Talking to him, Bill. I'll crawl around the other side. Be careful, Jerry. Get down, Jerry. Caesar! Get down! Mr. and Mrs. North. Starring Barbara Britton and Richard Denning. Listen as Pam and Jerry solve the mystery, The Man with the Rifle. Sooner or later, everything happens in a city like New York. But it always happens to somebody else, not to you. This happened way downtown on Mott Street first. Then it happened on Girard Avenue in the Bronx. Certainly it would never happen up here in Washington Heights. Nothing like that ever. Look, up the roof! Up there! The snipers! The snipers! Mother! Mother! Oh, for pity's sake. Mother! Mother! I saw him! I saw him! Jenny, for pity's sake, stop jumping around. I have a cake in the oven. Mother! Jenny, darling, what is it? What's the matter, baby? I saw him, mother. I looked right at him. Saw who? Jenny, what is it? What did you see? Now tell me, darling. Up the roof. The man with the rifle. Rifle? Where? I was over at Mary's house doing homework. Yes, dear? She lives on the sixth floor. That's the top floor in her building. And I was going home waiting for the elevator in the hall outside her apartment. The door that leads out to the roof was open. I... Go on, dear. Please. I just wanted to see what the roof looked like. I went over to the door and I saw him. He had a gun. A rifle. He was pointing it down into the street. I was so scared, mother. He shot the gun twice and then he turned around. Police department, please. And he came toward me. He saw me standing there and he stopped. He... He saw you? His eyes. They looked at me so funny, mother. So awful. He saw you watching him, dear. He knows that you saw him shoot that gun. He saw me in the doorway. He looked scared and then he ran across the roof across the other way. I ran too. I ran down all the stairs all the way down to the basement. I was afraid to come out. Afraid maybe he'd be waiting for me. Waiting for you. That's right, dear. Oh, mother! Oh, darling, that's all right. It's just a timer on the oven. The cake must be ready to come out. I'm scared. Now, now, now. There's nothing to be frightened about, dear. Listen, that cake is for Pam and Jerry North. We've been invited over there for dinner tonight, darling. No! No, mother. No, please. No? Well, Jenny, you always have so much fun with Pam and Jerry. I don't want to go. Please, I don't want to go anywhere. But, dear... The man with the rifle. He must be waiting for me, mother. I saw him. I know what he looks like. Jerry, aren't you finished shaving yet, slowpoke? I'll be down in a minute, Pam. Well, hurry up. Esther and Jenny should be here any minute. Oh. Hello. Pam, this is Esther. Oh, Esther. Well, hi. Pam, listen, I can't come over tonight. I know it's awfully late to be telling you, but I... Oh, well. Is anything wrong? Oh, please, Pam. I'd rather not say it. Well, it's just that something came up rather suddenly. And then... Please understand, Pam. Please. Well, sure, dear. Don't worry about it. But are you sure nothing's the matter? Please, Pam, I can't talk now. Not now. Maybe the... maybe the next time I see you... Look, if you'd like us to come over there, we can... Oh, Pam, if you only could. No. No, maybe not. No, don't. What is it? I'll call you later in the week. Esther, if the... Hmm. Fine. There we are. Clean, shaven, glowing with health and... Well, what's the matter, darling? Esther, she can't come over tonight. Oh. How come? I can't figure it out. She sounded so upset. Well, maybe Jenny has a cold or something. No. No, she said she couldn't tell me now, but she sounded like she wanted us over there, like she needed us. Oh, Pam, you're getting melodramatic again. No, Jerry. You didn't hear the way she talked. You didn't hear her voice on the phone. Esther's too level-headed to sound so troubled. Well, let's have supper first, then we can go on... No, Jerry. But I'm hungry, darling. I think we should go now. Now? Oh, with that luscious pot roast beckoning to us? I mean it, Jerry. Let's go there now. I'm... I love you with a deep and tender passion, but I refuse to let your pot roast play second fiddle to your sense of melodrama. Now, come on. We'll visit Esther later. Let's eat first. Well... Jerry, she... Come on. Righter, you're probably right as usual. Are you pulling all the shades down, Mother? Yes, dear. Now, try to go right to sleep, Jenny. It's late and you're very tired. Why can't I sleep in the bedroom, Mother? Well, you'll be more comfortable here in the living room than in the bedroom. Good night, dear. Night, Mother. Mother. Yes, Jenny? He can't see me with the shades down, can he? The man with the rifle, I mean. No. No, dear, he can't. Go to sleep now. I'll be right in the kitchen. Mother? Yes, dear? You suppose he'll come looking for me? Jenny. No. Now, stop worrying about it. Go to sleep, Jenny. Why didn't you call the