Another tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
In each of us, there is a possible murderer, or a man who feeds on murder.
Rebels in the sound of it, the thrill of it.
This is the story of a man who murdered for the pleasure of others.
The story of Dirt Diamond, written by Sam Locke.
As far as I can see, we don't need a doctor anymore.
We've done a pretty good job for us so far.
We're in confidence. We meet twice a month at night.
That's Welby talking. Robert Welby of the syndicate.
He okays the murders.
So gentlemen, I think we've got to get rid of the doctor.
You're right, Bob.
One hundred percent.
They're vice presidents. Nobody is.
I'm glad to see you. We see eye to eye on that. I had a feeling we would.
Me? I'm the guy who does the murdering.
So it's settled. The doctor must go.
Right. Get rid of him.
No, no, no. I don't see why we should.
He's outlived his usefulness, Mike.
We'll give him a chance.
We can't take chances, Mike. Not with Dirt Diamond.
Not right now.
What do you mean, not right now?
He means that things are not so good with Dirt Diamond right now.
So I'm afraid you'll have to kill the doctor.
All right, when?
Oh, I'd like to see it in the papers in about six weeks.
And no blood this time.
That's right. The last three have been too messy.
No blood.
Well, it's not going to be easy.
The murders are coming too quick.
No, Mike. They're not coming quick enough.
Murder is what the public expects from Dirt Diamond.
And if you don't give the public what it expects,
they stop reading Dirt Diamond and go to other comic strips.
They're doing that already.
George, show Bob the cancellations came in this week.
The Fitman chain. Ten newspapers all together.
All right, so what, so what?
Couple of lousy cancellations. You act like Dirt Diamond is finished.
Ten years. It's been the top comic strip.
All right, George.
Now the meeting is over.
You wait, Mike.
Yeah, okay. I drop you, George.
I got some work to clean up in there, I'll go.
All right, Mr. Welby.
Get it over with.
Dirt Diamond stinks.
Go ahead.
Mike, why do you think the strip is going downhill?
If I knew that, we wouldn't be here.
Oh, look, Diamond is as good as he ever was.
Mike, people don't read a comic strip like yours for the hero.
It's the villains.
But I've given them plenty of villains.
Needle Nose and Mosquito and Armless Even, Midget Mouth and a hundred others.
Now, it doesn't matter how monstrous I make them.
They just don't go. I don't understand.
Well, it's simple, Mike.
This is the age of the H-bomb of rockets to outer space, of science fiction.
What you sell is fear, Mike.
Monstrosity isn't frightening anymore.
All right, so what am I supposed to do?
Find a fresh approach to fear.
How?
What are you afraid of?
What's that going to do?
Answer my question. What are you afraid of?
You.
What?
Will you ask me? I'm telling you.
I'm afraid of you.
Everybody in the syndicate is.
Let's not degenerate this into a discussion of personal relationships.
Stick to the subject.
What have you always been afraid of before you met me?
No, the being poor, I guess.
Oh, that's a worry, Mike.
What frightens you? What really frightens you?
Death.
Every fright is a fear of death, but what reminds you most of death?
What in your entire life have you been more afraid of than anything?
Freddy.
Freddy? Freddy who?
I don't know.
I made him up.
For the strip?
The strip? No.
It was a long time ago when I was just four years old.
You see, one time I was afraid to sleep alone.
But I needed an excuse to call my mother, so I thought if I can just make up something that will frighten me enough to scream, then my mother will have to stay with me.
And that's how you made up Freddy?
It didn't seem like I was making him up.
You know, he just stepped right into my mind and started walking toward me full of murder, and I screamed, all right, my mother came.
After that, whenever I wanted her, I would just think of Freddy and scream.
But then one night, I started to think of Freddy when I didn't want to.
In the dark, I suddenly seemed to seem giggling, you know, coming closer, his hands out to kill me.
And I tried to keep him screaming, but I, I'd scream.
And what did he look like?
Well, he had a very soft face, and he laughed in a kind of a high giggle, and he was very blond, almost an albino, and he was so heavy.
He walked like a fat woman on high heels, and his arms were short, and his hands were always sweating.
That's it! I even like the name Freddy! That is the next villain. Mike?
Wait a minute, no, no, no, I'm not going to do that. Look, please, I don't want to get started with Freddy.
