Nightbeat - Zero

Night Beat.

Hi, this is Randy Stone. I cover the night Beat a Chicago star. You know, stories start many different ways, but this one began modestly enough, with a zero and a typewriter. That's right, cipher, not nothing, but to one man of Chicago's four million, that's zero meant death.

Night Beat, starring Frank Lovejoy as Rudy Stone.

Mine is a funny kind of a job. When that evening sun goes down, I start walking through the dark city, peering into bleak alleys, wandering through the bright kneon, listening to the sounds of a city at night, the whisper of footsteps, the shattering roar of an llow train, the sob of an ambulance siren. I wander up the boulevards, down the back street, searching for something in the dark city. And what exactly is it that I seek? Brother, It's

Operator.

Nobody around but Benny polishing the counter and this little blonde yapping excitedly into the wall phone near the door. Please hurry, such devotions. Somebody should get that excited over me, Missus Warren.

Yes, we were just connected. Has he come home yet, Missus Warren?

Ohya, Benny, how's the bikarpenter kick?

Oh?

Hi, you Randy.

You always say that, but you keep coming back, letting the punishment.

You got to find him, You got to get her. What's with her? Benny?

On twenty five call? She makes like that twenty five times. She gets the same answer twenty five times. She comes over to get more. Nichols, business is good. Huh yeah, a hole in the head. What's in it for me? Making change?

All?

Give me some change, please, Nichols.

Lady, sooner or later I gotta run out.

This is it. I gotta have some I don't make him here, lady, now, will you please change quarters?

Done?

I'll let me take a look to see if.

I have any Oh yeah, please do hurry, please, hurry.

Reaching Randy. Make what the catch?

He's passion out? Oh easy, lady, easy? How cold coffee? Benny?

Quickly? It's one thing I'll say.

If Gabriel's trumpet doesn't succeed in waking the dead, all they've got to do is send for some of Benny's coffee. After I got a couple of SIPs down the girl's throat, she started coming out of it, tears rolling down her face, her whole.

Body trembling with sobs.

Come on, not stop it, honey, stop it.

What happened to me?

You passed out? But good? What time is It was nine forty five.

I've got to find him.

I just got to I'll not take it easy. You're still shaking. Now, come on, have a few more SIPs of this so called coffee. No, no, well, if you think Benny's coffee is bad, you want to try his hamburgers.

I've just got to find him.

Who have you got to find?

The man?

Quite man, the man I killed. Ask a foolish question, you got a foolish answer. Only before I could ask any more questions, a little lady was on her way out of the place. I looked at Benny, just to make sure he'd heard the same thing I had. He had heard. His mouth was hanging open, like somebody had taken off her hinges. I left the bean room and started after the girl. First I thought i'd lost her, and I saw a sagging against the side of a building under the elevator tracks on deer horse.

She saw me.

Come, who do you want?

Oh, I'm just an old busy buddy. I don't know what to do.

I'm going crazy. I should come missus one again. Maybe he came home.

Man, are a man you killed?

Huh?

Well that makes sense. Now listen, Oh.

You don't understand. You just don't understand this.

You can be sure.

I've got to find him.

I've just got to You've killed him, but you've got to find it.

Yes, I must go.

Please please let me go.

I'm not holding your kid.

I don't know where to turn.

You don't want to go any place? Do you you want help?

All right?

Here it is I don't know.

My name is Stone. Now that we're formally.

Introduced the newspaper columnist.

Well Man's got to read.

Maybe you can help. Maybe you can, mister Stone.

Yeah, but first I got to know why you keep calling the home of the man you killed to see if he's gotten in yet.

This is slightly confused.

All right, I'll tell you. My name is Ruth Baker. I'm receptionist and secretary for doctor Stanley.

Loring, a specialist.

Yes, go ahead.

There was a man Philip Warren. A week ago he saw doctor Loring for an examination. Today this afternoon he came back for the report. I was in the outer office when mister Warren left the consultation room. He looks strange, stranger.

Will you give me a cigarette?

