Jeff Regan, Investigator: The Prodigal Daughter

My name's Jeff Regan. I'm the lion's eye, his private eye. I work for Anthony J. Lyon, head of the International Detective Bureau. He doesn't care where the money comes from, just so long as it comes to him.

He cashes in on trouble, for him it pays off. For me, it's work. Here's the kind of adventure you've been waiting to hear. Hard-boiled action and mystery with radio's most exciting private detective, Jeff Regan.

So stand by for trouble and suspense in tonight's story of the prodigal daughter. And now here's Jack Webb as Jeff Regan. This is the way it started. Melody was sitting in the outer office wearing her horn rim glasses.

Fat told me that the client was in with a lion. I smiled at her and she blinked back, rolled her eyes toward the lion's den. She's polite today. Yeah, I know. On the phone I was Jeffery.

No. Why do you stand for it? I wish I knew him, Melody. It buzzed me in, will you? Yes, Mother Dave. Mr. Regan, dear, now, Mr. Iron. Oh, well, send him in. Send him in. We're waiting.

Good luck, thanks. Ah, Jeffrey, Jeffrey, my boy. My boy, come in. Come in. There's someone here I want you to meet. Now, then, Jeffrey. Mr. Carter, this is Mr. Jeffrey Regan, one of my very best men.

Jeffrey, this is Mr. Daniel Carter. How do you do? How do you do, Mr. Regan? Mr. Lyon has assured me that you're a discrete young man. Well, I always... I always discreetness, Mr. Carter. International detective bureau is ethically bound to employ sympathetic understanding personnel, as well as alert productive operators.

I hope that's true, Mr. Lyon. In my publishing business, I never had the occasion to settle my trust on any one person. Very delicate situation, Geoffrey. Yeah. Go ahead, Mr. Carter. Everything said in this room is in the strictest confidence.

Well, I want you to know that it wasn't easy for me to come here. It's it's admitting defeat in a way The tree says my daughter Five years ago she walked out. So I I can understand in a way When her mother died I started sending her away to schools. I I was no companion for her

I've you heard from her at all. Do you know where she is? I've never heard from her Mr. Egan since she left. I don't know where she is but I I want her back, Mr. Regan.

I can see how you feel. International is in business to make people happy. Now, I've offered Mr. Lyon a $2,000 fee if you can find my daughter. $2,000? That figures. Now, you can trust International to find your daughter and bring her back.

Well, then I guess that's all, Mr. Regan. I'll go now. You'll let me know as soon as you find anything. anything of course and good day gentlemen first international Mr Carter good day here's your ticket you leave on the sunset limited 145 today I do you're going to New Orleans to pick up that day and bring her back she was 19 when she

left home and any day who's 19 has a boyfriend next door I found out that much in two phone calls the boyfriend hasn't heard from her in over a year but that means she's got another boyfriend down there here's the New Orleans address You knew all this. Here's the picture of it.

She's just been staying away from the old man. This is going to be a nice piece of change. Who grand for bringing her back? Plus expenses. How do you know she'll come back with me?

She walked out all alone. That means she wants to be all alone. Maybe we could make another thousand. If some nosy newspaper guy just happens to get tipped and wants money to keep quiet. You're crawling with ethics aren't you?

Melody, I'll give you some travel sticks. Sepathetic, understanding. Let them hack some things before you miss your trade. Just in business to make people happy. I want to be happy too. Beat it. Call me if you're running to any trouble.

What was the answer? One of the greats of the most delicious I've ever seen. And we can tell they had to go rain. Two days later in New Orleans at the Roosevelt Hotel, home of the original Raymus Gin Fizz, I figured it'd take a lot of Fizz to pull away that sudden heat.

Everybody in the lobby seemed cool enough and linens, droppet holes and shearsuckers, except me and a big, perspiring man leaning against the CNS ticket counter. He smiled when he saw me and came across the lobby holding out his hand.

