Personal notice, dangers my stock and trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you got a job for me, George Valentine. Write full details. Well, I see it's time for another Let George Do It adventure. Now this story has to do with a worrywart by the name of Shorty McGowan, who runs a pub over on the east side. Shorty's the type of fella who, if he hasn't got a problem, he goes out and finds one. Right now he's just returned from a most successful hunting trip. And boy has he got a butte. There, Mr. Valentine, what's become of Terry Cable? Terrence J. Cable, sweetest man ever blew foam across the woodwork in my place. Now I suppose you could say it's none of my business, why a good customer and friend like that should just up and disappear. But then again, what kind of a human being would that make you? Yeah, suppose he's in trouble, suppose he needs help. Well, Mr. Valentine, I found something yesterday in a hawk shop that scares the daylights out of me. Oh, Terry Cable's in trouble all right, believe you me. So get down here, will you? Give me a hand. Everybody knows where Shorty McGowan's place is, here on East Commercial. And Shorty McGowan? Well, that's me, the guy with the towel in his hand. Watch? Just a watch? Yeah, Terry's watch. Here it is. And that's what you found in the hawk shop, huh? You know those ones down by the railroad station? Well, I was coming back from Mayville yesterday, took a couple days' rest, and walked along the street, this thing in the window just up and hit me in the eye. Terry's watch, I said. That's Terry's. Let's see. Terrence J. Cable, first place, 100-yard dash, Tri-State Conference, 1927. Sure, yeah, that's how I knew. He liked to show it off. Something he won in high school. You know him since high school? No, no, no, just the last year or so. But he'd come in all the time, know what I mean? He had a philosophical turn like I do. I tell you, he's the sweetest like... Okay, okay, but just out of curiosity, how'd you get the watch out of the hawk shop without a ticket? Well, it hadn't been claimed. That's what I mean. I just bought it. Uh-huh. So it must have been hawked at least 30, or is it 60 days ago? Wait a minute. Why does just finding his watch in a hawk shop mean that he's in danger? I don't understand. In the first place, young laddie, he wouldn't hawk that watch. He wasn't the type. In the second place, he's not the type to just walk out of here six months ago and never come back. Without saying goodbye, you know what I mean? And in the third place or fourth, whichever it is, Terry Cable was expecting a check, a big, big check. More like 50,000, he said. Okay, so what? Check from where? How should I know? Rich Uncle Dudley, maybe? Uncle Sam? Search me. But a man wouldn't disappear without waiting to get it, would he? Only if he got it, then why hawk the watch? See what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I see what you mean. Maybe see why you're so interested in finding him, too. Oh, no, not me. No, no, I'm more one of them ultras, you understand? To me, he's just a fellow human being. I'm no more interested in his money than I was in his gun. His gun? This gets better all the time. Oh, sure, sure. He had a gun all right. Yeah, I saw it once when he dropped something out of his pocket. Don't ask me why. A fellow's got a gun. You don't ask questions. That's what I always figure. Very considerate. Shorty, tell me some more about this cable, where he lived, his family. Now, listen, listen. It might be something, but it might not. Don't you understand? I tried to ask him questions like that once in a while, but he'd just laugh and go on talking about the baseball games or religious aspects, things of that type. You see, I don't even know where he lived or who his other friends were. All I know is, for a while he had a job over at Fat Williams' warehouse, a load checker. Fat Williams? And also, I know this is the kind of neighborhood when things happen you don't meddle. Me, I'm staying out of it. Only, what's become of him is driving me nuts. What's become of Terry Cable? You know, I think I know what's wrong with Shorty. His needle is stuck. But George will figure that out sooner or later. And while he does, let's take a minute for this. Now, let's get back to the old question. What's become of Terry Cable? Cable? Never heard of him. They call you Fat Williams, don't they? Call me a lot of things, so what? In the warehouse business, son, you're not lost and found. But we were told that you would... Who told you? Who sent you around here to bother me when I'm trying to take a day off for a game of golf? Never mind who sent us. I'm just looking for Terry Cable, that's all. He worked here as a load checker once. I saw a couple hundred other bums. See out