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March 25, 2025 • 23 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
And now a tale well calculated to keep you in
suspense in a moment. Act one A Dagger of the Mind,
starring Claire Neeson and Leon Jenny, and written especially for
suspense by John Roberts. This first portion of suspense is
brought to you by the makers of Marlborough Cigarettes. Julie

(00:25):
London sings the Marlborough song.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Why don't you settle back and have a full flavored smoke?
Suddle back, So tis Marlborough. Make yourself comfortable whenever you smoke,
have a Marlborough signament. Games along to lie Quiver marble filtered.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
Labor a pack of bus.

Speaker 4 (01:15):
Try marl borrow the filter cigarette with the unfiltered taste.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
In my dream, I was lost on a dark road,
Doctor Rondo. I ran suddenly. I saw signs pointing everywhere
and nowhere. I moved closer, fanatically, looking for these sides,
the direction I must take. And then I touched one,
and it came alive, alive to my touch. Doctor, it

(01:51):
was a thing, a thing with two faces, an angry
paste face of paste, and a smiling face, the smiling
face that deceives it called my name, and I screamed.

(02:14):
That was my dream. You've got to help me, doctor Randa.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
You must help yourself, Vicky. But how how find some activity,
some useful interest. Your only affliction is idleness, a slight
case of middle age.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
I don't understand, doctor, your days are idle.

Speaker 4 (02:33):
Housekeeping is not enough to keep you busy. So your
imagination works, It works, and it breaths fears, suspicions.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
Foolish. Now you're treating me like a child. Actor.

Speaker 4 (02:43):
I knew you as a child.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
I know.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
Believe me, Vicky. Find something to do and you will
no longer dream of sign posts that disappeared. Please, I'm sorry,
but I must make another call.

Speaker 3 (03:00):
Evasions and lies, lies as if I were a child.
But I understood my dream. The thing with two faces
was Walter, my husband, Walter mocking me two faced water,
hating me behind his hypocritical smile. I had proof of

(03:25):
Water's shameful pretense. The following morning, it's going somewhere, Walter.

Speaker 5 (03:31):
Yes to the office. On Saturday, a new sales campaign
has us all on the jump.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
We have theater tickets. But to night I'll have dinner
ready early theater tickets.

Speaker 5 (03:42):
Oh I've forgotten. Can I beg of Vickie?

Speaker 3 (03:46):
You have other plans for to night too, Oh, just
to talk shop.

Speaker 5 (03:49):
With some of the staff. Why don't you make it
a twosome with Helen.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
I meet it a twosome with Helen the last time
and the time before.

Speaker 6 (03:55):
Walter.

Speaker 5 (03:56):
Now, let's not have another quarrel.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
We lived together, but we live apart. Walter. I'm married
and I'm alone. Why Walter, Oh, come now, it's not
as bad as it is as bad as that.

Speaker 5 (04:10):
Why Walter, you're magnifying things. Now, stop being foolish. Call
Helen so that extra theater ticket doesn't go to waste.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
At breakfast the following Monday morning, I got a clue
to where Walter was really spending his time and with whom.

Speaker 5 (04:31):
I'm bringing a dinner guest home with me tonight, Vicki,
Oh who a business associate. Her name is Martha Coles One, Vicki,
I want dinner tonight to be an event.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
She's that important to you as.

Speaker 5 (04:44):
She could be. Martha's quite influential in the firm, you
know the right word from Martha to the proper parties.
That kind of thing. So really outdo yourself.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
Business associated how transparent shame sly of the cheat was
bringing her home with him to flaunt her, to humiliate me.
She came that night young as I was old, young,
with a face and figure that turned men's heads. I

(05:19):
watched wa desires adore her at.

Speaker 5 (05:21):
Goodness, another helping of something like him.

Speaker 7 (05:23):
Where do I get.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
Another's dummach, watched Water's eyes melt into hers over champagne.

Speaker 5 (05:29):
The champagne deserves a toa alright as that Forrester Williams account,
May the dear benevolent Fate's ear market Walter kent.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Business after hours. Walter, you're a horribly one track mind.
I wor sick of it, ignored as if I didn't exist.
If you too, will excuse me.