I suppose you think I'm crazy, but I...
No, no, no, I understand. You're still susceptible to your childhood fear.
Yes, that's it.
You're afraid of Freddy, good.
But you also told me that you were afraid of me, and that's much more reasonable, old man.
Because Freddy only exists in your imagination, but me, I'm right here.
And in our ten years together, you've seen what's happened when I'm crossed, haven't you?
Yes, I have seen.
Now who are you more afraid of, Michael, old man?
Freddy or me, hmm?
I'll, uh, I'll have the first batch in two weeks.
Good boy. Frankly, Mike, Freddy is the only thing that can save Dirk Diamond for you.
What's funny?
You didn't ask me how I saved myself and Freddy.
Number one?
Well, every time I think of Freddy coming to kill me, I just make up another man who would fight Freddy off for me.
And then I was saved. You know what his name was? Dirk Diamond.
I made up Dirk Diamond to save me from Freddy, and now Freddy is going to save Dirk Diamond and me.
In just a moment, we will return for the second act of...
Suspense.
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Enter the Swiss vacation contest today. Free entry blanks at your jewelry store.
Yeah?
Mike, we just signed the Higgs McCoy chain. 14 newspapers.
Yeah, I see.
That means 30 papers this month alone. We've got a lot to thank Freddy for.
Yeah, a lot.
In the last two months of the strip, I've been wonderful. What's gotten into you?
Freddy.
What?
Oh, nothing, Mr. Welby. Goodbye.
It's not nothing. Everything goes so easily. The panels, the storyline, even the dialogue.
And I don't quite understand. Not for a long time.
Then one day, my assistant comes into my office with a strip of my drawings.
Mike, something's wrong.
What? What's wrong?
In this panel, you told me you were going to draw a Freddy looking frightened.
Yes, that's right.
Well, you have him smiling.
What? Let me see that.
Oh, yeah.
You want to change it before I ink it in?
No, no. Just let me have you erase it.
There.
Mike, he's still smiling.
Yeah. Let me have you erase her again.
There. Funny, it still looks kind of like a smile.
Yeah. Yeah, he's still smiling, isn't he?
Well, do you want him looking frightened or...
It doesn't matter what I want. You see, it's what he wants. I have to do what he wants.
Mike, are you all right?
Sure. You ink it in.
That's all. Go on, ink it in.
Okay.
Hello. Get me Mr. Welby.
We'll find him.
It's a matter of life and death, understand?
It's life or death.
I have to murder Freddy.
Within 30 days, he'll be dead.
It'll have to be big, otherwise Mr. Welby wouldn't go for it.
No two for nickel ideas for him.
I walked through the entire apartment.
Back and forth.
Past all the gifts and the meadows and trophies I've been given by Dirk Diamond Fan Club from New Jersey to Hong Kong.
Clocks and statuettes and loving cups and ashtrays and...
Oh, the music box in my bedroom.
With a stiletto encased in it.
When the stiletto was taken out of its cupboard, the music box plays.
And when it's put back...
It stops.
Ingenious construction.
That's what I need now.
I need ingenious construction.
Because I've got to kill him.
Oh, I've got to kill him.
Operator.
Operator, what time is it?
Uh, 5.45 a.m. Do you wish to place a call?
Yeah, Western Union.
Thank you.
Western Union?
Western Union, this is Mike Snyder, Barton Hotel.
I would like you to pick up a package at the desk and deliver it to the Welby Syndicate.
Yes, Mrs. Snyder.
And you tell the messenger to be very careful with the package.
Yes, Mrs. Snyder.
Because there's a body in it.
Yes, Mrs. What?
It's a joke, it's all. Just a joke.
Oh, I can sleep now.
Oh, man, I feel like I've had Chey and struck my arms and legs.
I feel... I feel so light.
I feel good.
I'm happy.
Tired?
Oh, boy.
What's that?
I put that stiletto back. It shouldn't be...
It shouldn't be playing like that, unless...
Unless...
Hello, Michael.
Hello.
Surprise.
It's a nightmare, that's all. It's a nightmare.
A nightmare.
This is a fine stiletto, Michael.
This is the one you used to kill Mrs. Blue Teeth, isn't it?
Oh, this is a dream.
Yes, Mrs. Blue Teeth.
