"." "Operator?" "Operator?" "Operator?" ""Your call, please?"" "I've been ringing Murray Hill 3-5097 for the last half-hour and the line is busy, will you ring it for me, please?" ""Murray Hill 3-5097." "One moment, please."" "My husband's office." "He should have been home hours ago." "I can't think what's keeping him or why the wire should be busy." "They always close at 6 o'clock." ""Ringing Murray Hill 3-5097." Thank you." "(ENGAGED TONE)" "(SIGHS) (PHONE CLICKS)" ""Hello, hello?"" "Hello, Mr Stevenson please." ""Hello?"" "I want to speak to Mr Henry Stevenson." ""Hello, George?" Hello, who is this?" ""I got your message, George, everything OK for tonight?"" ""Everything's OK -"" "Excuse me, what's going on here?" "I'm using this wire." ""Still 11:15, George?" "11:15 is right."" ""Got it all straight now, I hope?" "Yeah, I think so."" ""At 11:00 the private patrolman" ""goes to the bar on Second Avenue for a beer."" ""Then I get in through the kitchen window."" ""Then I wait until the train goes over the bridge," ""in case her window is open and she should scream."" "Oh, hello?" "Who is this?" ""I forgot to ask you, still don't wanna use the gun?"" ""Nah, but make it quick," ""our client says he doesn't wish to make her suffer long."" ""OK, George, don't worry, there won't be any slip up, you know me."" ""Don't forget to take rings and bracelets, jewellery in the drawer."" ""Our client wishes to make it look like simple robbery."" ""Simple robbery, that's very important."" ""OK, OK."" ""Let me just check the address again."" ""It's..." (CUTS OFF)" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "!" ""Your call, please?" You've just given me a wrong number." ""I'm sorry, madam, what number were you calling?"" "I was calling Murray Hill 3-5097, my husband's office." "Instead I was cut into some other number that you dialled, the wires must have crossed." "I've just heard the most dreadful thing." "A murder." ""Yes, madam."" "I want you to get that wrong number back for me at once." ""I'm sorry, madam, I do not understand."" "You dialled a number for me, just a moment ago, Murray Hill 3-5097." "It was busy for so long and I asked you to get it and you did." "Then those horrible men came on..." "It's unnerved me dreadfully, I'm an invalid " ""I will connect you with the chief operator." Please." ""Operator."" "Chief operator, I'm an invalid and I've had a dreadful shock tonight over the telephone." "I'm very anxious to trace the call." "It was about a murder." "A terrible cold blooded murder of a poor, innocent woman at 11:15." "I was trying to reach my husband's office." "He should have been home hours ago." "I'm all alone tonight." "My nurse has the night off because my husband had promised, he'd sworn, he'd be home by 6 o'clock." "I don't know any of the neighbours as we live permanently in Chicago." "It so happens that the couple I have working for me had some important date or other, a movie I suppose." "They said it was promised them three weeks ago." "You'd have thought they'd check with me before leaving, had some realisation of my condition." "I've been ringing the bell for nearly an hour, hoping they'd come back and there isn't a sound downstairs, not a sound." ""Yes, madam."" "As a say, when I kept getting the busy signal in my husband's office," "I naturally dialled the operator and told her to try it and she did." "Then, out of a clear sky," "I was cut into this ghastly conversation between two killers." "Now, I'd like you to trace it for me at once." ""Well, madam, that depends." Depends on what?" ""On whether they've stopped talking."" "Of course they've stopped talking by now!" "It was just a short call." "They weren't exactly gossiping." ""What are your reasons for having this call -"" "Reasons?" "!" "Do I have to have a reason when I overhear two murderers?" "Isn't it obvious?" "Look here, my good woman, you probably don't understand but a human being, a woman, is going to be killed somewhere, somewhere in this very city." "This murder is going to take place tonight, tonight at 11:15." "Isn't that a good enough reason?" ""I quite understand, madam," ""but I suggest you turn this information over to the police."" "For heaven's sakes, all this idiotic red-tape!" "You just sit there and let people die!" ""Your call, please?" Give me the police." ""Yes madam, ringing the police department."" "Tick-tock, tick-tock." "Listen to the big tick-tock." "(PHONE RINGS) Isn't that nice?" "That's better." "Say, maybe that's your mom calling for you." "(BABY WHINES)" "Precinct 17." "Duffy speaking." "Yes?" "Oh, yes, Mrs Stevenson." "I remember you." "What?" "You what?" "A murder?" "Yes, go ahead." "But there's lots of people by the name of George." "As for the private patrolman on Second Avenue and the bridge," "Second Avenue is a very long street." "And do you happen to know how many bridges there are in New York alone?" "Not to mention Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and the Bronx." "Telephones are very funny things." "Look, lady, a lot of murders are committed every day, if we could stop them, we would." "A clue of this kind is so vague, it's not much more use to us than no clue at all." "Unless you think there's something phoney about it and somebody's planning to murder you." "Me?" "Of course not." "That would be ridiculous." "Why should anybody " "You see, madam, there's nothing for you to worry about." "If you'll excuse me, please." ""Just a minute!"" "(BABY CRIES)" "Will you please excuse me, ma'am, for just one second." "Darling, be a good girl." "Everything's gonna be alright." "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I've got other things here on my desk that require my immediate attention." "Good night, ma'am" "Alright, don't listen!" "Who cares?" "Henry." "Oh, Henry, why do you leave me alone?" "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" ""Is this Plaza 5-1098?" Yes." ""I have a person to person call for Mrs Henry Stevenson."" ""Chicago is calling." (DISAPPOINTED) Oh." "This is Mrs Stevenson." ""One moment, please."" ""Go ahead, sir."" ""Hello, Leona?" Hello, Dad." "That you sweetie?" "(MUSIC IN BACKGROUND)" "How's my girl tonight?" ""What are you doing, Dad?" What's that?" ""Can you talk?" If I can talk?" "Sure, sweetheart." "Go ahead, I can talk." "A murder?" "Tonight at 11:15?" "Did you call the police?" "How come?" "Where's Henry?" "Where's your nurse?" "Henry told her she could, did he?" "Then why didn't he come home?" "Business?" "What business?" "Didn't I tell him time and again his first consideration is to you?" "I'll worry about the business." "When the guy hasn't another responsibility in the world and just because I'm not around to check upon him." "Just forget about it." "It may be just a gag." "A couple of actors maybe, on a radio programme." ""Radio?" "Radio programme?" Sometimes happens." "No need to worry your head on a hot night like this." "Honey,everybody" "Oh." "Pardon me." "I wish you'd get the whole thing over with and come home." "House is like a morgue without you." "OK dear, I won't keep you." "I just wanted to check up as usual." ""You'll call me tomorrow?" Yes dear, tomorrow night, same time." "And pet, tell Henry to call me at the office tomorrow morning." "I'll have a talk with him." "(CLOCK CHIMES)" "Number 99, 99." "Number 17, 1-7." "Telephone call for Miss Elizabeth Jennings." "OK." "There's a telephone call for Miss Elizabeth Jennings." "Number 46." "Miss Elizabeth Jennings is wanted on the phone." "Number 23, 23." "23!" "All I need now is 14 or 65." "Miss Jennings." "Just a second, please." "We're getting pretty close now, ladies." "Pretty close to that super electric blanket, donated by Bollcomb's Drug Store." "The next number is..." "You're wanted on the phone." "Mrs Stevenson." "Number 59." "Bingo!" "Oh, baloney!" "May I check those numbers please?" "What were you saying?" "Mrs Stevenson wants to speak to you." "She said it's very important." "Mrs Stevenson?" "Why for heaven's sakes didn't you say so?" "(CAT MEWS)" "Hello?" "I beg your pardon, Mrs Stevenson, I had no idea." "You're