All language subtitles for Mysterious.Intruder.1946

I am the Whistler,

and I know many things,
for I walk by night.

I know many strange tales

hidden in the hearts
of men and women

who have stepped
into the shadows.

Yes, I know
the nameless terrors

of which they dare not speak.

It is Edward Stillwell
who walks alone.

He is a kindly,
unimportant little man,

the type you pass on the street
without noticing.

Tonight, however,
something will happen to him

that changes everything.

Something to make
his life important

and exciting and dangerous.

- Mr Stillwell?
- Yes, ma'am.

I have an appointment
to see Mr Gale.

Yes, I know.

- Mr Stillwell's here.
- Send him in.

- Go right in.
- Thank you.

Mr Stillwell?

- Yes, sir.
- Come in, sir.

Come in.

I want to thank you

for staying in so late
to see me.

- Don't mention it. Sit down.
- Thank you.

Well, what can I do for you?

I want to know
how much it would cost

to have a young lady traced?

Well, that I can't say, offhand.

When did she disappear?
Who is she?

Her name is Elora Lund.

It's seven years now since I saw her.

That was when her mother died.

Elora was fourteen then.

Seven years is a long time.

It might cost a lot of money
to find her.

Are you a professional
or a businessman, Mr Stillwell?

I have a store
at 2319 McCall Street.

- Mmm.
- A music store.

Phonographs,
new and second-hand, radios...

- Uh-huh. Where do you live?
- I beg your pardon?

- I said, "Where do you live?"
- Er, 2319 McCall Street.

Same address as the store?

Yes. I have an apartment
in the back.

Elora and her mother lived
somewhere in the neighbourhood, too.

I know that, because I'd see
Elora playing along the block

and see her mother
coming home from work.

The husband had been dead
a good many years.

He was a violinist.

You can't even give me
an address to start from?

Just the neighbourhood.

Uh-huh.

What was the girl like at fourteen?

Oh, she was just a little girl.

I would see lots of them
playing along the block,

and Elora Lund was
no different than the others,

except she was thin

and had long blonde curls

and big blue eyes.

Was she tall or short for fourteen,
or just average?

She was going to be tall,
I think.

What happened to her
after her mother died?

Relatives take her, was she put
into an institution, or what?

I don't know.

Well, if she's alive,
she can be found.

But it'll take money.

I got a hundred dollars.

A hundred dollars?

Can't you dig deeper?

Isn't there any way
you can raise money?

Maybe you're not
very interested in locating her.

I can mortgage my business
for a few hundred.

Oh, I wouldn't do that to you.

Why, a hundred bucks would go like that...

And we'd be no nearer to her.

Would it make any difference
if I tell you,

if you find Elora Lund,

she would pay you any sum?

Thousands.

Yes, tens of thousands,

for bringing us together.

What makes you think so?

Nothing I am at liberty
to discuss.

Let me tell you one thing.
The success of this office

depends upon the mutual trust
between my clients and myself.

Oh, I'm sorry...

I may not be the greatest
detective in the world...

but I am the most unusual.

Now, if you want to put
your confidence in me,

I'll find Elora.

All I can tell you is this.

If you find Elora Lund,

it's possible she will
make you a wealthy man.

Well, I suppose I'll see
what I can do with this.

In the meantime,
have you tried to locate her?

Oh, yes. I put an ad
in the newspapers.

- In the personal column.
- Uh-huh.

If anyone tries
to answer that ad,

I want you to get in touch with me
night or day. Will you?

- Oh, yes, sure.
- And I'll let you know

when I have anything to report.

Thank you.

And good evening.

- You want me to save this?
- Why, certainly.

Open a file for Mr Stillwell.

Are you really gonna
look for that girl?

Of course I am.
What's more, I'm gonna find her.

Three days have passed,

and Stillwell has had no word

from the private detective
he engaged.

He has almost given up hope

that he will ever find Elora Lund.

But tonight, his long search
is coming to an end.

Mr Stillwell?

Mr Stillwell?

Mr Stillwell.

Daddy Stillwell.

- Hmm?
- How are you?

What can I do for you?

