1058 - Hunting Trip (Suspense)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Another journey into the realm of the strange and Jellifi.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
I hope you will enjoy the chap, that it will
trill you a little and kill you a little.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
So settle back, get a good grip on your nerve.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Where are we going? You'll find out when we get there.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Suspence Tonight, Roma Wines bring you mister Vincent Price and
mister Lloyd Nolan as stars of Hunting Trip, a suspense
play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear.

Speaker 4 (00:54):
As Roma Wines bring You Lloyd Nolan and Vincent Price
in a remarkable tale of suspense.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
It began with just a little hunting trip for the
two of us, Eric and me. I hadn't seen Eric
for several months, not since before Karen died. In fact,
when I bumped into him at the club, he suggested
that we run up to his cabin in the mountains
for a few days, grab a bit of fresh air
and relaxation, see if we couldn't bag ourselves a moose
or a deer. And yet, almost at the outset, I

(01:31):
had an uncanny feeling about that trip. I suppose actually
it was the night and the setting. It was the
blackest night i'd ever seen. We'd left all human kind
behind us. There was no moon. There was only blackness,
the kind that seemed to be all enveloping, as though

(01:53):
there was nothing outside our car but blackness, no road,
no forest, no mountains. Well, I admit I was nervous.
I was boring my feet into the floorboard of the car,
as though somehow that would help. What are you laughing
at you, Dan?

Speaker 1 (02:09):
You don't look as though you're having a very good time.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Well, I'm not right, frankly, shouldn't you be driving a
little bit slower?

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Why?

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Why? Good Heaven's Eric, If you make just one little
slip of the wheel, we're done for that. So all
I doubt if they'd ever even find us down in
those canyons.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
Nod, And then I know every crook and turn in
this road. Yeah, I don't think you're much of an
outdoors man. Well maybe not.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I love this kind of country in the daytime, but
I'll confess I'm not so keen on it at night.
I don't like what I can't see.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Funny, I'm just the opposite. There's well, there's a challenge
in the darkness that stimulates my senses. It's exhilarating. It
stirs my imagination, but sure, I suppose it would. But
I'm not equipped to grapple with the mysteries of the universe. Huh,
stand here, much too modest? You always were. You've gotten
out of life pretty much what you wanted, haven't you.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Well, yes, I suppose so.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
And then don't always be belittling yourself. It's an effective technique.
Stand but I'm on to you. You're as clever as
the next fellow.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Your own way. I sat back and tried to relax.
Things weren't quite as Eric had pictured them. I was
born with a silver spoon in my mouth. As they say,
Eric had come up the hard way. I was average

(03:30):
and soft. He was brilliant and hard. We'd known each
other a long time, going to school together, being in
love with the same girl, Karen. When I married her.
He was my best man, and yet I didn't pretend
to understand him. He was still pretty much of a
stranger to me. I glanced over his way. He actually
seemed to be enjoying himself. It crossed my mind that

(03:53):
he was rather enjoyed seeing me in a bit of
a lather too. Well, it's not far now, just around
the next bend. Oh, thank the Lord. Well, am I
amusing you again?

Speaker 1 (04:07):
No, I was just thinking what a perfect spot this
would be for a murder.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
A murder. Honestly, Eric, I believe that's all you think about.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
It is almost when I buy a newspaper, I read
about murder the way you study the stock quotations. Murder
is fascinating to me. I spend most of my time
figuring out ways and means to commit murder.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Now you're trying to sound like a metal case.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Who knows, perhaps I am, I have a mind. Well,
here we are, old man. You see I've delivered you
safe and style, all in one piece.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Eric's cabin was perched high on a rocky crag jutting
out from the side of a mountain, with one more
flush against a sheer drop. In front. There was a
steep path ley down to a lake. I could hear
the lamping of the waves. Eric fixed us something to
eat and then went outside, And pretty soon he came
back in, and I'm full of logs. His place was

(05:14):
red and healthy. I don't think you like my place then, huh, Oh,
yes I do. Honestly, I'm just tired.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
I guess well, we'll turn in directly. Oh, thank you, Yes, thanks,
I believe I will. I like it here all the
privacy in the world. So Eric, Yes, Why do you
read about murder?

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Why do you read about Stockton Bond? Well?

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Because they interest me. It's my business. My business doesn't
interest me. I read about murder because I'm interested in people.
Murder is emotional. When people are being emotional, do you
get to see more of them?

