Original subtitles

("Alfred Hitchcock" theme music)

(dramatic music)

- Good evening ladies and gentlemen

and welcome to "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour."

This is my new sports car.

I'm quite proud of it.

However, I wish I also had one for the other foot.

I did consider entering this in the Grand Prix,

but decided not to.

I'm sure I would've won the boobie prix.

However, we must be getting on with tonight's show.

I receive a great many inquiries from viewers

who wonder why I permit commercials on our show.

Frankly, I feel that television commercials

are ideally suited to this type of program.

This next one, for example, is most appropriate.

It's deadly.

(dramatic music)

- Well, that's the first part of the story, Victor,

plus the cast of characters.

Remember the people I've called Janet and Ivar West.

They play an important part in the murder I have in mind.

- Hi, honey is he in?

- Yes, go right in.

He's expecting you.

- Hello, Tom.

Thanks for coming down.

Drink?

- It's a little early in the day for me.

- You may want one soon enough.

- What do you mean?

- Sherman, will you hold my calls, please?

You never met Warren Barrow, have you?

- Barrow, no.

- I started publishing his mysteries three years ago.

Good stuff, neat little chess problems,

nice edge of lunacy.

Anyway, I've been working quite closely with him.

He's nervous, high strung, not at all like you.

- Thanks.

- A day or two ago, he started sending

me some tape recordings.

This is the first one.

It's incredible.

He seems to be treating me as

if were his father, confessing.

- How do you mean?

- For some reason, probably because I'm more

than just a publisher to him,

he needs my approval or at least my ear.

If what he says is true, he's gonna kill someone,

and there's nothing I can do to stop him.

- Sounds like a joke to me.

- Joke?

Judge for yourself.

- [Warren] This is for Victor Hartman,

Publisher of Medallion Press.

Repeat, this is for Victor Hartman only.

Hello Victor.

I'm sure you're surprised to hear from me in this way,

but I rather desperately need someone to talk to.

Maybe I'm used to having your blue pencil slash

through everything I write.

So consider yourself a captive audience.

First, let me make one thing clear.

Warren Barrow is not my real name.

It's a pseudonym, Victor,

a new identity I acquired before I met you.

And the names of the people I'm gonna tell you about

are also fictitious.

So you'll never know whether this recording is true

or pure fantasy, a dictated fantasy of mine,

or the actual history of a murder.

- But wait a minute, does he--

- [Warren Voice Over] You always said background

was important in a story,

so I'll start with mine.

I was married, Victor.

Did you know that?

A beautiful girl named Helen.

She was perfect.

Everything I'd been looking for.

After the wedding,

we took a honeymoon in the south of France.

We decided to stay for a week at a hotel

on the Mediterranean coast.

We usually took our meals with another American couple,

the Wests.

Ivar West was a business man from the states.

In the few days I had known him,

he seemed more interested in the local wine

than his wife, but Janet was different, very different.

I can remember one night in particular.

- My wife likes to criticize, mostly in public.

- Oh, let's forget all this and go down to the casino.

I feel like gambling.

- Again?

- Why not, it's something to do.

Will you two join us?

- Yes, we'd love to, wouldn't we?

- Oh no, I'm a little tired, darling.

- Well, why don't you let us take care of you.

- Well, you can count me out, too.

I was just there last night.

- You're feeling all right, aren't you?

- Oh yes, I'm fine, just a little tired.

You really wanna go, don't you?

- Well, yes.

- Of course you do.

I'm sure your wife won't mind if we go together.

- No, of course not.

Go ahead.

It's perfectly all right.

- We better be leaving now, before it gets too crowded.

- Uh, no, that's all.

Merci.

Well, since we seemed to have switched mates,

why don't you join me for a little night cap

down at Papa George.

- No, I am tired, really.

- Oh, it's only 10:00.

Come on, enjoy yourself.

- Well, all right.

- Good, good.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Warren Voice Over] Janet gambled her husband's money

as if she wanted to lose it.

I couldn't take my eyes off her.

- I'm bored.

