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The Whistler - "Murder in Mind" (1950) · Old Time Mystery Radio | Old Time Radio

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Speaker 1: Francis Robinson appears in this April 16, 1950, broadcast from
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Speaker 1: the CBS Pacific Network. It is The Whistler, Episode 411,
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Speaker 1: Murder in Mind, a Signal Oil presentation. At the hillside
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Speaker 1: home of Gil and Vicki Hollister, an attempted accident involving
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Speaker 1: Gil's stepmother, Belle, goes awry. The prospect of an inheritance,
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Speaker 1: Bell's survival, and the arrival of a newly hired driver
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Speaker 1: bodyguard place the household under strain. And now, our story begins.
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Speaker 2: And now, stay tuned for the mystery program that is
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Speaker 2: unique among all mystery programs. Because even when you know
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Speaker 2: who's guilty, you always receive a startling surprise at the
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Speaker 2: final curtain. In the Signal Oil Program... The Whistler. Signal,
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Speaker 2: the famous go-farther gasoline, invites you to sit back and
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Speaker 2: enjoy another strange story by The Whistler.
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Speaker 3: The Whistler.
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Speaker 4: I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for
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Speaker 4: I walk by night. I know many strange tales hidden
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Speaker 4: in the hearts of men and women who have stepped
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Speaker 4: into the shadows. Yes, I know the nameless terrors of
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Speaker 4: which they dare not speak.
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Speaker 2: And now, for the Signal Oil Company, the Whistler's strange story,
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Speaker 2: Murder in Mind.
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Speaker 4: Murder in Mind The Hollister house looked as permanent as
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Speaker 4: the hillside it occupied, in the exclusive Terrace Heights district
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Speaker 4: on the outskirts of town. The house itself sprawled along
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Speaker 4: the crest of the hill, overlooking the rambling wooded ground.
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Speaker 4: That late afternoon in early spring, Gil Hollister and his
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Speaker 4: wife Vicki sat facing one another on.
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Speaker 5: The broad terrace.
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Speaker 4: Neither spoke for a time, for they were waiting, waiting
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Speaker 4: for something to happen. And then Gil sprang to his
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Speaker 4: feet and started pacing the stone-floored terrace.
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Speaker 5: We ought to be hearing something by now. It shouldn't
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Speaker 5: take this long.
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Speaker 6: Oh, be quiet, will you, Gil? I'm trying to listen.
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Speaker 5: I'm trying not to.
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Speaker 6: Don't tell me you're sorry you did it.
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Speaker 5: I'm not sorry, Vicki.
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Speaker 7: I'm not anything.
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Speaker 5: I just wish it were over, that's all.
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Speaker 6: If you did what you were supposed to do, we
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Speaker 6: won't have much longer to wait. Oh, Gil, stop pacing me.
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Speaker 8: I've got to do something.
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Speaker 5: How about a drink?
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Speaker 6: Not for me. But you look like you could use one.
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Speaker 7: Yes.
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Speaker 5: I guess I could.
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Speaker 4: You move rigidly, mechanically, over to the bar under the
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Speaker 4: striped canopy on the side of the terrace. Go through
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Speaker 4: the motions of making the highball with unsteady hands. And
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Speaker 4: your mind is turning over and over. What could have
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Speaker 4: gone wrong, Gil? Should have happened by now. Bell drove
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Speaker 4: away from the house five minutes ago.
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Speaker 7: And then you hear it. A car coming up the road.
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Speaker 4: You freeze inside. Vicki leans forward in her chair. And
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Speaker 4: then as the taxi rounds the curve and comes into view.
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Speaker 5: Gil.
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Speaker 6: It's Belle. She's back, Gil.
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Speaker 4: How did you.
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Speaker 5: Shut up. I said shut up.
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Speaker 6: Oh, dear me. Children, I've just had the most terrifying experience.
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Speaker 6: Really terrifying. Why, what's the matter, Belle? I have to
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Speaker 6: get my breath. Oh, my goodness. I'm still trembling. I
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Speaker 6: was fortunate enough to get a taxi to bring me
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Speaker 6: back up. But what happened? I cannot understand it, Vicki.
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Speaker 6: I certainly wasn't driving any faster than I usually do
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Speaker 6: down our road. But my goodness, that last curve, you know,
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Speaker 6: before the name gate, why, I went to put on
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Speaker 6: my brakes to slow down a little, and there were
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Speaker 6: no brakes. No brakes at all.
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Speaker 7: You don't look at Vicki Gill. You can't. You just
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Speaker 7: keep staring at Belle.
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Speaker 4: Belle, your stepmother, sitting there quite alive, recounting the frightening
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Speaker 4: details of her nearly fatal accident. No brakes on her car, Gil.
