Suspense!
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Chenly brings you Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense! Presented by
Roma Wines, that's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines for your everyday enjoyment. Tonight, Roma
Wines of Fresno, California bring you Miss Lynn Barry in Murder by an Expert,
a suspense play produced, edited, and directed for Chenly by William Spear.
I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to hurt him, but I couldn't do it while he
lay there sleeping so peacefully. He had to be awake when it happened. He had to be
awake. Bob? Bob? Bob, get up. Get up. What's the matter? I haven't... We... Well, we have an
audition. What time is it? 20 minutes to 11. An audition in the middle of the night?
There's a club over on 8th Street and he's a dance team. T-Taylor just phoned me.
Said to get over there right away. I didn't hear any phone. You were asleep.
He usually wakes me. All right, all right, I'll get dressed. I suppose they want us to go on tonight.
We're not gonna be much good. I think he could wait till morning, eh?
Hmm. That was step number one.
While he was dressing, I stepped out to the payphone in the hall. I could hear him in the
bathroom. I looked at the watch. I didn't have to rush. I had time. Enough time.
Yes? Hello, Jimmy? Was that you, Edith? Yes. Jimmy, Jimmy, we're battling again. I think this time
it's the end. He's gonna leave me. No, no, that's silly. Is he there now? Yes. Well, put him on. I'll talk to him.
Oh, he's in the bathroom. He wouldn't come to the phone for me anyway. Perhaps it's best we split up.
I don't know. No, no. Well, you're the best thing that ever happened to that kid brother of mine and I won't let him do anything you'll be sorry for.
I suppose I drop up there now and see him. I don't know, Jimmy. I'll be right over, kid. You just sit tight. Leave it to me. I've been managing that spoiled little brat for years. I'll be right up there. Yes, Jimmy.
Step number two. The big brother was going to step over and straighten everything out. I looked at the watch again. It was a quarter to 11. He'd get there at 11. Just the time. Just the right time. All right. Are we going or aren't we? Oh, you got ready quickly. Who was that on the phone? Wrong number. Yeah. You tell a wrong number, you couldn't go out with them, don't you? I said it was a wrong number. I heard you. You don't believe me? You're gonna get
ready to go out, aren't you? I didn't like to have it that way, but that was how it had to be. Violent, angry, like there'd been an argument. That was how it was going to have to look. He turned his back to me and started lifting our costumes into a little suitcase. I slid the knife into my hand. Cold, cold. Even the wood handle was cold. What would the steel feel like to Bob? I came very close to him. He started to turn. Where's your other? And I jumped forward quickly and lost the knife somewhere in his throat.
I hadn't meant to let the knife slip out of my hand that way. I stood quietly until he stopped driving. Then I reached down and lifted the knife up and wiped the handle off. I had to do that. Then I dropped it again.
For a moment I watched the blood soaking across the rug. I couldn't take my eyes off it. I was fascinated by it. Then I snapped awake. I looked around the room. I don't know what for. I'd taken care of everything, but I looked anyway. And then I saw it. The little pocket watch that George had loaned me for the time he because everything had to be timed right, just right. I must have put it down there when I did it. I slipped it into my handbag, put on my hat and coat.
It was ten to eleven. That was when he died. Ten minutes to eleven.
For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you Lin Barry in Murder by an Expert. Roma Wines presentation tonight in Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills, Suspense.
Suspense, Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills is brought to you by Roma. That's R-O-M-A. Roma Wines, America's largest selling wines. So cool to come home to. That's what thousands are saying about that wonderful warm weather thirst quencher, Roma Wine and Soda.
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And now Roma Wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage Lin Barry as Edith Reed in Murder by an Expert, a play well calculated to keep you in Suspense.
It was 10 minutes to 11 when I slipped out of the apartment. The timing had to be right, just right. That was when I'd killed him. 10 minutes to 11. I had to get away quickly now. It had to be the back stairs. I went down them as quickly as I could, my heart beating wildly. If anyone saw me, it was the end. I'd die in the chair for what I'd done.
Pinky, Pinky, how shall we go down, Pinky? There's the elevator. Oh, Pinky wants to go down the stairs. Yes, Pinky? Oh, the elevator. Very well, Pinky, the elevator it will be. Pinky should accept some good times. Come along, Pinky.
I was trembling violently when I hit the street. Nobody had seen me. Nobody had seen me. I lost myself in the Broadway crowds. But all of a sudden I didn't want lights. I wanted quiet and shadows. I got across the fog. I passed the apartment house once. There was no one around. I came back and dove down the stairway marked service entrance. I walked through the cellar.