Oh, it's a miracle
that I ever knew

you were looking for me.
I've been away.

But a girl I went to school with
sent me a clipping.

Elora?

Elora Lund?

My, how you've grown!

But you're just like I pictured you.

And you're just like
I remembered you.

You haven't changed a bit.

Oh, seven years don't make
much difference at my age.

Oh, but come, Elora.
Here, sit down.

There.

Now, come, tell me.

What have you been doing?

And why didn't you come
to see me?

I was afraid they'd put me
in an orphanage.

So I took what little money
there was in the house

and ran away.

I suppose you are wondering

why I advertised for you.

Well, of course I am.

But, even if you only wanted
to talk to me,

I'm glad you did.

I guess was too young
to appreciate everything, but...

I'll never forget
what a friend you were

to Mother and me.

Do you remember
those odds and ends

your mother used to bring to me
to sell for her?

I brought some myself,
when she was ill.

Well, I never sold them.

I thought, perhaps
if your mother got well,

she would like
to buy them back.

They were heirlooms.
Things she brought from Sweden.

Would you like me
to buy them back now?

Is that why
you wanted to find me?

Oh, no, no, no.

My dear, I wanted to tell you,

you are a rich young woman.

Among those odds and ends,

I found a treasure
that's worth a fortune.

- What is it?
- All in good time, Elora.

All in good time.

But I must go out
for a minute or two,

but you can wait right here.

I engaged a detective
to try and find you, my dear.

And I told him I'd let him know

the minute you answered
my advertisement.

I'll be back
in a minute or two.

Er, Mr Gale?

Yes, this is Mr Stillwell.

Oh, hello, Mr Stillwell.

Oh, she is?

And I'm sure she's Elora Lund.

Elora?

Elora!

Oh, Mr Stillwell,
I was frightened.

I thought I heard somebody
in the store.

Oh, nobody would come
at this hour.

I've got something to show you

while we're waiting
for Mr Gale.

See, it's a newspaper clipping.

I thought of you
the minute I read it.

Oh, here it is.

Read it, Elora,
and you will understand

why I said
you're a rich young woman.

Yes? What can I do for you?

- What happened, Mr Gale?
- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

The owner of this store,
Edward Stillwell, was murdered.

- Who discovered the body?
- I did.

What, again?

Now, Mr Stillwell has been
running ads in the newspapers

- trying to locate a Miss Elora Lund.
- Yeah?

Tonight, he phoned me
and said she was in the store.

When I got here, he was dead
and she had gone.

- No!
- Give us a break, will ya?

The most significant feature
of the whole thing

is that this girl
is not Elora Lund.

- Well, who is she?
- She's an impostor.

You can print that if you want,
or put it on the air.

- Where's the nearest phone?
- Right up at the head of the stairs

- Up the stairs. First landing.
- Thanks, Mr Gale!

Now, wait a minute, will ya?

Just a minute.

- Oh, Dr Gale for Miss Hanson.
- Oh.

You dirty rat!

You've got your nerve
to come here!

Why, what have I done?

You said it would be easy.
There was no danger.

You put me on a swell spot.

I got you off that spot, too,
didn't I?

Oh, you did? How?

Open the door, Freda.
Let me in.

Now, Freda...

Look, Freda, I knew
that someone was holding you

because they thought
you were Elora Lund.

I told the reporters that you weren't,
and they broadcast it.

- Who killed the old man?
- I was tied up and gagged,

and I thought I was gonna
get the knife like Stillwell.

You were going to protect me,
remember?

Well, how was I to know that
he was gonna be murdered?

Did you kill him, Freda?

Well, unless you got
a pretty good story,

the police will believe
that you killed him.

You'll have to keep me clear
of the police.

- You got me into this.
- Yeah, I know I did, my dear,

but I wasn't present when
he was murdered, and you were.

I paid you a hundred bucks
to try and find out

why he was so anxious
to locate Elora Lund.

Now, Stillwell was alive
for some time after you got there.

- What did he talk about?
- About the girl's mother.

She sold him a lot of junk
she brought from the old country.

And, among that junk, there
was something very valuable.

Mm-hmm.

What was it?