the last person on earth I'd ever keep waiting." ""Mr Stevenson isn't home." Mr Stevenson not home?" ""Do you know where he is?" Why, no, I don't." ""He was due to come home hours ago."" "That is odd, isn't it?" "Last time I saw him he was leaving to keep an appointment." ""Where?" No, I don't know where, but I do know he had a lunch date with a young lady." ""Yes, rather good-looking."" ""She came into the office this morning," ""said her name was Lord." "Mrs Frederick Lord."" ""Seemed very anxious to see him, waited for him at least two hours."" "Mr Stevenson, someone to see you." "Some other time." "I told you, I'm busy today." "Hello, Henry." "Don't you remember me?" "Why, sure, sure." "Now, what do you know?" "Come in, won't you?" ""Yes, that's just the way he greeted her, Mrs Stevenson."" ""He didn't seem to be expecting her" ""but I'm sure she was somebody of importance to him."" ""Unfortunately I couldn't hear much of what they said."" ""The conversation wasn't very long."" ""I do know that he made a date to meet her later."" "I'll be there in about an hour, ask for Maurice." "Thank you." "I'll be there." ""I don't know why, but he didn't leave with her."" "I'll be back later this afternoon." "If anyone calls, take the message." "I'll be in touch with you." "Yes, Mr Stevenson." ""I don't know where he went after that," ""all I know is I never saw or heard from him again all day."" ""It was 6:30 when I went home."" ""I was practically the last to leave except for Jimmy, the porter."" ""No, he didn't even come back to get his messages."" ""There was only one."" ""Some man on Staten Island who keeps calling him every week."" ""A Mr Evans." "Regular pest he is too."" "On the other hand, it's not unusual for Mr Stevenson to stay away all day." "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." "Now, Mrs Stevenson, I hope I haven't let any cat out of the bag." "I'm sure it was all quite harmless." "Mr Stevenson seems so devoted, speaks so beautifully of you." "Did you like the flowers this week?" "I had the feeling " "I mean I thought camellias might be sweet, for a change, you know?" "(HANGS UP)" "(MUSIC PLAYS)" "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" ""Mr Stevenson please."" "He's not in, who's calling?" ""This is Mr Evans." "When -" He should be here any minute." ""Do you know where I could reach -"" "I don't know where Mr Stevenson is." "Call back later." ""Would 15 minutes be alright?"" ""I'm leaving the city before midnight."" "Alright, 15 minutes." ""Thank you." "And you'll tell him I called, in case he comes in?"" "Yes." ""Evans." "It's very important."" "Yes, alright." "(PHONE RINGS) Hello, this is the Lord residence." ""I'd like to speak to Mrs Lord, please."" "Mrs Lord, one moment, please." "That for me, Pete?" "No, a lady for Mommy." "I don't know why you're not asleep." "Sally, will you do something about Peter still being up?" "Where was I?" "Oh, yes. "That the said Henry Stevenson did..."" "Is that Bayonne or Cicero there?" "Bayonne." "The Bayonne Plant of the Cotterell Corporation." ""Headquarters on Staten Island?"" ""20... 20 Dunstan Terrace, Staten Island."" "Hello?" ""Hello, Mrs Lord?"" "Yes , this is she." ""This is Mrs Henry Stevenson."" ""I don't believe we've met" ""but I understand you saw my husband this afternoon." Yes, yes." ""It so happens, Mrs Lord, my husband hasn't come home this evening."" ""I can't locate him, I thought perhaps you might give me some idea."" "Oh, yes." ""I can't hear you, Mrs Lord." "Will you speak up a little?"" "Certainly." "I..." ""Is anything wrong?"" ""You're not keeping something from me?"" "Oh no, no." "Could I call you back, please?" ""Call back, why?" Because I..." "It's my bridge day, you know." ""What has bridge got to do with it?"" ""Excuse me but I don't understand you at all."" "I'm sorry" " Then... there's that excursion to Roton Point." ""Roton Point?" Who is it?" ""Mrs Lord, are you trying to make fun of me?"" ""Just in case you don't happen to know, I'm a hopeless invalid."" "I'll give you the recipe." ""What are you talking about?"" ""Is my husband there with you?" "Is he?" "Tell me the truth."" "It's three eggs separated, two measuring cups of milk, a third of a cup of shortening." "Then cream the shortening with a little sugar, add a liberal table spoon of flour." "(Leona, just a minute.)" "(This is Sally, Sally Hunt, Leona.)" "Sally?" "Sally Hunt?" "I'm sorry to be so ridiculous but I can't talk now." "You want me to ask Daddy to stop typing, so you can talk better?" "Darling, please go to sleep." "Alright, Mom." "It's impossible for me to explain but I'll call you back." "Sally!" "Sally!" "Now where's she gone?" "Sally!" "Yes, dear." "I thought you'd gone out again." "Joe would like a bottle of beer, got any on ice?" "No, Fred, I don't believe so but I'll go down to the store." "OK, honey." "Thanks, Sally." "Let's see, where were we?" "Start a new paragraph." "Sally Hunt." "(ORCHESTRA MUSIC)" ""Sally Hunt."" "May I cut in?" "You don't mind, do you, Sally?" "It's an old Spanish custom, the hag line." "I'm Leona Cotterell." "What's your name?" "This is Mr Henry Stevenson." "Hello Henry, shall we dance?" "Miss, where I come from it's the man who does the picking." "Alright, go ahead." "Why don't you get somebody your own speed?" "I'm sure there are better dancers around." "You'll do alright, Henry." "Leona knows her way around the floor." "You say your name was Cotterell?" "Yes, that's right." "Drug company called Cotterell, Don't suppose there's a connection?" "I'm afraid there is." "My father owns it." "You mean..." "JB Cotterell?" "Anything wrong with that?" "No, it's just I've always pictured JB Cotterell as a walking tube of toothpaste." "What do they call you, the Aspirin Heiress?" "No, I believe it's the Cough Drop Queen." "You know, there's nothing wrong with your dancing." "Do you do a lot of it?" "Not at places like this." "You're from out of town?" "Depends what you call out of town." "Oh, I don't know..." "Harvard?" "Are you trying to be funny?" "OK, what do you call out of town?" "Grassville." "What college is up there?" "No college." "Just steel pipes and mica parts." "I'm sorry, I didn't know." "That's alright." "To be frank, I never finished high school, not that I wouldn't have liked to." "Neither did my father." "He never got past the seventh grade." "You don't say?" "My father always says," ""If a man hasn't any talent for making money," ""college won't knock it in to him." "If he has a talent for making money," ""why should he waste his time in college?"" "There's something in that too." "Your old man ought to know when it comes to making money." "(SONG ENDS / APPLAUSE)" "I'll be getting along now." "Just a minute." "What do you say we sit in the next one out?" "Sit it out, what for?" "I've got my own car off campus." "It's a Lagonda." "I just got it from Europe." "Did you ever drive one?" "Never heard of it." "Besides, Sally's probably looking for me." "What difference does that make?" "This is a public dance, isn't it?" "Don't worry, she'll never miss you." "Oh yeah?" "What about me missing her?" "Did that idea ever strike you?" "Don't be silly." "For once I'm not kidding." "Neither am I." "So long, Miss Cotterell." "I'm sorry I can't oblige that Lagonda or whatever you call it." "Sally Hunt." "I'd never put the two of you together in a million years." "Why?" "You're both so different." "You belong in different worlds." "You don't belong here in Grassville, Henry." "What makes you say that?" "Just a feeling." "I've been around a good deal and I think I can spot the real thing a mile away." "Isn't that Grassville over there, Henry?" "Yes." "I guess we'd better turn around." "Why?" "It's nice here." "Think so?" "Stick around a few years and see how much you like it." "(MUSIC PLAYS)" "Henry, that woman back there who opened the door for me, was she your mother?" "My mother's dead." "That's strange, so is mine." "She died when I was born." "What was your mother like?" "I don't know." "You mean she died young too?" "She died last year." "But I never knew her." "All she ever was to me was just a line of wet clothes hung across the kitchen." "A mess of greasy pots and pans piled in the sink." "All I ever saw of her was..." "yellow soap and a mop and her old run-over shoes standing in the closet." "It's funny, I guess, but when I saw her lying there on the undertaking parlour last year, she seemed to me like somebody I hardly knew." "I don't know why I'm telling you all this, there's nothing pretty or nice about my life anyway." "Cigarette?" "Thanks." