"Mr. Bonner's inner self is nearing the other world." "Tonight, we will try to contact the spirit of Mrs. Edwards." "what kept you so long?" "I've been expecting you for hours." "I had to finish my old Job first." "Mr. Johnson, I sure do appreciate... you letting me have your Job here." "The appreciation's all mine, Mr. brown." "You said something about some séances." "what is them?" " You don't know about séances?" " No. what is it?" "People sit around a table in the dark holding hands." "Does holding hands make them happy?" "Sort of raises their spirit some." " what was that?" " Just someone moaning." " Moaning?" " Moaning about the income tax..." "I mean." " Good night Mr. brown." "Good night, Mr. Johnson." "I won't need this now." ""How to disappear."" "Mr. Johnson does this book really tells you how to disappear?" "It'll make you go from where you is so you ain't where you was in a flash." "Can you do it?" "I'm about to vanish right now." "All I have to do is say the magic word and snap my finger like this." "Abracadabra." "I'm gone." "Anybody could do that." "Away in a flash he went." "we are fortunate tonight." "A spirit is about to Join us." "who called me?" "who wants me here?" "Is that you, Gert?" "Gertrude?" "My husband." "Is that you, Mr. Edwards?" "That's her, my wife." "She's always called me "Mr. Edwards."" "but you're dead, aren't you?" "I've been buried, but I'm not dead." "Ghosts!" "Abracadabra." "Still here. but not for long." "Those with prepared questions... will nod their heads." "Miss Green?" "Mr. Hamlin?" "Miss wood?" "Mr. Edwards?" "Now for the questions... while Mr. Bonner is still in contact... with the spirit world." "what happened in London the night of October 5th, 1935?" "what was the question?" "what happened in London the night of October 5th, 1935?" "what happened in London, the night of October 5th, 1935?" "who asked that question?" "Answer me. who spoke then?" "who asked that question?" "If you don't... what is wrong, Miss Green?" "He's hurting my hand." "He won't let go." "He's hurting my hand, too." "Mr. Bonner." "William!" "Don't touch him while he's in his trance." "He won't come out of this trance." "He's dead." "Dead?" "I thought only spirits were dead around here." "Mr. Bonner has been shot." " Shot?" " He's been murdered." "Murdered?" "It certainly looks like it." "Murdered?" "I simply won't have it." "Murdered here." "Bonner murdered?" "what do we do, Tom?" "Keep your corpuscles cool, Vera." " We get dressed." " And then skip town?" " Leaving all our equipment here?" " Not much." "I wonder who killed him?" "would you like me to bring back his ghost... and ask him?" "Get dressed." "Operator, get me the police." "Matthews talking." "Yeah?" "where?" "349 Dexter Street." "On my way." "Get Smith and McCarthy, homicide." "Homicide?" "why didn't you say so?" "we all searched each other." "There was no gun." "Thank you very much, ladies." "In there, please." "My dear sir, my lecture tour cannot be disrupted." "I do all the lecturing here until this case is finished." "Abracadabra." " You ain't no spook." " What do you mean?" "Mister, this place is creeping with ghosts." "why I Just seen a dead woman... floating around right in there." "There she is, still floating." "what are you talking about?" "That's the murdered man." " Have you got a gun?" " A which?" "Stop." "I'm ticklish." "Smith, have you found that gun yet?" " No gun in here, sir." " Keep searching." "Yes, sir." "The thousands of unfortunate people... who will be prevented from hearing my lecture." " Cigar, Mr. Edwards?" " No, thank you." "You're all going to headquarters." "Everyone." "I simply must have a lawyer." "All right, folks, if you please." " You go, too." " But I wanted to tell you..." "You can tell me at headquarters." "Go along." "what is your pop going to say?" "I don't know, but I sure need Pop." "I need pop, too." "I mean your pop." "will you two stop popping, and get going?" "You don't understand." "I've been trying to tell you..." " my pop is Charlie Chan." " I don't care if your pop is..." "Charlie Chan?" "The detective?" "From Honolulu?" " where is he staying?" " At the Shattuck Hotel." " Rafferty?" " Yeah, Sarge?" "Get him." "Come." "Are you Mr. Charlie Chan?" "Yes." "Are you sure?" "These toys." "They are toys for my numerous family in Hawaii." "I'm sure my