Box 13 - "Find Me, Find Death" (Old Time Radio, 2012)

Box 13 presents “Find Me, Find Death,” episode 36, originally broadcast April 24, 1949. Alan Ladd stars as novelist and former newspaperman Dan Holiday in this Mutual network mystery, written by Russell Hughes and directed by Vern Carstensen.

An anonymous letter arrives at Dan’s Box 13 mail drop with a chilling warning: he will be killed within four days unless he can identify the person behind the threat. As the deadline closes in, Dan follows the few clues available in a deadly challenge aimed at the man who advertised for adventure.

Box 13 presents the original broadcast with a newly produced contextual introduction, a short closing announcement, and gently cleaned and mastered audio for a more consistent listening experience.

Chapters:
00:00 Victor Sterling Introduction
00:52 Original Broadcast
27:23 Closing

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Speaker 1: Film actor Alan Ladd is Dan Holliday, the novelist and

former newspaper man at the center of Box thirteen. In

episode thirty six, Find Me Find Death, written by Russell

Hughes and directed by Vern Carstensen, Holiday receives an anonymous

letter at his Box thirteen mail drop identify a would

be killer within four days, or be killed himself. Sylvia

Picker appears as Susie, with Loreen Tuttle, Alan Red, Betty

lou Gerson, Luis van Rutten, John Beal, and Frank Lovejoy.

Speaker 2: In the supporting cast.

Speaker 1: Originally broadcast April twenty fourth, nineteen forty nine, this mutual

originated mystery brings Holiday to a challenge aimed directly at

the man who advertised for adventure. Here is the original broadcast.

Speaker 3: Box thirteen with the star of Paramount Pictures, Alan Ladd

as Dan Holliday.

Speaker 2: Hello, Susie, come for Box thirteen? Mail?

Speaker 4: Are Is it any kind of nature?

Speaker 2: A lot of it? But here's one that's different.

Speaker 5: How Well, look at the paper and it didn't come

by mail.

Speaker 2: It was just put on the counter here.

Speaker 4: Yes, I wonder why.

Speaker 2: Yeah, it was funny, all right? That was the letter

that said Box thirteen. I've been watching your at up

here in the Star Times day after day. You want adventure,

very well, I think I can offer that I'm going

to find out who you are, and when I do,

I'm going to kill you within four days. That gives

you four days to find out who I am. If

you learn that, you may stop me from killing you.

But if you don't, at least you will have four

days of different adventure.

Speaker 3: Now back to box thirteen and Dan Holliday's newest adventure,

find me find that.

Speaker 4: If you learn that, at least you will have had

four days of different adventure. Oh gee, maybe you'd better

go to Lieutenant Clean. Mister Holliday, Why, Susie, Well, you

don't want to be killed, do you.

Speaker 2: I'll try my best to avoid that ugly possibility.

Speaker 4: You think it's just a just a gag, don't you?

Speaker 2: It could be. And then again, oh Susie, what mister

know why this letter was delivered to the Star Times

by hand rather than through the regular mail. No, so

whoever wrote it could see who picked up the mail.

Speaker 4: There and find out who you are?

Speaker 2: And you you.

Speaker 4: Worried I am now see it could be a psychic

killer who wrote it?

Speaker 2: Psychopathic Susie. Anyway, I don't think we should take it

too seriously. Yeah, that's what I said, don't take it

too seriously. I didn't at first. I'd almost forgotten about

the letter until that night when I went Paul. I

walked into my apartment building and was passing the desk

when the clerk called out to me. Holiday. Oh, mister Holliday,

Uh oh, hello there. How are you fine? So you

certainly were deep in thought when you came in, as

I guess I was. Here's a letter for you. Oh,

thank you, You're welcome. Is anything wrong, mister Holliday. I

don't know who gave you this? No one, no one.

What do you mean? Well? It was on the floor,

just inside the lobby door. I thought maybe you dropped it.

I didn't. You didn't see anyone who might have thrown

it on the floor. I'm sorry I didn't, mister Holiday.

