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The Whistler - "Till Death Do Us Part" (1944) · Old Time Mystery Radio | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: From the summer of 1944 comes episode 115 of The Whistler.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: First heard on July 30th, it is titled Till Death
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Do Us Part. Settle in for another visit with one
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: of radio's familiar mystery voices. And now, the original broadcast.
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: And now, stay tuned for the mystery program that is
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: unique among all mystery programs. Because even when you know
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: who's guilty, you always receive a startling surprise at the
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: final curtain. In The Whistler. I am The Whistler. And
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: I know many things, for I walk by night. I
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: know many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes, I
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. Yes, friends,
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: it's time for The Whistler, rated by Independent Research, the
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: most popular West Coast program in radio history. And now,
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: The Whistler's Strange Story. Till death do us part. Roy
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: Layton's quarters in the cheap boarding house were anything but inviting.
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: And from where he sat on the edge of the
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: sagging brass post of bed, Roy's view of the outside
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: world was a dismal one. The assortment of unopened bills
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: and collection notices in the nearby wastebasket held their grim message, too.
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: They told him that he'd have to be moving on soon.
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: Change his address. The one that he wanted, but had
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: given up hoping for, wasn't there. Never would be, he reasoned.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: And the knock on the door, rousing him from his
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: mental fumblings, could mean only one thing.
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: The landlady and her oft-repeated demand.
• 2:34
  Speaker 4: I'm back again, Mr.
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: Layton.
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: To ask you once and for.
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: All, do you have the rent money?
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: I know, I know.
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: You know that the minute I hear from my uncle...
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: You've been saying that for months now.
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: The minute you hear from your Uncle Morton in Mexico.
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: Well, I'm tired of that, too.
• 2:52
  Speaker 5: Tired of hearing of an uncle that for all I
• 2:54
  Speaker 5: know might not even exist.
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: Oh, you're so sweet.
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: A real doll. I'm sorry about the rent. Now, if
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: you'll excuse me, I'm going out to get a breath
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: of air. Good night, Mrs. Bizzacchioli. I'd appreciate it if
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: you'd fix the latch while I'm out.
• 3:10
  Speaker 4: I'll fix the latch. Oh, well, it's shut.
• 3:13
  Speaker 6: That's what I'll do.
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: As you leave the house and start walking toward Vermont Avenue,
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: you're pretty sure that this time your landlady means what
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: she says. It's tough, isn't it, Roy? Things never seem
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: to go right for you. You'd like a drink, then
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: decides you'd better skip it. Conserve the few dollars you
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: have left in case your landlady carries out a threat
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: to lock you out. Then you remember Angelo's, a second-rate
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: cocktail lounge a couple of blocks away. Whereas later yesterday,
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: your credit was still good. But once there, you find
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: things have changed at Angelo's, too. Matt, the bartender, is
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: even slower than usual in coming over to you. Sorry.
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: And when he does... No dice. Huh?
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: What are you talking about, Mac?
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: I didn't even order it. Well, I thought I'd save
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: you the trouble.
• 4:09
  Speaker 3: Angelo's, there's no more stuff on the cup. But, Mac,
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: I haven't run up a bill on him. At least
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: not a big one. Yeah, Angelo knows that.
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: But he wants to keep it that way. I'm sorry, kid.
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: I just work here.
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: I want to keep on working here.
• 4:22
  Speaker 4: In that case, you better get busy and fix my
• 4:23
  Speaker 4: friend a drink.
• 4:24
  Speaker 5: Huh?
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: You don't mind, do you, Roy?
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: Roy?
• 4:29
  Speaker 4: Roy Layton. That is your name, isn't it? Sure.
• 4:34
  Speaker 3: How did you know?
• 4:35
  Speaker 4: Well, I know quite a little about you. I've been
• 4:38
  Speaker 4: checking up.
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: Um, what's his name?
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: Oh, Mac?
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: Mac, yes. Mac, you'd better get started before all your
• 4:47
  Speaker 4: eyes melt. A pair of scotch and suez.
