And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Tonight, we bring you a story of a killer and the family which he held in a night of
fear.
We call it, Strange for a Killer.
So now, starring Mr. John Danaer, here is tonight's Suspense play, Strange for a Killer.
How's this, Henry?
Oh, swell.
Anywhere along here.
Oh, thanks, Buck.
So you're sure you don't want to stop in for a minute?
You haven't seen the kid yet, have you?
Gee, I'd like to, but I have to get home early myself tonight.
The wife's got some kind of meeting and I'll have to take care of my own.
Okay.
See you tomorrow.
Yeah.
Night, Hank.
All right.
Hold it right there.
Oh, I didn't see you, officer.
What's wrong?
You'll have to wait a while.
You can't go down that street.
But that's where I live.
My wife's waiting for me.
You'll be a little late.
Well, now, wait a minute.
Look, will you keep your voice down and stay back?
You'll get hurt if you don't.
Oh, are you after someone?
Roy Gileska.
Gileska?
That's right.
And he's been living in this neighborhood?
Where?
Right across the street, down three doors.
There's a cop every 10 feet from here to the river.
You better go back in that drug store and wait.
Call your wife if you want.
Yeah, I think I'd better.
Where'd you say he was?
Across and down three doors.
Yeah.
Well, we're in the apartment house right next to her.
You don't think there'll be any shooting?
Just tell her to stay inside and keep her door locked.
She'll be all right.
Oh.
Thanks.
Henry.
Hi, Charlie.
Hey, it's that Chaliski guy there after, you know.
He's been living in the boarding house right next to you.
Yeah, I know.
How long has it been going on?
They've been here almost half hour now.
Half hour?
What are they waiting for?
Don't ask me.
I got here about 5.30 when the police were just coming in.
It only took about five minutes to cover the whole block.
And a party of six or seven of them went in after him.
And they haven't come out?
No.
No, I've been watching.
Why, I wonder.
You haven't heard any shooting, have you?
No.
We ought to hear something by now.
Hey, that's seem funny, doesn't it?
Unless he got out of his room.
Ah, he couldn't get far.
Oh.
Well, I want to get Jessie on the phone.
She'll be wondering why I'm late.
Yeah, sure.
How is it?
Huh. Funny.
Hello?
What's the matter, honey? I thought you weren't going to answer.
I was looking after Johnny.
Are you okay? Just getting hungry.
Well, go ahead with this supper. I'm going to be late.
Jess, I don't want to scare you, but there's going to be a little trouble next door.
Now, I don't want you to leave our apartment.
Yes.
The police are after someone who's been hiding out in the boarding house next to us.
Now, the whole block is surrounded, and I won't be able to get home until it's over, and you're not to come out.
Yes.
There's nothing to be afraid of, Jesse.
All right.
Just stay inside. Keep the door locked.
There's no need for that now. Goodbye, dear.
What?
Jesse? Hello? Hello?
Hey, Charlie.
Yeah?
How high is that boarding house? Is it three stories?
Yeah, that's right. Just like your place.
And that alley between them, how wide is it?
It's pretty narrow, I guess. But there's a cop on both ends.
On the roof.
Charlie, could anyone make the jump across? Is it too wide for that?
I don't know. Why?
She didn't sound right, Charlie.
Like...
Yeah?
Like there was someone with her, Charlie.
I tell you, I spoke to her on the phone about ten minutes ago,
and I'm sure there's something wrong up there, Captain.
What makes you sure?
Well, she was afraid of something. I know she was.
Something right there in the room with her.
Where do you live? In the boarding house?
No, the apartment house next door on the third floor.
Reeder? Yes, sir?
The Ferrell's got some men going into the apartment house
next to the Jalesco stop-in. Yeah.
He's in there with her, isn't he?
He's in with my wife. I don't know, fella.
He could be anywhere now. You didn't find him in his room?
No, he's not in the boarding house. I knew it.
He's with Jesse and my son. Take it easy, Hayden.
We got across the roof, didn't we? Our apartment is on the top floor.
He could get in easy enough. Maybe.
Look, let me go up there, Captain.
Please, let me go up there.
