No, no, please, you can't go up there. Why not? You just can't. We need a better reason than that, fella. Art Getty's up there with my wife and kid. If you go up, you'll kill him. Mr. and Mrs. North. Starring Barbara Britton and Richard Denning. Listen as Pam and Jerry solve the mystery, Shoot to Kill. Five days a week for eighteen months, Sam Mercer is ridden across town bus to work and home, to three rooms in a cold water flat, to his wife and baby. But not tonight. Tonight he's making a detour. One that is taking him back to an old life, an old friend, and trouble. Hey Larry, mix up some more drinks while I get the door. Okay, okay, don't go to sleep on it. Okay, what's...Welford. Look who's here, Sammy. Hello Art. Sammy boy, I can't believe it. Come on in kid, come in. Sounds like you got company. Oh, just some of the gang mooch and drinks, Larry Waller, Pete Gore. Kay Milley. Yeah, you remember Kay. Yeah. Well come in kid. No thanks Art, I better not. Come on. No Art, look, some other time, I just got off work. So a pal's a pal, even in overalls. Sure I know, but, well, Helen will have supper waiting, so I gotta get home. Look Art, could I talk to you private for just a minute? Well, sure Sammy boy, sure. In here. Thanks. Well, what's on your mind kid? I...I need some money Art. Oh? Helen's been sick a lot the last six months, ever since the baby was born. Oh, that's too bad. I haven't been able to get a decent job, you know how it is for a guy with a record. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure I know. Well, how much you need kid? About...about a thousand. Maybe I could get by on 750 Art, but I... Oh look, Sammy, I'd like to help you out, but I just don't have that kind of dough. A hundred or two, sure, okay, but 750 or a thousand... Okay Art, thanks anyway. I'd help you if I could Sammy, you know that. Sure. You know kid, this...this makes me a little bit sore. What do you mean? I mean you, a good guy like you strapped for dough. Boy, that wife of yours must be something. Let's leave Helen out of it, huh? How can you leave her out of it when she got you into it, telling you you ought to go straight Art? Not it, will you Art? And I want to meet her sometime. I gotta see the day I can put a ring through Sammy Mercer's nose. Nobody's got a ring through my nose. No? No. You mean you like the way you're living, working on a docks all day and going home to a wife and a squalling kid every night, packing your lunch in a tent pail, worrying about bills, trying to decide whether to ride to work or save a dime for a glass of beer? Look Art, will you... Oh you're taking your kidding Sammy, look boy, I know you're Juan, remember? When you was living in a nice apartment, driving a flashy car, wearing decent clothes, running around with numbers like K. Miller out there. Well a guy may stop living that way Sammy, but you can't tell me he ever stops wanting to. Why the sermon Art? You just preaching or have you got something in mind? I always got something in mind Sammy. Let's hear it. There's an old guy in the village named Wagner, owns an antique shop. He don't like banks, kind of an old miser you know? Yeah. Are you interested? Go on. Well I hear he's got five, six thousand, maybe more on his safe. It ain't much but it'll give us some dough to get started again you know, give us enough to finance some other ideas I got. When will we pull it? Well the sooner the better. Tomorrow, about six, just when the old guy's closing up. How about it? Okay Art. Good boy. Now come on out and see the gang. Have a drink. Okay. Well that's better. Hey, hey gang look who's here. Sammy Mercer. Sure Sammy Mercer. Welcome home Sammy boy. What time is it Jerry? Ten to six. Oh golly I hope we're not late. Relax dear we've got plenty. Well here here's the shop and there's a parking place. I see it, I see it. Come on darling. Hurry. I'm coming, I'm coming. Oh if it's been sold I'll just, no it hasn't been it's still in the window. There. Where? Way in the back of the window see? A genuine Cooper Hammer. A genuine what? Cooper Hammer. Looks like a bowl with a lid on it. It is. Well then what's a Cooper Hammer? Cooper Hammer isn't a what he was a who. A who? Hans Cooper Hammer. He was a pottery maker who lived in Bavaria about 150 years ago. Where did you find out about him? From Mr. Wagner the man who owns the shop. He said there are only a few pieces of Cooper Hammer left in the world. Imagine. And he's asking only thirty dollars for it. Thirty dollars for that? He said if we're interested he might do a little better. Oh darling let's at least go in and talk to him. Oh but Pam. Please. Oh okay we'll talk to him but as far as I'm concerned we're just asking to be robbed. But my friend you don't understand. This is a genuine. Yeah a Cooper Hammer I know and this is a genuine twenty dollar bill. But twenty dollars. Excuse me. I'll be with you gentlemen in just a moment. Okay that gives time. Now look Mr. Lady. