Box 13 with the style of Paramount Pictures, Alan Ladd as Dan Holliday.
Box 13, care of the starred times.
If you want adventure plus a little payoff, register at the Morris Hotel as John Johnson.
As soon as you've done that, take a seat in the lobby and wait to be paged.
Don't ask any questions.
Just follow instructions and you'll find five hundred dollars.
Just follow instructions and you'll find five hundred dollars waiting for you.
Don't ask any questions, let us said.
I didn't.
Not at first.
But there were plenty that needed answering before this was wrapped up.
And now back to Box 13 and Dan Holliday's newest adventure, Round Robin.
Good morning, Morris Hotel.
I'd like to make a reservation, please.
Certainly, double or single room?
Oh, just a minute.
Mr. Holliday.
What, Susie?
Do you want a double or single room at the Morris Hotel?
Negative, single.
Okay.
Hello?
Yes, madam.
That's a single room, please.
It's for Mr. John Johnson and he'll be in this afternoon before two.
Thank you.
We'll hold the reservation until that time.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Well, that's that, Mr. Holliday.
What a phony name, John Johnson.
Why not Smith or Brown or Jones?
You know, Mr. Holliday, it could just be that name is genuine.
Five will get you ten, the name is a phony.
Well, maybe.
Anyway, there'll be a reservation for you.
Oh, do you want me to wait here until you get back?
Susie, how many times have you said that?
And how many times have you waited a long, long time?
Lots of times.
Oh, Mr. Holliday, I only hope that someday the wait isn't forever.
That makes two of us.
Okay, Susie, I'm off to the Morris Hotel, thinly disguised in name only as Mr. John
Johnson.
I registered at the Morris Hotel, signed the card as John Johnson, picked out a nice seat
in the lobby and waited.
Ten minutes went by, then 15.
And it was easily a half hour before I became aware that a name was being called by a bellhop.
Mr. John Johnson, paging Mr. John Johnson.
Mr. John Johnson, please.
Uh-oh.
Here you are, boy.
Mr. Johnson?
Yes.
That's the name I registered on the sudden.
Thank you, sir.
A message for you.
Oh, thank you.
Here you are.
Thank you, Mr. Johnson.
Want me to wait for an answer, sir?
I don't know.
I'll tell you in a minute.
No, there's no answer.
Very good, sir.
And thank you again, Mr. Johnson.
I was about to ask the boy who sent the message, but I figured that would be useless.
What good would it do me?
So I did what the note said, went to the fifth floor and knocked on the door of room 502.
Yes?
Who is it?
Uh, John Johnson.
It's Mr. Johnson.
I heard you the first time.
Come in.
You didn't waste any time, did you?
Punctual to the second.
I always try to be prompt.
It pays.
Especially in your profession.
My profession?
What you want is on the dresser.
Take it and get out before I change my mind.
On the dresser?
Uh, this?
Yes.
Well, aren't you going to open it?
Should I?
You're very sure of yourself, aren't you?
To tell you the truth, I'm not at all sure of anything at the moment.
However, since we've apparently concluded our business, I may as well go.
Yes, please do.
No.
Wait.
Don't go out that door.
Oh.
The lady carries a Luger.
Isn't that rather large for your handbag?
I'm not going to let you get away with it, no matter what the result.
Well, look, maybe we'd better get something straight.
I've just straightened things out in my own mind.
Oh, how nice.
Now let's get around to my mind.
What do we do about it?
You're so sure of yourself, but I'm not going to let you do it.
You wouldn't stop with the net, Bess.
You'd hold me up again and again.
I'm not going to let you.
I'm going to kill you.
Maybe you'd better listen first.
There's nothing you can say.
Lady, look, with a Luger, you're going to have to do something.
I'm going to kill you.
Maybe you'd better listen first.
Look, with a Luger muzzle putting a period right between my eyes, there's a lot I can
say.
I'd like to filibuster a little.
You're insane.
How can you stand there and speak like that?
It's easy.
Stay away.
Please lower the gun just a little.
Don't come any closer.
You filthy.
Don't go after it.
Let it lie on the floor.
I should have killed you right away.
Please sit down.
Get out.
Sit down.
Here, take this package.
You're giving it back?
Yes, I'm giving it back.
Who are you?
Here, take a look at this letter.
While you're reading it, I'll get out a few proofs of who I am.
Driver's license, auto club car, a couple of letters.
I don't understand this.
Obviously you don't.
