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In this gripping episode of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, host EG Marshall delves into the complex interplay of justice and morality with "The Ripple Effect." The story unfolds with Emerson Maitland, a political aspirant, who finds himself entangled in a web of deceit and murder. As he seeks to retrieve incriminating love letters from his past affair with Lolly Horvath, a series of unintended consequences ensue, leading to multiple deaths. The narrative explores the theme of how a single action can set off a chain reaction, affecting numerous lives and careers.
Listeners are taken on a suspenseful journey as Maitland's desperation to protect his political ambitions results in a deadly cover-up. With the help of Lena Morgan, the truth behind the murders begins to unravel, revealing the lengths to which individuals will go to hide their secrets. This episode is a testament to the idea that justice, although delayed, is inevitable, and that the truth has a way of surfacing, no matter how deeply it is buried.
(00:30) Introduction to Mystery Theater
(02:03) The Ripple Effect: A Political Thriller
(10:10) A Murderous Encounter
(20:15) The Investigation Begins
(30:07) Unraveling the Mystery
(40:04) The Truth Revealed
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[00:00:00]
Unknown:
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[00:00:30] Unknown:
CBS radio mystery theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. Might is right, said the German poet. And justice, there is none. Well, of course, there are times when it certainly looks that way, doesn't it? However, there is justice, and there is a judge. And if on occasion it might seem that no one is trying the case, it doesn't mean that the court has been abandoned. No. It's just a recess, a brief recess. Your case, my case, everyone's case is on the calendar waiting to be called.
[00:01:32] Unknown:
Who asked you to come running in here anyhow? Look. I'll I'll forget about the whole thing. You heard a shot. You had to find out what happened. Believe me. I know nothing.
[00:01:43] Unknown:
You had to poke your nose where it doesn't belong. Look. I swear. I swear. I I won't say a single word. You have no one to blame but yourself. Hey. Don't don't don't look at me like that. It's your fault. Your fault.
[00:02:03] Unknown:
Our mystery drama, The Ripple Effect, was written especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dann and stars, Let's Remain. It is sponsored in part by Contact, the twelve hour cold capsule, and True Value Hardware stores. I'll be back shortly with act one. God sees the truth, but waits, said Leo Tolstoy. However, with all due respect, one must often wonder just what is he waiting for. Certain it is that right is being strangled by wrong, virtue ravaged by vice, good murdered by evil, why then does he wait? Well, perhaps he waits for us to see the truth.
A mister John Flanders is calling on a mister Emerson Maitland. Mister Flanders, known as Honest John, is an important political leader. Mister Maitland would like to be the next congressman from Honest John's district.
[00:03:19] Unknown:
You won't be the best congressman the district ever had, Emerson. Hell, you won't be the worst. Then I'm to get the nomination. Emerson. What sort of talk is that? The nomination isn't something I hold in my coat pocket like a lollipop. You know, isn't something I hold in my coat pocket like a lollipop. You know what I'm talking about. If a party gives me the designation, it's tantamount to election. Go play games with me, John. Am I getting the designation? Well, that depends. On what? I'm the answer to one question. Well, fire away. The voters are on a purity case.
You appear to be honest. Now have you at any time ever committed a A crime? Never. Will you just listen? Now have you ever been guilty of any, breach of the law? Have you ever been involved in any sort of scandal? Never. The opposition's gonna run your past life through a ringer. Big thing in this district is moral rectitude. Oh, I know that. I know that. Oh, I say it because in some districts, I I can have two dozen wives and a couple of girlfriends, and the voters don't care. I've always been straight arrow, John. Always. Whereas here, everything has to be in order, in the bedroom, right, if you get my drift. Oh, absolutely, John. Absolutely.
You come over as a devoted husband. Is, what we see, what is there? I assure you. And there's absolutely no prospect whatsoever of a surprise.
[00:04:54] Unknown:
A surprise? Yeah. You know what I mean? Well,
[00:04:58] Unknown:
yes. Yeah. Well, so if you have nothing to hide and if there are no surprises, you'll get the designation. There there will be no surprises. Well, that was the question I was sent to ask, and that's the answer I had to get. So tell your wife she can start looking for an apartment in Washington, DC.
[00:05:28] Unknown:
Who's there? Shut your mouth, isn't it? What are you doing? Dang it in my apartment. You weren't supposed to be home. Who who are you? What do you want? Oh, yeah. Now be calm and you don't have to get hurt. What do you want? I wanna make this easy on both of us. What do you want? I want the letters.
[00:05:45] Unknown:
What letters? Oh, come on. Well, yeah, you know what letters. Now look. One way or another, I get the letters. You can hand them over like a lady, and I'll take them like a gentleman. I don't know what you're talking about. The second way, I just knock you around till you see the light. Okay. Oh, no. No. Don't don't hit me. It's up to you. Now the letter Won't you tell me what letter you're talking about? You don't know what letters. The letters that were written to you by miss Anderson Maitland.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
Emma Emerson. Oh. Oh. Oh. Those letters. Oh. But if you want them so badly, Why not? Sure. Sure. Just let me get out of bed.
[00:06:34] Unknown:
The the the the the the they're right here in the drawer. Now you're talking. Right here. Hey. Hey. What's this? You can see what it is. A revolver.
[00:07:01] Unknown:
Let go of me. Let's help a couple Drop it. Drop it. Let the cow fall on the floor. Let go of it. Let go. Take your finger off the trigger. You crazy damn. I'm I'm I told you to let go. Hope I'm crying out loud. Everything is is going slow. I I I don't want it slow. Hey. Hey. Listen. What do you wanna do that for? I don't wanna kill you. I didn't Who is it? It's me, Jocko, for crying out while I live in. Alright. Close it. Yeah. What's the matter, Jocko? Are you alright? You see this? It's a gun. Jocko, one thing we agreed, you'd never carry a gun. I gotta get rid of it. I gotta find a good place to get rid of it. Yeah. That's right. You never get into real trouble if you don't have a gun. And if you do have a gun, you can kill somebody. I did. That's why you should never Jocko. What did you say? I said I killed somebody.
Oh, no. No, Jocko. I didn't mean to do it. Jocko. This guy, he gave me a job. You're killing. You took it. No. No. No. No. No. There was this thing. She had some letters that he wrote her, and and he wanted them back. And I was supposed to steal them from her apartment. Well, I I thought she wasn't home, but she was. So I tried back tough. Oh, Jack o. And she had a gun. She was gonna kill me. And I ran for the gun. It went on and killed her. That's the honest truth. Oh, what's her name? I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? This guy just gave me an address. He said go there, find the letters. It's only a two little apartment. Who's the guy? I don't want you mixed up in it. Oh, if you're mixed up in it, I'm mixed up in it. No. No. No. Not as far as the cops are concerned.
Anyone see you? No. Nobody. Coming or going? Nobody saw me. I could swear to it. Did someone hear the shot? There's a lot of traffic outside. It occurred with a backfire. No one saw you. No one heard you. I I don't even have to ask this. Naturally, you wore gloves. Gloves? You always wear gloves. I mean, that's the first time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I know. But, You're not gonna tell me this time. Well, there wasn't a regular job where somebody could call the cops. You didn't wear gloves. I didn't think I had her. She didn't wear gloves. Alright. Alright. I didn't wear gloves. This time. This one time. Why didn't she cost her a pain in the neck? That's why. Listen, I didn't touch nothing anyway. You didn't, I swear.
You didn't touch the doorknob? You all do. Knob the outside door. I didn't have to have bedroom door. That's all. That's enough. When there's a murder, look, the cops spray some kind of powder all over everything. They'll get your fingerprints. Maybe. Maybe there's a lot of fingerprints on the door. You know, lots of people come and go and, Maybe there ain't. Can we take the chance? What do you want me to do? Who's the guy asked you to steal the letter? Well, he's, he's a politician. Big shot. Running for office. Hey. I ain't gonna tell you another word. Well, then I'm gonna tell you. Now you get out of here right now. And go where? Mexico.
What? Meg what for? In case your prints are on the doorknob. You go to that place we went to last winter. Well, that takes toll. I got 200 in the house. 200? That's just about car fare. Now you go. I'll stay here. I'll send you more money. Now give me the gun. What for? I'll get rid of it. That way I'll be sure. Oh, look. I can No. It's an expensive looking gun. You may try to sell it. Why? You think I'm that dumb, Lena? Yeah. Come on. Hand it over. Now take this money and get on the first plane. Hey. Listen. Listen. I got an idea. I can raise some dough. No, Chuckle. Do it my way. Listen, Lena. Look. Where's that number of the airline we used last year? Lena, this way we could be together. I got this idea. Oh, here it is. Lena, listen. I'm talking to you. This idea of mine Where do I make the call?
