In this thrilling episode, we delve into a mysterious case brought to Assignments Unlimited by Monsieur Laurent, a Swiss insurance broker. He seeks the help of Simon Mason to investigate a series of fatal car crashes occurring on the Grenoble Pass in Switzerland. The accidents, which have claimed numerous lives, are rumored to be caused by a ghost car. Despite skepticism, Mason sends Cannon to investigate, leading to a dangerous encounter on the treacherous mountain road.
Cannon's investigation reveals a sinister plot involving a massive mirror used to create illusions of oncoming cars, causing drivers to crash. The mastermind behind this deadly scheme is Rudolf Muller, who seeks revenge against the insurance company. The episode concludes with Cannon narrowly escaping death, thanks to his cautious driving and the unexpected help of a small dog, which saves him from a poisoned drink. This gripping tale of mystery and intrigue highlights the lengths some will go for revenge.
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[00:00:02]
Unknown:
Hello? Is that Simon? Mason speaking. I want you to come to Switzerland. Ready, mister Well, Laurent. Guilleron. I am Swiss. Swiss French. But I think the peep peeps will go before I can tell you why I want you to come to Dauberge. Well, you better come as soon as then. Will you come today? Yes. Where to, please? We're at 33
[00:00:24] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Short term ghost. Monsieur Laurent didn't look French. In fact, it'd be hard to say that he belonged to any particular nation by his appearance. He was six feet tall, at least. His hair couldn't have been combed for a very long time. His beard was red, and there was a lot of it. He was untidy, and I felt a little dirty. His profession was even more of a surprise.
[00:01:11] Unknown:
I'm a partner in a firm of insurance brokers, monsieur, in the Canton D'Auberge.
[00:01:16] Unknown:
Canton D'Auberge? Right. Where's that? Switzerland,
[00:01:19] Unknown:
about 30 miles from Montreux. We drive to Montreux, our most famous neighbor for outings. They have fine hotels in Montreux.
[00:01:27] Unknown:
Monsieur Laurent, what was it you wished to see me about?
[00:01:30] Unknown:
Monsieur Mason, I need your help. I will explain.
[00:01:34] Unknown:
Dobrege is, of course, at the footer of Mont Dobrege.
[00:01:37] Unknown:
It is not famous. No one climbs it. But through a pass in Mont Dobrege, 1 can travel easily into Austria. This pass is a Grenoble pass. And my firm has been in the habit of issuing, how you call it, a year. I believe you call it short term policies to insure motorists. Short term policies, yes. Hooray, mister Maison. In a short while, we should be out of business. Oh, where was that? So many motor cars crash and the occupants are killed. Travelling through the Grenoble Pass. I see. Well, I'm sorry about that, but I don't quite see how There's a pass this edentulous one. Yes. A car or two a year perhaps might go over the edge. It's a long drop. No one could survive such a drop. A car or two at the most, but not 20 in three months. Twenty? Two the first month in May. Eight in June. In July there were 10. And now in August there have been already five crashes all fatal. And the month is only seven days old. Monsieur LaRonde.
[00:02:31] Unknown:
Well, I sympathize with you and your company, but, well, I feel that this is a matter for the proper authorities. Surely, the road must be closed. Surely, you must stop negotiating with motorists. Refuse to issue them with these policies, at least until the road has been made safe. The road is perfectly safe, monsieur. But how can it be? I repeat, the road is safe.
[00:02:51] Unknown:
The accidents were made to happen. Well then, this is a matter for the police. The police have investigated everything and they have been unable to find anything. That is why I've come to assignments unlimited. I want fresh brains, Missy Mason. I must know why these accidents occur. Yes, but
[00:03:09] Unknown:
but why don't you simply refuse to issue the policies? My company has a good name,
[00:03:15] Unknown:
We have never refused business. We have been issuing these policies for a number of years. Although, I am a patron saint. I love Switzerland. And more specifically, I love Daubersche. If, I any wish to honor all our inhabitants, I wish these people to be brought to justice. People or
[00:03:34] Unknown:
things. I beg your pardon. Things?
[00:03:38] Unknown:
Monsieur, one of the poor people who crashed over the edge whilst navigating the Grunob Pass lived for a short time before being taken to the hospital. He said little before he died, but I have it on good authority that he believed he had been forced over into the chasm by a ghost car. Good heavens. A ghost car was a thousand dead lights that screamed at him from out of the
[00:04:07] Unknown:
night. We at assignments unlimited had not to date attempted to exorcise a ghost. I was quite ready to believe that for some reason motorcars were being made to crash, but ghost cars, there I was quite out of sympathy. I'm the complete skeptic. I thought I'd ask Karen his views on the subject.
[00:04:26] Unknown:
Yep. Cannon? You're on switchboard duty, chief. Anything I can do for you? Yes. You can come up here at once. By the way, what's happened to miss Fairweather? They're off. Gone to see her grandma. I thought I'd man the board for another half hour and, then go and see my grandpa.
[00:04:40] Unknown:
Cannon, do you believe in ghosts? Come again Jean. Do you believe in ghosts?
[00:04:47] Unknown:
No, but, I'm scared of them.