Speaker 5 (05:53):
Was something wrong?

Speaker 3 (05:54):
I have a headache. I'm gonna lie down. Good night,
Miss Cole's well, good night, VICKI. I do want to
be fine, but thank you for your concern, and please
stay as late as you like. Don't let me spoil
your fun.

Speaker 7 (06:12):
But I didn't lie down.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
I listened and I watched. I watched them dance. I
listened to their laughter. I watched them closely mouthed ear
I cald confidence like lovers. Later, when a taxi had
called to take her away, what it pretended great overwhelming fatigue, that.

Speaker 5 (06:39):
Is all right, but she's wearing and she'd never go home.

Speaker 3 (06:44):
Flies. But his eyes weren't pretending. The truth was right
there in his eyes. I was to be cast aside
e sadly, neglect, changement, loneliness. That was their method. Startened

(07:06):
other cruelties, like anniversaries that came and passed emptily and rarely.

Speaker 4 (07:17):
Missus Vickey kent, Yes, the package for you, sign here
right here, Yes, I ride, ma'am, thank you.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
It was a gift from water, a monogram cigarette case,
an anniversary gift from water, a twentieth anniversary ordered and
delivered without warmth of feeling, delivered him personally by an
office boy. And then, one day, not long after the

(07:57):
subtleties dropped, newspaper left purposely on the bedroom bureau for
me to read, left open to a personal column where
an item must catch my eyes. Sailing tonight for Paris
on the ocean line of Champlain. Lovely Lady Executive Martha

(08:17):
Cole's Well. Martha Coles was going abroad, but not alone,
as I soon discovered, Hello.

Speaker 5 (08:30):
Vicky, Yes, Walter, looks something important just came up. I
have to go abroad for several weeks when water right
away tonight on the Champlain.

Speaker 3 (08:41):
You had no idea you were sailing until now water.

Speaker 5 (08:44):
Not the slightest. Bronson was supposed to go, but what water?
He had a sudden appendicitis attack, So so I have
to go on his place. Say, why this cross examination?

Speaker 3 (08:56):
I think it's strange that you.

Speaker 5 (08:57):
Oh, come on, Vicky. Look, I haven't time to argue.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
Shall I come to see you off?

Speaker 5 (09:03):
What you're doing with that bridge party tonight? Aren't you
with Helen's?

Speaker 7 (09:07):
You'd rather I went to Helen's well sailings.

Speaker 5 (09:10):
You're a bore. I won't get to the Champlaine until
the very last minute. But make your own choice by now.

Speaker 3 (09:17):
Goodbye, Walter, nice tissue of life. I didn't go to
sea Walter off, but I went to see her off.
VICKI what a pleasant surprise I read you were sailing.

(09:39):
I thought i'd bid you bonevoyage. How nice. Sorry, I
have nothing to celebrate with nothing liquid? I mean a cigarette.
I have some, thank you, What a stunning cigarette case
and this rigate light. Thank you? Sailing for business of

(10:01):
a pleasure, a business mainly too bad? Isn't just pleasure
Walter's aboard too.

Speaker 8 (10:08):
What on this ship?

Speaker 3 (10:10):
Who didn't you know? No, I had no idea Martha, Yes, Dicky,
you love water? What did you say? You love my husband?
This trip you're taking together is just another humiliation for me.
A s. Do not have it your way. That's why
I came to see that you don't. Locky Wait please

(10:32):
y She lay at my feet. The bullet had been
lost in the noises, in the throw of fair Wells.
I went home feeling freer than I had felt for

(10:54):
so long. The weight in my heart wasn't hard to bear. Now.
I'd murdered Martha Cors, but it wasn't murder. It was justice.
Martha Colos was dead. Now sacred things could remain sacred.

(11:17):
I'd killed, but I had no guilt. I had no
guilt at all.

Speaker 5 (11:23):
Biggie, Biggy, he's still awake. Hello, surprised?

Speaker 3 (11:29):
Yes, of course, the champlain.

Speaker 5 (11:31):
Sailed, it's merry way without me, will have come ronson.
Evidently was just imagining his appendicitis attack. Lucky for me,
lucky water, of course. Oh, I I want to tell you.
Do you remember Martha Coles? Y?

Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yes, of course.

Speaker 5 (11:51):
An awful thing happened on the champlagine. Tonight Martha was
sailing on it, and well the store discovered in her
stateroom murdered.

Speaker 3 (12:01):
Martha was murdered.

Speaker 5 (12:02):
He shot to death.

Speaker 3 (12:04):
But why who?

Speaker 5 (12:05):
Well that's the police puzzle. Why and who? My guess
is that old Turner is going to find himself wallowing
in suspects Turner and chief of homicide. He had soon
discovered that the deceased had a host of admirers quite
ready to kill her. Late Martha was a bit of
a modern Dewberry.

Speaker 3 (12:25):
Oh yeah, you seem so casual Walter about Martha Coles.
You were close em in business, honey.

Speaker 5 (12:34):
Close frankly VICKI And with all respect to the dead,
she was an important woman, yes, but a frightful bore.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
A liar, the thoughtful, hypocritical liar. Two days later, over breakfast,
Water really began his insidious, persecuretion of me.

Speaker 5 (13:01):
Cutting to the newspaper Turner's being remarkably reticent about the
Martha Cole's murder. Hmm, it's in forty eight hours now,
but no statement that certainly means something?

Speaker 3 (13:14):
Or should that mean something? Water?

Speaker 5 (13:16):
When he's at a complete loss, Turner runs off at
the mouth. He bombards the press with releases. But when
he's really got our clue, turn your clams up gets
very noncommittal.

Speaker 3 (13:29):
Suppose the reasonable clue, Well.

Speaker 5 (13:30):
There always is. You can be sure some chance passerby
who saw the murderer come or go, or an incriminating artic,
a loss or overlooked in the panic of escape. There's
always something. The trick is to find it.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
Kid Water suspect me. It's incessant talk about Turner dinning
in my ears, catching at my throat. Is it deliberate?
Is it always a clue? Could there be a clue,
a chance passed by who knew me? No, No, I'd

(14:10):
want to there something lost or overlooked. But what is
not my hat or gloves or handbag? I must remember this.
I'd stood just inside the cabin door, just to accuse,
just to destroy, just to smoke a cigarette, and then too,

(14:31):
just to smoke. My cigarette. Wasn't in my handbag, for
in my bureau or anywhere, not anywhere, turn I had it.

(14:56):
I'd left my cigarette case in father's cabin and turn
to the chief of homicide headed had Water knew everything
about the cigarette case? Turn up me, walter than you?
That was playing cat and mouse, letting me suffer from long,

(15:22):
dreary evenings. We sat across from each other in the park.
We sat in silence, and he punished me. Oh, yes, Walter.

Speaker 5 (15:36):
I saw Helen this morning. Helen, she said she missed
you at that Bridge party the other night.

Speaker 3 (15:42):
The other night.

Speaker 5 (15:44):
You've forgotten the night I was the sale the same night, Martha.

Speaker 3 (15:48):
Why I decided I was tired of Bridge.

Speaker 5 (15:53):
Find something better to do? I asked, Did you find
something better to do?

Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yes, yes, I'm something much better.

Speaker 5 (16:02):
What the movies?

Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yes, hey, yes, the movies.

Speaker 5 (16:06):
What picture do you see?

Speaker 3 (16:07):
Oh? Something I don't remember? Why?

Speaker 5 (16:12):
The same inquisition, Walter, inquisition, Vicky, are you feeling all right?

Speaker 3 (16:21):
Questions, questioning me hurtfully like a detective, questions, punishing me
light in the day, at night, in the parlor, and
in the morning at breakfast.

Speaker 5 (16:36):
More coffee plays. Vicky, aren't you breakfasting?

Speaker 3 (16:40):
No?

Speaker 5 (16:41):
Yes, every morning for a week now, No breakfast. Aren't
you overdoing the dieting?

Speaker 3 (16:47):
I'm slender. My measurements haven't changed in twenty years. I
haven't added one ounce. But you see me as obese.

Speaker 5 (16:56):
I'm what hey, hold on.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
I'm wrinkled. Crows pete here around the eyes.