Miss Baker?

Oh, certainly, mister Warren. Here, there's a lighter on the table.

I don't want a cigarette. Was there?

Is there anything wrong?

Hey? What time have you got? Three fifteen?

You're a minute slow?

All that for the minute is important.

Very important if you're going to catch a train.

No, it's always important.

Yes, I suppose it is.

Oh, yes, you know.

I've lived all my life that way, paying attention to time being punctual.

My wife considers it a nuisance, do you.

I'm afraid I hadn't thought I should.

Everyone should tie If you thought how many different ways one tells time? It can whisper in an hour glass? Or tinkle in the tiny little clock, or it can roar, or yes, all my life has been important to me. Now he won't tell me when all he says is some time. That's not fair, mistaken, it's not right.

Mister Warren. Perhaps you'd better lie down.

Oh no, no, no, I've got several things to do, many things. In fact, I see you don't. But that doesn't matter at all.

You know, in my office I can hear the chimes of the clock and the tower above me.

I've always listened to them.

I like them because time is important. But I never heard them chime midnight midnight. I guess midnight is a special time. It's either tomorrow, it's a day.

It's it's in between.

Tells a man that the day is over, another one's going to begin. It's like standing on the edge.

Goods, goodbye, miss Baker.

Yes, doctor miss Baker will please right away.

Warren comments, Yes, he just left, doctor Loring. Yeah, it was certainly unexpected. I was almost certain it wasn't that serious. Well, what does examination report back when you?

Yes, sir, the clause file, mispaker?

The closed Yes, Oh I'm sorry.

What was it any inoperable condition?

Oh?

Now, I see, see what mispeaker, Why he acted so strangely.

Oh, don't worry, he'll go home.

Think about it. When the first shock wears off, you'll accept it. What else can you do? What else can anyone do?

After that, I went back to my desk. Mister Stoner, I was checking my file, said, come on with what I made a mistake. How horrible mistake was well? When a patient comes in for examination, only doctor Loring knows his name. The technical laboratory has only a number, a number on a card. Mister Warrens was five one two nine. I type it wrong. I type five one.

Two zero, the quiet number of another patience.

It was a mistake. I've put mister Warren's name under the wrong laboratory number. The number of us of a man who whispering to die.

Certainly, doctor Long, I'll be able to tell if Warren went.

Just a routine check up would indicate symptoms. It took actual laboratory work to make certain.

I see, he'll kill himself.

He's that kind of a man. And if he does, I've killed him, murdered him. And if I don't want to live, I'll kill myself.

Not Come on, come on, love, there's no time for that, does doctor Lorning?

No.

I told him right away, and he tried to reach Warren.

Oh, I've been trying since his afternoon, at his home, everywhere. He must have gone home first, because he left.

His wife a note suicide. Not yes, Ruthie. Come on, let's go the Warren's home, and if he's not there, I will well. Chicago's a big city. You'll be tough finding one man among four million people, but we can try it.

I found a note when I got home, mister Stone. I knew Philip went to see doctor Loring.

But I didn't.

Just the note and nothing else. Missus Waring, you called the police right away.

Of course I did.

And you haven't left this apartment, not for a second.

Didn't he phone try to get in touch with you at all? Miss Baker? He did not.

And if my husband isn't found before he killed himself, I'll say to it.

That you will tell you what was a mistake. Anyone could make a mistake, mistake.

To make a man believe he's gonna die in horrible pain. No, that's no mistake.

That's murdered. L Carla is kind of murder.

Don't get out of here and leave me alone.

Wait a minute, missus Warren, I crucify this kid because she made a mistake that could happen only once in a million.

Years to my husband. Leave me alone. You want to find him, don't you.

Well, now, what kind of a question is that?

A nice? Reasonable question? You want to find him?

All right? Help us?

But what can we do? By midnight? You he'll be dead the not he left said soul.

Someone's at the door.

It might be here.

I'll get mister Warren. Warren, why not, Paul? Yes?

What did you find out?

Nothing?

I checked every precinct station between here and the Oak Street beach.

