["The Star Spangled Banner"] Standard of California, on behalf of independent Shaftran gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, invites you to let George do it. ["The Star Spangled Banner"] Another adventure of George Valentine. President will notice, danger is my stock and trade. If it's too hot for you to handle and you need confidential help, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. ["The Star Spangled Banner"] Dear Mr. Valentine, last night I told a stupid, needless lie. I didn't think it mattered to anyone but me. And yet because of it, an innocent man has been arrested today. Tell the truth, you say? And if I do, I lose my wife, lose my job, and end up in jail. There's got to be a way out. Will you see me at my office as soon as you get this letter? I'm editor of the News and Review Magazine, and it's signed Arnold Loomis. Hmm, Mr. Loomis certainly must have told a whopper, Brooksie. Poor men will tell lies and women will shed tears, twas ever the... Okay, Sarah Bernhardt. I'm quoting Mark Perkins. Well, if this gentleman can tell such fabulous fibs, Angel, this whole letter could be the result of an overactive imagination. Yes, I know, dear. But since you have an overactive curiosity, shall we get started? Well, Mr. Loomis? Mr. Ballantine, I like to gamble. It's the only thing that stood between my wife and me for years. I thought I had it licked. Yeah? Well, the day before yesterday, I left the office early and drew a thousand dollars from the bank. Ten crisp, one hundred dollar bills, practically all of our savings. To gamble with? Oh, no, no, no, no, no, Miss Brooks. Martha and I were going on our second honeymoon. We planned it for a long time. But, um... Well, you can guess what happened. Oh, yeah, I know, the best intentions. What was it, a poker game or a bookie? The race track. I see. And the bank tails made off with the one grand. Naturally, I'd have to explain it to Martha, and she'd never forgive me. She'd leave me. Then I had what I thought was a brilliant idea. I went to the police. The police? Can they arrest horses for not coming in first? I made up a story. I told them I was driving along Randall Boulevard. A man asked me for a lift, and when he got in, he stuck a gun in my ribs and took the money. Oh, hey, playing games like that with the police doesn't come under the head of innocent merriment. Go on, Mr. Loomis. They questioned me. I had to give them some sort of description of the man. I made it as vague as possible. Five foot ten, dark complexion, medium build, age mid-thirties, a grayish suit, you know. But your letter, Mr. Loomis, don't tell me they found your mythical man. Yes, yes, I had to go down to headquarters yesterday morning to identify him. Hold it, my friend. Hold it. Fun is fun. What do you mean you identified him? I had no choice. The man confessed to holding me up. He identified me, yes. Not only that, they found ten $100 bills in his pocket. I tell you, Mr. Valentine, it's... I know, absurd, incredible, et cetera. And was this man dark complexion, medium build, mid-thirties, et cetera? Yes, yes, everything. Everything fitted. Well, I couldn't tell the police. I just dreamt up the whole thing, and of course, there's still Martha. What do you want me to do, Loomis? I've got a conscience, man. I can't let this... this Neil Denquist or whatever his name is take the blame for a crime that never happened. There must be some mistake. Like what? Was there any mention in the papers about your so-called holdup? Yes, yes, a small paragraph on the back pages. What are you driving at, George? Well, no man in his right mind takes a rap for something he didn't do. What makes me feel even worse? The police gave me back my thousand dollars. I mean the thousand dollars that I... Denquist guy isn't crazy. He must have some very interesting reasons for playing the Fall Guy. I don't know what to think, Valentine, but you've got to find out what it's all about. Okay. Okay, I'll string along with you and try to keep this from your wife. Can you prove you were out at the racetrack and lost all that money? Why, no. I'm sure there was nobody there to recognize me. Well, how about the tickets you bought on the horse? No, I tore them all up. Loomis, give Miss Brooks one of your pictures. Maybe one of the ticket sellers at the racetrack may remember you. Yes, yes, of course. Meantime, I'll talk to Neil Denquist and see just why he's so anxious to frame himself. What? You're the lawyer they assigned to me? No, Denquist. Reporter? Mm, yeah, that's right, a reporter. It's my job to find out what really happened. You can get that from the desk, Sergeant. Oh, I'd rather get it