1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,000 Suspense. 2 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:25,080 This is the man in black, here again to introduce Columbia's program, Suspense. 3 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:30,680 The distinguished star this evening is that delightful gentleman, Mr. Roland Young, playing 4 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:37,120 as author of detective novels who invented his best plot when his life was at stake. 5 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:42,760 With Mr. Young to play his long-suffering secretary is Miss Peggy Conklin. 6 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:49,960 A story by John Dixon Carr in a somewhat lighter mood than is our habit and called The Customer's 7 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:55,440 Like Murder is tonight's tale of Suspense. 8 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,920 If you've been with us on these Tuesday nights, you will know that Suspense is compounded 9 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,960 of mystery and suspicion and dangerous adventure. 10 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:08,440 In this series, our tales calculated to intrigue you, to stir your nerves, to offer you a precarious 11 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:13,040 situation and then withhold the solution until a last possible moment. 12 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:18,520 And so with The Customer's Like Murder and the performance of Roland Young, we again 13 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,720 hope to keep you in Suspense. 14 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,520 On a hot summer night in a village on the east coast of England, a famous writer of 15 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,320 detective stories is dictating to his secretary, 16 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:46,600 You have all heard of Mr. Gerald Hoxton, celebrated author of Murder on the Wolfhound, Aconite 17 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:52,320 at the Admiralty, Who Shot the Prime Minister, and other thrillers which have held us past 18 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:53,320 the midnight hour. 19 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,720 You have followed the exploits of Pendleton King, diplomat detective. 20 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:03,920 Gerald Hoxton lives quietly at Deel with his friend Dr. Roberts nearby in case he should 21 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,800 need medical knowledge and his pretty, if somewhat perc, Canadian secretary, Miss Patricia 22 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:10,800 Phillips. 23 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:19,000 Gerald Hoxton would be a happy man, even in wartime, if he were not. 24 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,000 You got all that, Mr. Lipps? 25 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,000 Yes, Mr. Hoxton. 26 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,000 Good. 27 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:23,000 New paragraph. 28 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:24,000 Yes, Mr. Hoxton. 29 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:29,800 As the head of the great banqueting table, comma, the Lord Chief Justice staggered to 30 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:31,400 his feet, full stop. 31 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:36,000 His face was a ghastly whitish color and his eyes had become grouchy. 32 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Is he drunk, Mr. Hoxton? 33 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,600 No, Mr. Lipps, the Lord Chief Justice is not drunk. 34 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,600 Sounds pretty cock-eyed to me. 35 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,440 For your information, Mr. Lipps, the Lord Chief Justice has just been poisoned with 36 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,840 curare because he discovered the identity of the master criminal. 37 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:52,840 Is that clear? 38 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,240 Yes, Mr. Hoxton, but I wish you wouldn't do it. 39 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:57,240 Do what? 40 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,840 Well, in the last four books, Mr. Hoxton, you have shot the Prime Minister, killed the 41 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:06,400 Lord Chancellor with an axe, poisoned the Home Secretary, and blown up the first Lord 42 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:07,400 of the Admiralty. 43 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:12,960 Why don't you stop picking on the poor government and murder somebody else for a change? 44 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,800 The Lord Chancellor, Mr. Lipps, was not murdered with an axe. 45 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,520 No, Mr. Hoxton? 46 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:18,520 Definitely no. 47 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,000 He was beamed with a great seal and found dead on the Wolf Axe. 48 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,520 And there's another thing, Mr. Lipps, whether you talk like this because of a dense vacuum 49 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,720 in what we will charitably call your mind. 50 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:29,720 Really, Mr. Hoxton? 51 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,880 Or whether you are really making out what you might define as pot cracks, I don't know. 52 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,880 But I don't want any more of it, do you hear? 53 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,560 Just as you please, Mr. Hoxton. 54 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:40,560 Aye, aye. 55 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,600 Oh, Lord, where was I? 56 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,040 His face was a ghastly whitish color, and his eyes had become glassy. 57 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,520 Sounds like me. 58 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:49,520 All right. 59 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:58,120 A single choking cry escaped his lips, comma, and his body crumpled to the floor, full stop. 60 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,120 New paragraph. 61 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,360 With one such stride, Pendleton King had reached the fallen man. 62 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:05,640 He can't have done that, Mr. Hoxton. 63 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,000 Who can't have done what? 64 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Pendleton King. 65 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,000 What about him? 66 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,400 Well, on the last page, you had him sitting at the foot of the table. 67 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:16,200 So he can't get there in one stride unless you want him to sail across the room like 68 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:17,200 a kangaroo. 69 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,000 There are times, Mr. Lipps, when I should like to poison you with curare and dance on 70 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,000 your grave. 71 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,280 I was only trying to help. 72 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:26,280 All right. 73 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:27,280 Change it. 74 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:28,280 Change it. 75 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:29,280 Strike it out. 76 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:30,280 With hardly a second delay. 77 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:31,280 How's that? 78 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:32,280 Comma. 