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The Whistler - "Murder at Twin Pines" (Old Time Radio, 1949) · The Whistler | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: At Twin Pines, Sheriff's boats drag the lake after Margo
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Reed disappears, following gunshots heard during the night. From April 10, 1949,
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: this is The Whistler, Murder at Twin Pines, Episode 357,
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: heard on the CBS Pacific Network with Signal Oil as sponsor.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: Sheriff Tilson's inquiries turned toward Margo's connection with Ben, a
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: local newspaper editor engaged to Meg Crane. Meanwhile, Meg's sister
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: Victoria is troubled by Margo's apparent knowledge of an old secret,
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: and the investigation brings family loyalty and private history into
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: the open. Bill Foreman is heard as the Whistler, in
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: a production directed and produced by George Allen. And now,
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: our story begins.
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: The Whistler.
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: And now the Whistler's strange story. Murder at Twin Pines.
• 1:13
  Speaker 4: From the porch of the old gray house on the hill,
• 1:16
  Speaker 4: Victoria Crane peered through the low morning haze that hovered
• 1:19
  Speaker 4: over the lake. Watched the boats move slowly back and
• 1:22
  Speaker 4: forth across the water. Then her eyes swept past the
• 1:25
  Speaker 4: tiny village of Twin Pines, nestled on the lakefront. Came
• 1:29
  Speaker 4: to rest on the figure of a man standing.
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: On the boat docks.
• 1:33
  Speaker 4: For several minutes, she watched Sheriff Tilson, saw him as
• 1:36
  Speaker 4: he tapped the ashes from his pipe and returned it
• 1:38
  Speaker 4: to his mouth. Then, thrusting his hands into his pockets,
• 1:41
  Speaker 4: he started up the path toward her. Somewhat nervously, Victoria's
• 1:45
  Speaker 4: gaze shifted to the lake again, then back to the
• 1:48
  Speaker 4: approaching figure. Presently, she heard the door behind her close,
• 1:53
  Speaker 4: and her sister Meg came out onto the porch.
• 1:55
  Speaker 5: Good morning, Dick.
• 1:56
  Speaker 4: Oh, Meg.
• 1:58
  Speaker 5: Sleep well? Mm-hmm.
• 1:59
  Speaker 6: Like an infant.
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: Good.
• 2:01
  Speaker 6: Oh, goodness, looks like we're going to have another nice day.
• 2:04
  Speaker 4: Yes, it does.
• 2:07
  Speaker 6: Vic? What's going on at the lake?
• 2:10
  Speaker 5: What are all those boats doing out there? They're dragging
• 2:13
  Speaker 5: the lake, dear.
• 2:13
  Speaker 6: Dragging the lake? What for?
• 2:16
  Speaker 5: They think they'll find a body.
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: What?
• 2:18
  Speaker 5: A woman. Cher thinks she may have been murdered. Oh,
• 2:22
  Speaker 5: how horrible. But what makes him think that?
• 2:27
  Speaker 7: Well, night before last, several people heard shots from somewhere
• 2:30
  Speaker 7: out on the lake. And yesterday, a rowboat was found
• 2:32
  Speaker 7: drifting along the North Shore.
• 2:34
  Speaker 5: Is that all they have to go on? No. This morning,
• 2:38
  Speaker 5: some boys found a woman's scarf in the reeds near
• 2:41
  Speaker 5: the boat dock. Vic, do they have any idea who
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: the woman is? No. You had your breakfast here? Yeah. Yes,
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: I've had breakfast.
• 2:54
  Speaker 4: Meg!
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: Meg!
• 2:55
  Speaker 7: You know, I've been thinking about that dress material we
• 2:57
  Speaker 7: saw yesterday. I do believe we could get much better
• 3:00
  Speaker 7: if we went up to San Francisco this week and.
• 3:03
  Speaker 5: Meg?
• 3:03
  Speaker 4: Oh, what?
• 3:05
  Speaker 5: Weren't you listening to me, Meg? Oh, I'm sorry, Vic.
• 3:08
  Speaker 5: I was.
• 3:09
  Speaker 6: Hello there. Oh, good morning, Sheriff.
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: Morning, Victoria. Meg?
• 3:13
  Speaker 5: Morning. Find the body yet, Sheriff?
