Auto Light and its 96,000 dealers present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you Mr. Edward G. Robinson
in A Case of Nerves, a suspense play produced and edited by William Spear.
Say, Hap, where'd you get that medal?
Won it at the carnival last night, Harlow.
Shot tin clay pigeons out of tin.
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And now with a case of nerves and the performance of Edward G. Robinson,
Auto Light hopes once again to keep you in suspense.
I got off the train in Toledo and walked through the station to the street.
I passed up the waiting taxi and swung aboard a bus.
Taxi drivers are likely to remember you and I couldn't take a chance on that.
I hadn't paid any attention to the bus.
I didn't know what the line was or where it was going.
It didn't make any difference. I didn't know Toledo very well anyway.
I watched out the window and when I came to a likely neighborhood, I got off.
Strange, unfamiliar quarter of the city,
yet familiar because every city has neighborhoods like it.
Grabbed faceless houses looking almost alike.
And then most of them grabbed men and women anxious to make a dollar by renting a room.
Now this here is a nice room.
The best one I got.
Two windows on two sides.
There's a nice soft bed.
I'll take it.
How long you figure on staying?
Oh, just overnight.
I'll pay you now.
Oh, well that's two dollars please.
Yeah. Oh.
What's the matter, mister?
Are you sick?
Yes, I'm very sick.
Is there a doctor near here?
Hey, you are sick.
Yeah, I think I'll go to bed.
That doctor...
Oh, yeah, yeah. There's Dr. Martin just around the corner.
He's young, but he's good.
Well, would you call him for me, please?
Ask him to come right up. Oh.
Yeah, sure. Right away.
Come in.
I'm Dr. Martin. You're Mr.
My name is Wentworth, doctor. James Wentworth.
Oh, yes.
I just got into town. I'm afraid I'm in for my old trouble again.
Oh, what's that, Mr. Wentworth?
Trigeminal neuralgia.
Ah.
I had bad attacks before.
Just where is the pain?
Here and here.
Oh, yes. Now if you'll...
No, no, no, no, no. Don't touch it.
It's like a red-hot iron. Even the tractor bear.
I know.
Really, you should have that nerve operated.
Yes, I am going to have it down when I get home.
Oh, where's that?
Cleveland.
Cleveland. I know a lot of men there. Who's your doctor?
Uh, Dr. Fletcher.
Lawrence Fletcher.
No, no, Andrew. Andrew Fletcher.
Hmm. I don't recall him.
He's waiting to clear up a heart condition before he operates.
Oh, yes. Very sound.
Now, how did this attack come on?
Oh, the way they always do.
I was shaving and I touched a nerve with the razor.
Oh, yes. The trigger point is very typical.
Now, that doesn't help me when that nerve starts jumping.
When will you be back in Cleveland?
About three days.
I'll give you a prescription.
This is morphine, quarter grain.
You've taken it before?
Yes, that's the only thing that gives me any relief.
Well, then I don't have to tell you about it.
I'll drop this off at the drug store and have them send it up.
Well, thank you, doctor. Tell them to hurry.
Then I'd better give you a shot right now.
Hmm? Oh, uh...
Huh?
You know, doctor, I think the pain isn't so bad now.
I don't like to take more than I have to.
Oh, well, if you're sure you can get along...
Well, yes, yes. I can make out all right.
I'll hold the tablets, and till later.
I paid Dr. Martin, young Dr. Martin of Toledo, and he left.
I waited for the package to arrive from the drug store.
Then I stayed the night so the landlady wouldn't think it was peculiar.
In the morning, I got on the train and went back to Cleveland
to the hospital with the little white tablets in my pocket,
the little white tablets with which I would kill Louise.
It had been so simple to deceive the young, impressionable doctor,
so simple to counterfeit the symptoms that I'd seen Louise react to
for four years now,
I would keep her in bed for four years more.
Great.
But 20.
I live with a tick doler-er, a painful nerve so long.
Too long. Too long indeed.
Dr. Van Tue had come every day now.
The nurse had to be on hand day and night to combat Louise's attacks,
to quiet the raging nerve with morphine.
But not for long.
In my pocket were the little white tablets that would bring her peace.
I went into the hospital kitchen.
Oh, hello, Mr. B.
Oh, hello, Nellie. I'd like to bring Mrs. Baker a milk.
