Standard of California, on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and Standard stations
throughout the West, invites you to let George do it.
The Flowers That Smelled of Murder, another adventure of George Valentine.
Personal notice, danger is my stock and trade.
If you're in on a game and you know you're going to draw the losing hand, deal me in,
George Valentine.
Like Folder Tales.
Dear Mr. Valentine, I'm a freshman at Western State University.
I'm majoring in botany and I've suddenly found out that flowers can smell of murder.
My professor of botany is about to be killed.
Several attempts have been made on me but nobody takes me seriously.
I'm sure I'm not imagining things.
I'm not imagining things so give me a chance to tell you the whole story.
I live in Quonset Hut number 8, University Road.
The name is Louise Durene.
And all of Quonset's on University Road, they're all reserved for XGI's.
If our freshman friend took any part in the recent unpleasantness, she's not likely to
be a lightheaded character.
So if she has murder on her mind...
Okay, whether she's the next whack or just plain wacky, Western State, here we come.
Louise?
Yes, sure, she's here.
Darling, coming out soon?
I'll be right there, Daddykin.
I just got out of the shower.
Have a seat, Miss Brooks.
Mr. Valentine, she won't be long.
Thank you.
Louise wrote me quite a letter.
She said something about a murder.
Oh yes, I know.
The poor child's been walking around with the idea of murder on her mind for days, which
reminds me...
Remind you of what?
Do you know what Socrates said about murder, Miss Brooks?
I beg your pardon?
He said nothing.
Oh.
Oh, even though society did murder him, you know.
He just drank the hemlock and died.
You see, after looking well at the world, the true philosopher decides there's nothing
to say.
Yeah, well that's very interesting.
And about Louise and this letter...
Now leave my pink sweater.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know you had company, Marco.
It's impolite to stare, George.
I can't help it, Angel.
My mother decided I was going to be a boy baby.
Dear, this is Mr. Valentine and his assistant, Miss Brooks.
Of course.
How do you do?
I'm so glad you did take my letter seriously.
I suppose I should tell you what this is all about.
Well, it would help.
Poor Professor Coppa is in terrible danger.
I don't sleep nights thinking about it.
Oh, yes, the handsome professor is a source of great concern to my wife.
Your wife?
Oh, yes, for the longest time.
I'm very proud of how young and beautiful she keeps herself.
Oh, Michael really means that.
Can you wonder why I think he's such a darling?
Yes, well, at the risk of not being a darling, aren't you a little too old to be a freshman?
Well, as long as Michael doesn't admit it, I won't.
You mean Mr. Durean is a freshman here at Western State, too?
Oh, yes, we're just starting.
Both of us are here on the G.I. Bill of Rights.
He was in the OSS.
He can speak 17 languages, including North Manchurian.
Show them, darling.
Well, I'll tell you.
Yeah, well, now about those murder attempts on Professor Coppa.
Oh, oh, he's my botany teacher.
You see, I used to be in the WAC, but I always really wanted to be a botanist.
And I'm doing very well, too.
Show them, darling.
Well, you'd never think it, but plants range from the lower algae to the fungi, mosses,
liverworts, sperm, and gymnosperms.
Isn't that terribly thrilling?
Well, not as thrilling as murder, Mrs. Durean.
You know that little thing you mentioned in your letter, remember?
Oh, oh, yes, yes.
You see, somebody has already tried to kill Professor Coppa several times.
And no matter what John says, the things that happened to him were just accidents.
No.
Now, the time something went wrong with his car and he nearly went off the cliff, all the
time somebody almost ran him down when he was crossing the corner, and other things like that.
Well, is there any reason why anybody would want to get rid of the good professor?
Why don't you know?
John's almost succeeded in cross-breeding a terrestrial orchid with an epiphytic one.
It'll be the most beautiful flower ever grown.
And for that reason, someone wants to murder him?
Of course.
He's almost ready to report it to the Botanical Society.
It's to be called Papinio Nation Corolla Louise.
Think of it, Valentine.
Louise, just a freshman majoring in botany, is going to have a flower named for her.
Could a man want a greater compliment for his wife?