that window there? Don't see any streets for three blocks, do you? All warehouse, all mine. Got a gag of nails, I'll store it. Sure, sure. Got a hot car, you'll store that. What's that? Oh, I've heard your name before, that's all. Just take it easy. Sonny, I thought you wanted help, not a button through your collar bone. Skip it, I said. Your place burned down here about a year ago, didn't it? I didn't realize you were still around, that's all. You mean you wanted me to know you were a real hep character. So any information I got, I better give you. Oh, these eager beavers. I can pester your employees to find out about Cable. But it'd be so much easier to get information by just saying, please. Now, there. See? Terrence J. Cable. No home address, worked here three months, paid $52 a week. Where did he go when he left here? Fired for spending too much time in the gambling joints. Like Lou Sprinkles, please. And that's all, huh? That's all you gotta say. For the love of dog food, yes. What do you think I am, Sonny, a day nursery? What do I care what happened to some jerk I never even... What's that? His watch. Why didn't you say so in the first place? You want to find this guy and tell him what time it is? Get out of here, will you? I got a game of golf. Sprinkle. Lou Sprinkle. Well, this is about where I thought his gambling joint was, but... Yeah. It's all new construction. Anyway, George, how would a man who earned $52 a week be able to afford such gambling? Oh, I don't know, Angel. This Terry Cable doesn't sound like a very straight character so far, does he? No. Carried a gun, expected some big money, fired from one job that we know of. You know, I'm not even sure why we're looking for him. Well, we're not gonna find him behind a board fence, Angel. You're just as curious as I am why Shorty thinks it's important to find this... Oh. Hello. Admiring the building? It's got to be nice, isn't it? Good land. Yeah, yeah, it is. You work on it? No, no, just watching. Watch every day. Gonna be 115 offices in that building, mister, and all mine, every one of them mine. Yes, sir, I own it. Oh, well, congratulations. Wait a minute. You must know this neighborhood, huh? Sure do. I've been located here 15 years. B.B. Manx is my name, in case you're looking for a place to get situated. Good transportation here, you know. Central heating, each office... Oh, no, no, I'm just looking for a joint. A joint? Well, Lou Sprinkle had a gambling place around here. Oh, him, sure. He's got a new place across town. Real fancy, they tell me. He used to be here all right, but he moved out after the fire. What's the address of the... What fire? Well, the same one burned the old Manx building down, my place. It was in the newspapers 10 months ago. George! Mr. Manx, you're giving me an idea. Did you ever happen to know a man by the name of Terrence J. Cable? Cable, yeah. Search me. Hey, wait a minute, they call him Terry? Yeah, that's the one. He was a foreman, I think. Bossed the cleanup gang after my fire here. Why? Never mind. You don't know what's become of him, do you? No, no, search me. You're looking for him, huh? No, not anymore. I think I know all I need to know about him. Come on, Angel, let's play a fast hunch. Don't you get it? Terry Cable wasn't a crook at all. Just the opposite. Yes, Mr. Valentine, Terrence Cable has been with us for years. The fire insurance underwriters, George, you're right. Yeah, every place I looked I seemed to run into a fire. Any guy who once in a while carried a gun and who so gratuitously could wrangle jobs in places that had burned... He had money to spend in a third place that burned. Had to either have an angle or an expense account, Mr. Everett. What is Terry, a fire investigator? Uh, yes, that's right. So if that answers your question... Well, it solves the riddle. Yes, Mr. Everett. But what did he find? We can't help being curious. That Fat Williams warehouse had a lot of valuable furs stored in it when it burned. The furs were never definitely linked with the fire. We looked them up in the newspapers. This B.B. Manx collected quite a bit on his fire, too. And as for Louis Sprinkle, knowing the kind of guy he's supposed to be... We investigated the fires naturally. That was Terry Cable's job. But now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Valentine... But he didn't find anything wrong, is that it? He was just pulled off the case, and that's why he disappeared from that part of town. Yes, yes, that's the idea. So there's really no mystery now, is there? You can go home and forget about it. Oh, wait a minute, hold on. Yes? Why don't you tell us the rest of it? Who's Terry Cable now? What's become of him? Are you asking for a client or for yourself? What difference would that make? Mr. Valentine, it