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: Oh, sure, lady.
• 4:51
  Speaker 4: Sure.
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: Say, now, wait a minute. Why should a good-looking, strange gal.
• 4:55
  Speaker 5: Now, Roy, don't go saying things you don't mean. Besides,
• 5:00
  Speaker 5: I don't have to be a strange gal. Not if
• 5:04
  Speaker 5: you know my name.
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: It's Linda.
• 5:07
  Speaker 4: Linda McKelvey.
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: So?
• 5:10
  Speaker 4: So, uh, don't you think it's kind of pretty?
• 5:14
  Speaker 3: Maybe.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: Anyway, these drinks are. Set them down easy, Mac.
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 5:19
  Speaker 2: And since I'm drinking with a lady, trot out a
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: couple of cocktail napkins.
• 5:22
  Speaker 3: Okay, okay.
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: Thank you, Mac.
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: Skip it.
• 5:26
  Speaker 4: To us, Roy.
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: Huh?
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: Sure. To us.
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. Drinks okay.
• 5:34
  Speaker 4: Very good for a place like this.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: You look like you could afford better. What brought you around? You.
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: Me?
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: Oh, sure. Now, look, lady.
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: Linda.
• 5:48
  Speaker 3: Linda, look, I'm just sitting here minding my own business.
• 5:52
  Speaker 4: But unable to do any, huh?
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: So that's my business, too.
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: And mine.
• 5:57
  Speaker 4: Roy.
• 5:58
  Speaker 5: Roy, I've been checking up on you quite a while.
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: And you fit my picture very nicely. And, uh, you
• 6:08
  Speaker 4: do need $ 5, 000. Yeah.
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: I need $ 5, 000.
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: Oh, I get it. Santa Claus finally got my letter
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: and he sent you to bring it.
• 6:22
  Speaker 4: Nothing like that. Nothing altruistic.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: Big word. You are out of place here.
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: So are you, Roy.
• 6:30
  Speaker 5: I've got $ 5, 000 that says you are.
• 6:35
  Speaker 4: Going to listen to me?
• 6:37
  Speaker 3: How can I help it? Go ahead. Roy.
• 6:42
  Speaker 5: Roy, I'm... Well, I'm used to nice things. To be crass,
• 6:49
  Speaker 5: I like money. My share, I mean.
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: Maybe even a little bit more. I guess I'm just
• 6:58
  Speaker 4: not a very nice person.
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: Not many of my friends are. But I'm still listening.
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: Fair enough.
• 7:05
  Speaker 5: Oh, how about going somewhere else, huh?
• 7:08
  Speaker 3: Hmm?
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: My car's parked outside.
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Okay, lady.
• 7:14
  Speaker 6: Linda.
• 7:16
  Speaker 4: And you'd better get used to.
• 7:19
  Speaker 6: It.
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: It's as bewildering to you as it was to Mac,
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: isn't it, Ray? This girl, Linda McKelvey, dropping into your
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: life from nowhere. Talking in circles and buying rounds of drinks.
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: You wonder when the dream will turn into a nightmare.
• 7:39
  Speaker 2: When she is going to give you the name of
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: the bank she once held up. But it's nothing like that,
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: is it? And sitting beside her in the car, you
• 7:47
  Speaker 2: finally get the complete picture. It's a little fantastic. You
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: want her to repeat part of it, and then it's
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: all quite clear. You really mean it? You want me
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: to marry you, and you'll pay me 5,000 bucks?
• 8:02
  Speaker 4: Now, is it such a difficult assignment?
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: No, no, but.
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: But you still can't see why, huh? All right, I'll
• 8:10
  Speaker 4: run through it again, as many times as you want
• 8:13
  Speaker 4: to hear it, Roy.
• 8:15
  Speaker 5: I've got to have a husband, a legal, honest-to-goodness man
• 8:18
  Speaker 5: about the house.
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: And you've got to have him, me, by this certain
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: date you mentioned.
• 8:23
  Speaker 4: Yes, my 25th birthday, two months from now. Oh, simple enough.
