43-10-26_After_Dinner_Story.txt

Suspense. This is the man in black, here again to introduce Columbia's program, Suspense. With us in Hollywood tonight as star is Mr. Otto Kruger. Whose career on the screen and on the stage has afforded him a precisely equal number of appearances as a character on the right and on the wrong side of the law. Whether the man Mr. Kruger portrays tonight is devil or saint, we shall leave for you to judge when the play is over. It is called After Dinner Story. The author is Cornell Woolrich, radio adapter Robert L. Richards. And so, with the performance of Otto Kruger as Mr. Hardecker, who told this extraordinary after dinner story, We again hope to keep you in suspense. Mr. Hardacre's residence? I believe I'm expected for dinner. Your name, sir? Kenshaw is my name. Very good, sir. Mr. Hardacre? Mr. Kenshaw, sir. Ah, number one. Good evening, Mr. Kenshaw. Is this Where Mr. Hardacre lives. My name is Lambert. Mr. Hardacre? Mr. Lambert. Number two. My name is Prendergast. I think I. Mr. Hardacre? Mr. Prendergast. Number three. Mackenzie's the name. Mr. Hardacre? Mr. Mackenzie. Number four. One, two, three. Three, four. So you're all here, gentlemen? Yes, yes, I do. Then, suppose we go into dinner. And after dinner, I shall tell you why you are here, what I have in mind. In fact, I shall tell you in the form of a story a sort of after-dinner story. Well, gentlemen. Did you enjoy your dinner? Yeah, well, well, yeah. Then, if you'll excuse me for just a moment, I have certain instructions to give the servants, and after that, I shall rejoin you. I shan't be long. Certainly. Well, what did that crack mean? Certain instructions to the servants. How should I know? I. I don't like the looks of the whole thing. Why all the mystery? Well, I suggest that you have patience, Mr. Prendergast. Mr. Hardiker clearly intends to tell us in his own good time. Yeah. And another thing. I don't eat in those fancy Park Avenue joints as a rule myself, but I've seen them in the movies. They always pass the food around to everybody. They just don't bring it out of the kitchen already on your plate and just hand it to you. Well, what possible difference can that make? Well, I don't know, but I know it ain't right. Oh, none of it's right. Why does a man invite four perfect strangers to dinner? What is this thing he has in mind for us he keeps talking about? Well,. All I know, he says he'll make it worth our while, and I can use a little of that worth your while stuff the way business has been lately. Obviously, the connection between us is that we were all in that elevator a year ago. Oh, what of it? There's no mystery about that. The police cleared that up the very next day. Maybe Mr. Hardiker doesn't think so. Sorry to have kept you, gentlemen. Now, suppose we get down to business. Mr. Hardiker, none of us wish to seem rude, but we were just wondering what this business is all about. You have had, uh. You had come to the obvious conclusion, of course, that it has to do with my son. Well, yes. I don't see why we're. We're all sorry, naturally, but that's all over and done with, and I've. Yes, almost. But there are one or two little details that I thought you gentlemen might help me to clarify. Oh, sure. Oh, well, yeah. Fine. Well, then, if you don't mind, I know you must remember most of it, but it's almost a year ago. I'd like to go over the whole story from the beginning. Well, it was just about. just before five in the afternoon on August 30th of last year. When the matter which concerns us here this evening had its beginning. On that day, and at that time, all four of you, perfect strangers, who had never seen each other before in your lives, found yourselves, for personal and business reasons of your own, on various floors of the Norfolk building in Midtown Manhattan, waiting for the express elevator to take you to the lobby. The first passengers were on the 21st floor. 21, going down, please. Express car, going down. There are now three men in the elevator. The operator, Mr. Kenshaw, and Mr. Lambert, who had gotten on at the 21st floor. 18. Going down, please. Face the doors, please. Going down. Now there are five men in the car. Mr. Prendergast and Mr. McKenzie had entered the elevator at the 18th floor. 15. Express car to the lobby. Going down, please. 15. Say hello to Eleanor for me. You bet. Bye, Dad. Bye. Six men in the elevator. The last to enter, I had accompanied to the elevator door myself. He was my son. These things drop pretty fast. Too fast for me. Hey, this baby is moving. Hey, look! We can't stop it. We're out of control! Stop it. Look out. We're going to hit. Get off. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Anybody, anybody got a match? I think my leg's broken. Get me out of here. I got a wife and kids. Somebody get me out of here. Get me out of here. Turn up a minute, can't you? It's too dark. You're not the only one with a wife and kids. Has anybody got a match? I've got to get this door open. Yeah. I don't have a. Am I able to suffocate in here? These things are practically airtight. Yeah. Where's the operator? Operator, he's over here. I can feel the braid on his coat against my hand. What about it, Bud? You've got a match so I can see what I'm doing here? Hey, operator. He's. He's dead. Dead? Why doesn't somebody come? What's the matter with them? Why don't they come? Pipe down, will you? Pipe down. There. There, I got it. Yeah, we'll get a little air anyway. There's a light up there somewhere. Yeah. I can hear voices. Yeah, you hear them? Go! Go! Say, there's no use hearing your head off. They know we're down here. Oh, yes. I wish my leg didn't hurt so bad. Let's see. Try wrapping your shirt around it tight. May stop some of the pain. Thanks. Easy. Now what? Nothing. Just sit and wait. That's all. Why don't they hurry? What are they waiting for? Why don't they hurry? Take it easy. Take it easy. You could be worse off. Worse off? Yeah. Like this poor guy, the operator. He's dead. And so you waited. Six men, five living, one dead. I know how it must have been for all of you, the minutes dragging by there in the darkness with nothing to do but wait. How's your leg? How long do you suppose we've been down here? It's hard to tell. Maybe they think we're all dead. Maybe they're just taking their time. Don't worry. They heard you hollering all right. Indeed, the poor guy. I wonder if he had any kids. The operator? Yeah. I often wonder sometimes what would happen if one of these things ever slipped. Well, now you know. I'll never ride in one again. I don't go to the Rainbow Room. Well, I'm certainly glad my father didn't get on this car with me. He was going to, but he changed his mind. Wish I'd changed my mind. You know, if I hadn't gone back to make a phone call, I'd have been on another car. What's the use of wishing? Okay. It's happened, and here we are. Listen, Daddy, I'm going to. They're going to get us out. Hello. Hello up there. Yeah, yeah, we're coming to you. Hurry, can't you? Hurry. Hurry. We're a little hurry. Everybody, honey? Yeah. One guy's dead. Oh. We'll be through to you in a minute. Okay, Riley, let her down now. Look, look at that light up there. The settling torches. Yeah. They're going to cut a hole in the roof. What a racket. I'm nearly deaf already. Listen, you guys. We're coming through, see? Watch out for sparks. Shut your rides and stand back against the wall. Okay. I never need those things made. So much noise. It's because we're close in. No! No! What was that? I don't know. I thought I heard somebody holler. Yeah, so did I. Must have been one of those guys up above. Those sparks are enough to blind you. Well, don't look at them. They will blind you. One went right behind front of my face, right across the car. They couldn't have. They're dropping down. Did you see it? It was awful bright. Oh, just a reflection. Don't look at it. I guess they got it cut through. Sure, yeah. I couldn't have stood much more of that. They're pulling off the top. It won't be long now. All right. Stand clear down there. I'm going to jump down. Yeah, cop. And no cop ever looked lovelier. All right. Pass them ropes down now. Rookie, hold it. All right. Who's first now? Who's the worst hunt of you all? How about this fella? That's the operator. He's dead. Hey, look. Those other two guys have both passed out. Yeah, shocking, yes. Officer, I've got to get out of here. I feel pretty bad. But hold your horses. There's nothing wrong with you. But I. That man's got a broken leg there. Who's got a broken leg? I have, I think. All right. Can you sit in this rope sling here? I'll try. Now hang on with both your hands. I'll be all right. Okay. Pull him up. Well, so long, fellas. Take care of that leg. Thanks. Yeah, thanks. My name's Lambert. And mine's McKenzie. Maybe we'll run into each other sometime. Yeah. Well, so long. All right, let me have that rope now. Well, who's next now? Maybe you better take those two guys that passed out. They might be hurt. Why, sure. How about this young fella? Sure. He's got a little blood on him, hasn't he? He has that. Glass from the light fixtures, I guess. Well, I don't think it's serious. You don't, eh? No, he seemed to be all right. Well, whatever he seemed to be, he's not now. This man is dead. Dead? Oh, but he can't be. Look here, my lad, you don't seem to realize that you've come through a pretty Serious accident. I know, but he can't be dead. We heard him talking just a few minutes ago. Isn't that right? Yes, I heard him. Sure, he was talking to us here in the dark. He said