Auto Light and its 96,000 dealers present Suspense.
Tonight, Auto Light brings you a story of murder and greed.
A story we call Early to Death, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Say, Half, how's your team?
Oh, just fine, Harlow, just... my what?
Your car's team. Didn't you know your Auto Light equipped car carries a team around under its hood?
You got me, Harlow.
Well, the team, Half, is the Auto Light electrical system in your car that produces and stores the electricity needed to start your car and keep it running.
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Remember, you're always right with Auto Light.
And now with early to death and the performances of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, Auto Light hopes once again to keep you in suspense.
What'll happen to Duke?
He'll get down with the plane.
That's the same as murder.
It's $300,000. I think it's worth it.
Matt Evey, you want out?
No, no, I'll get the money. You call in, Ben.
Right, baby.
N-71533, calling Veracruz Radio. Over.
N-71533, this is Veracruz Radio. Go ahead.
Veracruz, we're over the mountains. My oil line is clogged. We're in trouble.
Do not try to drive it through. Pay it out. Okay? Over.
Hello? Hello? Hello? N-71533, answer me.
Evey.
I got it, Ben. A full payroll. $300,000.
All right, turn around. I'll buckle a case into your parachute harness.
We wouldn't want this to burn up, would we?
You call in the Veracruz?
Yeah, yeah, they got the idea. There you are.
Come on, baby. You aren't scared to make the jump, are you?
Scared? After all the planning we've done, let's get out of this thing.
We jumped together. I closed my eyes and counted just the way Ben had told me.
And then I pulled the ripcord.
And all at once I was floating down to earth. It was all so easy.
After a while I was standing beside Ben and he was helping me out of my parachute harness.
We both looked over at the same time.
So long, dude.
Ben, do you think we should have strapped a chute on him in case there's...
I left the fuel lines wide open.
When they find that plane, it won't be anything last.
Come on, Evie. We got things to do.
We buried the case full of money right there in the mountains.
Where we'd keep until we came back to pick it up, when things were safe.
That's the way we'd planned it.
Three days later we staggered into a town called Acauca.
Made like the two survivors of a plane crash.
They took us to the hospital in Veracruz and we were treated for exposure.
Sure, there were questions, all sorts.
From the Mexican police, insurance investigators, agents, the whole bunch.
But they were questions we could answer.
We'd been rehearsing them for a year.
When did you know the plane was having mechanical trouble, Miss Wessler?
When Mr. Tabor came back from the pilot's cabin and told me to buckle on my chutes.
And you, Tabor? I was sleeping.
The duke woke me up and told me the oil line was colliding with the jet.
And you did jump? Jump.
Miss Wessler went first, I thought.
But the pilot's duke didn't jump. Why?
I have no idea.
Did you have a parachute? No.
I was six weeks aboard.
Were either one of you aware of the cargo?
What cargo?
The company payroll was on the plane.
Mister, I'm only a co-pilot. They don't tell me those things.
Did you know, Miss Webster?
No. How would I know?
The company would just send me on my vacation.
To understand I represent the bonding company,
we're hoping to locate the wreckage and recover some of that payload.
I must ask you first.
I understand.
Now then, will you please tell me what in your opinion might have stopped the pilot from saving his own life when he knew the plane was doing it?
We played it as straight and as dumb as we could.
The more questions they asked, the more innocent we looked.
And a week later when they found the wreckage and combed it over,
they decided everything, including the payroll, had burned up in the plane.
Ben kept on flying for them.
I quit after three months and went back to New Orleans.
All we had to do was wait.
The first time the guy showed up,
the guy in the dirty Panama suit with the three-day beard, the smile and all the teeth,
he didn't worry me one bit.
You don't remember me, senorita?
Go away. I'm waiting for a friend.
You do not understand. I am your friend.
Well, you're not the right one, so beat it.
But we meet, you and I, in a way.
Well, nice to see you again. Goodbye.
At the time you impressed Rico very much.
I am Rico.
Oh, the senor Teybor.
Hello, Ibi.
Who's this?
I don't know, Ben.
Allow me. My card.
It's very true, and I print myself.
Rico Sebastian, senor Teybor.
What does he want, eh?
Search me.
I am just explaining my admiration for the senorita.
And now for you too, senorita.
In a way we have also met before.
You remember ever seen
30-day tourists?
Let us say incognito.
What makes you think you know us, Sebastian?
I said I have seen both of you before.
It was in the mountains north of Acajuca
where I often hunt with high-powered rifle.
I saw you parachute out and land safely with a box.
I witnessed the plane crash.
And later saw you both star through the woods
without the box.
I would need help with dig in every ravine.
Official help.