from you. Well, I just didn't get the brakes. That's why I'm here in this cell. I tried to get rid of the gun in Fairview Park. Some woman saw me and told the cop he picked me up and found the money in my pocket. Huh, very interesting. I had my description from that man Loomis, and that's all there is to it. This is your first offense, isn't it, Denquist? Yeah, you know how it is. A guy gets strapped for money, he thinks he can pick it up the easy way. He gets caught. End of story. Quite a story, too. Huh? What do you mean? Oh, nothing. Crime doesn't pay. Honest toil is its own reward. I don't know what you think of the other. Oh. Maybe seeing you again, Denquist. In fact, I'm sure of it. Well, Brooksie, what'd you find out at the track? Well, not a thing, George. Arnold Loomis didn't leave an impression with any of the ticket sellers. I see. Well, I didn't get anything out of Denquist. You mean he doesn't mind sitting in jail for something he didn't do? Oh, no, he's very philosophical about the whole thing. Now, listen, Angel. Yeah? I didn't tell Denquist what Loomis told us that he was never robbed. Well, wouldn't that have helped to get to the bottom of all this? Yeah, it might have. But I think there's a better way to go about it. And that brings us to you. Me? Yeah, you. There's a Mrs. Denquist, Francine Denquist. I looked it up. Now, here's the address. So? Well, if Francine cares anything about her husband, she doesn't like the idea of his languishing in jail. Now, if you talk to her woman to woman and tell her there was no robbery for Denquist to commit, we might get more out of her than we could possibly get out of him. And how am I supposed to know about Loomis? Well, tell her the truth. You're working with me. See, I'm sure Denquist is innocent and I'm gonna prove it. Okay, that's the story, Brooksy. Right, George. So fancy it up a little, Angel, and see what we get. Miss Brooks, I don't know why this man Loomis told you what he did. But doesn't it make you happy, Mrs. Denquist? It might, if I can believe it. But I know what Neil has told me and he's never lied to me. Well, there might be the first time. Although I can't imagine why. He stole that money from me. We never more than scraped by with that job he has. I told him again and again I was happy, but he kept saying I deserved a better thing. Oh. Neil told me he wants to take what's coming to him in service and get it over with. I want it that way, too. Then we can forget the whole thing and start all over again. Isn't there anything I can say to convince you? I love Neil enough to stand by him and wait. Then we can build some kind of real happiness together. But enough has been said about what he did. The best thing you and Mr. Valentine can do is to leave us alone. Mrs. Denquist, why would Mr. Loomis make up such a weird story and insist your husband couldn't have robbed him? Why would Neil take the blame for something he didn't do in part for the thousand dollars we haven't even got? Well, I know, but... There's nothing more to say, Miss Brooks. Lieutenant Riley, I admit Mr. Loomis did a very foolish thing when he handed in that false report of a robbery, but can't you see... Foolish thing? Oh, Valentine, you mustn't be harsh on your client, huh? Just a little prank, that's all. We love to send out a lot. It's lucky for you and Loomis it wasn't a prank and that we found the man who robbed him. Well, frankly, I'm confused, George. Both Denquist and Mrs. Denquist are satisfied with the way things are. Look, Lieutenant, I told you the only way I can make any sense of it is... Let's not go into that again, please. Of all the crazy... Look, a man reads in the paper about a hole. That's right. The description of the culprit might fit him. Yeah. So he puts ten $100 bills in his pocket, gets himself picked up, then confesses all. Now, why? Why? Because he might want an alibi for something much more serious that took place about the same time. Ah, stop it, Valentine, stop it. I ought to have my head examined, but I'm having that information checked for you right now. Well, maybe it's reaching, Lieutenant, but if George is right, it would explain why Loomis and Denquist are acting as they are. And it's about the only thing that would. All right, all right. Here's the dope you asked for, Lieutenant. I'll take it, Sergeant, thanks. Yes, sir. Now, Valentine, I hope you'll be satisfied. Loomis was held up on Tuesday night at 7 o'clock. That's right. Well, according to this report here, the only crimes of a violent nature that took place in our fair city were... What's the matter, Lieutenant? Of course. I should have remembered the Hafe case. Yeah, what about it? Young Mrs. Hafe was found murdered in her home on Norton Heights. The medical examiner says it happened around... There it is. 7 o'clock Tuesday night. Come on, let's hear some more, Lieutenant. Murderer is still at large, Gloria Hafe, 27. Husband's name, John Hafe Broker. Victim previously married to... Here, Valentine, you can have the honor. You've earned it. Holy Moses, get this book, see? Victim previously married to Neil Denquist. