Now, the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California presents...
Suspense!
Tonight, Roma wines bring you A Shroud for Sarah,
starring Miss Lucille Ball,
soon to be seen in Metro-Golden-Mayer's Technicolor musical,
Ziegfeld Follies.
Suspense!
Radio's outstanding theatre of thrills,
presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines.
That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines.
Those excellent California wines
that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live,
to your happiness and entertaining guests,
to your enjoyment of everyday meals.
Yes, right now, a glass full would be very pleasant,
as Roma Wines bring you Miss Lucille Ball.
In a remarkable tale of...
Suspense!
Oh, Sarah? Sarah!
Come in, George.
How did it go, darling?
George, you're trembling. Something went wrong.
No, nothing went wrong.
You got it, then?
Yeah, I got it stuffed in all my pockets.
Here, I'll dump it on the bed.
Here you are, Sarah.
17 grand. 17,000?
It's more than we expected. Yeah.
George, you're acting queerly.
Did everything work out all right?
Sure. Sure it did.
It was dark soap, just like old times, Sarah.
Remember how every job clicked?
Sure fire when we used to plan them together.
George. Yeah?
You're lying, aren't you?
Sarah, you really love me, don't you?
Do you have to ask?
Would I have come to you if I hadn't?
Do you have to ask? Would I have come back otherwise?
Ten years is a long time.
I thought you'd be changed.
I never thought you'd come back like this out of nowhere.
I don't even know what you've been doing,
where you've been living, what name you're using.
You haven't told me a thing about yourself.
I will, George. I will.
As soon as we get out of this apartment.
As soon as we're really together, darling.
That's the way you want it, isn't it, Sarah?
Of course. Why do you think I never got a divorce?
I didn't, you know. I didn't even consider it.
No, no, you didn't.
And you could have. You certainly had a right
to put me up for five years on a felony.
I'm glad you waited, Sarah. You won't regret it.
I'm sure I won't, George.
But let's not talk about that now.
We have a train to make.
You know, Sarah, you're as good to look at
as you were ten years ago.
No, you're just making talk, George.
And you haven't answered my question.
I want to know what went wrong.
I'd given up hope, Sarah.
I didn't expect to see you again.
But I came back.
I've done two stretches, Sarah.
Nine years in jail out of ten.
I wouldn't have pulled another job if you hadn't shown up.
You won't go away again, will you?
Only with you, George.
Sarah, the scent of your hair.
I used to dream of it.
Those long nights in jail.
Now it's real.
Holding you like this with your hair in my face.
George, you're hurting me. Your arms.
I'm sorry.
It's just that I'm so afraid it isn't true having you again.
I want to hold you tight forever.
George, what happened? What went wrong?
Sarah, I had to kill him, man.
Well, haven't you got anything to say?
Only the obvious.
It's murder, then.
I changed my plans.
Your plans?
My plans for us.
You're going to stick with me, aren't you?
Of course. I didn't come back after ten years,
only to run right out again.
And we must think this out carefully.
Are you sure you left no clues?
Only the gun. I wiped it off clean and left it there.
It's a gun I picked up years ago.
No way to tack it on me.
Fingerprints?
Gloves.
Then there's nothing to worry about.
Only if they happen to pick me up on suspicion.
I see. Are they after you now, George?
Of course not. Nobody heard the shot.
There was nobody in the building but that bald-headed bookkeeper.
If he hadn't gone home, must have stayed to get his books in shape for the morning.
My luck.
Then you weren't followed or chased.
You don't think I'd have come here if they were after me?
I'm sorry, George. I know you wouldn't.
You're not sore at me, then?
We can go ahead just as we planned.
Our train leaves in an hour. We'll pick up the tickets at the station.
Sarah, it's hard to believe in an hour
we'll be on the way to Florida, you and I.
Yes, George.
Just the two of us.
In the warm sun.
It's a dream I've had for ten years, in and out of jail.
I figured it would always be a dream.
You know, it's funny.
What's funny?
There's a bald-headed man lying dead over there at the finance company.
He's finished.
And we're just beginning.
I never killed a man, Sarah. Never before.
You'll do all right from now on, George. You'll forget about that thing.
I'll help you forget it.
Yeah.
But we've got to hurry now. Put your hat on.
And I'll go over and pick up the tickets.
I thought we'd go to the station together.
Silly, I've got to dress.
Yeah, well, the Sunset Limited leaves at 8 o'clock. There's only an hour.