- He wouldn't say.
- Oh, come on now, Freda.

I coached you well
for the part of Elora.

He was absolutely convinced
that you were on the level.

Maybe. But he wouldn't tell me
anything until you got there.

What'd you do
when he went to phone me?

- Nothing.
- What'd you talk about when he came back?

I was telling him I thought
I'd heard somebody in the store,

when, all of a sudden,
a door behind him opened

and a guy walked into the room.

- Had you ever seen that guy before?
- No.

Was he carrying anything?

No...

I'll answer it.

Oh, good evening, Mr Summers.

I've had complaints
about noise in this apartment.

Mr Gale, this is
Mr Summers, the manager.

You'll have to leave immediately.

We can't have loud talking
at this time of night.

- People have to sleep.
- I can explain, Mr Summers.

I'm sorry.
You'll have to leave.

Good night.

- You'd better go, Don.
- Now, just a minute.

Just a minute.
Are you sure that tough guy

- didn't take anything with him?
- Yes, he took me.

Then it was Elora Lund
that he wanted.

He let you go when
the broadcasts announced

that the girl in the store
was a phoney.

- Where'd he take you?
- I don't know. I was blindfolded.

When he stopped the car,
he untied me

and walked me into a building.

Anybody else there?

I didn't hear anybody.
But I heard a radio.

Sometime in the night,
I heard a news broadcast.

Get yourself fixed up.
We're going places.

- Where are we going?
- We'll find this tough guy,

- and toss him to the police.
- And we're just going to drive

round and round
until we run into him?

No, you're gonna show me
where he took you.

All right. Go down
and wait for me in your car.

This is the maddest thing I ever
heard of, even coming from you.

I haven't the faintest idea
where he took me.

I know your eyes were covered,
but you still had other senses.

You could smell
and hear and feel.

Did you hear anything in that
building besides the radio?

- I heard a railroad engine.
- Well, that's something.

Did you smell any
industrial fumes around there?

When we got out of the car,
I smelled chocolate.

Well, the Milton Candy Company's
at the foot of Dow Street.

What was the street like,
smooth or bumpy?

It was bumpy, like cobbles.

Well, that could put us
on Macy Street,

behind the Milton Candy Company.

And what happened after that?

Well, we drove a little way
along an unpaved road...

Don, I'm frightened.
Let's get out of here.

When you got out of that car,
did you step on cement or grass?

It felt like gravel...

then it went on...
onto a boardwalk.

And, finally, three steps up
into the house.

Don, look!

This must be the place.

Let's get out of here.

You go back and wait.

Don't do it, Don.
There's a killer in there.

I don't see any car around.

I don't think
anybody's in there.

I'm gonna find out.

- You crazy fool!
- You go back and wait.

Open up, Pontos!

Open up, Pontos!

Come on, Pontos,
open the door!

Get out of there!
Open it up, Pontos!

Open up, Pontos!

There's one of 'em!

There he goes! Stop!

- Who were they?
- I think it was the police,

but I didn't stop
to look at their shields.

Well, I guess
Stillwell's murderer is dead.

- Do you want to drive?
- Well, you're doing all right.

- Did you lose a shoe?
- Afraid so.

What if they find it?

Maybe we'd better go back
and look for it.

Just keep on goin'.

- Yeah?
- It's Taggart and Burns.

- We wanna see you.
- Oh, come on up.

- Oh...
- Hello, Gale.

Hiya.

Oh, forgive us for keeping you up.

That's all right.

How you getting on
with the Stillwell case?

We got his murderer.
It was Harry Pontos.

- He was killed resisting arrest.
- Well, that's fast work.

Did you understand?

I said the murderer
was Harry Pontos.

Well, am I supposed to know him?

Every dick in the country
knows him.

He's pulled murders,
stick-ups and burglaries.

A very mean man with a knife.

He grew up here, but he never
pulled any jobs in town.

Why, he probably didn't
want to embarrass his folks.

We found a trick knife
in his bedroom.

He hadn't even bothered
to wash the blood off.

The medical examiner says it just
fits the wound in Stillwell's back.

Lots of fingerprints on it, too.