Let's go for a drive.

- You gonna cash in your chips?

(speaking in foreign language)

- Now we don't have to cash them in.

(speaking in foreign language)

Why don't we stop for awhile?

(sighing deeply)

Why were you looking at me at the casino?

- Was I?

- You thought I didn't notice.

- Maybe I was admiring your dress.

- Ivar bought it for me.

Dear Ivar.

You know, there's one part of the Bible I know by heart.

I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift.

Nor the battle to the strong,

but time and chance happen to them all.

Means you can be as clever as you like,

but you gotta have luck.

You've gotta work for it and grab it when it comes.

I was very poor when I was young.

Very poor.

You know, you're a very interesting man.

- I think maybe we ought to start back.

My wife will be waiting for me.

(dramatic music)

Darling?

(dramatic music)

Hello, this is room 112, cent douze.

Did my wife leave a message for me?

Did you see her this evening?

She went out?

With Mr. West.

I see.

(dramatic music)

- Darling, I thought you'd be asleep.

- Did you? - Oh, I'm sorry

to be so late.

But Ivar kept running from club to club.

Oh, I told him I wanted to get back,

but he was a little drunk.

- Do you know how long you kept me wainting here?

- Oh, I'm sorry, darling, really.

- Charming man, isn't he?

- What do you mean?

- I think you know exactly what I mean.

- I think you're actually jealous.

I just had a few drinks with the man, that's all.

- A few drinks, nothing else.

- Of course not.

Let's not argue about this.

It isn't important.

- Maybe it is important to me.

Maybe I don't like my wife staying

out all night with another man.

Pack your things, we're leaving.

- Leaving, why? - Because, I wanna

get out of this place.

- Darling.

I am sorry about tonight.

But nothing happened.

Please believe me.

- I know. - You do?

- I've been sitting here thinking what an idiot I am.

It's my fault.

Please forgive me.

- Of course I will.

- I love you.

- Look out!

(car crashing)

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

- [Warren Voice Over] She was dead, Victor,

killed instantly.

We'd been married less than a month.

When I woke up in a French hospital,

the doctors told me that I was fortunate to be alive.

I had a concussion.

They wanted met to submit to a series of brain operations.

I refused.

I didn't care if I was tormented

by headaches the rest of my life.

It would serve as a punishment for Helen's death.

Well, that's the first part of my story, Victor,

plus the cast of characters.

Remember the people I've called Janet and Ivar West?

They play an important part in the murder I have in mind.

- Well, what do you think?

- Barrows had a tragedy.

He feels guilty about his wife's death.

This tape recording is nothing

but a painful self-confession.

- That's what I thought.

Then I got the second tape.

- [Warren Voice Over] This is for Victor Hartman only.

Hello Victor, Warren Barrow again.

Let me bring you up to date.

When I left France three years ago.

I came here to San Francisco.

I picked a new name and a new life.

I began writing.

You published my first mystery novel.

I led a quiet existence.

Lived by myself and spent much of time thinking of Helen.

Then, one night, I felt rather lonely,

and I dropped into a local club.

* If you won't go *

* Please don't you hinder me *

* Yeah, if you won't go *

* Don't you hinder me *

- Scotch and water.

* Because I'm no my way *

* Glory hallelujah, on my way *

* Well I'm on my way *

* And I won't trun back *

* I'm on my way *

* And I won't turn back *

* I'm on my way *

* Won't turn back *

* Yeah I'm on my way *

* Glory *

* Yeah, I'm on my *

* Way *

(audience applauding)

* Left my man this morning *

* Standing in my door *

* When I got back *

* He didn't want me no more *

* Well, goodbye *

* Goodbye oh daddy *

- Hello, do you remember me?

- Hello, will you join us?

- Ah, thank you.

- This is Mrs. Hurley.

- How do you do?

- And this is Mr.-- - Barrow, Warren Barrow.

- Mr. Barrow and I met a few years ago in France.

- How nice.

* Good bye, good bye, good bye *

- You sure you won't stay awhile longer?