I know, I know. I'll dress and pack and meet you in 30 minutes at the train gate.
Have you any money? Here, take some of this.
I'll put the rest in the valise and bring it in a cab,
so it won't be found on you if anything happens.
Why didn't you come back before, Sarah?
I didn't realize it till this minute.
I've been like an orphan for 10 years.
Kiss me?
Now, that's all, George. You've got to hurry now.
Yeah. Remember, the Sunset Limited at the gate.
I'll remember.
And don't forget to clean out the desk.
I'll take care of everything, George. Now, hurry.
Hello? Police headquarters?
A man was killed a few minutes ago at the Van de Finance company on Dexter Avenue.
Please don't interrupt.
If you go to the LaSalle station, you'll catch the murderer at the Sunset Limited train gate.
His name is Monk, George Monk.
For Suspense, Roma Wines are bringing you as star Miss Lucille Ball
in A Shroud for Sarah by Emile C. Tepperman.
Roma Wines presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Between the acts of Suspense, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines.
Saturday is Navy Day.
On this day, all America gives honor to the returning veterans of the fleet.
To these men, all America lifts its voice to say, well done.
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Yes, Miss Maxwell, Roma sherry is most delightful later in the evening, too, when friends drop in,
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And now Roma wines bring back to our Hollywood soundstage,
Lucille Ball as Sara Martel in A Shroud for Sara,
a play well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Coming. I'm coming.
Oh, I knew it was you, Sara.
Only you would ring so insistently when you know I'm handicapped by this infernal crutch.
Good evening, Peter. How's our next governor?
Aren't you going to kiss me? I've been away three days.
Is it necessary, my dear?
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Peter, are you going to let the neighbors see me standing out here with this valise?
Kiss me, you idiot. You can stand it if I can.
Very well.
Satisfied, my dear.
Now that we've performed for the neighbors, shall we go in?
I see you've moved the radio again.
I moved the radio.
I see you've moved the radio again.
I moved it nearer the easy chair.
This crutch makes it hard for me to get around.
I hope you don't mind, my dear. I mean it's being more convenient for me.
Is that the news? I want to hear it.
... are seeking George Monk, an ex-convict who shot and killed a finance company bookkeeper
and escaped with $17,000 in cash.
What do you want to turn that up for? It's nothing but a sword has been...
Oh, shut up!
But there's a mystery angle here which sets this case apart from the ordinary holdup.
Police are seeking an unidentified woman who tipped them off a few minutes after the murder,
naming George Monk, and telling them just where he could be picked up.
Unfortunately, one of the officers sent to apprehend the murder was recognized by Monk,
who made his escape in the crowded railroad station.
What's the matter, my dear? Why did you turn the radio off?
You look as if you'd seen a ghost.
Leave me alone, Peter.
Well, well, what sort of villainy were you up to in Chicago?
Sarah, come back here. Where are you going?
I'm going up to my room. I want to unpack.
Good night, Peter.
A burglary in Chicago.
A mysterious woman who tipped off the police.
Just a moment, Sarah.
I said good night, Peter.
$17,000.
Sarah, I want to know what's in that valise.
Why are you hanging onto it like that?
Stay where you are, Peter. Don't come up these stairs.
What's wrong? Are you afraid to let me see what's in that valise?
No, no, I'm not afraid. Just don't come up any closer.
Well, well, that same little pistol of yours.
Would you shoot me with it again, my dear?
If you come a step further.
Drop the gun. You're not going to shoot me now, just before election.
You want to be the governor's lady, don't you?
Stand still, Peter.
I'm sorry, Sarah. I've got to know what's in there.
Take another step, I'll shoot.
You're a fool, Sarah.
Clever and ruthless, yes, but nevertheless a fool.
Look at all the terrible things you've done to satisfy your ambition.
Even murder now.
And it's all been a waste of time.
What do you mean?
Did you know that the results of the popular poll were published today?
Well?
It gives Stephen Archer a 15% edge over me.
And not only that, but the incumbent governor,
the man we're both trying to beat, ran ahead of the two of us in the poll.
You're not lying about that?
Of course not, my dear.
How did you expect to beat Stephen Archer and his money?
We're broke.
No, Peter, we're not broke.
Oh? You mean you have $17,000 in that bag?
I'm going to be the governor's wife, I tell you.
There's nothing that could stop me, nothing.
I believe you, Sarah.
Why, I believe you would even murder Archer if you had to.
Let me have that police.
You can't seem to understand, Peter.
You're not going to open it.
