The Falcon - The Case Of The Strong Sister

Hello?

Yes, this is the Falcon speaking.

Oh, grace.

I'm glad you called.

I'll have to cancel out tonight, Angel. I'm all jammed up.

Uh-huh.

Some girl I know just brought me a very unusual proposition, and I'll be hanged if I touch it.

The adventures of the Falcon, starring Les Damon.

You met the Falcon first in his best-selling novels.

Then you saw him in his thrilling motion picture series.

Now join him on the air when the Falcon solves...

...the case of the talented twin.

And now the case of the talented twins.

It's late evening in New York and a yellow convertible tears down Riverside Drive.

At the wheel is George Alexander, who operates the car as though he owned the streets.

Yeah, Mr. Alexander is a big operator.

And the blonde alongside of him knows it.

You warm it up, Masha.

Oh, I'm fine, Mr. Alexander.

My friends call me George.

Oh, you passed it.

You should have turned right on 76th.

What for?

Well, that's where I live.

Oh, I'm not taking you home, Masha.

Now, really, Mr. Alexander...

Sure.

The reason I can send her to go with you is because Mr. Kemp introduced us.

You like singing a Mr. Kemp's club?

Yes, of course. What's that got to do with it?

I've got everything to do, sweetheart.

Are you in the joint?

Oh.

Sure.

Whose idea do you think it is for Kemp to give you a job in the first place?

I didn't know.

Well, anytime you don't know something, Masha.

You just asked George.

He's got all the answers.

Well, if you don't mind, Mr. George, I'd like to go home.

Really, I've got a splitting headache.

It's okay.

I have my boy fix you up, something of my place.

Why don't you sit a little closer?

I'm perfectly comfortable over here.

No.

Oh, too far away.

Please, Mr. Alexander, you better look where you're going.

Come on, Masha. Be sociable.

What do you want to sit there all by yourself?

You're going to hit that man.

Hold up.

You're not going to leave him lying there.

Why not?

He may be dead.

And we can't do many good.

Let me out.

Get your hand off that door, Masha.

I'll let you go when I'm good and ready.

And I'm not ready yet.

Yes?

I'm looking for a Michael Wearing.

Well, you've come to the right place.

Are you the one they call the Forkin?

When they can't think of anything worse.

Come on in, Miss...

Davis. Ruth Davis.

Sit down.

Thanks.

Now, what can I do for you?

I'm not quite sure.

Did you happen to notice an item in this morning's paper

about a man being killed in a hit and run accident last night?

Yeah?

That man was my father.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I want you to find the driver that car.

Why?

Isn't that obvious?

That man murdered my daddy.

Murdered him just as surely as if he used a gun.

I don't care what it costs.

You should, Angel.

I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that anything you invest

in a case like this had to be money thrown down the sewer.

As I recall, the police don't have a single lead.

Oh, yes, they do.

There was a man named Arthur Crane who witnessed the accident.

He might know more than he's told them.

What makes you think so?

Call it a woman's intuition.

And you know that's greatly overrated, isn't it?

He but there's no harm in trying.

What did you say this witness's name was again?

Arthur Crane.

Arthur Crane.

All right, Angel.

I'll do what I can.

Here it is.

Alexander, George, real estate, 1792, Belmore.

It's Lwood 06742.

Wonder if that's the right Alexander.

Well, it has to be.

Didn't the license bureau tell you?

That was the name of the party won the car.

Yep.

Well, this is the only George Alexander in the book.

All right, hand me the phone.

What's that number again?

Lwood 06742.

See you that is, man.

Are you expecting anything?

Nope.

Too early for Jack to drop around.

Yes, the second.

Yeah.

You want the crane?

No.

Well, it's again?

Who is it, Pid?

It's some guy I want to see you.

How do you do, Mr. Crane?

How do you do?

My name is Mike Wearing.

I'm a private detective.

Private detective?

Yeah, at the moment I'm working for Ruth Davis.

Who?

Ruth Davis.

She's the daughter of the man who was killed last night

and that hit and run accident.

Oh, well, sit down, won't you?

Hey, see if we got any beer on ice here.

Don't bother, Mr. Red.

Hey, Jordan.

Pete Jordan.

And it's no bother at all.

Yeah, go on, Pid.

Now, uh, what can I do for you, Wearing?

Well, according to police blotter,

you were the one who discovered Davis' body after the accident.

That's right.