Here, now take the gun.
Who sent this letter to you?
Apparently someone who wanted me to collect this package from you.
Someone who didn't want to pick it up himself or herself.
But why?
I don't know.
Maybe we'll pick up an answer to that after you've explained a few things.
For example, what's in the package?
A diamond necklace.
Yours?
My husband's.
It was his mother's.
He gave it to me for a wedding present.
Okay.
Now, who are you?
Mrs. Therese Clements.
That doesn't mean anything to you, does it?
No.
But go on with your explanation.
The necklace was blackmail payment.
I have no money of my own.
Blackmail, huh?
And you thought I was the black sheep in the case?
Yes, the last letter I received said I was to come here and wait, then deliver the necklace
to a Mr. John Johnson.
And I was to wait until someone asked me for the package.
I don't understand why there are all of these elaborate precautions.
Do you have any idea who's blackmailing him?
Of course not.
And a little delicate subject.
Why?
Does that matter?
No, I suppose not.
It's your business.
Mr. Holliday, I have a 16-year-old daughter.
I was willing to pay for her sake.
Oh?
You were also willing to kill me for her sake?
I wouldn't have done it.
I was trying to frighten you into letting me alone.
Look, Mrs. Clements, I've got an idea.
An idea?
What do you mean?
No one knows what has happened in this room but you and me.
Now suppose I were to walk out of here with this package.
The blackmailer would assume I had the necklace.
He'd come after me, wouldn't he?
You'd do that?
Why not?
I don't like blackmailers.
They remind me of leeches and things that crawl.
Why would you do this for me?
Let's say it's the Luger.
The Luke?
Uh-huh.
I also hate pearl-handled revolvers.
This one is very businesslike.
What will you do?
Walk out of here and out of the hotel without waiting for further instructions from our
mysterious letter writer.
Oh, meanwhile, give me your address.
Yes, here.
Here's my card.
Okay.
Now we'll see who puts his dirty little neck into our trap.
So I walked out of the Morris Hotel with a fake package tucked under my arm.
I hurried away, jumped into a cab, and had the driver double back and forth through the
streets while I kept looking back.
Yes, there was someone following in another cab.
And whoever it was thought I was trying the old trick of shaking a shadow.
Well, that was fine with me because I was going to let him keep pride on me.
So I got out of my cab, ducked into a coffee shop, and sat at a table, waiting.
Not for long, though.
My boy got out of his cab and walked in.
I waited until he passed my table and...
Sorry.
I guess I stuck my feet out too far.
Did you hurt yourself?
No, no, not at all.
It's okay.
Forget it.
But I don't want to forget it.
I'm fully covered by insurance.
You might have to be treated for shock.
Look, mister, I said it was okay.
Let's forget the whole thing.
Have some coffee with me.
No, thanks.
But I insist.
Coffee's a good stimulant.
You look a little pale.
Maybe you're hurt worse than you think.
What are you, a wise guy?
No, you can think of something better than that.
That crack went out with high button shoes.
Let go of my arm.
Sit down.
I'll call the cops.
Please do.
Right out the window, there's a large blue policeman.
Tap on the window, get his attention.
Okay, you're a lunatic.
I'll sit down.
Okay.
Cream and sugar?
What's the idea?
I was going to ask you the same thing.
This what you're looking for?
I don't know what you're talking about.
This package for Mrs. Clements.
You're nuts.
I gotta go now.
No, I think I'll call a cop.
Okay, mister, call a cop.
That one right outside.
You, you wouldn't mind?
Not at all.
Here, take a look at these.
What are they?
Credentials.
I'm a licensed operative for a private detective agency.
Are these on the level?
Why don't you check and find out?
I will.
Okay.
If you don't mind, I'll take off.
With me?
Why don't you get lost?
With you.
Come on, lead me to your private detective agency.
I'm a very curious man.
This way, Holliday.
We'll see the boss.
What's his name?
Barrett.
Mr. Barrett.
In here.
Mr. Barrett.
Yeah, Phil?
Who's that?
The guy you wanted me to pick up at the Morris Hotel.
Well, why bring him here?
All you had to do is pick up a package from him.
Maybe you better ask him all about it.
Okay, I'll take it from here.
That suits me.
See you later.
You, close the door and come in.
I assume you meant me.
All right, let me have the package.
First, did you write this letter to me?
Yeah, I did.
Now you want your 500.
No, no, you keep it.
What?