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to let you have this. Cooper Hammer for twenty seven fifty. Oh please Jerry. Including tax. Let's take it. Well alright. Good good. I'll wrap it up. Oh never mind we'll take it this way. Our car's right outside. Yeah. Here we are. Twenty twenty five twenty seven fifty. Thank you. Thank you. Oh Jerry you're a darling. Well like I always say what's a home without a Cooper Hammer. Now is there something I can show you gentlemen. Yeah yeah. You can show us. Safe. What. Lock the door Sammy. What is this. A stick up now show us the safe. No. Move. Be quick about it. Take it easy. The safe is back here. What is this. Here. All right open it. Please. Open it. Now come on come on. Okay now where's the dough. In this strong box. Got it Sammy. Yeah. Is that the safe. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay now where's the dough. In this strong box. Got it Sammy. Yeah. Is it locked. No. All right open it. Wow. Now look at that would you. Looks like you're even better loaded than I figured Pop. My money. Let's get out of here. My money you can't have it. Give me my money. Look out Sammy. Give it to me. I won't let you have it. It's mine. I won't let. Thanks Art. My old coach. Let's get out of here. Wait. We got the dough. Let's go before he comes too. He ain't gonna come too. Ever. Art. Art. Art. He's dead. You killed him. Now he'll never be able to identify us Willie. Come on let's go. And now back to Mr. And Mrs. North. I gotta have another drink. You've had enough. Another ride George. You've had enough. Cancel that George. Now look Sammy it's after eight. You gotta get home. I can't go home. I can't face Helen. You got to. Now pull yourself together. You shouldn't have done it Art. Now shut up. Shoot an old guy in the back. Kill him like you would. Shut up. Shut up. Now you listen to me. You go on home understand. Just like nothing happened. Tomorrow I'll meet you at my place and we'll split the dough. You can keep the dough. I don't like the way you're acting Sammy. That's tough. I don't like it at all. Not a bit. What are you gonna do about it? I'm wondering. Oh no. Look Art. I didn't mean it. You're making me nervous Sammy. I'll be okay. I'm not so sure. The condition you're in you're likely to get the screams and start blabbing your head off. Come on. Where are we going? You're going home and I'm going with you. Until you get over these jumps you got I'm not going to let you out of my sights. Now let's tuck back down under the covers. Shall we? Good night Jimmy darling. Sam? Sam is that you? Yeah. Well darling where have you been? I've been... Oh I didn't know you had anyone with you. Helen honey this is Art Gaddy. Hello Mr. Gaddy. Hi Miss Mercer. Art's an old friend of mine. Yeah yeah Sammy and I knew each other in the army. I happened to bump into him on my way home from work. So we stopped and had a few beers you know. Art's just in town for a few days honey so I invited him to stay here. Stay here? I know it's a little crowded but well Art doesn't mind. No no of course not. That'll put yourself to no trouble Miss Mercer. Just give me a blanket and I'll bunk right here on the couch. Well alright but... Oh excuse me. Yeah sure sure. I kept you in the warm Sam. Will you turn off the oven? Okay honey. So that's Helen huh? Yeah she's alright Sammy. Real alright. It'll be too bad if anything happened to her. Art a kid. Hello Sam. I'm in the dining room Jerry. Is breakfast ready? In a few minutes. Oh darling if you don't hurry I'm going to be... Oh so that's what you're doing in here. Admiring the morning light on the copper hammer. Do you like it here Jerry? Or would you like it better if it were in the living room? I'd like it better if it were back in Wagner's antique shop. Oh did you bring in the paper? It's on the table. I'll go fix breakfast darling. Okay. Pam. Hey Pam darling look at this. At what Jerry? The story in the newspaper. Listen. Antique dealer slain in hold up. What? Let me see. Yeah there's the story right there. A Greenwich Village antique dealer was found brutally murdered yesterday evening following the hold up of his 8th Avenue store. The victim Herman Wagner is believed to have been shot and killed shortly after 6 p.m. 6 p.m. Yes. Jerry it must have happened right after we left the shop. Yeah. Darling those men. The two that came in just as we were leaving. Do you suppose... I was just thinking the same thing. Jerry I'll bet they were. Well whether they were or not I'm going to call Bill Wigand. More coffee Sam? No thanks honey. Better make the sandwiches for your lunch. You can skip it Helen. I'm not going to work today. Oh? Why? I just don't feel like it that's all. Sam. Is something wrong? What do you mean? Can a guy knock off work for one day without... I heard you last night Sam. You were out here in the kitchen most of the time. Crying out loud Helen will you... Sam. Who is Art Gaddy? And what's he doing here? I told you I knew him in the army. That's not true. Helen will you leave me alone? You didn't know him in the army. You knew him in prison didn't you? Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone. Oh Sam. Sam what is it? Tell me. Here. Read it. It's a story here. Sam. We needed the money Helen. Art said it was a soft touch. I didn't kill him Helen. It was Art. The old guy went off his nut and jumped me. And Art slugged him and then he shot him for no reason. He just killed him. I didn't know he was going to pull anything like that. Helen. Don't touch me. Helen I did it for us. For us. We couldn't go on like we were. Now we can live happily ever after I suppose. What are you going to do? What are you going to do Sam? He ain't gone through nothing. Neither are you. Now come back here and sit down. Come back here. Now sit down. Okay. That is just like I figured wasn't it Sammy? I couldn't keep your big mouth shut. It's all right Art. Helen won't say anything. Will you Helen? Will you? What difference does it make? I don't think Mr. Gaddy is going to take any chances. That's right Miss Mercer. I'm not. Shut up. So what are you going to do? We're going to take a trip. You, me, Sam and a kid. I'm giving Sam the money to go out and buy a second hand car. I'm staying here to make sure he comes back. When he does we're getting out of town. And then? And then, we'll see. Jerry what time is it? Eleven thirty. This week or next? Yeah I know what you mean. Are you through with that stack of photographs? Here. Oh golly. Darling I can't look at any more photographs. What does Bill Wagner expect anyway? Well he expects us to identify the men we saw in Wagner's yesterday. If they have a record and have been mugged. And when we're through with this bunch we'll only have 25 more filing cabinets left. So let's... Here's Bill now. Come in Rollins. Sam. Oh Pam, Jerry this is Sergeant Rollins. Hi sir. Well have you got anything? Yeah. Two pairs of bloodshot eyes. And these? Those are the ones we've seen so far that bear some resemblance to the two men. Three of them here huh? Edward White, Jack Stacey and Samuel Mercer. Check these Rollins. Find out where these men can be located if at all. And you two keep looking. This is Fremont Street Rollins. Turn here. Yeah. Golly Bill I hope this is one of the men you want. Well the other two we picked out obviously weren't. Not with one dead and the other in prison. Here's 714 Lieutenant. You two wait here. Okay. Alright let's go Rollins. Alright. I'll get the door. Okay. Let's check the boxes. Here we are. Mercer 201. Second floor. Yeah. Shall we go? Lieutenant. What? Look. Getting out of the blue sedan in front. Mercer. Yeah. Get back. We'll take him here in the best of your. Okay. Mercer. Police. Police. We want to talk to you. To me? Why? What for? Let's go upstairs and we'll tell you. Upstairs? I want to take a look at your flat. Come along Mercer. No. No. No. No. Look here buddy. You can't go up there. Please Art's there. Art? Art Gaddy. You're a partner on the Wagner job huh? Well? Yes. He's up there with my wife and the baby. If you go up there. If you try to take him. You'll kill him. How's she doing? Don't you ever do nothing but cry? What's the matter with a kid anyway? He has a fever. So what's the matter with him? I don't know. But I have to call the doctor. Please. Sorry. But. No. Listen to me. I said no. Listen I promise I won't say anything ever about you. Yeah I'll bet. I mean it. I swear. Well. I don't know. Maybe for the kid's sake you would keep your mouth shut. I would. I promise you. Let me call the doctor. Yeah. I'll answer it. Yeah. Art. This is Sam. Sam. What happened to you Sam? Hello. Sam. Sam where the devil are you? He's in the drug store across the street Gaddy. But. Who's this? Lieutenant Wigand of Homicide. Cops. Listen to me Gaddy. Gaddy. I'm listening copper. Mercer didn't squeal on you. It wasn't his fault we got you. Got me? What makes you think you got me? We've got every exit of that building covered Gaddy. You can't get out. No. No. But if you want me copper you gotta come and get me. Now listen Gaddy. We know you've got Mercer's wife and baby in there but hurting them will only make it tougher on you. Give it up Gaddy. You haven't a