Unless, of course, you would help me.
And then I would know exactly what to dig.
I would hate to talk to the officials
because I know they would listen.
What do you want?
A small pit in some areas.
Only one little quarter of a big $300,000.
Well, you have my card.
We'll talk later when you feel better.
Hasta luego.
Ben, what do you think?
I don't know.
Just tell him it's proof he's got us.
And we've got a third partner.
Oh, Ben, I wish we hadn't waited.
I wish we'd just taken the money and got on that boat of yours.
All right, all right, take it easy.
This guy ain't gonna let me pass.
Give me that card.
What are you gonna do?
I'm gonna go see him.
Find out just how tough he is.
Ben.
Be careful, Ben.
I'm scared.
Will you stop lying?
Oh, Ben, just like a fake.
We had another drink and Ben left for Rico's.
I went back to my apartment and waited for his phone call.
After two hours, I couldn't stand it any longer
and took a cab over there myself.
It was in the French Quarter,
a dull gray place with lots of iron grill work out front.
A man in a black hat and French coat answered the door.
Come in, come in.
You'd be Miss Weston.
Who are you? What is it?
I'm Lieutenant Mayor, Mr. Sergeant Tremaine.
You want to tell it now?
Tell what?
Okay.
The landlady says you rented this place three months ago.
Why, she's a liar. I never...
This is where you meet Ben Table when he comes in from trip.
What?
You know Ben Table.
While it says he's a professional pilot,
you went and crashed with him a few months ago.
Show us, Sergeant.
Ben!
You put those bullet holes in it?
Oh, Ben!
He wasn't shot here. Who helped you move him?
No, no, it's a trick.
Rico planned this. He planned this.
Rico? Who's Rico?
Rico's the...
The man that helped you move the body here?
Who is he?
I won't say anything.
I won't say a word until I see a lawyer.
And I didn't say a word.
Ben was dead.
There was nothing I could do about that.
Of course Rico had killed him.
Had been planning to kill him all the time.
I was sitting in my cell the next day when I had a visitor.
Hey! Good morning, senorita.
You?
Si. You're in trouble.
Rico's here to help.
You did not think I would leave town when my friend is in trouble.
You killed Ben last night.
I only meant to kill him slightly.
George!
Quiet, please. You haven't a thought.
I'm going to turn you in so fast.
Quiet. Now think.
Ben Table is dead.
It's unfortunate, but I have to kill him.
And your position is very pervasive.
The police are highly suspicious of you.
They are talking of a falling out among thieves.
Recalling the plane incident and the payroll which might not have burned.
And you help things along by renting a place under my name and taking Ben there after you kill him.
Si. It was just a small threat.
Now I have a big one.
An alibi for you.
What alibi?
I have many friends who will testify you spent money on Ben.
I will testify you spent last evening with me.
Until I get out, you get nothing.
There is going to be a Körner's inquest this morning.
They cannot indict if we come to terms.
How much?
One quarter of three hundred thousand for the trouble.
One quarter for the alibi.
Half.
I can see by your eyes that this is agreeable.
It is the opinion of this court that Benjamin James Taber met death as a result of bullet wounds inflicted by a person or persons unknown.
This court is convinced that the suspect, Yvie Webster, will be released on suspicion of murder charges.
The testimony of the witness is a conviction enough to be...
Oh, miss, miss. You are free now, huh?
You are angry. I have caused you so much trouble.
You are a murderer.
You murdered before I? The pilot?
Miss, we are partners now. Let us not talk of such things.
Let us rather make plans to settle off our little account.
Yeah, I was just thinking about that.
Oh, we are going to get along fine, you and I. Fine.
Rico played his cards pretty well.
But there were some things he hadn't planned on.
I'd kill, then he'd kill.
The way I looked at it, it was my turn again.
Auto Light is bringing you Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Early to Death.
Tonight's production in Radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Say, Hap, how important is the electricity to the running of your car?
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Yeah, Hap.
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Auto Light, Auto Light.
Now, Auto Light brings back more Hollywood sound today.
Jesse Arnaz and Lucille Ball.
In Elliot Lewis's production of Early to Death.
A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
Rico made me give him all my money.
He bought himself some shoes, shaving equipment, tobacco, a couple of sets of dungarees and some shirts.
I thought that maybe when he got cleaned up he wouldn't look half bad.
But all it did was make the meanness in him a lot easier to see.
You keep staring at me. Why?
Because I'm going to keep my eye on you night and day, buster.
I don't know how you ever got the feeling that I couldn't be trusted.
Didn't I get you out of jail?
Yeah, but something tells me I've been a lot safer left in.
