Suspense!
Tonight, Mr. Dane Clark, as star of Spoils for Victor, a suspense play produced, edited,
and directed by William Spear.
Suspense!
Can he talk, Doc?
I wouldn't advise it.
Maybe what you ought to ask is, will he talk?
Oh, I thought you were asleep.
Hi, Harry.
Remember me, do you?
You had me down to the DA's office enough times, so I ought to...
I didn't talk those times either, remember?
You ought to save your strength as much as you can, Mr. Reddicker.
Doc here thinks I'm going to die.
Are you?
I don't think so.
I don't think I'm going to talk either.
There's some questions we've got to have the answers to.
If we don't get them from you, Vic, we're going to have to get them from somebody else.
Oh.
What kind of questions?
About those two slugs you got in your ribs, among other things.
They're not in there anymore, at least, that's what the Doc tells me.
All right, Vic, I'm sorry.
Wait.
William and Harry.
Yeah?
Listen, I don't know how she feels about this, but if I talk, you've got to leave her out.
All together, out, complete.
See?
That could be, Vic.
You've always been a pretty right guy, Harry.
Is that on a level?
On a level, Vic.
All right.
Maybe you can sell it to pictures.
Alan Ladd.
You could call it the gangster and the lady.
You know the mob, Bonnie Bernard, Pinky Roberts, and the rest.
As far as they're concerned, it doesn't matter much now what I tell you, I guess.
We were never big operators, nothing really big time, but we always had plenty of money in our pocket most of the time.
But this time I'm talking about the dive had been pretty long.
My pants were getting shiny in their seat, my shoes were getting holes from walking instead of riding, even Barney was getting a little rusty looking.
And this one day, he's sitting around the office with Pinky when I come in and his chin is down around his belt buckle someplace.
Hi, Vic.
Hi, cutie.
Hi there, what's new?
I hear there's a depression on it, want to think about it?
Ah, forget it, there's no money in it.
Hey, did he cut the phone off yet?
He thinks he's kidding.
Who you want to phone, a home relief?
A Dame, bet you three to one.
One what?
Why do you care, you ain't got it.
Dames, Dames, Dames, boy I ain't never seen nothing like this guy with Dames.
They buzz around him like he was John D. Rockefeller.
There you go, always looking at the seamy side.
Some Dames like you for what you are, not what you got.
Sure, I know that kind, your mother and your grandmother.
Hello, hello, is Madeline there?
Yeah, yeah, I guess so.
Victor Ruttega, who's calling some guy said she's probably married.
So what, she'd give you the phone number, didn't she?
Hello, Madeline?
Yeah, remember?
Ha ha, say who's the guy answering the phone?
Oh, so you got a sense of humor too, huh?
The butler, she said.
I just called up to say hello, I don't like to let these things get cold, you know.
That's right.
What do you do with yourself?
Well, now for instance.
I see.
Hey sure, sure I would.
Where do you live?
Wait, wait, wait, wait till I write it down.
Uh huh, uh huh.
Okay, I'll do that.
Goodbye now.
Hey, where is the place called Woodford Way?
Woodford Way?
Yeah, you ever hear of it?
Yeah, it's in Bel Air, Vic.
Bel Air?
Yeah.
Hey, that's pretty big stuff, ain't it?
Yeah, plenty.
Say, you don't suppose she does have a butler, do you?
Sure, there's a butler all right, and she's the maid.
What's she like, Vic? How'd you meet her?
Well, I'm just walking along Vine Street, rubbing my last two nickels together.
She comes out of a joint with her arms full of bundles, she bangs into me.
She goes one way, the bundles go the other, I pick her up.
So one thing leads to another, I buy her a cup of coffee,
and I got her phone number before she decides to have another one,
I scram, that's all.
Nothing special, but she looks like she wouldn't try to promote you
for much more than a ticket to the movies,
and that's the best offer I had all week, so I gave her a ring.
Come up and see me, she said.
So I figure what can I lose, right?
Right.
What's her name? Madeline what?