Well, you fellas can write
"finished" to that one.

Yeah, but it'd look better in the record
if we had a motive.

Maybe we'd get a motive from
the woman in Stillwell's store.

Or from the fellow that
jumped out of Pontos' window.

There's a funny thing
about that.

I saw him when he was
goin' over the fence.

He looked just like you.

Same size, same build.

Even his feet looked about
that same size as yours.

How'd you happen
to suspect Pontos?

We got a phone tip.

- Any idea who gave it to us?
- A woman.

A woman with a cultured voice

who refused
to reveal her identity.

Yes, it usually is.
But, this time, it was a man.

You don't have any ideas
about that guy

who went through the window,
do ya?

Certainly not.

Don't bother to hide that.

Here's the mate to it.

Thanks.

Er...

Thanks for bringing it back.

Er...

All right.

I got the same tip you did.

And I thought I'd follow it
through before bothering you.

I found that trick knife
in Pontos' pocket.

Before I could do
anything about it,

you fellas started
hammering on the doors.

- What else do you find in his pockets?
- Only the stuff you found there.

What did you do with the diamonds
that Pontos took out of the music box?

- Diamonds?
- Yes, diamonds, emeralds,

whatever Pontos found
in the music box.

I don't know anything
about a music box.

For your private information,
there was one in Pontos' bedroom closet.

He was taking it apart,
apparently looking for something

- that was hidden there.
- How big was it?

Oh, about six inches in height,
seven or eight inches in diameter.

Not big enough to hold much cash,

but a lot of uncut stones
could've been hidden in it.

- I doubt it.
- You mean Pontos made a mistake?

Something like that.

Case doesn't wash up
that easy.

You trip over loose ends
wherever you turn.

For instance, who was the girl
in Stillwell's store

- and where is she?
- Ah, that is confusing, isn't it?

Well, you were quick enough to tell the
reporters it wasn't the real Elora Lund.

- How'd you know that?
- I told you.

I talked to Stillwell
over the phone about her.

Who is Elora Lund
and why did Stillwell want her?

If I only knew
the answer to that one!

We're gonna know it
before we leave here.

Are you implying that I know more
than I'm telling you?

We're also implying you'll
go over for housebreaking.

- Oh, you can't be serious.
- You think not?

Maybe you did and maybe you didn't
know about the music box,

but you broke into
Pontos' house.

That's enough to send you over.

Now, who is Elora Lund?

- Who is Elora Lund?!
- Now, Taggart, take it easy.

Even a murderer's got his rights.

Remember, we knocked
before we came in here.

I've told you all I know.

If you insist on
making yourselves ridiculous

by accusing me of housebreaking,
then I'm your prisoner.

Name the woman
who was with Stillwell,

and we'll forget the housebreaking
for the time being.

Hello?

Yes, this is Don Gale.

Well, come right over here.
It's important.

Hello? Hello!

- Who is she?
- Well, you took the call.

- Who was that woman?
- I don't know.

You've been teetering on
the edge of the law for years.

Get dressed!

Unaware of the search
that is being made for her,

the real Elora Lund is recovering
from the effects of an accident

in the quiet of a sanitarium.

Elora.

Elora!

Oh, yes?

Do you know a man
named Stillwell?

Why, yes, I knew him when
I was a child. What about him?

He was murdered last night,

and somebody using your name
was in his store at the time.

Nurse! Nurse.

She came to us a month ago
to recuperate

from injuries incurred
in an auto accident.

- Is she able to walk?
- Yes.

She plans to leave
in a day or two.

Then she was physically able
to go to town last night?

But she didn't. I saw her in
the dining room between seven and eight.

Later, we ran a movie
in the auditorium.

She was there until ten o'clock.

- Oh, hello, Miss Lund.
- Hello.

Come in. Er, this is Detective Taggart
and Detective Burns.

- How do you do?
- Er, sit down, Miss Lund.

Why was Stillwell
advertising for you?

- Well, I don't know.
- Guy must have had some reason

for wanting you
to get in touch with him.

Do you think he wanted
to make you his heir?

As I remember him,
he was just a kindly old man.

