And now, another tale well calculated to keep you in...
Suspense.
How often have you felt that you'd like to get away from it all?
Just drop everything, move far away, start a new life, maybe even with a new identity?
Well, it isn't as easy as it sounds. There's a story you're about to hear demonstrates.
So before you buy a one-way ticket to elsewhere, listen to Night on Red Mountain, which begins in just a moment.
When news makes news, that's news.
As several trade publications in the broadcasting field have recently announced,
a week from tomorrow, CBS News on the Hour goes to twice its current length each weekday.
Beginning Monday the 28th, you'll hear a first in network broadcasting history,
the initiation of dramatically expanded coverage by award-winning CBS News,
full 10-minute coverage every hour on the hour.
That's the date, November 28th, when CBS News goes double for you at this address on your dial.
Coming right up.
I'm sorry, sir, I didn't hear you drive in. I can't hear much of anything when the wind starts blowing.
Fill her up.
Better check the oil and water, too. Any hot coffee inside?
Yeah, hot and black.
That's for me. Must be close to zero.
Oh, not that bad, down around 20. It'll drop tonight, though. Radio says we might get a blizzard.
And they call this sunny California.
Well, we're more than 5,000 feet here, 6,500 at the top of the pass up the road a piece.
Yeah, I know. I just came off it.
Are you heading north?
Yeah, Vegas. How far is it from here?
Oh, about 260 from Victorville, and Victorville's 32 from here.
What's the matter? You lost?
What makes you think so?
Well, U.S. 66 is a direct route. Not many cars come across Red Mountain in the winter.
Hey.
Yeah?
Ain't I seen you someplace before?
Well, not unless you've been through here before.
Never. Not back east someplace? You come from back east?
No, I never been. I come from up north. Eureka.
Funny, take that mustache off. You'd be a ringer for a kid I used to know once back in Jersey City.
Joey Perino. Funny.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, lookalikes. You run into him sometimes.
Sure you was never back east?
Sure.
Funny, without that mustache, I'd swear.
You'd be mistaken.
Yeah? Well, where'd I find the coffee?
Well, right inside. Sally will take care of you.
Yeah, you better check the battery in the tires, too.
Yeah, sure thing.
Good evening.
Give me a cup of black coffee.
Yes, sir.
The State Highway Patrol has asked us to make this announcement.
Chains will be required on all cars in the mountain regions.
Tonight's storm is expected to bring at least six inches of snow down to the 3,000 foot level.
It's not like you might be snowed in.
Oh, it won't be the first time.
It might be dangerous, considering your condition.
Oh, no. I'm not expecting until April. We never get any snow that late.
Not even when the weather's unusual, like they say out here.
Well, it's never that unusual. You better get Walt to put on your chains.
Ain't got any.
Oh? Well, then watch your step going down that hill.
Particularly mule shoe curve. It's bad in snow like this.
I'll remember that. Is he your husband?
Who?
The fellow gassing me up to this Walt.
Oh, yeah.
You two all alone up here?
No, there's my dad. And he'd better get a move on or he won't get back up that mountain tonight.
Where is he?
Oh, he went down to Victorville this afternoon for supplies.
Oh? You born around here?
No, up north.
Eureka?
Yeah. How'd you guess?
Your husband said that's where he'd come from.
He did?
Yeah. Doesn't he?
Well, he said he did, didn't he?
Yeah. Yeah. Did you ever hear of a guy named Joey Perino?
No. Why, should I?
Your husband looks like him.
Well, what if he does?
Oh, nothing. You ever been back east?
Never been outside the state. Gee, you ask more questions than a cop.
Don't worry. I ain't no cop.
She's all set to roll.
How much I owe you?
12 gallons. That'll be $3.95.
Plus the coffee.
Compliments to the management.
It's a policy of the establishment. Free coffee during blizzard. Isn't it, Sally?
Yeah, sure.
Here you are. Four bucks.
I'll get you change.
Don't bother. $3.95 for the gas, five cents for the coffee.
I got a policy, too. I don't take handouts.
Oh, look now, Walter's...
I don't want to be owing anybody anything, sister. Particularly rats.
Be seeing you, Joey.
Joey? What do you mean, Walt? Call him your Joey.
In just a moment, we will return for the second act of...
Suspense.
Walt? Will you tell me what he meant, calling you Joey?
The guy's nuts.
He asked an awful lot of questions.
What kind of questions?
About me, about you.