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. Meanwhile, a word about that motor in your car. That finely polished and precision-built engine that gives your car all its go can't be neglected. In fact, it needs more attention when you're asleep than when you're driving. And the reason for that is internal engine rust, which goes to work when condensed moisture begins to creep over parts. Nearly any ordinary oil can fight off rust when your car is running and there's full circulation of the lubricant. But RPM motor oil is compounded to protect the engine when it's running hot and when it's standing cold. Unlike ordinary oils, RPM doesn't run away from its job when you cut the motor. A special adhering compound in RPM keeps a tough oil film on all engine parts, protects the interior of your engine from rust. And that's another reason why Western motorists choose RPM motor oil 2 to 1 over any other motor oil. Get RPM at any standard station or independent Chevron gas station where they say and mean, we'll take better care of your car. And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. Well, just put yourself in George's place. Your client, Arnold Blumis, tells you he made a great big fib about being robbed. Why? So his wife wouldn't find out he lost $1,000 on the ponies. Then he tells you that a man, one Neil Denquist, has confessed to this crime that never was. You learn that a murder's been committed about the same time of the alleged holdup. So what else would you be talking about now to Lieutenant Riley? Yeah, Lieutenant, this was an alibi for the books, all right. If the police insist Denquist was committing a felony on Randall Boulevard Tuesday at 7, he couldn't possibly be at Norton Heights committing murders. Well, all I have to do now is sweat the truth out of Denquist. Oh, well, Lieutenant, if you can, go easy with Blumis, will you? So his wife doesn't find out that he lied? I'll do what I can. Oh, yes, yes, you can tell your client that he owes Denquist $1,000. Yeah, that's right, isn't it? And I have an idea Denquist is going to need it for a lawyer to keep him out of the gas chamber. Okay, Lieutenant, I'll pass that on to Blumis right now. Oh, it's you, Valentine. Come in. What is it? What happened to you, Mr. Luman? Advantage. You look like the boy with the five and the spirit of 76. I feel older than that. Oh, don't tell me your wife found out what you did with that money. Martha's been out all evening, thank heaven. Come on, let's get to the point, Lumis. Who went to work on your head? I don't know. What? I was in the living room reading. I heard the front door open and took it for granted it was Martha. Yeah. Then when I didn't hear anything for a few minutes, I went out into the hall to see. And the next thing I knew, I was getting up off the floor. Anything missing? No, that's the strange part of it. The thing, I went over the whole apartment. I don't understand it. Yeah, something else that defies all reason, eh, Lumis? It seems you're allergic to that sort of thing. Well, George, don't you think you ought to tell Mr. Lumis about Denquist? Huh? What about him? Did you prove that he couldn't have possibly held me up? More or less. I'll be able to tell you more tomorrow. Now think hard, Lumis. Do you know of anybody who'd want to conk you on the head just for the sheer joy of it? I know. No, not a soul, Valentine. I don't have an enemy in the world. Ah. Well, maybe it was a dear friend. Anyway, I'll call you later. When a guy gambles as heavily as Lumis did, there might be a lot of people who'd want to give him a good going over. And maybe one of them did tonight. Sorry, Lieutenant, I can't throw it away like that. I think George is right. Somehow it ties up with this whole case. Case? Yeah, this thing is turning out to be a Chinese puzzle. My boys have been taking turns talking to Dentquist, but he just sits there and sticks to his story. Hey, wait a minute. Come to think of it, Lieutenant, very little has been said about Gloria Hafe's present husband. Well, you can rest easy about John Hafe. He was nuts about his wife. He's a respectable broker, and he has an alibi for Tuesday evening. What kind of an alibi? Well, he was in several hotel bars before going