Paul.

This is mister Stone and the girl who I see, Paul is a friend of Phillips.

Yeah, yeah, there's nothing you said. No one's seen him, and no suicide report out his.

It's ten now, we've got two hours to find you.

And that bothers me. Why should he choose exactly twelve o'clock to die?

If you knew my husband, you'd understand why the ticking of the clock was the most important thing in his life.

You could set your watch by his schedule.

Up at seven thirty in the morning, never seven twenty eight never, seven thirty one, seven thirty breakfast to ten minutes.

To herm Are we having time to worry about Phillips City or Sinker? He's right now. We've got to find him. As the young lady said, we've only got two hours. Try to think the way he would. What does he do for those two hours? Where does he go? What does he want to see?

He's lived all his life doing things exactly.

The same way.

That's all. Well, that's something. What are you getting at Stone? Well?

I was just thinking, nobody ever, let's go of life without holding on to something else. Nobody knows whether you can take a memory with you or not. Maybe it's just a face, a melody, a favorite place. Nobody knows. But we like to think. So Philip, go ahead. What were you going to say?

Oh?

Look, Philip would want to die exactly as he'd live, knowing exactly when and where.

That's what I mean, Missus Warren. I want a list of every place your husband might go.

But I'm telling so there are so many places.

One hundred thousand. What's the difference? Write them down. I'll go with your Stone. No, No, you stay here with missus Warren. Somebody's got to be here if he shows up and step on it. With that list, Missus Warren got a lot of places to cover.

By midnight.

If we haven't found him, then we can cut our list down to one place. The County Morgue.

Night Beat stars Frank Lovejoy as ranby Stone.

Find one man out of four million people, find one place out of a thousand square miles of city, and do it in two hours, one hundred and twenty minutes. A long chance compared to our job. A buck on the Irish sweepstakes was money in the bank. We had two things in our favor. One, Missus Warren had called the police a thousand cops at Warren's description to Warren himself. The way he lived was a clue to the way he might die on time punctuary. But where the first list?

All right, mister Warren. Yes, I know he has.

He been in here tonight?

Tonight?

Yes, yes, tonight.

I assu you don't know, mister Warren. Very well.

Mister Warren comes here on Tuesday evenings only.

This is Monday cross off.

One place, go to the next. Yes they knew mister Warren. No, he hasn't been in tonight. This is Monday. He comes here only on Fridays, grab a cab and hurry on, watching the minutes go by, watching Ruthie die a minute at a time, telling her no matter how bad we were doing, the cops'd find him for sure. The cigar store where he stopped for cigarettes missed him by an hour. The news reel theater su're an old customer, but he

Well? Has he been here tonight?

Sure?

Hey, what gives with that guy? What do you mean? Oh?

Any other night he's buy here six o'clock shop tonight he comes past half to ten, buys.

A paper, a late edition. You've never done that before. In fact, I never seen him after sick. Which way did he go?

Did he say anything to you?

Not?

All?

He does is buy the paper walk away, and then he throws the paper away like he don't want it in the first place.

Which way did he go?

Straight up Michigan? In that way you got to admit its on you.

Yes, I admit it, I admit it. Thank you, come on to have you move? So he went straight up Michigan Avenue.

That away.

All we accomplished was to lose another five minutes of our time, and brother, when it came to time, we were really scraping bottom. Those other loving cops were becoming more important by the second. One by one, we kept scratching names off the list. The cafeteria where we sometimes stopped for coffee, but not tonight. The drug store where

Nobody else can I figure part.

I'm looking for a man named Philip Warren, you.

Know, and koyeah, Yeah, quite well.

I consider mister Warren one of my special customers.

He had a nipe. What are you ask We don't have time for anything but yes and no answers, please yes or no.

I really don't feel I'm at liberty to discuss with complete sprout.

Then it's not gonna work. We're not gonna find it.

Something wrong with mister Warren.

But to put it mildly, yes, no, come on call if you'll tell me why you want to listen, please, it's not really proper to tell just anyone who happens to him. Quiet, un, Let's we find him in the next fifteen minutes. Warren is going to die.

