0456 - Extortion (3/26/1976)

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents...

Come in.

Welcome.

I'm E. G. Marshall,

with another tale of mystery

and the occult,

and of individuals caught in the maze of self-created problems.

The subject at hand is guilt,

and if a guilty conscience needs no accuser,

it is equally true that it can cause a person to break.

Because a guilty conscience is like an acid

which can corrode, weaken,

and break the hardest metal.

Our concern is with Mrs. Charles Layton.

Mrs. Layton speaking.

The beautiful and rich Mrs. Charles Layton.

Who is this?

Eric.

Good for you.

Eric Miller, your old Northwestan classmate, remember?

What do you want?

Not how are you, but what do you want?

I want to see you, doll, just to talk over old times.

Eleven tomorrow morning.

All right?

I... I guess so.

You guess right, doll.

It'll be nice to see you again.

Our mystery drama, Extortion,

was written especially for the mystery theater by Roy Windsor,

and stars Mandel Kramer and Evie Juster.

I'll be back shortly with Act One.

It is a truth, I think,

that the past quite often makes itself present

in the lives of most of us.

A friend with whom we quarreled may reappear as an enemy,

unforgiving of the past and destructive.

The girl a man almost married has a daughter who loves the man's son.

The past comes to our attention even in so ephemeral away

as through a fragrance long forgotten.

But if Extortion is to be taken literally,

and that is our title,

there must be something in the past of Mrs. Charles Layton

that makes her present frightening.

Any luck, Eric?

Well, they'll let me know.

What does that mean? No?

Uh-huh.

If you're all right, you don't look so good.

Oh, I'm all right, just tired.

Too much walking around.

It wears me out.

Oh, you worry me?

I know, I know.

But if I don't get something to do, I'll go crazy.

If you don't get a job, we'll have to give up this place.

My salary isn't big enough to pay all the bills.

Yes, I know that, and it worries me.

I really don't know what to do.

There aren't many good jobs in Evanston,

and I just can't stand the commute to Chicago.

What, uh, what, what happened today?

Oh, the guy was very nice.

He liked my portfolio.

He thought I could handle the writing side of the job,

but a reporter's got to move around a lot,

and, uh, well, uh, would I be up to that?

There's got to be something.

What about Northwestern, some of your classmates?

You told me a lot of them have become successful.

Sure, bankers, lawyers, even one big advertising man.

I went to see him.

Yeah.

And he wanted to help, but what could he do?

He liked my stuff, but he didn't like what I had to tell him about myself.

The bad heart would screw up the company's group insurance plan,

and, of course, he asked about my last job.

Why I got fired.

Yeah.

I'm a bad risk.

Oh, it's so unfair.

No, Patsy, it says to bad break.

Business is business.

You can't expect a company to lose me for a month every time I have an attack.

But you've only had one bad one.

Yeah, well, that was enough.

And I got eased out.

Oh, Eric, if we, if we just had a state, you could,

you could just sit here and write.

Yeah.

That's a big word, Patsy.

Oh, come on.

Who's rolling in money?

Come on, come on.

Someone, you know, think.

Hi.

Oh, hi.

I don't know.

I give, what about that, that teenager who ran after you in college?

You know, he's a that crazy one.

Oh, yeah.

Well, she was 19 or 20.

Well.

That's a long time ago, Patsy.

Claire Purcell.

Yeah, yeah.

That's the one.

No.

No, not Purcell.

That's not her last name.

Yeah.

Isn't she the one who married at the latent?

Hey, that's right.

Funny you should mention her.

Isn't she the one who was almost kicked out of college for smoking pot or something?

Yeah.

Mrs. Charles late.

Yeah, her husband's rolling in it, isn't it?

Oh, he's got buckets.

His father was one of the richest men around here.

Layton's also made it on his own as a lawyer.

Isn't he a stake representative?

Yeah.

Well.

Well, what?

Well, didn't you save her once from a jail term?

Yeah, you might say I did.

Well, what's wrong with looking her up?

It might be an idea.

She once thought you were out of sight.

No, you've had a run of bad luck.

You once saved her neck.

What's wrong with turnabout?

And money isn't her problem.

I don't think so.

Well, I haven't had men for you.

She'd have served time.

She could have.

How would she like that to become known?

What would that do to her and to her husband?

Even now.

I dig it, doll.

Come on, Eric, there's nothing to lose.