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: What?
• 3:17
  Speaker 7: Well, you might know the news is all over the village.
• 3:20
  Speaker 7: I heard about it two hours ago. Find out who
• 3:23
  Speaker 7: the scarf belonged to.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: Scarf?
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: Oh, it belonged to a young woman who was staying
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: at the lodge.
• 3:29
  Speaker 5: You don't mean Margo Reed, do you?
• 3:31
  Speaker 3: Uh-huh. Know her?
• 3:34
  Speaker 5: I know of her. You know how people talk.
• 3:37
  Speaker 7: We don't often have strangers here in Twin Pines, and
• 3:40
  Speaker 7: when a glamour girl like Margo Reed shows.
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: Up, well... I don't suppose you know why she came here,
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: do you?
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: No. No, I don't.
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: Meg?
• 3:50
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: Any idea where your fiancée is?
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: Oh, no, not exactly. But what do you want with Ben?
• 3:59
  Speaker 3: Ben Driscoll's newspaper office was closed when I went down
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: there this morning.
• 4:04
  Speaker 6: Oh, I think he drove up to San Francisco last
• 4:07
  Speaker 6: night on business.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 4:11
  Speaker 5: Why do you ask?
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: Oh, figured he might be able to give me a
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: line on things. The Reed girl stayed pretty much to
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: herself all the time she was here, except.
• 4:22
  Speaker 5: Except what, Sheriff?
• 4:24
  Speaker 3: Well, I understand she dropped around to see Ben at
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: the newspaper office several times.
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: Ben? She... She went to see Ben?
• 4:34
  Speaker 3: Uh-huh. That's what I want to talk to him about.
• 4:37
  Speaker 3: Maybe he has some idea what she wanted here in
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: Twin Pines.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: Well, I guess I'd better get back to this lake.
• 4:47
  Speaker 6: Mind if I go along with you, Sheriff?
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: No, no, don't mind at all.
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: I won't be long, Vic.
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: Oh, all right, Meg.
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: See you later, Victoria.
• 4:59
  Speaker 5: Margo went to see Ben. She went to.
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: Oh, if I'd known.
• 5:05
  Speaker 5: If I'd only known.
• 5:08
  Speaker 3: Oh! It's something you hadn't counted on, isn't it, Victoria?
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: A threat. It could ruin everything. That is, if you
• 5:22
  Speaker 3: allowed it to.
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: But you've faced worse situations before, bluffed them through with
• 5:26
  Speaker 4: your cleverness. But even now, in spite of what's happened,
• 5:30
  Speaker 4: you're confident that somehow you'll find a way out. You
• 5:34
  Speaker 4: sit there staring out over the lake and wonder how
• 5:37
  Speaker 4: much Margot told Ben Driscoll. And if your sister's fiancé
• 5:42
  Speaker 4: now knows the secret you once shared with Margot Reed.
• 5:46
  Speaker 4: The secret you thought would be yours alone. After her death.
• 5:55
  Speaker 4: There's nothing you can do now but wait. Wait for
• 5:58
  Speaker 4: Ben to return. And then finally, late that afternoon, you
• 6:01
  Speaker 4: hear a car pull into the driveway. You hurry outside,
• 6:04
  Speaker 4: see Ben get out of his car. He stands there
• 6:07
  Speaker 4: for a moment, looking down at the lake. A puzzled
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: frown on his face.
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: Hello, Ben.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: Hmm? Oh, hello, Vic. Say, what's going on down there?
• 6:18
  Speaker 5: They're dragging the lake.
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: What? You mean they're looking for a.
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: Yes, there's been a murder. So the sheriff says.
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Well, how do you like that?
• 6:26
  Speaker 8: First time I leave Twin Pines in over a year
• 6:28
  Speaker 8: and a murder takes place. Say, I better get down there.
• 6:30
  Speaker 5: Ben, wait. Hmm? They think it's Margo Reed.
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: Margo... Margo Reed?
• 6:40
  Speaker 7: The sheriff wants to talk to you, Ben. He thinks
• 6:42
  Speaker 7: you might be able to tell him what she was
• 6:43
  Speaker 7: doing here in Twin Pines.
• 6:46
  Speaker 5: No one else seems to know.