arrival of humble self in Honolulu... will be noisy success." "You wish speak with me?" "You're wanted at headquarters, Mr. Chan." "we've got a case of homicide and your daughter Frances..." "My daughter involved in murder?" "I don't know, Mr. Chan, but Sgt. Matthews thinks she is." "Suggest we travel quickly." "Please, come." "They tell the truth, Sergeant." "because I am leaving tomorrow for Hawaii..." "Birmingham gets new Job this afternoon." "Got a new Job this afternoon and quit tonight." "when Birmingham told me they held séances at his new place... naturally I was interested." "but you were both in time to be in on a murder." "Could happen to anyone." "You stop nodding, Rafferty." "Sure?" "Okay." "Smith says there's no gun to be found... anywhere in the Bonner house." "what?" "Man, you're crazy." "Yes, but..." "All right." "Bonner was killed by a bullet." "It entered his heart but didn't pass entirely through his body." "but there was no gun found on anyone present." "No gun was found in the house." "And now the coroner calls... and says that there's no bullet in the body." "How are you going to shoot a guy... with a bullet, without using a bullet?" "Spooks." "Perhaps invisible bullet." "Invisible bullet." "That's dime novel stuff." "How about you helping us on this case, Chan?" "No." "Must refuse gracious offer." "Am on brief vacation from government work." "That's that." "You can go, Charlie." "but of course your daughter stays." "Don't forget she's involved in a murder." "Pop, do I really have to stay here?" "Not for long." " Okay." "I take case." " Good." "This is a tough proposition, Charlie." "Murder at a séance." "Unexplainable things happen at séances." "Yes." "May use other office for few moments?" " Sure." " Thank you so much." "Get me the coroner's office." "Peters?" "Matthews." "Has anybody invented an invisible bullet yet?" "All right." "I didn't think so, either." "what are you grinning at?" "brown, you've been involved in three murder cases already." "It ain't my fault." "It's the law's." "Always somebody taking me down the hall." "Then something goes clang, then I'm in Jail again." "but by mistake." "Mistake." "Maybe the other cases were mistakes... but what about this Bonner murder?" "That was a strictly private murder to which I was not invited." "You say many strange things happen at séance." "without crystal ball I can say you wear a Size 9 1/2 shoe." "You should wear 11, but you prefer big corns to big shoes." "Also you change your barber last week." "Old barber cut your hair too short." "Also know... you think law too lenient in criminal cases today... especially district attorney's office." " You wish me to continue, Sergeant?" " No." "How do you know what I think?" "Very simple." "I am psychic." "Do you see what I see?" "Can even produce spirit rappings." "Do you hear what I hear?" "but that personal information about me?" "Merely telephone your wife in next room." "She talks too much." "You question all suspects?" " Yes." " Good." "will examine their statements tomorrow." "Birmingham, you must go back to Bonner house." "Mr. Chan, I'd rather stay in Jail." "wish you for inside man for police." "but what about them spooks?" "If spooks bother you, sergeant will arrest them." "That's all right..." "Evidence insufficient to arrest anyone, Sergeant." "but would like interview, with young lady... who calls herself Nancy Wood." "Calls herself Nancy wood?" "Get me the Brocton Apartments." "You mean that's not her real name?" "Brocton Apartments, I want to speak with Miss Nancy wood." "Just a minute." "There's no one there by that name." "This is police department speaking." "You have young lady living there whose initials are N.D.?" "Yes." "Thank you so much." "N.D.?" "Initials' of young lady's real name:" "Norma Duncan." "How did you know that when you didn't even see her?" "Initials' on young lady's bag right under your nose whole time." "I saw them and told Pop." "beauty of Chan family also have brains." "Very fine combination." "I have very busy day ahead, so must be going." "You remain here at hotel." "You say I have brains, then make me... sit around and twiddle my thumbs." "Twiddling thumbs at hotel keep pretty nose out of trouble." "Pop, you have to have one of your children... along when you're on a case." "I have 14 children." "They all try to