Of course.
And just give it a touch of the fire to take the chill out.
I've missed you.
Been away, I hear, Mr. Baker.
Yes, I had to go out of town.
And you ask me, it's a good thing. For you, I mean.
You needed a change.
The hospital day after day was telling on you.
Oh, I don't think so.
Yes, it was. I could see.
You're a good man, Mr. Baker.
Believe me, it's like a saint you're burying your trials.
Not like some others I could mention.
Well, isn't the milk ready, Nellie?
There we are.
Spoonful of sugar.
Just the way Mrs. Baker likes it.
Thank you, Nellie.
And give Mrs. Baker my regards.
Yes, I'll do that, Nellie.
Now, it was just a matter of stepping into an alcove on the way to Louise's room.
Dropping the white tablets into the warm milk.
Sugar would mask the bitter taste.
Oh, here.
An ideal spot.
Mr. Baker.
Huh?
Oh, nurse.
Did I startle you? I didn't mean to.
No, no, of course not.
Oh, bringing Mrs. Baker her milk, I see.
Well, I'm going up there myself. May I keep you company?
Yes, of course, of course.
Nurse White walked beside me to Louise's room.
The chance with the night was gone.
Another night of pain for Louise.
I felt the sudden anger of the nurse.
And a moment later I realized how unreasonable it was.
It was hard to be angry with anyone so pert, so alive, so beautiful.
Even in her severe uniform she managed to remain feminine.
Provocative.
It was always a flower at her shoulder.
Today it was a sprig of flowering dogwood.
And her quiet, unprofessional perfume was an exciting tingle in my nostrils.
Then we were in front of Louise's door.
Hello, Mrs. Baker.
Look what I brought you.
Albert, dear.
Hello, darling.
Oh, I'm so glad you're back, darling. I missed you.
I missed you too.
Here's your milk.
You never forget, do you, Albert?
How was your day?
Just fine. Wasn't it, Miss White?
Oh, yes, Mrs. Baker. A very good day, all things considered.
Well, I'm glad.
I brought you something else, Louise.
Oh, the locket.
Oh, thank you, Albert, for remembering.
Look, Maris, isn't it beautiful?
Oh, oh, it is. It's an old piece, isn't it?
It belonged to my mother.
I had to hunt all over the house for it.
Whatever gave you the sudden notion you wanted it anyway?
I don't know.
I've had a feeling I'll be joining Mother soon.
Oh, Louise, please don't talk that way.
Now, Mrs. Baker, you're going to be up on your feet before you know it.
And that's almost enough talking tonight, Mr. Baker.
No.
Mrs. Baker, do you want me to leave a tablet for you?
Yes, thank you, dear.
Here you are. I hope you don't need to take it.
Well, good night.
Good night, Miss White.
The tablet.
You've been taking it every night?
Well, I try not to.
But lately the pain...
Yes, I know, I know.
Oh, Albert, dear, you deserve something better than this.
Oh, please, please, dear.
Enough, your nose to the grindstone to pay for the doctors and nurses.
Oh, don't worry.
A little handball at the club and then in this room.
Yes, but you're going to get better, dear. You must believe the doctor.
That's what Pauline says.
Pauline?
The nurse.
Oh, yes, yes, yes, of course.
Is she looking out for you all right?
She's a dear.
And very pretty, don't you think?
Pretty? Yes, I suppose so. I have noticed.
I used to be pretty.
You used to embarrass me sometimes the way you looked at me.
But you're still beautiful, Louise.
You'll always be.
I'm sorry, dear.
I won't talk like that again.
You'd better go now, Albert.
I'll try to sleep.
Yes. Well, good night, dear.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Mr. Baker.
Oh, Miss White.
I thought you'd gone.
I wanted to talk to you, Mr. Baker.
It's about Mrs. Baker.
She worries me. Her mental state is very low.
You heard how she talked about her mother, the locket.
Yes, I heard.
She needs something.
I don't know what to snap her out of this mood.
I just thought I'd mention it to you.
Here's the eggs.
Oh, uh, where are you going?
To put the morphine away.
You know, I don't see why Dr. Van Tue doesn't give her more of that stuff.
She needs it.
Yet you ration it out as though it were poison.
Well, it is poison, Mr. Baker.
I was particularly careful about Mrs. Baker.