Papillionacious Corolla Louise as a motive for murder?
Brooksie, I think we'd better...
Oh, you're not taking me seriously either, are you?
I'm afraid you're taking botany a little too seriously, Mrs. Durant.
Mother, I've got to talk to you.
Darling, you might at least close the door.
There's a terrible draft.
Is this your son?
Who are these people?
Well, your mother just happened to answer in there, but we were going to leave anyway.
Well, no, why should you? Everybody knows anyway.
Knows what, Stephen?
All right, I'll qualify. Everybody knows. Except you, my father.
Please, dear, you're talking to your father.
He knows that, my darling.
George, wouldn't it be better if we...
Wait a minute, wait a minute. I didn't know there was going to be a double feature.
How do you think I feel on the campus when everybody knows I'm a sophomore and my mother and father are freshmen?
Well, that is an interesting setup. Tell me, Stephen, do you do your parents' arithmetic for them?
This is no kidding. Mother, everybody's saying that you and Professor Kober are that way about each other.
They see you everywhere together. No son wants to hear that kind of talk about his mother.
Now, now, wait a minute, son. I'll have you understand your mother's a very attractive woman.
Thank you, Michael.
Oh, Stephen, I made some of that potato salad you like so much. It's in the refrigerator.
Oh, it's no use talking to you two.
Oh, oh, Mr. Valentine. We forgot all about Professor Kober.
Did we? I thought he was very prominent in the conversation.
Now, somebody is trying to kill him. Of course, Michael and Stephen won't believe it, but...
But I do. Enough to want to hang around a while and see what this is all about.
Miss Brooks, it's very considerate of the Phi Gamma Epsilon sorority to worry so strenuously about my husband.
Well, naturally, when we girls heard about these threats on Professor Kober's life, we just...
I can just imagine what your hen parties must sound like.
I hope your house mother doesn't listen in.
Oh, it wasn't just that, Mrs. Kober. You see, with all this talk about Mrs....
Oh dear, what was I going to say? Oh, I'm terribly sorry.
Why should you be? It's common knowledge on the campus that Mrs. Drain's been throwing herself at my husband.
And all this talk about murder attempts has been a figment of this woman's weird imagination.
Oh, and that's all there is to it.
My husband leads a very sheltered academic life.
He happens to be engaged in some experiments with flowers.
That's hardly provocation for murder.
Oh, no. No, I love flowers myself.
True, he's very handsome for a botany teacher, but childishly unaware of his own charms.
That's no cause for murder either.
Of course not.
However, if the professor were aware of his shaggy masculine attraction, and were doing something about it...
Yes, that might be a very understandable cause for murder.
Huh.
Good day, Miss Brooks.
Music
Believe me, Mr. Valentine, these accidents that had been happening to Professor Kober are, well, just that. Accidents.
Yes, I know what you mean, Professor Bosworth, but I'm more interested in these experiments Kober's working on.
And as head of the department, and presumably his boss, you ought to be able to give me that information.
Of course, but I doubt if it could possibly have much interest for the layman.
Professor Kober is merely trying to create a new genus of the Orchid family.
Uh-huh.
Of course, it'll probably be win the valuable American Horticultural Prize.
A paper will be written on it, and a few thousand botanists throughout the world will thrill over it.
And there will be some academic glory for Professor Kober and Western State University.
Obviously, you have a great deal of respect for Professor Kober.
I have. He's a true genius. I'm merely the head of the botany department.
My particular talent is being able to get the money from the trustees so that men like Kober can carry on the experiments and reap the glory.
I see.
There's only one thing we had any conflict about, uh, Kober and I.
Oh, what's that?
Uh, the name he insists on giving this flower, the Papillonaceous Corolla Louise.
Ah, the Louise part bothers you, eh?
Yes, I can see that might lead to complications.
No, no, no, Miss Brooks, Mr. Valentine, you're not intruding at all.
Any friend of Mrs. DeRange is always welcome in the greenhouse.
Oh, John, I just can't wait until you show them my new flower.
No, I can't wait either. I've heard so much about it.
Well, this way.
I hate to sound like a tourist, Professor Kober, but this greenhouse is more elaborate than any I've ever seen.