- Oh, no, no dear, I must go.

If you'll excuse me, Mr. Barrow.

- Call me.

Mr. Barrow.

Since when?

- Since I came back to America.

I wanted to make a fresh start.

New name sometimes helps.

* Good bye, oh daddy, goodbye *

(lively music)

- Who was your friend?

- Oh, a friend who's also very useful.

Or am I being too transparent.

- No, it's all right.

- So are you living in San Francisco?

- Uh-huh. - We have an apartment

up on the hill.

* Good bye, good bye, daddy, good bye *

- Oh yes, we're still married.

Does that surprise you?

* Good bye * - I don't know.

- He's unbearable, but the pay is good.

(lively music)

I heard about your wife.

I meant to send a wire but I didn't know where you were.

- Thanks any way.

- Are you remarried? - No.

* Good bye, oh daddy *

- What are you doing with yourself?

- I became a writer.

Detective stories. - Oh, well,

I'll have to stop by some day.

I've always wondered how an author lives.

- What's wrong with now?

It's not too far.

- Sounds interesting, but I'm afraid I've lost my chaperone.

* Good bye, good bye, good bye *

- Do you need one?

- No.

(lively music)

* I know, Daddy, you told me good bye *

* If you don't want me, guess I lay down and die *

* Good bye, but I will *

* Yeah *

- Remote, isn't it?

- I like privacy.

Oh, excuse me.

- Oh, so many books.

You'll have to let me read one of yours.

(dramatic music)

Thank you.

I wish you had done that a few years ago.

(dramatic music)

- [Warren Voice Over] That was the beginning

of our relationship, Victor.

We saw each other constantly.

Janet would talk about her husband,

his cruelty, his possessiveness,

the fact that her life with him was almost unbearable.

She was good for me, Victor.

She even took an interest in my work.

- It's excellent.

I'm always so amazed how cleverly

you put these things together.

- Tell that to the critics.

- Darling, what if you were writing a novel about us?

And suppose we were looking for the perfect way

to get rid of, well, let's say Ivar.

- Ivar? (chuckling)

- How would we go about it, just for fun?

- That shouldn't be too hard.

- Now remember, he's worth a lot of money

and I'd be the first one they'd suspect.

- Not if you had an alibi.

Well, let's see now, I'd kill him, obviously.

You'd have to be out of the house with a friend.

- Mrs. Hurley. - Exactly,

you'd take Mrs. Hurley out to dinner

and I'd lure Iver over here on some pretext.

Then-- - Yes.

- Well then, I'd kill him.

- Oh, what about the body?

- I'd dig a grave at the back of the house.

There's nothing but woods there, anyway.

Wait a minute.

I've just thought of a rather nice touch.

In the last few days before we killed him,

you could go around telling all his friends

that he'd been working too hard,

that he was run down, depressed.

Yes, and then, on the day of the murder,

you would take one of his jackets, leave it near the shore.

- I see.

And they'd find identification in his pockets

and think he committed suicide,

because the body would never be found.

- You learn fast.

- No, I'm not very good at these things, but...

One point bothers me.

- What's that?

- Suppose someone found the grave behind the house?

- That's no problem.

Because by that time, I should have changed back

to my real name and married you.

And the police will be looking for Warren Barrow,

a mystery writer, who doesn't exist.

- You know, it could actually work.

- Yes, shaping up nicely.

(dramatic music)

We talked about the plan frequently.

It grew to be a favorite game.

(dramatic music)

It was all in jest, of course.

- You do love me, don't you?

- Yes, of course I do.

- Then there's a way out.

Remember our little plan?

It's the perfect solution.

- That was just a game.

- I know, but don't you see, it can actually work.

(dramatic music)

- You can't be serious.

- Warren, look at me, darling.

You love me, I know you do.

- Yes, but...

- We couldn't have come this far if you hadn't loved me.

Now we just need to go one step further and listen,

I spent all afternoon calling my friends,

telling them he's been very depressed for weeks.

- Why did you do that without telling me?