boss me." "No." "You still twiddle at hotel." "Abracadabra." "Hello." "where's Mr. Chan?" "busy on this case, and so am I." "who do you think killed Mr. Bonner?" "Spooks." "Silly, they can't hurt anyone." "No?" "How come they're scaring me to death?" "Miss Duncan." "will you please explain why you gave us a false name?" "Justine Bonner and the others knew me as Nancy wood." "I was afraid to give my true name." "why, please?" "because William Bonner had Just been killed." "And if anyone had a motive for killing him, I had." "My father was Charles Duncan, civil engineer." "He committed suicide a year ago." "After Mother died, Father started attending the Bonner séances." "Quite understandable." "At that time, Father was in sole charge of the... financial figures for a big project." "Those figures turned up in the hands of a rival company." "Dad's firm was nearly ruined." "He felt disgraced." "He shot himself." "The Bonners got those figures from Dad." "They caused his death." "but why you attend séances?" "I hoped to learn enough to put them both in prison." "You find anything?" "My mind is made up." "Young lady, you're going to..." "To return to your home, Miss Duncan, for the present and try to forget the past." "Thank you." "Charlie, that's not what I was going to say." "I know." "Relax." "You know, I got gremlin's galloping up and down my spine." "we've got to look around." "Yes?" "Are you both there?" "Yes." "You want to see us?" "No." "Stay where you are until I need you." "That's out. we want to get away." "Get away?" "why?" "we're not mixed up in Bonner's murder." "You'll stay. both of you were in this room when Bonner was shot." " We'll both scram if you feel that way." " Yeah, in a hurry, too." "No." "I didn't mean it." "I'm upset, worried." "She's alone in there." "who's she talking to?" "More spooks." "I may have to disappear." "I'll need your help." " How do you like that?" " She's really scared, Tom." "I wonder why." " I've got to hide this gun." " Hide it?" "why?" "Just in case she talks too much." "You heard her." "She's going to scram with a couple of spooks." " I've got to tell Pop." " Me, too." "No." "Pop wants you to stay here." "My goodness." "Abracadabra." "I can't even pop my fingers." "Abracadabra." "Come on." "Get hold of yourself, man." "A scrambled egg has got more spirit than you." "Spirit." "Spook." " what are you doing up there?" " I hid my gun." "Let her try and get me in trouble." "Now I'm hearing things and there ain't nothing to hear." "On second thought, there ain't nobody here." "I never heard of such." "She's got enough trouble without you doing that." "I've Just got to make that work." " Abracadabra." " Shut up." "Yes, sir." "That did it." "You are about to Leave?" "Mr. Chan, I've been about to leave ever since I arrived here." "Birmingham, you know Pop doesn't believe that... we heard Justine talking to spooks." "That's the truth, Mr. Chan." "And now the spooks is talking to me." "You do not like being legal bloodhound?" "I Just can't be one, Mr. Chan." "I'm too anemic." "I'm practically pale." "That's me." " Mrs. Bonner at home?" " No, sir." "Good. we'll take look around." "You know after being here, I could have... an elegant time in a cemetery... reading tombstones at midnight." "Pop says spooks can't hurt you if you... cross your fingers and your eyes." "Cross your fingers and your eyes." "I wonder where he gets that at?" "Cross your fingers and your eyes." "I'm going to try that." "Cross your fingers and your eyes." "I'm going to cross town, that's what I'm going to do." "Cross your fingers and your eyes." "Remain here on watch." "why am I going so fast and ain't going nowhere?" "I'm going to be scared stiff when I get there." "Supposed spirit of Mrs. Edwards first appear where?" "From that cabinet." "You care for visit to spirit world?" "Step inside." "Gosh, Pop." "How did you figure this out?" "Have had past experience with séance room cabinets." " Pop!" " what's the matter?" "That's spirit's got too much spirit." "It chased me." "will chase same right back again." "Look, Pop." "It's Mrs. Edwards." "Very low spirits in Bonner séances." "All come from basement." "Mr. Chan, better not stay in there too long." "Mr. Chan, you..." "The spooks got him." "Also most modern spooks." "They converse with Mrs. Bonner by microphone." "Speaking from