Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Play it Again: Box 13: Blackmail is Murder (EP1034s)

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Play it Again: Box 13: Blackmail is Murder (EP1034s) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

0:28
Welcome to the Great Detectors of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho. This
0:34
is your host, Adam Graham. If you have a comment, email it
0:37
to me Box thirteen at Great Detectors dot net, follow us on Twitter at
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Radio Detectives, and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook dot com
0:46
Slash Radio Detectives. Will we bring you the second of three Play It Again
0:51
specials. The Play It Again programs are ones of we're running during the listener
0:58
support campaign where we will replay one show of your choice that we have played
1:03
during our nearly four years of history. And this one actually takes us close
1:14
to the beginning of the series, all the way back to episode eleven,
1:19
and I'll get to that in a second. Before we do get started,
1:22
I do want to encourage you to support our listener support campaign support dot Great
1:26
Detectives dot net. I really appreciate the opportunity to bring all of these shows
1:34
to you, and I appreciate the support from listeners and being able to do
1:41
that throughout the year. We'll send access to our premium site with all donations
1:45
of seven dollars or more. However, during the listener support campaigns, we
1:51
do twice a year, usually in February and in August, we will send
1:59
along a special extra thank you gift. With all donations of twenty dollars or
2:05
more, we will send at twenty dollars or more, a free copy of
2:13
a digital copy of All I needed to know I learned from Colombo, And
2:16
in addition to that, we will send one additional thank you gift some examples
2:23
of what we have. At the fifty dollars level, we will send you
2:28
an audio download of our Great Dim French productions, modern radio drama, the
2:35
Hillary Kane Mysteries. They're modern in there recording, but the stories are set
2:38
in the nineteen thirties. Or if you live in the US or Canada,
2:43
I will send you an autograph copy of one of my books, Tales of
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the Dim, Not Fly Another Day, or Powerhouse hard Press. You can
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read all the options at support dot Great Detectives dot net and make your donation
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there. We can also accept donations by mail if you contact us well.
3:00
Box thirteen is one of my favorite shows, and perhaps you can tell by
3:05
the email address. The theme of Box thirteen was that a mystery writer sets
3:13
out to solve, to solve crimes and to tackle various different problems in order
3:21
to find plots for his mystery novel, and so he puts an ad in
3:24
a paper saying saying, adventure wanted. We'll go anywhere, We'll do anything,
3:34
and then waits for responses at Box thirteen at the Star Times. Perhaps
3:40
I prefer brainstorming for coming up with my plots, but it works, and
3:45
we just get some wonderful situations and some stories that are perhaps a typical of
3:51
the detective genre because he's not a professional detective in terms of getting paid,
3:57
but not exactly an amateur. The star is Alan Ladd, famous for movies
4:03
like This Gun for Hire as well as Shane, and he not only starred
4:10
in it, but he actually produced it and got some of the best allent
4:15
in Hollywood to both write and star in the stories. Well, I've gone
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on not, in fact, I've gone on more than enough. So let's
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go ahead and take a listen to today's episode of Box thirteen, originally broadcast
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October thirty first, nineteen forty seven, and the title is Blackmail is Murder
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Bo's thirteen with the star of paramount pectors Alan Ladd as Dan Holliday thirteen Box
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thirteen I'm as Galladay necessary h Holiday, the first Tri Simmons story. I
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am dad. How are you hi, Susie? How the Holiday? Watching
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Box thirteen? You are listening to Box thirteen starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday.
5:55
Now for Box thirteen starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. Well, here
6:10
I am again standing at the water account of the star. Time's looking for
6:14
what an idea for a story? I could have stayed here as a reporter.
6:20
I could have been searching for facts. Instead, I'm fumbling for fixing
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instead of a blonde. I'm meeting a deadline instead of Chanel number five.
6:30
I'm heading for a snip of producing on a day. You're a dope.