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "What do you do here in Grassville, Henry?" "I have a job." "A meal ticket until I can save enough to get out of here." "What kind of a job?" "I work in a drugstore." "A drugstore?" "!" "That is a coincidence." "Heck of a coincidence(!" ")" "I work in a drugstore and your father owns 100 of them." "Would you like to meet him, Henry?" "Who are you kidding?" "Nobody." "I think Dad will like you very much." "You're young, healthy, ambitious." "You probably know the drug business upside-down." "I wouldn't say that, Leona." "Leona?" "That's nice." "Call me Leona again." "I just work in a drugstore, that's a different thing." "But I like you." "That's a different thing too." "Like me, like you." "Come on, we're acting like a couple of kids playing cat and mouse." "Besides what does a dame like you want with a guy like me?" "May I?" "Dad is coming to New York on business next weekend." "I'm cutting my classes on Saturday." "Want to come with me?" "I... don't quite know how to say it, Leona " "Say it and get it over with." "I'm leaving in a few minutes." "You've been seeing a lot of Henry, haven't you?" "Yes, what about it?" "I felt that I ought to warn you." "Warn me?" "Henry is not the kind of man to play around with." "Don't play around with him any more." "Who says I'm playing around with him?" "He's just not your type." "You know it as well as I do." "I like your nerve." "Henry's poor, Leona, he's been bitterly poor all his life." "I know that wouldn't have matter to some boys but it does matter to him." "I've known him all my life." "Henry's father was a drunkard." "He'd work one day and drink up every penny in the house the next." "There were eight children." "So?" "What does all this got to do with the price of eggs?" "Leona, don't turn his head, or he'll never be able to find himself again." "You mean you can't stand the competition." "That's not the point." "Apple sauce, in case you don't know," "I happen to think a great deal of Henry Stevenson." "He's much too good for that town." "I never said he wasn't." "If I wanna make something of him, show him a good time, introduce him to people, that's my business." "If I want to marry him, that's my business too." "Marry him?" "You don't mean that." "You couldn't possibly." "Why couldn't I?" "Because..." "Because I happen to be in love with him, Leona." "So am I and I don't go around rationalising my emotions either." "When I want something, I fight for it." "And I usually manage to get it." "The fellow has nothing, no background, no education, no training." "What did you have when you started in Amarillo, Texas?" "Look, I've spent money on your education, taken you abroad, given you everything." "What do you want to throw yourself away for?" "I love him." "Love him?" "Come on." "If I really thought you did, I'd be the first to " "What's the matter?" "You make me laugh." "Why don't you be honest with yourself just once?" "What does it matter to you if I love him or not?" "You want me to stay home here with you for the rest of your life." "Honey, what parent doesn't want to hold on to his child until she has something better?" "You've become so dependent on me, you won't be happy until I feel the same way about you!" "What are you talking about?" "Haven't I always let you do anything you wanted to do?" "Marriage is something else." "I've worked hard, built up a big business just for you." "You wouldn't want to see some worthless cluck of a husband " "Leave me alone!" "Leona, don't " "You're thinking only of yourself and your business." "You're hateful, selfish and hateful!" "Leona, don't, please be calm you'll make yourself sick." "What good is your wonderful money and business if I'm dead?" "That's what you want to do, drive me into my grave." "You don't care as long as your business is safe!" "Leona, how can you say a thing like that?" "Don't touch me!" "Leona!" "I said don't touch me!" "Don't you dare touch me!" "Leona, darling." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." "We'll talk this over again, dearest, maybe we can work something out." "Leona." "Wilkins!" "# "Wedding March"" " Mendelssohn" "I, Leona, take thee, Henry." "I, Leona, take thee, Henry." "To my wedded husband." "To my wedded husband." "To have and to hold." "To have and to hold." "From this day forward." "From this day forward." "# Wedding March continues" "I, Leona, take thee, Henry." "I, Leona, take thee, Henry." "I, Leona, take thee, Henry." "Henry, hurry up darling." "I've reserved a table at Maxine's." "The opera starts at 7:30, you know how I hate being late." "In a minute, sweet heart." "Where is your wallet?" "My wallet, must be in my coat pocket." "Sally Hunt." "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" ""Hello?" "This is Sally again."" ""Sorry I had to be so mysterious, but I couldn't talk," ""my husband was there."" "It certainly was rather odd, to say the least." "This whole thing must seem very peculiar to you." "Hearing from me after all of these years." "But I had to see Henry again today." "I've been so worried about him." ""Worried?" "About what?"" "It's a little bit difficult for me to explain." ""About five weeks ago, Fred," ""he's my husband and he works in the District Attorney's office."" "Mmm... that's interesting." "What's interesting?" "Drink your milk, Peter." "What were you saying, dear?" "A funny coincidence I read in the paper, about an old boyfriend of yours." "What old boyfriend?" "Didn't you used to be stuck on a guy named Henry Stevenson?" "I used to know him, yes." "What's he done?" "Just got his picture in the paper." "He and his wife." ""Mr and Mrs Henry Stevenson, she's the former Leona Cotterell," ""Cough Drop Queen of Illinois," ""have taken a house for summer in New York."" ""Mrs Stevenson, in poor health for several years," ""is here to consult the eminent specialist, Dr Phillip Alexander."" ""Mr Stevenson is a Vice President" ""of the Cotterell Corporation of Chicago." Hmm." "A Cough Drop Queen." "That's funny." "Whoever heard of a Cough Drop Queen?" "He looks so different." "You think so?" "What are you saving it for?" "A case I'm working on just now." "Toast is burning." "Oh!" "Fred?" "Hm?" "I know it is supposed be a secret, but why did you tear out that clipping?" "What possible connection can Henry Stevenson have to you?" "No connection to me." "Just a hunch I'm working on right now." "What's it about?" "A special investigation I'm doing." "Henry hasn't done anything, has he?" "I'm sorry, honey, but that's one too many questions." "Say, don't tell me you're still stuck on the guy?" "Don't be silly." "(PHONE RINGS)" "Finished, Peter?" "Yes, Mom." "Lord speaking" "Yes, Joe." "Yeah." "Oh, you did?" "Oh, great." "How about Stevenson?" "Oh, yeah?" "Now, that's pretty good news." "He fell for it, eh?" "Sure we'll go, sure." "Tell Harpootlian to line it up." "Yes, 5,000's enough." "Have it in 100 dollar bills, be sure they're marked and keep your mouth shut, for Pete's sake." "OK." "Thursday?" "About 6:30." "South Ferry." "Right, Joe." ""You'll probably think it wasn't any of my business, Leona," ""and I suppose it wasn't." ""But anyway at 6:30 that next Thursday," ""I went down to South Ferry."" ""I don't know what I expected to see," ""as a matter of fact there wasn't much I could see at first," ""but obviously the stage was all set for something."" ""Joe, he's Fred closest friend and is on his staff was there."" ""There was another man with him."" ""I guess he was this Harpootlian they mentioned."" ""The one who was to bring the $5,000 in marked