Now, ask her nicely.

But use a little pressure if you have to.

They're socially prominent.

If you spilled your story, they'd be mud.

That's for sure, and I still have the clippings.

Well, the sooner the better.

Tomorrow?

Yeah.

I'll give her a telephone call.

Charles, we're so proud of you.

Thank you, darling.

Congratulations, my boy.

I splendid.

Thank you, darling.

I heard it on the radio, Charles.

What's up, triumphs?

Your old father-in-law and his wife were here

to take you and clear out to dinner

to celebrate your successful defense of an innocent man.

Well, I thank you, John.

I'm very pleased for his sake, and I accept the dinner invitation.

Then I'm coming home and sleep around the clock.

Charles, if you're exiled.

No, no, no.

Claire, I feel fine.

But I know how I'll feel in a few hours.

I'm still walking the highway right now.

The letdown will come later, except for something

that I'm really looking forward to.

Oh, and what is that, darling?

Are you ready for a surprise?

Go on.

As state representative for this district

and as a member of the Judicial Committee,

I have been chosen to go to London.

Charles.

To London.

To make a firsthand study of certain court procedures

which might enlighten ours.

Now, it might take as long as a month,

with time off of our excursions.

Oh, there is.

And Salzburg.

Bro, won't Charles on beside you, right?

That's just great, Charles.

Oh, it does.

It doesn't.

No worries.

When, darling?

In about two weeks, darling,

I have things to arrange in my office first.

After defending this case,

it gives me a lift to look forward to a month abroad.

Let's just hope nothing interferes.

It won't.

Nothing could.

Claire Purcell.

Well, I mean Mrs. Charles Layton.

How are you, Eric?

Shot?

I don't blame you.

Well, please, please sit down.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

Beautiful view of the lake.

Beautiful home.

This is what I call beautiful living.

Yes, it's very nice.

Have you been ill?

Bad heart.

And hunger pains.

Oh?

A wreck.

Thirty-nine and going on eternity.

I'm not the carefree lad I was when we were in college.

Do you remember those days, Claire?

Don't you?

Yes.

And some of the things we did together?

Eric, after all these years,

why have you come to see me?

This, doll, this beautiful view, this lakefront estate,

this security, your...

Your wealth.

Oh, I see.

Your broke.

And you want to borrow money.

Well, borrow isn't the word out of Chosen.

Oh, you want me to give you money.

Let me put it this way.

Your husband is a state representative and a successful lawyer.

I read in last night's paper about his defense of that man accused of homicide.

Lateness is an important man, a man of integrity,

a man without a stain on his reputation.

He might be governor someday.

Oh, yes.

Charles is all of those things.

But you don't get what I'm driving at.

Is that it, doll?

You were nineteen when it happened.

Remember?

And you're here to extort money from me

or you'll go to some cheap journal.

Now, Claire, it's a human interest story.

I can see the headline now.

Wife of state representative revealed his hit and run driver 19 years ago.

Left scene of accident.

I did not leave the scene.

You took the wheel and drove us away.

Because you were drugged and never should have been at the wheel of that car.

That's why you ran down that boy on the bicycle.

And I still know the name of the boy you hit.

See if I come forward now.

I denied the story and you'd be arrested.

I can prove my story.

I got into the back seat because you insisted on driving.

There were witnesses to that doll.

You committed a crime.

For your sake, I also committed one.

Won't you, my girl?

Won't we be going to get married?

This is an extortion.

I could tell my husband.

But you won't.

I've got something you want.

Silence.

You've got something I need.

Money.

I'll be reasonable.

Look, Claire, I just need help too.

To tie me over.

Until I get back on my feet.

How much?

Say, uh...

5,000 now?

5,000?

You won't miss it.

And it'll save my life.

I can't give you 5,000 dollars.

I'd have to explain it.

Enter the check as a contribution to the Eric Miller Foundation.

Who'll ever know?

I'll bet your checkbook has a six-figure balance.

Well, I'll have to think about it.

I'm sorry, doll.

I want the money.

It's 11.30.

And you should call his cupboard at 5.

Hand over the cash.

And rest easy.

I don't think so.

You're rotten to the core.

Every blackmailer is.

One payment means another.

Until I couldn't pay.

I won't be greedy.

You say you're a sick man.

Just look at me.

One foot in the grave.

If you die.

Don't count on it.

The arrangement I've just proposed has already made me feel wonderful.

