It's time now for Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons. Music Ladies and gentlemen, Anason and Colonos present Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, one of the most famous characters of American fiction in one of radio's most thrilling dramas. Tonight and every Thursday at this same time, the famous old investigator takes from his file and brings to us one of his most celebrated missing persons cases. Tonight's case is entitled, The Case of Murder and the Bloodstained Necklace. Music Believe anything you like about what this or that way to relieve pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia will do for you. But there's one important fact you can't get away from. That is, thousands of users of Anason tablets have been introduced to this remarkable product through their own physicians or dentists. Anason is like a doctor's prescription. That is, it contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients. Next time you suffer from headache, neuritis, or neuralgia pain, try Anason. For most effective relief, use only as directed. I'll repeat the name, Anason, A-N-A-C-I-N. Music Now for Mr. Keen and the Case of Murder and the Bloodstained Necklace. Our scene opens in a corridor of a metropolitan hotel. A man with a briefcase in his hand has been knocking impatiently at one of the room doors. As a bellboy approaches with a pitcher of ice water and some glasses... Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock. Excuse me, sir. Was that ice water ordered for this room, boy? Oh, yes, sir, for Mrs. Bradley. Well, I don't think she's in. I've been knocking for over five minutes. Well, it's funny, mister. She gave me the order herself over the telephone, told me to bring the ice water right up. My name's Austin. I have an appointment with Mrs. Bradley. Have you got a key to this room? Yes, sir. Well, open the door, then. You don't think there's anything wrong, mister? Now, don't ask questions. Just open the door, please, and let's have a look inside. There's nobody here, Mr. Austin. Mrs. Bradley must have gone out right after I talked to her on the phone. Put that tray down and get hold of the police, quickly. Why? What's the matter, Mr. Austin? Look, behind that screen. Holy smoke. It's... It's Mrs. Bradley. Yes, with a bullet through her throat. She... she's been murdered. And now, later, we find a friend of the murdered woman, a Mrs. Thornton, at the office of the great investigator, Mr. Keen, asking for his help. And she's saying... And that's how they found her, Mr. Keen, lying on the floor of her hotel room. My friend, Grace Bradley, had been murdered in cold blood. I read the details in the newspapers this morning, Mrs. Thornton. My partner, Mike Clancy, here, thought the case most unusual. It's a puzzler, all right, boss. That string of pearls they found in the victim's hand, for instance. That hasn't been explained yet. Yes, I was just going to ask Mrs. Thornton about that myself, Mike. Tell me, what theory did the police have of the string of pearls your friend, Mrs. Bradley, was clutching in her fingers? They had no explanation for it, Mr. Keen. And they were even more puzzled when they heard Mr. Austin's story. John Austin is a well-known jewel expert and appraiser. I remember reading about him in the newspaper account of the murder. He had an appointment with Grace Bradley to make an appraisal of some jewelry. But he said the string of pearls Grace had in her hand when he found her body were only cultured pearls and worth no more than $100. Mrs. Bradley would have hardly called him in for an appraisal of something that cheap. That's what the police thought. Well, maybe the pearls were switched and the killer took the real ones. I'm sure the police must have thought of that immediately, Mike. They did, Mr. Keen. But when I appeared to identify the body and they questioned me, they decided that perhaps it wasn't the right answer. Why, Mrs. Thornton? Because I told them that, to my knowledge, Grace Bradley never owned any valuable jewelry. It's true her husband was wealthy. He died only a week ago. But Grace was a simple woman who hated ostentation. She often said she had no use for jewelry, and she never wore any. Mrs. Thornton, you say Mrs. Bradley's husband died a week ago? Yes, of a heart attack. The Bradleys lived in Louisville. He was a paper pulp manufacturer and very successful. After his death, Grace decided to come to New York to live. And she left right after the funeral. They had no children. When did you find out she was in New York, Mrs. Thornton? The morning before she was murdered. She phoned me and told me she'd been in town for several days and was living at a hotel. Did you see her after she phoned you? No, Mr. Keen. When I arrived at her hotel room that afternoon, I found the police there and discovered that... that she'd been murdered. I see. Mr. Keen, I knew Grace Bradley for many years in Louisville before I married and moved to New York. A finer and more generous woman never lived. When times were hard for me before my marriage, Grace came to my aid. She did everything she could