wouldn't make any difference one way or another. You see, Terry doesn't work for us anymore. I really haven't the slightest idea where you could find him. Oh, you mean you won't tell me? Or you don't want me to look? I mean those cases are closed. Besides, Cable doesn't have anything to do with investigations anymore. So what business is it of yours? But he disappeared so quickly, we thought... I don't know what became of him. Left town, I think. Now really, Mr. Valentine... You're lying, friend. But okay if that's the way you want it. But I'll be back. What? You don't want me nosing around because you know what's become of Terry Cable. Or maybe your closed case will be reopened as soon as I find out why my client was so anxious to reopen it. George, I still don't understand why... Brooks, see, it's simple. Look, don't you see why the insurance companies would want to protect their own good name? But what did Terry Cable have to do with them? Angel, now look, think back. It's all there. The kind of a guy Cable was, what he did and why he disappeared. Hey, Shorty! No customers. I'm back, I guess. Hey, Shorty! George! Yeah, Brooksie. I guess the explanation of Terry Cable will have to wait a while. The guy who hired us seems to be dead. Poor Shorty. Someone must have gotten tired of hearing him spout that same old question and shoved a bar rag down his throat. Well, maybe it wasn't quite like that, but we'll find out all the gruesome details in just a minute. And now, back to George Valentine. The man who hired you is dead. Shorty McGowan. He's been shot. Well, if your name is George Valentine, then the mystery of what's become of Terry Cable is now more important than ever. No, Brooksie, Lieutenant Johnson said there weren't any witnesses to our friend Shorty's death. And it happened just a few minutes before we got here? Yeah, that's what the doc says. Somebody stepped in from the street and shot him, and that's it. But George, why? He was such a friendly little man. But it seems he's been mixed up in a few things, too. Oh, what kind of things? Oh, petty theft. Hold up once. But what's important? Never arson. Arson? Yeah, come on, Angel. Where are we going? To get a new client. The insurance underwriters. All right, you're hired. I thought I would be. Only you understand, I just assumed the police didn't. Sure, sure, sure. Protect your officer's reputation. I understand, Mr. Rep. I'm rather new here. I'm only pinch-hitting for the regular man who runs this office, and I... But what do you have to hide? Brooksie, Terry Cable worked for this office. He was a bonded, trusted employee. He was in charge of investigating all those fires. Yeah, worked hard, I guess. Got jobs with the guys whose buildings had burned. We thought he had to do it that way. There wasn't any superficial evidence of fire setting. The companies had to pay off, but we thought in time... You hoped he'd discover something about them anyway. Yes, he was convinced there was something phony about the fires. Each case resulted in actual profit as far as the owners were concerned. Okay, then let's lay the cards on the table, shall we, Mr. Ebert? Terry Cable found some new evidence and then disappeared with it, right? Yes. He was bought off. I'm afraid so. There was plenty of proof that he left town all right, and to show that he had destroyed his own investigation records. Some of the best men in the country have worked on it without finding it. But he left of his own free will. There wasn't any force or... That's right, Miss Brooks. Here, this is the only concrete thing we turned up. B.B. Manx. Huh? The day before Cable disappeared, this man Manx drew $12,500 out of the bank, in cash. Nothing we can do about it because we can't prove how he spent it. But neither can he. Cash to pay off Terry Cable. But now that there's been a murder, maybe you can legally force Mr. Manx to... I called him before you came back just now. Mr. Manx seems to have disappeared too. Oh, yeah, sure. He looked like the type. Play it safe. You might try looking for him... No, no, skip it. I've got a different way to figure out what happened a long time ago. And maybe why Shorty was murdered today. Yeah, I'm gonna throw a few dice at a gambler named Lou Sprinkle. And what is this proposition, Mr. Valentine? Very simple, Mr. Sprinkle. I want some money. Does that make you a man for Mars? Who doesn't? I come from closer home. From Terry Cable. Is that so? Yeah, I think you've done business with Terry in the past. Yes, yes, I remember. But I don't think the nature of the business would concern you. It was gambling, of course. If you say so. Maybe it was gambling on your part to think Terry wouldn't want to do some more business. Merely because I don't choose to make a definite statement doesn't mean