- I thought you'd be pleased.

- Don't you realize what'll happen when he finds out?

- He won't.

Because you're getting rid of him tonight.

- Janet, wait a minute.

- It'll be over soon.

He's coming here at 9:00.

- What? - I told him

I ran into you a few days ago.

Now, he loves Flemish paintings.

I told him you had one for sale.

It's not true, of course, but it doesn't matter.

It'll at least get him here.

And I've taken one of his coats out of the closet.

It's out in the car.

I'll drop it by the shore later tonight.

You see?

I've done everything just the way you planned.

- This is much too fast.

- Why wait?

We can finally be together.

You told me you loved me?

- Get a divorce!

It's the easiest way.

- And live on your royalities?

I've always needed money and I've always

been honest with you about that.

- At least let's think it over.

- There isn't time.

Darling, you've been so clever about this.

It'll work, I know it will.

- All right, all right.

- We've always had it in the back of our minds, haven't we?

And don't forget, you owe it to him,

not only for me, but for your wife.

- Helen. - He was the one

who kept her out that night.

He was trying to punish you for going off with me.

Will you do it?

(dramatic music)

- We are about to pass the half way point.

Time will be allowed if you need

to change your tires or gas up.

I must warn you about this, however,

this area is well policed.

Do not attempt to leave your living room

or to change channels.

Any attempt to defect will be dealt with harshly.

Radar is a marvelous device.

During the station break, an elderly gentleman

in Peru, Indiana, attempted to go to the kitchen

for a jelly sandwich and was detected at once.

He has been given a long sentence of hard labor.

To be precise, he must watch the following commercial.

(dramatic music)

- Well, I think I'll take that drink now, huh?

- Help yourself.

Now you know why I called you.

I needed someone to talk to,

just like our friend on this tape.

- And you wanted my opinion.

- That's why you're here.

- Well, why me, Victor?

- Because of the things you write.

Analytical problems with a fine sense of psychology.

If anyone can make sense out of this whole muddle, you can.

- Well, I am flattered,

but I think the answer's fairly simple.

Barrow's unbalanced.

The automobile accident must have affected his brain.

- Did it?

- Well, of course.

Why else would a man preview a murder on a tape recorder?

- Maybe there wasn't any accident.

Now, think of this, Tom.

Maybe this whole thing is just

an outline for Barrow's new novel.

- No, come on, you don't believe that.

- You remember the time you called me in the middle

of the night and started to give me an idea

for your new book.

- For a minute, I thought you'd lost your mind.

- That was different.

I was out partying it up.

I was up on cloud nine.

- But Barrow is not, huh?

- Well no, this, look, Janet, Janet West;

she's obviously taking advantage of his mental condition.

She's using him.

- But even so, what do I do?

If I take it to the police,

I'm opening myself up for a lawsuit.

Besides, I don't even know where he lives.

His correspondence is sent to a post office box.

- Well, he doesn't have a phone number or anything?

- Well, if he had one, don't you think I would've used it?

- What about Ivar West?

How do we reach him?

West isn't even his real name.

- He could be dead now.

- It's still possible we're upset about nothing.

He may just be outlining a new book.

- Sorry, I don't buy that.

(machine buzzing)

- Yes. - A package just arrived

for you, Mr. Hartman.

It's marked urgent.

- I'll be right out.

Excuse me.

How did this get here? - Messenger.

- This just arrived.

Apparently, it's the next installment.

- Come on, what are you waiting for?

Put it on!

- Hello, Victor.

I didn't think I'd be speaking to you again,

but things have changed.

It's early morning now.

In a few hours, I'll send this off to you.

But first, let me tell you what happened with Ivar West.

(dramatic music)

Janet had left some time ago to establish an alibi.

It was arranged that she should call me later.

If everything went according to plan,

I wasn't to answer the phone.

Then, in a few months, we would meet and quietly marry.

(dramatic music)

I suppose you want to see the painting.

- Never mind that.

What about my wife?

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

I thought you came here to buy a painting.

- Painting?

It's only an excuse to get me over here.