But you don't think she'd actually...
Well, usually the ones who talk about it don't do it, Mr. Baker, so I wouldn't worry.
Good night.
Wait a minute.
Yes?
Miss White.
Pauline, isn't it?
Why, yes. I didn't think you knew.
Well, would you mind, uh, when we were alone, if I called you Pauline?
I'd like it.
Thanks. Well, you know, this is an awful thing to ask, but...
Well, you know, it's been pretty lonely for me.
Oh, yes, I know. That is, I can guess.
Well, would you... would you let me take you to dinner this evening?
White.
Thank you, Mr. Baker. I'd love it.
I'm off duty at eight.
Well, I'll pick you up then.
And, uh, Pauline...
Yes, Mr. Baker?
My name... my name's Albert.
At eight then. Albert.
My heart sang.
She was perfect. Everything was perfect.
I had my poison. I had my witnesses.
Louise had said just the right things in their presence, talking about her locket, making her veiled hints at suicide.
How beautifully everything fell into place.
I started to open the lobby door when I heard my name.
Oh, Baker. I say, Baker.
Oh, Dr. Van Ture. How are you?
Fine, fine. Say, I want you to meet someone. This is Dr. Martin of Toledo.
I looked at him.
I had a man who stepped forward to shake hands with me.
And my mouth went dry.
This was Dr. Martin of Toledo who had given me my murder prescription.
The eager, bumptious young man who stood there now looking straight into my eyes and saying...
Hello. How's that bad nerve of yours?
Autolite is bringing you Edward G. Robinson in a case of nerves.
Tonight's production in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
The
Say, Harlow. I had my fortune told at the carnival, too.
Oh, that's so. What'd the gypsy see in the crystal ball, half?
Well, he said I would soon consult with an expert about...
Ignition engineered autolite spark plugs?
Yeah.
Well, they're built by experts because autolite engineers are the experts who design and build complete ignition systems.
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And now autolite brings back to our Hollywood soundstage our star, Edward G. Robinson in a case of nerves.
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I was caught flat-bottled. I couldn't answer. Couldn't even turn and hide.
Dr. Martin stared at me a minute, unbelievably, and his jaw hardened.
After a long time, he put out his hand. Because there was nothing else to do, I took it.
Oh, this is Mr. Baker, doctor. It's his wife who has this trigeminal condition.
His wife, eh?
Yes, of course. You didn't think I meant Mr. Baker, did you? He's as strong as an ox.
Yes, I can see that now.
I ran into Dr. Martin in the doctor's lounge, Baker. He was telling me about a case he just saw on Toledo.
It was Toledo, wasn't it, Martin? Symptoms were remarkably similar to Mrs. Baker's, remarkably.
I thought he might like to look in on Mrs. Baker. You don't mind?
She's sleeping, I think.
Oh, it's too bad. Well, another time perhaps, eh, doctor?
Oh, yes, certainly, doctor.
Well, I've got to run. Glad I ran into you, Martin. Have lunch sometime, eh?
Yes, glad to.
I'll see you later, Baker.
Yes, sure, doctor, sure.
I'll have to be going myself now, Mr. Baker.
Oh, wait. Wait, doctor. I want to talk to you.
Don't see that there's anything to talk about?
Yes, but there is. I want you to know that I, eh, what happened in Toledo yesterday.
You don't have to explain. I understand.
You understand? But you didn't say anything to Dr. Van Ture?
Well, why should I? It's none of my business.
None of my... none of your business?
Of course. I admit I didn't have you tagged as an addict.
Addict?
Yes. You don't look like one, and that trick of refusing an immediate shot, well, I've got to hand it to you.
You fooled me completely, and using your wife's symptoms. Very clever.
I don't doubt you can get a supply whenever you need it with that routine.
Oh, no, no, no, no, I assure you.
Oh, please, don't bother to lie to me.
I guess I ought to thank you for teaching me that trick.
It won't work again on this baby, believe me.
And now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Baker, or Mr. Wentworth, I'm heading for a spot of handball.
Oh, wait, eh...
Yes?
No hard feelings?
No, no, of course not.
Look, Doctor, if you really mean that about no hard feelings, and if you haven't got a partner,
well, I... I play a pretty good game.
Now, that's what I call a switch, anyway.
All right, hop in.