police, Mother? Jenny, dear, will you try? Why? Never mind why, Jenny. You're afraid. Oh, Jenny. You're afraid that if I tell the police what he looks like, he'll try to... Jenny, stop it. Now, stop thinking about it and go to sleep. Night, Mother. Good night, dear. Oh, no. Oh, no. Who... who is it? Who is it? It's us, Esther, Pam and Jerry. Oh, thank you. Come in. Hurry. Come in. We didn't want to ring the bell. We saw all the shades down. Thought someone might be sick. Is Jenny all right, Esther? She's asleep. Come into the kitchen. I'm glad you're here. I'm so terribly glad you're here. Something's very wrong, Esther. Now, come on. What is it? I'll tell you about it. Oh, thank heavens I can tell someone about it. Now, why in the world didn't you tell me about this on the phone? We could have been here in no time. Look, Esther, you've got to tell the police about this. Well, I... I don't know what to do with it. This sniper might be anywhere and he knows Jenny saw him. Exactly. And the sooner she identifies him, the safer everyone will be. No. No? Well, if she identifies him, then you'll have even more reason to kill her. Do you feel any safer not telling the police? No, of course I don't. But how can I send Jenny out of this house with that madman waiting to put a bullet through her? How can I? All right, Esther. Now, take it easy. You don't know he's there, Esther. You're building this way out of proportion. What time is it, Pam? Oh, quarter of nine. Look, Bill Wagon is probably home by now. Suppose I take Jenny to see... No. No. What if that killer is waiting on... Our car is right in front of the door. Jerry could have her in it in a jiffy. Then he'd follow you. Oh, Esther. Oh, Pam, for pity's sake, he's killed three people in cold blood. Why shouldn't he kill Jenny? Why would he let her tell the police about him? He'd have no idea we'd be visiting a police officer. How would he know where Bill Wagon lives? Jerry, I... I don't like it. I don't like it. Well, do you like this better? Do you like sitting here with all the shades down? Do you like getting goose bumps every time you hear a strange noise? Esther, if Jenny can identify the sniper, you've got to let her do it. You've got to. All right. I'll... I'll wait here. Are you sure she'll be safe, Jerry? Are you sure? No. No, I'm not sure at all. But she won't be any less safe than she is right now. You're a mighty brave girl, Jenny. And I'm proud of you for doing this. I'm still scared, Lieutenant Wagon. There's no need to be scared now, honey, is there, Bill? No, of course not. Now, look, Jenny, you're sure this man didn't follow you when you finally went home from your girlfriend's house? I'm pretty sure. Well, then, even though the man with the rifle saw you, he has no way of knowing who you are and where you live, does he? Uh-uh. Jenny, would you know this man if you saw a picture of him? I think so. Do you have a picture of him? No, no, I don't. But there may be a shot of him down at headquarters. Think it's safe to take her down there, Bill? I think it's a good risk. Will it take very long, Lieutenant? Well, it may take a little while, dear. You sleepy? No, I'm worried about my mother. Now, there's no need to worry, honey. Pam is keeping her company, and you heard what Lieutenant Wagon said. The man with the rifle has no way of knowing who you are or where you live. And the Senator said this matter will be taken up as a first order of business when Congress convenes next month. Now, here in New York, a sniper has struck again, claiming his third victim in as many weeks. Oh, for heaven's sake. Look at that V at this hour. I'm coming, I'm coming. Wives with a high-powered rifle. Well? Excuse me, ma'am. Are you the superintendent? Superintendent's my husband. He isn't here. Well, perhaps you can help me. Well, if you're looking for an apartment, we got no vacancy. No, no, it's not about an apartment. I'm looking for a little girl who lives in the building. Got several little girls living in the building. The one I'm looking for is about ten years old, perhaps eleven, blonde hair, wears it long, in braids, and was wearing a red coat with a red and white tan this afternoon. What are you looking for? Do you know the girl I described? Maybe I do, maybe I don't. What are you looking for? I was walking behind her in the park this afternoon, and she dropped this book. Let me see. It has this address on the flyleaf. Here. See it. Could you tell me who the book might belong to? It might belong to any of them in the building. If you want to leave it with me out. No, no. I'd prefer to return it personally. Suit yourself. From your description, I'd say you was looking for Mrs. Maxwell's little girl. Mrs. Maxwell? Apartment 514. Little girl's name's Jenny. What this means, police officials will not venture to guess, and admittedly can do little, but sit and wait and wonder when and where the