here, I am spook." "You are?" "Birmingham, we'll be right back." "Mr. Chan, if you is dead, stay wherever you are." "You two disappeared from inside of there." "Did you say "abracadabra" or snap your fingers?" "No, merely use head." "we are here uninvited guests." "Keep watch for return of hostess." " Here she comes." " And here I go." "Duck, Pop." "She's back." "Chasing murderers is exciting, isn't it?" "It's the easiest way of being scared to death that I know of." "Excellent deduction, Birmingham." "There are spirits here." "what am I going do?" "Abracadabra." "I got to cross my eyes." "Spirits cannot kill." "Mr. Bonner shot by someone at séance table." " No, no one could have." " No?" "You need hands to shoot." "And we were all holding each other's hands... when Mr. Bonner was shot." " That's the truth." " No, it isn't." "Justine's a fake." "She had her hands free to work the lights." "She could have used a gun." "I will not have my husband and my profession insulted." "Please." "Shady business do not make for sunny life." "I believe time for everyone to cool off." "Anyone here know who own this fan?" "let me see that fan." " It's Just like one of mine." " Yours?" "Yes." "You know, I make fans." "Trick fans and magician supplies." " You not make this one." " Let me have a look at that." "I don't see what fan has got to do with it." "You recognize fan, Mrs. Bonner?" "No." "I find same underneath séance table." "I'm stumped." "For moment, I'm in similar position." "One murder, too many suspects." "Too many people have motive." "Mr. Hamlin have motive." "Mr. Bonner try to blackmail him." "So I wasn't the only fool to be blackmailed." "Miss Green." "Mr. Bonner making love to Miss Green." "Yes, and I fell for it and later got blackmailed." "You, Mrs. Bonner." "You threaten bodily harm to your husband... if he not cease his attentions to Miss Green." "That's not true." " It is." "I heard you." " So did I." "Your daughter was there, what about her?" "beauty of Chan family merely innocent bystander." "So was I." "Magic." "black magic kills William Bonner." "Seems most strange... that you, Mr. Edwards, are maker of magicians' supplies." "That will be all for moment." " Mr. Chan." " Yes." "At the séance, someone asked a question about London." ""what happened on night of October 5th, 1935?" Yes." "I was in London, then." "You know answer to strange question?" "No. but the voice that asked it seemed familiar somehow." "There's a name connected with that voice right on the tip... of my tongue... but I simply can't remember it." "Most important clue." "Try, please, remember soon as possible." "Charlie, how did you figure this out?" "You forget." "I am psychic." "Excuse, please." "Go on." "I dare you to laugh." "what are you looking for, Mr. Chan?" "Searching for bullet that killed Bonner." "All we can do now is wait for reactions." "Then we'll make the final test." "Tomorrow?" "by tomorrow we'll know if your theory about a bullet that... kills and disappears is correct." "Thank you so much, Mr. Dawson." "It's been a pleasure working with you, sir." "Pop, I Just called the hotel." "The clerk said..." "Miss Duncan is waiting to see you." "Okay." "Seems we arrived too late." "Miss Duncan already gone." "but the clerk said it was important that she see you." "Turn on lights." "Is she dead, Pop?" " No." " She's not asleep, is she?" "Impossible." "Sleep in this... what's it all about, Pop?" "Seems we arrive in time after all." "Miss Duncan supposed to be dead when we get here." "what happened?" "Get down." "There's no one in the hall." "The elevators are down a whole floor." "No one on fire escape." "Hall door open to make us look that way." "You mean to say the murderer was in the bedroom all the time?" "Open door is old trick of magician who never... let you follow what he is doing." "She's like someone in a trance." "Miss Duncan." "wake up." "Mr. Chan, what a surprise." " what am I doing here?" " You came to see me, Miss Duncan." "No, I didn't." "but the clerk said you did." "You told him you wanted to see Pop." "but I didn't." "You don't believe me." "I believe you, Miss Duncan." "Tell me, you remember anything more about... strange question concerning London?" "Question?" "London?" "I can't remember anything right now." "Never mind." "You will return home with Mr. Rafferty." "why