home to dinner. There are a lot of people to prove it to. You happen to have any pictures of the late Mrs. Hafe? Well, just these. The one the boys took of the scene of the crime. Must have been beautiful. Yeah, and took care of herself. Looks like she'd just come back from the beauty parlor when she was killed. Hadn't even combed out her hair yet. Well, I won't take up any more of your time, Lieutenant. Miss Dentquist here to see you, Lieutenant. Good, good. I want to see her too. Tell her to come in. Yes, sir. Go right in, Miss Dentquist. Lieutenant Raleigh, you're trying to frame my husband for Gloria Hafe's murder, aren't you? We're trying to get the truth out of him, Mrs. Dentquist. No, you aren't. Why did this woman here come to my house and try to make me say that Neil was lying about that whole... This woman here happened to be my assistant, Mrs. Dentquist. My name is Valentine. And I didn't try to make you say anything. We were just trying to prove your husband's innocent. Yes, so the police could get him on a murder charge. Just a minute. How did you know we connected your husband with the hapy case at all? You think I'm that stupid? I read about Gloria's murder in the papers. I knew you'd finally get around to Neil. Oh, yeah, yeah. You were bound to find out he hated her. When he was married to that... that... Gloria, he had a good job. He was doing well. She bled him, spent every cent he made. Once she divorced him, he had no spirit left, nothing. You know you're only building the motive for murder, don't you? You could find out all those things anyway. But Neil is innocent. Lieutenant Riley, he was just where he said he was Tuesday night, and here's the proof. Ah. A money clip. To Arnold from Martha. Arnold Loomis. Martha's his wife's name. Where did you get this, Mrs. Dentquist? Home. In Neil's bureau drawer. He took it when he stole that money. Are you sure you didn't get this somewhere else? And after going to a great deal of trouble? I don't know what you mean. Valentine, I'm beginning to feel like a weathervane. This money clip seems to support Dentquist's story... and call your client a screwball or worse. Yeah, well, I'm sticking with Loomis, Lieutenant. And it's gonna take a lot to stop me from proving that Dentquist is lying in his teeth. Oh. Mr. Valentine? Oh, yeah. I was wondering when you'd get back. I'm John Hafe. Oh, yeah, I've been thinking a lot about you. Come on, let's go in the office. Grab a chair, Mr. Hafe. Thank you. This is my assistant, Miss Brooks. How do you do? May I get right to the point? I wish you would. I have a question for you. What is it? May I get right to the point? I wish you would. I had a talk with Lieutenant Riley. I know you're working on the Dentquist case. I also know your sentiments. And they're mine, exactly. What do you mean? Naturally, I know a great deal about Neil Dentquist. I'm as sure as you are that he's lying about holding up that man on Tuesday night. Yeah? What makes you so sure? The things Gloria told me about him. He isn't a very stable character. He could never hold a decent job. He was a good man for Gloria while they were married. Oh, really? Finally, when she just couldn't stand it any longer, he... Well, go on, go on. I won't say he threatened her, but he was very bitter. I see. Well, thanks for the information. It was nice of you to go to all this trouble to tell me. It's more than that, Valentine. If Dentquist is lying about Tuesday, he killed Gloria. If Dentquist is lying about Tuesday, he killed Gloria. I want you to do everything in your power to see if you can break his alibi. I want you to do everything in your power to see if you can break his alibi. That's what I am doing, Mr. Hafe. I'll prepare the cost and keep at it, no matter how long it takes. I'd like you to consider me a client. Well, I have no objection to being paid twice for the same job. Well, I have no objection to being paid twice for the same job. You'll keep in touch with me then. Count on that. You can reach me in my office until 5 o'clock every day. Hmm. Talk about your split personality. Gloria, sinner or saint? You pay your money and you take your choice. Hey, what a deal, Brooksie. A guy decided to lie to his wife and now look what we've got. A guy decided to lie to his wife and now look what we've got. Two clients. Hello? Yeah, Lieutenant. Hey, wait a minute, hold it. I want Brooksie to take this down. Hey, Angel. Yeah, go ahead, George. Telegram, phone in from Hafe House. 