Well, she didn't tell me, but the guy on the phone, wherever he was,
he said it was, uh, Rawlins, Rawlies, something like that.
So what?
You don't read the papers much, do you, Vic?
I guess I know where the horses are running as well as the next guy.
Why? Is that her? That dame in the picture, is that her?
Yeah. Yeah!
You see what it says?
Madeline Rawlins opened up the lair home.
Wealthy Sugar Harris, whose personal fortune makes her one of the world's richest girl-
Holy smokes!
You ought to keep up on those things.
That's her, all right! That's her!
Oh, of all the dumb luck, boy, you got it.
Yeah. Hey, I might be able to shake a little of that sugar out of there at that, huh?
What's the trouble with you, Vic? You think too small.
Sure, what you want to do is marry the dame.
Well, what's so funny about that?
Maybe I've been underestimating your talents, Vic.
All right, funny man, what?
Funnier things have happened, Vic.
Are you kidding?
No.
Ah, Barney, be yourself. So maybe the dame does go for me for a couple of weeks.
All right, a couple of months, because I'm different from the guy she's been going around with.
But take a guy like me serious?
And nuts.
Maybe we could do something about that so you wouldn't be so different.
So what? So what if I even- even if I did marry the dame,
do you think I could stick up with a setup like that?
I'd be out of my ear in six months.
A lot can happen in six months, Vic.
Nothing that I couldn't make happen in six weeks and without any marrying.
Oh, yes it could, Vic.
What?
Something could happen to her.
Like what?
Like an accident. Accidents happen all the time.
And they got community property laws in this state.
Oh.
See?
Nothing doing.
Okay, okay.
You're going out to see her though, aren't you?
Yeah, I guess so.
Yeah. You might need it.
Thanks, bro.
Fifty? What's that for?
I just want you to make a good impression on the girl, that's all.
Thanks.
And think about it, Vic.
I did all right.
I guess that's all I did think about the whole of that first afternoon I was out there to see her.
I didn't see her again for over two weeks.
Because that night we decided.
Barney put up nearly all the cash he had left.
He bought me a car, a suite of rooms that the ambassador closed.
That's one of our very nicest numbers, Mr. Ruddigan.
It looks just stunning on you.
$185.
Leave or see something that ain't quite so worth.
Well, shut up. We'll take it.
Splendid. How about shirts? Ties?
I went around places. We hired a publicity agent.
I was supposed to be a wealthy young oil man.
We even hired a guy to try to teach me to talk better.
All right, Mr. Ruddigan. Repeat after me, please.
The house in Moiffy features turtle soup and oyster soup.
No, no, no, no, Mr. Ruddigan. You have it just backwards.
Turtle soup and oyster stew.
Uh, turtle soup and oyster stew.
Again, please.
The house in Moiffy features...
No, no, no, no.
After two weeks I looked a little better.
Enough to get by in small doses anyway.
And I began to go out and see her again.
And after two months I wouldn't have known myself because...
I was standing in a striped pants and a cutaway coat and shirt.
And she was standing there beside me.
And the minister was standing in front of both of us.
Do you, Victor, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?
To have and to hold, to love and to cherish from this day forth.
For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, in health, until death do you part?
I do.
Do you, Madeleine, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?
And all the time all I could think of was that it was funny.
And kind of tough too when you stop to figure how a woman is supposed to feel at a time like this.
That when she spoke those two little words, she'd be signing her own death warrant.
I do.
In six months, Bonnie and Pinky and me were going to be rich.
And she was going to be dead.
I didn't have any feelings about her at first. Inside of me I was feeling like an old stray dog that just found a swell home.
I was tired.
I hadn't known how terribly sick and tired the years of snarling and snapping for every bone had made me.
And so at first I just stretched my paws out to the fire.
I lay around in the sun and enjoyed myself.
I didn't even mind, Madeleine.
Then after I got over feeling tired, something else began inside. Something began eating me.
Just a little thing at first, but it got bigger.
I didn't know what it was except I knew it wasn't my conscience. I hadn't had one of those since I was ten years old.
For a while I thought maybe I was just missing the old gang, the old ways.