[00:04:54] Unknown:
Cannon was perfectly happy to go to Switzerland Monshire La Ron assured me he would meet him at station there was no airport in four days providing he wired him from Zurich and told him the time his train would arrive at I convinced cannon that this was an assignment, not a holiday, but it was difficult to persuade him to leave his skiing togs in London.
[00:05:20] Unknown:
Mister Cano? Oh, hello. Are you, mister Lalonde? I am. Welcome to the Canton De Perche. Well, it was no trouble at all. You look mister, if you pardon me, saying so, very American. I know what you think. I do not look, typically Swiss. No. No. I wasn't thinking that. I am an individualist, monsieur. I love Switzerland, but, I have no wish to be taken for one of our sons wherever I go. The car is waiting, monsieur. No doubt, sir, as much you wish to ask me. So, monsieur, there you have it. No? The whole story just as I told it to your superior.
[00:06:08] Unknown:
Tell me monsieur Lau. My friends call me Guy. Oh, sure. Look, do you believe the, do you believe in this spook stuff yourself? I do not know, monsieur.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
I do know that it does not pay to be skeptical. There are things in the unseen worlds that we cannot divine. Spectres lurk in remote and secret places. It is unwise to dismiss the possibility that a friend drives a car along that mountain pass, forcing people to their deaths.
[00:06:35] Unknown:
No. You're no skeptic.
[00:06:38] Unknown:
Look. Don't go on like that, will you? I mean, you're gonna have me flying back home. The Assyrians dreaded those ghosts who were unable to sleep in their graves, but you came forth and perpetually homed up and down the face of the earth.
[00:06:51] Unknown:
Yeah. Well, how'd we get to Assyria, monsieur? Guy. Guy. Oh, yeah. Guy. Well, look, let let's let's be factual about this. I mean, otherwise, what you need is an exerciser and not an investigator. When can I drive along this pass? You you wish to drive along the path? Sure. There's nothing like investigating the scene of a crime if it is a crime. It is a crime. Many crimes.
[00:07:16] Unknown:
Whatever is responsible is monstrous. Oh, one thing I forget to tell you. And what's that? The accidents only occur in the night. Never in daylight? Enormous, sir. You see, people prefer to begin their drive into Austria when they are fresh and feeding untiled. The last part of their journey is that can be completed in daylight. Or if they drive fast, they will reach the body even before it is light. Well, why don't they just change their minds and drive it all in daylight if it's safer? Many of our people are stubborn. They believe the others are the bad drivers and such a fate cannot happen to them. It has become something of a challenge, you see.
Rudolph. May I introduce monsieur Calland from London? Monsieur Calland, Rudolf Mille, area manager of our company. How do you do? I am pleased to make your acquaintance, mister Cano. Monsieur Cano wishes to make the drive through the Grenon Bleu Pass. Is that so? Please.
[00:08:13] Unknown:
You, you wish to do this in daytime, of course, mister Cano. No. No. I, I thought I'd do it at nighttime when the spook's supposed to do it spooky. You realize, of course, that of the cars to negotiate the Granover Pass in recent months Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. I know. But I mean, if, if nothing happens when it's light, then there's no point in wasting time, is it? There is, mister Carnarvon, a very valid point.
[00:08:34] Unknown:
You must, make the drive in the daytime before attempting the nighttime drive. Then you will know the route well and there will be no danger.
[00:08:43] Unknown:
You know something? You know? I need my head examined. Why didn't I think of that?
[00:08:54] Unknown:
Cannon told me afterwards that he thought he'd had a brainstorm at the time. No one in their right mind would attempt a dangerous drive at night without first checking their course in daylight. Cannon had been having quite a few successes in various rallies during his spare time in England. Perhaps this made him a little cocksure.
[00:09:12] Unknown:
However, he completed the trip a day later. And two days after that, a Saturday it was, he was ready for the night trip. You you are quite satisfied then Mr. Kennan. Yeah, there's nothing dangerous about this drive. I don't understand. I mean, if these people were used to the route, they should have been able to do it blindfold at night. Something made them crash, that's for sure. Well, you understand the controls of the car, left hand drive. The gears I'm an American, m. Muller. I'm sorry, of course. And I've already put this thing through its place. Yes, of course. I will lend you mine, you know. It's a fast shifting machine. No, no thanks, Mr. Moore. I'll stick to something I know about.
[00:09:49] Unknown:
I I wish you good luck then. Thanks.
[00:09:52] Unknown:
Maybe I should take along some garlic and stick candles all over. Well never mind. Oh, garlic. It's it's good for snuffing out ghosts. So long. Goodbye, mister Cannon. I'll be back Sunday night. What? Oh, yes. Yes. Surely. Well, VIN number 5 after 17 mile mark coming up. Easy does it. Boy, I'm not breaking any records today. It's a long way down. And before 20 miles, there's a dip. We go down down to the next bend. There's a long stretch where the road narrows, and that's where the rocks are covered with lichens. I'm not gonna be able to see much.
19 miles. Here we go. Down. Nothing wrong with this, baby. Down and round. Hey. What? Hey. You darn fool. Hey. Look out.
