Mystery House.
That strange publishing firm owned by Dan and Barbara Glenn, where each new
novel is acted out by the Mystery House staff before it is accepted for
publication. Mystery House.
I like the title of the novel we're trying out tonight, Barbie. Killing in the
Market. It takes place in stock market, does it?
Nope, Dan. The Wholesale Flower Market. What? Flower? F-L-O-W-E-R. Flower Market.
Oh, that seems like an odd place for a murder. Well, this is an odd murder.
Flowers play an important part in it. Yeah, well, I don't see how flowers could be
mixed in a murder. Sounds a little far-fetched. I'll bet it isn't, Mr. Glenn,
because Mrs. Glenn is always mighty fussy about selecting novels that stick
to close to reality, almost as careful as I am. You? Careful about what? Why, careful
about my part of the show, about sticking to reality and facts. Listen.
Okay, places everybody. Set the scene, will you, Tom? A killing in the market.
Tonight's story opens in Doll Callahan's garishly furnished apartment. A man
seems to want to get in rather badly.
Doll, let me in. Let me inside for the love of Pete. Angles, what's the matter with you?
What are you coming in the back door for? Hey, you look like you've seen a ghost. I
got him. No matter where I go, I got him. Angles, makes sense. What are you talking
about? What's the matter? I got him, Doll. The jitters. I must be washed up. How you
make me sick? They're shaking like a scared cop. What's happened? Every day I
get flowers. For a week now. Every day, flowers. That's why I haven't come near you.
I don't want him to find out about you and me. It's driving me... Angles, you mean, not
Dusty. Don't tell me Dusty Lazarus. Angles, you mean Dusty skipped? No, he don't
skip. The game is papers. He's free. And he's driving me nuts with them nick-nick-nick.
Nicotiana? Yeah. Dusty's sending you Nicotiana. Cut it out. What's so funny
about that? That's what he sent me. He always gave me Nicotiana before they sent
him up the river. Only he sent them to me because I was his girl.
Nicotiana was his trademark. I know. But I never could figure out why a slicker
like Dusty would fool around with a flower nobody else would be caught dead
with. A creep like you wouldn't. But Dusty's the kind of guy that likes things pretty.
And Nicotiana's one of the most beautiful flowers there is. They're
different. They blossom at night. Ah, they stink. It can smell them for blocks and I
can't get away from that smell. Follows me wherever I am. Maybe that's why Dusty
gave them to you. Maybe he doesn't want you to forget him. Maybe he's a little
sore because you moved in on me when he got that wrap. Yeah? So what's he gonna
do about it? He must be stir crazy. Sending me red and white flowers that only
come out in the dark. Don't worry about Dusty. He's not the one that's losing his
grip. He's nothing but a broken down flower peddler. He's Dusty Lazari, the
biggest guy that ever hit this top. Okay. So he talks sweet and pays 35 bucks for
a necktie. He's still nothing but a flower peddler. Dusty Lazari and Dal
Callahan. Everybody used to talk about us. Listen, Dal. Too over kind they said.
Both smart. Cut it out. And the dough he had. He threw it around like it was
nothing. Yeah? You're just lucky I was there to keep you from going to the pen
along with him. Why you? You framed him. You're the one. Now look, it was only to keep
him from framing me. You ratted on him, you mean. He had to muscle in on his
territory. Don't give me that. I noticed you didn't have any trouble making the
switch. What do you mean by that, mister? Don't make your sword to be riding in my
limousine, does it? You don't mind the clothes I buy for you, do you? Why you?
I could kill you for what you did to Dusty. Oh, so now that Dusty's out of the
Houskow, you want to go back to him, do you? Listen, you little...
Take your hands off of me. Just remember, sweetheart, I can take care of you and
Dusty. You make me laugh. Come here, Dal. Oh no, I'm getting out of here. I said come
here. Take your hat off. You can't push me around. I'm leaving. Come here, Dal. What are you so
excited about? Keep talking, Mr. Big, but I won't do you any good. You'll see the
last of me when I walk through this door. Holy smoke! He's dead. It's Slugger. I
told him to wait in a car around the corner. He should have. Oh look, look at
that knife. Yeah, and look at his buttonhole. Because she ain't... It's Dusty. He must have...