Yes, isn't it, my dear? The most modern in the world. I designed it myself.
And we have different rules for every type of flower, don't we, John? And no end of gadgets.
Well, Louise's enthusiasm is a constant source of inspiration, but she is right. There is no end of gadgets.
I'm afraid only Professor Bosworth and I know where they all are and what they're supposed to do.
Please come in quickly so I can close the door.
Well, yeah, but shouldn't we put on a light?
Can't you see?
Well, you see, we have no light at all in this room. I had it built especially for this experiment.
Tell them why, John. It's awfully intriguing.
Well, you see, light and cold are the two enemies of the papillin-ornacious corolla.
The slightest fall in temperature would mean their death. That's why we have a thermostatic control.
Even that is well hidden in the back.
But how did you get to see these beautiful specimens of yours, Professor?
Well, you will. In a minute, after you get used to the dark.
George, I'm beginning to see them now. Look, can't you see them glowing?
Yeah, hey, they're really something.
Worth every minute of the twelve years I've spent to get that unearthly perfection and color in the petals.
John says that nature, the most beautiful and dangerous thing, thrives in the darkness.
Didn't you say that, John?
Well, I didn't put it as romantically as that, Louise, but with these flowers it does seem that way.
And another thing, you have only to touch them and that glow comes right off on your fingers.
And you can't get rid of it for days.
Oh, that's very interesting.
Well, now I'm afraid we'll have to get to work, Louise. We got that new soil preparation this morning.
Let's get on out where it's life.
Oh dear, now I have to see John in my car. I'll be right back.
Oh, hurry, my dear. I have to bring in the flats for those seedlings.
Oh, Mr. Valentine, why don't you and Miss Brooks stay and see how we work?
Yes, Professor, thanks. That'll be fine.
On the other hand, Brooks, you stay here. I think I'll give the Professor a hand.
Okay, George.
Here, you don't want to do that all alone.
Oh, no need for you to bother Valentine.
Hey, Professor, look out! Get out of the way! Valentine!
Oh, that was close. Are you all right?
I wouldn't be if you hadn't pushed me out of the way.
That boulder was coming straight at us.
Yes, yes.
Can you stand up?
I think so.
Oh, just a part of it went over my foot.
I think you can see for yourself, Richard.
Oh, are you all right, John?
Yes, yes, quite now, Louise.
George, where are you going?
Up this hill. See if this is another one of those accidents.
I'll help you inside, John.
Wait a minute, darling.
Professor Kober nearly got that boulder in the middle of his back.
He was bending down over his precious seedlings, a perfect target.
It must have fallen from here.
Yes, but it didn't just come loose, Brooksie. Look at this.
Property of Western State University.
Botanical department.
Yes, the shovel somebody used to spade up the dirt from under that rock.
He had to do it to be able to push it down.
You mean he or she, don't you?
Yes, Brooksie.
What I want to know is, was that boulder meant for the professor or for me?
We'll return to tonight's adventure, George Valentine, in just a moment.
Here in the West, winter brings skiing, skating, and tobogganing to a lot of folks.
But to the battery in your car, winter brings a heap of extra work.
Colder mornings mean harder starting.
Longer evenings mean more battery juice for lights.
So why not give your battery a helping hand, get real fast starts and extra power from it?
Just pull in at an independent Chevron gas station or a standard station.
Being experts at battery service, they can give it more pep than a pup in no time at all.
If your battery's got one foot in the grave, they can supply you a new Atlas battery.
Each Atlas battery has the number of plates and the certified capacity stamped right on the battery case.
And the written warranty you get with a new Atlas battery is good at 38,000 stations seven days a week.
For all your car's battery needs, rely on a standard station or an independent Chevron gas station,
where they say, and mean, we'll take better care of your car.
And now back to tonight's adventure of George Valentine.
A huge boulder almost pins a college professor against a tree.
Why? He's only interested in developing a new type of orchid.
The incident itself is exciting enough, but if you're half as curious as Claire Brooks,
what you really want to know is why your boss, George Valentine, thought something like this might happen.