money."" "Are you sure Fred knows where we're supposed to meet him?" "There he is." "Sorry fellas, I'm a bit late." "Come on, let's go." ""It may all sound silly to you now, Leona," ""my spying on them and poking around like that."" ""But something told me I had to find out what was up."" ""I don't know, I still can't explain why but I..." ""I just followed them."" ""It was one of the weirdest days I've ever spent."" ""Have you ever been to Staten Island, Leona?"" ""Some parts of it, of course, are thickly settled."" ""But other parts seem to exist in a kind of dream," ""like the lonely beach we went to that day."" ""It was quite a desolate place, Leona, far out on the island."" ""No-one was inside except, yes," ""a young boy digging for clams by the water's edge."" ""Further down at the end of the beach," ""there was nothing but a few broken down shacks."" ""And back of them an old deserted house."" ""A second later I saw Fred and the other two men" ""walking up towards the end of a small road leading to the beach."" ""I couldn't quite make out if they talked to the clam digger or not."" ""Anyhow, they entered one of the shacks," ""that looked to me like an abandoned lunch stand."" ""It was then that my attention was drawn to the strange-looking house."" ""It looked absolutely empty," ""as though it hadn't been lived in for years."" ""And yet, Leona, a freshly painted sign was in front."" ""20 Dunstan Terrace." "It seemed to belong to somebody called Evans."" ""W Evans."" ""I waited there, watching." "I'd say for about an hour, Leona."" ""Nothing happened."" ""And then, just as I was beginning to think" ""it was all a wild goose chase, I saw something."" ""Something quite strange." (WHISTLES)" "(ELECTRICAL FLICKERING)" "(SPEEDBOAT)" ""They were in there for a good half hour."" ""When they finally came out, at first I didn't notice anything."" ""All I thought of was how to get out of their way" ""so they wouldn't see me as they were heading straight toward me."" ""When they got close and passed right in front of me," ""I saw Fred was carrying the briefcase."" ""I didn't see my husband until he came home late that night."" ""I was dying to ask what happened there" ""and what connection it could have with Henry."" ""But..." "I didn't dare."" "Now, unless we do something drastic it may be too late." ""Madam, your five minutes are up."" ""Please deposit 5 cents for the next five minutes."" "Just a minute, please, I know I have another nickel." "There." "Are you still there, Leona?" ""Yes, I'm here."" ""This is one of the queerest things I've ever heard."" "I know." "I just didn't seem to be able to connect to Henry with all this mysterious activity either." "That's why I went to see him today, to find out the truth from him." ""And did you?" Scarcely." "I'm sorry, it took longer than I thought," "I hope they took care of you." "Yes, thank you." "Maurice, two martinis, please." "Tell Louise I'm expecting a call, it's very important." "How've you been, Sally?" "It's been a long time." "Yes, Henry, eight years." "How's old Grassville these days?" "I don't know, I haven't been there for years." "Huh?" "Oh, you wanted to see me, Sally, what was it about?" "It isn't easy for me to explain." "I've thought about you a great deal in the past years, Henry and, well, yesterday - Two martinis, extra dry, as always." "Thank you." "Here's to good old Grassville." "Tell me about it, what's happening up there?" "I told you, Henry, I'm not living in Grassville." "I'm married now, I live in New York." "Married?" "Well, what do you say?" "Anybody I know?" "No, he's a lawyer." "He works in the district attorney's office on special assignments." "That's why I" " Pardon me, sir, would you like to order?" "No thanks, in a minute." "Maurice, who is that man sitting behind me?" "I don't know, Mr Stevenson, I'm sorry." "Thanks." "Forgive me, you were saying?" "Do you want something else?" "No, thank you." "If you don't mind, I'm kind of thirsty." "Henry, what I'm trying to say is this." "I saw you in the paper, about being Vice President of Cotterell." "Sounds beautiful, doesn't it?" "You are still married to Leona?" "Sure, still married, still live in Chicago." "Work for my father-in-law." "Biggest drug business in the country." "What do you do there, Henry?" "Push buttons, like other Vice Presidents." "I mean it seriously." "So do I, I'm the invoice King." "I supervise invoices made out on all stuff that goes into the Cotterell bilge." "Thousands of little OKs, made out on little pieces of paper." "Not to mention five carbon copies." "How about some food?" "Waiter." "Yes, sir?" "Tell Albert we're ready for lunch." "Henry, I only mean this for your own good." "My husband was making out a report yesterday " "Your call Mr Stevenson." "Oh, thank you." "Will excuse me, Sally?" "Order something, I'll be right back." ""I waited a while then -"" ""Please deposit 5 cents for the next five minutes."" "But I haven't got another nickel." "Leona, Leona, I have to call you back." "I only want to say Henry never came back from that telephone call." "He is in trouble, desperate trouble." "Fred's working on a report tonight." "The case seems to be coming to a head." "He's been telephoning." "I've heard him mention Henry's name over and over again." "There's someone else in it too." "Evans." ""Your five minutes are up, madam."" "Waldo Evans." "He owns the house out on Staten Island." "The one I saw." ""Pardon me, madam, your five minutes are up."" "Just a minute." "(CUTS OFF)" "Would you please give me some change?" "I must make another call." "I'm sorry, we're closing up now, lady." "But I..." "(DOWNSTAIRS DOOR BUZZER)" "Who is it?" "Who is it?" "Wait a minute, I'm coming." "Can you hear me?" "I am all alone here." "Who is it?" "For heaven's sake " "I can't come down, I'm on the top floor and I'm sick!" "(BUZZER STOPS)" "Wait a minute, don't go away, I need help." "Please." "Please, don't go." "Can't you hear me?" "(PHONE RINGS)" "I had to call you from the subway." "It's Sally." "Can you hear me better now?" "The stores around here are closed and I couldn't find a booth." "I've been home since I spoke to you and more's happened." "There was a police car in front of the house." ""It seems that house on Staten Island, the one I saw," ""was burnt down this afternoon."" ""Police put a cordon round it."" ""They captured three men, but this Waldo Evans escaped."" "But who is this Waldo Evans and what is his connection with Henry?" ""I still haven't found out, Leona."" ""But I know it's to do with your father's company."" "My father's company?" "!" "That's absurd." "My father called me from Chicago tonight, he never mentioned a word!" ""Let's get this thing straight." "Who's been arrested and why?"" "Three men, I don't know why." ""Why do you think Henry's one of them?"" "I didn't say he was, he is involved somehow, terribly." "Did they say he's been arrested?" ""Not exactly."" "Then what are you talking about?" "Why are you calling me?" ""Are you still jealous that I took Henry away from you years ago?"" ""Can't you bear to see me happy?"" ""Can't you stop telling lies and making trouble, even now?"" ""Hello?" "Hello?" "!"" ""What is the matter with you?"" ""Hello?"" "(MUFFLED)" "Want some?" "No, thanks." "I've got a hunch we ought to call the chief before we go downtown." "The train's here, we'll be there in ten minutes, we'll call them then." "OK." "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" "Yes, this is Plaza 5-1098." "What is it?" ""This is Western Union."" ""I have a message for Mrs Henry Stevenson."" ""Is anyone there to receive the message?"" "This is Mrs Stevenson." ""The telegram is as follows."" ""Mrs Henry Stevenson, 43 Sutton Place, New York, New York."" ""Darling, terribly sorry but last minute remembered" ""annual drug convention meeting, Boston, tomorrow."" ""Taking train out, back Sunday morning."" ""Keep well, all my love, signed Henry."" ""That is all, do you wish us to deliver a copy of the message?"" ""Hello?" "Hello, ma'am?"" "(KILLER) "Then I wait until the train goes over the bridge," ""in case