I was coming home from a club date.

Club date?

Mm-hmm.

I'm a musician.

I play piano with a small combo around town.

Mm-hmm.

Well, going.

Well, just like an other subway,

I saw this guy Davis laying in the gutter.

What time was that?

Oh, I must have been around, uh, quarter past three.

First, I thought it was just some stew bun, you know?

I saw that briefcase under his arm, and I realized

it must have been excellent.

And you couldn't have gotten there,

much after it happened.

That's the cop stole me.

You didn't notice any sign of a car, uh?

Nope.

And I couldn't have been too many cars out of that hour.

This is very important to my client.

Wearing, if there was any way I could possibly help you,

I'd be glad to.

Any driver would pull the stunt like that

or get it in a neck.

Sure, but, uh, you can't tell me any more than you have.

I had a thing.

I'm sorry, I wish I couldn't.

Well, here's your beer, Jents.

I'm about to have to ask for rain check, Jordan.

You're going already?

Yeah, I got to.

But I'll leave my card, if you think of anything.

Just leave it to me, Wayne.

If I think of anything, I'll know what to do.

Yeah.

Is Mr. George Alexander around?

Who wants to know?

The name is Audi Crane, but, uh, I don't think it'll mean much to him.

Just said, I'd like to talk to him about a yellow-bealy convertible.

You what?

Tell him I admire his taste in cars.

Yeah, nuts.

Mr. Alexander doesn't know any convertible.

That's not what the license bureau tell me.

Uh, maybe you better come in, Buster.

Yeah, maybe I better.

Sit down.

I'll get Alexander.

Hey, it's an empty-looking piano. He's got the mind of a triumphant.

Just so you don't break it.

You don't do that, did you?

You don't do that, did you?

Mm-hmm.

It's very, very nice there.

You like?

Yeah.

What do you call it?

I've got those, give me, give me blues.

It's a very original title.

I'm a very original guy, Mr. Alexander.

Oh, so?

Well, 99 guys out of 100 who know what I know would've spill every day.

know would have spilled everything to the cops.

Well, not you, huh?

Mm-hmm.

Little Arty knows when to keep his mouth shut.

For instance.

She's out of this, Vince.

Go on, Crane.

Well, for instance, last night I was coming home late,

and I saw a car bowl over some character

who was crossing the street.

Fortunately, I had enough presence of mind

to copy down the license number.

And you think this car belongs to me?

You're wrong.

OK.

I'm perfectly willing to leave it to Mike Waring.

The fork.

That's right.

He's working for the daughter of the poor slab who got hit.

He was around to see me this afternoon,

wanted to know if I could help him.

And you're told him?

Not a thing.

I thought I could help you more.

How much more?

About $10,000 with?

Why, you dirty little...

I'm like, oh, should I throw my gun at you?

I've come yourself, Vince.

Don't be so free with your hands.

You shouldn't blame him, Marty.

Vince, never like back then.

Well, that little pushing around

is going to cost you another five, Alexander.

Why take it easy, Vince?

You think the money was coming out of your pocket?

So now you want $15,000, eh, Ari?

Otherwise, I go straight to Waring's

and from there to the cops.

Well, I wouldn't want you to make such a trip on my account.

Then you better get it up.

OK, Ari.

You'll leave it to me.

I'll take care of you.

When I get through, I bet you don't complain.

Now back to the adventures of the Falcon.

Two hours of past since Arctic Crane

made his little call on Mr. Alexander.

Now we find Mike making a call of his own.

Only his isn't nearly as successful.

So when you come right down to it, Mr. Waring,

you've made no progress at all.

Well, I could give you a big song and dance, who...

No thanks.

I mean, no mood for entertainment.

You see, the truth of the matter is, I'm stymied.

The only potential witness we had was this musician,

Ari Crane.

And he couldn't tell you anything.

Well, not a single solitary...

Wait a minute.

What's the matter?

That briefcase, your father was carrying...

That won't help you.

They found it clear across the street where it was knocked by the car.

Well, if it was not there by the...

Say that again.

Why?

This Ari Crane character told me he realized

that it wasn't some drunk sleeping at all

when he noticed a briefcase under your father's arm.

What's wrong with that?

He just said it, Angel.

The car sent that briefcase flying.

If Crane saw it under your father's arm,

it could only have been while your father was alive.

Then Crane was lying.

That he was.

What do you think?