for me. And if I could pay her back in some way, even in death, I'll do everything I can. I can see you were very attached to her, Mrs. Thornton. I thought of her almost as though she were a younger sister. Mr. Keen, I could offer you money for your services, but I know your reputation. I know that no amount of money could make you accept the case unless you felt you were helping someone in need or working on the side of justice. In this instance, I feel that Mike and I would be doing both, Mrs. Thornton. Then you'll do what you can to help solve the case, Mr. Keen. You can depend on it. Mike? Yes, boss? Get hold of the car and meet me downstairs in five minutes. I think our starting point should be at the office of Mr. Austin, the jewel appraiser. The man who discovered Grace Bradley's body. I'll give you his address, Mr. Keen. Good. I'll also need information regarding Mrs. Bradley's friends and acquaintances in Louisville in complete detail. Mike, we got our work cut out for us. And it won't be easy judging by the circumstances. But we won't rest until we brought Grace Bradley's murderer to trial. Well, here's the office, Mr. Keen. John Austin, jewel importer and appraiser. Now, let's go in, Mike. The ruby is genuine, Mr. Albright, but the ring isn't as expensive as you judged. No? I'd say it was worth no more than $500. Oh, excuse me for a moment, please. Yes, of course. Yes, gentlemen, what can I do for you? Are you Mr. Austin? At your service. My name is Keen. This is my partner, Mike Clancy. Mr. Keen, the great investigator? I'm very glad to know you, sir. And you, Mr. Clancy. Likewise, Mr. Austin. Perhaps you can guess why we're here, Mr. Austin. I presume it's in regard to the murder of Mrs. Bradley. Yes, I thought perhaps you might be able to supply us with some information, since you were the one who found her body. I only wish I could help you, Mr. Keen. But I've told the police everything I know. I was called on the telephone by Mrs. Bradley and asked to come up to a hotel suite to appraise some jewelry. Did she specify what the jewelry was? No, she didn't. As you undoubtedly know, a string of cultured pearls was found clutched in her hand. But it doesn't seem possible that she'd called me up to appraise them, Mr. Keen. They weren't very valuable, I take it. For cultured pearls, they were good, but they weren't worth more than $100. Would you say it was possible that Mrs. Bradley thought her pearls were real pearls? I wouldn't know, Mr. Keen. Isn't it true that cultured pearls do look like real ones? That is, to people who don't make a profession of handing them? Yes, that's true, Mr. Keen. But if Mrs. Bradley originally bought those pearls herself, she certainly would have known their value. There's no question about that. Excuse me, gentlemen, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. My name is Albright, Harlow Albright, and I knew the late Mrs. Bradley. You did? We weren't close friends, but I was stunned by the news of her death. Have you been questioned by the police, Mr. Albright? Yes, Mr. Keen, but I had very little to tell them. I only met Mrs. Bradley about a week ago when she sold me this man's ring I just bought. Unfortunately, I was overcharged, but I'm certain Mrs. Bradley didn't do it deliberately. Did she try to sell you anything else, Mr. Albright? No, just the ring. She said it was her late husband's. Apparently she needed some money very badly or she would never have parted with it. The police have all those details, however. It was all perfectly above board, I assure you, and Mrs. Bradley's brother-in-law, Ralph Bradley, was a witness to the transaction. Her brother-in-law? I never read anything about her. Neither did I, Mike. You mean he hasn't even spoken to the police yet? Not as far as we know. That's very odd. Do you know where this man can be located, Mr. Albright? I believe he was living in the same hotel with his sister-in-law, Mrs. Bradley. That guest list has been checked four times by the boys downtown, boss. Sure, if they'd have found another Bradley, they'd have talked to him, sure. There's no question about it, Mike. It's a mystery to me why he didn't appear of his own free will after them. If I'd had any idea that he was deliberately keeping himself out of this, I certainly would have mentioned his name to the police. Mr. Albright, you say that as if you're quite certain Mrs. Bradley's brother-in-law had a hand in her murder. Perhaps you'll feel the same way when I tell you why, Mr. Keen. I don't know whether or not he was registered in the hotel under an assumed name, or whether the room was someone else's, but when I first met Grace Bradley's brother-in-law, Ralph Bradley, he was apparently occupying the hotel room next to the one in which she was murdered. Here's the room Mrs. Bradley had, Mr. Keen and Mr. Clancy. I was the bellboy who found her body with Mr. Austin. It's a corner suite, I see, with no adjoining room on the left. And according to the register, the room here on the right was rented by a Miss Lola Smith. She's a good looker too, Mr. Clancy. I've seen her lots of times. Looks like a