I don't see why you didn't just call me

and say let's have it out about Janet.

I've known about you two,

the telephone calls, the trips over here.

- Is that the way you spend your time,

checking up on your wife?

- With Janet, it's necessary.

You don't think that you're the first, do you?

All right, let's get down to business.

How much do you want to forget her?

- That's a cheap thing to say.

- Like certain cheap pleasures.

But then, you're the expert on those.

- Maybe she's looking for something she doesn't get at home.

Understanding, maybe.

- I give her everything that she wants.

I keep her in comfort.

- I'm sure she pays a price for it.

- At least, I keep her alive.

- What did you say?

- I said, at least I keep her alive.

- You talking about Helen?

- Take it any way you want.

Wait a minute, look, what are you doing?

Put that away.

Look, we can talk about this.

Please, put it away.

- Oh.

- Please don't shoot.

We can settle this.

Give me a chance.

- No.

- At least, at least let me pray.

- What?

- Give me a minute to pray.

- All right, go ahead, pray.

What are you waiting for, pray.

- I can't.

- Go on, say something.

- Please, I can't.

- Get up.

Here.

You want another?

No, thank you.

- I hope that Janet knows what she's getting into.

- Will you divorce her?

- Of course, I have grounds.

Cruelty for one.

- You talk about cruelty.

- I know what you're thinking,

but you've only heard her side of the story.

I suppose she's told you

that I've knocked her around and insulted her.

- That's right.

- It stands to reason.

That's what she told the others.

- You're always talking about other men.

I don't believe it.

- That's your privilege, but let me tell you one thing.

I never hit her in my life.

- Why didn't you get rid of her?

- Well, I don't know.

Habit, I suppose.

- In spite of all those other men?

- I learned to live with it, but that's over.

I'm gonna check into a hotel tonight

and call my lawyer in the morning.

That is, if-- - If what?

- If you'll let me leave here.

- Oh, go ahead.

- Good night.

(phone ringing)

- Janet's call.

I didn't answer because I'd made a decision.

I'd go to her and tell her what had happened.

Her husband was going to divorce her anyway.

(dramatic music)

I drove for hours, trying to clear my mind,

trying to understand what had happened.

There was only one answer and I refused to believe it.

(dramatic music)

Who are you?

- Warren Barrow?

- That's right.

- Police officers, Mr. Barrow.

My name is Pierson, this is my partner, Jack Rossetti.

Mind if we come in?

- Do you have a warrant?

- No, sir, but we can get one if we have to.

- What's this all about?

- Just routine, Mr. Barrow.

We got a call.

Someone said they heard a shot coming from this house.

- They leave a name?

- No sir.

- Well, that's ridiculous.

I don't have a neighbor for miles.

- All the same, I wa swondering if you had any firearms.

- I just have this gun.

It hasn't been fired in years.

- Is it registered?

- Yes, of course.

The safety catch seems to be stuck.

Everything seems to be in order.

- I think I can explain that telephone call.

- Yes, sir.

- I'm a mystery writer.

One of my friends was probably playing a joke.

Here, my compliments.

- Thanks, I'll have to read this.

My wife goes through six a week.

We might as well leave.

Sorry to bother you, Mr. Barrow.

- That's perfectly all right.

- Like you said, she was probably playing a joke.

- She? - What was that?

- She?

- The woman on the phone.

Well, good night.

(dramatic music)

Janet had planned it all perfectly.

I had to admire the skill.

The police were supposed to find Ivar's body and arrest me.

Janet would say I was a poor, unbalanced man,

a man who had reason to hate her husband.

Then, she'd be free, with Ivar's money

to do whatever she pleased.

So now, I have to kill her.

After all, anyone would do the same in my place,

wouldn't they, Victor, wouldn't they?

- You still think it's a book?

- No, but how do we prove it?

- That's not important.

What we have to do is find Janet West, whoever she is,

and try and warn her.

- But remember, Tom, so far,

he hasn't committed a single illegal act.

It's nothing but talk.

- Yes.