I think I ought to have another little talk with that boy.

Let's see if we can get him up here.

He won't suspect anything.

Not if it's put to him the right way.

What are you doing?

I don't do worry, Ruth.

I'll at least talk to him.

Hello.

Hello. I'd like to speak to Ari Crane, please.

Oh, what's him?

Mike Wearing.

Well, Ari isn't here.

Does Pete Jordan?

No, Pete isn't here either.

Where is everybody?

Less has been a change in plans.

You might try the morgue.

Hello, you're still there, mister.

Yeah, I'm just waiting for the top right.

Hey, wait a minute.

Is this Sergeant Corporate?

Sure as, Mike.

All right, Corbett.

Give it to me gently.

Who did what to whom?

Well, the home is your friend, Ari Crane.

The what was a half dozen slugs through his head.

As far as the who is concerned, we got no idea.

Have you, mister Wearing?

OK, OK, I'm coming.

Hello, Pete.

Oh, hi, mister Wearing.

Well, I dropped around and redeemed that rain check.

Rain check?

I asked for one the last time I was here.

Oh, yeah.

Well, I guess you heard about Ari.

Mm-hmm.

That is piano.

Yeah.

The thing you'll never touch it again.

That's how good was he on it.

Oh, you can have the Duke and Count Basie out to take an oddie any time.

You a musician too?

Yeah, but I wasn't in his class, I got it.

Why used to sing a little?

Mm-hmm.

But how about an audition?

What do you mean?

I never can tell, Pete.

I may want to sponsor you.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

I may want to sponsor you.

So let's hear how well you do in the voice department.

Who killed Ari?

Oh, look, you can't talk to me like that.

Come on, pigeon sings.

I did.

Ouch.

I wouldn't try that.

Your big brother was around.

Let me go.

Not before we have a soul in a who killed Ari.

Oh, shit.

I know.

You should have anyone who had it in for him.

Oh, and everybody liked him.

So one of his admirers pumped six slugs into his face

or even his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

Incidentally, how did you?

There wasn't a thing on the body.

Well, I found him here.

Might have been a visitor from Mars.

Yeah, but he had a flag tattooed on his shoulder.

Patriot, no less.

Who was the hip and run driver, Kill Davis?

I don't know what you mean.

Yeah, should do.

Pete, Ari must have told you everything.

He saw the car to Kill Davis.

No, I know he didn't.

You know, you won't look so good singing

without those dazzling white teeth.

Well, it's a fellow named Alexander.

Does this fellow have a first name?

George.

George.

You mean Arthur tried to shake down George Alexander?

You know him?

Well, enough to realize it.

Art, he made a serious mistake trying it.

Let's hope we all profit by his example.

That's your bench?

Yeah.

How you make up?

Just look.

All right, beautiful.

Inside.

Stop it.

Inside.

Hello, Marsha.

You're not going to get away with this, Mr. Alexander.

I told you, my friends called me George.

You want to be my friend, huh?

No.

You're fooling.

Hello, baby.

You can't keep me here.

You can't keep me here.

You can't do this.

You can't do that.

How'd you give that ton of rest?

All right, that's enough.

Marsha and me, we understand each other.

Well, don't we, sweet outs?

What do you want?

I just want to make sure you didn't tell anybody

about a little ride, let.

Get advance.

What about Marsha?

It's a matter, can a gentleman invite a lady up to his apartment?

After all, we got you for a shaper.

All right, all right, hold your horses, will you?

Hello, is George here?

Oh, I see, yes.

Wait a minute first, and that's so fair.

He's OK, Vince.

This is the park and his old friend of mine.

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that, I.

Oh, I beg your pardon, am I interrupting something?

No.

Marsha, meet my quick.

How do you do?

Well, generally, I do all right,

but I see George does even better.

Good kid, huh?

Yes, indeed he.

Well, if you gentlemen are through discussing me,

I'll say good night.

Holy system.

He's got hypnotized.

Vince, just that, maybe I want to tell you something.

It's OK, Marsha, I'll give you a call later.

All right, George.

You wish you were in my shoes, am I?

Hardly.

George?

I wouldn't care to face a murder app.

I'm afraid I don't understand you where.

Well, it stems from the manslaughter charge.

Mansla?

For killing Ralph Davis with your car last night.

And I'm Mr. DA could tell this story very effectively.

It's got a wonderful moral.

How one crime leads to another.

Now, the opening scene would show you driving along.