Hello? Oh, yes. When is your next flight to Mexico City? Selena, I can raise this though so easily. Oh, it's 09:30. Oh, well, that that gives me an hour to get to the airport. Selena. Yes. Yes. One. Tourist. The name is mister Jock Lewiston. Yes. That's right. He'll be there. Thank you. Don't you even wanna hear my idea? No. Look, I'm putting you in a cab and sending you to the air force. You just make it. Flight seventeen InterContinental. Now come on. Lena. The cops could be checking those prints right now. You don't have a minute to lose. Kathy.
Kathy. Lena. My way, I could pick up the snow easy. There's no easy way to pick up dough. No. Look. I'll I'll come down and join you as soon as I can. Look out for yourself, won't you? Baby, I don't like to leave you alone. It won't take so long, Chuckle. What do you say, folks? Either you want a cab or you don't wanna care. You'll miss the plane. Okay. Okay. I still say my way would be better. I don't wanna hear about it. Oh, good luck, Jocko, honey. Good luck. International airport driver. He has a plane to catch. I appreciate that, lady. Well, we're off.
[00:12:56] Unknown:
Nice looking girl. Your wife? Turn right to the next block. Turn right to the next block? But that ain't the way to the airport. We ain't going to the airport.
[00:13:06] Unknown:
We're headed for 864 Road Hudson Place. Hudson Place? That's that's that's the other end of nowhere. It's way out in the woods. And step on it. I'm running out of time. Young fellow like you, you got nothing but time.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Well, look.
[00:13:31] Unknown:
Who knew there'd be a house here square in the middle of no place? That is, eight thirty five hundred meter. Alright. Wait for me. I'll be out in just a couple of minutes. Well, I got all night. Clock's running. Take your time, sport.
[00:13:49] Unknown:
Jocko. Come in.
[00:13:54] Unknown:
Look. I got no time. I got a cab waiting outside. I gotta have some money. I've got the money right here. Just just give me those letters. There ain't no letters.
[00:14:02] Unknown:
What do you mean? There
[00:14:04] Unknown:
are no letters. She had a gun. She was gonna hold me for the cops. I tried to get it away from her, the gun, and now she's dead. And I gotta leave town. You killed her. No. No. No. I don't even want to get the gun away. But where are the letters? Was I gonna hang around and look for letters? You expect me to believe you didn't find me? I'm in a jam on a kinda you. I'm in a jam. I gotta leave the country. You gotta give me money. The letters. Just hand me the letters. I did it for you.
[00:14:31] Unknown:
You should've made sure she wasn't home. And so you intend to take her place. Instead of her being able to blackmail me, I now have you. I won't stand for it. On a counter you, I had to commit a murder, and you're gonna pay for it. I won't let you hold those letters over my head. I don't know what you're talking about. I have something on my desk here that might convince you. Now then
[00:14:54] Unknown:
listen, mister Maitland. That gun don't scare me.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
You're a stupid man. It should.
[00:15:09] Unknown:
We have been here before, wouldn't you say?
[00:15:12] Unknown:
And those letters, whatever they are, always seem to inspire somebody to produce a gun.
[00:15:20] Unknown:
Will there be more fireworks?
[00:15:22] Unknown:
Well, act two will certainly have its quota of sound and fury. As the poet said, if you would write of love, carve your words on ice, scribble them on the sands, and speak of love only into the wind. Good advice. No? Well, a gentleman named Emerson Maitland put his words of love down on paper. A most foolhardy thing to do. But, he thinks apparently that he can recoup
[00:16:06] Unknown:
with a gun. I want those letters. I don't have the letters. Don't force me to kill you. Hey. Hey. Now wait a minute. Don't be crazy. I'll count to three. No. No. No. No. No. Don't don't you. Don't don't I'll I'll go get it. That won't do. Let me call a certain party. That's better. But I warn you, don't try anything. Now look. I ain't crazy. At the first sign of a double cross, pick up the phone. Yes. Who? Dial. No tricks. Why would I wanna pull any tricks?
[00:16:37] Unknown:
Hello? Lena. Chuckle, why aren't you on the plane? Listen, Lena. A guy's holding a gun on me. His name is Jackal. His name? Jackal. Jackal. Jackal, what is it? Jackal.
[00:17:00] Unknown:
You're a fool. Why did you make me shoot? It didn't have to be this way. All you had to do was give me those letters. Now what am I going to do?
[00:17:16] Unknown:
Excuse me? What? Who are you? Oh, me? I'm, I'm a cab driver. Party asked me to wait. He'd be right out, he said. I was sitting there in my cab, and I heard a shot, so I just
[00:17:29] Unknown:
He's dead.
[00:17:32] Unknown:
Look at him. He's dead. Well, why why'd you kill him? I didn't you you didn't kill me. How can you say you didn't kill him? I I I didn't mean to kill him. No. No. We we gotta call the police. The police? Yeah. That's what they're for. A murder is committed. You call the police. Now where's the phone? Yeah. There it is. I see. Keep away my telephone. Why? You think we shouldn't report it? I I can't afford to be mixed up in a a murder case. What do you mean mixed up? You are the case. It it was a letters. Letters? He he was going to blackmail me. Oh, well, and look. You'll get off. You got nothing to worry about. You you kill a blackmailer. They let you go. But then I'd have to tell them about the letters. What letters? I wrote her the letters.
Oh, I was a fool. I couldn't help it. Mister, the jury will take everything into consideration. But the voters won't. My dream, my life's ambition to be a congressman. I I won't give it up. Oh, I'm beginning to see the picture. Well, now you shouldn't have written such letters. I couldn't help it. I was so grateful to her, to Lolly. For twenty years, I've been married to a bit a human iceberg. Do you know what that is? I can imagine. And I met Lolly. She was so vibrant, so alive, so so loving. You you don't have to draw the picture. Those letters. You see, I had to get rid of Lolly because she could destroy my career.
It might occur to her to to use those letters. I I couldn't take a chance. Look. Look. You'll have to go into all this when the police get here, so why say it twice? Don't move. Hey. No. Wait a minute. Wait. Don't don't don't look at me like that. You insist on calling the police. Well well You consider it your duty as an upstanding citizen. Yeah. But I'm not a fanatic. If I allow you to walk out of here, you'll go to the nearest police station. Now what do you mean? If you let me let me walk out of here. I'm in a very awkward position. I don't wanna do this. Do but I'm trapped.
I have no way out. Who asked you to come in here anyhow? No. No. Look. Look. I I I can forget about the whole thing. You heard a shot. You simply had to poke your nose where it doesn't belong. Yeah. But I'll never say a single solitary word that It's your fault. You have placed me in an absolutely intolerable position. But believe me. I'm sorry. Am I supposed to let you ruin my career? Destroy my marriage? No. No. No. I wouldn't do that. I I am You've got no one to blame but yourself.
[00:20:00] Unknown:
No. No. Minister, you're crazy. It's your fault. Don't don't don't shoot me. What are you trying to tell me? I'm trying to tell you, lieutenant. It wasn't a case of somebody stopping the cab and pulling a sticker. It wasn't. No, sir, lieutenant. It wasn't.
[00:20:26] Unknown:
What was it, Lena?
[00:20:28] Unknown:
My name is miss Morgan. Okay. Look. I I admit Jocko was a small time burglar. And this cab driver, Renfrew Kovacs, he was just a cab driver. So two guys like them get knocked off. So what? They're nobody. Why should the cops knock themselves out? Oh, we can only go by what we've got.
[00:20:47] Unknown:
The cab was held up. Maybe he put up a fight. I'm sorry.
[00:20:52] Unknown:
You're sorry? What does that mean, you're sorry? Now look, miss Mooreman. What about the phone call I got? How could he phone me if he was shot in the cab? That's where the bodies were found, in the cab. When he was on the phone to me, I heard two shots. He yelled, Lina, somebody's got a gun on me. He was about to tell me the guy's name when I I heard the shots and somebody hung up. How could that happen in a cab? I only have your word for that phone call. Why would I lie? Lieutenant, you know the dame who was killed yesterday? Lolly Horvath? Yeah. Well, it's gotta be her. She was the only dame killed in this town yesterday.
You know who killed her? No. I do. Jocko. Jocko? It doesn't matter now, but it's all tied together. Now, Lena, what are you building here? Look. A a a guy hired Jocko to break into this dame's apartment and steal some letters. They must have been love letters. What else? But Jocko was She had the gun. And he tried to get it away from her, and it went off. And then Well, how do you know all this? Jocko came home and told me. I made him give me the gun.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
Where is it?