her window is open and she should scream."" "(GEORGE) "Client says coast is clear."" ""Got your message, George, OK for tonight?"" "(JAMES) "Where's Henry?" "Business?" "What business?"" "(MISS JENNINGS) "Mr Stevenson hasn't come in."" "(SALLY) "Henry's in desperate trouble."" "(HENRY) Terribly sorry, taking next train out." "Back Sunday morning."" "(KILLER) Then I wait... until the train goes over the bridge." "Then I wait... until the train goes over the bridge." "Dr Smith's office." "No, the doctor's not in right now." "About 11 o'clock." "Thank you." "Dr. Alexander's office." "No madam, the doctor's not in." "May I take the message?" "What was that, madam?" "No, I could not say." "If you gave me your name and telephone number." "Yes, madam, I'll write it down." "Mrs Stevenson." "Mrs Henry Stevenson." "Yes..." "Plaza 5-1098." "I'll try to reach him for you." "Pardon me, sir." "Your office is calling." "I'll be right back." "Order another drink." "That horrible old phone." "I hope it's nothing important." "It wont be." "Not tonight." ""Doctor, I thought you'd never call." "You must come right over."" "Come, I'm sure it's not as bad as all that." "Let's find out what's wrong." ""Everything's wrong!" "Come over at once."" "I'm afraid I can't tonight, Mrs Stevenson." "Besides, we've gone into this so many times before." "If you'd just try to co-operate with your husband and me and our plan of action." "Plan of action?" ""Mrs Stevenson, you know as well as I do."" ""I explained in my letter over a week ago."" "What letter?" "I never received any letter from you." ""Surely your husband, hasn't he spoken to you?"" "What about?" "I must say, I don't understand." "Look, Mrs Stevenson," "I'm afraid this is not the time or the place to go into all that." ""Try to get some sleep, compose yourself."" ""Perhaps discuss it tomorrow."" "You'll discuss it now, now, this very minute!" "Alright, Mrs Stevenson." "Hold the phone for a second, please." "Could you transfer this call to the booth, please?" "Annie, will you switch the doctor's call to the booth?" "Hold on a moment." "Hello?" "Are you still there, Mrs Stevenson?" "Yes, doctor, yes." "If you insist upon knowing, your husband called my office for the diagnosis of your case..." "I'd say about ten days ago." "I discussed your condition with him at that time." "It was then that I told him " "From all accounts, Mr Stevenson, your wife's illness dates back to her early childhood." "Yet there were times, comparatively long periods, of good health." "Is that true?" "Yes, I suppose so." "You mean to say you knew nothing of your wife's illness when you married her?" "No." "How soon after your marriage did it first manifest itself?" "Well, I..." "I don't remember the date exactly," "I should say it was a couple of years after we were married." "You see, doctor, we were living with her father then in Chicago." "Marie, will you get me Mrs Stevenson's bag?" "About lunch today I..." "I'd like to have Mrs Stevenson's bag." "It's alright, Marie." "Yes, madam." "How much do you want?" "How much do I..." "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it isn't what you think." "I simply wrote Ferguson's number in your notebook last night." "Yes, and?" "I was going to tell you, I have a date for lunch with him today." "Today?" "You know perfectly well you're having lunch with me today." "I won't be able to make it." "This date with Ferguson's important." "Oh?" "More important than me, I suppose?" "It isn't that, I had a talk with him last night and he asked me to drop by." "It's about a job." "A job?" "You have a job." "Madam, is this the suit you're going to wear?" "Marie, I'd like to speak to Mrs Stevenson alone." "But madam is late - Will you get out, please!" "What I mean to say, dear, and I've been meaning to say it for weeks, is that..." "I don't belong to your father's organisation." "Sure, I married his daughter, so I'm a Vice President now." "I have a nice office, my name on the door." "Even a secretary." "But what do I do?" "Nothing." "What do you wanna do?" "Run the place?" "No, I'd like to hope that some day I'd get a chance to try." "Working for your father is like..." "like running in a dream." "No matter how hard you try you'll never get anywhere." "Nonsense, Dad despises deadwood." "Sure, only I happen to be his son-in-law." "I'm not blind, Leona." "I'm married to you so he'll never give me a chance." "You're making mountains out of molehills." "I'm trying to be honest." "I don't wanna graft off your charity the rest of my life." "I want a chance, a chance on my own." "Only you're not getting the chance." "I won't have you traipsing around." "Just because Dad doesn't go falling all over himself, you're not throwing away a million-dollar business for an idle whim." "It happens to be my business too, you know." "And to think my own husband turns up his nose at it." "Will you ring for Marie, please?" "I'm late already." "Call Ferguson and tell him you've changed your mind, hurry up." "But I didn't change my mind, Leona." "You mean you're still going?" "Yes." "I'm sure you'll see it'll be better for both of us." "Henry!" "Henry, wait!" "No, you're not going." "Not as long as you're my husband." "Leona." "Don't be silly, Leona, give me the key." "You can't." "You can't do this to me." "Nobody's ever done it." "Nobody, nobody!" "Please stop it and give me that key." "Henry, please, if you love me at all don't do this." "I promise you, I'll talk to Dad, I'll do anything you want, only don't leave me, don't go away." "Give me that key!" "No, I won't, I won't, I won't!" "Henry!" "You're hurting me." "Henry, please, I love you." "Henry, don't, I beg you." "Henry." "Henry!" "Henry..." "Good evening, Wilkins." "Good evening, sir." "Mrs Stevenson upstairs?" "Yes, sir, she's upstairs." "What is this?" "Anybody sick?" "I beg your pardon, sir." "Henry." "Henry, come here, I want to talk to you." "What's the matter?" "Isn't Leona, I hope." "Yes, it is." "She had an attack today." "A heart attack, she almost died." "A heart attack?" "Come here." "There's something I want to discuss with you." "You two have any words this morning?" "Yes but what's that got to do with Leona's heart?" "Weren't you supposed to have lunch together today?" "Yes." "Why didn't you have lunch with my daughter today?" "I had to see somebody else." "She didn't object to it, eh?" "Yes, matter of fact, we had an argument over it." "A rather private one." "About what?" "Mr Cotterell, if you don't mind, I'd like to see my wife." "You'll see her when she's ready to see you." "Wait a minute, Mr Cotterell, what's this all about?" "Sit down, Stevenson." "Just in case you don't know it," "Leona's had a heart condition since she was a girl." "Her mother died of it when she was born." "Leona can't stand being treated the way you did." "She never has been and she's not going to be now." "What happens if once in a while her husband has his own opinion?" "I don't give a hoot." "Have them." "Think anything you like, but while you're in this house, you do what my daughter tells you to do." "I don't think this is the time for this kind of discussion." "But I might as well tell you." "The argument I had with Leona was about a very important decision." "Oh, nonsense." "A decision I made as much for the sake of my wife's future as for mine." "Now, if you'll excuse me." "It was for the sake of her future that you had lunch with Ferguson?" "Well?" "Did you get the job?" "No, I didn't." "You think you are so bright, Mr Stevenson." "Bill Ferguson sells me two million dollars worth of dyes every year." "Who do you think he's going to care more about, you or me?" "So that's what's happened." "Let's see, who else in Chicago would you like to have lunch with?" "About a job." "Go ahead, I'm open to suggestions." "Face up to it, Stevenson, you haven't a chance." "As long as you're my son-in-law, you're working for Cotterell's, nobody else." "Come on, Stevenson, stop being a kid." "If you cared for Leona the way I do," "I'm sure you'd do the same thing in my place." "Besides, you haven't done so badly for