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It's a holidays. I said, there's a lenin back thirteen for you,
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especial. That's a delivery was mailed only a couple of hours ago. Something
6:46
like that could be important. It could be could be a denture, could
6:50
be, could be a girl, could be by the way, says,
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how come you're working so Latecy became me overtime time and three quarters time and
7:03
three quarters. I held out the double time when he offered me time and
7:08
a half. What happened? Oh? Weeted a compromise. Goodbye, says
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leasure delivery needs to be very important. Also, it couldn't come on open
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it up, Holiday, I haven't got all nights and in terrible trouble.
7:32
Please come to room seven eighteen. It's the Bradford Hotel. Hurry sign Agatha
7:40
marsh m that sounds urgent. Who are you, young man? What do
7:53
you want? I'm the man from box thirteen. I'm looking for Agatha mars
7:57
Hi Mega, come yare or aa? But don't stand there with your mouth
8:01
open. You never can tell. You might be snooping around the hall.
8:07
Change to that now what's your name? Well, mister Holiday, I don't
8:13
believe in drinking here right off of you one, but I have got some
8:16
talclasses in my famous battle. Oh no, thanks, just the same.
8:20
I like you, mister Holliday. I like to add in the paper and
8:24
then you want it. We'll go any place, do anything. It is
8:28
just what I needed. Thanks again? What's your job for helping me?
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Your feet? All that? No charge? Are you trying to be chivalrous?
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Oh? You say I'm a writer. I'm looking for here. If
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I get a good idea, I consider I've been well paid. Might I
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ask? Oh? You don't think a girl my age could get InTru You
8:48
look like a very charming Oh lady, Oh lady, let's not beat around
8:54
the bush now, no doubt. You want to know what you think about
8:58
means? That would be very interesting. Yes, well, I live in
9:01
month of Indiana alone. I've got a big house and an independent income.
9:05
Every year I go someplace for a vacation. This year I came here.
9:09
Is that all? But the letter? Who wrote me? You said you
9:13
were in terrible trouble. I am Then eOne ever finds out about this?
9:18
I don't know what would happened from over here to the closet. I want
9:24
to show you, Yeah, I must. That's a dead man line.
9:39
Well, this would make a good opening chapter for a story. Young man
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goes to help charming old lady who is in terrible trouble. Terrible trouble turns
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out to be a corps. Corps they wake up holiday. This is the
9:52
real thing. Now, now do you believe me? Young man? Just
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before I wrote you that letter, before you wrote the letter that's ours?
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I think I know. But what could I do? What could you do
10:05
this? Marsh You could call the police and the papers have all the folks
10:09
back and months. You know there was a dead man in my room.
10:11
Oh no, miss Marsh, just to me, please, there's a dead
10:15
man in that closet. There's a law about dead man We have to notify
10:18
the police immediately. You can go to jail for hiding a body. But
10:22
miss Smish, look at this man. He's been shot at close range.
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There are part of burns on his coat. I don't know. Why are
10:28
you telling him? Before I wrote you, you see, I read all
10:31
the current protective stories detective stories. This isn't a story. This is the
10:35
real thing. I know. Why don't you try to prove good? But
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what cap pistol. You're a nice person this march, but it's going to
10:45
be tough. But doctor's so excited. The girl my age could kill a
10:48
man if you wanted to be out. If they say in the murder mystery,
10:52
please miss Marsh, be sensible. You've got a murdered man in your
10:56
closet. I'll pick up that phone and call a police right away. Mister
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seriousness, I can't do it. Think of what my lifelong friends would say.
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Yes, yes, I know it doesn't look good. You can see
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the headlines now prominent Muncie Pioneer. Woman found with dead body and hotel mister
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holiday, help me. I don't know this, a little out of my
11:18
department justice. I've never asked the help before. I don't know the woman.
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Well, all right, what do you want me to do? I
11:28
want you to help me get rid of the body. Get rid of the
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body. You're not serious. You didn't mean no, you don't know me.