that you can't. All right, all right, here goes. I come from Terry right now. Terry sent me. He wants some more money. I don't think I heard you correctly, Mr. Valentine. If you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man. And because you might not believe me, he gave me his watch to show you. Here, take a look. How much does Terry want? Oh, $10,000. It'd keep him quiet, I think. That's ridiculous. He said he still has testimony regarding a few fires, just in case you tried to rub any sticks together. I'd have to see this man myself or throw my own representative. Do you mind? No, no, but you are willing to. I couldn't discuss it with you at all. I'm sorry. Here. What's this? Present for your trouble. A thousand dollar bill? Show it to Terry. He'll understand my good faith. So will I. Cautious but faithful. So long, Mr. Sprinkle. George, what did you find? I made money in a hurry, Angel. The hawk shop's at the next stop, down by the railroad station, remember? Brooksie, what I may have found is the answer to this case. So you were going to find the answer. You can't even find the hawk shop. Yeah. Looks like Shorty McGowan wasn't telling the truth even on that one, was he? Well, there's not a single pawn shop where they remember ever having that watch of Terry's. Uh-huh. So from here on, the answer's one, two, three. What could have happened, Angel? So I'm going to try a trip to Maryville. To where? It's not far, and that wasn't a lie. Shorty just let that one slip. The place he'd been for a couple of days, remember? You know what I'm going to look for in Maryville? Terry Cable himself. Hey there. Mr. Valentine. Yeah, right here. My name's Duncan. Chief of Police asked me to meet you. Thought you might be driving? No, no, no. The train's a couple of hours faster. Only maybe you figure in this kind of a case, speed isn't important. Well, I wouldn't say that. Of course we do things a little differently out here. Let me have your bag there. Okay, thanks. Did you get the description? Oh, yes, yes. We got that all right. Miss Brooks phoned it up. They sent the wire photo fingerprints and all that fancy sort of stuff, but... You see, we really haven't gotten around to your case yet. Yeah, well, as soon as you do... We're a little understaffed here, and we've been pretty busy with something else. Here's the car, I'll help you. Okay. You figure this Terry Cable may be living around here. Well, it's not such a long shot. A man named Shorty McGowan apparently came up here and then returned with Terry's watch. Of course, that doesn't mean Terry would still be using his same name. Yes, yes, yes. I understand all that. Do you? Not quite sure I do. Well, let me tell you some of our problems, and it'll take your mind off it. You see, there's a county graveyard out here. It doesn't have a caretaker. Yeah, well, look, Duncan, I'm only interested in... And a couple of days ago, there's been some digging where there shouldn't have been. What? Don't mind if we go out and take a little look, do you? That's why I couldn't get right on your case, you see. The county inspector claims there's one too many bodies out there. Since when? You see, I thought you might be interested. Nothing recent. In fact, it's since maybe six months ago. About the time cable disappeared. Now I guess you don't mind the little side trip, do you? Got a man over there working on it now. The guy with the shovel, huh? Yes. You see, what happened was somebody noticed the earth had been turned up since the last rain. Only when we take a look, it wasn't a new body thrown in. It was just an old one. It had been put there three months ago. How do you know it was originally put there about the same time cable disappeared? Well, that's the easiest time to do it, isn't it? Not a bad way to get rid of a body. Just add him in when the grave is fresh. I mean, the time to do it was exactly six months ago. All right, all right. Only let's get rid of that guy with the shovel quick, huh? Why, it's getting dark. I want to get back to supper. No, no, listen to me. The extra body, if it's Terry cable, was put in there months ago, right? And what happened two or three days ago was just that the ground got disturbed. That's right. Like disturbed by somebody looking for a watch. Look, I got a complete file on cable. Now, the thing for us to do, if we want to identify him once and for all, is to get him out of here. No, no. Get that workman of yours out of here. I don't catch it. Look, I told you, the train's a lot faster than a car, so it's getting dark. That's all the better. The thing for us to do, friend, is miss our supper. Why? Because maybe I got here first. Okay, so here I'll be, digging. Be careful you don't strain yourself, Valentine. Quiet, will you? You're just supposed to