No, I want to be with my wife and kid.
I'm sorry, Hayden. If it's true he'll use them as hostages
to make us hold our fire, it's better that they're only two.
What difference does it make? Look, we're not even sure he's there.
You haven't given us any real proof.
It's the only way you can make sure.
Now, look, if everything's all right,
if he isn't there, I'll call the drug store and have them tell you so.
If he is, I'll...
Well, I'll let you know somehow.
We can think of some kind of signal.
You can't stop me anyway.
It's my home, my wife that's in danger.
I have a right to be there.
I could stop you, mister. I should stop you.
But you won't.
I can go?
All right, listen to me.
You may be wrong about this...
No, what do you want me to do?
Go straight to your wife.
Don't do any investigating on the way, no looking down the alley or around corners.
Get in your apartment, lock the door behind you.
He's trapped, Hayden, and he's scared now,
and he'll kill you if he thinks you're on to him.
I know it.
If he's not in your place when you get there,
call headquarters and ask for Grimes.
I'll flash the message to my car.
If he is there,
well, there's nothing I can tell you.
You'll be on your own, but don't try to signal.
Now, if I don't get your call ten minutes after you go in, we'll know.
Yes, sir.
I can say this, Hayden.
If he's there, don't try anything brave.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Well, that's about all.
Just be careful. We want this man, Hayden.
We want him immediately, but we don't want anyone hurt getting him.
You understand?
I do. Thanks.
Okay, Captain. Farrell's holding up his men, but he wants to know the score.
Get over to my car, Reader.
Have his men surround the apartment house, block every exit,
put someone on the fire escape and on the first floor, but no mis...
No noise.
Do it quietly.
Okay, Hayden.
You can get going.
If he's not there, get the call in right away.
Yes, sir.
I'll be sure.
Jesse?
Oh, honey. Honey, is everything okay? Is it?
Come in, Henry.
You sounded funny over the phone. I thought there was something wrong.
It's okay, isn't it?
Why don't you answer me, Jess?
Henry. Henry.
Where?
Where...
Where is it?
Get your hands over your head.
Get up against the wall.
Don't make any noise or I'll kill you.
You are listening to Strange for a Killer,
tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
The money you meant to save but never actually did
will never see you through an emergency.
Start immediately to put regular sums aside
through your bank's bond-a-month plan
or through weekly payroll savings deductions.
United States savings bonds are safe to invest in
because they're as sure as Uncle Sam.
And when you need them, you've got them.
And now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage
Mr. John Dana starring in tonight's production
Strange for a Killer,
a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.
I know what you're thinking, but don't you try it, mister.
This is a.45.
I'm not afraid of your gun.
That's because you've never been hit.
You're bigotting me and I know what you're thinking,
but don't you try it. I'm warning you.
You won't ever know what it means to wish you could die
till you get a slug in your stomach.
Henry...
No, it's all right.
I know what you mean.
I didn't mean it.
It won't do any good, you know.
No matter what happens to us, no matter how long you stay here,
they'll get you.
Listen, it guys, just like me,
those blue suits don't make them Superman.
They make mistakes like everyone else.
They've already made a big one.
How?
They shouldn't have sent you.
My wife didn't sound right when I spoke to her over the phone.
I came up to find out why.
Yeah, she gave it away.
She's sorry about that.
Jesse...
It's all right, Henry. Please, it's all right.
Did he hurt you, Jess?
Never mind that.
She just got out of the hospital.
Would you like to see her go back?
I hope they kill you.
They might.
I thought about it.
I guess maybe you better start thinking about it too,
because it's gonna happen the next time you make a crack like that.
Henry, don't, don't.
I'm gonna ask you a couple of questions,
and you're gonna give me the right answers, the right answers, mister.
The first time you get hurt bad.
What do you want to know?
Where were you when you made that phone call?
Drugstore, across the street.
And your wife don't sound right.
Do you think maybe something is wrong?
Yes.
You want to get up here, you want to find out why.
Yes.
What takes you so long?
What?
We don't hear you coming up the stairs till almost 15 minutes after she hangs up.
What are you doing all that time, huh?