Speaker 2 (05:48):
Why are you so interested in people?

Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh?

Speaker 1 (05:50):
I think I'm more curious than interested.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
All right? Why so curious? And it amuses me.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
I find out about people, I write down what I
find out, and I write my impressions of how those
people will react to a series of circumstances. It's a
good way to get rid of one's inhibition. Sort of
a frightening hobby. I think, Uh, stamp collecting is frightening.
Ye're too done, clever, Eric, Why too clever?

Speaker 2 (06:14):
Well? I mean you see through people. What's wrong with that?

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Unless, of course, they uh have something they want to hide?

Speaker 2 (06:20):
Oh? I suppose it's all right if your friends don't mind,
do you mine? No? Heavens no, Why should I? That's right?
Why should you? Well?

Speaker 1 (06:30):
How about hitting the hay, we have to be up early.
We'll only get a few hours sleep as it is,
and suits me. Do you sleep in my studies? Stand
the beds in, there's a bit more comfortable. I'll bunk
out here on the couch.

Speaker 2 (06:52):
I had undressed and gotten into bed and was reaching
over to put out the light on Eric's desk when
my eyes fell on a stack of typewritten sheets. I
wondered if they were the notes Eric had been speaking
about the strange mumbo jumbo he'd written. There, phrases he liked,
single sentences describing people he'd met. There were a few
clippings pasted on sheets of white paper, clippings describing murders

(07:16):
by strangulation, by pistol, by drowning, by poison. The full
sheet was devoted to Karen. I hadn't realized how much
he'd cared for. His analysis was very kind, almost mardaland
he spoke of his shock at hearing of his suicide,
and he tried to reason it to find causes. A
small memmo pad caught my eye, however, and on the

(07:39):
last page I saw my name carefully printed. I read
it eagerly, read Eric's arguments for not hating me because
I had married Karen. I read Eric's cold analysis of
my character. Not exactly flattering, but it was pretty accurate.
And at the bottom of the pages, newly written by
the look of it, and in Eric's own careful hand,

(08:02):
I read four Ways to commit murder by strangulation, by
pistol bullet, by drowning, by poison.

Speaker 3 (08:26):
For suspense, Roma Winds Are Bringing You, Vincent Price and
Lloyd Nolan in Hunting Trip by Paul Bernard and Lee Horton.
Roma Winds presentation tonight in Radio's outstanding Theater of Thrills suspense,

(08:53):
and now Roma Winds bring back to our Hollywood sound stage.
Lloyd Nolan has stand and Vincent Price has Eric in
Hunting Trip, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
I suppose I slept that night, but it seemed as
though I had only just dozed off. When I heard
the door open quietly. I opened one eye cautiously. It
was still gray in the room. Sign no, I hadn't
slept long. I was about to open both eyes to
save Eric the trouble of waking me. When I thought

(09:32):
he hasn't come to wake me, my mind threw two
words at me by strangulation. Before I had the chance
to move, I felt his hands carefully on my throats.
As don't why stem, what's the matter? I thought for
a minute that, yeah, I guess I must have been

(09:53):
dreaming nightmare.

Speaker 1 (09:55):
You grabbed old of my hands like you thought I
was going to stranger?

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Did I? What's the matter? Have you got a guilty conscience? Yeah? Yeah,
I guess I have it. What did you want? Eric?
Time to get up? Oh already? Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
I've got good news too. I just spotted a likely
looking buck right across the lake when I went down
for water.

Speaker 2 (10:16):
Oh good, good, Well.

Speaker 1 (10:18):
I'll get breakfast going as soon as you're ready.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
Yeah, be right with you. I is no rush, take
your time. Nice to have you here. Oh maybe it
was the way that he had said that, as though
he really meant it. For for a minute I was
convinced that I'd let my imagination run away with me.
And as for putting his hand on my throat, that

(10:41):
was an accident. He'd been groping for my shoulder. And
then the next minute I was asking myself was it
an accident? Though? Suppose I'd really been asleep? Suppose I
hadn't grabbed his hands. I still didn't know what to think.
I like dressed, and we sat down to breakfast.

Speaker 1 (11:00):
Pass me your cup, will you, Stan, I'll give you
some coffee.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
There you are? Thanks? Sugar coming up? No, no sugar
for me? Thanks? Well? Stan?

Speaker 1 (11:11):
When are you gonna confess? What do you mean confess?
Or shall I drag it out of you? What are
you driving?

Speaker 2 (11:17):
Now?