He wasn't the type
to accumulate a lot of money.

Do you think the young woman
who impersonated you last night

could have been one of those
children you used to play with?

No, he would've recognised her.

Perhaps some adventuress
came across the ad

and thought she
saw an opportunity.

No, that kind of a person wouldn't
have fooled Stillwell for a moment.

She'd have had
to resemble Miss Lund

and answer the questions
that Stillwell would naturally ask.

That impostor
is the key to the whole case.

It must be someone
who knows a lot about you.

Well, I don't know who it could be.

I'd only be too glad to help,
if I could.

If you really want to co-operate
with us, Miss Lund, you can.

You probably read
in the newspapers

that we're holding the private
detective that Stillwell engaged.

Yes, I did.

Well, we think he sent
that impostor to Stillwell.

Stillwell would've described you
to Gale as well as he could.

He'd also have given him
a lot of information about you.

We haven't got any proof
that Gale sent the girl to Stillwell.

We don't want to be unfair to him.
He may be absolutely honest.

That's what you can find out
for us, if you will.

But I don't know what I can do.

We'd like you to come back
to town with us and see Gale.

Well, is it all right for me
to leave, Dr Connell?

- Why, yes, if you wish.
- Good.

We'll have Gale released. Then,
we want you to call at his office.

Take some identification,
and tell him you want to know

why Stillwell
was advertising for you.

I'll be ready in a minute.

Well, now you know what
the inside of a jail looks like.

We're gonna be nice to you.

We're gonna let you
play around in the free, fresh air.

But only for a few hours.
Then we're gonna bring you back in

and put the formal charge
against you.

- Unless you bring in the girl.
- What girl?

The one you sent up
to Stillwell.

If I'd sent one up, wouldn't I
be a sucker to tell ya?

Maybe that's where
you made your slip.

So long, Gale.
We'll be seeing you.

- I thought you were...
- In jail?

I was, but they let me out
to get you.

You're kidding, Don.
You didn't tell them about me.

And why not?
You tried to murder me last night.

You're crazy. I warned you
not to go in that house.

I told you he was dangerous.

You did everything
but tell me he was Pontos.

And then, to make doubly sure
that I'd be burned down,

you phoned the police.

I waited for you
outside in the car.

I was there when you ran out,
wasn't I?

And I drove you away.

You didn't wait
outside Pontos' house.

You drove four-tenths of a mile
to a phone

- and four-tenths of a mile back.
- Don, you've...

I looked at the speedometer.

Poor Freda. You never
thought you'd have to face me

after pulling that one.

Did the police say
a woman phoned?

No, it was a man.

Your boyfriend.

You phoned him,
and he phoned the police.

You're right, Don.

But I only did it to help you.

I knew he was a killer.

Y...

You... You must believe me.

I was scared
you'd get killed in there.

- That's why I phoned.
- Oh, no, Freda.

Your boyfriend phoned the police
that Pontos was in there

so they'd go in shooting
and burn down anyone they saw.

It was a neat little plot
to get rid of me.

You don't believe
anything I say,

so go ahead
and tell the police about me.

They won't do much to me,

and it will cost
you your licence.

It's not as simple as that.
You and I have a lot to settle first.

You're right.
We have something to settle.

You lied to me,
pitched me into a murder!

- Now, talk!
- You're hurting me, Don.

You thought there was money
waiting for Elora Lund

and you thought
you could put yourself over

as Elora long enough
to get that money.

But you had to find some way
to get me out of the picture.

No.

You're all wrong.

You're only guessing.
Why would I double-cross you?

There'd be no point
in having Stillwell killed

unless you knew
what it was all about.

So we can start from there.

And remember,
you're talking for your life.

All right.

There is money in it.

Two hundred thousand dollars.

Think of it.

A hundred thousand dollars each.

Ah, so now we're partners?

Why didn't you offer
to cut me in last night?

I figured I was entitled
to anything I could get

- for what I went through last night.
- What you went through?

All right, I'm greedy.

Pontos was working with me.
But what about you?

You're only sore because
you wanted to grab it all for yourself.

What was it Stillwell had
that was worth

two hundred thousand dollars,
and where is it?