Oh, George. Did anyone see you come in? No one. I'm sure no one did. Oh, George. Come on. Up the stairs here. I thought we might use a service elevator, but it's too risky. It's only one flight up. I... Steady now.
Carrier's clear. Come on, come on. There. There it's all over. It's all over, dear. Oh, George, hold me. I'm shivering so. Well, it's all over, dear. It's all over now.
There were no more things to do now. No more steps to take cautiously, carefully. I was on the top of the ladder now and I could reach out and pluck the stars right out of the sky. I had to stay up there. I had to stay up there.
I wasn't nervous at all. You'd have thought I'd been doing that sort of thing all my life. You're wonderful, Edith. All I remember is the blood on the carpet. It'll have to be cleaned, you know. We will be happy now, won't we, George?
Oh, that... that would be the police. Oh, I'd forgotten. I was thinking it was all over. It's just this little more. Do you feel up to it? Oh, I'm all right, dear. I'll be fine. You'll see. I won't throw it all away now. Open the door.
Miss Reed? Yes? We're from the police department, Miss Reed. The police department? What? Well, Miss Reed, your husband's had an accident. Bob, tell me. Tell me. He's been stabbed, ma'am. He's dead. Bob, what... We'd like to have you come down to headquarters to identify him.
Bob! Oh, no! Oh, no, no, no! I cried then. It was sort of a release. I was tired and lost all of a sudden, and I cried real tears. I knew they would be impressed. I was crying because I was tired.
And they would think I was crying because of... because of Bob. And that was good. That was good. I thought we might go downtown in a police car. Instead, they had a cab waiting. And they were considerate. And they drove slowly.
Only they drove slowly along Broadway, and I couldn't ask them not to. And I had to close my eyes to keep out the light, to hold down the memories. And that was good, too. They thought the pain I was having was grief over Bob.
He's in here. This door here. On the table here. Just a lump under a white sheet. Just a long lump under a white sheet. All that was left of Bob. All that was left of the man who'd been my husband.
I'll have to take this sheet off his face now, Miss Reed. I... Steady. This your husband? Yes. Yes, that's Bob. Steady. Steady. That'll be all in here. You'll come with me.
You'll come in here. What? It'll only be for a moment, I'm sure. This is Lieutenant Milgram in charge of the case. This is Miss Reed. Oh, Miss Reed. Won't you sit over here? Thank you.
I am. I know you must be under a terrific strain, and I won't keep you any longer than I have to, Mrs. Reed. I'll make things as easy for you as I can. And this is George Lee. How do you do, Mr. Lee?
How do you do? We've all been terribly shocked by this. Who would want to kill Bob? He had no enemies. Was it robbery or...? No, I'm afraid it was no robbery. But then what? You went out tonight. Yes. Early? Yes, at about seven. I don't know the exact time. Close to seven. The doormat would know.
As we asked him, he said seven. When did you return to your apartment? I hadn't been home all night. Where were you? Well, she was at my place. You must know that. Your men picked us up there. Uh-huh. Yes. Yes, she was with me. Oh, on business, I assure you. Mr. and Mrs. Reed were two of my dearest friends. I'm a dance director. I was working with them on a routine.
He had wanted me to say I'd been in another man's apartment. He had wanted me to come right out and say it. Cops thought it was unnatural to be too good. They became suspicious if you were too good. There was a leaky water faucet that kept dripping somewhere in the room.
And you stayed in the apartment till now? Yes, of course. I see. What time did you get to Mr. Lee's apartment? About seven-fifteen, I guess. Doorman up there? Yes. Suppose he saw you go in? Yes. Oh, look, Inspector... Lieutenant. I'm sorry, Lieutenant. You're not thinking that Edith here could have had anything to do with this horrible thing. I didn't say so, did I? Well, I can assure you that Mrs. Reed did not stir for my apartment all evening.
Before you left your own place, Mrs. Reed, you asked a neighbor to go into your apartment at eleven o'clock and wake your husband up, didn't you? Yes. Bob was supposed to come with me to Mr. Lee's, but he had a headache and said he would lie down for a while. Try to sleep it off and join us later. I asked Mrs. Ryan to drop in on him at eleven and wake him. I knew he would sleep it out if I left him alone, and I did want to get this routine finished. I see. Mrs. Ryan didn't... didn't stab him. No. No, Mrs. Ryan didn't stab him. She was a good girl.
She went in at eleven, as you told her, and she found Mr. Reed lying on the rug and someone standing over him with a knife in his hand. Who? Who? Joe. Joe, ask one of the boys to bring in, you know... Yes, sir.