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: But, Vic, I.
• 6:49
  Speaker 5: What's the matter, Ben?
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: Nothing. I think I'd better go.
• 6:54
  Speaker 5: Ben, wait. Do you know what Margo Reed was doing here?
• 6:59
  Speaker 5: Did she tell you?
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: Oh, Ben.
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: Ben.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: Oh, hello, darling.
• 7:01
  Speaker 6: Did you just get back?
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 7:03
  Speaker 6: You heard what's happened.
• 7:05
  Speaker 8: Vic was just telling me about it. I was saying,
• 7:08
  Speaker 8: fine newspaper man I am. Biggest story we've had around
• 7:11
  Speaker 8: here in years.
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: And I have to be out of town.
• 7:13
  Speaker 6: You haven't seen the sheriff yet?
• 7:15
  Speaker 5: No.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: I'm on my way now.
• 7:18
  Speaker 5: Will you be back?
• 7:19
  Speaker 3: Yeah, later.
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: I have a number of things to do at the office.
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: I'll call you, darling.
• 7:23
  Speaker 8: Bye.
• 7:24
  Speaker 5: Hello?
• 7:39
  Speaker 4: Hello?
• 7:40
  Speaker 8: Hello.
• 7:41
  Speaker 2: Vic?
• 7:42
  Speaker 5: Yes, Ben.
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: Is Meg there?
• 7:44
  Speaker 5: No, she went out right after supper. I don't expect
• 7:46
  Speaker 5: her back for another hour or so.
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: Can I come over right away?
• 7:50
  Speaker 7: Well, of course.
• 7:52
  Speaker 5: Did you talk to the sheriff?
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: Yes, I'd like to see you about that, Vic. I'd
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: like to talk to you.
• 8:02
  Speaker 3: Hello. Hello.
• 8:28
  Speaker 4: It's turned out just as you feared it would, hasn't it, Victoria?
• 8:31
  Speaker 4: You're certain Ben knows something. Perhaps that you're the reason
• 8:35
  Speaker 4: why Margot Reed came to Twin Pines. Yes, somehow you
• 8:39
  Speaker 4: can't believe she's told him everything, can you? That doesn't
• 8:43
  Speaker 4: sound like Margo. You're sure that she wouldn't admit blackmail
• 8:47
  Speaker 4: to a perfect stranger. And so you wait anxiously for
• 8:51
  Speaker 4: Ben to arrive and stare out the window. Watch the
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: small boats as they move back and forth across the water,
• 8:57
  Speaker 4: searching for the missing Margo Reed. A quarter of an
• 9:00
  Speaker 4: hour later, you're sitting in the library facing Ben.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: I hardly know where to begin, Ben.
• 9:08
  Speaker 5: You know why Margo Reed came here, don't you?
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: Of course. But I didn't tell the sheriff. Perhaps I
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: should have. I don't know. They'll find out sooner or later.
• 9:17
  Speaker 5: Will they?
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: I'm telling you this, Vic, because I know.
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: I can trust you.
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: You've got to talk to somebody about it. You see,
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: Margo and I were married once. What? Yeah. We called
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: it quits five years ago. Divorce.
• 9:35
  Speaker 8: Shortly after that, I came here to Twin Pines and
• 9:37
  Speaker 8: bought the paper. I lost track of her completely until
• 9:40
  Speaker 8: a month ago. I got a letter from Margo. Oh, Meg,
• 9:44
  Speaker 8: don't look at me like that. I know I should
• 9:46
  Speaker 8: have told Meg, but.
• 9:47
  Speaker 5: So Margo Reed came here to see you.
• 9:49
  Speaker 8: Yeah, she said the divorce was a mistake.
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: She wanted us to.
• 9:53
  Speaker 8: Well, of course, I told her it was no use,
• 9:55
  Speaker 8: but she stayed around the village anyway.
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: Then, the day before yesterday, she came into the office.
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: She was excited about something.
• 10:02
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 10:02
  Speaker 8: Said she'd accidentally run into someone here.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: An old friend.
• 10:06
  Speaker 5: Did she... Did she tell you who it was?
• 10:09
  Speaker 4: No.
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: No, I think she was about to, but Eddie walked
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: into the office then.
