43-01-05_Nothing_Up_My_Sleeve.txt

Just about the gayest couple in detective fiction are Nora and Nick Charles. Nick Charles is really the detective, but Nora makes a beautiful and able assistant. You'll hear all about the Charles family when you listen to The Adventures of the Thin Man every Friday beginning January 8th over this station at 8 30 p.m. Eastern Wartime and for the Pacific Time Zone at 9 30 p.m. Pacific Wartime. Suspense. Tonight, Columbia brings you as guest stars two deaf players from the movie lots of Hollywood and the stages of Broadway. Mr. Lesser Landy and Mr. George Colouris. They are here to spend with us a half hour of. Suspense. Suspense is compounded of mystery and suspicion and dangerous adventure. In this series, are stories calculated to intrigue you, to stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious situation and then withhold the solution until the last possible moment. Tonight, for instance, Miss Landy plays for us an agreeable young lady who is on the trail of some hot money. And Mr. Colores plays for us. A disagreeable young man who may or may not know more about the money than he says. We trust that with this tale we shall keep you in suspense. For suspense tonight, CBS presents Alyssa Landy and George Kalouris in Nothing Up My Sleeve by John Dixon Carr. X-ray, X-ray, read all about it, shockwalk and fart. X-ray, X-ray, read all about it, shockwalk and fart. It's New Year's Eve, remember? Times Square is celebrating. The fiery lights flash no longer, but the crowds are still the same. Thronging, jostling, singing, drowning out a voice at the street corner when it says: Fatal gun battle at Jamaica, read all about it, Fatal gun battle at Jamaica, read all about it. But would that cry perhaps reach as far as a large and sedate country house some 20 miles from New York? Out there, the earth is sealed up with snow. The white pillars of the house rise up high and ghostly against it, showing no outward lights. A lonely house, this mansion in Firwood. Just the place for a murder, I've always said. Wouldn't surprise me either. These Ralphs are a funny lot. And alone in that house. Tonight, apparently alone, is a man practicing shots in a billiard room, a long and paneled room at the back of the house. Now, look at Mr. Derek Roth, as tall and lean and well tailored as ever. Many people don't like him. He's a little too supercilious, a little too short of himself, too suggestive of the lifted lips and the glazed eyes. There he stands in the billiard room, under the snow covered skylight. Leaning over the green cloth under brilliant lights when. Just a moment, please. Good shot. Yes, come in. Excuse me, Mr. Ralph. Oh, not at all. I wish I'd you, Miss. I'm Dorothy Dale, your aunt's social secretary. Surely you remember that. Oh, of course, of course. Forgive me for forgetting your name. You surprised me, Dorothy. Yes, I thought I surprised you a little. No, I mean you surprised me by being in the house at all. Why? Why? This is New Year's Eve. Shouldn't you be out getting drunk and blowing cardboard horns and doing the other fantastic things that people do? I haven't much heart for that tonight. Gee, don't become emotional, Dorothy. I detest emotion. If you're shivering, go over by the radiator. Mr. Ross, may I ask you a question? Of course. Did you ever feel sick at heart? Physically sick, I mean, so that your insides turned over and you couldn't get your breath and. Did you? No. No, I can't say I did. May I move you aside for just a moment? Thank you. Ah, not bad. Can't you guess why I came here to see you tonight? No. Because I'm in terrible trouble, Mr. Ross. Desperate trouble. And I think you can help me. I can help you? How? For one thing, you're making quite a name for yourself as a lawyer. Yes, that's what others have told me. For another thing. Do you know a man named Shark Morgan? Shark Morgan? Shark, did you say? Mm-hmm. Shark Morgan. No, I'm sure I've never heard that name before. You ought to know him. He's a little dark-faced man with most of his upper lip cut away in a knife fight so that you can see all his teeth. That's why they call him Shark. Oh, he sounds like an unpleasant-looking person. He is, or was, a ghastly-looking person. You don't know him? He's not a client of yours? No. I don't believe you. Just a moment, Miss Dorothy Dale. I must