I said you keep it as payment for giving me an answer to something.
Like what?
Did you know what was going to be in this package?
Going to be.
This one is nice and empty.
What's the double cross for?
For blackmail.
What are you yammering about?
Aren't you the nice, innocent boy?
Cut it out.
I was willing to pay you for a job.
And I want to know why you had me pick up the package instead of one of your own men.
Police instructions.
Confidential.
You mean your client requested you to have the package picked up by me?
Yeah.
Who's your client?
Sure, I'd tell you just like that.
Look, I didn't like the deal in the first place, but I was getting paid and I didn't
ask questions.
Can you prove what you're saying?
To you?
Yes.
I don't have to.
That's true, but you might have to prove it to the police.
Look, I've got a license to run this agency and I run it straight.
So far I've had no trouble with the force.
So far?
So far.
What's that crack for?
I don't believe you're telling the truth.
No?
Here, take a look at these and then say that again.
Here, a letter telling me to get you to pick up the package at the Morris Hotel.
Your ad cut out of the star times.
And you won't tell me who your client is?
No.
Not even if I told you that that package is worth about a hundred thousand?
Not even then.
Aren't you even curious?
I never get curious.
Not even about blackmail?
What?
Now you're going to tell me you didn't know your client was set up to squeeze a blackmail
payment.
No, I didn't know.
Well, it's true.
There was a diamond necklace.
It was blackmail payment.
Or it was to be.
Oh, now you get hysterical.
Is blackmail so funny?
No, no, no, it's not.
But brother, it's going to be.
What do you mean by that?
It's not any of your business.
Look, you got in this on a rain check.
Well, the rain's over.
Meaning I'm out.
Exactly.
I'll take it from here.
On what?
On what my client pays me.
And something tells me the ante is going up.
Now back to Round Robin, another box 13 adventure with Alan Ladd as Dan Holliday.
This was getting to be a round Robin, me chasing the Robin and getting nowhere.
It was obvious that Barrett's client didn't want to come out in the open.
Barrett told me he'd never seen the client but worked through mailed instructions.
Well, there was another way to go at this.
See Mrs. Teresa Clements and try to find a lead from there.
And if there was none, to bow out and let the police take over.
So later that evening, I sat with Mrs. Clements in the library of her home.
No, no, I don't know who it is.
I have no idea who's doing it, Mr. Holliday.
Look, why don't you go to the police?
I can't.
For a few moments in the hotel, I had a little courage.
Well, have some more.
Don't you see Mrs. Clements?
A blackmailer never stops.
Once he gets his hooks in, he keeps them in.
What will I do?
Go to the police, I told you.
And have the whole nasty thing come out, my daughter, my husband, I can't.
It's the only way you'll have to risk it.
Mr. Holliday, I...
I want to tell you something.
I don't love my husband but I do love my daughter.
It's only for her sake.
All right, but you're making a mistake and I don't want to be in a...
Shh, wait.
Who is that?
Charles, my husband.
How will you explain me who?
I'll take care of it now.
Please don't say anything, please.
All right.
Therese.
Therese, how are you, dear?
We're in here, the lottery, Charles.
Therese, I want you to...
Charles, this is Mr. Holliday.
Mr. Holliday, my husband, Charles.
How do you do?
My pleasure, Mr. Clements.
Am I intruding?
No, Mr. Holliday is an old friend.
Oh, of course.
By the way, Therese, there was a letter for you on the table in the hallway.
I brought it for you.
Thank you.
Here you are.
Will you stay for dinner, Mr. Holliday?
Oh, no, thank you, Mr. Clements.
I dropped in for only a few minutes just to say hello.
Well, if you'll excuse me.
Glad to meet you, Holliday.
Thank you.
I hope to see you again.
Mrs. Clements, what's the letter?
Look, this letter, it's from...
The blackmailer?
Yes, my last chance, he says.
Mail the necklace to General Delivery, box 18.
Your last chance.
I've got to do it.
The envelope is postmarked, 2.30 this afternoon.
Send special delivery.
What will I do?
Mail the necklace if you want to.
Is there anything left for me?
Okay, if that's the way you feel about it.
It has to be.
All right, Mrs. Clements.
Goodbye.
Things were beginning to get a little clearer, but there was still a lot of muddy water in
the way, and quite a bit of it was being stirred up by Mr. Barrett.
I called his office, found out he was in, and went over to see him.
What do you want now, Holliday?