Oh no, no, it couldn't be Dusty. Come on. No, I'm not gonna get caught with you. I said
come on. You want me to slug you again? Let go of my arm. Come on. You can register at some
hotel. Only right now you are gonna get out of here. Dusty's probably hiding in some
place close by. Come on, we'll take the stairway. You're a rat, but maybe you're right.
Keep quiet. Now act like nothing was wrong when we go out the door. Dusty won't try
anything on the street. I should have known better than get mixed up with you.
All right, now quiet now. And don't forget, you're trying to think funny and I'll fix it so you
can't talk to Dusty or anybody else. Go ahead. Slap me again in front of all these
people. Flowers, flowers for the lady. Away from Minnie. Flowers for the lady. What's that old dame doing way up here?
Hello Minnie. Got a nice bouquet for me today? Flowers for the lady. You like these. My best bouquet
for only 50 cents. You never remember me, do you Minnie? No, I don't remember. That's why I sell
flowers. Such pretty flowers. Flowers, flowers for the lady. Well, you hurry up. We gotta get out of here.
Goodbye Minnie. Come on. Hey taxi. Hey, what do you think you're doing? Hey, go long angles. Here, catch the bouquet.
Take a good smell. It's Nicotiana. Step on the driver. Don't let him catch us.
Sit down Dusty. It's been a long time. I figured we ought to have a chat just for old times sake.
You're sure that's all you have up your sleeve? Same old Dusty. You know, you should have been on my team.
You're smart. You'd have been a big shot on the police force. Yeah, well I think I've had my taste of being a big shot,
Andrews. Yeah, I suppose you did. By the way, Dusty, what are you doing now? Oh, same old thing. Only this time
it's legal. I'm operating a little flower shop. Yeah, that's what I hear Dusty. You still go for those things
nobody else likes. What do you call them? Nicotiana. Still my favorite flower and... And? Still my
trademark. Oh, I'm glad you mentioned that, Dusty. There's a little matter... A matter of one stiff
formerly known as Slugger Riley. That's it, Dusty. Slugger was found with a knife in his back and your
trademark in his buttonhole. Is that one of the old times you wanted to discuss, Andrews? Well, I did
have that on my mind, but there's some other things too. The real reason I asked you to drop around was
this. I want your professional advice. Oh, something about flowers? You planning a party? Oh, forgive me,
Dusty. I should have said you were former profession. You see, I have a problem. An unexpected murder,
Slugger Riley. Now, here are the facts. Riley was the chauffeur of a guy named Angles, who's the boyfriend
of a gal named Dal Callahan, at whose residence the murder was committed. Now, anybody driving a car
for a guy like Angles might expect to get knocked off someday, but the interesting thing is that Riley
was very healthy until shortly after a former friend of Angles was released from prison. Well,
offhand, I'd guess that you were talking about me. I might be, Dusty. Anyhow, this former friend comes
home from prison to find that his girl is now holding hands with a guy who muscled in on his old
racket. A perfect case of circumstantial evidence. Yeah, so I thought, Dusty, but it also occurred to
me that I was dealing with a very smart character. Meaning? Meaning he was so smart he might plant his
trademark on the body and figure I'd think he was too smart to do anything that looked so stupid.
An interesting theory, but aren't the odds in favor of somebody else? An unknown assailant making
use of the trademark in order to confuse the police? Maybe, maybe. However, I still like my theory.
My trouble is that I don't want to make an arrest until I'm sure of getting a conviction. And so you'd
like to have... Flower, flower, why my pretty flower? Sorry, Dusty. One of your competitors. Well, hello, Minnie.
Oh, Dusty. Thanks for the dress you brought me. I'm saving it for Sunday. You two know each other? Oh,
for years, Andrews. Minnie, get the captain one of the special bouquets. He's interested in
Nicosiana. Nicosiana? Oh, it's not hard to find if you're looking for it. Nicosiana for Captain Andrews?
Are you sure, Dusty? Yeah, quite sure, Minnie. And I'll have to make something special. Wait now
till I find my knife. Keep it in my basket somewhere. Oh, here it is. Here's my knife. Knife?