[00:22:04] Unknown:
I I got rid of it. Dropped it off the Outer City Bridge. I could believe your story a little better if we had the gun. Please, lieutenant. I know it would be easy to write it off as a holdup, but Jocko was killed because of those letters. Which letters? The ones he was supposed to steal from Lolly Horvath's apartment. Oh, we were all over the place, and we didn't find any letters. Maybe, I don't know, maybe this politician thinks Jocko had him and would try to use him as blackmail. Which politician? That's all Jocko would tell me. He was a politician. He was running for office. He needed those letters. A politician
[00:22:41] Unknown:
running for office. Now there's a real live lead.
[00:22:51] Unknown:
Evangeline. I'm home.
[00:22:54] Unknown:
So I see. I thought you'd stay at the lodge another few days. Oh, that's
[00:22:59] Unknown:
just what I told the press. You know, it looked good in print. Congressional candidate goes away to commune with nature. To tap once again the basic wellsprings of life. I dare say. Day and the night of that is sufficient. Believe me.
[00:23:13] Unknown:
Anything
[00:23:14] Unknown:
interesting happened while you were up there? Oh, what could happen?
[00:23:18] Unknown:
Well, something happened back here in town. Uh-huh. A friend of yours died. I should say a former friend. I should also say, she didn't die. She was murdered. She? Lolly Horvath. Oh. She evidently surprised a burglar in her apartment.
[00:23:44] Unknown:
Oh, I I'm
[00:23:46] Unknown:
sorry to hear that. I knew you would be.
[00:23:49] Unknown:
Evangeline, that that's been over and done with for more than
[00:23:53] Unknown:
five years now. I wonder why she was murdered. Well, didn't you just say she surprised the burglar? Did I? Well, the the newspaper account isn't quite clear. What what was the burglar looking for, I wonder? Oh,
[00:24:12] Unknown:
ordinarily, I I guess. Jewels, money.
[00:24:16] Unknown:
What do burglars look for? Who knows? There are all kinds of burglars.
[00:24:22] Unknown:
Evangeline, you are never one to engage in aimless, idle conversation.
[00:24:27] Unknown:
Aimless, idle conversation. Oh, how appropriate. But how untrue. I never did engage in that kind of conversation until the past several years of our married life when it all became aimless and idle. Please, Evangeline. Don't worry. I won't divorce you. Not now. And if I did, it it no longer carries the the stigma it used to. I I thought we'd made up. Yes. You need a wife to enhance your image. I need a husband to support me. Well, we'll make do.
[00:25:05] Unknown:
In all my married life,
[00:25:07] Unknown:
I I only made one mistake. You mean you were only caught one time? Oh, please. It's a very straight laced election district, Emerson. Are you sure your affair with Lolly Horvath? No. Please don't refer to it. It it's over. You mean you were able to keep it absolutely a secret? From everyone but you. I hope you didn't leave any traces behind. Traces?
[00:25:31] Unknown:
What sort of traces?
[00:25:33] Unknown:
The ones that immediately come to mind would be
[00:25:37] Unknown:
fingerprints. I don't understand.
[00:25:39] Unknown:
Fingerprints? I hope you didn't leave any. Where? Where you you might left them in Lolly Horvath's apartment.
[00:25:48] Unknown:
How could I leave fingerprints in her apartment? You could have. For instance, the papers say, a burglar Evangeline, will you please tell me what you're talking about? I hope you
[00:26:00] Unknown:
weren't the burglar. I? You certainly wouldn't be interested in stealing something from Lolly's apartment. What are you talking about? The letter. The the letters? The letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. They could end your political career.
[00:26:21] Unknown:
How do you know about the letters? What do you know about the letters?
[00:26:32] Unknown:
Obviously, we are dealing here with a man of letters. So far, they have taken the lives of one, two, three people. And every time mister Emerson Maitland gets a certain tone in his voice when the letters are being discussed, we have another homicide. Did you detect that familiar tone again? Well, very soon, we arrive at the moment of truth, which is, of course, the third act. Onore de Balzac, who knew a thing or two about people, said that a person should always keep his words to himself, instead of speaking them or writing them publicly so that other folk could twist them about for their own purposes.
Like most sound advice, this too has gone begging. Emerson Maitland would be in better shape today if he hadn't written certain letters yesterday. What letters?
[00:27:42] Unknown:
Why, my dear, the letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. Love letters. Well, I I never Yes. You never what? Never wrote her love letter?
[00:27:57] Unknown:
How did you know?
[00:27:59] Unknown:
That will have to be my own little secret.
[00:28:03] Unknown:
Evangeline, those letters, they could ruin me. I know. Do you have them? Why? I I want to know. Oh, it's delicious.
[00:28:15] Unknown:
I longed. I longed for revenge, but I didn't even know what I meant by revenge. For example, the fact of the letters
[00:28:25] Unknown:
could end your political career. Evangeline. I would make a splendid congressman.
[00:28:31] Unknown:
I could help our nation. The existence of those letters could even have you indicted for murder. You would have a motive for killing Lali Orba.
[00:28:41] Unknown:
What are you going to do? I don't know.
[00:28:44] Unknown:
This is rare brandy, fine wine. This is to be sipped and savored. Please, Benjamin. I may do something. I may do nothing. I'll make it up to you. I'll make everything up to you. I dare say you will before I'm finished with you. Good night.
[00:29:09] Unknown:
Lieutenant Quincy. Oh, it's you. Yes, sir. Look. I've got an idea. Now look, Lena. I mean, miss Morgan. No. No. Lena's okay. Listen. Jocko said some big politician who was running for office hired him to get the letters back from miss Lolly Horvath. What letters? So when he came home after he killed miss Horvath If he killed miss Horvath he said he could raise some dough, which had to mean he'd go to this big politician's place and get it. You don't have an ounce of fact yet, miss Morgan. Call me, Lena. So he went there. The big politician may have been afraid Jocko was holding out on the letters. If there was such a thing as letters And killed Jocko. So why was the cab driver also dead? He had to kill the cab driver too. Otherwise, the cab, they could have called the cops. Very good. Very good. Excellent.
[00:29:59] Unknown:
Then he puts both their bodies back in the cab and drives them off to the place where they were found. And that's exactly the way it happened, lieutenant Quint. I'm sorry.
[00:30:09] Unknown:
A big politician running for office in this district. Okay. We got two guys running for congress, two guys running for the state senate, two guys running for the assembly, and two guys running for city council, Three guys running for judge. Okay? If that's what it is, that's what it is. That's 11 big politicians. Now one of them was tied up somehow with Molly Horvath.
[00:30:31] Unknown:
Now that's where it comes unstuck, Lena. We've run out of string on our boyfriends and none of them is a politician. But this could have been years ago. We went back. Way back. You could have missed.
[00:30:44] Unknown:
But, lieutenant, you wanna get rid of me for good? You do this. I can't do it. I need you to do it. I say Jocko called me from the house of a big shot politician who was running for office. But we've been through it after 10:00, night before last. Now you have the phone company. Check the records of each of those 11 guys. See who made a phone call to my number at that time. There's your proof. Proof. Supposing just supposing a call was made from one of their homes to mine. Well, alright. Why would any of those big shots be calling me for? It would mean I'm telling the truth. It would mean Jocko did call me just before he was killed. It would mean he wasn't murdered in a taxi cab. Look, Lena. It could all be something you're scared, lieutenant.
Scared? Of what? Of the truth. This way you got yourself a nice, convenient little hold up murder. And in a week, you can forget all about it. Now look here, young lady. You can My way. It's something else. And it involves a big shot. And maybe you don't wanna tangle with it. Or even if even if the record shows a phone call was made from one of those guys' houses, that still doesn't have to prove anything to a jury. No.
[00:32:07] Unknown:
But it proves it to you,
[00:32:10] Unknown:
and you're a good cop. I know you, Quince. If you don't run this lead down, your conscience will bother you for the rest of your life.
[00:32:18] Unknown:
Okay, Lena. Pick up that pencil and write down your phone number. Lieutenant,
[00:32:24] Unknown:
I'm right. You'll see. Just write it down. Alrighty.
[00:32:29] Unknown:
I have to know about a phone call. If it was made to a certain number at 10:00 last Wednesday night, it could have been made from any one of 11 telephones. Lieutenant, Quince. Yeah. You're kidding, Eddie. You mean a call actually was made to her number? I told you. I told you. Quiet. From where, Eddie? A phone registered in the name of Emerson Maitland at 8640
[00:33:06] Unknown:
Hudson Place. He did it. Thanks, Eddie. He did it. He's the killer. He's the politician. He's made them. Who are you waiting for? Why don't you go and arrest him? On what charge? On what charge? Murder. Lena, just because it shows the call was made doesn't prove it. What are you backing down now for? I told you Jocko called me and was killed. Well, here's the number. Alright, Lena.