[00:11:06] Unknown:
Cannon was found early the next morning by a traveler from Vienna who rounded a small bend beyond the one Cannon had so very nearly lost his life taking. There was a great danger for a minute of a second pileup for Cannon's car had swerved into the rock face, bounced off, skidded along the edge of the pass, crossed the narrow road again, and had come to rest upon its side miraculously in a small concave, a hole in the side of the rock. His speed, not being so great as other motorists along the pass, Cannon had left room for error just. He had a multitude of bruises and abrasions, but nothing was broken.
The thing that puzzled my tripid operator most was what had happened to the oncoming car. For the car had driven straight at him. And also, when he returned to consciousness, why was he wearing only his underpants?
[00:11:53] Unknown:
I don't care. Ghosts don't wear clothes. They don't wear shoes and socks and they don't need French francs or travelers checks. And furthermore, they don't give a hang about the time so where Miss you, I saw none of these things. I came around the bend in the road and poof, there he was all over the place. Blood. Ah, you have never seen so much blood. That was from my nose. Look, and I'm not accusing you of taking anything, Monsieur. I'm grateful to you. More grateful than I can say for fixing me up. I was thinking I would die myself. I was thinking here is calamity. I was thinking here is great danger. I was thinking of my wife and my children. My little Felix, Hans, Martha, Anna, Paul, baby Peter, and little Josephine. You had time to think all that much. I prayed hard. My breaks would be good. I am. I shall arrange for your return to London, Mr. Cannon. Return to London? What for?
[00:12:40] Unknown:
You almost killed, mister Kennan. You you do not wish to continue with with this investigation now, do you? I certainly do. Somebody tried to kill me on this blasted past Grenoble.
[00:12:50] Unknown:
When that sort of thing happens, Cannon gets angry in here, Muller. He gets very angry. But because my company would have solved you from all further duties connected with this business. I will make a telephone call to your mister Mason at London and I'm sure he would have thought whether he agrees or not. I am staying here to find out why the past granola spook wears big thick rubber boots. Okay. Mister Cannon, I will go now, mister Cannon. What? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Look. Well, thanks again. It was a pleasure, mister. Yeah. Thank you. Now I'm going to tell my darling wife that little Felix and Hannah Yeah. Yeah. Great. Thanks. Yeah. And give him all my love, missy. But I will miss you. Goodbye. Goodbye, Evelyn. Goodbye.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Whatever happens, you must stay for a few weeks here in your hotel. You cannot do a thing until all is properly healed. Yes?
[00:13:36] Unknown:
No. I don't feel in the mood for any more hauntings just now. But tomorrow, I wanna make that drive again. Then I think you are being very foolish, Mr. Mr. Kenner. That's my affair. It is also my affair. I'm employing you. Yeah. Well, I'm gonna act like I think I should act. You better ring Mr. Mason. And it was Monsieur Laurent who employed Assignments Unlimited to employ me in the first place. Goodbye, Mr. Kenner. Goodbye. Miller, I don't trust you one little inch. Hello. Reception? Yes. What? What? Well, look, I'd I'd like to speak to someone.
Yeah. Okay. Doesn't speak American. Hello? Yeah. Look, I'd like to put a call through to the offices of La Societe Anonyme d'Assurant General, please. Yeah. Yeah. I guess it'll be in the book but there's no book here. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Sure. As soon as you can get them. Okay? Thanks. Then let's have a look. What I'm crazy about hotel reading there. Now where else in the world would they go to all the trouble of putting English books by the bed for me to read? What's this? The Hollow Tree House Mystery by Enid Blyton. Further.
Looks like junior sized James Bond for tiny tots. Monsieur, this is for you. Right? Oh, thanks. What is it? It's your medicine,
[00:15:15] Unknown:
Okay.
[00:15:17] Unknown:
I never could understand how drinking can help a busted head and bruises. Come on, monsieur. Oh, forget about it.
[00:15:29] Unknown:
Hello. Room 4. Cannon speaking. Hello, mister Cannon. Tyler here. Oh, you're from the insurance, Jenny Ron? Yes. Yes. I instructed Laurent to go to London. Look. I'm sorry we haven't met. Sorry too about the accident.
[00:15:42] Unknown:
You asked me to ring you. Yeah. Look. I wanted to know about your, Herr Muller. Say, how come you're English? Well, I I was born in Surrey, you know? No. I I I mean, I I thought that just just hang on a minute.
[00:15:55] Unknown:
Well, you see the firm's only a subsidiary of a larger syndicate. I'm here for three years as general manager. Yeah. Just just hey.
[00:16:05] Unknown:
I say what's up?
[00:16:07] Unknown:
I've got a visitor here, a dog. He's he's busted the glass and he's now drinking my medicine. Anyway, look, what do you know about Murr? Murr, he's he's an area manager for the Canton du Beaure. Yeah. But what what sort of guy is he? I mean, if I'm not out of step asking these questions. Oh, no. No. No. No. Not at all. Of course not.
[00:16:26] Unknown:
We'll have Muller isn't a nice man at all, actually. In fact, I don't think he'll be with us much longer. He said he was promised the appointment to succeed Le Guay as general manager here. And then when I turned up, Alfredo wasn't popular at all. I think he knows his job's not safe. He's also I shouldn't really tell you this, but well, anyway, he'll keep it himself, will you? Mhmm. He's a bit of a gambler. Owes an awful lot of money
[00:16:53] Unknown:
all over the place. Hey. Hey. Come on, boy. I beg your pardon? Well, look. Thanks. Thanks a million, mister Tyler. I'm sorry. I got to rush. I'll ring you back,
[00:17:01] Unknown:
Hey. Come on, boy. Come on. Get up. Come
[00:17:06] Unknown:
here. Boy, you poor little and that medicine was mine.