(machine buzzing)

- Yes.

- Someone to see you, sir. - Can it wait, I'm busy.

- [Woman] He said you wanted to talk to him.

- Well, who is it? - A Mr. Barrow.

- Send him in, please.

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)

- Hello, Warren. - Hello.

- This is Tom Keller, one of our writers.

Drink? - No, thank you.

I just dropped by for a few minutes.

I thought I'd pick up these tapes.

- Oh, I'd like to talk to you about your new book.

Great idea putting it on tape.

- Oh yes, my book.

Well, it's a bit rough at the moment,

but I think you'll be able

to get the general flow of the story.

- Then it is a story?

- Yes, of course.

- Yeah, I hope you don't mind, Warren,

but I asked Tom to come in to listen to it.

Another opinion always helps.

It's quite an unusual book.

- Very unusual.

- Well, I hope I didn't confuse you by using my own name.

It's just a device to make the thing more realistic.

Well, what did you think?

- I'll be honest with you.

It does seem a bit far fetched.

Don't you agree, Tom?

- No, not really.

I think it could very easily happen in real life.

- But it's so implausible,

the idea of a character sending tapes to his publisher.

It's kind of hard to believe.

- No, no, not at all.

You see, he wants someone to understand the way he feels.

It's quite natural.

He wants to share his point of view.

After all, when he's finished what he's has to do,

he doesn't want people to think he's just a common murderer.

He has reasons.

He's got complete justification.

He's a very sympathetic character.

- Sympathetic?

I think he's a weakling.

- What do you mean?

- Well, Barrow's a total fool.

- Now, wait a minute.

- (laughing) Nothing personal.

- Tom means the character in your book.

- Sure, let's look at him.

He's completely under the domination of Janet West,

like Pavlov's dog.

She whistles, he barks.

- But he's in love with her.

- Well, what kind of a man would fall

in love with a woman like that?

- But you haven't met Janet Waverley.

Any man could be in love with her.

- You mean any man like Barrow.

Oh no, she's using him.

He's nothing more than a pawn.

- That's not true.

- And this business about recording the murder plan

in advance, this belief in an infallible false identity.

It's nothing but the conceit of an unbalanced mind.

- It's not unbalanced.

- Of course he is.

It's all in the boko.

He needed a brain operation and he refused.

- Was that in the, was that on the tape/

- Don't you remember?

- Yes, yes, that's right, yes.

- I mean, it's just my opinion.

Your character is weak and pathetic.

No reader could possibly be interested in him.

- I don't agree.

- I don't expect you to.

- You're too close to it Warren.

- I am not.

I'm completely objective.

- Are you?

- You must realize that Barrow's wife

was lucky to die when she did.

- Don't say that.

- She was saved from seeing h er husband disintergrate.

- You didn't listen!

You didn't understand at all!

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout like that!

I get so involved with my characters.

Well, naturally,

I don't agree with your criticisms, of course.

But I'll, I'll think some more about them.

If you'll excuse me, I'll--

- Oh, Mr. Barrow, do you have a light?

- Yes, I--

- It's strange, the character in your book

has a cut finger, too.

- Yes, that's quite a coincidence.

He cut it on the safety catch of his revolver.

- Yes.

- Well thank you, gentlemen for your help.

Now, if you don't mind, I'd like my tapes.

- Why don't I send them to you?

- I'd like to listen to them again.

Maybe I was a bit hasty.

- Well, I--

- That's the trouble with the law.

A man has to commit a crime before you can stop him.

I thought for sure he'd break.

Did you see the look on his face when I attacked his hero?

- For a minute, I thought he was going to admit the truth.

Then he got a grip on himself.

- Now we're right back where we started.

- Exactly.

If I go to the police, he'll do what he did with us,

claim it's a book.

You know, there's still nothing illegal

about recording a mystery novel.

There's only one thing that bothers me.

Why did he come here?

- 'Cause unconsciously, he wanted to be stopped.

- Oh, we didn't do a very good job.

- Wait, didn't he, yes, he used the name Janet Waverley.