With money in my pocket, I'll be a new man.

And if I refuse, you expose the story.

Uh-huh.

Even though you'd be arrested.

Of course.

What have I got to lose?

Hello, Tilly.

My highland lassie.

I...

She's no lassie.

I am in a longer Mr. Layton.

But I thank you for the compliment.

Is Mrs. Layton around?

She upstairs?

Oh, she's near that home since 2 o'clock.

She's not telephone.

It's after a seat.

Oh.

Where'd she go?

She's saying?

No, sir. After the visitor left.

Mrs. Layton left.

Visitor?

When?

Some man was here about 11.30 and left at noon.

Mrs. Layton hurried out at 12.30 or so.

Oh, I see.

Who was the man someone we know?

No, sir.

At least I've never seen him before.

Kind of...

Seedy looking.

About 40.

Flip.

Didn't give his name.

Just said, tell her old college chummy's here.

Hmm.

I see.

And she didn't say where she was going.

No, sir.

Oh, excuse me.

Maybe the...

I'll take it, Tilly.

Layton speaking.

Uh, Mr. Charles Layton.

Yes? Who is this?

Well, now there's nothing to worry about, Mr. Layton.

This is Dr. Wheeler at the Evanston Hospital.

Huh?

Mrs. Layton lost control of her car.

What? Is she all right?

Oh, yes, sir.

She's fine.

If you scratch, there's a sprained wrist.

Nothing serious.

Well, I'll be there in 15 minutes.

Oh, good.

I can assure you that.

Thank you, doctor.

Oh, Mr. Layton.

All right, all right, Tilly.

The car went out of control.

The Mrs. Layton is all right.

Just some scratches.

Now, don't you worry.

Oh, I'm so thankful.

Yes, yes, I'm too.

Oh.

It's just not like Claire too.

Well, I'll find out what happened.

I'm very sorry about dinner.

Oh, the two of you hurry back.

Don't think about dinner.

Warm, wireless soup.

That's what she lost.

It's an old college, gentlemen.

I wonder what he wanted.

Hi, Patsy.

My dear darling impoverished wife.

Well.

Take a look at this roll.

Twenty five hundred.

Twenty five hundred dollars.

I asked for five.

Eric.

And there's more where this came from.

Well, I suggest we celebrate by going out to dinner.

We've eaten crow long enough from now on.

It's pigeon.

Oh, she must be scared.

She is.

If the truth hit the papers, the scandal could wreck her husband's career.

It wouldn't go over very well at the state capital.

But don't use too much pressure, Eric.

You drive her off the wall.

She'll tell her husband.

I don't like to think what he might do to you.

Well, remember, he'd also have to defend his wife

for leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

Oh, no way, darling.

He'll want to save his skin.

And after all, Patsy, this is only money.

Oh, I hope you're right.

But don't crowd Charles Layton.

Let the goose lay her golden eggs at her own pace.

No pressure.

Understand?

Given time, most secrets are revealed.

Although blackmail is a despicable crime,

so is leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

And that, according to what Eric Miller claims,

is what the socially prominent Mrs. Charles Layton did almost 20 years ago.

And for it, he intends to make her pay.

Our story will continue when I return shortly with Act 2.

In the long run, that moss covered old aphorism

is true most of the time.

Honesty is the best policy.

Oh, not all dishonesty is discovered.

Many a black secret has gone to the grave.

But more often than not,

it's not that it's true.

But it's true that it's true that it's true.

Honesty is the best policy.

But more often than not,

you'll be better for it if you face up honestly to something you've done.

A guilty conscience really is the silent accuser.

No man is entirely without conscience,

so it follows that a secret is ever festering.

Given certain circumstances,

it can be a terrible struggle to admit the truth.

Oh, Charles.

Hi darling.

Hey, you gave us a terrible scare.

Let me have a look at you.

Oh, I'm a miss.

Oh.

You look gorgeous when this high becomes black and blue.

You're really all right, don't you?

Oh, yes, now let's get out of here.

How about your wrist?

It's just a strain.

Dr. Wheeler strapped it here,

helped me with my coat, Charles.

Okay, well, where is it in the closet, don't you?

Well, tell me what happened, Claire?

I don't quite know.

I was driving home from shopping,

across Davis Street toward the lake,

when I wiped out.

I wasn't going fast, right?

I was knocked out for a minute or so,

I swirved off to the right and into a tree,

and all the front end of the car.