be watching. You know, I watched a dig and seen once in Hamlet. That's by Shakespeare. Don't say. The gravedigger, he worked just about as slow as you do. Come across the skull, as I remember, just went... Hey, shh. Wait a minute. Automobile. Yeah, but no headlights. What do you know? You sure make a pretty target out there in the moonlight. You sure make lousy jokes sitting there in that... Oh, forlorn. Automobile stopped. Yeah, somebody's getting out. Okay, stay out of sight and wish me luck, friend. Back to work. Hey! Hey, you! Yeah? Come here. Who is it? Valentine, come here! Oh, you know me, huh? Been watching me all day, I guess, the way you watch Shorty. How'd you get out here? Oh, don't worry, I'm alone. I saw the body, though. Yeah, it's Terry Cable, all right. Pretty neat place to get rid of him six months ago. So Nietzsche didn't even have to bother to take his watch. But Shorty did. He finally figured it out, didn't he, huh? Came up here, found Terry's body and the watch. And then hired me to put a little fear into you so he could shake you down the way you shook him. Go on, talk on your like. Only be careful coming through that fence. Yeah, sure, I'll be careful. You don't want another body out here to explain. Because that's what happened, isn't it, mister? You guys had fraudulent fires and then bought the investigator off, huh? 12,500 each. Only Cable was expecting 50,000, as I remember. So that'd probably mean four of you instead of three, wouldn't it? Fat Williams, B.B. Manx, Lou Sprinkel, and who? Shorty McGowan himself? Was he the fourth? He have a fire, too? Put down the shovel and get into the car. No, no, wait a minute. I know who you are, all right. Do you? Sure. Sure. How's your game of golf? I guess the minute I left your office, you knew who'd sent me and you headed right over to kill Shorty to shut him up before he could go any farther. You've gone far enough, too. Fat Williams, the big shot. With a big secret, right? Something that Lou Sprinkel, for instance, didn't seem to know. That Terry Cable was really dead, that you killed him. Yeah. You're smart, too, aren't you? Well, it's fairly simple. You didn't pay Terry off, you just killed him. In six months' time, Shorty finally caught on to it. Yeah, Shorty was smart. He stole some furs, did he tell you that? Furs? Oh, yeah, sure, from your warehouse. So that's what tied him in, huh? He worked with us. He was the fourth one. Look where it got him. Buster, don't try to tie the others in with you like that. Manks and Sprinkel may have been worried about their fires, but they paid off in cash. I suppose Shorty paid off, too. Only Terry was expecting a check, one check. He was smart, he'd want it that way. Yeah. So one of you must have collected the payoff dough from the others, one like you. Instead of a payoff, you kept the dough yourself and killed the investigator. Yeah, that's all that happened. That's all that Shorty found out. Shut up and get in the car. By tomorrow's sunny, nobody'll even know we've been here. Hey, what? Look out, Valentine! That's all. Pretty fancy shirt for a night day, wasn't it? Oh, yeah, sure, you'll get a medal. You missed him a mile. A what? But thanks for spoiling his aim. I hit him with a shovel. Now there's irony for you. The great George Valentine, saved by a spade. Get it? Spade? Sam Spade? Okay, sue me, but first give a listen to this. Don't you understand, Angel? Apparently Terry Cable wasn't even crooked. Six months ago, Fat Williams just persuaded the others that Cable was. Then he pocketed their dough and killed Cable. The insurance people and his family and everybody will be awfully glad that you cleared his name. Only, George, I still don't understand how you knew it had to be Fat Williams. Well, you remember, Angel, he's the only one I showed that watch to before Shorty's death. So he's the only one who could have known that Cable's body had actually been found. In other words, that Shorty's nosing around had finally made it necessary for him to be killed. Oh, darling, you're wonderful. No, I mean it. Your powers of observation, your logic. You know, George, while you were up in Maryville, I did some shopping. I found a real bargain on kitchenware, so being a girl who plans ahead, I bought some. Kitchenware, Angel? For your one-room apartment? What in heaven's name for? Well, like I said, planning ahead. You'll find out. You have just heard what became of Terry Cable, another Let George Do It adventure. Robert Bailey was starred as George Valentine with Virginia Gregg as Bruxy. David Victor and Jackson Gillis wrote the story, and the music was by Eddie Dunstetter. Now this is yours truly inviting you to another visit with Valentine, when you will again hear what happens when you Let George Do It. Thank you.
