Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West, invites you to let George do it. The Four-Sided Triangle, another adventure of George Valentine. Personal notice, dangerous my stock and frayed. If life's tossed you into a barrel of trouble, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Dear Mr. Valentine, I'm here briefly on a visit from Canada just to make certain of one thing. Was Dr. Canisteret, my best friend, murdered or was it really an automobile accident? As a novelist, I admit the situation is trite. The oldest successful man, the restless beautiful wife. And if my suspicions are right, even the inevitable other man. If you care to interest yourself in something you may dismiss as an obsession on my part, I'll be at my hotel all day. Sincerely, Owen Marby. I checked every angle, Marby, and there's no reason to suspect that Dr. Canisteret's death wasn't an accident. But Mr. Valentine, my stubbornness about Ken being murdered isn't exactly groundless. Yeah, well maybe. But there are a lot of dangerous hairpin turns coming down Eagle Canyon Drive. The Canisteret house is practically on the mountaintop. And there's always a fog rolling in there at night. I knew Ken very well. He was my roommate when he was going to medical school at the University of Toronto. He was the most exasperatingly careful, methodical man I've ever known. He drove a car the way old ladies used to drive electric buggies. But that night he received an emergency call from a hospital. He may have been in a hurry. And there's something else. Yeah? Last year on my way to election engagement, my plane had to stop over for a few hours. I had a drink with Ken and he showed me a picture of Juliet, his wife. Go on. He implied, and very definitely, that they weren't happy. He suspected there was another man, but we didn't know who it was. Later at the airport, by the merest coincidence, I saw Julia and that other man. They were in the cocktail bar. But how can you be sure that was the man, Mr. Marby? Well, they're seen almost constantly together now. His name is Charles Dalison. But this is the important point. They're very careful to give the impression they didn't meet until after the so-called accident. Why? Well, that's an interesting question. Now tell me, Julia Sterrett doesn't know you, does she? No. Ken may have mentioned me casually, but that's about all. Then I could be Owen Marby. Well, you sound as though that imagination of yours is going into action. Well, just like you, Marby, I'm flying blind at the moment. But I'll see what I can do to put your mind at rest. Okay, now, Bruxy, you're on your own. Don't let the head waiter steer you anywhere but the booth next to Julia and Dalison. It's all reserved for you. But how do you know they're going to show up for dinner tonight? Well, I checked that too. Just try to overhear as much as you can. I've got to get going. Julia Sterrett, isn't it? I beg your pardon? Well, I recognized you at once from the picture Ken sent me, and the head waiter assured me I was right. I'm Owen Marby. Oh, yes, I remember. Ken used to speak about you. Charles, this is one of Ken's friends from Canada. Dalison's the name. How do you do? Would you join us, Mr. Marby? Oh, well, thank you. But, worse luck, I have to meet a book critic in a few minutes. Oh, that's right. You are a novelist, aren't you? Yes, yes, Mrs. Sterrett. But I still manage to find life infinitely stranger than fiction. For instance, well, running into you at our ease like this tonight. But I was going to look you up anyway, Julia. I should hope so. I thought it no more than right to apologize for making it more difficult for you after Ken's death. I'm afraid I don't understand. Well, I must confess that when I first heard what happened, I was convinced there was foul play. You don't write mystery novels by any chance, Mr. Marby? No, no, I don't. It sounds like it, doesn't it? No, I should have known that if there were any suspicion in that direction, the county autopsy surgeon would have cleared it all up. Autopsy? But why should... Well, you see, in a rash moment, I even wrote your district attorney what seems now to have been a melodramatic and slightly hysterical note. I think you can be forgiven, Marby. You know, a tribute to your friendship with Dr. Sterrett rather than your zeal as a busy buddy. Oh, but I won't consider myself really forgiven, Julia, unless you have dinner with me tomorrow. Of course, the invitation includes you too, Dalison. Sounds delightful. But why so formal? I think you two can find your way to my mountaintop. Suppose both of you just drop in tomorrow evening. Oh, fine, fine. Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be running along. Nice to have met you, Dalison. Thank you. And I know we'll have a lot to talk about, Julia. Good night. Good night. I don't like it, Charles. I don't like it at all. No, now please, Julia. The man is lying. I'm sure Ken never sent him any picture of me. This was no coincidence tonight. I tell you, he staged it. He's up to something. Shut up, Julia. I'm not going to let you get away with this. I'm not going to let you get away with this. I'm not going to let you get away with this. I'm not going to let you get away with this. He's the only one who never believed it was an accident. I could tell by the tone of his letter of condolence. He still doesn't believe it. Julia, we'll have to do something about your nerves. If you let a little thing like this upset you... Let's get out of here, Charles. See, for the love of heaven, where have you been? What happened to you? Do you know what time it is? If you stop lathering me with questions, darling, I'll give you all the horrendous details. Okay, okay, come on. My feet. Let me sit down. Go here, sit down. How did I know those two were going to park halfway up Eagle Canyon Drive and get into a gab fest? What? How the dickens did you get way up there on Eagle Canyon Drive with them? In that booth, I could hardly hear anything they were saying, except that they were going to leave in a few minutes. Yeah? Although I beat it out and wrapped myself in a blanket in the back of their car. Oh, great, great. All they had to do was spot you and then you'd have been... Oh, not a chance. It was too dark and the back of that custom job is a half a block from the front seat. I had all I could do to hear what they were talking about. Well, for the moment, I won't inquire how Claire Brooks' girl gumshoe got away undetected, but just what did you overhear? Well, nothing and everything. See what you could make out of this conversation. I can't help it, Charles. There was something about Marby. I can't explain it, it was as though he were laughing at us all the time. You're going to make life very difficult for yourself, Julia. If you go to pieces every time you bump into a visiting fireman who once knew your husband. Oh, darling, let's not wait any longer. It's been eight months now since Ken. There's no reason why we can't be married. It's simply not the way I planned it. We'd wait one year. That morally approved period for widow's weeds to blossom forth again into passion flowers. You and your plan. I want to be able to laugh again. And I want you to, Julia. We'll laugh together. And wherever we go, we'll have the orchestra play something fitting. Say, the merry widow waltz. Isn't there anything you can't talk about? Didn't you feel any qualms at all when Marby went babbling on about writing a district attorney? That nonsense about an autopsy. Didn't you? Wait a minute, Julia. Yes, autopsy. A term so blankly used by policemen when they suspect poison in the case. Charles. Come to think of it, Julia, maybe you're right. We ought to know more about our guest from Canada. It'll help us decide the best way to entertain him tomorrow night. Well, what do you say, George? Well, give me a minute, will you, Angel? See, incidentally, how did you get back without being seen? It's four miles from that eagle's nest to the boulevard. Not a house or a gas station in between. Oh, when I took off my high heels, it was a snap. Got an extra pair of arch supports on you, mister? Oh, brother. A mere man salutes you, Brooks. Eddie, you thought there. I still say, what do you make of it? Oh, not a thing you could stick a pen in. Or which they couldn't deny having said. But it wouldn't be going out on a limb to assume that the suspicions of Owen Marby are far more fact than fiction. OK, Lieutenant. Don't blow your top. I'm not asking you to exhume Dr. Sterritt's body. Well, thanks, Valentine. That's real whitey. Just the same. I bet the medical examiner would find traces of something to show the doctor was poisoned and it was no accident that he lost control of the car. Miss Brooks, the ME might even find the lost cord, but I can't go asking for an autopsy order on just a lot of hearsay evidence and vague suspicions. Well, I was only trying to help you find... It's a pretty generally accepted thing that once people are dead, you'll leave them alone. Oh, really? Unless there's a darn good reason to dig them up. Look, please, both of you, what's all the shooting about? I didn't even suggest anything like that. Well, you might have. After all this time, even if we found anything, it wouldn't clinch the case against either Mrs. Sterritt or Delison. It'd be too circumstantial. Oh, now look, don't get me wrong, Valentine. If you came up with something tangible, I'd be glad to play ball. As it is, what do you want from me? OK. Tomorrow I'd like you to put a man on Charles Delison's tail and report on everything he does. All right. I guess I can do that. Brooks, he can keep an eye on Mrs. Sterritt. Within reason. I want my best climbing up and down mountains. Just as they want to be prepared to receive me, I'd like to hold a few top cards myself. Darling, you're not only going in the wrong direction from the Starritt house, but you're going there a little too fast. I don't recall any 60 miles