That looks like a bayonet. From the old act. I keep it sharp to cut my flowers. Yeah, Minnie was in
Fordville. She did a knife throwing act here. You lost your husband that way, didn't you, Minnie?
Lost him? Sure. He never could keep his papers off other women. Vomit. Yeah, you see, Minnie and her
husband used to take turns throwing knives at each other. And every time it was old Vic's turn to be
the target, he'd watch the audience for good-looking girls. Well, one day he moved his head a little too
much and Minnie's knife got him by accident in the temple. He can't see no more women nowadays
where he is. Well, that'll be all, Minnie. Step in again tomorrow. Yeah, all right, Dusty. You want me?
No, everything's fine, Minnie. I'll see you tomorrow morning at the market. Tomorrow, Dusty.
Now, before we were interrupted, you were saying... Dusty, I've been thinking. I'd like to spend a day
at the market with you. I find I'm getting interested in flowers.
Hey, you. See Dusty Luzerri? Hey. Oh, nuts. Anything I can do for you, Miss Callahan?
Captain Andrews. Anything wrong, doll? What are you doing here? You're not... I might ask you the same thing.
Well, I'm looking for a friend. I think I ought to warn you. I have a date with him at five o'clock.
You're up early, Miss. Too early, maybe. Minnie, Minnie, have you seen Dusty Luzerri?
You know him, don't you? I never see what I tell and I never tell what to see. Good morning, Minnie.
She's a queer one, that. You be careful, doll. You may end up with a basket of flowers.
Don't joke with me, copper. I can still outsmart you. When I find Dusty, I'm going to tell him you're here.
Do that. Tell him I'll be right where I said I'd meet him. I've got to find Dusty before that wise
guy Andrews gets him. What did you say, sugar? Engels, what are you doing here? Get out from behind
that screen. Oh, no, babies. You come here. Keep your hands away from me. Get away or I'll scream.
There's a cop right down there. You've got me all wrong, doll. All I want to do is talk to you.
Don't worry about Dusty. He'll wait for you. Dusty. Oh, no. No tricks. I'm going to find
Dusty right now. Okay, sweetheart. I'll see you later.
Nicosiana. All I need is Nicosiana.
Ow. Let me in here. What is it? Great, Scott. Look at that knife. She's dead. Dead.
And with the spring of Nicosiana blooms in her hand. Don't touch that knife. Somebody give me a hand.
Here you go. Engels Baron. Where'd you come from? Well, me and the doll have been having some trouble,
so I followed her down here to try to make up. How long have you been here? Just got here.
Have you seen Dusty Lazari? I ain't seen anybody. I knew I shouldn't have trusted that guy.
There's nothing he wouldn't try to get away with.
Well, the murders of Slugger and Doll haven't been any great blow to society,
but we can't let murder go unpunished even so. The question is, who should we punish?
And that's a question that'll be answered in the second act of a killing in the market.
And now, act two of a killing in the market. It's still early morning in the marketplace,
where florists come to buy fresh stocks of flowers for the day's trade, and in the empty
booth in which Doll Callahan was killed, the
flowers are being sold. And the flowers are being sold.
And the flowers are being sold. And the flowers are being sold.
And the flowers are being sold. And the flowers are being sold.
And the flowers are being sold. And the flowers are being sold.
And the flowers are being sold. And the flowers are being sold.
And the flowers are being sold.
They're being sold.
Those flowers are being sold to Sandin.
Hey, come on.
Why weren't you here at five o'clock?
Well, I got your call.
What call?
What are you talking about?
Well, Sergeant, somebody, your other phone from headquarters,
said you want me to stop there and pick you up.
You don't expect me to believe that.
Well, I assure you, Andrews, it's true.
Call your office.
They'll tell you I was just there.
He's trying to pull a fast one, Andrews.
You don't think you'll check on him?
On the contrary, I wish you would call.
He's bluffing, Andrews.
Anybody can see that.
You shut up, Angles.
I'll handle this.
Dusty.
Dusty, I've been looking all over for you.
Yeah, hello, Minnie.
I'll see you later.