Remembering all the strange characters in the case, you're right on George's heels
as he enters the Quonset hut on University Road.
Anybody here?
The derains seem to be out, George.
What do you want? What are you doing here?
Oh, just looking for your father and mother, Stephen. We have something to talk about.
Well, go on, find them. I can't. Get out.
Now, that's no way to talk, Stephen.
Why not? Father's out somewhere quoting Homer. My mother's... who knows where she is.
Expect to walk in and find me in the best of humor?
Now listen to me, kid.
I won't and take your hands off of me.
I said listen to me. Your mother was right when she said someone was trying to kill Professor Coper.
We saw it happen again this afternoon.
And he's not dead? What's the matter? Why, they make such a mess out of it.
Okay, it's no use talking to you.
By the way, when did you get home, Stephen?
I don't see why I have to answer questions like that. Not to strangers.
Now get out of here!
I really must apologize for my son's manners.
Oh, Mr. Drain.
We didn't hear you come in.
No, I came in the back way.
Did I hear you say something about another accident happening to Professor Coper?
Yeah, you heard right.
You needn't look at me that way.
I was in the Hodgkin's library all afternoon reading Plato's Republic in the original Greek.
Believe me, it wasn't easy.
A couple of tea, Miss Brooks?
Oh, no, I don't think so, thanks.
Be a shame if anything happened to Professor Coper before he won that $50,000 prize.
Is that how much the prize is worth?
Oh, yes. I see you don't know your flowers, old man.
Where's Louise?
Oh, she called and said she'd be working late again at the greenhouse.
Oh, now look, Drain, I'm as modern as the next guy, but don't you resent your wife spending so much time with another man?
Oh, no. Louise happens to be fond of flowers.
I am imbued with the spirit of philosophy.
But get one thing straight, Valentine. We're very much in love with each other.
Nothing can alter that.
Thanks. That makes a lot of things clear, Drain.
It... Doc?
Sure, Brooksie. Now come on, we're in a hurry.
Let's have a look in the orchard room, Brooksie.
I can't see a thing, George.
Give yourself a chance. Remember the flowers that glow in the dark?
Oh, yes.
Professor Kober?
George! Something on the floor. I just tripped over.
Who... who is it?
I don't know. I can hardly see.
But I think it's the professor. I'm sure this is his top coat.
The one he wore this afternoon?
Yes. But it's not the professor.
What?
It's a woman.
Louise?
No.
Well, let me see.
Hey, it's... it's Mrs. Coates.
The professor's wife.
Stabbed in the back with a pair of pruning shears.
Oh, George, I can't look.
I know. And about that theory of mine...
Yes, dear?
You don't have to worry about it anymore.
This little piece of mayhem has knocked it all in a cocked hat.
Well, where do we go from here?
We go to the telephone and call Lieutenant Riley.
Well, still running true to form, eh, Valentine?
Uh, leave it to you to get murder all mixed up with the professor and flowers that glow in the dark.
Oh, the trouble with you, Lieutenant, is that you think murder only happens to Mr. Average Man.
Yep. I've got no imagination, Miss Brooks.
Oh, I could imagine somebody trying to knock off Professor Cooper
where there's a prize in the
back ground, but why his wife?
Because she happened to be wearing his coat.
You know, somehow, Lieutenant, I hate putting things off until tomorrow morning.
If that's supposed to be an aspersion on the efficiency of the homicide squad,
it leaves me cold.
What do you expect me to do, slap the whole derain coming in the can?
No, not that, but...
Both the father and the son could have had a gripe against the professor.
And if Mrs. Cooper wasn't killed by mistake, either he's or the professor could have done it.
Um, George, didn't you have a sort of special theory all cooked up before we found Mrs. Cooper?
Oh, Brooks, I unlike the Lieutenant. I wasn't hept on the jealousy angle.
Take up here as soon as I could after you called, Valentine.
Oh, this is dreadful.
Murder is never very wholesome.
Oh, Dr. Bonsworth, this is Lieutenant Riley, a homicide.
How are you?
How do you do?
When I talked to you before, Valentine, I was convinced that all this was just so much nonsense
but now I see how wrong I've been.