an hour zones within the city limits. Would you mind going over your day with Mrs. Sterritt again, Angel? There's one part of it that intrigues me. Oh, I don't know why. Beauty parlor at 11. Lunch at Miranda's Tea Room alone. Visit to a Dr. Rayford on Barton Street. A stop over to Rexall Drugstore and so to Homer. I think I'll have a few words with Dr. Rayford on the way out. Why, George? Old operations always make stimulating conversation. But right now, I'd better take care of this little man. No, no, no. George. Sorry, Brooks, he... Of all the dopey things, what are you trying to do? You'll see, Angel. All right, Buster, get out of that car. What's the idea of stopping that way? Want to kill somebody? Come on. Step out, friend. Outside. Don't get bug-eyed. You've seen a gun before. What is it, George? Just a minute, Brooks. All right, now, Brad, you've been on my tail all day. Well, you're nuts. You ought to know better than to try to shadow somebody with that beach umbrella jacket you want. I don't know what you're talking about. Okay, I'll break it down into one syllable words. Dallas hired you, didn't he? Have you reported to him yet? Okay, I don't have time to play games with you. But you present a very vexing problem, fella. Yeah, I see what you mean. What are you going to do with him, George? Oh, I think we'll drop him off at headquarters and let Lieutenant Riley keep him company. Yeah, but if he doesn't call Dallas, then they're bound to wonder why. And it may even cramp their style tonight, I hope. Because it looks like those two will be playing for keeps. Okay, Buster, start moving. I got a very important date. We'll return to tonight's adventure of George Valentine in just a moment. After you're driving a brand new car or one of the older models, there's one way and a sure way of getting the very best performance out of it. And that's to depend on Chevron Supreme gasoline. For this carefully blended high octane gasoline puts command performance in your car. It commands fast start, smooth, steady acceleration, all the extra power your car needs on steep hills. No matter where you motor in the West, you can be sure of command performance from your car when you have Chevron Supreme in the tank. That's because this premium quality fuel is climate tailored to each different altitude and temperature zone. Makes no difference if you're driving in the Northwest, in the desert, the Rocky Mountain country or in the coastal cities, Chevron Supreme is climate tailored to your region. And that's why you can count on it. So to get the best out of your car, get Chevron Supreme tomorrow. Get it at standard stations and at independent Chevron gas stations where they say, and me mean, we take better care of your car. And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine. Every 45 minutes a murder takes place. Every two hours said murder is a perfect crime. So if you're in George Valentine's business, you can just take it in stride when you have to impersonate a Canadian novelist to prove an eight months old accident was a homicide. But then you find yourself being shadowed so that as you set out to meet the suspected couple, you're really quite grim. Meantime, a minor crisis is taking place between Brooksie and Lieutenant Riley and the latter is off. A fine thing, Miss Brooks. I agreed to cooperate with you and Valentine and what happens? What happens? Well, you did manage to keep this Eddie Thorpe under wraps for the night. Well, sure, on a vagrancy charge, but one of these days I'm going to get caught up the creek without a paddle messing around with you too. Well, I wish I knew what George expected to find stopping off at Dr. Rayford's office. Mrs. Starrett only dropped in there for a few minutes today. Don't you know by now that when he gets a brainstorm, it's like an act of nature? You don't know what he'll do next or why? I tell you one of these days I'll... Oh, hello Riley. Oh, Valentine, where the devil are you? I thought you'd be with him by now. Oh. Quiet. Okay, okay, I'm listening. Go on. Where is... Huh? Huh? Now look, you, I'm not going to be a party to anything like that. Now don't be a fool. What are you going to do? Quiet. No, not you. You know what it'll mean if it doesn't work? Now wait a minute. Sure, sure, I can get the ME's office to make up that prescription, but listen to... Listen to reason. You can't... Yes, yes, I understand. Okay. What does he want you to do? You can at least tell me that. He wants you to park on Eagle Canyon Drive just around the first turn coming down from the Starrett home. You're going to have a little package to give him. Package? Yeah. I'll be waiting down on the boulevard for the both of you. But George never keeps me in the dark like this. Why now? Why? Hello. Let me have the medical exam in his office. Well, find him wherever he is. It's an emergency. How about another drink, Marby? Soda, wasn't it? Yes, thanks. You know, I'll be glad to get back to Canada so I can tackle