• 8:28
  Speaker 4: My late uncle was eccentric, narrow-minded, opinionated.
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: And rich. Very rich.
• 8:35
  Speaker 5: According to his will, if I marry on or before
• 8:38
  Speaker 5: my 25th birthday, I inherit over a quarter of a
• 8:41
  Speaker 5: million dollars.
• 8:43
  Speaker 4: And if I don't, everything goes to charity.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: And you are your favorite charity.
• 8:48
  Speaker 4: I certainly am.
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: But why me, Linda? You could have lots of guys.
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: I don't want lots of guys.
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: Oh, now wait a minute. You don't know me for madam.
• 8:59
  Speaker 4: All right, Roy.
• 9:02
  Speaker 5: I'll tell you the truth. I love someone else, but...
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: I made the mistake of falling for a married man.
• 9:09
  Speaker 5: And his divorce won't be final for six months. That's
• 9:12
  Speaker 5: too late to meet the demands of the inheritance.
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: Oh, that's different. You ought to eat your cake and
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: have 250 G's.
• 9:19
  Speaker 4: Well, something like that. Well, Roy?
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: I marry you, we make it look good, and then
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: later we get a quiet divorce.
• 9:27
  Speaker 4: Exactly. You're $ 5, 000 richer and nobody's the wiser. Once I've
• 9:34
  Speaker 4: got the money, there's nothing anybody can do about it.
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: What do you say, Roy?
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: I say I wish I had a rich uncle. Mind,
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: he doesn't even answer my letters. Yours leaves you a
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: quarter of a million bucks.
• 9:45
  Speaker 4: Why, that $ 5, 000 will give you a new start in.
• 9:48
  Speaker 3: Life, Roy.
• 9:49
  Speaker 5: And until we're divorced, you'll dress well and live quite
• 9:54
  Speaker 5: comfortably in Mr.
• 9:56
  Speaker 4: And Mrs. Roy Layton's apartment. Well, must I unbended knee?
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: Find the preacher, honey.
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: I'll do anything for money.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: Flatterer. The wedding a few days later isn't what every
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: boy and girl dreams about, is.
• 10:24
  Speaker 3: It, Roy?
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: But the hollow words the pair of you speak are
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: just as binding in a legal sense. And you drive
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: off swiftly as Mr. and Mrs. Roy Layton. You even
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: have a sense of elation in the new clothes you're wearing.
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: And returning to Linda's top floor apartment, 12 floors up
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: in the best part of town, makes it complete. More
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: complete than either of you expected. For as you step
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: from the elevator and she opens the door to let
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: you in.
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: What the devil?
• 10:56
  Speaker 4: No, no, Linda, dear, don't come in. He must carry you.
• 10:59
  Speaker 4: Carry you across the threshold. Oh, yes. Well, Roy?
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: Oh, of course.
• 11:07
  Speaker 3: Great, great.
• 11:08
  Speaker 4: Yeah, better, much better.
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: And now we'll all just scoot right along, Mrs. Layton.
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: We just didn't want you two to arrive without any
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: reception at all.
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: Why, that's awfully nice of you to know, Miss Prentiss.
• 11:18
  Speaker 4: Not at all, and I enjoyed it. Oh, so romantic.
• 11:24
  Speaker 4: This is Roy, my husband.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: Nice to meet you. You'll forgive us, won't you, Mrs. Layton?
• 11:29
  Speaker 2: We just wanted you to know your neighbors are happy
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: for you.
• 11:32
  Speaker 4: Why, of course. It was nice of you all to
• 11:35
  Speaker 4: think about it. Well, we'll be running along.
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: Good night. Good night.
• 11:38
  Speaker 4: Good night. And drop in and see us any time, Mr.
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: Knowles. Good night.
• 11:42
  Speaker 3: How did they get in here?
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: Mr. Knowles manages the apartment.
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: Oh, well.
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: Well, incidentally, it's some layout.
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: As I told you, I like nice things, Royce.
• 11:59
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah.