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Speaker 4: Just when she needed them most, there were no brakes
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Speaker 4: on her car. You wonder how she made it at all.
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Speaker 4: She wasn't supposed to, was she, Gil?
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Speaker 6: Both front senders and the grill smashed in something terrible. Oh,
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Speaker 6: my dear, what a frightful experience. Oh, do let me
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Speaker 6: take you to your room and you lie down for
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Speaker 6: a while.
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Speaker 5: I'll call Dr. Stratton, Belle. You've had quite a shot.
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Speaker 6: Oh, my goodness, no. I'm as good as new right now, Gil. Now,
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Speaker 6: don't you darlings worry about me. Oh, I must call Mrs.
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Speaker 6: Morgan at the center. She was expecting me. And then
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Speaker 6: the garage. I must call them to pick up the car.
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Speaker 5: Let me do that for you.
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Speaker 6: Oh, no, dear. Thank you. It won't take a minute.
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Speaker 6: And it'll take my mind off things. After all, Gil,
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Speaker 6: I want to be active while I'm still able. I
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Speaker 6: might have been killed, you know.
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Speaker 4: Yes, Gil, she might have been killed. You watch her
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Speaker 4: bounce happily into the house, smiling and humming. She seems
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Speaker 4: glad to be alive after her near accident. You stand
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Speaker 4: looking after her. And you're suddenly aware that you've dropped
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Speaker 4: your guard. You're no longer tense. Just a little stunned,
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Speaker 4: a little amazed.
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Speaker 6: What is that stepmother of yours? Pioneer stock or something?
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Speaker 6: Won't anything kill her?
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Speaker 5: Nothing has so far.
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Speaker 6: She won't drown. She won't trip down a flight of stairs.
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Speaker 6: And she can drive a car without brakes around steep curves.
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Speaker 5: Maybe she's charmed. Maybe she's supposed to go on living.
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Speaker 5: On and on.
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Speaker 6: Spending all your money so there'd be nothing left for
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Speaker 6: you to inherit.
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Speaker 5: Oh, well, she was Dad's wife. She's entitled to something.
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Speaker 6: Yes, but she's taking everything. All we've got is an allowance.
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Speaker 4: Well, I guess Dad never thought too much of the
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Speaker 4: way I handled money. Maybe he thought it would last
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Speaker 4: longer with her.
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Speaker 6: If we wait for her to die a natural death,
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Speaker 6: you won't even inherit her good health.
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Speaker 4: Well, good Lord, Vicki, we've tried, haven't we?
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Speaker 5: I've done everything you've suggested. What else can I do?
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Speaker 6: I'm not sure yet. But I'll think of something. And
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Speaker 6: this time it will work.
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Speaker 4: Yes, Vicki's the planner, Gil. And you're the executioner. Yes,
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Speaker 4: beautiful Vicki. She amazes you, doesn't she? For the next
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Speaker 4: few days, you'll know that Vicki is biding her time.
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Speaker 4: Turning a plan over in her practical mind for another
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Speaker 4: accident to Bell. A plan that will work this time.
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Speaker 4: One late afternoon, you're in the library with Vicki and Belle.
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Speaker 4: With Belle carrying the bulk of the conversation. And, as usual,
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Speaker 4: she's on her favorite subject. The Community Social Work Center.
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Speaker 6: Oh, dear, we're simply swamped with work. Mrs. Morgan and
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Speaker 6: I are up to our ears, literally. Oh, but it
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Speaker 6: is satisfying when you help raise the downtrodden from... Oh,
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Speaker 6: the very depth. It's very satisfying. You know, you two
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Speaker 6: should really become active at the center. Social work is stimulating,
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Speaker 6: genuinely stimulating. Oh, yes, I'm sure it is. Belle, dear,
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Speaker 6: if you don't mind, I think I'll go to my room. Oh,
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Speaker 6: we're due at the Coleman's for cocktails in an hour,
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Speaker 6: and I would... Oh, just do sit a moment longer, Vicki.
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Speaker 5: I have.
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Speaker 6: I have something to tell you both. I... Oh. Well,
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Speaker 6: I don't want to alarm you, but.
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Speaker 5: What is it, Belle?
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Speaker 6: Well, I... I'm not getting any younger, you know, and lately... Well,
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Speaker 6: that isn't the past six months or so. Well, these
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Speaker 6: accidents of mine. At the lake, remember? I nearly drowned.
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Speaker 5: Yes, Belle, we remember.
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Speaker 6: And then tripping on the hall stair just last month. Why,
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Speaker 6: that fall would have killed me, I know. And then
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Speaker 6: the breaks just a few days ago, the crash and all.