The police.
They followed you here.

Answer it.

Freda?

Freda.

- She's here.
- Freda?

No. Elora Lund. The real one.

I put her in your office
because this place

has been like a squad room
at headquarters.

Good girl.

Now, if anyone comes in here
even smelling of the police station,

- give me a couple of buzzes.
- Don...

Hey, what's the matter with you?

You afraid you're not working
for a respectable firm

- just because I spent the night in jail?
- That's happened before.

- Well, then, what is it?
- It's Elora Lund.

She's a sweet kid
and she's been sick

and I'm not gonna stand by
and see her robbed.

When have I ever
robbed a client?

Whenever you've
had an opportunity.

Good afternoon, Miss Lund.

I'm Mr Gale.

Oh, please don't stand up.

I suppose you read
in the newspapers

that Mr Stillwell engaged me
to try and locate you?

Well, I've been in a sanitarium
recovering from an accident.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Well, now that you're here,

it should be
comparatively simple to...

get whatever it was
Mr Stillwell wanted you to have.

I don't think I understand.

We go to the police and
prove your identity,

make a formal claim
for your property.

Oh, but I haven't any idea

why Mr Stillwell was
advertising for me.

- You haven't?
- No.

Was your family related
in any way to Jenny Lind?

No, not that I ever heard of.

I want you to think very carefully
before you answer this.

Did your mother
ever sell Mr Stillwell

any old wax records?

- Yes!
- What were they?

"Vorvisa" and "En Sommarafton".
Jenny Lind sang them.

What condition were they in
the last time you saw them?

Well, I don't know.
I never saw them,

but Mother told me about them.

They were in a little square trunk
with some old music boxes.

Jenny Lind died in 1887.

How did they come
in your mother's possession?

Jenny Lind made them
for my great-grandfather,

but he never went
into commercial production.

Stillwell wanted you
to have them.

He told me as much.

And I feel confident that the records
are somewhere in that store.

Well, then the police
can find them.

Well, you and I know
the records are rightfully yours.

We can't prove it.

And no matter how much
the police might want to help you,

they can't turn over to you
anything that they find in the store.

The records do really
belong to me, don't they?

Why, of course they do.

And I'm gonna get them for you.

And, what's more, I'm gonna turn
Stillwell's murderer over to justice.

Is what you're going to do legal?

Well, turning a murderer over
to justice is certainly legal.

- Won't it be dangerous?
- Well, not for you it won't.

Of course, I expect to be paid
for any risks that I take.

Er...

Shall we say
that I am to receive

one-fourth of whatever
the records bring?

- Really, Miss Lund, I...
- That's only fair.

Fine.

- Where are you stopping?
- At the Gordon Hotel.

I don't want the police to see
you until this is all over.

I'm going to take you
to the home of a woman I know,

a very nice woman,

and, er, you'll be
out of sight there.

Now, er...

Er...

Some of my clients like to
leave this way, unnoticed.

If you don't mind, I prefer
to go out the way I came in.

We're...
We're playing for big stakes.

We can't afford
to be squeamish, can we?

Look, if you don't have
any confidence in me,

maybe we better turn the
whole thing over to the police.

Oh, it isn't exactly that.

It's just that the confidence
seems to be all on one side.

For instance,
you haven't yet told me

about the girl you sent to
Mr Stillwell to impersonate me.

Oh, that!

Well, Stillwell wanted me
to undertake the job

of locating you without pay.

I had to find out what
it was all about, didn't I?

I see. What was her name?

Oh, just a girl that
works for me occasionally.

I'll tell you all about it later.
Come on.

Wait.

Miss Denning, I'd like
to have you meet Miss Lund.

I'm always pleased
to meet any friend of Don's.

Miss Lund is a client of mine.

She'd like to keep out of sight
for the rest of the day.

Come along.

Just make yourself
perfectly at home.

No-one will
bother you here, dearie.

Rose...

I don't want her
to use the phone,

and I don't want her to leave.

You expect me to use force
if she tries to get away?

I expect you
to use your head.

Don...

If I'm not back by two a.m.,

let her do
whatever she wants to.