An addict. He took me for an addict.
Working on any dodge I could to get a supply of dope.
Yes, but later when he heard of Louisa's death, he'd remember.
I had no idea what I was going to do. I only knew that I couldn't let him go.
He drove me over to the athletic club. He wasn't a member, but he held a courtesy card from the Toledo club,
and he signed me in as his guest, laughing as James Wentworth.
He was a fast man on the court, younger too.
I'd have had a hard time keeping up with him in any circumstances, but as it was, he beat me easily.
I could think of only one thing. That he was dangerous.
Dangerous, and I had to get rid of him somehow.
That's a nice backhand you've got there, Baker.
Wish I could handle those tough ones half as well.
Never mind the compliments, Doc. They'll just remember the final score and be satisfied.
Hey, how about a sweat out? They've got a good steam room here.
Sounds good to me.
Here, this way then. Oh, take your towel.
Boy! Oh boy, this is hot.
Sit on your towel.
Good idea.
You know, it was lucky for me you came along.
Place is dead today, not a soul here.
I enjoyed it.
Oh, hot, isn't it?
Say, Baker, you know, I misjudged you.
Sorry.
Oh, that's all right. Forget it.
You know, you really could do something for your...trouble.
Yeah?
We've got a sanitarium in Toledo that's been having pretty good luck with addiction lately.
I scarcely heard him.
I only realized that we were alone, cloudy and steamy.
Not even visible to any casually curious person looking through the glass square in the door.
This was my chance. I'd never get another like it.
I picked up my towel.
What are you doing?
I'm sorry, Martin, but there's no other way.
I whipped my towel over his head and got behind him where his flailing arms couldn't reach.
I didn't want to leave any marks on him.
With my free hand, I covered his mouth and pinched his nostrils shut through the towel.
He fought hard.
But in a few minutes, he hung limp in my arms.
And after a few minutes more, I knew he was dead.
I left him there, hidden in the steam.
In the locker room, I desperately parted my hair on the wrong side
and plastered it down and away I found him.
A man at the reception desk barely glanced at me as I passed him.
Later when they found Martin, they'd look for a man named Wentworth.
They never find him because he didn't exist.
It wasn't even that close.
The papers reporting Martin's death put the cause down to heart failure
brought on by the shock of exercise.
They didn't mention a companion. It wasn't important.
And I waited anyway.
A week.
Waited and watched carefully.
Because now not only Louisa's future was at stake, but my own and Pauline's.
There's the nurse's quarters, darling.
Better not come any nearer.
Oh, Pauline, dearest.
I know, darling, I know.
I'm sorry.
You must let go now. I'm late already.
Albert.
Yes, dear.
I'm leaving the hospital. I'm taking a job in Chicago.
You're what?
Yes. This is hopeless. I can't stand it.
Taking care of your wife, smiling at her, seeing the two of you together.
But you can't do it. I couldn't live without you.
Now that I found you...
What do you think this is going to do to me?
But I can't. When are you going?
I'm giving notice tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Oh, my darling.
Goodbye.
Pauline!
She was gone.
She said goodbye.
Signed you what you meant.
When I saw her again, with me in the hospital across Louisa's bed,
she'd be Miss White and I'd be Mr. Baker.
Oh, no, I couldn't stand that now.
Yes, but there was one sure way to hold her.
The little white tablets were still in my pocket.
Louise?
Albert, dear.
I brought you your milk.
Oh, thank you, dear.
Hold this, will you, please?
What's that? Oh, your locket.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
Who shall I leave it to, I wonder?
Miss White.
She's a sweet girl.
Oh, Louise, now don't talk that way.
Louise, you're not going to...
I'd like her to have it.
I'll take the milk now, Albert.
She drank it.
I had to clench my jaws to keep from crying out.
She smiled and held out the empty glass to me.
And it was over.
I went home and talked sleeplessly, waiting...
waiting for the inevitable.
Hello? Yes? Yes?
No. No, no, I'll be right over.
Dr. Van Tue was outside Louise's room in a white-faced Pauline...
and nearly from the kitchen as I hurried up the corridor.
Oh, Baker.
Oh, doctor. Doctor, can I go in?
No. Baker, your wife is dead.
What? Dead?
Oh, but I don't understand.
I thought she was imprudent with you, that you planned to operate.