showgirl. Here, young man, we won't need you any longer. Thanks a lot. Gee, wait till the guys here I met Mr. Keen, the famous investigator in person. All right, Mike. Now let's introduce ourselves to Miss Lola Smith, the girl who occupies the room to the right. Who's there? Miss Smith certainly got a deep voice, boss. Well? I'm looking for Miss Lola Smith. Who wants her? Tell her... Let me talk to him, Ralph. I told you to keep quiet. You're acting like a fool. I have nothing to hide. Who are you two? What do you want here? My name is Keen. This is Mike Clancy. Keen? The investigator? Lola, I knew you'd drag the cops into this sooner or later. Okay, do as you like. I'll have no part of it. Just a second, mister. Not so fast. Take your hand off me. Are you Ralph Bradley by any chance? No. Ralph, for heaven's sake. Shut up, Lola. Now, just a moment. Okay, you ask for it. Saints preserve us. He's armed to the teeth. Look at the size of the gun he's got. It's big enough to blow your head off if you stand in my way. Ralph, don't you see you're only making things worse for yourself? If it weren't for you, Lola, I wouldn't be in this fix. But you can shift for yourself now. I'm playing this my own way. If anyone tries to follow me, I'll shoot to kill. Quick, Mike. The phone. Give me the front desk. This is an emergency. Desk? There's a man on his way down carrying a gun. Get hold of the house detective and alert the policeman on the beat. Make sure he's stopped. I'll be right back. He won't get far. Be careful, Mike. He's dangerous. Well, I... I guess Ralph Bradley's in trouble. He's not the only one, Miss Smith. If that happens to be your name, which I doubt very much, you're in this too. Apparently, we found the first link in the chain surrounding Grace Bradley's murder. And in a very short time, I hope to weld the chain completely around the killer's wrists. In just a moment, we'll return to Mr. Keen and the case of murder and the bloodstained necklace. Meanwhile, beware of unpleasing breath that breathes between teeth. Get colonose toothpaste with amazing dental floss action for a clean mouth and a pleasing breath. And now, we'll be back. The most unpleasant breath breathes between teeth in the deep recesses where food particles can collect and decay. 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Now, back to Mr. Keen and the case of murder and the blood-stained necklace. Mr. Keen, the famous investigator and his partner, Mike Clancy, are investigating the strange circumstances surrounding the murder of Grace Bradley, an attractive widow whose wealthy husband had recently died. In the hotel where Mrs. Bradley's body was found, with a string of inexpensive cultured pearls clutched in her lifeless hand, Mr. Keen has been questioning Ralph Bradley, the murdered woman's brother-in-law, who has just attempted to make his escape from the hotel room occupied by a girl named Lola Smith. Now, a few minutes later... Inside, Bradley, and behave yourselves. And he never even got as far as the hotel lobby, Mr. Keen. I cornered him on the third floor as he was trying to open a fire escape window in the back. I see you put a pair of handcuffs on him, Mike. He asked for them, boss, when he tried to get away. I'm not a criminal. I haven't done anything. Why don't you leave me alone? Bradley, your actions certainly place you in a suspicious light. Why did you try to get away, Ralph? Don't you see? Never mind the lectures, Lola. You're in this as deeply as I am, and don't forget it. I suggest you both tell the entire truth. Well, there's nothing to say, Mr. Keen. I met Ralph Bradley a week ago when he came to New York. And what about his sister-in-law, Grace Bradley? Did you meet her, too? Only casually. She was murdered in the room next to this, Miss Smith. And you checked in this one the same day Mrs. Bradley occupied hers. That was just a coincidence, that's all. And is this a coincidence, too? How dare you open my purse! What have you found, Mike? Well, you were right about her name, boss. I cornered these cards in her pocketbook. Her name isn't Smith any more than mine is. It's Cook. That's not the first time she changed it either. I wouldn't talk too much if I were you, Ralph. That's what I said to you, Lola. But since you've decided to leave me holding the bag, I'm going in for a little self-protection of my own. And what have you got to say, Bradley? I... I advise you to be honest. If I detect any trickery in your story, I'll have my partner, Mike Clancy, escort you to headquarters at once. All right. I... I followed my sister-in-law, Grace Bradley, to New York after my brother died. Why? Because I thought she cheated me out of my rightful share in his estate. Had his will been read yet? No. For all I know, she destroyed my brother's will and claimed his money and property as his closest survivor. What did you expect to gain by following her here? Information, maybe. I met Lola here and introduced her to Grace. I thought Lola might be able to get her to talk. But there was nothing criminal in what I did. I told... We'll decide that later, Lola Smith. Bradley, were you