chance. Haven't I? Well you listen to me copper. Listen hard and remember I mean every word of it. I'm coming out with Mrs. Mercer and that kid. Gaddy. And if you want them to stay healthy there better be a car waiting for me right out in front. Don't be a fool. I'll give you five minutes to take it over copper. No matter what you do to Mrs. Mercer and the baby we'll get you sooner or later Gaddy. Maybe. But I'm in no hurry copper. No hurry at all. Donahue. Donahue keep those people back. The five minutes are almost up Bill. Yeah. What are you gonna do? You think he's bluffing Bill. I'm afraid not Jerry. Rollins I'm going over to the squad car and talk to Mercer. You go telephone Gaddy. And tell him he wins. Okay copper. But there better not be no tricks about this I'm warning you. Alright go and get the kid Mrs. Mercer. We're going riding. No. Get him. I won't. No don't. Now get him. Okay now hold it. Listen. You're going out the front door first. Go right across the sidewalk to the blue sedan. The keys and the ignition. Leave the door on the side open and get the motor started. You understand. Yes. No no. Wait a minute. You're going out alone. I'll bring a kid. Jerry it seems like there should be something Bill could do. But what without putting Mrs. Mercer and her baby on the spot. Look Bill's bringing Mercer over here. Come on Mercer I want you to see this. Put your cups on him Rollins. Okay. What did Gaddy say? He's coming out. But he warned us not to follow him. He said when he's out of town in the clear he'll let the woman and baby go. I'll bet. Well we'll have to take his word for it. Look the front door's opening. Helen. She's alone. Jimmy where's Jimmy? What the shut up Mercer. Gaddy will be carrying the baby. There goes any chance we might have had of picking him. Mrs. Mercer's starting the car. And here comes your pal Mercer. Yeah that's quite a picture isn't it. A baby in his arms and a gun in his hand. Too bad you're going to the chair Mercer. Maybe it'd be harder on you to spend the next fifty years remembering this. Art. Art wait. Shut up. Art. What do you want? Make him let me go Art. Why are you rocking me? They'll send me to the chair. You're dealing Art. You can make him let me go. Give me a break Art. Give me a chance. Okay Sammy I'll give you a break. Let him go Carpenter. Let him go. Let him go. But hang on to him Lieutenant. We can call his bluff on this one. You heard me Carpenter. Take the cuffs off Rollins. Bill. He won't sacrifice his protection to help Mercer. I'm not taking any chances. Take those cuffs off Rollins. Okay. Alright you little rat. Run. Thanks Art. I'll ride in the back. Okay Art get in. I'm right behind you. Right behind you with this. What the? Don't turn around. Don't move. Don't even breathe or I'll blow the back of your head off. Why you? Now drop your gun. Slow and easy Art. Easy. Just open your hand and let it drop. Do it. You haven't got a gun. You couldn't have. The cuffs gave it to me Art. It belongs to Lieutenant Weigand. Now drop yours. Take the baby Helen. Jimmy. Jimmy. Jimmy. Jimmy. Oh my baby. Okay Lieutenant. You can come and get him. You can come get both of us. Boy you took a big chance giving Sam Mercer your revolver Bill. That was the only thing I could do Jerry. Mercer was the only one who could get close enough to get it to disarm him without Mrs. Mercer and the baby getting hurt. Well I hope Sam Mercer gets some consideration for what he did. Oh he will Pam. He'll get a lot of consideration. Well I guess I better run along. Oh before you go Bill I want to show you something. Isn't this a beautiful old bowl? Old bowl? Well it doesn't look it but it's an antique. A collector's item really and Mr. Wagner practically gave it to us for only $27.50. Oh say that's wonderful. You know that reminds me. I was talking to a friend of mine in the department the other day. He's on the bunko squad and he was telling me how many hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent every year on phony antiques. Oh I imagine it's horrible the way some people are cheated. Here hold it a minute Jerry. Poor suckers. Yeah these racketeers make up the wildest yarns about the stuff being made by people who never existed. Now for example what about a pottery maker? A pottery maker? Let's see he was supposed to have lived in Bavaria. Bavaria? Let me see. Oh what did he say his name was? Oh brother. Jerry you dropped my Cooper hammer. Cooper hammer that was the guy. Well once more we take our leave of Mr. and Mrs. North. Pam and Jerry are sure to have more exciting adventures next week. Listen in won't you? There's always mystery well sprinkled with humor. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service. Music Music