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: Eddie?
• 10:14
  Speaker 8: Yeah, Eddie Farrell, my assistant at the paper. And that's
• 10:16
  Speaker 8: something else faked. Eddie overheard Margo say she'd see me
• 10:20
  Speaker 8: that night.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: I'm sure he did.
• 10:21
  Speaker 5: Did you see her? No.
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: I waited for her at my cottage, but she didn't
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: show up. That must have been the night she.
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: Oh, Rick, I've pulled a stupid stunt. I should have
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: told the sheriff the whole truth.
• 10:34
  Speaker 7: Well, it's too late now, Ben. It would only make
• 10:36
  Speaker 7: matters worse. If I were you, I'd leave things just
• 10:39
  Speaker 7: as they are. There's a chance they'll never find out.
• 10:42
  Speaker 8: Yeah, but suppose Eddie tells them I had a date
• 10:44
  Speaker 8: to see Margo that night, and suppose.
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: The sheriff starts to investigate Margo's past.
• 10:47
  Speaker 5: Ben, Ben, listen to me.
• 10:49
  Speaker 7: I don't know why everyone's getting so excited.
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: What proof is there that the girl's actually dead?
• 10:56
  Speaker 7: She could have suddenly decided to run up to the
• 10:58
  Speaker 7: city for some reason or other.
• 10:59
  Speaker 5: Well.
• 11:00
  Speaker 7: Ben, I think it's best not to think about it anymore.
• 11:04
  Speaker 7: Try to put it out of your mind. I, for one,
• 11:07
  Speaker 7: will believe Margo Reed is dead when I see them
• 11:09
  Speaker 7: drag her up from the lake. And I don't think
• 11:12
  Speaker 7: they ever will, Ben. I don't think they ever will.
• 11:28
  Speaker 5: That you, Meg?
• 11:29
  Speaker 8: Yes.
• 11:30
  Speaker 6: Did Ben call while I was out?
• 11:31
  Speaker 5: He stopped in for a moment. Had to dash back
• 11:33
  Speaker 5: to the paper. Said he'd call you in the morning. Oh,
• 11:35
  Speaker 5: I see. Oh, by the way, Meg, I think I'll
• 11:37
  Speaker 5: drive up to San Francisco in the morning.
• 11:39
  Speaker 4: Want to come along?
• 11:40
  Speaker 5: No, no thanks. I'd rather not.
• 11:42
  Speaker 6: Are you going to see about the dress material?
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 11:46
  Speaker 6: There's something else.
• 11:47
  Speaker 5: I have to take care of, too.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: Yes.
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: And it's an important matter, isn't it, Victoria?
• 11:59
  Speaker 4: The idea occurred to you while Ben was talking about
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: his marriage to Margot Reed. You don't want to do
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: this to Ben, your own sister's fiancé, do you? But
• 12:08
  Speaker 4: you're sure Meg will eventually get over it. And it's
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: the only way to protect yourself. The perfect opportunity to
• 12:15
  Speaker 4: produce a suspect for Sheriff Tilson. Prevent him from digging
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: too deeply into Margot's past. Her connection with you. The
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: following morning, you drive up to San Francisco. Your first
• 12:26
  Speaker 4: step is to inform one of the city's newspapers of
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: a new development in the Twin Pines murder. That a
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: prominent citizen of Twin Pines is withholding information from the sheriff.
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: City editor.
• 12:38
  Speaker 5: I have some information for you about the murder of
• 12:40
  Speaker 5: Twin Pines.
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: Who is this?
• 12:41
  Speaker 5: My name isn't important. Now, listen.
• 12:44
  Speaker 7: A girl named Margo Reed has been murdered.
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: I know about that.
• 12:47
  Speaker 7: Well, here's something you don't know. Neither does the sheriff
• 12:49
  Speaker 7: of Twin Pines. Margo Reed was once married to Ben Driscoll.
• 12:52
  Speaker 5: He's the editor of the local paper.
• 12:53
  Speaker 8: That so?
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: Look, where did you.
• 12:54
  Speaker 5: Check it yourself. It should be a big story.
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: Goodbye. Wait a minute.
• 12:58
  Speaker 5: Wait a minute.