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Oh? Come now, you're not going to play the adolescent
school boy with me?

Speaker 2 (11:20):
I swear right.

Speaker 1 (11:21):
I don't referring to the lovely young woman you've been
seen dining with and taking to the theater.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
Oh you mean Marsha? Is that her name? Well? Go on,
where did you meet her? How?

Speaker 1 (11:32):
When is she wealthy? Is she as beautiful as they
say she is? Come on, let's have the sort of decats. Eric,
you're you're barking up the wrong trait, am I. Oh,
I'll admit I've taken herod occasionally, but nothing like that.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
Mercia. Do I know her? I don't believe you do.
Isn't her last name Jenkins? Yes? Of course I know her?

Speaker 1 (11:54):
That is I met her? Or don't you remember you
introduced me to her yourself?

Speaker 2 (11:58):
Oh? Oh? Did I yes.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
Don't you remember I ran into you at Silver's. You
were buying perfume and she was helping you select it
for Karen remember.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
Oh oh, yes, yes, now that you recall it, coffee,
Uh yeah, no, sugar. Well, when we got to the lake,
we bailed out the boat, loaded it, and pushed it
out into the fog. It was still half light when
we reached the other side, so we sat in the
boat and lighted cigarettes waited for the sun to come up.

(12:33):
We'd been sitting there, just smoking, not saying anything, when
he suddenly turned to me and said.

Speaker 1 (12:39):
You say that she'd been ill?

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Uh? Oh, Karen, Yes, yes, she'd been ill for some time, Eric,
So she killed herself? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (12:48):
There was an inquest, of course, Well, yes, of course,
why do you ask look at that sun? Did you
ever see such color?

Speaker 2 (13:02):
Four ways to commit murder? I'd almost forgotten about Eric's
hands on my throat. Now the incident jumped vividly back
to my mind, because now I knew that Eric had
a reason he looked away after he asked me about
the inquest. He didn't answer me when I asked him
why he wanted to know. Somewhere in that strange, dark

(13:23):
corner of his mind. He was still obsessed by love
for Karen, even though she was dead and gone. He
thought that she'd still be alive and happy if she
hadn't married me. My legs were weak when he motioned
me out of the boat. A deer blue somewhere near us,

(13:45):
which stopped. Hey, did you hear that? Yeah? Listen, it's
moving west. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (13:51):
Stand you work west. Just about half a mile or
so ahead of us, you'll come to a clearing. Take
your stand there right. I'll strike north and west and
then work toward the clearing.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
Good, honey, this is it. Then I thought he'll hide
somewhere along the way to the clearing and shoot me
in the back. Now that I knew what to expect,
I felt somewhat relieved. At least i'd be ready for him.

(14:23):
Nothing happened until I nearly reached the clearing, and then
I got the feeling that someone was walking with me,
timing his steps with mine. I stopped and listened. I
don't know how long I stood there.

Speaker 1 (14:40):
My rifle gripped in my hands, but suddenly, instinctively I
wheeled around. The shot whistled over my head, and I
saw a bock running across the clearing.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
He'd shot at me and missed. Well, two can play
at that game. I thought the next shot would be mine.
I wouldn't miss. To my knees watching the brush for him,
and all of a sudden I saw him running toward me,
right out in the open. I started to raise my rifle,
but I couldn't. I couldn't kill a man that way
in cold blood. Damn, damn did I hit? You? Can't

(15:14):
found you?

Speaker 1 (15:15):
Hold on a minute, old time, Let's not lose our
head time. Oh I'm terribly sorry, of course, but I
had no idea you were to take stand in the clearing,
so I naturally assumed you were there. I don't know
what I can say.

Speaker 2 (15:28):
Well, maybe it was my fault. I don't know.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
Anyway, let's forget, but I I I said, let's skip it.

Speaker 2 (15:43):
I stuck close to Eric after that. I gave no
more opportunity for a shooting accident. It was dusk when
we heard it headed back toward the cabin. We didn't
get our buck, not that I cared, and I'm sure
Eric didn't. He was at the different game, and I
saw a boat on the beach bite crowning.

Speaker 1 (16:12):
Here we were alone. I couldn't refuse to get in
the boat with him. There was no other way by
getting back to the cabin, and I could feel the
perspiration trickling down my ribs. I stumbled in the underbrush.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
Easy, easy, Now.

Speaker 1 (16:28):
It's too bad we didn't bag that fella.

Speaker 2 (16:30):
Uh right? That buck?