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I fully intend to get rid of that. But okay, go right
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ahead. It's your cost and you're going to get help me. No,
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no, I'm sorry for I belt and have him switched to the desk.
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Cloak you advertise prevent you, but this isn't adventure. It's a nightmare.
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Come on this miss. Let me notify the police. That's very interesting.
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I just remember I I meeting someone in the lobby and take the body there
12:01
myself. But I'm not stumbling that. I'll scream ahead the hotel. The
12:07
technical show up, just a man I'd love to see, and I'm telling
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you kill that. Oh wait a minute, you said now and watch the
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whole the joint and then you list the body into the cart. The strong
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Oh sure, I'm strong? All knocked my head? Oh this can't be
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happening to you holiday. You can't be dragging your body down the hall of
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the Bradford Hotel. You know that. As soon as you can get away
12:50
from this charming the fact. Yeah, you're going to talk to the police.
13:03
It's doing good. I must be crazy back into my room before everybody
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sees it. M that's easy, easy, says I must say. You
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carry out your car anywhere? What's next in this little scheme of world moms?
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Don't you know? You have to find out who killed that might blow
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down? You know who is now? I went through his perfect they say
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in the story you stay here, I'm going to stand true. Oh,
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I can't can't happen. My name is Crane. It's a homicide. Come
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in, come in, won't you allay? What are you doing here?
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Hell? Do you two know each other? Never mind the social chatter.
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I thought this is some kind of a gag. No, I'm sure of
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it. How are they just? What are you trying to dream of?
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If I told you clean, you would never believe me. It's again,
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lieutenant. Can I get you some some what you no? Thanks? Now,
14:24
listen to somebody some crack platform and a typically was a dead man in
14:28
this room, right, lieutenant talking some such things. Listen, you'll be
14:33
quiet, mind if I have a little around your dead liutin if there's nobody
14:41
there all. I got your name from the desk, chirt, Miss Marsh,
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maybe better tell me about yourself. I can tell you all about it.
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I was talking as marks right now I think I'm dead. We will
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be able to keep interrupting a had Miss Marsh, tell me about this.
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I live in Monkey, Indiana. I arrived this morning for a two weeks
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vacations. I'm well known that day, and you can find out everything about
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me if you care to wire m hm. How as you're having to meet
15:13
mister Holliday local if you can not be the time, I like to deal
15:18
with his mother. That's what I did well. I guess it was the
15:24
work of some with the economics, but I have to investigate it yet to
15:26
say it does you Doidy clean? Wait? I want to go with you
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justif the scene, Miss Smish. They're going to stay in this room until
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I get Clean back there. I wonder how things found out that this month.
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Yeah, I'm not the suspicious type. You understand that. I look
15:58
at bird, a tiny little brothers intimated that perhaps you might know who gifted
16:02
off. Of course I know it was what in the world are you doing?
16:08
I made a call from the carner Blest a little while ago. I
16:11
wanted to throw the lieutenant off the train, like they say, you know
16:15
what? I said, No, you're going down to police headquarters and tell
16:19
the truth. Oh Ques, yeah, yes, mismar, how about And
16:30
I thought though, yeah, instead of ad age seventeen, Oh no,
16:37
rather I'd like to see what did you know? That was the room close?
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He got my reservation mixed. I was supposed to get eight seventeen and
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I got seven eighteen instead. You mean the person who killed Michael O'Brien wanted
16:52
to get back and here to remove the body. That is the reason.
16:57
Well, guess who was supposed to get Never mind, we're going to police.
17:02
It was Tony. Tony. He's the biggest racketeer in Tony's dynamite.
17:12
I know. And no, oh no, you are listening to what thirteen
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starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holliday. Now back to What's thirteen starring Allen Ladd
17:44
as Dan Holiday. Two o'clock in the morning and I can't go to sleep,
17:56
Little old girl have be worried to death. Wouldn't go to the police
18:00
headquarters. And when I went down and talked about clinging actors though were a
18:04
big joke and sent me on my own way. Hello to edit the marsh.