• 13:05
  Speaker 4: You step out of the phone booth, a smile on
• 13:07
  Speaker 4: your lips. It's done, isn't it, Victoria? You've made the
• 13:11
  Speaker 4: first move, and now it's up to the newspaper, to
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: some bright, eager reporter, to follow through. Early that same evening,
• 13:22
  Speaker 4: you return to Twin Pines, to the house on the lake.
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: As you step inside the door, Meg rushes out of
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: the library into your arms.
• 13:29
  Speaker 7: Oh, Meg, Meg.
• 13:31
  Speaker 5: Oh, now, here, here.
• 13:34
  Speaker 6: Well, now, what's all this?
• 13:35
  Speaker 7: Oh, it's Ben.
• 13:36
  Speaker 6: The sheriff's holding him for questioning.
• 13:38
  Speaker 5: He's in jail. What?
• 13:41
  Speaker 9: They came for him this afternoon while I was with
• 13:43
  Speaker 9: Ben at the paper. There was a man with the sheriff,
• 13:47
  Speaker 9: a reporter from a San Francisco newspaper. I don't know
• 13:50
  Speaker 9: how he found out, but.
• 13:53
  Speaker 6: Oh, Vic, Margo was Ben's wife.
• 13:57
  Speaker 4: Ben admitted it.
• 13:58
  Speaker 6: He said he was glad the truth was out.
• 14:00
  Speaker 5: Do... Do they think he killed her?
• 14:04
  Speaker 6: The sheriff didn't say, but I'm sure that's what he thinks.
• 14:06
  Speaker 6: That's what they all think. But he couldn't have killed her.
• 14:12
  Speaker 6: You don't think he did, do.
• 14:13
  Speaker 5: You, Vic? Of course not. I'm sure he didn't kill her.
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: You're pleased with the way things have turned out, aren't you, Victoria?
• 14:27
  Speaker 5: Yes.
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: And you'll find it difficult to hold back a smile...
• 14:31
  Speaker 4: even as you try to comfort your sister Meg. Your
• 14:35
  Speaker 4: trip to the San Francisco newspaper paid off as you
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: knew it would, and you congratulate yourself. But scarcely half
• 14:42
  Speaker 4: an hour later, your joy turns to bitter disappointment and
• 14:45
  Speaker 4: sudden fear. The doorbell rings, and as you answer it.
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: Ben!
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: Hello, Vic.
• 14:52
  Speaker 5: Why, Ben, I.
• 14:55
  Speaker 5: I heard about what happened.
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: It's all right, Vic. The sheriff let me go.
• 15:00
  Speaker 5: Well... That's fine.
• 15:02
  Speaker 8: I told him the whole story. I guess it sounded
• 15:04
  Speaker 8: all right to him, so here I am. Where's Meg?
• 15:08
  Speaker 5: In the library. Come on in, Ben.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd like to see her. I have a lot
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: of explaining to do.
• 15:21
  Speaker 4: You lead Ben into the library to Meg. Sit there
• 15:25
  Speaker 4: as Ben tells her the whole story. His marriage to Margo,
• 15:28
  Speaker 4: the divorce, everything. And then suddenly something, he says, causes
• 15:33
  Speaker 4: you to stiffen in your chair. Meg looks up quickly.
• 15:36
  Speaker 6: Ben, did you say Margo worked for a Dr. Kingston
• 15:39
  Speaker 6: in Seattle?
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, darling. She was working as a nurse
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: in Seattle at the time we broke up.
• 15:43
  Speaker 5: Dr.
• 15:43
  Speaker 4: Kingston?
• 15:44
  Speaker 6: Vic, that was Uncle Frank's doctor.
• 15:46
  Speaker 5: Was it?
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: Of course.
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: Uncle Frank?
• 15:49
  Speaker 6: Our father's brother. He'd been an invalid for a long time.
• 15:51
  Speaker 5: Died five years ago in Seattle.
• 15:53
  Speaker 6: He's the one who left us our money.
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: Oh, I see.
• 15:56
  Speaker 6: Uncle Frank had a private nurse, didn't he, Vic? And
• 15:58
  Speaker 6: if Margo worked for Dr.
• 15:59
  Speaker 5: Kingston.
• 16:01
  Speaker 6: Vic, you were at Uncle Frank's when the accident occurred.