Get out.

Well, you might let me finish, George.

It's got great, dramatic possibilities.

You heard him.

Get out.

Who's this little saireco?

If you're not out of here with the time I cut through.

I mean, you're not interested in how my little script ends?

No.

And you keep up like this, Mike.

And you won't be around for the end.

That's all there was, Ruth.

You mean you know who killed my father and you let him go?

I mean, he let me go.

He brought you off.

No, no, no.

I'll wait a minute.

Are you sure I was a fool not to see it before?

Well, we'll see what the police think about.

I said down.

Oh.

You listen to me.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

You listen to me, Ruth.

I walk out on Alexander because it wasn't a thing I could do.

You know he ran over my father.

Sure I do.

Where's our evidence?

There isn't any way I could tie it to him.

The only witness was murdered.

Well, what?

You know he murdered Arthur Crane.

Can you prove that?

Well, it stands to reason.

Look, Angel, you can build as good a case against several other people.

Who, for example?

For example you.

What?

Sure.

You knew Artie Crane could identify the man who killed your father.

And when he refused to give you any information, you murdered him.

That's the most ridiculous thing to me.

Yes.

It's a wearing.

That's right.

My name's Marsha West.

I don't know if you remember me.

Oh, you underestimate your charms, Marsha.

The other kind of a girl, my kind of man, could never forget.

Well, I'd like to talk to you.

What would be the point?

I thought you were a close friend of Alexander's.

Well, I was in his car last night.

You what?

Yes, he was taking me home when he killed that man.

Where are you now?

At the place where I work, it's called the TikTok Club.

When can I expect you?

Just open your door, Angel. I'm practically there now.

Come on, your creeps snap into it.

We haven't got all night. The show goes on.

Yeah, what do you want, mister?

Marsha West, dressing room.

The first one on your left.

That's one here.

Yeah, that's right.

I don't keep it too long.

She's on it 10 minutes.

Marsha!

Marsha.

She ain't here wearing it.

What?

No, just there like you are, Parker.

Lock the door, Vince.

All right, where is she, George?

Where is she?

Marsha, she called me from here not more than 15 minutes ago.

You say, Vince?

Was it that old hag with a mop?

And you boys oughta try a television.

That's a great act you've got there.

I'm glad you like it.

What do Marsha tell you on the phone?

Who?

Don't be smart.

And I just wanted to show you the two could play that game.

What'd you tell him?

Enough.

You know, I wouldn't need much excuse to paste you one right now.

Bustes that don't tempt me.

What do you say, Mike?

I say you boys aren't very smart.

There are a dozen people out there.

And they all work for me.

You start talking.

Why are you cheerful?

Shut up.

Now, why do you want to knock them down for Vince?

You only got to pick them up again.

That's all right, Alex.

I'm in very good shape.

I can keep this up all night.

Well, sleeping beauty.

I didn't even have to kiss you to wake you up.

Huh?

Yeah, this isn't the Princess Palace.

It's Bellevue Hospital.

No kidding.

Okay, Mike, who slugged you?

First, I want to know where you found me, Sergeant.

I'm West 8th Street.

How did I get down there?

I can tell you one thing.

I don't think you made it on foot.

Someone must have given me a lift.

Oh.

A character named Vince working at the behest of George Alexander.

What do they want to do that for?

Because Alexander was the one who drove the car

that killed Ralph Davis last night.

Last night?

Well, isn't this Sunday?

Where have you been?

Don't bother answering.

I know.

All right, all right.

What day is it?

Monday.

Holy smoke.

Where's Marsha?

Who?

Marsha West.

She was in the car when Alexander killed Davis.

She'd tell you that?

Yes, and I wouldn't be surprised if she knew

all about the Audi Crane killing two.

Is that tied up with this?

Definitely.

Is he Crane tried to blackmail Alexander?

And if it's so fast, can you prove that?

No, I can't hear, Corbett.

So let's go where I can.

Now back to the adventures of the Falcon.

A half hour has passed since Mike Wearing set out

with Sergeant Corbett to try to tie the case together.

At destination, the apartment of George Alexander.

You're a pretty sick man, Wearing.

You don't know what you're saying.

Well, it's no use, George.

We've got all the evidence we need, right, Sergeant?

Right.

So why don't I hear from the district attorney?

You will.

You're still bluffing, Mike.

Felt admitted.

All right.