• 12:01
  Speaker 4: You know that Miss Prentiss? We'll have to watch her.
• 12:04
  Speaker 4: She's an inquisitive type.
• 12:05
  Speaker 3: Hmm?
• 12:06
  Speaker 4: But wait. She can help us in a way. Her
• 12:10
  Speaker 4: balcony adjoins this one. It won't hurt a bit to
• 12:14
  Speaker 4: let her see us out there once in a while
• 12:15
  Speaker 4: looking over the city.
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: My arms around you, a few fervent kisses. Got the idea?
• 12:21
  Speaker 4: Um, just for Miss Prentiss, yes.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: Well, anyway, this beat stevedoring in Frisco, working in the
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: Oklahoma oil fields, digging around Mexico when Uncle Mort was wildcatting.
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: Well, make yourself to home, Mr.
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: Layton.
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: Okay, Mrs.
• 12:39
  Speaker 2: Layton, I'll do just that. It's all going smoothly, isn't it, Roy?
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: Just as Linda planned. As the weeks go by, you
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: meet other people in the apartment. People Linda had met
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: before she married you. They seem to like you. And
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: most of all, they approve of the match. Linda assures
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: you there'll be no trouble in having her uncle's lawyer
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: accept it all as completely genuine. As the weeks pass,
• 13:13
  Speaker 2: both play your roles well. And then late one afternoon,
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: you hear some excitement in the hall and rush to
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: the door.
• 13:20
  Speaker 4: Oh, you poor dear. You might have been killed. I'm
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: all right now.
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: Really, I am.
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: You'd better lie down, dear, as soon as you get inside.
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: That fool, he wasn't even looking where he was going.
• 13:31
  Speaker 3: What is it?
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: What's happened?
• 13:32
  Speaker 4: I'm all right now, Roy. It was nothing at all.
• 13:35
  Speaker 2: She was backing out of the garage. Another car hit her.
• 13:38
  Speaker 5: Well, thanks very much, you two, but please don't bother anymore.
• 13:41
  Speaker 5: Roy can take care of it.
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: I'll carry you to the bedroom.
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: You don't have to carry me, Roy. I'll be all right.
• 13:47
  Speaker 4: Poor Dee.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: Maybe I'd better call a doctor.
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: No, Roy, I'm not hurt. I'm just shaken up. I
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: don't think it's bad.
• 13:52
  Speaker 3: It's only.
• 13:53
  Speaker 4: Well, it could have been so much worse. Just think, Mrs.
• 13:57
  Speaker 3: Eaton.
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: What would you have left if anything really happened to her?
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: Yes. Yes, what would I have? It's a terrible thought,
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: Miss Prentiss. Terrible.
• 14:12
  Speaker 6: Now back to the whistler.
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: Miss Prentiss' question planted an interesting thought in your mind
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: when she asked you what you'd have left if anything
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: happened to Linda, didn't it, Roy? In the days to
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: follow Linda's near accident, you often ask yourself the same question.
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: What would you have if anything fatal happened to Linda?
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: And the answer is very attractive, isn't it, Roy? You'd
• 15:05
  Speaker 2: have a quarter of a million dollars. As Linda's husband,
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: you'd inherit her money. But there's an easier way than murder,
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: isn't there, Roy? A safer way. If you can make
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: Linda fall in love with you, you'll be able to
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: share her money. It's worth a try. You plan your
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: campaign very carefully. Carry it out with all the charm
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: at your command. Then one evening, while the two of
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: you are out dancing, you suggest a breath of air
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: and lead Linda from the dance floor to the beautiful
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: terrace outside.
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: May I have a cigarette, Roy?
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: Why, sure, sure. Here you are.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: Thanks.
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: Thanks again. Oh, isn't it a beautiful night? I just
• 15:55
  Speaker 4: love it out here.
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: Linda.
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: The longer I've been thinking about us, this little act
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: we're putting on.
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: You've been doing splendidly, darling.
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: Uh-huh.
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: Yes, the happy, devoted husband. Head over heels in love
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: with this pretty bride.