• 16:04
  Speaker 6: You wouldn't know if... Why, yes, but.
• 16:07
  Speaker 3: Accident?
• 16:07
  Speaker 6: Uncle Frank was killed accidentally, Ben. He fell down a
• 16:09
  Speaker 6: flight of stairs. Vic, about his nurse.
• 16:12
  Speaker 5: You're mistaken, Meg. I remember the nurse Dr. Kingston had
• 16:15
  Speaker 5: for Uncle Frank. It was not Margo Reed. Are you certain?
• 16:20
  Speaker 5: Quite certain.
• 16:25
  Speaker 3: It's a terrifying moment, isn't it, Victoria?
• 16:27
  Speaker 8: Yes.
• 16:28
  Speaker 4: And more than ever, you're aware that there must not
• 16:30
  Speaker 4: be a big involved investigation. They must never find out
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: that Margo Reed was at your uncle's house the night
• 16:37
  Speaker 4: he was killed accidentally.
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: That's when it all began, didn't it?
• 16:42
  Speaker 4: The moment Margo suspected the truth, that you had pushed
• 16:46
  Speaker 4: the old man down the stairs, murdered him for the
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: money he would leave to you and your sister Meg. No,
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: there must not be an investigation. Though your first attempt
• 16:56
  Speaker 4: to involve Ben has failed, you're not through yet, are you? Quickly,
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: your mind turns to Eddie, Ben's assistant at the newspaper,
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: and the possibility of using him to frame Ben. On
• 17:08
  Speaker 4: your way down to the village the following day, a
• 17:10
  Speaker 4: plan forms in your mind. Then in front of the
• 17:12
  Speaker 4: coroner's office, what the sheriff is telling the crowd gives
• 17:15
  Speaker 4: you a further advantage.
• 17:17
  Speaker 3: That's right, that's right. The body's been found.
• 17:19
  Speaker 5: What was it, Sheriff? Drowning?
• 17:21
  Speaker 3: You'll read about it in the papers, Jed. Then it
• 17:23
  Speaker 3: wasn't a drowning.
• 17:24
  Speaker 5: You see, Emily, I.
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: There were.
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: Several bullet wounds. Margo Reed was murdered. Murdered? Did you
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: find the gun? No, no, we haven't found the gun.
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: Excuse me, Jed, Victoria. I've got to get along now.
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: Now they know, don't they, Victoria?
• 17:46
  Speaker 5: It's murder.
• 17:47
  Speaker 4: And now you can get the gun and plant it
• 17:49
  Speaker 4: in Ben's cottage when the right moment comes along. Yes,
• 17:53
  Speaker 4: the gun must be there when you've finally given the
• 17:55
  Speaker 4: sheriff enough clues.
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: To direct him to a murderer. But first, Victoria, you must.
• 18:01
  Speaker 4: Begin to build a solid case against Ben through his assistant,
• 18:05
  Speaker 4: Eddie Farrell.
• 18:09
  Speaker 5: Morning, Miss Victoria.
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: Morning.
• 18:11
  Speaker 5: Hello, Eddie. You hear the news? A couple of the
• 18:13
  Speaker 5: sheriff's boys just dropped in and said... Oh, goodness. Did
• 18:15
  Speaker 5: they question you, too? Huh? Me? Oh, gosh, no. They only... Oh, yes. Yes,
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: they told you she'd been shot. Yeah, yeah. I heard, too.
• 18:25
  Speaker 5: I was down there. Oh, that poor girl. Well, I
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: guess they know the kind of person to suspect. How
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: do you mean? Well, you know. The sort of man
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: who runs around a good deal... Unmarried. Always an eye
• 18:44
  Speaker 5: out for a pretty girl. Sure, I guess there's a
• 18:48
  Speaker 5: few in this town. Oh, Eddie.
• 18:51
  Speaker 7: Goodness, you're taking what I have to say to heart.
• 18:53
  Speaker 7: You don't think I'm talking about you.
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: Oh, no.
• 18:56
  Speaker 5: No, I didn't think that.
• 18:58
  Speaker 7: Well, with all the dates you have, it's an advantage.
• 19:01
  Speaker 7: Not something to put you under suspicion. What lucky girl
• 19:05
  Speaker 7: were you out with on that particular night, Eddie?