put down this cue and say a few words myself. Please do. I don't want to be offensive to you, but it seems to me that for a paid employee of my aunt, practically a servant, you're taking a great deal on yourself. If you're trying to hurt me that way, you're succeeding. But go ahead. You come to me at 11 o'clock at night. You come rushing into this billiard room. Observe, I call it a billiard room, though this is actually a pool table. Just as everything in life gets its wrong name. I entirely agree. Yes, but you agree about what? That everything gets its wrong name. Honest men are called thieves, and thieves are called honest men. Would you mind explaining that remark? I can explain it very easily. I'm engaged to be married to Jerry Winton. Well? Don't say you don't know who Jerry Winton is. He was in college with you. I played on our extremely second-rate baseball team with him, yes. You never liked him, did you? Liked him? I'm afraid I never noticed him. Jerry Winton works at City and Provincial Bank on 51st Street. He's a teller there. Does that mean anything to you? No. You see, it's not my bank. I was at the City and Provincial Bank yesterday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Ralph, just before closing time. It was a dark day, and the lights were on. There weren't many people in that big marble hall. I went up to Jerry's window, if that's what you call it. Can you cash a check for a million dollars? Hello, darling. Hello, Jerry. You glad to see me? I am. I'm not pleased to see you here, Dolly. I'm never pleased to see you here. And why not? Because I can't make love. Can you imagine anybody making love in a bank? Oh, we might sneak into the president's office. As a matter of fact, I've dreamed of holding a party in there. But it'll never happen, unless I'm fired, which is very likely. Jerry, sometimes I wish you weren't so easygoing. I'm not easygoing with the bank's money, Dolly. Otherwise, I'd be shoving it out to you through the window in double handfuls like this. Jerry, for heaven's sake, no. They didn't state your business, madam. The convict in the next cage is watching us already. I want to cash a check. Here it is. $20. That is, if my account can stand it. Yes, I think we can manage that. How do you have it? Oh, it doesn't matter anyway. Jerry. What's wrong? Look over there. Where? Over there by that marble table with the pens and ink on it. The little man with no upper lip to his mouth and all his teeth showing. Ugly looking devil, I've missed. He's carrying something like a violin case. Hold on. I've seen that fellow someplace before. Of course you have. Don't you remember where? It was. It was out at Mr. Ralph's house in the country when you came to visit me last Sunday. The man with the teeth and five other men were coming out on the porch as we were going in. Wait a minute, Dolly. That's not all. What is it? There's some very funny looking customers in this bank right now. Where? At Mr. Wallace's window. At Mr. Robinson's window. And up by the guard at the front door. They didn't seem to make any sound. As though they all wore rubber soled shoes. Jerry, something's gonna happen. I know it is. Unless I can get off this tool of water. That was just to call your attention, folks. Just to call your attention. Now, just stand where you are, all of you. Nobody will get hyped. Darling, I'm scared. Well, watch along. You stay right there. Just stand still. I don't dare turn around. I heard the man. Yes, he's got it. He's got the machine he got. We don't want any funny business about alarm pals, see? One of the boys has already gone behind to take up the collection. Now, just stay where you are until you've got it, too. You can't get away with this. Oh, look, boys. Here's a guy at the front with a nice mahogany desk and a plate with his name on it who says we can't get away with it. Let's show him. I don't do it, Sean. That wasn't in our organ, though. We can't get away with it. He's crazy. Now you're somebody else talking? Jerry! Thought I had somebody over there. Oh, it's you, kid. Move to one side of the window, Dolly. Move to one side of the window. Don't worry, kid. I ain't gonna hate you. No? Not a bit of it. Thanks for helping us. You'll get your cut later. What do you mean, my cuss? It's what I said. You'll get your share when we divvy up. But I don't know