• 16:12
  Speaker 3: Yes, yes. Only now, Linda. Now it's no longer a night.
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: What?
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: What do you mean?
• 16:22
  Speaker 3: Isn't it quite obvious?
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: You're... you're in love with me?
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: Oh, so much in love with you, Linda.
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: No, wait, Roy.
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: I know, I know.
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: It wasn't in the bargain to fall in love. I
• 16:33
  Speaker 3: have fallen in love, Linda.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: I couldn't help it. Roy. Oh, now, look. Look, I'm
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: really not such a bad guy. I'm a good dancer.
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: I wear my clothes well, in perfect health. Oh, I
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: do have a few faults, that's true, but.
• 16:47
  Speaker 4: Roy, I'm not in love with you.
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: But you, you could be, darling.
• 16:54
  Speaker 4: No, Roy, please don't.
• 17:00
  Speaker 3: Oh, Linda, Linda, darling.
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: Let me go, Roy, please.
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: I shouldn't have kissed you, I know that.
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: But Linda.
• 17:05
  Speaker 4: Look, we made a bargain. Now let's keep it that way.
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: Oh, but Linda, please.
• 17:09
  Speaker 4: I mean it, Roy.
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: Okay. Okay.
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry, but that's the way it's got to be.
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: Yeah. I'm sorry, too.
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: Very sorry.
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: Seems it doesn't, C. Roy.
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: And you're certain there's nothing you can do to make
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: her change her mind about the divorce.
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: There isn't time. Linda has told you the money from
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: her inheritance is already deposited to her credit at her...
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: And in a week or so, the two of you
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: will be on your way to Reno and that quiet divorce. No,
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: there isn't time to make her fall in love with you, Roy.
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: But you decide there is time for something else. Next day,
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: Linda leaves before luncheon to spend the afternoon at her
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: lawyer's office, fishing up her affairs. Long after she's gone,
• 18:11
  Speaker 2: you pace the floor of the apartment, searching your mind
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: for a plan, a way to kill Linda, make it
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: appear to be an accident. Early that afternoon, you're in
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: the bedroom looking around when.
• 18:22
  Speaker 3: Hello? Roy?
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 18:28
  Speaker 4: This is Amelia Fleming.
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: Oh, Mrs. Fleming, how are you?
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: I'm splendid, thank you.
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: Oh, is Linda home? Why, no, no, no, she isn't.
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: I don't expect her back until after five or so.
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: I see.
• 18:37
  Speaker 4: Well, it was nothing important, Fred.
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: Well, I'm sure she'll be back around five. Why don't
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: you call her then?
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: You better have her call me.
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: I'd probably call while she was in the bathtub. Oh,
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: don't you worry about that. Linda generally takes the phone right... Yes?
• 18:53
  Speaker 6: Roy?
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: Oh, yes. Yes, Mrs. Fleming. I'll tell Linda you called
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: and have her phone you.
• 18:59
  Speaker 4: Oh, that's fine.
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: Bye. You stand there for a moment, staring at the
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: telephone in your hand. Then slowly you replace the receiver,
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: walk back into the living room. A plan has suddenly emerged,
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: hasn't it, Roy? A telephone, a loose wire, and a
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: bathtub full of water. You've read of it happening, and
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: you're sure there's no reason why it can't work. And
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: by the time Linda returns shortly after five, you've arranged everything.
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: You wait until you hear the bathwater running. Then you
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: call out to her in the bedroom. Linda!
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: Linda! Yes?
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: I'm going out for a few minutes. Fresh out of cigarettes.
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: Can I get you anything?
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: Not a thing, Roy.
• 19:40
  Speaker 2: I'll be back soon.
• 19:41
  Speaker 5: No hurry.
• 19:42
  Speaker 4: I'm going to soak in the tub for a while.
• 19:44
  Speaker 6: Thank you.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: You walk down to the corner drugstore. Wait over a
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: cup of coffee for five minutes. Then you step to
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: the phone booth. But there's someone inside. You look at
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: your watch and return to the counter. Five minutes go by,
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: and then ten. And then the booth door opens, and
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: the woman who had been monopolizing the phone walks away.