It's carved on the blade.
A copy of the stiletto used by Dirk Diamond in killing Mrs. Blue Teeth.
Presented admiringly by the Dirk Diamond Club of Toronto.
I like this stiletto, Michael.
I admire it.
You can't believe it.
You can't. It's a nightmare.
So you're giving me 30 more days to live?
Don't come any closer.
I'm giving you only one day.
You put that stiletto down.
And then there isn't going to be any more Michael Snyder.
It's a nightmare. This is all happening in my brain.
Exactly. Even this stiletto in your brain.
Now I'm putting it back there. Point. Burn.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
It was a nightmare. It wasn't.
No. No, it can't be.
Where's the light? Where's the light?
Where's that stiletto?
It's still there, quivering.
It's quivering in the headboard of the bed.
Okay, look, Mr. Snyder.
I took enough with them fingerprints in the laboratory,
but the fingerprints aren't on file here.
So the lab's wiring Washington. Special for you, Mr. Snyder.
FBI, you know. That's a nightmare.
When will they get word back?
Oh, any minute.
You know, Mr. Snyder, it's funny I should run into you here at the police.
You know, I got four boys at home who keep talking about nothing,
but how is Burt Diamond going to get out of this trap Freddie's got him in?
Can you tell me now how you're going to get him on this trap?
I don't know. I don't know.
Mulligan? Huh?
Mr. Snyder, it's the lab. They got word back.
Yes, yes, yes.
Mm-hmm. Yeah?
Those are fingerprints of Michael Snyder.
I'm not into anybody, Miss Bennet.
Mike Snyder, well, put him on.
Mike, where have you been all morning? We've been calling.
What?
Your train leaves in two minutes.
Where are you going? What do you mean?
Anywhere.
No, I'm not out of my mind.
I better get away before it's too late.
No, I can't explain no time.
Now, look, I sent you 30 times.
I'm not going to be able to get you out of here.
I'm going to have to get you out of here.
I can't explain no time. Now, look, I sent you 30 days of dirt diamond this morning,
and you're not using them.
If that's the best you can do, Freddie stays alive.
You understand, Mike?
I never questioned your judgment before, but this time I'm telling you,
now you put those strips through, because Freddie's got to die.
It's him or me.
It's him or me!
In a moment, we will return for the third act of...
suspense.
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Music
Oh, it feels good.
Good to hear those wheels.
My troubles are being left far behind.
It feels so good to be surrounded by lots of people.
The man on my right is reading a newspaper.
I can see Dirk Diamond.
I turn away to the window.
That's the first time I've ever turned away from Dirk Diamond.
And suddenly I know I've turned away from him forever.
What did Welby once said?
You put a lot of yourself into your comic strips, Mike.
Yeah, yeah, I put everything.
You know, there's more of me and Dirk Diamond than there is in real life.
I have been hiding in a comic strip since I was four years old, hiding from Freddy.
But I'm leaving all that behind.
Tickets, please, tickets.
I am escaping. I'm free.
Tickets, please.
I gave you mine before.
No, Michael.
Oh, sure.
Michael?
Yes.
So you don't have your ticket?
Go away.
I don't need a ticket. Not where you're going.
Let's go of Mike.
You won't need anything where you're going.
I'm going.
Oh.
He's waking up.
Coming out of it.
Easy, Mr.
You were choking yourself.
Your own hands were on your neck. It was awful.
You have fits.
Listen, stop the train.
Huh?
I've got to get back.
Oh, don't try to.
I've got to go back. I've got two.
All right, all right.
Now the next stop is Buffalo.
You can get off and take a train back.
Oh, you shouldn't be moving.
Joe, help him with his...
Sure.
No, no, no, no, no.
I've got to do this myself.
All of it.
Myself.
I know I promised you a weekend, but this is an emergency.
Now stop whining.
Will you?
Will be.
Mike.
Forget it, Frank.
I don't need you.
Oh, so you came back.
I can't say I'm surprised.
Not really.
Listen.
Ready?
Freddy has got to die.
Do you understand?
Look, it's 3 a.m.
The entire staff just left.
All of us trying to keep Dirt Diamond going because you go off half-clock.
We've got to die.
You're calling me up from Grand Central that you've got to get away.
Well, it's not that easy, Mike.