The timing had been perfect. Everything had gone well. I was aware that I wasn't shivering anymore. I was complete master of myself now. I had nothing to be afraid of now. Why, he'd even picked up the knife.
Peter, thank heaven. Jimmy, what? Will you tell these guys what's what? They seem to be in some kind of a fog. They think I killed Bob. I don't know what's happening to me, but... Easy.
You don't mean he? Yes, he's the fellow of Mrs. Ryan Farn with a knife in his hand, his own hunting knife. No, no, that's impossible. Bob was his brother. Jimmy, I know you didn't do it.
Well, of course I didn't do it. Tell them about the quarrel. Tell them about the phone call. About the quarrel? The phone call? Tell them that I was sort of a miss-fix-it for you two when things got out of hand. Tell them how I felt about Bob and you.
What quarrel, Jimmy? What phone call? What quarrel? The one you had with... tonight with Bob. I? What's the matter? Tell them about calling me up. Jimmy, what are you talking about?
What am I talking about? You called me tonight from the apartment and said you and Bob were splitting up and... well, why are you shaking your head?
I just don't know what you're talking about, Jimmy. Bob and I didn't quarrel. I didn't call anyone. What time did the call come?
About quarter to eleven and around that. I said I'd be over and try and straighten things out. Mrs. Reed was with you at the time? What? Yes, yes, certainly.
Did you make any calls? No, none, none. Edith, for heaven's sake! Was anybody with you when you got the call? No, no, I wasn't bad.
It was your knife, wasn't it, Mac? Yes, but I don't know how I got to Bob's apartment. It was there when I got there. Bob was dead when I arrived.
You quarreled with your brother on occasion, didn't you? Not quarrel. No, I was the older brother. I had to straighten him out once or twice.
Mrs. Ryan says you often quarrel with them. Oh, they weren't quarrels? Edith, she used to call up when things went wrong and I'd hustle over and help out.
I had a lot of influence with Bob. I tell you, I... oh, Edith, you're kidding with me. Tell him. Tell him how I felt about Bob. Go on, tell him. You...
You killed him. You killed him. Edith! I told you I loved him. I told you that the last time you asked me to leave him and go with you.
I told you that the last time and the time before that, the time before that. Edith, you... You mean he and your husband quarreled over you? Yes.
Edith, why you don't know what you're saying? You had to kill him. Love you. I hate you. I hate you. I'm so hating you. She's crazy. You're lying. Take him away.
Edith! Edith!
I did it well. I did it superbly. I was sorry for Jimmy, but he didn't count, really. It was him or me. I was after happiness and nobody was going to stand in my way. Nobody. Nobody.
They drove me home in a police car. George went home alone. I suddenly remembered I hadn't a chance to give him back his watch. It was a foolish little thought to have now.
The night air will make you feel better. Cool, you know? Yes. Your husband was a fairly wealthy man, wasn't he? I don't know. Yes, I suppose he was.
Didn't use much of it, did he? Why? Well, he wanted to be a great dancer. Show business was in his blood. He said he was going to become as great as a Stair or a Bolger or a Kelly.
He was going to do it the way they did it, the hard way. He wasn't going to buy success. He insisted we live on our club earnings and ignore the other...
I see. Well, you'll be quite a wealthy woman now. I don't want to think about it. Here we are, Chief. Well, good night, Mrs. Reed. Oh, it's almost two o'clock. Good morning, Mrs. Reed. Good morning.
Want me to see you in? No, no. I'll be all right. Thank you for everything.
Oh, good evening, ma'am. Hello, Joseph. Six, please. I'm sorry about... Thank you, Joseph. You're not going to sleep up there, are you? Yes, Joseph. There's nothing to be afraid of when you love someone the way I love Bobbitt.
Oh, yeah, I understand, ma'am. You're right. Well, here we are, ma'am. Thank you, Joseph.
I stood in the doorway for a moment before I snapped on the light. I thought I could smell the death in the air. They do in novels. But there was nothing. Nothing. I snapped the light on and closed the door.
The police had cleaned the room nicely. There was only the spot on the rug. Only the blood on the rug. There was nothing here to be afraid of. No voices. No ghosts. Nothing.
I was tired. I needed sleep badly. I went into the bedroom and locked the door and tried to sleep. Can you be so tired that you can't sleep? Can't even force an eyelid down over your eye. Can you be that tired?
And the blackness and the quiet, they seemed to be smothering me. And then, and then I heard it. At first I didn't know what it was. I wasn't frightened. I just didn't know what it was.