[00:33:34] Unknown:
But it's not going to be easy. But the call, there's a record of the call. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But there's no record of what was said or that Jocko made it. And none of it can hang together unless we find the letters. But I'm right.
[00:33:49] Unknown:
And you know I'm right. And you won't quit on it.
[00:33:58] Unknown:
A police detective. This is a surprise.
[00:34:03] Unknown:
May I, come in, mister Maitland? Well, please do, lieutenant. Who's at the door, Emerson? Oh, Evangeline.
[00:34:11] Unknown:
This gentleman is a police detective,
[00:34:13] Unknown:
lieutenant Quince. How do you do, lieutenant?
[00:34:16] Unknown:
I won't take up too much of your time. You have a home at 8640 Hudson Place.
[00:34:23] Unknown:
Summer home. Yes. Mhmm. Were you there Wednesday night? Wednesday night. Let me think.
[00:34:29] Unknown:
According to the papers, that's where you said you'd spend a couple of days. Oh, yes. Yes. I was. Now that I think of it. You know a young lady named Lena Morgan? Lena Morgan. No. No. Name is not at all familiar. Well, sir, checking the records of the telephone company, a a call was made from your house on Hudson Place to miss Morgan's number Wednesday night at 10PM. Well, that's impossible. I I don't know miss Morgan. But why should I call her? Could someone else have made the call from your place on Hudson Avenue? No. No. I I was alone.
[00:35:06] Unknown:
It must be a mistake. But the record shows a call was made. Oh, oh, oh, oh, I remember now. I I did make a call. Her name is Morgan, you say? Yes. Lena Morgan. Uh-huh. Of course. I called Lou Morgan, the news commentator. I I wanted to talk to him Yes. Perhaps to set up an interview. I looked up his number in the book. Lou Morgan must have dialed Lena Morgan by mistake. I I remember now a young lady answered. I I knew it was the wrong number, and I apologize and hung up. And you,
[00:35:39] Unknown:
didn't dial the operator and ask for credit? I didn't think about it. Will the record show that you made another call? Well, no. Because I believe in the odd laws of chance. The fact that I had chosen the wrong number could have been a sign that I was not to call Lou, that the interview was not to be. You. And then you don't know, miss Lena Morgan? No, sir. I I do not. Do you know a man named Jocko Lewiston? No, lieutenant. A cab driver named Renfrew Kovacs? Nope.
[00:36:11] Unknown:
Mister Lena Morgan. Now why is her name familiar? Oh, I know. I read it in the paper. She was the mistress of a burglar named Jocko Lewiston. He was murdered.
[00:36:26] Unknown:
I wouldn't know, miss Angela. Well, lieutenant, do you have any more questions to ask me? No. Not at the present. Does that mean you will have further questions in the future? I don't know. I can't read the future.
[00:36:46] Unknown:
Why isn't he under arrest? He claims he called a wrong number. But it's a lie.
[00:36:52] Unknown:
Jocko called me from that number. He was holding a gun on Jocko. He killed Jocko. There's no proof. Your word against his. And who are you, Lena? You got a prison record. You've been involved in confidence operations. It looked like an attempt to smear him politically. Well, what are we gonna do? The letters. If we could find those letters, it would all fall into place. We've got to find those letters. Lieutenant Quince. Who? Yeah. Send her up. You better beat it, Lena. I have to talk to somebody. You mean you you're not gonna nail this guy for Jocko's murder? Lena, I'm going to do what I can. Now be a good
[00:37:38] Unknown:
I really don't know what I'm doing here, lieutenant. But, yesterday when you were speaking to my husband, well, it, it all fell into place.
[00:37:48] Unknown:
What fell into place, missus Maveneland?
[00:37:51] Unknown:
You see, I thought my husband had murdered Lolly Horvath.
[00:37:58] Unknown:
What are you saying? But he didn't.
[00:38:01] Unknown:
This Jocko Lewiston was a sneak thief. Obviously, Emerson had hired him to steal the letters from this Horvath's apartment. Then there are letters. Lieutenant, I am no longer in love with my husband. Actually, I despise him for reasons that are personal and private. Is that the letters? What about He was having an affair with this Horvath woman. Stupidly, he had written her letters. When he cast her aside, she came to me. She had the letters. She offered them to me. I, of course, had to play the grand lady. To show her how much contempt I had for the whole affair, I took the packet of letters and without even looking at them, tossed them into the fire.
[00:38:52] Unknown:
You you burned them?
[00:38:53] Unknown:
Completely. Of course, he didn't know that. Still doesn't know it.
[00:39:00] Unknown:
Well, then she wasn't trying to blackmail him. No. Of course not.
[00:39:06] Unknown:
But his mean little mind immediately assumed she might. And he must have hired that poor sneak thief to steal But the letters are gone forever. Yes. I, well, I I had to come here to tell you. He committed murder, but we'll never be able to prove it.
[00:39:36] Unknown:
I thought you went home. I recognized her from the papers. I stood by the door. I heard the whole thing. Look. I know how we can get Maitland. Without the letters, we've got nothing. I said I know how to get him. Yeah? You wanna be at my place at 07:30? You'll be able to stop a murder. Are you gonna do something against the law? Yeah. That's why you wanna be there, to stop me.
[00:40:04] Unknown:
Well, now, miss Morgan, that name surfaces again. I've come here at your invitation.
[00:40:13] Unknown:
To do what? Well, I I said it was a matter of utmost importance. It's, about the letters. Letters? The love letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. The letters you killed three people for. I don't know what you're talking about. Well, maybe they can only get you for one murder, but that's good enough. You're bluffing. Miss Horvath is murdered. Letters that name you as her red hot lover come to light. Oh, what a motive. Anyway, at the very least, you're through in politics.
[00:40:46] Unknown:
Where are the letters?
[00:40:47] Unknown:
You admit there are letters. Where are they? How do you know about them? Well, my boyfriend was supposed to steal them. We were gonna blackmail you. We didn't figure you'd kill him. Him. I'll kill you too. Put that justice away. This is the gun I used to kill your friend and that driver. The letters. Where are the letters? You think I'd have the letters here? They're in a safe place. Where are they? As far as you're concerned, they're in the safest place in the world. They don't exist. What are you saying? Where did they go? Well, I I guess you could say they're gone with the wind.
Yeah. That's what happens when something goes up in smoke. Your wife burned them, chump. She
[00:41:29] Unknown:
she burned them.
[00:41:32] Unknown:
Then nobody It was all for nothing, sucker.
[00:41:37] Unknown:
All for nothing, mister Maitland. She's absolutely right. It was all for nothing.
[00:41:51] Unknown:
We could have had the perfect crime, the absolutely unsolved this is what cries havoc. Don't you cry? This is what cries havoc. Don't you cry.
[00:42:15] Unknown:
I'll be right back. I'm Hyman Brown, producer director of the Radio Mystery Theater. Before we continue with today's play, I'd like a word with the young people in our audience. When we went on the air with the Radio Mystery Theater, we were delighted to hear from so many of you telling us how much you enjoyed our radio drama. Well, now I have more good news for you and your parents too. On February, we're starting a new weekend drama series. It's the General Mills Radio Adventure Theater. Every Saturday and Sunday, we'll bring you two different radio plays, some based on famous books, plus many new and original stories never heard before.
All will be filled with action, suspense, and adventure. The popular television star, Tom Bosley, will be our host each week. I hope you'll be looking forward to it as much as we are, and join with us for the General Mills Radio Adventure Theater starting February 5 on many of these stations.
[00:43:34] Unknown:
This has been a story about the ripple effect. Drop a stone into a pond. Notice how ripples form to transmit energy from the center to all sides. And underneath, that single force displaces and creates other forces, and an entire universe of dependent activity comes into being all from a single action. Thus, one accidental murder leads to another and a third, and lives are upset and displaced, and who knows where, if at all, it will end. Our cast included Les Tremaine, Robert Dryden, Martha Greenhouse, Earl Hammond, and Bryna Rayburn. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown.
This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasants, dreams.
[00:44:58] Unknown:
You coming to bed, hon? Yep. Honey, I'll be I'll be right there. Just gotta turn out the light. Some things never change. Like, your kids always leaving tiny toys on the floor for you to step on. And GEICO saving folks lots of money on their car insurance.
[00:45:21] Unknown:
Sweetie, I think I left the downstairs light on.
[00:45:24] Unknown:
Please don't make me go. Fifteen minutes could save you 15% or more.