I've been at the switchboard all evening and I can't

see the entrance from there I see. Is anything wrong?

I mean, bad news, anything like that. I hear read this.

I'm ready, mister Holiday. Are you that's a funny kind

of note? Very funny? Has I been anyone here asking

for me, Not a soul at least not since I've

been on duty since seven this evening. Any calls, none,

You're sure no one came in? Well, not that I

saw you look worried, mister Holliday. Do I okay? Forget it?

Good night, good night, mister Holiday. Oh if there any calls,

do you want them? Yes, bring me in my apartment,

sure will, sir, good night, good night. Maybe it was

a joke, a little gruesome, but nevertheless a joke. I

went up to my apartment and I don't know why

I did it, but I tried the door softly and

carefully before I put the key in and unlocked it.

I stood there for a moment in the dark. Then

I switched on the lights. I told myself I was

being a little silly, that this was a choke. I

walked to the window and opened it. I stood there

looking out and down the street below. The pavement in

front of the apartment building was empty, no one there.

Then I went to the phone, and I made a

dozen calls and got a great reputation among my friends

for being well a little off the rails. But no

one admitted the joke. Maybe, just maybe because it wasn't

a choke.

Speaker 4: Good morning, mister Holliday. Gee, you look as though you

haven't slept, looked tired.

Speaker 2: Oh I slept, but badly?

Speaker 4: Did you have into couldn't you sleep?

Speaker 2: Where's the mail? Susie?

Speaker 4: Oh? Right here?

Speaker 2: Oh? Thank you?

Speaker 4: What's the matter, mister Holiday?

Speaker 2: Oh? I think Susie is getting a little angry that song?

But me. Oh no, Susie, not at you.

Speaker 4: What is it?

Speaker 2: Same paper, same handwriting?

Speaker 6: Huh?

Speaker 2: What is this letter? But this time it was sent

through the mail?

Speaker 4: Mister Holiday?

Speaker 2: What's wrong here? Read it? Oh?

Speaker 4: Sure, dear mister Holiday. Now I know who you are.

You must know it because you got my message last night.

But what I didn't tell you in my last letter

was that if you go to the police, you won't

get four days. I'll kill you as soon as you

make a move to contact them. Play the game fairly,

mister Holiday, and you'll have four days. Good luck.

Speaker 2: Let me have that letter, Susie. What are you going

to do a visit.

Speaker 4: To the police. Oh but mister Holiday.

Speaker 2: No, no, not to the police. I'm just going to

satisfy myself about something. Will you come in, mister Holliday. Oh,

thank you, doctor, Please it done? Thanks now. The nurse

said that you seemed rather anxious about something. I don't

usually see people without a point. I know, and I

appreciate this. Oh, here are three letters, doctor, I'd like

you to read them, and well, as a psychiatrist, tell

me what you think about them letters. Let me see?

Can you read? Tell I talk? Certainly, go right ahead. Well,

here's my advertisement in the Star Times, the one mentioned

in the first letter you're reading now. I'll explain about

the letter later, But first, would any person be liable

to write such letters as those? No, no normal person,

mister Holliday, But an abnormal person might. Have you thought

of the possibility of a prank or joke? Oh I have?

No one admits it. Well, no one would if it

is a joke, doctor, What kind of a person would

write letters like those leaving out the gag agle? I mean,

mister Holliday, if I try to well go into motives thoroughly,

you be here all day listening to me. However, there

are people who, to all appearances, the external appearances seem

perfectly normal. Yet those same persons, once the stimulus is applied,

the motivation furnished, will do terrible things, even commit murder. Yeah,

our records are full of such case histories. Why, mister Holiday,

what little we know about such things tells us that

these persons need even actually crave the bolster to their egos. Now,

if the person who wrote these letters really kills you,

as he says, then he'd feels superior to you and

the rest of the world. That's oversimplifying it, of course,

but basically that's it and all I pick on me. Well,

look at your advertisement, mister Holliday, Box thirteen adventure wanted,

will go any place? Do anything? You mean that adds

a challenge to the person who wrote the letter exactly.