[00:17:17] Unknown:
The dog belonging to another visitor to the hotel must have been very thirsty. It had drunk Cannon's medicine, so thoughtfully provided by mister Laurent, and had died three minutes later. But, pec perfume, believe me, monsieur, I arranged for the medicine to be collected and for the waiter to bring it to you, I never saw it from the first to the last. Mister Cameron, again, something has attempted to kill you. Herr Muller is right. I think you should not continue. I've informed the police once more about suspicions, and they are going to have the road through the pass closed until further notice. It is already Now, when are they closing it? Tonight, I believe.
[00:17:56] Unknown:
Monsieur, what are you doing? You must rest, Oh, my holiday with Hollow Tree House has been cut short. Ah, you found the books I wrote. Yeah. You're very kind, and I hope the books are tastier than the drink. What are you going to do? I'm gonna see which of the fraternities on shift at Grenoble tonight.
[00:18:17] Unknown:
Monsieur, it was only your assurance that ghosts do not wear boots attempted me to accompany you tonight. Well, you have my views. I'd rather you stay behind. Monsieur, you do not suspect me in any way. Be honest. That crossed my mind. Does it still cross your mind?
[00:18:33] Unknown:
Well, let's say it's not so insistent now you're with me. I figured if anything's gonna happen to me, you too will be landed in trouble. And I reckon you'd be a funny kind of guy to want that to go on. Mister Cano, you should change. I need not have warned you. Monsieur Alain, I, I wouldn't like to drive far. I I will not speak again. Oh, no. That's alright. I want you to. I, I wanna know what you think of Rudolf Muller.
[00:18:58] Unknown:
Muller, he's a strange man, but I don't believe him to be involved with this,
[00:19:04] Unknown:
affair. You don't wanna believe it. Well, we're a mile from where it happened. You're gonna be very lonely if you get out now. No. No. No. I will stay with you. This is important to me. K. Here we go. You made those, seat belts tight? Yeah. Well, nothing happened. You can open your eyes, monsieur. The road's clear. No ghost walks tonight. Saint
[00:19:29] Unknown:
Evans. We cannot turn around here. We must go on. There's a place where we can turn about six miles from here. Oh, but my belt is very tight, monsieur Canard. No dice. We're going on to the end of the pass. Oh, not too swiftly, please, monsieur.
[00:19:45] Unknown:
No. No, monsieur monsieur Canal. There's a car. You're not tight, will you? Stop it. We will not let us pass it. Right.
[00:19:51] Unknown:
Wheel. Go on. Get your hands off the wheel. There's your ghost. See the glass? We drove through a mirror. Those headlights we saw were our own. First of why? Well, the ghouls made pretty rich pickings from the cars that went over the side, but not rich enough to warrant this. No. Something doesn't fit. There must be something else. I've not got an idea where that something is. Come on. Let's go. What time? Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Tyler. Yeah. I hope so too. No. No. I'm I'm not as shocked as you are. Thanks. Miller's beaten it. He has gone? That's pretty conclusive, I guess. He left about 4AM.
But, has he taken Yes. Yes. He took the way through the pass. They must have missed him by half an hour.
[00:20:49] Unknown:
I told Tyler what I thought before we left, and he called the cops thereafter now. They cannot catch him, monsieur. He drives a Grollet? The what? Oh, it is a car that is rare, monsieur. One might say it is his own invention. The Grollet, as as the Miller was so pleased to tell anyone who listened, a seven and a half liter engine. It is capable of a speed of 140 miles an hour. Well, that won't help him along the pass. No, monsieur, but he is at a start upon the police, surely. Two hours and more, I guess. Yeah. I see what you mean. Once over the border into Austria, he can abandon his motor car. No. I do not believe we shall catch him.
[00:21:28] Unknown:
Yep. Cannon. Yeah. You don't say? Well, I'll be What is it, monsieur? No. No. No. No. It's right. Yeah. I guess what was left of the mirror. Mhmm. Okay. Thanks a lot, Tyler. Yeah. I guess it does. So long.
[00:21:50] Unknown:
Was that
[00:21:51] Unknown:
what, Yeah. You were wrong about Mueller. Seven and a half liters didn't help him at all. But why? You went over the edge where we hit the middle last night. Why? It must have been light passing.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
But there was no mirror to see his lights in.
[00:22:05] Unknown:
Anyway, he knew what it was. You're barking up the wrong tree, monsieur Laurent. Rudolf Muller did 70 around the bend where I slowed to 40 and ran slap into what was left of the mirror. You must have had four blowouts at once. It wasn't entirely greed that prompted Rudolf Muller to erect the great mirror in the past Grenoble.
[00:22:24] Unknown:
After all, what valuables there were left when a car plunged hundreds of feet down a mountainside wouldn't make a rich man a muller. Now robbery was a secondary motive. His first concern was for revenge. Revenge upon la Societe Anonyme d'Assurant General, who he considered owed him a living on its board of directors. The fact that he would have taken more than a couple of dozen deaths and car wrecks to break a company of that size didn't enter into it. Muller obviously didn't think that far. Oh, it was Muller, by the way, who poisoned Cannon's drink at the hotel. Cannon now threatens to employ someone to taste everything he drinks.