Can't you guess, Barrett?
Look, I was just getting set to leave here when you called.
I'm still set to leave, get it?
Yeah, I get it.
You said you ran this agency straight, didn't you?
Yeah, why?
Why don't you keep running it that way?
What are you talking about?
I think you know.
You just think.
Now, look, your part in this business is finished over.
Why don't you back out and forget all about it?
I'm only trying to keep you honest, Barrett.
Meaning?
I'll give you one more chance to tell me who your client is.
That is confidential.
That's good for you, isn't it?
Yeah, it is.
It gives you the chance to do a little squeezing yourself.
Beat it, Holliday.
Barrett, you guessed who your client was, didn't you?
Look, I'm closing the office now, Holliday.
If you want to stick around here and twiddle your thumbs, okay, but I'm going.
All right.
Mind if I use your phone?
Help yourself.
Mind handing me your phone directly?
You want to split the rent for this place with me?
Here.
Is this a private call? You want me to leave my own office?
No, stick around.
Here we are.
Are you sure you don't want me to leave?
After all, a man has to have some privacy or don't you know that?
No, it's okay, Barrett.
You'll enjoy this.
Hello?
Mrs. Clements, please.
Hey, what are you doing?
You'll find out.
This is Mrs. Clements speaking.
Oh, Mrs. Clements, this is Dan Holliday.
Did you put that in the mail?
Yes.
When?
Just a few minutes ago.
Oh, thanks.
Thanks.
That's all I wanted to know.
Is something wrong?
Oh, no, no, no.
Everything's all right.
Goodbye.
Well, you've made your phone call.
Now will you get out?
Yeah.
Now I'll get out.
And Barrett?
Yes?
Here's hoping you don't end up in the red.
Well, good morning, Mr. Holliday.
This is the first time you've been to the office early in weeks.
Mm-hmm.
I had to make a trip to the post office an early one.
Oh, I could have done it for you.
I don't think so, Suzy.
I wanted to watch for someone.
Watch for someone?
Who?
Nobody.
Didn't you get up a little too early?
Thank you, Suzy.
What did you mean?
You watched for nobody.
Just what I said.
I watched a little box at General Delivery, box 18.
There was nothing in it and no one went to it.
And why'd you watch it?
For what I knew I wasn't going to see.
I'll go out and get some coffee.
It is early.
Uh-uh.
Just hand me the phone book.
Oh, uh, which one?
The yellow one.
Does all this have to do with Mr. John Johnson?
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Here we are.
Suzy, I want you to do something for me.
What, Mr. Holliday?
Find out all you can about Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clements.
Here's their card and their address.
Well, how will I do it?
Call Lieutenant Kling at headquarters.
Also these numbers.
Oh, what are they?
Places where you can lose money heavily.
Hello?
Hello, Barrett.
Yeah, who's this?
This is Holliday.
What do you want now?
Look, Barrett, uh, you can lay off now.
I told you to keep your nose out of this.
You'd better do as I say or that little private agency of yours will do the most beautiful
and complete fold in the history of mankind.
What kind of a bluff do you think you're pulling?
It's no bluff.
Just see that you lay off.
I'm not pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling.
I'm pulling, holiday.
When I pull you up, just see that you lay off.
Goodbye.
Want me to start calling these numbers, Mr. Holliday?
Mmm-hmm.
Start calling them.
And if they don't wanna give you any information, get Kling to do it.
He, uh...
He owes me a couple of favors.
Where you going now?
I'll be at the number and address on their card.
The Clements?
The Clements.
I don't like what I've got to do, but maybe it'll turn out for the best.
Maybe I was wrong, but I was almost sure I was right.
It all depended on what Suzy found out.
And if she found out what I had a hunch about, she would.
Then I'd have the whole thing wrapped up neatly.
So I went to the Clements place and again sat with Mrs. Clements in the library.
But I don't understand, Mr. Holliday. I sent the package. It should have been there.
But it wasn't. I watched that box for nearly an hour.
Every other box around it had mail in it. Number 18 didn't.
Well, someone got there before you did. Oh, no. I got there before the post office opened.
Well, then what happened? Where's your husband?
Charles. He's upstairs.
What do you want with him? You're not going to tell him.
Well, you, uh, get him down here. But why?
Please, please do it. No. No, I won't.
Then I'll go up to him. Wait.
I'll... I'll get him down here. That's better.
Oh, incidentally, don't worry about Mr. Barrett anymore. That's all cleaned up.