Well, don't worry about the car, honey.

Anything else?

Oh, no, let's get out of here.

Okay, first I have to see Dr. Wheeler.

I suppose so.

I'll be in the waiting room.

Oh, please, Harry, Charles.

Oh, Dr. Wheeler.

Oh, you seem to be all right, Mrs. Leighton.

Oh, Mr. Leighton.

Oh, do you very, Charles?

Sure.

Is she all right, Doctor?

Yeah, she's shaken up, of course,

otherwise just what I told you.

Well, she was pretty lucky.

Yeah, she was.

Can I ask you something, Mr. Leighton?

And, because, is this the, um,

well, the first time Mrs. Leighton

has had an automobile accident?

Yes, to my knowledge.

I mean, Claire's an excellent driver.

Why?

Well, because when she was brought to emergency,

she was dazed.

Well, she told me that she'd blacked out

for a minute or so and then she came to her.

Yeah, no, that could be.

But when the police helped her out of the front seat,

she acted according to them, um, punch drunk.

I suspected a concussion, but she has none.

Her, um,

our day's condition might have been due to a reaction

to the accident relief

at discovering herself uninjured.

Mrs. Leighton seemed to be in a dream state.

Well, she recovered very quickly within 15 minutes.

But during those 15 minutes,

her subconscious took over.

Uh, that's why I asked you about previous accidents.

Well, you mean you heard something?

She kept saying the boy on the bicycle.

The boy on the bicycle over and over.

Boy on.

That's very strange, Doctor.

No, I thought so, Mr. Leighton.

I, I hesitated to tell you that Mrs. Leighton

has a deep-seated obsession about something.

Uh, boy on a bicycle, I take it.

Well, what do you advise that I do?

Well, talk it over with her.

Now, perhaps it's easily explained

if it can't be I'd urge a visit to a psychiatrist.

This kind of thing can be destructive.

Yes.

Well, thank you.

Thank you very much for telling me, Doctor.

Perhaps I should have held my time.

No, no, no.

I'm very grateful that you, uh, that you spoke to me.

I'll talk it over with Mrs. Leighton.

Uh, I'll answer, Edie.

Now, who could be calling at 10 o'clock?

Oh, child.

Yeah, all right, come in, come in.

Is it clear with you?

No, I'm alone.

Something's happened.

I just know something happened.

No, no, nothing serious, Evelyn.

What's happened to Claire?

She's fine, believe me.

She's just fine.

Now, she, she banged up the car early.

She's hurt?

No, no, no.

No, no, no.

No, no, no, no.

She's hurt?

She's hurt?

No, no, no.

A few scratches, a black eye.

But she's taken a sedative and she's sound asleep.

The reason I came over is that, uh, I wanted to ask a question.

Oh, of course, Evelyn.

John, as you know, Claire and I have been married for 14 years.

And she's an excellent driver.

I mean, never even came close to having an accident at the hospital.

She was taken to the hospital.

Please, Evelyn.

And the hospital, Dr. Wheeler, said that that Claire had been mumbling the boy on the bicycle.

The boy on the bicycle.

Now, does that mean anything to either of you?

The boy on the bicycle.

Yes.

Well, what's important about it, John?

I don't know.

Dr. Wheeler talked about a deep-seated obsession.

He said, Claire wouldn't talk about it.

Now, what I want to know is, did Claire ever have an accident when she was a young woman?

Could she have run over something?

Oh, no.

No, no, no, no, no, Charles.

We'd have known about it, Eve.

I see.

Yeah, well, I just wanted to check and make sure.

OK, I'm going to run along.

Well, well, won't you stay?

Oh, thanks.

Thanks, John.

I want to get back home.

I know what you're thinking, John, for sale?

Drugs.

But that was years ago.

And Claire's become a fine woman.

She was a devil at sophomore year at Northwestern.

Marijuana, pep pillows.

I don't know what I'll know.

I'm no doctor, but mistreating the body the way she did it just had to leave scars.

Maybe that accounts for this accident.

It was that Eric Miller who had her crazy.

He had me crazy, too.

But she might run off and marry him.

I remember how sad she used to look.

I'm fake and I broke my heart.

And do you think that the drugs might have left her damaged?

I don't know, Evelyn.

Too many drugs may hurt the mind.

Oh, no.

Cause that blackout that Claire experienced.