He also has an immense affection for small dogs.
Hello? Is that Simon? Mason speaking. I want you to come to Switzerland. Ready, mister Well, Laurent. Guilleron. I am Swiss. Swiss French. But I think the peep peeps will go before I can tell you why I want you to come to Dauberge. Well, you better come as soon as then. Will you come today? Yes. Where to, please? We're at 33
[00:00:24] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Short term ghost. Monsieur Laurent didn't look French. In fact, it'd be hard to say that he belonged to any particular nation by his appearance. He was six feet tall, at least. His hair couldn't have been combed for a very long time. His beard was red, and there was a lot of it. He was untidy, and I felt a little dirty. His profession was even more of a surprise.
[00:01:11] Unknown:
I'm a partner in a firm of insurance brokers, monsieur, in the Canton D'Auberge.
[00:01:16] Unknown:
Canton D'Auberge? Right. Where's that? Switzerland,
[00:01:19] Unknown:
about 30 miles from Montreux. We drive to Montreux, our most famous neighbor for outings. They have fine hotels in Montreux.
[00:01:27] Unknown:
Monsieur Laurent, what was it you wished to see me about?
[00:01:30] Unknown:
Monsieur Mason, I need your help. I will explain.
[00:01:34] Unknown:
Dobrege is, of course, at the footer of Mont Dobrege.
[00:01:37] Unknown:
It is not famous. No one climbs it. But through a pass in Mont Dobrege, 1 can travel easily into Austria. This pass is a Grenoble pass. And my firm has been in the habit of issuing, how you call it, a year. I believe you call it short term policies to insure motorists. Short term policies, yes. Hooray, mister Maison. In a short while, we should be out of business. Oh, where was that? So many motor cars crash and the occupants are killed. Travelling through the Grenoble Pass. I see. Well, I'm sorry about that, but I don't quite see how There's a pass this edentulous one. Yes. A car or two a year perhaps might go over the edge. It's a long drop. No one could survive such a drop. A car or two at the most, but not 20 in three months. Twenty? Two the first month in May. Eight in June. In July there were 10. And now in August there have been already five crashes all fatal. And the month is only seven days old. Monsieur LaRonde.
[00:02:31] Unknown:
Well, I sympathize with you and your company, but, well, I feel that this is a matter for the proper authorities. Surely, the road must be closed. Surely, you must stop negotiating with motorists. Refuse to issue them with these policies, at least until the road has been made safe. The road is perfectly safe, monsieur. But how can it be? I repeat, the road is safe.
[00:02:51] Unknown:
The accidents were made to happen. Well then, this is a matter for the police. The police have investigated everything and they have been unable to find anything. That is why I've come to assignments unlimited. I want fresh brains, Missy Mason. I must know why these accidents occur. Yes, but
[00:03:09] Unknown:
but why don't you simply refuse to issue the policies? My company has a good name,
[00:03:15] Unknown:
We have never refused business. We have been issuing these policies for a number of years. Although, I am a patron saint. I love Switzerland. And more specifically, I love Daubersche. If, I any wish to honor all our inhabitants, I wish these people to be brought to justice. People or
[00:03:34] Unknown:
things. I beg your pardon. Things?
[00:03:38] Unknown:
Monsieur, one of the poor people who crashed over the edge whilst navigating the Grunob Pass lived for a short time before being taken to the hospital. He said little before he died, but I have it on good authority that he believed he had been forced over into the chasm by a ghost car. Good heavens. A ghost car was a thousand dead lights that screamed at him from out of the
[00:04:07] Unknown:
night. We at assignments unlimited had not to date attempted to exorcise a ghost. I was quite ready to believe that for some reason motorcars were being made to crash, but ghost cars, there I was quite out of sympathy. I'm the complete skeptic. I thought I'd ask Karen his views on the subject.
[00:04:26] Unknown:
Yep. Cannon? You're on switchboard duty, chief. Anything I can do for you? Yes. You can come up here at once. By the way, what's happened to miss Fairweather? They're off. Gone to see her grandma. I thought I'd man the board for another half hour and, then go and see my grandpa.
[00:04:40] Unknown:
Cannon, do you believe in ghosts? Come again Jean. Do you believe in ghosts?
[00:04:47] Unknown:
No, but, I'm scared of them.
[00:04:54] Unknown:
Cannon was perfectly happy to go to Switzerland Monshire La Ron assured me he would meet him at station there was no airport in four days providing he wired him from Zurich and told him the time his train would arrive at I convinced cannon that this was an assignment, not a holiday, but it was difficult to persuade him to leave his skiing togs in London.
[00:05:20] Unknown:
Mister Cano? Oh, hello. Are you, mister Lalonde? I am. Welcome to the Canton De Perche. Well, it was no trouble at all. You look mister, if you pardon me, saying so, very American. I know what you think. I do not look, typically Swiss. No. No. I wasn't thinking that. I am an individualist, monsieur. I love Switzerland, but, I have no wish to be taken for one of our sons wherever I go. The car is waiting, monsieur. No doubt, sir, as much you wish to ask me. So, monsieur, there you have it. No? The whole story just as I told it to your superior.