anything about this robbery. All right, kid, we'll take care of you. I tell you, I don't know anything about this robbery. Jerry! Now, six ball in the end pocket. Ah. Got it. Are you listening, Mr. Ralph? This shark Morgan must have been quite a fool. I grant you that. He was a fool. He must have been crazy. But they've held Jerry at police headquarters just the same. Well, that's very unfortunate if he's innocent. You know he's innocent. I'm afraid I don't know anything about it. Don't you even know what happened today? Haven't you read the newspaper? No. The police trapped that whole gang in a Long Island farmhouse. There was a gunfight. Is that so? Oh, no casualties, I hope. You hope? I must tell you again, Dorothy. Don't, don't be emotional. I detest emotion. The whole gang were killed. Every last. One of them, including Sharp Morgan. So there's nobody to talk, nobody to tell. But. But, as you were saying? They didn't find the money. What money? The stolen money. $88,000 taken from that bank, and yet the police can't find a cent of it. Shall I tell you why, Mr. Rolfe? Because it was passed on to somebody else for safekeeping. Oh, passed on to somebody else? That's what I said. Well, perhaps your friend Jerry Winton could tell us where it is. That's what the police think. Oh, can you imagine what he's going through tonight? It's not a pleasant way to spend New Year's Eve, I admit. Excuse me. But, you know, after all, the late Shark Morgan did accuse Winton. Now, if he isn't guilty, why should Morgan accuse him? Meanness. I don't think I understand. Meanness? The sort of meanness that some people call a sense of humor. Morgan saw Jerry in this house. Oh, be careful, young lady. That's an actionable statement. I've already made it to the police, thanks. Oh, and did they believe you? No. They're a very intelligent crowd down at Center Street. And after all, your story isn't very credible. Why not? Well, Shark Morgan sees your friend Winston, sees him for perhaps ten seconds coming out of this house, and then accuses him of complicity in a bank robbery. Now, is that very likely? Yes, very likely. If somebody put him up to it. Again, I don't understand you. Somebody deliberately told Morgan to accuse Jerry and get him into as much trouble as possible. Tell me, Mr. Rolfe, why do you dislike Jerry so much? You know, now that you mention that fellow, I can recall who he is. Thanks for condescending to. Yes, yes, indeed. Why, he was the man in our class voted most likely to succeed. Now, let's see. Where did you say he is tonight? He is just where you put him. You know, you're trying my patience to the very limit, young woman. And out in a Long Island farmhouse, there are five bodies full of bullet holes, five men who'll never speak again. And somewhere else, maybe not very far from here, is the man who engineered the whole robbery, planned it and staged it and got his accomplices killed. My goodness, he must have supernatural powers now. No witnesses, nobody to testify. Oh, if I could only find the money. $88,000, I think you said. If I could only find the money and prove who had done it and prove Jerry innocent and just for one. Second, get past that devilish smug mask of yours that's driving me. Anything wrong, Dorothy? No. No, nothing at all. You've been following me round and round this table. Have you been looking at something? Only admiring your billiard room, that's all. Oh, you haven't been looking at the suitcase, for instance? Oh, well, the suitcase? Over on the bench under the Q-Rack. The suitcase that contains legal papers. I hadn't even noticed it. Mr. Ralph? Yes, Dorothy. I'm afraid I've taken up a lot of your time and not done myself any good and made something of a spectacle of myself. Frankly, young woman, you have. Well, if you won't help me, you won't. That's that. If you don't mind, I'd like to go now. Suppose, my dear, I didn't choose to let you go. But why shouldn't you? What harm can I do? Now, who was it? Who was it? Was it Meredith who remarked that the last thing to be civilized by man will be woman? I think it was, yes. And, you know, and the slanderous woman can do a great deal of harm. Well, I haven't done you any harm so far. We're all alone in this house. There's not even a servant here. Now, if I chose to get between you and the door like this. Keep away from me. Oh, I'm