Well, well, well, I'm so glad to see him. We thought you'd never get here. Nice trip. Was all right. See, the rest of the boys are headquartered in 810. Mighty anxious to meet you. They are?

Mighty anxious. The Delta Cotton Growers are going to make it of break it at this convention now I want he was talking real sincere and bent over to make a gesture the accent was phony but the bulge inside his double rested gabbering coat was real enough it was a 38 automatic I say I'll take

you up right now why don't I meet you up there later we're all right of it rather that's room eight ten I'll go out and get a bite and you do that about an How long have the Dela Cotton Growers been in town?

The Dela Cotton Growers, said it was, I had their convention last May. Last May? It's... Who's registered in Rome, eight-tenth? Well, we have no e-tenth. That's what I thought. Thanks. Thanks. Who with a big man, a phony accent, 38 automatic and no Delta Cotton Growers convention?

You tell me. Two hours later in a fresh shirt and a wrinkled suit, I was still working on that one as I climbed the stairs of the Ursula Line Street address where Patrice Carter lived.

It was one of those dirty unpainted apartment houses in the French border full of heat and low-watt light bulbs. The girl who opened the door was tall, black-haired, wore a black dress. picture line and give me a Patrice Carter was a blonde. Yes. My name is Regan. I wonder if I could see Patrice Carter. Patrice, you're a friend of hers? Yeah, I'm from Los

Annalas. How do you do, Mr. Regan? I'm Janice King, Patrice's roommate. The police can meet. All right. Right this way. Maybe it was because of two big rooms I followed her through were dimly letter. Maybe it was a sweet, sick smell of flowers.

I don't know, but perspiration began to trickle down my back and I braced myself when Janice King opened another door. Here you are in the tree. She was young, lovely, and blonde, with a burning candle at her head and feet lying in state, very dead.

The tree's Carter looked down at her. I think there were other people in the room feeling the same as me and thinking the same I must have stayed that way for five minutes. Then I felt Janice King touch my arm.

Did you know Patrice very long? I didn't know. She asked to have it this way. I know how you must feel being a friend, Mr. Regan. Look, Miss King, I didn't know her at all.

I didn't know that she was passed away. I'm a private investigator. I was hired by Daniel Carter to locate his daughter. Daniel caught her. You knew that she had a father? Yes, Mr. Regan, I knew. She told me about him. She told me everything.

Oh, you want the first one who's been here looking for her. There have been others. Detectives and lawyers trying to get her to go back. Carter knew she was here. If he'd loved it for just one unselfish moment, she'd never have left him.

Well, Mr. Regan, she's where he can't bother her anymore. She's where he can't ever see you. Tell him that when you go back. Tell him she's going to be buried tomorrow. Tell him he can stop hiring lawyers and detectives to find us.

Why don't you take him a copy of her death certificate? That ought to satisfy him. No, get out! Get out! The whole thing had looked too easy right from the beginning. I took her advice and I went down to the morgue to get the dope on Patrice Carter's death.

There was one white coat there, a little man with a bald head who introduced himself as Oliver Figg. So you're from Los Angeles? So how are things in Los Angeles? What did you say your name was?

Reagan International Detective Bureau came here to locate a girl named Patrice Carter and just came from her apartment. And she's dead. Yeah, I know how. Might have wiggled herself to death. Did a dandy strip number, Joe Glorioso's joint.

Stepper? Yeah, you got him a Los Angeles, ain't you? Seen that Carter Dame lots of times. Great! Well, I thought maybe you could give me a copy of the death certificate. I got to take something back with you.

Sure, sure, glad to do it. Oh, she was the real girl. She ain't dirty, she ain't. No, no, no. So how are things a little sensor? Let's see. Lanky. No. Not the same guy. Blackly, blacker.

Homicide. They fished him out of the river. Mississippi mud. Get it? Got it. Yeah, how are things a little dangerous? He got caught. The tree is caught. 731 Ursula. Mm-hmm. Conner's report referred to Dr. Emmett Swase.