He said you told him you come from Eureka.
Why did you tell him that, Walt?
Look, honey, the guy's nuts. I never told him I came from Eureka.
You never told me where you came from either, Walt.
You just said you came from back East.
What difference does it make?
It didn't then, when we first met.
It doesn't now, if you tell me it doesn't.
I tell you, it doesn't, honey.
Okay, Walt, I'm sorry.
You better get to bed, honey. It's going to be a long, cold night, huh?
All right. You coming?
Ah, in a little while. Won't be much more business in this storm.
Yeah?
Mr. Pirelli?
Yeah?
I have a long distance call for you from Victorville, California.
Who's calling?
Mr. Batilia.
All right, operator, put him on.
Go ahead, sir.
Hello, Vic Peek?
Yeah, Bat. What are you doing down in Victorville?
We were supposed to be here in Vegas by dinnertime.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, but I sort of got lost in the mountains.
Now that figures. I know you'd get lost in Jersey City.
Yeah, but where did you hear what I found?
Gold Mine, I suppose, huh?
No, Joey Perino.
You're kidding. Where?
The gas station back in the hills.
You sure it's Joey?
Positive. He's got a mustache, he's got a wife, and he calls himself Walt some-a-rother.
But is Joey all right?
He recognize you?
Sure he did, but he didn't let on.
Thought I'd better take it.
Now, wait a minute. If he recognize you, he'll take it on a lamb.
Not a chance. He's up here all alone with his wife.
She's in a family way, and it's blowing up a blizzard.
He wouldn't risk getting her out in this kind of weather.
Where are you?
The joint call a white spot.
All right, sit tight. I'll be there in a couple of hours.
Well, how you gonna do that?
Charter a plane.
Of course. I'll be glad to handle him for you.
I'm sure you would, Bamp, but this one I want to take care of myself in my own way.
If you get what I mean.
Oh, yeah, yeah, I get what you mean. I'll wait for you here.
What's the name of this place he's at?
Walt's Summit Service. Why?
Thought I might give him a ring before I leave.
Tip him off?
No. Offer him another chance.
Are you kidding?
What do you think?
Walt's Summit Service. Good evening.
How about Joey?
You must have the wrong number.
This is Walt's Summit Service.
No, Joey, I got the right number. This is Big Pete. Remember me?
There's some mistake.
There's no mistake, Joey.
Bamp just told me he was by your joint a little while ago.
Look, I don't know what you're talking about. This is Walt's Summit Service.
All right, Joey, if you want it that way, it's Walt's Summit Service and you're Walt.
But back in Jersey City, you're still Joe Perini to the boys.
And Joey, the boys miss you. All of them.
Me in particular.
I miss you so much, Joey. I feel I just got to talk to you.
I'm sorry. You have the wrong number.
Walt?
Yeah. Yeah, honey.
Who was that?
Look, you're supposed to be asleep.
I was just dozing off and the phone woke me. Who was it, Walt?
Somebody had a wrong number.
It took you long enough to tell him.
Guy was drunk or something.
Who?
Go to sleep, honey.
Aren't you coming?
I don't feel very sleepy. I...
I'll sit up a while. I'll wait for your dad.
Well, all right, but don't make it too late.
You know, I get lonely in here without you.
I know, darling.
Go to sleep now.
Small craft warnings are plying from Point Concepcion to Point Dumas.
All planes are grounded at Los Angeles International Airport.
The Weather Bureau predicts that close upon the heels of the present storm
is another developing off the coast of northern California.
This is an undisguised blessing for the farmer in the south of the state of Los Angeles.
The weather bureau predicts that the storm will be coming
as soon as the storm is over.
The weather bureau is in the middle of the storm
and this is an undisguised blessing for the farmer in the San Joaquin Valley
and the growers in Orange County.
Waltz Summit Service.
Hello, Joey.
Wrong number.
You shouldn't hang up on Big Pete, Joey.
Wrong number.
Now listen to me, Joey, and listen good.
I want to talk to you.
You got the wrong number!
Okay, Joey.
Now you just listen to me, boy.
You know a joint in Victorville called the White Spot?
Yeah, I know it.
Good.
I'm at the airport in Vegas.
I'm taking off from here in five minutes.
You take off in five minutes, too, Joey.
I'll look here.
Now don't hang up on me, Joey.
Just listen.
It'll take you about the same time to get down off that mountain
as it'll take me to fly to Victorville.
Meet me in the White Spot.