Then shoot me, my dear.
You do it so well, it comes so natural to you.
Maybe you can shoot me in the other leg this time.
Oh, will you never stop throwing it up to me?
That was an accident.
A very fortunate accident, wasn't it, Sarah?
Just when I was ready to accept a commission in the army.
You didn't want to be the wife of an army captain.
Your ambition ran higher than that.
You wanted to be the governor's lady.
Now, Sarah, I'm going to see what you have there.
You're not going to do anything about it.
Get away from me, Peter.
No, Sarah, you're going to give them to me.
First the gun, and now that black...
Sarah, Sarah, don't, the stairs...
I...
Sarah.
Oh, Sarah.
Please go straight into the bedroom, Doctor.
Peter fell again and hurt his leg in the same place.
Now, look here, Mrs. Martell,
what's the use of keeping up this deception between ourselves?
You know and I know that your husband didn't fall the last time.
That was a bullet wound in his leg.
Dr. Varney, you promised never to mention that bullet wound.
And you promised to pay me, remember?
Ten thousand dollars. Where's the money?
Don't worry, I have it.
Oh, well, that's different.
Where is it? I'll take it now.
Later. Please go in now and take care of Peter.
Did you shoot him again?
Of course not. That was an accident the last time.
I was examining the pistol and it went off.
Yes, of course. That's the story, Mrs. Martell.
And for ten thousand dollars, I'll gladly subscribe to it.
But I must have that money. I need it.
I won't touch that leg till I get the money.
All right. I have it here.
Oh. There. That's ten thousand dollars.
Now hurry in there and take care of Peter.
Afterwards, I'll want to see you in here.
There may be another matter that I want you to handle for me.
Yes, there's ten thousand. Another matter?
You are also the physician for Stephen Archer, aren't you?
Yes. You've been attending him every day during the campaign.
I understand his heart needs attention.
Look here, Mrs. Martell, Stephen Archer's running against your husband for governor.
I wonder when you originally called me in, did you know I was Archer's physician?
Could be.
Well, I'm sorry I can't discuss Archer with you.
Why not? Why not? Why, the ethics of my profession.
The ethics of your profession? Please, Dr. Varney.
If your fellow practitioners knew what I know about you, you wouldn't have any profession.
I won't listen to any more from you.
I'll take care of that leg of your husband's, but more than that, no.
Oh, but I'm sure you'll change your mind, doctor.
Whatever your proposition is, the answer is no.
Even if I were to offer fifty thousand dollars?
Eww.
Fifty thousand?
There, now I knew you'd be interested.
Now run inside like a nice fellow and tend to Peter.
I must go out for a few minutes, but please wait for me.
There's an appointment I must keep. I won't be long.
Mrs. Martell?
Yes?
Right here.
Good evening, Mrs. Martell.
Park is rather a dark place to meet, isn't it?
I thought it would be best this way.
Hmm.
Especially if we're going to discuss the things you hinted at over the phone.
Mr. Archer, let's come to the point quickly.
Do you want to win the election?
Frankly, yes, very much.
Would it be worth money to you? A great deal of money?
Hmm.
Just what is your proposition?
You're a wealthy man.
Would a hundred thousand dollars be too much to pay for the governorship?
A hundred thousand?
I've spent several times that much on the campaign already.
But I don't see how you could deliver the election.
Listen to me closely, Mr. Archer.
Yeah?
I learned that in yesterday's poll figures,
you ran 15% ahead of my husband.
That's quite true.
Then neither you or Peter will win.
You're both taking strength from each other,
and the governor will be re-elected.
So your solution is for Peter Martell to withdraw,
at the price of a hundred thousand dollars.
Exactly. If one of you withdraws, the other will surely win.
That's absolutely true.
But I happen to know that Peter Martell would never make such a deal.
No, he wouldn't, the fool.
But for a hundred thousand dollars, I will put him out of the race.
You?
Would you believe it if I told you I hated that man's very shadow?
I, uh, have heard rumors here and there.
I want to leave him. I want to be rid of him forever.
Where could I go without money? What could I do?
He's so disgustingly honest that we're always broke.
He couldn't even pay me enough alimony.
I've got to think for myself.
I begin to see...
Now suppose that tomorrow, two days before the election,
I were to file suit for divorce.
Ah.
I could leave for Reno tonight.
There would be in every newspaper tomorrow.
Hmm.
It would certainly eliminate your husband.
You'd pick up all the votes Peter would lose.
Enough to swing the election.