You supplied the stimulus, the motivation to this person. In

other words, barring a joke, I'm in trouble, why don't

you go to the police. You read the third letter,

go to the police. I'll be killed before the four

days are up. I think you've got to take that chance. Maybe, look, doctor,

can this be kept confidential? Well if you want it

that way for a while anyway, thanks very much? Or

would you send your bill to my office? Oh? No charge,

on one condition condition? What's that? Come to see me

after four days, doctor, I'll be very happy to see

anyone after four days. That night I tried to sleep,

but I couldn't. I told myself a million times that

it was stupid and silly to let this get me.

It was a joke, it had to be. But I

heard Susie reading that letter.

Speaker 7: Who you are, I'll kill you.

Speaker 2: Th same persons once the stimulus is apply, the motivation

furnished will do terrible thing.

Speaker 4: I'm going to find out who you are, and when

I do up here again day.

Speaker 2: Look, that is a challenge to the world.

Speaker 4: Here morning a durable thing.

Speaker 2: I jumped out of bed and so i'd been shot

it I thought I had, But it was a car

backfiring in the street below. Well, that made up my

mind for me. I was going to the police. I

got dressed and went downstairs going out. Mister Holliday, Yeah

for a little while. Can't sleep. It's a little tough, yes, sir,

it's pretty noisy outside. That car backfiring woke me up.

You was sleeping, well, just dozing. That's all You're supposed

to stay awake. Anyone could get in or out. I'm sorry,

mister Holliday. I just hoot. No I'm sorry, I'm jumpy.

I guess forget it. Oh, if there are any calls,

I'll be back in an hour. Yes you're mister Holliday.

Good night, sir, good night. I walked out of my

apartment building. There were a lot of people in the streets,

coming home from shows, maybe going out for a bite

to eat, out of the store for a package of cigarettes.

I looked at their faces. They were the same kind

of faces I saw every other day, except now now

they were different in a subtle way. I wondered which

one might be. Hey, Bud, huh what you got the time?

I scaredule? Eh, you look like he was a million

miles away. I wish I were, mister, and I wish

I were. Oh here you are. Hey, Hey, I asked

for the time, not a handout. It's all right, you're welcome. Hey, calv. Calv.

Take me to the nearest police station and make it fast. Hey,

I keep a change. The street in front of the

police station was empty. The tail light of the cab

I just left re seated in the distance and then disappeared.

The headlights of a car coming down the street were

yellow and misty. I started towards the stairs, but stop

to watch the car coming down the street. It slowed

up a little, and then an envelope hit the pavement.

I picked it up. The car from which it had

been tossed disappeared down the street and around a corner.

I tore open the envelope. The note was in the

same handwriting. It was short, sweet, mister Holliday, if you

try to go into that police station, a bullet will

kill you before you can get inside.

Speaker 3: And now back to find me find another Box thirteen

Adventure with Alan Land as Dan Holliday.

Speaker 2: I didn't go into the station. Somehow I believe that note.

Then the next day at the office, Susie and I

talked it over.

Speaker 4: Please you'll be careful, won't you, mister Holiday?

Speaker 2: Careful? Yeah? Sure? But how look Susie knows where I live,

he knows every move I make. But I haven't got

the slightest clue as to who he or she is.

Speaker 4: You got to find out, Yes, I know.

Speaker 2: But how I'm no superman, Susie, and I've only got

two more days.

Speaker 4: Maybe if you left town, mister Holiday.

Speaker 2: Oh, I wouldn't do any good. He'd be sure to

follow it.

Speaker 4: What's the matter? Did you think of something.

Speaker 2: No, no, you did, I did, Yes, you, Susie, leave town.

That's the answer.

Speaker 4: But you just said he'd follow you.

Speaker 2: If it's not a joke, you will. Now wait, let's

think this od by train. No, too many people to

check on the train. I'd never be able to narrow

the choice down.