Oh, Lieutenant.
Yes, doctor.
How can we go about keeping this as quiet as possible?
You know how squeamish trustees are about bad publicity.
Oh, that should be easy, doctor.
Just what do you propose we do?
Forget somebody was killed here tonight?
Oh, no, no, no, of course not.
I suppose I'll just have to issue some dignified announcements.
You make it sound like a wedding, doctor.
Now, I'd better go and speak to the dean.
It's going to be a terrible shock for him after all the years he's spent with these
people.
Oh, Valentine, you'll call me in the morning?
Yeah, sure thing.
We're going to be moving along now, too.
Well, what about it, Valentine?
Come on, let's get moving.
I'm tired.
I have to be at the morgue at eight in the morning.
Let's not worry so much about a night's sleep, ain't we, Lieutenant?
What?
It's my night's sleep you're talking about.
As a tough-minded practical cop, I know you don't subscribe to the bromide so dear to the
heart of mystery writers.
Such bromide, Dad?
The murderer returning to the scene of the crime.
Oh, no, no, not that one, Valentine.
You're willing to wait it out and see?
No.
What do you take me for?
Why, I wouldn't...
You wouldn't what, Lieutenant?
I wouldn't dare take a chance on Lieber now.
The worst thing about waiting around in the dark is that you can't play gin rummy.
Patience, Lieutenant.
Yeah.
Well, if no one shows, darling, the dawn's going to come up like thunder on someone's
very red face.
Ooh, you and your subtleties.
You know, I was talking to the commissioner the other day and said, I, boss, why bother
about having a homicide squad when one man like George...
Hey.
What's that?
Sounds like it comes from the other end of the green house.
This is my day off of plan answers.
We'd better go and see.
Wait a minute.
Hold it, Valentine.
Hold it.
There's a lot of glass on the ground here.
Yeah.
Yeah, and whoever indulged himself in this bit of vandalism is off in that car.
Oh, we'll never catch up with him.
Okay, Valentine, something did happen, as you said it might.
But what was it?
The murderer.
Well, we're going to have to smash this thermostat, see?
Yeah?
Take a chance like that on being caught, George.
Just to smash the devil out of this gadget?
A very important gadget, Lieutenant.
It controls the temperature of the greenhouse.
Of course, Professor Cobras flowers.
Yes, and they're dying right now.
Brooksie, you and the Lieutenant have to keep that from happening.
Me?
What do I know about flowers?
When in doubt, just ask Brooksie.
Now come on, come on, Miss Brooksie.
Look, look, look, the fun is fun, but it's cold in here.
Now, Lieutenant, let me have your shirt.
You already took my jacket.
These flowers have to be kept warm and covered.
Even if we just say one of them, it'll mean something.
Yeah, well, I don't see you giving up much for the cause.
Lieutenant, please.
Oh, for the love of Mike.
Here, take the shirt off my back.
Oh, I just hope that Valentine knows what he's doing.
We'll find out as soon as he gets back.
In the meantime, we have to find something else to put around these flowers.
Well, that's...
No, no, please, Miss Brooks.
No, now, don't look at me that way.
Please, I've done enough for the Flower Kingdom tonight.
Oh, you're cute, Lieutenant.
But I just happen to remember those burlap bags outside.
All right, Valentine, we sit here in the dark in the... in the Orca...
Oh!
Orca Droom and the murderers are going to walk in this door and say,
Here I am. Take me downtown.
You won't have to say a word, Lieutenant, I hope.
Okay, Brooks, send them in one-on-one. You can start with Stephen.
Oh, Stephen, will you come in?
Why do we have to go through this?
Hasn't my mother caused us enough trouble?
You shouldn't be so critical of your mother, son.
Now, go over there and sit down.
Mr. Durene, thanks, Brooks, please.
If you will, please, Mr. Durene.
Isn't this kind of unusual, Valentine, all the darkness?
Oh, but the court says that philosophers have always understood
murder and darkness go together.
Sit next to Stephen, will you?
I think he can find your way.
Mrs. Durene next.
Valentine, what are you doing?
You're not even asking these people any questions.
Mr. Durene, I'm so worried about Professor Coder.
