Loading...
About this Episode
https://www.solgoodmedia.com - Listen to hundreds of audiobooks, thousands of short stories, and ambient sounds all ad free! Science Fiction Radio delivers daily doses of galaxies far, far away and adventures beyond your imagination.
Hosts & Guests
Transcript
Did you know that parents rank teaching financial literacy as the toughest life skill?
That's where Greenlight comes in.
The debit card and money app made for families.
With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly.
Set up chores, automate allowance, and track spending with real-time notifications.
Kids learn how to earn, save, and spend responsibly.
While parents have peace of mind knowing smart money habits are being built with guardrails in place.
Try Greenlight Risk Free Today at greenlight.com slash try greenlight.
The road to crime ends in a trap that justice sets.
Crime does not pay.
The Avenger, sworn enemy of evil, is actually Jim Brandon, a famous biochemist.
Through his numerous scientific experiments, Brandon has perfected several inventions to aid him
in his crusade against crime as the Avenger.
Most remarkable of these inventions is the highly secret diffusion capsule,
which cloaks him in a black light of invisibility.
Brandon's assistant, the beautiful fern collier, is the only one who shares his secrets
and knows that he is the man the underworld fears as the Avenger.
And now, the Avenger and the cradle of doom.
Jim, there's a mosquito swallie here to see you.
Oh, who?
Well, you didn't make any appointments for me this morning, did you, Fern?
No, but this girl...
Sorry, but we've got to finish these chemical tests today.
If it's important, I ask you to come back tomorrow at 11.
Mr. Brandon, excuse me for intruding like this, but you've got to say now, it's really very important.
Ms. Wally written it into me for five minutes, Mr. Brandon, and then I'll go if you want me to.
All right, Ms. Wally, sit down and tell me what's on your mind.
Thank you.
I've come about my fiancé, John Martin.
He's been framed by his brother Tobias, and is being held in Communicado at White Ridge.
White Ridge?
Where's that?
It's a small private sanatorium about three miles from here.
I'm locked for a road.
Oh, I see.
You'd better take this down in your book, Fern.
You're right, Jim.
No, Ms. Wally.
You're telling me your fiancé has been committed to White Ridge by his brother?
Yes.
John's perfectly saying, Mr. Brandon, but Tobias wants to collect his share of the Martin Estate,
and this is the method he's using to do it.
That's a very serious charge.
Anyone found guilty of such a crime faces a penalty for kidnapping and extortion.
I know.
Believe me, I wouldn't be making these accusations if I weren't sure.
Exactly what does Tobias Martin stand to gain by this?
Several million dollars worth of John's holdings.
If he weren't John's father died about a year ago,
he willed an equal share of stock in the Martin Steel Mills to each of his two sons.
This stock cannot be sold, but if either of the sons dies,
or is declared incompetent, the entire holdings pass into the hands of the other brother.
How long has John been at White Ridge?
Almost two weeks.
Why didn't you report it to the police immediately?
Because I hope the whole thing would be settled quietly.
I thought I could get John out of White Ridge and face to my custody.
And when that failed, I tried to reach Tobias, reason with him.
You haven't seen Tobias then?
No. I went to his home several times,
but his secretary told me he was ill.
Wouldn't even let me in the house.
Who's in charge of White Ridge Sanitarium?
A man by the name of Dr. Marcus Falco and his wife.
Are they, many patients?
Only a few I think.
But what I can gather, the Dr. Limits is service to the very rich.
Mr. Benjamin, can you help me?
Can you get John out of White Ridge?
Well, I'll certainly look into the nut in Miss Wiley.
Where can I get in touch with you?
I've taken a little cottage, just west of White Ridge, to be near John.
1215 Locksbury Road.
The telephone is Locksbury 9000.
Thank you.
I'll call you the moment I have anything to report.
I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Wiley.
Never mind that, Miss Wiley, and don't worry.
If John Martin is sane, he released,
and the law will take care of everything else.
Oh, no.