yourself." "Even if you think you have, it's still a whole lot better than Grassville." "You'd better go and see Leona." "She's asking for you." ""Maybe I shouldn't have given in, doctor."" ""Maybe that was the moment to pull out."" ""Yes, things might have been different."" ""But somehow I couldn't."" ""Probably the old man wasn't altogether wrong about me."" ""No, I couldn't go back to Grassville any more."" "I suppose from that day on I began to..." "To compromise." "Always with the hope in the back of my mind, that some day I'd win out on my own." "How long did this attack of Mrs Stevenson's last?" "She got well pretty quickly." "For a while everything straightened out." "I was given a new office, even a new title." "But before long we were back where we started." "You mean she suffered another attack?" "Yes, several." "I remember one day in particular, it was about a year later." "I had an idea that I hoped might help the situation." "The first step on your left, sir " "I have a key right here." "Very good, sir." "This way, Leona." "Don't you think it's time you let me in on this little secret?" "Let me show your first." "Just a minute." "If it's another apartment, I don't want it." "You haven't even seen it, it's really something." "Terraces all the way around, 45ft living room, come on." "I've told you a thousand times, we don't need an apartment." "It isn't an apartment I'm looking for." "I want a home of our own." "We can't go on living with your father forever." "I don't see why not." "Plenty of room, it's comfortable, I like it." "Besides, who's paying for this little thing?" "I hope eventually I will." "Eventually." "But in the meantime it's my money and I'm the one who's going to pay for it." "Henry." "Henry, you are so naive." "Like a little boy with a box of candy." "I can't just throw my money away, there's a limit!" "Sure there's a limit." "I'm supposed to follow you around like a pet dog tied to a chain." "Like whatever crumbs you throw me." "Don't be ridiculous." "Got me sewed up 16 different ways, for three meals a day and pocket money." "That's all you care about, all you married me for, my money." "I should have known" " Stop it, let's not go to pieces." "Please, for once, listen to me." "You hate me, you're bored with me." "All you wanna do is get away." "OK, I'm bored, bored stiff." "Who wouldn't be with that routine you got cooked up?" "What do I do but run back and forth between rotten office and stuffy house?" "What do I have?" "Nothing." "Nothing of my own." "Not studs on my shirt, matches in my pocket." "Henry, how can you say this to me?" "Remember?" "You told me once, I'd love this kind of life." "You wanna know something?" "I do love it." "I love it now more than you'll ever know, but I wanna be my own boss." "Not just a stooge on the outside looking in, get it?" "Get me some water." "It isn't I wanna be without you." "I could love you still, if only you'd understand." "Henry, I feel ill." ""I came to know her better, of course, after a while"" ""I held my temper about everything."" ""Even so, no matter how hard I tried," ""her attacks increased in violence and became more and more frequent."" ""Sometimes it was some little thing that would set her off" ""and then, about a year ago," ""she just seemed to give up hope of ever getting well."" ""Took to her bed more or less permanently."" "When we left for New York," "Dr Vernet in Chicago told me she didn't have much of a chance." "Since then it's been more and more like a nightmare." "I don't know exactly how to tell you this, Mr Stevenson." "It will probably be quite a shock to you." "But if you want to know the truth about your wife, there's absolutely nothing wrong organically with her heart." "I've examined her thoroughly." "Your evidence confirms what I thought from the beginning." "That is?" "Her condition is mostly mental." "She's what we call a cardiac neurotic." "Her attacks don't spring from physical weaknesses, they're brought on by her emotions, her temper and her frustrations." "The whole thing is probably quite unconscious on her part." "The pattern was laid out by her father." "The mother died of heart failure." "He was always so sure the child was affected too." "Subconsciously she learnt to deceive him, to simulate a false condition." "Marriage continued the process." "I'm sorry." "It must have caught." "I hope I didn't break anything." "It's alright." "The number plate snapped off, that's all." "Of course, I'm not saying your wife isn't a sick woman." "Mentally she's very sick." "And her attacks are real enough." "They give her acute distress, even pain." "But given proper psychiatric treatment, she may snap out of it entirely." "Live on for years and years." "Thank you very much, Mr Stevenson, you've been most helpful." "I'll call on Mrs Stevenson tomorrow, there's a psychiatrist I want her to see." "Just a minute." "I wish you could wait a few more days, doctor." "Could you?" "I'd like to think this over." "Think it over?" "Yes, you see, she's so easily upset and I think maybe" "I ought to prepare her, get her used to the idea." "Naturally it will be quite a shock." "Perhaps a few days won't matter very much." "Unless you wanted to write her a letter?" "It might make it easier for her to take and it would give me more time to talk to her." "It's a delicate matter, but if you think you can manage it, let's try it that way." "Give me a ring in a couple of days." "I'll write a letter to your wife." "Thank you very much for everything." ""That's the way I left it with him not two weeks ago, Mrs Stevenson."" "I simply don't understand because I wrote you as we planned on, let me see... ..a week ago last Friday." "(KNOCKS)" "I'll call you back later tonight." "Now just try to lie back and relax." "I believe I prescribed a sedative for you, didn't I?" "Then just double the dose." "(CUTS OFF) Hello?" "Hello, Mrs Stevenson?" "Hello?" "Liars, liars, liars!" "Liars!" "Liars!" "(SOBS)" "(PHONE RINGS)" "(CRIES)" "Hello?" ""Mrs Stevenson?" Yes." ""This is Mr Evans." "Has Mr Stevenson come in yet?"" "No, he hasn't, he won't be back until Sunday." "Will you please, Mr Evans, tell me what this is all about?" "Why are you calling him every five minutes?" "Who are you?" "I've already told you, my name is Evans, Waldo Evans." "I'm very sorry if I've annoyed you, but there are certain names and addresses that are important, very important, for Mr Stevenson to know." "If you'll be good enough to take the following message." ""What are you talking about?" "I can't take any messages now!"" "Tell Mr Stevenson that the house at 20 Dunstan Terrace" ""has been burned down."" ""I burned it down."" "Also, please tell Mr Stevenson, that I do not believe it was Mr Morano, the name is spelt M-O-R-A-N-O, who betrayed us to the police." "As Mr Morano has already been arrested, so there's no necessity for the money now." "Morano?" "Who is Morano?" "Thirdly, will you please tell Mr Stevenson that I escaped and am now at the Manhattan address." "However, I do not expect to be here after midnight." "If he wishes to find me, he may call the number" " Bowery 2-1000." ""I believe that's all, if you'll be so good as to read it back to me."" "Read it back to you?" "Are you insane?" "!" "Don't you realise, I'm a terribly sick woman?" "I'm very sorry for you, Mrs Stevenson." "Perhaps it would be better to tell you, before the true facts are garbled by the police." ""It happened on the second Monday in January of last year."" ""The place was your father's plant at Cicero, Illinois."" "Working late?" "Yes, I'm afraid so Mr Stevenson." "Catching up a little." "I lost a little time last week." "Anything I can show you?" "No thanks, just curious." "I've always been curious about this department." "This is where the formulae for products are developed, isn't it?" "You could put it that way, Mr Stevenson." "There are many ingredients in various pharmaceuticals." "We break down raw materials into various components." "Many of them extremely rare." "Is that so?" "What do you do with all this after you break it down?" "It goes into