She died of an overdose of morphine.
Oh, Mr. Baker, I'm terribly sorry.
I am too, Mr. Baker.
Yes, but how could she get it?
That's what I intend to find out.
She took it in this glass of milk. There are traces left.
Nellie here says you brought it up to her.
I didn't want to, Mr. Baker.
Nellie. Well, of course I took it up.
I did every night. Everybody in the hospital knows that.
Yes, I knew it also.
Was anybody in the room when you brought it?
No, no, no, just Louise.
And you saw her drink the milk?
No, no, doctor. She didn't drink it then, not until after I'd gone.
She did that frequently.
But that's right, doctor.
Yes, I know that too.
Only last night before she drank it, she managed to dissolve in it a lethal dose of morphine.
I've checked the hospital supply. Every tablet is accounted for.
We keep a very strict count, you know.
Yes, I know that.
Have you anything to say, Baker?
Well, I... I hardly know. I... I'm stunned.
Doctor, what do you mean? Surely you're not accusing Mr. Baker.
I'm not accusing anyone. That will be up to the police.
Now, wait a minute, wait a minute, doctor. You're making a mistake.
It seems perfectly clear...
Yes, but I didn't kill her.
Oh, no? Then how did she die?
Well, she... she took her own life.
She'd hinted more than once. Miss White, you remember?
Yes, doctor. I spoke to Mr. Baker about it myself.
You know she was very depressed.
That's true, nurse, but the morphine, it must have come from the outside.
We'd have missed it.
No, wait a minute.
The tablet you left for her each night.
Yes, I ordered that.
What of it? Instead of taking it, she saved it.
Oh, I...
Well, she must have. It's the only way it could have happened.
Well, that's it, doctor. It must be.
For the past week, she's been exhausted and drawn in the morning, yet the tablets were always gone.
Well, if that's the case, nurse, how does it happen that you failed to find them?
She couldn't leave her bed. You bathed her and changed the linen every day.
The locket.
The locket?
Yes. Yes, of course.
You remember, Miss White, she made such a point of asking me to bring it to her,
and then the way she talked about joining her mother.
Yes, I do. I do remember.
She wanted you to have the locket, Pauline.
It was her last wish. Now, where is it?
I, uh, I have it here. It was clutched in her hand.
Let's...
Hmm.
Police headquarters, please.
You... you have to notify them?
Yes, I do.
Police headquarters, give me homicide.
Homicide?
Yes, I'll wait.
Are you out of your mind? I just got through explaining everything!
Yes, you explained everything, including what still puzzled me.
You see, Baker, you were right about this locket.
Your wife did have a reason for wanting it.
Look, I'll open it. You see, it's full.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven quarter-grain morphine tablets
that she saved at the cost of seven nights of agony.
And she would have taken them last night.
Only you beat her to it.
Suspense presented by Auto Light.
Tonight's star, Mr. Edward G. Robinson.
Say, Wilcox, do you know what else the gypsy saw in the crystal ball?
Well, Hap, if it was a really big crystal ball,
she might have been able to see more than 400 products made by Auto Light
for cars, trucks, planes, and boats in 28 plants coast to coast.
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So, friends, if your Auto Light equipped car needs replacement parts,
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Remember, you're always right with Auto Light.
Next Thursday for Suspense, our star will be Charles Boyer.
The play is called The Case of Henri Vibard.
And it is, as we say, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Tonight's Suspense play was produced and edited by William Spear
and directed by Norman MacDonald.
Music for Suspense is composed by Lucian Morrowek
and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
A Case of Nerves is an original play written for radio by Lawrence Goldman.
Edward G. Robinson may soon be seen in My Daughter Joy,
an Alexander Corder production for London films.
In the coming weeks, you will hear such stars as
Broderick Crawford, Jack Carson, and Kathy and Elliot Lewis.
Don't forget, next Thursday, same time, Auto Light will present Suspense,
starring Charles Boyer.
You can buy world famous Auto Light resistor or regular spark plugs,
Auto Light staple batteries, Auto Light electrical parts,
at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light. Good night.
Auto Light, sponsor of Suspense, is proud to acknowledge receipt
of the National Safety Council's Public Interest Award
for exceptional contribution to highway safety.
This is the second consecutive year that Suspense and its sponsors
have been so honored.
This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.