[00:45:29] Unknown:
The game is on the line, and I've only got a shot clock's worth of time to tell you about Subway's six ninety nine foot long deal. That's right. Order now on the Subway app and get any foot long on the menu for just $6.99. Fresh sliced deli meat, fresh crispy veggies. Too much good stuff. Get it now on the Subway app. Any foot long for just $6.99. Use code 699FL now. Only here for a limited time. Redeemable at participating US restaurants. Subway app online orders only. Add ons additional plus tasks. Additional piece of pie on delivery. Excludes foot long snacks. Limited time.
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[00:00:30] Unknown:
CBS radio mystery theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. Might is right, said the German poet. And justice, there is none. Well, of course, there are times when it certainly looks that way, doesn't it? However, there is justice, and there is a judge. And if on occasion it might seem that no one is trying the case, it doesn't mean that the court has been abandoned. No. It's just a recess, a brief recess. Your case, my case, everyone's case is on the calendar waiting to be called.
[00:01:32] Unknown:
Who asked you to come running in here anyhow? Look. I'll I'll forget about the whole thing. You heard a shot. You had to find out what happened. Believe me. I know nothing.
[00:01:43] Unknown:
You had to poke your nose where it doesn't belong. Look. I swear. I swear. I I won't say a single word. You have no one to blame but yourself. Hey. Don't don't don't look at me like that. It's your fault. Your fault.
[00:02:03] Unknown:
Our mystery drama, The Ripple Effect, was written especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dann and stars, Let's Remain. It is sponsored in part by Contact, the twelve hour cold capsule, and True Value Hardware stores. I'll be back shortly with act one. God sees the truth, but waits, said Leo Tolstoy. However, with all due respect, one must often wonder just what is he waiting for. Certain it is that right is being strangled by wrong, virtue ravaged by vice, good murdered by evil, why then does he wait? Well, perhaps he waits for us to see the truth.
A mister John Flanders is calling on a mister Emerson Maitland. Mister Flanders, known as Honest John, is an important political leader. Mister Maitland would like to be the next congressman from Honest John's district.
[00:03:19] Unknown:
You won't be the best congressman the district ever had, Emerson. Hell, you won't be the worst. Then I'm to get the nomination. Emerson. What sort of talk is that? The nomination isn't something I hold in my coat pocket like a lollipop. You know, isn't something I hold in my coat pocket like a lollipop. You know what I'm talking about. If a party gives me the designation, it's tantamount to election. Go play games with me, John. Am I getting the designation? Well, that depends. On what? I'm the answer to one question. Well, fire away. The voters are on a purity case.
You appear to be honest. Now have you at any time ever committed a A crime? Never. Will you just listen? Now have you ever been guilty of any, breach of the law? Have you ever been involved in any sort of scandal? Never. The opposition's gonna run your past life through a ringer. Big thing in this district is moral rectitude. Oh, I know that. I know that. Oh, I say it because in some districts, I I can have two dozen wives and a couple of girlfriends, and the voters don't care. I've always been straight arrow, John. Always. Whereas here, everything has to be in order, in the bedroom, right, if you get my drift. Oh, absolutely, John. Absolutely.
You come over as a devoted husband. Is, what we see, what is there? I assure you. And there's absolutely no prospect whatsoever of a surprise.
[00:04:54] Unknown:
A surprise? Yeah. You know what I mean? Well,
[00:04:58] Unknown:
yes. Yeah. Well, so if you have nothing to hide and if there are no surprises, you'll get the designation. There there will be no surprises. Well, that was the question I was sent to ask, and that's the answer I had to get. So tell your wife she can start looking for an apartment in Washington, DC.
[00:05:28] Unknown:
Who's there? Shut your mouth, isn't it? What are you doing? Dang it in my apartment. You weren't supposed to be home. Who who are you? What do you want? Oh, yeah. Now be calm and you don't have to get hurt. What do you want? I wanna make this easy on both of us. What do you want? I want the letters.
[00:05:45] Unknown:
What letters? Oh, come on. Well, yeah, you know what letters. Now look. One way or another, I get the letters. You can hand them over like a lady, and I'll take them like a gentleman. I don't know what you're talking about. The second way, I just knock you around till you see the light. Okay. Oh, no. No. Don't don't hit me. It's up to you. Now the letter Won't you tell me what letter you're talking about? You don't know what letters. The letters that were written to you by miss Anderson Maitland.
[00:06:18] Unknown:
Emma Emerson. Oh. Oh. Oh. Those letters. Oh. But if you want them so badly, Why not? Sure. Sure. Just let me get out of bed.
[00:06:34] Unknown:
The the the the the the they're right here in the drawer. Now you're talking. Right here. Hey. Hey. What's this? You can see what it is. A revolver.
[00:07:01] Unknown:
Let go of me. Let's help a couple Drop it. Drop it. Let the cow fall on the floor. Let go of it. Let go. Take your finger off the trigger. You crazy damn. I'm I'm I told you to let go. Hope I'm crying out loud. Everything is is going slow. I I I don't want it slow. Hey. Hey. Listen. What do you wanna do that for? I don't wanna kill you. I didn't Who is it? It's me, Jocko, for crying out while I live in. Alright. Close it. Yeah. What's the matter, Jocko? Are you alright? You see this? It's a gun. Jocko, one thing we agreed, you'd never carry a gun. I gotta get rid of it. I gotta find a good place to get rid of it. Yeah. That's right. You never get into real trouble if you don't have a gun. And if you do have a gun, you can kill somebody. I did. That's why you should never Jocko. What did you say? I said I killed somebody.
Oh, no. No, Jocko. I didn't mean to do it. Jocko. This guy, he gave me a job. You're killing. You took it. No. No. No. No. No. There was this thing. She had some letters that he wrote her, and and he wanted them back. And I was supposed to steal them from her apartment. Well, I I thought she wasn't home, but she was. So I tried back tough. Oh, Jack o. And she had a gun. She was gonna kill me. And I ran for the gun. It went on and killed her. That's the honest truth. Oh, what's her name? I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? This guy just gave me an address. He said go there, find the letters. It's only a two little apartment. Who's the guy? I don't want you mixed up in it. Oh, if you're mixed up in it, I'm mixed up in it. No. No. No. Not as far as the cops are concerned.
Anyone see you? No. Nobody. Coming or going? Nobody saw me. I could swear to it. Did someone hear the shot? There's a lot of traffic outside. It occurred with a backfire. No one saw you. No one heard you. I I don't even have to ask this. Naturally, you wore gloves. Gloves? You always wear gloves. I mean, that's the first time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I know. But, You're not gonna tell me this time. Well, there wasn't a regular job where somebody could call the cops. You didn't wear gloves. I didn't think I had her. She didn't wear gloves. Alright. Alright. I didn't wear gloves. This time. This one time. Why didn't she cost her a pain in the neck? That's why. Listen, I didn't touch nothing anyway. You didn't, I swear.
You didn't touch the doorknob? You all do. Knob the outside door. I didn't have to have bedroom door. That's all. That's enough. When there's a murder, look, the cops spray some kind of powder all over everything. They'll get your fingerprints. Maybe. Maybe there's a lot of fingerprints on the door. You know, lots of people come and go and, Maybe there ain't. Can we take the chance? What do you want me to do? Who's the guy asked you to steal the letter? Well, he's, he's a politician. Big shot. Running for office. Hey. I ain't gonna tell you another word. Well, then I'm gonna tell you. Now you get out of here right now. And go where? Mexico.
What? Meg what for? In case your prints are on the doorknob. You go to that place we went to last winter. Well, that takes toll. I got 200 in the house. 200? That's just about car fare. Now you go. I'll stay here. I'll send you more money. Now give me the gun. What for? I'll get rid of it. That way I'll be sure. Oh, look. I can No. It's an expensive looking gun. You may try to sell it. Why? You think I'm that dumb, Lena? Yeah. Come on. Hand it over. Now take this money and get on the first plane. Hey. Listen. Listen. I got an idea. I can raise some dough. No, Chuckle. Do it my way. Listen, Lena. Look. Where's that number of the airline we used last year? Lena, this way we could be together. I got this idea. Oh, here it is. Lena, listen. I'm talking to you. This idea of mine Where do I make the call?
Hello? Oh, yes. When is your next flight to Mexico City? Selena, I can raise this though so easily. Oh, it's 09:30. Oh, well, that that gives me an hour to get to the airport. Selena. Yes. Yes. One. Tourist. The name is mister Jock Lewiston. Yes. That's right. He'll be there. Thank you. Don't you even wanna hear my idea? No. Look, I'm putting you in a cab and sending you to the air force. You just make it. Flight seventeen InterContinental. Now come on. Lena. The cops could be checking those prints right now. You don't have a minute to lose. Kathy.