Maybe that's what happened.

What do you suppose she meant?

The boy on the bicycle.

I can't imagine.

Some deep-seated obsession about what?

The Claire of run over someone when she was under the influence of drugs.

Oh, we'd have known about it.

That's what I said to Charles.

But I wonder.

Come in, Eric.

Thanks, doll.

Hey.

Laden beacher.

I had an accident.

Hmm.

Must have been a beauty.

That's some shine.

You were here a week ago.

Yeah.

Just say that I'm getting attached to the place and the view.

You must go through money quickly.

That's a fact.

I do.

It's can't go on.

Why not?

The sight of you sickens me.

And I can't keep on drawing money from the bank without somebody beginning to wonder.

You mean someone at the bank will wonder about the Eric Miller Foundation?

It's legitimate.

You know that.

Don't tell me your husband checks your bank stubs.

I'll make another $2,500 available to you.

And that is the end of it.

Fine.

But it's not the end of it, doll.

An occasional contribution from you to me and my dear wife Passy won't crimp your style.

And it maintains your way of life, am I right?

No.

Since you came here with your rotten skin, there's been no happiness for me.

I am living a lie.

Well, I'm sorry about that, but it's better than living in a cell, isn't it?

I'd choose that cell if I had only me to think about it.

Of course you would.

But there's Charles Frederick Layton, state representative, brilliant criminal lawyer.

If you destroy his image, he'll tell you to walk east until your bonnet floats.

Am I right?

You're wrong.

Charles and I love each other.

You wouldn't have any.

Oh, well.

When scandal comes in the window, love goes out the door.

Look, I'm sorry you're unhappy, doll.

But it's only money.

I'm living a lie.

You have for 19 years.

Think of that.

19 years of untroubled bliss, 14 of the married to one of our state's brightest stars.

Why destroy all that because of money?

I can't live this way.

Every time I think about you, I'm nauseated.

You're like a malignancy.

The cure is to cut you out.

For your own sake, I advise against it.

Here's my check.

No good, doll.

I want cash.

I'll meet you at Holly's.

I'm meeting you nowhere.

I never want to see you again.

You will not be admitted to this house again.

I'll take the check and get out.

And when I run short of money again?

Turn honest.

Now get out.

What would Mr. Layton think?

I hope he'll never know.

You can't prevent him from finding out.

I can't prevent him from restoring his life for me.

Oh, come off it.

Come off it.

Sleeping pills.

You would think of that.

No.

I can face my own future no matter how grim it might be.

But Charles Layton won't have to face it with me.

Now get out.

She what?

I think she's flipped.

Did you get the money?

Sure.

Check for 2500 made out to cash.

And that's it, she said.

I thought she was thinking about going off the deep end.

She's not.

I think she's planning to disappear.

You're kidding.

No, I'm not.

She was very nasty.

Oh.

Well, what about Mr. Layton?

Why not talk to him?

It's his career that's at stake.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's true enough.

Wait a minute.

Let me think about it.

It's a matter, Eric.

Are you afraid?

No, Doc.

You just don't pick up the telephone and tell a guy like Layton

you want money or you'll smear his wife.

Why not?

We got to do something.

Oh, I told you not to pressure her.

I didn't.

Pressure her.

She just said after this 2500, I've had it.

Sell the information to Layton.

Make a 25 grand and then you'll never say a thing.

Hatsy, he's no dummy.

As long as I'm alive, I'd be a threat to him.

If I go to him, who knows?

He might have me rubbed out.

Layton?

Oh, come on.

He does.

He's rubbing out in court, not through a hired gun.

Well, he could.

Rub me out in court.

I have.

Blackmailed his wife.

Well, you've kept her out of jail.

Yeah, sure.

But I drove the car away from the scene of the accident.

That's as bad as her hitting the kid.

Look, we've worked her for 5000.

Now maybe we'd better call it quick.

Not yet, Eric.

Well, what time is it?

430?

Yeah.

Call Layton on the telephone.

Tell him his wife's about to leave town

because it's something she once did.

He'll stop her and we'll take it from there.

If she disappears?

Layton will come after you.

He'll arrest you for extortion

and for destroying his wife.

You'll end up in prison.

He'll be a martyr and you'll be a bum.

Eric, get on that phone and call Layton.

Of that crazy classmate of yours

will hang you out to dry.

Charlie?

Claire?

Well, what?

Why are you?