But that didn't fit either.
And then one day, we'd been married about four months then, and we were going out for dinner.
I was upstairs getting ready, and I passed by her dressing room, and she was in there with her maid fixing her hair.
Well, there you are. You'd better hurry if you expect to take me out anywhere.
Yeah, I will. Say, that's a new hairdo, isn't it?
It will be. You like it?
Yeah, it looks kind of cute.
Hand me the dryer now, will you, Marie?
Yes, Madame.
What's that?
Electric hair dryer. You've seen me use it before.
I don't remember.
Don't bother, Marie. I'll plug it in. You can go now.
Yes, Madame.
Hey, hey, wait a minute. You ought to be careful handling those electric gimmicks when your hands are wet that way.
Oh, silly, I've been doing this.
Madeleine! Madeleine!
Get a doctor, Marie! Get a doctor!
Oh, yes, Monsieur.
Then I was down on the floor beside her remembering from somewhere that with people who had an electric shot,
she gave them artificial respiration, and I pressed my hands against her ribs, and I was talking to her without hardly knowing myself what I was saying.
Madeleine! Madeleine, baby!
Come on, baby, come on, snap out of it. You're going to be all right, baby. You've got to be.
Oh, please, baby, please. Please, please.
What happened?
Oh, Madeleine.
Are you all right?
I'm sick. You're crying.
Me? You're crazy. Oh, baby, baby.
So there it was. So now I knew. Because if I'd just stood there, she'd have died.
But I couldn't stand there. Not for all the money in the treasury could I have stood there.
Because I was in love with her.
I tried. I tried to keep my mind on all that money and what I could do with it.
I tried to tell myself that no dame was worth that much to me or to any other guy.
And all the time I was going nuts.
I wasn't fit to be living with wild animals and say nothing to a girl like Madeleine.
Vic, have you decided about going up to Arrowhead this next weekend?
What?
Vic, please put down the paper and listen to me.
Where are you going?
Uh, business. I got a little deal.
Oh, it must be quite a deal, Vic, to make you feel the way you have been lately.
It is, Madeleine. Quite a deal.
Hiya, playboy. How's it coming?
Hi, Bonnie. Hiya, Pinky.
Hi, kid. Hey, you're looking great. Not that you hadn't ought to be.
Yeah, we missed you, Vic. But we've been reading all about you in the society columns.
Yeah, you've been living up there in a fatted land for quite a while.
Yeah. But near six months, Vic.
That's right.
So, we've been sort of expecting you.
That's where I figure. That's why I come.
And I hope you're ready to talk business, Vic, because we are.
That's why I'm here.
Okay, okay. So let's we start talking.
Listen, Bonnie, look. Wait a minute.
Suppose, suppose I figured out a better way.
A better way to what?
A better way to get Doe out of the setup.
How much, Doe?
Maybe a million dollars.
A million dollars? Are you kidding?
What's the matter with a million dollars?
Nothing. Only my way we get about ten times that much, and that's what we're in this for,
and that's what we're gonna get, see?
I might even be able to get more than a million in time.
You're not trying to tell me you're getting soft, are you, Vic?
I don't like murder, that's all.
And you wouldn't try to tell me you've fallen for the dame, would you?
Well, what if I did?
Because I wouldn't believe you.
I've known you for a long time, Vic, and I know you ain't that kind of a guy.
No, I wouldn't figure it that way, Vic.
No.
No. I'd figure that maybe you were getting away with it up there a lot better than you expected,
and you didn't see no reason for not hanging on to the rest of the Doe.
All by yourself.
Oh, no, no. I don't like murder, Bonnie.
Maybe you don't. I can see how maybe you wouldn't.
But I put my Doe under this. I put my brains into it.
It's the biggest thing that anybody's ever pulled. Ten million bucks!
And I ain't taking any less. It's my way.
Or else?
Well, what about it?
Okay.
That's better.
You got it all figured out?
With the accident?
Sure, a burglary. Pinky here breaks in.
You and her hear the noise, you go down and find Pinky at the wall safe.