something about being glad his father wasn't on this elevator. I can't help what he said or what you heard him say. This man is dead. My son, who had survived the original accident without apparent injury, was dead. You gentlemen were more fortunate. You lived. Five days later, you four met again. It was at police headquarters. About 2 30 on a Friday afternoon. The last to arrive was Mr. Lambert. In here, Mr. Lambert. Thanks. Hello there. Hi, fella. Hey, how's the leg? Pretty good. Mr. Lambert? That's right. I'm Chief Inspector McMahon. How do you do? You'll just take a seat there. Yes, sir. Well, we're all here now. Mr. Kenshaw, Mr. Pendergast, Mr. McKenzie, Mr. Lambert. Yes, sir. Well, now, as I told each of you over the phone, I won't keep you very long. I just wanted to ask a few routine questions about that business of the elevator the other day. What's the matter? Something phony about it? Not for our money. It's an open and shut case. Suicide. Suicide? Yeah. You mean the operator wanted to bump himself off so he. No, no, no, no. Not the operator. He died of a fractured skull. It's young Hardiker we're interested in. His father's been raising a row, so we said we'd investigate, but. I still don't get it. Well, Wesley Hardiker was killed by a.32 caliber bullet through the heart. What? You couldn't have happened to me. Do you mean he killed himself right in that car with all of us around? What else? He wasn't shot when he walked in, and he was dead when we brought him out. Unless one of you killed him. Oh, no. Any of you know him? No. No, no. Well, then there you are. Even the father had to admit that, as far as he knew, his son had never seen any of you before in his life. But it don't make sense. What don't make sense? Well, I mean, a guy shooting himself in an elevator with four other people that nobody even. Didn't even know it. Did any of you hear the shot? Not before they started the blowtorches. I can swear to that. You couldn't have heard one anyway. Hey, wait a minute. Did you hear something? No. But, McKenzie, remember I said when I was laying on the floor of the elevator that I thought I saw a spark from one of those blowtorches that went across the car instead of falling down? That's right. Anybody else see it? The blowtorches were absolutely blinding. You couldn't see a. How about you, Mr. Kenja? I'm afraid that I fainted or something silly like that. I'm not a very smart man. Strong person. Well, it was probably the gunshot, all right. Nothing very mysterious about it. The gun belonged to young Hardiker, licensed in his name, and had only his own fingerprints on it. Well, maybe I shouldn't ask, but why did he do it? The official verdict is suicide while of unsound mind. He seemed all right. He talked to us perfectly sensibly just before it happened. Just goes to show. You never can tell, can you? Oh, he'd always been nervous and highly strung. We got that out of his father. The strain of being down on that flat. Pit was just too much for him, that's all. Oh, but what a terrible thing. To break down just as we were about to be rescued. Yeah, it was too bad. Boys seem to have everything to live for, too. But we find that sort of thing all the time. The noise, I suppose. I've read of cases of nervous breakdown caused by noise. Yeah, that's it. Well, I guess I don't need to keep you gentlemen any longer. I'm certainly glad there were no complications. Oh, don't worry. If one of you'd had anything to do with it, you'd be back in the cell right now. That was almost a year ago. Last week, each of you received a phone call from me. I can well understand and sympathize with the fact that you were somewhat astonished, perhaps a little suspicious of what you heard. I don't doubt that most of you debated at some length in your minds the advisability of accepting my invitation at all. You, for instance, Mr. McKenzie, you are married, as I remember. I imagine that you talked quite seriously with your wife about the whole affair. I phoned your home, I believe, at about 8 30 last Monday evening. Yes? This is Mr. McKenzie speaking. Well, I'm sorry, but I don't seem to place you. Oh, of course, Mr. Harvey. Well, frankly, I don't see the point. You don't know me, and I don't know you. Yeah? Yeah, I see. Well, all right, Mr. Hardiker. I'll be there. That's a funny name. Who was it, dear? His name is Hardiker. He's the father of that boy who killed himself in the elevator last year. Oh? Well, what did he want? He wants me to come to dinner with him on Saturday at his home. Well, how lovely. He's a very important man, isn't he? Did he ask both of us? No. As a matter of fact, he's asking the four men who were in that elevator with his son when he. When he died. What a strange idea. Seems sort of gruesome to me. Yeah, that's