Speaker 5 (17:04):
But I can't help that you're really in the dumps.
I had no idea one. By the way, it isn't
crows feed definitely now fair, smile, wrinkles and very attractive.
You were all smiles once. What's happened to that girl?
Where'd she go?

Speaker 3 (17:23):
She died? I neglect that warmth of love?

Speaker 5 (17:30):
She withered away without the warmth. Well, I get it
that crack was aimed at me, the unfeeling husband, the insensitive,
self glutting brute. How you try and try to make
that characterization fit. You've really got me built of villain's side.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
To stop it. If I can't stand any more of
your pretents, what I can't stand any more of it?

Speaker 5 (17:57):
If you can possibly calm down so you can talk,
get things straight.

Speaker 3 (18:05):
All right?

Speaker 5 (18:06):
Some other times?

Speaker 3 (18:08):
No, no, not some other times. Now we'll talk now, Walter.
And no more lies.

Speaker 6 (18:14):
Lies.

Speaker 5 (18:15):
I can't remember a time or occasion. Why in the
name of Hannah would I ever want to lie to you.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
I warned you, no more lies, Walter.

Speaker 5 (18:25):
Vicky put that gun away.

Speaker 3 (18:27):
You're in love with Martha Coles. I watched you were
in love with Martha Coles, Ricky.

Speaker 5 (18:33):
That's crazy now, and I'll put that you.

Speaker 3 (18:35):
Loved You'll never forget her.

Speaker 9 (18:37):
No consent, You're insane, Star.

Speaker 3 (18:41):
I can't stand being lied to you anymore.

Speaker 5 (18:44):
Confessed to an insane idea, i'd have.

Speaker 3 (18:47):
I g s lie do anymore?

Speaker 7 (18:52):
You're Walter, was on the floor dying, but I didn't
really care.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
You're dying, Walter. But you don't have to go alone
and death. There's Martha. Yes, reach out for her, ham
go ahead, the hand of the corpse. You remember so well.
You s no no more eyes, Walter. There's no need

(19:38):
to lie anymore. You're free now. Martha is yours more,
all eternity. It was you.

Speaker 5 (19:52):
You murdered Marccles. You were the world.

Speaker 3 (19:57):
You knew that all alone, didn't you? Walter? But first
I was to be punished. First, I was to be tortured.
At first, my mind was to be filled with fear
over a missing monogram cigarette case.

Speaker 8 (20:13):
A minogram cigarette case, yes, a gift for twenty years
of marriage, presented to me tenderly.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
By an office boy. That was the clue I left
in Martha's cabin.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
Ha.

Speaker 3 (20:36):
There's always a clue, isn't there?

Speaker 9 (20:38):
Water your cigarette cases in my my coat pargainer, Well,
i'll see in your coat pocket.

Speaker 5 (20:51):
I took it to have work.

Speaker 3 (20:53):
Done on it, work on it? Who were working on it?
What's working on it?

Speaker 6 (20:58):
Water, good work, diamonds cut rubies set in it, and
an inscription.

Speaker 5 (21:12):
To my dear wife on a twentieth centiversary. Oh, Vicky, VICKI.

Speaker 9 (21:22):
See how wrong you were, how wrong you were about everything.

Speaker 3 (21:36):
I watched him die, and his eyes grew round. He
stared at me, His eyes stared at me opening death.
Why didn't approach? But I believed a dying man doesn't lie.

(22:04):
But I believed too late. But for the first time
I believed him Sauspence.

Speaker 1 (22:29):
You've been listening to Dagger of the Mind, starring Claire
Neeson and Leon Jenny and written especially for suspense by
John Roberts. Sauspense is produced and directed by Brune ro Zerato,

(23:00):
junior music supervision by Ethel Huber, sound patterns by Joseph Gibibol.
Heard in Tonight's story were Evelyn Justter Is, Martha Coles,
Ralph Cabargo is Doctor Randall, and Guy Repp is the
office Boy. Listen again next week when we return with
that real Crazy Infinity, written by Dick W. Dowling, another

(23:23):
tale well calculated.

Speaker 5 (23:25):
To keep you in

Speaker 1 (23:28):
Saucespense
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