3.30 p.m. Tuesday. Go ahead, Lieutenant. Neil, be at my house at 7. I'll expect you. I think you know better than to cross me. Signed Gloria. George! Now, what does Dinkwitz have to say about this, Lieutenant? Sticks to his story, huh? Yeah, okay, call you later. Thanks. Who dug up the telegram, George? A girl at Western Union. She read about the case and remembered the wire. Looks real bad for Dinkwitz. Brooksie, where did you ever get your rare insight? What? I mean your uncanny gift of putting your finger on the one thing that lights up the whole situation, I mean your uncanny gift of putting your finger on the one thing that lights up the whole situation, brings order out of chaos. Just like pressing a light switch in a dark room. Oh, stuff like that. Oh, now look, what did I say? What are you talking about? Before we go into that, Angel, let's see if I'm right. Let's see if I'm right. George, this could be technically called illegal entry. George, this could be technically called illegal entry. Now, what's illegal about dropping in at your client's house to back way through the garden? If he isn't home, no servants around. And I'm in a hurry. I'm in a hurry. Hey, wait a minute. Let's try these French doors over here. Well, I wish you'd tell me what my psychic powers told you. You know, you can't tell a girl she's like a light switch in a dark room and then just clam up. We're in luck. Come on in. Why don't you just close that light switch? That's me, remember? I'll just say something and behold, there shall be light. Oh, great. Hey, here we are. Brooksine, I gotta find the name of the beauty parlor, Mrs. Hafe was in the habit of using. Oh, I see. You remember what I said when we were looking at that picture in Riley's office. Yeah, that's right. Now it must be in an address book or on a telephone pad. Yeah. I can't wait till tomorrow and it can be anywhere in the city. Validate, look out, get down! Hey! Are you all right, Brooksine? I guess so. Stay just where you are. I'll switch the lights back on and see if everything's all right. Hafe? Yeah, just a minute. Hey, what goes, Hafe? I guess it's okay. Whoever it was has disappeared. What happened anyway? I just came home, Miss Brooks. I saw you two standing here in the center of the room. I was about to say something and I noticed someone standing in the door to the garden with a gun in her hand. Her hand? I think so. It was hardly more than a shadow, but it looked like a woman. The only thing I could think of was to turn off the light and shout. Well, it's certainly a good thing you did. Hey, come out here, Hafe. You were right, it was a woman. You can see the heel marks here on the ground. Francine Denquist. She's the only one it could be. It's fantastic that she should go this far to keep you from smashing her husband's alibi. She's a desperate woman, Hafe, and she's in love. Well, it's lucky you came along. We owe you our lives. Don't you think we ought to call Lieutenant Riley? No, I've got a better idea. What's that, George? Hafe, I wonder if you drive Miss Brooks down to headquarters and wait there for me. Of course. Oh yeah, and ask Lieutenant Riley to pick up Loomis and Mrs. Denquist. What have you got in mind? I just have to make one stop, then I'll join you. Mr. Hafe, I think I can clean this thing up for you tonight. Oh, Sergeant. Yes, Lieutenant. Tell Loomis and Hafe to keep their shirts on. I'll get around to them in a little while. Yes, sir. And as soon as Valentine arrives, get him right in here. All right. Mrs. Denquist, it's no use trying to keep anything from the Lieutenant. Miss Brooks is right. We'll check and find out where you were every minute this evening. I did everything I could. I guess it's over now. It was a horrible thing to do, but I did try to kill Mr. Valentine. Because he was bent on proving your husband's alibi was a phony? Was it, Mrs. Denquist? Yes. Yes. From beginning to end, Neil got Gloria's telegram at the store where he works. He didn't know what to think, but he knew what kind of a woman she was. Mm-hmm, go on. Went out to Norton Heights. When he got there, she was already dead. Well, why didn't he just call the police? That sounds very simple, Miss Brooks. But if he were found there, he'd be the first one to be suspected. Luckily, no one saw Neil, so we came home in the next morning. Together, we thought of a wonderful foolproof scheme. The Loomis business. We read about Mr. Loomis being held out there. Description could fit Neil, and you know the rest. Funny, one time in a million, a man would lie about being robbed. He would be the one we picked on. Had it been a real robbery, no one would have denied Neil the honor of being the criminal. Well, we've got that straightened out. But the question of whether your husband killed Gloria Hayfee is something for the DA's office and the jury to decide. May I see Neil a minute? I know he needs me. Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. But I'm not forgetting the attempted murder charge against you, and the little matter of assault and battery on Mr. Loomis to get that money clip. Sergeant. Yes, sir. Take Mrs. Denquist down and let her talk to her husband. Yes, sir. Thank you. And tell Mr. Hayfee to come in. He might as well know what happened. Yes, sir. Now, Miss Brooks. I know. Where's George? When he disappears like this, I tell you just... Oh, Mr. Hayfee, come in. Yes, Lieutenant. I think we've scotched Mr. Denquist's alibi, but whether he's guilty or not remains to be seen. I see. I guess I'm too tired at this point to have any reaction to that. Oh, I'm sorry to be so long, Lieutenant. Oh, what gives, George? Well, I just had a very interesting conversation with Michelle, Mrs. Hayfee's hairdresser. Oh, how nice. Yeah, Michelle was doing her hair from two to four last Tuesday. You remember, Lieutenant. Brooksy remarked that Mrs. Hayfee must have just come from the hairdresser. Say, wait a minute. Did you say from two to four? That's right. But that telegram was, that was phoned in from the Hayfee house at 3.30 in St. Gloria. Which means she didn't send the telegram, Lieutenant. What? It was sent by someone else who belonged in that house. Someone who wanted Denquist to be found there with the body. What, George? What could that mean, Mr. Valentine? Who? Well, this is a shabby way to repay someone who saved my life, but it was you, Hayfee, who sent that telegram. You killed your wife. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] How many twists can one case take, Brooksy? Well, I've stopped counting the ones this one had. Mrs. Denquist, innocent as country butter, takes a pot shot at me. Hayfee, guilty as sin, saves me because we happen to be working in the same direction. Now, well, is he still sticking to his alibi? No, that went over the side, Angel. He made a round of the bars all right, but he had time between stops for a little homicide. Gloria was giving him the works, just as she did Neil Denquist, but on a much bigger scale. Oh, hello, Mr. Lumen. Hello, Miss Brooks. I'm in a hurry, but I want you to do yourself a favor. Why, Mr. Lumen? Now, put this money I owe you on fair weather in the fifth at Corona Park and put it on the nose. Oh, Mr. Lumen, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you'd reform. But I have, Miss Brooks, thanks to you and Mr. Valentine. I only give tips now. I don't take them. Like a rolling stone, a rolling wheel bearing gathers no moss, but in 5,000 miles, it does roll through a heap of dust. Often the first sign that your car's front wheel bearings have been neglected and need prompt attention is uneven tire wear. And without a repacking job, dry bearings are in danger of being ground to pieces by the weight of your car. So to keep a large size repair bill away from your door, get front wheel bearing serviced every 5,000 miles. For this important job, rely on the experts at independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations. These men have the skill of long experience and they use only RPM wheel bearing grease, the lubricant that's tailor-made to seal out grit, dust and moisture, tailor-made to give your front wheels all the protection they need. And that kind of service is another reason why standard stations and independent Chevron gas stations say and mean, we'll take better care of your car. Next week, when you tune our way for another adventure of George Valentine, you'll hear... Couldn't wait till you got here, Valentine. Oh, it's so good to see you, George. I was so afraid that gorilla saw me slip you that nose. What about Bigelow, Lieutenant? Well, this is just how we found the place, empty. I put out a general alarm for Bigelow. Hey, what was in that note about Collins, Brooksie? Well, it's too late now. Collins is dead. Not just dead either, Valentine. Collins was murdered. And that means we're not looking for just a stack of paper. We're after a murderer. Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West. Let George Do It stars Robert Bailey as George with Frances Robinson as Claire. Wally Mayer appears as Lieutenant Riley. Tonight's story was written by David Victor and Herbert Little Jr. and directed by Jaime Del Valle. Also heard in the cast were John Dana as Arnold Loomis, Bill Conrad as Neil Denquist, Georgia Ellis as Francine Denquist, and Herbert Butterfield as John Haffey. The music is composed and conducted by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heston. Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It. This is the Mutual Don Lee broadcasting system.