my new novel again. Four-sided triangle. What an odd title. Yeah, the story's been giving me quite a bit of trouble. Oh, really? What's the plot? Maybe we can help. Well, frankly, nothing very original. The usual triangle. But the lovers are completely successful in doing away with the husband in the case. I'm sorry. You've already begun to intrigue Julia, but go on, Marby. They do it so neatly, in fact. There's no suspicion of crime, not a shred. Then what seems to be the trouble? I can't decide whether to let my hero and heroine, if you can call them that, live happily forever after or let them face retribution. Here you are, sir. Oh, yes, thank you very much. I was playing around with the notion of introducing a character who won't believe the husband's death was an accident. The fourth side of the triangle, I presume? Yes, that's it, exactly. He's one of those virtuous pig-headed men. He doesn't rest until he ferrets out the truth. And, well, so on and so forth. How does it sound to you, Julia? He sounds like such an exemplary character. Would you say he was quite true to life? Oh, well, just take me, for example. My first impulse when I heard about Ken. I kept seeing in the accident more than there was. And I imagine I'm fairly typical. Was that your only problem with the book, Marby? No, no, but I was thinking of introducing something more subtle. You know, try to find some little almost meaningless thing my two scoundrels might have overlooked in their planning. Say a matter of coincidence. I thought novelists always tried to avoid coincidences. Well, now why should they? It happens all the time. Now, you and Dalison here, Julia. What about us? Well, I doubt if anyone's aware that you knew each other before Ken's accident. Well, as a matter of fact, we didn't. Let him go on, Julia. This is very interesting. But you see, by the merest of chance I was talking about, I happened to see you together in the cocktail bar at the airport. What? Yes, it was last year. And I only stopped over in town for a few hours. Goodness, we're out of ice. I better go in the kitchen and get some. Excuse me, Marby. There is always a running feud between Julia and the ice trays. Oh, I understand. I have the same trouble. Julia, you realize what you have to do. Charles, another... He knows. The three of us know now that business of us being together at the airport can lead to a lot of other things. And why is he toying with us? Because fortunately for us, he's a ham. At the right moment, see that that stuff gets in his drink. Can we wait till that man you hired calls? Whatever he found out, following Marby isn't important now. Now listen carefully, Julia. He has to have enough liquor in him so that when he's found, it'll be obvious why he went over the side into the canyon. There'll be no questions. Just like him. I'm a child, I can't... The timing has to be just right. We'll have to get him out of here so it'll happen when he's halfway down the mountain with the curves of the west. So you wait till I give the signal. I wish I could be the one to give the signal. Just for once. When I think he's had enough, I'll raise my finger like this. I'll say, this has been great fun, Marby. Let's do this more often. All right, John. And for heaven's sake, try to control yourself. The rest of our lives depends on how we act in the next hour. Well, it's about time, Ferris. I did everything but fly, Lieutenant. Okay, okay, I'll take that. Here, here you are, Miss Brooks. I'll ask you again, Lieutenant. What is this? What have I got here? I told you before, Valentine made up the rules for this little game. I didn't want any part of it. You heard me on the phone. Now, now there's no choice but to play it his way. Just give him that package. For two cents, I'd call a cab just so I could tell somebody where to go. Go on, get in that car and get started. And remember, park just this side of the last big turn before you get to the top. And you know why none of my novels made any of the book clubs? Why, no, Marby, why? They never been long enough. They got to be at least 900 pages before they're even considered. They don't bother reading them. They just weigh them. You sound bitter, Owen. Oh, thank you very much. Gin and bitters. Don't mind if I do. It's a very fine drink. Oh, say, look at the time. You know, this has been great fun, Marby. Let's do this more often. That's right. We must do this more often. Let's make it soon. Oh, hey there, Judy. What are you doing all the way over there? Just getting a little nightcap. We can all do with one, I think. Oh, good. Here's yours, Charles. And yours, Owen. All right, thank you. What do we drink, Cheryl? Why not do your new book? Oh, yes, yes, that's very good. The four-sided triangle. All right. Hmm. It tastes funny, doesn't it? I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you a secret. I can't even taste it at all. Well, old man, I'll see you at your car, eh? I'll put on the floodlights. It's beginning to fog up in the canyon. All right, all right. Good night. Good night. And sweetest dreams be thine through all thy shining way. Poetry. Yes, yes. And watch yourself driving, Marty. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you. George. Have you got it, Bruxy? Let me have it. Oh, darling, I saw your headlights leaving on the... Quick, please, oh, quick. Well, here, but... Now get inside and take the wheel. Okay, George. Here's to you, Bruxy. Happy day. Oh. Oh. Oh, darling, you know you're scaring me to death, don't you? That makes a couple of scared people. Except on an angel. Okay. Okay, Miss Brooks, we'll take care of him now. She fainted. I didn't dare. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Come on, boys. Come on, come on. Get him into the ambulance. I've got to hold him, don't I? Yeah. All right. Let's go. I'm going with him, Luigi. You'd only be in the way, believe me. In the way? Well, you don't expect me to stand... Now, boys, don't wait for the hospital. Start pumping him out now. Oh. Pumping him out. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, pumping him out. You knew this was going to happen and you let it. And now you're going to tell me. There was no stopping him. What did he do? He found out Dr. Rayford gave Mrs. Starrer the prescription for some poison today. Poison? Presumably to make a solution to use on her flower beds. Being a colleague of her late husband, he didn't even think twice about it. And George walked into this and purposely let himself be... The stuff in the bottle you gave him is supposed to be the antidote for the poison. If he got it in time. Oh, that big crazy stuff in the... Well? Lube. That's what your boyfriend calls getting evidence that'll stand up in court. He just naturally likes to do things the hard way. You must forgive me, Lieutenant Riley. This has been a great shock. Mr. Marby was my husband's best friend. Yes, yes. Just when did he leave? What time was it? Oh, hours ago. About 10.30. You see, he was feeling rather, well, gay. He was a little bit of a He was going to drive. He oughtn't overdo it. Even so, I suggested that he stay over. Oh, this is terrible. Yeah. Well, like they say, liquor and gasoline don't mix. I guess it'll be the same routine report. Do you mind if I sit down? No. Go ahead, Lute. Sometimes I wish we could make some of these fool drivers take a look at what we saw when we found Marby down in the canyon. Oh, believe me, it would make him think he wasn't a pretty sight. Lieutenant, please stop it. Now, Julia, we know you're upset, but this isn't going to help any. Nothing's going to help now. Marby! Hello. No! Julia. No! Don't come near me! We killed you, didn't we, Charles? We killed him. Shut up! Just like we did Ken. We're only imagining this. Everything's going to turn out all right. Tomorrow we're going to laugh and be happy. That's the way it's supposed to be. That's the way. That's it, Lute. Hey, say, Valentine, were you serious about the way you wanted me to dedicate my next book? I certainly was serious about the way you dedicate your next book. Sure was, Mr. Marby. To Mr. and Mrs. George Valentine. Mr. Darling. So you just let us know, Marby, and we'll make a special trip down to City Hall the very day your book comes off the plate. Oh, golly, I just don't believe it. I like your other suggestion, too. I should be more commercial. Aim for the book clubs. Write something eight, nine hundred pages. Of course, it'll take years before I get it to my publisher, but it may be worth it. Oh, years, huh? Why doesn't one of these buildups ever pay off for me? Oh, maybe I just don't live right. The return of spring means, for most folks, the time for another house cleaning. 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Get RPM at independent Chevron gas stations and at standard stations where they say, and mean, we take better care of your car. Next week we'll pick up George Valentine in Mexico in a house as mysterious and sinister as its name, Casa Diablo. George, if Bixby had somebody in this house to see that none of us left here alive, whoever it is must have turned on him. You know, like Frankenstein turning on his... George, you're not even listening to me. Angel, if there's a grammar school around here, I think I'm going to enroll in the kindergarten. Huh? We're right down to the oldest outdoor sport in the world, Brooks E. The hunter and the hunted. 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 Francis Robinson as Brooks E. Wally Mayer appears as Lieutenant Riley. Tonight's story was written by David Victor and Herbert Little Jr. and directed by Don Clark. Also heard in the cast were Barton Yarborough as Marby, Lorraine Tuttle as Julia, William Woodson as Charles, and Mark Lawrence as Ferris. The music is composed and presented by Eddie Dunstetter, your announcer, John Heaston. Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It. This is the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System.