the Cotterell products." "But in the meantime, before you ship it out, where is it?" "I'm afraid that's a company secret, Mr Stevenson." "But I suppose, being Mr Cotterell's son-in-law..." "Never do to leave it lying around loose." "It's quite precious, you know?" "You're the man in charge of it." "I suppose I am." "Doesn't it ever worry you?" "Worry me, Mr Stevenson?" "Pardon me." "Thank you." "What I mean is, er..." "being responsible for all this." "For instance, suppose you were ever to make a mistake?" "A mistake, Mr Stevenson?" "I've been working here for 15 years," "I'm sure no-one has ever had cause to complain." "Of course, of course, I was just curious, that's all." "I quite understand." "Cigarette?" "No, thank you." "I don't smoke." ""That's how I first became acquainted with your husband."" ""About a month later I was waiting for my bus, as usual."" "Wally!" "Good evening, Mr Stevenson." "Hop in." "You're sure it's not too much trouble?" "No trouble at all." "Thank you then." "This is certainly a treat." "Very beautiful car, Mr Stevenson." "It's my wife's." "Oh." "I've never owned a car, they seem to mechanical for me." "I much prefer a brace of spanking horses and a good carriage." "I was brought up around horses." "In Surrey, one never gets it out of one's blood." "Do you care for horses, Mr Stevenson?" "No, not very much." "You're missing a great deal." "Such fine creatures, so powerful and at the same time so gentle and affectionate." "I have often wished that I owned a small number of them." "(SNEEZES) You don't say?" "Only I'd never keep them in a stable, that's far too cruel." "I'd let them be free as nature intended." "In a very large meadow." "Every day I'd go down there, with bits of carrot and sugar and stroke them." "As a matter of fact, I've already picked out the perfect spot." "It's near Dorking in England." "Bit of land there, all green grass and shade trees." "With a beautiful brook." "Horses do love a brook." "I price it every now and then, just for my own amusement." "It always seems just a little, how shall I say, beyond me." "Sounds nice." "Why is it always beyond you?" "Haven't you saved enough at that job of yours?" "The high cost of living, you know?" "To be frank, I've become a bit over-anxious on occasion for ready money and lost out on foolish speculations." "I'm putting a little aside now every month." "Some day, a very distant one, I'm afraid, when I retire from my job." "Why wait until you retire?" "What good is a dream when you're too old to enjoy it?" "That's quite a truism, Mr Stevenson." "I suppose the zest goes out of things with the encroachments of old age." "You said it, Wally." "You can't live on dreams forever." "Waiting only weakens you and your dream." "My motto is if you want something, get it now." "It's the next turn on the right, Mr Stevenson." "Number 54." "Good night, Mr Stevenson and thanks ever so much." "Wally, about that conversation we had at the lab last month." "I've been thinking, there might be a way out after all." "A way out?" "Whatever do you mean, Mr Stevenson?" "To have that meadow in England, those horses." "How so, Mr Stevenson?" "By making a mistake every once in a while." "A mistake?" "Yes, nobody has to know." "Please, Mr Stevenson, pardon me, I'd better be going." "Wally, wait a minute." "Yes, Mr Stevenson?" "I got it all figured out." "The differences need be so slight, nobody ever has to know." "Chemists like you are able to work miracles." "Miracles, Mr Stevenson?" "Certainly." "Look what you've done for the company." "What have you got?" "Nothing." "Nothing but the dirty end of the stick." "Wally!" "Don't be silly, I've already talked the whole thing over with somebody else." "You talked this over?" "With whom?" "A man named Morano." "He'll take everything we can get and unload it." "We'll split the money three ways." "You, a drug thief?" "No, not necessarily." "Cotterell makes a lot of products we can dispose of." "Mr Stevenson, how could you?" "You, so young and fine." "I'm young, young enough not to waste my life dreaming." "There are things I wanna do, the only way to get them is to be strong..." "What's the use of talking." "Sorry I brought the whole thing up." "I trusted you, I thought you were my kind of person." "I guess I was mistaken." "But Mr Stevenson, what if we were caught?" "Why should we be caught?" "Morano has it all figured out." "For once there's an advantage being Cotterell's son-in-law." "It's just that I..." "I wouldn't want to see you take a chance like that alone." "May I come in?" ""And we weren't caught, for nearly seven months."" ""From March 9th to September 14th, we weren't caught."" ""I never saw Mr Morano, I merely carried out our mutual plan."" ""And every Friday afternoon, Mr Stevenson handed me the money."" ""By September 14th of last year, I had saved the sum of $7,555.49."" ""But it was in the early afternoon of that day that -"" "When did you get it?" "It came this morning, in the inter-office mail." "I don't understand it, I never said a word." "That's why I'm sure they suspect." "If they suspected anything they'd fire you outright." "Or called police." "I'm sorry, I can't help feeling this transfer to New Jersey is a sign, a warning, I'm sure of it." "A sign of what?" "To stop this." "Mr Stevenson, I can't go on any longer." "Shut up!" "What do you mean by this kind of drivel?" "Money doesn't seem that important." "Maybe not to you." "You stupid fool, We've been a bunch of stooges up to now," "Morano's kicked us around." "We have a chance to get rid of him." "That transfer is just what I was looking for." "We're much better off operating from Bayonne." "You'll be your own boss, a partner." "I'll tell Morano you've been laid off." "This set-up's over." "Then you and I'll establish headquarters back East." "We'll operate our own and split his share." "Don't you think that's dangerous?" "I'm just a chemist, I don't know anything about that aspect." "I do, I've been doing little research and I'll teach you plenty." "I'll give you an idea." "This is the Cotterell plant at Bayonne." "New York." "Staten Island." ""One and a half months later," ""we began operations on Staten Island, New York."" ""Our headquarters were an abandoned house at 20 Dunstan Terrace," ""which I purchased for Mr Stevenson."" ""Here, twice a week after work," ""I would come from your father's Bayonne plant."" ""And here Mr Stevenson would mail me or telephone" ""his instructions from Cicero."" ""The character of our work now became more complex."" ""I was selling the products as well as removing them from the plant."" ""A little over three months ago," ""Mr Stephenson arrived in New York himself to supervise the work."" ""Unfortunately it was at that time" ""that the final chapter of our enterprise was being written."" "(WHISTLE)" "Pardon me?" "Come right in." "Good evening." "This is the professor." "Wally, this is Morano." "Morano?" "Yes, you didn't expect me, did you?" "With the kind assistance of Mr Evans, that is the name, isn't it?" "Yes, Sir." "With the assistance of Mr Evans, we'll proceed with business." "As I was saying," "According to our information and we have pretty accurate sources." "Since you decided to disassociate yourself from us you have accumulated quite a stock." "Of which you have been able to dispose of only one third." "That leaves quite an amount hanging around loose, doesn't it?" "Where is it?" "I don't know anything about it." "You don't, huh?" "How about you, professor?" "As Mr Stevenson said, we don't know, I'm sorry to say." "Well, so am I. Alright, boys." "Leave him alone." "Leave him alone or I'll " "Hold it, fellas." "Or you'll what, Stevenson?" "Stevenson, size doesn't count in our business." "We know you're a big, strong guy, we all know you can fight." "This isn't the way to settle the difference our organisation has with you." "Now, there's one thing I haven't told you." "Yet." "We had a, what will I call it, a board meeting last Thursday." "The vote was 7-1 against you, that's pretty bad." "I'm not saying I didn't argue the point, of course, but