Speaker 4: Good Bye bus, mister Holliday.

Speaker 2: Bus, that said, Susie. Bus. Not a big one, but

one of those small lines that make only about a

three or four hundred mile run. How many people can

get on one of those?

Speaker 4: Maybe twenty or thirty one, sure.

Speaker 2: Twenty or thirty. And I've got an idea. Come out

of the station with me, Susie. Me before you'll see

hand me that small bag.

Speaker 4: Oh are you going to pop?

Speaker 2: Now? The bag will be just a prop. Now, come on,

let's go now, Look, Susie, I'm going to buy a

ticket on that bus, the one marked on the schedule

leaving in five minutes. I'm going to buy a ticket

all the way through to the end of the line.

In then I'm going to get off that bus before

the end of the line had come right back here.

Speaker 4: Geez it, sounder, I don't get it.

Speaker 2: Don't you see Susie. If he's following me, he'll buy

a ticket all the way through and he'll have to

get off before the end of the line to keep

track of me.

Speaker 7: Solong, Susie.

Speaker 2: I took a good look at my fellow passengers on

the bus. It wasn't crowded. There were only ten beside me.

I wondered which the ten, if any was the person

who was after me? Then excuse me.

Speaker 8: Excuse me?

Speaker 2: Oh yes, would you do me a favor?

Speaker 5: Please?

Speaker 2: Oh? Like that? Sure?

Speaker 7: What is it?

Speaker 2: This is my little boy, Harold. All the seats next

to the windows are taken. He likes to look out.

I wondered if you'd mind, if you just certainly not?

Hell yeah, Sonny Climan, Oh thank you, Harold. Be careful

of your lollipop now, don't get it all over the

nice man like the ride, Sonny. Hey, it's pretty out there,

isn't it. Kid? Don't talk much, does he? Oh? No,

not much? Going all the way? Yes' all the way?

And you all the way. You want one of these

books to read help pass the time? Oh, thank you,

it's nothing. Here's a good murder mystery.

Speaker 7: You like murders?

Speaker 2: Nothing like them?

Speaker 9: Most of the murderers, and then books are should done. Now,

if I was going to kill somebody, nobody would even

though I was going to do it. But I could

kill somebody and get away with it, that is, if

I wanted to kill somebody and do you. Sometimes I

ain't doing, mister, Sometimes I do.

Speaker 2: Well, I'll let you do your reading, Harold. You can

come with me now, and thanks for your kindness. Mister.

There's a seat next to the window up front. Now, Harold,

where's your lovelypop? Oh? Here you are? This is it?

Speaker 8: Oh?

Speaker 5: Thank you?

Speaker 2: Where was it? Oh? I just rang my fingers through

my hair and there it was. Oh, thank you. Come on, Harold.

The rest of the passengers sat silently and quietly in

their seats, so I'm reading some just staring out of

the window. Then I saw one man who was just

looking at me with a little smile on his face.

Smile widened and I smiled back. He came over to me.

Mind if I sit down? No, not at all. Thanks.

Speaker 5: You mean all kinds of people on a bus. That's

why I like to ride on him.

Speaker 2: Huh you make a happit of it. Well, I guess

you could say, I do. How about you? I don't

ride buses as a rule. I see you're on a

business trip. All. I guess you could say I am salesman. No,

I'm I'm a writer. Hot writer? Is that funny? I'm

sorry I saw am I a writer? I mean? Is that? So?

My name's Trevor? With him Trevor? Mine's holiday, Dan Holiday? Wow?

Be a mystery fiction writer, aren't you? Yes, that's right.

Speaker 5: My stuff runs more than the scientific. But I get

a lot of material on these buses.

Speaker 2: You do.

Speaker 5: For example, Well, a couple of years ago I rode

on the same bus with a man who killed three

men I talked to where they might have a couple

of coffee with him at a stop, and.

Speaker 2: Never would have thought of him as a killer. He's

no different from you or me. Here that fellow gave

you the book a few minutes ago. I suppose lots

of people who appear normal aren't really as normal as

they see. I guess that going far Dan, Yes all

the way. Well, I'll leave you tore reading Oh Murder Mystery?