Good joke.

Look at this girl here, Warren dies shield never mind, look at her face and tell me I'm joking. Oh all right, I didn't know.

Mister Warren's a good customer, you know, two strangers as he was he in here, and.

How long ago he came in a little while ago. I thought it was strange, you know, because he's late.

It's always comes in promptly five thirty never mind the details.

How long ago? About ten minutes ago. He's not at the usual place. But then he didn't drink his sherry. You know where he went? No? No, I don't.

Did you see him go?

Oh?

Yeah, I saw him leave, all right. Don't think has he ever said anything about going anywhere from here? No?

No, no, he was always very quiet. Oh but I think his office is me?

What makes you think that?

Well?

He mentioned once he always leaves it at five thirty and he makes thank you? Where's the phone near the entrance?

Some one?

Ruth?

Thank you?

What is it? Mister? What did you think of?

He got his home phone number?

Yeah, written down here? Than why are you calling you?

I want to know where his offices?

But why?

All his life punctual, methodical? Everything to him was a habit. Maybe it's a crazy hunch, but I could be right. He could have gone to his office.

Yes, you could be right.

Come on, come on, answer to answer.

They've gotta be there. They said they'd stay.

But they don't answer. Roster.

You remember where his offices must be on your records.

I don't remember it, but we can go and get it. Try it again.

They're not there. I told him to stay there. The fools. I what the phone directory might have a business listening for him? One and Warren one one cool Philip worn Is it no? Only his home phone? The number I just called, mister Stone.

If missus Warren isn't home, she might have gone to the police. Maybe they found him.

That could be it.

Keep your fingers crossed that they found him alive.

Well, where Randy Stone? Stupid around this precinct for stories?

I've got one, Mac Listen, I'm in a hurry. You've got to tell me something. Way sure, New war as a general call out for a man named Philip Warren.

Have you got anything on it? Oh? You look Warren, Philip Warren.

That's right? Oh, Mac, come on, come on, not then, hero on that name Randy Nothing? Mac, you're crazy. The call went out this afternoon. Every precinct discuss.

This is one of them. But they're angything here. Take a look for yourself. Here's this year.

I'll take your word for it. Mac listen, put out a call right away. He's got to be picked up. He kills somebody, He'll kill himself. You'll hear that, Mac, He'll kill himself if he's not found before midnight.

Before midnight. But that's your fift genius. Yes, I know.

What did it?

Day?

They didn't have a call for it.

That's crazy. They must have this is Warren call a pool.

Ye word doesn't mean a heavy Look up, let's figure it. That last cocktail Arne, the bartender said Warren came in every evening for five point thirty five. That he left his office at five thirty. That makes his office a five minute walk from the cocktail lounge.

Ken, and what he said to me, Remember what he said. He liked to sit in his office and listen to the chimes from the tower above.

Is often tower tower, five minutes from at cocktail.

Lounge on Michigan Avenue.

Look, look at the avenue.

The Wrigley Building, the clock in the Campanelli tower, Ruth, that's got to be it. We've got ten minutes to get there and find the office cabbin Wrigley Building fast. The red in the traffic lights didn't mean a thing, but it still took us three minutes to get to the Wrigley Building. When we got there, the hands of the clock in the Campanili tower pointed to seven of twelve, and as we looked up, the larger hand crossed out

He opened it. Hey, hey, let's look.

My name is Stone, Chicago Star. Yeah, let's give you the right chapond on door. Please please just listen. Does a man named Philip Warren have an office in this building?

No, he ain't got no office. Are you sure? Of course?

I'm sure man named Warren works here? Philip Warren sure works for Western Re Did he come in tonight? Stop asking questions? Please, We've got to find him, and he'll be dead.

But he was all right when he walks, you know. To take us up to him. Hey, you've got to sign the in and out shoot, just like everybody.

All right, all right, we'll sign it. Just take us up, okay, go.