What's the matter, Dusty?
Does she make you nervous?
Dusty, you know what you told me about the meeting.
Yeah, later, Minnie, later, later.
Captain Andrews has some business he'd like me to help clear up.
But Dusty, you told me to...
What did he tell you, Minnie?
Maybe that's more important than Dusty would like to admit.
Not now, Minnie.
I assure you, Andrews, it's nothing...
What's this all about, Minnie?
You heard what Dusty said.
You think I'm going to tell you?
Well, Minnie, I'm an officer of the law.
You can't talk that way to me, you know.
Maybe Captain Andrews is right, Minnie.
I don't want to get you in trouble.
No, I'll not say a word.
You know you can trust me, Dusty.
After all the things you've done for me.
For crying out loud, Andrews,
you're going to let Dusty and that feeble-minded old dame cross you up?
What are you going to do about it, doll?
Hey, take her off of me!
Hey, Minnie, stop it, stop it!
Get that out of her, or I'll have to lock you up.
That old dame is nuts.
Shut up, you nut-house.
No, no, Minnie, wait a minute.
You're only making trouble for both of us.
I think you better run along now.
That's right, Minnie.
This is no place for you.
Dusty, Dusty, don't make me...
It's all right, Minnie, it's all right.
It's better for you.
Go along, Minnie.
What a rump dumb, she ought to be strung up.
Minnie!
Now, don't do that again.
Now, go along.
I'll see you soon.
All right, Dusty, if you say so.
You two going steady, Dusty?
Why, you cheap hoot.
It wouldn't occur to you to be kind to a poor old...
Don't call me names.
Who's got a record, you or me?
Shut up, both of you.
Well, I'm sorry, Andrews, I lost my temper, I guess.
You and your fancy talk.
What's the matter with you, Andrews?
Why don't you lock them up?
You're going to let doll lay there
while you two practice your manners?
All right, Andrews, that's enough.
We'll get to your late girlfriend soon enough.
Now, Dusty, we've still got to settle this business
of where you were at five o'clock.
Well, I'll do everything I can to cooperate.
Call your office.
I'm going to do that, Dusty.
There's a phone down there in that next booth.
But just remember, I can see every move you make.
So don't force me to use my gun.
I'll be right here when you get back.
You got a lot of crust for a guy with a pedigree, Dusty.
You know you ain't got a chance of beating this rap, don't you?
What makes you think I have a rap to beat, Angles?
If I'd planned to eliminate anybody,
I'd have concentrated on you instead of the doll or slugger Riley.
Don't give me that mush talk.
Don't forget, you're not a cannonball anymore.
I can cleave you any time you say the word, any time, see?
You haven't learned, have you, Angles?
What do you mean?
You framed me once, but you won't get away with it again.
Oh, that's a lot of fake-a-roo.
Don't worry, Angles, don't worry.
I'm not going to bump you off.
I learned too much up the river to try that again.
But there are other ways.
Well, you talk like you're stir-crazy.
Yeah?
Well, let's see what Andrews has to say.
He's coming back now.
OK.
So you fixed it so the cops would say you were at the police station.
But the important thing is, you didn't keep your date with Andrews.
And what?
And Andrews knows Doll was murdered while you were gone.
That's still going to seem mighty funny to him.
You'd love to pin this on me, wouldn't you?
You did it.
You and Nicosiana.
Ha ha ha ha.
I'll be seeing you, Dusty.
I done my day's work.
Well, gotta hand it to you, Dusty.
You've got an alibi.
But confound it, I know you too well.
You still might have done it.
Maybe.
But it seems to me you're building up a circumstantial case
without any real motive.
Motive?
Don't you call what Doll did to you enough of a motive?
Well, surely you don't think I'm carrying a torch for the girl
just because she switched to Angles when I was convicted.
That's not what I'm talking about.
Angles told a stool that Doll Callahan squealed on you.
Yeah?
I don't get it.
It was an anonymous telephone call that gave us the evidence
you were convicted on.
Angles claims that call came from Doll Callahan.
I don't believe that, Andrews.
Sounds good enough to me.
Doll wasn't the kind of a girl to cook up a story on me.
The call came from somebody.