- That's right.

And on the tapes, he called her Janet West.

- He was excited.

Maybe he made a slip.

Perhaps Waverley is her real name.

Where's your phone book?

- Watanobi, Watkins,

Watts, Waverley.

No Janet.

Wait a minute, Ivar Waverley!

- Of course.

He used their real first names.

Try her on the phone.

If she's there, we'll warn her.

4211.

(phone dialing)

(phone ringing)

- Nobody's answering.

She's not home.

- Let it ring.

(phone ringing)

- I'm going over there.

- I'll go with you.

- No, you risk a lawsuit.

Take the tape over and play it for the police.

Keep trying her and I'll go

and park myself in front of her house.

(dramatic music)

- Now Janet, why are you so shocked?

It's only me.

- Well, I wasn't expecting you.

- No, I suppose not.

You outta lock that door.

- I thought I had.

- No, it was open.

You don't usually overlook things like that.

How are you?

- I'm fine, darling.

But you know, you really shouldn't be here.

We agreed we wouldn't see each other for weeks.

- That was only if we carried out our plan.

- Didn't everything work out?

- Not quite.

- Well you really must excuse me, darling.

I'm really very tired.

- Aren't you interested in what happened to Ivar?

I thought you'd want to know.

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

- Is this Mrs. Waverley, Janet Waverley?

- Yes.

- [Victor] Does the name Warren Barrow mean anything to you?

- I don't understand.

Who is this?

- My name is Victor Hartman.

I'm Barrow's publisher.

Do you know Warren Barrow?

- Yes, I do.

- I want you to talk to Lieutenant Summers

of the plainclothes division.

Just a minute, please.

- Mrs. Waverley, two of my men are on their way

over to your home.

I want you to lock your door and don't let anyone in

unless they have proper identification.

- But I still don't--

- Warren Barrow is mentally unbalanced.

He wants to kill you.

Do you understand that?

He wants to kill you.

- Who was that?

- Just, just a friend.

- Sounds as if you didn't know the person.

- Oh, we joke sometimes.

Why don't you hang up the phone?

- I thought we might play a game of chess.

We wouldn't want to be disturbed, would we?

- Warren, I'm really very tired.

I think you better go.

- The board Is all set up.

Just a quiet game.

You remember how it used to relax you.

Choose, black or white.

White, you start.

I'll get it.

Very nervous, aren't you?

Go ahead, make your move.

That's a very standard opening.

You surprised me.

You always used to be so good.

(dramatic music)

Helen was a very poor chess player.

It's funny how women are different.

Some women can be trusted, Janet.

Some women are unpredictable

and I think you know what I mean.

(gun bangs) (dramatic music)

- Hello Warren.

- What are you doing here?

- I came to apologize.

- Apologize?

- Yes, I...

About your book.

I was too harsh in Victor's office.

- You liked it?

- Very much.

It's excellent.

- Really?

- It's the best book you've ever written.

Yes, as a matter of fact I want you to tell it

to some friends of mine, some publishers.

- Victor's my publisher.

- Of course he is.

But he could never give it the circulation

a book like this deserves.

They're very excited about it.

Should we...get started?

- I suppose you're right.

(dramatic music)

We ought not to keep them waiting.

- Yes.

(dramatic music)

- With Janet dead, Barrow was happy.

He was free of Helen and now, he was free of her.

What he'll do now, I don't know exactly.

That all happens in the last chapter.

Besides, there's no need to worry

because they're only characters in a book.

Janet and Iver, Helen, creatures of my mind.

I'm not quite sure how to end it.

That's always the problem, finding the right ending.

It's always the problem, finding the right ending.

It's always the problem, finding the right ending.

(dramatic music)

- This is the ideal sports car for me.

It lends an air of dash and zip,

yet, with perfect safety,

since I'm only permitted to drive it on the sidewalk.

We have arrived at the finish line of tonight's show.

Next week, I shall drive back with another story.

Now, a scene from next week's commercials.

(dramatic music)

(dramatic music)