And your price is a hundred thousand dollars.
You agree?
I'd be a fool not to. Of course I agree.
The moment you file your divorce papers in Reno,
I'll have a hundred thousand dollars credited to your account
wherever you specify.
No, I must have it in advance.
No, my dear Mrs. Martell.
In advance.
It's out of the question.
How do I know you'll go through with it after I pay you?
And how do I know you'll pay me after I go through with it?
Don't you trust me?
Do I have to answer that?
Uh...
It looks like a deadlock.
I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll take half now and the other half in Reno
after I've filed the papers.
Fifty thousand tonight, eh?
It must be tonight. I'll leave in the midnight plane.
Surely you have the cash available in a campaign like this.
Yes, of course I have the cash.
That seems to be the only solution.
It's a deal, Mrs. Martell.
You'll get the money now?
At once. Wait here.
My home is just across the park.
I'll be back in five minutes.
But just as a precaution,
I'm going to note down the serial numbers of the bills I give you.
If you aren't in Reno tomorrow morning,
I shall report the money stolen.
Don't worry, Mr. Archer. I promise you.
After tonight, there won't be anything to worry about.
Still waiting for me, I see, Dr. Varney.
Well, it took a long time. I was just deciding to leave.
You took care of Peter all right?
Yes, the wound opened up again. It was painful, but not as bad as it looked.
He'll be up again by tomorrow.
Thank you, Doctor.
Oh, you said you wanted to talk to me.
Yes, I have a little proposition for you.
You, you mentioned fifty thousand dollars.
Yes. Yes, I have the money in my handbag here.
One, take it.
Now count it.
Oh, yes, yes.
What, what do you want me to do?
Doctor, have you ever murdered anyone?
What?
I said, have you ever murdered anyone?
Why are you joking?
You'd hardly call murder a joke.
What are you suggesting?
You are Stephen Archer's physician.
You stop at his home every night and check his heart.
And you give him a sedative.
No, no, I'm going out of this house, Mrs. Martell, and I'm never coming back.
Before you go, Doctor, I'll take that money back.
Why?
Fifty thousand dollars, Doctor.
It's a lot of money.
Yes.
I know just how deep you are in the red.
Fifty thousand will put you on your feet again.
Well, I...
And you'll have the friendship of the wife of the next governor.
You...
You want me to give Archer an overdose of sedative.
I knew you'd be reasonable, Barney.
Good morning, my dear.
I see you're at the radio already.
Aren't you up early today?
I thought all the Borgias slept late.
I wanted to hear the news.
Indeed.
Could it be a person by the name of George Monk that you're so anxious to hear about?
What do you mean? Why do you mention that name?
The Black Valleys, my dear.
Remember, I'm still anxious to know if it contains seventeen thousand dollars.
Have you taken the newspaper in yet?
No?
I'll get it.
There'll be something in this morning's paper that I'd like you to see, my dear.
Stephen Archer, candidate in the three-cornered race for governor, was found dead in his bed,
apparently from an overdose of sedative.
All indications point to accidental death,
except for the fact that a large sum of money was missing from the safe.
However, if the money was stolen, it'll do the thief no good,
for the serial numbers were carefully noted down on the desk pad on Mr. Archer's desk.
What was that? Archer dead?
Yes.
Sarah, I read the signs of your fine Italian hand.
Did you have a hand in it?
Peter!
So now Archer's votes will drop in my lap, huh?
You'll be governor, Peter.
Sarah, I think I'm going to kill you.
Put that crutch down!
No, no, my dear, you needn't run away. I was just rehearsing.
I'm not ready to kill you yet.
Perhaps someone else will do it first.
I'm going to wait for the result of my experiment.
Experiment? What do you mean?
See, here.
What? What is it, Peter?
Just an ad in the personal column.
I had it inserted in every newspaper between here and Chicago.
Let me see that.
It's the first ad in the column with a display space around it.
I wanted to make sure it was seen by the right person.
Read it, Sarah, read it.
All right, if it makes you happy, I will read it.
George, was her name Sarah?
Or did she use another name?
I mean the one who left with the little black beliefs and all the money in it.
If you have at least 17,000 reasons to find her,
and if the traveling isn't too difficult under the circumstances,
I suggest you come to Capital City.
The address is...
Peter, you didn't!
Isn't it cleverly worded, my dear?
I had to phrase it so that only George Monk and no one else would catch its meaning.
You put this ad in all the papers?
Exactly.