Well, when you have that money in your hand, you will feel much better.
You and your friend Ben bought a boat.
How did you know we had a boat?
Because I have seen it. You have kept it in the harbor of Biloxi, Mississippi.
It has the name Intrigue.
Very funny, huh?
Yeah, it's a scream.
We took the train down to Biloxi, and in two days he had the Intrigue ready to move.
The boat was a 40-foot auxiliary sloop, and I knew nothing about it.
But as usual, Rico knew everything. He pulled out for beer cruise.
And then I knew what I had to do.
When we hit port, I was going to take off and feed him to that money.
I knew I could get to it before he could.
Then I'd go right through the other side of the mountains, and he'd never find me again.
It was night when we pulled in the beer cruise.
We tied up, and he decided we'd bunk in until morning.
I waited until I thought he was asleep, and I walked quietly over to him,
and hit him with a piece of 2x4.
He never moved.
Four hours later, I hired a car and drove to Akayuka.
It was early morning when I got to the only hotel, a small beat-up plaster building.
When I asked for a room, I got a shock.
Sí, señorita Webster. We have been expecting you.
A room is ready.
Expecting me? You were expecting me?
Sí, señorita. Come this way, please.
He moved down the corridor, and I followed.
We reached a door, he swung it open, bowed, and walked away.
I couldn't believe it, but I knew what I was going to find even before I saw it.
Did you like the room?
Rico, I...
You don't know what to say, huh?
No.
Well, I do.
Rico!
Then next time you try something like that, I'll take care of you quick.
You might have killed me.
It could all have been so easy, but you had to make it hard.
You're going to take all the money. That's what you want.
You're a bad judge of character.
You think I am the kind of man who might kill you once you show me exactly where the payroll is buried.
Did you ever think I might kill you for not showing me?
I made up my mind right then.
I was going to kill Rico long before he saw that money.
Later that day, while he was out arranging for horses, I went looking for a weapon of some kind.
I'm sorry, senorita. Nowhere in Acauca is there a small gun such as you describe.
Perhaps you try Veracruz.
I haven't got time. I want it now, and I'll pay anything.
What good is money when there is no gun?
Don't you have a black market here or something?
What do you want a gun?
For protection.
Oh, that's all?
Just a moment, senorita.
Here. Here is the greatest legal protection in the whole world.
Eight inches long, sharp as a razor.
I don't know anything about a knife.
What is that you don't know?
Just... when the throat is cut, that is if you want to cut a throat.
I strapped the knife to my leg under my Levi's and went to the hotel to wait for Rico.
He came back late in the afternoon with horses and supplies.
A group of peons watched us go, and I knew they thought we were both crazy heading into those hot brown hills.
We went about 12 miles the first day and made camp.
I was so nervous I couldn't eat or sleep.
I was afraid to take my eyes off Rico.
We made a fire and put our bedrolls on opposite sides,
and I lay there half the night watching the flames slowly die out.
Rico's eyes were shut.
He was breathing regularly.
I took the knife out and walked over to him.
His head was back and his throat was completely uncovered.
I started the knife downward.
That is far enough with the knife.
Let go of me!
This isn't one murder enough.
Drop it!
All right, you'll break my wrist.
Why do you keep doing these things all the time?
I have told you what a nice guy I am and you do not believe me.
I have to sleep with one eye open.
You... you...
No, no, no tears.
You're only doing what you think is best.
But I'd better be careful of you, huh?
He was laughing at me and there was nothing I could do.
For the next three days and nights I didn't sleep a minute.
We rode deeper and deeper into the hills.
I never felt so alone and helpless in my life.
I didn't speak to him and he didn't speak to me.
We just kept on hour after hour.
Finally we began to get near the ridge where Ben and I had buried the payroll.
I was trembling with excitement.
But Rico was too calm.
Whoa, whoa, whoa there.
Where are you going?
Huh?
Wherever you go, Senorita.
Show me the place you were standing when Ben and I parachuted out of the plane.
Well, it was over there, on the ridge.
What ridge?
That one.
There.
You didn't see us that day.
You've never been in this country before.
Oh, no. Why do you say this?
Because that's where we ber...
Where on the ridge, Senorita?
Lead me to it.
Pronto.
And he had me again.
It was a trick.
The whole thing and Ben and I had fallen for it.
He pulled out the gun and I rode in front of him, leading him to the spot.
When we got there he made me go to work digging.
The case was there, the money was damp but good.
Rico took a bundle of bills in his hand and looked at them long and thoughtfully.
And he turned towards me with a gun in his hand.
Now...
Rico, please.
You know what I'm going to do?
Rico, you can have all the money but don't shoot me. Please, Rico.