Yeah, well, who made it isn't important.
I was running the mob and Angles wanted to move in.
So he planted the evidence that got me convicted.
Doesn't hold up, Dusty.
I can figure how Angles might want to get rid of Doll.
She was always crazy about you.
But Slugger was his own bodyguard.
Sure.
That was a trap for me.
There had to be some reason for getting me back into prison.
And Angles.
So he knocked off Slugger to make it look as if I'd killed him.
But he made one big mistake.
What?
He used a knife.
I never used a knife in my life.
I never even used a gun.
I used my brains.
Yeah, you always did.
But you made a mistake too, Dusty.
You didn't count on my finding the knife Minnie always carries.
Minnie?
Yes, Minnie.
Technically, she's responsible for both murders, Slugger
and Doll Callahan.
But you're morally responsible because you hired her
to do both jobs for you.
Minnie?
Oh, you're not serious.
You got careless when you had Minnie kill Doll.
You went with me to establish your alibi.
I'm putting both you and Minnie under arrest
and making it stick.
Come along.
Well, I'm.
OK.
But you mind if I get a flower first?
The stuff I bought's over in my truck.
You're losing your grip, Dusty.
You think I'm going to let you get away in that truck?
Now that's it.
Come on.
You're awfully suspicious, aren't you?
Why wouldn't I be?
Well, maybe I can get a flower from Minnie.
She should still be around here.
Hey, Minnie?
Oh, Minnie.
Don't get too smart, Dusty.
I won't hesitate to shoot you and Minnie both
if you try any fast ones.
And if you think that knife is better.
There she is.
Minnie.
Oh, I thought you called me, Dusty.
Yeah, you got any fresh Nicosiana, Minnie?
I, uh.
Keep your hand out of that pocket, Dusty,
or I'll have to shoot.
I just want to get some money to pay her, Andrew.
I'm warning you, Dusty.
Oh, that's all right, Dusty.
You don't need to pay me for a little Nicosiana.
See?
It's real fresh.
Just cut this morning.
Ain't even opened out yet.
And won't till sundown.
Real fresh.
Yeah.
Real fresh.
Nicosiana and my truck.
It's fresh, too.
Not opened out yet.
Andrews.
What?
Don't you see, Andrews?
The bouquet of Nicosiana we found on Doll's body,
it was opened out.
But there isn't a sprig of the stuff in the flower market
this morning that's open.
That Nicosiana Doll had wasn't bought here this morning.
It was yesterday's cutting.
I don't see what.
Check with the station.
They'll tell you I didn't have any Nicosiana
when I was there.
The sergeant cracked wise about it.
If I'd have gotten any, I'd have had to buy it here.
After I got here.
And it wouldn't have been blooming.
Don't move.
I'm talking to you, too, Andrews.
You're covered.
Put that gun down, Angles.
You can't get away with it.
That's a good tip, Angles.
Killing a cop would make it tougher on you
when they catch you.
Shut up, both of you.
And listen to me.
I heard everything you both said.
Part about the Nicosiana.
I'll bet you enjoyed that, didn't you, Angles?
Ah, you flower.
Yeah.
Flowers for your grave, Angles.
Seems funny that a pretty little flower could send you
to the electric chair, doesn't it?
Shut up.
I didn't kill him.
It's Minnie.
She could have had flowers left over from yesterday.
I got all fresh flowers.
There ain't a leftover sprig of Nicosiana in my basket.
See?
Just a minute, Minnie.
What do you think?
Don't reach for that knife, Minnie, or I'll shoot you out.
Try to shoot me, you dirty little crook.
My side.
That knife.
I'll take that gun, Angles.
Hey.
Well, smart boy.
OK.
I knew I was stuck when Dusty popped off with that stuff
about the flowers.
Get me to a hospital, can't you?
I'm in bad shape.
First knife I've thrown in 30 years.
But you can't say I've lost my touch.
Faster, Dusty.
Ah, you were terrific, Minnie.
You know, you ought to go back in the board, Val.
Not me.
I'll stick the flowers.
All except Nicosiana.
Yeah, maybe you're right.
Minnie, maybe we both ought to give up Nicosiana.