Well, that must be White Ridge, just to head there, friend.
That big house on the hill surrounded by poppers.
Oh, gosh, it's lovely.
Certainly doesn't look like a sanitarium, does it?
Oh, not from John, anyway.
Oh, here's the driveway.
Jim, consider me close-watched, medical society keeps on private sanitariums.
How could it be possible for a safe person to be committed to one of them?
Well, an unscrupulous person might manage it somehow,
but his chances of getting away with it would be mighty slim.
Oh, of course.
There is a possibility that John Martin isn't sane.
It is while he could be prejudiced about that.
Well, that's the reason I want to see and talk with John
before I get involved in this.
Oh, here we are.
You'd better wait here on the car, friend.
All right.
What is it, please?
My name is Brandon.
I've come to see John Martin.
I'm sorry, visitors are not allowed, except in Sunday.
Oh, this is urgent. I'd like to speak to Dr. Polkow, please.
Dr. Polkow, I'm Mrs. Polkow.
As I said, you may visit Mr. Martin on Sunday.
No, but...
What is it, Joanna?
Who's at the door?
A Mr. Brandon to see John Martin, Marcus.
Dr. Polkow?
Yes?
Well, this is a matter of extreme importance, Doctor.
I must see John Martin at once.
Are you a relative?
Well, as a matter of fact, no, I'm not.
No, the visitor is out of the question.
We observe rigid rules here in the Brandon.
Complete, rest, and quiet has been prescribed for Mr. Martin.
I suppose to buy us Martin's permission is required.
I suppose to buy us Martin's permission is required.
Yes, Martin's permission is required in order to see John Martin, right?
Yes, correct.
Except for the regular visiting hour on Sunday.
I understand.
Good day.
Good day.
Marcus, what is all this interesting John Martin?
That must finally...
But now this man...
He's John Martin and his visitor is to me, Joanna.
I know what is best.
Yes, that's what you said when you're brought in here.
But I'm not so sure, it's true.
I wonder if his brother went so rich.
John Martin is in my care.
Now, let me deal with him in my own way.
Go to the kitchen now.
Our patients will be wanting their lunch.
Not very hospitable, Agent.
Well, that place is fortified with regulations, Fern.
Well, what do we do now?
Call under by us?
Oh, not yet.
Let's drive down the road to Miss Wiley's place.
I want to ask her a few more questions.
Jim, do you suppose that Dr. Falco could be a phony?
Well, no, Fern, not in the usual sense, anyway.
He's a licensed physician, took his degree in Vienna 30 years ago.
Oh, you looked him up before he came out of you.
Certainly.
He's been specializing in psychiatric cases
and unusual nerve disorders for the past 10 years.
There's always the chance, though, that he may have turned on scrupulous.
In John Martin's case, there's a lot of money at stake.
Now, Fern, don't jump to the hurdles before we come to them.
There's Miss Wiley's cottage, Jim.
12.15, that was the number.
Oh, there she is in the garden.
Hello, Miss Wiley.
Oh, hello.
I wasn't expecting to see you so soon.
What's your command?
Well, I know. We haven't time.
We've just come from White Ridge.
Did you see John?
How is he, Mr. Bear?
Well, I don't know.
They wouldn't even let me inside the place.
But you're connected with the police.
You could have forced them to let you see him.
Yes, but I understood you wanted this matter handled quietly.
Then I suppose I'll have to wait until someday to see him.
You know, there is one way you could talk with John
without they're knowing it.
Oh, what's that?
Well, the patient's rooms are all on the second floor
in the back of the house.
John's room is the one right next to the fire scape.
After dark, you could climb up there
and talk with him through the bars without anyone knowing it.
That sounds like a good idea, Jim.
Yes, I think I'll do that very thing tonight.
Thanks, Miss Wiley.
And that's the whole story, Mr. Branden.
When every other method to get control of my money failed
to buy a spring man to this place,
you see, while I'm in here,
he has complete control of the Martin steel mills
and is able to collect the dividends on all my holdings.