Kathy. Lena. My way, I could pick up the snow easy. There's no easy way to pick up dough. No. Look. I'll I'll come down and join you as soon as I can. Look out for yourself, won't you? Baby, I don't like to leave you alone. It won't take so long, Chuckle. What do you say, folks? Either you want a cab or you don't wanna care. You'll miss the plane. Okay. Okay. I still say my way would be better. I don't wanna hear about it. Oh, good luck, Jocko, honey. Good luck. International airport driver. He has a plane to catch. I appreciate that, lady. Well, we're off.
[00:12:56] Unknown:
Nice looking girl. Your wife? Turn right to the next block. Turn right to the next block? But that ain't the way to the airport. We ain't going to the airport.
[00:13:06] Unknown:
We're headed for 864 Road Hudson Place. Hudson Place? That's that's that's the other end of nowhere. It's way out in the woods. And step on it. I'm running out of time. Young fellow like you, you got nothing but time.
[00:13:29] Unknown:
Well, look.
[00:13:31] Unknown:
Who knew there'd be a house here square in the middle of no place? That is, eight thirty five hundred meter. Alright. Wait for me. I'll be out in just a couple of minutes. Well, I got all night. Clock's running. Take your time, sport.
[00:13:49] Unknown:
Jocko. Come in.
[00:13:54] Unknown:
Look. I got no time. I got a cab waiting outside. I gotta have some money. I've got the money right here. Just just give me those letters. There ain't no letters.
[00:14:02] Unknown:
What do you mean? There
[00:14:04] Unknown:
are no letters. She had a gun. She was gonna hold me for the cops. I tried to get it away from her, the gun, and now she's dead. And I gotta leave town. You killed her. No. No. No. I don't even want to get the gun away. But where are the letters? Was I gonna hang around and look for letters? You expect me to believe you didn't find me? I'm in a jam on a kinda you. I'm in a jam. I gotta leave the country. You gotta give me money. The letters. Just hand me the letters. I did it for you.
[00:14:31] Unknown:
You should've made sure she wasn't home. And so you intend to take her place. Instead of her being able to blackmail me, I now have you. I won't stand for it. On a counter you, I had to commit a murder, and you're gonna pay for it. I won't let you hold those letters over my head. I don't know what you're talking about. I have something on my desk here that might convince you. Now then
[00:14:54] Unknown:
listen, mister Maitland. That gun don't scare me.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
You're a stupid man. It should.
[00:15:09] Unknown:
We have been here before, wouldn't you say?
[00:15:12] Unknown:
And those letters, whatever they are, always seem to inspire somebody to produce a gun.
[00:15:20] Unknown:
Will there be more fireworks?
[00:15:22] Unknown:
Well, act two will certainly have its quota of sound and fury. As the poet said, if you would write of love, carve your words on ice, scribble them on the sands, and speak of love only into the wind. Good advice. No? Well, a gentleman named Emerson Maitland put his words of love down on paper. A most foolhardy thing to do. But, he thinks apparently that he can recoup
[00:16:06] Unknown:
with a gun. I want those letters. I don't have the letters. Don't force me to kill you. Hey. Hey. Now wait a minute. Don't be crazy. I'll count to three. No. No. No. No. No. Don't don't you. Don't don't I'll I'll go get it. That won't do. Let me call a certain party. That's better. But I warn you, don't try anything. Now look. I ain't crazy. At the first sign of a double cross, pick up the phone. Yes. Who? Dial. No tricks. Why would I wanna pull any tricks?
[00:16:37] Unknown:
Hello? Lena. Chuckle, why aren't you on the plane? Listen, Lena. A guy's holding a gun on me. His name is Jackal. His name? Jackal. Jackal. Jackal, what is it? Jackal.
[00:17:00] Unknown:
You're a fool. Why did you make me shoot? It didn't have to be this way. All you had to do was give me those letters. Now what am I going to do?
[00:17:16] Unknown:
Excuse me? What? Who are you? Oh, me? I'm, I'm a cab driver. Party asked me to wait. He'd be right out, he said. I was sitting there in my cab, and I heard a shot, so I just
[00:17:29] Unknown:
He's dead.
[00:17:32] Unknown:
Look at him. He's dead. Well, why why'd you kill him? I didn't you you didn't kill me. How can you say you didn't kill him? I I I didn't mean to kill him. No. No. We we gotta call the police. The police? Yeah. That's what they're for. A murder is committed. You call the police. Now where's the phone? Yeah. There it is. I see. Keep away my telephone. Why? You think we shouldn't report it? I I can't afford to be mixed up in a a murder case. What do you mean mixed up? You are the case. It it was a letters. Letters? He he was going to blackmail me. Oh, well, and look. You'll get off. You got nothing to worry about. You you kill a blackmailer. They let you go. But then I'd have to tell them about the letters. What letters? I wrote her the letters.
Oh, I was a fool. I couldn't help it. Mister, the jury will take everything into consideration. But the voters won't. My dream, my life's ambition to be a congressman. I I won't give it up. Oh, I'm beginning to see the picture. Well, now you shouldn't have written such letters. I couldn't help it. I was so grateful to her, to Lolly. For twenty years, I've been married to a bit a human iceberg. Do you know what that is? I can imagine. And I met Lolly. She was so vibrant, so alive, so so loving. You you don't have to draw the picture. Those letters. You see, I had to get rid of Lolly because she could destroy my career.
It might occur to her to to use those letters. I I couldn't take a chance. Look. Look. You'll have to go into all this when the police get here, so why say it twice? Don't move. Hey. No. Wait a minute. Wait. Don't don't don't look at me like that. You insist on calling the police. Well well You consider it your duty as an upstanding citizen. Yeah. But I'm not a fanatic. If I allow you to walk out of here, you'll go to the nearest police station. Now what do you mean? If you let me let me walk out of here. I'm in a very awkward position. I don't wanna do this. Do but I'm trapped.
I have no way out. Who asked you to come in here anyhow? No. No. Look. Look. I I I can forget about the whole thing. You heard a shot. You simply had to poke your nose where it doesn't belong. Yeah. But I'll never say a single solitary word that It's your fault. You have placed me in an absolutely intolerable position. But believe me. I'm sorry. Am I supposed to let you ruin my career? Destroy my marriage? No. No. No. I wouldn't do that. I I am You've got no one to blame but yourself.
[00:20:00] Unknown:
No. No. Minister, you're crazy. It's your fault. Don't don't don't shoot me. What are you trying to tell me? I'm trying to tell you, lieutenant. It wasn't a case of somebody stopping the cab and pulling a sticker. It wasn't. No, sir, lieutenant. It wasn't.
[00:20:26] Unknown:
What was it, Lena?
[00:20:28] Unknown:
My name is miss Morgan. Okay. Look. I I admit Jocko was a small time burglar. And this cab driver, Renfrew Kovacs, he was just a cab driver. So two guys like them get knocked off. So what? They're nobody. Why should the cops knock themselves out? Oh, we can only go by what we've got.
[00:20:47] Unknown:
The cab was held up. Maybe he put up a fight. I'm sorry.
[00:20:52] Unknown:
You're sorry? What does that mean, you're sorry? Now look, miss Mooreman. What about the phone call I got? How could he phone me if he was shot in the cab? That's where the bodies were found, in the cab. When he was on the phone to me, I heard two shots. He yelled, Lina, somebody's got a gun on me. He was about to tell me the guy's name when I I heard the shots and somebody hung up. How could that happen in a cab? I only have your word for that phone call. Why would I lie? Lieutenant, you know the dame who was killed yesterday? Lolly Horvath? Yeah. Well, it's gotta be her. She was the only dame killed in this town yesterday.
You know who killed her? No. I do. Jocko. Jocko? It doesn't matter now, but it's all tied together. Now, Lena, what are you building here? Look. A a a guy hired Jocko to break into this dame's apartment and steal some letters. They must have been love letters. What else? But Jocko was She had the gun. And he tried to get it away from her, and it went off. And then Well, how do you know all this? Jocko came home and told me. I made him give me the gun.
[00:22:02] Unknown:
Where is it?
[00:22:04] Unknown:
I I got rid of it. Dropped it off the Outer City Bridge. I could believe your story a little better if we had the gun. Please, lieutenant. I know it would be easy to write it off as a holdup, but Jocko was killed because of those letters. Which letters? The ones he was supposed to steal from Lolly Horvath's apartment. Oh, we were all over the place, and we didn't find any letters. Maybe, I don't know, maybe this politician thinks Jocko had him and would try to use him as blackmail. Which politician? That's all Jocko would tell me. He was a politician. He was running for office. He needed those letters. A politician
[00:22:41] Unknown:
running for office. Now there's a real live lead.