George's watch, of course, the little pocket watch. He'd loan me my handbag on the bedside table. How silly. They sound so loud in an empty room at night. I snapped on the light. It wasn't that I was afraid. There was nothing to be afraid of. Not really.
But suddenly I was just a lonely little girl. I didn't want quiet now. I wanted to hear voices. Happy sounds. Happy noises. I wanted, I wanted, George. I needed to be with him. I needed terribly to be with him now.
Yes? George? Edith, what's the matter? I forgot to give you back your watch. Oh, Edith, don't be silly at a time like this. I know it. It isn't really that. Well, what is it? I've got to see you. I'm coming over. No, no, no. Wait, wait. At this hour, it's silly, Edith. It's dangerous. I can't help it, darling. I've got to see you.
Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Not here. There's a little place on 7th Avenue, an all-night lunch place near 40th. Dillards, I think it is. Right away. All right. All right.
That place looked empty when I got there. Only a fat little man at the counter slicing some kind of meat. And then I saw George at the back at one of the few tables in the place. I ran back. Ran back. There is... Edith, no, no, no, no. It's not smart. I just want you to hold me. Hold me for a moment. I need you so much. Edith, please. The waiter, the waiter. Oh. Stop trembling. You're trembling. Yeah? Well, I'll be, folks. Two coffees, please. Do you want anything else, Edith? Just you. Huh?
I bought him tonight. I'll get it. Two coffees. Just two coffees, please. Sure. You're overwrought. Why? Because I said I bought you. When will we get married, dear? Soon. Soon. You should be home sleeping. I suppose we will have to wait a little while for appearances sake, but set a date, dear. Now. Go ahead. Please. The waiter, the waiter. Two coffees. Next month, perhaps. In June. Edith, please. Let's discuss this whole thing tomorrow in the sunlight. When? When?
Things are normal. In July, then. Sometime in July. I... What's the matter, George? I... When, then? I can wait, darling. I've waited this long. Let's get out of here. No. No, George. I'm not going to move until you answer me, George. When are you going to marry me? Never. I'm not going to marry you. You're joking. Don't joke with me, George. I'm not going to marry you. Now, I don't want to tell you.
I'm not going to tell you this now, but maybe it's better. Maybe the quicker we get things straight, the better. Get things straight? Please, please listen to me. Edith, you're a rich woman now. You've got a lot of money out of tonight. You got rid of him at a nice profit. So why not look at it as a good business deal and nothing else? I don't understand. A good business deal for both of us. We both took cancer. George, I don't... I want half of what you inherit, the insurance and such, for my silence and my lies and my general help.
I'm not in love with you, Edith. I never was. I needed the money. There's someone else? Yes. There always was. Even while... Yes, yes.
But you want to blackmail half of my money to finance you and someone else. A business deal. The whole thing was just a business deal. Please. That's very funny. Bob wouldn't give me a divorce and even if he had, I'd have gotten no money. And you and I would have needed money to live on. So I killed him. All that terror and all that blood for a business deal. A business deal. It's very funny.
It's very funny. It's really very funny.
I got out of there somehow and went back to the apartment. Oh, I knew what I was going to do. I knew exactly what I was going to do.
I took the little watch out of my handbag, the little pocket watch that George had loaned me so that everything would go right. Just right. The little watch with his initials on it and the inscription from his father. I held in my hand a moment, listening.
Then I set the hands back to ten minutes of eleven. The exact time. The time he died. The time I killed him. Then I put the little watch down on the floor and ground it under my foot. I picked it up and listened. It was stopped. Broken and stopped. Stopped at ten minutes to eleven.
Lieutenant Milgram, please. Lieutenant, this is Edith Reed. I lied to you, Lieutenant. George did it. We planned it together. Why am I telling you? You'll be conscience, I suppose. Oh, you can prove it all right. I found his watch under a corner of the carpet. It was broken during the struggle.
Yes, it had stopped at ten minutes to eleven. Yes, that was the time. Ten minutes to eleven.
It's terrible to love someone as much as that. I wonder if the other one loved him that much. But he'll never know now. And I suppose he'll never forgive me. George will never forgive me.
Suspense! Murder by an expert starring Lynn Berry. Presented by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A. Roma California Wines. Those better tasting wines from the world's greatest reserves of fine wines.
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Lynn Berry may soon be seen in the Eagle Eye in production, Man from Texas. Tonight's Suspense Play was by John Shaw. Next Thursday, same time, you will hear Jerome Cowan as star of Suspense! Produced and directed by William Spear for the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California.
Stay tuned for the thrilling adventures of the FBI in Peace and War, following immediately over most of these stations.
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