You got one, haven't you?
Yeah, in the library.
So you catch Pinky and you shoot.
Only you hit her.
I do. Why not Pinky?
No, no, no. If it's an outside job, they'll keep looking for the guy and that might find him.
And if you do it, it's an accident. Open and shut.
No more trouble. You like it?
Sure, it's great.
You got a gun, haven't you? Registered to you?
Yeah, for the house.
Use that.
Want to set a time?
Sooner the better. Friday night? Friday night.
Okay, Pinky?
Sure, any time.
Check with me Thursday, okay?
Okay.
And Vic?
Yeah?
Don't miss.
Hello?
Hello, Helen?
Yeah?
This is Vic. Victor Ruttega.
Vic! Why, you old so-and-so. I never thought I'd ever hear from you again.
Look, Helen, I want you to help me.
Why, sure. What is it?
I wouldn't ask you, Helen, but I'm on a spot.
Yeah, I was on a spot once, too, remember?
What do you want?
You're a good kid, Helen. Now listen, I can't tell you over the phone and don't talk to anybody,
not to anybody, until I tell you. But what are you doing Friday night?
Whatever you say.
Okay, I'll be in touch with you. Remember, Friday night.
Yes?
Hello, Madeline?
Well, Vic.
Look, hon, look. I think Arrowhead this weekend would be a great idea. What do you say?
Vic, that's wonderful. Well, I'll start getting things ready right away. When do you think you're leaving?
What about first thing Friday morning?
Well, Vic, fine. That's wonderful, darling. Friday morning.
It's about 90 miles to Arrowhead, and I usually make it in two hours easy the way I drive.
But this time I guess my mind was on almost everything except my driving.
You made up your mind pretty suddenly, didn't you, darling?
About what?
About coming up here.
Oh, I, well, I don't know. I...
Vic! Vic, please, not so fast on these turns.
Fast? It was too slow a while back.
Well, a while back it was too slow. You were crawling.
Why did you tell the servants to go away for the weekend?
Away? I didn't tell them to go away.
Well, the way you said it, it meant that.
Well, we were going to be away. I figured they might like a little vacation too.
Oh, I see. Vic, what is it?
What's what?
What's the matter?
Nothing the matter, Madeline. It's just business. Business, that's all.
Victor, I don't believe you.
What do you mean?
I mean, I don't believe it's business. I believe it's something else.
Well, what else could it be?
I believe it's something about you and me.
Oh, it isn't. It isn't, Madeline. It isn't. It's a deal, that's all. And the law will be over by a few days.
Will it?
Of course it will.
Vic, I love you. I could never fool myself about that.
I'd do something... I'd do something awful if anything ever came between you and me.
Anything or anyone.
I know, Madeline.
You don't want to talk about it, do you?
I can't, Madeline.
All right, all right. Remember, anything or anyone.
We got up to the cabin around noon and I helped her unpack and we changed and I moped around a couple of hours stalling.
And then I knew I couldn't stall much longer and I had to come out with it.
Vic, I thought we were going to go riding after we had...
Oh, Madeline.
What?
Madeline, I just thought of something terrible.
What? What is it?
I got an appointment to see a guy tonight in town.
Oh.
Oh, I don't see how I could have forgotten it.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Oh, I don't see how I could have forgotten it, but it's terribly important.
I'll just have to go.
Yes, I suppose you will.
But I'll be back first thing in the morning.
I'll have to take the car, but they'll loan you a station wagon at the hotel if you're going to be going anywhere.
Yes, yes.
Will you be staying at the house?
Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.
I...
Oh, Madeline, don't look at me that way.
Please, you understand how it is, don't you?
Yes, Vic, I think I do.
I drove on down feeling like the world's worst healer and scared and excited too.
I called Helen and told her how to get out there and where to leave her car
and how to get in without anyone seeing her in case they were already watching the joint.
It was good and dark about 8 o'clock when I let her in.
Am I on time?
Sure, swell.
Boy, what a dump.
Yeah, yeah, it's quite a place, isn't it?
