothing you should worry about. Thanks a lot anyway, Well
you win, I always do. I'm the patient type. I learned that
from you. What do you want twenty five thousand dollars? That's a lot
of money. Well, and Amy, though I was gonna throw it away,
I'm gonna sock it into the government box at three percent pay pay.
He'll come in mighty in now making a mistake. I don't think so.
I always say the least a fella can do is be patriotic. You better
get it up fastest to hunt. You don't want to keep Uncle Sam waiting.
Well I don't get it, Sergeant, I don't get it at all.
Well you would if I had my way. You ruined everything. But
are you sure? Claire Marlow died at a quarter of the one positive The
deskerk at the hotel heard the shots. Did you have any other enemies?
No, this thing's tied up with the Larry Gordon killing. For sure.
It doesn't make sense. There was no way in the world. But hello,
that you're wearing? Yes, who's this Bruce Webster? Oh? I
worked for Hunt? Remember? Oh yeah? I just thought you might be
interested. I'm terminating my employment. That's supposed to mean something to me.
It might mean a lot. If you could dig up some cash, I
can let you know my reason. What are you talking about? Wouldn't you
like to know why? I'll hunt me to chump out of you. I
certainly would. How much joke can you raise? I'm not in Hunt's class,
but every little bit helps. Could you lay your hands on ten grand?
Don't be ridiculous. Five, I've got seven hundred and twenty dollars in
the bank. Fine, I'll take it. Now, Wait a minute,
come on, wearing, make up your mind. Where are you? I
got a little place at the Fortuna Apartments in West ninety third. Drop around
with you in the neighborhood. Okay, don't go away. I'll be in
the neighborhood in twenty minutes at your wading Yeah, just a second, Come
on it, mister Hunt Spry. Yeah, I thought I saw the last
of you. You thought wrong. What's the idea? Fairly simple. I'm
a man who hates loose ends. Naturally, with you dangling about, you
would oh you recognize the gun. Yes, it's the same one I used
on Larry Gordon and Claire Mamma. You'll never get away. Whether the council
know for sure, are concerned for me, you needn't. Why you see,
I'm taking the liberty of preparing a note in which you confess to both
matters you're nuts. When the police break in, they'll find the note,
and then again, naturally, it'll be in the traditional position for suicide.
I'll never buy it. I had no motive to knock off Larry Gordon.
You have the way I've explained it in this note. Seems you were madly
in love with Claire. When she spurned you. For Larry, decided to
rid yourself of the competition. As for Claire, she was a witness to
the act, so regretfully you had to dispose of her too. Isn't that
poetic? Listen, I wish I could my boy the time, mister essence.
No doubt many of you will remember the Big Smog. It was a
deadly cloud of man made factory smoke carried in fogg that settled over Donald of
Pennsylvania in nineteen forty eight. It killed twenty persons and made six thousand others
ill before it lifted. That tragedy alerted the entire nation to the peril of
death dealing smog. But did you know that another and far deadlier man made
fog will settle over this nation streets and highways tonight. It's the fog that
beclouds the brain of the drinking driver and the pedestrian who has had one too
many. Let's start to clear this death fog from our roads and begin now.
Remember, if you drink, don't drive. If you drive, don't
drink. Drive as though your life depends on it. It does. Now
back to the Adventures of the Falcon. Fifteen minutes have passed since Mike promised
to call on Bruce Webster. Now we find Sergeant Corbett helping him keep that
promise. This must be it. Yeah, I suppose he won't talk.
Just leave everything to me. I left hunt to you. And what happened?
Sure, he said he'd meet you here. That's positive. I told
him i'd be open twenty We get out of the way. Now what are
you doing? What does it look like? Don't you know? It isn't
polite to peek through key holes now, but it could be awfully interesting.
What do you see? Give me a half this stior? Oh what was
it? Come on, come on, put your shoulder to it. One?
Two? Holy smoke? Yeah, what did he want to do that
for? Don't ask me. I'm a stranger to hear myself. Hey,
wait a minute, what do you make of this? To whom it may
concern, this was the only way I killed Larry Gordon. It was all
Claire Marlowe's fault. She led me on. I thought was larry out of
the way. We'd have a deal. But I was a chump. Oh
for they're looking for any relatives. I haven't. Hey, cut that out,
Mike. I was only going through park. What you know better.
I just wanted to see what he had on him. Well, someone was
here before me. All he's got on him are these two keys. What
do you make of it? One's obviously for his grip, the other for
his car. Now this doesn't add up. What do you mean he didn't
commit suicide? Look at the gun. You look at it. I tell
you this was engineered by whom? By Haunt? Of course? Can you
approve that to you? Where's my percentage? Let's find someone will give me
better rods. Oh, I can't believe this. When I was up at
Bruce's a few hours ago, and you admit you were there, why should
I do that? He complained of not feeling well this evening. Naturally,
the least I could do was show him home, and when you left he
seemed perfectly all right. I never dreamt he contemplated suicide. I still don't
understand why. Oh, maybe there's no clear things up. Let's make concern.
So that explains it, I said, would seem to I have realized
he was involved with Claire. Well, things are seldom what they seem.
For instance, when we broke into Bruce's room, it looked as though he
committed suicide. But you don't believe. No, you told me I found
a gun in the sand. Yes, and it was the same weapon that
was used on Mary Gordon and Claire Marlow. And I should imagine that would
take care of everything. Oh not quite. There was one thing missing.
When Corbett and I got the Bruis's room. The door was locked. Well,
if he committed suicide, it had to be locked on the inside obviously,
Then what happened to the key? That's right, It wasn't in the
lock because you were able to peek through the keyhole, and it wasn't on
him or in the room. That means the door must have been locked on
the outside and the killer absent mindedly walked off with the key. Look,
mister wearing a right sergeant go through his pocket? Can well what do we
got here? So all a mistake, now, you said, a friend.
And the beautiful part of it is it only takes one to land you
in the chair, all right, sergeant, he's all yours. Well,
like my father used to say, another day, not a dollar, And
believe me, you didn't earn this one. I did all the work.
Well, you schlump, you should talk. He gave Hunt that alibi.
You're out of your mind. It hadn't been made. It would have been
some other private day. Come again. It also was down to one thing.
Hunt had two of us trying to locate Claire. He probably waited until
the other boy came through for him before he even hired me. Oh,
what was the point if it was other alibi? After all, when I
told you our reported to him after the girl was murdered, it didn't seem
possible. He could have been responded, well, I still women hold everything.
Well, what's the matter? I just thought of something I never got
paid huh by Hunt for finding Claire. Sue him? See him? He's
going to the chair so worse. Why were you, kiddo? I'd really
make trouble for him. Good night, Mike. The Case of the Grand
Gamble. The Case of the Grand Gamble, that's the title of next week's
Adventure of the Falcon. When Mike Wearing learns that when men play for high
odds, there's sometimes are grave consequences. The Adventures of the Falcon are based
on the famous character created by Brexel Drake, Produced and transcribed by Bernard al
Schubert, Written today by Eugene Wangon, directed by Richard Lewis Left Damon starred
as the Falcon