what I thought. Didn't he say anything? Oh, he said quite a lot. Well, what did he say? I was just thinking. Oh, now, please, Stephen, don't sit there and be so tantalizing. What did he say? Well, he said something about his son's estate. Seems his son had quite a lot of money in his own right. The old man said he didn't need it and there weren't any other relations and. Well, he sort of hinted that he thought it might be a good idea to split it up between the four men who were with his son in his last moments of life, as he put it. Why, Stephen, how wonderful. Why aren't you excited? How much is it? Do you suppose it's a lot of money? I don't know. It might be several thousand dollars. It might be several hundred thousand dollars. Oh, Stephen, what's the matter with you? Well, you're such a crazy thing to do, that's all. I don't see that that makes any difference. If a man wants to do a nice, kind, generous thing, Look, honey. If it was generosity, he'd give it to charity. If it was a sort of memorial to his son, he'd. Well, he'd set up a scholarship or build a hospital or something. Well? The old man was pretty broken up about it when it happened. I remember reading something about his being in a sanitarium for a while afterwards. And he never did believe the verdict of suicide. The police as much as told us that at the time. How do I know he doesn't think one of us killed a boy? That's absurd. Sir. All right. But anybody who's crazy enough to divide up a wad of dough between four perfect strangers is crazy enough to think a perfect stranger killed his son. Oh, Violet. Maybe he thinks we all did it. Maybe he's wacky and has some crazy idea about revenge and is going to use the dough as bait to get us all together. I hadn't thought of it like that. Perhaps you ought not to go. I already said I would. Anyway, maybe it's on the level. Stephen. Do you still have that gun you used to have when you worked at the bank? Yeah, I have it there. I think you ought to take it with you Saturday night. Honey, I think you've got something there. I think that's a very good idea. And so, gentlemen, I'm quite gratified that you all saw fit to accept my rather unique invitation and that we are all here together this evening. By the way, Mr. McKenzie, I'm afraid I must ask you to give me that. Gun that you brought along. So that's it. And, Mr. McKenzie, you will notice that one of my servants who is standing in the door directly behind you has got you covered, is the phrase, I believe. Oh, okay. Thank you. How did you know? Why, the butler sort of patted all your pockets when he removed your coats, but aside from that, I've spent most of my waking hours during the past year looking into the backgrounds of all you gentlemen. So I was right about this setup after all. Now, look here, Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Hardacre, I came here tonight in perfectly good faith. I even canceled a very important business appointment. With Mr. Joseph Donahue of Celluloid Products. Yes. All right, let's cut out the mystery. What's this all about? What's the idea? No, wait a minute. One moment, gentlemen. One moment. I didn't ask you up here under false pretenses. I fully intend to divide my son's estate precisely as I suggested over the phone. I sincerely hope you don't resent my investigation of your backgrounds. Well, indeed, Mr. Hardacre, my background isn't much, I guess, but. Perhaps we all owe you an apology, Mr. Hardacre, but. You must admit the whole thing's been a little strange. It has indeed been very strange. I think, however, that that phase of the matter is about over. Now, before we get down to business, there is one detail that I'd like you to help clear me up. Why, sir? Oh, sure, we'll be back. Shall I bring it in now, sir? If you please. Is it well mixed? Yes, sir. In the center of the table. Thank you, Johnson. Now, please see that we are not disturbed on any account whatsoever. Yes, sir. Shang. That looks good. What is it? Oh, it's got quite a number of things in it. White of egg, mustard, milk. It sounds like an antidote for poison. It is an antidote for poison. A what? Gentlemen, there is a murderer in this room. One of you killed my son and hasn't paid for it yet. Don't be a fool. The coroner's verdict was suicide. This is not a discussion, Mr. McKenzie. This is an execution. I'm getting out of here. There is a man with a gun outside each door. You'll find them very unreceptive to that idea, Mr. Prendergast. Sit down. He's got us. Well, the only thing we can do is try to talk a little sensitive. I'm not open to arguments, Mr. McKenzie. One of you killed my son. I know who that man is. It's taken me a year to find out, but I now know. The food that man ate tonight was poison. Yeah, no, but poison. Ten minutes, he'll