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Speaker 6: What is it, Belle? What are you trying to say? Well,
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Speaker 6: you'll have to know sometime, and I do hope you'll approve. Um, Foster? Foster,
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Speaker 6: will you come in now, please?
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Speaker 5: Oh, Foster. Who is he? Yes, Mrs. Hollister.
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Speaker 6: Oh, Foster. I want you to know my children. This
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Speaker 6: is Mrs. Hollister, Jr., and my stepson, Mr. Hollister. This
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Speaker 6: is Foster.
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Speaker 7: Mr.
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Speaker 3: And Mrs.
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Speaker 5: Hollister, how do you do?
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Speaker 6: Foster's going to drive for me. Drive, and what was
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Speaker 6: it you said I needed, Foster?
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Speaker 7: A bodyguard, ma'am.
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Speaker 6: Yes, that's it. A bodyguard.
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Speaker 7: Coming May 1st. Coming May 1st.
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Speaker 2: Yes, last Sunday I announced was the final Sunday that
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Speaker 2: limericks would be used on the Whistler because Signal Oil
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Speaker 2: Company would soon be making news with something new, something big,
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Speaker 2: something exciting.
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Speaker 7: That's coming May 1st.
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Speaker 2: And that something new is a $ 10, 000. Yes, I said $ 10, 000
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Speaker 2: contest for Signal Gasoline with 200 thrilling valuable prizes. First
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Speaker 2: prize is a Buick Super Riviera model combining the swank
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Speaker 2: of a convertible with the safety of a closed car.
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Speaker 2: Second prize is an Apex complete automatic laundry with three
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Speaker 2: work-saving units. Apex automatic washer, Apex automatic dryer, Apex sit-down ironer.
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Speaker 2: And 198 other appealing prizes include Frigidaire's deluxe refrigerator with
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Speaker 2: new electric range, plus 10 Packard Bell radios. These and
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Speaker 2: dozens of other valuable prizes will be given in signal.
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Speaker 2: The Whistler next Sunday for more details about this big,
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Speaker 2: exciting $ 10, 000 signal gasoline contest coming May 1st.
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Speaker 4: Well, Gil, you hadn't planned on Foster, had you? When
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Speaker 4: you and your wife, Vicki, were planning those accidents to
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Speaker 4: do away with your stepmother, Belle. It never occurred to
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Speaker 4: you that Belle might hire a driver and bodyguard. And
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Speaker 4: you wonder if she's just appeasing some troublesome little seers,
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Speaker 4: or if she really knows that you and Vicki have
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Speaker 4: been plotting to kill her.
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Speaker 7: Later, as you and Vicki drive down the.
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Speaker 4: Road to the main gate on your way to the
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Speaker 4: Coleman's cocktail party, well... Has the shock of Foster worn
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Speaker 4: off yet?
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Speaker 6: I'm getting used to the idea. Foster doesn't worry me.
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Speaker 6: In fact, the more I think about it, the more
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Speaker 6: I think he may turn out to be a godsend.
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Speaker 5: You'll forgive me if I don't get it.
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Speaker 6: He's broke, I'll bet on it. He undoubtedly needs money desperately. Why, Gil,
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Speaker 6: the more I think of it, the more I suspect
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Speaker 6: that Foster might rob the wall safe.
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Speaker 5: Oh, Vicki, I.
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Speaker 6: And Bell might even meet with foul play. resisting the robbery.
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Speaker 7: Of course.
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Speaker 4: Oh, no.
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Speaker 6: Well, what do you think about it? I.
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Speaker 5: I don't know. I... I'll need a little more time
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Speaker 5: to think.
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Speaker 6: Not too long, darling. I'm going to do some checking
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Speaker 6: on Foster tomorrow. And if I find what I expect
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Speaker 6: to find, the Hollister estate is due to be robbed
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Speaker 6: within a very few days.
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Speaker 7: It's an interesting thought, isn't it, Gil?
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Speaker 4: And as always, you know that you can count on Vicki.
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Speaker 4: The following day, the two of you drive into town
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Speaker 4: for a little friendly visit with Bell's friend, Mrs. Morgan,
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Speaker 4: the superintendent at the rehabilitation center. Of course, Foster's name
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Speaker 4: is brought into the conversation and... You're pleased with what
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Speaker 4: you hear.
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Speaker 3: Oh, yes.
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Speaker 6: The poor man's had such a trying time of it.
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Speaker 6: Just couldn't find himself, you know. This job now with Bell,
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Speaker 6: it's just the thing for him.
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Speaker 5: I see.
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Speaker 6: Matter of fact, it was all my idea. I thought
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Speaker 6: Bell could use a chauffeur, and Foster is an excellent driver. I.