That's an order.
I don't take orders from you anymore.
You'll take this one, or I'll come up there
and shove it down your throat.
Oh, come on.
Come on.
A highway patrol car just pulled up outside.
Are you kidding, Joey?
You think you can scare me off with them two-bit cops?
Look, I'm not trying to kid you, Pete.
Well, that's my boy, Joey.
You finally recognize your old boys, huh?
Now you ain't going to squeal at them orange pickers,
are you, Joey?
I'm not a squeal of Pete.
Ain't you?
No.
How do I know?
Look, I'm telling you.
You took a part around me two years ago, huh?
How come?
How come you just blew?
I wanted out.
Hey, Wall, are you in there?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'll be right there.
Who are you talking to?
A highway patrol.
I told you.
You going to tell them why you walked out on old Pete?
Look, I don't tell nothing to nobody.
I just want to be left alone.
I wanted out.
I got out.
You ain't out yet, kid.
Nobody ever quits on me.
Hey, look.
Leave me alone, will you, Pete?
Sure.
So I worked for you.
I don't know nothing.
I ain't talking.
You sure ain't.
I got to go now.
Just let me alone, Pete.
For the love of heaven, let me alone.
Wall, there's someone at the door.
I know it.
Who you talking to now?
It's my wife.
Look, get rid of the cops, Joey.
Tell your wife to go to bed.
You got the wrong number.
Meet me in two hours at the White Spot in Victorville.
You got it?
I'm coming.
I'm coming.
I'm coming.
I'm coming.
Yeah, I got the number you're calling, but this isn't it.
You better be there, Joey, or I'm coming up the hill for you.
In a moment, we will return for the third act of suspense.
Good evening, Mrs. Parsons.
I'm sorry I disturbed you, ma'am.
Oh, that's all right, Sergeant Toohey.
Come in.
Come on.
Thank you.
What was on the phone?
Sergeant, some crackpot got a wrong number and can't get it out of his drunken head,
you know.
Well, I just stopped by to see if you folks were all right.
Oh, yeah, sure.
Snug as a bug in a rug.
Say, would you have a cup of coffee?
Yes, yes, thanks, Mrs. Parsons.
I guess maybe I'd drop by for that, too.
Well, there's always some on the stove.
Well, how's the weather outside, huh?
It ain't a fit night for man or motor car.
Pass is closed and we won't be able to get plows through from the other side of the mountain
until, ooh, tomorrow forenoon.
Well, that's what you can expect in February.
Oh, there you are, Sergeant.
Sugar, cream, and hot, I hope.
Well, that's wonderful, wonderful, Mrs. Parsons.
Thank you.
Say, Sally.
Yes, darling?
Like Sergeant says, you know,
it ain't a fit night out for man or motor car.
Yeah.
Well, I thought we might put him up for the night.
Why, of course.
Oh, no, no, no.
I wouldn't want any inconvenience here.
Oh, but it wouldn't be any inconvenience.
Oh, no, no, no, not at all.
No inconvenience at all.
We'd sure like to have you stay.
That's right.
Nice of you, believe me.
But I've got to get on down the road.
Oh, but it's after 10 now and you're off duty.
No, no.
In a storm like this, nobody's off duty.
Well, thanks for the coffee, Mrs. Parsons.
You're welcome.
Ah, say, I got something to thank you for, Walt.
Oh, what's that?
The only laugh I had this evening.
I'd like to hear it.
What's the laugh, Sarge?
Well, that car out front.
What car?
A couple of hours ago when I was going up to the pass,
that two-tone job standing out front with big tail fins.
What about it?
Gold and white covered with mud and the snow piling up on it.
It sort of reminded me like a bathing beauty on a ski slope.
Cars like that weren't designed for this kind of country.
No, no, I guess they weren't.
Well, good night, folks, and thanks again for the coffee.
Oh, you're welcome.
Good night, Sergeant.
Oh, I'll get it, dear.
No, no, I will.
Walt's Summit Service.
You ain't left yet, Joey.
Get going.
You got the wrong number.
Again?
Yeah, yeah, again.
Darling, what is it?
The screwball.
Oh, what's he want?
Oh, who knows? He's drunk.
Let's go to bed, huh?
Oh, I'm not very sleepy.
I know what.
Let's sit up and wait for Dad.
Oh, he won't make it now.
Well, he might.
Oh, let's go to bed, I said.
All right, honey.
Well, go to bed.
Well, go then.