18:12
Now, what where are you at the hotel? I went up to
18:15
see Tony best game the smash. Don't you know that's the worst thing you
18:19
could have done with you. I put the heat on him as they said,
18:26
you're still alive. I accused him of killing that of Broath. I
18:30
appropriately that, of course he wouldn't admit it. Big expect him to do
18:33
a breakdown and confess. I think I got under bront but I worried.
18:38
If I had twenty best scaling on the run, I'd be worried too,
18:41
because when I came back, I discovered someone that sits my room. When
18:45
you call a police you should have done it a long time ago. I
18:49
want you to come over right away. At two in the morning, someone
18:56
was trying hang up quick color room plate. I said, dear little metal
19:08
smoke and your clothes holiday, because here we go again. And don't forget
19:12
your boys, Scott bad. You'll make the Beaver patrol tonight getting over the
19:23
desk. I wonder no, she would have screamed, someone would have heard
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her. It's open thing that completely so miss smash, no close, no
19:37
nothing, not even a piece of notepaper. What's this paper? Airplanes like
19:44
the ones I used to make in school? Why should she be making paper
19:49
airplanes? Airplanes? The airport? That's why they took her. You get
20:03
that batter running. I'll be right back. How many people around the solid
20:08
the night? All that she is? The man with her has his hand
20:12
in his pocket, and I don't think it's there because it's cold. What
20:18
I need now, it's a little fast talk and a little faster action.
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Okay, I'll take off from here. What are you talking about, bil
20:29
Doll? That's scary. Wants a fact and Garry told me to put her
20:32
on a plane doing it. Yeah, changed his mind. He wants a
20:36
fact. Jennifer saw you before. I tell you, if you don't turn
20:41
her over best, Gary might get so. When he called me Donny a
20:45
half hour ago, I was still at the hotel. He could call instilled
20:51
everything out of fun. Yeah, nuts, it don't sound Yeah, I
20:57
forget it. Taking the old dollar back called Tony first, go Ahead's stupid.
21:04
Got your ears and uh oh you're calling stupid. Show me something that
21:08
will prove Tony sent you got a mat, Stop starling, This is a
21:12
gun in my pocket. Let's talk to Tony. Yeah, I'll here,
21:18
thanks, Yeah, Oliday, quick, so fast you need to us.
21:30
You should remember that before you got mixed up in this. Why I get
21:32
in driver, get out here fast? What did you good to that guy?
21:40
Anyway? I stuck him with my tea. I might have guessed,
21:52
miss Mars what happened at the hotel? Then I'll hung up when I heard
21:56
him trying the door, but I was too late. The door was a
21:59
knock, so it was twenty best, Scary, do you want to go
22:03
out of town fast? But they were very nice to me, And thank
22:07
your lucky stars for that. Usually bad Scary's enemies wind up in some ditch.
22:11
I didn't see him again. That man, the one who knocked out
22:15
at the airport. He was the one who came in my room. You
22:18
must have that girl on that Scary must have killed this manner had him killed.
22:22
But why didn't you take him out of the hotel right away? There
22:25
was a convention there last night. The whole place was literally drawling with people.
22:30
Oh that's the reason all that paper airplane that was fast thinking this much.
22:37
Thank you. Yes, now we can go back to be scary.
22:41
We've got the group. We can crack the pops, taking the murder the
22:45
smash. I got news for you. We're not going to see bascary.
22:49
You're not. But where are we going? You'll hate me? I know,
22:53
but it's the police station. Well, Holiday, what happens now?
23:03
You're taking miss marsh the cling's office. She looks at him. He nods
23:07
her into his private office, and suddenly she comes out smiling. You try
23:11
to leave. Only clean stops you. You'll stay here clean you can't better
23:17
walk the streets alone. That's the guy. We'll get her forget it.