sniper will strike again, and who his next victim will be. Four. Eight. Eleven. Fifteen for two. Oh dear. Seems to me this is the first time I've ever beaten anyone at privage. I guess my mind isn't on the game, Pam. Well try to concentrate. I'd hate to spoil my perfect record with a victory. Shouldn't they be home by now? It's almost 11 o'clock. There you are. Right on cue. Thank heavens. I was beginning to be... What's the matter? That buzzer. Well it's your buzzer, isn't it? But Jenny has a key. She always uses a key. Oh you're getting the jitters. Answer the door. No Pam, she wouldn't use the buzzer. She'd use her key. Oh blight scaredy cat, I'll answer it. Who is it, please? Police, ma'am. Police? Pam, don't open it. It could be anybody. It could be the sniper. Lieutenant Wigand sent me up here, ma'am. Oh well if Bill sent you... Pam, it still could be... Pam, please! Mrs. Maxwell, I'm patrolman Michael. I'm Mrs. North. This is Mrs. Maxwell. Note the uniform, Mr. I see it. Lieutenant Wigand sent me up to check on things, ma'am. Everything all right? Yes, everything's fine. Okay. I'll be within shouting distance if you need me. Thank you. Thank you very much, officer Michael. Privilege, ma'am? All right, I may even beat you now. Oh. How about this picture, Jenny? No. No, that's not him. Well now, Jenny, are you sure you can recognize this man? Yes, sir. I've... Wait, let me see that one again. Take a good look, Jenny. He's blonde like the man you saw on the roof. Take a real good look. That's the one, I think. When was that mug shot taken, Bill? Oh, eight months ago. Sure looks like him, Lieutenant. Harvey Bricker, age 26. What's his record? Let's see. Did time in juvenile training school for burglary. Before that, ran away from home twice. Anything since then? Seven months in the Army. Went AWOL once, medical discharge. Medical? Medical. Supposed to be under psychiatric care through the Veterans Administration. Did time for burglary after he was discharged. Eight months ago. That's when this picture was taken. I'm sure that's the man, Lieutenant. I kept scared just looking at the picture. Well, now it's Mr. Bricker's turn to be scared, Jenny. I think you can go home now. Seven. Oh, twelve. Fifteen for two more. I suspect you are throwing these games, Esther. You... Hey, wake up. Hmm? Oh, Pam, I'm sorry. I think you'd better get yourself some rest. Oh, I'd rather wait up for Jenny. You can wait just as well in a horizontal position. Come on, get yourself ready for bed. Well, maybe. I wish you'd get some rest too. Well, I'll lie down on the sofa. Okay, I'll get you an extra blanket. Well, don't bother. I won't need it. Now, there's no bother. It's right here in the bedroom. You'll need it if... Pam! Esther, what's the matter? Please, please don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. Who... who are you? What do you want? My name is Bricker. Harvey Bricker. Rifle? You've got a rifle? Really, madam, I promise not to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone. Oh, did you get in here? The bedroom window wasn't difficult to open. I... I've had experience. Evidently. I've been waiting here trying to think of some way not to startle you. You want Jenny, don't you? You want Jenny? Well, she's not here! She's not here! Esther, stop it. Be still! The police are here, though. The police will take care of you. They'll put you away. I know the police want me. I know, too, that your little girl can help them find me. What makes you think that, Mr. Bricker? Please, madam, I'm being truthful with you. Please don't try to fool with me. Then... what are you going to do? What do you want us to do? I really don't know. I've come here to discuss the problem with you. I'd like the four of us to be objective about it. The four? You and your friend, I and my friend. Your friend? Yes. Please put that rifle down! I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you. All I ask is your cooperation, your help. How can we help you? Don't identify me to the police. All I ask of you is a fair chance, a break. Break? What kind of a break did you give those people you killed? I couldn't help that. I tried. I swear I tried. But I couldn't help it. You've killed three people! I tell you, I couldn't help it! Esther, stop it! Now you want to kill my little girl! I don't, I don't, I don't. I don't want to kill anyone. After the first time, I even turned on the gas in my room. I thought I had killed myself. The next thing I knew, I was on a rooftop looking for my father. Your father? I killed him once two weeks ago. Then I killed him again. Today he was there again, so I had to kill him once more. Every time I think he's gone, I see him again. That's why I shoot. I can't help myself. Don't answer that! It's probably my daughter. Don't answer it, I said. You said you didn't want to hurt us, Mr. Bricker. I don't want to, but I may