I got to lock up, huh?
All right.
Walt.
What?
What's the matter?
Nothing, nothing, nothing.
Nothing's the matter.
I got to look up, that's all.
Get to bed.
Stop asking a lot of stupid questions, will you?
That will be 20 cents for three minutes.
All right, here you are, sister.
Go ahead, sir.
Yes, Pete?
Well, how'd you guess it'd be me, Joey?
Oh, look, let's cut the kitten.
I ain't kitten, Joey.
I'm disappointed.
Real disappointed.
I fly all the way down here to Victorville just to talk to you,
and what happens?
You ain't got the courtesy to come down the hill to see an old pal.
How come you ain't here, Joey?
I'm not coming, Pete.
You ain't, huh?
No.
Well, then I guess I have to come up there.
Nobody's asking you.
Now, Joey, that ain't no way to talk.
I'll lay off, will you, Pete?
I ain't done nothing to you.
You walked out on me, Joey.
Nobody walks out on Big Pete.
I'll see you in an hour.
And Joey...
Yeah?
Don't try taking no part of it.
A fellow at the bar just told me that the pass is closed.
The only way out's down the hill.
I know it.
You want to change your mind and come on down, Joey?
Joey?
Joey?
Were you flashing, sir?
Yeah, I was cut off.
Well, just a moment.
I'll try to connect you.
I'm sorry, sir.
There seems to be trouble on that line.
Probably the storm.
Okay, sister, thanks.
You coming?
No, but it couldn't be better.
The line just went out in the storm.
And the pass is blocked.
But it's sweet setup.
Ain't it?
Let's go.
What a pleasure.
In a moment, we'll return for the concluding act of suspense.
Okay.
Is that you, honey?
Yeah.
Come to bed, darling.
I can't.
Where are you going?
What are you putting on your coat floor?
I've got to go down the hill.
Oh, Walt, what's the matter?
I'm worried about your dad.
I'm going to look for him.
Now you know he's probably staying in town at the Rances.
If you're worried, telephone them.
I tried. The line's out.
I've got to go down the hill.
But, Walt, you can't leave me here alone.
I've got to, honey. I've got to.
But I'm afraid.
Look, there's nothing to be scared of.
You'll be safe here.
Your gun.
Why are you taking your gun?
I feel better with a gun.
Walt, you're keeping something from me.
You've got to tell me.
There's nothing to tell, honey.
Get back in bed, honey, please.
If you promise not to go out.
I can't. I've got to go and I've got to go alone.
Well, then it isn't dad. It's something else.
Now, look, honey, don't make me...
Hey!
How come the place is all lit up like Christmas tree?
Can't be that much business tonight.
Oh, dad, thank goodness you're here.
This silly husband of mine was just going out to look for you.
He was afraid you'd skidded into the canyon or something.
An old mountain man like me?
Oh, fiddlesticks.
I'm glad you dressed though, Walt.
I promised Sergeant Toohey I'd send you down the road
with a tow truck and give him a hand.
Accident?
Yeah, yeah.
Some darn fool was driving without chains.
Went through the guard rail on Muleshoe Curve.
Eh, one of these fancy new two-tone jobs with airplane fins.
Gold and white?
Hardtop convertible?
Toohey didn't specify, but you recognize the driver.
Big shot gangster from back east, he said.
Name of Big Pete Pirelli.
Yeah, yeah, that was it.
Didn't know the other fella.
Were they, uh, hurt?
Hurt?
They're both as dead as last week's hamburgers.
Okay.
Okay, I...
I'll get going.
I guess, uh...
I guess I won't need this gun after all.
I'll be back in a little while, Sally.
All right, honey.
See that she gets to bed, will you, Stan?
Sure, sure, son.
She, uh...
She hasn't had much sleep tonight.
Don't worry, darling, I'll sleep now.
Good.
You know something?
What?
I love you...
very much.
Suspense.
You've been listening to Night on Red Mountain,
written for suspense by William N. Robeson.
In a moment, the names of our players
and a word about next week's story of suspense.
Heard in tonight's story were Lawson Zerby as Walt,
Jim Bowles as Bat,
Mandel Kramer as Pete,
Ellen McCray as Sally,
Bob Dryden as Sarge,
Ruth Tobin as the Operator,
and Bill Adams as Dad.
Listen again next week when we return with
Home is Where You Find It,
written for suspense by Edna Ray.
Another tale well calculated to keep you in...
suspense.