should he accompany me?" "To see that you get home safely." "Don't let her out of your sight." "what do we do now?" "You go to bed." "I must send cablegram... to Scotland Yard." "Good night." "Good night, Pop." "Mr. Bonner's bank statements did not show... that he blackmailed you." "That's what you say." "Very well." "You leave us no recourse but the law." "All right." "Meet me at the Berkeley building... tomorrow at 11:00, I'II see..." "Excuse, Mrs. Bonner." "would like to ask you few questions." "Surprised to see you, Miss Green and Mr. Hamlin." "we are here on business alone, I assure you." " Yes. we were Just going." " So sorry." "On night of fatal séance, someone ask... what happened in London on night of October 5th, 1935." "You know meaning of question?" "No, I have no idea what it meant." "why you so nervous?" "I'm not nervous." "I'm Just upset." "That voice was like one from the dead." "Dead?" "You can explain?" "No." "I mean, I can't." "Mr. Chan, those people upset me." "Please, Mr. Chan, excuse me." "Certainly." "Mr. Chan sure scared her, didn't he?" "She's got something on her... conscience, and Pop's after it." "I'm going out to do something very important... to me, and to you and Vera." "Yeah?" "what do you mean?" "when I return, I'm making a getaway." "Go on. we're listening." "You've got to help me." "You'll be well paid." "You hear that?" "She's gabbing with the ghosts again." "That's all for now." "I'II be back soon." " what's she up to?" " I think I'II take a walk." " what are you going to do?" " Dry up on the dramatics." "You stay here and I'II be back real soon." "Come on. we have to follow her." "No. where trouble's going, I'm ain't chasing it." "Stay here, then, with the spooks." "wait a minute. wait until I get under my hat." "Trouble, trouble, and more trouble." "where is my vitamins?" "Just let me get some of my vitamins." "Let them spooks come on." "Shut my mouth." "If you all heard me, I was only kidding." "Excuse." " Good news, Mr. Chan?" " Excellent news." "All right. what's going on now?" "Merely discover what kind of bullet killed Mr. Bonner." "what?" "will someone explain what's going on?" "This doesn't tell what kind of a bullet it was." "Say that again." "And I Just saw Mr. Edwards." "He was acting very strangely." "Yes, thanks. we'll attend to it." "That was Norma Duncan." "She says Edwards is on the 7th floor of the..." "Berkeley building, acting strangely." "Let's go." "About that bullet?" " You can keep secret?" " Of course." "So can I." "Down, please." "She ain't on this floor." "Thank goodness." "Charlie, that's funny." "Miss Duncan phones and says Edwards is here acting strangely." "but his secretary says he hasn't been here all morning." "You think Miss Duncan tell untruth?" " I..." " Pop!" "we followed Mrs. Bonner to this building and lost her." "One moment." "Pop, that's Mrs. Bonner's glove." "Not there now." "She said she was making a getaway when she got back." "with the spooks." "Come forward, Mrs. Bonner." "Paper!" "Look." "Come a little closer, Mrs. Bonner." "More this way." "Just a little more, Mrs. Bonner." "I think she's going to Jump." "Don't Jump!" "Pop, those clothes." "That's Mrs. Bonner." "Call an ambulance, somebody." "All right, keep moving." "Get out of here." "Go on." "Out of here." "Go on, keep moving." " Come on, everybody." " Go on now." "I guess that closes the Bonner case." "wish lady's coat removed immediately." "what for?" "Large stain on same must be analyzed at once." "All right, Rafferty." "It's what we figured, Mr. Chan." " Minasterol." " Absolutely." "It's a derivative of the powerful shock drug." "Have never heard of antidote for such drug." "There is one." "Just a moment." "One of these pills will reduce the effects of... minasterol to impotency." "How long it take antidote to work?" "I haven't had a chance to make any tests... but I should say it would work within 10 to 15 minutes." "what is effect of this new drug?" "A few minutes after taking it, there would seem... to be no effects whatever." "but actually, it leaves a person with no... mental or physical resistance." "Such person could be easily hypnotized?" "Such a person would be the most easily controlled... subject a hypnotist ever had." "A normal person can resist any hypnotist... but after taking minasterol, they haven't a chance." "Thank you