present when your sister-in-law, Grace Bradley, sold a small ruby ring to a man named Harlow Albright? Yes. I was there, Mr. Keen. The ring was my brother's. And you still believed your sister-in-law came into a fortune when she had to sell something like that to get a little money? It was a trick. She only did it to put me off the track. She wanted to make me think my brother died broke. I doubt if it was a trick. But we'll settle the question of your brother's estate in a very few minutes. Do you happen to know the name of his attorney? Barton and Nesbitt, in Louisville. Mike, put to a phone call to that law firm and inquire about the will of Grace Bradley's husband. Okay, boss. In any case, Mr. Keen, you've got nothing on me. Ralph's story proves that. On the contrary. It might make you an accessory to a murder, Lola. What? If Grace Bradley's husband did leave a large estate, her brother-in-law would probably inherit it after her death. And you were working with him in one way or another. That's ridiculous. You think I'd do anything as obvious as outright murder, Mr. Keen? It's been done before, Bradley. Let go of me! What are you up to, young man? Nothing. Let go, I tell you. Quiet. Harlow Albright. Inside, young fellow. Mr. Keen may be interested in talking to you. Mr. Keen, I found this bellboy with his eye to the keyhole as I came up to the door. I... I just wanted to see what was going on, that's all. The little spy. I caught him doing that once before. Don't you talk, girly. You're in enough hot water yourself. I'll slap your face in! Stay where you are, Lola. He's just trying to get back at me. He's been flirting with me for a week and I haven't even looked at him. Mr. Keen, I see you put a pair of handcuffs on Ralph Bradley. Tell him I have nothing to do with Grace's murder, Mr. Albright. You know I'm innocent. On the contrary, Bradley. Grace told me once that she was afraid of you. It's something I forgot to mention to Mr. Keen. That's why I'm here. Did she say why she feared her brother-in-law, Mr. Albright? He followed her here from Louisville. As I understand it, they never got along. Incidentally, just how did you come to know Grace Bradley? Why, we met here in the hotel. I have a suite of rooms upstairs. I recognized her as a woman of breeding almost immediately. A woman who was used to the finer things of life. I see. When did you see her last, Mr. Albright? Three days before she was murdered. That was when I bought her ring. According to her husband's will, he died almost penniless. I offered to lend her money, but she refused. Instead, she asked me to buy a few trinkets from her. You're sure that was all the jewelry she had? As far as I know, Mr. Keen, she'd gotten a few pieces of costume jewelry from her brother-in-law, Ralph Bradley, here. But they had little value. I suppose he's told you that he sells costume jewelry. I know. He didn't tell me, Mr. Albright. Bradley, were there any cultured pearls in your stock of costume jewelry? You're trying to trap me, all of you. But I'm through answering questions, understand? I'm through. Boss. Just a second, Mike. I'll be right with you. Mr. Albright, will you see these people remain where they are? It'll be a pleasure, Mr. Keen. Mike, keep your voice down. Did you phone the law firm in Louisville? Yes, Mr. Keen. And the will of Grace Bradley's husband was read the day she was murdered, according to the lawyers. They wired her that her husband had died in debt. He even lost his money because of bad investments. It's beginning to add up now, Mike. Come in here with me. Bradley, I'm placing you under arrest. You can't hold me, Keen. The whole thing's a frame-up. We'll let the police decide that. What about me, Mr. Keen? Honest, I didn't do anything. Maybe I was snooping a little, but I'll lose my job as a bellhop. Young man, I think you've learned a lesson on eavesdropping you won't forget too soon. You can leave and tell the house detective to get hold of a squad car for Bradley and his accomplice, Lola Smith. Anything you say, Mr. Keen. Well, then, I'm under arrest too? I'm afraid you'll have to be detained, Miss Smith, along with Ralph Bradley. Oh, Mr. Albright, would you accompany us to the police headquarters, please? Not as a suspect, of course, but merely to give the police additional information. I'm glad to be of help in any way, Mr. Keen. Then I suggest we get started. Okay, Bradley, you and the lady walk out ahead of us. Don't try to make another run for it unless you think you can travel faster than a bullet. Mike, one second. I just want to make sure they're all out of earshot. I've got some instructions for you. What is it, Mr. Keen? The case isn't finished yet, but will be shortly. I think we'll all be due for a little surprise. Now, when the police have taken over, meet me downstairs in the lobby. We're going to find the final link in that murder chain. Have you tried that bureau yet, Mike? Yes, Mr. Keen, I went all through it. You practically gone through the entire suite. There couldn't be any secret drawers, not in a hotel room. And certainly the killer wouldn't carry what we're