Mr. Barrett? Yes, that's right. Now, you go get your husband.
Oh, if the phone rings, I'll answer it because it'll be for me.
All right. I'll be back in just a moment.
Please do.
Hello. Mr. Holliday?
Yeah. Oh, Suzy? Uh-huh.
Okay, let's have it. How did you know I'd find out all this?
Just a hunch. What'd you learn?
Well, there was a lot of money lost. Gambling.
It was suddenly paid off.
Sounds right. Okay, Suzy, thanks. That's all.
Oh, when will you be back? In a little while. Goodbye.
Mr. Holliday. Oh, hello.
Good morning, Mr. Clements. Tere said you wanted to see me.
I do. And I hope you don't mind my coming here so early in the morning.
No, of course not. What's this about, Holliday?
The diamond necklace? What? Yours, Tere?
Yes.
Oh. What about it, Holliday?
Have you still got it?
Well, of course. Why shouldn't we have it?
Because you just don't. That's all.
What the devil are you talking about? Tere, who is this man?
Let him talk, Charles. About what?
Mr. Clements, the diamond necklace isn't here anymore.
It's in the safe. You want to bet?
I'll show you. No, Charles. It's not there.
The box is empty.
Empty? But you can get it back.
From whom? Why is it gone?
Do you want to tell him, Mrs. Clements? Yes, I'll tell him.
Charles, I sold it to pay gambling debts.
You what? What a race, you little fool.
I was afraid to come to you for money. Yes, that's right.
And what you said about your not loving your husband.
It isn't true, Mrs. Clements. Of course not.
Mind if I sit down? I seem to have lost track of things.
Mrs. Clements, you had a beautiful thing worked out.
Your husband is very much in love with you and you with him.
But you were afraid to ask him for money to pay your gambling losses.
So you were going to pretend the necklace was taken by a blackmailer.
A what? Oh, good heavens. Let's have some sense.
All right. I don't know what story Mrs. Clements was going to tell you about the blackmail.
But she'd written herself letters. Isn't that right, Mrs. Clements? Yes.
The blackmail gimmick would explain the loss of the necklace.
And in your panic and confusion, you felt that explaining a silly, harmless and fake indiscretion
would have been more agreeable to your husband than hearing about your gambling losses.
Terence, for the love of heaven, why didn't you come to me?
I was afraid. I think I'll leave you two to settle this.
I think you will. How about it?
It's up to you, Charles. Yes, I guess it is.
Let's talk it over, Terence. Good.
Well, I'll see you around. Mr. Holliday, how did you find out?
Mrs. Clements, I always save the explanations for my secretary.
But how did you find out, Mr. Holliday? Mrs. Clements told me herself.
She didn't do anything of the kind. Well, not in so many words, Susie,
but the business of getting me to pick up the necklace. That was phony.
Why? Well, she was afraid one of Barrett's men would recognize her.
So she was going to have me pick up the package and then one of Barrett's men pick it up for me.
Oh, and the package would be returned to her? Sure.
And she'd have a witness that the necklace was picked up and taken from her.
But she stopped you with a gun before you even got out the door.
Sure. But she wouldn't have used that gun. She had to make the whole thing look real.
She's a pretty good actress. Only she didn't count on my coming back into the room and offering to help her.
That much has surprised her. Uh-huh. She had to think fast.
And you guessed about the gambling thing? Yes, it was just a hunch.
But I was sure of it when she got that special delivery letter.
You see, it was postmarked 2.30, almost immediately after I'd seen it.
Oh. What about Barrett? Oh, he guessed too.
And he was going to hold Mrs. Clements up for a little deal of his own.
So that's that, Susie, a nice, round robin. Oh, yeah.
I wonder how it'll all come out. Well, unless I miss my guess.
Mrs. Clements will be very, very sorry. Mr. Clements will be very, very stern.
He'll get the necklace back. She'll get it back.
And I'll get back to some sleep. Good night, Susie.
Listen in again next week when, through the courtesy of Paramount Pictures,
Alan Ladd stars as Dan Holliday in Box 13.
Box 13 is directed by Richard Sandville, and this week's original story was written by Arthur Bullen.
Original music is composed and conducted by Rudy Schrager, and the part of Susie is played by Sylvia Picker.
Bern Karstensen is in charge of production. Box 13 is a Mayfair production from Hollywood.
Watch for Alan Ladd and his latest Paramount picture.