I didn't expect you until late.

And I didn't expect to be here.

But I received a telephone call about this.

Oh.

Well, these suitcases are...

Well, you said we'd soon be leaving for London.

Now Claire, I have to talk to you

and don't lie because you're a terrible liar.

Now, what is this all about?

Who telephone?

I don't know.

I thought maybe you could tell me.

Well, I...

I haven't any idea.

Of course you have.

Claire, now look at me and tell me the truth.

The trip to London is a month away.

You got these suitcases down to me,

Eric, because you were about to leave.

Now, why?

For the last ten days you've been moody.

You've been distracted.

You've been jittery.

I want to know why.

I want to know the secret that's hanging over your head.

That seems to have changed everything.

Secret?

That's what he said.

Who said?

The voice on the phone, Claire.

Now, look, honey, I'm your husband.

I love you.

We've never had a secret from one another.

Now, whatever it is shared with you,

whatever it is, we'll deal with it together.

I can't.

Honey, nothing can be that bad.

You don't know, Joe.

But I want him alone.

I'm going away.

Are you doing nothing of the sort?

Yes, I can.

Well, then I'm going with you.

I'll give up everything just so I can be with you.

No.

If I go away, it'll never be known.

If I stay,

you bleed a little.

I thought so.

Blackmail.

Yes.

You know what I think of that kind of swine?

I know his voice now.

What's his name, Claire?

I can't tell you.

All right.

You don't have to.

I'll find out when I get my hands on him.

If I'm out of your life, he can't hurt you.

And that's all that matters.

You are not leaving.

Understand that, Claire.

Whatever your secret might be,

we're going to root it out together.

Blackmail is an ugly word,

because it has an ugly connotation.

It exists because of concealment.

A secret, a person wants kept.

And it implies a wrongdoing.

Each of us ought to have the courage to admit a mistake,

even a crime.

But we hesitate in the hope that we won't be found out.

But that is a hope for Lauren with Mrs. Charles Layton,

as we will find out when we continue with Act Three.

Time may heal, but it cannot obliterate

a person's remembrance of a tragic event.

In the long corridor of time,

a person is sure to find markers

that recall some events he would like to forget.

But the subconscious won't extend him that privilege.

For 19 years, Mrs. Layton has tried to forget that crime she committed.

Now it has come back with a rush to destroy her.

I can't believe it, Charles.

Neither can I, Evelyn.

Claire was packing up to leave you.

That's right.

I know it's late, but I couldn't leave until she was asleep.

Tilly is home watching her.

Now look, I was here a week ago after Claire cracked up her car

and asked you then if she'd ever had an accident.

And you told me no to our knowledge, that's still the truth.

It can't be, John.

Sometime before Claire and I got married,

she must have had an accident.

I think she ran down some boy on a bicycle.

Oh, how awful.

And did what left the scene of the accident?

Claire would never do that.

Well, I don't think so either.

But I don't think she was alone.

A man was with her.

The voice on the telephone.

The anonymous voice that told me Claire was leaving

because she had a secret that could destroy me.

He's blackmailing Claire.

Charles, we've never told you this.

And obviously Claire hasn't either.

But years ago, and Claire was a sophomore in college,

and she experimented with drugs.

I see.

We don't know what made her do it marijuana, pep pills.

Not no heavy drugs as far as I could find out.

But if Claire did run somebody down,

it must have been under the influence of one of those drugs.

And the man?

Well, she was running around with another student.

A man named Eric Miller.

Well, thank you.

Tilly told me a week ago an old classmate of players

had appeared at the house.

Now, that could be Miller.

Do you have any idea what's become of him?

No.

I could never understand why Claire even gave him a time of day.

It ended very suddenly.

One day she couldn't see enough of him.

Then the drugs ended.

And she never saw him again.

That's probably when it happened.

After she ran down a boy on a bicycle and left the scene of the accident.

Oh, that's unthinkable, John.

She wasn't in her right mind.

It's still a crime ever.

Yes, and a very serious one.

Would you go over to our house?

Of course.

I don't want to play it a wake up and try to leave.

You really think she would?

Yes, I do.

And I want her stumped.

By force, if necessary.

I'm going to try to find Eric Miller.

Yes?

Mrs. Miller?

Yes?

Is Mr. Miller at home?

Hey, who is it, Donald?

Excuse me.

My name is Charles Layton.

Well, why?