drop dead. You can't take the law into your own hands that way. Unfortunately, the law demands a very specific type of evidence. The police, whom I consulted repeatedly, do not believe it possible to get a conviction on the evidence I have, and therefore the conviction must come tonight. Well, you wouldn't dare. You couldn't kill a man in cold blood that way. There is an alternative, Mr. Prendergast. Hmm? It is there in the center of the table. The antidote. Oh. The murderer may either confess his crime by drinking the contents of that bowl, or he may keep silent and go to his death here tonight. Privately executed for what cannot be publicly proved. But they could send you to the chair for that. I am quite aware of that contingency, Mr. Crenshaw, and quite willing to accept the consequences. But the murderer will have gone to his death before me. But how do we know you poisoned the right? The murderer knows, Mr. Prendergast. The rest need have no fears. Hey, I think the guy's crazy. Maybe he poisoned all of us. Look, Mr. Hardiker, this whole thing is insane. Nobody killed your son. As to that, we shall shortly see, Mr. McKenzie. The man who killed my son has approximately seven minutes to live. Seven minutes? It's me. I know it's me he's poisoned. My whole insides are on fire. Don't fall for it unless you're sure. Whole thing may be a gag. I assure you, nothing has ever been more serious, Mr. McKenzie. You know, I don't feel so good myself. Neither do I. It's probably just indigestion. An after-dinner story like this is enough to give indigestion to a horse. No kidding. Hey, supposing this guy's a maniac. Suppose he just made it all up in his own head and poisoned all of us. Listen, Mr. Hardiker. Let me just tell you this. If I come out of this alive, I'm going to beat your brains out of it. It's the last thing I do. I can't stand it. Mr. Hardiker. I didn't do it. I swear I didn't. I didn't do it. I didn't swear I didn't do it. Five more minutes. Hey, I feel awful. Maybe we all ought to take some of that stuff, just in case. Yeah, that's it. We'll all take that. Yeah? Who'll take it first? Unfortunately, gentlemen, there's only enough antidote for one. Even if you're right, Hardiker, this is no way to do it. This is my way. You're crazy, I tell you. Crazy! Perhaps. Have you a son? Kenshaw! Will it save me? Well, gentlemen, now you know. All right. All right. What do I care? I killed him. And I do it again. I hated him. Hated him. All my life. In school, in college. He never even knew that I existed. He was too good for someone like me. And he had everything. Money, everything. And he married the girl that I loved. She didn't know how I felt. I never told her. And then she died. Pneumonia, they said. She wouldn't have died if she hadn't married him. So I killed him. I saw him get into the elevator. And then it failed. It fell. It was as though God had delivered it into my hands. It came to me there in the dark. I choked him. I choked him, and then he got out his gun, and I put my hand over his, and I turned it against him and fired. I'm glad. I'm glad I. Look, he. Help him, somebody. Help him. Here. Pull up his head. Yeah. Never mind. He's dead. It. It didn't work in time. You killed him, Hardiker. No, I didn't. I tell you, he's dead. Yes, I know. But what he drank was not the antidote, it was the poison. The poison, what? You see, I didn't exactly know which of you killed my son. I only knew that one of you must have. And so Robert Kenshaw convicted himself in front of all of you and was his own executioner. But then he was never poisoned at all until. Until he drank the contents of that bowl. Gee. I shall divide the estate, gentlemen, as I promised. Meanwhile, you may call the police if you like. Let the law and divine providence decide whether this man died by my hand. Or by the guilt that lay upon his own soul. And so closes After Dinner Story by Cornell Woolrich, starring Otto Krueger. Tonight's tale of suspense. This is the man in black who conveys to you Columbia's invitation to spend this half hour in suspense with us again next week, same time, when our star will be Gene Lockhart in the suspense play called Statement of Employee Henry Wilson. The producer of suspense is William Spear, who tonight also directed the broadcast, and who with Ludd Gluskin and Lucian Malowick, conductor and composer, and Robert L. Richards, the radio author, collaborated on tonight's. Suspense. Make a note on your calendar that beginning December 2nd, suspense will come to you on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. Eastern Wartime, 7 p.m. Central Wartime, and 6 p.m. Mountain Wartime. Remember, suspense will be heard on Thursday nights beginning December 2nd. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Thank you.