You think to buy us and Dr. Falco
and this thing together then?
Well, what else can I think?
Dr. Falco examined me and declared me mentally incompetent.
You can judge for yourself whether that's true.
Well, John Meyers is all in your favor,
but I'm not a doctor and a layman's judgment
in a case of this kind doesn't amount to anything.
Only a physician's verdict would stand up in court.
Well, then go to Dr. Stanley Meyers.
He's been my doctor since childhood.
Less than a month ago, he gave me a complete going over
and told me I was in perfect condition.
He has a complete case history on this and the time I was six.
That's exactly what we need.
I'll go to see Meyers first thing in the morning.
You think I'll be out of here by tomorrow then?
No, it may take a few days to straighten out
the technicalities.
You see, I want to make certain your exit from here
is strictly legal.
Otherwise, we might run into trouble
when we bring charges against your brother.
All right.
I'll try to be patient, but work as fast as you can
and will you, Brandon?
This place is worse than a prison.
Sometimes I think this Dr. Falco
is really trying to drive me mad.
All right, Dr. Falco.
Dr. Falco, now that you know the police are interested
in John Martin's case, maybe you'll give us some straight answers.
Oh, of course, Inspector, when Mr. Brandon came here.
Yes, to be.
He did not.
I go ahead, Jim.
Let's get to the bottom of this.
Not to Falco.
When you examine John Martin two weeks ago,
just what did you find wrong with him?
Well, to put it as simply as I can.
His symptoms indicate that he's suffering from acute menia
and he has constant hallucinations
that that's brought her on delusional insanity.
In other words, you pronounced him dangerously insane
and recommended his commitment here at White Ridge for treatment.
Yes.
I am.
I am sure that any reputable psychiatrist
would agree with me in regard to John Martin's symptoms.
But then you won't mind if we take a look at your record, Doctor.
My records, Mr. Brandon.
Yes.
Also the commitment papers bearing the signature of Tobias Martin.
Oh, of course.
Naturally, everything was handled in the proper manner.
You will not find any irregularities here at White Ridge.
The papers, please.
Well, they're in safe in the adjoining room.
I get them.
Well, Inspector, what do you think?
It's pretty hard to say off hand, Jim.
We know Dr. Myers is on the level,
and he's willing to swear there's nothing wrong with John Martin.
But this Doctor Falco is something else again.
He's a smooth operator, all right?
We're going to have our troubles pinning anything on him
even if he is mixed up in it.
If Tobias Martin brought him to Falco out,
we'll find some way to prove it, Inspector.
Yeah.
This is some layout he's got to accommodate three or four patients.
I'll be here all the papers.
Well, thank you.
Oh, here's the one we're after, Inspector.
All right.
It's signed by Tobias Martin, all right?
Uh-huh.
How many times have you seen Tobias Martin, Dr. Falco?
Who only plays.
First, when he brought John here to be examined,
again, when he committed him.
Take charge of these papers, Inspector.
Tobias Martin has a little explaining to do.
But I tell you, Mr. Martin is, though, he can't see anyone.
I know. Where are you?
Well, I am Charles Burton, confidential secretary to Tobias Martin.
Mr. Burton, where the police step aside will come in.
Police? Oh, quite interesting.
Where is Martin?
Well, at the room at the top of the stairs.
I'll tell him you'll come.
We'll be right behind you.
Come on, Jim.
It looks like Tobias intend to give us the runaround, Inspector.
Second, bad.
You think he'd cook a better dodgin' ass?
Well, if you announce this, Burton.
Mr. Martin, we'll see you.
I'll say well.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Tobias Martin.
Yes?
What is all this?
Well, I'm Inspector White.
This is Jim Branden.
We're here about your brother, John.
We'll see you up to now.
At the moment, he's rather anxious to be released from Dr. Thalco sanitarium.
Oh, so that's where he is.
Look, Mr. Martin.
Let's not waste time, uh-huh.