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: Why, uh.
• 19:11
  Speaker 5: Had two dates, probably.
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: Wait.
• 19:15
  Speaker 5: I don't think I had any dates. What did you say, Eddie? Nothing.
• 19:23
  Speaker 5: What was it you came in for, Miss Victoria? Let
• 19:26
  Speaker 5: me see. What did I come in for? Oh, yes.
• 19:32
  Speaker 7: Yes, I wondered if you had a copy of last
• 19:34
  Speaker 7: week's paper, Eddie. There was a dress pattern in it
• 19:36
  Speaker 7: I wanted.
• 19:37
  Speaker 5: That all you wanted? Yes. Yes, that's all. Oh, I'm
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: dreadfully sorry, Sheriff. I know how busy you are.
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: If it's something to do with the case, Victoria, it
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: doesn't interrupt.
• 19:58
  Speaker 7: Well, it's about Eddie Farrell, Ben's assistant down at the paper. Oh, Sheriff,
• 20:05
  Speaker 7: I really hate to suggest.
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: It, but... Go on, go on. It's just between the
• 20:09
  Speaker 3: two of us.
• 20:10
  Speaker 5: Well, he might have been with Margo that night, you know.
• 20:13
  Speaker 3: Might is quite a word. I might have been with
• 20:15
  Speaker 3: her myself.
• 20:16
  Speaker 5: It was his attitude, Sheriff, when we were talking. When
• 20:20
  Speaker 5: he closed up. Oh, you're right. Probably nothing.
• 20:25
  Speaker 6: Still, Eddie does.
• 20:28
  Speaker 5: Have quite a reputation with the girls and... Yes, yes,
• 20:32
  Speaker 5: I know.
• 20:34
  Speaker 4: I'll have a little talk with Eddie. Nothing can be
• 20:35
  Speaker 4: lost by asking a few questions, huh? He's right, isn't he, Victoria?
• 20:45
  Speaker 4: Nothing can be lost by asking a few questions. In fact,
• 20:48
  Speaker 4: you have a lot to gain.
• 20:50
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: And you've used Eddie Farrow well to point the finger
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: of suspicion at Ben. The proof of that comes late
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: that afternoon when you overhear Meg on the telephone.
• 21:02
  Speaker 6: Don't come back now. You've got to stay where you are.
• 21:04
  Speaker 6: Eddie Farrow has mixed you up in this. Yes, he
• 21:09
  Speaker 6: told the sheriff that you had a date with Margo... Oh,
• 21:12
  Speaker 6: I know, I know.
• 21:13
  Speaker 5: What? No, please, darling, no. No, no, you mustn't come
• 21:19
  Speaker 5: back here. Not right now. Yeah, all right.
• 21:22
  Speaker 6: But please promise me you'll stay there.
• 21:24
  Speaker 5: Yes. Yeah, yeah, I'll call again. Goodbye, darling. Oh, Vic.
• 21:32
  Speaker 5: Was that Ben you were talking to?
• 21:34
  Speaker 6: Yes, he's up in San Francisco.
• 21:37
  Speaker 5: Oh, Vic, I'm worried.
• 21:38
  Speaker 6: I'm worried sick.
• 21:39
  Speaker 5: What happened?
• 21:40
  Speaker 6: The sheriff is looking for him again. More questions.
• 21:42
  Speaker 5: What brought this on? Eddie Farrell.
• 21:46
  Speaker 6: The sheriff dropped around to see Eddie this afternoon and.
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: Oh, Meg.
• 21:52
  Speaker 5: What can I do? Oh, now, now, dear. Meg. Yes? Meg,
• 22:02
  Speaker 5: you love him very much, don't you?
• 22:05
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 22:07
  Speaker 5: Very, very much. You must be absolutely sure of yourself.
• 22:12
  Speaker 5: What are you.
• 22:14
  Speaker 7: You're worried about what you'll have to say if they
• 22:16
  Speaker 7: ever put you on the stand.
• 22:17
  Speaker 6: I couldn't lie. But I couldn't testify against Ben.
• 22:21
  Speaker 5: I couldn't. Well, you wouldn't have to if you were
• 22:24
  Speaker 5: his wife.