Oh, no, no, no.
At first I wasn't sure she did sound like there was something wrong.
It was only after I hung up and got to thinking about it
that I started to worry, and then I made up my mind to come up.
But that was later.
You don't stop to talk it over with the cops?
Why should I?
How could I know it was you in here?
Cops all over the block looking for me, searching every building,
streets probably closed off, and your wife sounds scared over the phone,
but you won't say why.
Sounds like someone's with her, she don't say who.
But you don't think it might be me?
Well, yes.
Maybe I began to...
Yeah, but you don't say nothing to the cops, though.
No.
Just come up all by yourself.
Yes.
You sure of that?
Yes, I...
Okay...
No! Oh, please!
Please don't! Leave him alone!
Oh, Henry! Henry!
It's all right.
I'm all right, Jesse.
All right. What's the big plan with you and the cops?
I don't know.
I don't know about their plan.
I don't know what they're going to do.
But they know you're in here.
Don't stop, mister.
I did go to the police when I thought it was you here with my wife.
I don't think they believed me at first,
but I talked the captain into letting me come anyway.
If you weren't here, I was supposed to call him right away.
And if I was?
Nothing.
Just wait, and if they didn't hear in ten minutes,
it meant...
It meant I couldn't call.
You were in this room.
You old lady.
Go get the kid.
No.
Why do you want him?
We'll do anything you say. You don't need to touch our kid.
You look okay.
You don't want to hurt the kid.
Get him, lady.
Henry!
It's all right. I'm sure of it.
You haven't got much time, Gileska.
You know it.
Killing our baby is something you wouldn't do.
You can bring him in, Jessie.
If you say so.
You're so sure this is the end of the line for me?
And those cops down there, they're so sure.
Well, I'm telling you, I got lots of time,
and you're going to help me take it.
Yeah.
I'll back up to the wall and peel off that jacket.
What?
Come on, take off the jacket. It's all on the floor.
Sure.
Why not?
What are you going to do?
I'm not going to do anything.
You're going to take it for a while.
What do you mean?
You don't see it, huh?
I'm kind of surprised.
Well, I don't see any way out for you. That's what you mean.
They know you're here.
Yeah, yeah, they know I'm here.
You made sure of that, didn't you?
So they're covering every way out.
Doors, windows, alleys.
What do you suppose would happen if I tried one of them?
I think they'd kill you.
Yeah, yeah.
I start out that window, and every cop down there
comes to make sure I don't finish the trip.
Maybe a couple come running up here.
That leaves lots of cops down on the bottom of the fire escape
and a couple of cops up here in the room.
But not many anywhere else, huh?
In the alley or in the streets or down near the river?
They'll all be watching the guy in the fire escape, won't they?
And the guy in the fire escape,
he don't need to be me, does he?
No, he won't work.
You're crazy to think that'll work.
I gotta take that chance now.
You're going out on a window, mister,
and you're gonna take your time doing it.
They've seen me. They know what I look like.
They saw a guy in a leather jacket right close up.
Now you're a guy in a white shirt,
three stories over the street, coming down a fire escape.
That makes you a different guy.
That makes you Roy Gileska.
Ha-ha. A little guy, huh? Bring him in.
He's asleep. You won't...
He's asleep.
What's his name?
Johnny.
Johnny?
That's a nice original name.
He's a cute little kid, too.
I don't guess you're gonna put up any arguments, huh, mister?
No.
No arguments.
Yeah. I'll be right here with the wife and the kid
until I see our little scheme is working,
so don't you try no tricks on the way down.
No.
What does he mean? Henry, what's gonna happen?
You can read about it in the papers, lady.
Now go turn out the light.
The light?
Turn it off.
But don't you try nothing. Neither one of you.
You got your kid in here now,
and there's no telling who'd get hit if I had to shoot wild.
Turn it out, Jesse.
Henry, I...
Come on.
Now you. The window.
Okay.
They're all waiting.
Get going.
You can't let him go out there.
Jesse, it's all right.
Hold on to Johnny and wait for me.
It'll be all right.
Henry.
I stepped out onto the street
and saw a man standing there.
I thought he was a man.