Not from me, is it?
Mr. Welby.
I know.
Freddy's got to die.
I heard you.
Kill him then.
But not with this third-rate stuff you tried to palm off on me this morning.
You know where that goes.
Oh, no.
Freddy's the best villain you ever had.
You want to get rid of him?
It's got to be the best villain you ever had.
You want to get rid of him?
It's got to be the best villain you ever had.
Otherwise, he stays alive.
No.
All right.
Start crying then.
Start from here, this panel.
Dirk has locked himself in his room.
And here he's saying, I'm going to kill Freddy.
I am going to kill him.
That's right.
Now, go ahead from there.
All right.
It's nighttime.
I'm going to kill him.
It's nighttime.
Dirk lies on the couch, still thinking of his problem.
Suddenly, in the night, Freddy appears.
From where?
I don't know.
But he's there, with a stiletto.
Now, he comes over to the couch, and he plunges the knife into Dirk's head.
But Dirk awakens, and the stiletto stabs into the couch.
But you said first it went into his head.
Now, how did he miss?
I don't know.
But he's missed.
There's Freddy.
And Dirk grabs him by the neck.
No, no, no, no, no.
It's too thin, Mike.
Now, look, you might as well face it.
You can't kill Freddy off.
You're stuck with him for life, I'm afraid.
Wait, wait, wait a minute.
Now, listen, listen.
See, Dirk Diamond has never been more frightened in all his life.
You see, he knows it's got to be either Freddy or him.
There's no other way.
Right.
Now, Mike, I want you to go home and get some rest.
No, no, no, no, no.
Dirk remembers something, then.
He first saw Freddy in a dream.
Suddenly he realizes something.
Oh, now, Mike.
You see, nobody else knows Freddy.
The only time Dirk's ever seen him, they've been alone together.
It's just him and Freddy.
And then it comes to Freddy.
Freddy only exists in his mind, see?
His most dangerous enemy is a nightmare of his brain.
Come on.
Now he knows the one way to get Freddy.
Yeah?
Dirk...
Dirk Diamond will kill himself.
Come on.
So he knows Freddy only exists as long as he does.
And the only way to bring Freddy into reach is by taking his own...
his own throat in his hands and choking him.
Oh, he's like choking himself.
All right, Mike, stop it.
Mike, you're crazy.
You're...
Mike...
You see?
You see it worked.
It brought Freddy into reach.
And now he has him by the throat.
See?
You think himself as a decoy, he's caught in his nightmare.
All his nightmares, all the monsters that imprisoned him by the throat.
By his hands.
And how it thrills him to feel Freddy's neck between his hands at last.
A mouse playing the cat, Mr. Welby.
I'll do a panel of Dirk's face smiling.
Oh, and now Freddy reaches out for the alarm bell under the desk.
And I'll do a strip of this thrashing, desperate hand...
knocking over the telephone and groping until it reaches the bell under the desk.
And with its last dying strength, pushing.
And then I'll cut to the bell, ringing in the office of the floor watchman in the lobby and the local precinct.
See?
And then the floor watchman, he knocks on the door and he calls out...
Mr. Welby!
But there's no answer.
Because the monsters are all dead.
And Dirk Diamond, he's escaped at last.
Mr. Welby.
Hello.
Who are you?
Don't you know?
Yee!
The
Suspense.
You've been listening to The Crisis of Dirk Diamond.
Written for Suspense by Sam Locke.
Sam Locke. In a moment the names of our players and a word about next week's
story of suspense. When you listen for news don't you want it presented in
lively fashion by a man you know you can trust? Of course you do. That's why
millions listen regularly to Lowell Thomas whose news broadcasts are on CBS
radio five evenings a week Monday through Friday. When you want all angles
of the news get them from Lowell Thomas and when you want all angles on sports
tune in Sports Time presented every evening except Sunday on CBS radio.
Frank Gifford brings you the high spots and the lowdown on the sports world
straight from the horse's mouth. Be in the know on latest news with Lowell
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bring you and only CBS radio does.
Heard in tonight's story were Bernard Grant as Mike, Louis Van Roeten as Welby
and Eric Dressler as Freddie. Also included in the cast were Ian Martin,
Larry Haynes and Maurice Tarplin. Listen again next week when we return with
another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense on CBS radio.