[00:06:08] Unknown:
Tell me monsieur Lau. My friends call me Guy. Oh, sure. Look, do you believe the, do you believe in this spook stuff yourself? I do not know, monsieur.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
I do know that it does not pay to be skeptical. There are things in the unseen worlds that we cannot divine. Spectres lurk in remote and secret places. It is unwise to dismiss the possibility that a friend drives a car along that mountain pass, forcing people to their deaths.
[00:06:35] Unknown:
No. You're no skeptic.
[00:06:38] Unknown:
Look. Don't go on like that, will you? I mean, you're gonna have me flying back home. The Assyrians dreaded those ghosts who were unable to sleep in their graves, but you came forth and perpetually homed up and down the face of the earth.
[00:06:51] Unknown:
Yeah. Well, how'd we get to Assyria, monsieur? Guy. Guy. Oh, yeah. Guy. Well, look, let let's let's be factual about this. I mean, otherwise, what you need is an exerciser and not an investigator. When can I drive along this pass? You you wish to drive along the path? Sure. There's nothing like investigating the scene of a crime if it is a crime. It is a crime. Many crimes.
[00:07:16] Unknown:
Whatever is responsible is monstrous. Oh, one thing I forget to tell you. And what's that? The accidents only occur in the night. Never in daylight? Enormous, sir. You see, people prefer to begin their drive into Austria when they are fresh and feeding untiled. The last part of their journey is that can be completed in daylight. Or if they drive fast, they will reach the body even before it is light. Well, why don't they just change their minds and drive it all in daylight if it's safer? Many of our people are stubborn. They believe the others are the bad drivers and such a fate cannot happen to them. It has become something of a challenge, you see.
Rudolph. May I introduce monsieur Calland from London? Monsieur Calland, Rudolf Mille, area manager of our company. How do you do? I am pleased to make your acquaintance, mister Cano. Monsieur Cano wishes to make the drive through the Grenon Bleu Pass. Is that so? Please.
[00:08:13] Unknown:
You, you wish to do this in daytime, of course, mister Cano. No. No. I, I thought I'd do it at nighttime when the spook's supposed to do it spooky. You realize, of course, that of the cars to negotiate the Granover Pass in recent months Yeah. Yeah. I know. I know. I know. But I mean, if, if nothing happens when it's light, then there's no point in wasting time, is it? There is, mister Carnarvon, a very valid point.
[00:08:34] Unknown:
You must, make the drive in the daytime before attempting the nighttime drive. Then you will know the route well and there will be no danger.
[00:08:43] Unknown:
You know something? You know? I need my head examined. Why didn't I think of that?
[00:08:54] Unknown:
Cannon told me afterwards that he thought he'd had a brainstorm at the time. No one in their right mind would attempt a dangerous drive at night without first checking their course in daylight. Cannon had been having quite a few successes in various rallies during his spare time in England. Perhaps this made him a little cocksure.
[00:09:12] Unknown:
However, he completed the trip a day later. And two days after that, a Saturday it was, he was ready for the night trip. You you are quite satisfied then Mr. Kennan. Yeah, there's nothing dangerous about this drive. I don't understand. I mean, if these people were used to the route, they should have been able to do it blindfold at night. Something made them crash, that's for sure. Well, you understand the controls of the car, left hand drive. The gears I'm an American, m. Muller. I'm sorry, of course. And I've already put this thing through its place. Yes, of course. I will lend you mine, you know. It's a fast shifting machine. No, no thanks, Mr. Moore. I'll stick to something I know about.
[00:09:49] Unknown:
I I wish you good luck then. Thanks.
[00:09:52] Unknown:
Maybe I should take along some garlic and stick candles all over. Well never mind. Oh, garlic. It's it's good for snuffing out ghosts. So long. Goodbye, mister Cannon. I'll be back Sunday night. What? Oh, yes. Yes. Surely. Well, VIN number 5 after 17 mile mark coming up. Easy does it. Boy, I'm not breaking any records today. It's a long way down. And before 20 miles, there's a dip. We go down down to the next bend. There's a long stretch where the road narrows, and that's where the rocks are covered with lichens. I'm not gonna be able to see much.
19 miles. Here we go. Down. Nothing wrong with this, baby. Down and round. Hey. What? Hey. You darn fool. Hey. Look out.
[00:11:06] Unknown:
Cannon was found early the next morning by a traveler from Vienna who rounded a small bend beyond the one Cannon had so very nearly lost his life taking. There was a great danger for a minute of a second pileup for Cannon's car had swerved into the rock face, bounced off, skidded along the edge of the pass, crossed the narrow road again, and had come to rest upon its side miraculously in a small concave, a hole in the side of the rock. His speed, not being so great as other motorists along the pass, Cannon had left room for error just. He had a multitude of bruises and abrasions, but nothing was broken.
The thing that puzzled my tripid operator most was what had happened to the oncoming car. For the car had driven straight at him. And also, when he returned to consciousness, why was he wearing only his underpants?