He got same diet three days ago of leukemia. Let me see that. Sure. Well, Keemia. And she knew. Sure. You get to plenty of advance on leukemia. Any doctor will tell you almost to the day.

Nothing else. I mean, was there something fishy about it? Nah. All coaches. So how's things in our sense? any relatives enlisted that's it i guess can i have a copy of your sure take that week of any more lots of people want that certificates for legal reasons i was no guy who said the likes of our parents are stand

that one whole wall of his bedroom paper with nothing but that certificate to imagine all homicide the house things was yeah this is fine all over to see around Rather here things are better in Los Angeles.

I wasn't anything more to do after that, but go back to the hotel and try to get a reservation out of town. When I asked for my key, the clerk passed me three printed messages telling me that a Mr. Lian of Los Angeles had been calling.

When I got to my room he called again. You better keep your shirt on. Come on, tell me. Did you see her? Yeah, I saw her. She didn't say anything and we aren't coming back.

What do you mean? She's dead. What? D-E-A-D. Dead. She can't do that. It happened three days ago, leukemia. Now with her back. They're gonna bury her tomorrow morning and they don't want any interference. She was laid out.

Her roommate laced me up and down for working for the old man, name of Janis King. Good looking brunette. Hi. Yeah, I know. I've done a lot of dirty rotten things for you, but he's an old man and he's sick.

And I'm- And he doesn't wear dark glasses because it's a sunny day. I won't do it. I won't do it. I won't. I won't. Do it. Let me take you away from all then.

Come on, I thought now I'll do it. was in the French Quarter. They served a thing called a sazerac and promised a very good floor show at 1 o'clock. I sat there watching the piano player and feeling kind of sorry for myself.

I figured I had more trouble than anybody else, so I had three for Regan. It was about then a tall redhead with a long cigarette holder eased off her stool at the other end of the bar.

Pat-a-dah-ball hit a guy on the head and came over my way. She gave me time enough to get a whiff of her perfume and then leaned into me. Thanks. Me too. I'm the new headline. I'm gonna dance pretty soon.

You ain't anti-social, are you, mister? No, Rhett. I'm just loathsome for home. Where's that? Los Angeles. Hey, that's a good time. And what are you doing here? here work I'm the new stripper oh yeah you told me that's a tough record pick them up and put them down put them on take them off ten years now about drink

no I never went I'm working later maybe baby are you sure you ain't anti-social I look alright don't I mean I ain't I can't even let go. No hard feelings, Red. I just want to see your face.

You're crazy yourself. I'm not going to stand still. No, in the light. What's the matter? Something wrong with me? Well, not a thing. Not a thing, baby. You're just fine. How long did you say you've been dancing?

I've been dancing till you've let go. Oh, still. That makeup. You wear it all the time. I have two in my business. All right. You let me scare that for a minute. You're holding the grab hold of a girl like that.

Red, you mind if I ask you a personal question? Well, now, wait a minute. I just met you. It's not about your face. What's the matter with my face? Well, that's beautiful. I sure go ahead.

That grease paint and makeup, using it heavy like that for a long time, it's hard to get off, huh? Oh, can't I ever get old at all? When you've been in the business as long as I've always been a half-summer than I've been.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Is that what you wanted to ask me? Well, that's it. Well, you can get more Christmas in there. Yeah, the screwy, but I like you. And I like you, Red.

Thanks. Hey, where are you going? What about the drink after my number? Rain check me, Red. I got things to do. Chee! Chee! I had to go back to Janis King's apartment. It was a sticky, sick kind of New Orleans night.

From one lighted street, I turned off on Ursula in a darker, dirtier street. And I stopped right in the middle of the block. All kinds of people have followed me at one time or another, and I followed all kinds of people.

But this had a professional feel to it. Stood there, listening, remembering my automatic in my suitcase back at a hotel. It only took him a second. He was a professional, all right. All I could see was well-pressed, garriting, two arms and a hand-painted tie.