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Speaker 6: Nothing's happened, has it?
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Speaker 4: I mean.
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Speaker 7: Oh, no, Mrs.
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Speaker 6: Morgan. We were just wondering about Foster, his background and all.
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Speaker 6: One can't be too careful, you know. Of course.
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Speaker 4: We didn't want to worry Belle asking her about it.
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Speaker 4: But as Vicki says... I understand. And you know Belle
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Speaker 4: always carries quite a bit of money around with her.
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Speaker 4: Keeps a considerable amount of the house, too.
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Speaker 5: Yes, yes.
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Speaker 6: You know it never occurred to me. Foster looks so honest.
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Speaker 5: Oh, and I'm sure he is, Mrs.
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Speaker 7: Morgan.
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Speaker 6: Well, we'd better be running along, Gil. I still have
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Speaker 6: some shopping to do. Goodbye, Mrs.
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Speaker 7: Morgan.
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Speaker 5: What's that, dear? Oh, yes.
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Speaker 8: Bye.
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Speaker 7: The stage is set, isn't it, Gil? And you're certain Mrs.
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Speaker 4: Morgan will remember your conversation with her concerning Foster. You
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Speaker 4: waste little time discussing the details, carefully going over each
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Speaker 4: step of the plan with Vicki. Finally, the night arrives.
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Speaker 4: The night of the attempted robbery. You're on the terrace
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Speaker 4: with Vicki and Bell. Foster is there, too. And you're
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Speaker 4: waiting for Belle to go up to her room.
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Speaker 5: Oh, my, it's.
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Speaker 6: Such a beautiful evening, isn't it, children? Simply beautiful. You know,
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Speaker 6: I think I'll take a stroll down to the creek.
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Speaker 6: Anyone want to come along? I'm afraid I couldn't negotiate
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Speaker 6: that path in these high heels. Oh, how about you, Gil?
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Speaker 6: Feel like stretching your legs?
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Speaker 5: Thanks, no. I'm nice and comfortable right where I am.
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Speaker 3: You want me to come along, Mrs.
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Speaker 5: Hollister?
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Speaker 3: Um, no.
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Speaker 6: No, thank you, Foster. You stay here and keep the
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Speaker 6: children company. I shan't be long. A quarter of an
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Speaker 6: hour or so. I'm only going down to the bridge.
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Speaker 4: You sit back, watch Belle stroll down the path and
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Speaker 4: then out of sight. And you wonder if Belle had
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Speaker 4: a reason for asking Foster to remain behind. Perhaps to
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Speaker 4: keep an eye on you and Vicki. You wonder, too,
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Speaker 4: if she suspects something. That somehow she senses something is
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Speaker 4: going to happen tonight. Finally, you get to your feet,
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Speaker 4: wander inside and mix yourself a drink. A half hour
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Speaker 4: goes by.
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Speaker 7: Then an hour.
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Speaker 8: Gil?
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Speaker 5: Hmm?
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Speaker 6: She's been gone quite a long time.
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Speaker 3: You suppose something could have happened, Mr.
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Speaker 5: Hollister?
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Speaker 7: What?
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Speaker 3: She mentioned the bridge. That's the one down by the gully?
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Speaker 5: Yes. Yes, it is. Sort of old and rickety.
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Speaker 3: I think I'd better get down there.
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Speaker 5: And take a look, huh? I'll go with you, Foster.
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Speaker 5: Something could have happened at that.
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Speaker 4: With Foster following close behind, you hurry down the path.
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Speaker 4: and finally reach the old suspension bridge which spans the deep,
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Speaker 4: narrow gully. As you start across this, Foster grabs your arm.
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Speaker 5: Hold it, Mr.
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Speaker 8: Hollister.
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Speaker 3: Huh?
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Speaker 5: Look up ahead. The handrail.
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Speaker 7: It's broken, isn't it, Gil?
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Speaker 4: And the rail hangs down, seeming to point to the
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Speaker 4: bottom of the gully. You look down, and there in
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Speaker 4: the moonlight you see a sprawled out on the rocks below.
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Speaker 8: Bells.
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Speaker 5: Bells.
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Speaker 3: Well, she's dead, Mr.
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Speaker 5: Hollister.
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Speaker 4: For a moment, you stand there staring down at Belle Hollister. Yes,
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Speaker 4: she's dead at last, Gil. Accidental death. And it actually
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Speaker 4: happened without you or Vicki being involved at all.
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Speaker 3: Before you call the police, maybe we'd better have an understanding, Mr.
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Speaker 7: Hollister.
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Speaker 5: What? What do you mean?
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Speaker 7: Mrs.
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Speaker 3: Hollister was pretty sure that... You and your wife were
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Speaker 3: trying to knock her off, make it look like an accident.