23:19
Get a man telling her. Okay, okay, but what's happened in that
23:23
office? What does he tell you? Monday? My friend preferred charges against
23:29
you. She preferred charges against me. How what are you talking about?
23:33
Kidnapping? I kidnapped her to go off the plane by forest Listen playing that
23:37
little old lady is a who've done it? Happen? So get a self
23:41
killed. There really was a body in the hotel, you know. Look,
23:45
Holliday you know what you're saying. Sure, I know what I'm saying.
23:49
There really was a body in that hotel Holiday, Why didn't you tell
23:55
me? I tried to twice once in the room in the last time when
23:59
I came in here carefully, Where is the body in our room? Closet
24:04
down the hall? I put it there? You put it there? Yes,
24:07
I put it there. Get out well, Holiday, Now you're fixed.
24:19
Stephen Clean looked at you like those things and your adult They went fast.
24:25
They're more like eagles during up now. So you've got to follow through.
24:29
And that indicates a fast ride over to the Brackford Hotel. Clark Hey,
24:34
clerk, Yes, I'd like to find out who occupied I guess the
24:38
market's room the day before she did? That question is highly irregular. Oh
24:42
and here's a ten dollar bill that's highly regular. And she has seventy eighteen
24:49
she checked in the day before this. Yes, the man had the room
24:53
before that. The tackling salesman in that lady seeds. I believe he's a
24:57
touch quite a figure. She must be in this hotel someplace. The room's
25:08
empty, but she must be around. But where what are you worrying about?
25:15
Holiday? You couldn't wait to get rid of it. Now you can't
25:18
wait to get her back. You're a character belongs back in the Middle Ages
25:22
with a tenunion super cold nice. Probably show up safety protect detailing the broom
25:32
closet. Wonderful dead man is still in there. He must speak lingers show
25:37
that. Oh oh, I didn't know, mister valid spot what happened?
25:45
How do you get in my class? It isn't take you in me.
25:49
But he was not unconscious, sad as they say in the murder, you
25:53
were brought up here by the same man who tried to put me on the
25:56
plane. It could be taken put me in the past. Where you too?
26:02
What are we playing now? Where is the man I put on you?
26:04
Miss much? He was hit over the head, Lieutenant right now,
26:10
it's the closet where you said the body was was right, Lieutnant, to
26:14
take a look at you know what I think, Holiday, what I think.
26:22
Both of your crack pots are making this all up. I don't believe
26:25
there ever was a body thing. You have my word for it. We're
26:29
doesn't mean as much as a Chinese dollar thing. Listen, they brought her
26:33
back here, locked up. They took that body away he couldn't mean as
26:34
much proparicly going to sink it in cement, as they say in the That's
26:40
curious in his room? That prot talk to him? Yes once, or
26:44
I'll play with Luke. Come alone? Where Miss Marsh's broom. I'm lucky
26:51
you pitches in till I get to the bottom of this. Been done fifteen
27:00
minutes. What's happening? Not much? I haven't heard any shooting. No,
27:04
that's I haven't heard any In that case, how could a man be
27:10
shot here? That shot not be heard? What easy to have? The
27:15
Tina would use this? I'm smart? Where did you get that girl?
27:19
Just took the gun to the girl? It is here all the time,
27:22
Twitter down and talk, But I just wanted to show you why the shot
27:26
wouldn't be heard. What do you mean? Excuse me? Guess what about
27:38
it? A smart person would take the gun like this. That's it only
27:45
smart. You found out a lot since you came here. Yet I've done
27:48
all right since early this morning. Early this morning. You shouldn't good move,
28:00
mister Halliday. I was really suiting with you. That's it's all about
28:04
holiday. What was she doing with that gunner her hand? She was going
28:07
to kill me just like she killed Michael O'Brien. Lady killing somebody smart?
28:15
You did, and you called me we got things to come up here and
28:21
catch me dragging her body away. Only he came a little as usual.