79 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:33,400 Comma. 80 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,560 Pendleton King had reached the fallen man. 81 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:36,920 Full stop. 82 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:37,920 New paragraph. 83 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:38,920 Quote. 84 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:39,920 I feared it, comma. 85 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:40,920 Quote. 86 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:41,920 He muttered. 87 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:42,920 Full stop. 88 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:43,920 Quote. 89 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:44,920 Note the rigidity of the muscles. 90 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:45,920 Exclamation point. 91 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,920 Note the characteristic odor of your curare, which... 92 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:50,520 That won't do, Mr. Hoxton. 93 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:51,520 Why not? 94 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:52,520 Curare hasn't got any odor. 95 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,760 Now there, Mr. Lipps, you've really gone too far. 96 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:55,760 But I can't help that. 97 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:56,760 It's true. 98 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:01,920 If you will permit the small vanity, I am noted for the correctness of my medical knowledge. 99 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,760 Who is murdering the Lord Chief Justice, you or I? 100 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:05,760 You are. 101 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,440 But you might murder him properly. 102 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,080 Curare hasn't got any odor. 103 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:11,080 I say it has. 104 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:12,080 And I say it hasn't. 105 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:13,080 Listen, Miss Phillips. 106 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:19,640 I propose to settle this rather childish dispute by going next door and asking Dr. Roberts. 107 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:20,640 Will that convince you? 108 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,640 Curare hasn't got any odor. 109 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:27,200 In any way, the Lord Chief Justice wouldn't be mixed up in any such silliness as this. 110 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:28,200 Silliness, eh? 111 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:29,200 Yes, I said silliness. 112 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:30,200 Read your evening paper. 113 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:35,400 The Lord Chief Justice is sentencing some American gangster who got involved in a robbery over 114 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:36,400 here. 115 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:38,200 That's the sort of thing he really does. 116 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,800 You're very fond of these gangster reports, aren't you? 117 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:42,800 Yes, I am, because they're real. 118 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:43,800 Real. 119 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:44,800 Far. 120 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:45,800 Don't you say far to me. 121 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:50,200 Merely remarking, Miss Phillips, with your usual ingenuity, you side-track the argument. 122 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:51,920 I am going to see Dr. Roberts. 123 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,760 That's not necessary, of course. 124 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,520 My own knowledge of poisons is as great as that of any doctor. 125 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:57,520 Dr. Far. 126 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,160 And finally, kindly don't say far to me. 127 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:01,160 I won't say either. 128 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,000 When I return, Miss Phillips, I hope to find you in a better frame of mind. 129 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,160 Please observe that I, at least, have been able to keep my temper. 130 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:09,160 Excuse me. 131 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,160 All right. 132 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:11,160 Go on. 133 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:12,160 See if I care. 134 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:34,160 Oh, excuse me, but... 135 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:40,080 Good evening, Mr. Hawkstone. 136 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:41,080 Good evening, Mrs. Roberts. 137 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:42,080 May I come in? 138 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:43,080 Of course. 139 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,080 Mind the blackout curtains. 140 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:45,080 Isn't it hot and stuffy tonight? 141 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:46,080 Rather close, yes. 142 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:47,080 Is the doctor in? 143 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:48,080 I'm afraid he isn't, Mr. Hawkstone, but I expect him back any minute. 144 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:49,080 Oh. 145 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:50,080 Out on a call? 146 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,080 No, I'm almost certain he isn't, because that's his medicine case and stethoscope there 147 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:52,080 on the table. 148 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:53,080 I think he's just gone up the road to get some tobacco. 149 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:54,080 Do you mind if I wait? 150 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:55,080 Not at all. 151 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,080 But, I'm afraid I'll have to wait a little longer. 152 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:57,080 I'll be back in a minute. 153 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:58,080 I'll be back in a minute. 154 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,080 I'll be back in a minute. 155 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:00,080 I'll be back in a minute. 156 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,080 I'll be back in a minute. 157 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:02,080 I'll be back in a minute. 158 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:11,080 I'll be back in a minute. 159 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:26,080 I'll be back in a minute. 160 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:33,080 I'll be back in a minute. 161 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:38,080 I'll be back in a minute. 162 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:45,080 I'll be back in a minute. 163 00:07:45,080 --> 00:08:00,080 I'll be back in a minute. 164 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:19,080 I'll be back in a minute. 165 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:34,080 I'll be back in a minute. 166 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:53,080 I'll be back in a minute. 167 00:08:53,080 --> 00:09:08,080 I'll be back in a minute. 168 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:24,080 I'll be 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