so much, Mr. Dawson." " Hello, Charlie." " Hello." "You question Mr. Hamlin,..." "Mr. Edwards, and Miss Green?" "Yes." "And they all had solid alibis." "Anyway this case is ended without any of your fancy detecting." "Case ended?" "Sure." "Mrs. Bonner killed her husband." "And then when she found that I... we were getting too close, she committed suicide." "So sorry." "Your suicide most excellent case of murder." "Murder?" "Mrs. Bonner killed by same person who kill her husband." "what?" "Pop, I went shopping this afternoon." "wait till the folks back home see me." "I'II knock their eyes out." "You are perhaps pugilist?" "Silly, I mean my clothes." "I brought a crownless hat, a backless dress,... and some toeless shoes." "Stores have no clothes which are complete?" "That's the style." "Just wait until the boys see me." "Can imagine what happen." "Pop, what was that?" "New toot out of old horn." "what are you taking pills for?" "bring same by mistake from police station." "Should have left in laboratory." "will you get me police station, please?" "You know, Pop." "I got an idea about this Bonner case." "water on brain now leaking?" "Hello." "This Charlie Chan speaking." "Have cablegram arrived for me from Scotland Yard?" "No?" "Thank you very much." "Good night." "Okay, Mr. Dawson, thanks." " Pop's not at the laboratory?" " No." "And he isn't in the building." "I know he's not with Matthews, or at theB place." "I'm scared. we've got to find him." "I'II help, but where can we go?" "wait a minute." "when Mr. Chan was here, he said something about... hypnotism." "Does that mean anything?" "He said something about going to where she started from." "who is "she"?" "Mrs. Bonner." "Maybe Pop's at the office she went to." "Come on." "Relax, Mr. Chan." "Relax." "My heart." "Pill." "You have the pill, Mr. Chan?" "Pocket." "You may take a pill, Mr. Chan." "but do not try anything foolish." "There is water at your hand." "There was minasterol in that water." "Now we can go to work, Mr. Chan." "Relax, Mr. Chan." "Remember nothing but what you have been told." "Remember, you go to the roof of the Chalmat building." "And when you hear my voice, you know what you are to do?" "Come forward... to you." "Have no fear, Mr. Chan." "No one will touch you." "You will start on your Journey now." "Your hat, Mr. Chan." "we made it that fast, Miss Chan, it's only 10:30." "It's open." "Somebody's been here, but I don't think Mr. Chan did this." "Down, please." "I guess Pop didn't come here." "Look." "Pop was here." "Come on, we'll check with the elevator operators." "Did you take a Chinese man down lately?" "Just now." "He acted like he was walking in his sleep." "Mrs. Bonner rode down with me, acting the same way." "All right." "Down, fast." "Come forward, Mr. Chan." "All the way up." "Police." "More this way, Mr. Chan." "Come a little closer, Mr. Chan." "Move quietly." "Pop!" "Get back." "Murderer on roof." "believe too late now to catch killer." "Must remember to tell Dawson... his timing for antidote all wrong." "Come." "Looks like a magician had this place." "Edwards across the hall, he sells magician supplies." "Could look for fingerprints... but I'm afraid magician killer too smart to leave any." "what do we do next?" "Mr. Chan, I almost forgot." "This came this morning." "Perhaps cablegram report from Scotland Yard." "Tonight Charlie Chan hold séance." "You, Pop?" "will bring to earth ghost which kill Justine and William Bonner." "Come." "I knew we'd get in bad hanging around here." "Sit on your blood pressure and keep it down." "Don't let the cops in Justine's place worry you." "In her place?" "There's a cop on our front steps... and one in the back, too." " what will we do?" " Take it easy, Vera." " Get into your outfit." " what?" "we'll slip through the séance room and hide in..." "Justine's place right under their noses." "Come on." "Here." "Sergeant, you will sit there, please." "Special séance about to proceed." "will be very short." "what's the meaning of all this foolishness?" "Very soon will bring forth most exclusive spirits." "Your spirits are a long time coming, Mr. Chan." "Spirits always have very long way to come." " what do we do now?" " I heard Rafferty." "That you, Sarge?" "You find any spirits, Mr. Rafferty?" "Not at home now, Mr. Chan." "Remain where you are few moments