if you insist on being stubborn, there's nothing I can do." "Stop beating about the bush." "What do you want?" "Now you're talking." "Let's relax for a second," "I'm sure the professor would like to get a load off his feet." "Long way from here to Bayonne." "No thanks." "It's quite alright." "I beg you, give them what they want, you can take everything I " "Shut up!" "Stevenson, since you went into business for yourself, we've suffered quite a loss." "If you were to turn back what you accumulated and pay us say... $200,000, for our injured feelings," "I might get the board to reconsider their decision." "Provided the both of you continue working under our supervision." "You know as well as I do, I don't have that kind of money." "No, but you've got good connections, a rich father-in-law, a rich wife." "A lot of good that does." "Why do you think I'm in this business?" "I thought I read somewhere about your wife being sick." "Even dying." "So what about it?" "She's got insurance, hasn't she?" "Made out in your name?" "I'm sure the board would give you 90 days to raise the money on something like that." "Why 90 days?" "Isn't that what the doctor said?" "Yes." "That's what he said but..." "What's that?" "Just a little I-O-U to make it legal." "Everything can be straightened out without any trouble." "Suppose something happened and she didn't " "I wouldn't worry about it, you've got a doctor's word for it." "They know their business." "I wouldn't say you had much of a choice anyhow." ""That happened on the evening of the 23rd of this past April."" ""I need not describe Mr Stevenson's distress when,"" "four days ago the I-O-U came due." "As I understand it, Mr Stevenson saw Mr Morano, but his request for a extension was most heartlessly refused." "I have not seen either Mr Stevenson or Mr Morano since." "Now, in as much as I've already given you the final message," "I believe the rest explains itself quite simply." ""Mr Evans, where is my husband now?"" "I wish I knew, Mrs Stevenson." "Perhaps if you tried the Bowery number." ""The Bowery number?" That I gave you in the message." "Now, if you'll check it over with me." ""I can't, I can't!"" "I'll repeat it for you, once more." "Point 1" " The house at 20 Dunstan Terrace was burned down by Mr Evans." "Point 2" " Mr Evans escaped." "Point 3 - Mr Morano has been arrested, so it will not be necessary to raise the money." "Point 4" " It was not Mr Morano who tipped off the police." ""It doesn't matter, just give me the Bowery number."" ""The one for Mr Stevenson."" "Point 5" " Mr Evans is at the Manhattan address, but he is leaving now and may be found at Bowery 2-1000." ""Bowery 2-1000?"" "Yes." "After midnight, goodnight." "Thank you very much." "Goodnight." "(RINGS) "Bowery 2-1000."" "Bowery 2-1000." "Is Mr Stevenson there?" ""Mr who?"" "Mr Henry Stevenson." "I was told to call by a Mr Evans." ""Just a minute, I'll see."" ""Stevenson's the name?" Yes, that's right." ""Hold the phone."" ""No, he's not here, ma'am." Oh." "Mr Evans said he might be expected." "Could I leave a message?" ""A message, ma'am?" "We don't take no messages here, ma'am."" ""They wouldn't do no good."" "No?" "What number is this?" "What am I calling?" ""Bowery 2-1000, ma'am." "The city morgue."" ""Your call, please."" "Give me the police, quick." ""Ringing the police department."" "No, wait a minute." "(CLOCK CHIMES)" "Get me a hospital." "I can't be alone." "Hurry!" ""One moment, please."" "Operator." "Operator, what about the hospital?" "Hello?" "Operator!" "Operator!" ""Bellvue."" "Is this a hospital?" ""Yes."" "I want the Nurse's Registry." ""Whom do you wish to speak to?"" "I want the Nurses Registry." "I want to hire a nurse for the night." ""Pardon me just a second."" ""Yes, and what were you saying?"" "I said I want to hire a trained nurse immediately!" ""We understand that, madam, but this is a city hospital."" "All I know is that I'm a sick woman and I'm all alone in this horrible empty house!" "I overheard a conversation, a telephone conversation a while ago about..." "About a murder." "A murder to be committed at 11:15." "I..." "I don't know what's happened to my husband." "If something isn't done I'm afraid..." "(SINISTER MUSIC)" "(ORNAMENTS CLATTER)" "(CLICK) What was that?" ""What was what, madam?"" "That click just now on my telephone." "As though someone had lifted the receiver off the hook downstairs." ""I didn't hear it, madam." Well, I did." "There's someone in this house." "There's someone in the kitchen downstairs, they're listening to me now " "Who is it?" "Who's there?" "Henry!" "Henry!" "Henry!" "(LAMP SMASHES)" "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" ""New Haven is calling Mrs Henry Stevenson, is she there?"" "Yes, but I haven't any time." ""I have a person-to-person call" ""for Mrs Henry Stevenson from Mr Henry Stevenson."" ""Do you not wish to accept the call, madam?"" "Did you say Mr Stevenson from New Haven?" ""Do you wish to accept the call?"" "Yes." "Yes, I'll take it." ""One moment, please."" ""Go ahead, New Haven."" ""Go ahead, sir."" "Hello?" "Darling?" ""Henry!" "Henry, where are you?"" "I'm on my way to Boston, stopping off in New Haven." "Did you get my wire?" ""Yes." "Yes, I got it."" "I thought I'd check and see how you were." "I was so sorry I couldn't reach you by phone but I knew you'd be alright." "Well, I'm not alright." "There's..." "There's someone in this house right now." "I'm sure of it." ""Honey, how could there be?"" ""Don't tell me you're still alone."" "Of course I'm alone!" "Who else would be here?" "You promised to be home at 6:00." ""Leona, I thought I explained to you -"" "I've been alone for hours, a prey to every kind of horrible call." "Henry, I want you to call the police." "Tell them to come over at once." "(TRAIN NOISE)" ""There's a private patrolman."" ""You're right in the heart of New York City" ""and the telephone's beside your bed."" "Henry... ..what do you know about a man named Waldo Evans?" "Waldo Evans?" "Why?" ""He called me up tonight."" ""I had a long talk with him a little while ago, about you."" "About me?" "What about me?" ""He told me some terrible things."" ""Some of it sounded insane," ""but other parts sounded true."" "You mustn't listen to every crazy crackpot that calls you up." "Try to forget about it." "They said you've been stealing from Dad's company, is that true?" ""True?" Of course not." "What a crazy idea." "He left some kind of a message for you, that the house on Staten Island, 20 Dunstan Terrace, has been burned down and the police knew everything and that Morano had been arrested and..." ""Are you still there, Henry?" Yes, I'm here." "They said you're a criminal, Henry, a desperate man." "Evans said..." "Evans said you wanted me to..." "To die." ""And that money those people wanted." "Why didn't you ask me for it?"" ""I'd have given it to you if it would have saved your life."" ""I'll give it to you now if it isn't too late."" "That's alright." "Forget about it." "I didn't mean to be so awful to you, Henry." "I only did it because I loved you." "I thought you didn't love me." "And that you'd go away and leave me." "Leona?" "Leona?" "Yes?" "I want you to do something for me." ""Will you forgive me?"" "I want you to try - Listen to me, Leona." "I want you to try to get out of bed." "I..." "I can't!" ""You've got to."" "Get out of that bed and walk to the window." "Scream out in the street, Leona." "I can't move, Henry." "I'm too frightened." "Keep trying." "Otherwise you only got three more minutes to live." "Don't talk to me, just get out of that bed." "I confess everything." "I did steal from your father and I was so desperate, I arranged to have you " "Henry!" "Henry, there's somebody coming up the stairs!" ""Get out of the bed!" "Walk, Leona!"" "No, I can't!" ""Henry!" "Save me!"" "I'll burn for it if they get me, they'll find out from Morano!" "No, please." "Please." "Please, I'll give you anything." "Please, no!" "No!" "(SCREAMS / TRAIN NOISE)" "(PHONE RINGS)" ""Ready with your party." Leona, hello?" "Leona!" "Sorry, wrong number." "IMS Subtitles"