You know where your brother is and how he got there.
And you probably know what the penalty is for falsely committing a person to an institution of that kind.
Why?
What are you talking about?
There's...
John Martin's commitment papers signed by you.
For a post-resign of his sign this paper?
You deny that, your signature?
Well...
No, I can't very well deny that.
Am I writing all right?
To the best of my knowledge, I never laid eyes on his documents before.
I want about you, Burton.
Do you deny all knowledge of this too?
Well, I certainly do.
That signature must have been forged.
There's one way to prove whether you sign that paper or not, Martin.
How?
The signature was witnessed by Dr. Thalco.
It's just a matter of bringing you to face to face.
Mr. Martin is too ill to leave his bed.
The doctor left him in my care and I...
Well, I can't take...
Did you know that parents rank teaching financial literacy as the toughest life skill?
That's where Greenlight comes in.
The debit card and money app made for families.
With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly.
Set up chores, automate allowance, and track spending with real-time notifications.
Kids learn how to earn, save, and spend responsibly.
While parents have peace of mind knowing smart money habits are being built with guardrails in place.
Try Greenlight risk-free today at greenlight.com slash try greenlight.
That's greenlight.com slash try greenlight.
This episode is brought to you by Spreaker.
The platform responsible for a rapidly spreading condition known as podcast brain.
Symptoms include buying microphones you don't need, explaining RSS feeds to confused relatives,
and saying things like, sorry, I can't talk right now, I'm editing audio.
If this sounds familiar, you're probably already a podcaster.
The good news is Spreaker makes the whole process simple.
You record your show, upload it once, and Spreaker distributes it everywhere people listen.
Apple podcasts, Spotify, and about a dozen apps your cousins swears are the next big thing.
Even better, Spreaker helps you monetize your show with ads,
meaning your podcast might someday pay for, well, more microphones.
Start your show today at spreaker.com.
Spreaker, because if you're going to talk to yourself for an hour, you might as well publish it.
And we'll bring Dr. Falco here.
We'll soon find out who's lying.
Now back to the avengers and the cradle of doom.
You and your secret experience, you'll see where they've landed us under the surveillance of the police.
You keep quiet, you amour.
My experiments have nothing to do with it.
Your police are merely checking on John Martin.
That's what you say, Martin.
But how do I know?
For years, you've kept your experiments as secret from me.
That room in the tower that is always lost.
Father, that big motor in the basement.
Father, are you still here?
I have told you.
Just part of my experiment.
A wonderful experiment that may be the salvation of all the mental and fortunate in the world.
I do not believe you must.
I think that you have bartered science for gain.
Either that or you yourself are mad.
You are not.
Hear me out, Marcus.
All these years have labored at your sight.
But I believe to be a great and humane cause.
My faith in you was quite concrete.
But it was also blind and you have failed me in it.
No, no, I haven't.
I'm warning you.
I will not stand beside you now.
The face I do not know what they're doing.
Joanna, stop.
And listen to me for a moment.
I have nothing to hide from you or anyone else.
It is only that my experiment is in its impence.
And I wish to keep it a secret until its worth was proved.
Come to the tower with me.
I will show you.
The mind will come from there.
You can no longer cope with the problems and the complexities of life.
Therefore to heal it, one must work backward.
Smooth away the burdens.
Lighten all the pressures that experience has inflicted.
Let the mind revert to the tranquility and to the peace if you invade the earth.
Then it must be built up again from here.
Stronger, firmer, more assured.
But how can that be done, Mars?
What about this tower room having that experience?
Look up out to Joanna.
This would seem to be an ordinary room.
It is furnished so that it would look that way.
But it is not.
This room is a large-sized grave where my tired patients were rocked into a state of fleet relaxation.
A kind of?
Yes.
This entire room is suspended from that ridge pole in the roof.
A huge belt line is hooked to that and runs down through that chimney to the motor in the basement.
When the motorist is turned on, the patient can be rocked without his being conscious of it.