You see, my dear, if that little black beliefs did not contain $17,000,
you have nothing to fear.
But if it did, well, then I may be spared the chore of killing you.
I'll let George do it.
Hello?
Mrs. Martel?
Who is this?
Dr. Varney.
Oh.
Who did you think it was?
I thought... never mind. What do you want, Varney?
Don't you know?
I think you're pretty clever, don't you?
What do you mean?
That was Archer's own money you gave me last night, that $50,000.
Varney, are you insane?
Don't you realize you're talking over an open phone?
I only realize I murdered Archer for you for nothing.
That $50,000 I can't use. The serial numbers have been broadcast.
My dear Varney, I haven't the faintest notion what you're talking about.
Oh, how clever you are, Sarah Martel, how clever.
And how dangerous.
Yes, too dangerous to live.
The medical examiner is all through with the body, Inspector.
All right, O'Connor, all right.
Then I guess we're finished too. Tell Mike to be careful with the body.
And put down in your report,
dead on arrival, murdered by a person or persons unknown.
I'll sign it when I get downtown.
She was a beautiful woman, O'Connor.
It's a tough way to die.
A tough way indeed, Inspector.
How's Mr. Martel taking it?
Like a trooper, sir. Here he comes now with his doctor.
All right, O'Connor, I'll see you downtown.
Yes, sir. Goodbye, Inspector.
Are you pretty near through, Inspector?
Yes, Mr. Martel, the boys are taking the body away now.
May I say, Mr. Martel, that you have my deepest sympathy in this bereavement of yours.
Thank you, Inspector.
Oh, by the way, do you know Dr. Varney?
How do you do, Doctor?
How do you do? Gastly business, Inspector.
Yes, indeed, and we'll do everything in our power to lay that murderer by the heels.
Inspector.
Yes, Dr. Varney.
Have you any clues, anything definite to go on?
Well, if you don't mind my talking about it now, Mr. Martel.
Oh, it's all right, Inspector.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to listen to a good deal of talking about it.
Might as well get used to it.
A very wise and courageous way to look at it, Mr. Martel.
Well, as I was saying, I believe it was a maniac.
That's my firm conviction.
A maniac?
Right.
Who but a maniac would have stayed in there to torment
that poor dead body?
Can you imagine a sane man first choking her to death with his hands,
then stabbing her with some keen instrument,
then bashing her head in with a blunt instrument?
Well, Varney, that was quite an ordeal.
It was terrible.
Um, Varney.
Yes?
You hated her very much, didn't you?
No more than you did, Mr. Martel.
I won't deny it. It's true.
You haven't been using your crutch this morning.
Huh?
What made you think of the crutch?
Oh, nothing, nothing.
Blunt instrument, huh?
That's all right, Varney. I don't mind your asking.
I was thinking along the same lines myself.
Only it was the keen instrument I had in mind, say a scalpel.
Now look here.
Skip it, Varney. I was just making conversation.
Oh.
You know, there's something I don't understand.
Yes, Varney?
Yes?
Well, nothing, nothing at all.
I know what you want to ask.
You want to know who was the third man.
Well, I...
I'll show you, Varney.
Where are my keys?
Ah, here.
Oh.
What have you got in that closet?
A guest, Varney.
Shall I say an invited guest?
You can come out now, George. The coast is clear.
Oh.
I thought you meant to bury me alive in there.
Tell, who's this man?
Dr. Varney, George Monk.
Shake hands, gentlemen.
Oh, no?
Very well.
I, um... I thought it would be right for all three of us to be together for a moment.
You're talking about Martell.
Listen carefully, Varney, and you, George.
Each one of us was in her room last night.
A cumulative effect of our individual deeds has convinced the inspector
that a maniac murdered my wife.
But we three know better.
However, there is one of us who knows more than the other two.
One of us killed her first.
I say first, because the other two were not one wit less murderers
for the fact that she was already dead.
The three of us. We all did it.
Yes, George.
And I suppose that by checking each other and comparing notes,
we could determine to the satisfaction of all of us just who took precedence.
For instance, when I heard you move about in the closet this morning
and turned the key on you,
I had no way of telling how long you'd been in the house.
And I don't want to know.
Then two of us will always be in doubt.
Exactly, Varney.
Do you agree to it?
Yes.
And you, George?
Yes.
Then...
goodbye, gentlemen.
MUSIC
Roma wines have brought you Lucille Ball,
a star of A Shroud for Sarah.
Tonight's study in Suspense.
This is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines, the sponsor of Suspense.
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