Speaker 1 (16:32):
Better luck tomorrow maybe, yeah, but let tomorrow. You seem preoccupied,
stand do I?

Speaker 2 (16:39):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (16:40):
I have the ghastly feeling that I am fading you
as a house. I don't think you're having a very
good time.

Speaker 2 (16:45):
N I I think this is a marvelous country.

Speaker 1 (16:48):
Eric, you've exercised phenomenal restraint. Old son, What do you
mean about expressing your admiration for it? I'd never have
suspected that you liked it so much.

Speaker 2 (17:03):
That remark called for some sort of an answer, but
I wasn't equal to it. Fortunately I was spared the necessity.
We reached the lake and the boat. Then we tossed
our guns into it. Eric started du push out hop
in stand easy? Does it now?

Speaker 1 (17:23):
Hang under the oars? Will you while I climb in?
H A'll set all set splendid And now you better
let me row. I know this lake. There's some treacherous
spots in it. What do you mean, Oh, some nasty
boulders sticking out, some of them that aren't easy to spot,
come too close to the.

Speaker 2 (17:43):
Serpent or comfort. I see.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
We were to hit one of 'em, we'd turn over
in a hurry. You don't swim, do you stand?

Speaker 2 (17:53):
You know? To unwell? I don't.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
Oh that's a shame. It's a mistake not to learn
to swim. Do you think?

Speaker 2 (18:04):
Well? What happened after that was a nightmare. He rode.
I sat there paralyzed. I couldn't move, I couldn't think.
I knew, I knew I should do something. But what
I stared at the water till I was blind, looking
for rocks. Eric's face was a blurry. He just smiled, rode,

(18:29):
rode and talked. The voice sounded hollow and unreal.

Speaker 1 (18:33):
You're shaking standing something wrong. The lake's plenty deep, lots
of fish in it too. Maybe we can do a
little fishing.

Speaker 2 (18:51):
He stopped. Suddenly he'd seen something in the water. He
turned around, hould hard on the yours. We dreached the
spotting yrts.

Speaker 5 (19:02):
And then, oh god, ago, when I came up, Eric
was there on the water near me. He didn't speaking,
it just grimmed, and then I saw it the space

(19:23):
of mine. Grinning sun raised his space strike me in.

Speaker 2 (19:27):
That's the last I remember. When I came to, I
was lying on the beach and Eric was standing over me, smiling,
all how are you feeling right? Okay, I guess you're.

Speaker 1 (19:53):
A tough customer to rescue old son.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
You put up quite a fight. I'm sorry. I I
thought that may try to talk now.

Speaker 1 (20:02):
You've had a.

Speaker 2 (20:02):
Pretty bad time, Take it easy. It was all clear
to me. Then Eric hauld saved my life get up
an accidental shot, the boat turning over. He didn't want
to kill me. A man doesn't save it from drowning
when he wants you dead. But it all been my imagination,
a knight in me. All the reliefs that flowed through

(20:25):
my body was almost too much for me. It would
tell are on words to express how I felt. A
little later, Eric helped me up to my cabin and
I stretched down the couch. Eric went to the kitchen

(20:48):
to fix hot coffee and soup. He brought the coffee
and first pulled up a coffee table close to me
and poured us each out a cupful.

Speaker 1 (20:59):
They get some of that into you and you'll feel different.

Speaker 2 (21:02):
Thanks.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
I'll be back in a second. It's coming right up. Hey,
uh Stan, do you.

Speaker 2 (21:10):
Like your cook huh? I said, do you like to cook?

Speaker 6 (21:14):
You know?

Speaker 2 (21:14):
I do? I? I well, I like to try different concoctions.
Oh not me. I just talked to death if I
had to cook for myself. Oh man, this coffee hits
the spote.

Speaker 1 (21:27):
Ah, I can use a little of that too. It
sure does warm the in it doesn't it. I got
a little chill, nothing like a cup of coffee. I
always say, that's what I offered.

Speaker 2 (21:39):
They do I didn't. I say something funny, and I'm
using you again.

Speaker 1 (21:47):
In fact, stand, I think that's probably the funniest thing
you ever said. How did you like it? Stance?

Speaker 2 (21:55):
Four Ways to commit murder? You read it?

Speaker 1 (21:58):
Of course? Yes, I couldn't tell you had just as
I intended you to. Were you frightened all day to day?

Speaker 2 (22:09):
I don't understand. You didn't know, did you?