not coming near you, Dorothy. I'm merely standing between you and the door. Now, I suppose you realize that I could turn very nasty if I liked. What are you going to do? Do? Well, what? I'm going to open the door for you like this. I'm going to say, God bless you, my child, as befits a New Year's greeting. I'm going to show you out and wish you good night. You. Oh, but you don't mind? Mine? Certainly not. You've got something to hide, haven't you, Mr. Ralph? No, no. Nothing, young woman, that I can't hide. Good night. Operator. What number are you calling, please? Operator, I want to get police headquarters in New York City. No, no, no, no. That doesn't take too long. Wait, wait, wait. Get me the local police station. This is Mallingford 8891. The local police station? Yes, yes, that's right. The number you want is Mallingford 326. I will ring them. Thank you. Hurry. Why is he so confident? What has he got up his sleeve? Mallingford police station? Oh, let me speak to the chief of police, please. Just speaking to him, ma'am. Nobody else's stay up here on New Year's Eve. My name is Dale, Miss Dorothy Dale. I'm speaking from Greenacre's, Mr. Derek Roth's house, about two miles up the Post Road. Do you know it? Yes, I know it, but can't you talk louder? I can hardly hear you. I don't dare talk louder. I'm speaking from a phone just outside the billiard room door. What about it? Listen, you want to recover the city and provincial bank money, don't you? We sure do, miss. That money's hot, but. But it's here. It's in this house, in this billiard room now. Oh, who's got it? Derek Rolfe himself. Look, Miss. Is this on the level? I swear it's true. I've seen the money. Rolfe's prominent people, you know. I can't help that. There's a big suitcase completely full of money in packages fastened with the paper label of the city and provincial bank. And that's not his own bank. Take it easy now. The lid of the suitcase wasn't quite closed. He thought he'd be alone here tonight, and that's why he was careless. Does he know you saw the money? Did I see the money? I. I'm not quite sure. You're not sure? No, I could almost have sworn he knew I saw the money, but he didn't seem to care. Be careful. The billiard room door's opening. I thought I heard someone using the telephone out here. Excuse me, Mr. Ralph. I only. What's this about the door open? These doors are rather thick, Dorothy, but I was under the impression that I heard somebody say police. Yes. Well, yes, you did. You weren't phoning the police by any chance, were you? Yes, I was. But why? I, uh. Go on, go on, go on. Why? As a matter of fact, I was trying to get in touch with Jerry. That's it. He's at police headquarters in New York, and I was trying to get in touch with him to see if they'd let me talk to him on New Year's Eve. You know, I thought it would cheer him up. Look, Miss, this is the Marlingford Chief of Police. Are you still there? What's that, what? Mallingford? Well, it's a New York call relayed through the local station. You don't mind? Not at all. Please go right ahead. Oh, by the way. What? I don't think you'll find that money, young woman. Good night. Listen, miss. Are you still on the end of the wire, or aren't you? Yes, but I couldn't talk to you. He was here. Who was there? Derek Ralph. He said I'd never find the money. You mean he admits he's got it? Well, no. He just smiles and smiles. He's got some trick up his sleeve. I know it. Oh, it'll have to be a good one. Please, never mind that. Can you come over now? Well, all right, miss. I'll take a chance. Who else is in the house with you? Nobody. I'm all alone with him. What are you going to do if he tries to light out with the money? I don't see what I can do. That's all the more reason for you to get here quickly. I swear you'll find the money in that billiard room only. Hurry. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. It can seem a very long time to a waiting girl crouching in a coal and dim lit. Hallway outside a closed door, hearing only the clicking of billiard balls, and watching, wondering, and praying until. Miss Dale. Miss Dale. This way. Shh. Miss Dale. I'm Joe Hollister, Chief of Police. Yes, I recognized your voice. The front door wasn't locked, so I just walked in. I hoped you would. I didn't want to leave here. Has Mr. Rolfe come out of that room since you talked to me? No. And according to what you claim, he's still in there with a suitcase full of money. That's right, Mr. Hollister. Now, look, Miss, before we go any further, there's something I ought to tell you. Well? Well, I checked with New York about you. And what did they say? Yes, Mr. Hollister. And what did they say about her? Mr. Roth! I'm rather interested in knowing that myself. So you could hear everything through that door? Of course, I could hear everything through the door, including your conversation with our friend, the chief of police. Good evening, Mr. Hollister. Good evening, Mr. Roth. This young lady says. I know, I know what she says. Will you come into the billiard room, please? Both of you? Oh. Thank you. Just what trick are you up to now? Trick? You talk of tricks? Now, just a minute now. Take it easy. What I want to know is where's this suitcase Miss Dale was talking about? There it is. What, you mean that empty suitcase on the bench beside you? Empty suitcase? Yes, that's what I said. It wasn't empty when I left this room. Chief, do you mind seeing for yourself? Well, it isn't empty. It's empty now, miss. Hollister, it will gratify me to clear this matter up here and now. It'll gratify me, too. I'm tired of this slanderous nonsense, and I mean to end it. This young woman told you that I had, what was it, some $88,000 in this room only a few minutes ago. I still say you had. Curb your temper, please, while I ask you some straight questions. Can you do that? You better answer them, miss. All right, I'll try. Did I or did I not leave the billiard room at any time? No, you didn't. Good. Now, there's only one door and no window, only a skylight covered with snow. So I didn't leave that way, did I? No, I suppose you didn't. Therefore, unless you're lying, the money must still be in this room. Yes. Then where is it? I don't know. You must have hidden it someplace. Where? I'm afraid Mr. Rouse's right, Miss. Take a look around you. One pool table. Comes apart so you can examine it. One radio. Go on, examine that, too. One overhead light, one standing lamp, one bare bench, one rack of cues, one rack of pool balls. Now, that's everything. Now, can you tell me where I could hide enough money to fill a suitcase? No, I can't. It's impossible, Miss. The stuff's not here. It must be here. It's either here or else. Or else what? Or else it vanished. Oh, Mr. Hollister, haven't we had quite enough of this? Yes, I guess we have. Now, look here, Miss Dale. I like the way you talked, and I thought you were talking straight. Will you just tell me why you tried to string me along like that? You know, I think I can tell you, Chief Hollister. I wasn't exactly asking you, Mr. Ralph, but. Well, go ahead. You know, perhaps, that she's engaged to a man who's mixed up in the city and provincial robbery. He was not. It was neither a very clever nor a very far-sighted attempt. I'm inclined to think that she'll not have a job when my aunt returns. But, as I say, it was a case of any old attempt to shield Jerry Wimper. Did somebody mention my name? Jerry! Oh, Jerry! Oh, I'm sorry. Daddy, I'm alive. I'm not a ghost. You needn't dive at me like that. But how did you get here? How did you get away? I was trying to tell you, miss, when our host put it in. The DA has convinced you a young man had nothing to do with this. That's right, darling. And I thought I'd better come out and take you back to New York with me. I was never so glad to see anybody in my life. Put your arms around me. I don't suppose you'd mind if I picked up this cue and went on practicing. Let's try the eight ball all the way down the table. Come on, darling. It'll be New Year's in a few minutes. There's nothing to worry about. There is something to worry about, sir. He's got the money, the whole $88,000. I know it. I'm sure of it. Only we can't find it. It's hidden somewhere in this room. As I said before, haven't we had just about enough of this? The chief of police there won't believe me, but it's true. I've heard a lot about that money myself. I'll bet you have some for nothing but hot money, hot money, hot money, and where is it, where is it, where is it, until I thought I was going off my nut. If I could prove Derek Rolfe had anything to do with this, I'd. Sally, what's the matter? Mr. Hollister. Yes, miss. I think I know now