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Speaker 5: What? Oh, that's preposterous.
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Speaker 7: Is it?
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Speaker 3: She told me about some of those accidents she had.
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Speaker 3: I thought it'd be a good idea if she wrote
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Speaker 3: all that down, put the whole story on paper, turn
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Speaker 3: it over to me.
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Speaker 7: What?
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Speaker 3: Yeah. Just in case something happened to her that I
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Speaker 3: couldn't prevent.
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Speaker 5: Oh, now look, Foster.
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Speaker 7: Belle was killed accidentally.
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Speaker 3: Maybe... I saw you push her off the bridge, Mr.
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Speaker 5: Hollister. Maybe you what?
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Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe I saw you and then... Then again, maybe
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Speaker 3: I didn't.
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Speaker 7: It all depends.
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Speaker 5: Depends?
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Speaker 3: On how much you're willing to pay. Let's go back
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Speaker 3: to the house and talk this over, huh? I think
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Speaker 3: your wife will want to be in on this.
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Speaker 6: All right, Pop. We'll pay.
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Speaker 5: Vicki.
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Speaker 6: I said we'll pay.
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Speaker 3: I knew you'd see it my way, Mrs. Hollister.
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Speaker 6: Now, may I see this letter Bell wrote?
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Speaker 3: Yeah, sure, sure.
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Speaker 6: I got it right here.
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Speaker 3: It's under armed escort, so don't try nothing, huh? I'll
17:47
Speaker 3: hold on to it if you don't mind.
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Speaker 7: Okay, take a look.
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Speaker 3: Now, you recognize the handwriting?
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Speaker 7: Yes.
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Speaker 6: We could deny this, you know.
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Speaker 8: Maybe. Maybe.
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Speaker 3: But when I tell the police I saw Hollister push
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Speaker 3: her off the bridge, plus this letter, it'll be a cinch.
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Speaker 5: Well, Gil? All right. All right.
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Speaker 3: Twenty grand a night, then we'll break it down to, uh,
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Speaker 3: to weekly payments, huh?
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Speaker 6: Ten thousand a night. That's all we can get our
18:15
Speaker 6: hands on.
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Speaker 3: Okay, I'm not greedy. Well, now that that's settled, you
18:19
Speaker 3: can call the cops.
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Speaker 5: Oh, and Mr.
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Speaker 3: Hollister.
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Speaker 4: Yes?
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Speaker 3: When you tell your story to the law, better leave
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Speaker 3: me out of it, huh? When you found her, you
18:25
Speaker 3: were alone.
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Speaker 7: Why?
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Speaker 3: Well, if I'm not involved, I won't have to answer questions.
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Speaker 7: Tell lies.
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Speaker 3: I'm sensitive that way. Call me when it's over.
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Speaker 6: I'll be up in my room.
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Speaker 4: You tell the police exactly what happened, don't you, Gil?
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Speaker 4: Without mentioning Foster, of course. It's all over very quickly.
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Speaker 4: And you breathe a sigh of relief when they leave.
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Speaker 4: Satisfied that Bell Hollis' death was purely accidental. And then later,
19:00
Speaker 4: when you're alone with Vicki... I tell you, it was
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Speaker 4: a mistake agreeing to Foster's demands so quickly.
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Speaker 6: What else could we have done? With that letter from Bell,
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Speaker 6: the police would believe anything Foster told them.
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Speaker 5: How can we trust him?
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Speaker 6: We can't. But don't worry. He isn't going to get
19:14
Speaker 6: away with this.
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Speaker 5: So?
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Speaker 6: We let him stay on a few days. Then one
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Speaker 6: night you find him trying to get into the safe and... Oh.
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Speaker 5: The log's gone, I see.
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Speaker 6: Uh, yes, Foster.
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Speaker 3: Ah, that's fine, fine. Oh, Foster, that, that, uh, suitcase,
19:30
Speaker 3: what are you doing with it? What does it look like, pal?
19:33
Speaker 2: I'm leaving.
19:34
Speaker 3: No need for me to stick around.
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Speaker 8: Leaving?
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Speaker 3: Yeah, I thought I'd find me a nice little apartment
19:38
Speaker 3: in town. It's kind of dull out here. I crave
19:40
Speaker 3: the bright lights, excitement, dancing girls. Always have. Only now
19:46
Speaker 3: I can afford it. Well, if you'll give me my dough, I'll... be.
19:50
Speaker 5: On my way, kid.