Get me police...

Operator?

Hello? Operator!

So sorry, dearie.
The phone's out of order.

They're supposed to fix it today.

It sounded all right when I dialled,
and then it went dead.

Sit down, dearie, sit down.
Take your weight off your feet.

I don't know anything
about telephones.

I never was one
for anything mechanical.

I don't like the nasty things.

They get on my nerves,
ringing all night.

Er... Do you have
any other lodgers?

Not for the moment.

It's easier and more profitable

to have only occasional guests,
like yourself.

Then, er, the others only stay

a couple of hours,
like I'm doing?

Oh, my, no!

They stay for days,
even weeks sometimes.

- Have a little drink?
- No, thank you.

Hmm.

Don't like to waste it,
you know.

Now, don't you get thinking
there's anything wrong.

I have connections with
private detectives and lawyers.

Sometimes it's witnesses
they have to keep undercover.

Sometimes it's clients
who want to avoid process servers.

Sometimes it's a gentleman
who's behind in his alimony.

They're all perfectly nice people.

Good afternoon, sir.

- Mr Brown?
- Yes.

I'm Don Gale. Mr Stillwell's friend?

- You knew him well, didn't you?
- Indeed, yes.

I was perhaps
his closest friend.

Well, that's what
he led me to believe,

and he told me that, if anything
should ever happen to him,

before I was able to locate Elora,

that I was to get in touch
with you, that you'd help me

- in any way that you can.
- Naturally.

You see, I knew Elora too.

Well, then you want to see
Elora get what's rightfully hers

and you want to see
his murderers brought to justice.

Of course.

You see, the police seem to be
absolutely at a loss.

In fact, I don't think anything'll
ever be done if it's left to them.

I know who the murderers are...

Er... Could we talk privately
in your office?

Oh, certainly, Mr Gale.
Right this way.

- Hello, Charlie.
- Her name is Freda Hanson.

She didn't leave
her apartment all day,

and the manager came up
to see if she was all right.

He found her body in a closet.

She was strangled
with a piece of strong cord.

- Who put the body on the couch?
- Oh, the manager.

When he found her
in the closet,

he untied this rope
from around her throat

and carried her in here
to revive her.

I figured he was
about six hours too late.

The medical examiner
will tell us when she died.

- Where's the manager now?
- Well, downstairs.

Go get him.

Pardon me, dearie.

Say, can't we get out of here
for a while?

Mr Gale doesn't want you
to leave the house.

- You mean, I'm a prisoner?
- Don't be absurd.

You wanted to come here,
didn't you?

Aren't you going
to answer the door?

Nope.

- We're not receiving tonight.
- But it might be Mr Gale.

Oh, no. He won't be here
until after midnight.

Well, I don't know when he'll be here,

but if you don't
answer the door, I will.

Very well.
But I know it's not Mr Gale.

"Elora Lund,
born August 18th, 1924.

"General Hospital.
Parents, Mr and Mrs..."

Get the idea? That's the kind of
information you'd pass out

to anyone going out
to do little a job of impersonation.

- Here's the manager now.
- Send him in.

I'm James Summers, gentlemen.

I hope I didn't do wrong
in moving the body.

Miss Gordon from next door
was with me.

We thought Miss Hanson
might be still alive.

That was the natural thing to do.

Where was
Freda Hanson employed?

Oh, I don't know.

She was a photographic model,
I've heard.

I guess Miss Gordon would know
more about her than anybody.

Will you ask Miss Gordon to see us
in the lobby in a few minutes?

I'll be glad to.

- Henry.
- Yes, sir?

Go to my office and get
a photograph of Don Gale.

- You'll find a couple on my desk.
- Yes, sir.

I want to see Mr Taggart
or Mr Burns.

I'm Elora Lund.

- Did you just leave Don Gale, Miss Lund?
- No, I didn't.

- Henry.
- Yes, sir?

This is Miss Lund.
This officer will take you to them.

They'll wanna see you
right away.

- Thank you.
- This way, miss.

Did you see the man
I just described come in here?

Yes, he walked right on past the desk
without announcing himself.

Mr Summers saw him, too.