Do you use afraid elevator? The regular ones don't run at night, not this show.

I don't care which one we use. Just get us up to Warren. I stopped looking at my watch while at freight. Elevator droned its deadly way up to the floor where Warren had his office.

And then at last we were there Western Research officers right down.

Well, you'll call the police, sir, call the police. Tell him you're calling for me to get here.

As soon as they came. Sure, okay, I can come on.

There it is.

There's no light inside, it's open, there's no one here.

Find the light switch. I can't right, never mind, I'll light a match. Took some man.

I thought I saw someone at the disk? Can you light of that match?

All right? Follow me?

Look, missus Warren, what are you doing here? I thought of the same thing you did, and.

I yes, Paul, mister Stone is here too.

Yes, I turn on the light. Paul.

Why wasn't the light on in the first place?

We thought Philip came here and saw a lighty wouldn't come in.

That's right, ste We called the police that nothing yet or so we came here. We thought you would call the police.

We just couldn't stay home and do nothing.

The police didn't tell you anything. Huh oh, everyone's looking for Philip.

I'll ask you a nice Paul.

Where is he? I don't understand.

Let's stop playing paddycake?

Where is he?

I tell you, we don't know what you do. Well, you're one of his best friends.

Where is he? Come on?

Give we don't know where he is. We came here for the same reason.

You'll never pulled the police about your husband, like you said, you didn't want them to find him. You're insane, both of you.

Come on, poor boy, tell me where he is.

Tell you I don't know.

Let's try it again. Come on, storm your never mind me. Let's stick to the subject of the moment. Where is he Georgian?

Where is he? Albory, neat and clean? Wasn't it Let the old boy kill himself?

Just don't do a thing about it. Stop tell me when, Paul, how much insurance was he gonna leave to your lady friends you assured it isn't one of those non canceble policies, Paul, you know some of them.

Don't pay you off on suicide.

Tell me where he is, Tell me stop it, stop it, stop it.

He's on the tower.

Stop taroro the building. I saw him. He's gonna jump.

Here's your boyfriend, missus Warren, catch the tower, Ruth, come on, elevate no time, tower's only two flights up. Come on, I'll need you. It was one minute of twelve when we took the first step of the two flights. The run up was like one of those dreams in which you stand aside and watch yourself. There was a queer, impersonal detachment about it. That made a horror even more real. And then we were out on the roof.

Did see you?

No?

No, not yet?

What that where?

Look on the tower?

One?

One?

Wait one y's not wait stop quite time.

I've got to finish up to day. You've got to listen to me. You're not fine to die. Do you hear me? He said I was, but he wouldn't say when. He wouldn't tell me when.

But I know I can.

Tell you it's not quite twelve. But what he is? One? Look here, rode, make him listen to me.

There's a look ethic, you know.

Yes, I know.

I know everybody in the world, and I could see Reddy from you.

Please the report was a mistake. You're not going to die. Do you hear You're the mistake?

Please listen to me. Good.

Oh, everybody likes to me all my life.

You want me to summon I do?

I tell you what?

Did I know what?

I'm going to die? But you're not.

You're a mistake, my mistake, not the gostess. I swear we're not lying to you. I swear it.

Running run it, why mothering?

If I get your boys ready.

Mix there are si But you what about you. Keep talking.

He's watching you, keep talking.

Mister Warren, You're all right?

Do you hear?

You're not going to die?

He told me it.

Was a mistake.

Please don't die on me. Please, it's the truth, mister Warren.

You're not going to die, are you believing?

Thank Heavin, Thank Heaven.

You can get him now, Mac, He'll hold on until your boys reaching. So here, I sit trying to write my story for the night, but I keep hitting that one key zero zero cipher not nothing. Oh dear, Someday a nice, peaceful story is going to be written about a flock of happy little birds leisurely circuling a burned out world ring Whatever happened to all those crazy two legged characters who spent their lives knocking each other's brains out.

All right?

You've broken down to bit philosopher.

The makeup ed.

It has got to go home too, So let's get going. Hello, give me a red rite.