[00:11:53] Unknown:
I don't care. Ghosts don't wear clothes. They don't wear shoes and socks and they don't need French francs or travelers checks. And furthermore, they don't give a hang about the time so where Miss you, I saw none of these things. I came around the bend in the road and poof, there he was all over the place. Blood. Ah, you have never seen so much blood. That was from my nose. Look, and I'm not accusing you of taking anything, Monsieur. I'm grateful to you. More grateful than I can say for fixing me up. I was thinking I would die myself. I was thinking here is calamity. I was thinking here is great danger. I was thinking of my wife and my children. My little Felix, Hans, Martha, Anna, Paul, baby Peter, and little Josephine. You had time to think all that much. I prayed hard. My breaks would be good. I am. I shall arrange for your return to London, Mr. Cannon. Return to London? What for?
[00:12:40] Unknown:
You almost killed, mister Kennan. You you do not wish to continue with with this investigation now, do you? I certainly do. Somebody tried to kill me on this blasted past Grenoble.
[00:12:50] Unknown:
When that sort of thing happens, Cannon gets angry in here, Muller. He gets very angry. But because my company would have solved you from all further duties connected with this business. I will make a telephone call to your mister Mason at London and I'm sure he would have thought whether he agrees or not. I am staying here to find out why the past granola spook wears big thick rubber boots. Okay. Mister Cannon, I will go now, mister Cannon. What? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Look. Well, thanks again. It was a pleasure, mister. Yeah. Thank you. Now I'm going to tell my darling wife that little Felix and Hannah Yeah. Yeah. Great. Thanks. Yeah. And give him all my love, missy. But I will miss you. Goodbye. Goodbye, Evelyn. Goodbye.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Whatever happens, you must stay for a few weeks here in your hotel. You cannot do a thing until all is properly healed. Yes?
[00:13:36] Unknown:
No. I don't feel in the mood for any more hauntings just now. But tomorrow, I wanna make that drive again. Then I think you are being very foolish, Mr. Mr. Kenner. That's my affair. It is also my affair. I'm employing you. Yeah. Well, I'm gonna act like I think I should act. You better ring Mr. Mason. And it was Monsieur Laurent who employed Assignments Unlimited to employ me in the first place. Goodbye, Mr. Kenner. Goodbye. Miller, I don't trust you one little inch. Hello. Reception? Yes. What? What? Well, look, I'd I'd like to speak to someone.
Yeah. Okay. Doesn't speak American. Hello? Yeah. Look, I'd like to put a call through to the offices of La Societe Anonyme d'Assurant General, please. Yeah. Yeah. I guess it'll be in the book but there's no book here. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Sure. As soon as you can get them. Okay? Thanks. Then let's have a look. What I'm crazy about hotel reading there. Now where else in the world would they go to all the trouble of putting English books by the bed for me to read? What's this? The Hollow Tree House Mystery by Enid Blyton. Further.
Looks like junior sized James Bond for tiny tots. Monsieur, this is for you. Right? Oh, thanks. What is it? It's your medicine,
[00:15:15] Unknown:
Okay.
[00:15:17] Unknown:
I never could understand how drinking can help a busted head and bruises. Come on, monsieur. Oh, forget about it.
[00:15:29] Unknown:
Hello. Room 4. Cannon speaking. Hello, mister Cannon. Tyler here. Oh, you're from the insurance, Jenny Ron? Yes. Yes. I instructed Laurent to go to London. Look. I'm sorry we haven't met. Sorry too about the accident.
[00:15:42] Unknown:
You asked me to ring you. Yeah. Look. I wanted to know about your, Herr Muller. Say, how come you're English? Well, I I was born in Surrey, you know? No. I I I mean, I I thought that just just hang on a minute.
[00:15:55] Unknown:
Well, you see the firm's only a subsidiary of a larger syndicate. I'm here for three years as general manager. Yeah. Just just hey.
[00:16:05] Unknown:
I say what's up?
[00:16:07] Unknown:
I've got a visitor here, a dog. He's he's busted the glass and he's now drinking my medicine. Anyway, look, what do you know about Murr? Murr, he's he's an area manager for the Canton du Beaure. Yeah. But what what sort of guy is he? I mean, if I'm not out of step asking these questions. Oh, no. No. No. No. Not at all. Of course not.
[00:16:26] Unknown:
We'll have Muller isn't a nice man at all, actually. In fact, I don't think he'll be with us much longer. He said he was promised the appointment to succeed Le Guay as general manager here. And then when I turned up, Alfredo wasn't popular at all. I think he knows his job's not safe. He's also I shouldn't really tell you this, but well, anyway, he'll keep it himself, will you? Mhmm. He's a bit of a gambler. Owes an awful lot of money
[00:16:53] Unknown:
all over the place. Hey. Hey. Come on, boy. I beg your pardon? Well, look. Thanks. Thanks a million, mister Tyler. I'm sorry. I got to rush. I'll ring you back,
[00:17:01] Unknown:
Hey. Come on, boy. Come on. Get up. Come
[00:17:06] Unknown:
here. Boy, you poor little and that medicine was mine.