[00:22:51] Unknown:
Evangeline. I'm home.
[00:22:54] Unknown:
So I see. I thought you'd stay at the lodge another few days. Oh, that's
[00:22:59] Unknown:
just what I told the press. You know, it looked good in print. Congressional candidate goes away to commune with nature. To tap once again the basic wellsprings of life. I dare say. Day and the night of that is sufficient. Believe me.
[00:23:13] Unknown:
Anything
[00:23:14] Unknown:
interesting happened while you were up there? Oh, what could happen?
[00:23:18] Unknown:
Well, something happened back here in town. Uh-huh. A friend of yours died. I should say a former friend. I should also say, she didn't die. She was murdered. She? Lolly Horvath. Oh. She evidently surprised a burglar in her apartment.
[00:23:44] Unknown:
Oh, I I'm
[00:23:46] Unknown:
sorry to hear that. I knew you would be.
[00:23:49] Unknown:
Evangeline, that that's been over and done with for more than
[00:23:53] Unknown:
five years now. I wonder why she was murdered. Well, didn't you just say she surprised the burglar? Did I? Well, the the newspaper account isn't quite clear. What what was the burglar looking for, I wonder? Oh,
[00:24:12] Unknown:
ordinarily, I I guess. Jewels, money.
[00:24:16] Unknown:
What do burglars look for? Who knows? There are all kinds of burglars.
[00:24:22] Unknown:
Evangeline, you are never one to engage in aimless, idle conversation.
[00:24:27] Unknown:
Aimless, idle conversation. Oh, how appropriate. But how untrue. I never did engage in that kind of conversation until the past several years of our married life when it all became aimless and idle. Please, Evangeline. Don't worry. I won't divorce you. Not now. And if I did, it it no longer carries the the stigma it used to. I I thought we'd made up. Yes. You need a wife to enhance your image. I need a husband to support me. Well, we'll make do.
[00:25:05] Unknown:
In all my married life,
[00:25:07] Unknown:
I I only made one mistake. You mean you were only caught one time? Oh, please. It's a very straight laced election district, Emerson. Are you sure your affair with Lolly Horvath? No. Please don't refer to it. It it's over. You mean you were able to keep it absolutely a secret? From everyone but you. I hope you didn't leave any traces behind. Traces?
[00:25:31] Unknown:
What sort of traces?
[00:25:33] Unknown:
The ones that immediately come to mind would be
[00:25:37] Unknown:
fingerprints. I don't understand.
[00:25:39] Unknown:
Fingerprints? I hope you didn't leave any. Where? Where you you might left them in Lolly Horvath's apartment.
[00:25:48] Unknown:
How could I leave fingerprints in her apartment? You could have. For instance, the papers say, a burglar Evangeline, will you please tell me what you're talking about? I hope you
[00:26:00] Unknown:
weren't the burglar. I? You certainly wouldn't be interested in stealing something from Lolly's apartment. What are you talking about? The letter. The the letters? The letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. They could end your political career.
[00:26:21] Unknown:
How do you know about the letters? What do you know about the letters?
[00:26:32] Unknown:
Obviously, we are dealing here with a man of letters. So far, they have taken the lives of one, two, three people. And every time mister Emerson Maitland gets a certain tone in his voice when the letters are being discussed, we have another homicide. Did you detect that familiar tone again? Well, very soon, we arrive at the moment of truth, which is, of course, the third act. Onore de Balzac, who knew a thing or two about people, said that a person should always keep his words to himself, instead of speaking them or writing them publicly so that other folk could twist them about for their own purposes.
Like most sound advice, this too has gone begging. Emerson Maitland would be in better shape today if he hadn't written certain letters yesterday. What letters?
[00:27:42] Unknown:
Why, my dear, the letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. Love letters. Well, I I never Yes. You never what? Never wrote her love letter?
[00:27:57] Unknown:
How did you know?
[00:27:59] Unknown:
That will have to be my own little secret.
[00:28:03] Unknown:
Evangeline, those letters, they could ruin me. I know. Do you have them? Why? I I want to know. Oh, it's delicious.
[00:28:15] Unknown:
I longed. I longed for revenge, but I didn't even know what I meant by revenge. For example, the fact of the letters
[00:28:25] Unknown:
could end your political career. Evangeline. I would make a splendid congressman.
[00:28:31] Unknown:
I could help our nation. The existence of those letters could even have you indicted for murder. You would have a motive for killing Lali Orba.
[00:28:41] Unknown:
What are you going to do? I don't know.
[00:28:44] Unknown:
This is rare brandy, fine wine. This is to be sipped and savored. Please, Benjamin. I may do something. I may do nothing. I'll make it up to you. I'll make everything up to you. I dare say you will before I'm finished with you. Good night.
[00:29:09] Unknown:
Lieutenant Quincy. Oh, it's you. Yes, sir. Look. I've got an idea. Now look, Lena. I mean, miss Morgan. No. No. Lena's okay. Listen. Jocko said some big politician who was running for office hired him to get the letters back from miss Lolly Horvath. What letters? So when he came home after he killed miss Horvath If he killed miss Horvath he said he could raise some dough, which had to mean he'd go to this big politician's place and get it. You don't have an ounce of fact yet, miss Morgan. Call me, Lena. So he went there. The big politician may have been afraid Jocko was holding out on the letters. If there was such a thing as letters And killed Jocko. So why was the cab driver also dead? He had to kill the cab driver too. Otherwise, the cab, they could have called the cops. Very good. Very good. Excellent.
[00:29:59] Unknown:
Then he puts both their bodies back in the cab and drives them off to the place where they were found. And that's exactly the way it happened, lieutenant Quint. I'm sorry.
[00:30:09] Unknown:
A big politician running for office in this district. Okay. We got two guys running for congress, two guys running for the state senate, two guys running for the assembly, and two guys running for city council, Three guys running for judge. Okay? If that's what it is, that's what it is. That's 11 big politicians. Now one of them was tied up somehow with Molly Horvath.
[00:30:31] Unknown:
Now that's where it comes unstuck, Lena. We've run out of string on our boyfriends and none of them is a politician. But this could have been years ago. We went back. Way back. You could have missed.
[00:30:44] Unknown:
But, lieutenant, you wanna get rid of me for good? You do this. I can't do it. I need you to do it. I say Jocko called me from the house of a big shot politician who was running for office. But we've been through it after 10:00, night before last. Now you have the phone company. Check the records of each of those 11 guys. See who made a phone call to my number at that time. There's your proof. Proof. Supposing just supposing a call was made from one of their homes to mine. Well, alright. Why would any of those big shots be calling me for? It would mean I'm telling the truth. It would mean Jocko did call me just before he was killed. It would mean he wasn't murdered in a taxi cab. Look, Lena. It could all be something you're scared, lieutenant.
Scared? Of what? Of the truth. This way you got yourself a nice, convenient little hold up murder. And in a week, you can forget all about it. Now look here, young lady. You can My way. It's something else. And it involves a big shot. And maybe you don't wanna tangle with it. Or even if even if the record shows a phone call was made from one of those guys' houses, that still doesn't have to prove anything to a jury. No.
[00:32:07] Unknown:
But it proves it to you,
[00:32:10] Unknown:
and you're a good cop. I know you, Quince. If you don't run this lead down, your conscience will bother you for the rest of your life.
[00:32:18] Unknown:
Okay, Lena. Pick up that pencil and write down your phone number. Lieutenant,
[00:32:24] Unknown:
I'm right. You'll see. Just write it down. Alrighty.
[00:32:29] Unknown:
I have to know about a phone call. If it was made to a certain number at 10:00 last Wednesday night, it could have been made from any one of 11 telephones. Lieutenant, Quince. Yeah. You're kidding, Eddie. You mean a call actually was made to her number? I told you. I told you. Quiet. From where, Eddie? A phone registered in the name of Emerson Maitland at 8640
[00:33:06] Unknown:
Hudson Place. He did it. Thanks, Eddie. He did it. He's the killer. He's the politician. He's made them. Who are you waiting for? Why don't you go and arrest him? On what charge? On what charge? Murder. Lena, just because it shows the call was made doesn't prove it. What are you backing down now for? I told you Jocko called me and was killed. Well, here's the number. Alright, Lena.
[00:33:34] Unknown:
But it's not going to be easy. But the call, there's a record of the call. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But there's no record of what was said or that Jocko made it. And none of it can hang together unless we find the letters. But I'm right.
[00:33:49] Unknown:
And you know I'm right. And you won't quit on it.
[00:33:58] Unknown:
A police detective. This is a surprise.