Speaker 8: You like him?

Speaker 2: M Sometimes I do. It all depends on how I feel.

What you mean, Well, I think I'll try a little

nat for a few minutes. I'll see you later. He

went back to his seat. I sat pretended to read,

but no one else spoke to me. Of patting the

attention to me, and the bus went on on and

the bus made its first stop after an hour's ride.

I got office, did the rest of the passengers. Everyone

took a stretch and then what all? What made over?

I duck behind a post and waited, waited until the

bus pulled out. I looked around. I was just going

to border return bus. Yeah, I thought you were going

all the way. I changed my mind as a traber,

I thought you were going all the way. Did I

say that? I don't think so. I may have imagined it,

I could, I know I didn't say it.

Speaker 5: Well, kiss the step of my ticket punched as far

as this stopped.

Speaker 2: He was right, his ticket was punched only as far

as it stopped. I looked at him. You must have

seen the expression on my face, because hey, don't you

feel well? Yes, I'm all right by You had a

kind of.

Speaker 5: Funny look on your face, as though you expected me, well,

expected something to happen but didn't.

Speaker 2: Or maybe I'm imagining things now going back to the city, Yeah, sure,

come on this return bus. Looks like we'd be able

to get a sea Hey, Trevor, Trevor, Oh, we're back. Huh, Well,

I'm sure a trip in a merry one, A merry

one that could be See.

Speaker 5: I wonder if you'd come to my play some evening

for a chit chat. My wife would love to meet

somebody who's successful with his riding. What's the matter with you?

I'm afraid I'm not the picture of successful writer. I've

had a lot of disappointment.

Speaker 2: Oh I see, well, I'll be glad. Could you make

it tonight? Well, I don't know. We're having some people

over it.

Speaker 5: My wife would get a big kick out of having

a real, live writer, a good one that is all right.

Speaker 2: If I find I'm free, i'll be there.

Speaker 5: Hey, here's my name and address. Gee, my wife. We

got a kick out of this here. Now, please try

to make it, will you?

Speaker 2: Sure? Sure, I'll try it. Okay, I'll see you later then,

and thanks. He got off of the bus ahead of

me and walked away. I wondered. I wondered about a

lot of things. Trevor had been the only one of

the original passengers who had taken the return bus with me,

yet his ticket was punched for the first stop. If

he'd wanted to keep track of me, would have bought

a ticket all the way through. Because because he couldn't

have known I get off. I decided to accept his

invitation because well, I had to find out sooner or later.

And so that night I stood on the door stay

up outside Travers home. Inside a radio was playing. I

could hear people laughing talking. I rang the doorbell and waited, hoay, Holiday,

you did come? Are you surprise? Sure? I am.

Speaker 5: All those invitations usually work out and nobody goes any place.

Speaker 2: Come on in and meet the gang. Ah the glad, dude,

lootle man.

Speaker 5: If those goons in there start chewing your head off

the questions and I get bored, you just give me

the high sign.

Speaker 2: We'll break it off. Okay, mister Trevor, you have no

idea how glad I am to be among people. What

do you mean? Oh? Nothing, nothing at all. I just

like people. That's all I see in here.

Speaker 5: Holiday, Surprised Holiday, your wife and some guests.

Speaker 2: Huh. I'll turn it off. That's an excellent record. It's

used for sound effects and radio.

Speaker 5: I believe open that door, not yet, sit down, Holiday Travel.

Speaker 2: Listen to me. You're a fool even to try to

get away with this.

Speaker 5: Oh I've gotten away with it before, five times, to

be exact, and I don't force me to shoot you yet.

Speaker 2: Sit down five times?

Speaker 5: Yes, but this one is the most exciting sit down holiday.

Speaker 2: Now.

Speaker 8: I must say that that bus trick of yours was

very clever, holiday, but.

Speaker 2: My trick was a little more so. You actually bought

a ticket as far as the first stop.