And that swaying movement of everything about him produces the same soothing effect as rocking it within the cradle.
Good. But it is furniture.
It is all clamped to the floor. Come, I will show you.
Here, this is heavy viewer.
By Marcus, those clamps have been broken.
What?
Yes.
Help me examine the other furniture Joanna.
Mars?
Someone has closed the door and knocked it.
I cannot be.
The patients have all locked in the rooms.
It's locked or right?
That's if you're going to do.
I don't know. I can understand this.
Who would want to lock us up in here?
Marcus, but if someone turns the motor on, this had a furniture with mine for us.
Joanna, the cradle, the cradle is rocking.
Someone has turned the motor on full force.
Be careful with your own.
Ma'am, this is your house.
Joanna, help!
Help!
Jim, this place seems to be deserted.
What do you suppose the Falcos are?
I don't know, Fern.
But one of them must be around somewhere.
Dr. Falco?
Dr. Falco?
Come on, Fern.
I don't like the looks of this.
We'd better see if John Martin is all right.
Maybe Tobias got more to Dr. Falco and Warden to leave.
That way Tobias couldn't be identified as one assigned to paper.
Well, we've got Tobias where we want him anyway.
You left the infected building his house, didn't you?
Yes, he can't get away.
Ah, this is John's room.
John!
John!
Are you all right?
Yes, I'm okay.
What's the matter?
This is Brandon.
John, have you any idea where the doctor kept his keys?
Oh, no, and his pocket was left.
Did Mrs. Falco have a set?
Ah, I suppose so.
She delivered all our meals.
Run down to the kitchen, Fern.
She probably kept them there.
If not, look in the library.
Right.
John, the Falco seemed to have fled.
Left.
Left, straight.
How do you find this to do?
I heard it's already coming to the tower.
The tower?
I'll have a look up there as soon as I get you out of here.
Here, Jim.
I found this set of keys in the kitchen.
Ah, good.
Let's see.
I tool one.
This is the one for John's room.
All right, John.
Come on out.
Oh, what in the world is going on here, Mr. Brandon?
We don't know yet, John.
But I think the best thing for you to do is to get out of here.
Good down, eat it, space.
What do you say, Mr. Brandon?
I'll wait at eat it for you.
Right.
Now, Fern, our first stop is the tower.
Up he stands.
I can't stand how devised and Dr. Falco ever expected to get away with a thing like this, Jim.
Everything is beginning to add up a little too neatly.
Five.
Here's a door.
Let's try this.
The key's on the outside.
But the door is unlocked.
Jim, it's Dr. Falco and his wife.
Don't come inside, Fern.
I'll see what's happened here.
The whole place is a shambles.
Shall I call head quarters, Jim?
No, not yet.
I'd like to investigate this place first.
Okay, Dr. and his wife are dead all right.
Better to death by this furniture.
Jim, look.
That whole room leads to one side.
Yes, and there are clamps on the floor where the furniture belong.
By this whole room is suspended from that rich pole.
Come on, Fern.
Jim, now that you've discovered that motor and basement,
and you know how the Falco's were killed, why do you want to examine the rest of the house?
To find out that any of the patients could have left their rooms.
But they couldn't have.
All the rooms have special locks.
They can only be locked and unlocked from the outside.
It must have been suicide, Jim.
Well, as soon as we finished here in John's room, we'll report this.
Doesn't seem to be anything unusual, Jim.
No, it's exactly like all the others.
Jim, it's times to reason that if the Falco's have been murdered,
the tower room would have been locked from the outside.
That door wasn't locked.
They could have gotten out if they'd wanted to.
Yes, unless the murderer unlocked the door after they were dead.
Jim, what was that you just picked up?
It was a small piece of cellulose tape.
It was sticking to the floor here by the door.
Oh, I thought it might be a clue.
It is.
Fern, drive into town and call the inspector.
Tell him to bring a squad of men out to 1215, locks per road.
What for, Jim?
The Avenger will deliver a murderer to them there.