where he's hidden the money. Well, that was a bad shot, Mr. Ralph. You've made the white ball jump clear off the table. Well, there are plenty of others on the table. I tell you, I know where he's hidden it. Is it in this room? Yes. But where? In the pool table? In the radio? In some secret panel? No. You'd better speak up, Dolly. Has it ever struck you, any of you, that there is such a thing as an invisible piece of furniture? An invisible piece of furniture? You mean we can't see it? No, it's in plain sight. It's smack in front of your eyes. But nobody ever sees it. You can't see it now. We may not understand you, Dolly, but by George Derek Rolfe does. Look at his face. Yes, I'm looking at it. What's the matter with all of you? Please don't become emotional, Mr. Rolfe. I detest emotion. Miss, there's a reward of $10,000 for the recovery of that money. If you know where it is, tell us. There's nothing easier. It's. Before that young woman says something she may regret, please listen to me. You've got him, Dolly. I don't know how or why, but you've got him. Go on, Mr. Rolfe. Tell me, Winton. You and I used to play on the same baseball team, didn't we? That's right. What about it? What did I play on the team? You were the pitcher. Why? Was I good? You're the best control and the best fast one I ever. Wait a minute. Why are you picking up that pool ball? What are you going to do? Take it easy, Mr. Ralph. You three are across the room from me. I have a number of rather dangerous objects on the table here, and I'll split that girl's skull if she says another word. Don't be a blasted fool. Think I can't do it? Well, does that convince you I haven't lost my pitching arm? You didn't even get a chance to raise that gun. No, you don't. I'm glad to pick it up. I said it'd lie down on the floor. Get behind me, darling. You stay where you are. We'll step off first base and. Maybe you'd better listen. Sure, Miss Dale. Well, what are you going to do, Ralph? You can't keep us here forever. I don't propose to keep you there forever. I'm not so enamored of your company. Now, what's the game? Well, I'll make a bargain with you. Well? My car's outside with a little more gas than the state allows. Give me one clear hour to get away. Well, what do you say? I'm a cop, Mr. Ralph. I can't make any bargains with you. No? No, and I'm coming over there after you. And you'll compel me to start throwing. Down, Dolly, down under the table. You missed that one, Mr. Ralph. I'm not missing this one. It's a shame to butt that bureauc, Mr. Ralph, but I'm still coming for you. You've lost your control, old son. You're done for. I tried to. That was the wildest pitch yet. Dolly, look. Don't get up the clock. What is it? Radiator. Steam radiator. He's knocked the whole thing sideways. Did you ever see that happen to a radiator before? Of course not, because it's a dummy radiator. Dummy radiator? Yeah, I got you, Ralph. I'm not too old to handle a Very like you. You haven't even got a satchel on it. Now take your chance. What was that about? A dummy radiator. Yes. Look. Look here. It's got a little oil burner inside to make it give out heat. Yeah? And the hinges at the back to form a lot of compartments where you can hide as much money as you like. I saw the hinges when he told me to go over to the radiator, but I didn't guess what they meant. It's really a safe that never attracts attention because nobody ever notices it. And the stuff's here, all right. There, Mr. Hollister. That's what I saw in the suitcase. I told you there was a $10,000 reward for that, miss. Oh, did you hear that? Turn on the radio, Jerry. Go on, turn it on. Welcome in the new year. Didn't you tell me, all of you, that the money was hot? The first time I've ever seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, I've never seen a person in the past, And so ends Nothing Up My Sleeve, starring Alyssa Landy and George Colores. Tonight's story of. suspense. Columbia presents these tales of mystery, intrigue, and dangerous adventure for your relaxation and enjoyment. Next Tuesday, there'll be another in this series. Same hour, 9 30 Eastern Wartime. William Spear, the producer, John Deeds, the director, Bernard Herrmann, the composer, conductor, and John Dixon Carr, the author, are collaborators on Suspense. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.