Speaker 5: Of course, if you've gone on, it would have been

a simple matter for me to pay the difference in fair.

Speaker 2: But you are clever travel. Listen to me. You're not well, now,

let's stop this as right now? Not well, I'm well,

all right.

Speaker 5: The rest of the world is made up of fools

and idiots.

Speaker 2: But I like you holiday so much so that I'm

going to give you a chance. Chance, what kind of

a chance? You sit at one end of that long table,

I'll sit at the other.

Speaker 5: Go ahead, now what now neither of us can reach

the other.

Speaker 2: I have two guns here, one for you and one

for me. You're you're going to give me a gun?

Speaker 8: Do you ever hear of Russian roulette?

Speaker 2: I see you have.

Speaker 8: I put one bullet in each gun one and only one.

Speaker 5: I'll spin the cylinders on each revolver so that neither

of us knows.

Speaker 2: In which chamber the bullet is.

Speaker 5: Now a bullet in your gun may be in the

chamber under the hammer, or.

Speaker 2: It may not the same for mine. You catch Travor

for the last time, I'll be out of here. You

play the game. Point the gun at me. Holidays, I

point mine at you, so.

Speaker 8: If your bullet is under the hammer, you'll kill me.

If mine is under the hammer, ready, squeeze the trigger. Holiday,

because I'm going.

Speaker 2: To Travor star. I love the tired Holiday. This may

be the end when I come three.

Speaker 6: One, two, three, We're both lucky.

Speaker 2: Ala once more. There was one long chance. To my

right was the only light in the room, a student

lamp on a small table. I waited to know. Trevor

counted to three, then died for the lamp. It was dark.

I heard Trevor move and then Haliday. Holiday. Stay where

you are, Trevor, don't try to get out the door.

Speaker 5: Holiday.

Speaker 2: I know exactly where it is.

Speaker 5: Now fire.

Speaker 2: I've got a pull of two.

Speaker 8: Hah have you you haven't got a pool, You've got

a bake in your gun.

Speaker 2: You try it. Oh, this is more.

Speaker 5: Exciting than I ever imagined it would be.

Speaker 8: Holiday, you made my paket now because you'll never.

Speaker 2: Get out alive. Go ahead, fire at me. When do

you think you'll get the loaded chamber, Trevor. I'm ready

to kill you. I must kill you. The next chamber

is the one, Trevor, and you'd better hit me. I'll wait.

I'll wait until I can see you, will you? Then

you'll have to wait until morning. By that time I'll

be missed, and my secretary knows where I've gone. Then

they'll come here, Trevor. They'll come here and take you away.

They'll put you where you'll get better. Because you're sick, Trevor,

very sick. Think of a Trevor. Long nights and days

where you can't get out, long nights and days. They'll

come for you, Trevor. They'll come for you in the morning.

Holiday Holiday.

Speaker 6: Holiday, you devil, you poor devil.

Speaker 7: I'm sorry.

Speaker 4: And you were locked up in that dark room with him.

Speaker 2: Yeah, Susie, it wasn't nice. But now he's locked up

or he can't harm anyone or himself.

Speaker 4: You know what, mister Holliday, You need a nice long rip.

Speaker 2: Oh, say it again, Susie, Say it again?

Speaker 4: You sure do. Why don't you take a nice first ride?

Don't take but.

Speaker 2: Good night, Susie.

Speaker 3: Next week, same time through the courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Ellen Ladd stars as Dan Holliday in Box thirteen. Box

thirteen is directed by Richard Sandough, with the week's original

story by Russell Hughes. Original music is composed and conducted

by Rudy Schraker. Part of Susie is played by Sylvia Pickers,

and production is supervised by Berne Carstenson. Box thirteen is

a Mayfair production from Hollywood. Watch for allon Ladd in

his latest Paramount Picture.

Speaker 1: Box thirteen episode thirty six, Find Me Find Death concludes

our visit with Dan Holliday. Tonight, good night, and thank

you for listening.