I told you not to worry, Edith.
Everything worked out exactly as we planned it.
Tobias' goose is caught.
Now, let me get things straight, Jim.
In order to make the Falco's death look like suicide,
you went back after they were dead, unlocked the tower door,
and left the key on the outside.
That's right.
That murder in the basement could be set to stop automatically, couldn't it?
Yes.
When I turned it on, I set the automatic stop for 15 minutes.
I knew it would take brand them longer than that
to drive to White Ridge from Tobias' place.
The police would go to work on
is that when the Falco's realized their complicity,
Tobias was known to the police.
They took the easiest way out.
Right. That leads Tobias holding the bag
with a signature to explain.
And as suicide, the police will explain for him.
And you and I in complete control of the Martin Millions.
Wonderful, John.
Except for one thing.
You mean, Burton?
Yes.
He's strung along with us all the way so far.
But when you're in control of the money,
what's to prevent him from trying to blackmail us?
How can he? We've got too much on him.
He not only impersonated Tobias
and making all the arrangements with Dr. Falco,
but he managed to get Tobias' signature
on the committee papers by placing him
on a stack of form letters.
Did you get a stiff sentence for that?
I suppose you're right.
John.
Did you hear a strange noise just now?
Yeah. It seemed to come from that hall door.
There's no one there.
There is someone here, John Martin.
This is John. I can't see anyone.
You can't see the Avenger eat it while he...
The Avenger?
Yes.
I came to inform you of a forgotten clue.
But you have obliged me with a complete confession.
A clue? What clue?
A little strip of cellulose tape.
But I think a jury will find it quite big enough to hang you.
He does quick. Get the car. We've got to get out of here.
It's much too late for flight, John.
But please have an appointment with you here.
And those sirens should tell you that they have arrived to keep it.
Oh!
Oh!
Oh!
Fern, did you send those notes of Dr. Falcos through the medic society?
Yes. Jim, do you think his theory is made
valuable in the treatment of mental cases?
I'm afraid not, Fern.
About the greatest tribute we can pay the old gentleman
is to say that he was sincere and idealistic,
and that his treatments didn't do his patience any harm.
Jim, am I right in believing in this case
almost had you crying, Uncle?
Well, now that John, Edith and Burton are safely in jail,
I think I can risk admitting them.
It was that cellulose tape that tipped you off
for the whole thing, wasn't it?
Yes. Up until then, the case against Tobias was practically airtight
and ingeniously clever.
It's coming here pleading for help.
John, obviously sane in the asylum.
Tobias' signature on the papers is denial of writing it.
And finally, what looked like the suicide of the doctor in his wife?
Yes, but just what did that little piece of tape do?
It meant that John Martin had figured out a way to keep the doctor
from locking his door whenever it suited his purpose to do so.
But how?
John was locked inside as we were only got there.
Of course, it was part of his plan to be found locked inside then.
But when he wanted the daughter to remain unlocked,
he stretched the cellulose tape across the part of the door frame
that the lock fitted into.
It wasn't noticeable and it prevented the lock from catching.
When the doctor tried the door, John stood tight against it
and held it, and the doctor thought it was locked.
Then all John had to do when he wanted the lock to catch
was removed the tape.
Right, Fern.
But how did John know exactly when to kill Dr. Falco?
Burton called Edith and told her I was in my way to bring the doctor
to identify Tobias.
She went to White Ridge and warned John from the fire escape.
And John pretended he wasn't saying when Burton, impersonating Tobias,
took him to Dr. Falco to be examined.
Yes.
Even the best psychiatrist can sometimes be fooled by a clevertation.
Well, that makes it all clear.
Oh, Jim, before you go, will you snap back a fail?
And you'd better form the habit of reading all your letters before you sign them.
All characters, names, places, and plots used in the Avenger program are fictitious.
Any similarity persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
This is a thought.
A thought.
A thought.
Remember, listen for another adventure of...
The Avenger.
The Avenger.
The Avenger.