Why so it is, Mr. Layton?

This is my wife, Patsy.

Eric Miller.

I recognize the voice.

Claire's old classmate.

The voice?

Yes, you telephone me this afternoon, remember?

Oh, why would I do that?

To warn me that my wife was about to leave town

because of some secret she has that you told her could destroy me.

Do you want the newspapers plastered

with the story of how she ran down a boy on a bicycle

and left the scene of the accident?

Why not?

If a crime was committed, there has to be restitution.

And that would be the end of you as a politician

in your law practice.

Those are my concerns.

Not yours.

What's more, I intend to have you arrested for extortion.

Now, now look, Mr. Layton.

Patsy and I have talked it all over.

See, and I'm calling it all.

I'm not.

If my wife is guilty of an old crime, then let it be known.

Unless it's faced in results,

you'll never be able to leave a normal life.

Eric, don't say another word.

Call the newspapers.

Go ahead.

And make very sure you tell them how you can prove what happened.

Were you standing on the sidewalk?

Was it midday?

Was it nighttime?

Were you in the car?

Was Claire driving?

Are there witnesses who saw you leave?

Questions, Mr. Miller?

Questions.

Start sweating out the answers now.

You get out of here.

And you?

Was the blackmail your idea?

Now, watch your lip, Layton.

Don't cut me, Miller.

I'm itching to smash that honest face of yours.

All right.

All right.

Your other one will be smashed.

Go ahead.

Drag me into court.

When the public knows what that hop had,

due to that little boy.

Oh, Eric!

Oh, Eric!

Oh, you've killed him!

You've killed him!

I almost wish I had.

But he'll come around.

You've killed him!

You're a murderer!

Good night, Mrs. Miller.

I'll see you in court.

Yes?

Police is Mr. Layton at home.

What is it, Officer? I'm Charles Layton.

You'll have to come with me, Mr. Layton.

What's the charge?

A manslaughter, first degree.

What?

Yes, sir.

The wife filed the charge.

The dead man is named Eric Miller.

Mother?

Dad?

What are you doing here?

Where's Charles?

He's not here, is it?

Sit down, Claire.

Hmm?

Has something happened?

Something happened 19 years ago.

And it's coming home to roost.

Where's Charles?

At police headquarters, he was arrested.

What?

For men's sake.

What?

For men's sake.

The dead man is Eric Miller.

Oh, merciful Lord.

I hope he will be.

Claire.

Did you run into a boy on a bicycle when you were in college?

Well, I think so.

Eric said so.

And you drove away from the scene of the accident.

He drove.

Eric drove.

I blanked out.

I remember vaguely coming to

and Eric was at the wheel.

But you had been driving the car.

Yes, yes, I...

Well, you see, we left the party

and I insisted on driving.

Eric climbed into the back seat

and will he fell asleep?

And then you blanked out and hit a boy on a bicycle.

Is that right?

Yes.

And the next day, Claire,

why didn't you come forward

and admit that you'd hit the boy?

I...

I don't know.

I...

I couldn't admit that without...

without...

without disgracing you.

Did you think what the parents of the boy must have felt?

Have you thought about that?

That's all I have thought about all these years.

But you didn't have the courage to come forward

and tell the truth, is that it?

And now look what you've done.

Submitted to blackmail.

Oh, but mother,

they didn't want the story to come out

and harm child.

It's going to come out now.

And on top of it, Charles faces

a child's a man's slaughter.

It's the end of him.

And of you.

I have to kill myself.

That would be the easy way I wouldn't have cleared.

You have a backbone.

You were born with your stand by your husband.

But I caught all this.

You certainly have.

But this time,

the truth will come out.

With the disgrace,

Charles career.

I don't care about myself.

But I cannot admit that he didn't run accident.

There's no career with Charles.

Mary...

You're a criminal.

Oh, for reasons that escaped me.

That will do, Evelyn.

Claire,

your husband loves you.

That's why he hit that man, Eric Miller.

And killed him.

Well, he's dead, all right.

His wife was there,

and she saw Charles knock Miller out.

Charles killed...

killed him with a blow.

Well, that's the charge.

Charles is arranging for bail.

He should be home tonight.

And the newspaper.

We'll be headlined news tomorrow morning.

What am I going to do?

Nothing more, I hope.

You've done enough already.

I forgot my key.

Claire knowing it.

All right, all right, all right.

How come is it all?