How long before
he came down again?

Well, about twenty minutes.

Miss Lund came to headquarters
looking for you.

- Mr Taggart, I...
- One moment, Miss Lund.

Yes, that's him.

Now, look carefully
and take your time.

Your identification
will hang that man.

So what?
He killed Freda, didn't he?

And so Gale is charged

with the cowardly murder
of a woman.

The police have a strong motive.

They have proof
of his opportunity.

They have
incontrovertible evidence

that he was
in Freda's apartment

at the time she was killed.

In fact, they have everything...

except Don Gale.

Jimmy, pour Joan a drink.

- Right away.
- I don't want anything, Jimmy.

Are you out of your mind
or just drunk?

I've been looking
everywhere for you.

I hardly expected
to find you in a bar.

Why not?

They found Freda's body.

I said, they found Freda's body.

What are you talking about?

The police know that
you were in her place,

and they're looking for you.

I came to warn you.
That's all I can do for you.

It's more than I should.

Before you go, tell me,

am I supposed
to have murdered Freda?

Please, Don, don't touch me.

Don't even talk to me.

People are watching us.

Well, you can set
your little mind at rest.

I disliked Freda,
but not enough to kill her.

They have proof that
you were in her apartment

at the time she was murdered.

- If you didn't kill her, who did?
- I don't know.

Someone came to the door,
but I didn't see who it was.

- Good night, Jimmy.
- Come back soon.

Don. Don!

Are you gonna give yourself up?

Not right away.

You won't last
five minutes on the street.

Every police car in town
is looking for you.

And I'll be looking
for every police car in town.

That'll make us even.

Why don't you go to them
and tell them everything you know?

That's what
any innocent man would do.

Well, I'm not any innocent man.

Have a look around outside.

Don, what are you gonna do?

I'm going to Stillwell's,

and I'm gonna get
a couple of Jenny Lind records

that are worth
two hundred thousand dollars.

The man who killed Freda
knows about 'em, too.

I hope to meet him there.

And then you're gonna give
Elora Lund the records and...

and hand the murderer
to the police, is that it?

- That's the plot.
- I don't believe it.

If that were true, you'd go
to the police right now.

Well, have it your way.

I'm gonna get those records
and head for the border.

If I thought
you really meant that,

I'd go straight to headquarters
and tell Taggart and Burns.

Do what you like.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

- Can you make it up those stairs?
- Yep.

That's Gale's secretary.

She's going back
to tell him the coast is clear.

Look out.

Brown has been murdered.

And if the police catch you here,

they'll pin this one
on you, too.

I'm for calling it quits.

Perhaps you're right.

I've had all I want of this.

The cops are liable
to be here any minute.

Maybe it's all a pipe dream.
We've looked everyplace.

Well...

haven't we?

They're worth
a hundred thousand apiece.

Lookit.

I can't read the rest of it,

but I can read "Jenny Lind".

And I said
it was all a pipe dream.

We better get out of here.
Come on!

Will you kindly put those
records on the floor, Mr Summers?

I guess it's time
for us all to be reasonable.

We'll declare you in, Mr Gale.

I'm not interested.

Pontos was
one of your partners,

and Freda the other.

Freda can thank you
for what she got.

You were going to turn her
over to the police.

Now I'm gonna turn you over,

your friend here,
and the records.

You're kidding.

You wouldn't throw
a fortune like this away.

Oh, but I would.

Somebody's gonna hang
for Freda and Stillwell.

If it isn't you,
I'm very much afraid

it might be me.

Stop!

Police headquarters.

This is Don Gale.

Get in touch
with Taggart and Burns,

and tell 'em
I'm at Brown's Brass Shop.

I've got Freda Hanson's murderer

and the Jenny Lind records
that caused all the trouble.

Too bad.

One of the bullets went
right through the box

before it hit him.

And so, after long years

of balancing precariously
on the borderline of the law,

Don Gale was trying at the end
to do the right thing.

But he made one fatal mistake.

Thinking that one of the killers

had come back to attack him,

he fired blindly.

Taggart and Burns
will never know

that Gale's shots
were not meant for them.