The next thing was a gun butt carefully wrapped in a white linen handkerchief. Subtle slowly against the side of my head. of my head. One of the well-pressed arms reached over and held me under the shoulders. I yelled at the top of my lungs, but there wasn't any noise. Regan of international was odd as cold

as I can of fear." We'll return to Jeff Regan, investigator, in just a moment.

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For money in the future, buy United States savings bonds, you'll be glad you did. And now back to the story of the prodigal daughter and Jeff Regan, investigator. I declare you look at that old plant, him all dressed up like a man.

We won't pay any attention to him, honey. The next thing I knew, a man in a straw hat and a hollow shirt was kneeling down beside me, carefully smelling my breath. Easy, easy now, buddy, easy.

Even making whoopee. Yep, that says racle do it every time. You know you folks visiting down here ought to be more careful. Get your suit all dirty. It hit me on the side of the head.

Sometimes the side of the head, sometimes the back, no different stall. Always wind up in same place on the street somewhere. Had enough for the nine? Yeah, bloody. I'll take you to your hotel. That's my cave.

And the other ran over you. Your first trip? Yeah, well, you know better next time. Oh, he is in now. Did you see my friend? Big man, Gabberding soup. See, nobody. Want to look for him?

Later. See? What you hunting for? My wallet. Somebody take it? No. Nothing's missing. Everything's right here. Honest town. Oh, yeah, you're so right. Well, you feel better when you get back to your place. Yeah, sure. It wasn't quite right. I didn't feel better until the next morning when I got a telegram.

And Red found out Carter's broke. Come back. Forget the whole thing. Lion. And that was the first good news I'd had in three days. Oh, it's you. What are you doing here? She's buried gone.

Yeah, I know. I came back to see you. Wait a minute, you can't come in here. I just did. What do you want now? You! Yes, you. I was hired to come to New Orleans and bring Patrice Carter back to Los Angeles.

She's dead. I'm buried and you know it. That's what you say. That's what a death certificate says. There's only one thing I learned lately. Don't believe what people say. Don't believe what death certificates say.

I don't know what you're trying to do but... Ah, stop it, will ya? I know you're a Patrice Carter. And I know the girl who was buried yesterday with the real Janis King. And I know somebody's trying to make a monkey out of you and a monkey out of me.

I... How you gonna make? If... If I have to. I can have that body exhumed. I can go into fingerprints and birthmarks, you have a lot of things, but I don't think I'll have to.

You see, Patrice Carter wasn't a type to do with strip tees for a living. You're just trying to make something out of nothing. I'll call the police and have them arrested. Last night I ran into the red head who took her place.

She told me what a tough life it is. Ten years of wearing grease paint can be kind of rough on your skin. The dead girl I saw had those gunner marks. The girl I'm looking for couldn't have been in the business that long.

Why don't you leave me alone? I don't know who talked you into a thing like this, but it's all wrong. He's an old man now. He broke and lonely and wants to see you. I don't know what your differences are, but I want to take you back.

What do you say? He was so off. He hated it. I know he did. I never want to see him again. What's he been telling you? Oh Tim, oh Tim, he knows everything. He doesn't know anything.

He'll never know anything. Is this your boyfriend? He had a phony accent when he tried to shake me down in the hotel lobby. Get out of here, Reagan. I played ball and you had to quit trying.

It all fits now. This guy's been holding your hand for the last year. He's been real sympathetic and hit off before I throw you out. He told you how to trade names of that poor kid who was dying of leukemia.

He told you to send me to that morgue for a death certificate. to pick up and he dropped me in the gutter last night to make sure I had it. You know why? You don't listen to us character, baby.

He's off as nice. He's a private detective from Los Angeles who's been getting paid to make love to you. No. No. And I told you to shut up. Oh, he was good at the side street work, but this was an apartment.

He didn't have enough room to move fast. I didn't have the top of my head under his chin for a starter. And then I took a lot of feet in my face, but when he started across the carpet pulling for that 38, I saw my chin.