19:59
Speaker 4: The weeks pass, and regularly every Friday evening, when all
20:03
Speaker 4: the servants are out of the house, Foster reappears to
20:06
Speaker 4: make his collections. And you find that Bell's money, now yours,
20:10
Speaker 4: is dwindling away twice as fast now as it did
20:13
Speaker 4: when Bell was alive. Killing Foster won't solve your problem,
20:17
Speaker 4: will it? You know that you've got to get Bell's letter, too.
20:21
Speaker 7: It's important.
20:23
Speaker 4: Then finally one night, an idea occurs to you. You
20:26
Speaker 4: tell Vicki about your plan, and she agrees. Early that
20:30
Speaker 4: Friday evening, when you're certain Foster is on his way
20:33
Speaker 4: to the estate, you pick up the phone and call
20:36
Speaker 4: the auto club in town.
20:38
Speaker 5: This is Mr. Foster, Ralph Foster, 327 Sherbourne Drive. Yes, Mr.
20:42
Speaker 4: Foster. I was in your office a week ago asking
20:44
Speaker 4: for some travel literature.
20:45
Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
20:46
Speaker 4: One of your clerks said she'd mail some folders out
20:48
Speaker 4: to me, but I haven't received them yet.
20:50
Speaker 7: Would you find out what the... One moment, sir.
20:53
Speaker 5: What? Going to check.
20:55
Speaker 6: It better work.
20:56
Speaker 5: It will. Don't worry about it. Vicki, the car's stopping outside.
21:00
Speaker 5: All right. Stall him off a few minutes.
21:10
Speaker 8: Mr.
21:10
Speaker 3: Foster?
21:11
Speaker 5: Yes?
21:12
Speaker 1: I think I know what's happened, sir.
21:14
Speaker 8: You gave me your address as.
21:16
Speaker 5: 327 Sherbourne Drive.
21:18
Speaker 4: We have you listed at 601 Terrace Boulevard.
21:21
Speaker 5: 601 Terrace Boule... Oh. I see. My old address.
21:25
Speaker 3: I'm sorry, sir.
21:26
Speaker 8: No, no.
21:26
Speaker 5: My mistake. I should have notified you. Well, you'll send
21:30
Speaker 5: out the pamphlet?
21:30
Speaker 6: First thing in the morning.
21:31
Speaker 5: Thank you. Thank you very much.
21:33
Speaker 4: Yes, we've been.
21:36
Speaker 5: Expecting you, Mr.
21:37
Speaker 6: Foster.
21:37
Speaker 7: Come on in, Foster.
21:39
Speaker 4: Hello, Hollis.
21:40
Speaker 3: Hello.
21:41
Speaker 5: You're early.
21:42
Speaker 3: Yeah, I've got to get back to town. Date.
21:45
Speaker 5: Sit down, huh? Sit down.
21:47
Speaker 3: Well, if you don't mind, I.
21:48
Speaker 5: Please. I have something to talk over with you.
21:51
Speaker 4: Oh?
21:52
Speaker 5: Vic, how about fixing us some drinks?
21:54
Speaker 6: Oh, yes. Yes, of course.
21:58
Speaker 3: Proposition, Hollister?
22:00
Speaker 4: Foster, how would you like to sell me that letter
22:03
Speaker 4: of bells, huh? Get this business over with once and
22:06
Speaker 4: for all.
22:06
Speaker 3: I might be tempted.
22:08
Speaker 5: I'll give you $ 50, 000 for it.
22:11
Speaker 3: Well, maybe I'd better sit down at that, huh?
22:15
Speaker 5: Could you get me the letter tonight?
22:17
Speaker 3: Well, sure. I'd have to go back to town. I'm
22:19
Speaker 3: keeping it in a nice, safe place.
22:22
Speaker 5: Your apartment?
22:22
Speaker 3: Yeah. Too bad you don't know where it is, huh, Hollister? Oh,
22:28
Speaker 3: thank you, Mrs.
22:29
Speaker 7: Hollister.
22:30
Speaker 6: Well, Foster, are you going to sell us the letter?
22:33
Speaker 3: Why not?
22:34
Speaker 5: Well, let's drink to it, then.
22:35
Speaker 3: All right.
22:37
Speaker 7: Yes.
22:40
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's good bourbon. Very good. Uh... You wouldn't be
22:45
Speaker 3: stupid enough to try pulling a fast one, would you, Hollister?
22:47
Speaker 8: What?
22:48
Speaker 3: Fixing this drink, I mean.
22:49
Speaker 5: Oh, hardly.
22:50
Speaker 3: Anything happen to me and you'd never find that letter.
22:53
Speaker 3: But somebody else would.
22:54
Speaker 5: I realize that.
22:55
Speaker 3: Of course, if you knew where you could get your
22:56
Speaker 3: hands on that letter, well, it'd be a different matter, huh?
22:59
Speaker 5: That's right. Well, let's get on to business. I had
23:05
Speaker 5: off some details.