have to. Don't answer it, do you hear me? Don't answer the door! It's funny they don't answer. Well, they may be asleep, Jerry. Jenny, do you have a key? She's so sleepy she can hardly stand. Do you have a key to the door, honey? I always use it so I won't bother Mother. Do you have it, please? All right. It's in this pocket. There, see? Thank you. It's funny, all the lights are still on. All right, stand still. All of you. Well, well, an unexpected pleasure. Leave the door open and don't move away from it. Please, don't make me kill you too. Jerry, do as he says, please. Okay, now, are you women all right? They're all right. I haven't hurt them. I won't hurt anybody if you'll just let me go. I won't hurt anybody. That's the man! That's the man on the roof! That's the man! He's here to kill me! It's all right, Jenny. He won't hurt you. Jenny, please, dear. Go on, Bricker, if you're going out, get out. Look what you're doing to this child. I'm sorry. Really, I am. I won't hurt you, Jenny. Don't touch me! Go away! Go away! Go on, Bricker. Take that gun of yours and beat her. Really, I don't want the little girl to be afraid of me. I won't hurt her. Will you get out of here? I feel terrible about this. If I can only do something to make her understand, Jenny, please listen to me. I know what it's like to be frightened. You can reach him, Jerry. Grab his gun. Jerry, look out! Hold still, everybody! You're making me do this. You're forcing me to hurt someone. What did you expect us to do, play padded cake? All right, I can't blame you. Just give me a chance. Give me a chance to get away, and I promise there'll be no trouble. Go on, get out. Get out! You're a policeman, aren't you? Yes, I'm Lieutenant Wigand of Homicide. Yes, you have a gun. May I have it, please? Well, I... No, stand still. I'll take it from you. Thank you. I'm sorry for all this, but if any of you come after me, you'll be sorrier. Bill, he won't go into the street with that rifle. Jerry North, you stay right here. She's right, Jerry. This isn't your job. You stay here. And let you go on that roof alone? Don't be silly. Jerry, you stay here. Jerry North, do you hear me? Don't... Jerry! Oh, Jerry, don't go, please! Jerry, I wish you'd get off this roof and go on back to the apartment. Two heads are better than one, Bill. Well, not if your head stops a bullet. No telling what that maniac would do. Bill! What? Look, where? Over there, near the ledge. Yeah. Bricker! Bricker, you can hear me. Now speak up! Better give yourself up, Bricker. You're just increasing the current in the electric chair. You won't get me now, Lieutenant. I won't let you get me. Keep talking to him, Bill. I'll crawl around to the other side. Be careful, Jerry. You'll have a chance if you give yourself up now, Harvey. You'll have your... Down, Jerry! You all right, Jerry? Jerry! Yeah, I'm all right. Please, gentlemen, I wish you'd be reasonable. I don't want to shoot anyone. But now, Lieutenant, will you please join your friend over there? Yeah. Stay there, Bill. He can't cover both of us while we're separated. Thank you, Lieutenant. Why didn't you stay there? He can't cover both of us with that rifle. Shut up! I... I'm afraid I have to kill you now, gentlemen. I don't want to do this. Really, I don't. But you've given me no choice. I'm sorry. Goodbye, gentlemen. I got him, Lieutenant! What the devil happened? Who's that? Michael's. Who? Patrolman Michael's. Didn't you see him come up on the roof? No, neither did Harvey Bricker. Look out, Lieutenant! Bricker's making a break for it. Come on! Michael's must have just winged him. Oh, there's his rifle. Stop, Bricker! Stop! Good Lord, Bill, look, he's going to jump. Oh, no, he isn't. Grab him, Bill. Let me go! Let me go! Relax, Bricker. Just relax. Good work, Lieutenant. Here's his gun. My rifle. My rifle. Don't take my rifle, please. Will you listen to him? The way he's whining about his gun, you'd think he lost his best friend. He has, Mike. He certainly has. More potatoes, Jenny? Jenny? Jenny, dear, Pam's talking to you. Oh, I'm sorry, Pam. I was just looking at Jerry. Well, if I were you, I'd be happy to talk to him. No, Jerry, you have a nice face. Well, thank you. Oh, dear, more competition. In fact, I would like it very much if I had a picture of you. Of me? Well, I... What kind of picture, honey? I have some snapshots. No, I'd like a double picture. Double picture? You know, like the ones Lieutenant Wagon showed me. Profile and full face. You know, I'd like a double picture. Double picture? You know, like the ones Lieutenant Wagon showed me. Profile and full face. You have one? Have some more potatoes, Jenny. Have lots of potatoes. That puts the finishing touch on another Mr. and Mrs. North mystery. Music 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 on Mr. and Mrs. North. This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.