[00:17:17] Unknown:
The dog belonging to another visitor to the hotel must have been very thirsty. It had drunk Cannon's medicine, so thoughtfully provided by mister Laurent, and had died three minutes later. But, pec perfume, believe me, monsieur, I arranged for the medicine to be collected and for the waiter to bring it to you, I never saw it from the first to the last. Mister Cameron, again, something has attempted to kill you. Herr Muller is right. I think you should not continue. I've informed the police once more about suspicions, and they are going to have the road through the pass closed until further notice. It is already Now, when are they closing it? Tonight, I believe.
[00:17:56] Unknown:
Monsieur, what are you doing? You must rest, Oh, my holiday with Hollow Tree House has been cut short. Ah, you found the books I wrote. Yeah. You're very kind, and I hope the books are tastier than the drink. What are you going to do? I'm gonna see which of the fraternities on shift at Grenoble tonight.
[00:18:17] Unknown:
Monsieur, it was only your assurance that ghosts do not wear boots attempted me to accompany you tonight. Well, you have my views. I'd rather you stay behind. Monsieur, you do not suspect me in any way. Be honest. That crossed my mind. Does it still cross your mind?
[00:18:33] Unknown:
Well, let's say it's not so insistent now you're with me. I figured if anything's gonna happen to me, you too will be landed in trouble. And I reckon you'd be a funny kind of guy to want that to go on. Mister Cano, you should change. I need not have warned you. Monsieur Alain, I, I wouldn't like to drive far. I I will not speak again. Oh, no. That's alright. I want you to. I, I wanna know what you think of Rudolf Muller.
[00:18:58] Unknown:
Muller, he's a strange man, but I don't believe him to be involved with this,
[00:19:04] Unknown:
affair. You don't wanna believe it. Well, we're a mile from where it happened. You're gonna be very lonely if you get out now. No. No. No. I will stay with you. This is important to me. K. Here we go. You made those, seat belts tight? Yeah. Well, nothing happened. You can open your eyes, monsieur. The road's clear. No ghost walks tonight. Saint
[00:19:29] Unknown:
Evans. We cannot turn around here. We must go on. There's a place where we can turn about six miles from here. Oh, but my belt is very tight, monsieur Canard. No dice. We're going on to the end of the pass. Oh, not too swiftly, please, monsieur.
[00:19:45] Unknown:
No. No, monsieur monsieur Canal. There's a car. You're not tight, will you? Stop it. We will not let us pass it. Right.
[00:19:51] Unknown:
Wheel. Go on. Get your hands off the wheel. There's your ghost. See the glass? We drove through a mirror. Those headlights we saw were our own. First of why? Well, the ghouls made pretty rich pickings from the cars that went over the side, but not rich enough to warrant this. No. Something doesn't fit. There must be something else. I've not got an idea where that something is. Come on. Let's go. What time? Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Tyler. Yeah. I hope so too. No. No. I'm I'm not as shocked as you are. Thanks. Miller's beaten it. He has gone? That's pretty conclusive, I guess. He left about 4AM.
But, has he taken Yes. Yes. He took the way through the pass. They must have missed him by half an hour.
[00:20:49] Unknown:
I told Tyler what I thought before we left, and he called the cops thereafter now. They cannot catch him, monsieur. He drives a Grollet? The what? Oh, it is a car that is rare, monsieur. One might say it is his own invention. The Grollet, as as the Miller was so pleased to tell anyone who listened, a seven and a half liter engine. It is capable of a speed of 140 miles an hour. Well, that won't help him along the pass. No, monsieur, but he is at a start upon the police, surely. Two hours and more, I guess. Yeah. I see what you mean. Once over the border into Austria, he can abandon his motor car. No. I do not believe we shall catch him.
[00:21:28] Unknown:
Yep. Cannon. Yeah. You don't say? Well, I'll be What is it, monsieur? No. No. No. No. It's right. Yeah. I guess what was left of the mirror. Mhmm. Okay. Thanks a lot, Tyler. Yeah. I guess it does. So long.
[00:21:50] Unknown:
Was that
[00:21:51] Unknown:
what, Yeah. You were wrong about Mueller. Seven and a half liters didn't help him at all. But why? You went over the edge where we hit the middle last night. Why? It must have been light passing.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
But there was no mirror to see his lights in.
[00:22:05] Unknown:
Anyway, he knew what it was. You're barking up the wrong tree, monsieur Laurent. Rudolf Muller did 70 around the bend where I slowed to 40 and ran slap into what was left of the mirror. You must have had four blowouts at once. It wasn't entirely greed that prompted Rudolf Muller to erect the great mirror in the past Grenoble.
[00:22:24] Unknown:
After all, what valuables there were left when a car plunged hundreds of feet down a mountainside wouldn't make a rich man a muller. Now robbery was a secondary motive. His first concern was for revenge. Revenge upon la Societe Anonyme d'Assurant General, who he considered owed him a living on its board of directors. The fact that he would have taken more than a couple of dozen deaths and car wrecks to break a company of that size didn't enter into it. Muller obviously didn't think that far. Oh, it was Muller, by the way, who poisoned Cannon's drink at the hotel. Cannon now threatens to employ someone to taste everything he drinks.
He also has an immense affection for small dogs.
The Mysterious Invitation
The Insurance Dilemma
The Ghost Car Theory
Cannon's Arrival in Switzerland
The Dangerous Night Drive
The Near-Fatal Encounter
Suspicions and Discoveries
The Truth Behind the Mirror
The Motive Revealed