Can you call me darling after what I've caught?

Because I love you, that's why.

How was it, Charles?

I was routine.

I managed to post a bond,

and I was released in my own reconnaissance.

Evelyn, are you all right?

I don't know how to answer that, Charles.

I'm furious if you must know.

Claire, come sit down with me now and listen to me.

I can't.

Now, Claire, let's forget what's happened and think about tomorrow.

The first thing tomorrow.

John, I want you to find the parents of the boy on the bicycle.

I don't even know if the boy lived or died.

I just can't stand to think about it, Charles.

All right, Charles.

I want to make restitution to the parents and to the boy if he's living.

We can't make up for what they suffered,

but we can help them financially.

I know his name.

The boy's name was Raymond Vogel,

and he lived on a green leaf near Asparagus.

All right.

Next, Claire, I want you to tell your story without holding back anything.

The whole thing, the drug trip, the party,

the names of the people that were there.

You were drive home with Miller.

I want everything to come out,

darling, no matter how painful it might be for you.

And you, Charles?

No, Evelyn, what's important to me is to have Claire purge herself of this secret.

I don't know how you lived with it all these years, Claire.

But what about you, Charles?

Well, I struck Miller.

There's no question about that.

I know why, and so does his wife.

He's dead.

And I'm guilty.

The circumstances are, of course, extenuating,

and I will defend myself.

But it's the end of your career.

It's not the end of my life.

I have you, Claire, and you have me.

There are other places to live and to work.

There's a future for us.

I know it.

Oh, make me jump a foot.

I'll go.

Mother, I'm so shit.

Good evening, Mr. Layton.

Oh, Dr. Wheeler, come in.

Thank you.

Oh, we can't do for you, Dr. Wheeler.

We've had a rather upsetting evening here.

Oh, yeah. Is Mrs. Layton still up?

Yes.

I think she'd like to hear what I have to say if you don't mind.

Of course, certainly.

I know the guy understands.

Good evening, Mrs. Layton.

Dr. Wheeler.

This is my mother-in-law, Mrs. Presnell.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Well, what is it, Dr?

Sir, Eric Miller was brought into the hospital.

Oh, you know about that.

Yes, I also know that you've been charged with manslaughter.

But you didn't kill that man, Mr. Layton.

What?

He died of an aneurysm.

We performed in autopsy because it's rare that a man dies

from a punch on the jaw or a crack on the head from a fall.

I didn't kill him.

You're free, Charles.

That man has had a weak heart for years.

And he also suffered from hypertension.

What killed him was an aortic aneurysm.

He might have died at any time.

Mr. Layton, your blow didn't cause his death.

Oh, clear.

Oh, clear.

Look, honey, my problems behind me.

But yours isn't.

And it won't be until you face the parents of that boy.

You ran into him, Claire, but you didn't leave the scene

of the accident.

Eric Miller did.

You were in no condition to drive in the first place.

I'll find witnesses to prove that.

And when I do, you may be forgiven for what you did.

If you're not, at least your mind will be free at last

because you've admitted your guilt.

And now, let's go, Claire.

Where?

To face the parents of that boy.

The road of life may be paved with good intentions,

but it's crisscrossed with many tempting little side lanes,

some of which come to dead ends.

As Mrs. Layton found out when she deviated

because she was afraid to admit her guilt.

Another philosophical observation,

when I return after these announcements.

One man a long time ago described conscience

as the still small voice.

Each of us has one within him,

and each of us hears it, a very personal voice.

What it means, and I'm not a philosopher,

but a storyteller, might be this.

The voice is a voice of conscience,

which tells us whether we like it or not,

what is right and what is wrong.

Listen to it.

Mrs. Layton wishes she had.

Our cast included Evie Jester, Mandel Kramer,

William Redfield, Joan Shea, and Russell Horton.

The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown.

And now, a preview of our next tale.

You will soon commit murder, Lord Arthur.

This is monstrous.

I have absolutely no intention.

Look, I'm not a man.

No one is until he kills for the first time.

I tell you, I cannot commit murder.

And I tell you, you can, and you will, I refuse to believe it.

You're all alike.

You all want to pry into your future,

which you have no business doing,

and when you see what fate has in store for you,

you refuse to believe it.

Murder?

Yes, murder.

What's so special about murder?

People do it every day.

This is E.G. Marshall inviting you to return

to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre.

Until next time,

pleasant dreams.