And how do I know you paid off to Audi Crane?

You know?

Yes, and I can prove it.

How about that, Mr. Alexander?

Well, you see, it's like this, Sergeant.

It was no shakedown.

I gave out it to Mike.

Oh.

Because you were impressed by his musical talents

and wanted to see him further his career?

Where, Mike?

You take the words right out of my mouth.

Oh, no.

Something wrong?

You don't think the D.A.

It's something wrong?

You don't think the D.A.

You'll buy that.

Well, no.

It was okay for me to help young ladies interested in musical careers.

Well, not young men.

Sounds logical.

Oh, come on.

Carbably smart.

You don't believe that.

I didn't say it here to just set it aside at logical.

That's all right.

Where's Vince?

What?

I want to talk to him.

He's going to have a long wait.

Vince lived down Friday night.

Friday?

Yeah.

Uh-huh.

I suppose that was his double who bounced me around backstage

at the TikTok club on Saturday.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Sure.

Next you'll say you never heard of a girl named Marsha West.

Good, sir.

Oh, it's where that's.

You call me George?

Marsha.

Is this the girl you mean?

All right.

Never mind the act, George.

Listen, Marsha.

This is Sergeant Corpid.

I want you to tell him everything.

Everything.

Yes, beginning with your call to me on Saturday night.

My call to you?

Don't you remember him?

I don't see how I could be expected to.

Mr. Waring, seeing this is the first time we've met.

What?

But it's been a real pleasure.

Let's do it again sometime.

You know, Mike, maybe we ought to go back to the hospital.

It's not a bad place.

I got a couple of good-looking nurses there.

Okay, okay.

So I'm not, Sergeant.

But just human me a couple of minutes more.

Still don't say what you're going to accomplish with Pete Jordan.

I tell you, he knows that Audi Crane went to see Alexander.

I'd still don't prove anything.

Crane could have gone to see Alexander for a million reasons.

Well, suppose Pete's willing to swear that he...

Yeah?

Well, if it isn't the gay troubadour.

Hello, Pete, remember me?

I look wearing.

I'm busy, I assure you are.

This won't take much of your time.

Did Audi Crane tell you he saw the car that killed Ralph Davis in that accident?

Well, uh...

Well, didn't he?

Yeah.

Can't you call Jordan?

We're going downtown.

And I don't rush him, Sergeant.

You might break the spell.

As long as Pete's in the mood for singing.

Maybe he'll be willing to crew you something else.

I told you everything I know.

Not quite. There's one song you forgot.

The one that goes, I kill my best friend and am I sorry.

What are you talking about?

The murder of Audi Crane.

You know enough about that to give us a complete chorus.

So start singing, pigeon.

How good is this the whole story?

Alexander goes up for manslaughter and Pete Jordan's for murder.

Any questions?

I have one, my...

Oh, sorry.

I think Marshall's first group.

All right, go on, Marshall.

Well, first I think I owe you an explanation.

Yes, I wouldn't be surprised.

Well, Alexander made me say I didn't know you.

He and Vince caught me phoning you that night.

As I figured as much.

As afraid of what he might do.

Not only to me.

But to you.

Well.

I thought she had a question to ask.

Oh, well, all I wanted to know is what made you suspect Pete Jordan.

Very simple thing, Angel.

As you recalled, when the police found Audi, there was nothing on him.

So?

So the question arises, Ruth.

What happened to the harsh money Alexander paid him?

I don't get him.

I pulled one bluff on Alexander that worked.

The only reason he admitted giving money to Audi is because he had a lot of money.

The only reason he admitted giving money to Audi was that he thought I could prove he did.

And you couldn't?

No, because there was no money found on the body.

And that stood to reason that Alexander and Vince didn't remove it.

Otherwise, they would have known I was bluffing.

So I figured maybe this was just a plane every day murder for money.

And once you realized that, it was just a matter of picking up the only party who had the opportunity.

That's right, Matt gave me Pete Jordan.

But I'll tell you one thing this business told me.

What?

Never take a case where two beautiful women are involved.

Makes for complications.

How so?

Well, it's too much of a good thing.

You know the old saying, two's company, three's a crowd.

He's got a point there, Ruth.

He certainly has.

No, no, no.

Don't fight.

I'm sure we can settle this peacefully.

I'm sure we can.

That's the spirit.

Now, how are we going to work it?

That's easy.

Good night, Mr. Ahring.