She stood there and watched him go down. Not true yet. You just even make more trouble for me. You just hear me come on. I thought I recognized the touch. Here. Here's his wallet. Look for yourself.

Here, catch. Timothy Conover, private investigation. Well, come on kid, I'll take you back home. You're back. How was New Orleans?

Oh, I didn't know you had someone with you. I'll see you later, Melody, the lion in. Oh, yes, but I wouldn't go in. He's in a bad mood. What else? Come on, Pat. So you finally got back, did you?

I suppose you run an expensive concert at Choga horse. Let me tell you that it's all coming out of your salary. We didn't make a nickel on that cart of thing, and who's this? Patrice Carter.

How do you do, Mr. Lion? I thought I told you to leave her down there, because that old schmoe was giving us the runner on and hasn't got a nickel to his name. Besides, she's dead.

Yeah, she's dead. That's right. Here's a death certificate to prove it. Now listen to me before you blow the rest of your cylinders. I went to a lot of trouble to bring this girl here.

Well, you can send her back where she came from, and I'll take her fair out of your salary. On the plane coming back, Mr. Reane explained a great many things to me about myself and about you, Mr. Lyons.

Well, I wish she'd explained something to me. When I was a baby, my father placed a trust in a large holding company under my name, $50,000. And I can claim it any time after my 21st birthday.

you. How old are you now? Old enough. Mr. Regan found out that much. I made a phone call to Dun and Bradstreet know a lot of things. Go on, go on. Nothing more, Mr. Lion, except I claimed that trust today. And I'll be glad to pay you the $2,000 fee that my father promised

you. Well, well now that's very generous of you, Miss Carter. International Detective The bureau is proud to have had a small part in bringing you and you're a strange father to give him. I'm not going back to him, Mr. Lyon. I don't want to see you.

No, now my dear Europe says... Labor alone, Lyon. Now look, I tussled with a private detective named Conover down in New Orleans. He'd been hired by old man Carter to convince Pat that she should switch names with a burlesque girl who was dying of leukemia.

Conover does a good job. When the girl dies, Conover wires Carter. Carter comes to you, you call me in and hustle me off to New Orleans, where, according to a perfect setup, I find a phony Patrice Carter dead.

I bring back a death certificate which you turn over to Carter, and then he walks right down and collects that trust fund which reverts the original maker only on death. death and hear more that story about being old and lonely and wanting only to see his daughter telling me he'd pay me a $2,000 fee. Why that dirty crook is no

better than I am. He tried to make a sucker out of me. He did you fell for the whole thing. Trust fund in your name. Well, young lady, you can sit right down here at my desk and make out your check. And then I think that as long as you're in And how new might just drop over and see your own father?

International detective, they're always in business to make people happy. That's all it used to be. Did everything come out all right? Yeah, I guess so. She's writing a check, that's what he wants. Cigarette? Yeah.

Why do you do it, Jeff? You hear in there? It makes you clean. He doesn't care whether it's homicide or arson or a lost daughter. Just people getting kicked around. He makes money on it and I help him.

You didn't answer me. Why do you do it? I don't know, Melavi. I don't know. Remember, an easy way to save for the future is to buy United States savings bonds. You can buy bonds at your nearest post office bank or savings and loan association or you You can ask your employer to start deducting for a bond a month on the payroll savings plant.

A bond a month is good security for the years to come. For money in the future by United States savings bonds now, you'll be glad you did. Jack Webb is featured as Jeff Regan investigator with Wilms Herbert as Anthony J. Lyon and Loretta Philbrandt as Melody.

Knight's cast included Betty Lou Gerson as Red, Lou Krugman as Conover, Theodore von else as Mr. Daniel Carter, Eve McVay as Patrice Carter, and Harry Lang as how's things to look at this? Remember at CBS same time next week for hard-boiled action and mystery with radio's most exciting private detective Jeff Regan as

he tells the story of the lonesome lady. Jeff Regan investigator is written by E. Jack Newman produced and directed by Gordon T. Hughes with original music by Del Castillo. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.