28:26
Now wait a minute, Holidays. And when he couldn't turn it on me,
28:27
you try to hang it on front of a scarry. Now, what
28:30
did you do with the body? Drag? Get back to the plazas in
28:33
this room, h I suppose you sat the detective apology too. It was
28:38
easy. I got him to turn around and hid him over the head with
28:42
my purse. Why did you kill Michael O'Brien? Did you have something against
28:47
him? Why never saw before? And why kill a perfect stranger? I
28:52
thought I liked those ladies they killed mass I wanted to run. I mean
29:03
I should have done it like the Maybe you don't mean. I stink an
29:07
old lace and I should have won the lace and given you well. Holiday,
29:27
you're back in your apartment again. The sun is shining through the window.
29:32
A son you might never seen again. You know, I've got an
29:37
idea for you. Holiday, live up this business and go into something quiet
29:41
like night watchmen in the cemetery. Holiday, Oh, what's that thing?
29:48
Examine the old girl down at the psychopathic or out of the city hospital.
29:51
She's batty as a love you're telling me. I saw that in her eyes
29:56
when you wrapped the collar around that gun. But U what happened to best?
30:00
Scaring his too? When she heard he was the room above, she
30:03
tried to pull her body on him. Ah, so he tried to get
30:07
her out of common self defense. Halladay, you're a very lucky, lucky
30:12
gay. You can say that again and and again. Just a minute,
30:22
mister Holliday, Susie going up here in my apartment. Why aren't you done
30:26
to Star Times? Well, my dads and I have been talking about another
30:30
compromise. You want to fire me and I want to clip. Oh But
30:34
Susie, if you're left the paper, what would I do for my mail?
30:37
I think maybe you'd want to hire a good complination stemography secretary. That's
30:45
you. Well, I don't know, Susie, but as they say in
30:48
Murder Mysteries, I'll have to think it over. You better think that good
30:53
help is hard to find. Goodbye, Susie. Next week, same time.
31:03
Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holliday and Box thirteen. Alan Ladd affairs through
31:15
the Paramount Pictures and they currently be seen in Wild Harbor. Box thirteen is
31:21
written and directed by Ted Hediger. Original music was composed and conducted by Rody
31:26
Srager. This is a Mayfair productor welcome back Well, just a delightfully played
31:40
story. Very much that the person who wrote to me said they were looking
31:48
for the story that was in the spirit of arsenic and old lice, and
31:52
as I listened to it definitely became clear that this is what he was looking
31:56
for, so I was glad to do that in The person who requested that
32:00
episode for your enjoyment was w. Blaine Dower. Thanks so much, Blaine,
32:06
and really do appreciate your request. And this continues just to be one
32:12
of my absolute favorite series. I love lad in this and I love the
32:16
way these are written and just beautifully acted. I should note that this episode
32:24
I have the correct air date is October. Original air date as October thirty
32:30
first of nineteen forty seven, which is a little bit earlier than I originally
32:38
had the air date when I first listed it. The big reason for that
32:44
is that this is a syndicated show, and unlike a network show where a
32:51
program airs everywhere over the NBC network. It can be kind of hard to
32:54
trace who was the first person to buy the program to air it. So
33:00
we found this episode airing back in nineteen forty seven. A lot of logs
33:06
of this, and I shouldn't say we, I should say the Digital AFTP,
33:09
which is where I get my log information. A lot of sites will
33:14
site nineteen forty nine nineteen fifty for the first airings of Box thirteen, but
33:20
it aired starting in nineteen forty seven into nineteen forty eight. All right,
33:27
well, that will do it for today. We will be back tomorrow with
33:30
yours truly Johnny Dowler, and join us next Sunday for our final play it
33:36
again. Adam, Remember please support the listener support campaign, support dot great
33:40
Detectives dot net, and follow us on Facebook at Radio Detectives from Boise,
33:46
Idaho. This is your host, Adam Graham's son and off