longer." "Excuse, please." "No, you don't." "Come out." "You." "Outside." "No." "Please." "wish to converse with elusive spooks." "Remove hoods, please." "The spooks has done stopped knocking, and now... they've come all the way in." "No one goes out." "It's got to work this time." "Abracadabra." "Disappear." "Abracadabra." "Disappear." "You can't make anything disappear by snapping your fingers." "No?" "How come every time I snap my fingers... and say, "come seven"... all my money disappears?" "You are Vera and Tom Stocky." "Yes." "That's the truth, Mr. Chan." "we were assistants to magicians before vaudeville died." "Know any people in this room?" "No. we've only seen them in the dark." "That's the truth." "Come." "Stand there, please." "Mr. Rafferty may leave now." "Coming up, Mr. Chan." "No, that don't work." "Come seven." "I made it." "where did I go?" "Oh, my goodness." "I done forgot the magic word." "Birmingham." "Mr. Chan, you sure did lose some weight." "Birmingham, remain still and silent." "Yes, sir." "Séance begin with word-association test." "when you hear me speak word... person addressed will reply with... first word which comes to mind." "Person upon whom light falls will speak." " Magician." " Supplies." "5:18." "Train." "Bonner." "Dead." "Revenge?" "No." " Magician." " Trickster." " October." " Month." "Bullet." "Gun." " London." " City." "1935." "Year." " London." " England." "Cigar." "Cold." " Case." " Icy." "Charlie, what is all this?" "Almost solved." "Killer made slip." "Something wrong with lights." "what was that?" "There's a bullet hole in this chair." "but bullet did not go entirely through chair." "You work lights very well." "For helping me illuminate dark mystery..." "I now make you Junior member of the firm." "Motive for murder is explained in this cablegram... which I received from Scotland Yard." "During automobile accident, which occur in London... on night of October 5th, 1935... a famous magician known as Shardo... the Great is horribly injured." "Shardo, that was the name of the voice." "Exactly." "He tried to kill you because he fear you remember his name." "Shardo was pursuing his wife, Justine... who was running away with his assistant, William Bonner." "Then accident occurred." "Shardo remain in hospital for over a year." "I heard he died, Mr. Chan." "No." "Shardo recover... but now, through plastic surgery, he is utterly unrecognizable." "So he determine to find and kill Justine and William Bonner." "And Shardo succeed." "Look, Charlie." "Now there's blood on the chair." "Explanation of why no bullet found in body of William Bonner." "bullet made of frozen blood." "Shardo the Great was very clever." "He was magician, ventriloquist... actor, and hypnotist." "but he could hardly expect to fool the police forever." "Could he, Mr. Hamlin?" "what?" "why?" "How should I know?" "That's it." "He touched my hand with that case and the thing nearly froze me." "Mr. Shardo, you are wanted for murder." "I'm not being taken, Chan." "It is unavoidable, Shardo." "Look out, Charlie." "Cigar case contain spring gun." "My own make." "Clever?" "I carry it in an insulated pocket." " Take him away, Sergeant." " Come on." "Thank you so much for your patience." "Thank goodness." "Séance over." "All may depart." "what about me?" "Birmingham." "You may come up now." "which way is up?" "Charlie, if Shardo, or Hamlin, was holding hands at the séance... how did he shoot Bonner?" "Old trick of third hand." "One moment, I show you." "You see?" "Hamlin let other person hold this hand... while he have one hand free now to fire strange gun." "Then to get rid of it, he Just hung it on the drape." "Exactly." "Like magician, he make it disappear before your very eyes." "Where am I now?" "Excuse, please." " Is the police gone now?" " Yes." "what's the matter, Birmingham?" "Don't you feel good?" "I feel fine now." "I took some of my vitamin pills." " what vitamin pills?" " These here." "There's a lot of pep in them." "You eat those pills and still feel good?" "Feel good?" "Ain't nothing the matter with me." "Of course, I got a little permanent wave in my stomach... but I don't hear those spooks rapping no more." "You were fooling me." "You're not psychic at all." "You're sure?" "Charlie, there's another one." "beauty of Chan family." "Also a Junior member with the brains." "what?"