Speaker 1 (22:11):
That I came to your engagement party to ask Ken
to be my wife. I wasn't aware that you were
throwing a party, or that she had accepted you a
good lord. Perhaps you don't remember what I told you
that night. You thought I was joking, but I meant
every word. I said that I'd make your pay if
you failed Karen, if you made her unhappy, But in

(22:32):
all these years you would. Then you did bring me
up here to murder you. You're so right standing, but
you pull me out of the lake. You saved my life.

Speaker 2 (22:42):
You are a dull, witted clown, aren't you stand? Don't
you know me better than that?

Speaker 1 (22:46):
Did you think i'd kill you in in the manner
of a homicidal moron?

Speaker 2 (22:50):
Or nod?

Speaker 1 (22:51):
But you did take a shot at me? Oh yes,
that was the second way. The first way was by
waking you up by the throat this morning.

Speaker 2 (22:58):
The boat tipping over was the third way. And now
I suppose we've reached the fourth way.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
Your brilliance positively staggers me. You can't get away with it, Eric,
Oh yes I can. I have you see how intently
I'm watching you. I'm waiting to see you fall. You're
going to die stand just as Karen died. What do
you mean in the coffee stand? That's right, Your coffee
is poisoned, just as you poisoned her coffee.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Only yours is a slow poison.

Speaker 1 (23:29):
Justice don't you think you you poisoned my coffee?

Speaker 2 (23:32):
Is I wore down your guard.

Speaker 1 (23:34):
I planned it so that by now you would trust me,
you would have faith in me.

Speaker 7 (23:40):
You poisoned my coffee. I didn't drink my coffee, Eric,
I changed cups with you that with sugar in my
coup Eric, I don't think sugar and my golf here
comes with you.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
I didn't mean to do it, Eric, but I didn't like.

Speaker 7 (24:07):
Jugar in my CoA.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
So you see, I didn't kill Eric. Really, he killed
himself accidentally, but I wish he had killed me. He
had a good reason to, because somehow he knew about Karen,
about how I killed Karen by putting poison in a
coffee that morning, and I watched her die the same

(24:45):
way that I watched Eric die. I'm tired now. I
don't want to talk anymore. You do whatever you want
with me.

Speaker 4 (25:13):
Suspence and now our two distinguished stars, Lloyd Nolan and
Vincent Price are returning for a curtain call with William Spear,
our producer director of Suspense. Mister Spear is carrying two
large gift baskets of grand Estate California wines.

Speaker 6 (25:30):
Lloyd and Vincent and Vincent and Lloyd. Just to keep
the billing straight, we want you each to have a
basket of these grand Estate wines with our compliments for
a thrilling performance.

Speaker 2 (25:40):
Thank you, Bill. Hey, this is quite a selection, really
is my thanks to Bill? Well, there must be a
grand Estate wine for every occasion here. I guess there is,
isn't that? Ken Well?

Speaker 4 (25:50):
There is, indeed, Bill, even my favorite grand Estate medium, Sherry.

Speaker 2 (25:57):
Vincent. What's new one?

Speaker 6 (25:58):
Starting over on the twentieth century Fox lot?

Speaker 1 (26:00):
Well, they're pretty excited about Darryl's annex film version of
Mom's The Raises Edge, which is just finished up shooting.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
And I guess the picture that they like best among
the current releases is Claudian David John willnot.

Speaker 6 (26:12):
Just now away from the home lot antimism, That's right?

Speaker 2 (26:15):
You know Lloyd is too, Yes, yes, sir, I will
be in a couple of weeks right now. I'm just loafing,
grabbed a little fishing, took a hunting trip up north.

Speaker 1 (26:23):
You wouldn't want to go on a hunting trip with me,
would you?

Speaker 4 (26:26):
Like?

Speaker 2 (26:26):
No? Thanks? I had plenty of that tonight in suspense
of Bill, Who's on the show next Thursday.

Speaker 6 (26:32):
It's Dane Clark in a suspense play about a Gunzel,
a professional murderer who doesn't know he has any emotions
until he finds himself falling in love with the wife
of the man he's killed.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh wonderful, it will be listening a Lloyd. Oh yes, sure, thinks.

Speaker 6 (26:45):
Swell well, then, if you two will relieve me of
these baskets of grand estate wines before my arms give way,
there's a loud crash.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
Thanks again, good night.

Speaker 3 (26:55):
Next Thursday, same time, listen to Dane Clark on Suspense