23:06
Speaker 3: I don't have much time.
23:08
Speaker 5: Let's... That's right, Foster. You don't have much time.
23:17
Speaker 4: It's only a matter of minutes, isn't it, Gil? And
23:19
Speaker 4: the drink begins to show its effect. Foster leans forward
23:23
Speaker 4: in his chair, peering at you, hardly able.
23:25
Speaker 7: To keep his eyes open. And then he begins to
23:28
Speaker 7: clutch at his throat.
23:31
Speaker 3: Hey, what's going on?
23:34
Speaker 8: You.
23:35
Speaker 7: the drink, you.
23:37
Speaker 5: It fixed it.
23:38
Speaker 6: That's right, Foster. You'll be dead in another few minutes.
23:42
Speaker 7: Oh, no.
23:43
Speaker 5: No, you wouldn't. The letter, you don't know where.
23:47
Speaker 8: Oh, but we do know where it is, Foster.
23:48
Speaker 4: Your apartment, 601 Terrace Boulevard.
23:52
Speaker 5: How did you find.
23:52
Speaker 4: Remember the last time you were here, Foster? You took
23:55
Speaker 4: great delight telling me how you were spending my money. Nightclubs,
23:58
Speaker 4: a new car, a little side trip. You even joined
24:01
Speaker 4: the auto club.
24:02
Speaker 3: I'll kill you.
24:04
Speaker 7: No, you won't.
24:05
Speaker 8: It.
24:06
Speaker 5: I'll take this gun.
24:10
Speaker 4: Now, Foster, relax. It'll be over soon. You're going on
24:15
Speaker 4: a little trip. This time you're never coming back.
24:29
Speaker 2: With 200 valuable prizes to be given, there was scarcely
24:33
Speaker 2: room in my first announcement to mention even a fraction
24:35
Speaker 2: of the wonderful things you can win in Signal's thrilling $ 10, 000
24:40
Speaker 2: contest coming May 1st. For instance, there'll be six Packard
24:45
Speaker 2: Bell television sets with latest type black picture tube plus
24:49
Speaker 2: distinctive Packard Bell picture mask for photogenic television enjoyment. And
24:54
Speaker 2: the superb 12 1⁄2 and 16-inch console models feature Packard
24:58
Speaker 2: Bell's unique concealed casters, so you can move your television
25:02
Speaker 2: set with mere fingertip touch to most convenient viewing angles. Ah,
25:06
Speaker 2: but this is only the beginning of the wonderful prizes
25:09
Speaker 2: in Signal's big.
25:12
Speaker 6: $ 10, 000 contest.
25:13
Speaker 2: Coming May 1st, there's O'Keefe and Merritt's finest gas range
25:17
Speaker 2: with vanishing shelf and grill-evator broiler. Also, five solid gold
25:22
Speaker 2: case wristwatches by Hellbroast with.
25:24
Speaker 7: 17 jewel movement.
25:26
Speaker 2: Five makeup cases from Halliburton's famous line of featherweight aluminum luggage.
25:30
Speaker 2: 10 Westinghouse vacuum cleaners plus 50 Westinghouse pop-up toasters. And
25:36
Speaker 2: you can be sure if it's Westinghouse. Yes, these and
25:40
Speaker 2: dozens of other valuable awards mean you simply can't afford
25:43
Speaker 2: to miss the new Signal Gasoline Contest coming May 1st.
25:49
Speaker 2: So be sure to listen next Sunday when I'll have
25:51
Speaker 2: more details about Signal's big, exciting $ 10, 000 contest coming May 1st.
26:09
Speaker 4: It's almost over now, isn't it, Gil? In a few minutes,
26:13
Speaker 4: Foster will be dead. Then you'll get rid of his body,
26:16
Speaker 4: and using his key, you'll let yourself into his apartment
26:19
Speaker 4: in town, find the letter, and destroy it.
26:22
Speaker 7: You glance over at Vicki.
26:23
Speaker 4: She's smiling as she looks down on Foster.
26:26
Speaker 5: He's still alive, isn't he?
26:28
Speaker 4: But you're not going to delay another moment. With Vicki's help,
26:32
Speaker 4: you get him on his feet, half carry and drag.
26:35
Speaker 7: Him down the hall. And then as Vicki opens the door... Hello?
26:39
Speaker 6: What? Who are you?
26:42
Speaker 8: Lieutenant Thompson, police department. I was just about to ring
26:45
Speaker 8: when you... Well, well, who's this?
26:48
Speaker 7: Foster.
26:49
Speaker 5: Ralph Foster. What's the matter with him?
26:51
Speaker 2: He's, uh.
26:52
Speaker 5: He's sick.