[00:34:03] Unknown:
May I, come in, mister Maitland? Well, please do, lieutenant. Who's at the door, Emerson? Oh, Evangeline.
[00:34:11] Unknown:
This gentleman is a police detective,
[00:34:13] Unknown:
lieutenant Quince. How do you do, lieutenant?
[00:34:16] Unknown:
I won't take up too much of your time. You have a home at 8640 Hudson Place.
[00:34:23] Unknown:
Summer home. Yes. Mhmm. Were you there Wednesday night? Wednesday night. Let me think.
[00:34:29] Unknown:
According to the papers, that's where you said you'd spend a couple of days. Oh, yes. Yes. I was. Now that I think of it. You know a young lady named Lena Morgan? Lena Morgan. No. No. Name is not at all familiar. Well, sir, checking the records of the telephone company, a a call was made from your house on Hudson Place to miss Morgan's number Wednesday night at 10PM. Well, that's impossible. I I don't know miss Morgan. But why should I call her? Could someone else have made the call from your place on Hudson Avenue? No. No. I I was alone.
[00:35:06] Unknown:
It must be a mistake. But the record shows a call was made. Oh, oh, oh, oh, I remember now. I I did make a call. Her name is Morgan, you say? Yes. Lena Morgan. Uh-huh. Of course. I called Lou Morgan, the news commentator. I I wanted to talk to him Yes. Perhaps to set up an interview. I looked up his number in the book. Lou Morgan must have dialed Lena Morgan by mistake. I I remember now a young lady answered. I I knew it was the wrong number, and I apologize and hung up. And you,
[00:35:39] Unknown:
didn't dial the operator and ask for credit? I didn't think about it. Will the record show that you made another call? Well, no. Because I believe in the odd laws of chance. The fact that I had chosen the wrong number could have been a sign that I was not to call Lou, that the interview was not to be. You. And then you don't know, miss Lena Morgan? No, sir. I I do not. Do you know a man named Jocko Lewiston? No, lieutenant. A cab driver named Renfrew Kovacs? Nope.
[00:36:11] Unknown:
Mister Lena Morgan. Now why is her name familiar? Oh, I know. I read it in the paper. She was the mistress of a burglar named Jocko Lewiston. He was murdered.
[00:36:26] Unknown:
I wouldn't know, miss Angela. Well, lieutenant, do you have any more questions to ask me? No. Not at the present. Does that mean you will have further questions in the future? I don't know. I can't read the future.
[00:36:46] Unknown:
Why isn't he under arrest? He claims he called a wrong number. But it's a lie.
[00:36:52] Unknown:
Jocko called me from that number. He was holding a gun on Jocko. He killed Jocko. There's no proof. Your word against his. And who are you, Lena? You got a prison record. You've been involved in confidence operations. It looked like an attempt to smear him politically. Well, what are we gonna do? The letters. If we could find those letters, it would all fall into place. We've got to find those letters. Lieutenant Quince. Who? Yeah. Send her up. You better beat it, Lena. I have to talk to somebody. You mean you you're not gonna nail this guy for Jocko's murder? Lena, I'm going to do what I can. Now be a good
[00:37:38] Unknown:
I really don't know what I'm doing here, lieutenant. But, yesterday when you were speaking to my husband, well, it, it all fell into place.
[00:37:48] Unknown:
What fell into place, missus Maveneland?
[00:37:51] Unknown:
You see, I thought my husband had murdered Lolly Horvath.
[00:37:58] Unknown:
What are you saying? But he didn't.
[00:38:01] Unknown:
This Jocko Lewiston was a sneak thief. Obviously, Emerson had hired him to steal the letters from this Horvath's apartment. Then there are letters. Lieutenant, I am no longer in love with my husband. Actually, I despise him for reasons that are personal and private. Is that the letters? What about He was having an affair with this Horvath woman. Stupidly, he had written her letters. When he cast her aside, she came to me. She had the letters. She offered them to me. I, of course, had to play the grand lady. To show her how much contempt I had for the whole affair, I took the packet of letters and without even looking at them, tossed them into the fire.
[00:38:52] Unknown:
You you burned them?
[00:38:53] Unknown:
Completely. Of course, he didn't know that. Still doesn't know it.
[00:39:00] Unknown:
Well, then she wasn't trying to blackmail him. No. Of course not.
[00:39:06] Unknown:
But his mean little mind immediately assumed she might. And he must have hired that poor sneak thief to steal But the letters are gone forever. Yes. I, well, I I had to come here to tell you. He committed murder, but we'll never be able to prove it.
[00:39:36] Unknown:
I thought you went home. I recognized her from the papers. I stood by the door. I heard the whole thing. Look. I know how we can get Maitland. Without the letters, we've got nothing. I said I know how to get him. Yeah? You wanna be at my place at 07:30? You'll be able to stop a murder. Are you gonna do something against the law? Yeah. That's why you wanna be there, to stop me.
[00:40:04] Unknown:
Well, now, miss Morgan, that name surfaces again. I've come here at your invitation.
[00:40:13] Unknown:
To do what? Well, I I said it was a matter of utmost importance. It's, about the letters. Letters? The love letters you wrote to Lolly Horvath. The letters you killed three people for. I don't know what you're talking about. Well, maybe they can only get you for one murder, but that's good enough. You're bluffing. Miss Horvath is murdered. Letters that name you as her red hot lover come to light. Oh, what a motive. Anyway, at the very least, you're through in politics.
[00:40:46] Unknown:
Where are the letters?
[00:40:47] Unknown:
You admit there are letters. Where are they? How do you know about them? Well, my boyfriend was supposed to steal them. We were gonna blackmail you. We didn't figure you'd kill him. Him. I'll kill you too. Put that justice away. This is the gun I used to kill your friend and that driver. The letters. Where are the letters? You think I'd have the letters here? They're in a safe place. Where are they? As far as you're concerned, they're in the safest place in the world. They don't exist. What are you saying? Where did they go? Well, I I guess you could say they're gone with the wind.
Yeah. That's what happens when something goes up in smoke. Your wife burned them, chump. She
[00:41:29] Unknown:
she burned them.
[00:41:32] Unknown:
Then nobody It was all for nothing, sucker.
[00:41:37] Unknown:
All for nothing, mister Maitland. She's absolutely right. It was all for nothing.
[00:41:51] Unknown:
We could have had the perfect crime, the absolutely unsolved this is what cries havoc. Don't you cry? This is what cries havoc. Don't you cry.
[00:42:15] Unknown:
I'll be right back. I'm Hyman Brown, producer director of the Radio Mystery Theater. Before we continue with today's play, I'd like a word with the young people in our audience. When we went on the air with the Radio Mystery Theater, we were delighted to hear from so many of you telling us how much you enjoyed our radio drama. Well, now I have more good news for you and your parents too. On February, we're starting a new weekend drama series. It's the General Mills Radio Adventure Theater. Every Saturday and Sunday, we'll bring you two different radio plays, some based on famous books, plus many new and original stories never heard before.
All will be filled with action, suspense, and adventure. The popular television star, Tom Bosley, will be our host each week. I hope you'll be looking forward to it as much as we are, and join with us for the General Mills Radio Adventure Theater starting February 5 on many of these stations.
[00:43:34] Unknown:
This has been a story about the ripple effect. Drop a stone into a pond. Notice how ripples form to transmit energy from the center to all sides. And underneath, that single force displaces and creates other forces, and an entire universe of dependent activity comes into being all from a single action. Thus, one accidental murder leads to another and a third, and lives are upset and displaced, and who knows where, if at all, it will end. Our cast included Les Tremaine, Robert Dryden, Martha Greenhouse, Earl Hammond, and Bryna Rayburn. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown.
This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time. Pleasants, dreams.
[00:44:58] Unknown:
You coming to bed, hon? Yep. Honey, I'll be I'll be right there. Just gotta turn out the light. Some things never change. Like, your kids always leaving tiny toys on the floor for you to step on. And GEICO saving folks lots of money on their car insurance.
[00:45:21] Unknown:
Sweetie, I think I left the downstairs light on.
[00:45:24] Unknown:
Please don't make me go. Fifteen minutes could save you 15% or more.
[00:45:29] Unknown:
The game is on the line, and I've only got a shot clock's worth of time to tell you about Subway's six ninety nine foot long deal. That's right. Order now on the Subway app and get any foot long on the menu for just $6.99. Fresh sliced deli meat, fresh crispy veggies. Too much good stuff. Get it now on the Subway app. Any foot long for just $6.99. Use code 699FL now. Only here for a limited time. Redeemable at participating US restaurants. Subway app online orders only. Add ons additional plus tasks. Additional piece of pie on delivery. Excludes foot long snacks. Limited time.