I stepped out onto the iron platform.
Below on the street,
I could feel every eye on me.
Hold up, Jalaska!
We see you!
Don't take another step!
And then I knew there was a part of the plan
he hadn't told me.
I jumped back against the wall,
but it was already too late.
From the window behind me,
Jalaska fired down into the police.
Their guns flew up automatically,
and everyone was aimed at me.
There's pain.
Pain.
People everywhere.
There are waves of pain.
Voices.
Voices I knew.
Don't touch him.
Let him alone.
He's losing blood.
I've got to get a doctor.
You'll get a doctor, lady.
Why don't you go?
What are you waiting for?
Haven't you done enough?
He's been shot.
He's hurt.
And you just stand there.
I thought you wanted to get out.
Well, get out! Get out!
Get out.
Henry, Henry, it'll be all right.
Don't try to move, darling.
You'll be all right.
Is he gone?
Please.
No, mister, no, he ain't gone.
A little scheme.
It don't look like it's going to work.
It should have.
No reason it shouldn't.
But they're moving up on the stairs right now.
Don't move, Henry.
We'll get a doctor.
It'll all be over in a minute.
Yeah, you're glad, huh?
No.
No, I'm not glad.
It's ugly, all of this.
I feel sorry for you.
Don't, lady.
I've been running for a long time.
I think it's going to feel good to stop.
It's a funny thing when they're after you,
when you're running away.
You look the same, you act the same as you always did,
but it's different on the inside.
You're tight and twisted.
No matter what you're doing, you can't relax.
You can't get a good deep breath.
Yeah, I think I'm glad.
Gillesca?
Roy Gillesca?
Those guys are going to do a lot of brag in the morrow.
We know you're in there.
Come out with your hands up, or we're coming after you.
So, they finally get me.
You killed a man?
Yeah.
Yeah, one day you're just a guy,
and something happens, and you're a killer.
Won't you go now, please?
Sure, sure I'll go.
Why not?
Don't make much difference now.
Buddy, listen to me.
You know what I mean, don't you?
You're just a guy.
Yeah.
Put your gun down.
Maybe they'll give you a chance.
What chance? I've been waiting for a chance all my life.
Give her the gun.
It'll be better.
Look, forget it, will you? Get out of the way, lady.
I'm going out.
You wouldn't try.
Oh, why don't you let me have your gun?
Get back, get way back.
Jesse?
It's all right, Henry, it's all right.
That's it.
Stay there.
I'm...
You'll stay just like that.
Oh, Henry.
Okay, son, hold it right there.
Don't come any farther.
There are six guns on you, Jaliska.
You haven't got a chance.
Now drop that thing and come down with your hands over your head.
Jesse.
Yes?
Why didn't it work?
They shot at me.
And then there was at least a half minute when he could have got out that door.
Why didn't he?
What made him wait?
Oh, don't talk, darling, it's all over now.
No, no, no, what happened? Tell me.
When the police fired, he started for the door.
But he came back, Henry.
He went out into the fire escape and lifted you in the room.
Then he started for the door again, but it was too late.
Is he all right?
I don't know, I think so.
Will you get a doctor, please?
The one's on his way.
All right, take it easy, mister, you're going to be okay.
Just lie easy.
Yeah.
Sure.
It's funny.
Huh?
No, it's not funny.
Strange.
Strange for a killer.
Suspense, in which Mr. John Dana starred in tonight's presentation of Strange for a Killer.
Next week, tune in again for radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ellis.
Tonight's script was written by Robert Essam.
The music was composed by René Guéregao and conducted by Wilbur Hatch.
Featured in the cast were Tony Barrett, Eve McVeigh, Jack Crouchon, Leonard Weinrib, Charles Seale, and Tom McKee.
Tomorrow night on CBS Radio, hear the scientific touch on the FBI in Peace and War.
A new wrinkle in criminology and an exciting wrinkle in countermeasures.
Remember on most of these stations every Wednesday night, the FBI in Peace and War.
Stay tuned now for Douglas Edwards with the news, followed by Disc Derby.
Thursday night, The Whistler brings mystery on the CBS Radio Network.