looking for around with him. Now, let's go back to the living room. Oh, we've gone through everything in the place, Mr. Keen. Looks as though this time works the time either. Mike, he's coming back, boss. He's opening the door. Yes, I was expecting him. Come in, Mr. Albright. You should have told me you planned to visit my hotel suite, Mr. Keen. I would have supplied you with a key. The desk clerk obliged us, Mr. Albright. I've spoken to the police. They're holding Ralph Bradley and his lady friend on suspicion of murder. They won't be held for long. Oh, no? You see, I believe that both innocent. Well, then why did you have them sent to police headquarters? I wanted to search your suite undisturbed. And it was a convenient way to get you out of here. Did you find what you were after? Yes. That's very interesting. Mike, cut the covers off that sofa in the corner and go through the ticking. The sofa, boss? Yes, and thank you for your help, Mr. Albright. What do you mean? When I said I'd found your loot, you couldn't help glancing at your hiding place. I don't think we have to search any further. Search the inside of the sofa carefully, Mike. Leave it to me, boss. I must say you put up a very good front, Albright. Was this suite furnished by some of your past victims? Mr. Keen, look at this. Bring it over, Mike. It's a string of pearls, boss, and look at the size of them. They're genuine, too. Worth the king's ransom. They belonged to Mrs. Bradley, and Albright murdered her to get them. Are you quite certain of that, Keen? You first aroused my suspicions, Albright, at the dual appraisers. I imagine you went there to find just how much Mr. Austin knew about these missing pearls. This conversation's beginning to bore me. But you made a mistake when you mentioned knowing Mrs. Bradley was penniless. She didn't learn the contents of her husband's will until the day she was murdered. And you couldn't have known about it unless you saw her at that time and not several days before, as you contended. She knew she was a pauper even before the will was read. She sold me that ring to get some money, didn't she? Yes, and you bought it as part of your plan. You learned she owned a string of fabulous pearls. You never had money enough to buy these pearls, so you decided to steal them. You asked to see them once more before Mr. Austin, the appraiser, came. Then tried to switch them with a string of inexpensive cultured pearls. But Grace Bradley caught you, and you shot her. So you put the cultured pearls in her hand, hoping it would implicate her brother-in-law. There's one thing you still haven't proven yet, Keen. How do you know these pearls were Grace Bradley's? I may be able to prove that even faster than you think. There. What are you doing? Breaking the string that holds the pearls together. Mike, take a look at this. Why, there's dried blood on parts of that string, boss. Yes. Mrs. Bradley was wearing the pearls when she was shot in the throat. Hollow Albright wiped off the obvious blood stains from the pearls, but he neglected the bit of string between each pearl. Is that proof enough, Albright? I'll kill you. No, you won't, mister. Not unless you want a taste of what your victim got. Keen, listen to me. Those pearls are priceless. We can share them and both be rich. They were collected in the South Seas in a shark-infested lagoon. Grace Bradley told you that? It was all her husband left her. She never even knew he owned them until the day before he died. He told her he was dying broke, but he'd kept the pearls for just such a time. We can sell them for a million dollars and no one would be the wiser. Where are you going, Albright? Even a million dollars wouldn't do you any good. Take him away, Mike. From here, Hollow Albright goes to trial for murder. And so, Mr. Keen finds the solution to the case of murder and the blood-stained necklace. The next time you're suffering from the pains of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia, try Anisyn. You'll bless the day you heard of this incredibly fast way to relieve these pains. Now, the reason Anisyn is so wonderfully fast-acting and effective is this. Anisyn is like a doctor's prescription. That is, Anisyn contains not just one, but a combination of medically proven active ingredients in easy-to-take tablet form. Thousands of people have received envelopes containing Anisyn tablets from their own dentist or physician and in this way have discovered the incredibly fast relief Anisyn brings from pain of headache, neuritis, or neuralgia. So next time such pains strike, take Anisyn. For most effective relief, use only as directed. Your druggist has Anisyn in handy boxes of 12 and 30 and economical family-sized bottles of 50 and 100. The name is Anisyn, A-N-A-C-I-N. Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, is based on the novel Mr. Keen. The radio sequel is originated and produced by Frank and Ann Hummert. Dialogue by Lawrence Klee. Bennett Kilpac plays Mr. Keen. It is on the air every Thursday at this time. Don't miss Mr. Keen next Thursday when the kindly old Tracer turns to the Yellow Talon murder case.