He hasn't had a wink of sleep all night.
Over there, Louise, please.
Oh, you gods.
Go right in, please, Professor Coder.
Oh, my flowers. You did manage to keep them alive.
Look at them. How they glow.
How did you do it, Mr. Valentine?
Well, I could tell you, Pat, but I won't.
Sit there, Professor Coder.
Oh, Dr. Bosworth, I think you can come in.
I believe I know who our murderer is.
I certainly hope so.
And I have you to thank for the answer, Doctor.
Me?
Yes, sir.
And I want to shake your hand.
Of course, but, dear.
Hey, look at that guy's hand.
The finger, the way they shine.
That's right.
Well, what do you know?
Look at his hand, John.
It's the pollen from our flower.
But, Bosworth, that couldn't be.
You haven't been here for weeks.
Oh, yes, he was.
He had to be here when he killed Mrs. Coder.
Golly, I never imagined Bosworth thought he'd kill the professor.
Well, why else would he have said it would be such a shock to the dean?
After all the years the old gentleman spent looking forward.
To the end of those experiments.
Yeah, sure.
With Coburg gone, Bosworth could finish his work and get all the glory.
But first he had to kill those flowers.
Then, using Coburg's notes, it would be easy.
I noticed a faint glow on the thermostat control, even in the light.
Well, I was too worried about who was getting away in that car.
You see, only two men knew about those elaborate temperature controls in the greenhouse.
And Coburg, the true scientist, would rather die than destroy his own brainchild.
Well, that's that.
But I don't know how I'll ever be able to feel the same way about a man who almost achieved immortality.
Huh? What?
Well, Professor Coburg was so grateful, he volunteered to call his sensational orchid the Papillonaceous Valentine.
Oh, you too. You know I'm not as beautiful as the fair Louise.
Well, now, that's gr- gr- gr-
That's gratitude for you. It was my coat and my shirt that kept those flowers alive.
Yeah, he's right at that, George.
All right, all right. From now on, between the three of us, it'll be the Papillonaceous Corolla Riley.
Ah, jeez.
Oh, shoot!
Watch this.
One of the first things a lady does when she's shopping for clothes is to touch the garment.
She judges the texture by feeling it.
The hand test will tell you a lot about Atlas grip-safe tires, too.
Next time you're at a standard station or an independent Chevron gas station,
just press your palm on the tread of a new Atlas tire and feel how it grips your hand.
Atlas tires on your car grip the road in the same way, thanks to their special non-skid tread design.
That's how they give you quick, straight stops and why Atlas tires are safer on the turns.
You can't buy safer driving for yourself and your family, and you can't find a better warranty than the written Atlas warranty.
It's good at 38,000 stations in the 48 states in Canada seven days a week.
Why take chances in winter driving? Get Atlas grip-safe tires tomorrow.
Get them at any independent Chevron gas station or standard station, where they say, and mean, we'll take better care of your car.
Next week, when you tune our way for another adventure of George Valentine, you'll find George reading a letter from an old man who says,
Dear Mr. Valentine, I wish to bestow a beautiful and precious gift upon a member of my family, the worthiest one, the rare Wittenberg Bible.
And you can help me. Kindly call Sunday morning when I can be sure that all of my little family will be home.
Signed, Wesley Hart.
Another problem for George. Next Monday night in Murder, It's a Gift.
Music
Tonight's adventure of George Valentine has been brought to you by Standard of California on behalf of independent Chevron gas stations and standard stations throughout the West.
Let George Do It stars Robert Bailey and George with Francis Robinson as Claire.
Wally Mayer appears as Lieutenant Riley.
Tonight's story was written by David Victor and Herbert Little, Jr. and directed by Don Clark.
Also heard in the cast were Loreen Tuttle as Louise, Jeff Chandler as Michael, Tommy Cook as Stephen, Ted Funnels as Kober, May Baker as Lenore, and Herb Rawlinson as Bosworth.
The music is composed and conducted by Eddie Dunstetter. Your announcer, John Heston.
Listen again next week, same time, same station, to Let George Do It.
This is the Mutual Downly Broadcasting System.