26:53
Speaker 8: Let's have a look at him.
26:54
Speaker 5: Sergeant.
26:55
Speaker 7: Right, Lieutenant.
26:56
Speaker 5: Lieutenant.
26:57
Speaker 3: Poisoned.
26:58
Speaker 5: They poisoned me.
27:00
Speaker 8: What?
27:01
Speaker 5: Who, Foster? Who poisoned you?
27:03
Speaker 3: Hollister.
27:05
Speaker 5: His wife.
27:07
Speaker 8: Sergeant, you better call an ambulance.
27:09
Speaker 3: Yes, sir.
27:09
Speaker 7: No, wait a minute.
27:11
Speaker 8: Never mind. Wouldn't do any good.
27:16
Speaker 5: Well, Mr. Hollister. Lieutenant, I don't know what he's talking about.
27:21
Speaker 7: Don't you? Funny.
27:22
Speaker 8: And we're here to protect you from him.
27:25
Speaker 6: What do you mean?
27:26
Speaker 8: We've been checking up on Foster here ever since Mrs.
27:28
Speaker 8: Morgan down at the center told us about him.
27:30
Speaker 5: Mrs.
27:31
Speaker 3: Morgan?
27:32
Speaker 8: Seems she recommended him for a job with you folks
27:34
Speaker 8: a while back.
27:35
Speaker 6: Yes, that's right.
27:36
Speaker 8: Then Mrs. Morgan got to thinking maybe she'd made a mistake.
27:39
Speaker 5: Told us about it.
27:40
Speaker 8: We looked into the matter. Found that Foster here was
27:43
Speaker 8: wanted back east on a forgery charge.
27:45
Speaker 7: He was?
27:46
Speaker 8: Here's a sample of his work. We've already checked it.
27:50
Speaker 8: It's a letter supposedly written by Mrs. Bell Hollister... saying
27:53
Speaker 8: that you and your wife here had tried to kill her.
27:55
Speaker 6: Why, that's ridiculous.
27:57
Speaker 8: When we found it in Foster's apartment, we figured he
27:59
Speaker 8: was up to something, and we came out here to
28:00
Speaker 8: warn you.
28:00
Speaker 5: Wait a minute, that letter, you mean Bell didn't write it?
28:04
Speaker 7: No.
28:04
Speaker 8: This letter is an out-and-out forgery.
28:07
Speaker 5: Forgery?
28:08
Speaker 6: Yes.
28:09
Speaker 8: And it apparently had you fooled. But there's no fooling
28:12
Speaker 8: about your killing Foster.
28:14
Speaker 5: BELL RINGS.
28:32
Speaker 2: Let that whistle be your signal for the signal oil program,
28:36
Speaker 2: The Whistler, each Sunday night at this same time.
28:39
Speaker 7: Brought to you by the Signal Oil.
28:40
Speaker 2: Company, marketers of signal gasoline and motor oil, and fine
28:44
Speaker 2: automotive accessories. Remember, it's coming May 1st. Yes, May 1st
28:50
Speaker 2: is the opening date of Signal's big new contest with
28:53
Speaker 2: 200 valuable prizes, including a new Buick, Frigidaire refrigerator, electric range,
28:59
Speaker 2: and home freezer, Packard Bell television sets, and many others.
29:04
Speaker 2: So be sure to listen next Sunday for more details
29:07
Speaker 2: about Signal's big, exciting $ 10, 000 contest. Featured in tonight's story
29:20
Speaker 2: were Bill Foreman, Larry Dobkin, Francis Robinson, Eleanor Audley, and
29:24
Speaker 2: Bill Conrad. The Whistler was produced and directed by George W. Allen,
29:28
Speaker 2: with story by Dick Anderson, music by Wilbur Hatch, and
29:31
Speaker 2: was transmitted to our troops overseas by the Armed Forces
29:33
Speaker 2: Radio Service. The Whistler is entirely fictional, and all characters
29:37
Speaker 2: portrayed on The Whistler.
29:38
Speaker 5: Are also fictional.
29:40
Speaker 2: Any similarity of names or resemblance to persons living or
29:43
Speaker 2: dead is purely coincidental.
29:46
Speaker 7: Remember, at this same.
29:47
Speaker 2: Time next Sunday, another strange tale by The Whistler. Marvin
29:53
Speaker 2: Miller speaking for the Signal Oil Company. This is CBS,
29:56
Speaker 2: the Columbia Broadcasting System. We close this visit with the
30:02
Speaker 2: whistler and murder in mind. Until another radio mystery, good night.
30:06
Speaker 2: Follow Old Time Mystery Radio for more classic mystery and
30:10
Speaker 2: detective broadcasts.