• 22:25
  Speaker 6: His wife?
• 22:26
  Speaker 5: The law doesn't expect a wife to testify against her husband. Oh, Vic.
• 22:30
  Speaker 5: Aren't you sure, Meg? Of course I'm sure. Well, then
• 22:34
  Speaker 5: go to him. You love him, Meg. Go to Reno.
• 22:37
  Speaker 5: Marry him at once. Vic, there's a bus leaving at
• 22:40
  Speaker 5: 8 tonight. I'll start packing your things. You better call Ben.
• 22:43
  Speaker 5: Tell him you're coming.
• 22:53
  Speaker 9: Hello?
• 22:57
  Speaker 3: Sheriff Kelson speaking.
• 23:00
  Speaker 5: Sheriff, this is Victoria. Sheriff, I hate to tell you
• 23:03
  Speaker 5: this because it involves my sister. But she must never know.
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: What is it?
• 23:07
  Speaker 5: Ben's hiding out somewhere in San Francisco. She's going to him.
• 23:10
  Speaker 5: Left the house a few minutes ago. She's headed for
• 23:12
  Speaker 5: the village carrying an overnight bag.
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: They're running off together?
• 23:14
  Speaker 5: Something like that. You'll have to follow her. She'll take
• 23:17
  Speaker 5: you to him.
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: All right, Victoria, and thanks. Oh!
• 23:35
  Speaker 4: As you hurry from the house, you tell yourself it's perfect,
• 23:38
  Speaker 4: isn't it, Victoria? Meg is gone now on her way
• 23:41
  Speaker 4: to Ben's. She'll talk him into running away and that's
• 23:43
  Speaker 4: all you need. You know Sheriff Tilson won't let them
• 23:46
  Speaker 4: get very far. All that's necessary now is to take
• 23:50
  Speaker 4: the gun from where you've hidden it and plant it
• 23:52
  Speaker 4: in Ben's cottage. You're certain the murder weapon can't be
• 23:56
  Speaker 4: traced back to you. That when it's found at the cottage,
• 23:59
  Speaker 4: it will definitely implicate him in the murder of Margot Reed.
• 24:03
  Speaker 4: You hurry along the lake shore, keeping well in the shadows,
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: using the darkness to advantage. You have no trouble getting
• 24:09
  Speaker 4: into Ben's cottage. And in the half-darkness of moonlight, you
• 24:12
  Speaker 4: cross the living room, open a closet, and locate one
• 24:15
  Speaker 4: of Ben's old hunting jackets. You're about to place the
• 24:18
  Speaker 4: gun in the pocket when you hear footsteps in the
• 24:20
  Speaker 4: next room.
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: Suddenly, a door opens, and the lights go on.
• 24:23
  Speaker 5: Meg! Victoria! You shouldn't have come here, Meg.
• 24:28
  Speaker 6: I had to. When I called Ben, he asked me
• 24:30
  Speaker 6: to bring some of his things.
• 24:31
  Speaker 5: I've been packing them.
• 24:32
  Speaker 8: But.
• 24:33
  Speaker 5: Meg, you... Vic!
• 24:34
  Speaker 6: What are you doing with that gun?
• 24:39
  Speaker 5: I found it here, in Ben's jacket.
• 24:41
  Speaker 3: Wait a minute, Victoria. You couldn't have. I searched this
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: place completely just two hours ago.
• 24:46
  Speaker 5: Sir Chilton, what are you doing here?
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: Just what you asked me to, following your sister.
• 24:52
  Speaker 5: She asked you to? Vic, what does this mean?
• 24:57
  Speaker 3: I think it means Victoria outsmarted herself, Meg, trying to
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: frame Ben.
• 25:01
  Speaker 5: No, that's not true.
• 25:03
  Speaker 3: We'll know more about that when we check this gun
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: with the bullets that killed Marguerite. I think it'll answer
• 25:08
  Speaker 3: a lot of questions I've had on my mind all day.
• 25:11
  Speaker 4: This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the
• 25:17
  Speaker 4: voice of information and education.
• 25:43
  Speaker 3: Oh, my God.
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: This has been The Whistler, Murder at Twin Pines. Follow
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: The Whistler for more classic broadcasts.