Shoot you, Evie?
Again you have misjudged me.
I am breaking off on the gun.
I am throwing away the bullets.
And I'm throwing the gun away in another direction.
Oh, Rico.
Rico, I should have believed you.
I said all I wanted was half and that's all I'm going to take.
Now don't worry.
I'm not going to kill you.
It was like being born again.
I tasted food for the first time in days.
I even talked to Rico like I talk to any human being.
We put the money in the saddlebags and started through the mountains toward Mexico City.
Rico said people might recognize the serial numbers on the bills and we had to be careful how we unloaded it.
We sold the horses in the first village and took a plane to Mexico City.
I stayed at the hotel while Rico went out to do the bargaining.
He said it would take two or three days.
We bought some new clothes and the first night we went dinner dancing.
And I suddenly got an idea.
You are looking at me in a different way, Evie.
That's true, Rico.
I know you now.
But you're really like me. The more I know you, the better I like you.
Ben Tabor likes you too.
But poor Ben is dead.
Why the laugh?
I'm not for you, Evie.
How do you know? You haven't really seen my best side yet.
I am just a war prat. Soldier of fortune.
So who am I? Do you think I came out of a girls' school yesterday?
No, but we're from different worlds.
Rico, see if this brings the worlds any closer.
Well...
You like me, don't you?
Yes. The kiss was nice.
But I have a feeling about this thing.
What feeling?
That you're only trying to get my half of the money back.
The
Buying a gun was a lot easier in Mexico City than in Acauca.
They had them all sizes and shapes, depending on the kind of a victim you had in mind.
I paid the top price.
We kept the money in the hotel room.
On the second day, Rico, while he was out making deals, I made my plan.
I was going to kill him when he came back and slip out of the hotel at night.
I'd be in Europe before anybody found out who I really was.
I sat waiting for him.
I see you have been waiting, Evie.
Yes, I thought we might talk.
I have something to tell you.
Something that will affect your whole life.
I'll bet you have.
Well, the deal's off. See?
Evie.
All the weeks and hours that you kept me on the end of a gun.
Now it's your turn.
Evie. Evie.
How does it feel, Rico?
Think of me spending all that money.
Evie, get me a doctor.
Get your own doctor.
Evie, you're a very stupid woman.
I was almost a very stupid woman because I was going to kill you.
Now I'm just going to leave you here with a bullet in your shoulder.
And after I'm gone, you won't say a word because you're in no position to.
I know all about you.
You won't even get out of this hotel.
You see, even now you're being watched.
What are you talking about?
You don't know all about me, Evie.
I am a Mexican police officer.
As it turned out, he was.
He had killed Ben Tabor in self-defense, and that's why the American police had let me go.
He had led me right to Mexico City where he had jurisdiction.
And he wasn't unloading the money on the black market.
He was verifying serial numbers.
I should have killed him then, but I didn't.
Rico was right.
One murder was enough.
The Spence, presented by Auto Light.
Tonight's stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Friends, this is Harlow Wilcox again to remind you that Auto Light,
the world's largest independent manufacturer of automotive electrical equipment,
makes over 400 fine products in 28 plants from coast to coast.
These include generators, starting motors, distributors, ignition coils,
and all the other units that make up the complete Auto Light electrical system
used as original factory equipment on many leading makes of our finest cars, trucks, and tractors.
Auto Light makes a complete line of batteries for automotive use,
and a complete line of ignition engineered Auto Light spark plugs,
all backed by the constant Auto Light research and precision built to the exacting standards of Auto Light engineers.
So remember, you're always right with Auto Light.
Next week on Suspense, our star will be Mr. James Stewart in The Rescue.
And in weeks to come, you will hear such famous stars as Ann Baxter, Rosalind Russell, and Charles Boyer.
All on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Elliot Lewis with music composed by Lucian Morrowek and conducted by Lud Bluskin.
Early to Death was written for Suspense by E. Jack Newman and John Michael Hayes.
Tonight's cast included Jack Crouchon, Anthony Barrett, Tom Holland, and Joseph Kearns.
Desi Arnaz may be heard on his own program, Your Tropical Trip, on this same network.
And remember, next week on Suspense, Mr. James Stewart has a man who tries to save a girl's life.
A tale we call The Rescue.
You can buy Auto Light electrical parts, Auto Light resistor type or standard type spark plugs, Auto Light staple batteries at your neighborhood Auto Light dealers.
Switch to Auto Light. Good night.
Preparedness is the best protection.
Your federal civil defense administration urges you to obtain the official air raid instructions and learn them thoroughly.
Remember, air raid safety, like traffic safety, depends on knowing and following the rules.
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