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: There's still time, isn't there, Roy? You're certain of that.
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: Linda will still be in the tub, the phone on
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: the stand within easy reach.
• 20:19
  Speaker 3: When she answers it.
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: The loose wire will pull away from the receiver and
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: fall into the tub of water.
• 20:27
  Speaker 5: Hello?
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: Linda? Linda? Linda?
• 20:33
  Speaker 3: That does it.
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: Slowly, you walk back to the apartment. But instead of
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: going on up to your apartment on the 12th floor,
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: you stop at the manager's apartment and ring the bell.
• 20:49
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: Oh, Mr. Layton.
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: Mr.
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: Knowles, I wonder if.
• 20:53
  Speaker 3: You'd do something for me.
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: Of course, of course.
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: Well, our refrigerator's been acting up a bit lately. I'd
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: like you to have a look at it, if you
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: don't mind me. Glad to, Mr. Layton. I hope I'm
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: not taking you away from your dinner. No, nothing like that.
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: Come on, let's go up and have a look at it, eh?
• 21:07
  Speaker 6: Come on.
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: It seems like it's been running a lot more than
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: it should. Is that so? Well, we just see what's wrong. Yes,
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: come in, come in.
• 21:22
  Speaker 3: Linda!
• 21:23
  Speaker 6: Linda, you home, darling?
• 21:24
  Speaker 3: Oh, that's funny.
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: She shouldn't be around.
• 21:29
  Speaker 6: Linda!
• 21:31
  Speaker 4: Yes, Roy? What's the matter, Roy?
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: Oh.
• 21:36
  Speaker 2: Oh, nothing, nothing. It's just that you answered so suddenly,
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: that's all.
• 21:40
  Speaker 4: Oh, good evening, Mr.
• 21:41
  Speaker 5: Knowles.
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: Good evening, ma'am. I asked Mr. Knowles up to have
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: a look at our refrigerator, Linda. You know it hasn't
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: been acting right. Oh, hasn't it? No, no, it hasn't.
• 21:50
  Speaker 4: Well, I'm awfully glad you're here, Mr.
• 21:52
  Speaker 5: Knowles. I was about to come downstairs to ask you
• 21:54
  Speaker 5: to call the telephone company. Something rather startling just happened.
• 21:58
  Speaker 4: It scared me to death.
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: What's that, ma'am?
• 22:00
  Speaker 4: Well, I'd just gotten out of my tub when the
• 22:02
  Speaker 4: phone rang.
• 22:03
  Speaker 5: It was on the stand in the bathroom, and I
• 22:05
  Speaker 5: picked up the receiver, and by the way, I just
• 22:08
  Speaker 5: slipped out.
• 22:09
  Speaker 4: It fell into the tub.
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: Say, we'd better see about that right away. Good thing
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: you weren't in the tub when it happened, Mrs.
• 22:14
  Speaker 3: Layton.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: Well, I should say so. I might have been electrocuted.
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: It didn't work, did it, Roy? And Linda is still
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: very much alive. Somehow you managed to cover your disappointment.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: Act properly concerned over the near tragedy. You've got to
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: find another way now. And there isn't much time left.
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: It's after dinner that the idea comes to you. Perfect,
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: isn't it, Roy? And this time you'll make certain. While
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: Linda is busy in the kitchen, you slip out onto
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: the balcony, take a wrench... And loosen the bolts on
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: the handrail. If Linda leans against the rail, your problem
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: is solved. If not a light push, just the slightest
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: jar will accomplish your purpose.
• 23:05
  Speaker 3: And Linda's money will belong to you.
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: At the sound behind you, you drop the wrench into
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: the flower box and straighten up.
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: What are you doing, Roy?
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: Oh, nothing. I'm just looking for my cuff link. I
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: must have dropped it here somewhere.
• 23:17
  Speaker 3: Oh.