It's awful empty, though.
I had an idea it was kind of a party or something.
It is, kind of.
The people I'm expecting will be along later now.
Come on up this way.
Gee, I knew you'd married into the gravy, Vic, but I didn't know it was anything like this.
You coming here?
No, what's this?
A bedroom, dressing room.
So this is what rich people call a bedroom.
Look at the mirrors.
Yeah, yeah, look, Helen, Helen, can you put your hair up over your head?
You know, that sort of crown business on top?
Like this? Sure.
Yeah.
That part of the act?
Yeah, that's it.
And while you're at it, put on this nightgown, will you?
And the dressing gown, too.
And there ought to be some slippers in there that will fit you.
Now, wait a minute.
Now, wait a minute, Helen, it's nothing like that.
I'll wait outside.
Vic, it is one of those divorce things, is it?
No, like I said, it's a sort of a gag.
Okay, you're the doctor.
And what's that?
Phone.
Aren't you going to answer it?
Probably isn't important.
Well, who do you suppose it could be?
I don't know, I don't know.
Vic, it might be your wife.
Yeah, yeah, it might be.
Well, for heaven's sake, why don't you answer it?
I can't answer it.
Oh, all right, all right, all right.
Oh, gee, these things have your wife and darling.
How do I look, huh?
You look just about right.
I hated the part about Helen, but I know I didn't stand a chance in the world
of getting Barney inside unless he thought he was seeing Madeline.
He'd never seen her, except from a distance, that lousy newspaper picture.
And what with the hair doing all, Helen looked pretty good.
And after a while, I went around the house, I put off all the lights,
and after that, we had to sit in the dark.
I didn't even dare talk to Helen anymore.
Pretty soon, she just went to sleep, and I waited.
I heard a clock in the downstairs hall strike four,
and then right on the dot, I heard what I'd been waiting for.
Helen, Helen, wake up.
What time is it?
Shh, shh, shh.
Come on, the people are here.
All right, aren't you going to put on the light?
When we get to the library.
Now, you stay right behind me, and as quiet as you can,
and I'll shine a flashlight so you can see.
I can see.
And when I go in, you come in right behind me, close the door,
and just stand right there, right against the door.
All right.
All right, here we are.
All right, Pinky, drop that gun.
What's the idea, Vic?
Just not taking any chances.
Drop it!
Now, kick it across the floor, over to me.
Bonnie outside?
Yeah.
Alone?
Yeah.
I want you to go to that side door where you came in and whistled at him.
And when he shows, tell him we need him in here.
And that's all.
Anything more and I shoot.
Understand?
This ain't right, Vic.
When this happens, I want Bonnie in here.
Just in case you wouldn't want you and me to be the only suckers, would you?
That's right, too.
All right.
Hey, Bonnie, we need you.
He's coming.
Vic.
All right, all right.
Put up your hands and keep him up.
What's the idea?
Better go outside, baby.
All right, Vic.
That ain't your wife.
Close the door after you.
What is this, the old double cross?
Yeah.
The old double cross.
I don't, I don't, I don't.
Vic.
Oh, Vic, you killed him.
They broke into my house. They were burglars.
But that's Barney Bernard.
They broke into my house.
Oh, Vic, I don't want to be mixed up in anything.
You're not going to be mixed up in anything.
Nobody saw you come. Nobody will see you go.
Is that why?
I mean, your wife nightgowned.
I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you more.
I can't tell you now either, but you better get your things and scram.
I've got to call the cops.
All right, Vic.
What's that?
Madeline.
I told you what I'd do, Vic.
Madeline.
Put down that gun. Listen, will you?
I'll do anything or anyone.
Madeline.
There it is, Harry.
But remember, you said the D.A.'s office would lay off her.
That's right.
You better lie down there.
Look.
You can't just lie there.
I'm not lying.
You're lying.
Look, Harry, do you think...
Do you think the way it was...
It might make a difference?
How?
To her?
Yeah, Vic. Yeah.
I think it might.
This is the Armed Forces Radio Service.
The Armed Forces Radio Service.