• 23:18
  Speaker 5: Oh, Roy, I meant to tell you, I... Well, I
• 23:22
  Speaker 5: was downtown today. I made plane reservations for tomorrow. We'll
• 23:27
  Speaker 5: be leaving in the afternoon, four o'clock.
• 23:31
  Speaker 3: Oh, I see. So this is our last evening here.
• 23:36
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid so.
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: Well, I'm going to miss all this, Linda. You won't
• 23:43
  Speaker 3: change your mind, I suppose. I mean, about us.
• 23:47
  Speaker 4: No, Roy. I won't change my mind.
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: Well, say, how about a drink out here on the balcony, huh?
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: One last look at the city of Los Angeles together.
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: Why, Roy, I think that's a wonderful idea.
• 24:04
  Speaker 3: All right, you just stay right here, Linda. I'll get
• 24:06
  Speaker 3: the drinks.
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: Our farewell drink. The Whistler will return in just a
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: moment with a strange ending to tonight's story. And now
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: back to the whistler. There's little question of the suspect's guilt.
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: To Police Lieutenant Cosgrove, it was a clear case of murder.
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: The victim had been deliberately pushed off the 12th story balcony.
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: Lieutenant Cosgrove knew that. And before long, he'd know the motive, too.
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: as he paced slowly back and forth in the small
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: room at police headquarters. He felt certain that a full
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: confession was close at hand. Finally, he stopped pacing, sat
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: down in a chair facing the suspect, who was sitting
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: rigid and tense, trying to avoid the lieutenant's gaze.
• 25:10
  Speaker 3: Look, you might as well break down and tell us
• 25:13
  Speaker 3: what this is all about.
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: You know, Miss Prentiss, who lives in the apartment next
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: to yours, saw you push.
• 25:18
  Speaker 3: Your victim off the balcony.
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 25:22
  Speaker 4: All right.
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: Why, Mrs.
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: Layton?
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: Why did you do it?
• 25:28
  Speaker 4: It's a long story.
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: All right, take your time.
• 25:34
  Speaker 4: Perhaps it isn't such a long story at that.
• 25:36
  Speaker 5: You see, I was born in Los Angeles. Lived here
• 25:42
  Speaker 5: until a few years ago when I took a job
• 25:44
  Speaker 5: in Mexico. And up to six months ago, I was
• 25:48
  Speaker 5: secretary to a man there named Morton Layton.
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: Layton? Any relation to the deceased?
• 25:55
  Speaker 4: Yes.
• 25:57
  Speaker 5: Yes, he was Roy's uncle. He died about six months ago.
• 26:03
  Speaker 5: Before that, he'd been trying to find Roy. Roy wrote
• 26:06
  Speaker 5: him several letters before he died, but Morton Layton never
• 26:09
  Speaker 5: knew about them. I.
• 26:12
  Speaker 4: I destroyed them.
• 26:13
  Speaker 3: Why?
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: Because I didn't want them to get together. And then when...
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: when old man.
• 26:19
  Speaker 5: Layton died, I came back to Los Angeles Where I
• 26:25
  Speaker 5: knew I'd find Roy.
• 26:27
  Speaker 4: And marry him.
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: And murdered him because you thought.
• 26:29
  Speaker 4: Well, I never knew it. He never knew that he
• 26:33
  Speaker 4: was a missing heir.
• 26:33
  Speaker 5: You see, his uncle struck it rich in Mexico.
• 26:38
  Speaker 4: He left him a quarter of a million dollars. I
• 26:43
  Speaker 4: was trying to get that money for myself. As Roy's widow.
• 27:26
  Speaker 7: All music for The Whistler composed and conducted by Wilbur
• 27:28
  Speaker 7: Hatch and is the property of Herman Music Incorporated, ASCAP, Hollywood, California.
• 27:33
  Speaker 7: Broadcast rights granted solely to Audio Arts Productions, La Mirada, California.
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: This concludes The Whistler, Till Death Do Us Part. Until
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: the next broadcast, good night. Follow Old Time Mystery Radio
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: for more classic mystery and detective broadcasts.